Beta: SouthurnLady – Amazing women who I'm happy to call a friend.
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my time, imagination and ability to entertain.
Chapter 2 – The Cabin
Bones opened the door stepping aside to let Booth in. She firmly closed the door behind her and said, "Booth, it'll be dark soon, we should probably find out if they have any candles or oil lamps around."
Pointing towards the fireplace where a huge supply of wood was stacked beside the hearth and some already in the grate ready to light, Booth said, "Well at least we won't be cold tonight. I'll restock it in the morning."
Booth put his bags down, and immediately retrieved two flashlights from his bag and handed one to Bones, "Okay, lets investigate the cabin first and locate another light source. Flashlights are fine getting from here to there, but I'd prefer some general stationary light."
Each moved to the kitchen area opening various cabinets where they found a stock of matches, candles, canned goods, cookware, plates and silverware. Booth tried the old water pump, but he had to pump it about 20 times before fresh, pure ice cold water poured out. He smiled, "At least, we won't go thirsty."
Bones had pulled out several candles and began placing them at various points throughout the room, just a few, but enough to give them light.
Booth pulled out a few of the canned goods and began to read the labels, "Well, we have garbanzo beans, kidney beans, tomato sauce, paste, mushrooms, corn and a bunch of other things, but no protein."
Bones smirked, "You mean no meat, well, you can always enjoy your MRE's. The supply is quite plentiful considering no one's been here in years."
He quirked his brow and asked, "So, you aren't going to share?"
Bones smirked, "We shall see, I may make my vegetarian Chili. We have all the ingredients and if we had a few spices, I could probably make it."
Booth opened a small cabinet above the stove and smirked as he pointed towards the spices neatly stacked, "Bones, I think you're making Chili."
Booth turned and spotted two doors. The first door he opened contained an old fashioned pump toilet and sink, but no shower. The second door he opened led to a root cellar. He then proposed, "Bones, why don't we investigate the loft and the root cellar in the morning, I want to get this place warmed up first."
Bones pulled one of the pots from the cabinet and located a precious treasure indeed, coffee. She called out, "Booth I found coffee, thank God."
Booth laughed, starting to enjoy himself, "Well, things are looking up Bones." He restacked the logs into an easy to light pattern, not that he was worried. The curled-up bark that covered the wood was dry with age indicating it had been in the hearth several years. After making sure the damper was open, he struck a match and lit several places where the bark was curled and dried.
Seeing the roar of the fire, Bones laughed, "Nicely accomplished, Agent Booth."
Booth bowed deeply and replied, "At your service, my lady, how may I assist?"
Bones pushed the coffee pot into his hands and begged, "Make coffee and I'll deal with the chili."
"At your service," Booth rummaged around in the cabinets hoping to find a filter for the old fashion stove top percolator and crowed triumphantly once he'd located his prize, "Wow, these cabinets…you keep looking and stuff just keeps turning up." He glanced around the cabin. It somehow felt welcoming, or maybe the candlelight hid the defects well. Either way, he was enjoying himself and hoped Bones was enjoying herself as well. Once he put the coffee on, he moved behind her and gently pulled her shoulders into his chest.
"Booth, what are you doing?" Bones yelped, startled to have been grabbed from behind.
"Hey, just trying to help you get your coat off," Booth said, as he quickly pulled the jacket from her shoulders, the movement momentarily exposing the softness of her neck. Turning away quickly as though burned, he shrugged out of his own coat and hung them up on the pegs located near the door.
"It's getting nice and toasty in here, Bones," Booth said, as he reached up for a dish cloth and pulled some dishes off the shelves. The cabinets seemed to be clear of dust and insects, but the table in the low light hid the dust they'd spotted earlier. So, he took the precaution of washing the dishes and removing the dust-covered tablecloth from the table before setting out the plates and silverware.
Bones watched the capable bachelor at work which was a bit of a treat. She knew Booth was completely self-sufficient having seen it many times in the past, but this was neutral territory and he seemed quite at ease. She nearly sighed but luckily caught herself and instead asked, "I agree, we couldn't have asked for better accommodations considering we're stranded," Bones laughed, and then asked seriously, "Have you thought about how to get us out?"
Booth paused…he knew she wouldn't appreciate his answer but felt compelled to tell her, "Bones, no one is going to look for me until the day after Christmas and everyone you know expects to have no form of communication from you while you're in the Yucatan."
Bones nodded, slowly realizing the truth of his statement, "So, we're stuck here for the next two days at minimum?"
Booth nodded slowly, "Yeah, I think so, Bones, are you okay with that?"
"Well, I'm sure National Geographic's nose will be out of joint but what can we do," Bones said.
Booth asked curiously, "They really weren't expecting you to do any of the excavation on Christmas Day, were they?"
"No, no, but we planned to meet tomorrow to go over the parameters of the excavation and start the day after Christmas," Bones replied.
"Then, I guess you can always go down once a rescue party finds us," Booth said encouragingly.
Bones nodded firmly, "Your absolutely right, Booth, I'm sure that'll be fine."
Then she asked, "Booth, where will we sleep?"
Booth thought about it for the first time and looked around expecting to find a bed, he glanced up towards the loft and grabbed a flashlight and said, "Let me check, maybe the loft has a bed."
Running up the steps two at a time, he flashed the light around but it only held old furniture, boxes of God knows what and bedding but no bed. Walking heavily down the stairs, his eyes fell on the sofa. He had a feeling. Bones watched as Booth pulled the cushions off and opened a pull-out bed. Sighing, she said, "Well, at least there is a bed, I didn't picture myself sleeping on a bear skin rug."
Booth's thoughts immediately became carnal as he pictured Bones lying beneath him on that bear skin rug; her skin aglow from firelight. He shook his head and quickly reassembled the sofa to take his mind off the rug below his feet. He walked back to the kitchen with a bottle of wine in his hand.
Bones spotted the wine and raised a questioning brow. Booth shrugged and answered her non-verbal question, "There were several in the loft, I thought the red would go well with your chili."
She smiled, "Great idea, why don't you open it, and we'll sample some now," Bones said as she finished assembling her chili and put it on the stove to simmer slowly.
Booth found two wine glasses tucked up in a cabinet near the back and after giving them a rinse, poured them each a small glass of wine. Bones had taken a position on the left of the sofa facing the fire, and he handed her a glass and proceeded to sit on the opposite end of the sofa, his arm draped casually over the back of it. His hand rested lightly on her shoulder.
Booth looked pensive as he starred at the flames then asked quietly, "Bones, have you ever wished for a normal life?"
He turned towards her wanting to see her face as well as hear her voice when she replied. It was something that had been rolling around in his mind for a while and wondered how Bones felt about it.
Taking a sip of her wine, she stared into the mesmerizing glow of the flames and spoke as if hypnotized, "Yes, at one time, I had hoped to have the life I thought my parents had. But then I was abandoned and gave up those dreams." She turned towards him, her eyes reflecting the sadness of her loss.
Booth leaned in a bit closer, his hand rubbing her neck softly as she turned to face him even more, and their eyes locked. Booth said, "You know, Bones, you can have it all. You just have to take the chance."
Bones moved away suddenly aware of how much she wanted Booth to kiss her. As she rose, she said firmly, "Booth, I have everything I need, I don't need a man to make me feel complete."
Booth having heard this argument too many times, decided to take a different tact, "What about a child, Bones, you wanted a child, my child?"
Bones looked away embarrassed and murmured, "I've reconsidered; my life is too busy to care for a child."
Booth placed a gentle finger under her chin and said quietly, "There's always time for that."
Then realizing the conversation had gotten too heavy to fast he teased, "But, you aren't getting any younger Bones, what 34 this year, not many more ticks left on that biological clock of yours."
Bones affronted said, "I'll have you know women conceive right until their mid 40's and often beyond, I have no doubt I could do the same."
Booth laughed, "Bones I would never doubt you, you simply amaze me. I'm sure if you decided to have a child in your mid 40's you certainly wouldn't let age stop you."
Bones smiled and nodded, "Thank you for believing in me."
Booth smiled and toasted her, "Bones I always believe in you. You are my beacon for truth and I trust you more than anyone in my life." He added seriously, "Just remember I'll always be there for you."
Bones nodded her smiled softened as she said, "I know Booth."
"Well that was delicious I don't know why I doubted you," Booth said truly enjoying her chili.
Bones looked up surprised, "You doubted me?"
"Just teasing Bones, I never doubt you but I also knew you had very limited supplies here, but you are truly a gourmet in any kitchen," Booth praised.
"Well thank you and I'm glad you ate the last of the chili because without a fridge I don't know what we would have done with the leftovers," she said this as she began to remove the dishes from the table. Booth followed with his own, before they'd sat down Booth had filled a large pan with water and had set it on the stove to boil. Taking the steaming pan of water off the stove he asked, "Bones did you find any dish soap?" Bones bent and checked the cabinet below the sink, not only was there dish soap but also a spong. Reaching in she crowed, "Wow, I love this place we ask for something and it appears."
Booth laughed, "Then look around for a phone."
Bones smirked, "Okay maybe not everything."
They laughed as they washed dishes and put them away, they worked together as they always had as partners, dishes were just another example of partnering to solve a problem. Once the dishes were done each settled on the sofa with a steaming cup of black coffee.
Bones glanced over and spied a bookshelf that not only contained books but also a few board games. She put her cup on the coffee table and wandered over to the selection. Booth asked, "Do you see clue or sorry?"
"No just checkers, chess and backgammon," Bones said as she looked up from the selection.
"You game for backgammon?" Bones smirked.
"Absolutely I use to play that at camp every year," Booth said.
"You went to camp Booth," Bones said as she reached in for the dusty leather encased game.
"Sure did, baseball camp, gramps would send Jared and I every year, I think he thought we'd be professional baseball players if we stuck with it," Booth said his face reflecting the youth of a time long ago.
Bones sat next to him and asked, "Were you any good?"
"Bones, what sport haven't I been good at? But, seriously I blew out my arm third year in college and that was it, no baseball, no basketball meant no scholarship, had to drop out," Booth said saddened by event.
Bones then said, "Then you joined the army, became proficient in your chosen field and finished your degree after you completed your tour. Who knows, if you hadn't blown out your arm, maybe we wouldn't even know each other."
The thought of that saddened her, she looked into his eyes and felt it reflected back at her, he smiled softly and said, "You know Bones put that way, I'm glad I did blow out my arm, I like being stranded here with you."
"I agree Booth, stranded is no fun, but with you I think I could learn to enjoy it," then looking towards the game she asked, "Do you want to roll for first, or do you want to do rock, paper, scissors for it?"
"Roll for it Bones, let's not make this complicated," Booth said with a laugh.
Booth stretched and looked at his watch it was after 11, he glanced at Bones and saw her eyes were equally sleepy and suggested, "Bones, how about I make up the bed and you can change."
Bones looked startled, "Change into what?"
"Bones don't' you have any sweatpants or a t-shirt in your kit?"
Bones shook her head slowly, "I have a t-shirt, I'll use that." She rose from the sofa and grabbed her kit and moved towards the little half bath tucked into the corner of the room no bigger than an oversized closet really. Booth quickly pulled out a t-shirt and some sweats and changed quickly not knowing how soon Bones would be out, it was bad enough they were sharing a bed he didn't want her intimidated.
He opened the sofa bed and layered the mattress with a thick layer of bedding he'd retrieved from the loft earlier. The mattress still cold and it smelled slightly musty but beggars couldn't be choosers. Once done he spread out his thick survival sleeping bag over the entire mattress confident they'd be warm enough. He'd just turned to check the fire when he heard the door of the bath open, his heart nearly stopped. Bones hugged her arms around her as she shivered in the cool air. Her t-shirt barely grazed the top of her thighs, her teeth chattered as she said, "Oh Booth it's so cold in there."
Lifting the blanket he said, "Bones climb in, I'll add a few more logs to the fire and you'll warm up in no time."
Bones immediately jumped into bed, her teeth chattered so hard Booth though she'd snap her jaw. After making sure the fire guard was placed safely in front of the fire, Booth asked, "You sure about this Bones?"
Bones looked up and briefly conquered her chattering teeth and demanded, "Booth not another word, or you'll be looking for another partner when we get back to D.C."
Booth grinned, "Okay Bones you win."
He climbed under the covers, the bed itself was nearly vibrating from Bones shivers, he tried to ignore it and found he just didn't have the heart too and said, "Bones get over here, let me warm you up."
He raised his arm as she immediately moved to drape her arm over his chest and tucked her head onto his shoulder, she murmured, "Thank you Booth, I'll move away once I've warmed up."
Booth smiled, he thought well it wasn't perfect but he certainly had been granted an early Christmas wish, Bones was in his arms and sharing his bed. He held back a chuckle as he thought what a twisted sense of humor good ole St. Nick had.
Last thing he remembered was Bones moving closer, definitely not further away, his lips curved into a sleepy smile as his thoughts revolved around the woman in his arms.
R&R is always deeply appreciated! Next chapter is a biggie :)
