A/N: If anyone has any questions, or would like to discuss the story beyond what is available in the reviews, I have created a forum area on here for this story within the Forums section. It's titled, "Mitoch's Fanfics Discussion Page" Please feel free to use it. I will answer any and all posts. Navigating to it is somewhat clunky, you go to Forums / TV / Bones (It should be somewhere in the listing). In the forum, there will be a listing of all threads contained in the forum. You can filter it by changing the category dropdown box to display only those threads under the specific story you're addressing (i.e. "Promises", "Long Road Home" etc.).
Trying to jam more bagged ice into the freezer, Jon thought, 'Why the hell did she bring so many supplies? Six trips back and forth to the car, just to get the stuff on the boat. Now, I've got to get the stuff stored someplace.' He put all of his weight on the lid and finally heard the latch click shut. 'I've got to remember to stand as far away as I can when I open this again.' He looked around at all the snack food, cold cuts, bread and condiments. 'Well, some of this stuff is just going to have to stay out on the table.' He opened the fridge and put the cold cuts and condiments inside. Rotating his gaze around, his eyes landed on the cases of beer, wine coolers and soft drinks. 'What the hell was she thinking?' He shook his head, smiling ruefully, 'Well, at least we won't have to do any more shopping for awhile.'
He heard Cricket's voice from above deck, "Honey? Can you come give me a hand with something?"
"Be right there," he singsonged. He thought, 'She's got more stuff?'
He gave the hydrogen tanks a last look, making sure they were full, and then moved towards the stepladder leading up to the main cabin. He stood at the bottom of the stepladder; looking around, he didn't see anything to raise any red flags over, so he hit the light switch and climbed to the main deck level. He spotted a couple of coolers sitting near the bed. 'Now, what the…' Her voice, talking to someone interrupted his thoughts. He moved to the double glass doors and stepped through onto the aft deck.
As he stepped out into the bright sunlight, the conversation had stopped. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. When he could finally see, Cricket stood before him smiling, "These people wanted to know if they could come aboard," she pointed towards the dock. "I told them I had to ask the Captain."
Jon turned and saw Seeley, Temperance, Angela, Hodgins, Zack and another woman he didn't know. They were all smiling and said as one, "Permission to come aboard, sir!"
Jon smiled broadly, as all of the negativity and anxiety pressing upon him melted away. "Permission granted!" he shouted, "Let's get all of your gear on board. We're wasting daylight!" He reached out for Cricket and folded her inside his arms. "I Love You," he said into her ear.
"It was Temperance and Booth's idea," she whispered back.
"Doesn't mean I don't Love You." He hugged her tighter.
When all of the extra coolers and supplies the group had brought were loaded, Jon and Cricket gave the new arrivals the rundown on safety on the boat. Those who couldn't swim would have to wear lifejackets at all times. It turned out everybody could. While the ship was in motion, everybody had to wear the lifejackets. That way, in the event someone fell overboard the person could stay afloat until Jon could double back and pick him or her up. No rough housing while the boat was in motion. Once they moved into open water and then dropped anchor, those who wanted to could go swimming. But under the "buddy system." He also showed them where the two life rafts were and how to inflate them. Jon and Cricket started handing out lifejackets to the passengers.
As Jon handed lifejackets to Zack and his friend he said, "Well Zack, I've been waiting patiently for you to introduce your friend."
"I apologize, Dad." Zack said. He noticed Jon's eyes narrow and said, "I apologize, Agent Smith. I just thought since we are out of the laboratory and in a social setting it would be all right to call you what the rest of your team calls you."
Jon paused a moment, "You know what, Zack? You're right. You can call me Dad if you like," Jon swiveled his head towards Seeley and interrupted him just as he was about to say something, "You can't." Seeley's jaw closed.
To the young woman Zack said, indicating Jon and Cricket, "This is Agent Smith; an old friend of Agent Booth's who has been working with Doctor Brennan while Agent Booth recovers from his gunshot wound. And this is Agent Smith's fiancé, Cricket. That's not her real name, it is a nickname. She also works at the FBI." Zack then presented the woman to Jon and Cricket, "This is Naomi from Paleontology."
"Pleased to meet you Naomi," Cricket hugged her. Naomi seemed to relax a bit from the ordeal of meeting new people.
Jon shook her hand. He guessed her to be in her mid twenties, blond with a patch of reddish-tinted hair in front and more of the reddish tints coloring the ends of her hair. "Hello Naomi. Is that your real last name, 'from Paleontology'?" Jon said with a smile.
She returned the smile, "Naomi Armstrong. But just Naomi will do fine. And what should I call you, sir?"
Jon looked aghast, "Certainly not 'sir'." Jon motioned to Zack, "He calls me Dad. If you would prefer, you can call me Jon. Either one is fine." Naomi nodded, now visibly more at ease.
Jon turned to Temperance and Seeley, "Is this it? No Cam or anybody else?"
Temperance said, "Cam had a family thing that she couldn't get out of."
Seeley added, "She wanted to come, but if you knew her family, you'd understand why she had to go to that one instead of here with us."
"All righty then." Jon turned to Cricket, "Once we get underway, would you mind giving everyone the dime tour while I get us going?" Cricket nodded. Jon said in a louder voice, "Can I get some help on the fore and aft lines?" He climbed the steps to the bridge.
"I've got the fore line," Seeley shouted back and jumped back onto the dock.
"I've got the aft," Hodgins said, repeating Seeley's motions.
Jon started the engine and told Seeley, standing at the forward cleat and Jack, standing at the aft cleat to cast off. The two unraveled the lines tying Calliope to the dock and then jumped aboard. Jon eased the boat towards the Potomac; heading eventually to open waters.
Cricket walked everyone through the master stateroom and guest stateroom. She pointed out the bathroom areas with the showers, toilets and sinks. She also showed them the fully stocked galley with the microwave and bottled natural gas range. Everyone seemed duly impressed.
Jack said, "Now, we're moving…because I can feel it." He continued, "But I don't hear the massive engine whining that would accompany a boat this size."
Cricket nodded her head, "Jon had the engine converted to a Hydrogen fuel cell." Jack looked impressed. She continued, "I can take you below deck and show you, if you like."
"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time in the next two days," he said. "Thanks."
"If anybody would like to plug any mp3 players into the ship's sound system, we can certainly do that," Cricket said. "Although be warned, majority rules on the choice of music."
Cricket opened up a couple of doors and pulled out some folding chairs. She handed them to Jack and Zack, "Could you please set these up on the aft deck? Might as well take advantage of what's left of the sun today."
Temperance, Naomi and Angela also helped the two men set the chairs up. Looking around for Seeley, she saw him up on the bridge talking to Jon. Jon was leaning back in his captain's chair steering the wheel with his feet. She might have worried if she didn't catch Jon's attention moving with regularity back and forth between Seeley and where the boat was going.
"Seeley," she called.
Seeley turned and smiled, "Yes?"
Temperance returned the smile, "Do you want a chair?" She held up a folding chair for him to grab. He reached over the railing and brought it up to him.
"Thanks!" he said down to her. "Could you please pass a beer and soda up to us?"
She moved to the coolers, lined up along the side of the boat. "Don't get used to this. I'm not going to 'step and fetch' for you all weekend." She pulled a Miller Genuine Draft out and a Diet 7-up, and passed them up.
"Even though in your bathing suit you are extremely fetching, I never expected you to be my servant girl," he gave her his genuine smile. "Thanks!" he said taking the two bottles.
Zack called up, "Agent Booth and Agent Smith, would you mind if I came up?"
"Not at all, Zack," Jon said. If anyone else wants to come up, that would be fine too. More than five at a time would make it kind of crowded, though." Zack looked to Naomi for approval, who nodded her head. Jack looked to Angela.
"Go," Angela said. "Go do whatever it is that you men do when you're bonding." Jack leaned in and kissed her. Zack had just completed passing his chair up to Seeley and moved over to the ladder. Jack passed his chair up as well and followed Zack up the rungs.
Cricket appeared in the cabin doorway with a fruit tray. She looked around. Moving onto the aft deck, she turned and spotted the men up on the bridge. Smiling, she looked back at the other three women, "Good, now we can talk about them."
"So you really converted this to a fuel cell?" Hodgins asked.
"Yeah," Jon said. "Cost me a pretty penny too. You'd think, all these people screaming about alternate energy, they'd make the technology cheaper." He noted Zack looking at the instruments. "Have you ever driven a boat this size, Zack?"
Zack looked at him, surprised. "No, I haven't Agent Smith. I've been on my father's fishing boat a number of times, but he only let me steer it once."
"Why only once?" Seeley asked.
Zack turned to him, "I hit a submerged tree." Jack laughed. "It wasn't my fault," Zack said, hurt. "It was submerged…I couldn't see it."
Jack, still laughing said, "I know it wasn't your fault. It just seems somehow, appropriate."
Jon looked at Zack, "Want to give this a try?"
Zack looked at him in astonishment. He thought for a moment and then finally said, disappointedly, "I don't think it would be a very good idea. I can't even drive a car or ride a bike."
Jon sat up and placed his feet on the bridge. He reached down and pulled the pin holding the seat, sliding it back to the edge of the bridge as he stood up. "Well, all of those things take doing to learn. The same principle applies here. Come on," he motioned for Zack to take the wheel.
Zack looked nervously at Seeley, who gave him a look of encouragement, and then at Hodgins, who nodded, and smiling said, "Mr. Addy, your station please."
Zack cautiously moved over to Jon and placed his hand on the wheel. Seeley and Jack exchanged amused looks. "Okay, Zack," Jon said, directing his attention to the waters in front of them. "We're going to be going down the Potomac to open waters. The main thing you need to do is watch out for other traffic and keep those green buoys and signs to the right of the boat. They signify shallow waters." He pointed to a black lever, "This is the speed control, called the throttle…up is faster, down is slower…go ahead and try it."
Nervously, Zack moved his left hand to the lever. So concentrated on the controls, buoys and looking out for other water traffic he didn't see Jack and Seeley waving frantically towards the women down on the deck. Angela caught sight of Jack waving at her and then saw Seeley waving also. "Bren," Temperance looked at her. "What are they doing?" At that, all of the women looked up at the bridge. They saw Seeley and Jack making motions to hold onto something, and Jon was standing next to Zack, who looked like he was driving the boat?
Temperance smiled, remembering the day she and Seeley had gone out together. Jon had done this same thing, teaching Seeley how to steer. She was glad that he had picked Zack this time. She looked at Cricket, who said, "It looks like Jon is teaching Zack how to drive. This must be the part where he teaches him about the throttle." She turned to Angela and Naomi, "Hold onto something in case he gets too excited and moves it too quickly." The two women looked around, almost frantically looking for purchase.
Zack edged the throttle upwards. He felt a corresponding surge in speed. Looking to his right, he could see the surrounding landmarks on shore edge past the boat at a quicker pace. He smiled and eased the throttle back down to where it began. He turned and smiled at Jon.
Jon nodded, "Once we get out into open water, I'll let you open her up. The main thing to know, when turning, is to make easy movements on the wheel. Especially at high speeds."
Zack nodded. Pointing at two instrument screens, he said, "What are those?"
Jon said, "One is surface radar," he pointed to one of the screens, "what's on the surface, boats, that kind of stuff." He moved his hand to another screen. "This one is sonar, what's beneath us. Gotta keep an eye on that one to make sure we don't run aground." Zack nodded. Jon noted that his mannerisms were much more relaxed now. Zack's smile reminded him of a child's, learning a new skill or opening a gift.
"You're driving the boat, little buddy!" Jack laughed.
"When you call me 'little buddy,' are you saying I'm Gilligan?" Zack said. The men laughed. "Because actually, since I have a PhD, I think I would more properly be The Professor."
"He's got you there, Hodgins," Seeley laughed.
"So what are you saying?" Jack said. "That I'm Gilligan?" More laughter. Jack pointed at Seeley, "I say you're Gilligan."
Seeley stopped laughing, "Now wait a minute, as the biggest guy here, I'd have to say I'm the Skipper. That would make you," pointing at Jack, "the Millionaire."
"Really?" Jack said.
Zach agreed, "That would make sense. Since you own the Cantilever group, you would be Thurston Howell III, and Angela would be Luvvy."
Jack nodded, "Yeah…I like that." He turned to Jon, "I guess that makes you Gilligan."
Seeley reached out and grabbed Jon around the shoulders, "Little Buddy..."
Jon shook his head, "Oh no….my boat…I'm the Skipper."
"He's got you there, "Jack laughed at Seeley.
A look of horror spread across Seeley's face. "I can't be Gilligan…But if I'm not, that means…"
"You're either Maryann or Ginger," Zack added helpfully.
Fingers pointed at Seeley from all around, with everyone saying, "Ahhhhh…"
Temperance looked up at the bridge and saw the men laughing and pointing fingers at Seeley. He was the butt of some kind of joke she figured. It was a nice picture. "What are those guys doing?" she said. The rest of the women looked to see them.
"Probably something stupid," Naomi said. When the other three women looked at her, she continued, "They're guys, standing around, drinking. Don't you know how their minds work?" She got blank stares. Naomi yelled up, "What are you guys doing up there?"
The men quieted. Zack shouted back, "We're trying to determine who among the group would be Gilligan."
The women looked at each other. "And what did you come up with?" Angela asked.
Jack said, "Well, since it's his boat, Jon is the Skipper. Since Zack has a doctorate, he's the Professor…"
"Wait a minute! Why aren't I the Professor?" Temperance yelled up.
Zack yelled down, "The Professor was a male."
"That's sexist! I say I'm the Professor" she looked around at the other women for support.
Jack continued, "Since I own the Cantilever group, I'm the Millionaire and Angela…"
"Is his wife," Angela sang.
"So who did you figure out is Gilligan?" Cricket yelled up.
Three fingers pointed at Seeley, who raised his eyes to the darkening sky. The four women started giggling. "So, who are the rest of us?" Temperance yelled.
Seeley shook his head and said, "We haven't gotten that far." The men turned back to their discussion.
"Well, if I can't be the Professor…" Temperance started.
"What are you doing?" Angela asked. "They've pulled us into their madness."
"Like I said," Naomi commented, "Something stupid."
Cricket held her wine cooler out, "Yeah," she said. "But we love them anyway."
"Here…Here," as the women acknowledged the toast.
Jon looked around at the blackness of the water. "There," he said. "We're far enough out; the light pollution won't affect us." He reached down and turned off the electric lantern.
Looking up, everybody's breath caught in their throat at the dazzling display of stars shining brightly in the night sky.
After a few moments of drinking in the spectacle, Jon pointed to an area of the sky, "There's Polaris."
"Where?" Naomi asked enthusiastically. She leaned back into Zack's chest and pulled his arms around her.
"Okay," Jon said, directing everyone's attention, "See the Big Dipper?" he waited for his class's acknowledgement. "See the two stars that make up the left-hand side of the cup portion?" Again, he waited for everyone to catch up. "If you go in a straight line up, the next brightest star is Polaris, the North Star. If you can find that, you know which way is which, north, south, east or west."
"There," Seeley said, pointing at the sky. "There's the Milky Way." Temperance followed his gaze, seeing a band of light arcing across the night sky. Billions of stars lined up as though in a row.
Zack said, "Carl Sagan called it 'The Backbone of Night'." Seeley remembered that Zack had come from a rural community. He would have an understanding of the night sky.
"I always thought we were in a spiral galaxy," Angela said. "Why doesn't it look like that?"
"Our sun sits on the galactic plane, so we can only see it edge on," Seeley said. He looked at the others seeing a number of blank stares. He held his hand up so they could see his palm. "It's a matter of perspective. If we were above, and looking down on it, it would look like a spiral," he made a circular motion with his other hand. "But because we're on the same plane as the galaxy, we can only see it edge on." He brought his hand down so they could only see the side of his hand. Temperance smiled; she loved to watch him teach others something of his interests. She was doubly impressed that he put it in terms the artist could more readily accept.
Nods of understanding and murmurs of "Ahh" and "I get it now."
"Sometimes, looking at all those stars…in the vastness of space, makes me feel so small. Insignificant," Angela said.
"Really?" Seeley asked, looking at her. He raised his head to the heavens, "It's just the opposite for me. It doesn't matter whether you think it was God, working on a master plan, or it was just random chemical reactions that accidentally bumped into one another, creating everything in the Universe," he smiled almost beatifically, "But for me, looking at all those stars…knowing that there are billions of galaxies in just the known, visible universe. Knowing that many more may be hidden. Some of those galaxies are small, holding only about ten million stars." He said sarcastically, "If ten million of anything can be considered small." He continued, "Some of them are huge, holding as many as a trillion. How many of those stars have planets circling them like ours? How many of those planets contain life? In all that…in all that space, there is only one of me." He looked back at everybody. "In all the Universe, there is only one me." His eyes searched and found Temperance's, "There's only one Temperance…" She moved into his arms, her back leaning into his chest, watching the stars as he spoke. His eyes found each one of his compatriots in turn, "Only one Angela…Cricket…Naomi…Jon…Jack…or Zack. Doesn't that make you feel special? We are all…unique," he laughed. "Just like everybody else."
"Sagan said in Cosmos that we are all made up of star stuff," Zack said. "That the same atoms found in stars and throughout the universe are the same atoms that make up our bodies and everything around us. That makes us all a part of the universe."
Naomi agreed, "I used to watch this science fiction TV show. It was called Babylon 5. Set on a space station hundreds of years in the future. One of the characters was an alien who was also a high-ranking person in their religion. She said kind of the same thing." She paused a moment. "The character said that we were all made of star stuff. That we were the universe made manifest. Trying to figure itself out."
She continued, "I think it was kind of a metaphor. That we are part of the universe and it is part of us. That we are all connected. What affects one, affects us all."
Temperance nodded, she thought, 'How do I keep surrounding myself with philosophers?'
A/N: To see a photo of what they are seeing from the boat at night, go to my Discussion page and in the "General" category in the topic "Miscellaneous Stuff Photo Links, etc." is a link address.
