Chapter 2. Between Desert and Jungle

Booth was extremely annoyed. He has been in a war zone for three weeks now and it he finally found time and place for himself. The trainings were going well, the soldiers were doing their job, the sun was hot, his tent was somewhat comfortable, but his stupid satellite connection wasn't working.

It's been three weeks since Bones kissed him in the airport and told him she loved him. Sometimes he still couldn't believe it was real. If he wasn't stuck in the middle of nowhere, exhausted and extremely sexually frustrated, he would have thought he is back in his coma dream. But given how much he was missing her and that every sleeping hour he was consumed with images of her being naked in his arms and the reality being, well, war, he knew it was all for real. God, this woman wouldn't make it easy for him, not once. They agreed to have video call today and Booth was desperately trying to make his satellite enhanced computer work. He was getting desperate, he really needed that, he needed to make sure that she didn't change her mind, that all this anxiety was worth it, that she was just as frustrated as he is with their situation. He couldn't help but think that it was kind of Bones' fault, if only she just realized sooner…But, as he told her, he will take what he can get. He fought for her so long that this separation won't make any difference to him as long as it won't make any difference to her.

Finally, the image on the computer cleared up and the connection seemed to be working. First thing he saw a very annoyed and very concentrated face of his partner. She was clear having troubles with the connection as well. A few seconds later her face broke into a huge grin. The connection was established.

'Hey, Booth,' her deep, velvety voice was a music to his years. He knew, he was probably looking like a goofy idiot, but he didn't care. If somebody walked on him now, they would see the biggest, most stupid smile a human can possibly have.

'Bones,' he breathed out her nickname. 'You have no idea how much I already missed you!'

'I miss you too, Booth, more than I originally anticipated. How is Afghanistan?'

'Hot, messy, but mostly OK,' she missed him. That was enough to make him giddy. 'How is Manuku?'

'It's Maluku, Booth,' she corrected him automatically and he grinned even wider. As soon as they get back, he would make sure his fantasy of her being a sexy teacher giving him a lesson comes to life. 'And it's quite fascinating I must say. Ms Wick and I have started our excavations, although, I must admit, that the field of work here is not as wide as I was promised.'

'What do you mean? Did they lie to you or something?'

'No, but I suppose they underestimated my abilities,' Booth smirked at Bones' lack of modesty. 'Judging from what I can see so far, the expedition might be reduced. But of course, I need to make a more thorough research, before making any kind of a conclusion.'

His heart skipped a beat. Reduced, he liked that. But he glanced around himself and was reminded that he still had his own duties. So, he decided just to try and have a normal conversation, no wistful thinking, it wouldn't help anyway.

'Hey, of course they underestimated you. You should have warned them that you are the best of the best!'

'I can assure you that I did, but, apparently, it wasn't enough. Anyway, the culture here is still extremely fascinating and the remains that we discovered so far have a lot of potential for the paper I am planning on publishing. I am still very much looking forward to make a groundbreaking discovery here and I must admit, even though I had my reservations, Ms Wick has been a great help so far.'

'I am glad, you are enjoying yourself, Bones.'

'I am, but a lot of times I wish you were here as well, I can assure you, you would have enjoyed it here.'

'I wish I was with you too, Bones. There or here or back in DC, it doesn't really matter to me.'

'Booth, I've been thinking,' his heart stopped with a blood-freezing fear. He was on the verge of panic, here it was, she changed her mind or worse, she met someone else, some brilliant archeologist or whatever and they will play with the bones in Indonesia together. He took a deep breath and ordered himself to calm down, he couldn't be this pathetic mess, it was unacceptable. 'Do you think I shouldn't have said anything? Should I have waited until we got back? I find myself extremely frustrated I can't see you every day and given our last conversation, I find it harder and harder to concentrate purely on my work, which was the whole point of this trip.'

'No, Bones…' he began feeling a wave of relief, and then glanced away. Well, she wasn't wrong, it wasn't the best idea of starting things with them, but he had faith that their bond was strong enough to survive this as long as they keep telling each other the truth. 'Maybe a little…But, I am still glad you did, because I don't what would have happened between us if you didn't. Now I have something to hold onto for when we get back.'

'OK,' she said. 'Just so you know, even though we haven't discussed the terms and conditions of our possible romantic relationship, I haven't been engaged sexually with anybody here and I am not planning to, even though one of our guides expressed such an intention. I am quite aware of you view on monogamy and relationships and I am inclined to fully respect it.'

He couldn't help but smile like an idiot. This was his Bones all over, it was her way of telling him something important, something he was hoping for as well, but couldn't quite ask of her, since they were not technically in a relationship yet. He made his own choice the moment she told him he loved him, there will never be anybody else for him. A year of celibacy will certainly be a challenge, but he can take it, but as soon as they get back…

'I am not planning any other relationships too, Bones. I told you, I am all in.'

Her beautiful face looked relieved now, despite being supremely rational, or so she claimed to be, human being, he knew that if he engaged with somebody else, Bones wouldn't be able to accept it, not after she put all her heart and faith in them.

'I find myself irrationally content with that.'

'I imagine you are,' he laughed. 'But so you know, as soon as we get back, we are going straight to my place or your place and making up for all the lost time.'

'Agreed,' she tilted her head slightly and Booth knew he won't be able to fall asleep tonight, she will be haunting him and the all the things she promises to give him.

They talked for hours, exchanging every detail of the three weeks they haven't seen each other. It will be, indeed, a very long year.