Disclaimer—See Chapter One

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter!  I haven't been able to access the site for the past couple of days—sorry about that!!  Thank you so much for your reviews, I am so encouraged, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!!  I am currently in the middle of chapter nine, so am not sure yet how long this story will be in the end.  Please let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.  Thank you so much!!

Of Wind and Wood—Chapter Two

Brennan groaned as he pushed himself up on his elbows and saw the flickering of the computer screen in the darkened room as Shalimar was hunched over the keyboard, ferociously typing away.  His arms collapsed under him, and he fell flat back on the bed; she was at it again.  It had been over a week since Jesse's inopportune suggestion of a vacation, but still she spent long hours online, looking for just the perfect place.   She barely spared him a glance when she heard the sheets stirring.

"Go back to sleep, Bren."

He frowned and pushed himself back up again, one hand rising to scratch the back of his head, mouth opening in a jaw-splitting yawn. 

"I don't know, Shal," he paused to finish his yawn, "I think you're going crazy on me here." 

Her fingers continued their attack on the keyboard, even as she shot him a smile over her shoulder.  

"Seriously, Shal," he continued when she didn't respond, "Come back to bed.  It's the middle of the night." 

"Hmm," she shrugged her shoulders, pausing in her typing and peering closer at the screen. 

He watched her for a few more minutes before giving up and lying back down.  The room was quiet except for the occasional key clicks.  Brennan sighed and rolled over, turning his back to the sound.  Now that he was awake, he couldn't fall back asleep again.  The typing finally stopped, and he settled down into the pillow, letting his shoulders relax.  Click.  Click.  Click.   He crankily groaned and shoved the pillow over his head.  Click.  Pause.  Click-Click.

"Shal," he poked his head out from under the pillow, "I can't sleep." 

"Hmm?" she murmured after a long pause. 

"Shal," he gritted, "I can't sleep because you are keeping me up." 

Click.  Click. Click.  Her fingers slowed as his words registered in his mind.  "What?"   She turned around in her chair.  "What am I doing?"

He glared at her.

"Well," she arched an eyebrow, "You could just go to your own room then." 

He muttered under his breath and plopped the pillow back over his head, not moving.  She smiled tenderly.  They had not spent a night apart since returning from their cruise a few months ago, and he was not inclined to leave now.  

"It's ok, Bren," she took pity on him, "I'm actually almost done."  She pushed herself up from her chair and padded over to the bed, stroking her hand on his shoulder and down his arm before turning around and peering at the floor, looking for his pants.  His hand suddenly shot out and captured hers just as she started to bend down and yanked her backwards onto the bed. 

"Brennan!" She shrieked in surprise as his arms closed around her.

He pushed his nose into her hair, "So," he whispered, "You all done over there now?"  He dropped a kiss on her shoulder, then leaned down and nibbled on her ear. 

"Hey," she mildly protested, even as her arms rose up and circled around his neck, "I thought you were tired." 

"Well," he chuckled deep in his throat, "I'm awake now, might as well make the best of it." 

She twisted in his arms, lightly kissing him.  "Hold that thought for one moment, ok?  I just need to finish making our reservations, and then I'm all yours."

"Reservations?  You mean you finally picked a place?"

"Uh-hm and I need your credit card to reserve it," she gave him one more kiss before pulling back and picking his jeans off the floor.  She dug around in his back pocket for a moment before pulling out his wallet. 

"I take it I'm paying?" he yawned. 

"Yep," she flashed him a grin, "Consider it part of your payback."  She sat back down in front of her computer and began typing again, glancing from his card to her screen.  "There," she announced triumphantly after a moment, "I'm all finished." 

"Good," he exhaled, "Now maybe you'll stop living in front of that computer all the time." 

"Miss me, did you?" She smirked back at him.

He chuckled and made his way over to her, squeezing her shoulders and leaning into her as he read from the screen in curiosity.  "So where are we going to—" His eyes widened.  "Oh no."

"Oh yes," she smugly countered.

Brennan stared incredulously at Shalimar.  "I don't think that's even physically possible for me, Shal," he pleaded.

She cocked a suggestive brow at him.

"The water," he amending, shaking his head at her, "I can't stay in water for that long a time."

She smiled, "Good try, but you wouldn't actually be in the water."  She laughed at his expression.  "Come on, you'll be spending your days relaxing, floating lazily down the river and your nights," she waggled her eyebrows, "with me, sleeping under the stars."  Her eyes danced up at him.  "It'll be romantic."

He snorted, "I seem to remember you saying that the last time." 

She lightly slapped his chest.  "That was different, we were on a case.  This time, we don't have to pretend with anything or with anyone.  We'll be free to be together without any worries."

Brennan frowned at her doubtfully as his eyes continued to scan the screen over her shoulder.  "White Water Rafting?  You're really going to make me do this?"

She turned around in her chair, standing up and pushing him down into it.  "Here, check this out," she settled herself down into his lap. 

One arm rose up and wrapped around her waist, fingers splayed against her flat stomach as the other circled around her and grasped the mouse. 

She watched his eyes dart back and forth across the screen as he silently read the information.  After a few minutes, she grew bored and reached up and breathed a soft kiss on his neck.  He smiled and arched his head to the side, giving her better access even as he continued to study the screen.  She gave his neck a thorough exploration and then moved higher up.  His fingers tightened their hold on her hip when she suddenly blew lightly into his ear. 

"You trying to distract me?" he murmured as she leaned closer and placed a kiss on the corner of his mouth. 

She shrugged and gave him another light kiss as her answer, teasing him by pulling back when he tried to return it. 

"Shal," he growled, arm rising from her hip to the back of her head, holding her still so he could kiss her properly. 

"I take it that's a yes?" she chuckled against his mouth when he finally drew back. 

"That," he corrected, "Was a timeout, I'm still reading about this thing."  His hand gestured at the screen as he clicked on another link and opened up a photo gallery.  "Shal," his eyes narrowed at the various shots of jagged rocks and rushing water.

"What?" Her eyes lit up at the sight. 

"That's not exactly the same relaxing picture you just described."

She reached over and guided his hand to click on another link.  "See that," she pointed reassuredly, "Nice, comfy rafts for you to float in."

His mouth tightened.  "You mean paddle in."

"Whatever," she waved a hand in dismissal, "And see here, look at all the wildlife and breathtaking scenery we'll get to see." 

"Black bears and rattlesnakes," he dryly commented, "yeah, just beautiful." 

"Don't worry, I'll tell them to leave you alone." 

He rolled his eyes at her smirk. 

"And we'll dine on grilled salmon every night." 

"That we have to catch ourselves," he grumbled back.

"And see here," she pointed back to the screen, "We launch from a place called Paradise.  Doesn't that name say it all?"  She dreamily leaned her head back on his shoulder. 

"Keep reading, Shal," he flatly instructed, 'We also go over rapids named the Widow Maker, Disaster Falls, and Slice-n-Dice??"  His voice grew louder as he continued to read.  

"Relax, Brennan," she mildly shrugged, "Those are just campfire myths meant to scare people who don't know any better."   She traced a finger along his bare chest.  "Come on," she whispered enticingly, "Let's go back to bed now." 

He ignored her, eyes bulging as he read the fine print at the bottom.  "Forty-seven miles of Class IV and V rapids?"

"So?" she turned back in his arms, eyes gleaming at the screen.

"Shal,' he gritted, "The highest classification is a VI."

"So?" she repeated.

"Class VI is considered practically impossible!" His finger jabbed at the screen in disbelief. 

She only grinned. 

Row upon row of dingy cubicles filled the large main floor of the nondescript office building, only sparsely filled for the overnight shift.  A radio blared from a corner as one employee took a swig out of his fourth cup of coffee, grimacing as the bitter grounds hit his taste buds.  He slammed the Styrofoam cup down on his desk and tapped his fingers impatiently, glaring at the slow moving clock.  Simultaneously, the three computers in his row chirped at the same time, indicating an incoming credit request.  He ignored it, waiting for one of his co-workers to answer the service call.  The computer continued its demanding beep and finally he cursed and slammed his hand on the mouse, waking up his screen saver. 

"What kind of idiot shops this time of night anyway?" He bitterly complained, "Damn job."  His eyes blurrily swept across his monitor, suddenly freezing at the name flashing before him.  "Well, well, well," he chuckled in mad disbelief, "We meet again."  His fingers tightened their hold on the cup, slowly and determinedly crushing it, not even feeling it as hot grounds slipped out over his fingers.