AN: Yay, we're finally getting to South Australia. Truth or dare was fun wasn't it? If they'd been drinking there would definitely have been a game of never have i ever... Well keep reading so we can enjoy SA before heading off to vic...
Chapter 16
Booth and Brennan spent the next day climbing Uluru and riding camels, which Booth declared to be sort of like riding a horse, only a little less smooth.
"Did you know that the Aboriginal people of Australia are believed to have settled here approximately ten thousand years ago? Their dreamtime stories tell that Uluru was created following a great battle between two rival tribes, it is said to be the physical manifestation of the Earth's grief at the bloodshed. Of course really it's just a spectacular sedimentary formation that was probably deposited here over millions of years" Brennan babbled as they approached the front of the huge rock to begin their climb.
"The Aboriginal people of the area don't like tourists climbing either... we really shouldn't be doing this" Brennan told Booth as they began the hike.
"Bones, I don't think there's actually any type of relation between the rock and the people, I think it's probably okay" Booth tried to soothe.
The next day they continued south into South Australia, Booth once again behind the wheel while Brennan continued through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Neither of them mentioned their game of truth or dare, instead they bickered occasionally about whatever was on their minds. Mostly they bickered about Harry Potter, or Brennan would point out a mistake that according to her was so obvious how could her editor not pick it up. By the time they got to Coober Pedy she was reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, amazed by the apparent invisibility of twelve Grimmauld Place.
Coober Pedy was a strange place Booth and Brennan decided when they checked into their hotel, 'the Underground' and found that the title was actually indicative and the rooms were in fact underground. The visitor brochure explained that it was due to the scorching heat experienced throughout the summer months.
"Won't disagree with that" Booth had commented shedding his jeans and t-shirt for a pair of shorts and a singlet already sweating in the dry forty five degree heat. "Why did you want to come here again?" Booth wondered aloud, after all there didn't seem to be an awful lot to the tiny town.
"It's supposed to be the opal capital of the world Booth, besides we had to stop somewhere so why not here?"
"Because it's hot Bones, really, really hot. I don't think I've ever been this hot in all my life" Booth complained. It was already late afternoon, in fact Brennan guessed it had probably already cooled a couple of degrees from the highest temperature of the day. Even so, she was glad they would be gone by lunch time the next day after getting an early start and visiting a few of the must see locations in the town.
Brennan rubbed her hand against the cool wall, which had a slightly rough texture to it and she had to admit it certainly was cooler underground. Booth she had noticed did not react well to heat, and it was even hotter in Coober Pedy than it had been when they were further north. Brennan knew that it would cool down a little as they headed south, but first they would need to get through the next day.
"I think we should stay here for a while... until it cools down out there" Brennan suggested already searching for the deck of cards she was sure she had in her bag, knowing that the only way to keep her partner's temper below boiling point would be to distract him, maybe she'd even let him win a few games.
BB-BB-BB-BB-BB
"Booth, I finally found gifts for Angela and Hodgins" Brennan called out to Booth the next morning as they investigated one of the many opal shops in Coober Pedy. She had in her hands a necklace and ring, both were silver; the necklace was spiralled and had many tiny dark blue opals set into it, while the ring, although also delicate had a number of pale pink and blue opals set into it, perfect for Angela. In the other hand she cradled a single black opal which seemed to harness every colour of the visible spectrum when twisted between her fingers, she knew Hodgins would surely appreciate its beauty, though he would likely also test it for particulates to determine just where it had come from but let him have his fun Brennan thought.
"See Booth, I told you it was worth coming to Coober Pedy" Brennan teased when she and Booth left the store with presents for Angela, Hodgins and Cam who Booth had found a nice pair of earrings for, with opals that seemed to be the most solid black until held under the light in just the right way when several colours seemed to sparkle from them. Brennan calculated that their purchases left them with just one last person to find a gift for. Max Keenan, and neither of them had a clue what to get him, because although they had brought him a tiny model of Uluru it hardly seemed like enough.
The pair had a quick lunch in Coober Pedy before they continued heading south, Booth thankful to miss the hottest part of the day. They would continue driving until they reached Port Pirie not wanting to make the almost eleven hour trip from Coober Pedy to Adelaide in the one day. Instead they would be left with a much shorter three hour trip the next morning to Adelaide, which according to Brennan was the city of churches. Booth had groaned inwardly, hoping that she wouldn't drag him around to look at the architecture, as he was sure it would turn into a debate about the existence of God, one that he had already rehashed several times with his partner.
When Booth saw the so called city they would be staying in he couldn't help but ask "What are we doing here Bones?"
To which she was forced to admit "It's on the way" because although it was much larger than Coober Pedy and considerably cooler Booth was pleased to note, there did not seem to be anything of much interest in the town, it seemed rather industrial to Booth, which he told Brennan.
"Well yes, the main industry here is metal smelting" When they checked into one of the town's many motels they were surprised to be booked in separate rooms for the first time during the trip, but the manager explained that they did not have any rooms equipped with two queen size beds as most of the people who stayed in the hotel were families, so if they would like a room with a queen and single then he could arrange that.
"Two rooms is fine" Brennan had cut in, only to be surprised when they were directed to different sections of the motel. They'd eaten dinner that night in the tavern across the road, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere before heading back to the motel. Neither was quite sure what to do when they returned and they settled for standing awkwardly in the middle of the gravel car park wondering why it was so weird to no longer be sharing a room, until they finally settled down with their feet dangling over the edge of the small pool. They sat there for a long time Brennan swishing her feet backwards and forwards in the water watching the small ripples that they made. Neither wanted to suggest going back to their rooms, Brennan realised that it probably had more to do with the fact that they had been together almost constantly for over a week despite their many ups and downs and their separation would somehow make the foreign country even more foreign, at least that was what she told herself.
When the hotel manager came around at ten thirty and told them he was about to close the pool they agreed that it was probably time for bed, since they planned to get an early start. Brennan looked around her room, which was plenty big enough for at least two people and she felt suddenly alone. When had she become so dependent on Booth? She lived alone, being alone had never bothered her before and it wasn't like he was miles away, in fact his room was practically backing on to hers, though she had to walk all the way around the building to get to it. She crawled into the huge bed laptop in hand and began working on the latest chapter of her book not even managing a paragraph before falling asleep.
She awoke suddenly her laptop on the floor beside her, the screen black and slowly put together where she was and what had woken her up. It was another nightmare, this time the pervasive image of isolation could not be shaken from her mind and she found herself climbing out of bed slipping on her thongs and heading out of her room. She headed along the concrete path, not surprised when she met no one and continued through the gate that she had seen Booth pass through before heading back up the side of the building until she reached room twenty two. She paused, not sure if he would be awake because according to the clock it was almost two am. Eventually she found herself rapping on the door gently, not sure if she wanted him to answer or not, but he appeared at the door a few moments later clad only in boxer shorts.
"Can I come in?" she whispered as he examined her tear stained face and dishevelled hair. He nodded and led her into his room which unlike hers had bare brick walls and she noticed was a little nicer, but she didn't really care.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Booth asked settling them down so they were sitting close on the edge of his bed.
Brennan shook her head "I just want to get some sleep" she explained, though Booth caught what she wouldn't say: she needed him.
"Okay, come here then" he said wriggling until he was lying in the middle of the bed. She hesitated for only a moment before lying down against him; her head lay on his chest his heartbeat soothing her into sleep quickly. Her last unbidden thought was of how nice it would be to go to sleep like that every night.