Sabbaticals - 30 weeks
They had another loving night together, and when they woke the next morning, both of them knew immediately that everything was different - it was their last full day together. She moaned and curled up to his chest. He knew exactly what she was thinking, and he just rubbed his hand in circles over her back. She finally pulled away slightly and looked up at him. "What do you say we stay out of the cold today and just hang out here?" He nodded. "I think that's a good plan. Maybe we could go downstairs for dinner, but we can order a big breakfast and include things we can snack on during the afternoon?" She snuggled back into him. "Good idea."
They spent most of the day in the sitting room snuggled on the sofa. A lot of the day was spent talking - about the past - about the future. But they carefully avoided talking about the immediate future - the next four months. When they weren't talking, they just wrapped their arms around each other and snuggled together enjoying the silence. Just being together with nothing to do, nowhere to go. It felt good. It felt right.
They would occasionally kiss, and it sometimes got pretty heated. But it wasn't until late in the afternoon that they let it get out of hand and they made slow, sweet love on the sofa. When it was done, Booth buried his face in her neck. "It was about time we christened this room." She laughed. "When we get our new place, we will have all those new rooms to christen." He started nibbling on her earlobe. "Mmmmmmm. Can't wait."
They didn't have the energy or the motivation to move, so they remained on the sofa and napped on and off for the next hour. When either one would partially wake, they kept their eyes closed and stayed in a dream-like state, enjoying the feel of their lover's body against them before dropping back to sleep.
Brennan finally opened her eyes and saw the time. She kissed his eyelids. "Booth. We should get dressed and go downstairs and eat." He kept his eyes closed, but scrunched his lids and whined. "Do we have to? Can't we just stay here forever?" She disentangled herself from him, stood up, and leaned over to kiss his forehead. "I'm headed for the shower. If you're not interested in shenanigans, you can just stay here." He opened his eyes and sat up with a goofy smile on his face. "Shenanigans?" He looked over the back of the sofa, just in time to see her naked ass disappear into the bedroom. He leapt up and jumped over the back of the sofa in one fluid move and caught her around the waist just before she reached the bathroom door. "Can't have you doing shenanigans all by yourself in the shower. Save it for when you're back in Maluku." She turned back to him, shook her head, laughed, and grabbed his hand. "Come on big boy."
They eventually made it downstairs and had dinner in the hotel dining room. Although Booth would have loved to sample one of their steaks, they were both feeling a little on edge - so neither one had much of an appetite. They shared a few appetizers, and just picked at them. They held hands across the small table throughout the meal. For most of the day, they felt that they needed to be touching each other - knowing that in 24 hours the touching would stop. For the next four months, the closest they would get to touching would be touching fingertips to the screens of their laptops together.
As they walked back to their room, neither one spoke. There was a real sadness between them, and Booth was worried that their lack of energy might prevent them from having this last night of lovemaking. They wordlessly stripped off their clothes and climbed into bed together. Booth pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her gorgeous mane of hair.
After a few minutes, he pulled his head back. "Bones. We can't spend our last night together in this funk. I know we're both dreading tomorrow morning, but we have to keep our eyes on the prize." He brought his hand up to cup her cheek. "I love you so much Temperance. And we are going to have an amazing life together. Sometimes you have to go through bad times to get to the good times. And this last year has given us some pretty bad times. But also some spectacular times. Even though we'll be apart, we'll still be loving each other. We'll still have video calls twice a week. Four months is not really that much of a sacrifice. It will be over before we know it. Remember. It's just a blip."
She had been staring into his eyes sadly. "Just a blip." He nodded, and then rolled her over on her back and started kissing her passionately. That was all it took to light a fire inside both of them. He began kissing his way down her body, and it led to one of their most intense rounds of lovemaking yet.
When it was over, they both had tears in their eyes. Brennan ran her hands through his hair. "Was that it Booth? Was that the last time?" He leaned down and kissed her softly. "No. I'd like to have a little 'goodbye' tomorrow morning when the sun comes up. I set an alarm so we don't oversleep." She slowly nodded her head and folded her body into his.
They both slept fitfully. At one point during the night, she assured him that they would be able to catch up on their sleep during their flights.
Sabbaticals - 31 weeks
As the sun began to rise, Booth looked toward the window and saw the morning rays bouncing off of Big Ben. He started kissing her shoulder and she turned to him. Their eyes locked for a full minute and then they began a long, slow kiss. They both knew this was the goodbye coupling and they took it very slowly. It was sensual. It was loving. It was reverent. They knew there would be plenty of time in the future for the wild, abandoned romps they often enjoyed. But this one was the one to keep in their hearts for the next four months.
When they finished, he stilled over her and wanted so badly to remain inside her. But he knew he had to be the one to break the connection, and as he pulled out, she let out a whimper. He used his forearms to hold himself over her, and they stared into each other's eyes. But it became impossible because their eyes were both watering so badly that neither of them could focus. Her tears ran down her cheeks to the pillow, and his dropped onto her face.
He collapsed down onto her and they finally let go, both of them sobbing. This time she decided to take charge. After about a minute, she grabbed the sheet and started drying her eyes. She reached over to do the same for him. "We got it out of our systems, but we have to pull ourselves together. Can we make a pact? No more crying?" He smiled and nodded. "There's my practical Bones. No more crying. I think maybe we need to feel joy today, because we ARE together. And getting on those planes is putting us one day closer to our reunion."
She smiled and nodded at that. But Booth noticed that she seemed deep in thought. "What's going on in that big brain?" She bit her lip. "Nothing earth shattering. I was just thinking that we both need to get a shower and then finish packing." He leered at her. "You're thinking about shenanigans, aren't you?" She laughed. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm thinking. But what we just shared. All that emotion. It was perfect. I don't want to have our last time be typical shower craziness."
He thought for a second. "How about this? I wash your hair. You wash mine. I wash your body. You wash mine. But we take care not to let it get sexual. I think we could do it reverently. Taking care of each other. Kind of like Jesus washing the feet of his apostles." She loved what he was saying, but he completely lost her at the end. "I don't know what that means."
He chuckled. "At the Last Supper, Jesus knew one of them was about to betray him. So he humbled himself, and went around the table and washed the feet of every one of his apostles. It was an act of great humility and adoration. A spiritual cleansing. I think washing each other's bodies with no expectations of 'anything else'…" He gave her a slight leer and continued. "…is an act of adoration. Worshiping each other. I think it's a perfect way to end our honeymoon." She kissed him and put her hands on either side of his face. "I love you so much Booth."
Their joint shower was a loving gift to each other as they cleansed and worshiped each other's bodies. They were both moved by the ritual, but then Booth, who was standing behind her,wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. He kissed her shoulder and told her they needed to make sure their new place had a nice, big shower. And then he said softly, "And just a warning. Next time, there WILL be shenanigans." She laughed, turned around in his arms, and kissed him. "I can't wait."
They were all dressed and had called down to the concierge to secure a cab for them. Their bags were sitting open on the bed - Booth's large duffel bag and Brennan's carry on suitcase. She went into the bathroom to grab her toiletries and he surreptitiously reached into his duffel and pulled out a small wrapped package. He kept watch on the bathroom door as he slipped it into the bottom corner of her case underneath her folded clothes. As she came out of the bathroom, he was zipping up his bag. "Got everything babe? I'll take these both out and set them next to the door." She added the last items, he zipped up the case for her, and then took both out to the other room.
She rechecked the bedroom to make sure they hadn't left anything, and he did the same in the sitting room. When she joined him by the door, he took her into his arms. "This will be the last privacy we'll have. We both have to remember two things. No more crying - we are celebrating our joy today. And 'just a blip'." She nodded. "No more crying. Just a blip. Got it." She smiled at him and he proceeded to give her a soul stirring kiss. She ran her hands through his hair as she tried to keep her equilibrium. Just then, Booth's phone buzzed. He groaned and put his forehead against hers. "Cab's here."
The ride to the airport in the back of a traditional black London cab was fairly quiet. They sat together with his left arm around her shoulders, and she held his right hand on her lap with both of hers. They whispered to each other a lot on the long drive to Heathrow. She had a long flight with several connections, and he had to hitch a ride on a military plane in Germany. So, there was a possibility that one or both might not be back "home" in time for their usual Saturday call. They decided not to get too worried if the other wasn't online, but to email as soon as they had cellular service. If they didn't connect on Saturday, they could have their call before the one to Parker on Sunday.
They talked a little about holding onto their joy for the next four months. That even though they couldn't be together physically, they were very much together emotionally. They now could carry their memories back to their temporary homes. How it felt to make love. To hold each other's naked bodies all night long. Tastes. Scents. Touches. Yes, they would miss it all. But now they knew. They knew. And they would have it all again very soon. It was a comfort to them both, knowing that every day that passed brought them one step closer to each other. Yes, they were confident that they could sustain their joy. Together they could do anything.
They got through security in good time and began walking through the terminal holding hands, needing that physical connection for as long as possible. As they passed through the area lined with shops, Brennan pulled on his hand to guide them to the bookshop. "We need to get something Booth." She looked around the shop until she saw what she was looking for and led him to a display along the wall. "We need to purchase two calendars." Booth nodded. "That's right. We told Parker we would also get calendars to mark the days until we were home."
They looked over the display, and each found one that appealed to them. As they stood in line for the register, she looked up at him with a smile. "You know. I don't know about you, but I think marking off the days on the calendar will help me. Just like I told Parker. When I turn the calendar to February and see all those crossed out days from January, it will make me very happy." He smiled back at her. "Me too Bones. This was a great idea."
As he reached into his pocket for his wallet, she grabbed two black Sharpies from the display on the counter and set them on the calendars. He looked at her. "We don't need to buy overpriced airport Sharpies. I have a whole cup of pens on my desk that I can use." She put her hands on her hips. "We need to have dedicated Sharpies for just this purpose. They need to be new, with plenty of ink, and used only on the calendars. Sort of like a talisman, a lucky pen?"
Booth looked at her in astonishment, and then with a twinkle in his eye. "That might be the most romantic thought you've had so far." Brennan blushed and bumped shoulders with him. "Well, what if you go to make the X and your pen has run out of ink? Just like when Parker made his X, it needs to be emphatic!" Booth smiled at the cashier and handed her his credit card, then turned back to Brennan. She looked uncertain. "Am I being silly?" He smiled, put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her into a side hug. "Of course not baby. I think it's cute. I think you've become superstitious." She looked slightly horrified. He kissed her temple. "I think it's cute. Being in love looks good on you."
As they continued the walk to her gate, she asked him if she had really changed that much? He thought for a few seconds and smiled. "No, you haven't really changed. You're the same badass woman I fell in love with. The same genius scientist I rely on as my partner. But you've always had that loving streak. I've seen it in the way you're such a good friend to Angela. The way you care for people we meet in our cases who are in need of help. The way you care about getting justice for our victims. The way you've traveled all over the world and risked your life to find answers for victims of genocide."
As they continued down the concourse toward the gate, he dropped the hand he was holding so he could drape his arm over her shoulders and pull her close against him. "But I cansee changes. And they're all good changes. Great changes. You were always so loving to Parker, but you've elevated yourself. You are truly a mother to our son. You've embraced Rebecca and her family and made them part of ours. While I'm not sure he deserves it, you've even embraced Jared as a brother."
They both laughed at that, and he continued. "The joy I saw on your face on Christmas Day with our whole blended family surrounding us was something I'd never seen from you before. And it made my heart feel like it would burst. Metaphorically, of course." Again, they both laughed. "And the way you love me? I never imagined I would ever know that level of all encompassing love. Bones, it's like you've had all that love trapped inside you for so long, and you finally let it loose. To be the recipient of that love? I treasure it, just as I treasure you."
Brennan didn't care where they were. She stopped in her tracks, dropped the handle of her suitcase, and pulled him into an embrace. Their lips met in a long, sweet kiss. When she pulled away, she slapped him hard on the front of his shoulder. "That was one of the most beautiful speeches anyone has ever given to me. And you do it as we're walking through a busy airport?" She looked slightly angry for a second, but then broke into a wide grin before pulling him back into a tight hug.
He pulled back slightly and put his hands on either side of her face. "Oh Bones. See what I mean? There is no one in the world like you. We are going to have a wonderful and crazy life together." They picked their bags back up, he grabbed her hand, and they started walking again. She looked over at him. "Is crazy good?" He smiled. "Crazy is amazing. I can't wait for us to really get started."
When they arrived at her gate, there wasn't a lot of time left for them. They sat down for a few minutes and reminded each other of the no crying rule. They shared a few quick kisses, and all too soon the boarding call came. They walked over to the boarding area, stood off to the side and shared a long hug and then a long kiss. He used both hands to push her hair back from her face and they stared into each other's eyes. "Just a blip." "Just a blip." One more quick kiss and she pulled herself from his arms and started walking onto the jetway, pulling her suitcase behind her.
She didn't look back. She couldn't. She was afraid that if she did, she would never get on the plane. She had somehow observed the no crying rule, but she hadn't promised that it would still be valid after they parted. By the time she reached the plane, silent tears were streaming down her cheeks. The two flight attendants greeting passengers at the door noticed her distress. It was something they saw on just about every flight they flew, and they made sure to let the rest of the crew know to take extra care of their distressed guest.
She was glad that she had one of those first class pod type seats, because she could avoid interacting with a seat mate. The tears continued to fall for the next 30 minutes, and she was relieved that they were silent tears, so staring out the window kept anyone from trying to comfort her. Once she dried the tears, she started thinking about the joy they had both proclaimed. And then she thought about his little speech to her as they walked through the airport. She finally smiled for the first time since their parting. It was a long, 15 hour flight to the first layover. She slept some, she watched parts of some movies. And sometimes she would just stare into space and think about him. And she was well taken care of. She noticed that the flight attendants were particularly attentive to her needs the entire flight.
He watched her walk onto the jetway and was relieved that she didn't turn around for one last look. If she had, he might not have let her board the plane. For the next five minutes, he just stared at the last spot he saw her. He finally realized that he hadn't moved, and as he turned away, he felt the tears running down his face. "Dammit!" He had agreed to the no crying rule. But there hadn't been a stipulation that it was still in effect after they parted. His flight was due to leave in another hour, and it was only about a two hour flight. He would just curl himself into the corner of his window seat and let himself grieve. Once he was at the Air Force Base in Germany, he would find that joy that they had agreed on.