A/N: Hey guys! I have officially come out of my study-induced coma to bring you a new chapter of this story! Sadly, this is the second last chapter! I will be posting the last chapter this weekend. I'm so sad to be finishing this story, but I'm so thrilled that something that started out so small has grown into something that's given me such great joy to write! Thank you so much for sticking with me, and I hope you've enjoyed the escape as much as I have.
Special thanks to A2B, Bellabun, labelbasher, mumrulz, Emma-6373-, ForRomance, mecedeme, AineMorrigan, FBI girl, SnoopGirl69, daRebornRose, danireed, EternalConfusion, dancingpiggy, Beti, ShipperCrazed - FanFicCrazy, o0MissBennet0o, AtMyBehest, BoothandBrennan, Jessabelle87, bones.house.love, BandBelong, chocolatefan, forensicsfan, TemperTemper, sas.90, BonesDBchippie, Ponys, bb-4ever, fbiwoman223, fanofbones, boothnbones9373, rlhPerry-Bing, Serienjunkie 91, GGjunkie33, ficfan21 for reviewing the last chapter! THANK YOU!
Disclaimer: I don't own Bones, just this storyline!
Previously:
Booth smiled at her comment and brought her head to his chest, rubbing circles along her back. "Promise me you won't get mad?" he whispered.
"Promise" she nodded into his chest, feeling so secure with his arms around her.
"I really, really need to be with you. And if going back to DC means that things will go back to the way they were, then I'm never going home."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Brennan let out a shuddered breath and glanced down at her tattered notebook. She flicked an insect off her sun-kissed thigh and rested her chin in her hands. She had been sitting alone outside for nearly an hour watching the growing activity in the village below as the sun continued to set.
The attack on Effetis just over three weeks ago had drastically hurt the morale of the village, though it was as if the aftermath of that night had strengthened them all as a coherent unit. Huts had been rebuilt, and the pain over the death of two of their own was beginning to be replaced with a sense of determination and celebration.
Brennan glanced up at the sky and closed her eyes as the very last rays of sunset warmed her skin. This would be the very last sunset she would spend here in Effetis. Transportation would arrive early tomorrow morning to whisk her and Booth back to the 'civilized' confines of the airport they had landed in two months ago.
It was hard to believe that it had been so long since they'd had the luxury of electric lights or the hounding commercialism of Western society. Though she had been on many trips around the world for the purposes of forensic identification, there was something so charming and simple about the ways of Effetis.
She had come here for one reason and one reason only: to provide reputable and ample observational data to the Jeffersonian on a developing African tribe. However, the moment Brennan and Booth had stepped off that plane and into the choking heat she knew that her purpose here would be far greater than that. Though it was not her intention to draw conclusions from her observations, the similarities between Effetis and Western society were very striking and strangely endearing.
"There you are." A familiar voice said from behind her. Brennan snapped out of her reflective state and turned to see Booth grinning at her with his muscular arms crossed against his chest. She did not reply verbally, but instead smiled at him slightly and motioned for him to sit on the ground beside her.
Sitting down on the dusty ground, he moved closer to Brennan so that their shoulders were touching. "Just observing?" he asked, glancing at the notebook that was open on her lap.
"I was, but I've just been thinking."
"Uh oh…" Booth teased, and was rewarded with a playful punch from Brennan.
"This is our last sunset, you know." She said as she drew her knees up to her chin and set the notebook down on the ground beside her.
Booth was quiet for a moment before replying. "No, it's not." He said finally as he shook his head.
"We leave tomorrow morning." She said blankly.
"I know, but that doesn't make this our last sunset. This is the last time we watch the sun set here in the village, but there'll be thousands of other sunsets still out there for us to watch." Booth said, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to presume that his relationship with Brennan would continue for the years to come, though he knew in his heart that it would.
"How poetic." She smiled as she leaned against him. The warmth of the sun was nothing compared to the warmth Brennan felt as she leaned her head on Booth's shoulder.
"Yeah, well, there's no need for people to know that I'm a…"
"A romantic?" she supplied.
"You words, not mine." Booth corrected as he let his fingers trail up and down Brennan's upper arm.
Without turning around, Booth knew that they were not alone up on that hill. He glanced over to see Menihau walking towards them, his long draping cape kicking up dust as he walked.
"Hello." Menihau greeted deeply as he finally reached Booth and Brennan.
Brennan immediately moved her head up from Booth's shoulder before they both stood up to greet him.
"I have come to escort you to dinner." Menihau said proudly. The tribe was aware that this was the last night for their foreign visitors, who had become very well known and appreciated in their village.
"Menihau, your people didn't have to –" Brennan began, but was cut off when Menihau raised a hand and shook his head.
"No, no, the people have insisted. You have both done so much to help us. Now, come!" he smiled as he trudged down the hill and beckoned Brennan and Booth to follow him.
"What, no loin cloth?" Booth whispered to Brennan, causing her to chuckle. "You sound so disappointed…" he continued.
"Save it, Tarzan."
The last red rays of sunset had pierced through the pink clouds, and darkness was slowly setting over the village. Booth and Brennan had been ushered to sit down in the circle on the right hand side of Menihau. Large bowls of food had been passed around the circle, and each person had taken their share while animatedly talking to the people sitting near them.
Booth and Brennan had grown accustomed to the incomprehensible babble of conversations in this tribe, and had even learnt several phrases and words in the Effetis tongue. However, there was something fascinating about just sitting back and listening to these people chat on about their day in a language completely foreign to their American visitors.
Brennan was staring at the hypnotizing fire and munching away on the contents of her small food bowl when Booth nudged her and leaned over to whisper in her ear.
"How cool is this?" he whispered. It seemed that he, too, had been enjoying observing the tribe that they had come to call home.
"Very surreal" she agreed, beaming at him. The light from the fire shone in her eyes, and Booth was sure he'd never seen her glow so brilliantly. Brennan was clearly in her element, and the fact that Booth could be there to share this moment and appreciate it with her made it so much more perfect.
Booth was about to say something more, when all of a sudden cheering and clapping broke out from the other side of the fire. Brennan strained to see what the commotion was, and grinned as she saw three men jump up from the circle and begin to dance to the rhythm of their clapping audience.
Their enthusiasm was infectious, and soon the entire tribe was clapping their hands slowly joining in on the celebration. Mothers set aside their bowls to jump up and dance with their children, and Menihau began to chant joyously to a tune neither Booth nor Brennan had ever heard before.
"Dance with me?" Booth asked as he flashed her a boyish grin. He stood and then offered his hand to her as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.
"I'd love to" she conceded, placing her small hand in his and joining in on the festivity. Booth twirled her around in a circle before they each jumped around and laughed foolishly, just like everyone else.
The dance was completely unlike anything that could be experienced back in DC, where nightclubs would blare music as sweaty partiers would grind their bodies up against their partners. Women would shake their hips suggestively as men would employ the least awkward and socially acceptable moves to win over potential mates.
No, dancing around this fire was completely different. Hands were raised, children were laughing, and it was purely a display of expression and celebration. The only limits to the creativity of their movements were found in the rhythm of the clapping hands and flickering flames.
Brennan threw her hands above her head and danced around in a circle; her auburn hair flew freely around her and shone in the glowing light of the fire. She laughed as Booth grabbed her by the waist and spun her in a circle. If anyone back home were to see them acting like this, they'd quickly be deemed crazy. However, there was something so liberating about being on the other side of the world and free from all judgment.
Because, in this very second, nothing else mattered. There were no human remains to identify, there were no bad guys to chase, no paperwork, no deadlines, nothing. There was just the joy in knowing that no matter where you might be in the world, you can never be far from happiness.
TBC Any feedback would be wonderful! Tell me if there's anything you're looking for in the last chapter. Romantic? Hilarious? Descriptive? Tell me what you want, gorgeous!
Nothing says 'fun' like a tribal dance party around a fire! hahhaa...
Press that button, and the next chapter is yours! ;)
xoRosie