Author: Taisia Kuno

Title: We Can Be Heroes: Part One: Student In My Home; Loneliness Subsides

Fandom: JP3

Pairing: Alan/Billy

Rating: R for now

Warnings: Slash of course, m/m fun stuff

Spoilers: Of course

Series: Yes, this is 1:4

Summary: A novel written from boredom about the relationship Alan and Billy have before, during and after JP3. I have beta tested this myself and have had friends read this so this is as accurate as possible. Basically, it's just my thoughts and my ideas with a bit of creativity towards the last part.

Disclaimer: Don't own a lick of the characters and please don't sue me for that. But also, if this pairing isn't for you or hell, homosexual stuff isn't for you either, please don't e-mail me or leave me comments else wise. Just skip it and go on. Isn't that the polite thing to do?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part One: Student In My Home; Loneliness Subsides

Chapter 4

He didn't dream that night but woke refreshed and ready for the day ahead, even if it meant about four to five hours with Ian. Then again, the man didn't bother him THAT badly; he was just still young and fairly obnoxious and if anyone had known Alan in his younger days, they could easily say the same about him. Though, he didn't let anyone know that about him without it costing a dear price. Standing from his bed, he searched about for something to wear from his wardrobe and decided it would be a decent idea to take a part of his half day in doing the wash. Billy seemed in need of it and possibly some new clothes as well.

Alan found his way down the stairs and found that there was something unfamiliar coming from his kitchen; the odor of something decent cooking and the sound of some light singing. Knowing again that he was no longer alone in his home, he chuckled as he found Billy sashaying himself through the kitchen with a set of headphones over his ears and either country music or Bowie playing loudly. He assumed it was some country since the lyrics were unknown to him and he rarely listened to country music as it was. The whole taboo of being a rough neck playing in the dirt with his rusty truck was not becoming of an intellectual man like that. He stuck to rock if he really felt in the mood for music.

"And I don't want to say goodbye. Let the stars shine through..." sang the young man who was not disturbed by Alan's suppressed laughter. The older man was already surprised that his young student was cooking breakfast and seemed so elegant in the kitchen. Alan looked into the skillet he had in his hand and saw that pancakes were going to be there breakfast which surprised him since he was pretty astounded over the fact that he had anything to even make pancakes with. He remained quiet to see how long he could stand without Billy noticing him and his watchful eye.

"And I don't want to say goodbye. All I want to do is live with you..." Billy sang and removed his headphones when the song seemed over. He turned out of instinct when he felt someone watching and turned red when Alan stood there and clapped gently.

"Bravo. Not just for the music but for the delicious breakfast that I'm assuming was made for both of us since no one can eat that many pancakes." said Alan as he sat and helped himself to one of the many stacks that Billy seemed to have been making that morning. Billy shook his head and laughed then sat himself down beside Alan as he also laid two cups in front of them. Alan was hoping for coffee bu found milk instead.

"I thought I could do something at least. I cook mean pancakes."

"How long have you been awake for?"

"Since 4. I'm used to waking up early like this. Plus I was hungry. Hadn't eaten since yesterday morning and that sandwich and thought we could eat before we started. Will we be in the same site as yesterday?"

"I'm thinking so. Working with me again?" said Alan with his last bite finished. He thought for a moment and realized he hadn't really eaten decently yesterday either except for that sandwich last night. Never once could he remember ever inhaling food as quick as these pancakes and to be honest, he didn't even like pancakes all that much. Too childish for him but these were utterly delicious and very filling.

"Probably. I want to work with someone competent. And you didn't seem to be bothered by me yesterday."

"That I wasn't. Alan looks up to the clock above his sink and stands We should head out. I want to stop at a Starbucks on the way and get some coffee."

The two men stood and left the house and each proved to be delightful company to one another on the journey back to the dig. Starbucks gave them coffee enough to keep awake for a few more hours but somehow they seemed to feed more off one another's energy than the hot drink. By the time they arrived at the dig, they had the radio blasting and everyone there looked at them with a strange glance. Dr. Grant was never happy in the morning let alone cheerful enough to seem human. As the two found their places at the dig, a senior student asked if everything was alright with Dr. Grant and he smirked that knowing smirk he showed to few people.

"Everything is just fine." He began with his work with Billy close to his side.

The day finished quickly and Alan congratulated the working kids with being able to leave thirty minutes early while those who slacked off noticeably had to clean up after them. He was harsh to those who needed the swift kick in the ass to get themselves going but he was good to those who deserved it. Billy had astonished him again although he scared him to death as well. The sun was so high in the sky, it weighed so much upon their backs, and in the shade it was most likely over 100 degrees, but Billy worked on without a complaint. He had found what remained of a triceratops skull in the middle of a group of raptor bones which showed clearly a predator and prey moment. It was further proof that raptors hunted in tight packs and could take down just about anything as a group.

Billy worked on the skull until it was practically uncovered but at noon he dropped his tool and it clanged against another set which startled Alan and the other students from the sudden metallic noises. The boy closed his eyes and swayed to the side until he hit the dusty ground with a thud. As fast as his body could move him, Alan was there on the boy, fanning him off with his own hat and trying to bring him to. And Billy did wake after a small smack against his chin. He searched around with red eyes and gasped out for breath. Heat stroke and dehydration. The only option was to get him inside the trailer which was the only place with shade and maybe some still cold water.

"Come on hero. Can you stand?" said Alan as a group began forming behind him. If Billy had known, he would have been embarrassed to see so many people surrounding him but he barely was with it enough to close his eyes. Alan sighed and covered his face with his own shadow as the boy came into his arms and he carefully moved him forward. Billy's feet were still touching the ground but the majority of his upper body was being held by Alan. Though his behavior was not strange since he tended to all those who found heat stroke when there, it seemed strange for him to carry a man like Billy (his size being nearly exact to Alan's) so gently. The two disappeared into the trailer which made everyone officially able to leave the site for the day, with or without Alan's officially permission.

"Billy you're ok. Drink this." said Alan as he held the cup of water close to Billy's mouth. The youth took it in his hand and drank it down. When Alan said that, the first part was more of convincing himself that he was alright more than telling the boy something he already knew. Once the water was gone, Billy sat up and shivered a little since the sweat on his clothes had finally cooled. He felt so stupid for neglecting himself like that and making Alan stop the dig early just to deal with his stupidity.

"Alan I'm sorry. I just shaved off an hour of work we could have been doing."

"Forget it. The important thing is that you're alright. I could not afford to be sued if you weren't." said Alan in his twisted sick humor he had once in awhile when it came to the grand scheme of things. He may have sounded uncaring like this but to those who knew him, it showed how much he really did care. Billy laughed and rubbed the back of his burned neck. He looked up into Alan's blue eyes and the older man, dependent on his left side leaning against the jamb of the doorway to the trailer, stared back at Billy's own set of blue.

"You always this good to your students?" asked Billy with something hidden in his eyes; something Alan would learn much later after working with him for two years. For now, it was an interesting intrigue that he kept watching as the young man stood up and walk toward him; then taking his place on the right side of the jamb beside Alan. They turned to watch the closing up excavation and the place become deserted again. Those who saw the two standing together saw the beginning of the commonality which would soon be of Dr. Grant and Billy. They hadn't known it at the time that soon it would be impossible to separate the two for more than an hour or two. It made some of the older members of the dig quite interested and pleased that he might finally have the assistant he had always wanted but that was still to come with time.

"I do when my ass could be on the line. C'mon. Do you really think I would be heartless?"said Alan as the two headed to his truck after locking the trailer. The older man insisted that Billy drank at least two more glasses to keep himself hydrated during the ride home and even plopped his hat on the boy's head to deter at least some of the sun's rays. Under the brim of the hat, Alan could not see Billy's apparent blush but he could see how the young man's fingers admired the old, dusty thing that was barely held together with stitching as he ran them over the brim and onto the strap wrapped around the fedora.

Alan's busy work and Billy's faint made him forget momentarily about Ian's arrival to his home in nearly an hour. Somehow his mind thought about how chaotic things could have gotten for both him and the dig if Billy hadn't woken so quickly from his quick sun stroke which is what made him remember about Ian. Chaos and Ian always had a way of becoming bedfellows in the same idea or thought.

"Did you see the trike before I fell? Did you see how big it was? It wasn't an adult yet but it seemed so huge. Probably was sick or strayed from its herd and the raptors got it. Found some large slashes on the skull which would indicate the raptors did attack it before they all died. I want to try and find out tomorrow if the trike had been dead awhile and they were just picking at it or if it was fresh. It would be interesting to find out if raptors were strict killers or they were scavengers sometimes." said Billy while he fumbled with Alan's hat. The older man felt so naked without it on but in a way, it made Billy's face handsome and that was enough of a payment for not wearing it for a bit.

"I saw it. From what I know of raptors, they're pack hunters and I find it hard to believe they're scavengers unless they are starving. Although, one idea could be that they hoard large masses of food to eat at their leisure during dryer periods. Some large cats do that with their kill and I wouldn't be surprised if raptors did not do the same. I'm so pleased with your discovery. It's quite a find. We had a suspicion there was something under those raptors but we never could imagine it would be so huge as a trike." Alan watched Billy sit back with a satisfied smile on his face. He seemed to be the type of young man who needed praise to function and without the pat on the back, he would fail.

"What if we found a nest near by? Maybe they lead the prey to their young. It would definitely show nurturing toward their offspring." Billy had rolled his window down and had smiled wide since Alan's first complement. Nothing could have ruined his moment.

"We'll search more tomorrow. Alan turned on the road and headed for the last stretch until home Have you ever heard of Ian Malcolm?" Alan raised an eyebrow in Billy's direction as he rubbed his kneecap through the khakis he wore. Billy looked at him and nodded.

"Yup. Mr. Chaos. Never liked his books although I never understood them." Alan couldn't help but laugh fully.

"Really?"

"I got lost after chapter one. Or fuck, after the introduction! One of his books started out with a math problem. Lost me after that."

"He's coming to my home this afternoon."

"I'll pretend I read them and was thoroughly changed by them." As the two pulled into the drive, it was not surprising to Alan to see a black car parked and the tall man waiting impatiently, also in black. Alan had noticed that each time he saw Ian that the man did not believe in color and only in the shade of black; he never wore any color except for black. Once there was a sweater he had that was a dark blue but that was soon removed to show a black t-shirt underneath. The older man got out of the car and Billy seemed hesitant to move.

"Y-you know Alan, when we make these little play dates, you're supposed to jump out the window AFTER I annoy you. I haven't even had the chance." Ian chuckled and took the man's arm to pull him into a hug. Even though they had seen each other monthly, it still felt long and in between. Ian would fly from California to whatever dig site Alan was at; this one being in Montana. Alan's home was in Montana but he moved around a lot and never was in it often. But when he was, Ian was usually there.

"Hey Ian. How was the flight?" Alan got out of Ian's bear hug and turned to see if Billy had gotten out of the truck yet. He had but was hiding near it so Alan would not get the idea of introducing him to yet another Park survivor and author.

"Terrible as flights go. Couldn't sleep, had a four year old kick my seat and the guy next to me fell asleep on my arm. Tried to read and the movie was annoying. I would have actually ah have been happy if the flight crashed." Ian said as he scratched the back of his short hair. Alan laughed since this was how Ian was and would always be. Billy had managed to hide behind Alan now with a bit of shyness. Of course later, any shy feelings Billy owned would die but for now, being surrounded by two top selling authors and PhD's was very frightening.

"Who's that hiding behind you like I'm going to bite him?"

"Ian, this is a student of mine; Billy Brennan. He's staying with me since he doesn't have student housing at the college. He's working on the dig." said Alan, pushing Billy a little ways so he was standing beside him instead of behind him. Billy offered his hand which Ian took quickly. It seemed Billy just needed an introduction in order to become comfortable with others since he warmed up to Ian quickly.

"Pleased to meet you. I... tried to read your books but... damn. I don't think my IQ qualifies!" laughed Billy openly and honestly. The oldest man of the group smiled at Billy with a smile that made Ian's eye catch and wonder. He would need to talk to Alan about that little smile of his.

"I don't even understand half the shit I wrote! But it's nice to know someone is honest enough to say it. The group moved into Alan's home and toward the balcony which showed a backyard. Billy followed close to Alan since he didn't know where any of this was and he'd feel silly taking the lead when this was his first time seeing the rest of the house. Where did you live?" said Ian when they sat alone, just he and Billy, when Alan went to his fridge to grab some refreshments. He was relieved to find refreshments of some sort still there.

"I lived in California for a while since I was going to UCLA. Before that, I lived in Washington."

"DC?"

"No, state. Near Seattle. Lived there until I was 18 and moved out once UCLA accepted me." Alan returned and handed each man a beer and informed them that pizza would soon be on its way. Billy was pleased at the thought of a lunch like pizza while Ian just shrugged. Another point in Alan's peculiar behavior; Alan was not one for pizza since he usually hated greasy foods but clearly it was for the best interest of Billy. Ian was beginning to feel slightly jealous when all this attention was being paid to the young man instead of himself.

"Washington state though? I was there once for a conference and it seemed... really boring to me." Ian mused with Billy sipping his beer. Alan just sat silently, relaxing in the sun from under the canopy of the table's umbrella. He was getting annoyed with Ian's little smug looks in his direction as if the dark man knew something he didn't. Coming from Ian, that could be dangerous.

"Washington is awesome. I miss it a lot. Where I lived, there were mountains in your backyard and ocean in your front. One time, me and some friends drove up to a place called Hurricane Ridge and snow boarded. Heh, I was so stupid, I decided to go on a unmarked trail just because of this amazing hill. Started down and crashed. Broke my leg and probably knocked a few vertebrate out of alignment. I was lost for about two hours. Nearly died from hypothermia. A park ranger saved my ass." Ian and Alan both winced at his story which made him laugh. He assured them it wasn't so bad and that he had done much more frightening feats than that and his snow boarding incident was not that impressive.

"I don't think I want to dare ask what else you've done, hero. Hearing about it is enough for me." Alan said through the lip of his bottle. The conversation stopped for some odd minutes until there was a knock at the door. Alan asked Billy to get it after giving him some funding for the food. Ian knew he had precious little time to harass Alan without the boy there so as soon as Billy's shoes were no longer heard, he looked at Alan and began the investigation.

"Ok so aside from your lie, why did you take him in?" Ian begin with a famous stupid grin he had been known for when he KNEW he was right and someone was hiding something.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on Alan. I'm not stupid nor blind. You brought that cutie into your home for some reason and I know it's not just to help him out. I saw how you watched him. I mean you called him Hero? Is that a nickname or something? And pizza? Alan, that's just screaming that there's something up with you."

"Did you call him a cutie?" said Alan who probably hadn't heard anything after that statement. His eyes were widened with shock at Ian after what he said about Billy. Ian shook his head and used his hands to convey how important his obvious message was.

"Alan! Don't call me a liar on this! Just be honest with me; why did you bring Billy in?" Ian was so serious at the moment that all of his childish antics and appearances disappeared into the more adult-like phase. Alan just shook his head and, with his hands folding in front of his face, he looked into Ian's eyes.

"You know me too well. There is an ulterior motive to this all. But it's not what you're thinking. At this moment, Billy returned with the pizza boxes in his hand and he stopped in the doorway before Alan had finished talking. Ian saw him standing there but gave no sign of seeing him. He thought the youth should hear some of this. My reasons for having him are stupid. I'm lonely alright? Ellie has her family, you have your life and all I have left of mine are bones under dust. That will last for only so much longer. I'm getting too old to be sitting outside playing in the dirt. And so what if I'm a little lonely? You make it sound like I've never taken in kids before when they work on digs." Alan hated pouring himself out in any way to anyone let alone Ian but he didn't like the boisterous accusations against his character either. Sure, it wasn't a lie that the same sex had attracted him on occasions; Ian even being one of them at a very awkward time of his life which he classified as his mid-life crisis, but after that he had decided it was just something strange he felt at the time and nothing further would come of it. At least in Ian's case. That man was... not dating material. He was hardly friend material let alone someone Alan would want to get intimate with to any stretch of the imagination. It did not stop him from finding certain males attractive; that was something he could not stop even if he wanted to.

"You hate kids as much as I do." Ian's final attempt to state his case. Alan waved him off and stood for another beer.

"Billy's not a kid. He's an adult just as much as we are. He reminds me a lot of myself and that's why I can deal with him. Plus... he's really good company." The older man finished his sentence and turned toward the door where he met with Billy's eyes which quickly shifted as he moved past Alan to set the lunch on the table. How much he had heard Alan would never know since he could never gain the courage to ask him later and Billy would never have the strength to say so until later. All Alan knew was his heart was beating so fast he had to stop by the fridge to calm himself before he even attempted to hold onto the glass bottles.