Andersonville was a dusty old town that had sprung up along the interstate the way towns used to spring up along waterways, servicing truckers and the occasional tourist with a few gas stations, fast food joints, and a Walmart. The scant residents of the town mostly dwelled in trailers or in the rows of ancient houses that seemed to have been built sometime around the signing of the Declaration. It wasn't the closest town to the dig - Fort Peck was closer by a few miles - but Andersonville did have one feature that drew Alan to it. The Tavern.

The Tavern had started out as one of the ancient houses, way out on the outskirts of town, but at some point someone had converted the downstairs to a bar. It was dark, smokey, and loud, like most bars, and was surprisingly crowded, given the rather secluded nature of the place. Its clientele was a normal mix of men and women... until one glanced at the dance floor. Men danced with men, women danced with women.

At the moment, Alan was sitting at the bar, his eyes glued to the door, watching as people straggled in, some in groups, some alone. He had just taken a sip of his beer when the door swung open again, letting in the rumble of a passing truck. The man who had just entered paused, looking around, the light glinting off of his curly hair. Alan felt a jolt of recognition. It was Billy.

Alan's mind shouted at him to duck away from Billy, to turn his head and pretend he never saw him...to make a quick exit without being noticed. And yet, he just sat there, staring at him, and his eyes followed as the young man breezed easily through the crowded bar.

Alan sheilded his vision against the glare of the dance floor lights as he watched Billy disappear into a nearby crowd of people...no more than a shadow. Now was Alan's chance to escape, if he wanted to take it... his spirit was willing but his flesh was weak. Billy looked georgeous tonight, and it was turning him on.

Every once and while the lighting would change and hit the room just right so that Alan had a perfect view of Billy, who was dressed in short leather jacket, t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Casual, but perfect nontheless. His soft wispy hair was combed neatly back, and his smiling brown eyes lit up his face.

Alan shook his head and chastised himself. Just what makes you think a young thing like him would go for an old coger like you? Besides the fact that he's your STUDENT! Resigning himself to fate, and feeling a little like a peeping tom, Alan put his hat on and got up to leave. Thinking himself invisible under the wide brim of the fedora, he stode toward the door, not really watching where he was going. Tipping his hat downward as he crossed the dance floor, he paused just for a moment to see if Billy was still there...and as if on cue, Billy appeared directly in front of him.

Oh, shit. Maybe if Alan just turned his head to the side...

"Dr. Grant?" Confused brown eyes squinted up into his own.

Too late.

"Uh, hi Billy..."

"Hey! What are you doing here?"

Alan glanced from left to right, trying not to get lost in those big brown eyes. "I... just came in for a beer."

Billy looked sceptical and Alan cursed himself for not coming up with something more plausible. "Out here?" It wasn't rudely put, wasn't questioning Alan's explanation. Billy was asking something more.

Alan shrugged. Then he smiled, a lopsided smile, an admission of defeat. "I like this place, they serve good beer. Shame about the music, but then...."

Billy smiled. "You don't dance, then?"

"No." He touched the brim of his hat, eyes sparkling in the coloured lights. He caught the chocolate gaze and held it for a moment. "Goodnight, Billy."

"I'll... see you back at the dig... later on?"

Alan nodded once and left the bar.

*

It was silly, he knew, but instead of going straight to bed when he reached the darkened site, Alan went for a walk around the nearest excavations. He wasn't waiting up, he told himself. He was checking on his dig, enjoying the warm night air, now and again looking up to admire the incredible view of the stars.

The only lights were those coming from the tents, and the couple of caravans they used. It was enough for him to walk a little way in.

He was honestly expecting to have given up and gone to bed long before Billy arrived back. But it was only half an hour at most before the lights of a jeep could be seen at the base of the dirt track that led to the site.

Alan watched the jeep lights as they got closer and closer, from where he was he got a good view as the jeep pulled up underneath one of the security lights that were strung up around the dig.

Watching as Billy stepped out of the jeep and began moving his head as if looking for something, you? the voice inside his head whispered, oh don't be silly. We've had this conversation before and he wouldn't want me, I'm to old. are not are too are not are- Alan abruptly broke off the conversation in his head when he realized how silly it was for a man his age to be arguing with himself in such a childish way. Silly and liable to get you locked up in a nice, safe, white room with padded walls. Snorting, Alan went back to watching Billy, one of his most favorite things to do outside. outside. Well outside digging up bones, Alan realized with a start, wondering just when 'watching Billy' had gone from a nice way to pass the time to rivaling his love of his work.

Whether it was a sound he made as he shifted, or perhaps the shape of his body moving, but Billy's head lifted toward where he stood, staring intently at him for several seconds before the young man started walking in his direction......