FIC: Western Lovers: Cowboys & Archaeologists 30/33

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

Title: Western Lovers: Cowboys and Archaeologists 30/33
Author: sassywitch
Pairing: BB/DM
Rating: NC-17, to be on the safe side.
Summary: Be careful what you wish for.
Feedback: Feedback is my writers crack, which is not to be confused at all with plumbers crack.
Disclaimer: Not at all true in reality. These men whilst adorable and perfectly happy to slash themselves, their actual relationship is something that they only know. This story is adapted from a series of books that I adored when I was younger written by Elizabeth Lowell.
Word Count: 2332
Header Art: Courtesy of the incredibly talented loki_girl
Previous Chapters: can be found Here
A/N: A huge thank you to dylan_dufresne for the inspiration, the prodding and the beta. She really deserves far more credit than just beta. This fic wouldn't be what it is without her labour of love. My grammar sucks really, really badly so she had to suffer it so nobody else would. Next Chapter on Friday.
~*~*~*~*~*~
The knock on the door was unexpected, and was the answer to Dom's secret hopes. Even as his heartbeat doubled, he told himself he was being foolish. It isn't Billy. He hasn't so much as phoned in the seven weeks since I left the Double L, so what makes me think that he would waste a Friday night driving all the way to here to see me?

The cold, rational thoughts didn't diminish the fierce, hopeful beat of Dom's heart, and as he pushed away from his drawing table, he took a deep steadying breath, and walked the few steps to his cramped, one bedroom apartment's front door.

"Who is it?" Dom asked.

"Sean Bean. Liv's brother."

With hands that weren't quite steady, Dom unlocked the door and opened it. Once he would have been unnerved at the sight of the big man who almost filled his doorway, but now the only emotion he felt was a disappointment, so numbing that it was all he could do to speak. He forced his lips into the semblance of a smile.

"Hi Sean. I thought you were in….South America, wasn't that it?"

"It was. I got back last week."

"Oh. Did you find what you were looking for?"

Sean smiled slowly, transforming his face from austere to handsome, eyes lit with a rueful, inner laughter. "No, but not many of us do."

Almost immediately, Dom felt a flash of kinship with the big man. "No, not many of us do."

"May I come in?"

"Of course," Dom said, automatically backing away from the door, allowing Sean to enter. "Would you like some coffee? Or perhaps a beer? I think one of the grads left some here last night."

"Thanks, but I'll have coffee. Party last night?" Sean asked, looking around with thinly veiled curiosity.

Dom's mouth curved into something less than a smile. "Depends on your definition of party. If it includes chasing elusive pot shards through mismarked cartons, we had one Hell of a party here last night."

"I thought all the Arwen Canyon stuff was staying at the Double L."

"It is. This is from a different site. Still Anasazi though, as you can see. They're my first love."

While Dom disappeared into the kitchen, Sean walked carefully around the apartment, noticing that it was in a state of casual disarray that looked more like academic office than living quarters. Scholarly periodicals, books and photos covered most flat surfaces, except for a long worktable by the window. There, potshards and partially reconstructed pots reigned supreme. Photos and sketches were tacked to the walls, while a bin, full of sketches, stored in protective transparent sleeves, stood in a corner.

"Cream or sugar?" Dom called from the kitchen alcove.

"Black."

Sean walked over to the bin and began slowly flipping through the contents, studying various drawings. When Dom returned, he looked up.

"These are very good."

"Thank you," Dom answered, then set a mug of coffee on a table near Sean and cleared periodicals from a chair. "Photos are preferred by most scholars, unless they're trying to illustrate a point from their pet theory. Then they're delighted to have me draw what no one has yet had the good sense to discover in situ."

Male laughter filled the small room, and Dom looked startled for a moment, then smiled self-consciously.

"I didn't mean that quite as peevishly as it came out," Dom said, clearing away a second stack of periodicals and sitting down. With a casualness that cost a great deal, he asked, "How's everything on the Double L?"

"That's why I'm here."

Dom's head quickly tipped up toward Sean. "Is something wrong?"

"You took the words right out of my mouth."

"I don't understand."

Sean leaned against the edge of the work bench, not entirely comfortable with sitting, reached down to lift a mug of coffee. Sipping the hot drink slowly, he placed the mug back on the table before speaking again.

"Neither does Liv."

"Mr Bean," Dom began.

"Sean."

"Sean," Dom said distractedly. "You came here for a reason. What is it?"

With an uncharacteristic gesture of unease, Sean jammed his hands in the back pocket of his jeans, palms out. He looked at the smaller man with the haunted, smoky blue eyes, and the lines of strain around his slightly crooked mouth. Sean didn't know what was wrong, but he was certain something was.

Liv, what have you gotten me into this time? You know better than to try and set me up with another wounded person in a jam.

Sean looked closely at Dom, and despite his abundant masculinity, he wasn't sending out signals that he was available or interested. Maybe Liv had gotten it wrong. Dom had smiled at the sound of Sean's laughter, but then again, a lot of people did. They hadn't learned that his laughter was a perfect camouflage for his view of people in general, and relationships in particular. Only one person was exempt from Sean's distrust-Liv.

"My sister would like to see you again," Sean said. "But apparently you're angry with her."

Dom started to speak, but no words came out, and all he could do was shake his head.

"Does that mean that Liv has it all wrong, and you'd be glad to come out to the Double L next weekend?" Sean asked smoothly.

"No." The stark refusal was out before Dom could prevent it, not that it mattered. He wasn't going back to the Double L. Not this weekend.

Not the weekend after. Not ever. He couldn't bear seeing Billy again, and pretending that nothing had ever happened between them in Arwen Canyon.

"Liv's right," Sean stated. "You're angry with her."

"No."

"With Viggo?"

"No," Dom said quickly. "It's nothing personal." Swallowing hard, Dom licked his lips with a tongue that was dry. "I'm –I'm very busy. The school year is just getting rolling. There are a lot of things I have to do."

Sean's eyes narrowed to brilliant blue slits. "I see." And he did. Sean saw that Dom had just lied, and very badly at that. "Surely you'll have everything under control by say, November?"

"I don't know."

"Probably?"

Dom gave him a dark look. "I don't know!"

"Well, I know that Liv will strip my hide if you don't turn up for Thanksgiving. Now, I can probably finesse my little sister, but I'd hate like Hell to try finessing the Double L's Ramrod with anything less than a bull dozer."

Color drained from Dom's face, silently telling Sean that Liv's insight had been correct; it was Billy Boyd who was keeping Dom away from the ranch.

"I can't see what-" Dom's voice dried up. He swallowed painfully, and then continued. "What does Billy have to do with this?"

"You tell me."

"Nothing."

"Whatever you say," Sean muttered, not believing Dom and not bothering to disguise it. "Billy has developed a passion for all things Anasazi. If the recent past is any example, he's going to be a miserable son to live with until that kiva gets excavated."

Dom's eyelids flickered, but his voice was under control when he spoke. "Then by all means, he should have the kiva excavated as soon as possible."

"Amen. How long will it take you to pack?" Sean asked, exhaling in relief.

"I'm not going anywhere," Dom answered shortly with a frown.

"You're not making sense either," Sean countered, not understanding Dom's reply.

"Mr Bean-" Dom began, hiding his emotions behind forced formality, arms wrapped around himself protectively.

"Sean," Sean interrupted smoothly, watching Dom's nervous movements closely.

"The kiva can be excavated by any number of qualified archaeologists," Dom continued quickly, suddenly nervous under Sean's intense, all-knowing scrutiny. "I'm sure Billy knows that. If not, he'll know it as soon as you get back and tell him."

"I already have. He almost tore off my head. Either you excavate that kiva, or it doesn't get done," Sean informed Dom matter of factly.

"Then it doesn't get done." His words were calm, but Dom's agitation proved he was anything but comfortable.

"Why?" Sean probed.

"Would you like more coffee before you leave?" Tears welled in Dom's eyes, merely contemplating the answer to Sean's question. Instead, he found comfort in avoiding the question.

"None of my business. Is that it?" Sean inquired, quirking one eyebrow.

"That's it." Simple words were all that Dom could force past the hard lump in his throat.

"Would it make any difference if Liv dragged the baby all the way out here to talk to you?" Sean asked Dom quietly, playing his trump card.

"I'd love to see Liv and Milo, but they would be going home alone," Dom replied quickly, his eyes fixed on the ground.

"What if Billy asked you to excavate his damned kiva?"

The words echoed around the room as Sean spoke them.

Dom's eyes darkened and his tone became as bittersweet as the line of his mouth. "He already did."

For the first time, Sean showed surprise. "You refused?"

"Yes." Dom's simple answer needed no elaboration.

"Why?" Sean asked, pushing harder than Dom backed away.

"Ask Billy." Dom's heartfelt sigh gave Sean the opening he had been looking for.

"No thanks. I like my head just where it is, and lately that boy has a fuse that's permanently lit. The only one willing to take him on is David. They had Hell's own brawl a week ago. Never seen anything quite like it. I think it's a miracle no one was killed."

Dom remembered David's dark, cold power, and he closed his eyes, fighting against showing his fear and love and despair, but it was useless. When Dom opened his eyes, he saw that Sean knew exactly how he felt.

"Is he alright?" Dom asked tightly.

"David's a little chewed up, but otherwise fine."

"Billy," Dom said urgently. "Is Billy alright?"

Sean shrugged. "Same as David."

Dom hesitated for a moment, then stood and went to the bin in the corner, withdrawing a two by three foot folder. Opening it, Dom silently looked at the drawing inside for a long, quiet moment. Within the borders of the paper, Arwen Canyon lived as it had once in the past, stone walls intact, houses and kivas filling the alcove, but the people were no longer walled off within their beautifully wrought prisons. They were responding to the call of an outlaw shaman who had seen a vision, filled with light.

Women, children, and warriors, every Anasazi was pouring out of the cliff dwelling, walking out of the alcoves' eternal twilight and into a dawn that blazed with promise. The path took them past the shaman, who stood in the foreground within the shadow of the cliff, watching with haunted eyes, his outstretched arm pointing the way for the stragglers as they filed past below. Something in the shaman's position, his eyes holding both light and darkness, body removed from the other Anasazi, stated that he was not walking out of the darkness with his people.

The face, the lithe and muscular body, the stance, and the haunted, crystalline eyes were those of Billy Boyd.

"I sketched this for the owner of Arwen Canyon," Dom said, closing the folder and holding it out to Sean. "It's a bit awkward to mail. Would you take it back to the Double L for me?"

"Sure." Sean looked at the folder then at Dom. "You do know that Billy owns Arwen Canyon, don't you?"

"Thank you for taking the sketch." Dom went to the front door and opened it. "Say hello to Liv and Milo for me?"

"Should I say hello to Billy, too?" Sean asked as he crossed the threshold.

Dom's only answer was silence, followed by the door shutting firmly behind Sean. Raising his fist to knock on the door, Sean thought better of it when he heard the broken, unmistakable sounds of someone trying desperately not to cry. Swearing silently about the futility of trying to speak rationally to the lovelorn, Sean turned away and moved toward his beat up Jeep with long, loping strides. If he hurried, he would be at the ranch house before the afternoon storms turned the road to gumbo.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next night, barely fifteen minutes after the last grad student had left, Dom spotted a scruffy knapsack slumped in a corner. Aaron usually remembered halfway home, turned around and came back. It had become a ritual: The timid knock on solid wood, knapsack extended through the half-open door, and the embarrassed apologies. Tonight however, Dom wondered whether the knapsack would be an overnight resident as Aaron had left with Daniel, and the look in his eyes had nothing to do with unimportant details such as knapsacks.

Dom glanced at the clock. Midnight. If Aaron were going to retrieve his property, he would be back soon. With a shrug, Dom sat down at the table full of shards and picked up two. The edges didn't match, but that didn't matter, because Dom wasn't seeing them. He was seeing other shards, other shapes, and a matching that had been beyond superb.

At least for him.

I've got to stop thinking about it. I've got to stop asking where I went wrong, and why I wasn't the one for Billy when he was the one for me. I've got to stop thinking about the past, and start planning for the future. He trusted me enough to teach me how to love. That has to be enough.

The sound of knuckles meeting the apartment door was a welcome break from Dom's bleak thoughts.

"Hang on, I'm coming," Dom called out.

Snagging the knapsack by its well worn strap, Dom opened the front door without looking, held out the heavy bag at arm's length and waited for Aaron to take it.

Suddenly, the door opened fully, someone pushing Dom back into the living room. The knapsack hit the floor with a soft thump, falling from his nerveless fingers.

Chapter 31

Comments

[-vanillashake.livejournal.com]

Wtf?!

It is Sean, right? Knocking Dom k.o., taking him back to Arwen Coanyon and...no.
Who is it?

& again - wow.

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

It's not Sean, but aside from that, no clues, you'll just have to wait until Friday to find out.

[crsty1961.livejournal.com]

EEEEEE can't you post the next chapter like....
NOW!!! PLEASE pretty PLEASE with sugar on top!!!!

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry sweetie, next chapter will be up on Friday.

Glad you're enjoying.

[daydreambeleevr.livejournal.com]

Now, I can probably finesse my little sister, but I'd hate like Hell to try finessing the Double L's Ramrod with anything less than a bull dozer."

hee. i love how Sean got put in the middle of things like this. yay for Livvy.



"Would you like more coffee before you leave?"

heh, here's your hat, what's your hurry... dommie being smooth trying to kick Sean out before the hurt gets worse... poor little bug.



"What if Billy asked you to excavate his damned kiva?" .... "He already did."

oh, do we get to hear that phone call later in a flashback? did Billy ask in person?? :smile:



Suddenly, the door opened fully, someone pushing Dom back into the living room. The knapsack hit the floor with a soft thump, falling from his nerveless fingers.

ending it here? here??!

mean. just mean. *giggle*

kerry =)

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

Sean was so uncomfortable, and Dom just wanted to get him out of there before he broke down, poor baby.

Had to end it there, and yes I am mean, very mean.

Glad you're enjoying hon.

no fair!

[bride-no2.livejournal.com]

you left us hanging! please post chapter 31 as soon as you can...am dying here...is it Billy? No, probably David...unless it's Viggo...basically anyone who'll pack him up and drag him off to Arwen Canyon. Shit, unless it's that bastard ex-boyfriend? fuck....

Re: no fair!

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

It really could be anyone couldn't it.

I think you might be surprised when you read it on Friday.

[sourgreenapples.livejournal.com]

excavate a kiva my ass. Billy needs to figure out what he wants. I don't want Dom to completely regress.

The cliffhanger is a really good one. I know who I want it to be, but I guess I'm just gonna have to wait, eh?

Another beautiful chapter, sassy.

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

Billy knows exactly what he want's, he's just not brave enough to go after it.

I'm hoping it's whoyou want it to be too.

[mystery-ink.livejournal.com]

Fuck... don't DO this!!!!! Is it Billy? Is it Ethan (NO!)? Is it David? Is it Viggo? Make it be Billy's reaction to the drawing... please!!!!

Wow... was wondering when you said "dragged the baby out here" if Sean meant Angel! Now that would be a trump card.

Beautifully done. *S*

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

*blushes* Thank you hon.

I can't tell you who it is, it's a surprise for Friday.

Glad you're enjoying.

[mystery-ink.livejournal.com]

*nibbles on fingernails*

BTW... did I miss the final installment of "Making Memories of Us", or are you holding off on it? I've been away on vacation for the past few days.

[loozy.livejournal.com]

I have an inkling as to how it is :D

[divinemadam.livejournal.com]

FINALLY! I knew it was coming, but it was still so hard to wait! I adore Sean as Cash! Out of the entire fellowship, I don't think that anyone else could have played him. Good choice! I think it's so funny that he thought that Liv was trying to set him up with Dom. Fortunately, he is very perceptive about other people, at least until it comes time for his own story, in which he becomes a stupid male like all the rest.

If you're wondering how I am finding the time to read all of these chapters, I knocked off of work early. I had a meeting this afternoon, and I left afterward instead of going back to the office. I have work with me to do, but it will wait. Besides, I will be doing the work of two people this week since on of my counselors went into labor last night. After 12 hours, she was only at 2 centimeters, so I think she has a while to go. I'm happy for her though, so I'll do her work as well as mine. I need to finish the layette that I have been crocheting for her. It's my first one, so I hope that everything ends up looking okay, not one arm longer than the other or something weird like that. Oh well, I'll add it to the list of things to do.

[sassywitch.livejournal.com]

I've never really written sean before but I'm loving him in this role. He's perceptive but not quite as perceptive as he likes to think. I think you'll like him even more by the end of this storie.

Hope she's had her baby now and everything is peachy with her. But I'm not happy that you're going to have more work to do and it will curtail your on line time again.

[divinemadam.livejournal.com]

I spoke with her this morning and I think she was still feeling the after affects of the epidural. She said that she was ready to have another baby, as long as it was by the guy that gave her the epidural. Mother and baby are fine.

I don't mind doing the extra work, but we have a ton of deadlines because the graduation is Saturday. Most of the work must be done by then. At least most of the parents have been understanding. I expect to start running into some nasty ones soon because I have to make a few phone calls to let them know that their students have failed and cannot graduate. It's a lousy phone call to make.