Chapter 1

"Whatcha' doing?" Elijah asked leaning over Billy's shoulder.

"Looking through some pictures from New Zealand that Dom sent me. Man, we had some good times, eh?"

"That we did," Elijah replied lighting up a cigarette and inhaling deeply.

"Those things are going to kill you. Not to mention they're bad for your skin. They'll give you wrinkles."

"Awwww I never knew you were so concerned about how I looked Billy," Elijah said placing a quick kiss on his nose.

Billy pushed him away and rolled his eyes. Elijah giggled and looked out the window. "It's a beautiful day. Perfect for surfing."

"Where did this picture come from?" Billy asked looking up at Elijah. Elijah walked over to Billy and looked down at the picture and laughed.

"That was taken the night of the infamous peeing in the fountain. I think Dom rather fancied that sculpture."

"I guess so by the way he's laying on it and licking the earlobe.

"Don't be jealous Billy, he loves you more than that," Elijah said winking at him.

"Oh shut up Lij."

"What?" he said all innocent.

Billy glared at him then returned to looking at the pictures.

"He does ya know," Elijah said quietly.

"Does what?" Billy asked still browsing through the pictures.

"Love you."

Billy stopped and looked up at Elijah. For a moment he was at a loss for words. No one had ever said that to him. Not even the one person he wanted to hear it from the most.

"I love him too, like a brother," he added quickly, "we're all so close."

"Come on Billy, it's me. You don't have to pretend."

Billy looked up at Elijah again and for a moment he thought about confessing everything he felt about Dom. How he loved him and wanted to be with him. How he was the one person he thought about day and night. How he missed being around him so much it hurt.

"Bollocks," Billy said and returned his attention back to the pictures.

Elijah shook his head. "Why do you deny it? It's obvious."

"Elijah..."

"Look Billy it's madness to deny how you feel. It was obvious in New Zealand and it's still obvious."

"You think it's that easy?" Billy said carefully sliding the pictures back in the envelope.

"Hell yes!"

"If he loves me so much why doesn't he tell me," Billy replied sarcastically.

"Maybe he doesn't think you feel the same way."

Billy gave Elijah an 'oh please' look and stood up to go to the kitchen.

"Maybe he's just as scared as you are."

Billy sat the beer he had retrieved from the refrigerator down on the counter and let out a sigh.

"Do you know I haven't been on one single date since I left New Zealand. Not because I haven't had offers, but because of him. Pathetic, eh?"

Elijah leaned on the counter. "Not at all. Sounds like someone in love."

Billy twisted the cap off the beer and took a drink. "I use to dream of Dom coming up to me and confessing his love for me. But after we left New Zealand and we all went back to our normal lives I began to think that special bond Dom and I had formed had just been part of the circumstances while we were living there. You couldn't help getting close to everyone in that environment. Know what I mean?"

Elijah nodded his head and Billy continued.

"But with Dom it's different. I think about him all the time. Even years after the filming and all premieres he's always in my mind...and heart." Billy took another drink of his beer and looked down to the counter.

"Why not tell him how you feel. It's better than wondering and moping around."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because, because I just can't." Billy took his beer and sat on the couch. Elijah followed and sat beside.

"You can't or your scared?"

"Both," Billy replied.

"You two are pathetic," Elijah said standing up.

Billy gave him a strange look.

"What are you on about?"

"Nothing. I'm going to go catch some waves. When Dom gets here tell him where I am."

Billy looked at Elijah surprise written all over his face. "Dom's coming? I thought he was in Hawaii."

"He doesn't leave for another two weeks," Elijah smiled.

"But you didn't mention that he was coming."

"Oh. I must have forgotten," he said smirking.

Billy threw one of the couch pillows at Elijah who laughed and ducked around the corner the pillow missing him. He tried to calm himself as he thought about seeing Dom again. It had been months since he last saw him at the House of Blues. He smiled remembering how Dom had asked if he could play his instrument. Meaning his guitar of course, but they had both had a good laugh over it all night.

An hour later Billy made his way out to the beach to see how the waves were treating Elijah. He arrived just in time to see him wipe out. He chuckled as he saw him emerge and make his way back to the shore.

"Nice form Wood."

"Bite me."

"You might enjoy that too much."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Elijah replied flopping down on the sand with a thud.

Billy stood shifting his weight from one let to the other as he looked out to the ocean.

"Something on your mind Billy?"

"Is Dom really going to be here?" he asked still looking out to the blue water.

"Yup. He should be arriving anytime this afternoon."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Probably the same reason I didn't tell him."

Billy looked down at Elijah laying on the sand, eyes closed, his arms spread out. "You didn't tell him I was going to be here either?"

"It slipped my mind," he smiled, eyes still closed.

Billy kicked Elijah in the leg.

"Owww! What the fuck Billy?" he said sitting up rubbing his leg. "What'd you do that for?"

"Because you're an idiot."

"Take your frustration out on something or someone else."

"If your trying to play Mr. Matchmaker it's not going to work," Billy said lips pursed and a frown on his face.

"I'm just trying to help out," Elijah said standing still rubbing his leg. "You know if you two would just talk to each other instead of me I wouldn't even need to do this. So fucking excuse me for wanting to help out two of my friends."

Elijah walked off leaving Billy standing alone. He cursed himself under his breath as he stood watching the waves crash to the shore. He knew Elijah was only trying to help, but he could have at least told him Dom was coming. He thought Dom was already in Hawaii filming Lost. Now he would be seeing him again and as much as he much as he wanted to see him, he was also nervous as hell about it. It was time to put up or shut up. He couldn't spend his whole life pining after Dom. He'd already been doing it for far to long.

Inside the house Billy found Elijah sitting with his back against the couch watching cartoons. "Lij?"

"Yeah?" he answered turning to look at Billy.

"Sorry about earlier. I don't know why I did it. Ok, I do. I...I just..." his words trailed off.

"S'ok."

"No, it's not. I should be able to control my emotions better than that." He looked away and then back to Elijah. "What you said is true. I should talk to Dom about how I feel, but it's so hard. I'm scared of fucking up our friendship and the thought of rejection is almost as bad."

"And not knowing is better?"

Billy gave him a weak smile. "In some ways yes, in a lot of ways no."

"Knock, knock...anybody home?"

Billy turned to see Dom standing at the door, a smile on his face. Elijah bolted up off the couch and ran to the door opening it.

"Hey man, good to see you," he said embracing Dom.

"You too mate."

He looked over at Billy and grinned. "I didn't realize you had invited the Scot. Guess they're letting anyone into this country these days."

Billy laughed and for the moment he felt all his fears melt away.

"Good to see you Bill," Dom said throwing his arms around him, "it's been awhile."

"Aye, that it has," Billy said returning the embrace.

"All right, all right, quit slobbering all over each other. They'll be time for that later," Elijah said a grin affixed to his face. Dom and Billy both looked at each other and laughed. "Come on now, get changed. The water is perfect and we've got waves to catch."

Read Part Two of Four of Shire Lass' Look Before You Leap