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Alan was standing to the side of the small bar that had been put on in the function hall of the museum. He recognised a lot of the people milling around but had little interest in making conversation with most of them beyond a small greeting. Before he could escape however he was caught by Dr Miranda Rodgers, a fellow palaeontologist who he hadn't seen in a few years and happily would have gone a few more without.
"Dr Grant, how nice to see you, we didn't expect you to be able to make it."
"Ellie Sattler is the keynote speaker so I thought I'd make the effort." It was the first time either of them have been back to Washington DC in the months since they gave evidence against Biosyn.
"I forget you know each other. What are you up to these days? I heard your statement and then you dropped off the radar again."
"I'm here and there; writing as I go." He had told Ellie in the airfield that he was coming with her, and he had stayed true to his word. He had done a few guest lectures but if Ellie had more than a couple of nights away then he was there with her. She told him he didn't need to but they both knew under her strong exterior that she simply enjoyed having him close by now that she could.
"There you are!" Ellie appeared at his side, grinning now that she had found her partner.
He kissed her cheek, his hand squeezing her arm gently, "You were magnificent." Alan wanted to tell her she also looked magnificent in the navy dress she was wearing but they had agreed to keep their relationship out of the eyes of their professional colleagues. It wasn't through any sort of embarrassment or shame - they were in love and wouldn't deny it if asked - but they knew what these gossip circles consisted of and wanted to protect what they had.
"How much of this have you had?" She joked as she took the wineglass out of his hand and took a large drink herself, adrenaline still coursing through her bloodstream.
Ever the gentleman - until Ellie got her way in private - Alan remembered they had company, "Ellie, you know Miranda already?"
"We've met a few times over the years. I didn't know you were acquainted."
"Oh, Alan and I go back to the earliest of our digs." Ellie didn't know if she was using 'our' in terms of a museum, university, or the two people next to her but it didn't matter. Miranda was around Alan's age and attractive enough that Ellie had to keep reminding herself why he was there and who he'd be going home with.
"I keep meaning to delve into his digs that came before I really got into the subject but there's just never enough time. Especially with how much there's been to do and catch up on since Italy."
"You definitely should but nothing can compare to being out on the sites, it was such a special time back then."
"As long as I have the first-hand experience of this man I'm sure I'll be just as enthralled as he was." Her smile was blinding when she turned to him and patted his chest affectionately, but he noticed it wasn't quite reaching her eyes. These two women were usually harmless but it seemed that put together they were very easily provoked yet he couldn't deny it was quite amusing to watch.
"He was just telling me that he was writing again."
"Miranda, let me tell you, Alan's new book is going to be his best yet; the pages I've read are so thought-provoking and his voice is at its most recognisably beautiful."
"Oh, you've read some of it already?" Alan Grant was notoriously secretive about what research book he was writing at any given time that for someone to form an opinion pre-publication was unheard of.
He shrugged as though he now would let anyone else go near the document before final edits, "Only about four pages regarding extinct plants that she had advised me on…"
"And remember what I did after those four pages," She smirked and bit her bottom lip.
"Hard to forget." Their eyes locked on each other, the room around them suddenly disappearing. She had been joking around for the most part since joining him at the bar but all she felt now was the unequivocal love they shared. She knew he would do anything for her without even having to be asked, and she was determined she'd show him she could do the same back.
They finally came back to present day instead of the hugely pleasant memories by the sound of Miranda speaking once again, "I should go say hello to other people."
"Whilst we should get you away from wine and other people," He muttered into Ellie's ear as he gently moved them to a corner of the room away, far enough that nobody would hear them but also it didn't look like they'd left the event early or together. "I guess we're not being secret any more then, El?"
"She was practically throwing herself at you." He gave a throaty laugh at the petulance in her voice to which she rolled her eyes.
"This is new: you jealous. But my dear, I had no idea because all I was thinking about was taking you home and showing you how wonderful you are." He twirled around a stand of blonde hair before tucking it behind her ear and slowly running his fingers along her jaw and down the side of her throat.
"And you are getting more irresistible to the female population, I don't know what I'm going to do with you." She muttered, pulling him by the lapels on his suit jacket until their lips met. Alan had never cared much in regards to anyone finding out about them so he was more than happy to give into the kiss as soon as it began.
Before it deepened to a point where they definitely wouldn't be staying any longer they broke apart, resting their foreheads together and continued to share featherlight kisses as he finally responded to her rhetorical comment, "Just stay with me darlin', and you don't have to do a thing."