Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended

A/N: A huge thank you to the awesome Tay_21 for the beta and the much needed words of encouragement and reassurance.

Warning: This part contains Non-Con/rape - not graphic but its obvious what is happening. If that sort of thing offends/upsets/angers than don't read.

"You may be my boss, but you can't dictate my private life!" Abby spat in disgust. The hatred she already felt towards Philip Burton had just multiplied triple-fold.

"But this isn't just about you and your personal life, Abby. It's about furthering Connor's career. You want him to do well, don't you?" Burton said, his voice low and the smile on his face obviously forced.

"I do, but Connor is more than capable of furthering his own career if that's what he wants. If you think me leaving him is going to help then you don't know him as well as you think you do." Abby sneered and turned to leave, but Burton grabbed her shoulder and forced her to turn back to face him. She shrugged him off angrily. "I will not do as you asked. I love Connor, and we've been through too much together to..."

"I think you misunderstood what I said." Burton sneered, the smile disappearing and his eyes darkening. "I didn't ask you to leave Connor, I told you to leave Connor. The work we're doing requires 100 per cent commitment; if he feels any kind of obligation towards you then he cannot give me that. He may as well resign from the project now."

Abby closed her eyes and sighed. Despite her own reservations about what Burton represented, she knew it meant a lot to Connor to be working for him. Had Burton already had this conversation with Connor and he'd refused or was Burton going to try and paint Abby as the bad guy?

"Believe me, Abby. You would be doing Connor a massive favour by allowing him to concentrate purely on his work. Perhaps in a year or so when everything is up and running, he will be able to afford the time again – and if you both still feel something for each other..."

"I said no!" Abby stated firmly. "I don't care how important you think your project is, Connor and I mean more to each other than life itself."

Burton sighed. "And here was me thinking you were a sensible young woman. I can't believe that the Abby Maitland I read about is the same girl I see standing before me now. The old Abby wouldn't have let an emotional attachment stand in the way of the greater picture."

"I sorted out my priorities during our time in the Cretaceous. The person I used to be was left behind months ago after I saw Connor almost get killed by a Raptor. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Abby turned again to leave, but Burton moved and stood between her and the door.

"Perhaps something else would persuade you." he said. "What's your price? Money is no object."

Abby laughed incredulously. "Did you not hear what I said? Money means nothing!" She tried to go around Burton, but he blocked her again, and Abby saw a flash of something in his eyes that sent a chill right through her spine. She didn't like this situation one bit and the sooner she got out of his office the better.

"I did hope it wouldn't come to this. I'm not a violent man, but I do have ways of being… persuasive." His eyes darkened even more and his face changed. Abby shuddered. It was a look she knew too well, even though she hadn't seen it in almost 10 years. She could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest and her throat tightening – she had to get out of there and fast.

Abby squared herself up to him and stared defiantly at him. She flicked the switch on her earpiece so that it was on. "All I have to do is scream and every soldier in this place will come running; and no doubt so will Connor and Matt. Do you want to have to deal with all of them?"

"The comms don't work in here, and my office is sound-proofed; a little security measure I had put in place right at the beginning. It really wouldn't do to have Jess listening in on some of the things that go on in here. Especially this." He took a step closer to her and Abby felt sick.

She made a run for the door, pulling desperately on the door handle but finding it was locked. Suddenly she was 15 years old again; trapped, alone, afraid. She had promised herself that she wouldn't ever get herself into this situation again and over the years she had developed various coping strategies. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to put up a fight. Burton should be a pushover compared to some of her opponents.

Burton took another step towards her and Abby raised her arms defensively. She was ready for him; a well-aimed scissor-kick to the throat should send him sprawling to the ground and it would give her time to try and unlock the door. Burton's top lip curled into a sneer and she saw him reach inside his jacket pocket. That look was there again, and Abby froze; the painful memories she'd suppressed all these years were beginning to flash in her head...

"This is our secret, Abigail. If you ever tell anyone about this, then they'll take you away and you'll never see your mum and Jack again. They won't understand what we have." he said, one hand around her throat and the other under her skirt. She would simply nod and close her eyes. After 18 months she knew the score. She'd stopped trying to fight him off; realising that it would be over with so much quicker if she just lay there and let it happen.

The tiny lapse in her concentration was her downfall. Burton had a small EMD in his hand and by the time she'd realised, his finger was on the trigger, the jolt she felt threw her completely off her feet and onto her back on the cold floor. She tried to move, but the muscles in her body were convulsing involuntarily and she could only gasp for air. In her head she was screaming; hoping someone would hear and come to her aid, but no sound would come. Panic and fear were beginning to overwhelm her as well and she could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

Burton stood over her; silently taking in the sight of her helpless body. Abby knew what was coming; she just had to accept it because there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. Her eyes slammed shut automatically; her well-practised routine coming back to her easily despite it being ten years since she'd needed it. Her thighs were forced apart and she felt the weight of his knees on them; pinning them down so that she couldn't move. The voice in her head was shouting for him to stop, but she knew he wouldn't so there was no point allowing the voice to be heard. She was almost grateful that the blast from the EMD had rendered most of her body helpless and numb – it would be easier that way.

The waistband of her jeans loosened and Abby prepared herself. As soon as she heard the sickening sound of the zip on his trousers being unfastened she detached herself; the emotional from the physical. It was the only way to cope with what was happening to her; no emotion, no fear, no tears. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing how much it hurt her.

The ordeal only lasted a couple of minutes but time was irrelevant. When she finally felt his weight lift from her body she curled into a ball; fighting the tears stinging her eyes. Burton kicked her, demanding that she got up. She tried, but her body protested. "I don't understand what Connor sees in you, you're nothing but a dirty little whore." Burton spat.

Abby wanted to lash out; hurt him as much as he had hurt her, but she couldn't. It took everything she had left in her to growl out, "Bastard!"

Burton just laughed and told her to get up again, fastening his trousers up and smoothing down his shirt. "I trust you understand now. If you don't leave Connor, then this will happen again and again. Maybe I'll tell him what a cheating whore he has for a girlfriend; imagine how much that would hurt him. Better to end it on your terms don't you think?"

"He'd never believe you!" Abby retorted, rubbing her legs vigorously in the hope she could get the muscles working for her again so she could get out. "When I tell him what..."

"You won't tell him, and you won't tell anyone else. No-one believed you when you were 15 years old, so why would anyone believe you now? Even your own mother called you a liar." Burton sneered.

Abby's eyes closed. "How can you say those things, Abigail? He took us under his roof, fed you, clothed you and this is how you repay him?" She didn't know how Burton knew these things about her, not even Connor knew the full details, but she feared he was right. Who would believe her? Burton would only twist her accusations to make it sound like it was her fault anyway, just like her stepfather had done. Finally finding her feet again, she got up. Burton unlocked the door and opened it, extending his arm to indicate that she could leave.

"You have two days, Abby." He said quietly. "I'm sure you will make the right decision."

Seconds later, Abby was running through the ARC to the ladies bathroom, clutching her stomach. She barely made it in time. Being sick was another part of her well-rehearsed coping ritual; it cleansed her; rid her body of everything inside. She would then make her excuses – she wasn't feeling well and needed to go home – and then she could shower and feel clean again; remove every trace of him from her body.

-o-

Curled under the duvet, Abby heard the flat door open and close followed by voices in the kitchen. Jess and Connor were home. She wasn't ready to face either of them yet, especially Connor, so she closed her eyes and hoped they wouldn't disturb her. She heard the bedroom door click open and closed and then the bed dipped down as Connor sat on it. She felt his hand gently stroke her cheek and he whispered "Abby?" If she pretended to be asleep, he'd leave her alone. His lips softly brushed against hers and for a moment their warmth comforted her. She would've liked to have him crawl under the duvet with her and hold her close to him, but she was bruised and sore and he would know something was wrong. Her skin was rubbed raw where she'd spent an hour under the shower trying to scrub away every trace of what had happened earlier.

Connor left and Abby was relieved. At least it gave her a little longer to gather herself together. Connor wouldn't leave her for long though, he'd be concerned and keep coming in to check on her. Sooner or later she was going to have to face him. He stuck his head around the door at least twice before Abby decided she should at least let him know she was awake. "I was worried about you," he said softly, kissing her forehead. "Jess said you were sick?"

"Hmm. Something I ate I think," Abby replied.

"Do you want anything? I can make you some toast perhaps?" He tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled at her.

"Can I just have a hug?" she asked.

"Of course!" Connor pulled her into his embrace, folding his arms around her tiny frame. She gripped him tightly and forced back the tears prickling her eyes. Connor was her rock; she needed him and he needed her. How could she leave him? There was no way on this earth that she could do what Burton said... but what would that mean for her? "Abby?" Connor said, wiping his thumb across her wet cheek. She'd lost her battle with the tears and hadn't even realised.

"I'm OK, just feeling sorry for myself. I hate being ill."

"I know." He pulled her tightly against him, rocking her slightly and stroking her back; softly kissing the top of her head. "Are you sure I can't get you something? A drink? Jess has offered to go to the chemist if you need anything."

Chemist! The thought occurred to her that she did need something, but she could hardly ask Jess or Connor to get it for her. She'd had far too many pregnancy scares during the 18 months her stepfather abused her; she hadn't even heard of the "morning after pill" back then, not until about three months before she'd plucked up the courage to tell her mother what was happening. It went against everything she believed in, but even the thought that what happened earlier could result in her being pregnant made her stomach retch. "I just need to sleep," she finally said. "I'll feel better in the morning."

"OK." Connor said, releasing her and kissing her cheek. "I'll be in the lounge working on a report, and Jess is in the kitchen. Just shout if you need us." Abby nodded and raised a weak smile, watching Connor disappear through the door and close it behind him. She curled herself into a protective ball and let her tears fall freely.

-o-

When Abby awoke the next morning, Connor was already up and about. He'd slid into bed beside her just before midnight and wrapped his arms around her. She felt safe with him and as she breathed in his warmth, she wondered if she could tell him. She had no reason to think Connor wouldn't believe her, but she also knew he practically hero worshipped Burton and heroes didn't do that sort of thing. Besides, she'd had no reason to think her mother wouldn't believe her when she told her what her stepfather had been doing to her either, and that ended very badly. She couldn't face that again, losing everything. She would rather deal with it in her own way and still have Connor.

She had told Connor and Jess that she didn't feel up to going into the ARC, but they should call her if there was an anomaly alert. After forcing herself to eat some toast, she took a slow walk to the local chemist. She asked to see the Pharmacist, and he came over.

"How can I help?"

"No offence, but is there a female I could talk to? It's a bit..." Abby just wanted the ground to swallow her up now. The Pharmacist looked very nice, but right now a man was the last person she wanted to talk to.

"No problem. Come through into the office, you can have a little privacy there and I'll ask one of the ladies to come and talk to you." He smiled and led her into a room. It was a little like a doctor's office, clinical and safe. She sat down, feeling sick and irritated. She shouldn't be here, not for this, not again.

A woman came in, friendly and motherly looking. "I'm Margaret, how can I help you? The Pharmacist said you asked specifically to speak to a woman?"

Abby nodded and took a deep breath. "It's a bit embarrassing really, especially for someone my age." She told Margaret what she needed and waited for the lecture. After a few brief questions, Margaret went back into the main shop to speak to the Pharmacist and then came back with a small box. "Thank you," Abby said gratefully. At last she could take the final step in putting this nightmare behind her.

"You do realise this isn't a long term solution to contraception," Margaret began. Abby had heard it all before and she was ready with her response.

"I know, we're usually very careful. My boyfriend was horrified when we realised what had happened. Thank you for your help." She stood up to leave, desperate to get out.

"Sit down, Abby," Margaret said softly. Abby looked at her questioningly, then sat slowly down. Margaret reached for her hand. "We see several girls a week with a similar problem, and after a while you notice certain tell tale signs."

Abby felt a tear fall down her cheek. Margaret handed her a tissue.

"Some of the girls come in on their own, others with a police officer. If someone has forced you into doing something you didn't want to do, then you need to talk to someone about it. If you can't bring yourself to talk to the police, then at least talk to someone you trust. You don't have to handle this on your own, no matter how strong you want people to think you are." Margaret smiled and then released Abby's hand.

Abby stood up again and blinked away her tears. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You owe it to yourself to make sure it doesn't happen again; to you or someone else." Margaret said as she opened the door so that Abby could leave.

Back outside in the fresh air, everything seemed different; clearer. Margaret was right, she didn't have to do this alone. She wasn't a 15-year-old girl any more, and this time she was in control. She would make people believe her, show them her bruises if she had to. Burton was not going to get away with this. After getting a bottle of water from the newsagents across the road, she ran home and got straight into her car. Going to the police was out of the question; she couldn't expose the ARC project, but they had their own ways of dealing with things. Head held high, she started the engine, knowing exactly what she had to do.