Disclaimer: Very sadly not mine because if they were Claudia never would have disappeared!!!! Anywho – er, ITV owns this show, or BBC America here.

Rating: K

Category: To say would give it away.

Spoilers: Most of the series so far… especially the Claudia/Jenny situation.

Author: Traci

Summary: Nick has lost so much so far and Jenny wants to help but the appearance of a new anomaly may change everything.

Six Months

Six months.

I have a bad feeling about this.

The last words he heard her say to him… six months ago.

"Nick?"

He wanted to ignore her. To look at her was too painful. A horrid reminder of what might have been in another place, another time, with another person.

"Nick?"

Her hauntingly familiar voice broke his already shattered heart that much more.

"Fine, then I'll do all the talking here." She sat down, crossed her arms and stared at him. "I know Stephen's death is difficult but you can't just hide from the world and shut the rest of us out."

For the first time since she walked into his office, Professor Nick Cutter finally looked at his visitor. "You have no idea what I have lost."

Her features softened and she sat a bit further back in the chair. "Then tell me."

"You wouldn't understand."

A sad yet knowing smile spread across her lips. "Claudia."

He nodded.

Jenny Lewis sighed. She had never really understood who Claudia Brown had been as the only person to even have any knowledge of her seemed to be Nick but Helen's comments about the striking similarities between the two had forced Jenny to face the fact that Nick had not been crazy afterall.

"Tell me about her," she softly told him.

His eyes sparkled as he smiled. "She was…" Just the quickly the sparkle and smile faded away. "Holding onto the past does no good. So what really brings you here?"

"Lester's not sure about continuing on with the program."

"What? He can't do that! Lives are at risk…"

"I know!" Jenny quickly cut him off. "I've been arguing that with him but you know him. He's been looking for any reason to get you out of there."

Nick sat back in his chair and looked out the window. "Maybe he's right."

"You don't really believe that."

He looked at Jenny. "I lost my wife, I lost Stephen, I lost…"

"Claudia," she finished for him. "It always seems to come back to her."

"I'm sorry. I know you hate hearing her name."

Jenny shook her head. "It's okay. Knowing that she was a real person who you obviously cared about a great deal makes it a little easier." She paused. "Back when that…shark thing nearly killed me you had mentioned about Helen leaving you to go through the anomalies and the only other woman you liked left you too. Was that Claudia?"

He nodded.

"I can't imagine she would just up and leave."

"It wasn't like that. Helen and I… we somehow changed the past when we went through the anomaly and when we came back…"

"She no longer existed."

His eyes settled on an empty spot on his desk and he remained quiet.

Jenny leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "I'm sorry," she softly told him.

Before the conversation could continue, Jenny's cell rang. "I'm with him right now, we'll be there soon."

"Another one?" Nick asked.

She nodded, standing up. With a small smile she said, "This time in Sherwood Forest."

Grabbing his jacket, Nick stopped and stared. "You're kidding me."

"Nope, might want to get you bow and arrow too," she teased as he followed her out the door.

Nick and Jenny arrived together, just ahead of Connor and Abby, eliciting a curious look from Lester.

"Sorry if I was interrupting," Lester commented. "We have a rather…unique… situation here." His eyes fell upon Jenny. "It would seem Professor Cutter isn't as nuts as I first thought."

"Thanks," Cutter muttered but before he could say anything further, he saw what had caused Lester to make the comment. Well, more he saw who.

"C… Claudia?"

Slowly the mysterious woman turned around to face Nick. Tears welled in her eyes and she launched herself into his arms. "Nick! I thought we'd lost you for good."

His arms tightened around her, afraid if he loosened his hold even the slightest she would once more disappear from his life. "Claudia Brown, I've missed you so much."

"Me too," she sniffed into his shoulder.

Jenny stood a distance back watching the scene unfold. She tried to ignore the feel of Abby and Connor's eyes on her gauging her reaction. Her heart both broke and filled with joy at the site of Nick Cutter happier than she had ever seen him.

Nick looked at Claudia without letting her go. "How… I thought we changed the past with those stupid…" Before he could continue, he felt Claudia's lips press firmly against his and just as quickly he gave in and deepened the kiss.

Jenny looked away and wondered how she could be so jealous of, well, apparently herself.

"A bit of an awkward situation," Lester muttered beside Jenny.

She remained silent, biting her inner cheek to both keep from going off on Lester and from crying.

Nick and Claudia ended the kiss mainly out of need of oxygen, but even as they stepped away from each other, Nick laced his fingers through hers and together they faced the rest of the team.

Lester was the first to speak. "I thought you might be interested in what came through the anomaly this time."

The grin on Nick's face said it all then his eyes fell upon Jenny and there was a small falter in his smile as his heart gave a little jerk of guilt inside. He had accepted Claudia would never exist again and, as a result, had begun to open himself to the possibility that maybe he and Jenny could have something. He knew Jenny had started to think the same.

She stepped forward, smiling at Claudia's shock upon seeing herself. Extending her hand, she introduced herself. "Claudia Brown, I presume? Jenny Lewis."

Claudia looked from Jenny to Nick, her eyes full of questions.

"I know," he replied.

With the anomaly fully secured by the military, Lester stepped forward. "Might I suggest that since any imminent danger is now gone, we continue this back at the ARC?" Lester turned and headed back to the car before anyone could offer any other suggestion.

Jenny found Nick standing outside of the women's locker room. "How is she?"

He sighed. "A bit shook up."

"It's to be expected," she responded with a smile. "How are you?"

He smiled back. "A bit shook up." He took a deep breath. "Jenny, I…"

But she quickly held up her hand. "Don't. There's no need. I suppose part of me suspected this might happen someday, well, once Helen confirmed your story that Claudia had really existed anyway." She bit her lower lip. "So… what happens now?"

Before he could respond the locker room door opened.

tbc...