A Death That Brought Love

Abby limply opened the door to hers and Connor's apartment. This day mark a day of hell for the team at the ARC. Nick Cutter shot by Helen. They had cried for half an hour before Lester recommended they go home. This was after he had regained posture himself.

Connor followed Abby into their apartment silently, as he had been since they got into the car to go home. Too Connor it was like he had lost his own father. Cutter had taken him in and given him a job and maturity when no-one else would. Connor slowly walked over to the couch and sat with his head in his hands. Abby sat down next to him seconds later; he didn't even look up at her.

"I just can't believe it" Abby broke the silence. "He was such a good man, Why him?" She looked at Connor hopeful that he would at least look at her. "What about the ARC it won't feel right working in a different place, well different construction. Cutter would kill them for working so close to his work if he was alive."

Connor continued to be silent.

"Hey Connor?" Abby rubbed his back as a form of comfort.

Nothing.

"You know he wouldn't want you to act like this" Abby tried again still rubbing this time.

"How the hell would you know what he wanted? You didn't watch him die. He never told us what to do if he died, because he didn't expect it to happen!" Connor jumped up and shouted at Abby who had tears rolling down her face. She had never known Connor shout at anyone like that before, especially her.

"I'm sorry Connor" Abby whispered looking down at her feet.

Connor realised she was only trying to help and he had taken his frustration with Helen out on Abby.

"Look Abby, I didn't mean to shout at you. Its just I saw him die, I could have helped more than I did." Connor sat back down and patted Abby on the back.

"Its okay. You know Connor what I like most about Cutter. The fact he gave me something to do with my life instead of being a zookeeper. He gave me an important job in the world not just in the zoo. I got to use something I loved, to save animals from now and the past and future. But most of all he introduced me to the man I love." Abby smiled.

Connor looked down. Stephen hadn't been brought up in a convosation between them in months and he was beginning to really enjoy the fact that she was now closest to him.

"Yeah. Do you miss Stephen?" Connor asked not looking at her. Abby was confused 'why is he asking me that' she thought but then she understood.

"Yes of course I do, he was my friend." Abby answered seeing if he would understand that.

"Yeah but you wanted it to be more, as you loved him?" Connor still hadn't caught on.

"Yes I did like Stephen but I didn't love him. He is not the person Cutter brought me too, Connor"

Connor was officially confused and wasn't hiding it very well. Abby decided she was going to have to tell him.

"The man I love is…You" Abby smiled.

Connor was shocked, sure this was great news as he loved Abby too but he didn't know she returned her feelings. Abby took his silence as a bad sign.

"Yes…well, I thought you better know as I didn't want to end up like Jenny has." Abby started to stand as she couldn't stay in the room with him.

"No Abby! Don't go." Connor grabbed her hand and they both felt a spark of electricity. Abby immediately sat back down.

"Yes Connor?"

"I love you too. I just never thought you would return the feeling that's why I never brought it up again"

Abby didn't need to hear anymore so placed her lips upon Connor's, who started to kiss back straight away. Abby slowly laced her hands into Connor's ash ridden hair, not that she cared, and he snaked his arms around Abby's waist. They slowly broke apart after a few seconds of kissing.

"I love you" Connor muttered before kissing Abby again but this time with more passion and power that they both had been waiting months to release. Connor glided his tongue along Abby's bottom lip begging for entry which Abby happily granted. After what seemed like hours of making out they broke apart in desperate need of air.

Abby and Connor sat on the couch watching the Notebook as it was Abby's turn to pick a movie and she may not strike as a romantic film sort of girl but tonight she was in an extra romantic mood. Abby sat with her head on Connor's shoulder and he had his head rested on hers and his arm around her.

"Connor?" Abby asked.

"Yeah?"

"You know how they say when someone dies something else is born. I think love was born." Abby smiled sweetly up at Connor who kissed her forehead.

"No. The love was always there. Knowing Cutter it was be a huge beast that will come through an anomaly" Connor and Abby laughed knowing that Connor was right.

A week later the team were all standing at the grave of Nicholas Cutter. There was Abby, Connor, Becker, Jenny, Lester and Sarah. Everyone, including Lester, was crying. All his other family and friends had left so it was just the team and their final goodbyes.

"Who is going to talk first?" Lester had the courage to ask.

No-one answered.

"Okay I will. Cutter you were a disobedient so and so but also a good man. Whenever I fired you, you never stayed fired and went off and did what you wanted anywhere but you did anything for this team including die for them. You will be greatly missed and of course you left in to give me trouble to find a replacement." Everyone cracked a smile at Lester's words knowing he was right in his point of view.

Lester then left the rest of the team to say their farewells.

Becker went next. "Well Nick it was nice working with you for the time I did. I think you are an amazing man, who no doubt will save the world he has ended up in." Becker stepped back to let Sarah go next. "Well Cutter you inspired me to be who I am now. Also without you I would be dead so thank you for that. I will try my hardest to continue the research. Bye I will miss you" A fresh lot of tears came from Sarah's eyes as Becker and Connor both hugged her.

"Jenny do you want to go next?" Abby asked weakly.

"Yes please" Jenny nodded. "Nick, I love you. I wish I had said it before and I regret it so much. Even if it meant you called me Claudia I was happy. I always hoped that you would love me for me and not for looking exactly like Claudia. Bye Nick I will miss you forever" Jenny cried throughout the full speech so it was hard to hear exactly what she was saying. Abby hugged Jenny and cried with her.

"Okay I will take you too ladies home" Becker announced.

"No I want to stay and hear Abby's and Connor's goodbyes" Jenny sobbed.

"Okay then" Becker understood.

"Abby?" Connor asked.

"Yeah I will go." Abby sighed as though readying herself "Cutter thank you. Without you I would have never lived the life I am living and loving. You tort me so much and without it I would probably be dead. Also I would like to thank you for bring me the man I love. I will miss you so much. Love you" Abby turned into Connor's arms and cried into his chest as her tears kept on flowing.

"Well I guess it's me. Cutter you give me life. You brought me so much. A job, a family and a girl to love. Even though you knew we loved each other before us and that is saying something as you are…were a bit slow on the uptake. Thank you and I promise not to let you down and complete your revenge." Connor lay down some flowers before returning to the loving embrace of Abby.

The team walked off leaving a loving team leader, boss and family member behind to rest next to Stephen. The team would continue to complete the things they used to but now they did it for Cutter. Nick's death may have brought hurt and pain but it also brought love to the two people who were desperate for it. The team continued to visit Nicholas Cutter's grave every week.

The End