Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
A/N takes place after Silver Anniversary ch 26 and Quickly Now ch 5
45.5 –For All Time
"…love... for all time…"
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby looked first to one side, then to the other. Finally she tilted her head up and looked skyward. She spread her arms out wide and did a slow twirl, smiling in joy. White roses and blue forget-me-nots were everywhere. The delicate blossoms were falling from the air, surrounding her, but when she reached out to grasp the flowers, the petals fell. Only stems remained. Her slender fingers closed around the stems. Abby pricked herself on a thorn.
"Ow."
Abby sat up in the bed, instantly alert. She tried to peer through the darkness to see what made that noise.
"Lizzie," she hissed "is that you?"
-x-x-x-x-x-x
But of course, the sound wasn't Lizzie. Abby wasn't in the spare bedroom at Lizzie and Jake's London flat. She was home now, in her own bed. Abby looked at her hands. She could still feel the prickling in her fingers. Her dream had been so vivid. But, there were no scratches on her hands.
Abby reached over to the bedside table, the clock showed 3:27. It was too early, still dark out, she couldn't go talk to Connor yet, but maybe she could dream a little more. Abby pulled the sheets up close, and snuggled under the covers. If she hugged the pillow tightly with her eyes closed, maybe…
-x-x-x-x-x-x
When Abby next woke, early morning sun was streaming in her windows. She quickly dressed and fixed herself a light breakfast. She watered her plants while she ate some toast, drank some tea. When she was done, she grabbed her gardening tools and a bucket, then stepped outside. It had been months since she had last visited the graves on top of the hill. She was sure she needed to do some weeding.
When she got to the graveyard, she paused a moment and took a deep breath. The hill seemed to get steeper every time she climbed it. Abby was huffing and puffing by the time she reached the top.
"I'm getting old," she said as she reached the family plot all out of breath. Abby knelt quickly and started clearing debris away from the stones.
The center stone was the oldest of the three. The marker for Connor's father never had too many weeds as it was surrounded on either side by the other stones.
The stone to the left, which marked Connor's mother resting place was in a shady spot. Not much grew there, but Abby thoroughly swept back the gravel and wood chips. The older woman had been fierce in her grief at the death of her son, remembered Abby.
Jack had been the one to escort Connor's Mum at the funeral. The older woman had initially been shocked and silent. When Abby tried to talk to her afterwards, Connor's Mum had broken down. The woman said a parent shouldn't outlive her child… she wished she was dead.
"But Mum," said Abby "we still need you… Beth, the children… me… I need you."
Crying together, somehow they had managed to keep each other going in those first difficult days and weeks. Connor's Mum had lived for another four years. She had died in her sleep at the age of ninety-two.
When Abby reached Connor's tombstone she gently traced the letters of his name with her fingertips. She sighed and then began pulling weeds in earnest, chattering all the while. She liked to think Connor could hear her. It made him seem not quite so far away.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
The first thing she told Connor was that Lizzie and the newest grandbaby were fine.
Abby had spent the last three weeks in London with her youngest daughter and her family. Little Joan Abigail Hawkins was eight pounds, eight ounces of absolute adorableness. The baby looked a lot like Lizzie had when she was tiny thought Abby. Of course Jake's parents thought little Joanie looked more like their son when he was a baby… but obviously they were mistaken.
Prior to that, Abby had been visiting Nick and his family in Australia.
Abby and Connor's youngest son Nick had travelled for quite a bit after his father's passing, but when he reached Australia, he seemed to feel as if he had found a place where he belonged. And then of course there was Brianna. Nick never made it to his next planned stop Bora Bora, he stayed in Australia. Brianna and he had married six years ago.
Abby and Lizzie had made the long journey to Queensland for the wedding. Abby thought Brianna was just wonderful, and enjoyed meeting her family and seeing where her youngest son was now living. Lizzie had pouted some at first, wanting her brother to return to England. Abby remembered hearing part of Lizzie's tirade.
"But we'll never see you," Lizzie had wailed "and if you have kids we won't even know them."
"Lizzie," said Nick "try to understand, my life is here now… with Brianna … and we can visit… really…"
When Nick and Brianna had let the family know they were expecting Abby had been ecstatic. The weekly webcam calls were wonderful to keep in touch, but she started planning another trip to Australia to be there in time for the happy event. Brianna and Nick's son Alexander Connor Temple had been born on the first day of Spring. He weighed eight pounds four ounces, and was as healthy as the proverbial horse. Abby had returned to London shortly afterwards to stay with Lizzie.
Tommy and Rosie's boys were growing fast. Last summer, when Abby, Duncan and Edie had watched the boys while Tommy and Rosie finally went on their long delayed honeymoon, Abby had been taller than both of them. Now, when she saw them last week in London, eleven year old Connor was taller than Abby, and eight year old Duncan was not far behind. Obviously, the boys got their height from Edie's side of the family. Either that or Abby was shrinking.
Amelia and her husband Mattias Anderson had filed patents on another invention. Their four year old son Gideon was learning to ride a bicycle. The family liked to cycle together when they could. The trails at the nearby Heritage National Forest were special favorites.
Matt and Emily had gotten over Amelia dumping their son years ago when Richard started dating again shortly after the breakup. But, Richard hadn't married, at least not yet. Maybe it was just because Matt and Emily wanted grandchildren, or maybe it was something else, but Abby thought Matt seemed awkward around little Gideon.
Matt and Emily's older son was now the minister. Edward Anderson, had managed to secure permanent funding for the ARC, and both the London offices and the Forest of Dean Facility were getting an upgrade, expanding their capabilities.
Sarah and Jamie were doing fine. Ten year old Michael had inherited musical talent from Jenny's husband. The boy could play the piano and was learning the violin. Eight year old Bethany liked her horseback riding lessons. Jenny still wasn't sure what to make of that, and was always trying to get the child to try something more adventurous… like shooting clay pigeons.
Becker had retired from the ARC, and was teaching cadets at Sandhurst now. Jess still coordinated the ARCs overall activities, but she was cutting back, only working three days a week. Their oldest daughter was teaching third grade, while their youngest daughter was struggling to make a career as a fashion model.
Danny had disappeared again. He had left through an anomaly with a radio tuner like the one Patrick had carried so long ago.
Edie was officially retired, but unofficially running another yoga studio.
Duncan was still teaching at Central Metropolitan University. The new science wing had been named in honor of Professor Cutter. And the James and Vivian Lester Memorial foundation had provided scholarship funding for students majoring in either evolutionary biology or temporal science. All of Connor's books were required reading for the courses on Temporal Science.
The publishers wanted to do another edition of Infinite Universes.
Abby remembered asking Lizzie about that book once.
"You mean there might be a reality where your father married someone else, or where I married someone else, or we never met and never had any of you children?" she had asked.
Lizzie had laughed out loud. "Well, in theory… yes," she answered, still chuckling, "but Mum, really I can't imagine any world where you and Da didn't meet and fall in love…
Jack would be coming over this evening. Brother and sister were going to have dinner together, catch up.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby felt out of breath again after talking so much. Her left hand was tingling as she reached to rub her stomach. She felt a little queasy. Really shouldn't have eaten and run, she thought to herself. Abby struggled to get up off her knees and into the wrought iron chair.
The scent of roses and forget-me-nots was on the warm summer breeze. Abby inhaled appreciatively. She leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes partially.
To the right of Connor's tombstone there was something bright, really bright, and it was getting brighter. It looked as if the air were glowing almost. But it wasn't an anomaly there was none of the splintering and shattering. This shining light seemed almost inviting.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
A voice she now only heard in her dreams called her name.
"Abby."
She squinted her eyes, looking in the direction the voice had come from. Was this real or was she dreaming?
"Connor?"
He appeared to be standing in front of the golden light. He was smiling tenderly.
Connor held out his hand towards her. She rose gracefully from the wrought iron chair, stepping forward to take his hand, leaving the shell of her body behind. Together again.
"I've been waiting for you," said Connor as he drew her close, caressing her face gently.
She reached a trembling hand out to cup the side of his face. She pulled his head down towards her, tilting her face so that her lips met his. Their kiss, their love, was no dream.
When their lips parted, she whispered "I've missed you so much."
Connor looked into Abby's bright blue eyes, shining with unshed tears, and asked "Are you ready for our next adventure?"
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