**A very Happy Birthday to Kyra (Kyriana42)!
There are moments in our lives where we find ourselves wondering, what if? What if I had done this differently? What if I had met her first? What if I'd taken a different road in my life?
Connor Temple had never thought he'd found himself wondering that, but he was. The questioning had gotten worse since he'd started spending more time at the ARC working on projects for Prospero. He seemed to argue with Abby constantly, it took it's toll on him.
A knock at his lab door startled him from where he'd dozed off. He looked up and was met by the sight of Jess Parker smiling at him brightly through the little glass window. He jumped up and typed in the code to unlock the door, smiling back at Jess as she came in.
"What ya need Jess?" he asked.
"Nothing…I was bored, thought I'd see how you were holding up, brought some coffee," she said, holding out the cup.
Connor took it gladly, "Thanks Jess," he said taking a sip.
"So..how are things with Abby?" she asked , slightly timidly, it was a bit of a sore subject anymore.
Connor sighed, "I don't know Jess, I have no idea how things with us are…I can't seem to come home ten minutes late without her getting cross with me. I tried getting her flowers to apologize and it just seemed to upset her more."
Jess
Jess hated seeing Connor look so defeated, he, like her, was always happy and cheerful. She reached over and put a hand on top of his comfortingly.
"She'll come around Connor…What about putting in for a day off or a weekend off, take her somewhere special?"
"I tried that last week… she said she couldn't get time off."
Jess was confused, there was no reason Abby couldn't have gotten the time off, all she'd had to do was ask Lester, and considering when she'd passed Lester in the hall and said she was going to see Connor, he'd been the one to suggest the time off, she'd have gotten it.
"Oh…" was all she could manage.
Two days later things hadn't gotten any better between the two, Connor had been home early both nights, bringing flowers and chocolate to Abby, and Abby just dismissed it. Jess decided it was time to find out what was going on with her.
"Becker!" Jess smiled as he approached her, "You haven't seen Abby, have you?"
"I just came off CCTV, she was in the menagerie talking to Matt last I saw."
"Thanks," she said, continuing down the hall.
When she entered the menagerie she almost ran smack into Connor, who was stopped in the doorway, looking heartbreakingly like a kicked puppy. Jess figured the two must have had another row, but then she saw what he saw… Abby and Matt, kissing.
Jess reached out and put a hand on Connor's arm, drawing him back, out of the room.
"Connor…" she had no idea what to say, he stood, arms at his side, staring blankly.
Jess wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, "I'm so sorry Connor."
Three and a half hours later found Jess sitting in her office catching up on paperwork. She wanted so badly to say something to Abby, but Connor had made her promise not to, saying he would talk to her.
She wondered if Abby realized how lucky she was to have someone like Connor….obviously she didn't.
A knock at her office door caused her to glance up.
"Come in!" she called.
Connor walked in glumly and sank down on her couch, he looked utterly defeated. Jess moved to his side, sitting down beside him.
"What happened?" she asked.
"It's over… she…she needs time to sort through things, she says she has feelings for him."
Jess hugged him close, "She's an idiot Connor, she's my friend, but she's an idiot. I don't understand where her head is at all right now."
"I do…Matt's all strong and take charge, I'm…not." he mumbled.
"Connor, if she loves you that shouldn't matter."
"Thanks Jess," he said quietly.
"For what?" she asked confused.
"For being here, for being you."