Title: Life Unexpected

Fandom: Primeval

Character(s): Emily Merchant; Abby Maitland; Matt Anderson; Connor Temple; Jess Parker; Hilary Becker; James Lester.

Pairings: Memily; Conby; Jecker

Rating: G (K+)

Summary: Post 5x06. When Emily begins to feel a sharp pain on the way to the ARC Menagerie, she has no idea that both her life and Matt's is about to change, as her water breaks while she and Abby are talking. First Primeval Fic.

Author's Note: This idea came out of nowhere, so forgive me if it appears rushed. Let me know what you think, as I have never written for Primeval before, and let me know if you would like to read more.

Emily Merchant let out a gasp, as her hand went to her abdomen. The pain had been so sharp and sudden, it had taken the time traveller by surprise as she placed her other hand against the wall of the ARC corridor. She had been on the way to speak to Abby in the menagerie about something when the pain overcame her, and now Emily found herself taking short, and shallow breaths as she waited for the pain to subside. After a few moments, Emily felt herself regaining control and continued her journey to the Menagerie, which was only two halls away.

Since the prevention of New Dawn, the ARC team had fallen into their old routine when it came to anomalies. Lester had sorted out Emily's identity and she now formally existed in this time, and had since joined the ARC as an assistant to Abby in the Menagerie, where the platinum blonde haired lady was helping her get to know some of the prehistoric creatures. Back in the 1800's, where Emily was originally from before she had stepped through her first anomaly, the theories of Darwin and evolution were new, and so Emily had been catching up with things people in the 21st Century were taught in school and beyond so that she could find her own place in the team, other than being Matt's partner- both professionally and personally.

Over the past year, Matt and Emily had spent time getting to know each other more outside of the ARC, and had made their relationship officially public a few weeks after New Dawn - not that the other members of the team needed telling, after watching the couple and working with them day in-day out. The pair now lived together and had settled down into a stable relationship. Matt was currently in a meeting with Lester, Becker and Connor and Abby and Emily hadn't been required to attend, so the Nineteenth century woman had decided to spend some time with her friend and Rex the flying lizard, who had become a familiar figure flying around freely within the building.

Entering the menagerie, Emily found Abby to one corner, where she could be heard making small noises at a small baby, who gurgled in response. Hearing the whooshing of the electric door, Abby turned and gave Emily a smile as she said to the small baby in her arms, "Look whose here - it's Auntie Emily."

Emily smiled warmly as she came over to the pair. Abby had discovered a short time after New Dawn that she was pregnant and had given birth to baby Nicholas nearly four months ago. Abby and Connor had married a short time before Nicholas' birth, and were enjoying the new experience of parenthood - much to the amusement of the rest of the team, as they watched Connor at one point try and teach a three month old Nicholas about a piece of technology he had been working on - only for his baby son to fall asleep through mid-explanation.

"Hello, little man. How are you?" Emily smiled as she gave Nicholas her finger to grab a hold of, which the baby boy gripped enthusiastically as he shook it from side to side. Abby smiled warmly as she passed Nicholas over to his honorary aunt.

"Are the boys still in their meeting?" Abby asked as Emily took Nicholas and bounced him up and down lightly.

"Yes. At last check, Becker was in a full lecturing mode. Jess is glad she didn't have to go in. Apparently Becker was going through his notes last night, and so she's heard everything." Emily explained as she and Abby moved to the work area where Rex was currently eating from a small bowl.

Abby chuckled. It had taken Becker two months to ask Jess out and the pair were still in the early stages of a relationship - but they seemed to be going well. During Abby, Emily and Jess' weekly girl-nights at Jess' apartment - which had become the norm for months now - the three women would always share gossip about their respective relationships, as well as talk about life away from the ARC, and Jess had kept the pair up to date on the Becker front, much to the pair's amusement.

Emily was about to say something, when she let out another gasp, which attracted the attention of Baby Nicholas, Abby and Rex, who turned away from his food to give the brown haired lady a quizzical look.

"Are you alright?" Abby asked, as she gave her friend a look of concern. Emily motioned for Abby to take Nicholas, as she felt herself double over. The pain was much sharper than the last time, and Emily had to sit back onto a nearby stool as her hand gripped the edge of the counter - her knuckles turning white from the pressure she was exerting in the action.

"I'm not sure." Emily answered truthfully as Abby set Nicholas down in his play pen and came over to the pained woman, who had clamped her eyes shut and was taking short breaths. "I've been getting pain on and off since this morning, but it's gotten worse over the past 10 minutes or so."

"I'll call a medic -" Abby began but Emily waved the woman's suggestion off.

"It'll pass in a few moments." Emily assured the younger woman as her face turned into a slight grimace, as she bent her head to focus her breathing. Abby frowned by silently complied, coming over to place a hand on Emily's back and rub soothing circles over the cotton shirt Emily adorned along with a pair of jeans.

As Emily said, the pain once again subsided and she was able to relax. Without a word, Abby went to fetch her a glass of water and came back, as Emily tested her stability and stood up slowly. Emily smiled and thanked Abby for the drink.

"I think you should get checked out," Abby said as Emily took a grateful helping of the clear liquid. "Maybe you ate something that hasn't agreed with you?"

"I haven't eaten anything I wouldn't normally." Emily replied as she placed the glass back onto the counter in front of her. "Perhaps it's just a bug that is going around?"

"Maybe. But you only got over a bug a few months ago. Unless it didn't really go away." Abby thought aloud, as Emily nodded in agreement seconds before the Victorian woman's calm face paled and a look of alarm overcame her. "Emily-"

"What- Oh My..." Emily trailed off as she looked down to see a dark stain forming over her jeans, and the puddle of water growing around where she was standing. Abby rushed around and stopped abruptly as she took in the site. Emily looked up to Abby with an anxious look. "What's happening?"

"I think you're water's just broke." Abby said in a shocked voice, before she shook herself and ran to a nearby phone. Dialling the internal code, Abby only had to wait for a few rings before a member of the on-call medical staff answered.

"Medical Bay."

"This is Abby Maitland; I need a team sent to the menagerie immediately. I have a woman who's just gone into labour."

TBC...