Set in between 5x03 and 5x03.

Abby walked down the corridors of the ARC, everybody had already left, and the lights were flickering off as she walked towards Connor's lab. Of course he was the only person who hadn't left yet. Again. She quietly knocked on the door, and Connor opened it for her.

"Coming home tonight?" She whispered at him, but he didn't even lookup as he spoke.

"I will, once get this done."

"Connor," She said, "Look at me." Connor looked up at a slightly angry looking Abby.

"Yeah?"

"You can't keep using the same excuse night after night, day after day." Abby sighed, she knew he wouldn't listen to her properly, but she had to try, "This is at least a week now you've been working none stop here, not going out on the field, we're a team Connor. Or have you forgotten that?"

"I know but, that isn't just my job, this is part of it too." Connor explained and looked at her, giving her a sad look, hoping she would try to understand.

"I know, but will you just hear me out?" She begged and moved closer to Connor so she was looking up at him, "Please?"

"Abby, I know what you're gonna say." Connor whispered down to her and Abby's heart dropped suddenly, he still wouldn't listen, not once.

"Connor, it's not doing you any good stuck in here! Day in, day out! It's not healthy!"

"This work, its important Abby."

"What about me?" She questioned, "Am I not as important anymore? I hate you being here all the time, do you think about what it's doing to me? Because I want a boyfriend who's there every night Con, to cuddle when it's cold and to just be near, or is that too much to ask?" Abby ranted for a minute and decided to take a breather, awaiting some sort of reaction from Connor.

"Abby..." Connor started, but stopped as Abby signalled him to,to be honest he didn't even know how to react to what Abby had said, he knew she was right, but he couldn't bring himself to agree, he wanted nothing more than to sit with her in their own home and just be a normal couple whilst they weren't at work, but he knew this work was important, he needed to do this work.

"This isn't what Cutter would have wanted." Abby whispered, tears brimming in her eyes, she knew it was a cheap shot using Cutter as a way to get to Connor, but she thought it would a way, the only way try and get Connor to understand.

"You're wrong, "Connor replied and shook his head at her, "This is what Cutter would have wanted, I'm-"He abruptly stopped himself as he realised what he was about to say, "This is what he would have wanted, if I can get this work done, I'll do him proud, this is work he would have wanted me to do if he was here."

"No," Abby shook her head,"You're wrong, and he wouldn't have wanted you working throughout the night, like he did. Obsessing over everything, overworking yourself. You're not getting any sleep, you're living off caffeine, Con it's not healthy."

"Abby, I love this work, and once it's done and over, it'll be amazing."

Abby nodded.

"Yeah, I know you love your work," She sighed, "But I also thought you loved me."

Abby walked out of Connor's lab, tears filling in her eyes more than ever. Abby continued walking, ignoring Connor as he shouted for her as she left. She didn't want to leave things like that, but she knew he wouldn't listen, not tonight. All she could do was to keep trying to stop him, to at least try and get him for one night. She didn't want this work to cause a rift between them, but she could see it would. It already was. If things kept going like they were, soon enough she could see Phillip breaking them apart completely, but she would keep strong, no matter what. She'd fight for their relationship; she just wished Connor would do the same.

Abby continued walking until she got the lift and waited for a moment. She thought the mention of Cutter would knock some sense in to Connor, she knew it was a cheap shot; Cutter meant a lot to Connor, and her, all Connor wanted was to make Cutter proud and to carry on his work. She just wished he would realise that it wasn't actually Cutters he was carrying on. Abby arrived at her car and sat in the driver's seat for a moment.

She felt like things were just falling apart now. Connor used to actually listen to her and pay attention to her views. She knew he had changed since working for Phillip, but he was still the same old Connor underneath when he was away from the work. Their time on the submarine proved that. Away from the ARC and away from Phillip he was his old self. Happy and geeky, the way she loved him.

The Connor she had fallen in love with.

Abby sighed and rested her forehead against the steering wheel and sobbed for a moment, letting a few tears fall to the ground. She just hoped this was all over soon.

The End.