It was almost a week since Ethan had gone. The bad guy had been banished from the realm, and things at the research centre were back to… well, whatever they called 'normal'. Yet she was still here, still stuck between these four walls – in her own makeshift room, kept away from sunlight like a dirty little secret. The flowers Matt had brought her dying from despair.

They would let her leave the ARC, 'accompanied by a friend'- as Lester so lovingly called it. Guard dogs is what they were, trying to keep her from harm. Protect her. She'd felt a need to point out that she'd survived for three whole years in pre-historic times, fighting creatures every step of the way. Lester'd refuted it easily. "The thing is, Emily, that if you were to get into trouble, you would have," he counted on his fingers, "no ID, no address and absolutely no reason for being ignorant of what a cell phone is."

The only time she ever enjoyed going out was when Jess begged Connor to take over the hub for a while, 'captaining her ship' while they went off together. She'd take her new friend out to discover, walking along the river and discovering the wonders found in the tiniest nooks of the city. They'd talk about everything and anything over tea and the most delicious chocolate cake – and it felt wonderful.

One time, when they'd arrived back at the ARC, juggling the numerous bags that held her new wardrobe, Lester had called her into his office, his face grim as if he'd caught her doing something sneaky. She had to pick out a new last name, he told her. To go on her passport. It would be the final step to getting a new life, he said.

"Anything?"

"Anything."

Anderson sounds nice. It was the first thing that popped into her head, and immediately she searched the centre for Matt. Their gazes connected briefly and she almost lost herself to the question in his eyes, before James' voice brought her back.

"You're right," he said. "Emily Anderson does have a certain ring to it."

Emily snapped her head towards him, panic bordering her voice. "Please, don't tell him I said that."

"You didn't," James gathered some documents and stood, leaving her speechless. "I'll leave you to think about it."

[..]

He watched her leave the ARC with Jess again, his eyes following her every movement as they walked out of the parking lot and towards the river. If she looked up now, he'd be in deep trouble, but moments like these were all he had – all he allowed himself to have. There were bigger things at stake than his own heart and he could not…would not let her become this important.

A figure walked up to rest beside him, thinking himself sly and sneaky.

"Say one word and I swear I'll shoot you again." Matt glanced at Becker. "Maximum power."

His companion held his hands up in surrender. "I just think it's nice," he said. "You deserve to be happy, Matt."

"She doesn't mean anything to me."

"Right." Becker nodded. "And when exactly are you going to tell her?" He paused. "That she means nothing to you, I mean."

Matt shook his head, turning to stare his colleague in the eye. "You know, for an emotional retard, you sure have a big mouth." His eyebrows shot up. "Tell Jess you love her yet?"

Becker looked unaffected. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really, now?"

"..and anyway, that's different."

"You're right," Matt said. "You could actually be with Jess if you just manned up."

Becker frowned. There was something about Matt that left him confused; as if there was something – some big secret – he was hiding from the world. Like an ulcer, it was breaking him down on the inside. Emily might be the best thing that ever happened to him, and he seemed to realize; yet he would rather risk losing her forever than let her in.

"We're friends, yeah?"

God knows it had taken him a long time to admit that, even to himself. Yet slowly but surely, working at the ARC had become more than just a job. The people who worked there were family now, and when Abby, Connor and Danny had disappeared, he hadn't just failed in his task, in his duty. It was more than that : he'd failed them. It had torn him apart.

Matt's voice was soft when he replied. "Yeah."

He nodded, satisfied. Placed a hand on Matt's shoulder only briefly – enough to be felt, though not long enough to be an intrusion – before turning away. "You know where to find me."

The words sounded harsh and mean – exactly how he'd hoped they would. "I don't want her here."

Lester's eyebrows shot up, nearly touching his hairline. Mouth going crooked in a meant-to-be-sarcastic way; too much for him to handle. "Call me crazy, but I always you believed you were her big knight in shining armour, weren't you?" He cocked his head to the side with a exasperated sigh. "Or that's what you led me to believe anyway. Tell me something, Matt – is this all one big 'show' for you? A big happy parade with dinosaurs for elephants, me dancing on the flimsiest of ropes?"

"As much as I love your wonderful imagination, there's just one thing that doesn't make any sense in you…" he smirked, "beautifully concocted metaphor."

"Oh, right?"

"The circus is no place for a knight in shining armour."

He didn't want to admit it – in fact, he hated to – but Lester was right : his life had turned into one giant circus, one where he wasn't even sure who was in charge anymore. It certainly wasn't him, anyway. Whoever it was that'd said 'all the world's a stage', they were right. Now more so then ever. "Doesn't matter, anyway. I want her gone."

"She knows too much."

"Oh, come on." He couldn't believe this. A part of him suspected Lester to secretly run a dating agency within the ARC. How to get all my dinosaur loving staff to date for dummies. "Surely you can get her to sign some kind of confidentiality agreement. Wipe her mind, for all I care."

"Matt, you've met the woman." He looked annoyed now. "D'you honestly think she'll sign anything of the kind?"

No. Of course not. Emily'd go kicking and screaming, if she had to go. A silly slip of paper wouldn't stop her; nothing would. Yet he needed it to. So desperately. "Please, Lester. I don't care how you do it."

]..[

Let it never be said James Lester did not care for his employees. Well, of course he was their boss and not – he repeated it to himself in the mirror daily – NOT their friend. He would not get all cuddly with them or head out for drinks together, but still. He wanted them to be happy. Happy workers; happy boss.

Matt Anderson was anything but happy. He knew this. Matt knew this. The whole bloody ARC did. They'd given up on trying after a while. Put a stamp upon his forehead. 'Lost cause', it read. In big, shiny letters.

There was something about her, though. Something about Emily that got under Matt's skin, made him crawl with anxiety, wishing he could just...be happy. Or something. Which was exactly why Lester called Emily to his office later that afternoon and explained the whole shebang to her. Every word Matt'd said. Get them riled up, James. Force them to yell at each other, all the words they didn't even dare to whisper.

He watched her expression change from confused – then sad – to absolutely furious. Watched her posture go rigid. Her voice, excusing herself politely (it was the Victorian in her) before breaking on the last syllables. Emily stood, quietly. Collected. Then marched out the door, in Matt's direction.

Well done, James. There's a good chap.

[..]

"You told James to fire me."

Emily was proud of herself for sounding calm. For not slapping Matt across the face when he touched her arm, gently (gently! She huffed.) leading her away from the rest of their team mates. Well, only his now, apparently. She could feel Jess's quick, worried glance towards her – but decided they'd talk later. First, she needed to know everything.

"It's for your own good." He said.

"You're wrong. Try again." She looked at him, her eyes spitting fire. Stood in front of him, the same way she'd defied her father by stating she would not marry lord Merchant. Not for all the titles in the world, she wouldn't. (Much good it'd done her, but still – it was the act that counted.) Matt looked equally unimpressed.

"I can't work when you're here." He actually had the nerve to look righteous. In his eyes, she saw everything she needed to know. Matt did not want her here; and so she had to go.

His cause. His life. What was hers, compared to the world he was supposed to save? She was one woman. One soul. And she did not matter to him at all.

"I'm only supposed to do what you want me to?" Her voice grew louder, and louder; before she knew it, she'd lost herself. The idea of Matt trying to control her like this was… She shook her head and grinned, bitterness and venom rising in her throat. She felt like vomiting. "Feels like I'm back home."

The man who stood before her didn't even twitch. Stoic. Tall. Proud.

Her hand struck his cheek. The sound was reminded her of breaking glass. She imagined herself shatter on the floor. Only she vowed he would not be there to watch.

Emily turned her back. Walked out and breathed in the fresh air. Someone would be sent after her to retrieve her; tell her she was not supposed to go. Someone would. Just not the one she wanted.

]..[

His cheek stung from where she'd struck him, but instead of wanting the pain to go away, he instead craved it to remain. The pain was all he had left of her now.

Becker's voice was close to his ear. "I sure hope you know what you're doing."

Yeah. He did, too.