Chapter 1 – Shocking Developments

This has been the first time in months that Connor and Abby have been able sleep through the night with out fearing something might attack them. He, Abby and Danny got back from the past just over a week ago, but only now have they had a day off to relax. They spent the last week getting their lives back .To their amusement though they found out yesterday James Lester took care of Sid, Nancy, and Rex while they were gone (mainly because they were left at his flat). They were shocked when Lester said.

"Connor, would you be so kind, to take back your, pets."

On their way home from Lester's he told Abby.

"I think that Lester might have snapped, taking care of them, all this time."

She smiled at his little joke, it was great to see them again and just be back to their lives.

Connor was woken to the sounds of prehistoric pitter-patter, but unlike the ones in the cretaceous, these did not make him fear for his life. He knew by the sounds of the chirpy-growl that it was Sid chewing on his bed. He was hoping that he could spend the day at home just him and Abby. The last week they had hardly been alone together. (Coming back was complicated.) He wasn't holding his breath though, even after Abby talked to Lester about them getting a full day off.

"Were going to go, crazy if we don't get a brake!" she shouted in the phone as they rushed back to the ARC yesterday afternoon.

"Connor… Wake up!" Abby yells from the kitchen with the sounds of frying eggs. "We've got loads of work to do." Connor grunts as he rolls out of bed. Thinking she was serious, and cursing Lester as he did.

After breakfast they sat on the couch and watched as Sid came scuttling over. Abby laid her head on Connors shoulder as Sid, Nancy and Rex played. All that could be heard in the room were chips and flapping wings as Rex swooped down at Sid and Nancy, along with Connor and Abby giggling at them.

"It's nice to be back." she mused, this being the first time to really think about the last few days. "What do you want to do today, con?" she hoped that he would say nothing, she did not want to do anything, it was hard to come back to their old lives so fast.

They have grown so close over the last few months, that Abby putting her head on his shoulder was no big deal. (After all they had been through and saw, made it that way.) They trusted each other completely and all their uncomfortable-ness was gone now.

"Hm… this is nice." He said softly putting his arm around her and pulling her closer. He felt like it has been a long time since he was able to hold her like this. When they were in the cretaceous they were always together and he could hold or kiss her when ever he wanted. He looked at their reflection in the TV and his thoughts wondered 'Wow, I haven't even thought about TV or video games in months.' He was amazed that he didn't even care anymore about them. He had grown to like the quiet, especially when he was with Abby. After a while of watching them play they both feel asleep on the couch, tired from lack of sleep from their crazy lives.

Around lunch time, they were still very comfy on the couch when the phone rang, making both of them jump.

"I got it." Said Abby a bit raspy from just waking up, smiling at their reaction to the phone, she put one hand on Connors knee to push her self up. Connor sat up and watched her go into the kitchen where the phone was, by the sink; he could no longer see her, but heard her answer the phone.

"Hello?" he was hoping it was not anyone from the ARC and that they could go back to sleep, but who else would be calling them. This last week he missed sleeping next to Abby, they use to sleep just like this on those cold nights. He almost felt like he missed being there, but his thoughts were gladly interrupted as her heard Abby continue talking on the phone.

"Um, ya that's fine." He heard her pause. "What is it? Ok ok. See you soon."

"Who was that?" he asked as she came back over. Thinking it might be Lester telling them to come in.

"Sarah, she seemed excited about some thing. She's coming over; she has something to share with us."

"What?" he asked as she sits back down, glad that they did not have to go on a mission or anything.

"O, I don't know, she wouldn't tell me." She said in a yon.

"Well I'm going to make a sandwich, you want one?" said Connor excited at the idea of the sandwich, since more sleep was out and stood up quickly,

"Ya, that's sounds good. I'm just going to go get cleaned up, before Sarah shows up." He watched her leave the room; he had a tendency to do that now, he never like her to be alone. Even though they have been back for a while and were in the flat, he still felt like something was watching them and was going to try to eat them.

They had just finished the sandwiches and were laughing at Nancy as she jumped and squeaked for Rex to play with her (he was sitting on one of the rafters), When Sarah showed up, along with her very large messenger bag. When Connor saw that, he knew it was not a just a friendly visit, it was work. Abby let her in and had tea ready at the table.

"So what's this all about?" Abby asked Sarah as they all sat down, Abby cupping her hands around the warm tea.

"Ok, do you remember the journal of Professor John Morton?" She said emphasizing the last 3 words with one finger tapping on the table. They both thought for a moment. Abby could tell she was holding back some of her excitement.

"ehh, no." Connor said as Sarah was pulling out a book from her bag and putting it on the table.

"From the shack, when we were hiding out from Johnson."

"What about it?" Abby asks, remembering that day.

"I was reading it and I think that he might have been on to something with how or why the anomaly's open when and where the do." She said excited leafing through it. "Ok here it says. 'Its back' and ah then he talks about how "strange that it came when the stars of Cygnus was close to.' well he doesn't name it, But this means maybe the stars are the key?"

"O my god, this is huge, that's why it was in code!" says Connor just as excited and rushed as Sarah. throwing his hands out. They haven't had a break through like this since the day they met Sarah. Now, he did not care that she was cutting into their day off.

"So, we need an astronomer or something." Said Abby.

"Paul… Marshall…" he was thinking back when he was in school. "He, uh guest lectured once at school." Answering their confused faces.

"What about him?" asked Abby at this seemingly random information.

"Well he worked with the European Space Agency on the… 'X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission', eh I think he is in London, but I'm not sure."

"Right, well I will go and see if I can find him, and see if we can talk with him tomorrow." Sarah left, leaving Connor and Abby reeling from this new development and somewhat shocked at how quickly she left. Abby guessed she had been waiting to just get started on this new find since she came across it. They talked late into the night about it. Connor kept going on about Cutters model and how it looked like a star map and how he should have noticed it before now. The next morning Abby went to meet Paul after Sarah gave her an early call, before Connor woke up. After the night of thinking about it, it was like Christmas morning and she could not wait for him. So she left just after Sarah told her where Paul was, and left Connor a note. 'Could not wait, went to talk to Paul. See you back at the ARC. Love Abby. P. S. I found your hat. '