A/N: This doesn't take place at any specific time, but we assume Stephen is still alive and there is no Caroline. So probably around the beginning of season 2.
It was a Saturday night and the team had decided to kick back with a pint at the pub after a rather eventful day. An anomaly had opened at a kindergarten and let through a flock of Albertonykus borealis. The dinosaurs from the late Cretaceous posed no threat, as they were the size of a chicken and only ate insects. Nonetheless, the little buggers had managed to chase them around quite a bit, and after they had got every one of the creatures back through the anomaly and filed their reports at the ARC, everyone agreed that a nice evening out was in order. They had finished their first round of beer along with many funny stories, and Abby had gone to order a second round. Connor leaned back contentedly. This was not something he did very often, preferring video games and sci-fi movies to actual people on Saturday evenings, but as he sat there, surrounded by his friends while the pub around them filled with cheerful people, he couldn't help but think that, all things considered, his life was pretty great. He had an incredibly cool job - he must be the only palaentology student to ever actually see a real live dinosaur - and despite having been attacked by a number of very vicious creatures, he was still alive and well. His colleagues were starting to respect him a little more, he thought. Just two weeks ago, Stephen had taken him aside and offered to teach him to shoot properly, an offer he had of course accepted enthusiastically. Soon, he would not be the only one without a gun anymore. What was best, however, was that he got to live with the girl he fancied the pants off, and, thanks to the prehistoric reptile living with them, actually got to see her without said pants quite often. Of course, he always had to be careful that she didn't catch him looking, but most of the time she didn't – or at least pretended not to. Thinking about Abby, he noticed that she was taking awfully long. One look at the bar told him why. A big, burly guy with a crew cut was talking animatedly to her, blocking her path back to their table. She didn't look too happy about that, and just as Connor was thinking that, Abby shot him a desperate look, followed by an angry glare when he didn't appear to be getting up immediately. Deciding he wanted her out of that guy's reach now rather than later, he stood up and waltzed over and, without thinking about it, placed a hand around her waist and pulled her close possessively.
"Honey, what's taking you so long? Everyone's waiting for you to finish your story." That said, he tried to pull her away, but just as Abby murmured a lame apology towards the guy, he took a step to the side and blocked their path, raising his chin and eyeing Connor up and down in a way that was clearly meant to be intimidating. It was, Connor had to admit. Just as he was wondering what to do now, the guy spoke up, his voice aggressive despite the slight lilt the alocohol had given it.
„What, you feeling like a big stud now just because you landed a girl for once in your life?"
Connor blushed and avoided looking at Abby at the man's very true guess about the state of his love life. Of course she knew that he wasn't exactly a Casanova, but to have the awful truth shoved in her face by a complete stranger was a bit too much. Apparently, the drunk man didn't like Connor's silence – although Connor suspected he wouldn't have been happy with any other reaction either, as he obviously just wanted to pick a fight – and got even more agitated.
"Whatcha standing around there for staring at me like an idiot? Are you gloating? D'you think you're more of a man than me for having her as a girlfriend?" Connor was slowly recovering from his surprise at being attacked like this, and the last sentence stirred something inside him: It made him wonder what it would be like to actually have Abby as his girlfriend. Of course, he had imagined himself and the blonde next to him in girlfriend-boyfriend situations plenty of times before, but somehow, having other people assume that they actually were an item made it seem so much closer to reality. That was what made Connor say the next words.
"You know, actually, it is great to have her as a girlfriend. I mean, if I were you, or anyone else for that matter, I'd do anything for a girl like that. She's smart, she's pretty, she's cool and she can fight like hell. What more could a guy want? Yeah, there's nothing I wouldn't do for her." After that little outbreak, Connor just stood there, breathing heavily, while neither he nor the other guy knew what had hit them. He didn't dare look at Abby, already embarrassed that he had let his feelings get the better of him like that. Just as the situation was about to get even more awkward, the drunk guy chuckled dryly and mockingly.
"So she's that good of a fuck, eh? Wouldn't have thought so." That made Connor snap. While the man eyed Abby with a lecherous look on his face, Connor swung his arm back and punched the guy so hard that he stumbled backwards against the bar.
A look of disbelieving triumph flashed over Connor's face. It only lasted for the few seconds it took the guy to shake his head, straighten up and ram his fist right into Connor's ribcage. If Abby hadn't held on to him so tightly, he would have doubled over and tumbled straight onto the floor. Connor didn't really register what happened after that, but next thing he knew, he was stumbling out of the bar with Abby's help, followed by laughter and the barkeeper's angry curses.
Apparently, the barkeeper was not the only one who was pissed at him. Abby was clearly not happy with the way Connor had handled the situation either. Her mouth was drawn into a tight line as she helped him slowly out of the bar while he nursed his aching ribs, her forehead creased into an annoyed frown.
"You know, if I'd wanted to start a fight, I wouldn't have needed your help." Despite her annoyed voice, her hands were careful and gentle when she helped him sit down on a low wall close by.
"Still, you've gotta admit you were a little impressed, right? I mean, he was no velociraptor, but seriously, the guy was huge." Abby tried and failed to hide a smile. Despite his casual tone, she could clearly see the hope etched onto his face. Truth be told, she actually was flattered that he would get into a fight with a much bigger guy over her. Any girl would, really. Especially since he had so chivalrously protected her from the guy speculating about her qualities in the bedroom. What had really got to her, however, had been the things he said before the fight. It was clear that he hadn't planned that, and had actually been embarrassed afterwards, but it was that impulsive honesty that caused a warm feeling to spread inside her. There's nothing I wouldn't do for her, that's what he had said, and Abby didn't have one doubt that he had meant it. Sure, punching a guy twice as big for speculating about her bedroom skills might have been taking it a bit far, but she appreciated the sentiment, and she knew, had it been a dinosaur three times his size, he would have still tried to protect her. So, even though she wanted to let him suffer for his stupidity for a bit, she decided to cut him some slack, and gave him a quick peck to the cheek.
"Rest assured, between you and that guy, if anyone's going to get me into bed, it's you."
Throwing him a cheeky grin, she started walking down the street, leaving Connor to wonder if that had been a compliment or not. He settled for yes, because after all, what she had definitely said was that he wasn't the last man she would sleep with. That was something, right?
"Are you coming, Connor?" Hastily, he scrambled up to follow her home.