Title: The Way It Should Have Been Pairing: Nick/Claudia

Series: Primeval; Series 1 Rating: 12 Type: AU

Summary: Nick Cutter makes it back from the Permian era to discover the betrayal of his wife and best friend. There's only one person he wants to see… Claudia Brown… but where is she?

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Primeval characters or anything from the universe of Primeval. I am just taking the characters and playing with them a while – promising to restore them whole and unblemished! Thanks to Impossible Pictures for creating these toys for me to enjoy. Please don't take any of my playing as having any bearing on the actual series. Enjoy.

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There was a hole in Nick Cutters chest, which refused to heal. His lungs continued to wheeze through the static sensation of shock as the truth of what he had just heard filtered through his thoughts.

His estranged wife, Helen had just dropped a bombshell.

Filled with spite over his recent rejection of her and convinced it was only because he was interested in beginning a relationship with a colleague, Helen had just revealed her affair with her one-time student and Nicks best friend, Stephen Hart.

Nicks first thought was that it couldn't be true. Stephen had worked closely with him since Helen had disappeared eight years ago. They had become close friends. The man was almost a brother to him…

He knew Helen had been angry since she had noticed the mutual attraction he had felt with his working colleague, Claudia. And the fact that she had given him a very certain and very passionate kiss before he had started out on the last mission was something Helen wouldn't easily forget.

No, Nick decided, Helen is lying. There was no affair.

But one look at Stephens broken expression cleared any uncertainty of the claim from Nick's mind.

They had had an affair.

His wife had betrayed their marriage.

His friend had betrayed their trust.

Nick found himself stood rigid with shock. The first emotions that flitted through his mind were pain and anger; the first due to Stephen and the second for Helens cruelty.

It didn't hurt that she was unfaithful. It stung a little, but Nick had to admit that their marriage had been breaking for years before Helens disappearance. The cracks had shown through constant arguments and bickering followed by weeks where they would hardly see each other at all.

Even as Stephen admitted that Helen had always been a bitch, Nick found the news harder and harder to digest. How much time had he wasted searching for this woman?

At the time he had convinced himself she was worth it. But if the man she was having an affair with could admit her true nature, what was it stopping Nick?

Perhaps her disappearance had made him think of Helen as more than she truly was and it was his own insecurity and fear that had made Nick Cutter shun any other in place of his lost wife. She gave him the chance to be alone and discover what he truly wanted from life.

And that's when he thought of Claudia.

Their meeting had been unexpected; she had kissed him and told him not to panic. It was something that made him smile even now.

He wondered what she was making of the little drama Helen was staging before his friends…

Looking about, he saw that Abby and Connor were motionless amongst the armed guards, just as shocked as he had been moments before. The only one unaffected by the turn of events was Lester, who seemed bored beyond belief.

But the revelation was all for naught as Stephen refused to go with Helen and she turned and headed back into the Permian anomaly alone and with only herself to blame.

Then there was silence in the forest as everyone looked to each other to check their reactions.

And Nick noticed it again, "Where's Claudia?" He asked, confused and desperate to see her smiling face.

The others looked around, still a little stunned. "Who?"

"Claudia," Nick said, irritated by the question, "Where is Claudia Brown?"

His colleagues cast their eyes about the space, pointlessly looking around to answer his question as Nick felt a mild fear rise in his gut.

"You work with her," he found himself saying, restraining himself from grabbing the nearest person to him and giving them a shake. "Where is she? Where's Claudia?"

"I'm here."

The answer came like a fresh breeze to Nick as Claudia rounded the group and looked at him a little confused.

Relief washed over him as the dread ebbed away and he inwardly chided himself for thinking that something terrible could have happened after all he had just been through.

Before he knew it, he was in motion; taking her hand and pulling her into a tight embrace, all thoughts of Helen and missions and dinosaurs vanishing in that instant.

She laughed slightly, the light and happy sound tingling in his ears, "Pleased to see me?"

Nick moved to look in her hazel eyes, "Oh yes," he answered and reached out to place his lips on hers.

For now, in Claudias arms, Nick Cutter was at peace.

And things in life were as they should be.