This fan fiction starts with the fact that Helen Cutter shot Nick Cutter. But this time he wouldn't succumb to his injuries. He will survive but he won't be the same anymore.
Helen shot Nick Cutter a bit underneath his heart just because he should be responsible for something in the future and because he doesn't know how the artifact Helen showed him works. She failed to hit his heart because Cutter was able to duck and stepped a bit to the other side. At this moment you could hear Conner shouting for Cutter. Helen was now forced to run away. Without getting caught by Conner she was able to run away. Finally Conner reached Cutter and all color run out of his face. He was pale with fear because Cutter was bleeding really really bad. Somehow Conner managed to carried Cutter out without wounding him any further. James Lester was calling an ambulance and Jenny, Sarah and Abby were trying to stop the bleeding. Everybody was in shock. No one could really speak. They all were just hoping that Cutter would make it. After an eternity (at least that's what everybody thought) the ambulance arrived. Jenny went with the ambulance and in there she wasn't capable of holding back the tears. Cutter needed to be ventilated by the emergency doctor. Jenny was holding his hand all the time. On the way to the hospital Cutter often lost his consciousness. When they finally reached the hospital Cutter recover consciousness for the last time before he went into surgery. He was lying in bed and looked right to Jenny. She stepped closer to him and leaned forward to his ear and whispered: "I love you" Then the doctors were taken him into surgery. The whole arc team went into the hospital to support Nick. Jenny then told the others that the surgery would take long and that she stays here so that the other could go. James Lester said: " Fine, Jenny give me a call when there are any news. And you all go back to the arc. As I remember there was an exploding and I don't think that the arc will rebuild itself." Abby, Conner, Sarah and Becker looked at each other in disbelieve. " So what are you waiting for there is nothing you could do here." " James is right. I will report immediately if anything happens." Jenny said. With this insurance the rest of the team made their way back to the arc and started to clear the mess up.
The surgery took about 10 hours. Sometimes Jenny felt asleep because all that happen today was too exhausting for her. She kept the team updated in relation of Cutters state of health. Finally then the doctor come to her and told her that the surgery went well but that he is still very weak and most of the time unconsciousness. The doctor allowed her to visited him for some minutes. Jenny went into his room and then she took his hand into her own hand. "Nick I know you maybe won't remember what I say now but I meant what I said before you went into surgery. I will leave now and you get well soon. I will come tomorrow again." After that she left the hospital and decided that she need a bath and some sleep. But before that she informed the other that Cutter survived the worst. Everybody even Lester were relieved.
The very next day Jenny went into the hospital again. The doctor welcomed her and told her that Nick is paralyzed. He cant move his legs and the doctors don't know if he will ever be able to walk again. The doctor explained Jenny that this sometimes happens if you had a traumatic experience in your life. Further more the doctor told her that he needs to go into rehab. She entered his room with tears in her eyes and a facial expression full of pity. But Cutter wasn't happy to see her and said in a rough tone : "What do you want?" Jenny didn't know what just happened and said: " Nick I don't understand" Nick gets angry and said: " Oh, you don't understand. Well let me help you Miss Lewis. First of all I don't need your pity. Really that's the least that I need. Why are you here hmm?" Jenny was unable to speak. She didn't know Cutter like this. She was shocked but then she found her strength back and said: " Okay you're hurt. I do understand your wife ex-wife or whatever shot you and to crown it all you are paralyzed. But we could fight it together. Nick I really meant what I said yesterday it is not because of what happen it is what I feel for you." Then she paused for a moment and continued with "I am in love with you. I know I am complicated and I know I was sometimes too vigorous for you. But now I know what I want and I want you. The fact that you almost died made me realize that I want to spend my life with you. I mean we won't win a price for being the best couple in the world but I am sure that we can make it if we will try. Let me help you we can go through that together. Let me be there for you because I won't leave you anyway. You will walk again believe me."
That was the first time in her life that she let someone look into her heart that deep and that she was completely honest with someone. It was always a sign of weakness for her to tell someone you can't be without him. She also was afraid of being close to someone like that because she was in reality and there people often break each others hearts. She made the first step to Cutter she revealed what she feels and what she really wants. Now it was his turn. Cutter looked in disbelieve he was sure she just said that because she felt sorry for him. The tone in his voice was full of pain and anger" I want you to go now. Leave me alone. Jenny I mean it. I don't want to see anybody." With every word his voice sounded more and more angrier than before. Then he turned his head away from Jenny. Jenny was completely perplexed and run out off his room. She cried the whole way back to her car and even when she sat in her car she wasn't able to stop crying. When she gain control of herself she fixed her makeup and drove back to the arc. Then she informed everybody about Cutters state of health and that he needs some time alone. Everybody understood that and they were sure he would come back. Conner saw that Jenny was hiding her tears and after everybody else dispersed he told her: " Jenny look Cutter needs some time to be alone. I am sure he will call one us and ask if we visit him. He needs to digest for himself what Helen did to him. We should respect his wishes right?" Jenny looked at him and said: "yeah Connor you're right."
Cutter was lying in his bed and started to think about Helen, Stephen, Claudia and Jenny. He was devastated. He never thought that Helen was able to kill him. Not that she betrayed him and took Claudia away and replaced her with Jenny. She also tried to kill him. He lost his faith. Helen was crazy but she never would kill anybody on purpose. That's what he still believed even after that with Stephen. And to cap everything else he couldn't move his legs. He really lost every strength to fight. All he wanted to do was to give up.
Weeks past by and Cutter was still in rehab. The arc was completely clean up and Connor invented and build a machine to close the anomalies. Everything was fine except that one thing. Cutter wasn't there. He wrote a letter to James that he can walk again but not as good as before but it won't take long till he will be fully recover. But before he would come back he needs some holidays about three months. Lester permits his wish and informed the others about it. They all weren't too happy about it but they even managed to find and kill Helen without help from Cutter. So they would be able to renounce him a bit longer if this helps him to recover fully.
Finally the day came when Cutter came back to the arc. Everybody gave him a warn welcome expect James and Jenny. Jenny was out because she had to explain the recent incident to some of the top brass. James said to him when he saw him: "Cutter that was the last time you had a break. I guess you better go into your office and get on with your work. I mean the prediction model won't rebuild itself right? Ah and I am sure that Dr. Page needs a little help with the artifact." Without a word Cutter went into his office.
Jenny managed to avoid him at his first day and without telling anyone she went home. She had no idea how she handle the situation with Cutter.
Next day at the arc
Jenny and Cutter met at the arcs kitchen. They both wanted a coffee. For a moment she quarreled with herself with the urge to turn a round and leave the kitchen when she spotted Cutter. But she avoided him long enough. None of them spoke a word. They were just staring at each other. " Welcome back Cutter. I am glad to see you in a good state of health. Sorry we didn't see each other yesterday but I was very busy." She said that in a cold, icy, heartless tone without any emotions. She also could have spoke to the postman you couldn't tell the difference. Before Cutter could say something the anomaly alert sounded. Cutter and Sarah stayed at the arc and worked at the artifact. Jenny, Becker, Conner and Abby dealt with the anomaly.
After an exhausting and stressful day Jenny sat behind her desk over a pack of documents and files. She sent Abby and Conner home because she was sure that they need to rest a bit after today. Running the whole time is really exhausting. She did give up every hope she had that she could edit every files tonight. It will be another night full of work here in her office. "Whatever" she thought to herself what needs to be done has to be done. Anyway she couldn't escape even if she wanted to because she loved that job and with this admission it wasn't that bad anymore. The only thing that really bothered her was Cutter. A moment later it was Cutter who was standing in her doorframe. Talk of the devil, and he is bound to appear she thought to herself.
"Is there something I can do for you Cutter or have you just simply forgotten where your own office is." Ouch that hurt but he probably deserved it he thought. He said then:" Jenny I know I was insufferable but there were so many things I had in my mind. Things I needed to accept and to live with. I am so so sorry. You didn't deserved that I treated you in that way. I know it is a lot to ask but maybe you can forgive me." then there was silence. Cutter already regretted that he tried to talk to her. He knows that jenny isn't easy to handle and that she doesn't take rejection very well. But he needed to tell her that he was wrong and that he is really sorry. Jenny was again perplex what the hell was he thinking? She said: " Are you serious. That is all". She starts to raise her voice and you could hear the pain she felt in her voice. "That is all you're saying Cutter, Great really Great. I am impressed. I opened up to you and just to you and you didn't believed me and send me away. For gods sake you have now what you wanted. Deal with it. I am not a dog you can't reject me and then expect that I run back to you." Without a word Cutter turned around and left. What was he thinking. He deserved to be treaded by her that way. Why should she forgive him. It is his own fault and now he has to live with the consequences. After Cutter left her office she started to cry. She couldn't hold it back it was all to painful for her. She couldn't jump over her own shadow and she couldn't allow him to tread her that way. She was finished with Cutter. At least she was trying to convince herself. Two weeks passed by and Jenny and Cutter weren't able to solve their problems. In front of the others they were keeping their mask and talk to each other but just if they had to.
Everyone practice their profession till the alert sounded. The anomaly was in a deserted factory building. Sarah wasn't allowed to go because she needed to find out what the artifact does and Becker had the flu. So there were only Cutter, Connor, Abby and Jenny. The 4 members of the team were on their way to the anomaly. The journey took about 40 minutes. They arrived at the building and found the anomaly immediately. It was in the main hall and Conner closed it already. After the anomaly was closed it was Cutter who spoke first. "Okay I think we better split into two teams. Abby and " Connor cut Cutter off and said:" yeah that's a good idea. Abby and I will take the first factory hall to make sure that there are no creatures." Soon that was out of his mouth he and Abby were gone. Cutter and Jenny were standing there alone. Jenny stood there with crossed arms and said: "I think we should go too Cutter before a creature could escape. Right?" She said without looking at him. "Yeah I guess you're right, we should go and search then."
Jenny and Cutter were in the second factory hall and searched for a sign of a creature entering. They didn't found anything. The only thing was that it was getting darker and darker the further they went. Jenny felt something at her leg and screamed. Then she stumbled and then she hit her head on a beam. Right above her eyebrow she had a small cut. When Cutter heard Jenny's scream he immediately run to her. He looked at the floor and saw a bird-eating-spider but she was harmless. Then he took Jenny's hand and placed her on a wooden pallet. He examined her wound and then he said:" It isn't a big wound. I am sure you won't even need stitches." He looked at Jenny and saw that her eyes filled with tears. He completely felt overextended. He didn't even know why she was crying. "Jenny what is it. Please don't cry. I mean there will not even be a scar." But Jenny didn't stop and while tears fall out of her eyes she said: " Oh you that is so typically you. As if I would cry because of that. You are so insensitive Cutter. Don't you see? We were alone here for almost 20 minutes and didn't exchanged a word. I feel drained Cutter. How long is this going to be like that. I can't do it anymore." The room was now filed with frustration and helplessness. They both were helpless. The whole situation was muddled. Cutter was too stubborn and too angry with himself to try it again. Jenny was too hurt and too afraid of getting hurt again. Cutter then cleared his throat and said: " I know but what do you want me to do. I already apologized for what I did and I am still sorry. But I can't make it undo what has been said is said. I can't change that." " Yeah I bet you wouldn't have done that to Claudia. Just admit it Cutter you want her, not me or at least what is in me of her." Cutter couldn't control himself and it burst out of him: "Yeah woman you are absolutely right. This is all about Claudia, for your information you made me forget her. So this is really not about her. The only reason I pushed you away was the thing that I couldn't deal with the fact that you'll see me like this. I couldn't bear the fact that you see how I excruciate myself. You are so self-assertive. You never though about me and that I need to get along with it alone. Maybe you could try to see it out of my point of view at least you could pretend to do so." After these spoken words there was a moment of silence and jenny wipes off her tears. She was still sitting on the wooden pallets. They both were in their own thoughts for a slight moment. "I am sorry too. You're right. You have been through so much and I asked for too much I am sorry." It is just that I realized that I don't want to waste a minute of my life. This job opened my eyes. Life is so short and I want to enjoy every single minute of it Cutter. I don't want to fuss and fight anymore. " The discomforting tension between them was cleared at this time. They both gave vent to their feelings and now they felt somehow better. " Now let me look again at your wound." Cutter said and stroke her hair. Cutter knelt down and took her face into his hands. Before he did anything else he just looked into her beautiful brown eyes and then he wiped off a tear from her check. Jenny leaned into Cutters hands and before she could do a thing their lips met. At first the kiss was soft and tender and then they were overcome with passion and desire. They longed so much for each other it was almost to much to bear for them. All the pain went away with this kiss. They both forgot the world and enjoyed it each other more and more. After minutes of passionate kissing they stopped to take a breath. Cutters phone rung and he was breathless but he answered it. When he finished the conversation he said to Jenny: " That was Connor. They also found nothing and now they want to go back." "Good I think it time to go. I still owe you a drink. If you like we could have the drink tonight at my place" She said and looked at Cutter. All he did was nodding and taking Jenny's hand. They walk with entwined hands together out of the building.