AND THE PUPPIES TOO
Abby was nervous, though she would never admit it out loud. It had been four years since her horrific ordeal, and this would be the first time since then that she will have gone out…..alone. Well, Abby wasn't exactly alone; she had her and Connor's two children, three year old Ava Elizabeth and six month old Eli James.
The reason for today's excursion is because she wanted to get Connor a proper anniversary present. For the last three years, Connor has always been with her, and therefore the presents were never a surprise and this year Abby wanted it to be a surprise. Though she didn't know who was more nervous her or Connor. He had tried to talk her into letting him come, but Abby would have none of it. She smiled softly as she remembered the conversation.
"Abby, please let me come with you!" Connor pleaded, "Especially if you are going to take the kids."
Abby looked at Connor and noticed he was very worried, so slowly she walked over to him and lightly kissed his lips.
"It'll be ok. I have to do this some time. I'll call you when I get to the mall, yeah?" Abby whispered, and Connor nodded.
True to her word, she did call Connor and the sigh of relief he gave almost wanted to make her laugh. Now, though, Abby was uneasy, she had forgotten how crowded malls were, but as she told Connor she had to conquer this sometime. Abby felt she was getting better truly, yes she had her moments, her nightmares but she truly and honestly felt she was becoming stronger and stronger each day. Abby was glad that she and Connor were allowed healing time, she did have a therapist that she was seeing and for about a year it seemed that Jarred Neal and his delusions were behind them. It was after Ava was born that life seemed to throw Abby and Connor for another loop. Abby was still in the hospital, when a vase of red roses were delivered to her room. Right away, she felt sick, and Connor exploded! Immediately the roses were tossed and Connor was on the phone to Matt and Becker, and within an hour Abby had her very own bodyguards.
Then when Ava was six months old she received another vase of roses, but no note. This is how things went on for two years, then Abby found out she was pregnant again, and when they told everyone that evening she received another vase of roses, this time there was a note and all it had was two words: I'M WATCHING. That night Abby finally broke, and she cried and screamed the whole night, and if it wasn't for Connor reminding her that she had to think of the baby, she probably wouldn't have stopped.
The next day Connor called Lester, Matt and Becker and told them what had happened, and between the four of them, they came up with a plan. Matt had a theory that Jarred didn't work alone, that he had orders from someone, and now that someone was after Abby again. Becker noted that the connecting link was the ARC, so the plan was for Abby to come back to the ARC "strictly to work in the lab only" was Lester's suggestion. Connor was immediately against it, and Matt and Becker tried every way to reason with Connor, but he would not be budged.
"I'll do it." Abby had said so softly that she had to repeat so that the guys could hear her. When it finally registered what she had said Connor whirled around.
"Abby! NO! I will NOT allow it!" No one had ever seen Connor like this. Abby had, and she knew how to handle him.
"Connor, I HAVE to! If I don't, then this will never be over! It isn't just us anymore; we have children to think about. I won't let this monster ruin my children's lives. Please Connor!" Abby's voice was strong, but a tear rolled down her cheek.
Connor understood what she was feeling and thinking, but every fiber of his being was screaming for him to say no. He promised her a million years of protection and he so badly wanted to keep that promise. He swallowed hard, "I just want you safe."
"I will be, I'll have you there." Abby walked over to him and put her hand on his cheek. Connor relented.
Walking back into the ARC after two years was a lot easier than Abby would've thought. Everyone treated her like she hadn't been away, and Abby didn't quite know how she felt about it. For the first couple weeks nothing had happened, but then her third week back, she started to get the hang up phone calls. Every time her phone would ring, her throat would close, and her mind would immediately go to Brighton. Because Connor and Abby shared a lab, he knew when the calls would come, and then he would alert Matt or Becker. Unfortunately, the calls were never traceable. They hit so many dead ends, that Abby was beginning to think they would never be free.
Abby was eight and a half months pregnant when it all came to a head. She was in the lab, Connor had gone to check something, she couldn't remember what, but as Connor was gone, Philip Burton came in. At first Abby thought nothing of it, Philip had been wanting Connor's help on a project since they had first got back from the Cretaceous, and Connor kept turning him down. So it did not alarm Abby that Philip was here.
"He isn't here Philip." Abby had no patience for Burton, and she was glad Connor wasn't taken in by Burton.
"I didn't come here for Connor!" Burton sneered, and before Abby could blink, Burton was attacking her, hitting her. Abby tried to fight back but her pregnant body wouldn't cooperate. Abby doesn't remember much of what happened next, but one minute she is trying to fight off Burton and the next Connor is holding her in his arms. Abby and Connor couldn't breathe too easily because the stress on her body sent her into labor.
Abby shuddered coming out of her reverie. That was such a tumultuous time, but she looked down at her beautiful children and thanked everything in the universe that her family was safe. Abby resolved not to think about the past ordeal, she and Connor needed to move forward and make sure that their children grow up safe and happy.
Honestly, that was the other reason Abby wanted to come to the mall alone, she wanted the anniversary present to be a symbol of she and Connor moving on, but first, before she could concentrate on the gift she needed to change a certain little boy's nappy.
She walked into the restroom and found the stall with the changing station. Abby set Eli on it, and making sure Ava was near her started getting the things together when she felt a little tug on her shirt.
"Mummy, why are we in here? I don't have to go potty!" Ava cried.
Abby looked down at the blue eyed blonde haired copy of her, and just smiled. Ava may have been Abby's replica in looks, but Ava's personality was all Connor, well that and the dimple.
"No sweetie, this is where we change the kiddies." Abby answered
Ava looked up at her mother and asked, "And the puppies too?"
Abby tried really hard not to laugh, that was a new one she will have to tell Connor. "No honey, not those, kitties. This is where we change babies like your brother."
Ava looked between her brother and mother and nodded. Abby wondered what she was thinking. Abby finished changing Eli and putting him back in the buggy, and at that moment she realized what she was going to get Connor.
Connor was sitting on the settee trying really hard NOT to worry about Abby. He knew he was being ridiculous, but he couldn't help it. Abby did need to go out on her own, but it still made Connor worry. He couldn't help but think Philip Burton or Jarred Neal were lurking around the corner somewhere, but he knew both Jarred and Philip were out of the picture permanently. Connor knew no details, but he did know that Matt and Becker took care of both. Connor was thankful to have friends like Matt and Becker and even Lester. If it wasn't for them, Connor didn't know what he would have done. Lester especially made it possible for Connor to work basically from home for Abby and the children's sake. He was thankful for that, he would not have wanted to miss a single minute of anything.
Connor heard the car door slam and knew his precious family were home, he went to open the door, and the first one through the door was his little girl. Connor didn't know if his heart could swell with anymore love than what he had for his son and daughter. They were his world.
"Daddy!" Ava cried as she ran into her daddy's arms. "We got a prize for you!"
"You did?" Connor grinned, "I wonder what it is?"
Ava smiled her dimpled grin, and coyly shrugged. By this time Abby had come into the house carrying Eli in the car seat. Connor put Ava down and took his son from Abby. Connor was amazed at his two children. They were total opposites, but so full of Connor and Abby. While Ava was Abby's mirror version, Eli was his, except Eli did have Abby's temper, which Abby lamented. Connor didn't care, he could love his family no less.
Abby kissed Connor on the cheek, "I'll be right back."
"Daddy close your eyes!" Ava cried.
Connor did as was told. He heard shuffling and little whimpering noises. He was curious now. "Abby?"
"Hang on a sec." Abby answered. "Ok open."
Connor looked around, but saw nothing. He knew heard something. Abby caught his confused look.
"I wanted to get you a present that spoke volumes. I wanted it to tell you of my love, and how even though we have been through so much, we survived and moved forward. But today, I started thinking about the last four years, and then Ava said something today that made me stop and re-evaluate things. Connor Temple this is your gift. Your family, your children adore you and I am more in love with you today than I was four years ago. You and I have survived so much, and I hope we can instill that strength into the kids. I realized the past is over and done and the future is in our hands. I also realized that if we are truly going to move forward that means in everything. So, Connor Temple, may I present to you the newest member of the family." Abby put a box on Connor's lap. Connor heard a whimper, he opened the box, and inside was a Springer Spaniel puppy.
"What?" Connor was truly confused. He agreed with Abby one hundred percent about their family, but what did a puppy have to so with anything?
"Connor this is our first step to making the future whatever we want, because you know, a puppy needs a big place to run." Abby looked at him and took a deep breath, "Connor I want us to move into a house. I want us to start being normal again. A puppy is that step, it shows me I can go back to the way I was, only I am stronger!"
Connor finally understood, and Abby was right, they needed to be normal again. "Ok Abby, we will start looking for a house."
Abby hugged Connor, "I love you!"
Ava heard her mother mention moving to a new house. "Mummy and the puppy too?"
Abby laughed hysterically, Ava and Connor wondered at Abby's reaction. "Yes darling and the puppy too!"