Hey guys! So, this is based on Bruno Mars' Somewhere In Brooklyn. I already have a few chapters written, but I'm going to limit Uploading to once a week because, as you've probably noticed, I'm pretty bad at finishing stories but I love this current idea and it's looking pretty good! So, I hope you enjoy Chapter One!
Stephanie xxx

Chapter One

Nick couldn't take it in, he simply couldn't. He knew he sounded like a mad man raving, repeating nonsense to the others. "You must know her", "Claudia, you know, Claudia Brown!" But none of them knew her, and no matter how many times he said her name, there was no hint of recognition in the eyes of his team mates. Lester thought he was losing it, he could see. He was probably in danger of being threatened with therapy, but he didn't care. He knew she was real, she couldn't not be. There were scenarios from the past few months that simply didn't work without her...

Nick tried to think of an example and, devastatingly, he couldn't. Behind him, the anomaly was convulsing and he knew what that meant. It meant the anomaly was going to close, going to shut him in this world, without her. Before making a conscious decision about it, he was heading back for the anomaly Helen had just disappeared through, running toward it. He'd barely made it a few steps before Stephens arms were around him, holding him back. He struggled, by god, he struggled, but Stephen was strong and refused to let up, even when Nick tried to elbow him. And then...it was gone. Just like that, the anomaly blinked out of existence.

He went limp. Stephens's arms disappeared from around him and suddenly he couldn't support his own weight. With that anomaly, every ounce of willpower inside of him disappeared. She was gone. It was over.

Contemplating that fact, that she was actually gone, that they weren't playing some stupid joke on him, that she had never actually existed...a strangled sob escaped his throat. He could sense eyes on him and Abby went to put a soft hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it away.

"Leave me the hell alone" He growled and Connor spoke up.

"Oi, Professor, no need to speak to Abs like that"

Cutter looked up to see a hurt looking Abby folding her arms, her eyes downcast, and the anger melted out of him to be replaced by a feeling of pure emptiness.

"You're right, Connor" He said, pushing himself to his feet and thrusting his hands deep into his pockets, "Sorry, Abby"

"S'OK" She said, with a weak smile and a slight shrug.

"While watching the professor hand a breakdown surely makes my day, I have a meeting to attend," Lester said, "Someone make sure he gets to the ARC, I don't have time to do the paperwork needed to find his replacement"

"Come on, mate" Stephen said, brushing past Cutter towards the car. Abby and Connor, casting worried looks back at him, didn't move. He tried to be reassuring, giving them both a slight smile.

"I'm fine" He said, in a voice that he knew wasn't what one would call convincing, and he began to follow Stephen, feeling as though every step he took away from the Anomaly site broke his heart a little more. He climbed into the passenger side of the car, trying to ignore the worried and anxious glances that the other three kept sending him and stared out of the window, pointedly, as Stephen started driving.

Watching the Anomaly site in the wing-view mirror as they drove away, he could see her so clearly...he could see her walking towards him, turning him around and kissing him. It was impossible for something he'd done to change something so significant, wasn't it? It was too much of a coincidence. He was the one she'd grown close to, not Stephen or the others, just him.

When they arrived back at the ARC, Nick got out of the car and slammed the door, not even looking at the others as he walked into the building. Lester was standing in the middle of the Main. Ops area and Nick walked straight up to him.

"I thought you had a meeting"

"Ah, Cutter" Lester said with a voice full of cool boredom. He handed his file to a man Cutter didn't recognize, but felt as though he should. "Lovely to see you back to your observant self, but quite frankly that was just a excuse to escape as your lunacy was beginning to irk me"

Cutter couldn't help but smile wryly to himself as Lester began walking away.

"So, was the mission a success, Professor?"

"Who the hell are you?" Nick said, perfectly serious. The man's expression changed from polite to confused and then to slightly hurt.

"You're telling me you don't know who this man is?" Lester said, pausing in the act of walking away and turning back to face them. "Forgive the professor, Leek, he's in the middle of a nervous breakdown"

"I was gonna call it a mid-life crisis, myself" Connor said, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"Nick, what are you playing at?" Stephen muttered under his breath so that only he could hear.

"Do you know this man, yes or no?" Lester said, impatiently.

There was a beat of silence and Cutter glanced around. Stephen was looking slightly annoyed, as if he thought this was all just some prank Nick had thought up on the other side of the anomaly, Abby was looking worried and Connors eyes were silently pleading with him.

"Yeah, 'course I know who he is" Nick said. "That's Leek"

"Well, if you're finished having your breakdown, I'll be in my office, if not, I'll still be in my office" And with that, he was gone, heading up the ramp.

Nick looked around the room.

"What is this place?" He asked Stephen, and Leek gave him a odd look as he scurried off after Lester.

"You're kidding, right, Nick?" Stephen asked, his voice ladled with false hope, "Tell me you're havin' us on"

Nick gave Stephen a look that said he, clearly, was not messing with them and his friend sighed.

"Mate, you need a night out" Stephen said, shaking his head resignedly.

"I just thought you imbeciles might want to know, we have a new anomaly" Lester called down from his offices balcony. "Get moving."

Please Review! :)

Stephanie xxx