He felt her arms around his waist before he saw her. Her grip on him was tight, tense, unmerciful. Yet filled with such warmth and compassion that he found himself hugging her back, regardless of the shock coursing through his veins.

Gradually, she released him, and he was finally given the chance to survey her. Slim, auburn, pretty... Judging by her fiercely loyal gaze locked onto his own, by the openness of her posture, he was supposed to recognise her. He didn't.

"Cutter?" she shuffled back a little as his confusion registered in her brain, suddenly embarrassed.

"Yes," he confirmed cautiously, "Do I...do I know you?"

Her eyes widened, tears suddenly welling up beneath her painted lashes, and she stumbled further away, suddenly frightened, "No...no...I'm sorry."

"Hey, wait!" he called after her as she hurried away, disappearing around the corner in a matter of seconds. He'd never catch her now; she was a decent runner. He wasn't sure he wanted to know anyway.

If she knew him, but he didn't know her, that could only mean one thing – she was from the future. And when people started to mess with their lives, coming back to a time when they'd lived already, it all went horrifically wrong.

XxXxX

"Connor!" Jess squealed, as he slammed a tray loaded with beer down in front of her, and the icy liquid splashed down onto her bare legs, "You absolute idiot!"

"You said it," Abby smirked, helping herself to a pint and taking a sizeable gulp, "Has it gone on your dress? Do you want to go to the toilets?"

"It's fine," Becker leant sideways and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, dabbing at the spillage with a napkin. Jess smiled coyly and nestled her head into his shoulder.

Connor frowned, peering down at Jess's lap, "It does look slightly wrong..."

"Connor!" Becker and Abby both spun accusingly to face him, but Jess just grinned, over it. Becker handed her a glass of orange juice from the table, the only soft drink in sight, before helping himself to an alcoholic beverage. "You okay, baby?"

"Yeah," she sipped at it delicately.

"So, have you got any further with baby names?" Abby asked softly, cuddling up to Connor as he sat down.

"Not really."

"I think you should call it Fred," Connor suggested, his voice muffled as he stuffed a handful of roasted peanuts into his mouth, "Or Bruce."

"It's probably a good job you're not the one choosing, mate," Becker grinned, his gaze falling on Abby's pensive expression, "Yet."

"What do you think to Holly, for a girl? Or Lucie?" Jess directed her question at Abby, "Becker thinks Indiana, but come on; Indiana Becker?"

"It's cute!" Becker protested, "I don't know why we're doing this anyway, we don't even know whether it's a girl or a boy yet."

"He wants a boy," Jess grumbled.

"And she wants a girl."

Abby glanced between them, torn between exasperation and amusement, "Honestly, you two. Just...just be grateful for what you have."

"Ab..." Connor began, frowning.

She shrugged his concern away, smiling, but her eyes didn't match her lips, "You'll find a name. When you see the baby; when you hold them in your arms...you'll know."

"Yeah," Becker agreed softly, squeezing Jess's shoulder as she glanced up at him, perturbed, "Yeah, you're right."

"Can we go home now, Connor?" Abby's voice took on an almost pleading edge as she dropped her rapidly emptied glass back onto the tray and stood up, "I'm really tired."

"Okay," Connor reluctantly abandoned his own drink, following his girlfriend as she bounced from one foot to another, obviously desperate to escape now, "See you guys tomorrow, yeah?"

"Sure," Becker approved amicably, "Bye."

He and Jess watched in silence as their friends moved away from the table, Connor practically jogging to catch up with Abby as she disappeared out into the darkness. Abby didn't do that. She could be calm and considerate, yes, but she was the life and soul of the party, up until the break of dawn dancing on the bar. Something had shaken her to the core.

"Do you think..." Jess began, unable to continue. She couldn't voice the notion that Abby's peculiar reaction was due to their carelessness whilst discussing children.

Becker didn't speak for a moment. Just from Jess's stiff posture he could conclude she was wondering the same as he, and feeling guilty about her actions. "We couldn't have known. It isn't your fault."

"It all makes sense now, though. She was always really broody. And great with kids. I saw her with a pharmacy bags a couple of lunchtimes in the loos. God...all we've done this week is go on about it."

"It's big news, Jess. It's life changing; what's happening to us now. She understands that."

Jess stared gloomily down into her juice, not altogether convinced by Becker's careful comfort, "I don't really feel like staying now."

"No. Neither do I."

"Come on then," he helped her with her coat, wrapping his arm around her waist protectively and leading her slowly towards the exit. She may only have been a couple of months pregnant, but he was already playing the doting father-to-be. "Poor Abby."

Jess didn't respond, but her hand found its way into his, and they strolled out into the night. They didn't have far to walk home; as much as she loved the autumn, with its blazing carpets of leaves and weakly glimmering sun, she'd feel better curled up in front of the fire watching the faded repeats of long-forgotten favourite programmes. She always did.

"Jess!" Abby squealed, the mere pitch of her voice frightening.

Becker, refusing to drop his girlfriend's hand, hurried across, reaching Abby and crouching down beside her. A woman lay in Abby's arms, her face deathly pale and smeared with blood. She was slim, auburn, pretty... "Claudia?"

"Oh my God," Jess mumbled, meeting Abby's gaze fearfully. Gone was the confusion and awkwardness between the women. They were united in their shock, and their will to save Claudia's life. "Claudia? As in..."

Becker nodded grimly. Jess had never actually met Claudia, but she'd heard enough about her. Colleagues at the ARC became close. Claudia's departure hadn't been easy for any of them. "What happened, Abby? Where's Connor?"

Abby indicated wordlessly into the distance. Shards of sparkling glass lit up the enveloping blackness, and silhouetting Connor as he stood before it. An anomaly. "He's calling work. It's too risky for mainstream paramedics; she's obviously been attacked. If the press got wind of her injuries...they'd have a field day. And Lester would throw us to the lions, probably literally."

"She...she's..." Jess's voice was flooded with emotion. She was, however brilliant at her job, based at a desk; rarely did she experience the thrill of the chase, or the narrow escapes her colleagues faced each day. She couldn't digest the suggestion that her boss would let an innocent woman, and more so an innocent ex-colleague and friend, die to save his skin. It wasn't right.

"It comes with the territory, Jess. Sometimes life just isn't fair." Abby murmured, and for a moment Jess detected a bitter edge to her words, but then she raised her head and smiled weakly, "We won't let her die. We owe her that much. And Cutter..."

Becker nodded in agreement. While he'd arrived relatively late in Nick Cutter's reign over the ARC, he'd quickly fallen to greatly respect him, and he just envisaging how much Abby had adored her boss pained him.

"Okay," Jess acknowledged softly, watching as Becker slipped off his coat and tucked it over Claudia's still figure.

Abby was already holding hers to the major wound on her neck, shivering in the breeze. Connor ran back across, his face alight with concern, "ETA five minutes; they're bringing equipment for the anomaly too."

"Good," Becker approved, glancing back towards the pub. Luckily, they were hidden away behind the overflowing bins; they really could do without any more hassle right now. Beside him, Jess gulped, and he reached out automatically, holding her close. At times like this, he was reminded of just how much he loved her; how lucky he was.

Connor, similarly, laid a hand on Abby's shoulder, and a flicker of gratefulness crossed her lips. Their relationship was unconventional, maybe, but almost astonishing suitable. "It's okay, Abs. She'll be okay."

"Jess?" Abby questioned delicately, her expression concealed in the shadows as she leant further over Claudia, "I...I think Riley. Riley Becker."

XxXxX

Thanks for reading! This is only my second Primeval FanFic, so I'd really appreciate any feedback or comments – please review! I don't own Primeval; I just love to write stories about it ;) xxx