Just Another Day in Oz
Author: Roguie/Sunspecops/Danae Bowen
Fandom: Primeval
Rating: G/K
Characters/Paring: Connor/Abby
Spoilers: None
Summary: Just another day, at another anomaly, with another incursion. Normality at it's best.
A/N: Not my normal angst goodness… just a bit of mindless fun on a rainy afternoon.
~~~~.
When their phones rang at six am, neither Connor nor Abby argued. They swiftly moved around each other, from bedroom to washroom, washing and dressing in the barest amount of time. Neither stopped to spare a saddened look at the other at the loss of their lazy morning on their one day off. Neither stopped for a cup of coffee or a glass of juice. Neither stopped for a morning kiss or snuggle. They'd worked for the ARC for longer than they cared to thought, lost more than either cared to remember, and were trained better than either could have imagined nearly six years earlier.
Life had become routine, wake, go to the ARC, tend the animals, track the anomalies, and occasionally they were able to get out into the field and take part in the thrill of the chase that kept them just sharp enough to survive. No, it wasn't like it had been in the years prior to the Cretaceous. It wasn't an every day occurrence that had them at death's door, at the will of a mad man, mad woman or a terrified animal that was far from home. It wasn't an every day occurrence that one would end up shrieking out the other's name in dead panic, waiting those precious seconds for the knowledge that they'd survived whatever atrocity was coming their way. It certainly wasn't an every day occurrence that their hearts pounded, their minds raced, their adrenaline rushed through their veins screaming at them that they were alive. This was life, and as much as they fought against it, they were forced to love every minute.
Today was a bit different. Today they were called to the site of an open anomaly. Today, everyone was called to the site. When they arrived, after not stopping for coffee much to Connor's dismay, they were met with the sight of a dozen vans parked alongside the road. They couldn't miss the swarm of black uniforms moving through the trees, or the undeniable sound of EMDs being discharged at some unknown creature.
They found Matt immediately, moving towards him, grabbing their EMDs and belts from his truck as they approached. Connor squinted against the early morning sunlight, starring off into the trees.
"What've we got?" He asked, excitedly. "Something big, I'll wager."
Matt snorted, "Plenty of somethings big, actually. Three separate anomalies opened within meters of each other, we've got creatures with fur, creatures with scales, and no one's gotten a good look at whatever the third creatures are, they keep moving in and out of the bloody shadows."
Connor lifted his eyebrows, whistling softly. "So, what's the plan, boss?"
Matt shrugged. "Plan is don't get yourself killed. Other than that, we're rounding 'em up and escorting them home. Best put that dating machine of yours to good use, Connor, when we get them all organized, we're going to need to know which anomaly to send them through."
"Yeah, it'd suck to send a Permian creature through to the future, or a future predator to the Victorian era even. Imagine the carnage!" His grin made Matt scowl but as they moved off into the forest, Connor grew more serious, poking at the dating machine to make sure it was up and running.
"Becker's men are flanking left, Abby, you 'n I are going right once we've met up with Becker himself. Connor, straight through is where you'll find the anomalies. Just watch the tree tops, would you? That third creature's something else. Sneaky. Predatory, even. I'll have a small team meet up with you to get your back while you work, but you're on your own until they get there, understood?"
"Yup. Walk looking up, got it." he grinned again. "Good thing it's not raining, yeah? Could drown, me."
Abby sighed as Matt scowled, shaking his head and moving off to find Becker on the right flank. "Oh, Connor. Just be safe."
"What?" Connor watched her chase after Matt, a half annoyed half confused expression tugging down his lips. "Just so you know, Abby, I'm more likely to trip over me own feet than drown, if that's what you're worried about!"
"Connor! Work!"
He laughed. "Yes, ma'am."
~~~.
Three anomalies, three creature incursions, one park. Connor sighed as he fiddled with the dating machine, watching as it struggled to define the age of each anomaly. Bloody things were far too close together and he was getting mixed readings again. He sighed. All in all it was shaping up to be one of those days.
He paused for a moment, looking out into the forest around him, watching as Becker's men struggled to the left, using flash grenades and the EMDs to herd together the group of furry hoofed creatures that were stampeding around in fear and confusion. A flash from the right let him know that Abby, Matt and Becker had managed to find the flock of reptiles that had cut out, heading for a nearby water source. Soon both herds would be heading his way and he needed to be sure each anomaly was accurately identified before that happened.
With yet another sigh he stepped right up close to the middle anomaly, holding the dating machine practically inside the amber light, breathing a sigh as it finally came back with what he could only assume was an accurate date. A tap to his radio and he let Matt know that the center anomaly was likely the one to send the reptiles through. He turned to the anomaly on the left, repeating his actions, stepping into the light and letting his machine do its bit. When the date came back over two hundred years into the future, he glanced to up to see if he could catch sight of the animals being chased by the soldiers, suddenly realizing that the herd was much closer than he expected it to be.
"Oh," he whimpered softly, eyes traveling from the mammals running directly towards him to the quickly approaching flock of reptiles being sent his way from the right. A rustle over his head let him know that the third unknown species was about to make it's presence known as well.
Given a little warning or a few seconds to think, Connor'd likely have jumped into the low hanging branches of a nearby tree, allowing all the beasts clear passage to the trio of anomalies at his back. In the Cretaceous that had rapidly become his favored method of escape, and even now, with the third species coming into view, the trees would have been his best option - facing down one creature rather than full blown herds would have been the lesser of all evils. Instead, Connor dropped to the ground, curling up and covering his head with his hands and arms as the creatures bore down on him without care.
When the first herd hit, he heard Abby cry out his name. He struggled to lift his head slightly, to give her some indication he was alright, but as he moved something resembling a hoof caught his shoulder, flipping him to his back, bringing about a ringing in his ears and stars dancing before his eyes. Everything went grey then black as the pain finally broke free, washing over his body in a flood of white heat.
Moments later, as his vision blurred and swam back into view, a dozen Abbys stared down at him.
"Connor?"
Her beautiful blue eyes were shadowed with concern as he winced in pain and struggled to sit up. She moved behind him, sitting cross legged and pulling his head into her lap.
"You alright, Connor?"
He groaned, lifting a hand to his shoulder then shifting it to his head. "Ow. No. Feel like me head's been stepped on by a horse."
She snorted lightly before stroking his head softly. "Probably was, idiot." She smiled down at him, taking the edge off her harsh words. "Do us both a favour, Con, would ya? In the future, run. Please?"
He chuckled wryly, moving his fingers to her wrist and stroking her soft skin. "Starting to think I'm in a movie, love."
"Yeah? Which one? Star Wars? Blade Runner?" She grinned. "Spaceballs?"
He matched her grin, struggling to sit straight before gingerly climbing to his feet. "More like The Wizard of Oz."
"What?" Her eyes were confused as she stood with him, resting a hand on his back just in case.
He lifted an eyebrow, leaning against her heavily. He turned to face the three anomalies, now safely locked, the animals nowhere to be seen. "Lions and tigers and bears."
Yeah, he was just fine.
She sighed. "Oh my."
~~~~Fin.