Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended

A/N: I've become extremely fond of Abby/Matt and felt the need to develop a proper relationship for them, not just an illicit affair. This is a direct follow on from my 'M' rated fic "Distraction", although you don't need to have read that for this to make sense (I appreciate not everyone likes smut) - events are referred to. Basically, when Abby and Matt went to investigate a creature sighting in a remote village their car broke down and they were forced to spend the night together in the one available hotel room.

Whilst this fic will mostly be Abby/Matt, I'll also deal with Connor's emotions after Abby ends their relationship.

Comments are welcomed and feed the muse!

"I'm not one to gossip..." Jess began, leaning towards Becker and lowering her voice.

"Why do I think you're going to anyway?" He said.

"You were the one that asked why Connor hadn't been coming into work with Abby and I the last few mornings." Jess pouted.

"I merely commented, Jessica. I didn't ask."

"Connor moved out of the flat a few days ago, I think he and Abby have split up." Jess said, ignoring Becker's obvious disinterest. "He's staying at Philip's company apartment."

"As long as they keep their personal problems out of work, then its no-one else's business but their's." Becker moved away and headed towards the armoury.

"I don't get it. They seemed so … together." Jess shook her head. "So sad. Do you think we should do something to try to get them back together?"

"No, I don't. Neither of them would welcome our interference, and we don't know the reasons for them splitting up. If there's anything worth salvaging, they'll work it out in their own time. There's no point forcing the issue and it could just drive them further apart. Now, if you'll excuse me..." Becker nodded, indicating that the conversation was ended and that he didn't want to discuss his friend's problems any further.

-o-

Connor was grateful that he could shut himself in his lab and not have to face anyone – especially Abby. He'd never felt so alone; not even after his mum died shortly before he went to University. At least then there were people looking out for him, making sure he was eating properly and so on. He'd messed up in the worst possible way this time, and he only had himself to blame.

After all that time trying to make Abby see him as more than just a friend, and then finally succeeding, he'd blown it. He wasn't good at relationships; he had been so used to not having to think about someone else, and since they'd returned home he'd neglected the important things – like spending time alone with just Abby. Things had been much less complicated in the Cretaceous. It was just the two of them, and that was all that mattered. Back in the present, he had to juggle work commitments, his projects for Philip and his personal life. He'd got the balance wrong and now he was paying the price.

He knew something was wrong when he got home the evening after Abby had been stranded overnight with Matt. Her face said it all. Something was bothering her. Then she said the words, "We need to talk, Connor." and he knew it was not going to be about something nice. She was annoyed with him because he hadn't returned her call, but he explained that he hadn't got her voicemail until late as he'd lost track of time in the lab, and that he thought it was too late to call her because she'd be asleep. That seemed to make things worse.

"That's exactly my point, Connor." She sighed. "I could have been sat at home, waiting for you to come back and have some 'us' time. You didn't know where I was because you were too wrapped up in your projects."

"I'm sorry. I can make it up to you." He said. "We'll go out somewhere at the weekend, spend some time together." he reached for her hand but she pulled away.

"This isn't working, is it Connor?" Abby said quietly.

"Not working?" Connor said, trying to swallow down the tears he could feel welling. She was ending it and he didn't know how to try and put it right. "I made a mistake, I should have called you..."

"It's not just about last night though. This whole thing with Burton for a start. I understand how important it is to you that you research the anomalies, but are you absolutely sure that Burton is being straight with you about his interests?" Abby knew she may as well be talking to the wall. As far as Connor was concerned, Burton was the best thing that had happened to the ARC and he would not accept any negative comments about him.

"Work and personal life are two different things, Abby."

"They should be, but with you they're not. I can't do this any more. I think we need some time apart; take stock of things." Abby swallowed nervously.

Connor felt like he had been stabbed in the chest. "You don't mean that, Abby. You're just annoyed with me about last night and when you've calmed down..."

"Connor. I've thought really carefully about this." Abby looked down at her feet. "One of us should move out as soon as possible. Its not fair on Jess to have to put up with us going through a break up. Matt might have a spare room I could use."

"It's OK, I'll move out. Philip will let me have the keys to the company apartment that we used before. I can stay there until I find something else." Connor stood up and went to the bedroom. Abby followed and watched him throwing his clothes into a bag.

"You don't have to go now, Connor." Abby said

"Its probably for the best. Why drag this out any longer than we need to?" he grabbed the bag and headed for the bathroom to throw in some toiletries. Abby followed him again.

"Will you be able to get the keys at this time?"

"Like you care." Connor spat.

"That's not fair, Connor!"

"If you cared, Abby, you wouldn't be doing this to me – to us. Did the year in the Cretaceous mean nothing to you? Everything we went through?" he was determined not to cry in front of her, but it was a real battle. He was blinking rapidly, trying to fight back the tears stinging his eyes.

"I'm doing this because I care. I can't go on letting you think everything is OK when it isn't. We both deserve better."

Connor sniffed, then zipped up his bag. "If you can put the rest of my stuff into a bag, I'll ask Jess to bring it into work for me." he said, and walked out of the flat. Two minutes later, as he sat in his car trying to get hold of Philip on the phone, he finally snapped and the tears he'd been fighting flowed like rivers down his cheeks.

Connor's world was lying in pieces around him like shards of broken glass. He couldn't see a way to fix things, and now all he had was his work. He glanced around his lab, taking comfort in the familiarity of it and knowing he could always rely on his Science. At least that wouldn't leave him.

-o-

Abby had watched Connor come and go over the last few days and she hated what she saw; what she'd done to him. His heart had been broken and he was a pathetic sight. His eyes were red and puffy, like he was constantly crying, and he had simply shut himself away in the lab without even saying 'good morning' to anyone. It was her fault, but it was for the best. He'd mend eventually, given time.

Her head was like a warzone of emotions and confusing thoughts. She was extremely fond of Connor; he'd been her lifeline and the shared experiences they had meant they were about as close as anyone could be. But he was changing, and not in a good way. At times, he was almost a stranger. They'd been drifting along for weeks and ignoring the fact they weren't connecting any more. Her eyes were only opened when she realised that she could be falling for Matt.

Of course, they had only spent one night together; a night of the most amazing, mind blowing sex she'd ever had, topped off with more the following morning before the mechanic came to sort out the car. Matt had done things to her she'd never experienced; made her feel so completely satisfied. He'd also trusted her with his secret about being from the future, and that told Abby he wasn't just thinking that night was a one-off. Matt intrigued her, she wanted to know more about him, she wanted to be with him. She knew that she had to end it with Connor whilst she felt like that – cheating on him once was bad enough, but if she was thinking about the possibility of being with Matt, then it would be like cheating on him constantly.

Perhaps she was making a huge mistake? Maybe she'd misinterpreted Matt completely? He had started the evening saying he couldn't afford the distraction of a relationship, but then they'd fallen into bed together and instead of it being weird and awkward he had opened up to her. He'd said he was carrying a heavy burden that he needed to share with someone because he was tired of doing it alone.

"Hey!" Matt's unmistakable voice said. "How's things?" He sat himself on the stool opposite Abby.

"Good, thanks." she replied. It had been 4 days since their night away, and this was the first time they'd really spoken since then.

"I heard about you and Connor, I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal. It was on the cards any way." Abby sighed.

"Nothing to do with the other night then?"

"That was the wake up call I needed, I suppose. I hadn't realised just how bad things had got until..." she stopped. She could feel her heart pounding hard as the memory of that night filled her head.

"So, you're young, free and single now then?" Matt smiled.

"I guess so." Abby blushed.

"How about I take you out for dinner on Saturday? Properly this time, not a meal I claim back on expenses. Unless it's too soon?"

"You mean, like a date?" Abby's throat went dry. She hadn't misread him at all.

"Yes, a proper grown up date." he laughed. "I'll meet you at 8 outside 'Jamie's'. It's probably best we keep things discrete for the moment.' Matt turned and walked out, and Abby could have sworn he was whistling. She stared after him, not quite believing what had just happened. She has just agreed to go on a date. With Matt. She realised that was what was missing with her and Connor; they had never formally dated. They hadn't done the 'going out' thing, or even gone through the early, slightly awkward stages of holding hands and not knowing when the right time was to move forward. She and Connor had gone from nothing to everything in one sudden step without all the romantic build up. At least with Matt there was the chance to do things properly; maybe it would make a difference.

-o-

'Jamie's' was a relatively new restaurant in the heart of the city centre. Abby knew it was difficult to get reservations, especially at a weekend, so she'd been impressed that Matt had managed it. She'd been incredibly nervous ever since Matt had asked her, almost to a point where she'd felt sick, and had spent the last couple of days trying to find out what sort of thing she should wear without letting on she was going on a date. She eventually settled on a black silk skirt that finished just above her knee and clung to her slim curves, and a simple matching vest top that was low enough to show the slight swell of her breasts. It showed off her figure without being slutty – at least that was what she hoped.

She feared Matt wouldn't come, but when her taxi dropped her at the restaurant entrance, he was already there waiting for her. He smiled appreciatively at her as she approached. "You look great." he said.

Blushing, Abby said "Thanks" and looked at Matt. He looked smart, black trousers and a crisp, pale green shirt, open necked. Matt placed his hand against the small of her back and guided her through the entrance. "I have a reservation, table for two under the name of Anderson," he said to the Maitre D.

He checked his book. "Ah, yes sir. This way please." Abby and Matt followed him through the restaurant towards the back; a quiet corner that was softly lit. They were seated, and their waiter gave them a couple of menus and left them to decide what they wanted.

Abby glanced around. She was glad she'd made an effort instead of opting for her usual jeans; this place was definitely a little more up market than she was used to. "Have you been here before?" she asked.

"No, but I was curious. I like to try new places, new food … I consider myself very fortunate to be in this position. People I grew up with didn't get the same chance I did." His face looked sad, and Abby reached out and stroked his cheek. "Sorry, I shouldn't be getting heavy on a first date." He pulled himself together. "Wine. We should order some wine."

Abby sensed it was going to take a lot of coaxing for Matt to completely open up about where he was from. She was guessing that things were not good in the future world that he knew – but quite what his 'heavy burden' was she didn't know.

Matt attracted the attention of the waiter and asked for a bottle of wine whilst Abby studied the menu. What she'd heard about this place was correct – expensive. She settled on a pâté starter and a salmon dish for the main course. Matt ordered prawn cocktail and a steak. As they waited for their meal, the waiter brought their wine and offered a glass to Matt for him to taste. He nodded, and the waiter poured them both a large glass and placed the bottle on the table. He then lit the candle in the middle of the table and left them.

"Nice touch." Matt said. "Is this OK? Not too much? I don't want to assume..."

"It's fine." she reached out and stroked the back of his hand to reassure him. "I like it. I don't remember the last time someone went to this much effort for me."

"Pretty ladies like yourself should always have the best." Matt blushed, and Abby could see the light from the candle flame dancing in his sparkling eyes. He was smooth, self assured, experienced and a whole world away from … She stopped herself. She had to stop comparing him to Connor; they were two completely different men and it was two completely different situations.

Conversation over the starter was light; banter about work mostly. They were both sticking to safe ground for the moment. The main course began in a similar vein, until Abby asked Matt what his steak was like.

"Melts in your mouth!" he said. "Would you like to try some?" He cut a piece off and before she could reply, he had pierced it with his fork and held it to her lips. She took it in her mouth and chewed, conscious of Matt's eyes watching her. "Good isn't it?" he said eventually.

Abby nodded. She felt slightly odd; it was an intimate moment and one she hadn't been quite ready for. She pulled herself together. "Did you want to try some of my salmon?"

"Would love to." he smiled. Abby repeated his actions, spearing the pink flesh on her fork and placing it straight into his mouth. She watched his mouth, finding her mind wandering to his lips and fighting an urge to kiss him.

"So, tell me about you." Matt said, moving back to eating his own meal.

"What do you want to know?"

"The things that aren't in your standard biography on file at the ARC." he said.

"You read my files?" Abby said.

"Had to. Part of my job in the early days was putting together a cover story for your disappearance and contacting next of kin. I know you're estranged from your parents and that the only family you remain in contact with is your brother. I don't know the circumstances around all that, and its your business. Maybe one day you'll trust me enough to talk about it." He sighed. It was a difficult time, and he recalled the conversation with Jack Maitland. He knew about the anomalies, and Matt couldn't give him the official story that the other families were being given.

"What else do my files say about me?" Abby said. Normally, she'd have been annoyed at someone reading her personal information, but Matt had a legitimate reason to access them. She also liked the fact he hadn't pushed for information about why she had nothing to do with her parents.

"You were studying Herpetology at University for a while until you took the job at Wellington Zoo. I never really understood that decision until I met you." To Matt, giving up the opportunities that a University education in such a competitive, specialised field would bring had seemed crazy, but now that he knew Abby it made perfect sense. She was practical and needed to be in the thick of things, not sat at a desk.

"If I hadn't taken that job, I wouldn't have been following up that kid's letter about finding an unusual lizard in the forest – and I wouldn't have met Cutter, Stephen and Connor." Abby said. She dipped her head so that Matt wouldn't see the sadness in her eyes as she thought about Cutter and Stephen for the first time in months.

"Fate has a way of intervening and throwing us into unexpected situations. It's usually for the best, although not always obviously so." Matt said. Abby knew he was referring to the car breaking down and forcing them to stay in that hotel.

"What about you? I know you're ex-military, and that you have a background in zoology..."

"And that's about it really. I told you, I had to focus on my job. Everything I've ever done has been geared towards getting myself into the ARC." Matt said. He looked uneasy.

"Even climbing Everest?" Abby laughed, daring him to either confirm or deny what everyone suspected.

"Ah yes, that. Everyone exaggerates on the their CV right? My father said I needed to do more than just impress, I had to intimidate. Worked on Becker!" he laughed.

"Becker likes to think he's the big shot around town. I bet you really ruffled his feathers!" Abby had seen Becker give Matt annoyed looks on more than one occasion, but generally they seemed to have a mutual respect. In fact, they'd all warmed to Matt after the initial shock of him being Danny's replacement. "Why was it so important to get into the ARC?" She said.

"Let's not get into all that tonight." he reached across the table and squeezed Abby's hand. "I don't want to spoil things."

"I understand." she squeezed his hand back. "Are we having dessert?" She saw Matt visibly relax now that she'd changed the subject.

"Of course! Something really bad; full of calories and fat!"

-o-

Abby would have been quite happy getting a taxi home, but Matt suggested walking instead. They strolled along the path that ran by the side of the river, and after a few minutes he had reached for her hand and held it in his. It felt right, walking hand in hand. Abby shivered, but she wasn't quite sure if it was the cold night air or just the exhilaration of this situation. Matt draped his jacket around her shoulders despite her protests and they continued their walk holding hands, laughing, talking. It felt good to be doing something 'normal'.

They eventually reached the block where the flat was. "I guess this is where we say goodnight." Matt said softly.

"Mm." Abby said, trying to disguise the disappointment in her voice. If it wasn't for the fact Jess would be home, she would've asked Matt to come in.

"It was a lovely evening. Maybe we could do it again sometime?"

"I'd like that." Abby whispered. She handed Matt his jacket back and he leaned in, kissing her briefly on the lips.

"Goodnight." He said softly.

"Goodnight." Abby turned to go inside, but he stopped her and pulled her into an embrace. She melted into it, circling her arms around him and then their lips met in a warm, soft, lingering kiss. Reluctantly, they parted, both breathing harder than they had been before the kiss..

"I should go." Matt said.

Abby watched him walk down the street until he disappeared around the corner. She made her way slowly up the stairs into the flat, her head light and her lips still tingling from the kiss. She could still taste him, smell him and his touch seemed to have left her skin trembling. This was something she hadn't felt in a long time; she was falling for Matt.