** Dedicated to vampireluvr15. Based off a video I made with the same title which I'll be posting on my profile.

Chapter 1. What Hurts The Most

"It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go, but I'm doing it." Rascal Flatts

Abby trudged up the stairs to their flat, Connor close at her heels. She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. As if the stress of Stephen's funeral hadn't been difficult enough, they'd barely gotten through the burial before an anomaly had opened.

The nerve of Caroline Steele had amazed her, coming up to her and Connor as they left, with her little "You have my number," bit. Abby had wanted to punch her, she'd used Connor, stole Rex, and now she wanted him to call her! It was truly laughable.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she leaned back against the wall, her legs feeling like they may give out underneath her at any moment.

"You okay?" Connor asked.

She looked up at him, his brown eyes full of worry.

"I'm fine Con, just tired, my legs don't want to cooperate." she laughed weakly.

He reached out and slid an arm around her guiding her to the couch and situating a pillow behind her so she could lay back.

"I'll go put the kettle on, you stay put," he said, pulling off his jacket and disappearing into the kitchen.

She glanced after him, wondering how she could have possibly gotten lucky enough to have him in her life. Sweet and thoughtful, she couldn't imagine her life with out Connor, he was her best friend and she still wanted to wring Caroline's neck for hurting him.

She tried not to let her mind wonder to Stephen, the last time they'd talked before he died, having been an argument over keeping the anomalies secret. At one point in time she'd thought she was in love with the mysterious, aloof, Stephen Hart, but ever since the revelation of his affair with Helen Cutter, they'd started drifting apart, and now she would never get a chance to set things right with him.

Stephen had always provided a sense of security among the team, having saved all their lives at one point or another, his absence had been painfully obvious that afternoon when the anomaly had appeared. She'd caught Nick going to call out for his help on two separate occasions before catching himself, a pained look crossing his face, before calling for her or Connor.

Abby looked up at the sound of Connor's footsteps returning, two mugs of tea in his hand. She hadn't even realized she's started crying until Connor sat the mugs down on the coffee table and lowered himself down on the couch, reaching out his thumb captured the tear sliding down her cheek before he pulled her to him, cradling her small frame against his chest. She sobbed openly now, the first time she'd shed a tear since Stephen's death. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her body close as possible to him, taking comfort in his closeness, her tears leaving dark spots on the fabric of his purple dress shirt.

"I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out. I'm not afraid to cry every once and awhile, even though going on with you gone still upsets me…still harder getting up, getting dressed, living with this regret." Rascal Flatts

Connor

"You think your lost, but your not lost on your own. Your not alone. I will stand by you, I will help you through when you've done all you can do. If you can't cope, I will dry your eyes, I will fight your fight, I will hold you tight, and I wont let go" Rascal Flatts

Connor wished he could do something to take the pain away from her. He hated seeing her normally bright, happy blue eyes filled with so much hurt, but there was nothing he could say, or do, other than just sit there, hold her close and let the storm pass.

He had been all to aware of her feelings for Stephen, and truth be told there had been times he had hated the man for being able to covet her attentions the way he did. He'd often wondered, had Stephen not been around, if he'd had been able to win her affections. A part of him also hated himself for that now, given the circumstances.

He let his hand run through her short hair, trying desperately to comfort her. His lips came down on the top of her head, pressing a gentle kiss there.

"It hurts my heart, to see you cry. I know it's dark this part of life. Oh it finds us all." Rascal Flatts

Abby

"But when you're around my defenses go. You don't let me run away from you, you don't let me twist and turn the truth." Hilary Duff

Just the simple touch of Connor's lips to the top of her head was like an electric shock. She didn't think she'd ever been as aware of him as she was at that moment. She pulled herself back from his grasp, his arms not leaving her back as she did. Her eyes found his as soon as she looked up, she couldn't bring herself to look away from him, his gaze holding her prisoner. She found herself studying the shape of his jaw line, then the curve of his lips, bringing her finger up to trace along the lower one.

She could hear Connor's breath catch slightly as she did this, but he didn't make to pull away or stop her. She brought herself up on her knees, letting her hand trace down his cheek bone, his eyes watching her every move.

She was acting on sheer impulse, wanting to desperately convey words she should have said a long time ago. Words she'd been denying even to herself. Slowly, she leaned her body forward, letting her lips gently brush his, the feeling sweet and sensual at the same time.

He responded quickly, pulling her closer to him, his lips responding gently. She buried her hand in his hair, pulling them even closer together, no longer allowing an inch of space to separate them. His response surprised her, pushing her back on the couch his lips deepened the kiss rapidly, his tongue tracing her lower lip. She gasped, her body responding hungrily to his, and opened her mouth to allow his tongue entrance.

When they broke apart they were both breathless.

"That wasn't too much was it?" Connor asked, the worry of his aggression in their kiss evident in his eyes.

She couldn't help but laugh softly, "No, it wasn't, I think there are some things when repressed for as long as we've repressed them that are bound to get a little intense."

Connor reached over and gently stroked her face, "I guess you're right." he laughed, "So does this mean we're like a couple?" he asked, voice hopeful.

Abby laughed again, "Yeah, Connor, I suppose it does," she said planting another quick kiss on his lips.

"But when I look at you there is hope. It's like you see the sadness in my eyes, you read the blue between the lines, you could be the one to hold me when I wanna cry." Hilary Duff