Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended
Author note: This story is mostly angst based around a general story, put in the M rating because I can't help myself with the sex scenes ;) It's only a paragraph, so you can skip it if you want ;)
Connor was stood on the observation level, looking down into the main hub. He watched the various workers going about their business, particularly the team looking after the ADD. It was like a well oiled machine, each part efficient and knowing exactly what was required. It seemed to be working perfectly well without him, and he wasn't entirely sure where he fitted in now.
It had been two months since he and Abby had made it back. After the initial questioning and debriefing, they were expected to slip back into the team and get on with it. Abby had just slotted straight in with no effort. Despite the fact the new team leader, Matt, had a background in Zoology, his areas of speciality differed to Abby's. He seemed to respect her input, and would often come over and ask her about something. He knew she was happy to be back, and looked forward to coming in every day. Connor had still to find his position in the new team dynamic, and he was beginning to feel like a spare part.
Life at home was great of course. When they first got back, Lester had insisted they stayed in quarantine for a couple of weeks to make sure they hadn't brought back any diseases. They loved having the time to themselves without the fear of getting eaten or worrying where their next meal was coming from. They had sex in practically every nook or cranny in the flat they could find, simply because they could, and Connor was blissfully happy. He'd become a confident man in the six months they were alone, but as soon as they went back to work, his old insecurities began to return.
Abby had missed being around other people the most, and now she was making up for it. She was animated and chatty, finding any excuse to go and talk to someone at the ARC. Connor would even say she was bordering on flirty at times, and he could see the drool practically hanging out of some of the male's mouths as she walked around the place. She could have her pick of men if she wanted, and it would only be a matter of time before she realised that Connor was no longer the only man on Earth.
"Is everything OK, Conn?" Abby said, as she climbed into bed next to Connor. "You've been a bit quiet the last few days." She looked down at him and could see sadness in his eyes.
"I'm just feeling a bit … overwhelmed. So many changes." He sighed. Abby slipped her arm around his waist and rested her head on his chest, he stroked her shoulder. "I'm not sure if I belong at the ARC any more. The new team seems to be doing pretty well without my input."
"Don't say that, Conn. As far as I can see, there hasn't been any new technology installed since we disappeared. They've just kept it all running smoothly, waiting for you to come back and upgrade it all, reinvent it … all that stuff that you do so well!"
Connor closed his eyes. He wasn't convinced. He felt Abby's head lift from his chest and her hand slide from his waist to his hip and then to his cock. His body responded to her touch, but he was not getting the usual sense of pleasure from it. She straddled him and leaned down to kiss him, positioning herself so that he could enter her. For the first time since being together, sex did not make him feel happy, it merely reminded him of what he could so easily lose. As he emptied himself into her, her fingers digging hard into his chest and giving soft mews of happiness, he began to sob uncontrollably.
"Connor?" Abby said. "Connor?, what's wrong?"
"Just hold me, Abby." He whispered. Abby slumped herself onto his chest and wiped his tears from his cheeks. She wrapped herself around him, sensing his need for comfort but not understanding why. Surely this wasn't just about feeling he didn't belong?
They fell into an uneasy sleep. Abby was worried, this was not like Connor at all. Even at the lowest point in the Cretaceous, he could be rallied round with a joke, a kiss or a hug.
The following day, Connor was sat at his computer, reading through some of the reports filed whilst they were away. The more he read, the angrier he got. He had to go and see Lester, he needed answers. He stormed into Lester's office without knocking.
"Temple? This had better be very important." Lester said.
"Why isn't anyone looking for Danny?" Connor demanded. "All those people out there, working away, and not one of them is doing something to try and find him."
"And what do you propose we should be doing?"
"We should be using the anomaly opening device I brought back with me! We should be trying to get Helen's route from it and opening the anomalies to go and get him! Or are we just going to sit back and hope he gets lucky like Abby and I did? We'd still be there now if luck wasn't on our side wouldn't we? You didn't try to find us either did you?" Connor banged his fist on the desk.
"Sit down, Connor." Lester glared at him. Connor didn't move. "I said, sit down." Connor obeyed. "You've read all of Captain Becker's reports I take it?"
"Yes. That's how I know all you did was sit around and wait." Connor felt the anger swelling inside him.
"It wasn't as simple as you think it was. When the three of you didn't return, a team was sent through the anomaly at the racetrack to try and find you. We lost 2 soldiers, attacked by future predators, and Becker recalled the team back to the present. The anomaly closed a couple of days later, and we had to close the case."
"Close the case? Three of the team missing and you close the case?" Connor couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Believe me, I was not happy about it, but the minister was on my back. Explaining the loss of 5 people within days of each other was messy to say the least, and there were those high up that wanted to close us down completely. I couldn't allow that, not with the three of you still out there somewhere. After some negotiation, the agreement was that no-one would go through an anomaly again. It's considered too risky, we cannot afford to lose another …"
"That's just a load of crap, Lester!" Connor stood up. "I can't believe you allowed us to be just abandoned! I can't believe you're still sitting there, knowing Danny is out there somewhere alone!" He stormed out of the office, slamming the door behind him. He felt several pairs of eyes on him, following him as he stomped angrily down the stairs towards Abby's lab. He slammed open the door, allowing it to swing back. He slumped into the chair at Abby's desk.
"Connor?" Abby said. She was stood at the microscope on the workbench.
"We should be looking for Danny." He said. "He's out there, alone, amongst god only knows what. At least we had each other to help get through the difficult times."
"Connor, you've read the reports. It's too dangerous to …"
"Not you too, Abby? He's our friend. We can't just abandon him! I can probably get that anomaly opener charged up and hopefully find the route that Helen programmed into them. We could follow the route and try and find him." Connor looked at Abby with pleading eyes.
"Connor, if this is about you needing to fit in again, then you're going about it all wrong. Going against Lester's rules is not going to help is it?" Abby said. She moved towards Connor, placing her hand on his arm.
"This isn't about me!" He shouted at her, shrugging her hand away. "This is about trying to help a friend. I thought you, of all people, would understand." He could feel tears welling up.
"Connor, calm down!"
"I will not calm down, Abby!" he stood up and walked out, slamming the door.
Back in his own office, Connor tried to think rationally. If no-one else was going to try and help Danny, then it looked like it was down to him. He sat and stared at the device in his hands. It had been in his rucksack since the power failed on it. He had altered the plug on his ipod charger to fit the device, and it seemed to be charging from his laptop. The data he was getting from the device didn't mean much to him, but at least there was something on there. Surely that had to mean it still had Helen's route on it, and that he could go after Danny? After half an hour, the light on the device stopped flashing and remained on. Was it fully charged now? Could he risk it? The last thing he wanted was to find himself with no way of getting back like last time. With a deep breath, he prepared himself to go on a rescue mission.
He grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge in the kitchen, and got a handful of chocolate bars from the vending machine. He raided Abby's cupboard, knowing she had some apples, and a couple of bags of crisps from his own. He had no idea how long this was going to take, so he hoped he had enough to see him through. In the weapons cupboard, he found a small tranquiliser gun that he thought he might find useful, and a penknife – something he wished he'd had in the cretaceous. He was ready. Maybe he should try and persuade Abby to come with him. He would show her it was all properly planned out, and to be honest, he didn't really want to do this alone.
After Connor had walked out of the lab so angrily, Abby had been left shell shocked. She had never seen Connor get angry like that. His behaviour the last few days had really concerned her, and he was getting more and more distant. She decided to go the gym area, kicking hell out of the punchbag might make her feel a bit better and clear her head. As she pounded into the leather of the bag, she felt her frustrations well up. She found herself crying.
The door creaked open. It was Becker, and he was dressed in his tracksuit, ready for his daily session. "Sorry, bad time. I'll come back later." He said, when he saw Abby's tears.
"It's OK. Come in." she said.
"Anything I can help with?"
Abby sat down on the bench where she usually lifted weights. Becker sat next her. "It's Connor."
"I had noticed he seemed a bit … odd. Well, more odd than usual."
"He thinks he doesn't fit in here anymore. He's getting himself so worked up, he's getting angry. I'm worried about him." Her tears flowed even more. Becker's arm slid around her shoulder. She couldn't help it, he felt so warm. She pulled him closer to her and sobbed into his chest. Becker's arms circled her, softly caressing her shoulders.
"Abby?" Connor's sobbing voice filled the air, then the sound of his feet running down the corridor.
"Shit! What must that have looked like?" Abby said, pulling away from Becker.
"Go after him!" Becker said. "You have to set him straight."
Abby ran as fast as she could, yelling "Connor!" as she went.
When she eventually caught up with him, he was getting into the driver's seat of one of the 4x4s they used for anomaly missions. She banged on the door to try and get his attention, but he either didn't see her, or chose to ignore her. He pulled out of the car park at speed.
"He's going to get himself killed!" Abby thought, getting into her own car. She had to go wherever it was he was going and make him understand he didn't see what he thought he had seen. At first, she thought he was heading to the flat, but he took a different turning. 20 minutes later, he was pulling into a very familiar place – the race track, the place where they had gone into the future to rescue Jack, and where they had gone through into the cretaceous and the start of their nightmare.
She parked up behind him and ran after him. "Connor, what are you doing?" she panted, struggling to keep up with him.
"I'm doing what everyone else is too gutless to do! He's our friend, Abby, and I refuse to just abandon him!" he shouted back. His face was crumpled, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Connor, think about this…" Abby pleaded, but Connor was already pointing the device into the air.
An anomaly appeared, and without even a glance backwards, Connor stepped through it. "Connor!" Abby yelled, and she ran towards it to follow him. It disappeared. "CONNNNNOOOOORRRR!" she screamed. He had gone, he had closed the anomaly, and she was left alone staring at the space left behind.
