Connor knew he shouldn't be eavesdropping, but he couldn't seem to help himself, especially not when he heard Abby's name mentioned in the conversation.

A couple of Becker's soldiers, Parvalt and Coby, had been discussing women in general, over their lunch break. They didn't know Connor could hear them from the next door lab because they didn't know about the hole in the wall and he wasn't about to tell them about the hole in the wall because that would mean explaining to someone that it had been chewed into the wall by a diictodon who wasn't really supposed to be at the ARC in the first place. It wasn't like it was in the most obvious spot and Connor fully intended to fix it himself, sometime.

One of the soldiers, Connor wasn't sure which one, had mentioned that he thought Abby was sexy and asked if she was available. Connor had frozen in his tracks, panic settling in at the thought of someone asking out Abby, or more specifically Abby accepting.

The other soldier hadn't known and had called Becker over to ask.

To Connor's relief, Becker had responded with, "Yeah, sorry mate, she's got a boyfriend."

She didn't. Connor knew she didn't, so Becker was clearly mistaken, but Connor sure as hell wasn't going to walk in there and correct him. If soldier boy thought that Abby was already taken then that was that, nothing more for him to worry about.

"Aw, too bad," Parvalt answered. So it'd been Parvalt that had been interested. "Have they been going out long?"

"Not sure," Becker answered. "I think so. They seem pretty secure in their relationship from what I've seen anyways."

Wait what?! Becker had seen Abby in a relationship? Connor felt his throat tighten as the panic instantly came back. Had Abby just not told him? Maybe that's why he was kicked out of the flat? Was it that Jack guy? Maybe Abby had lied about him being her brother?

"Yeah," Becker continued, "Actually she's dating one of the other alpha team members, Connor Temple."

Oh! Oh, oh, Oh! This was good, but not good. It was good because if he was the boyfriend, there was no real one. It was bad because if Abby found out she would be furious. Abby absolutely hated it when someone thought the two of them were a couple.

He should probably find a way to let them know that he and Abby were not a couple, without letting on that he'd been eavesdropping of course, but he really, really did not want to do that.

And then the subject of the conversation entered the room.

"Hey Con, are you coming for lunch?" she asked him.

"Shhhh!" He motioned to her. He didn't want Becker and the soldiers to hear her, but he also didn't want her to hear their conversation.

Abby rolled her eyes at him, "Haven't you fixed that hole yet?"

"No," Connor said impatiently, taking her arm to move her away from hearing range. "I can't figure out how. I'm sooo not a handyman."

"You're great with fixing things, Con, what are you talking about?"

"A hole in the wall is a lot different than a computer, Abs. You couldn't help me fix it could you?"

She sighed and ignored him, which was a good sign. It meant she'd help him. If she wasn't going to, she'd have outright told him to do it himself. Besides, it was half her fault; she was the one that kicked him out of the flat so he had to bring the diictodons to work. Maybe half was a bit of an exaggeration though, he admitted to himself. Still, it was at least five percent her fault.

"Sarah?" Connor asked hesitantly a couple hours later. They had been working in comfortable silence for the last little while, but Connor knew that if anyone could help him out of his dilemma, it'd be her.

"Mmmm," she acknowledged him without looking up from the artefact.

"If someone thinks something that's not true, and I know it's not true but it's not my fault that they think it and I kind of like that they think it and I'm not supposed to know that they think it, am I morally obligated to correct them? And does the answer change if one of the people they think it about would not like it?"

Sarah was looking at him now, a puzzled expression on her face. "Connor, I think I need specifics here."

He sighed, "Okay, okay, just promise you won't tell anyone, okay? Especially Abby."

She nodded at him so he continued.

"Well apparently some of the soldiers think I'm Abby's boyfriend. They don't know I heard them talking about it, and I don't really want them to find out I'm not her boyfriend because, well I think one of them was going to ask her out."

"And you don't think he's a good match for her?" Sarah questioned, even though she was pretty sure that wasn't the issue.

"Hell if I know," Connor shrugged, "but he's not me, is he? He was asking about her though and Becker said that she was dating me and if they all want to think that, I'm fine with it. Abby on the other hand…" he trailed off.

Sarah hesitated and then spoke softly, "Abby's the one who told Becker she was dating you."

Connor turned to her, shocked at the pronouncement. "She- she did what? Are you sure?"

"I don't think she wanted you to know, per se, but she's actually been telling quite a few people that lately. Apparently a guy named Bill from Special Forces asked her out and she wanted an excuse to turn him down, that's when it started. He spread the rumour around. I was there when Becker asked her if it was true. She confirmed it. She tried to tell me the same thing but I confronted her on it; I already knew it was a lie from talking to you and she admitted that she'd just prefer everyone to think she was already taken right now."

Connor was silent, the wheels in his head turning, before he finally asked, "But why… why did she say it was me? She could have easily said it was someone from outside the ARC, made someone up."

"Probably more believable. I mean, who would lie about it with someone they know? Chances are higher of the truth coming out, so people would assume someone would only say it if it were true."

"Why would she lie in the first place? I mean I know why, you just told me but why would they think she was lying in the first place? Abby's hot, I'm amazed she doesn't have a boyfriend. If she'd told me she did I wouldn't second guess her."

"I don't know why, Connor. You'll have to talk to her about that."

"I won't get you in trouble, will I? For telling me and all?"

"She didn't specifically say not to," Sarah shrugged.

Connor wasn't quite sure how he was going to broach the subject with Abby, but in the meantime he was going to research this Bill guy. Abby could have just told him no, but she hadn't. Maybe he had been too persistent, maybe that's why she needed a better excuse. Maybe she wanted him to think she had someone there at the ARC looking out for her. Connor was going to make sure that, whoever this guy was, he wasn't some creep and if he was… well he'd figure something out.

Only it turned out there was no Bill in Special Forces, nor was there a William. He called Sarah to confirm that she was 100% sure of the name. She said she was.

So then there was something else going on. He decided he couldn't avoid a chat with Abby any longer.

"Abby?" Connor questioned as he entered her lab, remembering to shut the door to the temperature controlled room behind him.

"What is it, Connor?"

"Who's Bill?"

Abby furrowed her eyebrow as if puzzled, before shaking her head. "Is this a trick question, Connor? I give up, who is he?"

"You don't know Bill?"

"Should I?"

"You should if he exists; I'm starting to wonder. I can't find his file."

"Everyone has a file, Connor."

"So he doesn't exist?"

"If he does, I don't know him."

"Interesting," Connor mused, wondering what that meant.

"Connor?"

"Yeah?"

"Who's Bill?"

It was Connor's turn to be confused. "I don't know, Abby do I?. That's what I asked you."

Abby rolled her eyes, "Okaaaay, but why did you ask me? There must be some reason why you think I know someone who may or may not exist named Bill."

"You're the one who told Sarah he asked you out and that that's why half the ARC thinks I'm your boyfriend."

Abby blushed, her entire face turning red as she turned away from him and started picking leaves from the plant she was tending, "Oh, I… Sarah she was asking about… Well I needed a name fast, I wasn't even sure what I said, to be honest."

"Bill, Abs, you said Bill. You said Bill asked you out so you told him me and you was dating."

"He doesn't exist. I just didn't want Sarah to know that because she heard me tell Becker and apparently you already told her we weren't, so she asked and…."

"Okay this isn't my fault Abs, not this time. But if there's no Bill, why did you tell everyone we was dating?"

She sighed, "Because there was someone else who wasn't Bill. Look, does it matter? Do you care if people think it? I'll tell them truth if you do. To be honest, Connor, I was feeling a bit guilty about the whole thing anyways."

Connor shook his head vehemently, "I don't mind at all, Abs. We could even pretend, if you want? I could maybe hold your hand at work sometimes, give you the odd kiss, just to make it believable of course…" He was taking liberties here for sure but it was definitely Abby who started this whole thing so he felt like he was at least a little bit entitled the suggestion.

Abby grinned at him and rolled her eyes, but to his amazement she only replied, "We'll see," instead of outright rejecting the idea.

"What's with the secrets though, Abby?" Connor continued, not quite clear on the whole matter and wanting to be before he inwardly celebrated. "If it's not Bill that asked you out, who is it?"

She stared at the ground for a long time before looking back at him, her eyes searching, "No one, Connor. But Elena, she said… well you know Elena."

"Hot Ginger, works on computer upgrades? Yeah, I know her. She's nice, isn't she? I always liked her anyways, but if she did something to you I'll…" he didn't finish. One day he'd have to sit down and come up with an ending to his threats.

Abby shook her head and then went for it, "She's too nice, Connor and she said she was going to ask you out and I-I panicked. I didn't want you to date her and I thought you might accept so I said you were taken."

Oh. That explained why Abby's boyfriend had to be him, then. Abby was looking at him, trying to read his reaction and he knew he should be reacting but it was a little bit hard because really he had no idea why she didn't want him to date Elena. He maybe should be angry she was interfering, but he couldn't be because he should have listened when she interfered with Caroline, and maybe he should be happy because she cared enough to care if he dated Elena. And maybe he just didn't know what he should feel and maybe he really didn't care either way because he wouldn't have gone out with Elena in the first place, would he have? He'd already learned the hard way through Caroline that it was a bit ridiculous to date one person when you loved someone else.

Finally he gave up trying to decide on a reaction and just looked at Abby and shrugged, "Okay."

"Okay… to what?" she asked, confusion written across her face.

"Okay, to everything, I guess," he said and then smiled at her. "Okay I'll go along with it, and okay I won't date Elena, or anyone else that you don't approve of and just… well its okay," he finished lamely. "Everything is okay. Doesn't matter."

"You're not angry?"

"Why would I be, Abs?"

"Because I-I… I might have messed things up for you. I can tell her the truth and…"

"Forget it. Abby, look, I care about you. You're me best pal, okay? And I learned my lesson after Caroline. You're more important to me than Elena, I barely know her, so if you don't want me to date her for whatever reason, I ain't gonna date her. Your feelings about the matter gotta count too. And to be honest, Abs, I don't think I would have gone out with her anyways. Things got kinda messed up with me and you when I tried dating last time, didn't they?"

To his surprise, Abby looked like she was about to cry. Had he said something bad? But suddenly she reached up and kissed his cheek.

"Connor, thank-you. You don't know what that means to me, but, I'm just being petty and jealous. I can't let you put your life on hold for my sake."

"It's not just for your sake, Abby. It's for our sake. I care about…" he trailed off as her comment sunk in and then a cheeky smile appeared on his face. "Were you really jealous, Abs?"

"Course, Connor. Wouldn't you be jealous if I was seeing someone else?"

"Well yeah but, that's just me, innit?"

"No it'd us both, Con. We actually just established that one."

"So what's that mean?"

"It means that as long as we want to be best mates neither of us should ever date anyone, or else things will change between us, Connor, and I don't want that. I need you."

"Yeah, okay," Connor agreed again.

"You're really just okay with that?" Abby questioned, feeling slightly amazed. "You'd really commit to putting the rest of your life on hold for me. Never dating anyone ever just so we can be pals?"

"Abby, you make it sound like I've agreed to something horrible for you, I'm not offering to sacrifice me mum or anything. What's the big deal? I'm sure I don't want anyone to come between us just as much as you don't and if me dating someone is gonna do that then I don't want to date."

"Because no one else would have agreed to that."

"No one else is your best mate."

"I'm serious, Connor, people don't just give each other a lifetime committed promise of not seeing anyone else, ever."

"Abby, people do that daily. It's called marriage."

"Only we're not talking about getting married Connor."

"This whole thing was your idea, are you trying to talk me out of it?"

"No, I just want to make sure you're serious about it."

"Abby, I know I joke around a lot, but I know how to be serious too and I know what a commitment is. And if not dating is the price I pay to make sure you ain't datin' either and that me and you stay pals for life, I'm totally in."

"Yeah? So we're agreed?"

"Agreed. But it is a big commitment Abs so we should do something to seal it, don't ya think? Wanna make up a way cool secret handshake with me?"

Abby shook her head and rolled her eyes, mainly out of amusement. "Connor, you're such a dweeb. But okay, when we get home, if that's really what you want."

He nodded and then hesitated, "Abby, would-would I be crossing a line if I said that, maybe, if you ever do change your mind and want to date someone, well I'd be available for that?"

Abby smiled at him, "I know that, Connor. And you know what? You just keep being you, okay, but I'm not going to change my mind."

Connor nodded, a quick flash of sadness in his eyes but he shrugged and gave her grin, "That's fine, Abs. I was just sayin', if you ever did."

"I made up my mind ages ago that one day I want to date you, Connor. Just give me a bit more time, okay?"

Connor's surprise was evident as he questioned, "You-you did? Well that'd be brilliant, wouldn't it? And of course, Abs, as much time as you need, that's fine. You'll tell me when though, right?"

"I will," Abby promised.

"Abs, maybe we could add some kissing into our secret handshake… just, you know, nothing official or anything but it's like… the trailer before a movie, eh?"

Abby shook her head, laughing as she turned and walked away saying, "I gotta get back to work, Con."

He called after her, "Was that a yes or a no?!"