Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters or any settings/songs/places. This is merely a fanmade writing experiment and is in no way profit making.

Be Careful What You Wish For!

Chapter Two


Two weeks! It had only been two weeks! Two weeks since his world turned upside down and his hero and mentor had been killed. Murdered by his own wife! Even now Connor shuddered, struggled to breath and felt his stomach revolt at the thought. The tears fell without his consent and Connor was surprised he had any left to shed.

A week ago they had held a quiet service and Professor Nick Cutter had been laid to rest. It all seemed to have passed in a blur to Connor. He could not have told you who else attended or what words were spoken in Cutter's remembrance. The only things he could recall was his own loss, Jenny's heartbroken sobbing and…. Abby!

Abby. His shadow since he had carried Cutter's body from the burning ARC. Abby. His anchor that grounded him when he was lost at sea. Abby. His rock when he'd barely had the strength or will to go on standing. Abby. Connor not help his watery smile as he thought of his best friend.

Abby, who was his everything! Mary Jane to his Peter, Lois to his Clark… Leia to his Han. Connor had to confess though that lust had not stirred in him these past two weeks. He was too gutted and lost to want to anything more than to simply hold Abby close as he tried to come to terms with Cutter's death.

Abby's solid, reassuring form was the only thing that eased the ache in his heart. She had been a tower of strength these past two weeks and Connor was sure he would have gone insane had it not been for her staunch support. Without Abby being at his side, Connor would never have survived the first night of this waking nightmare that he'd stumbled about in since his mentor's murder.

Work was the other crutch he depended on and Connor had thrown himself in to it. The bomb that went off at the ARC had destroyed so much… There was a billion things to do just get them back to where they were before, little own make any progress with the mammoth task he was now left to face alone. His head ached when he thought of everything he needed to get done.

Connor had worked every day and most nights since he had woken, still clutching Abby tightly to him, the afternoon following Cutter's death. Yet it seemed no matter how hard he worked it was never enough! Never enough to let his mind switch off and rest. As it was the nights that tormented Connor. It was a night when his exhausted body betrayed his mind and left it unoccupied to go over and over the last conversation he'd had with the man whom he'd adored like a father.

'Cutter.' Connor called out futilely in comparison to the noise of the burning building. 'Cutter.' The smoke and heat brought tears to his eyes as he searched the flames. 'Cutter.' Connor's eyes stung, lungs burned, coughing and choking Connor kept looking. 'Cutter.' He called out again as he turned the corner. Suddenly it was fear not fumes that choked Connor as he found Cutter lying shot and bleeding on the floor. 'Cutter?' Connor asked. His name a plea for the Professor to be OK as Connor knelt helplessly beside him.

Cutter groaned, slowly sitting up. He smiled when he saw he who had found him. 'Connor. Good man.'

Connor could see Cutter was in agony and that he had lost a lot of blood. A lot of blood! Connor's eyes told him it was too late but his mind refused to believe that. 'You hold on. I'm going to get you out...' Connor took Cutter's arm and began to help him up but Connor froze as Cutter cried out in agony. 'Sorry.' Connor whispered, releasing Cutter's arm.

'DON'T! Don't... Do that.' Cutter gasped.

'Sorry.' Connor whispered again, feeling useless. Aghast he'd caused Cutter further pain.

There was a resigned look on Cutter's face as he said. 'Its OK. Just sit with me.' Cutter lifted his hand and gently touched Connor's face. 'All right?'

Oh my God he is going to die! Connor's mind silently screamed and he gasped in air. 'OK.' Connor softly replied and defeated sat down next to Cutter. Numb with shock Connor almost missed what the Professor said next.

Cutter grunted with pain as he rallied the last off his strength to pass Connor an artifact. 'Now…. Listen…. This matters. I don't know why but it does. So... You have to find out what it means OK?'

'OK.' Connor promised, dazed.

'Now. It's on you now.' Cutter enthroned.

'No... No…..' Connor quickly corrected him, denying the vocation and burden that Cutter was passing to him. 'Come on, we can do this together. We have always done it together.' Connor pleaded, begging Cutter with his eyes not to leave him.

Cutter gave a relived sigh. 'No... Not this time.' Cutter said resting his head on Connor's shoulder. 'Tell... Tell Claudia Brown…. Never mind. It doesn't matter.'

Dead Cutter slumped against Connor. Hazy with pain and loss Connor leaned his head against Cutter's. Cutter had held on long enough to pass on his quest and Connor began to shake as the enormity of crusade he now led engulfed him. Terrified, alone and clueless as to how to carry on, Connor had no memory of carrying Cutter outside the ARC but just of staring down at his lifeless body and vowing . 'I won't let you down, Professor.'

'I won't let you down, Professor. I won't let you down, Professor.' Connor mumbled, restless in sleep.

'Connor. Conn.' Abby gently shook him awake. Unhappy at having to interrupt Connor's much needed rest but refusing to let him to go through the nightmare again. 'Connor. You're dreaming. Wake up, Conn.'

Connor jumped and woke with a start. He and Abby were cuddled together on her bed. Connor felt his face again wet with tears and Abby soothingly stroking his arm. 'Sorry. I must have dozed off.' Connor husked, embarrassed.

'You don't have to apologise. It's O.K, Conn. I'm just sorry I had to wake you but you were...' Abby trailed off and squeezed his arm again. 'Are you alright?'

They both grimaced at the question and Connor bravely smiled. 'Yeah, I'm fine thanks.' Neither of them believed the lie and Abby sighed.

'You should try to get more sleep.' She said without much hope.

'It's on you now.' Cutter's overwhelming legacy taunted at him and Connor knew he get no more rest that night. 'There is so much to do, Ab's.' Connor said with an apologetic sigh. 'I better get back to the ARC.' Connor saw Abby's frown and forestalled her protest and rushed on. 'We can't do much of anything till the detector is back on line and its nearly ready. I should have it working today.' Connor said encouragingly, pretending that a working detector would be a step forward instead of them being back stuck on square one. 'And I know I'm close on figuring out the locking mechanism. It just needs a bit more work.' He said with more enthusiasm as his mind thankfully filled with lists of things he needed to do.

Abby wanted to argue but saw the distracted look in his eye and knew that work was what he needed. The trouble was, that work consumed him and she knew there was little point in to trying to get him to rest once his mind began to toil. He'd barely slept since Cutter's death and it had been restless and disturbed when he had. The few times Abby had succeeded to persuading him to nap they had slept together. Each holding on to the other, letting their tears of anguish flow until exhaustion had claimed them. 'OK, Let's go back to work then.' Abby smiled resignedly at him.

'You don't….' Connor stopped, 'Have to come with me.' He had been going to say but recognised the determined look on Abby's face. Connor knew that look and that there was no arguing with Abby once she made up her mind. He would just be wasting precious time if he protested. Besides Connor knew he was dissembling as he needed Abby with him by his side. Connor had become dependant on her indomitable spirit. Abby's mere presence made it easier for him to breath and focus so Connor smiled and nodded agreement. 'Thank you.' Connor took a deep breath. 'For everything.' Connor whispered, swallowing as his grief threatened to consume him once more.

Abby could see he was struggling to hold it together. 'It's OK. You're buying me breakfast.' Abby grinned at him, longing to see his charming, easy smile. She had to fight tears of her own when he bravely mastered his and grinned at her in reply.

'Your on.' Connor smiled and felt the pressure in his chest ease seeing Abby's light hearted smile. She mollified the hollow ache and gave him the opportunity to concentrate on work. In his head he began to prioritise his tasks. His mind already at the ARC, he gave Abby a distracted hug, got up and went back to his own room to get dressed.

A different sort of longing gripped Abby as she watched Connor walk away. She took a deep breath and shook herself mentally and moved to get ready. So far they're sleeping together had been purely platonic. Their only desire the innocent need to take solace in the others embrace. Yet as the shock of Cutter's death started to wear off Abby found other desires once more teasing at her.

She had all but walked into Connor as he was coming out of their bathroom the day before. He was wearing nothing but a towel after his shower and Abby was dazzled by how sexy she found him. Quickly she'd covered her reaction, forced a laugh and hurried back to her own room on the pretext she forgot something. The quiver of primeval desire she had felt as she watched a drop of water drip from his wet hair and trickle down his chest had both shocked and aroused her. Abby had wanted to touch Connor! Trace her finger down his chest, down the trail the bead of water had left. She wanted to follow it down underneath the towel that clung so precariously to his hips. Abby ached for Connor and longed to… NO!

She was doing it her again! She was letting her sexual desires get the better of her and putting her and Connor's relationship in danger! She had to get some distance! Had to find a way to get Connor to sleep back in his own room to give them both time to adjust to everything before they took things any further between them.

They would become lovers! She knew it was inevitable now. She longed for them to become so! However with all that had happened she felt crowded and was desperate for some time to think. She could feel her panic and insecurities nagging at her and wondered how to she was going to create the space she knew they both needed.

She wanted Connor and herself to come together because they loved each other. Not because neither knew how to deal with the crushing loss of Nick Cutter. Abby had been the one to lead Connor to her bed in comfort and support and they had grown closer as a result. Now they were almost inseparable and the depth of her reliance unnerved her. Yet Abby knew if she asked Connor for space now he would see it as rejection. Hesitant she had no idea how to proceed without rebuffing him again.

Abby took another deep breath to calm her clamouring demons, hurried to change and drive them back to the ARC. Maybe she was worrying unduly and that things would unfold naturally now between them. But with her past record of pushing Connor away, (and in doing so before straight into the arms of that viper Caroline!), Abby severely doubted it.