DISCLAIMER – Not mine.
A/N – I know it's still early days, and the story hasn't really gotten going get, but... please review! It makes me all enthused about writing more.
Connor walked across the university campus, trying to ignore his fellow students. Sometimes – but only sometimes – he wished he was like them; completely ignorant to the existence of the anomalies. They brought nothing but trouble. The young man stopped by a small tree, and reconsidered that thought. Trouble, and Rex. He reconsidered again, remembering the small flying lizard's escape attempts. He grinned at the memory of the last one. Rex, who was normally devoted to Abby, had decided to make a run – or rather, a fly – for it. In the end, Connor had been flattened by Abby, who had successfully leapt over him, shut the window, and tripped backwards.
He thought of his fellow "crime-fighters", and smiled sadly. The anomalies really had only brought trouble. Professor Cutter had lost his wife, found her again, and discovered what she was really like. Stephen had been bitten – and there was the small matter of him sleeping with the Professor's wife, of course. Still, Connor thought, he wouldn't have traded with anyone. Not even himself. A half-remembered conversation with Abby, nearly a week before, floated to the top of his mind.
He caught sight of his flatmate out of the corner of his eye. Abby was waltzing around in underwear again. Sometimes, he swore she did it just to wind him up. He swallowed, and closed his eyes. Through sheer force of will, Connor turned his attention back to the new game he was playing. It was terrible, but it was a choice between the game and his dissertation. No contest.
Connor had almost succeeded in forgetting his flat-mate's current state of undress when she landed next to him on the carpet. She really had to be winding him up. There was no other explanation. With a quick sideways glance, Connor saw she was holding Rex. The lizard was a strange little thing. His loyalty was almost dog-like.
"Connor."
He twisted his neck to see her. "Abby."
"What do you think about all this – y'know"
Connor waited. "Um. No, Abby, I've got no idea what you're talking about."
"Y'knowCutter."
He shrugged. Women confused him. Abby definitely confused him.
"What about Cutter?"
She leant forward to whisper, as though someone was listening in. The conspiracy theorist in Connor suggested it was a distinct possibility. "Y'knowHis mystery woman."
"Claudia Brown?"
"Yeah. Her."
"Oh. He seemed pretty sure she existed."
Abby shifted again, planting herself on the carpet next to him. She looked worried, he thought. Very worried. It made her eyebrows crease just – Connor shook himself. This wasn't the time. Feeling nervous, and a little ridiculous, Connor placed an arm round her shoulders. He was immensely relieved when she relaxed against his shoulder. It had been the right thing to do. The "friend" thing to do.
"He did, didn't he." She said. "What if-"
"What if she was real?"
"What if he's lost it?"
Connor was starting to understand why the Professor was so annoyed with everyone. If the team had started doubting him like that, he wouldn't have known what to do. Still, he had offered Abby all the comfort he could without getting a smack in the nose for his trouble, and hadn't brought the subject up since.
"Connor!"
The familiar Scottish accent surprised him. Connor turned around to see the Professor slowing to a walk. The older man looked slightly guilty.
"Hey – Professor. What's up?"
"Look – if you want to go over those ideas, I have office hours on Thursday."
"Um. Alright. Thanks." Connor looked around, and stepped forward. "Don't tell anyone, but I think you might have been right about the aliens."
Cutter grinned, despite himself. He was almost sure that Connor had no more given up on his alien theories than he had given up on Claudia Brown's existence. Still, he thought he might as well make the most of the olive branch. Just as he opened his mouth, a shrill tone sounded from his pocket. Cutter took out his mobile phone. He swore vehemently under his breath.
"What?"
"Wow. Didn't know you knew that many swear words." Connor said, impressed.
The Professor raised an eyebrow. "Cutter." He waited for a few moments. "OK. We'll be there soon as we can."
Snapping the phone shut, Cutter walked away across the grass. When he had nearly reach the paving, he turned and rolled his eyes. It dawned on Connor that he was supposed to be following. The young man jogged to catch up.
"So what've we got?"
Cutter shook his head. "Don't know. Reports of a big scary monster at a lake in Devon."
"Big – scary – monster?"
"That's what I said."
"Is that a technical term?" Connor asked. Before ducking away, just in case.
