Thank you to those that took the time to leave a review. Apologies for not updating as quickly as I usually do, the muse needs a massive kick up the backside to find inspiration. Reviews and encouragement are welcomed :)
"Where is he?" Abby demanded to know.
After dropping Louise at 'Auntie Jess's', she and Matt had made their way straight to the ARC. Most of their journey had been in silence, both of them lost in thought. They'd been ushered into Lester's office the moment they arrived, and Abby had assumed that Connor would be there waiting for them. When he wasn't, she grew frustrated.
Lester turned on the large screen on the wall behind his desk and Abby gasped. It was Connor, no doubt about it. A little older, greying around the temples and flecks of grey peppered his wispy beard, but there was no mistaking those huge brown eyes. He was talking to Becker fairly animatedly whilst the Captain sat and listened.
"Is he OK?" Matt asked.
"Physically yes," Lester responded. "He was given the full once over before he was put in the interview room. We're just waiting on the results of the DNA tests."
"DNA? Seriously?" Abby couldn't quite believe that Lester had felt it necessary to do such a check
"It's for your protection, Abby... our protection, the ARC's... After all of this time, we need to be certain that it's not some imposter." Matt said softly, resting his hand on his wife's shoulder hoping to calm her. She shrugged him off.
"Give me two minutes with him and I'll tell you if he's genuine or not."
"You said he's physically OK. Are there other concerns?" Matt said.
"Hard to say. I haven't been listening to the full interview but it seems he's been travelling around trying to find an anomaly that would bring him home. Being alone for the best part of ten years can't have been easy, and we've all been witness to what it did to Helen Cutter and Patrick Quinn." Lester swallowed nervously, waiting for the explosion he knew would come.
"Connor's not like them!" Abby exclaimed. "Let me go in and talk to him! Matt, tell Lester that..." She stopped. Despite the air of professionalism that Matt had adopted the moment they arrived, she knew him too well and realised that he was struggling with the events unfolding in front of his eyes. Matt was not happy and had concerns about Abby seeing Connor, and it wasn't because he was worried about whether he was an imposter or Connor's mental state.
Lester sighed and flicked a switch so that he could communicate with Becker. "Don't say anything," he said. "Abby and Matt are here. I need to determine if you think it would be a good idea for Abby to see him. Let's have a break. I'll arrange for some food and drink to be taken in for Connor whilst you come up here."
Abby paced the room, refusing to make eye contact with either Matt or Lester. She was torn. She understood their reservations, especially Matt's after what had happened yesterday, but she had to know where Connor had been and what had happened to him that had kept him away for so long. When Becker arrived, she practically pounced on him, but he addressed Lester directly and glanced at Matt occasionally whilst he spoke.
"He's not giving much away, just facts. He's not a fool, he's knows I'm trying to assess his mental state. I think the only person he wants to speak to right now is Abby, he's been asking for her all afternoon."
"How much does he know?" Matt asked.
"Nothing. I told him we were trying to get hold of her and that she'd be here as soon as we could contact her."
"You can't stop me from seeing him!" Abby said. "No-one knows him better than I do. If he's a fake, I'll know within a few minutes, and if he's not stable then I'll work that out too." She looked pleadingly at Matt, believing he was the one she actually needed to convince. He let out a sigh and nodded.
"You're right. But we'll have two of Becker's men outside the door. First sign of anything that bothers you, you call them in." He pulled her into a hug and whispered that he loved her before releasing her and again nodding his approval. Abby mouthed a 'love you too' at him before turning and practically running out of the door. If she'd turned around, she would have seen Matt's heart breaking for the second time in 24 hours.
-o-
Abby paused at the door to the interview room, taking a moment to try and compose herself. On the other side was a man she had not seen for almost ten years; a man she had loved with every inch of her heart, body and soul. They had been through so much together, things that no-one else could even begin to understand, and that had bound them together. His disappearance had devastated her and she'd been left feeling like a part of her had been lost too.
She pushed open the door and stood there, not sure how she was supposed to react. Connor was eating a sandwich and hadn't immediately realised she was there, but when he did his smile spread across his entire face and the unmistakeable dimple appeared in his cheek.
"Abby? Where have you been?"
"I could say the same of you!" She felt a tear fall down her cheek as he stood up and he moved towards her. She stepped forward too and moments later found herself in Connor's embrace. The years fell away and it was like it was only yesterday that he'd held her like this. She allowed his warmth to radiate through her for several long moments before she broke the connection and took his hand. "Talk to me."
"Wouldn't know where to start!" Connor sighed. "I waited at the anomaly site for hours, willing it to reopen. When night fell, I climbed into a nearby tree and tried to get some sleep, but all I could think about was you. As time passed, the only thing that got me through some of my lowest points was the thought of being home again with you. And here I am, at last!"
Abby's stomach twisted and she felt sick. She would have to tell him about Matt sooner rather than later. It would probably break his heart to know that she hadn't waited for him, but it was better he heard it from her and not from someone else. "Connor," she began. "Sit down."
He obeyed, sitting back down at the desk and waited for Abby to sit down. She took the chair Becker had used and moved it around so that she could sit next to him and then she took his hand. "There's something you should know," she said quietly. "Ten years is a long time to be alone,"
"Tell me about it!" Connor laughed. "There's only so many conversations you can have with yourself and most of the creatures I came across were more interested in trying to make me their next meal or running away from me." He was going to say more, but stopped when he saw Abby's serious face. "Sorry. You were going to say something?"
"I waited for you, you have to believe that. Every time we went to an anomaly, I prayed that you would come through it. Each time, another piece of my heart was torn away. It was a very difficult time and I really don't know how I kept going."
"I must admit that I thought you'd left the ARC when Becker said they were having trouble getting in contact with you. I wouldn't blame you after all that we lost because of the anomalies."
"I couldn't leave," Abby said, taking a deep breath. She was building up to the moment she was dreading. "Everyone here was amazing. They were all here for me and eventually they helped me to work out that I needed to get on with my life. Jess, Becker, Lester... Matt."
She saw Connor's eyes take on a glassy appearance. He had a idea of what she was about to say but it would not make it any easier for her to say. "When you say get on with your life..."
"I'm married. To Matt."
Connor blinked and took a deep breath. "I suppose I should say congratulations. How long?"
"Almost seven years. We have a six year old daughter, Louise. She's a dinosaur fanatic, I think you and her would get on like a house on fire." Abby had hoped that would lighten the mood, but Connor just stared down at his clasped hands resting on the desk. Not knowing what else to say, Abby reached for his hands to stroke them but he moved away.
After a long, awkward silence, Connor finally cleared his throat and spoke. "Do you know if Lester intends to keep me here like a prisoner all night or have they sorted out somewhere for me to stay?"
"I don't know," Abby said softly. "Matt and I only got here a few minutes ago. Louise has been having some problems at school so we took her to the beach for the day for some quality family time. That's why they couldn't get hold of me. You may have been away for ten years but they still haven't solved the problem of mobile phone coverage being poor in some places." Connor sniffed and changed the focus of his stare to something on the wall opposite.
"Do you want to talk?" Abby said.
"Talk? About how you've been playing happy families whilst I've been fighting for my life every day for the last ten years?" Connor was trying to sound angry, but Abby knew him too well. He was trying not to cry. Her heart was breaking for him.
"It must have been tough. Maybe it would help if you talked about some of the things that happened to you?"
"I already told Becker the important stuff. The rest... Well, it can wait."
Abby nodded. "Of course it can. You must be tired and in need of a bath and a comfy bed. I'll go and find out what Lester has planned." She stood up to leave, but Connor caught her hand and looked at her properly for the first time since she'd told him she was married.
"Does he make you happy? Matt, I mean. Do you love him?" His face was crumpling as he battled against the tears that were in his eyes.
"Yes. He's a good man, Connor."
The sound that escaped Connor's lips was somewhere between a sob and a scream. His body shook violently as he could no longer hold back the flood of tears. Abby did the only thing she could. She took him in her arms and allowed him to bury his head against her chest whilst she held him as tightly as she could.
-o-
"Turn it off," Matt said. He had no desire to watch his wife comforting the man she had once called her soul mate. Lester obliged and flicked the switch on the screen so that the image disappeared.
"This must be pretty difficult for you too," Lester said. "If there's anything we can do to help..."
Matt sighed. There was a part of him that ached to talk to someone about all of this; his concerns about his relationship with Abby that was already showing signs of cracks, and how Connor returning would very likely make things even worse between them. He feared Abby was drifting away from him and that she would fall into Connor's arms as if the last ten years hadn't happened. But he couldn't. Becker and Lester were his work colleagues. He couldn't show any sign of weakness. That was how he'd been trained and it had served him well all of his life. Abby was the only person he'd really talked to about personal stuff.
Lester also knew his staff very well, and he sensed that Matt was not going to open up easily, if he did at all. "We're all tired," he said quietly. "I think the best thing we can do is go home, get some sleep and then re-examine the situation in the morning."
"I agree," Becker said. He stood up to leave and briefly placed his hand on Matt's shoulder. It was all he could do to let Matt know he was there for him without actually breaking that unwritten rule that you couldn't talk about how you felt. "If you want to leave Louise at our place, it's fine. I'm sure Jess has already put her to bed anyway. She'll have great fun playing with Max tomorrow, you can pick her up when you and Abby are ready."
"Thanks, mate." Matt forced a smile. Leaving Louise at the Becker's was probably the best idea, and Becker was right, Louise loved playing with their dog, Max, a huge but very cuddly Old English sheepdog that liked to have his tummy tickled and run wild around the garden whilst Louise chased him.
Becker said his goodbyes and left Matt alone with Lester. "I've arranged for Connor to stay at the hotel by the train station." Lester finally said.
"You're not afraid he'll run off, or go on a rampage through the town killing everyone that gets in his way?"
"We can't keep him locked up here against his will without good reason. Becker's satisfied that he's not going to do anything stupid for the moment. He's just relieved to be home, and he wants to be with Abby. That's all that's kept him sane for the last ten years."
Matt took a deep breath. "Abby and I will take Connor to the hotel and make sure he has everything he needs for the night. We can pick him up first thing in the morning too."
"That would be appreciated, Matt. Any expenses you incur for him... put your receipts into Jess and she'll see that you're reimbursed."
Matt nodded and Lester put on his jacket and searched in his drawer for his car keys. As he was about to leave, he turned to Matt. "If the observations and experiences of a slightly older man mean anything to you... She loves you."
"Is that enough? She loved Connor too."
"It might be a rough few days, Matt. But you'll get through this." As he turned towards the door, he briefly placed his hand on Matt's shoulder in the same way that Becker had done a few minutes earlier and nodded a silent goodnight. Matt stared at the closed door for a few moments, lost in his own thoughts, and then pulled himself together. He just wanted to go home with Abby.
-o-
Matt paused at the door that led to the interview room. He was almost afraid to go inside, fearing that he'd walk in on the kind of reunion Connor had probably been dreaming of for ten years. As he'd slowly made his way through the ARC from Lester's office, he had an image of Abby stretched out across the desk with Connor between her thighs. He knew it was a crazy thought, but he couldn't help it. He'd even deliberately delayed going to the room, taking a detour to the locker rooms to see if he could find some toiletries for Connor to use. Becker was very organised and kept shower gel, deodorant and shampoo in his locker just in case he had a mishap at an anomaly. A number of the soldiers also kept spare clothing at the ARC for the same reason, and Matt soon found a t-shirt and some combat trousers that he thought would fit Connor. They would do for the moment until they could get access to Connor's possessions that Abby had had put into storage.
Realising he couldn't put this off any longer, he grasped the bag of things he'd put together for Connor firmly in one hand and pushed open the door with the other. He held his breath, trying to push down the rising bile he felt in his gullet, then let it out in relief. Abby looked up and greeted him with a warm smile, which he returned. Feeling guilty that he'd had even a tiny moment of concern, he took her hand and squeezed it.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Lester said we should all call it a night. He's sent everyone home." Connor also looked up and forced a smile. "Connor, it's good to see you after all this time. We'd almost given up on you."
"So I've been hearing," Connor responded. "I hear congratulations are in order."
"Thank you."
"And a daughter as well?"
"Every bit as beautiful as her mother," Matt smiled proudly and looked at Abby.
"Louise! Matt... It's so late, we can't just..."
"It's okay. Becker's happy for her to spend the night with him and Jess. We can collect her tomorrow. She'll be perfectly happy there for a few hours, Jess will no doubt fill her with ice cream and chocolate and we won't be able to get her to sleep tomorrow night." Abby nodded and looked at the bag in Matt's hand, prompting him to explain. He gave it to Connor.
"I hunted out a few things that you might appreciate for tonight, and there's a change of clothes for tomorrow."
Connor muttered a surprised 'thank you' and reached inside the bag, pulling out the plastic bottle of shower gel, grinning for a moment and then looking at Matt with a concerned expression. "Where am I staying?"
"Ah, Lester's sorted you out with a room at the Holiday Inn by the train station. Abby and I will take you over there now and make sure you get checked in okay."
"Hotel?" Abby frowned. "He can't spend his first night home by himself in a hotel room! He can come back to our place. I'll put clean sheets on Louise's bed and..."
"Absolutely not, Abby!"
"It's fine, honest," Connor said. "I've been alone for the last ten years, its not going to make much difference now. Besides, I wouldn't want to cause a domestic."
Abby opened her mouth to protest again, but caught the look on Matt's face and decided against it. She was too tired to argue now, and maybe it was for the best that Connor didn't come back with them. With no Louise to worry about either, she and Matt could sit down and try to get their heads around what was happening.
It was only a short journey to the hotel, but it felt like several miles. No-one spoke. Abby snuck the occasional glance back at Connor, watching him as he looked out of the window, lost in his own thoughts. It took her back to the day that they returned from the Cretaceous. They'd sat in the back of a car as they were driven to the apartment that Philip Burton had sorted for them, holding hands and glancing at the passing scenery, too overwhelmed to take in any detail. Abby wondered what was going on in Connor's head right now. Ten years was a long time, and it must look very different to how he remembered it, though she suspected it was the least of his concerns. He had probably imagined his homecoming and his reunion with Abby many times over and it was unlikely that this scenario had even crossed his mind.
She stood away from the desk whilst Matt checked Connor in and watched as Connor clutched the key card in his hand and turned towards the lifts that would take him up to his room. Her heart ached for him, despite the brave appearance she knew that look in his eyes too well. He was feeling lost and afraid, but holding it together until he could be alone. Part of her wondered if she should go up with him and make sure he got to his room okay, or even if she should make him come back with her and Matt and stay the night at theirs, despite Matt's earlier decision.
"Connor!" she called out. He glanced over, a moment of hope glimmered in his eyes but disappeared. "Try to get a few hours sleep, yeah? We'll come and get you tomorrow morning."
Connor gave a nod just as the doors to the lift opened and he stepped inside. Matt placed his hand on Abby's shoulder and whispered that they should be heading for home. "Tomorrow could be a long day," he said.
-o-
"Do you want to talk?" Abby said as she and Matt finally walked into their flat. They were both tired, but also incredibly wound up. Sleep would not come easily to either of them. Matt shook his head and disappeared into the bathroom. Abby waited a few minutes, expecting him to come back out, but then she heard the sound of running water and she realised he was filling the bath. It was how he liked to think sometimes, shutting himself away alone.
She poured herself a glass of wine and took a long mouthful before sighing and closing her eyes. Seeing Connor again after such a long time felt strange and not how she'd imagined it at all. In the first few years after he'd disappeared, she'd thought his homecoming would be tearful and happy and that they'd make up for lost time as soon as possible, jumping into bed and making love all night. After Matt came on the scene, that reunion had almost been forgotten until now. Did she feel weird because there was a part of her that felt she should have welcomed Connor more warmly or with more passion? The fact that she'd been thinking about him unconsciously for the last few days also concerned her. Did she still have such a strong connection to him that she knew he was coming back?
She shook her head and opened her eyes. It was crazy to think like that. Connor had crept into her thoughts constantly throughout the ten years he'd been away. She had missed him; his warmth, his laughter, the way he made her feel like she was the only thing in his world that mattered... But she had that with Matt too, and he was the one who had been there for her. He was the one who had held her when she felt like her world had shattered, he'd been the one that helped her pick up the pieces of her life and he was the one who had taken care of her, given her a reason to live and made her feel like she could face the world again. And right now, he was sat in the bathroom and probably terrified that she was about to leave him for Connor.
After pouring another glass of wine, she picked up both glasses and made her way to the bathroom door. She pushed it open and sat herself on the edge of the bath. Matt was wearing his headphones, listening to an audiobook with his eyes closed and hadn't heard her come in. Placing the glasses on the floor, she leaned over and kissed his cheek softly whilst placing her hands on his shoulders to massage them.
"Abby?" He pulled out his earphones and looked up at her. She kissed his lips without saying a word then handed him a glass of wine.
"Peace offering."
"I didn't realise we were at war." He took a sip and smiled. "Weird day."
"I probably could've handled things better."
There was a moment of silence, then Abby began to remove her clothing as Matt watched, a familiar glint in his eyes. She climbed into the bath with him, allowing him to surround her body with his as she settled against him. "Been a while since we did this, eh?"
"Too long," Matt whispered, pushing aside Abby's hair to expose the back of her neck so he could kiss from the nape of her neck to the shoulder. She sighed softly. "You wanted to talk?"
"I just wanted to... well, just because Connor's back it won't change anything. What you said last night about feeling like there are three people in our marriage was right. There's me, you and Louise, and that's all that matters. It's you I love and..."
Matt's lips were on hers, smothering whatever else she wanted to say. It didn't seem to matter. Either that or he was afraid to hear the rest. Lester's earlier words resonated in his head as he felt Abby caress his body. There were still some rough days ahead of them, and this was only going to be a temporary sticking plaster for the wounds they were both going to experience.