A/N: Part 3. This is the end! ... I'm sorry. I'm so, sorry. (You'll understand.) Nah, it's not that bad. Bittersweet!
Enjoy!
Abby and Connor walked outside, the cold, brisk air skimming against their skin. Abby let out a shiver as they stood out under the moon. She looked at Connor who was browsing his mobile phone, causing her to remember she owned one too. She'd check it but the only person who would be calling her at this hour would be her brother and he was out of town.
Cutter passed them, a striking brunette nagging at his side, and smirking Becker at the other side. She smiled to herself, and then noticed Connor watching her from his phone.
"Wha'?" she asked.
"Nothin', just…" he sighed and tucked his cell in his back pocket. "I just feel like I know you, yeah? I don't know really how, do I? But you seem rather familiar, and I can't seem to put my finger on how."
Abby slanted her mouth over to the side and thought about it. She agreed with Connor, he seemed awfully familiar to her, too. But it never dawned on her that they knew each other from an actual event.
"I'm coming off crazy, aren't I?" he said with a sheepish grin.
Abby shook her head. "Nah. I feel the same, really."
"Really? So I'm not crazy?"
Abby giggled and shook her head again. "But, I really have no clue where we could've met before … Do you?"
Connor shook his head as well, a glum look upon his face. He opened his mouth to speak when an unrecognizable woman who looked like she had Indian heritage came beside him. "Connor, Connor,"
Connor looked at her with a welcoming smile. "Yo?"
She paused, looking at Abby. "Oh! Hello," she softly laughed. "I'm Sarah."
Abby returned the greeting with a smile. "Abby. I work here."
Sarah nodded in understanding and went back to Connor. "What are those lizard things called again? With the feet and the-the-… oh, they fly?"
"You mean a Coelurosauravus?" Connor answered.
"Yes!" she excitedly exclaimed. "Yes, that's it!"
Connor chuckled at her. "Can I ask why?"
"I've found data on them from years back. Decades! It's quite remarkable." She said with a grin, looking down at her notepad.
"Sarah here," Connor said to Abby, "helps Cutter with discovering the mystery of the anomalies. Why and when they appear, that stuff."
Abby found that pretty remarkable in itself. Lord, would she love a job more than just studying snakes mating patterns all day. She loves reptiles, but she prefers lizards and her job if anything has gotten old. She'd do anything for some adventure and mystery. "Wow, that's pretty … amazing. Sounds like an exciting job."
"Well," Sarah said with a smirk. "It gets overwhelmingly boring at times. The Professor is very … thorough in his studies and it can take weeks over just one event at times … What do you do?" she asked, seeming to find it suspicious that Connor was telling everything to this girl.
"Reptile Specialist." She stated.
"Oh!" she seemed pleased now. "Well, we can always use someone who knows dinosaurs better than us. I mean dinosaurs, in a strict sense, are reptiles."
Abby nodded, but was confused. Connor spoke up. "Err, Sarah? I don't think Cutter has offered Abby any kind of job…"
"Well, than he should, shouldn't he? I know I would." Sarah smiled at her. "But anyway, so the Coelurosauravus –"
"Would you describe that again? That… Coelurosauravus?"
Sarah and Connor looked at her puzzled, but Connor did so. Once he was done describing its mannerisms and wingspan, personalities, everything he could thing of – Abby looked at him almost ill.
"Wha' is it?" he asked.
"I'm thinking I've handled one before. This kid found it in some forest couple years back. I told him he had discovered an all-new breed." She scoffed, almost amused. "I had no idea it was a dinosaur."
Connor looked shocked. "You said… a forest? It wouldn't happen to be Forest of Dean, would it?"
Abby's eyes brightened. "Yeah, we even walked through it, but we heard something rabid and got spooked. We ran back to his house, Rex making it hard for him to stay in my arms. Later he had all kinds of articles 'bout him – 'little boy found a brand new breed of lizard in the Forest of Dean'?"
Connor was unaware, but Sarah seemed to recognize the news. "Yeah, yeah. I heard about it. They couldn't find any more of its kind. Since it couldn't mate, the news died off."
Abby nodded.
"So… you were there the night I was?" Connor muttered.
"What?" Abby looked back at him, furrowed brows. "You were there?"
He chuckled some. "Yeah… That's where we found the first anomaly."
"Oh… uhh… wow."
Sarah looked lost now. She gave a smile, a few words to dismiss herself, and walked over to Jenny and Cutter. Connor looked at Abby, studying her features. How could this be…? He never even met her, yet she was there…
Abby was just as astonished as he was. What did this mean? Had they met another time and that's how she knew him? She didn't know, but what she did know is this couldn't be another coincidence. She met the almost-perfect guy and she was going to act on that. She opened her mouth to speak when Connor suddenly pulled out his mobile.
"Oh, I forgot…" Connor grumbled. He looked at Abby with an apologetic expression. "Sorry, it's uhhh, it's me girlfriend." He stood there for a second, staring at his phone. "She hates me not to call and checkup." He then answered it. "– Hey, luv…"
Abby stood in silence, not even wanting to say a word. She didn't move. Why would she? She felt like she was just stabbed in the back with a large knife – which really didn't suffice the pain. But she didn't even understand why it hurt so much. She didn't even know him. Besides, this kind of stuff always happened, especially to her.
"Yeah, I know. – Caroline…"
And yet, it hurt more than she knew it ever could.
Jenny, with her arms crossed and foot tapping on the ground, eyed Cutter. Her brown eyes intently watching him as he explained why he found the need in jumping through the anomaly for a baby Raptor, of all things.
"And I'd like to add, that Becker was supposed to keep silent." He directed that towards the solider, who just stood there smirking. Becker liked to rattle Jenny more than Connor did – always telling her what dangerous and risky thing he did that day. Sarah looked at him and shook her head.
"Oh yes, because ordering Becker to not tell me you practically got killed is so more reassuring."
"Well… yes?"
Jenny sighed and wagged her head at him. "Nick, just… the last thing any of us need is you getting yourself killed."
"Jenny, I didn't die. I'm just a bit sore. I'm perfectly fine, and safe."
"Now, yes. You are. But what if the anomaly didn't close soon enough and the Raptor jumped back in with you, Nick? Or if it closed too soon and you weren't able to get back? People died today, and you could have, too."
Cutter laid his hands on her shoulders and softly smiled. "But it didn't. I'm alive. And so are Connor and Becker, I have you know."
Jenny took in a deep breath and nodded. "Fine. But no more taking risks." She paused for a moment, looking in his eyes. "Please."
Becker and Sarah stood there awkwardly. Becker cleared his throat and saw Abby walking away from Connor and near them. To change the subject he said, "Maitland," she froze, seeing the tall and stern solider speaking to her. "I was impressed by your mulish acts today."
She revealed a small smile as she approached the four of them – Cutter, Jenny, and Sarah turning towards her. "Well, I'm taking that as a compliment, coming from you, soldier boy."
Becker firmly nodded. Cutter then decided to speak. "Ms. Maitland, you know … we always have an opening for someone with your skills. It's not an easy job and you proved yourself very capable. You'll need to go through many background checks, many signed pacts and agreements, but-"
"Thank you, Professor." Abby censored in. "But I …" she glanced over at Connor, still on the phone. "I couldn't accept your offer."
"Ah." Cutter's eyes trailed back to where she looked and nodded. "I see."
Abby gave a soft smile, and then remembered something she wanted to ask. "So Professor, is it normal for baby Raptor's to like people?"
Cutter raised his brow, an amused air in his words. "No, I suppose not."
"So you're some sort of... dinosaur whisperer?" she teased. Cutter smiled.
Jenny burst out a laugh. "'Nick Cutter, Raptor-Whisperer.'" Abby then looked at Jenny, realizing her presence. Jenny seemed to have noticed her reaction so she said, "Hi, Jenny Lewis." She put out a hand to shake.
Abby took it and pleasantly smiled. "Abby Maitland."
"I'm the PR. And the only one who has the tolerance to manage this man." She said, gesturing at Cutter.
"S'okay." she understood with a bit of a smirk towards Cutter's expression. "I work as a Reptile Specialist here. Or, did… if they don't blame all the damage on me that is."
"Don't worry," Jenny assured. "I won't let that happen. As long as I say so, you were a mere victim." She eyed Cutter and then continued on. "You know, usually we just try to convince our victims this was all just a misunderstanding on your part."
"I think I saw too much for me to fall for something like that." She laughed a little.
"Oh," Cutter spoke. "You'd be surprised what this woman can convince a person of."
"Not the point." Jenny said. "My point was Cutter, Connor, Becker, and Sarah all seemed so impressed that instead of writing you off as collateral damage, they instead would rather hire you on. Connor didn't say so, but I can assume, and I know Cutter and Becker have nagged me over the idea since they've come out of the building; which I finally consented to."
"Oh, I really am sorry, but I don't think I could … handle the job."
"They, and I for that matter, would argue otherwise. You did handle the job – quite well."
Abby sighed. "I'll think about it, yeah? Not my night, though. I think it'd be good to sleep on it."
"Well, before you go home we have some paperwork to fill out. This isn't allowed to be a very public affair."
Abby nodded, and Jenny led her to where they could sign a few official documents and agreements – Sarah followed. The moment they left Connor came over, watching them go off, and tucked his phone in his pocket. "Where're they going?"
"A civilian just witnessed an anomaly, Connor." Cutter informed. "They have to deal with the aftermath now."
"Oh. She's not in trouble, is she?"
Cutter shook his head. "No, 'less the Minister finds out or something. For now, she's fine." He looked at Connor, who was still staring at where they disappeared to. "So, what'd you tell her? Confess your love? Tell her she's all you've ever known? Beg for her to know you as much as you know her?"
Connor furrowed his brows at the Professor. "What are you talkin' abou'?"
"I'm talking about Abby denying our offer of working with us. Sarah said she seemed really interested, then when she came over here she said no and looked over at you. What'd you do?"
"Nothing…" Becker and Cutter didn't look convinced. "I didn't say a thing, I promise!" Connor defensed himself. "We just chatted, yeah? I mean… there was one thing, but I don't know why she would be scared off by that."
"What was it?"
"Well, I told her I felt like I knew her from somewhere. But she saying she felt the same means she actually feels the same and all that, doesn't it? We thought we'd met somewhere before… That's it. Then Caroline called."
Cutter pressed a hand to his temple and groaned.
"Wha'?"
"Caroline. That's what. I was wrong, Connor, you did the opposite. You didn't confess your love." Connor looked confused. "Did it ever occur to you that it might be offensive to act like you wanted to pursue something with her and then answer a call from your girlfriend?"
"Well…" Connor thought about it. "I didn't pursue anything, did I?"
Now Becker groaned. "Connor, you're an idiot."
"Yeah, thank you Becker. You tell me whenever you get the chance. – Cutter, are you saying Abby's interested in me?"
He sighed. "Connor, are you interested in her? 'Cause you've been ogling over her all night. You feel like you know her, correct?" Connor nodded. "And she feels the same?" he nodded again. "Do you at least care for her?" Connor hesitated, and nodded. There was no doubt. "Then go up to her, apologize, and beg her to work for us."
"…Why?"
"What happened to Duncan, Connor?" Cutter said bluntly. Connor felt a pull at his heart. Duncan was his best mate, and he lived with him for a few years after Tom's death, but he slowly started to change into a paranoid conspiracist. He didn't believe a word Connor said, or anyone else for that matter. He then moved out with nowhere to really live. He was a completely different person, and it was all because of the anomaly, the dodoes, and Tom's death. Connor also liked to put it on what he saw as the actual blame: himself. "I'm sorry to say it, but that will happen to Abby. No one can live with that information and have no one to discuss it with."
Connor nodded, silent. Cutter was right about everything – even about him having feelings for Abby. Shamefully, he'd about forgotten he was even dating Caroline 'till the moment she called him. He didn't understand how Abby made him feel so … he didn't even know. She felt so familiar, like he's loved her for years.
But he couldn't love this woman. He didn't even know her, and he did know Caroline. They'd been through a lot. After he found out she was just dating him for the pay, she came back to him, confessing that she really did like him. So, after a while he came back around, and they'd been dating for almost a year … that was real, not this weird fantasy he had about knowing Abby. He still cared about Abby, but he wasn't going to encourage something that wouldn't and shouldn't happen. It was wrong.
Cutter patted him on the shoulder and sighed. "Now go, wait for them to finish."
And Connor did. But he had a feeling it wouldn't end as well as Cutter hoped for.
Abby trudged into her flat. She threw her purse and things on the counter of her kitchen and flopped on her couch. Her flat felt so empty tonight, she didn't really know why. This was her home, she'd lived here for a while now by herself, but it felt like there was something missing now.
Everything in her life felt empty now.
Every morning she dreaded going to work. Every morning she got up from her bed and looked into her living room, as if expecting someone to be there. Every morning, afternoon and evening she felt like she needed an adventure that she couldn't have, because she was watching snakes just lay there and do nothing. Nothing felt the same.
It was her fault. That night Connor came up to her, he told her he was sorry about taking the call and had hoped they could be friends – he made them both different topics but felt pretty coincidental – and he asked her if she'd consider working with them. Out of rage of … well she really didn't know what, Abby refused. The fact that he was dating that 'Caroline' made her want to hurl and she didn't even know Connor. She didn't even know his last name! But she refused the job, Connor looked beyond devastated, and she went home. Now feeling like someone was missing from her life.
She tried to shake the feeling. He's just a guy I met one night, she tries to constantly convince herself. But how could she? She knew better than that.
And so, she spent her free time tracking anomaly sightings. It was pathetic and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. They were always on her mind, and she just wanted to maybe bump into the team again where maybe they would offer the job again, and she could finally accept it. But then… Connor was dating someone else he called 'luv'. She felt wrong trying to intervene…
Abby let out hindered breath and opened her laptop, seeing a brand new email from a friend at the zoo – saying he just witnessed a weird glowing orb open in front of his eyes.
Abby jumped up from the couch and bolted out of her flat, straight for work. She just prayed she wouldn't be too late.
"Connor," Connor looked up at Sarah, who stood at the ADD where she sat. "Are you all right? You seem a bit out of it."
Connor gave a smile and a nod. "Course I am. Couldn't be better."
She scoffed. "Coming from the guy who just broke up with his long term girlfriend because she said he 'wasn't mentally with her anymore'. Really, what's wrong?"
Connor sighed and turned his chair to face her. "What isn't wrong anymore, Sarah? I lost the girl I'm pretty sure I somehow in some weird possibility loved, lost the girl I was growing to love 'cause I was constantly thinking about the other one, and now I live in an empty flat that the landlord keeps threatening to kick me out of because I don't get paid enough to pay for the flat all meself."
"On the bright side, you work with dinosaurs…?"
Connor let a smile break loose on his lips and nodded. "Yeah, there's that."
"C'mon, Conn. No one's died, so you've got that to look up at."
He sighed. "It's been three months, Sara. And I can't seem to move on."
"Maybe instead of trying to move on, you should try to move forward."
He narrowed his brows. "That's the same thing, init?"
"Nope," she smiled, "'cause moving forward can mean looking for that girl you 'in some weird possibility loved', or just looking at the bright side. I prefer the first one myself."
Connor chuckled. "How in the world can I find Abby now, Sarah? And if I did, what would I even say? She's moved on, I'm sure."
"I wouldn't be a hundred percent sure on that. Besides, Connor, if you're so miserable don't you want to change that? Don't you want to at least try?"
Connor thought about it, but after a while he shook his head. "There's no way to find her."
"Connor," Sarah looked at him with a smirk. "We work for the government, and you work their computer. I think it'd easier than you want to believe."
Connor looked at the ADD. She was right, I could… Jenny would kill me, but I could! –
Suddenly the ADD's screen went skipping around to focus on a map, right as the speakers all around the Hub and onwards went blaring out an anomaly alert. "Well," Connor said, looking at Sarah. "Guess that searching will have to wait."
Sarah looked at him with saddened eyes and stood up. She headed to go for the lab to get her things when Connor yelled, "Wait!"
She twisted around to face his back. "What?"
Connor whirled around. Sarah noting his face looked grimmer than before. "The anomaly… it's a reoccurrence."
"Okay? What about it?"
Connor stepped down from the ADD and looked at her in the eyes. "It's at the zoo."
Abby stood in front of the anomaly, admiring the beautiful sight. Its glittering flakes were hard to look away from, but she soon pulled her head away to look at her co-worker. "Ricky, just stay calm."
"How?" he said, his deep set voice croaking.
"It's nothing to get wobbly over. Why don't you leave the room for now, yeah? Get yourself under control."
Ricky nodded. "How do you know help is coming? Did you call someone?"
"Well," she mumbled. "I didn't have to call before..."
"What was that?"
"Helps coming, Ricky. It's all all right."
He nodded and headed for the door. He walked out and left Abby with the anomaly. Then, just like she remembered the first time she ever laid eyes on one of these things, it echoed out an aching growl. Abby's eyes grew big. A gasp escaped out from her mouth and she felt her feet go out from under her. Seeing ahead of her now, she saw two talons dragging her by the ankles, slicing her skin and causing blood to drip out on the ground. She struggled to get free, kicking and thrashing her arms at the claws, but the creature prevailed.
Ricky ran his hands through his hair and shook his head as he walked back into the room. "Okay, I'm better I think-" Ricky's eyes searched for Abby, but all he saw was metal pipe and her phone on the ground beside the anomaly. He walked further in and sucked in a deep breath, trying not to panic. "Abby…?"
He then ran out, doing anything not to scream.
Suddenly Abby emerged out from the anomaly, inhaling deep breaths as she crawled her way back out. It tugged on her leg, and then jerked it through. She looked over, seeing the pipe she used last time the anomaly was open. She wouldn't even question how it somehow had drawn closer to the anomaly. She reached out and just barely reached it. She took a strong grasp on the metal object right as the creature dragged her all the way through the anomaly. Disappearing completely.
The team drove up to the zoo and the moment they hit the brakes a man came up to the vehicle in a panicked behavior. Becker jumped out, trying to calm the man, and Cutter came beside him doing the same. Connor, standing beside the SUV as he loaded his gun, listened. The man just spoke gibberish.
"Sir," Becker said. "You have to make sense for us to help you."
The man growled out a sigh and finally blurted out, "Abby's gone!"
Connor tensed.
"What do you mean? What happened?"
"She used to tell me about how if I ever was here late – since I usually stayed later than anyone – and something odd happened to email her. I thought she was crazy! Ha… but, when that … orb appeared I realized she knew something we didn't. So that's what I did, I emailed Abby Maitland."
Connor jammed the gun tight, loaded, and sprang around to heave himself at the man. "You idiot!" he spat at him.
Cutter caught him in the process, holding him back. "Connor…" he warned, in a gentle and understanding voice.
"What happened to her, though?" Becker asked calmly.
The man looked at Connor scared, and then looked back at the solider. "I don't know. I left the room to get some fresh air. I came back not but a minute later and she was… gone. Her phone and a pole was just beside that … thing."
Connor growled and jerked from Cutter's hold. "So she went through?" he asked the civilian.
The man looked completely lost. "Went through what? I don't understand what that thing is!"
Cutter ignored the man and looked at Connor. "Taking from how she acted towards going through last time, she was more likely taken through."
Connor looked at him with fearsome eyes and seethed off to the zoo. He ran through the doors and found where the anomaly was three months ago. He stumbled beside it, stopping at the rim of the gateway into the unknown era. He gripped his gun tight into his hands, staring into the endless pool of time.
Cutter walked beside him and spoke. "You don't have to do this, Connor."
Connor tore his eyes away from the anomaly, his gaze stinging through Cutter. "Yes. I do."
"Why? Tell me why you have to go through?"
Connor paused, staring down where he witnessed blood smeared across through the anomaly.
"Trust me, yeah? I promise you, if you'll trust me, I won't let a thing happen to you. Paleontologist's word."
She debated, but then finally nodded and said, "All right, but-"
"Connor?"
Connor took in a deep breath and answered with a slight chuckle, "'Cause, I owe the zoo a Reptile Specialist."
"I won't argue, Connor. Just, you should wait at least. Take your time."
Connor looked at the lights of the anomaly and realized something crucial. It was fluxing, it was fixing to close. "There's no time."
Cutter looked at it himself, seeing how it flickered. Panic rang through him. "No. Connor, if you go through now you may never come back." He took Connor by the shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "Think about this."
"I can't just leave her alone out there."
Cutter shook his head. "You don't even know her, Connor."
"Yeah… but I do."
Cutter was beyond enraged. "How do you know she's alive? Huh? Then you'll be stuck in there by yourself, for there's no telling how long."
"She's not dead." He cocked his gun and smiled at him. "I know she isn't."
"How is that?"
Connor gestured down to the floor. "That guy said there was pole or a pipe on the ground by the anomaly. I don't see one, do you?"
Cutter looked around and saw he was right. No one had even come in here yet except for them, and there was nothing but her phone. "Connor, that's an awful small bit of evidence to sacrifice your life over."
He shook his head. "No, it's not for me." Connor started for the first step through when Cutter clutched his arm.
"Connor… just… be careful."
"Course." Connor smiled at him. "Otherwise you'd have to go against Lester's wrath."
Cutter scoffed. "That's inevitable." He looked at the anomaly, seeing how it was getting weaker. He took in a deep breath and said, "Don't get eaten on the job."
"How could I? That'd be insensitive to you, wouldn't it?"
Cutter laughed and let go the grip on his arm. "Go. Save her."
Connor smiled and nodded. "Anything for her."
And Connor was gone – the anomaly right after him.
Becker came storming in and stopped at Cutter's side. "Where… what happened?" he looked at Cutter with a grave face. "Where's Connor?"
Cutter looked at him, holding back the urge to let tears fall. "Gone." He looked down at his hands and sighed. "For now."
Connor couldn't move. After a minute inside with the anomaly sealed, it fully clicked. He was stuck. Every doubt building up in him made him want to fall to the ground and cry – but he wasn't that kind of man. He needed to find Abby. His eyes darted down and he saw a long, metal pipe lying in the dirt.
"C-… Connor?"
Connor's head craned to his side and he froze. But then, a relieved smile covered his face and his breath escaped him through a sigh. "Abs."
THE END
Happy 30th Story!
Threes are evil.
Don't worry, I have a alternate ending - if you guys ask really nicely I'll post it. ;)
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