The Trouble with Connor Temple.
A huge Thank you to YHLH for the BETA read. You are AWESOME!
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Becker had rescued A Connor from the menagerie. After a few questions, understands that this is the real Connor.
In the Hub, they run into Danny, and Another Connor, Abby comes in and is flustered by seeing Two of them!
Bella brings Rex...
Rex to the rescue?...
The little green dinosaur flew down the corridor; he alighted on the steps in front of Abby. He looked up at her and chirruped.
Abby looked down at him.
"Go and find Connor, find him!" she pointed to the group of men standing at the bottom of the stairs by the Hub.
Rex turned and looked around him. He tottered over to the stairs for a better look. Even the little green dinosaur blinked at the sight of two Connors. He voiced his confusion and with a few short, sharp, angry and confused barks, he flew away, not wanting to get involved and find the Connor he knew and loved.
Everyone winced.
"Come on Abby, you can do this!" Danny shouted encouragement.
"Come on Abby, you can tell the difference." Matt tapped her on the shoulder. "I'll come with you." Matt supported her.
Together, Matt and Abby descended the steps into the hub. Abby looked the two Connors, and then taking a deep breath she approached the one being held by Becker. She seethed as she remembered what he had done to her. Angrily she brought her hand up to Connor's face, and she slapped him... Hard across his face!
"Ow ...! What was that for?" Rubbing his cheek, Connor looked at her incredulously.
Abby then went up to him and kissed him, softly on the lips. "Abby..." he breathed. He looked into her eyes and saw the pain and the love behind them. He continued to watch as she went up to the other Connor and repeated the process.
"Abby!" He cried as she slapped him. Then she leaned forward and kissed him. Connor managed to shake Danny's vice like grip upon him and he pulled her closer and deepened his kiss. His hands wondered up and down her body possessively as they carried on kissing, eventually resting on her behind, pulling her body closer to his.
The other Connor could not bear to watch and he turned away, shrugging off Becker's hold upon him.
Abby pulled away, and slapped the Connor in front of her. She was red with rage and she ran towards the other Connor. Rex came fluttering back down and he landed between the two Connors. Angrily he stuck out his tongue at Connor. Barking angrily at him, he teetered back to the other Connor currently holding Abby. Flying up, he landed on Connor's shoulder and chirruped happily, giving Connor a peck on the cheek as he did so.
"This is the Real Connor!" Abby buried her face in her lover's chest. Turning her head slightly she continued. "My Connor doesn't kiss me the way he does!" She gazed up into her boyfriend's eyes. "He's kind, gentle, sensitive, caring and doesn't force himself on me!"
Danny grinned as he gripped the imposter, in his policeman's hold.
"I knew you could do it!" He turned to Lester. "Where do you want him?"
"I'd like to say as far away from here as possible, but that may not be an option." Lester sneered disdainfully.
"We've an empty pen in the menagerie, we can leave him there!" Matt interjected.
Lester nodded his approval.
Lance Corporal McDonalds took over and he and Becker escorted the charlatan to his enclosure.
Danny spoke with Lester for a moment.
Connor took a moment to be with Abby, hugging her gently. "Abby, can I?" He looked over to baby Luke. Immediately Emily brought him over and placed the little one in his arms. Connor melted. He had not been able to hold his son properly until now and he relished holding the tiny form in his arms.
Mike scowled as he sat in the menagerie. He had been taken to one of the pens and forced inside. He looked around him. It was a bit like being in a jail cell, but even those were a bit more comfortable than this. His mind began to wonder as he sat there, and he wished that he had never met, Helen Cutter. The woman had caused so much trouble and she wasn't even here to help him out.
He sighed heavily, just how had Abby known? Had he been too rough with her? All he had done was kiss her, and he was sure such a passionate kiss would only be shared by lovers. But he had been wrong, Abby knew, she could tell the difference between them!
Now he was stuck, they would probably call the police and then he would be locked up for good.
Resigned, he plopped himself on the floor, and waited.
Connor and Abby were in the break room. Connor held little Luke, and father and son were getting acquainted.
"You know, he never held him, not even once." Abby gazed at the pair sitting on the sofa, and Connor looked up at her.
"Not once...?" Connor looked over to her as she shook her head. Holding out an arm, he encouraged Abby to sit next to him. Immediately Luke began to cry. Abby heaved a huge sigh.
"It's almost as if he can smell me! Look at him! He always looks at me with those hungry eyes, I lift him up and he's got his mouth open!" She blew out a tired breath. "I'm beginning to feel like a milk machine." She looked down towards a wet patch that had appeared on her t-shirt and winced.
"He starts crying, and I start dripping like mad!" Abby muttered. Connor grinned; he had truly missed Abby and hearing her talk like this was the best. He looked forward to hearing more from her, but his son needed feeding, and although Connor would have liked to have helped... He just didn't have the equipment!
He watched as Abby adjusted her t-shirt and bra to feed the little one.
"I hope you don't mind... You know... Me watching."
"Why would I? It's the most natural thing in the world to do." She smiled as Connor sat open mouthed as little Luke suckled at her breast. It was something the other Connor had never asked her for, permission to watch her feed. She began to relax; comfortable knowing that she had the right Connor by her side. The awkwardness she had felt with the other Connor disappeared.
Danny opened the door to the break room, took in the scene and then hastily retreated back towards the door.
"I'll ... Um... I'll ... Be ... Um... Outside." He muttered, embarrassed that he had walked in on such an intimate moment.
"I'll see what he wants shall I?" Connor smiled, and went to speak to Danny.
Connor took Danny to his lab, and they sat down to chat. Danny told him about his twin brother, and how he had been abducted from the hospital at birth. He went on to tell him that Helen had been behind it all.
"Look I know it's hard to accept but he's your brother!" He paused. "I've just come off the phone to your mother, she's really eager to meet Mike. She really wants to see you and Abby too!"
"Look I'm really not sure. I mean he tried to rape Abby! I can't just let that go, and pretend it never happened, and I don't think Abby will be too forgiving either!" Connor sat down with his head in his hands. "She'll never forgive me even if I ask her to."
"I sent McDonalds to go and get your mum; they'll be here in about ten hours. I also gave her address to someone else, and they would love to meet you too."
Connor looked up at the older man questioningly.
"Derek Leonard. He wanted to confirm that you're his son. He's agreed to a DNA test."
Connor looked away as he processed the information he had been given. Now not only did he have a brother, he had a father who wanted to meet him too! Derek Leonard...? He had heard the name before...
"Derek Leonard...? April's father?" He looked up at the former policeman. "You mean April's my sister?"
"Dunno about that, we can't do a DNA test there, she disappeared when Prospero was destroyed."
Danny left Connor mulling things over in his lab, and he went to see Abby. Hopefully she had now finished feeding and was decent. Nevertheless, he hesitated outside the break room and he sent in a female tech to make sure it was ok for him to go in.
Abby had just finished changing Luke's nappy and she cooed at him as she tried to settle him to sleep. She held Luke high upon her shoulder, and was rubbing his back gently.
Danny had just opened his mouth to say something when they heard a very loud burp.
"Oops!" Abby smiled. "Someone has certainly enjoyed their lunch!"
Danny grinned.
He took a moment to watch Abby as she continued to rub Luke's tiny back. He waited until she had settled him into the baby carrier, before he said anything.
He told Abby the same as he had told Connor and hoped that she would be a little more understanding.
Abby gulped. The fact that the imposter was in fact Connor's brother, riled her even more, and Danny could see her rage on her face. It became clear that she hated Mike, and that she would never be able to forget how he had groped at her. Danny almost wished that he had never broached the subject and he lost all hope of bringing the Temple family together.
Ten hours later...
Danny had invited everyone to the pub for a drink. It had seemed the best place for everyone to meet, it was not at a Secret Government Agency, nor was it at someone's house.
The Duchess was just as the name suggested, an upmarket pub, with lots of appeal to the connoisseur of fine wines.
He sat in the booth next to Derek and Diane, and had told them of the unfortunate circumstances.
Derek looked over to where Diane was pointing. He saw the tall young man with a tiny baby in his arms. This was his son... His youngest son was a father himself! He was a grandfather! He blinked and then gulped; it seemed almost too much to take in.
Connor had taken some time to go and shave. At least this would avoid any more confusion. He looked over to his mum, he just wanted to show off his small family, and she looked overjoyed as she held her grandson. Diane had known about Abby and her pregnancy, but she had not seen her new grandson, and had not had the chance to meet Abby either, and she was pleased to see her youngest son's family.
Connor had been overjoyed to see his mum, and he had hugged her immediately. It had been well over a year since they had seen each other and finally he was able to introduce Abby. Diane smiled and cooed at her grandson as she held him, and was so proud of Connor and his achievements, and she agreed that Abby was just made for Connor. They chatted easily until Danny approached them. Derek followed closely behind.
"DNA tests have just come in... They show that Derek is indeed your dad, he is also Mike's father, but we found something else..." Connor stood up as Danny looked around the pub at the team who were scattered around. His eyes fell upon Matt.
"The tests show that he also fathered Matt Anderson..."
Becker's mouth fell open, Matt nearly choked on his drink, and Connor looked at the team leader incredulously. The girls all gasped and clamped their hands across their mouths. Slowly Derek walked over to Matt.
"If Derek's my father, who is my mother?" Matt asked Danny, standing up for the first time, looking over to Diane wondering if she was his mother.
"It's not Diane, if that's what you're thinking, we don't know who she is? Maybe Derek can shed some light?" Danny revealed.
They all turned to Derek and the name he spoke stunned them all.
"Must have been Helen, Helen Cutter, she called herself!"
Diane looked over to Derek as he spoke to Matt. This was his son with Helen, and she was confused, why was he only finding out about Matt now? Derek began to talk and found out that the man was called Matt.
He looked at the man's features, and although they were very different he could not help but compare the man's hair colour to his own.
However, her eldest son was the reason that they were here, and although she wanted to meet him, she was upset that her child was nothing more than a common criminal was. She waited for Michael to be brought to her. Diane sighed, and stood up, holding her head high she went over to speak to Abby.
Derek and Matt were chatting when the door to the pub opened, and Mike was brought in.
Connor bristled with anger, and Abby stood up and excused herself as she began to walk away. She didn't even want to be in the same room as him, she hated him that much!
Diane saw Connor and Abby's reaction to the young man, and her heart bled... This was her son! Her eldest son...! She may not have been there for him as he grew up, but she wanted him to know that he was not alone. She wanted her family to be together, and yet it was drifting apart!
"Abby..." She stood up next to her future daughter-in-law. "Abby ... I hope you don't mind me asking this question... But I feel that I must ask. If Luke had been taken from you at birth, and he returned to you many years later. Would you want him back? Even if he was a bad person? Even if growing up had taught him such harsh lessons?" Her eyes searched Abby's for an answer.
Tears sprang into Abby's eyes as she thought of the implications. She knew she could not deny the simple fact that Connor and Mike were brothers and no matter what Mike did, he would always be her son. As a mother, she knew what Diane was asking of her. She gulped and looked at Connor.
Connor understood straight away.
"Mam, you've got to understand that he treated Abby badly. He tried to rape her!" He took a deep breath. "I can't just sit back and pretend that nothing's happened!" Connor put a protective arm around Abby and prepared to walk away.
"Connor...! Please don't leave me."
Connor stopped, he turned to look at his mum, and saw the tears in her eyes, the pain behind them, and his heart broke. He looked at Abby and an understanding passed between them.
Walking back to his mother, he put an arm around her. "I'm not going anywhere mam! I'll be back, but not while he's around." He was about to continue when he felt a small hand upon his shoulder.
"Connor..." Abby turned to her future mother-in-law. "Mum, I hope you can forgive me; I just can't deal with this right now! It'll take time, but I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement." She smiled, and hugged her before stepping away.
"Abby's right mam, we can come to an agreement... Yeah?" He waited for his mother to smile before giving her a final hug and stepping away. Shaking Derek's hand, Connor put his hand in the small of Abby's back and led her away.
Mike watched the exchange with deep regret. Connor was walking away because of him!
"Connor! Don't walk away like this!" He shouted. Connor stopped.
He felt strange; there was a tug in his heart that he couldn't remember ever having before. He turned slightly, and waited...
"Don't do this to your mum!" Connor raised his eyebrows in answer. "Don't just walk away like that! In fact, I'm the one who should leave! I don't deserve any of this! I was raised an orphan, and I'll die an orphan, having a family doesn't make a difference to me!" Mike turned to the policeman who stood by the door. "I'm ready to go now!"
"Christopher!" Diane shook her head. He wasn't used to that name. It wasn't even on his birth certificate. "Michael... I want to be here for you!" She turned to face Connor. "I want to be here for both of you!" Tears ran freely down her cheeks.
Her heart was breaking - she was losing one son to gain another. This wasn't what she wanted!
She blinked as she looked from Connor to Mike and then back again, she started to pant, her head began to spin, her legs gave way beneath her and she fell to the floor...
I hope you can forgive Little Rex for not pointing out the Real Connor. After all he is only small, and seeing two of them must have been so very confusing.
So finally, Mike has been found out!
We had the Temple family reunion!
But Poor Diane! Poor Derek! Poor, poor Connor, now he's losing his mum!
