Disclaimer: Primeval and all its characters belong to someone else.

Double Wedding

Chapter Nine- Girls Night Out

Four women with linked arms bounced along the street, wafting various hues of perfume in their wake. To the onlooker, they looked like your average young women out on town for a good night. But these weren't average people- these were the female key team of the Anomaly Research Centre, plus their friend and ex- colleague Jenny Lewis.

"This is going to be such fun!" Jess squeaked, squeezing the arms of the two people either side of her.

"Oh yeah!" Abby replied, smiling.

"Absolutely!" Emily agreed.

"And I…" Jenny began, walking backwards as she spoke, facing her three companions. "…intend to enjoy every second of it!"

The girls 'whooped' and laughed as they made their way past the bouncer at the club door. His eyes followed them as they went, he saw lots of pretty girls in his job but these four just attracted his eye.

"Classy!" he thought, checking out Jenny's long legs. "Shame I'm working tonight!"

The girls entered the noisy club and fought their way to the bar. It didn't take them too long to get their drinks and then, keeping together, they made their way to the only vacant table they could find. Music blared and they had to yell at each other to be heard.

"So, Abby- do you know what you're having yet?" Jenny screamed, referring to Abby's baby.

"No! We don't want to know. As long as it's healthy…you know…"

"I'm not sure if I'd want to know or not." Jess mused "It would make buying stuff easier, I guess."

"And decorating the nursery- you know…pink or blue!" Jenny agreed.

"Yeah." sighed Abby "But this way, it stops Connor going overboard buying things for the baby- he stops at every Star Wars or Barbie shelf in the stores as it is! Method in my madness!" she laughed. Everyone joined in with the laughter.

"And are you two OK?" Jenny continued, referring to Abby and Connor.

"We're great! I'm really happy, Jenny!"

"That's wonderful. There was a time I thought you'd never get together!"

"So much time wasted." Abby said ruefully. "Don't fall into the same trap we did, Jess."

Jess spluttered over her drink. She'd been quite happy just letting the conversation wash over her, watching the gyrating couples on the dance floor.

"What?" she demanded, berating herself for going red as usual.

"You and Becker are dating, aren't you?" Jess nodded, feeling the usual thrill going through her as she thought about Becker.

"How's that going?"

"Wonderful!" Jess breathed so quietly that the others could hardly catch her words. They looked at each other with amusement.

"Aah! Young love!" Abby smirked. "Ain't love grand!"

"Well, I think it's lovely." Emily chipped in, patting Jess' arm, comforting her against the teasing.

"You can talk!" Abby cried.

"Me? Whatever do you mean?"

"Matt!... You and Matt…"

"We're just friends." Emily stated. The others all looked at each other disbelievingly. "We are!" Emily stated firmly.

"Emily- you live together!"

"In separate rooms, Jenny! But we are very close. I like Matt a lot." She seemed to go into a daydream, thinking about him.

"He puts his arm around you at every opportunity. He kisses you constantly, and you seem to like it! He likes you a lot too! Come on, Emily- you know he does!"

"Well, yes- alright. We do care about each other, and every day brings us closer together. You have to remember I'm a Victorian girl at heart, and although I'm trying hard to get to grips with this …less inhibited… society, it just takes me a little longer, that's all."

"But you do want to be with Matt, don't you?" Abby pressed.

"Yes." Emily finally agreed, looking surprised at realising this herself. "Yes I do!" Everyone burst into pleased laughter, and raised their glasses.

"To us and our men!" Abby cried.

"To us and our men!" they chanted in response

When they put their glasses down, Abby turned to Jenny. "How about you and Michael, Jenny? How's that going?"

"Very good. I'm so thankful he didn't turn and run after our wedding…you know, the hyenadons and all! He just seemed to accept it- was more interested in my feelings for Nick! I don't think I've ever been so happy."

"To Jenny and Michael!" Abby cried, raising her glass once again.

"Jenny and Michael!" they responded, and donned another mouthful.

The girls decided to dance, and joined the crowd on the tiny space allocated. It was a bit of a squeeze, but they started moving to the music. Suddenly, out of the blue, their dancing seemed to turn into some kind of a competition, with each person trying to out dance the other. Abby raised her arms above her head and bent her knees as she swayed. To outdo her, Jess bounced up and down, both arms waving in the air, her hair flying over her face as she moved. Jenny was more sedate, and stood on the spot, gyrating her hips in time with the music, turning a few male heads in the process. Emily was the only one who wasn't competing. She still wasn't used to this kind of dancing and just shuffled from one foot to the other, not really knowing what to do with her arms or her hands.

When the music finally slowed, they returned to their seats, out of breath and laughing. A man approached Abby. "Er… may I have this dance?" he asked.

"Sorry." She replied. "I'm here with my mates."

"Come on, it's only a dance. I'm not asking you to marry me or anything!" he laughed persuasively.

Abby was torn- she didn't want to encourage him, but she so loved to dance. She persuaded herself to think Connor wouldn't have minded and said "Just one then."

She joined him on the dance floor and as they swayed to the music, which happened to be one of Abby's favourite songs, the man pulled her closer to him so that he could whisper in her ear against the noise.

"Shall we get out of here? My place is just down the road?"

"Oh!" Abby said incredulously "I'm sorry. I don't want to upset you, but I'm engaged. I live with my boyfriend. Er…sorry."

The man graciously apologised and finished the dance with Abby, who now felt extremely uncomfortable. She never should have agreed to dance with him in the first place, she realised. Big mistake- she wished it was Connor here by her side instead. When the dance ended, her partner stood still for a moment then without warning bent in and began to kiss her. At first Abby was too stunned to do anything, and stood limply in his arms as he tried to part her lips with his tongue, but suddenly snapped out of it and began to push him away.

"What do you think you're doing! Get off me- I love my boyfriend."

"Seemed to me like you enjoyed it too! Come on, I'm here- your boyfriend's not! Forget him, just for tonight at least and enjoy yourself while you can. I bet he's not sat at home waiting for you. Probably got some decent girl right now…" his words were cut off by a resounding slap across his face.

"How dare you! Decent girl! What do you take me for?"

"Sorry! Thought you were a…er…on the lookout for a good time. You know…a hooker!"

"Well I'm not! Just because I've got blonde hair…and I'm pregnant, it doesn't make me a…" she stopped for a moment, catching her breath. "Do I really look like a hooker?" she asked directly. "No! Don't answer that!"

"Look, I'm sorry! Guess I overstepped the mark- blame it on one too many. But are you sure your boyfriend doesn't play away from home? If he does, dump him…I'm a nice guy really…I'll look after you."

"He's not like that…like you! He's...he's kind and loving and gorgeous. He really loves me…just as I am. He's got this dimple…" Abby got a bit wistful, thinking of Connor, but snapped out of it when her dance partner looked at her contritely.

"Ow! That's quite a right hook you've got there!" he rubbed his cheek. "Sorry. I can see you love your boyfriend. Sorry…shall we…?"

He led her back to the table where the others were. They had been joined by three other men, the friends of Abby's dance partner. As Abby sat down, Jenny was slapping away someone's wandering hand, and Jess looked terrified. The man standing by Emily wasn't looking too happy- he was totally intimidated by the furious glare she was throwing his way.

"Guys!" Abby's dance partner called. "They're all taken! We need to go…"

The men drifted away, Abby's partner once more throwing her an apologetic look- he really had liked her. The girls watched as they moved on to the next group of girls, who didn't seem too pleases at the intrusion.

"Sorry!" Abby cried. "That was all my fault! I shouldn't have danced with him!"

"It was only a dance!" Jenny said. "Don't beat yourself up about it!"

They watched the men, and laughed as one girl poured her drink over the one who had pestered Jenny, more in relief than anything else as they were bundled away by the bouncers.

"I hope Connor won't be mad at me!" Abby said sadly.

"Hey, come on- forget it! Let's have some more drinks."

The others nodded their agreement and as Jenny and Emily went to the bar to get another round, Abby sat quietly feeling upset but determined not to spoil the evening for the others…

~~oOOo~~

They remained at the club until about one o'clock until Abby finally admitted that she really had to get some sleep- she was so tired and if she was honest, the evening had been slightly tainted for her by her mistake in dancing with another man. They all walked back home together, first dropping Jenny and Emily off before Jess and Abby finally reached home.

"I'm so glad to get these shoes off!" Jess cried.

"What!" Abby said, feigning surprise. "You actually want to take your shoes off!"

"Ha! Ha!" Jess replied, poking her tongue out childishly at Abby before walking to her bedroom. As she opened it, she saw Becker fast asleep on her bed, covered by the duvet. She drew in her breath. Becker! He was here, waiting for her! She was thrilled, and went through her nightly routine- removing make-up, showering, brushing her hair etc. at super-fast speed. She crept forward onto the bed, and crawled inside the duvet. Becker stirred, but didn't awake. She snuggled up to him, savouring his warmth and put her head against his chest, and finally fell asleep with thoughts of him echoing around her head. Her last thought was that his would be the first face she saw in the morning. She had a huge smile on her own face as she drifted into oblivion…

To Be Continued….