11/03/08

Title: Forgotten

Chapter: 10 – Relearning the Ropes

Author: Squeezynz

Setting: Post S2Ep7

Pairing: Stabby all the way.

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Abby ran up the metal stairway leading to her loft apartment and felt a new spring in her step. Never mind that she was covered from head to toe in some revolting primordial ooze from somewhere in the Devonian, three hundred and fifty million years in the past. At least no one had been injured, if you didn't include the biting insects, and there had been nothing bigger than a large rat-like reptile to provide target practice for the special forces. The return of a number of large invertebrates had gone smoothly for once, with no threat to life or limb.

In point of fact she would almost have called the entire trip boring, if not for ending up sinking into a stinking bog and having to be hauled out by a hysterical Connor, who simply didn't know when to stop laughing. Knowing that she had a deadline, she'd foregone using the ARC to clean up and just asked to dropped off home.

She skidded across the smooth floor and glanced at the wall clock. "Oh shit...damn, damn..."

She didn't bother taking anything off, just slammed into the bathroom and got the water running in the shower. If she was lucky, he'd be caught in traffic and delayed, if not...well, they could always order in.

She didn't hear the key turn in her front door, or the stealthy tread of her visitor as he made his way up the spiral staircase to the first floor, the bag at his side bumping against his knees. Reaching the top he paused and looked around, dumping one of the bags on the floor. The other, slung over his shoulder, joined its mate a minute later.

Stephen took a moment to draw in a deep breath. This was where Abby lived, and had lived for some time. She'd shared this space with Connor until recently, and now she was going to share it with him. He noted the glass cages displayed near the center of the room, far enough from the natural light so the occupants wouldn't cook. A step stool nearby stood testament that the owner of the cages needed a little help tending to her reptilian charges, the thought of Abby up a ladder making him smile. Something chirruped and he craned to see past the wall of glass tanks, spotting something very green perched up high on a beam.

"Rex?" He hadn't yet met the reptile, but he'd been suitable impressed with the creatures personality as glowingly described by Abby. He was less sanguine about the collection of snakes she took care of, but he'd get used to them given time. He could hear a shower running and sauntered over, knocking lightly on the bathroom door.

"Abby?" He query got no response so he walked back into the main living space and climbed the couple of steps up to where a comfortable looking couch sat facing the room. Nothing in the room followed any particular style of pattern or taste that he could discern, but somehow it all worked. The mellow brickwork, wooden beams and iron work created a solid background to an eclectic collection of charmingly oddball bits of furniture and personal mementos.

Settling on the couch, he leant back, crossed his legs at the knee, and prepared to wait.

To give Abby credit she didn't linger long in the shower, her clothes unceremoniously dumped in the bath after being rinsed off in the shower. Steam billowed out of the bathroom when she padded out, swathed in her bathrobe, her hair in a turban.

She padded into the kitchen, completely missing the bags sitting on the floor at the top of the stairs. Humming to herself, she put the kettle on and checked the fridge for supplies. She noticed she was nearly out of bread and she'd need to do some shopping in a day or so. She unbent from inspecting the fridge and turned, almost screaming in fright to see someone standing leaning against the kitchen door frame.

Her fright only lasted a second before she rounded the table and flew into his arms.

"You're here!" She flung her arms about his neck and felt him lift her off the ground, her towel falling off her hair to land on the floor in a damp heap.

"And you smell wonderful," Stephen sniffed appreciatively in the region of her ear, making her hunch her shoulders.

"That tickles!" Tilting her face she offered her lips for his attention, finding herself almost devoured in his eager acceptance of her tempting offer.

At length he put her back on her feet but kept an arm about her waist. "Rough day?"

"You don't know the half of it." She leant against him for a second then pulled away. While Stephen seated himself at the kitchen table, she got out some mugs and made coffee.

"How did it go today?" Abby asked, passing him one of the steaming mugs and sitting opposite him.

"I seem to have a very good eye, according to the officer at the rifle range."

"How long before you get certified?"

"Actually...I already am." Stephen grinned at her over the rim of his mug. "I don't appear to have lost any of that particular skill at all. Dead on the money each shot." He pulled out his wallet and passed over his new gun license. "We pretty much covered everything from a pistol to a bazooka."

"Wow...remind me never to piss you off!" Abby handed back the license.

"It was an odd sort of experience. I went in there having no recollection of ever firing a gun in my life, and walked out with the officer in charge inviting me back to shoot with him anytime."

"So...nothing came back while you were there?"

Stephen shook his head. "Same as always...not a thing. Just... as soon as I felt the grip in my hand, I knew what to do."

"Like your tracking skills."

"Yeah. Freaky, huh."

"So what's next?" Abby noticed that despite his obvious satisfaction at gaining his gun qualification, a line had formed between his eyes. "Aren't you happy about finding out?"

"I just...I almost feel..." he paused, reaching up to rub at his forehead. "I almost feel as he is trying to become me." Feeling restless, Stephen got to his feet and went to put his mug in the sink. Abby rose as well and stood beside him.

"What's wrong?"

He turned his head to look at her, his gaze roving over her face like a caress.

"This is going to sound totally whacked...but I feel as if the Stephen Hart you knew is trying to muscle in on the Stephen Hart I am now. And I'm not sure I like it."

Abby instantly put her arms around him and hugged him close. "You said yourself the psychologist mentioned something like this might happen. That memories of your past would start to surface."

"Yeah...he did. I'm just not sure I'm ready to let go of what I am now, for what I was then."

They stayed like that, locked together for several long minutes, then Abby pulled away, her eyes suspiciously moist. Tilting her head back, she gave him a smile.

"Well...I think it's time for the grand tour, and I'm dying to introduce you to Rex."

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His first visit to the ARC was arranged for after hours, when most of the technical staff, other than the night shift, were gone. Nick drove him there, the older man darting glances at him every few seconds until Stephen felt like he was being treated like an unexploded bomb about to go off.

"I'm fine Nick...really."

"I know...I just..."

"Look. If Connor's show and tell on the lap top can't dredge up even the smallest memory, this visit is hardly likely to provoke anything either."

Nick tooled the big Toyota around the curve of the approach to the ARC and pulled up outside. The two men entered using Nick's pass key card, the place appearing half lit with most of the work and office space dark. Looking up to the huge dangling lights and distant roof, Stephen felt nothing at all, no unease or sense of recognition. If he wasn't already reconciled to his situation, in more ways than one, he'd certainly be surprised not to remember the place he'd apparently spent a great deal of his recent years in. Nick had been surprisingly honest in his retelling of recent events, Stephen realizing early on that Nick needed to get a lot of his guilt over his supposed death out of the way before he could attempt to rebuild their friendship. Stephen was happy to let Nick lead the way, both into the ARC and with their relationship. He already felt a great empathy with the older man, and had hopes they would be able to form a good working partnership as time went on. Nick just seemed happy to have him around, despite being, for all intents and purposes a different man from the one Cutter had known.

Lester had been initially against Stephen having anything to do with his old job with Nick and the others, but given his relationship with Abby, and Stephen's own desire to find a purpose for his life, it was decided to at least give the situation a trial.

Nick was leading him across the floor towards a pair of swing doors when a voice hailed them from above. Lester, well aware of what was taking place, leant on the railing outside his office and called down for them both to come up.

Nick didn't look particularly happy with the notion, but simply reversed direction and started up the long ramp to the first floor offices.

"Lester probably wants to grill you about yesterday." Nick murmured as they reached the upper level.

"Not a problem Nick. It was my decision, so there's really nothing to worry about."

"Yeah. Lester has a way of making you worry about it even if you don't have a reason to worry about it...that's Lester."

Stephen laughed quietly, both men sporting half smiles when they entered Lester's glass walled main office.

"Take a seat gentlemen. Drink?" Lester approached a side cabinet and flung open the door. Inside was an impressive array of different brands.

"Whiskey..." said Nick, settling himself into one of the chairs. Lester cocked an eyebrow at Stephen in a silent question.

"Same."

Lester poured a generous amount in each glass then handed them to each man, before pouring one for himself.

"I have to say I'm not fully supportive of this scheme. I think it's a mistake. I did at the start, which is exactly why I put in place what I did."

"You mean you kept is all secret." Nick muttered, taking a sip of the single malt and rolling it around his mouth. "Not only from us but from Stephen as well."

"Yes...well...whatever the ethics of the situation, it seemed the best solution at the time. I assure you, that if it hadn't been for the complete memory loss, you would have been given the choice whether to return to our old life, or start anew."

"How generous of you," Nick sniped sourly, giving Lester a look that the older man chose to ignore, along with the comment.

"We now find ourselves with a delicate situation. I've had the reports from the psychologist, the results from the rifle range, from Captain Richards in regards our physical fitness and combat readiness...which, I might add, was not what I asked him to do. I only wanted his opinion as to your readiness to go into the field, he took it upon himself to test other area's of your knowledge in regards self defense and fitness."

"I enjoyed it," Stephen stated, "I wanted to know what skills I had to add to the group, and to add to my own knowledge of myself. There's a great deal I can improve on, in regards physical fitness, but I can hold my own as it stands."

"Yes...as he reported. Your visit to the rifle range was a waste of time. You certainly impressed the officer there. He remarked that if you ever wanted a job as an instructor he'd welcome your application any time."

Stephen smiled to himself and took a sip of his drink, exchanging a quick glance with Nick who rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "show off".

"Quite." Lester added dryly. "It would seem that despite having no memory of this place, your previous history or the people you are going to working with, you still have all the necessary skills that made you so valuable to the team in the first place."

"There's still a chance it will all come back to him...given time," Nick added, downing the last of his drink and holding it out to Lester for a refill.

Lester sniffed but took the glass over to the cabinet and refilled it, his own glass still half full.

"I will need a full medical report including a psych report." He held his hand up when Stephen made to speak. "I know I mentioned the psychologists report, but I'm talking about finding out what will possibly cause a problem out in the field. Any fears, phobia's, hangups...the usual."

"You didn't make us take those tests," Nick interrupted, sitting forward. "Why put Stephen through the mill?"

"Exactly because, for all intents and purposes, he is a new man...the latest addition to your merry band of eccentrics. I would be requesting the same of anyone you'd proposed to include in your inner circle. Do we really want to have another Leek in the place?"

At the mention of the traitorous former Home Office PA Nick sat back heavily in his chair and downed the second whiskey as if it was water, making Lester blink at him in some astonishment. Fortunately Nick had had enough and slammed the tumbler on the desk before getting to his feet.

"If there's nothing else, we're get on our way."

Stephen thought Lester looked like he had a great deal more to say, but instead waved his hand to dismiss them. Downing the last of his own tumbler, Stephen followed Nick out of the office and back down the ramp.

"I really don't mind Nick...in a way I'm as eager to find out about any hidden phobia's myself. I know I'm not particularly keen on snakes, but for Abby's sake, please don't mention that."

"Don't worry...that hasn't changed. After a memorable incident involving an escaped pet python, I think Abby figured you weren't exactly a keen herpetologist."

"I'm guessing that means I'm not fond of snakes?"

Nick laughed and clapped Stephen on the shoulder. "God it's good to have you back."

They proceeded on a tour of the ARC, Nick showing Stephen the labs with their x-rays and strange samples, Stephen fascinated with the creatures on display, asking questions all the time. Nick fell into a familiar teaching routine and patiently explained everything and anything Stephen asked about. By the time they collapsed in the rec room with a coffee, it was past midnight.

"I should be getting back," Stephen yawned behind his hand.

"Abby knows you're with me, she'll be surprised if you get home at all."

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing Nick? Maybe it would be better if I just retired and found some other way of employing my skills."

"As what? The only profession you'd be likely to fall into would be big game hunting which, I might add, was an anathema to you before. Or for you to go through an adult university course and try and relearn what you knew before."

"You're right," Stephen chewed on his lip before speaking again a moment later. "One thing...Lester hasn't said how he's going to explain my miraculous return to the other members of the team here."

"That's Lester's problem, not yours. Seriously though Stephen, if you have any doubts at all about what we're doing here, or what you're likely to be getting into, you can call quits right now and no one would think the worse of you for doing so. Your death..." Nick paused, his hands clasped on his knees as he leant forward. "It was a catalyst for a great many changes around here. We have a better detector, we're better prepared with our resources and weaponry, we have the complete backing and funding of the government, and more special forces boys than we know what to do with." He looked up and met Stephen's eyes. "I don't pretend that there aren't dangers in what we do. You saw how things can go horribly wrong up in Cumbria. A woman lost her life because of a creature that came through an anomaly, and on top of that there is always the threat that Helen could return and get up to her old tricks, and probably a whole slew of new ones."

"Yeah...about this Helen..."

"Look," Nick interrupted, "what happened is in the past. Helen has done her worst to you, and to me and to everyone here. We, now, are working to put an end to her meddling once and for all. It's the reason Abby was doing that research. We now know that the anomaly in Penrith is one of the portals she's been using, probably on a regular basis. We also know that the one in Penrith, like the one in the Forest of Dean, reappears at regular intervals. With further study, we can start to predict when those intervals are about to happen and be ready for the next time she puts a foot in our time."

"In the meantime we detect, investigate, contain and return." Stephen looked up at the ceiling for a moment as if searching his mind for something before returning his gaze to meet Nicks. "Did I miss anything in that list?"

Nick held up his hand to count off the points. "Detect, investigate, contain, return and survive!"

"Ah...trust me to leave off the most important one."

"Come one...time to get going otherwise Lester will find another excuse for ticking us off."

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to be continued...