Author's Note- Wow! Ten chapters! Thanks for the few guesses on who the man is- they are very interesting. All will be revealed in this chapter! Well, kind of. In the next chapter really...

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Lester's soldier watched in shock as the anomaly snapped shut behind Nick, Jenny and Connor.

"Lyle?" another soldier came to his side, "Where's Cutter gone?"

"I'm not sure, Cole." He replied, also using the other man's surname.

"Are they going to come back?" Cole asked.

"I'm not entirely sure…" David Lyle said, "I think we should inform Sir James."

"I'll get a phone." Cole nodded.

"They did what?" Lester wasn't pleased when he heard.

"The just kind of… went." Lyle said.

"Through the anomaly?" Lester sighed irritably.

"Yes." Lyle confirmed.

"Oh, God." Lester groaned, "And it didn't cross your mind once to try and stop them?"

"No, sorry Sir. We didn't realise what they were doing." Lyle admitted.

"All three of them?" James checked.

"Yes, Sir." David Lyle barked.

"Thank you Lyle. Now we have no team!" Lester fumed, "No bloody team!"

"I realise this, Sir." Lyle said, "What do you want us to do about it?"

"Just stay there for a bit. If it re-opens, follow them through. If it doesn't…" he paused, "I'll think of something and call you back." Lester concluded the call and hung up, before groaning yet again and resting his forehead on the desk.

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Helen opened the anomaly and the moment she stepped through, leaving Abby and Stephen behind, she knew that the other anomaly had opened and let Nick and what remained of his team through. She laughed, a harsh, spiteful laugh- there was no way that they'd find Abby and Stephen, not unless they had a detector that could open anomalies as well. Helen knew that there was no hope in hell that they too would have one of those. She hadn't planned to use Nick, Jenny and Connor as well, but they may come in handy. May. If not, they could simply be killed. Helen liked it- being powerful. It just took a click of her fingers and they'd be gone. Of course, she'd never have Nick killed- her feelings for him remained in spite of what he had said about her, in spite of what she knew he felt for both Claudia and now Jenny.

"Helen!" a sharp voice told her that they were near. She turned to face them, grinning.

"Hello, Nick." She greeted.

"What have you done with her?" Connor demanded, only kept from attacking her by Nick's firm hand on his shoulder.

"Who?" Helen pretended not to know who he was talking about.

"You know damn well who!" Cutter said through gritted teeth.

"No, I don't." Helen lied.

"Abby." Connor growled.

"Sorry- can't help you." She shrugged and turned round again, beginning to walk off.

"What have you done?" Connor shouted, and Helen looked back to see him wrestling against Nick's grasp, trying to get free and attack Helen.

"We know you've got her Helen!" Jenny put in, "Abby said so in her letter."

"Letter?" Helen asked.

"Saying where she was going and why and, most importantly, who with." Jenny said.

"Oh, don't worry." Helen changed tact, "Your friend is fine. In fact, she's more than fine."

"Well, where is she?" Connor asked, finally wrenching himself free of Cutter's grasp, but standing stock still, ready to run after her if she tried to get away.

"She's with Stephen." Helen replied truthfully.

"You killed her!" Connor cried, a terrified expression taking over his face.

"No I didn't- Stephen's alive."

"So why aren't you with them if they're not in danger?" Cutter asked, clearly not believing a word she was saying.

"I'm giving them a chance to get properly re-acquainted." Helen smiled, remembering the way they had kissed earlier.

"Take us to them." Nick said.

"Nick…" Jenny started, but Nick put a hand up to stop her without breaking eye contact with Helen.

Helen sighed. She knew that she couldn't take Nick, Jenny and Connor to the same place as Abby- the plan just wouldn't work, but she could take them elsewhere.

"Fine." She said, a glint in her eye. She had the perfect place- instead of becoming prisoners in an anomaly; they would become prisoners in the very same cave that she and Abby had slept in the previous night. She began to lead the way and the three of them followed.

"Nick- this is crazy." Jenny whispered, taking his hand, "We can't follow her- it's a trap."

"Maybe." Nick agreed, "But it's our best shot at getting Abby back."

"I dunno Nick- I don't think we should get our hopes up." Jenny sighed.

"She's not dead, Jenny." Nick shook his head, "I don't know how I know- I just do."

Jenny didn't say anything, just nodded. Nick gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and a weak smile before they pressed on.

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"Abby." Someone called her name again. It was different to before, though. The first time it had been luring, she had wanted it- the voice had belonged to Stephen. Now it was harsh and cold, using the same monotone Helen often used when she didn't want to give anything away.

"Abby." It called again. She didn't want to follow it, but found that she was. The world around her was black, an intense black that made her think that there was something out there, even though somewhere in her subconscious, she knew it was a dream. Suddenly the symbol that had appeared in her dreams numerous times before floated past again . It was the white circle with the two horizontal lines, and, for some reason, it scared her.

"Abby." The voice became louder and more persuasive. Abby tried to push against whatever force was taking over her mind.

"Abby!" another voice, more urgent came into her head, "Abby!" suddenly she had been shaken awake, gasping.

"Connor." She whispered.

"No. It's Stephen." He replied. Abby looked up and memories of the previous day flooded back to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

"Yeah." Abby nodded.

"You were shouting." Stephen told her.

"I always do that." Abby tossed his concern aside and pulled away from his hug, "Well, ever since you…" she trailed off, "Sorry." She added, "For waking you up and… well, everything."

"You mean that you called me Connor." Stephen said, though amusement tinted the edge of his voice.

"Yeah. He always used to wake me when I was having these dreams." Abby admitted, "I'd… I'd be yelling your name. And Connor was getting worried." She paused, deciding to tell him about the argument she and Connor had had, "We… we had an argument. Connor thought I was crazy- he thought I shouldn't come to the anomaly site because of the dreams I had. Occasionally, when I woke from having dreams about you I'd say something that made him think I was losing my mind. We yelled at each other a lot. I didn't leave him on speaking terms."

"I'm sorry." Stephen said, not knowing what else to say. He put an arm around her shoulder and gently pulled her back to lie down. Abby sighed and snuggled into him.

"Do…" Stephen paused, "Do you miss him?"

"Who?" Abby looked at him, "Connor? A bit." She admitted, "But I'd rather be here with you."

"Even if you'll never see him again?"

"I will." Abby said. Stephen didn't reply. He had a hunch, that he hoped to God was wrong, but he had a hunch that Helen had no intention of taking either of them home.

Abby rolled onto her side and rested her head on his bare chest. He snaked his arm further round her and pulled her close, now that he had her he never wanted to let her go.

"I love you." Abby whispered suddenly, clasping his waist with one hand, "I love you so much."

"I love you too." He whispered back, holding her close.

"Stephen?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared," Abby said in a small voice.

"What of?" Stephen rolled onto his side as well so that he could see her face.

"Being separated." Abby admitted.

"We won't be." Stephen said, "I won't let it happen."

"Please don't. I don't think I can live without you- not again." She whispered. Stephen didn't know what to say in return so he pulled her closer, as close as she could go, and held her.

"I'll never leave you." He promised, "I'll never let you go."

"Do you promise?" Abby asked, although she knew that there was no way he could promise such a thing.

"Yes." Stephen said, "I promise you Abby, I will never leave you."

This seemed to satisfy Abby, although both of them knew that it couldn't be promised. She smiled up at Stephen and simply said, "Thank you."

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Helen, Nick, Jenny and Connor arrived at the cave a lot quicker than she and Abby had got there the previous day and night was beginning to fall. Helen knew that this meant that the sun would be rising in just a few hours where Stephen and Abby were and she had to be there, before "he" was, at least…

"They're in there?" Connor raised an eyebrow at Helen.

"No." Helen said truthfully, "But they're too far away to travel there by foot by nightfall."

"We'll travel overnight then," Nick looked at her.

"No, Nick. You must rest, or you'll never make it." Helen lied, "Well, "she glanced at Jenny, who glared at her, "She won't."

Cutter looked over at Jenny, his eyes softening as he met hers. He nodded and looked back at Helen, "Fine. We'll rest. But as soon as the sun rises, we'll be leaving." He gave in.

"Good." Helen smiled wryly.

"But…" Connor turned his eyes on Nick, "But what about Abby?"

"Oh, she'll be more than okay for another night." Helen laughed, "She's fine, more then fine."

"Promise?" Connor looked doubtful

"I promise you, she's fine." Helen confirmed.

Connor seemed to believe this and reluctantly followed Nick and Jenny into the dark cave, where the three of them lay out their roll mats and sleeping bags and sat on their make-shift beds. Helen waited until they all seemed to be asleep before sloping off to find the right spot to open the anomaly. She decided that she probably wouldn't come back for them- she had the three of them right where she wanted them and, for now, they were trapped until they would become useful. If they became useful. Helen sighed, opened the anomaly, and slipped through unseen, before closing it again behind her.

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Abby awoke early the next morning, the glaring sun pressing down on her eyelids, even before she opened them. She smiled, feeling Stephen's warm body beside her. He still slept soundly with one arm tightly curled around her, protective. Trying not to wake him, she turned slightly, so that her body was inclined towards his. He stirred, but didn't wake and Abby smiled again as she studied his face closely. She rested a hand on his shoulder and her head in the crook his arm made, breathing in his soft scent that she loved so much. She ran the hand she had put on his shoulder slowly down his bare arm and over the muscles until it reached his waist. She didn't move it from there for a while, her hand cradling his hip, her little finger fiddling with the band of his boxer shorts- the only item of clothing he was wearing. She smiled secretly to herself as she remembered the passion that they had shared the night before and she knew more then ever that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with the man that lay beside her.

It was then that she heard Helen speak. Abby felt her body stiffen at the sound, and it was clear from the tone of the older woman's voice that she was talking to someone different.

"Yes, she's here!" she snapped, "What kind of an idiot do you take me for?" Abby heard a pause and then Helen spoke again: "She's with him now. Just over the crest of the dune. We, erm, we do have a slight problem."

At this point, Abby sat up- this was beginning to sound suspicious and Abby had a strange sense of foreboding in her gut.

"Well, she told her little friends where she was going and of course Nick and his little "gang" have decided to follow…" she was clearly interrupted by whoever she was talking to, "HARPER!" Helen exploded, "Let me finish." Another small pause, "Thank you. There are only three of them though Harper. I've led them to the cave in the Silurian and they'll stay there until I come and get them. I don't know if I'm going to go yet, but I've been thinking that they may have their uses, although you're not laying your hands on Nick."

Abby sat up, letting Stephen's arm slide off of her bare body although it didn't wake him. She reached for her clothes and pulled her top over her head, leaving her jeans for now, before creeping up the dune and peering over. Luckily, Helen's back was turned to her so she couldn't see the blonde watching her. Helen was listening to someone talk to her via a mobile phone and had stopped talking for a bit.

"No." She said into the phone, "Yes, he's there too. He's going to be difficult, that one."

"What's his name?" now that Abby was closer, she found that she could hear the man on the other end of the phone as well.

"Connor." Helen replied, "Yes. He's very insistent."

"But you've got the girl?" the man asked.

"Yes. And the plan will work as far as I can tell- they're besotted." Helen told him.

"I guess the other two could come in handy." The man contemplated, "Connor and Jenny. I'll think about that and get back to you." He said, and Abby felt her heart leap into her mouth. It was a trap. It must have been. Suddenly, Abby felt dizzy and sick- she hadn't only fallen for it herself, but she had dragged Nick, Connor and Jenny in as well. Forgetting the rest of Helen's conversation, Abby turned and ran back down the dune dropping on her knees at Stephen's side and shaking him awake.

"Stephen!" she hissed urgently as his eyes opened.

"What?" he knew immediately that something was wrong and sat up, running his hand through his hair.

"It's a trap- Stephen," she whispered.

"What?" his eyes widened.

"It's a trap." Abby repeated, "She bought me here as a trap. I've fallen into a trap and dragged Nick, Jenny and Connor along too."

"What makes you think that?" Stephen's stood, pulled on his jeans and threw a thin top over his head, leaving his jacket on the ground.

"I heard her…" Abby swallowed, as the tears began to spurt down her face, "She's on the phone now. And she said something about me and you and Nick, Jenny and Connor following. It's a trap, Stephen, oh my god. What the hell have I done?"

"You haven't done anything." Stephen said, pulling her into a hug and letting her cry into his shoulder.

"She promised…" Abby sobbed.

"What, exactly what, did she promise you Abby?" Stephen asked, carefully choosing his words.

"She… she promised that I could see you again." Abby whispered, and Stephen bit his lip.

"And you've seen me." He said. Abby nodded into his shoulder and he sighed, "Do you know how to get back? Did you walk the whole way."

"Yes," Abby nodded, but then something came back to her and she remembered Helen's fist landing on her temple and she gulped, "No. Helen knocked me out and carried me part of the way." She whispered, remembering.

"So you don't really know the way back?" Stephen checked, resting his chin on her head.

"No." Abby said quietly and Stephen stroked her hair.

"Don't worry," he murmured gently beginning to stroke her hair, "We'll be okay."

"Oh, you're up." Helen said coming over the dune. Abby jumped and looked up at the older woman.

"Can we go back today?" Abby asked, though she had a feeling that she knew what the answer would be.

"Well… you see, this thing's come up…" Helen lied awkwardly.

"You're not going to, are you?" Stephen raised his eyebrows at her and crushed Abby's body closer to his, "You never will and you never were going to take us. It was a trap, wasn't it?"

"It wasn't a trap…" Helen started, but Stephen interrupted her again.

"Don't give me that crap!" he said, raising his voice, "It always has been a trap and you never intended to take Abby back at all!"

"I did… to start with…" Helen said.

"So you're not going to?" Stephen asked, "You admit it? You're gonna leave us here to die?"

"No." Helen answered, "To both questions, Stephen. And I'm sorry, but it's not my fault she was a gullible fool."

"Shut up!" he yelled, "You leave Abby out of this! It has nothing to do with her!" suddenly his voice became pleading and desperate, "Please, Helen, I don't care what you do with me. Leave me here to die, murder me yourself, whatever, just, please, take her back."

"No!" Abby protested, "No! I want to stay with you."

"You see, Stephen, when you were up for grabs, she knew just what she was risking, but it was too tempting." Helen grinned, knowing that Abby would refuse to be parted from Stephen. He felt Abby tense in his arms and glared at Helen.

"So what are you going to do with us, then?" he asked.

"I have a friend who has… plans." Helen revealed.

"What sort of plans?"

"Oh, you'll see."

"What have you done with Connor?" Abby spoke up.

"Connor's fine. So is Jenny and so is Nick." Helen told her.

"Where are they?" Abby pulled out of Stephen's grasp and walked over to Helen's side.

"Well, they followed you." Helen glared at the younger woman, "Because somebody broke their promise. Somebody told them where she was going."

"I couldn't just leave them!" Abby cried.

"You still broke your promise." Helen stated.

"So?" Abby continued to glare at her as she bent down to whisper in her ear.

"I could still break mine." She murmured. Suddenly the realisation of what she was saying hit Abby and she spun round, but all she could see was vast desert. Stephen was gone.

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Thanks for all reviews, please, please continue to review! I love to hear what you are thinking!!! I've revealed the "man's" name now, so I think that you guys should probably know who he is, if you're an avid primeval watcher, anyway, like me. Thanks again, please review.