AS Connor pulled his jumper on, he heard snuffling and felt a bump against his shin. When his head emerged from the garment he glanced down to see the diictodon at his feet, front paws perched on the bed. With a wiggle of his hindquarters Sid made an attempt to jump up but couldn't quite scramble up onto the mattress. Connor tried not to laugh as the creature tumbled back to the floor and rolled about awkwardly before getting back on its feet.

"This is what happens when you let yourself go, mate. You didn't used to have any trouble here, now look at you; you've gotten fat." Connor told the diict as he bent and lifted Sid up onto the bed. It was true, the small creature had gained a couple kilos. Sid however ignored the comments on his figure and set to making himself comfortable on Connor's duvet.

"Best watch yourself or Abby'll have you on a diet." Connor called back as he grabbed his hat and left the flat for the day.

—

Connor was tired when he made it home late that evening. An alert had kept him in the field for hours and when his handheld detector malfunctioned, it took ages to fix after their return to the ARC. Now, finally home, he dropped his bag as he entered his room and pulled his jumper off over his head. He stood in his undershirt for a few moments, flexing the stiff muscles in his neck, before he noticed the lump under the covers on his bed.

"Oi, Sid, time for you to go. I need me rest and I don't fancy sharing the bed with you." He grabbed a corner of the blanket and tugged it off the little creature. "Off you go. You'll find jumping down much easier than jumping up so don't expect any help from me."

Connor's brow furrowed in concern as the diictodon didn't respond to the sudden disruption to its cozy nest. Sid lay sprawled out on the bed. He didnt lift his head to regard Connor, only opened one eye to follow the human's movements. Kneeling down, Connor reached out to give him a pet but a disgruntled snuffle from Sid stilled his hand. Now he was worried. Sid loved a cuddle.

"Abby!" He yelled across the flat, "Abs come quick, something is wrong with Sid. I think he is ill!"

—

Connor paced restlessly across the floor behind Abby as she examined the creature. Every time he pivoted for another lap he released a tense sigh or cracked his knuckles. Abby wasn't sure what was more distracting, his hovering or Sid's continued attempts to nip at her fingers as she checked his temperature and breathing. Finally Abby decided she couldn't tolerate both and exiled Connor from the bedroom.

"Go tend to Nancy." The other diict had been crying outside the room since Abby had closed the door when she entered. "I'll just be a moment more."

"He'll be okay though, yeah?" He leaned in over her shoulder to peer at Sid, who utterly a shrill bark that made them both jump.

"Connor, go!"

Retreating to the corridor Connor sat against the wall and drew Nancy onto his lap. She was as restless as he felt and he was sure she could sense Sid's discomfort. Even with Connor's attention, she turned to paw at the door every few minutes, whimpering if soft worried squeaks.

When Abby finally emerged, Nancy shot off his lap and scrambled between her knees into the room. Connor jumped to his feet as well and regarded her nervously, wringing his hands. She was always a hard one to read but now her face was particularly impassive. His heart sank.

"Abby, is he..?"

"Sid's condition is serious, Connor. I am surprised I didn't notice it sooner, but we know so little about these creatures. I may have to take him into the menagerie, there's more resources there to care for him."

Connor dropped his gaze, his throat working. He'd gotten quite attached to the ugly little beaver-things. He'd never had a dog growing up but he thought the diicts were cooler than any puppy could be. Sid and NAncy, along with Abby, were Connor's little family and he wasn't sure how he would handle it if he lost any of them. Clearing his throat he looked at her again.

"Will he recover or, I mean,…" He swallowed a lump of emotion, unable to put words to it, and he looked down at his feet again.

Abby examined Connor for a moment; this man who was both brilliant and foolish and who felt everything so passionately. Placing her hand on his cheek, Abby took mercy on him.

"He'll be okay, I promise." Abby saw the doubt and worry in his eyes as they met hers. "Connor… Sid isn't ill. He's pregnant."

Connor's jaw dropped.

"Well, she is pregnant, I should say." Abby said, her lips quirking. "IT didn't manifest quite like it does in reptiles so the thought never occurred to me. I thought he was just getting fat from all the treats you slip him when you think I'm not looking. But Sid isn't dying, he's in labor."

"But, Sid, not Nancy…?" His confusion was clear but Abby could sense the tension draining from him as his shoulders sagged in relief. She shrugged wryly.

"I was wrong about which was which when we first captured them. By the time I figured it out they were already responding to their names. It didn't seem important enough to sort out."

"So we're going to have an egg?" Connor said and Abby could see a smile starting to pull the corners of his lips up.

"Well, the fossil records never clearly indicated if the therapsids of that era laid eggs or gave birth to live young. I guess we'll be finding out for ourselves."

The grin had full control of Connor's mouth now. His glee was written across his face. With a pump of his fist and a crow of exultation, Connor spun in a circle. For a moment Abby wondered if he was going to start turning cartwheels in the corridor. But instead he grabbed her face, planted a joyous kiss on her lips and then enveloped her in a big hug. Lifting her off her feet he spun about once more.

"We're going to have a baby!" His happy laughter filled the flat until Abby couldn't help but join in.