A/N: I'm not sure how long this fic will be, but I've got a fairly good idea where it's going. Also, huge amounts of love to aunteeneenah, thou art my most faithful reviewer. I'd also love to hear feedback from any other readers. Reviews feed the muse.

Connor sighed with relief as he rubbed his head dry with a towel. Lilian had showed them to the locker room in the Yard, and she'd let them all use the showers. After three days without access to a shower, shampoo and conditioner felt absolutely heavenly, so did hot water. He'd been given some spare clothes that'd been scrounged up from the lockers; they didn't fit too well, but the rest of his clothes were being washed, so he couldn't complain. As he walked back towards the changing room, he heard a soft sound that made him freeze in his tracks. Edging forward carefully, he peered around the corner…and had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep quiet.

Professor Cutter had Jenny backed into a corner, and the two were snogging like a pair of randy teenagers in secondary school. She had one hand buried in his hair, the other fisted around the back of his shirt, and he had both arms wrapped securely around her waist, holding her tight against him. Neither one paid any attention to him, so absorbed in each other were they. Connor couldn't help but smile as he backed away, leaving the pair. About time those two got together. Ooh, wait until I tell Abby! he thought gleefully, hurrying towards the door.

The sound of the door closing made Cutter's head snap up, drawing away from her warm lips; Jenny let out a soft sound of protest, fingers stroking the soft hair at the back of his neck. "What was that?" he muttered.

"Nothing, it was probably just the wind," she replied, trying to coax him back towards her, hungry for the feel of his warm lips on hers again.

"Needy, needy," he said with a grin. He nuzzled at her throat, kissing and nibbling the soft tender flesh, and Jenny giggled softly when his stubble tickled against her skin. "I feel like I'm back in secondary, hoping I don't get caught by the crotchety old gym teacher," he mumbled, and she outright laughed into his shoulder, the sound a bright peal of bells that made him feel warm all the way down to his toes. I have to make her laugh more often, he thought, drawing her a little closer.

"You're kidding me. Jenny and Cutter?" Abby couldn't quite mask the incredulity in her voice as she stared at him. She'd taken a shower and changed as well, now wearing a pair of sweatpants that sagged off her slender hips and a miles-too-big t-shirt that seemed to engulf her frame in folds of grey fabric.

Connor chuckled, barely resisting the urge to hop and down with delight. "Yeah. I saw it. Like bloody teenagers," he laughed. "They didn't even know I was there. Good thing, too, 'cause Cutter might've killed me if he saw."

"Yeah, probably," Abby agreed with a smile. She pushed a hand back through her damp white-blond hair, making it stand up in all directions. "Wow. Jenny and Cutter. Who the hell would've thought?" She smiled at him warmly, and he felt a warm fluttering feeling in his chest that happened whenever she looked at him like that. It just wasn't fair, sometimes, how she could be so utterly beautiful. He hadn't given up on the idea of them being more than mates, but he had put the idea way on the back burner, seeing as how she was so content with being just mates...though he was starting to believe maybe that was changing. She'd never been too affectionate around him, but all when he was sick she'd coddled him and snuggled him like...dare he say it...he was her boyfriend instead of just her flatmate.

"Uhm, Abby..." he began, trying to think of a way to talk to her without sounding like a total git.

Before he could get another word out, though, the door swung open and Stephen walked in, barefoot and shirtless, wearing only a pair of sweatpants, light brown hair slicked down and a shade darker with water. Connor felt his hopes die out as Abby raked her gaze over the other man's form with an appreciative eye, and he tried not to let it show on his face. "Oi, Hart, maybe you wanna put some actual clothes on? There's children about," Abby sniped, though the smile playing at her lips belied her words.

Stephen only smirked. "Seventeen is hardly a child," he replied, referring to Thomas and Jamie, the youngest of them. "And don't act like you don't appreciate the view."

"Yeah, whatever," she shot back playfully, and his easy smirk widened as he crossed the room and headed out the door. Abby shook her head and brushed back her hair. Suddenly, she seemed to remember that Connor was still there and turned back to him. "What were you gonna say, Conn?" she asked.

"Nothin'," he mumbled, trying not to sound as miserable as he felt. He couldn't say that he'd be surprised if Abby and Stephen fancied each other. They were practically made for each other, the both of them strong, attractive, brave...everything that he wasn't. Surprised, no. Hurt, yes. Connor got to his feet, keeping his gaze towards the floor.

"Connor..." Abby started.

"We ought to get back with the others," he suggested quietly and headed towards the door before she could say anything else. No point in rubbing salt in the wound.

Watching him slip out the door, Abby lifted a hand to her mouth and absently began biting at her nails. It was a nervous habit of hers, one she hardly ever did anymore; she'd grown out of it when she was ten. She didn't understand why it was so hard to talk to him. He was probably her closest friend in the world, yet she couldn't manage to pluck up the courage to say she liked him as more than just a friend.

Part of the distance between them, she knew, was her own doing. She'd always cut down Connor's flirtatious little advance towards her in the past, sometimes a tad harshly, and at times she'd bordered on being downright cruel to him without intending to. Now he was just settling for whatever little bits of affection she gave him and not pushing any further than that.

She pushed a hand back through her hair once more, biting her lip. Great. What a right proper mess she'd made of things. Getting to her feet, she headed out the door, walking the same direction Connor had gone. Hopefully she'd be able to soon fix this.