Sorry these chapters seem to be taking longer than usual, I'm having a tough time writing them! But enjoy! :P

Chapter Twenty Five.

7:00 AM, Lester's:

James could admit, he hadn't felt this upset, this destroyed since his mum died. Tears fell as he leafed through the story she was in the middle of writing. Anomalies…dinosaurs…future predators…pure brilliance for the science nerds. Connor would love it, absolutely love it. His heart sank…Connor was the reason he was reading it right now. In her will, she wanted to give this and only this to the young boy.

He stared down and realized what a jerk she had made him out to be in the "first series". He huffed and wondered why she'd do that until he remembered the day she met him. Screaming at his workers, so close to their face, spit was landing on it. He was even rude to the customers, in fact, the only reason she talked to him was he called someone a "damn idiot".

"It's a grocery store, we have not got clothes!" He yelled. "You're a damn idiot, if you believe the ARC sells clothes! Does it look like we sell clothes?"
The lady grumbled some words, swearing at the man in the suit and walked out. Ever since Lester took over the ARC, things have been…challenging. Lester was heartless, it seemed. The twenty five year old just didn't care about anyone or anything.A woman looked up from the oranges and just stared at him, a bit astonished at the least.

"What are you looking at?" He growled, never admitting he felt self-conscious at the moment. She was absolutely beautiful. Red hair and gorgeous green eyes, laugh lines that he seemed to lack, and freckles dotting her face. He already could tell she was Scottish.
"You." She answered. "Why were you so…mean?"
"What does it matter?"
"Because…in your eyes…your eyes aren't cold…they're sad."
"Excuse me?"
"I can tell feelings by people's eyes. It's a power I have."
"Well, it's wrong."
"Whatever you say."

"Good." A smirk appeared on his face. "Go on a date with me, then?"
"What?" She had to say, she was shocked.
"I wanna go on a date with you. You said whatever I say. I say…go on a date with me."
"When?"
"Tomorrow. Saturday. I don't have work on Saturdays and I heard 'The April Fools' was a good movie."
"Alright, see you tomorrow? Pick me up at my house."
"Where do you live?"
"Here." She wrote her address on a slip of paper and handed it to him. "My name's Ruth. Ruth West."
"James. James Lester." He shook her hand. "And I'd say it's nice to meet you…but I'm not too sure on the circumstances."
She smiled. "You're quite funny, you know. With the sarcasm."
"Sarcasm? Why, I have no idea what you're talking about." He straightened his tie and walked away, towards some workers to yell at. But he actually felt…happy.

He could admit, he was a jerk before. Even still he could still be mean and she'd never knock him out of the habit of sarcasm, he cared more…he cared for everyone on this street. They were like his family and he would treat them as such.

Lester finally made it to the last page and his insides broke.

"Go Back." A future version of Matt Anderson, bloody and dirt covered stared at him, he had been trying to rush out, but that failed.
"What?" He asked.
"You have to go back!" The man Matt could hardly recognize repeated.
"Matt!" Emily whipped around and when he turned back, the man was gone. Letting go of all fear, he ran out the door to join the team.

Series Six:

It was unfinished…

8:00 AM, Connor Temple's:

Fiddling with a piece of metal, Connor racked his brains trying to figure out what to do next. The laser wasn't finished, it wasn't anywhere close to being finished, but he'd gotten something and that was progress.

He stayed up all night, he was bloody knackered, but he didn't want to stop. Once his mind started something, he was dedicated.
"Come on, Connor…" He whispered to himself. "It can't be too hard, now can it? It's just a laser…you built one for the eighth grade science fair…it's just a…tad bit bigger and a lot more powerful. Ah-ha!" He had thought of something, he knew what to do and how to build it. Or at least, part of it.

"Connor?" Abby called through out the house.
"Here!" He yelled from the kitchen, it was the only place big enough to do this project. "Just-be careful! I've got a load of parts sittin' around here."
She walked into the kitchen and looked around, then stared at him.
"Connor, you look exhausted."
"Eh," He shrugged, screwing pieces together with his screwdriver.
"You need sleep."
"Nah, I'll be fine. I've got coffee on the table."
She walked over and studied the coffee. "It feels like it's been in the fridge! It's cold, when did you make it?"
"Er…somewhere between three in the morning and five…I just didn't get a chance to drink it."
"That's disgusting." She mumbled and dumped it out.
"Hey!" He exclaimed.
"I'm making you a new pot."
"Okay…thank you, Abby…"
"Whatever." She sighed.

It was silent for awhile, the whole house didn't even creak. But Connor snuck glances at Abby and she herself was caught staring at him for long periods of time. She wished he'd never gotten mixed into this, she honestly didn't have a good feeling about it all and it was using up precious time together. Not like they didn't have the rest of their lives together, but…she wanted to hang out with him. She wanted to go on dates and such, and for days, they've done nothing.

"You okay, Abs?" Connor finally found words and gave her a small smile.
"I've just been…lonely." Abby told him.
"But why?"
"Because you've been doing this all week and…well, if you haven't been doing this, you've been in college and hanging out with Philip."
"It's not-it's not that bad. You said so yourself, sometimes you need time alone to be with other people."
"I just don't feel all that comfortable about this all."
"It could help Becker!"
"Have you talked to him recently?" Abby growled. "He's been shot!"
"Wha-?" Connor lost all his breath and fear and anxiety filled his head.
"He was shot in the leg and the chest. He's not doing all that well! He told a man he was wearing a bullet proof vest…but when the medical assistance stripped him down to take care of him, he was not wearing one."
"How did he not know?"
"He….he did…he told me he knew…"

8:30 AM, Iraq, Becker's base:

"How could you lie to me?" Neil, the boy who took care of Becker yelled in the medical room.
"I didn't want you to worry." Becker simply said. "I'm fine anyway."
"You could've died out there!"
"I could've." He nodded. "But so could you. And so can everyone else! You're part of the army, you learn to deal!"
"You were shot in the chest though, I would've gotten you here sooner if you'd told me that."
"I'm the captain, what I say goes." He told him. "I make the hardest of choices, I made the choice not to tell you one thing. You're my solider, okay? You listen, you take orders, that's how this works! I know you're new and all, but they should've told you in the academy!"

"Captain," A doctor came in.
"Yes?" Becker responded, brushing away Neil.
"They're putting you on medical leave, you will get to go home for a three months, sir."
He took a deep breath. "Who are they sending in?"
"Well, obviously the colonel is still in charge, as he's got higher power than you anyways."
"Yes, yes, of course." He nodded. "Sometimes I forget I don't have all the power in the world."
"Don't we all?" The doctor winked and gave a smile. "And by the way, you've gotten a letter."
He grinned. "Lovely little Jess always comes through, doesn't she? She'll be ecstatic to know that I'm coming back…and so will Danny…"

Dear Becker,

It's been rather dull without you on the Boulevard. Sad, as well. So many things have happened…I don't think you'd like to hear them though…it would-It would suck to hear this news while in combat. So…I guess you'll figure out in a few months? Or maybe Danny's already told you…I don't know.

There has been good news though. Connor and Abby have gotten together…and one step closer to finding Claudia Brown…we're always getting one step closer and taking one step back, however. I'm honestly starting to feel terrible for Jenny and Danny. All they want to be is happy…but things keep getting in their way.

I wish you could come home…then we could have tea together sometime, yeah? If you want to, you don't have to of course. I just really liked being with you, it was…fun and nice…

Love,
Jess

His heart hit his chest hard and he ran his fingers through his hair. He was going to make one girl very happy, he thought. It was going to be grand.

"When do I go?" He questioned, looking at the doctor.
"Tomorrow. You've got today to pack and get ready. Does it…bother you, leaving so soon?"
"It bothers me more than people would think." Becker nodded. "My men and women are my family, doctor. I'm supposed to be their captain, lead them to safety…and here I am, hardly able to move because I was protecting them. I want to stay."
"I'm sorry, sir."
"It's fine…and it also bothers me knowing…my real family, my friends…they'll have to say goodbye to me all over again in just three months."

"Do you ever…wish you could take back becoming a soldier?"
"No, never!" Becker shouted, faster than he thought he would. "I make my father proud doing this, my family, but more than that…I make myself proud. I've come along way from being the boy who was beat up and called gay, from protecting my best friend from bullies…a long, long way. And every step I took, I knew I wanted to be a soldier like my daddy…a big strong soldier."
"I was just…interested. Thanks for telling."
"It's no problem. Thank you for helping me so much, you're a lifesaver."
The doctor smiled. "Right back at you."

9:00 AM, Jenny Lewis':

"Honestly Jenny, how can you just sit there when you know where your sister is?" Nick yelled. "How?"
"I-I don't know!" She cringed. "I want to, oh, I want to go so bad…and rescue her and never let her go…but I know it's not right! We can get hurt!"
"I don't give a damn what could happen to us! We need to rescue Claudia Brown! She's your sister, Jennifer! Your twin sister and you're just sitting there!"
"But Nick!" She cried. "I-I'm scared!"
"So do something." He growled. "Do something, Jenny! She's scared too!"
"I'm not sure I'll…go with you. I'm sorry."
"What a sister." Nick rolled his eyes and slammed the door.

Jenny had tears rolling down her face. She knew she was a terrible sister…but she just couldn't deal with the pain. What if she had died? What if…it was too late? She didn't want to see her dead body just lying there and be faced with the murderer itself. She would stay…she had to make all the tough decisions. Nick was just angry…he was too angry and upset to see that it was dangerous. Too dangerous…

"You're a bloody idiot, Jenny! She's your sister…she would go save you…why can't I go save her? Why do my legs feel numb and my heart feel like stone? Just-why?" She wiped her tears away and grabbed a rum from the counter.

9:05 AM, Connor Temple's:

"The point is, Abigail, it can help in the military! It could prevent things like people getting shot! If you'd just let me work on it!"
"Don't call me Abigail…" She warned him.
"Oh come on? I've known you for seven years, I've been your best friend, we're practically dating and I can't call you your real name?"
"You know how I feel about it. You know why I don't let people call me that, you know I associate it with pain! The name scares me, Connor and you know it!"
"You've got to get over the childish fear! People are going to call you that, you know."
"It's not childish!" She gritted her teeth, tears coming to her eyes.
"You let Cutter call you Abigail and Becker! Why am I, your boyfriend, not allowed to call you that?"
"Cutter and Becker are different! Cutter and Becker haven't gotten me angry, haven't abandoned and ignored me for the past week!"

"I haven't ignored you. I texted you just last night! And the night before…and you know what? The night before that!"
"Texting isn't a date Connor, it's not playing around with you, it's not fun. It's a second resort, Connor…I just want to be with you. Aren't I more important than the stupid machine? That machine could kill thousands…and your girlfriend-"
"Can kill thousands as well." Connor interrupted. "But at least this machine is for good! I knew this would just go all over your head! You just don't understand how important it is because after all these years, you still hate Philip! He hasn't even done anything to you!"
"Shut up!" Abby screamed. "Just shut up!"
"Abs-I didn't…mean it like that…"
"No, no, people always say that! You know my father used to say that? And look how he turned out! So shut your damn mouth…" Tears rolled down her face and she swallowed hard. "What happened to you, Connor? What?"

Connor took a deep breath and watched how she walked out of the house, slamming the door hard. He tossed the machine to the table…he didn't feel like working on it anymore. He didn't feel like doing anything anymore. He walked to the living room, pulled a blanket off the couch and curled up in it, throwing himself on the couch. He had never caused Abby to be that upset. They had their arguments and misunderstandings, of course they had…but they'd never been that bad. It was all a mistake, a complete mistake.

"Why would I even bring up the Abigail situation? Why would I even act that way? Why am I an idiot? Why….why doesn't she understand, though? I know I usually trust her…and this time…it seems she cares about this predicament a lot…and she's right a lot of the times…but this just feels…like the right thing…or maybe I'm too…upset to realize anything? Which one is it Connor Gregory…which one?"

9:15 AM, Abby Maitland's:

Abby pulled her sweatshirt over her hands and her hood over her head. She wanted to hide, she didn't want to be seen, but how couldn't she when she was too weak to leave the front of Connor's house? She didn't want to go…she didn't want to believe all that had happened and the question that still bugged her is the fact that…she didn't let Connor call her Abigail. Why? It's not as if he hadn't before…it's not as if she was scared of him. How could she be scared of Connor? But still…the way the name grated out of his mouth, the way he sounded so intimidating, so…different from the caring gentlemen best friend she knew…just reminded her of so many terrible times.

"Abigail!" Her father screamed. "You're late! What did I tell you about being late?"
"I'm-I'm sorry dad, Jack was having a tough time in school…I had to help him." She tried to tell him.
"But what did I tell you, Abigail?"
"Not to be late, no matter what…" Abby mumbled, staring down at the floor.
"I can't hear you." He glared at her. "Look at me and tell me, what did I tell you about being late?"
"Not to be late, no matter what!"
"So, again, do you have a reason for being late?"
"No…" She shook her head slowly. "Because…there is no reason for being late in your eyes…"
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." She sighed. "Where's mum?""
The bedroom."

Abby threw her backpack on the ground and walked into the bedroom, seeing her mum on the side of the bed, smoking.

"I thought you quit?" Tears came to her blue eyes and her vision blurred, the fourteen year old was too used to being disappointed, often at times…she felt hollow and empty, like she didn't have any feelings. That's when Connor came in though…Connor made her feel. She felt alive when she was with Connor.
"Oh well." The woman just shrugged.
"But-it'd be better for you."
"And it'd be better if you'd just got out of the room!" She snapped.
"But mum…Jack got detention. He needs someone to pick him up and I'm not old enough to sign him out. I already know dad won't do it…"
"How'd that idiot get into detention?"
"He's not an idiot…"
"Says another idiot." It seemed natural for her mum to insult, the way she grew up…with no parents herself, in an orphanage…it lead her to this neglecting and emotional abuse. "Why is he in detention?"
"He got in a fight and punched someone."
"He's eleven!"
"He doesn't know how to handle himself! No one else has shown him a way to cope, he watches dad and you all the time! You neglect him and he's abused! Yes, he punched a child! He doesn't know how to handle his anger at all!"
"Don't you yell at me!" Her mother said, smacking her arm.

Even that simple hit, that light tap made Abby cringe, she was expecting more anyways. She always had to when she was late.

"I'm sorry…"
"I wish you weren't my daughter."
"What did I even do this time, mum? What did I do?" She yelled, tears falling from her eyes. "I just want you to pick up my brother! He's scared…he's so scared! He doesn't belong in detention!"
"You should've watched him better!"
"I wait for him fifteen minutes everyday after school because his time is longer than mine, I don't see what I could've done when he's still in his school building and I'm still in mine. Our schools may be connected…but I can't baby him when I'm nowhere near him!"
"I told you not to yell at me, Abigail!"
"I'm not even sorry this time because you've given me no reason why I'm hated! I'm tired of it!"
"Because! You're an idiot, an annoyance, and you were never supposed to be born…"

Abby ran, slamming the door with tears streaming down her face. She just didn't understand what she'd done…but it's not as if she could do anything.

"I'm leaving!" Abby told her dad, using the loudest voice she could. "Just running away!"
"Where are you going to go?" He snarled. "No one wants you!"
"Shut up!"
"Watch what you say!" Her father, Harry threw her up against the wall.
She swung punches at him, kicking and screaming. She had been taking kickboxing since she was thirteen, Connor had inspired her.
"Don't you dare try to hit me!" He spit in her face, "You're a naughty girl, Abigail!"
"Please don't hit me…" She cried.
"And why not? You tried to hit me…" He grabbed her small wrists and held them against the wall. "You must learn to respect your elders, Abigail Sarah…"

"Why are you obsessed with calling me my name?" She stayed motionless.
"Because…you don't learn any other way." His grip on her even tighter.
"Please…" She cried. "Don't do this! Just let me go!"
"I will very well do what I want to!" Harry shook her, slapping her hard across the face.
"Now tell me, where are you even planning on going?"
"Connor's!"
"Connor's? Who the hell is this Connor man?"
"I'm not telling!" She closed her eyes. "Never!"
"Fine." He let go of his daughter, let her fall to the floor. "I'll love to see the disappointment on your face when he says that he doesn't want to. So…I'll be waiting." The man grinned and sat down in a chair across from her.
"He wouldn't do that!" She denied.

"Abby?" Connor's mum, Linda opened the door. "You alright, darling?"
"No…" She said shakily. "Is it alright if I stay here for the night?"
"Abby, you know you're always allowed to." Linda smiled softly. "Is there something…I should know? Something going on at home?"
"No…not at all." Abby lied. "Er…it was just some idiotic boys at school. They like picking on me."
"I'm sorry, they shouldn't."
"I know…but guys are idiots, what are you going to do?"
"You're a brilliant girl, Abby. Come in,"

"Is Connor home?"
"No, not yet. He's staying after today with the science club. He'll be home soon though…you wanna talk about anything?"
"No."

Linda wrapped the girl in a hug, she was Connor's best friend and she was honestly part of the family. You survive the Temple house for a year, you are family.

"I pray to God that whoever is hurting you, Abby, goes straight to Hell. You're too beautiful to be crying this hard. And I promise, that whenever you need someone…I'll be there and so will Connor, Jake, Alex, and Gregory." She whispered.
"Thank you…thank you so much."

"Abby!" Cutter called, running over to her. "Abby, are you alright?"
She just simply shook her head.
"What's wrong?"
"Connor…" She cowered away.
"Connor? Connor Temple?"
"Uh-huh." She nodded.
"What'd he do, sweetie?" Cutter sat down, calming down himself. He had to…Abby looked so broken.

"He's a jerk! He cares about his work more than me, he called me Abigail in the way that I hate it…he intimidated me, he did it on purpose…work and Philip are more important than his girlfriend it seems…"
"Philip?" Cutter raised an eyebrow.
"He's working with him for some sort of stupid machine…apparently it's going to help the military, but I don't trust Philip…"
"And you shouldn't." He shook his head. "I know I don't. Helen and him have done…things with each other. It's disgusting."
"Not only that, but I can see when people lie! Philip was lying, his eyes…they were nervous and scared that Connor wouldn't accept. He was worried about something…something more than the military needing help…which is unlikely."
"You're very right, it is."

"I need to get to the bottom of this because Philip isn't helping him, Cutter…and somebody needs to."
"Should I?"
"It'd be wonderful…where were you heading anyway?"
"Croydon."
"Why?"
"Claudia…"
"Claudia?"
"Jenny didn't want to go rescue her sister with me…so I'm going alone."
"Cutter I don't think-"
"Abby, I need to." He smiled. "Like you went to rescue Connor…I need to rescue my love. She's waiting…and she could be dying."

"I'm sorry." Abby gave a half smile. "I just think it's dangerous, you could get yourself really hurt."
"Did you care when Connor went missing?"
"No…" She shook her head. "I didn't even think."
"Exactly." He nodded.
"Cutter…"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
"Abby, you don't need to thank me. You're my friend." He gave her a hug. "Feel better, alright? I'll talk to Connor as soon as I can."
"You're amazing."

Five minutes later, Abby was sitting on Connor's porch still, inside he was sleeping, having a nightmare, Cutter was heading down to Croydon, while Jenny was drowning her tears in bottles of rum, and Danny was blaming himself for everything that has happened, Emily and Matt were watching TV, Jess was watching soaps, Sarah had just gotten the news of Becker being shot, and Lester was just waiting on the perfect time to give the story to Connor, re-reading the same parts, over and over again.

11:30 AM, Croydon, Nick Cutter:

"Claudia!" He screamed, over and over again, surely bothering some of the others. "Claudia Brown!" His throat was starting to kill him, he walked over the place, coming to a forest, a lake in the center. A little shack in the distance. "Claudia!"

And then he heard footsteps. His heart thumped out of his chest, his eyes closed, and his body went cold.

"Nick, how nice of you to join us." He heard a voice that he recognized as his ex. "What do you mean, us?"
"My workers, Philip, and me, look around Cutter, you're surrounded."
He stared at the men, they all had weapons of some sort. 'Oh god…' he thought. 'I'm gonna die…'