Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

31.5…

"…love... for all time…"

-x-x-x-x-x-x

A week later, Abby and Connor were back in London.

Lucien had arranged for their long term use of the London flat they had used so recently. Lizzie was transferring schools; she would use the flat's smaller bedroom while they lived in London.

Abby and Connor's home near the Forest of Dean was being sublet. Jatin and Taylor had already agreed to share the rent, share the big house. In two weeks, after Jatin and Seema's wedding when they returned from their honeymoon, Seema would be joining them there. Taylor's bloke, Jemmy, was already asking if he could rent the third bedroom. Taylor wasn't quite sure about that yet, she was going to take it slow.

Connor was on medical leave to begin the treatment. Abby had requested personal leave, she wanted to be there if Connor needed her, even if he did insist he didn't need her mollycoddling him.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

A year later, at a small chapel in London another wedding occurred.

The parents of Sarah Leia Temple happily invited all their family and friends to see their daughter joined in matrimony to James Daniel Miller, the dear son of their friends Jenny and Michael.

And if the processional was a little slower than normal, and if the bride's father held her a little tighter so he wouldn't wobble and lose his balance as they made it down the aisle, it was okay. Everyone was just glad that Connor was there.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

A little over two years later, Abby, Connor, Duncan and Edie received a note, the same note.

Tommy and Rosie had eloped, gone to Gretna Green. They would be back in a few days, really couldn't afford to take an expensive honeymoon. They were saving their money to buy nursery furniture.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

And three years later, when Connor got to hold his grandson for the first time, his hands didn't shake. The newest medication Connor was taking didn't have quite as many harsh side effects as some of the other treatments. And while Connor's eyes may have teared up a bit, it was from joy. Abby leaned over his shoulder and gently traced the baby's round face with her hand. There was a dimple there. She was sure of it.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Four years later, Abby was sitting on a wrought iron chair facing a tombstone.

Connor was buried near his father, his friend Tom was just down the hill a bit. Abby came here often to talk to Connor. It was a peaceful, pleasant place. In the late spring, flowers were blooming and a butterfly wandered by as she told Connor the latest news on their family.

Sarah and Jamie were expecting.

The Lester's were selling their huge home and had offered it to Tommy and Rosie at a ridiculously low price, as long as they allowed the diictodons to remain. Abby was sure they were going to buy it. Little Connor was walking now, he'd be running soon.

Amelia had dumped Matt and Emily's son Richard. Abby was sure Richard would get over it in time, surely Matt and Emily would get over it too. Amelia was now dating a nice young doctor that worked with Tommy, Abby thought the relationship had real potential.

Nick had graduated from uni, and was travelling the world right now, not quite sure where he wanted to settle or what he wanted to do. His father's death had perhaps hit him the hardest. Abby had received a post card from Bangladesh, he sounded happier than he had been. Nick was heading for Australia next, then maybe to Bora Bora afterwards.

Lizzie had taken her first degree early and was now happily working towards her second degree. She had written the forward to Connor's last book "Infinite Universes." It was selling quite well, and Central Metropolitan University, where Duncan now taught, had selected it as part of their reading requirements for the courses on temporal science. Privately, Abby thought that Lizzie was probably the only person who really understood Connor's book. And, Abby told Connor, Lizzie was designing something. Abby had seen the drawings, a hexagonal cylinder, circuitry and wires, glass prisms. The device Lizzie was designing was meant to show a map of the anomalies.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

"I come here to talk to him too," said Duncan.

Abby looked at him in surprise. She hadn't heard him walk up behind her. He sat down on the other bistro chair beside her.

"I miss him," sighed Duncan "it should never have happened."

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Abby remembered thinking the same thing.

Eight months previously, she and Connor were returning to the London flat after grocery shopping. They had entered the lift followed by a big hulking man carrying multiple bags, he'd been shopping too. The man was in a rush, pushing to get into the lift before it closed. The big man had jostled Connor, knocking him off balance.

Abby remembered the sound of Connor's head hitting the back wall of the lift. It was loud and hard.

"Ow," said Connor. Abby watched as he dropped the bag he was carrying and slowly slid down the wall.

"Connor?"

"Abby," he had called "Abby."

She had dropped her own bags in her rush to reach him. And as she knelt beside him, calling his name, holding his hand tightly, his eyes glazed. That was when she realized blood was seeping out his ears. The ambulance had been quick. The paramedics did everything they could. But, by the time they got Connor to the hospital the electrodes monitoring his brain showed a flat line. Connor was on life support, his heart beat was steady, but a ventilator was the only thing keeping Connor breathing. The doctors told Abby he wasn't coming back. Abby had some decisions to make.

The next morning, in the hallway at the police station she was asked if she wanted to press criminal charges against the big man. Danny was with her then, supporting her. In her grief and rage, she thought that criminal charges were definitely needed. Danny disagreed.

"Abby," said Danny gently "it was an accident… it should never have happened."

She looked up at him, with a momentary hope. "Right, it should never have happened," she agreed "you can fix this Danny. Please Danny. Please."

Her tall, lanky friend looked down at her sadly. "No Abby, sooner or later everybody dies," he replied "this is Connor's time… I can't fix this."

Danny nodded in the direction of the glass window. She could see the big man sitting dejectedly at the table in the interrogation room, his arm reaching across the table.

"He never meant to hurt Connor," continued Danny softly "it was an accident. If you press criminal charges, you'll ruin his life."

Abby thought angrily that ruining that man's life wasn't enough punishment. For a moment there, she wanted that man dead. Danny pushed her forward, closer to the glass so she could see into the rest of the room. The big mans arm was stretched out across the table, he was holding a woman's hand. The worried looking woman was bouncing a baby on her knee.

"You'll ruin all their lives," said Danny. Then he asked "Do you really think Connor would want that?"

Abby didn't press criminal charges. Connor wouldn't have wanted that.

Tiredly she asked Danny to take her back to the hospital. When she saw the ARCs soldiers in the hospital corridor, she knew something was wrong. Becker tried to stop her from entering Connor's room, but she used every move she could to get past him. She heard, without understanding, Becker's cry "We don't know how he got here."

Abby stepped into Connor's hospital room. Connor looked like he was sleeping, she thought. And then she realized that the vast array of machines that had been hooked up to Connor was silent, and the man sitting in the chair next to Connor was weeping.

"What have you done?" Abby asked the Cutter clone.

He looked up at her sadly. "Connor was gone," he said looking at the body "this was just a shell, not him, not really." The Cutter clone held the power cord to those machines in his hand.

"Connor wouldn't have wanted this," the Cutter clone continued.

And Abby agreed. The Cutter clone had made this difficult decision for her, but she knew in her heart that it was the right decision.

When Lucien wanted to send the Cutter clone to the clone prison, Abby had argued against that. The Cutter clone was no longer a threat to anyone, he had completed his mission. But she still wondered; does a clone have a soul? Is it free will that makes us human? Or is it love?

-x-x-x-x-x-x

Duncan was speaking again. Abby shook her head to clear it and asked him to repeat what he'd said.

"You should come to dinner with Edie and me tonight Abby," he repeated. "Connor wouldn't want you to be alone."

She had declined. Really, she didn't feel like going out.

The pudgy little man looked at her for a moment, and then squared his shoulders as if he were getting ready for a fight.

"Connor made us, Becker, me, your brother, he made us all promise," Duncan said "to watch out for you…"

"What? When?" Abby asked in surprise.

"Years ago," replied Duncan, his chin stuck out stubbornly as he continued talking "at your wedding… the first one in London I mean, not the renewal at Gretna Green…"

Duncan seemed a little flustered, but he took a deep breath and resumed speaking, "In the dressing room, he made all of us promise… if anything ever happened… we were to watch out for you."

Abby thought, she shouldn't be so surprised. It explained why Jack had been so helpful in those first horrible days. Jack had been the one to arrange the funeral. He'd been the one to make sure all the children were picked up and brought from the train station. Jack had even been the one to walk with Connor's mum at the funeral, he made sure the elderly woman didn't trip or fall. Whedon couldn't have helped then, he was too busy trying to help Beth. And when Abby wanted to move out of London, to be closer to where Connor was laid to rest, Jack had made all the necessary arrangements. For the first time in their lives, when Abby really needed it, her little brother was there to watch out for her.

But then Abby realized what Duncan's words really meant. "Connor was thinking about dying back then," she exclaimed in shock.

"No Abby, Connor wasn't thinking about dying," said Duncan "but Connor wasn't stupid… he knew women outlive men usually… and with the work you two did… he wanted to protect you."

Duncan continued looking at her as she processed his words.

"Abby," Duncan continued softly "Connor was thinking about how much he loved you."

Her friend stood up and added "Dinner's at seven, Edie and I will both be looking forward to seeing you."

Duncan started walking back down the hill, and then he looked back at her.

"Don't be late," Duncan advised "or I'll call Becker and make sure he brings you over."

Abby smiled a little shakily, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"I'll be there," Abby promised.

She was still surrounded by Connor's love.

-x-x-x-x-x-x

A/N - Thank you for reading.