A/N: Thanks for all the reviews. Things are slowing down for a bit in the story. It will now run parallel to my Extended Scenes story with Maddy and Mark.

Will watched Jess run off and hug Leah Marcos before school started. There was no reason for Jess not to go to school and she agreed. He promised to pick her up at lunchtime to visit her aunt and to get her sooner if her brother woke up again.

"How is Miss Porter?" a soft voice asked from behind Will.

He turned and looked into Brooke Lynn's pretty face. The substitute teacher was filling in for Abigail and would until she was released and could manage being on her feet all day.

Word of an OTG accident spread around the small settlement rapidly, but Taylor didn't want folks to know all the details. Rumors floated around that the Sixers kidnapped Kyle because they needed a doctor and left the rest to die. Will had heard that Brooke loved to be a know-it-all, so he gave her the most basic response. "She's getting better. I'll tell her you asked about her."

"So are you and her," Brooke paused, "a couple?"

"Yes," Will responded with his hopes and desires. If I ruined things with Abigail, I'll throw myself into a carno nest. The way she responded to him at the hospital when she was coherent and when she wasn't made his hope grow. It was still too soon in her recovery to press her about what happened that night.

"Well if you get…"

"Don't even waste your breath, Miss Lynn." Will cut her off. "I will never get tired of being with Abigail Porter." He turned when he heard Jess call his name. "I'll see you around."

Jess ran up and hugged him tightly before heading to her class. "I love you," she said as she kissed his cheek.

"Love you too, sweetie," Will replied as he had the last couple of days. It was so easy to tell the kids he loved them. There was caution when approaching Abigail though, because he really wasn't certain what she felt for him. Once again the proximity to the life-changing event she just endured would keep him from pressing the issue until later.

"Carter," Mark Reynolds called as he jogged over with his pack.

"Hey," Will replied. "What's the verdict?"

"OTG with a couple of geologists for two weeks," the younger man whined.

"Don't sneak OTG again," Will scolded.

"What's your punishment?" Mark asked as he looked longingly at the high school building.

"You'll survive." Will laughed and punched Mark on the shoulder.

"Don't dodge the question. What did Taylor do to you?" Mark questioned.

"Assigned me to base. It's not like he can send me OTG. He knows I'll go AWOL to find out if that bastard is dead." Will glanced at the forest around them. "Not to mention Jess doesn't have anyone until Abby's better."

"How is she?" Mark asked. "I was there a while last night with Maddy. She didn't seem to be sleeping well."

"Father Mike said she had a terrible nightmare the other night. He said she nearly crushed him with her grip." Will felt pain flood through him as he imagined all that sweet woman endured in her life.

"If I stumble across Porter, I'll be sure to chase him into a mess of slashers," Mark said.

"Actually if you can drag his sorry ass – literally – back here I'd appreciate it." Will looked toward the main gate. "Better get going. The sooner you leave the sooner you'll get back."

"Take care of the wife and kids, Carter." Mark smirked as he dodged Will's fist.

He had no strength behind the punch because Mark was dead on with his joking. Abigail should be his wife – if he was lucky - and he already thought of Jason and Jess as his kids. He watched the younger man head off to the rhino and rover that were awaiting him. How ironic that Will Carter met the woman he loved, the only one to make him think of a long-term relationship, and he was so terrified of the hold she had over him that he couldn't tell her how he felt. He had to know if she felt the same or the rejection would quite possibly kill him.

Will's next stop was the infirmary. Taylor was lenient with his punishment because if Will hadn't told Abigail the universal code to the rovers, she and the kids might be dead. Training fresh recruits and manning a guard tower were fitting and kept him close to home.

"I don't want to see anyone." Jason was crying to someone in his room.

"Jason, you can't pretend to be asleep whenever Sergeant Carter visits," Elisabeth said in a soothing voice. "And your friend Leah was here earlier before school."

"I don't want to see anyone. I'm a failure. I big, fat failure." The little boy broke down and Will rushed through the door.

"Jay. Hey, don't you dare say that." He quickly reached the little boy's bedside.

Jason had his arms thrown over his head as he lay on the bed. His leg was in a fiberglass cast and elevated on pillows above his little body. One arm was still wrapped because the nykoraptor's claws dug very deep and the sealant couldn't penetrate to that depth so it was better to let it start healing on its own.

His sobs got louder as Will sat next to him. "Jason! Look at me, buddy."

Jason moved his arms and looked with watery eyes at Will, once again causing the hardened soldier to melt.

"Jay, you are the bravest nine-year-old boy I've ever known. Remember the story I told you about me and my brother?"

Jason nodded and swiped at his eyes.

"I was nine and hid in a closet when my mother was in danger." Will reached out to brush some tears off Jason's cheek. "According to Jess, you tried to fend dinosaurs off your aunt. You used my knife and stabbed one. And you remembered the code to get the rhino started. You're a hero. If you weren't there, who knows what might have happened."

"Really?" Jason's eyes widened and he squared his little shoulders.

"I know a thing or two about heroes working for Commander Taylor and I know for a fact that he thinks you and Jess should get medals for bravery." Will was quite certain he could get Taylor to give the kids some type of award. If not, Will was going to have something made for them.

"No way," Jason gasped.

"Yes way," Will said with a smile.

Jason leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Will. His tears started flowing again, but Will knew these had to come out.

Just like he did for Jess and Abigail, he held Jason for a long time while the cleansing tears fell. At some point Jason started mumbling and telling of everything he saw. Describing his aunt fending off dinosaurs with a tire iron caused Will to clutch Jason tighter and thank the Big Guy for giving her a strength that even Will didn't know she was capable of.

"You have beautiful hair," the redheaded nurse said as she gave Abigail some pain medications. "I can style it after we give you a bath."

"That's not necessary." Abigail hated being so helpless and having people bathe her. She had no idea how she was going to manage when she had Jason with a broken leg and Jess to care for too.

"I don't mind, honey," she said in a voice with an accent similar to the Devlin's.

"Do I know you?" Abigail had seen her a couple of times when she'd been in the infirmary, but couldn't remember being introduced.

"No. We haven't met." She continued to look at Abigail with bright green eyes. "My name's Kathy Hansen."

"It's nice to meet you," Abigail said.

"Let's get you cleaned up again. I think you'll be going home tomorrow so only one more day of being catered to by us nurses." Kathy fluffed up Abigail's pillow as she spoke.

Abigail's heart fell. She had no desire to go back to the house she had shared with that murderer.

"Oh this is lovely? The blue brings out your eyes." Kathy had taken Abigail's pack off the floor and pulled out a nightgown made of a silky material. It had delicate buttons up the front and short, nearly transparent sleeves.

"That's not mine," Abigail said.

"It's in your bag." Kathy pulled out her blue bathrobe and then a soft pink nightgown of the same material as the blue. "You've got wonderful taste."

"But those aren't mine." Abigail had no idea how the garments got mixed in with her robe.

"You are the luckiest woman I've ever met. Not only does he fawn all over you and take care of your niece and nephew, but he buys you beautiful clothing." Kathy looked with longing in her eyes.

"What? Who?" Abigail furrowed her brow.

"Seriously, that man is devoted to you. He'll only leave the room if one of his hand-selected friends is here to guard you."

"What are you talking about?" Abigail's mouth fell open.

"Will Carter is the definition of hot." Her face broke into a grin and she winked at Abby. "I absolutely have to know how you did it? I had my A-game on, honey. I wasn't holding anything back. He wouldn't let me touch him. Hell, he wouldn't even look at me." Kathy looked truly disappointed.

"I beg your pardon, but what are you talking about?" Abigail was shocked at the words this woman said and even more surprised with her jealous anger. This nurse must have been one of Will's previous girlfriends. The idea that this woman tried to tempt him angered her as much as Brooke hanging all over him at the pond.

"Your man came out to the outpost I was stuck at and I thought he wanted a little action. But no, he was obviously thinking about you. That was before you even started dating from what I got in the rumor mill." Kathy looked sad again. "I'll never meet a man with that much devotion that's for sure."

A cleared throat from the door brought both women's eyes to a very sheepish looking Will Carter. He was holding something in his hands that he quickly transferred behind his back.

"Oh no you don't," Kathy scolded. "No outside food in here. You jacked Jason up on chocolate-covered ants and he was bouncing off the walls all afternoon."

"They weren't ants," he clarified. His brown eyes looked at Abigail, who still seemed too pale and tired for his taste.

Abigail couldn't speak. Will had changed. The stubble was gone as was the hair that had come to his collar in the back. His new haircut was a classic flat-top, but a bit longer around the sides than most of the military men she saw around Terra Nova.

"Well take whatever they are and get out. Go see Jason because Susan's got him for the evening." Kathy stalked over to the door to shove him out.

"I was hoping to see…"

"After she gets her bath."

Will's eyes widened and flashed to Abigail for a moment, long enough to see her turn scarlet and avert her eyes. Even though they'd been physically intimate she was still embarrassed with him knowing she was going to take a bath. "Okay. I'll be back with Jason and Jess now that Abby's awake." He smiled and nodded before he headed off.

Abigail's heart was racing and she felt her body flush.

"Now, let's get you in one of these pretty nightgowns so we can leave that man speechless when he returns." Kathy took the blue gown and took it to the bathroom.

"No. It's not…"

"Hey, if I can't have him I at least want someone nice like you to have him. There's a dozen harpies circling around the hot single guys around here. I love knowing they didn't sink their claws into Carter. He's obviously got a heart of gold and is way to good for those bimbos."

A few hours later after Jason, Jess and Abby had their reunion and tons of tears were shed, Abigail found herself in the most awkward position ever. Will had wheeled Jason back to his room and Jess had fallen asleep on an extra bed near her brother.

He now returned and sat at her bedside.

"You're beautiful," he said. His soft brown eyes flowed over her, obviously noting the blue nightgown she was wearing. Even though her blanket was laid across her waist, he had to know that her legs were mostly bare since it barely reached her knees.

She found his scrutiny caused her heart to race so much she thought she'd faint. Desperate to deflect the attention from her appearance, she said the first thing on her mind. "I like your haircut."

"Thanks." His eyes met hers and he smiled. "You were right. It needed to be done."

"Oh, you looked fine before too. I've just never been a fan of facial hair." That sounds terrible. "But you could grow a beard if you want to. You don't have to shave because of me."

"Don't tell Taylor but I don't like beards either," Will said as he glanced around afraid his CO might hear.

"He was here this morning," she said.

"I know. He told me." Will leaned forward.

"He's very nice." Abby closed her eyes. There was so much she wanted to tell Will, but didn't know how. This was really the first time they were together and fully coherent since the meteor hit. Tears welled up as she thought of all that happened since then.

"It's okay, Abby. Please don't get upset," Will said as his hand covered her left one.

She couldn't help but clutch his hand as tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Sweetheart, please don't cry again." Will sat on the bed facing her and took her hand in both of his. "I can go if you…"

"No!" She startled them both with her cry. "I don't want you to go. I just… I don't know…"

"Abby," he said, his eyes begging her to calm down. "Don't force yourself to talk to me. If you don't have anything to say…"

"I have tons to say," she cried. Her grip on his hand tightened. "I-I've never had someone I wanted to talk to before. I've never had a real friend until you."

"So start with something simple." Will smiled and kissed her hand again. "I've got plenty of time."

"Why is that?" Abigail realized Will had been around a lot the last few days. "Did you lose your job?"

"No," Will said with a laugh. "Just a bit of leave and some punishment."

"Punishment for what?"

"Giving you and the kids the code to drive a rover or rhino. Of course I'm glad I did, but it was a violation of protocol." Will shrugged. "Obviously I made the right call though."

"Jason remembered it all and the order the numbers went in," Abigail said quietly. "I was pretty useless."

"That's not what I heard or what you told us." Will smiled. "I am so proud of you, Abby. You're the bravest person I've ever met. I used to think Taylor was. He lived in a tree and survived on his own for 118 days. But he was trained for this. You lived in a dome and never saw a live animal until you got here. You had no training."

"At least the kids did," Abigail agreed.

"Thank God for that." Will closed his eyes and clutched her hand to his chest. His heart seemed to be racing like hers.

Abigail was quiet for a while and Will seemed content to sit and hold her hand. Will and Commander Taylor are proud of me. Did I really do something that impressive? "Wouldn't you have tried to get Olivia's body back?"

"Absolutely," Will replied.

"I couldn't leave her there either and I couldn't send the kids out. There was no option but to go."

"You're amazing, Abby." Will looked like he was going to burst with pride.

She only recognized the expression because its how he looked when she first drove the rover. The look made her feel stronger and more confident with this friendship – relationship – or whatever was going on between them.

"Is it okay that I call you Abby?" Will asked. "The kids do and I've spent so much time with them that I can't think of you as Abigail that often anymore."

"The kids have been the only ones to call me that. My family never liked the abbreviated form of my name." No matter what their future held, Will had earned a special place in her heart already. "Of course you can."

"Thanks, Abby," he said, his playful smirk on his face.

"Should I call you William?"

"No," he replied, still smirking.

"Bill?"

"Never." All color left his face and his tone changed.

"Sorry. I won't mention it."

"I'm sorry, Abby," he said. "My family called me Billy and that name is as dead as the rest of them are to me."

"What a pair we are?" Abigail said.

"What do you mean?"

"We have so much in common but don't know it," she said.

"Well maybe we should take the time to figure it out." Will brought her hand to his lips again. "You're going to need help with the kids and settling into your new house. I want to help so it's a great chance to get to know each other."

"New house?" Abigail couldn't keep the shock out of her voice.

"Well, Taylor is ripping your old one apart to see what Kyle might have been using to contact the Sixers, Jess wouldn't go in without me because Kyle lived there and," Will paused, his brown eyes boring into hers, "she also said that Kyle needs you for something and might come back to get you."

Abigail felt the shame return. Her eyes closed and she started shaking.

"Abby?" Will moved closer and slid his arm around her.

"K-Kyle probably wants me for-for…" She couldn't say it and slid her arm around Will's waist, laying her head on his strong chest.

"For what, sweetheart?"

"To seal a deal he made with the people behind the Sixers," Abigail sobbed. Once again she couldn't stop the words from flowing. "Before we came here, Kyle sent me on dates with associates of his. They usually left me alone when I showed no interest but the last guy… He-he…" Her body shuddered and Will tightened his hold on her.

"Oh, sweetheart," he mumbled against her hair. She felt him press several kisses to her head.

"He tried to rape me. He told Kyle he'd see my brother again after his trip. Meaning his trip to Terra Nova." Abigail felt lighter as she told Will more of the story. She moved so she could look up into Will's concerned face. One arm remained behind her, holding her carefully against him while the other hand moved to her face to brush away tears.

"I'm so sorry," Will said with tears in his eyes. "Abby, I have to know. I know you don't want to talk about what happened at my place, but I have to… I have to know if I forced…"

"You didn't," Abigail quickly responded to calm Will's fears. "You didn't hurt me or frighten me. It was nothing like that pig Weaver last year."

Will studied her closely as if trying to see a lie under her words. After a minute, he let out the breath he was obviously holding and pulled her tightly to him. "I can assure you no one will ever hurt you again."

"Will, this man works for the Phoenix Corporation."

He moved so he could look into her face.

"I probably shouldn't tell you but Commander Taylor is afraid that might mean that the…"

Will's eyes widened and color drained from his face. "Phoenix Group…"

"He thought they could be involved. If so, it makes sense that Kyle wanted me around to placate his partner when he arrives with the eleventh pilgrimage." Somehow being in Will's arms allowed her to talk about the horrible men without fear any longer.

"He'll die alongside your brother then." Will's eyes became fierce and his voice turned as cold as a glacier. "No one who ever hurt you is going to survive an encounter with me."

The scared little girl that had no one to love her and the woman who had been terrified of everyone she'd ever met rejoiced at the conviction in Will's voice. No one will ever hurt her again as long as Will was around. Now I just need to be the type of woman he'd want to be around… forever.

"Thank you," she mumbled as she hugged him tightly. Abigail really had no idea how to accomplish the task of making Will Carter fall in love with her, but she was going to give it her all.

TBC

A/N: Yes, I'm back to them not fully communicating, but these are two stubborn individuals