Last chapter, hope you enjoy.
If everyone at the ARC had obeyed doctor's orders, it would have left just Becker and Abby to run everything for the last two weeks. Lester had dragged himself in despite his injuries, saying he needed to make sure the Minister was given the full facts, minus the complication of Matt's true identity. He and Matt worked for many hours, writing, re-writing, editing, deleting and then finally agreeing on what exactly needed to be on official record and what needed to remain purely a fact that was known to the team but no-one else. They were both exhausted and Lester was in obvious discomfort.
Jess tried desperately to be the perky and efficient girl that kept morale up, but wasn't fooling anyone. After six days, she confessed to Becker that she wasn't sleeping. "When I close my eyes," she said, "all I see is that... thing... attacking Lester." Her bottom lip trembled and she found herself in the comforting embrace of the Captain and being taken home. Abby hoped he would be able to help her through this, knowing he had probably experienced numerous nightmares of his own. He'd witnessed many horrific things, both during his time at the ARC and in his previous assignments with the British army in Afghanistan and Iraq. She also hoped it would be the final nudge he needed to finally admit that he saw Jess as more than just a friend. If it wasn't, then she was seriously considering shoving them both through an anomaly.
Matt too was experiencing his own share of issues, though he would never admit it to anyone. Abby knew he'd been to see Sam, the ARC's medic a couple of times, but when she asked if everything was okay, he'd said "Of course," and walked away. She'd spent too long with him recently to know when he wasn't himself. He was keeping his distance, giving her the space to think that she'd asked for, but she wished he'd talk to her and let her help him through whatever was troubling him.
"Connor's due back tomorrow," Becker said, interrupting her thoughts. "Except no-one's heard from him since he left, not even Lester. Has he contacted you at all?"
Abby shook her head. "I expect that I'm the last person he'll be updating."
Becker gave a sympathetic look. "His leaving wasn't just to do with him being embarrassed about New Dawn was it? Jess suspected as much, but I told her she was being ridiculous."
Abby figured that he may as well know, it wouldn't be a secret once Connor was back anyway. "Connor and I have split up."
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. All very amicable really, you don't have to worry about us arguing out on a call."
"Believe it or not, Abby, but my concern isn't just work related. I do actually care about you both as friends."
"I know, and I'm sorry. It's been a stressful few weeks."
Becker placed his hand on her shoulder and turned to go back to the armoury when there was a scuffle upstairs, and Sam ran along the corridor and disappeared into Lester's office without knocking. Abby and Becker exchanged concerned looks and ran up the stairs to stand in the open doorway. They both expected to find Lester struggling in pain, but he was stood by his desk looking worried, whilst Sam was helping Matt up from the floor and onto a chair. Becker stepped forward to help, and moments later Matt was sitting and looking slightly embarrassed.
Sam opened his black bag and rummaged around for a blood pressure monitor.
"Matt?" Abby was stood behind him, feeling an urge to take him into her arms but holding back and just placing her hand on his arm.
"It's a lot of fuss over nothing," he said, putting out his hand to stop Sam fastening the arm band around him.
"Let Doctor Thomas be the judge of that," Lester said sternly.
"Yes," Abby agreed, grasping Matt's hand and pulling it back so that Sam could continue.
"This is the second time you've fainted in the last week, Matt. I wouldn't call it 'nothing'. Your blood pressure was a little low last time, did you follow my advice?"
At least now Abby knew why he'd been to see Sam. Matt sighed and resigned himself to be examined by the doctor, but wouldn't make eye contact with Abby.
"With Connor and Jess away, and Lester not up to full capacity, I've been very busy," he said. Sam inflated the arm band and then watched the electronic monitor as it deflated. He then removed the band and pulled out a small flash light from his bag.
"What have you had to eat and drink in the last 24 hours?"
Matt dipped his head and muttered something about a coffee when he first woke up. "And nothing since?" the doctor asked. "What about last night? Did you have a proper meal at all yesterday?" Matt's silence said everything and Sam frowned. "I want to do a full check up on you in the medical bay, just to rule out a few things."
Matt nodded his head and stood up, then immediately sat down again. He was pale, and Abby thought he'd aged by several years in the space of just a few minutes. It scared her and she crouched down beside him, holding his hand and touching his face. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well?"
He shrugged her away and stood up again, slowly and taking a deep breath. "I'm not ill. Like I said, this is a lot of fuss over nothing." As he began to follow Sam out, he swayed. Becker was at his side immediately.
"Lean on me," Becker said quietly. "Let the doc take a proper look at you, eh?" Becker glanced at Abby then walked with Matt out of the office and along the corridor towards the medical bay. Abby watched in silence, a million thoughts whirling around in her head. What if Matt was seriously ill? The thought she might lose him made her stomach churn and she took a deep breath. She had to know that he was okay.
By the time she got to Sam's office, Becker was coming out and closing the door behind him. "Sam'll take care of him, Abby," he said.
"I know, but will Matt take care of himself?"
"I think between us, we'll convince him he needs to obey doctor's orders." Becker tried to raise a smile, but saw the concern on Abby's face. "At least I can tell Jess her theory was right." Abby gave him a look. "The reason you and Connor split up... You like Matt, it's written all over your face."
"I never cheated on Connor," she said. "But things between us got very strained whilst he was working for Philip."
"And you and Matt grew close whilst you were trying to figure out what they were up to. Does he know how you feel?"
"I didn't really know how I felt myself until a few minutes ago." She felt tears prickling her eyes and she blinked, trying to stop them from falling. Becker's comforting hand on her shoulder almost made the flood gates open but she stopped herself falling apart.
"Come on, let me make you a coffee and we'll go and sit in Matt's office to wait for him."
Abby nodded and walked with him slowly until they reached the kitchen area. She leaned against the work top, watching Becker put the filter into the machine and carefully measure out the coffee. She'd never really seen this softer side of the Captain before. Was he mellowing with age or was it Jess's influence? Maybe it had always been there but she'd been too wrapped up in her own life to notice?
"Matt and I knew each other a long time ago," she finally said, not sure why she felt the need to tell Becker. He raised a questioning eyebrow, urging her to say more as he watched the freshly brewed coffee begin to drip into the glass pot below. "Back in the very early days when Stephen and Cutter were still alive. He befriended me, hoping to get insider details on the ARC."
"I knew he'd been watching the ARC for a long time," Becker said. "But he never said that he'd been friends with you."
Abby took a deep breath. "I wouldn't exactly say that we were friends... we slept together a couple of times, that's all."
"That's all? Abby..." Becker laughed and shook his head. "I bet it was a bit of shock to see him when you came back from the Cretaceous? Did Connor know?"
"No. I asked Matt not to say anything about our previous relationship, especially not to Connor." She blinked and then sighed. "I've been giving Matt a hard time lately. I felt like he'd used me, that all he was interested in was what I might tell him about the ARC."
"I felt used to," Becker said. "Once I'd had time to think about it, there was a part of me that was angry with him for fooling us all. I'd trusted him, although I didn't always agree with him. But then I realised that he really didn't have much choice until he was certain who he was looking for. I suppose I would've done exactly the same if I was put in the same position... except perhaps the sleeping with you part, you're just not my type, Abby!"
They both gave an embarrassed laugh and Becker turned back to the coffee machine. The smell of fresh coffee filled Abby's nostrils as he poured two cups and handed one to her. "In all seriousness, Abby," Becker said as they made their way towards Matt's office. "There may be a lot about Matt that we don't know, but he doesn't seem the type of man that would use sex as a way of getting information. He relies on his intelligence, keen observation and listening, and he's professional to the core. If he ended up in bed with you, then you must have had such a strong effect on him he broke his own rules. That tells me something, and it should tell you something too."
Abby nodded. She'd witnessed Matt at work and knew that what Becker was saying was right. If he had only got her into his bed to get information from her, then surely he'd have been asking her questions when they were snuggling together. He could have been talking to her about the ARC whilst he made her breakfast that morning... but he didn't. He had broken his own rules for her. That thought was pretty mind blowing.
They stood by the door to Matt's office and Abby waited for Becker to enter in his security code to unlock the door. Then she stopped him from walking straight in and gave him a hug. When she released him, he raised his eyebrow questioningly.
"Thank you for helping me make up my mind," she said.
"I believe your mind was already made up. You just needed convincing it was the right thing." He smiled. "Look. I think the only person that will be able to persuade Matt to listen to whatever advice the doc gives him is you. If I'm here when he comes back, he'll just put on a brave front." With a nod of mutual understanding, Becker left Abby alone.
It was only half an hour, but felt like considerably more, when Matt returned from seeing the doctor. "Whatever lecture you're going to give me," he said. "It can't be any worse than what I've just had from Sam."
Abby waited for him to sit down, then crouched at his side, touching his knee. "What did he say?"
"Dehydrated, over tired, stressed... Need to eat regular meals, take a few days off..." Matt sighed. "I told him I couldn't, not at the moment."
"Yes you can, and you will." Abby stood up and held out her hand. "You're going home right now. I'm going to make you something good to eat and then you're going to rest."
"Abby... Lester's struggling with his injuries more than he lets on, and with Jess and Connor still away..."
"Becker can handle the security stuff, we have the tech guys taking care of the ADD. Connor should be back tomorrow, and if he's not... we have plenty of soldiers to handle any anomalies, everything else can wait."
Matt looked resigned to doing what Abby was telling him. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and sighed. "Okay, I'll take the rest of today off and if Connor is back tomorrow then I'll take tomorrow off too..."
Abby knew she had won a small victory at least. She hoped once she got him home and he realised just how tired he was, he'd accept that he needed to take some time off to recover from the last few months after all.
##
The smell of lavender filled Matt's small apartment whilst Abby put together some sandwiches and boiled the kettle to make some camomile tea. If her tried and tested relaxation oils in the bath didn't help Matt, then nothing would. She wondered if her presence was helping or not, and whether she should just leave him to it. He did seem to have finally taken the doctor's advice on board for the moment.
He emerged from the bathroom with just a towel around his waist and Abby swallowed, taking in the sight for a moment before turning back to the food. The memory of being close to that chest was strong, how her own naked flesh had tingled as it pressed against his...
"This looks good. Thank you, Abby," he said softly. He took a sandwich from the plate and bit into it, his stomach immediately growling in response. His eyelids felt heavy, and despite his hunger, his need for sleep was taking over. "It seems such a waste. I'm sorry."
"They'll keep," she said. "I'll wrap them in clingfilm and put them in the fridge. You can have them later when you've had some sleep."
He nodded and disappeared into his bedroom. Abby waited a few moments, then followed him in. He was already in bed, pulling the duvet around him. He smiled when he saw Abby in the doorway. "Come to tuck me in and read me a bedtime story?"
"If you like." She sat on the edge of the bed, and after a few moments Matt reached out to hold her hand.
"Stay?"
She sighed. They'd been here before only a couple of weeks ago. She wondered if he would be so ill now if she'd not walked away that night. If she hadn't asked him for space, maybe she would have realised he was working himself too hard and could have done something sooner. "I'll stay until you fall asleep." she said eventually.
He closed his eyes, and Abby watched him for a few minutes. He looked peaceful and more like the Matt she knew now that the tension had gone from his face. His breathing was even and she knew he was falling asleep pretty quickly. She should be going and heading back to the ARC to help Becker, but the urge to stay with Matt was stronger. Right now, he was more important to her than anything else. Kicking off her shoes, she slid under the duvet and moved close to Matt. His arms circled her waist and shoulders, drawing her against his chest and holding her tightly. She responded, holding onto him just as tightly, and then her tears began to fall. She wasn't sure who needed this moment more.
##
"What's this?" Abby asked, glancing around at the array of food spread out around the kitchen.
"Dinner," Matt smiled. "I told you I was cooking tonight."
"This is... impressive." She didn't know where to start looking. He'd been quizzing her about her favourite foods for several days and now she knew why. This wasn't dinner, it was a banquet. "Who else is coming?"
"No-one. This is just for us."
Abby raised her eyebrows. "I'm afraid a lot of this is going to go to waste. We couldn't possibly get through all of this."
"Maybe I did go a little over the top. I couldn't decide which dish to make for you, so I did all of them."
Abby felt her cheeks burn as she smiled and he pulled out a chair for her and she sat down. "I'm honoured," she said. "But why?"
"Two reasons really," he said, sitting opposite her. "One is to just say thank you for the last couple of weeks. I've never really been ill like that before, and I've certainly never had anyone who would sit with me like you did."
"I'm just glad you finally listened to the doctor's advice. We've missed having you at the ARC and it'll be great to have you back on Monday."
"A full team again. It'll feel strange. Now... did you want to start with the cauliflower cheese or the noodles?"
They ate as much food as they could until their stomachs felt so full they could barely move, and Matt poured more wine several times. Abby couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this content. Since she'd realised her true feelings for Matt, life had been good. Now that she couldn't manage another mouthful, she leaned back in the chair and smiled.
"What was the other reason for all this?" she said. "You said there were two reasons..."
"Ah, yes." Matt leaned forward over the table and took Abby's hand. "I was just hoping to seduce you properly this time."
"I see," she said coyly. Her heart seemed to miss a beat and then began to race. This was exactly what she wanted but had been holding back whilst he wasn't fully fit. She stood up and tugged his hands. "You had me three weeks ago."
She began to walk towards the bedroom door and Matt followed, holding her hand. They paused at the doorway and he pulled her into a kiss, soft at first but as she sank into his embrace it deepened. The door was pushed open and they stumbled across the room, falling onto the bed and tangling limbs together.
Almost two years had passed since she'd slept with him, but as his hand slid up and under her shirt it all felt incredibly familiar and right. The heat rose very quickly between them as clothing was shed and they moved together as if they'd been making love to each other for years. They would connect and reconnect many times that night, clinging to each other as their bodies thrashed and pulsed with intense pleasure. They had many months to make up for and, they hoped, the rest of their lives to do it.