Chapter 2 – Things Left Unsaid

The first thing Stephen was aware of when he woke up was the sunlight falling on his face from the window behind his bed. Blinking a few times until his eyes adjusted to the light he then became aware of someone holding his hand and warmth spreading up his left side. He looked over and saw Abby asleep in her chair, slumped over to rest her arms and head on the bed. Her head was rested on her one arm that had found its way to rest against his side and her other hand was rested on top of his. Stephen ran his thumb over the top of her hand, smiling to himself as he watched her sleeping peacefully; he looked up as Nick walked into his room, placing a finger on his lips and pointing at Abby. Nick smiled and nodded, quietly walking to the other chair and sitting down.

'How are you feeling?' Nick asked him, Stephen grinned.

'Like I've been used to swat an extremely energetic fly,' he replied. Nick laughed softly; Stephen pointed to his jacket that a nurse had put over the back of the chair and Nick passed it to him. He helped him sit up and then Stephen draped the coat over Abby's sleeping form, still holding onto her hand and lightly running his thumb over the back.

'You need to tell her, Stephen,' Nick said, Stephen looked at him questioningly.

'What do you mean?' he asked; the older man rolled his eyes.

'I've seen the way both of you keep shooting glances at each other and exchanging smiles,' he explained, 'It's obvious Abby likes you and it's obvious you like her, so why don't you tell her how you feel?'

Stephen looked down at the girl, 'I don't deserve her, Nick, and I don't deserve your friendship either.'

Nick moved to sit on Stephen's bed, 'Look at me Stephen,' the younger man complied, 'All the time I've known you, you have never given me any reason to doubt your loyalty to me or your friendship. I know you a lot better then I knew you when you had the affair with Helen; and to be honest Helen and I were going through a rough patch and we were growing apart. You're brave, you're loyal, and you're a good friend, Stephen, why wouldn't you deserve her?'

Stephen felt a suspicious wetness forming in the corner of his eyes at the man's small speech.

'Thank you,' he said, and the professor brought him into a hug, mindful of the injury on his back.

'You still haven't answered the question,' Nick pointed out; Stephen looked at Abby for a few seconds, lost in thought, before he answered.

'She's too good for me, Nick,' he replied, 'She's pretty, smart, funny, she speaks her mind and she won't let people push her around. How could I be good enough for her? I spend most of my time wandering around the rainforest or chasing after dinosaurs. She deserves someone who'll be there for her and can look after her.'

Nick sighed; it seemed bringing the younger man to his senses was going to take longer than he first thought.

'Listen to me, Stephen,' he said, 'I've already had a wife, and we grew apart and should have divorced before she even went missing, I can see that now because I was permanently mourning her death when I should have been living my life. I found someone whom I could love and now she seems to have disappeared and none of you know her. So please, don't be an idiot and wait forever, you don't have that long, tell her how you feel and, for once, put yourself in front of everyone else and get the girl you want instead of the girl who just wants to use you for her own purposes. Abby likes you for you, not for your looks or anything else, please don't let her go, for your own sake Stephen.'

Stephen held his friend's eyes for a long time before he nodded. At that moment Abby started to stir and the two men watched as she blinked awake.

Abby felt herself being pulled from sleep by the sound of two people talking quietly above her; she could feel something running across the back of her hand and it soothed her, making it hard for her to find the will to open her eyes. As she crept further from sleep she became aware of a small weight across her shoulders and a very familiar smell she couldn't quite place surrounding her; it's presence a comforting one that was whispering for her to return to her sleep. Eventually she managed to prise her eyes open and she blinked as the sunlight fell into them; she sat up and blearily noted both Stephen and Nick watching her with amused smiles on their faces.

'Morning,' Stephen said, a teasing gleam in his brilliant blue eyes. Abby rolled her eyes.

'Afternoon more like,' she replied, 'It was the end of the morning when I fell asleep.'

Stephen frowned, 'How long have I been asleep then?'

'The evening and night of the Gorgonopsid attack,' Nick answered, 'All of yesterday, last night, this morning and most of this afternoon.'

'I didn't think I'd hit my head that hard,' he mused, Nick rolled his eyes.

'I'm surprised anything knocked you unconscious with that thick skull,' he said, a smile threatening to break through.

'Hey watch it,' Stephen said, 'It was this thick skull that stopped you becoming Gorgonopsid supper.'

Abby rolled her eyes at the banter between them, 'I'm going to get a coffee,' she said, 'Anyone else want one?'

Nick stood up, 'I'll get them Abby, how do you take yours?'

'Are you sure?' she asked, Nick nodded, 'In that case, white no sugar please.'

'Same as Stephen,' he said, he looked at Stephen who nodded yes and then walked out of the room after a meaningful glance as Stephen. Silence stretched out between them for a few seconds, Abby stretched and the coat fell from around her shoulders. It was then that she realised what the familiar smell had been as she had woken up; she picked it up and draped it over the arm of the chair.

'Thanks,' she said, as she turned back to face Stephen. He shrugged.

'No problem. How long have you been here?' he asked, Abby blushed and looked down. Stephen looked at her with a piercing gaze.

'Abby have you actually gone home yet?' he asked her, her embarrassed silence answered his question. He shook his head, 'You shouldn't worry so much about me, Abby.'

Abby felt her heart sink to her feet at those words. Did that mean he didn't care about her as she hoped he did? Stephen saw an odd expression cross her face and reached out to take hold of her hand again; she turned to face him and he could have sworn he saw her blink away tears.

'Abby? What's wrong?' he asked her; Abby shook her head.

'Nothing,' she replied, 'I should be getting back home, check on Rex and the snakes...'

Realisation hit Stephen straight in the chest and he knew he'd lose her a little more if he didn't say something now.

'Abby I didn't mean for you to leave...,' he didn't know what he should say; ever since Helen had thrown him into emotional turmoil eight years ago he'd never had a good relationship and never known what to say.

'Stephen I should really be going-'

'Abby, don't go-'

'I should change out of these things as well-'

'Please stay-'

'I'll come back tomorrow-' and she walked away from the bed before he could say another word.

'I think I love you,' he croaked quietly as he watched her disappear around the corner, 'But I'm scared...'

& & & & &

Abby closed the door to her flat and quickly shed her boots and jacket as the heat hit her; she was more used to the heat now so it wasn't as much of a shock as it used to be. She saw Connor sitting on the couch packing a bag and walked over.

'Where are you going?' she asked him, sitting down next to him.

'I got a call from Mum asking me to go and visit her for a week or so,' he replied, 'She's been feeling a bit rough and asked if I could go and look after her until my brother goes to see her next week.'

'What's wrong with her?' Abby asked, Connor shrugged.

'She's just feeling a bit off,' he replied, 'She should be fine though. Probably just a stomach bug. No parasites though.'

Abby gave him a small smile, 'Do you want me to come with you?'

Connor shook his head, 'No, it'll be fine. You stay here and look after Stephen and Cutter. God knows they need more looking after than I do. How is Stephen?'

'He's awake,' she replied, 'And seems to be fine.'

Connor frowned, 'What's wrong Abby?'

She shook her head, sniffing slightly, she gave Connor a hug, 'Don't be too long, okay? I must be mad but it's going to be quiet without you here.'

Suddenly Abby couldn't hold it in any longer and she started to sob on Connor's shoulder. The student was taken aback and did the best he could, placed an arm around her and stroked her back.

'Abby, seriously what's wrong?' he asked her. Abby pulled back with a slight laugh.

'I'm just being silly,' she replied, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, 'Give your Mum my love and I hope she gets better soon.'

Connor nodded and watched her carefully, 'Abby are you sure you don't want me to stay?'

Abby shook her head, 'Your Mum needs you more than I do, Con, just look after yourself and your Mum and get back quickly alright?'

He sighed but nodded, 'Alright, just phone me if you need anything.'

She smiled and kissed him on the cheek, 'Thanks, Con.'

He nodded and stood up, 'I'm catching the bus to London. See you in about a week.'

'Do you want me to drive you?' she asked, Connor shook his head.

'Student pass remember? I'll be fine Abby just look after yourself,' he paused at the door and then turned to look at her. 'Abby, don't take this the wrong way but... any guy would have to be nuts not to like you back.'

With that he was gone, leaving Abby alone with her thoughts; Rex chirped and flew over, landing in her lap. She pulled him to her chest and hugged the little Coelurosaurarus tightly, a few tears leaking onto his scaly body. He chirped questioningly at her, his head cocked to one side.

'Rex, don't get mixed up in relationships... way too complicated and emotionally draining,' she told the dinosaur; Rex just chirped in reply and brushed his head against her hand. Abby watched the little lizard and opened her mouth, letting everything out.

'I mean it's not so bad if you know they like you back but if you don't then you have no idea where you stand with them and it makes working with them so difficult. The worst thing is he's really good looking and smart, Rex, he's funny and he's brave, and when he smiles it makes me feel all warm inside,' she hugged the lizard closer, 'But I don't want to be with anyone, Rex, every time I have I end up getting hurt and if I did end up with Stephen I know he could hurt me worse than all the others, because I've never felt so strongly about someone before.'

The little creature chirped and rubbed his head against her, chirped again and tilted his head to the side as if to ask her if she was alright. Abby laughed.

'Oh Rex, who needs a boyfriend when they have you?'

The doorbell rang and Abby placed the lizard back in his cage before going down to answer it. She was surprised to see Nick Cutter standing there, she opened the door further.

'Do you want to come in?' she asked, Nick shook his head.

'I was wondering if you or Connor would mind going to sit with Stephen tonight,' he said, 'The nurse said he was having nightmares sometimes when he was asleep earlier today and I wanted to make sure he had someone with him just in case.'

'Connor's gone to see his Mum,' Abby said, 'She's ill and he'll be away until next week.'

'Would you mind doing it for me Abby?' he asked her; he noticed her trapped animal look and wondered what had been said between the two of them.

'I don't know if I should...' Abby paused, realising that it would lead to awkward questions if she didn't go, and knowing that he would be asleep most of the time anyway and she probably wouldn't have to speak to him she relented, 'Alright I'll just wash and change and I'll be down there.'

Nick smiled, 'Thanks Abby, you're an angel.'

Abby smiled back as the Professor walked away, wondering how she was going to get through tonight.

A/N: Well that's the second chapter done. What do you think? Good, bad, should be burnt in the worst chapter ever pile? Please R&R I really want to know what people think seeing as this is my first multi chaptered Primevalfic

Coming up in the next chapter:

Stephen's discharged from hospital

Stephen and Abby finally have that talk Nick wanted them to have.

Ciao for now,

Starsword