Emily found herself wondering the outer grounds of the facility, wondering toward the construction site of the new menagerie by midmorning. Unlike the menagerie in the last facility, this one would be outside with a corridor connecting it to the main facility. A little more of a walk than the last one, but it was definitely more beneficial to the creatures. The entire menagerie was a large field, gated by fences several meters high. There were covered structures for bad weather and even structures with climate controls for severe weather.

Emily found Abby standing on the observation deck overlooking the premises of the menagerie. Emily grabbed the railing and climbed up to the observation deck. Abby turned her toward Emily as she walked beside her.

"Hey." Abby said.

"Hi. Do you mind if I join you?" Emily asked.

"Not at all." Abby answered.

Emily leaned her hands on the railing.

"They couldn't find anything for you to do either?" Abby asked.

Emily nodded. "Yes."

"Well it's their loss." Abby said. She pushed herself off the railing. "I was just about to let Sid and Nancy run around the enclosure. You wanna help?"

"Are you sure I won't be in the way?" Emily asked.

Abby shook her head. "Never. Come one, you'll adore them."

Abby took Emily by the arm and led her down the stairs. They walked to the temporary creature enclosures that resembled a very large barn. Abby waved her wrist over the door, unlocking it. She opened the door and walked in with Emily behind her. Inside, the creatures were lines against the wall in separate enclosures, save for Rex. He flew around on the beams above them.

Abby walked along the center of the enclosure toward one of the smaller section. Emily followed her. Inside the smaller enclosure were two small creatures. Emily had never seen them before. They were no bigger than Rex. Their skin was a light tannish color with brown spots. Their faces were short and round with small pointed teeth on the corners of their mouths. They were quiet adorable to be honest.

Abby opened the door and stepped into the enclosure. "Hey guys. You wanna go play?"

The creatures waddled over to Abby, chirping excitedly.

Abby looked over her shoulder. "Come on and meet Sid and Nancy."

Emily hesitantly stepped into the enclosure. "How can you tell them apart?"

Abby picked up one of the creatures and turned them upside down. "Sid's underbelly is spotless. But Nancy has a few spots. And Nancy's the more playful one."

Nancy waddled up to Emily and sniffed her boots.

"Go ahead. Let'em smell ya." Abby said.

Emily slowly dropped onto her knees beside Nancy. She held out her palm flat, allowing Nancy to smell her. The creature's nose lightly touched Emily's hand. Then Nancy lifted its head and started crawling on Emily's legs.

"She likes ya." Abby said. She picked up Sid and stood up. "Let's go play guys."

Emily carefully lifted Nancy into her arms and stood with Abby. "Let's."

Sid and Nancy rolled around in the grass several hours later. Nancy had Sid pinned to the ground and squealed in triumph. Suddenly Sid managed to crawl out from beneath Nancy, causing her to roll onto her back. Sid squealed in triumph and waddled away. Abby and Emily were sitting in the grass not too far from the playing Dictodon's. Abby had her legs crossed in front of her and leaned back on her hands. Emily sat with her legs drawn to her side. She leaned on her right hand, watching the creatures.

Abby laughed lightly. "Sorta makes you jealous."

"What do you mean?" Emily asked.

"Look at those two. Rolling in the grass without a care in the world." Abby explained.

Emily nodded. "Well, when you put it like that, it does make one feel jealous."

Emily looked around at the menagerie structure. "I'm very impressed that the menagerie has come so far."

"We can thank Prospero for that, if we're going to thank Phillip for anything. Seeing as how he's facing lawsuits by the barrels now, ensuring our menagerie in completed on schedule and meeting the design to the letter is the least of his problems." Abby explained.

Emily nodded.

Abby turned her head toward Emily. "How are you doing, Emily?"

Emily turned to Abby. She frowned lightly. "With the baby?"

Abby shook her head. "With everything that's happened. With Phillip and…and Matt."

Emily lowered her gaze to the ground. "I'm…I'm managing, like everyone else. But lately, with all the work here I haven't thought much about the incident."

Abby leaned forward. "Listen, the anomaly Matt went through leads to his time. He knows how to survive in there better than any of us."

Emily looked up.

"Matt also happens to be the most stubborn man I know…next to Becker." Abby continued.

Emily laughed lightly. "True."

"Chances are Matt's looking for a way to get back here. He wouldn't leave you alone after everything that's happened." Abby finished.

"Thank you Abby." Emily smiled.

Abby nodded. "Oh, Jess told me you're staying with her for the time being."

"Just until the ARC has completed the quarters here." Emily said.

"That's good. Being alone is the last thing you two need right now." Abby said.

"Is the captain still not talking with Jess?" Emily asked.

Abby shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't seen them in the same room together since the incident. And Jess hasn't mentioned anything about Becker. At least not to me."

"Nor I." Emily replied.

Abby sighed. "Those two can't keep avoiding each other much longer."

"I agree." Emily nodded. "Perhaps we should help them?"

Abby raised a brow. "What?"

Suddenly Emily thought she'd said something wrong. "Well…I thought that…perhaps we should…help them return to a speaking basis."

"How?" Abby asked.

"I'm not sure yet. It was just an idea." Emily answered.

"It's a brilliant idea." Abby said.

"Perhaps we'll gather an idea this weekend." Emily said.

Abby nodded. "Maybe, Jess usually can't stop talking when she shops."

Emily giggled lightly. "That's a terrifying thought Abby."

"Just you wait, Emily. I'm telling the truth." Abby laughed.

London England

August twenty-eighth two thousand and eleven

It is strange, I have nothing to keep me to this timeline, ignoring the fact that no anomaly has opened to my own time. Yet the longer I stay here, the more time that I spend with the other members of the ARC, I find myself growing closer with them. I find that we hold more in common than merely the gateways. Jessica has taken me into her home, yet she'd only known me for a few months. Abigail trusts me with the care of the creatures in the menagerie. Connor has yet shown any animosity towards me. The captain has determined I am not threat to their facility and ceased a guard's escort throughout the facility. Even Lester has turned to treating me with the respect he shows his colleagues. As I go about my daily activities within the facility, I find a sudden sense of belonging. I am unsure how else to describe it any other way.

But there is something that tugs at my heart. I cannot deny that I still feel like an outcast amongst the others. I believe it is because Matt has left us. After all, Matt was the one who brought me to the ARC in hopes of catching Ethan. He introduced me to everyone on the team. I know it isn't just my own thoughts. Everyone at the facility can feel Matt's absence at the ARC, but no one will say anything.

While working with Abigail today, she told me thing's that ease my mind, if only a little. I know that Matt is from the future, where there is nothing to the surface world. I also know he is resilient and stubborn. If there is a chance for Matt to survive, then he will find it. But I cannot accept the fact that he would return to this time. His mission is complete, thus he has no obligation to return here. Jessica and Abigail would try to convince me otherwise, but I will not depend on hope that dwindles away with every passing day. Sooner or later, everyone will accept the fact that Matt won't be returning.