A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you are enjoying it, please review so I know.

CHAPTER THREE

Jess was kept in the medical ward for a couple of days for observation. However, she didn't have time to get bored; she had many visitors during her stay. Abby stopped by on numerous occasions and even though Jess could see how curious she was, she never asked her any questions about the future. Connor, on the other hand, would drop them into the conversation whenever he could, hoping to trick Jess into giving something away but Jess was on her guard whenever Connor came in. Needless to say, when he left, she would always need to have a rest. Being that on guard all the time was draining. Lester would come by twice a day to ensure that she hadn't escaped. Or at least that was the reason he gave. As for Cutter and especially Stephen, she found it hard to look at them, let alone hold a conversation with them, knowing how they would die. Towards the end of the second day, Stephen came for a visit. Jess thought about feigning sleep but she knew that he'd seen her through the glass door talking to the nurse moments before he'd entered the room.

"Hey Jess, how are you feeling?"

"Pretty good, all things considered."

"Can I talk to you Jess?" He asked but didn't allow her any time to respond. " Now I know I can't have done anything to offend you since you arrived here but there is obviously something going on. You go out of your way to avoid even looking at me. Did something happen between us in the future?"

"Oh Stephen, nothing happened between us. I can promise you that but I really can't say any more." She took a hold of his hands and looked into his blue eyes. "I'm so sorry." She whispered as her eyes filled with tears.

Stephen released one of his hands and wiped the tears off her cheek. His touch was gentle and his eyes softened. They stared into each others eyes and before she knew what was happening, Stephen leant in and placed a tentative kiss on her lips. Jess was taken by surprise and didn't really react. Stephen deepened the kiss and Jess let herself get lost in the moment and the kiss but reality quickly returned and she remembered where she was and who she was with. She pulled away quickly and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes grew large. She stood up and walked over to the other side of the room; she then turned and looked at Stephen. He looked so confused. She had to leave, it wasn't right to be here. She had to distance herself from all of them. It would be too easy to tell them what was about to unfold. If she stayed, she would come to care for Stephen and Cutter, so much so that she wouldn't be able to let them die. No, she had to leave and it had to be today.

"I've got to go."

"Go where Jess?"

"Anywhere but here. I'm sorry Stephen but I can't stay here. Please take me to see Lester; I need to talk to him."

Stephen nodded and held the door open for her. As they left the room, he waved away the guard. He went to place his hand on the small of her back but Jess took a step away from him, causing him to drop his hand. When they reached Lester's office he knocked before opening the door. As Jess walked past him, she heard him whisper sorry, which brought fresh tears to her eyes, before he shut the door behind her.

"Miss Parker, what can I do for you?"

"I need to leave James. I can't stay here. I can't watch." She clamped a hand over her mouth before she said anything else. Taking a deep breath she continued. "I know things and if I stay, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep them to myself. Please James, let me go. I won't disclose anything about the A.R.C to anyone. No one will learn about the anomalies from me."

"Well I don't know Miss Parker, you are a security risk. As you said, you know things, more than just about the A.R.C and the anomalies. However, I have spoken to the Minister and as long as you check in regularly with me, we see no reason why you can't leave."

"Thank you James. If I'm stuck here in this time I need to feel comfortable." She said, standing up. "When can I leave?"

"I have started the procedure already, so hopefully by the end of the day. Is that soon enough for you?"

Jess just nodded but then thought about something. "What will I do about money? I'll need a job."

"I'm working on that as well. For now, here's five hundred pounds. Go out and buy yourself some essentials. Clothes and whatever else you girls think of as essential."

Jess took the money from James' outstretched hand, thanking him again. She promised to repay him as soon as she could. He waved her comment off and told her that the money was from petty cash and all he needed was some receipts and whatever money she didn't use returned. Jess smiled and left his office. When she shut the door, she went looking for Abby. She found her in the lab talking to one of the technicians. Jess stood back and waited for them to finish their conversation, thinking that Abby was now two years closer in age than she used to be. She'd always liked Abby and felt that they could have been great friends. However, now she couldn't let herself get to close to her. When Abby and the technician had finished talking, Abby turned to Jess with a smile on her face.

"It's nice to see you up and around Jess. Did you want something?"

"I was just wondering if you'd like to go shopping? I'm leaving today and Lester has given me some money to buy some clothes." She said, showing Abby the money.

Abby smiled and nodded her head. She told Jess to wait here while she went and grabbed her bag. As Abby walked towards the locker room, Jess watched Connor watching her and she smiled, knowing that the two of them finally got together. Geez, they were living with her at her flat. In three years, she'd be able to see them again. Three years, it seemed like such a long time away.

Abby woke with a start the morning after Jess's disappearance. She lay there, still not sure if her dream had just been a dream or if it had been real. Slowly she sat up in bed, she couldn't kid herself. She knew that it had been real. She looked down at Connor who was lying next to her. She was surprised to see him awake, the sun hadn't even risen yet, and he never woke up this early. He had a look of confusion on his face. His eyes locked with hers and she laid her head on his chest.

"Abby, do you…..?"

"Remember finding Jess? Yes Connor, I do. It's so weird. I know that before she stepped through the anomaly I hadn't met Jess before we got back but now I have all these memories of her. Oh my God Connor, I remember her leaving. She couldn't stay." Abby cried, letting her tears fall on Connor's chest. "She knew Connor, she had to look at Cutter and Stephen and us, be around all of us, knowing what was about to happen to them and what would happen to us. No wonder she left. I would have too." Abby stopped talking then and just listened to Connor's heart beating under her ear, calming her. She let her hand trail along his stomach. He was the love of her life. She wouldn't have made it through the last year without him and now she couldn't see a future without him. Lifting her head, she looked at him and felt a smile reach her lips as she leant over and kissed him. He rolled her over and lay on top of her, deepening their kiss.

An hour later, they sat at the kitchen bench, holding hands and eating toast. They were each lost in their new memories of Jess when Connor's head snapped up.

"Lester!"

"Um Connor, I can generally work out what you're talking about but this time I'm lost. What about Lester?"

"We have to go talk to him. He will know where Jess is."

"Connor, you're brilliant. Come on, let's get dressed. We do need to talk to him."

Within twenty minutes they were running out of the flat, Jess's flat, on their way to the A.R.C. Abby pulled into the car park half an hour later. Locking the car, they walked in, hand in hand and headed straight for Lester's office. Lester watched them as they walked towards him. He too had woken up with memories of Jess from three years ago. As Abby opened the door, he straightened his back, took a deep, steadying breath and waited for the onslaught of questions. Connor closed the door behind them and they both sat down in front of his desk.

"You know why we're here, don't you?" Abby asked.

Lester just nodded and waited for them to continue. He didn't have long to wait.

"Okay, then you know where Jess is. Why don't you just tell us and we can bring her home."

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you anyway. I made a promise to Jess."

Abby and Connor looked at each other before Abby continued. "What do you mean? Even if you knew? Lester, what happened?"

"A little over a year after she arrived, I lost contact with Jess. She kept about half a dozen of her check-in appointments but after that, nothing. So, I couldn't bring her back anyway. Trust me, I want her back just as much as you two do."