Abby was allowed to go home to the flat that night but was told to come back if she encountered any other problems. Connor had to do much more work around the flat due to her arm being in a sling.
"Jenny told me you were worried."
Connor jumped, tripped and landed hard on the wooden floor.
"Don't creep up on me like that!" he exclaimed as she helped him up.
"Sorry." Abby apologised. "Why are you so scared of spiders anyways?"
"It's a phobia I've had all my life, can we please not talk about this?"
"Okay."
They sat down on the sofa together and stared at the blank TV screen.
"Your turn to choose a film." Connor said. He stood up. "What do you want?"
"No horror, no sci-fi and nothing with spiders in please."
He groaned at the mention of no sci-fi or horror but had no complaints on the no-spider requirement. With that, Connor walked out of the room to retrieve the necessary DVDs that they hadn't watched recently.
They didn't have many options. Connor brought them into the living room and examined the small spectrum of DVDs. Abby peered over his shoulder.
"Remind me why we have Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets?" he asked.
"I loved that film when I was a kid. I haven't seen it in ages!"
"Well it's got spiders in it." Connor said, putting it to one side.
"Has it?"
"Aragog is the size of this room."
"Oh."
"Star wars?" he asked hopefully.
"How is that not science fiction?"
Another DVD was tossed aside.
"Hm. That leaves us with – Moulin Rouge." Connor groaned.
"Perfect!" Abby exclaimed.
"Did you stage this?" he complained.
She laughed.
"You wish!"
After about an hour of the drama Connor decided to take a VERY long loo break. He spent most of it talking to Rex. The lizard may not have understood but it certainly acted as if it was listening.
"So now she's got her arm in a sling and I've become her personal slave. I'm not complaining, I mean I've loved Abby ever since I first set eyes on her but I know she's never going to let Lester's people put Bob –" Connor shivered slightly. "-down." Rex made a chirping noise and tilted his head in what Connor thought was a sympathetic stance. He laughed. "It's funny really that the only person I can unwind to is a small pet dinosaur."
A knock on the bathroom door made him stop talking.
"Connor you can come out now, the film is over!" called Abby.
It'd been strange without him, she'd even missed his muffled sniffles through the tragedy and his clumsy attempts to put his arm round her shoulder in the typically Connor fashion she'd become accustomed to.
He opened the door.
"Hi. Just been talking to Rex."
"So I heard."
His face fell.
"What did you hear?" he asked quickly.
"Nothing too important." she reassured. "Just something about Bob, now let me in there I'm desperate!"
Connor's face brightened at these words and he stepped out. Abby nipped inside closing the door behind her. Connor turned to leave but Rex's alarmed chirps made him turn back.
"What's got your wings in a twist?" Rex flew into the door with a panicked look on his scaly face. Finally understanding Connor knocked on the door. "Abby are you okay in there?" But all he heard in response was retching. He looked at Rex torn between invading Abby's privacy and seeing what was wrong. Considerably alarmed he knocked again. "Abby?" He glanced at Rex who chirped impatiently. This made up Connor's mind. That lizard had never failed him. "Pull up your pants I'm coming in!"
He started to run into the door repetitively, with little effect at first but after several minutes of ramming the lock broke and the door swung open. Connor nearly fell in. Abby lay splayed out on the floor, it didn't look as if she'd even made it to the toilet. Her eyes flickered open briefly.
"Connor?" she murmured.
"Abby! You're going to be okay."
He flipped out his mobile and started to dial the ARC number.
Once he'd finished the call he knelt beside Abby and cradled her.
"Everything's going to be alright. It has to be, I love you!" When the doorbell rang Connor picked her up and carried her downstairs. He opened the door. "Yes?"
The nurse who'd seen to Abby only earlier that day rushed inside armed with a medical pack in one hand. Connor laid Abby down on the sofa whilst the nurse checked her over. Connor sat by her side in silence as the nurse did her job.
"Are you two together?" she asked, taking him by surprise.
"What? No!" Connor spluttered. "I – just –"
"Calm down I was only asking." she smiled. Connor relaxed briefly then immediately tensed up. "What is it?"
"There's a spider in your hair!"
The nurse reached up.
"Oh yes." she realised and put it out the window. "You don't like spiders huh?"
"Especially not after what I've seen today." Connor admitted.
As the nurse worked on Abby Connor found himself completely opening up to this stranger; things came pouring out, words he'd never be able to say to Abby. As they chatted they joked and Connor was shocked to find that this remarkable woman was almost as much of a science fiction fanatic as he was.
"What's your name?" Connor asked, amazed that he hadn't already asked.
"Caroline."
"I'm –"
"Connor Temple."
"I'm sorry have I met you before today?"
"Not in this reality." Caroline informed him.
She smirked, only she knew just how important that was.
"Is Abby going to be okay?"
"She's going to be fine." she commented before getting to her feet. Connor looked at her in dismay. "Don't give me that look, you've got my number."
And with that Caroline left. Abby finally began to stir. Her eyes opened to see Connor staring at the door. She coughed loudly and his gaze was instantly on her.
"Abby! How are you feeling?"
"Dizzy. What happened?"
"You collapsed in the bathroom. I had to call that nurse who treated you earlier."
"Oh."
Abby remembered that nurse only too well. She hated the way Caroline looked at Connor, as if he was an item to be possessed. Completely failing to spot the negativity in her one word response Connor continued.
"Yeah, Caroline was – brilliant. Now let's get you to bed."
Abby stood up abruptly. Fortunately Connor was able to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Ah. This is going to be harder than it looks." said Abby wincing, but to her surprise Connor scooped her up and started to carry her upstairs, panting by the time he arrived at her bedside.
"There you go." He announced laying her down carefully. "If you need anything –"
"Stay for a bit."
He was startled by her request but agreed all the same.
"Erm…okay."
"I just want to say thank you."
"You're welcome."
"And I also wanted to ask if what you said earlier was true."
"About you collapsing?"
"About you loving me."
"What?"
"I heard you talking to Rex. Did you mean it?"
Part of Connor knew he always had but now another part of him was craving for Caroline.
"Abby I – I – "
"You don't have to give me an answer straight away. It's been a long day. I'm not the only one who needs to rest, sleep on it Conn."