Chapter 8

"Come on Abby, look at them!" Conner whispered urgently, nodding over to Jenny and Cutter.

Jenny was sitting casually on the pale green sofa, her injured foot propped up bean-bag. Cutter was next to her, reclining back so that his head was resting on merely inches from hers. They were both wearing the generic black top and pants that they had found a stash of in one of the supply cupboards, and looked oddly mirrored. They were chatting together happily.

"Conner, I will NOT have this conversation with you again - "

"How can you not see it!" Conner hissed in aspiration. "Their obviously flirting!"

"Like you'd know anything about flirting!" Abby laughed, rather harshly.

"That's . . ." Conner stammered, feeling himself blush. "That's beside the point!"

"Why are you so obsessed with this?" Abby asked quietly.

"Because you think I'm a pervert!"

"Believe me, that wouldn't change even if you were right," she teased.

"Why won't you believe me?" Conner asked, slapping his hands to his forehead.

"Because number one; Jenny would have told me," Abby began, listing her reasons on her fingers as she went. "Number two; I would have noticed something by now. And number three; Cutter was all infatuated with that Claudia Brown person, and I doubt he's the type of bloke to be able to move on that fast! It took him eight years to get over Helen!"

"You know what, I'm gona prove you wrong!" Conner promised, certain that at some point that they're stuck down here, their bound to slip up. They had only been there two days, and they were already starting to lapse.

"Get a life Conner," Abby sighed, before getting up from the table they were sitting at, and stalking off into the bedroom.

Conner's eyes traveled back to Jenny and the Professor, who he observed out of the corner of his eye. He watched as Cutter gently, and as it seemed unconsciously, ran his finger down Jenny's bare arm and stroked it as he talked to her.

"Oh come on," Conner sighed to himself, unable to believe that Abby had missed that display of affection by seconds! He was sure they were doing it on purpose to wind him up!

Suddenly, an idea popped into his head, and he was sure if he was a cartoon character, a light bulb would be hovering above his head right now. He sniggered slightly . . . he was so crafty that he even surprised himself.

********

"I'm not playing a stupid kids drinking game!" Lester scoffed, looking at the cup that Conner had filled with vodka with disgust.

"Oh come on Lester, where's your sense of fun?" Conner asked, pouring some more mugs full of the alcohol that he had discovered yesterday.

"I'm thirty three," Becker stated, his eyebrow raised. "I'm not playing a teenagers game."

"How else are we meant to amuse ourselves?" Conner asked, determined that his plan went ahead unimpeded. "It's not like we have a television or a radio! We have to make our own fun!"

"And you're idea of fun is getting us slobbering drunk?" Cutter asked in amusement, looking into his brimming mug.

"You're just scared you're going to lose," Jenny added from beside Cutter, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'm in Conner."

"Thank you Jenny," Conner smiled, giving her a little bow.

"I don't get the game though?" she added, taking the mug that Conner held up to her. "I've never heard of it before."

"Well," Conner began, taking a seat next to Abby, who was looking at him in disbelief. "It's called 'I never' and basically we go round the table and each person says something like 'I have never . . . took a dog for a walk' or something like that. And if you have done it; you drink."

"You're pathetic," Abby whispered to him so that only he could hear - she had obviously worked out his intentions. But he ignored her.

"And you have to be absolutely truthful," he added, looking around meaningfully.

"And if you haven't done it?" Becker asked, in a bored voice.

"Then you don't drink," Conner answered, feeling the excitement bubble up in his stomach - he had them! "So who wants to start?" he added, looking around at the skeptical faces all looking at him with a mixture of amusement and irritability.

"Okay, I'll start," Lester said, surprisingly. "I have never been forced to play a ridiculous children's game by a petulant student."

Everyone around the table smiled and drank except for Conner, each of them shuddering slightly at the taste.

"Oh haha," Conner sighed, rolling his eyes. "Jenny?"

"Erm . . ." she began thoughtfully. "I have never . . . rode a bike before."

Again, everyone drank but Conner, who felt a tinge of redness appear on his cheeks.

"You have never rode a bike?" Abby asked him in disbelief, coughing slightly due to the taste of the vodka.

"I . . ." he stammered, as everyone around the table started chuckling. "Some people find it harder to learn than others!"

"That is so sweet," Abby mocked.

"Cutter it's your turn!" Conner said quickly, determined to change the subject.

"I have never . . ." Cutter began, looking into his mug. "I have never . . . traveled back in time."

Cutter, Conner and Abby all drank. As the liquid hit the back of Conner's throat, he retched slightly, and put his hand over his mouth to stop himself being sick. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice, and he cleared his throat ready for his turn. He knew what he really wanted to say, but he wanted everyone to be a bit drunk when he asked that particular question.

"I have never been in love," he said, getting a secret thrill out of the fact that when Cutter and Jenny drank, they were possibly talking about each other.

As he suspected, everyone drank to this one, even himself. He had to stop his eyes traveling towards Abby as he did so.

"I have never been in love more than once?" Abby said, following on from his question.

For the third time, everyone but Conner drank, but this time no one teased him about it.

"I have never been married," Becker sighed, as though bored with the proceedings.

Lester and Cutter both drank.

"I find it rather sad that out of six adults, only two have been married," Lester pointed out.

"I was engaged," Jenny interjected.

"Me too," Becker said surprisingly; he was usually such a closed book.

No one pushed him to tell them more, as he looked rather depressed. They swiftly carried on the game.

"I have never . . ." Lester began, obviously thinking hard. " . . . been attacked by a creature."

Of course, every one drank.

"I have never lied to anyone," Jenny added, to which everyone again drank.

"I have never regretted my choice to join the ARC," Cutter said quietly. "Even for a second."

They all drank silently; Conner thinking about his friend Tom who he had lost because of a parasite passed on by an infected dodo. That had certainly made him rethink his life choice. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that Abby had to nudge him to remind him that it was his turn.

********

Jenny was actually enjoying this game; it was quite fun to learn a little more about everyone - especially Nick. Jenny wasn't really used to vodka, and as her mug was half empty, she was starting to feel rather tipsy.

It was Abby's turn next.

"I have never . . . had sex," she said, with a slight smile.

"Trust you to bring the tone down," Jenny rolled her eyes, but she drank, as did every one else - including Conner who had always been somewhat of a question mark in that area.

"Sorry, I think that was the drink talking," Abby grimaced as she set her mug down.

"Well since the tone has already been lowered," Becker said in amusement. "I have never cheated on my partner."

Jenny's stomach clenched into a knot as she drank to this one; she was sure this one wouldn't go down well with Cutter - it was well known that people took it badly when they discover their partners had cheated on previous partners; it was more likely that they would then cheat on them. Sure enough from beside her, she saw Cutter look at her in disbelief. Lester was the only other person who drank.

"What?" Cutter asked in obvious shock. "Why would you ever do that?"

"It was years ago!" Jenny answered defensively, aware that it looked incredibly odd to everyone else that Cutter was so bothered by this revelation.

"Who did you cheat on? Mark?" Cutter asked urgently.

"Yes," Jenny answered quietly, feeling ashamed of herself.

"Was it like a one night stand or was it a full blown affair?" Abby interjected sounding slightly drunk.

"Can we just change the subject please?" Jenny asked coldly; although the fact that Abby had shown curiosity as well made it seem less weird that Cutter was so interested.

"No, go on what was it?" Cutter demanded.

"Okay," Jenny sighed. "If I'm honest, it was the latter."

"You had a lover?" Abby gapped, sounding impressed. "Cool."

"No it wasn't cool," Jenny explained. "After a few months, I realised that what I was doing wasn't right and I broke it off. And I promised myself that I'd never be unfaithful to anyone again," she added, putting particular emphasis on the word 'anyone', and speaking directly to Cutter in her head.

Cutter fell silent at these words and looked in a slightly better mood, much to Jenny's relief. However, she didn't know if she was imagining it or not, but she could have sworn that Conner was looking between the two of them with a rather knowing smile on his face.

It was Lester's turn next; but the drink made him ask something rather unspeakable - so unspeakable that Jenny blushed bright red.

"I'm not answering that!" Abby gasped, before thumping Conner hard in the arm as he rolled about laughing.

"Me neither!" Jenny interjected, not quite over the shock that her boss (who always maintained proper standards in her presence) had actually said that!

"Well what happened to answering honestly?" Cutter pointed out to her, his lips wobbling as he apparently tried not to laugh.

"Why are you causing trouble?" Jenny asked Cutter, making sure she glared at him as she spoke.

"I'm just worried about the integrity of the game," Cutter insisted; a mock-concerned look on his face. "If you start skipping questions, who knows what could happen?"

Jenny glanced over at Abby for a second, and they both shared a look of helplessness. Then, simultaneously, they both picked up their mugs and took a (rather large) gulp each. The men started laughing and heckling - even Becker joined in! Jenny blushed more heavily than she ever had in her life, and put her face in her hands. She wished that the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

"Okay," she said as she finally raised her head; half-laughing, half-cringing. "That's enough!"

The men fell silent, but still all looked like Christmas had come early. Jenny tried to switch the subject quickly.

"I have never cheated on an exam," she said.

Becker and Conner were the only ones who didn't drink, and surveyed the rest of the table with mild disgust. Then it was Cutter's turn; Jenny half expected him to follow Lester's example and say something obscene. And sure enough:

"I have never had a fantasy about someone I work or worked with," he sniggered.

Everyone drank with slight embarrassment; obviously all wondering if they were the person someone was drinking for.

It was Conner's turn, and when he realised this, he sat straight in his chair, and took a deep breath as though he was about to announce something important.

"I have never . . ." he began slowly, as though savoring every word. "Slept with another person in this room."

He was looking directly at Jenny and Cutter in anticipation; the latter had gone slightly paler. Jenny felt herself tingling with embarrassment again - how the hell had he known?! She looked around at Cutter slightly, and saw that his mug was half way to his mouth. So reluctantly, she followed suit, and necked back the last of her drink.

"I told you!" Conner yelled at Abby, standing up in celebration. "I TOLD YOU!"

Abby was to busy gapping at Jenny and Cutter to bother chiding Conner for his gloating.

"WHEN?" she demanded, looking half-thrilled, and half-aspirated.

Jenny was cringing inside, and by the look of Cutter, he was feeling exactly the same.

"Only about four days ago," she answered sheepishly.

"And you didn't tell me?" Abby asked, sounding slightly stung.

"We just thought it'd be easier - " Jenny tried to explain.

"Oh whoopee," Lester sighed, his finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose. "And we have to share a room with them for God-knows how long . . ."

********

The interrogation carried on for some time; only ending when Conner stood up and sprinted to the bathroom; the sounds of vomit hitting the water was audible even through a closed door. Jenny took this as an opportunity to suggest that they all went to bed, using the bossiest tone she possessed. There was a general murmur of agreement, and within the next half and hour, heavy breathing filled the room as usual, broken by the occasional sickly-sounding groan from Conner who had apparently passed out. When she was almost positive that everyone was asleep, Jenny leaned over towards Cutter. He obviously sensed her looking at him, as he opened his eyes, and smiled. Jenny jerked her head to indicate that he should join her in her bed. He got up as quietly as possible, and she moved over to give him room. The bed was rather tiny, but it fitted them both in snugly. They started to kiss quietly; the alcohol perhaps making them slightly more brazen than usual. Just as the kiss was becoming more passionate:

"If you two don't stop whatever it is you're doing I will not be held responsible for me actions!" Lester barked over at them, sounding irritated.

They stopped kissing abruptly and exchanged a half-frustrated, half-amused look. Laughing slightly, Jenny put her head on his chest and snuggled into him more. He put his arms around her and pulled her in tighter, and she fell asleep feeling safer than she had done in a long time.

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Hope this chapter didn't bore you, but I had a lot of fun writing it :D let me know your opinions x