"The only draw-back is that you can't be out here with me."
Jenny giggled at the sentiment behind her husbands words and smiled at the screen. They were Skype-ing each other for the second time this week.
It used to be twice a day, but since she started up her work again, she found that time was becoming less and less her own.
"So…" Jenny sighed, "Will you be coming home before you go on to Germany?"
Michael hesitated, "Actually… babes… there is something I need to admit."
She detected the anxiety in his voice and leaned forward.
"The tour went really well in Brussels and Bruges. But we're a little bit strapped for cash…"
Jenny was relieved, "Well, that's not a problem. I transferred some money into your account this morning."
He smiled, "Oh Jen, you shouldn't have."
"We're married now, Michael," she shook her head, "and I said I would help you as much as I could."
Tilting his head in acceptance, Michael bit his lip, "It's just… we've gone and booked a fortnight of gigs in Prague."
"Oh." Jenny tried to hide her disappointment with a smile, "Well, I hear it's lovely this time of year."
A clatter sounded, making Michael jump and turn to the noise.
"What is it?" Jenny asked; a little alarmed.
He shook his head, "Just the lads making prats of themselves in the kitchen. Don't you worry."
She nodded her head; some of Michael's band-mates were quite wild… more so than her mild-mannered, creative husband, "Well you tell them that if they break anything, they're paying for it!"
Michael laughed, "I'm going to have to go babes."
It was past seven after all and, Jenny supposed, he had work to do for the next leg of their tour. "Talk to you on Thursday?"
Michael nodded, blew a kiss to the screen and signed off.
Jenny sat in front of a blank monitor.
Michael wasn't coming back any time soon.
She had known when she met him that his music would take him around the world. She had thought she would be with him. But money had made it necessary for her to stay.
Jenny truly hadn't given it a thought until now… but the whole situation felt dangerous. Not in a life-threatening, dinosaurs-are-going-to-eat-me way… but something that could threaten her in a deeper sense.
Michael was hundreds of miles away… and she was back working with Nick Cutter. Or, at least… Nick Cutter's clone.
Her mind wandered.
Robert, as she had christened him, was starting to come out of his shell a little by talking to others during his postal rounds. It seemed that he had wholeheartedly taken on his new name and started to separate himself from his original.
And even though Jenny did her best to see as little as possible of him, she had found excuses to check up on him and make sure he was afforded the same courtesy others were allowed, naturally.
He was no longer ignored; by her least of all.
Jenny shook her head and moved through to the kitchen; she really had to start getting a grip on things otherwise life might become far more complicated than necessary.
()()()
A day later she was sharing a second on-screen conversation with James Lester.
"You want him to what?" The bureaucrat asked, cheeks pinking at her suggestion.
"James, it's a perfectly reasonable request," Jenny smiled, "everyone else is entitled… I think it's only fare."
James took a quick look around his office and shifted closer to the computer screen, "Jenny… I realise I put you in an… awkward position. But I don't think you are approaching the whole… clone situation quite rationally."
"His name is Robert, James." Jenny reminded him with a polite tilt of the head, "Robert."
James just gaped at her, "You've given him a new name as well? This gets worse and worse."
She felt the bite of anger, "I have not given him a name. He is choosing to use his… or Nick's middle name. It's something he is entitled to… just like he is entitled to all the legal documents he needs to live his life."
"You don't need a passport to live."
"But everyone is entitled to a National Insurance number."
James Lester shook his head, running a hand through his dark hair in frustration, "He doesn't need an NI number… I make sure he has money and I provide him with work."
"If we don't give him these basic things, we are no better than Helen," she almost balked at the name.
The word caused James Lester the same degree of discomfort as he winced and spat, "Don't ever compare me to that woman."
Jenny admitted that the comment had been a low blow.
"James," Jenny sighed, "he has his own personality and his own mind."
"However limited…" James commented.
Jenny bit her tongue, "What would happen if you left the arc? Even you have to admit… it's not the safest work environment."
There was no answer… she knew she had made a valid point.
"Oh…" James grimaced, "very well! I'll get on to Jess and she can liaise with you as to the particulars."
A warm sense of achievement spread through her, "Thank you James."
He shook his head; "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into Jenny."
The high she had felt from winning her battle of wills was quickly punctured…
She did know what she was doing… didn't she?
"And by the way," James added, leaning forward, "happy birthday."
With that, he signed off.
Jenny blinked and rushed to her wall calendar.
He was right. It was her birthday.
()()()
Jenny felt disappointed.
Thirty three years had gone by without even announcing their presence.
Michael was due to call her in two days and had clearly forgotten the significance of today as well.
So she sought solace in the only way a woman could; a large bottle of wine and a tub of chocolate ice-cream.
Jenny was contemplating ordering in a pizza and for dinner when the bell sounded at the front door.
She bolted upright and darted her eyes about the room.
The place was a mess… and she had opted for the luxury of her pyjamas rather than remain in her day clothes.
The bell sounded again.
Who could it be? There weren't many people who knew her address; she hadn't gotten round to sending out the obligatory 'change of address' cards as yet. There was only really Robert and Michael.
Her chest felt tight with excitement and she leapt to her cotton-socked feet and skidded out of the laminate-floored sitting room.
She reached the door a little breathless and almost squeaked when the bell sounded for a third time. Jenny tried to swallow down the hope of who it might be as she unlocked the door.
"Hi Jen," Abby Maitland smiled to her.
Jenny plastered on her friendliest smile and ignored the bitter twist of disappointment as she greeted the petit blond woman and showed her into the house.
Part of her was a little relieved that it was Abby rather than anyone else… but another part knew that the excitement she had felt moments before wasn't for a surprise birthday visit her husband might have thrown… but for someone else entirely.
"I hope you don't mind… but I wheedled your address from Jess," Abby admitted. "It's not her fault. I insisted."
Jenny smiled, "It's good to see you Ab's."
The little blond woman grinned widely and produced a bottle of wine from behind her back, "Happy birthday!" She embraced her friend and waggled the bottle again… "Shall we?"
Half an hour later they were ensconced in the sitting room, curled on the sofa and laughing about their times in the arc.
"How about that incident with the girl and her dog…" Abby chuckled… "That was you working your thing with the press if ever I saw it."
"I couldn't believe they all fell for it!" Jenny laughed, leaning forward to top-up their glasses, "The girl was telling them the whole story about a different world and crazy creatures… and they just figured she had made up while she was stuck in a drain."
"Well… I think that any man would have listened to you given what you were wearing." Abby admitted with a laugh and a gulp of wine.
"Those gold shoes," Jenny warmed to the memory… she loved shoes…
"Actually… I was thinking of the low-cut dress…" Abby said with a smirk.
Jenny groaned at the thought of the cream shiffon number as her friend laughed, "None of the men could take their eyes off you…" Jenny blushed as Abby snorted in delight, "Especially Cutter. His eyes were on stalks all day."
The thought cut into Jennys humour and she covered her deflation by finishing her drink.
Realising her mistake, Abby gulped in air to stop her laugher. She looked distraught, "Jen… I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot."
"It's alright," Jenny said through her forced smile. "I knew he'd come into the conversation sooner or later."
Abby nodded, changing subject, "How's Michael?"
"He's abroad," Jenny informed, moving to open a second bottle of wine. "His work as a musician means he travels a lot."
Abby nodded, a stern look on her face. "Connor and I are having problems."
"What?" She couldn't believe she had heard that, "What did you just say?"
"Me and Connor," Abby breathed, gulping at her drink. "Things have gotten… complicated."
Jenny felt her head shaking, "But you two… it's always been you two."
Her friend nodded, eyes downcast.
"Is there someone else?"
Abby blew a laugh from between her lips, "Funny you should say that."
Jenny listened as Abby told her of the events from the past few months and how Connor had been employed by the villain of the piece. She was stunned by the enormity of it all.
But there was one thing that had to be said; "Abs. I can't say about what's right and what's wrong with this plan of Phillips or if Matt really has been sent back in time from the future to save the world. But there is one thing I am completely sure of… and that is the fact Connor Temple loves Abby Maitland."
Her friend smiled, despite herself.
"He's worth it Abby," Jenny intoned, "don't let him go. That job of your is dangerous enough… don't let anything stop you from telling him you love him. You'll regret it if you do." The tears were damping her eyes before she had realised and Jenny was forced to blink rapidly to stop them spilling over.
Abbys smile was sad as she looked on her friend.
Jenny sniffed and shook her head with a laugh, "Well… this stuff is stronger than I thought."
Slightly embarrassed now, Jenny leaned forward, "Look at the time!"
Abby caught on quickly and shifted from her seat, "Right… twenty-past eight. Connor will wonder where I am."
Jenny was thankful and showed her friend to the door. "Thanks for coming round Abs. It was really good to see you."
Abby gripped her in a quick embrace and smiled, "Sure. And we'll have to meet up more often!"
Jenny agreed and watched the blonde into the taxi before closing the door and relaxing against it.
It had been lovely to see her friend, but now she felt the emptiness of her house and sighed.
A knock moved her from her thoughts and she couldn't help smiling as she opened the door, "What have you forgotten now?"
Robert was standing there, haloed in streetlight and holding a bunch of flowers.
He looked just like Nick. He was Nick, after all… no matter how much Jenny tried to convince herself otherwise.
Jenny felt her breath hitch in her throat and tried, furiously, to gulp down the static that washed over her in his presence.
She wanted to ask him why he was there on her doorstep. She wanted to say it wasn't appropriate for them to be meeting outside of work. She wanted to tell him she couldn't accept any gifts from him…but when his soft voice asked if he could come into the house, Jenny Lewis-Miller found herself stepping to one side.
Robert looked about the sitting room then moved to the coffee table to deposit a box of chocolates and bottle of wine. He handed a dumbstruck Jenny the posy of flowers and waited.
It took a moment, but she looked at the offering and felt her heart bend with pain. They were her favourites, of course. Roses, forget-me-nots and lilies arranged with sprays of small white and lavender flowers.
"Thank you Robert," she said, trying to keep the sadness from her voice, "they are beautiful. Will you sit down?"
And he did, perching himself on the edge of the sofa with an air of nervous excitement.
Jenny started to become wary… he looked like a man with something to say…
"Are you ok, Robert?" She asked, placing herself on the sofa, a safe distance away.
"I've been thinking," he said, quickly, jumping up from the sofa to pace the room, "I hope you don't mind me visiting, but it's something that's been on my mind now for some time… And I know it's your birthday. But if there is anyone I want to talk to it's you."
Jenny felt her heart palpitate with anticipation and couldn't help but shift forward in her seat, "Yes?"
"I want more responsibility," Robert stated, levelling his gaze at her.
Jenny felt the smile drop from her face. "Oh," she breathed, "I see." Suddenly conscious of herself, she pulled her dressing-gown tightly around her body. "And you wanted to discuss this now? At this time of night? In my house?"
Robert looked a little berated, "I can leave, if you wish."
"I didn't mean…" Jenny's head shook in exasperation, "So… Robert. You have an idea?"
"I wanted to apply for an administrative position in the ARC."
A heavy feeling settled in Jennys stomach, "The ARC?" She asked with doubt, "Do you think that's a good idea?"
"Yes," Robert said without missing a beat. "Why? Do you think there would be a problem?"
Not really knowing how to respond, Jenny did the best thing she could think of, "Just let me go and change into something a little more comfortable…"
"Are we going out?"
Again, Jenny hesitated, but Robert looked hopeful.
And it was her birthday, after all.
Why not? They were building a new relationship, after all. Robert clearly thought of her as a mentor. Where her past with Nick was…
No. She wasn't even going to think about that.
"Yes, Robert… we'll go for a drink and have a chat about this," Jeni said, the idea settling in her head, "You just wait here."
Seeming happy with things, Robert sat back in the seat.
Frowning slightly at the turn of events, Jenny headed up the stairs to her room.
When she returned, she found Robert leafing through the pilot script of the project she had been working on.
"It was just there," Robert indicated to the coffee table, "do you mind?"
"Not at all," she said, sitting beside him and motioning to the script, "What do you think?"
Robert sighed, flicking through the pages, "I think whoever wrote this needs to get their facts in order. Firstly a Dryptosaurus lived in North America in the late Cretaceous, not in the Mediterranean, Muttaburrasaurus was a herbivorous ornithopod and it's Dracorex not Dragonrex…" He finished, casually throwing the script back onto the table. "Other than that… I like it."
A thought occurred…
"That job you were thinking of…" Jenny said, with a grin, "I might have just the position of responsibility you had in mind."
Robert cocked his head, but she wasn't ready to discuss the possibilities of their future without drink and celebration. She never did get that drink with Nick…
"Come on," she said, slapping him on the knee, "drink first, work later."