Characters: Connor, Abby, Danny Quinn, Nick, and Corporal Baumann
Spoilers: None
A/N: I own nothing of "Primeval" that belongs to Impossible Pictures and I make no money from this, clearly. This is a crossover between "Primeval" and "The Bunker" and no one will have needed to see "The Bunker" to understand this. And no, I didn't just write this on a whim. Thank you "talliw" and "captsoontirfel" for help with the German dialogue!
Summary: After weaving through a labyrinth of anomalies to get back to the present, Connor, Nick, and Abby are thrown into WWII-Germany where they meet Danny's German doppleganger, who seems to know Connor. Safely on the other side of the anomaly, Connor is startled by a German soldier in the woods.
IV. Discovery in the woods
A cool rag to Connor's forehead brought the young man back to consciousness. He cried out in pain, immediately reaching for his head, but soft fingers gently coursed through his hair, rendering Connor silent. His entire arm throbbed and as he tried to move it stinging pain ran from his fingers into his wrist, and straight into his elbow. Yet the only pain Connor could truly recognize was knowing that Danny had been stranded on the other side of the anomaly. Nothing in the world could comfort him of that knowledge.
Abby sat beside Connor on the floor, staring sadly at him. For the last hour she had tended to his wounds. Though the wolf's bite had been ugly, it was not deep and so Abby was able to bandage it without fear of Connor bleeding to death. But if the morning proved that it was getting infected, a more drastic measure would have to be taken. Absently Abby ran her fingers through Connor's short hair, holding back the tears she wanted to cry.
Danny Quinn was gone and now, she could soon find herself without the man she loved. Could Connor, half-starved and thoroughly exhausted, stand having his wound cauterized? Abby stroked Connor's hair continually until she was certain that he was awake. Then she moved away from him, careful still to not let Connor see her feeling so helpless. This sort of state wasn't how Connor was used to seeing her. Connor would need her to be strong, and for him, she would do exactly that.
"Abby," Connor breathed quietly as he sat up. "Where's Danny… you were able to get Danny, weren't you?"
"He didn't make it," Abby replied softly, her heart mourning at the words.
Nick added quietly, "He kept the wolves from coming in though. There is no… Connor…"
Connor glared at Nick. He shook his head, exclaiming, "How can you say that? Why are you so quick to give up on everyone? You never gave him a chance, ever! He's always had to prove himself worthy to be working with us, just like me! You never gave him a chance and now you've given up on him!"
Nick was about to respond when Connor suddenly started pushing himself up. The youth staggered across the small, dusty room before collapsing in the chair by the curtain-less window. Slowly Nick made his way over to the window and leaned against the wall. "Connor, there was nothing I could do. You saw what Danny did. You can't argue what happened."
"I'm going to sit here and watch," Connor replied firmly, his gaze out the window. "Somebody has to stay up and watch over us."
"Connor, let me do that for you," Nick suggested softly. "You're tired and you've been through a lot. There is no reason for you to do this on your own. Let me help you."
"I can stay up all night, waiting," Connor replied, his voice emotionless and cold. "I won't give up on him. That anomaly will reopen and when it does, Danny will be coming through it. I know he will! If you want, you can help me in two hours but right now, I want to do this on my own."
Giving a slight sigh of concern, Nick looked to Abby, who simply shrugged before curling up on the floor. Nick squeezed Connor's shoulder and said, "All right then. In two hours, wake me up and I will switch with you. And if you aren't feeling tired, you can keep me company then. How does that sound?"
Connor didn't reply. His eyes remained locked on the dark forest, a solitary tear suspended on his cheek.
Tick-tack-tocking; the minutes dragged endlessly on and with it came increasing sorrow within young Connor's heart. As the midnight drew near, it brought with it one of the coldest nights Connor had ever known. The moon had just begun its descent in the sky and part of the forest began to lighten. A light fog clung to the cold grassy floor of the forest but outside of the mist, nothing moved.
Connor heaved a soft sigh before moving his elbows to the window sill. Nick had wanted to keep the first watch but Connor had insisted upon maintaining vigilance. If Danny was going to be coming through the woods, Connor wanted to be the first one to see him. He owed them both this much at least. In truth, Connor wasn't going to wake Nick at all. So much the leader Nick was, that Connor wanted a chance to prove himself capable at protecting the team.
"Whatever would have you dead would have had to destroy me first before I'd let anything happen to you."
"I don't want you to die either." That was what Connor had pleaded of his friend.
But Danny was gone; this was something Connor could not bring himself to admit. Brushing away tears that had missed detection, Connor focused his gaze once more on the woods. He had to keep thinking positive. If the anomaly had opened once before, it was quite possible that it would open again within only a few short hours. Perhaps now his fearless companion would appear! Danny Quinn was a man of high intelligence and was very resourceful. Surely he would know where to find this cabin, wouldn't he?
But then he remembered the food that Abby had found. The K-rations had been mixed with wrappers that were in German. Several of the containers that were left behind bore the infamous swastika badge. Everything was fresh; even the scent of the bread was still lingering in one of the wrappers. They were back in the second world war and from the looks of it, somewhere near the closing act. But the only trouble was, which side of the war did they land in?
Movement from the forest caught Connor's eyes. Lifting his head, he squinted in the darkness. Something large was migrating towards the cabin. Hooves stepped into the moonlight and a tawny head drifted towards the ground, immediately beginning a dining feast on the grass. A smile drew across Connor's face as he lifted his head even higher. A herd of the giant Irish Elk had found their way through the anomaly. The does were certainly not as big as the great stag that Connor had encountered, but they were definitely queenly in their own state.
"Hopefully whatever soldiers are out there they won't think that you are some giant thing to play target practice with," Connor thought to himself with a small smirk. The doe continued to munch peacefully on the grass, drawing closer to the cabin. One of their ears twitched and the moonlight became brighter. A pair of antlers reflected the brightness of the lunar lamp. Connor sat up straight, "Danny…"
The youth leapt from his spot and raced quietly to the door. Opening it, Connor gave Abby one last longing sigh before departing. He couldn't wake them. They would be safer in the cabin at any rate. And besides, Nick would probably call him crazy for wanting to follow a prehistoric deer in the forest. Shoving his hands into his pockets, Connor rounded the broken cabin and began making his way towards the herd of giant deer. At the opposite end of the herd stood the white stag. It's gaze rested on Connor and for a slight moment, Connor felt a tinge of fear.
Moving carefully towards the herd, Connor tried to count his steps so that he would not lose his way upon returning. When he looked to the herd, he saw that they were beginning to move deeper into the woods. It wasn't too long before Connor couldn't see the outline of the cabin anymore. But it was at that moment that the travelers came to an abrupt halt and Connor had no choice but to cross through them.
Trying not look at any of the creatures directly. Though they were does, their shoulders still came up nearly to his. Connor carefully stepped between the deer, his course changing every now and then as a doe stepped forward. As Connor drew closer to the white-backed deer, Connor felt his heart beating even faster. If Connor had the slightest bit of sense he would get right back into the safety of the cabin. But right now, all he cared about was finding his lost friend.
A furry head suddenly butted Connor from behind and the young man found himself being thrown face-first into the ground. Giant hooves stepped inches from his face, drawing Connor's attention slowly upwards. The stag stood before him, his gaze suddenly soft and serene. Unexplainably Connor found himself smiling back at the great deer. Fears melted away under the caring gaze of this beautiful creature. It was as if this animal had sought him and him alone. But for what reason?
Carefully Connor pushed himself up to his knees. Backing away a little, Connor rose to his feet. The deer continued to look down at Connor, its breath falling gently on his face. And then the stag turned his head to the left. Following suit, Connor looked to where the creature was directing him towards and saw to his amazement that a figure was approaching him. The man was clad in something dark, something like what Danny had been wearing earlier.
Curious, Connor took a few steps forward, his heart leaping in bounds as the thought of finally finding his friend replayed in his mind. Cautiously Connor moved toward this unknown person. There was something familiar in the limp. Surely the only one wounded in a battle field was Danny, right? Putting his misgivings aside, Connor eagerly stepped towards the man. His joy surged when the man finally looked at him. Danny!
Connor's face erupted in a smile and he bounded forward. A flash of silver caught Connor's eye and then at last he saw what the man was wearing. In normal lighting the jacket was a dark olive green but in the moonlight, it was grey. This was a uniform, not Danny's outdoor clothing. Scenes of movies flooded Connor's mind as he quickly tried to place the uniform. American, hopefully. But what was Danny doing in a world war two uniform?
Standing rigid in the darkness, Connor's eyes were wide with shock and his breath clinging to the cold air around him. He stayed next to the tree, fear wanting to dominate him. This wasn't Danny Quinn, this was someone else, a German. Worse than that, he was probably a Nazi! A prick of fear told Connor to run as fast as he could from that spot. Gripping the tree, Connor turned to flee but the words of his fallen comrade stilled him.
"Fear is common. But we can either choose to be ruled by it, or command it."
"Wer da? Wer da?" commanded the figure, taking another hesitant step towards Connor. "Sie mir Ihren Ausweis!"
Thanking the fact that he had actually remembered some of his German, Connor leaned against the tree and contemplated his answer. What was it that the Germans always shouted when they were cornered by the Americans? Something about not wanting to get shot? Licking his lips, Connor shouted back, "Nicht schiessen! Nicht schiessen!"
"Neumann?" The doppleganger looked out from his tree hiding place.
Connor could almost feel the man squinting at him through the darkness. His heart hammered against his chest. Was this person friendly? Or was he as cruel as the movies depicted? Swallowing hard, Connor hardly knew what to respond with.
"Neumann?" repeated the man, moving around the side of the tree, his voice low in disbelief. "Mein Freund?"
"Jawohl," Connor replied weakly, his voice catching on his fear. As the man brought himself out of the shadows once more Connor could see the man's face more clearly. Same facial structure, same dark hair, same eyes. Even the frown bore the same likeness of the man he just lost. For a moment Connor found himself wanting to take the man in his arms and welcome him with a brotherly hug but the German brought the youth back to his senses.
"Nein, nein, Neumann, mein Freund, was tun Sie hier?" The darkness could not keep the deep concern the older man held for the younger one.
Tilting his head a little, Connor listened to the words. This person thought he was a man named Neumann, a friend? Did the darkness betray his true features or was there more to this that Connor simply wasn't seeing? Keeping next to the tree, Connor replied hesitantly in German, "What am I doing here? I've been looking for you."
"Ich sagte Ihnen," said the man, now stepping forward and exposing himself in the light. The dizziness that threatened to topple him could not keep him from recognizing the distinguishing features of his lost companion. But this reunion was bittersweet and could not last. "Ich sagte Ihnen Sie sollen gehen und sich den Amerikanern ergeben."
Connor's brows furrowed in confusion. There was something familiar about this look-alike. That tone, so strong yet compassionate, pleading. Why would a Nazi ask this of him? Or Neumann… whatever his name was? Wasn't defending the Fatherland more important than life? Defecting was a death warrant to anyone who was caught! Connor stepped towards the man, courage working through him as he remembered what Danny had told him while they both shivered in the trench. "We're a strong team and I promise that I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
"Danny," Connor nearly exclaimed as he took a brisk step towards the German soldier. Fortunately for him, his companion did not seem to notice the peculiar use of the name and kept walking towards him.
The light of the moon began exposing more of the soldier's uniform. Connor couldn't recognize the chest emblems that the man wore much less make sense of the green shoulder board on his shoulder. Connor recognized the collar insignia as being that of an enlisted man, more than likely a corporal judging by the double chevron on the man's sleeve. But there was one thing missing from this tunic; the lightning bolts that marked the fearsome Schutzstaffel.
"Was tun Sie hier?" the man repeated, now close enough for Connor to see him almost fully. Nothing but confusion shone in the man's dull blue eyes.
This allowed Connor to lower his defenses. Whoever this man was, he saw Connor as a friend and not a threat and more than that, someone that the man had been trying to save. Connor slowly raised his hand to his head and gave his hair a brisk rub. Life could be so confusing at times! As Connor's hand dropped back to his side he caught a glimpse of a dark stain shining against the man's side in the moonlight.
"Danny, du bist verwundet!" Forgetting that this man was not his friend, Connor closed the gap between them and quickly placed his hand on the man's shoulder.
The German winced sharply and immediately placed his hand over his wound. Connor tried to lift his arm, urging him gently in German, "I'm going to help you. Here, put your arm over my shoulder."
"Nein! Neumann, nein!" The man pushed Connor away but the strength used to shove his friend away caused him to stumble. The soldier collapsed against the tree and for a moment he simply leaned against it, his eyes closed.
Connor stood a few steps away from him, stunned at the sudden action. It seemed that whenever someone was hurt the first action was to push him away. Connor wasn't going to have anymore of that. Furrowing his brows, Connor came closer to the German, his hand resting once more on the soldier's shoulder. This time, the man did not push him away.
Instead, the soldier exclaimed hoarsely, "Na los, gehen Sie schon!"
Pain riddled every word that the man spoke. The midnight hour could not conceal the paleness in his face nor could the weakness hide in the safety of the shadows. The soldier was wounded, and possibly dying. Connor looked about the woods, searching for the giant deer that had lead him here. None were to be seen. Perhaps it had been nothing but an illusion caused by the hunger and lack of sleep. Whatever it was, Connor knew that he had only the present to deal with and for the moment, that meant finding help for this soldier, even if he wasn't Danny Quinn.
"Gehen Sie schon, bitte!" cried the man as he opened his eyes and glared softly at Connor.
But Connor wasn't going to budge. Narrowing his eyes, Connor inquired, "Was soll ich denn tun?" No more letting others control him. "Sie etwa hier sterben lassen?"
Sorrow-filled eyes met Connor's. In a voice that still commanded the presence of someone used to leading, the German replied, "Lassen Sie mich hier zurück, Neumann." Connor shook his head; he wasn't leaving anyone behind this time. The soldier pushed off the tree slightly, maintaining eye-contact with the youth as he continued, "Ich will, dass Sie leben anstatt hier mit mir zu sterben."
And then he fell against the tree, using his shoulder to hold himself up as well as protect his injured side. His eyes fell shut and his breath slowed. Not again, not again! Giving his head another shake, Connor fought back the tears that were welling up in his eyes. Whoever this soldier was, whatever army he served, he still carried the same compassionate soul as Danny Quinn. His friend was gone, forever perhaps. But that noble heart of his lived on in others. Connor wouldn't abandon him in this world either.
"Nein, Danny," Connor begged. He gripped the soldier's arm and gently tried to pull him from the tree.
Immediately the soldier opened his eyes, but this time he looked into the forest. For a moment Connor swore he saw the elder man's eyes gleam with sadness. Then the soldier spoke quietly, "Sie können mir nicht mehr helfen. Neumann, warum tun Sie nicht was ich sage?" Inclining his head, the soldier gazed sternly upon the young man that was next to him.
Connor swallowed his tears. "No, you're not beyond help," whispered Connor in German. "I'm listening to you Danny, but I'm through just listening to you. I want to help you and I'm going to help you. I can't…" Connor gripped the soldier's arm and began easing him away from the tree, "I can't just watch you die, not again, Danny, please…"
The soldier tried to shove Connor away once more but missed his footing and collapsed unceremoniously to the ground. Connor dropped to his side, his hands automatically on the German's shoulder as if he truly were his friend. The German hadn't even cried out in pain. With utmost care, Connor began pushing the soldier onto his back. To his amazement, Connor saw that the man had bitten his lower lip to keep from crying out.
"Ich bin hier," Connor whispered, edging closer to the man. Danny's strength and determination radiated in just the man's eyes. But Connor would not be deterred. If Danny Quinn was truly gone, then maybe this soldier would be the last time he would get to see his friend. "Ich bin hier, mein Freund."
The soldier removed his hand from his side and grasped Connor's hand that was still resting on his shoulder. "Bitte, Neumann, mein Freund, seien Sie vernünftig." He grasped Connor's hand firmly, pleading with his eyes, so vibrant now with quiet resolve. A small smile spreading across his parched lips. He ordered softly, "Gehen Sie."
"Nein, nein," Connor whispered back, covering the man's hand with his remaining hand. He shook his head firmly, a tearful smile breaking across his face. He replied back in German, "Call me insensible then because I'm not going to let you die here."
"Neumann, es ist sinnlos, völlig sinnlos." The man's eyes started to shut and immediately Connor began rubbing the back of his hand. How could trying to save him be useless? There was no such thing as a vain attempt at saving one's life! The German forced his eyes open, begging Connor in a trembling voice, "Bitte, gehen Sie…"
"I'm going to help you Danny," Connor whispered fiercely.
"Neumann," the soldier squeezed Connor's hand tightly, his words edging into darkness, "Entscheiden Sie sich für das Leben und nicht den Tod…"
"Ganz ruhig," Connor spoke soothingly. There was nothing he could do to keep the German awake. All that mattered now was comforting him. Not letting go of his hand, Connor continued, "Alles wird gut. Ich bin es doch, Neumann--" The German smiled briefly, his eyes shutting. Connor swallowed hard, finishing quietly, "--ihr Freund."
He may not have been this man's friend named Neumann, but Connor wasn't going to let him die thinking that his friend wouldn't try saving his life. Without hesitation, Connor quickly began gathering the man in his arms. Looking to the cold forest canopy, Connor whispered, "Please, help me save him. If somebody up there is listening to me, anyone at all, help…"