C. released Connor from his grip and threw him against the wall. Connor looked terrified, but C. just smiled and leaned against the door of the room. He looked tired and worn… it suddenly hit Connor that he'd lost everything; C. had no family left except for Mike. It's no wonder he looked so beaten right now.

Connor stayed on the ground, leaning against the opposite wall as far from C. as possible. "Whata you going to do to me this time?" his voice was a little shaky.

A devious smile reappeared on C.'s face, but what he said didn't fit it at all. "I'm not going to hurt you, Connor."

Connor narrowed his eyes. "But you just said-"

"I know," C. interrupted. "And believe me… you will pay, but not in the way you think." He let the confusion settle on Connor for a moment before explaining. "I'm done trying to hurt you, or Nick Cutter, for that matter…" He sounded defeated, a heavy sigh rushing from his lungs. "I lost my wife… I have no idea what has happened to my son. I was killed… and then I was brought back to life by some psychotic woman."

"Helen?" Connor guessed.

"Yes. Helen Cutter. She said she'd fix everything; fix the entire world, and put it back to the way it's supposed to be. But, she said she needed you, Connor. So, that's what I'm supposed to do… bring you to her," C. finished explaining.

"What does she want from me? Why me?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" C. challenged, his dark brown eyes glaring down on Connor. It was weird that Connor was having a conversation with himself. Nothing was ever easy or simple for Connor Temple… not since he'd become a part of the ARC and the anomalies. And now, everything was falling apart; there were future anomalies out of control and different realities that split the universe. How could it be fixed? There wasn't a possible solution to all this… but maybe, for once, Helen had the right idea. She was right that things needed to be fixed, but her methods were usually… unethical.

C.'s voice jolted Connor out of thought. "Look, it's either I get my revenge or I get my life back. So, you- you little dweeb- can either go talk to the psychotic bitch and figure out how to put everything back in the right place, or I can finish what I had started with you… and you'll never see your friends again… Up to you."

Connor swallowed and nodded his head. "Good. Now go!" C. grabbed Connor's arm and threw him out the door, into the hallway, causing him to almost run directly into Sarah as she was walking down the corridor.

"Whoa, Connor!" She laughed. "You alright?"

He stood up straight, regaining balance. "Yep, fine. Why… why do ya ask?" He tried to act normal, as if nothing was different; if he went around saying that C. was alive, everyone would think he'd gone mental.

"Well, for one thing, you don't usually come randomly flying out of closets…"

"Yeah, it's-I'm just… trying… new… things," he spurted out in a bad lie.

"Right…" Sarah eyed him for a moment but brushed it aside with a shake of her head. "Uh, Lester told me to come find you, anyway. He said that he wants you to work on getting the A.D.D. up and running.

He said we should act as if nothing happened… and just go about working while he takes care of the whole Helen thing." She shrugged. "I think things may be starting to go back to normal, actually. Helen hasn't made any trouble and those anomalies are closed, so aside from Nick's alternate coming back wounded… things are pretty much just as 'boring' as ever." She laughed at herself and handed Connor some tools, then made her way down the hall, leaving him.

Things are far from normal, Connor thought. He guessed he'd go see Cutter before finding out what Helen wanted; maybe Cutter knew something about why she'd come back.

Alex sat on the damp floor, playing with a piece of string on his shirt. He needed to get out of here and to the right reality, but if he tried to open another anomaly, it would most certainly just take him somewhere like this again… he needed to block out whoever had control of his brain… but how?

"It's simple," a voice told him. "It's a sequence of numbers that overrides the computer's control of your brain."

Alex turned to see who had spoken. It was Connor, or "high lord, Temple" as he was called here. He was wearing some sort of toga thing and his hair was long and brown; he almost resembled someone from the Biblical times.

"What?" Alex inquired, baffled by this reality's version of Connor.

"I can see it in your head," Lord Temple explained. "You don't come from this world, do you?"

"No, I don't, and I need to get back home." Alex didn't even want to ask how Connor knew what was in his head; he just wanted to get the hell out of here.

"Well, where you're wanting to go isn't home, I can see that," he mused. "But, if you very much want to get there, I suppose I can help… the sequence of numbers needs to be entered into the computer locked in your head. I might be able to override the control of the computer without even having to open up your head." He smiled a crooked smile.

Alex stared at him for a minute. "And why do you want to help me? What, exactly, do you get out of it?"

"I get rid of you… I don't like otherworlders coming here; they don't bow to me and they don't respect me. So I'll be glad to see you gone," Lord Temple explained. "Now, do you want my help or not?"

Alex allowed Connor to help, however weird this version of him was, he knew what he was doing. Alex felt a slight pain in his head when Connor touched his fingers to his temples and let go a few moments later. "There," he stated, satisfied with himself. "You should be able to have control over your brain for a while now. But you don't have very long before the computer regains control." Connor started leaving, bored with the whole thing. Before he left, he called to Abby, "Come darling, I need my dinner." And she ran after him happily.

He was gone before Alex could thank him. "Well that was weird," he exclaimed. Shaking his head, he stood up and, yet again, concentrated on opening an anomaly. When he saw a large flash of light, he immediately stepped through it; reaching the ARC again… he spotted Dian sitting next to Stephen Hart, who he remembered from Area 51.

"Dian!" he called across the large building and ran to where she sat.

Dian shot her head up upon hearing the familiar voice. "Alex, what are you doing here?"

He grabbed her in a hug as soon as reaching her. "I thought you were dead! Oh, God… I'm so glad to see you, Dian."

She didn't hug him back, just waited until he let go. "Uh… what are you doing here?" she repeated, not really knowing what else to say.

"I came to find your friend, Connor. I figured he could help me fix the mess I created back home. Dian I… I thought you'd died…" he added.

"I'm sorry… I-I had to come back here," she tried to explain.

Alex blinked, his face a mask of confusion. Even though he knew he probably didn't want to know the answer, he still asked, "But why? Why did you have to come back here, Dian?"

Her hand subconsciously moved to her stomach and she swallowed hard, knowing it was time to tell him the truth. She inhaled deeply, preparing herself.

Mike waited on the couch while Shamus had gone to his car… supposedly to get proof of the fact that Connor killed Mike's dad. He still didn't believe the strange Irish man; he thought he was just some creeper, and he'd considered calling Abby to tell her what was happening, but he didn't need her… he didn't need anyone; he could take care of himself… or, at least, he thought he could.

Mike flinched when the front door opened, signaling that Shamus had come back inside. He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and when Shamus appeared, he was carrying a small bag which he threw in Mike's lap. He just looked at it, then glanced up at Shamus with a silent question.

"Well you wanted proof of your father's murder… and there it is," Shamus explained, pointing to the bag.

Mike unzipped the bag and found two photos inside, which he held up in front of him. The first picture was unmistakably Connor holding a gun to C.'s head, and the second was C. lying dead on the ground. Mike froze, staring at the photos... his free hand curled into a tight fist, shaking with the fury that built inside him, steadily getting stronger.

"Didn't I tell you?" Shamus said smugly. He sat down next to Mike and took the pictures away from him. "Look, kid… now you know I'm telling the truth; let me help you. I can help you, as long as you… trust me. Hm?" He looked at Mike and waited for his reaction.

Mike slowly turned his head to Shamus, his jaw set tense, and he nodded, hate burned in his eyes intensely. Shamus smiled cunningly and said, "Perfect."

"What do we do?" Mike asked, his voice portraying barely any emotion; he was like an empty shell.

Shamus leaned towards him and whispered, "We take over and destroy the ARC. No matter what it takes; no matter how many lives we have to take… this is our goal." He paused and stared at Mike. "Do you understand this, Michael? No matter what it takes," he repeated in a hypnotic voice, sucking Mike into his delusions.

He nodded, face expressionless and eyes staring blankly into Shamus' deceitful gaze. "Whatever it takes," he confirmed without emotion… like a robot.

"Very good, Michael… very good…"

Connor opened the door and stepped into the hospital room. Dr. Scott was working with an unconscious Cutter; he looked up at the sound of the opening door. "Oi, Connor, you can't be in here," he commanded, walking to Connor and eyeing him, holding out his hand in question. "Where's your shirt?"

Connor looked down at his bare chest and gave an almost embarrassed look. "It's-it's a long story- look, I just came to see how Cutter was doing. Is, uh… is he gonna be alright?" he asked tentatively.

Dr. Scott cleared his throat and spoke softly. "I'm not quite sure yet. Mr. Cutter's wound is very serious, I'm not sure-"

"Professor," Connor interrupted, unexpectedly.

"What's that?" Dr. Scott questioned.

Connor hadn't expected himself to say that, much less say it so harshly. "It's… its professor Cutter…" He clenched his jaw and cleared his throat.

"Okay. Sorry… Look, uh… Connor, I'll let you know how things turn out, yeah? Just give me some time."

Connor nodded, and left the room. He waited behind a wall until he saw Dr. Scott leave the room, and he slipped back in. He headed to the hospital bed and spotted a gun sitting on the bedside table. Connor grabbed the gun and held it in his hand, the metal felt cold against his palm. His heart beat a bit faster; he swallowed hard and looked at Cutter. "I won't let you down, Cutter…"

He slipped the gun into the back of his trousers and grabbed his shirt on the way out of the room. Walking out into the hall, he entered a large room where Helen was being kept. He took a deep breath and confronted Helen, who was sitting at the table in the middle of the room.

Helen smiled at him and eyed the small bruise on his forehead. "I see you've already encountered my friend… he's proving to be useful."

Connor gritted his teeth. "I thought you'd changed…" He laughed once. "What do you want, Helen?"

She leaned forward on the table. "I have changed, Connor. I'm seeing things differently now. I know what needs to be done to put everything right."

"What's that?" he said through gritted teeth. "Hm? Kill another brilliant man? Or maybe this time you'd like to blame me for the destruction of the earth… You gonna shoot me, too? Go ahead, Helen! Shoot me! Here…" He threw the gun on the table and slid it across to Helen and held his arms out to the sides. "Shoot me," he demanded.

Helen stared at the gun in front of her, but didn't take it; she just looked up at Connor, questioningly. "You don't want to die, Connor. You have far too much to live for… there are too many people you love and who love you. A baby on the way and a lot of relationship problems to sort out…"

"How do you know-" he began, but Helen cut him off.

"It doesn't matter. I don't blame you for anything, Connor. I just need you to help me fix this mess," she explained, sitting back in her chair.

"How? Just… be straight with me, Helen; what do you want? What is your plan?"

"Sit down, Connor. Relax," she commanded softly. He shook his head in disbelief but sat down anyway. After a moment, Helen put her hands out on the table, face up. "Take my hands." Connor shook his head again. "Connor… take… My hands," she demanded. This time he obliged, cautiously. "Very good. Together, Connor… we can change this world; make it the way it's supposed to be. All you have to do is say yes…"

He wanted to pull his hands away, but something felt different. He actually… trusted what Helen was saying, and before he knew what he was doing, he found himself saying. "Yes." Helen smiled, then Connor felt a spark of electricity course through his hands and pulse through his body… then everything went black.

Connor's eyes opened, the blurred vision clearing, and he saw a white ceiling above his head. He blinked, and quickly sat up in the big bed he was in. The room was one he'd never seen before; the walls were yellow and the room was as big as his whole flat. His breathing was fast and he flinched when he heard a door open in the large bedroom. He looked over to the door that obviously led to a bathroom, seeing Abby walk out of it. Connor's eyes widened at the sight of her large, pregnant stomach.

"Oh good, you're awake," she said to him. "You don't have to go to work today, do you, sweetie?" she was saying as she sat down on the bed. She laughed. "I know, I know… you're a doctor and you're busy, but couldn't you take the weekend off sometimes?" She smiled lovingly at him.

Connor was frozen… where was he? What had happened? He heard animal feet padding against hardwood floor. He had expected to see Rex or Sid and Nancy, or Nick, but instead… he flinched a little when he saw a small Pomeranian dog run into the room, barking its tiny bark. "Wha-what?" was all he managed to say…

TBC in Chapter 8!

Thanks for reading and please review! I'll update ASAP :)