********PNW finale spoilers- PUK post-S5 spoilers. *********
Summary: Connor and Kieren go back through the anomaly, to find that something's changed. And that change upturns the boat of Connor's life. But maybe all isn't lost.
AN: After watching the Primeval New World finale, my mind went into paranoid overdrive and came out with this fic to help work out my fears for Conby. And no, this doesn't actually happen in PNW's finale. :P If you're reading this, I'll assume you've seen it already. If you haven't... don't read?
Chapter 4 : Theories
When Jackalyn found him, Connor was sat at a table, a few crumbs left of a sandwhich left in a wrapper. She couldn't help but smile. Whether it was because of something she'd said, or whether he'd just decided on his own, Connor was actively trying to live, without being forced to.
It was a huge relief.
He was muttering something, and acknowledged her with a brief nod as he scribbled something on a bit of paper.
She didn't try to take a look, not only because she hadn't a hope of understanding it, probably, but also because she didn't want to interrupt him. It had to be something important. She sat there across from Connor as she ate her own lunch, quietly watching him work. He was almost, but not quite, like her Connor. There were differences, some less obvious than others, and she knew that she was different from his Abby as well. That was okay. She didn't rightly know what she'd been thinking, suggesting they replace their loved ones with each other. But maybe friends would be okay?
Connor reached for another bite of sandwhich, and pouted when he found it was all gone: he'd found he was starving, once he'd begun eating. He looked up at Jack, and then at her sandwhich.
The blonde smiled, and tore it in half, handing him one roughly trianglular piece.
"Thanks." He mumbled.
She waited a moment, and then Jack touched the paper.
"What're you working on?" She asked quietly. His big dark eyes met her blue ones for a long moment.
"Working out some calculatiosn on paper…" He paused. "I think I might know how to get back to my timeline. And when I do that, your Connor will probably have the same idea, and come back through here. If we're both geniuses who like to watch Doctor Who." His voice was stronger, louder than before - still with a faint wobble, as if on the verge of cracking with emotion barely held behind a dam.
"What?!" Jack gasped, and grinned. "Yes, you two have that in common, no doubt. But what - how do you figure?" She stumbled over her words , turning her head to look at the paper.
"That's not really on there, as much as it is up 'ere." Connor said, tone apologetic as he tapped his head lightly. Jack nodded.
"Tell me, please?"
"Okay." He was gathering up his thoughts, trying to arrange them in something that would sound coherant and make sense for Jackalyn, when the object of his focus walked in the break room.
"Hey, Mac!" Jack called to her friend. The young man changed directions and came over, grinning.
"Hey Jacks, hey Connor." Mac Rendall. The same Mac he'd just met a week ago in another timeline and time, who'd told him that there had been another him. That was what his theory was about. This Mac was the one that he'd been told was dead in the other timeline. Eventually an anomaly would open, to that timeline - otherwise, how would Mac have known about other!mac?
"Do you wanna be me guinea pig?"
"What?"
"Connor… your theory, about the timelines… has something to do with Mac?"
"…Yes."