AN: The chapters after this get interesting… Not that this one isn't. And while this story concentrates on the PUK team more than the PNW team, I'm hoping to hint at something in the end about what happens with Dylan, Evan, and even Mac…. ;) But this chapter just moved things forwards more.

Chapter 8 : Decisions

Connor looked around as he passed through the anomaly and into the 'spaghetti junction', as he had once called it. There were dozens of other anomalies around, and Connor wondered whether, if one were to keep walking, they would eventually come upon the rolling hills of grass that had been his first sight of the junction 6 years ago. It seemed pretty plausible to him that there was just one junction of anomalies, a whole 'time period' of its own across the earth…

He turned to ask Mac an idle question, only to stop short. Mac had vanished, leaving Connor alone, a handheld detector, Mac's ARC jacket, and an EMD in the messenger bag over one shoulder. He'd been prepared to give them to Mac to preserve the timeline, but now Mac was...

He heard someone speaking, a now-familiar voice, and hurried as quietly as possible towards the sound. Connor peeked out from behind some bushes, taking in the sight of another Mac standing with his back to the anomaly, facing Evan and Dylan.

Oh.

That would sort of explain it - apparently, unless one of them was dead, two versions of the same person could not exist in the same location at the same time. That was an interesting theory, but Connor pushed it to the back of his mind. Connor crept closer, going around and staying hidden so he could hear better.

Other Mac was speaking, his tone urgent.

"Wait, so if everything's supposed to happen the way it did in 2006, and the other Mac, the one you put in the freezer's not there, then… Who's going to save your life?"

Connor bit his lip, realizing something. He shifted where he was crouched, falling still as that made leaves crunch noisily beneath him. He focused on the conversation again.

"No one." That was Evan speaking. Connor got to his feet again and edged out from behind the bushes.

"Stuff this." Mac said, turning around to face the swirling shards of the anomaly.

"Oi! Wait!" Evan, Dylan and Mac all turned around to face Connor, surprise and recognition on their faces.

"Connor?" Dylan exclaimed. He stopped a few feet away, a rueful expression on his face.

"This is no' how I expected this to be going, an' honestly I'd really prefer if I could jus' say 'stop', but you're doin' right by tryin' to keep the timeline preserved..." Connor babbled at high speed, knowing time was short.

Dylan was still holding onto Evan's arm, and Evan opened his mouth to argue. Mac looked puzzled.

Connor pulled out and held up the handheld detector. (His new device was in the messenger bag, but he was definitely not showing them that. That would really be a bad idea. He checked subtly to make sure he'd pulled the right one out of his bag, though.)

"I 'ave an EMD and jacket, too." There were expressions of realization upon all three faces, though Evan's was stark and pained.

"Sorry." Connor added quietly.

"No time for that. I've got to do this, Evan." Dylan tugged on Evan's sleeve and he looked at her. There was some sort of silent communication between the two, and then, while Connor was pulling the jacket and EMD gun from his bag, Evan pulled Mac into a hug.

Mac gave Dylan a hug as well; before he dressed as the version of himself he had seen dead and frozen, and stepped through the anomaly.

Evan and Dylan stood side by side as they watched the anomaly for a few more minutes, and Connor murmured another 'sorry' before he picked up his bag and walked away.

Connor was incredibly nervous upon reaching his anomaly, unsure if he had done the right thing. Mac would've sacrificed himself either way, Connor reminded himself. He'd just made sure that the inevitable action had the right result. Hopefully.

He took a deep breath and wished Dylan and Evan luck in life before stepping through the anomaly. Maybe he would check on the Canadians when he got back... if he got back to his own timeline.

AN2: don't be mad at me! I never said Mac's dead...