Disclaimer: Primeval and all its characters belong to someone else.

Summary: - This is a first for me- an adventure story rather than just fluff! Still some Abby/ Connor fluff cos I just can't help myself- but some action too.

Shards of Glass

Chapter Four- Nothing They Can Do

Abby and Connor were woken up. The one tiny window in the basement showed that they had slept all night as they woke up to the dawn light. They stretched and tried to ease out the stiffness in their limbs from sleeping on the cold, hard floor all night with nothing to soften their makeshift bed.

"Hey!" said Connor

"Hey!" responded Abby

They suddenly jumped as the slot in the door opened with a crash. The same two eyes looked in on them. They huddled together, afraid and wondering what was going to happen.

"Shall we grab them, if they come in?" Connor asked

"Yes- together we might have a chance" Abby responded, her muscles tightening in readiness. Connor felt her brace herself and prepared himself to fight off whoever entered- even if it was Helen herself. "Remember- just like I taught you in the Cretacious" Abby continued quietly.

The door slammed open, and a 'Cleaner' walked in with a tray containing a breakfast of sorts in his hands. He bent down to put the tray on the floor and Abby and Connor made their move. Abby sprung on the 'Cleaner's' back, whilst Connor grabbed at the hand holding a small revolver. They all grappled for a while until Abby was finally flung from the 'Cleaner's' back. Unfortunately she hit Connor as she fell, causing him to lose his footing, and his hold on the gun loosened as he stumbled.

Connor was flung aside now that the 'Cleaner' had regained control, and the man once again pointed the gun at them both. Suddenly his arm shot upwards, and he hit Connor on the side of his head with the gun. Connor instantly dropped, to the sound of Abby's sharp intake of breath. She knelt beside him as the 'Cleaner's' arm came up to strike her, and she brought up her arms to protect her head from the blow she knew was coming.

"STOP!" Helen's voice boomed out. The 'Cleaner' instantly stopped what he was doing, his arm still raised. "I told you not to hurt them. THEY ARE NOT TO BE HARMED. LISTEN TO MY VOICE. - THEY ARE NOT TO BE HARMED"

The 'Cleaner' stepped back, still training the gun on Abby and Connor as more 'Cleaners' joined them. Connor struggled to his feet, his cheek cut and bleeding from the vicious blow.

"I'm sorry about that- truly. I don't want you hurt- either of you!" said Helen

"What do you want, then?" Abby said angrily

"I just need you to stay here for a little while longer and then I'm going to let you go home!"

"W…what?" Connor said, glancing at Abby "Why? Why're you keeping us here?"

"Well- don't you worry your pretty head about that now. Come- I'll get you some proper food." She said, looking in disdain at the tray and its spilt contents "But I'm afraid that after that you'll have to come back here- just for a while. BRING THEM….."

They found themselves being pushed towards the door and had no choice but to follow Helen as she led them up to a room where a table was laid with food. They were pushed into their seats, where they each sat, not touching the food. Helen looked at them both as she joined them.

"Go on," she said "There's nothing wrong with the food- no drugs- no tricks." They still didn't move. "Look!" she continued, and helped herself to a strawberry out of which she took a huge bite.

Abby looked at Connor and gave him an imperceptible nod, and that was all it took for Connor, who had been practically drooling at the sight of the food- he grabbed some of the food onto his plate and started eating. Abby also followed suit- they were both so hungry. They ate ravenously in silence for a short while. Helen watched them, eating an apple she cut into slices with a large knife. When they finally slowed down, she said…

"I didn't want to imprison you, you know. But you came at a very inopportune time for me. I'm not going to hurt either of you- not this time, anyway. In a few hours time all this will be over and the anomaly will reopen and you can go back to your nice cosy home and to Nick- how is Nick, by the way?"

Connor paused mid chew "Er…." He said.

"He's fine" lied Abby throwing a look at Connor. Connor was scared he would say the wrong thing and crammed some more food into his mouth so he couldn't say anything.

"I loved him, you know" Helen mused. "Such a pity he can't see the whole picture"

Connor just saw red. This woman killed her husband but dared to say she loved him! He opened his mouth to speak, but because he had filled it with so much food, he choked instead. He started to cough and Abby went over and patted him on the back.

"Don't rise to it, Connor- you mustn't" she whispered in his ear. Connor nodded and gulped down some water, but remained silent.

"Why did you imprison us, then?" asked Abby

"You just came through the wrong anomaly at the wrong time. I'm conducting private business here- nothing to do with you or the ARC. That's all I'm prepared to say. I'll open the anomaly later and you can both go back to your nice little lives, and no harm done!" she stood up "Now! I'm sorry but I have to send you back to the cellar. I've work to do here-" with that she clapped her hands and some 'Cleaners' came and grabbed them both. "DO NOT HARM THEM" Helen reiterated as the 'Cleaners' bundled them out of the room and threw them roughly back into their cell.

"Ow!" said Connor "They've obviously got a different idea of harming someone than I have- that hurt!"

Abby picked herself up from the floor where she'd fallen and gingerly rubbed her arm where a 'Cleaner' had clutched at her. She nodded in agreement. "What d'you think she's doing that we mustn't see?" she wondered

"Dunno" said Connor, going to the little window. He looked out "Ah!" he said

"Ah?" questioned Abby

"I think I know" Connor replied, still gazing out of the window

"Wha….. oh!" Abby had gone to join Connor at the window. In the distance she could see Helen talking to a tall thin man. Helen had her arm around him and at one point. They kissed. When Helen moved off both Connor and Abby got a perfect view of the man…. Philip Burton!

"This must be when they planned New Dawn together!" said Connor "We've stumbled on the time she entrapped him and started working on him!"

"No wonder she wants us out of the way! She doesn't want us seeing Philip, nor him seeing us. It would ruin all her plans to get you to help him"

"Arrggh!" yelled Connor as he rattled the iron bars, trying to break free. "I've got to get out of here- I've got to stop him. Then none of New Dawn would happen- Matt wouldn't have had to live that awful life in the future. All those people needn't have died" He rattled and pulled at the bars again, a leg up against the wall to try to get some more traction.

"No, Connor, stop- no it's OK- Stop!" cried Abby. She grabbed Connor around the waist, hand on his arms

"Ssshh!" she whispered, stopping his frantic pulling at the bars. She kissed him softly, bringing him back to his senses.

"It's OK, it's OK!" she kept saying between kisses. Connor flopped down to the floor, tears streaming from his eyes. Abby held him and caressed and kissed him. When he had calmed down, she said

"There's nothing we can do, Connor. We may do more harm than good if we interfere. Matt may not even exist if we stop them! I don't know! But I do know that in 2012, they're both defeated. They're both dead and the world is saved. Matt is in the ARC, and has found the love of his life with Emily. I hate to say this, but I think Helen's right. We mustn't interfere. She's doing it for all the wrong reasons, but we know how it turns out. We must wait it out, Connor."

"I know- I know you're right, Abby. But if I could… if I could save Philip! Save him from her…that evil…. He's a brilliant man, Abby- she's ruining him and she's doing it NOW! I can save him! I can't sit here and do nothing!"

"SShh! Connor. That's exactly what you must do. Come here" and with that she pulled him close "I'm sorry- I'm so sorry" she said.

Connor's tears rolled down his cheeks and his shoulders shook silently with his grief. He knew in his heart Abby was right, but he had a kind heart and couldn't bear to think that Helen was manipulating Philip right now, right under his nose, and there wasn't a thing he could do about it. Helen was out there now kissing him, pretending she loved him, when all this time she just wanted him to destroy the world. She obviously didn't want Philip and Connor to meet or else her plan wouldn't work. She knew the only person who could help Philip with new Dawn was Connor. She had to keep them apart and he and Abby had stumbled in at the one place she didn't want them to be.

Abby silently sat beside Connor, her heart breaking for him- she knew how hard this must be for him. But she knew they mustn't interfere or who knew what would happen. When Connor's tears finally dries up, he wiped his eyes with his hands and laid his head on Abby's shoulder, finding comfort in her, as he always did.

Abby kissed the top of his head. He turned his face up to look at her, his eyes red and swollen. She kissed each eye in turn. Then his nose. Then his lips, softly, gently, comforting him with her love. Connor tasted her lips with his tongue, separating them and kissing her more passionately. He groaned into her mouth, and she moved from his side until she was straddling him, both of them grabbing handfuls of each other's hair as their passion grew.

"Abby- I…" he murmured

"Me too…" she whispered back. They both needed this- they needed the comfort and love only they could receive from each other, forgetting for the moment about Helen and Philip; the 'Cleaners'; the worry and the fear they wouldn't get home, the two young people gave into the desire, love and comfort they shared with each other…..

To Be Continued….

I really hope you enjoyed this Chapter! Please review, if you have the time!