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

Summary: - Connor needs help- and so does Vancouver!

New Dawn is over, but Connor still feels the after effects badly. Matt and Lester have a plan to help him get his confidence back by sending him to Vancouver to help the newly formed Vancouver ARC- and to retrieve something that belongs to him!

I thought it's time Connor had some fun, so I'm letting him loose for a night off! Hope you enjoy it!

Vancouver Calling

Chapter Seven- Night Off

"Here he is!" a voice greeted Connor when he arrived at the bar that evening, looking refreshed, and catching the girls eyes as they looked at his smart/ casual clothes. He wore a tight fitted red t-shirt under a loose grey shirt, paired with tight black jeans. The younger girls were determined they'd try to get to know him tonight- he may be engaged, but a little flirting wouldn't hurt, they decided. Even if it was just so that they could hear him talk in that gorgeous accent, and catch a glimpse of his cute dimple which tended to play around his cheek whenever he smiled!

Connor joined Evan and Dylan, and was surprised to see Ange Finch there with another man he hadn't met before. Ange was dressed more casually this time, in a little blue strappy top and a short skirt, and she looked much softer and younger. The man she was with was chatting animatedly to his co-workers, and Ange was smiling and laughing with him.

"Glad you could make it." Dylan said to Connor as she ordered him a beer from the bar. Ange waved a hand at him and weaved her way through the crowd, dragging the stranger with her, towards where Connor was standing.

"Good to see you, Mr Temple." Ange smiled "This is Lt. Ken Leeds. He's the project manager, and our government liaison."

"Hi! - Connor, please!"

"Connor." grinned Ken "I've heard all about you from my UK counterpart, James Lester!"

"Oh! Nothing good, I expect." Connor sighed.

"On the contrary- he sang your praises! Oh dear! He told me not to tell you that! And he told me to keep you out of trouble! Seems to think you're always getting into some sort of bother? Is that true? Seems like you've made a pretty good impression here, from what I've heard!"

Connor couldn't actually get a word in whilst Ken was talking. He seemed very pleasant and bubbly. What- Lester actually singing his praises! He'd have to remember that! He could use that to his advantage another time back home!

It appeared that everyone wanted to chat to the 'new boy', and as Connor began to relax and enjoy a few beers, he began to feel more himself and his playful side came out as he laughed and joked with the Canadians. He knew he shouldn't drink too much- he never could hold his liquor- even Abby could out drink him! He decided he'd make do with just four pints- no more. However, as the evening wore on, people kept offering to buy him drinks, and he began to lose count of how many he'd had. He didn't want to appear rude, and everyone seemed to want to chat to him and tell him how pleased they were to have him here in Canada.

He began to feel pleasantly muzzy and the room swayed slightly in time with the background music. From nowhere, he noticed that he was surrounded by the young office girls who flirted with him each time he passed by their offices. Connor wasn't used to so much attention from women, and couldn't believe all the flattering and teasing things they were whispering in his ears.

He felt his cheeks get slightly pink as one or another of them whispered sexily to him. His mouth hung open as one of them said how much she liked his tight, tight jeans! Another girl practically drooled over him, and whispered that she was 'commando' underneath her skirt. His couldn't stop his eyes from darting down toward her skirt, even though he knew she was playing with him, making her laugh. A brown haired girl asked him if he wanted to go outside with him, and that's when he glanced around the room, looking for someone to help him get out of this predicament!

"Hey, Evan!" he called loudly, slightly slurring his words, "Have you met…er…Millie; Tillie; Lucy; Ruby and er….Gracie?" As he said each word, he pointed to one of the girls surrounding him adoringly. Each girl nodded as he remembered their name, and melted into his eyes. But Connor didn't really have eyes for any of them- not in that way. They were fun, but he only wanted his Abby.

"Er, yes Connor, I have met them all. C'mon now girls- scoot! Go and dance or try the buffet. I want to talk to Connor."

The girls looked decidedly put out at this and dejectedly went off to another part of the room, casting doleful looks at Connor.

"See you later…er…Ruby…Gracie?" Connor spluttered, relieved, waving his glass at them, and ending up with drops of beer all over him. "Oops!" he went to sit on the bar stool, but missed and landed up on the ground, laughing and covered in a mixture of beer and peanuts he'd spilt on his way down to greet the floor.

"OK, I think we know what Lester meant when he said to keep you out of trouble!" laughed Ken "Don't worry, Evan- I'll get him safely home! Ange- I'm taking Connor back, do you need a lift?"

"Yes please Ken- I'll help you settle Mr…. Connor here and then if you wouldn't mind dropping me off, I'd be very grateful!" As they began to manoeuvre through the crowd, Connor started waving goodbye to the people he knew, making them laugh at his good- natured drunkenness.

"Bye, Dyl…llll…annnnn." He sang "Bye 'van!...Hey! There's Tim! Timmy boy, hey Tim! Bye!"

Ange and Ken exchanged amused glances. Connor was certainly showing another side to him tonight! When he'd first arrived in Vancouver, he'd been a shy, nervous bumbling boy; then he morphed into a serious scientist, holding a complete room's attention with his words, and now he was a funny, cheeky young lad, enjoying a night out with his 'mates'. He certainly was a contrast!

Connor suddenly saw a familiar face as they almost reached the door, his arm around Ken's neck now, as his legs didn't seem able to move of their own accord, and kept wobbling under him. "Mac!" he cried "Hey! Mac! Haven't I met you somewhere before?" But Mac had bolted quickly back amongst the crowd and disappeared from view.

They managed to shove Connor into the car, and drove back to his apartment, laughing at his foolish, childish antics- waving out of the windows and bouncing around from seat to seat, a lopsided grin on his face. When they arrived, he tried to get his key out of his pocket, but fumbled with it, and it fell.

"Ha! Lost me front door key through an anomaly once, didn't I!" he laughed "Went straight through! Had to move in with Abby." He suddenly stopped laughing.

"Abby!" he whispered, "I love Abby, you know. We're getting married! Married…married…married! Connor and Abby- Abby and Connor!" By this time, Connor's drunken exuberance was waning and he was beginning to come down from his high. "Abby!" he cried dramatically, and pulled a picture out of his pocket.

As Ange managed to grab the key from Connor, and unlocked the door, Connor was thrusting the photo of Abby at Ken, and tears were running down his face. "She's so beautiful!" he said sadly, touching Abby's face on the photograph.

"Yeah, mate, she is- now you come on in here and lie down. Here's a bin beside you- I've got a feeling you might need it later!" As Ange wrapped a blanket around Connor, he suddenly reached up to her…

"Abby!" he cried "There you are! I've missed you so much…."

With that, Connor pulled Ange down to him and kissed her full on the lips. Ange struggled in his arms, and finally extricated herself from him, and stood by the bed, hands on hips, partly amused, partly annoyed, but mostly mad with herself for enjoying that kiss a bit too much! Darn him- he was beginning to get under her skin! They finally managed to settle Connor down in the bed, and he stopped blubbing and instantly fell into a deep sleep, snoring lightly.

"Do you think it's OK to leave him?" Ange asked looking at Connor's sleeping form, berating herself for thinking how cute he looked.

"He'll be fine- but he'll have a really bad head and a very red face tomorrow!" laughed Ken.

They left Connor's key on the bedside table, together with a bottle of water, and left him to sleep it off. Which Connor would they see tomorrow, they wondered!

…..

The sun came streaming through the windows early the next morning, and seemed to make a beeline towards Connor's face, dancing across his eyes. He opened one eye, and then shut it immediately. He turned his head, and opened his eyes again- slowly this time. As the light hit his face, he groaned aloud as a full marching band began playing inside his head.

"Oh, my g…." he began. He never finished his sentence as he suddenly clasped his hand over his mouth and ran to the bathroom. A short while later, he had managed to shower and dress, and sat at the table with a cup of coffee in one hand, and his aching head in the other. There was a soft knock at the door, but to Connor, it sounded like a pneumatic drill was drilling right through every inch of him. He struggled to his feet and opened the door, after spending a few fraught minutes trying to find his key. As he pulled the door back, he saw it was one of the office girls- Millie or was it Tillie standing there.

"Hey!" she said seductively "I came to see if you were OK. After last night, I mean!"

"I'm fine- er thanks for stopping by, but I need to get ready for work, so…"

"I can take you in, if you like," she offered, moving into the room "It's really no bother."

Connor felt really awkward. He was feeling very nervous, right now. What was he supposed to do? "Er…" was the only word he could manage.

Millie/Tillie drew nearer to him, and he backed up as she advanced. Suddenly his back hit the wall behind him. She drew closer and closer and as she finally moved in for a kiss, Connor ducked down under her arm, and she ended up kissing the air where he had been standing instead.

"I'm engaged, Tillie- er…Mill…I'm sorry, I can't do this!"

"Hey, you're here. She's there. She need never know. C'mon, gorgeous- love the one you're with- that's my motto!"

"No! Er, I mean….no…thank you. It's not you- er… it's me! I'm sorry. I really am!"

"You really love this- Abby, don't you?" Millie/Tillie said softly.

Connor laughed self consciously "Yeah, I really, really do! I'm so sorry. You're a beautiful girl, but…"

"It's OK, Connor. I know. I get it! Wish I'd met you first! Don't worry, hon- I'm leaving! And I'll warn the other girls off!" As Connor looked relieved, she continued "You're a really nice guy, Connor, you know that!" With that, she left the apartment giving Connor a small peck on the cheek as she went "Can't blame a girl for trying!" she laughed as her parting shot.

Connor groaned! He hoped he hadn't made an idiot of himself last night! He sort of remembered Abby being there- no, wait! How could she have been there? He glanced around the room as if he expected to see her there. He furrowed his brow and tried to clear his head, and remember. No- it was no good, maybe it had been a dream. He dismissed the thought and took some pain killers to calm the band in his head, which calmed from a seventy six piece brass band to a heavy- really heavy- rock band, slowing to a quiet thump, thump, thump of a single drummer boy. He was feeling slightly better when his driver finally arrived to take him to the VARC.

When he arrived, he was amazed, but pleased at the same time, when people kept greeting him by name as he walked through the corridors.

"Hi, Connor." one called

"Yo! Connor!" another said.

The office girls giggled and waved as usual when he went by, Millie/Tillie forming her lips into an 'O' shape and air kissing him. By the time he knocked on the door of Evan's office, he was feeling much better.

"Morning!" he announced to the room in general as he entered. As he looked around at the amused faces watching him- Evan, Ken, Dylan and Tim, his eyes suddenly focussed on Ange, who was sitting demurely at her place by the desk.

"Oh, my G…." he suddenly breathed "Ange… It was Ange, not Abby!" He flushed a bright red, which spread all the way down to his neck…..

"Ah! You remembered!" laughed Ange.

"Told you, he'd have a red face this morning!" laughed Ken uproariously.

Connor sat down and put his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry!" he cried. "I … er… oh…" he finished weakly.

Evan took pity on him, and thrust a coffee cup into his hands. "Don't worry about it, Connor- our beer is obviously more potent than yours in the UK! Anyway- Ange didn't complain, so Ken said!"

It was Ange's turn to blush, as she playfully slapped Evan's shoulder. Everyone finally settled down, and Connor calmed down and sent apologetic looks towards Ange, who just smiled enigmatically at him. Oh well, play time was over. Time to work. No sooner had the thought popped into his head, when an alarm suddenly blared out- an anomaly alert!...

To Be Continued….

Sorry, I just had to have a bit of fun with Connor. Don't worry- I firmly believe he belongs with Abby- no harm in playing with him a bit, though! Hope you enjoyed it. Please, please review!