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 hope you find this chapter exciting! Please read and enjoy!

Vancouver Calling

Chapter Twelve- Gracie

As Connor and Abby got ready to go out that evening, Abby pondered on the Gracie problem. Should she say something to Connor- or even tell Ange, who was in charge of the office workers? She decided to wait- she might make things worse if she reported the girl, and they would be leaving soon to go back to the UK anyway. It was probably just empty threats, she decided.

"Abby- is something wrong?" Connor suddenly appeared at her side and looked at her with a concerned expression on his face. "You look worried! You OK?"

Abby laughed slightly "Yeah- just tired- it's been a long day."

"Well, we don't have to go tonight, if you don't want to- we can always stay here and find something else to do!" Connor said suggestively.

Abby laughed in earnest this time. "Connor Temple! You're incorrigible! One track mind! No- it'll do you good to get some fresh air- you've been cooped up in a musty lab for too long. I'm looking forward to it, anyway!"

"That's good, cos I really want to chat to Mac. He's got some great stories to tell, now that he knows I'm not gonna get him into further trouble over my stuff!"

"What is it that belongs to you, anyway?" Abby asked having forgotten all about that.

"Aha! That would be telling!" laughed Connor- "you'll find out as soon as Mac and Evan help me get the paperwork all sorted! It's a surprise!"

"Oh, OK then!" Abby smiled, and put her arms around Connor and pulled him to her in a tight hug. How Connor loved it when she did that! It reconfirmed to his insecure side that she really did love him! She had pushed him away so many times in the past; he found it quite hard to believe she was with him now. Although they'd got together in the Cretacious, he often wondered if it had just been because they were the only two people around. Would it have been different if they'd stayed with Danny? Would they be together now? He stopped musing and decided that whatever could have happened didn't, and they were partners- lovers- in love- and getting married! He decided he wasn't going to waste another minute of brooding; too much time had been wasted over New Dawn already. With that, he pulled back from the embrace and lowered his head to hers, and kissed her thoroughly, lovingly.

They left the apartments and decided to walk to the bar- it wasn't far off, and they would both enjoy the fresh air. Connor loved just strolling slowly along, hand in hand with Abby, chatting about nothing in particular- just enjoying each other's company. They soon arrived at the bar where the staff usually met after a hard day at work to unwind, and as they entered they were immediately stopped by Ken, who was positioned by the door.

"Here they are! He announced loudly to no one in particular "Our favourite visitors from London!" Abby and Connor smiled at each other at the welcome. "Come on, you two- I've been waiting here for you- come join us at the table...come on, it's this way." Ken led the way to a table which actually consisted of two tables pushed together. Ange, Dylan, Evan, Mac, Tim and Michelle were all sitting there and greeted Abby and Connor enthusiastically, and Tim went immediately to order them some drinks. They all moved up to let the young couple sit down and began an animated discussion on whether a giganotosaurus would beat a spinosaurus in a fight. Connor and Abby just sat there, hand in hand listening with amusement at the conversation- they'd met both of these creatures, but didn't want to seem to be boasting- so they sat enjoying the lively discussion but not really contributing anything. Abby's attention began to wander as the subject somehow veered off onto another tangent and she looked around the room with interest.

She frowned as she caught sight of the office girls, who were hanging around some of the soldiers, batting their eye lashes and flirting outrageously with them. How could she have been jealous of them? They were so young and ignorant! Gracie wasn't with them, she noted- surprised at how relieved she was at that fact. Her glance moved on until she saw Mac chatting to some co-workers. He seemed to be in fine form- laughing, the centre of attention, with the others hanging onto every word in awe. Abby wondered again what Mac had belonging to Connor. A book? Some jewellery? No that was silly, why would he have any of Connor's jewellery! Connor only ever wore his mother's gold ring around his neck anyway- no it had to be something more important….

She suddenly realised Connor was talking to her... "Sorry," she said "Did you say something?"

"Yeah- I said, this is great isn't it! It almost feels like home, doesn't it! I mean, I miss Becker... and Matt and the others and all that, but these guys are really cool too!"

"That's just because they like Star Wars too!" Abby laughed. "But yeah, they're cool!"

They sat for a while, laughing and joking and having a few drinks and from somewhere a large plate of sandwiches appeared. Abby could see that Connor was getting a bit tipsy, but didn't mind- she felt a little bit drunk herself- the drinks kept flowing, and no one would hear of them putting their hands in their pockets to get a round- they were their visitors, and they were going to be treated to Vancouver hospitality.

A good while later, Abby was beginning to feel decidedly sleepy. Her head began to thump as the noise got louder from both the music and the people yelling at each other in order to be heard.

"Connor!" she shouted, trying to get her voice above the noise "Can we go outside for a bit?"

"Sure!" Connor said. He'd been aching for a bit of 'lone time' with Abby for a while. He wanted to capture those rosebud lips with his own and feel the softness of her body against his. He'd noticed the admiring looks that were aimed at her from many of the soldiers, and rather than making him feel jealous, it made him all the more aware how lucky he was to have Abby as his fiancée. She could have picked anyone! She wasn't like him- he'd always been inept with people and a bit- well nerdy! She was gorgeous and could have had the pick of the room. But she had chosen him! Goofy, geeky Connor- the one who was always in trouble- the one who always said the wrong thing at the wrong time! Duncan had been astounded when he'd found out that they were together, and Connor could fully understand why. As he looked at Abby, he felt his body react with need and desire! "Come on!" he said, thickly, grabbing her by the hand and leading her towards the door.

The cold air hit them, taking their breath away for the moment. "Here!" said Connor, gallantly giving Abby his jacket to wear. She gratefully hung it around her shoulders, then looked at Connor shivering slightly, and opened up the jacket for him to move closer by her side and share the warmth.

Connor's dimpled grin burst onto his face, lighting up his features, and he laughingly said "Huddling up for warmth?" It wasn't the first time they had joked about Connor's words to Abby from so long ago before they were together, and it had become something of a private joke between them. Abby couldn't help but laugh at both the old joke and Connor's gleeful look as they cuddled up together. They looked into each other's eyes, and Connor found himself melting into a deep sea of blue. He leant in for a soft kiss, at last sating his need to feel her lips on his, and as it deepened into a more passionate embrace, a voice suddenly said sharply beside them…

"Well! Isn't this just peachy!"

Abby and Connor broke apart and looked around. The owner of the voice sneered at them as they stared at her in disbelief. "Get away from my man, you little tramp!" the voice screamed.

"I'm not your man!" Connor cried "I don't even know your name! But I know you're one of the office girls, and if you don't speak to Abby with more respect, I'll have no choice but to report you to Ange!"

"Abby! Abby! Abby! Is that all you can think about?" she moved closer to Connor and rubbed her hand over his chest, and said in a seductive tone "What about us, darling! The love we share! Come on, we love each other...you know we do...don't deny it!"

"No! No! We don't love each other! It's all in your mind! You're crazy!"

This was the wrong thing to say, as Gracie once again turned to Abby, full of rage "It's your fault! You've stolen him from me! We were in love, but you got your claws into him! You…"

She reached for Abby's eyes with her fingers extended, her nails nearly gouging them. Connor grabbed Gracie's hands and pulled her away. "No! You're delusional! We don't love each other! Stop it! You're drunk! Go home!"

"Oh, drunk am I- delusional am I? Well, Connor Temp...whatever your name is- you'll be sorry you crossed me! Both of you!" With that, she snapped her fingers and three figures appeared from the shadows and stood in front of Abby and Connor menacingly.

"You've been messing with my sister!" One of them said. He was a huge bruiser of a man, dressed completely in black, holding a metal bar in his hand.

"No!" Connor said emphatically. "I don't even know her!"

"Look, Gracie…." Abby started to say, but Gracie slapped her hard on the cheek, and Connor pulled her behind him.

"Don't even speak to me!" Gracie yelled at Abby "My brothers will teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"

"Oh, yeah!" the men agreed, looking Abby up and down, licking their lips with glee.

Suddenly, through the trees, a bright light shone out, startling everyone. It looked like shards of glass floating in the air. For a moment everyone was transfixed by the sight and stood there looking at it in shocked silence.

"I have a plan!" Gracie suddenly screamed "Bring them!"

The men grabbed Abby and Connor, who were outnumbered, and they were dragged to where Gracie now stood- in front of the anomaly. "So you were trapped in the past for a year, were you? Well, how d'you fancy going back! Boys throw her through the light! She can stay there forever for all I care!"

"NO!" screamed Connor, and managed to shake off his captor, aiming a blow at the man's face. Abby had trained Connor while they had been in the Cretacious, and he could pack quite a solid punch now- very different to the 'old Connor'. The man fell to the ground and as Abby hit and kicked another of the men, Connor hit the third one. But the men were just too strong. The first man had managed to get back to his feet and together with his brother grabbed Connor. One of them coshed him savagely with the metal bar, as the other held his arms. Connor sagged in the man's arms and fell to his knees, blood gushing from the wound. Abby was thrown against a tree, and as her head connected, she too fell to the ground, groggily shaking her head.

"Stop!" Gracie cried. "Don't kill them!" The men stopped and stood in front of Abby and Connor, awaiting their sister's orders. "Connor, darling," she continued, her voice changing again into a soft, passionate tone. Choose! That!-" she said pointing to Abby "Or me! You know we can be good together, don't you, honey. Come on- tell me...it's me you want, isn't it?"

Connor struggled to his feet, dragging Abby up with him. He had difficulty for a few minutes in saying anything, his lip bleeding and swollen.

"SPEAK!" Gracie screamed.

"No, Gracie. I'll never be with you. Your brothers can kill me- but I'd rather die than lose Abby!"

Gracie emitted a maniacal scream, and was about to order her brothers to kill Connor there and then. She suddenly stopped. She changed moods often and suddenly in her broken and crazed mind. "Throw them both through the rift." she said calmly.

With that she walked towards the anomaly, looking into it for a few seconds "They can have their wish and die together."

As the men grabbed Connor and Abby, ready to do their mad sister's bidding, an immense roar bellowed out, and a huge head of a great beast peered through the anomaly. The men dropped Abby and Connor, in horror, and just stared- they couldn't believe what they were seeing. One of them hit the creature with the iron bar, but this enraged the creature, and it grabbed the man in its huge jaws, and pulled the screaming man back through the anomaly. The two other men abandoned their sister and ran away as fast as they could, only caring about their own safety.

Gracie screamed at them to come back "Come back, you cowards!" she cried "Get back here now!"

The men stopped in their tracks. They seemed unable to think for themselves and could only do their sister's bidding. Suddenly, the giganotosaurus put its head back through and grabbed Gracie's leg. She disappeared through the anomaly. The men ran forward in despair. Astoundingly, a minute later, Gracie reappeared through the anomaly. She stretched her hands out towards Connor...

"Help me! Help me!" she screamed.

Connor and Abby ran forward and clasped her hands and started to pull her back towards them. The creature had her in its grasp, and wasn't prepared to let go so easily. Abby held onto Gracie as Connor glanced around, and seeing the iron bar on the ground, he plucked it up, and thrust it towards the creature, which still only had its head in view. The bar struck the creature's eye and as it let out a huge bellow, it dropped Gracie, and Abby pulled her back into her arms. Connor struck again and again at the creature, while the brothers just stood by in fear and did nothing. The giganotosaurus roared once more and as it was about to run full pelt through the anomaly, the shards started pulsating and blinked out as quickly as they came. The creature's huge head was completely severed from its body, and fell unmoving to the ground.

Connor dropped the iron bar to the ground, and fell on his knees, totally spent. Gracie sobbed into Abby's chest as Abby soothed her and looked at Connor in horror. The two men just stood immobile and afraid, trembling from head to toe. Suddenly a shout reached them-

"Over there!" Evan and the team ran up to the scene, having been alerted by an anomaly alarm. He took one look at the battered and traumatized people and yelled into his comms for the medics, who rushed to the anomaly site as quickly as they possibly could. The medics put a calmer Gracie onto a stretcher, the creature having taken a huge piece out of her leg. But they thought she'd recover- in time. As for her mind, though… that would take more healing.

The brothers explained shamefaced to Evan, Connor and Abby. "She's always been unstable" they said "She's stalked other men before- never quite as bad as this, but bad enough! We've learnt to do what she says- it's been easier to go with her than to fight her." As Connor looked at the big men in astonishment, condemning them for doing their sister's bidding to innocent people, they said "What? She's our sister. We were just trying to protect her!"

"By beating the innocent victims of her depraved mind? By threatening their women? That's just sick!" he cried.

The men looked at each other. "I guess it was." They admitted, but we swore to our dying mother that we'd protect her- we couldn't let her be taken into an asylum! We had to do whatever it took!"

As Connor listened, he felt sick to his stomach at the way these men really thought they were helping their sick sister. He shook his head in disbelief as they continued…

"When she got her job, she seemed to get better. She made a lot of friends like herself- giggling and laughing and forever talking about boys and fashion. We thought she was recovering. And then you arrived…."

The soldiers from the VARC cut off the conversation and took the men away, in handcuffs. Abby asked Evan what would happen to them, but Evan told her not to worry about that- they'd be dealt with and would never hurt anyone again. A medic called out to Connor, and he and Abby, and Evan walked over to the nearby ambulance where Gracie was lying.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry." She said quite normally. "I can't control it when I… when I…I swear I'll get help! I will! I'll get better!" They all turned away as the medics took her away to the nearest secure psychiatric unit to get the help she so desperately needed.

Ange and Ken appeared at the site of the anomaly, and approached the three figures sadly watching the ambulance drive away. Ken looked at Connor, and laughed. The others looked at him enquiringly. "What?" they said.

"James Lester was right- you do always get into trouble!" he announced.

"It wasn't my fault…" Connor replied indignantly as they all went to the awaiting cars to go back to the VARC to write their reports, and get patched up by the medical team. "I didn't do anything….. no really….."…

To Be Continued…..

I really hope you liked it! As usual, please, please review!