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

Dating Calculator

Chapter Eight- Connor and Sarah

It was time for Connor to take Sarah on their date. Connor was looking forward to it as Sarah was a good friend and they had fun together, but he really wished he was taking Abby out. Never mind, he'd be able to take her somewhere fabulous when they were paired, and maybe…just maybe she'd begin to like him too! He'd decided to take Sarah to an Egyptology exhibition which was in town for a short while. He knew she loved all that sort of stuff, and he was quite interested in it himself. He liked trying to work out what the hieroglyphics meant and looking at the mummies.

He felt a bit odd when he went to meet her in Cutter's lab after work because he just couldn't shake off the feeling that everyone was looking at him. He turned to meet Matt's glare, which quickly turned into a half smile. Had he imagined it? Then there were the barbed comments from Becker- but perhaps that was because he'd forced him into playing the game, and Becker had a rotten time on his date with Abby, much to Connor's amusement. Jess had completely been avoiding him, and he hadn't even seen Abby all day! He decided they were just mad because their dates hadn't worked out. Oh well, his should be a lot of fun!

"Hey, Sarah!" he said as he entered the lab. Cutter was there too and looked up as Connor went in. He seemed to be scowling at him and Connor was a bit surprised.

"Everything Ok, Professor?" he stuttered.

"Yes, fine, Connor- any reason it wouldn't be?"

"Er…no?" What was going on today? Either he'd gone mad or everyone else had! He decided to ignore it, they were probably grumpy because of the odd partnering he'd set up. What a laugh! Who was it he'd partnered Cutter with? Oh yes, Emily. Well, actually that one hadn't been too bad. He had wanted to set him up with Christine Johnson. That would have been funny! But Cutter would murder him if he had, and he'd found out what he'd done!

"Ready to go, then?" he said to Sarah instead.

"Ooh yes, Connor. I can't wait to spend some time alone with you!" she said almost purring in his ear.

"Yeah, that's great…wait! What?"

"Actually, Connor, can we just go to the pub? I'm working with these musty old things all day. I just want some you and me time tonight. Is that OK?"

"Er…OK, Sarah, if you'd rather…"

"Great! I'll just take my lab coat off and we'll be off!" With that Sarah removed the white lab coat she'd been wearing, and Connor's eyes nearly popped out of his head. She was wearing a low cut dress with a heart locket resting on the soft mound of her chest, instead of her usual simple tops and brown skirts she liked to wear. She lifted her leg up onto a chair and bent down to adjust the buckle on her high heeled shoes, giving Connor a full glimpse at both her bosom and also her bare legs.

Connor licked his lips, and couldn't drag his eyes away. "L...let's go, Sarah." he croaked. What was she doing to him, he wondered! He liked her as a friend, but his heart belonged to Abby, and Sarah knew that.

Sarah suddenly closed the gap between them and as she moved closer to Connor, she took his hand and placed it on her chest. "Can you feel my heart pounding, Connor? You know, I really think that dating calculator of yours has put us together for a reason. You feel it too, don't you?" And she moved so near to him that he could feel her breath on his face.

Connor started to back up slowly, as if from a predator. "Er..Sarah…no…I…I er...Think you've got the wrong idea…." He stuttered, red in the face and terror etching his features. Sarah was coming onto him, in front of Cutter too!

Sarah continued advancing, whilst Connor kept backing up as if the two of them were partners in some kind of dance. Suddenly his back hit the wall behind him and he had nowhere else to go. Sarah reached him and put her hand on his chest. "My, but you've got muscles, Connor. I never noticed before. Come here, lover, and let me see…" Sarah began undoing the buttons on Connor's shirt, and as fast as she was undoing them, he tried to do them up again.

"Sarah!" he squeaked in fright.

"Come now, Connor- don't be shy. The dating calculator paired us for a reason! I never realised it before, but we're the perfect match. What do you think, Cutter?"

Connor couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had Sarah lost her mind or did she really think they'd make a great couple? She was attractive and he'd enjoyed the glimpse of her legs, he was a man after all- but there wasn't a 'spark' between them... not like with Abby and him!

"You'd be perfect together. Connor, it's time you 'manned up.' Show Sarah what you're made of."

"What!" Connor cried.

"See! Even Cutter agrees. Oh! Is it because he's in the room? Don't worry about him- he's been married, there's nothing he hasn't seen before. Hey- Cutter, maybe you'd like to join us too!"

Connor nearly had a fit! He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No!" he wailed, sounding petrified. "I mean…Sarah…I…"

Suddenly there was a wave of laughter from the doorway, and the others moved into the room. Sarah moved away from Connor, doubling over with mirth.

"W…What the...?" Connor managed to say, looking from one team member to the next, who surrounded him.

"We found you out, Connor!" Matt informed him, grinning. "We know you set us all up!"

"Oh!"

"And we know you really wanted to fix a date with Abby!" Danny announced to Connor's total embarrassment, right in front of Abby who stood there with the rest. He risked a look at her, but she wasn't laughing like the others, and stood with her arms folded in front of her chest. He groaned aloud and hid his face in his hands.

"I'd like a word with you in my office at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, Temple!" Lester added, hardly able to suppress his smirk, as he left the room. As they all began to file past Connor, he could hear the comments amid all the laughter.

"Er… Jess, do you fancy having a drink with me tonight?" Becker asked, glaring at Connor as he left the room. Connor didn't notice. His head was still in his hands, hiding his red face.

"Oh! I'd love to!" he heard Jess reply. She patted Connor's arm sympathetically as she passed him.

Cutter shook his head as he went. "Arse!" he said. "Hey, Jenny- wait up! Let's get that meal I promised you!"

Danny and Christine moved towards the door, arm in arm, Danny grinning inanely at Connor's discomfort, slapping him on the back as he left the room. "Good one Connor!"

Once everyone had gone, a totally mortified Connor lifted his head from his hands and took a deep breathe. "Well, that went well!" he said to nobody in particular.

"Could have been worse." A small voice said, startling him- he'd thought he was alone. He spun round, and saw Abby standing with the calculator in her hand.

"What on earth possessed you, Connor?"

"I…look, Abby- I know we're mates, but mates can fancy each other as well, right? I er, I wanted a date with you so I…well I contrived the dating calculator. I didn't want to pair us together the first time- I was scared you'd just push me away again. I thought if I paired you with Becker…well, you and he have always bickered…and I thought…that you'd see I wasn't so bad!"

"You went through all this, for me?" she said.

"Well, yeah." He admitted, laughing a little. "And for the fun! But mostly…yeah. Abby I just wanted…I mean…I feel that we…..I mean…."

"Shut up, Connor!" she said as she moved close to him and her lips moved towards his. She stopped, and looked at him, and then slowly they joined together at last in a long, lingering kiss.

"You only had to ask, Connor!" Abby whispered as they drew apart. "I really do like you too…"

"Abby…will you go out with me, please?" he whispered.

"Yes, now kiss me, you idiot!" She responded and then they were once again lost in each other's arms.

Abby threw the dating calculator down as she wrapped her arms around Connor's neck. The calculator hit the ground where it rolled over once, then shattered into pieces and lay there unnoticed as Abby and Connor forgot all about their surroundings and the trouble Connor was in, as they passionately kissed ….

THE END

Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and to review! Thank you very much- I hope you enjoyed it!