Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
1.2-2 Another Anomaly
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Stephen felt like he'd gargled with sand and slept inside a tumble dryer, but at least he was alive… and he'd be getting out of the hospital on Tuesday… and Alison was going to be back. He leaned back in the hospital bed and crossed his hands behind his head. Stephen grinned and gave a low growl of anticipation. It had been a while and he was sure they would need a proper welcome home.
Remembering her text, Stephen wondered… what was it Alison wanted to talk about?
And what was it that he had said to Abby in the ambulance?
Oh well… couldn't have been important… not really.
Stephen picked up the remote control.
Wonder what's on telly?
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Abby shook her head and swallowed the last bite of fudge ripple ice cream.
"Really though," she exclaimed "first bloke I take a fancy to in ages… and he doesn't even remember asking me out!"
"Men!" huffed Edie as she scraped the last of her chocolate, cherry fantasy from the dish.
"Can't live with them," they chorused, laughing together "and can't live without 'em."
Abby and Edie had left the diner, walking towards home. Parting at the corner, they promised to see each other at yoga Wednesday. Abby was still thinking about Stephen as she let herself in the door to the flat. Maybe he was gay like Connor thought she mused… but she hadn't picked up any signals.
Connor had been considerate at the hospital she remembered, asking Abby about her feelings for Stephen. Abby thought Connor might have had a bit of a crush on her, but if he did, Connor kept it to himself. Connor had tried to make her feel better with his talk of when it feels real. Abby chuckled at the thought of Connor liking Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but she didn't think she would tell him about her thing for Spike.
Rex chirped a greeting. Abby smiled, then stretched out her arms to catch him as he launched himself at her.
"How's my fella?" Abby whispered to Rex.
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Connor couldn't believe his luck. Claustrophobia and vertigo all in one day was nothing compared to being off the team in the morning and back on again before nightfall.
And Cutter had said Connor had done a good job.
The anomalies through time were the most exciting, and the most dangerous, thing he had ever seen in his life. Connor stepped up to the flat door, reaching into his messenger bag for the key to the flat. Voices behind him were calling his name. He turned to see his landlord, Navneet, and his wife. They were there telling him he should look for another flat.
The door swung open. Connor looked at the damage. He sighed. Maybe the anomalies weren't the most dangerous thing he'd ever seen.
"I'll start looking for another flat tomorrow," Connor told the concerned couple.
As Connor started cleaning up the mess, he thought about his options. Duncan and Tom would let him kip on the couch at their place, but she knew where they lived. Stephen was in the hospital, so he couldn't really ask the man if he could spare a spot on the couch. And the Professor… no, wouldn't do to ask him… the man was his advisor after all. Abby… Connor stopped sweeping for a moment, daydreaming. The petite blonde was brilliant… he knew she had the space… maybe, if he was really lucky… and asked very nicely…
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Claudia had thought she would be well along in a cover up story by the end of this week, but the anomaly hadn't been a one off.
There had been another. And it showed no sign of closing.
She completed the last of her report, attached the document to the email and pressed the send button. Claudia leaned back in her chair for a moment, stretching her long legs out. She reached one hand behind her head and undid the clip holding her hair back. Claudia shook the long waves free and smiled.
On the plus side, she got to see Professor Nicholas Cutter again.
But on the minus side… Stephen had been babbling about Helen Cutter.
Was the woman dead or not?
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Tom Ryan came around the back yard to enter the flat. The door opened in to what had once been a pantry area, but was now a laundry room. The washer stood in the corner, was one of the main reasons he and his wife had chosen this flat. Tom stripped off his filthy clothes, shoved them in the washer, added detergent, looked at his clothes dubiously and then poured a bit more detergent. Satisfied, he turned the knob to the machine's longest setting. Taking a towel from the neatly folded stack on the counter, he wrapped it around his waist and peeked into the kitchen.
No sign of his wife. Tom strode towards the bathroom.
The hot water was running cold by the time Tom finished scrubbing his body and washing his hair. He dried off, wrapped a bathrobe around him and headed towards the bedroom for a change of clothes. As he crossed the living room, the front door opened and his wife stepped into the flat.
"Tom," she greeted him, walking closer. Then she stopped. Her hand flew to cover her mouth. "What's that smell?" she asked as she ran past him towards the bathroom.
"Turpentine," sighed Tom "we used it to keep the bugs away."
She was very sensitive to odors in her condition.
Maybe another shower would do the trick.
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James Lester surveyed the work area in the home office. A cluster of desks piled high with files and trays, a table and some chairs. His mouth pinched in a tight little frown. Really, this wasn't going to do.
"Lynette," he said "put me through to the minister."
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Professor Nick Cutter stared at the open anomaly in front of him, wondering where his wife was, wondering what she wanted.
Whatever Helen wanted, Nick was sure it wasn't going to be good.
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