Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
1.6-2 Something's Changed
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Tom Ryan passed out in the middle of a sentence.
"That first time we came here, that body we found, that was me," the Captain asked "wasn't it? I was looking…"
"No," roared Cutter. The Scot pulled the wounded man over his shoulder and turned towards the open anomaly.
"Back," the professor shouted to the surviving members of the team "everybody back."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
James Lester was the first to see the away team returning.
Cutter was carrying Captain Ryan… there was blood, too much blood.
"Medic," shouted Lester. Thank goodness he had listened to his wife's suggestion and had an ambulance standing by the anomaly site.
The Captain's second in command… Hendriks, if Lester remembered correctly, was helping another wounded man through. Stephenson, that was the new cadet's name.
And Claudia Brown, who really wasn't even supposed to have gone through the anomaly, was dragging that wretched woman Helen Cutter back through as well.
Pity.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Nick Cutter watched the ambulance door close and race down the road taking his friend Tom Ryan to the hospital.
He turned to look at the rest of the team. Hendriks was wrapping the new cadet's arm. Nick shook his head ruefully. What a welcome to the team the young man had… a gorgonopsid and a future predator both on his first day.
Beyond them, Nick could see Lester standing with his arms crossed. Waiting, Nick realized, for a report.
"We shouldn't have gone," Nick said "setting up a permanent camp in the Permian… it was a mistake. Nobody goes back."
"Sorry to break your new rule so soon Nick," began Helen "but I can't stay…"
"You don't have to stay Helen," snarled Nick "in fact I'd be glad if you left and stayed the hell away… but first sign these."
Cutter pulled a long narrow envelope and a pen out of his pocket and handed it to the woman. She opened the envelope, pulled out a large sheaf of papers, began flipping through the pages, then she began flipping out.
"Divorce papers," Helen exclaimed "but… I don't want…"
"I don't care what you want," Nick said brusquely, quoting the legal jargon, "the marriage has irretrievably broken down… more than five years separation, desertion really, and running off through anomalies... some might call that unreasonable behavior…"
"But Nick," pouted Helen "you can't really…"
"And then of course there's the bit about adultery…" Nick continued.
"I'll forgive you Nick," said Helen pretending to look hurt.
"Not me," glared Nick "you… Stephen told me all about it… so sign the papers and let's be done with it."
"You can't get a divorce that quickly Nick," objected Helen.
"Oh…" interrupted Lester, sounding a trifle bored, "I think you'll find he can… the Minister's given a special dispensation."
Lester narrowed his eyes as he watched that nasty woman frown in anger.
"Who knows," Lester added glancing towards Nick "maybe I'll even perform a marriage someday."
Both Nick and Lester tried to suppress their laughter as Helen picked up the pen.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Stephen watched as Helen Cutter signed the divorce papers and then stomped off back through the anomaly. He understood that Nick just wanted to get on with his life, but Stephen thought letting Helen go was a mistake.
He had a bad feeling about that.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby woke up later that night in a cold sweat. She'd had a nightmare. That thing… that thing of claws, teeth and snarls had tried to kill Connor… and in her nightmare, Abby didn't have a rock… and Stephen didn't come to the rescue like a cowboy in one of the Yank's old films.
She took a deep breath to steady herself. Connor was upstairs, sleeping in her flat, safe. Now was not the time to talk, but tomorrow…
Abby had a lot of things to tell him… she had tried to talk to Connor several times this week, but she never quite got the words she really wanted to say out. Just like this morning, something always interrupted. Abby was sorry she'd missed dinner last week… and she ought to tell him about Jack… and she wanted to know if he was flirting with her really... or not. She thought he might say something... when she said they were pals... but...
Tomorrow, she was going to start with the most important thing Connor should know. It wasn't the rent money she had been really worried about today.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Connor was thinking again.
Abby clearly thought they were nothing more than pals. She had been trying to teach him how to chat up girls this morning. A woman wouldn't do that if she was interested in a bloke.
It was time for a reality check, thought Connor. He treasured their friendship, but he wanted more. If Abby didn't, then he would just have to respect her decision. Connor realized it was time for him to move on.
He needed to start dating.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Claudia Brown was standing next to Nick when the doctor came out of emergency surgery sometime after midnight.
The ministry's funding for a full fledged Anomaly Research Center including safety gear for the men on the front line had recently been approved in full. The doctor told Cutter that the police issue anti-stab vest Tom Ryan had been wearing that morning was the only thing that had kept the man alive long enough to get him to the hospital. The Captain was going to be a long time recovering, but he would live.
Claudia breathed a deep sigh of relief. Good to know that all those requisition forms she had filled out and submitted for safety gear hadn't been a waste of taxpayer's money.
But Nick Cutter was more exuberant in his expression.
"Did you hear that?" exclaimed the professor as he turned towards her, his eyes shining bright with happiness.
Claudia began to nod, but he was bending his face down toward her and she was tilting her head up towards him.
This time... it wasn't just Claudia... it wasn't just Nick... and it sure wasn't just mouth to mouth resuscitation.
Claudia and Nicholas kissed each other.
-x-x-x-x-x-x