Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me, this is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
3.11 Family Matters
"Claudia's in labor"
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Lester, Danny, Stephen, Sarah and Becker stared at Cutter. The professor absent mindedly thrust his cell phone back into his pants pocket, while the other hand nervously pushed his blonde hair back from his face. His eyes were wide open. Cutter turned to look at the cars in the ARCs parking lot.
"Well you're not driving yourself," observed Lester dryly "I take it Claudia has your car."
"No," replied Cutter slowly as Lester's words registered. He blinked, and then said "It was your wife that called, she drove Claudia to the hospital. I don't know where my car is, but I definitely need a ride."
The ensuing clamor of people volunteering to take Cutter to the hospital was finally brought to a halt by Lester.
"Becker, you're still supposed to be on light duty, you can't drive with your arm like that. Stephen, do you even have a driver's license? Danny… no, I've seen you drive," said Lester. "Sarah, would you kindly drive the SUV?"
Sarah took the keys from her boss. "You don't want to drive?" she questioned with a smirk.
"Don't be ridiculous," answered Lester "we'd never all fit in the jaguar."
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Sarah drove quickly through the London streets. Lester was in the passenger seat beside her, the others were crammed into the back seats. The excited conversation during the drive was full of all sorts of personal questions and a few pointed driving instructions.
"I saw the sign," protested Sarah as a passing car blared its horn. "It was a yield, not a stop!"
"Do you know if the baby is going to be a boy or a girl?"
"Don't know," replied Cutter shortly, "don't really care as long as the baby is healthy and Claudia is alright."
As Sarah pulled the big SUV into the hospital parking lot, there was one more question.
"Have you picked any names out?" asked Danny.
Cutter looked from Danny to the young man sitting beside him.
"We only picked one," replied the Professor "Stephen if the baby is a boy, Stephanie if the baby is a girl."
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Abby followed Percy and Louis as they carried Connor up the stairs. It was warm inside the stone building, she realized gratefully. Percy pushed open the door at the top of the stairs and they all entered the living area.
Smooth plaster covered the stone walls of the interior of the rectangular building. A fire was blazing brightly in the fireplace along the central wall of the home. Two narrow doors were on either side of the fireplace. One stood open. Henri could be heard talking loudly from inside his room. Jean's quiet response included a word that sounded an awful lot like no. The door to the other room was shut.
Percy and Louis carried Connor over to a wooden bench that was against the front wall. Narrow windows above the bench let some light into the room. Abby glanced out the window. She could see the village center and its fountain from here. Beyond the fountain, she could see a few more houses and the imposing stone wall that surrounded the village and the gate they had recently entered.
Louis said something to Percy, then disappeared back down the stairs.
"You can have my room Abby," said Percy. He pointed at the closed door. "Connor and I will kip on the floor here."
"Oh no Percy," replied Abby "I don't want to put you out of your room. I'll stay here with Connor."
Percy blinked at that comment. He might have said more, but Jean took that moment to appear through Henri's open door. Jean said something in the language of his time.
"He wants to change Connor's bandages," translated Percy.
Abby looked from Percy back to Jean again.
"Not unless he washes his hands first," insisted Abby.
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Connor chuckled at Abby's comment.
"Nobody in this time knows about germs," he said.
Abby looked at Connor. He was pale, and the little tension lines across his forehead told her he was probably in pain, although he hadn't said anything about that.
"You're wrong," Abby replied "we know about germs."
Jean looked totally amazed when Percy translated Abby's request, but he grabbed a bucket and headed for the stairs.
"While we're waiting for Jean," asked Percy "do you want something to eat?"
"Oh yeah," agreed Connor "that would be awesome!"
Connor and Abby watched as Percy walked over to the huge chimney. Hanging from the rafters above the chimney were braided strings of garlic, bundles of herbs, and what looked liked smoked meats. Thatch could be seen above the rafters.
"I thought the roof was made of tiles," said Connor sounding puzzled as he looked at the thatch. "When we were outside… I really thought the building was made of stone… with a tiled roof."
"It is," answered Percy "but we put thatch in between the rafters and the tiles… it acts as insulation. Winters are cold here."
Beside the fire an earthenware container stood. Several additional containers stood just beyond it. Percy picked up a loaf of crusty bread sitting atop the largest container. He carried the bread and the smallest earthenware container to the wooden table in the center of the room.
"We've got bread and honey," offered Percy. "Or I could find some eggs if you like."
"The last thing I ate was a really awful energy bar," replied Connor. "Bread and honey sounds wonderful."
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Percy watched as Jean rewrapped Connor's leg with fresh bandages. Connor and Abby had finished eating the bread by the time Jean had returned with a bucket of water and clean hands. Connor was still seated on the bench, but now he was leaning back against the wall with his eyes shut. His leg was stretched out long in front of him. Abby was kneeling beside Jean, watching every move Jean made intently.
The door opened. Louis and the boy entered the room. The two headed towards the table and started slicing more bread. Abby's eyes glanced at them briefly. Then she returned her gaze to Jean and Connor's leg. Percy smiled to himself. The petite blonde was hyper aware of her surroundings. She had noted the arrival of the others, dismissed them as a threat, and then returned to watching Jean. Percy wondered if Jean felt uncomfortable working under Abby's watchful presence.
Jean straightened up. He turned to Percy and spoke. Percy nodded and responded as the man rose and walked towards the door.
"He'll be back tomorrow," explained Percy as the door shut behind Jean "to check on Connor's leg."
Abby nodded. She then turned her gaze back to Louis and the boy. Abby regarded the two for a moment, and looked as if she was going to ask a question, but Connor spoke.
"You'd think it would smell," said Connor "like a barn every time that door is opened. But I don't smell anything, not really."
"We take care of our livestock," replied Percy "we depend on these animals, couldn't live without them. Stalls are cleaned and smelly items removed… added to the compost pile."
Connor chuckled. His eyes were still closed.
"We live more closely connected to the land and the creatures here," continued Percy. "Nothing is wasted. Organic farming is the only farming in this time and place."
"I think I would miss indoor plumbing and electricity," said Connor "pretty quickly."
"Yeah," added Abby. "It's getting dark in here… do you have candles or lamps?"
Percy pointed at the thatch above the rafters.
"Some people do use candles or oil lamps," he replied "but it is a fire hazard. Usually I just go to bed when it's night."
Abby nodded in agreement. She was tired after the events of the last several days. Percy pointed at several pallets rolled up like yoga mats leaning in the corner.
"Louis and the boy live here too," said Percy "which is why I thought you should have my room. Give you a bit of privacy. The rest of us gents can sleep on pallets in front of the fire."
"No!" exclaimed Abby "I need to watch Connor… he's injured…"
"I'm not going to break Abby," said Connor opening his eyes to look at her. "I'll be fine."
"No," insisted Abby "we need to stay together."
In the end, Abby got her way. Percy and Louis helped Connor into the small bedroom. The crude four post frame was lashed together with ropes which held a straw filled mattress off the floor. Connor was settled into the bed. Percy and Louis left the two alone, but Percy returned in a moment with a lidded container.
"Chamberpot," he explained. "Just in case…"
Percy started to leave again, but then stopped.
"Oh, and part of our cover story now," said Percy "if anyone asks, you two are married."
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