Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses, etc. are entirely fictitious.
A/N Part of the Claudia story verse (AU) Transitions, Transitions Too, Continuum, Trimming the Tree, Missing
6.5-6 – Train and Practice
…rings…and other things…
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Connor raised one eyebrow at Abby's comment.
"Thought you like me ring."
Abby sniffed, and blinked her eyes.
You're not going to try and change me now that we're married," asked Connor, "are you?"
"Course not," replied Abby in a sleepy tone. She pushed the chain and ring up higher on Connor's chest. She snuggled closer. "Just tired and the ring is hard. I don't want to sleep on it."
Connor brought his other arm around and tightened his hold on her.
"Hope you're not coming down with something," replied Connor. "Not a good way to start a honeymoon you know."
Abby's dark eyelashes fluttered as she closed her blue eyes.
"Hope not," agreed Abby. She remembered what the doctor had said about compromised immune systems after Connor's spleen had been removed. "Certainly don't want you catching anything from me."
"Don't mind sharing germs with you," responded Connor with a cheeky grin.
The teasing tone in his voice made Abby open her eyes again.
"Whatever you might have has got to be way better than catching the mumps from Mum," continued Connor. "Symptoms for men my age can be really awful."
Abby's blue eyes widened and she tilted her head back to look up at her husband.
"Did I hear you right?" asked Abby. "What symptoms? And how are they worse for men?"
"Yep, you heard right," answered Connor with a knowing nod of his head. "Possible side effects for men are really nasty."
Abby had heard of mumps and the effects on adult men, but she wondered what Connor had heard. She compressed her lips, holding back the chuckle that threatened to burst out.
"What?" asked Abby insistently.
"Orchitis," Connor stated in a serious tone. "Or sterility. We might not ever be able to have children."
Abby looked at Connor. She couldn't tell if he was serious or just teasing her. The grin was gone and his brown eyes gazed at her expectantly. He seemed to be holding his breath, waiting for her to respond.
"Our school had vaccinations for all students," said Abby finally. "Didn't you have vaccinations when you were little?"
Connor's sudden intake of breath jarred Abby from her comfy position on her husband's chest. He started speaking quickly.
"Sure I had vaccinations," protested Connor. "But so did Mum and look what happened to her!"
Abby swallowed. The older woman had been excited about her only child's wedding and only the worry of exposing others to a virus had kept her away today.
"Have you been reading urban legends again?" asked Abby. "Or talking with Duncan about weird science?"
It was Connor's turn to swallow. He looked a little embarrassed.
"Maybe," he admitted, "but it's research really."
The chuckle Abby had been holding back finally escaped. Connor's mouth dropped open.
"It's not funny!"
"Those symptoms are really rare," soothed Abby. "I doubt you have anything to worry about. "
"Just saying," Connor babbled on, "I don't want to risk our unborn children."
There was a sudden silence. Connor and Abby stared at each other.
"We've never really talked about having children," said Abby.
"We've never talked about not having children either," replied Connor. His dark brown eyes looked down at her. A hopeful smile was on his face.
"We just got married today," reminded Abby sharply. "Don't you think it's a little soon to be thinking about babies and nappies and bottles and…"
"We don't have to decide anything today," interrupted Connor. He sighed and leaned his head back on the seat. "I just don't want the mumps to rule out any possibilities."
The couple fell silent again as the Eurostar began to move. A recorded voice reminded passengers to stay seated as they were departing the station. Abby tilted her head back down. She was still leaning against Connor's chest, but she was no longer sleepy.
"I know your Mum wants grandchildren," began Abby softly, "but do you want children?"
"Don't you?"
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On the drive over to the ARC, Jess chattered about the events of the day. She was trying to distract Becker from the fact that she hadn't fired a weapon during the entire time he'd been gone. Actually, she hadn't ever fired a weapon. She and Becker hadn't had time to start lessons before he had left for Cyprus.
"It's weird how Abby and Connor didn't even talk about that crazy woman," added Jess. "They nearly got killed today, on their wedding day, and they acted like it was nothing."
Becker shrugged his shoulders.
"They've never talked much about their feelings," replied Becker. "After everything they've been through, they're probably just glad to still be alive."
Jess raised her eyebrows. She knew someone else who didn't talk much about his feelings. Usually.
"With my new position," continued Becker, "we won't be working together. I want you to be safe."
"I'm not in the field," reminded Jess.
"You weren't in the field today either," replied the Captain. "You need to be able to defend yourself."
"Self-defense doesn't have to involve guns," replied Jess. "Abby has been encouraging me to take up kickboxing."
Becker stopped walking abruptly. Jess stopped too and turned to stare at the tall soldier. The Captain's gaze was aimed at her tiny feet. The bright teal heels outlined in red piping lifted her up a full four inches and complimented the red dress she wore, but that didn't seem to impress Becker.
"Abby at least wears boots," responded Becker. "Hopefully her boots are a bit heavier than those things. I don't think you can do kicking in heels like that."
"Oh you'd be surprised," smirked Jess.
Becker's eyebrow went up, but he didn't crack a smile. He just pointed down the hallway.
"In case a mad scientist ever breaks in here," replied Becker "I want you qualified on every weapon in the arsenal."
"All of them?"
Becker nodded. He held the door open and ushered Jess into the firing room. The soldier took a small handgun from the armament rack and held it out towards Jess.
"Pistols first," said Becker.
Jess gingerly reached for the shiny metal weapon. It was heavier than she expected. Her hand dropped with the weight of the gun.
"Both hands," ordered Becker.
The soldier was suddenly standing much closer to Jess. He gently pivoted Jess around to face the target area. His long arm reached around her body and grasped her left hand. Bringing her slender hand upwards to meet her right hand, he brought his much larger hands around and clasped them over hers. Jess was aware of the scent of Becker's aftershave and the warmth of his body as he whispered into her ear.
"Hold firmly," instructed Becker "and squeeze tightly."
Maybe shooting practice wasn't going to be so bad after all thought Jess.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Danny and Stephen followed Lester down the corridor to the entomologist's lab. Lester stopped at the door and looked both ways before opening it and ushering the two men inside. The director pointed to the desk.
"The entomologist's report," explained Lester. "The black and yellow creatures aren't like anything we've ever seen before."
"I thought they were supposed to be the American butterfly," said Stephen "tiger something or other."
"They're not," repeated Lester. "They're not butterflies at all."
"Hmmph," scoffed Danny. "You really don't think a few butterflies, or whatever it is they are, could be dangerous."
"Especially not when it's March in London," added Stephen "and you're armed with a good coat."
Lester remained silent. Danny and Stephen exchanged a glance and then faced Lester again.
"Do you?" asked Danny. "Do you really think these little things could be dangerous?"
Lester stood in front of them with his lips pursed and didn't say anything for a moment.
"They're more like small birds or bats," said Lester finally, "and they have teeth."
"You're joking," said Danny. "Right?"
Stephen leaned over the desk and started turning the pages on the report.
"Connor and Abby both said they saw teeth," Stephen reminded. "And if these creatures are related to birds… well, birds are thought to be the last of the living dinosaurs."
Danny walked over the examining table. He moved the large round lighted magnification enhancement device directly over the tiny creature. The monitor on the wall lit up with a larger image of the black and yellow creature's mouth. Sharp tiny teeth were visible.
"Seriously?" asked Danny
"We were lucky today," said Lester. "Only a dozen of those creatures and the cold air slowed them down. I'd hate to see a large flock of them in action."
Stephen stared across the desk to the image on the screen. Danny moved the magnifier across the creature's body. Under magnification, the tiny wings appeared to be a hard hide. The creature was definitely not a butterfly.
"We were lucky today," agreed the muscular young man. "But you're wrong if you think we've never seen anything like them before."
Danny was nodding in agreement with Stephen's words. Lester squinted his eyes and looked at the image closer. Suddenly his eyes widened in recognition.
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Lester.
"Didn't Sarah say the first of these black and yellow monstrosities was seen at the racetrack anomaly?" asked Danny.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Claudia looked at Nick in surprise at his words. Her husband had never really discussed his differences with his first wife. The only thing Nick had ever really said was that he wasn't good with women.
"Maybe we should talk to Patrick again," suggested Claudia.
"What for?" asked Cutter.
Claudia rolled her eyes. Sometimes the man could be so thick.
"Patrick did say he'd seen at least three different Helen Cutter's at one time," reminded Claudia. "And for some reason, Patrick said he thought that mad scientist was related to Helen."
"Aren't all mad scientist's related?" replied the Scot with a chuckle.
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