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
6.6-2 – Thursday
…we couldn't stay…
-x-x-x-x-x-x
In the Professor's office at Central Metropolitan University, Cutter, Claudia, and Becker listened to the babble on the audio video conference. Lester, Danny, Stephen, and Sarah were bombarding Matt with questions. Cutter pushed himself away from his desk.
"Why couldn't you stay in your own time?" asked the Scot.
"Predators were driving humanity to extinction," replied Matt. "People from my time were sent back to try and find what had changed the anomalies, what had changed the world. We were sent to stop it."
"You mean you were deliberately trying to create a temporal paradox?" exclaimed the Professor.
"We were trying to stay alive," answered Matt.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
In Paris, Abby heard Connor's concerned voice. She pushed herself away from the porcelain fixture and sat back on the cold tiled floor.
"Abby? Abby, are you all right?" called Connor.
"Just a queasy tummy," replied Abby. "Would you get rid of that awful smelling stuff?"
She stood up and rinsed her mouth at the sink, then took her tooth brush in hand. Outside in the hallway, Connor looked at the tray full of food in dismay.
"You've got to eat something," Connor responded. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."
Abby's lips curled up in a smile at Connor's words. She knew how Connor loved his brekkie.
"I don't want anything," said Abby as she started to brush her teeth, "but you go ahead."
Outside the bathroom door, Connor picked up a sausage and started eating it.
"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" asked Connor again. "You seemed a little warm yesterday on the train."
Abby stopped brushing her teeth.
"What?" she asked in surprise.
"When you were sleeping," answered Connor, "you felt warm. And you were a little sweaty."
"Connor, I'm fine," replied Abby.
Outside the bathroom door, Connor forked a piece of bacon and scooped up a bite of fried egg. He chewed for a moment before speaking. Connor grinned as a new thought crossed his mind.
"Well maybe you've got morning sickness," Connor teased.
Inside the bathroom, Abby almost choked on the mouth wash she was rinsing her teeth with. Yesterday, she and Connor had been talking about maybe having children someday and now Connor was talking about morning sickness? Was he really in that much of a hurry?
"We've taken precautions," reminded Abby.
"And we've forgotten those precautions," replied Connor with a smirk. He took another bite of breakfast. "Like last night…"
"Connor,I don't think I got pregnant last night, it's not the right time of the month, " replied Abby, "and women don't usually start having morning sickness immediately after conception."
"We've forgotten quite a few times lately," replied Connor as he continued eating breakfast.
Abby's eyes opened wide. Since coming back from their journey through time, she had switched birth control methods. Abby had meant to get the doctor's prescription filled, but they'd been busy. The prescription was still sitting on her dresser at home. Abby and Connor were still using, or forgetting to use, condoms. Abby stared at her reflection in the mirror as she remembered Christmas Day and the other times they had forgotten protection. They'd been careless Abby realized, but she hadn't missed a period. At least not yet.
"I'm not pregnant!" snapped Abby.
Outside the bathroom door, Connor blinked at her harsh tone. He put the fork down and pushed the plate back on the tray.
"Yeah Abby," said Connor. He picked up the tray and covered the plate. He began to push the cart back towards the front of the room. "I know, you don't want to have a baby."
The bathroom door opened behind Connor and Abby stuck her head out the door.
"Conn," corrected Abby, "that's not what I said yesterday. I just said not yet."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Danny and Stephen left Lester in his office. Cutter had insisted that Matt's device be brought over to the university, and as Matt and Emily were still talking with Lester, the task had fallen to them. The two men reached the console where the Anomaly Detection Device was located, but Jess was nowhere to be seen. Duncan was sitting in her chair.
"Where's Jess?" asked Danny.
"She went home sick," replied the facilities coordinator. "I'm just watching this thing until the back up coordinator arrives."
Danny picked up the clipboard from the console. He signed his name and then handed the paper to Stephen for the younger man to sign.
"Where are you going?" asked Duncan curiously.
"We're going to the British Museum," replied Stephen as he handed back the clipboard.
"And then to Central Metropolitan University," reminded Danny.
As the two men headed to the corridor leading to the car park, Danny turned and grinned at Duncan.
"Don't push the red button," said the former copper.
"What red button?" asked Duncan nervously.
The door swung shut behind Danny and Stephen, leaving Duncan staring at the computer. Stephen looked at Danny. The red haired man smiled back.
"There is no red button on that console," said Stephen.
"I know," chuckled Danny.
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Abby and Connor were packed up and waiting in the lobby when the representative of the Paris School of Technology and Science arrived. The young woman, Simone, greeted the couple and ushered them towards the waiting minivan.
"We'll take you to the student dormitory first," said the young French woman, "so you can drop off your things."
Fifteen minutes and untold speeding violations later, the minivan pulled up near a white stucco building. Simone brought Abby and Connor inside and introduced them to the room monitor. A green plastic fob on the key identified room four-fifteen as their home for the next week. A very loud and creaky elevator brought Abby and Connor upstairs while Simone waited in the foyer. Connor opened the door to the room. He followed Abby inside and set their luggage down. While Abby walked over to the window, Connor stared in dismay at the bunk beds.
"You can just make out the Seine," said Abby.
"Great," replied Connor in a glum tone.
Abby turned at the sound of his distress and realized what was the problem. Her lips curled up in amusement.
"Which bunk do you want?" asked Abby.
"Top I guess," responded Connor.
"Okay," said Abby, "we'll sleep on the top."
Connor's lips curled up in a smile as he realized what Abby meant.
"But right now," continued Abby, "let's get you to the Paris School of Technology and Science in time for your presentation."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Sarah was waiting for Danny and Stephen at the British Museum.
"Jamal couldn't come," Sarah explained as she climbed into the SUV beside Danny.
A short while later, the three followed an intern through the corridors of CMU to Cutter's new office. They found the professor writing on a white board. Becker stood against the wall watching. The soldier's arms were crossed and he was frowning slightly.
"Where is Claudia," asked Sarah. "I thought she was going to be here too."
"She went home," said the Professor, "she wasn't feeling well."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
Connor climbed out of the minivan. The scientist had his messenger bag over his shoulder. He held a hand out towards Abby. The blonde shook her head.
"No," said Abby. She pointed to a man waiting at the door. "That's Etienne, he'll take you to the conference."
"What?" asked Connor. "You're not coming?"
"Simone is taking me to the creature containment center," replied Abby. "You go on and do your presentation on temporal theory."
"But," began Connor.
"You'll do great."
-x-x-x-x-x-x
