June 2015...

.

Lester cleared his throat, looking over the group in the room as all eyes were on him, waiting on his words. They had rented out a function room from the building close to the ARC, all done out with tables, candles as the centre piece, a buffet table to the side and a bar opposite. It was all here for the gathering that Abby had suggested he held, and she had been right, it was a good idea, and hopefully it would help those who still needed the closure. "As you all probably know, it's been three months since Lieutenant Kate Mackenzie passed away, and I'm certain she has been greatly missed throughout the ARC," he began, stood at the front of the room on the small stage, the light beaming down on him, and he could see the solemn looks in the crowd, some greater than others, and he felt largely sympathetic towards them all. It wasn't fair or easy when someone you know dies, especially not when they're murdered. "She was a brilliant woman, she would follow any order given to her, and there had been times when she showed us how much of a great leader she could have been. She was generally calm in situations, always putting others first, and knew how to handle many of the situations she fell in with reason and care."

Becker listened carefully to every word spoken, a small smile on his face as he listened to Lester's description, she really did deserve to be remembered for the selfless and brave woman she was. He could still remember the day she came to the ARC, 7th December 2013, and how she held herself so formally in front of the strangers they once were to her. In fact she was proper to a fault, very straight in her stance and willing to obey any command.

The soldier looked up as Matt entered the room, chucking the folder in his hand onto the desk. "That's your new second in command, she'll be arriving later today," the team leader informed him. "She's one of the ones from the small collection you actually approved of," he added, giving him a smirk as he remembered the hassle it had been during the decision. Matt had given Becker plenty of possible candidates to look over, and then once the head of security had chosen a selection he liked, he would check them out, Lester would check them out, and then those approved would be interviewed a second time around, a more in-depth interview. But of course it couldn't be that simple for the Captain, no, he tore into every detail, finding faults that no one else would notice, some that didn't really seem like faults at all, and only then, after a long while, had he approved of anyone. And in that list resided only two people; Lieutenant Kate Mackenzie, and a Lieutenant Jordan Barker; and they had gone with Kate.

"Yeah, thanks," Becker responded, and with that Matt left him to his work as he opened the folder, greeted with the photo of a woman. Black hair, green eyes, and in that photo she seemed quite tanned, most likely from being abroad during her career. He'd analysed her file, records and her references, and he'd decided she was a good fit; and he had to admit, part of his decision had been strongly swayed by the glowing references she had, including one from her mentor in the army who had held a great amount of respect for her work. He was certainly impressed with her so far.

It was only a couple hours later when Jess had told him the Lieutenant had arrived, and as he headed to the main control room, he found her instantly; the same face from the photo in the folder. He observed carefully as she listened intently to Lester before shaking his hand and being shown down the small steps into the heart of the room. As Becker walked up to her, her stance straightened, and she saluted him as he came to a stop in front of her.

"You must be Lieutenant Mackenzie," Becker verified, reaching out a hand for her to shake, "At ease," he told her. She'd been standing as still as a statue and although he liked good conduct from his team, he didn't want them to feel uncomfortable or inferior.

"Thank you, sir." She held out her hand to shake his, before clasping them behind her back and waiting on his next words.

"You can relax a little, Lieutenant, we're all on the same side here," he informed. "I'll show you around, and then introduce to you to the rest of the team."

"Understood, sir, and thank you for the opportunity to work here, Captain, I really appreciate it," Kate stated, nodding at the soldier before walking along beside him as he showed her out of the room and down a new corridor.

"It's not a problem, I've read your file, very impressive," Becker explained. "I'll take you to the armoury first, but you might want to save the thanks until your first anomaly, it's nothing like you've ever dealt with before, trust me."

And overtime, as she got used to the job and the people around her, Kate had settled really well. Choosing her as his second in command had definitely been the right decision, and despite how things had turned out, he didn't regret it. She had fit in well with the team, she knew how to handle the work, and she never disappointed him, not once. He felt honoured to have the chance to know her, and he knew she felt the same about everyone she had worked with here.

"Now, as some already know, and others speculate, Lieutenant Kate Mackenzie was in fact murdered. And though we don't know for certain the identity of the shooter, there is a high chance they went down in the explosion at the time, however if we learn any information that suggests otherwise, trust me we will find the one responsible and they will spend the rest of their life rotting in jail if I have my way," Lester continued, gaining a number of nods in agreement and murmurs of appreciation.

As Connor thought about the speech his boss was giving, he couldn't help but let his own mind trail away from the room they were in, and instead, he remembered a certain memory he had of Kate. The memory that had came to his recollection was only from a couple weeks after she had joined the ARC, an hour after they had finished dealing with her first anomaly, and it was the moment when they had their first real conversation, and the beginning of their friendship.

Connor looked up at his office door, only opened a crack, and from the outside he could hear footsteps approach, and then walk away. He would've dismissed it as just someone wandering about the ARC, but when the steps came back and stopped outside his office once more, he put down the pen in his hand and waited to see if the owner would make themselves known. Confusion swept over his face as the person went to walk away again, and not a second later they came back and the door opened slightly revealing the soldier he knew as the recently hired Lieutenant.

"Connor, right?" The black haired woman asked, walking into the room, and he could tell straight away that she seemed nervous, which had been unexpected, she seemed so calm in the field not so long ago.

"Yeah, everything ok?" He queried, and he still felt puzzled over the situation, the thing he wanted to know was why she was here, talking to him of all people, especially when it was obvious she had to convince herself to walk into the room in the first place.

"Of course, sir," was the instant response, but as she took a moment to think about it, and Connor pondered over being called sir, she reminded herself of the real reason why she came here. "Actually, not really. I guess I hadn't really expected this to all be real. I was told about the anomalies, and what they were, but after being faced with a real life dinosaur, it's a little..."

"Frightening?" Connor questioned, and as she gave a nod, he continued. "To be fair, a Carcharodontosaurus isn't the best way to ease into the job." Though by the confused look she gave him, he thought it best to clarify. "The really big dinosaur with the really big teeth that came through the anomaly."

"Right, sorry. I don't really know all these dinosaur names."

"Future reference, they're not all going to be dinosaurs," he added. "Look, when I first started this, back before the ARC, I was pretty terrified of it all. I mean, I loved the creatures, that part was like a dream come true, it's not like I ever thought I'd see them, they were extinct after all." As he realised he was beginning to trail off, he shook his head, looking back up to her. "Sorry, I just mean it's alright to be overwhelmed by it, y'know? You did good out there and it's a lot to get used to so be proud of that,"

"Yeah I get that, it's just I don't get scared, never have. But this, it kind of freaks me out. I didn't really want to admit it, but I figured you would be the best person to talk to."

"Me? Really?" He asked, incredulously. "Sorry, it's just, what did you think I would do?"

Kate shrugged. "I don't know, you've been here the longest, you seem like the kind of person who'll admit if they were scared. I guess I figured if I talked to one of the other soldiers they'd deny it, and I'd rather not give them an excuse to think I'm weak or anything."

"What about Becker?"

"I want to impress him, all of them; I don't want them to think I'm just some scared little girl. I've worked too hard for that, and I know the feeling will go away eventually, it's just so new and strange, and more dangerous than I thought it'd be."

"Yeah, I get that," Connor told her. "Look, you always have me if you need to get anything off your chest. I'll not say a word."

"I may have to take you up on that offer," Kate laughed. "Thank you, sir," she added, sending him a smile before nodding and wandering towards the door.

"Just one thing?" He called, waiting for her to turn and face him. "Don't call me sir, it's too weird."

"Right, got it; thank you s-Connor," she corrected before placing her hand on the door and glancing back for a second. "I really appreciate it."

He was incredibly glad Kate had come to him that day, it started off a friendship he cherished, and a friendship he would deeply miss. She was a great person, and she always tried to do right by the people in her life. He really hated how dangerous this job was at times, it ended up with them losing too many people, some he didn't really know, some he knew too well, and all who didn't deserve to die.

As Abby turned her head to glance at Connor, she saw him with a distant expression on his face, and she knew he was deep in thought about those they'd lost along the way. She felt it too. It all brought back past memories with their old friends who were no longer here, and as she reached under the table to hold his hand, she allowed those memories to play on her mind, just for a moment.

"Connor, we need to talk. It's nothing bad, in fact it's good, and I know how much you want this, how much we want this. I don't exactly know how to tell you, but the truth is, I'm pregnant."

Kate had only been walking past the menagerie door when she'd heard Abby's voice, and although her brain told her to mind her own business, she couldn't help but feel a little nosey. After all, she could've sworn she'd just heard Abby say she was pregnant.

"Ok, Connor, I've got something I need to tell you..."

The soldier listened as the blonde sighed, and she knew then that she wasn't talking to anyone in particular as she'd previously thought, she was talking to herself. From what she could gather, she was preparing herself for telling him the news.

"I can't say that, he hates those kinds of words, he always thinks I'm going to say something bad," she heard the blonde mutter, and as she moved closer, she could hear the pacing of footsteps and she knew she would have to make her presence known sooner or later. "Yo, Con, guess who's going to be a father?" Kate shook her head, suppressing a smile at Abby's light hearted tone. "How am I supposed to tell him this?" And that, she was sure, was her cue. The black haired soldier knocked lightly on the door, opening it all the way, and soon enough Abby looked over in surprise and smiled as she saw Kate standing there. "What's up?"

"Please don't think I was snooping or anything, but I overheard you talking-"

"You know I'm pregnant, don't you?" Abby questioned, cutting off Kate's words and sighing, "I'm just really nervous about telling him. I know he's going to be excited, he can't wait to be a dad, it's just, and I know it's completely ridiculous, but I'm worried about it. I don't know how to tell him, and it's not like we usually have any problem communicating, it's just, this is different."

Kate took a moment to process the blonde's ramble, giving her a sympathetic smile as she did so. It was clear it was slightly overwhelming, not that she could blame her. Finding out your going to be a mother would definitely be one huge change in your life, and she couldn't even begin to imagine what it'd be like to tell people for the first time; so nerve-wracking. "I think you just needed to remind yourself of that. That he wants to be a dad, and since that's the case, he's not going to be worried or upset about it. Knowing Connor he'll be over the moon and he won't make it hard to see that. He loves you, and I hope I'm not stepping over some sort of line in this conversation but it's obvious you love him the same amount, so just step up and do it. You won't regret it."

"Yeah, you're right. I mean I knew that anyway, I don't know why I was so nervous, but I think it helps hearing it from someone else, y'know?"

"Yeah," Kate responded, giving the blonde a smile, and hoping she really had helped and Abby wasn't just saying that to make her feel better.

"Thanks, Kate," the blonde stated, nodding her head slightly as she thought over the conversation. "Y'know, I just realised, we haven't really spoken before. I mean, I know you've spoken with Connor a lot recently, he's told me how cool he thinks you are, so maybe we should spend some time together. Have a girl's night; I'll invite Emily, Jess and Sam too,"

"That'd be great. I guess I haven't really talked to anyone except Connor, I've just been trying so hard to make sure Becker was happy with me, making sure I met his expectations and focusing so much on work, that I haven't really thought about it."

"Trust me; Becker will be happy with you. He may seem tough on the outside at times, but he's a really good guy, he has a big heart, he just doesn't tend to admit it. And it's about time we get to know you properly too, I have a feeling you'll be with us for a while," Abby told her, and she could tell by the smile the soldier gave that this approval was exactly what she'd been hoping for. And Abby was happy with that, from what she'd seen, Kate worked really well in the field, and Connor had told her the same, that she was good at her job and she just wanted to fit in well with everyone. Being a female soldier didn't always make her feel completely welcome so she always put in more than one hundred percent to ensure people knew she was capable at what she did.

"Thanks, but I have to go now. I've got training with the security team. Good luck with telling Connor, don't wait, tell him today and you'll see how good and easy it was. I know he'll love the news," Kate stated, about to walk out the door before turning around for a second. "And congratulations by the way," she added, before leaving Abby alone in the menagerie, ready and prepared to tell her husband the news.

And it had been that conversation, the first proper conversation she had with Kate, which had given her the courage to tell Connor she was pregnant, not to mention kick-starting her friendship with the soldier. The friendship that she cared about just as much as all of her others and a friendship she would miss.

"This night isn't just about remembering Kate Mackenzie though, it's about remembering everyone we've lost since the ARC began. As you all know, we've lost a number of brilliant people in the past. Captain Tom Ryan, Stephen Hart, Sarah Page represent only a couple out of the many whose lives were taken away during their time here. So, in remembrance of that, I suggest we take a moments silence to think of the colleagues, friends, men and women that no longer stand beside us in our life, and hope they are all at some form of peace."

Danny had to hand it to him; the man gave a good speech. Every word he'd said tonight was perfect, and that wasn't something he often admitted when it came to Lester. However, the silence that followed his words sent Danny's mind into overdrive. That was the problem about silence, it always made him think too much, or bring up memories that would only hurt him in the long run. It always annoyed him when his mind thought back to people who weren't here today. He daren't handle it with others surrounding him, he was too afraid of what his emotions would do, they never seemed to listen to or go easy on him. Tonight, it seemed, he had no choice.

They'd spent a half an hour or so on the boat, drinking, laughing, letting go a little as they relaxed from the challenging day in the Loch Ness. Danny had definitely decided they needed this, and as he thought about the work they'd done today, he was reminded of how it used to be, when he was team leader himself. That feeling of purpose that came along with it, knowing he was doing a good thing, protecting people from the dangers of what lay beyond the anomalies; it was the perfect job. And of course, there was the old team he used to be a part of, gutsy Abby, geeky Connor, soldier boy Becker, defiant Jenny, and then there was Sarah. The strong, intelligent woman he'd loved working with, and had consequently grieved once finding out about her death. That hadn't been a good day.

But enough of the past, he thought, he'd learned in the last couple of years that living in the past was a pointless and meaningless thing. He'd spent so long dedicating his life to find his brother, only to discover he'd changed into a man he no longer recognised, a man he was forced to kill. He had a new perspective of life now: finish with your past before it consumes you, and live life for the present and the future, to cherish the people in your life because you'll never know when they'll be gone, especially in this line of work. This was his life now.

As he looked over the group he was sat with, he knew his life was surrounded by people he cared about and who cared about him, and although it wasn't how he expected it to be, he wouldn't change it, not in risk of not getting the chance to know these brilliant people. Though it was one of those people who he hadn't known for very long that was catching his attention at the moment. Kate Mackenzie. In the midst of the laughter, she'd taken a single glance to her phone and after that, he knew something was bothering her. She'd suddenly grown quieter, a sad look in her eyes, and he was determined to understand why. Once the moment presented itself, as the black haired soldier dismissed herself for a few minutes, going down into the living area of the boat, he followed, in high hopes that he could at the very least make her smile.

"You ok?" Danny questioned, reaching the bottom of the steps, his eyes on the woman as she turned to face the voice.

"Danny?" There was a slight shock in her voice, though she quickly recovered, folding her arms nervously as he walked further into the room. "What are you doing down here?"

"I could say the same to you," he told her, watching as the sad glint in her green eyes only grew, and he resisted the random urge to go over there and hug her; where had that even come from? "The alcohol's clearly not doing its job if you're upset," he added, jokingly, breaking the tension and feeling a little relieved as she smiled at his words.

"It's nothing really," she stated, though the raise of his left eyebrow had her knowing she'd far from convinced him. "I was just seeing this guy, nothing serious or anything like that, but I'm guessing it's over," she explained, wondering what it was about Danny that gave her this strange sense of comfort to confide in him, usually she would have just talked this over with Sam or something, and then she'd take them out, get them drunk, and make her forget about that pathetic excuse of a man.

Danny took the phone she held out to him, looking down as he saw the text on the screen. It had taken a lot of strength to not squish the phone to a crumb as he read the words; what kind of a man ended things over a text, no matter how serious it was? That was one of the things he could never understand through his entire life, everyone at least deserved a proper explanation over these sorts of things, not a vague text. Even a phone call was better than this. "If he's going to do that to you, then he clearly doesn't deserve you," he told her, a particular firmness to his words that had Kate knowing for some reason he really meant it, it hadn't just been a simple, sympathetic comment.

"Its fine, I don't even know why I'm that upset really, it's stupid," she explained, shaking her head as she took the phone back. "I probably just overreacted, forget it."

"You didn't overreact, Kate, he's a jerk," Danny stated, making her laugh slightly. "The only thing anyone needs to forget right now is that guy."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," she responded, giving him a sweet smile.

"C'mon, I'm always right, why'd you think I became team leader? I wasn't hired just for my good looks, y'know?"

She laughed again, and he suddenly realised he'd achieved his goal with flying colours; he'd even made her laugh, a beautiful laugh for a beautiful woman. "I should've known," she responded, causing a cheeky grin to form on his face.

"I'll let you off; you were upset after all."

"Thanks, Danny."

"Don't worry about it, I give people second chances all the time, just ask Jayme," he stated, and once again, another smile fell on her lips as she listened to him.

"Not just for that, for making me feel better," Kate explained, shaking her head at him, a smile still in place. "You're a good man, Danny Quinn," she added, walking over and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek before heading back to the group whose voices and laughter could be heard from above.

"Anytime."

Jayme held her breath as the silence fell over the room, and she forced herself to remain composed. She turned to her left, her gaze falling upon the soldier beside her, and she felt her stomach churn as she saw the look in his brown eyes. It was a look she'd seen before. A look he'd worn when he'd spoken about Sarah, and she knew she couldn't begin to feel what he felt right now. His job here had always been to protect his team. Things happened, accidents happened, things that were out of his control, and yet he would blame himself for it, and it broke her heart.

She reached out underneath the table, resting her hand on his and she gave it a light squeeze. His skin felt cold against hers, and he hesitated before looking over to her and finding her gaze. She felt a chill, until he responded to her touch and held her hand in his. When it came to the ARC, even when it came to just everyday life, there was always a risk of losing the people you loved. They knew that, they had practically signed on to that when they involved themselves with the anomalies. But Jayme knew, Becker knew, Danny, Abby, Connor knew, they all knew that as long as they stuck together, they could get through this. They would always help each get through this, even when it hurt more than they could bear.