Disclaimer: I'm just a girl with a brain and a computer. And fingers, I mean I have to type... The point is I do not own Primeval or its characters. No copyright intended.

A/N: I've risen! I've risen back from the dead! And I give to you, Conby AU. (Three-shot)

What if Abby never went to the Forest of Dean that night? Or what if she did, but Rex didn't fly away and she ran off with Ben? Abby would never have joined the ARC team. Connor Temple would never have met Abby Maitland.

This is early Series3. No Danny yet. Sarah's there, just not with them in this story. I might bring her in later, just not yet. SPOILERS -They're still mourning over Stephen's death.

Warning: This AU should be a whole lot more in depth than it is. I'm not going to be going in deep detail of all the changes - if you want an AU like that you should read Things Change. In doing that in this, it would need lots of chapters. Chapters that I don't have the time to write at the time being. But it's still Conby, and its still AU. :) Also, this is my 30th story. And in honor of that, I would look out for those threes.
You guys rock! Hope you enjoy!

"Cutter," Connor said, coming up to the tenacious Professor with a quizzical look upon his face. "If you don't mind me asking,-"

"He likely will." Jenny teased, walking beside the Professor as they came up to the Wellington Zoo, the sun already set.

Cutter shot Jenny an amused look before looking back at Connor. "You were saying?"

"I just, I was wondering, of course. Just thought I'd ask, is all. It just seems odd and all and I don't really understand but I sorta I suppose I should-"

"Connor," Cutter interrupted him, still keeping a cool smile. "Get on with it."

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry – my bad. Rambling again, ain't I." He shamefully laughed. Seeing Cutter and Jenny's blank expressions he continued on. "Right. So, why are we here exactly?"

Cutter let out a bellowed laugh, Jenny snickering beside him. "You really do never listen, do you Connor?" He patted the computer-fanatic on the shoulder and answered in his heavy Scottish accent. "There's an anomaly. If you used your ears now and then, you might actually not have to ask so many questions. Possibly. There's no tellin' with you, though."

Connor made on 'o' with his mouth and nodded. "Right. That makes sense, then."

"Why else would we be here?" Jenny questioned his thinking.

"Well, I thought maybe you'd like seeing the elephants at night or somethin'. I don't know."

Cutter and Jenny wagged their heads at him and Jenny sighed. "Never gets old with you, Connor." She said.

They were quiet for a moment, and then Cutter remembered something. "Oh, how's finding a flat mate goin'? I know it's been tough since your friend moved out, what, two weeks ago?"

"Yeah, Duncan." Connor replied with a solemn face. "It's … going. Been difficult to find the right type of bloke is all."

"I understand." Cutter assured, giving a warm smile. They stopped and he looked at Connor expectedly. "You ready?"

Connor furrowed his brows. "For wha'?"

"The anomaly, Connor." Jenny said unadorned.

"Oh, yeah! Yeah, course I am. I'm always ready." He added a smirk at the end.

Cutter chuckled. "Once you know what's going on, that is."

Cutter and Connor stepped through, leaving Jenny behind to stay safe from whatever laid ahead of them. Becker and the soldiers came in on their toes, guns in hand. Cutter held no gun – but Connor gripped a small tranquil gun just in case he needed it for protection. They were clueless to what was in here for the time being, and he always liked to stay prepared.

The floor creaked from the weight of the mass of people staying alongside each other. Each noise made their necks crane to the sound, even the smallest wisp of a snake slithering around in its habitat.

The lizards stuck out their tongue at the new found visitors, the rattle-snakes rattling their tales as if their prey and the chameleons hid their color as best they could to their surroundings. The gecko's watched as the group of well-armed men came sneaking through, acting as still as a rock until they shot under their domed homes; and the crickets made a melody of music with their legs.

Connor and Cutter paused, Becker and his men mimicking them. The evident sound of an animal's talons clattering against the wood floor beneath them put chills down their spines. One step, two step. One step, two step. The sound repeated.

It was the clear walking patterns of a Velociraptor. They'd know the sound anywhere.

"No…" Connor whispered, shocked. "Another Cretaceous anomaly?"

Cutter was in disbelief as well. "Becker," he hissed, "get as many men and tranquil guns as you can. Last time we tried to deal with one of these on a low number of people didn't end too well, by my reckoning."

Becker glanced at Connor, almost as if for an agreement. Connor gave a deep-set nod to assure Cutter's recollection accurate. Becker nodded as well, but as an understanding, and then took a few of his men with him to leave the habitat and soon return with Cutter's demands.

"You go that-away," Cutter pointed to his right. "I'll go straight. See what it brings us."

Connor nodded again and started for the dark clearing. "Connor," Connor turned towards the Professor as he grasped his arm. He eyed the dark haired, soft hearted geek. "Be careful. Don't want you eaten on the job."

"Course not." Connor silently laughed. "Then you'd have to go against Lester's wrath."

Cutter smiled bled through the darkness before saying, "There's that, and if you died then I'd be the last left of the original team, wouldn't I?"

Connor felt a jerk in his heart at those words. With Stephen gone, and in Cutter's head this 'Claudia' gone, they were the only ones left who found the first anomaly – what would happen if Cutter and him died as well? "Wouldn't let that happen, would I?" he smiled at his mentor and said, "You be careful too, yeah? I'd got no one to talk to otherwise."

"There's always Becker." Cutter offered. They looked at each other in a teasing manner and shook their heads. "Go, I'll meet up with you."

Connor nodded, and they parted the opposite directions. Two soldiers behind the both of them.

Abby Maitland took in a long, bottomless breath as she stared at the glowing orb of flicking shards and transcendent flakes in front of her. The only words that seemed to muster in her head were,

What the heck am I looking at?

It wasn't anything she had ever seen before. No, it wasn't anything anyone had ever seen before. How could it be? If this was some normal occurrence and she was never informed she really must have been out of the loop. She should watch more news or something. I mean … What the heck was she even looking at?

It rotated around in a circular motion; moaning odd noises of sharp, reflective, tingeing sounds she'd never heard before. With the snake wrapping around her wrist she took a step forward to the mysterious glowing … anomaly. And then, it growled.

"What the-!" she took a startling step back. She felt the snake gripping tighter around her limb. It wasn't the orb making the sound, was it? It sounded like it was coming through it. Like someone yelling across a house, as if an echo.

What had she gotten herself into? She was just working her usual shift at the zoo when bam, a random glowing-thingy came popping out of nowhere and into her reptile habitat. She could definitely now not have to tell her flat mate the normal 'boring day at work' routine. No, this was far beyond boring. Or even normal. Or even abnormal! This was just plain … bizarre.

It made another sound, but this time it was more of a clattering roar.

Yup, she thought to herself. This isn't going to end well.

Hastily laying the snake back in its cage and closing the top she tried to find a way around this sparkling quantity of light. Another erupt rumble came echoing out of the anomaly. She dashed straight towards the door, after finding her cut through, and swung the door from its hinges open. Right as she took a step on the altar of the frame she heard light-tapping of an animal's claws hitting the floors beams.

She turned around, hating her curiosity always getting the better of her. She then took sight of two people-sized creatures standing in the room, chattering to each other. They appeared to be... dinosaurs. From the sight came out an outlandishly loud gasp that she scolded herself for releasing – and the dinosaurs heads peered over to her. They stared, eyes wide and bearing. Looking at her as if a meal, they showed their shining white teeth in delight. They were intelligent, she could tell from the persona in their eyes. That scared her even more. Glancing down at her hand laying on the handle of the door, Abby looked back up at the lingering dinosaurs and quickly slammed the door closed behind her. She heard two bulks smashing into the door as she ran as fast as she could away from it.

She ran down the halls, past the exhibits, and into the dark room of the aquarium. She looked around in a panic, but no one was around. She remembered Arny telling her they were locking up – she should have listened and left with them. She wouldn't be in this situation. Looking over at the main exit she went running for it and banged her frame into the solid metal door. Locked. They were all likely locked, the only way to get in or out with her pass or from security. Which would be fine, if she hadn't left her pass with the dinosaurs and – she searched her pockets – and her mobile. It was too dark in the reptile exhibit for security to see her in here. That was until it was too late. The only lighted rooms were all the rooms she passed running from the dinosaurs – maybe they'd see the glowing orb! Yeah, then they'd call someone!

Great, my only hope is lazy bum security that is likely playing poker as we speak.

Abby swooped around, hearing a banging noise. They'd gotten out. Now what? She turned her head towards the opposite direction – her right. At that she ran as fast as her legs would take her, hiding wherever she felt it would be enough of a hiding place from them.

Hearing growling from behind him wasn't the most reassuring thing to say the least. Every time he looked back all he saw was two scared soldiers – even more reassuring – and an empty sheet of darkness. He knew they were there, but he was ignorant of where. Connor felt his body shake from the fear, and his muscles ache from the exhaustion of that day. These Raptors just kept showing up today. Stupid reoccurring anomalies. He also feared that sooner or later they would still have their strength, when him on the other hand, would not; hence the bodyguards.

Connor heard a whimpering holler from behind and he looped around to face the soldiers – that is, to face nothing at all. Scratch that bodyguard's thing. Now it was just him, the darkness, and two murderous-happy Raptors. Oh and the fish. That's what Connor called a fun-filled night.

He crept backwards, eyeballing around at whatever he might catch by chance so he could shoot at it. Why did dinosaurs get to have night vision and man-kind not so much? He stepped another foot up an incline, and then he looked and turned into a room that seemed to have better lighting than the rest of the habitat.

His feet reached the doorframe when he was caught off guard by a long, metal object being swung to his face. Connor ducked faster than he knew his reflexes could conjure up and shot up to face his attacker when a fist went flying to his face instead.

"Ow!" he hissed as loud as his raspy whisper would allow him to. He held his nose in and draped his head over in pain. Seeing the metal object fall to the carpeted floor he heard a gasp.

"Oh Lord!" a female voice softly exclaimed. He squint his eyes as he saw two feet standing in front of him, so Connor straightened his spine to look down at a blond, blue eyed, petite, and apparently very feisty zoologist. "Are you all right? I thought you were a bloody dinosaur."

Connor, still holding his nose, tweaked a brow at the blond. "Do I look like a dinosaur to you?"

The blond allowed herself to chuckle some before shaking her head no. She looked out into the darkened aquarium and pulled on his unused arm so he would come further into the small room – out of sight.

"Did you see them out there?"

Connor glowered down at the blond and ruffled his shoulders. "No, but I heard them. They had two of my men for a midnight snack."

The blonds eyes grew large and she shuddered at the thought. She then looked back at Connor and examined him, at last coming to a conclusion. "You don't work here. Who are you?"

Connor, letting go of his bloody nose, answered, "I'm here to capture those dinosaurs you fancy punching."

She smiled a bit, but almost in a mocking manner. She then crossed her arms before saying; "Really now? You and what army?"

Connor sighed. He wasn't really in the mood for some civilian making fun of his lack of army-experience and, well, muscle. So he ignored her mockery. "Keep the pipe you had, it'll come in handy." He pointy down at the metal object he somehow managed to dodge – though her fist not so much. He then pulled out his tranquil-gun and made sure it was cocked and ready to go.

Abby's eyes got big again. "You know how to use that thing, right?"

Connor's eyes angles up at her as his neck arched over at the gun. He straightened up and forcefully turned off the locking mechanism, ignoring her doubtful looks. She must have noticed his irritation because while picking up the metal object she spoke in a much more timid manner.

"I'm Abby." She said in a gentle voice.

Connor froze. He didn't know why, but he felt like that name should mean something to him. Like, somehow he knew an Abby without knowing. He slowly looked up face her, seeing her soft yet shadowed features watching him. "M'names Connor." He looked down at the gun, feeling silly now, and chuckled. "And yeah. I do know how to use it, and how to deal with Raptor's."

She scrunched her brows together. "Raptor's? Like, as in, Velociraptor?"

Connor nodded. She looked as if she would faint, but she stayed on her feet. "Heard of them, I reckon?"

She nodded this time. "Highly intelligent, fast, and always hungry 'bout right?"

Connor gave her a smile. "Yeah, that's 'bout it. How do you know that?"

Abby didn't answer that question. She just shrugged and gripped the pipe, looking out of the room. "You think they're waiting for us?"

"Probably, yeah."

She inhaled a breath of concern and then let it out, looking up at him. "You sure you know how to handle them?"

Connor gave a tickled scoff. "Handle is a no. But I know how to trick them."

"And what if your tricks don't prevail?"

Connor looked down at her and smiled. "I also know how to run from them."

She groaned. "My hero."

"Trust me, yeah?" He said. Abby just looked at him, studying his features. "I promise you, if you'll trust me, I won't let a thing happen to you. Paleontologist's word."

Her most common response to something like that would be 'why?', but for some bizarre reason she had no impulse in saying it. Connor saying it almost brought a spark of recognition in her – as if she knew him enough to actually trust him. Though, she had never seen this guy in her life, she trusted him with her life? Abby shook the thought away. "All right, but if you get me killed you owe the zoo a Reptile Specialist."

He flashed her a grin and stood in front of her for protection, gun staying steady in his palms. She clutched onto her pipe like it was all she had, following Connor close behind through the dark, daunting aquarium. The only light they were lucky to get in front of them was the lights from the tanks shining out onto the matted floor under them. But even those lights were too dim to help their predicament.

Slowly they went towards, Abby noticed, the ending hall of the aquatic section – leading them to a loop that goes into the snakes and lizards. She hoped for a moment they'd take a turn but they didn't; they just continued through the dark hallway. She couldn't keep silent.

"Wait," Abby jeered. She grappled his arm and twisted him to face her. "That's where they came from. I'm not going back there."

Connor glimpsed back at the entrance and then to her. "Big, weird, glowing orb thing, eh?"

"Yes!" she screeched a little louder than intended. "How did you…?"

"Me job, don't forget, is dealing with this sort of stuff." He sighed and looked back. "Listen, the first step to gettin' rid of these predators is finding the anomaly."

"The what?" she blurted out confused.

"We call them anomalies."

"Okay. Well I've found the 'anomaly'. It's with the snake habitat. Now let's not go towards it, 'kay? I'd rather not be eaten alive by more dinosaurs."

Connor smiled a little at her and started to consider it. He did need to find Cutter… And then he realized … this is the direction Cutter was headed when they split up. He looked down at the ground underneath them, the fish tanks lighting shining out gave a clear picture of the bloodied ground they stood on. It was either Cutter's, or Cutter's men. Likely the soldiers – Raptor's tended to leave the alpha's males last when attacking herds.

Great. He thought. She's going to just love this.

"I need to keep going this direction, I'm afraid."

Abby huffed and dangled her pipe to her side. "Why?"

"Because I came with another dinosaur and glowing orb expert, and I think he went this way. I need to help him before the Raptor's attack him. If he's alone like I think he is, he's in rather a lot of trouble." Abby nodded in understanding, but she still looked doubtful. "He's a good man. Even putting my personal feelings aside, I can't just let him die, can I?"

Abby looked up at him when he said those last words. He was a person with a conscious. She groaned. Of all the years she begged the Heaven's to send her a guy with a heart, he had to appear now?

"Okay," she settled. "Just don't leave me behind in the process, 'kay?"

"Never." Connor declared, looking her straight in the eye. She had no idea why, but that look was so familiar to her. Don't be ridiculous, Abby. You just met the guy. "You should go ahead, that way you'll be safer and all that."

Abby did as he said and walked ahead of him, leading the way down the halls. Just trust him, Abby. He knows what he's doing. She took a glimpse of his face and nodded. Just trust him.

I should update soon! Since I do have Part 2 written out and all. Till then ...

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