Reluctant Roomies

a missing scene from Primeval's Series 4 Episode 2

by phoebenpiper

[Author's Note: Contains SPOILERS for Primeval's Series 4 Episode 2!]

...

"So, speaking of food, what kind of food does Becker like?"

As Connor patiently began to answer with what little he knew about the Captain's food preferences, Abby tried to catch his eye as she stifled a pretend yawn . Abby was so done with this conversation. It wasn't just that she was no longer in the mood to discuss every detail about Becker's life, it was more that she wanted some time to be alone with Connor. Today had been a big day - the Menagerie, Duncan, the Kaprosuchus, getting their jobs back - and they needed a chance to debrief.

But it was more than that. After all their time together in the Cretaceous, she and Connor had come to rely so heavily on each other for their own survival that it still felt like they needed one another to make them whole. That's why she'd originally turned down the job with the Menagerie - she couldn't imagine working at the ARC when Connor wasn't allowed to. However, she'd been excited and thankful when Connor gave her permission to take the job because she knew that work, especially with animals, was exactly what she needed right now. And it had been SO nice to see Rex again - it was comforting to know that he'd missed her, too! Tomorrow she'd have to take Connor in to see Rex as well as Sid and Nancy - they were like family, and she hoped that, once she and Connor got their own place, they would be allowed to keep their pets as they once had.

Their own place. Just the thought of it felt so good. Of course, they'd been flatmates before, but they'd just been "mates" then, with separate lives and separate bedrooms. And for the past year, while they'd been stuck on the other side of the anomaly, they'd managed to make a nest for themselves , but one could hardly call that a home. But now that they were back and they were together, they could find a real home. Someplace warm and cozy and safe that they could come home to.

Not like the rundown place where Duncan now lived. Abby hadn't believed it when Connor had told her to pull the car over at what appeared to be a condemned building to drop Duncan off. Connor was clearly having trouble believing it as well for he'd spent the entire car-ride back talking about his friend and what they might do to help him. Connor blamed himself for how Duncan had turned out, and nothing Abby could say could take that guilt away.

And while he hadn't said it aloud, Abby could easily guess what other fear had been plaguing Connor's thoughts - the fear that, had circumstances been different, he himself could easily have turned out like Duncan. The crazy talk about creature sightings, the conspiracy theories - Duncan did sound a bit like Connor had when she'd first met him. And what if, instead of stumbling upon the anomalies with Cutter and Stephen and becoming a part of the ARC team, he'd been disbelieved at every turn? Connor probably doubted that his own sanity could've remained intact under such circumstances, but Abby knew better. Connor was stronger than Duncan, stronger than Stephen...stronger even than herself. His faith was what had kept them alive in the Cretaceous and what had gotten them safely back here, so she knew that Connor would've been fine, no matter what path his life had taken.

Though she was thankful his path had crossed hers. She couldn't imagine her life now without him. Not that she'd WANTED to be stranded on the far side of an anomaly for a year, but if she'd had it to do all over again, she'd willing choose her current life if it meant having Connor at her side.

Yet it'd felt strange to acknowledge that bond when Duncan had bluntly asked if she was now Connor's "girlfriend". She'd automatically answered yes to his inquiry because, now that they were back in the "real world", she supposed that was the easiest explanation for what they'd become. But their relationship was so much more than that. For an entire year they'd struggled together, worked together, hoped together, and, yes, slept together. More importantly, though, they'd become a team, in the truest sense of the word - they were in synch, always there for each other without ever having to directly communicate.

But now that they were back, some things about their relationship were going to have to change. In fact, things already were changing because Connor was clearly not getting her hints that she wanted to end this conversation and go to bed.

Just thinking about bed again made her yawn, for real this time, and Connor instantly noticed, quickly giving a giant pretend yawn of his own, adding, "It's getting late, Jess. Perhaps...?"

"Oh, of course," Jess said, her face flushing with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry - you two must think me a TERRIBLE hostess, nattering on at you when you're both probably knackered."

Abby smiled and nodded - now that she thought about it, she WAS exhausted. It was going to take some time to recover from the stress of living in the Cretaceous.

"Come on," Jess said, jumping to her feet. "Abby, you can have the spare room. And Connor, you can have the futon out here - it's MUCH comfier than it looks, I promise."

Abby's heart instantly fell. She had just assumed that she and Connor would be sleeping together - it had never occurred to her that Jess would suggest they sleep separately.

Connor must've felt the same because he shot Abby a pained look. She knew that Connor was too polite and would never speak up for himself - he'd always let her make the first move where their relationship was concerned - so it was going to have to be up to her to say something.

"Actually, Jess," Abby began, standing up and following the girl to the linen closet where she was now pulling out blankets, "that really isn't necessary. You know, Connor and I spent the last year-"

"Sleeping on the ground!" Jess finished for her, dropping the pile of blankets on the floor as she covered her flushing cheeks with her hands. "I'm so sorry - I don't know what I was thinking. I really am a TERRIBLE hostess. Of COURSE Connor can have my bed!"

"Thanks, I-what?"

Connor, like Abby, must've been expecting the girl to respond differently, and it'd taken him a moment to catch up with the conversation.

But Jess was already continuing on. "After all that time away, of course you'd want to sleep in a real bed," she said, picking up the blankets from the floor and dumping them unceremoniously on the futon. "I kind of lied anyway - this futon isn't really all that comfy. But I'm happy to sleep here. I mean, after all the sacrifices you two made this past year, it's the least I can do to spend a few nights on the futon, yeah?"

"Really, that isn't-" Abby began, but Jess was already rushing out of the room, showing them where they'd be sleeping.

Connor shot Abby a pathetic puppy-dog look as he reluctantly followed Jess into her bedroom.

...

Connor felt melancholy as he slid, alone, into the sheets. He'd merely stood by, feeling helpless, as Jess had cheerfully changed the sheets on her bed, nattering on about her lack of linens and apologizing for the polka dots, but what else could he have done? It was her flat, and if she didn't want him and Abby to share a bed, that was her right.

Of course, she wasn't aware that he and Abby were now a couple -that clearly wasn't "in their files." But since Abby hadn't volunteered that information to Jess, HE certainly wasn't going to. It was obvious, after the evening they'd just spent, that anything they told Jess was liable to be all over the ARC in a matter of minutes, so it was no wonder that Abby had kept quiet, clearly not wanting to be the butt of any more office gossip.

Connor was happy, though, that she'd been so willing to admit their relationship to Duncan. Stupid as it seemed, it had sent a thrill through him to have her affirm she was his "girlfriend". Not that he should' ve had any doubt about how she felt about him after the year they'd just spent together, but he was aware that those had been special circumstances, and now that they were back, certain things might change. So her affirmation had meant the world to him.

Unfortunately he couldn't go to bed with an affirmation. After all that time sleeping out in the open, it felt strange enough to be in a nice, comfortable bed, with Jess's fruity perfume still hanging in the air, and it felt even stranger to have Abby so far away. Even though she was only in the next room, he desperately wished she could be here with him. After all they'd been through, didn't he and Abby deserve to have a happy ending, to fall asleep safely in each other's arms? Unfortunately the fates weren't seeing it that way, and Connor would simply have to wait until he and Abby had their own place together for their fairy tale to conclude.

Resigned to his present circumstances, Connor turned off the bedside light and rolled onto his side, his mind returning once again to the day...and to Duncan.

"YOU happened to me" - Duncan's words echoed in his mind, causing a fresh wave of guilt to rush over him. No doubt Duncan's mum blamed Connor as well for she'd been more than terse on the phone. Poor Duncan - seeing the homeless community where his friend had once lived had nearly brought Connor to tears. If it wasn't for him, Duncan would've lived a sane and normal life, so Connor resolved to bring his friend back from the brink, no matter what it took.

Starting to doze off, his mind began coming up with random ways to help Duncan, ways that probably wouldn't even make sense in the morning. He was on the brink of slumber when suddenly a low sound caught his attention. A year ago he probably wouldn't even have heard it, but his senses were still attuned to the dangers of the Cretaceous. A rush of adrenalin coursed through him as he sat up in bed and, by the light of the digital clock, frantically scrabbled for something on the nightstand he could use as a weapon.

"Connor, it's me."

Abby's voice was barely audible, but Connor instantly relaxed, realizing there was no danger. He clumsily set the receiver of the princess phone back in place as Abby noiselessly slid into bed next to him. Connor lay back down, encircling Abby in his arms as he whispered in her ear, "But what about Jess?"

He could feel Abby shrug as she answered, "I'm sure we'll be up before her." She didn't have to explain why - they were both having problems sleeping through the night. "She won't have to know."

"And tomorrow night?"

She shrugged again but was asleep before she could answer aloud.

Connor smiled, tenderly kissing Abby's hair, so glad that she was here with him, so glad that he had such a smart girlfriend.

He had a girlfriend.

He, Connor Temple, had a hot blonde girlfriend! UNBELIEVABLE!

And with that thought running through his head and Abby in his arms, Connor fell peacefully asleep.

...

When she woke the next morning, Jess was surprised to hear the shower already running and even more surprised when Connor mumbled, "Coffee. Coffee. Where might you be?" from the kitchen.

"The coffee's at the store, I'm afraid," Jess said, slightly amused at how much Connor jumped at the sound of her voice. "Sorry 'bout that. See, caffeine and I don't get along very well."

"Really?" Connor seemed stunned. "I would've thought..." He trailed off and quickly opened up the refrigerator door, saying, "I s'pose milk'll do for now."

"Help yourself to whatever you want," Jess said, standing up and heading for the back toilet. "My fridge is yours."

As Jess walked by the spare room, she glanced in and noticed that the bed barely looked slept in. 'Abby must be a sound sleeper like me,' she thought, tucking that bit of information away in her head.

...