Title: Breaking Point - Confused

Disclaimer: Primeval and it's characters belong to Impossible Pictures, no copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: I've been away from this site for a while and decided it was time to post some more of my fic, really hope you enjoy and please review as it makes my day.

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Connor was completely confused, at a loss for words really. Abby had practically thrown herself at him after they had rescued her brother Jack. He had been so happy after their kiss that he'd been in a daze for the rest of the day. Lester's whining had gone completely unnoticed by him when he got back to his temporary residence.

When she'd come round to see him the next day, things felt awkward but he had every hope that she was there for more kissing. She wasn't, she'd come to tell him that she didn't want any weirdness between them after what happened - in Abby language; a relationship between them was a bad idea.

He didn't understand it, had he done something wrong? Or maybe it was something he hadn't done. The kiss though, that kiss had been perfect, amazing, he'd felt so much love and emotion behind it - on both sides. He loved Abby more than anything in the world and would go to the ends of the earth for her - had done in fact and all she'd done was throw it back in his face.

Then they had been trapped in the past. Abby had helped him, stuck by him and when he'd asked if he could move back into the flat she'd said yes straight away. She had even told him on their second night, when things were starting to look grim and Connor's health had deteriorated further, that she loved him. It had been a quiet confession and Connor suspected that she had thought he was too out of it to remember but her words had been etched into his memory.

Now they were back and Connor was sleeping in his own bed where he belonged. It had taken him a while to recover from their travels and he'd had to stay in the hospital for two weeks. Abby had been by his side every day whilst he was in there. Bringing him food, playing cards and scrabble when he got bored and even washing his feet for him because he couldn't bend with his injuries.

He had felt that ever present spark between them grow stronger on more than one occasion and thought that maybe now, now that she had almost lost him that maybe she would finally want to be with him but as soon as he was allowed home she began to avoid him unless they were around the others. Now he had the go-ahead to return to work so long as he took things easy for a while.

"Easier said than done in this place." Connor mumbled to himself as he tried frantically to catch up on all the work he'd missed.

The Anomaly detector had developed it's usual bugs whilst he'd been away but with no one there to check them they had built up into a technological mess. The computer kept giving false readings, sounding false alarms and poor Connor was getting the blame.

"So is this the real deal or not Connor?" Danny asked.

The alarm had sounded again and the rest of the team were stood around the detector - around Connor. Becker and Danny were looking mildly annoyed, Abby stood there with her hands on her hips and Sarah had her arms folded.

"I told you, until I fix all the glitches I can't be sure." Connor whined. "If somebody had looked after it properly while I was gone then none of this would be happening."

"I do hope that you're not blaming this on Sarah and I." Becker said. "Because neither one of us knows how to work that thing."

"Sarah does." Connor accused.

He was really starting to get pissed off with all this being on him. He'd only been out of hospital a week for crying out loud.

"Hey!" Sarah exclaimed. "This isn't my fault!"

"No and it's not mine either. I'm sorry guys but you're just going to have to keep checking out the alerts until I can sort through all the problems here."

Danny nodded and turned to walk out of the room.

"Come on guys, let's go."

Sarah groaned, Abby rolled her eyes and Becker just followed without complaint. Connor wasn't allowed out in the field until he was fully recovered, good job really seen as he was going to be working on the Anomaly detector for the rest of his natural life.

**************

It had turned out that the anomaly alert hadn't been a false alarm this time. A herd of rather fierce looking Anklysaurs had come through and it had taken the team - plus ten of Becker's men - all day to get them back through the anomaly and lock it down. When they returned to the Arc it was after six in the evening and they were all exhausted and hungry.

Connor was still where he was when they left, laying on the floor and fiddling around with wires around the back or the anomaly detector.

"You still not finished that?" Danny asked him as they walked into the main operations room.

Connor saw red, he jumped up and dusted off his trousers, giving Danny an angry look.

"It's not a simple job you know, it's very complicated stuff. It's not like I'm not trying, I've been at this all day!"

"Oh my heart bleeds for you." Becker chirped in. "Messing around with a computer while we've been running around like blue-arsed flies all day."

"I'm not staying here by choice you know!" Connor spat. "I'm injured and shouldn't really be here. The doctor said to take it easy but instead I've been laying on a cold hard floor all day fixing this thing. I haven't even stopped for something to eat or a drink!"

They were all shocked by Connor's tone, he rarely got angry and even Abby had only seen him this angry when Helen had killed Cutter. Becker backed off holding his hands up in mock surrender.

"Ok, ok I'm sorry." He said.

Becker, Danny, Sarah and Abby left him to it and went to the canteen for something to eat.

When they'd gone, Connor took a few deep breaths to calm himself. He was sick of being walked all over, it was about time he stood up for himself. It was slightly foolish to argue with Becker though of all people and they were supposed to all be friends, he had to work with him after all. Maybe he should apologise to him later.

************

It was about half an hour later when Connor heard the sound of someone's throat clearing and stood again to find Abby smiling at him. He couldn't help but smile back, she was beautiful when she smiled and he loved her so.

"Hey." He greeted.

"Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah, just tired."

"You need to stop, all this will still be here in the morning."

"Yeah but . . . "

"No buts Connor, here."

She handed him a bottle of water and a pre-packed sandwich.

"Thanks."

Connor screwed the lid off the water and took a gulp of the cool liquid.

"You should be looking after yourself, your body needs food and water to heal." She berated.

Connor sat on the chair in front of the detector and began to open his sandwich.

"I know, it's just . . . There's a lot of pressure to get this fixed."

"I know." She soothed, placing her hand on his shoulder. "But you'll be no good to us if you get ill again."

He nodded his response, biting into his meal. Abby had left her hand on his shoulder, it felt good there, made him feel good. She smiled at him again as she took it away and the room lit up, maybe there was still hope for them yet.

"We're going to the pub for a couple of drinks before we go home, you should come."

"I don't know, after what I said to Danny and Becker . . . "

"Oh they're fine with it, they know they were in the wrong for having a go at you."

"But you said yourself, I need to rest, take care of myself."

"Oh come on Connor, one drink won't hurt! Please, for me?"

And that was all she had to say to have him eating out of the palm of her hand. For her? Anything! Connor nodded and stuffed the last of the food into his mouth, washing it down with the rest of his water then he was on his feet, grabbing his coat and following Abby out of the door.

***********

When they got to the pub, Connor, Sarah and Abby took a seat in one of the booths whilst Danny and Becker went to the bar for their drinks. Connor felt a little awkward with Abby sitting on one side of him and Sarah on the other, Sarah had been avoiding his gaze all the way here.

"Sarah, I'm sorry for . . . I didn't mean to blame you for . . . I mean, it's not your fault, I was just so fed up of everyone . . . "

"It's ok Connor." She said softly, patting his leg. "Don't worry about it, I understand, it's already forgotten ok?"

"Ok."

They smiled at one another and then Connor turned to Abby who nodded her approval at his apology. The guys returned from the bar with the drinks and everyone took a much needed swig of their chosen beverage.

The team chatted for a while, filling Connor in on the creatures they had seen earlier and asking him lots of questions about their habitat and diet. They were on their third drink when Sarah leant across to Becker and asked if he would like to join her in a game of pool. Becker agreed of course and they both sauntered off to the pool table.

"I'm just nipping to the loo." Abby said sheepishly.

Connor watched her retreating form, when she returned he was going to have another go at turning on the old charm, maybe the fact that they had both had a drink would make the whole process a bit smoother. Maybe this time she would say yes, kiss him again, he'd really like to kiss her again.

"When are you two gonna sort yourselves out?" Danny asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Connor, you and Abby have been dancing around each other since I met you, probably long before. When are you going to ask her out?"

"She knows how I feel about her but I'm not sure she feels the same way."

"Course she does!"

"What makes you so sure? Whenever we start to get close she pushes me away."

"It's obvious to us all that she's crazy about you."

"Well you must be seeing something I can't." Connor replied dejectedly.

"You need to be a man about it Connor, none of this waiting for her to come to you rubbish! Abby's the kind of woman who wants to be swept off her feet."

"What?" He asked, snorting at the very idea.

"Honestly, you just try it, she wants a man of action. You need to walk up to her, dip her and snog her till her knees turn to jelly."

Connor's heart began to race and he got butterflies in his stomach at the mere thought of doing that to Abby, but at the same time, Danny's suggestion seemed a tad preposterous.

"Don't be daft, she'd kick the shit out of me."

"Yeah, well just don't leave it too late."

He tapped Connor and pointed to where Abby was chatting with a mysterious gentleman near the bar. He was the typical stereotype of tall, dark and handsome and was obviously flirting with his Abby. Connor sighed and put his head in his hands, it was going to be a long night.