Another night, another fight.

That seemed to be the life of Connor and Abby these days. They fought about work, why should Abby be allowed to stay on the team when Connor wasn't? After all, he was the scientist, she was just the zoologist.
Then when he was back on the team, they fought about Phillip. He was strange, he was controlling, and manipulative to her, but to her boyfriend he was amazing, a true hero, a man that should be listened to.

After that, it was fighting about him coming home at three in the morning, it was her insulting his work and insulting him by calling him a dork, it was him forgetting about date nights, and it was every tiny little thing the other one did. Connor could've sneezed and Abby would've scoffed at him and pointed out how he had done it wrong.

It was absolutely and terribly tiring.

"Abby-Abby I didn't do anything!" Connor shouted, slamming his keys on the counter with a sigh. He needed a break, but she never gave him one.
"It's as if I'm not here anymore, Connor! I understand that you have work, but it's bloody four in the morning, you haven't showered in a week, and when was the last time you sat down and ate more than a sandwich?"
"Oi, I didn't create a big deal when we came back from the Cretaceous and you ate next to nothing for weeks on end!"
"That was different. I was suffering, I was stressed, I couldn't eat anything without it coming back up." She claimed, shaking her head. "You-there's nothing wrong with you. You should have plenty of time to eat a filling meal everyday!"
"Well, Abby, I do, I choose to work through lunch, though because I'm doing something that will change the world for the better."
"But you can't tell me what it is, I get it."
"I didn't ask for it to be classified! Bloody hell, Abby, you act as if everything is my fault!" He grabbed a beer from the fridge. This was the eight fight this week, he deserved it.
"It feels like it is!"
"Oh yes, all of these pointless, mindless fights are because of me when you're the one who brings up these conversations, you're the one quick to accusations, and you're the one who yells! That's all you ever do, I'm starting to think that's all you can do!"

After that statement, the flat was silenced. Nothing but the chirps of a few lizards. Abby just stared at her boyfriend for awhile, while he looked at the floor realizing what he'd said. After a few minutes, he tried to smooth things over. Neither of them liked going to bed angry.

"Abs, that's not what I meant-"
"Shut up." She glared, standing up from the couch and grabbing her boots. "If all I'm good for is yelling, you won't miss me, will you?"
"Abby, where are you going to go?" He questioned.
"It's none of your business. You should be lucky I'm letting you stay in the flat this time. Go get some sleep."
"I'm sorry! Okay, I'll make it up to you, promise! Date night wherever you want, yeah?"
"Forget it, Connor. Go to bed."

Connor stomped off to the bedroom, mostly to avoid any further argument, and partly because he hoped she'd join him. He couldn't sleep without her and she couldn't sleep without him. It was a habit that was formed in the past and terribly hard to break. All that aside, he was worried about her. The fight was never supposed to be that bad, it was supposed to be a bit of bickering.

He lied in the bed with his mobile in his hand.

He was going to find out where she'd gone just to ease the worry in his mind.

[He had to remember she wasn't going to be eaten by a dinosaur. This wasn't the past, she was safe. Completely and totally safe.]

It was three in the morning and she only knew one place where she could go. One place where everything would be okay and she would be safe and protected.

One place where she could calm down and get some sleep and it was lucky that she had the key to their flat. Taking a deep breath, she wondered if she should just turn around now and forget about the fight, make it up with a long night of fun and start the whole vicious cycle over again next week.

Deciding against it, she turned the key and let herself in. She knew the flat well, even in the dark. She'd been there more than enough times. After kicking off her boots and lying on the couch, she closed her eyes and attempted sleep. But her thoughts raced and her mind wandered and fear clutched her heart. The Cretaceous always crept up on her, especially at night.

No. No. No.

She wasn't back there. She wasn't running from raptors, she wasn't fighting to survive, fighting to eat anymore. There was always food in the fridge, always a friend, always a gun, always a home.

Always. Always. Always.

Jolting up and catching her breath, refusing to close her eyes, refusing to go back to the damned place, she looked around the flat. An exit. She was looking for an exit, she was always looking for an exit. But she couldn't leave now, so she looked for the next best place.

Standing up with shaky hands, she walked slowly to the bedroom and opened the door. Looking at the bed cautiously, as if something was going to pop up and make her turn away, she allowed herself to crawl in, disturbing it's occupant.

"What the hell?" The voice asked, switching the light on that stood on the bedside table. "Abby?"
"Becker," She nodded, before looking down, almost as if she was ashamed of herself. Ashamed of needing help, of needing a friend. "I'm-I'm sorry."
"You just-surprised me is all." He reassured her. "What's wrong? Why are you in my flat? And specifically, my bed?"
"Fight with Connor," Abby admitted. "And then the Cretaceous came back and I couldn't be alone out there, Becker. I just couldn't, I hate it so much, I'm sorry, I'm really-"
The soldier just shook his head and lightly pushed her down on the bed, pulling the blanket up to both of them. "Abby, you don't need to say anything more,"
"I'm scared, Becker, I'm so scared all the time and I don't want to be." She rested her head on his shoulder, as he wrapped an arm around her.
"It's okay to be scared, Abby, everyone's scared. That's what they never tell you." He tried to reassure her, kissing her head.
"I wasn't allowed to be scared, I have to protect everyone else. I have to."
"No, you don't have to. Your job is protecting the creatures, not the team. Let me worry about that, yeah? Just breathe, even breaths just for me."

She listened to him and did her best to control her breathing, did her best to think in the moment. The past didn't matter anymore. It was over.

"What if Connor and I never stop fighting? What if he leaves me? What if I leave him?" She looked at Becker then, tears filling her eyes.
"You both love each other very much, you two make it obvious," He gave a smile. "Give the boy time, he'll realize he's wrong in what he's doing and you'll realize that some men won't ever leave you, Abigail, no matter how much you scream and kick and insult."
"It's wrong, how much I fight with him, isn't it?"
"Well, it's not healthy, but you two are under a lot of stress, it'll all get sorted, I promise." He whispered. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm absolutely exhausted so please, please, please Abby, let's sleep."

Abby gave a small nod and curled up next to him, his chest serving as her pillow.

When she managed to fall asleep before him, he gave a small smile and stroked her hair until he himself drifted off.

At five in the morning his alarm went off, he promptly turned it off and made sure Abby stayed asleep. She needed it, he knew she hadn't been sleeping nearly enough. He knew her well enough to be able to tell with one look of her face.

Grabbing his mobile, he called out of work for both of them. A day off could do some good, he figured, and then he looked at his messages. All of them were from Connor, absolutely worried sick and now Becker felt bad for the man and bad that at four in the morning he'd nearly thrown his phone against the wall because it'd been vibrating too much.

[Text] She's fine. She's with me, completely unharmed.

Hopefully that news made up for it.

Connor had been up all night, hoping for someone to confirm where Abby was. He didn't care if she came home, just as long as he knew she was alright. When the text finally came, he couldn't help but let a relieved smile on his face.

[Text] Just tell her I'm sorry, mate, yeah?

And with that, he hoped for at least a decent three hours of sleep before he had to get up for work. Tonight was going to be an early night, he knew that.

Abby woke up at nine in a panic. She was supposed to be at work. Why wasn't she at work? Why hadn't Becker woken her up? Why hadn't Becker woken up himself? She shook him awake and slapped his shoulder lightly, watching him roll over and open an eye at her.

"What?" He grumbled.
"It's nine in the morning! We're late for work, you idiot!"
"Sick day. Already called in." He answered her, trying to go back to sleep.
"Why did you call in? Neither one of us is sick!"
"You need a break." Was his reply. "Now go back to sleep before I make you."
"I'd like to see you try."

A smirk now appeared on Becker's face and he did the first thing he thought. He tickled her. He knew her neck was most ticklish, and she kicked him rather hard for it, but he had little to no reaction. "Go to sleep and I'll stop."
"Fine!" She huffed out between a laugh.
"Promise?"
"Swear on me lizards!"

His hand went back behind his back and he stared at her with a content look on his face.

"You're going to pay for that later, Hilary. So going to pay."
"Mm, I know." He chuckled and pushed her head down. "I'll make breakfast later, yeah? Make it all better."
"I absolutely hate you."
"I know, Abigail, I know. I hate you too." Becker claimed and pulled her close to him again. "Now I don't want to wake up again until noon. It's been years since I've been allowed to sleep that long..."

Abby sighed and just decided to go along with it and it was then, while she cuddled up to him again, that she realized that sometimes Becker was more of her brother than Jack was. This was how siblings were supposed to act. They were supposed to annoy each other, supposed to mess about, and say 'I hate you' even when they both knew they loved each other.

But most importantly; they were supposed to be there whenever they were needed.