Blindsided (4/4)
Title: Blindsided (4/4)
Author: tay_21
Rating: M
Characters/Pairing: Connor/Abby, Oliver Leek
Spoilers: Post Series 5
Genre: Angst, Terror, Hurt/Comfort, eventual fluff
Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
Word Count: ~4520 (this chapter)
Summary: Someone's been watching them. Someone they never gave one thought to. They should have...
Author's Note: Beta'd by the most amazing and very talented prehistoriccat. Written for evenstar_estel's birthday. This chapter was beta'd by the lovely sunspecops.
(CHAPTER 1)
(CHAPTER 2)
(CHAPTER 3)
Chapter 4
Connor set Abby to the couch and then went to put the kettle on.
When he returned a few minutes later Abby was curled up in a ball, holding her stomach. Alarmed he ran to her and dropped to his knees on the floor in front of her.
“Abby! Sweetheart, is anything wrong? Are you OK?”
“Oh, Connor, I’m fine. Sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you. I was just having a moment. Sorry.”
Connor sat on the couch and pulled Abby towards him, encouraging her to cuddle against him. He held her close and rubbed her shoulders. They stayed that way until the kettle announced itself and Connor went to fetch their tea.
They sat quietly together and drank the calming tea. Neither spoke for a long time. When Abby finished her tea she laid back with her head in Connor’s lap. He stroked her hair and rubbed her belly lightly. Both their thoughts were on their unborn child and what they’d nearly lost today.
Finally he could take it no more. He leaned over her and pulled up her shirt, placing both hands on her tummy. He bent his head toward her and kissed her forehead reverently before moving down her body and kissing her tummy.
“I was so scared today I was nearly out of my mind. I thought I was going to lose you both. Abby,” his voice broke. “I can’t lose you. Either of you. I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt. Are you sure he didn’t… didn’t…” he trailed off.
Abby took his face and pulled him towards her. She kissed his lips and his eyes, followed by his forehead and lastly, the tip of his nose.
“He didn’t rape me, Connor. He tried… was… was about to. But you stopped him. You rescued me. I knew you would. I was hoping, praying that you would. And then you did.”
“But he hurt you. He had you tied… naked.” The tears began to flow from both of them as the memories flooded back. They cried together then, holding each other and touching every part of the other they could reach, slowly reassuring each other that they were indeed OK.
Connor pulled off Abby’s shirt and let a small sob as he saw the marks that covered her body.
“Don’t worry, love. He didn’t do anything too serious. It’s just a lot of surface injuries. I’m OK. We’re OK. I promise. Can… Can you just touch me? I want to… I want to feel you, where he touched me. It won’t erase what he did to me, but… But I think it would help. Please?”
“You don’t have to beg, love. I’ll do anything to help you get through this.”
“I need to get be rid of him. Shower?”
“Sure, love.” Connor stood up and offered her his hand. When she stood he scooped her into his arms and held her close as they walked to the bathroom.
When he went to flip on the lights she stopped him.
“No. Leave them off. Just light some candles. I want to feel you. I don’t want you focused on my bruises. Ok?”
“Anything you want tonight. I’m yours.” Abby simply hummed her approval against his neck and he moved to set her on the edge of the tub.
Connor left her briefly to retrieve the matches and returned a moment later. He quickly lit the candles around the bathroom and then turned to behold his wife in the soft glow of the candlelight. She was so beautiful, not even the bruises could hide that.
He smiled at her and knelt in front of her. He unhooked her bra, her shirt forgotten in the living room. Gently he slipped the straps from her shoulder, kissing a trail across her collarbone and down her arm.
Gently and reverently Connor divested Abby of her clothing before stripping himself. He turned on the taps and adjusted the temperature, letting the room heat up with steam. He helped Abby step into the tub, keeping his hands on her the whole time. As they both stood under the hot spray of the water he pulled her to him. The candlelight was soft and the water created it’s own simple rhythm on their bodies. Abby wrapped her arms around Connor’s neck and laid her cheek against his solid chest. Connor wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her flush to him and began to hum to her. He slowly turned her, one step at a time, in delicate dance as the notes of the song first danced to at their wedding drifted off his lips. Connor moved his arms from her waist and enveloped her fully in his strong embrace.
Together, they let the moment guide them… calm them. Connor ran his hands through Abby’s hair and it was a few moments before she realized that he was actually washing it. She hadn’t even felt him get the bottle of shampoo. His hands lightly massaged her scalp and the back of her neck before his next turn moved her back to the water. Only then did he move her head from his chest, leaning her back into the spray of water while bending his head to kiss her gently. His hands stayed in her hair and his lips stayed on hers while he rinsed her hair.
When he finished rinsing her hair his spun her around and then pulled her back to him once again wrapping his arms around her waist. Abby laid her head back on his shoulder while Connor’s hands moved the delicious smelling body wash down the front of her body. He started at her neck while he nibbled her ear. Then, while licking and still humming behind her ear, he moved his hands down over her breasts. He thumbed her nipples but remained focused on washing her body.
Abby hummed her appreciation at him as she kept one hand up behind his head, tangled in his hair while they continued the slow circle of their dance. Connor’s fingers tracked slowly down her taught abdomen, pausing to slowly circle the little bump where their child nestled inside Abby, before continuing down to the juncture of her thighs. Connor wrapped one arm around her, sustaining her as his other hand dipped into her core.
Abby shook against him and Connor spoke for the first time.
“You’re OK, love… you and the baby. I’m here remember? Is this OK sweetheart?”
“Yes, love. Keep going. And keep singing. I love your voice. Just like on our wedding night. Please?”
Connor’s response was to pick up the song right where he left off. He turned her head to his and kissed her. His fingers moved to her center and pressed in, achingly slow, so slow that Abby whimpered and begged for more. Connor deepened his kiss while his fingers deepened their push into her. His thumb circled her clit and warmth flooded every nerve in her body. He set a gentle pace allowing the pleasure to build but not overwhelm her.
Abby moaned quietly as Connor gradually brought her to climax. When she finally crashed over the precipice her knees gave out and Connor held her in his arms, taking her weight entirely. He kissed the nape of her neck, back and shoulders. Connor held her as he brought them both to the floor of the tub.
Connor cocooned Abby in his arms and rocked her gently, repeating over and over, “I love you. I love you. I love you,” between his continued kisses to her soft skin. Abby sobbed against him, letting all the fear, frustration and powerlessness wash over her while she sat in the protective circle of her husband’s arms. He continued to speak softly to her and caress her tenderly. They stayed there, in each other’s arms until Connor felt the water begin to cool.
He shut the taps off and grabbed a towel, wrapping Abby in it before grabbing one for himself. He pulled it over his shoulders and then proceeded to gingerly dry Abby off. He nuzzled her flesh and ran his finger through her hair, not bothering to use a brush.
Abby pulled him to her, kissing his collarbone, the column of his neck and along his jaw to the corner of his mouth. She pulled back and gazed into his eyes.
“Take me to bed?”
“Of course.”
Abby made to move ahead of him, but before she could, Connor scooped her up into his arms and held her close, carrying her securely to their bedroom. Abby held onto him tightly, burying her face in his neck.
Connor set her down tenderly on the bed and tossed the towels to the floor.
He sat next to her, still combing his hands through her hair as he finally had a chance to evaluate all of the marks on his wife’s body. As he noted each new bruise and fresh mark, he pressed his lips to her reverently.
After doing a quick once over, he returned to her face. He placed his hands on either side of her head, turning it back and forth as he studied the horrid marks across it.
There were multiple bruises on her face. He ran his thumb along a mean looking red-purple bruise that ran the length of her cheek, tears brimming in his eyes again.
“I’m so sorry.”
Abby laid her hand over his. “It wasn’t your fault, Conn. We’ve talked about this. I’m OK. Just… Just touch me. Kiss me. I need to feel you in all the places he hurt me.”
He kissed down the long mark Leek’s belt had left on her cheek. “Gladly. If I miss anything, just tell me. I don’t want to miss any place that he touched you, OK? You tell me.”
He kept kissing her face, there were so many bruises there that it demanded a lot of attention. Carefully he continued to kiss away every slap, every brush of his fingers and every grip he held on her face. She lay passively next to him while he cared for her. She ran her fingers up and down his bicep, occasionally cupping his neck or his cheek, holding him at certain points.
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “Better? I know I can’t erase it, but does it help?”
“Yes, love. It helps. Keep going.”
He nodded, his gaze moving lower down her body. He kissed along her neck, the hollow at the base of her throat and then her collarbone.
He moved to the swell of her breasts, kissing and drawing each bruised nipple into his mouth, soothing it with the flat of his tongue.
He moved again and placed his hands over the hand-shaped bruises on each of her breasts. Ever so softly, he massaged her round globes, thumbing her soft nipples and causing them to peak. Abby sighed contentedly as he brought his mouth back to her breasts again. He kissed along the line of each bruise just as he had done with the bruises on her face.
Slowly he moved down the plains of her abdomen. He placed both hands on either side of the tiny little bump that was their child.
“Hey, baby. I’m so glad you’re OK. Daddy was worried about you today. I thought I was going to lose you and mummy. I’m so glad that didn’t happen.” He kissed the little bump and looked up at Abby.
She had tears running down her cheeks. She reached down and cupped his cheek.
“I love you. I’m so glad you got to me in time. We were both so worried.” She laid her hand next to his on the bump. “Weren’t we, baby? We were praying you’d find us and you did.”
Connor kept his eyes locked with Abby’s as he lowered his face and kissed her bump once again.
“Sleep sound, little one. We’ll see you soon enough. But not to soon, OK? We’ve had enough scares. You be good.” He gave the bump one more kiss before moving farther down her body.
Abby kept her hand tangled in his dark hair. He moved to her side and ghosted his lips over the fist-sized bruise near Abby’s ribs. His kissed it several times, laying his cheek against the ugly mark as if to cover her.
Instead of moving to her sensitive sex, her took both her wrists in his hand. Delicately he brushed his lips over the cruel red bands that circled her wrists. He pressed a kiss to the palm of each hand. He gave her hands a squeeze and then moved to her ankles. He repeated his gentle kisses to the similar red bands that that marked her legs. He kissed the souls of her feet and then moved to kneel between her legs.
Abby parted her thighs for him and he moved closer. Slowly, he placed his hands on her thighs. He massaged the muscles, sore from her struggling, while he worked up to her center.
Abby laid her head back and sighed as his thumbs grazed her clit just before his lips pressed against the little bud. Abby mewled as his tongue slipped between her folds and delved into her. He could feel her moisten for him as he continued to stroke her with his tongue.
Connor pulled back slightly to press gentle kisses across her mound and her inner thighs. His fingers replaced his tongue and pushed into her. Connor placed his free hand over her baby bump while he pumped her slowly. Abby began to writhe at his touch.
“Yes, that’s good Connor. That’s perfect,” Abby gasped, her tone breathy and needy.
Connor couldn’t help but smile. Pleasing Abby never failed to elate him. He was hard. He needed her, but not before she was ready. He was prepared to wait.
Connor added another finger to her wet core and continued to work her at a slow and gentle pace. After several more minutes of his lovely teasing and watching Abby writhe until she had tears in her eyes she finally broke. She whimpered and pleaded.
“Tell me, Abby. What do you need from me, love? Anything. You name it, I’ll do it.”
“You,” Abby breathed. “I need you… inside me.”
“All you had to do was ask, love.” Connor moved up her body to kiss her lips. As he deepened kiss he laid his body over her. Their tongues moved in a rhythm all their own and Connor joined their bodies together to match the rhythm that only the two of them together could create.
Connor, like everything else this evening, took it slow. He sheathed himself completely inside Abby and then proceeded to roll his hips into her. Steady and deep they rocked against each other.
Abby dragged her fingernails up and down his biceps, claiming him as much as he claimed her. Her hands shifted to his back and down over his buttocks. She squeezed his arse as he suckled at her breast. Moving her hands back up his back, across his shoulders and she finally settled them in the damp hair at the nape of his neck.
Connor pulled her up to sit with him, legs intertwined, arms around each other. He worshipped her body; he kissed along the column of her neck and devoured every bit of her that he could reach. Connor pulled back, encouraging her to arch her back for him. She did and he pulled her nipple into his mouth. He sucked and laved his tongue over the pebbled little bud before moving to the other side. Abby moaned as he continued to move inside of her.
Connor lay back on the bed and pulled Abby with him. His mouth returned to her lips and she sighed into him. Abby curled her fingers into his hair and pulled sharply on it. Her hips lifted from his and then she slammed back down onto him.
Now it was her turn to devour him. He held her hips and she moved atop him, grinding and circling against him. She wanted no more of his slow pace. He arched up to her and she bit down on his nipple before soothing it with her tongue. She licked a path up the center of his chest to the hollow at the base of his throat.
Connor moaned as he tongue dipped in to taste him. Abby bounced against him harder and faster, drawing gasps of intense pleasure. Connor gazed up Abby and she gazed down at him. They may not have been able to erase the horrors of the last few hours away completely, but here, staring into each other’s eyes, it was indeed forgotten for the moment.
Connor moved his hands up from Abby’s hips to her ribs, his thumbs grazing the underside of her breasts before thumbing and lightly pinching her nipples.
Abby circled her hips once more and came seconds later. She came staring into Connor’s soft, love-filled chocolate brown eyes. Connor pulled her down to him and as their lips met, sparks flew between them and he came with her internal walls still clamping and clenching around him. They clung to each other, desperate to not lose the connection between the two of them. Connor continued to rock his hips against Abby as they swallowed down each other’s breathy moans.
They lay together, heaving chest pressed to bare heaving chest. Abby held him close to her, as if she were clinging to him for survival and Connor responded, wrapping her tightly in his arms.
They rested their foreheads together, both of them suddenly realizing that their faces were wet with tears in addition to their sweat.
“I love you.” Abby’s statement was quiet but vehement in nature, almost a growl from her small form. She meant it with all her being. “I knew you’d find me today. I was terrified, but I knew you’d find me. Even if he succeeded in his plans, I knew you’d get to me. I can survive anything, so long as I have you. I lived without hope for true companionship, not even love, just companionship for such a long time. I survived before, but it wasn’t living. I didn’t really live until you knocked on my door and wormed your way into my flat and my heart. Nothing could ever take that away from me. Not even what Leek tried to do. He may have had my body tied up in that room, but you had my heart and soul. That’s more powerful than anything in the world.”
Connor pulled her into a hard, fierce kiss. “Ditto. You are my heart and soul. I think that’s why I was so afraid. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I think I would have gone mad if I’d lost you.”
“You sound like you were more scared than me,” Abby said, returning his kiss with one just as gentle as the previous one had been hard.
“Maybe I was. I felt so powerless.”
“But you weren’t. You saved me. Even if you hadn’t been first through that door, you would have been my saviour. It was your mind, your intellect that saved me. You invented the upgrades on the bracelets. I was terrified he was going to leave it like he did with all my other electronics. I don’t think he even realized how much tech was in that thing. If I ever forget to tell you how brilliant you are, hear me now. Connor, you are brilliant.”
Connor hugged her to him again and they lay in each other’s arms still joined, neither willing to move.
Eventually as their heart rates returned to normal and the sweat cooled on their bodies, they parted. Abby slipped to Connor’s side, his arm still cradling her to him. He pulled the duvet over both of them and she pillowed her head on his chest. They both fell into a deep sleep, the stress of the day’s events and their reunion finally catching up with them.
!*!*!*!*!*!*!*! ONE YEAR LATER !*!*!*!*!*!*!*!
Abby bounced the tiny little girl on her knee in front of the fire place in the living room. The rest of her pregnancy had gone smoothly. Abby had left the ARC on maternity leave a month early. It had been her choice and Lester had been extremely accommodating.
Abby had painted and nested to her heart’s content. The little girl’s room was accented with pink and purple brachiosaurs and triceratops. Dino plushies lined the toy box. Connor had found a cool alphabet pattern that went around the doorframe. Each letter was accompanied by a dinosaur’s name and a little cartoon representation.
Abby sat in the rocking chair by the fire with her baby girl just learning to properly smile at her. She’d fed Gracie a few minutes before and was getting her settled and ready for bed. Connor would be home any minute. He always made it home for Gracie’s bed time.
As if on cue Abby heard the door open and shut. A few moments later Connor’s footsteps could be heard as he rushed up the stairs to his wife and daughter. It had taken him a long time to leave Abby alone for any length of time after the incident with Leek. But eventually, he’d relaxed again.
Connor appeared at the top of the landing and a huge smile split across his face as soon as he spotted them. He dropped down to one knee in front of Abby and baby Gracie.
“How is my little Gracie Nicola Temple today?” he asked as her strong little fist wrapped around one of her fingers.
“She’s missing her daddy as she always does when you’re away. She’s like her mummy in that.”
Connor looked up at Abby and smiled again. “I miss the two of you more than anything when I’m at work.” Connor held out his hands, his desire evident.
Abby handed him his baby girl and he pulled her in close to his chest, cuddling her like a kitten. He brought her soft downy head to his lips for a gentle kiss as he inhaled the soft scent that only babies possess.
He pulled her back so that he could study her. She always seemed to have changed so much in the few hours he was away. She had dark hair like him, but her eyes were identical to her mothers, a shocking bright blue. She was so beautiful.
“Hey, Gracie. Let me get a good look at you.”
He held her up in front of him. Her little feet dangled and kicked at the air. Connor cooed and babbled at her, she babbled back making Abby smile. The two of them had their own little language.
Connor brought her down to him and blew on her tummy. She giggled with innocent delight as only a baby can.
“Connor, I just got her calmed down and ready for bed. You’re going to get her all riled up.”
“That’s what I’m here for though. I need some giggle time with my daughter, don’t I?”
“Fine, but you’re staying with her when she won’t go to sleep and gets fussy.”
Connor and Gracie continued to giggle and play together while Abby put on the kettle.
“Abby, sweetheart, make enough for me, yeah? It looked like a storm was rolling in when I was driving home. I think it might get rough. If it’s loud she may have trouble sleeping.”
“No problem.”
Connor brought his baby back into his arms. Abby came back with his cup of tea and a small bottle of pre pumped milk.
He looked at her with a question in his eyes. “Didn’t she already eat?”
“Not as much as she usually does, plus I know you like being here for at least one feeding.”
He smiled brightly as he took the little bottle from her. Gracie knew what he had and immediately thrashed her arms around madly, patting at Connor’s arm.
“OK, OK. Just a second.” Connor adjusted the baby’s position in his arm, settling her safely against his chest. She reached for the bottle, not strong enough to hold onto it yet. Gracie locked eyes with her daddy as she suckled on the nipple of the bottle, soft little snuffling noises emanating from her.
Connor rubbed her head gently before moving down to her foot and rubbing the pad with his thumb. He alternated from one pad to the next and by the time Gracie was finishing up the bottle her eyes were once again droopy. When they finally slid closed the first low rumbles of thunder rolled by.
“Let’s not put her in bed right away,” Abby said, curling up next to Connor and sipping her tea while running her fingers through her daughter’s hair.
Connor pulled her in to him with his arm around her shoulders.
“I’ll never get over how perfect she is.”
Abby nodded. “Mmmhmmm. We should have more.”
“I agree, but let’s enjoy this one for a bit first.”
“Why, Connor, I ‘m shocked. You don’t want to jump in the sack and impregnate me right now? Come on, I’m fertile. Let’s go!”
Connor giggled. “Shhhh. You’re going to wake her and I just got her calmed down and dozing.”
“Hmmm, Connor Temple and his magic touch.”
Abby leaned her head against Connor’s shoulder, still smiling down at the sleeping baby.
Out side the thunder grew louder, the wind raged. With in a few minutes, rain could be heard pelting the window.
The little family known as the Temples sat safe and warm, curled up together in front of a comforting fire on a soft sofa.
Connor and Abby hadn’t even noticed the rain. Their world consisted of the tiny cocoon they had made for themselves in their little flat. Safe, together, that was all they needed.