Fic - Wiped (part 1)
Title: Wiped
Author: prehistoriccat
Rating: T
Pairings/Characters: Abby/Connor, Matt, Lester
Disclaimer: Not mine, no coptright intended
Warning: Contains spoilers for series 5
A/N: I posted the prologue on my private journal a few weeks ago to get a bit of pom-pom waving from my friends, so thanks to the cheering squad. I'm anticipating this being 4 parts at the moment, possibly 5.
Simon Jones has no recollection of who he is after a car accident leaves him in a coma for three months. Then the nightmares begin - being chased by monsters, glowing lights and a pretty blonde who won't go away. Could she hold the key to his past?
Prologue - Present day.
Simon Jones stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror in disgust. He hadn't had a shave in days, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a proper haircut; his dark mop of hair stuck out at various angles and curled into the nape of his neck. The dark circles around his eyes told a tale of sleepless nights, poor diet and too much alcohol and his pale skin betrayed the fact that he had barely set foot outside in weeks other than to go to work. He was a mess and in danger of losing his job because of it. He'd been sent home and told to either smarten up or not bother coming in. If he knew who he actually was, he'd hate himself right now.
Nine months ago he'd woken up in a hospital bed, dazed and confused. They'd told him he'd been in a car accident and had been in a coma for three months. A female passenger, possibly his girlfriend, had been killed instantly, and they'd battled to save his life - brain surgery, blood transfusions and a kidney transplant had pulled him back from the brink but left his body lifeless until the point he chose to rejoin the living. They'd said they only knew his identity from his driving licence, and had spent the three months he'd been there trying to trace his family. It seemed his parents had both died some years previously and he had no other family. Appeals for any of his friends to come forward drew blanks and the girl that had died in the car with him carried no ID so she couldn't be traced either. They were left with this enigma of a man with no memory, just a name and a date of birth.
He went into therapy, and the specialists helped him to rebuild a new life for himself. They even helped him find a job in an office, and he quickly picked things up. He found he liked working with the computers and he earned a promotion within a couple of months. He had a nice flat and had enough money to have a few luxuries each month. He should have been happy, and was until about four months after he'd been released from hospital.
The nightmares started. He'd wake up, his body covered in sweat and his heart racing. Some of the nightmares were your standard 'being chased by a monster' types, but they felt so real as if they had actually happened. Another nightmare was about being swallowed by a glowing light. He began to hear voices too; mostly a woman's voice but occasionally a man's. He could never understand what they were saying but he thought they could be trying to tell him something. He started drinking to help him sleep, and it worked for a little while, but then the nightmares got worse and he had to drink more and more to make them stop.
Then one day, his manager asked him a question and something snapped. His head felt strange and he heard himself bite back, “Who's Simon? My name is Connor, why do you keep calling me Simon?”
The doctors said he was suffering from a kind of schizophrenia; maybe it had always been there, or perhaps it had been brought on by his accident or the brain surgery - they would never know without knowing his previous medical history or his family background. The medication helped a lot. The nightmares stopped and he felt himself again, but in the last three weeks it had started again - and it was all because of her.
He'd spotted her one morning, sitting drinking coffee at the Starbucks across from his office. He called in there every morning before going into work to get a cappuccino. She smiled at him and he found himself smiling back. She was the first female to show any kind of vague interest in him since he'd been out of hospital; most people avoided him because they thought he was weird. She had a pretty smile, and her shoulder length blonde hair looked almost white in the light coming in through the window. He could see she had lovely blue eyes, but despite her smile they seemed sad.
After that, she was there every day. Sometimes she would be sitting, drinking her coffee and reading a newspaper; other times she'd be in the queue waiting to be served. She always ordered a Chai latte, and on a Friday she had a piece of carrot cake. She never spoke, just smiled and looked at him with her sad eyes. He would acknowledge her with a smile too, buy his cappuccino and leave for work. One day, he'd pluck up the courage to say hi to her. He felt like he knew her, perhaps she was someone from his past? He had the name Annie in his head for some reason, but other than that he had no clue. Whoever she was, she looked as lonely as he felt and that was strange. A pretty girl like her would surely have a string of admirers and friends in her life, so why did she always look so sad, and what interest could she possibly have in him? He was a weirdo, likely to be on medication for the rest of his life and he had no recollection of his life prior to his accident.
The nightmares came again, more vivid this time and sometimes he'd see a blonde girl. He woke up crying; somehow he knew she was important. Perhaps she was the girlfriend who had died in the car crash? The voices seemed clearer too, the female voice belonged to the blonde girl in his nightmares but he could never see her face properly.
Simon shaved and used some hair gel to try and tame his tangled hair. He really should make an effort if he wanted to keep his job. He glanced at his watch, if he didn't hurry he'd miss her. When he arrived at Starbucks, he looked around but couldn't see her. Her usual table was occupied by someone else, and she wasn't in the queue - damn! He was too late. His heart sank, then he chastised himself - how could he be so disappointed at missing a girl he'd never spoken to and would never likely speak to? It was stupid. Then he heard a voice he recognised; it was the female's voice from his nightmares.
“Can I get a Chai latte to go please?”
He turned and came face to face with her - the pretty blonde. She was the girl in his nightmares; he did know her and that meant she knew him and she could help him piece together his old life!
“Hi,” he managed to mutter, feeling his cheeks burn.
“Hello, Connor,” she smiled. “Have you remembered who I am yet?”
“Annie?”
“Almost. I'm Abby. We need to talk.”
-o-
Part 1 - Eighteen months ago
“Congratulations on a job well done,” the Minister said, glancing around the huge conference table. “We managed to avert a major disaster and lives were saved, thanks to the actions of everyone around this table now. The world owes you all an incredible debt.”
Connor couldn't help feeling like a fraud being here. It was his fault - at least in part - that things had got to the point it did. If he'd listened to Abby in the first place and not agreed to keep his research so secret, none of it would have happened. Still, he hoped he'd redeemed himself in the end somewhat, and it did seem that people were accepting him into the team.
“Has all trace of the New Dawn project been destroyed?” The Minister asked.
“Yes, the New Dawn site is nothing but rubble,” Lester said. “And Connor and I personally oversaw the dismantling of the prototype machine in the lab. Connor has also made sure all computer files and notes have been deleted.”
“That can't have been an easy task, Mr Temple? All those months of hard work destroyed?”
“To be honest, I'm glad it's gone. I almost lost everything because of that project and Philip Burton.” Under the table, Connor stroked Abby's knee, just to make sure that she really was still there. Abby placed her hand over his. That was all the reassurance he needed. He curled his fingers into hers and felt a little tingle of excitement - for the moment, her finger was bare, but at the weekend they would be going shopping for an engagement ring. It was something he hadn't quite got his head around yet.
“Excellent. Well, that's all I needed to say. James, I trust I can leave the final matter in the capable hands of yourself and Mr Anderson?”
Lester followed the Minister to the door and there were a few whispers exchanged. Connor felt uneasy - what 'final matter' was this? He exchanged a look with Abby, who seemed as equally puzzled as he was, and then he looked at Matt who was trying desperately to look anywhere except at Connor.
Lester took a deep breath. “Abby, could you leave us alone for a few minutes? Matt and I have something we need to discuss with Connor.”
Abby stood up to leave, but Connor grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit down again. “No! Abby and I have agreed that there will be no secrets from each other any more. If there's something you need to say to me, you can say it in front of her too.”
“Connor, I promise you that you can discuss this with Abby later. We're not asking you to keep anything from her at all, it's just that this is something we need you to think about with a clear mind.” Matt spoke for the first time since the meeting had begun.
“It's OK, Connor. I'll be in the menagerie when you've finished. You can tell me all about it then.” Abby smiled, kissed Connor on the cheek and left the room. Connor suddenly felt very afraid. He was going to be sacked, he just knew it!
Lester began pacing around the room and then he cleared his throat. “It wasn't strictly true when we said all trace of the New Dawn project had been destroyed, was it?”
“I don't know what you mean?” Connor was confused. He had deleted everything himself; every single file on his computer, Burton's, April's and every Prospero computer he could find. If he'd missed something, then Burton must have had more people involved than he had realised.
“All that research and knowledge, it doesn't just go away because you'd rather not think about it.”
Connor was still confused.
“He's talking about what's inside your head, Connor.” Matt said. “New Dawn is still inside your head and that presents us with a problem.”
Connor finally realised what they were getting at. “You don't have to worry. I won't be making the same mistake again.”
“That isn't what we're concerned about, Connor. Out there are any number of mad Scientists and power crazy maniacs just like Burton. Now that the anomalies are out in the open, there will be many that will want to try and emulate what he did - and they could try to use you again, threaten your life. Could you with-hold what you know when you have a gun pointed at your head?”
Connor nodded defiantly. “I'd rather die than give up what I know to someone else!”
“What if the gun was pointed at Abby's head?” Lester knew what Connor's response would be. In all the years he'd known Connor, he had seen him lose all sense of danger and reasoning when it came to protecting Abby on several occasions. Connor had closed his eyes; Lester was right. Connor would not put Abby's life in danger by with-holding what he knew. That was a huge problem.
“What am I going to do?” Connor finally said. “It's not like I can just forget what I know is it?”
“Actually, there is a way. Matt?” Lester nodded to Matt and Connor looked over questioningly.
“It's technology from my time. A series of electrical impulses and gamma radiation bursts are fired at the brain, erasing a person's memory. Then during several hours of hypnotic suggestion, a completely new identity is given to the person with a whole new life history and no knowledge of the life they had before.”
“So, I can have this done to me and forget all about New Dawn, and then Abby will be safe?” Connor was hopeful. This sounded like a perfect solution.
“I'm afraid it's not that simple, Connor. The procedure is not selective. It erases your entire memory - you won't remember New Dawn, or the anomalies... or the ARC, or Abby... it'll be as if Connor Temple never existed.”
Connor thought for a moment. There were certain events in his life that he wouldn't mind forgetting, but having no memory at all? People he loved, things he'd done, places he'd been... Abby. “This 'new identity' thing, they could put Abby back in my memory couldn't they? Or you could do it to both of us and give us both completely new identities, a new life together.”
“There's only enough of the treatment for one person. It was intended for me to use once my mission was over,” Matt said. “If I failed, then I was given it as an option instead of committing suicide if I couldn't live with knowing what was going to happen to the Earth - and if I succeeded I could also use it if I couldn't cope with not being able to go back to my own life.”
“And the Minister believes that keeping Abby as far away as possible is the only option. If there is any vague connection between the two of you, it would give away your identity. From what I understand, the research on this procedure was halted and no-one really knows just how permanent it is, and whether the memories can be recovered. If they realise its you, then we could find ourselves back in the position we are now.” Lester said.
Connor felt tears stinging his eyes. It sounded like Matt and Lester had this all planned out - they were going to get rid of him without actually killing him, and make him leave Abby all alone after everything they'd been through. “Do I even get a say in this?” he finally managed to say.
“Of course. And I'll give you all the facts before you make any decisions about this,” Matt said, placing a reassuring hand on Connor's shoulder. “What Lester said is correct; the research was halted. There were a number of deaths, and a couple of people were left with no brain function at all.”
“You mean I could actually die from doing this? Great! You may as well just pass me a gun and I'll kill myself now - save all the bother of setting up your special procedure!” Connor stood up. “Look, I know you mean well and you're thinking about Abby's safety - I get that, I totally do, and its my concern too... but we're getting married. For the first time in my life I actually have something good and I can see a positive future. I can't throw that away. Your offer is a good one but I can't do it, Matt.”
Matt nodded. “I understand, and I don't blame you. We will do everything within our power to make sure Abby is protected so that you're never put in the position of having to choose. It's your decision, Connor, and the option will always be there if you change your mind.”
“I won't, but thank you.” With that, Connor left the office to go and find Abby.
-o-
“What did Matt and Lester say?” Abby asked as they drove home.
“Oh, nothing really. Just making sure I'm OK and offering me some professional counselling that's all.”
“Are you taking it?”
“No, I've got you, haven't I!” Connor laughed. “As long as we're together, everything will be fine.” Connor firmly believed that. Abby pulled a bridal magazine from her bag and began flicking through it whilst Connor drove. She had a broad smile on her face - a smile that had been pretty much fixed to her face ever since she'd proposed to him. Connor thought she'd never looked so beautiful as she did right now, and when his favourite song came on the radio he turned it up and began to sing along. Life couldn't be more perfect.
-o-
TBC
Author: prehistoriccat
Rating: T
Pairings/Characters: Abby/Connor, Matt, Lester
Disclaimer: Not mine, no coptright intended
Warning: Contains spoilers for series 5
A/N: I posted the prologue on my private journal a few weeks ago to get a bit of pom-pom waving from my friends, so thanks to the cheering squad. I'm anticipating this being 4 parts at the moment, possibly 5.
Simon Jones has no recollection of who he is after a car accident leaves him in a coma for three months. Then the nightmares begin - being chased by monsters, glowing lights and a pretty blonde who won't go away. Could she hold the key to his past?
Prologue - Present day.
Simon Jones stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror in disgust. He hadn't had a shave in days, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a proper haircut; his dark mop of hair stuck out at various angles and curled into the nape of his neck. The dark circles around his eyes told a tale of sleepless nights, poor diet and too much alcohol and his pale skin betrayed the fact that he had barely set foot outside in weeks other than to go to work. He was a mess and in danger of losing his job because of it. He'd been sent home and told to either smarten up or not bother coming in. If he knew who he actually was, he'd hate himself right now.
Nine months ago he'd woken up in a hospital bed, dazed and confused. They'd told him he'd been in a car accident and had been in a coma for three months. A female passenger, possibly his girlfriend, had been killed instantly, and they'd battled to save his life - brain surgery, blood transfusions and a kidney transplant had pulled him back from the brink but left his body lifeless until the point he chose to rejoin the living. They'd said they only knew his identity from his driving licence, and had spent the three months he'd been there trying to trace his family. It seemed his parents had both died some years previously and he had no other family. Appeals for any of his friends to come forward drew blanks and the girl that had died in the car with him carried no ID so she couldn't be traced either. They were left with this enigma of a man with no memory, just a name and a date of birth.
He went into therapy, and the specialists helped him to rebuild a new life for himself. They even helped him find a job in an office, and he quickly picked things up. He found he liked working with the computers and he earned a promotion within a couple of months. He had a nice flat and had enough money to have a few luxuries each month. He should have been happy, and was until about four months after he'd been released from hospital.
The nightmares started. He'd wake up, his body covered in sweat and his heart racing. Some of the nightmares were your standard 'being chased by a monster' types, but they felt so real as if they had actually happened. Another nightmare was about being swallowed by a glowing light. He began to hear voices too; mostly a woman's voice but occasionally a man's. He could never understand what they were saying but he thought they could be trying to tell him something. He started drinking to help him sleep, and it worked for a little while, but then the nightmares got worse and he had to drink more and more to make them stop.
Then one day, his manager asked him a question and something snapped. His head felt strange and he heard himself bite back, “Who's Simon? My name is Connor, why do you keep calling me Simon?”
The doctors said he was suffering from a kind of schizophrenia; maybe it had always been there, or perhaps it had been brought on by his accident or the brain surgery - they would never know without knowing his previous medical history or his family background. The medication helped a lot. The nightmares stopped and he felt himself again, but in the last three weeks it had started again - and it was all because of her.
He'd spotted her one morning, sitting drinking coffee at the Starbucks across from his office. He called in there every morning before going into work to get a cappuccino. She smiled at him and he found himself smiling back. She was the first female to show any kind of vague interest in him since he'd been out of hospital; most people avoided him because they thought he was weird. She had a pretty smile, and her shoulder length blonde hair looked almost white in the light coming in through the window. He could see she had lovely blue eyes, but despite her smile they seemed sad.
After that, she was there every day. Sometimes she would be sitting, drinking her coffee and reading a newspaper; other times she'd be in the queue waiting to be served. She always ordered a Chai latte, and on a Friday she had a piece of carrot cake. She never spoke, just smiled and looked at him with her sad eyes. He would acknowledge her with a smile too, buy his cappuccino and leave for work. One day, he'd pluck up the courage to say hi to her. He felt like he knew her, perhaps she was someone from his past? He had the name Annie in his head for some reason, but other than that he had no clue. Whoever she was, she looked as lonely as he felt and that was strange. A pretty girl like her would surely have a string of admirers and friends in her life, so why did she always look so sad, and what interest could she possibly have in him? He was a weirdo, likely to be on medication for the rest of his life and he had no recollection of his life prior to his accident.
The nightmares came again, more vivid this time and sometimes he'd see a blonde girl. He woke up crying; somehow he knew she was important. Perhaps she was the girlfriend who had died in the car crash? The voices seemed clearer too, the female voice belonged to the blonde girl in his nightmares but he could never see her face properly.
Simon shaved and used some hair gel to try and tame his tangled hair. He really should make an effort if he wanted to keep his job. He glanced at his watch, if he didn't hurry he'd miss her. When he arrived at Starbucks, he looked around but couldn't see her. Her usual table was occupied by someone else, and she wasn't in the queue - damn! He was too late. His heart sank, then he chastised himself - how could he be so disappointed at missing a girl he'd never spoken to and would never likely speak to? It was stupid. Then he heard a voice he recognised; it was the female's voice from his nightmares.
“Can I get a Chai latte to go please?”
He turned and came face to face with her - the pretty blonde. She was the girl in his nightmares; he did know her and that meant she knew him and she could help him piece together his old life!
“Hi,” he managed to mutter, feeling his cheeks burn.
“Hello, Connor,” she smiled. “Have you remembered who I am yet?”
“Annie?”
“Almost. I'm Abby. We need to talk.”
-o-
Part 1 - Eighteen months ago
“Congratulations on a job well done,” the Minister said, glancing around the huge conference table. “We managed to avert a major disaster and lives were saved, thanks to the actions of everyone around this table now. The world owes you all an incredible debt.”
Connor couldn't help feeling like a fraud being here. It was his fault - at least in part - that things had got to the point it did. If he'd listened to Abby in the first place and not agreed to keep his research so secret, none of it would have happened. Still, he hoped he'd redeemed himself in the end somewhat, and it did seem that people were accepting him into the team.
“Has all trace of the New Dawn project been destroyed?” The Minister asked.
“Yes, the New Dawn site is nothing but rubble,” Lester said. “And Connor and I personally oversaw the dismantling of the prototype machine in the lab. Connor has also made sure all computer files and notes have been deleted.”
“That can't have been an easy task, Mr Temple? All those months of hard work destroyed?”
“To be honest, I'm glad it's gone. I almost lost everything because of that project and Philip Burton.” Under the table, Connor stroked Abby's knee, just to make sure that she really was still there. Abby placed her hand over his. That was all the reassurance he needed. He curled his fingers into hers and felt a little tingle of excitement - for the moment, her finger was bare, but at the weekend they would be going shopping for an engagement ring. It was something he hadn't quite got his head around yet.
“Excellent. Well, that's all I needed to say. James, I trust I can leave the final matter in the capable hands of yourself and Mr Anderson?”
Lester followed the Minister to the door and there were a few whispers exchanged. Connor felt uneasy - what 'final matter' was this? He exchanged a look with Abby, who seemed as equally puzzled as he was, and then he looked at Matt who was trying desperately to look anywhere except at Connor.
Lester took a deep breath. “Abby, could you leave us alone for a few minutes? Matt and I have something we need to discuss with Connor.”
Abby stood up to leave, but Connor grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit down again. “No! Abby and I have agreed that there will be no secrets from each other any more. If there's something you need to say to me, you can say it in front of her too.”
“Connor, I promise you that you can discuss this with Abby later. We're not asking you to keep anything from her at all, it's just that this is something we need you to think about with a clear mind.” Matt spoke for the first time since the meeting had begun.
“It's OK, Connor. I'll be in the menagerie when you've finished. You can tell me all about it then.” Abby smiled, kissed Connor on the cheek and left the room. Connor suddenly felt very afraid. He was going to be sacked, he just knew it!
Lester began pacing around the room and then he cleared his throat. “It wasn't strictly true when we said all trace of the New Dawn project had been destroyed, was it?”
“I don't know what you mean?” Connor was confused. He had deleted everything himself; every single file on his computer, Burton's, April's and every Prospero computer he could find. If he'd missed something, then Burton must have had more people involved than he had realised.
“All that research and knowledge, it doesn't just go away because you'd rather not think about it.”
Connor was still confused.
“He's talking about what's inside your head, Connor.” Matt said. “New Dawn is still inside your head and that presents us with a problem.”
Connor finally realised what they were getting at. “You don't have to worry. I won't be making the same mistake again.”
“That isn't what we're concerned about, Connor. Out there are any number of mad Scientists and power crazy maniacs just like Burton. Now that the anomalies are out in the open, there will be many that will want to try and emulate what he did - and they could try to use you again, threaten your life. Could you with-hold what you know when you have a gun pointed at your head?”
Connor nodded defiantly. “I'd rather die than give up what I know to someone else!”
“What if the gun was pointed at Abby's head?” Lester knew what Connor's response would be. In all the years he'd known Connor, he had seen him lose all sense of danger and reasoning when it came to protecting Abby on several occasions. Connor had closed his eyes; Lester was right. Connor would not put Abby's life in danger by with-holding what he knew. That was a huge problem.
“What am I going to do?” Connor finally said. “It's not like I can just forget what I know is it?”
“Actually, there is a way. Matt?” Lester nodded to Matt and Connor looked over questioningly.
“It's technology from my time. A series of electrical impulses and gamma radiation bursts are fired at the brain, erasing a person's memory. Then during several hours of hypnotic suggestion, a completely new identity is given to the person with a whole new life history and no knowledge of the life they had before.”
“So, I can have this done to me and forget all about New Dawn, and then Abby will be safe?” Connor was hopeful. This sounded like a perfect solution.
“I'm afraid it's not that simple, Connor. The procedure is not selective. It erases your entire memory - you won't remember New Dawn, or the anomalies... or the ARC, or Abby... it'll be as if Connor Temple never existed.”
Connor thought for a moment. There were certain events in his life that he wouldn't mind forgetting, but having no memory at all? People he loved, things he'd done, places he'd been... Abby. “This 'new identity' thing, they could put Abby back in my memory couldn't they? Or you could do it to both of us and give us both completely new identities, a new life together.”
“There's only enough of the treatment for one person. It was intended for me to use once my mission was over,” Matt said. “If I failed, then I was given it as an option instead of committing suicide if I couldn't live with knowing what was going to happen to the Earth - and if I succeeded I could also use it if I couldn't cope with not being able to go back to my own life.”
“And the Minister believes that keeping Abby as far away as possible is the only option. If there is any vague connection between the two of you, it would give away your identity. From what I understand, the research on this procedure was halted and no-one really knows just how permanent it is, and whether the memories can be recovered. If they realise its you, then we could find ourselves back in the position we are now.” Lester said.
Connor felt tears stinging his eyes. It sounded like Matt and Lester had this all planned out - they were going to get rid of him without actually killing him, and make him leave Abby all alone after everything they'd been through. “Do I even get a say in this?” he finally managed to say.
“Of course. And I'll give you all the facts before you make any decisions about this,” Matt said, placing a reassuring hand on Connor's shoulder. “What Lester said is correct; the research was halted. There were a number of deaths, and a couple of people were left with no brain function at all.”
“You mean I could actually die from doing this? Great! You may as well just pass me a gun and I'll kill myself now - save all the bother of setting up your special procedure!” Connor stood up. “Look, I know you mean well and you're thinking about Abby's safety - I get that, I totally do, and its my concern too... but we're getting married. For the first time in my life I actually have something good and I can see a positive future. I can't throw that away. Your offer is a good one but I can't do it, Matt.”
Matt nodded. “I understand, and I don't blame you. We will do everything within our power to make sure Abby is protected so that you're never put in the position of having to choose. It's your decision, Connor, and the option will always be there if you change your mind.”
“I won't, but thank you.” With that, Connor left the office to go and find Abby.
-o-
“What did Matt and Lester say?” Abby asked as they drove home.
“Oh, nothing really. Just making sure I'm OK and offering me some professional counselling that's all.”
“Are you taking it?”
“No, I've got you, haven't I!” Connor laughed. “As long as we're together, everything will be fine.” Connor firmly believed that. Abby pulled a bridal magazine from her bag and began flicking through it whilst Connor drove. She had a broad smile on her face - a smile that had been pretty much fixed to her face ever since she'd proposed to him. Connor thought she'd never looked so beautiful as she did right now, and when his favourite song came on the radio he turned it up and began to sing along. Life couldn't be more perfect.
-o-
TBC