Another Life

by ZephyrToo

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Notes: Actual dialog from various episodes is in italics and quotes.

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Chapter 1

"Dinosaurs? Oh come on. Why am I here, really?"

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Professor Cutter watched Lester and the others walk away and the panic attack hit him like a thunderbolt. His heart started beating nineteen-to-the-dozen and he broke out in a cold sweat. He didn't know these people, he didn't know this place. For God's sake, he didn't even know where he lived in this timeline. What the Hell was he supposed to do now?

He glared at the glass and concrete around him. It made him feel like a specimen in a zoo. Like everyone was watching him, just waiting for him to finally, completely, go off the rails. Insane. He knew he'd pretty much gone over the line when they'd been introduced to Jenny Lewis. Couldn't help himself. He wanted Claudia back. Wanted his world back. Wanted Ryan and his men to still be alive, and so desperately wanted to be ignorant of Helen's 'unfinished business'. To know again that Stephen was someone he could trust.

The world wobbled and he grabbed for the railing beside him. He tried to take deep breaths, even as part of his brain reminded him that he hadn't had any food or sleep for over 24 hours. The worst 24 hours of his life. No wonder he was losing it.

Suddenly Connor was there, supporting his elbow.

"Whoa. Easy now. Take it easy Professor." Connor's eyes searched his face, then his mouth firmed as he evidently came to a decision. "Come on, let's get you somewhere where you can sit down for a minute."

"OK. I'm OK." Cutter took a couple of deep breaths and let himself be guided along the walkway towards a branching corridor. Connor's look of disbelief made Cutter's mouth twitch in a grimace of acknowledgment. Alright, so he wasn't OK. He knew he was shivering, and he knew Connor could feel it. Probably walking like a drunk too. God, he felt old.

"Right, and I'm the tooth fairy. Pleased to meet you." Connor's trademark grin was there and gone in a flash.

His care and concern were touching. He constantly scanned their surroundings to see if they we being observed, and his support of Cutter was as subtle as possible considering he was the only reason Cutter hadn't fallen on his face yet.

"This way, your office is just down here," Connor whispered as they passed offices full of people he didn't recognise.

Cutter's steps faltered. He had an office here? Here? What had happened to his office at the University? Did he even have a job there still?

"What? What did I say?" Connor was starting to sound a bit panicky himself. His glance ricocheted up and down the corridor as if searching for a predator.

"N-Nothing. Never mind. Where's that ch-chair you promised me?" Cutter tried to smile. He knew it was feeble, but it was the best he could do right now. Talking like a drunk as well. Not good.

Finally Connor steered him into a room at the end of the corridor. It was opposite a fire exit and therefore not overlooked. Cutter was grateful for small mercies. There was far too much glass in this place. He loathed it already.

Cutter made for the first chair he laid his eyes on, which happened to be behind a desk. Connor grabbed his arm more firmly and swung him around 90 degrees. "No, over here." Thank God, a sofa. Or at least, what passed for a sofa in modern-day office Hell. Tucked into a corner opposite the desk, it was black, padded and inviting. With Connor's help he staggered over and all but collapsed onto it.

Much to his relief, the world went away.

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TBC...

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