Disclaimer: Characters are not mine, no copyright intended

A/N: Birthday fic for my wonderful friend iEvenstarEstel, who just wanted me to write something inspired by the photos of ALP on set in Vancouver for Primeval: New World.

The best things about birthdays in fandom is we all get to share - if you enjoy this, please let me know

"You're kidding right?" Connor looked at the bundle that Becker had just placed on the desk in front of him. "I thought it was just you and your men that were getting these?"

"Lester's orders. All agents going out into the field are to be identifiable as belonging to the ARC now. He's not asking for full military get-up, just the jacket."

Connor sniffed and unfolded one of the jackets. He supposed it was OK, a smart plain black coat with ARC badges sewn onto the sleeves. It could have been a lot worse, but the thought of a uniform just filled him with dread and bad thoughts about being bullied at school.

"Surely you didn't agree to these, Matt?"

Matt laughed. "Actually, I did. I was against them when we were operating in secret because I thought they'd draw unwanted attention to ourselves. But now, the general public need the reassurance that there's a specialist team dealing with the anomalies and we need to be visible to help calm any fears. There's a lot of very concerned people out there, Connor."

Connor sighed. He had been keeping a very low profile these last few months, still believing the others held him responsible for what happened. Perhaps if he'd listened to Abby and focussed his research on the right things, they wouldn't be in this situation now. Anomalies opening worldwide, everyone suddenly becoming an expert on dinosaurs and each with their own theories. Chaos was too mild a word for what was going on out there at times.

Matt had slipped his jacket on, and instantly he seemed to take on an air of authority. Maybe he was right; it was what was needed now. Emily was also wearing a jacket and twirling around whilst a giggling Jess told her how great she looked. The only one who seemed nonplussed about the whole thing was Abby. She hadn't even bothered to show up for this latest debrief. It concerned Connor a little that she wasn't showing enthusiasm for the latest developments, but he also understood why. She had withdrawn herself from the field team, choosing to concentrate purely on the menagerie and studying the creatures. It was the right thing to do, given that she was almost six months pregnant now, but he knew she missed being in the thick of the action and she felt that being around the others was just torture.

"OK, as of today, these jackets are to be worn whenever we are out in the field dealing with an anomaly," Matt began. "And make sure you get your new identity cards from Jess. We're now officially recognised by the police and military, and we have authority over them when it comes to an anomaly. They have to do as we say; whether it be in assisting in keeping the public away, or supplying extra manpower to handle a creature incursion. Becker will be the main liaison there, whilst Emily will handle more general enquiries and try to calm fears." He smiled warmly at Emily who was clearly pleased to finally be given a specific role on the team. "I will be the main co-ordinator, with Jess handling things from here, being our eyes and ears at all times. Abby of course will be in charge of the creatures and their welfare."

"What about me?" Connor's voice almost stuck in this throat. He rarely spoke up in these meetings now, and he feared that by keeping a low profile he'd been forgotten about.

"That's a very good question," Lester said. No-one had actually seen him come in, but he'd obviously heard at least part of the conversation. "I see the uniforms fit well. Are we set for this new phase?" They all nodded. "Good, now get back to doing what I pay you to do!" With smiles, they all began to slowly disperse, comparing their uniforms and going over to Jess to get their new ID cards. "Connor... we need to talk. My office in half an hour."

Connor nodded and found himself blinking away tears. The time had come; he knew it would eventually. There wasn't a place for him in this new version of the ARC team; research didn't feature in their plans; it was just too dangerous, and it was obvious that they didn't think he could be trusted in the field – and he only had himself to blame this time. The room emptied and he tried to compose himself. Half an hour was all he had left in this job that had become his life. It was the thought of coming back to the ARC that had kept him sane during the year he had spent trapped in the Cretaceous era with Abby; if it was taken away from him now he didn't know how he'd cope.

He picked up his new ARC jacket and flung it over his shoulder. He hadn't bothered to try it on, figuring it didn't matter whether it fitted or not. He'd probably be asked to hand it back in during his meeting with Lester anyway. He wished Lester would just tell him now and get it over with; the next half an hour would be the longest of his entire life.

His mobile rang; it was Abby calling. "How did the meeting go?" she wanted to know. "I saw everyone else coming out, what's with the uniforms?"

"It's all part of this new 'going public' thing." he sighed.

"Come and see me. I want to see you in your uniform. I bet you look really hot and sexy!"

Connor laughed. Abby always seemed to know the right thing to say to him when he was down. As he made his way to the menagerie, he wondered if he should tell her that he was about to be sacked. He knew she'd be angry too, and that wasn't something he wanted if he could avoid it. It wouldn't be good for her or the baby, so he decided he'd keep it to himself for a while until he couldn't avoid telling her any longer.

She was sat at her desk with her left hand resting on the swell of her stomach. He stood and admired her for a moment before stepping into the office; he adored the way she looked right now, being pregnant suited her. She'd really bloomed over the last few weeks now that she'd passed the morning sickness phase and some initial concerns about her blood pressure. She now had a slightly rosy glow about her too. He was also particularly happy about the fact her breasts had grown larger, and though he'd never actually say it, he secretly hoped they'd stay that way after she'd given birth.

"Let's have a look at your uniform then!" Abby said as Connor finally came in. He felt his cheeks flush hot as he slipped the jacket on. "Turn around," she commanded, and Connor obeyed. He wasn't one for showing off, even for Abby, and he felt a little uncomfortable.

"It's awful isn't it?" he said.

"No. I think it suits you. You look... manly."

"No, Becker and Matt look manly. I just look like a schoolboy wearing his dad's army jacket."

"Stop it, Connor!" Abby admonished. "You shouldn't keep putting yourself down, and you certainly shouldn't keep comparing yourself to Matt and Becker. Who's the one with a pregnant fiancée hmm?" She grabbed Connor's wrist and pulled him closer, kissing his hand. He sighed, and tried to raise a smile. Abby was right, but then again, Becker and Matt weren't the ones that were about to be out of a job. Abby picked up on his mood straight away. "Conn? This isn't about the uniform is it? What else happened in that meeting?"

"Everyone's been assigned specific roles on the new team, even Emily. Everyone except me." He immediately regretted saying anything about his concerns when he saw Abby's face fall. The last thing he wanted was for her to worry about him. Her hand cupped his cheek, gazing into his eyes with a concerned look on her face. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. "It'll be OK. I have to go and see Lester in a few minutes."

"Yeah, maybe they changed their minds about the research and they're going to put you in charge of that?"

Connor nodded. He wished he believed that. Abby sensed he was uneasy and took his hand and placed it on her bump. "Can you feel him kicking?" she whispered. "He's trying to tell his daddy not to be so silly." There was nothing more wondrous in Connor's mind than the sensation of feeling his unborn son kicking inside Abby's body. It jolted him back to reality. If he really was about to lose his position at the ARC, then it wouldn't be the end of the world. He'd been through more difficult times than this, and all that really mattered was that he still had Abby and their son.

His comm device beeped and his heart leapt into his mouth. This was it. Jess's voice came on and told him Lester was ready for him when he was. "I'm sure it's not going to be as bad as you think," Abby whispered, stroking his hand. "Come and see me as soon as you've finished."

With a deep breath, Connor stood up and prepared to face Lester.

-o-

"Connor, take a seat." Lester didn't even look up as Connor came into his office. He was busy scribbling something in his notepad. Nervously, Connor sat in the chair opposite Lester, perching himself on the edge of it. After his earlier thoughts about the uniform reminding him of school bullies, this felt like being summoned to the Headmaster's office to explain himself. He chewed on a split fingernail then checked himself, hearing Abby's voice in his head telling him it was a disgusting habit. He then sat on his hand so that he wouldn't be tempted and let out a sigh. There was nothing else for it, he had to say something.

"So, how much notice do I have to work?"

"Notice?" Lester looked confused. "You're not resigning are you?"

"Resigning? No... I'm being sacked aren't I?"

"Don't be so ridiculous, Connor. What on earth gave you that idea?"

Connor suddenly felt like a weight had been lifted from his head. He wasn't losing his job! "When the jobs were being handed out earlier, there was no mention of my role."

"Ah, yes. As you're aware, we've had to make a number of changes to the way we function and we have to keep the government happy since they're now giving us the shortfall in funding we lost when Prospero collapsed. They want to purely concentrate on being seen to handle the anomalies and creature incursions."

"I understand that, but where does it leave me? I can handle myself out in the field – I survived a year in the Cretaceous in case you've forgotten." Connor could feel his anger building now, his hands tightening into fists. If they dared to suggest again that he wasn't capable of handling the field work, he'd flip.

"We feel your skills would be of more use elsewhere. Since new research is on hold for the time being, we've decided to second you out to some of our international teams and help them set up the basic equipment they need – ADDs, locking devices, dating calculators..."

"International? You mean, abroad?"

Lester rolled his eyes. "Yes, Connor, I mean abroad! After New Dawn, this went global and various governments have set up their own teams. Some have asked for our assistance and expertise." He handed a large envelope to Connor. "I trust your passport is up to date? You're booked onto a flight to Vancouver tomorrow morning. Matt's counterpart, Evan Cross, will be at the airport to meet you."

Connor smiled. "Vancouver? Cool. Abby said not so long ago she'd like to visit Vancouver. She was looking for some boots on the internet and came across some pretty expensive ones there called Fluevogs. She made me memorise the name, think she was kind of hinting at me buying her some for her birthday."

Lester cleared his throat. "I'm afraid the ticket is just for you. I did argue the case for Abby to go with you, but unfortunately Abby's recent medical issues ruled her out. The government medic wouldn't clear her for a long haul flight given that she's six months pregnant with a history of high blood pressure."

Connor's head was full of conflict. The thought of helping a new team get set up was exciting; he remembered demonstrating his prototype equipment to the others and the buzz he'd got when it all worked and made their job so much easier. However, he hadn't been separated from Abby since the time before the Cretaceous when he'd moved out of the flat to let Jack move in, and she was pregnant. "Do I get a choice in this?" he said finally.

"You don't have to go, and I do understand why you might be reluctant. But, Abby still has three months to go and you'll be away for two weeks at the most. I'll make sure she's OK if you're worried about her." Lester looked at the expression on Connor's face. He really did sympathise with the younger man; he'd been in a similar situation himself when his wife was expecting their first child and he was asked to assist with a tricky diplomatic situation in the Yemen. He saw himself in Connor right now. "Look, your flight is at 11am, you have to be checked in at Heathrow by 8am... that gives you about 20 hours to discuss this with Abby. If either of you have any reservations about this at all, then I'll call Evan in the morning and see if we can arrange for him to send one of his team over here for training instead."

Connor nodded and stood up, thanked Lester and made his way out of the office in a daze.

-o-

"Of course you're going, Connor!" Abby had already pulled the battered suitcase out from the cupboard and had it open on the bed. "There's no-one else who knows that technology better than you do."

Connor sniffed and put his hand on her stomach. "I just don't want to leave you when you're..."

"I'm pregnant, Connor. It's not a terminal disease and it's not a disability. You'll be home in two weeks and it'll fly by. Besides, it'll be nice to have some time to myself. I can finish painting the nursery without you interfering." She gave him a friendly shove and laughed.

"See, that's exactly why I shouldn't be going! You'll be up and down those ladders doing god only knows what harm to yourself and the baby!"

"Connor. You're going to Vancouver and that's that. Now – any idea what the weather is like over there? Am I going to need to pack some hoodies for you?"

Connor knew there would be no further arguing and resigned himself to this. He'd be flying tomorrow and leaving Abby behind. "I have no idea. It's Canada, so I guess it'll be cold." He shrugged his shoulders.

Abby rolled her eyes and sighed. "Internet, Connor. Go and find out! How am I supposed to get you organised properly if you don't get the facts." She practically shoved him out of the bedroom and turned away as she began to rummage through the drawers to find clothing to put in the suitcase for Connor.

Sat as his computer, Connor blinked and tried to gather his thoughts. When did Abby get so 'mother hen' like and bossy? Perhaps it was her hormones preparing her for motherhood? Or had she always been like this and he was just hyper sensitive to it at the moment? Whatever it was, she was busy making sure he would be ready to go to Vancouver tomorrow whether he liked it or not. He found a travel website that gave a five day weather forecast – cold, rainy and miserable – just like home really except he'd be there alone. It looked like he would need the hoodies, and his gloves, and he wondered if the new uniform jacket would be waterproof and warm.

It did look like an interesting place though. Connor spent a good half an hour browsing the site and found someone who had put together a list of places to visit that had been used in films and TV; he recognised the names of a lot of them and a smile crept onto his face. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad spending a few days there without Abby after all. She wouldn't want to visit the old mine that had been in the X-Files movie, or the forest that had been on that SyFy version of Alice in Wonderland, so he could go and see them without feeling he needed to keep her happy too.

Feeling a little more positive, he shut the computer down and went back to the bedroom to tell Abby she would need to pack some warm clothes for him. Through the crack in the open door he could see the suitcase on the bed, almost full with neatly folded clothes. Trust Abby to be so efficient and organised. He was willing to bet that nothing would be forgotten. "You've been busy," he said cheerily, pushing the door open. Then his face fell and concern overwhelmed him. Abby was sat on the floor, knees bent and her head buried in her arms, sobbing hard. He was beside her instantly, wrapping his arms around her. "Abs? What's wrong? Are you hurting? Is it the baby? You should have shouted for me, do I need to get a doctor?"

"It's not the baby, Connor." She leaned against his chest. "Don't mind me, just being silly."

"If you're upset, then it's not silly." He squeezed her hand. "What is it?"

"I didn't think it would bother me, but it does. I knew when we decided to have this baby that it would change things, I just ..."

"If you don't want me to go, then I won't." He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. Abby cupped his cheek and gazed up into his caring eyes, full of concern and love for her.

"You have to go. It's important. We just have to get used to it; chances are Lester will ask you to travel to other countries too until everything's settled down. I know we said we'd always do things together, but we're going to have to make a few sacrifices for a while."

Connor nodded. "I suppose the more groundwork I put in now, the less time I'll have to spend in the future sorting things out once this one arrives." He slid his arm from Abby's shoulder down to cradle her stomach, and then he softly kissed her. "Lester said he'd look out for you whilst I'm away, so I think you'll be OK."

"Lester?"

"Don't sound so surprised. He likes you; I think he sees you as the daughter he never had."

Abby closed her eyes. Connor was right; and if truth be known she was fond of Lester too. Apart from Connor, he was the last connection to the original team and the only other person who really understood why some things were more important to her and Connor than others. She also knew that she wouldn't be on her own whilst Connor was away, the others would fuss around her even though she'd been pushing them away the last few weeks. Jess had offered to help with setting up the nursery, maybe this would be the perfect time to take her up on the offer and rebuild a few bridges.

Pulling herself together, she nestled further into Connor's embrace and smiled. "So, did you find out what the weather is like over there?"

"Mm, yeah. Cold and wet."

"Good job I've put you plenty of shirts and things in that you can layer. And there's enough clean pairs of boxers for 14 days, which means you'll end up bringing at least 7 pairs home unworn."

"You think I'm only going to be there a week then?"

"No, I just know what you're like and you won't have me reminding you to change your underwear every morning!" She laughed, then sighed and glanced at her watch. "You should think about getting some sleep, we'll need to be up by 6am to make sure we get to Heathrow in time, and there's an 8 hour time difference – it's going to be a very long day tomorrow."

Connor stood up and moved the suitcase to the floor before settling himself down on the bed and beckoning for Abby to follow. She slid next to him, resting her head on his chest as his arm circled around her protectively. Unconsciously, her hand slowly trailed down Connor's flat stomach and slid under the hem of his t-shirt. Connor gave a soft laugh and placed his hand over hers. "Thought you said I should get some sleep?" he whispered.

"I did," she whispered back. "Just thought I'd help you relax a little." He let out a sigh as Abby's nimble fingers unfastened the button on his jeans and moved under the waistband of his boxer shorts. He closed his eyes; this was definitely a great way to relax and he would sleep well tonight. He felt Abby's soft lips on the bare flesh of his stomach she'd exposed by pulling his t-shirt up a little, and then the warmth of her breath as she lowered the zip and slid her hand inside his boxers completely and grasped his rapidly growing erection.

Connor felt his groin tighten and his breath hitched; he knew exactly what was coming next. Abby's well practised lips slid over the tip of his cock, and as she slowly moved up and down the shaft he reached down and lazily tangled his fingers into her hair. He realised he could quite easily lay here all night and listen to the satisfied groans Abby was giving as she sucked and licked him, bringing him almost to the point where he'd be teetering on the edge of complete abandonment and then stopping just a moment long enough to calm the fire before beginning the sweet torture again.

Abby sat up after some minutes and Connor opened his eyes to gaze up at her. She gazed back through heavy lidded eyes and smiled. "I won't see you for two weeks," she purred. "We need to make this memorable."

"It's always memorable with you." He sat up, pulling Abby into a soft, lingering kiss and his hands gliding to the swell of her stomach. Barely parting, they helped each to remove their t-shirts and then Abby reached behind to unhook her bra. Connor couldn't help smiling at the sight before him. He knew Abby sometimes felt she was fat and unattractive, but right now she had never looked more beautiful; her full, heavy breasts almost resting on the perfect roundness of her belly and their unborn son.

"What?" Abby whispered. She could see Connor was deep in thought.

"Just memorising, that's all. Wouldn't want to forget whilst I'm not here."

Abby's hands moved to Connor's jeans and boxers again, tugging at them so they slid down over his slender hips. He wriggled to help her remove them completely and then tugged at the waistband of the loose fitting sweat pants Abby was wearing. Moments later, both were naked and locked into an embrace; mouths crushed together and hands exploring flesh as the heat between them rose. Connor cupped a breast with one hand, kneading it and tweaking the hard nipple between his fingers before leaning in and taking it between his teeth. He gave it a playful nip and then soothed it with the flat of his tongue as Abby gave a contented sigh. His other hand drifted down between her thighs and she opened wide for him to allow his long fingers to slide inside her.

Abby writhed into his touch, seeking his cock with her own hands. She grasped him, stroking its length with a firm, steady movement and Connor matched her rhythm with his fingers sliding confidently in and out of her slick entrance.

"Make love to me?" Abby breathed as Connor shifted his attention to her other breast. He sat back and gave a small nod, allowing Abby to straddle his lap and find a position that was comfortable. Once settled, he gently pushed himself up to meet her downward movement and slid easily into her, resting his hands on her hips.

Abby held his face in both her hands and gazed down longingly into Connor's eyes. Slowly, they moved together, joined as one. They had connected like this so many times now, but it still felt as wonderful as that very first time hidden in the canopy of the tall tree in the Cretaceous.

"OK?" Connor whispered, grasping the soft flesh of Abby's backside firmly.

"More than OK," Abby responded, leaning forward to kiss him. His tongue pushed into her mouth and she allowed her own to tangle with it, breathing in his sighs. Connor increased his pace and Abby showed her appreciation with a groan. It wasn't that long ago that he'd been afraid he would harm the baby in some way, but the hours of research he did reassured him that their sex life needn't be dramatically changed as long as they chose a position Abby felt comfortable with.

"I'm almost there, Conn."

"With you!" He knew exactly what it would take to bring her over the edge and slid his hands around to the point where they joined. Abby leaned back slightly, steadying herself with her hand placed around his neck. She threw her head back and abandoned herself to the waves of pleasure beginning to surge through every nerve in her body whilst she matched Connor's thrusting by grinding into him with her hips.

Moments before he came, Connor felt a rush of adrenalin and sheer love that overwhelmed him. Becker could keep his guns and tanks, and Matt could keep his leadership skills that everyone respected; what Connor had at this moment was a million times better. His tears fell uncontrollably when he finally released, gasping for air and gripping Abby so tightly he feared he'd bruised her. She was sobbing too, riding wave after wave of ecstasy whilst her internal muscles clamped around Connor's shaft, claiming him as hers.

Finally, after some minutes, Abby fell limp in Connor's arms and he slowly withdrew, pulling her closer to his chest and then guiding the both of them down to lay on their sides facing each other. "Love you," Connor said softly, moving a stray strand of hair from Abby's face and smiling at her flushed, sweaty face.

"Love you too, Connor." Abby kissed him tenderly on the tip of his nose, then his forehead and then his lips before snuggling into the warmth and security of his embrace. Sleep followed swiftly afterwards.

-o-

Connor squinted up at the departures board and sighed. He couldn't put this off any longer; the Vancouver flight was being called and he had to leave now. His bags had been checked in for some time, but he'd put off going through the main security checks for as long as possible so that he could spend time with Abby. She squeezed his hand and he looked at her. She had a stray tear trailing down her cheek. Silently he reached up and wiped it away with his thumb then kissed the spot where it had hung, tasting the slight saltiness left behind.

"You have to go, Connor," she whispered. "You'll miss your flight."

"I know. You've got Lester's number? And Becker's? And..."

"I have everyone's number, Connor, but I won't need them. I'll be fine, stop worrying."

"If you have any trouble with the webcam, call Jess. She can sort it out..."

"I know how to work the webcam. We'll be able to chat when you're settled in your hotel room." She took a deep breath and released his hand. "Go, Connor."

He nodded, fighting his own tears and managed to say "I love you" through the lump stuck in his throat. As he turned to make his way to the security gate, Abby grabbed his wrist and pulled him back into a kiss, soft and warm. Connor felt her push something into his back pocket, but as they parted and he tried to see what it was, she tugged his hand away and told him to wait until he was through security. She whispered "I love you" and gave him a gentle shove. It really was time for him to go.

Connor tried not to look back as he waited for his passport to be checked and then waited to be told to go through the security screen. This was probably the hardest thing he had ever done and if he saw Abby now, he'd probably run back to her. He had to be strong – it was two weeks; the time would fly by and he'd be home again before he knew it. It wasn't such a big deal was it?

The scanner beeped as he went through and a security guard motioned for him to come over. Connor held up his arms whilst a baton was waved over his body. It beeped as it passed his back pocket. "Would you mind emptying your pocket for me, sir?"

What had Abby put in there? He probably should've checked before this point. Maybe she'd deliberately put something in that would get him stopped at security and prevent him from going? Surely she wouldn't do that? She knew she only had to say if she wanted him to stay.

His hand pulled out a familiar object and it made him smile. A gold wedding ring threaded onto a leather cord, and a small piece of paper taped to it. "Think you need this more than I do whilst you're away. Wear it again and think of me and our baby, and think of your dad and how proud he'd be of you right now. Love you. X"

The security guard allowed him to continue on to the departure gate, and Connor slid the cord around his neck. It felt right being there again, like a small piece of him had been missing. He had always intended for the ring to be worn by the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but whilst he was apart from her he would be glad to feel its presence again. Tucking it safely away under his shirt, he joined the queue to board his flight.

He was ready for whatever Vancouver was going to throw at him.