Primeval Fanfic: The Offer
Title: The Offer
Author: TalliW
Characters: Nick Cutter, Helen Cutter, Stephen Hart, Claudia Brown
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Primeval is the property of Impossible Pictures. I write just for fun.
Acknowledgments: Thanks to Fredbassett for beta-reading. I couldn't have done it without you.
Summary: Helen has a offer which could change Nick's life forever.
AN: My evil side wanted to play. Here is the result.;)
Meet me at six in the British Museum. I have an offer.
PS. Come alone
H.
Nick ripped the note into tiny pieces. He knew he should inform Lester and let Helen get arrested. But against his better judgment he found himself leaving the ARC at quarter past five and heading for Bloomsbury.
"Hello, Nick, nice to see you again."
"I wish I could say the same. What do you want? Make it quick."
"A deal."
"Sorry, but I'm not in a position to get you off the wanted list. And even if I were I certainly wouldn't lift a finger for you. Not after what you did to Stephen."
"Oh, still bearing a grudge? But the deal is about Stephen. You realise I can bring him back?"
"I should have known. You never change, don't you? Forget it, I'm not interested." Nick turned away in disgust.
"I want a divorce. In exchange for Stephen's rescue."
Helen's words hit him like a sledgehammer. He twirled around, his eyes narrowed and his fists balled.
Helen waited patiently while he fought for control.
"You’re a bitch, Helen," he hissed before he walked forcefully away.
"Write me a note and it leave it under the wiper of your car if you change your mind," Helen called after him.
Nick walked on as though he was in a trance. He drew his car up in front of his house. When he realised he didn't know how he had got there his hands started to tremble.
Helen watched from the shadows how Nick's resolve slowly crumpled with every day that passed. He looked gaunt and he began to lose weight. She almost had mercy on him, but only almost. It must be hard for him to fight against his own conscience.
It took eight weeks until she found the small post-it note under his wiper.
"Agreed."
"Good. But I have a small condition."
Cutter snorted. " Typical. That was to be expected. Forget it. The deal is off. I'm not helping you in any way."
"Wait, Nick. The condition isn't about me. After I’ve brought Stephen back I want you to make a honest man of him."
"What? Are you mad?" That certainly wasn't what he had expected from Helen.
"He loves you. And he deserves a little happiness."
"Don't act as if you suddenly care for him."
"Even if you don't believe me I do care for him. I always have. Do you agree? Divorce for me and marriage for Stephen in exchange for rescuing him.
"I'm not into men, Helen."
"Oh really?" Helen shrugged her shoulders. "Then close your eyes and think of England. But I've seen you checking him out sometimes. Don't tell me you’ve never thought about it. I know it's not really such a hardship for you as you make it seem. In the past you have practically shared everything."
"Including you, you mean?" Cutter threw in and watched with satisfaction as Helen flinched.
Squaring her shoulders she eyed him challengingly, "Well, those are my conditions. It's your choice."
Nick bit his lips and thought about the many times Stephen had been there for him, always the good friend, following him almost everywhere he was going. Stephen hadn't deserved to be torn into pieces by a bunch of predators.
"Promise me you will change nothing else.You only make sure that the door mechanism doesn't get damaged. We have to keep the changes to the timeline to a minimum."
"I know what is at stake, Nick. I've learnt my lesson not to tamper with time."
"Good."
Cutter was walking away quickly and didn't hear her added words.
"Don't worry, Nick. I'll make everything all right again."
Nick woke up to the smell of coffee and roasted toast. Stephen was in the kitchen after he had apparently crashed on Cutter's couch the way he had done so many times in the past.
"Stephen," Cutter breathed out, unable to take his eyes off his friend, standing in his kitchen so alive and with a smile on his face that slowly turned into an expression of worry as Cutter continued staring at him.
"Hey, what's the matter? You’re acting as if you’ve seen a ghost."
Cutter just pulled Stephen into his arms and held him tight.
"Cutter, what's going on? You’re behaving strangely this morning. Have you had another nightmare?"
"My whole life was just a nightmare until now," Cutter mumbled.
Stephen looked puzzled but returned Cutter's embrace. If his best friend needed reassurance then he was willing to indulge him.
"What are you doing?" Stephen wrenched from Cutter's arms, when he felt butterfly kisses against his neck.
"Don't you like it? I know you have feelings for me."
Stephen lowered his head, ashamed. "Don't play with me. I'm sorry I can't change how I feel. If you want me to leave..."
"Hush. It's all right."
Nick took Stephen's face in his hands and looked deeply into the sad blue eyes. When he pressed his lips against Stephen's Nick's heartbeat quickened. Stephen's lips were almost as soft as Claudia's had been. He leaned into Stephen's hard body and thought of the woman he had lost...
"We are happy to welcome a former colleague into our fold again. After gathering some experience in another department Claudia Brown has decided to return to the anomaly project. In the future she will be my right hand man. I hope you will follow her orders as though they come directly from me."
Whilst the others snickered about Lester's last comment, Cutter stood frozen. Claudia is back, his mind screamed in shock.
He gaped at Claudia as she was welcomed with a hug by Abby and a handshake from Connor.
Stephen only waved half-heartedly.
When she finally turned to Cutter he had calmed down enough to put a smile on his face.
"Claudia," he breathed out, trying to convey his feelings with that single word. "You have been badly missed."
"Thanks, Nick. I'm sorry for leaving so abruptly but after I got nearly killed by those birds I had to get away for a while. But I promised you I would return. So here I am."
Impulsively Nick engulfed her in a hug which she returned warmly and pressed her face into his neck.
A slight cough interrupted their reunion.
"And what has been happening while I was away?" Claudia asked with a blush as she parted from Cutter.
Stephen stepped forwards and wrapped an arm possessively around Cutter's waist.
"We plan to have a civil partnership in three weeks," he announced proudly.
"Oh! Congratulations then," Claudia replied shaken.
Nick had paled visibly and would have slumped down if Stephen hadn't supported him.
"Is everything all right, darling?" Stephen asked in concern and gently caressed Nick's cheek, his eyes firmly directed at Claudia all the while.
"I'm okay," Nick said tonelessly despite the fact that he felt like crying.
Helen switched the tiny camera off that she had hidden in the ARC.
She was smiling happily as she walked away.
Being familiar with Nick's sense of responsibility she knew he would stay true to his word.
She was free and he would suffer for the rest of his life, caught in a relationship with Stephen whilst the person he truly loved was nearby but beyond reach.
Repairing damage had never felt so good.