Lester’s Office - the Anomaly Research Centre, London

[itsananomaly]

Cutter was not aware of how much time had passed between getting off the motorway and heading back to the ARC since both him and Connor had ended up falling asleep on the trip back. As soon as they had arrived, he and Connor had received a summons to Lester’s office and he wondered why and then realised with a sinking feeling that Lester probably already knew what had happened. He didn’t have the energy for this, he just wanted to go home with Connor and not do anything ..he was emotionally and physically exhausted and he imagined that Connor felt the same but he also wasn’t in the mood to deal with an angry Lester, so reluctantly he and Connor headed to his office and Stephen was already there. Cutter trembled, if he wasn’t so exhausted he would have already taken a swing at him. “What are you doing here?” he spat instead. [part 4, some fallout and our own blending of canon with Fandom. Preplayed with the amazing anaomaly_research_nerd. NFB but OOC welcome!]

Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen just looked at them both as they walked in. Glancing from Cutter to Connor and then dropping his gaze, not answering as he turned to look over at Lester with a slight sigh.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor narrowed his eyes as he saw Stephen there already. As they walked in, he put a hand on Cutter's shoulder and lead him in, going to stand on the far side of the office as far away from Stephen as he could.
Lester(thearcfamily)	"I summoned him here because apparently asking you all to behave like adults out on the field was asking too much," Lester snapped at them, "what were you thinking?" he paused, "no wait, let me amend that clearly you weren't thinking because otherwise you would have known better than to get into a brawl on the M25, where any number of the UK's press could have seen you,"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter flinched and struggled to come up with a convincing story that Lester would believe, he looked back and forth between Connor and Stephen, he didn’t really want to say what happened … that Helen had been involved in this, he knew that would likely get him put on desk duty or something worse, “it’s … it … it was a misunderstanding Lester, it won’t happen again,” he said quickly.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor was still eyeing Stephen icily only pulling his gaze away when Cutter began to speak. He was so tempted just then, the throbbing in his ribs and the ache in his arm reminding him all too clearly of what had happened, he so wanted to just throw Stephen under the bus. But he knew that wasn't the answer. It would just make things worse for Nick. And that was the last thing he wanted to do just then. "It was my fault" Connor said, catching a glance from Cutter, quickly continuing before he could protest. "I... I let things go to my head. Opened my mouth and said something stupid. As usual."
Lester(thearcfamily)	Whatever Lester had been expecting it wasn’t this … he looked between the three of them, “you caused this brawl?” he said staring at Connor as if trying to catch him out in a lie, he looked at Stephen then, “is this true? Jenny told me that you never showed up for the mission?”
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Something came up and I got delayed," Stephen said simply. "Didn't make it to the M25 till everything was basically done." The entire time Stephen kept his gaze fixed on the floor, hoping Lester would just get this over with.
Lester(thearcfamily)	Lester stared at Stephen, intending to make this as uncomfortable as possible for Stephen, "you got delayed?" he said incredulously, "have you ever heard of this wonderful invention called a mobile phone? You could have simply picked it up and given someone a call, especially as I'm led to believe Professor Cutter was lucky to make it out of their alive without being trampled on by the mammoth?" he said pointedly. "they could have used your help, they were counting on you and you let the team down, it goes without saying that I'm very disappointed in you, the lot of you," he growled as he turned his attention back to Connor and Cutter.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"yeah...Sorry," Stephen said, shifting uncomfortably. "It... it won't happen again." Stephen looked up at Cutter and Connor, then back to Lester. "Cooler heads will prevail next time," he said with the faintest of smirks. If Connor wanted to play the martyr, Stephen was not going to stop the kid.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor looked across the office, eyes locking with Stephen's for a moment holding it with a silent glare until Stephen broke the gaze. Vaguely, he was aware of Cutter beside him and he tried to stay calm and to just get through this.
Lester(thearcfamily)	Lester sighed, he was reasonably sure that Connor was not the one at fault but short of Stephen confessing there wasn’t much that he could do about it, “be that as it may, I’m giving you all a warning, I want you to go home, have a couple of days off and then when you have calmed down I want you back at the ARC without getting into fisticuffs. Do I make myself clear?”
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter didn’t say anything at first, he wasn’t going to promise that the next time he saw Stephen he wasn’t going to punch him. But he was really tired and angry and he just wanted to go home, he sighed and nodded, “I will do my best to not hit Stephen again,” It was the closest he was going to get to promising.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	“I’ll be more mindful too," Connor said trying not to grit his teeth too much as he said it. "Sorry " If he was going to try and take the blame for it all, would need the apology as well.
Lester(thearcfamily)	It wasn’t quite what he was hoping for but Lester knew that it was the closest to an agreement that he was going to get, “good, now everyone get the hell out of my office,” he snapped, “I won’t be so forgiving next time,”
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen nodded and looked like he was about to say something as he caught Connor and Cutter's gaze but then closed his mouth, and simply walked out, not saying a word to either of them..
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter sighed, staring after Stephen as he left, he hesitated and reached out to take Connor’s hand so that they could head home.