The ARC - Later Monday

[itsananomaly]

Cutter had stormed out of Lester's office, not sure where he was going to be going but he wanted to be as far away from Danny as he could be because otherwise he would end up punching him ... he found himself at the lab where his Connor was analysing some fungi that he and Abby had found while they'd been investigating an anomaly. He needed a distraction, lab work might help. He took a deep breath as he entered, "hey Connor, need any help with that?" [preplayed with the amazing anomaly_research_nerd. Adapted from Series 3 episode 5 'Future Epidemic'. NFB for distance but OOC welcome.

Connor(thearcfamily)	"Oh Professor... hey," Connor said looking up from the samples he had been studying. He gave a somewhat awkward smile at Cutter. It had been a little while since they had really spent a lot of time together, the media frenzy around everything had gotten to be a bit much for everyone and Connor hadn't really known how to react around Cutter at first. But now, that things were claiming down and maybe getting back to some semblance of normalcy, it was getting easier to be around Cutter and the other Connor. "Ummm sure, I could use a second pair of hands if ya want" he said with a small smile. "Just running some tests on this stuff we found at an anomaly site. No creatures that we found but we think this fungus might have come through somehow" he said with a nod towards the Petrie dishes he was examining.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter gave a small grateful smile at that as he went to get a pair of gloves, he had felt bad that he hadn't been spending as much time with just his Connor, he really should change that, "Thank you," he said relieved to be able to do something to distract himself from everything with Danny, "now that is interesting," he remarked as he peered towards the Petrie dishes, "what do you need me to do?"
Connor(thearcfamily)	Connor gave a smile and nod and stepped aside so Cutter could see the spores that were already starting to form in the dishes. "Right now we're just basically doing the standard analysis. We don't know what this is or anything about it really so we're starting with the basics- how it reacts to light, heat, moisture, that sort of thing." Connor glanced at the setup and then back to Cutter. "Not been much change yet but that's probably because the spores we found seemed to be dry. They're probably inert right now."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded thoughtfully, "I would be very curious to see how they would react to moisture," he considered, "if they're dry, that should see some movement, depending on what period the fungi have come from," "Was this the only sample that you found?" he asked.
Connor(thearcfamily)	"Right, I was just about to run that test and see what kind of growth we get" Connor said nodding to the small vial of sterile water that he had ready to go. "We found a small pile of what we think are the spores. Took a large enough sample to make up these few dishes here so we should have enough material to work with." Connor looked over at Cutter with a soft almost wistful smile. "So how... how have you been doing with everything? I... I know those few weeks with the press were a bit tense... for all of us really."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "it's ... it's been an interesting few weeks," he admitted, "I was really hoping I'd seen the last of Danny and now it looks like he's staying around," he sighed, "I'm sorry I haven't been by as much," he looked at Connor, "how about you? The whole press thing must have been just as bad for you ... having those stories printed about you, but they weren't specifically about you ... I'm sorry you got caught up in all of that,"
Connor(thearcfamily)	"Hey it happens. Theres been a lot going on with the anomalies, Christine, the press, its been hectic to say the least." Connor gave Cutter a grin. "It... It is good to see ya Professor. Though i agree it would be better without that bothersome DC butting into everything. Did he really arrest you and... Ummm... The other Connor?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter smiled, "same here Connor, it's been nice to be able to talk, I'll try and stop by more often, I've missed being able to talk to you like this," he told him. He hesitated and then nodded, "he really did arrest us, I would not recommend getting arrested, it's not fun,"
Connor(thearcfamily)	"That.. that would be nice. Kinda like old times, in a way huh" he said fondly. After a moment, Connor turned his attention to the dishes in front of them. Carefully he took the water and a dropper. "Thought we could try several tests with the moisture. Three dishes, we could add three different amounts of water and see if there's any difference in how the spores react? " Connor glanced at Cutter as he started to add the drops once they were ready."Moist... Damp... Soggy. There we go!"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter smiled fondly at that and then turned his attention to the dishes once Connor began to add the water, "okay, sounds good," he nodded as he began to wait and see what the effects would be. "Well now this looks very interesting," he remarked as the spores seemed to react almost instantly to the water, "they seem to be reacting rather quickly to the water," he noted.
Connor(thearcfamily)	"Yes...." Connor said looking at the samples closely. "Much faster than I expected..." Carefully he took a bit out of one dish and put it on a slide and slid it under the microscope. Just then the other Connor caught up to them and stood outside the lab watching for a moment. He waited till Cutter looked up then wave and gave a small grin. "Already found something to keep you busy I see! Anything interesting in there?" "Oh ummm... Ok I... I was not expecting that..." Cutter's Connor looked at the slide again his face growing a little worried as he looked over at Cutter.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter was distracted a bit by Connor as he waved back, he was about to answer when his Connor's remarks caught his attention and looked down at the slide, "oh this is not good ..." he said softly, "is anyone still at the anomaly site where you found the fungi?" he bit his lip nervously, if his assumptions were correct then they only had moments to act.
Connor(thearcfamily)	Connor stared at the slide and at the dishes as the fungus almost instantly came to life and started growing rapidly. He was in a daze for a second, his mind racing with what this would mean and then he realized Cutter was talking. "Ummm yeah... Jenny and Becker were there to secure the site in case... the anomaly reopened...." Connor felt his stomach drop as everything suddenly clicked. "Nick" he said, the sudden adrenaline rush pushing back any formality at that moment. "Get those into the containment box ASAP" he said as he got out his phone to call the team and tell them to get out there. He glanced through the glass window at the other Connor who was watching, the realization starting to hit him as well just then.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter quickly moved the dishes into the containment box, he looked up at Connor who was watching through the window and he felt a surge of panic kick in as he began to feel the claustrophobic nature of the lab start to close on him and the rapidly growing spores did not help. "Okay they’re in," he called to Connor, "I think they're all secure," he said nervously as he glanced around the lab to see if he had missed any, they had been growing quite rapidly and he wasn't sure if he'd managed to contain them.
Connor(thearcfamily)	"Ok, ok good, Jenny and the team are evacuating the site," Connor said as he hung up the phone. He turned and looked at the samples in the containment box and just stared for a moment in shock and horror. In just a matter of minutes the entire inside of the box was nearly covered with the fungus. "Ok whatever we do, we cant let this get out of the lab. It'll take over the entire ARC if it does!" he looked from Cutter to Connor watching through the glass. "Alright let's get out of here..." he said as he started heading for the door as the other Connor opened it for them quickly.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	“I can contain it a bit longer,” Cutter said as he went to the container and tried to hold it down so that he could stop it from breaking through, “both of you need to get as far away from this lab, I’ll follow you in a few moments once I know that this is secured,” he looked nervously at the container, the fungi was growing really rapidly and it wouldn't take much for it to escape.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Nick! Get out of there now!" Connor yelled as he held the door open and pulled Cutter's Connor through. He watched as the fungus inside the container expanded more and more and then the container started to crack a bit. "Nick! Look out!" he yelled as he watched in horror as Cutter took a step back just as the container broke, bits of the spores shooting across the lab. At the last possible second he closed the door, some of the spores hitting it rather than shooting out of the lab. Both Connors stared through the glass window, trying to see if Cutter was ok.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter had thrown himself to the ground to avoid the spores and then he covered his mouth to make he didn’t breathe anything in. After a while he stood up and noticed with dismay the spores on the door of the lab. “Oh,” he blinked, looking through the window at both Connor’s, “this is not good,”
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor stared in through the window, everything slowing down as he looked at Cutter and then at the lab that now had globs of spores in random places on the floor, table tops, and walls, each one still growing in size. "I'm going to go get help!" Connor barely registered what the other Connor said as he ran off to find Becker and the rest of the team. His eyes were locked on Cutter. "Nick! Are you alright?" he called out. "I-I'm coming to get you out of there!"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	“I …” Cutter looked anxiously at Connor, “I’m sorry, I thought I had enough time to get out,” he tried to not think about how he was currently trapped in a very small space with no possible way out. “You …the fungi can’t get out of this lab,” he said quietly, resigned to his fate, “if …you’ll need to destroy the lab,”
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor shook his head, words failing him for a moment as he listened to what Cutter was saying. "No... No Nick, I'm not going to let that happen!" He said finally once he shook his head free of the shock and fear for a moment. "There... there has to be another way!" Connor said, stepping closer to the glass. "We aren't giving up this quick!"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled as he got as close to the window as he could, keeping a nervous eye on those spores that were rapidly spreading on the door, “we may not have a choice,” he said softly, “if …if I get infected or it continues to spread …” he couldn’t finish his trail of thought. He didn’t know what else he could do.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"No! Don't say that.... We... we'll figure something out" Connor said biting back the panic that was building up inside of him. "There... has to be a way. What kills fungus normally?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Um ..." Cutter normally would be able to focus a lot more on the science part of this but he was starting to feel overwhelmed at being trapped in the lab, "um ... fungus ....er ... cold?" he tried at last, "would ... would extreme cold work?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Yes... yes the cold, that's it! " Connor said snapping his finger. "We have to make it cold! Fungus like it warm, dark, and moist. We need to lower the temps in the lab and see what we can do to stop it!"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter bit his lip and nodded, "okay, um ..." he tried to find a spot that didn't look like it had been covered in spores and he carefully made his way over to one of the benches and braced against it, "okay I'm ready," he trembled, he started shivering even though the temperatures hadn't started dropping yet.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"What is going on?" Becker asked as he ran up and took quick stock of what was going on. Connor caught him up to speed, noticing the worried look on Becker's face as he did so. "Right ok, so... plan is to try and freeze this stuff to stop it from spreading?" "Aye. We are hoping to slow its growth or kill it with cold to try and get the place cleared so.... so... Nick can get out" Connor said his voice low and quiet.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter was trying very hard to keep calm but it was hard, the lab felt suffocating and those spreading spores were not helping at all. He clung tightly to the bench as he tried to remember the 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 method but it was hard to concentrate. He trembled as he nervously looked out towards the window, “any progress?” he asked softly.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Temps are dropping Nick" Connor said softly, glancing at the fungal spores around the lab. "Still... still not slowing down though. We're going to have keep going lower" he said apologetically trying to keep the worry out of his voice. Becker was standing by the window near Connor, watching, a nervous glance towards Lester and the others. "Nick, you doing alright? Talk to me buddy... " he said trying to keep Cutter focused and keep his mind off the panic Becker knew he was feeling.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"I'm ...it's ... it's hard to focus," Cutter admitted, as he shivered now feeling the sting of the cold as the temperatures dropped lower, "it's ... I ... I don't like it in here," Normally he liked being in the lab but that was when it wasn't covered in toxic spores and he was trapped inside with them.
Becker(thearcfamily)	"I know Nick... You... you're doing good Nick. Just hang in there ok ? We're going to get you out..." Becker looked over at Connor who reluctantly punched in a new number on the control, dropping the temps another ten degrees. He hated doing this- it felt like at the same time he was both trying to save Cutter but also killing him at the same time.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, unable to stop shivering at the cold, “I … I don’t know how much longer I … it’s so cold,” he knew they had to drop the temperatures to stop the fungus but he wasn’t sure how much more of it he could take.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Becker..." Connor said softly trying to keep his voice low so Cutter couldn't hear just then. "We're at -30 already... I don't think we can go much lower." Becker nodded and looked at Cutter through the glass. "We're as low as we can go NIck... just... just hang on a little longer ok?" Connor said as he put his hand on the glass and tried to blink back the tears that he felt forming. This was going to work, This had to work!
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter couldn't help it, he started sobbing, "it's so cold," he shivered, "I want to get out of here, please," he felt so weak and helpless but he couldn't help it, he didn't know it was possible to feel so cold.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor bit his lip, hating to see Cutter like this. He wanted to just drag him out and tell him it was all going to be ok. Connor was just trying with everything he had in him to not let Cutter see how scared he was. "Nick... Nick I think... I think we are good" Connor said as he watched the fungus start to string and wither among the now frosted surfaces of the lab. "Nick? Can you hear me?" Connor asked panic suddenly gripping him when Cutter didn't answer.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter had closed his eyes for just a moment, it was so cold, he wanted to sleep just for a little, to pretend that he wasn't so cold and trapped in a lab with toxic spores. He had drifted off to sleep, not realising he had but now ... now he didn't want to wake up, it was actually kind of nice like this. He was vaguely aware of someone calling him but he was rather comfortable there now, he didn't want to move.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Becker, get him out of there! We're clear. The fungus is dying back! Get him out!" Connor said as he looked around the lab again and then checked the panel and his heart sank. They had to get Cutter out of there. he wasn't going to last much longer. Becker wasted no time and headed for the door to the lab and punched in the security code to unlock it. The cold air was like a brick wall as he opened it, nearly knocking the breath out of him as he stepped in. "Nick! Nick, just hang in there, we're going to get you out!" Becker said as he carefully stepped around the piles of shrinking spores and knelt down beside Cutter.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter stirred slightly at the noises but he didn't open his eyes, "Becker?" he murmured, trying to find the energy to open his eyes but was struggling to even do that, "is ... is that you?"
Becker(thearcfamily)	"It's me Nick... I'm getting you out of here" Becker said as he grabbed hold of Cutter and started pulling to his feet. He was heavy and Becker tried to get the best hold on his that he could. "Sorry about this Nick" he muttered as he finally heaved Cutter up and started half walking half dragging him across the lab towards the door.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	“I’m so cold,” Cutter murmured as he leaned weakly against Becker, eyes still closed trying to get whatever warmth he could as he was dragged from the lab, “…so … so tired, I want to sleep,”
Becker(thearcfamily)	"No, no sleeping Nick! Stay with me alright?" He said as he made his way closer to the door. "We're almost there. Just open your eyes for me alright? You've done good... just stay with me a little longer alright?" Becker glanced towards the door and nodded and the next instant Connor was in and by Cutter's side, grabbing his other arm and helping Becker carry him out. "Nick, we got you. You're going to be ok... you hear me? Keep your eyes open, you cant go to sleep ok?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	It took a lot of effort but Cutter slowly opened his eyes as he stared blearily up at Becker and then Connor when he was out of the lab, now that he was slightly conscious, he became aware of just how cold he really was and he shivered, "I'm ... I'm trying, it's ... it's hard," he groaned.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I know Nick... I know..." Connor said as they finally got out of the lab. "We're out. You're safe now Nick" Connor said as he helped Becker get Nick set up in the hallway. "Its over" he said as he took Cutter's hand in his and held it while Becker got the blankets for Cutter to try and get him warmed up.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled as he squeezed Connor's hand, making sure he was really there, "I didn't mean to get stuck," he whispered, "it ... it happened so fast ... the spores ... did all the spores die out?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"You did fine Nick... you did amazing," Connor said as he held Cutter's hand, not about to let go. "And we got them... the spores are dying out.... the cold is working Nick, you were right!"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter shivered weakly as he held Connor's hand, "I can definitely say the cold is working, I don't think I've ever felt so cold before," he wasn't sure if it was possible for him to ever feel warmth again, "as long as we got the spores, are you okay? How about my Connor?"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"We're fine Nick... we're both ok" Connor fiddled with the blankets a little pulling them as close around Cutter as possible. "It's you I am more worried about right now" he said softly as he watched Cutter carefully, the concern evident in his eyes.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter continued to shiver as he tried to huddle under those blankets, “I’m just really cold,” he admitted, blinking a little as he still felt exhausted, “and still a little tired,” he said softly, “I …the lab … “ he shivered, “it …” he couldn’t bring himself to say that it reminded him of being in the cell, that overwhelming claustrophobic feeling.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I know Nick..." Connor said, having a good idea what it was beyond the cold that had been so painful for Cutter. He stayed beside Cutter, shifting so he was sitting on the floor beside him and pulled him closer into a hug trying to help him warm up. It was then Connor realized they weren't alone and looked past Becker into the worried faces of Danny and Lester. "You ok there mate?" Danny asked, a look of genuine concern on his face. "That looked brutal."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter was so focused on trying to stay warm and huddled next to Connor that he didn’t even have the energy to still be angry at Danny, all of his energy was on staying warm, “I’m …. I’m fine,” he clearly wasn’t but he didn’t want to give Danny that satisfaction of seeing him so weak. Lester cleared his throat then, “yes, we’re all glad you’re alright Professor but I’m afraid there is the matter of adhering to quarantine protocols, you were in the lab with toxic fungus and we need to make sure you didn’t come into contact with them,” Cutter looked alarmed and looked up at Connor, “but … but the cold got to them, I didn’t touch any of them,” “Rules are rules Professor, you need to be quarantined,”
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker hated how frightened and tried Cutter looked. He turned toward Lester for a moment. "Surely we can make an except...." he trailed off when he saw the look on Lester's face. "A-Aye Sir" he said with a small nod. "I... I'm not leaving him" Connor said firmly, still holding onto Cutter. "Not now... I-I can't!" Connor shook his head, the thought of letting Cutter go right now absolutely terrifying him.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter could feel the panic set in as he clung to Connor, the thought of having hospital tests done, after everything ... "no ... I'm not doing it," he trembled, "I won't ... " he wished he could have the energy to try and stand up and make a break for it, "no ... please ... I don't want to ... James ...please..." Lester stared at Cutter and then a few moments nodded, "if Connor will agree to take the tests with you, he can stay with you, how does that sound for both of you?" Cutter trembled, looking up at Connor, almost pleadingly but he wouldn't have blamed Connor for refusing.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Of course" Connor said without even a moment's hesitation as he looked at Lester then back to Cutter. "I'll do whatever I need to do. I'm not leaving Nick" he said firmly. "it should only be for a few hours Nick" he said softly trying to calm and reassure him. "Just have to get the tests done and get the all clear results."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled, starting to calm down as Connor said that he would take the tests as well, he started to take deep breaths at that and then let out a sob, "thank you," he said softly, leaning against Connor as he did, "I ... I don't want to do this alone,"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"And you won't have to" Connor said as he gave Cutter a reassuring back rub and held him close . He glanced up at Lester then over to Becker and Danny. "Come on, lets get us situated and get this over with huh?" he said trying to sound as casual as he could and placed a small kiss on the top of Cutter's head before starting to stand.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter trembled and nodded weakly, "Okay," he said softly as he leaned against Connor and then tried to get into a position where he could start to stand as well but found he didn't have the strength yet, he was still really tired. "um ... I think I need help to stand up," he admitted.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Easy there... I got you" Connor said as he put his arm around Cutter and carefully started to help him to his feet. Becker came to the other side and helped lead Cutter down the hall to the nearby lab that served as their quarrentine area. "Take it nice and slow Nick... We got you" Becker said gently.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter leaned heavily against Connor and Becker as they helped him towards the quarantine area, he was still really nervous about going through quarantine but knowing that Connor was there with him, was helping him. "Okay," he trembled, as he slowly and carefully kept tried to keep walking. It felt like it was taking forever and he couldn't help but remember how he'd been like this after everything with Helen and Stephen ... he had thought he wouldn't be this weak again. He let out a sob at the pain that was shooting through him then. "Are ... are we nearly there?"
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Almost there Nick" Becker said as he shifted Cutter's weight to try and take more of it so he could walk a little easier. "Worst is almost over. You can sit an rest soon." Becker glanced ahead as Danny jogged ahead to the door and stopped in front of it. He gave a questioning nod to Becker who nodded in return. And when they reached the door Danny opened it and let them in then followed after, standing back out of the way be close enough to be of help if they needed it.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter winced a little as Becker shifted slightly but was able to relax a bit more as it became easier to walk, "okay," he trembled, panting slightly at the effort everything was taking, "uh ... what ... what ...happens now?" He had never been in quarantine at the ARC before, he wasn't entirely sure what was expected.
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker concentrated on getting Nick into the lab and helped Connor get him sitting down on the cot that was in there for such purposes. Only one Cutter was situated and as comfortable as he could be did Becker answer that question. "My understanding is that they will run some tests, take some blood samples and such. They will check to make sure there's no fungal infection or anything detected to make sure neither of you inhaled or injected any of the spores. You at least Cutter, maybe Connor too as a precaution, will also be given some medicine to kill off any spore as well. Once the tests come back clan and you have spent the required time in quarantine, you will be cleared and free to go." Becker glanced at Lester as he spoke to make sure he had that right.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Lester nodded as the staff began to set up so they could begin to take the samples from Cutter and Connor, "this is all a precaution, you won't have to stay here any longer than necessary, as soon as the doctors give me the all clear and you haven't been infected, you'll both be free to go," he nodded. Cutter bit his lip as he tried to brace himself as the staff began to prep him for blood tests, "okay," he said quietly, "and Connor can stay with me the entire time?" he looked anxiously over at Connor, half expecting him to be told to leave now that he was there in the quarantine lab.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I'm staying right here" Connor promised, slipping an armed around Cutter's shoulder. "They will have to drag me out of here to get me to leave." Connor relaxed a little as he felt the tension leave Cutter some what and he sat holding him as the medical staff got to work going what they needed to do. A short time later, they were in the lab, doors closed, and the waiting began. Connor did his best to distract Cutter by talking to him and letting him rest as much as he could all things considered.
Danny(thearcfamily)	Outside the lab most od the team and general staff that had gathered during the commotion had gone back to their usual work. Cutter's Connor and Abby had disappeared into the break room and Jenny had some press-related issues still to deal with. That left Becker, Lester, and Danny standing near the lab, watching and waiting. "Those two really are something," Danny said finally, breaking the silence that had fallen. "I don't think I've ever seen two people that committed and loyal to be honest' he admitted as he watched Connor and Cutter together. "I've not even seen it on my own task force."
Lester(thearcfamily)	“They’ve been through a lot,” Lester said quietly as he watched them through the window, he hated putting Cutter through this but it was necessary, “if they didn’t have each other, I don’t think they’d be here at all right now,” he admitted.
Danny(thearcfamily)	Danny listened to what Lester said as he watched them. He had heard others on the force talk of course, about having partners they trust with their lives, of how they saved each other once, and of the strong bond some people made with each other in the line of duty. He himself had never had that sort of experience. Close... once... then it all went sideways. But these two they really did have something special. "I will have my men do another security sweep Sir," Becker said, breaking the silence that had fallen. "If it is ok with you, I would like to stay here and keep an eye on Nick and Connor."
Lester(thearcfamily)	Lester nodded as he adjusted his tie, "that's alright Captain, I want to be kept informed of any changes," he looked back at Cutter and Connor, watching them through the window for a moment, "now if you'll excuse me gentlemen, I need to go and deal with another crisis, see if I can stop Christine from visiting, which is the last thing we need today,"
Becker(thearcfamily)	"Of course Sir," Becker said with a nod. "Please let me know if you need anything or if there are any updates we need to be aware of regarding Christine or anything else."
Lester(thearcfamily)	Lester nodded, "will do Captain, the last thing we need is for her to see Nick like this," he said softly, "who knows what she'll try to do while he's in this state," he didn't want to think about it.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor watched Lester and Becker talking from where he and Cutter were in the lab. And he was watching Danny closely as well. "You doing ok Nick? How are you feeling now?" he asked gently as he rubbed Cutter's shoulder.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded weakly, "I'm doing a bit better, still a little cold," he said as he relaxed slightly as Connor rubbed his shoulder, "thank you for staying with me ... I ... I wouldn't want to do this alone," he admitted softly.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I would never leave you to go through this alone, Nick" Connor said. "I'm glad you are feeling a bit better. We should be out of here soon... Lester said he was going to push for the results to be processed as quickly as possible."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter shivered slightly and nodded, "I... I'm pretty sure I never touched any of those spores, I mean ... I know there was a period where I fell asleep in there but I made sure I wasn't anywhere near them," he said softly, "I ...I think I should be right,"
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I'm sure it'll all be good. You know how to stay safe with things... Im sure you are clean. I am clean. We'll be out of here soon" Connor said as he leaned his head against Cutter's shoulder and slipped his hand into Cutter's. "And then you can get some much-needed rest."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, grateful as he leaned his head against Connor's and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "I think after everything, rest sounds like a really good idea," he admitted, "with the heater on and a lot of blankets," He was definitely not a fan of the cold after this experience.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor smiled at that. "As many blankets as you want" he agreed as he sighed softly, still trying to convince himself that this was good and Cutter would be out of the woods soon. Connor startled slightly as Becker tapped on the glass window lightly. "Results are in" he said looking at them both. "You both are in the clear. No sign of infection or reason to be under quarantine" he revealed with a broad grin.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	And for the first time since he'd been rescued from the lab Cutter breathed a sigh of relief and completely relaxed, "that's ... that's really good," he trembled, knowing just how close he'd come to hyperthermia and getting infected, "it's ... can we leave now?" he looked at Connor and then over at Becker.
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker nodded and a moment later the lab door unlocked and opened as he walked in. "Ready to get out of here?" he asked, knowing what the answer would be. "Got the spare bedroom in the back set up already for you, Cutter. You definitely deserve a nice rest after all of this."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "yes please," he said softly, "rest sounds really good," he said as he let out a yawn at that, "it's ... Connor can you still stay with me, just for a little bit longer?" after being trapped in that lab alone he didn't want to be by himself anymore than he had to right then.
Becker(thearcfamily)	Becker helped get Cutter back to the room and once he was situated stepped outside to take up his position by the door so Connor and Cutter could talk. "Of course I'll stay. You rest, I will stay here till you get to sleep and I will be back to check on you later" Connor promised as he brought over a couple more blankets for the bed.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter yawned again as he got comfortable in the bed and snuggled under the blankets, "thank you," he said softly, "for being here, for ... for this ..." there was a pause, "for everything, I ... " he yawned against as he felt the drowsiness start to overcome him, "I ...thank you," he found he didn't quite know what to say and looked up at Connor.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor smiled as he sat on the bed, pulling the blankets over and gently rubbing Cutter's legs as he drifted off. "I'd be nowhere else," Connor said softly "You are good now Nick. Get some rest and everything will be better when you wake up."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter smiled as he began to drift off, murmuring contentedly as Connor rubbed his legs, “mmm…” he said softly, “that’s really nice …” and then he closed his eyes, it was a few moments later that he began to drift off and it wasn’t long before he was asleep.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor stayed for a bit after Cutter finally drifted off. But eventually, he stood and made his way out of the lab. Once outside, he closed the door behind him and leaned back against the wall as he looked over at Becker. "Right. That was more fun than I want to have again anytime soon!" And with a small laugh he shook his head and headed down the hallway towards the other labs. There was gonna be a lot to do now because of what happened in the lab and he figured he'd better get started on it all.