The Cretaceous

[itsananomaly]

Cutter was unaware of how much time had passed since they arrived to the anomaly site, the days had all blurred and the only thing that had eventually gotten him settled was getting in a routine of sorts. They had set up camp near the anomaly site in the slim chance that it would reopen but so far nothing. The other part that made this hard was still facing Stephen, Stephen had volunteered to stay with them until the anomaly reopened and he could help with hunting but other than a few words he hadn’t really spoken to Stephen since he had given Stephen the leftover rabbit but he knew they would have to talk, especially since Stephen didn’t know about Helen and Cutter had no idea how to even broach that subject. They had just finished breakfast for that morning and Danny had gone on patrol and to do some foraging, Cutter kept looking over where Stephen was. He knew Stephen deserved the truth about Helen but he still felt uneasy being around Stephen. [preplayed with the amazing anomaly_research_nerd. CW for discussion of NPC character death. NFB for distance but OOC welcome!]

Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor and Cutter both had been keeping busy as they could working with Danny and Becker. Stephen knew all too well how important a routine, however basic of one it was, could be to dealing with something as daunting as what they were facing. He had tried to be there silent and supportive, offering quiet ideas and suggestions to Becker and Danny as they tried to figure out camp and decide how best to help Cutter and Connor deal with everything. It was an uneasy balance but as the days turned into weeks, and Stephen wasn't sure if he was the only one counting and keeping track or not, he knew eventually he would have to talk to Connor and Cutter. There were things he wanted to know... things he needed to know.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter bit his lip as he looked over at Stephen and then back at Connor, "do you ... I ... um it's been a while now since we've been here," he said softly, "do you think we should tell Stephen about ... about He-Helen..." he managed to get out her name.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor looked over at Stephen then back to Cutter and gave a small shrug. "I guess he deserves to know... considering everything" he said softly. He knew Stephen should know what had happened but he didn't know if he could be there to tell him or talk about it at all just yet.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "I ... did you want me to talk to him?" he asked softly, knowing how uneasy Connor was around Stephen and he didn't want to make it any more awkward for Connor.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"If you want... I... I just don't think I can talk to him. Not about Helen. Thinking about her makes me think about... everything... Stephen... everything they did to you... to me.." Connor looked at Cutter with an apologetic look. "I'm... I'm sorry Nick... I just can't right now."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"I understand," Cutter said softly and he gently gave Connor a hug, "I ... its not fair, having to think about what happen but I just ... knowing what Stephen and Helen had ...I think he should at least know," he said softly. He was not looking forward to the conversation at all.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Connor returned the hug, knowing this was going to be just as hard for Cutter as it would be for him. "I'll be right here when you get back Nick" he said softly.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter took a deep breath, trembling a little as he held onto Connor for just a little longer, "thank you Connor," he said softly, "I'll ... I'll go and talk to Stephen now," he said, reluctantly letting go of the hug and turning in Stephen's direction.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen was off at the far side of the little camp they had set up near the anomaly site. He had set up a small fire pit of his own and had pulled over a log to sit on so he could keep out of the way unless they needed him for something. When eh heard someone walking over he looked up, expecting to see Danny or Becker. The look of surprise on his face was obvious when he was who it was. "Nick?" he said with a small nod, not quite sure what to think or expect from the surprise visit.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter bit his lip, fidgeting slightly now that he was next to Stephen, maybe it wasn't too late to back away from this conversation, "um ... we ... we need to talk, if ... if that's okay?" he wouldn't blame Stephen for not wanting to talk to him after these last few weeks but he knew he had to at least try and have this conversation.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen was silent for a moment, for a brief moment debating telling Cutter if he wanted to take he had had his chances weeks ago. But he gave a small nod and moved to the far end of the log to give room for Cutter to sit if he wanted. "Sure Nick... what's up? Something tells me this isn't a casual checking in at last conversation we are about to have..." Stephen said with a somewhat sad look.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter shook his head, "no ... I ... I didn't ... " his voice trailed off, "I didn't know how to bring this up, its ... I ... I need to tell you something ... you ... its about He...Helen," he finally managed to get out.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Whatever Stephen had been expecting Cutter to want to talk about... that was not it. He looked at Cutter in surprise. "Helen? What about her? What... what has she done now" he asked, a certain bitterness in his eyes as he looked at Cutter, the complicated feelings he had wrestled with for the past year considering him, Helen, Cutter, and Connor all bubbling back up tot he surface again.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter hesitated, still not sure about the best way to lead in with the news, "actually she's done a lot of things ... its ... it was really bad there for a while, not just with the menagerie," he sighed, flinching a little as he said it and not really wanting to talk about everything that had happened since then with Stephen, "its ... its because of Helen that we ended up in the past ... she ... she wanted to change the course of human evolution, make it so the dinosaurs would still be the dominant species...." his voice trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen shook his head as he listened. "Shit... she actually manage to get that anomaly..." he said softly. "I... I spent so many nights wondering... if she had..." Stephen took a slow breath and shook his head. "She's still here? Here in the past somewhere?"
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter bit his lip as he looked at Stephen, "she, ended up in the Pliocene... at the site of the first humans, Connor and I ... we had to stop her ... it ... everything happened so fast ... I ....I ... Helen's dead Stephen," he said quietly as he waited for his reaction.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen felt his heat drop a little hearing about Helen making it to the site of the early humans. He knew what the basics of her plans had bene, knew how.... unstable... she had been getting towards the end there at the managerie and with everything that was happening.... But he hadn't been prepared to hear that she had died. He stared at Cutter for a moment. Trying to make those words make sense in his head. "She... Helen's dead?" he asked, still not really believing it. "It... it can't be... H-Helen... she cant be dead."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"There wasn't anything you could have done," Cutter said softly, understanding what Stephen meant, he had been wondering the same thing himself, if he had been more attentive and a better husband he could have picked up on the shift in Helen's behaviour, "she was too far gone by that point, she nearly killed Connor and me to prove her point, how far she was willing to go ... its ... I ... I didn't think ... her death would hit me as hard as it did," he admitted softly.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I.... I'm not sure how to feel either... if I am being honest" Stpehen said with a small sigh as he looked down at his hands for a moment. "It's been... a year... a year sitting and wondering. I've gone through so... so many scenarios in my head. But... I don't know how to feel about this one. The one that actually turned out to be true" he added with a small pained sigh.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "I thought ... I mourned her when she disappeared eight years ago and ... I just ...it was like mourning her all over again," he said quietly, "its been a hard year, working through all of that with what happened and now ... " he bit his lip, "well my therapist is going to have a whole new range of issues to work with now," he sighed.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Hopefully they are a bit more helpful for you then Mr Rocko has been for me" Stpehen said with a small forced smile and weak laugh, trying to make a little levity to the somber mood that had fallen. "I... I am sorry to hear about Helen though... I... I know things weren't the best between the two of you... between you and I... but I know how much she meant to you... Nick."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	There was the barest hint of a small smile at that as Cutter nodded, "thank you," he said softly, "and I'm sorry too, I know that you and Helen were close as well, that ... that you had to find out like this,"
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I appreciate you telling me, all the same" Stephen said with a small nod. "It... it will be one less thing eating at the back of my mind when I'm sitting back at the cave alone again."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "I ... it was the least I could do ..." he said softly, "I ..." he hesitated, not sure what to say, "its ..." and then stared at Stephen, his voice trailing off awkwardly.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"It's hard I know..." Stephen said giving a small sad look over at Cutter. "I know things can't...ever go back how they were. Lord knows I've practised a hundred different speeches... a hundred different times... but none of them can make up for what I did... to you... to Connor... to the others. I know I can't ever make up for that or go back. But I've accepted that..." Stephen sighed and fiddled with his hands a moment before looking back up at Cutter slowly. "You and Connor deserve to be happy - you deserve each other."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Thank you, I am happy with Connor," Cutter said softly, "its been a long journey but we're getting there, we just have to focus on getting back," he hesitated, "its ... its probably for the best, if you come back they'll charge you with treason," he bit his lip, "like I was when I worked with Helen back at the Menagerie," he felt it only fair to warn Stephen what was likely to face him if he came back.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen paused at that. He knew things would be bad if he ever went back... but he had not quite expected treason charges... and hearing that Cutter had dealt with he same thing.... "I know that life doesn't exist for me anymore" he said softly. "I have to live with the consequences of what I did. It's like Helen is still here keeping me under her thumb even now... but I guess it is deserved." He sighed and looked back over at Cutter. "I promise I will do everything I can to help you all get back home Nick."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Helen has a way of doing that," Cutter said softly, "I think its going to be something that will always be a part of me in a way," he sighed and then nodded, "I would appreciate that, thank you Stephen, it will be good, getting to go back home after everything," he said quietly.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen nodded sadly and then turned to look over to where Connor was and then back to Cutter. "The last time I had seen the two of you, I promised I would get you guys out safely. I... I still hold to that promise now. You both will get back home."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter nodded, "I ... I wanted to say thank you for that," he said quietly, he had often wondered how a conversation with Stephen would go and he at least wanted Stephen to know he was grateful for that last act in the menagerie, "I ... we were able to be rescued, to still be with Connor ... it ... thank you," he said, his voice finally trailing off.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I've spent many nights... wondering what happened to you and Connor... hoping you both were ok and made it out. It... it was a shock seeing you again but... I am glad. It helps knowing you both have each other now and that... it make it all worth it in the end for me" Stephen said with a small sad smile.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"Its been hard," Cutter admitted, "those first few months after the menagerie and then everything with the treason charges ... sometimes I didn't think we'd get through it, we nearly didn't," he added as he thought back to the breakup and how bad it had gotten, "but I would be lost without Connor, if I didn't have him here with me," he said quietly.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"You deserve someone like that... someone good, who will treat you right... you deserve someone better than I ever could be." Stephen looked over and saw Connor standing where he had been, looking over at them. "Go on back to him Nick... he's waiting for you" he said with a small grin and a nod towards Connor. "But... thank you. For this" he said softly.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter looked back over at Connor, gave him a reassuring smile as he looked back at Stephen, "I will," he said softly, "and you're welcome, I ... you deserved to know, I'm, glad that we were able to talk," he told Stephen.
Stephen(anomaly_research_nerd)	"Same. And I know I might not get the chance to... so.. please tell Connor for me as well ok?" Stephen then stood and started towards the small fire his little campsite had so he could check it. "It... it was good to talk Nick."
Cutter(itsananomaly)	"I will," Cutter promised, "and same here, I'll head back over to Connor," he said with a nod and a small smile and he turned to start walking back to where Connor was.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	Stephen watched as Cutter walked away, a small somewhat sad smile on his face before he turned back to the fire. Connor was watching the entire time and when Cutter came back over and quietly put his arms around him and pulled him close into a tight hug.
Cutter(itsananomaly)	Cutter gratefully returned the hug, "I love you Connor," he said quietly as he held tightly onto him.
Connor(anomaly_research_nerd)	"I love you too Nick... always" Connor said as he leaned into the hug and held Cutter close.