knitekat: (Lester: down but not out)
[personal profile] knitekat
Title: You Can Never Go Back
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~500
Characters: Emily Merchant
Rating: 12
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N: For April Teamfest: Emily. Thanks to the ever wonderful Fred for the beta. *hugs* Any remaining mistakes are my own.



Lady Emily Merchant had thought it would be so easy to return to her old life.

Oh, it had been hard, so very hard, to adapt to life with the tribe. She'd had to find shelter and prepare food herself, with no servants to call upon to perform those tasks for her. But she had learned and found something she hadn't known she was missing – the sense of accomplishment from a task well done. The feeling of being useful when the others looked to her to lead them.

She’d even become accustomed in her short stay to the 21st century, with all its weird ways – those short skirts Jess had worn and everyone rushing. It had been refreshing to be in a time where woman were not dismissed, where Abby was respected by all the ARC personnel and Jess coordinated the field teams.

But this, being back in her own time, this was harder. At Henry's side but invisible. Expected to be seen but not heard, to be a pretty accessory on his arm. To do what he said, when he said it. To not speak her mind, to not have her own thoughts.

As she stood looking out the window, down into the smog-filled streets, Emily knew she should never have come home. It was just too different. For three years, she had been accepted as one of the group and now; she wasn't.

The old Emily hadn't realised how stifling that had been. The Emily who had returned did. Henry might want – demand – she obey the decorum of the time, but Emily had seen, had done so much she just couldn't return to the role of a dutiful, obedient wife.

As soon as she'd seen the articles in the newspapers about the savage murders, she had realised what must have killed them. She had even tried to tell Henry, but he had merely told her not to worry about such things and turned back to his fellows, dismissing Emily as if she was not even there. When she had tried again, telling him she knew what the killer was from the terrible injuries inflicted upon it's poor victims, Henry had firmly told her it was not a suitable topic of conversation for a lady – especially for his wife.

Emily had understood he would never listen to her, just as she knew the killing would go on unless she stopped the creature. With Henry out most of the day, it was not hard to appropriate two knives and a heavy cloak and prowl the sites of the 'murders' searching for the beast.

Emily's first encounter with the raptor almost cost her her life but it also made her feel alive once more. Useful as something more than a mere ornament on Henry's arm.

It was dangerous – and not just from the creatures – but she couldn't, wouldn't leave that creature to hunt in London's streets when she could stop it.

Date: 2012-04-17 09:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lukadreaming.livejournal.com
This is great - a really evocative cameo.

Date: 2012-04-17 09:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it - the bunny ambushed me ;)

Date: 2012-04-17 09:44 pm (UTC)
thelibraniniquity: (Default)
From: [personal profile] thelibraniniquity
Very nicely done.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it.

Date: 2012-04-17 10:18 pm (UTC)
From: [personal profile] samueljames
Excellent look at Emily. I can believe that being back with Henry would have been quite stifling and hard to take.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it. *nods* After her time traveling, going back to what Henry expected of her would have to be difficult. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-18 01:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] natchris.livejournal.com
fantastic insight into Emily.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:29 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, good to know you thought so. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-18 01:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] freddiejoey.livejournal.com
I'm extremely glad that this bunny hopped your way.

Lovely job

Date: 2012-04-18 07:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Hopped? More like crept up on me and jumped out on me ;)

Glad you liked it and thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-18 01:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] joshinator.livejournal.com
Love this look at Emily

Date: 2012-04-18 07:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it.

Date: 2012-04-18 05:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sandyleepotts.livejournal.com
Agrees with joshinator, a great insight into Emily.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, good to know I got her right and glad you liked it.

Date: 2012-04-18 08:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] reggietate.livejournal.com
Excellent look at Emily's thoughts - there was really no way she was going to fit back into her old life after so many adventures as an independent woman.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:42 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it. *nods* She'd changed too much to fit in there.

Date: 2012-04-18 09:35 am (UTC)
fredbassett: (Default)
From: [personal profile] fredbassett
*nods* She'd gone through far too much to fit back into her old life. Very nice look at her.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:45 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
That was the idea I was going with, so I'm glad it worked. Thanks again for the beta and for reading.

Date: 2012-04-18 07:33 pm (UTC)
ext_27141: (Conclusive Proof)
From: [identity profile] telperion-15.livejournal.com
That was a really excellent look at Emily, and how sharply she now sees the contrast between her old and new lives :)

Date: 2012-04-18 07:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, good to know it worked and thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-18 08:42 pm (UTC)
clea2011: (Default)
From: [personal profile] clea2011
Lovely look at Emily. She just wouldn't fit back into her old life.

Date: 2012-04-18 10:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it. She couldn't, not after all she'd seen. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-19 09:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] talliw.livejournal.com
Great look at Emily and her struggle to fit in her own time again.

Date: 2012-04-19 07:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you liked it.

Date: 2012-04-19 01:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] basched.livejournal.com

A simply lovely story! You've captured Emily's character so well! I really enjoyed it!

Date: 2012-04-19 07:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, I think this is the first time I've written Emily, so glad you liked it.

Date: 2012-04-20 09:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] basched.livejournal.com
If it was your first time in writing her, you certainly did a grand job! awesome! :) *thumbs up*

Date: 2012-04-20 07:50 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
*blushes* The bunny ambushed me ;)

Date: 2012-04-19 07:32 pm (UTC)
fififolle: (Girly hug! - Emily & Jess)
From: [personal profile] fififolle
Superb! Poor Emily. So frustrating to be so determined but powerless.

Date: 2012-04-19 07:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
*blushes* Glad you liked it. *nods* Poor Emily, glad her frustrating came across. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-20 03:42 am (UTC)
celeste9: (primeval: team)
From: [personal profile] celeste9
I really liked this, completely believable look at what Emily must have gone through.

Date: 2012-04-20 08:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks and good to know I got Emily right. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-22 03:42 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dreamer-98.livejournal.com
Really lovely introspective piece on Emily, and how the anomalies gave her purpose, and returning to her old life wasn't the same.

Date: 2012-04-22 02:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Glad you liked it. *nods* After all her travels, coming back to be just an ornament on Henry's arm wouldn't be enough. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-04-29 06:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] deinonychus-1.livejournal.com
Great Emily pov. It really would be hard to adjust back to that life after everything she's been through.

Date: 2012-04-29 07:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Good to know it worked. *nods* It would be very hard for her to return to her old life. Thanks for reading.

Date: 2012-05-07 03:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lsellersfic.livejournal.com
Great look at Emily!

Date: 2012-05-07 06:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com
Thanks, glad you thought I wrote her OK. Thanks for reading.

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