knitekat: (Lester: down but not out)
knitekat ([personal profile] knitekat) wrote2018-02-11 09:36 pm

Primeval Fic: Always - Birthday fic for Luka

Title: Always
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 928
Characters: James Lester, Stephen Hart
Rating: 15
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N 1: For Lukadreaming's birthday and her (extrememly old) prompt(s): Lester/Stephen - peace and quiet, or light at the end of the tunnel, or my brain hurts! Sorry it is so late. Also for Fixit and Fic finishing challenges.
A/N 2: Many thanks to Fredbassett for the beta.


I rubbed my tired eyes and wondered if I'd shovelled enough shit to even glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel. Oh, I wasn't foolish enough to think this débâcle was over, but I might, at least, have gained a small respite. A moment of peace and quiet in which I could sit back and take stock of the situation. One that would not reflect well on me or on my team. I knew the Minister would happily blame the whole mess on me. Even though he'd had a hand in causing the near-disaster, considering he'd firmly suggested Oliver bloody Leek as my second. I shook my head, knowing exactly how the Minister would react if I reminded him of that uncomfortable truth. I knew I would have to find a... more palatable version if I was going to retain control of the ARC.

My gaze fell upon Ms Lewis' report. I had read and re-read it, I had even had Ms Lewis tell me about it in person, and I still had trouble believing it. For one thing, it would appear that the 'mad' Professor Cutter wasn't quite as unbalanced as I had believed, unlike his bloody wife. I couldn't doubt his sanity over his rants that this wasn't his world, not any longer. Somehow Helen Cutter had changed the present by altering the past. For all that I had spent my entire career thinking outside the box, I had to admit people altering the past had been one of the few things I had never prepared a contingency plan for. What scared me the most was that I hadn't even noticed my world had been changed, that scared me and made my brain hurt even more than the anomalies had ever done.

I bit back a sigh, it wouldn't do to be too dramatic, even if my façade had taken something of a battering in the recent events. As much as I just wanted to rest, to give my aching body time to heal, I knew it was a luxury I didn't have time for, smiling wryly at that irony. I forced my mind back to business, I had to have my report finished for the Minister, all the i's dotted and the t's crossed, if I was to have any chance of remaining the ARC's Director. More than that, though, I was determined to make up for my mistakes, for my errors of judgement that had almost destroyed the ARC, which had almost cost me someone I cared for more than life itself...

Bloody hell, I was becoming maudlin, not that my pounding head was helping matters. Gods, just what I needed on top of everything else, a fucking migraine. I felt hands grip my shoulders, a well-loved voice in my ear and I think I muttered, “My brain hurts!”. I wasn't sure if I had really spoken those words or if my lover just knew the signs, either way, I didn't care as his sure fingers worked their magic on my neck and shoulders, releasing the tension I had been ignoring for far too long.

Oh, I knew the coming hours, days or months, if not longer, would be difficult although not impossible. I would have to fight to keep control of the ARC, for the sharks would be circling for the kill, seeing my failure as a weakness for them to exploit. I sighed softly, worrying over it wouldn't solve the problem. No, I would have to be strong, I would have to prove myself – to the Minister, to my team and to myself. Most of all, I would have to prove myself to my lover, to the man I had let down when I had left him to struggle alone.

“You don't need to do this alone, James.”

I bit off my automatic sarcastic response at Stephen's words, considering how I had left him. It had chilled my blood when I had read the reports, of how Stephen had entered the cage room willing to die to redeem himself to Cutter. The thought that I would have lost Stephen because I had been too engrossed in my own problems and too willing to believe Stephen when he told me he could handle Cutter. I should have ignored him, not only was I his boss but I was his lover, I should have been there for him. If he hadn't called Ryan, knowing Helen wouldn't consider the good Captain a threat when he was on sick leave, still recovering from his own near death experience...

I shook my head to dispel the images those thoughts created and felt Stephen's grip loosen on my shoulders. Fuck! I was a bloody idiot for not realising he would see my action as a rejection of him and his offer of support. An aching head and body were no excuse for hurting my lover and I forced myself to stand, successfully – I hoped – in suppressing my wince at that action. My hands snapped out to grasp Stephen's arms and I dragged him in for a kiss. I rested our foreheads together and put every bit of my love into my gaze as I locked eyes with him. “Together.”

“Always,” Stephen replied.

And I knew that as long as I had Stephen by my side that I would make up for my mistakes, that I would retain control of the ARC and that, together with the rest of the team, we would find the answer to the anomalies and how to stop them.

[identity profile] nietie.livejournal.com 2018-02-12 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
A gorgeous fix-it. I could feel Lester’s pain. And what a lovely ending.

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-12 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
*bows* Thanks, poor Lester had to suffer for the prompts, but I'm sure he'll be fine with Stephen at his side.

[identity profile] lukadreaming.livejournal.com 2018-02-12 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, this is fabulous - thank you! I love the hurt/comfort and the fixit. It's wonderfully intense.

Thank you for writing it for me!

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-12 09:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you liked the h/c and the fixit (had to have a fixit).

You're welcome, just glad you liked it.
fredbassett: (Default)

[personal profile] fredbassett 2018-02-12 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Lovely fix it!

Lester'll come back stronger, especially with Stephen behind him.

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-13 09:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you liked it and thanks again for the beta.

Lester will, he'd never stay down for long. *nods* They are definitely stronger together.

Thanks for reading.

[identity profile] rusty-armour.livejournal.com 2018-02-13 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Great fix-it! I think you did a really good job of conveying Lester's frustration, exhaustion and pain. I love the hurt/comfort and that strong bond between Lester and Stephen. I found their relationship really touching.

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-13 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
*bows* Great to know Lester's emotions etc came over. Got to have h/c and glad you liked Lester and Stephen's relationship.

Thanks for reading.
thelibraniniquity: (stephen hart)

[personal profile] thelibraniniquity 2018-02-14 08:59 am (UTC)(link)
That was nicely done!

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-15 08:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Glad you liked it and thanks for reading.
fififolle: (Primeval - Lester too sexy)

[personal profile] fififolle 2018-02-15 11:31 am (UTC)(link)
Aww! Lovely xx

[identity profile] knitekat.livejournal.com 2018-02-15 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks. The boys deserved a happy ending.