Primeval fic: Broken Wings (5/17)
Jan. 9th, 2012 09:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knitekatTitle: Broken Wings (5/17)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 1343 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues from Part 4 and continues in Part 6.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
It took Ryan several minutes to find the tracks again before he carefully followed them through the lush grass and shrub landscape. He cursed when he lost them and spent several increasingly frustrating minutes trying to pick up their trail again. Ryan sighed heavily, he knew he couldn't in good conscience just leave without trying to find the person, they would have to be terrified and lost in this strange world. What should he do? All Ryan could think of was to return to the river and follow it upstream, hoping that lost soul would return to it for water and he'd find them. Just in case they were nearby, Ryan called out every so often before pausing to see if anyone yelled back. He was beginning to think he was on a fool's errand when he rounded the corner of the cliff and stopped dead.
Bloody hell.
Helen bloody Cutter lay at the base of the cliff. From the state of her body it was clear that she had been dead for several days. The equally shattered body of a raptor lying beside her was the probable cause of her fall from the cliff, far more likely than the several dead ape-men he had found earlier. He didn't even hesitate before ransacking her belongings, after all, she didn't need them any more and it might make the difference between life and death for him. He paused when he found a well-worn book and flicked through it, handwriting filled most of the pages and it was obviously her journal. He swiftly pocketed it for later perusal, knowing her plans would be useful if he encountered an earlier version of the bloody bitch. Even if he never did, the professor would probably be interested in it. If he ever found a world to stay in, that is.
But what to do about Helen and... which ever of the prehistoric creatures didn't belong in this time? Ryan might not be a scientist, but he'd been around them long enough to know the discovery of a dinosaur, ape-men and a modern human together would lead to too many questions. Ryan knew James had worried about the anomalies becoming public knowledge. He had lain awake in Ryan's arms, fretting long into the night too many times for Ryan not to have realised.
Darkness began to settle before Ryan could decide what to do and he quickly set up camp, it wouldn't do any harm to leave the bodies where they lay for one more night. The fire caught quickly and he munched one of his few remaining energy bars; he'd need to hunt or find replacement food soon, either that or find a modern world to replenish his stock.
Ryan felt wide awake and pulled Helen's journal out to read. He flicked to the back, wondering if it would tell him why she was here. His eyes widened and he cursed her as he read her plan to destroy humanity. She really had been fucking insane.
Dawn was just breaking when Ryan woke and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He held his breath as he listened for whatever had woken him. The sound of chattering from the far side of the river had him in a crouch and his pistol in his hand. He barely breathed as he waited for the creatures to step out of the early morning gloom. He relaxed as he watched a family of ape-men approach the river, at least he now knew what was native to this time. Ryan started as the family reached the river before he remembered the poison wasn't long lasting – if he trusted Helen's word on it... but she had stated a wish not to harm any other animal, just man. He shook his head, what had driven her to the attempted genocide of her own kind?
He sighed, he wouldn't find James here and it was time to move on. But first, he needed to dispose of the evidence. Ryan spent the morning collecting brushwood and building a pyre on the bare ground by the river. He carried Helen to it before grunting as he dragged the raptor towards it and hauled it on top. He stepped back and set it alight, standing respectfully until the pyre burned to ash. She might be fucking mad, but everyone deserved a proper send off. Ryan's mind turned towards James' funeral and he blinked back tears. He shook his head and scattered those memories, getting maudlin about what had happened wouldn't help him find James.
Ryan sighed and wound his radio before refilling his water bottle, upstream of the murder site, and dropping in a purification tablet. He sat and watched the ape-men gathering food and picked some of his own to add to his supplies. He was reasonably certain he could eat anything the ape-men could. Hmm, maybe he should take a small bite before he ate any to see if he reacted. It would be something to do while he... Ryan thoughts scattered at the static from the radio. He grabbed his packed kit and set off at a jog towards the new anomaly.
Ryan stepped through yet another anomaly. It looked modern: the trees, the neatly mown grass, the well-kept hedge... which appeared to mark a boundary. Ryan moved towards it, still alert for any signs of danger. He smiled as he spied a hole made through the hedge, no doubt made by some animals for access. Ducking down, Ryan could see what looked like a drive. He wiggled through on his stomach and looked both ways along the long, leafy drive. Good, it was deserted apart from him.
Before Ryan could move, he heard footsteps approaching from down the drive and flattened himself to the ground, it was too late to retreat to the anomaly. He sighed in relief when he looked over his shoulder, at least it wasn't visible from the drive. Turning back towards the footsteps, Ryan's heart clenched in his chest. It was James; although he wasn't dressed in a suit for once, but in a good quality shirt and trousers, he was also sporting a beard. Hmm, Ryan wasn't quite sure about that look on his lover... but he was sure the stubble burn would be interesting.
Ryan had missed James so much. Seeing his lover alive and well almost caused him to break cover. The need to pull James into his arms. To feel James alive against him. To hold him, to kiss him senseless and never let him go was almost overwhelming.
Ryan barely breathed as he listened for any danger before he revealed himself to James. His eyes were fixed on James as the man strolled up the path, closer and closer to Ryan's concealed position, and he had to wonder why James wasn't driving.
The sight of his lover filled Ryan's heart with love and need. He couldn't just lie here and let James walk past him. Ryan shifted his stance as he prepared to straighten and approach James. To see if his lover recognised him. To... to what? If this James didn't know him, what the hell would his reaction be to being grabbed and snogged senseless by a stranger? He didn't even know if his lover was gay in this world.
Ryan paused as he tried to think what to do and froze as he heard the crunch of another person's footsteps approaching towards them from up the drive. He sank down into the available cover and peered through the leaves towards the sound. He glanced back at James and noticed his lover smile, he obviously knew who was approaching. Ryan wasn't sure whether to relax with the knowledge his lover was safe, or worry that he was involved with someone else. Someone other than Ryan... or maybe with this world's Ryan. Ryan had no idea which would be worse.
When a woman turned the corner and stepped into the light, Ryan's hand strayed towards his gun. Bloody Helen Cutter.
Author: knitekat
Word Count: 1343 (of ~27300)
Characters: Tom Ryan, James Lester, team and OC soldiers.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan, various.
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace. The OCs belong to Fred and Luka. 'Broken Wings' is a song by Mr Mister.
A/N: For Fred and her prompt of Lester/Ryan and Technical Hitch. Thanks go to Luka for looking at it and to the wonderful Fifi for the beta. Any remaining mistakes are my own.
A/N2: Continues from Part 4 and continues in Part 6.
Warning (for all parts): Timey-wimey AU: death!fic, dark!fic, dub!con, hurt/comfort, angst, slash, het, OOC-ness.
It took Ryan several minutes to find the tracks again before he carefully followed them through the lush grass and shrub landscape. He cursed when he lost them and spent several increasingly frustrating minutes trying to pick up their trail again. Ryan sighed heavily, he knew he couldn't in good conscience just leave without trying to find the person, they would have to be terrified and lost in this strange world. What should he do? All Ryan could think of was to return to the river and follow it upstream, hoping that lost soul would return to it for water and he'd find them. Just in case they were nearby, Ryan called out every so often before pausing to see if anyone yelled back. He was beginning to think he was on a fool's errand when he rounded the corner of the cliff and stopped dead.
Bloody hell.
Helen bloody Cutter lay at the base of the cliff. From the state of her body it was clear that she had been dead for several days. The equally shattered body of a raptor lying beside her was the probable cause of her fall from the cliff, far more likely than the several dead ape-men he had found earlier. He didn't even hesitate before ransacking her belongings, after all, she didn't need them any more and it might make the difference between life and death for him. He paused when he found a well-worn book and flicked through it, handwriting filled most of the pages and it was obviously her journal. He swiftly pocketed it for later perusal, knowing her plans would be useful if he encountered an earlier version of the bloody bitch. Even if he never did, the professor would probably be interested in it. If he ever found a world to stay in, that is.
But what to do about Helen and... which ever of the prehistoric creatures didn't belong in this time? Ryan might not be a scientist, but he'd been around them long enough to know the discovery of a dinosaur, ape-men and a modern human together would lead to too many questions. Ryan knew James had worried about the anomalies becoming public knowledge. He had lain awake in Ryan's arms, fretting long into the night too many times for Ryan not to have realised.
Darkness began to settle before Ryan could decide what to do and he quickly set up camp, it wouldn't do any harm to leave the bodies where they lay for one more night. The fire caught quickly and he munched one of his few remaining energy bars; he'd need to hunt or find replacement food soon, either that or find a modern world to replenish his stock.
Ryan felt wide awake and pulled Helen's journal out to read. He flicked to the back, wondering if it would tell him why she was here. His eyes widened and he cursed her as he read her plan to destroy humanity. She really had been fucking insane.
****
Dawn was just breaking when Ryan woke and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He held his breath as he listened for whatever had woken him. The sound of chattering from the far side of the river had him in a crouch and his pistol in his hand. He barely breathed as he waited for the creatures to step out of the early morning gloom. He relaxed as he watched a family of ape-men approach the river, at least he now knew what was native to this time. Ryan started as the family reached the river before he remembered the poison wasn't long lasting – if he trusted Helen's word on it... but she had stated a wish not to harm any other animal, just man. He shook his head, what had driven her to the attempted genocide of her own kind?
He sighed, he wouldn't find James here and it was time to move on. But first, he needed to dispose of the evidence. Ryan spent the morning collecting brushwood and building a pyre on the bare ground by the river. He carried Helen to it before grunting as he dragged the raptor towards it and hauled it on top. He stepped back and set it alight, standing respectfully until the pyre burned to ash. She might be fucking mad, but everyone deserved a proper send off. Ryan's mind turned towards James' funeral and he blinked back tears. He shook his head and scattered those memories, getting maudlin about what had happened wouldn't help him find James.
Ryan sighed and wound his radio before refilling his water bottle, upstream of the murder site, and dropping in a purification tablet. He sat and watched the ape-men gathering food and picked some of his own to add to his supplies. He was reasonably certain he could eat anything the ape-men could. Hmm, maybe he should take a small bite before he ate any to see if he reacted. It would be something to do while he... Ryan thoughts scattered at the static from the radio. He grabbed his packed kit and set off at a jog towards the new anomaly.
****
Ryan stepped through yet another anomaly. It looked modern: the trees, the neatly mown grass, the well-kept hedge... which appeared to mark a boundary. Ryan moved towards it, still alert for any signs of danger. He smiled as he spied a hole made through the hedge, no doubt made by some animals for access. Ducking down, Ryan could see what looked like a drive. He wiggled through on his stomach and looked both ways along the long, leafy drive. Good, it was deserted apart from him.
Before Ryan could move, he heard footsteps approaching from down the drive and flattened himself to the ground, it was too late to retreat to the anomaly. He sighed in relief when he looked over his shoulder, at least it wasn't visible from the drive. Turning back towards the footsteps, Ryan's heart clenched in his chest. It was James; although he wasn't dressed in a suit for once, but in a good quality shirt and trousers, he was also sporting a beard. Hmm, Ryan wasn't quite sure about that look on his lover... but he was sure the stubble burn would be interesting.
Ryan had missed James so much. Seeing his lover alive and well almost caused him to break cover. The need to pull James into his arms. To feel James alive against him. To hold him, to kiss him senseless and never let him go was almost overwhelming.
Ryan barely breathed as he listened for any danger before he revealed himself to James. His eyes were fixed on James as the man strolled up the path, closer and closer to Ryan's concealed position, and he had to wonder why James wasn't driving.
The sight of his lover filled Ryan's heart with love and need. He couldn't just lie here and let James walk past him. Ryan shifted his stance as he prepared to straighten and approach James. To see if his lover recognised him. To... to what? If this James didn't know him, what the hell would his reaction be to being grabbed and snogged senseless by a stranger? He didn't even know if his lover was gay in this world.
Ryan paused as he tried to think what to do and froze as he heard the crunch of another person's footsteps approaching towards them from up the drive. He sank down into the available cover and peered through the leaves towards the sound. He glanced back at James and noticed his lover smile, he obviously knew who was approaching. Ryan wasn't sure whether to relax with the knowledge his lover was safe, or worry that he was involved with someone else. Someone other than Ryan... or maybe with this world's Ryan. Ryan had no idea which would be worse.
When a woman turned the corner and stepped into the light, Ryan's hand strayed towards his gun. Bloody Helen Cutter.
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Date: 2012-01-09 09:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-09 10:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-09 09:55 pm (UTC)Another great chapter, really enjoying this story!
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Date: 2012-01-09 10:08 pm (UTC)Thanks, glad you are liking the story.
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Date: 2012-01-09 10:15 pm (UTC)The tension and the intrigue keep mounting. (Why did I get a sexual image when I typed "mount"?)
no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 06:22 pm (UTC)Glad you liked the tension (hee, I wonder why *vbg*)
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Date: 2012-01-09 10:39 pm (UTC)Loving this story - action, angst and timey-wimey ftw!
no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 06:26 pm (UTC)*blushes* Thanks for the kind words, hope you continue to like it. Thanks for reading.
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Date: 2012-01-09 11:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 06:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 03:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 06:29 pm (UTC)badtiming? *pets the growling talli*Glad you liked it and thanks for reading.
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Date: 2012-01-10 08:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 06:32 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading and for the beta.
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Date: 2012-01-10 03:32 pm (UTC)Great chapter, especially Ryan finding Helen's body and her journal.
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Date: 2012-01-10 06:36 pm (UTC)Thanks, glad you liked it. I thought it would be interesting for Ryan to find the aftermath of Helen;s demise.
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Date: 2012-01-10 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-10 10:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-12 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-13 07:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-01-14 07:40 pm (UTC)Just getting caught up on this fic so off to the next chapter to find out what she's up to...
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Date: 2012-01-14 10:19 pm (UTC)hope you enjoy the catch up and thanks for reading.
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Date: 2012-02-04 03:16 pm (UTC)Ooh! and what is Lester doing meeting Helen?
no subject
Date: 2012-02-04 06:40 pm (UTC)Um, you will find out in the next part ;)
Thanks for reading.