A/N: This is a Secret Santa story for DrawnToDarkness. Her promt was "An anomaly alert on Christmas Eve threatens to derail the team's plans. Jess/Becker centric, please!". Hope it's a little what you hoped for.
Sorry for the delay in posting!

The story hasn't been beta-read, so, I'm sorry for any mistakes. Since I'm sure you'll find some just imagine I have made them on purpose, with much love of course ;-)

Christmas Plans at Risk

Jess' fingers flew over the keyboard of the ADD, a jolly humming melody escaping her lips and a blissful smile on her face.

"You look happy," a low voice, right beside her ear, startled Jess. Abruptly the brunette turned in her chair, coming face to face with her favorite Captain.

Jess' face lit up when she answered, "Of course I am. Becker, it's Christmas Eve! We have another thirty minutes of work and than we are free for the holidays. We'll get to spend time with our family and friends, there'll be plenty of amazing food, presents, jolly songs. Simply Christmas – the best time of the year. I can't wait to see my family for the holidays and of course we will have our Christmas dinner," the field co-ordinator's monolog stopped for a second and a soft blush colored her cheeks before she started to ramble, "Not our Christmas dinner, as in you and me only."

Becker smirked slightly, he had returned to an upright position halfway through Jess' little speech and was now leaning against the table of the huge computer.

He knew Jess too well and decided to let her rattle on. The soldier crossed his arms in front of his chest and observed the young woman closely; how the red on her cheeks refused to vanish, how her eyes wandered to various points behind him, making sure she didn't meet his eyes.

"Of course Abby, Connor, Emily and Matt will be there too. The food I got would be way too much for just two of us. And it would be awkward if it was just you and me, not that I wouldn't like to hang out just with you...but yeah..."

It was just then that the well-known sound of an anomaly alert sounded through the ARC.

Jess' face fell, "You are kidding me?" She finally looked at the solider, who shrugged his shoulders almost apologetically.

Quickly the brunette set to work, in seconds a map with the location appeared on the screen of the ADD.

Becker grabbed the black boxes and threw them towards his team mates, who came running into the hub together.

"There hasn't been an anomaly alert in a week, and now on Christmas Eve? Just before our finishing time? When we all have plans for once – together." Connor exclaimed all the thoughts Jess hadn't voiced and non of the others cut the computer geek off, silently thinking just the same.

"This can ruin all our Christmas plans – the dinner, the get-togethers with our families," the computer geek continued. "What if it will take all night? We won't be able to hold our Christmas Dinner, we might not even get to do all we planned for tomorrow."

"Connor stop it," Matt finally interrupted, "We don't have a choice anyway. Let's go! Jess' send us the coordinates."

Only ten minutes later the team arrived at the anomaly side, a small private park in Belgravia.

"Jess, what about the incursion?" Matt asked jumping out of the car.

"I have seen four creatures, rather small dinosaurs, maybe about a meter long, they could be Lesothosaurus; dipedal plant-eaters, apparently fast runners" the field co-ordinator answered, "I didn't have a clear visual until six minutes ago, so there could be more."

Matt turned to his team mates to give orders, "Connor, you secure the anomaly, Abby, Becker, you check the roads. Emily, we check the park. Jess, keep an eye on the news."

"Guys, we found them, in a blind end a block down towards Victoria Station." Abby informed the rest of the team an hour after they started their search. "Seems like Jess didn't miss any, there are four creatures here."

"We are on our way," Matt announced.

"It will be a challenge though to get them back through the anomaly," Abby started to explain, "they are fast for sure..."

"We'll shoot them with the EMD's," Becker interrupted his blonde workmate, earning an angry look from her. "Abby, I won't discuss that. It's Christmas Eve and we have plans."

Abby raised her eyebrows, but before she could reply to the rather unusual comment from the Head of Security anything, four gunshots were heard.

Another hour and a half, after returning the Lesothosaurus back through the anomaly and searching the area once more for possible more creatures, the field team arrived back at the ARC.

Becker was the first to enter the hub. It has become a habit to get there first. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he liked to have a few moments alone with Jess after the rest of the team had left the center of the ARC after a mission. He liked to see the relief and yet shy smile playing around the corners of her lips whenever he returned unharmed, only to watch how the shy parts of it vanish the moment the rest of the team entered.

Tonight though he was greeted by an empty chair. "Where is Jess?" he asked a technician that just passed him.

"She left the ADD about ten minutes ago." It wasn't an answer the Captain liked, Jess always waited for the team to return, no matter the time.

He pulled out his mobile, trying to ring her while he headed towards the locker room.

"Has anyone seen Jess?" he asked the rest of the team as they passed him, not waiting a second longer when they all said no.

"She is probably already home, preparing the food for our dinner," Connor called after him, but Becker barely heard him.

She still hadn't picked up her phone when he reached the locker room. A glimpse inside told him, that Jess wasn't there. The Captain quickly continued his search in the break room, various offices and the corridors. Still unsuccessful. He came to a halt in front of the bathrooms, about to reach for the handle when the door opened and Jess emerged. Surprised she looked at the soldier.

"Becker, this is the ladies room," she pointed out with a smile that seemed almost strained.

"You haven't been at the ADD," Becker replied, ignoring her comment. "Are you alright?"

Jess didn't answer and when she averted her eyes the soldier placed his hand under her chin, forcing her gently to look at him.

"Jess?"

The petite woman reluctantly met Becker's eyes, "I heard Connor, Abby and Emily talk about their plans for tomorrow," Jess' voice cracked slightly but she continued, "Emily and Matt want to spend the day at Canterbury while Connor and Abby will visit Connor's mum and later meet Jack for dinner."

Stunned the soldier studied the field co-ordinator for a moment.

"That can't be the reason you are sad!?"

He pulled away the hand from her chin and placed it on the small of Jess' back, pulling her into him slightly. Gently the Captain guided her to the locker room.

"What is it?"

Jess let out a sigh, "I called my parents to tell them I wouldn't be home for Christmas."

"What? Why?" surprised to soldier stopped in his tracks.

"Becker, take a look at the watch. It's past eight. Emily and I have prepared a bit for the raclette already, but enough needs to be done before we can actually sit down and eat. The last train to Weymouth leaves at 9.35pm. It would be such a rush to get it all done by then, no fun at all. I didn't want to ruin the dinner for everyone."

"So you rather ruin your plans for Christmas Day?"

"No, it's not that bad. I do need a nice day off, with no places to be." The sound of her voice made it obvious to Becker, that Jess tried to convince herself, how nice a day off would be.

"But not on Christmas Day, not when you are such a Christmas person."

"You could take a train in the morning."

"No," Becker saw tears welling up in Jess' eyes "there are no South West Trains operating on Christmas and Boxing Day."

"Then I will take you there," he stated matter-of-factly, "You said your parents live in Wyemouth? That should be a two and a half hour's drive, correct?"

Jess freed herself from Becker's arm, "No Becker, that is a nice offer, but I can't accept that. You must have plans yourself, to see your family. I bet they can't wait to see you."

"Jess, I don't have plans for tomorrow, really. My parents returned from an early Christmas holiday in Mexico today and are happy to have tomorrow to themselves. My sister will spend the day with her in-laws. We will have our little Christmas celebration on Boxing Day. All I planned for tomorrow is coming to the ARC and enjoying a work-out-session in the gym. I think – no, I am sure – those plans can be deferred."

Disbelievingly Jess stared at her crush, "You'd really do that for me?"

Emily and Matt enjoyed Christmas Day just like they had planed in Canterbury. Matt had read the Canterbury Tales prior to this outing and was giving Emily a private Canterbury Tales themed walking tour.

Connor's mum greeted her son and Abby with a huge breakfast, leaving the pair to wonder how the heck they should eat all that with only three people – two of them still stuffed from the previous night's dinner.

In the evening they convinced Jack that it was much more fun to go to the nearly empty movie theater, instead of spending the evening at an overcrowded restaurant.

And Jess, received the best Christmas gift she could have asked for. Her and Becker left London at 5 in the morning. On their way to Weymouth, Jess talked Becker into staying at the Parker's house for the day.

After all the presents were unwrapped, the breakfast was eaten and the whole family, with Becker in tow, went for a walk, the soldier finally took his courage in both hands.

With Jess by his side, he slowed down a little until the Parker's were a few meters ahead of them.

"Jess, yesterday you asked if I would really deffer my plans for you." Becker stopped and reached for her hands, "I would do so much more for you." Without thinking about it too much, the Head of Security placed a soft kiss on Jess' lips before leaning his forehead against Jess' and whispered, "So much more, Jess!"