Title: Chocolate or Men?

Author: Pinkcat4569

Rating: G

Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: Only for fun, nothing made as I don't own primeval or the characters.

Pairing: Becker/Jess

Prompt: Deinonychus_1 prompted: Jess, the eternal question-chocolate or men.

Author's Note: Probably not what was envisioned. I could have gone several different ways. I do want to point out that Jess is incredibly thin, and her thinking she's fat is silly. Eating disorders are serious, and it is not my intention to offend anyone or make light of them. There is way too much media pressure on being thin, in America, anyway. This is just a silly fic, meaning no harm.

Words 1056

Chocolate or Men?

Jess hummed happily, browsing through the short skirts. She had an arm full of clothes, and kept picking more.

"I don't want to be here all day," said Abby, "Maybe you should start trying some of that mountain on."

Jess giggled, and nodded, lugging the clothes to a dressing room.

A few minutes later, Abby heard Jess groan. "I don't understand it. None of these are fitting."

Abby chuckled. "It's the chocolate Jess."

"No. I refuse to believe it. I'm not...fat."

"No, you're not, but you are putting on a pound or two."

"Really? Why didn't you say something?"

"It's not that bad, Jess. If you're upset just cut back."

"On chocolate? Are you insane?"

Abby laughed. "Either that or work out."

"Ugh. Maybe I'll just get a bigger size."

"Sure, that works. Of course, if you keep eating chocolate, and not working out your sizes will keep going up."

"You are saying I'm getting fat."

Abby chuckled. "No, but if you continue to eat without being careful, you will."

Jess frowned, staring at the mirror. "I'll just get a bigger size, for now."

The next morning, Becker came in, tossing a chocolate bar to Jess. "Do you have an ulterior motive?"

"What?" he asked.

"Are you feeding me chocolate to get me fat, so no man will ask me out?"

Becker laughed. "That would be pretty devious." He smirked. "Not a bad idea."

Jess frowned. "It's working," she said, then added quietly, "On you too."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Becker chuckled and left, leaving Jess sadly thinking.

The next few days, Becker noticed that Jess was not ripping into her chocolate and stuffing her face.

"You OK?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Um...you aren't eating your chocolate,'" he said, noticing in alarm that there were several bars stacked up on her desk. "Should I be worried?"

"Yes, you should. Your plan to fatten me up and keep me single is not working."

Becker grimaced. "You...have a date?"

"Not yet, but I will. I am working out, drinking water, and eating healthy. Oh, and no more chocolate."

Becker gasped. "Who are you? Where's the real Jess?"

She chuckled, and looked at him. "I'm fine, thank you, but no longer sucking chocolate up like a vacuum cleaner."

''But you're so cute doing that."

She giggled.

"So, why the 'no' on chocolate?"

"I want to get fit."

Becker grimaced again. "For who?"

Jess studied the Captain's face. His interest was appealing. "No one...in particular, except..."

"Who!" he demanded.

Jess giggled. "You're jeal...," she started to say, then saw Becker's frown, and changed words, "awfully interested, Becker."

Becker glared. "Who is he?"

She laughed. "No one, Becker. I meant that I'm doing this for me."

"Really?"

"Really," she said, butterflies in her stomach. Maybe he'd finally make a move.

"Good," he said, turning and walking away.

Jess sighed. As usual, he was gone and she was alone, single, and getting fat.

She continued dieting and working out, and had dropped a dress size. The plus to this was now she needed smaller clothes.

After shopping, she decided to go to a club and show off her new look.

She no longer wondered if there was any correlation to eating chocolate, that is gaining weight, and having the attention of men.

They swamped her. Yes, she was dressed cute and slightly sexy, but it wasn't that different an outfit from others she had worn. Yes, she was playful and pleasant to be around, but wasn't she always?

"It has to be the weight," she said the next morning in the break room.

"What weight?" asked Matt, looking her over. "You look great, like always."

Jess smiled. "Oh, you sweet heart. Thank you, but I've lost weight."

"Jess, you're always ultra thin," Matt replied.

Jess blew him a kiss.

Abby laughed. "It's my fault. I was teasing her about chocolate."

"It got me thinking. I'm attractive, fun, pleasant, right? So, where are all the men?"

"Excuse me?" asked Becker, just strolling in.

Jess blushed. "Nothing, Captain."

He raised his eyebrow.

''Apparently," said Connor, "Jess went to a club with her new sleek physique, and men hovered around her like she was honey and they were bees."

Jess blushed. "I didn't put it exactly like that."

"Did any of them hurt you?" asked Becker.

She laughed. "No, Becker. They were...mostly gentlemanly. I'm so confused though, what was wrong with me before?"

"Nothing," said Abby.

Becker continued to look confused. "Why do you want a bunch of men pawing at you?"

"I don't. However," she said, glaring at him, "Some attention is nice."

She turned and walked out.

"I don't understand women," said Becker.

Jess was grumpy, it had been nearly a week with no chocolate. She was annoyed with the stares she was getting from guys.

"What's with males?"

"Excuse me?"

"Becker, I'm a few pounds lighter, and suddenly, guys look and drool."

"Jess, it's in your head."

"What! You don't find me attractive?"

Becker laughed. "For the love of God, have some chocolate, please."

"No."

"You don't need to deprive yourself of chocolate."

Jess glared.

"You're gorgeous," he said.

She blushed.

"You've always been gorgeous."

She smiled.

"You've always been stared at and drooled over. You just never cared or noticed before."

She blushed. "Thank you," she said.

"Do me a favor?"

She nodded, and he handed her a chocolate bar. She laughed, and daintily took a piece. Than another. Than she finished the bar, and started in on the huge pile on her desk.

"Oh well, who needs men?"

Becker chuckled. "You're much more pleasant on chocolate."

She nodded.

"And, I did not have an ulterior motive."

"Of course not."

Becker chuckled. "I'm not an expert, but I'd say you can have chocolate and...uh..."

"Men?" she finished for him.

"Yeah."

She shrugged.

The next day, Jess found flowers on the ADD, with a card: "Will you go out with me? Becker."

She squealed.

"Is that a yes?" asked Becker, behind her.

She nodded, and jumped into his arms.

He laughed. "Oh, by the way," he said, pulling out a chocolate bar.

She saw it had a note attached. "See, told you so."

She smiled, and nodded.

He laughed, and bent down.

Jess nearly fainted. Becker was going to kiss her.

Becker was kissing her!

And she didn't even have to give up chocolate.

The End

Note: Two more 'options,' that is different directions for theme, follow