Title: Normal, Chapter One

Author: Pinkcat4569

Rating: Teen

Character: Jess/Becker (not in a relationship)

Description: Jess is fed up with her single status. She'll do anything for a normal life and a normal relationship, even if it doesn't include Becker.

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or the characters. I only write for fun.

Just over 9000 Total Words in Ten chapters. 706 words this chapter.

Author's Note: I changed the rating. I added a creature later on and some tense scenes. There is nothing overly violent, there is some mild language though and very mild adult situations. So it's teen to be safe.

Normal, Chapter One

Jess frowned. She wished she had earplugs. And a blindfold.

She tried to avoid it, but it was impossible.

She glanced over at the two happy couples.

"Yuck," she mumbled.

Abby and Connor were giggling. They were so disgustingly happy since returning from the honeymoon.

She loved them, but gosh! It was too much, especially since they were in her work space. She couldn't leave!

Matt and Emily came in a close second for most nauseating couple.

Jess groaned.

"You sound happy."

She looked up. Great, add Becker to this mixture and she'd be even more depressed. She didn't say anything, just glared.

"Ouch. Who made you so grumpy?"

She almost said, "you." She didn't. She had the absolute hots for him, and he was clueless.

"Just a bit too much...coupling," she said finally.

He laughed. "Yeah," he said, looking at the pairs. "It is a bit...syrupy."

"It is."

He looked back at her. "I thought you'd be into happy couples."

"I'm all for them, but it helps when I'm half of a couple myself."

He smiled. "Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

She stared at that face. She sighed. "Becker?"

"Yeah?"

She bit her lip. "Would you..." She lost her courage.

"Would I what, Jess?"

She gulped and closed her eyes. She summoned up as much courage as she could. "Would you like to go out...with me?"

His eyes doubled. "Uh..."

She groaned louder. "OK. Thanks." She turned away from him.

"Hey. I didn't answer."

She shot him a glare. "Yes, you did. That was the famous Becker nonverbal no."

His eyebrow shot up. "It was?"

"Yep. Don't worry, I'm OK. I like rejection."

"How are you so sure I'm rejecting you?"

She swiveled her chair back to him. "You are, aren't you?"

He hung his head and sighed.

"That's what I thought," she said, swiveling away.

"Jess..."

"I'm fine, Becker."

He grabbed the chair and turned her back to him. "I'm not rejecting you."

Her face lit up with hope. "You aren't?"

"No, but we can't..."

She growled. "Let go!" she cried, trying to swivel away.

"No, not yet." He bent down to her. "I like you very much..."

"But..."

He sighed deeply. "I can't do a relationship."

She frowned. "You can't?"

"No."

"You mean with me."

"I mean with anyone."

She felt incredibly sad. "That's no way to live, Becker."

He chuckled sadly. "It's better than...leaving people behind."

She touched his hand. "Doesn't it get incredibly lonely?"

"Oh yeah."

"Then that's no solution."

"It's the only one I can take."

"Becker..."

"Jess, it would cause problems, especially if we're both employed here. It wouldn't work."

"It works for them," she said, glancing at the others.

He sighed, looking over with her. "Yeah. For now."

She looked at him with sadness and horror. "They'll be fine. Besides, at least for now, they're happy. Doesn't that count for something?"

He looked back at her. He smiled. "Yeah, but I can't do it. I just...can't."

She slowly nodded, feeling a tear well up. She'd been afraid of this: his inability to move on from losing people. "So, what? You'll just live alone? That's kind of dumb, being afraid of losing people so much that you don't have any...love...at all?"

"It is dumb, but it's all I can do. I'm sorry."

"Me too," she said. She looked at him. "I can't live that way, Becker. I need fun and color and people I need a life outside this place. I need...normal."

He laughed. "I'm afraid this is the wrong line of work for that." He stood up.

She looked at him with a sad, disturbed face. "I'm going to find it. I have to."

"Good for you," he said honestly. "Really, good for you, Jess. I want you to be happy and normal."

She felt awful. "Thank you."

He began to move away.

"I want that for you too."

He turned back and smiled. "I don't think it's possible, especially the normal part, not here, but thanks."

She nodded and he left.

End of Chapter One