Title: Open Book
Author: DrawnToDarkness
Rating: K+
Pairing: Jess/Becker
Spoilers: General
Summary: It was going to be a day to remember - that much was for certain.

Birthday!fic for the lovely PrawnCrackers! Hope you've had a fantastic day! xx

It was certainly going to be a day to remember – that much was for certain. Thankfully, though, it wasn't going to be memorable for the wrong reasons, which is what she originally thought when she watched in horror as the dinosaurs the team were trying to herd back towards the anomaly suddenly changed direction and all but charged the person nearest to them: Captain Becker.

Matt had assured her, repeatedly, over the comms that Becker was okay. Jess appreciated it, even if she did blush when she caught Lester rolling his eyes. Her feelings for the Head of Security were no great secret at the ARC and that was a cause of continuous embarrassment for the Field Co-ordinator who had no idea how the man himself felt about her. She let her concern for his well-being be overshadowed by the worry that she was wearing her heart on her sleeve, again.

She'd always felt like she had a lot to prove to her colleagues, what with being the youngest not mention her love of all things bright and colourful. The last thing she wanted was to become the laughing stock by being mostly known for mooning over Becker rather than for being good – brilliant - at her job.

With that thought in mind, she made sure she stayed at her post until the anomaly was closed and the back-up team were on their way back – a good hour after the main team had returned with the injured man. Both Abby and Emily had stopped by the hub to assure her Becker was being treated for a minor head injury but was otherwise okay but, from their sympathetic smiles and knowing glances, she knew they knew she wouldn't believe it until she saw him herself.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Jess," Lester snapped, surprising her by managing to move behind her chair without her knowing he'd left his office, "go and check he's alright already. You're starting to make me nervous."

She managed to regain her composure enough to glare at him for startling her and tightened her grip on the arms of her chair to keep from jumping out of her chair in her haste to get to the medical bay. Instead, she reigned in the impulse. "I'm not nervous," she told Lester as noncommittally as she was able. "Why should I be? According the reports, the Captain is fine."

Lester only stared at her an eyebrow arched. "And you don't want to run down there and see for yourself?"

"Is there a reason I should, Lester? Captain Becker is a colleague. A friend at a push." It was true, as much as it pained her to say it. "I've got work to do here."

Her boss frowned at her, his expression somehow managing to be both sceptical and concerned. "'A friend at a push'?" He repeated slowly.

Jess nodded shortly and turned in her chair to face the screens of the ADD once more. "And nothing more."

Lester made a noise that spoke volumes as to his disagreement but walked off and left her alone, glancing back at her to see her shoulders slump.

She was still an open book where her feelings for Captain Becker were concerned, no matter how much she wished she wasn't.

He'd seen Becker on painkillers before but there'd obviously been a change in dosage or type. Matt arched an eyebrow as the usual stoic Captain watched the door expectantly, his face lighting up every time it opened only to fall when the person it admitted wasn't the person he obviously wanted to see.

The medic who'd treated the soldier had advised Matt that Becker shouldn't be left alone. The team leader had exchanged knowing looks with his teammates, suspecting that as soon as she was able to leave her station without neglecting her duties, they would have an all-too-eager volunteer to follow out the medic's orders.

That was two hours ago, though, and there was still no sign of a certain Field Co-ordinator.

Abby and Emily had reported earlier that she'd been worried and had been certain she'd stop by for a visit as soon as the preliminary reports were filed. Matt had estimated it would take her no more than an hour to do so, so had been surprised that he still hadn't heard the tell-tale sound of Jess's heels clicking against the tiled floor as she made her way to the medical bay.

If his suspicions were right, he wasn't the only one wondering when the bright and cheerful young woman was going to make an appearance.

Every time the doors opened to reveal someone else, Becker grew more and more dejected, slipping further down into the bed until he was almost lying flat. His face was almost as pale as the white bandage covering his forehead, his dark eyes filled with more emotion than Matt could ever recall seeing.

"She's not coming, is she?" The sound of his teammate's voice startled him from his thoughts and Matt's brow furrowed for a moment.

"Jess?" Matt hazarded a guess, struggling to keep his expression neutral when Becker nodded, his features arranged in a glum expression. "I'm sure she's on her way, mate. Probably just got held up at the hub. You know Lester's always giving her work he should give his PA."

"Jess is better at it," was Becker's no less surprising response.

Clearing his throat to keep back a chuckle at the almost besotted tone, Matt briefly debated whether or not to try and change the subject. Briefly. In the end, the temptation of being able to talk to the Captain without his usual filters in place was too much to resist.

"She's good at what she does," Matt said noncommittally, biting back a smirk when Becker turned his head to glare at him.

"She's better than good. She's brilliant."

"Uh-huh." Careful not to let his agreement of the assessment show, Matt just shrugged his shoulders.

After a few moments, a downcast expression arranged Becker's features. "I don't think she's coming."

"She'll be here." Matt was almost one hundred per cent sure of it but lifted his hand to his comm link anyway. "Jess'll be here as soon as she can," he continued in a slightly louder voice, hoping the woman in question would hear.

"No, she won't be. She doesn't like me anymore."

At Becker's defeated statement, Matt heard a gasp in his ear. He heard the rattle of keys on a keyboard seconds before hearing Jess's whispered voice. "Matt? What's going on?"

Ignoring her, the team leader focused on Becker instead. "Of course she still likes you. Don't know what the attraction is myself, but you know she likes you."

"Not anymore." Matt wasn't sure what was more amusing; Becker's puppy-dog eyes or the hiss from Jess warning him to end the conversation. But it seemed the Captain had other ideas, having taken a liking to the subject. That, and he was entirely unaware that the subject of the conversation was listening to every word though Matt didn't think it'd make much of a difference given the medication currently coursing through his system. "I was too slow. I've lost her. Never really had her, but I've lost her."

"To be fair, I've seen snails move at a faster pace," Matt agreed quite cheerfully, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the reaction of the woman in his ear. "It's not too late, Becker. You could always try telling her how you feel."

"Nope." Becker shook his head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because she's not here," Becker practically whined, looking more like a petulant teenager than the grown man he was. He glared at Matt as though it was his fault. "She's not here 'cause she doesn't like me anymore. Not like that."

"Like that?" Ignoring Jess's threats in his ear and listening to the sound of her heels as she finally left her place in front of the ADD, Matt leaned forward in his chair. "Like what?"

"Like y'know." Becker waved a hand in the air, almost hitting himself in his enthusiasm. "Like Abby likes Connor or Emily likes you."

Matt found it impossible not to smirk. "Oh, like that. I get ya. Are you sure she doesn't?"

"If she did, she'd be here." Becker slid a little more under the covers. "She's always here."

"So if she turned up, you'd be more inclined to believe she still likes you?" Matt heard Jess's footsteps slow. "And would you finally admit that you like her?"

Becker scowled at him. "I don't like her, Matt."

"You don't?" Matt let his hand inch up towards his ear as he heard Jess inhaled sharply. Maybe this was a bad idea…

"I more than like her," Becker corrected in the almost haughty manner he'd come to associate with the soldier. "Haven't you been listening?"

Biting back the urge to point out Becker was the one who'd started using the word like in the first place, Matt let his hand drop back to his knee. "I've heard you complain that Jess doesn't like you anymore but haven't heard you say anything about your feelings for her." He shrugged again when Becker looked at him. "Okay, so you said she was brilliant. A lot of people think she's brilliant, Becker."

"Who?" The Captain sat up in bed instantly, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Who said that?"

"What, they're not allowed?" Matt was grateful the drugs in his friend's system prevented him from hearing the amusement in his voice. "You're not the only one who likes her, mate. I'd bet you're not even the only one to more than like her, too."

"Why? What've you heard? Does Jess like someone else? Is that why she's not here...?"

Half convinced the other man was about to leap out of bed despite the IV attached the back of his hand, Matt got to his feet just in case. "I don't think she likes anyone else," he hedged, hearing Jess's footsteps resume and hoping she was heading in the right direction. "But maybe she will if you don't tell her soon."

"Tell her what?" Becker looked genuinely confused.

Matt sighed. "That you like her. More than like her. Make a move, Becker. Get your girl before someone else does."

Becker was quiet for so long Matt almost thought he'd fallen asleep with his eyes open. When he spoke, he was quiet, almost hopeful sounding. "Do you think she'd want to be my girl?"

Hearing Jess's gasp in his ear, Matt grinned. "Oh, I think she'd be interested."

The doors to the medical bay opened. Matt kept his gaze on Becker, swallowing a laugh at the thrilled expression that arranged the soldier's face. He glanced at the newcomer, arching an eyebrow at the flush on Jess's face.

"Told you she'd be here," Matt told Becker smugly. "I'll leave you to it. I'm sure there's some security stuff I could be doing for you somewhere." The reference sailed completely over Becker's drug-addled head but caused Jess's blush to deepen. Walking towards the Field Co-ordinator, Matt gave her a conspiratorial wink. "I think you can take it from here, Jess?"

"You are in so much trouble when the painkillers wear off," Jess warned him quietly, grabbing his arm before he could go past her. "And you're lucky I diverted you to a private comm. line."

"I knew you'd take care of it." Matt grinned at her without remorse, surprising her by leaning in to kiss her cheek. His grin widened at the harsh stare he noticed Becker throwing him. "Just remember you've got me to thank for this, yeah? Might stop him from shooting me later."

Jess rolled her eyes but didn't offer any reassurances. Matt continued towards the door, glancing back over his shoulder when he heard her heels click against the floor and then stop. He watched Jess fuss with Becker's pillows, her blush returning full force at the adorning grin on the all-too-eager patient's face.

They owed him, Matt assured himself as he left them alone to talk. Hopefully that'd be enough to keep Becker from seeking revenge.

To say she wasn't secretly thrilled at the conversation she'd overheard would be the understatement of the century. The problem was that Jess wasn't quite sure what to do about it.

On one hand, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally have that conversation with Becker and not only get everything out in the open but finally find out how he really felt about her. On the other, she felt like she would be taking advantage of him and the situation if she did continue what Matt had started.

In the end, the decision as made for her. Kind of. Becker, still wearing the dopey grin he'd had on his face since she'd moved to stand beside the gurney, reached out and took hold of her hand. With little else to do but let him, Jess sat down in the chair Matt had recently vacated and waited for the Captain to speak first.

"Jess?"

"Yes, Becker?" Her heart was racing in her chest but she did her best to school her features into a calm expression so as not to betray the emotions whirling through her.

"You're really brilliant." It was nothing he hadn't said before but the sincerity in his voice made her smile and bit her lip against yet another telling blush. "I mean it. You are."

"Thank you." She looked at their joined hands instead of at his face, unable to see the emotion in his eyes and not know if it was meant for her or if it was just a reaction to the medication he'd been given and the knock to the head he'd sustained. "You should, um," she'd been about to tell him to sleep but suddenly thought that that might be against the medic's orders, "rest," she finished quietly.

When Becker only continued to stare at her – she could feel his gaze, even without looking up at him – Jess tried to detangle their hands so she could stand and look at the chart at the end of the bed. His grip tightened when she tried to pull her fingers away, surprising her enough to make her look up at him. "Don't leave me."

There was something in the way he said it that made her smile and squeeze his hand reassuringly. "I'm not." She shook herself mentally when she was momentarily distracted by the relieved grin she got in response. "I just need to look at your chart for a moment. I'm not going anywhere you can't see me."

Becker didn't look convinced but reluctantly let go of her hand. She felt his gaze on her as she stood and walked the short distance to the chart, felt the weight of his stare as she flicked through the barely decipherable scrawled notes and saw that the medic in charge had written that he was to be allowed to sleep but should be woken at regular intervals.

Nodding to herself, Jess returned to her seat. She let her hand move to rest on the edge of the bed cautiously, biting back another smile when he shifted to tangle his fingers through hers. "You should go to sleep," she told him quietly. "I'll wake you up in a few hours to check you're okay."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're not going to go away?"

"I promise." She wasn't. Not unless he woke up from his confused, under-the-influence state and asked her to. "Go to sleep, Becker. We can talk in the morning, yeah?"

"Okay." He closed his eyes obediently but kept his grip on her hand, even after he'd fallen asleep.

Settling back in her chair as much as his hold would allow, Jess prepared herself for a long night and the awkward conversation to come.

Every time she woke him up, she expected to see the old Becker staring back at her. The one who'd pull his hand away and awkwardly run it through his hair while he thanked her for her concern but told her that her continued presence was unnecessary.

The Becker she knew and undoubtedly loved but was convinced would either never love her back or at least never admit to it.

After the last check, one of the medics had assured her any more were unnecessary and that if he was going to show signs of deteriorating, it would have happened already. She'd been told she could go home and the night staff would take care of him but Jess remembered her promise and stayed where she was.

Their reassurances, however, were enough to encourage her to give into her own exhaustion and she curled her legs up underneath her body on the chair, let her head drop to the side and closed her eyes.

She fell asleep almost instantly, and slept soundly with Becker's hand still wrapped around hers.

But when she woke up, the warmth of his hand was gone. Jess couldn't stifle a sigh but before she could open her eyes, she sensed more than saw someone hovering in front of her.

"Jess?" His voice was quiet, serious. "Are you awake?"

She was tempted for a moment to pretend she wasn't but knew that he must have known or he wouldn't have risked waking her by asking. Still, she took her time opening her eyes and was careful to avoid looking directly at him even when she did. "Is it morning already? I just closed my eyes for a second..."

"You obviously needed the sleep." He was close enough that she could see his feet, clad in his usual military issue boots, but, as her gaze was firmly fixed to the floor, she couldn't see his expression. "Jess."

"I should... go." Where, she wasn't sure. She didn't know what time it was so wasn't sure if she should head to the locker rooms for a quick shower and change into the spare clothes she left in her locker for emergencies or whether she had time to go home and... Her train of thought came to an abrupt end when he dropped into a crouch in front of her, the position allowing him to see her face and vice versa. "Hi."

"Hey." His dark eyes were unreadable, his expression giving little away. "You stayed."

"You asked me to." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She felt her cheeks burn and tried to break eye contact but couldn't. "Not that... I mean... You weren't yourself. You were really high on painkillers... They should make a note of that, in your file, so they know not to give you them next time or to watch you closely or..."

"Thank you." His serious tone stopped her mid-babble. "For staying."

For several moments, they didn't say anything. Becker's stare was intense, searching. Jess looked away, hoping he wouldn't be able to see the feelings she knew would be there if he looked hard enough.

"I really should go," she started, uncurling her legs from beneath her, blushing again when she realised just how much skin had been on display. "I don't know what time it is..."

Becker shrugged and stood when she did. "There's still time before our shifts start."

"Our shifts?" Jess wouldn't let herself think about what there was still time for. "You're not going back to work today."

"I am." He arched an eyebrow when she stared at him. "I've been cleared for duty. Light duty," he amended with a shrug.

"You spent the night in the med bay with concussion. You had to be woken up every two hours to make sure you didn't have brain damage." Her hands moved to her hips and she glared at him, though in reality would have preferred to have been glaring at whichever idiot had given him clearance to go back to work. "You shouldn't be going anywhere but bed. Home. Your flat."

"I'm just going to spend the day doing an inventory of the armoury. Boring stuff. Safe stuff." Still, the corners of his mouth twitched a little at her flustered rant. "Though if Matt happens to stop by, don't blame me if one of the EMD's happens to misfire."

"Matt...? Oh. So, how much do you remember about yesterday? No, wait. It doesn't matter." She shook her head and waved a hand dismissively. "I don't need to know. We can just forget about the whole thing and..."

"Matt tells me I owe you for not letting him broadcast the conversation over an open comm. line." He interrupted her without apology and was rewarded by the widening of her eyes. "He stopped by first thing. Said he wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"Is it? Okay, I mean?" She fidgeted with the watch around her wrist but held his gaze. "I meant it, you know, we can totally forget about everything. You weren't yourself, it was the medication, you didn't mean any of it..."

Again, Becker cut her off and again, Jess was surprised by what he said. "I meant it. All of it. You are brilliant."

"Thank you." She was experiencing a moment of déjà vu but her mind was unable to provide her with anything else to say when Becker took half a step closer, forcing her to tilt her head so she could still look at him. "Did you... I mean you said..."

"I meant it." He took another half-step and leaned down, close enough that they were almost touching. "Am I too late?"

Jess shook her head, unable to speak for a moment past the lump in her throat. "No. Do you... Do you really want...?"

He gave her a smile that was smaller but no less adoring than the grin he'd greeted her with the night before, mere moments before he wound his arms around her and drew her against him, closing the gap between them as he dipped his head, covering her lips with his in a wordless answer.

Lester, who'd entered the medical bay with the intention of ordering Becker home for the day no matter what the medics had said, stopped just inside the doorway. He shook his head at the sight of the embracing and oblivious couple in front of him before turning smartly on his heel and striding back towards his office.

"Friends at a push," he muttered under his breath. "Who are they trying to kid?"

End.