I know Connor & Abby are already engaged, but I just thought this was a nice way to do this.
I don't own the characters, or the show, or anything you recognise. Actually, I don't even own the name of the restaurant. I got it off a restaurant name generator.
I don't ship Jecker, but Becker appears a little in this fic, so see the Jecker if you really want to. I mean, if you really want to. I mean, if it's that important to you.
"What day is it?" asked Connor.
"Monday 13th February," said Jess, tapping at her console.
"I'm sure there's something important happening tomorrow," said Connor.
"Are you now?" said Jess, trying to sound disinterest.
"Yeah, I am," said Connor. He pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, before throwing his hands over his face and resting his elbows on the table. "Oh God! Is it, um, is it..."
"Yes, Con?"
He paused for a moment, before looking up at Jess. "Is it my mum's birthday?"
"I don't know, Connor," said Jess. "I'm not your PA. It's not my job to take care of these things."
"Right, sorry," said Connor, recognising the tone. It was the tone that Jess used often, the one that said 'Leave me alone, I'm tired, I'm bored, you're annoying me, make me a coffee.' "Do you want a coffee?" asked Connor.
"Please," said Jess. She didn't look up until she was sure he had gone. Then, she looked around to double check and reached for a pink BlackBerry curve. She scrolled through a list of contacts until she found the right one. "Hello?"
"Hello, this is the Magpie Lounge, how may I help you?" a voice said.
"Hi, I'm looking to make a reservation for tomorrow at half past 6, is that alright?"
"Yes, that's fine, we've got plenty of room. What name is it?"
"Temple," said Jess.
"That's fine, Miss Temple."
"Oh, it's Mr Temple," Jess corrected her. "I'm his PA."
"Oh, very well. Goodbye, Miss, um-"
"Parker." said Jess. "Goodbye."
"Ugh." Connor threw himself on the desk. "Please tell me what happens tomorrow?" he begged.
"I don't know, Connor," said Jess smugly.
"Please, Jess? I know you know!"
"What gives you that idea?" asked Jess.
"Because you're doing that thing!" said Connor. Jess looked at him blankly. "You know, the thing with-" he started signally with his hand, but it just flailed up and down.
"I have no idea what happens tomorrow," said Jess. Connor groaned. "I wouldn't mention it to Abby, though." she said teasingly.
"So it's something to do with Abby?" said Connor excitedly. Jess grinned knowingly.
"What've you got?" asked Lester, leaning over Jess's shoulder.
"They've got it back in the anomaly," said Jess. The team had been sent out on a mission and were expected to be back in about half an hour. Jess decided to take the opportunity to talk to Lester about something. "Lester, do you know of any local jazz bands?"
"Jazz bands? Yes, as a matter of fact, I do, a band called Rainforest Sun. Why do you want to know about local jazz bands?"
"Just, um - could you give me a number to contact them?"
"Sure, that's fine," said Lester, his raised eyebrow slipping back into place. "If I remember rightly, it's-"
"One second," said Jess, reaching for her BlackBerry once more. "Go."
Lester recited the number, which Jess tapped into her phone. "Thanks," she chirped and turned back to her console.
"What are you doing?"
"Jesus, Becker!" Jess jumped back in shock.
"Sorry," said Becker.
"Well don't bloody come at me from behind the thing," Jess scowled, as though Becker had done the most awful thing he possibly could have.
"What're you doing, anyway?"
"Nothing," said Jess. Becker raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "I don't believe you," he said.
"Shut up, Becker," said Jess lightly.
"Fair enough," he answered. He glanced over at her phone while she tried to google something, but she threw her hand in his face and he backed off. All he caught was the phrase 'london florists' in the search engine and nothing else.
"Hello, is this The Garden?"
"Yes, it is. Are you looking to place an order for Valentine's Day?"
"How did you-"
"It's all we've been flooded with in the past 6 hours. Everyone waits until the day before."
Jess feigned a small, unsteady laugh. "Yeah, about that..."
"You want 12 large bunches of red roses."
"How did you-"
"To go to which restaurant?"
"The Magpie Lounge. I-"
"And you will have a ring delivered there which we will put in one bunch of roses. This one will be given to the intended bride."
"How did you-"
"Everyone does. Name please?"
"Temple. Connor Temple."
"PA?"
"Something like that."
"Thank you, Miss, um..."
"Parker."
"Excellent. Goodbye Miss Parker."
"Goodbye." Bewilderment lasted a moment or two before Jess finally put her phone back on her desk. "Three down, two to go."
"Hi," said Jess to her phone.
"Hello this is Wilham's Graphic & Design, how may I help you?"
"I need a sign making. For tomorrow. At 6."
"Impossible," said the man on the phone. "It's just not-"
"Look, the florists can get 12 bunches of roses for Valentine's Day, I can make a reservation at one of the top lounges for the 14th February and I can book a local jazz band the day before. Are you actually going to tell me I can't get a bloody sign made for tomorrow?"
The man gave a harassed sigh. "What do you want?"
"OK," said Jess, beginning to talk very quickly. "I want something romantic, with calligraphy. Maybe drawn in the corners. The message needs to say-"
"Will you marry me?"
"Yes."
"My God."
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing. Just a bit of a cliche."
"It's not a cliche," Jess argued, "It's romantic."
"Whatever. Where is it being delivered to?" Jess almost mentioned that nobody said anything about a delivery, but realising that saying that would just turn the whole thing upside down, she simply said "The Magpie Lounge. Tomorrow. At 6."
There was just one thing to do before she left work, and then she would be able to get the ring.
"Lester?" Jess tentatively knocked on her boss's door.
"Yes?"
"I need to leave work early tomorrow," she said. "And so do Connor and Abby."
"Sure, that's fine." What? thought Jess, no argument? Who was this and what the hell had he done with her boss? "I'm leaving early too."
"Oh, have you got plans tomorrow?"
"Yes, romantic dinner, all that. I'll be in trouble if I don't."
"That's nice," Jess said, half sarcastically, half genuinely.
"Not for me, it isn't, but whatever. See you, Jess."
"Bye."
The local jewellers was more or less empty but for Jess and a blonde woman stood behind the counter.
"Hiya," said Jess. The woman replied with a gentle, polite "Hi," and asked Jess if she wanted any help. Jess momentarily declined, but then changed her mind. "Actually," she said, "could I see this ring here?"
The ring was a thin silver band with a delicate circular diamond. It was very simple, and very classy - it was pretty much exactly what Abby liked in jewellery. Her hands were about the same size as Jess's own hands, and the ring was an ideal fit. "I'll take this one," she said.
It was completely planned - the band, the restaurant, the sign, the flowers, the ring. Neither Connor nor Abby had any inkling, and Connor still hadn't worked out it was Valentine's Day. Jess lay awake in bed bursting with excitement when her phone went off. She checked it to see a text message from Connor which simply read 'Damn it.' Jess smiled to herself at Connor's realisation and turned on her side, ignoring the text and sleeping.
I'll update tomorrow to tell you what happens... ah, hell, you already know what's going to happen, but I'll tell you tomorrow anyway.
It's a little bit cheesy, I guess, but you can leave me a review anyway. Thanks xx
