Title: Holiday Surprise
Rating: PG for adult language
Spoilers: No
Description: Becker is working on the national holiday. Jess and he are a couple now, and Jess will not be alone on this day. So, she surprises Becker.
Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or characters.
Author's Note: I'm American, and this is inspired by Thanksgiving, but Britain doesn't have it. So, I do not specify what holiday they celebrate in this story. I didn't want to commit to it being Christmas, New Years, or Boxing Day, and Boxing day just confuses me anyway. I suppose it could be Guy Fawkes day too, but that one confuses me more than Boxing day. It's just a big holiday, most people get off and food is shared by families.
Holiday Surprise, Part One
Jess peeked into the security office, and smiled. There he was, black, bored apparently, and gorgeous.
"Shouldn't you be alert and prepared, soldier?" she asked. "Tsk, tsk, lounging with your feet on the table, and your eyes closed. I'm appalled Captain."
Becker smiled. "What are you doing here? You should be at your folks."
"I was. We had a lovely lunch, the turkey was brilliant, the conversation heated, someone cried, someone else bellowed, the kids ran a muck, and I spilled something red and staining on my outfit. Perfect holiday with the family."
Becker laughed. "I'm sorry I missed it."
"So were they. They wanted so much to meet my mysterious boyfriend."
"You don't look too disappointed," he said.
"Of course not. I'm not disappointed. I'm here with you now. Any anomalies?"
"Not a one. We're all going bonkers. Epstein is at the ADD playing word puzzles. Vale is going through the female files, determining who he hasn't hit on yet, and the medics are making an effigy of Lester out of bandages."
"They shouldn't waste those. You know how you go through them," she said.
"It's just a little effigy," he said, using his hands to approximate the height. "They invited all the skeleton crew to come out back and watch it burn at the end of shift."
"I take it they didn't volunteer, like you and Epstein?"
"No, neither did Vale, but he isn't too upset. He's just whining about having cold sandwiches for the holiday meal."
"Oh, then he'll love my surprise."
Becker cocked his head, "What surprise?"
She smiled, walked over to him, pulled him up and out of the chair, and kissed him deeply. "Come with me," she said.
"If you have something sexy in mind, I hope you aren't planning on including Vale."
"Becker! How could you suggest such a thing?"
Becker chuckled.
Jess dragged Becker into the canteen, where everyone from the skeleton crew, except Epstein, had assembled.
Jess put her comm in her ear,"Epstein, I told you. I've got the portable ADD down here, so you get your bum down here now."
"Do these containers on the table hold something turkey-ish?" asked Vale, sniffing the dishes and drooling.
"They do," said Jess. "Dig in. We have mashed potatoes, roasted red cabbage, Brussels sprouts with butter, and of course, turkey with onion and chestnut stuffing."
"Wow, Jess. It's amazing. You really didn't have too," said Becker, kissing her head.
She smiled. "Of course I did. I wasn't going to spend our first holiday as a couple, not as a couple."
"That makes sense, I guess," said Becker. "Thank you." He pulled her close and kissed her slowly.
"Can I thank her too?" asked Vale.
After breaking the kiss, Becker said, "Do you want to die?"
"Not really," said Vale. "Thanks, Jess," he said with a wave instead.
Jess smiled. "You're welcome."
Epstein walked in, "I'm here." Seeing the turkey dinner he said, "Um, Jess. I appreciate it, but I can't."
"Why?" she asked innocently.
"Well, it isn't Kosher, is it?"
Jess smiled. "No, but that plate over there, with the pale blue bow? It is. Happy Holidays Epstein."
Epstein looked at her, grabbed the plate, and unwrapped it.
As he looked at the food, Jess said, "I found a Kosher restaurant serving Kosher turkey, challah bread dressing, green beans with mushrooms, and even a slice of Kosher cranberry apple pie."
Epstein smiled. "It's amazing, Jess, and incredibly thoughtful. Thank you."
"She's pretty amazing herself," said Becker. Jess beamed.
"She is," said Epstein.
Jess blushed "Good, Let's all sit and eat," she said, sitting next to Becker.
"It's delicious," said Lippard, the senior medic. "Where's the cranberry sauce?"
"Oops, sorry," said Jess.
"No, it's fine," said Lippard, "This is just incredible, Miss Parker. Thank you very much."
"It was very nice of you," said Epstein.
Beverly Keane, the other medic agreed. "It's delicious and it was sweet of you to think of us."
"I don't think she did it for us," said Vale, smirking.
Becker smiled, shoveling turkey in his mouth.
"I don't suppose you have dessert," asked Beverly, "not that I don't appreciate the dinner. It's just.."
"I understand, Beverly," said Jess. "Dessert is a necessity, but I didn't bring it because Emily wanted to."
"Emily's coming?" asked Becker.
"Emily is present," said Emily. Matt walked in behind her.
"Happy Holidays," said Matt.
"I hope this is acceptable," said Emily, putting a plate on the table. "I have not cooked very much."
"Hmm, yummy," said Jess. "I love mince pies."
"We also brought a few of these," said Matt, putting wine bottles next to the pie, "the wine guy said these would go well with the different dishes at a holiday dinner."
"They're perfect," said Jess.
"It was nice of you guys to come," said Becker.
"It was nice of you to take Flower's shift," said Vale. "First holiday with the kid."
"Yeah, it was kind of special. Plus, when I agreed to it I didn't know I'd have a plus one," said Becker, smiling at Jess.
"I don't mind. This is nice," said Jess.
"Oh, man, they've started eating. Don't eat everything," said Connor.
"You guys too?" asked Becker. "Wow, I'm touched. You threatened them didn't you?"
"I did not!" cried Jess.
"Actually, she didn't. We were bored," said Abby.
"And you just happened to have a store-bought Christmas pudding on hand, did ya?" asked Matt.
"Yes, we did," said Connor, smiling.
"I think it's sweet," said Jess. "The whole team is here."
"Except for Lester," said Becker. "That would have been a shock if he showed up."
End of Part One