A/N: Just a little idea that popped into my mind, and I couldn't get rid of it. Hope you enjoy it! Please leave me some comments.
Disclaimer: Don't own the show and the characters (except Fred and Marc)
Jess skipped out of the ARC happily. A rather boring day, filled with too much paperwork and no anomaly alert, had come to an end.
While everyone had complained more than once during the last few hours about the lack of excitement, Jess couldn't get her mind off of the next day: her (and everyone else's) day off.
She had been planning to redecorate her living room for months and finally was able to convince Abby and Connor to help her. She had asked Becker today too, but he had already plans for the day. What it was exactly, Jess was dying to know, but didn't dare to ask the Captain.
Instead, she concentrated on how she wanted her living room to look like at the end of the day.
She planned to paint three walls in a light orange, and the one wall with the dining table in front was supposed to be the highlight of the new look.
She imagined it with scenery: a flowering field. The lower one third of the wall was supposed to end up being green and the rest in light orange as well, to indicate the setting sun. Jess had gotten various wall stickers shaped like flowers to make the field complete.
Deep in her thoughts, Jess didn't pay attention to where she was going until she nearly bumped into Becker who was talking to Connor and Abby in the parking lot.
"Sorry! Wasn't looking! I was thinking about re-decorating my living room tomorrow. And like I said..." Jess started rambling with a slightly red colored face, but was cut off by the Captain.
"Jess, it's okay, nothing happened." He suppressed a grin, ignoring the giggles from Abby and Connor. One day the nervous rambling, together with the blushing and the innocent eyes of Jess, would be his downfall, he thought to himself as he watched her trying to hide her blush.
"Listen, why don't we all go out for a pint before we call it a day?" Abby piped up, pulling Jess' and Becker's attention away from each other.
Forty-five minutes later the four of them sat in a pub with their choices of beverage in their hands lost in light conversations about the ARC, the latest news and Jess' renovating plans.
Suddenly Jess mobile went off.
"Fred, I can't believe it's you!" Jess beamed at the voice coming from the other end of the line. Becker looked confused, glancing from Jess to Connor and Abby, who only grinned. "You're in town? When?" There was a pause as the person answered, then, "Tomorrow? Great! You want to come over? I could use some more help painting my living room! I can't believe I'm finally seeing you again! It's been too long. Is Marc there too?" This time the pause on Jess' side was longer and her smile grew bigger and bigger while she listened. Jess was practically glowing, her happiness radiating through the whole pub. "Great, tomorrow it is! See ya!"
Jess snapped her mobile shut, while Becker snapped out of his daze. "Fred?" His voice steady like usual not giving away the uncomfortable feeling rising in his stomach.
"Yes, isn't that great? Fred and Marc will come over tomorrow to help as well. They are in town. Abby, Connor you finally get to meet them! I am so excited! This will be soooo much fun!" Jess voice was cracking of excitement. She then turned around to Becker, touching his arm lightly. "Too bad you can't meet them!" Her voice filled with a little sadness but her eyes still dancing in delight.
Full of adrenaline Jess jumped up, declared she'd get another round of drinks, and bounced towards the bar.
Becker's eyes followed the twirly little field coordinator before he turned back to Connor and Abby.
"Fred? Marc? Anyway, Marc okay, but who is called Fred nowadays?" Now it was easy to tell that he was confused about the unknown people.
"Yeah, as if Hilary was any better!" Connor muttered, just to earn a glare from the man in question, but a chuckle from Abby.
Before Connor say anything else, Abby kicked his leg lightly to stop him from giving the 'secret' away just yet. She enjoyed the jealousy shining through their oh-so-tough friend's eyes too much. Luckily Connor got the meaning, shut his mouth and only smirked at the Captain.
Jess returned to their table and handed the drinks to the others. She started to ramble about Fred. Marc seemed long forgotten.
Becker didn't pay attention to what was said anymore. He kept watching Jess silently and jealousy, not that he would ever say it out loud, rose inside him. He wanted to be the reason that Jess was glowing, the reason her eyes shone with happiness. Sure he had been the reason before, but this felt just wrong now.
Suddenly he couldn't take it anymore. "Listen Jess, I will change my plans for tomorrow; I'll come around at noon to help as well! I can't make it earlier though." Abby smirked at the head of security, Connor nearly spit his drink while trying to hide his laughter behind coughs and Jess stared at Becker in surprise.
"Oh, Becker, this is great! But you really don't have to do it! Not that I don't want you to come and help now, but I would just feel bad if you'd change your plans for me!"
"No problem! I just promised my neighbors I'd go grocery shopping for them. I will get that done in the morning, and then I can come over around noon!" While Becker had left the others surprised before, he had them now staring stunned at him.
Abby was the first to find her voice again. "You do what? You go grocery shopping for your neighbors?"
"They are in their seventies and just need help every now and then. Usually they invite me for lunch after, but I will tell them that I have to help a friend. I'm sure they will understand."
"Aww, our action man is a softie!" Connor squeaked. Before Becker could make an attempt to hit, kick or shout at the computer geek, Jess jumped in to help. "Well, Becker, I think it's absolutely sweet of you to help them out!" She smiled at the soldier genuinely.
The team sat a moment in silence before Jess returned to her favorite topic of the night: Fred and Marc. Becker emptied his pint with one gulp and said his goodbyes before leaving the pub rather suddenly.