Song to listen to for chapter: One Republic - All The Right Moves
Define: Serendipity; Noun:
The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
"Serendipity is when someone finds something that they weren't expecting to find..."
Serendipity
o1
"I suspect the secret of personal attraction is locked up in our unique imperfections, flaws and frailties." ~ Hugh Mackay
To say he was average in the looks department would have been a lie. Honestly, when Hannah Moore first laid eyes on him it's fair to say that she had to remind herself to focus on Cutter and not blush when he acknowledged her.
To say she was moderately well looking would have been false. In fact, when Captain Becker first noted her it would be more accurate to say he had to correct himself to continue nodding at the other members of the ARC.
And that was their first impressions.
When she saw him in action, she couldn't help but feel secure and recognise his efficiency as a soldier.
When he saw her dedication to her job, he observed her talents and capability as a medic with growing appreciation.
There was a mutal respect and admiration from day one.
"Watch your step, Dr Moore." Captain Becker instructed, reaching out to the blonde woman. Her hand grasped his tightly and he pulled her towards him, helping her cross the precarious wooden beam onto the platform he stood on. The anonomly had been located in a broken down theatre dating back to the Tudor era and was currently undergoing restoration. The progress had evidentally been very slow judging by the state of the upper stage.
"Thank you, Captain." She offered a smile, following the soldier down another of the hidden passages, secluded from the rest of the open space where the light didn't reach. She stumbled over some debris, her fingers gingerly resting on the taller man's back as she trudged along behind him. There was a creak from above and she twisted round, backing into the soldier. He raised his gun towards the ceiling, the attached light revealing multiple cobwebs but no prehistoric or future predators. Much to their relief. However, the creaking continued and they exchanged a glance; slowly retreating into one of the alcoves.
"Anyone found anything yet?" Cutter's voice sounded in their ears.
"I'm not sure." Hannah murmured back, pressed against Becker's side as the Captain continued to aim his weapon upwards. The motion stopped and together they ventured outwards. Something snagged their footing and the duo ended up on the floor, their legs tangled and the medic sprawled on top of his chest as a squeal rang through the passage. Instinctively, an arm wrapped round her as he searched through flinching eyes for the cause. But as quickly as it had come it was gone. They lay still for a while, their breathing heavy from the adrenaline of shock coursing through their veins.
"What the hell was that?" Becker questioned outloud, whilst they got to their feet.
"Sounds like it's from the Permian era, whatever it is."
"That doesn't help, Temple."
"Whatever it is, it's gone." She murmured, scanning around them for any out of place markings.
"We'll need to regroup now that we have a general idea. Meet back at the entrance, we're swaping parties." The Professor spoke as they neared the opening. Becker decided he didn't like the sound of that.
"Can everyone hear me?"
"Roger that, Action Man!" Connor.
"Gotcha, Becker." Abby.
...
"Dr Moore?"
"My signal appears to be weak. It keeps going fuzzy." Hannah's voice sighed. The Captain felt his eyebrows pull downwards as he glanced over the railings of one of the stalls he and Cutter were occupying.
"You must be close to the anomoly site, Hannah. Be on the lookout." Becker's gaze snapped to the speaking Scot and he straightened up sharply. The professor turned and began walking in the direction she'd taken. He followed with a lengthened pace.
"Professor, I can't hear you. Can you rep-" She was cut short and the two men exchanged a glance.
"I should have stayed with her."
"Why?"
"Because she's a medic; an invaluable asset to the team and I can't protect her when she's on the other side of the building." Becker answered, heading towards the stairs.
"She's got two of your men with her." Connor's voice retorted in his ear. He fell silent, his gun clenched tightly in his hands. Something was wrong. More wrong than usual.
"Captain? Cutter?" Hannah's breathless and vaguely paniced voice came to life over the radio. "We've got a creature incursion - can you hear me?" The two ARC members began to run. Taking the stairs two at a time.
"Dr Moore?" "Hannah?" They questioned in unison.
"Captain Becker? Can you he-" Her sentence was cut short by a grunt and then a groan. The unmistakable sound of gunfire rang in his ears and he felt the familiar dread accustomed to the team.
"Robinson! Henry!" He snapped into the mic when there was no further response from the blonde woman.
"Sir, there's two-!" Becker cursed under his breath as he rounded another corner and was greeted with another set of stairs. Adrenaline leant him speed when he heard the frantic shouts and ammunition and he raced up them with Cutter a few feet behind. The floor above was littered with fallen debris, the anomoly glittering brightly in the far back.
But that wasn't what caught his attention. It was that one of his men was lying face first, the other was crouched behind some rubble and shooting at a horse-sized winged creature trying to attack him. What made his chest tighten was that Hannah was trapped between two fallen beams with the last creature circling her from above. He didn't think twice. Sprinting toward her, he skidded down onto the floor and took aim. Two bullets and the beast was dead. The screech from behind and thump indicated that Cutter and Robinson had finished off the final prehistoric animal.
"You, Captain, have impeccable timing." Hannah breathed. His lips twitched upwards at the blonde now lying flat out and panting beside him, her eyes closed from the relief that she had once again survived a near death experience. He crouched, wrapping his arms round her torso and easing her out from under the fallen objects.
She winced and his eyes narrowed. Gently setting her down, he moved to check her legs. Rolling up the tattered fabric of her trousers to reveal badly bruised legs, she watched him scanning for abrasions. His fingers gently running over the pale skin. No blood. Always a relief.
"Nothing's broken, Dr Becker, just sore." He shook his head, smiling to her.
"You've got a nice lump on your forehead though. You're a lucky lady, Dr Moore."
"I count my blessings, Captain." She replied, taking his offered hand and allowing him to pull her onto her feet. He looped one of her arms round his neck, his free hand encasing her waist as Robinson and Cutter hauled Henry off the ground. She was silent for a moment, her head leaning into his shoulder as a wave of dizziness blurred her vision. He paused to scan her face, brushing strands of hair away from her face to gain a clearer view. He studied her dazed eye contact. "Captain, I think I may be concussed." So do I.
"Oh?"
"Because I have the urge to ask you something completely out of character."
He raised one eyebrow, reaching for the canister of water she kept attached to the back of her trousers and offering her a sip. She took it and looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Do you think I'm pretty?"
"Yes Doctor, I think you are concussed."
Becker walked into the ARC with Hannah still under his watch, half expecting her legs to buckle. She'd slept off her concussion on the drive back and, thankfully for the Captain, seemed to have forgotten her question. She excused herself to change into the clothes she'd left in her locker. He'd just finished delievering his report to Lester when she reappeared, pulling her mid back length hair into the centre of her head and tying it into a ponytail.
"How are you feeling?" He asked, sliding into his seat at his desk.
"Stiff but aside from that fine." She answered, making her way over.
"Good." He chuckled at the deflated look she gave him when he handed her a folder.
"Ah, the joys of paperwork." She sent him a wan smile, already flicking through the crisp white sheets. Her report on their welfare would be needed to complete the piece before it was filed away. She started to walk towards the medical room, her office, then turned back to face him. He waited expectantly when she hesitated.
"By the way. Thank you, for your concern.. and for not letting me get eaten." He laughed down his nose at the smiling blonde woman, nodding once.
"Anytime, Dr Moore."
Forgive me - it's short however I just wanted a brief into.
Much Love ~ SunKissedV
