Title: Milestones IV
Author: DrawnToDarkness
Rating: T overall
Pairing(s): Jess/Becker, Abby/Connor, Matt/Emily
Spoilers: General knowledge of the show and anything that's happened in the Milestones series up until now.
Disclaimer: Still. Not. Mine. Seriously. *pout*
Summary: Fourth in the series. Before they can make plans for the future, it first needs to be saved. Set two years after Milestones III.
Author's Note: Welcome to Milestones IV. A little warning before we begin: this will be quite unlike the other collections in the series. There will be a tiny bit of fluff but overall, given the subject of the story, this is likely to be a little bit darker than what we've seen so far. I'm sorry about that, but it's necessary to get it out of the way, so the fluff can come back! ;)

Prompt: Anticipation
Rating: K+

Two years had passed since both the day he and Jess had been married and his unplanned trip to the future with Matt. Two admittedly sometimes stressful but always worthwhile years he wouldn't change for anything. A handful of bad anomalies and their related incursions aside, they had been the best two years of his life – three, really, including the year he and Jess had spent together before getting married.

Two years since that day, though.

But he hadn't forgotten. Wouldn't let himself forget. He recalled with startling clarity every second of the time he'd spent through the future anomaly.

Every. Single. Second.

And he remembered the shadow in the future version of Jess's eyes, the way his future self and Abby's had moved closer to her, as if trying to protect her from ghosts of the past.

Of his – their – future.

He didn't like to think about what could have happened – what would happen – to put those shadows in her eyes. Whenever he remembered it, he had to reign in the urge to suggest they go away somewhere, anywhere, far far away. Somewhere he could wrap her in metaphorical cotton wool and keep her safe, protect her from whatever lay ahead.

But he knew he couldn't do that, just as he knew Jess would never let him even if he tried.

He'd told her everything, of course; he couldn't not. For one, she'd have read it all in the reports he and Matt had to write. For another, he was determined not to start his married life by lying to his wife.

His wife.

Even after two years, the thought that Jess was indeed his wife made him grin like an idiot. He was still every bit as in love with her as he had been at the beginning – perhaps even more so.

When he'd told her the details of his trip through the future anomaly, Jess had merely squared her shoulders, a look of determination flittering across her features. When she realised how worried he was, she'd tried to smile for his sake, reassuring him that as long as they were together in the future, they could cope with whatever else fate had in store for them.

He'd expected nothing less. His wife was as brave as any one of his men, and her courage was a source of both pride and fear for him. He was just glad she was content with her role as Field Co-ordinator and had never asked to join the team at an anomaly site.

A soft sound of protest, sleepy and nonsensical, drew him out of his musings. A slow grin curled his lips as Jess frowned in her sleep, her open hand reaching out for him only to grasp at an empty space. Becker leaned down from his place of sitting on the edge of the bed on her other side, smoothing her slumber-tousled hair from her face before pressing his lips lightly against hers.

Her mouth curved into a sleepy smile beneath his, her blue eyes opening slowly to blink up at him. The frown was gone but a pout soon took its place when she realised he was already dressed and ready to go to work.

"I've got some security drills scheduled with the nightshift," he reminded her quietly, not wanting her to wake up fully given the still very early hour. "I reset the alarm already so you can go back to sleep."

She lifted a hand to take hold of his, keeping his palm against her cheek when he would have reluctantly pulled away. "I could come with you," she offered just as quietly. "I'd only need a few minutes to get ready."

"You work too hard as it is," Becker returned, arching an eyebrow as if daring her to argue.

"I'd just be watching you on the monitors. That's not hard work. I'd even say it's one of the perks of the job."

He smirked at her and shook his head. "Go back to sleep, Jess. If I can get away, I'll meet you for breakfast when you get in."

"Hmm." Tugging on his hand, she pulled him down to her level, meeting no resistance from her husband. She kissed him slowly, her hand moving to rest at the back of his neck, fingernails lightly scoring the sensitive skin there. "I wish you could stay."

"I wish I could, too." It would easy, far too easy, to give in and crawl back into bed beside her. But Becker knew he couldn't, just as Jess knew he couldn't. "I'll see you soon."

"Mmmhmm." Letting him go, Jess settled back against the pillows, her eyes sliding shut.

Becker got off from the bed and walked to the doorway, glancing back to look at her over his shoulder. Already well on her way to falling back asleep, she'd curled her body around his pillow, hugging it to her with a soft smile on her face.

He'd keep her safe, he vowed to himself. No matter what it took.

End.

To be continued in 'Farewell'.