Prequel 2
Back at the ARC, Becker made his way towards the locker room. He had a small smile on his face and a small spring in his step. Matt smirked, amused at Becker's sudden change in emotions, as they passed each other in the corridor. Becker opened the door to the lockers and spun 180 degrees. He heard the childish giggle emit from the girl changing in the room.
"I'm decent." she announced.
He slowly turned back around to se her just getting her arms through the blue shirt, like the ones Abby and Connor wore. He caught the sight of the bruises and small scars on her back. She had gone back to her usual tight, black trousers which Becker didn't like at first. But instead of her heels, she wore a pair of black converse. She had tied her hair up in a loose bobble. It reached just past her shoulders in the loose tie. Becker's confidence had slipped as he watched her. He nervously walked to stand next to her.
"Didn't know your hair was ginger." he mumbled.
"I was teased in school and I kept having detention for fighting back. So I dyed it." she giggled.
"Why am I not surprised?" Becker smirked.
"Hey!" she shrieked, pretending to be offended.
"Rachel. You know I'm only joking." Becker raised an eyebrow.
"You better bloody be." she warned, squinting her eyes. "I'll have my dad beat you. If he gets back."
"Don't think like that." Becker whispered softly as he pulled Rachel into his arms. "He'll be back. Just so he can bug us. He wouldn't miss it."
Rachel smiled against his chest, wrapped her arms around him, sinking into his protective but comforting hold. Becker sighed and tightened his hold on her. Rachel put her chin on his shoulder, and Becker leant his head against hers.
"I missed you." she mumbled. "I was worried that Patrick had killed you."
"Do I look dead?" Becker joked, leaning back to stare down at Rachel but keeping his arms looped around her waist.
"No." she giggled. "2 years worrying over nothing."
"What?" he frowned. "It's only been a few days."
"For you it has." her smile fell and so did her eyes. "It's been 2 years for me."
Becker stared down at her for a while before pulling her closer, back into his arms. She buried her head against his shoulder as he slowly run his hand up and down her spine, trying to reassure her. Neither one knew what to say because of that. Suddenly, something fell off the bench beside them, causing Rachel to jump out of Becker's arms, instinctively reaching for her sword. Becker stood in her way, taking her hands in his tenderly.
"Rachel. Nothing is going to hurt you anymore." he reassured softly, taking her head in his hands and making her look at him. "Not while I'm here."
She gave a humourless laugh. "I'm so used to being alert every few seconds. Being a bandit has it's disadvantages."
Becker let go of her face and brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear. He made her smile.
"You're so sweet sometimes." she mumbled.
"Only to you." he smirked.
She smiled wider, wrapping her arms around his neck. She stood on her toes to give him a soft kiss. In which he returned with a smile, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer again. Abby walked in at that exact minute, smiling softly at the scene before her. She cleared her throat, causing Rachel to jump back a step and Becker slightly blush.
"Lester wants to see you Rachel." Abby explained, smiling wider.
Rachel smiled and hurried off, keeping her head low to hide the creeping up her cheeks. Becker turned away, clearing up the mess Rachel just made to avoid Abby's knowing smile. As he done this, Abby tried not to laugh at the shy pair.
"You quite like her huh?" Abby smirked. Becker never answered nor looked at her. "You deserve her. Don't say you don't. After everything you've done for us all, without even asking for any sort of praise."
Becker finally smiled and looked at Abby. "And she's just ike her dad."
"Hey." Abby shrugged. "She brings you back down to Earth when she doesn't listen."
"Why am I banned from my apartment?" Rachel asked from the passenger seat in Becker's car.
"Because." Becker started. "Because I . . ."
"You think I'll wander off?" Rachel finished for him.
Becker reached over and took her hand in his. "I don't mean it like that. It's just . . . I've failed in trying to protect you so many times . . ."
Rachel squeezed his hand. "You have got to stop beating yourself up over things like this. It's not your fault. Besides, I'm still here and still your assistant. You'll have a few more tries to keep me safe."
"God help us all" Becker sighed.
Rachel just glared at him, unable to hit him as he was driving. Becker noticed the look at smiled at her.
"Just wait till we get to yours." she warned before settling into the seat, stroking Becker's hand with her thumb.
Rachel wriggled slightly, turning onto her other side as she lay on the sofa with her head on Becker's lap. They were watching a movie, until she fell asleep, and she was now facing him. Becker smiled softly down at her. He brushed her hair out of her face and ran his knuckles down her cheek. She frowned and scratched her cheek as she woke up. She made Becker chuckle.
She groaned and winced. "I don't tan Becker."
"Sorry." he mumbled.
Rachel sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I fell asleep on you again didn't I?"
"You did." Becker nodded, and placed one of his hands on the small of her back. "I don't mind though."
That made her smile. She took Becker's free hand and played with it nervously. After a few minutes, she glanced up at Becker, who was watching Rachel. Becker let go of Rachel's hand, putting it on the back of her neck, pulling her in for a soft kiss. But something was bugging her. It's been on her mind since she seen him again after those 2 years. And Becker also had something to ask her. They both went to ask at the same time, making them laugh and Rachel bury her head in his shoulder.
"You first." Becker insisted.
Rachel lifted her head. "What happened? . . . After Patrick shot you I mean."
Becker was dreading telling her this. "I was unconscious for the whole 3 days. Only this morning I had woken up and even then they said my reactions would be slow and I may twitch every now and then. The twitching never came. But I can't drive. They said my aim was alright and probably by the end of today, my reactions would have almost caught up."
"I wish I could've done something." Rachel mumbled. Then something caught her eye.
She pulled the collar of his t-shirt down to see a black burn mark on his shoulder. It was from where the second EMD shot had hit him, in the exact same place as the first one. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to it, tenderly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him close, and he done the same to her, except with his arms around her waist.
"It's better than you being dead." she realised. "What did you want to say?"
"I wanted to ask. Would you . . . Want to stay here?" he asked nervously.
She leaned back, frowning deeply. "That's what I'm doing. You won't let me in my flat."
"No." Becker shook his head, staring directly into Rachel's eyes. "I mean . . . live here . . . With me?"
Rachel stared at him in shock. She couldn't believe what he was asking. They hadn't even been together long. Well, for him anyway. She didn't know what to say. She wanted to say yes, but her head was swimming. The longer she contemplated it, the more Becker started to regret asking her. He had a feeling it would be too early in their relationship to ask something like that.
But then Rachel smiled at him. "Why not eh?"
Becker let out a breath of relief, that he didn't know he was holding. "You had me worried then."
"But you now realise that your stuck with me?" she smirked.
"Save me now." was his reply before he captured her lips in his.
She's Back!
This chapter is so cute and cheesy, it's unbelievable!
Anyway, I should be able to update more regularly since all my exams have finished and I don't need to go to some lecturers in college. So more time to write!
Whoo Hoo!
xx
