Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.
Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.
A/N: A collaboration with Mijo54. A/N2 story takes place after Detour.
9.9 Planning
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Slightly over a month later, Jess and Becker were still making wedding plans. The hair on Becker's head had grown almost an inch long. Jess couldn't exactly run her fingers through his hair, but she did think it was an improvement.
"Your hair is growing faster than I expected," said Jess.
The young field coordinator sat on the sofa with her bare feet propped up on a small hassock. Her fuchsia colored heels were in a jumble by the door along with Becker's big black boots. The soldier himself was stretched out lengthwise on the sofa with his head in her lap. Jess stroked the short dark hair.
"And it's softer now," Jess continued.
Becker's lips curled up in a smile at her words. His eyes were half closed and he was quite content to stay right where he was and not move for the rest of eternity.
"The hair will be back to normal in a few months," promised Becker. "Of course if you like the bald look, I could always shave my scalp again for the wedding."
"Don't even think about it," ordered Jess as she leaned down and pressed her lips against his.
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Becker's hairstyle for the wedding was one of the easier things for the couple to agree upon. Over dinner, Jess and Becker continued the ongoing discussion of when and where exactly to have the wedding.
"I'm just saying," muttered Becker "Spring starts in March."
"Yes Hil," said Jess, "and continues through the later part of June."
Becker twirled the fettuccini noodles around his fork. He took a bite of the pasta and chewed slowly before answering. Jess watched as he swallowed. Unlike her, Becker seldom blurted things out.
"Sooner would be better," Becker said finally.
Jess rolled her eyes and gave him a fond smile.
"First we have to find a place to have the wedding," replied Jess. She started ticking off items on her fingers. "And coordinate deliveries from various venders: a caterer, a florist, a baker, musicians…"
Now it was Becker who rolled his eyes.
"I'm glad you're the coordinator," said Becker with a chuckle. "It sounds more like you're planning a tactical assault than a social event."
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Later in the evening, they were both stretched out side by side on the sofa. The closing credits of Four Weddings and A Funeral flashed across the television screen. They began to talk about the real weddings they'd both seen.
"The real weddings were so much better than the dream weddings my sisters and I planned when we were girls," said Jess. "And my cousin's weddings…"
"Which wedding was your favorite?" asked Becker. He thought maybe that would be a starting place for planning their wedding.
"All of them of course," responded Jess with a bright smile.
Becker smiled and hugged Jess a little tighter. He leaned forward breathing in her scent.
"What was the first wedding you ever went to?" asked Becker.
"Marjorie's when I was ten," answered Jess. "She got married on a Friday after work."
"Really," said Becker in a surprised tone. "I would have thought a traditionalist like Marjorie would have had a church wedding on a Saturday with a formal wedding breakfast right afterwards."
Jess giggled.
"Marjorie and Sam had a civil ceremony as quick as they could arrange it," explained Jess "She wore a smart white suit and carried one white rose."
Becker chuckled. Maybe underneath all her fussy ways Marjorie wasn't quite as stiff and stern as she seemed.
"A few years later, Alexandra and William had a formal wedding," continued Jess. She sighed happily at the memory. "Alexandra looked like a princess right out of a fairy tale."
"Xandra went for a formal wedding?" asked Becker.
"Mainly I think Alexandra wanted to make William's mother happy," answered Jess. "Evie, William's little sister and I were bridesmaids."
Becker raised his eyebrow. He wondered why Marjorie hadn't been part of the wedding.
"Marjorie was expecting Charles at the time," said Jess with a tiny frown, "so she said she shouldn't be in the wedding. I don't think that should really make a difference. Do you?"
"Of course not," said Becker soothingly.
"Evie says now that she's never getting married," sighed Jess. "Ours might be the last wedding in the family for awhile."
She paused for a moment, then began speaking again.
"What was the first wedding you ever went to Hil?"
"My sister got married when I was eleven," answered Becker. "It was an outdoor ceremony on the beach near Brighton. It was a small informal get together. We just had the families and some friends of theirs from uni."
"And," prompted Jess.
"A friend in uni," added Becker.
"The one where the bride's grandmother was Italian?" asked Jess.
Becker nodded.
"We both went to Abby and Connor's wedding three years ago," continued Becker "and Sophie and Mark's wedding last year."
"And," prompted Jess again.
"That's it," replied Becker. At her surprised look, he continued. "I've been invited to other weddings, but haven't always been able to go."
"What do you mean?" asked Jess.
"I was in Afghanistan when my cousin got married," explained Becker. "And I didn't get the invitation to William and Alexandra's wedding until four months after."
"The Royal Post has a lot to answer for," said Jess. "Just think, we could have met years ago, if they'd been on time with the delivery."
Becker nuzzled her neck.
"Work sometimes gets in the way," whispered Becker, "but the important part is we finally did meet."
For a moment the woman in his arms breathed contentedly. Then Becker felt Jess stiffen. She sat up straight and turned to look at him.
"Work is not to get in the way of our wedding," said Jess. "No dinosaurs allowed."
"Agreed."
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