A/N: Okay I went ahead and wrote Becker's POV. I've had nothing to do this weekend. I found a couple of mistakes in the last chapter and corrected them, but if you spot any in this chapter or the last, please, please tell me. I can't stand spelling/punctuation mistakes. Other than that, please enjoy this, especially as it's the last chapter.
As her door closed, I jumped down the steps happily, a huge smile spreading over my face. I might have even thrown a punch into the air just before climbing into the SUV and driving home. My eyes were bleary as I tried to stay awake. It had been a tiring day. An emotional day. But I suppose it had probably been, in a way, the best day of my life.
Today was a fairytale.
I'd woken up at four, pulled on a t-shirt, tracksuit trousers and laced up my trainers. I always started the day with a thirty minute run. In my job it was imperative that I was completely fit – I had to be able to outrun dinosaurs. It was also a remnant from my time in the Armed Forces. Routine was important to me. A soldier's life was his routine.
After that I showered, changed into my work uniform and bolted down a muesli breakfast. I left the house at five, like normal. I was one the first people into work, arriving second only to James Lester, my boss.
"Ah, Captain Becker, I wonder if you could do a security check this morning. I haven't felt this building is properly secure ever since the whole Christine Johnson spying episode."
"Certainly, Sir," I replied respectfully, even though I was perhaps a little annoyed. I organised a security check once a week. It wasn't just that we didn't want other people getting into the A.R.C and finding out about the anomalies; we didn't want any of the creatures getting out either. We'd already done this week's check only two days ago, but I would never argue with my superiors.
I was just checking through the air ducts when I heard Jess' heels clacking down the corridor underneath me, as she headed towards her computers. I would have recognised the sound of those heels anywhere – Jess was the only person to wear such ridiculous shoes in a job which required almost constant running. Although, I suppose, she never really took part in the running – she was always sat in front of her computers. Her job was to coordinate us, the rest of the team. As the sound faded away, I recalled the time Danny had managed to break into the building through the ventilation system. That was the reason the ducts were a part of the weekly check. We wouldn't have known about them if Quinn hadn't used them as an entry.
I sure missed that guy, not that Matt wasn't a great replacement as team leader. No, I missed everyone who was lost because of this job: Professor Cutter, Jennifer Lewis, Danny Quinn, and Sarah Page, all of them. It was dangerous. We were working with rips in time that allowed creatures, from the past and the future alike, to come into our world – of course it was dangerous. That was why I agreed with Phillip about not letting civilians into the field, especially Jess. Jessica Parker had no experience, no training, she was almost certified to be a casualty, and I couldn't bear losing someone else.
Yeah, that's why you're so protective of her, is it, Hilary?
I ignored that thought.
After I'd finished the security check I was left with nothing to do. And everyone else was busy. Connor was in his lab, working on some secret project for Philip that the rest of the team knew nothing about. Abby was in the Menagerie with Rex. Matt and Emily were nowhere to be found. I did not want to search for them for fear of what I might find them doing.
I sighed, rubbing my face, wishing more than anything for an anomaly alert. That was one sure way to get your blood pumping. The excitement and fear of confronting real, live dinosaurs never ceased to cause me the biggest adrenaline rush. I was no adrenaline junkie but, man, it was a serious high. I wandered over towards the ADD.
Jess was engrossed in one of the screens so I sat down next to her and leant an elbow on the glass desk, using that to prop my chin up. An inaudible sigh passed through my lips, as I watched Jess' teeth bite down on her lower lip. She hadn't looked at me yet, but I knew she knew I was there. I'd seen her eyes flickering towards me and away again.
"Anything interesting happening?" I asked, breaking the silence. She looked at me again, her eyes lingering on my face, and her cheeks turning pink slightly.
Great! Now you've embarrassed her! Well done, Hilary. Congratulations. I thought, as she turned away from me and looked back at the screens.
She ran a diagnostic scan and her fingers tapped the desk as she waited. I restrained the urge to reach out and take her hand into my own. Why does this always happen when I'm around her? It's like I'm not at all myself. Maybe I'm coming down with something. No, I felt fine earlier and I'm never ill- My thoughts were interrupted when she told me there had been no anomaly activity.
As she looked back at the screens, her eyes turned to a squint and her forehead crumpled.
"Something wrong?" I asked carefully. I hoped she wasn't going to throw up. I can't deal with ill people.
"Just got a migraine," she mumbled, eyes closed.
"I've got just the thing. We need to stop you staring at these monitors," I replied cheerfully, standing up and offering her my hand, pulling her out of the computer chair and to her feet. I started to lead her away, but she stopped walking and stood staring down at her clothes. I looked at her legs and feet, taking in her tight red skirt and the yellow heeled shoes. "Yeah, you might want to think about changing."
"And what will I be doing that requires me to change my clothes?"
"That would be giving clues, Jessica. Just put on a pair of trousers and some trainers," I replied a little exasperated.
"Fine," she mumbled, defeated. "Susan, can you take over the ADD?"
"Of course, Jess," she replied, staring disconcertingly at Jess and me. I gazed at the back of Jess' head, wishing I could see her face. She turned and found me watching her. Annoyed with myself I saw her turn away from me and dash into the locker room to change.
Internally I groaned. I'd seen Jess' face as she turned into the locker room. She looked upset. What've you done now, Hilary? You've put your foot in it that's what!
Shut up! I told my mental voice.
I plastered a smile of my features as she walked out in a green cardigan and jeans looking so cute. Cute? Really Becker, you're a soldier. Soldiers don't use that word. I made my face muscles to maintain the smile, but I could tell that it seemed a little forced.
I began walking towards the armoury, with Jess following me, sighing every now and again and mumbling incoherently about me not telling her where we were going. The smile on my face was genuine that time. I stopped outside the armoury and told Jess to wait in the doorway.
I knew exactly where I'd left it. I'd found the scarf in Jennifer Lewis' abandoned locker and thought about returning it; but it was black and would be perfect for use on training exercises, so I'd put it in the armoury. Turned out, I never used it for training exercises, but I would use it now. I fished it out from behind a harpoon attached to the wall. I have to use that one day.
I returned to Jess brandishing the scarf in front of me and tied it tightly around her head so that her eyes were covered.
"Hilary Becker! Is this really necessary?"
"It is if you call me Hilary," I warned from across the room. I picked up a .88 rifle and inspected it before depositing it in a black canvas holdall at my feet. I forced myself to turn away from the glocks and pick up another rifle.
I turned back to see Jess nervously, blindly, searching the room for me. A mischievous smirk on my face, I crept towards her, clamping my hand down on her shoulder and scaring the bejesus out of her. Silent laughter rolled through me. After a particularly loud snort, Jess turned around and slapped me on the arm. Surprisingly hard.
"Ow!" I complained.
"Serves you right! Now can I take this scarf off yet?" She asked, almost whining at me.
"Nope. Not yet. I'll tell you when. Now give me your hand."
Like a petulant child she refused to give me her hand, but rather than annoy me, it endeared me towards her. In the end I took her hand from her side, capturing it in my own. Her tiny hand disappeared beneath my fingers. I dragged her away, leading her out to the car park.
I pulled the blindfold off her and she blinked for a few seconds, her eyes growing accustomed to being outdoors.
"What are we doing, Becker?"
I held a finger aloft and slipped the holdall off my shoulder. I placed it on the ground, unzipped it and took out one of the rifles. I handed it to her and restrained my mirth at her body language.
"Jess, it's a gun. It won't hurt you unless you fire it," I said patronisingly, an eyebrow arched.
"Ha ha. You know I'm only trained with EMDs."
I pulled the second rifle out of the bag. "EMDs are exactly the same as real guns, Jessica."
"Really?" she asked, sounding shocked.
"Well, nearly the same anyway." I shrugged my shoulders.
"Becker," she groaned.
"What?" I stood next to her and began to instruct her on how to hold the gun and how to shoot. "Okay?" I asked.
"Just one small thing."
"Shoot," I said, grinning at my pun. Really, grown up, Hilary!
"How is this supposed to get rid of my headache?"
"Just shoot, Jessica."
She took her stance, the barrel of the gun tucked into her shoulder. One hand in the middle, supporting the rifle, her legs parallel with her shoulders. She aimed towards the tin can I had put on the wall.
"Remember. Don't pull the trigger; just squeeze it." I told her.
She nodded.
"And breathe, remember to breathe and then fire."
"Yes, alright, Becker! We've been through it enough times," she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Her finger squeezed the trigger and a bullet came speeding out of the end of the rifle, heading towards the can. The can clattered on the floor, as the bullet knocked it off the low wall.
I tackled her in a bear hug, lifting her small frame into the air and whirling her around.
"Jess you did it! I can't believe it – on your first shot!" I shouted.
I lowered her to the floor, my arms encircling her tiny waist. She rested her head against my shoulder and whispered into my neck, her warm breath tickling the skin there, reminding me just how close we were.
My arms dropped away from her in shock and I took a step backwards. What have you done now, Hilary? Jess doesn't fancy you!
I scratched behind my ear, feeling incredibly awkward. I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed it again when nothing came to mind, feeling like a flapping fish. I was about to apologise, when my phone went off in my pocket, vibrating loudly.
I pulled the simple mobile out of my trousers and answered it. Talk about saved by the bell!
"Hello, Becker here."
"Becker? It's Matt. We've got an anomaly alert, where are you?" I could hear the siren blaring at the other end of the connection.
"Oh, er, don't worry, I'll be right there. Just get Susan to send the coordinates to the GPS in my car. I'll see you and the rest of the team at the site."
I hung up and slid my phone back into my pocket just as Jess finished a conversation on her own pink phone.
"Abby can't make it. I'm coming with you," she said nonchalantly.
"What? Jessica Parker, you aren't a field operative. Your job is to coordinate us."
"Hey! I've been trained to use EMDs and you just showed me how to use a rifle. I'll be fine. Come on, there's no use arguing. We need to go or there'll be creatures all over the place."
I reluctantly agreed and led the way to the SUV in the indoor car park, passing my men all around the A.R.C. I drew the car keys out of pocket and unlocked it. I took a few deep breaths before getting in, hoping to dispel the effect Jess' floral perfume seemed to be having on my judgement. What kind of military officer allows a civilian into the field, Hilary? You're a disgrace to your commanding officers!
I drove off quickly, racing to get to the anomaly at the old theatre. From the corner of my eye I saw Jess fidgeting with her cardigan, reminding me that she didn't have an EMD with her. I had mine in the trunk of the car, but I always kept a spare in the glove compartment. I told her to get it, still feeling frustrated about putting her in the line of fire by taking her to the anomaly.
"Look after yourself with that, Jessica," I murmured, not meeting her eyes.
I pulled up outside the theatre, noticing the absence of my men's cars. We were the first ones here, after Matt and Emily. I got out of the car and headed around to the trunk, flipping open the case containing my long-range EMD. I grabbed my body vest and pulled it on, did up the front and then attached the sight to my EMD and followed Jess into the building, drawing level with her as we passed the till due to my long strides.
I heard Matt and Emily in my ear piece and then saw them standing on stage beside the anomaly, EMDs trained on it. I jogged down the aisle and up the steps, joining them and aimed my own EMD at the shining, oval-like hole in time and space.
"Are you sure nothing's come through?" I asked urgently.
"Positive," Matt answered. "Emily searched when we got here." He gave Emily a loving look. Don't throw up, Hilary, don't throw up. But at the same time, I couldn't deny that I wished I could share looks like that with Jess.
"Jessica, can you go back out to the car and get the locking device?" I didn't take my eyes away from the anomaly, partly because I didn't want anything to come through whilst I wasn't looking, but also because I was sure that if I looked at her, my eyes would tell her I fancied her like mad.
She walked back up the aisle, grumbling.
Five minutes passed and she still hadn't returned. I looked down at my watch and muttered, "Come on, Jess. Hurry up. Honestly, how long does it take to get the anomaly lock?"
I looked up, surprised, as a scream broke the silence between Matt, Emily and me. An enormous dinosaur was plummeting in a death spiral to the ground. It crushed the chairs beneath it, but that wasn't what I looked at intently. My eyes were glued to Jess, who was hanging precariously from the white banister surrounding the balcony.
"Jess! Hang on!" I shouted to her desperately. I ran forwards to stand underneath her, at the edge of the stage, whilst Matt, by unspoken consent, ran upstairs towards her. Unfortunately just as he reached her she slipped and fell. I managed to catch her and breathed a sigh of relief. "Jess? Jess, are you alright?" She didn't answer. "Jess?" I asked worriedly. I lowered her to the ground and bent over her, taking her hand and holding it tightly. "You're going to be okay. Talk to me, Jessica. Where are you hurt?"
"Give us a minute with her?" Emily asked.
I nodded and moved a few paces away. I heard the crack as Emily slapped her across the face. I ran back over as she tried to sit up.
"Help me up?" she asked, her hand in the air.
I took it and pulled her off the stage floor. Her body went limp and she sagged back towards the ground, but I put an arm around her, catching her and supporting her weight. "Jess? What's wrong? Tell me what's the matter, Jessica Parker!" I demanded.
She pointed to her side, and my eyes roved over her body, staring at the rip in her green cardigan and yellow top, stained red from blood. She gasped in pain as Emily poked her.
"Careful," I hissed, my eyes flashing in anger. I lifted her into my arms, tucking her into my body and carried her out to the car.
"Am I going to be okay, Hilary?" She whispered, sounding frightened.
I turned to look at her, angling my head backwards so I could see into her eyes. "You are going to be fine, Jessica," I said determinedly, over-enunciating each word. I strapped her into the passenger seat and drove like a maniac to the hospital. I checked her in, thankful that my stalker-like tendency to know everything humanely possible about Jess allowed me to know all of her personal information needed for the forms
I sat outside her room fidgeting like someone with ADHD until the doctors left. I'd already phoned the A.R.C and told them neither Jess or I would be returning that day. I'd been panicking, unable to think of anything other than Jess. I couldn't bear it if she died without ever knowing how I felt about her, so I resolved to tell her today.
I snuck into her room in the absence of any medical staff and sat by her bedside holding her hand as the doctor stitched her side. I told her how brave she was being and made up a lie about how she got injured.
When the doctor discharged her I took her out to the car, carrying her once more, when we got to the doors and saw it was raining.
I turned the ignition and let the car sit idle for a few minutes before turning to look at her. Just come out and say it, Hilary. Don't procrastinate or you'll never tell her.
"Jess," I began awkwardly. "There's something I wanted to say to you."
She nodded, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"I don't quite know how to say this."
Be a man, I chanted like a mantra.
"I've sort of been having…feelings…for you recently and I wondered if you would maybe go out to dinner with me sometime." I muttered quietly, feeling anything but manly.
Her eyes teamed with tears. Oh god, that means she doesn't like me! "Yes," she whispered., causing me to sigh in relief. As I turned back to the steering wheel, she continued, "I like you too, Becker." My head whipped back towards her, and she laughed a little.
I took her hand held it before my face and placed my lips against it. Her fingers folded around mine and I drove us to her house with only one hand on the steering wheel, the other residing around hers.
I walked her to the door. Still holding her hand.
"You look so beautiful," I whispered gently.
She raised her eyebrows in response and looked at her ripped cardigan and blood-stained t-shirt. "I look like a mess."
I shook my head, silently disagreeing.
"So when do you want to go to dinner?" I asked, leaning against her door.
"How about tomorrow?" She asked.
I nodded. Calm down, Hilary, it's only dinner! "Tomorrow sounds good. I'll see you at work, although don't expect to come out into the field again, Jessica," I said, smiling.
Jessica opened the door and I turned, walking back down the path. I heard the door close and assumed she was back inside. How wrong I was.
"On second thoughts, how about tonight?" She called just as I was getting into the car. I leaned my arms on the roof.
"Pick you up at six?"
"Yep. Sure. I'll see you at six." She said calmly.
I ducked into the car and sighed happily. I'd finally done it. I'd stepped up and asked Jess on a date.
Crap! Where am I going to take her?
I pulled away from her house, thinking hard. I only had half an hour and I had to change as well as sort dinner. As I sped up an idea started forming in my mind.
That is incredibly cheesy, Hilary. Chinese take away? Singers? The pier?
I ran into my house, stopping only to change into a pair of jeans and a tight grey t-shirt. Then I was back out the door and getting into the car. I ran to the Chinese after parking further down the road.
"Hi, yep, just give me one of everything. Prawn crackers, lots of prawn crackers though please," I got out between gasps, after sprinting. "Can you deliver it to the pier please?" I handed over my card, paid and ran out of the shop.
One stop down.
I had fifteen minutes to get the music and the venue sorted.
Luckily I managed to rope my brother into fixing the venue. I called on my phone whilst I drove to a local restaurant, searching for speed cameras.
"John, please, it's really important. Just hang the entire pier in fairy lights if you have to then wait there until the Chinese is delivered."
Finally he agreed and I hung up. I jogged into the restaurant, searching until I found who I was looking for. I found a musician and hurried over to him.
"Hi," I breathed. "Sorry, for interrupting but I was wondering if you had any friends who might be able to help me out with a romantic date I'm setting up." Luckily, he did. He handed me a card, told me to phone the number on it and turned back to the table he was playing for.
I rang the number as I returned to the SUV.
I was just on time as I pulled up outside Jess' house for the second time that evening. I beeped the horn and then got out to wait for her at the door.
She almost ran into me on the doorstep, but that was it right there. I fell in love with her in that moment, I swear.
Fell in love when I saw you standing there.
She had this sheepish little expression on her face, but she still looked beautiful in her green dress and her ginger hair curled loosely around her face. And I told her so.
"You don't look so bad yourself," she replied, smiling widely.
I crooked my elbow for her and led her to the car.
"So where are we going?" She asked eagerly.
"Jessica Parker, have you learnt nothing about me today?" I joked. "It's a surprise."
I drove us to the pier and stopped. I opened my door and stepped out before opening Jess' car door and offering her my hand. She took it and gracefully stepped down from the car.
I led her down the pier. About halfway there I stopped and told her to wait one second before disappearing off to the right.
Suddenly the whole pier was illuminated by fairy lights hanging overhead. I nodded at the three musicians and they began playing a slow, romantic tune on the guitar, violin and flute. I took her hand and seated her before sitting opposite her. I brought out the box from under the table.
"I hope you don't mind," I said with a smile, "I got us Chinese."
She laughed. "Of course I don't mind."
The evening continued enjoyably, seeming to last for ages. Or maybe time just slowed down because Jess is around.
The entire evening I couldn't look away from her. I swear her smile took me to another planet.
I drove her home again, talking quietly the entire time, but keeping my eyes on the road.
Once more I walked her to the door. But this time, I leaned down and wrapped my hands around her waist. My lips found hers in the light from the streetlight. Electricity sped through the air between us. I felt like I was in wonderland or some kind of magic was at work. Or maybe there really was just a spark between us. My heart was thumping in my chest. I was sure she must have been able to feel it, considering out bodies were touching.
"Goodnight, Jessica. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow." I kissed her forehead and jumped down the steps, got into the car and drove away.
If she's not a princess, she's a damsel. A damsel in distress, I thought with a wry smile. She certainly had been in need of my help today, I hoped that I could continue to help her in the future, although I did not want a repeat of that day's episode.
It had been a long day. But it had been the best day.
Today was a fairytale.
A/N: So how did I do? Sound like Becker? Please review - it helps me improve my writing for other and future fictions. Also, I wasn't planning to write anything more for this fiction, but I do have a couple of ideas for more chapters, so if anyone wants me to, either PM me or review to tell me.
