Title: Chocolate or Men 2nd Option
Prompt: Deinonychus_1 prompted: Jess, the eternal question-chocolate or men.
Author's Note: Another direction for the prompt. Not directly related to the first Chocolate or Men
1228 Words
Chocolate or Men 2nd Option
"I do not need a stress monitor."
"Clearly, Miss Parker, you do."
"I just get a bit excited, that's all."
"The doctors want to make certain. This is a very stressful job, you know."
"I know, Lester, but I'm fine."
"Let's allow the stress monitor to determine that, shall we?"
Jess sat at the ADD. "Stupid," she mumbled, "Two incursions, three injuries, and a probable civilian death, and the monitor doesn't beep once. I'm fine."
"That's great, Jess," said Abby, sitting beside all the team, except Becker.
He strolled in now. "What's great?"
Jess looked up to see that fit body, tight shirt, and gorgeous hair.
The monitor beeped.
Jess turned red, and the others laughed.
"Jessica? The monitor, do you need to see a medic?" he asked in alarm.
"No. I'm fine. It's just a malfunction."
"Still, we should be sure."
More snickers and laughter, drew his attention. "I don't see the humor in Jess possibly having a heart attack."
Abby laughed. "She's not. She's just...pleased to see you."
"Abby!" screamed Jess.
Becker blushed and chuckled. "Oh."
"Everyone, out of Ops, now!" yelled the field coordinator.
"Yes, ma'am," said Connor, saluting.
"Sorry. Just teasing," said Abby.
Matt and Emily left without commenting.
Jess deliberately avoided looking at Becker.
"Are you sure you're OK?" he asked.
She smiled, and risked a glance at him. "Yes, thank you."
He nodded, and smiled back. He started to leave, then turned back. "Forgot," he said, giving her a chocolate bar.
She smiled brightly, and reached to take it.
And the monitor went off again.
"Darn!"
Becker smiled. "I better leave, so you can have some peace and quiet."
She nodded, her cheeks pink.
Jess had to wear the monitor for 24 hours. At lunch she got chocolate cake. The monitor beeped. She had a choco mocha hot drink early in the afternoon. The monitor beeped. Then she ate some of her chocolate stash. The monitor beeped.
She got a glimpse of shirtless Becker on her screens. The monitor beeped. She walked behind Becker, enjoying the view, and the monitor beeped. He turned and smiled. She could have died from embarrassment. She brushed up against him accidentally, when he returned a black box. The monitor beeped.
She sighed. It was going to be a long 24 hours.
After work, she stopped for a drink with the team. Becker brought her drink, and she caught a whiff of his after shave.
Beep.
"I knew this was a bad idea. I should have stayed home away from chocolate and...things. I'm so mortified."
Becker laughed. "Don't be. I should be mortified. I cause you stress, apparently."
She chuckled, and said, "No. Never. I'm just..."
"Excited to see me?" he asked with a smirk.
"Remind me to kill you later, Abby."
The blonde smiled. "Will do."
Becker smiled. "Oh, I happened to pick these up," he said, handing her several large chocolate bars. "But maybe I shouldn't give them to you if..."
"Give them to me! Give them to me!" she cried, making Becker laugh. Jess smiled, as she unwrapped the bar. The stress seemed forgotten when she smelled the chocolate. "Becker, you are too good to me."
He shrugged. "I like seeing you smile."
"Aw," said the others.
Becker didn't seem to notice.
Neither did Jess. She smiled for him. "Thank you," she said, putting the chocolate in her mouth. "So good."
Monitor beeped.
"Oh no!" she cried, covering her face in her hands.
Becker chuckled. "Sorry, Jess."
Emily and the others laughed. "I am curious, Jess. Which operates the device more: Becker or chocolate?"
"Emily!" Jess screamed, as the others laughed. Becker blushed.
"I think it's chocolate," said Abby, as the monitor kept going off while Jess ate.
Becker reached up and wiped some chocolate off her face.
The monitor beeped.
"Nope. It's Becker, definitely," said Connor.
Jess shot them all glares. Becker was a nice shade of light red.
Then a waiter, quite cute and fit, came to the table. He took their orders, and left.
The beeper went off.
Becker stared at her. "Jess!"
"I...I...It's not me! Blame this darn thing!"
"He was not unattractive," said Emily.
"No, he was cute," said Abby.
"Do you fancy him?" asked Becker.
"No! I wasn't...the thing just went off!" cried Jess.
They laughed.
"So, I guess it's any fit bloke," said Matt.
"Can we not talk about this?"
"It's interesting, though," said Becker. "The monitor doesn't seem to go off for Connor or Matt."
"Please, let's change the subject," said Jess.
"She knows we're taken," said Connor.
"I'm taking this thing off."
"Jess, no," said Abby. "You need to wear it."
"Yeah," said Becker, "Just to make sure you're really alright. They'll stop teasing you. I promise."
Matt and the others exchanged glances and smirks.
They stopped teasing, just as Becker had promised. They had drinks and chatted. Finally, they all left, until Becker and Jess were left.
"You don't have to leave too?" she asked.
"I'm not leaving you alone. l I'm not convinced that the monitor's beeping isn't cause for alarm. No pun intended."
She smiled. "I promise, I am fine. The monitor goes off because...I'm high strung. Thank you for your concern, though."
He smiled fondly at her. "Always."
She smiled back. "As long as we're here, I'm ordering dessert, want to share?"
"Sure."
The same fit waiter came by, and Becker raised his eyebrow. This time, though, the monitor was quiet. Jess sighed with relief. Soon, they had dessert.
"Chocolate cake? Seriously, Jess, if you don't want the monitor going off..."
"I'll take the risk, Becker. I need this."
She took a bite of the rich, fudge-y cake, and moaned. "Oh, that's definitely worth the..."
Beep!
Becker chuckled as the alarm continued to beep, but Jess ignored it. "Maybe the alarm really is triggered by chocolate and ….things. I hope so. I hate the idea of you being ill."
She smiled. "Promise. It's just the chocolate." She took another bite. "Oh my...it is gooood."
He laughed. The monitor was beeping this whole time.
"Oh well," she said with a shrug, as the beeping went on, ""I guess chocolate wins," she said.
It finally stopped.
Becker smirked. "You know, I hate to lose," he said.
"Becker..."
He leaned over, and blew in her ear.
Beep!
She giggled, blushing. He smiled, gently rubbing her hand.
Beep!
"Becker, you're cheating."
"Oh...yeah," he said, finally kissing her, slowly.
Beep! Beep! Beep-beep!
The alarm kept blaring for a solid five minutes after the kiss.
"I guess I win."
She giggled.
"I guess you do," she said. "I'm starting to like the sound, actually."
The next day, Jess was in medical. "I'm alarmed, Miss Parker, the stress alarm was very active."
"Tell me about it," she whined.
"Well, you need to avoid those situations."
"Oh, no. I refuse."
"Miss Parker, the point of a stress test is to identify stressors and cut them out of your life."
"Forget it, I'd rather die than give up chocolate and …..a certain person."
The medic laughed. "Chocolate and a ….person, huh?"
"I told you. I'm just excitable."
He shook his head, chuckling. "Well, your other results are fantastic, so I guess you can keep your chocolate, and this...person."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure," he said, leaving, "Oh, and give my regards to Captain Becker."
The End