A/N: Ah, thanks for the reviews! Made my day :) If any of you like Jenny/Cutter fics, please check out my other stories, especially Soulmate and Missing Until Twisted, you'd like them :)

Anyway, the second chapter awaits...

Though trying to lose himself in the never ending flow of thoughts that flooded through his numbed mind, Becker couldn't shake the look of shock that had plastered Jess's face from his memory. It stayed there, stuck fast in the forefront of his mind as though someone had cruelly taken a marker pen to the image in his head, impossible to remove.

Frown adorning his darkened features, he slung the black rucksack over his right shoulder as he marched across the car park, aiming for his pick up truck. He'd never really gotten the hang of women, especially when he was younger; he found most of those he'd dated to be irate creatures that were so superficial and wrapped up in their little make up bags that they barely noticed anything going on around them. After some, rather somewhat misled and unfair assumptions on the other sex, Becker had eradicated all thoughts of dating and relationships from his mind. He was not a patient man who would idly dwindle around in hopes some dependant, clingy woman would be enamoured enough by him to consent to be his wife and bear him children. Though, up to the point of joining the ARC, Becker had failed to meet a real woman, one who could give him a run for his money and be so headstrong and opinionated he began to see her as an equal. It was hardly surprising, though, considering the only time he'd only ever had to meet women until the ARC came along was bars after training. Women in bars tended not to be the best representation for their sex.

So, after a sudden slap in the face by being drafted into the ARC, Becker had met two headstrong and obstinate women almost immediately- Jenny Lewis and Abby Maitland, both of whom could stand their own ground in an argument and actually got things done, something some men on the team failed to do entirely. At first it'd been a bit shocking to bash heads with two very opinionated women, but as he grew accustomed to their ways, he couldn't help but admire them greatly. After Sarah joined, who was somewhat of a more… subtle nature, Becker had found himself liking female company to an extent he had thought impossible; and, if anything, he had more arguments and clashes with the other males, the women seemed to contentedly just… let him be.

It was with a great resignation upon his part that he finally admitted to himself he was attracted to strong, independent, intelligent women who weren't afraid to kick a guy in the balls- hard. Though… he was merely being metaphorical, he was pretty sure if Jess kneed him in that area he wouldn't want to go anywhere near her for a few days, not that she would though…

Sighing heavily as he flung the rucksack into the bed of the pick up truck, Becker's mind fixated on Jess and her little outburst in the decontamination area. He knew, though he hated to admit it, he'd found Jenny Lewis an attractive and challenging woman he couldn't quite get his head round. His attraction to her, though nothing sexual, was somewhat unnerving for him as it'd been the first time he'd actually noticed that, standing just across a table from him, was a woman who exuded authority and sexuality. Unsurprisingly, the knowledge that a woman could possess such a thing had aroused him deeply, and from that point on, Becker knew intelligence and strength was all a woman needed to make him do a double take. What he could never quite understand, however, was why Cutter constantly bickered with Jenny, there had been clear sexual tension between the two, but neither seemed willing to act upon it. It was more of a will they, won't they, oops he's dead kind of thing, he thought bitterly.

Meeting Jess for the first time, when it'd been just the two of them, Becker had felt those feelings of deep curiosity and arousal rise inside him once again. Though significantly younger than any other woman who had been employed by the ARC, Jessica Parker, who came across as a sweet girl, had an endless array of intelligence and mischievous playfulness that enraptured him, much to his own surprise. It was the occasional impish glint in her eye when teasing that made her so sexually interesting to him. And he hated himself for it, because she was so damn young.

Jess wasn't entirely like the new breed of woman the ARC had exposed him to, though opinionated, she was calmer and more diplomatic than both Abby and Jenny had been. Her outburst today merely proved to him she was more than capable of being independent and standing up for herself, however much he tried to protect her.

It was her lone voice, ringing out across the car park which made him turn at the last second, his eyes transfixed upon the silhouette illuminated by the flood lights of the ARC. She simply said his name.

Her footsteps were slow, deliberate, as if somewhat wary of him as she began her descending approached, heeled feet clicking rhythmically against the tarmac, "What did you mean, Becker, back there?"

She'd finally reached him, eyes narrowed ever so slightly as they scrutinised him, her face, beautifully curved like the carvings of an alabaster statue, peered questioningly up at his, her breath delicate and soft against the warmth of his cheek.

He turned away, unable to look at her, his face darkening, which merely conveyed to her something she didn't wish to know- that he was taking back he'd ashamedly declared to her.

Jess knew her parents would be seemingly shocked if she ever revealed her affections for a man seven years her senior, it wasn't exactly the age of man you had in mind when your nineteen year old daughter announced she was seeing someone. In fact, you'd automatically assume it was some boy, not a man, not a strong, dark featured man who worked for the SAS.

"Becker?"

"Go home, Jess," he muttered dangerously, scowl forming, "Forget about it."

He turned back to his car, flinging the door open when a hand, quite an unexpectedly strong one, swung him round, to face a disbelieving Jess, "No I will not! Do you know how long I've wanted to hear those words from you?"

Becker stared at her in dumb shock, "You…"

"Haven't you…" she faltered, her breath suddenly hitching in her throat as it became increasingly difficult to admit to something she'd only ever admitted in her head, to herself, "Haven't you noticed how… how worried I get about you?"

No, not particularly, he thought with regret, he was, after all, too busy making sure she was okay.

"I care about you Becker, more than anyone else in the team," suddenly it was so much easier to say, if avoided the words "like", "love" and anything within that lexis, "and for once, just this once, you've actually told me how you feel- that you care about me in the same way. I don't want to see you hurt, Becker, I know you feel the same."

"We're friends Jess-" he tried to amend, but he knew the damage was done, if she did really care about him the way she was describing, he'd just implanted a tiny little seed of hope, that could possibly grow into something more.

He was not going to get involved with a work colleague, he was not. Whoever made up that crap about "it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" was spewing out utter crap, if these feelings- feelings of affection and sexual attraction continued between them, what would happen if something happened to either of them? It was too dangerous, too complicated, and far outside social normality. He should not be having feelings for a female colleague who still had the fresh face of youth, he should not.

He felt like kicking something.

"I'm not saying we're anything more than friends Becker!"

"You just said you cared about me!" he cried, frustration clearly evident.

Jess, face darkened, gazed at him with a furious embarrassment that he too felt, "Yes, I care about you, I care about you more than anyone else here, but it doesn't mean I suddenly have to act upon it!"

He'd never quite seen her like this, evidently there were mixed emotions going through her mind, as her cheeks flushed their familiar red with mortification and yet her eyes, her eyes held such a heated irritation she was practically glaring at him- something she'd never done before.

Jess didn't quite know what to think, all she knew was how stupid she thought he was, how idiotic could he possibly be? Her sudden outbursts and undeniable anger were scaring her a little bit- she seriously wanted to smack him one around the head, just to knock some bloody sense into him!

"You wouldn't act upon it?" he whispered softly, his eyes filling with an emotion she couldn't quite place.

Suddenly she was lost for words, and just stood there, mouth slightly agape as she searched for something to say, the heat flooding her cheeks even more violently now, "I… I… why would I?"

Becker inched forwards ever so slowly, so his eyes were gazing straight into the depths of hers, his warm, slight breath grazing the skin of her cheek, unsure of what was overcoming him. Unable to resist, succumbing to the inevitable temptation, he lingered, his lips inches from hers, regarding her freeze- eyes wide and watching, "I know why I would."

There was something which felt terribly sinful about the close proximity to which he was to her, a woman who had only fully entered womanhood two years ago, adulthood barely one- and yet, as he felt his jeans tighten significantly, he couldn't pull himself away.

"W-why would you…" she trailed off, eyes still searching his, realising the conversation was no longer under her control. Neither was her pounding heart as it thrust itself against her ribcage with each shuddering pump.

Jess wasn't a virgin, and she wasn't naïve and stupid, and she certainly wasn't a child, but she was inexperienced; and there, barely an inch from her, stood a man with far superior intimate experiences than her. He was showing an interest in her that thrilled her, terrified her, tormented her. Becker had a wealth of experience that would open her eyes up to the reality of being a woman, experience that neither of her two previous lovers could have given her.

With stark realisation, Becker came to his senses and tore vehemently away from her, shooting a pleading look over his shoulder as he clambered into his vehicle. He paused momentarily, and then started the engine, thrusting the car into gear, and slowly driving away.

In his rear view mirror, he saw her still standing there, where he'd left her, expressionless.

He was sure everyone had felt the sexual tension between them already; and Becker knew, with an ounce of dread, that tomorrow there were going to be many uneasy glances between the others.

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GPR