Prompt: Farewell
Rating: T

There was no logical way he could have known it was going to happen. He believed in following his gut instincts, not in psychic abilities, but even Becker was at a loss to explain, even if just to himself, why he'd woken up that morning feeling such a sense of dread only to have his fears confirmed by midday.

Today was the day it started; the beginning of the potential end of the world as they knew it.

The anomaly detector went off at 11.03am; it was a time he was sure he would remember. He'd been on his way to the hub, running ahead of the rest of the team, when Jess had quietly and calmly announced the location of the anomaly: inside the ARC itself.

Anomalies at the ARC rarely brought with them anything good. Even as Jess was able to pinpoint its exact location to one of the unused labs on the floor above operations, Becker struggled to keep himself from heading straight to her side instead of to the anomaly.

"Is there any sign of an incursion, Jess?"

"None so far," Jess confirmed immediately, the relief in her voice audible over the comms.

"Maybe we'll get lucky." No sooner had Connor spoken did Jess announce activity at the anomaly.

The team quickened their pace towards the lab, determined to get there was soon as possible in the hopes of preventing a major incursion.

A surprised noise escaped Jess, almost a huff of laughter but without any humour. "It's you, Matt. Another you has come through the anomaly."

For a moment, the team seemed to pause. They exchanged glances, all knowing exactly what it meant.

With a grim expression on his face, Matt silently led the way to the lab to where his future self waited.

They had to go back. Forward. To the future.

He'd known it before the future version of Matt, beaten and weary, had even said a word. Known it by the way his friend and team leader had looked at them all, an unspoken apology in his eyes.

Becker stood in the doorway to Operations, watching his wife as she worked diligently at the ADD. She knew he was there; she always did. But she was giving him time, waiting until he was ready to go to her.

Probably already aware of what he was going to say.

Matt – both Matt's – had insisted the team didn't have to go with them. It was their quest, their mission, to save the world and with it, mankind. Emily had put it best when she'd glared at them both, hands on her hips as she'd reminded them whatever was going to happen was going to affect all of them – it was their future, too.

His future, Becker knew, the one he'd hoped for and dreamt of.

The one he wanted so desperately to share with his wife.

He waited until the technician who'd stopped by Jess's desk to ask her a question had left before making his way towards her, his feet feeling like they were weighted down with lead.

He didn't want this to be it. Didn't want to say to say goodbye to her and know that if they failed, if they didn't do what needed to be done, it might be the last time he ever saw her.

As if sensing his approach, Jess turned in the big ADD chair, her blue eyes luminous as they locked with his. In the seconds it took for her to school her features into a deceptively calm expression, Becker was given a glimpse of the turmoil she was trying to keep hidden from him.

"Jess, I..."

"I know." Her smile was tremulous at best, her eyes shimmering with a suspicious gleam. "You have to go with them. I was listening over the comms."

He swallowed the lump that rose in his throat, nodding wordlessly, not trusting his voice to speak. He studied her intently, committing every inch of her to memory.

"When..." Jess cleared her throat, breaking eye contact to stare down at her hands, which where clasped in her lap to keep them from trembling. The metal of the rings on her finger, rings he'd put there, glinted in the overhead lights above them. "When are you all leaving?"

"As soon as possible. Matt – the other Matt – says it's urgent. Whatever is going to happen is supposed to happen soon so..." His voice trailed off, knowing it didn't need to be said.

"It'll be okay," Jess said softly after a moment of silence, reassurances he knew he should be giving but somehow unable to force from his lips falling from hers. "You've been to the future, right? We were both there, we were both okay, so... It's going to be okay."

If only it were that certain.

The future could change; time could be rewritten. Their time at the ARC, the experiences of those who'd gone before them, had told them that. The name Claudia Brown haunted Becker's thoughts sometimes, even though he'd never really believed that the woman had once existed.

Deciding he didn't give a damn if anyone was watching – and he suspected quite a few people were – Becker reached for her without hesitation. He drew her up from her chair and into his arms, leaning his cheek against the top of her head as she melted against him, her arms going around his waist just as tightly as his around hers.

"I'll come back," he promised her quietly, vowing to himself that it wasn't a lie.

"You'd better." Her voice was muffled against his chest but he could still hear the unshed tears. "Becker... Hil..." Lifting her head to look at him, Jess bit her lip, indecisiveness clear to see in her face. After a moment, her expression cleared and she forced a smile instead. "Please be careful."

"I'll even try to stay warm," he finished, a ghost of a smile flickering over his lips. It died quickly, and he covered the gap between them to kiss her, regardless of who might be around to witness their embrace. Her lips parted beneath his without preamble and he lost himself to the moment, telling himself that no matter how much it felt like it, it wasn't goodbye.

It couldn't be goodbye.

"I love you," Jess told him when they broke apart, her eyes locking with his once again. "And I..." Her voice trailed off and her smile faded. Something he couldn't decipher flashed over her face but was gone in an instant. "Just come home to me, okay? No matter what happens, just come home?"

"I will." As long as there was still breath in his body, he'd make sure of it. "I love you, Jessica."

"I know." She lifted herself on her tiptoes, her mouth seeking his once more.

They broke apart reluctantly a few moments later, disentangling themselves from their embrace as Lester appeared on the steps down to the hub, his expression grave after his briefing with Matt.

Meeting the older man's gaze above Jess's head, Becker asked a silent question of the man who was both their boss and the nearest thing his wife had to father. Receiving a nod in return, Becker let his arms drop from around Jess's middle and squared his shoulders against the inevitable farewell.

"Don't say it," Jess implored as he opened his mouth to say the word. "This isn't it. It's not goodbye."

Becker nodded, unable and unwilling to argue. "I'll see you soon," he said instead.

After one last, lingering look, the Captain turned on his heel and walked away, his heart breaking as much as hers as he went to join his teammates at the anomaly.

Watching them leave through the monitors of the ADD, a lone tear slid down Jess's cheek as Lester moved to stand beside her in silent support.

To be continued in 'Mistake'. Writing non-fluff in this universe is strangely hard - I miss my established Jess/Becker squee!
And just wondering if any of my fellow Jess/Becker shippers are watching Agents of SHIELD? The Skye/Ward relationship reminds me a little of our favourite duo - so much so I've got plans for a crossover brewing in my mind... ;)