Authors Note: Thank you so much for reading; I really appreciate all your feedback. Now it's time to get to the day after, the night out ;).
Thanks again for my brothers help with the soundtrack list (located in my profile).
Hope you like.
-Jess-
Conrad and Jess ran from the building like it was on the verge of collapsing, they couldn't stop laughing the whole way down the street as they ran – getting as far away from the building as they could on a sprint before slowing to a walk.
"I fear that I may have to start looking for another job in the morning." Conrad said, both in jest and in all seriousness. Jess gave him a questioning look, and he laughed.
"Didn't you see the look the Captain gave me…it was so close to homicidal that I do fear for my life for tonight – and tomarrow."
Jess thought about that for a moment, if Becker followed her here – then it wouldn't be all that difficult to imagine that he would also come to her house unannounced either, he could come over with Connor. She wasn't ready to face him again.
"We should check into a hotel." Jess commented earning her a questioning look from Conrad.
"A room with two separate beds, so we won't have to deal with Becker, Connor and Abby." Jess explained, Conrad gave her a wicked smile.
"Oh, right, that should help with the rumors that are now spreading." Jess laughed at the truth in that. Again, what the hell did she care?
A few hours later we were at the hotel room, having ordered room service and watching a funny movie, Conrad had fallen asleep. Jess turned off the TV and went out on the balcony to think.
She was very confused, why was Becker all of a sudden interested in that she did with her free time, he never cared before. The only thing she was sure of was that she'd had fun tonight, and she wanted to go out and have more fun like tonight.
She went back in, needing to get some sleep before going to work tomorrow.
-Becker-
Becker was having trouble being neutral with Conrad today, he actually had the audacity to smile at him this morning. There was something mocking behind his smile.
He was showing two new cadets around the ARC when they got into the armory, he was showing them how to work an EMD when he noticed Conrad walking by. He smiled to himself.
"Lieutenant, could you please come here for a second." Conrad's eyes narrowed but he did obey the command.
"Sir." Conrad nodded, sometimes other higher ranking officers would let another shoot them with an EMD to show its effects – it was one of those macho guy things.
"I was wondering if you would let me shoot you with the lowest setting in order to show the guys what happens?" Becker asked, Conrad narrowed his eyes again at him but moved to stand in front of Becker a military pose.
"Of course Captain." Conrad replied, not wanting to be branded as a coward, as Becker charged the EMD pointing it at him, and yet, Conrad apparently couldn't help himself.
"I'm surprised sir that you didn't follow Jessica and myself to our hotel room last night." The moment Conrad said that Becker eyes narrowed and he fired the EMD without warning.
-Jess-
The next day Jess spent most of the morning worried about Conrad, Becker had been pointedly ignoring her all morning, something that was fine by her. She was again wearing laid back – Connor-ish clothes, she would be going out and getting her own clothes in the next day or two.
She wanted to ask Conrad if he wanted to go out again, as friends, she got up from the ADD to go look for him. When she finally did find him he was in the armory leaning against the table – his hand over his heart…he looked awful.
"Conrad what happened?" She asked, he looked up at her with a forced smile, Jess recognized the way he looked from the time Matt shot Becker with the EMD.
"Did Becker do this to you?" Jess asked.
"Yeah but…" Conrad started to explain but Jess put up her hand to stop him.
"A yes is all I needed." She said, turning on her heel to go find Becker. She found him in the locker room alone, he was rummaging through this locker.
She looked at him for a long moment, all the past few months going though her mind, she then realized just how pissed she was at him – he had everything to bloody offer him, and offered countless chances to take it, why now of all times was he taking an interest in her affairs?
She said his name – angry enough to use this given first name.
"Hilary." Becker's head snapped sharply to face her, him not bothering to hide his shock – Jess returned his look with a stern one of her own.
To be continued…