AN:/ Huzzah, school is out which means faster updates! I have a few ideas for later in this story, but they are kind of unconnected, so if at any point this seems a bit too random let me know. I don't do random. Although, I did not win the 'I don't do random' award in my orchestra, that was Amber

Medics hovered over the unconscious form of Captain Hilary Becker, harsh white lights beating down on the backs of their heads as they hunched over to study him. A separate team bandaged and casted Connor who woke up not long ago and has had 14 stitches and cast put on his broken arm bones. When Abby and Jess burst in the doctors didn't even glance up from their work, the patients were in too critical condition for them to be distracted. That didn't stop Connor from turning to watch Abby and Jess survey the scene, and split off to each find the man she cared about.

When Jess first caught sight of Becker, she stood shocked. This was her brave Captain lying pale and unconscious in front of a team of doctors. She had never seen Becker looking so weak, and frankly, it scared her. As she got over the initial shock of seeing Becker like that one of the doctors straitened up and noticed Jess for the first time.

"That's about all we can do for him." The doctor explained as if the word "that" meant anything to Jess. "All he needs now is rest, and when he wakes up he should be almost fine."

"He should be almost fine? What do you mean by almost?" asked Jess who was, in truth, afraid of the answer.

"Well, Becker is suffering from a severe concussion, as well as many broken ribs, so he is going to have some major pain and not to mention confusion and memory loss. Don't be alarmed if he's not himself for a few days." The doctor explained. "You can go in and wait with him, even though he probably won't wake up soon. I understand how much he means to you." At the last comment a blush crept up Jess's cheeks. Was her affection for Becker so obvious that even this nameless doctor could tell? Thinking back on it, she did almost sprint into the room to see him, but it was embarrassing all the while. And why couldn't Becker pick up on the hints when the rest of the world could.

Jess realized she had been standing there with her mouth open, staring at the doctor for quite some time, so she just whispered a thank you and hurried into Becker's room.

The room that Becker had been moved into during her chat with the doctor was white and well lit, like all hospital rooms. Becker lay in the middle on a moveable hospital bed with various wires and tubes attached to his arms. Even drugged and concussed he looks great. Jess thought to herself. She pulled up a chair next to the bed and studied Becker's face while trying not to feel like a creeper. His brow was creased like he was contemplating some higher level thoughts, and he mumbled in his sleep before opening an eye and coming into an almost full consciousness.

Becker looked up at Jess and sighed. "Jessica, why are you here?" he mumbled half-consciously. "No need to sound so upset about it." Jess countered defensively. "I was in the general proximity and decided to stop by and see how you were doing and I got an update from the doctor and came in to see you and you happened to wake up, but I didn't go out of my way to see you, I just happened by and I'm rambling again aren't I?" she trailed off sheepishly. "No, no, keep talking. I like it. What did the doctor say about me?" Becker looked much more alert now that Jess gave him something to concentrate on.

"Well, I came in and the doctors were all around you and you were in a different room and one of them looked up and said 'that is all we can do' and I still don't know what 'that' is but anyways he said that you have a concussion and broken ribs and you will probably not be yourself and he let me in because apparently my affections for you are way too obvious and I didn't say that last bit out loud, did I?" A fierce red blush painted itself on Jess's face when she realized that she had vocalized her crush to the Captain out loud and to him. Becker just stared at Jess, not sure what to do with himself and wishing that he could just get up and walk away.

Before Jess could say anything else mortifyingly stupid, Becker reached over and grabbed her arm, the action making Jess look up at him. "Please," he said, "Don't be embarrassed. I just want you to know that I feel the same, but with work and everything…" Becker trailed off and picked back up again, "I just don't want anything to be weird between us…"

"Nope, no weirdness here. Why would anything be weird, I mean I know that I am weird but nope, no weirdness here." As she said her incredibly weird sentence, her ears were ringing with what she had just heard. 'I feel the same'. That's what he said. She could barely contain her excitement, but her hopes came crashing down when she remembered what the doctor had said. 'He won't be himself' Yup, got that right. Becker probably didn't even know who he was talking to. He probably thinks that I am Sarah or something. But those words were directed at me. I can just ask him later, but until then… Jess let the smile creep back onto her lips as she looked down at the now sleeping captain. With a smile too large for her small mouth she stood up and almost skipped back to the ADD with one phrase ringing in her head,

He likes me, He likes me, He likes me, He likes me, He likes me!

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, Whispering 'it will be happier'..." –Alfred Tennyson

AN:/ As always, reviews make the world go 'round