Well, aren't you lucky bunnies! Another chapter!

I'm not going to name and shame today because I've only updated this less than 24 hours ago and just because I live behind my laptop doesn't mean everyone else does.

Sorry to those of you I quilted into reviewing!

Thank you lilnicki23 for not being intimidated by threats of naming and shaming and left a review none the less! :D

This is for andrewleepotts as disaster stuck earlier and -well what can I say- this story is a nice little pick-me-up!

Now for a little bit of our favourite boss...

ENJOY!

"Why's everyone so quite at the moment?"

Lester appeared behind Jess's shoulder, watching the ADD screen and adjusting his tie.

"Becker." Her voice bespoke the fear that was wound up inside of her.

"How has the clumsy oaf messed up this time?"

Their was a hint of indifference in his tone.

Jess ran off, crying.

"Something I said?" Lester asked no-one in particular.

One of the ARC staff informed him of the Captain's predicament.

-/-

Over the next few hours Becker was forced to sit blindly- no pun intended- through hoards of people offering commiserations. It was only after he had been forced and struggled to eat a sandwich for lunch did his boss show.

"How are you doing?"

For the first time ever Becker heard sincere concern in Lester's voice as he spoke. He couldn't answer. He had been asked how he was so many times in the past hours. To start with he had been too numb to reply. Then, he would shortly snap "fine" although, as it was, he wasn't. He wasn't fine and he knew what Lester was about to say to him.

"Just do it, sir."

"Captain Becker, I-" There was a pause and Lester took a deep shuddering breath. It had taken him hours to build up the courage to visit Becker; the knowledge of what he had to say weighing down on his heart. And a day like this could break a man. "Due to the nature of your injuries you are no longer able to attend to your work at the ARC. You will receive compensation and-" He broke off again. "We are going to have someone come in who has connections with the blind community. They will do what they can to get you back on your feet, so to say."

A part of Becker grew angry. He wasn't having trouble getting onto his feet. He was having trouble seeing.

Sure, he knew that wasn't what Lester meant, it was just a turn of phrase, but he couldn't help the feeling of- he couldn't quite put his finger on the right word to explain it- annoyance, despair, the pain of hopeless.

"I get it, sir. But I don't need help."

"Becker, this isn't the time for pride."

"Pride?" The word was spat. "You think this has wounded my pride?" Becker sat straighter than before, eyes narrowing, but unseeing, in the direction of the man who was letting him go.

Footsteps approached as his voice rose.

"Becker?"

"Matt?"

"Yeah, it's me, mate." Matt turned to the other man and nodded in acknowledgment. "Lester."

It was a dismissal.

The boss stood up and left with parting words of apologies to Becker.

It was hard for him, something no-one else seemed to understand. It was hard to send these talented men out to fight the unknown, knowing that something drastic could happen to anyone of them. Lester hid so well behind his sarcasm that, sometimes, he managed to convince even himself that he did not care for them.

But he had been shocked by Stephen's death, felt keenly the loss of Nick and he had been numb for a week after the loss of Abby, Connor and Danny. The feeling of regret when Danny- a man he didn't even like that much- didn't return with Scrappy and Daphne still caused stabs to his gut when he thought of it. Yet Sarah's death had, up to this moment, pained most. She he had liked. But he liked Becker too. It was impossible for him not to, this man had increased ARC security tenfold, he'd saved the lives of many, many men and was responsible for returning him to his position as head of the ARC after Christine had replaced him. Lester had even gone so far as to say he wouldn't reopen the ARC without him, he had that much faith in the man.

He owed Captain Becker so much and, he realised with a backwards glance at the two men from the doorway, he didn't even know his first name.

Wasn't sure how this turned out. :/

Let me know what you think!

Thanks my lovelies!