AN: Sorry 'bout the long wait! Hope this chapter lives up to expectations... :) :v

So I've been trying to keep shippy-ness purposefully vague, because in my head it's sort of abc but it could be conby or becon or brotp connor and becker or any number of other ships. This chapter decided to edge more towards becon or abc, but despite allusions to Abby being pregnant and insinuations that Becker *cares* for Connor, I think I managed to keep it without any real shippyness. Apart from this AN. Anyways, take it as you will :3 Hope you enjoy!


"Connor!" Becker shouted, grabbing his shoulder and forcing Connor to look at him again.


They stared at each other for a moment before Becker shook his shoulder lightly.

"Connor," he began, but then realized he wasn't at all sure what he intended to say, "I didn't... Why did you think I was so against you rejoining the field team?" Connor looked away, and Becker could feel the tension through his light grip on Connor's shoulder.

"It's not hard ta figure out, Becker. I've 'eard it enough, gotten enough flak for bein' the one who nearly ended the world an' all, and for other things too. I hoped I wouldn't get it from you, but I'm no' fit for the field team, am I? You an' the others'll be 'appier if I'm not out there, gettin' in the way..." Becker was barely able to let Connor finish his self-derogatory speech, and his grip tightened fractionally.

"Conn, that's not true, none of it. If any of my men have been 'giving you flak' about the New Dawn incident, you should know you can come to me and I'll tell them off." Connor shook his head.

"I don't need to be coddled, Becker." He said tonelessly, then gestured at the hallway. "We should really find Danny."

"I'm not coddling you, Connor." Well, maybe he was being a tad overprotective but, "I care about you, and you'll notice that I haven't let Abby back on the field team either. You two are too important to be constantly in danger, and you're not always in the way! You just have a tendency to act on what your heart tells you, which more often than not gets you into danger. And I'd prefer it if you didn't nearly cause me heart failure every anomaly shout." Becker explained, watching as Connor's eyes widened in surprise. He gaped at Becker for a moment, and then the expressive brown eyes narrowed in suspicion. That was something he would always hate Phillip for. Before, Connor had implicitly trusted people. Now, he tended towards not believing them, and erring on the side of caution, which, while sometimes better for Connor's safety, was also somewhat heartrending.

Connor wasn't acting like Connor.

"You were... trying to protect me?" His tone was skeptical, but hopeful, and Becker nodded.

"Even if you can take care of yourself, because I know you can, right now I'd rather both you and Abby were safe." It was hard to admit a lot of personal things in their work environment, though he wasn't often one to speak his mind about 'feelings' anyway. Still, Becker cared for both Abby and Connor, and with recent events neither of them could really be spared.

"Oh." Connor blinked a few times, and then a small smile formed.


TBC

AN2: I am considering an anomaly call actually. hehehe. It''s not over till... erm... hmmm... till Lester sings. Yup, that's what I'm going with. Joking, obviously. We'll see what happens next chapter ^^'