Okay, this chapter's short again and a little depressing. Sorry about that "/
It takes three hours for Becker to get back home and when he does, he's in a foul mood. You know by how loud he slams the car door.
You've just managed to get Megan and Ben back to sleep after they had a contest to see who could scream the loudest, and you've just settled on the sofa with a cup of tea when the door opens. "Close it qu-" you begin but Becker slams it shut, cutting you off. You run your free hand over your face and a second later, the screaming starts up again. "Thanks very bloody much." you snarl as you stalk past Becker and climb the stairs. He makes no move to apologize, follow you or even come up to lend a hand. Instead you hear him throw he keys on the sideboard, open and slam the fridge, throw his boots onto the floor by the door and slam the door the the living room. "C'mon you two. Quiet time." Ben and Megan's screams don't cease as you pick them up and bounce them. It's times like this you wish you had had them apart. Preferably seven years apart. "C'mon." you say through gritted teeth. "Go back to sleep." you start to hum a nursery rhyme, one you can't name but you know that it used to be sung to you. It takes a few minutes but they slowly fall asleep again and you place them back in their cots. Deciding that you've got a headache, you head downstairs to inform Becker he needs to be quiet.
You doubt this is going to end well, but if you don't talk to him then he'll just make a racket as he goes to bed.
"Thirty five fucking miles!" Becker exclaims angrily as you open the door. It looks like you were right.
"Did you expect any less from Danny?" you sigh, closing the door softly.
"He should've stayed at the ARC!" Becker growls, setting his now empty beer-can down on the coffee table with a little more force than necessary. So much so that the bottom of it crumples slightly. You know it's been a bad day if Becker's going drink alcohol when there's work the next day.
"Becker, I know you worry about him and you stressed, but can you try to be quiet?" you sigh, closing your eyes and leaning against the door frame. "I've got a headache and the twins are restless again."
"Right, sorry." he snaps sarcastically. "My bad. I've just been off on a goose chase around England after a psychopath, but I'm really sorry for not noticing your headache." Becker's voice is dripping with sarcasm and your blood boils, your fists clenching at your side. "Screw what I'm feeling, right?"
"Yes, it is your freaking bad!" you snap, eyes flying open. "You think that's bad, try getting two screaming three month old babies to sleep. All the while filling out numerous forms, answering your mobile and when you finally get them to sleep, your husband storms in, not a care in the world, storming about the place and slamming doors!" you take several steps towards Becker who jumps to his feet. "I would've cared about how you're feeling but you didn't make me want to care!You get to play the goody goody soldier boy while you force me to stay home and babysit. I wouldn't mind either if you actually looked after Megan and Ben too! They're your children too but you'd rather land them with me or Clara than look after them yourself!" now that you've gotten started, you can't stop. You know this is going to come round and either bite you on the arse or ruin your marriage completely. "The only time you care is when you're showing them off to your men! Well I'm sorry, but they aren't guns or trophies. They're living and breathing human beings and I'm willing to bet my life that at least one of them will follow on our work, if not both. And will you give a crap? Maybe. Because if they die while you're there, it'll make you look bad."
"That's just crossing the line!" Becker snarls, taking several steps forwards until your chests are touching. You know he's right and the human part of your brain has teamed up with the rational and they're screaming at you to stop and beg for forgiveness from Becker. "What makes you think I don't care about our children!"
"Are you going to hit me again?" you laugh harshly and Becker's hands twitch at his sides, causing your heart to falter momentarily, wondering if you've crossed the line. Instead, he just pushes you back, towards the door with one sharp shove. You stumble slightly, pressing your right hand against the wall, spinning to face him. "Sleep on the couch tonight and yell at me some more tomorrow. Call Matt and the others and ask them to pick you up and take you away from here and turn them all against me. Do whatever the fuck you like Becker, but don't you dare pull a stunt like that thinking I don't care. Got it?" you finish your rant with a sharp stab to his chest and stalk from the room, remembering to close the door quietly. You stalk to your room, closing the door forcefully (but quietly) and start getting ready for bed. You pull the covers up over your head, still furious with Becker.
X
You're woken the next morning by someone shaking your shoulder and calling your name. "Becker?" you mumble as your senses focus.
"Not likely." the culprit for waking you up laughs. It's Abby. "Not after last night. Now get up. We're going to be late." you sigh, pushing yourself into a sitting position and smoothing your hair down. You hop from bed, dress quickly and go to open the door to check on the twins. "No need. Matt and Jess have taken them out." Abby calls from the chair in the corner of the room.
"Why?"
"So you could get some work done and so could Becker." you sigh, leaning your head against the door.
"He told you then."
"He rang me at six this morning and told me everything." Abby replies evenly.
"And you hate me for it?" you guess and Abby sighs.
"I'm not impressed, no. But I think it did him some good. However, I wouldn't let this linger too long and I think you're the one who needs to apologize." you sigh, knowing she's right.
"I know, I know. I will but I just need to calm down. Otherwise I may kill him." Abby smiled slightly, rising to her feet and gesturing for you to open the door.
"Before of after he has a near death experience?" Abby jokes. It's no secret that that';s usually how love conflicts are resolved between people at the ARC.
"Either is good." you laugh and Abby joins you but you both know you're not serious. "Why did Matt take Megan and Ben out? I'd have thought he'd be worked up over finding a way to stop Philip."
"I thought that too. But then I figured that Jess went. So she probably dragged him along and he he'd probably have tagged along anyway." Abby smiles, leaning against the hallway wall as you put your shoes on and unlock the door. "I think he knows that when Jess finds out about his whole identity being a lie, she'll never forgive him."
"I wouldn't be so sure." you sigh, climbing into Abby's car. "This is Jess we're talking about. If she loves him, she wont let him go."
"But there's a chance he could die. He's ten times more likely to die just to keep her alive and Jess will never forgive herself if that happens!"
"Then we'll have to make sure it doesn't." You sigh, leaning back in the passenger seat and closing your eyes. When you re-ope them Abby's pulling up in the car park. Right next to Becker's truck too. The two of you head into the ARC and you are instantly summoned to Lester's office.
Lester sits behind his desk, staring at you for a few moments before speaking. "I trust that the tension between the two of you will be gone soon?" you groan, wondering just how many people at the ARC know about last night.
"How do you know about that?"
"When I saw Becker pinning one of his men against the wall about and hour ago. He explained it all."
"And your view is..." you trail off, allowing him to add his own perspective.
"And my view is that you're both in the wrong but you need to get it sorted out. Preferably before one of you almost dies or it starts to affect your work."
"Of course, Sir." you smile slightly, waiting to be dismissed. When you are, it takes all of thirteen seconds for Abby to corner you and for you to explain to her what happened.
"Damn it, Si!" she exclaims, rolling her eyes. "Go find him and talk to him. If Lester's worried Burton might even stick his nose it.
"What will I be doing with my nose." Speak of the devil. You think harshly.
"You heard what." Abby snaps, propelling you towards the ADD and the tech looking after it for Jess. "Where's Becker?" Abby asks and the tech draws up the security cameras.
"Car park." the tech replies, pointing to Becker's truck.
"Thanks. Make sure no one heads down there and keep it off the camera." Abby orders, propelling you towards the lift and pushing you inside. You take a deep breath as the lift slowly starts to descend to the ground and you gather your wits, pushing all the bad scenarios to the back of your mind. The lift doors ping open and you step out into the thankfully empty car park.
"Becker?" you call softly, beginning to wonder through the parked cars. "Becker?" there's no reply as you call louder and you sigh. You know damn well he can hear you. "Hilary Becker!" you snap and he steps from the shadows beside you and you can't help but feel there should be ominous music playing in the background.
"You should be more observant." he comments and you notice that he's holding himself stiffly, just like he was when you first met him. A soldier closed off from the rest of the world. You sigh, stepping forwards.
"I really was too harsh wasn't I?" you say quietly, cupping his face in your hands. "You've switched off your emotions again. You know I hate it when you do that."
"You hate it when I do a lot of things." Becker replies without blinking. You close your eyes, drawing in a deep breath.
"I didn't mean that."
"I'm sure you did." you open your eyes in the hope that his eyes will be sparkling with laughter. They aren't and you realize that you may have crossed the line this time.
"Becker I-" the faint sound of the anomaly detector blaring overhead and the lift doors open cut you off and you drop your hands, stepping back.
"I'll stay if that's all right. So that I can play the part of a proper father. But I'll keep the sofa." Becker says before pushing past you towards Matt and the cars.
Abby appears beside you, laying a hand on your shoulder. "Oh, Abby." you say, tuning to her with tears in your eyes. "What have I done?"
Depressing, yes. But on the plus side, everyone who reviews this chapter will get a sneak peak of the prequel to Primeval and You, where you meet Becker for the first time, sent to them via PM. So get reviewing :)
