Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated. It's my birthday on the 14th and I don't really like this time of year so I've been feeling a bit blue.

Anyhow! I seem to have gotten over that for now, so...

Have yourself a little Bounter! :)

Enjoy!

Becker didn't care what they said. He had been calmed for a while, but when he was in the confines of his own office he reached for his store of Bountys and placed it deliberately on the edge of the table. Under normal circumstances, Bounty Hunter would climb onto a spare chair and from that to the table, then chew at the wrapping until Becker took pity and opened the spit covered plastic so she could eat her rare treat without the risk of swallowing the wrapper.

This time, however, Bounty ignored the chocolate, not even giving it a glance- not that Becker could tell. She merely sat herself on the ground and shuffled nervously. She continued to express complete disinterest even after Becker unwrapped it and offered the present.

It was at that moment that Becker started to feel panic rise. Barely twenty four hours had passed since Jess had first expressed her concern and already he was unable to think of anything but his puppy.

Seating himself on the floor, legs outstretched, the soldier pulled Bounty onto his lap and removed her harness. He often wondered why he kept it on her at the ARC since he knew the way around better than the back of his hand. But then he would recall that he could now go to anomaly sites and he couldn't spare the time fastening the harness if an alarm went off. As the material fell away from the dog, Becker pushed it to the side so he could comfort her properly. He pushed his fingers through the short, soft hair at her neck, gently lifting it from where it had flattened by the restraints. He stroked further down her back, ruffling up more hair as he went, then he turned his attention to her chest. The puppy lay, loving the attention despite her peculiar behaviour. She stretched out over his legs and, while on her back, tilted her head to press her nose into his stomach.

Becker laughed at the action, the motion making Bounty turn to return her paws to steady ground. Becker laughed again and pulled her back to his lap by the area of her chest, just below her forelegs. He brushed that section of thin short hair as he pulled her, knowing that it too would have been constrained. Then he frowned.

"Bounty? What's that, girl?" Brushing his fingers over her side again he felt a small pussy lump. "That doesn't feel good. I think we should call Abby."

The small dog whined softly and licked his face.

"You're really not happy are you, honey? Come 'ere." He wrapped his arms around his favourite girl and drew her closer to his chest, his thumbs still stroking her. "You're a good girl aren't you? My fave Bounty in the whole world." She shifted unhappily on him and he frowned further. It wasn't like her, not like her at all.

He pressed a finger to his ear, opening and tuning his comm device. "Abby, you on here?"

"Yeah. What is it Becker?"

"Bounty. I've found something on her side. I was hoping you'd take a look."

"Sure thing. You in your office?

"We are."

"I'll be right over."

-/-

Abby looked worriedly at the lump before asking the pair back to her lab. "I think I'll run a few samples if that's okay? Can you get her to stay still for me?"

Becker nodded, already holding his girl's chin, rubbing his thumbs over her head, softly stroking the smooth fur. After a few seconds, during which she used a sterile needle to remove a sample of the lump, Abby told him Bounty Hunter could move again.

"I'm going to try and get the results from these as quickly as possible, okay?"

"Thanks, Abby."

"Don't mention it. Can you imagine what Jess would do to me if I didn't do whatever I could for Bounty? I'm protecting myself here as much as I am the dog."

Becker laughed then frowned again in worry. "Do you think it's going to be bad?"

"I don't know. There are a number of things it could be. But worst case scenario we'll remove the lump, okay?"

"Will..?" He wasn't sure what he wanted to ask.

"She'll be fine. If she needs an operation she will be put under, kept overnight for observation and bandaged up. Recovery shouldn't be too bad either, but it depends on how deep they have to cut." Seeing Becker tense she added, "remember, Soldier Boy, this is all theoretical."

He pulled a face at the name but got the sentiment. "Thanks, Abby. If she does need an operation who..?"

"Who was the friend who you got Bounty Hunter with? Wasn't he a vet?"

"That was Lawrence, Abby,

"What?"

"Yeah. He became a vet when he left the army. I could have sworn you'd been told. Why didn't I think of him?"

"Cause you only think of him as ARC now. Seriously, your life seems to revolve around this place."

"Give it up, Abby. Yours does as much as mine."

The blonde laughed. "Why haven't I seen him at the menagerie seeing as he's so animal interested?"

"Perhaps he's been too busy. I wouldn't have found time in my first few months."

"Not that you cared about them."

"Abby, just because I didn't see where you were coming from-!"

"I'm teasing, Becker. I guess Lawrence is a bit too ARC oriented at the moment too, eah!"

"We're all slaves to our jobs!"

"Yeah." Abby gave a small sight gesture which Becker heard was coupled with a smile. "About work, I'll see you tonight for guitar practice, yeah?"

"Oh yeah definitely." Becker gave a small smile in her general direction as he paused by the door with his puppy at his feet. "Really, thanks for this, Abby."

"No trouble, Becks. It was for your birthday."

"Yeah but along with those CD's… And that audio book." Abby frowned in confusion at the mention of that one but didn't get a chance to question it. "I really love it. I don't know how you knew but thank you."

And before the zoologist could form a word he was gone.

*gulps*

Oh guys. You know it could never last.

You're all now *really* worried about Bounty Hunter aren't you?

Well, I was actually referring to our lack of Marianne.

Sorry, she's turning up again soon!

Let me know what you think :D

Thank you my lovelies! :)