Hello. So, in this chapter there is (I hope) a major cringe factor – well, it had to be done at some point surely. For those of you who don't know Private Stevens, he's essentially a soldier form of Connor, but possibly more blundering – if that's possible. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. In this Universe. Or in any other, come to think of it.

Matt burst in, creating a distraction Jess took full advantage of. She peeled herself away from Scott and carefully and with purpose stepped delicately over the still body that lay behind the bar. She slipped up onto the bar counter and eased herself over gingerly, aware of Becker's eyes on her. She brushed her dress off and faced the team leader fully.

"So, what's this one?" She gestured at the creature without turning around. Matt, surprised to see Jess standing in front of him, checked cautiously over the edge of the bar, and then aware of a tension in the room glanced up at the two men, one of whom was staring at the other, who was staring at Jess. He felt very out of his depth.

Fortunately for Matt, Connor came bouncing in and, true to form, ignored the situation that was brewing. He even failed to identify Jess in his rush over to the bar to see what Matt was trying to concentrate on in an effort to ignore everything else. Connor eyed the dinosaur.

"Deinonychus. From the Cretaceous Period." Connor looked at Matt. "Have you found the anomaly yet? 'Cos they normally tracked larger groups of herbivores."

"No, not yet," replied Matt, relieved to have someone to hold a less awkward conversation with, especially as Connor hadn't noticed the tension.

"One of the cooks said it came out of the parlour," put in Jess, eager to find a job to do.

"Thanks Jess," said Connor absently, then paused as he headed towards the door. "Jess! What are you doing here?"

"That's what I want to know," stated Becker firmly. "And, more to the point, what are you doing here with Scott?" Scot straightened at this and folded his arms, although he made no move towards the creature, which he was still unsure about and felt very left-out for being so.

"I took her out for a meal here. And that would be a problem why exactly?" he asked, a touch annoyed. Jess paled at the tone of voice, feeling very self-conscious as she realised this would be an amicable talk.

The opposite could be said about Connor, who was still a little behind everyone else on the atmosphere. He opened his mouth to mention the dinosaur problem, but Matt grabbed him by the arm and dragged the young scientist to the kitchen doors, silencing the man with his eyes.

Becker broke his gaze from Jess and focussed upon Scott. Abby popped into the room and glanced between the three people. Using prior knowledge, she quickly caught onto the gist of the situation and, noticing the swinging door to the kitchen, eased hurriedly around the edge of the room, trying to be as quiet as possible. The three largely ignored her, until she appeared again around the door.

"You couldn't bring that to the anomaly soon-ish, could you?" Becker turned to look at her and she nervously smiled. "Thanks." She disappeared again, leaving the trio alone.

"You never take girls to here for a first date," asserted Becker. Jess' eyes widened at the fact Becker knew that much about Scott's dating style. "Normally, it takes about two to three months." Jess gaped and Becker noticed Jess' reaction. "Jess, I live with him and he's fairly open usually about his numerous girlfriends."

"Shut up, Becker! Just because I've had more than one girlfriend while we've been living together does not mean I've had numerous girlfriends. In fact, in three years I've had... six and that includes Jess." Scott stepped forward, but then swayed back as he remembered the creature.

"Yes. It's just a pity some overlapped" cried Becker. Jess gasped and Scott closed his eyes as he tried to stop himself snapping. When he opened them and spoke, he went slowly and carefully.

"It's not like that. Jess, please, I was on a break from a relationship, just to give each other space, when I met someone else. How would you approach the subject? And while I was figuring it out, they found out. I didn't go out looking to cause harm, I really didn't. It just... happened."

Jess found herself immediately relating to Scott, which was awkward as it was clear he was in the wrong this time. However, Jess knew from experience how hard it was just to say something. Even so it felt bad to side with him.

Scott meanwhile had turned on Becker. "You see, this is why I didn't tell you. You've always been cautious around any girls I've taken home since and as soon as you knew this was someone you knew and would have to help if I hurt her, you'd have been insufferable!"

"You run into things with girls!" argued Becker.

"What, so I'm supposed to stand back and make a strategy like I'm in a war? That's not how relationships work!"

"I just don't want you to do the same with my... colleague responded Becker. The words made Jess' heart break; she was just Becker's colleague, not even a friend. Something inside her snapped and she just wanted to end this and escape.

"ENOUGH!" she shouted. "This isn't the time or the place, so shut up, both of you. Becker, take that dinosaur to the anomaly before it closes. Scott, take me home. NOW!"

She picked up her bag from where it lay on the ground and didn't even stop to dust it off as she strode out as fast as she could without running and headed straight for Scott's car. She vaguely acknowledged the crowd that had gathered on the lawn outside the pub.

She sat on the car's bonnet in the gently cooling air in the fading light, brushing down her dress, bag and shaking out her hair which she had washed earlier. A man, whom Jess recognised as the waiter approached her slowly.

"Erm... ma'am?" Jess looked up. "Technically, it's £23.40." Jess folded her arms and narrowed her eyes with an icy stare Abby would have been proud of. The man melted. "Let's... let's just say it was on the house. " Jess relaxed her gaze slightly. "Please come again." The waiter, backed off quickly, almost colliding with Scott, who was coming up. Scott dodged the man and pulled out his keys.

"Come on. Let's go home," he sighed.

The weekend for Jess was relatively quiet. She rejected all phone calls, which annoyed Connor as he tried the lazy option when asked to tell her her dinner was ready.

She did, however, receive texts. In two days, Scott sent a total of 63 messages, explaining how sorry he was, how he'd made a mistake two years ago and it shouldn't colour things now, how much he wanted her to just pick up the phone.

Becker sent one text, apologising for interrupting her date. It was the one Jess spent most time looking at, purely because she felt guilt for not replying and yet couldn't work out what to say; this was probably why she understood Scott so well. She'd deceived Becker, or rather she'd concealed information from him, and he knew it.

Luckily, he thought this was more to do with Scott than her, so there wouldn't be so much anger directed at her, but, equally, she wanted there to be some. After all, it would force some kind of reaction from Becker, even if it was flat out rejection.

Sunday night came round and Jess knew some texts had to be sent. The break, if it could be called that, was over. After dinner, Abby peered round the door to find Jess reading Scott's most recent offering. The blond perched herself on the edge of the bed and waited for Jess to acknowledge her; she knew Becker had discovered Scott and Jess, but Jess hadn't said much else. Abby was just relieved that in the end, her threat hadn't dictated the shift.

"Scott had cheated on a previous girlfriend," said Jess suddenly. Abby started at this comment; she hadn't realised Scott had been shown up in such a way. "He'd taken a break in a relationship and didn't know how to drop her when he found someone new." Jess buried her head in her pillow.

"Does this mean you're going back to Becker then?" asked Abby, moving up. Finally, some normally could be restored" Jess dug herself out so her face pointed sideways.

"No. You were right. It's too late. He knows there's a lasting relationship between his flatmate and me. I'm officially taken." Jess sighed heavily. "Especially as I think I'll forgive Scott."

"What?!" spluttered Abby. "You said the guy has cheated on someone else. You think it's complicated now, can you imagine what you'll feel like if he does that to you?"

"He was on a break and didn't know what to say! Do you know how many times I've been there?"

"When do you not know what to say?" said Abby. Jess smiled faintly.

"I've been there. Why do you think I talk so much rubbish?" Abby leant back. She had to admit, Jess' seemingly endless comments did stop important subjects like 'Connor's broken the sofa' arising; normally, Abby was the one celebrating this. "Besides, Becker called me his 'colleague'." Ah, now this also made sense. Abby felt like she had a grasp on this relationship, finally. "Plus Becker's not had a girlfriend in years." Nope, she'd lost it again.

"Why's that a problem?" inquired Abby, frowning.

"Well, it's got to mean something! There has to be some reason he's not got one!" argued Jess. Abby rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Like his eerie quietness. Or the fact he's married to his job. Or his love of guns. Or the fact that last time we took him to a club, he stood in the corner with ear plugs in playing on his phone!"

"And there are more reasons why I shouldn't fantasise after him."

Abby flopped back on the bed and groaned into her hands. How could this woman come up with so many logical arguments that had no place in the real world" Advising her was like potty training Rex; necessary in the long run, but so exasperating as you notice the original faults – she recalled her feelings on the discovery that Rex had been using a visitor's lab coat which was hung up as a poop perch. She also remembered the look on Lester's face as he helped make the discovery.

Jess, meanwhile, was sending a text to Scott.

You owe me dessert. Xx

The next day, Jess found she could lose herself in her work. This didn't cause her any problems as she worked her way through last Friday's paperwork. That was, until she realised she didn't have Becker's report. Her desire to avoid him eventually led to her using the internal email; the fact she normally liked to walk to demand such work was overridden as she told herself to cut out the cake at tomorrow's lunch.

Ten minutes later, Stevens, a junior and fairly naive soldier of Becker's security, strode over to the ADD and dropped a pile of papers on the desk. Jess looked up, startled.

"Security reports." Jess nodded her thanks, then tried to return to work. "Why have I been lumbered with the task when normally Becker uses every excuse to come up here?" Jess paused, but didn't reply. "Don't tell me he made the first move?"

"Goodbye, Stevens," said Jess pointedly.

"He did? Did you say yes? 'Cos..."

"Goodbye, Stevens," said Lester pointedly, coming up to the ADD. "I'm sure Becker needs you for... something." The soldier beat a hasty retreat; he and Lester had a very simple deal – avoid each other at all costs. "Jess, I need you to give this to Becker." Jess blinked slowly and turned around to view the three pieces of paper.

"Firstly, when did that become my job? Secondly, why didn't you give it to Stevens?" She folded her arms and stared at the civil servant, who bore no reaction to this.

"I'm giving it to you because I'm getting a little bored of the view of the back of your head; you haven't moved all day. I didn't give it to Stevens as I actually want it to reach the Captain this week."

Jess sighed and snatched the papers in a huff. Lester didn't turn around until he was sure the woman had stalked off far enough. Slowly, he revolved and checked to see Jess was back already after throwing the papers at someone else. When he didn't see her, he looked up slightly and gave a small nod to Abby, who was looking down from his office. Talk about playing the office Cupid.

Jess found Becker in the drill hall. Stevens was whispering in the corner to a group of mates upon Jess' entrance and Becker turned to see her, perplexed by her appearance. He knew the email was a ploy for her to avoid him and he'd gladly taken advantage of the opportunity.

"Papers from Lester." She thrust the sheets in his direction. He took them gingerly, unsure what the protocol was here. This accomplished, Jess turned quickly to leave, aware many of the soldiers had picked up on the different way their Captain and co-ordinator were reacting; they were used to subtle flirting.

Unfortunately, for all partied concerned, Stevens had about the same amount of tact as Connor as so it was with a loud voice that he asked, "Where are you taking her, sir?"

Everyone froze. Becker stared at Stevens.

"What?"

"You obviously asked her out or something? Come on, it's been ten months; you have to take her somewhere special."

"What?" said Jess. Several veteran, bulky soldiers shrank back. Stevens remained oblivious.

"You two love birds..." he grinned like he knew what he was talking about. Jess went pale and Becker went red.

"Stevens. I do not love Miss Parker," Becker stated, slowly and forcefully. Jess' mind went into turmoil. Stevens finally realised his mistake, but it was too late. "And it's none of your business anyway. Just... GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! AND EVERYONE ELSE, GET ON WITH YOUR TASKS!" The security scuttled and slipped away and Stevens scarpered.

Jess turned to face Becker briefly, but his face was a storm and there was no reading anything else into it; certainly she couldn't see if he was serious about his statement. He looked to her, but she turned away, taking a leaf out of Stevens' book and leaving with as much dignity as she could.

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