A/N: Hello my dear readers. Look! As you can see, I've uploaded a new chapter within shorter time. :D soo, as a reward, not only for myself but also for you, I uploaded the first chapter of one of my other stories, which I actually didn't want to start uploaded before this one is finished, buuut, I realised with getting rewards and reviews I work muuuuch quicker. The other story's name is "A beautiful lie", btw. ;)

Long story short: The song I used for this chapter is "bring me to life" by Evanescence. And it is really about Becker getting a kick in the ass by you know who :D :D :D I don't want to say too much. So I really hope you like it.

The beta-read did my best friend Dr. Teddy this time. All remained mistakes are mine ;)

Enjoy!


Lester and Becker walked in silence towards the exit, slowly, enjoying each others company. At this late hour, when no one else was working except for the few people needed for the building's and creatures' safety, the ARC could be a very lonely place. And therefore having company while walking along the corridors was a pleasure, even though both men were occupied with their own thoughts.

Becker wanted to ask something; Something that was on his mind for quite a while now. It was already on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't dare to speak out lout. Not because he didn't want to cut through the silence, he was afraid of the answer he would get after stating his question. 'When exactly did he become such a chicken-heart,' Becker wondered and recalled the session with Belana and her kind words, to encourage himself.

'Only a few more steps and they would be at Lester's Porsche. Then he would get inside and it would be too late,' the soldier thought. He took a deep breath and started to speak, his voice slightly shaking: "Can I ask you a question, Sir?"

Lester turned towards his employee, surprised at the sudden noise. "What is it, Captain?"

"When do I get my position back?" Becker tried to put all self-confidence into that sentence.

"Well," the man smirked slightly at the familiar sounding question. "Let me tell you the same answer I gave Mr. Anderson and LCpl Donalds some time ago," he paused to give significance to what he was about to say: "I will give you back your position as the Head of Security, when you start acting like the Head of Security again."

"I don't understand," Becker responded perplexed.

"Then let me rephrase it, " Lester replied, starting his inquiry. "When did you last speak to Matt, in private, about missions or anything else?" He looked expectantly at his opponent.

Becker had to think really hard about it before he could finally answer, shame sounding clearly through his voice: "A month ago, I think."

"Did you recognise that he is abroad for three days now? Meeting with possible investors and cooperation partners that could improve the ARC's safety," the man continued, a hint of reproof sounding in his questions.

Becker shook his head in denial.

The response only got Lester going further: "What is Donalds doing currently? Is he on a mission? Is he guarding the building? Where is he right now?" He straightened himself a little bit, smugly awaiting the answer he already knew.

"I don't know," the soldier replied, trying to maintain his voice at the same level.

"What about Private Jenkins? What progress is he making? How is he coping with his situation," the suit went on, finding a bit pleasure in the other man's loss.

"I don't know," Becker repeated, his voice getting lower.

"Do you know that Miss Merchant sprained her ankle during the last mission? Do you know when it took place? What incursion it was precisely? How many casualties?" Lester had wanted to give his Captain an earful so many times before, and now that he started, he found it difficult to stop, even with the psychologists words sounding in the back of his head. "Be patient. Don't push him. Give him time."

Becker's head shot up at the last word, worry, guilt and shame visible in his face. "Who was-?"

"No one died, they dealt with herbivores," Lester cut him off mid sentence, not wanting to worry the man unnecessarily.

The soldier sighed audibly, relief washing over him.

Not giving him time to take another breath, the boss went further: "And when did you speak to Abby?" Seeing the other shrugging his shoulders Lester asked: "Do you know how many missions she had accompanied since the incident last year? Where she is now? How she is doing?"

A slight foot tapping was hearable, coming from the boss's black patent designer shoe. The sound was even, like the hands of a clock, setting the rhythm with which Becker's time ran out. He thought hard, trying to recall the moments, trying to count them, but truth to be told, he didn't know it. He hadn't talked to her in ages.

Lester's patience for a response was over so he went on with the next person: "What about Connor? Do you know what he is working on right now?"

"No," the soldier answered almost in a whisper, being now fully aware of how badly he had neglected his friends.

Lester folded his arms, making himself ready for the final impact he would give to this man: "Do you know how they cope with having lost their child?"

"What?!" The soldier stated flabbergasted, this information caught him off guard and he had trouble to remain in his standing position.

"Yes, Captain, Abby was pregnant. And she lost it at the incursion almost 3 month ago. A fact everyone knows by now, except for you," Lester replied provocatively.

Becker suddenly became very interested in the concrete floor beneath his feet. His cheeks were burning and he felt salty liquid rising up to his eyes, filling the corners.

"My Head of Security would have known each and every little detail. Not only about his friends - his core team. He would have known every little detail about each and every one of the 314 people working inside this building," Lester reprimanded him.

He stepped closer to Becker, appealing to the soldier's conscience: "Don't get me wrong, I really want you back as the Head of Security. But only, when you can be that person again. The person who is in control of this building; Who is in charge of the ARC. Right now you're just a shell of your former self. You're shutting your friends out, your men, everyone around you and this keeps you from being the man I hired, the man who kept us safe."

"I didn't keep you safe. I let you down. And I'm doing it now. I think it's better for me to quit, I'm useless anyway," Becker replied, tasting the bitter pill of realisation on his tongue.

Lester shook his head vehemently. "You're too hard on yourself, Captain. And that keeps you off of what happens around you. You know how I remember the first few days after the incursion? The days when you were unconscious?" He said and the memories rushed back into his mind.

The man in question shook his head slightly so the suit continued: "I remember clearly the load of people - workers, soldiers - asking me for advice, asking me how to cope with the situation that you weren't there. And I was overwhelmed, to be honest. Never before I got so many questions from people asking what happens to the ARC, what needs to be done now, and how. So I ordered LCpl Donalds into my room, asking him to whom he and his men would normally go, seeking advice. And all they replied was: you. That was the moment when I realised that you did so much more than just securing the ARC or protecting the team on field missions. I asked the workers too, they also told me, that they came to you whenever they needed advice, that they felt even safer when you were on duty, that they trusted you with every fibre of their life." He paused shortly. "I want that man back, Becker! I need that man back! And I need you to tell me, and to show me, that you will be that man again."

The soldier remained silent, still processing the load of words he just heard.

"I had a daughter, did you know that?" Lester suddenly pronounced.

Becker shook his head again, overwhelmed at the sudden piece of privacy his boss shared with him.

"She was so beautiful, and bold. She only needed to blink with her bright brown eyes and I did everything for her," He recalled, wallowing in these memories, before suddenly his gaze turned ten shades darker. "She died when she was nine years old. It was a car accident. My wife was driving. She disregarded the right of way and a lorry crashed into them, killing my little baby girl on the spot." Lester halted in his speech, shoving the memories of that horrible moment back to the back of his mind. "I grieved for her, my wife grieved for her, but we couldn't help each other. I was so angry at my wife back then, I wished she had died in that accident, and not my little girl. I gave her all fault. I couldn't feel anything but grief and hatred. And my wife couldn't feel anything but grief and self-loathing." He paused again, breathing in and out. "Then one day my hatred for her subsided, and I realised that me and my wife had drifted so far away in our own hurt. And we had drifted away from everyone else who wanted to help us. We cut everyone out. It was as if we both had died with our little girl that day, and our bodies remained in this world only to exist. But that didn't help us at all. We were still alive. And our daughter wouldn't have wanted us to stop living. That was the day I realised that I wanted my life back, I wanted my wife back and I would fight for it at any cost. And believe me it took me a lot of blood, sweat and tears to overcome this. I love my wife and I wouldn't trade her for all the world. She did a mistake, yes, and it was horrible, but it could have been me doing this mistake as well. And she was too important for me to not forgive her. We had to work on our relationship, our feelings for each other, day by day. And we grew closer together than we had been before. We started living again."

Lester patted the soldier's shoulder in a touch of fatherly care. "Jess is in that coma. Not you. She is alive. And the doctor is confident that she will wake up. Now do imagine how she would react when she awakes and sees you in your state."

Becker looked at his superior, his eyes slightly red, as he listened at his boss's continuing words.

"You need to wake up, Captain. You need to get out of the coma you put your mind into and start living again. Be that man again everyone is proud of. Be that man again our little miss Parker fell in love with so badly. Do you hear me, Becker?"

"Yes," he croaked out, totally surprised at his failing voice. He swallowed and nodded once again, making clear that he had understood.

Lester nodded to his soldier as well, before turning around and getting into his car.

"Lester?" Becker catcalled before the other one could shut his door. Seeing him waiting, the soldier questioned: "How old would your daughter have been now?"

"Exactly Jess's age," the man replied, closing his door and driving off.


A/N: Not much to say here, only I hope you enjoyed it and if you want to read some more, just take a look at my newest upload "A beautiful lie".

Have a nice day!

:o)