Rating: T
Prompt: Date

Just over a month into their relationship, after overhearing a conversation between two of his men as they discussed their plans for the weekend, Becker realised that he'd not taken Jess out since their first date. They'd gone for lunch occasionally but he didn't think that counted as they'd always left from work and it'd always been a spontaneous, lets-escape-for-a-while last minute decision.

Thinking back, he could only remember one occasion that Jess had gone out without him in the time they'd been dating. It'd been a pre-arranged night out with her friends from university – a girl's night out they tried to hold once every month or so to make sure they didn't lose contact with one another. She'd offered to cancel, Becker remembered, but he'd assured her it was fine and had made plans of his own to have a few pints at the local pub with his men.

Although he had no objections to staying in, and he knew Jess had no complaints, he felt a little like he was taking her for granted. He knew she liked going out, knew she was a sociable person. She had a wardrobe full of clothes she barely seemed to get the chance to wear anymore and he felt more than a little responsible for that.

As he drove from the ARC to the flat, manoeuvring slowly through Friday night traffic, he started to put a plan in place. By the time he got there, he knew exactly what he was going to do and pulled up, pleased to see Jess's usual parking space was empty.

He hurried up the stairs to the flat, making a quick phone call as he took the stairs two at a time. Once inside, he grabbed a change of clothes from the bedroom he was starting to think of as theirs, and had just put them in the spare room when he heard her key in the door.

"Becker?" He grinned at the sound of her voice and quickly left the room to greet her. "How do you always get home before I do?" Jess asked, shrugging out of her coat as she walked up to the main floor of the flat.

"People see my truck and get out of the way," Becker teased, moving to take her coat from her and using it as an excuse to kiss her lightly in welcome. "Go have a bath and get ready. We're going out tonight. Formal wear necessary."

Jess blinked at him, her lips parted in surprise. "We are?" Her eyes narrowed and she tilted her head. "Did I know that?"

"No." He grinned, unable to resist kissing the tip of her nose when it crinkled in confusion. "But you do now, so go get ready. We have to leave at seven."

She smiled and started to head towards the stairs to the bedroom before stopping and turning back to look at him, a mischievous expression on her face. "I don't suppose you could be tempted to wash my back, could you?"

He could – and had – on several occasions but Becker stood firm and shook his head. "If I do that, we'll never be ready for seven."

"I don't mind staying in…"

"We always stay in. Tonight, we're going out." He put his hands around her waist, pushing her slightly. "Go."

He laughed and shook his head when she pouted but didn't miss the small, speculative smile on her face, that alone reassuring him that he was doing the right thing.

If he'd needed more of an incentive to remember to take her out more often, the dress she chose to wear was motivation enough.

It was long and flowing, with a side slit that revealed a generous amount of creamy leg when she moved. Dark blue in colour, it had silver swirls of embroidery flowing up from the hem of the skirt to mid-way up her legs, with matching embroidery around the v of the neckline. Jess did a slow turn when she realised he was staring, biting her lip to keep back a giggle when she heard him take a sharp intake of breath when he was presented with the back of the dress – or what little of it there was.

"Do I pass muster?" She asked with a sweet smile as she turned back to face him, blue eyes widening a little as she realised how close he'd gotten. "Oh. Hi."

His eyes were a touch darker than usual, his voice lower as he lifted a hand to touch one of the thin silver and blue straps adorning her shoulders, fingers trailing over the loose curls she'd arranged to fall around her face. "If we didn't have reservations, I'd seriously consider showing you just how beautiful you are."

She shivered at both his touch and the look in his eye, her cheeks flushing and pupils dilating. "Reservations can be cancelled."

He was sorely tempted but Becker shook his head, steeling his resolve. "We're going out," he told her – and himself – firmly. "You deserve the finer things in life, Miss Parker, and it's my job to make sure you get them."

"Aww, that's sweet." She leaned up – not as far as she usually had to, given the height of the strappy silver heels she was wearing – and kissed him. Originally aiming for his cheek, she laughed when he purposely turned his head with a smirk to capture her lips. "Really, if you start that, we're not going to be going anywhere but to the nearest flat surface. Walls included."

A low noise that could've been a growl escaped him and his hands tightened reflexively where they'd settled on her hips. "Don't give me ideas," he warned, reluctantly stepping away from her. "Shall we?"

"If you insist." With a smile that could only be described as delighted, Jess took the arm he offered her and they set out on their date.

The restaurant he took her to was far more exclusive, not to mention more expensive, than any she'd been to before. Jess caught herself gawping at their surroundings and closed her mouth with an audible snap, staring at him with wide, astonished eyes.

"Becker," she muttered, clinging to his arm as the maître d' showed them to their table. "What are we doing here?"

"Having dinner," Becker murmured, giving her a small grin. "And maybe a dance or two." The expression on her face made him chuckle. "Relax, Jess. You look like I'm going to leave you to face a room full of raptors without an EMD."

She didn't respond until they were sitting at their table off in a quiet corner of the restaurant, next to a window and only a short distance away from the small stage and dance floor. She waited until Becker had ordered their wine before reaching out a hand to touch the back of his as he started studying one of the menus they'd been given.

"You know this is unnecessary, right?" Her smile was self-depreciating. "You've already won the girl, you know. You don't have to impress me with things like this."

"It's not about impressing you. Well, not just about that," he corrected himself with the casual shrug of one shoulder. Turning his hand over to grasp hers, he stared at her intently. "It's about appreciating you, making sure I don't take you for granted."

Her brow furrowed quizzically. "You don't take me for granted. You don't need to make big gestures like this…"

"I want to." He squeezed her hand. "You shouldn't have to stay in every night, stuck on the sofa watching TV or reading a book."

"Have you ever heard me complain?" Jess arched an eyebrow. "Believe it or not, I've never been the type to go out clubbing with my mates or spend every weekend down at the pub. I like having nights in, Becker, especially now I've got you to spend them with." Her smile was tender, her eyes soft. "Given the excitement we see on a day to day basis, there's nothing I like more than curling up next to you and letting the rest of the world disappear for a while."

"It would be different if the others knew about us," he said quietly. "We'd go out with them every so often…"

"We do," she pointed out. "We went for drinks after work just last week, not as a couple granted..." They'd been forced to sit on opposite sides of the table, while their friends had held hands and whispered sweet nothings into one another's ears when they thought no one was looking. It had been fun to spend time with the others outside of work but frustrating for both of them that they weren't free to act as they wanted. Her brow furrowed again thoughtfully. "If you want to tell them…"

"I do, just not yet." He sighed and squeezed her hand, his grin lopsided. "I kind of like having you to myself at the moment. But I feel guilty sometimes that I'm not taking you out and showing you off the way someone else would…"

"I don't want anyone else." Her answer was automatic and decisive. "And I'm happy going out every so often if that's what you want but please don't feel like you have to do anything you're uncomfortable with. I'm more than happy with things the way they are between us."

Becker held her gaze. "Even if we're a bit like an old married couple at times?"

"Especially if we're a bit like an old married couple sometimes." She squeezed his fingers and pulled her hand back so she could open her menu as a waiter came to the table with their wine. "That's not to say I'm not going to make you dance with me before we leave," she told him with a smile, eyes straying to the loved up couples already on the dance floor.

"We can dance all night if you want to," he returned, enjoying the blush that spread over her cheeks at the double meaning. He turned his attention back to the menu in front of him after sampling the wine, grinning when he felt her foot shift under the table to rest beside his.

Date nights might not be necessary but he'd do his best to make sure they happened every once in a while.

The more I write these characters, the more hopelessly in love with them I fall. Hope you enjoyed it and it helps keep away the January blues! :)