Title: Milestones 1: 14 Fixed
Author: DrawnToDarkness
Rating: T
Characters: Becker, Jess, Matt, Emily
Pairing: Jess/Becker UST, Matt/Emily
Prompt: Fixed
Summary: Missing scene/post-ep for episode 5x03

The journey back to the ARC was interesting to say the least. Matt gave up his passenger seat in the front to sit next to Emily, on the pretext that the Victorian Lady might need comforting after witnessing her husband's death at the hands - well, claws and teeth - of a raptor.

To Becker's way of thinking, that didn't seem to be the case. If anything, he reflected, glancing at the couple in the rear view mirror, it was Matt who seemed to need the comforting – or reassurance, at least, that Emily was back in the present time instead of the past where he had once said she belonged.

There was something different about the team leader, a quick transformation that seemed to have taken place in the time it had taken for the back-up team to get to the museum and take over watching the locked anomaly. In the months since Emily had been gone, Matt had become more closed off – like he had been in the beginning, Becker thought – and in the short space of time she'd been back, already the team leader was smiling more easily, the lines of strain around his eyes still there but becoming a little less pronounced than they had been.

It was almost like he'd been broken, and with Emily's return he was at least on the way to being fixed.

Becker kept glancing at the them when traffic allowed, surprised at feeling both pleased for the reunited couple – and jealous for the obvious affection they were trying not to let show.

Another couple to have to watch, another example of what he wanted things to be like – of what they could be like – if only he could let go of the last shred of fear that still held him back.

He kept his silence as he drove into the ARC car park, pulling the truck into his usual space. He walked behind them as they passed the security check points, watching the surprise on his men's faces change into easy – and knowing – grins.

As they approached the hub, Emily's pace quickened and she began walking in front. Falling into step beside Matt, Becker glanced at the team leader and saw the corners of his mouth twitch into a grin.

"Oh my god, Emily!" Walking towards them – well, towards Emily, Becker corrected – a smile broke out across Jess's face and she opened her arms in welcome. "I always knew you'd be back!"

"Then you knew more than me," Emily admitted, embracing the Field Co-ordinator warmly as a bright smile curled the corners of her mouth.

Becker saw the grin on Matt's face and felt a smirk arrange his own lips. "You just went back for the raptor, yeah?" He was rewarded by a flash of what he suspected was embarrassment passing over the team leader's features and his smirk grew wider. As Jess and Emily began walking back towards the ADD, Becker held out his hand for Matt's black box, ignoring the knowing smirk on the team leader's face.

"You're never allowed to go anywhere else again ever."

"It's good to see you, too."

For a moment, he thought Matt was going to say something – no doubt make a comment about him wanting an excuse to linger near the ADD – but thankfully for Becker, Matt caught a glimpse of something over his shoulder and distractedly handed over the box without a word.

Relived at the lack of an inquisition, Becker followed the women to the ADD, unashamedly eavesdropping on their conversation. He bit back a grin when Jess insisted on taking Emily shopping as soon as possible to help the Victorian adjust to her new life and fought the urge to roll his eyes when the Field Co-ordinator immediately offered her use of the spare room at her flat – a room Becker knew had only been empty for a matter of weeks, since Abby and Connor had finally found a flat of their own that they both approved of.

Emily thanked Jess for both offers and promised she'd speak to Matt about the room and let her know. It was a given, Becker thought, that the woman from the past wouldn't be expected to live in the small, basic quarters at the ARC and made a bet with himself that she'd be moving back into the team leader's flat within twenty-four hours.

Moving away from the ADD but staying close enough to keep an eye on the women engrossed in conversation beside it, Becker watched a brilliant smile flash across Jess's face and immediately felt a grin tug at his lips in response.

Maybe, he told himself, tearing his gaze away when Jess started to look around as if sensing someone watching her. Maybe if things continued to go smoothly, he'd finally have his chance and take it.

What Becker does in this story is something he actually does on screen at the end of 5x01. Check it out just before Abby follows Matt and finds out the truth about where he's from. When Matt and Becker come into the ops room, they're laughing about something, Becker holds out his hand and Matt just gives him his black box. Why, it's almost like our favourite Captain needs an excuse to spend more time with a certain Field Co-ordinator, isn't it? ;) In 5x03, I was waiting for it - and when it didn't happen, I thought I'd write it as though it did when the camera's focused on Jess and Emily. (Though Becker does take off his jacket as he's walking to the hub with Matt, which may have fried a couple of circuits in my brain...)

Next up, 5x04 with the prompt 'Death'. Meep.