Sirens blaring throughout the ARC was normal. Accompanying red lights was also very normal.
Two Smilodon running through the corridors? That was less normal.
It had all happened too quickly for Jess to think about. She'd just finished her break and had been heading back to the hub, when the sirens began blaring to signify an anomaly had been picked up. Jess had instantly began running towards the hub to try and reach the ADD as quickly as possible. But she'd barely made it to the doors when Matt's voice had appeared in her ear. Informing her the anomaly had opened up in the ARC and the Smilodon had already come through.
In fairness this wasn't the first time there had been a creature loose in the building. There had been when the Dracorax had escaped. And before Abby had taken him home, Rex had basically been allowed free reign of the building. His two Diictodon friends: Sid and Nancy had often made numerous escapes from their enclosure in the menagerie. It seemed the only creature yet to escape had been the mammoth. And Jess was fairly sure that was only a matter of time. But all of those animals weren't predators. Jess wouldn't go so far as to say they were friendly – or at least she wouldn't have said the Dracorax was – but at least they weren't going to try and eat you. Smilodon were different. According to her own research, they were one of the most powerful big cats of all time. And one of the deadliest. And according to Connor whose voice she could now hear babbling in her ear; they were best to be avoided if possible. Which wasn't. Because aside from the fact that they were all in the same building; the anomaly had opened up in the corridor close towards the hub. Which meant the closest of any of the team was Jess herself.
"I've already initiated lockdown!" Matt said. "But we need to keep them near the anomaly. Who's nearest? We need eyes on them!"
"I'm two minutes away." Becker replied. "But why do we need eyes on them? Jess is at the ADD. She can see them surely?"
"Um.." Jess switched her own comm link on. "Actually I was on my break when the anomaly appeared. I'm about 30 seconds away from the hub."
"Jess can you see the Smilodon?" Matt asked at the exact same time Jess heard Becker shouting.
"Jess get out of there!"
"No." Jess wasn't entirely sure which man she had been addressing.
"No I can't see them Matt. They might have gone down another…."
She stumbled to a halt. The end of her sentence caught in her throat. Keeping one hand on her comm link, Jess forced herself not to move. To not even tremble.
"Guys?" It was difficult to keep her voice low, but she managed it all the same.
"You know when I said I couldn't see the Smilodon? Well…. I can now."
"Jess run!" Becker's voice had switched from calm to panicked within seconds. "Just run!"
Jess was no expert in creatures – both modern day and prehistoric – but she knew if she ran the Smilodon would kill her. The two of them were staring at her; clearly unused to seeing a human being before. Behind them Jess could see the anomaly filling the space. She was familiar enough with the ARC to know that the corridor continued right behind the anomaly itself. Which meant that unless they could get the Smilodon to go back into the anomaly, they would need to get them all the way round to the other side of the building.
"Jess!" Becker yelled in her ear. "Get the hell out of there!"
Jess watched the two cats warily. Both were staring at her; no doubt trying to work out what exactly she was. But she knew their curiosity would go soon. And then they would pounce.
"Jess what are you waiting for?" Becker's voice was breaking. "Run!"
"No!" Connor shouted. "Smilodon are seriously fast animals. If she runs, they'll chase her."
And catch her. Jess knew what Connor was holding back. She inched backwards a few steps and the two cats tensed at her movements.
"Guys." She knew she had minutes before the cats pounced. "The anomaly is in the main corridor that leads to the hub. There's no way of encouraging the Smilodon back through it so we'll need to draw them round the other side of the hub and through the other side of the anomaly."
"Jess, don't you dare do what I think you're going to do!" Becker ordered.
"Connor." Jess took a deep breath as though it would ease the pounding of her heart. "Smilodon are fast but only over short distances yeah?"
"Yes." Connor agreed. "And they can be easily wrong-footed in a chase. But Jess, a short distance for a Smilodon is still a long way."
"I know." Jess shuffled positions, ready to turn when she was ready. "But all the sharp turns should help me, right?"
"Jess!" Becker screamed. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare!"
Jess blinked back tears. The cats were focusing their gaze on her. Both of them had crouched down now and she'd watched enough nature documentaries to know what they were about to do.
"I'll lead them around to the other side of the hub. Meet me there."
"Jess no!"
Ignoring Becker, Jess turned and sprinted back down the corridor. The roars from the cats behind her, told her the plan was working. Jess knew she wouldn't be able to outrun them had she been going in one direction. Thankfully, the ARC's corridors were full of twists and sharp turns that would slow the Smilodon down. Added to the fact she knew the layout of the ARC backwards was a huge advantage. She could hear Becker's orders for back-up whilst Matt gave orders to the rest of the team. She took a sharp left and gasped at a sudden breeze just behind her. Daring to glance round, Jess saw one of the Smilodon had thrown itself at her; hitting the wall just as she turned. The cat was dazed, but wasting no time in getting to it's feet. Lungs ready to burst, Jess forced herself to keep going.
"Jess?" Becker shouted. "Jess keep moving! We're almost there. Just keep running!"
"Thanks for the advice!" She panted; taking another sharp turn. She was glad the hub itself was small. Although the turns meant she was able to stay just ahead of the Smilodon; Jess knew it wouldn't be long before exhaustion claimed her. She took another turn and sprinted down the corridor.
"I'm there!" She shouted to no one in particular. "I'm on the other side of the anomaly."
"Two minutes!" Becker said. "We're two minutes away Jess."
Jess stumbled to a halt before she ran through the blinding ball of light. Leaning against the wall for support she took huge breaths to try and get air back into her lungs.
"Need to go gym." She panted to herself. "Need to work out more."
A low growl came from a few feet away and her blood chilled. The two Smilodon stalked around the corner and Jess's legs buckled at the sight. Both of them were baring their huge teeth, and the sight of their long sabre's Jess's stomach churned.
"Guys." She didn't know why she was whispering considering the cats could see her. "Guys they're here. And I'm stuck between them and the anomaly."
"Almost there Jess!" Becker sounded more out of breath than she was, and Jess knew he was pushing his own body to breaking point to reach her in time.
"Jess is there any way you can get them through the anomaly?" Matt asked. Jess bit her lip. Both cats were walking side by side – filling the entire corridor. If they pounced, she had no way of rolling to one side. The anomaly behind her was just as wide so skirting around that wasn't an option either.
"No." Her voice cracked. "No I'm trapped." The realisation of what was about to happen hit her.
"They're going to catch me." She whispered. "I'm going to die."
"NO!" Becker screamed. "You are not going to die Jess. I promise. Just hang on for another minute."
"I don't have a minute Becker!" Jess wiped her eyes. The two cats were now only a few feet away from her. Easily within pouncing distance.
"Jess?" That was Connor. "Go through the anomaly."
Jess shook her head. "What?"
"Temple are you trying to get her killed?" Becker growled.
"Jess trust me." Connor pleaded. "If you go through, they will follow you and then you can run back through."
"Assuming what's on the other side doesn't kill her first!" Becker said. "Jess stay exactly where you are. I'm almost there."
Jess forced her shaking body to stand up straight. She didn't have time to wait. Both Smilodon inched forwards, and Jess knew she had seconds before they pounced.
"I hope you're right Connor."
"Jess no!"
With a deep breath, Jess turned and ran through the anomaly just as the Smilodon launched themselves at her. There was a blinding flash of light and Jess fell forward onto rough grass. She scrambled to her feet to see the two cats had followed her through. Jess watched them both as they seemed almost bemused at yet another changed in surroundings. The Smilodon turned to her before a sharp screech caught their attention. Jess turned to see two large birds in the distance. She remembered them from the images of an old mission.
Terror birds.
The two Smilodon took one final glance at Jess before running towards the Terror Birds. Jess waited until the cats were far enough away before turning back to the anomaly.
Only to find it had vanished completely.
Becker flung himself around the corner to where Jess, the Smilodon and the anomaly had been. Only where he hoped to see Jess alive and well. All he could see was an empty corridor.
"No." His EMD clattered to the floor. "No. Not her."
No Smilodon. No anomaly. No Jess.
"Jess!" Becker ran up the length of the corridor. "Jess?"
Maybe she had come back through? Maybe she was looking for him?
"JESS!"
Unable to take another step, Becker fell to his knees. This was a nightmare. This had to be a nightmare. Nothing else made sense. Jess couldn't have gone through an anomaly. She couldn't be lost to him.
"JESS!"
Soul-wrenching sobs tore from his throat; no doubt drawing everyone's attention. But Becker didn't care. He couldn't survive losing Jess. Losing Abby, Connor, Danny and Sarah had almost broken him. Had it not been for Jess he would have given up long ago. She had saved him. If he lost her now, he might as well die himself.
"The anomaly's closed." Connor said tearfully. "We could try and re-open it but I don't know if it would work."
"We can't risk bringing more creatures through." Matt's voice was thick with emotion. "We just can't."
"Yes you will." Becker forced himself to his feet and rounded on the team. "You will open that anomaly and then I will get her back."
"Becker. "Abby tried to place a hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off and instead rounded on Connor. The younger man's guilt filled his eyes, but Becker didn't care.
"You did this." He jabbed a finger at Connor. "You, told her to go through and now she's trapped. This is your fault. Just like the beetles. It's your fault and Jess is the one who gets hurt."
"Becker." Matt stepped between him and Connor. "We'll get her back. I promise."
"Yes." Becker said softly. "Because he is going to re-open that anomaly now."
"Mate we can't." Matt sighed. "Let's deal with the clean-up here and brief Lester. Then we can make a plan."
"Besides," Connor added, "I don't even know if we can re-open the anomaly."
A red mist Becker hadn't seen since his last tour, descended over him. With a primal roar, he launched himself at Connor and pushed him to the ground. Pinning Connor down, he delivered a hefty punch to his face.
"FIX IT!" He roared. "This is your fault, so you need to fix it."
"That's enough!" Matt grabbed at Becker and – with Abby and Emily's help – hauled him off Connor. The younger man got to his feet and wiped the blood away from his mouth.
"I deserved that." He said shakily. "I know I did. But Becker we'll get her back."
"You…" Becker gave a shaky nod. "She's not…" His legs buckled and he hit the floor. His body shaking with each sob.
"She could be dead!" He buried his face in his hands. "She's not trained for this. For any of it. She could be dead, and I never got to tell her I…."
"Hey." Abby crouched down beside him. "You will. I promise. Jess is strong and smart and capable. She'll be okay."
Becker shook his head feebly. "Abby, I can't lose her. I wouldn't survive it."
"You won't lose her." Abbey rubbed his back gently. "If Connor can survive in the Cretaceous then Jess can survive…"
"The Pleistocene." Connor added helpfully. "But Abby's right. Jess is tough. She'll be okay and you'll get her back."
"Do you promise?" Becker sounded like a small child. "Do you promise me Connor?"
"Yeah." Connor nodded. "Yeah, I promise."
But Becker knew he was lying.
Jess's first reaction on discovering the anomaly was closed was to burst into tears. Stranded millions of years in the past with lots of prehistoric animals that could easily kill her, was enough to make anyone cry. Yet her mini-breakdown had been surprising quick. After just a few minutes of falling apart, she wiped her eyes and forced herself to focus.
"Okay. So they were Smilodon which means this must be South America. A few million years ago."
Jess glanced around. She had arrived in the middle of a huge grass land. Behind her was a thick scrub forest, whilst on the open plains she could see herds of huge four legged animals. They seemed to be an odd cross between a horn-less rhino and a hippo. If Connor were here, he'd know what they were called. Jess decided it didn't matter right now.
"So the anomaly has closed. But the team know I am here at least. They'll be trying to find a way to reach me. And I know they will because Becker isn't going to let them do anything but."
The thought of the ARC Head of Security had her dangerously close to another break-down. Jess knew that the entire ARC knew about her feelings for the Captain. And after the incident with the Future Beetles and Convergence, she had assumed he felt the same way. They seemed to have reached a new stage in their relationship where they both knew the other person liked them. But neither seemed willing to make a move. Jess couldn't help but wonder if they would ever get the chance again. Wiping away fresh tears, she forced herself back on her current situation and what she should do. She had been camping when she was younger, but this was a far different experience.
"Okay. Well I need to get off the grassland and into the forest where it's more sheltered. But I can't leave the anomaly sight in case someone comes through. If I could leave some sort of signal? But with what?"
Jess turned and began moving towards the forest behind her. Her heels, better suited for polished floors than grassland, kept getting stuck in the mud. With a sigh, Jess stopped and pulled them both off.
"These were brand new as well."
She was tempted to leave them. But as she caught sight of a tree, an idea came to her. Jess hurried towards the bark and began attacking it with one of her shoes furiously. She didn't need to leave an essay. Just something that would tell anyone from the ARC that she was here. After a few moments she stopped to admire her handiwork. A rough looking set of initials stared back at her. The 'J' was recognisable although the 'P' looked a little dodgy. Hopefully it would be enough. It would have to be enough. Shoes now discarded, Jess reached for the closest branch. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay in the same spot forever. But she'd give it a day, maybe two at the anomaly sight. Surely by then someone would have come for her.
And by someone she hoped it was Becker.
Two weeks later
Homemade spear in one hand, Jess inched towards the water hole. It was only just sunrise and so she didn't expect to see any animals, but she didn't want to take a chance. The spear wasn't the best and she doubted it would work against a Smilodon. But it was better than nothing. After having listened to so many of Connor ramblings, Jess knew that although there were no humans in South America at this time; they had already evolved and had started making basic tools. It had taken a while to get a stone sharp enough to be a decent enough weapon – not the mention getting it attached to the stick to make the spear. But she at least felt a bit more protected when she went out. She'd managed to stay relatively near the anomaly sight, and although it had been two weeks now, Jess refused to give up hope that someone would find her.
"Good morning Matt. Good morning Abby and Connor. Good morning Emily."
After the first few days, Jess had begun saying goodnight and good morning to the team. As daft as it sounded, it brought some sense of normality to her situation. And given she had no one else to talk to, it helped her remember what a human voice sounded like.
"Good morning Lester. Good morning Becker."
She always left Becker until the end, because even now she still choked up slightly at the mention of his name. Jess wasn't sure what she would do if she didn't see any of the team again. But she knew if she never saw Becker again, she would spend the rest of her days feeling incomplete. With a final, careful glance around, Jess lowered her spear and began to pull off her dress. Thankfully it was less restrictive than some of her clothing and so she could still climb tress and run in it if she needed to. Her underwear had become too grotty to continue wearing and Jess had burnt those on a makeshift fire one night. Given there were no other humans about, Jess knew she shouldn't feel self-conscious at having no clothes on. But even so she was still quick to lower herself into the water to wash. The sole of her feet stung briefly in the water, along with some smaller cuts on her arms and hands. Jess went under to get her hair wet – she might be living in the past but she still wanted to maintain as much personal hygiene as she could – and when she resurfaced, took huge gulps of water as well.
After washing herself down as best she could; Jess climbed out and hurried to put her dress on. She knew from experience she would dry off soon, and she didn't like to push her luck by staying too long. Re-taking her spear she headed back towards her make-shift campsite. It was really just a huge tree that she slept in at night, and used as an ideal vantage point. But if she called it a camp-site it made it sound like she knew what she was doing. As she made her back, she began picking berries off the nearby bushes and eating them as she went. Although Jess hadn't exactly been starving since she arrived; she hadn't been eating much either. Her dress was starting to slip off her shoulders and she didn't dare think about how much weight she had lost.
"What I wouldn't give for some chocolate." She smiled to herself. "Even chocolate with orange in it would be welcome."
Popping the last few berries in her mouth, she reached her tree and began to climb. That had been an interesting skill to learn. Her hands and feet had become filled with splinters and her feet were now constantly throbbing with pain, whilst Jess was honestly surprised she hadn't broken any bones given the amount of times she'd fallen. Although given how much her ribs hurt, she had suspected some of them might be cracked at the very least. But at least now she had the hang on it. Sort of. It was still slow going and Jess didn't like to rate her chances against anything that could climb. Fortunately Smilodon didn't posses that skill, and so far, Jess hadn't come across any more Terror Birds. Settling down on a thick branch. Jess kept the spear in one hand and let her legs dangle below her. Every morning she kept an eye on the anomaly sight in the hopes it would re-open. She knew the anomaly's didn't work like that. But it gave her something to do. If she didn't given herself things to think about, then she'd think about the ARC. About the team. About Lester. About Becker. She'd learnt the hard way that thinking of those things was just too painful. So no matter what it was, or how crazy it might seem, if it took her mind away from the people she loved, Jess was going to do it.
"So then Jess." She smiled thinly. "Are you sitting comfortably? Time for a story. How about Little Red Riding Hood today."
Jess wasn't sure if her habit of talking to herself had been this bad before getting trapped in the past or not. Either way she found herself rambling on about nothing throughout the day. And when watching for the anomaly, she started telling herself stories to pass the time. She knew it would sound crazy to anyone else. But if she spent her entire days in silence, then she would crack. And she couldn't afford to do that. Jess glared at the now empty patch of grassland where the anomaly had been.
"Come on." She muttered. "Just open. Please. For me."
It was a coincidence. Jess knew that. But when a flash of light appeared and transformed into an anomaly in the exact same spot, she couldn't help her squeal.
"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!"
The throbbing pain in her feet was now forgotten and Jess wasted no time in scrambling down the tree. She had always been better and getting down them and today was no exception. The anomaly was close enough for her to make a dash across the grasslands. Whether it led to the 21st Century or not she had no idea. But she had to try.
"A few more steps." She muttered. "Almost there."
A high-pitched shriek ran out; taking her by surprise. Jess foot slipped on the last branch and she tumbled to the ground; landing awkwardly on her ankle. Pain shot up her right leg and Jess didn't need to be any kind of doctor to know it was broken. Even so she couldn't help but gingerly try and feel it.
"Ow!"
It didn't matter, she told herself as she forced herself to her feet. She was almost home. She could feel it. Jess lent against the tree trunk; keeping an eye out for any predators.
"Oh you've got to be joking!"
Four terror birds were walking towards her. Jess ducked down; certain they hadn't seen her. But it didn't matter if they had. They were going to walk right across her path to the anomaly.
"Typical." She muttered. "I don't see one for two weeks and now four turn up!"
The birds stopped a few feet away from the anomaly and began to pick at something on the ground. Jess glanced at the anomaly. It seemed stable, but who knew for how long. She'd have to run for it. Or at least limp quickly.
"Okay." Jess dropped her spear. "Here we go."
She burst from her cover, limping feebly onto the grasslands and towards the anomaly. A sharp shriek from her right told her the Terror Birds had noticed her. But Jess forced herself to keep going. She was so close. Just a couple of feet left. The screeches were getting louder and Jess flung herself through the anomaly just as a Terror Bird lunged for her.
"We've got an alert!"
Becker moved towards the ADD out of habit. The tech who had taken Jess's place – 'a temporary measure' Lester had insisted – was busy giving out the co-ordinates, but it all went over Becker's head. In the two weeks since he'd lost Jess, they'd have nine anomaly's had he'd gone through every since one. None of them had been the right time zones. But Becker was determined to go through every blasted anomaly until he found her. Lester hadn't been happy about disregarding one of the ARC's biggest safety rule. But the others had made it clear Becker would be doing it anyway whether it was against the rules or not. Plus there was the fact that although he never said anything, Lester was fond of Jess and missed her just as much as the others. He couldn't go out on missions, but whatever he could to help in their efforts, he would do. Including, temporarily removing red-tape rules. So until Jess returned, Becker had permission to check each anomaly. And so far each time he'd returned disappointed, and a bit more broken.
"Becker!" Matt's voice pulled him from his thoughts. "C'mon mate. Let's go."
Becker grabbed his EMD and made sure his Glock was secure. He knew the ARC was moving away from standard weapons, but he also knew you could never be too careful. He didn't want to take a chance they might one day meet a creature on which the EMD's didn't work.
"There's no reports of an incursion yet." Matt said. To him or the rest of the team Becker didn't care. If there was incursion, that meant he was free to go through the anomaly to search for Jess.
"The quicker we get there, the quicker Becker can go through and the quicker we can close it." Connor said as they got into the pick-up.
Becker took his now usual seat in the passenger side and allowed Matt to do the driving. He knew no one would be surprised at his silence. In truth, since the day Jess had disappeared, he hadn't properly spoken at all. It was as thought Jess had brought out all the good things in him, which were now hiding away again until she returned. In truth, Becker wasn't sure how much longer he could go on. The others seemed confident they would find her, but Becker couldn't help but doubt. He knew Jess was smart and capable and brilliant. But surviving in a prehistoric world was someone no one was trained for. And as the days went by, he began to lose hope of ever seeing her again. Every seeing that special smile she reserved for him. Her laugh. Her nervous ramblings. He still had a bar of chocolate he'd planned to give her the day she'd vanished through the anomaly. He kept it on him at all times; praying he'd be able to one day place it in her hands. That would be the second thing he would do when he saw her again. The first would be to kiss her and the third would be to ask her out on a date.
"We're here." Connor's voice broke his thoughts. "The anomaly is just round the corner."
Becker opened the door only to be met with a barrage of rain. In the past two weeks the weather had turned. The last remnants of summer had gone, only to now be replaced with daily rain showers. As the rest of the team got the equipment together. Becker rechecked his weapons.
"Come on mate." Matt clapped him on the back. "You never know, we could get lucky."
Becker gave a small nod. "Maybe. But I've learnt not to get my hopes up."
"Err….guys?" Connor had already gone around the corner to check out the anomaly. "I think something's come through."
Despite his despair over Jess, Becker's military training kicked in and he raised his EMD and rounded the corner. The anomaly had opened up in an abandoned patch of land that Becker knew would one day be brought and built on. But for now it was just a sea of gravel and concrete with grass growing through the cracks. The anomaly shone bright even in the downpour, and Becker could see a small figure getting to their feet. They brushed down a blue and white striped dress and Becker caught a glint of red hair.
"Jess?"
Jess winced at the gravel that had scrapped her arms. Picking a few bits out, she forced herself to her feet. The rain was a welcome surprise given how dry it had been in the Pleistocene. The colder temperature was less welcome. Jess hugged herself tightly as she glanced around. Tall building on all sides, and the sound of planes told her she was in the 21st Century – or at least late 20th – and she would hazard a guess at a big city. But was it her time. That was the million pound question. Jess took a shaky step forward; crying out at the pain in her broken ankle. At this point she didn't matter what the specific date was. She just needed to get to a hospital and soon. Jess pushed her wet hair from her face, and glanced up to see a group of people staring at her.
"It….it can't be."
Even from her distance she could see the tearful grins on Abby and Emily's face. Connor looked incredibly relieved whilst Matt was simply grinning. But next to them, staring at her as though she were a ghost was…
"Becker?"
His EMD fell from his hand and Jess couldn't help but give him a small wave. Becker took a few halting steps towards her, before sprinting as fast as he could go. With a screaming ankle, the best Jess could do was limp. But she'd only made it three steps before Becker's arms engulfed her.
"Oh my God Jess!" Becker held her close against him and Jess hugged him back just as tight. She buried her face in his chest to try and muffled his sobs; but she wasn't expecting to hear them coming from Becker himself.
"I thought I'd lost you." He sobbed. "I thought I'd never see you again!"
"I'm here." Jess replied tearfully. "I'm here."
With obvious reluctance, Becker let her go from his bear hug, but kept a tight grip on her hands. His red, tear-stained eyes tore at Jess's heart.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"No." Becker took her face in his eyes. "Never apologise Jess. You are back, that's all that matters. You are back and I can finally do this."
Becker drew her close and pressed his lips to hers. Clutching at his jacket, Jess's sudden shock of Becker kissing her, was replaced with the fact that Becker was kissing her! She nipped and coaxed at his own lips; unable to stop her own tears when she felt Becker's on her cheeks. Becker drew apart with a tearful smile.
"Jessica, would you go on a date with me?"
"Why Captain." Jess grinned. "I thought you'd never ask!"
With a laugh, Becker drew her in close and Jess could tell he didn't want to let her go. She placed a hand on his chest; aware of how much he was shaking.
"I thought I'd lost you." Becker whispered. "I thought I was never going to see you again and it was killing me."
"I didn't think I'd see you again either." Jess admitted. "But I'm back now."
"I know." Becker kissed her again. "I'm not going to waste this precious chance I've been given Jess. I swear."
"Nor me." Jess smiled. "But honestly, right now I just want to go home."
With a nod, Becker turned and attempted to led her towards the others. But when she tried to put weight on her injured ankle, Jess's legs buckled; and she collapsed on the ground.
"Jess!" Becker began looking her up and down frantically. "Jess what's wrong!"
"I think my ankles broken." She grimaced. "Plus maybe some fractured ribs. And cuts and bruises. And a lot of splinters."
She was also very cold and unable to stop herself from shivering. There was also the fact Becker could probably see she didn't have a bra on. But to be honest that was the least of her concerns. With a nod, Becker quickly shed his own jacket and handed it to her.
"Put that on. It'll keep you warm. We'll get you back to the ARC and get you looked over."
"Okay." Jess made to stand up, when the ground vanished beneath her, and she realised she was in Becker's arms. He carried her towards the rest of the team who were all grinning wildly at them.
"Good to have you back Jess." Abby said tearfully. Emily nodded
"We'll finish up here and meet you back at the ARC." Matt said. "I'm sure you're in capable hands."
Jess glanced over at Becker who simply kissed her again.
"Yes." She smiled. "She is."
Jess pulled at her medical gown with a grimace.
"Can't they make these things more stylish? Or at least more colourful!"
Becker chuckled. "I'm not sure what colour they are is a priority. Anyway Abby said she was bringing some clothes from your flat so it's only for a short time."
"Thankfully." Jess mumbled. In truth she didn't mind the medical gown. Mainly because it hid most of the damage. Her ribs had been bound, her feet cleaned and bandaged. She'd been given a special brace for her ankles and the minor cuts and bruises had all been cleaned. The doctor had given her antibiotics and she'd been able to have a warm wash and brush her teeth. The later, Jess had done about five times just to be safe.
"My clothes probably won't fit any more." Jess sighed. "I dread to think how much weight I lost."
"You'll get better." Becker squeezed her hand. "I'll see to that. You'll be back to your old self in no time. In fact." His eyes brightened. "You can start by eating this."
Jess watched as he fished out a chocolate bar and handed it over. Not even wasting time breaking it into rows, she tore at the wrapper and bit directly into it.
"Oh God!" She sank back on the bed. "I've missed that so much!"
"You're welcome." Becker smiled. "I'd meant to give it to you a fortnight ago. But…. well I didn't exactly get the chance."
Jess stared at him. "And you've kept it this whole time?"
Becker nodded. "I swore the moment I saw you I'd give it to you. As well as kiss you. And ask you on a date."
"Well you did all three." Jess took another bite. "And I'm very glad you did."
Becker eyed with a nervous expression.
"I'm sorry by the way."
"For what?"
"I should have been quicker. I should have gotten to you in time. Then you've never have been trapped."
"Becker." Jess took his hand and kissed it. "It wasn't your fault It wasn't an ideal situation and we all had to make a quick call. Speaking of which, I hope you didn't give Connor hell afterwards?"
Becker bit his lip. "I might have lost my temper at him."
"Becker!"
He shrugged. "In my defence the woman I am in love with vanished through an anomaly, leaving me with no idea if I would ever see her again."
Jess stared at him. "You…you're in love with me."
"Utterly and completely." Becker said. "I know that might seem a bit soon given we haven't even had a date yet but-"
Jess dropped the chocolate bar into her lap and pulled Becker in for another kiss. His fingers buried themselves in her hair whilst the bed creaked slightly as he shifted from the plastic chair onto the bed beside her. Jess shuffled over to make room and Becker curled his arms around her; keeping her cocooned against him.
"In case you hadn't already noticed." Jess grinned. "But I'm in love with you too."
"I did have my suspicions." Becker grinned. "But it's nice to have them confirmed."
Jess opened her mouth, but instead of words, it was a huge yawn. Becker hugged her close.
"Get some sleep. I've got you."
With a small nod, Jess shut her eyes and curled up against Becker. For the first time in two weeks, she was finally able to have a peaceful sleep.
Abby watched the sleeping pair with a smile. Becker kept his arms tight around Jess in a show of protection, whilst she seemed utterly content to sleep in the Captains arms. Abby wasn't really sure which news was better: the fact Jess had returned, or the fact Jess and Becker had finally admitted their feelings for each other.
"I see Action Man is still there." Connor remarked. "He really hasn't let her go has he?"
"Can you blame him?" Abby asked. "He thought he'd lost her and now he has her back."
"True." Connor took his fiancées hand. "I'm glad they both finally admitted it. And I thought we were the slow ones."
With a smile, Abby kissed him before turning back to the sleeping Jess and Becker in Jess's medical bay bed.
"Should we wake them do you think?"
"No." Connor fished out his phone. "Let them sleep. They've both been through a lot."
"Yeah I guess you're right."
"Beside." Connor was hurriedly texting. "Matt and I are going to want to take some pictures of this for when Action Man wakes up."
