This chapter, 1317 Words

Chapter Two, Breakup

Jess sat next to Becker's hospital bed. She didn't really remember getting there. She remembered watching them wheel him in. He was covered in blood. She remembered Abby and the others arriving. She sat in Abby's arms.

Emily tried to get her to eat something while they waited. It took hours for the doctor to come out.

"He's lost a lot of blood, but he was lucky. We got to him quickly. The wounds themselves aren't too bad. His body went into shock from the rapid blood loss."

She didn't remember any of the other words. Except for, "He should be alright."

She nearly fainted with relief. They let her in for a few moments. He looked so pale and fragile. Lester also went in briefly.

Then she had to leave him. She wouldn't leave medical, even though she knew he was unconscious. He didn't even know she was there, but she didn't care. She wasn't leaving.

Abby wouldn't leave her, but the others finally went home for sleep. They had to work in the morning. Jess was given indefinite leave. Finally, Abby had to leave too, but by that time, Sergeant Nicole Bilson and Lt. Vale had arrived. They promised to stay with Jess.

Early in the morning, the doctors let Jess back into Becker's room. He had slightly more color. She sat beside his bed, whispering to him.

Vale and Bilson were allowed in briefly. They mumbled something about their shifts; Jess wasn't really listening to anyone.

They had left, and somewhere during the morning Matt and Emily arrived. Then later, they were replaced with Connor and Abby.

The others came and went like that but Jess didn't leave.

"Miss Parker, please. You need to eat something, and rest," said a medic. "He'll be OK."

Jess took her eyes off Becker then. "He will?"

The medic smiled. "He will."

"He's got nine lives," joked a doctor.

"When did you get here?" asked Jess.

The doctor laughed. "Yes, you definitely need a few moments away."

Jess began to protest.

The doctor cut her off. "Please. Don't make me call Lester. He's grumpier than usual, with a major mess to clean up and cover in the West End."

Jess sighed and nodded. "Fine, but I won't be away long."

The doctor nodded and smiled.

She walked out of his room, and into Lt. Flowers. "Jess," he said. He usually called her Miss Parker. Her first name was evidence of how close a call Becker had. "How is he?"

She shrugged. "Pale. Quiet. They say he'll be alright, but…he just lies there, not looking or acting like my Becker.

Flowers nodded sadly. "Give him time."

"I know."

"Sorry I haven't been up before. We're understaffed in Security."

"And you're in temporary command."

"Temporary."

She nodded. "How many soldiers did we lose?"

He shook his head. "Too many. One is too many. I'm focusing on the ones still alive, like the Captain."

She smiled weakly. "Right." She sighed. "I've been ordered to eat."

He laughed. "I know it's hard to pull away from someone wounded, but it really is for the best. He needs you well."

"Yes. I know," she said. "You'll sit with him as long as you can?"

Flowers took her hand. "I will. When I have to leave, there is a long line of Security staff willing to replace me."

Jess felt tears again. "He really does have the best command."

"Thanks. Now, go and eat, soldier."

She kissed his cheek. "Aye."

So, Jess went to the canteen. The atmosphere was happy. The news had gotten around that Becker would be alright.

Jess didn't feel the elation though. She was relieved of course, but there was something else.

"Coffee?" asked the ARC's chef, Bernard Rice.

"I guess," she muttered. "Sorry. Yes, please. Thank you."

Bernie smiled sympathetically. Jess looked so tired, and…small.

"I hear our Captain will recover," he said cheerfully.

Jess nodded.

"He'll soon be chasing you around with that devilish grin of his."

She just stared, vacantly.

Bernie frowned. "You need to rest, Miss Parker. And eat," he said, scooping up some eggs and sausages for her.

"I'm not hungry."

"I know," said Bernie. "You need your strength, though. Try to eat. For me?"

Jess smiled weakly and nodded. "For you."

Bernie smiled. He then did something rather unusual. He picked up the tray, took her arm with the other hand, and actually walked her to a table.

"Hey, Jess," said Bilson. Bernie set Jess down beside her.

"You look awful," said Vale. Bilson stomped his foot at the exact same time that Bernie swatted the lieutenant in the head.

Connor, also at the table, broke out laughing. "She's been through hell, Mate."

"Right, sorry, Jess."

Jess nodded, and forked through her eggs. She lifted a small amount into her mouth. There was uneasiness now at the table.

Connor tried to lighten it. "So, I was talking to the medics, and they were like, 'Becker? Again?"

Vale laughed. Bilson looked uneasily at Jess.

Connor, however, went on. "I swear they asked if they should put him in his usual room."

Jess stared at him.

Bilson shushed Connor.

"What?"

Bilson frowned. "Men. I'm sorry, Jess. Connor's being a little tactless in his relief over Becker."

"True. I'm really glad he's going to be OK."

Jess nodded.

"Until the next time," said Matt.

Bilson's eyes grew wide. "What is it with men? Don't they know how to be tactful?"

"Oh, sorry," said Matt. "I just meant that Becker has to be so damn heroic all the time."

"He was doing his job," said Bilson.

"True," said Connor. "But he is Action Man."

Bilson growled.

"It's OK, Nicole," said Jess. "They aren't being mean. They're right."

"They're stupid," said Bilson. "You're worried sick about your man, and their mocking him right in front of you."

Matt chuckled. "I didn't mean it that way, but Bilson's right. We're being witless clods."

"You are," said Bilson.

Connor chuckled. "I'm sorry, too. You know I love Action Man."

Jess smiled weakly. "Yes, I know. It's OK."

Emily had been watching everything silently. "I do not think Jess is well." She turned to her. "You look ill."

"I'm just…tired."

"I bet," said Matt. "Lester's ordered me to take you home after breakfast. You need to rest."

"I…I can't. I need to be with him," said Jess.

"You need to take care of yourself," said Bilson. "You're still in your fancy dress from last night."

Jess looked down at her pink anniversary outfit. She blinked back tears. It seemed so long ago: waiting for Becker to return with the ice cream, receiving his anniversary gift, being carried in his arms. She ran her fingers over the pin. The tears couldn't be held back anymore.

Bilson saw, and put her arm around her. "You've been through a lot."

Jess nodded.

"It's all OK," said Connor.

Again, Jess nodded.

"But you need to go home," said Matt.

"Yes. We will stay with Becker while you are away," said Emily. "It is only for a short amount of time."

Jess wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "OK. Thank you."

About an hour later, Jess, now in pajamas, crawled into her bed. She was exhausted.

She kept thinking of Connor and Matt's teasing. Becker was hurt a lot. Since she'd been with him he had been in the infirmary on a monthly basis. Most of the time, it wasn't overly serious, but it always worried Jess.

When she'd heard 'he's coding,' scenes flashed into her mind: standing over his lifeless body in a morgue, picking colorful roses for his casket, going to bed alone and in grief.

She looked at a picture of Becker on her bedside table. Suddenly she burst out crying. "I can't keep doing this," she said aloud. "I can't keep waiting for you to die."

End of Chapter Two