Still with me? Good.

Chapter Two, Tragedy

Six months earlier-

Becker was walking home, giggling like a school boy. Jess and he were texting each other. He loved to tease her. He hated to admit it, but there was something about her.

Suddenly, a strange woman bumped into him.

"Go, now, Jess' flat, or she will die."

He was startled, to say the least. "What? Who..."

"Not much time," she said, showing him her future enhanced ADD device. "I am from the future. I have met the others: Abby, Connor, Emily, but not Jess. She will die. You have minutes. Hurry."

Becker stood in shock, as the woman vanished. He ran frantically, calling Jess on his mobile.

No answer.

He skidded his truck, barely stopping it, grabbed his gun from the truck, and leaped out in front of Jess' flat.

"Jess!" he screamed. He ran up the stairs, and kicked in the door. "Jess!"

He heard a scuffle, coming from the bathroom, then a man's yell, and finally a scream. Jess'.

Becker burst in, as a man struggled with a de-robed Jess on the edge of the tub.

Becker grabbed the man and with one super-human toss, he threw him across the flat. He looked to Jess.

"I'm...not...hurt," she said, through gasps. She wrapped herself in a robe that was torn and knife-slashed. She looked terrified, but as far as he could tell, she was unharmed.

Becker growled. He roared loudly, like an animal, and turned to the man.

In front of him, stood the strange woman.

"He is mine." She turned and shot him with a pen-like device that sounded like an EMD, and the man fell, unconscious.

"He is not from here. I must take him back. He will pay. I promise you, Becker. Take care of Jess. She looks cold," she said, smiling.

He stood, staring, and then felt Jess tremble behind him. He glanced her way and only then did he notice the damaged robe. He quickly took off his jacket, wrapping her up.

"Did he cut you?"

"No, I held it up, when I saw him, like a shield. Silly. He struck at it, trying to get me."

This enraged Becker more. He turned back, but both people were gone.

Jess collapsed against him.

"Hey," he said gently, scooping her up. He carried her into the bedroom, and covered her with a blanket. He crawled beside her on the bed.

She started sobbing. "He almost...he was going to...you saved me!"

She hugged him tightly, and he kissed her head. "SH. It's OK. Are you really alright? Did he hurt you?"

"No, just...completely terrified me. I was opening the shower, to get in it, you know, and there he was! I don't know how he got in the apartment."

"I think it was through time travel," said Matt appearing at the door, with Emily.

Just then they heard frantic voices screaming for Jess.

"In here," called Becker. "She's OK."

Abby and Connor ran in, Lester behind them, all sighing with relief.

"Why are you all here?" asked Jess.

They looked at each other.

Becker answered. "She warned you too."

They all nodded.

"Who? That woman? She told you I was in danger?"

"No," said Emily. "She said...you would die."

Jess' eyes grew wide, and she shuddered. She hung onto Becker tighter.

"You didn't," he said, softly. "You're here, and safe."

"Who was she? Who was he?" asked Jess.

"I don't know." said Becker. "I do know that no one is hurting you ever again."

She smiled, and snuggled closer to him, on the bed. "Thank you, so much. I would have died, that woman was right. Somehow, she was right."

"I believe we were aided by some friendly future beings today," said Lester.

Matt smiled. "They do exist, you know."

"Quite, and it would seem that once again, they have helped us avoid tragedy."

"Why me? Not that I'm ungrateful," said Jess, "it's just, I'm not important."

"That's not true," said Becker forcefully. "You're important to me."

She smiled, and blushed. So did Becker.

"You're very important to me," he whispered.

Jess teared up. "You are too, to me."

"And the ARC," said Matt. "We don't know what all was avoided Jess, maybe it started with you. Maybe you're needed here for something you'll do."

"Or maybe it's a Terminator thing," said Connor. "Maybe you give birth to a John Connor someday, and the kid saves the future."

Abby groaned. "Be quiet. Although, she did warn you first, Becker..."

"Yeah, he's Kyle Reese, obviously, the kid's father."

"Connor! Get him out of here," said Lester.

Becker laughed, while Jess turned pink. "The important thing," said Becker, "is whatever it was, it's avoided, and happily, Jess is here, safe and sound."

Jess smiled, and nuzzled against his chest. "Can you stay? Please, I'm still shaken up, and frankly, scared."

"Sure," said Becker.

"We'll get back to the ARC and check the ADD, and other things to make sure everything is as it should be," said Lester.

"I'm sure it's over," said Becker, "but until we're sure, I'm not leaving her alone."

"Goody," said Jess.

Everyone laughed.

"Oh, I'll stay around you as long as you can stand it, believe me, but I want a security detail outside, and one of us with her at all times," said Becker. "As a precaution, Jess."

"OK."

Matt's mobile pinged. He smiled. "OK. I'm just going to read this. 'From one future person to another: Tell Becker she's safe. Time line is as it should be. Stop worrying."

They all looked at each other.

Connor made freaky "Twilight Zone" noises. "That is weird."

"Yeah, but I'm convinced," said Matt.

"Anyone could have sent that," said Becker.

Matt smiled again. "I'll have it thoroughly checked, but we aren't going to find her. Trust me, one future agent vouching for another."

"So we take her word?" asked Abby.

"What else can we do?" asked Matt.

Jess looked up at Becker. He smiled at her. "She did save you. I guess I trust her."

She smiled. "Me too. She knew you were the one I needed."

Becker held her tight.

"Like I said, tragedy avoided," said Lester. Then as they began to exit the bedroom, he looked back at the cuddling pair. "More than one, we would have lost them both, I'm sure."

Becker smiled at Jess. "I...Jess, that was so close."

"It was."

"I...really care about you, Jess."

She smiled. "And I really care for you."

He chuckled, leaned down, hesitated, and then kissed her gently.

"Becker," she whispered. "Took you long enough."

He laughed. "Well, I think I nearly lost the chance."

"So, no more wasting time, then?" she asked.

He shook his head, bent down again, and kissed her longer and more passionately. "No more wasting time."

Emily and Matt were shamefully spying on them.

"You realize that woman changed the time line in other ways," said Emily. "The two of them, for example."

Matt smiled. "Yeah, but they were headed this direction, and if Jess died, then it wouldn't happen at all."

"Do you think Connor was right? Do you think the woman saved Jess so they could be together?"

Matt shrugged. "I don't know if that was the plan, but saving Jess has all kinds of side effects, some unforeseen, and," he said with a grin, "some much more obvious."

Emily giggled. "Yes. It is obvious, and it is nice."

"It is."

End Chapter Two