Hey, Hey :D How are we all today? I have another chapter up for you. I'll be dedicating this one to sadmadam because I liked her philosophy :P.

Also a huge thank you to juls124 for giving me an excellent idea that I included in this chapter, so credit for that applies

And to HP Jungle Cat: I did say on a much smaller scale ;) but there will be a few deaths before this story is over ... saying who though would just be telling ^.^

BTW in the previous chapters I have forgotten to do a disclaimer, so I'll do it now. *ahem* I do not own Primeval. If I did then Cutter and Stephen wouldn't have died and Connor would have proposed to Abby. And Becker would have asked Jess out ... or me ... I wouldn't complain if I got Connor either...

I hope you all enjoy

Then there was an anomaly alert. Everyone dropped what they were doing and raced to their stations, it was summer now, with many of the staff on holiday, so Darren was called in to go out into the field. There was a confirmed creature incursion, some kind of sabre tooth judging by the reports, only one or two but they had caused mass panic and 6 fatalities. It was in the middle of a park

'Matt, I'm patching into CCTV now, trying to get a visual of the creature, but it could be anywhere within a 5 mile radius by now'

'Thanks Jess, keep us posted, we're going to lock the anomaly to stop any more coming through' she heard him issue commands to the team 'Connor, stay here, lock the anomaly but be ready to open it in case we can herd it back through, Becker, grab your squad and split them. I want three layers within the five mile radius, and an extra two squads' the firing team split into five groups as though it had been rehearsed. Perhaps it had, knowing Becker. 'First layer' Matt continued, pointing at the group closest to him, being led by a man called Miller 'I want you to patrol the park, around the perimeter, just in case it comes back. Make sure that it can get to the anomaly, and that you are within firing range in case it attacks. Second layer is going to travel with Emily exactly two and a half miles down. Patrol the perimeter and keep in touch with Emily so she can radio in any news. Third layer I want with me patrolling the five mile perimeter making sure that it doesn't leave that area; Jess can only cordon off so much of the city, again keep in touch with me for any news. One of the squads take Abby to sweep the area between first and second layer, spread out but stay close, these things pick off stragglers. Stay in pairs if you can. Becker, you take the other group and sweep between layers two and three, Jess will keep us informed if she can get a visual which will allow us to close in, but in the meantime, we flush this thing out. If it's still here, we'll find it. Go.'

They went. Darren was in Abby's group and Jess followed them closely on the CCTV. The perimeters were set up first, before the sweep units dispatched themselves in between. Matt's instructions had taken less than a minute for him to think of, but they were well thought out and sensible; stretched resources a bit but in the long run it would help.

Jess patched into every CCTV camera within the perimeters and went through them methodically. She had the area that Abby's group was searching up on her screen,

'Abby?' she said into the comms 'Your area looks clear but stay alert, just in case'

'OK, thanks Jess'

Jess made those CCTV images smaller in the corner of her screen where she could still keep an eye on them while searching Becker's area; if it hadn't been in Abby's…

'There!' Jess almost shouted. 'Becker it's in your area; be careful, it's close, the camera I'm looking through belongs to the bank which is thirty five meters ahead of you and to your left, it just went around the back. I'll see if I can get a visual but I'm not sure there'll be a camera round there'

'Thanks Jess' came the calm reply. Then she spoke to the others 'Abby, I think you should finish your sweep of the area just in case there's another one, Emily and Matt, the creature is in between you, Matt, you'll be directly opposite if you move right ten feet'

'No,' said the impatient Irish tone 'I'm going in'

'We're finished here' said Abby 'It's clear'

'Right' said Matt 'your group with me, we need to contain this thing, Becker can you see it?'

'Not yet' Becker whispered 'Jess?'

'Still trying to find a visual; there is a camera but the image is grainy and it's dark. I can barely see anything so I won't be much help here'

'Great' said Becker slightly sarcastic 'Thanks Jess'

Jess's worry for the others was paramount; she liked to be able to see the situation so she knew exactly what they were getting into, she peered unhappily at the screen, wishing it was better resolution. But there was no back entrance to the bank, so there was no need for them to have a camera there at all. She saw the smallest movement on screen

'Stop Becker' she said, he did 'It's definitely there, behind what looks like boxes. Abby's team are two minutes away, you should wait for backup.'

'Jess?'

'Yes Abby?'

'Darren says that he can't wait 'till tonight' Jess giggled slightly

'Tell Darren …' she was sharply cut off by Becker

'These comms are for helping us with find these creatures, so we work better as a team. They are not for personal chats.'

'Sorry' Jess said instantly mollified. Watching the three red dots as Abby reached Becker and as Matt joined them ten seconds later.

'Now' said their team leader 'We have to flush it out of there so we can shoot it, there's no way to see where it is from here'

'There's also no way to safely do that' chimed in Jess 'The opening to that alley is too small, anyone who goes in would be killed.'

'She's right' agreed Abby 'We can't flush it out without cornering it first, and if we corner it then it's going to panic and attack.' There was a silence. Broken only by a low growling from the depths of the alleyway

'Right' said Matt finally

'And it would be too messy to fire at random' informed Becker 'We aren't likely to hit it without a clear shot and that will only make it fight it's way out.

Jess thought

'We need a way to lure it out or light it up so we can see…' Jess's eyes widened 'light it up' she repeated

'What are you talking about Jess? We can hardly set a fire down there' said Becker, irritated

'No, but we can roll a flare' she said excitedly 'That would do both. Then I could see it and it would probably escape the corner'

'It's risky' said Matt 'Whoever rolls the flare will have to get out of the way immediately'

Becker opened his mouth to volunteer

'I'll do it' a voice cut across him. It was Darren; he strode confidently forward and took the flare from the nearest vehicle

'After all' he continued, edging along the wall to the alley opening 'Jess has complimented my fast reflexes more than once' he winked at Becker, whose jaw set, but he nodded and motioned for the others to ready their EMDs. A tense silence fell on the group; Darren glanced at Matt, who nodded. Darren lit the flare and rolled it to the end of the alley, then sprinted to rejoin the group at large.

The effect was immediate. Jess barely had time to yell 'Watch out!' as the screen lit up and the creature leapt out from its hiding place, snarling and sweeping the air with its claws. Darren was knocked aside and Jess cried out as she watched from the original camera. Becker took the first shot with the EMD and two others followed suit, which was all that was needed to floor the sabre tooth. Abby rushed forward to the fallen animal and gestured to some nearby soldiers to load it into the truck to take it back through the anomaly. Becker ran to his fallen colleague and checked his pulse, calling for a medic

'Oh God, Darren!' Jess choked out, tears threatening to fall, 'Becker, is he alright?' there was a tense moment of silence before the reply came

'He's got a pulse, and his injuries aren't bad, just a scratch on his arm. He must have been knocked unconscious when he hit the ground' Jess sighed in relief 'Thank God.'

When they all got back to the ARC, Jess rushed past Becker and flung her arms around Darren's neck

'Darren, thank God you're alright. I was so worried!' he winced and Jess let go at once 'I'm sorry, did I hurt you? I'm just so glad you're ok…' she trailed off, overcome with emotion. This job was dangerous, and people died all the time. But it never got easier, especially for Jess, who knew each and every one of their backgrounds and usually ended up calling next of kin. It never lost its horror, listening to a wife or a father break down and cry over their loved ones life, it was never easy. But thankfully, Jess wouldn't be one of those loved ones. Darren was alive; and that's all that mattered.

Darren didn't speak much for the rest of the day. Jess fussed around him like a turquoise (as was her colour of choice that day) bird; making him a coffee before issuing him pain medication on the hour every hour until he complained that she was faffing too much and waved her away. Then he called her back again from halfway across the room, just as Connor and Becker entered, discussing EMD technicalities that Jess didn't understand. Becker called out her name as Connor hurried off with an EMD in his hands and a face like he was holding the Holy Grail, but she seemed not to have heard him because at the same time Darren produced a chocolate bar. Jess blinked at him for a moment, and then let out an ecstatic squeak

'Nothing with orange in it, right?' he winked, laughing at her face of pure delight

'You remembered! While you were injured too!' she exclaimed excitedly, bending over to give him an enthusiastic peck on the lips 'thank you Darren'

Then she seemed to register something and spun around to face Becker, her sapphire eyes sparkling, a faint red flush on her cheeks

'Yes Becker?'

Becker hesitated for a split second before clearing his throat and turning away

'Nothing Jess' he mumbled softly; making his way back through the Hub. As Jess smiled confusedly at him and turned back to Darren, Becker put a hand in his own pocket and drew out an identical chocolate bar to the one Jess had just been given. Should he eat it? Or give it to her tomorrow? Becker sighed and stroked the shiny plastic wrapper once before putting it back in his pocket. He hoped against his better judgement that it would make her smile like that again.

So what do you think? Personally I like the end bit. Becker is so adorable ^.^ *squeee*

Do you like that bit? Do you like any of it? Let me know ;)

Love you all

Love Tibbins xx