Shit's getting real! I'm seriously having fun writing this, and reading the reviews. My best friend has accurately labeled me a "review whore". She is so right! Anyway, enjoy the next chapter.

Jess' POV

Everyone in the ops room was busy trying to make it look like they weren't watching the strange sight unfolding right before their eyes. When word had gotten around that's the ARC's unflappable head of security was losing it in Lester's office, people actually found excuses to come and watch. Jess sighed as she shooed yet another set of bio techs back to work. That particular pair had been hanging around since Becker had started pacing ten minutes ago. Jess half expected them to pull out popcorn when Lester joined him in the glass room. It was beginning to wear on her nerves, Becker was not a creature in the menagerie to gawk at.

She glanced up at Lester's office, thanking God that Lester had insisted it be sound proof. Becker was quite obviously shouting at Lester, who was getting redder every minute, using his hands wildly for emphasis. When Becker slammed his hands down on Lester's desk and shoved a finger in his face Jess decided it was time to intervene before Becker got himself fired. Grabbing a file of her desk, she reached the door in record time and yanked it open without knocking. Both men stared at her, appearing surprised at the interruption.

"Sorry sir," she said looking at Lester, who seemed to understand what she was trying to do. "I have some reports that need your signature." She snuck a quick look at Becker, almost expecting smoke to be coming out of his ears. She didn't think she'd ever seen him so livid.

"Of course," Lester said snapping Jess' attention back to him, "Becker we'll finish this conversation later."

Becker seemed to recover slightly, since he nodded and left the room tossing the door open with only a little more force than necessary, rather than shattering it. Jess hurried the file over to Lester taking quick glances through the glass walls at Becker's retreating form.

"Go make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Lester told her. Normally she would have waited to make sure he had everything he needed, but this time she was out the door almost before the words left his mouth.

She walked down the corridor she'd last seen him in, looking into every office hoping she'd find him brooding in one of them. After a few failed attempts she was beginning to wonder if she'd gone down the wrong hall when a loud crash got her attention.

Becker's POV

Becker picked up another chair and hurled it at the already dented wall. The soldier in him was appalled by the way he'd spoken to a superior, but the caveman in him just wanted to protect Jess and throw things. He'd hadn't lost it like that since he'd become a soldier.

"Jess has to stay away from the ARC until we find this guy." He'd burst into Lester's office without knocking and leaned with his fists on the boss' immaculate desk. Lester had given him a look of surprise, or what passed for surprised with Lester.

"And what, may I ask, brought on this little epiphany?" Lester asked calmly.

"He left a little present in Jess' locker." He spat. Just remembering the look on Jess' face when she'd seen the damn teddy bear was enough to make his adrenaline kick into over drive with the need to hit something. Lester looked concerned for a moment before turning back to his computer.

"We'll you'll just have to escort her round the ARC when she's here. Except during an Anomaly of course." He said. Becker could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"She's not staying here. I'm taking her back to the flat and keeping her there until this is all sorted." Becker's newly healed knuckles were white where they rested on the desk. Lester stood

"I understand your reluctance Captain, however I cannot lose my best Field Coordinator and my head of security. Ms. Parker stays. We'll just have to try not to lose her again." Lester had looked down at his paperwork, obviously expecting the soldier to respect his word as he'd done in the past.

"I will not let Jess be somewhere she isn't safe," Becker growled slamming his hands against the desk. He shoved a finger in Lester's direction."I won't allow it."

Lester looked up slowly his eyebrows raised.

"That is not your decision to make." Lester said his voice dangerously low. Becker started to say something when Jess burst in.

"Sorry sir," she'd said looking a little flustered. It had taken every ounce of his will power not to scoop her up right there and take her back home and keep her there.

Becker sighed, knowing he was going to have to apologies to Lester for his behavior. He just hoped his sardonic boss would be in a forgiving mood when he did.

"Becker?" A small voice in the doorway brought his attention back to the present. He whipped around to see Jess standing behind him with a worried look on her face. He sagged into the chair he'd been about to throw as Jess walked towards him. He dropped his head into his hands, while Jess rubbed her hands firmly down his back, finding every knot she could.

"You created quite a stir," she said lowering her head so her hair brushed across the exposed skin of his neck making him shiver.

"I know," he said quietly. "I just hate the idea of you getting hurt." Jess' hands disappeared from his back and she was instantly kneeling in front of him.

"What happened in there?" she asked him trying to look him in the eye, while he avoided hers. Becker knew she'd be furious that he'd tried to get her sent home from the ARC, but he couldn't keep secrets from her either. Not if he wanted her to stay.

"I wanted you to stay home until we caught him," he said. Jess pushed herself away and Becker instantly missed her presence. He looked up to see her standing a few feet away, she was biting her lip the way she did when she was thinking things over. She glanced at him every once in a while and Becker would have given anything to have the ability to read her mind.

Eventually the silence proved to be more than he could take. He tentatively reached out his hand, giving Jess time to move away, and gentle encircled her dainty wrist. He marveled for a moment at how as tiny she was she could bend him to her will with a simple crook of her finger.

"Jess? Are you angry with me?" he asked, slightly fearing her answer.

"Yes," she said simply, "I already told you I wasn't staying away from the ARC."

"I know, but…" Becker tried to defend himself but was quickly cut off by a now more irate Jess.

"How could you ignore me like that?"

"I'm just trying to protect you Jess." Jess pulled her wrist out of Becker's grip. He decided it was a good idea to let go, even if he could keep her from getting away.

"Fine," she said, "But you have to respect my decisions along the way."

Becker moved forward trying to take her hands again, but Jess slipped away.

"I need you somewhere I can protect you." He said allowing his hands to fall to his sides.

"You can't just store me in a little box every time there's a risk." she nearly shouted, stomping her foot. If she wasn't so mad at him, Becker would have found it extremely appealing. He loved that Jess had fire underneath her bubbly exterior.

"Jess. I…,"

"I've been away from the ADD too long," she interrupted looking at the purple watch hanging from her wrist. She started to the door, but paused when she passed Becker. She looked at him and filled her hands with the front of his shirt, bringing his head down closer to hers. Becker prayed this meant that she wasn't too mad at him, as his hands settled on her slim hips.

"Becker, I love you. But what we have will not work if you insist on treating me like a child." She said softly. She kissed his cheek, lingering a moment, and slipped out of his grasp. Becker watched her walk out the door not sure what else to do.

"Shit!" The chair he'd been sitting on flew into the wall next to the others.