And now, the part you've all been waiting for. Becker kicks some ass! Enjoy!
P.S. I got a note that the entire chapter had been published in italics so I had to go back and fix it. Thank you Rubycaspar!
Becker's POV
Becker rammed his elbow into King's sternum, earning a pained grunt from the other man. The grip on Becker's neck loosened a fraction and Becker seized the opportunity, grabbing King's wrist and twisting his arm excruciatingly behind his back. Pain exploded in the side of Becker's face as King landed a solid elbow to Becker's eye and cheekbone. Becker stumbled back from the force of the blow, losing his grip on King's arm. King spun around before Becker could recover, snapping his leg out in a punishing round house. Becker felt at least two of his ribs crack under the force of King's kick. He gasped for air, fighting the instinct to curl his body protectively around his injuries. He looked up just as King threw a wild haymaker punch at his head. Becker ducked, King's arm just grazing his hair, and stood back up just as King came back with a vicious back fist. Becker caught the swing with his right hand and brought his left elbow sweeping up to make contact with King's straitened arm. The empty building echoed with the sound of crunching bone and King's agonized scream. King wrenched his arm from Becker's grasp with pure brute strength, breathing heavily from the pain. Becker used the move to put a little distance between them, his ribs screaming in agony. Sweat dripped down his forehead, the salt stinging the cut on his eyebrow he didn't even know he had. Becker wanted to wipe the sweat from his face, but he knew the distraction could cost him his life.
King glared at him with hatred in his eyes, his broken arm dangling uselessly at his side.
"Had enough yet King?" Becker taunted. His adrenaline had finally kicked in and the pain in his side was fading, the only thing on his mind now was making the other soldier pay for what he'd done to Jess.
"Go to Hell," King spat, his usually calm voice filled with venom. The curve of King's mouth suddenly curved into a sick, twisted smile. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scrap of pink lace. He held it to his face an inhaled deeply.
"Ahhhh," he sighed, "I think I'll have Jess wear these for me first after I kill you." King held up his hand letting Becker get a good look at the pair of panties he could only assume King had taken from Jess' flat.
Any battle plan Becker had been working on disappeared from his mind. He rushed King driven solely by rage and animal instinct, slamming his shoulder into the other man's gut. Quickly slipping his hands behind King's knees, Becker bodily lifted the other man into the air before slamming him on to the cold concrete floor. He clambered on top, straddling the dazed soldier's hips before he could recover and began raining blow after blow to King's unprotected face.
For the first time in his life, Becker relished the feel of his knuckles pounding into flesh. Becker lost count of how many times he hit King, but he forced himself to stop before he killed the other man. He was willing to kill for Jess, but he knew she wouldn't want him to, and he would do whatever she asked without question. With some effort he pushed himself off the unconscious man and staggered over to the wall where he crashed against it. His legs gave out at the same time he heard voices calling his name and he slid down the wall, landing in a bloody and battered heap on the floor.
Jess' POV
Jess bit back a cry of shock at the sight if Becker crumpled on the floor. She could hear Howell calling for back up as she rushed to his side. A cut just above his eye bled sluggishly, staining her skirt as she pulled him up against her, and a nasty bruise was beginning to form around his eye. She stopped moving him when Becker winced and let out a pained groan.
"What hurts?" she asked desperate to discover how badly he was injured. Becker groaned and pulled himself higher so the back of his head was resting against her shoulder.
"What doesn't," he said tilting his head up to look at her, "but I'm feeling much better now that you're here." Becker tried to give her a roguish grin, but winced when it pulled on his split lip. Jess bit her own lip to keep from giggling in relief. She figured if he still had a sense of humor than he couldn't be hurt too bad.
"Why don't we save the cheesy lines for when you aren't covered in blood," she said. Becker looked at her in surprise, then looked down at himself. His shirt was nearly completely soaked with blood and it was splattered across his face. From the looks of King's face, the blood that coated Becker wasn't his own.
"Whoa!" he said somewhat shakily. Jess knew enough to know he was coming down from an adrenaline high, especially when she felt him begin to quiver in her arms. Jess held him closer, trying to share her warmth with him.
"Medics are on their way," Howell said knelling next to them for a moment. His face showed concern, which was quickly covered with soldier efficiency when Becker gave an order.
"See if that idiot is still alive," he said pointing to the man who'd been terrifying her for months. Howell nodded and wandered over to the unconscious man. Jess pretended not to notice how hard his feet came in contact with King's ribs.
"How did you know to come down here?" Becker asked her, drawing her attention back to him.
"Howell and I thought King might be the stalker," she said, glancing over at the still figure lying on the floor, "I guess we were right." She shuddered at the memory of the moment when she realized just how much danger Becker was in.
Jess listened as the sound of Becker's boots hitting the ground faded away and bit back a disappointed sigh. As much as she wanted him to find out who had attacked her, a small, okay fine a large part of her wanted him to stay. Remembering that her shirt was pretty much ruined and all she had was the medic's jacket Jess dug into the bag she knew Becker kept in the armory. To her delight he had an extra set of clothes. The sounds of boots coming closer pulled her out of her pity party. She slipped Becker's shirt over her head just as Howell came around the corner.
"Becker asked me to look after you while he's looking into something." He said, "If that's alright with you." Jess nodded, touched by his concern for her feelings.
"I'd like to go to the medical wing to check on Matt," she said holding up the jacket, "and I have to return this to its rightful owner."
Howell stepped aside to let Jess exit the room sweeping his hand up in an exaggerated bow.
"As you wish my lady," he said. Jess couldn't help but laugh at his antics, secretly happy that he wasn't treating her like she was going to dissolve into tears at any minute.
"You're ridiculous," she said walking past him. He followed her out quickly, falling in step about a foot behind her.
"That's my girlfriend's opinion as well," he said. Jess turned to look at him in surprise, before trying to hide her expression by brushing her hair behind her ear. Unfortunately Howell wasn't fooled.
"I know the idea of me having a girlfriend baffles the mind," he teased her in what she could only describe as a brotherly fashion making her face flush red.
"Sorry," she mumbled. Howell laughed loudly and shook his head dropping his gaze to the floor. Jess keeps walking, hoping that they could just forget that this ever happened. It took her a second to realize Howell had stopped.
"You coming?" she said turning around to face him. Her brows drew together in confusion when she saw him staring at a spot on the floor. "Howell?"
"Are you bleeding Jess?" He asked startling her. She glanced at herself quickly and looked at him bewildered.
"No," she said walking over to look at the spot on the floor that had captured the soldier's attention. She gasped when she saw a trail of blood following them down the hall. Jess recognized the shape of the trail and glanced at the heels she still wore. Sure enough her right heel was coated in still wet blood. Howell frowned when she tapped him on the shoulder, pointing on her shoe.
"How did that get there?" he asked.
"I must have hurt him more than I thought," she said softly, still a little shocked after the attack.
"What did you do?"
"I stepped on his foot. I thought I felt a bone break, but…" she stopped when she saw the look on Howell's face. "What?" she said starting to feel a little apprehensive.
"King was limping when he told me to get Becker."
Hands pulling her away from Becker brought Jess crashing back to the present. She swatted the hands away, instinctively on the defensive, her first thoughts to protect Becker. However strange that sounded. It took her a moment to realize it was Howell.
"Jess, the medics are here to help," he said. Jess looked around and saw the female medic from earlier coming towards them. Three others were bent over the prone form on the floor. She backed up a little, allowing the young woman to try and check Becker.
"I'm fine," he said pushing himself up, only to stumble as he tried to take a step forwards. Jess rushed to his side, catching him before he could hit the ground.
"Don't be an idiot. You need to get checked out." She said forcing him towards the gurney the medics had brought down. He groaned when she lifted his arm over her shoulder, discreetly placing a hand in his ribs. Jess started to say something, but took one look at the determination on his face and decided against it.
"What happened to your shoes?" he asked her raising a bloody eyebrow. Jess had a hard time ignoring the pain in his voice, but she knew he would just brush it off.
"It was easier to run with out them, and the blood ruined them anyway." She said. The medic looked up with a smile as they approached. It was the one who'd given Jess the jacket earlier.
"How you feeling Ms. Parker," she asked as she slung Becker's other arm around her shoulder ignoring his grimace. She looked almost shy when she spoke. Jess recognized her, which wasn't surprising since she handled the introduction of each new member of the ARC, but she couldn't remember her name.
"Better now," Jess said, moving slowly when she felt Becker's knees start to buckle. Becker sent her a thankful glance and Jess squeezed his hand in support. "I'm afraid I left your jacket in the armory."
"It's alright," the medic said, "You can give it to me later. I had a spare." She tugged on her jacket for emphasis. She looked over at the gurney where her fellow medics were loading King and frowned.
"I'll be right back," she said leading Jess and Becker over to the wall so Becker could sit down.
"I hate medical leave," he said to Jess once the medic walked away. Jess did her best to keep from smiling at the petulant tone of his voice.
"At least you'll have me to keep you company this time," she said putting a hand on his arm and squeezing lightly. Becker brightened.
"You could always nurse me back to health," He said, his voice hopeful. Jess rolled her eyes.
"You have broken bones and you're bleeding, but you still have only one thing on your mind."
"Yep," he said with an unrepentant smile. Jess glanced at where the young medic was standing and saw her wheeling a second gurney out of the elevator.
"The only place you're going is the medical wing." She said nodding her head in the general direction of the medics making Becker groan. The medics arrived and quickly started getting Becker prepped for transport. He sent one last hopeful look at Jess.
"Are you sure you don't want to play doctor?" he asked. Jess pointed at the gurney.
"Get on the gurney." She said firmly trying not to smile. Becker was swiftly whisked away to the medical wing, leaving Jess to watch and follow later.
The young medic nodded to her and Jess raised a hand in return. When the elevator door closed Jess frowned.
"Why don't I remember her name?" she mused aloud to herself and jumped when Howell spoke from behind her.
"It's Kate," he said. Jess turned to him intending to ask how he knew her, only to find the Sergeant's eyes glued to the young medic's ass. Jess rolled her eyes and hurried after the medics hauling a grumpy Becker to the medical wing.
"Men!"