Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval or its characters.

Summary: Jess is having a bad day, and her teammates really aren't helping.

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: T

A/N: I just want to say thank you to the people who have been reviewing this collection. I love getting the emails alerting me to a new review, it makes my day. So thank you and please keep them up, it makes me want to write more.

Bad Day

So far, today was not going well.

It started when Jess woke up to find that her alarm clock hadn't gone off, and that she was fifteen minutes late for work. Scrambling out of bed, she grabbed a random dress out of her wardrobe and quickly jumped in the shower. Five minutes later she was out again and trying to make herself look reasonably presentable. Not bothering to do her makeup—she didn't have the time for it—she threw her hair into a simple ponytail, before grabbing her shoes and handbag, and running out the door.

She was making good time; until she got half way to the ARC, and found traffic backed up because of an accident caused by the heavy rain fall. By the time she got to the ARC it was 9:30am, an hour and a half after her shift was meant to begin.

To make matters worse, she had to park out on the street, and, naturally, it was the one day she had forgotten to bring an umbrella.

Soaking wet, she hurried through the corridors, just wanting to get to the ADD and put this horrible morning behind her.

"Well, it's about time you got here," Matt said, his voice frosty, as he strode over to her. "I need those reports I requested."

"I haven't been able to get them yet. I did only just get here."

"Well, when will you have them?"

"I don't know; I've a lot I need to get done."

"Maybe if you were on time you wouldn't have so much to do. I requested those reports days ago!"

"I'm sorry but I— "

"Forget it. I'll ask someone who's actually capable of doing their job." Matt spun on his heels and marched off, calling over his shoulder; "you better be on time tomorrow!"

Jess sat staring after him, unable to believe the way Matt had just spoken to her. He had never been that rude before, to anyone.

Don't take it to heart. He's probably having a bad day as well. You can't have been the only one who got stuck in traffic forever. He didn't mean it, he's just stressed.

She returned her attention to the computer and began working through the list of things she had to get done.

###

By 12:30pm, Jess had made a decent sized dent in her to do list. It had taken her three hours, but it was exactly what she'd needed to forget about the horrible start to the day she'd had.

"Jess, can you upload my latest research to the back-up server?" Connor asked, approaching her.

"Sure." Jess took the flash drive from him, plugged it in to the ADD, and begun transferring what was on it onto the ARC's back-up server.

Leaning back in her chair, Jess closed her eyes and relaxed as the files transferred. A beeping made her eyes fly open. There was an error message displayed on the screen.

"Oh no no no no."

Jess typed frantically, trying to find what had gone wrong.

"What happened?" Connor asked as he leant over her shoulder.

"I don't know. Instead of transferring the files it wiped everything clean."

"What!?"

"Don't worry. I can get everything back."

Connor shoved her aside, taking her seat at the ADD. "I'll do it. You'll just cause more damage."

Jess stood beside the chair she had been removed from, her arms crossed over her chest. "Connor, I am perfectly capable of finding what went wrong and fixing it. It is my job after all."

"Are you? Because right now I'm wondering if your degrees are actually real. Seriously though, I've always wondered how many people you had to sleep with to get this job."

Jess gasped in shock. "I earnt this job! And each one of those degrees! How dare you suggest otherwise. Move out of the way and I'll prove it to you."

"No, I'll do it. You go do something you actually know how to do. Like filing. Or giving Lester a blow job."

Jess' mouth fell open. She was outraged at Connor's accusation and could feel anger flowing through her veins.

How dare Connor suggest I got this job for any reason other than my intelligence and ability to coordinate. What is it with everyone today? Why are they suddenly questioning my ability to do my job? Have I not saved them enough times to make them have faith in me?

Jess had the sudden urge to shove Connor out of the way—like he had done to her earlier—and fix the problem. She could probably do it in half the time it would take him, anyway.

Instead, she took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and decided to let the matter slide. You have to pick your battles and Jess knew this one wasn't worth the fight. At least not at the moment. Connor probably hadn't meant it anyway. He was just stressed out because of the glitch. He was her friend, so she'd give him the benefit of the doubt. This time. But if he ever says anything like that to her again, she would report him to HR.

Knowing it would take Connor a while to retrieve the lost files, Jess decided to go on her lunch break. Leaving the Hub, she went in search of Becker, hoping lunch together would turn this horrible day around.

Unsurprisingly, Jess found him in the armoury. He was completing an inventory of the ARC's weaponry.

Hearing someone entre, Becker glanced at the doorway before turning back to what he was doing.

"What do you want Jessica?"

Jess frowned. He only ever used her full name when he was annoyed with her.

God, what have I done now?

"I was just, wondering if you wanted to get lunch with me."

"I'm busy."

"You still need to eat. Besides, I've been having a kinda bad day and could use the cheering up."

"Why come to me? Why not go to Abby or Emily?"

"I like spending time with you."

He sighed. "Jessica this needs to stop."

"What needs to stop?"

"Your infatuation with me. This ridiculous school girl crush."

Jess' eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I…um…didn't realise you knew about that."

"I'd have to be blind not to see it."

Jess blushed and looked anywhere but at his face. She wasn't sure she would want to see what was being displayed there.

"Look, I've tried to be nice about it but this has gone on long enough. You need to get over it. I don't feel the same way and I don't know what I can do to make that any clearer." His voice was hard as he spoke and it took all of Jess' will power not to break down on the spot.

I never should've got out of bed this morning.

"You're just a girl Jessica, practically still a child, and what's more, I have a girlfriend. A woman. Who's age appropriate, and mature, and beautiful. Who doesn't feel the need to constantly dress inappropriately to gain attention."

Jess felt that last comment like a knife to the heart. Taking a deep breath, she tried to compose herself.

"I apologies if my words seem harsh, but we needed to get this cleared up. We're colleagues Jessica, nothing more."

Jess schooled her features, keeping everything she was feeling off of her face, straightened herself up so she was standing tall, and kept her voice flat as she spoke.

"I understand completely. Thank you for your candour Captain, I'll let you get back to what you're doing."

Jess left quickly, wanting to put as much space between her and Becker as possible. She was hurt by what he had just told her. There was a part of her that had thought Becker might've felt the same way.

But I guess I was wrong.

Jess quickened her pace. She was finding it harder to keep herself together and wanted to find somewhere where she could be alone.

She made it to the locker room just as the tears began to fall. Sitting on the bench furthest from the door, Jess leant back against the wall, brought her knees up to her chest, and—resting her head against her knees—let herself cry.

Today had been the most horrible day she had ever had, and it wasn't even one o'clock yet. Matt thought she was a slacker, and incapable of preforming her duties. Connor thought she had slept her way into the position, and Becker… he thought of her as nothing more than a silly child with a crush on one of her older brother's friends. She didn't know how this day could possibly get any worse.

"Jess? What's wrong?" Abby asked as she and Emily entered the locker room. They crossed the space and sat down on either side of Jess.

"It's nothing. I'm just having a bad day."

"Tell us about it." Emily encouraged.

"Well, first my alarm didn't go off, so I got here late. Than Matt…yelled at me…because I didn't have the files he wanted. Even though those types of errands aren't strictly part of my job description."

"He was most likely in a foul mood. I am sure he didn't mean to yell." Though Emily's words were meant to be comforting, she sounded like she was talking to a child, and it did nothing to make Jess feel better.

"It just got worse from there. Connor asked me to copy some research to the back-up server, but there was a glitch and it wiped everything instead. Then Connor got angry and… and started…insinuating…that I… only got this job…by sleeping…around. He then told me to do something useful… like filing…or…giving...Lester…a…blow…job."

Abby's eyes widened in surprise. "I can't believe he said that. I'll be having a talk with him when we get home. But, Jess, I doubt he meant it. He was probably just upset."

Jess nodded. Deep down she knew that, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

"Did anything else happen? It normally takes a lot to draw this kinda response from you."

"I went to see Becker an— "

Abby and Emily groaned. Getting up they walked away from Jess and to their lockers.

"Of course this is about him. Jess, maybe it's time to forget him."

"Perhaps that would be for the best. In my day, a woman would never conduct herself in this manner."

"Plus, all this pining is starting to get pathetic. It's time to act like an adult."

"You think I'm acting like a child?"

"No, not a child." Emily clarified quickly.

"More like a teenager."

"I see," Jess said as she stood up slowly. "If you'll excuse me I should get back to my station, I'm sure Connor must be done by now."

Holding her head up high Jess left the room, but instead of returning to the ADD she found herself walking to the carpark. She needed time alone to process everything, and one thing that always helped her work through her thoughts was a long drive.

Out on the street, she got into her car and sped away from the curb.

I'll ask someone who's actually capable at their job.

A woman in my day would never conduct herself in this manner.

Act like an adult.

Starting to get pathetic.

How many people did you have to sleep with to get this job?

We're colleagues, nothing more.

You need to get over it.

I don't feel the same way and I don't know how I can make that any clearer.

This ridiculous school girl crush.

You're a girl Jessica, practically a child.

I have a girlfriend.

As she drove the words of the people she considered her friends echoed in her head. She couldn't believe they would think these things about her, let alone actually say them to her face. She had thought they respected her and it hurt to find out they didn't. But it was Becker's words that hurt more than anything. She had honestly began to believe that her feelings may have been reciprocated. How wrong she was.

Her tears continued to fall as she drove, and her vision was beginning to become blurred.

"Jess!"

She heard someone call her name, but had no idea where it could've come from.

"Jessica!"

She looked into the back of her car, but there was no one there. In that moment of distraction, she failed to notice the traffic light go red. She entered the intersection at the same time a truck did, coming from the road on her left.

"Jess, sweetheart, wake up."

Everything faded away as she heard the phantom voice call out to her again.

"Wake up sweetheart."

Opening her eyes, Jess found herself in her bedroom, lying in bed, with a strong pair of arms wrapped around her. The room was dark; the only source of light was the small lamp on one of her bedside tables. Turning into the arms she let her remaining tears fall.

She felt small circles being softly stroked on her shoulder.

"Shh," whispered a deep voice. "It's oaky. You're safe."

Calmed down, Jess looked up, trying to identify the person that was holding her in their arms.

"Becker?"

"It's okay. I'm here."

Jess pulled away from him and scrambled to the other side of the bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"What?"

"What are you doing here? In my bed?"

"Jess, sweetheart, you're not making any sense. We live together. Have ever since we got engaged six months ago."

Jess clasped her ring finger in her right hand, and gazed down at it. She could feel that there was something there, and in the faint light she caught sight of a small diamond. It was enough to trigger her memories.

She remembered that her and Becker had been dating for a year and a half when the team had gone out to celebrate Abby and Connor's wedding anniversary. While they were out, Becker had proposed to her, and a few days later he had moved into her apartment.

Becker grabbed her hand and pulled her back across the bed. Jess curled up beside him, her head resting on his chest.

Jess sighed. "It was just a dream. Abby and Emily don't think I'm pathetic and childish."

"No one thinks that of you. You're probably the most mature one out of the lot of us."

"And Matt's never yelled at me for not doing my job."

"Never. Though he has yelled at Eli for not being as competent as you."

"He hasn't!"

"He has!"

"Poor Eli. So, I'm guessing Connor never told me to go give Lester a blow job."

"What?!"

"Or asked me how many people I had sex with to get my job."

"He better not have, otherwise Abby's gonna become a widower."

Jess laughed and let Becker lie her back on the bed beside him.

None of that horrible day had actually happened, her subconscious had just been projecting her fears. No one thought she was a child. More importantly, everyone had faith in her capacity to complete her duties, and knew that she had earnt the high level position that she was in.

In hindsight, she probably should have realised it wasn't real the moment Connor asked her who she had slept with to get the job. It was just so unlike Connor. He had always been supportive of everything Jess did at the ARC, understanding how hard it can be to get people to take you seriously. It was something he had to deal with frequently as well. People often wrote him off as a fool when they saw how clumsy and awkward he often was. It wasn't until they saw how smart he was that they started to respect him.

"Becker?" Jess said as she played with her engagement ring.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"For forgetting about this," she lifted the hand with the ring on it. "For thinking, even for a second, that what you said to me in the dream could possibly be true."

"You have nothing to apologise for. We all have doubts and your mind was playing with yours. That doesn't mean you think they're true." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know what I said to you in the dream, but I can tell it upset you. Just remember that I love you. More than anything; and nothing will ever change that. Without you, I wouldn't be the man I am today."

Propping herself up on her elbow, Jess stretched forward and kissed him.

"I love you too."

Wrapped in the protective circle of Becker's arms, Jess fell into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.