Chapter 10 – The Talk is the Thing

Abby rubbed her hip as she walked into the ARC. She felt bruised from dodging the car plus she had a terrible headache from drinking too much. She groaned as Sarah and Becker blocked the hall.

"What happened last night? Did Connor check on you?" Sarah asked nervously.

Abby gave her an appreciative look, "So you sent him."

"I was really worried about you. What happened?"

Abby looked at her shoes and gave her two friends the smallest amount of information possible, "The guy got fresh and Connor threw him out," she said shortly.

Becker looked surprised. "Connor threw him out? Connor Temple?"

"Yeah," Abby said in annoyance. She didn't want to talk to anyone other than Connor. With an irritable growl, she pushed her way past Becker; "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'll see you both later."

Becker and Sarah watched Abby walk away. Sarah gave Becker a hopeful look and pulled him into a small room off the hallway.

"Becker, I think…" Sarah began.

Before she could say another word, Becker pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly. "What do you think, Sarah?" he asked with a smile.

Sarah gazed up at him, feeling happy to be in his arms, but she didn't want to get sidetracked. She tried again, "I think you should go and find Connor. Ask him what happened last night."

"Kiss me first, and I'll do anything you want," he promised.

Sarah smiled brightly before she gave him a peck of a kiss on his cheek and stepped out of his embrace. "Go find Connor."

"Not fair," he complained, but to make Sarah happy, he left to do as she asked.

He found Connor at his locker. "Morning, Temple," he said briskly. When Connor just shook his head, he asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Oh, nothing a stay in a monastery wouldn't fix," he mumbled.

"Girl trouble?"

"Yeah. Abby had some trouble with a bloke last night. I got him to leave and then I… well, I kissed her."

Becker raised his eyebrow in surprise, "How did that go?"

"Terrible," Connor admitted. "Becker if I tell you what happened, you've got to promise not to tell anyone else."

Becker paused. Sarah wasn't going to be happy. "I promise. Now what happened?"

"Well, like I said, I kissed her. I thought she liked it, but then she said it was like kissing her brother!" Connor said in horror.

"Ouch."

"Yeah. But the worst part is that I've still got feelings for her. I can't date Jayne while I'm this torn up over Abby."

"Glad I'm not you," Becker said honestly. "Why don't you join me for some target practice tonight. Get your mind off women."

"Thanks. I may do that," Connor said. "After I get done talking to Jayne, I may want to shoot myself," he said with a half-hearted smile.

Closing his locker, he went in search of Jayne.