I'm incredibly sorry this chapter took so long to update! I had so much trouble with it! I hope you like the end result though, even though I find it a little 'meh'. Let me know what you think?

Anger

"So I'm not the only one who lost touch with the rest of his army buddies, then?" The tall soldier asked casually as he wandered through the corridors of the ARC with Becker.

Becker turned his head to face him, smiling slightly, as they passed the door to the menagerie. The impatient sound of a hungry mammoth drifted faintly towards them before a lab technician closed the door.

"I guess not," Becker continued the conversation, swinging a file in his hands. "I've just been too busy ever since I transferred here."

"See, you have a proper reason, Becks. I just haven't made the effort," The man responded regretfully. Dressed in civilian clothing, the only thing distinguishing him as a soldier was his build, stance and the way he spoke firmly.

"Oh god, Paul," Becker made a face at the nickname. "Don't call me that, it sounds like a girls name."

Paul laughed.

"We used to call you it all the time back in the Special Ops," He pointed out.

"And I would have shot you all if I could have," Becker joked dryly. "I don't want to have to threaten these lot from using it."

"Afraid it'll catch on?" Paul joked, running a rough hand across his virtually shaved head.

Becker nodded. "And I've already got my work cut out with Connor. Wait 'til you meet him - I'm sure he'll have a fantastic nickname for you too."

Paul gave him a quizzical look as they turned a corner. "Connor?"

"Connor Temple. He-"

"Hey, Action Man!"

"Speak of the devil," Becker muttered under his breath to Paul as the two military men turned to the younger one, speeding towards them down the corridor on his skateboard, wearing his trademark hoodie, waistcoat and hat. "What's up, Connor?"

"Action Man?" Paul quizzed quietly before Connor reached them. Becker just shook his head in a 'what can you do' kind of way.

"This is the army guy then?" Connor skidded to a halt in front of them, interrupting their quiet conversation, picking up his skateboard. "Would say I've heard all about you. It's polite and all, isn't it? But, to be honest, Action Man likes to keep himself a mystery. Maybe it helps with the ladies…" He chuckled awkwardly at his own joke, grinning. "I'm sure you haven't heard much about me either, though. I mean, let's face it, Becker's not exactly got a bustling social life, now, has he? Unless you count that one time Jess was really drunk and he-"

"Connor, you better get on with it now before I set a creature loose on you," Becker threatened.

"Right, I forgot, we don't talk about the whole 'Jess' thing. And anyway, I survived a year in the Cretaceous! I don't think one-"

"Alright, I'll get Abby."

Connor gulped and shut up. Abby's wrath was something he liked to avoid, if he could.

"When he says 'Cretaceous'…" Paul looked surprised and a little worried. "He doesn't mean as in dinosaurs, does he?"

Connor opened his mouth, most likely to say something he shouldn't, but Becker's warning glare shut up him again.

"Can't answer that, Paul," Becker told his friend as they turned and began walking back down the corridor, Connor with them on his skateboard. "Connor's already a blabbermouth as it is."

"Hey!"

"How'd he get the job then?" Paul seemed genuinely interested.

"He may not look it, but he's actually really clever," Becker replied. At Paul's disbelieving look he added, "I know."

At that instant Abby stepped out of one of the corridor doors and almost got run over by Connor's skateboard. They all stopped as he helped her regain her balance.

"Connor!" She reprimanded him. "Lester will kill you if he sees you on that again."

"Sorry! I'm not hurting anyone, Abby," He defended himself weakly.

"Yeah, except for almost taking me out."

"Sorry," He mumbled again.

"Shouldn't you be at the hub with Jess? I thought you were helping her revamp the software?"

"She asked me to go find Action Man for her," Connor replied happily, evidently satisfied he had carried out his task because he indicated a confused Becker as he spoke.

"She did?" Becker asked, his voice wavering slightly.

"Something about Lester wanting to see you," Connor told him.

Becker groaned.

"I'm heading that way now anyway. It would be nice if Jess could get some competent messengers next time," He joked as they all took the next left in the corridor and entered the hub.

Connor and Abby veered off to the right, heading towards the staff kitchen. Becker led Paul down the steps and over to where Jess was sitting at the ADD. She was wearing a purple blouse with green polka dots and a baby pink pencil skirt. Her orange heels tapped on the floor in a steady beat as she worked at the monitors.

"Jess!" Becker called as he descended the steps. She didn't respond. As he stepped up to the screen, standing directly behind her chair, he noticed she had her headphones in and was mumbling the words under her breath, completely oblivious to his presence with Paul. "Jessica!"

She ignored him still.

Becker tried to hide his affection for the field coordinator as he shot Paul an amused look. Then he placed his lips inches from her ear and, in one swift movement, a pulled one of her headphones out of her ear and called her full name.

"Becker!" She exclaimed, half jumping out of her chair as he drew back. She slapped him on the shoulder when she noticed his grin. "You scared the life out of me!"

"Good song?" He asked teasingly.

She sighed. "It was, actually. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be showing round that Master-General from the Army?"

"He's here, actually," Becker took his place beside Paul as Paul took a step towards Jess, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you. Paul Raskin."

"J-Jess Parker," Jess stuttered in embarrassment as she stared at Paul.

"We're old army buddies," Becker told her, breaking her reverie. "I was just showing him round when Connor said you were looking for me?"

"Oh, yes," Jess fidgeted in her seat, sitting up straighter as her professional counterpart took over. "Lester is looking for you. Thought I should warn you. Something about destroying the home of a Baron?"

"Ah," Becker winced. "That."

Jess raised her eyebrows at him. "I told you to be careful."

"I know," Becker sighed.

"You never listen," She grinned in amusement. "And I'm always right, so you really should listen to me more."

Becker rolled his eyes. "I'll go get this over with. Can you watch Paul for a second?"

"I'm not a pet," Paul joked. "I'm sure I'll be just fine waiting for you here with Jess."

Becker nodded, his eyes switching between Jess and Paul. Something was unsettling him: It may have had something to do with the ease Paul used Jess's first name, or the way she seemed flustered around him.

He headed into Lester's office, trying to rid his mind of the confusion and discomfort he felt.

When Lester had finally finished his ten minute lecture on the importance of keeping the existence of anomalies a secret and had reprimanded him on his 'gung-ho'attitude (as Lester had put it), Becker was finally free.

He left the office to interrupt Jess and Paul as she giggled hysterically at one of his jokes. Paul chuckled too, humbly glancing between her and the floor.

They both sobered up when they saw him. He gave Jess a quizzical look, then turned to Paul as his stomach rumbled. "Lunch?"

"Sounds good to me," Paul agreed happily.

They turned towards the staff kitchen just as Jess turned to head back to the ADD.

"Jess," Becker called. "You not hungry?"

"Oh, erm…" She was surprised. "Sure."

Together they wandered into the now busy staff kitchen and over to the table with Connor, Abby and Matt.

Matt took Paul to the counter to explain the process of paying and how he could order hot food whilst Jess and Becker took a seat opposite each other, Jess taking out her packed lunch whilst Becker spun a bottle of water in his hands.

"A bit young to be a Major-General, isn't he?" Abby asked.

"He's three years older than me," Becker commented. "Nearly thirty. Maybe a bit younger than expected, but he's just good at his job."

"Maybe that's why he doesn't have very good people skills then, eh?" Connor joked. When Becker gave him a confused look, he elaborated with, "He questioned why I was working here! To my face!"

Abby gave her boyfriend a sympathetic look as Jess spoke up. "Well, I thought he was really nice."

They all turned to look at her. She blushed under Becker's gaze, and her rambling started.

"Well, not that I really know him obviously, I only just met him today… but he… he was fun, easy to chat with… and he seemed nice. He is your friend, Becker, so you… you know, obviously like him… besides, I'm sure he didn't mean it like that Connor… he probably, you know, was joking. He has this really funny joke about a whale and a dolphin, you should ask him to tell it when he gets back with Matt… Not that I like like him, obviously… I- well, I did say I'd go to dinner with him tonight, but that doesn't mean I-"

"You what?" Becker cut across her sharply.

"I… er…" She looked down at her food, embarrassed at what she'd just revealed.

Before Becker could complain, Abby could tease her or Connor could say something inappropriate, the return of Matt and Paul drew their attention.

"I guess that's got something to do with you being from Ireland, right?" Paul joked, evidently finishing a conversation they been having. Matt looked at him blankly. "You are from Ireland?"

"Something like that," Matt responded simply, turning back to his food, a slight smirk across his face.

"I figured you weren't local," Paul continued, oblivious. "Becker and I ran in to… what was her name, again? I feel so bad for forgetting…"

"Emily," Becker grunted irritably. The eyes of the people at the table gave him questioning looks, but mostly ignored his mood.

"Yes, Emily. She's nice, but I kind of got the feeling she wasn't local either?"

"No," Abby grinned in amusement. "Emily's very local."

"Oh, right," Paul looked a little embarrassed. "Guess my training's a little off today, right, Becker?"

Becker simply took a swig of his water, then reluctantly mumbled, "I guess…"

Paul, Jess and Abby creased their eyebrows at Becker's reaction as Emily came and whispered something in Matt's ear - they both wandered off, laughing. Connor was too interested in that to give Becker a second thought, until he crushed his water bottle with one hand.

"Err, Becker?" Connor asked cautiously.

Becker snapped his head up, suddenly aware everyone was looking at him. "Can I talk to you for a moment, Jessica?"

Jess looked surprised - Becker wasn't looking at her, he wasn't looking at anybody.

Then she blinked, and realised that she was supposed to move. "Oh, right, sure…"

They both got up, Jess leading the way out of the canteen, unsure of where she was supposed to stop. When the staff canteen doors swung shut, Becker touched her shoulder, stopping, and she spun to face him.

"What's wrong, Becker?"

"Nothing… obviously," he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. His mood had gone from irritated to uncomfortable.

Jess placed her hands on her hips. "Well, there's definitely something wrong-"

"Alright, then," Becker snapped a little more forcefully than planned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Because you seem to know everything, Jessica, why don't you answer that? What is it then? What's 'wrong' with me?"

"Not you, Becker. There's nothing wrong with you," Jess answered carefully, noticing he was beginning to get angry. "I didn't mean-"

"Didn't mean to say the wrong thing? Didn't mean to agree to go out with Paul tonight? Didn't mean what, Jess?" he ranted, throwing his arms up in the air. The movement drew Jess's attention to the EMD holstered in his belt - she eyed it warily. It wasn't that she thought he would ever use it for anything other than containing the creatures, it was simply that an angry soldier with a gun wasn't an ideal situation for her.

Especially one with such good aim.

"Becker, I… I don't understand why you're so…"

"So what?"

"So angry," Jess stated, ignoring all pretence of subtlety now as he became physically more and more irate, clenching his fists and shuffling on his feet. "I haven't done anything to make you angry, and neither has anybody else. We're all just eating lunch," She tried to smile to lighten the mood, but it didn't work.

Becker blinked at her. Then frowned some more.

"Is it true?" He asked simply.

"Is what true?"

"That you're going on a date with Paul," Becker stated quickly so that he didn't chicken out of it.

"I…" Jess's eyebrows creased. "Yes, it's true. Why shouldn't it be? He's a nice guy…"

"You only just met him!" Becker protested, leaning in and hissing his words as two lab techs passed them.

"So?" Jess crossed her arms across her chest and tapped her heel on the floor in annoyance. "He's your friend! If anything, you should be the one defending him, exaggerating how amazing he is, not trying to get me to change my mind."

"Who said he was my friend?" Becker genuinely looked surprised for a moment.

"You did!"

"I said we were 'army buddies'! Jess, there was a reason I didn't keep in touch with him. He hated me, used to make me do extra push ups for no reason, extra target practice, I had to remake my bed thirty times once. He made my life a living hell when he could. He was my sergeant, so I don't hold grudges for that - it was his job, and it made me a better soldier eventually - but he isn't the type of person I'd want to know personally. He's okay, Jess, but he isn't…"

"Isn't what?" She still looked irritated, but he could tell she was intrigued a little.

"He's not…" Becker almost blushed. He looked down at the floor in embarrassment.

Jess finally became angry. She never thought she'd yell at Becker, but he wasn't making any sense, and it infuriated her. "He isn't what, Becker? You just dragged me out here in a rage and started quizzing me and now you're not finishing your sentences! Tell me what you were going to say! I'm not a child, and I don't need your guidance or permission!"

She was aware everybody in the canteen could hear her, but she didn't care. If there was one thing everybody at the ARC knew, it was that Jess Parker was not somebody you wanted to see angry.

"I can see that!" He shouted back, flailing his arms in the air. "Because you already said yes!"

"Of course I did! I'm not sitting around waiting for someone specific to ask me out, so what did I have to lose? He's a nice guy, Becker! No matter what your problem with him is, it's not going to change my opinion!"

"Apparently not!"

"Stop being so jealous!" She burst out, unable to stop herself. Her face still flushed red. "You've had your chance! You could have asked me out so many times before, and you didn't!"

"I'm not… I… that's…" He spluttered loudly. "I'm not jealous."

"Then what is wrong with Paul? Why doesn't he have your approval?" She glared at him, refusing to be intimidated. "What's wrong with him? Is it because he's so much older? Or his -"

"He's not good enough for you!" Becker exploded.

They stared at each other for a moment, breathing deeply.

She let him catch his breath and calm his anger somewhat whilst she thought over his reaction and words.

They stared at each other.

They were both thinking the same thing. He was jealous.

His eyes softened as he stepped towards her, and she swallowed nervously and blushed like her old self.

"Jessica-" Becker began gently.

Then the doors of the canteen opened, and Abby walked into the corridor. She looked between them, not missing the short distance apart they had been or the way they hurriedly stepped away from each other when she arrived.

"Are… you two okay?"

"Yep," Jess raised her chin and gave Becker a pointed look. We'll definitely talk about this. "I'm going back to work now."

"Jess-"

But she was already gone.

Abby turned to Becker, watching him accusingly. "She's right - you've had plenty of time to tell her how you feel."

"I don't-"

"You do."

Then she, too, turned and left.

Becker sighed.

They were right, he had to admit to himself. He liked Jess Parker more than he'd planned to. Why else was he so jealous? He should ask her out.

No, definitely not. She's too young.

She wasn't too young for Paul, and he was older.

Becker grinned - he liked that logic. Tomorrow, he was going to ask her to dinner.

If she wasn't still mad at him.

Thank you for reading!

Did you like it? I'm really worried you didn't! Please please please please please let me know? (I'm grovelling this time). Also, the next one is 'love' (excited? I am!) but if anyone has any other emotions that could be reactions and/or suggestions for scenes, then let me know! I'd be more than glad to write one on it, if you guys want more! I promise they'll be better than this one!