Rated T for adult situations
Author's Note: This is the end, but I wanted it to be kind of open. I don't think "Armageddon" should end with rainbows and furry kittens running around. It should be kind of messy with the world still in pieces, but since I'm an optimist, I wanted it on a positive note too. Thank you for making it to the end with me.
Chapter Fourteen, Armageddon, Conclusion
Eventually, they made it to Ops, just in time to hear Lester screaming.
"No you can't go home! No one goes home! Not yet."
"I'm glad you asked first," said Becker.
Matt looked embarrassed. "I wanted to spend the night alone with my girlfriend, shoot me."
"I will," said Lester. "Believe me."
Becker smirked.
"How is Augie?" asked Jess.
"Augie? I call him Augie, Miss Parker, because I've known him since college. You may refer to him as General Augin."
Jess looked at Matt. "What did you to him? Why is he so rude?"
"He's no ruder than normal," joked Matt.
"Jolly good. Very funny," said Lester. "I am a tad put out that my staff are whining and complaining. I'd like to go home too. I'd like to change my clothes. I'd like to kiss my wife. Do I get to? No."
Jess traded smirks with Becker and Matt.
"I'm sorry," said Jess. "Have a piece of chocolate."
"Thank you," he said, popping a piece in his mouth. "I appreciate it, Parker. I do. I know what chocolate means to you. Nice gesture. Others should be so caring."
"You should do something to relax, Lester. You've been under a heavy burden," she said.
"I have," said Lester.
"Want to shoot off some guns?" offered Becker.
"No, thank you Captain. Perhaps later. I believe I'll stop in the canteen and have a drink. Maybe I'll check in on the mammoth," said Lester.
"I'll get someone started fixing your office," said Jess.
"I'd like that," said Lester. "If we are really done with Armageddon."
"Don't know," said Matt. "The anomalies could be calming down, or we could be in for even worse."
"Get this man away from me," said Lester. "He's depressing."
Becker laughed, pushing Matt out of Ops.
"I'll be in the menagerie," said Lester. "Call me if Armageddon starts up again, otherwise, forget I'm here for a while. Please."
Jess laughed. "Let me guess, you're going to make a quick stop at the canteen.
He smiled. "Exactly," he said, beginning to walk out of Ops. "Oh, by the way, Augie's expected to fully recover."
"Good. I like him," Jess said.
"Yes, splendid chap," said Lester, exiting Ops.
Jess smiled, shaking her head. She sat at the ADD. She sighed. "I hope it is really finished," she said quietly.
She looked at the ADD. No readings. No anomalies. She checked her monitors. No incursions. She spent the next few hours looking through city-wide cameras, monitoring radio and television broadcasts, and receiving update reports on the missing, dead, and hospitalized.
"Hey," said Becker. "How is it?"
"Well, it seems to be quieting down," she said. She rubbed her eyes. She was very tired. "Radio and telly are up and running. No major reports of riots or looting. It's going to be days before everyone is located, meaning a lot of people are going to be frantic, wondering where their loved ones are."
"We're lucky," he said, smiling at her.
She smiled back. "Very."
He laughed.
"How are you, honestly?" she asked.
"I feel alright, better, now that I'm up and around." He sighed. "I lost a lot of men, Jess."
"I know. Every department has. We've lost a lot of citizens, in general, I expect."
"Yeah," he said, solemnly. "It will take a while to get everything back to normal."
Jess sighed. "It will." She smiled at him. "I'm so glad you're alive and well."
He smirked. "Quite well, in fact..."
"Yes?" she asked. "I know that look, Becker. You're up to something mischievious."
"Nah. Not me." He smirked again. "I was just wondering, Miss Parker."
"Wondering what, Captain Becker?"
He pressed his face close to hers. He whispered,
"Want to find a supply closet?"
She blushed. Then she looked around Ops. She walked over to a tech, and the tech nodded, moving to the ADD.
Jess then quietly snuck out of Ops with Becker.
"We shouldn't," she said. "We don't know that everything's back to normal."
"It's been quiet for hours. Soon it will be a new day, Jess. I don't know about you, but I can't think of anything more normal than you and me, alone."
Jess smiled. "I can't either," she said.
Becker smiled back. "Let's find some place quiet and secluded."
"Quickly," said Jess.
He laughed.
They walked to some small labs in the back of the ARC. Becker was about to try a door, when they heard giggling.
Abby and Connor came out of a lab a few doors down. They were sweaty and flushed.
"Oh...uh, hi," said Abby.
"Hi," said Jess.
Connor looked guilty.
"What are you up to?" asked Abby.
"Nothing," said Becker. "You?"
"Nothing," Abby and Connor said in unison, and quickly moved past, giggling.
"Well, that kind of killed the mood," said Becker.
"Did it?" asked Jess.
Becker smirked. "No, not really," and he opened the door, pulling her inside.
Jess giggled.
Behind them, hiding around a corner, were Matt and Emily.
"They have stolen our idea," said Emily.
"And our lab," said Matt.
Emily laughed. "There are more."
Matt smirked. "There are some lovely supply closets downstairs."
"Let us go, immediately."
Matt laughed, and took her hand.
Slowly, the ARC got back to normal, one couple at a time.
The End