A/N: Well, my ball team made it to the semi-finals, but after 5 games this weekend, I need another weekend to recover. :p I'm taking a bunch of students out of town for the next few days, and I'm not sure what my internet situation will be. In the meantime, I hope that this chapter helps to explain the purpose of the italics in the previous ones...
Neither Connor nor Emily had moved from their spot, staring at the place where the anomaly had been. Abby had said very little on the phone to Jess, mainly because she was too stunned to know what to say. She just told Jess that there had been a complication and that she needed to get there fast, knowing that the normally bubbly redhead would put together the pieces to an extent. Once finished, Abby had returned to Connor's side, clasping his hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. But even that hadn't woken him from his daze.
What did make him move was the sound of a vehicle pulling up behind them. Abby's back stiffened and Connor gripped her hand tightly. Neither of them were looking forward to the conversation they were about to have.
Jess pulled to a stop near the gate of the facility and killed the engine. She had been extremely fearful when Abby had called and told her to come right away, knowing that Abby was well-aware of what was happening in the ARC and how she was needed there. But Jess hadn't argued; Abby's tone was enough to convince her.
Now, as she sat in her car for a few seconds, an intense feeling of dread pooled in her stomach at the sight of the 3 figures standing near the remains of the building. She forced herself to stay calm, and slowly climbed out of the car to approach them.
Abby turned first, a sad look in her eyes. Jess slowed her step a bit, but took a deep breath and kept going. The back of her mind held a question that she was far too afraid to voice, so she pushed it back down. She knew the others standing with Abby by their backs, or hair, in Emily's case. She took note of Connor's rigid stance, and felt the question grow more persistent.
Jess was about ten feet from where the small group stood when Connor finally turned and met her eyes. And in that instant, she knew.
She knew by the tears falling down his cheeks the reason she had been summoned.
He was gone.
Jess' mouth dropped open, and her expression grew blank. She shook her head slowly, and Connor dropped his gaze to stare at his toes. Abby started to move towards Jess, but the girl started moving on her own again. "No," she whispered, as she moved towards the ruined building. She walked directly past Abby, not even noticing when the blonde reached out to touch her arm. She walked past Connor and Emily, not even sparing them a glance. She just kept slowly walking towards the site where the anomaly had been less than an hour ago.
Jess stopped almost exactly where the giant ball of light had been. She closed her eyes and reached out with all of her senses, as if willing him to come back. She concentrated harder than she ever had on calling out to him in her mind, wishing more than anything that he would hear her pleas.
Abby's heart broke at the sight of her. She had expected Jess to burst into tears, scream at the non-anomaly, and just generally freak out. This silent Jess was even scarier.
Emily was the first one to come out of her trance, carefully moving towards the younger woman. When she was close enough, Emily reached out and gently touched Jess' shoulder.
Jess' eyes snapped open at her touch, and reality hit hard. Tears fell from her eyes at an alarming rate, but the only sound to be heard were her quiet, repeated whispers of "No." Without any warning whatsoever, Jess collapsed to the ground, dissolving into silent tears.
He was really gone. She'd never even been able to work up the courage to tell him how she really felt, and now it was too late. She'd sworn to herself that when Connor's double-anomaly worked and the group came back to the ARC, she'd tell him then. This dance they'd been doing had gone on for far too long. Jess had even worked out exactly how she would say it, and as long as he didn't interrupt her, she would have been fine. Now all that planning was for nothing.
As soon as Jess had hit the dirt, Abby herself broke. Connor whirled at the sound of her crying, and wrapped his arms around her tightly, trying to comfort her as best he could in his saddened state. He'd hit the anger stage, so his tears had ceased, but he knew that he had to be strong for them all. Abby shifted herself enough to be able to fist her fiancé's shirt in her hands as she wept.
Emily, meanwhile, hugged Jess' sobbing form to her as she cried, knowing exactly how she felt. She may not have known Matt as long as Jess had known Becker, but that didn't lessen the pain she felt. Both girls sat on the cold ground, crying quietly for the men they'd loved and now lost.