1216 Words, this chapter
Chapter Five, Conclusion, Torture
Jess was having a heavenly dream. She was lying in a field of flowers. She could smell them. She felt the warmth of the sun, heard the hum of birds.
And she wasn't alone.
He was beside her, lovingly stroking her hair. "I love you," he said gently.
She looked at him. "I love you so much, Becker."
He smiled and kissed her hair.
Then he slowly and with the gentlest touch massaged her horribly aching shoulders.
That's what woke her up, the shoulders. The pain was real.
She was confused. The massage felt real too. She opened her eyes.
"Hi."
She smiled. "Becker?"
He laid beside her, barely on the hospital bed actually, tenderly massaging her shoulder. "I know it's very painful."
"It's...not so bad now."
He laughed.
She smiled. "You're here."
"He hasn't left," said someone behind a vase of roses. Beverly's face appeared.
"Neither have you, apparently," said Jess.
"Oh, yes. It's tomorrow, honey," she said, putting the vase by a dozen others. No wonder Jess had smelled flowers while she dreamed. Beverly spoke again, "I went home and slept. He didn't."
Becker blushed.
"You didn't?"
He shrugged. "I..." He sighed. "I couldn't."
She smiled and relaxed into his side. She closed her eyes. "Can you stay a bit longer?"
Beverly scoffed. "Yeah, you really had to ask."
"Don't let us keep you from other patients, Beverly," he said.
She laughed. "Fine. I'll be back, Jess."
She nodded. She was quite content to lay in Becker's lap. "I'm so glad you're here."
"Yeah?"
She looked up at him. "Yes. I was worried. I wanted to apologize."
"Stop. You don't have to. Honestly."
Jess frowned. "I do. I guess I forgot. You're a soldier."
He nodded.
"But that's not all you are."
They smiled together. He bent down and gently caressed her cheek.
"Um..the other shoulder really hurts too, you know."
He laughed and moved to the other side. She happily moved over, letting him beside her. She nestled into his chest and he just as lovingly massaged that shoulder.
"You're so gentle Becker."
He sighed and frowned and stopped the massage.
"What?"
"Here I thought we were having a moment and then you go and insult me."
She burst into giggles.
He smirked and bent down. "You seem to be the only one who gets away with certain things, Miss Parker."
She smiled. "Good." She patted her shoulder.
He smiled and began the massage again. They sat quietly.
Until Connor burst in. "Oh...I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was spa day."
"Shut up, Connor."
"Jess!" cried the scientist. Becker just laughed. "You're grumpy, but after what you went through..."
"I'm trying to make her forget, Temple."
"Yes and he's doing a smashing job. Get out!" yelled the small woman.
Becker laughed harder.
"Fine!" Connor cried, leaving.
Jess sighed, nestling back into Becker's side.
Til Connor burst back. "I just wanted to say that the Eel Ring of Doom's been totally busted. They were just a crack pot bunch of lunatics. Murderous, but still, lunatics. They're all behind bars."
"Really? Well, how was the anomaly connected?"
"Oh, now you want me to talk, huh, Jess?"
"Connor."
He chuckled. "Just messing with you, Jess. Apparently, there was no anomaly connection. The toxin was something they stole from an animal research lab. The eels were just boring present time eels. The fact we caught the first guy with the toxin in the vicinity of an anomaly was just a fluke."
"Wow," said Jess.
"A fluke that saved...how many people?" asked Becker.
"I know, boggles the mind, huh?" asked Connor. He clapped his hands together. "So..how do you feel?"
"How do you think she feels? It's a horrible experience, Connor, and she lasted longer than I did!"
"You?" asked Jess. "You've been...hung up?"
"It's called Strappado."
"Ew. It has a name?" asked Connor in horror. Jess nodded with him.
"Yeah," said Becker with a sigh. "Torture has a long, disgusting history. There are different forms of being 'hung up.' Jess thankfully wasn't subjected to any of them for long."
She shuddered. "Somehow knowing what I went through isn't uncommon makes me feel worse."
Becker put his arm around her. "I'm sorry."
"When were you...tortured?" she asked with a tiny voice.
He put his emotionless mask on. "I'd rather not say."
"Becker."
"Remember when I asked you to look away?"
She nodded.
"Some things I can't keep you from, Jess. The ones I can, please, let me."
She smiled sadly and nodded. "I just can't stand the thought of you..."
He sighed. "It's part of being a soldier sometimes."
She wiped a tear.
"Um...you did bring it up, though."
"Connor!"
"Jess, I want to know."
Becker laughed. "He is right. I did mention the strappado."
"Ew, don't say its name!" cried Jess, covering her ears.
"It wasn't actual torture, though," he said. "It was in training."
"Training? You're joking. That's horrible!"
"Not really, Jess. If they didn't prepare us for every possibility, that would be horrible."
Connor nodded. "I guess. It is 'ew' though."
Jess nodded. "I really held out longer?"
Becker chuckled and kissed her head. "Yes. I was hung upside down though."
Jess shuddered. "Yuck."
"And he wasn't naked."
"I was too."
"Yuck!" cried Connor.
Jess let out a little sob.
"I'm sorry!" cried Becker, gathering her up to his lap.
"No. I just...I hate the thought of anyone ever hurting you. Even in training."
Connor smiled sadly and motioned that he was leaving.
Becker nodded. "Yeah. The thought of someone hurting you is...well, torture."
Jess sobbed again.
"I'm sorry."
She shook her head. "No. It's...a part of you, I guess. I just...Is it a part of me now too? Because I went through it?"
"You survived. And you aren't ever being put through anything like that ever again, not even in training. I'll kill first."
"You mean you'd die first."
"No, Jess. I'd kill, to protect you."
She looked up at him. "I know. I've always known."
He looked sadly at her but realized she didn't have any disgust in her eyes. "You...can accept me...this way?"
She smiled. It grew wider and wider. "Are you offering...yourself?"
He blushed and laughed. "I guess I am, but you deserve better."
"There is no one better."
He smiled and leaned down.
And they kissed.
"I love you, Becker."
"I love you too, Jess."
The End
