Hello! Based on problems at school. Not these, but annoying as we'd only just got back and you'd have thought they could have sorted it over the summer ;-) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. My dog does. Apparently.

"What's wrong?" asked Jess, as she saw Becker enter looking very ruffled and annoyed. There hadn't been an anomaly alert; Jess would have been the first to know had there been. It can't have been that bad a day; it was only eleven o'clock.

"Never mind, Jess. Just a little bit of chaos down in security," he reassured her, smiling a tired smile that wasn't really a smile, but a lifting of the edges of his mouth into a straight line instead of a grimace. Jess knew something was wrong, just from looking at Becker made that obvious, but she decided to leave the matter as it was probably sorted out by then.

His appearance at lunchtime proved her wrong. Now, his shirt was slightly rumpled and his hair wasn't in its usual perfect shape. She sidled up to him, quietly, holding a cup of tea. Nudging him, she passed it over.

"Here. It looks like you need this," she said. Becker started, having not registered her approach. Jess was worried he'd reject the drink for a second, but eventually he gave in and accepted it. "Do you want to talk about it or...?" She left the question hanging.

"No, it's fine. Thanks," he stated, sipping the tea. "Just busy. I'd better get back." And he walked off, before she could say another word. She curiously stared after him, then managed to catch Matt.

"Do you know what's going on with Becker?" she asked, very innocently.

"You mean you don't? Oh never mind, Jess. He'll tell you when he gives in." Matt grinned and strolled off, enjoying being able to just enjoy lunch. For now, anyway.

"Give in?" Jess said to herself, then shrugged and went back to work.

Becker reappeared about mid-afternoon, just before 3. He was rubbing his eyes this time and looked slightly red in the face. He grabbed a tea and practically ran out as soon as he saw Jess striding purposely towards him. Watching his back retreat, Jess put her hands on her hips and huffed, a trait she'd picked up from her mother. Unfortunately, Lester called her back at that minute, so she had to return to the ADD.

Later, she noticed one of the soldiers, Lilton, grabbing a piece of equipment. Collaring him before he could leave as well, Jess put on her best 'I'm in charge' voice.

"What is going on?"

"Going in, Ma'am?" The soldier looked positively perplexed.

"With Becker? He seems terrible today. He's not ill, do you think?" she said. Lilton relaxed, then grinned the same grin as Matt. Jess glared at him, so he swallowed a smirk.

"You don't know?" Jess shook her head. "Well, I suppose that's his decision." Jess felt that comment wasn't really aimed at her, but was more to himself. He left without saying another word; however, Jess wasn't so easily beaten.

All the soldiers pressed themselves to the wall as soon as they saw Jess marching down to the security rooms, sensing the woman was on a mission; and they knew why too.

"What's going on in here?" demanded Jess, barging into the parade room. "Where's Becker?" She desperately glanced around for the Captain.

"You don't—OW!" The newest soldier was cut off by an experienced one. Jess narrowed her eyes at the pair of them and opened her mouth to start a rant.

She was cut off by a string of bad language.

"BUT YOU DID IT BEFORE! WHY IS IT SO COMPLICATED NOW?" Jess eyes widened as she over-heard the usually tranquil Captain screaming. She turned to face his little office, an office he rarely used, preferring the outdoor world. She cautiously turned the doorknob.

"WHAT IS IT? I thought I said—Jess!" Becker quickly mellowed as he saw her, turning a previously aggressive gesture into a head scratch. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you OK?" responded Jess, ignoring his question. "You look stressed." Matt appeared in the doorway, with a Cheshire cat grin.

"He's having to audit the security," he explained. "Only his computer doesn't want to. Finds it as boring as he does."

"The computer is fine," growled Becker, but it was too late. Jess had already twisted the monitor around and was frowning at the screen. "Really, I don't need your help."

"No. Your ego doesn't need any help. You personally need help." Jess glanced back at him and frowned. "You should have heard the language coming out of here. Some of the soldiers were blushing." Jess shook her head, then tapped a key and turned the monitor back.

"There you go," she told Becker. "It's fine now." She stood up properly and went to leave the room, happy in the knowledge everything was now sorted. Becker glanced at the screen.

"What did you do? I've tried literally everything," he cried. Jess span around the doorpost, shouting out behind her:

"It helps if you click 'OK' to your own username!"

Reviews would be amazing, especially as I'm trying a proper shaggy dog story (long story, only one punch-line) for the first time. =-)