A/N: This story takes place after S5 Ep4 but it doesn't follow the time line for the next ep. I hope you enjoy it. The chapters will most likely be short but I hope to update every day and overall the story won't be huge, well at this stage I don't think it will be. Reviews are always welcomed. Thanks for reading.
A TOUGH DECISION
Jess sat in her car and took a deep breath before she opened the door. She had decided last night that she needed to move on from Becker. She couldn't just wait for him to decide that he was ready for a relationship with her. She had to stop mooning over him. It had gotten so bad that Ashley had asked her if she was dating him. Jess had just shaken her head, at a loss for words. She'd been embarrassed that her feelings were so obvious to everyone. Well, everyone except Becker.
Making her way across the parking lot, Jess smiled and waved to the other people who were arriving. For the first time in a long time, she actually looked at some of the other men who worked at the ARC. There were some very handsome men that she was surrounded by on a daily basis. Some of them were military but some of them were techies like her or scientists. Maybe she should ask one of them out.
As she entered the HUB all her best laid plans blew up in her face. She literally ran into Becker. She was so busy talking to Bianca and Charlie that she wasn't looking where she was going and before she knew it she had face- planted Becker's chest and his hands had wrapped around her waist.
"Wow, where's the fire Jess?"
Jess apologised but it was muffled as she was still cocooned in Becker's arms. For a split second she stayed where she was, inhaling his scent before she remembered what she had planned to do and she took a step back. Becker immediately dropped his arms and Jess silently sighed. Of course he felt nothing. Jess could dream about him leaning down and kissing her but in reality it wasn't going to happen. So she smiled and apologised again before turning around and walking to the female's locker room.
Abby watched as Jess left the HUB, she knew how the younger woman felt about Becker and she knew that Becker felt the same way. He just hadn't realised it yet. She thought that after the beetle incident, when he'd been so worried about Jess that he would have made a move but no, he just went back to being the good soldier boy. Abby watched Becker as he talked to a group of his men, outlining their duties for the week. Shaking her head, she walked over to her desk and started doing some paperwork.
When Jess returned to the HUB, Becker was still talking to his men. Averting her eyes, she walked over to the ADD and sat down. Making sure to keep her back to him, she started checking the overnight anomaly information. She was so lost in her work that she didn't hear when someone walked up to her. It wasn't until a hand gently grabbed her shoulder that she realised anyone was behind her. Jumping slightly, she turned around and saw Matt standing there.
"Hey Jess, you alright?"
"Sure Matt. I've just got a lot on my mind. Stuff I need to work out for myself. How are you?"
"I'm fine Jess. You know that you can talk to me, right? Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I could do with one of your hugs right about now. They always make me feel better."
Matt smiled and pulled her in for a hug. He loved Jess, she was like a sister and he just wanted to protect her no matter what. Jess felt so small in his arms, so fragile. She'd lost weight and that really concerned him. It bothered him that she wouldn't let him help her. All he could do was to be there for her. Jess felt safe in Matt's arms, she knew that he would protect her. They would often hug, he would just randomly pull her in for a hug and she loved it. Growing up, she'd never had a friend who would do that and it always gave her a warm feeling.
Becker looked up at that moment and saw Jess and Matt hugging. Without realising it, he had stopped speaking. He just stared at the two of them, his gut churning. He'd seen them hug plenty of times but for some reason, just lately, it bothered him. He wanted to know what the hell Matt was up to. He didn't stop staring at the couple until one of his men cleared his throat, causing Becker to shake his head and turn back to them. He rushed through the remaining duties and dismissed them. As his men left the room, Becker's attention returned to Matt and Jess but they had separated and Jess was sitting back in her chair and Matt was standing behind her with his hand resting on the back of the chair.
He stood there and watched them for a few minutes longer, neither of them moved. They just stood there, quietly talking to each other. They smiled at each other and Jess laughed at something Matt said, making Becker clench his jaw. Not wanting to watch the two of them anymore, he turned away from them and he instantly saw Emily enter the HUB and make her way over to Matt. Instinctively he watched as she walked across the room. When she reached Matt, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. What the hell was he up to? One minute he's hugging Jess, the next he's holding Emily.
"Hey Emily, how are you today?"
"I'm good Jess, how are you?"
"Better now that I've had my morning hug from Matt. They always make me feel better."
"I know what you mean. They do wonders for me as well. Well, Matt, we have to see Lester. Are you ready?"
"Sure, let's go. Hopefully, we can get you a place of your own. Not that I don't love having you stay with me."
"I love it too. Maybe I don't have to move at all."
Matt smiled and kissed her. Jess watched and felt her own heart restrict. That was what she wanted. A relationship with a man who wasn't afraid to show everyone how he felt. Matt and Emily said goodbye and they made their way to Lester's office. Before Jess turned back to the ADD screen she caught sight of Becker. He had a scowl on his face but it didn't detract from his good looks. Jess shook her head and gave herself a strong talking to as she spun the chair around.
The rest of the morning passed quietly, it was actually quite scary how quiet the ADD had been of late. Most of the ARC team were waiting for the big one to hit. Every now and then, Jess caught sight of Becker, but she quickly made herself turn away from him. At midday, both Abby and Emily approached Jess.
"Come on, we're going to lunch and you're coming with us." Abby said.
"I can't leave. Who will man the ADD?"
"Natalie will. She watches it when you aren't here. She's going to wait for us to get back before she goes to lunch. Come on Jess."
Jess looked at the two women and smiled. She'd like to have lunch with them. Nodding, she stood up and offered her chair to Natalie. She briefly went over the current data and told Natalie that she could ring her mobile if she needed help. Natalie smiled and told her that she'd be fine, that they should have a good time and she'd see them when they got back. Emily thanked her and the three women headed off to the locker room.
"That lunch will be interesting." Connor said as he walked up to Matt. "Wonder what they're going to talk about?"
"I don't know, but I hope the girls can get Jess to talk to them. Something is wrong with her and I'm starting to get worried."
"Huh, I hadn't noticed."
Matt looked at Connor and shook his head. "Come on, let's get some lunch ourselves. It's time for our darts re-match. This time, don't cheat."
"I wasn't, I didn't. I won that game fair and square." Connor replied.
Matt laughed and the two men headed off to the rec. room.
Sitting at the table at the café two blocks from the ARC, Emily and Abby both stared at Jess, making her squirm in her seat. She should have known that her friends would want to know what was going on with her.
"OK Jess, out with it. What's wrong?" Abby asked.
"Why do you think something's wrong?"
"Jess, you can't hide it from us. We know you. Something is bothering you. We only want to help." Emily said kindly.
Jess looked at her two friends and realised that she did indeed need to talk to someone and who better than her two closest friends, even though she'd only know them for less than a year. She took a deep breath and then blurted it out.
"I've decided not to wait around for Becker. I've decided to move on, find someone else. If he's not willing or ready to make a move I need to find someone who is."
Emily and Abby just looked at her before they looked at each other. They had both been through similar things. It had taken being stuck in the Cretaceous for Connor and Abby to work things out and Emily had left because Matt had told her to, only to tell her that it was a mistake.
"Jess, are you sure?" Emily asked softly.
Jess nodded, not sure that her voice wouldn't crack.
"Jess, whatever you do, we'll support you but I have to tell you that I think that Becker does care for you. I've seen the way he is around you, especially since that whole beetle incursion incident. Are you sure you don't want to give him some more time?"
Jess looked up at Abby and waited before answering.
"I'm sure Abby. If he hasn't made a move by now, he's not going to. It's been weeks since that day and he's done nothing. I thought that maybe… but no, he's not even mentioned it. I can't keep doing it. It hurts too much to be around him and not have my feelings returned."
Both women took a hand each and they smiled at her. Gently squeezing, they looked at each other and then at Jess. Their friend needed them and they would help any way they could.
"OK, what can we do to help?" Abby asked.
"Well, I was thinking that I should start going out on some dates. Get back on the horse, so to speak. Can you think of anyone?"
For the next hour the three women discussed dating options for Jess. Abby could see that even though Jess seemed happy at the idea of going on dates, her eyes still held sadness. She loved Becker and if she intended to go through with this, it was going to take a while until she found someone who could take his place in her heart. When they finished their meal, the women walked back to the ARC and Emily could tell that Jess was starting to look a little better. She'd eaten all of her lunch plus the extra salad that Emily had surreptitiously put on her plate when Jess hadn't been looking. They even had her laughing at some of the stranger names that they could think of for dates. Like Lester and the old cleaner guy, George. But it seemed that all their good work was for nothing. For the moment that they walked into the HUB, Becker seemed to materialise in front of them. Jess paled and quickly excused herself before she went to relieve Natalie.