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hiddencaitThis was one of the prompts over at the Just Kiss Her Already Drabble tag challenge. It ended up MUCH longer than expected, and surprising, is probably barely a T rating if that. And plot? What plot? This is mostly fluff. Worse yet, it's lots of mostly platonic fluff. You have been warned.
And just one more quick update: this is now crossposted over at ffn: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7141167/7/
Request: After the bite, the medics insist Becker doesn't go home alone. Jess gets volunteered because Abby and Connor want some privacy.
Just for One Night
Becker winced with each step he took on his injured leg and wondered if he shouldn’t have just given in and taken the crutches like the medic suggested. He hated the things though; he’d had to use them one too many times in the past, and he’d avoid them like the plague if he could manage it. He gritted his teeth and forced himself on down the hallway to the garage exit, pulling his keys from his pocket as he went and hoping he would actually manage to make it to his 4x4 without anyone being the wiser.
The medic had told him he’d need someone to stay with him overnight, just to be sure Becker didn’t have any kind of unexpected reaction to the venom. It was ridiculous in Becker’s opinion. Really, if he was going to be more ill then he was now, shouldn’t it have happened already? Assigning him a babysitter just for the off chance that something might happen was just adding insult to injury at this point.
No, he was going to take himself home. Alone. And there wasn’t anything that anyone could bloody do about it.
“Becker! Wait!”
He cringed at the sound of that familiar voice and oh so familiar clatter of hurrying heels that sounded behind him just as he reached the door. He had been so close! He turned slowly, keeping his injured side away from Jess as she approached. Becker knew she would be far more careful after accidentally hitting his leg only a little while earlier, but one could not be too cautious. He watched her take the last few steps toward him, and he wondered at her expression which was flickering from the usual open and almost embarrassed smile to exasperation to worry to- Was that guilt? And back her usual grin again. She came to a stop and hitched her purse up on her shoulder, her breath coming just a little fast after her apparent sprint to reach him before he left.
“There, I didn’t think I’d catch you.” She glanced up at him and blinked. “Why were you off in such a hurry anyway? Didn’t the medic tell you to wait for someone to take you home?”
Becker scowled at the reminder, and turned to push his way through the door. His proper upbringing hit at the last moment, and despite his rapidly declining mood, he held open the door for Jess as she followed him out.
“Thank you,” she said brightly, smiling up at him as if he’d done her some great service. He sighed, knowing he’d need to explain his actions if only to assuage his own guilty conscious at trying to escape everyone, including her.
“Look, Jessica, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself tonight. I don’t need anyone looking after me, so I planned to just head home and rest.” Jess pursed her lips at his words, and Becker fought back another sigh at her determined and more than a little aggravated expression.
“You may not want anyone looking after you, but the medic was quite adamant that you need one. At least for tonight. Really, Becker, you were bitten by a deadly, venomous, prehistoric dog-lizard-thing today. Don’t you think it might be best to follow medical advice considering the extenuating circumstances?”
Becker shifted as his leg began to protest how long he’d been standing, and he started walking toward his 4x4 again for lack of anything else to do, and to avoid telling her just what he thought of any medical professional trying to give advice about the venom from a creature that had existed long before their own species was even up on two legs. The click of her heels told him Jess still followed close behind him, and she spoke again.
“Well, Lester made it an order now. So you’re just stuck with company for the evening, and that’s final. And anyway, it’s just for one night. Even you should be able to stand the company for that long, right?” Becker reached the vehicle and Jess appeared beside him and plucked the keys from his grasp before he could argue. “Don’t think you’re driving, Captain. You’re barely walking as it is.” The smile in her voice as she said it almost took the sting out of her words, but then Becker’s mind caught up with what she’d implied by taking the keys, and he panicked.
“Wait a minute… You’re not, I mean, not that you’re not welcome, but really shouldn’t someone-” he gave up trying to come up with anything coherent as her expression fell to something that reminded him of a kicked puppy, and instead he just asked, “Matt?”
She looked at the ground. “He left out as soon as the medics said you’d pull through. Seemed in a bit of a hurry, sorry.”
“Michaels?” His 2IC would never let him live down a major injury at a school of all places but there were worse alternatives. Like, say, having the attractive field coordinator over the entire night when his emotions were hardly at their most controlled. Unaware of his thoughts, Jess just shook her head.
“Apparently his mum’s in town for a holiday.” Becker frowned and then asked the very last name on his rather pathetically short list of male friends.
“Connor?” It wouldn’t be his best bet, but surely he could survive his bumbling friend for a little while...? No, Jess was shaking her head again.
“He and Abby are in the midst of a row. He’s the one who actually volunteered me. He said he needed the private time to try to talk her round.” She shrugged in a rather defeated manner, and Becker felt more than a little guilty. “Look, if you’re really sure you’ll be alright on your own then I can just find a hotel for the night. You won’t be bothered by-"
“It’s alright,” Becker broke in, almost before he knew he’d planned to speak. “You can stay. I just didn’t want you to have to go to any trouble. That’s all.” Jess’s smile brightened her face again, and Becker felt an answering one creep across his face despite himself. He was going to have to shoot Connor later.
Becker decided to plot his revenge at another time and just waited for Jess to unlock the 4x4. He let her slide the passenger seat back as far as it would go and then gritted his teeth as he hauled himself in. Damned if he’d admit it, but she’d been right about driving. That would have been absolute agony. He grinned a little at the sight of her in the driver’s seat, especially after she scooted the seat forward. Not quite as far forward as he would have guessed though; he’d failed to factor in the extra height she gained from her habitual heels.
“Have you got your prescriptions?” she asked as she carefully backed out of the spot and headed toward the garage exit. “If there’s a chemist close to your place, we could drop them off on the way.”
She gave a cheery wave to the guard at the exit, and then turned toward his place. She took the first few turns without any sign of hesitation or need for directions, and Becker wondered for a moment if he should be worried that she clearly knew exactly where he lived. Though, he reminded himself, it wasn’t like he didn’t know the quickest route from the ARC to each of his team members’ homes in case of emergency, up to and including Lester’s place out in the country. Considering what he’d seen of Jess, she probably knew each of their addresses for much the same reason.
And, he thought to himself sheepishly, she probably hadn’t taken the time to drive each possible route just to make sure she knew exactly how long each drive would take. Yeah, that might have been a bit excessive of him. Lester had been damned near apoplectic when Becker had turned in the expense report for that little project. Petrol alone had cost a pretty penny.
“-ecker?” Jess’s voice was almost a shout, and he drew his mind back to the present with difficulty. Pain was making his fuzzier than he’d thought; either that or he was feeling unusually safe with his current chauffeur in control. He was a little surprised he hadn’t offered any back-seat advice yet. Michaels would have been shocked and amused by this whole mess. He shook his head again, and forced himself to direct his attention at his driver. As if sensing he was back among the coherent, Jess glanced over with a slightly concerned look. “There you are. The prescriptions?”
“Oh, right.” He dragged his hand on his face. “Umm, the medic called them in. We just have to pick them up. The chemist’s just two streets over from my flat. By the-uh,” he struggled for a moment to place the location, “by the Chinese place. Dim Sum, I think.”
“Oh I know that place! My old flat mate used to get takeaway from there all the time.” She brightened as she made yet another correct turn toward the street he’d indicated. “That sounds delicious actually. Fancy Chinese for dinner?”
He shrugged halfheartedly. He wasn’t all that sure he’d be able to eat all that much, but if she was hungry, he couldn’t just let her starve. And now that he thought about it, there was next to nothing edible at his place. He’d intended to do his shopping tonight, but that particular plan had gone by the wayside with the help of an unfriendly theracephalian.
Jess glanced at him again in question, and he belatedly nodded.
“Chinese sounds fine, Jess."
“Excellent! You do have the number? We could call that in, too. Save a trip back out.” He nodded and pulled his phone from his pocket, wincing a little as the move was a bit more cramped than he’d thought what with the seatbelt and the 4x4 not having quite the leg room he needed at the moment. He scrolled to the number in this phone with practiced ease.
“What would you like then? My treat.” He raised an eyebrow and stared her down before she could argue about him paying. There were certain things his mother’s son had been raised not do: making a woman pay for a meal they shared was just one of them. Jess almost looked like she might well challenge him about it, but after a moment, she just huffed exasperatedly and answered him.
“Ginger chicken with steamed rice. I think.”
He waited a beat to make sure she didn’t change her mind and then hit ‘Talk.’ The familiar lilting voice of Li-Pong, the proprietress picked up, and he placed Jess’s order, adding a bowl of soup for himself.
“Oh, and an order of prawn crackers, please,” he added. Not that he especially needed to; he’d been placing nearly the same order for soup and prawn crackers almost once a week since he’d moved into his flat. He said his goodbyes and hung up, glancing over to find Jess staring at him while she waited for a red light to change. “What?” he asked, a little confused at the disapproving expression.
“Soup and prawn crackers? Really? That’s hardly a meal!” He chuckled at her answer. He was well aware of the fact that it was hardly a meal; in fact, Li-Pong gave him just that lecture every other time he ordered. He supposed she’d been too busy to so do this time.
“It’s just… I like soup and prawn crackers, that’s all.” He shrugged sheepishly. “Don’t usually eat much in the evenings, anyway. Not after work all day. Too tired to have much appetite.”
“Ugh, I wished I was ever too tired to eat. That is never my problem. Oh no, I get home and go gorging through half of my kitchen before I know it. I can’t buy the gallon cartons of ice cream any more: I’ll eat the whole bloody thing in one sitting. It’s disgusting really…” He smiled softly, surprised to find he was content to just listen as she prattled on, the familiar sound of her voice more soothing than he would have expected.
Soon enough, she was pulling up to Dim Sum and the chemist’s and after a firm order for him to stay put, she took his charge card and scampered in to collect his medications and their dinner. He groaned as he realized what the owners of both locations would likely think of a lovely young woman running his errands for him. Both Li-Pong and Peggy Werner at the chemist’s were terrible gossips, and both would undoubtedly ambush him for details regarding Jess’s identity at the next available opportunity. He supposed it was just something he’d have to deal with. If he’d just ignored both ladies, he’d probably have escaped their meddling. Probably, well, maybe. Both were formidable in their mother-henning. Peggy made house calls around flu season making sure everyone got their vaccinations whether they really wanted to or not, and Li-Pong had apparently been feeding half the neighborhood for years before he ever moved in.
Jess came out the door of the chemist shop and hurried one shop over to Dim Sum. She didn’t look once in Becker’s direction, but she hadn’t been fast enough for him to miss the rather brilliant scarlet flush across her face. Peggy had clearly been in fine form this evening. He wondered idly if it might not work out for the better for him in the long run if the dear ladies thought something was sparking between him and the delightful Jessica Parker. Not that anything was, of course, but if they simply thought there was, they might stop throwing random single relatives at him every time he turned around. He’d been lucky thus far as he’d been saved by an anomaly alert for the first three blind dates in a row, but surely that streak couldn’t last forever.
As he mused on those odds, Jess came hurrying out of Dim Sum, looking even more flustered than when she’d left the chemist’s shop. Well, well, he thought amused, two for two. She struggled with the bags and the door and keys, and he reached across to open the driver’s side door for her, hiding a wince as he did. She clambered into the seat awkwardly and then practically shoved the bags of Chinese food and prescriptions at him.
“That took a little longer than I expected,” he couldn’t help but tease, and he hid a grin as she turned even redder.
“Yes, well, sorry. It just-explaining why I was-they both seemed to want to-Uh!” she huffed. “It just took longer than expected is all.”
He refrained from mentioning that she’d offered no explanation at all for the delay. He figured she’d suffered enough under the dear ladies’ microscope.
“Almost home,” he said instead, and she nodded with a relieved sigh.
“Almost!” She maneuvered the 4x4 for the last short leg of their trip and pulled up in front of his building and into a parking spot in moments. She took the bags back from him and then climbed back out of the 4x4 and up the stairs to unlock the front door before he’d even managed to get his seat belt off. She waited at the door for him, with far more patience than he would have managed, and then after he’d entered, she closed and locked the door behind them.
He mentally groaned at the familiar flight of stairs up to the second floor and his flat, but he kept silent as he dragged his protesting body up one step at a time. Jess stayed a few steps below him as he climbed, presumably to catch him if he suddenly fell backwards; though really, Becker thought, she’d be far more likely to be injured as well if that happened. All too aware that it was becoming more of a possibility by the moment as he grew more tired with each step, he gave up on his pride and clung to the railing, pulling himself up to the top step more with his arms than actually walking.
His flat was at the very end of the hall, of course. Why should anything be easy? At least there were no more stairs and he could lean on the wall if he needed to. And he did, though he hated to admit it. Jess slipped past him, apparently content to let him limp along at his own pace now that the danger of falling down the stairs was behind them. She set the sacks down by the door and unlocked it, then moved inside and held it open until he reached her. She locked that door behind him, and then moved to the kitchen to set down the food, bustling about as if she’d been in his home a million times before.
“You might as well sit down before you fall down. I’ll bring your food to you.” She hunted through the cupboards for his dishes while he made his way to the massive L-shaped couch in his small living room. “Do you want a bowl or plate, or do you plan to just eat out of the takeaway boxes?”
He debated on telling her to just bring the sack, that she didn’t need to trouble herself, but he highly doubted she’d listen.
“That would be nice. Thank you.” He sank down on to his couch with a sigh, turning to stretch out sideways and prop his leg up on a couple of pillows and debating on turning on the telly. He’d wait for Jess, he decided.
“What do you want to drink?” God a beer would be wonderful right about now, he thought, but that probably wasn’t the best idea with his pain meds.
“Umm, there should be a can or two of ginger ale in the fridge, I think.” He heard the fridge door open and was not totally surprised by Jess’s sudden muttering about bachelors. He chuckled under his breath; he could tell her it wasn’t usually that empty, but who knew if she’d believe him.
She finally carted out the food and drinks and settled them on the coffee table in front of the couch and then sat herself down as well. After a moment of eating, Becker asked if she wanted to watch anything, and at her nod, he turned the telly on. He changed channels absently, finally pausing on some variety show or other. He wasn’t really paying attention to the screen anyway. He was too concerned with just how content he was with the whole situation. They weren’t exactly talking, but it was a comfortable silence, one neither of them needed to break. It was all just terribly domestic, and it shouldn’t have been.
Becker didn’t particularly want Jess that comfortable in his home. After all, he didn’t want her getting any ideas. Hell, he thought wryly, if he was honest with himself, he didn’t really want him getting any ideas. Bit too late for that, don’t you think? He took another bite of cracker and wondered just when Danny had hijacked his mental voice. At least it hadn’t been Connor. Or worse, Abby. He almost shuddered at the thought. He was likely mad enough without either of the couple Cutter had once referred to as “Sid and Nancy” living in his head.
He and Jess finished eating in the same strangely soothing quiet, and then she stood to clear the dishes away before he could protest.
“I don’t mind,” she said, forestalling any arguments. “You’re hardly up to walking about, are you? And in any case, you paid for dinner. This is the least I can do.” She set the dishes in the sink, and then tossed him the bag of prescriptions. “Probably ought to take something. You’re starting to get that ‘I’m in a rather lot of pain but am too stubborn to say anything about it’ look on your face.”
He sat up to glare after that description but then just sank back down again and swallowed one of his pain pills sullenly. He so did not have a look. Someone would have told him if he did. Someone beside Michaels, he amended; close friends were not to be trusted when it came to those sorts of subjects.
Jess finished up the dishes with little fuss, only occasionally calling out a comment about the show as she watched over the counter. Then she wandered back in with a refill of both of their drinks and settled back on the couch beside him.
“You know, this couch is absolutely too large to be practical,” she said with a sideways grin during the next commercial break. “Just like a man to buy something like this.”
“Yes well, you may not have noticed, but this man is considerably taller than you, Jessica,” he sniped back, a smirk forming as she sputtered in protest. “I like being able to actually stretch out. Anyway, I wouldn’t have been able to prop my leg up on some tiny little sofa would I? Not and still have room for you.”
“Why Captain Becker, are you implying that I take up too much space?” she asked primly, a smile now tugging at her lips as well.
“Maybe not too much, exactly,” he allowed, and she nodded sharply.
“Didn’t think so.”
They continued to watch as one show turned into another and another, neither of them really paying too much attention. Becker wondered if he should have been surprised when the feel of a sudden weight on his arm told him Jess had fallen fast asleep against his shoulder. Probably not; she hadn’t been in the school with the rest of the team, but her day had still been traumatic enough. A gentle shake with no reaction told him she was out cold, and he sighed as he realized there was no way he’d be able to get her into the guest room. He probably couldn’t bear that much weight on his leg, not to mention the meds had finally kicked in and he was feeling more than a little out of it. He’d be more likely to drop her by accident than carry her safely to the other room.
Becker carefully reached around her to grab a couple of pillows and then with a little awkward maneuvering got her shifted enough that he could arrange the pillows between them on the center corner of the sofa and lay her head down on one of them. Once she was settled, he stood up for a quick moment to grab one of the blankets hanging over the back of the couch and lay it softly over his sleeping guest, then switch off the TV and the light. Then he all but fell back to his previous spot and blindly grabbed for the other blanket and pulled it over himself, snuggling down on to one of the other pillows with a yawn. He drifted off to sleep with the smell of Jess’s shampoo in his nose and the sound of her soft breaths in his ears.
He slept soundly and without nightmares for the first time in months.
…
The next morning, as luck would have it, he was, in fact, running a fever, much as the medic thought he might. Jess valiantly managed not to say “I told you so,” but the medic and Lester weren’t nearly so kind. Much to his chagrin, the verdict came down that while he could likely see to himself for the course of the work day, at least one more night of observation would be needed.
He argued and protested, of course, but when Jess showed up after she got off work that evening, he realized he didn’t mind too terribly much.
It was just for one more night, after all.
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Date: 2011-07-09 01:44 pm (UTC)*hugs back*
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Date: 2011-07-09 10:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-09 01:42 pm (UTC)And I had to throw in prawn crackers some how. lol.
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Date: 2011-07-09 02:27 pm (UTC)"...You’re starting to get that ‘I’m in a rather lot of pain but am too stubborn to say anything about it’ look on your face.”.
I love this line! He *so* has that expression, and it's just like Jess to call him on it.
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Date: 2011-07-09 02:47 pm (UTC)And yeah, that face.. aww that face, we love it but really want to smack him out of it lol.
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Date: 2011-07-09 03:06 pm (UTC)That was sweet.
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Date: 2011-07-09 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-12 02:39 am (UTC)Any chance we could find out what happened on the second night?
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Date: 2011-07-12 03:17 am (UTC)And yeah, Li-Pong and Peggy made me happy. I don't what it is about this show that makes me add side character OCs between these 2 and Michaels, I'm enjoying their appearances almost as much as the cannon charas.
And actually, for me the second night was not going to be anything more than round 2 of the same. I couldn't see Becker being able to let his walls down any farther than that considering that point of the show ya know?
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Date: 2011-07-12 03:36 am (UTC)No harm in trying though, right? ;)
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Date: 2011-07-13 02:02 am (UTC)Newsletter 219: 9 - 12 July
Date: 2011-07-12 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-13 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-14 12:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-14 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-14 12:17 am (UTC)