Primevalathon Gift Fic:The Things That We Remember part 2 (Becker/Jess)
Title: The Things That We Remember
Author: pink_flame_87
Fandom: Primeval
Characters/Pairings: Becker/Jess
Words: Part 2-2,463
Rating/Warnings: PG very mild swearing
Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: Everything up to the ending of series four.
Recipient: torigates
Prompt:I hate that the last time we saw Becker he was lying on the floor unconscious after being shot. That is just cruel! So anything that deals with the aftermath of the episode would be lovely. I'm really into Jess/Becker right now, but I like both characters individually as well. So whether it's Jess finding Becker lying there and getting him some help, or the two of them talking after everything had cooled down or going on a date or whatever. I just want to see more of their dynamic explored. I'm a huge fan of Connor/Abby so if you're comfortable with them and want to throw them in as well, the more the merrier!
Author's Note: Written for Primevalathon as a pinch hit. It's a few days late due to the fact that I don't have internet access at home. I actually attempted to use some public wi-fi last night but it wouldn't connect to my laptop. So I actually ended up adding more to this after that, so hopefully it was worth the wait!
Summary: Do we really believe Jess didn't see Becker get shot at the end of episode 7? This is what comes after. There are things Becker and Jess would like to forget but more important are the things they choose to remember.
Becker woke up almost exactly three hours after Jess left the hospital. He didn’t know this of course, all he knew was that if he was expecting to wake up with a certain lovely, young field coordinator holding his hand he was sorely disappointed. Instead he got Connor and Abby perched in chairs on opposite sides of the room and Matt standing next to his bed smirking down at him.
“There he is,” Matt said in a tone that could have been genuinely happy though it was hard to tell with him. “Back to testify to the effectiveness of the EMDS again, are you?”
“They could use some work,” Becker managed to choke out through a throat that felt like sandpaper. He saw Abby already moving to bring him some water as Connor came round to stand beside Matt. “Can’t say I’m not glad though seeing as I’m still here and all.”
“It’s a relief to us as well, mate,” Connor told him happily as Abby held a cup with a straw up to Becker’s lips helping him get a drink.
As soon as Becker had quenched his thirst and felt able to speak again he wasted no time in asking one of the many questions he wanted answered.
“Where’s Ethan?” He asked hoping the answer was locked up with the mammoth.
“He escaped through an anomaly. Danny went after him,” Matt answered.
“You let him escape, Anderson?” Becker demanded nearly sending himself into a coughing fit.
“What did I tell you,” Matt looked over at Abby in an exasperated manner, but there was a smile threatening to break out on his face. “Right back to his pain in the arse self.”
At this point several nurses bustled in to look Becker over and check his vitals. Everything was looking remarkably good and they thought that with his ribs wrapped, some pills for the pain and strict orders to rest for the next few days the Doctor would be willing to discharge him.
Everyone congratulated Becker on the news and Abby pulled out her cell phone to call Lester and Jess.
“I thought you weren’t going to call Jess unless the worst happened,” Matt questioned knowingly, well aware that Jess would never forgive them if they denied her the opportunity to see Becker awake and well.
“I say a lot of things I don’t necessarily mean,” Abby retorted, glaring at Connor. “For instance I also said Connor was a goner because I was going to murder him, however after further reflection I’ve decided I don’t really fancy time behind bars.”
“Come on Abby, I said I was sorry,” Connor pleaded. “I didn’t realize what was going on. As soon as I got your messages I came straight here.”
Abby studiously ignored Connor’s attempts to placate her and continued with her phone calls.
“Jess’s phone went to voicemail,” She informed her friends after snapping her phone shut. “Let’s hope that means she’s getting some rest.”
“Is Jess alright?” Becker winced and it was hard to tell if it was at the idea of Jess in distress or the pain in his ribs as a nurse wound cloth around his midsection.
Abby and Matt exchanged a look that wasn’t lost on Becker. His heart clenched painfully in a way he’d like to believe was related to his injuries but was clearly more related to his need to keep Jess Parker healthy and happy, a need that kept him up more sleepless nights than he’d like to admit.
“She’s fine,” Matt assured him quickly. “Just tired and worried about you.”
“She saw Ethan shoot you on the ADD,” Abby added solemnly. “She was the first one to get to you and you were in a bad way. Even when the medics got there she didn’t want to leave you, some of your men had to forcibly remove her. She was here earlier but she left to get some rest.”
Becker swallowed hard, the image of his brave little Jess who looked like she weighed less than his favorite gun giving a whole team of his soldiers a run for their money was all too believable.
“Maybe we should just let him get his feet back under him before we tell him all this,” Connor offered only to go silent at Abby’s withering look.
“Why, so it can take him three years to tell her how he feels?” Abby snapped before turning her attention back to Becker. “Don’t be an idiot Becker, you know how Jess feels about you.”
Becker could feel himself blushing but insisted mentally on putting it down as a reaction to his medication. Blushing was not really a response compatible with the stoic soldier demeanor he tried so hard to cultivate.
“And I reckon you know how you feel too,” Abby went on. “And if you don’t let her in on it than you’re not as great a guy as I thought you were.”
“Let the man, breath for a mo, Abby!” Connor broke in at this point.
Abby and Connor continued to bicker as the nurses finished wrapping Becker’s ribs.
“Hey Matt, let me borrow your phone,” Becker was going for nonchalant but aware that he was failing miserably.
Still to Matt’s credit he handed over his cell without comment and didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow when Becker clearly reached a certain field coordinator’s voicemail.
“Still not answering,” Becker muttered, trying to fight down the unreasonable surge of concern that was making it hard for him to focus on anything else. He knew the team would have told him if Ethan had hurt her in some way but needed to see Jess to convince himself of her wellbeing. “How long ago did she leave?”
Matt glanced at his watch and gave Becker Jess’s approximate time of departure. Becker knew in all likelihood that Jess was simply asleep in order to recover from the day’s events but he just couldn’t shake the feeling that Jess would be right here beside him if nothing were wrong.
“Abby, Connor,” He interrupted them mid argument and from the looks on their faces it almost appeared that they had forgotten anyone else was in the room. “Could you guys do me a favor? Go home and just check that Jess is ok.”
If anyone in the room had an opinion on Becker’s concern for Jess they had enough tact not to voice it to him.
“Of course,” Abby answered. “You go on home and we’ll call you as soon as we know anything.”
“I’m going back to the ARC,” Becker was shaking his head before Abby had even finished her sentence. “I need to figure out how the hell Ethan managed to escape and start rectifying our security breach immediately.”
There was a lot of head shaking at that statement but no one was stupid enough to try to talk Becker out of it beyond Connor’s muttered observation that Lester wouldn’t be happy.
“Not being happy makes Lester happy,” Becker grunted as he forced a t-shirt Matt had handed him over his head and his injured ribs. “And I for one am not about to deny him his joy in life.”
Twenty minutes later Becker was sitting in front of a laptop in the main operations room of the ARC reviewing CCTV feed of Ethan’s escape. He gritted his teeth as he saw Ethan snatching an EMD from the soldier in the interrogation room. He would have to review the importance of vigilance with his men yet again. Just because you’re used to dealing with dinosaurs doesn’t mean a man isn’t a threat to you.
“I’m not happy about this,” Lester’s dry voice reached Becker’s ears from somewhere behind him but he didn’t turn around.
“The fact that a known murderer snatched one our own weapons, broke himself out of our supposedly highly secure building, and is now on the loose in God’s know what time period?” Becker answered just as flatly, keying a few frames ahead on the recording. “Frankly, I’m not thrilled about it either, sir.”
“Well, yes there is that,” Lester seemed even more annoyed now as though he had already forgotten about the events earlier in the day. “However, I was referring to my head of security nearly getting himself killed trying to be a hero and then refusing to take medical leave.”
“I’m fine,” Becker answered simply his eyes still trained on the screen before him.
“Yes, well that’s lovely. Funnily enough that call’s not at your discretion, you’re a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Lester replied briskly.
Becker hid a smile. He knew Lester had been worried and was glad he was ok. That didn’t mean he was going to stop being Lester. He was saved from having to reply when Connor and Abby entered the room.
He noticed instantly that they both wore concerned expressions making his stomach clench painfully. He didn’t even bother waiting for them to reach him but was out of his seat and meeting them halfway before anyone could stop him. He ignored the painful pins and needles that rushed through every inch of his body with each step he took and concentrated on the task of reaching Abby who was a half-step closer than Connor.
“Jess?” He demanded as soon as he had reached her, lacking the energy for a more specific inquiry.
“She’s not at the flat,” Abby informed him gently putting her arm under his as though she expected to have to catch him at any moment. Becker promptly shook her off trying to process what she was saying.
“She told you she was going home,” He had to lay out the facts as he knew them.
“Her text just said she was leaving for a while to get some rest and clear her head, we assumed she meant she was going back there,” Abby corrected.
“As far as we can tell she hasn’t been there,” Connor offered, concern clear on his face as well.
“How do you know?” Becker wanted facts, facts he could deal with.
“None of her stuff was there,” Abby answered. “I checked when I got back here and her purse and coat are still where she left them this morning. Her phone’s not there though and she usually carried some cash on her so she could have called a cab and gone anywhere. We’ve been calling but she isn’t picking up.”
“Keep trying,” Becker instructed, spinning around marching back towards his original seat only to turn and change direction again. His body was screaming in protest but pacing seemed to be his only option. “We’re sure Ethan went through an anomaly? There’s no chance he could have something to do with this?”
“Emily saw him go through,” Matt answered, always the calmest voice in the room. “Danny went after him, like I said. The anomaly’s closed so unless he found another one his involvement is unlikely.”
“If you’re going to be here, can you at least sit down before you collapse?” Lester inquired.
Becker practically growled in annoyance but shuffled over to the chair and sat down hard, running his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture he thought he’d abandoned well before he ever came to the ARC.
“Splendid, that’s much better…oh, and he’s up again,” Lester sighed as Becker practically launched himself from his seat.
“Connor,” Becker bellowed forcing his screaming muscles to carry him towards the ADD in the center of the room, fighting down the feelings Jess’s empty seat evoked in him.
“What is it, mate?” Connor asked jogging up beside him just as he reached the detector.
“Sit,” Becker demanded leaving no room for argument. Once Connor was seated he braced himself on the back of the chair in order to keep himself standing. “If you can hack into the hospital CCTV, see what number cab she got into we should be able to find out where it dropped her off. Can you do that?”
“Well,” Connor stretched the word out to far more syllables then it should have. “Yes and no.”
“Exactly how is that possible, Connor?” Becker asked trying and failing to clamp down on his impatience.
“Yes, in that it should be possible, no in that it would be breaking about ten different laws,” Connor seemed to shrink away from Becker as much as possible almost as though he expected a blow to follow his statement.
“Jess hacks into security feeds and private systems about three times a day and I’ve heard no complaints,” Becker snapped.
“Well, see we’ve got government permission to do so when a great number of lives are at stake…” Connor trailed off at the look on Becker’s face.
“For all we know, Jess’s life could be at stake,” Becker stated with as little emotion as possible. “And if you don’t do this for me, your life will be at stake, so that’s at least two. Is that enough?”
All the color had drained out of Connor’s face. “Yep, that should about do it.”
He spun around and began typing and pulling up windows that meant nothing to Becker.
“You know I want to find her too, right?” Connor finally offered without pausing in his typing.
“Yeah,” Becker felt a wave of guilt for his treatment of Connor and patted him on the back a few times in what he hoped as a friendly way. “I know.”
Matt had pushed over a chair for Becker who sank into it gratefully only to have Connor exclaim gleefully, “Gotcha!”
Becker forced himself to his feet again, every part of him groaning in protest.
“And there he goes again,” Lester muttered, but he too was crowding around the ADD with the rest of the team at this point.
Connor was rattling off an address that meant nothing to Becker but he had memorized it as soon as he heard it. He was already limping off towards the garage before the rest of the team had time to process what Connor said.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Lester called after him.
“To check on Jess,” Becker answered without slowing down.
“No, you’re not. You’re going to stop right there and…no apparently you’re not. Does nobody listen to me anymore?” Lester seemed resigned to his ineffectual orders at this point. “Matt, go with him.”
“Of course, sir,” Matt replied cheekily as he jogged backwards a few steps before spinning to follow Becker out of the room. “Whatever you say, sir.”
The room fell into an odd silence with only Lester, Connor, and Abby left to worry about Jess and wonder what exactly had just happened.
“I liked it better when it was just me and the mammoth,” Lester finally said before retreating to the relative sanity of his office.
Author: pink_flame_87
Fandom: Primeval
Characters/Pairings: Becker/Jess
Words: Part 2-2,463
Rating/Warnings: PG very mild swearing
Disclaimer: Primeval and its characters belong to Impossible Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended.
Spoilers: Everything up to the ending of series four.
Recipient: torigates
Prompt:I hate that the last time we saw Becker he was lying on the floor unconscious after being shot. That is just cruel! So anything that deals with the aftermath of the episode would be lovely. I'm really into Jess/Becker right now, but I like both characters individually as well. So whether it's Jess finding Becker lying there and getting him some help, or the two of them talking after everything had cooled down or going on a date or whatever. I just want to see more of their dynamic explored. I'm a huge fan of Connor/Abby so if you're comfortable with them and want to throw them in as well, the more the merrier!
Author's Note: Written for Primevalathon as a pinch hit. It's a few days late due to the fact that I don't have internet access at home. I actually attempted to use some public wi-fi last night but it wouldn't connect to my laptop. So I actually ended up adding more to this after that, so hopefully it was worth the wait!
Summary: Do we really believe Jess didn't see Becker get shot at the end of episode 7? This is what comes after. There are things Becker and Jess would like to forget but more important are the things they choose to remember.
Becker woke up almost exactly three hours after Jess left the hospital. He didn’t know this of course, all he knew was that if he was expecting to wake up with a certain lovely, young field coordinator holding his hand he was sorely disappointed. Instead he got Connor and Abby perched in chairs on opposite sides of the room and Matt standing next to his bed smirking down at him.
“There he is,” Matt said in a tone that could have been genuinely happy though it was hard to tell with him. “Back to testify to the effectiveness of the EMDS again, are you?”
“They could use some work,” Becker managed to choke out through a throat that felt like sandpaper. He saw Abby already moving to bring him some water as Connor came round to stand beside Matt. “Can’t say I’m not glad though seeing as I’m still here and all.”
“It’s a relief to us as well, mate,” Connor told him happily as Abby held a cup with a straw up to Becker’s lips helping him get a drink.
As soon as Becker had quenched his thirst and felt able to speak again he wasted no time in asking one of the many questions he wanted answered.
“Where’s Ethan?” He asked hoping the answer was locked up with the mammoth.
“He escaped through an anomaly. Danny went after him,” Matt answered.
“You let him escape, Anderson?” Becker demanded nearly sending himself into a coughing fit.
“What did I tell you,” Matt looked over at Abby in an exasperated manner, but there was a smile threatening to break out on his face. “Right back to his pain in the arse self.”
At this point several nurses bustled in to look Becker over and check his vitals. Everything was looking remarkably good and they thought that with his ribs wrapped, some pills for the pain and strict orders to rest for the next few days the Doctor would be willing to discharge him.
Everyone congratulated Becker on the news and Abby pulled out her cell phone to call Lester and Jess.
“I thought you weren’t going to call Jess unless the worst happened,” Matt questioned knowingly, well aware that Jess would never forgive them if they denied her the opportunity to see Becker awake and well.
“I say a lot of things I don’t necessarily mean,” Abby retorted, glaring at Connor. “For instance I also said Connor was a goner because I was going to murder him, however after further reflection I’ve decided I don’t really fancy time behind bars.”
“Come on Abby, I said I was sorry,” Connor pleaded. “I didn’t realize what was going on. As soon as I got your messages I came straight here.”
Abby studiously ignored Connor’s attempts to placate her and continued with her phone calls.
“Jess’s phone went to voicemail,” She informed her friends after snapping her phone shut. “Let’s hope that means she’s getting some rest.”
“Is Jess alright?” Becker winced and it was hard to tell if it was at the idea of Jess in distress or the pain in his ribs as a nurse wound cloth around his midsection.
Abby and Matt exchanged a look that wasn’t lost on Becker. His heart clenched painfully in a way he’d like to believe was related to his injuries but was clearly more related to his need to keep Jess Parker healthy and happy, a need that kept him up more sleepless nights than he’d like to admit.
“She’s fine,” Matt assured him quickly. “Just tired and worried about you.”
“She saw Ethan shoot you on the ADD,” Abby added solemnly. “She was the first one to get to you and you were in a bad way. Even when the medics got there she didn’t want to leave you, some of your men had to forcibly remove her. She was here earlier but she left to get some rest.”
Becker swallowed hard, the image of his brave little Jess who looked like she weighed less than his favorite gun giving a whole team of his soldiers a run for their money was all too believable.
“Maybe we should just let him get his feet back under him before we tell him all this,” Connor offered only to go silent at Abby’s withering look.
“Why, so it can take him three years to tell her how he feels?” Abby snapped before turning her attention back to Becker. “Don’t be an idiot Becker, you know how Jess feels about you.”
Becker could feel himself blushing but insisted mentally on putting it down as a reaction to his medication. Blushing was not really a response compatible with the stoic soldier demeanor he tried so hard to cultivate.
“And I reckon you know how you feel too,” Abby went on. “And if you don’t let her in on it than you’re not as great a guy as I thought you were.”
“Let the man, breath for a mo, Abby!” Connor broke in at this point.
Abby and Connor continued to bicker as the nurses finished wrapping Becker’s ribs.
“Hey Matt, let me borrow your phone,” Becker was going for nonchalant but aware that he was failing miserably.
Still to Matt’s credit he handed over his cell without comment and didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow when Becker clearly reached a certain field coordinator’s voicemail.
“Still not answering,” Becker muttered, trying to fight down the unreasonable surge of concern that was making it hard for him to focus on anything else. He knew the team would have told him if Ethan had hurt her in some way but needed to see Jess to convince himself of her wellbeing. “How long ago did she leave?”
Matt glanced at his watch and gave Becker Jess’s approximate time of departure. Becker knew in all likelihood that Jess was simply asleep in order to recover from the day’s events but he just couldn’t shake the feeling that Jess would be right here beside him if nothing were wrong.
“Abby, Connor,” He interrupted them mid argument and from the looks on their faces it almost appeared that they had forgotten anyone else was in the room. “Could you guys do me a favor? Go home and just check that Jess is ok.”
If anyone in the room had an opinion on Becker’s concern for Jess they had enough tact not to voice it to him.
“Of course,” Abby answered. “You go on home and we’ll call you as soon as we know anything.”
“I’m going back to the ARC,” Becker was shaking his head before Abby had even finished her sentence. “I need to figure out how the hell Ethan managed to escape and start rectifying our security breach immediately.”
There was a lot of head shaking at that statement but no one was stupid enough to try to talk Becker out of it beyond Connor’s muttered observation that Lester wouldn’t be happy.
“Not being happy makes Lester happy,” Becker grunted as he forced a t-shirt Matt had handed him over his head and his injured ribs. “And I for one am not about to deny him his joy in life.”
Twenty minutes later Becker was sitting in front of a laptop in the main operations room of the ARC reviewing CCTV feed of Ethan’s escape. He gritted his teeth as he saw Ethan snatching an EMD from the soldier in the interrogation room. He would have to review the importance of vigilance with his men yet again. Just because you’re used to dealing with dinosaurs doesn’t mean a man isn’t a threat to you.
“I’m not happy about this,” Lester’s dry voice reached Becker’s ears from somewhere behind him but he didn’t turn around.
“The fact that a known murderer snatched one our own weapons, broke himself out of our supposedly highly secure building, and is now on the loose in God’s know what time period?” Becker answered just as flatly, keying a few frames ahead on the recording. “Frankly, I’m not thrilled about it either, sir.”
“Well, yes there is that,” Lester seemed even more annoyed now as though he had already forgotten about the events earlier in the day. “However, I was referring to my head of security nearly getting himself killed trying to be a hero and then refusing to take medical leave.”
“I’m fine,” Becker answered simply his eyes still trained on the screen before him.
“Yes, well that’s lovely. Funnily enough that call’s not at your discretion, you’re a lawsuit waiting to happen,” Lester replied briskly.
Becker hid a smile. He knew Lester had been worried and was glad he was ok. That didn’t mean he was going to stop being Lester. He was saved from having to reply when Connor and Abby entered the room.
He noticed instantly that they both wore concerned expressions making his stomach clench painfully. He didn’t even bother waiting for them to reach him but was out of his seat and meeting them halfway before anyone could stop him. He ignored the painful pins and needles that rushed through every inch of his body with each step he took and concentrated on the task of reaching Abby who was a half-step closer than Connor.
“Jess?” He demanded as soon as he had reached her, lacking the energy for a more specific inquiry.
“She’s not at the flat,” Abby informed him gently putting her arm under his as though she expected to have to catch him at any moment. Becker promptly shook her off trying to process what she was saying.
“She told you she was going home,” He had to lay out the facts as he knew them.
“Her text just said she was leaving for a while to get some rest and clear her head, we assumed she meant she was going back there,” Abby corrected.
“As far as we can tell she hasn’t been there,” Connor offered, concern clear on his face as well.
“How do you know?” Becker wanted facts, facts he could deal with.
“None of her stuff was there,” Abby answered. “I checked when I got back here and her purse and coat are still where she left them this morning. Her phone’s not there though and she usually carried some cash on her so she could have called a cab and gone anywhere. We’ve been calling but she isn’t picking up.”
“Keep trying,” Becker instructed, spinning around marching back towards his original seat only to turn and change direction again. His body was screaming in protest but pacing seemed to be his only option. “We’re sure Ethan went through an anomaly? There’s no chance he could have something to do with this?”
“Emily saw him go through,” Matt answered, always the calmest voice in the room. “Danny went after him, like I said. The anomaly’s closed so unless he found another one his involvement is unlikely.”
“If you’re going to be here, can you at least sit down before you collapse?” Lester inquired.
Becker practically growled in annoyance but shuffled over to the chair and sat down hard, running his fingers through his hair in a nervous gesture he thought he’d abandoned well before he ever came to the ARC.
“Splendid, that’s much better…oh, and he’s up again,” Lester sighed as Becker practically launched himself from his seat.
“Connor,” Becker bellowed forcing his screaming muscles to carry him towards the ADD in the center of the room, fighting down the feelings Jess’s empty seat evoked in him.
“What is it, mate?” Connor asked jogging up beside him just as he reached the detector.
“Sit,” Becker demanded leaving no room for argument. Once Connor was seated he braced himself on the back of the chair in order to keep himself standing. “If you can hack into the hospital CCTV, see what number cab she got into we should be able to find out where it dropped her off. Can you do that?”
“Well,” Connor stretched the word out to far more syllables then it should have. “Yes and no.”
“Exactly how is that possible, Connor?” Becker asked trying and failing to clamp down on his impatience.
“Yes, in that it should be possible, no in that it would be breaking about ten different laws,” Connor seemed to shrink away from Becker as much as possible almost as though he expected a blow to follow his statement.
“Jess hacks into security feeds and private systems about three times a day and I’ve heard no complaints,” Becker snapped.
“Well, see we’ve got government permission to do so when a great number of lives are at stake…” Connor trailed off at the look on Becker’s face.
“For all we know, Jess’s life could be at stake,” Becker stated with as little emotion as possible. “And if you don’t do this for me, your life will be at stake, so that’s at least two. Is that enough?”
All the color had drained out of Connor’s face. “Yep, that should about do it.”
He spun around and began typing and pulling up windows that meant nothing to Becker.
“You know I want to find her too, right?” Connor finally offered without pausing in his typing.
“Yeah,” Becker felt a wave of guilt for his treatment of Connor and patted him on the back a few times in what he hoped as a friendly way. “I know.”
Matt had pushed over a chair for Becker who sank into it gratefully only to have Connor exclaim gleefully, “Gotcha!”
Becker forced himself to his feet again, every part of him groaning in protest.
“And there he goes again,” Lester muttered, but he too was crowding around the ADD with the rest of the team at this point.
Connor was rattling off an address that meant nothing to Becker but he had memorized it as soon as he heard it. He was already limping off towards the garage before the rest of the team had time to process what Connor said.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Lester called after him.
“To check on Jess,” Becker answered without slowing down.
“No, you’re not. You’re going to stop right there and…no apparently you’re not. Does nobody listen to me anymore?” Lester seemed resigned to his ineffectual orders at this point. “Matt, go with him.”
“Of course, sir,” Matt replied cheekily as he jogged backwards a few steps before spinning to follow Becker out of the room. “Whatever you say, sir.”
The room fell into an odd silence with only Lester, Connor, and Abby left to worry about Jess and wonder what exactly had just happened.
“I liked it better when it was just me and the mammoth,” Lester finally said before retreating to the relative sanity of his office.