Disclaimer: Primeval does not belong to me. This is fan fiction, not for profit.

Any references to people, places, businesses etc is entirely fictitious.

A/N: A collaboration with Mijo54. Takes place after Collision Course and prior to A Journey Begins

5.2 Meet the Parents and Sisters

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Dinner on takeaway Tuesday turned into long delightful nights… sometimes at Jess's place, and sometimes at Becker's tiny flat. Weekend's were almost always spent at the spacious high rise flat overlooking London.

Jess and Becker both found the big round Jacuzzi to be much more relaxing than a shower or ordinary bathtub. If Jess got to the CD player first, the sounds of Mozart's concerto 23 would be heard while they relaxed in the steaming water. Or if Becker started the music, it might be Beethoven or something more recent.

"Really?" asked Jess as Becker squeezed the sponge, cascading warm water and soapsuds down her back. "You think that's relaxing?"

"What?" asked Becker with a teasing grin "I like Amy Winehouse's voice… and you said you liked ballads…"

Jess squirmed around in the bathtub to face him.

"I do like ballads, but I can't hear the words clearly in here," Jess replied. "When we're alone together… I like to concentrate on you."

Becker liked that idea. After that, they generally chose to listen to instrumental music during their baths.

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5.3 Evie

The first Saturday morning in May, Jess and Becker were soaking in the tub. Jess was leaning back against Becker's chest, feeling very relaxed, warm and tingling, when the sound of the lock on the front door could be heard opening.

"Jess," called a female voice. "Jess! Where are you?"

Jess sat straight up in the tub, while behind her Becker blinked his eyes in surprise.

"What?" asked Becker.

"It's Evie," answered Jess as she climbed out of the tub. "She's here early."

"Doesn't she know how to knock?"

Evie was the sister closest to Jess in age. She was an archeologist and travelled frequently. Becker had met the auburn haired woman the last time she was in London, but that was before… and he'd been dressed at the time…

"Why should she?" asked Jess as she reached for her bathrobe. "She's got a key."

Jess hurried out of the bathroom to greet her sister.

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Evie grinned at Jess as her little sister hurried towards her wrapped in a white terry bathrobe, her hair damp, her face flushed.

"I'm so glad to see you," said Jess as they hugged each other, "but I thought you said you weren't going to be here until dinner."

"I know," agreed Evie, "but it's your birthday… so I decided to come early."

The bathroom door opened. Becker came out wrapped in a towel, nodded quickly and strode off to the bedroom. Jess and Evie looked at each other.

"Jess," chuckled Evie "is there something you forgot to tell me?"

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Becker had made dinner reservations at a favorite little Italian restaurant… La Trattoria. After dinner, Jess unwrapped Becker's gift.

"Oh!" Jess gasped. "Hil, I love it!"

Becker had often wondered how Jess could balance so gracefully on the high heels she adored, and found it no surprise to learn she'd taken dance lessons when younger.

"I remembered you telling me how much you liked ballet lessons when you and your sisters were children," said Becker.

Evie liked the gift Becker got for Jess's birthday almost as much as Jess did. The small oil painting showed four little girls of varying sizes, dressed in white tutus, in a room with large windows opening onto a peaceful landscape scene.

"It almost looks like a Degas," observed Evie.

"I asked an art student if she could make a ballet scene with four girls," explained Becker.

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Later that evening, after Evie had gone, Becker came up to stand behind Jess in the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around her and leaned down close to whisper in her ear.

"I was a little uncomfortable this morning with your sister walking in on us like that," said Becker.

"Sorry," said Jess "I should have told her you were staying in the flat with me."

Then the brave soldier asked the question he'd been dreading all day.

"How many other people have keys to the flat?" asked Becker.

Jess started counting on her fingers.

"Mum, Dad, Marjorie… I don't think her husband has one though," said Jess, "Alexandra, and I know her husband has a key... and I think I gave my cousin Sophie one when she was here visiting the last time… she may have lost it… but I really don't know…"

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