Disclaimer: Primeval and it's characters belong to ITV. I assume Jimmy Choo owns the name Jimmy Choo. Of the two, I'd rather be ITV, but since I'm just me, I only own the computer this was typed up on.

A/N #1: As I say in my profile, I'm new to . Moreover, I did not join with the intent of writing and posting anything. I simply needed Primeval fics, in particular Jess/Becker fics, to go along with my new obsession with the show. Then the ideas started flying and this one in particular insisted on being written. Now it's insisting on being shared. I will take constructive criticism to heart and consider making changes as a result; I just ask that you be gentle, if not kind.

A/N # 2: This is set post series 5 and may contain minor spoilers. It definitely contains a hint as to the way I see the events inside the ARC unfolding before the team showed up to deal with the predators and get Connor's anomaly.

A/N # 3: A HUGE THANK YOU TO Sarcastic Bones for providing Beta Services! YOU ROCK!

Say It With Shoes

"JESS!" Becker's head flew up at the sudden cry that had come from the middle of the room by the ADD, his hand automatically reaching for a weapon he didn't currently have on him.

While not as hysterical as her cries of pain and fear just days before, the high-pitched squeal still put his heart in his throat and he was by the Field Coordinator's side in mere seconds. He had her turned to face him only a moment after that, one hand at her shoulder and the other at her waist, when he realized that today's outburst was one of joy. He was struck breathless by the radiant smile that lit her entire face, as something jabbed his side then raked along his abdomen.

"Ow, Jess-" he started, hands moving to hers.

He realized what he'd just been assaulted with even as she exclaimed, "New shoes!"

A short step back, and he looked down to see that Jess was indeed holding a pair of black and shockingly pink heels in the hands he now held cuffed lightly at the wrists.

Before he could speak, she gave another squeal and shook off his hands, shoving one of the offending objects at him.

"They're gorgeous! Aren't they gorgeous? Undo the zipper on that one, yeah?" She asked, already toeing off the lime green snake skin stilettos she'd worn to work that morning.

Before Becker could even begin to make enough sense of what she'd asked to notice the zipper down the front of the shoe he held, she had the other one undone and had twisted forwards and sideways to bend over and slip her foot inside.

Being presented with the unexpected sideways view of her back and the curve of her floral print covered bottom had his throat going dry and Becker completely forgot all about the shoe-zipper, hot pink trim and all.

"Uhm..." Before he could even form words, she'd stood back up and taken the other shoe, too eager to get the shoes on and take them for a spin to even realize he was staring and speechless.

Of course, it didn't matter that he couldn't find words since she was still talking a mile a minute.

"-And they're Jimmy Choos! Oh, and they fit like a glove! And it's not even my birthday! And they're neoprene so you could even say they're practical - I should be able to run in these no problem. And they're Jimmy Choos! And wait, I said that already… and aren't they just brilliant?"

She had walked to the far side of the room, and back again, as she chattered away, and all Becker could do was watch.

When she stopped just in front of him, the thousand watt smile back and her petite frame practically vibrating with excitement, he almost- almost- reached for her. Even as his muscles twitched, with the need to somehow capture the beautiful creature in front of him, a familiar voice to his left shattered the moment, making Becker realize where they were and that they most certainly weren't alone.

"Just nod your head, and say 'yes', mate," Matt advised with a knowing smirk.

"You might want to take a breath, too," Emily added as she brushed past him to step closer to Jess, already complimenting the shoes and making a fuss, as only another woman could.

"Closing his mouth would probably be a good idea too," Connor added, even as Abby reached up and tapped Becker's chin to encourage just that.

"Careful Becker, someone might get the idea that you fancy her," Abby teased, then moved to join Jess and Emily, who were now a foot or so away.

"You lot are a riot," The soldier growled, heat creeping up his neck as he struggled to put the mixture of affection, admiration, and -yes, okay- lust away in a mental lock box - a box which was getting harder and harder to keep the lid on, much less keep locked, since Jess' two near death experiences not even a week before.

Sometimes he forgot why he was even fighting the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him so much lately, but he knew for certain that if he finally chose to act on them he'd rather it be a choice and not a knee jerk reaction.

And he sure as hell did not want this 'lot' as an audience when he did so.

Before he could decide if he should excuse himself, preferably without using the need to do some 'security stuff' as an excuse, he noticed that Connor was now poking around the tissue-paper-filled gift box at the ADD.

Then Emily voiced the question the younger man was no doubt trying to figure out, "Who are they from, then?"

Jess looked up from admiring the shoes to take in all of them. Shy eyes briefly darted towards Becker, then back to Emily and Abby. "I haven't a clue. The gift was just sitting in my chair when I got here. I thought maybe one of you all..."

She trailed off as heads shook and Matt responded for the group, "I am pretty sure designer foot-ware is outside even our combined gift budgets."

"There's a card here," Connor offered, holding up a cream coloured envelope.

Before he could open it - or damage it in some way - Abby moved to him and plucked it from his fingers. She held it out to Jess but the younger woman shook her head, long fingers suddenly twisting nervously in front of her, curious and, for some reason, a little apprehensive. It really was quite an expensive gift, one she probably shouldn't accept.

"You open it."

"You're sure?" The blond asked. When Jess just nodded, Abby lifted the flap on the small envelope and saw just one line of carefully scripted calligraphy,

"Do try not to throw this pair."

Abby read the cryptic message aloud, and then turned the card over for the others to see. "There's no name."

It was obvious to all, though, that the words meant something to Jess as she gave a startled 'oh!', one hand going to her throat and the other enfolding around her waist.

Becker got the sense that she had suddenly gone somewhere else mentally, emotionally. He was beside her immediately, one concerned hand on her shoulder even as she blinked the lost look away, a tear slipping free as she did so. "Jess?"

She smiled then: a tremulous, delicate smile; heartbreakingly beautiful; full of innocent affection. But not for him, or any of the others standing around her. No, her gaze went to the glass wall between Ops and James Lester's office.

Their boss sat at his desk on the other side, his feet on his desk. What appeared to be a new bottle of whiskey sat in front of him, an amber filled glass in hand.

Their gazes met and held for a long moment, then Lester raised his glass in a silent salute and Jess' smile grew as her head dipped in a near imperceptible nod.

In the next second the moment was broken as Connor asked innocently, "So who are they from then?"

fini

A/N: So yeah, that's my first attempt at a Primeval fic. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed getting it down on 'paper'. OH, and if you want to see the shoes: http:/www(dot)/product/177409