❝When I wake up, I'm afraid that somebody else might take my place.❞ - The Neighbourhood.

After being rushed from their dinner break by a hungry Martinez, Commander Lewis informed Beck and Bronwyn there was an incoming call from NASA that was assigned only to the pair. In slight confusement and curiosity, the two made their way to the control room and squeezed into the chair opposite the computer whilst erupting into laughter at their struggles.

Bronwyn laughed as she was suddenly budged too far to the edge, and so in reponse, sat on Beck's lap and leant back deliberately, completely hiding him from view and muffling his voice as she accepted the call. Mark entered at that moment, leaning against the door frame quietly as he spied over their forthcoming call.

It buffered for a moment as Beck begin to murmur incoherently against the back of Bronwyn's shirt, none of his words even considerably understandable as Bronwyn shook her head, "hush child," she laughed at him.

Focusing on the screen, a sudden familiar face sketched onto the screen causing Bronwyn to gasp at the curly haired friend she and Beck had both grown up with, "Marie!"

Her soft brown, doe eyes brightened at the enthusiasm of Bronwyn as she tucked a curl behind her ear, "Hello Bronwyn-" she began to laugh, "what have you done with Beck?"

"Is 'at ar' Marwi?!" Beck murmured suddenly in excitment, eagerly tickling Bronwyn which caused her to squirm in laughter from his lap so he could catch a glimpse of the screen.

"Marie!" He exclaimed happily, "great to see a face who doesn't want to suffocate me."

Bronwyn rolled her eyes, "he's exaggerating-" before standing behind the chair Beck was in, resting her arms on the head rest, "you're looking beautiful as ever, I bet Mitch is as protective ever."

Marie blushed with a chuckle, "indeed, Dad's still Dad. But hey, how are you guys hanging up? Murdered anyone yet?"

"Not saying, you'll snitch us up," Bronwyn smirked as Beck laughed.

Marie's connection momentarily lagged before she gasped jokingly, "I swore an oath when we were children, you really think I'd betray such a responsibility?"

"That's exactly what she's implying," Beck uttered earning a light smack across the top of his head which ignited him into laughter, before adding, "so what's up?"

"Dad-" she caught herself to act professional, "Mitch wasn't able to speak to you so I'm his representative, he's worried about you Bronwyn," her gaze turned sympathetic as Bronwyn furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'm fine?" She awkwardly laughed as Beck's face contorted into confusion too, "why does he think otherwise?"

"Jonathan-" Mark tensed in the doorway before instantly the call disconnected as the connection was disrupted. Apprehension streamed through Bronwyn as she rushed in front of Beck, kneeling and trying desperately to regain connection on the computer.

"What's Jonathan done?" Bronwyn questioned, glancing over her shoulder to Beck who shared the mutual feeling.

"I'm not sure-"

She groaned as she aimlessly tried to fix a problem that only Marie's personal connection could fix, "please work," she grumbled.

"Bron, there's no point in stressing. They'll call back as soon as they get connection alright? It's probably nothing Breadbin," Beck smiled in assurance as he rose to his feet, leaving Bronwyn to glance hopelessly to the computer.

Turning on his heel to leave the room, Beck caught sight of Mark who stared back knowingly. He then paused for a moment before shaking his head at Mark, quietly making his way toward him.

"Don't tell me it's not obvious," Mark whispered as Beck stopped beside him, Bronwyn too far out of ear reach as he turned over his shoulder to gaze at her. Her desperation urged her to continue refreshing the computer with determination, completely blocking out her surroundings as she did so.

"Her happiness means more to me than point scoring," Beck murmured quietly back, hardening his gaze before making his way down the hallway, "it could just be nothing."

Time itself seemed to lag as Bronwyn awaited another video call, unable to reconnect it herself. Almost deliberately, time slowed down to a halt as she huffed and spun in the computer chair.

"She may contain the urge to run away but hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks," she hummed the words to her favourite song softly as it played through the room, her bland attempt at trying to occupy herself with some sort of time passer, "cetirizine, your fever's gripped me again, never kisses-all you ever send are full stops."

"No luck?" Beck asked as he made his way into the room, two bottles of grape juice in his hand as he did.

"Nope," she uttered before thanking him as he handed her a bottle which she unscrewed the lid of, "do you know where the wild things go," she breathed before taking a gulp of the juice.

"I recognise this song," Beck suddenly mused as he took a gulp from his bottle, "2022 around about summertime, your 21st birthday," he smirked at the memory.

"Shut up Beck," Bronwyn laughed in embarrassment, "I don't want bad memories about my favorite song."

"They're only bad if there's no good in them," he shrugged, taking another swig from his bottle. "I still laugh at how drunk you were," he laughed before noticing something on the computer screen. In acknowledgment, he reached out and began to type something as Bronwyn flushed into a violent red.

"Stop," she hushed him as if Commander Lewis were to hear, she couldn't imagine the embarrassment she'd feel, "and in my defence, the closest thing before then that I ever took that was close to a shot, was downing orange juice after brushing my teeth."

"Goodie too-shoes," Beck countered as he clicked onto another software, Bronwyn scoffing.

"Hey I broke into NASA, top that," she muttered as she screwed the lid onto her bottle.

"Well I just fixed your connection problem, top that," he smirked as she gasped- "how?" She asked, scurrying her chair closer to the computer as Beck sat on the table it was on, facing her.

"Magic touch," he chortled, only having refreshed it.

"I could kiss you," Bronwyn breathed in gratitude before fixating her focus on the computer screen, reconnecting the call instantly before waiting for the confirmation.

Relaxing into herself more, she suddenly felt herself blush again at what she'd just said. Avoiding Beck's gaze at the realization of how flushed she looked, she gazed at her shoes for a moment before Mitch suddenly appeared.

Glancing up instantly, Bronwyn smiled broadly, "Hey Mitch-" "Sup Mitch," Beck interrupted, a goofy smile adorning as his face as he appeared on the furthest corner of the screen as he twisted to wave.

"How are you both?" Mitch questioned, a small smile sketched onto his features.

Beck nodded towards Bronwyn, a reminder to ask him about his worry. She nodded back slowly before diverting her attention back to Mitch, "we're doing fine, thank you, but- Marie vaguely said something about Jonathan and-"

"Ah Marie," he smiled fondly, "she did say you'd spoken to her, she misses you too like millions. Though I must admit, it's easier without you kretins, it's easier dealing with one mischievous lass than a group of lass' and lads."

Bronwyn laughed, "yeah she did, but as much as I'd genuinely love to talk about life back there, Marie said you were worried about me? Why?" She pondered, desperation slowly seeping in.

"You seem alright now though lass," Mitch smiled assuringly, "let's not drag it back up."

"But what's there to drag up?"

"That's the spirit!" Bronwyn's patience began to drain away.

"No Mitch," Beck interrupted, "we honestly have no idea what you're on about."

His face fell, "you mean to tell me, NASA have not told you?"

"Told me what?" Bronwyn retorted, rather ruder than she had intended.

"Curse their bloody policies," he grumbled before he rubbed his face in his hands, "Bronwyn," he braced himself as he racked his mind for a way that wouldn't break her heart but when his list fell short at none, he sighed sadly "Jonathan, he- he's had an affair lass."

"Sorry, I uh-" she forced a laugh, "he what?" she stammered as her laugh slipped away, her mouth drying up as nerves shook in her legs.

"I'm so sorry Bron. He cheated with a lass called Payton Acari, a supermodel working for a big company, obviously wanted some information and-"

"-Alright, that's enough," Beck sternly cut him off, noticing her frozen state before notifying Mitch he had to disconnect the call.

The room fell silent as Beck stared at her fragile state, his heart pining for her to say something, anything, that would assure him she was alright but he knew she wasn't and that broke him.

"Bronwyn," he softly murmured, slowly sinking to his knees to kneel in front of her before his sadness was slowly projected into fury as her lip began to quiver. "I am going to fucking kill him."

"No," she pawed at her eyes as they began to well up with tears, "I'm fine, it's alright, I'm fine," her voice cracked in sadness as she continued to wipe her eyes.

"I'm just gonna-" she rose to her feet as she signalled she was going to leave, unsure how to process the humiliation and eager to get away from Beck as she despised an audience when she cried, but the shock of the ordeal sent her legs stammering in her stance and unsteady before Beck caught her.

"No Bronwyn," Beck spoke sterner, helping her to sit down onto the floor, "you're not."

She huffed a breath, putting her arms into her lap as she stared into his blue eyes, "I'm fine-" her breath was shaky as she faked a smile, "see."

"You're not are you?" His heart sank as her smile turned into a quivering frown with tears falling faster than before.

"Nope."

He crashed into her gently, enveloping her into a tight hug as she gripped onto his shirt, humiliation and betrayal throbbing inside of her as Beck glared off into the distance at Mark, who stood by the hallway like before.

Not a single word was murmured between the two but Beck's glare was accountable for a thousand words as he held on tightly to Bronwyn. No one was ever to touch or hurt his Bronwyn and Jonathan was not ever going to know what hit him when these four years would finally finish, both Beck and Mark would make sure of it.