Author's Notes: This story takes place approximately two years after the events of A Daughter's Justice. It is in the same "universe" as A Daughter's Justice and The Eleventh Hour. So at times the characters will reference events from those two stories.
Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest. I am making no money off of this and it is purely for fun and enjoyment.
Chapter 1
"Are you ready, Hotshot?" Jessie hollered across the hall. Having just finished packing her own suitcases, she was anxious to get on the road.
However, in what had become his trademark fashion, Jonny was still lagging behind. Shaking her head as she ran the zipper closed on the last piece of luggage, she headed towards Jonny's room.
As soon as she stepped through the doorway, she was intercepted. Her father, Race Bannon, stood blocking her path, hands balled into fists as they rested on his hips. "Are you two almost ready to go, Ponchita?"
Rolling her eyes, Jessie replied, "Well, I am, but if Jonny ever gets his act together we might be able to leave sometime this year."
"Hey, I'm almost ready." Jonny's voice shot in from behind her. Turning she saw him casually coming up the stairs, a bottle of water in one hand and a sandwich in the other.
"Why are you eating now?" Jessie proclaimed. "We're supposed to be meeting up with the others for lunch before hitting the road."
Jonny and Jessie, along with four of their closest friends, were headed out on a two week outdoors vacation to Laurel Ridge State Park in Pennsylvania, celebrating Jessie's high school graduation. Race had hesitated about the teenagers making the long drive, offering instead to fly them there in the Dragonfly, but Jess had convinced her father they'd be fine and use caution and common sense. Trusting his daughter, knowing she was wise beyond her years, he finally gave in, letting them use one of the unmarked security SUVs belonging to Quest Enterprises.
"I was hungry." Jonny shrugged.
"Unbelievable!" Throwing her hands in the air, she stomped back into her room to retrieve her bags.
Shooting Race a look that said, 'Women' Jonny peeked his head into Jessie's room. "What are you doing?"
"Would you just go finish packing?" Jessie huffed, trying to contain her annoyance with the absent-minded Quest.
Smiling between a mouthful of ham sandwich, Jonny responded, "Fine. I'll be ready to go in fifteen minutes."
"You better be." Jessie said, watching the blonde saunter back to his own room. Giving her father a look she exclaimed, "This trip was his idea!"
"Are you sure you're up for this trip, kiddo?" Race was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest and grinning at his daughter from ear to ear.
"Of course I want to go," Jessie sighed as she sat down on the edge of her bed.
Race waited, obviously able to tell there was a 'but' coming.
A moment later Jessie said, "but, honestly, dad, sometimes I feel like Jonny just wants me to go so he can talk me out of my Europe trip this fall."
"He might be a tad bit jealous that you're heading off to Europe for a semester while he finishes his senior year. Can you blame him?" Race offered.
Cocking her head to the side, Jessie studied her father with a curious look. She and Jonny had been dating for over a year and out of all the adults in her life who she thought would be resistant to the idea, her father had surprised her by being the most supportive. She figured he would be overly protective and while to a certain extent he was, her dad actually seemed to come to accept her relationship with Jonny better than her mom and Doctor Quest. She wondered if her father would have a different perspective if he knew that she and Jonny had started exploring the intimate side of their relationship, but she figured that was a discussion best left for a later date...a much later date.
"Dad, are you actually saying he's right and I'm wrong?" She asked, not sure she had interpreted his statement correctly.
Pushing away from the door, Race stood upright and uncrossed his arms. Giving his daughter a comforting look he said, "No, Jess, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is just look at it from his point of view. I'm not saying you have to agree with it, but you know that kid is head over heels for you."
"I need that trip to decide what I want to do with the rest of my life." Lowering her eyes, she added, "and decide who I want to be with."
Coming over to sit next to her on the bed, Race draped a muscled arm over his daughter's shoulders and pulled her in close. "You're young, you both are. Just give it time. No one ever said it was easy, but if he's worth it you have to give him a chance."
Fighting back the onset of a trembling lip, Jessie kept her eyes low. "I know, dad."
"He needs you to know you trust him. He needs you to open up to him sometimes."
"I'm not ready for that." Jessie mumbled. She was perfectly content with what they shared currently, but even at their most intimate moments she still couldn't open up to Jonny completely. She knew she was leading him on with the amazing sexual experiences and she had hoped that Jonny would, at least for the time being, be content with that. However, it appeared he was ready for an even firmer commitment from Jessie.
"You inherited that from me," Race chuckled, "Us Bannons are horrible when it comes to opening up about our feelings."
"Mom's not so great with it either." Jessie added.
Her statement elicited a deep laugh from her father, "Oh believe me, honey, I agree with you one hundred percent on that."
After embracing for a moment longer, Race let go of his daughter and stood. "So, feel better?"
"A little," Jessie answered honestly. She wanted to be with Jonny, she loved him with all her heart, and the first six months of their relationship had been blissful delight. However, as time drew closer to her own high school graduation, Jessie had begun to feel smothered. She needed to be on her own, at least for a while.
Jonny didn't understand when she had told him about going to Europe that she had also meant she needed time away from him, not just her parents. He'd taken the news hard which had only made it worse for Jessie. Jonny was convinced he had done something wrong and his constant questioning of what he could have possibly done grated on Jessie's nerves to the point that she had exploded and ended their relationship.
Three weeks after that incident they had made amends, both verbally and physically, and vowed to work things out. A group of friends had arranged for one last summer vacation blast prior to everyone moving off to start the next chapter of their lives. It was the perfect opportunity for the couple to have some time away from the Quest Compound, away from their parents, and figure out just what was next for them.
Chase Fordham, one of Jonny's friends from their high school baseball team, had suggested the trip. His parents owned a large house on one of the lakes within the park and suggested the teens use it for their vacation.
Coming back to the present, Jessie asked. "So when will you be seeing mom again?"
Estella had left Maine a few days after Jessie's graduation ceremony. She had been commissioned as the site lead on of a recently unearthed city in Poland's countryside. Initial reports from the experts believed the site dated back to before the Bronze Age. Instantly intrigued, Estella had accepted the commission, but had to delay her departure for her daughter's graduation. Knowing the project could last at least a year, Jessie hoped that she'd be able to visit her mother in the fall as part of her own Europe trip. She also hoped that being back at work, doing what she loved, would help clear her mother's mind and help her combat her inner demons.
Two summers ago, one of the worst incidences in her mother's life happened. Men from her past had come back to seek revenge, taking Jessie hostage in order to force Estella to do their dirty work. Estella had attempted, but failed, to kill her friend and Race's former boss, Phil Corbin, in an attempt to save Jessie, but the episode spiraled out of control and led to multiple deaths as Estella was held hostage and tormented at the hands of her captors.
Jessie knew, without having to be told, her mother was seeking professional help and taking medication as she struggled with acceptance of what she had gone through and what she had done. She also knew that Estella's actions had taken their toll on her father. It had strained his professional relationship with his former organization Intelligence One, alienated him from people that were once his closest allies, and even hampered his duties with Doctor Quest as the head of Quest Enterprises' Security. Doctor Quest was more understanding that most, but Jessie recognized that even the world famous scientist was beginning to question her father's ability to continue on as the head of his security; Race's duties to his family, which included Estella and her health and welfare, were conflicting with his duties to Quest Enterprises.
"I don't know," Race rubbed his chin, a nervous habit he had started whenever he thought about his ex-wife. "Doctor Quest has a full schedule this summer, but I'll work something in. Even a short trip to see how the project is going would be nice." What Race neglected to say was that the trip would be more for him to check up on Estella's overall health and mental state rather than the project itself.
Her mother had come to Maine, much to the joy and happiness of her daughter and even Race, but Jessie could also tell that her mother was still suffering. She tried to hide it, but Jessie knew better. She also tried to hide that she was taking heavy anti-anxiety and anti-depression medications, however, Estella was not very good at being secretive. The evening before she departed, Jessie had overheard a bitter argument between her parents. Both adults had flung heated words and vicious insults at one another, unaware that their daughter could hear. Jessie had cried herself to sleep that night and the next day she saw her mother off without giving away the fact that she had heard.
The situation with her parents was just one more reason she needed to get away and travel on her own in Europe. She needed to escape to a place where no one knew who she was or who her family was. A place where she'd be free to contemplate her life's goals and really decide which direction she wanted to go as she moved forward into adulthood.
However before she could go to Europe, she had to try and repair her relationship with Jonny; she owed him that much at least. She loved Jonny, she truly did, but she just wasn't sure if she was prepared to spend the rest of her life with him at the moment.
Shaking the thoughts and memories from her mind, Jessie stood as her father did the same. Grabbing her overstuffed backpack from the floor and slinging it over his shoulder, Race smiled at his little girl, "You okay now, Ponchita?"
"I'm okay, dad," Jessie shot her dad a smile, hoping he hadn't picked up on her being lost in her thoughts.
Her father responded with a gently squeeze on her arm and offered, "Don't worry, Jessie. In the end things always work themselves out."
"Thanks, dad." Jessie smiled. Her only hope was that no matter what decision she made, that it was the right one.
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"I still can't believe your dad let us take this awesome truck." Chase grinned. Seated in the first back seat row, the high school shortstop leaned forward and smacked Jonny, who was seated in the front passenger seat, on the shoulder.
"Well, my dad's a bit of a pushover." Jonny replied.
Grumbling in the driver's seat, Jessie kept her eyes on the road. "No he's not, Jonny. He's treating you like an adult. I have no idea why since you're acting like a total fool."
Jessie felt the blonde's gaze boring into her, but she kept her mouth pursed in a thin line and kept her eyes on the road. She hadn't meant to sound domineering, but Jonny's meathead attitude about his own father bothered her. He was probably just posturing in front of his friends, after all they had all been over to the house countless times and knew Doctor Quest personally, but Jessie still felt it was unfair of Jonny to joke about his dad in such a way.
"Well, either way it's pretty damn sweet." Chase shot back.
Seated next to him was Laurie Smith, his longtime girlfriend and Captain of the girl's soccer team. Laurie currently had her long dark hair pulled back in a ponytail and her attention buried in her phone. "I just hope we get reception at your parents' place, Chase."
"You won't be paying attention to that phone once we get there." Chase said smartly as he ran his hand upward over her bare legs to playfully tease the edges of her workout shorts with his fingers.
Rolling her eyes, Jessie tried not to gag at her companions over the top display of affection.
The last row was occupied by their other friends, Robert Adkins and his girlfriend Angela Reynolds. They took no part in the current conversation as they were too busy groping and making out with each other. Jessie frowned as her friends playful moans and giggles seemed to grow louder with each passing mile; making the twelve hour drive feel even longer.
Jerking a thumb back in their direction, Chase said, "These two know what I'm talking about."
Slapping his muscled arm, Laurie set her phone down and said, "Control your hormones, Chase. You're not as awesome as you think you are."
"That's not what you sad after graduation."Chase countered and received an approving head nod from Jonny.
Laurie, along with Jessie and Robert, had all graduated, which left Jonny, Chase, and Angela behind.
"Ugh," Laurie groaned, but the look on her face betrayed her feinted annoyance; she was all about Chase's attention.
Feeling his eyes examining her, Jessie turned to look at Jonny. She couldn't deny his handsomeness, he'd grown into his looks and his body. Whenever her eyes drank in his perfectly muscled form she felt the sexual ache course through her body. It was that desire that drew her back to him after she had broken off their relationship and it had only taken one kiss to lead to an all night sexual explosion to drive Jessie back into Jonny's arms. Sighing inwardly she knew that the great sex clouded her judgment and prevented her from committing one way or another to staying with Jonny long-term.
"What?" She mouthed, watching his grin widen.
Nodding his head back at the others, he rolled his eyes, but Jessie knew as much as he was teasing his friends for their rambunctious behavior, he was also secretly wishing it was he and Jessie back there getting it on.
If she could have, she would have screamed at him. She hated the idea of feeling like a prude, but she also believed there was a time and place for these things and discussing them while she was driving was not her ideal moment to talk about their sex life. Seeming to get the hint, Jonny huffed then turned back in his seat and dug his own phone out of his pocket.
With a sigh, Jessie whispered his name, but he just shook his head and concentrated on whatever App he was fiddling with. 'Why does this have to be so damn difficult?!' Jessie thought. Flipping her hair back with a flick of her wrist, she went back to focusing on her driving. 'This is going to be a long two weeks.'
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"Why are you giving him such a hard time?" Angela asked as she twisted the cap of her water bottle, watching Jessie eye Jonny and Chase.
Sighing, Jessie rolled her eyes at her friend as they stepped out of the convenient store doors back into the muggy night. They were trying to push through, only having to stop for gas and supplies along the way, and so far they were making great time.
"I'm not giving him a hard time, Ang." Jessie replied, sipping her Slurpee. "We're working through some things, that's all."
"Right," Angela laughed in a way that irritated Jessie.
Walking over to the vehicle, Jessie handed Jonny a plastic bag filled with snacks as the young Quest continued to monitor the gas pump. "Thanks."
"You okay for the next leg?" She asked as Chase and Angela climbed in the back of the SUV.
"I'm fine." Jonny replied evenly.
Jessie looked at him funny. "Did I do something?"
Jonny shook his head, "Nope. You didn't do anything at all, Jessie." Then under his breath he added, "that's the fucking problem."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She sneered back at him with a scrunched up look of hurt on her face.
"Nothing. Forget it." Jonny shrugged. "Man, these pumps are fucking slow."
"No, I won't forget it, Jonny. You make a comment like that and then tell me to forget it then act as if I'm the one with the problem?"
His shoulder's sagging as he sighed, Jonny said, "Sorry, I'm just frustrated. We've only just begun and it seems like you'd rather be anywhere else than with me. If you didn't want to come, you should have said something before we left."
"I'm here, aren't I?. I'm sorry if I want more out of my time with you than watching our friends groping each other the entire time while getting drunk on cheap beer. Are we sophomores again all of a sudden?"
"Well why don't you tell me what you want?" Jonny grumbled. "You're like a zombie, Jess. I don't know what I did to upset you, to make you want to run off to Europe, but you need to tell me."
"Ok, for starters, I'm not running off to Europe. I'll be there a semester, two at the most. And like I've already told you a thousand times, you didn't do anything. I'm working through some things in my own head and I need breathing room to think, that's all. It doesn't mean I don't love you."
Rolling his eyes, Jonny was relieved when the meter snapped off, indicating the tank was fuel. Removing the pump, he placed it back in its base and retrieved his receipt. Turning to look at her, he raised the bag and said, "Thanks for the energy drinks. You should get some rest."
"Jonny," Jessie started as he turned his back to her, letting her know he was done talking for the moment.
"What the hell is my problem?" Jessie growled, making her way to the other side of the vehicle as Jonny slammed the driver's side door.
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"Man, this is your parents' place?" Jonny whistled as he parked the SUV in front of the massive two story house. "Why the hell have we never come here before?"
"Because my parents never wanted us to have free reign of the place. My dad was always saying we'd do nothing but drink and get laid." Chase laughed as the group climbed out of the SUV, the three guys assembling at the hood of the big vehicle.
"You mean exactly what we'll be doing for the next two weeks." Robert grinned as he smacked Chase on the shoulder.
"Well maybe not Quest here." Chase teased. "His balls are already starting to turn blue from what I hear."
"Fuck you, Chase." Jonny shot back.
"Lighten up, man," Chase chuckled. "I mean every guy that's ever tried to get with Jessie Bannon has felt the same frustration. The only difference if you actually managed to hit that, then in classic Quest fashion, fucked it up."
"Seriously, man, back off." Jonny stewed. Friendly ball-busting banter was one thing, but Chase was getting dangerously close to making it a little too personal.
"Leave him alone, Chase." Robert threw in. "Remember Quest here did get us this sweet ride and all the alcohol. That computer system of his sure spit out some pretty convincing fake IDs."
Throwing up his hands, Chase snorted, "Fine, but now that we're here, we've got the ATVs and dirt bikes in the garage as well. My dad said the keys for those and the boat are in the kitchen."
"After twelve plus hours in that truck with you two assholes I'll be happy to be able to venture off on my own." Robert smiled.
Looking at Jonny, Chase went back to the subject of Jessie, "Don't be such a pussy, Jonny. Stand up for yourself with Bannon there or else someone else is going to snatch that chick right out from under you."
Jonny huffed as Chase went unlock the front door. Watching his friend go, he said, "Chase can be a really prick at times."
"He's just jealous. You know he tried getting Jessie to go out with him like how many times over the years?"
"Yeah, even when she and I weren't dating she couldn't stand his arrogant attitude."
"I'm surprised she agreed to come out here knowing he was here." Robert stated.
"Jessie's not intimidated by anyone. She gets that from her old man. If Chase tried something his balls would be crushed halfway up his gut before he knew what hit him. And that would be before I got my hands on him."
Robert laughed, "Come on, let's get the car unloaded. This place is awesome and I want to enjoy some of it before we bust open the brews."
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Gathered on the large deck, overlooking the massive lake and surrounding forest, the group of friends relaxed as evening drew near. Jonny, wearing only board shorts, was stretched out on one of the cushioned benches that encircled half of the deck; back tucked into a corner, legs crossed at the ankles, arm propped up on the railing cradling a beer, Jonny soaked in the last rays of the day's sun.
"Again, Chase, this place is pretty damn nice." Jonny grinned as he took a sip from his beer.
"Hell yeah, man," Robert replied as he down the last of his can's contents then crushed the aluminum cylinder in his fist. Standing he tossed the can into the garbage as he snagged another from the cooler.
"You need to slow down, bud." Jonny said with a nod as Robert popped open the beverage and took a long gulp.
"Who are you, my dad?" Robert joked. "We're not going anywhere tonight and shit this is what we came out here for, right?"
"Angela's going to be pissed at you if you can't get it up later." Chase jeered.
Jonny rolled his eyes at his friends comment with a huff.
"What?" Chase asked in response to Jonny's reaction.
"Is that really all you think about, Chase? Getting your dick serviced?"
"You suddenly turn into a fucking choir boy or something, Quest?" Chase shot back. "If so, I understand, you know since you can't get your girl to give it up anymore."
"Whatever, Chase." Jonny scoffed.
"Give me a go and I'll show ol' Jessie Bannon what a real man is made of."
"Get the fuck over yourself, Chase." Jonny shot back. As much as he wanted to deck his friend for acting like an immature douche, Jonny knew it would only make things worse for the rest of the trip. Rich and good-looking, Chase Fordham was full of himself more so than most and Jonny knew he had to play it cool with his friend in order to enjoy the rest of their stay.
But that also didn't mean he had to hang around and listen to Chase's bullshit all night either. Standing, Jonny said, "You're half in the bag already, Chase. So I'm going to chalk your attitude up to the booze."
"Where you going, Jonny?" Robert asked as Jonny grabbed a few more beers from the cooler and headed down the steps.
"I'm heading down to the pier. Going to go see what Jess is up to."
"Good luck with that." Chase grumbled as he threw back the rest of his own drink.
Keeping his back to his friends, Jonny raised his hand and gave Chase the middle finger. Robert laughed as Chase sneered at Jonny's gesture.
"Let it go, Chase." Robert said. "And lighten up on him. You'd be the same way if it were going through some shit with Laurie and we were over here busting your balls about it."
Cracking open another beer, Jonny made his way down to the pier. The warm grass tickled his bare feet as he moved closer towards the lonely redhead that was seated at the end of the pier. Calm waters lapped gently against the side of the tied-up speedboat, the sounds of peace and nature helping Jonny forget the conversation he'd just had with Chase.
"You're not as stealthy as you think you are, Quest." She didn't turn to face him as she spoke.
"Who says I was trying to be stealthy?" Jonny quipped in response.
"You always try and almost always fail." Jessie replied. Jonny could hear the happiness in her voice and was glad that she seemed approachable at the moment. "My dad would be upset."
"Right now the only Bannon I'm concerned with is the one right here with me." Jonny smiled as he sat down next to her on the edge of the pier, not waiting to be invited. Dangling his feet over the edge, his toes skimmed to top of the cool water. He set the beers down on the opposite side as he rested his other hand quietly on Jessie's knee.
"Really?" Jessie asked, still not turning to look at him.
"Why are you down here all by yourself? Where's Laurie and Angela?"
"They're inside. I wanted to enjoy the fresh air and some alone time, so I slipped out while they were busy going ga-ga over whatever the latest viral video on YouTube is at the moment." With a laugh she added, "I bet they still don't realize I'm gone."
"Do you still want to be alone?"
Sighing Jessie leaned back on her arms and tilted her head back, eyes staring at the sky while her flaming red mane blew in the gentle breeze. "No, its okay, Jonny. I'd like you to stay actually."
"Good," Jonny smiled. "Because I want to stay. But first I want to apologize for being such an asshole to you during the drive."
Jessie laughed, "Don't apologize, Hotshot. I wasn't exactly the queen of niceness, ya know. I'm just a mass of so many conflicting emotions and feelings right now."
"Yeah, but that doesn't give me the right to be a dick."
Jessie snorted in mock hurt, "So you're agreeing that I was a mega ice bitch?"
Shrugging Jonny grinned, "Well I wouldn't say 'mega'."
"Jonny Quest!" Jessie howled with a grin as she playfully punched him in the shoulder. "I'm about to throw you into this lake!"
"I'd like to see you try." Jonny shot back, grabbing Jessie's arms and restraining her in whimsical fun.
"Remember, I'm the Bannon here!" Jessie stated, "You just learn from us."
"I think I've learned enough from Race."
"Oh yeah?" Jessie stopped struggling in his grasp then smiled wickedly. "Did he ever teach you to always be unpredictable?"
"Wha," Jonny's eyes went wide and Jessie twisted her arms, freeing herself from his grasp, then immediately wrapped him up in a bear hug to fling them both off the edge of the pier, splashing into the lake.
Flailing about, Jonny popped his head out of the water, sucking in a lungful of air as Jessie emerged from below the water's surface a few seconds later, her wet hair plastered to the sides of her face that sported an ear to ear grin.
"That wasn't fair." Jonny laughed, as he swam over to her, reaching out and pulling her into his arms as they both treaded water.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she replied "Who said I was going to be fair? You fight to win, not to make the other person happy that it was a fair fight."
Mouths only inches apart, Jonny felt her soft breaths upon his lips. "So does this mean we're okay, Jess?" He whispered as a wave of desire pumped through his veins.
Their lips touched briefly, then a moment later locked completely and as the moment drew on their tongues finally met. Moaning with pleasure, Jonny pushed harder, kissing Jessie with a ferocity that showed his true hunger for the redhead; for his goddess.
Lips finally parting, they gazed into each other's eyes as nature came to a standstill. Jessie's green orbs, two shining gems of emerald brilliance, tore into Jonny's soul as she spoke, "Yeah, I think this means we'll be alright. But let's take it one day at a time, okay?"
"I can live with that." Jonny replied then leaned his head down to kiss her again, a brief taste to satisfy his appetite for her.
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To Be Continued…