Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest or related characters.
"Estella, have you seen my jacket?" Race asked pretending not to see the leather jacket inching across the floor. He also pretended not to hear the giggles coming from underneath said jacket.
"No, I haven't." Estella called from the kitchen.
"Huh. I could've sworn I left it right here." Race muttered looking at the chair he'd tossed the jacket onto when he'd gotten home. There had been no missions today, but there had been a meeting. Ugh, meetings tended to be so boring but at least they had more of a chance of being interesting than reports did. He smirked as he glanced at the jacket disappearing around the corner.
He followed, moving slowly and silently. Like a hunter stalking its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. Suddenly the jacket - that had been moving swiftly, albeit clumsily, down the hall - froze. A little girl with her mother's beautiful emerald eyes poked her head out from under the jacket. She turned and saw him, a surprised gasp escaping the two-year-old (who would be three soon). Like a turtle retreating into it's shell she hid under the jacket, remaining completely still.
Right, because if he couldn't see her then he didn't know she was there.
"Huh. I could've sworn I saw somethin'." Race murmured, playing along even as he crept closer. He knelt and grabbed the jacket by the collar and slowly lifted it up.
"Rawr!" Jessie leaped out from underneath, cannoning into him. Even though he'd been expecting it, Race acted surprised and fell onto his back. "Got you, Daddy!" The two-year-old chirped triumphantly.
"Yes, you did, Little One." Race chuckled.
The memory faded, leaving Jessie curled up in the arm chair with her father's leather jacket wrapped around her like a blanket. Her tired eyes looked at the clock, it was almost two am.
I-One had sent Race out on a mission that was supposed to have been a quick - though vital - one. It had a few weeks now and he still had yet to come home. He'd called earlier that day - much to everyone's relief - to say he'd be home that night. It was already two hours into the next morning and he still had yet to get home.
Had something gone wrong? Was he not coming home tonight/this morning? Was he just caught in traffic? Was he alright? All these questions whirled through Jessie's mind, keeping the fourteen-year-old from falling asleep. She pulled the jacket closer to her, hoping her dad would be home soon.
Someone was there. Someone was picking her up. She shivered slightly as the jacket fell away and her eyes shot open. Who was it? Who was there.
"Shh, it's just me, Panchita." Her father's voice murmured as he carried her down the hall, towards the stairs.
"Dad." Jessie mumbled, glad he was home safe and sound. Resting her head against his shoulder, she said ,"I thought something happened..."
"Sorry." Race murmured, "I got held up at HQ."
"Why?" Jessie looked up at him.
"Don't worry about it Jess. I can tell you later." He answered as he entered her room.
"Okay." At the moment she was too tired to ask any other questioned. Her dad set her on her bed as she began to drift off again. She barely registered him tucking the blanket around her. "Love you, Dad." She mumbled as he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"I love you too, Jessie." Her father's reply was the last thing she heard before she fell asleep.