Battlefield

by Debbie Kluge

Story 5 in the Jealousy Series. Jonny and Jessie face separation and their own personal fears as Jonny tries to help a young friend.

20. Exorcism

Chapter 20 -- Exorcism

Love is a battlefield.

"Can you hear me?" A soft, insistent voice penetrated the comforting blackness surrounding him. Resentfully, he tried to close it out. Why didn't they just go away? It was pleasant here. He didn't hurt. If they would only leave him alone . . . "Come on, you're close. Can you answer me? What is your name?" What kind of a stupid question was that? Of course he knew what his name was . . . didn't he? "Do you know where you are?" the voice asked. Finally, he forced his eyes open. A woman in a green cap smiled at him encouragingly.

"I hate hospitals," he replied hoarsely. The nurse laughed and retreated.

***

When Jonny regained consciousness again, he was back in his hospital room. It was quiet and dim, with light coming in the slightly open door. He closed his eyes and once again assessed how he felt. Aside from being a bit groggy, he decided he felt pretty good. At least his shoulder didn't hurt at the moment. That was definitely a step in the right direction, although he suspected that the absence of pain was the result of some kind of drug. He certainly felt like he might be drugged. But right at the moment, he didn't care. He relaxed, enjoying finally being free of pain. He must have faded out again, because some time later, a small, muffled sound brought him to awareness again. When he opened his eyes, he was startled by what he saw. Backlit by the light from the hallway was a dark and shapeless shadow. He could discern no details other than it seemed to be surrounded by fire. The burning red dazzled his eyes. The shadow also seemed to be the source of the sounds that had wakened him. He blinked, trying to bring the form into clearer focus. Just as it turned slightly, as if to leave, he saw it was Jessie. Her head was bowed, hair tumbling forward to form a crimson halo as she covered her face with her hands. Light glistened off of the tears that seeped between her fingers, as she continued to cry softly.

Jonny reached out with this good arm and caught one of her hands, pulling it gently away from her face. "Don't cry, Jess," he begged. "It's okay. There's no reason for you to cry."

She dropped her other hand and stared at him out of huge, tear-filled eyes. "Jonny," she whispered softly, as she reached out a hand to touch his cheek. He didn't even think about it . . . he simply caught her hand in his, turned his head, and kissed her palm tenderly. With a soft, incoherent sound, she flung herself down across his chest, buried her face in his good shoulder, and sobbed. He held her tightly, burying his face in her hair, and allowed the sense of her presence to penetrate his soul. Slowly, her sobs began to taper off and her breathing slowed. He shifted to one side slightly, holding her more tightly as the motion caused her to try to pull away.

"Lie down with me," he whispered to her softly. She pulled back slightly and stared at him, startled. "I want to hold you, but this position pulls on my bad shoulder." She gazed at him, undecided. "Please. . . "

"Our dads are gonna be really pissed if they catch us at this," she whispered, as she kicked off her shoes. "Are you sure I won't hurt you?"

"You won't hurt me. And I don't give a damn if they get pissed," he replied, as she climbed into the bed and slid down beside him. She nestled up against Jonny's good side, resting her head on his shoulder as he whispered, "Pull the blanket and sheet up over you . . . you feel so cold."

"I wanted to get here so badly that I forgot my coat on the plane," she explained, tugging the blankets up over her. Jonny's arm slid around her waist, and he pulled her snugly against his body. She sighed contentedly as she relaxed into his warmth.

"Jessie," he whispered. She tilted her head back and looked at him. Moving quickly, he caught her mouth with his, kissing her deeply. Her hand reached up, caressing his face, and sliding up into his hair. They kissed over and over, reassuring themselves of the presence of the other. Finally, Jonny reluctantly pulled back. He didn't want to stop, but he didn't dare keep up like this. The way his body was responding to her touch told him he definitely wasn't hurt that badly! He tightened his arm around her and laid his cheek against her hair, as she settled her head on his shoulder again.

"Where are the others?" he asked.

"Dad and Mom are taking care of the plane, and Dr. Quest and Hadji are out looking for your doctor. The three of us came directly here from the airport. We wanted to see for ourselves that you were all right. Once Dr. Quest had spent some time here with you and reassured himself you were just sleeping, he went to locate Dr. Ramsey to find out exactly how badly you were hurt. He really hated giving the authorization for you to have surgery when he couldn't be here. Particularly after everything else that's happened." Her arm tightened around him briefly. "How bad is it, really?"

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. I'm not hurt nearly as badly as you were." He looked at her, and then kissed her tenderly on the lips again. She returned the kiss hungrily, and for a long time neither of them said anything else. Eventually, she broke the kiss and looked him straight in the eyes. "Jonny, this is wonderful, but we gotta talk."

He sighed. "Yes, we do. And we gotta be totally and completely honest with each other, no matter what. I can't keep up like this, Jess. It's tearing me apart. Dad says I gotta tell you how I feel, no matter what might happen."

"You talked to your dad about us?" she asked in amazement.

"Well, I didn't exactly have a choice. You know how Dad is. I was getting to be a real pain in the butt to live with, and he finally had enough. I can't say I blame him."

Jessie let out a soft snort of amusement. "Two of a kind . . . I talked to my dad about us, too."

Jonny's eyes opened wide. "You did? What did he say?" he asked with trepidation.

"What did you expect him to say? You know he's always been pleased the two of us are a couple."

"Yeah, well . . ."

Jessie shook her head. "We seriously need to talk . . .but not now. I want it to be when we can do it without distractions or interruptions."

"Agreed."

"But there is one thing I've got to say right now, and then we'll let it go until later." Jessie propped herself up on one elbow and looked down at Jonny seriously. "I love you, Jonny Quest. I want you . . . and no one else . . . for the rest of my life."

Jonny stared at her for a long moment, savoring those words. "And I love you, Jess. For now and always. Till death do us part and all that."

Jessie shuddered as she slid down beside him again and put her arm tightly around his waist. "I really appreciate the thought, Jonny, but that pledge hits a little too close to home, just now. Let's just leave it at 'you love me' for the time being, shall we? We can pledge the 'death do us part' a little bit later."

"Oops. Sorry. That was pretty thoughtless. I keep forgetting I'm supposed to be dead."

"Hmmm, you are dead, didn't you know? The TV says you are and it's never wrong."

"Well, then you're sleeping with a dead man."

Jessie laughed softly against his neck, as she nibbled his ear teasingly. "That won't make our dads any less pissed if they find us like this."

"I told you . . . I don't give a damn. Let them be pissed. You're here, and that's all that matters to me." He laughed breathlessly and turned his head toward her. "Stop that!" he hissed, as she laughed softly in his ear. "That's not fair! I want to wait until I have both hands free. And talk about things that would piss our dads off if we got caught!"

"I know." Jessie said contritely. "That wasn't very nice. I'll stop." She settled comfortably against his shoulder again.

"You know I don't really want you to," he whispered hoarsely.

"I know. But that time will come." For a while, neither of them said anything. Finally, in a drowsy whisper, Jessie said, "I'd better get up. I haven't gotten much sleep lately and I'm starting to nod off. You don't want me falling asleep here."

"Why not?"

"I'm liable to hurt your shoulder."

"Bullshit. You're fine right where you are. I don't want you to get up. Why haven't you been sleeping?"

"Dreaming too much."

"Of what?"

"You."

"Hmmm," he said sleepily. She could hear the smiling satisfaction in his voice. "Tell me about them."

"Oh, no," she laughed, yawning. "Not now. If you thought our dads would have been pissed before . . ."

Jonny's laughter mingled with hers. "Like that, huh? What was it you said earlier . . . two of a kind? Well, we'll talk about that later, too. Right now, I'm just happy to lie here and hold you."

"And I'm just happy to have you here to do it." They were both quiet. Weariness overcame them and before long, their deep, even breathing marked their descent into sleep.

***

"I can't thank you enough for everything you've done, Dr. Ramsey. It was very good of you to stay here until I arrived. I know it's very late."

"I was happy to do it, Dr. Quest. And I want to assure you again that the injuries to your son turned out to be less severe than we had feared. Much of the pain and swelling came from inflammation caused by his excessive use after the initial injury. Given time, he will be as good as new."

Benton, Hadji, and Henson all sighed with relief. Before Benton could respond, he heard someone call his name, and he looked up to see Race and Estella striding toward them.

"How is he?" Estella asked breathlessly.

Benton smiled. "He will be fine. He's sleeping now. Jessie is with him."

Race and Estella both looked relieved. "That's good," Race said. "That boy really had me worried this time."

Benton looked back at the doctor. "Do you know how the injury occurred? I have an idea, but none of us know for sure."

Dr. Ramsey began to laugh. "Yes, I know how it happened, but it's such an heroic story that the only one who can do it justice is the Simmons boy. You'll have to ask him."

"Where is Brandon?" Judge Henson demanded.

"I sent him home with my wife to get some sleep." Everyone turned and looked at the newcomer.

After a moment, Judge Henson said sternly, "And who are you?"

"I'm the boy's father," the stranger replied coolly. He turned to Benton Quest and held out his hand. "Charles Simmons. And I owe you a great debt of gratitude for everything you and your son have done for Brandon, Dr. Quest."

Benton shook his hand firmly and smiled. "I was glad to do it. Brandon's a fine boy and my son is very attached to him."

"Charlie, please. And Brandon absolutely worships Jonny. He's obviously devoted a lot of time and effort to my son when he needed it most."

"I kept wondering what Jonny was doing in Denver," Race commented. "Now I understand. He brought Brandon to you, didn't he?"

Charlie nodded. "I guess Jonny heard Alicia threaten him, and decided he couldn't take a chance on the court returning him to her."

"You've got a restraining order against you to prevent you from being around the boy," Henson pointed out.

Charles Simmons stared at the man. "What business is it of yours?"

Benton made the introductions. Then he added, "Don is the judge who was hearing the appeal on the custody case."

Charlie stared hard at the judge for a long minute. "Brandon is my son, and I would never lay a hand on him . . . in anger or any other way . . . regardless of what my ex-wife said. Alicia is good at making people believe whatever she wants them to believe. I can live with that . . . up to a point. But when the price of her mind games is the well-being of my son, all bets are off. He is NOT going back there. I've already contacted an attorney, and started the process to get an injunction to prevent Brandon from being removed from the state."

Henson stared back at Simmons, carefully evaluating the man, before finally shaking his head and smiling slowly. "You won't get any argument from me. There is going to be a lot of legal red-tape to wade through, but I'll help any way I can. There's already a warrant out for Alicia's arrest."

"Thank you," Charlie said, sounding a bit dazed. "But I don't understand . . ."

"Jonny tried to tell me that I needed to contact you, but I wouldn't listen. So for all practical purposes, I precipitated his run from Maine. He had no way of knowing that the man who showed up to get Brandon wasn't a real police officer. We're all lucky he had the foresight to demand a copy of the court order and manage to get rid of him the first time. While it was a rather radical solution, I don't blame him for running to you. All I did was read the transcripts of the divorce and custody hearings. From those, I decided you weren't a fit parent. It wasn't until after the accident that I began to realize Brandon's reaction to the possibility of being returned to her was more violent than the circumstances seemed to warrant. That caused me to look more closely at the custody proceedings. I found that the people that testified against you at the hearings were the same men she brought with her when she tried to break into Quest Compound. It didn't take my law clerk much digging to prove to my satisfaction that all of her accusations against you were false. Between that, attempted kidnapping, conspiracy, breaking and entering, and whatever else I can find, I suspect she is going to jail for a very long time. I intend to do everything in my power to see to it."

Charles Simmons breathed a deep sigh of relief. He reached out and pumped Don Henson's hand vigorously. "Thank you. Thank you very, very much. I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me to finally have my son back."

"I will still want to talk with the boy, you and your wife, and Jonny," Henson warned, "but I don't foresee any problems."

"So where is Jonny?" Race asked.

Benton nodded up the hallway and began leading the group toward the room. "He's in here. He was sleeping peacefully when I left." Benton eased the door open and the entire group stared into the room in astonishment.

"Well, I would say he still is," Hadji said in amusement.

Benton and Race moved swiftly into the room and the others followed. But when they reached the bed, both men stopped. Race and Benton looked from their children to each other and back again. Finally, Benton said, "So, what do we do?"

"I hate to wake her," Race replied reluctantly.

"And I don't think we can get her out of there without waking him," Benton agreed.

Estella said firmly, "Well, all we can do is try. We can't leave them like that."

Race stepped up, and, pulling the sheet back, he carefully disentangled Jessie's leg from Jonny's, and slid his arms under her. As he started to lift her, she stirred and murmured a small sound of protest. Jonny stirred in turn, and his arm tightened around Jessie, drawing her closer to him.

From behind him, Race heard a low chuckle and Hadji said, "He is going to fight you on this, I believe."

Charles Simmons commented, "I take it this is the 'Jessie' that Brandon keeps talking about. He will be glad to know that they appear to have resolved their differences."

Race glared at Hadji. "You could help, you know." Hadji merely laughed again.

"Go away." Jonny's blue eyes blazed as he stared up at the crowd in his room.

"Jonathan!" Benton snapped. "What are you doing?"

"I was sleeping. And keep it down . . . you'll wake her. She was exhausted. I'm comfortable. She's warm and asleep. We're perfectly happy just as we are."

"I'm sure you are," Dr. Ramsey said dryly, "but this isn't exactly according to hospital policy. And I don't think this is the best thing for your shoulder. Why don't you let her father move her to the other bed. I won't object to her staying here, but I don't think I can let it be in the same bed. After all, they are a little small for two people."

Reluctantly, Jonny relaxed his grip so Race could gently lift Jessie and lay her down on the other bed. "Cover her up," Jonny urged him. "She was so cold when she got here." Race and Benton exchanged resigned looks. Leave it to Jonny to be more concerned about Jessie being cold than his own injuries.

"Go back to sleep, son. It's very late. We'll take this up again in the morning."

Jonny shifted slightly, getting more comfortable, as Benton drew the blankets more closely around him. All of them could hear the drowsiness returning to his voice as Jonny replied to his father, "There's nothing to take up in the morning. She loves me and doesn't want anyone else. She said so. That's all that matters."

Benton started to say something, but then thought better of it. Instead, he squeezed his son's good shoulder briefly and smiled. "Just get some sleep, Jonny. Tomorrow is another day."

Jonny's hand reached up and covered his father's. "I'm sorry, Dad . . . for everything . . ."

Benton leaned over abruptly and hugged his son tightly, saying hoarsely, "It's all right, Jonny. You're alive and will be fine. That's all I care about." Jonny returned the hug fiercely. Finally, Benton stood and said, "Get some sleep. We'll see you in the morning." Then he turned and left the room.

Race stood beside the bed and gazed first at his daughter and then at Jonny. Estella moved up beside him and his arm slid around her waist, hugging her to him tightly. He smiled suddenly and caught Jonny's arm in a strong grip. "Glad to have you back with us, Jonny."

Jonny returned the grip firmly, "I'm glad to be here. And Race . . . I do love her . . . more than I know how to say."

"I know you do. And I couldn't ask for better for her."

Estella leaned over and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Sleep well, Jonny."

He smiled and said, "I will." But Jonny's smile dimmed as Race and Estella moved away and he spotted Donald Henson. The judge moved to the side of the bed and looked down at Jonny solemnly.

"Well, Mr. Quest, I am glad to see you in one piece. For a while, we all thought that wasn't going to be possible ever again."

Jonny swallowed hard. "Yes, Sir. I'm very sorry for the trouble."

"I should be very angry with you." Henson sighed. "But it's hard to be angry when you were right all along."

"Sir?" Jonny asked, puzzled.

"I knew you had a better sense for the dynamics between Brandon and his mother than I did. I should have been more willing to listen to your thoughts on the interactions between Brandon and his father, as well. I'm sorry, Son. I think that perhaps I caused a lot of this."

Jonny shook his head. "No, sir. Alicia Simmons caused this. Brandon was fine until she tried to take him away." He looked at Donald Henson with concern. "I'm right, aren't I? You didn't issue any court order to send him back?"

"No, Jonny, I didn't."

Jonny sighed and closed his eyes. "I didn't think so. But I couldn't afford to take the chance . . . not after I heard her threaten him." His eyes snapped open again and he stared at the judge. "You aren't gonna take him away from his dad, are you?"

Henson smiled and patted his shoulder. "I greatly doubt it. But that's not for you to worry about now. Just rest and we'll resolve the details later."

Jonny nodded and said, "Thanks." Henson turned and followed Charles Simmons out the doorway, leaving only Hadji still standing in the room.

"Hadji," Benton called softly from the doorway, "are you coming?"

Hadji shook his head. "No. I believe I will stay for awhile. Go on ahead and I will join you later."

"All right. But don't be too long. You're running short on sleep, too."

"I will be along soon . . . Father."

Benton's eyes widened in astonishment, the use of the term registering for the first time. Slowly, a smile formed on his face as he gazed at his eldest son. Finally, he nodded and said, "All right, Son. Just don't be long," and left with the others.

Hadji sighed and settled wearily down into a chair between the two beds. Then he looked at Jonny and smiled. "I am glad to see you alive and well, my friend."

"Wha--, 'FATHER'?" Jonny looked at him in stunned amazement. "That is what you said, isn't it? When did you start that?"

"When I had the chance to sit down and realize everything I have in this life," Hadji replied calmly. "It is about time, don't you agree?"

Jonny grinned, delighted. "Hey, I'm just glad you finally got around to it!"

Hadji nodded, grinning. "So am I. And as I said, I am glad to see you in one piece."

Jonny laughed. "I'm glad to be here." He sobered suddenly as he continued, "It was a close one, Hadj . . . closer than I ever want to come again."

"I can certainly believe that." He was quiet for a minute, then nodded toward the other bed. "So have you resolved your differences with Jessie?"

Jonny shifted slightly so he could see her, and smiled suddenly when he saw her green eyes gazing back at him contentedly. "Hi, Hadji," she said softly. Hadji reached out and briefly squeezed the hand that she held out to him.

"Yeah," Jonny replied. "There's still a lot to be said between us, but we both know the bottom line. We'll work it out."

"That is good. The two of you were meant to be together."

"How about you, Hadji?" Jonny asked. "Did you get your problem solved?"

Jessie propped herself up on an elbow and stared at Hadji in concern. "You got a problem, Hadji?"

The young man looked at his two best friends and a slow, contented smile began to form on his face. "Not any longer. Do you remember how you used to call us 'The Three Musketeers', Jonny?" Both of them nodded. "Do you suppose there is room for a fourth?"

The two of them gazed at him for a minute before Jonny began to grin. "Let me guess. You've found the love of your life, Hadj?" Hadji nodded, still grinning.

"Hadji!" Jessie exclaimed, sitting up. "Who is she? Where did you meet her?"

"When do we get to meet her? And what the hell's her name?" Jonny demanded.

"Does this mean your mother won't try to matchmake between the two of us any more?" Jessie added with a grimace.

Hadji laughed at the rapid-fire questions. "No more matchmaking. I put a stop to it, I promise. Her name is Kefira Subramanian, and we are unofficially betrothed. You will get to meet her in January when she comes to stay for awhile. And where and how I met her is a story for another time. Father will be upset with me if I don't let you sleep."

"That's not fair!" Jonny protested. "You can't drop something like that on us and then not give us details."

"Yeah," Jessie agreed. "Come on. Give."

"Not now," Hadji replied firmly.

"Do you at least have a picture?" Jonny asked.

"A picture?" Hadji looked at them blankly.

"Man, you are just no good at this at all." Jonny said in disgust. "And after all the pictures you've taken for Jess and I, too!"

"Sorry," Hadji said contritely. "I did not even think about it."

"Well, what good are you then?" Jessie asked with a grin.

"With that, my friends, I am going to leave so that both of you can get some sleep." He grinned at them from the doorway. "And I would recommend you do it in separate beds if you know what is good for you." They both laughed and waved as he left.

***

Race came instantly awake, as he always did, and lay, quietly evaluating his surroundings. It was morning . . . but early. Estella was already up, and he could hear her moving around in the bathroom. That must have been what woke him, he decided. He stretched luxuriously, enjoying the peace and quiet. It was Friday morning, and Jonny was due to be released from the hospital today. Arrangements had been made to transfer his records to an orthopedic surgeon in Augusta, with Barbara Mason, their family physician, handling his day-to-day care. It was a good thing the hospital was finally letting him go, Race thought with amusement. Jonny was going stir crazy. The only thing that had kept him in place were Jessie, Hadji and Benton's watchful eyes. Once he was released, they would head home. It would be good to get back to the Compound. Maybe, then, life could return to normal . . . or at least as normal as life ever got for this family.

Race rolled over and peered at the clock. Six a.m. He frowned, wondering why Estella was up so early. She was an early riser on digs, but she rarely got up before 8:00 a.m. when she wasn't excavating.

"Stel, are you okay?"

Just as he called, she turned out the light and came out of the bathroom. Without answering, she crossed to the bed, sat down on the edge, and gazed at her hands, which rested in her lap.

Alarmed, he sat up and said, "Estella, what is it?"

Without a word, she turned and handed him the small plastic indicator she was holding. He contemplated it, as its meaning became clear. Gently, he set it on the bedside table and took her into his arms. They sat that way for a long time. Finally, Race reached down and turned her face up so she had to look at him.

"Are you sorry, Stel?" he asked her softly.

She looked at him silently, searching her heart. She loved this man . . . she always had. She knew that now. And having him back in her life these past weeks had been wonderful. They had worked together as a team in a way they had never done before. She couldn't imagine being without him again. She had not wanted another child . . . had been horrified when she first came to suspect she was pregnant again. But the more she had considered it, the more excited and joyful she had become. Now the results were in front of her and she knew for sure. So, was she sorry about it?

Suddenly, she felt her throat close up and her eyes misted over with tears. "Yes," she choked. "Yes, I am sorry. I wanted this child . . . the baby . . . I thought . . ." She lowered her face into her hands and cried, as though a part of her had been lost forever.

Race held her close, stroking her hair, rocking her gently, and making soft, soothing noises. He understood what she was feeling. All the problems aside, he knew that he had wanted the child they thought she had been carrying. To find out that they had been wrong . . . that she was not pregnant . . . was a blow to both of them.

"It's all right, Stel. Don't cry. This just wasn't meant to be. At least, not right now."

Slowly she raised her head and looked at him. "I don't understand."

He smiled at her. "You said you're sorry you aren't pregnant. Well, so am I. I wanted this baby, too. So . . . why can't we try for another child? I love you. I always have. Can we try to build a life together again . . . with a home and maybe another child? I missed so much the first time . . . time with you, watching Jessie grow up . . . I'd like another chance."

"But how . . ."

He laid his fingers across her lips. "'How' is only important if the answer to the first question is 'yes'. If you want to try again, then we will find a way to make it work."

She searched his face, looking for the man she had met in Paris, so many years ago. As she looked into his eyes, she saw that man reflected there. But that was not all she saw. This man was older and wiser . . . a man who had made peace with his past and now looked to the future. She asked herself if she had grown as much as he had. Had they both changed enough to build a life together? The answer came almost immediately.

"I can't lose you again," she said simply. "We have to try. You're right . . . the 'how' will come with the commitment to each other."

"And we will make it work," he repeated. Race caught her in his arms and kissed her deeply. He didn't think he could ever remember being happier than he was right now.

***

Jonny sat on the edge of the bed, fidgeting. Everyone but Judge Henson was there, waiting for his official release from the hospital.

"What's taking them so long?" he demanded.

His father laughed. "Be patient, Jonny. It won't be much longer."

"Yeah, yeah . . ." he grumbled. He glanced over at the occupant of the chair next to the bed. Brandon sat silently, looking glum. Jonny reached out and ruffled his hair. "Hey, Sport, what's up? You're too quiet."

Brandon shrugged. "Nothin'."

"Don't give me that. I know better. What's wrong?"

The boy hung his head and said, "I don't want you to leave."

"Hey!" Jonny reached down with his good arm and caught Brandon's shoulder. "Come here . . ." Brandon rose and climbed up on the bed. Jonny put his arm around the boy's shoulders and said, "You know that anytime you need me or want to talk to me, all you have to do is call. And you can come and stay with us anytime you want."

"But you'll be so far away."

Jessie sat down on Brandon's other side, and put her arm around him, as well. "We'll also come see you regularly."

Brandon looked from one to the other. "Will you really?"

"Of course we will." Jonny assured him.

Donald Henson suddenly strode into the room. He looked grave as he moved the chair and sat down in front of Brandon. Looking at the boy steadily, he said gently, "Brandon, the police have found your mother. But there was a problem . . . " He reached out and took the boy's hand. "I'm sorry, Brandon. She was killed."

A stark silence followed his announcement, as everyone in the room absorbed the news. Finally, Charles Simmons swore softly and moved toward his son. "How?"

Henson shook his head in disgust, and leaned back in the chair. "It was the stupid louts she hired for the scam to kidnap Brandon. They were drinking buddies of Cason's . . . that was his real name, by the way . . . David Cason."

"That was the name of Mom's boyfriend," Brandon said numbly. "She always called him Dave. Mom never let me hang around when he was over . . . I guess I didn't recognize him in the uniform that day at Jonny's house."

Henson nodded. "Evidently, when they found there were warrants out for their arrest, they convinced Cason that Alicia would pin the attempted kidnapping on them. So they ran, and it looks like they took her along as a hostage. They headed for Mexico and got as far as the border crossing in El Paso, where they were spotted by police. When the cops closed in, the idiots turned it into a shoot-out." He sighed deeply. "Alicia was caught in the crossfire. She was dead by the time the officers could reach her. I'm sorry, Brandon."

The boy sat silently with his head bowed, staring at his lap. When he finally raised his head, they all saw he was crying. Charles made a small sound and started to move toward his son, but Benton stopped him with a hand and a quick shake of his head. "Wait," he mouthed silently.

Jonny slid his injured arm out of the sling and caught Brandon in both arms, pulling him into his lap. He held the boy tightly and rocked him gently. "I know, Brandon. It's all right. It will be okay. I promise."

"I . . . I . . . I don't . . . I didn't mean . . ." he cried.

"What didn't you mean?" Jonny asked gently.

They could barely understand Brandon, as he tried to speak between sobs, "I didn't . . . really . . . I didn't . . . want . . . I wished . . . her . . . dead . . . but I . . . didn't mean . . . it."

"Oh, Brandon, of course you didn't!" Jessie exclaimed, laying a hand on his leg.

Jonny hugged the boy and said, "I understood what you meant. You didn't want her to die. You loved her. Through it all, you've always loved her. Not being able to live with her didn't change those feelings. And it doesn't make her death any easier." Jonny watched as the boy tried desperately to suppress the tears that threatened to flow. "It's all right to cry, Brandon, really it is. I cried for days when my mom died. And it won't always hurt like this. I promise it won't."

"I never . . . understood . . . why . . . she . . . hated me," he gasped.

Charles Simmons finally came forward to take Brandon from Jonny. Holding his son tightly, he said, "Brandon, I've never understood why she changed. But I do know that she loved you very much when you were born, and she was very, very happy for a long time. And I honestly don't believe that the change in her had anything at all to do with you."

Slowly, Brandon's sobs tapered off until he was quiet. Charles lowered the boy to the floor and knelt in front of him. "I know you don't want your mother to be gone, but you're back with me now, and I'll never let anyone take you away again."

Sue Simmons joined her husband. Kneeling in front of Brandon, she smiled at the boy and laid a hand on the side of his face. "And I am very glad you're finally with us. Your father missed you so much, and I've hoped for a long time that the day would come when you would be part of our family."

"You mean you want me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Oh, Brandon, of course I do!" As though afraid of what might happen, Brandon tentatively reached out and hugged the woman, who returned the embrace firmly.

Charles reached out and put an arm around his son again. Turning to Benton and Jonny, he said, "I think we're going to go home. I want to thank you again for everything you've done for my son. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if the two of you hadn't stepped in on his behalf."

Jonny smiled. "It's what friends are for. Right, Brandon?" The boy turned his head and looked at Jonny, then shrugged out of his father's grasp. He went over to his coat, which lay in the corner, and pulled a book from beneath it. Walking slowly back to Jonny, he held it out to the young man.

"I brought this today. I knew you would want it back." He looked at the album sadly. "I don't think I'll ever be able to have anything like this. I wish I could." He handed the album to Jonny.

Jonny took it, looking at Brandon thoughtfully. "Come here for a minute." He patted the bed, and the boy climbed up and sat beside him. "Did you look through all of this book?" The boy nodded. "Did you read everything that's in here?"

"No," the boy whispered.

"Brandon, I was six years old when my mother died, but I didn't make this until I was eleven. It took me almost five years before I could do it. I want you to read something." He opened the album and flipped to the last page, then handed it back to the boy. "Read it, Brandon . . . out loud."

Brandon took the book and slowly began to read,

Dear Mom,

I know it's been a long time since I've written, but since I know you're watching over Dad and me, you'll know we've been really busy. But I wanted to write to you today.

Five years ago today you had to leave us. I missed you so much, then. And I didn't understand why you had to die. I guess I still don't.

But I want you to know that I'm okay. I still miss you, but Dad and I are doing pretty good. I've told you about Race and Hadji. They're part of our family now. And a couple of years ago Race's daughter, Jessie, started spending time with us. You would like her, Mom. She's smart and funny and stands up for herself. Dad says she's a lot like you. She's really cool. I like her a lot. She's part of the family now, too.

Dad told me once that, one day, I would forget all of the bad things, and that I would only remember the good ones. I guess that must have happened, because I can't seem to remember any bad times when you were with us. But now I'm afraid that I'll forget the good ones, too. So I'm gonna make a book. I'm gonna put all the important stuff about you that I can find in it so I'll never forget.

Well, I guess that's all I wanted to say. Except, that I still miss you and I wish you were here. I love you.

Jonny

Dead silence followed, as Brandon's voice died away. Finally, Jonny said softly, "I think the day will come, Brandon, when you will remember the good things. It will just take some time. But you still have your dad, just like I did. And you've got a new family, too. Just like I did." Jonny reached out and tipped the boy's head up until Brandon had to look at him. "You're a survivor and I know you'll be all right. We're a lot alike, Brandon . . . just like brothers. And you'll make it . . . just like I did."

Brandon looked at him for a minute, then reached out and hugged Jonny tightly. "I'm gonna miss you," he said mournfully.

"I'll miss you too, Sport. But I'm always as close as a phone call. And Dad and I want to give you a present."

The boy pulled back and looked at Jonny, startled. "What kind of present?"

"We're gonna get you a computer. It will have all the software you need, and you'll have your own e-mail address on the Quest mainframe with unlimited access to IRIS. Your dad has already said it's okay. There's only two strings attached. One, you have to continue to work with Jessie, Hadji and I so you keep learning about computers; and two, you have to teach your new brother and sister how to use it, and share it with them. Deal?"

A slow smile began to form on Brandon's face. "Deal."

Jonny hugged the boy again. Then Brandon turned and hugged Jessie, clinging to her for a long time. "I wish I could have spent more time with you, too."

Jessie held the boy tightly, and everyone in the room could see unshed tears in her eyes. "I wish I could have been here with you, too. I've missed you, Brandon." She released him, then brushed his bangs back from his eyes. "But we'll talk on IRC, I promise, and we'll see each other again soon."

He looked at her and asked hesitantly, "Are you and Jonny okay now? I mean, really?"

Jessie raised her eyes to gaze at the young man sitting on the bed with them, then graced them with a smile that shone like sunshine breaking through dark clouds. "Yes, Brandon. We're just fine." She reached a hand out to Jonny and he caught it in his, smiling back at her.

"And we always will be," he added.

Brandon sighed and smiled again. "Then everything really is okay." He looked from Jessie to Jonny and finally said, "I guess I had better go."

Jonny helped him slide to the floor. "I'll talk to you soon, okay?"

"Okay. I'll call you after you get home. And Jonny . . ."

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from cliffs."

Jonny laughed. "I will, if you will." His smile was wistful as he watched Brandon and his parents leave. Jessie slid over next to him on the bed, put her arms around him, and kissed him soundly.

He returned her kiss, a bit startled, then asked quizzically, "What was that for?"

"Just because . . . You're pretty special, you know that?"

He laughed, embarrassed. "If you say so . . ."

"Well, Mr. Quest, are you ready to go?" Dr. Ramsey asked, striding into the room.

"I'll say! Does that mean I can leave now?" He stood up, surreptitiously sliding his arm back into the sling hanging from his neck.

"You are out of here . . ."

***

On a brilliant, clear morning about two weeks later, Jonny stood gazing out of his bedroom window at a fairy tale landscape. It had snowed the night before, leaving a fresh white blanket over everything. The storm clouds of the night before had cleared, and the day had dawned fresh and bright. The temperature was in the mid-twenties with only a trace of a breeze. At the top of a tree, not far from Jonny's window, sat a cardinal, singing cheerfully. His brilliant red plumage made a striking contrast against the white backdrop.

Jonny stood there for a long time, working up his courage. Finally, he turned away from the idyllic scene and moved toward the door. His father and Hadji were in the lighthouse working on a project that would keep them busy most of the day. Estella was in New York at a meeting with the backers of her Colombian dig, and Race was in the office downstairs arguing with a supplier over the delivery of some specialized piece of equipment. Once he was finished with that, Race was to do the Compound maintenance check and then fly down to New York to join Estella. Everyone was busy and would be for quite awhile.

No time like the present, Quest, he urged himself. Do it now, before you chicken out again. He walked down the hall and, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, he knocked on Jessie's door.

"Come in."

He opened the door and stuck his head into the room. "Hi. You busy?"

She leaned back from her desk and stretched, smiling at him. "Not really. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me. It's a beautiful morning and I have something I've been wanting to show you."

"Sure. I'd like that," she replied, standing up. "You ready now?"

"Yeah. Let me grab some stuff, and I'm all set."

Jessie followed him back to his room where he picked up a backpack, and then the two of them went downstairs. They pulled on coats, hats and gloves, then Jessie took the backpack from him and settled it across her shoulders. When he gave her a look, she commented, "You don't need to be carrying this yet." They left through the kitchen, stopping to tell Mrs. Evans that they were going out and would be back later. The last thing Jonny did was drop a flashlight into his pocket as they went out the door.

For a while, they strode along at a leisurely pace in companionable silence, just enjoying their surroundings. Finally, Jessie asked, "So, where are we going?"

"Down near the beach on the far edge of the property. There's a place I want to show you . . . it's a place Hadji and I found a long time ago."

"Okay," she replied easily. It was obvious he had something on his mind, but she was willing to let him take his time.

They walked on a little longer. Finally, he said, "You know, we never had that talk."

"No, we never did. It seems like we've never had the chance to be alone."

"It's probably time, don't you think?"

"Yes, I think it is." They walked in silence for a while longer. Finally, Jessie laughed ruefully, "Easier said than done, isn't it?"

"I don't even know where to start," Jonny said in frustration.

"Well, what are you thinking right now?"

"About how crazy I am about you . . ."

After a moment, she prompted, "And . . ."

He sighed, " . . . and how unbelievable it is that you could be interested in me. I mean, you could have any guy you wanted. I just don't understand . . . why would you pick me?"

Jessie stopped dead, staring at him in astonishment. "What do you mean, 'why would I pick you'? You're the only guy I've ever wanted. How could you think differently?"

"Oh, come on, Jess," he said, turning to face her. "Let's get real, here. I'm not as smart as you are, I have this really bad habit of going off without thinking things through first, I'm forever in trouble for something, I don't apply myself the way I should, and that's just the stuff I can think of off the top of my head." He turned and began to walk away, saying dejectedly, "I'm just not good enough for you."

Jessie stared after him, speechless. Finally, she ran after him and caught his arm, forcing him to turn and look at her again. "This is crazy!" she exclaimed. "For one thing, I'm not smarter than you are. I'm better at some stuff, just like you're better at others. And as far as running off and being in trouble is concerned . . . well, as far as I can tell, what gets you into trouble is that you think with your heart instead of your head. You have an incredible sensitivity for people and you hate to see anyone hurting. You always go out of your way to help everyone, even strangers. You always think of others first, and you don't worry about yourself, even when you should. That's so incredibly rare. And as for not being good enough, that . . . that's just plain stupid!" she finished hotly. She fell silent, and Jonny waited, wondering if he had really made her angry. He hadn't intended to . . . he was only trying to be honest. Finally, she continued, "You know, when my dad told me about what happened in Cairo, at first I thought he was lying to try to make me feel better."

"He told you about Cairo? He promised he wouldn't!" Jonny said, getting half-angry himself. "There was no reason for you to know about that."

"He had to tell me, Jonny. Because, you see, in my own mind, I had decided that I knew what had happened. I thought you had tried to save Francesca. I believed you still cared for her." She overrode his protest. "When he told me you had tried to kill her, I didn't believe him. I couldn't believe you would ever be capable of doing something like that."

Jonny pulled off his gloves and laid a hand gently on her cheek. "Everyone has their breaking point, Jess. She had hurt you so badly . . . I thought you were dead . . . nothing seemed to matter any more. And I blamed myself . . . I still do. If I hadn't been so gullible and let her completely dazzle me, none of that would have happened."

"You don't know that," she objected.

"Yes, I do. She used me to get to my father's work, and you were the one who paid the price." He smiled bitterly. "It seems like everyone but me pays for my stupidity."

Jessie looked at him soberly. Finally, she waved her hand at his shoulder and said quietly, "No, you just pay the price for trying to help other people."

Jonny didn't appear to have heard her. He was remembering that dark night in Cairo. "I'd never known what it felt like to want revenge before . . . not really. But when I thought she had killed you, all I could think of was to make her pay. I was so full of anger and grief I think maybe I went crazy."

"But don't you see, Jonny, that's just the point! It takes so much to drive you to that point." She hung her head and whispered, "I don't have your tolerance. It seems like I'm automatically suspicious and ready to believe the worst of anyone I meet."

"That's not it, Jessie. You're very defensive of the people you care about . . . just like Race. And you have the ability to spot deception much more readily than I do. Part of the reason I get into trouble is because I don't always recognize when people are using me. Just like when I didn't see Francesca for what she really was, and you did."

Jessie turned away from him. "Yeah, Francesca."

"What?" he exclaimed, grabbing her arm.

"Nothing."

"No!" he said sharply. "We said 'honest' this time. No holds barred and nothing held back. You have to tell me what's bothering you. If you can't talk to me, how are we ever gonna make our relationship last?"

She stood looking at him for a long time, not saying anything. Eventually, she began, "Before Francesca, I was just 'me' . . . Jessie Bannon. I studied, I learned, I did the things I enjoyed. I never thought much about myself . . . I mean, how I looked or being attractive to guys or how to 'get' one. I remember, I used to listen to the other girls talk about stuff like that and I thought it was stupid." She shrugged. "I guess I just always knew that I wanted you. As long as you showed no interest in anyone else and were spending your time with me, I didn't have to think about it."

She stopped and glanced at him quickly. He was staring at her attentively, listening closely to every word. She sighed deeply and continued, choosing her words with difficulty. "But then Francesca came along. And she was something completely different . . . picture perfect . . . gorgeous figure, perfect complexion, beautiful eyes, hair to die for, petite, feminine, always beautifully dressed . . . absolutely stunning . . . everything that I wasn't." Jonny started to interrupt, but Jessie shook her head, silencing him. "No, it's true. I know we've talked about this before, and you've insisted that it isn't true, but, Jonny, it is. And I'll give myself this much credit . . . at least I can admit it. I will also admit that I was jealous of her in a way I never thought would ever be possible. Whenever I was around her, I felt like an oaf, and I hated it . . . and her. Every guy in school literally fell over themselves whenever she was around . . . including you. Even that wouldn't have been so bad, but it was you she wanted. One smile and you were gone.

"When that happened, I was forced to take a good, hard look at myself in the mirror. And do you know what I saw? A lackluster slob who was so far outclassed that she didn't stand a chance. You said I didn't trust Francesca because I sensed she threatened people I care about, but that's not true. I went looking for something wrong with her . . . because I couldn't compete with her on her own terms. One of the girls at school said it best. I just don't know how to be a girl."

Jonny stood, looking down at her, and ruefully thought of how their own private insecurities had conspired to make them miserable. Neither of them had been prepared to be honest with the other about their feelings. Both of them had made assumptions and misinterpreted things, until their entire relationship had become so tangled and confused that it had almost self-destructed. His father had been right, after all. The best thing you can give to someone you care about is honesty and a willingness to talk openly about any problem.

He caught her face in both of his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. "Jessica Bannon, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever known. You talk about Francesca being so gorgeous, but, you know, she's not. She's . . ." he hunted for the right word " . . . pretty." He thought about it, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess 'pretty' is the best description. I'll give her that much. But in my mind, there's a really big difference between pretty and beautiful. A beautiful girl has a lot more than just a pretty face and a nice body. She also has intelligence and wit and a caring nature. Francesca was boring, Jessie. It was spending time with her that made me realize how much I wanted to be with you. I knew long before Francesca and her father broke into the Compound that I could never stay interested in her for long. I wanted you. And that will never change, Jess." He stopped briefly and just looked at her. Finally, he said, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be with you for as long as you're willing to have me."

She stepped forward and put her arms around him. In a soft, choked voice she replied, "Then you're gonna have to be around for a really long time, because I love you very much and I'll never want you to leave." And drawing his head down to her, she kissed him deeply.

It was a long time before they separated again. When they finally did, he whispered softly in her ear, "I love you, too, Jessie. Now and always." Then he tucked her against his side, and they continued on toward the beach, arm in arm.

Finally, as they began to hear the sound of the surf, Jonny stopped and released her. "Here we are," he commented, and, taking her hand, he led her into the main cave. She looked around in fascination.

"This is really cool! You said this was where you and Hadji used to play?"

"Yeah. We found it the first summer we moved here. But you haven't seen the best part yet." He grinned at her. "You ready for a climb?"

She grinned back as he pulled the flashlight out of his pocket. "Lead the way, my love. 'Whither thou goest' and all of that . . ."

He laughed and took her hand again. "I love the sound of that."

Together, they moved to the back of the cave and slipped through the well-disguised opening, then began the long ascent to the lookout cave. When they finally reached it, Jonny moved quickly to light the oil lamp, and then reached for the backpack Jessie still carried. As she watched, he opened it, and took out a heavy bundle of brown wool, a folded blanket, and the album Brandon had given him. He took the album, wrapped it lovingly in oilcloth, and then slid it into a heavy canvas bag, which he cinched closed tightly. Then he moved to a shadowed corner of the chamber, and Jessie saw the trunk. Jonny opened it and placed the three items inside. When he straightened, he looked around the chamber fondly and said, "This is where Hadji and I used to play. It was our secret place . . . where we could keep special things and know they would be safe. Dad and Race never knew about it. By the time you started staying with us, we weren't coming here as much. Dad had the early versions of Questworld running by then, and it seemed to lose some of its glamour. It had probably been three or four years since I'd last been here, before I came with Brandon."

"What made you bring him here?" she asked.

He smiled. "This is how we got off the cliff after we fell."

"I don't understand."

"Come here." Taking her hand, he led her down the corridor to the ledge. They came out of the dimness of the cave into the brilliant morning. Sunshine reflected off of the rolling swells, the sky was a deep, cloudless blue, and the view seemed to go on forever.

"Oh, Jonny," Jessie breathed. She walked to the edge, where the jagged, tooth-like rocks formed a kind of a wall. As she looked out toward the horizon, she finally realized the significance of this trip. This place was a part of the private side of Jonny Quest . . . the side he didn't share with anyone. Not even his own father. Just as that letter Brandon had read in the hospital had been. And the album. And the other items he had brought back here. By bringing her here, he was offering her that part of himself.

He came up behind her quietly and put his arms around her. "I've always loved this view," he said.

She leaned her head back against his chest, and nuzzled his face gently as he dropped his head to hers. "I love this whole place . . . it's incredible. Thank you for sharing this with me."

"Thank you for coming with me," he replied. He turned her in his arms, and just before he kissed her again, he whispered, "Now and forever, Jessie."

"Now and forever," she agreed.