Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest.

I do own my original characters and they cannot be used without my permission, nor can my story be reproduced or used without my say so.

Chapter Five




Maria was used to being the 'new girl'. Ever since her dad took a new job position at the main office ten years ago that required the family to move every year. Since she was five they've been moving her and her twin brother Zack from one town to the next with him. It was strange that they were back where they started. They were right back in Rockport Maine. Her dad had excepted the new job because the moving would take them away from any reminder of the incident.

Maria started towards the front door when she lifted her jacket from the hanger and almost had a questionably long piece of wood drop on her toes. She picked it up carefully and noticed for the first time there was a dent at the end of it.

Has that always been there? She leaned it up against the wall and slid her leather jacket on. You'd have to hit something awfully hard to put a dent in it like that. Something. . . or someone.

" Oh God!" She clutched her heart and slowly regained her composure. " Zack! You scared the hell out of me!"

" Sorry," Zack looked from her to the wooden stick. " What are you doing?"

" Nothing," Maria nervously straightened her jacket and combed her hair with her fingers. Why was he standing there so quietly just watching me?

" I'm leaving for school now," Maria eyed her twin casually as she rested a hand on the doorknob. Zack was so hard to read. " Have you reconsidered going to the party with me tonight? I think you would like Claire."

" No. You know why so don't ask me again." His eyes were the same color as hers . . . the same color as their mother's blue-green and just as sad.

Maria looked down and pretended to be interested in the pattern on the carpet until she was sure Zack was gone. She slowly stepped out into the cool morning air and started walking.

The memory of her mother was fading. Her mother was fading because she had walked out on them years ago. She left because of the incident. The incident, that forever separated them from the rest of the world.

No, it was worse then that. It separated them from each other. It separated her from Zack. Twins shouldn't have a distance between them, even if they are boy and girl.

It was the incident.

It was the forbidden discussion. The hushed whisper at relatives house on holidays and the reason they received sympathetic glances from strangers on the street because the incident had been in the news ten years ago. Being on the ten o'clock news had burned into everyone's memories the night Maria's oldest brother, Thomas, shot himself in the head. That's what the news reported.

As Maria walked to school, she realized it was she was still burning today.



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" I wonder if Michael will show up today or if he'll take this opportunity to skip town before he's next?" Jessie thought out-loud as she and Jonny walked towards school.

" I don't know." Jonny wearily replied. He hadn't slept last night at all. When his alarm went off this morning, he thought it was a phone ringing and he waited for his dad or Race to get it.

" I'm worried about Claire." Jessie took a deep breath and looked to her side. She wanted to make sure Jonny was paying attention to what she was about to say.

" What about her?" He asked as he lifted his blond head up. Jessie had her thick red hair up in a ponytail leaving her neck exposed. He tried not to stare at her but he kept finding himself looking at her. The flawless pale skin that melted over her collarbone and on down until it disappeared under her black top. He wouldn't allow himself to look beyond that point.

" When she called she was rambling on about her party she'd just plan because she found out her mom was going to be out of town. Like when she got home she found out her mother was going out." Jessie stopped and adjusted her book bag.

" What about it?" Jonny's blue eyes glanced at her.

" She said in her phone call that she had invited the new girl during one of their classes together." Jessie waited patiently for the pieces to connect.

" So," Jonny tilted his head and watched Jessie grow more impatient with him. Why can't girls just get to the point? " Does the new girl bother you that much?"

" Jonny," Jessie rolled her eyes and shifted her book bag to her other shoulder to ease up the tension in her back. " If Claire didn't know her mother was out of town until she got home from school, why did she invite the new girl before she knew she could?"

" Maybe she honestly forgot." Jonny paused and regarded the statement he was about to make. " Claire's a cool girl but she isn't like you and me."

" What does that mean?" Jessie crossed her arms.

" When she over heard that conversation with you yesterday, it may have really upset her. Maybe she meant to tell you yesterday but all that stuff happened and the right time never came up. Maybe. . ."

" Maybe she lied?" Jessie finished for him. Sometimes, Jonny really beat around the bush too much for her taste. " I'm not worried about Claire because I think she lied to me. I'm worried because I think her home situation may not be good."

" Sorry if I upset you," Jonny stepped back and smiled apologetically though the damage was done. " I like Claire. Don't get me wrong."

" She never talks about her home, just how much she's moved and how many different schools she's been to." Jessie started walking again and Jonny followed cautiously.

" When we go to her party, we can see not only where she lives, but how." Jonny pointed out.

" That's what I was thinking," Jessie replied wearily. Some guys need everything spelled out for them before they could get it.

" Pink," Jonny mumbled so softly Jessie almost didn't hear him.

" What?" Jessie's green eyes caught the 'pink' Jonny was referring to as it slowly approached them. It was a bright pink that was attached to an all too familiar figure.

Only Claire, Jessie smiled. Only Claire could get away with such a bold declaration.

" Hi," Claire glowed with excitement and turned around for them. " Do you like it?"

" Pink," Jonny blinked a few times.

" He's slow," Jessie muttered. " I think it looks really good! Is it for your party?"

" Yes," Claire ran her fingers through the cotton candy color hair and her eyes twinkled. She slid in between Jessie and Jonny as they walked towards the school. " I was hoping you'd be at the track today."

" I got a bit distracted with Randy." Jonny answered as he continued to glance at her hair.

Jessie notice from the corner of her eye that Claire did seem to tense up when Jonny mentioned Randy's accident. Maybe Jonny had been right about Claire after all.

" Pretty upsetting. Which reminds me," Claire looked over to Jessie. " Mike is coming tonight. I said he could bring some friends if he wanted. Maybe you'll get a chance to talk to him about Randy. I thought of you and Jonny when I invited him."

Or maybe just Jonny. Jessie smiled at the possibility the party was bringing. At least now I have my answer.

Mike was still in town.