Title: Red Headed Goddess 2/?
Author: Goddess Evie
Date: March 23, 2007
Category: JJHR, Angst
Summary: Jessie and Jonny return home. Jessie has a moment with her father.
Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I am only using the characters for my own unique story. The opening quote for this chapter is "Papa Can You Hear Me?" from the movie "Yentl" staring Barbara Streisand, which I personally have never seen. However, Charlotte Church does a very nice rendition of this song.
Author's Notes: This is a bit of a slow chapter. Nothing majorly plot moving. But a nice little scene with Jessie and Race. Next chapter will have something more major, I promise. And I can make this promise with all certainty, because it's already written. I'm just waiting to send it out. Hee!

Chapter 2: Papa, can you hear me?

The police station was cold and stiff, just like every other police station Jonny and Jessie had been in. Cold, stiff, small, cramped, busy, noisy. A nervous place made even more so by the fact that they were even there and why they had to be there.

The first item on the agenda upon arriving was to phone Benton, Race, and Hadji and let them know what was going on. The three men were in L.A. at a convention that Dr. Quest was guest speaking at. Jonny looked out the window at the bright summer evening and then down at his watch, a specially designed Quest watch made only for the members of the Quest family. It read just past five and Jonny wondered what his family might be doing at this time, three hours behind themselves. Benton had been scheduled to speak that night of the three day convention, but that was another date ruined.

"How long will it take your father to get here?" Dougan asked Jessie.

She reacted as if in a dream, shaking her head to help focus her mind. "Uh, they're in L.A. It'll be a few hours..."

"That's a long way, but don't worry about any long distance charges," Dougan assured.

Jessie nodded, moving as if she were just a drone going through the motions. Her hand wavered over buttons on the receiver, but her mind couldn't seem to come up with the right numbers. Gently, Jonny took the phone from her, pushing in the number for the hotel in L.A. The woman's voice on the other end of the line was warm and happy sounding as she gave the name of the hotel, introduced herself as "Lucy", and asked how she could be of service.

"I need to speak to Dr. Benton Quest, suite 742," Jonny told the operator.

"May I ask who's speaking?" Lucy questioned politely.

"It's his son, Jonny," Jonny just as politely informed.

"Just one moment please."

The background noise suddenly cut off and an oldies tune replaced it, "La Bamba". He glanced at Jessie with a small smile for her as he waited, but, though her gaze was directed at him, it was clear he wasn't what she was seeing. He closed his eyes for a moment and waited, zoning out the Spanish lyrics of the song.

"Jonny! Hello! I wasn't expecting you to call," Benton's surprised, but warm tone startled Jonny, making his eyes open.

"Dad, hi," he responded. "I wasn't expecting to call you."

"Well, it's good to hear from you nonetheless," Jonny could hear the sincerity in his father's voice and it made him smile.

"You too dad...look, is Race there?" he asked, knowing he needed to get straight to the point.

"Uh, yeah, just one minute and I'll get him," Benton replied.

Jonny could hear the now distant sound of his father's voice calling for his bodyguard and long time friend and family member. There was silence as Benton waited for Race's arrival, and then the shuffling of the phone from one person to the next.

"Hey, Jonny," Race's voice was just as cheerful as Benton's had been.

"Hey Race," Jonny replied, trying to sound cheerful.

He glanced at Jessie as he greeted the man who had become a second father figure in his life. Hearing the name of her own father she looked up at Jonny, as if coming out of a trance.

"Let me speak with him first," Dougan requested, sounding more authoritative than he had before.

"Uh, Race, there's a Detective Dougan here who needs to speak with you," Jonny informed obediently.

He could hear Race begin to question why a Detective would need to speak with him as he pulled the receiver from his ear and handed it over to Dougan. He then leaned against the desk and watched Jessie, half listening to Dougan's conversation with Race, who flinched after hearing the white-haired man's response to the situation. Jessie just stood there, staring straight ahead, looking as if she were working on keeping the tears from spilling out of her eyes. Jessie didn't cry; she was a big girl, strong and tough, who lived in a house of men and couldn't be found weaker than any of them.

"Jessie, your father wants to talk to you," Dougan informed her softly, the mouthpiece of the receiver covered by his hand as he held it out to her.

She merely nodded at Dougan as she took the phone and placed it to her ear. "Daddy?"

Jonny couldn't help noticing that she sounded like she was five again.

"I'm fine...scared...but fine," she assured him.

There was a pause as Race spoke and then Jessie's reply. "Yeah, I'd like that." Another pause for Race's answer. "Hurry, please." And then the good-byes were exchanged and Jessie hung the phone up, coming to stand by Jonny as she did and leaning her cheek on his shoulder.

Jonny was amazed at Jessie's reaction. He had expected her to object to her father coming home when Benton was still supposed to speak that night at the banquet. But this time she had seemed happy to have him coming home immediately.

"We want to set up some police protection for you," Dougan began to explain. "We know we can't do much without your father's permission, but we want to set up a couple of patrol cars outside the compound gates."

"No," Jessie's answer was clear and concise in her objection.

"But-" Dougan was cut off before he could make any arguments.

"We don't need any police protection. The compound is safe enough, the safest place in Rockport, and my father will be home soon. If he...and my family can't protect me, then no one can," Jessie's tone of voice was dangerous. She'd already passed the breaking point and Dougan wasn't going to survive if he tried to push her anymore.

"Alright, then at least let my men escort you two home," Dougan pleaded with her.

Jessie hesitated before nodding her head. Dougan showed some relief at this agreement, but then tensed up again.

"Jessie, we need to know if you can think of anyone who might be the suspect," Dougan asked of her.

"If you mean enemies, well then I have a whole list. This family strives on people who want us dead," Jessie's answer was sarcastic, and her tone derisive.

"No, not enemies. The person who did this doesn't want you dead, Jessie. He's infatuated with you, obsessed with you," Dougan told her.

Jessie nodded, taking in a deep breath and releasing it. "I don't know," she said. "I have plenty of guys who flirt with me, invite me out on dates."

"Why don't you just get the name of the person who was renting the apartment from the landlord?" Jonny inquired.

"We're looking in on that," Dougan admitted, "The landlord kept lousy records unfortunately, and as much as we're trying, at the moment we can't figure out who lived in what apartment when. That's why we were wondering if you could give us some names. That way we could possibly match up one of your names to one of the names from the landlord's records."

"Didn't you even get a description?" Jonny asked.

"Actually, we did, and we have our artist working with the landlord and other tenants to get a sketch drawn up. The landlord said he remembered the guy because he always paid his rent in cash," Dougan answered. "Once we get it, we'll make sure you see it to find out if you can make an ID."

Jessie nodded. "Is that all you needed?"

"I'll want to speak with your fathers, both of them, when they get in," Dougan told her.

"I'll give them your message," Jessie assured.

"Take this as well. It has all my contact information if you need to get a hold of me," the detective held out a business card.

Jessica took it and stuffed it into her front pocket without a word. Jonny could tell she was beginning to gain back her cool and collectedness. No more weak, crying Jessie. Once again she was strong and tough and no one or thing could touch her.

"And if that's all, we'll be going," she informed Dougan.

"For now," Dougan told her.

Jonny followed Jessie out, observing her change. Her arms were no longer wrapped around herself, but hanging at her sides, swinging a little as she walked. Her head wasn't bowed, her eyes no longer watching the floor. She held her head high, and looked straight forward, as if focused on a goal.

Why do you do this to yourself? Jonny questioned her in his mind. Don't you know that we're always here for you? I'm always here for you? If you would just give us a chance, we could show you how strong we can be for you!

He didn't have the courage to say it though, as he watched her. And when she turned toward him to demand the keys to her jeep, he kept any sign of his internal struggle from his face as he dropped her keys into her waiting palm. Jessie slipped into her seat and started the ignition immediately, revving the engine at him as he crossed in front of the vehicle to get to the passenger side. As soon as his bottom hit the seat she sped off and Jonny almost thought that he was going to be left behind.

She's in a mood now, he groaned inwardly as he quickly buckled his seat belt before she reached any turns that would send him flying from the jeep. So much for a police escort home.

Jessie's driving was nothing short of reckless. She was speeding, and that was an understatement. Her turns were sharp and fast and she wove in and out of the cars on the streets of Rockport and the highway leading to the compound as if they were those orange, plastic clones. Jonny was just glad that she'd been taught defensive driving from Race.

Still, that didn't condone the way she was driving.

"Say, don't you think you should slow down and remind yourself how to use your blinker?" Jonny asked, trying to keep his tone of voice light.

The only reply he got was a fixed, cold stare that, though it only lasted a moment before it turned back to the road, was enough to chill Jonny's blood and quell any other suggestions he might have made about Jessie's driving.

That was until she reached the cliff roads. Sure, she had been driving these roads since she first got her license and she knew them like the back of her hand. But the sun was getting low enough in the sky to blind right into the eyes, and at the speed Jessie was going, Jonny wouldn't have even trusted Race on this road.

"Slow. Down," he requested solidly this time.

"I'm okay."

"No, you're not. Now slow down, please," he exaggerated the last word in his plea, looking at her, though she only glanced at him, concentrating more on the way the road twisted along the cliff face.

Jonny held his breath, hope fading as the seconds ticked by. He was beginning to think he was going to have to get used to having his heart in his throat until they reached the safety of home. Jessie wasn't showing any signs of slowing, her grip on the steering wheel white knuckled.

Finally, the jeep slowed to a more manageable speed and Jessie even had the decency to turn on her headlights. Jonny sunk back into the passenger seat with a sigh.

"Thank you," he said with sincerity.

There was no more talk after that. Another fifteen minutes of silence before they reached the compound gates and Jessie voice activated the security system to let them in. Part of Jonny was glad. He wasn't exactly sure what to say to Jessie and he was baffled by that. They'd been through so much together, shared so many tragic events, special moments, tears and laughter. He'd come to the conclusion that he would always be able to find something to say to make any situation better, even just a little. It was a promise he'd made to himself, now years ago, and this was the first time he failed.

That was the part of him that was worried. Here they were facing something new together. Except it didn't feel like together. Jonny was doing the best he could, but Jessie was pushing him away. Trying to regain that mask of cool strength. Not much had ever shaken it from her and it meant something that that room had been enough to do it. Jonny felt like he was grasping at straws trying to keep himself from being forced farther and farther away from her. It was the most helpless feeling he had ever experienced.

Jessie pulled to a stop in front of the multi-car garage and wasted no time in exiting the vehicle and heading for the house. Jonny stayed put for a moment, watching her go. The muted glow coming from the house lights, outside and in, gave off enough illumination to make out her red hair swaying in its ponytail as she strode along the sidewalk in the twilight. Despite the intensity of his previous thoughts his mind wandered a bit and he felt the silkiness of that hair slip between his fingers.

The motion sensors caught Jessie jogging up the front steps and the lights flicked on, bathing her now completely in light. As she unlocked the door she turned to look at him for a moment, as if surprised that he hadn't been right behind her. And then she was in the front door and lost from Jonny's sight.

Slowly he rose to his feet, headed for the front door, not letting his mind think about anything. Forcing his mind not to think about anything for a just few moments. Heavy thoughts burdened him and he knew he couldn't let them take over. Jessie had left the front door open for him, kindly enough. He managed to relax in thoughtlessness until he got through it and made sure to lock it securely.

As he made his way through the house those heavier thoughts began to drop back in. How could this have gone on for so long without any of us knowing? The lights had turned on as Jessie had made her way through the house, dimming to standby level as she exited each area. They brightened again for Jonny. Had he been biding his time for the past two years, or were pictures as far as it would go? He stopped a moment in the entry to the kitchen, knowing neither he nor Jessie had eaten anything since those sandwiches earlier that afternoon. But he didn't feel very hungry, and he knew Jessie wouldn't be much for eating. What can I do for her? How do I get her to stop pushing me away?

He continued on. It was obvious Jessie hadn't intended to stay anywhere that would mean encounters with another person. Who is this guy? There seemed to be absolutely no clues in that direction, according to Detective Dougan. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going, his body seemed to move of its own accord, through the hall, up the stairs. What kind of sicko would do this? And for so long?

He realized now that he was standing in front of Jessie's door. He considered knocking, seriously debated it, but something told him that wouldn't get him anywhere. Jessie was isolating herself. Jonny just hoped it didn't last for too long. He turned away from her door and headed back to his own room.

Halfway there he met Jessie coming from the bathroom, already changed into nightclothes, a baggie, long sleeved, knit shirt and flannel pants. Her hair was loose from its ponytail and a few locks hung down over her shoulders. They both stopped as they met. Jessie tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"When will Race and Dad and Hadj get in?" anything to get some conversation going between the two of them.

Jessie shrugged, "Probably not until early tomorrow morning."

When Jonny didn't have anything else to say she headed on past him. Jonny started towards his room as well, wishing that had gone better. "Hey," he turned to face her as he began to open his door.

She looked at him, wide green eyes imploring him to go on.

"If you need anything, let me know. I probably won't be getting any sleep tonight," he even managed a lop sided grin, weak as it was, to help give the statement some cheer and sincerity.

She nodded, tried to return the smile, and entered her room. The door shut firmly behind her. Jonny sighed, feeling a little defeated, a little like a failure as he entered his own room. He stripped down to his boxers, tossing his jeans, socks and t-shirt into the pile by his closet, and flopped onto his unmade bed. Staring at the ceiling, he waited for some sign that Jessie was completely lost in the depths of the events of the day.

Specifically, he waited to see what music she would blare. Goo Goo Dolls? Josh Groban? A random mix CD? Classical? He could usually tell her mood and the intensity of the situation by which comfort music she chose. Minutes ticked by without a peep from the other side of the wall. Jonny closed his eyes, praying for something, anything. But the silence remained.

It crept cold tendrils along Jonny's heart and into his stomach. Silence was the worst of all. Silence meant there was nothing for Jonny to do but wait. It would be a long sleepless night.

JQ

Jessie was sitting in the kitchen staring at an orange and a knife placed on the table before her, when her father walked in the next morning. She had been determined to eat the thing when she'd walked into the kitchen at two in the morning, told herself she needed to get something, anything into her stomach. But a whole hour had passed without her touching the fruit, just looking at it. And seeing that room covered with her own face. Laughing. Smiling. Rolling her eyes. Making silly faces. Glaring. Reflective. Determined. Annoyed. Focused. He had her caught her in every emotion. Even crying. And Jessie rarely cried.

She didn't notice Race at first. He was so quiet, thanks to his years of training and experience with I-1. Skills he had passed on to the three kids he claimed as his own. It wasn't until he was sitting next to her with his arms wrapped around her that she even realized he was there. He didn't speak and she didn't want him to. As he held her in a tight embrace she leaned against him, pulling the strength from him she needed not to cry in front of him.

Jessie didn't count the moments that she passed in her father's arms. She listened to his heart beat, felt his warmth and his breath through her hair. She didn't want to say anything until she knew she could speak without weeping. And she wanted to just let the safety her father always emoted to sink into her. His mere presence afforded her calm and protection.

In a whisper he asked her to tell him everything, his voice soft but with that steely tone Jessie had come to know so well. There was no messing with Race Bannon, anyone could tell you that. And threatening his family was like calling a death wish upon your own head.

Her voice was remarkably steady as she told the events of the day before. It wavered only a little as she described the room and its contents. She finished with her trip to the police station with Detective Dougan, the man in charge of the investigation. Race showed that he was listening with small gestures, nodding his head, grunts, the way his arms would tighten around her every so often. But he didn't interrupt her until the story was done.

"I'm going to talk with Dougan about joining the investigation."

"He probably won't like that."

"He doesn't have to, so long as he cooperates."

Silence reigned, once again. Jessie knew her father was already deep in thought, piecing the little clues they had together. He worked his jaw as he thought, something he always did when he was trying to figure things out. She could almost picture her father's mind at work, making a list of possible subjects, itemizing the evidence, preparing plans of action, searching for connections, organizing questions to ask any possible witnesses.

"You should get something to eat," they told each other at the same time.

Father and daughter chuckled together. Sometimes it was uncanny how their minds worked. Race released his hold on his daughter. Jessie sat up and looked at her father.

"Are you really hungry?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Couldn't eat right now even if I were. You?"

Jessie gestured to the orange. "I already tried. The results weren't too positive."

Race grabbed the orange and tossed it up in the air, catching it again. He rose from his seat, replacing the orange in the fruit basket on the counter and then putting the knife away. The Bannons had come to an understanding about each other in the midst of a crisis. They had realized how fruitless it was to try to force the other to eat or sleep, and had stopped trying in the last couple of years. Like father, like daughter.

"What are you going to be doing today?" Race asked, a question that on any other day would be considered innocent.

Jessie groaned and stretched before she answered. "Jonny and I are supposed to meet some friends for basketball this afternoon. And I'm scheduled to volunteer at the Rockport hospital after that."

Race nodded, leaning against a counter and folding his arms across his chest while laying a stern, fatherly gaze upon his daughter. "Keep in contact throughout the day. Make sure to let me know if your plans change. You'll probably be most likely to reach me on the cell. You should take a phone with you, as well."

Jessie just nodded, not about to argue. She knew her father was only making sure she remained safe. And it was better than being confined to the compound, although she had contemplated grounding herself last night while lying in bed watching the moonlit shadows on her wall. But she had told herself she wouldn't change her plans just because some psycho decided to take an ungodly amount of pictures of her. She'd never let anyone rule her life before, and she wasn't about to start now.

"I'm gonna be up in my room, seeing if I can't convince myself to actually get some sleep," Jessie sighed as she stood up.

Race stopped her long enough to press a kiss into her hair. She found his hand and gave it a squeeze before she headed on up to her room, feeling drowsy but knowing real sleep would be elusive.