"Finding Home"
By Jema
Disclaimer: I do not own The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, just borrowing it for fun.
Summary: Now in their twenties, Hadji, Jonny, and Jessie have been separated for a few years to return together for Christmas holidays. Each is looking for something but can friendship stand the test of love?
Chapter 1
"Dr. Quest?" Jessie asked, quietly tapping on the partially opened door with two fingers.
Dr. Quest's voice wafted from inside the room. "Yes, come in, Jessie."
Jessie pushed open the door and stepped inside, one hand balancing a coffee cup filled to the brim with the rich smelling liquid and the other hand clutching several manila folders. Dr. Quest swiveled around in his comfortable desk chair and retrieved the coffee with a kind smile. "I swear Jessie, how did you know I wanted coffee? It's rather frightening to think you are beginning to anticipate my whims."
Jessie returned a good-natured smile and sat gingerly on the chair seated at the left of Dr. Quest's large desk. She held the folders in front of her emphatically. "Here they are. Although I believe I need your assistance on the fourth experiment."
Dr. Quest swiveled again to lean on his desk. As was his custom, he searched through the innumerable papers and files cluttered on every inch of the surface as he spoke. "Yes, I expected that one to be tricky. The mutation did not occur?"
Jessie settled more comfortably in the armchair. "Actually, Doctor, the mutation occurred but the results did not concur with the other ten. I thought perhaps I made an error but when I repeated the experiment, the same error occurred."
Dr. Quest took a sip of his coffee. He licked his upper lip, his tongue touching the edge of his red mustache. "Describe the mutation," he said, finally finding a blank scrap of paper and a stump of a pencil.
"It was a rapid regeneration of sorts, but it quickly failed. The mice became very ill," Jessie unconsciously glanced at her watch, a simple article of jewelry she allowed herself when working.
"How did you cure them?" Dr. Quest asked without looking up from his scribbling.
Jessie tucked her flaming red hair behind her ear. "I injected them with the protein solution as you instructed, Doctor. They recovered in a few hours."
"And now?"
"All levels are normal, heart rate, metabolism, everything."
Dr. Quest rose from his chair and stretched his arms over his head. "Good job, Jessie. Now, I don't know about you, but I could use some dinner. Leave the files there on the desk."
Jessie walked out of the office with the doctor. "Oh, Dr. Quest, I know my holiday is approaching, when you will give me my final exam?"
The lines at the corners of Dr. Quest's eyes crinkled happily. "You made an A. Enjoy the holiday. We won't do any research until after the new year when the next term begins."
Jessie frowned in confusion. "Dr. Quest, you know I am honored to be doing my independent studies with you for the university, but you can't just give me an A. I need some sort of exam."
Dr. Quest laughed and draped his arm around Jessie's shoulder comfortably. "The experiments were your final exam, you passed with flying colors."
"But in the fourth experiment, the results did not correlate. That should make it at least a B."
"Jessie," Dr. Quest murmured with a shake of his head. "Stop trying to talk me out of giving you an A. You are by far the most dedicated and intelligent research assistant I have ever had. And, young lady, part of becoming a scientist is realizing that you don't always get the results you hope for. The important thing is that you performed the experiments well."
Jessie lowered her eyes bashfully. "Thank you, Dr. Quest."
The older man squeezed Jessie close to his side for a moment. "No problem."
They turned the corner from the labs of the lighthouse and entered the living quarters of the Quest manor. Race greeted them at the door and adjusted the alarm systems on the house. "Hi you two. Cure any diseases today?"
"Not yet, Race," Benton answered, hanging up his coat on the mahogany finished coat rack.
"Hey, Ponchita," Race said as Jessie stood up on her tiptoes to give her father a kiss on the cheek. "By the way Jess, you remember that Hadji and Jonny are coming tonight?"
She plopped down on the low sofa and stretched her feet in front of her. "Of course I remember, Dad. Why?"
Race continued to fiddle with the computerized alarm system on the wall. "Well, aren't you going to freshen up or anything?"
Jessie snorted. "Freshen up? For Jonny and Hadji? My best friends?"
"Good… Because Hadji's car just pulled up in the driveway."
Jessie leapt off of the sofa and ran up the steps from the living room so fast that all Dr. Quest and Race could make out was a red blur. "Yeah," Race muttered with a smile. "No need to freshen up."
Jessie paused in front of her mirror before changing her clothes. She wore jeans and tee shirts in the labs unless Dr. Quest was expecting guests, other scientists or researchers. She pulled off her white lab coat and changed into a dark hunter green blouse decorated with small green rhinestones and a nice pair of black trousers. She studied herself in the mirror. She wore her hair in a knot at the base of her neck when she was working so she shook it out and combed it into waves with her fingers. She removed her glasses and applied a small amount of eyeliner to her eyes. Suddenly, Jessie wished she owned more cosmetics than she did. She found a powder compact and patted it on her face and added a few swipes of mascara on her eyelashes.
"Why am I doing this," she muttered to herself. "I don't care what I look like. It's only Jonny and Hadji." She laughed at herself for a moment, stole one more glance in the mirror, and stepped out of her room.
She could hear Hadji's voice in the family room before she turned the corner to the stairway. She stepped down the tall staircase lightly, smiling brightly. Hadji stood in the entryway with Race and the doctor bringing in his suitcases and duffel bags. He stood to his full height when Jessie's vibrant red hair caught his eye. "Jessie," he whispered, almost caressing the syllables. Jessie ran past her father and threw herself into Hadji's arms. He cradled her gently and lowered his chin to rest on top of her hair.
"Hadji," Jessie mumbled into his shirtfront. "It's been so long."
"I know, Jessie. I know," he answered softly before he pulled away from her and held her at arm's distance. "You look great, Jess," he said in a louder tone and grinned at Race. "I mean that in a purely observational manner, Race."
"Sure, Hadj," Race muttered as he and Dr. Quest lifted Hadji's bags.
"Dinner will be served soon, we'll take your stuff to your room, Hadji. You two catch up." Dr. Quest stole a glance over his shoulder to see the two young people already deep in conversation.
"How is Bangladore, Hadji?" Jessie asked casually as she picked bits of fuzz from her pants.
"Much warmer that is for certain. It will no doubt take me a few days to adjust to the harshness of the Maine weather."
"It's a good thing you and Jonny are arriving tonight, because we're supposed to have an awful blizzard in a few days."
Hadji nodded and adjusted his turban slightly. He didn't wear his sultan robes, but instead he reminded Jessie of the old Hadji when the three of them were always solving mysteries and fighting crime. His jeans were crisp and tailored and he wore a button down pale blue shirt. "My friend?" Hadji asked quietly.
"Yes, Hadji?" Jessie answered as she wondered if Hadji's voice had always been as smooth and rich as his brown skin.
"What are you thinking about?" Hadji sat in his chair at the dining room table already set for dinner.
Jessie sat across from him and smiled thoughtfully. "The old days. I have missed you two so much. Oh Hadji," she exclaimed and reached over the table to clasp his hands. "It is so wonderful to see you again. To talk to you again! I would have called more, but-"
"I understand, Jessie," Hadji interrupted. "The time difference makes it difficult. Besides, we have both been busy. You have been working hard."
"And you have been Sultan. How is your mother, Hadji?"
"She is fine. She is a great comfort to me in Bangalore." Hadji withdrew his brown hands from Jessie's creamy white ones.
"I'm sure she must be," Jessie replied trying to ignore the slight pang of hurt that pierced her when Hadji removed his hands.
"Well, kids," Benton announced as he marched into the dining room. "I am starved."
Race strolled over to sit next to Jessie. "Me too. What's for dinner?"
"Shouldn't we wait for Jonny?" Jessie wondered aloud.
Dr. Quest unfolded his napkin. "His flight has been delayed. He'll get here in a few hours. Well, gang. Let's eat."
Jessie stood outside on the balcony overlooking the property of the manor. Snow covered every surface, heaping in fluffy piles on the lawns and clinging to the evergreens in the sparse wooded areas. The light of the lighthouse beamed weakly in the brisk air like a hesitant moon.
She turned at the sound of the door sliding open and smiled at Hadji, bundled in a fleece coat and a scarf. She too pulled her heavy coat close around her and was thankful that her long hair covered her ears.
"Hi Hadj."
"Jessie." It was the second time he had said her name like that, so warm and comfortable and yet, Jessie was uncertain if she heard anything else in his voice.
He leaned on the balcony railing beside her. "Snow. I had almost forgotten what snow was like."
"Oh don't be so melodramatic, Hadji. You talk like you've lived in Bangladore for twenty years," Jessie teased.
"Eight." Hadji replied.
Jessie's mouth grew round. "No way. Eight years?"
"Eight years as Sultan. Eight years…" Hadji's voice trailed off thoughtfully. Then he laughed. "I had also forgotten how cold the snow could be."
Jessie laughed, her voice ringing clear in the cold air. "We could go inside, you know."
Hadji lifted an eyebrow mischievously and opened his arms. "Nah, not when you could keep me warm."
Jessie giggled and wrapped her arms around Hadji affectionately. She breathed in deep. Even in the midst of a snowstorm, Hadji smelled like summertime and cinnamon. She felt Hadji move his fingers through her hair and the soft pressure of his lips on the top of her head.
"Hey, let me get in on that!"
Jessie flung around to see Jonny standing with mirth on his face. "Jonny!" she cried in elation as he opened his arms to her. She hugged him tightly and laid her cheek on his chest. Breathing in, she noted that Jonny smelled like a freshly opened coca-cola and leather.
"Jess," Jonny whispered close to her ear.
Jessie stepped away and beamed from Jonny to Hadji to Jonny again. "Guys! We're together again!"
Stay tuned for Chapter 2. Please review and thanks for reading!