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Love is Strong	By : harry102 Category: +M through R > New Adventures of Jonny Quest, The Views: 8124 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Jonny Quest, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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He was so surprised to see her that words weren’t even forming in his mind, let alone at his lips. It’s been almost four months since she left, but it feels like no time has passed at all the moment he lays eyes on her.

“Jessie,” he breathes out again. “What are you doing here?” He can’t help but grin and forget all of his problems for a little when he sees her face light up at his arrival.

Jessie never answered his question because she was too preoccupied with the overwhelming thought of how good it was to see him. She knew that she had missed him terribly while she was away, but didn’t really comprehend the true extent of those feelings until she was in the same room with him again.

She didn’t even bother taking off her dirty apron as she made her way towards him. It wasn’t important. Her arms were around his neck before he could say another word, and he just held onto her like he did that day two years ago. It’s almost crazy the way she calms him.

While hugging her, he releases a long breath that he didn’t even realize he was holding, and relaxes right into her embrace. They were definitely holding each other longer than they ever would’ve dared had they not been alone, but neither made any move to let go.

“Hi,” he eventually whispered softly into her hair. She smelled like watermelon, and he felt a rush go through him when she smiled against his neck in response.

“Hi, yourself” she eventually replied, reluctantly pulling away to meet his eyes. “What’s wrong?” she asked, immediately recognizing that something wasn’t right with him. He hated that she knew him so well sometimes.

“I’m just surprised to see you,” he started. “Really happy, just surprised” he added.

“Liar,” she accused softly, pushing at his chest lightly to try and prod a real answer out of him.

“Can we talk about it a little later. Maybe tomorrow?” he asked, knowing better than to ask her to just let it go.

Jessie hesitated, but then agreed. Normally, she would’ve made him talk it out, but something told her to give him some space for now even though she really didn’t want to.

“Hungry then?” she asked, smiling again. She was just so happy to finally be home.

“Uh…well,” Jonny started, and then began to scratch the back of his head. Jessie wasn’t the best cook in the world. “I’m good,’ he told her.

“Oh stop it. I know you think that I can’t cook, but I really can Hotshot. So just sit down and give me a chance,” she asked. “Please,” she added.

He couldn’t say ‘no’ to her, so he sat down with a purposely overdramatic sigh and waved a cloth napkin that was on the table in the air. She giggled and shook her head at his antics, as she continued to prepare dinner.

It wasn’t easy for Jonny to just sit around and pretend like nothing’s wrong around her. His mind is completely jumbled up. He knows he can tell her everything, he just doesn’t know if he should. She’d never let him go off and do this without her, of that he’s absolutely positive. He’s also positive that he doesn’t want her to come. It’d break his heart to lose his mother again, but he unfortunately knows that he can handle it. Losing Jessie would be totally different.

As he watches her prepare dinner for the two of them, he can’t help but fantasize that this could become a daily occurrence. Not her cooking for him necessarily, because he knows that would never happen. It’s just that he suddenly finds the whole domesticity of the moment really appealing. Taking care of each other, and sharing their day over a meal. He knows in that moment that he’d die if something happened to her. She’s not going, but now he has a huge problem. He’s gonna have to figure out a way to cover up so that she can’t tell he’s lying about what’s bothering him. He just hopes he can figure out a way to do that without causing too much damage.

Meanwhile, Jessie’s lost in her own thoughts. It’s not easy for her to keep her promise to talk about whatever’s bothering him later, but she decides that she’ll give him until tomorrow to come clean. Then all bets are off. She just hopes that he’s not acting like this because of the fight they had, or because she’s been away for so long. She knows that change is an inevitable and inescapable part of life, but it’d hurt her beyond words if the bond between them were to weaken at all, regardless of the reason, but especially if that reason is as inconsequential in the grand scheme of her life as Jordan Matthews. Their bond is her touchstone, and she needs it. She can feel herself begin to well up at this train of thought, and doesn’t realize that Jonny just asked her a question. Damn this man and the way she gets so emotional just thinking about him, when she has such amazing control over her emotions in any other situation.

“What are you doing here?” he asks a second time, drawing her out of her thoughts.

“Huh?” she replies, a little surprised to hear his voice and confused by the question.

“I thought you weren’t getting in until tomorrow,” he said. “Not that I’m complaining,” he added with a smile. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“It’s good to be home,” she said, her heart contracting at the way he was smiling at her. “Well, you know I finished all of my exams yesterday. I packed my stuff up right after, and I didn’t really want to wait around another day for my Dad and everyone to come pick me up on their way home, so I just flew commercial. Besides, I wanted to surprise you. I thought it’d be fun to catch up before anyone else gets here, and I wanted to talk to you about a few things anyway,” she finished slowly.

“Jordan?” he asked intuitively with a little bit of distain in his voice. Jonny didn’t want to talk about the guy, but was glad that the topic of conversation was moving far away from him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about him,” she apologized, making sure she had his eyes. “I swear I wasn’t keeping it from you on purpose or anything. I’ve just been so confused about the whole thing, and my mom hasn’t really made things any easier on me. I’m just really…,” and out of nowhere she stopped talking, put her hands over her face, and her shoulders began to shake violently.

“Jessie,” he started, surprised by her unexpected outburst. She never cries. ‘What is going on today?’ he finds himself thinking. He was out of his chair as soon as he realized that she was upset, but when he tried to wrap her in his arms, she pushed him away and began to swipe at her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized again, and turned away from him to begin grabbing the silverware from the drawers. “I’m being so stupid right now.”

Jessie can’t believe that she let herself break down. She’s so embarrassed, but can’t stop shaking for some reason.

“Please don’t cry,” she suddenly heard in her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He hesitated at first, afraid that the embrace may be inappropriate, but decided that he didn’t care when he saw that she hadn’t stopped shaking. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he continued. “It’s not like you’re required to tell me every detail of your life. I had no right to get angry the way that I did, and I’m the one that’s sorry. I was an idiot, and I feel like a fool. I’m only mad at myself, and I’m lucky that you’re not mad at me,” and then he paused for a moment as if in thought. “Unless you are mad at me, and that’s why you cooked,” he said with a laugh.

He felt her laugh against him and automatically backed up a bit, afraid of what his reaction may be. He placed his hands on the counter on either side of her, and waited patiently for her to turn around. When she finally did, he could see that she was still mad at herself.

“I’m still sorry though,” she said.

“Me too,” he echoed, and they both smiled. “Come here,” he told her, and then proceeded to give her a huge hug. The ones that make her feel safe, like when she was a little girl in her father’s arms.

“I missed you,” she said into his chest.

“I think I missed you more,” he said honestly, placing his head on top of hers.

She just smiled and didn’t argue with him for once.

“Ready to eat?” she asked after a few moments, pulling away.

“As I’ll ever be,” he told her theatrically.

“Shut it,” she replied playfully, pushing him towards the table.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he said. “Are you gonna serve me?” he questioned with a laugh.

“Just this once Hotshot, so don’t get used to it,” she chuckled.

Once Jessie had everything set, they ate in silence for a few minutes until Jonny couldn’t take it anymore. Despite everything that was going on with his mom, he still couldn’t shake the idea of Jessie and Jordan, or maybe that was just a good excuse to keep him distracted. Either way, he had to ask.

“So,” he started slowly. “How did you break the news to Jordan that Rockport beat out the Hamptons for Christmas break?” he asked, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

“He was disappointed,” she began. “And he was pushing me pretty hard to change my mind, but you know how I am when I make up my mind and someone tries to change it,” she finished with a look he knew all too well.

“Uh…yeah,” he said. “I think hell on wheels may be an understatement,” he smiled. “I have a few scars thanks to making that mistake.”

“And I like you,” she finished with a grin. He couldn’t help but smile at that.

“How did your mom take it then?” he asked hesitantly.

“Much worse,” she deadpanned.

“Wanna elaborate?” he replied.

“Not really,” she told him. “I think I’ve reached my crying limit for the evening.”

“Come on J,” he softly prompted, and she broke down

“She’s so stubborn, Jonny. Half the time I feel like I can’t even talk to her. She was so unbelievably mad at me for not going, and it sucks because I never agreed to go in the first place.” She paused for a moment to take a breath. “She just has this whole idea in her head of how my life should go, and I don’t agree. She assumed that I was going, but never even asked me if I wanted to. It’s so frustrating because I don’t to disappoint her, but I think she’s being so unreasonable. Don’t you?” she asked.

“Why is she so interested in your love life all of a sudden,” he questioned.

“She always has been,” she started.

“You’ve never complained about it before,” he countered.

“I know, but it’s never really been an issue before,” she started. “I mean I didn’t date much in high school, and I only had minimum contact with the guys she was always trying to push on me. It’s a whole different ball game now that I’m older and go to the same school as her star pick,” she sighed.

“Why can’t you just sit her down and set her straight. I know that’ll be hard in the moment, but it’ll be worth it in the end,” he suggested.

“You know, as sad as it is, I think getting her into a room to talk for a few minutes would be even harder to accomplish than convincing her to but out,” she told him. “Besides, there’s no changing her mind. You don’t know her like I do. Even if I could get her to talk about it, I don’t think I would,” she admitted.

“Why the hell not?” he asked.

“It’s complicated,” she told him.

“I have all night and more if you need it,” he replied.

“Thanks,” she smiled, almost forgetting how lucky she was to have him as a best friend. “I wouldn’t say anything because I know how she is. She’ll get all defensive, and won’t back down. Then I’ll get angry and tell her exactly what I really think about the whole situation, and she won’t understand. She’ll just get angry, leave, and probably not want to see me for a while,” she finished sadly.

“She’s your mom,” he stated matter-of-factly. “I don’t think she would get that upset over a difference of opinion on a guy,” he told her practically.

“She has her heart set on him J,” she responded, clearly stressed.

“Why him though?” he asked.

“I already told you why, but it’s bigger than that,” she said before she could stop herself. She didn’t really want to get into this any further, but knew that he was gonna ask what she meant by that and she couldn’t lie.

“What do you mean bigger?” he questioned.

Jessie was quiet for about a minute as she tried to think about how she wanted to word this. It felt like an eternity to Jonny

“Ok,” she finally started. “My mom kinda has this stupid idea that she needs to save me, and thinks that Jordan is the perfect way to do it,” she spit out in a rush.

“Save you from what?” he asked, but was pretty sure that he already knew the answer.

“From making the same mistakes that she supposedly did,” she said.

“You mean your dad?” he asked slowly.

“Yeah,” she said. “But it’s so stupid,” she quickly added. “I’m not her, you know.”

Jonny felt like he’d been punched in the gut for the second time that day. He always knew that her mom probably thought he was everything she shouldn’t get involved with, but it’s now clear to him how much Jessie really cares about what her mother thinks. This wouldn’t even be an issue if she didn’t. He tried hard not to let any of this show on his face, but doesn’t think he succeeded. He was too tired from the events of the day to put up much of an effort.

“So…um,” he started, trying to get the conversation back on track. “What is it that you really think of the situation, and are afraid to tell your mother?” he asked.

“That she’s a total hypocrite basically,” she said heatedly, angry at her mother for a number of reasons at the moment. Mainly, the look on Jonny’s face. “I’m gonna get upset at her, and let her know how hypocritical she’s being. I mean, she shipped me off to live with my father when I was six. Totally uprooted me because she couldn’t handle me on her digs, and now it’s like she resents the fact that this is home. That I love my father, and that we’re all one big totally unconventional, but happy, family. I love my mother, but I think it’s wrong of her to get upset with me for wanting to spend Christmas the same way I’ve been spending it for the last twelve years. I wanna be here when we decorate the tree, and you run around singing like an idiot. I wanna spend Christmas Eve by the fire watching movies, and I wanna open gifts with you guys on Christmas morning. I understand that she wants to spend that time with me too, but she’s asking me to break traditions that I love, and that developed because of her decision to leave me with my father in the first place. It’s a catch 22, which is why I’m so frustrated. There’s no solution to make everyone happy,” she finished with a groan.

“Come on,” he said, suddenly jumping up out of his seat and extending is hand to her. She looked like she needed a break, and he knew that he did. “Let’s go,” he coaxed. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, taking his hand tentatively.

“Do you trust me?” he questioned with a smile.

“Yeah Aladdin,” she joked. “But I still wanna know where you’re taking me.”

“Well it’s a surprise so you’re gonna have to be patient,” he said, as he grabbed their jackets and his keys and led her out the front door.

She asked him no less than five more times to tell her where they were going, but he refused to budge.

“Will you just be a little patient for once in your life…Jeez,” he finally said in almost a whisper. “Just relax and enjoy the ride.”

They rode in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts again. Jessie was worried about her mom and Jonny was worried about thinking of a convincing lie to tell Jessie so she didn’t find out about his. Jonny knows Jessie better than he knows himself, however, and realized that if he didn’t start talking again soon she’d ask him what was wrong again. It didn’t matter that she promised to wait. Later was defiantly gonna be sometime tonight, and he wasn’t ready yet.

“So is your mom still going to the Hamptons for Christmas then?” he asked cautiously.

“Yeah,” she sighed.

“Did you ask her to come spend it with us? I don’t think I’ve even seen her in like two years. I think your parents can put aside their differences for one day, right?” he inquired hopefully.

“I’ve already asked her,” Jessie admitted. “I ask her every year, which is probably why she tried to preempt my invitation with the whole Hamptons thing this year,” Jessie said.

“I didn’t know you asked her every year,” he replied, a little shocked that she never mentioned it.

“Well, I really don’t like to think about the fact that my mom won’t even try to spend this day with me unless it’s on her terms. It doesn’t make me feel very good,” she said quietly.

Jonny could see out of the corner of his eye that she was breathing a little heavily and clutching the material of her jeans, so he removed one hand from the steering wheel and laced his fingers with hers. After a small smile from her and a reassuring squeeze from him, she continued.

“Can you see why I get so angry at her? I feel like I’m being the more mature one,” she breathed.

“Not to be repetitive or anything,” he started. “But this clearly bothers you a lot, so I don’t really understand why we haven’t talked about it before,” he finished.

“Jonny,” she began, but then closed her mouth.

“What is it? Just tell me,” he said.

“I just don’t...,” but she stopped again, not really wanting to discuss this with him.

Jonny knew that he was getting unjustifiably angry at her again , but couldn’t help it. When she doesn’t confide in him, it makes him feel like they’re growing apart, which hurts him. However, instead of voicing that fear, he gets angry with her to cover it up.

“Ya know, thinking that you don’t trust me doesn’t make me feel very good,” he echoed her earlier words.

“This has nothing to do with trust,” she yelled. “I just don’t wanna talk about it, ok?”

“Fine,” he answered, releasing her hand and gripping the wheel tightly.

Silence overtook the car again, but not for very long.

“Sorry,” he apologized tightly, realizing he was the one being a hypocrite now because he expected her to confide in him, when he was trying to think of a way to lie to her about his problem.

“You know this has nothing to do with trust, right?” she asked.

“What does it have to do with then?” he asked. “I can understand not wanting to talk about something, believe me. I just…All I want is to make you feel better, and I don’t think not talking is gonna accomplish that” he told her honestly.

He said that so sweetly that she couldn’t not say anything, and she couldn’t lie, so she just told him the truth.

“Ok, the truth is that I don’t really feel like it’s fair of me, or that I have any right, to complain about my mother to you,” she started. “The truth is, you’re probably the main reason that I even still try so hard with her. I’m just as stubborn as she is, and some of the things she’s pulled and said to me could have easily caused me to write her off. If she was any other person I would have, but then I think about you. I think about what you would say to me, and I think you would tell me how lucky I am to have her to fight with, and that life is short and you never know what’s gonna happen, so I should try to work it out. And then I do work it out until the next problem arises, and then I think about you and work it out again. So you see you do help me, you just didn’t know it,” she finished softly.

Jonny’s a little speechless. He understands now why she didn’t want to tell him that, but is still glad that she did.

“You don’t ever have to be afraid to tell me something,” he told her in response, and then looked her in the eye for a moment. “I know that you’d never hurt me on purpose like I know nothing else, ok?”

She just nodded with a lump in her throat, and grabbed his hand again.

“So where are we going?” she asked again once she found her voice.

“Jessie,” he breathed in exasperation, and they both began to laugh.

Ten minutes later, they reached their destination, and he reluctantly released her hand to pull his keys out of the ignition.

“I thought maybe we could get an early start on those traditions,” he said. She just smiled, kissed his cheek, and jumped out of the car, making her way towards the myriad of Christmas trees before her.

Thirty minutes later, and about ten degrees colder, they still had not found ‘the’ tree. Jessie has always had very high standards for their family tree, and the term ‘Christmas Tree Nazi’ has been thrown around more than once. She never stopped smiling for a second of the thirty minutes though, so Jonny would have gladly put up with thirty more.

“No, it doesn’t have enough character,” he heard her tell the sales guy. He couldn’t help but laugh quietly, glad he wasn’t that dude.

“Hey Ace,” he suddenly interrupted, putting his arms around her neck and pulling her slightly against him. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered in her ear.

She just nodded, enjoying the feel of his embrace.

“Take care of her my man,” he said to the sales guy, as he walked away.

He made sure that he was out of her sight path before pulling out his phone, and dialing the number from memory.

“10:00, I know. I’ll be there,” Jade answered a little irritably.

“Well, it looks like you’re gonna get your way for now because I can’t come tonight,” he replied, just as annoyed.

“Why?” she asked, totally surprised.

“Jessie showed up tonight, and she can already tell that I’m not acting normal” he told her. “I have to think of something to tell her, and I have no idea what that’s gonna be, but I can’t come tonight. I do trust you to do it alone, I just wanted to be there,” he said

“Just lie,” she deadpanned. “You did it last time.”

“It’s not that easy,” he said. “She can tell when I’m lying or up to something. The only reason I got away with it last time was because she wasn’t around when I first found out, and I just didn’t talk about it at all afterwards. She’s always known there’s more to the story though. She just let it go for once. She won’t do that a second time. The only thing I can think to do at the moment is to start a fight with her, so that all she can see is her anger at me, and not realize that I was hiding something until it’s all over. I don’t really want to do that though,” he finished.

“So tell her then,” Jade suggested.

“No,” he said.

“You’re more stubborn than Race, you know that,” she told him.

“I’ll be there tomorrow night,” he said, ignoring her comment. “We’ll just have to leave a little later probably. What time can I call you tonight?” he asked.

“Whenever. If I don’t answer there’s a reason,” she said. “So she must be pretty important to you then?” she asked with a smile.

“She’s my mother,” he said incredulously.

“I meant Race’s little girl, stud,” she replied. “I didn’t think Judgment Day could keep you away tonight.”

“Yeah, well you’ve never seen Jessie angry,” he said half-heartedly. “I just don’t want her to know about this, and she’s not as easy for me to get around as Race. There’s no where else I’d rather be than helping you tonight,” he finished.

“Somehow, I don’t totally believe that,” she said, and then hung up before he could respond.

Jonny was angry because she was right. As much as he wanted to, and felt like he should, be going with her tonight, it was also the last thing he wanted to be dealing with for a lot of reasons. Before he could get lost contemplating any of those reasons, however, he decided that he better get back to Jessie. If nothing else, making her happy was a better distraction than most.

When he found her again, he didn’t have to worry about putting on a fake smile. The huge grin on her face was enough to produce a real one from him, which he was thankful for.

“Isn’t it perfect,” she said, as she came bounding up to him.

“It must be if you like it this much,” he said with a laugh.

“Let’s get this baby home,” she said brightly.

The tree she selected was enormous. It took the both of them plus the sales guy to get it on top of the car.

“You watch her while I go pay the man,” he told her, after they had it strapped down securely.

Once inside to pay, the salesman made a comment that Jonny wasn’t really sure how to take, but let it go for a change.

“She sure is something, huh?” the guy had said.

“You have no idea,” Jonny replied, as he made his way back to the car.

She was leaning against the driver’s side waiting for him, and jumped into his arms once he was close enough. He just laughed and pulled her closer.

“Thanks,” she said.

“Anytime,” he told her, pulling away with a wink.

“My mom just doesn’t get this,” she said when they were on their way.

“So why won’t she come over for just the day?” he asked, and Jessie just shrugged. “Hand over your phone. I can be very convincing.”

“Not that’s ok,” she said.

Then Jonny asked something that had been on his mind for quite a while.

“Your mom doesn’t like me very much, does she?” he questioned.

“What?” she asked, totally thrown off by that. “Of course she does,” she replied automatically.”

“Ok,” he said with a smile. “Then why didn’t she come over last Christmas?” he asked. “Race was in Texas taking care of your grandma, so clearly something else kept her away,” he stated. “And I don’t think it was you, Hadji, or my dad, so…”

“It was me actually,” she said. “We got into an argument and I told her not to come.”

“What was the fight about?” he asked, but she didn’t answer.

“Was it about me?” he inquired knowingly.

Jessie felt like she was about to cry again. She never realized that Jonny had been picking up on her mother’s ludicrous dislike.

“Did she say something when you were talking to her a few weeks ago,” she asked angrily.

“No,” he told her. “I’m just not as clueless about it as I pretend to be,” he admitted.

“Why have you been pretending then,” she asked.

“I didn’t want to put you in an awkward position,” he told her honestly. “But I think this is getting a little ridiculous…”

“It’s always been ridiculous,” she interrupted. “She has no basis for any of it.”

“She thinks I’m just like Race, right?”

“Yeah, and you are in a lot of ways,” she answered. “But you’re also a lot like your father, and you’re totally different from both of them in ways. You’re not my father, but even if you were exactly like him, so what, I love my father,” she said. “I honestly think that my mom sometimes resents the fact that I love my father. I think she dislikes you because she thinks you’re like him and I spend so much time with you. It’s like an indirect extension of dislike,” she lied.

“Or maybe she’s afraid you’re gonna get involved with me,” he suggested bravely. He can’t believe that he said it.

Jessie couldn’t believe it either. He really was a lot more in tuned than she had been giving him credit for.

Both of their hearts were beating a mile a minute. It’s a good thing they were at a red light because Jonny doesn’t think he could drive and anticipate her reaction.

Jessie shrugged again as she turned to catch his eye. “She doesn’t get to choose who I fall in love with,” she said simply.

Still holding her eye, Jonny was about to say something while he still had his nerve, but a loud honk brought him out the moment. ‘God damn green light,’ he thought, as he continued the drive home.
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Love is Strong