Disclaimer: HB owns the JQ lot, not me.   I'm making no money off this, so
don't sue me, unless you wanna waste a bit of time on lil' ol' me.  It's
created out of (a lot) of love and respect for the series.  Barone's my own,
and so are Sharpe and David.  If I don't kill 'em off, (still not sure about
that,) you're welcome to use them.  One condition: nick a character, then
you've gotta tell me.  I'd love to read a decent fic involving any of them.

Archivers: Suze and Aspen are welcome to it, of course.  Everyone else ask
and it's yours. :)

Categories: Angst, mature language, violence, J-J HR .  If it's not in the
series now, it will be eventually.

Summary:  Hehehe...gonna have a bit of fun here...
************************************************************************
Hadji smiled as he entered the gym.

Jonny was watching the TV, concentration turning his face to stone.  Jessie
was on the exercise bike, peddling as if her life depended on it, wearing a
pair of corded headphones.  Neither of them noticed his entrance.

They were very predictable at times.

It had been a week since they had been confined to the compound.  During
that period, frustration had been getting to both the teenagers, which
turned both of them to almost fanatical exercise routines.  Jonny's arm had
restricted him from performing most of his workouts, which left him
increasingly short tempered and irritable as he had no way to relieve the
boredom.  Hadji took this as a good sign.  The biggest problem in Jonny's
life was the confinement, rather than Barone, and what Race seemed to prefer
calling "The Old Problem."

Jonny caught Hadji's movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, hey Hadj.  Has anything else happened about Barone?"  Hadji could feel
the impatience in his voice.

"Not yet, my friend."  Jonny snorted.

"Jonny, Our patience will achieve more than our force."  Hadji said wisely.

Suddenly Jonny grinned.  "All commend patience, but none can endure to
suffer."

Hadji stared at Jonny, stunned.  Then his complacent smile returned.  "You
planned that, didn't you?"

Jonny laughed.  "You should have seen your face."  Jessie saw them talking
and decided to leave.  Jonny had lost it with Hadji last week and she wanted
them to sort it out.

"So what did you come in here to talk about?  Or did the boredom finally get
to you, too?"

"I wondered if you wanted to watch a movie..."  Hadji raised his palm
outwards to forestall Jonny's comment.

"I know we can't leave the compound, and I also know how you feel towards
reading..."

"And I've seen all the movies in the compound!  Twice!"

Hadji gave up.  "So what do you suppose we do?"

"Get the Heck outta here."

Hadji shook his head.  "Jonny, for the last time..."

"Look, I meant what I said before, even if I was angry.  I will not waste my
life in this compound."

Hadji breathed once, deeply.  Jonny wouldn't let go of this, so there was
little point in trying to fight him.  He didn't want to play the guilt card,
but the situation had gotten incredibly dangerous, and this was for Jonny's
own good.

"Jonny, do you know how your father would react if you died in *these*
circumstances, because of Barone?"

"The same way as if I died under any other circumstances."  Jonny's face was
set.  He knew what Hadji had meant.

Hadji's eyes tensed for a moment.

Jonny's entire manner changed from anger to regret.

"Hey, whoa, this must've been Hell on you for the past couple of days."  He
looked down at the floor.  "Me and dad have been so wrapped up in ourselves,
we kinda forgot about everyone else.  Geez, I'm sorry about what I said."
He locked eyes with Hadji, a shadow of that old pain behind them.

"Jonny, it's alright.  I understand how you felt...I was so unfeeling..."

"Hey!  You do have feelings, you just prefer not to bother us with them."
Jonny pulled off his patented lopsided grin.

Hadji blushed, and despite his dark skin Jonny had know him long enough to
recognise it.  He laughed; he'd unsettled Hadji TWICE in one day!

Hadji quickly composed himself and hurriedly changing the subject.  "This
doen't change our current situation, Jonny."

Jonny stopped laughing.  He frowned.  "I've gotta get out of here, Hadj.
I'm seriously going to lose it."

"Jonny, please.  If you're too bored, there's always Questworld.  The
compound's grounds are large enough; and you should be able to find
something to do despite the snowmibiles' absence.  Wait a few more days, and
if anything else arrises..."

"No, I mean now.  I'm getting unbelievably sick of Questworld."  He shook
his head.  "I need to get out of here!"

Hadji, for once, had no idea what was going through Jonny's mind.

"Jonny, something else is going on, isn't it?"

Jonny looked round for Jessie.  He blinked when he noticed her absence.

*It's getting harder to be around her...*

Hadji understood and smiled.  "Why resist your feelings, Jonny?"

Jonny's head snapped round.  "How the heck..."  He stopped, realising the
futility of his arguing.  A smile tugged at the edge of his lips.  "I hate
it when you figure everything out like that."

Hadji nodded, the smile keeping Jonny on edge.  Hadji's confidence in his
own abilities were stronger even than Jonny's, and his smile reflected that
quiet confidence.

"Look, keep this quiet.  I know you're only trying to help, but mine and
Jessie's feelings are our own.  Don't matchmake, don't interfere, and above
all else, don't tell her."

"I wouldn't dream of it, my friend.  I ask one thing: don't keep avoiding
her.  Allow whatever Nature wants to happen, to happen."

Jonny grinned and snickered.

Hadji rolled his eyes.  "Jonny, that's not what I meant and you know it."

Jonny's grin didn't shift.

"Guess me and Jess'll have something to do after all."

Hadji laughed despite himself.

Jonny's mind, a dangerous and unpredictable thing at the best of times, made
a snap decision.

"Hadj, I got something to do.  You go watch the movie."

He practically sprinted out of the door.

Hadji smiled.  There had never been a movie.
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David steadied the small girl on his shoulders.  They were both looking into
the courtyard through the expansive window of David's office.  Sharpe had
entered ten minutes ago but hadn't spoken.  The child was unexpected, and he
got the feeling that interrupting the pair was not a smart move to make.

He gazed at them.  They shared the raven black flaxen hair that *had* to be
dyed.  It hung in long bangs, gently swaying with every minute movement.
The resemblance was too uncanny to be coincidence.

David turned, careful not to grip the girl too tightly but holding her
steady.  He wore his half-smile, despite seeing Sharpe standing there.

"Ah, Mr. Sharpe.  You bring good news, I hope?"  The look of his steely grey
eyes said he had better.  The half-smile remained however; a strange
confliction of emotions  ranged across his countenance.

Sharpe cleared his throat.  "Project Loose End has started, sir.  Everything
is going well."

Barone nodded.  "Good-bye, Mr. Sharpe."

Sharpe was used to Barone ignoring courtesies.  He nodded and left, smiling
once his back was turned.  That was almost pleasant.

He stumbled on the step in the doorway and hit the floor.

The girl behind him laughed.  She slipped the silenced pistol back into her
jacket as the pool of blood around Sharpe deepened in colour.

David's smile grew, pride evident in his voice.  "Nice shot, honey."
************************************************************************
She sat on the beach, arms pulling her kness protectively into her body.
Water lapped at her feet, but she didn't seem to notice.  The perimeter
fence of the Quest compound was over a hudred feet away.

Jessie had always loved the sunset, ever since she was a little girl.
Wherever she was in the world, if she was on one of her mother's
exphiditions, or if the Quests needed to travel somewhere, then she knew she
could always rely on the sun going down.  The colours were so warm and
soothing, and always seemed to calm whatever feelings raged inside her.  The
sun slowly dipped, turning the sky to shades of pink.  She gasped.  The
beautiful gold of the setting son reflected off the water, causing the
entire ocean to glow in that same hue of gold;  the same hue as *his* hair.

*Why can't I get that damn boy out of my head?*

Jessie shook it off.  Jonny had been vulnerable lately, and she knew any
feelings she had for him were only maternal.  Her mother had always warned
her that guys were at their cutest when they were in trouble.

That had to be it.

Jessie stood when she heard the barely perceptible footsteps behind her.
"Dad?"

"Not unless the powers that be threw us a wildcard."  Jonny stopped beside
her.

*Not now, please not now...*

As soon as she saw his boyish grin, Jessie was aching for him.  There was no
use pretending otherwise.  But Jonny needed her as a friend right now.  He
was confused enough as it is without her adding to the mess with some silly
crush.

"Jess, it's kind of dangerous to be outside the compound, you know that."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Jonny glanced at Jessie.  He had come prepared for the chilly breeze and was
wearing a jacket.  He noticed her shiver; she was still in the training
clothes from the gym.

He took off his jacket and placed it over her.

She looked up at him, into his azure eyes.  His face was flushed, but Jessie
didn't think it was because of the cold.

"Jessie...there's something I've got to tell you."

She hated herself for doing this, all he wanted was a friend, but she
couldn't help him, not when she had feelings like this.

"Jonny....I...."

"Please, let me get this out."

He stroked her chin; resting his hand on her cheek.  He could feel she was
trembling, despite the jacket.

*What the...?*  Jessie's mind was suddenly thrown into confusion.

*I've gone too far now, I've got to tell her.*

He ran his hand along the back of her neck, gently caressing her throat with
his thumb.  Jessie's heart was pounding.  He leaned in closer, and she could
feel his breath on her lips.  With her right hand, Jessie reached to the
back of his head.  She pulled him closer, their lips touching...

"Hey, you two!"

The two teens leapt out of each other's arms.

*DAMN!*  Jonny almost cursed out loud.  He had come so bloody close...

Race strode up angrily.

"You know you're not supposed to leave the compound's grounds."

Jessie closed her eyes.  *GOD DAMMIT!"

Race snagged her arm and motioned for Jonny to follow.  "Do you have any
idea what this kind of thing does to your fa-"

He was cut off by the distincive whumph of an airgun.  His mind numbly
recognised the sudden shock of nothingness in his arm.  Tranquiliser darts.

"Get her outta here!"  He collapsed as he shouted the words.

Jessie grabbed at her father. Her fingers grazed his arm as she was yanked
off her feet.  Strong arms wrapped themselves around her body, pulling her
away from Race as the man carrying her ran.  She lashed out with her arms
and legs, visciously trying to break the hold.  She gasped as the man's arm
pulled into her stomach.  She renewed her attack, bouncing her fists off the
man's cast.

*Cast?*

"Jonny, get the Hell off me!"

He ignored her, making it to the treeline.  Sometimes, having a compound
surrounded by trees could be very useful.

Anger overcame Jess.  "Dad!"  She jabbed her elbow into Jonny's stomach.

He gasped but held on.  He was making for the perimeter fence.  A woman in
jeans and leather jacket ran over to them.  She whipped out a pistol from
her jacket.

"Get inside.  I'll handle this."  The I-1 agent sprinted off, gun in hand.

Jonny let go of Jessie, who was still struggling.  She span, her punch
catching him across his jaw.

"How the Hell could you leave him like that?"  She pushed past him, and he
grabbed her wrist..

"Jess, we have no idea how many of them are out here!  Get inside!"  His
stomach burned and he wasn't in the best of moods.  He hated himself for
leaving Race like that, but he hadn't had time to think.

"Get off me!"  She thrust her  left arm out, catching him in the sternum..
Jonny dropped to one knee, then stood.  He took another step forward,
bringing his fist back.  For a moment Jessie was certain he'd hit her.  She
took an invouluntary step back.

Jonny  snarled, grabbing hold of her shoulders. He screamed at her.  "Get
inside!  NOW!"

His chest and jaw were beginning to ache, matching the dull agony of his
stomach.  His conscience was screaming at him.  He had left Race to die...he
had nearly hit *her*, for God's sake!

His breathing came out in ragged gasps.  Tears were forming on the edge of
his eyes..

"Please."

Jessie heard the torment in his voice. The full force of what she had done
hit her.  She wouldn't meet his gaze, but nodded.  A handful of I-1 agents
ran past them.

They  sprinted the rest of the way to the compound.
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Comments?  Suggestions?  Flames?  Praise?  Send 'em all to
SchmittVanDean@hotmail.com

Sharpe's very dead, so I doubt you could use him for a fic.  Didn't wanna
ruin it by telling you that in the disclaimer, though.  :)

-Schmitt

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A brother is a friend given by nature-Legouve
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