DISCLAIMER: The Quest Team belongs to Hanna-Barbera, Inc. and Turner Entertainment. I have NO permission to use these characters, and therefore am making NO profit from their use -- just having a little fun.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place about one week after "Obscure Thoughts." You don't have to read it, "To Tell You The Truth," or "Why Did It Have To Be This Way" to understand this particular story, but if you haven't read them yet, I'd still recommend it. ^_^ The quote which opens the story inspired me (the writer) to write it, so it's only fitting that I present it to you (the reader) as a thought to ponder while you're reading the story. So sit back, relax and enjoy!
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"Man fool's himself. He prays for a long life, and he fears old age." -- Chinese Proverb
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FEAR OF FATE
By lil'nix
Benton sighed as he pulled his car into the garage behind the main house of the Quest Compound. The trip to Berne had been a long one. He had been prepared to spend the past two weeks at the International Scientific Organization Conference detailing his latest work and presenting his speech on Molecular Mass. Everything had gone well. Hadji would be pleased to learn that their invention was sure to be a hit, and his speech went over very well with many of the Organizations' members and colleagues.
But Benton was tired. . .drained of his energy. He had gotten several migraines during the trip, not to mention some slight chest pain. Benton blamed it all on fatigue. He had not gotten more than five hours of sleep in a single night. He barely touched any of his meals -- eating just enough to get through the day. Benton knew that what he was doing was bad and different from his norm, but there was little time to sit back and relax. He'd have enough time for that when he got home.
Closing the trunk of his car, Benton carried his suitcase and briefcase into the main house. Iris, the interactive computer simulator Dr. Quest had designed for their security and household functions, greeted him as he entered the foyer.
"Welcome home, Dr. Quest," Iris's computer simulated voice said.
"Good evening, Iris," Dr. Quest replied. He sat his bags against the wall and took off his jacket.
"Should I alert the others of your arrival?" Iris asked.
"No, Iris. That won't be necessary." Benton hung his coat in the small foyer closet.
"Very well," Iris said. "Race Bannon is currently in his quarters. I am also reading three entities in the lighthouse facility."
"Thank you, Iris." Benton picked up his things and started up the stairs toward his room.
"You are welcome, Dr. Quest."
Benton trudged his way upstairs to his own quarters. It was so silent throughout the house with the kids in the lighthouse that he could hear the stairs creaking as he moved. It was an unusual sound, one that made Benton nervous. But he couldn't figure out why.
He passed Race Bannon's room. The door was open about halfway and Benton could see Race lying on his bed. His pillows propped him up; a car magazine hid his face.
"Welcome home, doc," Race said.
Benton stopped in the hall, just outside Race's door. Race lowered his magazine to peer out over the top. He smiled broadly behind the magazine.
"How did you--?"
"I may be getting older, Benton." Race's smile could literally be heard in his voice. "But my training hasn't left me yet."
"I doubt it ever will, Race. How was your vacation?"
"Too short." Race sat the magazine on his bed and looked at Benton. "Need any help?"
Benton smiled and continued down the hall.
"No, thank you. I went light on this trip, remember."
Race shrugged and went back to reading his magazine.
"Just checkin'."
Once in his room, Benton closed his door. He walked over to his window overlooking the lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean. He opened the window slightly to let in some of the cool evening air. Smiling, he watched as Jonny ran from the lighthouse with Jessie and Hadji close behind.
"Jonathan Quest! You are dead meat!"
"Ha! Can't catch me, Jess!"
"Come back here!"
"Sorry, Jess! Can't do that!"
"You just wait!"
"HELP! Hadji!"
"He can't help you now, Quest!"
Benton laughed to himself. What had he been thinking about peace and quiet? Still smiling, he sat on his bed and stretched out upon it. He closed his eyes for a moment and found himself falling asleep.
The first person Benton saw upon falling asleep was, as always, Rachel. She was constantly in his thoughts. She looked as she did before she died: short blonde hair neatly trimmed to her shoulders, blue eyes that could light up the darkest room, and a smile she reserved only for Benton.
In this dream, Rachel was playing catch with Jonny. The light was too bright to make out the surroundings. Jonny looked to be about four years old. They were both laughing and giggling. Benton never understood the connection between Jonny and his mother, but he knew it was something he and Jonny would never share.
That fact made Rachel's death harder to take.
Like his thoughts, the images floating in Benton's mind changed. Rachel was no longer laughing and giggling. She was lying still in a mahogany box surrounded by bright light. Her hair was still neatly trimmed to the shoulder. Her blue eyes were closed as if in sleep. The smile was gone, replaced by a more pained expression.
And Jonny was crying.
Benton hadn't been able to say anything at Rachel's funeral. It was a small service, with family and a few close friends, but it seemed to go on forever.
Benton thought he had been able to forget everything about that day. He tried shoving it to the back of his mind. He threw himself into his work hoping to ease the pain.
But he could not stop Jonny from crying.
These images faded and were replaced by Race Bannon and Jessie. Jessie looked to be six years old. Benton could hear planes, although the light was too bright to see them. It was the first time Jessie had come to stay with her father at the compound.
Benton watched his son and Jessie talk about their toys. It was the first time Jonny had smiled and laughed since his mother died. Benton could feel a smile passing his own lips. He was so lost in his thoughts that day; he could barely make out Race's voice.
"Benton?" Race said and nothing more.
The light grew brighter as the images changed yet again. This time Benton saw Hadji staring at the huge mansion before him. They boy looked to be about 10 years old.
"This is my new home?" Hadji had asked with a smile.
There was no answer.
Jonny was carrying some stuff into the house and called for Hadji to follow. Hadji waved to his new friend.
"Thank you, Dr. Quest," Hadji said before running after Jonny.
Even then Hadji had been so formal.
"Dr. Quest?" Hadji's voice repeated in his mind and nothing more.
Suddenly, all the images went into fast forward.
Jeremiah Surd.
Ezekiel Rage.
Dr. Zin.
Rachel.
Jonny.
Race.
Jessie.
Hadji.
He saw them all and more. As the images spun they grew brighter, spinning into a large circle of light. He felt himself being pulled forward into it, but a voice made him stop.
"No, Benton. Not now. You're still needed."
"Rachel!" Benton called out.
Then everything went black.
**J*Q** **J*Q** **J*Q**
When Benton finally opened his eyes, the light was just as bright as it was in his dream. Slowly it faded; allowing him to see shadows hovering above him. Benton tried to move, but he was too weak. He moved his lips to speak, but no sound came out.
What was going on?
The shadows finally came into focus. Jonny, Jessie and Hadji stared down at Benton as Race's voice boomed from the background:
"Nurse! He's awake!"
The three teens were smiling happily at Benton and he managed the best smile he could.
Several nurses came running into the room followed by a doctor. They began checking machines and taking readings. Jonny, Jessie and Hadji stepped back to give them room, the smiles never leaving their faces.
Was it Benton's imagination, or was his son clutching Jessie's hand?
The doctor leaned in closely to examine Dr. Quest physically. After a few pokes here and little prodding there, he told the others, "He's past his critical point. He's going to be fine."
Critical point? What was going on?
Benton's questions showed on his face. The doctor looked at him with a brief smile and explained.
"You had a mild heart attack, Dr. Quest. It was probably brought on by recent stress. You've passed all critical points, and seem to be recovering quite nicely." He paused. "I'll let you rest and check back in later. I can explain more to you then."
Then the doctor disappeared from Benton's view. He turned his head slightly to one side to look at his family. The all stared back, smiling.
"How are ya feeling, pop?" Jonny asked as he moved to sit beside his dad on the bed. Jessie moved to stand behind him. Their hands never separated.
Benton could only smile.
"I think the doctor's right kids," Race said. "Let's give the doc some peace and quiet. We'll grab a bite to eat and check back later."
Jonny smiled at his dad and clasped his hand. "We'll be back later, dad."
"Get some rest, Dr. Quest," Jessie said. She leaned over the bed and lightly kissed Benton on the forehead. She smiled down at him and followed Jonny out of the room.
"We will not be far away, Dr. Quest," Hadji said with a smile. He followed his friends from the room.
"Take care, Benton," Race said as he left the room, the door closing behind him.
With a sigh, Benton got his first good look around. He was in a hospital room, hooked up to numerous machines. There were two IVs in one arm and a third in the other. Then the doctor's words sunk in. He'd suffered a mild heart attack from recent stress.
Fear rushed through Benton's mind.
*A heart attack is not uncommon for men of your age,* Benton told himself. *But, I never thought. . .I've always tried to stay in good condition. What went wrong?*
Benton remembered the events of the past several weeks and shook his head sadly.
*The convention, of course. But I've been through more than my fair share of stressful events. Have they finally caught up with me?*
Benton closed his eyes. He was about to fall asleep when a small voice woke him up.
"Benton?"
His eyes snapped open. At first he saw nothing. Then a tiny speck of bright light appeared near his window. It grew bigger until it began to take the shape of a person. It's golden hair sparkled in the light. It's blue eyes shining brighter than a sunlit sky.
"Rachel?" Benton tried to speak, but it came out in a slur.
The form of light smiled back.
"Hello, Benton. I hope you're feeling better."
Silence.
"You must understand. I could not let you die. Not now."
Silence.
"'Don't fight fate.' Isn't that what you told me when I was ill?"
Benton blinked in response.
"Well, I couldn't let fate have its way. Not this time. There's too much for you to do."
Benton smiled.
"They make a beautiful couple don't they?"
Benton was confused for a moment, then remembered what he saw. Jonny holding Jessie's hand. He knew it would happen eventually, it was just a matter of waiting. Benton had told himself time and again that it couldn't possibly happen, but he knew it was fate.
"Don't let fate frighten you, Benton. You're much stronger than that."
Benton looked at the spirit in front of him and smiled.
"I'm getting too old for this," Benton managed to say.
The spirit smiled. "You're never too old, Benton. You're only as old as you feel."
"I feel pretty old, Rachel," Benton said.
"But you're not ready to die. I know that. You know that. And a few of my friends know that."
"Friends?"
As if on cue, a dozen little lights sparkled above Rachel's spirit form. They spun in a circle above her head, appearing like a halo.
"There's so much left for you to do, Benton. Create new gadgets. Learn new things. Create more theories." She paused. "See our grandchildren."
Silence.
"Don't fight fate, Benton."
Then she disappeared.
"Rachel?" Dr. Quest asked. He looked around, but saw nothing. Had he been dreaming it? But then he heard her voice whisper in his ear.
"Don't fight fate. . .unless you know you can win."
Benton smiled. He closed his eyes again, and went to sleep.
*I will not be afraid. I will fight it, Rachel. For you. For Jonny. For all
of us.*
END