Future Quest
"Part Three"
by Montage

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of 'em except Jeremy Surd! So don't sue me!

Jessie muttered something under her breath and stood up from the
computer in front of her.  She just couldn't seem to concentrate on her
work.  She ran her fingers through her waist length red hair to push it
out of her face.

~Jessica?~

"What is it Iris?" Jessie asked the computer.

~You may want to check through Jonothan's personal files, I believe he
left you something.~

"Why didn't you say something earlier?" Jessie was already back in her
chair.

~It was not there.~ was the machine's reply.

Jessie's frown lasted but a moment before she found and loaded a file
fro Jonny's directory titled "To Jess".

She waited for what seemed to her and eternity for the thing to load. 
Suddenly, Jonny appeared on the screen.  Jessie sat straight up,
shocked.

He wore his usual attire; jeans, a plain t-shirt, and sneakers.

{Hey, Jess.  Betcha weren't expecting to see me, huh?  I have a few
things I wanted to say, so I programmed this to send when they ran the
coroner's report on me.  Well, here goes:

First, I don't want you to close down; I'd have to haunt you.  We worked
to hard to give up, so don't even think about it.  And without us, Surd
would have taken over half the world by now!

Second, don't dwell on the past; and that includes me.  You've got your
whole life ahead of you; make the most of it.  No, I'm not telling you
to forget about me, just don't obsess, 'kay?

And last, but definitely not least, I love you.  I probably didn't say
it enough, especially after we found out how bad I was, but I *do* love
you, Jessie Quest; always have, always will.  I'll miss you more than
you'll ever know,} he raised his hand in a slight wave and gave a weak
smile; then the screen was blank.

To her surprise, she wasn't crying; her eyes were completely dry, "I
love you, too."

She turned the computer off and leaned back in her chair.

"Y'know Iris, I've thought about it every day since we found out he was
sick.  What if none of it had ever happened?  What if he hadn't gotten
sick?  Or if we had been able to find the cure just a few months
sooner.  It wouldn't have been like this.  Jonny would still be here and
my life wouldn't be Hell on Earth right now."

~Is it typical of humans to wish to change the past?  I have heard many
people make comments such as yours.~

Jessica thought for a moment, "I guess it probably is; I never really
thought about it until Jonny got so sick last year."

~I see.  You do, of course, realize it is impossible, don't you?"

Jessie sighed, "Yeah."

There was a short silence befor Iris spoke again, ~You weren't
considering it, were you?  Changing the past would change *everything*. 
You can't just go change the past because you don't like the present. 
Besides, you and Jonny dstroyed the only working time machine after Surd
tried to steal it, remember?  Too dangerous to have around?  Jessica
Quest, are you listening to me?~

"I almost wish we'd left you in Questworld, Iris.  But I know what you
mean.  I promise I won't try to go back and destroy the virus," Jessica
chose her words very carefully.

~Good.~

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Jessie came through the door, slamming it behind her.

"Shhh...Jonny's sleeping."

"Sorry, how's he doing?"

"Fine,, it is quite odd; he was as sick as a dog this morning, but he is
as fit as a fiddle by three o'clock."

"Hmmm...if there had been an Algebra test or an essay today, I'd call
him a faker."

"Oh, he was quite sick.  His fever reached 115 before it broke and he
was too weak to get out of bed on his own, he's been there all day,"
Hadji informed her.

Jessie's eyebrows drew together, "That is kind of wierd."

"Dr. Mason found nothing wrong with him except for the obvious
symptoms.  No diseases or irregular bacteria in his sstem at all.  Most
peculiar," he mused.

Jessie nodded, "I think I'll go check on "Sleeping Beauty", just to make
sure he's okay."

When Jessie got to Jonny's room, he was sitting on his bed with his
laptop and a headset.

"Glad yer feeling better," she sat on the chair next to the bed.

Jonny logged off and removed the headset, "Hey Jess.  Me too, that was
pretty nasty stuff."

"Kinda strange that it only lasted about 12 hours, isn't it?" she asked.

He shrugged, "I guess I had half of the 24 hour flu," he joked lightly.

She didn't look very convinced, "Is something bothering you, Jess?"

She shook her head, "No...well, yes.  But it's nothing."

"Jessie, what is it?"

"Nothing, I need to figure it out on my own."

"If you..." he began.

"I brought you a present," Jessie deliberately changed the subject.  She
left and came back a few moments later with her backpack.

She pulled out a neatly typed sheet and handed it to him.

He looked over it, "My homework assignments, thanks," sarcasm dripped
from his statement.

"I got bored in typing," she explained.  She reached in and pulled out a
paper plate covered in tin foil, "and home-ec."

"Cookies!  Thanks, Jess, yer the greatest."

"I know," she smiled.  "I figured if they're gonna make me take the
classes, I may as well get some use out of them," she raised her
eyebrows at him.

"What?"

"It's just hard to believe that you were deathly ill less than two hours
ago the way you're scarfing those."

Jonny flashed her a lopsided grin between bites, "Hopefully I'll be sick
again tomorrow, I haven't even*read* chapter six."

Jessie pulled her Chemistry book out, "Read away, I've gotta get started
on my Algebra."

"You're *so* kind," he kidded.

It was her turn to grin, "You better believe it.  See you at dinner if
you're up to it."

Montage
montage@geocities.com