Subject: JQ: Fic: Reborn (1/2) by Renee' Forisha

Reborn
By Renee' Forisha
Her email addy is [email protected]

*If you have read anything that I've written you know I'm into the 
abnormal.  I don't write about anything that can possibly happen and my 
stories are very far-fetched.  So if you like the  
realistic-everyday-life-like stories, I wouldn't recommend my story.  
Then again, if you like the very unrealistic imagination and weirdness, 
this is your story.  It involves ghosts and multiple lives.  Written for 
lack of weird stories and stories based on Hadji, I cautiously present 
"Reborn". 
(Reborn is the meaning of my name Renee', neat huh?)*

I got this idea when I started thinking about that movie *Flatliners* 
with Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, and Keifer Sutherland in it.  This 
isn't exactly like that, but it has the basic idea of the movie.  Don't 
sue, I have no money.  The Quest belong to HB and I hope you like what 
I've scrapped from the bottom of my puny mind.

Disclaimer: Don't own the Quest Team or anything in relation. No money, 
no credit.
Archivers: Not without permission
Summary:  Hadji learns more about himself in this life and the previous 
ones.
Categories: A (slightly), E

Reborn
Part 1

School had been rather boring that day for Hadji and he didn't know why.  
Usually he was very interested in the subjects in hand, but found it 
difficult to think straight that day.  He was suppose to leave that 
weekend to visit Pasha who was eager to see how he was doing.  Not that 
he didn't miss Pasha, he wasn't too sure if he wanted to leave.  With 
the end of the school year coming up, the exams were overwhelming, and 
he was struggling to keep his pace.

"A minor burn out."  He whispered to himself.  He sat in front of an 
encyclopedia in the school library.  The words were blurring his vision, 
and his eyes stung with fatigue.  He was spending more time trying to 
convince himself that he wasn't losing his touch  than he was actually 
reading the writing.  After sitting in the same seat for two hours 
straight, Hadji was finally ready to go home.  He checked out three 
books.  Two were about Physics and the last was a fiction by a popular 
author.  He hoped the story would lift his spirits and get his mind off 
school.

He got into the car with a deep inward sigh.  The day was coming to a 
beautiful end as the sun laid in the western sky.  The parking lot was 
abandoned with only the librarian's single white Topaz parked in the 
employee's reserved space.  His car started the first time with a loud  
roar.  He went ahead and turned on the head lights on their lowest 
setting before he pulled out of the parking lot.  As he drove, his mind 
raced faster than it had in a very long time.  He was tired.  Not the 
physical tiredness that folds around you after a long day at work but 
when you feel the world spinning around you in its great wonders, and 
you're lost in your own boring world.  

There was a loud clatter of noise that shot off from his right and he 
slammed on his brakes.  Luckily there were no cars around on the narrow 
road.  He was passing a hotel when the noise broke out.  His brakes made 
a squealing hiss as the car fell out of control.  The wheel was turning  
out of his hands.  He never screamed.  The terror froze him as he saw a 
flash of a sign whirling toward him.  His seat belt burned down the side 
of his neck, but held him steadily back.  The passenger seat suddenly 
bent toward him, the pole visibly coming through the door.  When the 
wood pole reached his seat, he bounced backward slightly.  Then 
everything was black.

*Last night a young teenage boy was in a car accident by the Lover's 
Lodge Hotel on Enterprise Road.  It is said that a man had heard rumors 
about his new bride having affairs behind his back.  When he caught her 
here at the hotel, a fight between the husband and the wife broke out.  
The husband had his 357 Magnum that he uses for protection in his home 
with him.  He  pointed it at the wife, but the woman's lover knocked the 
gun out of his hands.  A single shot fired across the street and hit the 
passing car in the tire.  It spun out of control, and hit this hotel 
sign.*

The voice of the news reporter continued out of the hospital television 
that Jessie watched a seat away from Race.  They had been in the 
hospital the entire night, and this was the third news station they've 
watched with the story.  The reporter stood in front of Hadji's battered 
car.  The  sign had fallen on top of it, landing inches above Hadji's 
lap when it caught on the thick driver's door.  Everything was mostly 
cleaned up except the car itself and loose wires.  Benton walked in and 
sighed as he sat down between the two.

"Well-"  Benton's voice faded before he could speak.

"What is it Benton?"  Race turned to his long time friend and saw the 
look in his eyes.

A tear fell from his cheek.  "It looks really bad.  If he wasn't wearing 
his seat  belt-"   Again his voice trailed off, but he forced himself to 
finish.  "I haven't seen many in this bad of shape come out of it alive.  
They sometimes end up being crippled for life if they're lucky."  Jessie 
was staring at the corner of the room in her own thoughts.

"I need some air."  She stood up and left the room without waiting for a 
response from Race or Benton.  The two men watched her leave the room 
before they turned to each other.

"I'm sorry Race.  I shouldn't have said anything in front of Jessie.  I 
didn't realize she was so worried."  Race shook his head.

"Don't worry about her.  She's a tough cookie.  I'm just a little 
concerned about that boy of yours."  Benton shook his head.

"You and me both.  With two nurses helping me, I couldn't get Jonny out 
of that room.  He refuses to talk or leave."

"I'm sure he'll be okay."

"Which one?"

"Jonny and Hadji both."  Race gave him an encouraging smile.

"I only wish I had your optimism Race."

Jonny woke to the beeping of one of Hadji's machines.  He soon realized 
it was the heart monitor.  The beat took another jump.  Most of the time 
the rhythm would feel strong, then it would stop for seconds before 
starting again.  The heart had stopped for a few seconds when it woke 
Jonny from his shallow nap.  The heart was beating again like Jonny had 
figured in the past, would for a long time.  That dream was slowly 
dimming, and it was becoming hard for Jonny to keep an open mind.  There 
was a light knock on the door before it opened reveling Jessie's worried 
face.  He could tell she had been crying.

"How is he?"  Her voice was in a whisper.

"About the same.  How are you?"  She shook her head.

"I've been better, but I'm not as bad as Hadj."  She walked around the 
bed to the opposite side of  Jonny, and she picked up Hadji's hand.  His 
hands felt cold and numb, like that of a long time dead carcass.  "Hadji 
seemed so stressed out these past few days.  I should have listened to 
him complain.  He always has a sensitive ear when I need to get a load 
off my chest."  Jonny went to say something, but she held up her left 
hand.  "No don't say it's not my fault.  I know I had nothing to do with 
it.  It's just...I could have made it easier on Hadji before he got in 
all of this.  I don't think I could handle it if Hadji-"

"Jessie, I've talked to Hadji countless times on endless nights about 
life.  The unfairness.  The injustice.  The death.  He has always been 
at peace with himself.  There's nothing that he regrets or wishes to 
change.  He had a wonderful life."  She glared at him from across the 
bed.

"You talk as if he is already helplessly lost.  As if he was already 
dead."  Jonny stood up and leaned over the bed.

"I wasn't saying he was already dead, nor was I implying it.  I was just 
saying that there is no reason for you to feel bad.  No one in this 
hospital or in the world would blame anyone for what happened.  The  
accident was a sign of fate.  You know that's exactly what Hadji would  
say.  Everything happens because of the life we chose for ourselves.  I 
believe that because Hadji wore his seat belt, he is going to be okay."

"How can you be so sure Quest?"

"He's made it this far hasn't he?  I bet you that Hadji is just taking a 
rest before coming back."

"That's absurd!  There's no way that-"  Jessie stopped when the heart 
monitor stopped and was replaced by a loud one-pitched-note that stung 
the air.  "Hadji?"

"Don't worry, it'll start again in a few seconds."

One second...Two seconds....Three seconds...Four seconds...

Jonny couldn't breath.  His heart was also refusing to beat.

Five seconds...Six seconds...Seven seconds...Eight seconds...

Jessie's eyes wouldn't turn away from the green lit screen.

Nine seconds...Ten seconds.

"Oh God, please Hadji."  Jonny whispered.  "You've never taken this 
long."

"Jonny?"

"Hurry,  get the doctor!"  Jessie ran out the door screaming for the 
doctor.  Jonny heard her tell them that his heart stopped.  Jonny fell 
back into his seat as the doctor and nurses ran in.  They screamed back 
and forth as the horrible shrill of the machine made Jonny's pulse pound 
in his  temple.

The large crowd of medical staff stopped and slowly dropped their hands 
to their side.  The head doctor looked down at his watch and turned to a 
nurse who walked slowly out the room.  The same doctor turned to Jonny 
who looked up at him confused and horror stricken.  "There's no more to 
do.  I'm sorry."  Jonny looked at the doorway where his father stood 
with Race and Jessie.

The room was quiet except for the loud hum of the heart monitor.  The 
others walked up next to Jonny while the doctors and nurses left.  For a 
few seconds they sat in silence.  "Dad,"  Jonny began.  "I can't fell 
anything.  My whole body is numb.  I fell as if someone took a part of  
me that I never knew was there."  Benton sat a hand on his son's 
shoulder.

"I know how you feel."  His voice was weak with tears.  He didn't know 
what else to say or do.  The hurt was more than anyone of them could put 
in words.

"No."  Everyone turned to Jessie who's eyes were fixed on the monitor 
screen.  "No."  She  repeated a little louder.  "No!"  Race went to grab 
his daughter, but she rushed to Hadji's bed.  His face was blank, 
expressionless.  She slapped him across that motionless face.  She 
wanted to see it move.  "Wake up you Bastard.  Don't you dare die on 
me!"  She slapped again and again. Her and stung, but her mind refused 
to stop at her own physical pain.

"Jessie stop!"  Race ran over to her and swung her around in his arms.  
She was shaking with anger.  She wanted him to move.  To fell the pain 
she inflicted on him.  To continue to laugh, breath, sing, love, hold, 
touch, live.  She wanted to see him get up out of the bed and run down 
the  halls felling his young heart pound in his ears.  Fell the breeze 
on his face.  

But he's gone.

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

The bright light circled around Hadji.  He looked around him and saw the 
green grassy hills of the open area.  He saw at the bottom of the hill a 
small campsite were a few bodies were spread around.  He knew he had 
killed them, and he ordered his tribe servants to help.  The people who 
owned the campsite were traveling from a small town to visit family.  
The young couple had a small six year old daughter who screamed as she 
watched her father fall to the ground when he killed him.  The woman and 
child died quickly and painlessly.  He ordered his men to take what they 
wanted and to do as they wished with the bodies.  He told no one to 
touch the child.  He didn't want to kill her, but he had to kill the 
parents and he had nowhere to put her.  The last thing he needed was a 
daughter.

Daughters to him were like a bubble in the vain.  They are painful and 
can be the death of the chief of an Indian tribe.  They were in central 
Oklahoma and heading south where he hoped to find the buffalo in 
numerous numbers.  The white men had driven him and his people in 
circles, trying  to keep up with the herds.  The couple were recognized 
by a member of the tribe as being the ones who killed Hadji's only son 
ten years ago.  He had lost the mother of his son during that raid in 
Kansas.  Four women had been chosen by him to take her place, but none 
could provide the son he  needed.  The women and daughters were taken 
care of by cut across the throat, and left for the sun to bake.  They no 
longer served the purpose they were born for.

He was the most vicious of all the Indians.  Many of his people hated 
having someone so heartless as their leader, but anyone who challenged 
the great Warstar died before he could explain his intentions.  He rode 
the half day long trip back to his camp where a young woman waited in 
his teepee.  He met her as he rode around his camp and saw her with two 
daughters and a husband.  She was very beautiful.  Her dark hair hung in 
thin strips down to her hips.  This man was no longer Hadji but the 
misguided and heartless chief Warstar.  He took the woman thinking all 
her  female eggs were used and she would provide him with a son.  She 
was due to have his boy any day now, and he knew it as he walked his 
horse in the dark down the row of teepees.  As he went to enter his home 
he heard the giggle of a child.  He looked inside and saw his new bride 
with a new born baby in her arms.

"Is it a boy?"  He asked in his Indian language.

"It is."  Was her only reply.  He jumped up in joy.  He had never felt 
more happy in his entire life.  He finally had the son he worked and 
wished for.  He went over to pick up the baby, but she jerked over to 
the side.  "No."

"Do you dare deny me my own son?"

"He will not be your son.  He is mine and my rightful love."  He looked 
her in the eyes and she didn't flinch.

"You have no say in what your chief and husband does.  The child is mine 
and so are you."

"I will never be yours."  The next thing that happened stunned him.  
From behind a hatchet cut through the air and hit the back of his head.  
He fell before he knew what was happening to him.  He looked up just in 
time to see the woman's first husband bend over him with a blood covered 
blade in his hand.  "He will be ours."  Her soft voice was the last one 
he will ever hear again.  

In this life.

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

"Wake up you bastard!"  *Jessie?*  Hadji's head jerked to the side and 
he felt the edge of her fingernail cut the side of his cheek.  He had a 
burning sensation in his chest, and realized he wasn't breathing.  He 
sucked in his air through the nose.  The room air was thick, but it felt 
a lot better than the burning.  He could hear the beeping of something 
next to him.  Then he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep.  He had been 
through a lot in the past few hours.

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

Jonny looked over to their side.  "Hadji's monitor!"  The beeping broke 
the sound of their tears.  They had been sitting there in sadness for 
three minutes, trying to collect themselves.  The sudden noise startled 
them, but the joy was overwhelming.  He was alive again.  The doctor ran 
in and looked the boy over.

"His heart beat is stronger than ever.  I don't understand."  Everyone 
cheered and warmed each other with hugs and kisses.  The rebirth of 
Hadji was a day they'll never forget.
         

A month later Hadji was released.  He had problems moving some of his 
limbs, but with the help of his family, he was begging to be allowed to 
walk out of that dreadful hospital.  The dream Hadji had while his heart 
stopped, never played again in his memory.  He was free to live his life  
happily and forever fulfilling.  He stepped onto the grass in front of 
the Mansion, the day he was released.  He never felt like he was home so 
much in his life.  With his brother and sister at his side, he walked up 
to his room.  After a large dinner, Hadji decided to take a walk down 
the beach.

The cool ocean wind blew around his face and tasted sweet.  He strolled 
with his hand on his chest, felling the pulsing beat of life under his 
skin.  Life was so precious, how anyone could take it for vantage was 
beyond him.  He looked down at his watch and realized it was very late.  
The sun was well hidden into the horizon, and the moon's glow sent a 
blue spotlight down onto the water.

"Warstar."  The name felt like a whisper in his mind.  A wave of 
emotions washed down him, and he turned around.  Nothing.  The sand led 
up to the green grass that contained the mansion on the hill.  
"Warstar."  The whisper seemed to be heard from the other side.  He was 
turning in circles trying to find the source of the voice.

"Who are you?"  Hadji called out.  His voice blew around in the breeze, 
but never received an immediate response.

"Why Warstar, why?"  By now Hadji was certain he heard the voice, and he 
didn't like the strange emotions he was feeling.  It was like he knew 
the voice, only he didn't.  He couldn't think.  He only knew he wanted 
it to stop.  He quickly jogged up the grass hill toward the mansion.  
"Warstar."  The whisper was louder.

"Stop it!"  Hadji covered his ears and looked around him.  The moon 
shined down at him, almost in a teasing laughter.  "Who are you!"  He 
was turning the corner of the house when he hit something, falling on 
his back.  He looked up to see a white light.  It shined with beauty and 
warmth, and from the brightness stepped out a woman.  Her dark hair blew 
around her face.  She was holding her hands out to him.  A sad 
expression stained her beautiful features.

"Warstar, why?"  He noticed at that moment that her neck was cut from 
the bottom of her left ear to the right.  Blood was slowly falling from 
the wound and sliding down her neck.  "Why?"  With her last word, she 
faded.  Hadji sat staring at the imprint of her image in the grass.  He 
ran inside and went straight to his room.  He used the back of his fist 
to rub his eyes.  Nothing seemed different.  The woman's image was 
burned into his memory.

"Where did she come from?"  Hadji rubbed his forehead as he looked into 
the dresser mirror.  An older Indian man stood before him.  *Warstar*  
The thought popped into his head without hesitation.  He didn't know how 
he knew, but he did.  No one heard his cry for help as the image in the 
mirror lunged for him.


Right before going to bed, Jonny stopped at Hadji's door and knocked 
softly.  There wasn't an answer so he called to him.  "Hey Hadji.  Are 
you asleep yet.  I want to talk."

"Maybe later Jonny.  I really feel sleepy."  His voice seemed different 
somehow, but Jonny quickly brushed the thought away.  He was tired, and 
the door muffled voices into strange tones.

"Okay, I'll talk to you in the morning then.  Maybe we can take a walk 
after breakfast."  There was a long pause before Hadji answered in the 
same strange tone of voice.

"I would like that my friend."  Jonny walked over to his door, but 
stopped for a moment to stare at Hadji's.  That large wood door felt 
more like a wall or barrier between them.  They needed to have a talk 
about what happened.  Hadji had gone through so much, but everyone 
refuses to bring it up. He had to get Hadji to talk so he'll feel 
better.


The next morning Benton knocked on the kid's three doors.  First it was 
Jessie's door.  "Jessie, wake up."

"Okay Dr. Quest."  Her sleepy voice called from the other side of the 
door.  Benton walked across the hall and knocked on Jonny's. 

"Jonny, wake up son."  

"Hum?"  Benton smiled at the door as he pictured Jonny strung out across 
the mattress.  He crossed the hall again farther down and knocked on 
Hadji's door.  He was hopeful, knowing Hadji was the easiest one to 
wake.

"Hadji, we're going to be leaving soon.  Do you need help packing your 
things?  I could get some extra cases if you need them."  There wasn't a 
response.  "Hadji are you awake?"  Benton knocked three times but there 
still was no response.  He opened the door and peeked inside only to  
find the room empty.  *Could Hadji already be awake?  I can't imagine 
why he would be awake so early.*  Benton thought.

He walked downstairs to see if he could find his adopted son.  It wasn't 
like him to take off without telling anyone where he was going.  He 
checked through every room that Hadji might want to go in and some he 
might not.  By the time he finished searching, Jonny and Jessie was 
dressed and almost finished packing.  They had planned to leave at nine 
o'clock for Bangalor  so Hadji could see his mother, but he was nowhere 
to be found.


Hadji woke dirty and confused.  He didn't have any idea how he ended up 
in his car, which was parked at the north end of the park.  He looked 
down at his watch, seven thirty.  He rubbed his eyes as he pulled the 
mirror down from the sun visor.  His face was clammy and light.  The 
Quest phone that he kept under the passenger car seat was missing.  It 
was intended for emergency use only, but Hadji had no money to use a 
public phone.  He turned on the car and started to head home.

As he drove, he tried to think of what had happened that night.  
Everything seemed so unreal.  Like a dream.  That's when he realized 
that this was the first time that he had driven since the accident.  It 
felt like a lifetime ago when he saw the sign pole rushing at him.  
Everything  seemed to have snapped into place for that brief moment, and 
now he sat here, unknowing of what he was to do next.  It was the first 
time in his whole life that he didn't at least have a faint idea of what 
was going to happen.  He felt so out of control, detached.  *wake up 
Hadji* he told  himself.   

It was a good distance from the park to the front gates of the Quest 
Compound.  Hadji was getting ready to punch in his code, but the gate 
was already open and inside he could see Jonny looking around the 
mansion.  When he pulled up Jonny turned around and ran inside before 
coming up to Hadji's car.  Hadji cut the engine as Jonny breathlessly 
jogged up to him.

"Hadji where have you been?  We were suppose to have left almost an hour 
ago, and dad was about to start calling hospitals."

"I am truly sorry my friend.  I don't understand what is happening to 
me."  Jonny's angry expression softened, and he put his hand on Hadji's 
shoulder.

"It's okay.  There's no excuse for me to get all bent out of shape over 
nothing.  Well at least you're here now, and we can get going now.  Come 
on, I'll help you get your things."  Hadji let Jonny lead him inside.  
Hadji's mind began to wonder, and strange thoughts were now coming to  
mind.  His brother would be a fun and challenging person to kill.  It 
would be very difficult, but the victory would be most thrilling.

*Stop it!*  Hadji said to himself.  *Why am I thinking of such things?  
I could never kill Jonny, even if it meant for me to die.*  As they got 
to the stairs Jessie passed by and gave them a warm smile.

"Well look who decided to show up.  I hope you had fun last night party 
boy."  Hadji stared at her in awe.  It was almost as if he had never 
seen her before, and she was so daring.  *She would be perfect without 
that red hair.*  Hadji shook the other thought out of his head.  *Get a 
grip on yourself*   "I'll see you two in a little while.  If you need 
any help, just ask."

"Thanks Jess."  Jonny answered for both of them.  "I'm sure we can get 
it okay.  Just tell dad and Race to give us a little more time."  She 
nodded before walking down the rest of the stairs and out the front 
door.  They watched her leave then Jonny turned to Hadji.  "I swear she 
thinks we're incapable of  taking care of ourselves."

They quickly got Hadji's things together and headed to a large clearing 
south of the lighthouse.  Race had just bought a large helicopter and 
was eager to see how well it did on a long distance ride.  They kept 
their bags in a bottom department so the top section would be well 
spaced out.

"Hey Race,"  Jonny began as he got in.  "why did you get a helicopter.  
I always thought you said they were hard to handle and too slow."  Race 
looked back at him with his proudest smile.

"Jon, you haven't seen this beauty in action.  She goes just as fast as 
a jet slipping through air like wet soap and with half the gas."  Jessie 
gave a giggle and Race shot her a warning look, but she only laughed 
harder.

"Hey dad, can I fly it?"  Jessie asked once she got her breath back.

"Not until we're above water.  I don't want you slamming us into a tall 
building and killing us with hundreds of others."

"Your confidence in me is warming."  As they talked Hadji sat back in 
his seat and let his mind drift until the sound of the engine was the 
last thing he heard before falling asleep.


"Michael, I don't know what is wrong with you."  A beautiful red headed 
woman slammed her glass onto the bar counter.

"Heather, I know about you and Allen.  He told me all about the other 
night, and everything you said."  Hadji was watching from Michael's 
body, but wasn't in control.  He was in a 3-D movie and only able to see 
what was to happen.

"I can't believe you.  You sent someone to spy on me?"

"I had to Heather.  I was hearing all these rumors about you and all 
those men in Vegas."  She was wearing a pink, silk, and feather 
nightgown that hung very loosely from her small hips.  She walked up to 
him and rubbed her hands through his jet black hair and pulled on his 
tie.

"Who do you believe baby, me or those losers you call friends?"  He 
smoothly pulled her gentle hands off of him and he stood up.  Their bar 
was next to the apartment's wall size windows.  He opened the door and 
stepped out onto the concrete patio that overlooked a large city.  She 
stood in the doorway.

"I guess I just got my answer."  She walked up to him and leaned her 
head on his shoulder.  "Michael, I know I'm not perfect, but it's just 
the 20's baby.  We're both young, and we have our whole lives in front 
of us.  Don't let this little thing throw off our wedding."  He sighed 
and lowered his head.  The cool night air blew against his face, and the 
air smelled of exhaust from the cars five stories bellow and cigarette 
smoke from Heather's nightgown.

"I don't know if I can do that."  He turned around and looked deep into 
her light hazel eyes.  "You are more trouble than you're worth."  He 
walked inside as she stood stunned on the patio.

"No!"  She ran inside and slammed the glass door so hard it almost 
shattered.  "I stuck in there with you the whole time you went bankrupt 
from gambling, and I was there when you won the three million.  I didn't 
go through all of that to just be tossed aside like a cheap pair of 
shoes.  I refuse to have you push me away."

He quickly turned around to her.  "Don't you ever raise your voice to 
me.  You're the one running around like a little whore."

"I didn't say anything to Allen or do anything with Allen.  He has 
always been interested in me and is trying to split us apart."

"Don't flatter yourself honey.  He doesn't want anything to do with 
you."  She let out a loud laugh, and he glared at her.  "What's so 
funny?"

"Are you blind or just stupid?"  Wake up and smell the booze sweet 
heart, we're in California."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Don't you see anything that goes on other than the parties?  All of 
your friends have hit on me, but you're too stupid to see it."  He 
studied her face for a moment and shook his head.

"I don't believe you.  You are just trying to put the blame on me, and 
I'm not going to let you manipulate me."  He began to leave, but 
something hit him on his back.  He looked over and saw a wine glass 
shattered on the wood floor.  He turned to the angry woman.

"If you even love me a little you will not walk out that door.  Stop 
trying to push me away."  He turned back to the door and reached for the 
door knob.  She ran up to him and grabbed his wrist, but he swung his 
hand back and sent her flying back onto the foot of the bar.  Blood  
began to slide down the side of her temple, and her head was turned in a 
unnatural angle.  Her neck was broken.

~~~~~~~~
More on the way....