Disclaimer:  I don't own the characters, and I'm not making money.

Jonny Quest:  The Real Adventures

Desert Serenade (Part 5)

Rachel smashed her soggy cornflakes deeper into a bowl of warm
milk.  Since sleep seemed impossible, she decided to get up early and
catch up on some work around the ranch.  She had been toying
with her cereal for almost an hour, and she still had not taken one bite.

When he saw his daughter at the kitchen table, Doug's eyes widened
with surprise.  Rachel was so lost in thought that she did not even
notice her father's presence.  Doug bit his lip as he looked at his
daughter.  Her eyes were puffy and red, and her hands were shaky.
He could not remember a time when she had seemed so miserable.

Clearing his throat, Doug began, "Rachel, I hate to see you like this.
I tried to warn you.  Letting yourself get this upset is just plain foolish."

Rachel quickly cut him off, "I know, Dad.  I know."

Looking at her, Doug sighed.  He hated to see Rachel so unhappy.
Even though he did not want to see his daughter moving away
from him, he knew he had to do what was best for her.

He scratched his short silver-gray hair and said, "Do you know
what would be even more foolish?  Letting someone you really
care about leave- especially if you haven't told him how you feel."

Rachel dropped her spoon in shock, and a little white drop of
milk splashed on her nose.  Unable to utter a word, she stared
at her father in disbelief.

A soft smile spread across Doug's face.  "It wasn't too long ago
that I fell in love with you mother.  You know that losing her was
the hardest thing I've ever been through.  Still, I thank God everyday
that we had our precious time together.  She was one of my greatest
gifts in life."

Reaching for Rachel's hand, Doug continued, "I don't want to see
you get hurt, but it seems like you're hurting a lot without him.
What do you have to lose if you tell him how you feel?  Rachel,
love is not something you should take for granted.  Besides, I
would hate to see you wear the pitiful pouty expression for the
rest of your life."

Springing from her chair, Rachel kissed Doug's cheek.  "Thanks,
Dad!" she called before grabbing the car keys and running out the
door.  As he heard the car speed away, Doug shook his head and
hoped that he had done the right thing.

All the way to Benton's hotel, Rachel prayed that she would not
get pulled over for speeding.    The speedometer kept drifting into
the triple digits.  She doubted that a police officer would be very
sympathetic when she said that she was rushing to make sure she
did not lose the love of her life.  Dust flew from the road as she
hurried to town.

Arriving at the hotel, she absently parked the car sideways across
three spaces.  She sprinted into the lobby and breathlessly approached
the front desk.

"Dr. Quest, please!" Rachel panted.

The man behind the desk seemed unnaturally cheerful, considering
how early it was.  With a bright smile, he chirped, "I'm sorry.  Dr.
Quest checked out about an hour ago."

Rachel's breath caught in her throat.  "Did he leave a forwarding
address?" she choked.

The man briskly flipped through some papers and declared, "No."

In a daze, Rachel walked back to the car.  Benton would already
be in Texas by now.  There was no way she could get there
before his plane took off.    Aimlessly, Rachel drove around town
until she found herself on the road to Dripping Springs.  At the
base of the mountains, she got out and began the familiar hike.

After a long walk, Rachel stopped and gazed back at the
astonishing view.  The sun was just beginning to paint a layer of
reds and yellows across the sky.  Sweat and tears stung Rachel's
eyes.  She could not believe that she would never stand here
with Benton again.  A single tear slowly slid down her cheek as she
thought about Benton and wished that last night had been different.

Suddenly, a tender hand brushed the tear away.  Rachel looked up
and blinked.  She jumped into the arms of the man beside her.  His
reddish-brown hair was disheveled and his clothes were wrinkled,
but Rachel thought that he was the most handsome man in the
world.  "Benton!  I thought you were gone."

Hugging her close to him, he explained, "We were half way to
El Paso when I made them turn around and bring me back.  I just
knew that you would be here.  Rachel, I'm so sorry about last
night."

"No," Rachel interrupted, "it was my fault.  I was so confused."

"So was I, but all I could think about last night was you- us.
Before I met you, I was happy being alone, but I know I need
more in my life now.  Rachel, I love you!" Benton proclaimed.

"I love you, too, Benton.  You've helped me realize that I want
to do so much with my life, and I want you with me when I do it,"
Rachel cried.  The couple shared a long passionate kiss.
Eventually, they parted but continued to stare into each other's
eyes.

Rachel turned away and muttered, "Still, nothing's really changed.
You have to leave."

Gently pulling Rachel's chin towards him, Benton suggested, "You
could come with me."

"I don't know," Rachel sighed.

"Well, I know that I don't want to be apart from you again,"
Benton declared.

They lapsed into silence for a long moment.  They both watched
the colors of the sky become more vibrant.  The land below them
seemed to come alive, and anything seemed possible.  Rachel and
Benton thought about their feelings and what they could do next.

"We could get married," they both blurted in unison.

Laughing, they realized what they had each said.  "Do you really
want to?" Rachel stammered.

"Rachel, nothing in the world could make me happier than marrying
you!" Benton replied.  As the sun warmed the sleepy earth, Benton
and Rachel remained entwined in each other's arms.



The handful of guests were not incredibly happy about having to
hike almost a mile into the Organ Mountains.  However, once
there, the trip was well worth it.  All the desert plants were blooming
bright yellow and purple.  The sun made the soft brown sand glow.
This area was truly enchanting.  Still, most eyes were on the slightly
nervous man in the dark blue suit.  He paced a little and kept
checking his watch.

Not too far away, hidden by a cluster of trees, a woman was
almost shaking with excitement.  She wore a simple white lace
dress, and her long blond hair was pulled into a loose bun.  A
few wildflowers were fastened in her hair, and a small bouquet of
matching flowers trembled slightly in her hands.

A man approached her.  His silver hair was slicked back, and he
wore a well-tailored black suit.  His blue eyes sparkled as he
whispered, "It's time, Rachel."

She hugged her father and asked, "Are you ready to give me away,
Dad?"

Doug's bittersweet smile grew as he answered, "Honey, I will be
more than honored to escort you, but I will never ever give you
away."

"Aw, Dad, thanks," Rachel sighed as she hooked her arm through
his.  The guests gasped as the saw the radiant bride.  Rachel did
not notice, though.  Her focus was concentrated on the man standing
only a few feet away from her.  Soon, her father kissed her cheek,
firmly shook Benton's hand, and stepped away.  Rachel and Benton
joined hands and became lost in each other's eyes.

"Dearly beloved," the offical began.  Benton and Rachel managed to
say, "I do," at the appropriate moments; however, neither of them
were actually able to listen to the words of the ceremony.  All they
knew was that they were uniting with their soul mate.

Through their daze, they heard, "You may now seal your love with
a kiss."  Benton caressed Rachel's cheek while she slid her arms
around his neck.  They closed their eyes and shared a blissful kiss.
A gentle breeze began to ruffle their hair, and a soft melody seemed
to float through the breeze.  Some people thought it was the wind
whistling through the trees, but others knew it was the eternal song
of true love.

The End