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I suppose I should start by telling you how this story came into
being.  I'm not a particularly good writer and I find it extremely
difficult, so I don't write on a whim.  However, I had decided after
reading the many wonderful fanfics in my archive, that I wanted
to give it a try.

So, now the problem was, what do I write about?

A couple of things ended up influencing me.  First of all, I'm totally
HR, so it had to include at least a little of that.  Second, I went up
to Maine this past weekend for a wedding, so that sort of got me into
a wedding-fanfic mood.  Third, they played "Daddy's Little Girl" at
the reception, which I had never heard before (no one in my family
had it played at their wedding and neither did I) - so that was
running around in my head.  And then finally, on my way back from
Maine, I heard "Butterfly Kisses" on the radio, which is being touted
as the new "Daddy's Little Girl" for weddings.  When I heard it, I
started to think, "Hey...I can picture Race and Jessie as the father
and daughter in this song...".

And then it all started coming together...

So here we are.  I wrote most of the story in my head as I was
driving back from Maine and spent a couple of days typing and
tweaking it.

Anyway, without further ado, I present:

Daddy's Little Girl
by Suze
6/10/97

Catagories:  V, HR, F
Summary:  On the big day, Race and Jessie have a father/daughter
heart-to-heart talk...

Dedicated to Wendy Carley, who read my only other fanfic (an
X-Files piece) and encouraged me to write something for JQ.
Wendy, this one's for you.

*********

Race psyched himself up before going into the room.  This was such
an important day for Jessie - he didn't want to screw it up.  He
tentatively opened the door and peeked in.

Jessie stood by the window, seemingly lost in thought.

*She looks so beautiful!* Race thought to himself.  He was content
to watch her in silence for awhile.  He was mesmerized by the way
the sunlight turned her hair to copper fire and sparkled off her
engagement ring.  Her ring...she hardly seemed old enough to be
wearing that...

Jessie broke out of her reverie and finally noticed her father.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked.

Race smiled, "Not long, hun.  You just looked so peaceful...
I didn't want to disturb you..."

Jess grinned, "Don't worry about it...I could use the company.  Mom
ran off a little while ago to check on something, and I've been stuck
here by myself ever since!"

"Well...I had nothing better to do...and I got tired of
waiting....and..."

Jess smiled again, "It's okay, Dad.  Come sit with me for awhile?"

"Sure, sweetheart."

Jess carefully lowered herself into a chair and smoothed the front
of her gown.  Race dropped into the chair across from hers.

"How are you doing, Ponchita?" Race asked.

"Pretty well..." she laughed, "It's weird.  I'm sort of giddy, bored,
nervous, and excited all at the same time!"

Race laughed.  "I'm not surprised.  This is a big day for you
and Jonny..."

Jess looked concerned for a moment.

"What is it, Jess?"

"Well...did you ever...I mean...were you sure that you and mom were
doing the right thing?"

Race answered her as honestly as possible.  "Despite what happened
between your mom and me in the end, I wouldn't have changed a thing.
I got *you* out of the deal, after all..."

Tears welled up in Jessie's eyes, "Oh, Dad...."

"Oh, don't go cryin' on me now....you know I can't take that!"

Race handed her a tissue, then moved his chair next to hers and patted
her back until her tears subsided.  Jess looked a little sheepish.

"I'm sorry about that, Dad.  I seem to be doing that a lot lately!"

"It's okay, sweetie...this is an emotional time for you.  I understand."

Jess smiled and they sat in comfortable silence for awhile.  Race
noticed as she checked her watch a couple of times.

"It won't be much longer now, huh?"

Jess looked a little nervous.

"I know...I can't believe this is actually happening..."

"Me, either, Ponchita.  It seems like only yesterday you were five
years old and I couldn't keep you out of the mud.  Now look at you -
you're a grown woman, about to embark upon the biggest journey of
your life..."

Race looked a little wistful and he held on tightly as Jess took his hand.

She looked up at him with huge emerald eyes, and whispered,
"I'm scared, Daddy..."

She hadn't called him "Daddy" in over 10 years.  He knew she *must*
be nervous.

"It's alright, sweetheart...it's perfectly natural to be nervous.  I know
 *I* was..."

"You?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah, me.  In fact, I was scared to death!  It was your mom who was
the calm one.  That always amazed me about her - she was so cool and
collected through the whole thing.  Hell, she's the one who kept *me*
together!"

Jessie laughed and Race was pleased to see that she had relaxed a
little bit.

"How's Jonny holding up?" she asked.

"Oh, about the same as I was..."

"Oooh.  That bad, huh?"

Race shook his head gravely.

"Worse."

"Great.  I hope he doesn't do anything stupid, like, run off or
something..."

"Don't worry, Hadji and Benton are standing guard.  I think even your
mother and Roxie are keeping an eye out for him.  He's not going
anywhere, Ponchita.  Not today..."

"But he just has this...this...*knack* for getting into trouble during
important moments.  Remember Benton and Roxanne's wedding?"

"Oh, Lord, don't remind me!  I thought we were never going to get the
Doc married that day!   But just remember, sweetheart, everything
turned out fine that day, and everything will be fine today.
Unconventional, maybe, but that's par for the course with
this family..."

Jessie smiled at him.

"Thanks, Dad.  I'm glad we got to have this time together."

"Me, too.  So...we should probably find Jonny and get this show on the
road, huh?"

A strange look passed over Jessie's face.

"Uh....can you hurry, Dad?"

Jess struggled not to laugh as that stricken look that only men can
achieve came across her father's face.

She started to giggle as he bolted for the door.

And she finally gave a hearty laugh as she heard him yell down the
corridor.

"JONATHAN BENTON QUEST!!!!  Get in here!  You're wife's about to
have that kid of yours!"

Jessica Quest sighed and rubbed her swollen belly.

"Oh, sweetheart, there goes the best grandaddy you could have
possibly wished for.  You are the luckiest little girl in the
entire world.....

...and so am I...."

FINIS
6/10/97

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So.  Did I manage to surprise you at all?

Anyone?

Oh well...it was fun anyway!

Feedback is *highly* encouraged!  If you feel the urge to comment,
praise, or hurl epithets, please drop me a line...

Thanks for reading!

-- Suze

� Susan Howe 1997