Eric Wilson put his head against his hands, staring at his food silently.

"Eric, what's wrong?" his mother's voice cut into his thoughts.

Eric snapped out of his reverie. "Ah--nothing, Mom," he answered hollowly.

His mother stared at him as if she didn't believe him. "Hm. Are you feeling sick?" Her voice grew hard. "Did something happen on your way home?"

Eric almost jumped. "No! No! What made you say that?" he squeaked.

His mother gave him a strange look. "Nothing." She collected the plates and went to the kitchen.

Eric buried his face against his hands again, moaning softly. He knew about Jonny Quest and his friend, Hadji Singh from the newspapers. He'd never actually MET them.

How fortunate that the first time they met, he saw them kissing.

It made him sick to his stomach.

He stood. "I'm going to my room, Mom," he called, then rushed to his privacy.

~ * ~

Hadji's hands were shaking. How to say this, how to say this... He waited until Jonny was beside him, then put a small space between them. He ran a nervous hand against his hair, pulling back his turban. "Ahh..." he stammered, trying to think of what to say.

Jonny didn't meet his eyes. "What do you want to talk about?" he asked, his voice lower.

Hadji clenched his fists. "About what happened..."

"Can't we just forget it?' Jonny asked in a tired voice.

"No we CANNOT forget about it," Hadji replied through clenched teeth. "It happened, and we have to settle this."

"But why? It was a mistake. A STUPID mistake." Jonny sighed. "We weren't ourselves then." He looked up expectantly.

"Well, I guess we CAN call it a mistake," Hadji admitted.

"YOUR mistake."

"Why mine?" Hadji asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"You--you--" Jonny cried. "You--did it to me!" He turned away and punched the air angrily. "You asked me to walk to the park, you pulled me, you--you--" He began to stutter.

"Kissed you?" Hadji asked in a quiet voice. He took a shaky breath. "Yes but..." He shook his head. "There's no point in saying who's started what. What's important is that SOMETHING happened. And we have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It will NEVER happen again," Jonny said tightly. "Can't we just forget about it?"

"NO!" Hadji turned to him, his eyes steeling. "It happened, Jonny. And--and--"

"And what?" Jonny asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

Hadji put his hands in his face. "I--I wanted--it to happen," he admitted, his voice muffled.

Jonny stood there, shocked. There came a loud wind, rapping against the hollow walls. But he was sure it was his own heart. "I--Hadj--"

Hadji fell into his knees, shaking his head. He drew in a ragged breath. "We--I don't know why...but...it was right...it FELT right..." Hadji's head was spinning. He couldn't believe he'd said that! But...his mother always said for him to tell the truth...that lying to your friends is the worst sin of all. He didn't want to lie.

Jonny was frozen to the ground. "Hadji..." Finally, he mustered enough courage to put a hand on his friend's back, rubbing his hand soothingly. "I--I'm sorry."

Hadji shook his head. "It wasn't your fault," he mumbled.

Jonny shrugged. "It--it was, a little," he replied softly.

Hadji looked up to him and smiled. A small and friendly smile. Jonny blew a sigh of relief. He was still Hadji. His best friend in the whole world...besides Jessie, of course. "Hadji, let's just forget the whole thing," he pleaded.

Hadji didn't want to. But he shrugged. "Fine," he said curtly. "Let's forget about it."

Jonny heaved a sigh of relief and stepped back, careful to put some space between them. "Come on. Let's go back."

~ * ~

Benton Quest looked up from the newspaper he was reading as Jonny entered. "Hey, Dad," his son said wearily.

Benton raised an eyebrow. "Hey. What happened? You missed dinner. I had to have Hadji look for you."

"I wasn't hungry, Dad," Jonny replied, shrugging. "Can I go to my room now?"

"MAY I," his father corrected.

Jonny shrugged again. "Whatever."

"All right. Go ahead."

Jonny flashed him a brief smile. "Thanks, Dad." He hesitated as he watched his father return to reading. He thought briefly of asking his father if he had ever felt this kind of...urge before. But decided against it. It will be too embarrassing and awkward. Instead, he turned and went to his room.

In a few minutes, Hadji also entered. "Good evening, Dr. Quest," he greeted.

"Hadji, may I speak with you for moment?" Benton asked immediately before Hadji disappeared also.

Hadji nodded. "Certainly." He on a chair facing Dr. Quest.

Benton carefully folded the paper he was reading. "Hadji, I want to ask you something. You and Jonny are friends...and I want to know...what happened?"

Hadji felt uncomfortable. "Ha--happened?" he repeated weakly. "Nothing happened."

"Really?" Dr. Quest peered at his face.

Hadji lowered his eyes. "Yes. I guess Jonny was bored and he needed some other things to do. I suggest don't speak about it until he decides to tell us...if there IS something wrong."

Benton thought for a while. "Yes...I suppose. Oh, well. Are you SURE there's nothing wrong?" He stared at Hadji, long and hard.

Hadji squirmed in his seat, faintly turning red. "Yes, sir," he said firmly.

Benton shrugged and smiled. "I trust you, Hadji." Then, he stood up. "If you need me, I'll be in the lab."

"Yes, Dr. Quest." Hadji stood up, relieved. But his conscience was bothering him. Dr. Quest trusted him. How will he react is he learned that HADJI, Jonny's most trusted friend, has certain feelings for his son?

~ * ~

Jonny tossed and turn. He's been lying awake on his bed for two hours...and sleep STILL never came!

It's such a hell of a day, he thought miserably. What a bummer.

Half of himself wanted to go to Hadji, to ask him if everything is still going to be all right. But half of him didn't want to. Scared of what the answer might be.

He listened to that side.

He clenched his blanket. This is stupid, he told himself angrily. Hadji won't laugh. He's into this, too. I have to go see him. At least clear my thoughts. Get rid of these questions.

He threw back the blanket and padded out of his room into Hadji's. He knocked softly, then was surprised when the door opened immediately. Hadji was also in pajamas, wide awake.

As if he'd been expecting him.

"Hadji, I--I just want to talk for a while," Jonny said uncomfortably.

Hadji nodded silently and he opened the door wider. Jonny entered. Hadji closed the door behind him. "Yes?" he asked his friend, turning to him.

Jonny turned to him. "I just want to ask--this--what happened was so uncomfortable, and I still remember, did you really mean what you said? About--wanting--it?"

There was a silence.

Then, Hadji walked closer. "Did I ever lie to you, Jonny?"

Jonny gulped. "Never. Not in...a million years."

Hadji nodded. "Then there's your answer." He leaned closer. "I wanted it to happen. I still do. I'm not sorry. Well, maybe a little. But what really brought the disappointment was YOU, Jonny."

"Why?" Jonny asked nervously. He wanted to step away, but he was frozen to the spot.

"Because--it's--you I want." Hadji stepped closer, then kissed him.

Oh no, it's happening again, Jonny thought frantically, trying to push him away. But he found out he couldn't. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Hadji, pulling him closer. Hadji moaned beneath his lips.

Even though he felt sick to his stomach, Jonny found himself enjoying this. This was...different. And enjoyable. But, damn! Hadji's a guy! And HE'S a guy. Still...

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

They broke away and put about four feet of space between them. "Uh--who is it?" Hadji called hesitantly.

"It's me, Hadji," Benton Quest's voice said behind the door. "I just want to ask if Jonny's there. I checked his room and he wasn't there."

"Uh--yes, Dr. Quest."

"Hi, Dad," Jonny called. "I'm going to sleep in a sec, okay? Lemme finish talking with Hadj first."

"Okay." There was footsteps walking away.

They breathed heavily for a moment, then Hadji put a hand against his temple, turning away. "I think you'd better go to your own room now, Jonny," he said, his breathing ragged.

"But--" Jonny protested. "Don't you think--"

"NOW, Jonny," Hadji said, his voice hard.

Jonny fell silent. "All right. But we have to talk about this AGAIN."

Hadji turned to him, his eyes burning. "There's NOTHING to talk about," he said harshly. "NOTHING happened. You were right. Let's forget about this."

Jonny felt like protesting. But he couldn't. Hadji wanted it this way. I guess I want it, too, he thought. He nodded, then left.

Hadji waited until Jonny was gone and the door clicked softly behind him.

Then, he collapsed into his bed.

~ * ~

Jessie Bannon pushed some wisps of red hair from her eyes as the cab pulled up nearer to the gate. When she got off, she paid the driver, thanked him, then looked up, smiling.

She found out that she was homesick and wanted to go back to the Quests. Maybe it was too quiet in the dig. Or maybe she needed companionship. Whatever it was, something drew her back, and she went.

Just as she was going to enter the gates, something moved behind the bushes.

She turned to it sharply. "Who's there?" she called out.

A figure stepped out. "I--I'm Eric Wilson," a voice said haltingly.

"What do you want? It's--" Jessie checked her watch. "--eleven o'clock p.m. and you're here outside here? What's your story?"

Eric bowed. "I--I was looking for your two friends...um...Jonny Quest and Hadji Singh."

"What do you want from them?" she asked curiously.

Eric stared at her, as if surprised. Could she know? Probably not. He shook his head. "I--I'm not so sure. I have to go now," he said hurriedly. He turned around and ran.

"WAIT!" Jessie shouted, trying to catch him. But he got a good head start.

She sighed and turned back. Probably Jonny and Hadji can clear things up. She smiled as the computer identified her and lugged her baggage up to the front door.

~ * ~

Poor kid. She doesn't know about those two, Eric thought as he went on running. He pushed against the bushes.

And she was so beautiful, too. If only he didn't have a girlfriend...

He shook his head. He was there to find out if what he saw out in the forest that afternoon was true. But half of his mind didn't want to know.

Still...

Eric Wilson kept on running, his thoughts growing more and more troubled.