Ok, I finally decided just to go ahead and post this. Comments as always
appreciated. Thanks to Meach for being my Beta
Disclaimer: Don't own at all. Fox belongs to Kc. Kaplan and Claudia are
mine.
----------------------
Out of Range 3/? by Drea(Andrea) Sowers
"It would be years before the full impact of Jessie's words would hit me. We
would be miles away and worlds apart. It would be even longer before I saw
and spoke to any of them. I left that day as planned, Corvin had indeed
pulled several strings and got me in as promised. Although, I can't say that
anyone actually complained. I rose to the top of my class and graduated
there, too. I know you never approved of this, but dad I've made one damn
good agent." He knocked his fist on the ground a little.
"My partner, Fox Baxton." He laughed. "She's one kick ass chick. I think you
would have liked her dad. She's the no nonsense do it or else type. I think
she's wanted to kill me a few hundred times, but amazingly we really make a
good team. The moment we met we sort of had this connection, like we were
destined to be partners or something. Most of the time we don't even
communicate verbally, we know what the other is thinking and just do it. She
's truly amazing, too, dad. I don't know how many times she's saved my ass.
I would have died if not for her; or at least had a serious break down. I
couldn't have a better partner.
But, before I ramble too much more about Fox, there's someone else I want to
tell you about. Her name is Claudia. We met during training school. I always
thought she seemed so out of place. In the midst of all these rough and
tumble people was this petite, fragile looking girl. I should have known
looks could be deceiving though, which is what gave her an advantage over
others. They expected her to be an easy opponent, only for her to wipe the
floor with them. " He paused for a moment a smile crossing his face briefly.
He brushed back his blonde hair. "She became my ladylove. She was so perfect
to me; for me. I can still remember the first day I met her.."
*****
"Schwarz, Quest to the mat!" barked a middle-aged man. Although, by looking
at him, you'd never be able to tell that he was well into his late forties.
His 6'0 muscular build didn't have an ounce of fat to it; in fact, the only
hint to his age was his slightly receding hairline.
"I can't fight her!" protested Jonny as he turned to Frank Horvin their
combat teacher.
Horvin raised an eyebrow. "You don't have a choice Quest."
"Look at her Horvin! I can't fight her!" He pointed to the 5'4, petite,
raven-haired female that was standing on the other side of the mat with her
arms crossed, waiting.
"Afraid to lose, Quest?" a smirk appeared on her face.
"Afraid to lose to you?"
"Is there an echo in here? I believe that's what I said."
He laughed. "More like I'm afraid of breaking you."
"Don't waste too much money on that prediction."
"You think you can beat me?" Jon challenged.
"Yeah, I most certainly do."
He walked over until he was mere inches away from her. Jon's 6'2 towering
frame was easily twice her size. "Is that so?"
She smirked again before she grabbed his arm sending him flying through the
air. He landed with an oomph sprawled out on the mat. Jon lay motionless too
shocked and embarrassed that a pint-sized female had just flipped him. She
laughed as she walked over to him, stopping by his head. She was still
wearing her smirk as he looked up at her; even upside down it was annoying.
"Let that be a lesson to you, Quest, never underestimate your opponent."
He scowled. "You caught me off guard."
"A good agent is ready and alert at all times. I thought you knew that. Of
course, if you would like a rematch, I would be more than happy to wipe the
floor with you again."
"You're on," he growled.
"Oh goody," she offered him a hand, which he ignored completely. "Well, how
rude. You offer someone a hand and they reject it."
He glared at her as she smiled sweetly.
"Are you two done?" Horvin asked, looking quite annoyed.
The two nodded simultaneously.
"Good, now get going! We don't have all day."
"Ready to eat the mat again Quest?"
"In you dreams."
"We'll see, we'll see," she countered as they walked slowly sizing each
other up.
Jon struck first, he was still the jump before you think type, as he tried
to side sweep her. She easily tumbled away before he could get to her. His
eyes narrowed, she was quicker than he had predicted.
"I want to see more than fancy footwork!" Horvin barked.
Claudia, sensing that Horvin's instructions had momentarily disrupted Jon's
concentration, seized the opportunity as she threw a punch at him.
Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the time it took him to rebound as he
easily blocked it. They traded punches back and forth, neither gaining any
lead on the other. Claudia watched him carefully, waiting for a weakness.
She finally spotted one as he pulled back from another attack; he wasn't
snapping his arm back fast enough. It was a small window, but enough for her
to use. As he struck again, she grabbed his arm, ready to flip him. However,
it was she this time that was laying flat on her back, but she wouldn't be
taken down that easily. She grabbed his arms, rolling him over her head as
she quickly flipped pinning him down.
"Well Quest, it looks like I'm from two for two. Seems as if dreams really
do come true." She winked at him.
He scowled.
"Are you two done?"
"Yes, sir," he muttered as he pushed her off onto the mat.
"Hey Quest," she said as he was walking away. "We should do this again
sometime."
He glared at her as he walked out of the room, Horvin shouting names of the
next two victims.
"Heard Claudia creamed you," smirked Kaplan as he joined Jon, matching his
strides.
"Shuddap."
"Awww, did I hit a soft spot Jon-boy?"
"I said shuddap!"
"Ok, ok, don't get your panties in a knot" He laughed.
"It's not funny," Jon growled punching the wall as they walked.
"Actually, yes it is. It's very funny, but you shouldn't feel too bad," he
wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "you aren't the first male that she's
creamed. She has a knack of putting us arrogant men in our place."
"I'm not arrogant."
He laughed. "Keep thinking that, Quest, keep thinking that."
"I'm not!"
"Tis the arrogant that believe that they can succeed at everything and make
it known. Arrogance can kill the best agent, it'd be wise to remember that."
"I told you I'm not arrogant."
"Did you think you could bet Claudia?"
"Yes."
"Because she's small?"
"Well, yes."
"That, my friend, is arrogance. And it'll get you killed some day."
He muttered something, as he looked at the ground shaking his head.
"Lesson learned, just make sure it's one remembered. You're lucky she took
it easy on you."
"Took it easy? She flipped me twice!"
"She's done worse. I think she likes you."
He rolled his eyes. "Grow up Kaplan."
A big smile crossed his face. "Don't you know." he paused before he broke
out into song, his head bobbing to and fro slowly. " I don't wanna grow up,
cuz if I did I couldn't be a Toy R Us kid."
Jon stopped walking and just looked at him. "Man what are *you* on."
"On?" Kap tilted his head to the side.
"Yeah, on. You know drugs."
"Ohhhhh. Absolutely nothing! Well, unless you count the twenty pixie-sticks
I had." He smiled.
"Yeah, someone needs to make sure that doesn't happen again."
He laughed. "Oh, it won't, it'll be something different next time. It's
normally coffee, but they had run out, so I had to substitute."
Jon nodded his head slowly.
"Ah ha the old smile and nod routine, best thing in the world."
Jon smiled and nodded.
Kaplan laughed. "Come on we'd better get a move one. Jacobs will kill us if
we're late."
He groaned. "I hate her class."
"Don't we all, don't we all."
"Hey Quest," Claudia sat her tray down and herself down beside him.
"Go away Claudia," he replied before shoving a spoonful of something
unrecognizable into his mouth.
"Yuck, you actually eat that stuff?"
Nothing.
"Aw, come on you're not still mad about me beating you the other."
He turned and glared at her.
"Ok, you are. You know it's not that big of deal. I mean, hasn't a girl ever
beat you or anything? It's really nothing to be ashamed of. You know, I
thought, you of all people, would be able to take it like a man."
"You don't even know me Schwarz."
"Maybe not personally, but people talk. Besides, a person can pick up a lot
about a someone just by watching them."
"Oh really."
"Yeah."
"Whatever." He shoved another spoonful of food into his mouth as she made a
face.
"It's true though," she said looking down at her food, then back at him.
"You're a man who is very sure of himself. You've been able to accomplish
almost everything that you've set your mind to. You have somewhat of a
temper and can hold grudges longer than needed." He tried to talk but she
wouldn't let him cut in. "You're very independent and it's important that
you can show that you can make it on you own. There's something else though,
in the back of your eyes. You're someone who's running away from pain..
there's something that you're afraid of."
His head snapped over in her direction when she said that. That one sentence
could apply to anyone, but it had hit his sorest spot. He hadn't told anyone
about his father or how'd he left home. He felt as if it was unimportant.
"I'm right aren't I?"
"Everything has something that they are running from," he replied staring at
his food.
"I suppose so. But the question is, what are you running from Jonathan
Quest?"
He looked over at her again, blue eyes meeting blue eyes. He looked her over
a bit. He had never realized how attractive she was, although he had never
paid much attention. He watched as she carefully brushed back her silky
black hair and then as it cascaded gently down to her mid-back.
"Nothing important."
"Liar."
He shrugged. "It's nothing I care to share, especially not with the likes of
you."
"Well then." She grabbed her tray and moved to get up. "Out of all the thing
s I expected from you, Quest, I never expected you to be judgmental."
"I'm not."
"Oh yeah, then what's your deal with me? Just because I beat you in a silly
class you're going to hate me. You don't even know me!"
He shifted slightly in his chair, staring at his tray. He hated to admit it,
but she did have a point. Maybe he was taking this thing a little too far.
"I bet if you knew me, you'd even," she gasped, "like me."
"Maybe." He ran a hand through his blonde hair slowly. "Listen, maybe you're
right about everything. I've been a very competitive person my whole life. I
suppose I should try to cool it a little."
"Well, finally some reason is reaching your thick skull," she placed a hand
on hip.
He scowled at her as she smiled innocently. "Listening, I'm trying to be
nice here."
She made a face as if she was thinking, her fingers stroking her chin.
"Nice, eh, I don't think you're quite there yet."
"There's really no winning with you is there?"
"Nope, not really. Drop the tough guy act and maybe you'll have a better
chance."
"And if it's not an act?"
"It is."
"You're just so sure aren't you?"
"I told you I can read people pretty well. I'm also guessing if I was to get
you out of this atmosphere a new Jon Quest would appear."
"Is that so?" he became disinterested as he returned to eating.
"Yeah, so want to go to say a movie and dinner or something?"
"You're not going to leave me alone until I say yes are you?" he asked
without even glancing up.
She gave him a sly smile. "Of course not."
He shook his head. "Fine."
"Alright, how about Saturday."
"Fine, the sooner I can get this over with and get you off my back the
better."
She smiled, "You may be eating those words, Quest."
"We shall see."
"So we shall."
Jon laughed as he watched Claudia talking excitedly about the movie they had
just seen, her hands fluttering everywhere as she did. "Man, and that
ending! I never would have ever imagined that! It was.just incredible!"
He laughed again.
"What?"
"You."
"What about me?"
He shook his head a little. "You're just funny that's all."
She frowned a little. "How am I funny."
"Just the way you get so excited about things."
"Well, it was a great movie."
"I know."
"I can't help if I get a little excited when I talk."
"I didn't say there was anything wrong with it."
"Oh."
Jon ran a hand through his blonde hair, catching a glimpse of her from the
corner of his eye. He turned his head slightly to get a better view of her.
She was dressed casually in a blue top that stopped at the line of her
jeans, which accented her slim hips. He couldn't help but smiling slightly,
she really was a raven-haired beauty.
She tilted her head to the side a little, catching him looking at her. "What
are you thinking about?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing."
"Uh-huh. So, tell me Quest, was going out with me as bothersome as you
thought?"
He bit his lip slightly thinking. The date had started out absolutely
disastrous. The restaurant they had picked was packed, their waiter had been
slower than molasses, not to mention clumsy, and the conversation had been
dreadful and practically non-existent at the beginning. However, as the
night progressed they both seemed to loosen up a bit. He found that they
actually had a lot in common, such as the type of music they listened to and
activities they did for fun. The conversation seemed to pick up a bit more
once they found a common ground.
"Eh, it wasn't *as* bothersome as I had thought it would be."
"Are you seriously telling me you didn't enjoy yourself?" She pouted a
little.
"Are you telling me that you did?" he asked trying not to laugh.
She smiled. "Of course! I mean, maybe it wasn't the best night of my life,
but I still had fun."
"Uh huh."
"And I think you did too."
He shrugged. "Perhaps."
"You're so stubborn!"
He laughed. "So I've been told."
"Well, it's true!"
"Maybe, or maybe everyone else is just too accommodating."
"Whatever."
He smiled.
"I still think you should be eating your words."
"Possibly a few of them."
"Ah ha, so you did have fun."
"Did I say that?" he asked looking at her.
She looked back a little and then shrugged. "No, but you implied it."
"Ah, so now you're putting words into my mouth."
"You're impossible Jonathan Quest!"
"Why thank you." They had just reached his car and he leaned against it with
his arms crossed softly.
She looked at the car. She wasn't ready for this to end yet. "So now what?"
"Well, we could go back and call it a night, or we could just walk around
for a little while."
"Let's walk," she replied heading down the street.
"Ok then." He pushed himself from the car and fell in step with her. "So I
suppose this means we have to talk."
"I suppose so."
"And about what?"
"I don't know."
"So in other words we walk in silence."
She sighed. "No."
"Then I guess we need something to talk about."
"Ok, fine, tell me about your past."
"Not much to tell. Grew up in a small town in Maine with my dad. It was
always cold and hardly anything to do there."
"Sounds so exciting."
He shrugged. "We managed."
"So how does your dad feel about going into the agency?"
"I don't know he's dead."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok."
They continued to walk down the street in silence, Jon watching his feet and
Claud the black windows of the closed shops. Jon was trying to force the
thoughts of his father from his mind, as Claudia was regretting even asking
the question. A few minutes later, pushing the forbidden memories back into
their cage, Jon broke the silence.
"What about you? What was your past like?"
"Overly simple. We were the all American family. You know, husband, wife,
2.5 kids and a dog."
He laughed softly. "Sounds interesting."
"Oh let me tell you it was. It was like living in a box. 'Oh no, Claudia,
don't do that, that's too different. You need to do things that are normal'"
She waved her finger as she mimicked her mother's voice. "It was completely
sickening. I completely hated it. My brother is just like them too. Followed
my father's footsteps and joined the family business."
"So I take it they weren't too happy about you joining."
"That would be the understatement of the year. I told them about a week
before I left so they didn't have enough time to stop me. They would have
too if they could have. They even went as far as threatening to disown me."
"Ouch, that harsh."
"Yeah, well it was just a threat. They'd never actually disown me. They'll
just spend the rest of their lives trying to get me to come home and marry
some nice man."
He laughed softly. "Claudia the housewife. Yeah, I definitely can't see
that."
"Yeah, either can I. I think I'd kill someone within a week."
"Hmm, sounds about right."
"OH!" she smacked him softly.
"Hey, that wasn't very nice."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Well, what are you going to do about it?"
He stopped walking acting as if he was thinking. "Get even."
He moved to grab her, but she managed to slip away running down the block.
He was two steps behind her, echoing her laughter. They received strange
looks from the few people that they passed, but neither seemed to mind. A
few minutes later he slide his arms around her, holding her still with his
tight grip.
"Gotcha," he whispered.
She struggled a little to no prevail. "For now."
"So that mean I get something, right?"
She glanced over her shoulder catching his sly smile. "That all depends."
"On?"
"On what you want."
"A rematch."
"Why? So I can beat you again and you can go back to sulking and hating me?
I think not."
"Who says you'd win again? I could have just been having a bad day last
time."
She shifted a little, his arms still around her, pinning her to him. "When?"
"Now."
"Here? In the street? Are you insane?"
"No, I mean lets go back to the gym."
"I really don't have a choice do I?"
"Nope."
"Fine," she sighed again. "But you had better not sulk!"
"No sulking."
"Good."
He didn't answer nor move, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.
"Of course, you have to release your death grip on me first."
"Of course." He arms dropped from around her. "Shall we," he held his arm
out, motioning back towards the car.
"We shall," she replied walking past him, heading back the way they had
came.
The fluorescent lights flickered dimly as they slowly came to full power.
"They're going to kill us if they find us here."
"Naw, I've been here late before, they really don't care," Jon replied
walking into the room.
"You're sure?"
"Positive." He took off his jacket and threw it over in the corner. "But, if
you're so worried lets hurry up and get this rematch over with. That way we'
re in and out and no one will know otherwise."
"Fine," she said walking onto the mat, meeting him in the middle.
"Ready?"
"Ready."
They started off the same as they had the other day, circling slowly. Each
new encounter reveals new weaknesses; it's just a matter of finding them.
Jon was determined to win this time around. He eyed her carefully, trying to
catch even a small flaw.
"So we just going to walk around all night?" she teased.
"You could always make the first move," he threw back.
She nodded softly, she rather liked to play more defensively then
offensively, but it didn't look as if that would work tonight. She kicked at
him, but he easily dodged it, pulling her other leg from beneath her.
Claudia was on the mat less than a second before she rebound back to her
feet, launching another attack on him. Jon seemed to have perfect
concentration as he blocked each one. She scowled slightly; this was going
to be harder than she thought.
Minutes seemed to stretch on to eternity as neither seemed to gain ground
above the other. It looked at if this match may just be a stalemate. Just as
that thought entered Claudia's mind, she moved to sweep Jon's leg from under
him. She must have caught him off slightly off guard because she watched as
he started to fall to the mat, only to have herself follow a second later.
Jon rolled over pinning her down.
"Well Schwarz, looks like I win this time."
"Guess you just got lucky."
"Luck has nothing to do with it."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I'm just better than you." He smiled that famous lopsided grin.
She laughed. "So that's why I've beaten you 2 out of 3 times?"
"I told you it was a just a bad day."
"Sure it was."
He didn't say anything, staring down at her. She shifted a little
uncomfortably when she noticed.
"Jon?"
"Yeah?"
She meant to say something, but her words seemed to get lost somewhere in
her throat as his face moved closer. He stopped when his lips were a couple
of inches from hers.
"I'm waiting."
"Um.I-I." she tumbled over the words that just wouldn't seem to come.
He laughed softly as he closed the distance between their lips, kissing her
softly. She was a little stunned at first, even though she had seen it
coming. However, as the kiss continued she relaxed enjoy it. His hands
slowly slide away from her arms, which he was still pinning down, to her
waist; as he did this, hers instinctively went around his neck. Slowly the
kiss grew more passionate, filled with more hunger. It was several minutes
before he finally broke the kiss, bending his head a little, as he gently
placed a kiss on her jawbone.
"What was that for?"
He laughed softly.
"What?"
"I wouldn't have thought you needed to ask that question."
"It was just unexpected.that's all." She said softly.
"Are you complaining?"
"No, no, of course not."
"Good, because I would hate to think that you were complaining," he smiled
softly.
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
He looked at her. "Because then I wouldn't be able to do it again," he
whispered before their lips met again.
She muttered something incoherently as the kissed move back to the tempo of
the one that had just ended moments ago. Her hands slide into his hair as
the kiss continued, growing deeper as each moment passed. They were swept
into a world that only included them, each feeling as if they were perhaps
tasting a piece of heaven.
A security guard peeked into the gym as he passed. He thought about
interrupting the kissing pair on the mat, but then decided against. Everyone
deserved a little fun sometimes, no reason to spoil theirs. He smiled softly
remember his own memories that were similar as he continued on his way,
remaining unnoticed to Claudia and Jon.
****
Jon's eyes were closed as he continued to relive the memory. He could still
taste her lips; still feel her hands playing with his hair. "She was one of
the greatest things that ever happened to me dad. She made me alive again,
made it so I could feel. She quickly became the love of my life. I thought
for sure that I had found my soul mate; that I had found the meaning of life
in her. I had never felt anything so exhilarating before. It really was one
of the most wonderful feelings."
He leaned his hand back against the tombstone, a small smile still on his
face thinking about Claudia. "I graduated within the next six months, top of
my class. I really do think you would have been proud of me. Claudia and I
had made a promise to remain together no matter how far apart our missions
took us. I would propose to her a little under a year later." He paused,
drawing small circles on his knee, slowly gathering his thoughts, before
continuing.
"I met Fox shortly after graduation. Even though we seemed to fit, it was a
little awkward at first. I was the rookie who got dumped into her fine tuned
team. She really wasn't too happy about it. Slowly, but surely though, she
grew to like me. I was no longer considered the rookie, but one of the team.
For the first several missions, I was really just in the background. I didn'
t really have much to contribute as I was still trying to find my place in
the team. I don't think it was till the fifth mission that I found it."
