Disclaimer: I don’t own the Quest or “Live” by Celine Dion. I am making no
money out of this.
Category: it’s a Benton-thang.
Rating: Universal.
Archivers: Go for it! And don’t forget my other fics ;)
 
 
 

One Sunday morning, the Quest Compound seemed blissfully quiet. Jonny was
still in bed. Hadji was meditating. Jessie was in her room. Race was working
out.
Dr. Benton Quest opened his bedside drawer, and took out a slightly rusted
key. He held on to the Snoopy key chain for a minute, before closing the
drawer, and walking out of the room. He silently walked towards the west
wing of the house. At the end of the hall was a door that had been closed
for more than 13 years. No one besides Benton knew what lay behind these
closed doors, not even Race. Jonny had been only four years old when this
room had been locked up forever, so he didn’t remember what was in there.
Benton slipped the key into the lock, and turned the doorknob. The door
opened with a slight groan. Benton stepped inside, and closed the door
behind him. Then he turned, and gazed at the room where Jonny had been
conceived.
Rachel’s room.
There was a slight film of dust over everything, but other than that, it was
exactly the same as it had been that ill-fated day when Rachel Quest had
been rushed to the hospital, and had never returned. Unable to face all the
memories, the then-young Benton had ordered Mrs. Evans to lock the room up.
And after that, he had turned his full attention on the child Rachel had
left behind, the child who was a constant reminder of Rachel, whose blue
eyes resembled blue lakes, just as Rachel’s did when they filled up with
tears. The child whom he would now have to raise on his own.
Shaking his head, Benton looked around. On the bed lay a beautiful black
sweater that Rachel had knitted for Jonny in the forcedly idle days of her
convalescence. He remembered that inauspicious day, when Rachel had showed
him that sweater. She had seemed so pleased with herself. She knew she was
ill. But she still wanted to try her hand at everything, still wanted to
experience every spice of life. The sweater was the first item she had ever
knitted, and it was beautiful. She was saying she hoped to knit a green one
for Benton, if her strength permitted it, when a bout of nausea had hit her,
and she had vomited blood. Benton had carried her out of the room, and
neither of them had returned to it afterwards.
Next to the bed was Rachel’s bedside table. On it lay her diary. Benton had
never even considered reading it. But now, he walked over to the table,
picked up the diary and sat down on the bed. He opened a random page toward
the end.

“Dear Diary,
I know the end is coming, and is coming soon. But I don’t want to worry
Benton any more. He is so sensitive, so fragile. He pretends to be strong
for my benefit, but I can see the pain in his eyes every time he looks at
me. I hope my passing will not hurt him too much.
Diary, I really worry about Jonny, too. What will happen to my little baby
once I am gone?  I know Benton is a good, responsible father, and will love
Jonny as tenderly as I do, but I still worry…
The real reason for my worry lies in the fact that men aren’t really as
strong as they believe themselves to be. They need the softness of a woman’s
voice and the gentle caring of her touch to make them feel powerful. When I
am gone, who will give Benton that gentle caring, and that softness? I know
he will never remarry.”

The handwriting below this line was slightly strained.

“Another bout of nausea had seized me, Diary. I vomited blood again. But I
will not tell Benton, about it. He has enough on his mind without me adding
my illness to it. Benton tells me that he is on the verge of creating some
kind of an alternate universe. In virtual reality.
I would like to write more, but I have no more strength. I just hope that
after I die, Benton and Jonny find suitable companions. I hope one day
Jonathan will find a girl who will love him as much as I do.
Love,
Rachel.”
Benton Quest was crying now. Crying for the love he had lost. Crying for the
woman whom he had loved so much. Thirteen years had not been enough to
prepare him to enter this room. Thirteen thousand years would not have been
enough.
“Rachel, if only you were here now.” He wept. “You would see that Jonny has
found the kind of girl you wanted for him. Jessie loves him, and he loves
her. But I have no one.”
After a while, when Benton felt that he was adequately composed, he picked
up the diary again. He flipped open the last page. It read: For Benton.
 

A million stars light,
This beautiful night
This is not a night to die
Let me sing and dance
Beneath the sky…
I have such love to give
To give! I want a chance to live…
 

Live,
For the one I love,
Love as no one has loved,
Give,
Asking nothing in return…

Though this world tears us apart,
We’re still together in my heart.
I want the world to hear my cry,
And even if I die,
Love will no die…
Love will change the world.

I’ll love until love wears me away,
I’ll die and I know my love will stay.
I know, I know my love will stay…

Benton felt a tear slip down his cheek. Ironically, he found it funny that a
person died, and was free of pain forever, but the ones he left behind were
forever in anguish.
Half an hour later, Benton was sitting on the breakfast table, sipping
coffee, reading a newspaper.
Just then, Jonny entered the room.
“Hi, Pop.” He called, cheerily, reaching for the corn flakes.
“Good morning, son.”

As Benton studied his son, he felt a wave of bliss wash over him. What
Rachel had said was true. She had died, but her love--- their love--- was
still present, in Jonny.
Suddenly, Jonny was in his father’s arms.
“I love you, Jonny,” he said. Then lowered his voice to a whisper. “I love
you Rachel.”
 
 
 

The End. Hope you guys like it. Do tell me what you thought.