From: "D.S." Wheeeee!!!! I'm on a roll here! (Yeah right.) Comments are appreciated! --Dark Sentinel Date: May 13, 1999 Rating: G Category: H, J/JHR, M (Note to FFAC: I'm really not sure, but I think this might also fall under the Par and V categories as well.) Archivers: Uhm . . . yeah?! Disclaimer: All characters except for Kerry, I think, belong to their respective owners. "I Want You Back" is copyrighted by 'N Sync or something. "I Want You Back" Written by Dark Sentinel There was a knock on Hadji's door. "Yes?" came the muffled reply. Jonny stepped into his best friend's room and flopped dejectedly down onto the floor. "Man, Hadj, I really screwed it up this time!" he whined. "And how is that?" Jonny sighed and ran his clammy palm through his already-tousled mop of hair. "We got in a fight again," he mumbled. Hadji nodded knowingly. "Was it your temper?" "Yeah." "And, let me venture, that it was over something rather silly?" "Pretty much." He sighed again. "What can I do? This is like the millionth time that I've gone off on her over something really stupid!" Downstairs, the front door crashed open and someone stomped into the house. "Jess? You okay?" Race's voice carried up to Hadji's room. "I'M FINE!" Jessie snarled as she clomped upstairs and slammed her door shut. "See what I mean?" Jonny looked so dejected that Hadji felt a pang of sympathy. "Perhaps you can show her how much she means to you?" he suggested. "But how can I do that?! I feel like everything I do she'll just turn up her nose at me." Jessie's voice was heard presently through the wall. "Kerry? Hey, it's Jess. Mm-hmm. Wanna catch a movie later?" There was a pause. "Cool! Okay, meet you at the Rockport Cineplex in five!" Jessie marched out of her room and flounced down the stairs haughtily, but not before giving the evil eye in the direction of Jonny. Hadji's eyes roved over Jonny's hair. He reflected for just a moment on the music he at times heard emanating from Jessie's room. "Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly. "Get a comb, scissors, and hair gel; I've got an idea!" Jonny pulled his bright blue Plymouth Neon to a spot directly across the street from the cineplex. "Just five more minutes until the end of the movie," Jonny stated nervously. Would the plan work? he wondered. "Perhaps we should get set up now," Hadji advised. Hadji, Jonny, Race, Dr. Quest, Bandit, and Mrs. Evans climbed out of the car. They all felt a little ridiculous in their outfits, but Jonny had implored them so desperately for their help that they couldn't refuse. Race hauled a motha-fookin' huge ghettoblaster out of the trunk and set it up against one side of the car, facing the movie theatre across the street. Mrs. Evans pulled out wireless microphones and handed them to all. Jonny grabbed a megaphone, then, clutching it tightly, climbed up on top of his car. Hadji, Race, Dr. Quest, and Mrs. Evans lined up against the side of the Neon facing across the street as well. They spaced themselves out evenly, giving a uniform appearance. Bandit stood a few feet in front of the stereo, but not far enough away that he was in the path of traffic. A few curious passers-by blinked at them, but there was nothing for them to do but wait. Mrs. Evans touched her hair gingerly. "Do these look okay?" she asked, indicating her new dredlocks. Jonny had dyed them black to look more realistic. She had yellow shades perched amongst the dreds, and was wearing a chain choker. A white muscle tank covered with a shiny blue jacket, with enormous baggy pants of the same material, completed her outfit. "They look fine," Dr. Quest answered. He was wearing the same outfit and had had his hair dyed dark brown. He glanced over at Race, who also sported brown hair and the same outfit. "I feel quite silly," Hadji sighed. His hair was bleached blonde with one-shampoo dye, leaving the roots black, and was tied back to give the appearance of having short hair. "Just bear with me, please!" Jonny beseeched. "This is so important!" "We know, Jonny," Dr. Quest answered, "but we just wish you'd found a better way to make up with her!" Hadji glanced at his adoptive father. "Machiavelli once said, ‘The end justifies the means,' and I believe that that quote applies to this situation." "You're right as usual, Hadj," Race agreed. Jonny smoothed down his own shiny blue pants and shivered in the breeze. He was the only one without a matching jacket, but since he was the main singer, he had to stand out from the others. He ran his hand through his trimmed, spiked up hair and felt the crispness the gel lent to his locks. He fervently hoped that embarrassing himself publicly like this was going to pay off. "Here she comes!" Mrs. Evans cried. Bandit yipped in excitement as Jessie and Kerry stepped out of the theatre and blinked in the sunlight. "AHEM!" Jonny boomed into the megaphone, his voice possessing more confidence than he actually felt. "MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!" Several people stopped and stared. Jessie and Kerry halted on the sidewalk in front of the theatre, quite confused. "I've been a real jerk to my girlfriend, and I want her to know how sorry I am. Jessie Bannon, this is for you." Jonny put the megaphone down and picked up his mic. He nodded to Race, who knelt down and hit the Play button on the ghettoblaster, then turned the volume all the way up. A gush of harmonious voices singing together began instantly, complete with soft synthesizer chords in the background, and the Quest team took up the tune. "You're all I ever wanted, you're all I ever needed, yeah; so tell me what to do now, ‘cause . . ." they sang in unison, then went up the scale together with as much skill as a barbershop quartet, "I want you back!" A heavy, pulsing dance beat began ramming through the customary Rockport quiet. The four standing on the street started break dancing via ‘N Sync. Jonny nodded his head in time to the song, then took up the lead with his best whining voice, while the four others backed him up: "It's hard to say I'm sorry It's hard to make the things I did undone A lesson I've learned too well, for sure So don't hang up the phone now I'm trying to figure out just what to do I'm going crazy without you . . ." The team sang the chorus together, and Jonny took up break-dancing with the others, although he had to be careful he didn't dance right off the top of his Neon. Police cars began pulling up. "You're all I ever wanted You're all I ever needed, yeah So tell me what to do now When I want you back . . ." Bandit jumped up and down and ran in circles in tempo. Jessie and Kerry were still gaping in disbelief. A small crowd had gathered to watch the performance. The chorus ended and Hadji, Race, Dr. Quest, and Mrs. Evans went back to singing the occasional wailing interlude in the background. Jonny continued his solo, clutching the microphone and gazing pleadingly into Jessie's eyes: "Baby I remember The way you used to look at me and say Promises never last forever I told you not to worry I said that everything will be alright I didn't know than that you were right . . ." As they repeated the chorus another time, the rapidly-enlarging crowd sang along a bit. Bandit yipped ecstatically as he ran in circles, spraying flecks of drool everywhere. Hadji took a solo long note after the chorus, and Jonny yelped, "I want you back!" almost immediately afterwards. The dance beat was suspended for a moment as the four on the ground interrupted their break dancing to fall on one knee and raise their arms in Jonny's direction. All eyes turned to the Lance Bass look-alike. Even Bandit stopped bouncing around. "You're the one I waaaaaaaaant," Jonny howled into his microphone, eyes squinched shut in a truly pained expression. "You're the one I neeeeeeeeeeed . . . girl, what can I do?" The dance beat, break dancing, and running in circles resumed right on cue. Traffic had by now halted, and about two hundred people had amassed. "You're the one I want, you're the one I need! Tell me what can I do!" all five sang. "You're all I ever wanted, you're all I ever needed, so tell me what to do now, when I WANT – YOU – BACK!" "You're all I ever waaaanted, yeah, yeah," Jonny caterwauled, singing alone once again. He leapt off of the roof of the car, somersaulted through the air, and landed in the middle of the street. He began walking towards the awestruck Jessie as he crooned. "You're all I ever needed –" "So tell me what to do now, when I WANT - YOU - BACK!" all five finished, striking a pose and opening their arms toward Jessie. Jonny stopped in front of her, even though she was still standing with her mouth half-agape. "Jessie, I'm so sorry," Jonny sighed. "I hope I can make it up to you, because I just can't stand knowing I've made you feel bad." Jessie finally smiled. "Do you forgive me?" Jonny blurted out, almost impatiently. "Of course," she laughed, turning bright red at all the people watching her intently. Jonny caught her in a fierce hug immediately, overcome with relief. The surrounding crowd cheered and applauded wildly. Bandit barked delightedly, figuring that since everyone else looked so happy, something good must have happened. "But I still beat you that time in Questworld," Jess grinned. Jonny blinked suddenly. "You did not!" he protested. "I SO beat you!" "Yeah right!" They went off good-naturedly bickering. Hadji watched the two go, shook his head, and chuckled to himself. "It's amazing what we do for him, isn't it Race?" Race snickered. "Good thing I got a great blackmail picture of Jon-boy break dancing!" he called, just loud enough for Jonny to hear. "HEY!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Where do some of the Internet's largest email lists reside? http://www.onelist.com At ONElist - the most scalable and reliable service on the Internet.