Round Robin 2: An Al's Place Exclusive - (no title yet)

mstalanon

Project QL Intern
Apr 30, 2002
491
0
0
Independence, MO
Doctor Samuel Beckett felt the last remaining energy flux flow through his limbs and down through his body. He took a steadying breath... and realized he could smell the distinct smell of fish. He could hear water lapping the edges of the lake, and that prompted him to look around.

In the distance before him, a nice panoramic view of soft, low mountains with green trees rimming the lake edge he was standing before. A soft breeze played with his hair and tossed it slightly in front of his eyes. It was a hot day (now Sam could actually feel how uncomfortably hot it was), and the breeze brought little comfort. Doctor Beckett was standing on a wooden deck, painfully small, and an idling boat with the words "Lake Of The Ozarks Marina, Camdenton, MO - Boat Rentals/Houseboats" along with a corresponding registration number floated in front of him. Sam's vision doubled a moment as his perpective adjusted.

Attached to the boat and in front of him was a long rope, and it had a wooden handle secured to it's end, which was firmly grasped in his hands. Sam opened his palms to see the grooves on the handle, showing it to be a well-worn handle at that. He frowned slightly as he heard the boat's motor start up a higher tempo. A big meaty hand descended onto Sam's right shoulder with a thump. Doctor Beckett looked at it and then looked at the well-tanned visage of a grinning young man.

This young man adjusted his specs slightly, and Sam briefly caught a glimpse of a woman in a bikini reflected back in both lenses of the dark sunglasses. The man continued to grin a loopy grin, chomping on a piece of gum.

"You ready, darlin'?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Wha?" Sam started to ask back, and his expression turned to one of horror and shock. He looked forward and took one of his hands off the rope to wave at the boat. "Noooo!"

"That's it," Sam heard a voice say on the boat. "She's going for it!"

Then the engine's vibrato escalated exponentially as the boat began to move a bit. Water churned heroicly as the outboard motor kicked in it's frenzy. In a split second, the rope tightened with a jerk, and Sam sailed into the air and landed on his feet on the water. He leaned back, and realized with the instant pain as the water cut and bit into his feet that he had no skies. Sam leaned back even further, and thrust his legs out strait as he barefoot-skied across the surface, the accelerating boat making the water slice into the bottoms of his feet with painful accuracy.

He lost his balance and toppled over to the left, falling to one knee and rolling across his back. Miraculously he spun out of the roll, as his feet once again found a purchase of sorts. He heard all kinds of whooping and hollering from the people on the boat, and some from the deck he just left.

"She's a natural!" the man in the back of the boat hollered.

The driver grinned back, and slammed the throttle forward, gunning the engine for all it's worth.

Water began to splash seriously in Sam's face as he kept shaking his head, trying to clear his vision. In a desperate attempt to see, he steered himself on instinct and went way left of the boat, skiing across mostly uncut waters.

"Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh B-B-b-b-b-b-ooooyyyyyyy!!!!!"

* * * * * * * * *

Matt
 
<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> PART 2<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

As another cheer roared from the gathering crowd by the lakeside, Sam started to relax. He began to enjoy the feeling as the coolness of the breeze eased the heat of the sun. The bounce from the wake of the small speed boat abated as he steered himself into the calmer waters. The spiking hardness no longer cutting into the soles of his feet; or was it the fact that his feet had become numb from the bite of the water. Whichever the case, he felt an inner calm. Now he was wondering, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?Why haven?t I tried this before. This is great.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> "Whoo-ho!" He shouted, now that the initial shock of the takeoff relinquished, he now felt in total control.

The engine?s revs ceased a little and the boat began to swing round into a steep arch. He was following, he had no choice; but his arch took an extremely deeper curve. It was like being on the outside edge of a round-a-bout, the type with chains, that swung out more, the faster it went. The gravitational pull momentarily whipping his breath away. "Ya-haaa!" He yelled with the thrill of this new experience.

The arch completed, the boat?s powerful engine throttled up once more, pulling its skier back to an even momentum. The dots of the distant crowd grew quickly into cheering faces and waving arms. He dared to release a hand to signal back, fleetingly taking his eyes from the waters ahead.

As he returned his attention to the boat in front, a graying white ski slope loomed ahead. What went through the head of Doctor Beckett at that moment was anyone?s guess. He grasped firmly with both hands onto the wooden handle; he prepared himself for the jump. His muscles tensed, awaiting for the time of their release. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?I must time this perfectly,? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> he thought, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?if I don?t get this right, I could wind up with something broken, at worst my neck.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> The concentration was evident in the young scientist?s face.

Just as he reached its base, in stark contrast to the deeper blue of the sky, the white light of the Imaging Chamber door opened, knocking Sam completely out of sync. His muscles recoiled too soon and he flew uncontrollably and headlong towards the peak of the ramp. In an instinctive reaction his whole body twisted and turned in midair, trying desperately to change the course and direction his body was taking. Sam didn?t hear the howls and screams from the bank, he was too busy.
 
Re: Round Robin 2: Part Three

"Look Out SAAMMM!!!" Al screamed, with all his might.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> 'Tell me something I don't know!'<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> muttered the Time Traveller as he twisted in the air to land more on his feet. He dug in, pulled back, eliciting a huge spray of water as he put on the brakes, and then twisted far left, narrowly avoiding the boat ramp. Finally, seeing no other alternative, he just let go of the rope. He drifted a bit, slowed down, and finally, he wavered a bit and sank below the churning water.

Since he wore no lifevest <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> (what kind of boat recreation people don't use lifevests?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> ) he had to immediately start swimming. He tread water for a few moments, but his stinging feet felt like they had been cut to ribbons, and the sensations were far from comfortable. So he just did the upper part long enough till he was picked up.

Al popped in with a suddenness that startled the Leaper yet again. "Boy, that was really somethin', Sam! You just took right off," Al made a sliding motion and gestured with his hands, "and then suddenly, you were sailin'! Reminds me of the time my second wife nearly knocked my head clean off my shoulders with a frying pan! I ducked..."

"Al..."

"... and she hit my uniform hat instead..." Al continued, with yet another gesture and a tip to the head and a glimmer in his eyes.

"Al!..."

"...which is why I don't like fried food that much!" Al said with a shrug.

"That's nice Al!" Sam said, trying to be patient. "Can you at least tell me what's going on?"

"Well, umm, er, you're treadin' water! Ha ha ha... Okay, let's see," he said, seeing the look Sam gave him between arm movements. "You're Connie Blood-," he gave the handlink a tap, eliciting a squack from Ziggy, "Blood? Oh, Bladmore, twenty-two years old, on vacation at the Lake Of The Ozarks in Central Missouri. It's 1959, and you're a senior at The University of Missouri in Rolla. You're field of speciality is chemistry, which is quite odd for a woman in the late fifties, Sam."

Doctor Beckett continued to tread water... he could hear the boat idling nearby and he turned and waved to it. The cheers went up again. Sam rolled his eyes and turned back to the Observer. "What am I here for, Al?"

"Well, Sam, all we know is that in two days, Bobby Fulten, aged twenty-one, the young guy with the reflective sunglasses and the scorching sunburn - (redheads never should get out in the sun for very long), washes ashore over there." Al pointed at the dock that Sam took his great leap from. "Sam, there were enough amphetamines and alchohol in his system to choke a horse, let alone a 180 pound kid!"

"Is that what Ziggy thinks I'm here to prevent?"

"Partially. She's only giving that a 35% chance though. But my odds are your here to change the mind of Brent... Connie get's pregnant this weekend, and drops out of school to take care of the baby!"

Sam choked on some water and began to gag

* * * * * * * *

Matt
 
Re: Round Robin 2: Part Four

Whether it was in shock or just a reaction to the observer?s words... Sam?s jaw dropped, "Pregn..." Unconsciously he stopped treading water; he sank like a stone. Unceremoniously, his arms flayed, trying to grasp at something, anything solid. He saw the bubbles rise as his own breath left his body, gently stroking his face in their ascension. He fought at the water, desperately trying to resurface; his head tossing as his eyes searched. Before too long, the mugginess of the water separated and as his vision cleared from the blur of the water, he spluttered and gasped in air.

"What you doin? there Sam? Yer supposed ter stay on top when yer breathe in. Yer could drown doin? that." Al mocked, waving an unlit Havana in a circular motion.

Between gasps and splutters Sam found his voice again. "Pregnant!!" He continued. "No way Al!! No way is Connie gonna be getting..."

"Well Sam, your leaping in here as erm, Connie, has probably changed that history already." The observer looked down at the hand-link as it squawked for attention. "Sorry pal, but Connie still get preggers this weekend."

"But she can?t... I-I mean I can?t get pregnant and there?s no way I?m going to..." Sam?s cheek twitched as an awkward expression flooded his face.

The small speedboat pulled up alongside, its engine labouring. Steamy fumes spluttered from the exhaust as it turned starboard, drifting with the current.

Al read the hand-link again. "Sam, history?s not changing any. She still gets..."

Sam interrupted. "I can?t do it!"

"Sure you can Connie. After a hot drink and a good rubdown you?ll be back flying with the waves as you always do." Four burly arms reached out and plucked Sam from the watery depths.

Sam looked at both men in turn and wondered which of the two was Connie?s sweetheart, or even, if either of them were.

"Yeah, yeah." Sam nodded, disgruntled and glared in the direction of the observer.

That look said it all to Al, he knew exactly what was going through the mind of Dr. Beckett. "I?m gonna go and check with Ziggy," he pressed a button, "see what?s happening." Without waiting for a response from Sam, the light from the Imaging Chamber door darkened.

One of the men wrapped a toweling sheet around Sam?s shivering shoulders, the engine revved and they sped back to the small wooden landing dock.

"What happened there Connie? It looked like you?d gotten it right that time." Bobby held out a hand to steady Sam as he stepped wobbly to the shoreline, each step paining his sore feet.

Sam had to think fast, he?d become accustomed to ad-libbing other people?s lives. "Aw... Something popped up out of the slip-stream... a log, yeah..." Sam outstretched his arms to indicate size, "a-a <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?big?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> log, it was right in my path."

"You?re lucky then, lucky you think fast." Bobby?s teeth flashed white and his grin seemed to fill the whole of his face.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?You can say that again,? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Sam thought, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?thinking fast seems to be an occupational hazard.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Sam looked up at a clear blue sky. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?I wish you?d give me just one easy leap, even saints can take a holiday.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> He stared back at Bobby, this time taking a good look at his reflection in the dark glasses. "I feel a little shaken, let?s call it a day."

Bobby noticed Connie?s stare and placed two weighty hands on Sam?s shoulders. "You aint looked at me like that in a long time Connie, not since..." Bobby turned away.

"Since when?" Sam inquired, wanting to know more.

Bobby looked down in embarrassment. "Don?t wanna talk about it." He then laughed, an awkward laugh. "Let?s try it again."

"Try what?"

"The jump, Connie." Again that awkward laugh. "What else did you think?"
 
Re: Round Robin 2: Part Five

Sam laughed. "I----- I don't think so, Bob-bina!" and he dinked Bobby's nose, smearing the white goo that was on there in a desperate attempt to save his reddening skin. "Besides, this was my first time barefoot skiing."

Sam stopped for a second, puzzled. "Um, it was, right?"

Bobby laughed. "Y-yeah!! *snort* 'Bobbina'!! That's a good one kid!"

Sam sat down, gingerly rubbing his feet. He smiled up as another person came up to talk to him.

"Not bad fer y'er first time barefoot skiin'!!" It was the young man that Sam had first seen when he leapt in... the one with the reflective sunglasses.

"Yeah, right!" Sam muttered, getting both young men to laugh. The newcomer gestured to Sam's feet. "Those'll be stingin' for a while! But you should try it again pretty soon. They'll toughen' up. And next time, sweetheart..."

Sam looked up to see a lifevest dangling before him.

"Next time, wear the flippin' vest! If the Lake Patrol had caught you doing what you did without a vest, they'd shut us down in a heart beat. Well," he said as he stood up. "That about finishes us, right?"

"Sure does, Darrel! Thanks for the lessons," Bobby said, relieving Sam to no end on who the kid's name was.

"Well, remember, if you need any other help, just come by the dock tomorrow. I'm usually here in the morning to about mid-day." Then he put on the vest and started to walk away, still smiling, but now the smile seemed forced. He climbed in the boat, which was now filled with several other young people.

"C'mon Searcy! Get goin'! Y'er ol' man will tan ya good if you don't get this heap back to the docks in Camdent'n!"

Darrel just laughed, muttered "F.T's" and started the boat, and took off far faster than he was supposed to from the dock. All too quickly, they were out of sight around the bend. But their voices trailed on as did the sound of the gunnin' motor for a few moments longer.

Sam sat there, amused by the incident. He shook his head, knowing there was something derrogatory about the comment Darrel had made, yet didn't want to pursue it.

"The NERVE!" Bobby said.

"Wha?" Sam looked up.

"Oh, we only paid for the lesson, and the boat rental, and then they call us 'F*in' Tourists'!!"

Sam blinked, laughed and stood up with a grimace. "C'mon... lets get back to um... home!"

Bobby laughed, his mood changing slightly. "Oh, so now that 'flea-bag' rental cabin is a 'home', huh?"

Sam joined in with Bobby's infecteous laughter. "Yeah!"

"Well, that's cool, though. I bet Brent's got dinner ready! You always did like him better than me... I suspect it's because he can cook, and all I can do is melt butter!"

Sam felt the smile drift off his face as the name 'Brent' registered.

* * * * * * * *
Matt
 
Round Robin 2 -- Al's place exclusive (no title yet)

Sam walked inside of the boathouse. It was small and cramped. Things were thrown all over the place. A large man, who Sam guessed was Brent, was standing over a plug in burner stove. Billy and Sam walked. Once inside, Billy continued walking to a room in the back.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp ?How?s my babe?? Brent asked as he approached Sam smiling. He moved into kiss ?her?, but Sam pushed him away. He grabbed ?her? arm, pushing it aggressively behind ?her?. ?Look, babe! I?m the boss. Men are the ones in charge of relationships, not bitches like you.?
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Sam felt like giving this guy a lesson against the younger man sexist and aggressive ways, especially since his baby sister fell and married the same type once. ?I?m just not in the mood, ok!? Sam stated angrily.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Brent let go of his arm. ?Look!? he said backing away from the other person. ?Just because you wiped out on the lake today, doesn?t mean that you can take it out on me!?
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp ?I have to use the bathroom to change,? Sam said, grabbing a small pink duffle bag from the door that he guessed was the leapee?s. He looked around, and figured out that it was the door to the right of the kitchen down the small hallway.
&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp When he got there, Billy was already in there, and Sam accident opened the door to find Billy holding a bottle of prescription diet pills, and was about to pop three of them into his mouth. A bottle of warm beer rested on the counter. Billy had his shirt off now, and he looked like a ghastly vampire of a man who Sam once remembered seeing on a teenager?s wall during the 21st century.
 
oops!

I wrote Billy instead of Bobby. I made the corrections, but probably copied and pasted wrong. Please forgive me! Bobby and Billy are the same person. Sorry!
Monica Briggs-Beckett
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Seven

Apart from the overly pink glow, there was nothing healthy looking about him. Bobby flashed his teeth, trying to hide a very guilty expression. Then he realised what he was holding, and his fingers flummoxed clumsily with the bottle, nearly dropping it while he tried in vein to conceal it behind his back. Forgetting about the pills already in his hand, dropping them instead.

Sam kicked the bathroom door closed and glared at Bobby. "Gimme that Bobby." He took one step forward and made a grab for the bottle.

Bobby held the bottle high above what he thought was Connie?s head, but Sam reached it easily.

"What the?!" Bobby looked astounded. "How did you...?"

"Never mind..." Sam emptied the contents into the palm of his hand. "These aren?t diet pills." Sam spilled them onto the counter, he counted three different drugs; he held one up for a closer inspection. "This look like <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> phenelzine<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, an anti depressant, and this..." he held up another, "this is <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> methohexitone<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. What you doing? Are you taking these to make you sleep and these to wake you up?" Sam spoke angrily towards Bobby, thrusting a pill into his face; "this is a powerful narcotic Bobby, and both together they?re a dangerous combination.

"I-I didn?t know." Bobby backed off, his legs collapsing as they hit the toilet basin; he sat down with a thump.

Then Sam noticed the other pills, picked one up and studied it. He turned sharply to Bobby in alarm. "How many of these have you taken?"

Bobby sat open mouthed and silent, his eyes staring at a point on the floor.

"How many Bobby?" Sam's voice neared screaming point. "Damn it... Tell me how many?"

When Bobby didn?t answer, Sam closed in and jerked Bobby?s chin very roughly. Now they stared at each other, eye-to-eye.

"How long?" Sam repeated through clenched teeth, squeezing his fingers into Bobby?s cheeks.

"Only a couple of weeks." The youngster stammered.

"Even a week?s too long if you don?t need these." Sam opened his hand, revealing a small yellow tablet. "Do you know what they are?"

Bobby shook his head, fear tearing his eyes.

"<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Phenindione<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, they?re an anticoagulant. Do you <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> know<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> what anticoagulants do Bobby?"

Again Bobby shook his head, Sam's grip tightening around his jaw. "No." He said between pursed lips, trying to pull away from the painful grasp. "No idea."

"These..." Sam, the serious doctor in him said, as he maneuvered the tablet to his fingertips, "thin the blood, they?re used for people with thrombosis... and then only under very close supervision. Hemophiliacs have to suffer their illness, but by taking these you could be inflicting serious injuries on yourself." Sam squeezed harder for a second then pushed Bobby?s face away.

The youngster stayed turned from Sam, white marks pitted into the side of his face. Sam saw tears of pain in Bobby?s eyes and he suddenly felt sorry for the boy. He felt as if he?d been too harsh, that was until Bobby turned his face towards Sam.

A defiant look stung at Sam's very soul.

Bobby stood and pushed Sam off balance and scooped most of the pills from the counter and hastily opened the bathroom door and paused. "Heck Connie, I aint never seen you like this before. H-how do you know all of this stuff anyways? You?re makin? it all up, you?re nothin? but a lying b-i-t-c-h." A look of contempt smoldering in his eyes, he slammed the door closed behind him.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?That?s a turn for the books, and I thought I was getting through to him.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Sam leaned on the washbasin, the pink duffel still dangling from his wrist. He pealed off the T-shirt and unwrapped the towel from around his waist, he noticed for the first time the skimpiness of the bikini he was wearing. Then, as he looked up, he saw the reflection. A buxom brunette lustered back at him. Her hair was a mess, but that was expected after being dragged from the depths of a lake. The beauty he was looking at made him gasp. Big rich brown eyes shone from the sculptured cheekbones, high but not too high, Sam noted. "Wow!" Sam voiced. The sensuous full, red lips pouting his own breathless movements.

Brent hollered from the room at the end of the hallway, but only a buffered voice mumbled through and into the bathroom. "You okay babe? You seem to be taking an awfully long time."

Sam reluctantly lowered his eyes at the recognition of the muffled tone. "Bobby was in here, I had to wait till he?d finished."

"Yeah, he just came through here and stomped off, seems he was in a hurry to get somewhere." Pots and pans rattling as he spoke. "Don?t be too long hun, I?ve got you a real nice surprise after dinner."

Sam cringed, not at the thought of dinner, it was the <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> desert<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> he was worried about.
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Eight

Sam wandered back down the hallway to one of the two bedrooms. He found clothing that obviously belonged to a girl, and from the nametag on the suitcase, knew he'd found Connie's room. He always felt weird putting on clothes that he knew he was way too large for, yet they magically always seemed to fit him, unless they were of course too small on the Leapee anyway!

It was at times like this that Doctor Beckett's Quantum Leaping always made him uncomfortable, for he knew his body was here... and yet, <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> not<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> here. If his body <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> truly<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> were here, then of course, only clothing that would fit his body would truly fit him. He could be hurt, or even killed.

But could he be impregnated?

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> 'My God!'<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Sam thought to himself. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> 'It's entirely possible!'<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> The baby he carried and didn't carry not too long ago had been linked to him. Sam had felt those labor pains, even though he didn't have the actual 'equipment' to conceive a child, nor give birth to one. Al wasn't the only one worried when the baby disappeared in the future to appear within' him.

Sam shook his head to clear the memories and try to focus. He had been so deep in thought that he didn't know he was alone.

Brent had snuck up behind 'Connie' and pulled her in for a deep hug, snuggling and burying his head in Sam's neck, with his hands sliding up to her breasts. Sam jerked in a reaction, and he elbowed Brent fiercely in the gut.

Whooshing out a breath, for he was caught completely unawares, he let Sam go and fell back onto the ricketty bed. He looked up at Doctor Beckett in genuine pain and shock.

"What the hell did you do that for?"

Sam grew quite angry. "Frankly Brent, I'm not your little love toy!"

"Yes you are! You said so yourself this morning!"

Sam blinked for a moment. "W-well, I was... <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> this<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> morning! People are allowed to change their minds!" Sam felt so weird about all of this.

"It's Bobby! Ain't it?"

"Ain't ain't a word," Sam said reflexively, remembering his mother's joke.

"Joke all you want, Connie. But you've been weird ever since you, Bobby and Gene went out on the water today. Just what happened out there? What, did you and Bobby remember your little Halloween party all over again, when you were soo drunk you... you..." Brent was so mad he was stuttering all over his own words. "Or what about Gene? You think he's gonna go after a little tramp like you? You think Barbara will go for Bobby all of a sudden?"

Sam stood there trying to absorb all the details. Leaping in sometimes left many details vague. But overall, God-Fate-Time-or-Whatever had almost always Leapt him into a person of character... or trying to save another person of character. Sam didn't know Bobby very well, but didn't think there was something particularily wrong with him. He just seemed... weak, and willing to use drugs to accomplish what he couldn't accomplish naturally. Maybe <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> He<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> had something planned for Bobby. But Sam was willing to bet it was Connie he was here for. And so he played that hand in this cosmic game of poker.

"Look Brent, I'll say this one time and one time only. If you want to cuddle with me... fine. If you want to kiss me or hug me... fine. But you will have my permission, or I'll make certain by the time we leave here you'll have so many bruises and bumps you'll swear you were in a roller-derby contest!"

Brent sputtered and stood up quickly from the bed. "Let me get this straight: This morning, it's perfectly fine to have sex with you. But now, it's not? You're one crazy b i t c h!"

Sam slugged him... hard!

Brent looked up from the floor at Connie with guinuine hatred. "You can't do that to me! No woman hits Brent Wetherspoon and lives!"

Sam smiled sadly and stepped back. "You're becoming a bore, Brent. Go find some other cavewoman to harass!"

Brent jumped up and clenched his fists and shook with impotency. Finally, he just sighed, turned around, and started to gather his clothes. Sam watched him angrily pack his meager clothing into a small suitcase, and then storm to the door of the bedroom. Brent stopped at the door, but didn't look at Sam. "Last chance Connie. If I go, there go your chances at passing Mr. Johnston's class. You fail that, and then what?"

Sam frowned. "I guess I'll find out. But I won't be subjected to this anymore, not from you or anybody else. Men like you will have to learn they just can't take what they want. They have to ask, and they have to respect other's wishes."

The door clicked shut within ten heartbeats after Sam's speech. A few moments later, the starting of the car in the driveway to the cabin gunned and took off, spraying the gravel and rocks from the Ozarks all over the yard.

But if anybody had ever been to the Ozarks, you'd know that didn't change the consistancy too much of the ground coverings. Grass chuckled weakly in the rock-heavy surroundings of the mountainous region created by the last ice-age, where huge glaciers had taken untold years dragging rocks and boulders from all over the North American hemisphere to sit and rest here, where they finally melted, saturating the area with their water and residue.

Bobby came rushing in the room, breaking Sam's history recollection. "Brent just took off!"

Sam smiled sadly from the window. "Yeah Bobby, I know." The redhead turned to leave but stopped suddenly when Sam's voice called out, "Hey Bobby, could you go melt us some butter? I'm starved!"

Bobby turned around with a grin. "You know that's all I can do? I might end up giving you guys food poisoning or something." He hesitated a moment and then looked up at Sam. "I threw them away Connie!"

Sam stared hard at the young man. His heart went out to him and Doctor Beckett stood up and hugged the kid. "You mean it?"

Bobby nodded his head into Sam's shoulder and suddenly began to weap.

* * * * * * * * *
Matt
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Nine

The breaks churned up as much gravel, as the accelerator did on <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> takeoff<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, Brent was red in the faced and angry, very angry. He lashed out at the steering column a half-dozen times with the heel of his hand, making it vibrate with the force of each blow.

"B-I-T-C-H!" He yelled, honking the horn. "B-I-T-C-H!" Honking the horn again. "B-I-T-C-H!" Honking yet again.

In his frustration he wrestled with the door handle, his nerves shattered by emotion. After a couple of frustrating attempts the door opened and he kicked it wide, the hinges squealing as they reached their uttermost limit. He hurled himself out of the car, slamming the door, opening it and slamming it again. He kicked at the gravel several times, rousing up mounds of dust; he gagged and then took out his remaining frustration on the car?s wing, denting it in the process. He looked down at his handiwork and lashed out again, he still didn?t feel any better.

"I?ll get you for this Connie Bladmore," he turned back to stare at the cabin, less than half a mile away, his eyes slitted in anger and his fist raised. "I?m gonna get you good!"

<!--EZCODE CENTER START-->
* * * * *​
<!--EZCODE CENTER END-->
After getting dressed in Connie?s clothes, Sam entered the room where Bobby was standing over a boiling pot. "What?re we havin??"

"Thought we?d have boiled eggs and frankfurters, keep it simple." Bobby waved a fork in the air.

Sam laughed. "Well, least you can?t burn the eggs."

"Don?t be too sure Con, I can burn water." Bobby grinned.

"Don?t be silly Bobbina, no-one can burn water it just evaporates. Cum?on I?ll give you a hand." Sam stepped over to the hot plate and looked down into the bubbling pan. Sam couldn?t help chuckling; there in the pot were half a dozen eggs, along with a heap of strapping frankfurters.

Bobby noticed Sam?s amusement. "I thought I?d save on the washing up."

Sam shook his head. "It?s okay, really, different but okay. You?re doing a great job." Sam remembered his mother?s scorn when he?d tried to save on the washing up too, the steamed pudding was tasty, but the ears of corn had a funny twang to them, in fact they were disgusting. He chuckled again as he remembered his own stinging ear.

After they?d eaten a surprisingly tasty meal, the eggs had taken on some of the flavour from the frankfurters. Sam went outside for a walk. He?d tried to wear a pair of Connie?s shoes but his feet were still too sore, so he donned a pair of sneakers. He walked up to the ridge that looked out over the lake and plonked himself down on a flat rock. The afternoon air was starting to cool, he slipped off the sneakers and wiggled his toes, letting the refreshing breeze cool and ease his raw soles.

He looked out at the exhilarating view, breathing in the freshness of the air. There were still some small boats out on the lake and he watched as other skiers left white trails in the rippling waters below. Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open behind him, but nothing was going to distract him from the peace he was feeling, not even his best friend.

Al saw his friend?s inner peace and silently walked up and stood beside Sam, looking out over the lake. "Beautiful isn?t it Sam?" He breathed in the air and coughed. "Just think in twenty or so years, this valley will be filled with toxic garbage, a dumping ground for nuclear waste. A real shame."

Sam sat, elbows on knees. "You mean this is all gone? Al that?s terrible." He waved his hands, indicating expanse.

"Yeah, there was a boating accident in the late sixties, a real biggy and the whole area was sealed off. The locals lost a heap of money too. It was a thriving tourist attraction before then, they were makin? a bomb."

Sam looked up at the blue cloudless sky. "What happens to everyone Al?"

Al tapped on the hand-link and it chirped in response. "Ah, they just went off and did something else, pity though, it?s real pretty."

Both men stood looking out at the vast expanse of the mountainous glassier region; it <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> was<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> very beautiful.

Suddenly the hand-link chirped and as the observer looked, his face turned to stone. "Sam!" He yelled, but his warning came too late.

A rock hit the back of Sam?s head and he fell forward with the vicious blow, unconscious he rolled forward and down the steep incline. Al watched in horror as Sam?s limp body crashed into jagged rocks.

Al turned to see a snickering Brent, holding the rock at his side, his large frame heaving with chuckles of delight. "No-one messes with the Wetherspoon?s, I told you that honey."

"YOU CREEP! YOU THUG! YOU GOON!" Al Hollered, but no-one heard him.
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Ten

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Gooshie!"<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Admiral! There's nothing we can do!"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> the programmer's voice intoned in the chamber. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Doctor Beckett is currently unconscious, and will be out for at least twelve minutes!"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"NO!" Al screamed, and hit the button to the Imaging Chamber doorway. It raised up with it's customary sound and light, and Admiral Calavicci dashed out like a demon possessed. He hit the ramp running and darted into the main processing chamber. There was a flurry of activity as Gooshie was ordering techs around. Tina and Dr. Aleese-Beckett were each at secondary consoles inputting data and scenarios. Donna glanced at Al with concern and he gave her a concerned glace in return. Tossing the handlink to Tina, he turned on Gooshie.

"Anything from Ziggy?"

"Negative Admiral. I'm sorry, but this Brent Wetherspoon is actively trying to um... commit rape on Doctor Beckett."

"Okay, put aside the sheer silliness of the fact that Doctor Beckett is a man, and that the genitalia is in different locations, can it happen?"

"Unknown Admiral. Since Doctor Beckett wears the aura of the Leapee, several scenarios come to mind. We've just never faced this type of possibility before. In the past, when Doctor Beckett has..." Gooshie paused and glanced over at Donna. He lowered his voice and leaned in to speak with Al. Al politely averted his face where Gooshie's breath wouldn't penetrate so much. "When he has... copulated with someone else, it's always been with a member of the opposite sex of who Doctor Beckett is naturally... in other words..."

"A female." Al finished for him, and nodded. "Okay, that seals it!"

He raised his voice to a command level. "I want a Fermi suit, and I want it now!" He saw Gooshie start to protest, and Al hushed him with an upraised hand. "I'm the Project Administrator here Gooshie. You're my friend, but you're also my employee!"

Gooshie shut his mouth with a snap, and nodded.

Al raised his gaze to the constantly evolving colors of Ziggy's mainframe display, as a technician ran over to the Admiral with a Fermi suit and began to assist him in removing his clothing. "Well Zig, what are my chances?"

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Of winning the lottery? 9,543,331 to one, even with my help!" Of fighting your last divorce settlement, 33 to 4. Of..."%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"Stiffle it Zig!" Al growled as he stepped into the all-white material. It had a comfort to it he didn't want to admit to. "You know what I mean."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Yes Admiral, I was just getting to that. Your chances of successfully Quantum Leaping into Doctor Beckett As Miss Connie Blademore are suprisingly positive... almost a 35% chance of successful Leap-in. However, you will most assuredly be lost in time as Doctor Beckett has been these many years."%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Al shook his head with a finality that stiffled all conversation. He zipped up the suit with an angry gesture. "Doesn't matter Zig. You know how many times he's saved my life! If we can save his, we have to do this!"

Al turned to the appropriate chamber and ran in. "Power it up Gooshie!"

"Way ahead of you Al!" Gooshie called. The Admiral knew how upset the programmer was, for he never called Sam or himself by their first names unless he was totally upset.

Admiral Albert Calavicci hesitated a moment and called out to Ziggy. "Status on Doctor Beckett?"

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"That awful young man is removing Doctor Beckett's blouse! I estimate another two more minutes before he indeed accomplishes his 'chore'. Why do men do this to the 'weaker sex' Admiral?"%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"Not all men!" growled the Admiral. "No time to argue! <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Countdown until Quantum Leap-Out!

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Thirty seconds and counting, Admiral,"%% <!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->
<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> Ziggy purred. <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Best of luck Admiral!"%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Al took a deep breath. "Thanks... I think!" He stepped forward as Ziggy's voice continued the countdown. He felt the uprising vent from the energy pouring through the pad as he stepped on it, and closed his eyes. He didn't have time to recognize all the sensations of the Quantum forces as they played around his own aura. Sam had mentioned before about electricity surging through his body, and now Al felt the very same enlightenment. Almost against his own wishes, he tossed his head back and raised his hands to the chamber's ceiling. He concentrated his will completely on his friend, his buddy, and his purpose for being there.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "C'mon Sam. Lead me to you!"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

* * * * * * * * *
Matt
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Eleven

The wind on the rock face was increasing, blowing Bent?s hair as he leaned forward and over the unconscious Sam, but all he saw was Connie, his Connie, she wouldn?t leave him now, not after she?d had what was on offer. His fingers trembled with excitement as he easily unfastened the buttons of Connie?s blouse, but it wasn?t fast enough for him and he tore at the remainder. He pulled open the blouse revealing her perfectly rounded bosom. He lowered himself even more and kissed her neck. He could feel her warmth, smell her perfume, he breathed it in, reveling in her aroma.

A blue haze surrounded Sam?s motionless form, intensifying into a white, blinding and electrifying flash of light, as it dissipated Sam was gone, replaced by a disorientated admiral.

At first Al hadn?t a clue as to what had happened, but feeling an intense weight on his shoulders he struggled to remove it.

Feeling Connie?s movements Brent tried to hold the struggling admiral down. He lifted his head so that he could straighten his arms for more leverage, giving Al the chance for a full on power whack, straight under the jaw.

Brent?s teeth rattled and his eyes went <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?tilt?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->; he toppled back landing in an untidy heap on his butt.

Al shook his head trying to clear the fuzzy feeling of a <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?cotton candy noggin?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. Then he noticed the clothes; a pair of sneakers, a floral skirt around his upper thighs, the unbuttoned and torn blouse and when he saw <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?the brassiere?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> that was too much. Al jumped up in dismay and looked around at his surroundings.

A similar blue haze surrounded Brent?s immobile form as Sam replaced his aura. Sam didn?t notice the change at first, not until he saw Connie twirling about in front of him. He noticed her torn and disheveled clothing, the confusion on her beautiful face. "Connie?"

Al turned. "You rat!" He yelled. "You tried to..." He strode over to Sam and kicked him in the stomach.

"No Connie! No!" Sam huffed. "You don?t underst..." He yelled back at the angry Connie.

Al took another swing, but Sam caught the fist in his hand.

Immediately the pair morphed, Sam saw Al and Al, Sam.

"Al? What the?" Sam?s confusion was obviously frank.

"Sam!" Al voiced in irrefutable delight. "You?re okay buddy. Hey Sam."

"What? How?..." Sam questioned, his brow creasing, he released Al?s hand. "A-a-a-l-l!!!"

"I can explain Sam." Al?s face changed, " but I don?t know how."

"Oh my God!" Sam said slowly as realisation dawned, then euphoria took over. "You leaped Al, didn?t you? Al you leaped! Do you know what this means Al?"

Al shook his head dumbfounded.

Sam watched mimicking his friend. "No, neither do I."

Al plonked himself down next to Sam and the two looked at each other.

"So what do we do now Sam?" Al asked for a suggestion.

Sam?s face remained blank. "Dunno, what do you suggest?"

A voice called out and the red hair of Bobby appeared over the crest. "You okay Connie, I heard some yellin? so I thought I?d come and see if everything?s all right." Then he saw Brent. "Hello Brent, you two make it up then?"

Al and Sam gave a half smile at the grinning Bobby and Al felt at his clothing for the familiar hand-link.

"I think we?ve got a big problem Sa... Brent." Al corrected himself.

"What?s that my sweet?" Sam smiled sarcastically at Al, keeping up the pretense in front of Bobby.

"We don?t have a... umm, umm" Al made a square shape in the air and the jabbed with a finger.

"We could always get a rental down at the boat yard." Bobby grinned and held back his red hair as it blew awry with a gust of wind.

Al raised his eyebrows. "That?s an idea, do you think we could get a rental?"

Sam pursed his lips and jerked his jaw. "Al...er, I?ll go and see. Shall I?" Sam rose to his feet and climbed up the crag and strode back to the cabin, leaving Al behind, he looked back a couple of times to see if Al was following but he continued alone.
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Twelve

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Admiral?"<!--EZCODE BOLD END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Al jerked and looked around the woods. He heard the voice muffled and inside his head, yet it also seemed to echo from around the woods.

"Gooshie?" he said, worriedly.

Some sounds of the handlink being accessed also reverberated in Calavicci's head, making his teeth ache with the effort. He again glanced around, spinning in a full circle as he did so.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "There, I think I've got it!"<!--EZCODE BOLD END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> Gooshie said, his voice coming more into focus. He likewise shimmered into a visual existance before Al, appearing in his all-white labcoat. He looked around, pulled up a status display from Ziggy, and smiled. "Ahh, much better, wouldn't you say, Admiral?"

"Says you, Gooshie! I can think of lots of things I'd rather see than your smiling face." He grinned a bit and added, "However, I'm glad you could make it here... wherever... here is." Al moved around. "Where the hell am I supposed to go? Sam is here... as a guy that did... this... to me." He gestured to his torn blouse and held up his brasier.

Gooshie blushed and quickly punched in some buttons. "Al, do you know who you are?"

"Sure, I'm Admiral - - - Cal-Calivicci!"

"Very good Admiral. You're in the outskirts of Camdenton, Missouri, in the lake area of "The Lake of the Ozarks", home of Ha Ha Tonka, although that doesn't become a National Park until the late seventies. Bridal Cave and Bagnell Dam..."

"GOOSHIE!" Al interrupted loudly, swinging his arm through the new Observer's image, cause it to blur slightly. "Just tell me what I'm doing here!"

The head programmer blushed, and he looked down. "Sorry Admiral. This is new to me, too!"

"No it's not," Al interrupted. "You filled in for me once before... didn't you?"

"That is correct, A-Al. But as with then, Ziggy is having to quadruple the energy she's using to tune us in... kinda like smashing atoms, for she's literally forcing my neurons to be in sync with yours. It gives me a... slight headache. I'm just nervous."

"Sorry Gooshie. Just tell me where Sam is."

"I don't know."

"What?" The Admiral in Al came bursting out. "What do you mean?"

"When you Quantum Leaped, you overrode All of Ziggy's neural connections she had with Doctor Beckett. The effort of keeping track of two leapers, especially since you literally leaped into Sam... who had Leapt into Connie Blademore... This has introduced a whole new level of Quantum Physics that we've not programmed into her. She's lost him. You will better be able to keep track of Doctor Beckett than we will!"

Al harrumphed. "Okay, he was just here a minute ago. So if I find him, we should be okay. I mean, it's a wooded area in the largest state park in the whole state of Missouri. He can't get TOO far!"

"That is correct Admiral."

Al blew out air and rolled his eyes. "I'm being sarcastic, Gooshie."

The programmer looked lost for a moment, his eyes darting back and forth. He finally looked down at the handlink so he could concentrate on something.

"Sorry Gooshie, didn't mean to upset you. I forget you don't often understand jokes. I guess humor isn't something you do a lot, huh?"

The programmer tinked a second or two, slowly pulling up a status. He finally looked up at the admiral with a stern look to his expression, one uncommon on the man. "When you work with computers in a cavern two miles below the surface of the desert for the past five years, working tons of overtime, being on call twenty-four hours a day, and having a superior officer that suddenly Quantum Leaps, leaving you all alone except for his girlfriend and a Psychiatrist that loves to examine everything... do you think you'd have much of a sense of humor?"

Al blinked for a second, absorbing what the head programmer had said. "Um... Sorry?" he asked.

Gooshie shrugged Al's sentence away.

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence, and then Al broke it by clearing his throat. "Girlfriend? No I am married..."

Gooshie remained stern. "According to Doctor Beckett and your rules, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> 'the Leaper can not and will NOT be influenced by the Observer, specifically with knowledge from the future about personal information of any of the employees and contractors of Project: Quantum Leap.'<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> In short, Admiral, you need to concentrate on the Leap, not on the Future you left.

"Now," Gooshie continued, undaunted. "Since I can not communicate with Doctor Beckett because of the severed neural connections, you will have to save young Bobby from the lonely death by drowning he'll undergo later tonight. Doctor Beckett has broken the ice, but he's still in danger. Ziggy states that it's a fifty-three percent chance he'll still overdose.

"The bright side of this is you did save Doctor Beckett from the awful future of bearing a child from the byproduct of rape by Brenton Wetherspoon."

"Yes Gooshie, but NOW I'm Connie, and Sam is Brent!" Al stated.

"Well then, I DON'T think you two are going to be having sex any time soon." Gooshie smiled, and then the look fell away from his face. "Are you?" he questioned.

* * * * * * * * * *
Matt
www.knightshow.com
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Thirteen

The admiral gave Gooshie a look that he?d remember for the rest of his days, he wished he?d never made that last remark and he felt a little foolish. "Erm, sorry." Gooshie blushed, quietly apologising. "I?ll see if Ziggy can come up with anything new, meanwhile I suggest you find Connie... erm-er, I-I mean Sam." Gooshie blushed again.

"Okay, okay Gooshie I get the drift." Al became slightly annoyed at the programmer's continual flushes of embarrassment. "I think I know where he <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> might<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> be."

"I?m not sure how long we can keep this surge of power going, but I?ll be back as soon as I can." Gooshie faded after a few tweets and sputterings from the hand-link.

Al turned and looked up the hillside and took a few steps, the wind blew the skirt he was wearing around his legs almost tripping him up. Gathering up the fullness into a bundle at the front, he mastered the climb and reached the top breathless. Still clutching at the skirts, he looked around, behind a crag he saw the corner of a wooden building peeping out and strode, unladylike towards it.

Al entered the doorway; he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Sam. "Gawd you?re here Sam, thought you?d wandered off and we?d never see you again, where?s erm, er, the lad?"

"You mean Bobby?" Sam looked at him questioningly.

"Huh, yeah, think so, that?s his name, yeah Bobby." Al blinked, trying to straighten out his muddled mind.

"Dunno, I?ve not seen him since I left you. Which way did he go after I left?"

"I dunno either, Gooshie distracted me for a minute there, I thought he followed you."

"No, he?s not here." Sam shook his head.

"Sam!" Al had a shocking thought. "You don?t think he?s gone lakeside do you?"

"Why would he do that?" Sam looked confused. "It?s getting late."

"Gooshie said he still drowns tonight."

"Great." Sam slapped his hands on his thighs. "And I thought that was all sorted, what did Gooshie say about the drugs?"

Al?s brain was still muddled and he shook his head in confusion. "He didn?t mention any drugs Sam."

"Come on Al." Sam?s tone sounded urgent and he started heading for the door, waving a hand for Al to follow. "We?ve got to get down there and stop him."

"Can?t I go and get changed first?" Al gazed at Sam despondent.

"No, there?s no time for that, come on Al we might be too late." Sam waved an urgent hand again.

"Let me at least grab a sweater Sam. I mean... look at me, I am supposed to be a girl... I can?t be seen to be topless." Al opened the torn blouse revealing a bare chest.

Sam laughed. "Hmm, yeah, it might raise a few eyebrows Al. Go on then but hurry"

Al looked about him, trying to figure which door led to where.

"End room on the left." Sam advised and Al scampered off in the direction he?d indicated, returning moments later half attired in a fashionable and very colourful crocheted sweater.

Following the long stride of his friend and pulling on the remainder of the sweater he chased after Sam. Almost tripping again, he pulled up his skirt and jogged along the track and towards Brent?s car, to where Sam patiently waited.

"What took you so long?" Sam asked with a smirk.

"It?s this skirt... " Al started to say and then noticed Sam grinning. "Gawd, you knew all along didn?t ya?"

Sam started the car and headed down the road. "Now you know what it?s like Al, all of the times you were having a good laugh. Now you know exactly how it feels. An..." He laughed again. "And I can?t wait for the shoes Al. Whoo-hoo!"

"Yer Rat! Yer not gettin? me in?ter those things, no way pal!" Al?s face reddened with embarrassment.

"And the stockings." Sam mocked making the most of the situation.

"Shut up!"

"And the makeup." Sam grew relentless.

"Sam! I?m warnin? yer!"

"And the earrings." Sam laughed louder.

And Al became redder. "Sam! Yer forgittin? I?m no longer a hologram, I?ll bop yer one!"

"Oh geese." Sam calmed. "Okay, I?m sorry Al, but I just had to get my own back for all those other times."

"Yeah, well, just quit foolin?." Al folded his arms and tried pretending that Sam wasn?t there.

They pulled up along the embankment, the waters gently lapping the edge. They jumped out of the car and raced to the boardwalk, Bobby was nowhere in sight. Sam raced ahead, Al having difficulty with his skirt again, boucled it up again and trailed way behind, trying to catch up he didn?t notice that the lace to his sneakers had come undone, tripped and plunged into the watery depths, smashing his head on the edge of the platform.

Sam didn?t even hear the splash as his friend sunk like a stone and he continued to race ahead looking for the unfortunate Bobby. It wasn?t until a minute or two later that he heard the shouts of Bobby, far above him on the cliff?s edge. He couldn?t tell what he was saying, the wind whipping his voice away. It wasn?t until he turned to Al, that he realised his friend was missing. Frantically Sam searched around following where Bobby was pointing. Then he saw it. The balloon like object floating in the lake, it was the floral skirt of Connie?s.

Precipitated with adrenaline, Sam lunged forward and dove in, swimming out to his friend. Sam grappled about for what seemed like an age, trying to unravel the mounds of sodden material filled with air, the water reddening with every second that passed. Then he had Al by the armpits.

"God!" Sam yelled as his heart leapt, Al wasn?t breathing.
 
Round Robin 2 : Part Fourteen

Sam struck out for shore, feet kicking like the flukes of a seal torpedoing through the water, barely slowed at all by the dragging weight of his unconscious friend. Precious seconds ticked by as he manhandled the limp form onto land, and then immediately began to administer the kiss of life.

?Come on, breathe, dammit.? He commanded, as he checked for a reaction to his efforts.

Nothing. Not a flicker. No gentle rise and fall of the chest, no whistle of air from the mouth or nose.

Pinching Al?s nostrils, he bent over once more and smothered Al?s mouth with his own, trying again to force air into his sodden lungs.
His friend?s face was deathly pale, in stark contrast to the dark stain that tainted his forehead.

Sam didn?t even notice Bobby scrambling down the cliff to scurry up behind him, panting and anxious.

?Is she okay??

Sam didn?t pause to reply. Every ounce of his concentration was going into his desperate attempt to raise some sign of life into the man who?d saved his life more times than his Swiss-cheesed brain could ever hope to measure.
 
Round Robin 2 : Part Fifteen

Quickly Sam straddled Al's thighs, placed his hands on his friend's hairy belly, located the ribcage and subsequent diaphram, placed his strong palms above Al's belly-button and shoved upwards in a strong, violent push.

"Breathe!"

Al moved, but it was only with the force of Sam's thrusting movement. Again and again Doctor Beckett forced the diaphram to exert pressure against the lungs, trying to force out the water that was clogging Albert's lungs. Finally, the third movement caused a spray of water to gush out in a geiser-like movement that practically painted young Bobby with the lake water that Al had breathed in. A fourth movement from the Time Travelor finished the initial effort, and Al rolled over with a cough and he ejected the rest of the liquid.

"You okay, Connie?" Bobby said, as he took Al's head in his hands, peering at her eyes.

Al tore his gaze away from the love-struck young man with an effort. "Sure kid, I'm gonna be fine!" He glared at Sam who was doing his best to hide a smile.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> It was about time Al got a bit o' payback,<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> thought Sam, who did his best to hide his expression. However, the experienced man who was now disguised as a woman knew better, and he punched Doctor Beckett in the arm... hard!

"Ow!" Sam uttered.

"Thanks <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Brent<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->," Al said, and Sam could truly see the gratitude in his buddy. Overcome, Doctor Beckett reached out and hugged his friend. "Okay, okay," muttered Al, embarrassed slightly. "Hey Bobbie, I could really use a cold one, y'know? I got a killer headache going right about now."

The doctor in Sam took over and he began to check Al's coloring bruise. "You need bedrest anyway, <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> dear.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> A bump on the noggin' isn't anything to mess around with."

"Yeah, yeah," Al muttered as he stood up, and then just as quickly, tottered forward. Sam was wary of such a situation and easily caught him in his strong arms, suspecting Al might have an equilibrium problem. Al looked over at two Sam's that were quite fuzzy, and nodded. "Ya might have something there <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> honey!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> I think I'll just go lay down."

"Brent, I'll help Connie back up to the cabin," Bobby said, true concern across his features.

Sam thought that this new turn just might be the key to helping Bobby, and he nodded. "Sure, keep an eye on her. I'll be right up, okay?" Sam had noticed another person walking up to him, and knew without knowing, that it was another hologram.

He watched with quite a bit of humor as Al was literally helped away by Bobby, and couldn't help but wonder what would happen if the young man tried "anything" on Al.

"Hello," he said to the approaching person, who shimmered a bit before him. He frowned a bit. "Something wrong with the imaging chamber? You're image isn't as focused as it should."

The hologram hit a few keypads, and immediately shimmered completely into view.

"Much better," Sam said, and he frowned slightly. He couldn't remember the person in front of him... yet she looked familiar.

"Thank you Doctor Beckett," the Observer said. "This is all a bit new to me. Fortunately, Ziggy was able to re-establish a lock using my mesons and neurons, as they're very compatible with you, as opposed to Admiral Calavicci.

Sam nodded. "That makes sense, since Ziggy has our cells directly in her databanks." He seemed to want to say something else, but held back.

The Observer noticed this and frowned slightly. "You don't remember me, do you?"

Suddenly, an image swam before him, a memory of a previous leap. Now he knew why she looked so familiar. He staggered back and sat down hard, looking up at the hologram in shock. "Sammi Jo Fuller?"

She smiled as she lowered the handlink to her waist. "Correct, Doctor Beckett."

Suddenly, Al's words came haunting back to him as Sam remembered another time, where he was in a stressful situation of a Leapee that had a heart condition - one that Doctor Beckett had felt as if the problem were his own.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "And she's happy, Sam. She's really happy!"

"How do you know, Al?"

Al had smiled kindly. "Sammi Jo told me. She's here, working on <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Project: Quantum Leap<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->, and she has a theory to get you home!"
<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

He also remembered another time when he literally swam in the sight of another woman that bore such a striking resemblance to the bruenette standing before him.

Sam felt himself stumbling, internally. He now knew <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> just exactly how<!--EZCODE BOLD END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> they were able to use Sammi Jo's neurons and mesons to establish a lock with him back in the late 1950's, for she was undoubtedly a similar neuro and bioligical echo of himself. She even had his photographic memory.

"How's your mother, Doctor Fuller?" Sam asked kindly.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Matt
www.knightshow.com
 
Re: Round Robin 2 : Part Sixteen

Doctor Fuller looked fleetingly into the eyes of her reciprocal employer, wondering how exactly did he know of her mother and more dubiously, why he was so concerned. "She?s fine doctor Beckett. But may I ask you a question? How do you know my mother?"

Sam was taken aback for a moment, trying to think of a suitable answer, not the answer that was swimming around in his head, the answer on the tip of his tongue and at the forefront of his subconscious, which wouldn?t go away. He tried to clear his head in an effort to think clearly, but it wouldn?t clear. "You do have a mother don?t you?" Sam felt the colour rise in his cheeks as the words spilled out. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> ?What a stupid thing to say.? <!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> He thought and could have physically kicked himself for his infantile remark.

Sammi Jo laughed but still with an air of confusion. "Yes and a father too, but I?ve never knew my real father I believe he?s off traveling somewhere. My stepfather?s doing remarkably well considering his health. Thanks for asking." She stood watching Sam and waited for a response.

Sam fidgeted, looking down at his hands and then over towards the other side of the lake, he glanced anywhere he could, rather than face the holographic figure before him. He felt uncomfortable and self-conscious. What could he say to the woman he knew to be his kin, and yet, she didn?t know him for who he really was, his flesh and blood, her father; his daughter.

"Is there anything wrong doctor Beckett?" Sammi Jo finally asked. "You look a little lost."

"Erm, just thinking how we can get Al back to your time, the future." Sam lied. He?d gotten accustomed to telling small untruths to people around him, to people from the time he was trapped in, but that was because he didn?t <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> know their truth<!--EZCODE BOLD END--><!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. He was feeling very guilty about the white lies he was telling now, to someone who knew him from his own time and especially guilty towards Sammi Jo.

"I?ve been wondering the same thing too. We?ve never ever had two people in the Waiting Room before and... considering what had happened between Connie and..." Sammi Jo turned her back and took a few steps from Sam. "We still haven?t." She turned abruptly to face the time traveler. "We?ve got Brent Wetherspoon in the infirmary and he?s causing a hell of a rumpus. I?m afraid the infirmary?s not secure enough to hold him, but we don?t know what else to do with him."

"How?s Connie reacting?" Sam breathed inwardly, at least for the time being Sammi Jo had changed the subject, and for the moment at least; he?d never broach the subject again.

Sammi Jo raised her eyebrows with relieve. "She?s with Verbeena, she?s confused as you?d expect, but she?s calm and taking it all in her stride."

"Then why not exchange them, put Connie in the infirmary and Brent in the Waiting Room?" The time traveler suggested.

"It would mean them meeting doctor and I wouldn?t like to be responsible for the repercussions."

"Surely such a meeting could be supervised so that the impact were kept to minimal interaction. It would be far better than having a reoccurrence of an escape on your hands."

Sammi Jo tapped a few keys on the hand-link. "I suppose it could be feasible doctor, I?ll go and arrange for the transfer." She looked down at the hand-link as it squawked, a look of alarm in her beautiful eyes as she raised them to Sam. "Ziggy advises that you get the admiral to a hospital immediately, there?s still water in his lungs and he?s slowly drowning and with that head injury he could slip into unconsciousness at any moment."
 
Round Robin 2 : Finale

Sam sighed, and then brightened up. "As far as the two Leapees meeting, as long as they don't touch, it should be okay. They'll only see me and Al, right?"

"Unknown, Doctor Beckett," Sammi Jo replied, and punched in a query into Ziggy. Sam couldn't help but compare her style to Al's polished one, and waited semi-patiently for her to get the information. She kept hitting the 'refresh' button, and Sam grinned, knowing Al would have whacked or shaken the handlink.

"Ziggy says you're correct, S-Sam," Sammi Jo said, stumbling over the unfamiliar word.

"Okay, great," Doctor Becket said, and approached the Observer, more business in hand. "Have Ziggy run a cross-reference check on Brent and see what's going on with him. He's a rich kid, but not filthy so, right?"

Sammi Jo nodded and read the display to the Leaper. "Well, his father dabbled in the stock market, of course way after the crash, but it wasn't until World War II and the subsequent investing of private individuals that Mr. George Wetherspoon seemed to hit a bonafided gold mine... literally. His investments in Gold skyrocketted, and he was able to retire. He's still living in Raleigh, Missouri, even today Doctor Beckett!"

"So, with that kind of upbringing, certainly a spoiled..."

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "BRENT!"<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Sam jerked in response to the shout from further up the hill, towards the cabin.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "What's wrong?"<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> Sam shouted back.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Connie's collapsed! She started wheezing..."<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"Dammit!" Sam swore and dashed up the hill, leaving his New Observer behind.

Sammi Jo called out to the programmer manning the master console, <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Tina! Center me on Bobby!"<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

With a brief surge of energy, Sammi Jo's image disappeared and reappeared at the top of the hill. She glanced around for Connie, but wasn't able to see her. "Where IS she?" she asked in frustration to Bobby, even though he couldn't hear her.

Sam came tearing up the hill, using small trees growing out at odd angles as leverage. Despite the ground covering of leaves and rocks, Sam kept his footing. "She's in the cabin, on the couch!" Bobby yelled to Sam as he tore past him. Bobby also took off and attempted to catch up to Sam as best he could.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> "Tina! Center me on the rental cabin they're sharing!<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Sammi Jo popped in to see Al's waxy expression, and his beads of sweat as they littered his forehead. She was surprised at first to see Al in a blouse and shorts, but concern for her boss and friend overrode her curiosity. She ran a digital scan across Al's body, and frowned at the readout.

Sam dashed in the cabin, and took one look at Al's sickly form, and groaned. Al heard that and smiled.

"Don't worry about me, buddy," Al choked. "Bobby?"

Bobby frowned at her comment, but leaned over her prostrate form. "I'm here, Connie!! Brent will make it all okay."

"Bobby, promise me you will drop the pills, 'kay?"

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Con-nie!!!"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Al frowned and sat up, choking. "PROMISE me! Don't end up like me!"

Bobby chewed his lips. "Okay," he sighed. "You were right after all! I... love you honey!"

"That's it, Doctor Beckett. The young man doesn't drown now at all. In fact, he goes on to help pioneer the cause for drug abuse and how to help prevent it!" Sammi Jo read off her handlink.

Al grinned and sat back, breathing out, his breathe gurgling. "What do ya know? For once, I got to save the day!"

And then the crackle of energy engulfed Al's body, going from his toes to his fingertips... and he Leaped!

Sam sat back in shock. In all this time, he'd never imagined the Quantum Leaping process. He blinked and looked over to see Sammi Jo's stare.

"Wow!" was all she could say.

"You could say that again!" Sam uttered, and then he looked down to see Connie blinking and looking around.

"What's going on here?" she said, as she looked around. She noticed Brent, and smiled, but then saw Bobby, and grinned. "Hey guy!" She reached out her hand to have him help her back up.

"What the hell?" Bobby said as he sat back. The color to Connie's complextion had returned, and she was no longer sweating. But then he shook his head, and stood up, helping her as he did so.

They laughed a bit, and walked outside. Connie's voice could barely be heard as she said, "I had the weirdest dream!"

Sam sat back, not knowing what to say. He imagined the same situation time and time again with his Leap-outs, and wondered how people reacted. He wondered what they said to each other... and now, he'd have a first hand experience.

And then he felt the crackle of energy begin. "No!" He said as he looked out the doorway at Connie and Bobby! So much he wanted to say to them... but he knew without knowing that they would be okay.

And then <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> he<!--EZCODE BOLD END--> Leaped.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Epilogue<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Al blinked, and realized that the room he awoke in was bright, as in nearly all-white. Dr. Beeks and Gooshie were standing near him, when Ziggy's voice intoned from above.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Admiral Calivicci has returned home! Welcome back, Albert!"%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

"Yeah, yeah," Al muttered, as he started to sit up.

Gooshie dashed over and said, "Welcome back, Al! We... thought we were going to lose you, too!"

"Are you okay," inquired Verbeena, as she started to take his pulse.

"Yeah, I'm ---" Al started to say, and then he rolled over and coughed like a horse. Spasms wracked his body as he continued to cough, expelling water as he did so.

"My God!" Gooshie said, and stood up like a shot, and tore over to the doorway. He opened it up and yelled at the marine on duty, "Code White! STAT!"

The soldier dashed away, only to return with a hospital gurney a few moments later, with Donna Elise in tow. He wheeled it in the Waiting Room, where Dr. Beeks continued to administer what first aid she could to Al. Together, Donna, Gooshie and the Marine lifted the Admiral on it. As they were taking him out of the room, they heard a thump behind them. Glancing back, they could see the crumpled form of Dr. Beckett's body lying on the cold floor.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Now, Dr. Beckett has Quantum Leaped. Brent Wetherspoon has returned to the past,"%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END--> intoned Ziggy rather coldly.

"Do you know the status of Dr. Beckett's whereabouts yet?" called out Gooshie, fearing the worst. After so many years... after so many individual Leaps, Gooshie knew the answer even before Ziggy said it.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> %%"Negative. Dr. Beckett's neural energy has not formed on the matrix from which we scan. He is still in flux."%%<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--><!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Still in flux"<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> was Ziggy's verbage for he hadn't completed the Leaping process yet. Stuck between Leaps, hanging in limbo... it all meant the same thing.

Sam hadn't Leapt home.

"C'mon Gooshie, we have Al to take care of. Let's get him in the Infirmary," said Donna from the doorway, her expression saying it all for them. Verbeena tapped the programmer on the shoulder, and at her sorrowful expression, he nodded, and together they took Al out of the room, leaving the Marine on duty.

They would continue to be hopeful... for when Dr. Beckett finally returned home.
* * * * * * * * * *
Matt