Date: Thu, 8 May 1997 17:43:18 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Circles of Fate - Part 21 Message-ID: Quantum Leap "Circles of Fate" Part 21 "Al!" Donna, Alex, and Genine exclaimed in unison as Sam collapsed to the floor. Sam rubbed his jaw as he slowly stood up. "What did you do that for?" "For breaking your promise!" Al told him loudly. "You didn't think I wouldn't notice? The obvious improvising at dinner last night and this obsession you've had with Lab 8G? I just HEARD Genine tell you that the chances of your retrieval are only eight percent!" "What?" Donna questioned in shock, walking slowly towards them. Al glared at Sam. "How DARE you tell us that you won't leap unless the retrieval program works when you've done just that!" "That's not fair, Al!" Genine yelled at him. Donna stared at Sam in shock. "You've leaped into yourself? You're from the future?" "Donna," Sam started. Donna shook her head, backing away from him slowly. "I don't want to hear it, Sam." "Neither do I," Al told him. He went over to Donna. Genine sighed. "Al, did it ever occur to you that Sam had a damned good reason for leaping?" Al froze. He turned and looked at Sam. It was a little strange to hear Genine's voice but not see her, so he voted to look at Sam. "What reason?" he asked. "That explosion?" He paused. "People were killed the first time around," he concluded. "Is that why Genine's observing instead of me? Or did you go behind my back?" "Yes,"Sam said simply. Al raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?" "Yes, people were killed," Sam told him. "Yes, that's why she's observing. And yes, we went behind your back." He looked at Donna with eyes of pure love and deep pain. Al lowered his eyes and nodded. "I see," he said softly. "Why didn't you wait until you were certain you could be retrieved?" Sam didn't answer. "He was certain," Genine assured Al. "But leaping into himself brought about complications due to mind-merging." Sam hadn't taken his eyes off of Donna. She shivered slightly. "I'd..." she whispered knowingly. Sam nodded. "I couldn't let Jim go through losing you. The explosion in Section 6 had killed you. And Alex," Sam said, looking at the man. "And Susan Anders." He looked at Al. "And you were so badly hurt. I couldn't let any of it happen. Not when I could change it." The room was quiet for several minutes. "So," Al said quietly. "Does Ziggy have a theory on how to retrieve you?" "I have not made any calculations about Dr. Beckett's leap," Ziggy volunteered over the lab's speakers. Al glared at the ceiling. "Wrong Ziggy," he told the computer. "I am quite capable of making the same calculations now as I am after Dr. Beckett leaps," Ziggy told him. "Given the information I have gathered from the conversation you have been having in Dr. Beckett's lab, however, I hypothesize that it may be possible to return Dr. Beckett to his own time if he finishes the mission he has come here to accomplish." Sam looked at Genine with questioning eyes. Genine was frowning at the handlink in her hands. She hit the side of the handlink with annoyance. "We've got to do something about these handlinks," she muttered, gaining a slight grin from Al. Finding the information she was looking for, she looked at Sam with raised eyebrows. "She says you have to leap three days from today," she told him. Al closed his eyes. "To prevent a paradox," he concluded. Both Donna and Alex frowned. "Uhh...," Alex started. "Would you...three...mind telling US what's going on? You three may be neurologically linked but we aren't. You have no idea how weird it is to watch you talk to someone who isn't there in OUR eyes." Al turned to them. "Sam has to leap to prevent a paradox. The events he has just corrected had a direct relationship with his decision to leap. Since the events have been corrected, he won't have a reason to leap. Thus, the paradox." Donna shook her head. "No," she whispered. "You can't," she told Sam. Sam walked over to her and hugged her. "I don't want to Donna. But they're right. All the other leaps weren't related to my first decision to leap. This one is. I have to finish the loop." He paused. "I have to leap." Genine went to Sam's side. "Ziggy says that, if we time a retrieval attempt with your leap, we could bring you home." "They can retrieve me when I leap," Sam told her as she pulled away from him slowly. "And what if they don't?" Donna asked. "What do I tell James?" Sam sighed. "Tell him the truth. He'll understand." He paused. "But that's three days from now. Don't assume the worst. I will be retrieved," he said confidently. "I hope so," Donna told him. Sam touched her chin lovingly. --------------------------------- Inky dinky part! Well, Part 22 will be longer. I promise. :) Katherine