Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 17:42:39 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Memories - Part 6 Message-ID: Quantum Leap Memories by Katherine R. Freymuth Part 6 Al sat on a couch in his project quarters, his face laying in his hands, his elbows on his knees. The images in his mind were getting stronger and, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop stuttering. *What's happening to me?* his mind cried out. There was no answer. He was grateful that Verbina staved off the concerned questions about Al that Gushie and Tina had asked when Al was led out of the Imaging Chamber. The two technicians had never had the chance to hear Al stutter or to see any confusion in Al's eyes. *Of course, now Tina will come here to see what's wrong*, Al thought. Al was right. There was a knock on Al's door only ten minutes after Al had sat down on the couch to rest and think. "Al?" Tina questioned through the door. "Al, honey, let me in. Please?" Al exhaled. He really didn't want to let Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell, his lover of four years, into the quarters - mostly because he didn't want to worry her. However, he knew that, if he didn't let her in, she would still worry and would keep knocking until she was in the quarters. Therefore, Al stood up, walked to the door, and released the magnetic lock. The door opened upwards, allowing Tina to enter the room. "T-Tina," Al greeted, walking away from the door and sitting on the couch. Tina followed, thus allowing the door to close behind her. "Al, honey, what's wrong?" Al shook his head slightly. "N-Nothing," he answered. "You don't sound like you're doing to well." Al looked at the woman before him. She certainly was beautiful, especially in the mini-skirt and blouse she was wearing. It gave Al an idea. He beckoned her over to him. She obeyed the beckon and sat beside him. Al gently kissed her, trying to encourage her to move towards less innocent actions. Tina laughed slightly. "Al, changing the subject isn't going to work and I can tell you're really not interested in sleeping with me right now - as difficult to believe as that may be." Al exhaled slowly but didn't remove his arms, which gently embraced Tina's shapely body. He didn't look at her. Tina gently touched his face. "Please, honey? Please, tell me what's wrong." Al slowly removed Tina's hand and stood up. He walked slightly away from the couch. He took a slow breath, gaining his composure. "I'mmmm ssssstuttering," he finally admitted, looking as if it were painful to say. Tina raised her eyebrows. "That's it? That's what's wrong? You're stuttering?" Al shook his head, facing her. "Y-Y-You d-d-don't underssstand," he told her as firmly as he could. "Th-Th-There's more to i-it th-than that." He took a breath. I-I d-don't know w-w-why I'm stutterrrring. I've nnnnnever ssssstuttered in my l-l-life." Tina shook her head. "That's not what Maddie said." Al looked at her with surprise. "Y-Y-You've talked to MMMMaddie?" Tina was now the one that was surprised. "I thought you knew. I mean, she did ask for me by name." Al shook his head. "I nnnnever mmmentioned you to h-her. W-W-What did shshee say?" he questioned. Tina shrugged. "Not much. She said that you two grew up together and that there was this one time when you stuttered. It was only for a couple of days, though." "MMaddie!" Maddie looked very concerned - almost adult-like for an eight year old. "Al? Al, what's wrong?" "Shshee's gone! Shshee's gone!" Maddie paused, looking into the boy's eyes. "Oh, Al!" She hugged the boy comfortingly. Al?" Al blinked and looked around, noticing his surroundings. Tina's left hand was gently laying on his right shoulder, her concerned expression on his right. Al looked at her with questioning. "Are you okay, honey?" Tina questioned. Al nodded slowly. "I havvve to see MMMaddie," he told her with determination. He started towards the door quickly, pulling away from Tina. Stopping for a moment, he turned and gave Tina a reassuring smile before leaving the quarters. Tina exhaled in slight frustration. "Oh, sure, Al. Run to Maddie but don't talk to me." Exhaling yet again, she sat on Al's couch and waited for his eventual return. Maddie smiled gently when she saw Al entering the Waiting Room. "I told you that you would need my help," she told Al confidently. Al approached her with determination. "Y-Y-You asked to sssee Tina. W-W-Why?" "Because you were at an impasse and you wouldn't have come to see me if I asked you to. I needed to pique your curiosity." She shrugged slightly, as if to say "So sue me." Al frowned. "Ssso you used T-Tina to p-p-pique my c-c-curiosity?" Maddie hesitated. "She's your girlfriend. I knew she would be more likely to catch your attention than Dr. Beeks." Al glared at her without anger but with annoyance. "Y-Y-You sssaw that in m-m-my eyes, huh?" Maddie smiled warmly and nodded. "Sssso w-w-why did y-y-you w-w-want to ssee me?" "It is you who wants to see me, Al. You want to know why you're stuttering so suddenly," she told him frankly. Al nodded slightly, surprise in his eyes. Maddie stood from the Waiting Room table. She took a deep breath. "Only you know exactly why, Al," she told him gently. "All I can do - all I'm here to do - is guide you towards the truth." Al frowned. It was obvious that he didn't like that answer. Maddie sighed at Al's expression. "Al, I know you want to know the whole truth but I can't tell you it because I don't know it. Only you know the whole story but you've been burying it deep inside you for so long that you don't know that it even exists." "W-W-What story?" Al questioned, confused. "The truth about why you're stuttering now, the same as you did when you were six," Maddie told him, looking into his eyes. "W-W-When I w-w-was six?" Al furrowed his eyebrows. Maddie nodded. "My mmmmother l-left mmee and T-Trudy whenI w-w-wass sssix," Al commented. "Exactly." Al looked confused - and afraid - of Maddie's cryptic answer. Sam had finally gone to sleep long after Joe and Christa had gone to had themselves. He was finding Maddie's bed extremely comfortable - comfortable enough to fall asleep within a few minutes of putting his head on the pillow, despite everything that was on his mind. "Maddie?" Sam opened his eyes and looked towards the bedroom door, slightly confused. There, standing at the door, was Linda and a boy slightly younger than her. The boy's face was gentle and round, showing the features usually associated with Down Syndrome. Sam instantly knew the name of the boy. "Linda? John? What are you doing here? Why aren't you at home in bed? Does your father know you're here?" John hid behind his sister, staring at Sam with uncertainty. "Linna," the boy said quietly. "Not Ma--ie." Linda frowned slightly at her brother. "Of course it's Maddie. See?" John shook his head, not wanting to move away from the protection that his sister's body gave him. Sam instantly knew he had to do something right away. John could see him as he really was. He took a deep breath. "John, you like your sister. Right?" John hesitated before nodding slowly. "She takes care of you, doesn't she? Makes sure nobody teases you?" John nodded again. "Then you should know that I won't hurt or tease you. Linda wouldn't let me do something like that and I wouldn't want to do something like that." He paused. "Can I talk to you a moment? Would you come to me so I can tell you something?" John hesitated. He looked at his sister for advice. "It's okay, John. Maddie wouldn't hurt you," she told the boy. John frowned. "Not Ma--ie," he insisted. Linda shrugged slightly at Sam, not knowing what her brother was talking about. Sam exhaled slightly. "Come here," he gently beckoned the boy. "Don't worry. Linda's going to be right there to protect you. I just want to tell you something." John hesitated still. Looking up at his sister, he saw her motion him towards Sam. Trusting in his sister's judgment, he went to Sam as instructed. Sam gently put his hands on John's shoulders. "You're right, John. I'm not Maddie. I'm here to help your sister but, in order to do that, Linda has to pretend that I'm Maddie. Understand?" Sam told the boy in a low whisper. "Where Ma--ie?" John asked quietly. "Maddie is visiting with a friend but she'll be back. I promise." John thought over what Sam said. "Oday," he finally agreed. "Who you?" "My name's Sam." "Sham?" Sam nodded, a gentle smile on his face. John smiled at Sam widely. "I lide you." "I like you too, John. Now, go on back to your sister but remember - we're pretending I'm Maddie." John nodded with a smile. It was like a game and John like games. He hurried over to his sister. "Sham Ma--ie to-ay," he told her with a big smile. "Game." Linda, believing that John was saying that he had been pretending Maddie was someone else, nodded with a smile. "Yes, John. It's a good game." Sam looked at Linda firmly. "You still haven't answered my question. Why aren't you at home in bed? Does your father know your here?" John hid behind his sister again at the mention of Michael. Linda shook her head. "We don't want to be home tonight. Daddy's been in the cabinet again." Sam exhaled. It didn't take any stretch of imagination for him to know to which cabinet Linda was referring. "Come here," he beckoned gently. "Sit down beside me." He swung his legs over the side of the bed as Linda led her brother in obedience. "I know you'd rather not be at home right now but it's better if you were." Linda shook her head. "Don't make us go back, Maddie. Please? Can't we stay here tonight? Daddy gets really mad when he's been in the cabinet." Sam looked at the sister and brother carefully. It was obvious that they were both terrified and Sam couldn't blame them - not after what he had seen in the kitchen earlier that day. "Okay," Sam finally consented. "But you'll have to go home before your father wakes up in the morning. Okay?" Linda nodded enthusiastically, thankful to stay with Maddie for the night. "Okay," Sam said as he stood up. "Climb into bed." Linda and John obeyed, John nearly bubbling with excitement at this new adventure. He didn't say a word but giggled quietly. Once both of the children were in the bed, Sam started for the door so that he could sleep on the couch downstairs. "Sham?" a small voice said. Sam turned to look towards the bed. John was beaming at him over his sister's sleeping form. "Tankou," he told Sam. Sam smiled. "You're welcome, John. Good night."