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Theorizing
that one could time-travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett led an
elite group of scientists into the desert to develop a top-secret project
known as Quantum Leap. Pressured
to prove his theories or lose funding, Dr. Beckett prematurely stepped into
the Project Accelerator…and vanished. He
awoke to find himself in the past, suffering from partial amnesia and facing
a mirror image that was not his own.
Fortunately, contact with his own time was maintained through
brainwave transmissions with Al, the Project Observer, who appeared in the
form of a hologram that only Dr. Beckett can see and hear. As
evil ones do their best to stop Dr. Beckett’s journey, his children, Dr.
Samantha Josephine Fulton and Stephen Beckett, continuously strive to
retrieve their time-lost father and bring him home permanently.
Despite returning home several times over the last decade, Dr.
Beckett has remained lost in the time stream…his final fate no longer
certain. Trapped in the past and driven by an unknown force, Dr. Beckett struggles to accept his destiny as he continues to find himself leaping from life to life, putting things right that once went wrong with the hopes that his next leap…will be the final leap home.
PROLOGUE As
Sam floated in the blue haze he let his mind wander a bit.
Ever since that time at the coffee shop, he’d been thinking about
the relationship between his leaping and his family.
He knew that both were important and that somehow he had to find a
balance between the two. He
also accepted to some extent that he had the ability to control his destiny.
But try as he might, he just couldn’t seem to do it consistently.
He’d been able to control it that time when he’d convinced Beth
Calavicci that Al would return to her. That
had created a timeline in which Sam knew that his friend was content.
Not always happy, mind you. Sam
had heard too many times the issues that Al had to face with a family of
five girls, their husbands and beaus, and their children.
But it was obvious that Al genuinely enjoyed these “problems”
which was much different than when Project Quantum Leap started. Sam
wondered if anyone really remembered what the timeline was like then.
So much had realigned since tat point in Time.
Sam knew that somehow Ziggy was keeping track.
Sometimes he would know about something that had happened, but
usually his Swiss-cheesed mind kept him from remembering what was happening
in the current Project timeline, much less the original timeline.
Al explained to him how he experienced it: sometimes when he walked
out of the Imaging Chamber, something would have changed.
It was usually something small, like a picture being up on a
different wall, or Tina’s nail polish being a different color.
But there were definitely changes.
The big stuff seemed to realign in the memories of the Project staff
so that, eventually, the big changes were what had always been. Sam
remembered another timeline vividly - the one where he’d never stepped
into the Accelerator, the one that he had purposely controlled his leap away
from…back to this one. Sam
still wasn’t sure how to come to terms with his conflicting feelings.
All that he knew was that he’d rather be here with these particular
problems than a fifty-three year old confirmed and lonely bachelor with a
cat and dog as his live-in companions. He
wished he could talk to Esther, the psychiatrist he’d met in the coffee
shop, again. She had really
helped him to see what had been before his eyes all along.
He knew now that there would be tough leaps, but that they wouldn’t
all be hard. He also knew there
would be sabbaticals occasionally although he wasn’t sure exactly what
that meant. As to his family and
friends, he still felt the pain of being so disconnected from them.
He knew that somehow he would have to find a way to play a greater
role in the lives of those he loved. Somehow,
there was an answer; he just couldn’t for the life of him see it. Suddenly,
Sam felt the familiar pull which he knew was the precursor to leaping into
someone. Where am I going
now? Well…once
more into the fray… Sam
found himself in a metal tunnel on his hands and knees.
The space seemed really small so he figured he must be a small man or
possibly even a child. He
decided he should just keep going in the same direction and find out where
he ended up. A short time later,
he came out of what he realized was an air vent and entered a small
laboratory that looked somehow familiar.
Looking around the room he saw a glass front on one of the pieces of
equipment. I might catch a
reflection in that, he thought as he walked over. When
he saw his reflection he was totally floored. “Ohhhh,
boooooy,” was all that would leave his lips.
PART
ONE Project
Quantum Leap Stallions
Gate, NM Sam
continued to look into the glass panel.
“I’ve leaped into my own son!” Sam exclaimed.
“OHHHH, BOOYYY is right! Stephen
must be in the Waiting Room! I
wonder how much time is separating us. With
his knowledge of the place, that’s going to make things interesting
whatever time he’s in!” Sam
quickly got his bearings as to where he was in the Project.
Rushing out, he just about knocked over Sammy Jo as she came down the
hall. “Whoa
there, little brother! What I
have I told you about running through the halls?
Someone could get hurt.” Sammy
Jo wasn’t mad, just concerned. “I
know but it’s really important that I find Al right now,” Sam said
breathless from the run. “When
did you drop the ‘Uncle’, Stephen? You
know, you’re still a little kid. You
can’t just call him Al. Anyways,
he likes being an ‘Uncle.’ Makes
him feel like he’s blood family,” explained Sammy Jo. “Yeah…sorry…I’ll
try to remember that…but I really gotta go right now!” and with that Sam
bolted down the hallway towards the Control Room. ************************ Ziggy
had just announced that Dr. Sam Beckett had indeed leaped but was being very
selective with any other data, making Al cross to say the least. “What
do you mean this leap is just too close?
Where and when IS Sam?” Al demanded. “It’s
possible I may have that answer for you,” came Sam’s voice from behind
him. Al
twirled around quickly, looking into the smiling face of Dr. Samuel Beckett
standing there in his Fermi suit. “Sam…is
it you? Are you back again,
buddy?” The look of hope on
Al’s face was tangibly shining bright. “I
can say with 100% accuracy that Dr. Beckett’s body is NOT inhabited by Doctor Beckett,” Ziggy stated loudly. “What
exactly is THAT supposed to mean you bucket of bolts.
You’ve NEVER been 100% certain of anything,” Al retaliated. Ziggy
was ready with her comeback. “Well,
Admiral, it is obvious that again your advanced age is affecting your memory.
In fact, I can…” The
rest of Ziggy’s response was cut off as a whining sound left Sam’s lips
“Would you two quit it? I
mean, aren’t friends supposed to be nice to each other.
That’s what Mom always says.” Confused,
Al answered, “I’d never heard Thelma say that.” “Uncle
Al…Thelma was Grandma’s name, not Mom’s,” was the petulant reply. Al
just about hit the floor. “STEPHEN!!!!” “I
TOLD you it wasn’t Doctor
Beckett, Admiral,” Ziggy said with arrogance dripping in her voice. “Dom,
center me on Sam. I need to get to the bot…” Al started but never
finished as the form of Stephen came rushing around the corner. “Al…I
need to talk with you NOW!” Ziggy
piped up again stating emphatically “Now THAT is Doctor
Beckett!” “Huh?
What? I don’t understand.” Al was obviously about to lose it.
“How could they both be here at the same time?” “This
leap is taking place in real time,” Ziggy explained.
“My father has returned to the Project.
He is currently residing in my brother, Stephen.
Therefore, my brother is currently residing in my father.
This should be obvious to you, Admiral. Or
do you need me to explain it again?” She was really laying it on thick. Al
stood silent a moment. What is this,
some familial relationship from the “Admiral,
I remind you that I’m NOT your secretary or administrative assistant.
I am a parallel-hybrid computer capable of….” “Ziggy,
just shut up and do what I say just this once.
We need to do some damage control and I need for you to help me
here.” Al was almost pleading. “Fine,
Admiral. Just so you know that I’m only doing this because I realize this
situation must be addressed.” There
was a short pause at which point Ziggy continued “Dr. Elesee is on her way
to your quarters and your wife is holding on the Control Room phone.” Al
picked it up the phone and spoke into the receiver.
“Beth, darling, can you please take Donna shopping or something?
No…nothing has happened. I just think that… ah… under the
circumstances… What circumstances? Beth,
darling…we’ve been married forty-six years now. Trust me when I say you
DON’T want to know and Donna REALLY won’t want to know… Okay… Yeah,
take my credit card… You want to go WHERE?
Ten Thousand Waves? Isn’t that the ritzy spa just outside of Sante
Fe?... Okay, yeah…That’s
fine. Just GO!... Love you too.” He hung up the receiver, saying, “Geez,
this is gonna cost me an arm and possibly two legs and a spleen!” “Uncle
Al, why did you send Mom away? Don’t
you think she’ll want to see Dad?” Stephen said. “Trust
me, Stephen, this isn’t the right time for that,” said Al rubbing his
temples. “God, I think I have
the mother of all headaches. Ziggy,
why has Sam leaped into Stephen? And
why can’t I see both the aura and body on both of them?” “Admiral,
I have no idea why my father is here. First
off, as I’ve explained before, this is real time.
I have no data to base a prediction on.
I speculate that since they are both present in the Project, you can
only see the aura of the person inhabited, not the inhabitee.
Second, again as I’ve already explained, my father currently
inhabits my brother and my brother currently inhabits my father.
This is a family matter and I don’t want to be in the middle of
it,” Ziggy stated with absolute finality. “Can’t
you just guess?” asked Al weakly, grasping at straws. “I
do not guess, Admiral. I predict based on probabilities and there are none
to use. Therefore, the best I
can do is suggest that my father may have one of those ‘gut feelings’ he
so often uses to ignore my recommendations.
Since I will not be needed, I think this would be a good time to run
a full self-diagnostic. Please
let me know when there is a change in the status quo.” With that, Ziggy
went offline. “Geez,
Louise!” said Al. “I don’t ever think I’ve seen the old girl this
skittish. What a scaredy-cat!” Ziggy’s
light shone a bit brighter. “I heard that, Admiral.
Just because I’m running a self-diagnostic doesn’t mean I’m not
still monitoring.” Again the lights faded. “You
crazy…” Al looked like he was about to kick the console, but then
thought better of it. “Al…I
don’t think Ziggy’s suggestion is off-base,” Sam said plainly.
“Perhaps if Stephen and I talk for a little while, the reason I’m
here will become clear.” This
situation reminded Al of that old Disney picture that the girls used to
watch…what was its name? Oh
yeah… “Freaky Friday”. Well…it
wasn’t Friday but this was about the freakiest thing that he could
imagine. What could GFTW have in
mind for this leap? “Dad?”
Stephen asked, clearly uncomfortable. “Would it be okay if I changed out
of the Fermi suit? It feels a
little tight.” He was
fidgeting a bit, trying to find room in the suit that just wasn’t there. Sam
thought a moment “Yeah. Okay.
If you’re going to be out of the Waiting Room anyways, I don’t
think it will be a problem. Sure,
Stephen, go get comfortable.” “Uh…Dad?
Can you come with me?” requested Stephen almost sheepishly.
“Mom doesn’t like me in her closets or drawers and that’s where
your clothes are.” “Yeah…I
guess that would be best. Let’s go.”
He walked over to his son and they walked out of the Control Room
together. Al
watched the two leave, pondering the sight for a moment before speaking to
no one in particular. “In one way, it’s a beautiful sight to see them
together again, but then you think about what’s happening…well, I just
wish I could wake up from this nightmare!” he said emphatically.
“Dom, do you have a couple of ibuprofen?
On second thought, just give me all you have.” Dom
just nodded as he dug into his lab coat pocket, pulled out a bottle of
ibuprofen, and tossed it over to Al. This
was gonna be a heck of a ride.
PART
TWO This
had to be one of the strangest leaps I had ever had.
I didn’t have any idea why I was there and I sure as hell didn’t
understand WHY I currently inhabited the aura of my son.
One thing this leap was pointing out to me was how different the
Project looked from Stephen’s point of view.
He had certainly grown up in an adult’s world without any
concessions to a child’s presence. All
of the water fountains were too high, I had to reach up a bit to hit a light
switch, and most of the food in the cafeteria catered to adult tastes.
But my “gut” was telling me it wasn’t the physical environment
I was there for. There was
something else nagging at the back of my mind.
I could only hope that my time with Stephen would bring that
something into focus. Stephen
and Sam had gone to the Beckett/Elesee quarter’s master bedroom to find
some clothes to replace the Fermi suit.
Sam had picked out a pair of jeans and flannel shirt for Stephen to
wear. However, when Stephen put
on the jeans, he still complained about them being “too tight.”
So Sam went back and found a pair of Dockers with a little more room.
Stephen accepted with an “Okay, they’ll do.” “Uh…Stephen.
I guess the best plan would be
to go about your day. You’re
going to have to show me how you spend your time,” said Sam, figuring that
should provide him with more information to determine what needed to be
fixed. “Let’s go check out
your room first since that’s where you start your day.” “Most
of the time I start my day there unless I’ve fallen asleep in my lab.
Mom knows I’m okay anywhere in the Project as long as Ziggy can
find me. That’s the rule: I
can’t go anywhere that Ziggy can’t find me,” Stephen told him, hiding
the fact the he had indeed found a few places that couldn’t be monitored.
But he only went to those places when his Dad was in the middle of a
leap and his mother wasn’t likely to ask Ziggy to find him then, since
Ziggy would be too tied up with helping his Dad complete the leap. They
walked down the short hallway from the master bedroom to a slightly smaller
room. On the walls were maps and
a large poster of the Periodic Table. Along
the shelves, a rock collection was displayed and a microscope was stored.
In the corner was a top-of-the-line digital electronic telescope with
automatic locating and tracking capabilities.
The bed was neatly made and covered with a simple green bedspread.
A desk and chair were in the room as well, with both a regular and
magnifying light attached to the desk. Sam
walked over to the bookcase and scanned the shelves.
It was filled with the works of Heinlein, Asimov, Ellison, and many
other classic and newer books of the Sci-Fi genre.
There was a copy of “A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets”
along with a slew of physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science
texts. On the top shelf, Sam
spied a collection of Spiderman and X-Men comics. “I
see you like comic books,” he commented. “I used to read a lot of
Superman and Batman when I was kid.” “Yeah,
those are all right, but the Marvel comics really have better graphic
depictions and the storylines are, I think, better developed,” answered
Stephen. “You know, if
you’re still here tonight, maybe we can check out the stars.
There’s supposed to be a fairly rare conjunction. Best
viewing will be around “We’ll
see,” Sam told him softly. He
was beginning to see a pattern that he wasn’t sure he liked and decided he
should continue his search a bit further.
“Stephen, where are your toys?” “These
ARE my toys, Dad,” laughed Stephen. “I
mean like action figures and things like that.” “Oh…I
don’t play with those things anymore.
They’re for little kids. Don’t
you like my microscope?” asked Stephen. “It is a nice one. Stephen…what
do you do for fun?” “Oh,
mostly I work in my lab. Let’s
go there now!” Stephen exclaimed and he walked out of the room.
Sam followed him, watching him closely. As
they walked over to the same laboratory that Sam had climbed into from the
air vent after he had leaped in, Al met them in the hallway. “Going
to see Stephen’s lab?” Al asked. “Yeah.
I’ve got some ideas brewing about this leap, but I’m not totally
sure yet,” replied Sam. “I’m
working on another improvement to Ziggy’s holographic matrix,” Stephen
explained. “Uncle Al said she
could sometimes be a bit distracting. I’m
not sure what he means exactly. Maybe
you both can help me,” he suggested innocently. Sam
looked over to his son, but saw only his own body.
All at once, it hit him: the room with all the grown-up toys and the
laboratory where Stephen sometimes fell asleep working at all hours.
Hearing the words was the last piece of the puzzle; Stephen was too
“adult” for an eleven year old. Sam’s
gut feeling was setting off alarm bells big time. “Stephen,
do you play any sports, ride a bike, do any kid stuff?
Do you have any friends?” he questioned. “I
used to do some of that with a few of the kids who were on that bus.
You know the ones I was supposed to be with when you were here
last,” answered Stephen. “But
now they’re gone and I figure that stuff just isn’t important anymore.
I’ve got lots of friends here: Uncle Al, Sammy Jo, Tina, Dom… You
know, your friends.” Sam
was concerned about the cavalier attitude that Stephen seemed to have about
the bus crash. He decided he’d
have a chat with Verbena after he left the lab.
He was no expert on child psychology but somehow, it didn’t seem
right that Stephen could just brush off something like that. “I
think having friends outside the Project is important.
Perhaps we should see about getting you out more,” Sam told his
son. “Oh,
give the kid a break, Sam,” said Al nonchalantly.
“He’s doing fine. You
really don’t have anything to worry about.” “Oh,
yeah? Well, I AM worried,” Sam explained emphatically.
“Stephen needs to develop some outside activities and not all of
them should be academic related.” “I’m
telling you he’s doing fine,” Al reiterated.
“Stephen and I are good buddies.
We’ve even gone to a baseball game or two.” “Yeah…well…I
think Stephen needs more than what he’s getting here at the Project.
When I was a kid, I was out riding horses, playing baseball, reading
‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, and helping my Dad on the farm.
My entire life didn’t revolve around physics and computers and
such. I had a workshop where I
built things out of wood, not a laboratory where I was making novel strides
in technology!” “Oh,
get off your high horse, Sam! You’re not here! I am!”
Sam
was about to say something back to Al, but stopped himself.
After a moment, he nodded his head softly. “Yeah,
you’re right. I’m not
here.” Sam then continued, his
voice becoming harder. “I just
thought you would have been watching Stephen better for me.
I’m his father and now I am
here. If there’s one thing
I’ve learned through all these years of leaping, it’s that sometimes a
parent needs to be a parent and not a friend.” Al
glared at him. “You don’t know the first thing about being a parent that
I wasn’t there to help you out with,” he stated heatedly.
“Who was it that was showing you how to parent on all those leaps?
ME…based on all the years of experience I had raising FIVE
daughters. And talk about
follow-up…You’ve never been around in any kid’s life very long.
Yeah…You’re one to talk about being a parent.” Without looking
back, Al turned around sharply and, with a huff, marched out of the room. Stephen
had just stood there, dumb-founded. He
couldn’t believe that his father and Uncle Al were arguing about how he
was being raised. His Dad seemed
mostly concerned that he didn’t have friends his own age. “Dad,
I do have one friend here that you don’t know about and he’s sort of my
age…” Stephen started. “Who
could that be?” Sam asked, still somewhat perturbed with Al. Stephen
walked over to the workbench and picked up a handlink.
He hit a few buttons and a hologram appeared in the room. “Hello,
Stephen. How may I assist you today?” asked the hologram. “Dad,
I’d like you to meet Dante. He’s
my best friend here. I built him
myself.” PART
THREE Sam
stared at the hologram that had appeared in the room with them.
“This is your best friend? A
hologram?” Sam felt a bit
weak. “Yeah…you
know, like you and Uncle Al! You’re
best friends and he’s a hologram to you, unless you leap back here.
So I decided that I’d build myself a hologram too.”
Stephen was beaming brightly. Sam’s
fears were beginning to take shape. He
realized that from his own point of view, Stephen had functioned as an
anchor to keep Donna at the Project. He
loved his son, of course, but he had never really considered what type of a
life that Stephen was leading. He
knew everyone on the Project was a good and caring person and thus felt
certain they all had Stephen’s best interests at heart.
But Stephen had an IQ on par with his father’s (if not even higher)
and had grown up with this elite group of scientists that Sam had brought
together for his life’s dream. They
would have found a colleague as young as Stephen to be an anomaly, but not
necessarily abnormal. They could
have innocently rationalized Stephen’s childhood away. When
Stephen was born, Al and Beth’s youngest daughter had been the closest to
his age, but even she was barely a teenager. Stephen
had grown up not with Duplos and Weebles for playthings (although he’d had
those as well) but with the ideas and concepts that Project Quantum Leap
provided. Who knows what
miraculous things Sam, himself, would have developed had he grown up in such
a world, where his love of learning and science would have been nurtured on
a daily basis! But Sam had grown
up on a working farm with parents who, although they did their best to meet
Sam’s different needs, still expected him to be like anyone else on a
farm, pulling his weight just like his siblings. No,
Sam had led a rather sheltered life from the world he would later take by
storm, earning six doctorates including an M.D. in fewer years than many
obtained their first doctorate; one could say that Sam was just making up
for lost time. But there was
another part of Sam that had been nurtured on the farm.
Sam’s soul had been developed during those early years.
He’d been expected to fit into the farming community of So
it was no surprise that Stephen had been making leaps in the technology that
no one, not even Sam, had realized was possible.
But what was the cost? Stephen
was now a little adult with little or no ties the magic world of childhood. Sam
knew what it was like to want a friend who understood you.
He’d even had a sort of “imaginary friend” when he was a child,
but he had outgrown the need for one as he learned to deal with the real
world and developed friendships. He’d
never had many deep friendships, but the ones he did develop were based on
strong bonds. But
Stephen had found a way to create something so far beyond an “imaginary
friend,” it was scary. This
hologram could interact with him and Sam knew from experience how real the
interactions with a hologram could be and how a hologram could fill many
needs. In his case, though, Al
as a hologram was just another form of Al, his closest and dearest friend.
In Stephen’s case though…Oh, Lord, this felt like something out
of “The Twilight Zone”. “Stephen…Al’s
hologram is really of a real person, just not at the same time or place.
He’s not a made-up entity,” Sam tried to explain his line of
thinking to his son. “I
know that, Dad. That’s why
Dante is based on Uncle Al too! I
got a picture of Uncle Al when he was about my age and that’s why Dante
looks like Uncle Al,” Stephen explained, so proud of his creation and sure
that his Dad would be happy too. “You
WHAT?” Sam started pacing
around the lab. Did Al KNOW
about this? Was he in on it?
Did Donna know? He
shook his head. No…No, they
wouldn’t allow this. Would
they? “Ziggy, are
you still monitoring?” “Of
course, Father. Is there
something you need?” “Yes.
Please get Donna back here right away.
Let her know there’s a situation where we need her expertise.
And send Al back to Stephen’s lab.
There’s something we need to discuss.”
Sam had decided on a plan of action and he was going to make sure his
son had a chance at as normal a life one could have with an IQ that was off
the scales. Then
another thought hit Sam. “Ziggy,
did you know about Dante?” “Well,
in a manner of speaking, Father…yes. Dante
is based on the early work you did in creating me.
I believe that Master Stephen utilized an old program you named Zeus.
I knew that he had modified this program and I was monitoring when he
activated this hologram.” Ziggy
was nothing if not detail-minded. At
that moment, Al walked back into the room, ready for round two, if it was
necessary. After all, he knew
that Stephen was a bright kid and, although Stephen reminded him daily of
Sam and how Sam must have been as a child, he also knew that the kid was
doing fine. Surely with five
daughters raised - all successfully he might add - he knew better than Sam
what parenthood was all about. So
it wasn’t surprising that Al’s first words, tinged with annoyance, were,
“What do you want, Sam?” “Did
you know about THIS!” Sam demanded, pointing at Dante. “Dad,
Dante’s not a THIS…he’s a WHO!” complained Stephen.
This wasn’t going as well as he had hoped.
He was SURE his father would have been happy to see what he’d been
able to do. “A
hologram of a kid? No, Sam, I’ve never seen this before but what’s the
harm?” Al asked, still on Stephen’s defense. “Look
closer Al. Look familiar?”
pressed Sam. Al
frowned, staring at the hologram for a moment, before turning white as a
sheet. “That… that’s me! That’s me as a kid!
Stephen…what have you done?” “Uncle
Al, you’re Dad’s best friend and you’re my friend, but you’re too
old to play with. You’re
always in the Imaging Chamber or with Aunt Beth or talking with your
daughters or… something. I
just figured this way, we could be best friends too.
Aren’t you happy I chose you?” asked Stephen, somewhat stricken
at his “uncle’s” reaction. “Oh,
Sam…if I had known…” Al let the words trail off, rubbing his chin as
he looked at the likeness of his younger self. “Okay…well,
now, you DO know and I think you can see where this needs to go,” Sam told
his best friend before turning towards his son.
“Stephen, come with me. It’s time to get back into the Fermi
suit.” “Sorry,
Dante,” Stephen murmured to the hologram.
“See you later. I’ve got to go now.”
He hit a button on the handlink and Dante disappeared.
He put the handlink back on the laboratory bench and walked out the
door behind his father. ************************ Ten
minutes later, everyone was back in the Control Room.
Stephen was again wearing the Fermi suit. “Stephen,
go back into the Waiting Room. Hopefully
everything will be resolved soon,” Sam said plainly. “But
I don’t WANTA go back in there,” Stephen whined.
“I want to stay out here with you guys.”
Stephen took a second to think about what his father had just said. “What
do you mean resolved?” “That’s
for us to decide. You’ll be
informed of the plans when your mother and I have discussed this
situation,” Sam said firmly. “Now,
go into the Waiting Room, young man.” “Look
who’s calling who a young man, Dad. Remember
I’m in your aura and you’re in mine.
I’m the one who’s the adult right now,” Stephen said with all
the bravado he could manage, folding his arms over his chest in defiance. Sam
gave Stephen one of those infamous Beckett glares and, since they looked so
much alike, it worked. Stephen
realized that he had stepped over the line with his father.
Tears sprang to his eyes and he started to cry. “I’m
sorry, Dad. I didn’t mean to
cause any trouble. I just wanted
you to be proud of me.” He turned and walked into the Waiting Room hearing
the door swish behind him. “Master
Stephen appears to be in some distress,” Ziggy announced. Sammy
Jo spoke up at that moment. “Dad,
did you have to be so rough on him? He’s
just a kid, after all. I knew
about Dante, but I didn’t think it was that big of a deal.
Stephen was just so lonely. And
I’ll remind everyone, if it wasn’t for Stephen after Connors started
leaping, we would have been in a world of hurt.
Where do you think we found those ‘leap archives’ that allowed us
to help Dad?” “Sammy
Jo, you’ve just started down the parenting road and believe me, there will
be times in the future when you’ll have to be that ‘rough’ with
Isabella because you can see what’s right for her,” explained Sam.
“It is never easy to take the hard-line with your children, but
sometimes it is necessary. I
know that Stephen has been an asset to this project from a contributor’s
standpoint. But every time Al
would show me something that Stephen had created when I couldn’t remember
who Stephen was, I thought we were talking about an adult programmer, not a
little boy…not my son.” Sam’s
voice cracked a bit at that point, but he went on. “Sammy
Jo, your childhood wasn’t exactly ‘normal.’
God, I wish I could take away those memories you must have of that
sick woman’s actions. That was
not what I would want for my child. But
despite that, the way your mother and stepfather raised you and all that
you’ve experienced have made you the wonderful woman that you are now.
I’ve stepped into your stepfather’s shoes; I know how you grew
up. I just want what’s best
for my son, too. Is that more
than I should be asking for?” Sam asked quietly, looking into her eyes and
seeing that Sammy Jo was beginning to understand the enormity of the
responsibilities that she and Daniel had taken upon themselves in bringing
Isabella into the world. “Dad,
I never thought about it that way. I’m
sorry. I should have said
something earlier.” “You
didn’t know. And you were just
looking out for your little brother the best way you knew how.
Tom did the same for me. But,
Sammy Jo…don’t you see? Stephen is more of a professional colleague than
a little boy. He’s only eleven
years old and he acts like he’s thirty.
We’ve got to give him that chance we all had to be a kid and not
worry about the things that adults do. That’s
our job. There’ll be time
enough for that when he’s really an adult.”
Sam stated this quietly but emphatically. “Yeah…I
guess you’re right,” she said acquiescing to his argument.
“But, I don’t think it would be a good idea to destroy Dante
either. After all, even if you
see this situation as a bit whacked, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t a
real bond between them. Maybe
you can just wean Stephen off his dependence on Dante.” “Let
me go have a talk with Verbena about that.
I just want to make sure we’re not coddling him.
Sometimes weaning isn’t the best way to deal with things,” Sam
commented bluntly as he turned to leave.
As an afterthought, however, he turned back. “Sammy Jo, I think
that Stephen might be able to use his big sister’s shoulder to cry on.
Would you please stay with him in the Waiting Room?” With
nothing further to say to his daughter, Sam exited the Control Room in
search of Dr. Verbena Beeks’ office ************************ “I
wondered when you’d get here, Sam,” Verbena said quietly after answering
the quiet knock on the door. “I’ve
been monitoring the situation from here, but figured I could step in if
things started getting out of control. You
know, you’ve become quite good at reading people since you started
leaping. You might even be able
to obtain another doctorate when you return.” “Yeah…I
guess that’s true. But I never
thought I’d be using that insight quite this way,” he answered. “I’ve
got to admit, though, it is a bit disconcerting to be seeing Stephen, but
talking to you,” Verbena voiced her difficulty with the present
circumstance. Well, nobody said
that Project Quantum Leap was like anyplace else on earth.
Being flexible wasn’t just a good idea; it was a prerequisite to
working there. “Verbena,
why hasn’t anyone seen this as a problem before?
I mean, you’re one of the leading clinical psychiatrists in the
field. I don’t get it that you
didn’t see this.” Sam was genuinely confused. “Well,
all I can say is…this situation was like boiling a frog.” That gained a
peculiar look from Sam as Verbena continued.
“It happened so gradually that I think we all just saw it as
normal, including me. I mean, if
Stephen had been acting pathological, then it would have been a different
story. But he seemed to fit in
with the Project so well. We
just were blind-sided,” she explained.
“But when you leaped in, you saw it through new eyes…through
Stephen’s eyes. I think that
made all the difference.” “I’m
hoping it’s not too late,” Sam stated softly.
“Do you think the damage has been done?
Can Stephen regain his childhood?
I’m especially concerned with his lack of emotion about the bus
crash. Did he ever come to you
about that?” he asked with concern. Verbena
thought about his words for a moment. “I
think Stephen takes cues from everyone here at the Project.
After you leaped, he came to me and asked me if the kids had
suffered. I told him I believed
that death was probably instantaneous. He
seemed to take that in and accepted that, sometimes, bad things happen.
He’s seen that so many times with your leaps.
Even when we try to keep him from the more shocking details, he seems
to know about them.” “If
he’s been using Dante to fill in the blanks, I’m not surprised.”
Sam laughed a bit at that thought.
“He’s so together for a kid.
I love him so much. It
hurts to think he might not get the chance to fulfill his potential.” “Sam,”
Verbena told him gently. “I truly believe that this has been caught in
time. Ziggy informed me of Sammy
Jo’s suggestion concerning Dante as you were walking over here.
I think she has a point.” Verbena
was now in her role as psychiatrist. “If
you want my advice, have Stephen enrolled in the “That’s
good advice, Verbena,” Sam said gently, gaining a friendly smile from the
psychiatrist. “Donna should be
here soon and we’ll be able to plot a course for our son…for our
family.” He stood up slowly.
“Verbena, I’m so glad that you joined this project.
You’ve been a huge asset to the team.
I just wish I could have spent more time with you.” Verbena
stood, walked around her desk, and touched Sam’s shoulder. “Sam, you are
one incredible human being. I’ve
seen you almost daily since you started leaping even though you’re seldom
the friend I got to know and love. But
someday, I know you’ll be back and we’ll have a lot to catch up on.”
Verbena smiled at the little boy in front of her, knowing that this
time she had been talking to that friend. “Father,”
Ziggy’s voice interrupted. “Dr. Elesee has returned.
She wants to know what’s going on.”
“Let
her know I’ll be there in a minute,” said Sam as he nodded toward
Verbena and walked out the door toward the Control Room. ************************ When
Sam walked into the room, Donna’s back was towards him. “Donna,
we need to talk,” Sam stated. Donna
turned around. “Stephen, don’t you EVER call me that again.
I’m Mom to you, young man.” She
next turned to Al. “Has he
been up to something? Is that why we got pulled away from our massages?”
Sam’s
first response to Donna’s words was sheer surprise.
Then, as he realized just how this must look to Donna, whom they had
all kept in the dark up to this point, the ludicrous nature of the
situation, hit him, causing him to start laughing. Turning
back to the little boy she thought was her son, Donna finished hotly,
“What are you laughing at, Stephen? This is NOT a joking matter!” “Oh,
Donna…” Sam said while laughing. He
walked over to her and gave her a hug. “Stephen!”
she exclaimed, shocked not only with how Stephen was addressing her but
uncomfortable with the hug she was receiving from him.
It was just too…intimate. “Donna,”
Al decided he needed to say something before Sam got himself into more
trouble. “That’s not Stephen. Sam
has leapt into your son.” On
hearing this news, Donna’s eyes first widened, then rolled up and back.
Her body immediately went limp and she hit the floor in a faint. PART
FOUR “Sam…you
should have seen that coming,” Al gently berated.
“I mean, this is a bit much for Donna to handle all at once,
don’t you think?” Sam
was kneeling next to Donna, her hand in his, looking at her with loving
concern. “Yeah…I guess I was
so wrapped up on what we needed to talk about, I didn’t think about how
Donna would react. Oh,
look…she’s coming around.” Donna’s
eyes started to flutter open as she looked up into the eyes of her son and
saw…OH GOD…HE’S LOOKING AT ME
WITH SAM’S EYES! Her eyes
again rolled up and she lost all consciousness. If
the situation weren’t so serious, Al would have been tempted to laugh.
Instead, he gave his partner a knowing look and a slightly skewed smile.
“Sam, maybe you better stand over here for a minute and let me
wake her up,” he suggested. “Otherwise, this could take awhile.” Knowing
that Al was probably correct in his assessment, Sam got up and moved to the
other side of the room while Al took his place next to Donna.
When again she started to awaken, she saw Al’s face.
“Oh, Al…thank God, it’s you!
You won’t believe what I just hallucinated.” “Donna,
just take a deep breath. Are you
all right now?” She nodded so
Al went on. “Good.
Now Donna, this day is just a little weirder than most.
The good news is that Sam is in the Project.” Donna
visibly brightened at that news. “Where
is he? I want to see him.
Al, if Sam was here, why did you make Beth take me to…”
All of a sudden, Donna’s face paled.
“It wasn’t a hallucination, was it,” Donna stated rather than
questioned. “No...
But… well…there’s some good things coming out of this leap.
That’s why Sam wanted you to come back.
He feels you two have some decisions to make as a family.” “Is
it okay for us to talk now?” questioned Sam from across the room.
“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here, now that we know
what must be fixed.” Donna
looked across the room and saw her son standing there.
“Are you SURE that’s Sam?” she asked Al. “Oh,
yes. Very sure.
Ziggy even said it was 100% certain,” Al answered. Donna
looked at Al with raised eyebrows at that comment, noting how rare it was
for Ziggy to give a 100% certainty to anything.
“Okay,” she finally said slowly.
“This is more than a little weird.”
She looked over to the being that seemed to be her son, “Sam?” “Yes,
Donna,” answered Sam. “Just
please don’t kiss me or touch me. I
know it’s you now but…it just doesn’t feel right,” she stated,
hoping she wasn’t hurting Sam. “I
can see how it could cause you distress.
Okay, I promise I won’t kiss you or touch you. But we have to talk
about the day’s events.” Sam
started to walk across the room to help Donna up, but thought about his
promise and stopped. Al caught
the dilemma Sam was in and went back to Donna, helping her to obtain a
standing position. Then, with
Donna taking the lead, they left the room together to go to their quarters
and decide their future. ************************ “Can
I get you some tea?” Sam asked. “I
think I’d like a cup myself.” “That
would be fine, Steph…Sam. God,
this is tough.” A thought suddenly occurred to her.
“How is Stephen handling this?”
All her motherly instincts were going into full throttle. “Surprisingly
better than one would expect, given that he’s only eleven.
Don’t worry. Sammy Jo
is with him right now. But that
really gets us to the heart of what I believe – no, what I KNOW - this
leap is about,” Sam told her rather cryptically. “What
do you mean?” asked Donna, happy that her son’s needs were being met as
they continued to discuss whatever was on her husband’s mind.
It was so strange. Her
eyes and ears told her she was talking to Stephen, but she knew they were
Sam’s words. “Donna,
I want you to know first and foremost…you are a wonderful mother.
You’ve just been fulfilling that role in a situation that I can say
with certainty no one else has
ever had to deal with,” Sam started tactfully. “Well,
if you mean that nobody else’s husband has decided to step into the
unknown, multiple times and isn’t able to find his way home, then
yeah…I’d say that’s a pretty unique situation,” Donna said, stating
the obvious, a little bitterness in her voice. “I’m
sorry, Donna. I really am.
I can tell you, however, if I hadn’t stepped into the Accelerator,
we wouldn’t be having this conversation because we wouldn’t have even
this convoluted life together,” Sam explained.
He looked at Donna, a pained look coming to his face.
“Donna, if you knew when we wed that we’d be here now in this
situation…would you have said ‘I Do’?” Sam was afraid of what
she’d say. He so loved
her…What would he do if she said no? He
awaited her answer with trepidation. “Well,
if I didn’t marry you that would mean we wouldn’t have Stephen.
I can’t imagine a life without him in it.
He’s such a fantastic child. So,
yes, knowing that Stephen would be our greatest creation, I would have said
‘I Do.’” Donna stated this with unquestioning fervor. Sam
thought for a moment and said a quiet “thank-you” in his mind.
Yes, Stephen had created an unbreakable bond between them.
Somehow, he knew that this leap would be successful.
However, he still had to step through the minefield that was getting
the custodial parent to see that changes were needed. Sam
started again. “I have something I think you should see.”
Sam pulled a handlink out of his pocket. “That’s
a new one, isn’t it?” asked Donna “Well,
actually it’s a few years old. Our
son made it,” answered Sam. “Let
me show you what it does.” Sam
hit a few buttons on the handlink and a hologram appeared in front of him. “Where
is Stephen?” asked the hologram. “Hello,
Dante. Stephen is currently in
the Waiting Room until this leap comes to an end,” Sam answered. “Saaammm…what
is this?” asked Donna warily. “Dante
is Stephen’s ‘best friend.’ He’s
based on Al and was built using a program I created when I was first
starting work on Ziggy,” Sam answered, watching Donna’s reactions
closely. “Did
Al have something to do with this?” Donna’s
eyes flashed. “I knew there
was something going on in Stephen’s lab.” “No,
Donna. Al was as surprised as I
was…as you are. You gotta
admit though, our son really has taken a unique approach to dealing with
loneliness.” Sam couldn’t quite keep the pride out of his voice, even
while realizing the deeper ramifications that Dante represented.
He looked at the hologram. “Goodbye,
Dante. We need to talk about our plans for Stephen.
I’m sure he’ll be talking to you soon but, for now, I’m going
to shut you down again.” “As
you wish, Dr. Beckett,” Dante answered.
With that, Sam turned the handlink off again and the hologram
disappeared. “I
never thought he was that lonely,” said Donna.
“He seems so well adjusted with the Project staff and he and Sammy
Jo are so close.” “That’s
true. But there are no children
his age here,” Sam explained. “Stephen
has found a way to fit into what has been his reality.
A child without Stephen’s IQ probably couldn’t have done it but,
for Stephen, it allowed him to survive and even to grow. I
think, though, that we may need to take a different direction now.” “What
do you mean by that, Samuel Beckett?” Donna questioned bluntly, suddenly
feeling defensive. “I
think Stephen needs to put some distance between himself and the Project,”
Sam stated. “YOU
WANT TO SEND HIM TO BOARDING SCHOOL! I
won’t have it, I just won’t have it.
You’ve gone over the line this time, Sam.
I will not put an eleven year old boy into a BOARDING SCHOOL just
because he’s creating holographic friends!”
Donna was definitively agitated and jumping to conclusions. Sam
sighed. “I didn’t say that,
Donna. I don’t think boarding
school is the answer either. But
let me ask you something else. Have
you kept up on any of your research?” Sam turned the topic. “You
can’t change the subject that easily! What about Stephen?” Donna said,
stubbornly focused on the previous train of thought. “I’ll
get to back to that, but this is a part of that puzzle.
Just answer my question. Have
you kept up on any of your research?” Sam pressed, knowing where he was
trying to lead Donna. “Not
really. After all, I’ve spent
the last twelve years of my life trying to bring you home - doesn’t really
leave much room for basic research in entanglement theory.”
Donna wasn’t sure where this was going and had a suspicion that she
wasn’t going to like it. Where
had he heard that before? Sam wondered.
Let me see…THAT’S IT!
If he hadn’t stepped into the Accelerator, he would have headed a
project looking at entanglement theory.
He hadn’t stepped into the Accelerator because the retrieval
program was fatally flawed. What
was it the Al of that timeline had said? “Maybe your
work on the entanglement of quantum particles will allow someone, someday to
figure it all out.” “Donna,
you need to get back into that work, into researching quantum entanglement
of particles again.” Sam was
adamant in this statement. “But,
Sam, I need to be here, to be close to you.
To help you find a way home.” Donna stated this as simply the way
it was and needed to be. “Don’t
you see, Donna? You’re TOO
close here. Not to me…God, I
just want to be with you every moment I have.”
Sam started to walk over to Donna, but stopped himself, remembering
his promise not to touch her while in Stephen’s aura.
It was hard to hold back. He
loved her with a strength that knew no bonds, but he could also understand
her inability to feel towards him what he knew was there while she
couldn’t see him as himself…while she saw him as their son.
“You’re too close to the data.
I think that particle entanglement may play a role in fixing the
retrieval program, but you need to work on it separate from here.” “You
want me to LEAVE you?” Donna cried, a stricken look on her face.
“Oh, Sam, I couldn’t do that.” “No,
I don’t want you to leave. You’re
my Dulcinea.” It sounded so
strange coming from Stephen’s lips, but Donna heard only Sam saying it.
“I just think it would be a good idea for you to work in Seeing
Sam’s eyes, she knew he was right. Still
she had to make sure. Did he
know what he was asking? “Sam,
five years ago I’d wondered if putting Stephen in the school in “I
think it was right to stay then. After
all, if Stephen had not been here to develop Dante and some of the other
things that he’s done to improve the technology, I don’t know if we’d
be having this conversation. Also,
having Stephen here has allowed me to get to know him even if only
occasionally. But now, it’s
the right time both for Stephen to experience a life separate from the
Project and for you to be able to continue your research.
That’s how you can help me get home to the both of you.” “Well…I
can’t find any flaw in your logic, Doctor
Beckett,” Donna said playfully. “Okay,
let me look into it. If
there’s anything I can do to get you home, even if it means working
elsewhere, I’ll do it. But
Sam, just know I keep my promises. I
will be here for you when you finally come home.” “I
don’t know what I’d do if you weren’t waiting for me, Donna.
I may not always consciously remember you during a leap, but you are
always in my heart.” He paused for a moment. “We
should get back to the Control Room. I
don’t know how much longer this leap will last.” ************************ Sam
and Donna walked back to the Control Room together.
It looked like things were on the right track and Sam wasn’t sure
what more needed to be done, other than let Al know about helping Donna and
Stephen get set up in Albuquerque. Once
that was completed, Sam felt the familiar build up and knew he was going to
leap. “Donna,
can I just give you a kiss on the cheek.
Would that be all right? I won’t be here much longer,” Sam
pleaded. Donna
exhaled gently. “Okay, Sam. I guess I could handle that.”
As his lips touched her face, a blue light glowed and then softened. “Oh,
my! What an interesting
feeling!” exclaimed Donna. “I
love you, Mom.” Stephen was definitely the one at her cheek. “I
love you too, Stephen. You know,
you have a pretty incredible Dad. He
loves you so much,” Donna told him. “I
don’t think so, Mom,” Stephen said quietly.
“I think I really made him mad this time.
I’m not sure what he thinks of me anymore.”
He looked down, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. “Doctor
Beckett has leaped,” Ziggy announced. Suddenly,
the door to the Waiting Room opened and Sam walked out with Sammy Jo. “Hello,
Father,” Ziggy stated. “Sam!”
Al exclaimed with astonishment. “You’re back!
We went through all that and now you’re back!” He hit his
forehead with the palm of his hand, clearly surprised by the turn of events. “I
wasn’t sure I could do it and I don’t think it will be for long, somehow
I know that the leaping hasn’t ended even if I want it to,” Sam said
mysteriously. “There are three
things that need to be fixed and then I’ll be leaping again. Ah…here’s
the first fix.” As
Sam spoke, Daniel Fulton walked in holding his daughter.
He walked over to Sam and put Isabella into his arms.
She went to him willingly which gave him a warm feeling in his heart.
Not having been a part of her life, he’d been worried she’d be
afraid of him. She babbled at
him, grabbing his nose and gave him the most beautiful smile he’d ever
seen. Sam beamed. “Wait
a minute…did Daniel somehow become psychic?” questioned Al. “No.
Dad asked Ziggy to contact him when he leaped in.”
Sammy Jo explained, grinning at the concept that her husband was
psychic. “Hey,
there, little lady,” Sam greeted his granddaughter.
“How are you doing?” He
looked at Isabella with absolute adoration.
Holding her for a few minutes, he then kissed her forehead gently
before turning to Sammy Jo and reluctantly handing Isabella to her.
“You’ve got quite a sweetheart there.
I hope I’ll get to see her again soon.” Sam
next turned towards Stephen. “Dad,
why did you leap back here so soon?” Stephen wasn’t sure, but he thought
it might be so his Dad could complete letting him know his fate.
He wasn’t quite sure he was going to like it. “Stephen,
I just wanted to say this to you with us in our own auras.
Son, I’m proud of you.
I love you more than words can ever say,” Sam said with his whole
heart. Reaching over, he took
Stephen into a long and loving hug. “I love you, son,” he said, his
voice conveying his feelings. Stephen
hugged him back tightly. “I
love you too, Dad.” “What’s
the third fix, Sam?” asked Al with a question on his face. Sam
gave Stephen a kiss on his forehead and then turned to Donna. “For
that, I’ll need Donna to come into the Waiting Room with me since I’ll
be leaping right afterwards,” Sam told him. “Why
can’t you stay?” Donna pleaded desperation clear in her voice. Sam
gently shook his head. “It’s
just… not meant to be this time.” He took her hands gently.
“Come with me,” he told her with a romantic look upon his face.
Turning to the others in the Waiting Room, he paused. “See you all next
time,” he said wistfully, wanting to stay but knowing that he wasn’t
really home for good yet…and that he was going to miss them all
desperately…again. Escorting
Donna into the Waiting Room, he waited until she had entered first before he
followed, letting the door swish close behind them. A minute later, Donna
walked out of the empty Waiting Room with a look of utter contentment on her
face, touching her lips. “God, I love that man,” was all she would say.
EPILOGUE
"Duke!"
Sam heard the
frighteningly familiar voice call to him as temporal energy had dissipated.
Furrowing his brow, Sam took a step around the corner and stopped abruptly
in his tracks. The dark-haired man that had called him wore a broad smile as
he held out his arms. "Duke. Glad to
see you, brother," the man said pulling Sam into a tight embrace. After a couple
moments, Sam pulled back and got a real close look at the man who had
greeted him. He was tall with a chiseled jaw and dark eyes that demanded
respect. The eyes held genius behind them but, at the same time, there was
also a hint of madness that caused Sam great concern. He remembered seeing
those eyes at least once before. If the twinge in his ribs was a reminder,
it wasn’t a pleasant meeting. He found his left hand moving towards his
side, brushing over a scar that was the only physical reminder of that
meeting. It was at that moment
that the memory clarified itself through the holes of his Swiss-cheesed
brain. "Lothoman?" he breathed, his hand firmly covering the
“L” shaped scar. When Nathaniel Lothoman only smiled, Sam whispered,
"Oh boy."
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