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

The gentle calm of the blue surrounds me, helping to ease the tension that had taken hold of me. For once in a long time I find myself at peace. I'm not quite sure how I got here but that doesn't frighten me, in fact it helps relax me. This isn't the first time that I find myself in this blue room. I take a moment and close my eyes, enjoying the serenity. However when I open my eyes, I noticed something a bit… 'off'.

My vision is slightly blurred. As I blink a couple times to fight it off, I notice the walls starting to take on a darker color. At first it begins as a slow trickle of...blood?... starts to run down from each corner of the room, until each trickle meets the floor and joins together. I jump to my feet as the slow trickle begins to turn into a full on flood. Everywhere I...see red...blood!... pouring down, coating the walls and the floors. I run to the only door I can find and start banging on it for help, but to no avail. Then, just as the blood reaches my bare feet, I hear a voice...a man's voice… calling to me, telling me the same thing I've heard every time I find myself at this place.

“You failed, Edward. This is all your fault and now you shall be punished for your treachery.”

“No!” He bolted upright from the bed, the white sheets slipping off his chest. For a moment he just sat there, blinking, trying to drive out the voice in his head. It took him another moment to realize that his wife was calling his name.

“Eddie! Eddie, it's okay,” Christa Sharpe said gently, brushing back the sweat-soaked hair that fell over her husband's face. “It's okay. Shhh!” Turning his head towards her, she looked into his eyes with great concern. “Honey, that's the second time this week you've woken up screaming. What's wrong?”

“That dream,” was all that Ensign Edward Sharpe IV had managed to say after several moments. Dread and fear still had its hold on him but he knew that he was quite safe. What pained him even more was seeing the terrified and concerned look his wife was giving him. He gently took her hand in his and leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek. “I found myself back in the Waiting Room but this time...this time, it was much worse.”

“It was just a dream, honey,” Christa tried to assure him. Taking a breath, she exhaled slowly, not liking the thoughts that were running through her mind. “Maybe... maybe you should talk to Dr. Beeks about this.” When he began to protest, she looked at him plainly. “Ed, this has been going on for far too long! I'm worried about you.”

“I understand,” Eddie replied with a shake of his head, “but I don't need Verbena Beeks thinking that I'm losing my mind. What if your father finds out? I could be relieved of my duty and you know that I can't have that. It's bad enough that I have to cover my ass half the time, you know. I can't eat, sleep, or even work without flashing back to those horrible images!” He pulled himself up and went over to the dresser drawer and leaned forward, gazing at his reflection. “What the hell is happening to me, Christa? Am I going insane?”

She slowly stood up and walked over to him, gently wrapping her arms around him from behind. “I don't think you're going insane, baby.” She sighed. “I just don't think that you have to go at this alone. And Dad would understand. He's had his fair share of nightmares too, you know.”

Eddie just shook his head at her words, bringing another sigh from Christa.

“Kneel down, baby,” she whispered, gently getting him to his knees, facing her. Carefully, she brought his ear to her round belly. “You hear? That's our baby, Eddie. Nothing is more important to me that you and our baby.” Seeing the look on his face, she bit her lip. “Please... talk to someone. Me, Verbina, Dad... anyone you want. But you have to talk to someone about these dreams or they're going to take you away from us.”

Eddie slowly nodded as he stood up, reaching out and holding Christa's face in his hands. Smiling at her that same smile she claimed melted her heart the first time she laid eyes on him, he said, “Trust me, honey. There's nothing in this world that can take me away from you and our little munchkin.” Eddie then knelt down briefly and kissed her round belly. “Can't wait to see your cute little face,” he added. When he looked over at the alarm clock and found that it was three in the morning, he chuckled. “Go figure. I have to be up in two hours to report for duty.” When he looked back over at a very concerned Christa, he said, “Okay. I'll compromise. Tomorrow evening, I'll speak with Dr. Beeks. I'll tell her everything. Okay?”

She hesitated at his words before giving him a gentle smile. “Okay,” she finally relented. “I wish it were today but...” She glanced at the clock. “You’d better hit the showers. Like you said, you have to go on duty in a couple of hours. As for me... I have a date.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him mischievously.

Eddie chuckled as he climbed back into bed, kissing his wife passionately on the lips.

Part one

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

December 14, 2007

5:16 am MST

Julianna Blaize walked through the halls with a sense of determination. 'If it's not one thing, it's another', she thought. The security system was going through some kind of weird power flux and Chief Daniel Fulton asked Julianna to figure out why the most top-secret complex in the world was having a security identity crisis. Sighing, she tucked the clipboard that was in her hand under her arm and pulled her thick hair back to put it in a ponytail. She was only grateful that she was wearing civilian clothes at the moment. It was going to make it easier for her if she had to go crawling around under Ziggy console.

Turning a corner, she felt a hard bump jostle her, sending the clipboard flying. “Ensign Sharpe!” she cried out, clearly angry.

Ed had been so completely lost in thought that he didn't see the beautiful brunette woman walking straight towards him. Ed flinched at the sudden sound the clipboard produced when it clattered to the floor. Quickly looking up, he saw the infuriated look on the Captain’s face.

“Ah, Captain... ma'am,” he quickly said when her eyes widened in aggravation. “I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there. Are you okay?”

Normally, Julianna would have brushed off the incident as just being 'one of those things', but ever since she'd discovered how Ed - her own brother-in-law - had used her access codes to break one of the biggest rules in this complex, she couldn't help herself. Just the sight of him infuriated her now. She could barely keep her mouth shut at family gatherings. At work... forget it. Ed’s ass was grass and she was the lawnmower.

“Where in military protocol does it say you can just bump into me whenever you like?”

“You're right,” Ed said as he offered her a smile, but only earning a glare from his superior officer. “I-I should've looked where I was going, ma'am. I promise I'll be more careful in the future.”

“Your promises mean nothing to me, Ensign,” Jules glowered at him. “The only reason you're even still in the Navy is because the Admiral has a soft spot for Christa and she begged him to go easy on you. You'd better not forget it either because, if you mess up one more time, I'm gonna have Sharpe cheddar cheese on my next burger. Got it?”

Ed shifted his shoulders and swallowed. He could barely keep his gaze on the Captain. “Uh... yeah, yes, ma'am. I got it.”

When the Captain only held her gaze on the nervous young man standing before her, she could've sworn he heard Ed say something under his breath, which oddly sounded like 'ah, crap'. With just her sheer presence, she backed Ed against the nearest wall.

“What was that, Ensign?” she demanded. Not waiting for an answer, she lowered her eyelids, the effect similar to when her father would do the same. “Let me put this in plain terms, Edward. I don't like your attitude and I wouldn't trust you with watching paint dry. How you even got in the Navy in the first place is a complete and utter mystery and how Christa could fall for a jerk like you is another.” She took a step closer, leaving less than an inch between them. “If you hurt her... I'll kill you. Plain and simple. Capishe?”

He pressed his back against the wall, staring at his sister-in-law, in complete and utter shock. What the hell could he say to that? Blinking and licking his lips he dumbly bobbed his head. “Y-yes, ma'am. I read you loud and clear.”

Jules huffed slightly, stepping away from him to retrieve the clipboard that had gone down the hall. Making sure everything was in order, she started down the hall again but was stopped by Ed's voice.

“Captain?”

At first, she didn't turn around and it took the Ensign two more attempts before earning a loud, heavy sigh from her.

“What is it?” she demanded.

“Jules...” he started hesitantly. Seeing the glare she gave him, he corrected himself. “Captain, I know ever since I made that poor judgment, we've been at odds. And I'm truly sorry for having broken your trust in me, but I care about my family and that includes you. I just wanted to know if there is a chance we could rectify this someday.”

Julianna huffed again and continued her walk to find the power fluctuation, ignoring Ed's comment. ‘When pigs fly,’ she thought bitterly. It was going to be a long time before Julianna would ever forgive Ed for his lack of judgment.

Ed watched the Captain leave in silence, letting his plight go unanswered. With a heavy heart, Ed continued on his way to his post. He tipped his head to the corporal whom he was relieving.

“Yes, sir,” the corporal said to Ed.

Ed took his post as the corporal departed down the corridor. Keeping his gaze affixed on the featureless wall ahead of him. “Someday,” he muttered to himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Assisi , Italy

August 17, 1985

7:00 am Central European Time (CET)

The first thing that Sam Beckett noticed was the sound of birds chirping and the warmth of the sun on his face. After that came the feel of soft cotton against his skin and the feel of a pillow under his head. Slowly opening his eyes, he took in the sight in front of him. With a gently sigh, he shuffled out of bed with a huge yawn.

Wiping his face with his hands, he looked around to finally notice that he had leaped into a small but extremely comfortable bedroom. There was only room for a small four-post bed, an antique wardrobe, and a tall standing lamp, leaving just enough floor space to walk around comfortably. But despite the tight quarters of the room, it didn’t feel overly crowded to Sam. Instead, it felt cozy, like the way a pair of flannel pajamas would feel on a cold winter’s day. On the opposite side of the door was a large window that opened to the outside.

“Wow!” Sam commented as he looked upon the lush green valley. It was plainly obvious that he was on a hill some miles from that valley, but even from that distance, he could still see the landscape’s telling divisions. Recognition told him that the valley was covered with farm country, though he couldn’t quite identify what exactly was being farmed. It certainly wasn’t anything that you’d find on a farm in Indiana . He searched his mind for where he could possibly have landed, given what he saw, and only came up with the Napa Valley in California , but even that wasn’t quite correct.

A movement under his window caught his attention and he finally noticed the rest of the scenery. Just below and going out towards the valley were three-story buildings. Every one of them looked as if they had been there for three or four centuries. Between the buildings, on the buildings, and down the narrow streets were greenery and flowers of all kinds. An occasional banner flitted gently in the warm morning breeze, which foretold that the weather today was going to be very warm, but not completely intolerable.

Sam sighed, content with the beginning of this particular leap. “If this is what you wake up to every morning, I envy you,” he said to his host as he hesitantly walked from the window. His own words made him realize that he hadn’t yet found out whether he had leaped into a man or a woman and he still hadn’t figured out where he was or, worse, where he had to go, if anywhere, this morning.

Looking around the room again, he noticed the mirror just above the dresser and walked over to it. The reflection was of a younger man, approximately twenty-five years old, though Sam couldn’t lay a bet on that estimation. His skin was lightly brown from spending a lot of time in the sun and he appeared to be very fit. His face was clean-shaven and had an air of confidence about it that showed he enjoyed life to its fullest.

“So, what’s your name, ladykiller?” Sam asked with a smile. “And why am I in your life right now?”

Looking down upon the dresser, he noticed a set of keys and a leather-bound day planner. Picking up the planner, he opened it and was pleased to see that his host was in the habit of crossing off each day as it passed. What really caught his attention, though, was that everything in the day planner was in a foreign language. Sam frowned as he tried to decipher the words. From what he could see, it was definitely one of the Romantic languages, but it also definitely wasn’t French or Spanish. And that meant that Sam couldn’t speak the language that his host obviously could.

“Oh, boy,” he sighed, rubbing his face. He attempted to read the day planner again. The words were very similar to Spanish. Thanking his knowledge of that language, he figured out that he’d leaped into August 17, 1985 , and that his host had no scheduled plans for the day. He wondered if the man had a job that he didn’t list in his planner but, looking at previous pages, he concluded that his host kept track of all of his daily plans, including a work schedule. At least, that’s what he hoped all that writing meant. “Hopefully, that’s one less thing I have to worry about,” he murmured to himself.

Finding a driver’s license in the planner, he looked at it carefully, noting how different it looked from most American driver’s licenses. “Giovanni Pio D’Abrosca,” he read choppily. “ Assisi , Italia. Italy !” He turned his head towards the open window and smiled slightly. “I’ve always wanted to go to Italy . Now if Al would just show up and help me with the language…”

But the Observer was nowhere to be seen, despite Sam’s words. Hoping that his partner and Observer would show soon to let him know what he had to do, Sam opted to go with the flow of the leap. At the very least, he’d get a better idea of the life of Giovanni Pio D’Abrosca, hopefully without even having to talk to anyone.

PART TWO

Project Quantum Leap

7:03 am MST

Ed was still standing guard and he had been awake for nearly four hours but, no matter how hard he tried, he still couldn't rid himself of that man's voice telling him that it was entirely his fault and that he would be punished. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them. When he did this a third time he was greeted by Dr. Verbena Beeks and the Admiral. Ed quickly stood at attention, snapping Al a salute.

“At ease, Ensign,” Al said, his curious expression unwavering. “Are you feeling alright, Ensign?”

“Ah, yes, sir. Just a bit of a headache, but I'm alright.” Eddie could tell that the Admiral wasn't buying it, but what else could he say at the moment? 'Sorry, but I'm just flashing back on some recurring nightmare?' Not likely.

Al nodded slightly, a frown on his face. “Go see Dr. Lofton in the infirmary. Can't have someone's performance lacking because of... a headache.”

Ed quickly agreed. “Oh, no, of course, you can't, sir, but with all due respect, I would like to remain at my post. I give you my word that if the problem continues, I will see Dr. Lofton.” When he saw the Admiral begin to decline, the young man persisted. “Sir, request permission to remain at my post until I'm properly relieved.”

Al opened his mouth, about to tell Ed off when he felt Verbena’s hand on his arm. He knew immediately what she was thinking. Ever since the incident several months ago when Ed used Julianna's security codes to get into the Waiting Room, he and Ed had been on opposite sides of the fence. Off duty, Ed was his son-in-law and he treated him with respect and affection. On duty, however, he wasn't sure that Ed had the fortitude to continue a career in the Navy.

“All right, Ensign,” Al finally agreed. “After lunch, you'll report to the security offices and remain there for the rest of your duty shift. Someone else will take your post here.” When Ed started to protest again, Al lowered his eyelids. “Are you arguing with me, Ensign?”

Ed bit his lip and lowered his eyes. “Of course not, sir. I understand and respect your decisions.” When Al nodded and started the necessary procedures to access the Waiting Room, Ed shifted his gaze. “Uh, sir?” Ed wanted to tell him everything that had been going on, all the nightmares and sleepless nights, but something held him back. When the Admiral only blinked at him, waiting for him to continue, Ed again lowered his eyes. “Never mind, sir. Sorry to bother you, sir.”

Al hesitated for a moment before turning to Verbina. “Go on. I'll be right behind you.” Waiting until he and Ed were relatively alone, he turned to his son-in-law.

“What's wrong, Ed?” he asked genially. Seeing the hesitation in the Ensign’s eyes, he exhaled. “Ed, Christa's been telling me that you haven't been sleeping well. Something about... nightmares?”

“Oh.” Ed was completely thrown off. Why didn't Christa tell him that she had spoken with the Admiral about his nightmares? Oh, God! The Admiral must think I’m going bonkers. “Ah, well, you see, it's not really nightmares so to speak.” Ed stumbled; he had the most peculiar habit of over-nervousness when speaking with his superior officers, especially the Admiral. “I’ve just been having some pretty rough nights lately.”

“Ed...” Al said softly when his son-in-law started to make excuses. “I'd call wake up in the middle of the night screaming a result of one hell of a nightmare.” Getting what he could only call an embarrassed look from Ed, Al gave a sympathetic smile. “If you want to talk about them, I've got an open ear and an open mind, and my door’s open.”

“I-I'd like that a lot,” Ed told him quietly. “I just don't know what's going on anymore. I can't make sense of any of it: the dreams, the visions, the choking hold of fear, the voice...” He saw the Admiral raise an eyebrow at Ed's last comment. “I mean, in my dreams, that is. I hear this... voice... and he's telling me... telling... ah, gawd.” For a moment, a strange red tinge had encompassed his range of vision. “What's happening to…” He didn't get to finish the sentence as the blood red colors from his nightmares filled him.

Al reacted quickly to Ed's slumping form, grabbing hold of him and bringing him back to his feet. “You all right?” he questioned with concern. Not getting an immediate answer, he made a decision. “That's it. I'm ordering you to go see Aurora, Ensign. And when you're done there, you can come to my office and we'll talk about those nightmares. Don't force me to relieve you completely of duty.”

Ed looked up at him curiously. “ Aurora ?” he asked as Al helped him to his feet. “Yeah, sure.” He could see the genuine concern in the Admiral's eyes and he nodded. “Not to worry, Admiral, I'll be back on my feet in no time. Then we'll talk.”

Al frowned slightly. There was something that was bothering him about Ed all of a sudden. He couldn't put his finger on it but... ‘Probably just my imagination,’ he thought to himself and then nodded, gesturing that Ed should be on his way to the infirmary. Only when he saw Ed leave the Control Room did Al turn and continue his journey to the Waiting Room to talk to the latest guest.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ed strode down the featureless corridor, passing by a few Marine guards who saluted him along the way. Ed didn't pay too much attention to them; he wanted to get to the infirmary as soon as possible. A few minutes later, he found himself standing in front of a silver door with the words 'INFIRMARY A' embossed on it.

“Here goes... everything,” he muttered as he opened the door.

Standing beside one of the beds was an attractive young woman who beamed him a smile.

“Ensign Sharpe, pleasure to see you.”

The Ensign grinned at her and tipped his head. “The Admiral sent me here. Says that you need to 'check me out'.”

“Now, why would that be, muchacho?” Aurora asked with a gentle smile. “Have a seat and tell me what's wrong.” When the Ensign didn't answer her, she exhaled slowly. “This is an excuse to see Christa, isn't it?” Seeing a look in his eyes, she nodded. “You know, we can get into a lot of trouble, you and me, if the Admiral finds out about you skipping out to check on your wife.” She smiled. “Then again, I can see him doing the same thing for Beth.” She exhaled. “All right, Eddie. She's in the examination room. I was just about to test her blood glucose levels.” She walked to the examination room and opened the door, smiling at Christa, who was seated on the table. “I have a surprise for you, senora.”

Christa's eyes lit up when she saw her husband standing in the doorway next to Dr. Lofton. “Eddie!” she exclaimed. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked with concern as she sat on one of the beds.

Ed took a step inside and looked about the room, seemingly taking in every detail. He shifted his gaze to her and nodded. “Oh, yeah, I feel fine. Like a million bucks. The Admiral got a bit worried about me.” When Christa frowned, he added, “I had a real nasty headache while on duty and he sent me here to get checked out. But,” he added with a grin, “the only one whose getting checked out here is you.” He grinned broadly at her and raised his eyebrows.

Christa giggled. “You're bad, Ensign.” Eddie could easily tell that she was enjoying every minute of it.

“Si, he's bad,” Aurora agreed, with a smile. “Now kiss your wife and let me do my job.” Seeing Ed give Christa a peck on her cheek, she gently pulled him out of the way and began to draw a sample of blood from her.

“I'm a little concerned about your little one,” Aurora told them. “It's not good for a baby to be so inactive in its mama’s womb. You've been keeping up with the diet I gave you?” she questioned Christa.

“Of course,” Christa assured her, concern on her face. “The baby's going to be okay, right?”

Ed placed a hand on her shoulder. “Of course, the baby's going to be all right. It's probably sleeping or something. Nothing to be too alarmed about, is it, Doctor?”

“No, I'm sure the baby will be okay,” Aurora assured. “I just want to make sure.” She gave her a smile. “I'll be right back with the results.” She gave her a firm look. “And no hanky panky in my infirmary, si?”

Christa grinned at her words. “What makes you think...”

“You are your father's daughter. I know.” She gave her a wink before leaving the room.

Ed watched Dr. Lofton leave and, when she closed the door, went over to the shelves and started closely looking at various syringes and vials, a curious look in his eye.

“What are you doing, sweetie?” Christa asked as she watched her husband examining the various medicines.

“Just curious,” Ed said after a moment.  “I want to know what they're pumping into my wife.” When she appeared confused, he added, “I'm just very concerned about you. I want to make sure that you're well taken care of.”

Christa smiled gently at his words. “It's just insulin every once in a while, just to maintain my blood glucose level. Just like always.”

“Ah, I see,” he said as he picked up a couple of vials, closely looking at them before placing them back in their proper slots. He turned around and went over to the bed. He stood in front of her, looking into her brown eyes. The corner of his mouth curled. “Such a shame to waste this semi-private room,” he said. He leaned in to kiss her but stopped, his lips brushing against hers. “As long as I'm around I'll make sure you're well taken care of.” Grinning, he pressed his lips against hers, kissing her passionately, if a bit roughly.

Christa whimpered only slightly to the kiss, frowning. “Eddie...”

Ed looked at her with a slight frown. “What’s wrong?”

Christa hesitated, looking at him for a long moment. She wasn't sure what exactly was the matter but something was.

“Nothing,” she finally said, her face softening. She gave him a slight smile. “Maybe my sugar is down.”

Ed seemed to think about this for a moment as he stood up and went over to the rack of vials, noticing a couple with green colored contents. He plucked them from the rack and turned to Christa. “Maybe I should give you your shot. If you're not feeling well then we can't wait until the doctor gets back. After all, it's just insulin. And I won't let my wife fall ill, especially while she's pregnant.”

“Eddie... you know what Aurora said the last time...” she protested.

He nodded as he filled a syringe from one of the vials he had taken. He then held her arm out, gently patting her skin to raise the vein just above her elbow joint. “Oh, don't worry about Aurora ,” Ed told her softly. “Right now, my main concern is you getting the treatment you deserve.” Smiling, he stuck the needle in her vein and, as Christa winced, he depressed the plunger, not stopping until the entire amount had been injected. He then looked up at her and smiled. “All better. You see? Everything's going to be all right.”

Christa nodded slightly, letting her head rest against his chest. Even as she did this, the woman in question entered the room.

“Edward Sharpe! How many times have I told you...” Aurora berated when she saw the syringe in his hand.

“ Aurora , I wasn't feeling well and he just gave me a little insulin, that's all,” Christa told her, trying to soothe her. “It's not like he hasn't done it before.”

“And too much can make you feel worse rather than better,” Aurora countered. She sighed. “Fortunately, I was going to give you a shot anyway. I don't know what it is, senora, but you have the worst luck keeping your glucose level up.”

Ed gave Aurora a concerned look. “Is that too unheard of? I mean, I've read these articles in some magazines that say that these things can occur, but can be properly treated.”

“Si, it should be easy, but for some reason with your wife, it isn't. That's why she sees me so often.” She sighed gently, looking at the young woman. “You need to watch your blood sugar better, little one.”

“I'm fine, Aurora ,” Christa tried to assure. “Eddie takes good care of me. I’m more concerned about Eddie. He’s been having nightmares and headaches lately and it worries me.”

Aurora took Ed’s arm gently. “Come on, muchacho. Sit down. Where is it hurting the worse?” As she listened to his rough description of the headache, she frowned with concern. “I'm going to give you something for the pain and then you and I are going to arrange an MRI at Holloman's,” she told him, indicating the military hospital at Holloman's Air Force Base.

Ed seemed a bit panicked. “But I have a responsibility to the Project and the Admiral. I can't possibly fly to Holloman's. Can't you just give me a couple of aspirins?”

“Holloman's is not that far, Ensign,” Aurora told him. “You'd be there and back before you can say enchilada.”

“I know, Doc.” He looked over at Christa and smiled. “I just want them to go away.”

“Let me make some phone calls to arrange the appointment for the MRI. It probably won’t be until after Christmas. In the meantime, I'll give you a prescription for that headache,” she told him, pulling out her pad and writing it out. Giving Ed the prescription, she went first to the supple cabinet and then to the sink. Returning with a pill and a glass of water, she gave both to Ed. “Here.”

The young Ensign took the pill and the glass of water. Popping the pill in his mouth, he chased it down with a sip of water. “Gah,” he grimaced as he set the glass down on the edge of Christa's bed. “I thought you said it was supposed to help me, not make me choke.”

Both Aurora and Christa laughed as Ed tried to rid the bitter taste in his mouth.

“You'd better get back to your post,” Aurora told him gently. “Headache or not, we all have our duties.”

“That we do,” Ed commented as he stood up. He leaned down and kissed Christa on the top of her head. “You take it easy, okay? When I get off of work I'll take you out to one hell of a nice dinner.”

She beamed a smile. “Sounds wonderful. I should be home around seven.” Seeing the slightly confused look on Ed’s face, she reminded, “I’m going Christmas shopping with Vickie and Liz, remember?”

Ed smiled and nodded at her words. “Of course. Have a good time, darling.” He turned to Aurora . “Thanks for the meds, Doc. Now,” he added as he adjusted his cap, “duty calls and I mustn't keep the Admiral waiting any longer.” Ed went over to the door and opened it. Turning his head, he winked at Christa and was rewarded with a giggle.

“Go on, sailor. Get.” Aurora went over to Christa and started to take her pulse as Ed closed the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Assisi , Italy

August 17, 1985

7:28 am CET

Sam had just finished putting on a pair of tennis shoes when he heard the Imaging Chamber door open. He smiled with relief. Taking his shower had been a minor adventure with trying to figure out which bottle was shampoo as compared to the conditioner. With Al there to assist him, he was certain that the rest of the leap would go more smoothly, at least with his trying to understand the language.

“Morning, Al,” he greeted as he sat up on the bed.

“Buon giorno!” Al replied with a wide grin. “Wow!” he commented, glancing out the window.

“Quite a view, isn’t it?” Sam commented as he stood up to go to the dresser. “Right now, though, that’s the only thing comfortable about this leap.”

Al turned towards his best friend, a surprised look on his face. “Why? What happened?”

The physicist sighed slightly. “Well, nothing happened, really.” He admitted, taking the keys on the dresser and tucking them in his jeans pocket. “It’s just….” He looked to the Observer. “Al… I’m in Italy !”

“Yeah! Isn’t that great! In all your years of leaping, you’d NEVER leaped into Italy !” It was plainly obvious that Al was more than a little excited by the turn of events. “My father grew up just east of here on the Adriatic Sea ! I’ve always wanted to return to the land of my ancestors. And you’ve leaped into Assisi to boot!”

“So?” Sam questioned, unsure why it was so earth shattering that he was in this small town of all towns in Italy .

Al looked at him plainly. “Sam… St. Francis was born here. He received his Stigmata here! Miracles happen here! You are talking about one of the most important Catholic holy places in the world!”

“It’s still Italy ,” Sam pointed out to the Admiral.

Al blinked at his words. “And?”

“And I don’t speak Italian!”

A moment of silence passed between the two men before Al started to chuckle. “That’s your big concern? You don’t speak Italian? Accidempoli!”

“Would you stop that?” Sam complained.

“Stop what?”

“Saying words I don’t understand.” Sam sighed as he slumped onto the bed. “Al… how can I complete my mission if I can’t communicate with anyone here? Am I going to have to have you here constantly to be my translator?”

“Hey, what’s wrong with that?” Al questioned with a frown. “You know I’d do it for you, Sam.”

Sam stared up at the ceiling. “I know you would, Al, but I’m not sure that conversations would go well if I have to repeat everything you say after you’ve translated what the other person says into English for me.”

“You could try learning the language,” Al suggested, receiving a glare from Sam in return. “No, I’m serious, Sam. Italian is not that different from Spanish, French, or Latin. And you know all three of those.” He pointed to him. “I bet you I can teach you how to speak Italian before the end of day.”

“I doubt it,” Sam told him with raised eyebrows.

“You got a better idea?” Al queried, his arms crossed over his chest.

It was plainly obvious that Sam was pondering the question before he sagged physically. “Of all the leaps to NOT be magnafluxed with the leapee.”

Al huffed slightly in amusement at the comment. “I do have good news for you, though.” Seeing Sam’s hopeful look, he continued. “The leapee does speak English.” Seeing another glare from his friend, Al rocked on his feet, his smile widening.

Sam shook his head in frustration, deciding to forego the issue for the moment. “So, why did I leap into Giovanni Pio D’Abrosca? What a name!”

Al pulled the handlink from his trouser pocket. “Hey, it’s a nice name, Sam. It means John Pius. Giovanni was named after Pope Pius XII.” He blinked for a moment, looked at his wristwatch and then back at the handlink. “Huh,” he murmured with a hint of surprise.

“What is it?” Sam questioned.

“Nothing really. I just noticed that it’s 7:30 your time.”

“So?”

“So, it’s 7:30 my time too,” Al told him. “I just thought it was interesting.” He noticed the look on Sam’s face. “Right. Getting sidetracked again,” he translated the look, gaining a slight nod. “Anyway, it’s August 17, 1985 , you’re twenty-nine years old and in Assisi , Italy …” He hit the side of the handlink to encourage the information to come a little more quickly. “Oh! Giovanni is a tour guide and is current running tours through Assisi , showing tourists the Basilicas and ancient Roman temples here. Apparently, he’s taken the weekend off and is going to start another tour on Monday that covers Assisi , Sienna, and Florence . The guy really gets around, doesn’t he?”

“So, why am I here?” Sam questioned, walking to the window and looking back out at the green valley. When he didn’t get an immediate answer, he looked over to Al with question. Seeing the deeply saddened look on Al’s face, he grew concerned. “What is it?”

Al was quiet for a long moment before he looked up at his partner. “You’re here to make sure that a fifteen year old girl gets back home.” He had Sam’s completely attention then. “We don’t have many details but, sometime in the next twenty-four hours, Angela Barrington goes missing. The tour she was on is cancelled while the police investigate her disappearance. But… they never found her. She just… vanished off the face of the earth.”

Sam closed his eyes. “Were there any leads at all as to what happened to her?”

Al shook his head. “None.” He glanced at the handlink again. “The only thing that we have is that she was last sighted at Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a Catholic church that had been converted from an ancient Roman basilica, around five o’clock today. She apparently was going to go to meet a friend at the Basilica of St. Francis that evening but she never made it.”

“So, all I have to do is be at Santa Maria ’s around five o’clock and make sure that Angela stays safe,” Sam concluded. Seeing the skeptical look on Al’s face, he asked, “What is it?”

“I’m just wondering how that would go over, Sam. I mean, think about it. A twenty-nine year old Italian man following a fifteen-year-old girl he doesn’t even know might bring a lot of suspicion on Giovanni. Plus, we don’t even know the actual circumstances around her disappearance yet.” He paused, gazing at his friend. “I’m just saying that you should be a little cautious about how you handle the situation.”

“You know I will be, Al,” Sam assured him. He turned his head to look at the clock on the dresser. “I still have ten hours before I need to be at Santa Maria ’s so… what do I do in the meantime?”

Al thought for a moment before a grin spread on his face. “I could give you a tour of Assisi .”

Sam chuckled. “You’re kidding, right?”

“I’d never kid about Italy ,” the Admiral told him emphatically. “I love this town, Sam. The history…”

“You’ve been here before?” Sam interrupted, surprised by the revelation.

“Don’t you remember…” Al started and then stopped. “Of course not,” he corrected himself before continuing. “The girls decided to do something really special for Beth and me for our thirtieth wedding anniversary. They all contributed and bought us a two-week tour of Italy . Of course, most of the money probably came from Julianna and Jackie… Anyway, we saw Venice , Pisa , Florence , Assisi , Sienna, Rome … and the Abrussi countryside, of course. And we loved the whole thing. Such history, Sam! Every building has a story about so many different aspects: religion, history, architecture… you name it!” He rocked on his heels. “So… what do you say? Care for a tour? I’ll have you speaking like a native before the end of it.”

Sam laughed for a moment before nodding. “Why not? I’ve got ten hours.” He raised a finger. “Provided that we keep an eye out for Angela. The last thing I want is to pass up an opportunity to keep her safe.”

“You’ve got my vote there, kid,” Al agreed as the two of them started for the door.

PART THREE

Coronado Center Mall

Albuquerque , NM

4:42 pm MST

“Do you think Dad would like this?” Christa asked raising up a bright multi-colored dress shirt. She looked to her twin sisters for advice.

Christmas shopping was always a pleasure for Christa. She loved finding unusual presents for all of her family and friends, wrapping them, and then watching the look on everyone's face when they opened their gifts. With the annual Christmas party only a week away, she was anxious to get all the shopping done and soon. Being pregnant with her first child wasn't helping though. She didn't remember Julianna having the kind of problems she seemed to be having.

“I'm sure Dad is going to love it, Christa.” Vickie grinned as something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. As Liz and Christa chatted, Vickie turned her head and grinned at the store directly across from them. “Hey, Christa.” Both Christa and Liz turned around.

“What is it?”

Vickie couldn't help but to let out a chuckle. “I think I found a place where you can get Ed's gift.”

Christa furrowed her brow as she followed Vickie's gaze, a moment later letting out an embarrassed giggle. “You don't expect me to be seen in there, do you?” she asked as she looked at the Victoria 's Secret store across the way.

“Oh, brother,” Liz mumbled with a shake of her head.

“Hey,” Vickie said as she laughed, “with a name like ' Victoria 's Secret' how can you go wrong?”

“Tell me then,” Christa said, “just what other 'Secrets' do you have?”

“You really want to know?” Vickie asked with a grin. Both Vickie and Christa were laughing and soon, so was Liz.

“You are so bad!” Christa exclaimed, laughing. “Besides, look at me! I look like I swallowed a bowling ball! What's so sexy about that?”

“You'd be surprised what a guy thinks is sexy,” Vickie told her. She grabbed her hand. “Come on!” she encouraged, pulling her towards the store.

“No, no, no! You are NOT dragging me in there! If you want to get something for Jeff in there, that’s fine. But I'm not taking a step in that store.” She knew that was probably what would happen. Vickie wasn't shy about the healthy sexual relationship she had with her second and current husband.

Vickie and Liz exchanged looks and then grinned before Liz grabbed Christa's free hand and assisted in pulling their little sister into the store.

“I can't believe you two are making me do this!” Christa berated gently. “What would Eddie say?”

“Yumola?” Vickie suggested with a wicked grin.

The three walked around the store, picking up this garment and that garment, laughing with amusement at the thought of Christa wearing such things.

Vickie giggled as she held up a red teddy, wiggling her eyebrows. “I'm sure this would get Eddie's motor running.”

“Oh, no,” Christa said with a mixed look of shock and embarrassment. “There's no way I could squeeze into something like that, being the size I am. How about something a bit more... practical?”

“How practical can you get in a ' Victoria 's Secret' store, sis?” Liz asked as she stood near a bin full of flimsy bras. She picked one up and looked it curiously before dropping it back in the bin. She smirked as she turned around, the smirk quickly vanishing when she saw Christa grimace in pain. “Christa, are you okay?”

Christa looked up at her sisters. “No,” she said as she clutched her belly. “Something's wrong.”

Liz quickly went to her little sister's side, holding her arm gently. “Come on. Let's get you off your feet,” she told her, clearly concerned for her. “We'll rest up and take you home.”

However, the moment the three of them were out of the store, Christa cried out and dropped to the floor, panting hard.

“Vickie, get her over to the bench,” Liz ordered, pulling out her cell phone to call 911.

“Aw, gawd,” Christa moaned as she placed both hands on her belly. She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears started to trickle down her cheeks. “C-call Eddie.”

“Already on it, honey,” Vicki said as she flipped open her cell phone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Assisi , Italy

August 17, 1985

4:43 pm CET

“Gawd, this is good!” Sam murmured around the spoon in his mouth, making sure that his tongue removed ever drop of the cold sweetness there.

“Told you,” Al commented with a smile as he walked beside Sam. “Nothing beats real Italian gelato. They just can’t make it in the States the way they do here.” He looked around as they walked. “I’m surprised we haven’t caught sight of Angela yet. You’d think a teenage girl would be all over the shopping in this town.”

Smacking the last of the gelato, Sam found a trash bin and threw the empty paper bowl and plastic spoon away. “I’m not sure a teenager would be all that impressed with religious icons, Al. That’s all I seemed to find walking around this place.”

“Well, what were you expecting, Sam? The primary enterprises here are olive farms and tourism. And I don’t think there is a single person in this world who hasn’t at least heard of St. Francis,” Al pointed out as he looked at the handlink. “We need get to Santa Maria sopra Minerva.”

Sam nodded and followed Al’s lead to the small church. “Any change on Angela?”

Al shook his head. “No change. So, if you think about it, that’s good news. At least we know for certain that Angela will be at Santa Maria when we get there. Hopefully, we can then try to figure out exactly what happened to Angela so we can prevent her from vanishing.” Even as he spoke, the handlink chirped insistently in his hand, catching his attention.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked with concern. “We’re not too late, are we?” If he had wasted the last ten hours, he would never forgive himself.

Al stared at the handlink for a long moment before starting the exiting sequence.

“Wait!” Sam exclaimed, noting his actions. “Where are you going?”

“Family emergency, Sam,” Al told him quickly. “Ziggy just monitored a 9-1-1 call concerning Christa.”

“Christa!” Sam exclaimed, a sudden memory of a beautiful, if scarred, young woman with bright brown eyes. He couldn’t remember why but the young woman was very important to him.

“I’ve got to go,” Al continued, ignoring Sam’s exclamation.

“Go,” Sam insisted. “I’ll take care of Angela. You take care of your daughter.”

Al didn’t acknowledge Sam’s words as he hurried out of the Imaging Chamber.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The cell phone rang only once before Eddie pulled it out of his pocket and checked the front LED display to see who was calling. He flipped open the phone as he tried to subdue the feelings that quickly began to overwhelm him. “Hey, Vic. What's going on? Is Christa okay?”

“I don't know,” Vickie admitted. “She's in a lot of pain. Liz is calling 911 right now.” Her own voice was filled with worry.

“Shit!” Eddie lowered the phone briefly, a worried look on his face. He held the phone back up to his ear just as Al came around the corner, although his presence went unseen to the Ensign. “Okay, Vic. I'll notify the Admiral. I'll meet you at the hospital.” Just before Eddie disconnected the call, he said softly, “Vic?”

“Yeah?”

“I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen to-” Eddie hesitated, clearly upset. “I'm on my way.” Just as he flipped the phone shut, he was promptly met with the unwavering, hard and worried stare of the Admiral.

“What's wrong with Christa?” Al asked.

“Liz called 911,” Eddie replied quickly. “She didn’t say what was wrong but…

“Which hospital?” Al demanded bluntly. Not getting an immediate answer, he grabbed Ed's arm and pulled him along. “You talked to Vickie and Liz and you didn't get which hospital they're going to be at?” Silently, Al kicked himself for his cold tone. If he was in Ed's place and it was Beth, he doubted that he would have been thinking any clearer than Ed. Heck, it was his own daughter and he wasn't thinking clearly himself. “Never mind. Where are the girls right now?”

“ Coronado Center ,” Ed answered quickly.

Al nodded. “They’ll probably take her to UNMH, then.” Seeing the worried look on Ed's face, he touched his shoulder. “I'm sure she'll be fine, Ed.”

“Y-yes, sir,” Ed stammered. “I pray to God she's okay, Dad... I mean, sir.”

“Ed, this is a family matter, not a military matter. You don't have to call me 'sir',” Al assured him, walking quickly through the halls with Ed following him. “We'll call the others on the way there. It's going to take a while to get there with the rush hour traffic.” He looked at Ed, seeing the concern on his face. “Hey, she's with her sisters. She'll be fine," Al told him plainly as he led him to the custom-built Ferrari Testarosa. He stopped Ed with a hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. "She's going to be okay, Ed. And so is the baby." He took a deep breath. “Get in the car. I’m driving.” Opening the door, he waited until Ed had gotten in before going around and getting into the driver’s seat.

Ed looked over at the Admiral, who kept his gaze focused on the road ahead of them. Turning his head, Ed looked out onto the barren landscape of the New Mexico desert through the passenger side window. "I'm coming, sweetheart," he murmured. A glance from Al revealed that he had heard Ed’s loving words.

PART FOUR

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate, New Mexico

December 14, 2007

4:49 pm MST

When Dr. Samuel Beckett had started Project Quantum Leap, he insisted on a strong cooperation between military and civilian personnel, including in maintaining the security of Quantum Leap. Though that made things tense in the complex at the beginning – military and civilians aren’t often good bedfellows – a consensus was eventually reached. While the complex interior had both military and civilian security, the exterior of the complex would be strictly military. And all would answer to the Head of Security, whether that person was military or civilian. Of course, that person would answer to Admiral Calavicci.

Before Chief Daniel Fulton made his way up to the current position he held, the two previous Heads of Security were military. The first one did his job well enough, but he made it a little difficult for civilian security officers to do their job. When Julianna took over the position, she was much more fair. She listened with interest, gave promotions where they were due, and, while tough, treated officers under her, both military and civilian, with respect and friendship. She even used to tease Daniel that, with her being a Captain, he would have the military rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. She also teased him when she returned as Security Systems Analyst, saying that, now that Daniel was Head of Security, he was a Lieutenant Commander. Of course, both knew that, as a civilian, he didn’t hold any military rank.

Now, as Chief Fulton sat in his office reviewing the latest reports on gate security, he heard a knock on the door. Raising his head, he looked over and invited the person on the other side to enter.

Julianna pulled her hair out of the thick ponytail it had been in as she walked in. “I can’t find this damned thing,” she announced to Daniel, putting her clipboard in front of him. “I know the power fluctuation is responsible for all the problems we’ve been having lately since we installed the new security system. But I can’t seem to isolate exactly where the problem is.”

“Ziggy’s been working on the problem as well,” Daniel agreed with a nod, looking at Julianna’s notes on the problem. “She can’t find the reason for it either. Strange…” he commented. He seemed to be in deep thought as Ziggy’s voice pressed into the room.

“Chief Fulton, Captain Blaize.”

“Yes, Ziggy,” Daniel answered, shifting his attention to the hybrid computer.

“Admiral Calavicci has left the complex with Ensign Sharpe. They are on their way to University of New Mexico Hospital. I am sorry, Captain Blaize, but your stepsister has been admitted for severe abdominal pains.”

“What?,” Julianna murmured with concern. Already her mind was ahead of herself, planning to leave the complex for Albuquerque as fast as possible.

“There is more,” Ziggy interrupted her thoughts. "Dr. Lofton has found a foreign substance within her insulin stock," she explained. "She is greatly concerned since, as you are both aware, Mrs. Sharpe is currently being treated for gestational diabetes and has been receiving regular insulin shots."

“What else has Dr. Lofton got on this substance?" Daniel asked, standing from his desk.

"She is still running tests," Ziggy informed. “However, she is fairly confident that the substance is toxic.”

Daniel nodded briefly at Ziggy’s words. “Alright, I want everyone who knows anything about this situation in the security office immediately. I want to know what we are dealing with.”

That changed Julianna’s mind quickly. She started following Daniel out the door. “I’m joining you.”

Daniel frowned, turning to look at her. “You need to be getting to the hospital, Julianna. Your sister…”

Julianna interrupted Daniel quickly. “Christa has her husband and my father to give her moral support. The twins are probably with her too, since she went shopping with them. I want to find out what the hell is happening to my sister and who the hell is responsible. If someone’s been poisoning my little sister, I want his head on a platter.”

Daniel knew from experience that there was no way he could convince Julianna otherwise. “Very well. Come on. We have a mystery to solve.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

University of New Mexico Hospital

Albuquerque , New Mexico

December 14, 2007

6:55 pm MST

It felt as if it were taking forever to get to the University of New Mexico Hospital, even though Al was shattering the speed limit the entire length of the drive. During the two hours it took to get to the hospital in Albuquerque , several calls were made to Beth, who was shopping in Alamogordo , Jackie, who now lived out of the state, and the complex to tell them of the situation and where Christa was. Beth left immediately for Albuquerque but it was a four-hour drive so she wouldn’t arrive for another two hours.

When Al pulled into the parking area at the hospital, Ed was out of the car before Al could shut off the engine. He let the younger man go, knowing that Ed loved Christa with the same passion that Al still felt for his own wife. And he wasn't about to slow the younger man down in an emergency such as this.

It was a good thing, in Al’s opinion, that he had always kept himself in shape. It allowed him to catch up with Ed at the elevator as the younger man waited nervously for the cab. He caught up with Ed just as the elevator doors opened. After both men had stepped in and the door closed, the elevator started to ascend. The elevator seemed to be moving slower with each floor passed. The moment the doors opened, Ed bolted from the elevator down the hall to the visitor's waiting area, encountering the twins.

“Dad!” Vickie immediately went to Al and hugged him tightly. Liz quickly followed suit, joining her twin in embracing their father.

"She's still with the doctor. They're saying they don't know what's wrong with her. Something about the baby," Vickie told the two men frantically.

Ed looked away for a moment. "What room is she in?"

"They aren't letting anyone see her, Eddie," Liz put in. "Not until they've figured out what's going on."

“They don’t know?! That’s a load of bullcrap,” Ed nearly shouted. Jabbing an index finger towards a small group of doctors standing near the reception desk, he said, “They’re doctors, damn it! They’re supposed to know!”

“Ensign, calm down,” Al ordered, his eyes soft as he guided his children back to the plastic chairs in the waiting area. “There’s nothing we can do right now.”

Ed looked at him incredulously. “Well, what the hell do we do then?” he demanded.

Al looked into his eyes firmly. “We wait.”

Approximately ten minutes later, a man walked around the corner and looked at the small crowd of four. The way they stayed near each other told him that they were all waiting for the same thing.

"Mr. Sharpe?" he called out, hoping that either of the men was related to the woman he was tending to.

Eddie snapped his head up and was met with a doctor looking upon them with an uneasiness that anyone could clearly see. "I'm Edward Sharpe. What’s wrong, doctor?"

The doctor looked at the young man and immediately got a sense of who he was in relation to his patient. "Your wife is doing well, considering..."

"Considering what?" Al put in bluntly, his voice tight.

The doctor hesitated. "She's... she's losing the baby. We don't know why and we're trying our best to save the baby, but it doesn't look good."

Eddie stared blankly at the doctor. "Can I see her?"

The doctor eyed Ed for a moment and then slowly nodded. "Normally I wouldn't allow visitors at this point but under the circumstances..." The doctor took a breath and slowly exhaled as he held up a hand. "A couple minutes, okay? I won't lie to you; her situation isn't good at all. I must ask that only two people go in there for right now. The rest of you will have to wait here."

Al nodded at the doctor's words and gently pushed Ed to go. "You go ahead. I'll follow in a minute." Turning to his daughter, he spoke to them softly, only barely noticing Ed obeying his implied order.

Ed didn't waste a single moment as he moved past the Admiral and into the small room. Gently closing the door behind him, he went over to where Christa was lying in the bed. At first she didn't see him but when he stood by her side and gently placed a hand on her arm she looked over at him with a faint smile. "Hey, sweetheart," Ed said as he stared at her intently. "How are you feeling?"

Christa immediately started to sob at the sight of her husband. What kind of wife was she that she could lose their baby this way? What had she done wrong? If losing their child wasn't bad enough, she herself felt absolutely horrible. She was hot and sweaty, apparently with a temperature of 103 degrees. She was also nauseous and weak and the doctors were saying that she herself could die.

"I'm sorry, baby," she whispered through her sobs. "It's my fault."

The corner of his mouth curled slightly as Christa spoke. He held up her hand and kissed it. "Take it easy, okay?" He then patted her hand gently. “I'm here now and I'll make sure that you get the treatment you deserve." Turning his back to her, he carefully reached into his trouser pocket and slipped out a carefully sealed vial that contained a greenish fluid of some type.

"What are you doing?" Christa asked as she tried to watch what her husband was doing.

Ed didn't immediately answer as he went over to the table that was situated near the bed and picked up a syringe. Removing the plastic covering from the needle he stuck it into the vial and withdrew the plunger, smirking as the syringe filled with the fluid. "Oh, this is just some insulin that I brought," Ed explained.

Christa frowned at the explanation. "Eddie... insulin isn't green. What is that?" When Ed turned to look at her, for the first time in her life, she was terrified of him. It was also at that moment that she realized that she had never actually watched Eddie injecting her with her insulin, having had complete faith that her husband knew what he was doing. "Eddie?" she whispered before whimpering from the pain that filled her belly, knowing that her baby was dying.

"Shh," Ed said as he brought his index finger to his lips. "Just lay still. Everything is going to be all right." He gently held her arm and lifted it.

Christa was in complete shock, silenced and frozen with the realization that the man she loved wasn’t at all the person she thought he was. Only when she felt his hand on her arm was she finally able to move or speak. “Please," Christa breathed as she stared at the needle. "Don't do this." She tried to pull her arm away, but found that Ed’s strong hold was just too great for her to fight.

"But it's already done," Ed replied as he stuck her arm with the needle. As he pressed down on the plunger he told her, "After today it will all be over."

It was as if her whole world collapsed in a blink of an eye. The lack of strength that she'd had to prevent the needle from going into her arm vanished as a horrible revelation came to her.

"You killed our baby," she whispered with controlled fury mixed with confusion. "Why?" Tears leaked from her eyes, trickling down her cheek. "Gawd, Eddie! Why?"

Taking a good long look at the syringe, Ed then took a step back from the bed, smiling. "And give the surprise away? You'll find out soon enough," he told her.

Christa stared at him with disbelief that quickly changed to anger. “I hate you,” she said in a low, dangerous tone. “I HATE YOU!” she screamed, adrenaline coursing through her as she lunged at him, trying to get her hands around his neck. Her hands missed his neck as Ed slowly backed away from the bed and out of the hospital room, leaving the door open as he did so.

Christa wasn’t about to let him escape her fury. “YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED MY BABY!” She attempted to get out of the hospital bed, pulling out the IVs that were keeping her from doing so. Alarms sounded in the room, telling of Christa’s enraged actions.

As Ed slowly backed out of the hospital room, dropping the syringe that was in his hands, Al pushed past him to see his youngest daughter literally so filled with anger as to not care about her own well-being. Small speckles of blood littered the floor and IVs swung loose, telling of his daughter’s hate-filled actions.

“Christa, what…” his words were interrupted as doctors pushed past him to tend to his hysterical daughter, who was now wailing with emotional agony.

“What the hell is going on here?” Al questioned as he watched the doctors restraining Christa. He turned to look at Ed, who seemed to watch the actions of the doctor’s present with a bit of a smile. “Ed? Ed, what the hell is going on here?” Al demanded, his frustration over the situation growing.

Ed looked at Al as if he’d interrupted something important. His small smile grew for a moment before it went completely slack. Al could have sworn Ed suddenly didn’t know where he was.

“Ensign, I asked you a question! What the hell is going on with my daughter?” Al shouted at him, growing angry from Ed’s lack of response.

“Christa?” Ed questioned, a lost look on his face. He looked back to the hospital room, watching as doctors subdued his wife, making sure that the IVs were replaced. One of the nurses noticed the syringe on the floor and quickly picked it up, looking at it with a suspicious frown.

Al’s anger quickly turned to concern when he saw how unresponsive Ed was to him. Glancing over to the hospital room, watching what Ed was seeing, he returned his gaze to the young Ensign. “I’m sure they’re taking care of her. Just tell me what the hell happened!”

Ed looked at Al finally, confusion and pain clear in his eyes. “I… I hurt them,” he whispered, though his voice still held what might be considered doubt in it. “I hurt Christa and the baby.”

“What do you mean you hurt them?” Al demanded. “What the hell did you do to my daughter?!”

Tears started to trickle from Ed’s eyes. “I didn’t mean to…” he whispered to him, backing towards the wall opposite the hospital door. “I didn’t…”

Neither saw Julianna arrive with two Marine guard right behind her. "Ensign Sharpe, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Christa Sharpe and her unborn child," she said crisply. "Surrender your weapon."

Ed’s brown eyes heavily watered as he heard the Captain's words. Then, in a single fluid motion, he grabbed his gun and withdrew it from the holster, steadily aiming it at Julianna. Tears ran down his cheeks as he spoke. "I-I swear I d-didn't mean to..."

"ED!" Al shouted, seeing his actions.

Julianna's hand quickly moved to her own gun, pulling it out quickly to defend herself. "Drop the gun, Eddie. Don't make me shoot you."

"I-I..." Ed's arm slightly wavered and when Julianna shifted her body, he quickly snapped out of his daze. "Stay where you are," he warned her. "I already killed one innocent person today; don't make me do it again."

"Ed," Al started to say as he shifted his gaze between Ed and Julianna. "Y-you didn't kill anybody. Let me get to the-"

"I FUCKING KILLED MY CHILD!" Ed screamed as the tears were now streaming down his cheeks. He then took several deep breaths, exhaling nearly just as quickly, his aim steadied on Julianna. "I'm sorry, sis," he said after nearly a minute. "I'm so sorry. I was hoping that someday we could’ve rectified our differences." Just as it had looked as if Ed was going to shoot her, he jerked his arm back and quickly placed the muzzle of the weapon in his mouth.

Ensign Edward Sharpe IV, tears trickling from his eyes, squeezed those eyes shut and pulled the trigger.

"Ed!" Al shouted as he stepped forward. "No!" He closed his eyes as he heard the gun go off and, after several moments had passed, he opened his eyes and saw Ed sprawled out on the floor, his eyes staring sightlessly onto the ceiling.

"NO!" Julianna screamed, hurrying forward in an attempt to stop Ed. She watched in silent horror as her brother-in-law's blood spattered the walls and ceiling just behind him. "Oh, my God," she choked, closing her eyes tightly and turning her head away to force herself to get hold of her emotions. ‘Gawd, why Eddie?’ was all she could think as she finally found the fortitude to continue forward towards her father, wiping any tears that managed to escape her eyes.

"Dad..." she murmured, seeing the look on his face. Since Al was standing so close to Ed, evidence of the young man's actions was soaking into his shirt. "Are you okay?" It was the only thing she could think of saying. If she talked of what happened, she knew she would lose her composure quickly. That was something she didn't need to do at that moment.

"I'm... fine," Al muttered as he held his gaze on the lifeless form of Ed, his eyes refusing to look away. "I just need... a minute... to think." Several long, painful moments had passed before he took a step back on wobbly legs. Forcing himself to look away, he took a couple of deep, calming breaths before bringing himself to face his daughter. "Why, Jules? Why did this have to happen?"

Julianna had no words for her father. Ignoring her own state of shock, she gently lead him away from the bloody scene as the elevators opened, allowing members of the Albuquerque Police Department to come onto the floor. Four hours, several interviews and a change of clothes later, Al found himself asleep in the waiting room of the hospital, waiting for the chance to see his youngest daughter while Julianna sat in protective guardianship, wondering how she was going to tell her baby sister that her life would never be the same again.