VIRTUAL SEASONS EPISODES

PROLOGUE

The tingling sensation that accompanied the blue light faded away and Sam found himself in that most hated position – wearing stiletto heels.  Even worse, though, was the fact that he was wearing them in a room blasting with a heavy Techno backbeat and walking quite quickly down a narrow runway.

Sam looked down and found he was wearing black slim trousers with a narrow waistband that sat just below the waist paired with a soft green blouse.  He was so disoriented that he didn’t hear the Imaging Chamber door open.

“Uh, Sam?  You really need to give those hips some attitude.”  Al was moving a bit to the backbeat music.

“Wha…huh…”  Sam was dumbfounded.  “Attitude?”

“Yeah.  You’re currently modeling in the September 2006 Vera Wang Spring Fashion show.  You need to show some attitude on the runway.  It’s sort of like moving your hips like when you were Elvis but you do it as you’re walking.”

Sam glared at Al as he came to the end of the runway.

“Okay.  Now you need to stop and move around a bit.  You have to show off the outfit…and what an outfit.  Beth would love it.  I wonder how much it costs.”  He turned to the handlink and started to key in some numbers.

Sam continued to glare at Al but did as he was told.

“That’s enough.  Now turn and walk back… Shake that tushie, Sam.  C'mon, attitude, Sam, attitude! Watch out for the other model…now she’s showing hip attitude!”

Sam did everything he could but the warning came too late.  He tried to stay on the heels while avoiding the other model.  However, being in a meta-stable position was just too much for him.  He took a head dive through the curtain at the start of the runway.

“Oh Boy,” came to his lips as he hit his head hard on a pole just inside the curtain.  Mercifully, he entered blessed unconsciousness.

PART ONE

September 15, 2006

New York City

Sam awoke facing the angry face of a little, nervous man who was glaring and hissing at him.  “Karina!  What the hell was that all about!  If you ripped the Wang it’s coming out of your paycheck!  I’ve never seen you so wooden and stiff!”

“Sam!  Sam!  Are you okay?” Al asked in the next moment, his face right next to that of the mousy man.

“Uh, yeah.”  Sam sat up, rubbing his head.  “Ow, that hurt!”

The little man shouted, “There’s no time for that right now.  Suck it up and get into the next outfit.  Cheri, can you help her.  Gawd!  You’ve only got two minutes now!”  The man abruptly gestured to another woman who was carrying a pincushion and duct tape.  “Get her into the Taupe Tapestry dress with the jacket pronto!  She must be on the mark in one and a half minutes!  Move it people!”

Sam was amazed at the speed at which the outfit he’d been wearing was removed and another was donned.  It felt more like a NASCAR pit stop than anything else he’d experienced.  Before he knew it, his clothes, shoes, and hair of the aura had been redone and he was pushed to the start of the runway.  Another model was walking back.

“What are you waiting for?  Go!  Go!”  The angry little man was gesturing wildly.  “Move it, girl!  And this time give it your style!”

Sam again stepped out onto the catwalk that ran from the curtain down through the center of the room.  This time he noticed the people, the cameras, and the lights.  Especially the lights!  They made the catwalk extremely hot and he could feel the beads of sweat starting to form on his body.  Sam wondered why some women would actually salivate at the chance to work in this high-pressure world!

“Oh, Sam!  I like that one even more!”  Now that Sam was fine, Al was back into the spirit of the fashion show and into full gushing mode.  “Beth would really look good in it!”

Sam just continued down the runway, trying to keep his focus on walking upright, moving his hips, and doing it with as much grace as possible.  It was a good thing that on several leaps he had a chance to practice his dancing because right now, moving smoothly was critical.  All he knew was he didn’t want this going on much longer.  Al, meanwhile, seemed to be creating a mental catalog of outfits for Beth, though he did tell Sam when he came backstage again that he was going back to the Project to talk to Karina.

Sam completed that run and two more, moving into the evening wear towards the end.  At the finale, he’d been dressed in a wedding dress and had walked out to the oohs and ahs of the crowd.  He was still wearing the classy white dress when Vera Wang herself came out with all the models.

When Sam went back behind the curtain the final time, he was exhausted!  Who’d have ever thought that wearing clothes could take so much out of a person!

After the wedding dress was carefully removed, Sam put on the robe that was offered to him.  He noticed the other models were over at mirrored tables taking off their makeup and getting into their street clothes.  Most of the girls had already finished and left.  Sam saw an empty table at the end and sat down, finding a cosmetic case labeled Karina Valance.  He opened the case and removed cotton balls and cold cream.

As he removed the makeup, he was amazed at the absolutely perfect face that peered at him from the mirror.  It really was a shame that this face was so often covered with a mask of thickly layered makeup in intense tones.  She had naturally long eyelashes, full lips, and a flawless complexion.

Continuing to look into his cosmetic kit, he found a small purse.  He took it out and looked inside but couldn’t find any keys although he did have a driver’s license showing what was, for the duration of the leap, his address.  “How do I get around?” mused Sam softly.

Al suddenly appeared at his side.  “According to Karina, you generally take taxis around the city.  It’s easier than finding parking spots and to keep track of the mileage for taxes.  Be sure to get a receipt when you go home.”

Sam looked up at Al, annoyance dripping, “You know, I’ll never get used to you creeping up on me like that!”  He looked around making certain that no one was watching or listening.  Satisfied, he turned slightly to continue his conversation with Al.

“Al, do you know why I’m here?  This is not exactly the type of leap I want to extend.  It’s bad enough I’m a woman, but I have the feeling I’m not going to enjoy this life one bit.”

Al shook his head.  “Ziggy’s not sure yet.”  He looked down at the handlink.  “It’s September 15, 2006 and you’re Karina Valance.  She’s one of the hottest models currently in high fashion.  Ziggy says that you will have a swimsuit shoot tomorrow afternoon…” Al looked on as Sam’s face dropped at that news, “…and three days from now…”Al got an evil grin on his face, “…Oh, Sam, this will be fun!”

“What, Al?”  As worried as Sam was about the swimsuit shoot, he was even more concerned with the look on his best friend’s face.  A look that gleeful on Al had to mean something bad for him.

“You’re going to be doing a Lingerie Shoot!”  Al almost cackled.

Sam shook his head violently.  “No, No, No!  Al, you’ve got to get me out of here before then!  I can’t, and I mean can’t do those shoots!

Chuckling, his best friend answered, “Well, Sammy, looks like that’s what’s going to happen unless you get one of your infamous ‘gut feelings.’  Sorry, Pal.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed.  “Yeah, right.  I’ll just bet you’re sorry.  You’re eating this up.  I can’t believe I’ve leapt into a high fashion model!”  Sam continued in his agitated state.  “I want you to get Ziggy running scenarios and I want you to see what you can get from Karina.  This is one mission that I’m going to get to the bottom of in record time!  Whatever I need to do, I’ll fix it and then I’m outta here,” he said the final with a hand gesture that hit another solid body.

The woman he had hit, looked startled.  “What’s wrong, Karina?  You feeling okay?  That was a pretty hard head bang!  If you’re ready to get out of here, so am I.  You don’t have to hit me!”  The contact with the woman’s body combined with her voice pulled Sam’s attention away from the hologram.  Neither Sam nor Al had noticed the other model walking up behind them.

“Uh, no.  I’m fine,” Sam answered, a little surprised at the other woman’s appearance.  “That was some show, huh?”

“Yeah, well, Wang’s are usually one of the better attended.  You better get dressed so we can get going.”  Obviously, Sam had plans with this woman.

“I think going would be a good idea,” Sam said this with his eyes firmly focused on Al rather than the pretty young woman speaking with him.

“I get the hint, Sam.  I’ll see what more I can pull out of Ziggy.  See ya!”  With that final flourish, the bright shaft of light that indicated the Imaging Chamber door had opened appeared and Al Calavicci exited Sam’s vision.

“So, where are we going?” Sam asked casually.

The other woman looked at him strangely.  “You must have hit your head harder than you thought.  We’ve been planning to go to Ectasy 91 since last Tuesday when the final contracts were signed on the swimsuit shoot. “

“Ectasy 91?”

“Yeah, that really neat and expensive spa?  You know we plan to get waxed!  You don’t want any hair showing in those shots!”

“Yeah, I guess that wouldn’t be such a good thing.”  Sam wasn’t exactly sure what waxing was but it sounded like a beauty treatment of some sort.

“Okay then.  Get your clothes on and let’s go or we’ll miss our appointments.”  Sam understood by the woman’s tone of voice missing the ‘waxing’ would not be a good thing in her opinion.

Sam had no idea where those clothes would be, though.  He looked around hoping that something would provide a clue.  “Uh, yeah.  Now where did I put them?”

The other woman rolled her eyes.  “Karina!  They’re over here in the wardrobe.”  The other woman went over and took out a pair of black pants and a white top.  She also pulled out a pair of boots.

Sam slipped behind a curtain and quickly put them on to the exasperated sound of the other woman.  “What are you doing, Karina?  It’s not like I’ve never seen you before!”  Sam walked out of the dressing area with a lopsided grin and got “his” things together.  They went to the elevator and down to the main lobby where the other woman walked over to the doorman.  “Hey, Steve?  Can you get us a cab?”

“Yes, Miss Michaels.  I’ll have one for you quickly.”

“Steve is such a great guy!  We’ll have a cab soon.”  Sam could only describe the other woman as ‘giddy.’  This Spa must be really something.

True to his promise, Steve got them a cab a minute later and they were off to Ectasy 91.

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

February 2, 2008

2:00 p.m.

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate NM

Al couldn’t stop laughing as he walked down the ramp, throwing the handlink to Dom.  “Oh, Dom, you should see Sam.  He so hates it when he leaps into a woman, and now he’s leaped into a Scandinavian Goddess!  This leap is gonna be fun!”

“For you maybe, Admiral.”  Dom wasn’t sure that he liked Al taking such pleasure at Sam’s discomfort.

“Oh, Dom.  A swimsuit and lingerie shoot both!  How can I let these pass?”  Al continued to chuckle.

Dom shook his head.  He knew that Sam was Al’s best friend in the world.  Certainly he wouldn’t take ribbing the physicist too far.

Al turned a little more serious.  “Dom, please start running scenarios for Sam…he really wants to know what he’s there to do.  I think letting him know that sooner than later would be a good idea.  I’m going to go see the visitor again.”  He headed out the Control Room door.

When Al got to the Waiting Room, he absently tugged at the lapels of his chocolate brown jacket and smoothed the front of his teal shirt.  He gave a final slight finger combing to his hair before going in.  Sure, everyone else saw Sam when they went in, but he saw Karina.  And from the brief talk they’d had before, he knew she was a knockout.  Even though he had no intention of flirting with her or otherwise jeopardizing his marriage to Beth, a man did want to look his best!

Karina stretched languidly on the bed in the Waiting Room and Al couldn’t help swallowing hard.  The Fermi suit left very little to the imagination.  She’s young enough to be your daughter, Calavicci, he reminded himself.  It didn’t help much.

“Oh, hi, Al,” she stated, a slight Scandinavian accent to her words.  He’d told her when he first saw her what his name was and had given her the brief explanation that would settle her mind, including the rundown of why she saw a man in the mirror instead of her reflection.  She’d thought that was funny.

Al asked their guest, “Are you comfortable?”

Karina shrugged.  “This outfit—not very stylish, no?”

“No, I guess it’s not,” Al had to agree.  But it sure looks good on you, he thought and gently tugged at his collar.  “Can I get you anything?”

“No, I’m fine.  Apart from being stuck in here, anyway.”  She yawned.

Al did a quick mental analysis of the length of time Karina had been in the Waiting Room along with a guess of how long she and the other models had been at the show before Sam had leapt in.  By his calculations it had been quite a long time since she’d have had anything to eat.  Al was just about to ask her if he could get her something to eat when his paternally attuned ears heard the distinct gurgle of her stomach rumbling its hunger.

“Well, I know I needn’t ask,” Al began with a broad smile on his face.  “Do you have a preference for your meal?”

“No.” Karina waved a dismissive hand and stretched again, arching her back and stretching her hands over her head.

At the sight Al felt heat rise in his neck, spreading towards his face and ears.  The heat was spreading in other areas, too.  He cleared his throat and tugged at his collar again.  “I’ll, uh, I’ll have someone send you a meal shortly,” he said, and beat a hasty retreat.

As soon as he was in the hall, he idly rubbed his face.  Once he was past the guards and out of their earshot, he lifted the wristlink he wore and pressed its button.  “Ziggy, where’s my wife?”

“Dr. Calavicci is in your quarters, Admiral.”

“Perfect.”

“Admiral, your voice sounds strained.  Your blood pressure appears elevated, as well,” Ziggy said.  “Perhaps Dr. Lofton would be better able to assist you.”

“No, Ziggy, trust me…it’s Beth I want to see.”

PART TWO

September 15, 2006

Ectasy 91

New York City

Sam and Ms. Michaels walked into the spa.  Relaxing tones of blue and white defined the sanctum.  They checked in at the front desk, a long white desk of clean contemporary lines in front of a wall of tiny tiles in blue hues.

“Let’s see.  Laura Michaels and Karina Valance,” said the receptionist.  “I can see you’re each in for the full Monty today!  Would you both like an Evian while you wait?  Your technicians will be with you shortly.”

Laura confirmed that the woman’s assessment was correct.  She indicated to Karina the sofa in the front reception area.  They went over and sat down to wait.

Sam took a drink out of his bottle.  Laura.  He finally had a first name to go by.  Laura continued to address him.  “I’m glad we were able to get the reservation so quickly!  If those tourists hadn’t backed out on their appointment, we wouldn’t be getting our wax jobs here!  This will be such a treat!  We’ll be silky smooth for the shoot!”

“Yeah, that will be great!”  Sam tried to sound enthusiastic but he still wasn’t exactly sure about this waxing thing.  He seemed to remember a woman he was close to getting her legs waxed.  He recalled that he had enjoyed the result: soft, silky, beautiful, long legs. 

His memory of the woman was fragmented.  He could feel a tug of an emotion, a wisp of a memory; she was just on the edge of his awareness.  Along with this ethereal vision, he knew he’d been happy and contented in her arms.  Why couldn’t he remember her name or her face!  The more he tried the more the memory pulled away, leaving him with an ache in his heart.  He realized then that he’d been in love with this woman who was now a mystery to him.  It hurt him deeply that he couldn’t recall more.  He wondered if Al would be able to fill in the blanks when he returned or if he’d known this woman and Al at the same time.

“So, are we getting our legs waxed?” Sam asked.  That was the only context he could put the waxing into.

“We’re getting everything waxed!”  At the look on Sam’s face she continued.  “Well, you know how things show when you’re wearing a thong.”

“A thong!?”  Sam asked weakly.  He suddenly was facing tomorrow’s swimsuit shoot with as much trepidation as the Thursday Lingerie one.  Now he wasn’t sure which would be worse.

Sam looked up and prayed. Please…let me fix whatever it is I need to fix and get me out of here before then!  Sam was beginning to realize just how prophetic his prediction was that he would not like living this life.

A lady in a lab coat walked up to them. “Laura?  I’m Tammy.  Please come with me.”

Laura got up turning to Sam.  “Karina?  After this we’ll go to dinner, okay?  I’ve been wanting to go back to Nobu Fifty-Seven—that great Sushi place we tried last month.  Sound good to you?

Sam recalled that he liked sushi so he agreed.  A minute after Laura left, another woman walked up to him.  “You must be Karina.  I’m Bernadette.  Please come with me.”

“Hi, Bernadette.”  Sam got up and threw his now empty bottle in the trash as they walked by the front desk.  Immediately, the receptionist offered him another bottle.

“Yeah, okay.”  He wondered if they had a contract with Evian to push the water.

Bernadette led him to a small dressing area with a row of closets.  “You can put your clothes in here.  There’s a robe to wear.  And be sure to wear the paper panties.”

Sam blushed.  “Paper panties?  Is that all?”

“Yeah…I need to be able to get to all the spots you want waxed.”

Sam was getting a bit nervous about this whole thing.  He couldn’t imagine why anyone would want a beauty treatment there!  “How exactly does this waxing work?”

“You’ve never waxed?  I thought all you models waxed!  Well…I put a warm wax where the hair is to be removed and then use a muslin cloth to pull the hair out.  It’s like pulling off a bandage.”

This was suddenly sounding rather painful.  Hair was supposed to be there.  This didn’t appear to be a beauty treatment from the description of it.  Still, he had to do what his host has set into motion.  To do otherwise would be out of character for the woman he’d leapt into.

Bernadette led Sam to a small room decorated in soothing tones of blue with a simple bed in the center.  In some ways it reminded him of the Waiting Room.

The Technician started with his eyebrows.  Looking critically at them, she voiced, “These look like they’ve been waxed.  You sure you haven’t done this before?”

“Uh, I guess I spaced it out.”  He knew the excuse was lame but didn’t have anything else he could think of to say.

Bernadette’s eyebrows rose.  “Really!  Most people remember a wax job.”

“Let’s just drop it, okay.”  Sam grinned weakly.

“Okay, just seems strange.  Go ahead and close your eyes if you want.”

“Okay.”  Sam closed his eyes.

Bernadette used an orange stick to separate the hairs from top to bottom, and then spread the warm wax on the bottom of Sam’s eyebrows.  It felt relaxing.  Then she lightly patted something over the wax.  For a split second, nothing happened and then…

Pain!

Sam’s eyes flew open.  Like a bandage?!  Like I’d put bandages there! Sam was sure that every hair above his eyes had been removed.  It was still stinging when another application of wax was applied.  This time, the apprehension of the removal didn’t make it as relaxing.

This activity went on for a few more minutes, first one brow and then the other.  Finally Bernadette took a cotton ball moistened with some lotion and applied it to his stinging brows.  It calmed the sting a bit, but didn’t make it go away entirely.

“Okay.  Now let’s get to those legs.”

PART THREE

September 15, 2006

Ecstasy 91 Spa

New York City , NY

Al returned just as the bikini wax started.  He noticed Sam’s eyebrows and legs were slightly reddened with irritation.  As he saw what was happening he exclaimed, “Ah, gee, Sam!  I didn’t know they did that!  I’ve only enjoyed the results of the process.  Why would women willingly submit themselves to this torture?”

Sam just looked at Al with a countenance of abject misery.  Sam felt he had barely lived through the leg waxing.  He’d found his eyes watering each time Bernadette pulled the muslin cloth away but he’d held it together.  However, when she moved to the paper diaper and started clipping his pelvic area (or at least the pelvic area of the aura), he blushed all the way to his roots.  He knew she couldn’t tell any difference – his experience with Buddy feeling his legs when he was Samantha Stormer told him that – but it was still so personal!  Only the fact that his host had planned on doing this kept him from walking out of the room.  At this point, he was beginning to think women were just insane to go through this willingly.

Bernadette again applied the warm wax.  However, this time as she pulled the muslin cloth away, Sam screamed!

The color fled from Al’s face and with a quick, “Sorry, pal,” to Sam, he punched out.

Bernadette seemed surprised.  “You must have really sensitive skin.”  She did the same to the other side of “Karina’s” bikini area and Sam clenched his teeth to hold the scream in.

“Are you finished?” he whined, hope dripping in his voice.

“Almost, just a few stray hairs to get.”

“Um, leave them.  I’ll just shave.”

“Really, less than a minute and everything will be fine.”

Sam figured that after going through this exercise in sheer sadistic torture, he could put up with a final minute.  “Okay.”  His voice was a bit shaky.

Bernadette finished and again put the cooling lotion on the affected part.  “All done.  Would you like some more water before your facial, massage, and paraffin?”

“My what?”

“Your facial, massage, and paraffin.  You reserved those as well.”

“Uh, sure.”  The massage he was sure might be something soothing.  The facial and paraffin, he had no idea.  Seeing that this last beauty treatment had been less than comfortable, he just hoped it would all be over quickly.

Bernadette walked to the door, indicating to Sam he should follow her.  “Let me show you to the lounge.  That’s where Kim will come to get you.”

Sam followed Bernadette out of the room, walking with a definite gait to an open area with a tabletop water fountain, soft sofas, and light soothing music.  He saw there was a tray with a carafe of hot water and herbal teas.  White mugs were available for the tea.  He fixed himself a cup of the herbal tea.

A minute later, Laura was brought to the same area.

“This is so great!  The shoot will be wonderful.  I’m as smooth as a baby’s behind everywhere.  How about you?”  Sam looked at her and wondered how she could be so happy.  Hadn’t she just been through the same torture?  Yeah.  Definitely insane.

“I’m just glad it’s over,” Sam stated honestly, a wounded look on his face.

Laura came over, a little concerned at her friend’s countenance of pain.  “Karina?  Why the sad face?  You said yourself that we should do this so that we’ll look good for the shoot.  You gotta admit it was worth it.”

Sam wasn’t about to admit anything of the kind.  He was just glad that Bernadette could only see the hair on his aura.  The concept that she’d have pulled all his chest hairs out by the roots wasn’t something he would have liked to experience.  He figured that the pain he’d felt today was on par or worse than anything he could remember – and since his memory was so Swiss cheesed at that point, he was thankful he didn’t remember anything that hurt worse.  Misery poured from every pore!

His masseuse, Kim, walked into the lounge and introduced herself, asking him to come with her.  He followed hoping that part two wasn’t going to get any worse.  He was led to a small room that had the lights low and held a massage table in the middle of the room.  Scented candles were burning and the room was filled with the sound of soft, soothing music.

“Just hang your robe over on the hook and crawl under the covers.  We’ll start with the massage and finish with the facial.  Just lay face down.”  After providing the instructions, Kim left the room.

Sam did as he was asked and was waiting with his face in a padded extension from the bed with a hole in the center for him to breathe.  He heard a soft knock on the door and indicated the person on the other side should enter.

Kim walked over to a small table to the side and poured some oil that had been warming in a water bath into her hands.  She rubbed them together and then pulled the top of the blanket down leaving Sam’s shoulders bared.

As Sam felt her hands touch him, he tensed suddenly, concerned as to how his body would react.

Kim felt him tense up and softly said, “Just relax.  Gee, you are really tense!  I feel knots in here that must have been around for years!  When was the last time you had a massage?”

“I don’t remember having one before,” Sam answered.  He mentally forced himself to relax as much as he could. 

Kim tsked softly, “You really should get them regularly.  You’re gonna need to drink lots of water after we’re through here today to get rid of the toxins I’ll be releasing.”  She had found a particularly large knot and was working it for all it was worth.  “Is this too hard?  Let me know if I’m being too rough.”  Sam was about to say something when the knot released with a sharp pain.  But then the pleasure of the relaxation came through and he decided that, from a therapeutic viewpoint: no pain, no gain.  He decided to let her expert hands relax his body as it hadn’t been for quite some time.

Kim continued working the knots on his back and the rest of his posterior.  She was careful not to touch anywhere too personal and by the time she was ready to have him turn over to massage the anterior, he felt he had found the secret road to Nirvana.  She stopped for a moment adjusting something and he suddenly felt steam blowing gently into his face.

Sam had never had a facial.  He felt the softness as the creams were applied amid the light face and head massage.  It was interesting but he found himself drifting off to sleep.  After cucumber slices were applied to his closed eyes, Kim continued the body massage, again deftly avoiding erogenous areas.  Suddenly he felt a very strange feeling as his hands were encased in plastic bags filled with a warm liquid.  He realized suddenly, it must be liquid paraffin.  The bags were sealed and his hands were put into oversized mittens to hold in the heat.  After an unknown amount of time - Sam found he had lost track - Kim cleaned off his face and removed the paraffin from his hands.

“Okay.  You lie there and when you’re ready, come back out to the lounge.  Don’t rush.”  Kim quietly slipped out the door.

Sam felt like his body had been turned into putty.  He didn’t know if he could get up.  He hadn’t felt this level of relaxation for years.  He tried to think of when he’d last felt this way and she was back in his mind, playfully just out of conscious reach.  He remembered, though, that the last time he’d felt this good was after they had made love as she laid in his arms, playing with the hairs on his chest.  If he could remember that, why couldn’t he remember her?

Sam barely heard the Imaging Chamber door open.  He opened one eye and saw Al.

“Sam, I don’t think I’ve seen you this relaxed in a long time.  In fact, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you this relaxed!”

“Al… I’ve been through Hell today and I’ve been through Heaven.  The Heaven is worth it!”  A deep sigh exited the time traveling physicist.

Al looked over to Sam, not wanting to take this pleasure from him but understanding he would want to know the purpose of his leap. “Well, hopefully you’re ready to work again.  Ziggy’s finally figured out what you’re here for.  She says there’s a 94.7 percent probability that you’re here to prevent a heroin overdose by a model named Candice Morrison.”

“When does this happen?”  Sam noticed his newly relaxed muscles starting to tense again.  Damn!  Well, at least it isn’t as bad as it was before!  He got up and put on the robe.  He took another bottle of Evian off the counter, unscrewed the cap, and drank deeply.

Al checked the handlink again to ascertain the information Sam was requesting.  “It happens on Thursday, after the Lingerie Shoot.”

“Well, maybe I can get to her tonight or tomorrow and finish before the shoot.”  Sam was still in hope that he could still get out of what he still felt was the worst part of the leap, although after the Hell part, he wasn’t too sure.

Al shook his head, continuing to allow his fingers to play on the handlink.  “No such luck, Sam.  She’s on the other side of the world right now, in Thailand .  She’s set to work with you on the Lingerie shoot, but won’t be back until tomorrow night.”

“Then I’ll take care of it then.”  So, he’d have to model the swimsuits.  He figured he could probably get through that, although he really didn’t want to.

Al looked up at him, indicating that wasn’t an option.  “No, Sam.  You’ll be in sunny Zihuatenaho/Ixtapa for the Swimsuit shoot.  You leave early tomorrow morning for a late afternoon shoot.  Then you finish the shoot Wednesday morning.  You won’t be back to New York City until late Wednesday night.”

Sam’s head tilted.  “Where’s Zihuatenaho/Ixtapa?”

“Pacific coast of Mexico , about 50 miles north of Acapulco ,” the hologram spouted off.

“Oh.  I don’t think I’ve ever been to Mexico on a leap before.  I seem to remember going there with…damn!  I still can’t remember her name!”  Sam looked at Al, a deep questioning look in his eyes.  “Al, do you remember if I’ve ever been in love?”

“Many times, Sam.  Several leaps.”

“No.  I mean in my life back at the project.”

Al looked at his friend and followed the drill.  “Uh, Sam.  You know I can’t tell you that.”

Sam turned and started to pace.  “You know, that excuse is getting really old!  I’ve been leaping…how many years now?  I know you’ve told me things before.  I can’t remember what at the moment, but I know you’ve broken that particular rule before.  Why not now!”  Sam said this last, his eyes holding the request in his eyes.  He was begging Al to tell him.

Al looked down at the handlink.  Sam was right, of course.  In the years since he’d stepped into that Accelerator, Al had played his role in many ways.  It was always difficult to see his friend struggling like this.  He was always struggling with something, usually leap related but sometimes, like now, it was his trying to regain something he had lost from that life he’d left behind the night he’d stepped into the accelerator.

Oh, Sammy!  I miss that life too!  Back when we just had to worry about getting funding and building your dream!  Going to the pub afterwards for a cold beer!  Having the chance to really talk about things. Yeah, Al missed that, but he couldn’t honestly say he would turn back the clock.  If he did, he wouldn’t have Beth, or his daughters, or his grandchildren.  They wouldn’t be with him if not for the man standing in front of him almost a year and a half in the past.

Al took a deep breath.  He paused a moment and then answered, sadly, “Sam, there are reasons I can’t tell you.  Some of the reasons have to do with promises I’ve made and not just to you.  You’re asking me to ignore my integrity.  But if you really push it….”  Al faltered a minute.  No one but this man could get him to say what he was going to say next.  “…I’ll tell you.”

Sam looked dejected.  He knew he couldn’t ask Al to do that.  “No, Al, I’d never ask you to compromise yourself.  You’re my friend and that means way too much to me.  I guess if I need to remember it someday, I will.”  He simply looked down for a moment and then raised his eyes to Al once more.  “But if there is someone back there for me, let them know that somehow, my love for them is as strong as ever.  Even though I can’t remember them.”

Al wished at that moment he could put his arm around his friend’s shoulders.  Donna would be thrilled to hear Sam’s declaration of love for her, even though she would know it wasn’t all it could be.  Since leaving the project, as Sam had asked her, to work on the entangled particles project in Albuquerque , she’d felt somewhat worried that her not being there would somehow be detrimental to Sam.  Al had found just the opposite to be true.  Since Donna had left, his memory of her seemed to come to the fore even more. 

Al nodded. “Yeah, Sam.  If there’s anyone here that needs to hear that, I’ll let them know.”  He figured he could extend those words to Stephen and eventually Sammie Jo as well, when she, Daniel, and Isabella returned from their trip to Hawaii .

Another soft knock came from the door.  “Are you okay in there?”

Sam realized that he and Al had been in the room for quite sometime.  Kim probably thought something had happened to him.  He answered, “Yeah, I fell asleep but I was just about to come out.”  He turned to Al.  “Go back and see if you can get more specific information on the heroin overdose.  I’ll need to know exactly when, where, and how.”

After Al nodded and left, Sam grabbed another Evian and opened the door.  Kim nodded at the water.  “Good… make sure you drink a lot of water.  We did quite a bit of body work!”

Sam gave her one of the lopsided Beckett grins and then went into the hub where Laura was waiting for him, already dressed.  Sam went back to the closet where his clothes were and changed back into them.  He and Laura went to the front desk to finish the financial arrangements.  Sam made sure that both Bernadette and Kim got handsome tips.  While his time with Bernadette had been the single most horrific experience he could remember and his time with Kim was akin to the feeling he had after incredible sex, both of them had been fully professional and had done their jobs admirably.

But he told himself he would try to remember this waxing thing and if ever a host wanted to do it again, he swore he’d do everything in his power to avoid it.  Massages on the other hand…

PART FOUR

September 15, 2006

Ectasy 91 Spa

New York City , NY

Once they’d paid, Sam turned to Laura, “Done.  Where’s this Sushi Restaurant again?”

“It’s over on West 57th.”  She gave him an odd look.  “We were just there.  You sure your head is okay?”

“Yeah.  Let’s go.  I’m famished.”  Sam suddenly realized that he truly was famished.  He hoped he’d be able to get some tempura at the restaurant too.

They hailed a cab and arrived at the restaurant, finding a line, which meant a twenty-minute wait.  Although Sam was really hungry and didn’t want to wait that long, Laura convinced him they should.  The wait turned out to be a bit shorter.  When they were seated, Sam picked up the menu to scan his choices.  Laura looked at him wide eyed.

“You’re going to order something off the menu?  I thought we were going to share the Vegetable Kushiyaki.”  The woman seemed shocked. 

Sam couldn’t understand why.  He was just looking at the menu.  He noticed that what she was referring to was listed as an appetizer for two.  “Well, we are.  But, I’m really pretty hungry so I thought I’d get some tempura too.”

Laura shook her head.  “You do and you’ll just throw up again.  You know you can’t stomach that fried food.”

“Uh, yeah.”  He figured his host probably didn’t eat a lot of fried foods.  “I guess I could go for the sukiyaki.”

Laura looked at him again with sheer confusion plastered on her face.  “Karina, what are you doing?  You never eat more than an appetizer without throwing up.  Why do you want to do that to yourself?”

Sam’s medical training started to kick in.  Either my host has severe gastroenteritis or she’s got an eating disorder.  I’ll have Al look into it. If it was the first, he could leave medical treatment information and get an appointment set up with a specialist.  If it were the latter… well, he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.  Sam hoped that Al would return soon.  He really needed to check on these possibilities.

In the meantime, he at least needed to eat what he could.  “All right, Laura, just the kushiyaki.”  They ordered the appetizer with hot tea.

When the food came to the table, it was all Sam could do not to wolf down the relatively meager fare.  He took his cues from Laura, watching her mix wasabi with soy sauce slowly and deliberately like it was a ritual of grave importance.  She arranged her plate several times, breaking up the kushiyaki and making sure each sushi piece was exactly placed.  She then picked up her first piece and nibbled at it a bit.

Sam realized that he was going to be making a meal of something that at best would be a tease to his growling stomach.  By eating the way Laura was, they would be at the restaurant at least an hour!

Sam wondered, Is this how they do it?  Stretching time, convincing themselves that a tiny amount of food was enough to sustain life? Sam thought back to what he’d seen that day.  Several of the models at the Wang show looked relatively healthy, but many looked like they starved themselves on a regular basis.  He knew that anorexia and bulimia ran rampant through this business.

The two continued to eat the food on their plates.  Finally, Sam decided that this just wouldn’t do.  “I don’t know Laura, for some reason I really am feeling hungrier than usual.  I think I’ll be okay if I order some other food too.  Maybe a noodle bowl.”

Laura reached into her purse and brought out a small ornate pillbox.  “Here, take one of these.  Then you’ll be feeling full quick enough.”

Sam looked at what she was offering him.  He recognized it as a prescription amphetamine.  Yeah… this would make me feel full all right, but I’d still be starving!

Sam wondered how many of these models mixed the use of drugs with their eating disorders.  He knew the combination could, and likely would, be lethal.  Death might be attributed to another condition, like heart failure.  But, the real culprit was the abuse of the body, the constant quest for the “perfect model form.”

He suddenly was angry. What a crock! The human body is a beautiful thing, but advertisers and marketers have skewed the picture.  Now if you didn’t fit the ideal, which he suddenly recalled reading was less than 5 percent of the population in the United States , people - especially women and girls - would do awful things to themselves to obtain that elusive goal.

“No, Laura.  I think I’ll just get something to eat.”  He watched as she shrugged, closing the pillbox and putting it back in her purse.

Sam heard the Imaging Chamber door open to his left and saw Al walking in.  “Hey, Sam.”

Sam decided it was time for one of his private conversations with Al.  “Uh, Laura.  Excuse me; I’ve got to use the phone.”

“Don’t you have your cell with you?”  Laura asked, surprised.

Sam thought quickly.  “Yeah, um… the battery died.  I’m going to use a payphone.”

“You don’t have to do that.”  She reached into her purse again.  “Here, use mine.”

Realizing that he’d actually have to call a number and not just pretend to talk, Sam declined.  “No.  That’s okay.  I can call later.”  What was he going to do now?  He really needed to talk to Al.

Suddenly Laura gave him the opportunity he was looking for.  “Karina, I’ll be right back.  I need to use the ladies room.”

Sam nodded.  As she walked away, he started talking quietly, but loud enough for Al to hear.  “Al, did you find out more about the overdose?”

“Yeah, Sam.  After the shoot, Candice… Oh, I love that name… sounds so French!  Anyways, Candice goes back to her apartment and is found later that night OD’d on heroin.  The stuff she bought in Thailand was really pure stuff so she used her normal amount plus a little kick up and OD’s.”

“Great.  I’ll have to stay with her and keep her from doing the drugs.  That should take care of that problem.  However, I’m not sure about my host.  She either has gastroenteritis or an eating disorder.  Could you have someone check her out back at the project?”

Al looked at Sam, and intense look on his face.  “We already know it’s a purging form of anorexia nervosa.”

“How do you know?”  Sam was curious.

Al shrugged.  “We caught her purging after dinner.  At first Aurora thought the food had gone south, but Ziggy had filmed her.  She was using her finger to make herself throw up.”

Sam wrinkled his nose.  “Yuck.  Well, see if you can get someone to help her.  This can be really tricky from a psychiatric standpoint.”

“Yeah,” Al nodded.  “Christa had a friend she met in the hospital who purged.  Poor girl had basically put so much stress on her system that she’d gone into cardiac arrest.  Christa talked with her at length.  The girl said that it was a control thing.  Eventually, it becomes a way of life.  They just don’t feel right if they don’t do it.”

Sam looked down, shaking his head.  “What a whacked view.”  He took the last bite of his sushi.  His plate was empty and he still was hungry.

“Yeah.  The human mind is capable of believing some pretty bizarre things.”

Laura returned.  “Hey, we need to get back.  I’ve still got packing to do.”

“What about the rest of dinner?” Sam asked.

“Oh, I’m finished.  Geez, I can’t believe I ate like a pig.”  Sam noticed that she still had several pieces of the sushi on her plate.

Sam decided that he’d just get something back at the apartment.  There must be something to eat there.

Al waved at Sam.  “Hey, buddy, I’m going to go get some rest.  See you later.”  Al keyed up the door and was gone.

Laura and Sam paid for their meal, and meager as it was, Sam was surprised at the cost.  He looked at his watch and noticed that it was 9:45 p.m.  Their flight from JFK International started at 2:05 the next morning.  They shared a cab back to Laura’s apartment and she reminded Karina that she would be picking her up at 11:00 p.m. so that they could get to the airport in enough time.

Sam nodded and headed up to his apartment.  As he walked up to the door, the doorman, who was dressed in a blue livery, opened it.  He noticed his stomach growling as he pushed the button to take him to his apartment on the 20^th floor.

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

February 2, 2008

6 p.m.

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate NM

Al stepped out of the Imaging Chamber.  He saw his daughter, Julianna in the Control Room.  She looked at him with concern.

"What's the matter, Jules?" Al asked not sure why his daughter was looking at him with those worried eyes.

Julianna took a deep breath, glancing at Dom, who seemed to want to stay out of the matter, before returning her gaze to her father. "Admiral Beckett will be here tomorrow, late morning and he’ll most likely be here for a few days.”

"Dammit!  Why the hell does he have to show up during a fun leap?"

Jules raised an eyebrow. "A fun leap? Is this leap the reason I couldn't get hold of you earlier only to find that you and Mama Beth were..."

"Hey... there are perks,” Al stated a grin on his face and a little bounce to his stance.  “Besides, if you saw the leapee you’d know why.”

Dom looked over to Al and shook his head, returning to working on Ziggy's programming.

Jules grinned slightly. "There are perks to being married to a senator, but I'm not..."

She didn't get to finish the sentence as her father interrupted her again.  As if brushing her sentence away, he asked, "Why is that nozzle going to grace our project, Jules?"  She knew that while her father didn't have a problem with his own libido, he really didn't want to hear about Jules and her own interludes.

Julianna hesitated. She realized her father and Admiral Beckett didn't get along well, a fact that irritated her to no end. If it weren't for Tom Beckett, she wouldn't even be back at Project Quantum Leap. Besides, he was a fellow ex-SEAL and a fine man, if a bit stubborn.  "He wants to look at the new security protocols Daniel and I implemented."

"Yeah... but Daniel and Sammie Jo aren’t here.  They took Isabella to Hawaii to see Katie."

"Do you really think that matters to the Presidential Military Liaison?" Julianna pointed out with a slight huff. "Don't worry about the security protocols. I can handle that part. I'm just giving you a heads up in case Tom... the Admiral wishes to speak to you."

"Well, if he's going to be here that soon, I'm going to go relax.  Sam's okay for the few hours or so."  He started to walk to the door and turned.  "And as long as Sam's on this leap, I don't want to be disturbed -- even by the Presidential Military Liaison."

"So, if he orders me to get you, you want me to risk a court-martial?" Jules asked with frustration.

"He wouldn't dare do that to you, Jules.  He was the one who had you assigned here."  Al shrugged.  "Besides, he doesn't want to have anything happen to his brother, so he'll wait.

Julianna watched as her father left the room. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I want to get stuck between a rock and a hard place,” she said in a somewhat sotto voice.

Dom looked over to her.  "But which one is the rock and which is the hard place?"

Julianna turned towards the programmer with a slight growl. "Take your pick," she told him, none to happy that he’d overheard her.

"Hey, I'm on your side, Jules," Dom answered putting his hands up.

Jules sighed, giving him an apologetic look before starting for the door. "If you need me to pull my father off of Admiral Beckett's throat during his visit, let me know.  I'm going to go get ready to greet our guest."  She figured she’d do her best to keep the two men separated as much as possible.

Dom nodded.  The next few days could get rather dicey.

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

September 15, 2006

Karina’s Apartment

New York City , NY

Sam arrived at the apartment to find his suitcase already packed.  He figured that Karina had taken care of it knowing she would be going to the Ecstasy 91 and then with Laura the later that night.  Since that chore was complete, his almost empty stomach urged him to seek out nourishment.

Sam looked through the kitchen, which was basically barer than a church mouse’s pantry.  He found a bag of rice cakes and a palette of Evian water.  He tried one of the rice cakes.  Yuck!  Butter flavored packing peanuts!  I think I’ll order a pizza!

Twenty minutes later, the pizza deliveryman rang his apartment to be let into the building.  Minutes after that, Sam could smell the aroma from the pizza wafting towards him and his mouth started salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs.  He paid for the delivery and took the still hot box to the kitchen table.  Opening the lid, he grabbed a large slice and bit into it greedily.  Nothing like fresh New York style pizza!  He was just about to take another piece when he started feeling rather queasy and had to make a quick dash to the bathroom.  A few seconds later and there wasn’t anything left in his stomach.

Thinking he must have eaten too quickly, he decided that eating slower would be the solution.  He took another piece and was almost finished when again the queasiness hit him.  Once more, he had to make a quick dash to the bathroom.  It hit him then… his host was magnafluxing with him, at least where food was concerned.  She wouldn’t eat without purging and wasn’t going to let him do so either!  Sighing deeply as he put the pizza back into the refrigerator, he went back to the rice cakes.  If she kept those in the apartment, perhaps he could at least eat those.  After forcing down three with the Evian water, he started feeling queasy again.  Feeling it was best to quit while he was ahead, he put the rice cakes away.  I’m going to starve to death if this leap goes much past Thursday!  Other than the massage, the day had been a real bust from Sam’s perspective.

At 11:00 p.m. he again heard the ring from the street level.  It was Laura calling him to come down to the waiting taxi.  Sam turned off all the lights and locked the door on his way out, taking the carryon with him.  They arrived at JFK with plenty of time to go through the International terminal.  The flight was a ten-hour flight with a connection in Mexico City .  He was thrilled to find they had been booked first class.  At least the seats should be comfortable enough to sleep in.

He and Laura found their seats.  The flight attendant offered them pillows and blankets, which they accepted gratefully.  Snuggling down as best he could, Sam was soon sleeping. 

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

February 2, 2008

7:00 pm

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate NM

Al had checked back with Sam right about the time the Laura had picked him up.  Sam had looked miserable.  However, Al had Ziggy check the itinerary and explained to Sam that he would be on the plane for quite some time.  Not really having an opportunity to talk, he told Sam he’d be back later, that he was going to go relax and then get some shuteye.

He arrived back at his quarters and had spent a little quality time with Beth.  She was quite happy that Al was a little friskier than normal.  He’d seem a little subdued recently. By the time the two of them had finished, Al was relaxed and both of them were ready for a good night’s sleep.  If he didn't know he’d be facing the Beckett Nozzle from Hell the next day, he'd be happy as a clam.

Al decided to watch a little late night TV.  The only thing worth watching, in his opinion, was a rerun of Stargate SG-1.  Al had been a fan of the show since the day it came on, being a Sci-Fi aficionado.  Beth, on the other hand, chose to read a book instead.

When the show ended, Al told Beth he was going to sleep.  He gave her a kiss and then turned on his side.  She finished her chapter and turned off the light, spooning her husband as she drifted off to sleep.

The alarm went off what felt like minutes later to Al. Looking at the clock, he noticed that he'd been asleep for about five hours.  "Better go check on Sam," he murmured, slipping out of bed. Turning back, he kissed Beth gently on her temple before going to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Feeling a little more awake after washing up, he slipped on his favorite white suit, accenting it with a colorful multi-striped dress shirt and a bright yellow tie.

A pair of gold metallic shoes finished the look.  Giving his wife a final glance and a smile, he stepped out of the bedroom and then into the hallway, making his way towards the elevator. The cab came in good time and Al stepped in, pressing the appropriate button as well as sliding in his security card into the access reader.

A couple of minutes later, the cab doors opened.

"KREE!"

Al's eyes popped open wide at the sight of none other than Tom Beckett, aiming a staff weapon at his chest. The younger Admiral was dressed in full Jaffa regalia, with a gold United States Navy SEAL emblem on his forehead. Tom activated his weapon, causing it to open as Al backpedaled into the elevator.

Al gasped as he sat up in his bed, panting for a long moment as he forced his heart to calm down.

"Al," cried Beth, concerned at her husband’s sudden gasp, "are you all right, baby?"

"How spicy was dinner?" Al asked Beth, looking at her with a hint of confusion.

"You barely ate dinner, Al, and it was just pasta with clam sauce." 

Al shook his head. "Can't be from heartburn then," he muttered to himself.

She looked at him, apprehensive at his reaction.  "Al?  Did you have another bad dream?"

Al thought about her question for a moment, wondering how he was going to explain it when the ridiculousness of the whole dream came to him and he started laughing. "Oh, it was a doozy."

"What, Al?  You scare me half to death and then you start laughing?  Come on, spill it."

"I... umm... I had a dream that I woke up just like any other leap, showered, dressed, started down and... well, the elevator door opened and..." He started laughing again. "And Tom... Tom was dressed like one of those bad guys on Stargate... you know, the ones with the funny gold things on their forehead... and he was aiming one of those weapons at me." He looked at Beth with clear amusement. "You know what he said? He said, 'Kree!'"

Beth looked at her husband, not at all amused.  "You know, Al," she said with frustration "You really shouldn't watch those shows so late at night if they're going to affect you like this."

"But... he said 'Kree!'" Al told her, laughing.

She looked at him again, shaking her head.  "I never have understood why you like that show so much, Al.  Now go to sleep.  You need your beauty sleep and so do I."

Al exhaled, shaking his head. "Maybe you're right," he told her as he settled back into bed. "Maybe I'm just a little too upset about him being in the complex in later this morning."

She nodded.  "Al, just go to bed.  Tom Beckett is no one to lose sleep over.  Besides, I'm sure that Julianna will keep him out of your hair."

Al sighed with contentment. "I'm more worried now about breaking into laughter if I see him."

Beth's head came up for a second.  "I don't think that would go over well.  Just think of something..." She seemed at a loss and then finished, "...unfunny."

Al chuckled and then gave his wife a kiss before settling back down to get some sleep.

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

September 16, 2006

Flight 2047

New York to Mexico City

Seven hours later the flight attendant was offering a breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon, fresh squeezed OJ, and coffee.  Laura begged off except for the eggs and coffee.  She didn’t want to push it with the carbs or fats. 

Surely she’ll let me eat something!  Sam thought as he accepted the entire meal. 

Laura looked at him and shook her head.  “You’ll be sorry.”

When the food was served, Sam took his time eating it.  He thought he’d gotten through the meal unscathed when the queasiness hit him again.  Damn!  This just isn’t fair.  I’m keeping this down; I don’t care what she’s trying to tell my brain!  Sam made a valiant effort, but finally, he had to reach for a barf bag.

Laura just gave him an ‘I told you so’ look.  The flight attendant took the bag and asked if he’d like a warm towel to clean up with and a ginger ale.  Sam agreed sheepishly saying, “Must have a stomach bug.”  The flight attendant looked at the thin frame of his aura and just smiled weakly, obviously not buying it, but in the best customer service attitude, not stating her mind.

They made the connecting flight in Mexico City and arrived at the Zihuatanejo / Ixtapa International Airport at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time.  Since they’d only brought a single carryon each, they didn’t need to wait for their luggage.  A hotel representative met them at the gate and showed them to a limousine waiting to whisk them away outside the airport.

After a ten-minute drive, the car pulled up in front of the Las Brisas Ixtapa, which, according to Frommer’s was the most stunning of Ixtapa's hotels.  Sam knew this because Laura had told him so.  They each checked into their Jr. Suites, which boasted a bedroom with a living room.  Laura had suggested to Sam that they meet in the lobby at 1:00 p.m.  That would give them a few minutes before they’d have to leave for the shoot at 1:30 p.m.  It was to be held at an island off the coast of Ixtapa .  When Sam arrived, there were six other models waiting to leave for the shoot.  They all got back into the limo and drove down to the pier.

The shooting crew was already there, having shuttled the equipment and outfits to the Island for most of the morning.  Each small boat took four people.  They skimmed along the water, bumping the waves.  Arriving at the on a beach, Sam gazed at the thatched covered open-air huts.  It was absolutely beautiful, lush and tropical.

As the models were dressed, to use the word lightly in Sam’s opinion, into their swimsuits, he got an epiphany regarding the women he had blithely thought were having fun.  While his reading choices had tended towards more rigorous knowledge based materials such as scientific journals, Sam had seen his share of Sports Illustrated’s while visiting his brother or in doctor’s offices.

He understood the draw these swimsuit issues held for men.  Some had even compared them to “soft porn” since the photographs were often seen as fodder for men’s fantasies.  Yet there was additionally a marketing aspect.  These swimsuits had been designed by someone to sell more than sports oriented magazines.  Women would buy these, a least some part of them wanting to vicariously live what the models portrayed.  They too would imagine themselves on a beach in Mexico , sexy and desirable.

Yet with all that, he was finding the reality of achieving that “fun in the sun” attitude to be somewhat different than imagined.  He had often found in his leaping around time that what seemed to be reality often wasn’t.  This leap was no different.

It was interesting to him that the area had been set up with tables of food available for both the camera crew and the models.  The plates had healthy choice items, in small tidbit format, but still, there was food available.  He noticed that several of the models were partaking of the bounty.  He also noticed that though they tended to be thin, they looked naturally so.  He realized that the industry itself wasn’t actually forcing the models to starve themselves.  Rather, he rationalized; it must be how the model fit the industry needs: an individual decision.

As the dresser prepared him for the shot, he was amazed that they were actually using basketball shoe glue spray to hold the suits, especially the seat of the swimsuits - as if that little bit of cloth could be considered a seat - in place.  No wedgies here!

Sam was called over to the lush jungle area that edged the beach.  The photographer checked his notes.  “Okay, Karina, I need you in the surf projecting the idea that you’d like nothing better than have your favorite guy with you.”

Sam suddenly recalled another leap where he’d been on the other side of the camera.  He recalled having leapt in to Carl Granson, a high fashion photographer in the 1960’s.  With that memory came one of the sweet farm girl, Edie.  He hoped she’d had a good life, realizing suddenly that he’d seen her 41 years before.  She was probably a grandmother by now.

Now, though, he was the one who had to work the shot, to give the photographer something to shoot.  He knew lots of film would be used for relatively few chosen shots.  Sam had never been one to mug for the cameras.  He certainly was not one to exude sexual innuendo from every pore, although Al had commented on how the ladies really seemed to be drawn to him.  Yet, this was exactly what he was being called upon to do.

The Imaging Chamber door opened and Al walked into his world wearing a Hawaiian Shirt, Bermuda shorts, and sandals.  “Sam, this is a nice spot.  Beth and I sure need a vacation.  Maybe we should come here!”

"Al!  Where the hell have you been?" hissed Sam.  He wasn't happy and he felt his best buddy should share his angst, which didn't seem likely based on Al cheerful attire.

"I told you," Al replied with a smile. "I was getting a much needed rest." He looked over his friend and his smile disappeared. "Sam... I don't think you wear a bikini well. Too many muscles."

"Yeah.  I'd tend to concur.  I can't believe I'm supposed to model this damned thing.  Why couldn't I have just been leapt into Thursday to begin with?!”

Al's grin returned with Sam's discomfort. "Well, maybe Karina didn't do as well with the shoots," he replied. He looked at the bikini again. "Mind you, though. If that bikini were on Beth..."

"Al... look at this!” Sam told him, holding up the thong of the bikini and showing him the backside. “Can you read that?! The butt says 'juicy'!"

"Ah, but Karina's butt is really juicy, Sam!"

"What the hell does ‘juicy’ have to do with someone's buttocks?"

"Umm.... don't ask. You wouldn't get it anyway."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Sam... if you don't know what a juicy butt is... I'm afraid there isn't any help for you. Now, Beth... she has a juicy butt!"

"That's too much information, Al."

Al looked at Sam with wide eyes and was about to say something when the photographer pressed into the conversation.  "Karina, are you ready?"

Sam looked like he was about to be sick.  "Um... yeah, I guess."

"Karina, baby.  You don't sound too enthusiastic about this."

"Well, you know, it's just that..."

Al rolled his eyes. "Sam, remember... high fashion. That means you love this job."

Sam glared at Al but turned to his photographer who he'd been told was Jean-Claude Marseille and smiled.  "You know I love this job, Jean-Claude."

Jean-Claude looked at Karina critically.  He was using a Swedish Haselblad Two and quarter large format camera for the shot.  "Darling, I need you in the surf.  Show me some shine, baby."

Al motioned to the ocean. "Go on," he told Sam. "Get into the surf. Show him the goods."

Sam lay down at the edge of the water, grinning weakly.  "What position do you want me in?" he asked Jean-Claude.

"Baby, I want you making love to the ocean, thinking about your love that sees you lying there ripe for the taking."

Sam rolled his eyes.  "He's got to be kidding!" he whispered with a hiss to Al.

"Lounge, Sam," Al instructed. "Look at the camera as if... it were your lover." Gaining a look from Sam, he sighed. "It's not that hard, Sam. Just... mimic me." He carefully got on the Imaging Chamber floor and struck a pose.

Sam started laughing.  "That has to be the silliest pose I've ever seen you make, Al!" 

Jean-Claude was not amused.  "Karina, would you please get into the mood?"

Sam stopped laughing, but was still having a time keeping his composure.  He tried to strike the pose that Al had made and ended up looking stiff and definitely un-alluring.

Now it was Al's turn to laugh. "Sam, you look like you've just thrown out your back and are in need of a chiropractor."

"Well, what do you suggest?  I don't know how to do this!"

Jean-Claude was getting frustrated.  "Karina, baby.  Move a little.  Frolic.  Give me some attitude.  You're hot and you’re sexy.  You need to show that to me, baby."

"Okay... um..." Al thought quickly. "Lean forward just a little bit and pout."

Sam's did his utmost to comply with Al's request.  When he saw Jean-Claude's face, though, he realized his wasn't making the grade.  Frustrated he threw up his hands.  "I can't do this.  I just can't!"

Jean-Claude came over to her.  "Karina, darling.  What's wrong?  You've never had a problem before.  You look marvelous!  You can do this sweetheart; I know it's in you."

"Sam, you've got to!" Al exclaimed. Exhaling again, he raised the handlink and centered nearer to Sam. "Okay, now listen. It may look ridiculous on a guy but on a woman... it's hot. Do this." Al opened his mouth just a little, tucked his head and raised one eyebrow. "Pretend you're... Marcia Brady."

“Marcia Brady?" Sam questioned.  It took a moment, but somehow the memory of the show was in his mind, which was a bit disconcerting.  He couldn’t remember quantum physics but he could remember a sitcom from the sixties.  Thinking of the oldest girl, he complied with Al’s suggestion. 

"Who is this Marcia Brady?" Jean-Claude asked.  Seeing Karina posing with a look that was, as he saw it, hot and innocent at the same time, he ran back to his camera.  "Fabulous, darling.  Keep doing that."

Sam continued to play with the pictures that came to mind from the Brady Bunch, although he couldn't understand why those poses would be so exciting to anyone.

"Perfect, Sam!" Al exclaimed as he watched. "You know you're hot and you want the entire world to know you're hot!"

"Fabulous, baby... roll a little on the sand."  Jean Claude had switched to his 35 mm now.  He took some more pictures and then told Sam, "Okay, now get into your next suit."

Sam picked himself up and walked back to where the dressers were waiting.  "What the hell was that all about, Al?  The Brady Bunch is sexy?"

Al shrugged slightly. "You know… it’s the ‘I'm gorgeous and I know it’ attitude."

Sam smiled weakly, "I never really thought that about Marcia, Al.  I mean I was 16 when the show first came on.  I just thought she was a nice girl."

"Cindy was the nice girl, Sam," Al told him with a shake of his head. "Marcia had a queen bee mentality."

"Al, she was just pretty, you know, with the long hair and all.  I think I had a crush on her.  But I never thought of her as sexy."

Al shook his head. "You don't get it. It's not about being sexy. It's about thinking that you're sexy."

"Um.  Okay."  He arrived at the dressers and had the suit pulled off of him.  At this point, he was rather glad that the wax job had been done.  Otherwise the basketball shoe glue would be even more of an issue for him.

Sam spent the next few hours being dressed in a variety of swimsuits and being posed at multiple settings.  Al coached him through each and every scene.  Still, he found by the end of the shoot, he had a headache.  He couldn't say the day had been fun, but he could attest to the fact that it was incredibly tiring.

After the shoot was over, the group went back to the boats.  Traveling to the mainland was rather magical as they were watching the sunset the entire way back.  The sky took on a beautiful orange glow as the sun slowly made its way down and allowed the ocean to swallow it whole.

The man in charge of the shoot indicated that the magazine would be providing dinner at 8 p.m. at the Villa de la Selva, which was located in the former villa of a Mexican President.  They all went back to the hotel, cleaned up, and took the limos to the restaurant.  Even though the place was well known for the wonderful seafood, Sam only ordered soup and the salad, which he realized was probably all he’d be allowed to keep down.  He noticed most, but not all, of the other models so too, although the camera crew in general seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

After dinner, Laura and several of the other models wanted to go out to Carlos and Charlie’s for some dancing.  Sam begged off.  The last thing he wanted to do was party tonight.  With the meager fare he’d eaten, even a light beer would be too much!

Al had stayed with Sam the entire day.  He now indicated he’d be leaving.  He wished his time traveling buddy a good night and headed out after bringing up the door with a few deft manipulations of his fingers upon the handlink.

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

February 3, 2008

6:00 p.m.

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate, NM

Al stepped out of the Imaging Chamber.  Seeing Dom, he asked if Admiral Beckett had arrived.  The head programmer nodded indicating that he’d been there for the past eight hours and that he’d arrived just slightly after Al had entered Sam’s world earlier that day.  Dom asked how the physicist was and when Al indicated he was tired and hungry, he nodded.

Al asked where Julianna and Tom were.  He was told that Julianna had taken Tom into Socorro for dinner.  Al smiled.  His daughter had bought him a little time.  He knew that she wasn’t happy with the relationship between the two men.  Al wished in his heart that things could be different, but as long at the man choose to act like a nozzle, what other choice did he have?

He headed back to his quarters to spend another nice evening with his wife.  As he walked back he chuckled at they way Sam had looked today.  Sam might look fine as a manly type, but he could never be considered really feminine.  He had way too much hair and muscles to pull that off.  Seeing his buddy in those swimsuits had to be one of the funniest things Al had ever witnessed on a leap.

He stepped into the quarters he shared with Beth.  “Honey, I’m home!” he called.  His lips turned up when he found her in the kitchen making Fettuccine Alfredo.  He figured she didn’t want a repeat of the previous night’s dream.

To be continued…