Message-ID: Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 14:43:48 +0100 From: Heather Markham Subject: alternus-tempus.p04 CHAPTER FOUR Sam spiralled up into painful consciousness, his eyes fluttered open, the bright fuzzy image of a neon strip lighting above him spun and danced on the white ceiling. He snapped them shut again as a tide of nausea rose and subsided in his stomach. Tentatively, he tried again, the light slowly glided to a halt, the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach settled. A face drifted into his line of vision. a voice spoke slowly and softly, "Saam? Sam, you okay? How ya feeling kid, ya look awful!" The injured time-traveller licked dry lips, his mouth felt as if an apprentice carpet fitter had been practicing his skills on his tongue. A small tube had been inserted into his nose, it aggravated the tickle in his dry throat. "A....Al, is that you?" he croaked. His friend nodded and smiled, "Yeah, 'course it's me, who'd ya think it was, ya nozzle head." Sam grimaced and put his right hand up to rub at his throat, "I...I..my mouth...I need water." "Oh yeah, sure. It's the effects of the alcohol mixed with the anaesthetics, makes your mouth feel real bad." Al's mind was so relieved at his best friend's recovery he forgot about being a hologram. He reached for the water jug, remembered, pulled a face and muttered an unrepeatable oath. He hated moments like that, "Sorry, Sam, I'm afraid I can't help you there. Goddamn it, I can't even call the nurse. You're gonna have to hang on for a little while. The nurse has been in and out of here like a yo-yo, she'll be back any minute, she's real cute, she'll see to you." He turned slightly to peer through the curtain a leer spread across his face and he muttered quietly, "I wouldn't mind her seeing to me...any day." In the relative quietness of the ward, Sam heard every word. He gave Al a piercing look, tried to talk, coughed and began again, "Glad to know someone's feeling on top form, I feel like hell. What happened? I wasn't supposed to get shot!" Al stared at him, "You don't remember what happened?" Despite the ache in his chest, he eased himself up a little and inspected his bandaged wound. "I sort of remember. I remember seeing and speaking to Dana. I remember ordering some more drinks but nothing after that." he tapped at the side of his head, "I know I was a little tipsy at the time perhaps that's why everything is a little muddled up here." Al shot him a look of exasperation, "A little tipsy is putting it mildly. You were practically rolling drunk. I don't know what got into you, you damn near got yourself killed.....you very nearly ended up the same way as Pendrell the first time around." He stopped to indicate an inch between his thumb and forefinger, "The bullet was this close to killing you, I guess you owe your life to Dana, she saved you. Any other FBI Agent would have continued to chase that hit-man and would have left you for the paramedics but she came back to see how you were, she was more concerned with you than chasing that damned gun man!" Wincing, Sam sat up a little more, his eyes were wide with questioning, "How..?" "She gave you CPR, brought you back from the brink," the little man chuckled. "only you turned the kiss of life into a real one, then you had to cap it all by saying you thought you'd died and gone to heaven! The look on her face...it just creased me up." Sam's jaw had dropped, his eyebrows were almost off the top of his head and his face was a mask of pink embarrassment. He flopped back against the pillows, closed his eyes and clapped a hand over them, "Oh-my-God, Oh...my...God! Ohhh, no, that's blown it for sure, she's never going to want to speak to me again...ever! What a doof!" Al laughed and waggled his fingers expressively, "Yeah, you were still 'a little tipsy' but don't worry kid, I don't think she minded too much, after all it was a fairly typical thing for Pendrell to say." The hand slid from the face of the embarrassed quantum physicist. He peeked open his eyes, "How do you know she didn't mind?" Al turned to peek out from the partitioning curtain, he pointed with the end of his unlit cigar, "I know because she's outside with your folks. She's been here for hours waiting for you to wake up so's she can come visit you." The fuddled mind of the scientist focused on the words 'folks', his face brightened, "Dana's here and my folks too...how...I don't understand?" Al wrinkled his nose, "Sorry, I didn't quite mean it that way, she's with Pendrell's family." Sam's face fell, he thought for a moment then asked, "Al, if I saved Pendrell from getting killed, why am I still here, why haven't I leaped yet?" The older man took out the hand-link and started pressing keys, "Good question, I thought maybe you were here until everything was certain that Pendrell was going to be okay...but if that was the case you shoulda' leaped just after you woke up." He rattled the hand-link, it squealed in response and decided to work this time. "OOOh Sam...your gonna love this...Ziggy says you're here to get you, or rather Pendrell and Dana together! You're here to ask her out and establish a relationship with her. I guess someone up there loves you after all. Go careful though, Ziggy says that this time round you're not to tell her who you really are, if you do you'll spoil things for Pendrell and the relationship will end when you leap out." Al glanced across at Sam and smiled. His friends face was a picture of happiness, his eyes had that special sparkle in them and his grin ran from ear to ear, "Oh Al, you mean I get to spend some more time with her, I get a second chance...I could tell her about..." Al raised a hand and scowled at his friend, "No, Sam! Don't tell her anything, you hear me. This time round she absolutely must not know anything about Samuel Beckett or Project Quantum Leap, nothing at all, nadda, zip, zero! You gotta promise me that. This leap isn't just for you!" Sam had twitched his smile to one side, "But, couldn't I at least..." "No, you can't.....promise me now Sam or this leap will go wrong and you and I, my friend, will be in deep ca-ca." Sam sighed deeply, "Okay...okay. I promise but what if she see's me as myself again, what happens then?" Al's face furrowed into a look of thought, he wiped a hand across his brow and tapped at the keys once more, before replying, "Ziggy predicts a ninety-eight percent chance against that happening." "But what about the other two percent." enquired a grinning Sam. Al shuffled his feet, "We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it...okay. Just don't go getting into a situation where she might get close enough to see you. You know, emotionally speaking." Sam raised his eye brows and smiled sweetly, his friend admonished him gently, "You know what I mean Sam. You're here to start something and that's all...be grateful for small mercies. It's Pendrell's life remember." Then he added under his breath and under the cover of his hand, "Although, I'm not too sure I'd be satisfied in those circumstances." Sam nodded reluctantly, "Okay." The observer's eyes suddenly twinkled, "Hey, that reminds me, while I was temporarily stranded back at the Project Centre, I got talking to Pendrell in the Waiting Room, he's a really nice guy. He reminds me a lot of you, when you were his age. He has a brilliant scientific brain and a photographic memory, just like you. Hey, his favourite is Einstein too. Oh, and he shares your interest in time-travel. Apparently he's been doing his own research, of course his ideas are all theoretical but he's got some good theories and concepts. He's already sort of worked out why he can see himself differently when he looks in a mirror." Sam's eyebrows shot up and almost off the top of his forehead in astonishment, he shifted his position in the bed and winced, "Really?" Al continued quickly trying to act nonchalantly in a bid to sneak the next bit of information in without to much drama. "Yeah, but then there's a reason for that...he..." Sam narrowed his eyes and trapped his friends gaze, "Al..what reason, what are you trying to say?" "He's synergizing with you, like you did with Mulder. He's getting flashes of your memories....oh, not your leaps, before that, when you were back here...er..there at the Project Centre. He's rapidly putting two and two together. The problem is, now he wants to look around the place. He kinda knows what's going on." Sam leaned forward a little, curiosity and a touch ow worry edging his words. "That's never happened before has it?" Al shook his head, "No, it hasn't, but don't worry, we're keeping a tight rein on him, we won't let him outa the Waiting Room however much he gets to know about the place through your memories." "Well, just you make sure he doesn't escape when your back's turned. I don't think I could go through all that again." Al laughed, "No, it's okay Sam, he's the opposite of Mulder, he's like a kid with a new toy, I don't think he's gonna want to leave the place. In fact it's a shame that he works for the FBI, we could really use a guy like that back at the centre." Al started to toy with the idea, "I suppose one day in the future we could...nah! That wouldn't work. Oh well, it was just a thought." "I don't think that would be such a good idea, especially if he's with Dana, she'd want to know what work he was doing." "Yeah, you're right. it was just a thought. We'll just have to make sure Pendrell doesn't remember too much about what happens to him before you leap out. Ya know, I still can't get over how much like you he really is, if you met him you'd take to him straight away. When you leap out and he leaps in, I don't think Dana is going to notice too much of a difference. I can see, she and Pendrell are gonna be real good together, they're a pair well suited." As soon as the words were out he realized what he'd said, his face fell. A look of hurt had etched into the features of his friend, and he knew it wasn't from any physical injury he'd suffered, "Oh, My-God, Oh, Sam, I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." His friends whispered reply was filled with sadness, "I know. It's okay, it's my own fault, I should never have allowed myself to fall in love with her in the first place...you warned me and I took no notice. I just hope he appreciates what he's got....what he's going to get. I hope he'll love her as much as I do." "Oh, I think he will Sam...I think he will. He never stops talking about her." Sam's bed lay in a a curtained off section of the I.C. unit. The patterned curtain swished back and a pretty young nurse hurried across to the reclining figure in the bed. She smiled warmly as she checked the monitors to which he was linked. "Mr Pendrell, you're awake, why didn't you use the call button? We've all been waiting for you to come round." Reaching down besides Sam's head, she lifted a cable buzzer into view. Sam glared across at his holographic friend who shrugged apologetically, "Sorry didn't see it there." Sam cleared his throat as best he could, "Could I have some water, please?" She nodded sympathetically, "Of course, but let's get you comfortable first." The petite nurse pressed a foot pedal and the bed head raised Sam into a more comfortable sitting position. She leaned across, carefully removed the thin tube from his nose, adjusted his pillows and poured a glass of water and helped him drink through a straw. The older man's eyes were drawn to the shapely pair of legs which were revealed by the actions of bending to aid his friend. His grin turned into leer, "Oh boy, I love women in uniform, don't you? Military uniform, police uniform but especially nurses uniform, something about those starched, crisp dresses and neat little caps. I'm gonna enjoy you being in here, even if you don't." Sam cast him a withering look, then returned a warmer expression to the nurse. "That's much better, thank you. How long have I been here?" The nurse moved around the bed, checked the various monitors and took his pulse as she answered, "You've been here since late last night, it's now twelve thirty." "How long do you think I'll be in here, how long will I take to mend." She replied lightheartedly, "I don't know, you FBI boys are all the same. You get yourselves injured, you're given all the time in the world to recover but you can only think of getting back to work as fast as you can. Why don't you just relax and enjoy the short break. No doubt you'll be out of here soon enough." Sam persisted, "How soon?" She pouted then laughed, "One day I'll get a patient who appreciates me. Don't worry, the Doctor will be coming on his rounds soon, he'll be able to tell you what you need to know." Al was behind her, still casting his gaze appreciatively over her, "It should be me in that bed..I'd make sure I showed her how much I appreciated her. I'd..." Sam cut him short, "Aaal!" The nurse turned to him, Sam coughed, and covered his sudden exclamation, "A'll wait for the Doctor then, thank you." The nurse laid a comforting hand on his arm, "You have some visitors waiting for you. Do you feel up to seeing them yet?" Sam nodded fervently, "Could you send Dana...I mean Miss Scully in first...er..I'm sure she's very busy and needs to get back to work as quickly as possible." The nurse was still smiling but her eyes held a quizzical look, "How did you know Miss Scully was here? Is she your girlfriend?" He flustered, "No..we..er..work together sometimes, I just assumed she would be here, I seem to remember that she saved my life." The young woman smiled wryly, "For a moment there I thought you'd become psychic or something...happens sometimes after head trauma or after near-death experiences." Sam raised his eyebrows, "Really? I didn't know that." The pleasant young face took on a mischievous expression, she winked, "I'll go and inform everyone you're awake. They'll all be very relieved to hear that you're okay." Al and Sam watched as she hooked back the curtain and trotted jauntily out of the ward towards Dana and a small group of whispering people waiting just on the other side of the glass-walled ward room. Worry dogged at Sam he lay back and stared at the ceiling in thought, trying to explain his fears and anxieties, "Ohhh Al, what am I going to say to her, suppose I mess up again?" Al was still over by the entrance, watching the nurse, he was beginning to feel like a psychoanalyst. "That was only because you were drunk. Don't get yourself so wound up. If she sees or picks up on how worried you feel, it'll cause a tension between you, you don't want that, kid. Loosen up, stop all this worrying. I don't know what's gotten into you, it's not as if you needed my help the last time you got to know her, I seem to remember it was the reverse, I warned you not to get involved and you wouldn't listen." "Yes, I know but this is different. I don't know, I guess I just feel a little awkward, I feel kinda like a peeping Tom. I know all about her, dammit we slept together, I love her but she'll never really know me. No matter how close we become, she'll never have the memories of that night we shared. It feels kinda weird, it feels wrong." Relighting his cigar, Al walked across and sat beside his friend. He sighed, "I guess it is a rather odd situation but then you should be used to that by now. Try not to think about it, look at it as a new beginning." Sam lay back and closed his tired eyes, "How do I ask her out, would Pendrell just ask casually or what?" The older, more experienced man, sucked on his cigar and thought for a few seconds. "I have a feeling if it was left up to him, he'd never ask, which is exactly why you are here. You could start by thanking her for saving you and just take it from there. Just be yourself, as I said, Pendrell's very much like you....he's gonna pick up just fine from wherever you leave off." The injured time-traveller winced, "What if I don't *want* to 'leave off'. What if I *want* to stay here!" Al's eyes darkened, "We've been all through this before, it's not up to you, Sam...." Al stopped in mid-sentence, "Hey, she's here. I'm gonna leave you two alone. I think I'll have a little look around the place. I'll come back when she's gone." The curtain twitched closed behind Dana. She stood there momentarily looking at the boyish, clean-cut face of Pendrell. Sam slowly opened his eyes and said, "Hi, Dana, how are you?" She smiled gently and moved next to the bed, "I think under the circumstances, Pendrell, it should be me asking that." He let out a deep breath and rubbed a hand casually across his eyes, "I'm fine, I think. Please call me Danny, everyone else does and I'm sorry, I guess I never seem to say the right things whenever you're around. I probably shouldn't have said that either. I'm a real doof!" Drawing up a chair close to his bed, she sat down and replied with genuine sympathy, "No, you don't. You're not a doof either. You've always acted the perfect gentleman around me. I've never noticed you acting like a doof." Sam's heart was pounding, he was so overwhelmed by seeing her again he could barely think of what to say. He gazed into her eyes. They looked so soft and gentle, he was almost mesmerized by them. He looked away, reddening a little, "Thank you for saving my life, if it hadn't been for you I probably wouldn't be alive." "I think I should be thanking you. If I hadn't been in that bar, you probably wouldn't have got shot. If you hadn't played the hero and thrown yourself across the table, it would be me lying here and Frisch would very likely have been killed." Sam smiled weakly, he tried to recall the exact moment he was shot, a little of it trickled into his brain, "I was just trying to protect you. I couldn't let anything happen to you, Dana." Scully reached out, took his hand and clasped it in her's and smiled at him softly. The simple gesture sent an overwhelming tide of emotions through him. He trembled a little. Hoping she hadn't noticed, he replied, "I'm sorry, I seem to remember making a fool of myself too. I tried to kiss you, I didn't mean to do...well, what I did. I hope you can forgive me." "I know. You were a little drunk, we all do silly things from time to time. Forget about it, you're forgiven. Anyway, I know it was the alcohol that made you act that way, you wouldn't have kissed me, otherwise. I know you wouldn't wanted to have done that had you been sober." He looked deep into her eyes, holding them with his gaze, would she be able to see through the facade, could she tell he was different, that this body was only a a mask of who he really was. Would she love him, could she fall for him while he was hiding behind the aura of another man. His eyes were still searching hers, he asked slowly and softly, "Wouldn't I?" The remark passed her, she continued to stare at him. There was something different about him, something she hadn't recognized before, small flecks of green and hazel sparkled behind the usually clear blue of their owner. His eyes widened, she felt such an intensity within them, it was like looking deep into a hidden soul. He seemed so different. A warmth tingled through her, she blinked, broke the spell and looked down at their intertwined hands, she hadn't noticed doing that but it felt nice, it somehow felt right. "I..er..yes...would there be any other reason." Sam mustered his courage, "Dana, you must have realized that I've always admired you....and not just for the work you do....it's er..well, it's a little more than that. All the other guys think you're kind of into a relationship with Mulder. I know I don't stand a hope in hell of you agreeing to this but, when they let me out of here, would you consider.... would you go out...oh hell....would you have dinner with me one night! There, I've said it, I've embarrassed myself again. You probably think I'm a real idiot and you don't have the time to waste on dinner with me." Dana laughed. "Now you are acting like a doof! Of course I'll have dinner with you. I told you I was going to hold you to celebrating my birthday and I meant it. And, I'm not into any kind of relationship with Mulder other than one of a working partnership. We're not joined at the hip like a lot of you guys seem to think." Sam grinned from ear to ear. "That's great...I mean.." Scully chuckled again, "I know what you mean, I'd stop digging a hole for yourself. I didn't come down here and wait for hours just because you work for the bureau. I came down here because your a friend and I happen to like you. Is that so strange?" Sam squeezed her hand gently, "You do?" She nodded, "Uh huh!" Sam leaned forward, he was still feeling a little confused and curious about the previous night's events. "How...how is er...Frisch....is everything okay with him? He wasn't wounded or anything? Was your association with him anything to do with that plane crash out at Syracus?" "Yes, it was. He is a key witness in the incident. Apparently, there is a cover-up of some sorts in progress here. The investigators gave out that it was a bomb which caused the crash but Frisch tells a more sinister tale." Sam could see a darkness in Dana's face, curiosity and anxiety mingled creating a strange feeling of danger and mystery but it was the worry that made him ask the questions, he was concerned for her safety. "What kind of story....can you tell me more about it." She thought for a moment, considering his question. "Well, it is classified information...but, I guess as you work for forensics and I know I can trust you, but this goes no further than here for the moment." Sam nodded and she continued, "Frisch is a military pilot, he was on duty at the time the plane downed. He says that an unidentified flying object was reported to be closely following the plane. They sent up fighter planes to intercept it...." She looked down and closed her eyes for a brief moment, "The object, whatever it was, was too close to the commercial plane.....orders were given to fire warning shots, He's not sure whether the orders were to shot the thing down or just to ward it off, but the unidentified craft was hit by a missile and exploded taking the commercial air-craft with it. That plane was carrying at full capacity. All those people died....men, women, children even a baby. Daniel.....they're trying to hide the truth, Mulder thinks that there was a connection between the crash, the UFO and one of the people who died, Max Fenig. He..er..he was a multiple abductee victim...or claimed to be. We came across him while back in connection with one of our other cases. He was quite convincing in his accounts of abducteeism." Sam's eyebrows were raised in astonishment, "Mulder suspects an alien intervention in this case?" "Yes, he does, but that's all I'm at liberty to say at the moment...." she paused to check her watch, "look, now I know you're going to be okay I..er..I have to get going. Mulder called me earlier, he appears to have touched on a raw nerve with something he found down at the crash site. Seems he did a little illegal scuba diving in the lake out there. Now I've got to rescue him from a military police headquarters out near Syracus. I'll find out more once I've gotten him out of there...he's probably wondering why I haven't gotten out to him yet." Unlocking her hands from his grip, she stood up and moved across to the curtain, "I'll come and pay you another visit as soon as I can." Sam put up his hand to wave, "Don't forget...as soon as I'm out of here we have a date." "I won't forget, I promise you. We'll talk about it the next time I come to see you. Would you like me to send in your folks, now?" Sam took a deep breath of contentment, slumped back against the pillows and replied wistfully, "Thanks, that would be great." She held back the curtain and paused to wave goodbye, then she was gone. Euphoria engulfed him, he no longer felt any pain, he just had a glorious out-of-this world feeling of floating slightly above the bed. He felt cocooned in a blanket of sheer delight. He was so full of happiness - Dana had actually agreed to go out with him! His heart was thumping in his rib-cage and his stomach was performing somersaults of excitement as he lay back happily and listened to her footsteps tapping back along the corridor to meet the distant excited and relieved chatter of the other man's family. To his sudden horror, a vague familiar feeling of electricity sparked across his skin sending shivers and tingles along his spine. Squeezing his eyes shut he awaited the blue light to engulf him and whisk him away. He held back his head and pleaded, "No, not yet, please. Just a while longer...please." His head spun but the feeling passed, the intense light never came, for the moment fate was on his side and it chose not take him. He cautiously opened his eyes he was still here. He was about to yell for his friend but there before him stood the concerned faces of Danny Pendrell's folks. Al had returned along with them. He gestured to each member in turn. "Sam, meet your Mom, your Father, oh and you always call him pop, this is you older sister Kelly and your kid sister Joan...Joannie and her hubby. Just imagine they're your own family and they'll never suspect a thing." The imposter in the bed smiled as warmly as he could and held out his arms in welcome, towards them. The little observer smiled reflectively and shook his head at his own thoughts, family were family the world over. He just wished he'd had one to care about him when he'd been hurt or lonely. These people weren't Sam's real folks but for the moment they were a very good substitute. He grinned at the happy scene before him, in the same way Daniel Pendrell had reminded him of Sam, Danny's family reminded him very much of Sam's own Mom, Pa, Katie and Tom. CHAPTER FIVE 10.00 PM Saturday March 6th Scully's apartment. Sam was sitting at Dana's dining table in her apartment and what's more he'd just finished eating a superb meal which she had cooked, especially for him. He couldn't believe his luck, fate wasn't usually this kind to him. He'd been smiling all evening, as far as he was concerned the rest of the world could cease to exist at that very minute and it would simply leave him untouched, he couldn't feel any happier if he'd been an alcoholic floating in a vat of pure malt whisky. Tonight was his idea of being in Paradise, this was a second chance with which God or fate had rewarded him. He could hardly believe that she'd actually invited him to an intimate dinner, that she would take the trouble to cook for him and, more to the point, trusted him enough to actually welcome him into her home like this. Dinner had been great, she looked absolutely stunning, wearing a long deep blue crushed velvet dress with long sleeves but a low-cut off the shoulder neckline. The conversation had been easy and they'd both laughed a lot. A warm wine-induced glow had wrapped them both. Not knowing how long he'd got before leaping out, he hung on her every word, savoured her beauty and revelled in each fleeting touch of her hand on his across the small dining table. He watched her as she finished the last few morsels of the chocolate cake she'd baked for dessert. He was leaning forward on his elbows, mesmerized by her words, she pushed away the empty dessert plate, dabbed daintily at her mouth with a napkin and leaned back in her chair. She began relating some past humourous occurrence in a restaurant, Mulder's name was mentioned several times. Her words faded from his ears as he thought back to the last leap when he'd been hiding behind the aura of Mulder, impersonating his character and mannerisms, the night they had spent together came flooding back to taunt him, would he ever get that close to her again. He loved her but the chance that she would love him for himself again were remote. Even if his mission was successful and she and Danny continued to have a relationship, even if she fell for Danny before he leaped out, she would never know it had been he who truly loved her. At that moment, that was the only fact that dimmed his happiness. He remembered her words to him when she'd seen through that aura to the his real self, the self which had lain hidden beneath the mask of Mulder. Would she see him again? If she did, it would wonderful for him but not good as far as Pendrell would be concerned, it would negate his sole purpose for being here. Al had encouraged him to get to know Dana on Pendrell's behalf but had also given him a stern warning not on any account to let her know who he was and he'd agreed with him. This time was different to last time, circumstances were completely changed. He said a silent prayer that he would be allowed a little longer in her company before being whisked off to another time and place. She reached the end of her story, giggled, reached out and touched his hand once more. Her touch sent another warm tingle through his body and brought him back from his daydreaming. He grinned at her broadly and took her hand in his, "Well, Dana, tonight's meal was wonderful, I'm glad nothing like that happened here!" he paused, entwined his fingers through hers, "Thank you so much for inviting me here and for cooking, you're a terrific cook." Dana surveyed the empty plates, cocked her head to one side and replied, "Thank you, kind sir. Actually, I like to cook but I don't often get the chance to entertain and show off my culinary skills, I always seem to get caught up in work, you know how it is." Sam sighed, "Yes, I know. I must admit I was a little worried that you might get called away at the last minute and cancel on me. I know what a busy lady you are and I was half expecting you to call and say you'd had to go off with Mulder, that the Max Fenig case wasn't closed yet." "That case is over now, but it was one of the strangest I was ever involved in." Sam's curiosity about the case had risen again, She had told him bits about it when she'd visited him in hospital, but he wasn't aware of the latest developments. "Why, what happened?" She drew in a breath and let it out slowly, "Max had been carrying what he claimed to be a piece of alien technology, one of three parts which made up some sort of communication device. Mulder found another piece. He was bringing it back to Washington by plane. Half way through the flight he came into contact with one of the cover-up agents...the same one who shot you, while trying to silence Frisch. Something weird happened on the flight. Mulder claims that his memory of the flight is hazy, there's a gap in his memory....as if it has been erased. When the flight arrived, the agent had disappeared, he was not on the plane but there was no way he could have gotten off." " And the piece of alien machinery, does he have that?" "No, it was missing too," She paused again to stare int his eyes, "It wasn't all that was missing...nine minutes of time seem to have been misplaced during the flight. Mulder checked the flight logs, it was the same with the other downed plane. I..er..I wouldn't care to make any further comments about it other than to say, Mulder is not too pleased at the moment, he was so near to proving his theory about the case. Frisch's testimony won't stand for much, that will undoubtedly be suppressed now, too. But now he's off on another of his little private jaunts. He got wind of some strange aerial phenomena out at Little Boulder. He called me earlier, expected me to go along with him. I told him he could go chase UFO's on his own for once. He didn't really need me, and anyway, I couldn't let all that good food go to waste." She gave him a sincere smile, "And I was really looking forward to you coming over. I realized while visiting you those times in hospital, just how much we have in common, just how easy you are to talk to and how well we get on together. I can't think of anyone else I'd rather be with right now." She looked down coyly, "I don't know if I should say this, but I feel I've known you for years. I'm talking to you as if I've known you for years." Sam still held her hand, their fingers had become interlaced, he squeezed her hand gently, "We have known each other before...er..I mean, we have known each...for years...as colleagues for two years, ever since that very first case you got me involved in." Sam's time-travelling, body-aura hopping experience made it easy for him to choose the right words to say something without actually, referring to something specific, he'd learned that the other person in the conversation would take the lead and he'd be able to pick things up as he went along. He knew that there had to have been a first forensic case for Pendrell to have been drawn into. She chuckled, "Yes, I remember, that was quite some case but I have to say, without your help, Mulder and I would have been stumped. It's funny but all those times I came to you for help, you never gave the impression you were the least bit interested in me! I knew the other guys used to tease you mercilessly about your shyness and that accounted for the way you behaved, but now, I don't feel any shyness in you at all, you seem so self assured, almost as if you're a totally different guy from the one at work." Sam's eyebrows had risen, perhaps he should have asked Al for more personal details on Pendrell and had studied his character a little better. Was he being too different, would Pendrell be able to pick up where he left off? At that time Pendrell's needs, feelings and thoughts were tucked far away at the back of his mind and he didn't care. He was here and as far as he was concerned, that's all that mattered. He knew it was a selfish reaction but just this once he couldn't help putting himself first. If he was putting in all the ground work for Pendrell's return, then Al would have to take Daniel to task before then and school him in the art of romance and help him get over his shyness with women in preparation for his return. Sam grinned impishly at his own thoughts, he knew Dana very well, he'd got to know her from working with her as Mulder and as himself, in his last leap, she was a strong woman, he had the feeling that if Pendrell didn't pull up his socks, so to speak, she'd eat him alive! Dana unlaced her fingers from Sam's grasp and pushed back her chair, "I'll clear these away and make some coffee, I think the wine and the bottle of champagne you brought are beginning to get to me." Sam rose from his chair to aid her, "Here let me help you, point me in the right direction, I'll help clear away and wash-up. It's only fair, you cooked for me, I should clean-up." "No....there's no need, really, I'll load them into the dish washer with the rest of the pots and do them tomorrow morning. Why don't you sort out some music for us to listen to, my CD collection is in the cabinet below the hi-fi system. Then go make yourself comfortable on the sofa, it won't take me very long to make coffee." Sam's voice had an edge of insistence to it, "At least let me help carry the dishes through to the kitchen first." Her soft smile spread into a broad grin, she was as insistent as he, "It's okay, I think I'm capable of doing that by myself, you're the guest here, can't have you washing-up...go and have a sort through the CD's, choose something for us, I'll be interested to see if our tastes in music are similar, see if you can find my favourites!" Sam wondered back into the lounge, opened the cabinet beneath the hi-fi system, sorted through her collection, smiling to himself, even her music was to his taste, something he'd not had a chance to find out during the last leap. She had a large selection of classical music, some opera, in fact all his particular favourites but those weren't right for the mood. He continued his search and found several disc albums of Celine Dion and Mariah Carey which looked well thumbed. He loaded the player with a selection of love songs from them, moved across to the blue and white striped sofa and picked up the jacket he'd placed there when he first came in. He still hadn't given her the 'new' birthday gift he'd bought for her. He'd been waiting for exactly the right time to do so, he fished in the deep pockets of the jacket, his fingers closed on the small gift and he drew it out, he looked at it and sighed. He hoped it was suitable, that she would like it. He flung the jacket back across one of the other chairs and sat on the sofa waiting for her to come back in from the kitchen. He was just about to ask if she needed any help when Al appeared behind him grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat. Noticing Sam hadn't realized he was there he sneaked up and whispered hoarsely into his ear, "Hi ya, kid! How's it going?" Sam jumped slightly, tilted his head away, frowned and turned to the brightly attired observer, whispering back, "Al, you're not supposed to be here, we had a deal remember! We agreed you wouldn't butt in on me here. You were going to give Dana and me some privacy....you remember what that is, don't you? It's what you get all the time with Tina but I rarely ever get! You were going to leave us alone tonight. I don't think I need your help or advice here!" Al pouted, "Aw, Sam...I only came to ask if she liked the gift....you..er did give it to her, didn't you?" "No, not yet, I was waiting for the right time, in fact, I was just getting it. Hey! How'd you know about that anyway?" Al had a wry, lopsided grin on his face, "Didn't ya know, I'm psychic!" Sam narrowed his eyes, "No you aren't! Come on how'd you know?" Al chuckled hoarsely, "After you'd gotten back from the hospital yesterday morning, I noticed a jeweller's receipt slip on the coffee table back at Pendrell's apartment. I guessed you'd stopped off on the way home to get her a little something to replace the gift that was broken in the shooting incident. And boy, was that some gift!.......I'm glad it's not my money you're playing with! Mind you, I don't think Daniel will mind, considering who it's for." Dana called to him from the kitchen, "Do you take sugar Danny?" Sam looked at his friend questioningly. Al indicated with two waggling fingers, "Two sugars, he has a sweet tooth. See, I was of help after all." Sam scowled back at him and answered her question, "Yes, I do, two, thanks." He could hear the chink of crockery and the sounds of the percolator bubbling. "Al, go, get outa here, she'll be back any minute. I can't talk anymore right now." Al wrinkled his nose in mock offence. "Okay, okay, I can take a hint, I only dropped by to make sure everything was going smoothly." Sam him one of his sickly sweet smiles, "Everything's fine and now you know...so you can go, okay...bye bye." Sam waggled his fingers in a small wave at his friend. "Okay, I can take a hint. I'm glad everything's fine here with you 'cos back in the Waiting Room, Danny Pendrell is not a happy boy." Sam raised his eyebrows as a prompt, Al sucked on his cigar and continued, "You remember me telling you that he was synergizing with you, getting some of your memories," Al shuffled his feet and wiped a hand across his face and mouth, muffling the next important piece of information, hoping to make less of it. "Well, he's...er..he's somehow linked with your mind and thoughts." Sam stifled the rise in his tone, "He's what!" "He kinda senses what's happening here....with you and Dana, I mean. He kinda knows what's happening, what's going to happen! He's a little cut up and hurt about the fact that it should be him here and not you." Al brought his thumb and index finger almost together, "I think he's a teeny bit jealous, too, Sam. I've told him that what your doing here is for him and he should be grateful but that doesn't seem to be helping much. Come to think of it I wouldn't be grateful about it myself" Sam scratched the back of his head and resisted the urge to get up and pace the floor. "Look, I'm as nervous about tonight as he is, now you tell me he's watching!" "Not exactly, well...at least I don't think so....God..I hope not, but he feels something of what you feel. Poor kid, I can understand how he feels." Sam sighed, "Yeah, I suppose I can too. I supposed I'd feel the same way in his position. Can't you get Verbeena to talk to him, perhaps she should give him something to calm him down, make him sleep?" "Yeah, I'll suggest that. Poor kid, I really feel for him, so does Tina and Beena, remember they see him as you and he's so like you, he even sounds like you at times, it's uncanny and it's getting very confusing for them." Dana appeared with the coffee, set the two cups of steaming beverages on the coffee table in front of them. As she leaned over, her face turned from him, Sam mouthed the words to Al, "You'd better go now. I'll talk to you later." Al smiled, taped at the hand-link and stepped across the thresh-hold of the Imaging Chamber door. Glancing back at his friend he added, "You sure you want me to come back later?" He grinned wickedly, winked and disappeared. Dana sat next to Sam positioning herself down into the corner of the sofa, she reached for the cup of coffee. The gift was nestling in Sam's closed hand, he extended his other hand towards hers and held it before she reached the cup. "Wait, I have something for you." She looked up at him a little puzzled. He turned his hand over to display the small carefully wrapped package. Her gaze flicked from the present to stare at him. "What's this?" Sam placed the gift in her captured hand, "It's the Birthday gift I bought for you.....well, it's not exactly the original, that got broken in the shooting, but I think you'll like this one better anyway.....it's by way of a thank you....a thank you for saving my life and to thank you for visiting me all those times in hospital. You don't know how much that meant to me." He let go of her, she turned the small gift over in her hands unwrapping it as she spoke, "You really don't need to thank me. I enjoyed visiting you and as for saving your life, then I owe you as much, after all I could have been killed if it hadn't been for you stopping that bullet!" "Maybe, maybe not...please, go on, open it." Dana, had discarded the wrapping paper to reveal a small red velvet box. She carefully flipped open the box lid. Her eyes widened and sparkled with appreciation as she withdrew the contents and carefully examined it. It was a beautiful antique orange-gold filigree worked, heart shaped locket. The craftsmanship was superb. "Ohh Danny, this is absolutely beautiful......it's...it's gorgeous! But I can't possibly accept it, it's far too much. It must have cost you a fortune!" Sam leaned forward close to her, his voice was almost a whisper, "I wanted to get you something special...because you're very special to me, anyway, you have to accept it..it belongs to you now, I had it specially inscribed....see just inside there." The chain dangled between her fingers as she opened it to read the words, ~For Dana. Thank you for being there for me. All my love, Daniel.~ I..I don't know what to say. Thank you." She blushed slightly, leaned forward quickly and kissed him lightly on the cheek. His eyes sparkled in response to her quick touch. "Please, don't say anything...just wear it sometimes and think of our friendship." Dana was still gazing spellbound at the locket, "You know there's an old tradition, which states that if you save someone's life you're responsible for that person for the rest of their lives.....I think we saved each others life that night, therefore we have to remain friends for eternity and watch out for each other forever." Sam's heart melted, leaped, cart-wheeled, gave him every sensation of happiness he thought possible to feel. He'd give anything to be with her forever. As the words left her mouth she couldn't believe she'd been so forward as to say that to him, after all this was only their first proper date. Dana gazed intently into his eyes, held the necklace up to her neck and fumbled with the clasp at the back. He reached forward quickly, "Please let me help you with that." She gently dropped the necklace into his hand, tilted her head sideways and shifted her position so that he could reach. He moved close to her, his hands trembled as he gently brushed her hair to one side, reached behind her neck and brought the ends of the chain together locking them into position. He moved his hands away to rest on her bare shoulder's, drew back from her a little just to compare the beauty of the golden heart with her natural classic beauty, it looked perfect nestling just below the hollow of her throat, he couldn't think of a more beautiful setting. She tipped her head down to look at it, her chin tucked against her throat. One of his hands was still resting on her shoulder, he brought the hand up, tilting her head up towards him with his fingers. They gazed into each others eyes, the love songs playing on the hi-fi added to the romantic ambience of the moment, they leaned towards each other, their lips met gently in a tentative first kiss. She broke away a little, just for a moment, slowly opening her eyes to gaze up deeply into his, the green flecked sparks she'd noticed once before, were there again, burning brightly, shining like a corona around his dilated pupils. It felt so right being with him, in his arms. The kiss had awoken feelings within her she found hard to resist, feelings she'd never felt before. She was beginning to wonder whether she was already falling in love with Daniel. She certainly had never felt quite this way about anyone before. Sam's emotions were rising within him too. His heart had yearned for a moment such as this, his soul ached for her. He didn't know if the next kiss would, or would not be the last. He prayed that fate wouldn't lead him this far, only to snatch him away, cruelly abandoning him in another time and place, without her. He slipped his arms down to rest gently against her back, then drew her tightly to him and kissed her, gently at first, then more passionately as his desires grew. It seemed an eternity since the last time he'd held her like this, enjoyed her kisses, smelled the sweet scent of her fragrance. Paradise, he thought, was nothing compared to having her in his arms. It wasn't just that he wanted her, he needed her, it was a need that burned deep within him. His heart pounded, his breath quickened as they immersed themselves in yet another kiss, a deep passionate kiss. Dana clasped her arms tightly around his neck, enjoying the taste of his kisses and the intense feelings they evoked within her. Their embrace went on to seemingly last an eternity. It seemed to them that time had no meaning, paradise had found them and was carrying them on a sea of emotions and love towards a heady intoxicating heaven, a magical, euphoric realm, where, for that moment in time, they existed only for each other. -- Heather Markham