Date: Mon, 12 May 1997 22:26:59 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Circles of Fate - Chapter 26 Message-ID: Quantum Leap "Circles of Fate" Part 26 Al closed the door to the office before calling for privacy from Ziggy. He then looked at the woman in his office -- the woman who wasn't Genine Strickler. "Okay, Alia," Al started, "do you mind telling me what's going on and why you've leaped into Captain Strickler to help me?" Alia, hiding behind the aura of Genine, gestured Al to a seat. Al sat down as requested and waited patiently for Alia to speak. Alia herself took a seat before taking a breath and looking at Al firmly in the eyes. "You know the original history," she told him. "Sam, you, Genine, Alex, Susan, Gushie, Sammy Jo -- all of you died within a week's time. The result was devastating." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "The project was discontinued almost immediately, leaving many people without work. Tina's life was ruined by the loss of her husband and her friends. She became severely depressed and placed herself in a hospital. She never did recover. Most of the others coped with the loss fairly well." She didn't look at Al as she said this. Al sighed. "What about Beth?" he asked with concern. "What about my wife and children?" Alia smiled at him gently. "She took it well. She's a remarkable woman. You must be very proud of her." Al nodded. "Always have been." "Anyway," Alia continued, "none of that matters because it never happened. Everything is as it should be." Al looked at her firmly. "If everything is as it should be, why are you here? And why isn't Sam?" "Sam isn't here because it was his choice to make," Alia told him. "Don't worry about the degradation factor. When he came home, he was given the chance to rest and let his body heal. He can leap as he used to but now, if he needs to come home to rest, he can." She paused. "It's true he could have come home. He really does want to. But he feels that it's more important to help people and to continue putting right what went wrong." She took a breath. "Al, don't be angry with him for wanting to help people." Al raised his eyebrows. "Is that what you're here to do? Boost my spirits?" Alia smiled widely. "That and something else." She paused, wondering if she should go on. "I was the one who called Beth last night and told her where you were. If I hadn't, you would have tried to drive home yourself. You wouldn't have seen the mini-van. The accident would have killed you." Al lowered his head with deep thought about what she told him. Alia stood up, walked over to Al, and touched his hand. "Don't give up hope, Al. Sam needs you. He will come home and, next time, he'll stay." She kissed his forehead and then released his hand. "Good-bye, Al. Good luck." Al smiled slightly. "You as well, Alia." Al watched as the confident smile on Genine's face faded into confusion. The woman staggered a bit, causing Al to quickly stand up and help the woman to sit down. "It's okay, Genine," Al told her gently. "You're just a little dizzy. It'll pass soon." Genine accepted Al's help readily. "I don't know what got over me." She looked at Al with wide eyes, as if she suddenly realized with whom she was speaking. "Oh, Al, are you okay?" Al smiled. "I'm fine. Really." He huffed. "I'm just a little hungover." Genine looked at him in surprise. "Hungover? Al, you didn't!" Al exhaled. "I'm afraid I did." He laughed sickly. "It's a good thing you called Beth or I'd be in serious trouble right now." *To say the LEAST!* "I wasn't exactly in any shape to drive last night." Genine frowned. "I called Beth? I don't remember." Al nodded with understanding. "That's to be expected," he improvised. "You hit your head pretty hard." "I did?" Genine questioned. "When?" Al smiled. "A couple of minutes ago. You came down to check on me and fainted straight out." He touched her forehead with his palm. "Are you getting enough vitamin C? One of my daughters passed out once because she had a vitamin C deficiency." Genine shook her head. "My diet's fine." Al looked at her carefully. "What's the last thing you remember?" Genine thought for a moment. "You called me down to retrieve Sam." She looked at him with hope. "Did he?" Al shook his head. "No," he said simply. Genine exhaled in sympathy. "Al, I'm so sorry." Al hesitated before exhaling. "Don't worry about it," he told her with a smile. "Everything is as it should be." Genine smiled in confusion. "Strange attitude for a man whose best friend has just disappeared into time," she commented. Al laughed slightly. "Maybe." He paused. "Well, Captain. We'd better go check in the Control Room. I have a feeling that Sam probably needs our assistance right now." He gave her a sly grin just before heading for his office door. Genine followed, curious as to what happened to change Al's attitude about Sam's leaping. As she started for the door, she looked at her date watch and wondered where the past twenty-four hours had gone. ----------------------------- The conclusion next. :) Katherine