Message-Id: <m0sgpwA-00020cC@kickme.cts.com>
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 95 01:59 PDT
From: jekel@cts.com (Julie Jekel)
Subject: "Donna's Song" part 3

                        "Donna's Song"
                           part 3
                                by Julie L. Jekel

        
                     Your devotion is total.
                        The debt you owe,
                      Though never claimed,
                         Will be repaid.
                      The life that held you
                           For so long,
                      But never touched you,   
                        Will be preserved,
                And only that half-fallen friend
                    Will remain to comfort me
                       When you have gone.


        *"Where are you, Al?"*
        *"I'm right here, Sam.  I'll always be here when you need me."*
        *Sam shook his head.  He looked straight at his friend, but somehow,
his eyes saw nothing, just as most people he helped in his Leaps could never
see the hologram.*
        *"No, Al. You're lying to me.  I don't know why, but you're lying to
me.  You haven't been here.  Where did you go after that last Leap?  Why
didn't you find me?"*
        *He grabbed Sam's shoulders and tried to shake him, but as always,
his hands met no resistance, and this time Sam didn't even know he tried.*
        *"I tried.  D--- it, Sam, I tried to find you!  I'm still trying!"*
        *"I can't do it without you, Al."*        
        *"Sam, I'm trying..."*
        *"I just want to come home."*
        *"I'm trying to bring you home, Sam."*
        *"Don't give up on me, Al."*
        *"I won't.  I promise I won't.  Hang on, Sam.  I'll find you, I
promise!"*

        "I won't fail you, Sam!"
        Al sat up in bed, awakened by the sound of his own voice.  He was
trembling uncontrollably. Regret and failure grasped him firmly and shook
him the way he had tried to shake Sam in the dream.
        "I won't fail you!" he repeated emphatically.
        *But I have, I have failed.  I'm sorry, Sam.  I'm so sorry...*
        He reached one hand towards Beth's side of the bed, searching for
some sort of comfort.  She was gone.
        "Beth..."
        Had it all been a dream then?  Had he just imagined that Sam had
given her back to him, possibly sacrificing his only way home to do so?  The
arctic hand of fear wrapped itself around his heart.  *Please, no.  Please
don't let it be...*
        There was a loud rap on the door.
        "Dad!" Samantha's voice called.  "We're gonna play Monopoly.  Wanna
play?"
        Relief swept over him, melting away his fears.  Beth was still his.
His girls were still here.  They had apparently just gotten up before him.
        "Yeah, I'd love to play.  Just let me get my robe on."  He swung his
feet over the edge of the bed, glancing at the clock as he did so.  1:06 PM.
Strange that he could feel so refreshed after one hour of sleep, and after
such a dream.
        The door flew open and Samantha burst into the room.  "Hurry up, Dad!"
        He chuckled.  "I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying.  Where's your mom?"
        "Over at the Project."
        Al turned to his daughter, startled.  "What's she doing there?"
        "Helping Aunt Donna."
        "With what?"
        Samantha shrugged.  "I dunno."
        "I thought Donna had ordered everyone to take the day off."
        His youngest daughter merely shrugged again.  "C'mon, Dad.  Ruthie
always cheats when you don't play."
        "I do not!" Ruth's voice called indignantly from downstairs.    
        Al laughed and patted his daughter lightly on the back. "I'll be
down in a minute, ok sweetie?"
        She grinned, her face dimpling, and bounced out of the room.
        Al closed the door behind her.
        "Ziggy!"
        "Yes, Admiral?" the computer responded calmly.
        "Is Beth there?"        
        "Yes, Admiral, your wife is here."
        "And Donna?"
        "Doctor Elise is also present."
        "Where is Beth?"
        "In the Control Room.  She has just left the Imaging Chamber."
        Al's eyes narrowed.  "Where is Donna?"
        "In the Accelerator Chamber."
        The Observer inhaled sharply.  "WHAT?!"
        "Doctor Elise is in the Accelerator Chamber," Ziggy repeated calmly.
"If my audio transmitters are not functioning properly, I can increase the
volume."
        "No, Ziggy!  Donna...she's not going to..."
        "Yes, Admiral.  I believe that is her intention."
        "Well, stop her!"
        "I'm afraid I can't do that, Admiral."
        "Stall her then!"
        "May I ask why?"
        The Admiral was already hurriedly getting dressed.
        "Because if I get there in time, I'M going to stop her!"  He paused
and glanced at the wedding picture of Sam and Donna that Sam had given him.
They were looking at each other, their eyes filled with the kind of love
that would make someone do anything for that other person.  Suddenly, he
knew what Donna was doing.  
        "Or at least try to."

                       
                        TO BE CONTINUED...
                                 JJ

        "Our imaginations leap ahead to places we have yet to see."
                                     --a poster in my room