Date: Tue, 22 Oct 1996 12:57:05 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: The Impossible Dream - Chapter 16 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Chapter 16 Al was dressed in his favorite festive colors: a red jacket and pants, a pine green long-sleeve dress shirt, and a red Fedora with a green hat band and a sprig of mistletoe tucked into the band. He seemed the pinnacle of the Christmas spirit except for one thing - the ever-present black armband. The small difference in his usual seasonal dress wasn't unnoticed by the staff of Project Quantum Leap. Neither was it emphasized. All knew that it would only be a matter of time before Al would be back to his normal self. Despite the events of the 22nd, Al seemed in very good spirits on the 24th. The annual complex Christmas party was in full swing in the cafeteria and Al was enjoying eveery minute of it. Somehow God, Fate, Time, or Whatever had managed every year to allow Al to say Christmas greetings to Sam and to enjoy Christmas without the worries of a leap to plague his mind. Al was doing his usual yuletide rounds, giving kisses to the women (using the mistletoe in his hat as an excuse) and handshakes to the men. Going over to the refreshment table, he slipped Tina a kiss before taking a cup of hot cider. Tina laughed gently at his mischeivous smile. He looked around at the small crowd. In one corner, Verbina Beeks was having a conversation with Dr. Daniel MacArthyr, the Project's Chief Medical Officer, and with one of the many technicians that graced the complex. Towards the center of the room was a small crowd of five Naval and Marine officers, laughing at some joke. Towards the door was Gushie. He seemed to be listening intently to one of the Marine guards whom Al knew was on duty. Al noted that neither Gushie nor the guard were smiling. He walked to Verbina and touched her shoulder. She looked at him with curiosity. He pointed towards Gushie and the guard. "Sam?" Verbina questioned. "What else?" Al replied. Verbina nodded, excused herself from Dr. MacArthyr, and walked with Al to Gushie and the guard. Al motioned for all of them to leave the cafeteria and go into the hallway. "What's up?" Al asked. Gushie looked from Al to the guard as he spoke. "Ziggy is certain that Dr. Beckett has leaped. However, she can't figure out where or when." Al looked at the guard. "How long ago was this?" "About seven minutes ago, sir," the guard replied. Al took a breath. "Okay. Let's go. Let's not break up the party unless we have to." The four went down to the tenth level, the guard returning to his assigned position. Verbina went immediately into the Waiting Room while Al and Gushie went to Ziggy. "What have you got, Ziggy?" Al asked. "Admiral?" came a questioning response. "You called us down here," Al told her. "And I assume you've done a preliminary scan of the guest in the Waiting Room. So, what have you got?" "Al," Verbina's voice put in before Ziggy could respond. "I think you'd better take a look at this." Both Gushie and Al went to the Waiting Room door and stopped in shock. "Ziggy," Al said. "I thought you said Sam had leaped." "He has, Admiral," Ziggy replied. "Then, where's the guest?" Al exclaimed. "I don't know," Ziggy told him, sounding very concerned. "I cannot locate Dr. Beckett although I can confirm that he has leaped into a point in time." "Well, find out what the hell is going on and find Sam," Al ordered. "Yes, Admiral," Ziggy replied. "Shall I inform the rest of the staff?" Al took a breath. "Just Dr. Elesee for now." He looked at Verbina. "Donna should know about this." Verbina nodded. "I'd better tell her. Learning her husband is missing is going to be a shock to her." Al nodded in agreement as the three of them left the Waiting Room. Verbina walked towards the elevator while Al and Gushie returned to the Control Room. Al walked over to Ziggy's console and pressed in a command. A moment later, a colorful think bracelet arose to the surface of the console. Al slipped the bracelet on his right wrist as he spoke to Gushie. "See what you can figure out. I'll send down Tina to help. In the meantime, we'd better keep this as quiet as possible and if I'm missing from that party for too long, people are going to notice. Call me on the wristband the minute you have something." "Right, Admiral," Gushie answered as Al left the Control Room and went back up to the party in the cafeteria. Tina walked up to him and kissed him. She noticed Al wasn't responding the way she was expecting. She could tell he was preoccupied. "What is it?" Tina asked quietly. "Sam's missing," he whispered to her. "I want you to go down and help Gushie. He can update you." "Missing?" Tina questioned. "Does Donna know?" She looked towards Donna, who was standing beside Verbina. Al nodded. "She knows. You'd better get going. But keep it quiet. We don't want to alarm anyone unless necessary." Tina nodded. She kissed Al once again before leaving the cafeteria. Al took a breath before going back into the heart of the party. ************************ Sam looked around. He was in the dark corner of a small house. *A bungaloo in San Diego*, Sam recalled. He looked into the center of the room and started back at the sight. *They don't know I'm here*, he realized. *Good. I'll wait.* Towards the center of the room stood, or rather danced, two people. They weren't touching each other. One had her eyes closed and a slight smile on her face. The other looked distraught, weak, on the verge of tears. He was talking to his dance partner but it was obvious that she couldn't hear him - at least, not with her ears. "Oh, Beth!" the man said softly. "I love you so much! Don't give up on me, honey. 'Cause I'm alive out there. And I'm only alive because of our love." He exhaled with emotional pain. "And someday, I'm going to come home to you." Sam closed his eyes at the sight of his best friend so broken up. *I should have done this a long time ago.* He watched silently as the holographic Al Calavicci of the past attempted to kiss Beth on the forehead. A moment later, Al disappeared in a flash of light that only Sam could see. "Al," Beth said softly. *She knows he was here*, Sam noted. *It's time.* "Beth," he said softly. Beth jumped at the voice saying her name, not expecting any answer to her call. She looked to her right and saw a man with brown hair and blue eyes. His hair had a streak of white in the front and he wore a white, loose- fitting, shirt and a pair of khaki pants. She could have sworn he wasn't there a moment ago. "Who are you?" she demanded. "How'd you get in here?" "It's okay, Beth," Sam told her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you. Help you...and help Al." "Al?" Beth questioned, a glimmer of hope in her voice. "You...you're a friend of Al's?" Sam smiled. "Yeah. I'm a friend of Al's. Could we sit?" Beth nodded. She didn't know why but she trusted this man. She believed he really did know Al. The two sat on the couch and Sam took a breath. "I'm going to tell you a story, Beth," he told her. "A story with a happy ending. But only if you believe me." "And if I don't?" Beth asked. "You will," Sam told her firmly but gently. "I swear you will." Beth looked at him with curiosity. *What makes him so certain?* "But instead of starting with once upon a time," Sam continued, "let's start with the happy ending." Now he really got Beth's attention. "Al's alive," Sam told her happily. "And he's coming home." Beth started to cry with tears of joy. Somehow, deep in her heart, she knew he was telling the truth. ----------------------------------------- 2 more chapters Kat