"Mirror Mirror: Aftermath"
As with all fanfic, the rights still belong to the original creator ? in this case, Donald Bellisario and Universal TV
Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci now stood in front of the Imaging Chamber?s door. It had descended after he had just now stepped backwards thru it and pressed the button on his handlink. He uttered a wearied sigh, and put his hand on the door, and tried to push his essence thru that gesture, as if he could will himself to physically be back there with Sam. Never before had he felt so helpless, including the nuthouse leap! Frowning, the admiral shook off his sadness, and mustered himself together. He had no idea how long he had been standing there. Long enough to clear the nauseous feeling from losing his equilibrium. Of course, most of that had dissipated while he was talking to Sam back in the past.
*"Help your buddy, you nozzle!"* he said to himself. *"Sam?s been thru a lot, and he looked like he was breaking down back there."*
It worried Al a lot, Sam sitting on the bench in front of the bar laughing, but not the way most people laugh in merriment. Sam was laughing with despair, confusion, and almost hopelessness. Maybe even more than that: laughing with a revelation. There he was, laughing at some reference to Al?s Uncle Stopol (Steve). Many things were weird with this leap, including Sam?s belief that some bartender was really God, Fate, Time or Whatever (Definitely Whatever!), and more than that, how on Earth in all these leaps, the sheer fact that Sam had lept as himself!!!
?Gooshie!? Al called out to the head programmer, as he turned and strolled down the ramp, which led into the central room where Ziggy?s mainframe master console was. There was also a pathway that led to the Visitor?s room, where the person who lept into Dr. Beckett?s aura was led. It was isolated, comfortable in it?s starkness, and kept the Visitor as unaware as possible about all future occurrences here at the project. The trouble with this leap was? there was no person that leaped back here when Ziggy announced the Quantum Leap was made.
As Al turned around the corner, suddenly, his vision doubled.
For a moment in time, he saw Gooshie and Tina, his own love interest. The fact that Tina was a bubbly brunette sometimes was often misleading, as she was nearly as brilliant as Dr. Beckett was! The other two Dr. Becketts were there as well, although one didn?t go by that name, or even knew that she was a Beckett. Donna Beckett, life and soulmate to Sam, stood next to Sammy Jo Fuller, Sam?s daughter from his leap into Abigail Fuller?s fianc?, where Dr. Fuller was the product of that union. Both women had stopped their conversation and turned towards the Project Director in anticipation of the news the Observer would have about this very crazy leap.
But after the moment of vertigo passed, standing there in the passageway entry from the corridor that led into the room with the hustle and bustle of Ziggy?s day-to-day operations, Al saw his lovely Beth standing there patiently.
%% ?Finally!? %% Ziggy uttered, drawing expressions of perplexion from everyone in the room, except Admiral Calavicci, who could only stare in shock at Beth.
Ziggy, the hybrid parallel computer, was well aware of how time had suddenly changed. She had calculated that there was a 52.995 percent chance that if Beth were to act differently as history had recorded, that is, if Beth had not waited for Lieutenant Albert Calavicci as he languished under the merciless Viet Cong?s mistreatment, a side effect of the time change might have had Albert Calavicci not even being a member of Project: Quantum Leap.
Fortunately, God, Fate, Time or Whatever seemed to favor the other 47.005 percent, and the decisions Albert had made since his repatriotism had still allowed himself and Dr. Beckett to meet at Project: Starbright.
Ziggy was the inherent daughter of Dr. Beckett?s genius, and she had the cellular linkage to both Sam and Al mixed into her neurons so that she could be the bridge between Leaper and Observer. But more than a bridge, Ziggy was also the emotional thinking computer. The integration of Sam?s and Al?s neuroconnections was Dr. Beckett?s breakthrough. This connection also subconsciously allowed Rear Admiral Calavicci to remember the changes in the timeline. Everyone else was not affected, for they were altered along with the linear occurrences. But not Sam? and not Al.
For several heartbreaking moments, Al remembered his pain of the loss of Beth, of his next four wives and their disastrous breakups. Of every time he was looking for that love that was lost. How he just couldn?t commit completely to any of his past liaisons for the fear of loss that would happen? and how they eventually did become losses as a result of his fears. Passion was never Al?s weakness. Sam used to kid him about his libido. But it was more than that. Al was a lover to be sure, but what he really wanted was his first love.
Beth.
Now, she stood before him. And Al?s memories began to change, for God, Time, Fate or Whatever seemed to not want Al to remember the past as it was, but rather, how He wanted Al to remember time as it now is. Memories flooded Al with their all-embracing, watery-like envelopment: memories of his children, four beautiful daughters, with a full history of birthdays, holidays, and even just regular days. Their first walks, their first words, their first days at school and church, their first loves, and every other aspect filled his essence like the smells of freshly cooked bread. Al breathed deeply, absorbing all in a single moment of time, and it forever changed him.
He also remembered his darker periods, that of his battle with alcoholism following his return to society. He had subdued it somewhat as he became a top pilot again, requalifying under the watchful gaze of the Navy. Rank seemed to fall upon him as he accepted his role in the public eye. The following appointments to NASA as both an astronaut and much later, ground control. Albert Calavicci seemed to thrive at being one of the people he used to despise? one in control.
Then, in the private sector, he found himself working for Project: Starbright, and with it?s top-secret lifestyle, suddenly Al couldn?t escape the ghost he realized he never conquered: the bottle. Beth had supported him as best she could, fought with him when the ghost seemed to be taking over her beloved husband, and even moved out, taking his daughters with her when the ghost had taken over, leaving the shell of the man she loved behind, rattled and out of control.
It was under that time that Albert Calavicci met the young Dr. Samuel Beckett.
It was with Sam?s help that Al had come back whole, damaged yet rebuilt. Not unlike his return to the world after Vietnam. And it was to that man that Beth and her family had returned.
These times too enveloped Al in that same moment. He teared up in the eye as he relived those pains and triumphs. But through it all, there had always been Beth Calavicci. And as the last of his old memories fell to the wayside, Al found himself in agreement with Ziggy. **?Yes, Finally!"**
?Something wrong Al?? Beth asked her husband.
Blinking for a moment, Rear Admiral Calavicci gazed at his wife of thirty-nine years. ?Yeah darlin?,? he began. ?Sam?s in trouble, and we gotta help him any way we can!?
?Anything I can do?? she asked, always the supportive one.
?Pray hon!? he smiled back. Then he turned his attention to the head programmer. ?Gooshie, I want a lock kept on Sam! I don?t care how long you or I have to be standing here to do it, either!?
Gooshie looked up at him with his soulful expression, humorous on anybody else. ?That?s the problem, Admiral. A few moments ago, we lost the lock on Dr. Beckett!?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Matthew R. Searcy
This takes place immediately following the last aired episode ?Mirror Image? of ?Quantum Leap?
As with all fanfic, the rights still belong to the original creator ? in this case, Donald Bellisario and Universal TV
Rear Admiral Albert Calavicci now stood in front of the Imaging Chamber?s door. It had descended after he had just now stepped backwards thru it and pressed the button on his handlink. He uttered a wearied sigh, and put his hand on the door, and tried to push his essence thru that gesture, as if he could will himself to physically be back there with Sam. Never before had he felt so helpless, including the nuthouse leap! Frowning, the admiral shook off his sadness, and mustered himself together. He had no idea how long he had been standing there. Long enough to clear the nauseous feeling from losing his equilibrium. Of course, most of that had dissipated while he was talking to Sam back in the past.
*"Help your buddy, you nozzle!"* he said to himself. *"Sam?s been thru a lot, and he looked like he was breaking down back there."*
It worried Al a lot, Sam sitting on the bench in front of the bar laughing, but not the way most people laugh in merriment. Sam was laughing with despair, confusion, and almost hopelessness. Maybe even more than that: laughing with a revelation. There he was, laughing at some reference to Al?s Uncle Stopol (Steve). Many things were weird with this leap, including Sam?s belief that some bartender was really God, Fate, Time or Whatever (Definitely Whatever!), and more than that, how on Earth in all these leaps, the sheer fact that Sam had lept as himself!!!
?Gooshie!? Al called out to the head programmer, as he turned and strolled down the ramp, which led into the central room where Ziggy?s mainframe master console was. There was also a pathway that led to the Visitor?s room, where the person who lept into Dr. Beckett?s aura was led. It was isolated, comfortable in it?s starkness, and kept the Visitor as unaware as possible about all future occurrences here at the project. The trouble with this leap was? there was no person that leaped back here when Ziggy announced the Quantum Leap was made.
As Al turned around the corner, suddenly, his vision doubled.
For a moment in time, he saw Gooshie and Tina, his own love interest. The fact that Tina was a bubbly brunette sometimes was often misleading, as she was nearly as brilliant as Dr. Beckett was! The other two Dr. Becketts were there as well, although one didn?t go by that name, or even knew that she was a Beckett. Donna Beckett, life and soulmate to Sam, stood next to Sammy Jo Fuller, Sam?s daughter from his leap into Abigail Fuller?s fianc?, where Dr. Fuller was the product of that union. Both women had stopped their conversation and turned towards the Project Director in anticipation of the news the Observer would have about this very crazy leap.
But after the moment of vertigo passed, standing there in the passageway entry from the corridor that led into the room with the hustle and bustle of Ziggy?s day-to-day operations, Al saw his lovely Beth standing there patiently.
%% ?Finally!? %% Ziggy uttered, drawing expressions of perplexion from everyone in the room, except Admiral Calavicci, who could only stare in shock at Beth.
Ziggy, the hybrid parallel computer, was well aware of how time had suddenly changed. She had calculated that there was a 52.995 percent chance that if Beth were to act differently as history had recorded, that is, if Beth had not waited for Lieutenant Albert Calavicci as he languished under the merciless Viet Cong?s mistreatment, a side effect of the time change might have had Albert Calavicci not even being a member of Project: Quantum Leap.
Fortunately, God, Fate, Time or Whatever seemed to favor the other 47.005 percent, and the decisions Albert had made since his repatriotism had still allowed himself and Dr. Beckett to meet at Project: Starbright.
Ziggy was the inherent daughter of Dr. Beckett?s genius, and she had the cellular linkage to both Sam and Al mixed into her neurons so that she could be the bridge between Leaper and Observer. But more than a bridge, Ziggy was also the emotional thinking computer. The integration of Sam?s and Al?s neuroconnections was Dr. Beckett?s breakthrough. This connection also subconsciously allowed Rear Admiral Calavicci to remember the changes in the timeline. Everyone else was not affected, for they were altered along with the linear occurrences. But not Sam? and not Al.
For several heartbreaking moments, Al remembered his pain of the loss of Beth, of his next four wives and their disastrous breakups. Of every time he was looking for that love that was lost. How he just couldn?t commit completely to any of his past liaisons for the fear of loss that would happen? and how they eventually did become losses as a result of his fears. Passion was never Al?s weakness. Sam used to kid him about his libido. But it was more than that. Al was a lover to be sure, but what he really wanted was his first love.
Beth.
Now, she stood before him. And Al?s memories began to change, for God, Time, Fate or Whatever seemed to not want Al to remember the past as it was, but rather, how He wanted Al to remember time as it now is. Memories flooded Al with their all-embracing, watery-like envelopment: memories of his children, four beautiful daughters, with a full history of birthdays, holidays, and even just regular days. Their first walks, their first words, their first days at school and church, their first loves, and every other aspect filled his essence like the smells of freshly cooked bread. Al breathed deeply, absorbing all in a single moment of time, and it forever changed him.
He also remembered his darker periods, that of his battle with alcoholism following his return to society. He had subdued it somewhat as he became a top pilot again, requalifying under the watchful gaze of the Navy. Rank seemed to fall upon him as he accepted his role in the public eye. The following appointments to NASA as both an astronaut and much later, ground control. Albert Calavicci seemed to thrive at being one of the people he used to despise? one in control.
Then, in the private sector, he found himself working for Project: Starbright, and with it?s top-secret lifestyle, suddenly Al couldn?t escape the ghost he realized he never conquered: the bottle. Beth had supported him as best she could, fought with him when the ghost seemed to be taking over her beloved husband, and even moved out, taking his daughters with her when the ghost had taken over, leaving the shell of the man she loved behind, rattled and out of control.
It was under that time that Albert Calavicci met the young Dr. Samuel Beckett.
It was with Sam?s help that Al had come back whole, damaged yet rebuilt. Not unlike his return to the world after Vietnam. And it was to that man that Beth and her family had returned.
These times too enveloped Al in that same moment. He teared up in the eye as he relived those pains and triumphs. But through it all, there had always been Beth Calavicci. And as the last of his old memories fell to the wayside, Al found himself in agreement with Ziggy. **?Yes, Finally!"**
?Something wrong Al?? Beth asked her husband.
Blinking for a moment, Rear Admiral Calavicci gazed at his wife of thirty-nine years. ?Yeah darlin?,? he began. ?Sam?s in trouble, and we gotta help him any way we can!?
?Anything I can do?? she asked, always the supportive one.
?Pray hon!? he smiled back. Then he turned his attention to the head programmer. ?Gooshie, I want a lock kept on Sam! I don?t care how long you or I have to be standing here to do it, either!?
Gooshie looked up at him with his soulful expression, humorous on anybody else. ?That?s the problem, Admiral. A few moments ago, we lost the lock on Dr. Beckett!?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Matthew R. Searcy