Date: Fri, 11 Apr 1997 20:33:37 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Circles of Fate - Chapter 12 Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Quantum Leap "Circles of Fate" Chapter 12 Weeks passed and Sam continued to work on the project, making modifications and improvements, slowly perfecting the leaping process. Donna began to worry about Sam, noticing how his visits with her and Jim were becoming few and far between as well as shorter. What worried her wasn't his lack of visits but rather was what he was most likely doing in between those visits. The past few months had shown her that she was still very deeply in love with Sam, even though she was also very much in love with her husband Paul. She didn't want to lose Sam again. If she could start over, she decided, she would never have divorced him. It was with this in mind that she went to the Project Quantum Leap Complex. "Dr. Elesee," Ziggy told her as she entered the complex. "This is highly unusual. It has been a long time since you have come here." Donna smiled at the voice. She hadn't realized how much she missed the sound of Ziggy's voice. "Yes, Ziggy," she replied. "It has been a while. Thank you for not purging my security clearance from your system." "I was merely obeying Admiral Calavicci's orders," Ziggy told her. Donna's smile widened. "I'll have to thank him when I see him." "The Admiral is entering the complex at this moment, Dr. Elesee," Ziggy informed her. As Ziggy said this, Al walked through the main entrance, raising his eyebrows at the sight of Donna. "Donna, what brings you here?" he asked. "I came to see Sam," she told him. Al nodded with understanding. "I see." He paused. "I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to stay away from here." "So I noticed," Donna replied with a smile. "Thank you." Al shrugged the thanks off. "Going to the Control Room?" "Is that where Sam is?" Al exhaled. "Usually. I'll escort you." Donna nodded, following Al to the elevator. A few minutes later, they found themselves entering the Control Room. Sam, in fact, was not in the Control Room but rather was in his lab nearby. Al and Donna entered the lab to find Sam hard at work at his lab table, his back to the door. "Sam," Al started, causing Sam to jump slightly. Al smiled slightly. "Sorry. Thought you might need a break from your work." Sam turned around with a slight frown. "Al, I'm perfectly capable of..." He stopped in mid-sentence at the sight. "Donna," he said with surprise. "What are you doing here?" "Same reason as Al, I suppose," she told him. "To get you to take a break." She exhaled. "Jim is wondering where his father is." Sam stood up and walked over to them. "I'm really close, Donna. I've been discussing this with Sammy Jo and we think it will work." "You think what will work?" Al asked with a slightly suspicious glare. Sam smiled. "We can perfect the retrieval program." Donna closed her eyes. "I knew it!" she said angrily. "I knew that's what this was all about!" Sam frowned in confusion. He held her shoulders. "Donna, what's wrong?" Donna looked at him. "You! You're what's wrong! You've been leaping around for ten years and, now that you're finally home, you're thinking about leaping again! I can't stand it!" Sam gently took Donna's face into his hands. "I've already promised that I won't leap unless I'm certain the retrieval program will work." Donna pushed Sam's hands away from her. "That's what you had said the first time! And you broke your promise! You leaped before we were ready! And I was in Washington so I didn't even get the chance to..." She stopped, trying desperately to keep herself from crying. Sam closed his eyes. "Donna," he started gently. "I gave up the chance of a lifetime, a professorship at MIT, just so I could be here when you came home and, when you did, we only had one night together!" Donna told him. "And then you left me again!" She paused. "And now you're back in my life and, this time, not only will you be leaving me but Jim as well." She glared at him. "It would have been better if you had never come home." With that, she quickly left the lab, wiping tears from her cheek. "Donna!" Sam started after her. Al stopped him with a hand. "Sam, don't," he said quietly. "What?" Sam exclaimed in shock. Al looked into his eyes. "She needs some time alone. Trust me on this." Sam sat down in confusion. "She hates me," he whispered in shock. Al hesitated. "I wouldn't say that." Sam looked at him for an explanation. "She loves you, Sam," Al told him. "She loves you so much that the thought of you leaping again, even with a perfect retrieval program, is unbearable to her." Sam sighed. "I've got to talk to her. I have to explain to her..." "Sam," Al interrupted. "The only way you'll get her to listen to you is if you abandon Quantum Leap. Both you and I know that." Sam closed his eyes and exhaled. "I don't know, Al. We've worked so hard on this." Al closed his eyes. "You _have_ changed in the past ten years." He looked at Sam. "Ten years ago, Donna meant everything to you. I risked my career when you leaped into Donna's English professor. I risked it so that you two could be together. Why? Because you asked me to. Now, you'd throw her away for this project." Sam looked at Al incredulously. "It's not like that at all." "Isn't it?" Al questioned, looking into Sam's eyes. Sam couldn't say anything to Al's brash statement as Al started for the door and turned back towards Sam. "It's really sad that you no longer love her as much as she loves you," he told Sam just before leaving the lab. "Then, why did she remarry?" Sam whispered, a tear in his eye. He turned to the papers on his lab table, hoping they would be a good distraction. The calculations on them were correct. He should easily be able to leap and be retrieved. Then, they wouldn't have to worry.... "Oh, gawd!" Sam moaned with realization. "He's right." He pushed the papers onto the floor in a disarray. Placing his elbows on the table, he held his forehead with his hands. "How could I have been so blind?" With a deep breath, he stood up. He knew what he had to do. He couldn't have both Donna's heart and the project. He left the lab and went into the Control Room. He looked around the room as if it would be the last time he would ever see it. As he did so, he heard a loud rumble just before the entire room shook slightly. "Ziggy, what happpened?" he demanded. "There has been a large explosion on Level Eight. I have not yet determined the cause. However, it originated in Lab 8G." "Level Eight?" Sam questioned with concern. He hoped the awful feeling in his gut was wrong. *Donna's office is on Level Eight. She used to go there whenever she was upset.* "Confirmed, Dr. Beckett," Ziggy told him. "Sections five and six. Security and medical are moving into the area." "Oh, gawd! No!" Sam whispered, covering his eyes with his hands. "W-was there anyone in that area?" There was a long pause. "I'm afraid so. Dr. Hathorn, Dr. Anders... Admiral Calavicci... and Dr. Elesee," Ziggy finished quietly. Sam closed his eyes firmly. "This can't be happening," he whispered before taking a gulp of air. "I'm going up there," he told Ziggy with determination. He quickly left the Control Room and headed for the elevator. ----------------------------- What happened? What happened? Sorry. :) You'll have to wait for Part 13! OOOOOOO! Katherine