Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 22:34:05 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Mirror - part 20 Message-ID: Quantum Leap Mirror of Deception by Katherine Freymuth and Gary Marsh Copyright 1998 Part 20 "We should get Mom a pin." Sam didn't hear Renee's words as he walked beside her and Keith. The three had spent a couple of hours in the city's shopping mall and were now slowly making their way through the crowded corridors. Sam's mind, however, was not on shopping. His thoughts were filled with questions about Al, about Sammy Jo and why she seemed so deeply and personally familiar, about the general future of the project, and especially about how he was going to prevent Keith's murder. He still didn't understand why anyone would want to kill a boy, especially one as good and loving as Keith. "Terry, are you listening to me?" Sam raised his eyebrows with question and looked at Renee. *At least we're on speaking terms again, in only impersonally. "I said we should get a pin for my mom," Renee repeated the comment. Sam nodded. "Okay. You pick the store," he added with a gentle, friendly smile. Renee looked at him for a moment before she let her own smile cross her face. She quickly looked away from him. "Don't do that," she said quietly. "Do what?" Sam asked. She hesitated. "Don't smile at me." Sam blinked a couple of times and took a breath. "You're right. I mean, if I smile at you, you might smile at me and that might get Keith smiling and, if we're all smiling, people might think that we actually love each other." Renee took a breath. "It has nothing to do with love," she said quietly. Sam looked at her firmly. "Doesn't it?" Renee stopped, forcing Sam and Keith to stop as well and for the other shoppers to dodge around the three. She looked at Sam firmly. "You broke a wedding vow," she told him quietly. Keith was frowning, looking from one parent to the other, listening quietly to the conversation. Sam took a breath. "I know," he replied softly. He looked into her eyes. "I... was stupid. I didn't know what I had. But I remember what I had now and I hope that you remember too." The two were quiet, looking at each other intensely. "Umm..." Keith started. "Are we going to get Gram a present?" Sam and Renee looked at Keith with question and then at each other before giving quiet laughs. Sam nodded. "Yeah, we're going to get Gram a present." "Not here, though," Renee told Sam. "Downtown. I saw this great pin that would be perfect for Mom." Sam nodded. "Okay, then." He looked at both Renee and Keith with a smile. "Let's go." It was one twenty-one on a Tuesday afternoon. "Verbina? Can you hear me?" a worried female voice came slowly out of the haze. "She's coming around now," another voice said. "Try to keep her relaxed. It wouldn't be good for her to get excited." Verbina slowly opened her eyes and looked around at her environment. She instantly noticed that she was laying on an examination bed in the complex's infirmary. Above her, with concerned looks, were Donna and Dan MacArthyr. Dan was examining Verbina carefully while Donna smiled with gentleness at her friend. "Donna," Verbina said quietly. "Dan. What happened?" "Captain Davalos and I found you unconscious on Al's bedroom floor," Dan told her, still examining her. "We only brought you in about five minutes ago." He looked into her eyes. "How do you feel?" Verbina exhaled slowly. "I'm a little nauseous," she admitted readily. "My head really hurts." Dan examined her eyes carefully. "Well, you don't have a concussion." He hesitated before he exhaled. Verbina frowned slightly. "What is it?" He didn't answer for a moment. "If I didn't know you, I would think you were taking some kind of narcotic." "What?" Verbina questioned with incredulity. She started to sit up but was gently laid back down by Donna's firm hands. "Relax, Verbina," Dan assured. "We're just trying to find out what happened to you. The comment was based on observation, not on any established facts. Your eyes are dilated, you have a headache, you're nauseous and excitable yet also very tired." He paused and looked at her firmly. "Now, what would your conclusion be?" Verbina took a breath. "You're right. I'm sorry." She shook her head. "But I haven't taken anything." Dan nodded. "I believe you. However, something caused you to pass out and we have to find out what it was. I've already taken a blood sample; it's being analyzed as we speak. I just want to check anything else that could tell us what happened." He looked into her eyes. "Do you remember anything odd before you passed out?" Verbina raised her eyebrows. "You mean besides Al's entire house?" Dan frowned. "What do you mean?" "You didn't notice?" she questioned. He gave a little frown of rebuke. "I was more worried about you than the house." Verbina exhaled, looking apologetically at her colleague. "The place was a mess: dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor..." Dan smiled in amusement. Verbina instantly saw the meaning in that grin. "Don't laugh, Dan. I'm serious. Al may be a bachelor but he's also a neat freak, even if he'd never admit it. It just isn't like him to leave the house as it is now, especially when he's left the country." Dan nodded. "Captain Davalos told me about that," he commented. "So, he left in a hurry." Verbina looked carefully at the Chief Medical Officer. "Dan, the kitchen looks like a three year old decided to make dessert without parental guidance. The floor is practically covered with chocolate pudding." Dan frowned. "How do you know it's chocolate pudding?" Verbina laughed. "Because I tasted it. What's with the inquisition, Dan? Do you think I'd lie about it?" Her face grew serious. Dan looked at her with confusion. "Of course not. I just wanted to make sure of the facts." Verbina frowned at him angrily. "You don't believe me, do you? You think I faked the whole thing!" Dan took a breath. "Verbina..." "Don't 'Verbina' me!" she exclaimed, sitting up. "Why don't you just admit you don't have any faith in me?" Dan grabbed her shoulders and shook her slightly. "Stop it, Verbina!" he ordered. Verbina looked at him with surprise and shock, mostly at her own actions rather than his. "I'm sorry, Dan," she finally said after a long moment of silence between the three doctors, Donna dumb-founded by all that happened in the past few minutes. Donna touched Verbina's shoulder with concern. "Verbina, what's wrong?" she asked gently. The psychiatrist shook her head slowly in confusion. "I don't know. I've never felt so... hostile before." She looked into Donna's eyes. "I feel as if the whole world is against me." She exhaled slowly, calming herself. "I'm okay," Donna assured. We'll find the answer." Verbina nodded. "I know we will." She smiled at her friend. Dan took a breath. "I want you to stay in the infirmary until further notice," he told her. "Just to be safe. Normally, I'd prescribe a relaxant but I know how sensitive you are to most prescription medication." Verbina nodded again. "I understand." Dan looked at his patient with compassion before slowly walking away. Donna too looked at her with a reassuring smile and then left her side, giving Verbina some time alone to wonder what had really happened to her.