Theorizing that one could time-travel within his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett led an elite group of scientists into the desert to develop a top-secret project known as Quantum Leap.  Pressured to prove his theories or lose funding, Dr. Beckett prematurely stepped into the Project Accelerator…and vanished.

He awoke to find himself in the past, suffering from partial amnesia and facing a mirror image that was not his own.  Fortunately, contact with his own time was maintained through brainwave transmissions with Al, the Project Observer, who appeared in the form of a hologram that only Dr. Beckett can see and hear.

As evil ones do their best to stop Dr. Beckett’s journey, his children, Dr. Samantha Josephine Fulton and Stephen Beckett, continuously strive to retrieve their time-lost father and bring him home permanently.  Despite returning home several times over the last decade, Dr. Beckett has remained lost in the time stream…his final fate no longer certain.

Trapped in the past and driven by an unknown force, Dr. Beckett struggles to accept his destiny as he continues to find himself leaping from life to life, putting things right that once went wrong with the hopes that his next leap…will be the final leap home.

PREVIOUSLY ON QUANTUM LEAP

 

After throwing Al Calavicci off of Project Quantum Leap, it became necessary for Tom Beckett to leap to assure that his brother, who had become stuck in time, would start leaping again.  After a series of rather enlightening leaps, Tom Beckett will now learn that his real mission is truly to set right what once went wrong.

PART FIVE

April 8, 2008

Project Quantum Leap

Stallions Gate, NM

As the blue glow faded, Tom could hear a familiar voice speaking rather heatedly, directed, he could only assume, at him.  Somehow the words were familiar.

“I know more about your relationship than you can possible understand, Admiral.  And I know the signs of an overprotective monstrosity.”

“What?  What was that you said?”  Tom struggled to regain his bearings.

“You heard me, Admiral.”  The final word held the viciousness that was evident on Albert Calavicci’s face.

Tom stood looking at Al.  Things were adding up to him and while he didn’t like looking at his self-assessment, he suddenly realized why Ziggy had said he must leap.  He understood what that strange Bartender had said.  Somehow, he himself had caused a great wrong and GFTW was insisting that he clean up his own mess. 

Tom had been given a great gift.  He’d been allowed to live the past 38 years of his life.  Years that never would have happened if not for the man standing in front of him.  It was Al’s choice, given of his own free will, to aid Sam’s quest to save his brother at a horrible cost to himself.  Another two years in an absolute and brutally realistic hell.  The stories that Tom had heard from the repatriated POW’s and MIA’s confirmed that in spades.   Before he’d leaped, while he hadn’t known the gift had been bestowed, he had repaid that gift with treachery and hatred.  If he were truly honest with himself, he’d been jealous of this man and his close relationship with his “Little Brother.”

For as far back as Tom could remember, his brother had looked up to him, following him around like a puppy.  At first, Tom had been annoyed having this baby tag after him.  That had even been Sam’s first and only real nickname, “Tag.”  However, Tom had realized early how Sam wasn’t like the other kids.  He was generally pretty easy going and didn’t attempt to get his siblings in trouble.  Yes, he could bicker with the best of them, but Tom put that down to the law of sibling survival.  But Sam’s bickering was different.   His arguments were more logical than most adults ever presented in their lives.  And then there was that exploring nature.

Sam had an insatiable curiosity.  The problem was; Sam saw the possibilities before he could handle them.  He was almost killed the time he’d decided to figure out how the pick-up truck’s engine worked.  He was age seven and he’d been able to pull the engine out with the hoist but failed to fully secure it.  If Tom hadn’t walked into the garage at that very moment and pulled Sam out of the way, the engine would have crushed him when it came off the hoist. 

Tom had screamed at Sam, asking him why he would do something that stupid.  The look on Sam’s face told him that his words crushed his brother’s sensitive soul.  When his father had rushed in, hearing the commotion, Tom had seen the fear in his eyes when he told him what had almost happened to Sam, but he had stayed calm.  Sam had started to cry, saying over and over again how sorry he was.  He remembered how his father had held Sam and told him it was going to be fine, but that he should have asked before doing something like that.  His father had later taken the now damaged engine into the shop, and had never said anything about how much money it took out of the family’s savings to fix it.  Tom thus had learned to watch over Sam, not holding back his interests but doing whatever it took to make sure that Sam had the ability to succeed before the prize was truly in reach.  Yes, he’d made mistakes.  However, everything that Tom had ever done in relationship to his brother was based in love and his absolute belief that he was Sam’s protector.

When Tom had met Al, the man was not the kind of person most people would give a second thought to, much less a third.  They would just as soon write him off as a bad bet.  Tom certainly had.  But Sam had put Al first in his thoughts.  Had seen through the ugly, alcohol ridden, cynical shell and instead had found inside that shell a pearl of great price.  And, as always, when Sam saw potential, he would do whatever it took to make that potential a reality.  Sam had not given up on Al, even when Al lashed out at him, even when Sam had to put his reputation and career on the line.  Sam had believed in Al.  And Al had learned to believe in himself again.  Then Al had learned to believe in Sam.

Now, looking at Al, understanding…No…having seen how far this man would go for his brother, how much trust he put in Sam’s abilities to take care of himself, how much of his own life he’d given up to assure that Sam truly lived out the reality of his dreams, Tom found himself ashamed of who he himself had become.  Somehow, he had to change what the future would be.  He knew if they continued down the current path what that outcome would be.

“Al, you’re right.  I have been an overprotective monstrosity.  I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, Tom heard the sound of the Imaging Chamber opening.  He looked over to the sound, to see Sammie Jo with the handlink.

Al Calavicci’s eyes narrowed.  “What are you trying to pull here, Beckett?  You think agreeing with me is going to change things?”

Tom had to lower the tension in the room and really needed to get his bearings before continuing the conversation with the angry Italian in front of him.  “Um, Al, why don’t we take a five minute breather?  Yeah, I think we need to change course here, take a different tack.”

Al’s voice was deceptively calm as he answered, “I’d just as soon finish it now, Admiral.”

Making his body language as defenseless as possible, Tom restated, “Al, a five-minute breather.  I know you don’t have a whole lot of trust in me right now, but I’m telling you, we need to do this.”

Al still wasn’t fully buying this change in Tom’s attitude.  He knew that Sam’s brother could be a wily negotiator.  He’d seen him change tactics in mid-stream if he felt that would get him an advantage.   He even respected that, having done so himself in numerous situations.  However, he figured if nothing else, this break would allow him some time to determine his own next move.  “Fine.  Five minutes.  I need to get a status report from Ziggy in any case.”  He turned on his heel and exited the room.

Tom shook his head as he watched the ramrod straight back of Al Calavicci exit the room.  He could see how when Calavicci wished to, he had the ability to intimidate an entire battalion.  He’d seen him do it before but had never seen the positive nature of that ability, instead choosing to see the man as a loose cannon.  He turned to his observer.  “Sammie Jo!  Where have you been?”

“It was a bit hard to locate you.  At first you were nowhere to be found, and then, each time we were zeroing in on your location, you leapt.”  Sammie Jo consulted the handlink, a frown creasing her face.  “You’re back to the…”

“The day I forced Al off the project.  I know.  Sammie Jo, and I know what has to be fixed.  I think I can do that here but I need your help.  You’ve got to trust me.”

“What are you thinking about, Tom?”

“As I said, I can handle the situation here.  I can find a way to keep Al from being removed from the project.  I’m not exactly sure how right now, but I’ll figure it out.  But you’ve got to make sure the ‘me’ in the Waiting Room will allow anything I set up to continue.  He can’t try to change things back.  I don’t envy you that job.”  Tom looked down, hanging his head sadly and finished, “I can be a real, sorry bastard sometimes.”

Sammie Jo was shocked.  “Tom, what happened?  Where were you when we couldn’t find you?”  Sammie Jo, like the others had not been thrilled with the changes Tom had wrought.  She’d felt pulled in both directions.  On one hand, he was her uncle and had been since she’d learned that Sam was her father.  Family had been the only source of stability when she was young, even with her grandmother being considered insane by almost everyone.  She wouldn’t easily turn her back on her blood uncle.  On the other hand, this man had taken away a person that had become as close a blood could ever be, maybe even more.  But now, seeing him as she’d seldom seen him, contrite and ready to admit his mistakes, her heart went out to him.

Tom answered harshly, “I’ve seen the enemy, and it is me.”

“Tom, don’t be so hard on yourself.  You can be a definite pain in the ass, I’ll give you that.  But I wouldn’t go so far as to call you the enemy.  I know it’s been hard on you, seeing Dad trapped in time, but we will get him back someday.  I can feel it.”

“Sammie Jo, thank you. But I have been the horse’s ass that Al always said that anyone above the rank of Lieutenant is.  I mean to change that.  If Sam has shown me anything, it is that things can change.  Radically, in some cases.  I need to be working with the Project, not trying to have the Project change to my course.”

If Sammie Jo could have hugged him, she would have.  As it was she just smiled.  “Okay, Tom, let me go and fight the good fight with you.  Any suggestions?”

“Yeah, tell me that if I really want to protect my brother, when I leap back I’ll take any of the lumps I’m sure to have to take and be glad of them.  At least they won’t last two years and result in post-traumatic stress.  Tell me I said that even if I destroy my own career over this, it’s more than been paid for.  Tell me since I’m the older me, I outrank him and I order him to follow what I say.” Tom had grown more agitated as he suggested things to tell the man he didn’t want to be anymore.  Finally, he looked her directly in the eyes and said with fire in his voice; “Tell me I’ll know in two months if I still have my soul.” 

Sammie Jo nodded, having seldom seen this side of her uncle, but now seeing in him some of the nobility of spirit that her father had.  She realized that at least in part, her father was the way he was because lurking in Tom all of these years had been the man her father had grown up wanting to emulate.  “I will, Uncle Tom.  I’ll make sure he listens.”

Tom called out to no particular location.  “Ziggy, have you been listening?”

As if speaking to a young child, the computer answered, “Of course.  That is my function.” 

Tom shook his head, not sure how Ziggy could include eavesdropping under her duties.

“Fine.  But you must not allow the knowledge of what is going on to be known for two months.  Do you understand?”

The haughty voice sounded insulted, “You question my abilities, Admiral?”

Tom knew that insulting Ziggy usually required a great deal of time to bring her back to being a teamplayer , and right now, he simply didn’t have the time.  So he decided that instead of throwing an insult back at her, he’d mollify her instead.  “Not at all, Ziggy.  Just your willingness to keep a secret, Especially from Al or Sam.”

The computer seemed mollified.  “I can be discreet.  When it serves me.”

Tom stated plainly, “Make sure it serves you now.  If my plan is to work, no one in this timeline can know until I leap back.”

Ziggy was curious.  “And how do you plan to do that, Admiral Beckett?”

“On June 7, 2008, the me in the timeline that I’m changing needs to be called to the Project.  No excuses for not coming.  Then at June 8, 2008, that me will need to step into the Accelerator to leap.  I believe I will merge back under those conditions.”

“Very good, Admiral.  That type of thinking reminds me of the conversations I have had with my Father.”  The fact that the computer sounded impressed surprised Tom.  It didn’t happen often.  In fact, thinking back, he couldn’t recall a time when she’d ever been impressed with anything he had said. 

Tom decided to play with her a bit.  “Well, since we’re brothers, maybe I have one or two similar brain cells.  Unless you think I’m from the shallow end of the family gene pool.”

Ziggy answered haughtily, “I’d never make that assessment, Admiral Beckett.”

Tom smiled, knowing full well that Ziggy would indeed make that assessment if he didn’t change things this time around.  “Hmmm…right.  Well, there’s also the fact that and we did consider such possibilities when putting together Project Liberty.”

Sammie Jo smiled.  “Tom, I’ll go back and get started.  Good luck.”

Tom smiled back.  “You too.  You’re gonna need it.”  Then speaking again to no particular location Tom made a request to Ziggy to invite Admiral Calavicci to rejoin him.

Al looked ready to fight a bear when he returned.  Thinking back to the way he’d acted originally, Tom couldn’t blame him.  He even recalled a time that they’d come to blows. Seeing Al like this, Tom was suddenly struck by how consistent Al truly was.  He knew he would fight for Sam come hell or high water.  He knew Al saw him as a threat to Sam’s safety; he’d have to convince Al that he had Sam’s best interests at heart.  That would be the relatively easier part of his task.  The really hard part would be to have Al trust that he would truly go to bat and do his utmost to hit a homer out of the ballpark for the man he had hated for so many years.

Tom sat down at the table and gestured to Al to do the same.  He was not surprised to see Al sit at the opposite side, as far away from Tom as he could get.  Tom started, “Al.  I know that we haven’t seen eye to eye much in the past…”

Al hrmmmphed loudly, lips pulling in tight.  “You can say that again.”

Tom closed his eyes for a second.  Well, he had no one to blame but himself.  He’d treated the man in front of him without respect for over 20 years.  What did he expect?  “Yeah.  Al, I don’t really know how to proceed here other than to say I’m sorry that we haven’t.  I can tell you that what I came here to do today, I’m not going to.”  He opened his briefcase and handed the papers to Al.  “As you can see, these are orders from Homeland Security to remove you from the project.  We need to find some way of making sure you stay instead.”

Al quickly scanned the papers.  Yeah, they were definitely trying to remove him and they appeared to be official.  “Why aren’t you serving these to me, Tom?  I’d think you have me right where you want me.”

Tom looked over to Al with a look that reminded the older man of a different Beckett.  The one he’d been trying to bring home for thirteen years.  It was a bit disconcerting to see Sam in this man, even though they were brothers.  “Al, I just know that it’s important that you stay here to help my brother.  These papers won’t solve anything.  There’s nothing I can do on the project that you haven’t to get Sam home.  I know that now.”

Al focused in on one of the papers.  “What about this treason charge?  Tom, I had to tell Sam that information.  If I hadn’t, he would likely have died.”

Tom nodded.  “I know, Al.  But now we need to figure out something that will convince the powers that be that you shouldn’t be charged or removed from the project.”

One could have cut the suspicion evident on Al’s face with a knife.  “Tom, I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here, but I’m sure you’re up to something.  If you think I’m going to trust you to help me out this, you’re nuttier than the almond groves in California!”

“Al, I don’t blame you for being suspicious.”  Tom got up and started pacing around the room.  That action too reminded Al of Sam.  “I’ve disliked you since I met you, sure that you’d screw up Sam’s life.  That dislike turned to hatred during the years that our family had no idea what was going on with Sam.  We truly felt that somehow, Sam had turned his back on his family and it was most likely your fault.  That hurt us; hurt my Mother, my sister.”  Tom stopped suddenly, dropping back into the chair and looking directly at the man across from him.  “But I do understand, Al.  You felt it was an unpleasant part of your job, but something you had to do.  I’ve had to do that before too.  Felt like a heel for lying to those families.  But, I’ve had to do it for the mission.”  Tom paused again, looking down.  “For this mission, you need to be here at the project.  You need to help my brother.”  He looked up at Al.  “Let me help you.”

Al felt red flags going up all around him.  The man in front of him was not acting like the man he’d known since Sam had introduced the two of them back when Sam and he were on the StarBright project together.  Al knew from reading the logs of the leaps that in the original history, the one when Tom had died, that Sam’s mother and sister had been cautious of his relationship with Sam at first, wondering what he would see in such a drunkard.  However, over time, they’d learned to accept him and even trust him seeing that he had indeed changed his life.  How things had changed when he made his choice to help Sam on the leap that saved Tom’s life.

After Al had helped Sam assure that his brother didn’t die, the relationship with Sam’s birth family had always been somewhat sour, based on the absolute animosity that Sam’s brother had infected his family with.  He knew it had always hurt Sam a bit that his family was the way they were with him.  Of course, Sam didn’t see how much worse it got after he leapt.  Al knew his stories to Sam’s family basically destroyed the little trust he’d developed with them.  After Sam leapt, he’d kept them in the dark, sometimes telling them outright lies about where Sam was making it seem like he was the one keeping his thumb on Sam, preventing him from contacting them.  But that way, Donna and Stephen had an out, a way to build their own relationships.  Indeed, Al sometimes thought that Sam’s family was only civil to him for the sake of Donna and Stephen. 

Now this man was telling him to forget all that history.  To trust him.  He looked down at the papers again.  At this point, they formed a perfect noose for him.  He knew he couldn’t fix this on his own.  Much as he hated the idea, he was going to have to work with Thomas Beckett, his nemesis.  It wasn’t a pleasant prospect, but he had no other choice.  Either Tom was going to really help him or he’d end up in Leavenworth.  “Okay, Tom.  What do you have in mind?”

PART SIX

June 8, 2008

Project Quantum Leap

Stallion’s Gate, NM

When Tom had first leapt, no one had been in the waiting room, which had indicated that Tom had leapt as himself.  While not unheard of (Dr. Beckett had done that a time or two) it was unusual. 

Then, a Gooshie had appeared in Tom’s Aura.  It was wonderful seeing him again, even if they couldn’t really talk to him about things.  Gooshie had left in less than five minutes.  Then a young man leapt into the aura, asking where the books were.  Again it was a short leap.  They hadn’t even learned his name when he leapt back out.

Finally, a leaper arrived, fitting Tom’s aura but much younger.  The fear on his face had been evident and he was sure that he had died, saying that he “never should have trusted that chu-hoi.”  He wanted to know if he was in heaven or some other place.  This leap lasted a quite a bit longer than the other leaps.  They were just starting to get a lock on Tom’s whereabouts, somewhere in Vietnam in April of 1970, when that leapee had left only to be replaced moments later by another leapee.

This situation was a bit stranger.  The aura was just about identical to the Tom himself.  Indeed, Verbena was sure that somehow, the older Beckett had leapt back to the Waiting Room rather than the Accelerator.  Ziggy had assured that both ingress and egress locks to the room where fully engaged and explained to all of her human colleagues that the Thomas Beckett that they saw in the Waiting Room was indeed a leapee and not the leaper.  Ziggy explained that she had located the leaping Thomas Beckett two months in the past.  He was currently inhabiting himself on the day Albert Calavicci had been forced to leave the project.  Sammie Jo had immediately gone into the Imaging Chamber to play her role as Tom’s Observer.

Coming out of the Chamber now, Sammie Jo was smiling.  Dom asked her why she was.

“Dom, lets just say I have the distinct feeling that we’re going to go through another time reset soon.  I need to speak with our visitor.”

Ziggy chimed in.  “I do not believe that would be a good idea, Dr. Fulton.  I have locked the doors on both sides.  I believe that Admiral Beckett will attempt to leave the room if the door is open.”

“Then lock it behind me.  I’ve just talked with my Uncle Tom, and I have a message to his “younger self.”

Ziggy found a subroutine she had written for herself two months ago, segmenting data from that day.  She suddenly realized what Sammie Jo was speaking of.  “Yes.  That is a good plan.  Please proceed.”  Her reminder to herself had worked.

Sammie Jo proceeded into the room, facing a very angry Admiral Thomas Beckett.

His face was reddened, having been pulled into the waiting room right in the middle of a showdown with Al Calavicci.  He couldn’t believe the man would have the audacity to stage a stunt like this.  Hell, the entire project would have to be in on it to pull it off.  He exhibited a dangerous Beckett calm as he asked, “Sammie Jo...why am I being kept in the Waiting Room?!”

Sammie Jo felt the force behind those words.  She’d never been on the receiving end of such anger.  “Uh…well...you leapt…”

Tom wasn’t buying it.  “What?  That’s insane!  I insist you let me out of here!  Calavicci's not getting away with this stalling technique.  You can’t tell me that Sam leapt into me, I just don't believe it.  What reason would Sam have to do that?  There's nothing wrong to set right, except for what I'm doing.  Getting Calavicci off this project and heading the mission to get Sam back.”

Sammie Jo tried to explain.  “Tom, Dad didn’t leap into you.

Tom looked confused.  “What do you mean?  Sam's the only one who COULD leap into me.”

Sammie Jo took a calming breath and then went on.  “Not if there’s another leaper.” 

That stopped Tom in his tracks.  “Another Leaper?  So you're saying that Sam is back?

Sammie Jo shook her head.  “No, Dad isn’t back.  You leapt.  This has to do with you and your leap.  And what you are about to do.”

Tom was stopped by that statement “What do you mean I leapt?  Why would I have leapt?  That makes no sense...Having two Becketts lost in time is ludicrous!”  Tom paused for a moment.  “It's bad enough that Calavicci hasn’t gotten Sam back in thirteen years!  Now I'm supposed to have leapt too?  I'm not that stupid, Sammie Jo.”

Sammie Jo sighed.  “Tom, you leapt because Dad is stuck in between leaps and hasn't leapt for the last two months.  And you need to get your facts straight.  It wasn't just Al that was supposed to get Dad back. The retrieval program is my baby, so if anyone is to blame, it’s me, not Al.”

Tom wasn’t willing to give up his belief about Al’s incompetence.  “Yeah...but Calavicci is running this show.  He's responsible for assuring the work is on track.  The buck stops with Calavicci.”

Sammie Jo shook her head.  “Tom, that’s just not fair.  It’s the retrieval program that doesn't work.  I haven’t been able to fix it.  I guess I just not smart enough.  It hasn't got anything to do with Al. If anything, he’d busted his ass to give me more time to try and figure it out.”

Tom looked at his niece, his heart going out to her.  “Sammie Jo.  You're brilliant.  But just like my brother, you can get lost in the tangents.  Al should be providing the support to allow you to find the answers.”

Sammie Jo looked to Tom, pleading with him to understand.  “Can't you see that that’s what Al tried to do? He’d done everything humanly possible to help me along the way.  Al couldn’t get Dad back.”

Tom gave a bitter laugh.  “You're obviously on Al's side here.  I don't know why you're doing this.  Sam is your father.  You need to work with me on getting him home!”

Sammie Jo decided to lay it all out.  “Listen, Tom.  You stepped into the Accelerator. It was necessary for you to leap to right a wrong and Al is a part of that.  You just need to hear what your future self told me to tell you.  You may not like it, but you have to hear it."

Tom was still adamant that he wouldn’t have leapt.  “I still don’t buy that I leapt, Sammie Jo, you must think you have a fool for an Uncle.  I know better than to step into that thing.  Hell, some of the things I saw at Project Liberty absolutely convinced me it wasn't a safe thing to do.”

Sammie continued on, ignoring Tom’s protestations.  “When it became apparent that you had to leap or we would lose Dad forever, you decided to leap.”

Tom looked at Sammie Jo, a sudden chill gripping him.  “Lose Sam forever?”

Sammie Jo nodded.  “You leapt to save Dad.  Why don’t you look in the mirror on the table there?”  She pointed to the shiny surface on the single table in the room.

Tom walked over and looked at his own reflection that somehow didn’t fit him and yet did.  Suddenly his stomach flipped and he turned pale.  The next words from his mouth were shaky.  “Just what am I doing in this leap?”

Sammie Jo looked into her Uncle’s eyes.  “I don't know why, but for some reason, removing Al from the project causes Dad to become stuck somewhere off the grid.”

Tom looked at her, incredulous at her statement.  “So you're telling me I can’t remove Al?  That's simply ridiculous!  The man is a traitor.  There had to be another way for Calavicci to handle things then stealing a classified document and disobeying a direct order.”

Sammie Jo stated her truth again.  “I am telling you not to remove him because that’s what the you who is leaping told me to tell you.”  She looked at her handlink, making sure she was getting the other Tom’s words right.  “You said I should tell you that if you really want to protect your brother, when you leap back you’ll take any of the lumps you’re sure to have to take and be glad of them.  That at least they won’t last two years and result in post-traumatic stress.”  She paused looking at her uncle, and ascertained he wasn’t ready to accept any of this yet.  She went on.  “You said to tell you that even if you destroy your own career over this, it’s more than been paid for.  That since this direction is coming from your older self, that he outranks you and he orders you to follow what he says.”

Tom gave a bitter laugh.  “This sounds like Calavicci propaganda to me.  He can’t really believe that I’ll bite on this.”

Sammie knew she had one more try.  “Tom, he said that I should tell you that you’ll know in two months if you still have your soul.” 

Tom suddenly looked shocked.  “What did you say?  Why would you say I'll know in two months if I still have my soul?”  Tom turned pale.  “Oh Lord....my mother used to say if we didn't have our souls we had nothing.  If I'm telling myself that....then this must be serious.”  He realized that if he were trying to get a message to himself that was the one line he would use.  He decided that for better or worse, he needed to follow what his future self told him.  “What do I need to do?”

Sammie Jo told him.  “You have to keep things the way they are when you leap back.  Don’t try to remove Al from the project.  Then in two months, you will have to leap.”

Tom tilted his head to the side, a puzzled look on his face.  “So, you're telling me to do nothing?”

Sammie Jo nodded.  “Yes. Al has to remain in charge at the project.”

Tom shook his head.  “Sammie Jo, I can't stand the man.  But if you say I need to not do anything for two months, fine.  I’ll give it that long.  But then we'll see where things need to go.  I'm not sure I trust any of this...but I guess I need to listen to myself.  You're saying I'm okay with losing my career over this.  I'm not so sure I believe that.”

Sammie Jo just reiterated.  “Uncle Tom, in two months, you will be sure.”

Tom just shook his head again.  “To lose my career to save Al's...that is insane.”

“I know it seems that way now, but you have to trust me.  And if not me, then trust yourself.  Your future self.”

“Okay, Sammie Jo.  I'm not sure this is the best idea, but if Sam's in danger, I guess my mission to get him back will fail if I don't do this.  I don't have to like it though.”

“As long as you do it. And in time, you will be glad you did.  Hey, I need to go back and let the future you know we’ve come to an agreement.”

Tom nodded and watched her turn and walk out the door.  He was certainly not happy about his turn of events.  That was one thing about this project.  You never knew which direction to expect the wind to blow.  Now he just had to wait until he returned to his own time, not at all sure he was going to like what he found there.

PART SEVEN

April 8, 2008

Project Quantum Leap

Stallions Gate, NM

Tom and Al quickly determined that the place to start was with the fraudulent contract itself.  They knew that George Tomlinson had committed suicide after it became obvious that the entire situation was in violation of regulations.  The investigation had only gone slightly deeper than a surface investigation since it was uncovered that Tomlinson had been hospitalized previously for severe depression and attempted suicide.  It was felt that his actions were consistent with previously seen behaviors.

Tom and Al were not so sure.  They had Ziggy pull information including the classified files from recorded psychiatric sessions that Tomlinson had with his doctors.  What they read was eerily familiar with previously seen situations where Lothos was involved.  First there was the fairly sudden onset of the mental aberration.  The records showed that George Tomlinson had never shown signs of depression prior to his attempted suicide.  They found that he had cut his wrists but that by the time he had been picked up and transferred to the hospital, he was far from being on deaths door.  The doctors had attributed this attempt to being a call for help. 

The strange thing was that after only a couple of days in the hospital, Tomlinson’s personality had suddenly changed from using the threat of suicide to obtain help to a more paranoid one.  Tomlinson claimed he had been kept in shackles in a dark room with red blotchy walls.  It had felt like a dungeon.  He seemed to be more afraid of going back to this imagined room than in killing himself.

Al pointed out that the police records of the later successful suicide after the contract improprieties were discovered indicated less blood at the scene than would have normally been found.  It was as if the man had bled out somewhere else before dying at his home although there was absolutely no evidence that that was possible.  The neighbor next door to him remembered seeing George Tomlinson up to about 15 minutes before his estimated time of death.  The police report chalked this down to a suspicious cause but not one that would merit further investigation.

Tom had Ziggy pull information on Senator Martin ’s finances and campaign contributions.  He found evidence of multiple infusions of cash coming from an offshore corporation headquartered in the Bahamas.  As they followed the money back further, they found that his money was tied to other accounts at multiple locations throughout the world.  The strange thing, though, was that one million dollars had been placed in this account in two lumps sums.  One was deposited the week leading up to the contract’s fraudulent discovery and the other was deposited right after the next contract had been classified.  Both of these lump sums traced back to a private Swiss account.  While he couldn’t prove anything, it sure appeared that perhaps Lothos had been at work back in 2001, waiting to spring this trap on Al.

Tom was angry.  “Dammit, Al.  It looks like they played me.  They knew I would jump at this bait to get you off of the project.  I guess I’ve been pretty obvious in how I’ve felt about you.”

Al nodded.  “Hmmm, if you hadn’t been out to get me since the day we met, you might have been able to see the pattern here.”

Squaring his shoulders, the older Beckett decided it was time to take his licks.  “Yeah.  Well, I guess the only thing to do is let Homeland Security know that I jumped the gun.”

Looking thoughtful, Al replied, “It still won’t change anything.  You’ve already made the argument that I stole documents when they were classified.  That still puts me in a world of hurt.”

Finally, Tom stated plainly, “I can take the fall for that.  Indicate that I gave you permission.”

Al pointed out the flaw in Tom’s logic.  “Then why would you file the complaint against me?

Tom gave a bitter laugh.  “Because I wanted to get you off the project.  That I set you up.  Since I’ve been so obvious in my feelings about you no one would question it.”

Shaking his head, Al told him, “I can’t let you do that, Tom.”

Tom’s eyes held anger unleashed.  “Why the hell not?  It’ll get your ass out of the sling and you’ll be here to help Sam.”

Al plainly said, “Yeah, but it would end your career.”

Tom squared his shoulders.  His voice held a commitment to a cause.  “I’m willing to accept that”

“I’m not.”

Tom looked at Al like he’d lost his mind.  “What?  I’d think you want to nail me to the wall for how I’ve treated you over the years.”

Al’s face indicated he wasn’t happy with his decision, but it was the one he felt was best.  “Personally, I would.  At the very least, you’ve displayed behavior unbecoming an officer.  At worst, you’ve libeled me.  You deserve more than a reprimand.”

Tom was confused.  “Then why don’t you want to take the fall?”

Al sighed.  “Because your brother would never forgive me.  If he knew I let you do this when there was another way, he’d never speak to me again.  I know what you mean to Sam, I’ve read my personal logs from that timeline before Sam saved your sorry ass in Vietnam.  Quite frankly, my pleasure at seeing you face the music for your actions is not worth the cost.  You aren’t worth losing my best friend over.”

Tom sat there.  Normally, if Al had said something like this to him, he’d have come back with spit and venom.  Now he pursed his lips and closed his eyes tightly, a stressed look on his face, taking the hit like it was a full body slam.  Finally after taking a moment to process what Al had said, Tom asked Al, “So you think there is another way?”

Al watched, expecting Tom to react.  The fact that he sat there and took the venom without saying a word surprised him.  Something was nagging at him but he couldn’t figure it out.  Finally, he nodded in the affirmative.  “Yeah.  You have anyone at the Justice Department you can call?”

Tom’s voice held a hint of hesitancy.  “I might.”

Al pointed to the evidence they had uncovered.  “Then I think we can provide compelling evidence that the second contract was classified in exchange for a bribe.  It is obvious that the contract itself should never have been classified.  A simple review of the document proves that.  If we can get it unclassified retroactively to before the time of the leap, then I never stole anything and Sam never saw anything he wasn’t supposed to see.”

Tom called Bob Benson at the Justice Department who he knew owed him a few favors.  After reviewing the information with Tom, he agreed that while it was generally not done, he could figure out a way to pull it off.  He told Tom that this would even things out between them.  Tom agreed, although he made sure he filed a request for further investigation of both the suicide of George Tomlinson and the questionable finances of Senator Martin .

Within a few hours, the records had been adjusted and the charge as written in the documentation became unfounded.  Tom contacted Charles Markes to let him know about the change.  Charles had been surprised at Tom’s change of position, but looking at the documentation that corrected the situation, he had to agree that no crime had been committed.  He finished the conversation by telling Tom that if he ever brought him into such a situation again, he’d see that Tom would have to answer for it.  Then he hung up the phone.

Tom knew that he’d most likely have to lay low for awhile and stay off the radar for a bit.  He knew it would not be a position that his returning self would relish taking but he understood the need to let this die down.  He hoped the returning Tom understood that as well.  Tom knew he’d done everything he could at this point.  The next two months would show if it was enough.  He figured he’d better do something that might explain how the aura he inhabited would be acting after he leapt.

“Uh, Al.  I just want you to know that I’m still pretty upset with you.  Just because I know it was right to save your butt in this situation, doesn’t mean I’ve suddenly become a fan of yours.”

This was more of the old Tom that Al remembered.  Rising to the bait he answered, “Well, Tom.  The feeling is more than mutual.  You’re still a number one nozzle in my book.”

Tom was about to say something else when he leapt out.  As he felt the blue electric field pull him away, he prayed that the next stop would be home.

PART EIGHT

June 8, 2008

Project Quantum Leap

Stallions Gate, NM

Al was worried.  Sam had not leaped for two months.  There were often lapses in the bounces that Sam would undergo.  But two months was a record. He’d had Ziggy running an analysis.  He was floored when yesterday she’d announced that there was a 99.8% probability that if Admiral Thomas Beckett leapt, Sam would become unstuck from his current unknown location.”

Al was skeptical.  “99.8%??  Ziggy, you’re that sure?  Why?  Why does Tom need to leap?  Can I be an observer to two people?”

Ziggy’s haughty voice was all that could be heard in the Control Room.  “Admiral, suffice to say that due to rather large amount of data that determined this probability, I can not provide a simple answer to your question as to ‘why’ Admiral Beckett has to leap.  It is necessary.  Sammie Jo has performed observer duties in the past.  As she has a significant portion of Admiral Beckett’s genes in common, she would be the logical choice to be Admiral Beckett’s observer.”

Al had discussed this with Sammie Jo who indicated she was willing to do so.  They’d spent the rest of the day preparing for the activity.  Al continued to hope that Sam would leap and thus this leap would not be necessary.  It was not to be.

Now they were awaiting the arrival of Sam’s brother.  Al revoiced his opinion, “I still don’t think this is such a hot idea.  Ziggy, let me know when Admiral Beckett arrives.”

She quickly gave an update.  “His helicopter has just touched down on the project tarmac.  He should be coming into the Control Room within minutes.”

True to Ziggy’s prediction, Admiral Thomas Beckett soon walked into the Control Room.  Remembering the cryptic statements by his niece two months before, that his “future self” had asked her to relay to him, he was ready to find out the answer to this mystery.

Most of what she had said came true.  He’d leapt back to find that quite a number of things had changed, not the least being that he had pulled in favors and had possibly damaged his career for the sake of saving Admiral Albert Calavicci’s.  Why he would have done something like this was beyond his comprehension, especially since he’d basically stuck his neck out just as surely as his brother had years before.  But since his “future self” would know what had transpired he figured he had to follow his own, albeit future, advice. 

Based on the feeling of animosity that he’d felt from Al from the moment he had leapt back, he figured he had come back to yet another confrontation.  Knowing he was supposed to keep his mouth shut and allow things to continue as they’d been set up, he’d gruffly told Calavicci that he could put his attitude where the sun didn’t shine and then said he was leaving.  Calavicci had thrown him a parting shot telling him it couldn’t be soon enough for him.  Only the thought that somehow his walking away would help his brother kept him from ignoring his own advice from the future.

Tom found that his future self had submitted a request to the Department of Justice to investigate both the suicide from the original contract scheme back in 2001 and also to determine if certain funds possibly could be tied back to Senator Martin .  While those investigations were still ongoing, preliminary data was showing there may be something to this after all.

He’d been concerned, of course, that things were not right.  After all, Sam had not leapt for two months.  He knew that when he was in the future, Sam had been stuck in time.  He figured that this should have ended after he returned to his own time.  However, he didn’t know exactly how the corrected history was supposed to play out.  He decided to wait it out and then make a determination of the proper action.  Actually, two months wasn’t that long to wait.

This was mostly based on the one statement that had really bothered him.  That was the concept that he would learn if he still had his soul in two months.  As a result, when Ziggy had contacted him the day before and told him he needed to come to the project today, he had agreed, facing this visit with quite a bit of trepidation.  His mother’s admonitions through the years that all else was meaningless if one did not have ones’ soul still resonated.

Tom got down to brass tacks.  “Admiral, do you know why Ziggy insisted that I should arrive to the project today?”

Al was not happy to see Tom again.  It had been a blessed two months that the man had more or less left him alone.  He was sure that the nozzle had something up his sleeve.  Tom Beckett always did.  “Yes.  She’s predicted with a 99.8% probability that to allow Sam to become “unstuck” in time, you would need to leap.”  Al was positive that the man would refuse.  He knew how Tom operated.

This made sense to Tom.  He knew that he’d been pulled into the Waiting Room when his “future self,” the man he was now had leapt two months into the past and kicking him into the future.  He hoped that this would not become an unending loop and that indeed, this would lead to the answers he needed, in addition to fixing the situation for his brother.

“All right, get me a Fermi Suit.  Who will my Observer be?”

Al was surprised at how easily his adversary had accepted Ziggy’s rather bizarre suggestion, no matter how high the probabilities was that it was the thing to do. 

“Sammie Jo.”

Tom nodded.  “Makes sense.”  He took the Fermi Suit from Dom and left to put the rather form-fitting garment on.  Returning, he found that all was in place to leap.

Ziggy spoke up.  “Admiral Beckett.  I will set the count down for five minutes.  Please take your place in the Accelerator.”

Tom took his place on the disk in the accelerator.  As the energy level grew, Tom felt a moment of euphoria.  Smiling he noticed his arms raising above his head of their own accord.  Was this what Sam felt when he leapt those many years ago?  It was exhilarating! 

Tom’s shape suddenly took on a strange blue glow and it seemed certain that he would vanish into time, just as his brother had done thirteen years before.  Instead, the blue glow seemed to peak and then fade away.  Tom found himself still standing on the disk. 

It felt strange.  Suddenly he remembered two distinct timelines, the one in which he had taken over as Project Administrator which had led to this strange set of leaps and the other in which Al had continued to maintain that role.  Tom smiled.  The fact that he was here indicated that he was back in his current self but in the new timeline.  It had worked.  The two Tom’s had merged and he still had his soul.

He walked to the door and stepped out.  Al was waiting for him.

Al’s eyes were narrowed and his head tilted.  “So, what was that all about? Ziggy tells us you need to leap to get Sam unstuck and it doesn’t work?  Now, why would she do that, Admiral?”

Tom knew he had his work cut out for him.  A suspicious Calavicci was not a happy Calavicci and thus no one else was likely to be happy either.  “I think this is what needed to happen.  I believe it will lead to that inevitability.  But we need to talk first.  Let’s go into the Control Room conference room."  Al agreed and they went into the room.  Tom stated flatly “These have definitely been some strange leaps.”  It was Tom’s next statement though that made Al’s sensors shoot to ready.  “Have you ever met a Bartender by the name of Al?”

Al couldn’t have been more surprised than if Tom had suddenly sprouted wings and flown around the room.  “Al? You... met Al? But... Ziggy says you were in the leap mode for less than a minute.”

 Tom explained, “In this timeline, yes.  We are now in a corrected timeline.  The fact that you are here confirms that.”

“Oooookaaaay. And why would I be anywhere else?”

“Well, you remember a little over two months ago?  When you provided classified information to Sam in violation of a direct order?

“Which I had to do to save his life, remember?”  Al was ready to do battle again.

Tom’s face softened into a smile.  “Yes, Al.  I remember.  You did the right thing.”

“So you said two months ago. How does any of this have to do with you leaping and apparently meeting that Bartender?”

Tom looked directly into Al’s eyes, contrition evident on his face.  “I made a mistake, Al.  A grievous wrong that I needed to set right.  Two months ago, I served those papers to you.  You left the project.  You were killed in a car accident a week ago.”  The surprise on Al’s face was palpable.  Tom continued, “I'd been the Project Administrator for the last two months.  The brass made it my mission to retrieve Sam no matter what it took.  But Sam didn't leap.  So Ziggy told me I had to leap.  That’s when I met the Bartender.”

Still trying to get a handle on what Tom was saying, Al questioned, “So, you're saying that conversation we had two months ago didn't happen originally?

Tom wasn’t ready to spill it all just yet.  He knew Calavicci.  He knew that no matter how things played out two months ago, the man facing him would still harbor doubts.  He needed to alleviate them if his plan was going to work.  “Do you recall a definite 180 in the way that conversation went?  A point in which I stopped fighting you and started helping you?”

Al considered.  Yes, that is what had happened.  “You were just changing tactics. At least, that's what I thought.  Seems like you've been out for my head since we've met.”

Tom stopped at that accusation, wincing at the jab.  Yes, that was about right.  He had been willing to do almost anything to get Albert Calavicci away from his brother.  He sighed and went on.  “Again...something that I need to change.  Al, originally that conversation didn't have a 180 in it.  We said some pretty vicious things to each other.  Neither of us was really willing to hear the truth in the others' statements that would help Sam.”  Tom then stated a fact that he’d had to face.  “Al, I've been jealous of you.  I admit it.  Seeing you with Sam when we'd been so close as kids.  I didn't want anyone else to be a ‘brother’ to him.”

“You were jealous of me? Tom, that's ridiculous. I couldn't possibly replace you as his brother.”

“I know that.  Now.  But Al, in many ways, you've been a better brother to him than I have in the past 38 years.  You've been there in ways I never could.”  He stopped for a second, knowing that what he would say next would definitely surprise Al.  “Heck, you were the only brother he had after he met you in the original timeline.”

Al paled.  “You... you know... about... Oh, damn.”

Tom went on.  “At least after I would’ve been killed in that river in Vietnam.  Yeah I know.”

Al squirmed a bit, not at all sure that he was happy that anyone but Sam had seen him that vulnerable.  “Well... you know... someone had to help the kid out.”

Tom figured he needed to let Al know how much he had learned about that change in timeline, the moment when his life had literally been saved from the ravages of time.  “I know that Sam was Magic.  I know he feels he's traded the life of that reporter, Maggie Dawson for mine.”  Tom’s voice softened as he finished, “And Al...I know what you gave up for Sam.”  His voice strengthened a bit.  “You didn't do it for me.  Hell, you didn't even know who I was then, other then the brother that Sam had lost in Vietnam.  By the time you met Sam, I'd been dead for over 10 years!”

Al tried to pass this off, find something to lessen the meaning of the gesture.  “It only turned out to be another two years.”  It was a weak argument and he knew it.

Tom was incredulous.  “In that hell hole?  From what I understand, one extra day was too many.  And Al, you originally signed up for five more years!  Even 730 days was more than almost any human being alive would take on willingly, especially knowing what it meant.”

Al was still trying to find some way to brush this off.  He knew from the leap records that Tom was right.  At the time Sam had made this leap, he actually had five years before he was repatriated and Beth wasn’t waiting for him.  Sam had changed all of that.  Yes, at the time Tom’s life had been saved, Sam had decided that changing something for the better in his own life (with total disregard to the rules he’d written for the project before he leaped) was fine.  But when Sam originally had the opportunity to change Al’s life for the better, he had not done so, quoting those very same rules.  When the opportunity came to save Tom, Al knew he could instead save himself the pain he would go though in the POW camp, but he had decided that he wouldn’t play tit for tat.  He’d help Sam.  But he didn’t say any of this to Tom, explaining rather, “I knew I'd survive even then. And later, after Sam fixed things, his changes meant Beth was waiting for me and that I’d only have two more years as a POW.  What’s that compared to one less person dead from that war?”

“That’s the point though, Al.  You made the choice to truly go through hell and back for my brother.  And it wasn’t one less person.  Maggie died.”  Tom hung his head as he went on, “And what did you get from me for all that sacrifice.  As you've said, I've ridden your butt ever since you met Sam, in either timeline.  Didn't want him with you.  You had to have known that when you told Sam about the Pulitzer.”

“Yeah, well... maybe I wasn't willing to give him up.  Even though Sam helped me regain Trudy since then, I knew what it was like to lose a sibling.  I thank God that he was able to get her back for me.”

Tom looked up at Al.  “When I first met you, all I could see was a drunken disgrace to the Navy.  I was willing to believe the scuttlebutt about you.  I don't know how Sam saw past that, but he did.  And I have had to face up to some things because of this leap.  I’ve seen things that have made me more ashamed of those actions than I can say.  I’m glad you two met.”  Tom looked up at Al.  “Sam chose his best friend wisely.  I hadn't given him credit for that.  I haven't given him credit for a lot of things.”

Al didn't know what to say. Hell, he didn't know what to think.  Here Tom Beckett, a rival since he'd first met the man, was actually giving him not only the benefit of the doubt but was actually praising him for all that he'd done for Sam. To Al, he hadn't done anything but pay Sam back for having trust in him when the rest of the world seemed to turn their backs on him.

Even Beth had been about to turn her back on him. Not that he blamed her at the time. He wasn't exactly the best husband or father at that moment. But if it weren't for Sam helping him out of the hole he had been digging for himself, he would have lost everything dear to him: Beth, his five girls, Trudy, the Navy. It would have all been gone.

It was only right that Al repay Sam for what he'd given him, in any timeline, in that one act of kindness for a drunken fool. Al still didn't know what Sam had seen in him but he would be forever grateful for it. A few more years in hell was nothing compared to that.

As for Tom Beckett, he supposed that Tom was only trying to look out for his brother, just like Al still looked out for Trudy. And if this whole disenfranchisement between them was over who knew what was best for Sam, then he couldn't really blame Tom for being a big brother.

He found Tom waiting for him to saying something. He said the first thing that came to his mind.  “Yeah, well... Beth has always said I could give stubborn lessons to a mule. So I guess you aren't the only one at fault.”

Tom laughed.  “My father was the same way.  Hell, it seems to be a trait we Beckett's, especially the Beckett men, share.”  Tom grew serious again.  “Al, I am truly sorry for all of the grief I have given you in the past.  Let me ask you a question though.  Do you really think that Sam should be left to his own devices...all the time?”

Al looked at Tom as if he’d lost his mind, chuckling, “Yeah, right.  If I thought that, I wouldn't be hanging around here, going into the Imaging Chamber, and saving his ass more times than not.”

Tom nodded, smiling as well.  “Yeah.  Thanks.  I'm glad you are there for him.  He can do some pretty wacky things at times.  Uh, Al...you know I'm still going to be working with the Project.  I think that if we pull together instead of tearing each other down, we might get more accomplished.  What do you say?”

Al grew serious.  “No more flash inspections to check on our progress like that one a when Sam leapt in that model?  No more sending in aides to spy on me?”

Tom was adamant.  “Well, that last one was legitimate.  I needed to see what had been done with the security protocols.  But otherwise?  Absolutely not.  If we're really going to work as a team, we've got to build on trust.  Not that we've ever had a whole lot between us up until now.  It may take awhile to get there.”

“I agree. Now that was weird. Me agree with something you said.”  Al shook his head at the irony of the situation.

“What’s really sad in a funny sort of way, Al, is that we've had cause for agreement so many times.  I think sometimes we chose not to just because of the person saying it.  We haven't really been open to each other's opinions.  I plan to listen to you more.  Hear what you're saying, not just that it's you saying it.”  Tom needed to assure that Al didn’t think he was backing down entirely.  “But don't think that I'm going to agree with everything you say.  There are times when I've been right and you wouldn't hear me.  Just like there have been times you've been right and I didn't hear you.  I think respecting the fact that we are aiming for the same result will help.”

“Yeah. I'll try not to think of you as a nozzle as often.”

Tom laughed again.  Pure vintage Al.  “Well, I have to admit, I've been a nozzle at times...as have you.  Even Sam has had his moments.  God...I miss him.”

“Yeah... me too. I mean... ah, hell, you know what I mean.”

Tom nodded.  He showed an acceptance of Al’s mutual brotherly love for Sam.  “Yeah, I do.”

They sat there for a moment, not really sure how to continue on.  This had been in some ways the hardest conversation they’d ever had.  Both of them had needed to move beyond their self-justified belief that each of them was the only one that could help the man they both so desperately wanted to help.  Thus it was a relief when Ziggy’s voice came out of sheer air stating, “Dr. Beckett has leaped.”

Al was immediately on this.  His two month vacation was over and he couldn’t be happier.  “Where is he, Ziggy?”

“Still tracking, Admiral.  Dom is attempting to get a lock on him.”

“Let me...”  Al stopped and looked over at Tom, “Let us know when you have him.”

Tom nodded, recognizing the gesture that Al was making.  “I'll be back after I get out of this damned Fermi suit.  You'd think Sam could have designed something a bit more comfortable and a lot less revealing.”

Al laughed heartily.  “Yeah, tell me about it.”

They both got up and left the room.  Tom headed towards the room which held his clothes, while Al headed towards the Control Room, ready to again help his best friend as he bounced through time.

Tom stated flatly, “Well, back to the grind.”  Suddenly, he stopped and turned around.  “Al?” 

The older man stopped and turned back to Tom.  “Yeah?”

Tom faced betrayed he’d had an idea he wanted to share with Al.  “Did you notice that Sam suddenly leapt after we decided to work with each other and not against each other?  You don't think....?”

Al looked at Tom, a hint of amazed concern on his face as he contemplated the possibility of what Tom was implying.

Both men looked at each other for a moment and then turned to finish what they had started.

EPILOGUE

TIME UNKNOWN

Al’s Place

Cokesburg, PA

Esther walked into the bar.  Al, the Skinny Kid had left the coffee shop awhile back, leaving Esther and Sam to play their game of dominos.  He knew she would have preferred to meet with him as he was at Timed Perks but this would only be a short visit.  He himself preferred his bar.

Al the Bartender turned to Esther.  “I think Sam will be all right now.  At least until the next time something flares up.”

Esther concurred.  “Yes.  He was distraught over having his loyalties pulled in two different directions.  He considers both of his brothers as family even though only one shares his genes.”

The Bartender looked thoughtful.  “Do you think this will help him reconsider his abilities to control his destiny?”

Esther laughed.  “Well, it certainly was a novel idea he had to ‘out stubborn’ both of them.  Give them a common cause.  I think he almost lost hope when his friend Al died in that car accident, especially when he had to accept that his own brother’s actions were at the root of that situation.”

The Bartender nodded.  “Yes, that’s why I decided to step in.  Especially when we found that Lothos’s crew had a hand in this as well.  Tom’s a good guy at heart.  Thelma and John Beckett did a good job with their brood.  Raised fine children.  Tom just needed to understand the gift that he had received.  Both Beckett boys seem to have trouble with that at times.”

Esther considered this.  “Well, yes, there is that.  But I think Tom also needed to see that his little brother has grown up.  That Sam can ‘work through his evolutions’ with Al’s help.  And, I believe he really saw Al for the first time.  Understood that when he’d died in the original history, Sam had truly found someone who he could trust and who trusted him.  I think he understands their bond better now.”

The Bartender looked at Esther, a smile on his face.  “Yes.  And with those two fine men working together toward Sam’s best interests, they may even eventually be successful in finding a way to bring Don Quixote home.”