QUANTUM BEAST:
Lovers Leap
by Lee Kirkland



     The last thing Sam remembered was Al, saying goodbye. 
Suddenly, Sam found himself inthe act of shoving a heavy
cardboard box onto a high shelf.  The box wobbled and he
struggledwith it.
     "Mark?  Are you okay?"  The voice, close by his elbow, made
him turn instinctively.  Hisattention wandered for a split-second
too long, and the box slipped from his grasp and began tofall.
       "Oh, boy!"
     When his eyes opened again, it was to a small, bright,
stainless steel and white tile room. Someone was shining a small
light into his eyes, and he flinched.  His head pounded and he
feltsick.
     "Mark?  Mark, can you hear me?"  The man's voice was
insistent, and Sam blinked at him,trying to bring things into
focus.
       Mark.  That must be me.  "Uh, yeah, I think so," he said.
His throat felt dry and raspy. "What happened?"
     "A box of books fell on you," the man replied, stepping back
and slipping his penlight intothe pocket of his pale green
surgical top.
     "Hospital?" Sam rasped, uncertainly.
     "You were unconscious," the doctor answered.  "Your friend
called the paramedics, whobrought you here."
     "My friend?"  Sam was still trying to catch up.
     "She's waiting out in the hall," the doctor replied.  "Can
you tell me what day it is?"
     Through his headache, Sam groped for facts that weren't
there.  "Uh, no, I guess not."
     The doctor frowned.  "What's your name?"
     Sam made an informed guess.  "...Mark..."
     The doctor nodded.  "Last name?"
     Sam had to shrug, and instantly regretted the movement.
       "Who's president?"
     Sam tried to think.  "I don't know.  What year is it?"
     The doctor gazed at him in disbelief before continuing the
examination.  "Vision blurred?"
     "A little."
     "How many fingers?"  The man waved a hand in front of Sam's
nose.
     "Two."
      "Now?"
     "Four."
     "But you can't remember what day it is, or your last name."
     "Uh, no."
       Clearly, the doctor was concerned about concussion and
possible brain damage, and Samcouldn't tell him that the reason
he didn't know the date was because he'd just gotten here,
andthat he hadn't had time to learn his last name.
       "I'm going to admit you overnight for observation," the
doctor said briskly.  "You seemalert, so we'll hope this memory
loss is temporary."  He went to the door.  "Miss?  You can seehim
now."
     A teenage girl entered timidly, as if unsure of her welcome. 
"Hi, Mark," she said softly.
     She couldn't have been more than seventeen.  Warm brown eyes
smiled shyly, and shereached for his hand.  There was something
vaguely familiar about her, but Sam couldn't put hisfinger on it.
       "Hi."
     She looked embarrassed.  "Oh, Mark, I'm so sorry.  I feel
responsible..."
     "Responsible?  Why?"  Sam couldn't take his eyes off her.
     "Because if it weren't for me and my problems, you wouldn't
have been moving thosebooks."
     Sam rushed to reassure her.  "No, please, it's not your
fault."  Despite his headache, hetried to smile.  "I was
careless, I guess."
     She smiled, and suddenly, instinctively, Sam knew her. 
"Teresa?" he asked, incredulous.
     The doctor intervened.  "Well, I see you still have some
memory," he said.  "We're goingto take you upstairs now, Mark,
and a neurologist will look in on you there."
     Of course, Sam thought.  He's just an ER man.  He glanced
back at the girl.  It must beTeresa.  She'd have said something
if she was somebody else.
     He didn't know how he could suddenly be so certain; after
all, Teresa Bruckner had beenonly four years old last time he'd
seen her.  He'd lost count of the leaps he'd made since saving
herbrother Kevin.  That had been in 1981; judging Teresa's age
now and counting swiftly, he figuredhe must be somewhere between
1992 and 1995.
       It wasn't often he leaped in to see a familiar face, and
he squeezed Teresa's hand fondly. When the orderly came in with a
wheelchair to take him upstairs, she moved back out of the
way,but once he was settled into his room upstairs, she pulled a
chair up next to his bed and sat down.
       "Is there someone I can call for you?" she asked.  "Your
family, friends?"
     "No."  Sam shook his head as far as he dared and smiled. 
"You're here."
     To his astonishment, she blushed, ducking her head.
       "Teresa, what's wrong?"
     "Mark, we barely know each other."  She frowned.  "Don't you
remember?"
     "Uh, no, not really," he confessed, glad that the bump on
the head was good forsomething.  "Tell me."
     She blushed even more, and turned to stare out the window.
       Sam sensed trouble.  "Come on, Teresa.  You can trust me."
     "I know.  I already did.  Only, it's a hard story to
tell..."
       Sam stretched out a hand to touch hers.  "Teresa?"
       "My mom and I started fighting... my brother got kidnapped
and almost killed when I waslittle, and she's always been scared
it would happen again, to him or my sister or me.  It wasn't
sobad when they were home, but they're all grown up now.  Kevin
works at a bank in Phoenix andSusan just got married.
       "My mom won't let me do anything!  I'm sixteen, and I'm
not allowed to go out unless I'mwith a group, and she knows where
I'm going and when I'll be back, and who I'll be with..."
     "Sounds like sensible precautions to me," Sam offered
hesitantly.
     "But she's paranoid, Mark!  She follows me sometimes, and
checks up on me!  It's like shedoesn't trust me, and I've never
done anything!"  Teresa's voice was rising.  "I couldn't stand
itanymore, so I stole money from her purse and bought a bus
ticket to Philadelphia."  Tears wereshining in her eyes.  "My dad
lives there now and I thought I could live with him.  He's
marriedagain, and he didn't want me!"
     "Did he say that?" Sam asked gently.
     She thought a moment, and shook her head.  "No, but I could
tell.  I was in the way.  Oneday I heard his wife talking, asking
how much longer I'd be there... so that night, I took my
thingsand left."
       "I came here, but I didn't know anyone, and I didn't have
very much money.  When I metDamon, he said he'd take care of me,
and I stayed at his place, but then..." her voice broke. "That's
when you found me."
     She looked at him and tried to smile.  "You know, Mark, at
first I thought you were likeDamon... it scared me, and I didn't
know what to do.  But you were so nice, and now I know youwon't
hurt me."
     Despite his headache, Sam managed to grasp the implications
of her story.  "Did thisDamon hurt you?"
     Swiftly she shook her head.  "No!  I wouldn't let him... I
think it made him mad."  Sheshivered.  "I didn't tell you before,
but I saw him this afternoon.  I think he was following me."
     
     
     
     
     
        *****
     Vincent struck a match, touching its flame to a blackened
candle wick.  Another day wasdrawing to a close.  The children
were sleeping safely in their beds; Catherine was near, and
allwas right with his world.
       "Vincent?  Can you hear me?"
     The urgency in the voice made him whirl in alarm, growling. 
The growl died in his throat,however, when he recognized the
intruder.
       "Albert?"
       "Vincent, you can see me!" he said, sounding relieved. 
"We weren't sure you'd be ableto."
     Vincent stepped forward.  "I am glad to see you, Albert," he
began, and reached toembrace his friend.  To his shock, his hand
went right through the man's shoulder.
       "I'm a hologram," Al reminded him quickly.  "I need your
help, Vincent.  Sam's introuble."
     Vincent was instantly alert.  He knew how much he owed to
Al's friend Sam.  "What isit?"
     "We don't know.  He Leaped.  We had just enough time to get
a fix on today, New YorkCity, when we lost him!  We've been
trying for over an hour and can't get him back."
     "Vincent?  Are you all right?"  Catherine's voice, soft with
bewilderment and concern,made Vincent remember her presence in
the room and he glanced at her over his shoulder.
      "Hey!  Nice legs," Al commented, and Vincent spun back to
face him.  Catherine wasdressed for bed and Al was eyeing her
appreciatively.  Vincent stepped in front of him, blockinghis
view; Al craned to see around him.
       "Vincent?"  Catherine was clearly worried.
       "Put a robe on, Catherine," he said briefly.  She frowned,
but moved to do so withoutquestion.  He turned back to Al,
ruffled.
     "She can't see me or hear me," Al said, abandoning his
attempts to see around Vincent'sbulk.  "I'm a hologram."
     Catherine held the front of her long robe closed, regarding
Vincent strangely.  "Who areyou talking to?  Albert's been asleep
for hours."
     He met her wondering eyes in despair.  "Oh, Catherine, I
can't begin to explain it to you..."
     "I think you'll have to, Vincent," Al interrupted.  "I think
we're going to need her."
     Vincent glanced from Catherine to Al and tried to imagine
what he'd think if he looked upand saw Catherine holding an
animated conversation with empty air.  He sighed. 
"Catherine,please.  I will explain what I can in a moment..."
       She nodded uncertainly and sat on the edge of the bed. 
Vincent turned back to Al.
     "I have so many questions, I don't know where to begin.  How
is it that I can see you, andCatherine cannot?"
     Al shrugged.  "I don't know exactly.  Ziggy... you remember
Ziggy?"
     "A computer," Vincent answered.
     "Right!  Ziggy explained it once.  People who can see me
live in a pure alpha state. They're into things like innocence
and truth."  Al looked down and punched a few buttons on
hishandlink.  "And they believe in impossible things."
     From where she perched tensely on the edge of the bed,
biting her lip, Catherine watchedVincent looking down on someone
who wasn't there.  He tipped his head as if listening,
andCatherine squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch any longer. 
I wish there was a way to getword to Father... I don't know what
to do.  She stole another quick glance at Vincent, who
wasactually smiling.  He seems so rational, she thought, feeling
concerned and a bit slighted.  I wish Iknew what was happening.
     No sooner had she formulated the thought than Vincent was
turning, coming toward her. She tried to smile as he sat down
beside her, taking her hands.
       "Catherine, do you trust me?"  His query was blunt,
startling her, but her answer wasprompt.
     "Yes.  You know I do."
     He looked down at their joined hands.  "Catherine, what I
have to tell you will sound verystrange.  I know how unbelievable
it seems; I would not believe it myself if I had not lived it.
Even so, it sometimes seems a fantastic dream."
     "I'm listening."
     "Catherine, do you believe in time travel?"
     She stared, incredulous.  "Do I what?  Vincent..."
     He shook his head.  "I'm sorry, I phrased it badly.  Do you
believe in the possibility of timetravel?  That in the future,
technology might make such a thing possible?"
     "Vincent, are you trying to tell me you've been talking with
someone from the future?" She searched his eyes.
     "Catherine, please.  Let me do this my way."
     She looked away, biting her lip.  "All right.  I'm not a
scientist... but I'll concede that itmight be possible."
     "And if someone could actually travel through time, how
might they do it?"
     She looked at him doubtfully.  "Vincent..."
     "Please."
     She couldn't help a smile.  "Well, what comes to mind is
H.G. Wells's Time Machine." She shrugged.
     "What if I told you that in the not too distant future,
someone will develop a method totravel through time, not in a
machine, but through something that can best be described
asLeaping?"
     "I don't understand."
     Vincent turned his head, as if listening to something, and
nodded briefly.  "Catherine, whatif this time traveller leaped
from place to place, and time to time?  And that, during these
Leaps,he temporarily occupied someone else's life?"
     "Vincent, that's absurd!"
     "No," he answered softly.  "It's real."
     "You're talking to someone from the future, who's leaping
around from life to life?"
     "The man I've been talking with is simply an observer.  He
is not really here at all, butsomehow, in a way I can't explain,
his image, his brain waves, are able to transverse time and
existhere, in this room."
     She looked around, wide-eyed.  "I don't see anything. 
Vincent, there's no one here!"
      Reaching out, he touched her cheek.  "Believe me,
Catherine, I know how this sounds. Why do you think I've never
told you?"
     "Vincent, I want to believe you.  I do!  But how would you
know about this timetravelling?  How can you be friends with
someone from the future?"
     Before he could answer, the door to their bedroom opened,
and a small boy, rumpled andblond, wearing blue pajamas and
rubbing his eyes, came in.  "Mommy?  I woke up," he said,crossing
the floor to climb into her lap.  "There were noises."
     She hugged him close, anchoring herself in the reality of
his warm, sweet, little-boy smell. "Did you have a dream?"
     "Uh-uh."  He shook his head.  "Just noises."  He snuggled
against her.  "Mommy?"
     "Yes, Albert?"
     He pointed.  "Who's that man in the funny coat?"
     She stiffened, staring at the empty space where her son was
pointing.  There was nothingthere.
     Vincent looked as surprised as she felt.  "Albert, what do
you see?" he asked.
     "A man," the child replied.  "He has a blue coat with purple
lights and he's smoking acigar."  He frowned and addressed the
space sternly.  "Don't you know that's bad for you?"
     "Oh, my God," Catherine whispered to herself.  "He's real."
     "How is this possible?" Vincent addressed the same empty
patch of air.
     "Kids under five can see me.  He's..." Al spent a moment
figuring.  "...four, right?"
     Vincent nodded and Al bent down to smile at the youngster. 
"Hi, there.  What's yourname?"
     "Albert," the boy answered shyly, burrowing closer to his
mother.  "What's yours?"
     "Well, you know, that's a funny thing.  My name's Albert,
too."
     Vincent looked at his son.  "Albert, this is the man you
were named for."
     Catherine clutched at the child in her lap, hoping someone
would pinch her and end thisnightmare.  "Vincent, how is this
possible?  I don't understand what's happening."
     Vincent saw the consternation in her eyes, and spoke to
their son again.  "Albert, do yousuppose you could let Albert..."
he paused, stumbling over the names.
       "Vincent, I told you before.  Just call me Al.  It's
easier."
     "You could call me Al!" piped the little boy.  The idea of a
new name intrigued him.
     "No fair," the bigger Al protested.  "I said it first!"
      The boy giggled.  "Okay.  You be Al.  I'm Albert."
     "Gotcha."  Al held out a hand and Albert slapped at it,
laughing in amazement when hishand went right through Al's.
     Vincent tried again.  "Albert, can you let Al take you back
to bed?  Your mother and Ineed to talk."
     Catherine had been listening to all the parts of this
conversation she could hear, butVincent's suggestion took her by
surprise.  "Vincent, do you really think..." she protested
faintly.
     "Catherine, it will not be the first time I have trusted
Alb... Al to keep Albert safe.  He didnot fail me before."
     Catherine relented, and let the boy off of her lap,
repeating what had become a refrain onthis very strange evening. 
"I don't understand."
     "I'll try to explain.  I promise."  Vincent turned to his
son.  "Albert, go with Al."
     "Okay.  'Night, Daddy.  'Night, Mommy."  He started out of
the room.  "If I can see youbut I can't touch you, does that mean
you're an angel?" he asked his new friend.
     "Well, not exactly," Al replied.  "You see, it's like this,
kid.  Once there was this boynamed Sam, and he lived on a farm in
Indiana..."
     The voices ended when little Albert pulled the door closed
behind them.
       Vincent reached for Catherine, pulling her into his arms.
       "Vincent, I'm worried.  I don't know what's happening. 
What do you see?  What doesAlbert see?  How can this man... this
Al... know you?"
     "He knows me... because one of the lives that has been
changed by this project... is yours."
     "Mine?  How?"
     "Catherine, there was another reality, another timeline that
once existed."  His voicebecame very soft, and she strained to
hear him.  "In that reality... you died."  Unconsciously, heheld
her tighter.
     "No, Vincent, you saved me.  All those times..."
     "I saved you, yes, many times.  But there came a time when I
was unable to find you.  Andyou died."
     "Vincent, you've always found me, always!  Even when our
bond was broken, you cameto me..."  She broke off at the look in
his eyes.  "Vincent?"
     "The man who came to you in Gabriel's tower, who brought you
safely out... was not me."
     "Vincent, I saw you!  I touched you!  You held me in your
arms!"
     He shook his head sadly.  "All I know of that day is what Al
was able to tell me as ithappened, and what you have told me
since.  I was not there."
     She stared at him, trust warring with logic.  Slowly, trust
and love began to overcomedisbelief.  "Then... who?"
     "His name is Dr. Sam Beckett.  Al tells me he is the
scientist who designed the time travelproject, called Quantum
Leap.  I'm told he is a good man."  He smiled at her.  "Al says
he treatedyou very carefully that day."
     "You... he... did," she answered slowly.  "But then,
Vincent, you are always gentle andcareful with me."  She looked
up at him.  "Vincent, you quoted the inscription I wrote in
thejournal I gave you.  Don't you remember?  How could this Sam
have known that?"
     "Albert says he read some of my journals."  He quelled her
instinctive protest.  "Catherine,it was necessary.  He needed to
know things about me, so he could be me."
     "Why?  Why did he need to be you?  Why didn't I know?"
     "Catherine, what I can tell you is what Alb... Al's told me. 
This time travel experiment Ispoke of... they've lost control of
it.  Al says that now his friend Sam leaps through
time,correcting things that once went wrong.  One of the things
that went wrong was... your death."
     Catherine was very quiet, assimilating all she'd seen and
heard in the past few minutes. She couldn't help thinking about
Alice Through the Looking Glass, when Alice tells the WhiteQueen,
'...one can't believe impossible things,' and the Queen answers,
'Why, sometimes I'vebelieved as many as six impossible things
before breakfast.'
       I'm Alice, and Vincent is the Queen, she thought.  And
even though these things areimpossible, I have to believe them,
because he does, and he would never lie to me.  And
besides,Albert can see Al.  It must all be real.
      "What happened to you?" she asked faintly.
     "I went... into the future," he replied.  "I spent two days
there, knowing you were to die,and helpless to prevent it."
     "Oh, Vincent."  She hugged him, hard.  "Why is Al here now? 
What's happening?"
     "I'm not sure," Vincent answered.  "But if we ask him, I'm
sure he'll tell us."
     "Can he go downstairs?" she asked.  "I'm not quite
comfortable entertaining a strange manin my bedroom, especially
one I can't see."
     In the kitchen, Catherine made herself a cup of coffee; a
pot of tea was brewing forVincent.  She still struggled with the
idea of a guest she could neither see nor hear.  Picking up
athird mug, she turned to Vincent, looking indecisive.  "Would he
like something?"
      "Nah, tell her I'm fine," Al answered, taking a deep drag
on his cigar.
     Vincent dutifully relayed the message; Catherine nodded and
drew her chair closer to him.
       Al, using Vincent as a conduit, explained the situation
while Catherine waited, listeningpatiently.
       "Let me get this straight," she said at last.  "Al can't
locate Sam because the connectionbetween Sam and this computer
has been broken and the computer thinks that means a headinjury?"
       Vincent nodded.
     "How do they know he's not dead?"
     "They don't, not for certain," he said slowly, his
expression grave.  "But, Catherine, fouryears ago, when our
connection was lost..."
     "You didn't know if I was dead or alive, either."
     He shook his head.
       "Okay.  Who am I looking for?"  Catherine reached for a
pen and paper.
       Vincent exchanged a long look with the empty chair beside
him.
       "What does he look like?" Catherine prompted.
     "They don't know."
     Catherine's eyebrows lifted.  "Don't know?"
     Vincent tried to explain.  "Catherine, when Sam leaps, he
takes on the appearance of theperson he's replacing."
     Oh.  Well, it did make a certain kind of twisted sense. 
"What about on the other end? Can't Al go see what this person
looks like?"
     "Catherine, the person who is transported into the future
takes on Sam's appearance.  Itwouldn't help."
     "Can't they ask him?"
     This required comment from Al, and Vincent bent his head,
listening.  "Apparently not. Leaping affects the memory.  All
they know for certain is that he is a man and his name is Mark."
     Catherine nodded acceptance; she had given up questioning
the odd things Vincent toldher.  Suddenly, though, something he'd
said only a moment ago made itself fully understood. "Vincent? 
When this happened to you... you looked like Sam?"
     He nodded gravely.  "For two days, the face that looked back
at me from a mirror was notmine."
     "What did you think?  What did you do?"
     He smiled.  "Once I recovered from the shock, I wondered
what you would think.  Iwondered if you would like the way I
looked."
     She touched his hand reassuringly.
       He looked as if he wanted to respond to her tenderness,
but something else tugged at hisattention.  "Catherine, I'm
sorry, but Al is very concerned about Sam.  He wants to know
howsoon you can start looking."
     "Yes, of course."  Vincent's reminder of their unseen
visitor made her self-conscious andshe busied herself taking
notes.  "We don't know what he looks like, or how old he is, or
evenwhat color, am I right?"  She looked up to see Vincent's
confirming nod and sighed.  "Great.  All Ineed to do, in a city
of over eight million, is find a man named Mark who has recently
incurred ahead injury."  Resignedly she reached for the phone.
     By calling in a favor with one of the night operators at the
city's main computer banks,Catherine had gotten a list of recent
police and ambulance calls where a man had been injured.
Narrowing it to head injuries had taken longer, but it gave her a
place to start.  She had calledlocal hospitals, inquiring about
recent admissions, which left her with three names.  It was not
yetdawn when she finished her phone calls and set out to find
someone she wouldn't recognize if shesaw him.
     "This is ridiculous," she muttered.  "I can't believe I'm
acting as tour guide for ahologram."
       "Yeah, well, this isn't my idea of a good time, either,"
Al grumbled, beside her.
     She knew, in theory, at least, that he was there.  In fact,
that was her sole purpose; to leadAl to each possible Sam. 
Vincent had tried to explain it, but since Al lacked a
completeunderstanding, the explanation was less than adequate. 
To the best of Catherine's understanding,the computer in the
future, or Ziggy, as Vincent called it, could "center" Al on
almost anyonethrough that person's brainwave pattern.
       Still, it felt like an invasion.  They're not reading my
mind, she reminded herself grimly. It's just an identifying
device, like fingerprints.  Nothing more.
       She pushed through the glass doors of the first hospital
on her list and went straight toinformation.
        "I'm looking for a patient?  Mark Fitzgerald?"
       The volunteer behind the desk gave her the room number and
directions and Catherinewent to the elevators.  As she waited for
one, she mulled over the name.  Mark Fitzgerald, shethought
pensively.  It's familiar, but I can't quite place it.
       A car arrived, and, stepping inside, she punched her
floor. Maybe I've seen his name onsomething that's come across my
desk, or I've met him at some time or another, she decided. 
Ormaybe it's just a common name, and it's reminding me of someone
else.
       The elevator groaned to a halt and she stepped out into
the hallway.  Mr. Fitzgerald's doorwas easily found and she
paused for a moment, steeling herself, before she went inside.
       And stared.  "Mark?"
      He stared back, and struggled to sit up.  I know her, he
thought, groping.  Suddenly hername came to him.  "Catherine?"
     "Mark, what are you doing here?  What happened?"
       He began to explain the accident; neither of them saw or
heard Al, who danced about in afrenzy, waving both hands.  "Sam! 
Sam!  Look at me!  Sam!"
       When Sam remained oblivious, Al turned his attention on
the room's fourth occupant, ateenaged girl.  Might as well try to
find out what Sam was here to do.  He moved closer andpunched
some buttons on his hand-held computer link before giving the
girl a second glance;incredibly, he recognized her.  "Hey, it's
Teresa!" he exclaimed.  "Look, Sam, it's little Teresa..."
     A glance showed Sam deep in conversation with Catherine, and
still unaware of Al'spresence.  It was clear she knew him, or at
least the person he appeared to be.  No telling howlong it would
be before she remembered him.  "Gushi!" he yelled.  "Center me on
Vincent!"
     In the blink of an eye, he was gone, leaving Catherine and
Sam/Mark talking as Teresalooked on.
       "They're going to release me this afternoon," Sam said. 
"Teresa has to keep an eye on mefor a day or two - head injury,
you know."
     "It's not serious?" Catherine asked.
     Sam shook his head.  Earlier he'd learned his last name and
the date; now he'd rememberednot only Catherine's name, but who
she was, and was trying to place her into Mark Fitzgerald'slife,
but it was no use.  What he knew of her just didn't fit.
     "You know, I thought your name was familiar when I came in,"
she was saying.  "Isuppose I've heard your full name, but since
most helpers are called only by their first names, yousurprised
me."
     "Yes, I know," he agreed automatically.  Helper, he mused to
himself.  Where have Iheard that term before?
       "If you like, I'm sure we can find someone to take care of
you for a few days," she offered.
     Sam glanced at Teresa, who was politely trying to ignore
them.  "No, that's all right. Teresa and I'll do fine together,
won't we?"  He shot the girl an encouraging glance and she
gavehim a small smile in return.
     "All right.  If you're sure.  May I make a call?" Catherine
asked him.  He nodded and shereached for the phone on his bedside
table.
       "Hello, Jamie?  It's Catherine.  Tell Vincent I don't know
where Al is, but I've run acrossMark Fitzgerald, you know, the
helper who's an English teacher...  What?"
       Sam was listening, trying to pick up whatever information
he could and he saw Catherine'seyes widen in amazement.
     "He's what?  Mark?"  Involuntarily, she spun to stare at
him.  "Is he sure?"
     In turning, she let the receiver move away from her ear, and
Sam could hear a woman'svoice, faintly.  "Yes.  Vincent says it's
him."
     "All right.  Thank you, Jamie."  She cradled the phone and
glanced toward Teresa.
       Sam took the hint.  "Teresa?  Could you walk down to the
nurse's station and maybe getme some juice or something? 
Thanks."
     The girl looked hurt as she left the room and Sam stifled
the impulse to call her back. Catherine obviously had something
to tell him and wanted privacy.  He waited.
     "Sam?"  He started at the name, and she frowned uncertainly. 
"You are Sam, aren't you?"
     Recovering, he nodded cautiously.  "How did you know?  You
can't possible recognize..."
     She was already shaking her head, smiling in relief.  "No. 
I couldn't possibly."  She eyedhis short dark hair and neat
beard.  "You don't look in the least like you did last time I saw
you."
     "Vincent told you about me."
       She nodded.  "Last night.  I didn't believe him."
     "But you believe him now."
     She nodded again.  "I guess I have to.  Not only can Vincent
see your friend Al, so canour son Albert."
     "They can see him?  Both of them?"
     "Pure alpha state, I'm told."  She shrugged.  "I don't
understand it, Sam.  I just believe.  Atleast, I think I
believe."
     He tried a reassuring smile.  "I didn't believe at first,
either," he confided.  "It takes someconvincing."  He leaned
forward.  "You said something about your son..."
     "Albert.  Named for your friend.  Yes?"
     "He's..." Sam faltered and started over.  "Is he the
baby..."
     "When Vincent... you rescued me?  Yes."
     "I've always wondered... what does he look like?"
     She looked briefly taken aback, and then fumbled in her
purse for a picture.  "Here.  That'sAlbert.  The baby is
Samantha."  She tilted her head to look at him quizzically. 
"Named for you,I'd guess.  Vincent insisted."
     Sam felt a blush creeping up his cheeks and was grateful for
the beard.  "Gosh.  He's cute. They're both cute."  He handed the
picture back.  "Named your daughter for me, huh?  And youactually
named a child for Al?  You must be crazy."
     She looked surprised.  "I haven't met him," she said.  "I
can't see him, but I assume he waswith me when I came in."
     Sam felt the first stirring of consternation.  "When you
came in?  You were by yourself. Al wasn't there!"
     "I think he must have been," she argued gently.  "When I
called home, Jamie... she's afriend... told me Vincent said you
were Sam.  He couldn't know that unless Al told him, and
Alcouldn't know unless he was here to see you."
     "But I didn't see him!" Sam almost wailed.
     "I don't understand any of this, Sam.  But I guess Al and
somebody called Ziggy thinkyour accident did something to your
brainwaves so they can't locate you.  That's why Al came
toVincent."
     Sam shook his head.  "Al and Vincent.  Now that's an
unlikely pair."  He sighed, thinking. "I have a mild concussion. 
It must have altered my brainwave pattern just enough so that
Ziggycan't pick me up, and that's why I can't see Al."
     Catherine looked faintly troubled.  "I think you'd better
come home with me," she said. "Vincent can act as interpreter so
you can talk to Al."
     "I can't leave Teresa," Sam said quickly.
       Catherine glanced involuntarily toward the door.  "Teresa? 
Why?  She's not Mark'sfamily..."
     "No, I think they've just met," Sam agreed.  "From what she
says, anyway."  He grinned. "She doesn't know it, but Al and I
helped her brother during an earlier Leap, and got to knowTeresa
quite well.  She was four at the time, and could see both of us."
     "Like Albert," Catherine said faintly.
     "Like Albert," Sam confirmed.  "Teresa and I are old
friends.  And besides, she may be theone I came to help.  I don't
want to lose track of her until I talk with Al."
     Catherine's hesitation was only momentary.  "All right. 
We'll take her with us."
     In the cab, Teresa was quiet, almost sullen, and Sam
wondered if she wasn't misconstruingMark's relationship with
Catherine, and feeling that he, like her father, was willing to
push heraside.  Catherine noticed, too, and began to draw the
girl out.  By the time they reached themodest brownstone on the
Upper West Side, Teresa was smiling; when the cab pulled over,
shebounded out with all the energy of youth.
       "She's a runaway, isn't she?" Catherine asked Sam quietly
as she leaned forward to pay thedriver.
     He nodded.  "Yeah."
     There was no time for further conversation; Catherine led
the way up a flight of wideconcrete steps and unlocked the front
door.
       "Come in," she invited.  Inside, another woman, younger
and blonder than Catherine,turned to greet them.  She smiled
shyly.
     "Jamie, you know Mark... this is his friend Teresa." 
Catherine made the introductionsswiftly, reminding Sam that he
was supposed to know this person.
     "Hi, Jamie," he said awkwardly.  At his elbow, Teresa nodded
a diffident greeting.
       "Hi," Jamie said, perfunctorily.  She came closer to
Catherine and bent her head, as ifconfiding a secret.  Her voice
was low, but Sam could just make out the words.  "Catherine,
Idon't want to alarm you, but Vincent and Albert are both acting
strangely... talking to someonewho isn't there."
       Catherine bit her lip to hide a smile.  "I know, Jamie. 
Try not to worry.  I thinkeverything's going to be all right."
     "Okay."  Jamie seemed doubtful, but willing to accept
Catherine's reassurances for themoment.
       A high-pitched shout came from a room beyond the stairs,
and Jamie turned quickly toanswer it, coming back a moment later
with a blond-haired, blue-eyed toddler balanced on herhip.  The
little girl reached for Catherine, who took her from Jamie.
       "Oh, what a precious little girl!" Teresa exclaimed, all
shyness gone.  "How old is she?"
     "Eighteen months," Catherine replied.
     "Is she yours?"
     Catherine nodded.
     "Oh, may I hold her?"
     Catherine smiled.  Babies had a universal charm, and her
daughter was no exception.  "Ifshe'll let you."  Catherine bent
her head to the child's.  "Do you want to go see Teresa?"
     The little girl looked solemn, but allowed Teresa to take
her.
       "What's her name?"
     Catherine darted a glance at Sam.  "Samantha," she answered.
     "Oh, that's pretty.  Hi, Samantha!"  Teresa was swiftly
reduced to chattering baby talk,and it wasn't long before she'd
coaxed a smile from the little girl.
     Sam watched for a moment, and then caught Catherine's eye. 
She nodded.
     "Jamie, can you and Teresa stay here and watch Samantha for
me?  Mark and I need to goupstairs for a few minutes."
     Jamie nodded instant understanding.  "Sure, Catherine."
     Absorbed in playing with Samantha, Teresa hardly noticed
when Sam followed Catherineup to the second floor.  Voices came
faintly from behind a closed door and Catherine tappedlightly
once before opening it.
       Inside, a tall, imposing figure turned, and though they
had never met, Sam recognized himinstantly.  Still, he couldn't
help staring as Vincent moved toward him.
     "Sam.  It has been a dream that one day we would meet."
     Somehow, hearing Vincent's voice broke the spell, and Sam
grinned.  "For me, too."
     Vincent was silent a moment.  "Mere words could never
express how I feel... I will neverforget what you have done for
me."
     There was no good answer for that, so Sam shrugged.  To his
surprise, Vincent smiled aswidely as his unusual features would
allow and stepped forward to envelop him in a warm,brotherly hug. 
Sam hugged him back, and it was probably fortunate that he
couldn't hear thedisparaging comment offered by Al.
     "Geez!  Looks like a Kodak moment to me!  Leave it to the
two of you!  A gorgeouswoman in the room, and you hug each other! 
What a waste!"  Arms wide, Al wandered inCatherine's direction,
demonstrating.
     Vincent turned his head, his expression offering a mild
reproach, but little Albert was notso restrained.  Giggling, he
gave his own version.  "Mommy, Al thinks you're pretty.  He
wantsDaddy and Sam to hug you, and he wants to hug you, too."
     Catherine clearly didn't know how to react and Vincent moved
automatically to protecther.  "Al, as Catherine cannot see or
hear you, it is unfair to make remarks that might embarrassher."
     Only mildly chastened, Al voiced a general apology, which
Vincent translated moreeloquently.  Sam couldn't hear the whole
exchange because his link with Al was still lost, but
herecognized diplomacy when he heard it, and besides, he knew Al
too well.
     Vincent touched his arm.  "Sam, Catherine and I would like
you to meet our son, Albert."
     Sam smiled at the engaging little boy, who greeted him with
a bright smile.  "Hi!"
     "Hi.  Daddy said you would look like Mark, but you don't."
     Sam paused.  "How old are you, Albert?  Four?  Then, no, I
guess I don't look like Mark."
     "Who does he see?" Catherine whispered to Vincent.
     "He sees Sam," Vincent explained.  "So do I."
     In the background, Al was offering another rapid-fire
explanation of the pure alpha state,which Vincent ignored by
choice and Catherine and Sam ignored because they couldn't hear
it. Only Albert was interested.
       "Could a dog see you?" he asked.  "Or a cat?  Or a bird? 
My friend Mouse has a raccoon;could he see you?"
       "Albert, I'm a little surprised that Mouse can't see me."
     "Is Mouse your friend, too?" the little boy asked.
     "Well, sort of," Al explained.  "He probably doesn't
remember me."
      Albert glanced at Sam and seemed to remember his manners. 
"This is my friend Al,"he said, pointing.
     Sam looked where the boy indicated and shook his head.  "I
can't see Al," he said softly.
      "You can't?  Mommy can't, either.  Or Jamie.  Only me and
Daddy and Sammie."  Hegiggled.  "That's funny.  Al has the same
name as I do, and Sammie's name is almost like yours."
     Sam smiled.  "That is funny."
     Catherine interrupted, holding out her hand.  "Come on,
Albert.  Let's go downstairs for awhile so Daddy can talk with
Sam and Al."
     "I want to stay," Albert objected.  "I like Al.  He's
funny!"
     Sam leaned close.  "You know, Albert, I think you'd better
do what your mother says rightnow.  Your father and Al and I have
some things to talk about."
     "Oh, all right."  Albert grumbled, but it was a token
protest.  At the door he turned for aparting comment.  "Don't
forget, Al, you promised to teach me that lime poem later."
     Catherine looked from Albert to Vincent.  "Lime poem?" she
questioned.
     Vincent turned to Al, who shrugged.  "A limerick," he
explained.
     Vincent drew himself up to his full height; his bearing was
suddenly imposing, and Allooked moderately cowed.  "It's a
different one!" he defended himself.
       Vincent was not appeased and Al capitulated gracelessly.
       "Okay, okay, no limericks!  How about a nursery rhyme?"
     "Oh, boy," Sam sighed after Catherine and Albert left. 
"This is the strangest leap yet."  Heturned to Vincent.  "Does Al
know why I'm here?"
     Vincent listened a moment.  "Al asks if you know where
Teresa is?"
     "Sure.  She's downstairs, playing with the baby.  Is she why
I'm here?"
     Vincent listened.  "Al says Ziggy tells him there is a good
chance that you are here tomake Teresa go home."  He paused. 
"May I ask who Teresa is?"
     Sam began to explain, but hadn't said more than a few words
when Vincent raised hishands in protest.  "Please.  I can only
hear one of you at a time."
       Knowing better than to expect Al to yield the floor, Sam
shut up, waiting patiently untilVincent's attitude indicated Al
had stopped speaking.
       "Is he done?"
     Vincent nodded.  "An incredible story.  You are both certain
this Teresa is the same girl?"
     Sam nodded.  "I am."
     Al's answer was apparently also affirmative, and Vincent
smiled.  "You are crossing pathswith many old friends on this
leap."
     Sam nodded agreement.  "Al, what happens to Teresa if she
stays in New York?"
     Al was a long time in answering; when he did, Vincent
translated slowly, with manypauses.
       "He says there are many things that could happen to a
young girl on the streets of NewYork..."
     "He's stalling, Vincent.  Make him tell you what Ziggy
says."
     Vincent tipped his head to the side.  "He says Ziggy isn't
certain.  She works two jobs tosupport herself; at the perfume
counter at Horne's Department Store, and nights as a waitress in
adiner.  Beyond that, he doesn't know."
     Sam sighed.  "It isn't much.  What am I supposed to fix?"
     "Al says Ziggy doesn't know.  He reminds you that he is only
two years ahead of us, andthere hasn't been time for Teresa's
life to fully unfold."
     "But it's trouble if she stays in New York, right?"
     Vincent listened for a long time.  "Al says it is.  He says
running away is not the answerfor Teresa, that she has a family
and should be with them.  He knows what life as a runaway is..."
     Vincent paused and Sam filled in the blank.  "Al was a
runaway when he was a boy."
     Vincent nodded understanding and continued.  "Al cares for
this young woman verymuch.  He truly fears for her."
     Meanwhile, downstairs, Jamie had disappeared, Albert wanted
a snack and little Samanthawas getting fussy.
       "What can I do?" Teresa asked, wanting to help.
     "You can..." Catherine paused in the act of slicing an
apple.  "...take Samantha upstairsand put her down for a nap. 
It's the second door on the right."
     "Okay."  Teresa loved babies, and Samantha was an especially
engaging little girl. Following Catherine's instructions, she
found the baby's room and changed her diaper beforetucking her
into the crib.  Pulling the door closed, she leaned against it,
waiting to hear ifSamantha was going to sleep quietly, or was
going to fuss.
       Men's voices came to her through a closed door across the
hall, but she ignored them untilher own name filtered through her
concentration.  Frowning, she moved closer to the other door. She
heard her name again, and heard Mark say something about sending
her home.  There wereodd gaps in the conversation, and she
couldn't make out all the words, especially from the manwho
wasn't Mark, because his voice was too low, but it was soon clear
that she was the subject ofthis particular discussion.
       Like most teenagers, Teresa felt perfectly capable of
taking care of herself, and felt hertemper rising.  As the
conversation beyond the door continued, it added fuel to her
fury.  Shedidn't know that Catherine had noticed her long absence
and had come looking for her.  Obliviousto Catherine's cry of
protest, Teresa thrust the door open and burst into the room.
       Sam whirled at the sound behind him.  Teresa stood framed
in the open doorway, furyfading as panic and hysteria rose in her
eyes.  Vincent bowed his head and began to turn away;Teresa took
an involuntary step back, bumping Catherine, who blocked her
path.
       Teresa spun away, giving a small, convulsive cry,
flattening herself against the wall. Slowly she realized that no
one else was alarmed, and her eyes sought Sam's.  "Mark?"
shequavered.
     Sam spoke slowly, making sure she understood every word. 
"Teresa, this is my friendVincent."  He looked questioningly to
Catherine, who nodded gravely.  "He's Catherine'shusband."
     Vincent was still half-turned away from Teresa, and she
stared at his profile in fascination. Sam thought he knew how
Vincent felt; he remembered the horror on the faces of men he
hadsubdued in the course of rescuing Catherine.  One man had
actually fainted at sight of him.  Ithadn't been a pleasant
feeling.
       "Didn't your mother ever teach you to knock?" Sam added. 
"If you hadn't barged inhere..."
     Teresa had found her voice at last, and seemed to take
comfort not only from Sam'sintroduction, but from the fact that
Catherine had pushed past her and was now beside Vincent,touching
his arm and speaking in a low voice.
       "I'm sorry," Teresa said.  "But you were talking about
me."
     "We mean you no harm, Teresa," Vincent said softly, without
looking at her.  "We onlywish to help."
      "I can take care of myself," she said stonily.  "I'm not a
child."
     "Don't let her, Sam," Al exhorted, forgetting Sam couldn't
hear him.  "Make her go back."
     Sam didn't need the advice.  "You're only sixteen, Teresa. 
New York is a difficult place tomake it on your own."
     "I can do it," she insisted.
     "How?" Catherine asked quietly.  "What will you do?"
     "I'll get a job.  I'll find a place to live... I have
friends."
     "Who?" Sam challenged.
     Her pause was only momentary.  "Damon," she answered.
     It took him aback.  "Damon?  You said he tried..."
     "Maybe I was wrong," she said.  "Maybe he is my friend,
after all.  At least he listens towhat I want!"
     "Get a last name, Sam," Al advised.
     "We're willing to listen, too, Teresa," Sam said.  "Believe
it or not, we're your friends, allof us.  We care what happens to
you."
     "Get a last name on this Damon," Al demanded indignantly. 
"So Ziggy can run a check onhim."
     "Teresa," Vincent interrupted gently.  "Does your friend
Damon have a last name?"
     "Does he... sure he does.  Newburgh.  Damon Newburgh."
     "Thanks, Vincent," Al muttered, punching buttons furiously. 
"Glad someone around herelistens to me."
     "Teresa, no one here will force you to do anything against
your will," Catherine said.  "Butwon't you take some time to
listen to us, and think about what we have to say?"
     "Please, Teresa," Sam added his voice.  "We only want what's
right for you."
     Teresa gave in grudgingly.  "Okay.  A day or two.  But
you're not going to change mymind.  I'm not going home."
     "All right."  Sam smiled in relief.  They'd gotten over the
first hurdle, and could worryabout the second one later.
     "Where do I go?" Teresa asked.  "Back to Mark's?  Or do I
stay here?"
     Catherine shook her head decisively.  "Mark's place isn't a
good idea, and here isn't either,but Vincent knows of a secret
place where you'll be safe."
     
     Sam was amazed that Vincent and Catherine would trust Teresa
with the secret of thetunnels, but Catherine explained.  "Vincent
knows she can be trusted."
     Sam went back to Mark's tiny apartment to get Teresa's
things.  He didn't notice the slight,dark youth who followed him
when he left.
     Vincent had given him directions to the tunnel entrance
nearest Mark's apartment, andSam stashed Teresa's backpack and
sleeping bag while he searched.  After only a few minutes,
hefound it, a rusty iron door set into crumbling brick in the
basement of a nearby warehouse; itshinges groaned a protest when
he pulled it open.  He left it ajar while he went to fetch
Teresa'sstuff.
     Meanwhile, Vincent guided a subdued and silent Teresa into
the depths of the worldBelow.  Catherine would follow after the
baby woke from her nap.
       "I'm sorry," Teresa said suddenly.
     "For what?"
     "For the way I acted; for barging in without knocking... and
for staring at you the way Idid."
     He made a brief, dismissive gesture with one hand.  "It is
forgotten."
     "Not by me."  She kicked at a loose stone on the tunnel
floor.  "I'll bet Catherine didn'tstare like that the first time
she saw you."
     "No," he agreed; she was surprised to see he was smiling. 
"She didn't stare.  Shescreamed, and threw something at me."
     Teresa stopped dead in the passage.  "Really?"
     "I surprised her," he explained.
     "Wow.  I guess I don't feel so bad now.  I'm sorry, and I
won't stare at you anymore."
     "I know you won't.  Teresa, tell me about your friend
Damon."
     "Like what?" she asked, suddenly defensive.
       "Who is he?"
     "He's just a boy I met; he helped me when I first came to
New York."
     "How did he help you?"
     "I was almost out of money; he let me stay in his apartment
for a couple of days.  He wasgoing to talk to somebody he knew
about giving me a job."
     "What happened?"
     She was silent, studying the ground under her feet.
     "Teresa?" he prompted.
     "I'm not sure anymore," she confessed.
       Vincent tactfully avoided noticing how her cheeks were
flushed scarlet.
       "We were just watching T.V. together," she went on softly. 
"And he put his arm aroundme, and after a while we started..."
     "Becoming affectionate?" Vincent suggested diplomatically.
     She nodded.  "We were kissing, and he started touching me,
and... and... I never felt thatway before... it scared me, and I
ran away."
     "Did Damon try to stop you?"
     "No... yes...  I mean, he yelled for me to come back, that
he was sorry, but he didn't grabme or try to hold me or
anything."
     "Do you think he meant to hurt you?"
     Slowly she shook her head.  "I made myself think I did, so I
wouldn't feel so bad aboutrunning away, but I don't think so
anymore."
     "What kind of a person is Damon?"
     She smiled.  "He's quiet and gentle, except when he's mad. 
Then he yells.  He works at awarehouse, unloading trucks, and
sometimes he sings on the street corners.  That's how I methim. 
He was singing, and I stopped to listen."
     "He is a musician, then."
     She shrugged.  "He wants to be."
     "And you, Teresa.  What do you want?"
     "I don't know, Vincent."  She thought a minute.  "I guess I
want to feel like I'm needed.  Iknow my mom loves me, but she
doesn't need me for anything."
     "And you believe you can find fulfillment by staying in New
York?"
      "I don't know.  Maybe.  I'd like to try."
     "And what of your mother?"
     "What about her?"
     "I have a brother, Teresa.  When he was fourteen, he ran
away, and for twenty years wedidn't know if he was alive or
dead."
     "You think she's worried about me."
     "What do you think?"
     She nodded reluctantly.  "I should tell her I'm okay,
shouldn't I?"
     "I think it would ease her mind," Vincent agreed.
     "But what will I do if she wants to come and get me?"
     Vincent glanced at her.  "Would that be so terrible?"
     "I don't want to go back there, Vincent.  There's nothing in
Scottsdale for me.  I ran awayfor stupid reasons, but I think I'm
supposed to be here now."
     Vincent looked at her thoughtfully.  "Perhaps you are. 
Here."  He led the way into a smallchamber, dimly lit by soft
gold and blue light streaming through a stained glass window
above thebed.  "This chamber is where I spent my childhood, and
much of my adulthood," he said.  "It iswhere Catherine gave birth
to both of our children; it holds many memories, but I rarely use
itanymore.  You are welcome to sleep here while you decide what
to do."
     "Okay.  Thank you."  Teresa looked around uncertainly, and
was grateful to hearfootsteps in the passage outside.
       A rather scruffy-looking young man entered first, smiling
shyly at Teresa beforeaddressing Vincent.  "Brought Mark," he
announced.  Sam came in behind him.
     "Thank you, Mouse," Vincent said gently.  "This is Teresa;
she'll be staying Below for afew days."
     "Hi," Teresa said, and Mouse blushed.
     "Hi."
     "I brought your stuff, Teresa," Sam said, dropping it onto
the bed.
       "Thank you."
     There was a rough, sliding noise that only Vincent could
hear, and Al stepped through ashimmering portal.  "Hey, Vincent,"
he said expansively.  "Place hasn't changed much, has it?"
     Vincent looked at him, but didn't answer; Mouse probably
wouldn't notice or care, but hedidn't want to alarm Teresa.
       Al didn't seem to mind; he was busy making a brief
inspection tour.  "You have the neateststuff, Vincent," he
commented.  He bent, admiring the glittering facets of a polished
geode.  "Hey,it's that kid, what's-his-name!"  Al snapped his
fingers impatiently.  "Squirrel... Rat... Mouse! That's it.  It's
Mouse!  Hi, Mouse!"  Oblivious to Al's presence, Mouse was
covertly watchingTeresa.
     "Al."  Vincent spoke quietly, and as he'd suspected, Mouse
didn't respond.  The girlfrowned a little, but didn't seem
absolutely sure she'd heard anything.  Sam heard, and raised
hiseyebrows in a silent question.
       Al reacted with animated attention to the sound of his
name.  "Vincent, we need to talk. Can you get Teresa and Mouse to
take a walk somewhere?"
     Vincent nodded briefly.  "Mouse, Teresa has just arrived
here and doesn't know her wayaround yet.  Would you show her how
to find the bathing chambers, the dining hall, perhapsFather's
library?"
     Mouse flushed; if Vincent didn't know better, he'd think the
youth was developing a crushon Teresa.
       "Okay, good, okay, fine," he mumbled, and scurried out. 
After a few seconds, he poppedback in again.  "Coming?" he
inquired of Teresa, and this time, with a backward wave for
Samand Vincent, she followed.
       "Mouse will take good care of her," Vincent assured Sam.
     "I know he will," Sam answered.  "He took good care of me,
both today and before."
     Vincent was momentarily startled; he had forgotten that Sam
had met Mouse on his earlierleap.
     "Come on, you guys," Al interrupted.  "We've got work to
do."
     Vincent turned his attention to Al.  "What have you
learned?"
      "Ziggy ran a check on this kid, Damon Newburgh," Al said,
waving his cigar.  "The kid'sbad news.  You can't let Teresa get
mixed up with him!"
     Repeating Al's words for Sam's benefit had become almost
automatic for Vincent now, butSam began to pace in frustration.
Sam hadn't realized how much of Al's communication wasthrough
expression and body language.
       "What kind of trouble, Al?" he asked.
     Al punched some buttons.  "Ziggy says that right now, this
Newburgh kid has beenindicted for possession of illegal
narcotics, and is awaiting trial."  He looked up, his
expressiongrim.  "The police suspect him of dealing, but don't
have any proof."
     "We can't let Teresa get mixed up with drugs," Sam said,
more to himself than anyoneelse.  "I must be here to stop her."
     Vincent spoke quietly.  "When you spoke earlier of Teresa's
future, Al, you made nomention of drugs."
     "No," Al admitted reluctantly.  "Ziggy's looked, and can't
find any evidence that she's triedany of that stuff."
     "You also made no mention of Damon being part of her life,"
Vincent continued.
     Al pushed more buttons and slapped the side of his computer
link impatiently.  "Hurry up,Ziggy," he muttered.  Finally the
computer complied and he perused the results, frowning. 
"Ziggysays Teresa and Damon don't seem to know each other," he
announced at last.  "She doesn't havea boyfriend; she has a kind
of protector, a father-figure, I guess."  He glanced at Sam. 
"MarkFitzgerald."
     "Yes," Vincent agreed.  "Mark is a good man.  He would not
abandon her."
     "Then I don't get it," Sam said.  "If nothing really bad is
going to happen to Teresa in thenext two years, what am I here to
do?"
     "You gotta make her go home, Sam," Al insisted.  "If you
don't, she's stuck in a dead-endlife."
     Vincent translated, and added his own thoughts.  "There is
nothing inherently wrong withmenial work," he said.  "Many of our
helpers support themselves in this way, and even much ofthe work
here, in my world, requires strong backs more than agile minds."
     "She needs to go home," Al said stubbornly.
       Sam rubbed his cheek thoughtfully.  "Vincent, you sound
like you think Teresa should stayhere.  Why?"
     Vincent lifted his shoulders in a microscopic shrug.  "I am
not certain," he replied.  "It isonly a feeling I have.  On our
way down, she spoke of Damon.  I believe she cares for him, and
Iwonder if it is not his destiny you are here to change."
     Sam gazed at him, marvelling.  "Al, have Ziggy run a
scenario on what happens to Damonif he and Teresa get back
together."
     Al opened his mouth, but closed it again when Sam continued.
     "Vincent, tell him not to argue, just do it."
     Vincent eyes were smiling as he complied.  "Al, just do it."
     "Okay, but it'll take a few minutes.  Ziggy's kind of slow
today."  Grumbling under hisbreath, Al vanished.
     Sam pulled at his ear.  "Vincent, is there some kind of
radio around here?"
     Vincent shook his head.  "No.  The rock walls prevent any
signals reaching us down here,so there is no reason to have a
radio.  Why?"
     Sam rubbed the other ear.  "I keep thinking I hear static,
like a radio that isn't tuned.  Itcomes in bursts, and it's been
getting louder."  He shrugged.  "It's gone now.  I must
haveimagined it."
     Damon Newburgh had spent the past fifteen minutes
alternately creeping alongrock-walled corridors and flattening
himself into shadowed niches and side tunnels to avoid beingseen. 
He had followed the man he knew as Mark Fitzgerald into these
tunnels, had watched asMark was joined by a short, blond man not
much older than Damon himself.  The man seemed toact as a guide,
leading Mark through a veritable maze of twisting, intersecting
passages.  Damonhad been hard-pressed to keep them in sight
without being spotted, and eventually he had lostthem.  By then,
he was so far into the maze that he knew he could never find his
way out, but thepassages here were lit by candles and torches,
flickering gently in niches and wall brackets, soDamon knew there
would be people.  Still, he wasn't sure what sort of community
he'd stumbledinto, and resolved to proceed with caution.
     He couldn't imagine what a respected English professor would
be doing in these tunnels,anyway.  The few people Damon had seen
from a distance had been strangely, almost medievallygarbed; the
whole place had an other-worldly air.
       He peered carefully around a corner; the passage before
him was clear, and he slipped intoit, proceeding silently toward
an opening farther down.
       Beyond that opening was a large, multi-level chamber
filled with candlelight.  Damonslipped inside and paused in the
shadow cast by a tall, glass-fronted wooden cabinet. 
Directlyabove him was a smooth wooden surface; footsteps scraping
the wood indicated that there was asecond level here, and when he
looked further, he could see the narrow spiral staircase that
ledupward.
       "I've never seen so many books outside a library," someone
said from above him.  Teresa?he wondered, and ventured a step
closer, looking up.
     "You look at books," a young man's voice advised her. 
"Mouse has things to do.  Backlater!"
     "Wait!  Mouse!"  Teresa tried to call back her guide, but he
had scurried away, using apassage that led directly from the loft
in Father's chamber.
       Damon was sure he recognized her voice, and, casting
caution aside, moved into the roomuntil he could see her.
       She moved to the railing, but didn't look down.  "I wish I
knew what to do."  She spokealoud, but Damon thought she was
really speaking to herself.  She sounded wistful.  "If I gohome,
I won't get to go anywhere, or do anything.  I'll have to go back
to school..."  She sighed. "And Damon isn't there."
     Damon had been listening, and started at the sound of his
name.  Teresa heard and lookeddown, searching the shadows.
     "School isn't so bad," Damon said softly, not wanting to
frighten her.  "You need aneducation."
     "Damon?"  She sounded incredulous.  "How did you get down
here?"
     He shrugged, feeling suddenly carefree.  "You can't hide
from me, Teresa.  Not evendown here."
     She smiled and managed to look worried at the same time. 
"This place is supposed to besecret.  I don't know what will
happen if they find you..."
     He shrugged again.  "What they don't know won't hurt 'em."
     She bent over the railing as if trying to get closer, and he
moved until he was directlybeneath her.
       "Why did you come?" she asked.
     "For you," he said slowly.  "Because I didn't know where you
were, and I thought MarkFitzgerald could take me to you."
     "You were worried?"
     He nodded.  "Word on the street was that you were with him. 
When I went to his placeand neither one of you was there, I
didn't know what to think.  I waited, and when Mark cameback, I
followed him."
     "Oh, Damon, I'm sorry I ran away from you the way I did."
     He spread his hands and grinned.  "I'm sorry I came on so
strong.  I should haveremembered you're just a kid."
     "I'm not a kid," she retorted hotly.  "I wish people would
stop saying that!"
     "All right, all right, I'm sorry.  You're not a kid, but
you're young, and I scared you.  Iapologize."
     Placated, she smiled shyly and bit her lip.  "Okay."
     "Okay."
     They stayed like that, Teresa leaning over the balcony rail
and Damon craning up at her.
      "Teresa," he said suddenly, smiling an odd, tender smile. 
"Did you know you're beautifulwith the candlelight in your hair
and your eyes all dark and mysterious like that?"
     She blushed and pulled back.  "What?  I'm not..."
     "Yes, you are," he disagreed, and bounded up the spiral
stair to the point where its curvebrought him closer to her, and
leaned over the bannister.  "You're very beautiful to me,
Teresa,"he said softly.  "I don't know why I never noticed it
before."
     She was staring at him with a mixture of longing and
disbelief, and when he stretched outhis hand, she reached with
hers; their fingers touched.
       "I think," he said shakily, "that I might be falling in
love with you."
     Teresa looked as uncertain as Damon felt.  "I think I am,
too," she whispered.  "Oh,Damon, this is scary."
     "For me, too," he admitted.  "Oh, Teresa, what are we going
to do?"
     Across the room, Sam and Vincent entered, searching for
Teresa.  At sight of Damon,they stopped, exchanging anxious
looks.
        "It won't be easy," Teresa said, unaware they were being
observed.  "We're young; we'refrom different worlds..."
     Sam opened his mouth to speak; Vincent raised a hand to
forestall him and motioned toleave.  Realizing they were
eavesdropping, Sam turned to follow.  Abruptly, their path
wasblocked by Al.
     "Hey!  Who's that with Teresa?" he demanded, looking over
their shoulders.  "Is it thatDamon kid?  Is this what you call
taking care of her?"
        Vincent began a placating gesture; Al ignored it and
stepped forward, passing throughthem.
       "You can't just leave her here with him," he continued,
arms waving.  "Look!  He's kissingher, Sam!  You have to stop
him!"
      "Al, get away from there!  Don't watch..."  Sam broke off
and looked around wildly.  "Al! I can hear you!"
     "You can...?  Vincent, he can hear me!  Sam, that's great! 
How do I sound?"
     "Loud," Sam said, flinching.  "You don't have to shout. 
You're full of static, but I canunderstand you."
     "Can you see me?"  To help, Al waved his arms theatrically.
     Sam blinked and squinted toward the voice.  "No," he
admitted finally.  "Not yet.  There'sa sort of shimmer, though."
     Al jabbed buttons frantically.  "Ziggy says the fuzzy
reception is because you still aren'tover your concussion, but
that you should be back to normal soon...  Hey, Sam, we've got a
fixon you again!"
       "Good.  Now, what about them?"  Sam said, pointing to
Damon and Teresa.
       No longer oblivious to their audience, Damon and Teresa
turned; at sight of Vincent,Damon pushed Teresa behind him
protectively.
       "It's all right, Damon," Teresa assured him quickly.  "He
won't hurt you.  He's a friend."
     None of them noticed Catherine bringing the children in
through the entrance below thegallery until Albert flew across
the chamber, shouting, "Hi, Al!"
     Seizing Damon's hand, Teresa tugged him toward the spiral
staircase; he followedambivalently.  Catherine, carrying
Samantha, moved toward the center of the chamber, whereSam and
Vincent joined her.
       At the foot of the stairs, Damon paused doubtfully, aware
that all eyes were on him. Teresa pulled at his hand, drawing him
forward.
     "This is Damon," she said.  "Damon, this is Catherine and
her little girl Samantha; youalready know Mark; this is Vincent;
and this is Albert, Vincent and Catherine's son."
        During the introductions, Catherine crossed to Vincent's
side, and Samantha's little armswent out to her father, who
reached for her automatically.
     Damon was still grappling with Albert being Vincent's son
when the little boy piped up,"You forgot Al!"
     Catherine put her hand over his mouth, shaking her head
warningly.
     "Mommy, don't," he said indignantly, when she released him. 
"I want to talk."
     "I know, sweetheart, but I don't think Teresa and her friend
can see Al."
     "But it isn't polite not to introduce him, Mommy."  His
parents exchanged amused glancesover his head.
       Teresa crouched down to Albert's level.  "Is Al a friend
no one else can see?" she asked.
       Albert nodded.  "Except Daddy can see him, too," he said.
       "You know, when I was about your age, I had a friend that
no one could see, and hisname was Al, too!  I remember he used to
wear this really yucky shirt and he could makedinosaurs appear in
the air."
     "No, he makes the Cheshire Cat appear," Albert disagreed. 
"And I like his purple shirt.  Ithas shiny stuff on it."
     "That's nice, Albert," she said, suddenly aware she was the
center of attention.
       Rising slowly to her feet, her eyes met Sam's.
      "Teresa..."
     "Mark, before you say anything, I want you to know I've made
my decision.  I'm stayinghere."  Looping an arm through Damon's,
she faced Sam with determination.
       "Teresa."  Surprisingly, it was Damon who spoke.  She
turned to him and he put a handon her shoulder.  "I don't want
you to go, but they want what's best for you... and so do I."
     Teresa touched his cheek.  "The only one who knows what's
best for me is me, and myfuture is here... with you."
     "She's right," Al shouted to those who could hear him. 
"Vincent was right!  You're nothere to help Teresa, you're here
to help Damon, and by helping him, you help Teresa, too!"
Controlling his excitement, Al consulted his computer link. 
"Before, Damon was going to be ano-good drug dealer.  Now Ziggy
says there's an eighty-four percent chance that he's going to
beable to make a living from his music, instead."
       "What about Teresa?" Sam asked.
     Al slapped the small plastic box impatiently.  "Bingo!" he
cried.  "Teresa lives with an oldlady and helps her out.  She
goes to school and works part time and her mom sends her
somemoney, too.  Damon still works at the warehouse, but in two
years he's going to sell a song to arecord company."  He pressed
some more buttons.  "And... he and Teresa get married!"
     "So we did help her," Sam said.
     "You helped both of them," Vincent observed quietly. 
"Finding someone to share a lifewith is no small thing."  His
glance moved swiftly to Catherine and back again.  "Perhaps there
isa little of Eros in you, Sam."
     "Who?" Al demanded.
     "Cupid, Al," Sam explained.  "Why aren't I leaping?"
     Al shrugged, an expansive gesture Sam couldn't see.  "Don't
know.  Maybe because youcan't see me yet, or maybe because we
haven't said goodbye.  Maybe you need to change yourname to
Dorothy and tap your heels together three times."
     Sam threw an exasperated look to where Al's voice had been,
only to hear it emanatingfrom another spot.  Al had already begun
his goodbyes.
     Sam turned to Damon and Teresa.  "Take good care of her," he
admonished Damon.  "I'llbe watching."
     "I will," Damon promised.
     He looked at Teresa.  "You've grown up to be quite a young
woman.  Your mother wouldbe proud of you."  To her surprise, he
hugged her.  She responded warmly, but as he steppedback from
her, she stiffened, looking past him.
      Sam spun to look.  Little Albert was in the act of
exchanging a delighted high five with aghostly shadow that was
Al.
       "Al?"  Teresa's whisper, soft with wonder and disbelief,
made Sam spin back again.  Onehand was over her mouth; the other
reached forward, but when she saw him looking, she snatchedit
back.
      "Teresa, what do you see?"
     She shook her head.  "Nothing.  Nothing at all."
     Unconvinced, Sam moved to stand before Vincent.  "I'm glad
we met."
     Vincent inclined his head in acknowledgement.  "Perhaps
we'll meet again."
     Catherine waited with her hands on her son's shoulders, and
Sam looked up to see analmost-fully focused, clearly discernable
Al only inches away from her, leering.
       "Quit it, Al," he instructed grimly.  "I can see you."
     Al turned.  "You can?  Sam, that's great...!"
     Sam ignored him.  By the way the air was beginning to buzz,
he would be leaping anysecond.  He looked into Catherine's eyes
as she smiled at him.  "Cath..."
     He leaped.
     As he opened his eyes, he found her still smiling at him.
"...erine," he finished, and staredin astonishment.
     
THE END

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
About the Author

Lee Kirkland is a pseudonym for Sue Hernandez and Becky Bain. 
Sue and Becky met at a SUPPORTERS OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
(Denver-based group) meeting in December of 1988 and began
writing together shortly after that.  Altogether, Lee has
written four B&B 'zines (WHERE THE RAINBOW ENDS, Vols. 1-4),
three B&B/Quantum Leap crossovers (QUANTUM BEAST Vols. 1-3), and
several short stories.  Writing alone, Becky has written three
'zines, ETERNITY,  ETERNITY 2: I Shall Emerge,  ETERNITY 3:
Collected Dreams, and some short stories.  In addition, working
with Beth Druhan, she helped produce (and has a story in) a B&B
'zine called THE HAT ON THE BENCH IN CENTRAL PARK, in which each
of five writers wrote a story using that image.

Lee's 'zines are all now out of print.  All will eventually be
available via Father's Online Library.

Lee's short stories, The Catnip Caper and Sleeping Beauty, are
available via Father's Online Library.  Her story Absolution
appeared in the TUNNELCON II con 'zine; Vincent, I Don't Think
We're in Verona Anymore, appeared in MacWombat Press' OLD SOULS.

Becky's individual work can be ordered as follows:

ETERNITY and ETERNITY 2 are now out of print.  ETERNITY 3
is $17 USA, $19 FC or CAN, $24 Europe.  THE HAT ON THE BENCH IN
CENTRAL PARK is $14 USA, $16 FC or CAN, $20 Europe.  Order from:
Becky Bain, 16845 Hightree Drive, Elbert CO 80106, or Email
rbain@clsp.uswest.net for further information.

Becky's short stories have appeared in WITHIN THE CRYSTAL ROSE
Vols. 5 (Star Light, Star Bright, under the pseudonym Anna
Gerard), 6 (Riches, also under Anna Gerard), 7 (Little Boy
Lost), and 8 (The Choice) all available from Mountain Rose Press,
MacWombat Press' BEST MIRRORS (Not Ever), in the GREAT
EXPECTATIONS con 'zine (Fairy Time), the TUNNELCON III con
'zine (Green Eyed), the REFLECTIONS con 'zine (Forsaken), and THE
HAT ON THE BENCH IN CENTRAL PARK (The Lucky Cap).