Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Now that Sam was awake, Al was no longer allowed to keep his round the clock vigil and was restricted to only being with him during regular visiting hours.

Although out of the coma, Sam still slept a good deal of the time as his body healed. It was nearly a week later before he was strong enough to be awake for longer periods of time. “What happens now?” he asked during one of his wakeful times.

“Well, the doc says you’re going to be here at least another week,” Al responded not really understanding what Sam’s question meant.

“No. I mean what happens now that I’m not leaping anymore,” Sam clarified.

“You’re probably going to have to go through some debriefing,” Al suggested. “After that, it’s up to you what you want to do. I expect you’ll want to spend some time with your family.”

“Mom!” Sam said in excitement as soon as Al mentioned family. “I can see Mom and Katie and...Tom?”

“Yeah, Kid,” Al answered with a smile when Sam remembered his brother. “You can see them all including Tom.” He’d wondered how much Sam would remember about his leaping or his time before he began to leap. So far, based on some of what he’d said since waking up, it seemed he only remembered the past that he’d created. He hadn’t said anything about remembering anything about the leaps but based on the questioning note when he said Tom’s name, Al suspected that he remembered at least some of them.

Al had been relieved that his friend wasn’t going to be saddled with multiple sets of memories about the same history. It was so much easier if there was only the one set for him to assimilate.

“What does my family know about this?” Sam asked anxiously. It was only then he realized that they hadn’t been there at all since he woke up.

“Right now, nothing.” Al fidgeted slightly at the look Sam gave him. “I didn’t want to bring them out here until we knew better where things stood with you. Now that your awake, and it seem like most of your memories are intact, I’ll give them a call when I get out of here. I bet they’ll be here tomorrow to see you.”

“Tomorrow?” Sam said swallowing heavily. “I can see my family tomorrow.” Al rested his hand on Sam’s shoulder rubbing comfortingly. “What are you going to tell them?” Sam asked once he’d brought his emotions under control.

“The truth,” Al responded. “Or as much of the truth as we can,” he amended seeing the surprised look on Sam’s face. “Right now everyone thinks you were in a car accident, and you were. Ziggy’s gone through and changed any computer records necessary to make it look like the accident happened in this timeframe and it looks like everything’s worked out so far. That’s what we’re going to tell your family.

“Ok,” Sam agreed. “I just don’t want to lie to them unless it’s necessary.”

“You won’t have to. They know you’ve been on a secret project for the last couple of years and that’s why you haven’t been able to contact them. That should be enough.”

“That’s good,” Sam said. He smiled up at Al. “I get to see my family tomorrow and I’m finally home.”

“You sure are, Kid.” As he agreed with Sam, Al bent over and did the one thing he’d wanted to do since Sam had first woken up but hadn’t for fear of hurting him. He pulled his friend into a firm hug. “Welcome home, Sammy.”

Sam returned the embrace as firmly as he could with one good arm. “It’s good to be home, Al. Thanks for never giving up on me.”

The two men remained in the embrace for another minute before they mutually let go. Al took a step back and looked critically at Sam. “You look like you’re getting tired again and it’s time for me to get going before they chase me out of here.”

“You’ll call Mom, right?”

“First thing I’m going to do when I get home.” Al helped Sam to lie back and pulled the blankets up over him. “You better get some rest so you’re prepared for them.” He gave a squeeze to Sam’s hand and stepped back from the bed. “Have a good night, Sammy.”

“You too, Al,” Sam said around a yawn. Al knew it wouldn’t be long before he’d be down for the count again. He waited until his friend’s eyes closed before he left the room.

As the door closed behind him, Al took a deep breath and let it out slowly. They’d closed the book on Sam’s leaping and tomorrow when his family arrived - he was under no illusion that Thelma Beckett wouldn’t be on the first plane as soon as she heard what had happened - Sam would start a new chapter of his life. Al was determined that no matter what that chapter was, he’d be right there by his friend’s side just as he’d always been.

The end...or the beginning

2