Disclaimer: I own nothing, and I hate it!!

AU, completely, erm...Nick may be OOC in this, as may all the others, events in the show may not have happened due to me not having seen most of the most recent two series aired in Britain. But hey, I've tried! And this idea started floating around and just had to be written, I'm sorry, I am weak!

1692

Alexandria White Summers was going to hell, and she knew it. Still, it had been fun while it lasted. She had always known it couldn't last. The problem was, she also knew that if she'd just held back, she would be in this mess.

But she couldn't hold back could she? She'd needed to do it, for the release. No one knew what if felt like to have it building up in her chest. There was no one else like her in the village. She knelt silently and prayed. Just because she was going to hell didn't mean she would forsake the final memory she held of her family.

"Alexandria White Summers!" a voice broke into her reverie. The village priest and her accuser stood outside her 'cell'. "It is time."

She rose gracefully to her feet. She would face her end with dignity and honour. Not like the common hussy they had portrayed her as.

They tied her to the stake in the centre of the village. She held her head high.

"Alexandria White Summers, do you repent?" the priest asked.

"Only for that which I have done wrong," she replied. "I will not deny the good I have done!" Then she raised her voice. "But hear me, and hear me well, my accuser would not have spoken had she nothing to hide. Therefore, as I have no longer any secrets to keep. I accuse her!"

Her accuser began to deny it – she would not be believed – as a torch was set to what would become Alexandria White Summers' funeral pyre. She closed her eyes as the first flames licked at her skirt.

It ended here. With that lie.

1991

It ended here, that much Nick Stokes knew. They were tied down behind what was left of a city wall. Either back up would appear and smash their opponents to shreds. Or back up wasn't coming and they'd be smashed to shreds. And that wasn't something that any of them really wanted to happen.

"Sarge," a voice drew his attention to his best friend returning from recon to report to their Sergeant.

"Yes Johnston?" their Sergeant responded. "What do you have to report?"

"They got at least fifty men on our east flank Sarge, and probably just as many on the west. That's in addition to those who're already here ahead of us."

The six men left sat silently for a few moments, digesting this new information. They all knew what this meant in all probability.

"Bugger," Nick summed up all their thoughts in that one word.

"You said it mate," Johnston nodded. "We're screwed if we don't get that much needed back up very soon."

"Soon as in yesterday," another – Ford – chipped in.

"We ain't defeated yet lads," their Sergeant reminded them.

"No Sarge," they agreed as one voice.

"And if we are screwed, we sure as hell are gonna take as many of them with us as we can."

"Yes Sarge."

"Alright lads, there ain't nothing more we can do tonight unless they attack. Get some rest. Stokes, first watch, wake me in an hour unless something happens."

"Yes sir," Nick half saluted.

"Good man."

Half an hour later when the attack came, along with their back up, Nick was sturck with a sudden realisation.

This was just the beginning. And that was when the shell hit them.

1692 - Limbo

This was just the beginning Alexandria realised as she sat awaiting the judgement on her soul. She was fairly certain of the nature of the verdict. Guilty on all counts, it did not matter how pure her intentions had been. She'd still used her 'hell spawned' abilities.

She shifted on her seat, the hard chair reminding her of the small school in her village back in happier, more innocent times. Before she'd discovered her gift and curse. Or it's price.

"Alexandria White Summers arise," a voice boomed, its owner hidden from view.

Alexandria stood as she was bade, braced for eternal damnation and suffering to be slammed down on her head.

"For your actions, the punishment is damnation as you could not resist temptation…"

She bowed her head. The judgement was what she was expecting. She had never truly paused to consider the full consequences of her actions.

"However, taking into consideration the reasoning behind your actions I have come to this conclusion after much deliberation. You shall be given five chances to redeem yourself before we truly condemn you."

Alexandria could not believe what she was hearing. They were giving her another chance!

"But you may not use your abilities to assist you in the tasks which we set. Only your intellect, which is greater then you give yourself credit for."

Her heart sank. It always came back to her thrice damned abilities. After all this, they were still setting her more tests. The question was this: could she pass them? She didn't know the answer. It was possible that no one did.

"Don't make me regret this Alexandria."

She wondered if this nightmare was ever going to end.

1991

Nick wondered if this nightmare was ever going to end.

He was floating somewhere between consciousness and oblivion. Pain wracked his body and clouded his mind. He shifted and groaned.

"Nicky?" a voice asked. "Come on mate, open your eyes for me."

Nick tried to speak, but his tongue was dry, as was his mouth. He managed to blink his eyes open. A familiar and concerned face swam into focus.

"Welcome back," Doctor Sophia Majors smiled at him. "Was touch and go for a while."

"Water…" Nick croaked.

Sophia brought a straw to his lips. "Small sips. You've been out of it for a few days."

Nick sipped the water for a few moments before Sophia lifted it away from his lips. There was a polite cough and Sophia looked up.

"Sergeant," she inclined her head. "Come in, he's just woken up."

Nick's Sergeant appeared in his vision. "How you doin' Stokes?"

"Been better," Nick replied hoarsely.

"Aye, haven't we all?"

"Johnston?"

"I'm sorry Stokes, he didn't make it."

Nick tried to move, but Sophia was back, pressing his shoulder.

"Don't try to move Nicky," she warned. "You'll hurt yourself even more."

"How bad?" Nick choked out, trying to hold back tears.

"You? Your knee cap has been shattered, it needs replacing. We're arranging transport home as we speak. You'll get full motion back but…"

Nick knew the 'But'. He'd gain a medical discharge. He'd not be able to do his job in the army anymore. He was out.

"I'm sorry Nicky," Sophia kissed his forehead. "It can't be helped."

Sophia and his Sergeant stepped away to give him the space he needed.

What was he going to do now?

1991 - Limbo

What was she going to do now?

Alexandria was back on that hard wooden chair in limbo, feeling like she was visiting the head-master's office for some misdemeanour. Quite frankly, she'd gotten to the point that she couldn't care less anymore. Centuries had passed and she was till no closer to attaining redemption than she had been at the start. If anything, she was further away than ever before.

"Come in Alexandria," the voice of her 'boss' called and a door opened.

She rose and walked in steadily. Now to plead her case for one last chance. She just hoped he was in a very good mood.

"Miss me?" she asked slumping into a seat.

"And as always, you manage to amaze me," her boss told her ignoring her question. "Do you know how much paperwork you've made?"

"Nope. Look boss…"

"You want another chance?"

"Yeah."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just damn you right here and now."

Alexandria got to her feet and crossed to perch herself on the edge of his desk. "We both know, that if that stupid constraint hadn't been place on me I would've gained my own redemption by now. We know that I clear my assignments properly. The people who I help are actually helped, not just shoved in a box."

"You're asking me to re-rule on you?"

"No, just for another chance. That's all I want."

"I don't know if I can do that."

"Please," she made puppy dog eyes at him.

"Fine. But I'm not making it easy for you. Here's a tough one. War vet. Medical discharge. His best mate was killed in combat, he survived. Work your magic on this one."

Alexandria looked at the case file she'd received.

Her life had just gotten a lot harder.

1991

Nick's life had just gotten a lot harder. Suddenly things that he'd been able to do before without pausing were a lot harder. For a start, he was in a wheelchair. It was just until his knee healed from the operation and he'd finished the physical therapy, but that didn't change how he felt. Useless. It was the funeral of Sammie Johnston today and Nick was dressed in his dress uniform despite no longer being in service. He felt he owed it to Sammie to be in his uniform.

Jason Ford was supposed to be coming and picking him up. There was a knock on the door of his room. He wheeled over and opened it. Jason smiled sadly at him.

"Hey Nicky," he greet him. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Nick nodded, barely able to get that one word out. Jason helped him into the car and drove to the church where the service would take place.

"You hanging in there?"

"Just about. It still hurts."

"Sammie going hit us all hard. We thought he'd always be there. But I guess it hit you more than us. You two grew up together didn't you?"

"Yeah."

They fell silent for the rest of the journey. The service was short, and all too soon, they were heading for a hotel for them to all get smashed and celebrate Sammie's life. For Nick, the only problem was that the doctors had ordered him not to drink on his pain medication.

When he finally got home, his answering machine was flashing at him. He leant over and pressed play.

"Hello, this is Dean MacFarlane of Dallas Crime Lab, I've reviewed your CV, and would be delighted to have you come and work for us when you've recovered."

Nick closed his eyes and let go.

And done!! Please review! Little bluey-purple button at the bottom of the screen, takes five minutes!! Please!!