Disclaimer: I do not own Quantum Leap or any of it's characters, etc. Please don't sue me. Quantum Leap belongs to NBC Universal as far as I know, and all the credit for it's creation goes to Donald P. Bellisario, and those involved with the production of this wonderful series. Some quotes in this story were taken from the show's final episode "Mirror Image."

A/N: When I first watched the show, the finale had me like many others, disappointed. To think that Sam never made it home made me so sad. After all he'd done, he deserved to come home. Since then, I've re-watched the finale multiple times and I've come to appreciate it for what it is. They didn't have much notice of the show's cancellation, and they did what they could. Scott Bakula has said that if you watch the finale with that thought in mind, that you'll realize they accomplished a lot with what they were given. He's right. It's still not my favorite television finale by far, but I respect it! And the idea that Sam is out there somewhere continuing to put things right, is in it's own way very satisfying. :) With that being said, this is my own twist on how the show could have ended, or how it could have continued. This is part one of what I hope will be a four or five part/chapter piece. I'm sure there's a few technicalities, so forgive me. Constructive criticism is appreciated. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

He couldn't believe it! There was surely no way Ziggy could find him and after days alone, he had been painfully certain that he was going to be stuck in this place forever. Sam Beckett was as astonished as he was relieved to look across the bar and see Al, his friend Al, not the bartender, standing there in his white naval uniform just a few moments ago. There was so much to tell him, and he needed to talk to his best friend now. He followed Al, as the hologram quite literally walked through the front door of the bar . Sam opened the door, and closed it behind him stepping out into the hot, humid, August air. It was early evening, crickets were chirping. The sound of music and the smell of cigarette smoke permeating. The neon sign advertising beer, provided a slightly red glow to the front of the white building. They both excitedly said their greetings. Sam could only hope, as he quickly spouted off everything that had happened, that Al would be convinced by what he was going to say, just like he had years ago when he first explained the project that started all of this.

Al focused and listened intently, Sam giving every detail and theory he had on the last few days. But it became obvious mid-conversation, that rather than believing, the exact opposite was taking place. The man was growing more and more visibly concerned.

"Sam, uh, I think we better get you out of here."

"No Al…please, please," He begged. "Everything I'm telling you is the truth."

"Uh-yeah. You haven't been leaped around by God, or fate, or time. No, you've been leaped by a….bartender."

"He's not just a bartender…." Sam responded speaking with his hands. He could hear himself rambling on about blue and pink electrical energy. More theories burning in his mind, coming out of his mouth, as he paced back and forth. He'd been this way ever since he was a child. Ideas naturally flowed through him, like they were blood in his veins, and the only way to get them out was to start writing or speaking. Once he started, he knew he couldn't stop himself, even if others didn't understand. It was the genius in him.

And then there was Stawpah! Al had an uncle by the same name, same description as an old miner he met and watched disappear. There was no doubt, even if Al thought he was crazy. This was more than just coincidence. Sam sat down on the long bench by the window and started to laugh.

"Ah, just take it easy," Al said stepping back and tapping something into the handlink. "Uh, I'm gonna go back and figure this out with Ziggy."

Al was about to go through the imaging chamber door. Suddenly something occurred to Sam, grabbed at him from the back of his mind. Something from a leap, a memory. He'd been a lawyer in the south. A lawyer named St…St…Stanton! Larry Stanton. And he discovered something important, so important. There was a little girl. Sammy Jo. A daughter-his daughter. He had a daughter! Inhaling quickly, Sam jolted forward. "Al, wait!" He spoke the name slowly. He wanted to grasp it, to hang on to it. "Samantha. Josephine. Fuller."

"Sammy Jo?" Al said, dropping his arms to hang at his sides. Shock, registering in his eyes.

"Yeah."

"You're not even supposed to remember her Sam."

By his expression, he couldn't have surprised his friend more if he had grown wings and started to fly. The look on Al's face was unaltered, like he was in a trance. "I know. But I do. I told you I would." Sam replied.

"What about her?"

This was so much coincidence, that it couldn't be. The bartender had pointed at Sam's reflection in the mirror above the bar, and had told him that he himself controlled the leaps, controlled his fate. Everything that had happened, everyone he had run into, the similarities, Al's uncle. There had to be a rhyme or reason. Albert Calavicci. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his friend. Well…almost nothing. Sam still had questions he wanted answered, but he knew what he had to do. If he was the one controlling the leaps, there was at least one more mission he had to take. He would need some help. And although it might hurt his friend, he needed help from someone else inside the project.

Al's silence, waiting for a response, snapped Sam back to the moment. "You said she was working at the project, right? She came to work for Quantum Leap"

"Yeah. She's been spending time, working with the staff and the computers in your old office. She's got plenty of ideas, and it's obvious she has your brains, but Sam…"

"Al, I need you to do something for me. Not ask questions, just do it."

"Sure." He threw his hands up exasperated. "Sure. Pal, anything. "I'm gonna get you outta this. Whatever it takes….I'll get you outta this."

"Al," He said, hoping he would understand. "I need you to connect me to Sammy Jo."

"Ok."

"And Al," He sighed. "It needs to be her alone."