Quantum Cupid: Leap into Psyche

by Atomdancerrr

When Sam leaps into the Lady Therapist of a man who thinks he is Cupid the Greek god of love Sam must cope with the mystery of the man known as Trevor Hale. Is he fallen god, cosmic clown, wise lunatic bartender, or all? How does he know classified info?

Author's note.

The Original 1998 series of Cupid can be seen for the most part on Youtube.

Some of the episodes of the more lighthearted but still very good current Cupid show can be seen on ABC's sight. Watch it while it lasts.

Read my Cupid 1.0 to 2.0: The Transfer to tie the two shows together.

The songs Cupid Al and Sam sing are

I'm Going Home By Chris Daughtry

To Dream the Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha. And What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love All can be listened to on Youtube. Use their internal search box. Quantum Cupid: Leap into Psyche

She felt a tingling sensation. Then everything changed. Dr. Claire Allen had been in the dark, alcohol smelling bar surrounded by woodwork and happy customers: Taggerty's where her most disturbed and delusional but happy problem-Patient worked with hyper-competence as a Bartender despite thinking he was Cupid, the god of love. Suddenly she was in a brightly lit, white, place that smelled of antiseptic.

She was wearing different clothes, institutional type clothes, the kind the involuntarys were made to wear at the Fair View Treatment Center for Emotional Wellness to reinforce in them that they were in a mental hospital, like it or not, and they'd better cooperate with their Doctors and Therapists if they wanted out.

She couldn't remember being committed, couldn't remember anything between being in conversation with her Patient and being here. This was not a good sign.

She was in an isolation room. Amazingly it was an isolation room with a shelf full of books and vase full of Daisies. What a nice idea for calming a disturbed patient down! Wherever she was it was a high-class facility.

She felt different physically. He breasts were gone! Could she have…? . She checked. Yes.

This wasn't reality. She was having some kind of strange dream. But it felt so real!

The door opened. A nice looking black lady entered the room, "Hello." She said, "I am Doctor Verbena Beeks. I need to ask you some questions."

Dr. Claire Allen nodded, "I want to cooperate. I work as a Therapist too. What has happened to me? The last I remember I was at Taggerty's."

The black lady's face brightened, "Can you tell me where that is?"

"Well yes. It is across the street from the Fair View Treatment Center for Emotional Wellness where I work, at least where I used to work. What has happened to me? One of my Patients makes his living as a Bartender there. The last thing I remember was I was checking up on him, well really I was having a drink and checking up on him. It was my vacation. I had two weeks off but I'd been spending it busman's holiday style because I am trying to write a book about this very delusional Patient and I'm trying to help him. My hospital wants to recommit him and heavily medicate him since he isn't responding to therapy. But that would destroy him. He is a free spirit and despite his severe pathology he is doing quite well on his own and should be allowed to do so. The free time was giving me more time to study him. That is the last thing I remember."

"What City?"

"Chicago."

The black Lady glanced at the ceiling and talked into the air, "Ok, Ziggy you got that?'

Suddenly a very proper sounding lady's voice spoke. "Yes Verbena I'm on it."

The lady smiled at Claire. "Thank you ever so much! You just saved us a great deal of time and trouble and relieved a lot of our worries!"

***

Trevor "Cupid" Hale knew Folks thought he was crazy. It was hard to think of ones self as such. All his memories were of Olympus, frolicking with the Nymphs and the Centaurs, making homemade rafts and sailing them in the river Styx, laying under trees and watching TV with his Father, Mars the god of war by using omnipresence to hone in on some Mortal's TV set. Being a god was all he could remember and yet now he worked at a bar in Chicago and had a Psychologist he was legally required to see or risk finding his home across the street again, a mental hospital where he had spent 90 days involuntarily committed. Claire was so beautiful! It was a briar patch of a situation being legally required to talk to her and he loved it when he saw her come into his bar or he had to go to her office. He had figured out her schedule and started walking her back and forth to work and home. They could hardly call it stalking. After all he was supposed to see her. Plus his cooperation with her had won him the most wonderful label a delusional Psychiatric Patient could carry; the word "harmless" stamped in his official files like a happy scarlet A. It meant he could live wild and free!

Harmless.

Harmless.

Harmless.

Or was he really a god? In the dark of night it was hard to know, hard to sort out dreams from reality and fact from fantasy. All he knew was he loved his Therapist, loved working at Taggerty's, loved the Santa Claus-for-grownups treatment his declaration of godhood was bringing him from Patrons! So the thought of going back to Olympus where he had been picked on and disrespected even though he had been truly believed a god was becoming less and less of a desire and more and more a dreaded future, at times. At other times his heart ached from homesickness like a missing tooth.

But it was mostly relief he felt when suddenly Claire turned into a different Person. He stared at her, "I must REALLY be crazy!" He said cheerfully. "You suddenly aren't' Claire, but just in case you think you are and want to medicate me, ok. Just don't send me across the street. I'll take meds voluntarily and you can keep watching me."

Samuel Becket stared at the cheerful Lunatic in front of him. He was in a bar obviously. The smell alone would tell him that. And here was this Lunatic cheerfully offering to take medication! "Oh boy!"

Trevor continued. He was on a roll, delighted to finally know the truth about himself. "I think about 300 mgs of Thorazine ought to do it. You can have Champ watch me take it each night. I could go get some of those pillboxes, you know, the ones with the different compartments for each day. I can make it a habit to chemically strait jacket myself after I brush my teeth in the evening. I don't need pillboxes to keep track but it will make it easy for Champ to monitor me. But if I don't take my meds he shouldn't say anything to me. He should just contact you and have you deal with me. You are the trained mental health professional. He just has this delusion he's the next Morgan Freeman."

While Sam was marveling at the guy's matter of fact common sense plan for handling his own psychosis the imaging door opened and closed. He gazed at Al and Trevor swung around to follow his gaze. He beheld the green clad imp from the future with the calmness only a well-seasoned madman could manage. "Ah! Another hallucination. Welcome to Taggerty's. I'd pour you a drink on the house but somehow I don't think you could drink it."

Al said, "Trevor I am not a hallucination."

Soothingly the madman said, "Of course you are. I'll prove it. See. My hand can go right through you." And he proceeded to demonstrate.

Al said, "Trevor I'm part a time travel experiment that went a little ka ka. So is Sam. That is the guy inhabiting your Shrink's sexy bod! Wow Sam are you ever cute! You remind me of a Mouseketeer!"'

Long suffering Sam said, "AL!"

Trevor looked at Al, "Me too!" Then, "Time travel experiment! Ohhhhh kay! I always thought any hallucination I would have would be more rational than that. Ancient Greek gods, yes. Time travel, no. You are switching my choo choo train to a different insanity track and I don't like it because I really, really love the one I'm already on! He smiled and held out his hand to the fake Claire, "I'm Cupid, also known as Eros, the Greco-roman God of love. I'm pleased to meet you. Welcome to Taggerty's."

Sam started laughing hysterically. Tears formed in his eyes. He started pounding on the bar. He couldn't help it. It was just too much!"

With insight that came from being 3000 years old or thinking he was, Trevor observed, "YOU need a vacation!"

Sam shook his head violently up and down, "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! But even more than that I just need to go HOME!"

Trevor's eyes welled up with tears of compassion, "Buddy I've been there, done that! Have a drink on the house. Sorry Al I can't offer you one. I've actually been off work for a few minutes now. Let us sit around and drink toasts to our homes however far away they are in time and space and reality!

He danced over to the stage, grabbed the mike and started singing,

"Home! I'm going home

It's the place where I belong!

Where love has always been enough for me!

Not running from the fact you got me all wrong!

Don't regret this life you've chose for me!

But these places and these spaces are getting old!

So I'm going home!"

The other patrons clapped with pleasure but not with surprise. They had seen Trevor do things like that before.

But Al and Sam exchanged the heebee jeebie look and stared at Trevor. Sam said, "Ah Al, I have the scariest feeling he isn't mad a bit! He reminds me of somebody!

Al swallowed and nodded! "We've met Aliens, Angels, Ghosts, Mummies! We may have met a Vampire! Why not a Greek god? "C'est la vie"

Cupid went behind the bar again and came out with two bottles lifted high. He placed a bottle of lemon flavored Perrier in front of Sam, then sat down and put a bottle of Jack Daniels in front of himself. He popped the top and took a big swig straight from the bottle. Sam reciprocated with his Perrier, also drinking straight from the bottle.

Al asked, "How did you know he prefers nonalcoholic beverages?"

Cupid said, "I could use this to my advantage and claim it is my godhood. But quite frankly most any good Barkeep could have told. Sam just doesn't look like a drinker; too healthy."

Sam stared at him thoughtfully. "But how did you know I like lemon flavored Perrier?"

Trevor shrugged, "Can we just call it a lucky guess and move on to a different subject?"

Sam nodded.

Cupid explained, "My mission here is to unite one hundred couples in true love and only my family, the gods decide what that is. Even getting married doesn't count because it has to be unto death. Once I do that I can go home again.'

Sam said gently, "I don't know when I can go home but I am being tossed about in time and every where I go I have to change some little thing to make life better for just one person and his or her family. It is never any thing big. It is always small things. But I suspect they are adding up.'

Trevor nodded, "it is always the small things that add up to make a big difference. One hundred couples means hundreds of children raised by loving, happy mothers and fathers. Their future will be grand and with it the world will be made better by their emotional health and competence. Too many kids come from broken homes these days and it messes them up! I was partly responsible for that due to my careless and in some cases deliberately incorrect match ups but with Claire's help I'm relearning my craft now and making up for the evil I did and it feels good! It is painful sometimes but even when it hurts it hurts so good!"

Al said, "Tell me about it!"'

Sam said thoughtfully, "You are pretty insightful for a so called mad man.'

Trevor nodded, "I freak people out that way; not my craziness but my wisdom. Folks don't know how to take me. I act crazier than I have to just to reassure them I'm just nuts. Most folks can't take it that there is anything beyond the veil and my godly presence in front of it scares the Hell out of them!'

Al nodded, "It sure did me!"

Cupid stared at the green apparition, "Speak for yourself big green man from the future! How do you think I feel? As I said you are switching my choo choo train here!"

Sam laughed and downed his Perrier. "Here's to impossible dreams!

That set Trevor off again and Sam and Al joined him.

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far

To fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell
For a heavenly cause!

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest,

And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star!

The bar patrons who knew about Trevor's delusion were amazed to see Claire singing with her patient. But they smiled and clapped when it was over.

Finally Al said, "Sam lets go take a walk. I don't think Cupid here needs around the clock supervision."

Of course I don't!" Trevor said. "Do you think Claire eats and sleeps and works at Taggerty's like I do? Most of the time I am on my own."

It was a bit disconcerting to Al to be in the presence of one who could see him!

Sam and Al left the bar and walked down the streets of Chicago.

Sam said resignedly, "Well Al I'm a woman again! It's all right. I'm getting used to it."

Al smiled, "Ah, Sam you remember your last leap?

Sam nodded, "I will never forget it. I leaped into Robert Porter, a mental Patient with multiple personalitys. He went to the waiting room, but one of his other personalities, an Alien named prot from the PLANET K-PAX was still in residence and he wasn't too happy to wake from a nice nap and find his friendly Human Host gone and me in his place! I don't remember much else but that much I don't think even I will ever forget, Swiss cheese or no Swiss cheese! (Note Readers see, K-PAX Quantum Beam of Light)."

Al nodded, "You have that right!"

What happened afterwards?"

Al stared sympathetically at his friend, "Sam, you don't remember being home?"

Sam's eyes widened. "I was home!?"

Al nodded, "Yes for a while. Then you just disappeared and this Lady Shrink was in our waiting room. Verbena and her are comparing notes. I think we men are in trouble! Al grinned. Then he frowned again. "We had a time finding you because we weren't locked into you due to us not expecting you to leap again but she provided the most likely coordinates. I guess God wasn't done with your leaping. I'm sorry Sam!' You are only a few months behind us by the way. That would usually make it hard to figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing, but actually it's going to be very easy, due to the situation you are in. Sam you are Dr. Claire Allen, a mental health therapist with the Patient from Olympus, not the Patient from Hell, Sam, just the Patient from Olympus. You noticed that already obviously. He's colorful, not sociopathic or mean or even deliberately difficult. He's actually extremely cooperative for a Patient that severely delusional. But he's a half a dozens handfuls! His IQ is twice that of most people, higher than his Therapist's and he's totally delusional but extremely competent so he keeps her hopping!"

Sam nodded, "I noticed. Well at least this time I'm the Doctor not the Patient!"

"

Al added, "You've got that right! Trevor also thinks he's a Bartender and he's right about that. He's a damn good one actually.

Sam groaned, "Why isn't he in a secure mental health facility somewhere?"

Al pointed at the Fairview Treatment Center for Emotional Wellness. "He was involuntarily committed across the street for 90 days." He faked sanity long enough to get out then went right back to being Cupid again. He also acquired a job and a place to stay within hours of his release so why waste a bed in a psyche ward at taxpayer's expense? His Doctor was ordered to help him adjust to the outside world. She didn't know it would be this hard because she thought they were releasing a sane man. But she doesn't' want him recommitted because the nozzles she works for think he needs to do the Thorazine shuffle. He's a work of art, Sam! It would be the equivalent of throwing a rock through a stained glass window to forcibly medicate Trevor Hale and it wasn't helping anyway. It hardly slowed him down!"

Sam started laughing. Mental illness isn't supposed to be funny but he couldn't help it.

Al grinned, "And get this, just as you think you are on a mission from God to set right what once was wrong, Cupid's thinks he is on a mission from the gods who he thinks of as his family. It is to unite one hundred couples in true love and it is the gods who decide what is true love. Even getting married doesn't count because many marriages end in divorce. So talk about an Impossible Dream! But when he finally does it, he can finally go home and oh boy Sam is he ever homesick!"

"Gee Al, he reminds me of somebody!"

Al and Sam gave one another, "the heebie jeeby look and Al whistled the tune from Twilight Zone."

Sam said slowly, " I think I see what you mean about not having any difficulty figuring out what I have to do here."

Al nodded, "We suspect what happens is Trevor Hale ends up bothering the wrong People and he is hauled back to the loony bin and taken out of Claire's care. The Doctors don't realize Trevor's problem is multiple personality disorder and not schizophrenia so he ends up heavily chemically straitjacketed which of course does him no good because multiple personality disorder or syndrome as the people campaigning for neurodiversity acceptance prefer to call it, isn't caused by a dopamine imbalance. He remains delusional so he never gets out. Plus to add insult to injury the people "Cupid" was trying to hook up that you are to help him with end up living their whole lives making bad decisions in the area of romance and never found anyone they are happy with. Both divorce several times or end up married to no one and unhappily alone in their old age. Sounds like my fate Sam if I'm not verrrry careful! They should have listened to the Lunatic! It is up to you to see that they do. Trevor, alias Cupid's choice for them would've been a much better match. Ziggy is 98 percent certain that this is the scenario. But it's like we need her to figure this out?! She's getting too human for her own good! And then we add all the other People he is going to hook up, who then didn't get hooked up because he ends up locked up in the loony bin. Of course as I said he is a little too close to our time to figure out the complete consequences of all that making whoopee he caused but WOW! Sam for a Lunatic this man is really important to history! There are Doctors and Scientists and Ministers and Politicians who haven't made this much of a difference! Because crazy or not, he's good at getting people to fall in love. I've never seen anything like it!"

Sam asked, "Ziggy is back to being a female again?'

Al nodded, "I think she may be a Transvestite.

Sam started laughing. After he calmed down he asked, "So I'm here to help a mental patient unite two People in true, eternal love? In this day and age with a divorce rate that reaches to the Moon and back?

Al nodded, "It has to be eternal love! A divorce anytime in the participant's future a and Trevor's pool markers won't slide.

"Pool game markers?"

He is using pool game markers to keep count of his successes."

Sam groaned, "So I get to help a Lunatic play yenta?"

Al nodded, "We think that's it. We hope that's it. It is going to be a long leap if you are here to help him hook up all 100! He is only on the 56th couple!"

***

Back at the bar Al said gently, "You realize we don't believe in you?

Cupid smiled and shrugged, "That's OK''

Sam said, "We certainly aren't going to worship you."

Trevor grinned and popped a peanut in his mouth. After a few moments of happy crunching he said, "That's ok too. My standards are getting lower by the second. I'm starting to settle for polite humoring."

Sam asked, "Why do you "gods" do it? Help Mortals I mean."

Cupid shrugged, "It's our religious beliefs to help you. You give our lives purpose. If it wasn't for doing little things like this we'd have nothing to do but party, and while that's a whole lot of fun it gets old after awhile if that is all we do. You give us meaning."

Al shook his head in wonderment, "Now that's ironic, WE give gods meaning!"

Cupid grinned, "You have to realize your Mortals are cute but you are really lower life forms, just barely sentient. We are a bit above you. We've been around the time/space curve a couple of times. But we aren't the highest either. We just used to think so, just the way you think you are the only intelligent life in the Universe and the highest. You'll learn better and we learned better. But we are fascinated by you just as you Mortals are by Chimps and Gorillas. Sometimes we try to help you and sometimes, (sigh,) our track record has been mixed to say the least. I've often been one of the worst offenders. I apologize!"

Al asked curiously, "Cupid can you tell me about other life forms up there?"

Cupid grinned, "Well, there are the dremers from K-PAX."

Al shook his head, "that ain't going to cut it. We know about them already, sort of, if Robert Porter isn't crazy too."

Trevor shrugged, "Ok. We exist. We aren't Aliens. We are loyal Earthlings, just from other dimensions, or maybe it is time lines or maybe it is the Future. Maybe you Mortals make us sometime in the Future. I'm not sure. I can't remember. I lost a lot being crammed into this small Human brain. Losing omnipresence sucks. But besides us we've got the Asgard's and the Ancients and those damn Ori, the Jinn and the Angels and their darn civil war that's influencing everybody else's wars and spiritual outlooks."

Sam and Al got startled looks and exchanged glances.

Al turned back to the so-called Lunatic. "How could YOU know about the Asgard and the Ancients, and who are these Ori?

It was Cupid's turn to look surprised, "How do you know about the Asgard and the Ancients?"

Sam said quickly, "That is classified."

Cupid started laughing, "You are trying to keep things top secret from moi? Oh my! There was a time when I would have known everything, or at least anything I wanted to anytime I wanted to. Oh ho ho! I've fallen so far!" He took a swig of his bottle."

Trevor's roommate Champ who worked as a bouncer came over and said, "Crazy roomy you are getting worse. Now you are talking and listening into thin air." He turned to Claire/Sam and asked, "I thought you said he didn't' hallucinate?"

Sam said quickly, "I am having him practice an imagination exercise to clarify to me how he feels about certain things."

Al said, "good save Sam!"

Champ shook his head, "I thought you Head Docs are supposed to help your Patients act more normal. If anything he acts crazier around you than he does when he's not around you."

Trevor said mischievously, "If she ever cures me she leaves! Or at least the government won't pay to have her around me so much.

Al stared at "the Lunatic," thoughtfully. "Hmmm."

Sam gave his friend an "I second the motion" look.

Champ said exasperated, "And you are doing the same thing he is; reacting to someone who isn't there as if they are!"

Sam said quickly, "Same exercise. What is good for the Patient is good for the Doctor."

Champ through up his hands and walked away in disgusted defeat.

Trevor called out to him, "Hey! I'm not the one who recites Shakespeare to himself very loudly in the bathroom mirror for hours at a time!" Shesk! Sometimes I think you expect the mirror to answer you!"

Sam started laughing hysterically.

Trevor turned back to "her." It is very weird for me to see you acting like that. Yes I can see you aren't really Claire but your sexy body looks like Claire and Claire would never laugh at me. It's like when they gave her, her diploma the ability to laugh was yanked right out of her soul.

Sam said, "I'm sorry Trevor. I'm not a trained Therapist. I apologize!"

Trevor shook his head, "No. You missed my point. It is a relief to have you laugh at me. Because after all, sometimes I am TRYING to be funny and Claire is the toughest room I've ever worked. I get wilder and wilder with her trying desperately to get at least a little giggle out of her. It's maddening. I think maybe she isn't Human. Maybe she is a Vulcan! My Shrink is driving me nuts!"

Al chuckled, "Yeah, you think they would have something in the psychology text books about 'if a Patient is TRYING to be funny it is OK to laugh.

Trevor nodded, "This is refreshing. I can use the two of you as Therapists to cope with my Therapist! Another thing she does with me is she demands I dredge up all the trauma from my 'tortured childhood.' She thinks I'm delusional. But she figures if she can keep me rattling on eventually I'll 'slip' and say the Big Secret that has sent me 'over the edge.'" Trevor made quotation marks with his fingers. But its my current situation that is traumatizing me not my well-REM-sleep dealt with past. But she isn't interested in my present. She calls it 'whining.' The thing is if I run out of things from my past to be traumatized about she's going to lose interest in me." Trevor sighed, "Claire has to be a fixer. She can't be happy if someone doesn't need fixing, and I really, really, really do need her attention and emotional support. She is the only thing holding me together. She accuses me of confabulating my entire childhood. Up to now, I haven't. Every word I've told her is the truth! But here's the problem. As dysfunctional as we gods are I had a VERY long childhood, thousands of years of it, and despite enough hullabaloo to keep Jerry Springer well supplied with episodes there were decades at a time when Olympus was more Bedford Falls than Peyton Place. I'm running out of traumatic things to tell her and she keeps demanding more and more. I swear I WILL have to start really confabulating stuff in order to keep her interested in me!" Trevor smiled wryly. "My Shrink is driving me nuts!"

Sam laughed, "Well I definitely think you have a problem there, somewhere."

It was Al's turn to start laughing hysterically.

Day Two.

Sam alias Claire sat watching Trevor Hale, alias Cupid trying to figure him out. The so-called Lunatic was doing what all Bartenders do. He was mixing and serving people drinks, wiping up spills, carrying empty bottles back to the back room and returning with full ones, and he was listening to his customer's tales of woe and joy. It was a stressful and gregarious job being a Barkeep, not the sort of thing most mentally ill folks could handle. But Trevor was doing it with flair and obviously enjoying it. It was obvious people liked him and vice versa, His being a god or thinking he was one didn't seem to be filling him with any arrogance or distaste for his menial job. The guy was actually kind of humble and self-effacing at least with customers. It was also obvious he wasn't hiding what he thought he was, at least not much. Many of the customers called him, "Cupid." Some used a Santa Claus tone but amazingly many didn't. It was as if they believed him. Cupid obviously was getting a rep for matching people up. But some of the respect might have been to due to not realizing Cupid REALLY believed he is Cupid and that it wasn't just a well-deserved nickname.

The only difference between him and any other Bartender was his unusually intense interest in his Customer's love lives or lack thereof.

It was a long day but after the bar finally closed Cupid didn't seem to be headed home any time soon. Instead he grabbed a broom and started sweeping up the place.

Al asked, "You are the Janitor too?"

Cupid shrugged, "Mrs. Taggerty has a lot of medical expenses in her family so she really can't afford to hire one. I do what I can to keep this place open so I still have a job. Besides she's nice to me. She calls me, "Love," That's her way of letting me know she knows I am who I say I am but in a way that doesn't rile Claire. Claire tries to get everybody around me to call me Trevor instead of Cupid because she thinks that will make me forget my entire life's worth of memories and suddenly wake up and say, 'Oh I was wrong. I'm a Mortal after all.' Fat chance!"

Sam sat there considering things. Then he said, "Al let's go take a walk again."

Trevor grinned at them, "Toodle loo! Its sooo much fun being the center of sooo much attention!

Al laughed, "See you later you Olympian Looney!"

After they were out of earshot again, Sam asked, "Al do you remember that episode of Star Trek where the crew of the Enterprise encountered a being who claims to be the god, Apollo? Captain Kirk advanced the theory, 'what if he IS Apollo?' His idea was that the gods were merely some higher life forms that passed for gods to the ancient Greeks. Well Al, what if this IS Cupid?" Maybe they are some kind of higher life form like the Ancients and that is all."

Al said, "Why don't we ask him?

Sam said Its been along day. We will continue the study of Trevor Hale at noon tomorrow.

Day Three. Early Next Afternoon.

They got back to Taggerty's late enough the bar was open but early enough it hadn't filled with customers yet. Since he wasn't busy serving drinks, Trevor was still intent on keeping the place spotless. Again he was welding the broom.

Al asked, "Hey Cupid where did your People come from?

Calmly he said, "Mount Olympus."

Sam asked, "But Mount Olympus wasn't always there. How about before that?

Cupid shrugged, "Oh I don't know. We've been around the time/space merry-go -round a couple of times. We tend to stay in this patch of space even when we are waiting for Olympus to circle back around again. It's our home, same as for you. We're loyal Earthlings and Greeks."

"Were you always gods?"

"Were you always apes?"

"No."

"No."

Sam asked carefully, "So you are saying you evolved same as we did?"

Cupid shrugged, "Naturally.

"But you let us think you were the Greek gods!"

Cupid gave him a withering look, "and that would be, because?

Sam protested, "but you left us with the impression your people created the Universe!"

"Where did we do that?"

"But isn't that what gods do, create universes?"

"Not us. Oh I know some ancient Mortals thought we did but they were incorrect about that. Anyone can make a mistake. So cut them some slack."

Al asked, "Did someone else create it?"

Cupid shrugged, "Well many of us believe the really Big Guy did that: I do. But we have no knowledge about that either. You Mortals are much more curious about such stuff than we are. We gods just LIVE."

Sam had to ask, "How about Jesus?

Cupid stated in the same tone of voice as if he were talking about Champ, "He's great at carpentry. He used to make Ox yokes so good they lasted for about four hundred years and they were so comfortable the Oxen didn't even mind them. I wish I could get Him here. The back door out of this place squeaks and sticks. But He's too busy these days uploading you guys. I never saw someone give immortality to so many Humans. We Olympians do it once in a while. I hope I am allowed to do Claire someday because we really could use a good Therapist and I love her. But it seems Jesus collects anyone who asks Him too. There aren't any other entrance requirements to getting in His neck of the woods, just asking Him for help to be worthy of it will do it. It's made Him very, very big."

"But where does He fit in your pantheon?"

Cupid smiled, "Not one of us but not hostile. He's a Neighbor. Give the Guy lots of love. He has quite a bit of exogenous depression due to having complete omnipresence as opposed to our selective omnipotence. Even Mary can't shake Him out of it sometimes. It is like the whole Universe is continually pounding nails into Him."

Al started laughing, "You mean He DID get it on with that lady of the night?

Cupid said, "Mary Magdalene wasn't a lady of the night. She was Lazarus and Martha's sister and they were quite wealthy. We Greeks see no shame in a girl making a living but she didn't need to do so. She had mental illness but being around Jesus helped her like me being around Claire is helping me."

Al was still incredulous. "But they were boyfriend and girlfriend?

Cupid nodded, "Platonically, yes. The ancient Hebrews don't believe in premarital sex and it would have been too dangerous to Mary for Christ to marry her when they were still in the flesh. But the certainly wanted to."

Sam interrupted. I find that very hard to believe!"

Cupid frowned at Sam "What? That Jesus is able to love in EVERY way? He didn't break any of those Hebrew laws. He's just like us, a Being of deep feelings and needs. Jews DO get married you know."

Sam said, "astounding!"

You Mortals! What do you expect of us? You don't want Deities. You want emotionless robots! One thing about Jesus, He's not near so darned dysfunctional as my folks. His Kingdom is also a lot bigger than us. Olympus is literally a 3 street light town. But that's due to His lowered standards for admission."

"Where did Jesus come from?"

Cupid was incredulous. "You don't read your own modern stuff either? Bethlehem."

Al smiled. Only someone who thought he was several thousand years old would consider the New Testament "modern."

Sam asked, "But how did He become what He is?"

Cupid said quietly, "Because He deserves it. Once you Mortals had the technology you could have put anyone you wanted to in His position, but no one is like Him. We Olympians are not much impressed by what Jesus can do. We can do most of it. Do you sit around praising each other for your opposable thumbs? What impresses us is WhoHe is: His character. For instance you aren't sticking any nails in me! I just barely hold still for those darn, monthly blood tests Fairview makes me take. I don't know why. I have never had an illegal drug problem. The one time I showed up drunk for it was due to my test falling on my day off for once so I had the luxury of being able to get good and drunk to cope with the needle. Kind of ironic isn't it? The test for substance abuse is causing substance abuse."

Sam tried to get him back on track. "But you are saying evolution and technology leads to everything, even you, even the Kingdom of Heaven?"

Cupid bent down to sweep under a table. On the way out he hit his head. "Ouch!" Then, "Duh! What did you expect?

He gave the offending table a dirty look then went back to sweeping behind the bar.

Then Cupid said, "Fake Claire and crazy Al, let me tell you a little secret. In many ways we are like the Asgard. We are in evolutionary dead end. Oh no, we aren't copies of copies that are having replicant failure and damaging corruption like Star Trek blooper reels copied from fan to fan or gossip going round Chicago. No. Instead we are 8 track tapes. We hardly ever wear out. Most Mortals have a box of us stored in the back of their closets somewhere. But who listens to us any more in this age of CDs and these new MP players? Music and Mortals are evolving and we are not because we sturdy, almost eternal gods who seldom ever need replacements will last practically forever."

Cupid continued, "You Mortals change as rapidly as fruit flies and Windows operating systems. The Computer singularity is coming. One day gods and Humans both are going to wake up bleary eyed before our coffee and find our computer wants to be our Friend and Psychoanalyst like Claire is being to me. But another singularity is coming and it involves you. One day we gods will wake up from a nice long snooze under our olive trees and gaze out with our selective omnipresence and pop our jaws open in amazement as Mortals go whizzing by us headed for your own Singularity; the Omega Point, the Cosmic Christ.

Trevor continued sweeping like a cosmic Marcelle Marceau. "We gods are the ultimate in individualism, rugged, strong, eternal. We can't get along and we don't even try to. We could have used a thousand Claires three billion years ago. But we had none and now our self-made purgatory is dug deep and permanent. No one can dig us out because we are too stubborn and too scared to ask for help. To be changed into something that had a chance for real glory would be to destroy us. But for you young whippersnappers the future is glorious because you are still capable of change with a little help and gumption. You Mortals know how to mass together in your music concerts, your sports contests, your movies and your places of worship in ways we never will into One Embryonic Being. Your evolution is going somewhere and our's is going nowhere. When I sing and dance it is not my own kind I am worshipping. I am worshipping you!""

Sam asked again to clarify, So you are definitely saying you are saying you are just a higher life form?"

Cupid shrugged, "Higher life forms", gods, po TAY tos, po TA tos. Where is the difference? We are what we are. All life is what it is. You Mortals! Your constant over thinking of things drives me nuts sometimes. Quit being such over analytical sour pusses and just ENJOY life."

Trevor grinned, "You know what Jesus needs? We gods can't help him but you Mortals can. He needs LOVE! We all do! Both Mortals and gods!!"

Trevor jumped up on the karaoke stage and started singing and waving his hands around as if to direct an invisible chorus, which in a way, he was because of Al.

"What the world needs now is love sweet love,
It's the only thing that there's just too little of.

What the world needs now is love sweet love,
no not just for some but for everyone!"

Then he took a wide leap off the stage and started dancing around the bar. There was an old lady at one of the tables. He kissed her and invited her to dance with him. Delighted she got up and did so. He paced his up-until-then-frantic movements to her slower abilities and sang a little gentler.

"Lord we don't need another mountain!
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb!
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross
Enough to last until the end of time!

What the world needs now is love sweet love,
it's the only thing that there's just too little of!
what the world needs now is love sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone!"

Trevor and the sweet old lady danced for a while until Trevor could tell she was becoming exhausted. Gently he guided her back to her table and then continued his own expression of joy for the Universe.

The rest of the room started singing and dancing along.

"Lord, we don't need another meadow!
There are cornfields and wheat fields enough to grow!
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine!,
Oh listen Lord, if you want to know!"

Al commented, "Darn it Sam. What a bummer I'm invisible! Look at the hooters on that one and look at her wiggle!!"

Sam sighed and made a "why me?" gesture at the ceiling.

Trevor grinned at Al and started dancing with him looking crazier than ever emoting at an invisible dance partner. Both of them started singing at the top of their lungs.

"Lord, we don't need another meadow!
There are cornfields and wheatfields enough to grow!
There are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine!
Oh listen Lord, if you want to know!

Al and Trevor sang together, belting it out with all the joy de vivre it was possible to manage.

Champ stared at his crazy Roomy and grinned in spite of himself. He commented to Claire/Sam. "I'll say this for him: That White Boy's got soul!"

"What the world needs now is love sweet love!
It's the only thing that there's just too little of!
what the world needs now is love sweet love,
No not just for some, oh but just for every every everyone!"

A little grin started to form on Sam's face in spite of himself. It got broader.

Trevor grabbed the karaoke mike, wiggling his hips more than Elvis ever could and started singing into it as it were a lovely girl, "what the world (whoa whoa) needs now,
is love (is love) sweet love
what the world ( oh oh) needs now
is love (is love) sweet love
what the world (whoa whoa) needs now
is love (is love) sweet love!"

Al jumped off the stage bounced back over to his friend and shrugged with helpless joy. "Catchingly crazy ain't he?" Al commented happily. "This is going to be a long leap but a fun one

Speak for yourself Sam grumbled, "My girdle is much too tight!"

No wonder she's a sour puss!" Al commented.

Al suddenly stopped and gave another twilight zone whistle, "Ah Sam, I just noticed something.

"What?"

Wide-eyed Al commented, "We are in Chicago not Hollywood. But everybody in this room suddenly knew all the words to this song!'

Day 4.

Sam/Claire kept up their observations of the problem patient known as Trevor 'Cupid' Hale. When the man wasn't working at the bar, he was finagling and arranging dates for folks. When he wasn't doing that he was either dancing, cleaning up, eating or drinking. It didn't seem he did anything else. He certainly didn't spend much time sleeping.

Sam noticed the micro expressions in his face when the 'god' didn't realize he was being watched. It seems he could turn his sunshine on and off depending on if he had an observer or not. When alone this god too was a "man of sorrows deeply acquainted with grief ' like Olympus's more successful, less dysfunctional Neighbor.

Quietly Sam said, "I think Claire has her work cut out for her. Al, look at him! He may be a god, or thinks he is. But he's not a happy god."

Al snorted, "Sam he looks like he's a party animal to me."

Sam shook his head, "Like a lot of party animals he's partying so hard because he's fighting clinical depression. That's why he hardly sleeps. He's' miserable, Al! You can't see that?"

Al shook his head, "Nope."

Well I do have a degree in medicine, and I can tell. He is workingmuch too hard at being happy. Doesn't his Therapist realize?

Al stared at Cupid/Trevor and then at Sam and shrugged.

Day 5.

Trevor had to take a trip downtown to renew Taggerty's liquor license.

Al was surprised, "Mrs. Taggerty trusts you with something like that?"

Cupid shrugged, "Of course."

Al was amazed, "But Cupid you are nuts!"

Trevor shrugged, "Nuts maybe, but my feet don't hurt like her's do. I can stand in line without pain and she can't."

Al was horrified, "But what if you write weird stuff on the form?"

Cupid gave him a condescending glare, "Now why would I do that? I know the facts about this bar and they are the same facts to me as they are to the town of Chicago and Mrs Taggerty. Trevor made quote marks with his fingers, "Taggerty's is not 'part of my confabulations.'"

Sam and Al got up to follow him.

The mental patient bulked at that, "Leave me alone for a few hours, Ok? You've done nothing but observe me constantly for the last five days and it's starting to get on my nerves. Even Claire didn't give me this much around the clock attention. 'I vunt to be alone!'"

Sam gazed at him with concern, But really Trevor shouldn't someone be going with you?'

Cupid was exasperated; "I'm not a baby god anymore. Can't you Mortals get it through your heads I grew up? So can it with the fat little Babies on the wrapping paper. In fact I wasn't ever that fat!"

Sam/Claire shook his head, "No. I mean should someone with your mental state being going out unsupervised?"

Cupid almost exploded, "Can it! Claire isn't always on vacation so she can't usually be watching me this close. I've been running around loose in the city of Chicago since they released be from across the street almost two years ago, and I'm doing it just fine, thank you very much. I don't even hide I'm from Olympus much of the time, and get this crazy, fake Claire: No one really cares! I could be stating I'm from Montana and it wouldn't make any more difference to most Folks. In fact I some of them think Olympus is another one of those crazily named towns in Michigan. They've got a Mars and a Vulcan and a Hell, so why not an Olympus? The few that figure out I mean THE OLYMPUS, go into Santa Claus mode and I can cope with that. They don't call for the white coats because I behave myself so who cares these days? You've got television. So-called sane people act nuttier than I ever did. Most folks don't really want their hard earned taxpayers money locking up as entertaining and harmless a Loony as I am. Its only sour pusses like Dr Greely who think I must be properly filed in the right container to keep the psychiatric mess down. That's why he dislikes me. I'm not filed properly. I'm in the bar bin and I'm supposed to be in the loony bin over there." He gestured across the street.

Al and Sam considered this and reluctantly let Trevor leave.

A couple of hours later Trevor came prancing in the door announced happily, "Hey fake Claire and crazy Al. I've just united a bus driver with one of his passengers! I have a good feeling about this match! Can we say, '57?'"

Then he went up on the karaoke stage and grabbed the mic. He announced to the entire bar crowd, " Hey folks I have a wonderful announcement to make! I haven't checked my beads yet but I'm pretty sure I just made it to 57!"

The room exploded in applause. "Yay! Way to go, Cupid!" Obviously they knew what he was talking about.

Sam stared at Al. "Ziggy didn't say a word about number 57!"

Al was bug eyed. He talked into the air, "Gushie can you confirm please? Then a few moments later he gazed at the handlink, then looked up and exclaimed, "I'll be jiggered Sam! He did it and he did it without any help from you!

Sam felt incredulous. I didn't even have the slightest warning!

Al started laughing. "Crazy like a fox!"

Sam said, "Lets go for a walk again.'

Outside and away from "the god's" hearing Sam commented, "What was that about my having to keep him from bothering the wrong person and getting recommitted? The whole town of Chicago seems to know he thinks he is a god or knows he thinks he is and are willing to humor him! No one is trying to commit him. They are ROOTING for him."

Al nodded, "are you thinking what I am thinking? Maybe Ziggy has it wrong this time? After all because this is too close to the present she's having to guess."

Sam nodded, "Couple number 57 is united. I didn't do anything. Cupid didn't have a bit of trouble. If anything what little I did do the real Doctor Claire Allen could have done much better. I can't even help Cupid with his homesickness other than to commiserate with him. It does seem to be true misery loves company. But that can' t all there is I'm supposed to do. So what AM I here to do, really?"

Al shrugged helplessly.

Sam frowned, "Go talk to Ziggy, Al. Rethink the situation. Something else is going on here and I don't even know now if it even involves me."

Al nodded, "I agree Sam. I'm just guessing right now but as the situation stands our guesses are just as good as Ziggy's. I'm guessing you are here to do nothing."

Sam shook his head, "Nothing? That can't be! If I've already done everything I'm supposed to do why haven't I leaped?

Al shrugged, "Remember Doctor Ruth? That leap was for me and what was supposed to happen happened in the waiting room between her and me. You just had a dickens of a time with your prudish nature being a sex therapist. But nothing you did mattered. I was the reason for the leap."

"And you are the reason for this leap too?"

Al shook his head, "No. Sam. I think it is so Dr. Clare Allen can get a new perspective on treating Trevor from Verbena Beeks. Remember what Trevor said about his Therapist driving him crazy and what you said about him being depressed? I need to go have a talk with Verbena and she needs to have a talk with Claire!"

Day 6

Verbena Beeks sat next to Claire on the bed in the waiting room. You know Claire. It doesn't matter rather Trevor is delusional or not. Uniting a hundred couples up is a very good thing. It is very important that he continue his work."

Claire frowned and shook her head, "The wild whims of a pleasant Delusional are no reason to declare undying love to one another. It would be a relationship based on fantasy. Trevor is so out of touch with reality I don't know how he functions as well as he does! Some of those couples may end up abusive to each other."

Verbena shook her head and smiled gently, But Claire most of them won't be abusive relationships. And isn't that always the risk? People have to take when they start to trust one another and hope that mutual love and respect is possible?

Clair shook her head, "But a relationship based on a falsehood cannot last."

Verbena smiled, "Love flows from oxytocin not falsehood. And it doesn't' really matter what causes the oxytocin to start flowing between two People, a scientific fact or a mutually shared fairy tale or a shared experience because it is real. Trevor Hale is doing a very good job of starting some long-term, positive relationships."

Verbena smiled, "You must be figuring out by now if you suddenly wake up in man's body in a room you never saw before that there are things going on that you don't know much about. What if there are things going on that I don't know much about either?"

Claire shook her head, "I'm dreaming this, or I've been in a car wreck and I'm unconscious."

Verbena smiled, "You don't think you might be the usual third theory we hear all the time; that you have gone psychotic?"

Firmly Claire pursed her lips and shook her head, "Schizophrenia does not run in my family and I have ingested no mind altering drugs.

"Someone could have slipped you one at the bar."

Claire shook her head; "I have ingested nothing at Trevor's bar other than drinks he served me himself. Trevor would not do that to me. He's delusional not sociopathic."

Verbena smiled, "But how long do you think you might have been in this hallucination? Dream time wise it may have been months."

A distressed look crossed Claire's face, "Oh."

Verbena smiled. This experience would be good for Claire. It would help her grow because it was very obvious there was one thing Dr. Claire Mc Crae did not like to be and that was NOT IN CONTROL!

Claire commented, "What I am hoping is all of Trevor's actions to find partners for other people will result in his finding a partner for him who will be patient with his delusion and gently help him to face the reality that he is working so hard to avoid. Love would add a factor to it that even the best Therapist cannot provide. If he fell in love he would not want to go back to Olympus and would want to stay on Earth. To do that better by sheer necessarily his delusion would have to fade. I notice already he doesn't talk about it as much to strangers as he used to and when he does sometimes he disguises it, "I'm from the mountains. I used to do a bit of bow hunting." Etc. He is beginning to realize how insane he sounds and is more often introducing himself just as just Trevor Hale. Falling in love would help intensify and speed up that gradual return to reality."

Dr. Beeks shook his head, "Claire, No. Your job is to help Cupid return to Olympus."

Dr. Allen stared at her, "Why ever do you say that? Olympus is just a pitiful, psychotic fantasy Trevor Hale, or that is whatever his real name is, created to deal with the horror of a reality he could not stand. Even he admits he needs help with homesickness and is letting me do so. My job is to help him adjust to Earth so it becomes Ok for him to just be a Human being again and not a god."

Verbena shook her head, "Olympus is REAL. It doesn't matter whether it is some other dimension out there that we don't understand or created in full inside of "Trevor Hale's" brain. It is completely real for Cupid and he will be very happy when he goes back there."

Clair stared at her, "'Other dimension out there we don't understand!' You can't possibly think it's a real place! That is as crazy as Trevor. You would be wanting me to feed his delusion!"

Verbena explained, "It is time I explain to you what is going on. You have not had any kind of a breakdown. You have been involved in a time travel experiment that has its original purpose hijacked by some Higher Force. We suspect it is God. Our operative Samuel Becket leaps into People's lives and bodies and sets right what was wrong. When he is forced to leap inside of a person he cannot leave until his mission there is finished. Does that remind you of anybody?"

Claire rolled her eyes, "I suppose I should just accept that this is part of my current fantasy or hallucination. But I don't believe a word of it!"

Dr Verbena Beeks just smiled and continued, "During Sam's leaping we have had to expand our concepts of reality drastically. Sam has been leaped around by God Himself, I mean the Big One, and we've also met the opposition, and Ghosts, Angels, and an extraterrestrial named prot who like Cupid is what multiples themselves call a, 'Walk in,' a persona so strange and possessing such strange abilitys it seems a viable theory that it really is from some other place and/or time not just a split off from the Host's main persona."

Claire was very irritated, "Horse feathers!"

Verbena smiled, "surely you must be figuring out by now if you suddenly wake up in man's body in a room you never saw before that there are things going on that you don't know much about. What if there are things going on that we don't know much about either?"

Claire shook her head, " As I said before, I'm dreaming this, or I've been in a car wreck and I'm unconscious."

. Verbena continued he gentle correction, Look at Sam himself! He isn't much different from Cupid. He too is a, "Walk in" and the Host's persona temporarily goes somewhere else. We can't even be sure Cupid isn't doing exactly the same thing.

Claire shook her head, "Cupid doesn't want to be on Earth. He is here involuntarily according to him.

Dr Verbena shook her head in wonderment, "and Sam doesn't want to be leaping into People's bodies either! I wonder if there is a pattern here?

Cupid says the other little g gods are making him do it. You say the BIG God makes Sam do it. How can they both be true at the same time?"

Verbena smiled. "In the oceans there are single celled amoebas and there are Blue Whales. In the realm he comes from Trevor is an Amoeba. The Big Guy is a multicellular Blue Whale."

Clair sighed, "You aren't helping you know. I am glad you aren't talking to him. That sort of talk would just reinforce the wild fantasy he's created. Plus if you say what Trevor has is really Disassociative Identity Disorder, then isn't the goal to get the two personas to merge back together into one?"

Verbena shook her head, "When the secondary persona is out of touch with reality or in touch with a different reality whichever the case may be, that kind of a merging risks making the primary persona become as strange as the secondary persona. It is better they go back wherever it is they came from or think they came from, Olympus, K-PAX," she grinned, "the Future or the Past, and then the original persona goes back to being in control again."

Claire smiled a bit embarrassed. She caught the fact she was in just exactly the same kind of 'delusional state."

Verbena continued, "The first persona is still inside of Trevor Hale'sbrain somewhere hiding in shame and horror over whatever it was that happened. But as my old Professor used to say, 'the teleology of the healing is encased in the psychosis.' Trevor is actually telling us what he has to do for the host to be healthy again, reunite one hundred couples and it is your duty to do just what he has asked you to do, help him. Somehow when he does unite all those people that will make it OK for him to leave because the first persona will feel whatever horrible deed the Host did will have been paid for, and it will be OK for him to come back in control again. And Cupid will, in his viewpoint go back to Olympus and be as happy as can be wherever Olympus is, whether it is out there in some other dimension somewhere or created in full inside his Host's head. Wherever it is it is completely real to Cupid and your job as his Therapist is to help him get back there, not encourage him to stay."

Claire got a thoughtful look on her face.

Verbena Beeks added, "And also, I know you aren't much for medication. But even you know sometimes it is invaluable to help a Patient. Trevor Hale is so homesick it is quite obvious it is turning into real, clinical depression. He would benefit from antidepressants."

Claire gave Verbena an exasperated look, "But he is homesick for a place that doesn't exist. What I need to do for him is convince him of that and help him to face reality."

But Claire, for whatever reason reality is what is making him depressed, and his depression can make him retreat from reality even more. Giving him medication would help him withstand reality better and lessen his need to escape from it."

Claire protested, "But he dances around like a whirling dervish. He is the life of the party. That is why he is such a successful bartender."

Verbena nodded, "movement, music and dance fight depression. But he shouldn't have to work that hard at it. When he is alone at night after the day's work is done and his therapy is over, he has nothing but those pool markers to look at that keep him appraised of his progress back towards readmittance into Olympus, which, if he is just a made-up personality, is just his coming death. On some level he may be aware of that. And that isn't helping. He's homesick, missing his own kind, feels powerless because of his perceived demotion from his powers and paradise and so he is depressed. Even Al can see that. "Your attempts to get him to face the 'reality' that every childhood memory he has may be false is only adding to his distress and making him even more depressed. Claire you need to lay-off about his past! All we are, are our memories and confabulated or not Olympus is Trevor's childhood, the only one he's got. It is his heritage from which he draws the strength to survive in his current reality just as we all use our childhood experiences to cope with the present. The primary Host created him to be what he is and what he is created to be, is all he is. It is all he can possibly be and he cannot be anything else no matter how much he wants to please you. It is crazy making behavior to him when you keep insisting he isn't what he is. Disney created Mickey Mouse to be Mickey Mouse. RT Hale or whoever it was created Cupid to be Cupid, so Cupid is all he can be."

Claire frowned, "How did I miss this?"

Verbena gave her a gentle look, "You are too close to your Patient. It happens to all of us."

Claire nodded.

***

Back in the Past, Sam felt the familiar tingle. As Cupid and Al watched he disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Cupid smiled, "It's been a while since I've seen anybody do THAT! Makes me feel all tingly too, with nostalgia!"

Al smiled. "Goodbye Cupid." He walked though the acceleration chamber door and Trevor heard it close behind him.

Then the god watched in delight as his Psychologist returned.

She stared around the bar confused. Where had she been? She had vague memories of someplace else, some when else and that something very important had been said to her! Was this what Mental Patients felt when they experienced fugue states?

Trevor Hale gazed at her from behind the bar with divine love in his heart, "Welcome back Claire!"

She stared at him startled, "How did you know I was gone, and what was I and where was I? I remember male organs!"

Trevor said, "You were in the Future. You were in Sam's body and he was in yours. I am sure glad you are back!"

Claire's eyes grew wide, "How did you know? But it wasn't real! It couldn't have been! It was a dream! But how did YOU know what I was dreaming?"

She started to panic. Claire was a person who did not believe in fantasy and wanted it not to exist. She sat down quickly on one of the bar stools because she had to. She was that close to fainting.

Whoops! Trevor internally hit his forehead with his palm. He so shouldn't have indicated he knew what had happened to her. That was just too weird for her. It hinted at all sorts of horrible things like maybe her Problem Patient really was a god and there was time travel and all sorts of impossible things Claire could not deal with.

Trevor wanted to give her a hug but he didn't dare. He knew if he did she would go, "Doctor! Patient!" And remind him of his place. Then he smiled because it dawned on him that was exactly what she needed! It would put her back in control again and Claire always needed to be in control! He held out his arms, "Claire, love of my life I've missed you sooooo much!! Come here and give me a big smooch!" He puckered his lips and looked as pleading as possible.

Sure enough out of her lips came, a frosty, "Doctor! Patient!" Trevor couldn't help the wide grin that stretched across his face.

Trevor ran around the bar and hunched down on the barstool next to her, assuming, "the position:" squirming and keeping his eyes downcast. He looked at her like a repentant little boy expecting a scolding except he was loving it.

Claire couldn't help smiling herself. It is strange what becomes familiar and welcome. She had been scolding Trevor for his insane flights of fantasy for so long to do so had become a Normal Rockwell moment for both of them. She felt like she was home!" She asked, "What do you want me to say to you?"

Trevor grinned but kept his eyes down, "Scold me or something. I am sure I deserve it for something."

A smile fought its way across her lips, "I can't think of anything."

Trevor turned and gave her a bug eyed stare, "This isn't possible! I have to have done something! I know! Why don't you scold me for something I haven't done yet? Then when I do it I can feel real good because I know I've already been punished and have a scold free future ahead of me."

Claire said, "I don't exactly know how to do that! Do you have any plans for the Future I could draw upon for inspiration?"

Trevor stared at the ceiling inviting his family to make suggestions. But they did not. He sighed, "I am afraid even I am not that crazy."

Claire nodded thoughtfully, "A pity. Say I know. Maybe I could do something else shrink-like for you instead of scolding you."

Trevor's eyes twinkled. "What did you have in mind?"

Claire said quickly, "I could ask you some questions. How have you been sleeping?"

Trevor sighed, "Not very well actually."

Claire's silly mood suddenly turned to real concern. "How long has that been going on?"

Trevor shrugged, "Quite a while, actually."

Claire was horrified she had missed this, "Trevor why didn't you say something to me? I'm supposed to be your Therapist!"

Trevor shrugged, "You never asked. You were always interested in probing my past. The fact I love my past but am miserable nowseems to slip by you a lot, Claire. And since I'm supposed to tell you my feelings I want you to know that really pisses me off! I told you that night after I united my first couple that I was so to speak hiring you to help me with my homesickness. But you are more interested in curing my so-called delusion. But even if it is a delusion it isn't bothering me. It isn't even incapacitating me. I think I'm from Olympus. So what? I think I'm a god. So what? You think you are a Mortal from Earth. Does that keep you from functioning? But my homesickness is bothering me! I dropped a bottle of expensive whiskey yesterday. Yes, MOI! It was from sleep deprivation! I lay in my room and I stare at those damn beads and I see how many more I have to go! But can I get any sympathy out of you about that? No! Instead you want me to keep a dream journal. I might even do that for you if I was having any dreams, but I'm not!"

"Oh Trevor I am so sorry! I guess its me that needs scolding this time!"

Trevor smiled a little bit at that, "Yes. This is true."

Claire said, "I am going to get Dr. Greely to write you a prescription for a very sedating antidepressant; Elavil or Serzone or Surmontil; One of those."

Trevor stared at her and frowned, "I thought we agreed, 'no chemical straitjacketing.'"

Claire stood up and put her hand on Trevor's sagging shoulder and said, "No. Antidepressants are not that kind of psyche drug. They work with serotonin and norepinephrine not dopamine. Actually there is one, Welbutrin that does work with dopamine but it raises it, just the opposite of what antipsychotics do. Antidepressants aren't chemical trait jackets, Trevor. They are nice, warm, soothing chemical sweaters. You take them right before bedtime. They'll make you feel better and sleep better and you won't be dropping bottles any more."

Trevor growled, "and I suppose I won't think I'm from Olympus anymore either. Or at least that's what you hope."

Claire shook her head. "They won't do that to you. They'll just help you cope with your insomnia and homesickness, but where you think home is will stay the same to you. I promise and cross my heart and hope to die!" Claire crossed her heart.

Trevor stared at her, "It may just be because I am delusional but I do trust you. Ok when do I start?"

Claire said, "I'll talk to Dr. Greely about it tomorrow. It will be the equivalent of a gold star in your files to Dr. Greely that you are volunteering to take medication on your own. I can guarantee it will put you just a little further away from ever having to live across the street again."

Trevor smiled. He liked that idea very much!"

On the 7th Day Sam Rested

Sam materialized by a mountain stream. "I wonder if this is Olympus?" He wondered. He felt a fishing pole in his hand and looked down. He felt a hat on his head and realized that it had fishing flies attached to it.

He heard the small mosquito buzz of a small plane flying way overhead, hidden in cotton clouds. It flew out of the clouds and Sam could see it was an ordinary piper cub.

"Woof!"

There was a black Labrador Retriever lying next to him. He was barking at a Bear. Sam tensed a moment but the Animal peacefully bounded away back into the woods.

Planes and Bears and Dogs oh my! So, definitely not Olympus, and why did he even have such a crazy thought? Suddenly the preceding leap came back to him clearer than most past leaps. Wow what a strange leap that had been!

The sound of the imaging chamber door opening sounded behind him.

Al appeared before him in the same green suit he had wore on the last leap. He grinned, "Ziggy didn't have any trouble finding you this time Sam. She says an email was sent to her with a big heart on it and the words, 'thank you' on it plus plenty of information about your current leap. That's weird because it's not Valentines Day when we are at. It's Easter and who knows you are leaping? And even weirder we couldn't trace the email address to any particular person or even a computer server."

Sam said, "That is really weird! CIA perhaps?

Al shook his head and commented, "Why would the CIA send us a big, red heart? We haven't done anything for them recently far as I know."

Sam smiled, "Did Trevor Hale ever return to reality?"

Al stared at him in surprise, "You remember you last leap? We aren't sure he ever left reality. He did know about the Asgard and the Ancients.

Sam grinned, "Far s I can tell, with crystal clarity. Like it was yesterday! And Al, we know about the Asgard and the Ancients. I'd believe in subconscious telepathy before I'd believe the Greek gods are real. Occam's razor. The least unlikely and simplest solution is most likely to be the correct one"

Al said, "I believe him Sam."

Sam smiled at Al. "Al, because you believe in nothing you believe in everything! Anyway, What am I here to do and where and when am I?"

Al laughed, "it was yesterday for you actually and you haven't leaped far in space either. This is still New York State. You are in the Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River National parknear the Roebling aqueduct."

Sam repeated, "What am I here to do?"

The e card said you are here only to rest and relax and if you go digging near the big pine tree near your tent, (which is back there), you will find a small jar of Civil War money and some useless stock certificates which you are to take sell at a coin shop in town whenever you want to and buy yourself several fancy dinners."

Sam frowned, "It's a shame it isn't real money and the stock is no good any more."

.

Al grinned, "Sam, Civil war money is worth many times its face value and these stock certificates are the old fashioned, fancy kind that are worth big moola to collectors." Most are worth more than their face value too if you factor in inflation."

"Wow!"

Al nodded, "I know! Weird but nice."

Sam said, "Al all the time I do weird and frustrating 'weird and frightening," "weird and very, very dangerous, weird and extremely stressful' "Weird but nice' is sure a relaxing change!"

Al grinned.

Sam asked, 'Did Cupid alias Trevor Hale ever finish uniting his one hundredth couple?

Al smiled, " Not yet Sam. It was just yesterday remember? For us it is just a few months ahead of you and him. I phoned him a few minutes ago. He says, "Hi and that he is feeling much better now that he is on the proper medication even if he is still stuck on Earth.'"

"Did Claire or anyone ever figure out who Trevor Hale really is? Ziggy could help here. She has resources Claire didn't have."

Al shook his head, "Ziggy tried. She came up with nodda. At this point it doesn't look like he's a missing person. The disgraced humanities professor RT Hale is still the most likely suspect. They look the same and the name is much too close to be coincidence. But the thing is Sam, he disappeared over four years ago. Where was Cupid during that four-year gap? But whoever he is if he isn't RT Hale, he must have left wherever he came from in a legitimate way and just never told anyone where he was going. So no one is looking for him. No one filed any missing person reports. It would fit in with the pattern of his personality, extreme competence. He never does anything in a half assed way. He tends bar like a pro. He puts couples together like a pro. When he realized he was stuck being a mental patient he found a reason to make it work for him within his delusion, homesickness and has been a most cooperative Patient. He realized his freedom from being recommitted depending on being harmless to himself and others and has made that his mantra and never broken it since the first incident that lead to his one and only commitment. But at the same time he has huge portions of Chicago folie de dused into either really believing he is the Greek God of love or at least they are willing to humor him like an all year around Santa Claus. So he even does crazy like a pro."

Sam felt a tug on his fishing line and reeled it in.

There was a boot on it.

They laughed. Even the Labrador got a goofy grin on his face.

Sam reached in the boot and pulled out a Salmon.

Al's eyes grew wide, "Wow Sam!"

Sam hefted the fish, estimating, "I say it's about nine pounds! Think the gods will mind if I skip the fancy restaurant dinner tonight and have fresh caught Salmon baked over an open hickory wood fire instead?"

The e Card did say, 'when you were ready." Sam this isn't fair. My mouth is watering!

Suddenly the hand link beeped. Al looked down at it and exclaimed, "Wow Sam! You aren't gong to believe this!"

Sam looked up, "what?"

Ziggy says someone suddenly downloaded 75 years of future newspaper and Internet articles into her! That's going to solve a lot of problems because a lot of your leaps happen in the part of your lifetime after you entered the acceleration chamber. Where could this have come from?"

Sam shrugged, "Oh, I don't know Al. Maybe it was a gift from the gods.

Two weeks later as he was petting the Dog, who Ziggy had informed him was named Jake he felt the familiar tingle again.

He was being pulled through time and space again, bright light all around. He tried to close his eyes this time to see if that would help the disorientation but it didn't. No matter what he tried dizziness made him stagger when he leaped into his next "assignment".

When his vision cleared he was looking down at white shag carpet. He saw cat images on white sneakers with pink shoelaces peeking out from under pink cords. With dread he brought his eyes slowly up to see that he was standing in front of a full-length mirror. The pink cords were accompanied by a long-sleeved pink and white turtleneck. Above that was a sweet little girl face with blue eyes surrounded by long blonde hair held back on the sides with pink barrettes. Behind him he could see an unmade child-sized canopy bed covered with stuffed animals, clothes and toys scattered all over the floor, ruffled white curtains, and cartoon characters on the walls.

His eyes focused on the image in the mirror again. "I'm a little girl! God has a very strange sense of humor." Sam Beckett told his reflection.

A distant female voice floated into the room. "Maddie, time for breakfast and daddy wants a kiss before he leaves for work."

Daddy?! Kiss?! "Oh, boy!"

Authors note. To read the rest of this leap go to my friend Theicemenace's story Daddy's little Angel.