Quantum Leap belongs to Universal, Enterprise belongs to Paramount, I'm just playin with them...

Prologue:

Blue light surrounded him, no matter where he looked, he floated in a never ending sea of blue.

"Dr Beckett? Can you hear me Dr Beckett?"

Sam looked around, he could hear the voice but not see anyone.

Sam: "I can hear you, where am I?"

Voice: "Now now Dr Beckett, that would be telling. Are you ready?"

Sam: "Ready for what?"

Voice: "To continue your mission Dr Beckett."

Sam: "But I just want to go home."

Voice: "I am sorry Dr Beckett, there is still too much for you to do. Maybe soon, but not now."

Sam: "Can I go home after this mission?"

Voice: "Perhaps, Are you ready?"

Sam: "Where am I going?"

Voice: "You may not remember it, but you've been there before. Into the future."

Sam: "Enterprise...I'm going back to the Enterprise?"

Voice: "Yes Dr Beckett, your help is needed again."

Sam: "Will it be hard?"

Voice: "Yes Dr Beckett, this will be a very hard mission. Are you ready?"

Sam: "Why do you keep asking if I'm ready? It never matters if I'm ready, you'll send me anyways. All I want to do is go home, I'm so tired. Please, can't I just go home? Haven't I done enough?"

Voice: "I am sorry Dr Beckett. You can't return home until your job is finished."

Sam: "When will that be?"

There was no answer to his question, Sam's heart fell as he realized, he may never get to return home.

Voice: "Are you ready Dr Beckett?"

Sam: "Yes...I'm ready."

Voice: "Very well, good luck Dr Beckett."

Bright blue light engulfed everything and Sam was gone.

Sam opened his eyes and the first thing he noticed was that he was in a very uncomfortable position, As he slowly sat up he saw that he's apparently fallen asleep while sitting at some sort of table. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around, he was in some sort of room with a lot of high tech equipment and monitors. He wondered what he was doing here, why he had leaped, he hoped AL would be here soon to fill him in.

As Sam got up and started to look more closely at the room and the gadgets it contained, he felt a sharp flash of familiarity with everything, as if he'd been here before. Then a name popped out from one of the holes in his swiss cheesed memory, Tactical Command Center. Sam looked closer at one of the darkened monitors, as he caught his reflection in it he gasped, he was in his own body…no wait…some of it was coming back to him, he'd been here before, he knew this place. Sam sighed, he was on Enterprise.

Back at Project Quantum Leap, things were a little…hectic.

Ziggy: "Admiral Calavicci, we appear to have a problem."

Al was standing next to the control station trying to make sense out of the multi-coloured blocks flashing before his eyes, he looked up at the swirling blue globe that was Ziggy's main interface.

Al: "What kind of problem?"

Ziggy: "It would appear that Dr Beckett has leaped."

Al: "Yeah so? How is that a problem?"

Ziggy: "You did not let me finish. Dr Beckett has leaped, however, no one has leaped in to replace him."

Al: "What?"

Ziggy: "No one has leaped in to replace Dr Beckett. The waiting room is empty."

Al quickly turned on his heel and practically ran to the waiting room, as the door finally slid open, Al felt as if he'd been sucker punched. There was no one there, Al slowly turned around and walked back to the control room.

Al: "What's going on? If there's no one in the waiting room then that means Sam's leaping as himself."

Ziggy: "I am uncertain Admiral. My monitoring equipment for the waiting room seemed normal, as you can see on the monitor, everything blanked out for a moment, as it does during a leap, however when the cameras came back on, Dr Beckett was gone."

Al: "Start crunchin' some numbers and give me an answer. Call everyone back to the Project, all leaves are cancelled, get Gushie and Donna and Tina back here on the double, I have to go call Beth and tell her I'm gonna be late for dinner. And get a lock on Sam!"

Sam was still looking at the images on the monitors in the command center, he'd had to sit down to watch the first one, it showed the still burning remains of a huge trench cut into the Earth. He'd read the report that went along with it, over 7 million dead, countless more injured and homeless. Sam sat and read the mission logs, some of his memory of being here before had returned, he was Captain Jonathan Archer again, and Archers mission this time was to stop this race called the Xindi from destroying Earth, the first attack had merely been a test.

Sam read over some of Jon's personal logs and mission logs, according to the personal logs, Jon had decided that in order to focus on the mission, he needed to block everything out, every distraction every feeling. Including those towards his first officer. Sam recalled that the last time he'd been here, it had been to set the two of them up, he wondered if this time he was supposed to help the Enterprise complete it's mission, or to put the personal relationship between Jon and T'Pol back together.

Sam read through the rest of the personal logs, and knew that in order for this to work, in order for everyone to still believe he was Archer, he'd have to act like Archer had been. He'd have to be the proverbial hard ass. Sam figured he could do it, he'd get more advice from Al on what he was exactly here to do once Al finally showed up.

According to the ships mission logs. Enterprise had just left a prison world where they had gone to try to get more information on the Xindi. This had not panned out and things had gone downhill from there. Sam yawned and decided it was time to head back to his cabin. He closed down the files and left the room, as he walked through the ship he noticed how quiet it was, Sam figured it was very late. As he walked he passed a group of what appeared to be soldiers, they were dressed in greyish uniforms and were heavily armed. Sam realized these were members of the MACO team that was onboard to help out.

As Sam reached his cabin he was happy to find that the little dog of Archers was still around, and still as friendly as ever. Sam changed his cloths, set his alarm to wake him in a few hours, and quickly fell asleep, still wondering what was keeping Al.

Al had decided to quickly return home and inform Beth of what had happened a PQL, the two of them were sitting in his study. Al is sitting in an overstuffed chair. He's smoking a cigar and staring at a silver framed photo in his hand. Beth's sitting half on the chair and half on him. Beth's older and her hair is streaked with gray, but she's still a radiant beauty ... especially when she smiles.

Al: "Wherever he's leaped, Sam's still himself."

Beth: "Because no one's in the Waiting Room?"

Al: "There's no other explanation. Ziggy's starting a nanosecond search in the morning but I got a feeling Sam's leaped beyond his lifetime again."

Beth: "Into the past or future?"

Al: "The future. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. He's in the future, way in the future... far beyond his lifetime."

Beth: "How'd he get there?

Al: "The bartender sent him."

Beth: "The bartender?"

Al: "Why not? Anyone who has the power to leap Sam through time can be anyone he wants to be ... a bartender, a train conductor ... a steam bath attendant."

Beth takes a second to absorb that, then looks down at Al.

Beth: "He'd know where Sam was in the future."

Al: "How do I ask him? As a hologram, he couldn't hear me."

Beth: "If he's God, I think he'll hear you."

Al: "Good. But without Sam in that bar, I can't get there."

Beth: "You could if you leaped."

Al looks slowly up to Beth, realizing she's hit on the solution.

Al: "I might not come back."

Beth: "You'll come back. Anyone who came back from Vietnam can come back from anywhere."

Al: "Thirty five years and you still amaze me."

He pulls her into his arms and passionately kisses her. Then, he's out of the chair and gone.

Beth watches him go.

Beth: "So do you."

Announcer's voice: "Here's the windup and the pitch. It's a long fly ball to left field. Open the window Aunt Minnie, here she comes!"

Ghee is standing next to the Philco radio. The miners at the bar stop their raucous celebration and turn to the radio to hear the crash of broken glass that's Rosey's sound effect for a Pirate home run. The miners cheer as the Rosey continues.

Ghee: "Do you believe this! They trade Kiner and now half the team's hitting home runs. "

Bartender Al smiles and slides a draft to Miner Ziggy and then picks up Mutta's glass to refill it.

Miner Ziggy: "Nobody on the Pirates will ever break as many window canes as Ralph Kiner did."

Mutta: "Panes not canes. Window Panes."

Miner Ziggy: "I said panes."

Mutta: "You said canes."

A blue light materializes next to Miner Ziggy, coalesces with electric, arcing into Al and dissipates. Mutta and Ziggy seem oblivious to Al's sudden appearance and speak to him as if held been there all along.

Mutta looks at Al: "Didn't Ziggy-say canes? Window canes?"

Al looks confused, his memory being swiss cheesed the same as Sam's had been: "I don't remember what she said?"

Mutta: "She?"

Al: "Ziggy."

Miner Ziggy: "You must be a friend of Sam's."

Miner Ziggy looks at Mutta and explains: "Sam knows a Ziggy who's a woman, an ugly woman."

Ghee joins them.

Ghee: "He must have seen you in your dress at the Beer Barrel Reunion."

Al: "You cross-dress?"

Miner Ziggy: "Cross-dress?"

Al: "Dress like the opposite sex."

Ghee: "My Aunt Anna does that."

Al: "Dresses like a man?"

Ghee: "No, like a woman."

Ghee slaps the bar and, laughing at having put one over on the Al, moves off with Mutta and Miner Ziggy.

Bartender Al wipes the counter in front of the Al who is now slightly isolated from-the miners.

Bartender AL: "What'll it be?"

Al: "Information."

Al shoves the punchboard to him.

AL: "Twenty-five cents a punch. Hit the jackpot and I'll answer your question."

Al: "I got to gamble to get info from God?"

AL: "Who said I was God?"

Al: "Sam did. He said you were God or Time or Fate."

AL laughs: "Why not an alien while you're at it."

Al looks stunned: "Oh my god!"

AL: "What?"

Al: "We didn't think of that, It makes sense. You could be a higher intelligence from the outer reaches of the universe!"

AL: "I'm afraid the only alien here is you, Al."

Al: "Why me?"

AL: "Because you're the only one who doesn't belong here."

Al: "What about Sam?"

AL: "He's not here anymore ... he's on the job."

Al: "In the future, right?"

AL: "Right."

Al looks mad: "Without me!"

AL: "I didn't think you were needed."

Al: "You didn't think I was needed! Who flew the X-2? Me! Who taught him Elvis' moves? Me! Who showed him how to box, shoot pool, draw a six-gun ... kiss the girl!"

AL chuckles: "You."

Al: "You're damn right, me! If you're God, excuse the language."

AL: "If I'm God, you're excused."

Al: "Sam wouldn't have righted a single wrong if it wasn't for me."

AL: "Well.…"

Al: "Okay. Maybe one or two, but he needs me. And more important... I need him."

AL thinks this over for a moment before speaking.

AL: "The past has been mere prologue. Where Sam has gone, there is great danger."

Al: "Cut the Star Wars dialogue! Are you going to send me with him or not?"

AL: "You'd no longer enjoy the safety of a hologram."

Al: "I was kinda hoping that would continue."

AL: "You'd be a Leaper, like Sam, with all the inherent risks."

Al: "I still want to join him."

AL: "That's all it takes."

Al: "What do you mean?"

AL: "You just have to want to do it."

Al steps aside and the Al looks into the mirror.

Everything has changed. The bar, the miners, all have leaped far into the future, the miners have become crewmen on board the Starship Enterprise, the bar has changed into the ships Mess hall, Al looks around and catches his reflection in one of the ships portholes. What he sees staring back at him takes the breath out of him, It is the image of a young Asian woman. From the reflection in the window, Al sees someone approach him from behind.

Trip: "Hoshi ya got a sec?"

Al: "Oh, boy."

On the bridge

T'Pol sat in the captains chair studying the reports that had been filed from the mission to the prison colony. The Captain and Commander Tucker had been unsuccessful in obtaining the information they had hoped to get. T'Pol let her thoughts wander briefly to Jonathan. Ever since the attack on Earth, their burgeoning relationship had been put on hold. Jon had drawn farther and farther away from her. The only time in the past few months she had seen the spark in his eyes that showed how much he cared for her, was when she had announced she was not going back to Vulcan, that she wanted to remain with him on Enterprise. That night they had spent in his cabin simply enjoying the company of the other. However, that moment had come and gone, vanished along with their usual meals together, and their off time spent with one another.

Now it seemed as if all of Jonathan's time when not on the bridge was spent in the newly built Tactical Command Center. The times that T'Pol had been able to get him to join her for a meal, he had been distracted and often left before he was finished eating. His only reasoning for his behaviour was the Earth needed him.

T'Pol understood Jon's wanting to succeed, not wanting to fail his people. T'Pol felt that she would be doing the same if their roles were reversed. However, it hurt her to think that Jon felt she could not offer assistance during this. That he needed to push her away as well.

T'Pol was brought out of her thoughts by Hoshi calling her name.

Hoshi: "Sub-commander? Dr Phlox is requesting your presence in Sickbay."

T'Pol: "Very well Ensign, inform him I am on my way. Lt Reed, you have the Bridge."

T'Pol gracefully raised herself out of the chair and entered the lift heading for Sickbay.

Once she strolled through the doors to sickbay, Phlox looked up at her with his usual cheerful smile.

Phlox: "Good Morning Sub-Commander, thank you for coming down here."

T'Pol: "I have a very busy schedule Doctor. What did you need?"

Phlox: "It appears that Commander Tucker has been experiencing some sleep deprivation connected with the death of his sister."

T'Pol: "How does that concern me?"

Phlox: "In going over the Vulcan database, I came across a reference to a procedure known as Nuero-pressure, the ability to use nerve pressure points to stimulate certain responses from another person. It can also be used to induce sleep."

T'Pol sighed

Phlox: "I was surprised to discover that you know how to perform this procedure Sub Commander."

T'Pol: "Doctor. I do hope that you are not suggesting that I use this treatment on Commander Tucker in order for him to, get a good nights sleep."

Phlox: "Actually T'Pol…"

T'Pol: "Doctor. I am unwilling to perform this on Commander Tucker. The procedure can be quite….intimate. I have no desire to place myself in that position with the Commander. Perhaps it would be best if you simply gave him something to help him sleep."

With that, T'Pol turned on her heel and made a quick exit from Sickbay. Or at least she would have if Phlox had not reached out and grabbed her arm.

Phlox: "T'Pol, as the ships Chief Medical Officer, I could order you to do it. I am hesitant to give Commander Tucker drugs in case he develops an addiction. I would rather this be your decision."

T'Pol tried to tamp down the rising spark of anger inside her. There was only one person on the ship she would be willing to touch in the manner nuero-pressure is used in.

T'Pol: "Then Doctor I advise you to remove your arm from mine, and make it a medical order. As I can see no logical reason for me to perform this on the Commander when there are other medical options that can be used, I am filing an official protest with the Captain."

Phlox quickly took his arm off T'Pol's, surprised that she would call his bluff.

Phlox: "Now now T'Pol, I see no need to inform the Captain of this. He has enough on his mind of late. I am sorry T'Pol, I had thought that since Cdr Tucker is your friend, you would be willing to help him through a traumatic time."

T'Pol raised her eyebrow in disbelief. The man simply would not give up!

T'Pol: "Doctor, once again I must refuse, please respect my wishes. Do not ask me to do this again."

With that, T'Pol successfully made her exit from Sickbay.

Sam awoke before his alarm went off, after a few minutes of disorientation he remembered where he was, who he was supposed to be. And how he was meant to act. Sam still wasn't sure if he could pull off being a hard ass, it just wasn't him. Sam quickly shaved and showed, got dressed and was making his way to the mess hall for breakfast when he heard the sound of someone running up the corridor behind him. He stopped and turned to see a young Asian woman running towards him, She looked familiar, Sam quickly placed her name, Hoshi Sato, ships linguist.

Sam stood and waiting for the woman to catch up to him. When she did she stood there for a minute gasping for breath.

Sam: "In a hurry for breakfast Ensign?"

The reply that came from the woman however, almost gave Sam a heart attack.

Hoshi/Al: "Damnit Sam, why do you have to have such long legs, I knew smoking all those cigars was going to get me into trouble eventually."

Sam blinked and stared at Hoshi: "Excuse me Ensign? Are you ok?"

Al: "Get off it Sam it's me, Al I leaped, I'm in this girls body."

Sam quickly grabbed the woman and pulled her to the side of the corridor, and spoke in a low voice hoping the crew passing them wouldn't hear what he was saying.

Sam: "AL? What the hell are you doing? What do you mean you leaped? What the hell did you do that for?"

Al: "It was the only way we could find you, no one leaped in to replace you, so Beth and I hit on the idea of me leaping in to that bartender, and all of a sudden here I am."

Sam lost in though: "What do you mean no one leaped in to replace me? What happened to Archer?"

Al: "I have no idea."

Sam frantically begins thinking for a solution to their problems, but is having troubles du to his swiss cheesed mind.

Sam: "If you're here, then we have no connection to the project, there's no one to advise us of what to do, why we are here or how we're going to get out of this."

Al: "I'm sorry kid, but I had to do it. There was no other way to locate you."

While Sam and Al tried to figure out their problems, Captain Jonathan Archer was having some of his own.

Jon awoke to find himself surrounded by blue light.

Jon: "What he hell!"

Voice: "Good Morning Captain"

Jon: "Who's there? What's going on?"

Voice: "You have a mission to perform Captain."

Jon: "You're damn right I do, now get me back to my ship!"

Voice: "Oh not just yet Captain, the mission I'm talking about is slightly different than the one your thinking of, although, they are connected."

Jon: "What the hell are you talking about."

Voice: "Your help is needed Captain, and I'm sorry to say that you have little choice in the matter. You will do this, or you will never return to your ship, or to T'Pol."

Jon's thought immediately went to T'Pol, his beautiful first officer, and for the past few months, his love, his girlfriend. Even though he knew he was pushing her away, he was certain he could still save what they had once this mission was completed.

Voice: "No Captain, it is quite essential to everything that what you and T'Pol have is saved now."

Jon: "What do you mean?"

Voice: "Let's just say it's one of those things that are supposed to be, Anyways as I was saying, you have a mission, are you ready Captain Archer?"

Jon: "Ready? Ready for what? What is this mission that's so important, What am I supposed to be doing?"

Voice: "Observing Captain, simply being an Observer, and offering the occasional bit of advice."

And with that, Jon vanished in a crackling blue burst of energy, only to re-appear in front of a table that had glowing boxes on it and was surrounded by some very shocked people.

A woman with curly dark hair looked up and saw him standing there, her mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise.

Donna: "Sam?"

Jon: "Oh boy"