"Bro!" Quinn yelled, rushing over and grabbing Colin in a tight embrace. While he had a feeling the final fractured signature had indeed been Colin's, it felt good to see him again and verify it was true. He, much like Wade and the professor, stood alive, breathing, and most important to his situation anchored to this reality. It could have brought tears to Quinn's eyes knowing his brother was no longer unstuck.
Colin was quick to return the gesture, glad to have his brother back after the last few hours of utter confusion. He believed this to be his home Earth, or at least a close alternate considering how similar it was, though he had no idea how he returned here after the slide. He recalled the events of Lipschitz world, where he and his friends were separated and he was confused for his double. He immediately believed this to be a similar situation, remaining close to his previous home and searching for his friends, knowing they would most likely search this area for him.
Many of the townsfolk gave him their usual looks of disdain, especially considering the clothing he was wearing. He returned to his small two-room cabin, left to him by his parents after their passing. Changing into more appropriate attire Colin once again exited his home and lab, searching for his fellow sliders. After searching for a few hours and coming up empty Colin returned home, hoping they would be there waiting.
As Quinn finally released him he turned, looking over to the two faces he had never met, and searching for his missing friend, Maggie, whom he couldn't find anywhere in the room. Noticing this Arturo approached with a smile.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mallory. I've heard many good things. I am Maximilian Arturo, regents professor of Cosmology and Ontology at the University of California. Behind me is the ever radiant Ms. Welles, and of course you already know Mr. Brown" Arturo greeted, offering his hand to Colin.
Colin watched him with suspicion before slowly shaking his hand. As he did this his eyes lingered past him, focusing on Wade.
"I have been told stories about you, but I heard you died saving my brother's life. Not only that, Wade is currently held captive by the Kromaggs" Colin replied, "is it possible you are doubles? The last thing I remember is jumping into the wormhole alongside my brother. We were narrowly escaping a gunfight, but instead of exiting the wormhole like normal, I woke up here. I figured we were separated, it has happened before."
"Ah, yes. A lot has transpired since that incident. I believe your brother would be the best person to discuss the situation with you. I assure you, we are not doubles" Arturo replied, nodding to Quinn.
Quinn prepared to begin explaining everything that happened thanks to Geiger's experiments, however before he could Colin approached Wade with a smile.
"If that is the case then I am glad my brother was finally able to rescue you. It was clear you were important to both him and Rembrandt. It is nice to finally meet you in person."
She smiled at that, turning to look at both Quinn and Rembrandt as she replied.
"They're important to me too. It's nice to finally meet you too, Colin. Quinn told us a lot about you"
Rembrandt stepped forward next, placing a hand on Colin's shoulder. As he turned to face him Remmy smiled.
"Look Farm boy I don't remember much of what happened between us but Q-ball says we were good friends. I'd expect nothing less, and I look forward to getting to know you again"
That caught Colin off guard. He turned to Rembrandt with a look of shock.
"You do not remember our adventures? What happened after that slide, and where is Maggie? I could not help but notice her absence."
Quinn was quick to approach Colin's other side, placing his hand on his brother's free shoulder.
"As the professor said, a lot has happened since our last slide. We need to talk"
Quinn gestured for the group of friends to sit, Quinn quickly filling Colin in on everything that transpired. Colin becoming unstuck, Quinn being combined with Mallory, the Multiverse ceasing to exist and then subsequently resetting to an earlier point. As well as the most important piece of information, their apparent history changes, and the multiversal fractures. As he digested the information Colin's face shifted more and more into a frown.
"This is a lot to take in at once," Colin said, "so you are not my brother after all"
He looked truly upset by the revelation, which Quinn couldn't fault him for. He too felt disappointment upon learning Colin wasn't really his brother, not that it would change the way he felt about him. Still learning everything you believed to be true was in fact not wasn't an easy thing to swallow.
"Bro, I don't care if we share a Quantum Signature or not. After everything we've been through you will always be my brother" Quinn replied, smiling as he saw Colin's previous frown shift back into a smile.
"I feel the same, though I do wonder. Was I hidden alongside another Quinn? Do I have another brother out there, searching for me?" Colin asked.
Shaking his head Quinn walked over to Colin, tapping at the timer a few times before pointing at the numbers now flashing on the screen.
"You see these numbers? This is your unique Quantum Signature. It matches this world, meaning you were born of this universe. It would seem Geiger's experiment heavily changed your history, just as it did mine. The timer doesn't detect any other signatures from this earth out in the multiverse."
"I see, so this is my home Earth. That means my adoptive parents were my real parents?" Colin asked, standing and looking around the room. He grabbed a familiar locket, one Quinn immediately recognized as the one containing the microdot. Opening it they looked inside, only to find the familiar picture of this world's Amanda and Micheal Mallory, no microdot hidden in the additional compartment.
"So it would seem, bro. My adoptive parents turned out to be my real parents too. Neither of us were born of another Earth, or hidden away to avoid the Kromaggs." Quinn replied.
Searching the small lab further Colin found his father's pocket watch, the one Quinn previously destroyed while searching for the microdot. Pocketing both the watch and the locket Colin spotted a book, one he didn't remember seeing before. Picking it up and opening the cover he soon learned why that was.
He stared at the words, speechless and lost. Looking over his shoulder Quinn couldn't hide his own shock at what he was reading.
"What is it, Quinn?" Wade asked, curious as to what could have caused this kind of reaction from the Mallory brothers.
"It's a diary, intended as a gift to my brother and me" Quinn replied, "Or at least, to my brother and this world's Quinn. It contains several passages written from Colin's mother, directed at both of her children"
"Wait a minute, there's a Quinn on this Earth?" Rembrandt asked.
"That would make sense, Mr. Brown. After all, both Mr. Mallory's histories were altered by Geiger's experiment. It's entirely possible the Quinn and Colin of this Earth were born as brothers, but the rewritten history erased this world's Quinn and replaced him with our own. Thus creating the new history of the brothers being hidden off world due to the Human/Kromagg war." Arturo replied.
"So where is this world's Quinn?" Wade asked, looking around the small home, "Could he be living here with Colin?"
"He died," Colin replied sadly, flipping the page and reading through the text, "It would seem she intended to give us this book when we got older, but the illness took them. She made one final passage specifically for me, explaining that she loved me very much and would wait for me in heaven alongside my brother and father."
The sliders all looked between each other. Arturo, Wade, and Rembrandt all stepped out, giving Quinn and Colin some privacy.
"I'm sorry that you can't remember him thanks to Geiger's experiments, I'm sure he was a good brother" Quinn offered, placing a hand on Colin's arm. Closing the book Colin turned to him, a weak smile replacing his previous frown.
"I am sure that he was like you, brother. While I regret losing my memory of him I at least know he existed now and will cherish that knowledge. I do not regret what has happened, because now I have another brother, you"
After going through the small diary Quinn decided he could wait no longer in fixing his brother's Fractured condition. Tapping a few keys on the advanced timer Quinn pulled up the needed formula, using the timer to correct Colin's unstable signature.
"What will happen now?" Colin asked, looking between his brother and their small family.
"Now, we want you to come with us" Quinn replied, offering his hand to Colin. "You are safe now and can live out the rest of your life here if that's what you want. But I would much prefer that you slid along with us"
It didn't take Colin long to decide, taking his brother's hand and getting to his feet.
"You and Rembrandt are my family, and home is where the people you care about are."
Squeezing his brother's hand Quinn turned, tapping the screen on the timer and opening a sky blue vortex. As Arturo, Rembrandt and Wade leaped inside Colin turned to Quinn, the two approaching the wormhole.
"Where too, brother?"
Turning to face his brother Quinn couldn't help but smile ear to ear, excited to finally see his mother again after all this time, and to introduce her to Colin. Patting his brother on the back he nodded toward the gateway, pocketing the advanced timer.
"We're going home"