One Year Later
As Arturo watched his students leave the classroom he felt that usual longing tug at his heart. He thought back to his days of teaching on his home Earth, the days when he taught the likes of Quinn Mallory, and, much to his chagrin, Conrad Bennish.
Even after two years, he missed his sliding companions dearly. The distance and time did little to change the way he cared for them. He never blamed them for what happened, he knew they hadn't purposefully abandoned him on this world with the Azure gate bridge.
If anything he felt a great concern for them. He never knew if they made it home, or even worse if his swine of a double harmed any of them. He only hoped they soon realized their mistake and left that scoundrel stranded on some other Earth. At least then he couldn't harm them or attempt to steal the credit for Mr. Mallory's timer when they did reach home.
He grabbed his briefcase, leaving the classroom, and walking down the school's now empty halls. He at first attempted to use Azure Quinns sliding technology to build his own timer, but unfortunately could not make a functioning model. After months of failed attempts he resigned to the fact he would never see his sliding family again, nor his home. Instead, he took on the role of his nefarious double, choosing to live a peaceful life for the rest of his days.
He reached for the exit doors as a familiar voice caught his attention from behind, causing him to spin around in surprise.
"Professor!"
As suddenly as he turned he found himself surrounded by his sliding companions. Each of them attempting to grab him in a tight embrace. Turning to each of them he felt a great deal of shock. How did they find him? Were these doubles? Not if their actions were anything to go by.
As he took in their smiles and fresh tears he couldn't help but smile himself, pulling them into a group hug.
"Quinn, Wade, Rembrandt...you came back for me," he said, dropping formalities and expressing just how happy he was to see each of them.
"Of course we came back for you!" Wade replied, wiping away tears from her eyes. Seeing this he tightened the hug.
"As soon as we found out we took your double we wanted to find you" Rembrandt added.
"But how?" Arturo asked, looking between the three of them. As he did so Quinn smiled, pulling out a flat-screen device from his pocket and offering it to Arturo.
"Check this out, professor. We call it the Network Timer" Quinn replied, tapping the screen a few times to show the professor how it works.
"This is remarkable! Did you build this?" Arturo asked, voice filled with surprise.
"No, I didn't. You see, while we were sliding, both in the hopes of finding home and finding you, we met one of my doubles. He had a brother who traveled with him named Colin. The two of them work with a network of sliders who track down lost sliders and help them find home"
"Really? A sliding network?" Arturo asked, astonished.
Quinn nodded, "yeah. Apparently, a few years ago they formed to protect the multiverse from a mad scientist named Geiger. He caused fractures in reality, which they were able to repair. Now they commit their resources to helping others. According to my double he, his brother, and his Arturo work with the network. They even offered me to join."
"What did you say?" Arturo asked.
"I said yes. There are a countless number of sliders lost from home or separated from their friends who need our help. I know how that feels, I want to help them." Quinn replied.
With a proud smile, Arturo placed a hand on his prized pupil's shoulder.
"Likewise, Mr. Mallory, likewise."
"Have a pleasant trip, Mr. Mallory?" Arturo asked once Quinn and Colin exited the vortex. The three were in the familiar San Francisco basement where their journey began, now filled with the highly advanced sliding equipment known to the sliding network.
"It went well. We reunited a group of sliders who mistakenly left your double behind on a close alternate to Azure world" Quinn replied, getting up from the couch he and his brother landed on.
He approached his computer, leaning over and typing in the necessary commands to download the new coordinates he received upon landing on the close Azure world alternate. He and the rest of the network had been collecting coordinates and creating a Multiversal map, making it easier for all network sliders to travel when needed.
Using this map the network would bring medicines to worlds ravaged by disease. They would bring food, water, and other resources to worlds in desperate need of supplies. They even used it for simple travel, or for research.
Much to Quinn's delight, even after a year of searching the network could not find the Kromaggs anywhere in the multiverse. He breathed a sigh of relief as he realized they did not survive the reset.
"Has Rembrandt arrived yet?" Colin asked, knowing the Cryin man agreed to visit this evening for dinner. The five of them continued to meet up quite frequently since they returned home, refusing to break up the small family they became due to their adventures.
"Mrs. Mallory, Mr. Brown, and your mother are upstairs. It would seem Mrs. Mallory's pregnancy cravings are getting worse. I can hardly consider what I saw on her plate food" Arturo answered, a look of disgust crossing his features for a moment. Quinn and Colin both laughed at that.
"Come on, I'm sure they're waiting for us. Let's go"
As the three men entered the kitchen they found Rembrandt, Wade, and Amanda waiting for them, all of which turned to them with a smile.
Years ago Quinn Mallory invented the timer, a device he originally viewed as a mistake. It got him and his friends lost in the multiverse, even got some of them killed. He never imagined things could end this way, but looking between each of them he couldn't deny the truth.
Sliding brought them together, made them a family. It was something Quinn would be eternally grateful for. Because of sliding, he has a father figure in Arturo. Because of sliding, he has a brother in Colin, a close and trusted friend in Rembrandt. Because of sliding he and Wade were now married.
Looking to Wade's stomach he reached over to place his hand against it. As he did he felt a kick, his smile growing bigger as he felt the small life inside her.
Because of sliding, he would soon be a father. He couldn't wait to bring little Michael Mallory into the world and tell him all about his adventures. Looking up and around the table once more he knew his child was blessed to be born into this wonderful family. His family.
Sliders
Thank you to everyone who read and enjoyed Fracture, it was a thrill to write.
A special thanks to TheRealisticOptimist, SJlikeslists and Classchic1 for the kind reviews. It's people like you that inspired me to even finish this story, so thank you!