AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is a part in this chapter in which I introduce a concept I refer to as "three of him." (You'll understand it by the end of the chapter.) Please note that I had no intention of making references to the religious concept of the Trinity, and the whole thing is entirely coincidential. My idea is entirely separate, so, if you believe in the Trinity (as I do), please don't be offended.

Again, a special thanx to the nice people who have reviewed so far . . . Please be sure to check back! Thank you!

Happy Reading!

Capt. Janeway :)

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CHAPTER 9

System #2

Sam Mulder's car pulled up into the driveway of John's house.

" . . . And once you passed that point, everything started to change?" Sam asked as she parked the car.

"Yeah. It was strange. Freeway exits were changed, missing, and added-- that kind of thing," John replied.

They got out of the car, and walked to the front door. John pulled out his keys, found the one to unlock the front door, and tried to put it in the lock.

"What the--"

He tried jamming the key in, but no luck.

"Even the locks've changed on me . . ." he muttered.

"Here, let me try," Sam offered. She took out her keys, found the right one, and put it into the lock.

It was a perfect fit.

*How in the world did she wind up with the key to my house?* John mused to himself as she pushed the door open to his dark house. He added this to the growing list of questions he planned to ask her later.

An ominous chill cut right to his bones as he followed her inside.

*The place feels like a tomb . . .*

Sam disappeared around a corner--she probably went to the kitchen--while John poked around in the front room. The house itself seemed to be the same, though there were some changes in the interior. There was some furniture he remembered, some new furniture, and some that he knew he didn't have, but he could swear he'd seen somewhere before . . .

Scanning the room again, John spotted some pictures proudly displayed on a wall. He walked over get a look at them. Most of them were of three children--a red-haired boy; a thin, frail little girl; and . . . Luke.

Yes, here was Luke, in that same picture John kept in his wallet, only larger. A thrill of joy surged through him as he realized there were several other pictures--of an *older* Luke!

*It's true! He's alive . . . Luke's alive! But how?*

John tore his eyes away from Luke's pictures, and focused on one more. This one was from his wedding. A younger him, wearing a tuxedo and an enormous smile. But that wasn't what disturbed him.

It was the bride that disturbed him.

*Dana . . .*

John sank to his knees as the nausea struck him again.

*I don't belong, don't belong!*

His own memories, and the memories of a whole different lifetime raced across his mind. There were three of him in his head--two were chattering with each other, eagerly comparing their experiences, and the third was the present him, watching the other two.

*Be quiet! Get me away from here! Stop it! Stop . . . I don't belong . . .* the present him whined.

Somewhere in the background, there was a bang, though it was muffled by the noise of his mind. The three of him gave a simultaneous *What was that?*

"John!" a voice wildly demanded from outside his mind.

*Which one of us?*

"John, get up! We have to get out of here! Now!" It was Sam.

There were several more muffled bangs.

*Gunshots . . .*

The three in John's mind merged together, to force him back to the real world. The gunshots, no longer muffled, roared in his ears. Nodding to Sam that he didn't need help, he stood up.

John and Sam ran for their lives out the door to the car.

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Well, if the three people in your head can agree on one opinion, please remember to review. ;)

Thank you!