A/N- We are now entering a new dimension- one not entirely of my own imagination. Yes, that's right- we've come to "Deliver Us From Evil". This should be familiar to everyone who has seen Quantum Leap. And for those of you who haven't, (KP) well, if the dialogue has suddenly improved and you're wondering why, its because its from the original TV show.

Disclaimer- All the dialogue, except for the bit at the end between Zoey and Alia, belongs to Belisarius Productions and Don Belisario.

TesubCalle- Thank you! Yes, I'm going to cover all Alia's interactions with Sam- starting in this chapter, actually. And the Lord's Prayer came to mind? Are you a Christian? I am, and it should definitely show when we reach what happened to Alia after Revenge- but I'm getting ahead of myself. Thanks for your review!

prometheus-1984- Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like it.

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Chapter 7- Sam Beckett

Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time?

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

-From Reflection

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When the red light faded, I found myself wondering how long I had been leaping. Lothos continued to deny me my full memory each time I leaped, but it didn't matter much any more. What I needed to know to succeed, Lothos allowed me to remember. I remembered Zoey briefing me on my last visit home- I had leapt in to destroy a family's life. I was a young woman named Connie- yes, that I vaguely remembered. Everything else was lost.

The days of killing were mostly over. I hadn't had to end a life myself in a long time now; instead I was reduced to destroying relationships and breaking up families, which was much easier. After all, they would continue to live. It would just be a miserable life, but I felt justified in my decision. If I had to suffer so much, why shouldn't other people?

I sighed, and bent to fold another piece of laundry. This was one of Connie's duties that I didn't much rejoice in. I complained loudly to the only person around to hear me- Zoey.

"This is not my idea of fun," I said. "I hate cooking, and I hate doing the wash."

Zoey smiled in amusement. "Hang those jockey's high," she reminded me.

I smiled. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you."

"Don't take you're frustrations out on me!" Zoey exclaimed. "I'm just the chick who loves the sixties."

I rolled my eyes. "I'd love to see you play the good little housewife."

Zoey laughed. "No thanks, darling, not my style. Mind you, it looks as if it might have some nice fringe benefits."

"No, it doesn't."

"Did I ever tell you about the nice hunk who lives downstairs in my building? He had no laundry pad, so I offered to wash his clothes, as long as he took them off first," she said, mischievously. "He looked fab in bubbles."

I wasn't in the mood to hear about Zoey's perverted lust. "I don't have time for this," I exclaimed, hanging another dishcloth. Just then a car horn sounded. "Ah, that's Frank," I said, removing the pins from my hair.

"Oh, well I'd better be on my way," Zoey said. "If you're a good little girl, when I come back I might tell you about how I helped the phone man pull cable."

I stared at her, wondering why I'd ever want to know that, and turned away to the wash again. I piled the wash together in a basket and walked out to greet my 'husband' and his brother Jimmy. The one's whose lives I'd be ruining.

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I managed to start a nice little argument between Frank and 'Connie' that evening, sending Cory, our son, outside unhappy. Jimmy, Frank's brother, went to talk to him while we continued to banter in the kitchen.

Then later, I caught Jimmy and Frank whispering together in the kitchen. They pretended that it was nothing, but Zoey later informed me that Frank was planning to help his new girlfriend move the next day, further estranging him from his wife. For some reason I couldn't understand, Jimmy decided to help them. That might put a damper on things, but I figured I could fix it in time. I always could.

I contemplated this as I unwrapped the TV dinners for lunch. Jimmy walked through the door, then, surprising me. Was the job over so soon?

"Hi," he said.

"Jimmy!" I said. "I didn't hear you come in."

He observed what I was doing. "You know, these will work better if you leave the foil on, I think," he said, picking up the package. "See it, yeah, during the last ten minutes of heating tear off the foil covering, you know, for best results." I was impressed. Jimmy was supposedly mentally retarded, and I hadn't expected him to be correcting me in the kitchen. Connie had been helping him these past few weeks, though, so…

"Gosh," I said. "It's getting hard to tell the teacher from the student, huh?"

"Yeah," he murmured. "How come, uh, you only got three?"

"Oh, Cory's staying over at a friend's."

"Which one?"

"Timmy," I said, then remembered that was wrong. "No, uh, Johnny, Johnny Tisdale."

Jimmy nodded, then came up and sputtered, "Look, Connie, we have to talk."

I paused, staring, then turned away. Connie and Jimmy couldn't 'talk about things' if this was going to work. I walked into the living room.

Jimmy persisted. "Frank needs you, Connie. He needs you now more then ever, and so does Cory."

I frowned at him. "Jimmy, did Frank put you up to this?"

"No! No, its just that, if you don't do something fast, you're gonna lose him!" He seemed very concerned.

I sighed, unable to avoid talking. "Listen to me, Jimmy. Frank has a lot of growing up to do. He's jealous because I pay attention to you."

"Couldn't you pay attention to him too?"

"It's never enough! This is your time, Jimmy, I'm not gonna let his ego get in your way!"

"I just want the two of you to be happy."

"Well, its too late," I said, storming away. At least, I hoped it was too late. If they did end up happy, Zoey would have my hide.

"No it isn't!" Jimmy insisted.

"No?" I asked, trying to sound upset. I should have been an actress, I thought. I would have been great at it. Maybe when I get home…I shoved the thought away. Lothos wasn't going to let me get home, and I knew it.

"No."

"Then why won't you tell me where you went this morning?" I asked. Jimmy had disappeared for a while, and it was only natural Connie would be worried. Jimmy couldn't seem to think of anything to say to that, so I turned to leave.

"Connie…" he said, and grabbed my elbow. But as I turned to shake him off, he changed…

'Jimmy' grew taller, and more defined, his hair changed color- his appearance was warping before my very eyes! I backed away, startled. So did he, frowning, and I wondered if somehow my appearance had changed as well.

"Who are you?" I asked, frightened by this shape-shifter.

"Who are you?"

We had gone from family to total strangers in two seconds. He obviously didn't see me as Connie anymore, and this certainly wasn't Jimmy. And yet…yet I felt a sort of kinship with this total stranger. As if we had shared the same sorrows- I shook the thought away. Zoey would say I was getting too poetic.

But how to answer the identity question? I was never to reveal my true identity to a person in the Leaps. However, he knew I wasn't Connie, so…what the heck. I deserved a speck of identity, didn't I? Zoey was the only person who ever called me Alia anymore. Back at the Project, I was referred to as 'the Leaper' or 'the girl'. As a small amount of torture, even when I was back in my own body, they never let me get anywhere near a mirror. I had almost forgotten what I looked like.

Even now, as I turned to the mirror, I saw Connie's reflection. I asked it, "How can this be happening?"

The stranger looked like Jimmy in the mirror, but different when I turned back to him. "This is incredible!" He exclaimed.

I swallowed, unable to grasp this. "You mean the whole time that you've been…" I couldn't finish the sentence.

"Who are you?" he asked. "I mean…what's your name?"

I gave the only answer I wanted to hear- "Alia."

"Alia." He said, testing it out in his mouth, as if saying my name would make me real.

"Uh-huh," I said, still unsure of what to say.

"Alia, um, I'm Sam, uh, Sam. Sam Beckett."

I shivered. Had I heard that name before? If I had, the memory had left me.

Still confused, Sam asked, "Where did you come from?"

And I gave the only answer I could, the only one I knew. "The future."

"Where? I mean when?" He asked.

Just then I heard the familiar sound of the Imaging Chamber door opening, and Zoey stepped through.

"Uh, well…" I said, looking sideways at Zoey, not sure how to put this.

Of course, Zoey had to put in her two bits as well. "Well, well, well, well, well. So where did this studly morsel come from?"

I groaned. Zoey was always going on about men; it was distracting. Have you ever tried to listen to two conversations at once? Trust me, it isn't easy.

"Not now," I said, hoping she'd take the hint and leave.

Sam thought I was talking to him, though. "Not now? I just wanna know where you're from, that's all."

Zoey talked over him. "Okay, sweet cheeks, I don't mind a little afternoon's delight, as long as you don't forget your assignment. Where's Jimmy?"

"He's Jimmy." I paused, forgetting that Zoey didn't see him as Jimmy anymore. "He used to be."

Saying this caused Sam to get all excited, though, and he interrupted, saying, "Scuse me, excuse me for a second. Are you, are you talking to a hologram? You're talking to a hologram, aren't you! You are a time traveler too!"

I tried to catch my breath. My suspicions had been true. The morphing I had seen was simply the change of his aura, similar to the one I wore around me during a Leap. But touching had disrupted the aura, and now I could see him, and he could see me. He could see me! I suddenly wanted to ask him what he saw- what was my face like, my eyes, my hair, everything! But I didn't.

But he knew! He knew what it was like to wander around in time, never being yourself, having no control. Here was someone who finally could understand me.

"Too? What does he mean, too?" Zoey asked, flabbergasted. It was a relief to see her confused, for once.

"Sam Beckett, I'd like you to meet my partner, Zoey," I said, forgetting for a second that of course he couldn't see or hear her.

He played along, all the same, seeming very enthusiastic. "Zoey? Hiya, Zoey! It's really nice to meet you, I think…"

Zoey wasn't as thrilled. "What's going on here?"

"Uh, we're not sure. Sam and I touched, and then suddenly…"

She suddenly seemed to make up her mind that it didn't matter what had happened, all that matters was that it had happened and something had to be done about it. "Listen, you mustn't say anything to him about us. Nothing, you hear?"

But I wanted to, I wanted to so bad, and if Zoey thought she could forbid me, she was wrong. Still, I asked, "Why?"

As Sam sputtered in the background, asking what she was saying, Zoey said, "Why? Because we don't know anything about him! Ah, I'll have to back and run this by Lothos." She opened the door, but called back, "Remember- keep your mouth shut." I didn't have much intention of doing that.

A little relieved, I turned back to Sam and said, "She's gone." Sudden curiosity swept over me, and I found myself asking, "Do you have anyone helping you?"

"Well, um…" Suddenly his head turned toward the air next to him. "It's funny you should mention that."

I turned to look, too, but I saw nothing. Of course, his hologram had appeared. "Alia…"

"Uh huh?"

"This is…this is Al."

I smiled, hopefully in the direction of Al. "Hello, Al."

He must have said something, because Sam responded, chuckling a bit. "You're not gonna believe this, okay. Alia…is, is…you ready for this? Alia…is…a time-traveler!" At that point he couldn't contain himself any longer and laughed again. I found myself laughing with him, my brain remotely observing that this was the first time I'd laughed in a long time.

Sam was laughing and shaking his head. "No, no. Alia…is…Connie."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "I don't know how it happened, Al, but it did." He had stopped laughing, but he was still grinning, and a light danced in his eyes.

"Yeah, isn't that great?"

I felt tired of being left out of the conversation, so I asked, "Does Al have any idea what happened?"

"Well, uh, he's uh, he's finding out." He paused again, listening intently, and then he said, "Uh, he says, uh, he says that something happened when we touched."

"Oh, I know, I felt it too," I said, smiling.

Sam stared at me, mirroring my grin. "You know what, Al, I think you should go back and give her a hand."

He paused, then added, "Never been better…Okay…you too…bye-bye." He gave a little half-wave then, and jerked his hand towards where the hologram had been, never taking his eyes off of me. "He's, uh, he's gone."

That was only the beginning.

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After our holograms had left us in peace, Sam and I began to talk. And we just couldn't stop. We passed hours that way, just talking. It was as if now, after bouncing us around for so long, Time stood still. And yet there would never be enough of it to learn all I wanted.

"So then, I stepped in to this Accelerator, which is what we call it, and…"

"And you've been Leaping ever since?" I supplied, in regards to how Sam began his journey through time.

"Yeah." Then he asked me, "What about you? Where are you from? How did you get here?"

It was natural that he would have questions. After all, he had practically shared everything he remembered with me, and expected the same from me. But those were not questions I particularly wanted to answer.

"Well, it's kind of hard to say," I said, evading the question. But I thought of a way to avoid explaining personal things, and yet bring up something that had troubled me. "I mean, I was part of an experiment, but to tell you the truth, the details are all kind of foggy. I mean, I can't exactly remember. It's almost as if…"

"Like, like your memory was Swiss-cheesed?" Sam supplied.

"Exactly!" I said, enjoying the adjective. "I mean, I don't have any control over where I go, or who I become…its kind of scary sometimes." Sometimes? It's scary all the time. But I pushed the thought down inside me and forced myself to act in a way that would hopefully not result in pain later.

"Tell me about it," Sam said, agreeing with me. I smiled shyly at the understanding.

"Do you…realize…how incredible this is?" he asked, standing up to pace. "I mean, not only do I come back here again, but I meet you, and…"

He was here before? "What do you mean, come back here again?" I asked, hoping to find out.

"I've been here before," he said, turning from his pacing to look at me. "I've been Jimmy."

What? "When?"

"I'm not really sure. From the looks of things it couldn't have been more than a couple of years ago." He came over and looked at me intensely, excitedly. "See, I got Jimmy his job on the dock. I saved Corey from drowning."

A chill of regret twisted inside me, but I shoved it away. There wasn't really any proof yet… "Have you helped a lot of people?"

He stared at me. "Yeah. Yeah, see, that's how I Leap- I, I fix things that went wrong." He paused, frowning and sitting beside me again. "How does it work for you?"

So Sam's job was to help people. He made their lives better, while I made them worse. Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to say that I destroyed people's lives. This- hero- how would he look at me then? He was the first person in a long time to see me as I really was, and I didn't want to admit that I wasn't helping people as he did. So I tried to edge my way around the question, saying, "Well, each assignment is different."

"What's your assignment this time?"

I couldn't tell him. I knew, however much I wanted a friend, that Zoey would punish me for telling him. Sam fixed things. I destroyed them. We were too different, and once Zoey found out, she would… I couldn't think about that. I couldn't help Sam. To spare myself, all I could do was finish my assignment and try to convince Zoey not to hurt him. But I couldn't let him succeed in helping the family. And I couldn't let him know that I was there to hurt them. So I lied.

"I came back for you, I mean Jimmy, help become more independent." My sentence wasn't quite coherent, but that didn't matter. I turned the conversation back to Sam. "What about you?"

"I came back…for Frank and Connie's marriage. See, in the real history, Frank makes a bad decision, and the marriage is ruined."

I felt a small amount of satisfaction. So it was working. Why hadn't I Leaped, then?

But I had to stall Sam. Whatever happened, I couldn't let him succeed. And I remembered something Zoey had told me earlier…When you're up against someone, lure them into a false sense of security. Make them think you're on their side. And then…

"That can't be right," I told Sam, sounding confused. "According to Lothos everything works out perfectly for them."

"Lothos?" He asked.

I didn't want to say anything about Lothos, but I had to explain what I'd said. Hopefully my momentary pause wasn't noticed by Sam.

"He's the artificial intelligence unit that controls my assignments. You must have a similar unit."

"Ziggy, that's what we call her. Are you sure your data's up to date?"

"Positive!" I said, sounding sure of myself. "Zoey would have told me if something was wrong. Besides, Lothos is very efficient. He doesn't make mistakes."

Suddenly Sam jerked around to look behind him, and stared into space, confused.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"Is that Al?"

"Yeah…" He said, listening to the voice I couldn't hear. I found myself wondering what Al was like, what he was saying. Then Sam said, "Oh no."

"What's wrong?"

"Frank went back to Shirley's apartment…I gotta go."

"No, you can't!" I said, forgetting who I was with. If Sam fixed things, I would

fail. I couldn't afford to fail. I desperately tried to regain control of the situation. "I mean, there's just so many things that I need to ask you, so many things that I want to tell you… besides, I told you everything's going to work out fine for them!"

He stared, unsure. "I have to make sure myself."

I cast about for an idea. "Well, then I'll go with you."

"No, no Frank sees you as Connie. Look I'll be back, I promise. Just stay right

here, okay?" And he took off running, leaving me staring after him.

I heard a voice behind me. "Well, well," Zoey said softly. "Looks like Mr. Fix-it has finally come to bust up our plans, sweet-cheeks."

I looked away. "He's just doing his job."

"Mmmm, do I detect a note of sympathy there?" Zoey asked. Her tone was light, but her meaning threatening.

I shivered. "No."

"Good. And I thought I told you not to say anything about us," she said acidly.

I whirled back to face her. "You were spying on us?"

"I'm a hologram, darling, that's what we do."

"Oh, all right, yes. Okay? I had to say something. He was pouring out his life's story to me, I couldn't say nothing about myself!"

"Well, you do have a point there. And it may work out for the best after all. Or the worst," She added as an afterthought.

"Do you have any data on him?" I asked.

"As a matter of fact, there is a great deal of data on him. Dr. Samuel Beckett is considered today's Einstein, apparently. As a matter of fact, he was the one who came up with the theories Lothos used as a base for our own project, did you know that?"

I didn't remember anything about him, if I'd ever heard of him. But if Lothos had used his ideas to send me flying around in time…no. Lothos was the one to blame, not Sam. He seemed like a nice person. And that was more than I could say about myself.

"Anyway, he seems to have disappeared, in our time at least. And a great deal of government money is going towards his 'top secret' project. Unfortunately, Lothos hasn't been able to hack into their infernal computer's files. But he's working on it."

"Good," I said. "What's the outcome now?"

"Everything works out perfectly, like you said. Perfectly for us, that is," she laughed. "Frank and Connie get divorced, and Connie takes charge of Corey." She pursed her lips. "But Lothos has decided on an even better ending for the story…Jimmy will get sent back to the loony bin, and Frank will drink himself to death. It's just marvelous, isn't it?"

"Wonderful," I agreed. "But how do I make it happen?"

"Well, let's just say that Frank would get very angry if he thought Jimmy had raped and beaten his wife…"