Thank you kind readers who reviewed the last chapter! I was so surprised and touched, and well here is the next installment.

My Sixth Sense

"Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I may not forget you."

William Arthur

Quiet Words (Hear)

Part 2/6

As Sam found himself in another leap, he was buffeted by loud barks and whines coming from all around, and Sam had his arms fly upward afraid of being attacked. However, after a couple of heart-pounding seconds, Sam realized that all the dogs were behind cages. Sam sighed with relief and glanced about, he was in a pound it seemed… Sam rubbed his hands together, and he went to the nearest cage.

There was a small dog, a mix, perhaps some sort of terrier…and Sam knelt down, and let his hand drift across next to the cage. The little dog was yapping up a frenzy, jumping up and down in circles, perhaps wondering how a person could change scents completely in such a short amount of time.

However, after the little dog saw the peaceful gesture done by this new human, he smelt the hand, decided the human was kind, and settled down in his usual corner. Panting and still eyeing him suspiciously.

Humans were hardly ever meant to be trusted. Even kind ones seemed to enjoy torture, like squishing your face and making weird cooing noises.

Sam in the meantime was pondering just what sort of purpose he had being in the pound. He stretched and made his way down the hall, ignoring the number of dogs that were snarling and barking at him. The slower ones were happily wagging their tail in play, happy to see any human at anytime.

Sam smiled at them and gave a little wave, sweating nervously as he noticed the fence links bending as the dogs threw themselves against them. He quickly shut the door to the restroom at the end of the door and heaved a sigh. He could still hear the dogs howling and crying. Sam shuddered as he peered at his reflection through the small mirror hanging on the wall.

He was skinny, no, lanky, with messy short curly hair and brown eyes. Another face, another life, another day.

"Woof" And Sam let his head go down as his heart slammed into his chest, and he took a deep breath.

"Hello Al."

"Aw, gee Sam, we're in the restroom! You know, I've never given it much thought…but what if Ziggy centered me on you while you were…you know…doing your business…"

"She wouldn't do that…"

"Obviously your swiss-cheesed brain of yours has forgotten that Ziggy has a twisted sense of humor."

"Well then, ask her if you're so afraid…"

"I suppose I could, but sometimes it's automatic. Center me on Sam! It's kind of fun to say, and woosh I step in and there you are…"

"Speaking of me, just what exactly am I doing here anyways?"

"Well let's see…your name is Joe, Joey…Tibbs, and obviously you work at an animal shelter. The year is nineteen seventy five, you have a girlfriend, Sandra Williams…and that's all we got."

"That's it?"

"Tis it m'lord." Sam gave his friend a look, and Al could only bow his head and fluttered his eyes, and Sam shook his head as Al began to bow his whole body.

"You're annoyingly chirpy today."

"Well, let's just say—"

"No." Al's eyes widened in pure childlike innocence, and Sam just held up his hand. "Let's not say anything. Now, I do need to do my business, so if you could kindly step out until I am finished."

"Of course m'lord" And Al glided through the door, but he was still chattering away. Determined not to let Sam have a moment of peace.

"Oh there are loads of little doggies in here." Sam heard Al's chuckle and the cries of the dogs got louder. "And they all can see me the little suckers…oh Sam we really miss you back home, tomorrow is Halloween, and we decided to have a costume contest--"

"With your outfits Al, one would think you were having one everyday" Sam set to wash his hands, and smirked as he heard Al's comforting response. The sarcastic "ha ha, very funny" and Al continued on, never missing a beat.

"As I was saying, I'm pretty close to convincing Tina she should go as Eve…" The barking grew louder and louder, Sam sighed shaking his and began drying his hands. "Verbena won't tell me what she's going as…I bet she's going as Doctor Frankenstein, and having that dolt of a boyfriend of hers go as her monster. It would fit…then there's Gooshie. Dear, dear Gooshie. Can you believe he's going as a-"

The voice stopped suddenly. Sam opened the door in some sort of panic, to hear Al so abruptly cut off…The barking had stopped as well. All the dogs, sat panting and blinking lazily, as if tired and it no longer mattered…that they finally understood. Or something.

It was unsettling.

"Al?" Sam's logical mind told him that nothing could happen to Al, that Al was a hologram…maybe there was a short in Ziggy or something. Not really anymore comforting but a thought…or maybe…Sam heard brief pathetic whining, resembling that of a puppy, but Sam knew better, and he knelt in front of the cage where his hologram was sitting, a silly fake pout on his face. Al then held out his hands, and whimpered.

"Adopt me Sam!" The dog in the cage with him looked to Sam as well, as if knowing what the word adopt would bring. It was the terrier from before, and he finally looked to Sam as a way to escape.

"I did that once, look where it got me." Al put on a wounded look upon his face, and he whined a little more.

"Come on Saaam, I'm cute, and cuddly…just ask any of the ladies…"

"Uh-huh, get out of there…it's weird seeing you in there…."

"Aww. I was just hanging out with Roscoe here."

"Roscoe?" Sam echoed with disbelief. "You named him?"

"Yea, he looks exactly like this puppy Trudy always followed. The puppy led us to more trouble than I ever could."

"Trudy?"

"My sister."

"Right, I remember…just slipped my mind for a little bit…I mean…"

"You don't have to apologize kid" Al stood up and Roscoe barked as he saw the human's head pass through the fence. Roscoe tried to follow, but bumped into the fence like he always did. No fair. The little dog began clawing and whining, this just wasn't fair, he just wanted to go home.

"What were you doing in there anyways? I thought…you and cages…didn't go along…"

"We don't." Al dug in his pocket for a cigar, "But I saw the little guy, and boy did he bring back some memories." He lit the cigar, took in a long smoke, and blew it out quietly. "Good ones." Al smiled, and he looked to Sam. "Anyways Gooshie is going as a werewolf, can you believe it?"

"Actually I think I can."

"He's really excited about it, the Project hardly does anything fun…we're lucky we thought to do this."

"What are you going as Al?"

"That's a surprise."

"A surprise?"

"Yea, to me too, I haven't had time to get a costume."

"Why don't you go as the devil, it won't be that much of a stretch."

"Oh ouch Sam, you're shooting good ones today."

"I am aren't I?"

"Now don't get cocky…sheesh, well Ziggy still hasn't found anything of importance for today's date…Joey & Sandra get married, have a couple of dogs…I really don't know why you're here."

"There has to be something, anything happen to the pound?"

"Ah here's something, oh wait no, it just gets remodeled…hmm…a toughie…"

"Maybe I'm here to save one of the dogs?" Al raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

"Sure, I mean, you leaped in once to save a cat right?"

"I did?"

"You don't remember? I guess not huh?" Now it was Sam's turn to shrug.

"Listen, I'll go see if I can dig, ha, get it?" Sam rolled his eyes "Dig anything up, and I'll be back before you can say Bow-Wow." Al pressed a couple of buttons on his handlink, and he disappeared. How many times Sam wished he could follow him. Each time…

"Guess it's just you and me Roscoe, and the rest of the pound puppies here…"

Sam and Roscoe shared a sigh, each wondering if they would ever escape, and be allowed to find comfort in a home.

-o-O-o-

"No, no, like this, see?" Sam sat on the ground. The little terrier yawned and continued spinning around. "Roscoe, how do you expect to get a home if you don't listen to me…come on you little pup." The terrier mix cocked his head and stretched, and started circling his food bowl.

"Oh no, Roscoe, well fine go to sleep. I can always find another dog to keep me company." The dog snorted and settled down, his eyes drooping in sleepiness.

Apparently, as Sam had found out, he was the only one in the pound today, Sandra was on vacation visiting her family…so while Al had been gone he had fed the dogs, and played with them, had given some of them baths…

Sam looked behind him as he heard the door to the imaging chamber slide open, and he swiveled around in confusion to see Al in…fairly normal clothes.

"What? Al?"

"Mmmh?" Al responded as he shook the handlink in frustration.

"Is it Halloween already?" Al frowned looked at Sam and then at his clothes, and then he grinned.

"Oh no, we had the costume contest today."

"What were you supposed to be?"

"You."

"Me?" Sam laughed. "Talk about cheap costume."

"I know, although I had the staff going for a couple of seconds, that I was indeed Dr Sam Beckett…I didn't even have my cigars…then Tina walked into the room with her birthday suit." Al raised his eyebrows.

"Her birthday- Oh boy…"

"Oh boy…" Al repeated with a complete different tone. "I guess the jig was up…and then finally Ziggy came up with something…get this kid, Ziggy wants to take part of this human celebration, know what she did?"

"Tell me." Sam questioned with a grin.

"That computer changed her voice! She almost made me pee in my pants as she thought it would be funny to scare the poor elderly admiral as he stepped out of the imaging chamber with a You are under arrest Admiral Calavicci." Sam cracked up with laughter, and continued laughing at his friend's scowl, but Sam could tell that Al was secretly pleased with their baby.

"What did Ziggy find?" Sam finally question through his chuckles. Both of the duo's heads turned as they heard the door to the pound swing open, and a little girl with an older man, perhaps in his sixties, stepped through the door.

"You're here for her."

"Her?" The child looked to be about five or six, the age was determined when her eyes landed upon Al, and she smiled sweetly. Sam quickly stepped in front of Al, and went to greet the new humans, the dogs had woken from their slumber and began to bark with excitement and yip with glee.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

"My grand-daughter and I are looking for a new friend, isn't that right honey?" The girl looked up and smiled, and hugged her grandfather's leg.

"Yes! A new friend"

"Ok, all right well here…" The older gentleman stepped forward and whispered into Sam's ear.

"We don't have much room, so if you can just show us the smaller ones, please?"

"Of course sir," Sam nodded and looked to Al for help, and Al began the tale, as Sam showed the small family around. Al whispered the information so the girl wouldn't hear, but it was just as well, the little girl was too distracted by the puppies to really listen to anything else but their cries.

"Apparently the little girl's parents died in a car crash about a year ago, and she went to live with her grandparents…her grandma died just a month ago…oh geez poor kid…all she has left is her grandfather, and he only manages to make it for another couple of months …"

"What?"

"Yea…there isn't much…just that he was found dead…"

"What happened to him?"

"It's not really sure…they found that he was hit on the head…"

"He was killed?"

"Looks that way, he didn't have any money on him when he was found. Some think he was out looking for" Al nodded his head towards the little girl "Emily's dog, and while out searching he was robbed."

"How am I supposed to stop that Al?" The little girl finally heard the two voices and she looked up from the brown spotted puppy, and she looked to watch as one of the grown-ups was playing with a neat toy.

"I don't know Sam, but obviously something here, I mean since you're in the pound and all…"

"What am I supposed to do? Tell the dog not to run away?"

"I don't want my friend to run away…" Emily spoke up next to Sam's leg, and she stared at him, and then looked to Al and his flashy toy…kinda looked like candy…Al knelt down and faced Emily.

"Don't worry honey, your friend won't run away." Al smiled as Emily reached out her hand, her curiosity getting the better of her…the toy looked like fun, and she gave a small gasp as her hand went through Al. She quickly pulled back and stared at Al, tried to touch him again, and couldn't. Confused she touched Sam, and was relieved to find she could touch him.

Satisfied she looked to Al, and confidently said.

"You're a doggie."

"I am?" Sam covered up his mouth with his hand to prevent Al from seeing his smirk, and looked to the grandfather, who was still busy looking at the dogs.

"Yes silly. My grandpa said that doggies are like people, and that's why they can be our friends. So don't worry, you're not a person. You're still a doggie." She nodded.

"Boy, that's a relief." Al grinned. "It'd be scary being a human…"

"Sometimes it is, but don't worry. I'll protect you. Which one are you?" Emily looked around at all the dogs in their cages. "You must be special, you're the only one who looks like a human…"

Sam and Al exchanged looks, wondering what kind of imagination this little girl held. But both were enamored by it, and so they both continued on, knowing this was their chance.

"Well actually, I still have a doggie body…"

"I know that, which one silly…?" Emily looked to Sam, and to Al… "How come he can see you, and not my grandpa? I asked him what that toy was in your hand, and he just said I was acting silly…"

"Oh…" Sam stuttered, and knelt down with Al, she blinked and tilted her head, still in question. "Well…I can see him because I take care of the doggies, and they let me see them…you can only see one, him, because he is meant to be your best friend."

"Oh…" She whispered. "Which puppy are you?" Al stood up and called over his shoulder.

"Follow me." Sam followed Emily, who had clasped her hands in excited happiness, and was skipping as she followed Al to Roscoe's cage.

"This one."

"Oh you're cute." Emily nodded and let her hands cling to the cage, and peered at Al as he was standing in the cage with Roscoe.

"What's your name?"

"Roscoe."

"That's a funny name."

"I'm a funny puppy."

Roscoe in the mean time woke up and began wagging his tail as he saw the little girl next to the cage. Little humans could always be trusted, except human puppies, they pulled your ears. He went and sniffed her hands, and began licking them with earnest.

Emily giggled and looked to Al.

"You're tickling me…"

"Sam, let me out of the cage." Sam gave him a quizzical glance, before he caught the meaning and he pulled out his keys and opened the cage to let Roscoe out. Emily moved out of the way and laughed as Roscoe tackled her with love only a puppy could give.

"Roscoe, you're a silly puppy."

"Emmy? You found a friend?"

"Grandpa! I did! His name is Roscoe…I promised I would take care of him…" The grandfather smiled as he noted how smitten his child was, and he placed his hand on Sam's back, leading him to Sam's desk.

"I suppose I best get the paperwork done." Sam followed and watched as Al continued talking to Emily, and wondered if they were doing anything to change the dismal future.

"Now Emily, once you adopt me…you won't see the human me anymore, but you'll still find me in my doggie body."

"All right Roscoe…" she giggled, and stood up, allowing Roscoe to chase her. They ran in circles, and Al looked to the handlink…

"Emily, just remember to not leave the door open where I can run away." Emily halted and she looked to Al with worry.

"Why would you run away?"

"I wouldn't run away from you, but sometimes I want to go out to play, and I might get lost…just don't let me out of the house without a leash ok? You don't want me to get hurt right?"

"No Roscoe, you won't run away. I promise." As Al looked to the handlink, he found that she had indeed kept her promise. Her grandfather manages to live until Emily turns twenty-two, and he supported her throughout her lifetime.

He looked to Sam as Emily ran to her grandfather, with Roscoe at her heels. The family was getting to know each other, so Sam went to join Al.

"Everything all right Al?"

"Yea, he manages to live for seventeen more years, she grows up to be a veterinarian, can you believe that? She even started up a rescue called "Roscoe's Rescues" Cute kid huh?"

"Very. This was a pretty quick leap…" Sam paused and whispered "I'm glad they all had a happy ending." Al watched Sam eyeing the family hug and laugh in unison, and he could hear Sam's mental sigh.

"Don't worry kid, you'll be back home before you know it. We just have to have faith, you'll be home soon, just like little Roscoe there."

"Thanks Al." Sam opened his mouth to say something else, his eyes shining with a familiar compassionate gaze, and before he had a chance to say anything, he leaped.

And Al was left alone in the imaging chamber, his eyes moist. He whispered a quiet "I know kid…."

Al was almost positive he could hear the clanking of tools, Sam's familiar laugh, the familiar tune of Man of La Mancha …To Dream the Impossible Dream…

"I know you'll make it back. Someday."

To Reach the Unreachable Star.