|
|
A Time To Heal
Disclaimer: Sliders belongs to Tracy Torme; St. Clare Entertainment; Universal; Fox Network; and The Sci-Fi Channel. All characters and elements belong to these people, apart from Little Michael Mallory who belongs to me. I`m just writing this story out of fun and that I love the show. I`m not getting paid.
Author's note: This story I wrote sometime in July/August 1996 not long after seeing the second season of Sliders. And I'd like to say thanks to Julie Tharp and Julia Reynolds for beta reading this. I hope you like it.
Quinn Mallory pulled his legs tighter in towards himself, as he curled himself up, hoping and trying to ease the pain and grief that stirred within him. He was once again sitting by the grave, which he had visited everyday since the funeral. He stared at his surroundings, at the other occupants of the cemetery, but he didn't really acknowledge them, as he was too caught up in his own thoughts.
He jerked sideways, startled, as he felt the slight touch of a hand on his shoulder.
"Quinn?"
He felt numb and motionless as he stared up at the face of the petite dark-haired brunette.
Wade Welles had never seen this expression of horror on Quinn Mallory's face before, and so tried to find a more calming tone in her voice. "How long have you been here?"
"I...I..." Quinn finally found his voice again. "I've only been here about ten minutes."
Wade felt Quinn's eyes follow her as she placed herself down beside him. "Where's Mike? Isn't he with you?"
"No, my Mom has him," Quinn answered in a daze. "Wade, am I imagining all this?"
"Well, we're both sitting here, talking to one another."
Quinn felt her arm. "Everything's real," he said with a bitter-sweet smile, as he slightly touched her short dark brown hair with his fingertips.
Wade looked into his blue eyes. She hated seeing him in pain like this. "Quinn, you have to move on."
"I can't."
"It's time, Quinn. It's over now."
"No!" Quinn snapped, angry that Wade could even suggest such a thing. "I don't want it to be over! I don't want to forget..." he trailed off, bowing his head, as his emotions overwhelmed him, and his voice gave way.
Wade held his face in cupped hands. "Quinn, you'll never forget. You'll always have the memories that no one can take away from you. They'll always be there with you...in your heart. Always." Her voice then became more pleading. "But, Quinn, it's time to move on now. Mike needs you. Our *son* needs a father."
Quinn couldn't hold back the tears any longer, as the last two months of harboring feelings of resentment, sadness, anger, heartache, and loss were finally released.
Wade felt her own eyes well-up, as she cradled Quinn in her arms, and ran her fingers through his light brown hair. "It wasn't his fault, Quinn. You can't blame a baby for being born. Don't hate him because I died and he survived."
"I don't want to let go!" Quinn cried, his arms locked around Wade's waist, holding her tightly, knowing if he were to let go he'd lose her forever. "I just want everything back to the way it was."
"You can't go back, Quinn. Neither of us can. You have to move forward." Wade looked down at the young man she held in her arms. "You have to look to the future now."
"I can't lose you again."
Wade forced him to look into her brown eyes. "Quinn, you'll never lose me. I'll always be with you. Both you and I are in Michael. He's apart of the both of us."
"Why, Wade?" Quinn felt the strength return in his voice, as he straightened up, and came face-to-face with her. "Why did you have to be the one to die?"
"Because our son had to be the one to live." Wade felt the tears begin to trickle down her cheeks, as her own emotions were getting the better of her. "He needs you, Quinn. He needs you to love him. To show him how to become a good person. To grow up to become just like his father."
Quinn caressed her face, and wiped away her tears. "And like his mother."
Both looked deep into one another's eyes, and then shared a gentle kiss, and embraced each other as the kiss became much more passionate. When they finally broke free, both held each other tightly, and enjoyed the comfortable silence that was shared between them, for a few precious moments.
Wade was the first to break that silence. "Quinn, you have to go to him."
"I know."
"Be strong for him, Quinn. For the both of us."
"I will."
Wade parted from the embrace. "Go now, Quinn."
Quinn nodded, then stood up, where he then helped Wade to her feet. "I miss you."
"I know. I miss you too."
Quinn swallowed the lump in his throat. "And, I'll love you forever."
"And, I'll love you always."
Holding hands, Quinn and Wade kissed softly one last time.
"Goodbye."
"Goodbye."
Quinn then glanced down at the grave of twenty-three year old Wade Kathleen Welles-Mallory, his loving wife, and the mother of his son Michael. Reluctantly releasing her hands from his, he walked away more at peace with himself, for finally being able to say a proper farewell to his young wife.
Wade watched him look back one more time before finally leaving the cemetery.
From another entrance a small group of observers crossed the graveyard over towards Wade. A middle-aged blonde, carrying a baby, a slightly over-weight middle-aged Englishman, a black former rhythm and blues singer in his early forties, pushing a pushchair, and the double of the troubled young man she had just been talking to.
"Do you think he's gonna be okay?" Rembrandt Brown asked, truly concerned.
Wade was still watching the entrance Quinn had left by. "I think so."
"Are you okay?" Quinn Mallory asked, resting his hand on her shoulder.
This was a different Quinn. Different to the one she had just shared a heart-to-heart with. This Quinn she had shared adventures with, and had spent the last two years sliding to and from different parallel Earths. And, this was the Quinn whom she had truly fallen in love with.
"Yeah," Wade smiled up at him.
Quinn smiled back.
Mrs. Mallory moved closer towards them. "Wade, I can't thank you enough for what you have done for my son."
Wade felt uncomfortable at the woman's heartfelt gratitude. "It was the least I could do."
"No, you don't understand," Mrs. Mallory explained. She hesitated as she tried to stifle back tears, as the memories were still too painful. "My Quinn loved his Wade so very much, and both had a bright future ahead of them. Both had good jobs, and everything seemed almost perfect when Wade discovered she was pregnant." She glanced down at the baby boy she held in her arms who was cooing up at her.
"Then their whole world came undone when Wade died during childbirth."
The four Sliders listened as the sad tale unfolded, and Quinn and Wade couldn't keep from glancing at their son from a parallel Earth.
"Quinn was devastated. He blamed Michael for Wade's death, and he's been coming here everyday for the last two months, and has just been sitting by her grave pining for her." She began to let the tears flow freely. "He gave up. He didn't want to carry on anymore." She then reached forward and squeezed Wade's hand. "You've given him the strength to live again. Thank you."
Wade nodded her acceptance and tried to smile, but could only manage a faint one. She was feeling too upset at the tragic story that her and Quinn's doubles had to endure.
Professor Maximilian Arturo clasped the woman's hand. "Mrs. Mallory, I can assure you that Quinn will pull through this tragic turn of events, as he is an impeccable and strong young individual. And, our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family in these dire and unfortunate times."
"Thank you, Professor Arturo."
As soon as they were out of earshot from the others Quinn took the Professor aside. "Thank you, Professor. It means a lot for me to hear you say that."
"I meant every word, my boy," Arturo smiled proudly.
Quinn smiled back with great respect and admiration for his teacher.
Rembrandt tenderly touched Mrs. Mallory's arm. "Yeah, your Quinn's a good kid. He'll pull through. You've just gotta have faith."
Mrs. Mallory gave a faint smile, then Quinn hugged his alternate mother and son. "Look after yourself, okay."
Mrs. Mallory nodded as she embraced her son's double. Wade glanced from the baby to Quinn's mother. "They're both gonna be okay," she smiled giving her double's mother-in-law a tender hug. "It's weird," she said looking at the baby. "He's mine, but he isn't."
"Maybe in some small way he is," Mrs. Mallory smiled softly. She then looked at Quinn who stood behind Wade. "He's apart of you both. Just another version of you."
Quinn and Wade exchanged looks.
Wade leaned closer down to the baby. "Watch out for your Daddy." She then kissed him on his forehead. "He's gonna need you too. 'Bye."
Quinn smiled as he watched Wade's show of affection for their son from this different Earth to their's. For some reason unbeknown to him, this scene seemed comfortable to him somehow.
"Mr. Mallory! Miss Welles!" Arturo called out, standing further down from them, with Rembrandt by his side. He activated the timer and the vortex appeared to them once again, ready to send them to another dimension.
Quinn and Wade made their way towards the two elder men of this interdimensional group of travellers.
Rembrandt raced forward and leapt into the wormhole, and disappeared into it's tunnel.
Arturo glanced at the young twosome as they reached him, before he followed the Crying Man into the Einstein-Rosen Bridge.
Wade watched as Mrs. Mallory covered little Mike up in his shawl, protecting him from the strong winds stirring from the vortex. Whispering goodbye, she dove and vanished into the wormhole.
Quinn took one last glance at his alternate family, and then followed his friends into the gateway, which sent them to yet another new dimension.
Seconds later, the vortex closed and disappeared.
Mrs. Mallory closed her eyes, as she hugged Michael lovingly, knowing that the passengers within the vortex had left behind strength and hope to her small family.
The End
