Rated: NC-17, M
Disclaimer: We don't own any SG person that were used in that fic, nor we want to be disrespectful. It's just a fanfic. However we do own Johnny and we can assure You, that he is already locked in Kirke's dungeons, where Mr.Fluffy is taking a good care of him.
As most of You probably know, we don't own Sam, Al, Ziggy nor other person that proudly belong to... whoever 'Quantum Leap' belongs to.
Warning: That fic is not nice, happy or bright at all. It deals with some dramatic issues, so if you don't consider yourselves really big angst lovers, please skip this one. It's serious, deadly serious.

A Twist in Time
by Wicked Witches

PART 4

Sam was overcome by a sudden wish to become very small and invisible, understanding now, what Ben had meant earlier that day, when he'd said� Darren could be a complete bitch when the occasion arose. He tried to come up with a believable lie, but it seemed Darren was creating a black hole in his brain with that penetrating glare. Luckily Al stood just a meter away
"Tell him you felt sick and wanted to go for a walk." he advised his friend.

"I felt sick and wated to go for a walk" repeated Sam, greatful for that little help. "I found Dan and we've decided to go together."

The way that Darren folded his arms on his chest and started to tap his foot told Sam that singer didn't buy that little tale at all.

"Oh, yeah? Then why does Daniel look like he had a close encounter with a sidewalk?"

Sam gulped "He.. eh... he's drunk. He stumbled..."

"Look you two." Darren interupted him sharply, obviously not interested in Sam's awkward explainations "I don't know what you jokers think you are playing at, but I don't appreciate having to trawl the neighbourhood looking for your sorry arses at three am!! I have to rest my voice you know. This isn't a gift you can just abuse!! It has to be looked after!"

Sam looked at the Diva before him...a pout had now appeared on his face to go along with the folded arms and the tapping foot and for the first time he felt a sliver of sympathy for Daniel. He turned to face the other man, hoping that he was going to say something, anything rather than just stand for it, but Daniel's head was lowered and Sam *knew* he was tripping over what had almost happened with the girl.

"Have you got anything to say for yourself?"
Sam almost heard the words "Young Man?" Dan shook his head, still not able to meet his lovers glare. "Fine," Darren stormed. "I am going home to drink some honey and lemon and prey that I can still perform tomorrow. You are sleeping in your own room tonight Daniel Jones. Give you some time to think about the position you put me in tonight."

With the last word Darren turned around and muttering something under his breath, dissapeared behind the corner, leaving the two stunned men behing him.

Sam stayed still for few seconds experiencing a strange sensation of deja-vu, as he watched the singer leave. That girl, Monica, had done exacly the same thing, over the same man, even if the reason was slightly different.

It looked like Al shared that feeling, as he snickered "My, my... and where are his flying monkeys?"

Sam chuckled at the comment and wanted to add his own, but remembering where he was and *why* he was here, he quickly surpressed himself. He knew he shouldn't, he was here to save these people's lives even if the whole situation suddenly had an almost comical air to it.

"What did you find out?" he asked quietly, hoping that Dan wouldn't hear him, despite the fact that his aneibriated state suggested he wouldn't really care that Karl was talking to himself. When Sam looked into his direction, he found that Dan was sitting on the dirty ground pressed to the brick wall, his legs curled to his chest, his forehead on his knees, shaking and for the few second Sam tought he was crying. He gave Al a worried look and crouched near Daniel.

"Hey," he whispered silently, trying to sooth the younger man's nerves "it's ok. Nothing had happned. Darren didn't see a thing, he'll sulk for few days and forget about the whole episode."

"But I won't forget Karl, Dan slurred as he looked up into his pals face, his eyes ringed in red, "How can I touch him again after betraying him like that."

"No it's not like that," Sam soothed as he placed a comforting hand on the blond man's shoulder, "there was no betrayal Daniel. Nothing happened."

Daniel shook his head before burying it in his arms, "But I wanted it too Karl. If you hadn't have arrived when you did, I'd probably be banging that girl as we speak. How can I be near him knowing what I've done?"

"You're being too hard on yourself," Sam pushed, "You *almost* made a mistake....big deal. You didn't. It's the alcohol that's making you beat yourself up. Let's get you back to the hotel. A shower and a good nights sleep and things will look completely different." Sam slipped his arm around Daniel's waist and gently guided him to his feet..

"That's it Sam," Al piped in from behind, "he doesn't sound too good. Softly softly..."

Sam nodded half to himself, half to Al and start to walk away with Dan. He desperatly wanted to talk with his friend, he hoped Al found out something, *anything* that could help him solve the mystery. He'd been here for over an hour and still didn't have a slightiest idea what to do. He knew he had to stop the tragedy but 'how'? Why had he leaped 'now'? What had Dan's near betreyal to do with it? He felt like one of those rats in a maze, running around helplesly trying to find a way out and get the cheese.

He sighed softly, trying to think about other happier things but every time he tried a picture of Darren came out. He was meant to die at the hands of his friend and even if Sam was the only one who could� stop it, he didn't know what to do

"Oh, great" he murmured, giving up the hopless fight and again fixing his mind on resolving the problem

It was the moment that AL finally decided to break the silence and anwser the question Sam had asked him over five minutes ago

"I did what you wanted and asked Karl about Ben and Lee. " he informed his friend, still not sounding very brightly "You were right, as soon as I asked him what was going on between them, he stoped harassing Tina and went into full denial mode but after few minutes he admited that Ben has a thing for Lee..."

"Who are you talking to Karl," Dan raised his head from the tunnel vision of his feet against the pavement. "'S that Harvey you got there besides you?" Sam looked across at Al who shook his head swiftly. Neither one had really considered that even in such a drunken state that Dan might be curious.

"Yeah this is Harvey," Sam motioned in Al's general direction.

"I'm pleased to meet you Mr. Talking rabbit," Dan slurred as he poked his hand out for the imaginary creature to shake. Sam looked on as Al stretched out his hand and mimicked the greeting.

"I think we better leave this until we get Mr. Jones here back to his hotel and relatively unconcious," Al pointed out as once again he began making calculations on his portable device. Sam merely nodded, out of Daniel's line of sight. "I'll get Ziggy to look into Darren and Daniel's relationship a little further, perhaps that could shed some light on the situation. Seems the only thing of any significance that has occured here tonight so far, is a fight between those guys."

"Yeah, good thinking," Sam whispered through clenched teeth as Al stepped back through the portal.

"What do you mean?" Daniel whined. "I've been thinking with my dick all evening and now I've lost the love of my flippin' life."

"Look, Dan..." he tried to talk some sence into the younger man "you didn't loose anything. Darren is mad, going to sulk for awhile but that's it. He didn't see you doing anything. He came *after* the girl had left. He saw nothing." he repeated for the third time that night but it looked like Dan didn't want to listen to his friend. All the way up to Daniel's room, including the ride with the elevator, was spent on guitarist trying to convince Sam what a cheating, lying, worthless dickhead he was, while Sam with the growing impatience decided to put a hopless fight and convince him that he was none of this thing.

When they arrived at Dan's hotel room, the one that wasn't supposed to be used tonight, Sam watched helplessly for a few moments as Daniel tried to show the door to his room the key. The state of intoxication, making it almost impossible to form any real semblence of hand eye co-ordination. Finally the scientists gently took the small object from the musicians hand and took on the honour of opening the door himself.

Stepping inside the room, guitarist headed straight for the bed, flopping down dramatically on his stomach.

"I've flippin' ruined it," he complained once again, still not absorbing his companions words. With a loud sigh Sam moved across the room and sat beside the blond, gently stroking his back. "How can I touch him knowing I touched her? How can I expect him to trust me when I know the moment his back is turned I'm running after anything that gives me a second glance."

"Stop this," Sam said firmly now, so firmly that Daniel's head raised from the pillow and surprise was splashed across his features. "Yeah you heard me," Sam continued. "Stop all this wallowing in self pity. Stop all these recriminations. Something could have happened....It didn't. If you carry on down this path, you are going to convince yourself that it's over. Is that what you really want Daniel? Are you looking for an out? If that's the case, then why don't you just be honest about it?"

"NO!" It was Daniel's turn to raise his voice now. "I love Darren. He's everything to me. I just don't want to hurt him. I don't want to sully him with my own damn self."

"Oh Please!!" Sam shook his head, a small smile playing across his lips.
"Don't you think you're being a little melodramatic? You don't want to sully him? What do you think he is an angel? Didn't seem that way in the alley. Seemed to me to be a bit of a prima-donna. We all have flaws Daniel, even the glorious Mr. Hayes."

Dan looked at Sam not sure how to anwser to this one. He should protest, to defend his love's honour but, as much as he loved Darren, he found horryfying truth in those words. Darren was not perfect. He made mistakes. He could throw a tantrum like noone he had ever met in his life, bitch about the smallest, insignifacant things and be jelous over Dan's dogs. He started to relax slowly, the realization hitting him... but then he stiffed sudennly.

"So what if he acts like a diva sometimes?!" he shouted, surprising Sam "At least he's not humping every men in sight. He could you know? He could cheat on me every day and I'd forgive him and he *knows* it but he doesn't. Me on the other hand... I could have done that today. I could have... I didn't but what gives him any guarantees that I won't try again?"

He sat up and, even if the room started to spin, tried to get up

"I have to go... to see him... ask him to forgive me. Only then... only then I'll know..." he stuttered, panic rising with every word

"Sam, stop him!" Al's voice was demanding, not a hint of earlier humour showing in his serious tone as he stepped back into Sam's realm.
"Look... I really can't explain this... and Ziggy is more confused than ever but I have a feeling that whatever is happeneing here, it has something to do with the events we are here to fix. It won't help them, it will ruin everything. The one thing we *do* know now, is there was a pretty big fight between the two of them on this night. Ziggy dug out an article from an old newspaper. Darren headed off to England first thing tomorrow morning. They had to cancel three shows and from checking out old internet mailing lists and bulletin boards, fans seemed to notice a distance between the two of them for some time after."

"Daniel, you gotta stop beating youself up over this," Sam said softly, again trying to disuade the blond from destroying the relationship between the two guys. "We all make mistakes. You almost made one tonight. Learn from that and make the relationship stronger. Use what you've experienced tonight to make sure it never happens again. You two belong together, I'm sure of that."

Daniel began to nod his head. "Yeah," he said slowly, "It is pretty good between us usually."

"You've never felt this way about anyone else have you Daniel," Sam pushed further.

"I think I fell in love with him the moment I saw him. It's funny really, because I'd never even looked at guys before."

"And you were happy together weren't you? Darren made you feel complete? Gave you a sense of purpose? Been by your side as you've travelled this path to stardom."

"Yeah," Daniel nodding again, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."

"Then don't!" Again bringing a touch of authority to his voice as he placed his hands on the other man's shoulders and squatted in front of him. "Learn from tonight Daniel, but don't let it tear you apart. Darren doesn't need to know. All that knowledge would do would hurt him, hurt you. Use it Daniel. Use it to make your relationship stronger."

Daniel considered his friend's words for few seconds before nodding slowly, a small sign of resignanion that almost made Sam jump from joy. He did it, at least he hoped so but... what next?

He turned around slowly to face his friend, as Dan lay down without further protests.

Al was pushing and hitting buttons on his keybord and Sam watched as his woried face turned into a one of triumph and back to the unhappy one again.

"What's going on." he asked silently, even if snores comming from Dan's direction assured him that musician is sound asleep

The admiral scowled in response. "You did it Sam. At least you did *something*."

"What do you mean?"

"Well... you *did* change history. Dan and Darren are alive, living in San Francisco but unfortunetally both Lee and Ben are still dead."

Sam moaned, his normally happy face turning grim again "So... what should I do now? I can't stop them. I don't know wha to do! In few months..."

Al interrupted him rising his hand sharply "You've changed their future as well. Insted of killing himslef in few months Lee will do it in three weeks, Ben will follow soon after."

There was a moment of brief silent between them, both considering the posibiliteis of what to do next but mostly, what on earth did Sam do to change the whole future like that.

"I think..." began Al but didn't quite manage to finish the sentence as the blue light surrounded his friend sending him into another time period, leaving a stunned Karl standing in a middle of Daniel's room.

***

"This is starting to get *really* ridiculus." Ben whispered to himslef changing his position for the upteenth time. After ten minutes of tossing ant turning he threw the cover out of the bed and stood up slowly, the whole room spinning, reminding him that he'd had one too many beers tonight and sudden actions like that were not appreciated by his body.

He stayed still for a minute or two trying to calm himself but without much success. He felt too tense to even lie down again, so he decided that a walk might be a nice way to ease some tension..

"Damn game." He cursed loudly while getting dressed, his memory getting back to the earlier events in Darren's room. It all started so innocently, he just wanted to spend some time with Lee but the more he sat there, holding him so close, the more restless he felt. He thought he could handle it. He was wrong. When the game ended and everyone went to their rooms, all he could think about was how good and natural it was to be so intimate with Lee.

It was months since he'd finally admited to himslef that it was something more than just lust he felt for the younger man. At the begining he refused to even accept the fact but then... it was to hard to pretend not only in front of others but to himself as well. He admited his defeat and had used the dreaded 'l word' while spilling his guts to Karl one evening, when they both had too much to drink.

"I've had enough." he moaned, running his fingers through his hair in a small, desperate gesture "I'm too weak for that. It's either tell him now or die slowly and painfully."

He considered that thought for a second. What did he have to loose anyway? Exept for Lee's friendship that is. He could tell him... he was strong enough to do so. Plus large quantities of alcohol always gave him added courage.

He walked over to a large mirror that was standing in the corner of his room, scowling at the sight that greeted him. He looked like shit, pale, with red eyes but still he could see the charm and sex that made all the girls swoon. His appearence was his last worry at the moment.

"I love you Lee," he said to his reflection, then shook his head. "Lee, I think I'm in love with you. Lee I have found myself thinking of you more and more and I wanted to let you know I think I'm in love with you." Once again, the guitarist shook his head. This was new to him. He had never once been moved to confess love for anyone other than his family and the love he felt for Lee was a completely different manner. He knew however, that he couldn't go on living the lie. He was no longer Ben the playboy; Ben the womaniser; Ben the heart breaker. Mr. Novak had stolen his heart and he wasn't going to hold it back any longer.��

Steeling himself one last time he checked his reflection, smoothing down the most obvious creases in his outfit and clasped the door handle. "This is it Lee," he spoke aloud, despite there being no-one to hear. "I hope you're awake, because if you aren't you about to be awakened in more way than one."�

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