Oh boy! Are you in for a treat! (Lol! You know I had to... π )
Having been a Quantum Leap fan for some time now (and lover of the great and talented actor Scott Bakula ππ) I've decided to write a Sims 3 story continuing the adventures of Dr. Sam Beckett. π
****PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE MOVED THIS STORY OVER TO MY BLOG WITH REVISIONS AND HAVE MADE IT TONS BETTER! π**** That's where you'll want to go to enjoy it fully! Read it all HERE π
However, if you still wanna stick around here and read it...
**Since the migration of this thread to the brand new Sims 3 forums (July 2024) all the pictures to the story don't show up. π’ It will take me some time to remedy that and the goal is to have it all done before the end of the year! (If anyone is still reading it on here... ) Thank you for your patience - if it's not done - and do enjoy. π**
"Charlottesmom;c-15830249" wrote: Hi Em!! I think I'm just going to keep up with your story and leave feedback for you here. :)
@charlottesmom Sounds good hun. <3 I'll be working on moving the story over to my blog this week too when hubby goes back on the night shift and I have tons of time to do so! :p
I see @TadOlson Thank you! I need to go back and reread it all myself so I don't forget or repeat anything in my continuing updates. :)
The next couple of days went by fairly quickly for Sam as all he did was sleep, hoping it would ease his depressive state and make the pain pass quicker, but unfortunately it didn't. In fact, it only proved to be pointless because he would wake up having to face the same exact problem he fell asleep to. No, he thought during the evening of the second day, the only way I'll get through this is to face it head on. Accept it. He'd been through this all too many times since that fateful day when he leaped from the Project Accelerator. He knew what he had to do, but that didn't make it any easier.
The next day came, bringing with it a pretty strong snowstorm.
Sam was thankful for it, it gave him an excuse to not get out which he knew he would eventually have to do (and explain a TON to everyone), but right now he just didn't have the energy or motivation. He did wonder why Al hadn't showed up yet, perhaps he was respecting that his friend needed some time to grieve. But then again...Al never saw what happened between him and Donna. Or did he?
Staring out the window while watching the glistening, gently falling snowflakes his eyes happened upon something standing by his mailbox. Squinting his eyes and wiping at the window to get a closer look it appeared to be...a Gnome. A rather ugly one at that. Sam just shook his head. This world is so strange sometimes... He wasn't a big fan of Gnomes and how it got there...he didn't care to know.
He sighed. An hour at a time, he would say to motivate himself. He started with cleaning the bathroom then wiping down the kitchen counters. He got through that. Next he cleaned his Spotted Sixam's cage, whom he still had yet to name, filled up his food and water and chatted with him for a bit. That was an easy accomplishment too. Then he decided to check the dormant plants in his garden. That's when his thoughts really started to wander, wondering what the heck he was doing with his life and if it would ever be normal again, even while leaping and returning back to Hidden Springs. The bracelet! he remembered. I've gotta get that from the Science Facility! Even as important as that was, he still didn't feel like leaving the house to go get it.
The hours passed with each and every small household task performed and soon it became dark, still snowing. Sam dreaded having to shovel all that snow later. Stepping out into the cold, he stopped in the middle of his front yard and looked up toward the heavens, eyes closed. He took in a deep breath and slowly released it as he opened his eyes. "God," he addressed, "I don't have much to say...simply because I've been through this all before with You. But, I admit that there's no way in my mortal state that I will ever understand Your ways, so...if you could just give me some kind of a sign telling me that my life won't completely be--" "I hear your prayers Samuel Beckett and I am here," a voice said.
Sam turned abruptly to find Al standing behind him, wearing a bright grin on his face. "Al..." Sam addressed annoyingly while turning back and gazing up at the cloudy, night sky. "Oh c'mon Sam!" Al spoke in his normal voice now, coming over to face his friend, "I've always wanted to show up while you were praying so I could say that!" He chuckled. "Where's your sense of humor?" "I don't have one at the moment," Sam answered frankly. Drawing in a puff of smoke from his cigar while studying Sam carefully, it was no mystery what was wrong with the great physicist. Releasing the smoke, Al asked, "Donna didn't buy your excuse as to why you were gone did she?" Sighing, Sam replied, "Oh I didn't give her an excuse. I told her the truth instead." Al's eyes widened. "And she didn't believe it!?" "She did," then his face fell. "She just chose not to accept it. Or rather...not to accept me because of it." Al's face then fell too with sorrow. "Oh," he said, "I'm so sorry kid."
"It's really ok Al," Sam expressed, not wanting any sympathy. "It's just the way life will always be for me now. You know, never to have a wife again and start a family like I always planned." "Oh c'mon," Al protested, "that's ridiculous! Buck up kid! Quit feeling this way whenever life throws you a curve ball." He poked at the sky with his cigar. "The fact that you leaped back here proves that God intends for you to finally settle down." "I dunno Al," Sam faltered, "what if He really only leaped me back here simply to right the wrong that I didn't do before? Stop Emmaline Rhoen." "I find it hard to believe that would be the only reason you came back," Al countered. "I sense there's something else here for you." Sam shrugged. "Perhaps." "Besides, what about that bracelet of yours? You--" "The bracelet won't work Al! Nothing I ever do for my benefit seems to work out right!"
Stepping back while staring at Sam in surprise, Al asked, "Are you serious? Am I hearing this correctly? YOU never doing something that works out right!?" He shook his head. "Who are you and what have you done with my friend, the genius Doctor Sam Beckett?" Sam felt like saying that's not exactly what he meant, but he ignored the hologram and just gazed up toward the snowy sky again with his eyes closed. He couldn't argue, that's wouldn't make anything better. He just had to humble himself and try to accept his fate. Releasing another breath he began praying, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..." "What!?" Al asked, not understanding what he was doing. Sam then repeated the same line, obviously ignoring Al.
Pulling out the Handlink Al pushed a few buttons and said, "It appears you still have some inner struggles to work out Sam. And I'm hoping the REAL Sam comes back when I return!" The Chamber door opened up from behind him. "...to accept the things..." "I'm going to check with Ziggy on some statistics," Al concluded as he stepped back, entering the chamber, then pushing the button to close the door. Sam still didn't acknowledge Al's exit and kept on saying, very intently now, "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change..."
****************
The next morning Sam woke up feeling a little bit better than yesterday. The heartache from losing Donna still lingered within him, and would for a while, but he knew that keeping himself busy would help the anguish pass.
He stepped over to his new Grand Piano, which had been delivered only a couple of days before he leaped out, and played a few of his favorite songs. Playing the piano always helped him to relax and unwind.
Afterward he made his way toward the kitchen to grab a bite to eat when his phone vibrated. It was a text message from Emma asking, Hey! How'd it go with Donna? Sighing, Sam typed back, Not great. Don't really feel like talking about it.
A few seconds passed. Then, I'm so sorry. :( Do you need anything? No thanks. I'll be alright. Ok...I hope you feel better soon. And Sam...I'm here for you if you ever need to talk. Sam smiled. I know you are Emma. Thanks. As Sam tucked his phone away into his pocket, he made it a point to contact Emma later and truly catch up. It was such a relief having a friend he could talk to who knew about his situation, but first he had some unfinished business to attend to.
*****************
Sam waited anxiously out in the cold for Liam to arrive with his finished invention. Even though the doubts of the bracelet's effectiveness kept creeping back into his mind, Sam would force them out again by reminding himself of his brain smarts and abilities. Even with that "swiss-cheesed" brain of his after the very first leap, his knowledge always came back to him when he most needed it and it never let him down. The bracelet was sure to work!
As Liam arrived and parked his car, he stepped out and said to Sam, "Holy cr'ap it's good to see you Sam!" "You too Liam," Sam greeted with a smile. The two didn't hesitate to give each other a friendly hug as Liam went on to say, "Thank G** you're alive!"
Then he faced his former work associate. "You scared the h*** out of the whole town disappearing like that!" "I know," Sam groaned, "it certainly wasn't my intention, but...there was a family emergency I had to attend to, in a place with lousy cell phone service and...it took a while to mend." Literally.
He ha'ted lying like that, especially to a friend. Maybe someday he would find the right moment to tell Liam the whole truth. Right now, he just couldn't handle doing that again. "But everything's ok now right?" Liam asked. "Oh yes. Everyone's just fine," Sam replied. I do wonder how Thornton and Morgana are faring... "Good!" Liam expressed. Then he pulled something out of his pocket. "I took the liberty of guarding this thing while you were gone and," he paused, "it's quite the intriguing device, I must say." "Thank you," Sam expressed for both guarding it and the compliment. Hesitating to hand it over, Liam stated, "I wish you would tell me what it's really for. What its purpose is."
"It's just for an experiment," Sam informed, however he could see that wasn't convincing Liam. He then placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder and said, "Trust me Liam. It's not a part of anything too crazy or dangerous. I promise you'll be the first person I inform if the experiment is a success." Liam smiled. "I trust you Sam. It's just," he scratched at the back of his head, "you've got me real curious." "All in due time my friend." He smiled. Shaking his head with a chuckle, knowing he wasn't going to get Sam to divulge anything else about it he held the bracelet out to him and said, "Well then, I believe this is yours Doctor Beckett."
https://s20.postimg.cc/lepz5caml/Liam_gives_Sam_bracelet_4.jpg (Forgive my lame photo editing skills :p )
Sam thanked Liam and then sent him on his way.
Once back inside the house, Sam replaced his watch with the Bracelet (which he also had a clock put in for that very reason) and vowed to never remove it from his wrist for ANY reason!
Then he remembered, "Oh shoot! I meant to check the mail!" So back outside he went.
Thankfully there wasn't too much to look through since Emma collected most of his mail for him during his absence. I don't think I ever properly thanked her for all she did for me, he thought while skimming through the letters, or did I? Either way I better do so again when I see her. Closing the mailbox and looking up, he saw that little Evelyn had showed up to deliver the newspaper. "Hey Evelyn!" he greeted happily with a wave.
Evelyn turned sharply to find Sam coming and crouching down before her. "SAM!" she cried, throwing herself into his arms. "Oh Sam the rumors are true! You're back!" she exclaimed, "and you're ok!" Sam held her tight and even lightly kissed her cheek before releasing her. "Yes Evelyn," he confirmed, "I'm ok. I'm so sorry I worried you and everyone else like that." "For reals Sam! Where the heck were you!?" Sam tried to reiterate it all and once again, it pained him to not be honest about it.
"Dang Sam," Evelyn said at the end of it, "you know you could've driven out to an area where there was cell phone service and called Emma or someone to let them know you were ok!"
Sam froze as he thought about how clever that idea was and he probably would've thought of it, if he'd really been in that situation. Eyebrows raised and chuckling he responded, "Well you know kiddo...I honestly didn't even think about that." "It's ok Sam," Evelyn said, placing a hand on his arm. "You had more important things to worry about it sounds like." "Yeah..." "But seriously, it was pretty scary there for a while once the police started putting up posters about your disappearance..." I think I better call the police department... "...and it's just been a really sad time in our town Sam," Evelyn concluded, trying not to cry. "I'm so glad you're not dead!"
"C'mere," Sam whispered, enveloping her in his arms again. "I'm sorry. I won't worry everyone like that when I have to leave town again, I promise," he vowed.
It was then Sam realized that he needed to come up with a good, legit reason to be passed on when he leaped again. Another job out of town perhaps? That would certainly make sense, provided the Bracelet would do its job. It just had to work. He couldn't do that to his friends and hometown ever again.
*****************
Once Evelyn left to go finish her paper route, Sam promptly called the Police Department to inform them that he was definitely alive and back home. Once again he had to explain the entire false situation, but on the positive side it put the entire case to rest.
While heading to the store to pick up some much needed groceries, Sam found himself being approached by swarms of people. Many of them, he didn't even know.
For a second he thought it was amazing what kind of an impact he had on the people in town, but he figured they most likely recognized him from all the posters put up with his face plastered on it that Evelyn mentioned earlier.
"Are you ok?" "Where were you?" "What happened?" "Why did you leave?"
So many questions, all the same answer. He managed to get it down to a one sentence explanation, but repeating himself was becoming quite wearing and emotionally draining. If that wasn't bad enough...he met eyes with Donna as he was leaving the store, surrounded by a crowd, as she was walking in. It was quite the piercing gaze, one that drove deep into his aching heart. Donna didn't wave or even smile, she just kept on walking. After that, Sam excused himself from the crowd, got in his car and drove home.
He attempted every breathing technique he'd ever learned to calm himself down and it seemed to work. Glancing down at his Bracelet watch it read 4:37. It was nearing dinnertime and he didn't want to bother her, but since Al wasn't around...and knowing that the next process of healing would be to talk it out, he pulled out his phone and sent a text message.
Hey. I need to talk. Are you able to come over right now?
Within a few seconds Emma responded, Yes. I'll be right over!
*****************
To be continued...
:mrgreen:
I'm excited to write this next part!
Oh and a somewhat similar situation parting song here:
@emorrill , Wonderful chapter!!! I love how the whole town was worried about Sam's well being. The reunion with Evelyn was perfect, I love how she was so emotional that her friend was okay. The texting of Emma was very sweet too! **Now those keys on the wall by Sam's door, are those from Sims 4, I seem to recall having those on my wall in 4! **I was in HS this morning kidnapping a Sim for my story, and almost nabbed Liam too but forgot. **I hope we see more of Emma in the second part!
@charlottesmom You know, I don't know if the key pictures were modeled after Sims 4 content or not. ;) I just found them floating around the internets and LOVED them enough to add them to my game. :grin: (I very much love old keys! <3 )
Thank you for your sweet comments. <3 Nice to see them here on Sam's thread for a change. ;) :p :kissing_heart:
Oooooo, I wonder who you kidnapped from HS??? Don't forget to tag me in your next story update! :mrgreen: