The Magnificent Leap

by Bunny

Note: This is a crossover with "Quantum Leap", and takes place after the QL episode:"At What Price, Gloria? "


Sam Becket came to life after the leap, to find himself looking in a mirror. Upon close inspection, he realized he was dressed as a cowboy.

Sam: Huh?

Suddenly, Al popped up.

Al: Oh, hey, Sam. Nice threads.

Sam: Funny. Can you tell me why I'm dressed like Clint Eastwood.

Al: Well, you remember that Yul Brenner movie, "The Magnificent Seven"?

Sam: Yeah. . .

Al: Well, apparently, it was based on real people. One of which, was your great great grandfather, Chris Larabee.

Sam: What? !

Al: Yeah. . . Now, Ziggy's not sure what you're here for yet, but your the leader now. You got 6 under you. There's Buck Willmington, the ladies man;JD Dunne, the kid;Vin Tanner, the sharpshooter;Ezra Standish, the gambler;Josiah Sanchez, the preacher;and Nathan Jackson, the healer. They're pretty distinctive characters;you'll know 'em when you see 'em.

Sam: Wow. . . The Magnificent Seven!

Al: (warningly) Don't get to goofy, Sam. Ya don't wanna tip 'em off. . . Especially when you don't know why you're here yet.

Sam: (dismissively) Yeah, yeah. . . I think I'll go have me a beer.

As he walked out, Al just shook his head & went back into his chamber.

Sam walked out of his door, and down the stairs straight into the saloon. He wasn't quite sure who he was looking for at first, but, once he took in the room, he knew. There they were. Al was right;there was no mistaking it. All 6, sitting at a table playing cards. He went and got a beer, and sat down to join them.

Ezra: (shuffling the cards) Ah, Mr. Larabee, care to join us in a hand?

Sam: (grinning) Sure.

They all exchanged glances;Chris hardly ever grinned. He might smirk. . . And, it was really rare for him to so readily agree to play with Ezra. But, they just shrugged it off, and decided to enjoy his good mood while it lasted. After playing a few hands, he absorbed enough of the conversation to learn who was who. It didn't take them long to get bored with loosing to Ezra, so after a bit the game broke up. Ezra was playing solitare, Buck had gone with one of the working girls, and the rest were kinda spread out. Sam decided to walk the street. After all, he was sorta the law, and he figured that's what they did. As he was walking, suddenly some guy started yelling to him.

Guy: Larabee! I'm calling you out!

Sam: Excuse me?

Guy: (reaches his gun) You gonna die!

Sam: Oh, boy. . .

Guy: Draw!

Sam went to draw, but, the first time it got stuck. The guy looked at him, dumbfounded. The second time, he got it out, but he lost his grip and flung it 3 feet away! When he tried to reach for it, the man shot it further away. Then, he started shooting at him, so he ran. He ducked behind the horse-trough, and pulled his hat around his ears. Suddenly, he heard more gunshots, and saw a shadow looming over him. It was Vin.

Vin: (concerned) You okay, Chris?

Sam: Uh. . . yeah, yeah, fine.

Vin: (not convinced) Um, here's your gun.

He extends his hand to help him up, and walks him towards his room.

Vin: You'd better get some rest, Chris. . . I'll see ya later.

Sam: Okay. . .

As Vin left, Sam slumped down on the bed. Great. He'd blown it for sure.

By now, everyone had heard, and the rest of the seven were holding a meeting in Nathan's clinic, because it was nice and private. They were all in shock. . . Chris Larabee loosing his nerve?

Buck: Um, maybe that ain't it. Maybe he's drunk, or fighting a hangover. You know how weird he is when he's been drinkin'.

Josiah: Buck. . . he's usually more dangerous when he's drunk.

Buck: (defensively) Well, maybe the liquor's affectin' him different. Maybe. . . I reckon every man's got a right to be scared once in his life.

Vin: He's right. . . but, we gotta know Chris ain't gonna get hisself killed. He lost his gun. . .

Flash to the holding room, where the real Chris Larabee is majorly P. O. 'ed, because he doesn't know where he is or what's going on!

Al: Mr. Larabee---

Chris: Look, I don't know who you are mister, but, you'd better get me home!

Al: Uh. . . Look in that mirror.

Chris shook his head, and looked at Al like he was crazy, but did as was requested. To his shock, he saw the face of Sam Beckett!

Chris: What the hell is goin' on? !

Al: (calmly) Well. . .

He explained project Quantum Leap, and how it was that he and Sam had temporarily traded bodies. He also explained that he'd figured out why, and that he was on his way to tell Sam so that he could fix it.

Chris: So, he fixes it, and I go back home?

Al: Yup, that's the general idea.

Chris: Then, go tell him!

Al: Okay, okay, I'm goin'. (as he's getting into the chamber) Geez. . . how do they put up with this guy?

Al came up to see Sam talking to JD & Casey, & motioned for him to find someplace for them to talk alone. Sam excused himself, and walked towards the bathhouse. At least they were no longer treating him strange;the earlier incident was seemingly forgotten.

Sam: What is it, Al? What'd ya find out?

Al: Well, you know that little girl you were talking to?

Sam: Casey?

Al: Yeah. She's JD's girl.

Sam: Yeah, so?

Al: Well, apparently, sometime this evening, she's murdered.

Sam: (shocked whisper) WHAT? !

Al: Yeah. . . so young. . . Anyway, afterwards, JD gets a taste for bloodlust, and gets killed avenging her death. Buck, well. . . JD was like his kid brother. He goes insane, and gets himself killed, too. Some say purposely. Well, there's only five left. . . and, they all go their seperate ways. All die young and lonely.

Sam: No. . .

Al: Look, you gotta stop this domino effect. Just say you got some gut feelin' that you guys should patrol the Wells' ranch tonight, and if they question you. . . just get all dark and cryptic. That they'll respond to. G'head, go.

Sam: (nodding) Yeah, yeah, okay.

He leaves in a frantic rush towards the saloon.

After he explained, they were hesitant at first. But, he put on the meanest look he could muster, and changed his pitch to a throaty growl, asking if they were questioning his judgement. To his surprise, this tactic worked, and they happily complied.

The night seemed fairly uneventful. A good supper, and talking on the porch. Of course, Sam knew it was just the quiet before the storm. He was unusually tense, but, fortunately, no one found it strange for Chris Larabee to be this way. Instead of sleep, they decided to take shifts, patroling the ranch in different sections. Finally, sometime around 1AM, Al came up to him, frantic.

Al: SAM!

Sam: What? What's wrong?

Al: Casey! He snuck her out the window when no one was looking!

Sam: Where is she?

Al: Follow me!

Al led him to the barn, where a man was standing, his hand clamped over her mouth, a knife to her throat! This time, he didn't miss. He grabbed the gun, and knocked the man out with the butt. When the man fell, Casey let out a horrific scream, bringing everyone, including Nettie, into the barn.

Nettie: How did you know, Chris?

Sam: Well, let's just chalk it up to gut instinct.

He grinned, and the blue aura surrounded him yet again, sending him spiraling into the cosmos, flying through time. And, they were faced with their Chris once again. He seemed confused, and just slumped down onto a bale of hay.

Casey: (concerned) Chris? You okay?

Chris: (looks around, and sees all his friends around him) Yeah, I am now, sweetheart. I am now.

THE END

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