Date: 01/01/2001
From: SouthernSlider

Well, I'm back. And what better way to start the new year than to offer you a sequel to "United We Slide, Divided We . . . Disappear". Without further ado . . .

-----------------------------

Until We Meet Again

Prologue

Wade entered the doors of the Sassy Brass Bar for the fifth night in a row. She took the same stool at the bar, ordered the same drink, and turned to listen to the same
band belt out the same tunes.

“Here only five days, and already my life is in a rut.” she sighed and took another swallow from the quickly-emptying mug. “But, at least, it’s my life again. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to actually live it?”

“You say something, sweetheart?” Brad asked. He swiped the damp towel across the bar.

“Nothing of importance,” she mumbled in his direction. Brad knew something was on her mind, but he wouldn’t push. In his experiences, he had found people would
talk sooner or later -- sooner, if they weren’t badgered.

He wondered about this woman, though; kept her on his mind night after night. She would come in, order a couple of beers, listen intently to the band until they packed
up and left, then would disappear from his life for the next twenty-four hours. It would all begin again the next night. What was her story?

Wade turned suddenly, a question poised on her lips. Brad stopped his cleaning and returned her stare.

“Go ahead. Spit it out. You can talk to me,” he said.

“Do you think the guys in the band over there are approachable?”

Brad blinked. Her question had thrown him. He didn’t figure her to be that type of girl. He stammered when he tried to speak. Wade’s eyes widened when she realized
how he had interpreted her question.

“I wanted to see if they might be able to use a female singer,” she explained. “I’m running low on cash and it’s about time I went to work. I’ve lounged around here
long enough.”

Brad’s face went red. He knew she had read the way his mind had traveled.

“I, uh . . . I’m sorry,” he said, face still bright red. “Yes, they’re a pretty good group of guys. Couldn’t hurt to ask.”

Wade fought to keep a smile from creeping onto her face. It was rather amusing to see this big, burly he-man squirming under her feigned irritation. Then it suddenly
dawned on her that it was the first time she had had cause to smile in years. How long had it been?

“Thanks, Brad. I think I’ll do just that.” She patted his hand to let him know she took no offense at his misinterpretation, then headed toward the stage as the band began to put away equipment. She took a deep breath as she took the first step toward the rest of her new life.

 

Chapter One

Quinn sat in the chair catching an occasional glimpse of Colin and Kelly out of the corner of his eye. It had only been two months since they had gained two new sliders,
but he could tell those two were very close.

That could have been me and Wade, he thought, if only I hadn’t been so foolish, so careless . . . so heartless. But I can’t dwell on it. I have to be happy for them, not
envious.

“Quinn?” Maggie’s voice pulled him back to reality.

“Yes, Maggie?”

“Did you remember tomorrow is when we have to go back to ‘Hawaii World’? Conie has his doctor’s appointment. And I really don’t think he needs to miss it. He’s
still having those headaches.”

“Yeah, I know. The coordinates are still stored. We’ll leave first thing in the morning.” Quinn wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to that world with all its bad
memories, but he knew it was best for Conrad to see the doctor that knew the history of his accident.

Colin and Kelly overheard Quinn and Maggie’s exchange. He noticed Kelly’s pensive stare into space.

“Do you have some reservations about going back to that world, Kelly?” She hesitated before speaking.

“Not really, I guess. It’s just that I had resigned myself to spending the rest of my life there and had truly tried to make it ‘home’. Now I’m sliding around the multiverse
again. I guess there will be a slight feeling of nostalgia.” She gave him a half-smile and patted his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. I think I’ll go for a walk and get some fresh air.” She rose and started for the door.

“Shall I go with you?” Colin asked. He didn’t like the sudden change in her mood.

“No. It’s okay. Stay here and chat with your brother. You two haven’t spent too much time together, and I feel a little guilty about that. Maggie expounded a little more
on the tiff you two had going. It seems it was worse than you indicated. I think you need to spend some quality time together. Why don’t the two of you head out for a beer?”

Before Colin had time to agree or disagree, she was out the door. He felt she was right in one respect about him and Quinn needing to talk, but he felt her sudden interest in
putting the two of them together was a cover-up. Maggie and Quinn’s conversation had bothered her. Why?

“Anybody up for a drink?” he asked as he approached Maggie and Quinn.

“Why don’t the two of you go ahead?” Maggie said. “Conie’s not feeling too well. I’ll stay here in case he needs something.”

“Isn’t Remmy with him?” Quinn asked. He really wanted Maggie to go along. The wounds suffered from their fight still hadn’t healed completely, and he felt a little
uncomfortable around Colin. He was trying, and he knew Colin was trying, but there was still some awkward moments. Quinn wondered if things would ever get back to where they had been before.

“Yeah, but you know . . . he might need a woman’s touch. You guys go ahead.” She turned on her heels and gave him no chance to reply. If he had called after her, it
would be obvious he didn’t want to be alone with Colin.

“Well, it looks like it’s just you and me, bro. Let’s go.” They headed out, both erecting an imaginary wall of defense. The rest of the evening was spent walking on
eggshells and avoiding any deep, emotional subjects.

***

Quinn and Maggie tumbled out of the vortex, followed by Kelly and Colin. The four of them tried to scramble out of the way in anticipation of Conie and Remmy being
spit out. They weren’t disappointed. Remmy came flying through the air and mowed them down like a bowling ball headed straight for the pins. Conie was on top of the pile
in seconds.

“Q-ball, is there not a way to time each person’s arrival so the person ahead of them has a chance to get out of the way?” Remmy grumbled. He started clumsily trying
to remove himself from the pile.

“Remmy, we’ve been sliding for five years now. If there were, don’t you think I would have implemented it by now?”

“Well, one thing we could do is make Remmy go first. That would save a little wear and tear on the rest of us,” Maggie said. She held out her hand to help Conie to his
feet.

“Girl, I don’t like that idea at all. Then I would be at the bottom of the pile.”

“My point, exactly.”

“You know, it is strange that no matter how long we wait to jump in, we all seem to exit at about the same time.” Colin observed.

“Boy, nothing gets by you, does it, Farm-boy,” Remmy said, chuckling.

“And grumbling about it isn’t going to change a thing. Get over it, guys.” Quinn tried to hide his irritation, but he was tired of the same old complaints, slide after slide.

“Let’s just get Conie to his doctor’s appointment,” Maggie said.

“Right on, dudes. A little bumping around the vortex is nothing compared to the bumping around in my head. I, like, need to find out what’s going on, man.” Everyone
put their complaints aside, realizing it wasn’t important anymore.

At the doctor’s office, Conie was told some tests needed to be run. The doctor wasn’t pleased to hear the headaches still persisted. He was adamant that Conie check
into the hospital for a barrage of tests. They all agreed it was the thing to do, but everyone had concern in their minds about the next slide.

When Conie was firmly settled into his room, Quinn, Maggie, Colin, Kelly, and Remmy said their good-byes and left him in the doctor’s care. As they passed the Sassy
Brass Bar several minutes later, music drifted out the doors to their ears.

“Hey, how about we catch the show?” Remmy suggested.

Kelly’s eyes clouded over. Could she handle going into her old stomping ground? She and the guys had made some great music in there, and now they were all gone except
Conie. Would the memories be too much? She took a deep breath and reached for the door handle. She had to try.

“Are you sure, Kelly?” Colin asked. He saw how Remmy’s suggestion had affected her.

“I can do it,” she said simply. Colin held the door for all to enter and wondered if she really could. When he closed the door behind him and began to shed his coat, he
frowned at the way they were all standing with eyes glued to the stage.

When he glanced that way, he saw a petite young lady at the microphone. He blinked twice to make sure he saw correctly. He could have sworn the girl was Kelly,
except she was a bit shorter.

“Wade?” he heard Kelly whisper.
----------------------------

Well, that's the start of it. Stay tuned to see how all of our Sliders deal with this.

SS

I like it, but...

Date: 01/01/2001
From: Missye

I like it. A very interesting story however I do have a few questions.
1. Is this linked to your story United/devided?
1a. Is the fight between Colin and Quinn in that story?
2. Where can I find the begining of the story?
3. Is Conie Conrad?
(I saw Conrad on there is that his new nickname?)
Can't wait to hear more.
Missye

Whoa! Nothing like getting right to it!

Date: 01/01/2001
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

Outstanding beginning, SS. It's good to have you back around the board again. Hope you had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. I'm a little OD'd on football, but I've still got two game left to watch.

DMD

Woo-Hoo!!

Date: 01/02/2001
From: SweetOne

Loved it as usual. Can't wait for more.

SweetOne

"Friends warm you with their presence,
trust you with their secrets, and
remember you in their prayers."
unknown

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/3070
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz