Date: ??/??/2001
From: SouthernSlider

After an endless barrage of yelling, patting and dribbling water onto Wade’s face, and what seemed an eternity to Remmy, Wade’s eyelids begin to flutter.  He heard a slight groan escape her lips, and saw her fingers move.  He sucked in a breath of relief as he saw her eyes finally open.

“Wade, sweetheart, what happened?  Are you all right?”

Wade looked at him in somewhat of a daze.  It took her several seconds to realize she had fainted, and then a few more to remember the reason why.  She put her fingers to her temples, and made an effort to calm her breathing.

“Oh, my God!”  she whispered.  She tried to sit up, but Remmy discouraged it. “I’ll be fine, really.  Please, let me up.”

Remmy reluctantly agreed, then reached for the glass of water he had brought over when she first fainted.  “Here, take a sip of this.”

As her fingers closed around the glass, they encompassed Remmy’s fingers also. He saw how she shook and thought it better to hold onto the glass himself.  He brought it to her lips, and ached inside at the soft touch of her fingers on his.

Remmy gave her a few more minutes to collect herself then repeated his question. “What happened, Wade?  What did I say to upset you?”

Wade’s lower lip trembled as she remembered his words about Kelly being his Wade’s sister.  Kelly had come looking for her, and now thought her dead.  What were the odds that she would meet up with Quinn and the others, then fall in love with Quinn’s newfound brother.  She shook her head at the irony of the situation.  All this time, she and Quinn couldn’t quite get together, but the second her sister and his brother meet, they’re an item.  She rose and went to the window.

She stood, looking out at the bay, wrapping her arms around herself to stave off the chill that went through her.  Remmy’s warm hands fell on her shoulders, and without realizing it, she leaned back against him.  His arms came around her as he lay his cheek on the top of her head.

“I’m sorry, Wade.  I didn’t mean to upset you,”  he whispered, over and over again.

Wade closed her eyes trying to keep her tears at bay, but was unsuccessful. She turned to face him, knowing she was about to give him the shock of his life. She couldn’t keep her identity from him another second.

“You didn’t upset me, Remmy.  You just gave me some very shocking news -- on top of all the other shocking news I’ve received as of late.”

Remmy frowned, and felt that tingle go up his spine again.

“And now it’s my turn.”  She pressed her lips together, hesitating, needing another second to gain her courage.  How could she say this?  There was no easy way.  “I am your Wade, Remmy.  I’m the Wade who first slid with you and Quinn and the professor. I’m the Wade you lost to the Kromaggs.  It’s me, Remmy -- Kathleen Wade Welles. Your long lost slider buddy.”

Wade stood there, searching Remmy’s eyes, waiting for his reaction.  Would he believe her?  She felt the pressure of his hands on her shoulders.  Suddenly, she was thrust against his body, his arms locked around her, squeezing the breath from her as he held on for dear life.

“Wade, Wade, Wade,”  he whispered.  She heard the crack in his voice, and knew without seeing, he was crying.  “Oh, my sweet Wade.”  After a few minutes of holding her, he pushed her back at arms length, looking at her in disbelief.  “Are you really her? How could you be?  How could it be that after looking for you for so long, we would run into you by chance?  How could you have gotten away?  How . . .”

Wade couldn’t stifle the small, nervous laugh that rose within her.  She was elated to finally have the truth out and tickled that Remmy was babbling on so.  He had a million questions as did she.  Who would be satisfied first?  Remmy abruptly stopped his words and began to laugh with her.

“I don’t understand.  How could this happen?” he asked again, minutes later.

Wade’s laughter faded as the events of the last two years raced through her mind. Where on earth did she begin?  An ironic chuckle erupted.  Earth.  Which earth? How many earths?

“It’s a long, long story, Remmy.  I hope you’ll let me tell it later -- after I’ve gotten the answer to some questions of my own.”

Remmy ran his thumb over the last remnant of a tear on her cheek, and smiled. “Of course, sweetheart.  Anything you want to know.  Ask away.”  He was so overjoyed at the news, he would answer anything -- do anything -- this girl requested.

They returned to the sofa and she began grilling him about the details of Kelly’s appearance.  She couldn’t seem to get enough information from him.  When she was finally satisfied from everything he could tell her, the conversation turned to Quinn.

Remmy tried to tell her everything he could think of.  No matter how good, bad, or indifferent, she wanted to know it all.  He felt he owed her that much, so he left nothing out.

She laughed at some of the tales on Quinn, and cried at others.  Some things hurt her to the very core.  And the hurt wasn’t just about her; it was about him too. She hated he had been put through so much agony because of her fate.  Her mind would drift occasionally at something Remmy said, and she wondered if there would ever be any way to put things right again.  The thought of course not would suddenly jolt her brain.

“I know it’s awfully late, but we should go to the Dominion right now, and tell the others.”  Remmy’s words jerked her violently from her thoughts.

“No!  No, we can’t do that.”  She jumped up and distanced herself from him.

Remmy frowned, then rose and followed after her.  “What do you mean, sweetheart?  You know Quinn and Kelly, especially, will want to know right away. We can’t keep this from them a second longer.  If we wait until morning, and they find out I knew tonight, they’ll be more than a little angry.  I don’t even think I could go back there tonight and not tell them.  They would know something was up.  They would see it on my face.”

Wade turned on him, fire in her eyes.  It was something she had thought about relentlessly, but now that the opportunity had presented itself, she knew she couldn’t go through with it.   “No, Remmy.  We’re not going to tell them -- ever!”

“Wade, sweetheart.  I don’t understand.”  Remmy was confused at her sudden attitude.

“I said no, Remmy.  Never!”  She ran into the bedroom and slammed the door. Remmy heard a click, and then her muffled sobs.  He looked skyward in disgust, wondering what those Kromagg bastards had done to her to cause this.  He knew it had to be them.  If she were herself, she wouldn’t be able to run to Quinn fast enough.

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Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz