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Hopes And Dreams
Spoilers: Only spoilers for The Prince Of Slides.
Author's notes: This story takes place on the world shown at the end of The Prince Of Slides. Again thank you to Julie Tharp for beta-reading this for me, and as usual helping me make this story better.
Disclaimer: Sliders belongs to Tracy Torme, St. Clare Entertainment, Fox Network, Universal & The Sci-Fi Channel. The characters from the show belong to them. And as usual I'm just writing this story for fun, and not for payment.
Alone in the hotel living room Quinn Mallory was again standing in front of the full-length mirror examining his body. He felt his flat stomach and shook his head. He looked around him, ensuring his friends were not there, even though he knew that the Professor was at the library, and Rembrandt was resting, while Wade was in her room writing in her journal. Eyeing a cushion on the couch, he picked it up, and stood again facing his reflection. He looked over his shoulder, checking once again he wasn't being watched, and then carefully placed the cushion underneath his t-shirt.
He then eyed his reflection again, and stared down at the bump he now had. He felt the bump gently, and again shook his head in amazement. "Remmy how could you do it, man," he whispered to himself. He was still bewildered and amazed by the events on the last Earth. On a world where both men and women share pregnancies, Rembrandt had been mistaken for his double and had delivered a healthy baby boy. The fact itself that his friend had given birth had amazed Quinn. Men pregnant? If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have believed it.
"What're you doing?"
Quinn suddenly pulled the cushion from underneath his t-shirt, and turned around abruptly, trying to hide the cushion behind his back. "Nothing!"
Wade Welles stood in the hallway, leaning against a wall, with her arms folded, and eyed her friend suspiciously. "What's that behind your back?"
"There's nothing behind my back!" Quinn returned defensively.
"Yes there is," Wade walked towards him. "What are you hiding?"
"Nothing!" Quinn tried to laugh it off. "I've got nothing to hide."
"Mmm...hmmm." She then reached behind him and pulled the cushion from his grip.
Quinn closed his eyes, now feeling stupid and embarrassed at being caught red-handed. When he opened them he glanced down at the petite redhead. "And what is this?" Wade asked in amusement, eyebrows raised, glancing from the cushion to her tall, blue-eyed, sandy-haired friend.
"Okay, you caught me," Quinn admitted in defeat. "I was just wondering how on the last world Remmy managed to stand being pregnant."
"Well," Wade folded her arms again. "Women have been putting up with it since humans evolved. In fact some are happy to bear children," she finished her tone thick with sarcasm.
"I didn't mean it that way," Quinn defended, catching her tone, and turning away. "But the thought of men becoming pregnant is a miracle itself."
"I thought on that world it was more of a scientific accomplishment?"
"It was. But it's still amazing."
Wade stood beside him, and glanced into the mirror. "It makes you think though, dosen't it?"
Quinn glanced at her reflection. "What does?"
"Kids. Rembrandt having a baby." She then glanced at his reflection. "It makes you think if we'll ever have the chance to have children." Quinn glanced down at her, and met her brown eyes as she looked up at him. They gazed at one another, searching for answers and hope to that one question.
"Wade..."
Wade averted her eyes, and smiled. "That came out wrong..." she trailed off, before shyly glancing up at him again.
Quinn swallowed, attempting to overcome the moment, then smiled. "That's okay."
"What I meant was that we've been sliding for so long, that we *all* might not have the chance to settle down and lead a normal life."
Quinn placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We will." He then smiled softly. "I promise."
Wade gazed into his eyes, and held his hand resting on her shoulder. "Will we, Quinn?"
"We'll get home and be able to live our lives again."
Tears glazed over Wade's eyes, before she squeezed his hand for comfort. "I don't think I can wait that long. I need some normality back in my life again. I can't keep sliding forever."
"It won't be forever, Wade," Quinn gently squeezed her shoulder. "I promise you I'll get you home no matter what it takes."
Wade noted the determination on his face, yet the doubts still remained. "It just seems that every day we're away from home it gets to be further and further away, and we're just kidding ourselves. Like we're dreaming we're getting home."
Quinn pulled her into a hug, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "It's not a dream, Wade," he soothed. "Just give it some time." He then swallowed the lump in his throat. "Please."
Wade tightened her grip around his waist. "Okay," she buried her head into his chest. "I'll wait some more."
Quinn closed his eyes, relieved that she was going to stay. They stood in each other's arms for a little while, enjoying the warm embrace, before reluctantly parting.
"Are you okay?" Quinn asked.
"Yeah," Wade nodded wiping away a tear. "Thanks for giving me a shoulder to cry on."
"Anytime," Quinn smiled. "That's what I'm here for."
Wade returned the smile, and gently squeezed his arm. "Thank you."
Quinn held her gaze for a moment, then checked his watch. "I'm supposed to meet the Professor at the library." He then looked at her. "Do you wanna come?"
"No, you go," Wade replied. "I'll stay here with Remmy. He's still asleep after the slide."
"Well, Wade," Quinn smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "He's just had a baby. I guess he's gonna feel tired now and then."
"I guess so," Wade smiled.
Quinn smiled at her for several moments, before heading for the door. "Well, I'm going to help the Professor explore the *real* City of Angels."
Wade followed him to the door. "Well, have a nice time."
"You too," he leaned forward, with his hand in her hair, and softly kissed her forehead.
Wade closed her eyes as he let the kiss linger, then pulled back and gave her shoulder one more squeeze, before leaving the room.
Wade strolled towards the full-length mirror, and felt her flat stomach with both hands. She then eyed the cushion she had caught Quinn with, and picked it up thoughtfully.
Quinn stood in the corridor, standing at the room door, with his hand still on the doorknob and his head resting against the door. He said a thankful prayer that he had managed to convince Wade to stay with them...with him. He couldn't imagine sliding without her. She was his bud. His best friend from home. And the one person on this ride through the universe that he couldn't live without.
Not totally convinced that she was feeling as good as she said she was, he opened the door slightly only to see Wade standing in front of the mirror, hugging the cushion tightly in front of her. "I hope we have the chance, Quinn," she whispered to herself. "I really do."
Quinn quietly closed the door, slowly hoping not to make a sound. Once it was closed he sighed heavily.
"So do I, Wade," Quinn whispered. "So do I."
The End
