Author's Notes: This story is set after Exodus in season ". Michaela wrote the opener and the rest of us followed suit. I'm responsible for Part ". (Be warned...Evil third Season Maggie has been spotted in this story! Hehehe...)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sliders or its characters. They belong to Tracy Torme, the Sci-fi Channel and Universal. Please don't sue.

ParT 1

The wind blew lightly against her hair, sending the red strands trailing behind her, as Wade Welles walked the lonely path towards the house. The small San Francisco neighborhood was quiet as she walked along the street heading for the place she once called home.

She needed solace. Ever since the Professor died only three months beforehand, she had found a void inside of her which could not be filled. She had lost a father. He was not her real father, yet he had become a surrogate father after three years of sliding.

When they had slid onto this world two days ago, they had realized that this Earth moved at a different speed to their own. They were six months behind, and at the moment it was the month of December. Two days before Christmas.

Wade paused as she held onto the gate of the picket fence and stared up at the house which she once lived in. A tear threatened to escape as the childhood memories of family and friends flooded her.

Taking a deep breath she slowly opened the gate and descended the path to the house.

She paused, however, when the door slowly opened and a brunette emerged from the house. The young woman in her twenties looked up as she saw the young redhead still standing not far from the gate.

Smiling brightly she rushed forward and threw herself into the young woman's arms.

"Wade!" she beamed hugging her fiercely.

Wade soon found herself returning the embrace after getting over the initial shock of the slightly older woman throwing herself into her arms. "Kelly."

After several moments they reluctantly parted from the embrace.

"Where have you been?" Kelly Welles asked her younger sister. "Mom and Dad have been worried sick about you!"

Wade studied her sister for a moment, wondering if perhaps her double had slid as well.

"Just around."

"Just around? Wade, you have been missing for six weeks!"

Wade considered this, and decided to try and change the topic of conversation. "Are Mom and Dad in there right now?"

Her question was answered for her as the front door to the house opened and a middle-aged woman stepped out from the house slowly.

"Wade?"

Wade looked past her sister to see her mother standing on the porch.

"Mom?" she whispered softly.

Liz Welles allowed her tears to crawl down her cheeks as she rushed forward down the steps to meet her daughter who had raced to meet her in a tight embrace.

"Oh, my, God, Wade," Liz held her daughter close to her, and let her cry against her chest.

Knowing deep down that this woman was not her mother but only a double, Wade disregarded that thought as wrapped her arms around Liz Welles' waist. "I've missed you so much, Mom."

"I know, honey," Liz cried into her daughter's hair. "Your father will be so relieved to see you."

Wade pulled back a little and looked up at her. "Is he here?"

"Yes I am," a voice boomed.

Wade looked over her mother's shoulder to see a tall burly man standing in the threshold. Her mouth felt dry as she eyed the man. Eventually she managed to allow a whisper to escape from her mouth.

"Professor?"

Maximillian Arturo eyed his stepdaughter suspiciously which sent a shiver down Wade's spine as she gazed at the double of her dead friend. His eyes did not have the friendship and compassion that she had often found in her late companion's, but anger and perhaps hatred which made the alarms bells ring in her mind.

She had a bad feeling about this.

ParT 2

Quinn Mallory glanced at his watch. "Where the hell is Wade?" he wondered out loud, irritated with himself for being worried.

Rembrandt Brown looked at his friend's semi-angry face. Quinn sure has changed, he thought sadly. It's like he takes all his anger and bottles it up all the time. If only the Professor...but then Remmie stopped himself, and let his thoughts wander back to his friend's question.

"Well, Q-ball," he said carefully. "She said she was gonna go take a walk. Said she needed to get away for awhile." He stared pointedly at Maggie, who was lounging in one of the chairs provided for guests of the Dominion Hotel.

Maggie Beckett yawned. She was obviously totally unconcerned about Wade's

whereabouts, even though it was a petty fight that she'd caused which had

made Wade leave the room in the first place. "She's probably out there

nursing her wounds," she said sarcastically. "That girl REALLY needs a

thicker skin." She smiled and waited for Quinn's response.

To her surprise, Quinn turned on her. "Well, if you didn't jump down her throat all the time..." he paused. "Damn it...I just don't need this guys."

"Quinn," said Remmie. "Think for a minute man. Where do you suppose she went?"

Quinn smiled grimly and pulled on his jacket. "If she was upset, I know exactly where she went, especially with it being Christmas time and all," he sighed. "Again." Was it really just six months before when the Professor had dressed up as Santa and told stories? It had been so funny to see...No! hem thought fiercely. I'm not going to think about it. Thinking about his lost mentor only brought the pain and guilt that he so carefully repressed back to the surface.

"Well, I'm going with you wherever it is," Remmie said, moving towards the door. He glanced at Maggie who yawned again. "You coming?"

"Um...no," she said. "You guys can perform your little knights in armor trick by yourselves. I'm just going to take a nap."

"Fine," said Quinn. "Let's go."

He opened the door and the two stepped out into the crisp December day.

"So Q-ball, where is she?" asked Remmie, concern etching his face.

"I think she went to her double's house," Quinn responded.

Arturo approached his step daughter and gave her a hug. But as he pulled back, he whispered in her ear. "So...you and Mallory decided to come back hmmm? That was very foolish Wade." Wade shivered in the embrace and back away from Arturo as fast as she could extricate herself.

"Oh honey," said Liz. "We're just so happy you're home. Aren't we dear?" She looked up at her husband, and he smiled back at her, all the while giving Wade the same cold glare. But her mother didn't seem to notice.

"So where the hell were you Wade?" asked Kelly. She eyed her sister suspiciously as Wade began to hem and haw.

"Um...is where I was so important?" Wade asked. "The point is...I'm here now, and it's Christmas." She smiled at her sister, who smiled back.

"OK," Kelly conceded. "I won't push you now. But God Wade! Don't ever disappear like that again!" She hugged her sister fiercely and Wade felt despair eating up her insides. This had to be how her *own* Kelly felt...and her poor Mom and dad. God...I'm soooo sorry guys, she thought.

"Well, Wade dear, as long as you're home, why don't you come with me to the University and use that Computer Science degree eh?" Arturo laughed heartily and clapped Wade on the back.

Something in his eyes warned her to obey, though Wade's every instinct screamed to stay behind.

"Max, she only just got here..." Liz began, but stopped when her husband held up his hand to his lips.

"I just need Wade's help on a few calculations dear," he said. "We'll be home in time for dinner."

"Oh...all right," Liz said. "But you better not make me make a late plate for you again."

"I won't my dear," Arturo said, and kissed the top of her head.

"Come now Wade," Arturo said, and headed towards the front door with Wade in tow.

Quinn and Rembrandt were about to ring to doorbell of the house when Arturo practically collided into them.

Quinn's face went white. "Professor?" he whispered.

Arturo's face looked like an erupting volcano. "You!" he shouted. "How dare you step foot in this house!"

Part 3

Quinn stammered. "Professor, you're alive!"

"Of course I am, you idiot." Menacingly Arturo began to take off his check patterned jacket with the slide rule in the pocket. "Which will be more than I can say for you when I'm done tearing you apart."

"Professor, I'm... I'm-" Quinn walked backwards as Arturo approached, only to be caught by Remmie, who saw Wade behind the Professor frantically miming that 'hand cutting across the neck gesture'.

Remmie pulled Quinn back. "Remember, Q-ball," he whispered, "it's not OUR Arturo."

"Right." Quinn held up his hands. "Easy, professor, take it easy. There's no need to get excited."

"No need to get excited?", Arturo spluttered. "You disappeared for six weeks, you arrogant, self involved piece of flotsam!" Angrily he wiped his mouth. "My daughter's been crying like a rainstorm the whole time, thinking you were dead!" Arturo still gave off a menacing vibe, but strangely winked.

"Quinn? Is that you?" Kelly exploded from the doorway in a flash of Benetton colors and grabbed Quinn and buried her face in his neck. "You bastard, why didn't you call me? I've missed you so so much!" Her tears became kisses on his neck. "And I love you so very very much!" She tongued his Adam's Apple and then lovingly sucked it.

With a look of panic Quinn saw Arturo winking for him to play along and Wade open mouthed with a look of pained confusion and Remmie looking off into the starry sky, as if to escape the bizarre equation before them.

Alone and tired Maggie stared at a crack in the hotel ceiling while sprawled in her chair. This was the jillionth world to which they've slid, but, of course, they were no closer to getting to their respective home worlds. That was the problem of the concept of infinity: One could return to a reality that was identical to the one one came from save for an infinitesimal degree of difference. Maggie tapped her temple. So, why not make all worlds the variables, and us constants, instead of vice verse? Therefore, we exist to seek pleasure, i.e., FUN.

Purring Maggie smiled. Quinn and of course Wade would find such sentiment shallow and self indulgent, but in a universe of infinite outcomes, so like SO FUCKING WHAT, you know what I mean? Maggie hummed a minor key melody. The crack in the ceiling became for her a rabbit. Both she and Remmie could sing pretty well; maybe they should form a group! Their sliding schedule could be their tour itinerary; they would be the first interdimensional Cher and Sonny! And maybe Quinn could be like a mad scientist D.J. scratcher or something. With that thought Maggie fell asleep, leaving behind a smile worthy of the Cheshire Cat.

Part 4

Wade stared in shock at her sister's (or rather, her sister's double) slightly indecent display. Of course, all she could see was Kelly's back, but hey, she DID have an imagination after all. Quinn and KELLY?? Why, they were all wrong for each other... well, so it was better than Maggie, but could Wade honestly help it if she thought that she was the only person for Quinn. She'd been in love with him since forever, but somehow he had remained blind to that fact that, while she might be his best friend, she was also a woman. Wade's thoughts were interrupted by the slight gasp of shock, emanating from Kelly, who Quinn had just pushed away. Not roughly, of course, Quinn wasn't like that, but rather he had untangled her sisters long arms from their hold on him.

"Quinn, darling, what's wrong?" Kelly was squeaking in a hurt voice. Wade's eyes met Quinn's clear blue gaze and she wondered at the emotion she saw coursing through them. She could do nothing but return his penetrating stare. Finally, he looked to the Professor, who winked, and Wade swore she saw him mouth 'Play it up, my boy'.

"Nothing, sweetheart," Quinn said, unsure as to whether or not this Arturo was trustworthy, but guessing now was not the time to contemplate it. "I just... I wanted to save some of your happiness for when we're alone." Kelly made a little squeal and jumped into his arms again, oblivious to the fact that, over her shoulder, her fiancee's gaze was locking with that of her sister's . Wade met his eyes, then Remmie's. All three couldn't imagine the tangled web they had entrapped themselves in.

Later that evening, Wade sat in her double's bedroom, an exact replica of her own, right down to where everything had been when she'd left. The illusion of home was impeccable. But, Wade knew it was not home. She lay on her bed, hands laying on her chest, as if she expected to die any moment, staring at the ceiling. In her minds eye she replayed every moment of the scene with Kelly. Just WHAT had they gotten themselves into now?

Of course, once Wade's mom had discovered that both her baby girl AND her eldest daughter's fiancee were back from their mysterious trip', she had insisted that they come over for dinner, along with Wade's 'boyfriend' (which would be Remmie). Now Quinn and Kelly were alone down stairs, and Wade was dying to know what was going on. Then a thought occurred to her. As a child she had kept a diary, right up until the time they slid. Could her double have recorded her thoughts as religiously as she? It was worth a shot. Crawling from the bed, Wade went over to the vanity and opened the middle drawer. Sure enough, concealed beneath several containers of make up, was a small, barely noticeable button. Wade pushed up, and from the side of the vanity a little, concealed drawer popped out. And of course, there was her diary. Wade tenderly removed the little purple book and opened it.

Dear Diary,

Hello again, I finally, FINALLY finished all my exams! God, I don't understand why they bother to even call them exams, why not just called them evil, terrible tests that surely mean your doom?' ANYWAY, Kelly's new boyfriend came over for dinner tonight, you know, the one from Dopplers? (the job I wish I'd taken, now that I've seen how TOTALLY sweet and handsome and positively WONDERFUL he is!) He really IS great, but, Kelly snagged him first. That's all for now...

Wade

Wade frowned as she read over the entry. So THAT'S how Kelly met Quinn's double! Impatiently, Wade flipped to the last entry. What she read made her heart stop.

Dear Diary,

It's ALMOST done. All Quinn has to do is add the main power source and AWAY we go! I feel REALLY bad about Kelly, but Quinn genuinely loves ME now. He said that he wasn't really serious about Kelly anyway, and that he'd never seen (get this, these are his EXACT words) 'true beauty until I met you'. (SOOOO romantic, right?) Since he and Kelly are gonna get married in three weeks, he's in a major rush to get the sliding machine done. And WHY is he marrying Kelly when he loves ME, you might ask? Well, it's the only why the Professor (can you believe I still call him that?! He's been my step dad for almost ten years now!) will let him stay on at the university! I really and truly hate that man, but NOTHING, NOTHING is going to keep me and Quinn from being together! I LOVE being in love!! Quinn sent me an email today with the most poetic verse. And it's so for us, too.

"Love laughs at locksmiths."

Love you,

Wade

Wade's breath caught in her throat as she looked incredulously at the page before her. it couldn't be....

"OH MY GOD!" she breathed.

"Something wrong, my dear?" a voice asked from the now open door way. Wade turned, her blood draining from her face. The Professor.

Part 5

Wade clapped the journal shut and shoved it back into the drawer. "Uh... no. Nothing," she stammered. She shoved the drawer shut behind her, hoping that Arturo hadn't noticed her movements.

He had, and it was clear he didn't believe her. Arturo glared at her. "It was extremely stupid of you and Mallory to return." He told her, stepping into the room.

"Oh?" She asked.

He nodded. "You had to have known that I would figure it out."

"Um..." She took a step back as he stepped toward her.

"What with what was left behind in Mallory's apartment, it wasn't that hard." He paused a moment. "Really, if the two of you had truly wanted to leave forever, you should've been a bit smarter when it came to destroying the machine," he mocked her.

Her eyes widened. A sliding machine? Here? They could get home...

There was a slight knock on the door. They both turned to see Kelly standing at the door. "Hey," she grinned. "Come on. Mom's got dinner ready." She turned and headed back down the stairs. Arturo turned to glare at Wade once more, then turned and followed her, leaving Wade alone in the room once more.

Wade looked around, not quite sure of what had just happened. She went over to the drawer and opened it, taking the journal out. She looked at it once more, then popped open the secret drawer again and placed the journal back in its proper place.

She heard someone call her name from downstairs. "Coming!" She yelled, and with one more look at her double's room, she headed for the doors.

Quinn stepped into Wade of this world's room, and found both Wade and Rembrandt there. He shut the door behind him, then went and swung the desk chair around, straddling it backwards.

"What are we gonna do?" he asked them.

Wade frowned. "I was kinda hoping you had the answer for that one."

Quinn gave her a look. "It's your fault were in this mess in the first place."

"My fault?" Wade looked at him.

Quinn nodded. "If you hadn't gone off and--"

"And what?" Wade demanded. "How was I supposed to know this was gonna happen?"

"Well, if you had been thinking--"

Rembrandt noticed the angry looks on both his friends faces. "C'mon you guys." He cut Quinn off before he could finish his sentence. "The last thing we need to be doing right now is arguing."

"I wouldn't have left in the first place if it weren't for Maggie." Wade added.

"You can't bl--" Quinn started.

"Cool it!" Rembrandt demanded, raising his voice to be heard over the two of them. They both closed their mouths and turned to him. "Right now we need to figure out a way to get out of here and disappear again without them noticing for awhile."

"And how are we gonna do that?" Quinn asked. "What with the Professor watching our every move it's gonna be a little hard to get out of here."

"You're right." They all turned to see Arturo standing in the doorway, which none of them had noticed opening over their yelling. "No one's going anywhere." He stood, glaring at them.

Part 6

"Don't you know how to knock?" Wade asked, the anger in her voice turning in to sarcasm as she finished.

"No, but I do know that if any of you try to leave you won't get very far". The professor gave them a warning grin then turned and left.

Maggie turned in her chair to look at a clock, 11:37, she looked out the window at the night sky and counted the stars in her view. When she'd finished she looked around the dark room until she could catch the outline of a lamp, she switched it on squinting at the brightness then turned to realize Remmie and Quinn weren't back.

They'd been gone since about 4 o'clock, "How long does it take to be a hero?" she whispered to herself before she dropped back into her chair.

She'd been sitting there only a few minutes when the phone rang , she gave it a strange look before moving to answer it.

"Hello" she answered

"Maggie, it's Remmie..."

"Remmie, where are you?"

"Just listen. We're in a bit of trouble and we need some things by tomorrow afternoon. Do you think you could get them for us?"

The next morning Maggie walked up the path of the address Rembrandt had given her, a box in one hand sealed and covered in stickers, she rang the door bell and waited As the door opened she turned back.

"Yes!" The professor asked looking her up and down

"I've got a parcel for Wade Wells" she said looking at the clip board to make it look like she was checking the name.

"I'll take it" he said holding out his hands ready to take the parcel.

"I need a signature." She was now thinking faster than she had ever done before.

"Well give me the papers and I'll sign them woman!" The professor was beginning to get angry.

Maggie thought for a moment , she needed to see Wade alone!

"I need Wade Welles' signature unfortunately, if she's not about I can come back later."

"One moment," he said and shut the door. Maggie waited patiently, the door opened minutes later and Wade stepped out shutting the door behind her.

"I never thought I'd be happy to see you," Maggie said sarcastically

"I know the feeling," Wade said

She turned to see the professor looking at her through a window, Maggie caught her look then handed her the clip board and pen then said

"I couldn't get one of the things but I got something similar so don't moan if you get stuck."

Wade signed the papers took the box crossed her fingers and turned back to see the professor open the door.

"So what's in the parcel?" He didn't waste a moment waiting for an excuse, he quickly snatched the box from her hand and disappeared into another room

To be continued...