Make a Wish

by Pam Froman

You could be my silver spring

Blue, green colors flashing

I would be your only dream

Your shining over, oceans crashing

Silver Spring -- Fleetwood Mac

It had been a particularly trying slide for Wade Welles. First of all they hadn't had enough money for two roons and she'd had to share a bed with Maggie. And Maggie had purposely hogged the covers each night.. 'At least she snores,' Wade thought to herself with a carefully repressed giggle. Secondly she and Quinn had had an argument this morning where he'd yet again stood by and watch Maggie belittle their beloved Professor.

Wade sighed. And now there was this. The icing on the cake. She'd gone for a walk, only to catch a glimpse of her double...and Quinn';s double, passionately making out in Golden Gate park! It was bittersweet irony to say the least. "After all," she muttered angrily to herself, 'he's pratically forgot I existed since miss militrary bitch showed up.'

Wade walked away from the mirror like couple in the park, careful not to let them see her. This world was very like she remembered Earth Prime -- which made everything even worse. The only exception she'd been able to discern from the four days they'd spent here was that the grass was red instead of green. Wierd, but not as ridiculouslty alien as some of the things she'd encountered in the lasrt three years. She felt really bitter...a sharp change from her usual optimism and enthusism for life. Everything was just piling up. And though she'd never admitted this to Quinn...she was seriously regretting her choices lately What if she had never gone on that fateful slide with Quinn? What if her hadn't? Would things still be as fucked up as they were now?

The beeping on her wrist silenced Wade's morose frame of mind. "Shit!" she said, glancing at her watch. "Five minutes to the slide!" She'd completely lost track of time. Quickly she broke into the run for the Dominion hotel.

"Where the hell were you?" demanded Quinn as she entered the room.

"One minute to spare," thought Wade, glancing doen at her watch.

She glared at Quinn. "Out," she replied curtly. Perhaps it was unfair to take out her regretful feelings on him, but Wade didn't feel much like being sensitive today.

Quinn stared at her, a frustrated look crossing his features. They softened for a moment, and then he said with a strange look in his eyes, "Don't cut it so close."

Wade felt her anger die down for a moment. But before she could reply, Maggie said casually "Yeah...or we may just have to leave you as a casualty."

Boiling hot anger surged through Wade again. And Quinn's soft expression slammed shut, returning to the blank, stony expression that was all too familiar to her these days.

Remmy, as usual came to her rescue. "Girl we ain't leaving anybody. She made it."

Maggie just sniffed in disgust.

"It's time guys," said Quinn, ignoring the fight, and pointing the timer at the wall. He activated the vortex and the four travelers jumped through.

Part 2

Wade sailed through the vortex, her heart heavy. the colors that she'd once thought indescribable felt like a prison cell today, and with a start Wade realized tears were wetting her cheeks during the cosmic ride. "I wish we'd never slid!" she screamed suddenly, secure in the knowledge that the others couldn't hear her in the slide. It was a wish out of anger, but she meant it. The frustration and anger she'd built up over the last few weeks was impossible to ignore.

That was when IT happened. A ripple in the vortex, and a flash of light, brighter than anything she'd ever seen.

She was thrown at the next world and hit the ground -- hard.

Wincing she stood up. "What the heck just happened?" she said fearfully, as she surveyed her surroundings. She was on QAuinn's street. And she was alone.

She was really getting scared now. She cupped her hand over her mouth, "Quinn!" she shouted out.

No response.

"QUINN! REMMY! MAGGIE!" she yelled out again.

Still nothing.