Quantum Leap: Mistaken Generation.

Chapter two

Liz doesn't stop running. An emotion she's only experienced a few times, fear, has crept in. Being sheltered from the world her whole 17 years of existence, many feelings and experiences were kept from her for the sake of science. Her mind wanders off while she runs with the small tike.

Where is Jonathon? Is This even a simulation? Will I ever come back home?

She runs to a dumpster in a nearby alleyway and takes cover. A moment of silence passes before a familiar voice speaks to her and causes her to jump, "There you are, sweetheart! we've been looking for you for almost an hour now. Your mom almost flipped a t-"

"The kid can hear you! Whatever, how am I in 2011 when I was born in 2028?"

"You don't remember? Your mom upgraded ZIGGY so that you can go from your life span to your grandfather's and everything between the two." he gestures with his hands and cigar like he tends to do. "Your name is Leah Bonnsin. You're 16 and a 'Teen mom'. Your mission is to... uh..."

"What? Jonathon! Please, tell me why I'm here. "

"Go across the border and save you and your baby from the abusive 'baby daddy'." Her mind draws a red flag, as both crossing the border to Canada and becoming pregnant before the age of 18 Are both illegal in the year of 2045. "You're in Washington state right now. You have 24 hours to cross the border into Canada otherwise you both die. Don strangled both of you in the history. If that's not the saddest shi-"

"Stop cursing!"

"Never started. " he retorts with a wink. "Now, if you go to 764 Whinniker Avenue, you'll find leah's mom who might take you in and help you escape. Meet you there."

"John, wait." she yells, holding out a hand as if to grab him.

"Yeah?"

"this isn't a simulation, huh? I'm actually leaping?" her eyes narrow and eyebrows knit together.

His expression drops, "Yeah Liz. You are. And we're doing all we can to get you back. Promise." And with that, he leaves.

On her way there, she had successfully managed to keep the 'baby daddy' off her tail. Leah's mom however, she was a different story.

Upon entering the house, 'Leah' is bombarded with questions, "What did he do this time? How much money do you need now? Is my grandbaby sick?" all asked in a whiney tone

She cautiously laughed at her concern, "No, mother. I just-"

"Mother? When in hell have you called me that? It's always been 'ma'. Leah Adiline, if you go through one more phase I freakin' swear-"

"Okay, ma, I need help running away from Don." she pleaded, understanding that she is most likely her only hope of finishing her mission and leaping.

She turns away from her produce she is chopping up with a huge, serrated knife. "Now you're gonna listen? I would've helped a forever ago but oh no, You were in love. Well,  I don't mean to say I told you so..." she nags.

"I'm sorry, ma. I really need your help." Liz pleads again, bouncing a babbling James on her hip

"Yeah, well, whatever you have in mind. " she breathes out in exasperation, going back to chop her iceberg lettuce.

Jonathan makes himself apparent and the two make eye contact. He then continued to make a motion with his hands as if to say, 'continue'.

"Get me across the border to Canada. Get him off my scent. Please."

"That's a bit excessive-"

There's a loud pounding on the door followed by screaming, "I know you're here, Leah. Open up!"

A gasp escapes Liz lips and causes her to hold James even closer to her chest. "Still think it's excessive?" she nearly snaps to the woman she calls 'ma'. She looks in desperation to her guide.

"Odds are, he's gonna try to beat you, being the nozzle that he is. Personally, I'd give the kid to Janet here and beat the living sh... snot outta him." Jonathan says nonchalantly with a shrug. Liz gives a nod and does just that.

"Take James and hide. I'll get Don."

"I can't-"

Liz passes off the baby, "Go! Now"

Seconds pass as Liz opens the door to reluctantly invite Don in. The strange, angry man storms in and shoves her down, spewing ugly profanities. Soon enough, Jonathon is in the corner of the room and knew in full he can't do anything to protect her as he is intangible. Between you and me, it killed him.

But, liz knew how to fight. The majority of her training was physical: karate, boxing, gymnastics, ect. Don attempted to punch her, kick her, anything to assault her. Of course, she had none of it. He was a basic street fighter while she was a 10th degree black belt. Liz had him pinned and broken in a matter of minutes, knocking him unconscious with a blow to the head. This gave her enough time to retrieve James, hug 'ma' goodbye and receive instruction from her, "take my car,my keys and a 20. I love you. " These were her last words to 'Leah' before leaving in a rush.

She saw Jonathon in a green automobile that suggested it was her ride. Although, she forgot that in the heat of the moment, she didn't know how to drive. All of that training, and she had no idea what a car run manually even looked like. Jonathon seemed to have noticed. "Put the keys here, the ignition. Then, step on the gas there, and steer with the wheel. Might wanna hurry. Your man is going to be stepping out here soon. If you leave now, there's a 92.55% chance that he can't catch up according to ZIGGY." he takes a long drag out of his cigar.

She follows the directions and finds how little effort is taken while driving... when she had both hands. She usually held the infant with her right hand and steered with her left, but it caused more trouble than it was worth. When the baby fell asleep, she pulled over and found a medium sized box in her car's trunk. Placing James in the box, she buckled him up and allowed him to sleep. The border was another 130 some miles away, making for a long drive. Jonathon was there to keep her company, but only seemed to talk about the women he's had flings with and his time in the special ops program. "What about you? Who are you with now?" he questions. Liz just smiles and shakes her head, "No-one? Come on! Gotta be joking."

"I've never been outside the New Mexico base." Astonished, he looks at her in disbelief, "Don't look at me like that, Jonathan. It wasn't my choice. I need to find my grandfather."

"okay, I get it. Once we get you outta here, I've got to get you to this one restaurant. They serve an old fashioned drink called a 'Milkshake' and its the greatest thing-"

"What is a Milkshake?"

"It's... a... beverage made of ice cream and milk. "

"What is ice cream?" she asks, furrowing her dark brows. "I am only allowed to maintain a vegetarian diet with no processed ingredients. Stuff like that is alien to me. I'm sorry, Jonathan. "

He sneers with a smirk on his lips, "Call me Jo. And de-excellerate. We've made it. Don goes to jail, Leah finds another guy and they raise junior here. See you at the next leap, Liz. Did good today."

With a flash of blue, Liz find herself in a bar with a cigarette hanging from her pink lips and dressed in a loose fitting, sequin dress. The reflection of a nearby spoon shows her short brown hair as she looks over to the creep in Coke bottle glasses eyeing her. She couldn't help but think, "oh, boy."