Neal Cicada Deserves Better (Aurora Borealis)

Growing up, Neal had always heard rumors of alternate universes existing from his father who claimed to have lived through them.

Alone, his father presumed dead and mother too absent to care, Neal intends to prove his father right, especially if it means saving the person he loves most of all.

For the June Sci-Fi contest - the prompt was Rumors!

Only Chapter 1 is the contest entry. The rest is an elaboration on the story.