Title: Love is Blind

Author: Angelique Burgit

Rating: NC-17

Archive:

Comments: Yes

Summary: When Al winds up in an accident and is left blind he is determined not to let Sam know until he has no choice but to tell him. Then he finds out something that makes him very happy.

Disclaimers: The Characters in Quantum leap do not belong to me. I don’t mean to infringe upon the copyrights of anyone who was involved in the making of the show.

Warnings: M/M sexual relationship, romance, some cursing

Some time after Sam leaped into Al’s place Al got into an accident that left him blind. He was determined to remain the observer and didn’t want Sam to know that anything was wrong. He would go through the actions like he did before and after he learned brail Gooshie made a hand link for him to use. He acted normal and relied on Sam’s voice and Gooshie’s direction as to where to go in the imaging chamber. He walked into the IC like there was nothing wrong and after he left the IC Verbena would give him his walking stick. He did have to give up a lot of his other jobs to other people because he could do paperwork or anything like that and had to retire from the Navy. Eventually Sam leaped home and Al didn’t know how he could hide he was blind much longer.

When Sam leaped home he looked for Al in the group that gathered in the waiting room and didn’t see him. When he looked up later he saw Verbena walking in on Al’s arm. When Al hugged him he could tell there was something wrong but couldn’t figure it out yet. Al’s grip on him tightened and the older man pulled him closer. After a while Al held him at arms length. Al asked, “How are ya feeling, Sammy?”

Sam replied, “I’m all right, Al. I’m just a little disoriented. I still kind of expect to hear the imaging chamber door open and see you walk through it with Ziggy’s hand link.”

Al smiled and replied, “Well, don’t worry. You’re back home again and we’re not planning on loosing you again in time if we can help it.” Al went to move back and stumbled over the waiting room table. His hands went out to feel it and circle his way around it. He cursed in Italian when Sam grabbed a hold of him.

Sam asked, “Al? What’s wrong? You never were this clumsy. I did notice your movements in the IC were a little clumsier and I wondered why. Now I want to know what’s wrong. I want to help. Please, Al.”

Al tried to shake out of Sam’s grasp but the younger man was too strong. He cried, “Please, Sam. Don’t make me tell you like this. I want to do it in my own time. I’ve lost enough of my pride already. Would make me loose all of it in front of all of PQL?”

Sam replied, “All right, Al. But I’m not going to wait forever for an answer.” He watched as Al nodded and then stumbled his way out of the waiting room with Verbena’s help. He was determined to get the answer because something drastic had obviously happened to his friend.

Al took his walking stick as soon as he was out of the waiting room and told Verbena to let him have some time alone. He didn’t know how the hell he was going to tell Sam he was blind and how he felt about the younger man. When Sam had touched him he felt his blood rush through his veins and it was all he could do to keep from getting a hard on. He knew it would probably ruin their friendship if he told him but he couldn’t be near Sam all the time if he felt like this every time his best friend touched him. He went back to his quarters and laid down on his bed for a nap.

Sam went to Al’s room and had Ziggy override the lock. He saw Al asleep on his side in bed and went over and moved a chair by the bed and sat by the bed. He gently ran his hand over Al’s temple and head. He looked at his friend’s face and smiled at how much his face changed when he slept. He looked relaxed and at peace. There was a lot about Al that only he knew and soon after he had come back his feelings and everything he knew about Al came flooding back to him. He loved Al very much and there wasn’t really just one reason. He had noticed Al had aged and gained weight over the last 7 years he had been stuck in time. Sam always found Al loveable once he got close to the older man. He saw a side of Al no one else was allowed to see. He had seen Al in depressions, when he was happy, and even seen him cry.

Al woke up to the feeling of some one stroking his hair and once he remembered Tina had dumped him after the accident because she didn’t want a blind lover he asked, “Who is it?” The hand stopped it’s stroking and he sat up and waited for the person to say something.

Sam had stopped stroking Al’s hair and sat back. When Al sat up and didn’t say anything he was worried. The older man tried to get up and stumble away. Sam grabbed his arm and helped him to where he needed to go. He finally said, “You’re blind aren’t you, Al? Now I understand the clumsiness and everything.” He saw Al’s head jerk back and then the older man solemnly nodded.

Al was shocked when the person finally spoke and it was Sam. He knew it was a man but couldn’t tell exactly who it was until he spoke. He whispered, “Yeah, Sammy. I’m blind. I’ve been blind for almost a year. I got into an accident soon after you leapt out of Al’s bar.”

Sam asked, “You’ve been blind and remained on as my observer?”

He nodded and said, “That’s the only job I could still do. Besides I’m the one with the neurological connection in my head. They needed me because otherwise they couldn’t contact you.”

Sam asked, “How did you manage it? On top of that how did you manage to be able to tell where you were going?”

Al smiled and replied, “Actually it was fairly simple. Gooshie created a hand link with brail so I could read it and then him and Ziggy helped me in the IC so that I knew where to go to find the chair and everything. Verbena would help me with my clothes and hair. After I was blind I still saw what you saw although it was a little fuzzy. I think it might be because we are mentally linked. But as soon as I left the IC I was totally blind again. I noticed when you came I could vaguely see the surrounding through you.”

Sam sat down next to Al on the couch the older man had sat down on. He took both of his friend’s hands and asked, “Verbena was helping with your clothes? What about Tina?”

Al sighed and said, “After I lost my sight Tina left me and went back with Gooshie because she didn’t want a blind man for a lover. It hurt like hell but I got over her.”

Sam replied, “I’m sorry to hear that but if she’s like that then you don’t need her. Do you want to come live with me? I’d be very happy to help you with anything you need help with.”

Al replied, “I need to tell you something first, Sammy. I don’t know what you’ll do but I have to get it out or I’ll probably embarrass the shit out of myself. I…I…love you. I’ve felt this way since you leaped into Samantha but didn’t know how to deal with it at the time.”

Sam tightened his hands around Al’s and leaned in and kissed the older man passionately. He noticed Al was a little clumsy with his movements but eventually he caught on. When the separated he asked, “Does that answer you question on how I feel?”

Al was shocked but pleased when Sam kissed him. He replied, “Are you sure? I don’t want to be a burden to you. Besides I am old, fat, and blind. Are still sure you want me?” He felt Sam rub a hand against his belly and take his other hand and put it on the bulge in the younger man’s pants.

Sam lightly kissed Al’s face and neck and replied, “From the way my body is reacting I think that should tell you how much you turn me on. To answer your question yes I do want you. I’ve been in love with you for a long time too. Nothing will ever change that. Besides they say love is blind. When you love some one you look past things like the person being blind or things like that. I’m not going to leave you ever again as long as I can help it. I love you too much to do that, Al.”

Al did something he hadn’t done in years. He cried on his best friend’s shoulder out of shear joy. Sam just held him close and tried to sooth him while he sobbed. They held each other for hours. He curled up into his younger partner’s strong arms and was very happy. He finally said, “If you want to be with me for the rest of our lives then yes I’ll move in with you, Sammy.” He felt the younger man hug him tightly and kiss the top of his head.

The next day they spent moving Al into Sam’s home and off of the project. When they were finally situated they spent their first night together in Sam’s home. Sam said, “My home is now our home, Al. I can get the deed changed to a joint ownership if you like.” Al shook his head telling him it wasn’t necessary. It was almost a month before they finally made love together but they weren’t brave enough to go all the way yet. Then about three months later they finally made love fully by Al entering Sam for the first time. They both never felt as happy as they did when they finally became one.

Al eventually got used to where everything was and started doing things around the house almost like he wasn’t blind. He wasn’t totally helpless and could take care of himself rather well for some one who had become blind after 67 years of being able to see. Whenever they went out Sam would walk and Al would have his hand on his arm to help him and would take his cane just incase they had to be separated. They would sit together on a park bench or under a tree and just stay close to each other. Neither one of them had anything to fear from the government any longer. Sam had wrapped up PQL and they started their new life together without the hassles of the project or the government on their backs every minute. Sam had gotten labels in brail for the food products so Al could still cook. They stayed together until Al died of cancer about 20 years later. They were buried next to each other and had a dual headstone.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

The End