Hah! I'm picking through the ST history - fascinating (hurrr!) I can't even imagine what this would have looked like if the Internet had existed back then. It was, indeed, at a ST convention that I first became aware of the existence of slash, thanks to a zine cover.

can only be properly written using the last vital drops of Bellisario's heart's-blood

How do you really feel about it? :)

That's such a pity - I didn't watch Quantum Leap, but it was well-regarded, and to have such a poopy ending is a smack in the face to all the fans who kept the show going for so long.