Project Zeta: A Promise
A fanfiction by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything about Project Zeta, except a few episodes recorded off the WB and this fic. Although the story is old sci-fi, and Asimov did it better, I do love the show. And I had to write this... So no lawsuits, or I will sic my 10-foot plotbunny on you. [::Mutters:: Let's see how you like it...] _;
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It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to outlive her. He could handle it - could erase the memories of her from his mind and go on with his life. Could have...
How long had it been? She pulled her sweater tighter and shivered despite the warm night air. It was odd being lonely. She hadn't been alone in... how long had it been?
She couldn't remember. They'd run for so long, and then they'd found the perfect hiding place: each other. No one would ever find them. They couldn't hide when running, so they'd decided to stand still.
They'd fallen in love. They both knew it was impossible, but there it was. First she'd fallen, at the museum, when he'd saved the little girl despite Bennett running through the halls towards them. And then when he pretended to be her boyfriend, so her family wouldn't think she was... well.
She smiled, her tired eyes crinkling at the corners.
//Like they can't decide whether to be happy or sad.// he'd told her once. She missed him.
She wasn't supposed to grow old alone. He'd promised her that.
She shivered again, placing the flowers on the gravesite. They weren't supposed to have found them. //Who'd suspect an old married farm couple?// He'd asked. She'd just stared at him, unsure of his sanity. //Marry me, Row.// Memories. She let a small smile play past her lips. It was so long ago. That day in the sunshine. The park, the carriage, the dinner, the dancing.
The funeral had been lovely. The whole town turned out to see Martin Zeet laid to rest and to comfort his nice widow.
"Nice couple." No kids, 20 acres, some chickens, one old apple tree.
"Never even so much as a speeding ticket." They didn't know he was a android assassin who'd managed to break his programming...
"Always took 2nd in th' pie eatin' contest up t'the fair." acquired a synth- skin...
"They were so devoted... how will she go on?" fell in love with a human...
Row bent and kissed the headstone. There wasn't a body there. The federal agents... not Bennett, no, he was long dead... had seen to that.
Row would never forget the sight of him, in the doorway that morning, on his way out to the henhouse. Smiling back at her just as the light hit him. The grey hair at his temples twisted in that light, and she should have guessed. But it had been so long...
She'd thought, for a moment, that someone had taken a picture. One of those old flash cameras that he'd been telling her about the previous week.
Then he'd begun to melt and she'd screamed. Fainted. She'd woken to an empty house and a pile of molten synthskin and metal in the doorframe.
The tears came again, and Row stood, walking unsteadily out of the cemetery. She didn't know why they'd left her there. Why she wasn't in jail for aiding and abetting or whatever it was, helping a federal android escape capture. Maybe they knew how much worse this was. But it didn't matter. She hadn't been able to tell him before, had been planning to do so that night. Soon, she knew. The doctor said that once the pain started it would soon be over. It had started before breakfast, while he'd been turning the bacon.
She stopped at the gate, leaning hard against the post as the spasm hit, then turned to look back at the double plot she'd purchased. "I'm coming, Z," she whispered brokenly. "I promise."
A fanfiction by Maeyan (maeyan@mailcity.com)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything about Project Zeta, except a few episodes recorded off the WB and this fic. Although the story is old sci-fi, and Asimov did it better, I do love the show. And I had to write this... So no lawsuits, or I will sic my 10-foot plotbunny on you. [::Mutters:: Let's see how you like it...] _;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to outlive her. He could handle it - could erase the memories of her from his mind and go on with his life. Could have...
How long had it been? She pulled her sweater tighter and shivered despite the warm night air. It was odd being lonely. She hadn't been alone in... how long had it been?
She couldn't remember. They'd run for so long, and then they'd found the perfect hiding place: each other. No one would ever find them. They couldn't hide when running, so they'd decided to stand still.
They'd fallen in love. They both knew it was impossible, but there it was. First she'd fallen, at the museum, when he'd saved the little girl despite Bennett running through the halls towards them. And then when he pretended to be her boyfriend, so her family wouldn't think she was... well.
She smiled, her tired eyes crinkling at the corners.
//Like they can't decide whether to be happy or sad.// he'd told her once. She missed him.
She wasn't supposed to grow old alone. He'd promised her that.
She shivered again, placing the flowers on the gravesite. They weren't supposed to have found them. //Who'd suspect an old married farm couple?// He'd asked. She'd just stared at him, unsure of his sanity. //Marry me, Row.// Memories. She let a small smile play past her lips. It was so long ago. That day in the sunshine. The park, the carriage, the dinner, the dancing.
The funeral had been lovely. The whole town turned out to see Martin Zeet laid to rest and to comfort his nice widow.
"Nice couple." No kids, 20 acres, some chickens, one old apple tree.
"Never even so much as a speeding ticket." They didn't know he was a android assassin who'd managed to break his programming...
"Always took 2nd in th' pie eatin' contest up t'the fair." acquired a synth- skin...
"They were so devoted... how will she go on?" fell in love with a human...
Row bent and kissed the headstone. There wasn't a body there. The federal agents... not Bennett, no, he was long dead... had seen to that.
Row would never forget the sight of him, in the doorway that morning, on his way out to the henhouse. Smiling back at her just as the light hit him. The grey hair at his temples twisted in that light, and she should have guessed. But it had been so long...
She'd thought, for a moment, that someone had taken a picture. One of those old flash cameras that he'd been telling her about the previous week.
Then he'd begun to melt and she'd screamed. Fainted. She'd woken to an empty house and a pile of molten synthskin and metal in the doorframe.
The tears came again, and Row stood, walking unsteadily out of the cemetery. She didn't know why they'd left her there. Why she wasn't in jail for aiding and abetting or whatever it was, helping a federal android escape capture. Maybe they knew how much worse this was. But it didn't matter. She hadn't been able to tell him before, had been planning to do so that night. Soon, she knew. The doctor said that once the pain started it would soon be over. It had started before breakfast, while he'd been turning the bacon.
She stopped at the gate, leaning hard against the post as the spasm hit, then turned to look back at the double plot she'd purchased. "I'm coming, Z," she whispered brokenly. "I promise."