Author's Note: Set in Season 3/4, a strange pairing that I do not necessarily agree with but I find interesting. I am an M/A fan all the way, but I can't deny some intriguing connection between AndrAIa and Bob (Glitch Bob) inspired by "stupid" by Sarah McLachlan.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything minus plot not taken from the episodes :)

Chapter 1

She sat atop places long conquered by vanquished foes, the breeze kissing her sun-streaked eyes. She had spent all second out on the greens floating by the principal office. She was alone, surrounded by nothing but vacant spaces and sunny skies. She was watching, waiting…her long heeled boots resting next to her, her own webbed toes stretched out in the luxurious grass beneath her.

"Matrix please, we have to listen to Phong, we can't just shut down mainframe in hopes that Daemon won't infect it again, or some other virus…" He spun around, piercing her with his cold glare, his heavy boots clanking down on the marble floors.

"I can't let her destroy my home AndrAIa! I can't let her take apart everything that means something to me!" She placed a hand on his shoulder, turning him towards her, her azure eyes staring down his violet.

"Sparky, we can't. We'll find a way, I promise…It's over…remember?" He shook her off, pulling away and watching her frail body stumble to the ground. Fists clenched as he stepped further away from her.

"It's never over! What do you know about mainframe being a home? What do you know about having a family? A real family? Not one you latched onto because you couldn't handle another second on your own. All you are is a game sprite. You can easily just disappear back into your games and spend the rest of your hours fighting nameless users. That is your function…"

She shook her head. She didn't want to remember his harsh words. They fight, sure, but she couldn't remember a time that it had been that…devastating…

"Is that what you think Enzo-"

"Matrix!"

She glared at him. "If that's what you think…Matrix…then maybe I should just go back to the games, back to the game I came from, because user knows you don't want me here!"

"Fine!" She watched his retreating back, desperately wanting to take back her words, desperately wanting to go to him. She felt the world collapse then, shaking in turmoil as she tried to cry out, to say something-

"AndrAIa?" She shook her head from her thoughts, glancing up to see Glitch-Bob standing next to her, his hand resting delicately on her shoulder.

"Hey Bob…" He placed himself next to her, sitting down onto the generated grass.

"You alright?" He watched her curiously, concern etched into his face as he awaited her reply.

"All you are is a game-sprite."

"Yeah…how are you? How are things going with Dot?" She watched him sigh, resting his head against his knees.

"Not so good…she likes that…other Bob better…" AndrAIa nodded her head. She knew that the Bob with her now, was the original Bob. Despite the changes in appearance, he was still caring, still compassionate and understanding… just…more mature, more experienced, more subdued in mannerisms.

"What do you know about mainframe being a home? What do you know about having a family? A real family? Not one you latched onto because you couldn't handle another second on your own."

"I know it's hard Bob, Dot is just…confused right now. We can't push her; we just have to give her time." AndrAIa rested her own head against her knees, the both of them sitting quietly, watching the sun begin to set over mainframe, a small power down while the system ran minor repairs and tasks.

"How are things with Matrix?" She turned towards him; her large, almond eyes trying to will back her tears.

"He's…I…we…" She faltered. She could not find any words to explain their fight, any words of hope. Normally she knew they'd fix it…but this time? He placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her towards him.

"AndrAIa?" She watched him for a moment then turned away, fighting back streams threatening to spill from her downcast eyes. "AndrAIa…I heard the fight you and Matrix had, I was there…"

"What?" He pulled away for a moment, hands up in surrender.

"It wasn't on purpose. I was trying to find Phong, and walked in on you two…" She turned away again, this time her eyes facing her feet, droplets of rain falling from her soul. "AndrAIa…"

"Its funny, isn't it? Here we are two sprites, a game-sprite and a guardian, completely out of place in a world where normalcy means nothing." She laughed softly, watching the iridescent hues of purple and orange paint across the sky. "All I do is adore him, worship him, put him in his place if needs be. I left my home for him, I left what I knew, I took a dangerous risk, several dangerous risks for him…I do so much…not just for him…but for everybody!" She sighed softly, looking down at her nails. "And what does it matter? Nobody sees me for me; I'm always Enzo's girlfriend, Enzo's sidekick. Everyone still thinks I'm that young, naïve sprite who didn't even know what a null was, or rebooting, who needed protection and guidance….everyone forgets that I'm the one who has been keeping Enzo sane, I'm the one who helped him survive in the games, I'm the one…." She looked out onto the horizon.

"AndrAIa…?" She turned towards him again, the fading light illuminating his strong form. "I appreciate you…You're the only one who believes that I'm the original Bob…you're the only one who…You're the only one who remembers me…I don't know how you can fix things with Matrix…he shouldn't have said those things to you…"

"I know…and I'm always the one running back to him…he always brings up that stupid web creature…about how I almost died...he always makes it like it's a chore for him to protect me…I'm tired of it, I'm just…" she sighed again, her shoulders slumping down again.

"AndrAIa…you just need some time away from him, to get him to understand what he's missing if you're not there. You two…you've been together so long, using each other for constant support while traveling the games, never resting, upgrading so fast its inconceivable. You too were constantly in motion, constantly on alert, constantly fighting for your lives. And now here you too are, in a place that's somewhat more stable despite the growing fear of another infection. He doesn't know what to do with himself or you. Here where normalcy means everything, you don't fit in…I don't fit in…we don't fit in." Bob leaned back against the rock behind him, resting as the dimming light faded into darkness. "Maybe if you did leave for a while, it'll be good for you two…" AndrAIa could barely comprehend the sentence. Leave Enzo? They had never been apart…

"What about you Bob? What are you going to do?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"If…if Dot chooses the other Bob, then I think I'll leave. There's no point in there being two of us here in Mainframe…I might go back to the supercomputer, or to the web and be a web rider again." He looked over to her, extending an arm. She hesitated, never having wanted to feel anyone but Matrix's arm around her body before…but she needed a friend, she needed comfort, she just…she just needed something. She moved over to him, resting her head delicately on his chest, one arm resting against him as they gazed over the system of mainframe. "You're welcome to come, just for a bit with me. Just to get away for a while." She nodded her head.

"I might take you up on that…" She rested against him, absentmindedly tracing her fingers across his Glitch armor. She preferred the way he looked now, the longer hair, the tattooing along the sides of his face. He was still Bob, but he was…different. He was like her, two sprites living in a system that they didn't really belong in. "I don't know why Dot wouldn't pick you Bob, I think…I like the way you look now, you seem different in a good way too, more knowing, more wise, calmer. Dot doesn't need another hyper-active guardian, she needs you." He smiled down at her, stroking her soft aqua hair.

"You know, when I first saw you, I was so surprised. Not in the game with En-Matrix, but on the Saucy Mare. You had grown up so fast…that little girl that followed Matrix around was gone, and in her place…was you." He ran a hand across her cheek, cupping it softly. "AndrAIa, I know you are not Matrix's sidekick, that you are more than that. You are a warrior in her own right, you knew more about game hopping and game survival than anyone. Matrix is trying to re-adjust, he craves excitement and danger, risks and survival. Mainframe is home and it's not his home, he lost his home when you two were trapped in the losing game…" She turned away, tears threatening to spill again.

"Bob…I just, I miss him…I can't go see him, I can't. But I miss him and I'm…" He wrapped his arms around her, tightly now.

"Shh…I know…I know…"

Matrix paced the inner command room of the principle office, his fists clenching, periodically slamming down on the concrete tables. He couldn't find her; he couldn't seem to get a lock on her. He hadn't really been looking, not truthfully. She was always around and now…she was nowhere in sight. He hadn't seen her in two seconds. Mouse said she was still here, still around…but Matrix couldn't seem to find her, see her…he wasn't sure if he wanted to. He didn't know if he could face her, not after what he said.

"Hey Matrix." He turned to see Ray, fury building within his code. Immediately his gun was drawn and pointed.

"Target… Deletion."

"Whoo! Matrix hold on, I'm not here to piss you off. I just wanted to know if you knew the codes for the archive system. Mouse has gone off with Dot to the supercomputer."

"No…sorry Tracer…" Matrix reluctantly brought his gun down and opted to slump down into a nearby chair.

"You all right mate?" Ray sat down on his board, hovering above the floor, waiting for a response.

"I fucked it up. I fucked it right up. I'm just…I can't find her Ray, and…god I told her I'd never leave her again and here I am, avoiding her." He buried his face against his hands. In that moment of weakness, Ray knew something big was up. Matrix never showed weakness in front of him.

"Look mate, I'm not going to pry. It's not my business. But whatever it is you did or did not due, you've had AndrAIa running. So you need to find her and talk to her. Love can conquer all boundaries, but it cannot always succeed…" He left Matrix then, alone in the barely functioning command room. It was all Matrix could do to not break down and cry.