Ok, this is a little something i did to try and rid myself of a case of writers block for Plan A.v.A. This takes place about 2 hours (years) after season 4. Its sad, but got the idea...so...hear it is. please R&R. thanks! Cheers!
Double Edged SadnessIt was cycles like these that she cherished. Her beaming smile could be seen from a parsec away as she boarded the transport, bound for home. Home. It had been a short second away, but it had felt like an entire hour. The conference, as usual, had been intriguing, informative, and exhausting. Traveling from system to system for these United Net Systems conferences had become part of her routine now. After receiving the news three cycles ago, however, the conference had become almost a burden that kept her from her new task. This new task was a very important one, and she couldn't wait to get back home to tell everyone.
"You have a call, Mrs. Matrix." The Transport-Attendant smiled.
"Oh!" Dot looked up from her thoughts, her hands fidgeting with the wedding band on her finger. It had been almost a full hour, but it still made her giggle slightly every time she looked at its sparkling brilliance. She took the vid-card from the attendant with a curious grin. "Thank you."
"Your welcome." The T.A. walked down the aisle to had out a few more last minute calls before the transport made its way to the portal.
"Hello?" Dot said after placing the card into the vid-screen, waiting for the picture to focus. Transport vids were always fuzzy.
"Hey!" Bob smiled at her from the other side of the vid-window.
"Bob! Hi." Dot smiled. "What are you calling me here for, ill be home in under a millisec!"
"I know." Bob grinned. "Just wanted to make sure you got to the transport ok."
"Bob, have I ever missed a transport?" Dot laughed lightly. Bob was never the one to worry, except when it came to her.
"No." Bob laughed. "How was the conference?"
"Oh, the same. A lot of new news, a lot of bickering, and a lot of negotiating."
"Sounds like fun." Bob said with an obviously sarcastic undertone.
"Well it was." Dot stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, " she had to stop a girlish giggle of giddiness from rising to the surface. "I have some news for us."
"For us?" Bob raised en eyebrow.
"Well, for everyone, actually. Don't worry, its good news!"
"Ok, so tell me!" Bob grinned.
"No. You can wait until I get home."
"Ahw Dot! " Bob hated when she did that, but it made him laugh. "Alright."
"Last call. Please stow away all luggage, turn off all vid-windows, and prepare for departure." The voice spoke over the transport's intercom.
"Oh, I have to go Bob. See you soon!" Dot held back her giddiness.
"Ok Dot. Ill be there to pick you up." He gave a less than assured grin, however. He had yet to find a reliable vehicle.
"So I should expect a ride from Hex as usual?" Dot smirked.
"Uhm, ya." Bob laughed. She new him to well. "See you soon."
"By." Dot reached to turn off the vid window.
"Love you Dot." Bob got in at the last minute. He never trusted transports, no matter how many times she rode on one. Knowing she was on one always made him uneasy.
"Love you too." She gave a beaming smile before shutting off the vid-window. The transport jutted into motion as it ascended toward the portal. She sat back into the unusually comfortable seat, his smile and words sticking in her mind. She couldn't wait to get home.
*********
"Thanks for the lift, Hex." Bob had been unsuccessful at beating his own car into submission with the wrench earlier.
"Anytime, Bob!" Hex grinned. "We made it with time to spare, as usual!" Hex had gotten used to taking Bob to pick up Dot, not that she minded. She looked at the Mainframe transport station as she pulled into a parking spot. It was a jumbled of commotion. "Aww, a party and I wasn't invited!"
"What's going on?" Bob had never seen the station like this. He received his answer as a vid window popped up in the car's call center.
"Bob!" Phong called from the other end, a look of distress in his eyes.
"Phong? What's going on? The transport station is going random!"
"Then you haven't heard." Phong lowered his head slightly.
"Heard what?" Hex interjected.
"Bob, Dot's transport didn't make it to the station." Phong got out with a lowered head after a moment of silence.
"What!" Bob's entire world stopped moving.
"But, where did it go?" Hex questioned.
"We are not sure. We are waiting for a net-wide system's check in. With any luck, it will have simply made an unscheduled stop, or lost communication, or…" Phong was grasping for an excuse that could make sense.
"Bob, look." Hex pointed up as large announcement vids popped up around the transport station. If it were possible, her ivory face would have been a few shades paler at that moment.
"This is Mike the Tv with exclusive footage…" For a moment, Mike was silent. That unusual silence stuck a sword in Bob's side. "and some…horrible, horrible… news."
"No…" Bob whispered as he slowly got out of the car, walking toward the large vid-window with his neck arched upwards. He didn't even notice as Hex walked up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Today, a transport bound for a scheduled stop in Mainframe crashed down into the AGP Ampatheater in the Vetta system. There are, at this time, no reports…" Mike stopped again, fighting back an emotional splurge. "for hope of survivors."
"Dear User." Hex shook her head, thinking it must be a sick joke. She gently lower Bob to his knees as he lost all will to stand.
"Mainframe's own respected and loved…" Mike swallowed hard. " Dot Matrix was among the 120 passengers who lost their lives on this most…dark…of cycles. Truly, User be with their friends and families. User be with us all." Mike broke down into tears as the picture faded from the crash scene to a picture of a smiling Dot.
"Its not…real…" Bob shook his head, unable to make himself look up at the picture on the vid screen. "It's a dream…a nightmare…its not real." Bob lost all his senses, his mind and body going into shock, sending him into a black void of unimaginable pain.
*********
"Bob?" Hex slowly opened the bedroom door and looked in. She sighed as she looked at Bob who sat on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands.
"Hi, Hex." Bob barely managed to choke out from his dry throat. The funeral had been bad enough, and he was unable to face the crowd that sat talking downstairs. He hated after funeral receptions, he hated wearing black, and at that very moment he hated his entire life.
"Bob, I can ask them to leave, if you want." Hex walked slowly into the room, the deep set frown etched on her face. Its permanent presence over the past few cycles had made it look like she was wearing the viral masks again.
"No. Thanks Hex, but they have every right to be here. She was theirs too."
"Yes, Bob, but she was your wife." Hex knelt down in front of him, placing a hand on his knee. After a moment of silence, she nodded to him. "I will tell them that you needed a rest. I am sure they will all understand."
"Thank you." He nodded in return as she stood to go. He raised his eyebrow as she turned around toward the door. "Hex, what is that?"
"Oh." Hex held up the package, then clutched its slightly burnt form to her chest. "Never you mind. It can wait until later."
"Hex…" Bob pushed.
"Bob, I…" Hex lowered her head. "It's a package, from Dot. They found it in the wreckage."
"What?"
"It was just delivered by Tiggs, the CPU commander. I wasn't sure if you…" Hex hesitated. "I think it was meant for your Birthday."
"Please, Hex." Bob took the package from Hex and looked down at it. With all that had happened, he had forgotten that tomorrow was his birthday. Its beautiful blue paper and red bow were burnt and smelled of smoke. He ran his fingers over it, biting his lower lip as he fought back stinging tears. He lifted up the crinkled card and opened the envelope. The smell of her perfume drifted into the air, causing his eyes to well up again. He glanced up to see Hex sneaking quietly out of the room. "Hex…"
"Turbo is waiting downstairs, and I'm sure you.."
"Hex, please, I cant be alone…not with this." He pleaded with his dear friend to stay, if only to keep himself from falling back into the black void of detachment again.
"Alright, Bob." She nodded slowly and took a seat in a chair across from the foot of the bed. She shook her head in a mournful sigh as she watched up open and read the card. The happiest and most carefree sprite, those traits being the reason she loved him so, was now the most lost and alone sprite she had even seen. He had been cut in half and now sat incomplete. The net would never be the same again.
"To my dear Bobby Brown-eyes." He whispered across his lips as he read. Reading her pet-name for him made him smile slightly, a flashing image of her happy face creeping its way into his mind for the first time since the crash. He choked on his words and read the rest silently to himself.
"To my dear Bobby Brown-eyes,
I hope this news and this present makes this birthday the best yet. I had been hopping it was true for the past minute and a half. It figures I would be away on conference when I found out that it was. It took a lot of strength not to tell you the nano I found out that I had been given a new task, but I really wanted to make it special for you. You know how I like to plan everything. I hope this does the trick. Happy birthday, Bob.
Love always,
Dot
"I will always love you, Dot. I promise." Bob mumbled as he folded the card, holding its perfumed surface to his nose for a moment. Its sweet smell invaded his senses and carried that moment on for what seemed like eternity. Opening his eyes once again, he set the card aside and looked down at the burnt and scarred box. He didn't want to open it. He wanted to pretend that it was his birthday, and that Dot was waiting for him in the other room to open the gift so she could rush in and hug him with a planned surprise party. No matter how long he waited, however, he knew that when he opened that package, Dot still wouldn't be there.
"Ok, then." Bob took in a deep breath and looked at Hex as she sat silently across the room. She nodded to him and he looked down, running his fingers back across the blue paper. Slowly, he slid the red ribbon down and off the sides of the box, holding his breath as he gently lifted the top. As he moved the tissue paper away, he laughed slightly as confetti littered the floor. He always loved confetti. What waited for him inside of the package brought the laughter to an abrupt halt, his breath now caught among the sobs that began to make their way to the surface. His vision blurred from the uncontrollable waves of tears as the package fell to the floor, sending the picture frame tumbling onto the carpet.
"Bob?" Hex knelt down and picked up the picture frame. The picture that sat inside made tears slowly fall from her own eyes. "Oh dear User, no." She wrapped her arms around the now shaking Bob and wept with him. They wept for Dot, they wept for each other, and the wept for the tiny spark of life that had only just begun before it was snuffed out forever. The picture of the fetal sonogram slid from Hex's fingers and onto the bed. The net would truly never be the same again.