Disclaimer: I don't own Reboot

The fake copy was living with the real Bob up until that point, and had done his best to make the best of it- from wearing Bob's clothes to purposely getting the couch dirty. Arguing over the bed was fun, but eventually the real Bob won again. Oh well- at least he was too irritated to sleep.

But bothering Bob was just the icing on the perfect cake. Then again, what good is cake without the icing? Dot was the real prize, but that didn't mean Megabyte couldn't enjoy the competition, and he was more than willing to take any cheap trick he could use to gain the upper hand.

He could have used this as an opportunity to cause some trouble while everyone thought they were safe, but he could go back to that anytime. And it wouldn't be long before he did. Viruses are predatory by nature, and he couldn't go against his programming for long.

Even when he woke up on Dot's couch, he knew it wouldn't last. Even though she was running her fingers through his hair, he knew he couldn't keep up the act forever. So he just closed his eyes and savored the feeling. Megabyte took in a deep breath and enjoyed her scent. It was too bad viruses had a better sense of smell than sprites did; Bob would have loved this. Megabyte's grin widened as thought about how much Bob was missing out on.

"I still don't understand why you didn't sleep with me." Megabyte looked shocked for a second when he heard her say that. For a fraction of a nano, he was so caught up in Dot Matrix that he had forgotten who's form he was in. "We are engaged now."

She looked irritated, but she still thought he was Bob, and Megabyte could use that to his advantage.

"We still have time for that." he reminded her, but it wasn't entirely true. They had things they had to do. Dot had to check on her businesses like she did everyday, and as a fake Bob, Megabyte would have an easier time pulling off the act if he patrolled the city.

The hover board made it easier to see everything, but it wasn't like there was anything to see. But flying around through the air gave Megabyte some time to think.

Love was something he was not capable of expressing, but Bob could. As Bob he felt that is was easier to express his deep feelings for Dot. He could even bond with Enzo and Matrix. Maybe he could even teach Enzo how to play his guitar and sports before someone found out who he really was.

Why did he have to be a virus?

For once, Megabyte was actually trying to behave. Sure, it was just for his amusement and it was nice for everyone to see him as the hero for once, but it was taking a lot of effort. And what was he really getting out of it, other than bothering Bob again?

Dot.

Was she worth it?

Definately.

So why couldn't he go through with it last night? He had proposed to her. She said 'yes'. Now they were engaged. This was what he had wanted. So why couldn't he go through with it last night? He was enjoying being with her, so why couldn't he do everything he wanted to? No one could have stopped him, and Dot wouldn't have tried.

Did he want her to try?

He sighed. Megabyte knew what the answer was. He didn't want her to fight back. He wanted her to want him, but he didn't want to have to trick her into it. Over all the time he had spent trying get his precious Megaframe, he had developed feeling for her. She was clever and physically capable of defending herself against most of Mainframe's citizens, and they all listened to her.

They could have made such a great team if had only been on the same side. But she was good and he was evil, and he couldn't pretend to be something he wasn't for much longer.

Megabyte lowered himself into a dark alley.

This was better. This was sinister and evil. Even if he wasn't doing anything illegal, at least he looked suspicious. It wasn't enough to crave his need for destruction, but it would comfort him for the moment.

He sat against a wall. It was cold. It was so firm. It reminded of his real home. He wanted go back to being Megabyte, but he needed to put it off a little longer. He closed his eyes and tried to get his thoughts straightened out.

Surely there was some way to talk himself out of this. What good was Dot for in the long run? The more he pretended the closer they were going to get. They could bond now, but it wouldn't last. Megabyte would always be a virus, and she would always be a sprite. In the end, she would go back to hating him and seeing him for what he really was.

That was just the way it was going to be and he couldn't stop it. He wasn't capable of loving anyone, so why should they love him?

Even Nibbles probably hates him.

And why shouldn't he? After all, Megabyte only kept him as a pet. Even though he had occasionally called him 'Father', it wasn't like they were really family. The only thing that could have connected them was that the machine that scientist made was the one that created him. Megabyte wasn't even a complete virus- he was just a fraction of one.

And his poor sister...

He had always fought with his dear sister, but now she was gone. He couldn't shed many tears for her- viruses could only cry so much- but he wasn't complete without her. They had once been one virus, torn apart by mere accident because of some stupid machine.

Everytime he thought of her, he was reminded of his own incompleteness. They had once been one being, and then they were mere fragments of what they once were.

And now he was alone.

Nibbles had his real children back, and now Matrix was there with them. A being so quick to kill, so willing to cheat to get what he wanted, a sprite so much like that despised virus was enjoying everything that Megabyte had lost. Matrix had his sister. Matrix had Nibbles. Matrix even had a copy of his younger self to take under his wings.

And all Megabyte had was a lie. All he could do was pretend to be a part of something he knew he didn't belong in.

"Oh no."

Whoever had said that wasn't alone. Someone shushed him. The real Bob couldn't have heard them, but a virus certainly could. Megabyte kept listening as they walked off. There were four them, and if they didn't want Bob to see them, chances were that they were up to no good.

Megabyte had no trouble sneaking through the darkness. Even if he had been in his true form, he knew how to make the shadows hide him. But Bob's form was smaller, and easier to hide behind trash cans and boxes.

Eventually his patience wore thin. He didn't care what they were up to- he just needed to destroy someone, and if he didn't strike now, those four would find their way back into the open.

They made a turn and came face to face with the virus in his true form. His grin was the last thing they saw before his claws took them all out with one strike. It had been so long since he got blood on his claws. He relaxed a bit as he licked up their blood.

Perhaps all his inner monster needed was an occasional Hunt to keep it satisfied.