D.D.R

Quorra stared adamantly at the sun, her gaze never faltering, even if the sun stung her eyes. Breathtaking, well, since she has only recently learnt what exactly defined "breath", and along with it, "breathing", she felt her breath leave her as she gazed at the large underappreciated yellow orb, she felt the only word that comes close to describe what she was experiencing is 'breathtaking'.

She felt a slight nudge against her stomach, unable to take her eyes off the sun, she responded with a: "Yes, Sam?"

Sam Flynn, concentrating his attention solely on the roads ahead, handed her a pair of what appeared to be a pair of darkened lens held in place by a skinny frame with one hand, while the other gripping tightly onto the Ducati's handle. She analyzed its structure, unable to come up with a reasonable conjecture… she turned her attention to ask Sam, "What am I suppose to do with this?"

She did not receive any verbal response, so once again, her eyes fixed themselves onto the bright glowing celestial body known as the sun. Within a minute, Sam pulled the motorcycle over to a curb, loosened its kickstand and took off his helmet. He turned around to face her, "Here, hand me those sunglasses I gave you."

Quorra's face took a quizzical complexion, "Sun…. glasses? Do these glasses have suns in them?" She held them up into the air and looked through the lens, feeling distraught as she could not locate any 'suns'. "Am I using them incorrectly, Sam?" She handed the sunglasses back to him.

"Hold still for a moment." He said, as he turned the "sunglasses" around and placed them over her eyes. "Sorry I couldn't explain earlier, was a little preoccupied." He saw her fidgeting with the new accessories, and before she could ask… "They are suppose to protect your eyes from the U-V rays emitted from the sun, it's why your eyes feel prickly whenever you stare too long at it." He smiled briskly, "Anyways, resume your fawning. We'll be home in a few moments".

As Sam returned to the road, she wrapped her arms around him once more as to prevent herself from falling off, hugging him tightly. "Thank you." Smiling, she once more returned her gaze to the sun, feeling the sensation of the rays of light making contact with her skin. Her eyes no longer hurt from looking at the sun, although, the sunglasses dimmed the radiance of its being. She chose to take them off, wanting to embrace it without safety filters, if it hurt her, then so be it. She lived the majority of her life having Kevin protect her, nurturing her, protecting her from harm's way. But now, he's… gone.

Her arms contracted around Sam's waist faintly, startling him, "Is something wrong Quorra?" His voice filled with concern.

She considered his question, is something wrong? She was suffering from grief perhaps? Kevin once told her that Users feel saddened whenever loved ones passed away. But does that necessarily mean something was wrong? Her mentor protected her from CLU and his henchmen, and since he's no longer with them, how will she fair in this exotic and unknown world?

"Quorra? Are you feeling sick or anything? Did something happen to you when we came out of the Grid?" Sam's voice rose slightly at her reticence.

That's right… Sam's here with her, along to help her. She mused to herself, she would trust him as he trusted her in the Grid. She isn't alone, she isn't helpless, she made a resolution to herself: she will not let all those years of learning and understanding with her mentor go to waste; she will not let Kevin's sacrifice come to naught, as much as for her sake as well as Sam's.

Smiling brilliantly at her epiphany, she finally responded, "No, everything is fine, you're here with me."

"Uh… I'm… glad…" Unable to find a more appropriate response to her vague answer, he simply drove (rode?) on, and Quorra returned to her silent sightseeing.

Only to have their reverie broken by an obnoxiously loud bass.

"They see me rolllinn', they hatin', patrollin' they tryin' to catch meh ridin' dirty".

Sam scoffed and accelerated ahead of the stereo blasting car, only to have Quorra pop another question at him. "Sam, what was that?"

"That was nothing but some stuck up, conceited, egotistical, teenagers…"

"Oh, so those 'stuck up, conceited, egotistical, teenagers' were making that sound?"

"Oh." So she was referring to that, "No, what you have just heard was a song, music, playing through a stereo, originated from another source such as a CD, which contains multi-media files… at an overly loud volume." He answered calmly, trying to be as thorough and technical as possible.

"Is there more like it?" Quorra asked excitedly, "Although, I'm not sure I enjoyed that particular 'song', is that what you called it?"

"Yea, there are plenty more like it, well…" He stopped for a moment, thinking about how to clarify this. "Each song is a somewhat different, each have their own distinctive feeling, its own stories to tell, its experiences to share. Think of it this way, the song's creator inputted a part of himself or herself into that song for everyone else to enjoy, just as each… User is different, his or her experiences varying with their lives, the songs' sounds and content will vary as well."

"A User can input a part of themselves into a song?" Quorra was unable to fathom such techniques or the pain they must endure. The air filled with Sam's chuckle and he shook his head.

"No, no, a part of their life experiences, not physical body parts, Quorra."

"Perhaps I will be able to comprehend better if I have some examples."

"Perhaps."

The city sped passed her eyes, unable to catch a clear sight of some things as Sam was driving at dangerously high speeds in defiance of laws. He was almost like an anarchist, spiting law, order, and norms, just by being himself. She continued to muse, he would not purposely put others in danger however, only simply mocking the world of its desires for order and perfection… much like his former father. Maybe this was a side-effect from his abandonment? Maybe in Sam's mind… he was spiting his father instead of society? Possibly… and then, she heard him laugh. She barely caught it; his laugh was subtle, drowned by the roars of the wind. She realized he was simply having fun, enjoying himself and the thrill of bearing down the highway at 120 M.P.H. and smiled as she realized the similarities they shared.

She was brought out of her thoughts at the change of scenery, instead of suburban paradise that surrounded her just a moment ago, she was now near by a run-down, gawky, and old harbor. Sam pressed a button, and a part of the front wall opened, revealing a rather… cozy arrangement of furniture. She felt the vehicle come to a slow stop, and she jumped down enthusiastically, taking in her surroundings. She smiled at the similarities of his home and Kevin's hideout, both were simple and pragmatic, rather blunt and purposeful.

"What's that smile for?" Sam said as he took off his helmet.

"Like father, like son." She smiled wistfully as she skipped around the exterior of the room gracefully, running her fingers across everything she could touch. "Both of you had a proclivity towards simplicity, 'simplify, simplify, simplify!', might you be a transcendentalist in a sheep's clothing?"

"No way, Quorra" Sam laughed, "more like an immature and lazy man-child than anything else."

She walked towards him and took his hand, cold from riding out in the open without protection, "I do not think you are lazy, Sam, simply living without a purpose."

"You're not the first to tell me that. Anyways, want to try out some of that music we were talking about earlier?" He said nervously, wanting to change the subject at hand.

She beamed, and he could have sworn he saw rays of light emitting from her body.

"Yes, I want to learn all that there is to this world!"

He took out his phone and plugged in a pair of earphones. "Hold still for a moment." Her body froze rigidly in compliance. He placed the earphones gently and scrolled through his playlist, it had everything from classical to techno.

"Sam, what are these in my ears?" She touched the wires leading up to the ear pieces.

"Patience, all shall be revealed young grasshopper." He laughed gently as he tried to find a song she might like.

"What's a grassho – Oh, sound! These things emit sound?" She jumped up animatedly, "Oh, this is wonderful! Wait, I believe there is something Users do whenever listening to music…" She placed her hand under her chin and thought for a moment, "Ah, they dance! Sam, would you please teach me how to dance?"

He chuckled nervously, dancing… the last time he tried to dance was at the high school prom…. Where he tripped his date numerous times as a result of his ineptitude to dance adequately, earning a hard slap to the face for ruining her prom. Poor girl…

"I'm not well-learned enough to teach you how to dance Quorra…" he answered weakly.

"You're more learned than me. Please, Sam?" She begged, holding his hand in both of hers as she took a begging poise. Damn, it's hard to deny her anything…

He sighed resignedly, and laughed again, "Oh sure, why not, not like we can die or anything." He changed to a song he can manage, classical.

"Alright… do you know anything about dancing, Quorra?" He asked as he took her hands awkwardly, unsure as to how to proceed at such a sudden request.

"No, I have only heard from Kevin's anecdotes and read it as a description as an event in books." She responded while observing Sam's movements, scrutinizing every single move and mentally taking notes.

"Relax, you're too rigid… dancing is supposed to be fun." He felt her arms suddenly go lax, "Okay… a little too relax, you have to control your movements."

"Dancing: A series of movements involving two partners, where speed and rhythm match harmoniously with music. Is that correct Sam? If so, you need to be able to hear the music as well." She quickly placed one of the earphones into his ear, smiling smugly at her accomplishment, "There."

Sam smiled slightly at their situation, and her child-like innocence. Great, he's starting to have feelings for isomorphic algorithm. He looked at her again, only to be stared at back by intent eyes, waiting for him to do something. They were only inches apart, and he could feel the heat emitting off of her body. His body tensed, sheesh, why was he so nervous? Not as if he hasn't danced with the opposite sex before.

Since this was classical music… they should do something classical? Right? Well, here goes nothing… God, this is going to be cheesy.

"Wrap your arms around my waist and hold on to me tightly…" This sounds like something that came out of a fangirl's head after she drank over 9,000 cans of coke and watched reruns of Romeo and Juliet too many times…

"Like this?" She grinned as she did as was instructed… wrapped her warm… elegant… ahem… arms around him and… squeezed him as hard as hell.

"Too. Tight. Quorra." He managed to cough out as he felt his inner organs crushed against her abnormal strength.

"Sorry…" her face was downcast, "I promise I'll get it right next time!"

He chuckled after he regained his breath, "Don't worry about it… let's try that again…"

After several grueling hours of work, they were finally able to sway to the music. Its almost like programming, the program does exactly as instructed, the program itself is never at fault, and it only malfunctions as a result of the programmer's incompetence to input the correct commands. That's how he felt right now about teaching Quorra, he needs to be ever precise in his instructions. So far, he's been thrown across the room when he told her to "Swing me around", been spun like a dradle at around 300π revolutions per second when he told her to "Spin me around slowly…", and many others when he told her to perform specific movements.

By the end of the day, he was covered in bruises… and Quorra looked as apologetic as ever.

"Quorra, I've told you already, its fine." He reassured her as he readjusted one of the icepacks to one of his bruises on his upper arm.

"If you are, as you say 'fine', then what are these purple bumps all over your body. If my readings are correct, these are blood clots formed whenever you broke or ruptured a blood vessel. You are not 'fine' Sam Flynn." She crossed her arms, "Now, let me help, since all of your injuries are due to my inability to dance." She frowned slightly, but it passed as she stood her ground.

Once more, he gave up, and simply let her do as she pleased. She found a roll of bandages in the bathroom, "Hold still." She smiled as she realized that their situations are reversed once more. While Quorra was mummifying him, he noticed how close they were again… and how absolutely adorable she looked as she concentrated with her might to lessen his pains. He sighed, and winced slightly as she began to wrap up his abdomen area. Was he really suppose to feel like this? Towards a computer program nonetheless… but she wasn't a program anymore, in fact… she is more 'real' than some people he knows.

He jumped up quickly, determined to at least perfect 'swaying' before the end of the day.

"One last time Quorra." He offered his hands to her, after he finally decided to turn on his stereo instead of using the MP3.

She looked at them hesitantly, "Sam, I do not wish to cause you anymore harm… it pains me to see you hurt because of me." She looked down as she could not look him in the eyes.

Seeing this, he grabbed her hands, and held her close to him, earning him a small gasp out of her. He smiled at her, prompting her to wrap her arms around him.

"One last time." He repeated lightly, keeping his smile.

She complied, "Thank you for believing in me" tentatively, held him against herself gently

"See, we're getting the hang of this." He began to rock side to side with her against him. Her body heat diffusing and reaching him, making him quite warm, not that he wasn't feeling warm already.

Quorra smiled brilliantly at his comment and began to sway along side with him. He held up his arm above her, spurring her to spin around and come back into his grasp. They moved in rhythm with the music, step matching step, breath matching breath, heart beat matching heart beat.

And like that, they danced the hour away. The music finally stopped, and they stopped moving. However Quorra decided she did not want it to end quite yet, she took too much delight in it for it to end… she was so grateful for his patience, his kindness, and his understanding…

She looked up at him, and hugged him tightly

Grinning , she whispered, "thank you, Sam… I wish everyday could be like this… so tranquil, calm, peaceful."

He chuckled lightly, "It was a pleasure, Quorra."

Author's note:

First story in about... four years. Can anyone figure out what D.D.R. stands for? I'll give you a hint... its something that most Asians will know. xP

This story took a completely different turn than I first intended... preceding to where the sun-oogling instead of to the house or something. Yea, oh well, more for your eyes to digest I suppose.

Reviews, criticisms, flames, pledges of love / hate will be taken seriously, and will be much appreciated. (Although pledges of love might be a little disconcerning...).

Edit: Gawd, rereading this was so cheeeesyyyyy ...