"Donna-marie, before you go, I need you to see if they can put a rush on Sector 34 of our genome profiles," requested Angel Boynton of her assistant. Since the cuts in Federal funding took effect, it was increasingly difficult to get research work accomplished on time – let alone a rush situation.
"You sure you want to rush that, Angel? With the austerity crew they have in that department?" Donna-marie's expression was decidedly painful. "We're doing this for Astro."
Angel smiled, groaned and explained, "Yeah, I know, but my father-in-law will ask the same of them if we don't do it first, and after the snit-fit he put on for us this afternoon . . . " she sighed, shook her head, and looked up from her computer, "Let's just say he's a little bit more uptight than usual and I'd rather not have to deal with any collateral damage. Besides, if they don't do a decent job on it, we'll just resubmit the samples. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea anyway."
Donna sat down, "Does this mean they are going to – what do they call it? – 'activate' him soon?"
Angel looked up into Donna's eyes. She was used to keeping many secrets and confidences, but Donna-marie Leone was Angel's "right arm" at the Institute of Science, and their working relationship had grown into a genuine friendship. Still, certain things were not to be shared – with anyone. When she broke eye contact, Donna leapt to her feet, "Angel! They DID it?! Don't tell me they didn't because you SUCK as a liar with me!"
Angel groaned and buried her face in her hands. "I knew I should have gone straight home, but then I'd have to face Shaum and Sarah." In one swift motion, she stood up and strode across her office, arms folded across her chest. "I couldn't tell anyone. Not even the children – you know, in case he didn't wake up." She turned to face Donna-maire, and smiled for a moment, "And, no, they don't "activate" a clone . . . they "awaken" it. But that's not important. What is unsettling is that he didn't know who I was."
Donna gasped and ran over to her friend, "NO! Th-that's not possible, I'm sorry, from everything I've read, that is NOT how this will turn out." She put her arms around Angel who collapsed into the sobs of person who has been holding back too much pain for far too long. "Come on, get it out of your system" she said as she guided Angel to the settee, and grabbed a bottle of spring water from the small fridge. "Here," she put the opened bottle in her hand, "What we need is some vodka for that!" Angel laughed as Donna put a box of tissues in her other hand.
At that point someone knocked on the door, and opened it before either woman had a chance to respond. It was Nick Watson. He took one look at Angel and knew what had happened. "Uh-oh, she told you, huh?" he asked of Donna-maire.
"YOU knew about it?"
Nick snorted, "I was THERE! Hey, he's my bff . . . or, sort of kind of is . . . was . . ."
Now Donna was miffed, "Well, I guess I see where I stand in the universe of Astro's important peeps!"
"No, Donna, it's not like that at all! After all his own children weren't there – and they don't have any idea it happened today either."
She looked at both Angel's concerned expression, and Nick's focus on opening a bag of popcorn from the snack machine down the hall. "So the old man figured Astro's childhood friend and wife might help kickstart the recognition thing?"
"Don't forget Jim Elefun," said Nick between handfuls of popped corn.
Donna looked at the snack. "You gonna share that? Looks like it's going to be a long night." Nick winked and offered her the bag.
"Actually, my father-in-law didn't want any of us there" remarked Angel.
Nick took the bag back when he saw how much Donna had helped herself to, "Heh, yeah then Elefun popped the 'do you know who Astro Boy is' question and old man Boynton just about blew up in his own pants!" He laughed at the memory of it. "It was a little scary, but also pretty cool. I thought Dr. Elefun was gonna keel over!"
"Wait," Donna inquired of Nick, "Did he recognize you?"
With a sense of pride he responded, "Hell, yeah!" Angel shot him a look, "Well, he seemed to, but asked how come I looked so old." Nick saw her reaction, and added, "He didn't exactly NOT recognize you, Angel. And he kept looking at you . . . so it's like he knows who you are, deep down, y'know?"
"What's he doing now?" inquired Donna-marie.
Nick laughed, "They gave him some druuuugs to sleep! Can you imagine? Astro Boy on druuugs?"
Both women shook their heads and dismissed Watson's lighthearted take on this whole event, which wasn't surprising, but bordered on the extremely annoying. Then Donna offered a suggestion to Angel, "Why don't you just 'blink' in there? The nurse is probably watching a movie at the station outside the door. They'll probably check every three hours . . . maybe just hang out, and if he wakes up – just talk to him. Or better yet – give him a kiss or something."
"Something?" That was Nick.
Donna shook her head and continued, "Really – that might be what he needs to connect the dots. Especially if what Nick said was true – he kind of knew you were important to him."
"Well," Angel mused, "I could certainly do that. My only fear is that if something goes wrong, then I have to deal with . . ."
"Robert the Intimidator! MMMWAAH HA HAAA!" Nick smiled sweetly, then offered in his clinical, professional voice, "Angel, darling, you made him a grandpa. He loooves you. And better yet . . . he's a little bit afraid of you and the kids, ya know?" Angel frowned. "Naaaah I'm telling you – the ball is in your court, missy."
"Speaking of the kids," Angel began …
"Nick and I can take care of them tonight," offered Donna. She turned to Dr. Watson, "Right?"
"Sure thing!" he exclaimed, "We'll get a pizza, help them with homework, watch a movie . . . it'll be great. And if they ask about this we'll say, well, we think your mom is hanging out with your dad to see how he is when he wakes up." He looked at Donna-maire, slid an arm around her waist and said, "I promise, no getting fresh during the movie!"
She gave him a playful poke in the arm and said, "Good. You go pick up some pizzas, and I'll head over to the apartment."
Angel hugged them both, and sent them on their way. Settling into her mind she felt both of their presences – they had been "reaching" for her, but she had been "blocking" them. She focused her thoughts into a message "I'm alright, we are trying to bring Dad around – I need to stay and to concentrate. Nick and Donna-maire are bringing over pizza and will be with you until I get home."
Both Shaum and Sarah "heard" their mother's voice in the part of their minds that held an awareness most Earth humans had lost use of over the millennia. Each child returned their own acknowledgement of the communication to Angel.
After sending a few emails, Angel logged off her computer, meditated a few moments, and stood up, focusing on Astro's room. She held the vision of it firmly in her mind, and let herself travel to the location, unseen – to reform at his bedside. Opening her eyes before completing the reformation, she could see the room was darkened, and could hear Astro softly snoring. Snoring! He had never snored before. She drew herself together, and stood there, at the foot of her husband's bed.
She walked quietly over to be near his face. Leaning close to him, she whispered his name, "Astor, can you hear me?"
He didn't respond at all. After waiting a few moments, she decided to try and reach him through telepathic communication. Not only could she feel his presence, but it was a sensation much, much stronger than it had ever been. She let her small message move out to him, hoping against hope it might rouse him from sleep. "I love you."
The reaction was not quite what she expected. His whole body jumped, and she felt an unstructured return of energy from him that she couldn't decipher. But he did stir, and he did open his eyes.
"Mom?" he mumbled.
Angel smiled and whispered in his ear, "Nooo, guess again!"
Groggy, Astro pushed himself upright, and looked around the room. Angel lit the "nightlight" feature on the lamp next to his bed.
"It's you. You again!" He smiled – at least he wasn't displeased to see her once more.
"I'm here to help you remember" she whispered with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
Astro chuckled, "Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that?"
"Like this," she purred, and tenderly, lightly kissed his mouth. Then his chin. Then his throat. "You have . . . whiskers . . . and look! . . . you have an Adam's Apple now!"
He was thoroughly enjoying all this attention, and wrapped his arms around the beautiful blonde haired woman who apparently played some part in his life. Maybe if I kiss her back, I'll remember.
Bad idea. He mashed his mouth against hers in a clumsy fashion that wasn't at all like any kiss Astro have ever given Angel. Worse yet, he decided grabbing her bottom might improve the likelihood of recalling their past relationship.
"Stop!" Angel cried breathlessly and pulled herself off of Astro. "That's . . . not . . . you."
"But I . . ." he started, "I'm trying to remember."
She shook her head back and forth, "No. This isn't right. You don't remember. It feels like you, but it's not . . . it's not the same person."
Suddenly Astro had a kind of "flash;" a momentary image in his mind. And it was this same woman, and it was . . . him? "Oh my God," he breathed looking away, and then looking back at her, both embarrassed and stunned. "I've made love with you."
Now it was Angel's turn to look stunned as she shook her head 'no.' But Astro continued, "Yes, I have. Many times. We have children . . ."
His heart was pounding in his chest and suddenly a chirping sound went off in one of the devices monitoring his vital signs. He looked at Angel, startled, when suddenly before his eyes, she vanished.
The door opened and the nurse walked briskly over to the beside. She turned off the alarm and adjusted the IV. "Looks like you had a nightmare. Don't worry Dr. Boynton, they'll go away in a few days."
"Dr. Boynton?" he asked, "That's my father."
This nurse had clearly not been fully advised as to Astro's condition, "Well, yes, it is, but it's also you and also your wife."
"The blonde woman."
"Uh-huh, don't you tell me you don't remember Angel!"
He looked befuddled.
"I think you'd better go back to sleep, sir." She adjusted the dosage, and Astro quickly returned to sleep.