Roger opened the main control and he ran from Big O. He searched.

"Roger Smith!" Jude called.

Roger ran cautiously across the ruin and rubble. Jude met his face and Dorothy in his arms. .
"Dorothy!" Roger carefully took Dorothy in his arms from Jude. He stared for long moments to her. Her face made no expression…
"You're no good at protecting Roger Smith."
"Well your insults haven't changed; Are you alright?" Roger asked.

Dorothy nodded.
"He merely breached my memory bank and used the memories inside to operate that ancient megadues."
Jude looked at them with a weak smile, and then he turned his attention to the sky. There was a cloudy overcast as always.
His hair blew over his eyes and in disappointment a shadow overcast his face. He slumped slightly but he managed to smile and say,

"I'm so glad you still have her."

Roger then turned to Jude. He remembered Julia…

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Flashback
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"I've returned Jude Ma'm. I'm sorry but I must cut this short." Roger said. Jude looked at Roger.
"I understand Mr. Smith, but before you leave, take this please." Julia, leaned from her place in bed to reach to the table, but she coughed heavily. Jude rushed to help her and handed the check to Roger.
"Here."
Roger looked at the check. He frowned.
"There's no need for this pay"—
"I hope she's alright, Mr. Smith. I do understand what your feeling, and it's good to know we share that in common." Roger fell silent.

Julia leaned back in her bed.
"I've fallen ill, and thanks to you Mr. Smith, I can see Jude before…Well no need for talk like this, I just wanted to let you know that, I'm very obliged doing business with a man of such courtesy. You truly are a gentleman." Julia sighed. Her smiled creased on her face. Her eyes flickered for a moment.
Roger leaned over and hugged Julia. He kissed her cheek.
"My pleasure." Roger tilted his head slightly before turning away.
He reached the doorway just as Julia said,
"You wondered why my eyes still hold color, Mr. Smith."

He nodded, and looked to her and Jude.
"I have retained a distant memory…"
Roger was intrigued.
"I may be ailing quickly but I retained a memory that symbolizes pain."
"Blue…" Roger said quietly, to himself.
"Yes, Blue is the color of sorrow." Julia smiled.

"You are the God of this world, and you are to protect us from those memories of Forty Years before. But some of us can still remember what it felt like to die. I may be an old girl, but I still remember watching…."Julia stopped abruptly.

Tears ran down her face.
"I watched him die."
"Jude. He wasn't your playmate, he was an arranged marriage and he died saving you from the Cataclyms. But you managed to live on and recreate Jude. But"— Roger was cut off.
"I don't know how I retained the talent assemble an android. Maybe it wasn't talent but a mere struggle for me Mr. Smith. I cling to Jude because some memories aren't meant to be forgotten."

Roger nodded and then turned to leave.

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End of Flashback
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"Jude, I"—

"Roger, I am greatly in debt to you. You saved me just in time to say Good-bye to her. I was grateful and also burdened by the emotions that were programmed in my wires, because sometimes you can't love someone without hurting them. I could never fulfill the desire she had first with the real Jude; I could only amplify the sadness she felt. But I know why she created me, so she could feel like her life wasn't spent alone. And along the line somewhere, I think we truly did fall in love."

The barrel was loaded…

Jude plunged forward and he pushed Roger and Dorothy to the ground. Roger held tight to her and rolled on his back.

The gun shot echoed…

"JUDE!" Roger yelled. He peered up.

Jude stood holding the wires that splurged from his right arm. He looked to the shadows and he saw Schwarzwald creeping, slowly from the ancient megadues. His white rags splotched in blood.
"You don't give up do you…" Jude whispered angrily to himself.

Suddenly he moved in such grace and such speed Roger failed to keep track of his movement.

Jude then appeared over top of Schwarzwald. The two wrestled on the ground for moments and Roger laid Dorothy down.

"Dorothy I"—

"I know."
Roger smirked. He got up and rushed to help.

But as Roger appeared to the scene, Schwarzwald was on his back on the ground pointing his gun at Jude's head and Jude's left arm had transformed into a blade, pointing to Schwarzwald's chest.

"Boy, you aren't my target but your certainly are getting in the way of things!"
Jude said nothing.
"Are you going to kill me? Go ahead, try it." Schwarzwald laughed.
Jude didn't flinch.

"Remember Roger Smith, I owe you a debt!" Jude then thrust the blade in Schwarzwald's chest but as he did Schwarzwald shot his gun…

"No! JUDE!" Roger yelled. He raced over but no matter how fast he ran it was all over as the pieces of Jude's circuitry and wires broke in mid air. They fell. Schwarzwald lay bleeding and choking and Roger slowed down…He sunk to the ground and watched Jude's headless body fall backwards.
Schwarzwald continued to laugh. He coughed up thick blood.

"What say to that Paradigm Dog?"

The gun pointed to Roger…
You bastard.
Schwarzwald began choking once more and then his head fell back and his hand fell limp.

-Two days later-

"Her memories are still attached. And everything seems in good shape, but the wires that cut into her back still need work. But that's enough for today." Norman informed as Roger stood. He looked at Dorothy who lay on her stomach on the table. Her back shown and bare and Roger could see slight bruising on her skin.

"Dorothy-You can bruise?"
"Even I don't know how my father constructed me. It's possible." She answered.
"Mr. Wynrieght did an outstanding job on you Miss Dorothy." Norman smiled.

I'll never know quite how I feel about Dorothy but I am certain of one thing, I care deeply about her. I can't allow myself to fall short in her need, and sometimes I feel like we are one. Sometimes I forget she's an android because she seems so real to me. I guess you could call it love but one can never be too sure… only time can tell.

"Roger, did Jude and Julia really love each other?"
"I believe so."
Dorothy fell silent.
"I take back what I said about her being feeble."
"Oh? Is that so, Dorothy."
"Yes, because I too feel somehow the same as she when she loved Jude."
Roger was speechless.
"Like I said before, Roger, even I don't know how my father constructed me; In how I think, how I operate and move…I am as complex as a human." Dorothy said. Her face motionless and turned to the sky. The wind blew through her skirt as she sat on the balcony.
"Why do you suppose Jude let himself die for you?"
"Dorothy he didn't die for me. He died for us." Roger answered.
"Us?"
"Yes."
"How do you mean? She asked.
Roger smirked.
"He believed we're in love just as Julia and him were."
"Are we, Roger Smith?" She now looked to him.
Roger hesitated but felt confident.
"Possibly."

NO SIDE

I hope you guys liked it! Thanks for all the reviews and more are appreciated!
xoxo
Jess