Week 13 – UDC 7

Past

It was becoming a nightly ritual, to pause and hold a photograph, and pay tribute in silence to the past. She didn't like to talk about her loss, not even with her in-laws, though she knew they would understand. It was enough, for now, to acknowledge the pain and the grief one step at a time.

"Mom?"

Jimmy's voice startled her, and Nancy turned to find him watching her. She smiled, nodded once, and placed the picture back on the small table by the door. "Couldn't sleep?"

He shook his head. "Can you come read to me?"

Though he was a little old to be read to, she wasn't going to deny him. Not tonight.

Present

Waking from a sleep cycle was always a little unsettling, especially after a hard case. Now, as he opened his eyes, Robo found his father conversing with Charlie while setting up a chess board on a table Charlie had set up in front of him, and couldn't help but stare. It was the last thing he'd expected, and he wasn't sure if he should say something, or wait until he was noticed.

Russell glanced his way, smiled. "Well, now. How about a real game of chess where I know it's you?"

"I do not remember a lot."

"Consider this a memory exercise, then."

And with that, the game was on.

Future

She snuggled into his arms on the couch in the house she'd created in cyberspace, and didn't want to move. It was safe here, in his arms, in spite of the fact that millions of pieces of information were flowing in her mind's eye without end. Here, she could relax… "Charlie?"

"Hmm?"

"Not that I don't love it when you're here, but doesn't anyone get suspicious when you're on VR all the time?"

He chuckled. "I set an alarm system for people coming back to the tech room."

"An alarm?"

"The first time I used the data probe, Gadget teased me about getting addicted because I liked it too much. Not so. I like you, not this virtual reality."

"Ah."

Memories

Russell Murphy watched the eyes of what was left of his son as they sparred back and forth with the chess pieces, knowing from past experience that the cyborg remembered some very tricky moves, including one he himself had taught his son when he was just learning to play. He moved a piece, and smirked when there was a very pause. "Confused?"

"Yes."

He glanced at Charlie. "He get stumped often?"

"We don't tend to play chess during his off duty time."

A click and a whirring of servos brought Russell's attention back to the game, and he smiled, for his son had figured out how to get out of check in six moves.

Expectations

She often wondered what he expected of this relationship between them, if he wanted more than what she could give. More… as in children, a real home. Famly. She could give him none of that… Dr. Mallardo and Chip Chaykin had taken that from her. They'd taken so much, and she'd gained… well… a family of millions who didn't know she existed, a friend in the cyborg who protected them, and… Charlie. She'd gained Charlie.

What had he gained in all this? She wasn't sure.