The last few cycles of that minute passed really slowly, almost like it was in a time-lock.  Now that I was almost there, the idea of going home was so fantastically exciting that I thought about it every nano of every cycle, practically.  I'd been so busy trying to survive hazing and deletion and infection and being in love that I hadn't had much time to think about how much I missed my family.

But I did – User, did I ever.  In my mind I saw them everywhere I went, all the time – Dot and Bob, Matrix and AndrAIa.  Not being with them was torture, and knowing I was so close to seeing them only made the torture worse. 

 I managed to work myself back into my classes more or less, and I loved every nano with Lisa, and I spent a lot of time worrying about Ray.  I even hoped Zip and Calisto wouldn't delete, and that they'd get cured.  Then I wanted their asciis out of the Academy forever and in a jail, where they belonged.  Mouse and the medical staff were working on that round the clock, practically without a break.  I couldn't ever remember Mouse really working all-out on something and not succeeding – and believe me, she was a fully dedicated server on this one with Ray being infected.  I was worried, but I believed in my heart it would be all right.

When the big cycle finally came I could barely restrain myself in class, I was so worked up.  Home!  The last cycle of classes was a half-cycle, so I'd packed up my minute-end stuff the night before. We were going back home that night, so after my last class I went back and grabbed my duffel and my guitar – hey,  I couldn't miss the chance to get a lesson from Bob - and said good-bye to Linux and headed out to do a couple things before I left.

I ran into Quantum down in the main hallway on my way out, and he flashed me a big grin.  "Hey, Kiddo.  Going home for the break?"

"Yeah!  Five cycles.  It's gonna be amazing to see everybody again."

"They won't recognize ya."  He frazzled my hair.  "Heard about your little adventure in that game.  Unbelievable.  I should've taken those two nulls out myself, but I never thought they were capable of this kinda thing."

"Me neither.  Or Laser.  I knew they were mean, but…"

"You gut guts, Little Man." Quantum nodded approvingly.  "Stuff seems to just find you for some reason, but you don't whine about it – you deal with it.  I like that.  You need anything for the rest of this hour you tell me, OK?"

"Thanks!" I grinned.  "Just no more I/O shots for awhile, maybe."

"You'll change your mind about that.  You just gotta learn how to hold your distillate, that's all."

"Whatever.  I guess I gotta head – I'm meeting Mouse, she's taking me back.  You going home for the break?"

"Nope." He smiled.  "Things'd go to Hell around here without me.  I'll hold down the fort till you get back."

"Cool."  It was hard to believe this was the same guy I'd been terrified of when I first got here – I guess all I'd seen was the muscles and the stubble and the loud voice, but that wasn't all there was to him.  Well, I'd been pretty scared of Matrix too, when I met him.  "Listen, Dude – thanks for everything, OK?  You totally saved my-"

"Nope." He interrupted, holding up a big hand.  "A Guardian's in trouble, a Guardian has to help out.  You'd do the same for me."

"Well – yeah, I definitely would, but even so-"

"Say Hi to your family for me, Little Man.  You tell 'em they should be proud of you."

"I will."  We shook hands.  "C ya in a few."

"C ya, Enzo."

I headed on my way towards the little patch of trees, which by this point was forever saved in my memory as "the kissing spot".  The thought of going five cycles without a kiss from Lisa was pretty depressing, but my lips probably needed the break – I was starting to think they'd get bruised at the rate we were going.

"Enzo!"

"Patch!"  She was just coming out of the girls' dorm and she trotted towards me, and I sort of limped towards her.  I hadn't really been alone with her since I found out she was into me, and I wondered if it might be a little weird.  "How you doing?"

"I'm good."  Her smile seemed genuine enough.  "I'm really glad you're OK."

"Yeah – me too!"

"You're so funny!" she giggled.  "I tried to visit you but they wouldn't let us in when you were, you know…  Frozen, or whatever. And then when I came back you were asleep and I didn't want to disturb you."

"Thanks.  You guys have all been great to me."

"How's your ankle?"

"Almost healed.  It still hurts, but just a little."

"I can't believe how horrible Zip and Calisto were to you." She scowled.  "I really can't.  How could they be so cruel and stupid?"

"Websearch me." I shrugged.  When I could get myself to forget all the awkward stuff, I really liked talking to Patch.  You can't have too many friends, you know?  And she was a totally nice person.  Loyal too.  "I don't think people like us can ever understand people like them."

"Well…  I'm sorry they got infected.  But no one ever deserved it more!  Anyway, you and Lisa are OK and that's the main thing."

"Uh – yeah.  I guess."

"Going home, huh?"

"Yeah!  You?"

"Yeah.  Gonna be cool.  It's not really home until I can go back to the Supercomputer, though."

"You will some cycle." I smiled.  "So, um…  You think maybe you'd like to go out with Linux?  With Lisa and me, I mean?  Sort of a double-date."

Patch looked hurt, just a little and just for a nano.  But then she smiled she really did seem OK.  "Sure – why not?  We can go into town next minute-end, dinner and a quicktime or something."

"Cool!  Uh, Linux is a really awesome guy – he's alphanumeric."

"Yeah, he is pretty nice."  She sighed, then kissed me on the cheek.  "So are you, Enzo."

Uh-oh.  "Um…  Thanks."

"Have a good trip home, OK?  I'm glad you're feeling better.  And thanks for being so nice to me and everything."

"Anytime.  You deserve it."

"C ya."  She patted my hand and zipped off.  I stared after her for a few nanos, still not knowing quite what to make of her.  She sure was a nice person, though – that was clear enough.

I thought about Patch for a few nanos, but by the time I got to the kissing spot Lisa was the only thing on my processor.  I was early – I usually was when I was meeting Lisa, for some reason – so I found our favorite tree and sat down against it to wait.

Every time I saw Lisa I still got a little pounding in my chest and a little thrill in my brain, just like the first time.  I figured I probably always would.  Seeing her zipping down the hill towards the trees totally filled me with happiness.  I just couldn't believe how lucky I was to have a girl like her – if you'd told me six minutes earlier I'd have said you were basic.  But I did, and the living proof of it was walking towards me through the trees, smiling and looking great in her uniform.  I loved everything she wore, but I think I loved her best in her uniform.

I stood up and walked towards her and I think I was smiling so much my face hurt.  I had the greatest girlfriend in the net and I was going home today, to boot.  "Hey."

"Hey!"  She held out her hands and I took them and kissed her cheek.  "Bringing your guitar home, huh?"

"Yeah.  Maybe I can get a lesson from Bob, if I have time."

We sat next to each other against our tree.  "Will you play for me, sometime?"

"Yeah.  Absolutely!  Only I'm not very good right now…"

She giggled.  "That's what the lessons are for, I guess."

"Yeah."  I kissed her nose and snuggled up against her.  "I'll write a song for you, I promise.  About how beautiful you are and how much I love you."

"Enzo!  Stop it."

"I will."  I sighed.  "I love you."

"I love you, Cutie."  A kiss on the lips, long and slow and soft.  "We sure say that a lot, don't we?"

"They're my favorite words."  I grinned.  I took her in my arms and held her with her head on my shoulder, which absolutely rocked.  I could sit like that for minutes and never need to move if she'd let me do it.

"Are you excited about going home?"  She finally asked in a soft, dreamy voice.

"Yeah."  It was amazing how torn in half I was – fantastically happy about seeing Dot and my family, horrified at the idea of five cycles without Lisa.  When you let yourself love people you've just gotta accept stuff like that, I guess.

"I'm glad.  I know they must really miss you.  Your sister must be totally worried about you."

"Yeah.  I bet she is."  I sighed.  I didn't wanna think about how Dot would react to everything at that nano.  I rocked Lisa slowly and watched the slivers of sunlight slice through the trees and dance off her hair.  "I'm sure gonna miss you, though.  User…"

"It's only a few cycles."

"It's forever."  I whispered.    "I wish you got to go home to see your Mom."

"I know, me too.  But she can't leave the system to come get me right now.  She's got a lot of responsibilities, you know?"

"I know what that's like."  I kissed Lisa's soft hair and squeezed her tight.  "At least you got to see your Dad when you weren't expecting to.  Maybe that kinda makes up for it…"

"Yeah."  Lisa lifted her head and smiled.  "He really liked you, Cutie."

"Yeah.  I'll just bet."

"Well…  He didn't get to talk to you much or anything – not with you being time-locked and all.  But he knows what you did.  And he knows how I feel.  And he likes you 'cause of that."

"Really?"  I wasn't sure how I felt about having a Codemaster like me, but I guess it was a gigabyte better than having one not like me.  "It was so weird, seeing him here."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Sorry – I didn't mean anything!" I said quickly.  "It's just, well...  He's a Codemaster, you know?  Even his name – 'Avatar the Doom-Bringer'.  But when he was with you, he was just a Dad.  You could tell."

"Yeah." Lisa whispered.  She inched a little higher in my arms and held her cheek to mine, and we stayed like that.  "He's just my Dad.  He's a strange Dad, but I know he loves me."

"They're gonna be talking about that cycle around here for a long time."

"Yeah.  Everyone knows about me now, or at least they will deleted soon the way rumors spread in this place.  That isn't gonna be easy to deal with…"

"Codeswap them." I growled.  "It's the same with me, being little and knowing Guardian 452 and Mouse and all that.  The ones that matter won't care, and we can deal with the rest of them if we help each other.  Anyone who gives you a hard time is gonna have to answer to me."

"My hero."  She gave me a little sideways kiss and a squeeze.

"Lisa, I…  I haven't told anyone about what happened.  In the game.  Mouse and Laser won't either.  It's nobody's business.  I'll never tell, I just wanted you to know…"

"Thank you." Lisa whispered.  She snuggled closer and trembled a little bit so I just held her tighter and thought about what she must be feeling inside.

"I have to go soon." I sighed, after we'd held each other for a little while.

"Too many energy shakes at breakfast?"

"Hilarious!"  I tickled her a little and made her howl.  Finally, reluctantly, we sat up and looked at each other.  "I have, um…  I have a present for you."

"What?  Enzo, you don't have to-"

"Stop.  I knew you'd say that."  I'd been thinking about this a long time, since before the last game cube even, and I was sure I wanted to do it.  I reached into my pocket and pulled out two little silver pins.  "I've been afraid to wear these around here because, well…  You know, with everything going on and Zip I didn't want to give anyone another reason to give me a hard time."

"Enzo – they're beautiful!  What are they?"

I smiled.  "Bob gave me these.  When I turned 1.0."  I held them up in a ray of sunshine and watched it sparkle off them.  "He got them for outstanding service to the collective.  And he gave them to me…"

"Enzo-"

"Shhh.  See?  One of them is a keytool, and the other one is a Guardian icon."  I held out the keytool pin.  "This one is for you."

"No, Enzo!  Bob gave them to you!  You can't."

"Bob will understand.  I know he will.  See, these pins were one of the best gifts I ever got.  I…  I was having kinda a hard time with the reboot and being a copy and the only kid and everything, and Bob and Dot were just starting to, know…  Be a couple.  And when he gave me these I just couldn't believe it – I…  I was just so…  I can't even say."  I grinned.  "I didn't take them off for minutes.  I ever wore them on my PJs.  It drove Dot nuts…"

"Enzo, you can't give away something that means that much to you!"

"Yes I can.  'Cause you mean even more."  I leaned across and kissed her, then pinned the keytool to her collar.  "They aren't standard issue so you can't wear 'em on duty, but-"

"Oh Enzo – it's beautiful."

"Yeah.  I wanted you to have the keytool, 'cause Laser's keytool chose you and that's why you're still at the Academy, see?"  I pinned the icon to my collar.  "The only gift I could give you that would matter would be something that was totally important to me.  I didn't want to buy some ring or something I'd never even seen before."

"Enzo – you didn't have to give me anything!"

"Yeah I did.  You made my life totally incredible, Angel.  I never dreamed I could be as happy here as I am – that's 'cause of you.  I had to show you how grateful I am, or at least try."

"Oh Enzo…"  She shook her head disapprovingly.  "You wore them on you PJs, for User's sake!  How can you give me this?"

"I know." I smiled.  "But I'll still have this one and besides – you'll always have that one and we'll always be together.  So they'll always be together, too – just like you and me.  That's what I was thinking anyways."

She stared at me for a nano, and it made me fidget a little. Then she kissed me on the cheek and squeezed me so tight my ribs ached.  "I love you so much.  You're the sweetest person I've ever met, you know that?  I don't know how you think of these things but you are.  Thank you."

"So – you like it?"

"It's the best present I ever got, Enzo.  It's absolutely perfect."

"So are you." I whispered in her ear, and I meant it, too.

"No I'm not, and stop!  Don't say I am.  But it doesn't matter – I'll love it forever and I'll keep it safe.  Just like you."

"Thanks."  We kissed then, just a long, soft, wonderful kiss that made me feel strong and safe and made me think I could do anything. 

"Hmph!" Lisa giggled.

"What?"  She giggled again.  "What is it?"

"Nothing."  She smoothed the hair out my eyes, grinning.  "I was just picturing you in your little PJs, wearing your silver pins.  I bet you were cute!"

"Oh jeez…"

"Did they have keytools on them?  Dinosaurs, maybe?"

"No!  Stop, OK?  Just stop!"  My face was on fire and I stared hard at my feet.

"Sorry." She giggled.  "I'm just having fun with you, Cutie."

"I know." I sighed.  "I'm used to it."

"Poor Enzo."

"I bet you wore a little frilly pink nightgown, didn't you?  With teddy bears on it!"

"I'm not sure I like where this is going…"

"Now you know what it feels like!"  To be honest I didn't like where it was going – as soon as I said it I realized it was a mistake.  Just picturing Lisa that way was enough to turn my insides into pudding.

"Truce!" Lisa smiled.   She kissed my cheek and smoothed my hair a little more.  "This really is the best gift anyone's ever given me, Enzo.  I'm sorry I didn't get you anything.  I'm not as thoughtful as you are."

"You don't have to." I mumbled.  "You never have to give me a present, Lisa.  You're the best present ever."

"Stop! "

"I mean it."

"Enzo...  What am I going to do with you?" Lisa sighed. 

I wanted so much to stay there forever, but I knew I had a whole lifetime of being with Lisa to look forward to.  "Uh!  I really have to go now.  Mouse'll be waiting."

"I know.  You have a nice trip back.  Have fun with your family, OK?  Enjoy every nano you have with them."

"I promise."  We kissed again, one last time, and I gathered my duffel and my guitar.  "I love you, Angel.  See you next minute."

"I love you too, Enzo.  I'll miss you."

"Miss you too."  OK, I lied – now we kissed one last time.  I ran my fingers through her hair and got a good dose of her to tide me over, and headed for the great hall.  "Only five cycles." I whispered to myself.  Funny – now the Academy was a place I'd miss when I wasn't there.  Just like Mainframe.  That sucks in a way, since you're always missing somewhere – but it also meant that wherever I went, it was someplace I wanted to go.  That was a pretty alphanumeric feeling.  

I walked through the corridors of the great hall feeling more at home than I'd felt any time in the last six minutes.  This place was becoming part of me – the people, the classes, the games, the buildings and trees and paths and even the town.  I was a Cadet – it was a part of me now, and it always would be.

I got to the Med Unit and found Ray's door.  I knocked and a voice called softly for me to enter, so I slipped through the door, feeling a little nervous – this was my first time seeing Ray since everything happened.  "Hey."

"Hey, Mate.  All packed?"

"Yeah.  Mouse isn't here yet, huh?"

"Can't slip one past you." Ray winked.  His voice was soft and strained, but he was smiling.  "She'll be by any nano."

"Crash – it's so great that you're OK!  I was really worried."   I set my stuff down and climbed up on the bed next to him.  "I wanted to come see you sooner, but they said you were too sick.  How you feeling?"

"Tired." Ray scowled.

"Well – total code filtration sounds pretty serious."

"So they tell me."

"Dude – did they really drain every drop of code from your body?  That doesn't even sound possible!"

"Yup." Ray rasped.  "So Mouse says – drained every drop and ran it through anti-viral filtration, then a transfused it with Guardian code.  Twice.  I doubt anyone else would have even thought of it, but you know Mouse."

"Yeah."  Ray was pale and thin – ever for him – but he was processing.  That was enough for now.  "I'm glad you're all right, Ray.  If anything had happened-"

"Hey – I'll be fine.  I'm glad you're OK, too – sounds like it was pretty touch and go in that game for a while."

"I guess."

He smiled wearily.  "Sorry I wasn't in there with you, Lad.  I should've been."

"No! You didn't know – nobody did.  That bastard Zip was actually really clever."

"I underestimated the bugger, that's for sure." Ray sighed.  "You ought to feel really proud, Mate – you've carried yourself really well for your first time away from the apron strings, but getting each other through that game was really impressive.  You and the little gal might just have saved the Academy by saving yourselves."

"Thanks.  Um…  I really do feel kinda proud, actually."

"Don't get cocky, Son."

I spun around and smiled.  "Hi Mouse!  All set to go?"

"Keep yer pants on Sugar, Mainframe ain't goin' anywhere."  Mouse winked and tousled my hair on her way to the bed, where she leaned down and softly kissed Ray on the forehead.  "How you feelin', Hot Stuff?"

"High-res." Ray yawned.

"Ya look low-res to me.  You need sleep, Honey – listen to your doctor.  Has this boy been botherin' you?"

"Hey!"

"Naw – he's a good kid." Ray smiled.  "Excited to go and see the family, Lad?"

"You bet.  I wish you could come with us."

"Me too Enzo.  But I need a couple solid cycles of sleep before I go anywhere.  A little rest and I'll be right as vegemite."

"Yeah, I know.  I feel bad Mouse has to leave you to take me home.  If you guys are worried-"

"Nah." Mouse smiled.  "I've done my bit, Sugar – the boy's clean now, just wore out.  What he needs is sleep.  If I was around here I'd just keep him up nights smoochin' and carryin' on."  Ray laughed a tired little laugh and she winked at us.  "'Sides – I'm lookin' forward to seeing everybody back home – it's been too long.  So don't worry yer cute little head about it."

"OK.  If you're sure-"

"I'm sure Pumpkin.  You all packed and everythin'?"

"Yeah – guess so.  I never had to pack to go to Mainframe before, so I wasn't really sure what to bring."

"Just yourself – that's all they'll care about."  She patted my cheek.  "Can't believe how much you've grown up in a few minutes…"

"Me?"

"Amazin' what being on your own will do for a kid." Mouse grinned.  "Still – I bet you miss ol' Dot's hugs and kisses, huh?  Sometimes a boy just needs his mama."

"Er – yeah, I guess."  One thing about Mouse – she never shied away from saying something because she thought it would embarrass me.  "Um – you ready to go?"

"Ready, Sug – Ship's charged and loaded and pointed towards home.  I had some business to take care of, but that's done with."

"What business?"

"Good riddance to bad rubbish." She said softly.

"What?  You mean…"

She squeezed my hand gently.  "Laser an' me portaled 'em outta here a few micros ago, Pumpkin.  Their home systems can decide what to do with 'em now – I cleaned 'em up and sent 'em on their way."

"Wow." I whispered.  Knowing they were really gone should have made me totally happy, but for some reason I felt all mixed up about it.  I was relieved, definitely – I won't pretend I was looking forward to any more fights or hazing or anything else.  But it still didn't make me happy exactly.  "Are they both…OK?"

"They seen better days – especially that smug little ascii Zip.  You did a job on his arm but it'll heal eventually – and they're both clean, that's the main thing.  Calisto's parents didn't want me to try my little experimental treatment on him, but when I told 'em he'd probably be infected for life if I didn't they changed their minds quick enough."

"Well…  I'm glad they're gone, I guess." I sighed.  "But I'm glad they're OK, too."

"I know y'are, Honey.  That's why you'll never be like them.  You ready to get going?"

"Yeah."  I turned back to Ray.  "Get better, OK?  I wanna go surfing when I get back."

"You got it, Mate."  Ray put his hand on my head, and it felt cold.  "Have a safe trip home.  I'm bloody proud of you."

"Thanks."  I gave him a smile and a quick hug and then I gathered up my stuff.  "Uh – you guys want a milli alone?"

Mouse laughed.  "In his condition?  You ain't gonna see nothin' you ain't seen before, Kid!"  She leaned over Ray and they kissed gently, and she looked… softer, somehow.  Like when she'd fixed me up after my fight.  "Bye Lover.  Doctor's orders are sleep, sleep and more sleep.  And when they bring you food – eat it!"

"Roger, Lovely Lady.  Safe trip."

"Safe trip." She smiled.  "C'mon, Kid – your sister'll have my hide if I get you home late for dinner."

"Right."  I waved to Ray and followed Mouse out of his room and down the hall.  Dinner – at home!  How weird was that gonna feel?

That's when it all started to really hit me, after Mouse made that comment.  I was going home.  The Diner, the P.O…  Phong, Frisket, AndrAIa… AndrAIa!  Matrix.  Bob.  And Dot – oh User, I was gonna see Dot!  I'd never gone a cycle in my life without her and now, after six minutes apart, I was finally gonna see her again.  I can't even try and describe what that felt like.

I didn't have much to say as I followed Mouse outside and towards the docking area - too many thoughts rattling around in my head - and she kept along at a steady clip without saying much of anything.  She hopped on onto Ship and I passed my stuff up to her and then she gave me a hand up and we were ready to go. "Get strapped in, Sugar.  Safety first, y'know."

"Right." I grinned.  I buckled myself into the co-pilot's seat and looked around the cockpit, which I'd never been inside before.  It was incredibly cool, but that's no surprise when Mouse in involved.

"Uh – Honey?"

"Yeah?"

She handed me a tissue.  "Might want to wipe your face a little.  Unless you want the first thing your sister sees to be about half a lipstick."

"Oh!"  She'd done it to me again.  "Thanks.  Uh, Mouse – you won't tell her-"

"That's between you and Dot, Pumpkin." Mouse smiled, starting the engine.  "Long as it don't affect your work, it ain't none o' my business to tell her."

"Thanks."  I sighed and sat back in my chair, which was too big for me anyway so it was easy to stretch out in, and draped my leg over the arm.  Mouse went silent and I got wrapped in my thoughts again.  We lifted slowly off the ground and I saw the Academy start to spread out below me.

Home.  That wasn't as simple a word as it had been a few weeks before.  I got real scared for a nano, and this idea crept into my processor that I couldn't ever go home again, back to Mainframe – I wasn't the same person anymore and they'd reject me because of it and I'd never be able to go back. 

But I realized almost immediately that wasn't right.  People left home all the time – but they still came back, and if it was still home it didn't matter if they'd changed.  People did change – you couldn't help it.  Matrix did.  Bob did.  Dot did too, and she never even left.  But when they were together they were home.  Mainframe hadn't left me just 'cause I'd left it for a while.

I watched the Academy buildings getting smaller and smaller and thought about that.  It was OK to change, I figured.  I was definitely going home a very different sprite than when I'd left and it was because of this place and the people here, but that was all right – as long as I was still Enzo it was OK.  Dot would understand – they all would.  They were my parents – Dot and Bob and Matrix and AndrAIa and Phong and the hacker sitting next to me, and Ray, and even Laser.  I was their kid, all of them.  They'd understand.

I figured it out then, sitting in the cockpit of Ship watching the Academy slip away for a little while.  You had to face stuff on your own – no matter how much you wanted your family to protect you they wouldn't always be there.  But you didn't have to be on your own – Matrix had figured that out too, a long time ago.  You had to be strong enough to let others sprites help you – you had to be there for them and let them be there for you, whether it was an infected game or a disciplinary meeting or whatever.  Part of being strong was letting people help you and not shutting them out.  I had to be my own man, like Bob said – but that didn't mean I had to alone.  And knowing that made the idea of growing a little further away from all my parents seem a little bit less scary.

"You OK, Honey?"

"Huh?"  I looked up and saw Mouse looking at me with a little smile on her face.  The Academy was long gone – we were in the net.

"You left me for a while there, Pumpkin.  You all right?"

"Yeah – sorry.  Just thinking about stuff."

"That's OK." She chuckled.  "You got a lot to think about.  We'll be home soon enough, and that's plenty to think about right there."  She leaned back and put her hands behind her head. 

"Yeah."  I actually did think about something just then.  "Um – Mouse?  Could you do me a favor?"

She cocked an eyebrow at me.  "Sure, Sugar.  What is it?"

"Well – I have this…  This journal, see…  And I was hoping you could write me some security protocols…"