---------------------------------------------------------

NOTES: Laaaast chapter! It's short, so you can think of it as an epilogue of sorts, if you like. And it's so fluffy you could brush your teeth with it.

Getting this chapter up so soon was mostly an excuse to post the fanart piece for it, which can be found at http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=113918 and is, for once, in colour. The GOOD stuff, however is as follows:

Bibly: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=104094

AD-chan: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanart/view.php?id=112002

Incidentally, it was AD-chan's "Megaman and Zero" pic that inspired the use of a wall in this chapter.

Thankee-sai's today are for AD-chan, Crystalstorm21, Teri-Teri, Marisa, Bibly, and Bibly again. AD-chan: oh, but there's BOTH ^_^ final chapter AND sequel… eventually. Bibly: more fanart? *drools* Hey, I should toy with people's emotions more often ^_^ As for that "sexy side", well… just you wait for the sequels. Oh, and if Gimp666 happens to come around here again, I just wanted to say that my AIM appears to have died on me, but I do have MSN (e-mail is thexpiig@hotmail.com) and ICQ (# is 37402917).

One final obligatory explanation before I get on with it: the use of "human" and "robot" names, ie Ford/Forte and Rocco/Rock. As long as they're in this world, the narration will refer to them as Ford and Rocco, so as to avoid confusion. However, the characters themselves will refer to each other MOSTLY as Forte and Rock, partly because they're used to it and partly because it adds an almost "pet name" aspect to their relationship.

Behold, the Last Bit!

---------------------------------------------------------

Afternoon sunlight slanted through the trees and onto a small, lone figure on a low brick wall. The crisp autumn air caused Rocco to shiver as he sat there waiting for his bus to arrive, arms wrapped around an acoustic guitar he'd borrowed from a bandmate. He'd begun to learn guitar around the same time he picked up the bass, though he was not nearly as good at the former as the latter. Now he absently strung together a few random chords, playing more to relax than anything.

Between the disappearance of the "substitutes", the reappearance of the actual teachers, and the school's return to relative normalcy, Rocco's tears had stopped and he'd regained some amount of composure. Those of his friends who hadn't witnessed Ford's departure at least knew enough to heed Rocco's request that he be left alone. He'd promised Josh and Katherine he would tell them everything once he'd had some time to think.

He did think, too. About Ford's choice to leave, his inability to handle the downs of being human. About what would have happened, had Ford decided to stay. Rocco and Bruce were able to buy food and pay rent by working part time – Rocco mostly on weekends, Bruce on nightshift, having only afternoon classes to attend. Ford could have found work and stayed with them.

It could have worked, Forte. Dammit, didn't you ever think of the ups of humanity? Didn't you realize how good it could be?

Tears returned to Rocco's eyes, and he found he could no longer concentrate on playing guitar. He placed the instrument back in its case and leaned it up against the wall, then gazed down the street in search of a bus. Leaves danced in the air before him, their golden surfaces catching and reflecting the sunlight. Everything around him seemed to defy Rocco's mood, maintaining a natural glow that would have reminded anyone of this world's beauty, physical or ethereal. All it did was remind him that Ford would never see it this way, from this point of view.

"Miss me?"

Suddenly, Rocco was encircled by a pair of well-toned arms and pulled backwards to rest against the chest of… someone, with an almost unmistakable voice. Rocco's eyes widened as he turned his head to see Ford, chin resting on Rocco's shoulder, a playful look in those blood red eyes. None of his previous injuries seemed present, much to Rocco's relief.

"Forte! Wh – " the brunette began, grinning.

Before he could finish, Ford had leaned hard to the left, sending them both toppling to the ground behind the wall. They landed facing each other, and rolled until Ford lay on top. The taller boy then kissed Rocco for all he was worth. Their lips came together with nearly enough force to bruise, and within a second Ford's tongue was lining Rocco's mouth with fire. Rocco's hands slipped around Ford's back, gripping the thin material of his shirt. He leaned upward, encouraging, begging more. Both boys lost themselves in the sensation of each other until at last they were forced to part, and breathe again.

"You came… back," Rocco gasped between breaths.

Rather than respond, Ford rose unsteadily to his feet, then helped Rocco up.

"Is Wily dead?" the smaller boy asked.

Ford shook his head and looked at the ground.

"First rule of robotics," he muttered bitterly.

Rocco started, surprised he had forgotten something once so important to him. Ford couldn't kill Wily in this world because he was too weak; he couldn't kill him in his own world because his programming forbade him to. The choice was to be frail, or to be a slave. Did this mean Wily was back in this world? That Ford would spend his life here running from, or fighting his former master?

"I destroyed the main portal generator," Ford seemed to read Rocco's mind. "Set it to self-destruct once I came through."

Rocco let the significance of this sink it.

"You can't go back," he stated quietly.

Ford looked up again, into Rocco's eyes. His look was not as tortured as it had been, back in the school's computer lab. It was uncertain, and weary, but it held no regret. Rocco hoped it meant Ford had realized what he had been unable to tell him, that despite the physical and emotional anguish that came with being human, the positive aspects of such an existence made it somehow worthwhile.

"I thought it would be great to go back," said Ford, "to feel invincible again. It wasn't just the physical pain that got to me. Ever since I got here I've thought more about my actions than I ever did back there. If there's one thing Wily forgot to give me, it was a conscience. Now I have to deal with guilt, grief, fear… I thought it would be easier if I went back."

"Why didn't you stay?" Rocco asked.

Say it, he silently begged, say you figured it out.

The taller boy looked uncomfortable, uncertain of how to express what he wanted to say. He had apparently acquired not only a full range of human emotions, but also the natural reluctance to voice them. Instead he gathered Rocco into an embrace, pressing his face against the small boy's neck. Rocco savoured the feel of Ford's warm breath on the sensitive skin there, and waited patiently for him to speak.

"I realized that, as bad as those things were," Ford whispered, and kissed the underside of Rocco's jaw, "THIS… was too good to give up."

"Yes!" exclaimed Rocco, hugging him tighter. "That's it, Forte! You did it, you said it!"

Rocco heard a squeal, then a hiss behind him, and realized the bus had finally arrived. Stepping back, he took Ford's hand and produced a bus pass and bus ticket from his pocket, handing the latter to the purple-haired boy. Rocco lead Ford down the grassy slope to where the large, boxy vehicle waited.

"Where are we going?" Ford asked.

"Home," said Rocco. "You can stay with Blues and me – although I think we're going to have to do some explaining, first."

Ford winced, remembering his earlier attack on Bruce. Looking back as they boarded the bus, Rocco noticed the reaction and squeezed Ford's hand reassuringly.

"He'll understand. He might not be very NICE to you for awhile, but he'll eventually get over it."

Rocco was finally rewarded for this with a smile. He turned and swiped his pass, waited for Ford to drop the ticket into the slot, then the two of them headed toward the back of the bus. Afternoon quickly turning to evening, the sunlight had now faded to a pale blue glow. It shone on the cold metal doors as they swung shut and the bus continued its gradual progress. Inside and outside, life went on.

---------------------------------------------------------

OWARI

---------------------------------------------------------