A/N: Well well, Chapter 5 already? Sorry it took so long to get this typed.
Its called chemistry tests, prom, and college campus tours. Well here are a
few notes on this chapter. Yes, Glitch does have a coffee addiction, not
unlike myself. It¹s a psychological addiction more than a physical one
meaning she's not addicted to the caffeine. She's addicted to having the mug
in her hand and having it to fidget with when she's uncomfortable. Ok enough
of my analysis. Psychology class is dismissed. Cookies to Rei once again for
posting.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Matrix or Agent Smith. The song lyrics are from
City of Angels. I'm not sure who sings it. I don't even own Glitch's black
coffee mug. It belongs to Rei. Geez, I'm borrowing from everyone aren't I?
Well Glitch is entirely mine so there! No using her without my permission.

Rating: This one is R for language. Glitch, like myself and most of my
friends, is very foul-mouthed in the morning.

Strap yourselves in! Here we go!


V: Angel Arms to Hold Me

Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that will make it ok
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
And I'll be empty
I'll be weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
******

A single ray of sunlight peeked between the blinds to shine on Glitch's
sleeping face. She hadn't moved at all during the night. She still lay on
her side with her pale arms wrapped around the pillow beside her. Her
eyelids twitched as she awoke, reacting to the light pouring down on them.

Her first impulse was to snuggle down into the covers and go back to sleep
but the ray of sunlight boring into her eyes prevented that. She yawned like
a cavern and stretched, making many of the joints in her back pop. She
rolled over to face the rest of the tiny bedroom and she let out a hoarse
yelp when she saw Agent Smith sitting stiffly in her computer chair facing
her.

As her heart returned to normal rhythm, she spoke in a scratchy voice. "How
in the hell did…" She stopped and shook her head. "Never mind. I don't want
to know." She flopped back on the bed and yawned again. After a moment of
lying there she decided that she couldn't go back to sleep. She sat up,
swung her legs off the bed and padded to her chest of drawers. She pulled
out a fluffy black sweater and threw it on to make herself a little more
decent. Then she headed for the kitchen.

"I'm assuming you don't drink coffee." She called over her shoulder.

Glitch heard the chair creak as Smith stood. "I do not require any kind of
sustenance." He replied as he followed after her. "Though I can consume food
and drink."

"So do you want coffee or not?" Glitch asked rather impatiently as she began
to fill the coffee maker with water.

Smith frowned at her from behind his dark glasses. "No I would not," he
replied stiffly. "I do not like your tone, Ms. Carter."

"Yeah well I don't like your coming in my house while I'm still asleep." She
snapped icily. "So deal."

"I informed you that I would be here at eight this morning." Smith replied,
obviously not understanding her complaint.

"Well you could have fucking knocked!" She snarled.

Smith seemed slightly taken aback that someone who was so small and slight
could possess that much animosity. "Are all humans this difficult in the
morning?" He asked calmly.

Glitch glanced up at him as she refilled the sugar bowl. "Only those who
aren't morning people," She answered, trying to contain her anger, "like me."

"You do not like morning?" Smith inquired.

"I don't usually see sunlight until noon." She answered, flipping on the
coffee maker.

"Why?"

"Because I usually stay up late on the computer." She answered as she busied
herself searching for the biggest coffee mug she owned. Suddenly she slammed
her tiny hand down on the counter. "Damn it, Smith! Its too early to play
twenty questions!"

He frowned as if he didn't understand the expression she had used. After a
moment he seemed to understand "Why not? You can't think as well in the
morning hours?" He asked.

"No, it's more like I don't want to." She replied as she poured coffee into
a black mug and came to sit at the bar. She turned the mug so that Smith
could see the inscription, which read "Save oxygen. Shut up." It wasn't the
largest mug she owned but she thought it appropriate for the occasion.

"So when do you resume normal thought processes?" Smith asked taking the
seat across from her.

Glitch sighed heavily. Apparently it was not in his programming to take a
hint. "After a shower and a second cup of coffee at least." She replied
before taking a drink.

"Would you prefer me to come back later in the day?" Smith inquired his
voice holding the barest hint of irritation. "Because I sense that I am
wasting my time here."

"Good call." Glitch thought. She set her mug down and replied politely.
"That would be nice."

"Perhaps about one this afternoon?"

She nodded again. "I'll be awake and coherent by then."

Smith stood from his chair and smoothed his suit. "Very well." He said as he
made his way towards the door. He paused with his hand over the handle and
looked back at Glitch. She looked back at him over the edge of her mug as
she took a drink. "I would like to ask one more question."

"Shoot." She replied setting her mug down.

"Why do you hug your pillow when you sleep?" He asked his face and voice
perfectly neutral though he seemed to know he was treading dangerous ground.

Glitch's eyes fixed on him, becoming like charcoal mirrors, only reflecting
what they see. The inquiry swirled in her mind making a definitive answer
hard to grasp. At length, she licked her lips and spoke. "Because there is
nothing else to hug." She replied.

"But why-" he began but Glitch raised a hand for silence

"You said one question. I'll see you this afternoon." She stood from her
chair and made her way to her bedroom carrying her mug along with her. She
heard Smith close the door behind him as he left.

She went into her tiny bathroom and started the water in the tub. She set
the coffee mug on the counter and began to undress. When she had stripped
off her pajamas and laid them on top of the sink she stepped into the tub
and turned on the shower.

Glitch let the stream of hot water plaster her dark hair to her head and
wash all the tension from her mind. The scent of her lavender shampoo
clouded over her thoughts though Smith's last inquiry still rang in her
mind. She did not dwell on it too terribly long though. She knew she had
given him her best answer but she also knew that the subject would be
discussed later. It would have to be.

She shut her eyes tightly, partly to keep the water out of her eyes as she
rinsed her hair and also to try and block out all thoughts of what she was
doing. She knew she was all but selling herself. Sure it would keep her out
of jail but at what cost?

When she had finished her shower, Glitch shut off the water and gave her
chin length hair a hard shake. She stepped out of the tub and pulled a towel
off the rack on the wall. As she dried herself off her reflection in the
steamy mirror caught her eye.

There was nothing to write home about in the reflection. Her soaking wet
hair did nothing to lessen this effect. What she saw she would have
described with words like average, simple and normal. She looked like
everyone else, save the small scar on her lower lip from falling down a
flight of stairs as a child. Even then, no one would notice it unless they
were looking for it.

Glitch sighed as she hung the damp towel over the shower rod to dry. She
pulled her pajamas back on and left the bathroom, grabbing her coffee mug as
she went. When she had finished her second cup of coffee she got dressed and
started straightening up the apartment. It wasn't a horrible mess but it
wasn't tidy by any means. After observing the state of Smith's clothing she
concluded he liked his surroundings neat and orderly. While this was not her
style, Glitch decided that she could make the sacrifice for now. Hopefully
she wouldn't be in this situation for very long.

Smith knocked on Glitch's door at one in the afternoon exactly. Glitch
finished pouring herself her third cup of coffee before she answered the
door.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Carter." Smith greeted none too warmly.

"Good afternoon, Agent Smith." She returned trying to show a bit more
enthusiasm. Their heated exchange that morning had shown Glitch that he
could read every inflection in her voice.

Smith stepped into the apartment and followed Glitch into the kitchen and
they both sat on the stools by the bar. The scene looked much as it did that
morning save that Glitch was now wearing faded jeans and a black long
sleeved shirt and her coffee mug was now white with ladybugs on it.

Smith watched her take a long drink from the mug from behind his dark
glasses. "What is the purpose of your drinking that constantly?"

Glitch's shoulders lifted in a graceful shrug. "I dunno." She replied as she
set the mug down.

"Is it because you like the taste or need the caffeine to function or-"

She ran one of her fingers around the rim of the mug. "I think it's really
just an object to occupy my mind. Living alone can get a little boring at
times and when I'm bored I think way too much."

Smith made no other remarks as he watched her trace the rim of the mug
intently as if he were trying to learn something from it. Maybe he was.

After a rather weighted silence, Glitch spoke. "So when will we be getting
started on this whole human dating intimacy thing?" She asked in a tone that
suggested that she found the situation both amusing and disturbing.

Smith casually removed his dark glasses and slipped them into the pocket of
his coat. "I was hoping you could tell me how it begins."

"What do you mean?" Glitch asked focusing her gray eyes on her finger as she
traced the rim of her mug. She didn't think she could keep a level head and
look into those eyes. They looked artificial. Hell they were articical. No
one had eyes that blue.

"How does human intimacy begin?" He pressed.

Glitch frowned in thought. "Well it usually starts with a guy and a girl
becoming close friends and they - hell I don't know. Do friend stuff."

"Define 'friend stuff.'" Smith requested.

Glitch sighed with exasperation. "Like going to a book store or getting
coffee and going for a walk." She suggested. "Just something where they can
enjoy each other's company without it just being the two of them alone."

"It is a comfortable day outside." Smith said, his voice still neutral. "A
walk in the nearby park would be possible."

"You want to?" Glitch asked. To her, her tone sounded disturbingly hopeful.
She was hoping to sound casual.

"I wish to learn more about human intimacy." Smith replied.

"I'll take that as a yes." She huffed her voice losing its sparkle.

******