A/N: Well, I'm back from vacation in Wyoming. Yellowstone was beautiful but
I'm glad to be home and also glad for the reviews left by you guys! Special
thanks to Little She-bear, Diamonds-r-forever, Dreamofagents, and Scourge of
Middle Earth (I will swing by and read your fics when I get the chance.
Thanks for putting me on your fav list!). Thanks ever so much and keep it
up. Also cookies go to Rei Kasen for posting this! Sorry about the commas!
There are two more chapters after this and an epilogue just so you can
expect how long it will be. The mood of the fic will change a bit from here
as well, but not drastically. And just so you know…I have actually finished
it so I know how it's going to end! HA!

Disclaimer: I own nothing from the Matrix that you recognize. The song
lyrics are from Shrek and were sung by Rufus Wainwright. Glitch is most
definitely mine and no using her without my permission.

Rating: (Dreamofagents-I'm glad these amuse you) Its R for adult content,
angst, and a smidge of language. This chappie is mostly pillow talk the next
morning. No kiddies, as per usual, though if they have read it this far…ok, so
not going there. I'll preach for an hour…

So now I give you what (I hope) you have all been waiting for…Glitch
Chapter 13!

Chapter XIII: Early Morning's Holy Dark

There was a time when you let me know
What was real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
Remember when I moved in you
The holy dark was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah
Maybe there's a god above
And all I ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It's not a cry you hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It¹s a cold and it's a broken hallelujah
Hallelujah…
******

Smith did not fall asleep that night. He didn't need to sleep, so why bother
when there was so much he could do? He could lie there toying with the hair
around Glitch's face and smoothing his hand down her cheek and all the while
musing about what had passed between them.

In her sleep Glitch had snaked an arm around Smith, pulling herself securely
to him. One leg was draped over him much as it had been over the body pillow
that now lay on the floor with their clothes. A smile curled her mouth as
she slept. Smith knew that humans could conjure up images in their sleep and
he couldn't help but wonder what she was seeing that was making her smile.
Was it him?

The hours slipped unheeded into the night until the sun peeked through the
blinds falling in golden ribbons on Glitch's face. Her eyes fluttered open
and lit on Smith's face. She smiled showing a hint of her pearly teeth.

"Good morning." She whispered snuggling against him.

"Good morning." He returned, his voice hoarse from lack of use over the past
few hours.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked, working the words in around a
yawn.

"All night." Came the reply.

She frowned up at him despite the smile still curling her mouth. "What have
you been doing?"

"Watching you sleep." He answered, smoothing her hair.

She laughed softly and kissed him on the cheek. "So, did you learn anything
last night."

Smith gave the barest of smiles. "I did." He replied. "But…"

"What?" She asked, snuggling a little closer.

"I learned more from watching you sleep that I did by having sex with you."

"Really?" Glitch said, arching an eyebrow. "What, pray tell, was your great
revelation?"

"I know why you hug your pillow in your sleep." He answered, sliding his arm
further around her. "But…but I just…I can't put it into words."

"See?" She said, kissing his neck playfully. "I told you."

Smith laughed dryly and kissed her forehead. "I was so sure I would be able
to put it into words and be able to describe it for my fellows, but…I can't."
Smith's eyes glazed in thought and his expression looked both amused and
frustrated. "I mean, I understand it, or at least I think I understand it…but
I just can't say what I understand."

Glitch trailed a hand down his chest and smiled tenderly up at him. "You
don't have to try to describe it to me at least. I understand too."

Smith leaned down and gave her a feather-light kiss on her lips. "Why did
you give in to me, Simone?" Smith whispered against her cheek. "What made you
take it this far?"

Glitch pulled her body against his as she whispered her reply into the
hollow of his neck. "I was lonely, Smith. You were right all along and I was
too stupid to realize it or admit it."

Smith suddenly found himself smiling and he wasn't sure why. He pulled
Glitch closer to him as he smoothed his fingers through her hair. She pulled
back and looked at him, her eyes full of a sudden sadness. "When will you
erase my memory?" She asked in a rather monotone voice.

Smith blinked once in a rather bewildered manner at the abrupt change in her
mood. "It…it will be tomorrow." He answered.

Glitch relaxed against the bed and sighed. "So it will all be over soon."
She breathed. "Tomorrow will be the end of us."

Smith licked his lips carefully. "It may not have to be that way, Simone."
He said. "I might be able to make other arrangements."

Glitch considered it a moment. "But you'll still have to leave me though,
won't you?"

Smith nodded reluctantly, refusing to meet her gaze.

She shook her head, throwing strands of her hair into her face. "No. I…I
don't think I could stand it."

"But you could still remember if I had them leave your memory intact."
Smith told her, smoothing her hair out of her eyes. "You could always look
back."

"No, Smith." She said a little more firmly. "I won't be able to stand
remembering us…remembering what I can't have. Ignorance will be bliss in
this case."

Smith stroked the side of her face as his face twisted with confusion. "You
would just rather not remember?" He asked, sounding as though he were unable
to accept that.

She nodded, dragging her eyes away from his face.

"Because it would make your life too complicated?"

Much to Smith's surprise, she shook her head. "Not anymore." She replied. "I
don't want to remember because remembering what you don't have anymore
hurts."

"I don't understand." Smith said flatly but not unkindly.

"If I remember you and I…I'll know what I don't have anymore. Going back to
hugging that pillow after having you hold me last night…it's like going back
to instant coffee after having Starbucks. It's just not the same." She still
refused to look up at him.

Smith nodded dolefully. "Very well." He said, almost as if agreeing to erase
himself from her mind pained him somehow. "If that is what you want, then I will
see it done." He kissed her chastely on the lips.

"Will you remember me?" Glitch asked when he pulled away.

"Every moment." Smith breathed, laying his face in her hair.

"They won't erase your memories?"

He shook his head, rubbing his nose in through her tresses. He inhaled as he
ran a hand through her hair, soaking in the scent of her. Glitch took his
hand and kissed his palm, seeing the half-moon indentations that had come from
her nails. She smiled at him sweetly as he toyed with the hair at the nape
of her neck.

"I have a question." She said thoughtfully.

"What is that?" Smith asked.

"How much of a person's memory can you erase?"

Smith's face turned pensive for a moment as he gave his answer. "Well, there
was one instance when we erased a man's memory entirely. We made him someone
totally new and transplanted him to a new location. He was given the
resources to find a new job and a new home and he started over again."

Glitch's eyes kindled with excitement. "Could you do that for me?"

Smith blinked several times out of pure shock. "Well…yes…but…but why? Why
would you want that?"

Glitch shrugged nonchalantly. "Because I hate my life." She said as she made
to roll out of bed. Smith tightened his grip on her keeping her from moving
away. She struggled against him but he kept a firm hold on her. "I don't
want to stay here anymore, Smith. I don't want to be alone."

"But you won't remember me." Smith said soothingly.

She shook her head. "Its more than that. I hate being lonely all the time. I
hate this apartment with its tiny rooms and cold bed. I hate drinking cup
after cup of coffee hoping that will make me feel better. I hate sitting at
that damn computer looking for something I will never find there. I hate it.
I don't want to stay here." She bowed her head as a tear slipped down her
cheek.

Smith stared back at her blankly for a moment as though he couldn't
comprehend her words.

Glitch pressed her face against his neck. "I know you don't understand,
Smith…" She said, her voice thick with tears. "But it's hopeless for me to
stay here. Here I'm nothing but a bunch of ones and zeros that spell
'Glitch.' I want the chance to be worth more than a computer chip. I know I
can…I just never had the chance."

Smith licked his lips and nodded. "Very well, Simone. I will speak to my
superiors about it." He sounded almost sad.

"I know you don't understand it and you like it even less. I can tell. " She
touched his face tenderly. "Just trust me. I know what I want."

Smith pulled her closer to him, until he could feel her every breath and
every heartbeat. He pressed his face into her hair, suddenly feeling as
though he wanted some way to immortalize the moment. He swallowed hard as
words he hardly understood formed in his mind. "I love you." He whispered
tenderly.

He could almost hear Glitch smile. "I love you too." She pulled back and
looked at him. "You will remember me always?"

"Always." He breathed.

"You said tomorrow will be it?"

Smith nodded his face almost mournful but much to his surprise Glitch's face
split in a sweet grin. "Well, come on then!" She said excitedly as she heaved
herself out of bed. "The day's a-wasting and it's our last! Let's enjoy it
while we can! I bet Traditional Rose has room for another reservation."

Smith could only smile at her enthusiasm and anticipation as he climbed out
of bed after her.
******