I just realized that I never finished this story, so MANY apologies for those who wished I had. Now I have so…yay…-shifty eyes-
Dr. Gilmore sat in his leather office chair behind his desk. His study was clean and orderly, exactly how he liked it. He clutched a coffee cup in his hand full of warm tea, of which he hadn't consumed a drop. He just stared into the light brown liquid. His heart felt heavy as the scene of his friend committing suicide played back in his head repeatedly. A knock at his door did not bring him out of his dream like state. The door opened and 003 came in. She sighed sadly as she looked at her father figure's haggard appearance.
"Dr. Gilmore?" she walked toward him softly. He raised his head very slowly, his eyes were watery. He seemed on the verge of tears.
"I knew him almost all of my life. You, and the others…you were our dream. You are our dream. Now you're only mine." 003 looked at him sadly as she pulled up a chair next to his. "He, however, found a new dream. He found his Amy." Gilmore smiled at this, as if the thought of a grandchild was far away. "Now he's gone just like that. Gone!" Finally the tears came, fast and quiet.
"It's alright Dr." 003 comforted him as she took his hand and patted it gently. "Keller went through a lot, and unlike you he had something to lose." Dr. Gilmore pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes.
"I suppose your right. The only thing I had before Black Ghost recruited me was an empty refrigerator and a hope to create the thing my whole life had been centered around. When the opportunity came, I just couldn't let it go" They were silent for a long time.
"It wasn't your fault Dr. Gilmore. Keller had his own weaknesses that you couldn't have possibly been responsible for."
"I know my dear." He looked over at her and smiled. "At least one good thing came out of my blunder to help that evil Scarl.
"What's that?"
"I have you and all the others. I finally have the comfort that there will always be someone there to cheer me up when I'm crestfallen. Especially you." 003 smiled back as she gave him a hug.
"That's right Dr. Gilmore. I'll always be here, and everyone else too. We all care about you very much." He nodded at her words and then looked back down into his cup. He lifted it up to his mouth and drained it, setting it down on the desk.
"I think I'll go to sleep now. Thank you 00…Françoise for so effectively lifting my spirits." 003 grinned at his use of her name.
"Goodnight Dr. Gilmore."
And that's the END! Thanks for reading and reviewing.