I know its been a while and im sorry. Been very busy over the summer holidays.

I hope you enjoy!

'Chaud will definitely want to talk to Emma if that is true.' Protoman said clearly.

'Why?' Angel X pleaded as she grabbed his arm in despair. 'What did he do?'

'He tried to attack Master Blaze.'

'Chaud's father?'

'Yes.'

'Oh god.'

Emma sat on one of the tables in her new lab and uniform, waiting for her new assistants to arrive. She sighed, all she wanted was to get to work, she didn't understand why she had to wait for them.

'Miss Lance?' A nervous voice asked. Emma looked across at the 3 new people in the room, all were male. They were all dressed the same, white shirt with the new Phoenix Labs logo and black trousers. Emma's was a little different, she had a short skirt and knee high socks instead of the trousers.

'Oh hi.' Emma smiled. 'Are you the new help?' They all nodded cautiously. 'Well, don't bother with the Miss Lance stuff, just call me Emma okay.'

'Sure.' The one with the blue hair said.

'So what are your names?' Emma asked.

'I'm Jake.' The one with the blue hair continued. 'He's Alex.' He pointed to the one with blond hair and glasses. 'And he's Daniel.' He pointed to the guy with long brown hair which was pulled back into a ponytail who waved.

'Hi.' Emma smiled. 'Well then, let's get to work.'

'So what are we working on?' Alex asked. He leaned on the table that Emma was sitting on.

'I have a program called phoenix that needs finishing. And Yai's netnavi Glyde needs new, personalised battlechips.' Emma told them all. 'Who here is best at AI programming?' Jake raised his hand slowly. 'Okay, then your with me on the phoenix. Alex, Daniel, Glyde's blueprints are on the hard drive. Look at what he could use.' The guys nodded and moved to separate consoles.

'Hey Emma!' Angel X cried from one of the consoles. They guys nearly dropped their folders, she was that loud. 'Guess what!'

'Hmmm.' Emma mumbled.

'Emma!' Angel X screeched. Emma turned to the console where Angel X was.

'Where have you been? I was looking for you earlier.' Emma said offhand.

'I was talking with Protoman if you must know.' Angel X answered. 'And…you're seeing Chaud tomorrow.'

'What!' Emma yelped. 'What did you do!' Alex and Daniel looked over their shoulders at Emma with raised eyebrows.

'Hey Angel X, can you two talk about this later? And can you talk to Dotman for me? Tell him what you know about the phoenix.' Jake asked. Angel X smiled sweetly at him and nodded. She transferred across to the console where Jake was sitting. She materialised next to Dotman, who looked a lot like Numberman crossed with a Dalmatian.

'Greetings Angel X.' He beeped. 'Please will you tell me of this phoenix.'

'Sure.' Angel X said. 'The phoenix was originally designed to…'

It had taken Angel X 2 hours to tell Dotman everything she knew about the phoenix. Alex and Daniel had come up with a few ideas for Glyde and were starting to make plans and build on them. Emma sighed, she was hungry.

'How 'bout we stop for a bit.' Emma said. The guys looked at her with grins on their faces. She stretched out in her chair, yawning.

'You can't be tired already can you?' Alex asked.

'I'm a night person.' Emma replied.

'So… what's happening between you and Chaud?' Daniel asked curiously. 'Chaud Blaze right? I mean, how many Chauds are there?' Emma practically fell off her chair.

'She's meeting him tomorrow.' Angel X smiled.

'Angel X!' Emma yelled as she went bright red. She stood up quickly, knocking her chair back. 'I'm going for a walk.' She walked straight out of the lab without picking up her PET.

'Is she okay?' Jake asked.

'She'll be fine once she's calmed down a bit.' Angel X smiled. 'She's not used to working with other people.'

'Really? How come?' Jake asked. 'She seems to get along with people fine.' Angel X's smile fell.

'She wasn't like this before.' She said quietly. 'She used to stay in a room of computers, alone, for weeks at a time. She used to say things too. Talk about how she missed the net and how she wished she could enter it and escape.' She paused for a moment, shuddering at the memories. 'Her father…he would visit her…just to be ignored or to be looked past while she worked on odd projects. Ever since she could use a computer, she spoke about 'Alpha', not that I know what she ever meant by it. I've looked high and low for a reference but nothing comes up.' The guys looked down at the floor. They never would have guessed. She always looked so…happy.

Emma half trudged along the street as she looked up at the clouds. She sighed, she was doing that a lot lately. Angel X was trying too hard to get her to see Chaud. Didn't she realise that these types of things needed to be dealt with slowly and carefully. She continued to walk down the street, blissfully ignorant of the world around her. A black car with blacked out windows pulled up next to her and the door opened. Emma didn't even bother to look at who was getting out of the car.

'Emma?' Chaud asked. She spun around quickly, and sure enough, there was Chaud, still with his hand on the door.

'Ch…Chaud…' Emma stammered. He closed the car door and the car drove off.

'Mind if I walk with you?' He asked politely. Emma nodded and continued walking. Chaud joined her, with his hands in his pockets. 'I hear that Angel X and Protoman arranged for us to meet up tomorrow.' Emma didn't reply. She was too busy concentrating on the street, trying to avoid looking at Chaud. 'So…I was wondering…what you wanted to do…I mean, usually something would come up and I wouldn't be able to make it, but Protoman has added it to my schedule and wont let anyone have an appointment near it. So there is no way that I could possibly get out of it, unless some emergency came up.' He looked at her but she was still looking at the floor. 'Not that…I'd want to…leave.' She looked up, shocked, and then looked at him and he was looking across the street with a distinct shade of pink across his cheeks. She smiled, so he did like her, even if he didn't want to admit it.

'I don't know.' She said and he looked at her again, she was still smiling. 'I don't know many places here yet.' She stepped in front of him so that they were face to face. 'You pick. Wait…what time did they choose?' Chaud thought for a minute, remembering.

'6 o'clock.' He said.

'Dinner.' She said quickly.

'Huh…?' Chaud mumbled. 'Dinner?'

'Yeah, you could take me for dinner tomorrow.' She smiled. Chaud's PET beeped.

'Chaud. Angel X has a message for Emma.' Protoman said from under Chaud's jacket. Chaud took Protoman from his pouch and handed him to Emma. 'Get back to work right now before I fry all this new equipment.' Protoman recited. Emma, to Chaud's amazement, giggled.

'Tell her I'll be there soon.' Emma said and Protoman left the PET to pass on the message. Emma looked up at the clouds again, a little happier.

'I heard something happened with your father.' Chaud said quickly. 'That there was an accident.' Emma froze. How did he know?

'It's better that he's gone. He never liked me.' Emma scowled.

'I'm sure you don't mean that.' Chaud muttered.

'I do. He never wanted me anywhere near a computer or a navi. He never wanted me to do anything.' Emma hissed. Her anger was mounting, just remembering him was infuriating. Suddenly she softened. 'But…he would always tell me that he could never lose me. That he would never let them take me.'

'Who?' Chaud asked.

'I don't know. And I bet he was lying. No one would ever want to take me away.' Emma whispered. Chaud didn't know what to do. He felt like he was being torn in two. One part of him was telling him, you hardly know her, don't get involved, while the other part was telling him to comfort her, somehow. 'But I'd rather not talk about my father right now. As far as I'm concerned he's gone.'

'Well…' Chaud started.

'So, where shall we go tomorrow?' Emma cut in.

'What…oh…I'll find somewhere nice. Protoman can tell you later.' Chaud said quickly.

'Well I've gotta go back to work now.' Emma smiled and went to run off. She stopped before she got into a sprint and looked over her shoulder at Chaud, smiling, before running back to work.

'Thanks for coming back.' Angel X grumbled, but there was an obvious sign that she was happy that Emma had been with Chaud. Emma smiled and went back to her seat. Daniel and Alex looked at each other before turning to Emma.

'We've got some ideas for Glyde's new battle chips.' Alex said.

'Well get started then.' Emma smiled, she was doing that a lot recently, and she pointed to Angel X. 'She can test them when you need to. But right now I'm working on the phoenix.' She opened a new window and the phoenix appeared.

Hello sister. It said telepathically to Emma.

'Hello. We are nearly finished with you. Then you can do what you like.' Emma said.

Can't I stay with you? It asked. Jake looked over at Emma, she looked like she was thinking.

'What's up?' He asked.

'The phoenix…it's talking to me.' Emma whispered.

'Talking? How?' He asked.

'I think that it might be telepathic.' Emma suggested.

'How could it be telepathic?' He questioned.

'I dunno, maybe it learned by itself. It is AI after all.' Emma said. 'But it wants to stay here.'

The others, our brothers will come. It said. Emma looked at it, was it concerned? They want you back. They won't stop until you return to the Alpha. The Alpha, she hadn't heard that in years.

'Why not let it.' Jake said. 'I mean, we've got plenty of room.'

'Okay then phoenix, you can stay, but you need a name.'

A name? It asked.

'Yeah, calling you phoenix all the time, it's not very nice. Plus…are you a boy or a girl?' Emma asked.

I want to be Theo…and I will be a boy. It answered.

'It says that it wants to be a boy and to be called Theo.' Emma explained.

'Hello Theo.' Jake smiled. Theo cocked his head as he looked at Jake.

Hello. Theo mimicked. Are you Emma's friend? Will you be my friend too? Jake looked over at Emma, she couldn't hear it and had started to work with Alex and Daniel.

'Yes I'm Emma's friend. And I'll be yours too.' He answered.

It had been a long day at the lab for Emma. Once she was home she collapsed onto the sofa and yawned. Angel X was in the main computer, Theo was sleeping back at the lab, and she was talking to Protoman who was also in the computer.

'So Chaud'll pick Emma up at 6 and take her to the Silver Wing restaurant?' Angel X asked.

'Yes. Will you be going?' Protoman asked.

'Um…I don't know. I don't think I'm needed at a restaurant.' Angel X muttered as she looked over at the heap that was Emma. 'Why don't we go do something? I mean, obviously we'll keep connected to out PET's.'

'Do something? Like what?' He asked.

'I dunno…maybe we could go for a walk around the city?' Angel X suggested. Protoman nodded. Angel X squealed and tackle hugged Protoman, knocking him to the floor. During all of this, Emma had got herself into bed.

'Keep it down would you.' Emma grumbled with her head in the pillows. 'I want to sleep.' Angel X looked down at Protoman who was underneath her and smiled at him. He was very attractive. She got up off him and helped him up.

'I guess I'll see you tomorrow…at 6.' Angel X blushed. 'Goodnight Protoman.' With that he disappeared. She looked at Emma, who had fallen asleep despite the noise of the computers. 'Goodnight Emma.'

There was darkness everywhere and Emma was sitting curled up on the floor. She was in a loose cotton white dress and her hair was loose. She looked up, there were footsteps and they were getting closer. A net navi appeared from the darkness. They had several large points which were webbed sticking out of their head and wore a large brown cape and had a star on their forehead.

'Sister.' They said. Emma looked up at him. 'Can you not remember me? We were together once, in the Alpha, and together we can be in control.'

'So you are one of my brothers?' Emma asked him.

'Yes. You are our only sister. You were the first of us all.' He answered. He knelt down beside her and put his hand on her head.

'The first…of us all…?' Emma repeated. 'So where are the others?'

'They…some are gone…the rest are waiting for you. You will unite us when you come home.' He answered.

'How do I do that?' Emma asked.

'So many questions Sister.' He smiled. 'But you already know the answers to them.' He put his hand under her chin and made her look at him. 'Do not make us wait Sister…'

She woke with a start, practically throwing the covers off the bed, startled and scared. It was that again, the Alpha, it was haunting her again. But what was it…what did it have to do with her, and who were these 'brothers'? She looked over at the computer, it was still on, and Angel X was sending blue mettaurs off to do random tasks.

'Angel X…' Emma yawned. The navi looked over at her sleepy operator. 'What time is it?'

'From the looks of you…too early…but its 6:57am, you needed to wake up soon anyway, rise and shine.' Angel X chirped. Emma rolled out of bed and pulled herself up so that she was standing. 'Looking forwards to your date this evening?' Emma was still too asleep to being paying close enough attention to what was being said.

'Hmmm…yeah.' She mumbled. 'Tea.' One word was enough, she needed caffeine to wake up properly, because otherwise it would be another hour before she became coherent. She flicked the kettle on and found a mug and a teabag.

'I've been talking to Glyde, apparently Yai is happy to lend you a dress for this evening, since…well…you don't have any evening wear.' Angel X continued. 'So Yai is going to come by the Lab and pick you up.' Angel X kept on talking knowing that Emma was hearing only half of it. 'Just hurry up and go to work.' Emma swallowed a mouthful of tea and began to change into her work clothes.

'I'm going I'm going.' Emma mumbled as she pulled on her shirt.

Time at the Lab passed quickly, there was so much happening. Daniel and Alex had produced a partial 'Glyde Blade' which they had Angel X testing repeatedly while Emma and Jake had been programming a chip they called 'Swift Speed'. Before they knew it, it was 5:30pm and Yai walking into the Lab.

'How's it going in here?' Yai asked. Emma stood and greeted Yai.

'We've got a few projects going for Glyde.' Emma said. 'And if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?'

'Don't you remember? I said I would lend you a dress for your date. And… you've got half an hour to get home and ready!' Yai yelled and grabbed Emma by the wrist, pulling her out the Lab.

'I'll see you tomorrow guys…' Emma's voice trailed off and the guys shrugged, returning to their work. It didn't take long to get back to Emma's and Yai had hundreds of dresses. She kept suggesting dress but Emma would cast them aside.

'Yai, these are all to fancy. I want something…' Emma mumbled. '…I don't know…not these ones.' She threw aside another dress, it landed on the growing pile.

'He's going to be here soon!' Yai yelped. She picked up another dress, a midnight blue one which fell down past the knees, and threw it at Emma. It caught her in the face before falling into her hands. 'Try it on!' The doorbell went and Emma hurriedly pulled it on. Yai ran down the stairs and flung the door open.

'Ch…Chaud…' Yai stammered and she blushed. Chaud was standing in the doorway in a black suit, white shirt and a deep red tie.

'Oh. Yai. Where is Emma?' He asked. At that moment Emma appeared at the top of the stairs. She wore the midnight blue dress, it fell perfectly on her. She had tied back the top half of her hair and let the rest fall naturally. Chaud's jaw dropped, she looked… beautiful.

'Hi Chaud…' Emma said quietly as she came down the stairs.

'You didn't tell me…' Yai started.

'We should go.' Chaud interrupted, his senses returning to him.

'I'll see you tomorrow Yai.' Emma said as she walked out of the door. Yai left too, returning to her limo, seething but also ashamed. Chaud followed Emma out and she locked the door. Yai's limo drove off in a hurry and Chaud's blacked out car was left.

He opened the door for her, exercising perfect manners, and she stepped into the car. Chaud closed the door softly and got in the car on its other side. In the short journey to the restaurant, nothing was said between the two, both kept to simply blushing. They arrived and Emma's door was opened by the driver. She slid out of the car gracefully and Chaud followed her. She looked at the restaurant.

'This is amazing Chaud.' She whispered. He held his arm out for her and coughed lightly. She looked at his arm and slipped hers into his. He led her into the restaurant.

'Name?' The waiter asked.

'Blaze.' Chaud said. The waiter led the two to a secluded table, sat them down, gave them menus and left.

'This is amazing Chaud.' Emma repeated. 'This place is beautiful.' He looked across the table at her, he couldn't say it. It was like there was something stuck in his throat, so he just nodded.

Angel X and Protoman were standing at the top of one of the skyscrapers in the cyber city. They were leaning against the rails and Angel X was watching a cyber bird fly in the sky.

'It's so pretty and peaceful.' Angel X commented. Protoman looked down at the streets, something was wrong. Navi's were running everywhere, it looked like madness.

'Excuse me.' He muttered and he jumped over the railings.

'Wait Protoman!' Angel X cried and she followed him. They landed heavily on the pavement and ran through the crowds together, splitting up only to hasten their journey. There in the middle on the street, was a lone navi, holding another in its hand by their neck.

'Bass.' Protoman muttered. Bass snapped the neck of the navi and it disintegrated, deleted.

'Bass? Who's he?' Angel X asked quickly.

'We need Chaud.' Protoman said. 'Go and get Emma and Chaud. I'll keep it occupied.'

'You'll need help!' Angel X cried.

'There's no time! Go!' He yelled. Angel X touched her winged symbol on her chest.

The phoenix, Theo… She thought.

'I'll be back as soon as I can!' She called as she transported herself away.

I hope Theo is still back at the Lab.

Emma put her knife and fork down and took a quick drink of water.

'That was lovely Chaud.' She said. Chaud too, put down his knife and fork.

'It was okay…' He replied. 'But the company was…great.' Emma smiled at him before hearing her PET beeping from her bag under the table.

'Excuse me.' She mumbled. She found her PET and saw Angel X looking rather beaten up. 'What's happened?'

'It's someone called Bass. Protoman needs Chaud.' Angel X said quickly. Chaud took the PET.

'Bass? I thought that he had been delt with.' He said. 'Where is Protoman?'

'Here. I'll show you.' Angel X said, coughing for a moment. She opened a video link and Protoman, Theo and Bass were on screen. Protoman and Theo were trying desperately to keep Bass at bay but were struggling. Chaud passed the PET back to Emma. He found his own and got to his feet.

'I need to jack in. Protoman needs my help.' Chaud said quickly. He turned back to Emma, but she was staring at the screen of her PET in shock. 'Emma.'

'Emma?' Angel X asked.

'It's him…' Emma stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. 'It's him…'

It's my…brother…Bass… She thought.