Well, here it is. Chapter Five. Longly awaited by those still reading. I don't own this stuff, for those of you who haven't read previous author's notes.

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Doc sat in one of the many caves that ringed the gulch. An impossible, all too familiar voice sounded in his head, a maniac, poorly accented laugh. Thoughts battled for prominence as he dueled the influence he thought he had conquered. "You left, I forced you out. You can't be here!' part of him shouted.

"Do you really believe I could just leave? No, of course not. You know well enough what comes next. Once I've been imprinted in someone, even after I leave, part of me stays with them, forever. You can't get rid of me.'

'No, that's not true, I...' His thoughts trailed off. The part of him that was still O'Malley wasn't really listening anymore, he could feel it. O'Malley was thinking. After listening for a short time, Doc decided he didn't like the ideas O'Malley was filling his head with. "We can't do that, these are good people.'

A shadow fell over him then, and Simmons walked into the cave. Doc could almost feel O'Malley's presence in the soldier, and at once he was filled with the sure knowledge that the AI had taken Simmons and, worse, killed Grif. There were footsteps near the mouth of the cave and Simmons ran for cover.

Church walked into the cave, a rifle in his hand. "Doc, what are you doing in here? I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Sorry," Doc said, no longer at all in control of his voice, "Took a walk and got a little lost." He could feel Church's disbelieving stare through the faceplate of the soldier's helmet.

"How?" he asked, gesturing to the mouth of the cave and the gulch beyond. Doc shrugged. "Oh, well, come on back to the base." He turned and headed out, leaving Doc in the cave.

As soon as Church was out, Doc let forth an evil laugh, soon to be joined by one from Simmons, farther back in the cave. He stood and walked to the mouth of the cave, took a deep breath, and followed Church.

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Once back at the base, Doc sought out Tex. He found her where he usually would, cleaning her gun in her room. It was going to be an awkward conversation to be sure, but it was one he needed to have with her. He cleared his throat as he knocked on the open door, not wanting to startle her on his approach from behind. "Uh, Tex" he started.

She stiffened as she turned. "What do you want?" she asked harshly.

"I, uh...to talk," he answered her.

"About what?" she asked suspiciously. She had never trusted Doc, but after O'Malley had taken him, she had done her best to avoid him. He represented a part of her she wanted to forget.

"I think you know. Ever since O'Malley left, uh…. Did you ever, I mean, after he left" Doc had never been good at this sort of thing. "Do you ever feel like maybe he isn't gone?" he finally got out.

She glared at him. He had brought up the worst possible subject for her, mainly because she had been having issues with the same kind of problem. It had been much worse while she had been alive, not long enough to really compare, but after her time in the spirit world (she had taken to calling it that), those thoughts and impulses had become much less dominant. She thought maybe it was just what was left of the AI working its way out of her system, but now…. She didn't want to believe it. "No," she said harshly after a beat. Then she realized she had missed an important implication of his question. "Do you?"

He was silent a moment, then, with a new air about him, replied, "No, of course not, just wondering is all." He seemed less the sniveling, stuttering idiot of moments ago, now more confident and in control.

He left quickly and Tex went back to cleaning her rifle, but with a distinct air of uneasiness.

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So there it is. Stay your pitchforks and don't send your angry mobs to my house. I know you all loved Grif, so maybe…