For Fictivekaleidoscope who asked for prompt 42:

'What do hugs feel like' and EOS.

EOS had watched the events play out on the rescue with a heightened sense of what she now knew was concern.

She was concerned. It was not going well, and although her family were forever defying the odds, sometimes they simply couldn't win. This was one of those times. Didn't stop them from trying, though, and it didn't stop them from giving their all. That had led to several minor injuries and one major one.

Scott had been unconscious for three days before he came round after the building he and Virgil had been in collapsed on him. She'd watched how Virgil cared for him, both before he woke up and afterwards, and she was puzzled. Virgil, in many ways a favourite of hers – although John had said she shouldn't have favourites – had changed his behaviour.

When he'd finished fixing Alan and Gordon there had been hugs and chats and what she classified as normal behaviour. But now Scott was fixed, there was none of that. Virgil seemed to be avoiding Scott, and Scott seemed to be puzzled too. This had been going on for almost three days, and she could see that it was affecting everyone.

'John?'

'Yes, EOS?'

'Your brother is malfunctioning.'

John's head shot up from the book he was currently reading. Malfunctioning? Scott was getting better, he thought. He set the book aside and began to pull up Scott's stats, concern coursing through him. Had Virgil and Grandma missed something?

'Not Scott. Virgil.'

This brought John to a complete halt in his reasonings, and he switched the results to see Virgil's stats. Nothing out of the ordinary.

'EOS, I think you'd better explain.'

'Virgil is malfunctioning. He is not exhibiting his normal behaviour.'

'And what behaviour is that?'

'When he fixed Alan and Gordon he hugged them and chatted, and everyone was good. He has fixed Scott but there has been no hug and no chatting, and everyone is not good.'

It was quite a good explanation, as far as how an AI would interpret things, and for the next few hours John simply watched Tracy Island, his brothers and what was going on. EOS was right. Virgil was avoiding Scott. John rolled his eyes. It wasn't the first time the medic had reacted this way when someone – Scott usually – had done something he considered foolish and got injured on a rescue. Last time this had happened, Virgil had been pushed out of the way of a falling metal pole, and he had stewed for days. John found it all hilarious, because if it had been the other way around his brother wouldn't have hesitated to do the same thing.

Only one thing would set this right. John was going home for the night. EOS watched with great interest how John's presence on the island changed the dynamics completely. And within an hour of returning Virgil was giving Scott a hug and they were talking.

Job completed with a satisfactory outcome.

But it got EOS thinking.

When John returned to Five later the next day, he knew that she had more questions. There was hot coffee and a cream cheese bagel on the counter waiting for him. Thanking her for her thoughtfulness, John had consumed half before he spoke again. 'You have a question for me, EOS?' EOS nodded.

'What do hugs feel like?'

He put down his cup. What do they feel like? What a question. He loved her thirst for knowledge, it was never boring.

'I guess the first thing to explain is that there are hugs for different reasons. We hug to show compassion and that we feel for the person. Hugs also can be romantic, to show how you love someone. They can be friendly, signifying a level of comradery.'

'I understand.'

'All hugs have one thing in common. They show that the giver cares about the receiver.'

'And how does it feel?'

She wasn't letting him off easy with this one. Gathering his thoughts he started again.

'When Scott hugs it is the warmth of love and care that has kept me safe my entire life. When Virgil hugs it is the embrace of love and compassion and safety his presence brings. When Gordon hugs it is the laughter and joy and unashamedly happy hug of freedom. When Alan hugs it is the tenderness and adoration of like-mindedness and completeness.

'Hugs feel warm and safe and loving and secure. They are telling me they will never let me go and they will always be there, no matter what.'

'Hugs feel warm and secure?'

'That's right. Remember how you felt when you realised I did not want to harm you or imprison you? What did you feel?'

'I felt a lack of urgency. You called it relief.'

'I did. It is similar with a hug. It makes everything feel right with the world, even when it isn't.'

EOS contemplated. She may not be able to physically feel a hug, but she felt she now understood more about the dynamics of it all.

'I wish that I could hug you, John.'

'In your own way you do, EOS. You keep me warm and safe and look after me. You are there when I need you, you tease and play jokes on me. And we discuss and learn together. I feel secure with you here.'

EOS' turned pink with pleasure. She would always be there for John and all his family to keep them warm and safe.