Chapter 6: The Intervention

Glitch

When he came back online, the apartment was silent. He detached from his charger and floated into the kitchen. His Guardian was alone and staring out into the raging storm. Quietly, he landed on the counter next to Bob's arm, and immediately took notice of the half empty whiskey bottle.

The conversation must have been bad. Bob only reached for his crutch when the burden was too much to bear in silence, and Glitch had always taken care to look the other way – within reason. Now would be no exception, not with this sinking feeling flowing through his circuits. He clicked once. Bob made no motion to acknowledge his presence.

Then, "You were right, Glitch. About everything. I should have listened to you from the start."

[So, her memories came back.]

Bob shook his head. "No."

[Then, how-]

"She recorded a diary that night," Bob said quietly as he took a sip. "And guess who was in it?"

[...FAQ.]

"Yeah. That about sums it up." He sighed and refilled his cup. "She wants me out of Mainframe."

It was worse than he thought. [Bob, you can't-]

"I don't have a choice." Bob watched the amber liquid swirl round and round in his mug. "She has proof I broke the rules. All she needs to do is send it Turbo. Or I go and request a transfer, with no progress on the project and no good reason to go, and have to tell him the truth anyway." Bob chuckled bitterly. "Either way, I'm screwed."

Glitch clicked rapidly, thinking. [Before you resign yourself to the worst possible outcome, look at it from her side. She got hit with a lot tonight. She's angry, and rightfully so. But she doesn't know how complex this whole thing is, or that asking you to leave is a bigger deal than just switching systems.] He beeped and scooted closer. [She's only acting out because she's hurt. That doesn't mean she wants to end your format.]

Bob took a breath. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

[Why?]

"She wants more," Bob said softly, struggling with the words. "And I can't give that to her, you know that. And I- I said things. I hurt her. I had to push her away. She can't know the truth about that night, about everything afterwards, that-" He took a shaky breath.

[That you love her too?]

He swallowed hard. "What else can I do, Glitch?"

Glitch hesitated. He knew the answer, they both did, but that's not what Bob was looking for. It also wasn't what he needed to hear. [You do what you've always wanted. Make it right.]

Bob scoffed. "Make it right," he repeated, voice hollow. "Sounds so easy."

[It's not as hard as you think, if you ask for help.]

Bob frowned at his keytool. "What are you talking about?"

[Ask Dot.]

"Ask Dot what?"

[What you should do. How you should fix it.]

"No," Bob snapped. "No, I can't - I won't - involve her in this. It's my problem."

[For once, why don't you let her decide that?]

Bob stiffened. His eyes narrowed and his tone went cold. "Meaning?"

[This isn't about just you anymore. She's involved, whether you like it or not. And now the project is in limbo because of it. Now, every resident of Mainframe is affected by what happens tonight, not to mention the Collective as a whole. Bob, they took a huge risk in giving you this assignment. If it gets out that you were conducting an experiment at the risk of sprites' lives, it will breed distrust in the Guardians. Even if you try to justify it was for the betterment of everyone, they'll only see how you lied, how the whole Collective lied. And that's assuming the Guardians stand by you. They might have too much to lose.] He beeped. [But so do you, and so does she, now that she knows.]

Bob shook his head. "No, Glitch. I won't put that burden on her. She was the victim that night, of both him and me. She bears no responsibility for my actions-"

[But she bears responsibility for hers,] he cut in sharply.

It brought Bob up short. "What?"

Glitch whirred and floated up in front of Bob. [Was she a victim? Yes. But so were you. You made bad choices that night, there's no denying that. But you didn't put yourself in that predicament. She did. She even said it herself: she knew it was risky, and she still went. Was it a mistake? Yes. Did she mean to make you suffer for that night? No. But it was a consequence of her actions.] Glitch stuck out a mechanical arm and jabbed it at Bob's face. [She's as much accountable as you. And the sooner you stop treating her like a helpless, hopeless, tragic victim and treat her with the dignity of an equally accountable party, the sooner you might be able to find a way out of this that doesn't leave you both miserable!]

Bob's shock lasted for a whole nano before it burned away in a flash of anger. "You want me to win her over by blaming her for that night?! Are you random- Hey!" Bob jumped back as a bolt crackled at the end of Glitch's arm.

[You're not listening!] the keytool argued. [If you think she's angry now, how do you think she's going to feel if you lose your format, or worse? What happens if her finding that diary and sending you away causes everything to blow up in our faces? You honestly believe she'd just laugh it off, go about her life like she doesn't care? She loves you, dipswitch! She won't forgive herself, especially if she finds out you feel exactly the same way!]

"That's why she can't know!" Bob yelled, the alcohol getting the better of him. "Spammit, Glitch, you know I can't be with her! Why would I tell her and get her hopes up and just rip it away from her again?!"

[Because it should be a choice between both of you, built out of the honesty you denied her in the first place!]

Bob flinched and turned away from Glitch, throwing the mug in the sink. Whiskey splattered and the mug broke. For several nanos, he didn't move.

[Bob?] The Guardian ignored him and snatched up the bottle. He took a straight shot, a brazen display in front of his keytool. [Bob-]

"It always comes back to that doesn't it?" Bob interjected, putting the bottle down hard enough to crack the glass. "You've been beating the same drum from the start. And now you want me to tell her everything, and let her decide my fate on top of it."

[Ask her to agree on the way forward,] Glitch corrected. [Maybe you turn yourself into Turbo and end your format. Maybe you and Dot work together to make the project a success, and you retire afterwards and marry and have eight kids.] Bob didn't react, like Glitch expected. Carefully he set himself down on the counter. [Whatever you choose, you need to do something. Because you can't keep going on like this.] He tapped the bottle for emphasis.

"You haven't stopped me before," Bob sidestepped.

[And I'll have to answer for those consequences, some second.]

"You would, wouldn't you?" He exhaled in frustration. "Are there anyone's lives I haven't ruined?"

[Again, my actions, my consequences. Bob, the Net doesn't live or die on your shoulders. I chose to stand by you all those hours ago, and I'm choosing to stand by you now. I will be by your side until the end.]

"Why?"

[Isn't it obvious? If you gave Dot a chance, she'd do the same.]

Bob took a deep breath and looked out at the storm. "I know she would," he said quietly. "And that's the problem. Because I'm the last sprite in the Net she should care about. That's why I can't drag her down with me."

[That's not-] The Guardian gently laid his hand on his faceplate, silencing his protests.

"I've made up my mind, Glitch. Tomorrow, I'll report back to Turbo, and I'll tell him the truth, from the beginning. I'll face my consequences. And I'll do everything I can to minimize yours."

Now it was Glitch's turn to be surprised. [You're serious. You're giving up on us.]

"I'm not. I'm just tired of running in circles. Aren't you?" When Glitch didn't answer, Bob nodded. "I'm going to pack. Alone, if you don't mind."

Glitch didn't know what to say. He watched with confusion and agitation as Bob went into the bedroom and shut the door. All this time, he'd wanted Bob to do the right thing. And facing Turbo was the right thing. Finally, Bob had listened to him.

And it pissed Glitch off.

Ever since that fateful night, he watched Bob suffer in silence, paying the price second after second for the choices he'd made. And Glitch stayed quiet. He saw Bob and Dot grow closer, as Bob still tried to pull away. And Glitch stayed quiet. He sat at his side as Bob tried to drown his misery after Enzo's birth-second party, watching him stumble and mourn yet again for being a sprite. And Glitch stayed quiet.

Well, Glitch was tired of being quiet.

Bob had suffered enough. It was time he stopped paying for his mistakes alone. And even though he knew it could damage their friendship, perhaps irreparably, he needed to speak up. To give Bob one last chance for peace. He at least deserved that.

Even if it cost them everything.