Cht 2

Reboot

Sauntering past the living room couch, Shaw sits down heavily onto the window seat, her thoughts broken by buzz...

Staring at her phone on the living room table from the reflection on the window, Shaw hesitates on whether to pick it up already knowing who it was. Eventually, Shaw does.

"She loves you."

Whispering, "I know, that's part of the problem."

"I do not understand," The Machine answers back as it flashes the words on Shaw's phone screen.

"She wants something so badly, but at the same time she's too afraid to take it in fear of losing it."

"Fairy tale?"

Sighing, "Fairy tale... She won't ever reach for it... She won't ask..."

"Does it matter?"

"To me, it does."

"Why? Is that something you want too?"

"….. ….. I want her to be... Happy."

"Why?"

"What's the point in loving someone if they don't make you happy?"

"But she is happy."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she loves you."

"Love doesn't always mean happiness"

"But that is the ultimate goal?"

"Yes."

"Are you happy?"

"I'm... Not angry." As Shaw cocks her head slightly in contemplation. "I'm... She makes me... Feel."

"But you don't know if you are happy?"

"You know for a Machine you are way too philosophical!" Shaw answers, confused and frustrated at her own confusion, "emotions are... Messy."

"You are telling me!"

Shaw chuckles, "why am I talking to a Machine?" As the mood lightens a little.

A short respite.

"Emotions make people unpredictable. That is when you are most unpredictable."

"Huh?" As Shaw's attention becomes that little bit more focused on her phone as The Machine begins to analysis her.

"Aristotle believed that substance has the capacity to develop into reality."

"OK, now you're just showing off..."

"There are four causes. The material, which you refer to as happy. The efficient, which is the creator, making it you. The formal, being how you perceive what happy is, and the final, which is how you get to your vision of happiness. So your substance, happiness, has the capacity to develop into reality."

Having now closed her eyes, dropped her head to her chest and circling a temple on the side of her head, "I really shouldn't have mentioned the word philosophical" Shaw deadpans in reply.

"You pretend that you have no emotions Sameen Shaw, but clearly you have it in abundance. Just as Genrika had pointed out to you before, you need to learn to listen more carefully."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Why else would you be awake talking to a Machine right now if you did not have emotions?"

"So... This is all about how far I am willing to go?"

"A person has inspired you to think of others' feelings ahead of your own. Is this not what love is?"

"Is that what love is? A conscious desire to change so that someone else can be, happy?"

"I asked you first."

Exhaling a loud breath in exasperation, "and how much do I owe you Machine Freud Root?" …... Sighing, Shaw finally moves after another moment of staring out the window across the empty streets and watching the street lamp outside flicker, on, off... On, off... "You know, you can be really annoying sometimes."

"I aim to please."

"OK, stop that. One Root is enough, and it's still creepy!" As Shaw stands and leaves her phone by the window seat.

Standing leaning on the doorway looking back into an untidy bedroom full of clothing, electronics, camera, cushions and other random items strewn all over the room, Shaw watches as Gen sleeps, tossing and mumbling.

Bear was curled up in a space which he carved out for himself on Gen's floor when he dragged his own bed to her room. Even Bear had sought refuge away from emotional Root, 'traitor'.

After a while, Shaw quietly closes Gen's bedroom door and makes her way back down the hall and back into her own bedroom, slipping back into bed. Watching until her eyes got too heavy and finally closed. Root would never ask it... Shaw had a decision to make.


"Morning Sweetie", as Shaw opens her eyes to Root's smile. Clearly Root had been watching Shaw sleep.

Seeing Root look like her perky psycho self again after last night's saga in the alleyway, Shaw closes her eyes again and turns her back away from Root trying to continue her sleep. Smiling internally, externally, Shaw was grumpy as usual.

Only Root doesn't allow it as she slips her arms around Shaw's waist and pulls her into her chest, hugging Shaw tight, "Sameen", Root pouts as she drops her head onto Shaw's shoulder seeking some affection in return.

Root seems to have forgotten her nightmare like it didn't happen, but it continued to remain simmering in Shaw's mind. Shaw continues to play along, pretend ignoring Root as she continues to try to sleep.

Bang, SMASH!... Woof!

Shaw's eyes instantly snap awake as both Root and Shaw jump from the bed and along the hallway towards the sudden noise. As they reach the kitchen they spot Gen trying to clear up the mess as she looks up at them, 'sorry'...

Laughing, Root goes to help Gen clear up, "careful Sweetie, watch you don't cut yourself" as she moves to get the brush to clear up the smashed plates.

Bear is running around in circles hovering over Gen and Root wagging his tail excitedly, "woof, woof!" Before Shaw calls him away, "komm, Bear" and walks to a corner of the living room.

"Zitten", and Bear obediently sits, head still poking up straight as he continues to watch the activities in the kitchen. Patting Bear on the head, "good boy," Shaw praises as she grabs her phone from the window seat and walks back to the kitchen.

"Shaw, we're gonna make chocolate chip cookies!" Gen informs excitedly when she turns to see Shaw, eggs in her arms as the fridge, thud, closes again.

Shaw turns to Root who just shrugs. Who said cookies has an eating time zone anyways, as Shaw leaves the two and walks back to the bedroom for a shower.

Grabbing a towel from the wicker basket, Shaw sends a quick text to Reese, "subway, 3hrs" before placing her phone down on the bathroom counter top and walking into the shower cubicle.

Buzz... As the phone vibrates next to the sink, the screen flashing with the message, "done."


"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Reese asks.

Shaw looks back at him with conviction.

"OK, I understand," and then letting out a laugh of disbelief, "didn't think there would be this day", as he looks back up from the ground to Shaw with a genuine happy smile.

"Things change" Shaw replies with her usual neutral low tone.

"Yeah, they really do" as Reese contemplates placing a hand on Shaw's shoulder.

As Shaw spots the slight movement, "not that much" she adds quickly, moving her gaze from Reese's arm to his eyes in warning.

"Well should I.."

"No" Shaw cuts Reese off.

Laughing a bit more now, he nods before changing the subject slightly, "where are your two nerds anyway?"

"And where's yours?"

Raising a brow, 'touche', "if you really want to know, she's..."

"No," Shaw cuts Reese off again, "I really don't."

Chuckling lightly, "and here I thought we were having a moment" Reese teases further.

"My God, Fusco starting to rub off on you, you're starting to sound like him" Shaw warns with a glare.

With creased brows and one side of his mouth upturned in disgust, "why is it that you two cream puffs have the weirdest of conversations? Are you talking in code or something?" As both Shaw and Reese turn to look at Fusco, forgetting he's there, "standing right here you know!" Fusco continues to look between the two. "And stop busting my chops will ya? Seeing how soft you two whipped cones have become, I know I can take you both easy!"

"Charming as ever Lionel" as Reese raises an eyebrow at him.

Ignoring Reese, "have you told Glasses yet?" As Fusco turns to Shaw, returning back to the subject.

"I will once you two leave" as she looks to the door. That was Reese and Fusco's cue... Watching them leave, Shaw turns to The Machine, who helps Shaw dial.

Connecting, Shaw sees Finch sitting in his home office in Italy. "Ah, good afternoon Ms Shaw!" He greets with a smile, "is everything OK?" …...