Chapter 16

Beck entered the apartment and held the door open to let the Users pass. Once they were in the living room, he closed the door behind him and met Paige outside the study.

"I know." He said tiredly before she could say anything, "I know. Sorry."

Paige said nothing, but then squeezed his hand. She then stood on her tiptoes and he bent his neck slightly as she whispered in his ear.

He nodded and stood back straight as she left to go back to the Users.

"Go on. Sit. Would you want anything?"

"Paige, you can go ahead and sit down," Beck quietly came up behind her as he said this. She pretended not to hear him.

She jumped, though, when he gently wrapped his arms around her waist. He laid his head on her shoulder and they both watched the Users quietly.

The Users, meanwhile, hadn't noticed the display of affection. They were too busy questioning Nico.

"So this is where you've been? When you were supposed to be working?" Roy asked, torn between anger and a slight understanding.

"Well..." Nico nodded, "Yeah."

"Good thing I didn't fire you." Roy muttered.

"She probably would've broken in to get back here." Alan muttered, his low voice almost rumbling.

"And you've only known her for a couple hours." He muttered back.

"And if I had the choice, I probably would've stayed here."

Everyone looked over to her, dead silent.

"Wait...what? Why?" Quorra spoke finally, eyes wide.

Nico gave her a long look, "Outside of here and Encom, I really have nothing to go back to. If I was fired from Encom...I would've just come and disappeared...in here."

"That's...depressing." Sam said after a moment.

"I never said my life was sunshine and roses." Nico reasoned.

"But still..."

"That is a depressing way to think of life."

Everyone turned to Paige. She was sitting on top of Beck's lap. He sat in a chair with his arms around her midriff and his head buried in her shoulder. He was breathing deeply, fast asleep. She would've probably moved, but his embrace held her there.

"First of all, don't stare. It's rude. Second of all, that is a depressing way to think. There is always something to live for. Even if you have to look hard for it, it's there."

"You really believe that?" Alan asked, glasses directing his gaze.

Beck twitched slightly in his sleep and Paige pressed a hand on his face before turning back to face Alan, "I do. That's the philosophy I've lived by for the past Xilacycle. It's made me who I am now."

"Was it really that bad after the War?" Quorra asked.

Beck shifted his head and his hands twitched, moving slightly from her waist. She didn't move though, but looked to his head.

"Yes. The city was in ruins. Many programs we had known were dead. That's what we came to after...the final mission. You and the Son of Flynn were gone. We rejoined the remaining citizens in recovering the dead and injured, but they didn't trust us immediately. It took both of us a long time to gain the trust of even most programs."

"Really? Why?"

"Well think about it. I was a well known soldier and Beck was missing for a good bit of the war. If we just both appeared with all the rumors and stories following us, would you trust us?"

"Wait." Nico broke in. "He was missing? Why?"

Paige fixes her with a long look but her attention was diverted as Beck tensed suddenly. She must have seen something on his hidden face, because she leaned close and began to whisper in his ear. He gripped her hand and she stroked the side of his face, still whispering. Beck finally relaxed and after a moment, lifted his head. She whispered one more thing in his ear and he nodded. She nodded and leaned back.

"Sleep well?" Quorra asked.

"Hm?" He rubbed his eye with his palm but after a moment he nodded.

Paige got up and Beck sat up straight, shaking his head.

He sighed and after a long moment, stood, watching as Paige and the Users had engaged in a happy conversation. He smirked and ran a hand through his hair.

"Um, guys no offense." Nico said after a moment, "But I'm getting tired of just sitting in here. Can we go somewhere?"

"Alright," Beck gave a small grin, "Where do you want to go?"

"This isn't what I meant."

All of them glanced up at the club's sign. Nico grinned.

"Oh come on! It'll be fun."

Quorra began to grin, gripping Sam's arm, "She's right! This was so much fun to do!"

Alan and Roy exchanged a glance as Beck sighed, "Alright..."

"Yay!" The two girls squealed in excitement. They grabbed Paige and drug her along. She stole a glance back at Beck and he gave her an apologetic smile. She rolled her eyes and turned back forward as they pulled her in. Beck closed his eyes and shook his head, still smiling.

"I guess we should go in there with them." Sam shrugged.

"Yeah. I suppose we should." So the two of them followed.

Alan and Roy exchanged another glance. Alan sighed with a 'we're getting too old for this' look before they followed.

The inside of the club was crowded with programs, all relaxed and carefree.

Thus, making Beck, Paige, and the male Users stick out like sore thumbs. Quorra and Nico had practically sprinted to join the dancing crowd, large grins on their faces. Paige, still being gripped tightly by the two, was pulled onto the dance floor. Beck stayed near the doorway, keeping quiet about his lack of comfort. Sam, Alan, and Roy stood next to him, watching the crowd.

"Wow," Roy said after a moment, "programs really like to dance."

Beck shrugged slightly, "It's an escape and a joy for most programs. And apparently Users too."

"Except those with two left feet." Sam said awkwardly.

"Two left…..?"

"Oh. It's just an expression. I don't actually have two left feet. It just means I can't dance."

Beck nodded, tucking away this information mentally. Suddenly, Quorra came up and grabbed Sam. He glanced at the others of his gender in panic before he was pulled onto the dance floor to dance with Quorra.

"And then there were three." Roy muttered. Alan smirked and shook his head.

Meanwhile, Nico was finally getting Paige to open. She began to sway to the rhythm, then eventually began to dance. Beck watched, his arms crossed with a neutral expression. His fingers unconsciously tapped against his arm and Roy and Alan started a conversation.

"Beck?"

"Hm?" He looked over to Roy.

"You alright?"

He nodded and lied easily, "Yeah."

He saw something out of the corner of his eye. It was Paige and Nico, waving at him to come over. He shook his head, putting on an eye roll and smirk. They began to grow insistent, but he wouldn't go.

"Go on, Beck." Roy smirked, "They want you next."

"I'll pass."

"Why? Got two left feet like Sam?"

He shrugged, "I don't like to dance."

Before they could get a word in, he excused himself and slid past them into the outside world.

Sighing, he took a breath of air. Now he just hoped they wouldn't follow him out. He didn't want to ruin their time just because he had to go out for a moment.

He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

They reopened, though, when after a long while, they came out, all sweat-drenched. Apparently Alan and Roy had been pulled into the dancing, probably against their will, but now they were all laughing. He tilted his head slightly as they stopped next to him.

"That." Nico started, pointing at Alan and Roy, "That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen!"

In most cases, she might have gotten a glare and a couple firm words, but they were too busy laughing. But after a moment, Roy's able to get in:

"At least I don't have a dance move called 'The Blender'."

Nico looked flustered at that and the others were laughing, and Beck smirked.

"Yeah, you smacked me in the face!" Paige said, trying to sound serious but failing due to the laughter.

"That sounds like it was interesting." Beck said, pushing off the wall. They all started down the street, as it was almost empty.

"You missed out, Beck." Sam said, "Would've been entertaining if you were with us."

Beck shrugged, "I got enough entertainment watching you dance."

Sam gave him a ridiculous look, "You were only watching me for a couple moments!"

"So you think."

"I mean it! You were_"

"Captain!"

Beck stopped and turned as David ran up to him, anxiety on his face.

"What is it?"

"Disturbance….Seneca district."

"Seneca? You mean the sea?"

Immediately, Quorra's face went from glee to fear.

"The one. The disturbance was spotted by monitors on the shore and a couple programs witnessed…whatever it was. We need you to check it out and put an end to the disturbance if possible."

He nodded, "I'll do what I can. You can count on it."

David nodded and ran off. Quorra looked down, clutching her hands over her heart.

"Hey," Quorra looked up as Beck put a hand on her shoulder and met his gaze, "I'm going to try and take care of it as soon and cleanly as possible, alright? We shouldn't be there long."

After a moment, Quorra nodded. When Beck went out of earshot, Nico touched her shoulder as Quorra looked back down, "What's the big deal about the sea?"

Quorra didn't answer. Nico was about to ask again, when Paige set a hand on her shoulder and led her away. Once they were a good distance away, Paige stopped and began to speak.

"The Sea of Simulation is her birthplace."

"How?"

"She's an ISO; the last one in fact. Back before the war, CLU had poisoned the Sea with an Isomorphic Virus, which killed all the ISOs in the water and made it impossible for any other ISO to enter the water without dying as well. That may have been ages ago, but there is still poison in the water and still full of painful memories. That's why."

Nico was stunned.

Genocide?

Paige must have seen the shock and revulsion on her face, because she said, "Yeah. That's another reason CLU was considered merciless in his rush to 'perfection'." The final word sounded like it was venom itself on her tongue.

"But_"

"Let's go." Beck said, coming back with batons for everyone, "We need to be as quick as possible."