I own nothing, everything belongs to Archie and Sega.

Nicole was happy. No, not happy, she was joyful, ecstatic, pleased because she was finally real. She could now walk, talk, sing, dance, feel, and even live. She was able to look around the room and saw things with eyes, not with electrodes. She saw all of the machines, and equipment, and tables and chairs. She saw Espio kneeling next to her and a little behind him she saw the stairs with Sam leaping down them with a box.

Looking back down at Espio she saw that he seemed worried about something. She was still getting used to controlling a body without her usual computer programs running in the background but she managed to smile at him and made a small motion up and down with her head. It seemed to calm him a little.

Sam came over with the first aid kit and began to look Nicole over, checking for any cuts, bruises, or any other injuries that Nicole might have had. After he finished he looked up at Nicole and began to ask her a few questions.

"Nicole, can you hear me? If you can, smile or blink."

Having already smiled at Espio earlier the second movement of her mouth was easier to do then it had before. This seemed to relieve both of them and began to discuss with each other.

"Espio, I think that right now it would be best to take her upstairs and let her lie down. The change to a corporeal form may have left her body tired."

Espio agreed and walked over to Nicole.

"Okay Nicole, I'm going to carry you upstairs so you can rest a little. You ready?"

Nicole smiled to signal that she was ready. Espio nodded and putting one arm underneath her knees and the other on her upper back he lifted and began to carry her up the stairs. Sam followed after them but at the top of the stairs he left to go to the kitchen.

"I'm going to make something for her to eat. We don't know how strong she is, and given that she has, in a way, just been born she will probably be hungry. You know where the guest room is, I'll be there in a bit."

Espio nodded and walked down the hallway. As he walked Nicole began to look around a little. She managed to catch a glimpse of herself in a mirror that Espio passed by. She looked just like her hologram form. A lynx with black mitten feet and hands, with a purple robe and velvet black hair. There were no beads in her hair and it seemed to be a little longer than she remembered but that didn't matter. She was still in a mental haze at the fact that she was now real.

She was afraid though. Afraid that at any moment she might wake up and the whole thing would only be a dream. That all this was merely an illusion created by her resting data base in Freedom H.Q.

She tried to remember what it was that Mobians would say about dreams. Something about pinching yourself to see if it was real.

'I've had no previous experience with being truly alive though. How am I to tell what is real now and what isn't?'

Espio was now in the guest room, and was slowly laying her down on the bed. He pulled up a chair and sat next to her, leaning down close.

"Nicole, I know you can hear me which is good, but can you do anything else? Try raising your arms."

As Nicole lay in the bed, she began to think about how to do that. She didn't know how much of this new body worked but she was an ex-sophisticated highly intelligent computer program. When all else failed, there was still deductive reasoning.

'If this is how I open and shut my eyes' she said, blinking a couple of times, 'and this is how I move my neck' her head moved back and forth slowly, 'then maybe this is how you move your arms.'

Nicole began to slowly use the muscle in her body to raise her left arm. Unbidden, a large smile spread across her face, and a rush of emotion went coursing through her body. She turned her head to look over at Espio and could see the same grin on his face.

"That's very good. Now, do that with both of them, and your legs."

This Nicole did, raising one limb, then the other, then another multiple times. By the time Sam had gotten back with some food she was able to control her body movement well enough that she was sitting up.

"Well, it's nice to see that you can move about. Now, let's see about getting something into your stomach."

"You sure you're going to be fine taking care of her Sam?"

Espio was packing up his satchel to make the trip back to Mobotropolis. He needed to make sure that the Freedom Fighters knew that Nicole was safe.

"We'll be fine Espio. It shouldn't be to hard and it will be good to have company again."

Espio stopped packing and looked pointedly at Sam.

"Sam, as much as I like you, I need you to promise me something. No unnecessary tests on Nicole. You have a habit of getting to focused in figuring out how things work, and Nicole is a thinking and now fully living person."

Sam gave a sheepish smile to Espio.

"I promise. I'll only run some necessary tests on her blood and other important factors and nothing else."

Sam put out his hand and Espio grabbed it sealing the promise. Shouldering his bag, he walked over to the guest room with Sam following behind him. He stopped at the doorway into the room and just looked in.

Nicole lay on the bed, turned on her side and sleeping. A small smile was on her face, it hadn't seemed to have left it's position since she had become Mobian. Sam whispered to him,

"Don't worry Espio. I promise to keep her safe. You have my word."

Espio let a small smile come up and he turned and gave Sam a hug.

"Thank you Sam, for everything."

"You're very welcome Espio."

Letting go, Espio said his last goodbye and left the house. Sam stood in the doorway waving goodbye and he stayed there until he could no longer see his friend. Letting out a sigh he went back in his house and closed the door.

'Well' he thought, 'this is going to be quite the adventure.'

Things are starting to get interesting around here. I hope you all enjoyed and please read and review.

Tybalt