/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
BY: WOLFA MOON
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
Washing dishes she splashes him with water. Then they began to have an all out water fight. These are the moments that make life living for. Those little human moments that will be stored and backed up in secret memory circuits. The way she laughs as the water soaks in and their bodies collide. Her voice squealing and begging him to stop. But she gave as good as she got.
The moments when he would conform to her body. Feel her cuddle in close. Once asking what happens when one dies. She told him they go to a better place. A place he can't follow. Yet he hoped. Right now he remembers. Sitting in Rudy's shop remembering to keep her alive. It was getting harder and harder to hold onto her. She keeps slipping out of bed. Reaching out to grab her.
"Stay." He begs. She smiles at him as she balances on her leg. The light surrounded her. This is his vision of an angel. "Stay."
"I'm here."
"No you're not. You're a memory." She comes back to kneel beside the bed. A position she has taken before to give him pleasure and the time she would watch him recharge. Her fingers gliding over his circuits.
"Dorian, remember me. Focus." He does. She smiles at him. He takes her hand. The light is fading but the grip of their hands is tight. "Find me Dorian."
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
The voice sang in his head. The woman glowing in his vision. The voice so sweet. Waking up it is a jolt.
"How long was I out?"
"What is the last thing you remember?" the man asks. He wants to say an angel. Yet the last thing he remembers is,
"Being decommissioned." The man gives a heavy sigh. A sad sigh. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No I just need to inform your new partner that you are awake."
"My new partner?"
"Yes you are to be a police office." Dorian has to smile. it is better than whatever else he was going to be. He is going to be what he is programmed for.
A woman walks down the stairs heading toward him. He smiles. His files picking up her record.
"Detective Sandra Maldonado, I'm Dorian."
"Captain actually." She shares a glance with Rudy. Rudy still looks sad. "Anything?"
"Nothing yet." She nods.
"Go update your files." Dorian nods heading to a terminal that Rudy points out to him. There are clothes there and everything he will need to be a police office.
"How is she?" he eavesdrops as the two humans talk.
"Still in a coma. They had to take her arm."
"Oh my," Rudy gasp. There is a clatter of things hitting the ground.
"Breath Rudy."
"She is going to be upset with me."
"She'll be fine. We are here for her."
"But Dorian isn't." she sighs.
"Send him to my office once he is updated."
"Then what?"
"We wait and see."
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
Dorian kept feeling eyes on him as he sat in a investigation lounge. The long table before him lighting up at his touch. Files for him to read and go over. Then there are files he can't go over. They are password protected and sealed. Maybe if he investigated the recent news. Putting it up on the wall he watches.
The scene is chaotic. There are lights flashing everywhere. A reporter informing them of a threat that the police are containing. Then there is an explosion going off behind the reporter. People are screaming and yelling for help. The news still filming. Then he spots it 15 minutes after the explosion. A bloody body being carried out by a DRN model. A DRN that had seen better days. Then they both collapse on the ground and people rushing in.
The room goes dark.
"What are you doing?" Dorian looks at the man who has come into the room.
"Detective Richard Paul."
"Yeah that's me tin can. Now are you updated?"
"Ye(s)."
"Good." He cut him off. "Get out here." Dorian came out into the bullpen.
People stop and stare at him. If they had had one why are they staring at him? Paul goes over to Stahl.
"Any word?" Paul asks with concern.
"They are hoping tomorrow." She glances at Dorian then to Paul. "Anything with him?"
"Caught him looking at the newsfeed from the explosion."
"You were suppose to block it out."
"Me? Dog face." The MX was listening and nodded. Dorian frowned guess he will have to find another way to learn what is going on. The captain came barging out of her office. The humans turned and the MXs stood straighter. "What's up?"
"She's waking." Everyone looks at him then to her. "Keep him here."
"He was looking at the news feed."
"I see. Well then set him up at her desk and get her paperwork and mail sorted."
"Got it." Paul turned to Dorian. "You, here." Dorian watches the captain depart but goes to a desk that Paul is standing by. "Sit." He does. "We need you to check her mail and see if any informants have checked in then we need you to sort her cases and arrange her case files. Got it? Good." Giving no time to answer he walks off.
Dorian follows him with his eyes then turns to the desk before him. Taking it in there are small animals sitting along the top of the monitor. There is a giraffe, a panda, a lion and a wolf. Reaching out he tapes the head of the giraffe. The giraffe comes to life.
A memory of a boy whose eyes go big at as it comes to life. Then there is a woman talking to the boy. He tries to look at her but she is shining.
Then the woman shinning as he gives her a new one. She smiles at him. He can see her pink lips. But she is so bright. Shaking his head he looks at the giraffe flexing into his hand.
"Don't break that."
"I won't." he looks to Detective Stahl. "If you don't mind me asking, where is Detective Kennex?"
"On leave." Paul retorts. "Get to work." Dorian turns back to the monitor getting to work.
The day ends and everyone goes home. The MX leaves to their recharge cubes. Dorian sits at the detective's desk. Everything about her is blocked out. Yet he can access her email and her files but then most of those are blocked out too. All he can do is sort evidence with the files. Looking up to the animals again he touches the wolf. It howls in the silent room. It sits and stares at him.
"That is an annoying alarm clock." The shinning lady spoke as she pet the wolf along the back. He stood up and froze.
Tapping it the wolf stops. He is a detective, an officer, and he has a mystery before him. So he goes through the emails.
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
The next day he is still at the desk. Maldonado came over to him.
"Did you not recharge?"
"My battery is fine." She nods looking at the cleanliness of desk.
"You cleaned."
"Yes, but everything is still here except the wrappers."
"The life of a detective." She sighs staring down at him.
"Where is Detective Kennex?"
"What were you told?" More what had he found out.
"She is on leave."
"She is but she is in the hospital."
"The explosion I was not suppose to see."
"Yes." She sits on the edge of the desk. "I need you to go recharge."
"Can it wait? I am almost done with her emails."
"Fine, then go."
"Yes captain." She nods going to her office. Stahl stops her.
"How is she?" the two walk into the office.
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
Valarie sat across from her captain. Her captain sat down heavily.
"She's on the mend. They are going to fit her with a synthetic arm."
"That's not going to go over well." If she rejected the leg how was she going to deal with an arm too?
"Yes," Maldonado agreed. "She asked about Dorian."
"What did you tell her?"
"That he is being repaired."
"She saw right through it didn't she." Joan had keep their relationship on the down low. Yet it bled through on several assignments and rescues.
"You know our Joan." Valarie had to smile. She had the odd assignment once of being her girlfriend. Finding out how good a kisser and caring the gruff detective is.
"I do. So when are you taking him to see her?"
"She isn't completely out of the woods. She asked about Dorian and went silent."
"He should be there."
"He doesn't know her."
"How do you know it won't all come back to him?"
"He's not human."
"Dorian is more human than most we deal with." She couldn't argue with that logic. "Please take him."
"I don't…" someone is tapping on the glass. Looking up they see Dorian standing there. Collecting herself she motions for him to come in.
Dorian looks at the two. He knew he is being discussed but something came to him.
"What can I do for you?" he comes in hands cupped together. Stepping to the desk he sets down the panda and the lion. The two women watch him. He taps both of them. They begin to circle one another. Then the lion and panda stand up and dance. The two women look at him.
"You gave her the panda." He tells his captain.
"Do you remember?"
"I don't know. It has been nagging me all night. Then I did this. And I remember giving the detective the wolf. The giraffe was one to replace the one she gave a boy. Yet you gave her the panda, it was your sons." Maldonado froze. Joan knew about her son. Knew that the syndicate had destroyed her life as much as it destroyed hers. Peas in the same pod.
"So you remember?"
"It's hard. Can I see her?"
"Think it will jog your memory?" Stahl held onto hope
"I am built exactly as I was. Same memory board."
"How do you know that?" Sandra asks hand on her hips.
"You may have denied me access but not Rudy or Detective Paul."
"Come with me."
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
The ride was quiet until they arrived she turns to him.
"Listen up. She is hurting. She needs her Dorian more now than ever." Dorian nods. "If you don't remember, you leave before she wakes up."
"You care for her greatly."
"She is the sister I never had."
"The daughter you will never be proud of." Sandra's eyes widened. This was a conversation she had once had with Joan.
"Remember or leave understand."
"Understood."
Going up the elevator he closes his eyes. Trying to remember all that he could but all he saw is his angel of light. The light touch of her hand on his face. The glimpse of a smile that made him warm.
"This way." Dorian took in the pale blue walls. Suppose to give a calming affect but was not. Walking down the hall he saw other men who were identified as wounded officers or soldiers. Most of them fitted with synthetic limbs.
"In here." Entering the room he sees her. The woman on the bed is shinning in the sunlight. He can't really see her. His eyes scan as much as he can. There is a synthetic leg already fitted on her. But the arm is not on yet. It is in the charger on the windowsill.
Stepping closer he looks down at her but has to keep looking away. She will not come into focus.
"Anything?"
"I don't." he looks back but she is shinning. "I can't. I am sorry." He begins to turn.
"Dorian," a voice whispers, calls.
"It's okay Joan we were leaving." Sandra sounded sad.
"Dorian," the voice grows a little stronger. Dorian turns to her. "Dorian?" a hand is raised. The stub of an arm is moving too. He looks to his captain before stepping back. She smiles, his angel smile, is she. Stepping closer he reaches out allowing her to take his hand. She sighs audibly.
"I'm sorry." He says.
"Sandra could you give us a moment."
"Joan I don't."
"Please," Sandra couldn't always fall for the plea, this time though, she does.
"I'll be outside." She leaves them alone.
Dorian turns to her still squinting.
"What do you know?"
"I… I don't know. I remember the lion and panda dancing."
"You programmed them to do that."
"Why did I do that?"
"Cause I told you I couldn't dance. You told me if they can dance you can." Dorian squints again. "You okay?" She grips his hand.
"You shine."
"You always said I did."
"Are you an angel?"
"Not really."
"I dreamed of an angel."
"Kiss me."
"Why?"
"I consent. Please." Dorian leans close the hand lets go to touch his face and direct it down. It feels to him as if he is getting too close to he sun. It is scary but so beautiful. Then their lips touch. The sun goes supernova. Everything flooded out and in. He has to close his eyes but he sees.
Sees them entering the dark. Then the world exploding with light. Hearing her scream in the light. He was looking at her when the bomb went off. She is in the light.
Opening them he can see her. He knows her.
"Joan?"
"Fairytale kiss."
"Angel's kiss." He kisses her again. Her stubbed arm trying to reach for him too.
"Not an angel. I've been clipped."
"Let me fix that." Dorian gets up from her to get the arm. He attaches it to her. She winces. "Sorry." The amputation is right above her elbow. The synthetic still looks synthetic. Dorian runs his hand over it. It feels fuzzy, magnetic. Then he touched it.
"Ow," she yelped at the shock.
"Are you okay?"
"Shocking." Dorian reached for her arm again. It didn't match her tone yet.
"It still needs to be programmed fully."
"Lucky me." Dorian ran his finger over it again. The synthetic changed to her skin tone.
"Try moving your fingers." Joan looks at him. He is looking at her hand. Raising her arm she brings the hand to touch his face. It sparks again. But lets it rest on his cheek. Moving his eyes to look at her.
"What's wrong?"
"I forgot you." She smiles at him.
"You saved me, again." Dorian shakes his head.
"No, the explosion. I saw it blow up around you."
"And you saved me. Moved a building off me."
"I don't."
"Kiss me."
"Are you trying to shut me up?"
"Yes, we're here. Live." Dorian leans in kissing her. The new hand running through his hair and pulling him in. He moves back a little.
"Easy."
"I missed you." They kiss and live happily ever after.
/Chapter 3 : Shining Angel/
THE END
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