8 Hours Earlier

The 3:00 PM bell rang on a Friday school day at Tremorton High. The other classmates whooped and cheered, relieved to have finished their final exams and excited for Summer Break to finally begin. But in the corner of the room sat a much sadder looking android, her face rested on her hand, her large eyes staring blankly at the blackboard in front of her. Beside her sat a shorter boy with long black hair, freckles, and a similar expression.

"You'll see them again soon enough, I promise. The Carbunkles have extended family nearby, and their aunt has already been a huge help to them," Sheldon noted, trying to cheer Jenny up to the best of his ability.

"I'm supposed to have a high speed processor but...I just don't get it, Sheldon. How could their father have die- I mean... passed away so quickly? Without any warning signs or any cries for help?"

Just last week, only a few hours after Jenny had finished her Finals Study Session with Brad, The Carbunkles' father had collapsed. Brad had quickly dialed 911 and an ambulance had responded immediately, but Jenny had received no alerts of an emergency. Dr. Wakeman had gravely explained to her that while she had been built to fight crime, she was not fully trained to heal, and was therefore not to be contacted by the hospitals. It had taken a few days for Jenny to fully recognize that their father was no longer alive, for the terms "moved on" and "passed" had been originally been processed by their literal meanings.

"Hi Brit...Hi Tiff. I know we're not the greatest of friends, but I have to ask you something. Have you seen Brad lately? What about his little brother, Tuck?" Jenny asked, hoping they would give an honest answer. Everyone else had shaken their heads dismally.

"Their father has moved on, Jen. He passed away a few days ago," Brit answered, looking slightly upset. She and Tiff shook their heads in unison, muttering "pitiful" under their breath. Jenny sighed.

"I get that! But we all move along, right? We move on our feet to get to this school and when we pass, it means we no longer see each other's faces for that period of time. It's part of everyday life, I don't understand why it's been noted with such sadness," Jenny rambled, feeling the heat of the Crust Cousins' eyes laid on her.

Brit and Tiff exchanged a look.

"We didn't think we'd have to spell it out for you, yet here we are. He's dead, Jen. No longer alive. You won't see him again," Tiff stated blankly before she started walking away. Brit followed her, glancing at Jenny for one second, one eyebrow raised, before she lowered her head and followed.

"I never even saw him to begin with," Jenny had said quietly to herself, quietly closing her locker door and walking to class.

"You have to understand that not every emergency is laid out the same way. Some emergencies are quieter, more secretive," Sheldon noted politely, but Jenny could tell he was starting to become frustrated. She didn't blame him.

"I suppose...I just... I don't know, Sheldon. I wish I could've done something to stop this," Jenny stated quietly, rising from her desk and zipping up her backpack. The two started walking to their lockers.

"Regardless of whether you failed this one time, you're still an amazing superhero! I mean...think of all the lives that you've saved from crime. You're the best hero Tremorton has ever had! I know Dr. Wakeman said that you weren't programmed to save people medically, but...I believe in you. I know you could if you really put your mind to it!" Sheldon exclaimed eagerly. Jenny froze in place.

"Sheldon, how did you know that I wasn't programmed to medically assist people?"
"Uh...word of mouth?"
"No, Sheldon. The only people who know about that are the hospital director, whom I'm pretty sure you've never seen in your life, and my mom. Now tell me, Sheldon, how did you know about that?" Jenny asked bitterly, her eyes narrowing. Sheldon smiled sheepishly, saying he had overheard her and her mother's conversation.

"Ah, yes. The conversation that took place inside my very own Sheldon-free house. You spied on me again after I asked you so many times not to!" Jenny yelled, exasperated. The sound echoed into the empty hallway.

"I'm sorry, Jenny. I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Sheldon stated. Jenny raised an eyebrow.

"Not that I didn't think you wouldn't be okay or anything like that! I mean...you're perfect of course but I know that sometimes you might need someone to check on you? No, wait, I'm not implying that you're not self-reliable or anything like that! I'm just saying that it made me feel better knowing that you weren't taking it too rough," Sheldon babbled. He smacked himself in the forehead. He couldn't seem to figure out how to express his thoughts without sounding like a jerk.

Jenny sighed and continued to walk.

"Sheldon, I know you mean well, but the spying really has to stop. It's becoming stalker-ish and creepy," Jenny stated. "Besides, I'm not the one you should be worried about. Brad and Tuck are your friends too, aren't they?"

Sheldon nodded, recognizing his mistake. The two had reached the school's exit.

"Well, I hope you have a great summer, Sheldon."
"Yeah, you too, Jenny."

Jenny began to walk off when she heard Sheldon shout "I care about you!" in the distance.

"You don't care about me," she muttered under her breath.
"You just idealize me."