A shorter, simpler, sweeter chapter to break away from the madness that is the epilogue.

Chapter 15

In which Sean informs Sigma of his decision, and Sigma asks something of Diana.

As Sigma watches the sun rising from the horizon, and hears the song of the morning lark, he sighs to himself. While Diana sleeps in their bed, he thinks about the events from the past few hours.

Tonight was such an overwhelming night — new discoveries, new people, and new theories. He can't even think about where to begin. Well, maybe he can. He was very suspicious of Phi's behavior from the moment after they finished eating dinner at the Indian restaurant the other night. When they reached the hotel, Sigma had the mind to realize that something was very wrong, and that Phi was more than likely to head out somewhere after everyone returned to their respective rooms. He was ready to go out and follow her when she left her room at 10:30PM sharp, but Diana realized that he was leaving and insistent on joining him — especially after realizing he was going after Phi.

Of course, the stubborn girl travelled to the research center by foot, since it was 2 miles away from their motel, but realized halfway through that she was being followed. Sigma and Diana decided then to confront her. Phi, astonished to have been caught by her parents, urged them to return to the hotel, but Sigma and Diana were determined to find out what was going on. After much persuasion, they managed to get Phi to spill the beans: the woman that raised her was in this area, and she was scared that since the Grand Canyon was only an hour away, Delta or his Free the Soul minions might try to do something to her, just to get to Phi.

That old woman turned out to be the Phi transported with Delta, before they transported Phi again into 2008, too . . .

A small rasp at the door startles Sigma out of his thoughts. He slides the curtain closed, and with a yawn, he stretches his body. Clad in only sweatpants, he slogs to their motel door.

He expects to see Sophia behind the door, since a talk between her and Diana and Sigma is in order, but when Sigma opens the door, he is surprised to see Sean standing in front of him instead.

"Sean . . . Hey. What brings you here?"

"Sigma, I . . ." He bows his helmet down, as he hesitates in speaking.

And then it hits Sigma. "Have you given any thought to my offer, Sean?" he asks knowingly.

Sean nods, almost apologetically. "I did . . . I'm sorry, Sigma, but I have to go back to Eric and Mira after you create a replacement for my helmet." His croaky voice is sad, but firm.

Sigma sighs in resignation, crossing his arms over his bare chest and leaning against the doorway. "That's unfortunate to hear, but, it is as I expected, then . . . "

"P-Please, don't feel offended. I actually told Mira last night that I was going to stay with you, because that's what I thought I was going to do. But when I told Mira last night, I realized that she, and Eric . . . they both care for me and love me."

Sigma chuckles. "Relax, Sean. I'm not offended or mad," he assures with a smile, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Yes, I am a little sad, but I had the feeling you wouldn't be able to separate from Eric and Mira."

He bows his helmet down. "I . . . I don't even know how well I'll be able to stay away from them for the time you create my head. During the Decision Game I became so attached to them, even if they are a little crazy — but Mira's getting better, and, I think, Eric's getting calmer, even though Mira was suggesting to send him to a doctor to talk about his PTSD — " He stops suddenly, as if he revealed more than he was supposed to.

"Anyway, Mira was telling me to ask you to read the book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and wanted me to ask you if you could put in a sleep mode function with some sort of dreaming function, so I could feel as close to human as possible. That's when I realized I can't leave her, or even Eric, who cares for me so much." He recalls their first night in Flagstaff, when Eric was reluctant to leave Sean alone in the RV with a fond smile, but then also remembers Sigma also offering to do the same. "N-Not that you don't care for me either!" he adds quickly. "I'd love for you to teach me all that you can about GAULEMs and ABT while you fix me up! Oh, n-not that it's the only reason I want to come with you! I really am excited to come with you, even if I'm going to have to leave you after everything is done."

Sigma smiles encouragingly, squeezing softly and then releasing his hold on Sean's shoulder. "Don't worry, Sean, I know what you are trying to tell me. I respect and fully understand your decision."

Sean makes a sound that seems to be a relieved sigh — Sigma gets this idea since the boy's shoulder slump in relief. "Thank you so much for understanding, Sigma. I'm really grateful to you, for everything, really . . . Anyway, I should probably go back to my room. It's morning, and you have to sleep."

He nods, a smile stretching across his face. "Okay. I'll see you later, then . . . And, Sean?"

"Yeah?"

"Luna, my GAULEM, had a function I installed called 'Electric Sheep.' It was a dreaming function that would activate when she went into sleep mode. So, like Mira suggested, I can create the function for you, too."

.

The bed slightly dips as Sigma lies back in the bed, a feeling a weariness suddenly overtaking him. He feels himself being pulled into the sensation of sleep — growing drowsy, tired, sleepy . . .

"What was that about?" a soft voice questions in the darkness.

Surprised, Sigma jolts awake, a startled gasp escaping his lips.

"Oh, sorry," Diana apologizes in a breathless, but sheepish whisper, her hand flying to pat his head gently. "I didn't realize you were already falling asleep . . . Shh, go back to sleep."

He shakes his head slowly. "N-No, it's fine. I don't think I would have stayed in drowsy state for long, regardless. He shifts his body towards Diana, whose azure eyes are wide open. "You haven't fallen asleep, yet?" he questions, moving closer to her. He burrows his face into the crook of her neck, placing a kiss at the skin there, as she smoothens out his hair with her hand — she loves to revels in its softness.

"I can't," she almost mouths back, her voice lower than a small whisper. "You still haven't answered my question."

Sigma sighs sadly and pulls himself away from Diana, returning to lie on his side of the bed. "Sean . . . he came here to tell me that as much as he would love to stay with me and help me with my research, after I attach his head, he needs to go back to Eric and Mira."

"So, understandably, you're upset that he can't stay with you permanently . . ." she finishes, reaching for his hand between them. With her free hand, she brushes her thumb across his forehead, her eyes following its path.

Sigma feels as if his worries has dispelled away by her touch. "Yes, I am," he tells her honestly, closing his eyes briefly as her finger trails lower.

Diana's eyes meet his. "I know you want Sean to stay with you, but you can't fill the void left by Kyle or Luna . . . and you can't switch out Delta for Sean," she reasons in a whisper, her finger slowly dragging down the bridge of his nose.

"I know," he admits back ashamedly, when her finger reaches his lips. "I didn't realize I was trying to do it until now."

Her fingers moved to caress his cheek. "I understand why you subconsciously would try to do it . . . Though Delta's intentions were right, the way he went about doing everything was so wrong — and the worst part of it, it might have been the only way he'd be able to do it."

"The end justifies the means," he states simply, and, in that moment, he realizes how similar Delta and the Akane from his timeline are in their ideology.

Diana nods. "Yes, exactly. Even though we were unable to raise him, and that he has turned out to be like this, we can't turn away from the fact that he is our son."

"I understand this now, but before, I was so angry — I still am." His words are calm, but his body tenses – Diana seems to sense this as well.

She sighs. "I'm not happy with what he has done as well," she admits sadly, "but I understand why it had to happen."

Sigma pauses fleetingly, trying to determine how to phrase his next words. "I just . . . sometimes, I feel that it's all unfair. Poor Sean is more deserving to be our son than him."

Diana smiles sadly, brushing her thumb against his knuckles with the hand that has been holding his. "I know what you mean, but, Sigma, remember that Delta is the one to have created Sean. Yes, he was based off another boy, but we don't know what characteristics of that boy he chose to add and not to add to Sean. In a strange sense, you could consider Sean a grandson, if Delta ever considered him or his other models his sons."

He exhales sharply, lightly squeezing her hand. "I know."

The silence that falls after is somewhat peaceful. The past few days have been so overwhelming that Diana believes a little peace and silence will help calm things down.

Sigma hasn't let go of her hand yet, but he is quiet and still; his eyes are closed and the only sounds are the small, steady breaths he takes, as his chest rises up and down. Diana thinks he has finally fallen asleep, and is about to try to sleep herself, but then he speaks.

"Diana?"

Her eyes open slowly and flit to his. "Yes, Sigma?" She angles her head slightly towards him.

He scratches the back of his head nervously. "When this is all over, I . . . um, it might be a bit soon or forward of me, but — " He breaks off his words with exhale. "I . . . I want us to try for a baby. So, would you like for us to have a baby together?" He scrunches his eyes shut momentarily as he sighs. "That's not exactly how I wanted to word it, but now you know . . . I don't want you to think of it as filling the void, but I truly do want to have another child with you in this timeline." He doesn't want to tell her that he has been craving the feeling of having a child with her, after gaining the memories of their time with baby Phi and Delta.

"Oh, Sigma." Diana's eyes water over when she leans over to place a palm on his cheek and lightly kiss him. "I understand and know the feeling. I want us to have a baby, too," she murmurs softly against his lips, as her face hovers over his.

His tear-filled eyes slowly open as he grins back at her, and his hands move cup her cheeks. "Thank you . . . thank you so much, Diana." He is so fortunate to have her in his life, as his love — probably even more than that, since he already lost her once on the moon. He wants to hold her tight and never let her go – the thought of losing her is unbearable, and he isn't sure if he'd be able to live through it again.

She moves to lay on his chest, and his hand strokes her hair lovingly. "I'm sorry. I probably should have asked you a different question, first," he apologies sheepishly.

Diana stretches her neck to look up at him and smile. "Y-You don't have to go through the whole proposal ordeal, Sigma. I know you love me and want to marry me, and you know that I do, too."

"Hmm, I'll humor you, anyway," he replies with a grin, as he brings their joined hands to his lips. He looks up through his long lashes and murmurs softly against her skin, "Marry me, Diana. Today, tomorrow, after you give birth to our child . . . whenever."

She bites her lip to hide her smile, but lets out a laugh and nods. He beams back at her, too, as he moves towards Diana so that his lips can meet hers.

Hey, don't give me dirty looks. I kinda wanted Sean to stay permanently with Sigma, too, but the Post-Payoff Files suggest that Sean ultimately ends up with Eric and Mira after 6 months. I just decided to have Sean spend these 6 months with Sigma. And, yes, another reason for the dirty looks is the baby fever that has infected Diana and Sigma, I know. But honestly, it made the most sense to me for them to crave a baby at this point, after all that has happened (when you take into account that they have gain memories of some of the timelines of the Decision Game). And don't you want to see some fluffy goodness with Sigma and a pregnant Diana in the Post-Epilogue? Gosh, I'm just a sucker for some Sigma/Diana, if you can't tell already.