jRobot Ch. 7 & Epilogue, [NC-17], RPS, J2 AU

[sandymg]

Cotton candy fascinated Pro-One. He put it to his lips … full and pink, just like Jensen’s. Jared could only stare. After a second Pro-One said, “Sweet.”

“You can taste?”

“Smell. I can taste to a degree as well. But I cannot digest the food so I do not let it enter my system. I can analyze for content.”

Chad looked at him. “Like detect poison and such?”

“Yes. I was trained in detecting over five thousand different poisonous substances.”

“You’re a regular Sherlock,” Chad teased.

Pro-One looked proud, which of course was supposed to be impossible. But there weren’t too many other words to describe the twinkle in his eyes and his straight peacock-like stance. “I would make a good forensic detective.”

That caught Jared’s attention. “If you could chose anything, Pro-One what would you like to do?”

“We are doing what I like. Chad and I made a list.”

“No. I mean, yes, we are. And we’ll keep going on your list. But … if things were different. And there was more time … “

Jared had to swallow before he continued. But he wanted to know. “What would you like to be when you grow up?”

Jensen looked at Jared now, frown forming. Like he thought the question callous. The doctor wasn’t quite as sold on Pro-One’s lack of feelings as he claimed. But Jared didn’t think it would be hurtful for Pro-One to answer that.

“I am uncertain,” Pro-One replied. “May I process that further and let you know?”

“Of course.”

They worked their way up the boardwalk toward the amusement rides. Chad’s eyes lit up upon seeing the Ferris Wheel. “C’mon lil’ buddy. Bird’s eye view.”

Pro-One looked at the large wheel structure, pupils fixing in and out. “That reaches a maximum height of two hundred feet. Most birds fly to altitudes of five hundred feet. During migrations they can go five thousand feet. A North African vulture called the Ruppell Griffon once was recorded flying at an altitude of 37,900 feet.”

“Holy smoke. That’s as tall as Mount Everest.”

“Higher, Chad. Mount Everest reaches a peak of 29,028 feet.”

“How’d they know? I mean you said the vulture’s altitude was ‘recorded’?”

“On November 29, 1975, one hit a jet engine above West Africa.” The robot paused and then locked eyes with Jensen even though Chad had asked the question. “He was likely not flying for long. But he obtained an incredible height.”

Chad glanced between the progenitor and creation before pushing his hands in his pockets and turning to gaze back at the calm ocean. Jared approached Pro-One and wrapped a large arm around his shoulders, reaching for Jensen’s hand with the other. “Cognitive linguists would have a field day studying you.”

They split into two units again to ride the Ferris Wheel. Pro-One automatically slid in next to Chad and gave a tiny wave as they took off. “Chad’s really good with him,” Jensen said as they sat in their own seat.

Jared tilted his head up as if he’d be able to see his friend overhead. “Yeah. He’ll make a great dad one day. I knew that. He comes by sometimes and I’ve seen him with my kids.”

“Pro-One isn’t a child.”

They started moving upward stopping again as others boarded. Jared looked at Jensen. “I know he’s not.” Jared looked over the edge. They weren’t very high off the ground yet. The wheel turned another notch and they rose a little further. “Jensen.” Jared waited until Jensen looked at him. “What’s going to happen?”

Jensen didn’t ask what Jared meant. “In thirty-one hours, the nanonites will lose the struggle. The degeneration will surpass their ability to knit the cells back together. The organic components will begin dying off. His outer epidermal will be effected first, turning gray as the cells die. Eventually, like a cancer, it’ll dig deeper. With the previous models … the neuronet went last. After that the robot shut down. Terminated, if you want to be all sci-fi about it.”

“But those other models … they didn’t have your AI, right?”

“No. They had much simpler programming. Although even that improved post organic merger. But not like … “

They were higher now and Jared looked at the tops of the shops lining the boardwalk, the other rides comprising the small amusement area and the ocean -- the one constant in the changing landscape. Jensen stopped talking and Jared watched sadly as he wrapped his arms around himself. A laugh came from above them. Jared recognized Chad’s hearty bark. He met Jensen’s eyes and couldn’t help the smile from forming. Jensen smiled back at him before his face sobered again. “Jay … it’ll happen to him. My AI won’t make a difference to the nanonites erosion issue.”

Jared nodded and brought his arm up over Jensen’s shoulder drawing him closer as they rose up slowly. Warm lips brushed Jared’s neck. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you and Chad. You won’t … you’ll stay, right?”

“As long as you’ll have me.”



“Chad. No. We are not going to Atlantic City, so put your Rain Man fantasies to rest.”

Chad pouted. “He’d clean up. And I have a plan. It’s foolproof.”

Jared met Jensen’s amused glint. “They’ll know he’s counting cards. We’ll get kicked out at best. We can’t risk it … Besides there isn’t … “ Enough time.

They’d finished visiting the petting zoo. Before that they’d played a round of miniature golf. Pro-One won. Afterward, they picked up a pack of wildflower seeds from a small shop and Pro-One carefully planted them along a sunny dirt patch on the side of the road. Once, Jared caught Chad carefully uncrinkling Pro-One’s list . Chad opened it and looked down with a wistful smile before refolding it and putting it back in his pocket.

After the sun started to set they worked their way to the bus station. That’s where the current conversation had come up.

“Chad,” Pro-One said. “I would be able to win at Black Jack and ‘clean up’ as you say. But it will take us several hours to drive to New York City. And it is in the opposite direction of Atlantic City.”

Pro-One didn’t say any more. Bottom line was there wasn’t enough time to visit both Atlantic City and New York City. They had to pick a bus and go in only one direction.

“I have never been to a large metropolitan city. There will be millions of people. What does that feel like?”

“New York’s fantastic,” Chad said. “You guys will love it.”

Jared caught something in Chad’s tone. He pulled Jensen aside mumbling that he should give Chad and Pro-One some privacy.

“I … lil’ dude … I can’t go with you.”

Pro-One’s eyes widened as he touched Chad’s arm. “You are not coming with me?”

“No. I think it’s best that I catch a bus back home.” He flipped his gaze to a nearby bus. “That one … it’s heading my way.”

“We can go to Atlantic City.”

Jared felt his eyes water. He didn’t need to look at Jensen to feel the other man’s emotions. A hand reached out and squeezed his. He held back tightly.

“I was only kidding about that. Besides, it’s nothing special. Not like the Big Apple. You gotta go there. It’s on your list.”

“Why will you not go with us? I wish you to. Please?”

Chad gripped Pro-One’s shoulder. His eyes locked with the robot’s. “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. It’s just … I think this … your time needs to be spent with Jensen now. And Jared’ll be there with Jensen.” Chad glanced their way a moment before returning his attention to Pro-One. “I know I got angry. Said some things … but the doc … he did something special. Amazing. You. Are amazing. An’ truth is he’s brave. Braver than anyone I ever met. Braver than me lil’ dude cause I can’t … “

Pro-One put his hand on Chad’s shoulder, leaning in slightly. “Doctor Ackles is a wonderful man. He gave me everything. He gave me you.”

Chad drew Pro-One toward him. Jared heard Chad’s muffled sob and leaned into Jensen’s shoulder to hide his own face. Blinking through tears he saw Chad move away from Pro-One.

Jared stepped away from Jensen and approached his friend.

They hugged hard. “Thanks,” Jared said, voice breaking.

“I’m sorry. I just can’t … “

“It’s okay. I know. It’s okay.”

Chad pulled back. Wiped at his eyes. He stood in front of Jensen. “You did good,” he said firmly.

Jensen nodded, gratitude showing on his face. He gave Chad a hug. Chad leaned into it and spoke in the doctor’s ear. “Never fucking do it again unless they get it fixed.”

Letting out a soft sad chuckle Jensen hissed, “Couldn’t.”

“Right,” Chad pulled himself together. “I’m going to head home. Do I have to worry about anyone coming after me?”

“No. All their resources will be spent on recovering the unit.”

Chad returned to Jared. “Jensen isn’t going to leave Pro-One.” Jared nodded, he knew that. “He’ll need you.”

Jared didn’t bother replying. He watched through watery vision as Chad unfolded a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. Silently he folded the paper in half and then in half again. Jared saw the wings form and the tail take shape. When done, he handed the paper airplane of Pro-One’s list to the robot.

“Take this and sail it off the Empire State Building. Set it free. Like you were.”

Pro-One was about to speak, perhaps to agree but Chad put his finger to his own lips and used the universal signal for silence. Then he boarded the bus quickly without looking back. The windows were dark, tinted and they couldn’t see inside.

Jared stood on one side of Pro-One and Jensen to the other. “Our bus is this way,” Jensen said softly, walking them to the other gate.

“Do you know what the last thing on my list is?” Pro-One asked.

“No, what is it?” Jensen asked. Jared picked up his nervousness that they’d never get to it all.

“To make a friend.”

Jared smiled, meeting matching glowing green eyes. “Well then. You did better than that. You made two friends.”

Jensen balked. “Hey, what about me?”

“You are not a friend, Doctor Ackles.” Jensen paled, eyes widening. Jared was about to distract, perhaps change the subject when the robot added. “You are family.” There was a pause. “Is that not correct?”

Jensen couldn’t talk so Jared answered firmly. “Yes. It sure is.”



Jared secured them a hotel room while Jensen and Pro-One explored the city. They agreed to meet up at the Empire State Building. Jensen had discovered that the Observation Booth was open until two a.m. They planned to meet at midnight.

Alone for the first time in days, Jared felt untethered. He’d gotten used to the constant company. Pro-One’s deadpan humor. Jensen’s sexy vibe. Chad’s warm, solid presence. He’d booked them a junior suite. The bedroom had a door so that anyone could have privacy if they needed it. He had about an hour before going to meet Jensen and his robot.

He took the time to reflect. If someone had told him a week ago that walking into his neighborhood pub would lead to meeting someone so extraordinary. And then meeting someone even more amazing. Well, he couldn’t have possibly believed that. Yet here he was. These men had shown him so much. About perseverance. Courage. Love. He had absolutely no doubt that Pro-One loved Jensen in the way a son loves his father. Jensen was by far the smartest man Jared had ever met. But it wasn’t just that. Because there was a reason for his confidence. And what Jared had first thought of as arrogance turned out to be a steel core of character.

It was hard to know what would happen when this adventure ended. When the grief faded. He knew he wanted to see if he and Jensen could make a go of it. Knew he wanted to at least try. Because Jared had many boyfriends in his past. But he never felt for any of them what he was feeling now.

Flipping stations passed the time although his mind couldn’t absorb anything on the television screen. It was still a little early but Jared couldn’t stay in the room any longer. He missed his boys.

Grabbing a hoodie out of his duffel Jared headed downtown toward the city’s tallest building. Jensen and Pro-One were waiting outside when he arrived.

Pro-One broke into a grin when he saw Jared. Jensen approached first, reaching up and drawing their lips together briefly. Jared was surprised. “Missed me?”

Jensen looked at him before drawing his eyes down. “Maybe. A little.”

Jared laughed and put an arm around each of them, bending to kiss Jensen again. “Me, too. Both of you. C’mon we got an elevator to catch.”

They rode it up to the 86th floor observation area. It was warm enough to step outside onto the balcony. At this hour there were only a few couples cuddled close, gazing over the shimmering lights of the city.

Pro-One approached the edge. “It is like the stars fell down.”

Jared held onto Jensen from behind, wrapping his arms around Jensen’s torso, one hand near his heart. He sniffed Jensen’s earthiness and nuzzled the back of his head. “His language skills are off the charts.”

A hand came up to press him closer. But then Jensen looked sideways toward Pro-One and Jared felt him stiffen. “What?” he whispered.

“See that?”

Jared looked over but the light was dim. He squinted and noticed a small gray patch on the robot’s cheek. He stared a little longer and it seemed to shimmer for a second before fading.

“The nanonites are fighting to stave off the degeneration. But there aren’t enough of them left. It’s … begun.”

“Does he know?” Jared whispered.

“Of course.”

Pro-One reached into his pocket and removed the list but it was no longer in paper airplane form. “Let me,” Jared offered. He didn’t work all day with preschoolers for nothing. In seconds he returned it to Pro-One in perfect condition. “She’ll fly now.”

“Thank you, Jared,” Pro-One said holding his gaze several long moments. Jared didn’t think they were talking about paper airplanes any longer. The robot gazed at Jared’s hand resting over Jensen’s heart. He smiled before pulling his arm back and letting the paper float away. It disappeared into the city’s lights. Jared didn’t know what was on the list aside from what they’d spoken about. He’d never seen it. Only Chad and Pro-One had recorded it between them.

“Did you get to do it all?” Jensen asked softly. Jared knew Pro-One heard him. He held Jensen extra tight as they waited for an answer.

Pro-One turned to them. “I will never be on American Idol.”

Jensen burst out laughing. Hard and guttural like the act caught him off guard. He shimmied out of Jared’s grip and turned with his back to the railing, shoulders heaving.

Pro-One took Jensen’s hand. “We need to go back. My motor functions are compromised.”

Jensen sobered instantly. He took a position on Pro-One’s other side, and holding his elbow they rode the elevator down in silence. A quick taxi ride and they were back in the room.

“That was my second taxi ride,” Pro-One told Jensen as he sat on the sofa.

In the sitting room’s full light, Jared could see the growth of the gray patches on the robot’s skin. Jensen had explained that those areas were literally dead. Eventually the entire epidural would die out and while the erosion continued in the deeper layers, Jensen said the neuronet would go last. So Pro-One would retain consciousness until the end.

Nobody was hungry but Jared ordered room service anyway and insisted that Jensen at least have some soup. He watched as Jensen struggled with a few sips before discarding the bowl. Truthfully, he hardly did much better with his own sandwich. They nursed a beer each.

Pro-One looked between them. “Do not be sad. I had experiences that taught me much.”

“We’re fine,” Jensen lied. “Can I … is there anything I can do?”

“My motor function has nearly ceased. Can you help me get to the bedroom? I think perhaps I would prefer it in there.”

They both jumped up and ended up partially carrying Pro-One to the bed. He was so still. Jared fought the eeriness. “Doctor Ackles?”

“Yes?”

“May I have a few minutes alone with Jared?”

Jensen looked surprised. He hesitated, eyes looking around. The room contained Jared’s bag and Pro-One’s jacket tossed over a chair. Jensen’s laptop was on the night table. Jared followed Jensen’s gaze to the computer, to Pro-One, and finally back to Jared. “I’ll be right outside.”

Jared sat on the bed and turned toward Pro-One. He took his limp hand in his. It hurt that the robot couldn’t even squeeze back. “Have you lost all sensation?”

“No. Not all. I know you are holding my hand.”

That made Jared smile. “Did you understand why Chad couldn’t stay?”

“I think so. He did not want to say goodbye.”

Jared nodded. He wished he didn’t have to say goodbye either. Damn, he hated this. Unfairly cursing Alona Tal in his mind he tried to shake away the bitterness.

“May I ask you something, Jared?”

“Of course.”

“Do you love Doctor Ackles?”

Jared stared at Pro-One’s still-too-green eyes. Whatever was happening to the rest of his now dust-colored skin hadn’t impacted his eyes yet. “I … could.”

“You could love him?”

“I think so. We just need to get to know each other better.”

“Will you?”

“Will I get to know him better? I hope so.”

“I do not know what love feels like. But I would like to think that I have seen it before I … go away.”

Jared leaned down and kissed Pro-One’s forehead. “You’ve seen it. I promise you this.”

“Jared, I would like to spend the rest of my time with Doctor Ackles. Is that okay?”

“Of course, I’ll go get him.”

“No. I mean alone with Doctor Ackles.” Jared was surprised. He’d intended to stay with Jensen until … But he had to respect Pro-One’s wishes. “Jared. You have been a good friend. And I wish I never had to forget you.”

Jared shook himself out of his stupor. “Of course,” he repeated again. “I … I’m so glad I met you. So glad you hit me.”

Pro-One grinned, but it was weak. Control of his facial muscles was slipping away, too. Jared guessed speech would be hard soon. “You will send in Doctor Ackles? His was the first face I ever saw with these eyes.”

Jared swallowed hard. He leaned in and kissed Pro-One’s forehead again before rising off the bed. “I’ll send him in. And then I’ll wait for him.”

He saw Pro-One’s satisfaction in hearing that before heading out to the main room.

Jensen stood as soon as Jared approached. “He’s okay,” Jared assured quickly. “Still speaking, but … losing some facial control.” Jensen nodded as if he’d been expecting that. “He wants you. Only you.”

Jensen considered him, face sad but resigned. He pressed their foreheads together. “You’ll be here.”

Jared found Jensen’s lips with his own and rubbed against them gently. “Yes. Not going anywhere.”

Taking a step forward Jensen returned Jared’s kiss a little more deeply. “I … “

“Me, too,” Jared murmured, giving Jensen a last hard squeeze before the doctor walked into the bedroom and shut the door behind him.

Jared made it back to the sofa before his legs gave out. He held the television remote but never turned it on. The beer grew warm on the side table. The food sat uneaten on the tray. It was hard to say how long he sat, staring at the black rectangle of the TV in the armoire.

Long enough to relive every moment of the most incredible week of his life.

Long enough to lick his lips and not taste Jensen any more.

Long enough to realize it had taken an unfeeling machine to teach him what love felt like.

The snick of the door opening was unbearably loud. Jensen pulled it closed behind him and stood motionless. Then he dropped slowly, back sliding down the door until he sat hugging his knees.

Jared approached carefully. Knelt in front of Jensen and met heartbroken eyes.

“I tried,” Jensen whispered.

“I know you did. And it might take a long time to feel like it. But you succeeded.”

Jensen studied him a long time. “He said that.”

Jared smiled through his tears. He sat alongside Jensen and leaned back against the wall. Carefully he maneuvered Jensen between his long legs until he was resting against Jared’s chest. Jared felt Jensen’s shoulders shake as he tried to keep it in, tried to control himself. He lifted one finger to gently wipe at the tears streaming down Jensen’s cheek and held on.

Time passed.

Eventually, Jared asked. “What happens now?”

He felt Jensen straighten in front of him. “I make a call and they’ll come get him. Even … like this … he’s incredibly valuable.”

“What about you? What happens to you?”

He tilted Jensen’s head so they could see each other. The doctor shrugged. “Nothing.” Jared’s surprise must have shown. “They’ll complain and make noise and pointless threats. But in the end nothing will come of it besides a bunch of nondisclosure agreements saying nothing happened and if it did we can’t talk about it. They won’t do anything to me.” He wasn’t crying anymore but his eyes were still shiny. “I’m Cybernon,” he said with a final dismissive shrug.

“No, Jensen,” Jared said strongly. He made sure the other man faced him. “You are so much more.”

Jensen searched Jared’s eyes again with that familiar intensity. He was as focused as his robot at times. “Will you leave now?”

“Do you want me to?”

“Pro-One said that I gave him Chad. I told Pro-One he gave me something, too.” Jared’s brow raised in question. “You. He gave me you.”

Jared nipped the corner of Jensen’s lips with his own before settling back to hold Jensen around the middle. No. He wasn’t going anywhere.

Eventually, housekeeping would come knocking and make them move. Calls would be made and black helicopters would swoop down and take them both to sign away having ever seen anything. Jared would return to his kids and make up stories about fabulous human-like machines while Sandy watched with giggling eyes. She’d ask who he was dating and he’d say a computer programmer. She’d look at him oddly and say, “How tame.”

But before all that, Jared held on tight to the gorgeous man who created an even more beautiful machine. And thanked the heavens he got to meet them both.

The End





Chad twisted his neck and popped his back before pasting a smile on his face, looking up again, and signing what felt like the millionth book. A young woman stood before him, eyes gleaming excitedly as Chad asked her name.

“Trudy,” she said shyly.

He wrote her name with an all-purpose comment, then paused to stretch the fingers of his right hand.

“Did they stay together?”

Chad looked up again. “What?”

“Jay and the doctor. Did they stay together? I hope so. They seemed so good together.”

He smirked. “Sure. Meeting up with them later in fact.”

Her eyes widened before a nervous giggle left her lips. “Oh ... you had me there for a moment.”

Chuckling he signed his name quickly. She was the last one in the line. It had been a good but long day. “Wasn’t really about that, you know,” he told her, studying her. She wore a paisley peasant-style blouse and her hair was long and loose and wavy. Looked soft. Touching hair. It was on the list. It was odd and Chad never knew why Pro-One had the hair fetish. But the robot had touched Chad’s short hair while letting out a small, satisfied sigh. Felt like yesterday even though a year had gone by.

“I know that. The story was beautiful.”

He hadn’t been fishing for a compliment and colored slightly. “Thank you.”

She took the book and hugged it to her chest, meeting his eyes again. “Would you have chosen the ninety days?”

Her eyes were brown and huge in her small, pixyish face. In another era she’d have been a hippie. A flower child. “I don’t know,” he told her as the store manager hovered to urge her out.

That was a lie, of course. The real answer was no. Chad had no delusions. He wasn’t the brave one in the story.

The store manager thanked him and helped gather his stuff. His cell phone vibrated just as he was about to exit. He reached down to read his incoming text message.

How did it go?

He smiled at the text before replying.

Gr8. Fans luv me. He hit send and paused a moment before moving his thumbs over the miniature keyboard to type out a second message. Almost as much as u.

“Mr. Murray, are you all set?”

He turned back to the store manager and gave her a last smile. Outside he caught a cab and gave an address.

O’Malley’s stood on a quiet, tree-lined block. Pretty nondescript neighborhood bar. Wasn’t Chad’s neighborhood. Close to Jared’s apartment. But Chad still thought of it as his bar. His eyes took only a moment to adjust to the dim lighting, and he found Jared immediately, as even sitting he towered freakishly tall. Jensen sat next to him. They were smiling over something private, bodies leaning into each other, gazes locked.

Chad had lived through many of Jared’s boyfriends. He’d seen him in like and in lust. He’d seen him frustrated and bored. He’d seen him smitten and curious. But before Jensen he’d never seen him in love.

It was a good look for him.

As Chad approached they stood, but he beckoned them back down.

“How’d it go?” Jensen asked.

“Great.” Chad’s cell phone vibrated and he flipped it open without thinking. “Doc ... your AI is texting me again.”

It began about two weeks ago with a text message from an unknown number, Greetings Chad Michael Murray. Chad had been stunned and immediately called Jensen, wondering if the black helicopters were going to be landing on his roof anytime soon.

Jensen said he’d get back to him, nowhere near as surprised as Chad would have expected. Less than a half hour later Jensen called back and assured him that no, there wouldn’t be any repercussions. It seemed that Pro-Two had created a secure channel and reached out on his own. Jensen didn’t explain it further. Chad said he didn’t mind. He and the computer program texted back and forth a few times. Pro-Two inquired about the book and what Chad was up to.

But then the messages started to change.

A waitress interrupted them with a fresh round. Jensen looked at Jared expectantly without saying anything. Jared’s eyes grew bright. Chad looked back and forth between them reading their barely hidden excitement. “So I’m not imagining it?” It was hard to keep the hope out of his voice.

Jensen spoke softly. “Pro-Two is very much like ... “

“Yeah, yeah, you told me all that already. Similar personality, blah blah ... but he mentioned Lady Gaga.”

Both men looked at him puzzled.

“4B was singing Lady Gaga in the shower the first day Jared brought him over. Pro-One heard it and then mimicked it. I never told you that. Never told Jensen that. How did Pro-Two know that?”

Jared turned to Jensen as if asking for permission. Jensen nodded, lips tilting in a smile. “That last day. Jensen ... was able to do a partial upload. It’s not all of it. It’s not him. But ... some of his memories are in Pro-Two.”

“I thought you said it was impossible. You told Collins that.”

Jensen’s chin rose slightly. “Yeah, well, I’m not Collins.”

Cocky bastard.

“How come it took so long for Pro-Two to access those memories? It’s been a year.”

Jensen looked awkward. Not his usual expression. “It was only a partial. And much of the data was corrupted. I’ve been working on retrieval. About two weeks ago the first one came through. Pro-Two described playing Frisbee.”

Jared placed his hand over Jensen’s and the two moved closer. Chad blinked. Frisbee. Lady Gaga. The texts.

Jared said what Chad was wondering. “So far ... all the memories. They’re of you.”

It’s not like it ever really went away. But suddenly it was all just back. He reached for the beer and swallowed it down fast, tamping down his emotions. Putting the glass down he locked eyes with Jensen. “Has Alona made any progress?”

“No. Not yet.”

Chad nodded. He wasn’t surprised at that. It was what it was.

His cell vibrated again and Chad reached for it immediately.

He replied quickly. Yeah they r here with me

He waited for a response.

“He says to say ‘greetings to you,’” Chad relayed with a grin.

Jared’s smile lit his face. Jensen pulled his beer to his lips smothering his matching expression.

Chad returned his eyes to his vibrating phone. After a long moment he looked at Jared. “He says he finished thinking it over.”

Jared’s eyebrow rose in question.

“Remember on the beach when you asked Pro-One what he’d want to do if he had … what he wanted to be when he grew up. I think he’s answering you. He handed the phone over to Jared who read the short text.

Please tell Jared I gave it some thought and believe I would like to be a teacher like him.

His friends huddled to read the words. Chad studied Jensen’s achingly familiar face and Jared’s misty eyes. Looked like the memories were expanding. Jared squeezed the phone and held Chad’s eyes a long moment before he started typing back.

Maybe this time Chad would be able to say that he was there at the beginning.

fin



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