(Untitled)

[_java_]

When Java had selected her own apartment, she had made certain of three things: 1) It was reasonably clean, considering, 2) Its location was unknown to anyone but herself, and 3) It was very, very close to Ram's. He might not want her around, but Java had been all too aware that her husband might not fare too well without his bodyguard nearby,

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[_java_]

Java nodded slightly, her gaze falling to the floor. No idea where we're at... She thought about the blue chemical Mega had had her injected with, and imagined it running through her veins, making her completely trackable, a tagged animal. And if I'm not back by morning... Her stomach twisted slightly, the anger in her fading into a sick, nagging sense of fear. They'd picked her up just outside, she remembered... Oh, I think they might have some idea where we're at.

Java looked back to Ram for just a moment, but the tense look on his face was more than enough to direct her gaze immediately back down to her hands. She'd snapped at him, she realized, though she hadn't meant to, and now, if he was anything like the man he had once been, he was probably angry with her. I'm useless, a failure, worthless, stupid... It was so hard to keep her emotions in order now, so hard to keep her head squarely on her shoulders, and that chipper voice was beginning to repeat phrases in her head again... Java watched her fingertips tap against one another for a moment, swallowing her pride again before looking back at Ram. "I know you know," she began, her voice sounding pathetically thin to her as it left her lips. "It's just..." Java watched his face for a moment as she searched for the right words; he'd put his life in danger to help her, and all she could do was yell at him for it. Line's words echoed in her head, and Java knew it was all true; she was the reason the Technos had fallen, she was the reason Ram's dreams hadn't come true, and now she was also the reason that he'd been in danger-- that he was -still- in danger.

She couldn't find the right thing to say to him, and so Java just looked away. There was a long moment, and then she said, quietly, "You should send those e-mails."

[virtual_ram]

Ram put his arm around her shoulders. "Javie..." He stopped. He didn't know quite what to say. All he wanted was for her not to be angry with him again. He had to ruin it. He truly appreciated her concern, even if it did come out in the form of harsh words. Words like the one's his mother had used when he had done something disobedient. Like shaving the dog because you thought he needed a haircut. He recalled.
"I..." he attempted again. "I just couldn't stand you being away for so long." He paused and thought shortly. "I needed you to be back where you belong: here, with me. I'm sorry if I've done something wrong. I'm so sorry." He appologized.
He didn't deserve Java. He didn't deserve anyone. He was horrible. She'll probably change her mind about moving in and move far away.
"But yeah...I better send those emails." he answered lowly. He gave her a quick kiss on the temple as he retracted his arm from her shoulers. He got up from the bed in silence and went over to his laptop.

[_java_]

Java looked up as Ram got up from the bed, watching his back with a thoughtful smile as he returned to his laptop. His words had gone a long way towards making her feel better, but they were no longer the focus of Java's attention; her fears had suddenly pushed aside by something much, much more interesting. Java's hand rose to her temple, her fingertips lingering on the place he'd kissed. It had only been a quick, thoughtless gesture, she knew, but she had never had the luxury of taking such things for granted; after several years of marriage, the feeling of her husband's kiss was not something with which Java was familiar. Furthermore, the timing of the act itself was interesting; this was the second time in five minutes that Ram had tried to kiss her in some form (which, given their track record, was absolutely unheard of), and this time, he'd kissed her as an afterthought; it was as if he'd simply forgotten that he wasn't supposed to do such things... Her fingers slowly lowered from her temple, the lingering sensation of his lips against her skin feeling strange and wonderful as Java got to her feet. Something, she decided, had definitely changed.

She busied herself with making the bed, her thoughts preoccupied with possibilities as her hands worked. She remade the bed with the crisp, clean corners that Ram had always liked, making it obvious that she wasn't watching what he was doing on his laptop, and carefully fluffed and replaced his pillow. Was it possible that Ram had recovered fully from whatever had kept him so weak before, she wondered? Had his germ fixation perhaps been some kind of psychosomatic result of his disability, which had dissolved when he'd regained the use of his legs? Or was this morning some kind of careful test? Java's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered, trying to keep her mind away from what it would mean if Ram had indeed overcome his cleanliness fixation. She sat down on the edge of the bed, snacking absently on the breakfast he'd made for her as she waited for him to finish with his e-mails.

[virtual_ram]

Ram sat down at his laptop and began typing.