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[virtual_ram]

Ram opened the email program on his laptop. He had already thought about what he was going to say in the emails. More or less, both were the same. Siva's however, would be less formal and appologetic.
He typed them up quickly. He sent Salene's email first, then Siva's. He doubted they'd be thrilled to hear from him this soon. All this did was make

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[virtual_ram]

Ram put his arms around Java's waist as she sat down on his lap. "No," he answered softly, "It's alright, it just surprised me a bit. I kind of forgot what being tickled felt like." He blushed slightly.
It still bothered him a little when she called him "Lord Ram." Lord of what, exactly? he thought bitterly. He had become Nero and destroyed his empire with his own aggroance. It was completely his fault. He could have gained the trust of the public by giving them more of the esstentials, but instead he chose to cater to his own needs and left the virts up to their own devices.
Java's lips felt inviting on his neck. He brought his hand slowly to her face and gently ran his fingers across her cheek. "Mmm..Javie," he said soothingly. He didn't want to anger her, not now. Not ever again. "Please don't call me 'Lord Ram' anymore. Just Ram." He hoped she hadn't made it into a term of endearment for him. He loved her and he didn't want her conceding that she was subordinate to him. She wasn't. Not at all.
He ran his fingers down from her cheek down her side lightly, biting his lip.

[_java_]

The kisses came to an abrupt stop. Java pulled back a bit to look at him again, her fingers remaining tightly locked in Ram's hair. Dark eyes narrowed at him, her make-up sparkling as she studied him. "Just Ram?" she asked, arching a brow. Java remembered all too well how she had learned to call him "Lord Ram" in the first place; it seemed so wonderfully unfair to see it all just thrown aside... He was letting her kiss him, showing her affection, speaking to her like an equal... It was everything that Java had ever wanted from him, everything she had spent a week in the dark crying for, and it suddenly made her suspicious. You don't deserve any of this, the voice Line had put into her head reminded her, and God is always just in the end. Who is God? she thought, absently, as the fears began to sink back in; Line -knew- this was what she'd wanted, after all, he'd heard her crying, she knew he'd been watching. And Java of all people knew the programming Mega was capable of... This was all a trick, she realized, pulling a bit farther away from Ram; they were giving her what she wanted, so that when they took it away, it would hurt all the more. "You can't fool me so easily," Java informed him, her expression twisting into a sneer. "I'm no virt."

"I know you've been reading my thoughts," she accused, with perfect calmness though her eyes flashed as she got to her feet. "And I know what you can do. You let me out, now, or I swear I'll make you regret it."

[virtual_ram]

Ram gave her a puzzled look. Of course she wasn't a virt, and that was about all he understood from her dialogue. The rest of it didn't make sense. "Java," his voice no longer soft, but suddenly stern, "I haven't been reading your thoughts..." He attempted to argue, but he just couldn't. He was too confused. All he was able to do was just sit there and look up at her, trying to fit it all together.
"And I know what you can do. You let me out, now, or I swear I'll make you regret it." She wanted to leave? But why? Had he rushed things? It couldn't have been that. She was the one that sat down on his lap and started kissing him. Maybe she needed more rest...away from you, he thought followed up.
He sighed defeatedly. It had to be his fault. He had changed so rapidly since his downfall and he had only seen her a few times a week since. Most of the time he was telling her to leave. She wasn't used to him being like this. She's probably just as confused as you are. "If you're sure that's what you want, Java, then I can't really stop you." He got up and straightened his shirt and pants. "I'll show you to the door..." He looked into her eyes, searching for an answer before he even asked the question. "Are you sure you want to leave?"

[_java_]

"You know I don't mean the door, you little--" Java stopped herself, looking away and crossing her arms angrily. They were toying with her, keeping up the ruse, and she'd had enough of it. She looked back to Ram, fully prepared to tell him exactly what she thought, but the look in his eyes made her swallow her words. He looked confused, sad, and very, very disappointed... This wasn't perfect, she realized, suddenly; this wasn't a dream designed to make the truth hurt later. This was actually far, far too close to reality, and the look in Ram's eyes was far too human to have been faked. Mega and Line were heartless monsters, and they'd shown her only dark, soulless things; they could never have captured her husband's sweeter side like that. And if this -was- the real Ram, albeit a slightly different one than the one she had once known, and she was still saying these things to him...

"I'm sorry," Java murmured, her head swimming as she sank back down to the bed. "I'm sorry..." The things she'd said to him... A month ago, she'd have been thrown out for saying something like that. Java looked down at the comforter with a tight smile, and gave an obedient, if somewhat confused, half-nod. "It's just 'Ram,' then... Right."

[virtual_ram]

"It's just that I don't like being called that anymore...not since,...well, you know.." He trailed off. "Besides, you're my wife. You out of all people shouldn't have to call me that."

Ram looked at her from the spot where he was standing, still a bit confused. "Java, are you feeling alright?...Maybe you should lie down and get more rest..." He walked over to her and started rubbing her shoulder. What had happened to his Java. He replayed her colder words in his head over and over again.

"You know I don't mean the door, you little--" If she hadn't mean the door, then what had she meant? He pushed the question out of his mind. It didn't matter. He was too concerned about his Java to be worried about it.

What's happened to her? He asked himself again. Java was never prone to fits of confusion like that. She always knew exactly what was going on, and if she didn't, she kept quiet until she picked up on it. She had also been more concerned about not just his, but also her own safety, that usual.

"You can rest in my bed if you need to." He squeezed her shoulder. "You're safe here, Javie."

[_java_]

Java leaned into Ram's touch, resting the side of her head against his forearm for a long moment as she tried to collect her thoughts. She couldn't think straight, couldn't collect her thoughts, but Ram seemed so strong and stable... Java shook her head very slightly, not moving it from its position against his arm; he needed her to be strong, too; he'd always liked her that way, and, frankly, it was how she preferred herself as well. And if he's forgiving you for what you said, the least you could do is keep your mouth shut now... "I'm fine," she murmured, straightening her posture and raising her head, looking up at him with a small smile. "Just had a lot on my mind while I was gone, is all." The smile broadened, almost teasingly, and regained a bit of its former charm. "You know how it is; a girl's man sends her packing, her mind starts running, right?"

She forced herself to her feet, the smile not waivering though her head pounded, and took his hand in hers. Just keep it together, girl. "You're being awfully considerate today, Ram..." Java's gaze wandered to his neck, where she'd kissed him, then back to his eyes, her expression verging on coquettish as she smiled up at him. "I think I kind of like it."

[virtual_ram]

Ram laughed tamely as he wrapped his arms around her waist and touched his forehead to her's. "I can't help it, Javie. I missed you so much while you were away. Everything was so wrong without you." It was the truth. During that week, he mostly sulked. He didn't get any of his old programs fixed like he had planned. He had been so unproductive.

"I'm sorry about that virt, Danni. I can't really say what overcame me. It was probably the adjustment to a different lifestyle. How could I have been so foolish? Virts." He scoffed. "Besides, who needs virts when I have you?"
"I'm also sorry I told you to leave. It will never happen again. I never want you to leave ever again. I love you, Javie."

How could he have ever been infatuated with a virt, a mallrat no less? He was disgusted with himself. Mallrats were the worst types of virts. As far as he was concerned, he never wished to step near the mall as long as he lived. The place was just crawling with...whatever the Mallrats possessed that made them that way. It was sickening.
Ever since he realized Java had been missing, he regretted telling her to leave, especially in such a harsh tone.
He kissed his wife on the forehead. "I mean it, Java."

[_java_]

So her name was Danni. Java filed the information away as she draped her arms around Ram's neck, his words truly putting another smile on her lips. "I never want you to leave ever again. I love you, Javie... I mean it..." "You don't know how long I've wanted to hear you say that," she murmured, her thumb running absently along the back of his head, through his hair, as she savored the memory of his lips against her forehead. Things were verging on too perfect again, but this time Java allowed herself to just roll with it; this was Ram, -her- Ram, and even if by some chance it -was- all a dream, she intended to make the most of it. Java's hand slipped around to caress the side of her husband's face as she looked up at him. She could smell his scent, very faintly, clean and familiar and inviting, and four years' worth of hopes and hidden dreams began to creep back in to her mind, temporarily pushing aside her confusion about the Mega situation in favor of something suddenly more interesting. Slow down, she warned herself, her gaze falling to Ram's lips before returning to his eyes. "I love you, too, Ram." Her fingertips trailed down his face to his mouth, the side of her thumb running across his full lower lip for a moment, savoring the feeling, before returning to his cheek. Don't rush him. "And I'm not going anywhere."

[virtual_ram]

Ram ran his hands up her back and into her braids. "Good." He answered softly and then kissed her lips lightly. He released her from his grasp. Ram put his hand on her neck and rubbed her jawline with his thumb. "You should go pack your things. I'm going to take a shower, change, then clear out whatever Ved has left in his room. I want you moved in as soon as possible." he had an excited tone in his voice.

He figured Ved couldn't have left too many things. He mostly had equipment in his room, along with a bed and a dresser. He knew Ved had taken a lot of the equipment, if not all, when he had visited last week. There was also a good chance he took all of his virt clothes, but left his Techno uniforms. Shouldn't be too much of a problem. Ram thought to himself.

[_java_]

Java's eyes remained closed for a moment, the feeling of Ram's quick kiss inspiring a pleased, if somewhat sinister, smile. His lips were considerably softer than Jay's or Lex's had been, she decided, and if they had lacked some of the passion she'd always dreamed of, well, it was still a step, and he -was- still Ram. Java slowly opened her eyes as he suggested she go to collect her things, her expression quickly quieting into one she deemed more appropriate for a dutiful wife; she was used to receiving orders from Ram, after all, and while his tone was different now, it was still familiar territory. She gave him a short, subtle nod, keeping her smile stable and obedient as she turned to leave. "Of course, Ram."