[Rated T for some foul language, so be forewarned!]

Sweet Dreams

Fingers tapped impatiently on the table.

Subdued chatter and delectable smells the filled the air around her, the sound peaking when new patrons entered in a large group. A waiter skittered past her carrying a tray far to large for him. Somewhere across the room a pair could be heard arguing about something or other but the blond couldn't find it in herself to care. She glanced around and scowled.

No, the arguing duo and the far too mushy atmosphere didn't bother her.

Tardiness, on the other hand.

As an arcade dweller, tardiness was something that couldn't be afforded. If you were late to your game one too many times, you risked having it unplugged, leaving the residents of the game homeless. Sometimes they'd be allowed shelter in other games, generally safer ones with large worlds for them to hide in, or take work as small 'cameos'. It could be dangerous depending on the game they worked in but most did what it took to survive. However, they were the lucky ones.

They made it out of their games in time.

Then there were games such as her own where she and others were needed to handle the dangerous, virus-like Cybugs. They were far too dangerous to be left to their own devices for too long it boiled her blood to consider what Turbo had planned to do with his new body. As such, everyone agreed that a repeat of the infamous 'Turbug' incident was the last thing they needed.

Thus, Tamora Jean Calhoun despised any sort of tardiness.

Her fingers rapped down harder on the oak surface, her eyes trained on the entrance to the restaurant.

Where the holy hot cakes was that damned Fix-It?

He was a whole ten minutes and forty-six seconds late for their date. She contemplated the reasons for the Nicelander's tardiness. Did he forget? No, the very idea was laughable, he never forgot their dates. Was something holding him up? If so, what? Did some twitchy kid sneak past the alarms for their Felix Jr. fix? Just as unlikely, she certainly would of heard if there was a child still lollygagging around. Perhaps Ralph had throw a couple bricks too hard and knocked him bonkers? It was the most-likely of the choices but still ridiculous. She'd given him her best punches back in Sugar Rush and that didn't slow him down in the slightest, thanks to that hammer of his.

Whatever it was that was holding him up, it better be good, because delay did not make Tamora a happy date.

At thirteen minutes late, her ears caught a familiar 8-bit sound, and her scowl lightened.

Felix came to a skidding halt at the restaurant entrance before glancing around and laying eyes on her. His already red face tinged darker when he saw the not so happy look on her own. He spent no time in making his way over and taking seat across from her.

"You're late." She stated.

An apologetic smile spread across his face. "I know, I'm sorry. I just got sort of…" He coughed nervously. "Distracted. It won't happen again, Tammy, I promise."

Calhoun smiled back. Had it been anyone else her forgiveness would not have been as easily earned, but it was Felix, and she could see his sincerity. "Alright, you get a pass this time, Fix-It. But you owe me."

Felix smiled with relief and held up a pair of entwined, deep red roses she had failed to notice. "For my lovely madam."

A very faint pinkness made its way across her cheeks, a feat few people could claim to have caused. "They're beautiful." She said as she took the delicate flowers into her hands. The Sergeant may not have been the most feminine in the arcade but she most certainly could appreciate the beauty of roses from a loved one. More than appreciate, adore.

"Beautiful roses for a gorgeous gal only makes sense." He took her hand into his as he spoke, adoration glowing in his eyes.

She gripped his hand back as a playful smirk crossed her face. "Laying on pretty thick today, huh. There something you want to tell me, soldier?"

Nervousness flickered through his eyes and his smile twitched. "Actually, there is. But only after we enjoy ourselves a delightful meal. I heard they serve a truly scrumptious catfish here."

Her curiosity was peaked at his words but with the assurance of being told after dinner, she let it go. Felix had always been a man of his word and she trusted him. The night was young after all, there was plenty of time for whatever it was he wanted to talk about.

For now they ordered and mingled quietly, talking about whatever came up. It was sickeningly pedestrian and she enjoyed every minute of it. Felix had way of making anything enjoyable, of brightening her mood after a long day of shooting Cybugs and catering to kids who had no place in first person shooter. He'd laugh and say she was too advanced for them, that they'd get better with time. She'd roll her eyes and smile.

The blond wasn't ashamed to admit she smiled a lot more with him in her life. Maybe it made her a love sick fool, she didn't care.

He attempted a joke, failing rather pitifully, and she laughed only because it was him in all his sincere ways.

She cherished these little moments, no matter how fleeting.

After the meal had been finished, they paid and were on their way, ending up walking down a boardwalk, under the dark sky in the neighboring game(a racing game, if she remember correctly). Light wind brushed them as the walked past a moon lit beach. They had fallen silent as they strode past, letting the crashing waves fill the world.

Beside her Felix came to a stop. "Do you remember what I said earlier?" He faltered. "Before dinner?"

Calhoun hadn't forgotten her curiosity at his words but she chose to wait and see if he'd choose to speak on his won. She brushed a thumb over the petals of her roses.

"I remember." She replied watching him as he seemed to squirm. "You ready to spill, pintsize?"

The repair man took a deep breath in attempt to calm himself. "I-I think so. Tamora…" He stood in front of her and took both her hands into his, gazing up at her anxiously. He heart jumped at the look in his eyes.

What is he doing?

"Tamora, being with you makes me the happiest guy in the world." He started with a quiver in his voice. "Sometimes I think about what if Ralph hadn't Game Jumped, if we hadn't met, what would things be like… And I don't want to know." He shook his head. "I can't look at my life now and not see you there. I can't even think about it. I love you more than life itself."

The Sergeant's heart pounded loudly in her chest, he eyes widening.

He isn't…

He slowly let go of her hands and pulled his hat off. "I know I'm just some eight bit ol' handy man and it amazes me every day that you would even consider being with me. And…" Not taking his bright blue eyes of hers, he knelt down. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side."

A brilliant gold ring was pulled out.

"Tamora Jean Calhoun, will you marry me?"

Her face broke out in shock. She was certain her heart would jump from her throat any second now.

The screams of fiancé echoed in her mind.

She couldn't.

No, she wanted to say.

No, she was going to say.

"Felix, I…" He voiced died in her throat.

Why no?

Why?

She remember the man she once loved. The days they spent together, the love she felt. She remember what she used to feel.

She remembered living.

She remembered what should have been the greatest day of her life, a day her own weakness ruined. The pain that followed and discolored her world. That left bitterness and anger in its wake.

She remember meeting Felix.

And the light returned to her life.

Felix smiled sadly at her. "It okay to say no, Tammy."

Her heart jumped.

No, no, no, no.

I want to live again.

She would not let her weakness win again.

Calhoun dropped to down to Felix, grabbing and pulling him into a heated kiss. He quickly returned it even through his shock. His lips were warm and inviting against hers, compelling her as she ran her hand through his hair. Through the pounding of her heart, a smile broke.

No, she thought, she would not let this slip away because of some stupid fear. Never again would she let this fall through her hands.

Breathlessly, she pulled away smiling. "Yes."

The fix-it's eyes were nearly as large as plates. "You… Really?"

Laughter bubbled from her. "Yes, you dolt." Her arms snaked around him, pulling them closer together. "I'll marry you."

A ecstatic grin spread across his face, which was alight with the honeyglows. A hand reached out and stroked her cheek. "I really am the happiest guy in the world." Brushing the hair from her face, he leaned into her again.

"I love you too, shortstuff." She breathed as he took her into a tender kiss, sending warmth through her body. Butterflies fluttered blissfully in her stomach. Gratefulness for ditching her armor for casual-wear filled her, as she felt Felix's heart beat against her chest.

Her heart felt ready to burst.

In this moment she felt alive and right. The moon above, the sea beside, and a love in her arms, why, paradise had nothing on this.

However, as the kiss drew on, something felt awry.

Something sat on the edge of her memory, begging to be recalled.

It was right there, but what was it…

She finally pulled away with a small frown coloring her face, leaving a confused Felix. He looked at her with apprehension. "Dear?"

"Something isn't right." She replied as her frown deepened.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

Standing back at her full height and taking in her surrounding, she hissed. "I don't know." Dread filled her. Something was off. She could feel it in her data, buzzing just beyond her comprehension.

Felix surveyed the area as well before turning back to her. "Maybe we should head back than? It's getting late anyways."

Her eyes fell back on him again and her frown lightened when she caught the slight dejection in his eyes. She felt like an idiot for ruining the moment but she could help that feeling that tugged at the back of her mind. "No, it's fine. There's still plenty of night to kill." Frown replaced with a light smile she reach out and took his hand, heart jumping at the gold glint from the ring on her finger-

She froze.

Wait, that was wrong.

She pulled her hand back from his, looking at the ring the graced her finger in disbelief.

That was very wrong.

He hadn't put the ring on her.

She didn't recall it.

Calhoun's eyes drifted back to Felix. He was watching her closely with a mixture of worry and grief on face but smiled gently when he noticed her looking at him.

The sense of wrongness grew.

He knows something.

"How is this on my hand?" Her voice was low as she questioned the man.

"What?" The grief on his face disappeared, instead replaced with confusion. "I put it on you just a moment ago. Are you okay, Tamora?"

"No, you didn't." Was hissed through her teeth as her eyes blazed. It felt as if the world was shifting around her and her hand twitched for a gun that wasn't there, leaving her feeling naked and unprepared. She wanted nothing more than to be in armor with gun in hand though with that choice not in hand, she stepped closer towards Felix. "What's going on?" She demanded.

His shoulders fell, confusion was dropped from his face with a dismal sigh. "What do you think is going on?"

A growl burst from her lips. "If I knew why the fuck would I have asked you?!" The admittance left her feeling raw. Nothing was making sense and it was driving her mad! "Answer me already, soldier!"

As Felix looked out towards the ocean, he spoke. "I did put that ring on you once, in the past. On a night just like this." He turned to her doleful smile. "You're memory is awfully impeccable."

Memory?

That small voice in the back of her mind spoke again.

This time, she heard and the anger drained.

Before her Felix blurred from reality for a split second, pixels dancing.

The scene around them shifted in the blink of any eye. In lieu of a moon lit beach, they stood in a completely empty Central Station. No voiced filled the room, not a soul was in sight. The stillness would have been off-putting in any other situation. Her eyes trailed off of the ghost of a man and onto the wall behind him.

Over a closed doorway, a sign that once read 'Fix-It Felix Jr' hung blank.

A dampness stung her eyes but she was quick to blink it away. She turned away from the doorway unwilling to stare at it any longer.

"I'm dreaming."

"That you are, ma'am." She heard 'Felix' reply.

"And you're not real." This she repeated in her head multiple times. He wasn't her Felix, he wasn't the man she loved, he was nothing but a beautiful lie her dreams had conjured up.

There was a pause from the figment.

"I'm real enough."

No, you aren't.

"Whatever you say." She refused to look at him. "If this is a dream, I can just wake myself up, can't I?"

"Well, yes." Replied the imitator. "But do you have to go so soon?"

Nothing but lie.

Calhoun scoffed at him. "I'm a busy woman, as you should know. Soldiers to lead, Cybugs to mutilate. No time to dillydally around in LaLa-land." They didn't even really require sleep but so often. Game character were blessed with the ability to not need sleep to survive. However if they stayed up to many nights in a row, it could make them slightly sluggish. Nothing a quick nap couldn't fix. She had only taken the nap to waste time until the Arcade opened.

How she regretted that decision.

As she thought, he spoke again. "Please don't go…"

Her heart stopped.

"Please, just for a little, stay with me."

Memories rushed through her.

Finding him, her Felix, tired and forlorn, at the entrance to his game. He had tried to hide it but that man wore his heart on his sleeve.

She held him and felt his data buzz against hers.

His eyes as she left him, alone, to die.

Because there had been nothing she could of done.

"Please, Tammy?"

She spun on her heal towards the vision of her husband and with a swift action, she punched him, sending him gliding across the floor. His body practically exploded in pixels and glitches. He was nearly vibrating on the spot.

Sergeant Calhoun felt no pity though, no sorrow towards the shadow of her husband. Her vision swam red. "You are not him." She spat. "You're nothing but some pathetic imitation whipped up by my own godforsaken weakness."

From the floor, the copy watched her with watery eyes, unmoving as he waited for his body to become one piece again.

Her heart clenched when their eyes met.

A perfect and horrible imitation.

"He's gone." She continued with rage dripping from her tongue. "He's gone for good, forever, the end, no sequel, and I can't even get my fucking brain to just let it go and move on from this ever-loving sob story that is my love life! So for whatever reason it is you were conjured up for, I don't give a damn. I'm over it. Just go back to whatever coding created you and do me the favor of deleting yourself." Her chest was heaving with thick, angry breaths and her face was red with fury. Angry tears threatened to fall free but she withheld them.

She was tired of this, the pain and grief and the hate.

"You're not mad at me." The Felix replied in remorseful voice.

"Are you thick?!" Screamed Calhoun. "Did you not hear a single word I just said?!"

"I did!" He cried as he stood up. Despair laced his voice. "I heard you clear as a crystal! And I hate it! Because I did this to you! If I had just-just left the game before my defect got so bad-It was never suppose to be like this! Tamora, please, there was nothing you could do-"

He was sent reeling from another, sharper punch, slamming straight into the wall. He flared into pixels with a pained grunt.

"Shut up!" Her blue eyes were cloudy with uncontrollable rage. "You're nothing!"

"Fine!" He choked out painfully. "Maybe I'm not him! I'm from you, that's right?! You made me, just like you said! Nothing but a fake your mind conjured up!" Pain filled tears streaked down his face as he desperately tried to pull himself together. "So who are you mad at?! Answer me, solider!"

An anguished scream ripped from her throat. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" She bellowed out, slamming a kick into the wall beside his head. "I SHOULD OF TRIED HARDER! I HAD ALL THE WARNING IN THE WORLD AND I DID NOTHING!"

"There was nothing you could do!"

She slammed her foot against the wall again. "HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO LEAD IF I CAN'T EVEN SAVE THE ONES I LOVE?!""Tamora, please!" Felix wailed, struggling to stand. "Please, let it go, you couldn't have done anything! I can't stand to see you like this! Get a hold of yourself!"

"You can't stand SEE ME LIKE THIS?! Try LIVING IT!" Her voice came out in a snarl. "Try living a DAY in my life, with the knowledge that YOU LET TWO PEOPLE DIE! That because YOU did NOTHING, someone you LOVE IS GONE FOREVER! And every day you get to see the friends and pain in their eyes and remember just how badly you FUCKED THINGS UP."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Legs shaking beneath her, she knelt to his level, and looked him straight in the eyes. "Try living a single day remembering a voice you'll never hear again."

Holding her gaze, he reached out and placed a gloved hand against her face. "Try having one day left and having to watch the one you love fall to pieces because you weren't strong enough to keep yourself together." She leaned hear face into his warm touch, eyes clenched shut. "Try have one chance to help her, when she needs it most, but being too weak to do so…"

Gripping his arm with her hand, she tried to pretend he had never gone. That the glitches never came. That when she awoke, he be before her with that stupid grin of his.

"I'm real enough, and I would give anything to make the pain stop." Felix's voice was soft. "You're so strong, Tammy… I don't know how to help you. I thought I did, but I don't. All I can do is ask you, please, let the hate go. It doesn't matter what happened then. My fate was sealed. But you have a whole life, you have people who love you. You're not alone!" He stopped and she could feel him take in a shuddering breath. "You've been surviving… but I need you live."

She could feel the pulse in his hand.

Oh, how real it seemed.

"You can't close yourself like this, Tamora. There are too many people who love you and they're reaching out to you… Even if it means letting me go, you can't keep this up."

At last, she reopened her eyes. Felix stood before her, his body twitching to and from existence, bruises she inflicted coloring his face, and eyes just as bright as they were on that day.

"They need you and you need them."

She took in a ragged breath and left the tears fall freely at last, but never took her eyes off his.

"Are you real?" The exhausted Sergeant asked.

"I'm real enough." Came the tender response.

No extra words were needed as she took the man, fake or not, into her arms, his own wrapping around her. She sobbed quietly into his shoulder.

Everything about him was right.

His eyes held a kindness no other could ever claim with a smile to back it up. The faint smell of saw wood and apple pie lingered on him, sending her back to all the precious moments they held. He even still had the bad case of hat hair that she often teased him about.

But her memories wouldn't stop reminding her that he couldn't be there. He was gone and nothing could change that.

How could it not be him? How could he be nothing be a memory?

And she felt it

His heart beating against her chest, in synch with her own.

What a beautiful, wondrous lie.

How does a broken heart beat?

"You're not real." Breathed Calhoun. "You're dead."

He rubbed circles in her back and she could feel a wet spot on her own shoulder.

"I am dead."

The arms around him held tighter.

"But you're real enough." She finished for him.

"Yes ma'am, I am."

They fell back into silence.

She lost track of how long the sat there but did it matter since it was a dream? It could have been seconds, it could have been hours, who knew? All she was that she would make it go on for as long as she could.

Soon she would be forced to resurface into reality.

The man in her arms felt her shudder at the thought and spoke.

"We don't have long."

No, don't, she cried mentally. Don't make it end.

Don't leave me again.

"I'm sorry…"

"How can you expect me to just move on?" Her voice was getting scratchy from exhaustion, a weird enough thing considering she was asleep. "Felix… Goddamnit."

Untangling herself him, she stood.

"Tamora?"

All of this had to stop.

"Go."

"W-what?"

She couldn't keep doing this.

Once, she lost a love, and hardened her heart to the world, too afraid to let another in. But one got past and fixed her broken heart. She fooled herself into believing things would be okay, that he would always be there.

How could she had been so foolhardy?

It was her own fault that her heart had been shattered again.

"I said go!"

There was no looking at him. His face had already been burned into her memory as is.

"I-"

"Why won't you just leave?! You want me to get over this? Then go!"

"Is that really what you want, Tamora?"

A response nearly would not come.

No.

"Yes."

Behind her he shuffled.

"I'm sorry."

A sigh.

"Just… Just remember you're not alone."

Silence took over.

She never looked back.

It had taken some getting used to, but compared to sleeping in the terminal, Sugar Rush wasn't too bad a place to live. There was plenty of space so they never worried about interfering with the game, food was easy to come by(though sadly most was only of the sweet variety but beggers can't be choosers), and it was a warm place to stay. All things considered, Vanellope had been pretty excited to have so many new residents in her normally barren castle. She had even given Ralph the room across from her own. All in all, Ralph thought it had been a pretty decent transition.

Not counting the solemn silence that often hang around the Nicelanders or the moments when he'd look down to say something to a man who wasn't there.

In the past, before the whole game jumping escapade, he would have mourned the loss of the fit-it and simply moved on with his life. They had know each other for so many years but had never been all that close. He blamed that on the Nicelander's influences along side his kindly pushover nature. It had become extra apparent just how deep it ran when he had gone to break Felix from the Fungeon.

Ralph never blamed him. Sure, for a while the wrecker had been bitter about all the glory his colleague received but to hate him had never even crossed his mind. Felix may have been guilty of ignorance but he had never maliciously put him down or told him he was unimportant.

After making sure their game was safe from being unplugged, Felix took it onto himself to chat with the Nicelanders on Ralph's behalf and whatever he said, it seemed to get through to them since from then on they treated him far better. His thanks for the deed were returned as Felix said he was only doing something he should have done far long ago. The memory still brought a smile to his face.

It was no surprise that they grew closer from that point on, helped by Vanellope's constant badgering for them both to visit Sugar Rush, and if Calhoun tagged along too, why, that was no skin off her back! The more the merrier!

He couldn't even pinpoint the moment Felix stopped being a friend and started being brother.

Life had been good.

And then he was gone.

On that night, when he finally found himself alone in his new castle room, he cried. Never in his life had he cried but on that night he stopped caring. Vanellope must have heard something because he soon found himself with the small clinging to him quietly.

They mourned quietly together.

For the next few days, he tried not to think about, to pretend he was okay and that things would just go back to normal. It didn't really make him feel the least bit better, especially when he noticed how Vanellope was trying to do the very same thing, and went on to have a rather ego denting losing streak. She had blamed in on a bad Twinkie she ate and though he wasn't fooled, he let it slide.

But things weren't getting any better.

He hadn't even seen Calhoun the whole time since. She had buried herself into her job and wouldn't resurface to visit them. They're attempts to visit her had failed when some guards refused to let them pass, 'under the Sergeant's orders'. Vanellope nearly made an attempt to glitch past him but Ralph quickly stopped her. He knew just how bad Hero's Duty could get and so he certainly wouldn't let her go jumping in without him. Thankfully the burly guard was nice enough to take a message though he was doubtful if it ever made it to the grieving woman.

To say Vanellope had been peeved at the Sergeant's cold shoulder would be an understatement.

"Who does she think she is!" The girl had complained afterwards. "Just brushing us off like that, not even herself, getting her Hero's Dopes to do it for her! I shouldn'ta listened to you, I should of gone in there and given her the ol' what for!"

"Van, maybe you're a little too young to get it, but she was in love with him, so-"

"So what! We loved him too! Why does one love mean more than another?!" Vanellope wailed. "Doesn't she know that we miss him too?!"

The rest of the conversation turned into something of a shouting match that ended with her calling him 'Brigadier Butthole' and stomping off. When he finally saw her again, it was nearly time for the arcade to open, and they were quick to swap their own form of apologies.

That had been a few days ago.

They had tried to reach Calhoun a couple more times to the same amount of success, with the worry in Ralph growing each time. He had even tried staking out in front of the Hero's Duty entrance but she never exited.

But he wasn't ready to give up on her. He would keep trying to reach the hardened warrior even if it really did boil down to him breaking his way in.

Today would be different, he thought. Something would finally give today. He could feel it in his coding. He trudged through the back parts of Sugar Rush, well out of view from the players, to Central Station where he would once again pick up his vigil in front of her game. When he arrived, no one but the Surge Protector and some wandering homeless were around.

With a thud, he sat before the entrance, ready for the long wait.

Something had to give.

For a bit, Q*Bert and his friends came to chat with him, giving him a little company while he waited. They took back off right before closing time hit as they didn't want to get in his way if this really was his day.

The clock hit 9 and the station began to fill.

Soldiers slowly filtered out from the FPS, throwing greetings as the passed Ralph, and continued on there way. He watched the terminal hopefully for hours but the woman still didn't emerge. A sigh escaped his lips.

Guess it wasn't his day after all.

He heaved himself up dejectedly and someone passed him.

He did a double take before a smile split his face.

"Calhoun!" He called out as he took after her. She gave him no reaction as she continued to strode. Joining her side, the wrecker gave her a curious look. "Sergeant? Are you okay? Well no, I guess that a stupid question, but still! We've been worried about you! Van's been driving me up the wall trying to find a way to talk to you. Um, hello?" Curiosity turned to anxiety. "Sergeant Calhoun?"

The woman continued to ignore him.

Ralph decided to take a different route and figure out where the quiet woman was heading. At first he thought she was on her way to Tappers but he realized that was not the case as his heart fell.

Calhoun stop right before what used to be the entrance to his home game, "Fix-It Felix Jr."

Not a word was said.

She just… stared.

To see her like this churned Ralph's stomach. It was so foreign to see her looking… lost. Her eyes were hazy and dark circles ringed her eyes. Even her armor seemed to lose its glint.

This had to stop.

He had to do something, anything.

They couldn't afford to lose another part of their family.

"Calhoun, you can't keep doing this." He started. "Your men are worried about you, Van's worried about you… I'm worried about you."

No response.

"This isn't healthy."

Her eyes didn't even flicker towards him.

A tinge of anger hit him.

"Sergeant, I know you cared about him but you're-you're being ridiculous!" Ralph's voice rose ever so slightly and from the corner of his eye he could see other game residents watching them. "Are you even listening to me?! Come on! How do you even lead you men like this?!"

Still nothing!

His insides began to burn.

What could possible by going through her mind?!

Ralph yelled in frustration. "Say something!" Characters walking past them jump in surprise then scurried off. "Calhoun! Answer me!"

Something inaudible snapped and she was looking at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head.

"Oh, so are you hear me now?" Snapped Ralph. He knew it was wrong to feel so cross with the grieving woman, but he wasn't going to stand around and let her wallow away in her pity. "The woeful Sergeant has finally graced me with her attention! Well good, listen up sister, because I am over this!"

A chagrin sparked in her eye but she remained in her silent state.

Ralph's blood was nearly boiling. "This little brooding faze of yours needs to stop now! Vanellope's been ready to break into Hero's Duty to get to you and could be hurt or, you know, killed if something goes wrong. We've been trying to help you but we can't if you don't let us! This little mope of yours? It's not making anything better and no matter how long you keep it up, NEWSFLASH, it will not bring Felix back!" Calhoun's face tightened up in a mixture of unreadable emotions.

Good, she's listening.

"I know that." Came a scratchy hiss.

"Well there's a surprise!" He pushed on. "So you're not ignoring reality, huh? Than WHY were locking yourself away? What exactly were you gaining by ignoring us, hm? Are you just having fun pretending you're the only one in pain?! That you're the only one who lost something that day?! If you can't see them, their pain doesn't exist, right?!"

Her fists balled up. "You have no idea-"

"Try me!" Ralph bellowed out. "I only lost my home and my brother! How could that ever compare to what you feel!"

"That's not-" She faltered slightly as something flickered behind her eyes. "It's my fault! I could of done something!"

"Then it's my fault too!"

Words failed Calhoun.

"Don't you get it?!" People were staring at the but he didn't notice as he grabbed her arms. "You're not in this alone! What ever you're blaming yourself for, it's my fault too! That's why you can't ignore us! He was our family too!"

He pulled her into a hug.

"You're our family! Don't push us away, Sergeant!"

Hush took Central Station.

Ralph could feel pairs upon pairs of eyes on his back.

Any comfortableness feelings were buried under his desire to help this woman, to help his sister.

He had already lost a brother.

So he would not let go.

The woman in his arm was ridged, her mind racing wildly.

A voice spoke in her mind.

"They need you and you need them."

And the storm cleared.

She let out a trembling sigh.

"I've… been an idiot."

"That," He cracked a smile and released her from the hug. "Is an understatement."

In return she shot him tired smirk before turning to the staring characters and scowling. "What do you think you're looking at? Nothing to see here, get a move on, you neanderthals!" Immediately her men could be seen pushing people and yelling out similar phrases as their leaders in attempts to get the frozen terminal alive again. As the crowd begun to bustle again, Calhoun turned to Ralph.

"So, that little twerp was going to break in, was she?"

A laugh burst from Ralph.

He could still see the sadness, real and raw, in her eyes but it was no longer overpowering her light.

And that's fine, he thought, as they walk side by side to Sugar Rush where Vanellope no doubt waited for them.

Because things weren't okay.

But maybe one day they would be.

They'll just have to find out together.

Later that night, after a long day dealing with inept players and monstrous Cybugs, Tamora Jean Calhoun fell into her bed and dreamt.

Of a beautiful day, church bells ringing in the air, and a family.

A young girl in a dress much too poofy for her liking.

A large man with square shoulder who sobbed grossly.

A small handy man with shining blue eyes.

He looked at her and smiled.

"You are never alone."

FIN

Notes: Well, there you go, the epilogue to "Bugged". I hope you guys enjoyed it, because it was almost scrapped after I hit a huge wall. Thankfully a very dear friend gave me some tips and helped me get past it. :) I know it's not as long as "Bugged" but truthfully, I never write things as long as these, so yeah… XDDD Please feel free to leave your thoughts and/or constructive criticism. :) And lastly, have a WONDERFUL day/night!