Big O Fan Fiction ❯ State of Grace ❯ Chapter 4: Colour ( Chapter 4 )

State of Grace

Chapter Four: Colour

By Devon Masterson

Aoi37@hotmail.com

"I'm coming, Father, I won't let them hurt you," Dorothy vowed as she stepped onto the stone edge of the penthouse-like mansion. She looked down and fear nearly gripped her. "It's not real, Dorothy. You can do this." She spread her arms out and closed her eyes. She could feel the high altitude winds whipping her nightgown about her body and a light smile crossed her face. The nightmare would be over; she would be back with her father and the man that loved her. No more existing as unfeeling machine that everyone wants to use and no one wanted to love. Of course she would be leaving him behind…with dark eyes that you cold see forever in and suave sexiness. "We could never be in this world…besides he's not real," she thought as she allowed herself to fall forward.

Strong arms suddenly circled her slender waist. "I'm not going to let you," Roger replied as he pulled her away from the ledge before she fell.

Her dark eyes flew open and she fought against his embrace. "I have to get to him before they kill my father. He needs me! Simon needs me!"

"Dorothy, listen to me this is not a dream this is reality. You've been away for forty years."

Dorothy stopped struggling in his grasp. The air suddenly became thin as she felt the blood go out of her already pale face. "That's impossible. What you're saying is impossible! That would mean that I…" her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell limp against his body.

"Dorothy!" he called shaking her. "Norman!" Roger picked her and rushed inside.

Norman quickly met him and sighed in relief after looking her over. "She fainted from the shock."

Dorothy opened her eyes and sat up. "It really wasn't a nightmare," she sighed. She pulled the sheets off and stood in front of mirror. The sleep had allowed her to focus a lot of the conflicting event, but she still had questions.

Her eyes widened as she viewed her real self. Even though she was fifty-six years old, she looked only twenty. She imagined that the cryogenic process slowed the aging process tremendously. Her hair gave her the best indication. It was no longer the shot bob she was used to. It now flowed to the small of her back, about four to five years's worth of growth. She fingered the crimson locks; she kind of liked it that way. She frowned as she looked at the white night gown. It was definitely not some thing she would pick out. It looked like something and grandma would wear so loose and lacy. She knew Roger did not pick it out because it was white, her father must have done it. "This will have to go," she said to herself stripping it off and throwing it in the trash.

She opened the closet and saw the dress that she wore the first day that she came here. Norman washed it and hung it there. She smiled, glad that he kept it for her out of a sentiment. It may violate the house rule but it would have to do until she got more clothes. She laid the clothes out on the bed then went into the bathroom. She smirked as she cut on the shower. She never noticed the convenience of her room before. Its true use would now be realized. "I missed this," she sighed as the warm spray flowed over her.

Downstairs, Roger sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee; he over slept again. "Is that the shower I hear?"

"I believe Miss Dorothy is freshening up. I'm sure she will be very hungry when she comes down. I better get her a plate." He exited the dining room and quickly returned. He set down a steaming plate at the opposite end of table just as Dorothy came down the stairs.

Roger paused briefly trying not to gawk. He had seen the dress before, but the adult Dorothy filled it in a more appealing manner than the teenage one. "Morning," he greeted.

"Good morning, Roger," She replied as she sat down. Norman pushed the chair in under her. "Good morning, Norman."

"Good morning, Miss Dorothy, I trust you slept well last night."

"Yes, I did," she replied. She took a sip of her coffee and looked at Roger. "I'm sorry that I broke the rule, but I didn't have anything else."

"I'll just have to take you shopping to rectify that," he replied. "I don't have any appointments today."

"That might be fun."

"I can take you to get a hair cut as well if you want," he offered.

"I like it like this," she replied feeling the damp braid. "It's a change."

"Longer hair does become you," he complimented as the phone rang. He sighed inwardly; he had a feeling that duty called.

"Master Roger, it's Lt. Datsun, he says he needs to speak with you right away."

"Excuse me, Dorothy."

Dorothy nodded as he left with Norman following after him. Then stood to her feet. She needed to get out. It was obvious that Roger was not going to be any company, besides he had his own life. She needed to rebuild hers and sort herself out and she could not do that staying inside. The closer she got to the elevator the more sure of herself she became. She was going to go out on her own adventure.

"Roger Smith," he said into the phone.

"I need to talk to you about some weird stuff that's been going on, but not over the phone or in your office. Meet me at me 16 16 in thirty minutes."

"Fine," Roger replied before hanging up. His curiosity was piqued as to why Datsun was speaking in code like that. He would figure it out later. "Tell Dorothy I will talk to her later I have business," he said as he started for the garage.

Roger rushed off before Norman could get the chance to tell him that he did not know where Dorothy was and that she had gone while he left the room. He was not even sure that she would come back, depending on how well her memories had sorted themselves she might not think there was nothing worth coming back for.

&&&

Roger read a newspaper on a bench nonchalantly as Datsun walked towards him. Paradigm Park was not that difficult to figure out, especially if you knew that Datsun often referred to it as P.P. and could count. He always knew Datsun was not the brightest bulb in the pack, but he was still curious about what had him so nervous. "Why am I here?" he asked

"I heard about the break in last night," he answered sitting down beside him with a small bag of peanuts.

"It might have been nice to have some police help," he replied sarcastically.

"Now you're being sarcastic," Datsun mumbled annoyed. "I spent the night chasing after a crazy android killer that I thought you were supposed to have handled. I know you're fond of her but if she comes back to you, I want you to turn her in."

"It wasn't Dorothy it was RD," Roger answered. "And both of them have been destroyed. I'm sure your boss knows all about it."

"Rosewater?"

Roger folded his paper. "I had something important to do that I put off because you had something to tell me, but I'm the one offering information and for free at that…"

"I found a book," Datsun commented.

Roger paused in his movements then shrugged. "People write books all the time."

"It's over forty years old. I found it at a Machina executive's house. I guess he was trying to hide it when the android killed him. I thought you might want to study it."

"Does anyone know you have it?"

"No," he answered.

"What makes you think I would want to look at it?" Roger asked

"The first entry is a year before everyone lost their memory and you like dark stuff like that," Datsun replied thrusting a worn leather bound book into Roger's chest. "Maybe you can make sense out of this." He walked away.

Roger slipped the book into his blazer then turned on his heel in the other direction. He would get this treasure to a safe place then go back to what he intended on doing that afternoon. The near loss of Dorothy made him reevaluate his feelings toward her. He actually loss control of his emotions for a period. That rarely happened. What made him so good at negotiation was the fact that he could keep a poker face so well. His guard was always up even when it was thought to be down, but seeing Dorothy in the incinerator burning angered him greatly and he had so many regrets. He never regretted anything in his life, but with her he did. That meant something and he wanted a translation.

"Norman," he said into his communications device once he was inside of the Griffin.

"Yes, sir."

"Tell Dorothy that I am on my way," he replied looking at his watch. He had been gone two hours. The information in that book better be good.

"She's gone sir."

"Well where did she go?" Roger asked. The annoyance of her absence was slightly apparent in his voice.

"I don't know sir, she was gone before you left for to see Lt. Datsun," he answered.

"She did not intend to stay," Roger commented. He tried to hide the disappointment in his voice. "One less thing I have to worry about."

"She is not a thing sir," Norman corrected. "I think that is the problem."

"What are you talking about, Norman, I treated Dorothy like I would anyone else."

"I beg to differ, Master Roger, you've always treated her like she did not matter to you and more so since your feelings became more apparent to you."

"I don't have time for this now, Norman," Roger replied ending to conversation.

"Yes, sir," he replied. "I will have a early lunch ready for you when you arrive."

"Thank you," he said just before the screen went blank. Now, that was two people in his life that he managed to piss off in the past couple of days.

&&&

Alex Rosewater stared out of window at the buildings that his headquarters managed to dwarf in size. He smiled as she saw a reflection in the mirror. He had expected an angel, but this nightingale was just as interesting. "So what can I do for you, Miss Wayneright?"

Dorothy smiled and sat down in a nearby chair. It wasn't until that she was comfortable that she finally answered him. "I would like answers."

©2002 Devon Masterson

My fic, someone else's main characters. Any questions?