"I think that's a great idea." Seven shook it, surprised by the familiarity of the touch.
The ship took off behind Seven.
"What's different about you?" Seven asked.
"Not much. I'm exactly the same. The only difference is that I'm not hardwired to blindly follow Dale wherever he goes."
Seven thought for a moment. "I don't think I am anymore either. After the surgery I'd noticed I didn't feel the same crushing need for him as I had before."
The other Seven clapped her hands. "Yay! I'm so happy for you!" She said.
"That's good."
There was shouting from down the hall. Jenn and Nick emerged both looking flustered.
"What's going on?" Both Sevens asked at the same time.
"It's none of your business." Jenn shot back.
"What do you mean it's none of their business?" Nick asked. "It has everything to do with them."
"How so?" Seven asked.
Jenn retreated a few steps looking loaded.
"She's debating the immorality of being able to create people." Nick explained.
"You weren't informed of this when we discussed it upon Seven's death were you?"
"No." Jenn said. "When we landed I got up and followed you guys out here. The next thing I knew you asked for Seven to be replicated and then we got word that Seven was actually alive."
"Well," Nick said. "As you can see both Sevens are perfectly happy and healthy."
"That doesn't mean it is right."
"You know what? Why can't you just see the good in this situation? There's a new person in this world. Seven isn't dead like you thought she was." Nick shook his head. "Any sane person would think this is a great thing."
"Well, next time you've had seven thousand years of experience with a fake reality THEN you can talk about what you think is right and what you think is wrong."
Nick huffed but kept silent.
"Exactly." Jenn said. She turned around and went back into the tower. "I'm going to sleep."
Nick looked mildly upset but didn't say anything.
"Should one of us talk to her?" The other Seven asked.
"I think we should leave her alone for a while but I think that's a good idea. We should go together to show her that it isn't what she may think it is." Seven said.
There was a short block out of light and he sound of hydraulics as another ship landed behind them.
The boarding ramp lowered.
"What do you think is going on now?" The second Seven asked.
"I'm not sure." Seven said.
There were footsteps as someone came down the ramp. At first Seven was confused but as she watched her eyes widened and she started smiling.
"Dale!" She shouted, running up to meet him. You're alive!"
Dale looked exhausted but he smiled and hugged Seven close.
"Sorry Seven. I messed up big time before. Can you forgive me for that?"
"Yes! Oh yes! Oh yes! Oh yes!"
The second Seven watched with curiosity. There was something about Dale that made her want to smile. She went up and joined them on the ramp.
"You guys are in love!" She said, going in circles around them.
Dale's smile froze and he questioned Seven with a glance.
Seven seemed sad and hesitant. "When we were allowed to rescue you from the prison we'd arrived as the whole facility had been turned to mush."
The second Sevens stepped in. "She thought you were inside and so she killed herself in grief."
"You killed yourself?" Dale asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry Dale. I shouldn't have done that."
Dale pulled her close. "Are you alright now?"
"Yes. Everything is fine. I'm sorry." She started crying into Dale's shoulder. The second Seven looked sympathetic.
"She's going to be okay. She's just suffering from pent up emotion. It’s going to pass." The second Seven said. "So am I to understand that you guys are like a thing?"
"What's your name?" Dale asked.
"Seven Twenty Five. But it seems like everyone has taken to calling me Seven for some reason though personally I think Twenty Five would be a better title."
"Twenty Five, I think Seven needs some time to grieve." Dale said. He sat down on the ramp and took Seven down with him. She sat in his lap and hugged him close.
Twenty Five shrugged and sat next to Dale. She leaned up against him. "Well, whatever the case may be I've found that you and I are a perfect match so we're going to all have to get used to being friends."
Seven laughed into Dale's shirt. "Sounds like I don't really have a choice do I?"
"Not really." Twenty Five smiled. "I'm pretty much your twin so we're going to have to learn to share."
"My gosh I hope you don't mean we're going to have to share Dale."
"No! No no no no no. That's not what I mean. I'm just trying to inform you that were all going to have to get along that's all." Twenty Five shrugged. "You're basically just a more romantic version of myself and I'm just a fun kind of person because I wasn't designed to be that way. That means I'm pretty much just Dale's kid sister or something."
Dale seemed non-committal over either side. "Well as far as I know my family is gone so I think this plan may have a sound reasoning behind it."
"Exactly." Twenty Five said. She smiled and stood up. "You guys chat it up for a while, I'm going to find Crystal." She started back down the ramp, looked around, waved towards someone, and ran off.
Dale laughed. "That's awesome."
"What is?" Seven asked. She was close to falling asleep.
"You pretty much have a twin sister now. That's been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember."
"Well, the world is full of miracles isn't it?"
"True." Dale brushed back Seven's hair.
"Dale?" Seven asked.
"Yeah?"
"I think I'm starting to see things the way they were meant to be seen."
"How do you mean?"
"When I first met you, I was blinded by something inside that insisted I follow you without regard to self or to reason. But when that doctor patched me up I began to feel something different inside. Almost like there was a part of me that had been locked up."
"You mean something like identity?"
"Yes. I think you're right." She snuggled in closer. "I think I finally realized that I don't need to be with you to be happy and I think that means I'm going to be okay from now on."
"I'm happy for you Seven. I wouldn't want it any other way. No one deserves to feel obligated to be unhappy for the sake of another."
Seven was silent but she still held him tight.
"Seven," Dale began. "Do you want to get married?"
Seven made a halfhearted nod. "Mm."
""You think we should get married sooner or later?"
"Is there anything stopping us from getting married right now?"
Dale shifted a bit. "No."
"I think we should just go ahead and get married. It’s already obvious we're right for each other. I think we should just go for it. I don't want to break the rules you've set for yourself any more than I want to. I think that's important."
Dale laughed to himself for a moment. "Does marriage even exist in this world?"
"Yes, marriage is controlled through the computer. At least it used to be. Things have the potential to change."
"I think we should petition marriage."
"I'm thinking we won't have a choice."
"How do you mean that?" Dale asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No, I don't think so." Dale said thoughtfully.
"Well, because not getting married would be the biggest mistake in our lives! Not doing it would be like committing suicide!"
Dale laughed. "Well, no one wants either of us to commit suicide. Especially since that's already happened, so I think we should talk to him right now."
Seven took Dale's hand, stood up, and led him towards the computer tower.
Dale smiled, swinging
Seven's hand as they went in, a symbol of their new lives together.
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