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Chapter Text

Heavenly shades of night are falling
It's twilight time
Out of the mist, your voice is calling
'Tis twilight time

"Tom?"

Thomas stared at his wife, Tiffany, on their new bed they bought before moving. Her blue eyes were open, revealing a pure blue color that always fascinated Thomas with the beauty and courage that would never be separated from Tiffany's personality. "Yes, T?"

"Don't you think all of this feels... real?"

"Of course all of this is real." Thomas's hand held Tiffany's fingers gently. "After everything that happened..." his memory blurred when he thought about what happened in the past. He shuddered inexplicably. "We deserve this moment."

Tiffany looks unsure. There was a crease in her brow, an indication that she was deep in thought. "I think you're right," she replied before reaching her hands towards Thomas' back, hugging him tightly.

Deepening shadows gather splendor
As day is done
Fingers of night will soon surrender
The setting sun

"So you guys moved all the way from Chicago... to San Francisco?" Jude questioned with a curious look as he drank the wine Tiffany gave him.

Thomas smiled a little. "Yes. We think the new environment as a couple is an ideal choice for us and our kids."

"But... why San Francisco, to be exact?" Jon, Thomas' new superior, asked in a disgruntled tone.

Tiffany cut the fish meat that she cooked earlier. "Ah, well, that's..." she paused, trying to remember the answer she was about to say. The real answer was very simple, she knew it. After all, it's something she and Thomas usually discussed together, both before and after marriage.

However, if that's the case... why couldn't she come up with a reason?

"Because San Francisco is..." Thomas was about to answer, but looked as lost as Tiffany.

"Because of what?" Jon pondered, this time in a forced tone, as if he's interrogating both she and Thomas for doing something they're not supposed to do. His gaze turned into something very unsightly. Something that made Tiffany become anxious.

"Why did you forget, Andersons?"

Here in the afterglow of day
We keep our rendezvous beneath the blue
Here in the sweet and same old way
I fall in love again as I did then

"You know," Chad began as he and Thomas cleared the table after the social event ended. "I heard a lot about you and your wife."

Thomas looked at Chad with a suspicious look, trying his best to calm himself down. It felt weird every time Thomas interacted with Chad. It's not like he hated Chad. Actually, Chad wasn't bad either. He and his kids never got into trouble with him or Tiffany. He often offers snacks and invites to dinner together at the restaurant in the neighborhood where they live.

It's just...sometimes, Thomas feels, Chad secretly doesn't like him and Tiffany.

"I don't know what you heard, but we didn't have any bad intentions," Thomas replied as gently as possible. "At all."

"I know," Chad shrugged, looking unconcerned. "But just so you know, what you and your wife did were enough to worry us all. You screwed up the system."

"Our action?" Thomas repeated, even more confused. What the hell is he talking about?

Before Chad could answer, his eyes suddenly turned to the television near them. There was no broadcast, but Thomas heard a strange sound coming from the television.

"Neo? Neo, can you hear me?" A man's deep voice asked as the TV screen flashed static images and rainbow bars over and over. "Neo, what's going on over there?!"

Deep in the dark, your kiss will thrill me
Like days of old
Lighting the spark of love that fills me
With dreams untold

Callie gasped. Her brown eyes didn't stop staring at Tiffany. "You have to wake up!" She shouted suddenly.

Tiffany didn't know what to say other than, "What?"

Callie gripped Tiffany's shoulder tightly, as if afraid she'd let go. "This isn't real, Trinity! You and Neo need to get out of here!"

Various foreign memories began to hit Tiffany's brain. Robots such as large octopus flew in the air. The sky is full of air pollution. Her husband's screams made her heart skip a beat. Tiffany restrained herself from fainting on the spot. "Answer me, Callie. If I'm Trinity and my husband is Neo... what exactly happened to us?"

"I..."

"That's enough interruption."

Each day I pray for evening
Just to be with you
Together at last at twilight time

As their mouths parted from a long kiss, blue eyes gaze at brown eyes. "Is this real?" She asked, afraid but yearning for hope. Hope that anything they are is not a fake.

He smiled sadly, his hands clasped her cheeks in a very familiar caress. "We are real," he whispered, equally emotional as she is now.

Chapter Text

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead,
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said:
"Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head"

- White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane

Once her Honda car was parked in the basement, she wasted no time walking briskly toward the hospital lobby, ignoring the stares of people staring at her in confusion or astonishment. In fact, she was angry, very angry. Not only was her lunch time off being cut short for coming here, but the fact that someone would even dare to do that to her is too much for her to simply let go and move on!

Why does everyone always complicate her life?!

"Bobbi!" She shouted loudly as her legs walked towards the reception desk, knowing that the person she was looking for was always resting there.

Bobbi, innocently, waved his left hand. "Hey, Tiff--!"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Tiff, listen--"

Without thinking, Tiffany dragged Bobbi to a small room at the end of the hospital lobby, locked the door, and pushed Bobbi with unbearable anger. "You gave my project draft to Metacortex? Are you crazy?!"

"Wait a minute, Tiff--"

"No," she cut off Bobbi with a pointing finger. "You promised! Promised not to reveal my project to any company, no matter what false promises they offered! But what did I find? You, secretly send it."

"So what do you want?" Bobbi asked back. His face was calm, but clearly he was holding back his annoyance. "Staying at home and running AI projects that you don't dare to publish? Tiff, how long are you going to continue like this? If you just stay quiet, you'll never finish your project. A big company like Metacortex can provide you with a promising resource. It can help your finances."

Tiffany folded her arms, looked down for a moment, trying to control her emotions. She didn't need sympathy because of her current condition. "I have a way to make it work," he answered quietly. "I don't need outside help who only uses creators with their hypocrisy." She looked at Bobbi fiercely. "I thought you knew that. I thought... I thought you did."

Bobbi said nothing. Tiff may not be close to Bobbi, but he's one of the few people Tiff trusts. 

Well, trusted.

Tiff took a slow breath. Her blue eyes immediately noticed something. "This is a patient room?" She frowned. "Since when did this hospital have a patient room near the lobby?"

"That's what I'm trying to say before you get mad," Bobbi let out a small sigh. "This is an emergency patient room. The hospital's running short of rooms because it was full of patients. Last night there was a new patient. So a temporary room was made for this patient."

"New patient?"

"He was in a car accident last night. There was a man who brought him here. His condition is quite serious. Even after surgery, I can't guarantee that he will be fine after this."

Tiff glanced around. Her eyes immediately caught someone lying on a small mattress with medical equipment around him. His face was calm in his eternal sleep. Tiffany didn't know why, but she felt various emotions welling up inside her. It was as if seeing the man lying not far from her brought about a great change.  

A few seconds later, Tiffany slowly looked at Bobbi and asked a simple question.

"What's his name?"

The sun's rays greeted Tiffany's face. She groaned a little, annoyed at being awakened from her restful sleep. In her heart, she really wished that she could continue to lie in her room, never leave the bed and continue to hold the hand of the man she loved so much for the rest of her life.

Her head shifted as her hands moved to support her body, which was rising from the bed. Her feet touched the cold wooden floor. The movement she made caused the man beside her to open his eyes, revealing a dark brown irises, beautiful as warm coffee. "Morning," he greeted, holding Tiffany's hand.

"Morning," she replied with a warm smile.

"You know what, Tiff? I don't think we need to leave the house."

"Hmm? Why not?"

Tom smiled mischievously. "Well," he approached Tiffany and slid a few strands of hair away from her forehead, holding her cheek in a gentle motion. "Apart from keeping you happy?"

"Oh. I'm really looking forward to that, love," Tiffany chuckled, feeling Tom's hand that was still on her cheek. "But we both know the best time to be together is at night."

"Come on. I can't wait 12 hours to be undisturbed."

"Unfortunately it has to be, Tom." Tiffany glanced at the clock on the table. "Love, what time is your office open?"

Tom moved his hands to rub his eyes, trying not to fall asleep. "10 am. Why?"

"Why?" Tiffany looks at him with deadpanned expression. "Because if you don't come to the office in 30 minutes we'll have to find you another job?"

"Huh?"

Between exasperation or annoyance, Tiffany picked up the clock on the table, showing what time it was.

"Oh shit!" Tom immediately got up and ran to the bathroom.

"Tom! Remember to be careful not to..."

Late. A small, rapid scraping sound rang in her ears, followed by her husband's startled voice that's ending with a loud thud.

"Slipped," Tiffany ended her sentence, grimacing.

"Seriously, Tom," Tiffany bandaged the small wound on Tom's left temple with antiseptic liquid. "How many times do I have to tell you to be careful in the bathroom? The floor is still slippery."

Tom grimaced a little. "Make an exception, T. I'm out of focus."

"Haha," Tiffany responded with a sarcastic laugh. Her eyes re-examined the wound before giving him a small bandage. "Done."

Tom stroked his temple gently as he walked towards the door. "T?"

"Hmm?" She responded, not paying attention to Tom because she was busy cleaning their dining table full of medical equipment.

"Why is there a circle on our calendar?"

Tiffany looked at the calendar hanging near the exit. There's a circle mark on today's date. 

November 5th.

That's weird. "I'm not sure, love," Tiffany admitted. "Probably a printing error. You know how companies like to make mistakes."

"Yeah," Tom mumbled, looking unsure of Tiffany's answer.

To be honest, Tiffany wasn't even sure about the answer she just gave. She tried to remember the circle marks, but her memory didn't bring up anything related to the circle marks on the calendar.

Tom kissed Tiffany right in the lips. "See you tonight," he said with a wink before leaving the house.

Tiffany shook her head, between astonished and embarrassed by her husband's desire to carry out their 'activities' tonight. Jesus Christ, Tiffany. Get a hold of yourself!

Trying as best she could to forget the deepest romantic fantasies, although not the kind of woman who enjoys the life of a housewife, Tiffany forced herself to continue tidying the dining table before sweeping the floor, dusting the living room, washing the tableware she had just bought the week before, etc.

Just as she finished cleaning her black ducati--a wedding gift from her old friend Daniel--a bell rang. Curious, Tiffany walked over to the door and opened it.

A man in a businessman suit greeted her. "Hey, new neighbor! Welcome to our strange neighborhood!"

Tiffany couldn't help but respond, "what?"

"Oops! Sorry. It was kind of a little joke here," he explained then leaned forward, whispering, "A bit of a leak. People here aren't normal." Casually, he walked inside, sat on the sofa and leaned back. "By the way, I'm Barney. My brothers and I live not far from this house."

"Oh really?" Tiffany glanced at the window, wondering where Barney's house was. "How many brothers do you have?"

He chuckled. "Smash," he replied curtly before frowning. "Oh, what do we have here?" Barney glanced at the calendar. "Well, well, Tiff. Is today a special day?"

"More or less so," she answered simply, not wanting to delve into the topic of the circle markings which is still a mystery to herself and her husband.

"Ohoho. Looks like the housewife is about to get a nice present. But my advice, Tiff." Barney gestured her outfit. "You'd better find something nicer than what you're wearing now."

God, Barney is so annoying. Tiffany wanted to get him out of her home, but she tried to keep her emotions in check. Remember, Tiff. The last time you lost control, Tom also got into your mess, even though he said it wasn't your fault. For the sake of your husband who has an adorable expression whenever he got confused, control yourself. "I'll consider it," Tiffany said with a small smile.

She hoped Thomas didn't have the misfortune she was experiencing right now.

If Tiffany had known what was going on at Deus Machina, she might have retracted her words.

It all started when Tom finished the task his boss gave him.

"Wow, Tom!" Jon, Tom's boss who was sitting in a chair, looked at the various papers that had been placed on his desk. "All this in two hours?! If I didn't know, you seem pretty good at computers."

"I'm graduated from computer," Tom responded in a tone that sounded more or less like saying, "no shit, Sherlock."

Jon clearly didn't hear Tom's sarcasm, going on and on about how impressed he was at the work Tom had done, tasks that certainly weren't easy to do. His face looked neutral, but to be honest Tom was starting to feel bored and tired of his new boss. He wanted to quickly leave this room and sit on the chair without any other distractions. Might as well call Tiffany and ask how she is.

Squek, squek, squeeeeek.

His gaze shifted to the sound of friction outside. Tom's eyes caught two people, one male and one female, cleaning the office windows from the outside with scaffolding. Both of them looked young, especially the woman.

Then something else came.

He stood nervously, occasionally looking out of the window, at the window being cleaned. His boss, who had been typing all this time, looked at him with displeasure. 

"You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson," he began. "You believe that you are special, that somehow the rules do not apply to you. Obviously, you are mistaken."

"Tom?" 

He looked again at his boss. "Yeah?"

"I was talking of coming to your house. You remember our appointment on dinner time?"

Wait, what? "I'm sorry, but I think you're mistaken."

Jon picked up the agenda book, showing a piece of paper that said 'dinner with Tom and his wife. Bring Jude' on November 5th. "Tell me you remember our deal?"

Oh shit.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I remember," Tom said, muttering. "Of course."

"Then, I'll see you tonight."

As soon as Tom came out of Jon's office, he rushed into his office room.

Tiffany could not believe what she heard. "Are you kidding me?"

"I really didn't want this to happen, but..."

"You could have said no, Tom!"

"I know, I know!" Tom replied in a panicked tone. "It's just... it's my first job since we moved. You know my last boss wasn't the kind of boss to be generous. If I say no, I might get fired and we'll be homeless for life and I don't want to..."

"You actually forgot about your dinner appointment because you pictured me in that pretty dress I just bought a month ago, right?" Tiffany cut Tom's words in a tone that wasn't amused, already memorized his husband's habits.

"...No."

Tiffany didn't answer.

"Okay, I admit, I did imagine that scenario. But only once," Tom continued.

Tiffany doesn't believe this statement, 100% sure Tom always imagines herself wearing many beautiful clothes. "So basically, you need me to make dinner to impress him and his friend so we don't stay homeless for life," she focused back on their discussion.

Tom sighed. "I know this sucks..."

"It's okay," she assured him. "Just... calm down, love. It's just a dinner, not a big war that might kill us both. Everything will be fine."

"Everything will be fine," Tom repeated, trying to convince himself of the spell. "Sorry if I startled you."

"It's okay, Tom. Really," Tiffany smiled. "Now get back to work. I will prepare the dinner."

"Okay. I love you."

"Love you too."

After the call ended, Tiffany glanced at the dress she was wearing. The one she bought a month ago. "And here I thought I can surprised him," she mumbled with a disappointed sigh.

Later that night...

"Everything done?" Tom asked, folding his tie for 10 minutes and still not done.

"Yup," Tiffany nodded, took off her apron, and walked over to Tom to fix his tie. "Salad. Steak. Fish. A bottle of fine wine for four." She gave him a secret smile. "But not the special wine."

Tom slowly wrapped his hands on her waist. "No noodles?"

She smiled a little, stroking her husband's beard. "No, love." She laughed when he pouted. "Next time, okay?"

"Okay," Tom replied, eager to eat noodles, but understood that noodles were not the ideal type of food for this occasion.

The doorbell rings.

"It's time."

"Wow, dude," Jude remarked as he and Jon enter their house. "Very fancy house you had, mate!"

"It just so happened that our friends had quite a hand in finding the location," Tom answered with a smile. Tiffany couldn't help but smile, knowing that in reality her best friend, Daniel, had been secretly hacking into the real estate agency's system so that she and Tom could live in a fairly luxurious environment.

"Please eat," Tiffany offered with a hand gesture at the dinner she had worked so hard to make, from the scattered groceries to Barney somehow wanting to enter their house before Tom politely kicked him out.

"So you guys moved all the way from Chicago... to San Francisco?" Jude questioned with a curious look as he drank the wine Tiffany gave him.

Tom smiled a little. "Yes. We think the new environment as a couple is an ideal choice for us and our kids."

"Oh yeah?" Jude stared them, keep eating. "How long have you two been married?"

"Oh, long enough," Tiffany denoted, smiling at the memory of their first kiss. How long they've been married... Tiffany wasn't sure.

Why isn't she sure?

"But... why San Francisco, to be exact?" Jon asked this time, looked sharp at the couple.

Tiffany cut the fish meat. "Ah, well, that's..." she paused, trying to remember the answer she was about to say. A strange sensation crept up inside her, like a huge obstruction that was very disturbing.

While cutting the fish, Tiffany was trying hard to remember the answer Jon needed to know. The real answer was very simple, she knew it. After all, it's something she and Tom usually discussed together, both before and after marriage. Both of them don't like to plan things without a clear thought process.

However, if that's the case...why couldn't she come up with a reason?

Why she lost her ability to speak?

"Because San Francisco is..." Tom was about to answer, but looked as lost as Tiffany. His mouth wide open. His brows furrowed. Both hands trembled slightly while holding the fork and knife. 

"Because of what?" Jon pondered, this time in a forced tone, as if he's interrogating both she and Tom for doing something they're not supposed to do.

"Don't force them, Boss," Jude suggested, finishing his meal. "They're not exactly young anymore. Memory could get fuzzy."

"Come on. That's just a simple question. How can you two are not sure the exact reason you two move here or how long have you been married? Isn't that a bit weird?"

"Weird?" Tom repeated. His brown eyes shifted to Tiffany, unsure of the question his boss was asking. Her husband's breathing was a little irregular.

"Why did you forget, Andersons?" Jon asked. His gaze turned into something very unsightly. Something that made Tiffany become anxious. "Why?"

"Why...?" Tiffany whispered. Her head started to spin. There's pain in her abdomen. Her breath was very tight, as if she had experienced a very fatal collision. 

Tom looked worse. His face was very pale and his brown eyes was unfocused, as if he had lost the ability to see. "Why... what?" He managed to speak.

"Why? Why? Why?!" Suddenly, Jon pounded the dining table, startling Tiffany, Tom, and Jude who were drinking wine. "Are you two really stupid or ignorant about this ridiculous theatrical play?"

"I don't..." The pain in Tiffany's stomach got worse before a foreign memory hit her mind.

A man holds her from behind. She could feel the sensation of a knife tip against her neck...

There was a man dressed as a secret agent behind her. She looked around, trying to find a way to escape...

Her two feet walked into a dark cave. She could hear the sound of musical instruments playing loudly. Her blue eyes kept searching for someone. When she caught the person, none other than Tom, she couldn't help but to kiss him...

"Oh, look at the time!" Jude suddenly remarked. "It's late! Wow, time flies so fast!"

Tiffany looked at Jude who finished her wine cheerfully. When she saw Jon, she didn't look angry anymore. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying dinner tonight.

"Upsie! You're right. There's an important meeting tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder, Jude," Jon finished his wine before standing up. "Thanks for the dinner too. See ya tommorow, Tom."

Tom looks just as confused as Tiffany. But the two of them quickly gave their usual smiles as Tom shook his boss's hand and Tiffany opened the door. "No problem, boss," Tom said, still smiling. Once Jude and Jon had left, his smile disappeared as he closed the door. He turned around, grabbed Tiffany's shoulders, looked at her worriedly. "You're okay?"

The pain has disappeared. Tiffany didn't understand what just happened. "I'm fine," she said, trying to forget that, then rested her head on her husband's shoulder. "You know... we still have time for room activities together."

Tom smiled. "Oh yes?" He whispered and carried his wife in bridal style. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Me too," Tiffany replied seductively as Tom carried her to their room.

A man in blue glasses turns off the TV broadcast with the remote. "That was close," he muttered, glancing at his black cat as it's drinking milk. "I have to admit, I didn't expect that to happen."

Carefully, he picked up a notebook by the table, writing down the things he found while watching so that there would be no more mistakes--or glitches--in the Matrix.

Chapter Text

You'll never know how many dreams
I've dreamed about you
Or just how empty they all seemed without you
So kiss me once, then kiss me twice
Then kiss me once again
It's been a long, long time

- It's Been a Long, Long Time by Harry James and His Orchestra

Beeps. Beeps. Beeps.

Very familiar voice. He was sure he heard this sound every time he woke up. His eyes will be looking at the screen... screen... computer screen. Yes, old computer screen. The voice calmed him down, made him forget about trivial matters like work or finding a partner or so on.

But is it really the same voice? Sounds similar, but somehow, not the same kind of voice he knows.

And why is everything dark?

Why is he alone?

A strange pictures flashed through his mind. Blue and red light. Unbearable pain in the mouth and eyes. Someone's scream that made him very sad, pleading very loudly to stop the curse that was too painful.

Then there's touch. Hold hand. Gentle touch on the forehead. A warm feeling immediately filled his heart.

A glimmer of light lit up his vision. A few seconds later, he became aware of the presence of his two open eyes. It was uncomfortable.

"Doctor Morrow, he's awake," a calm male voice spoke. He didn't know who was speaking. But for some reason, he knows the voice doesn't sound like normal human. "Looks like he's...confused."

"Turn offline, Somnia," answered a woman's voice in a worried tone. "Learn everything we just talked about."

His head is hard to move. His eyes hurt a little. His body... his body stiffened to death. There's no stimulation to be able to move. He was like a cold statue placed in a very cold place.

Why is his body like this?  

He was afraid.

"Thomas?"

There was a woman sitting nearby. Her hair is long but neatly styled and her blue eyes never stop gazing at his. Her suit consist a long white jacket and a black tank top with long blue pants. Her left hand holds the cellphone while his right hand is placed not far from the position of his left hand. Fear still haunted him, but calm was beginning to emerge as well.

"Thomas, can you hear me?" She asked slowly. "Don't panic. Breathe slowly. You'll know what's going on."

Breathe slowly. Thomas also followed the woman's advice. His chest tightened a little with every movement. There was a feeling that made him unable to move his mouth to speak.

"Wait a minute, I'll get a doctor," she stood up and looked up out of the room. "Bobbi, he's awake!"

Has Thomas ever met this woman? She looks a bit different, but she's also not. Her face, her voice, her movements... he could even feel the touch of her hands on his skin.

Thomas... the name was indeed his.

But it didn't feel right.  

There was another name, a name that suited him.

The name she always called with love.

His name... his name...

Tom woke up feeling uneasy. Familiar voices resounded in his mind, like an old tape that replayed endlessly. His hands felt stiff, maybe because of the effects of the dream earlier.

He didn't understand that dream at all. Why is he in the hospital and his body is paralyzed? Why does Tiffany look like a scientist, a job she's clearly never been into? Why is there a feeling of uncertainty about his own name?

From the side, Tiffany moved slightly closer to him. Her eyes were still closed. Her hand touched Tom's. In a moment, Tom regained his composure, unable to contain himself from smiling.

He was very grateful for his wife's presence.

"What about the interior?" Tom asked, picking up the toast he had placed on a clean plate, dragging it into Tiffany's left hand.

Tiffany sighed softly. "Is charcoal better or pure white?" She asked as he looked at the concept arts files Skroce had made.

Skroce is one of the neighbors who lives not far from their house. He's the kind of guy who's always relaxed and has a great sense of humor. Tom and Tiffany were more comfortable with Skroce's presence than their neighbors.

Especially Barney.

"Charcoal?" Tom replied, unsure. Reminded of the morning sickness that his wife experienced, he added, "Relax, T. Whatever the outcome, Simulatte is going to be a thriving business."

Tiffany smiled a little, relieved by her husband's optimistic voice. Nevertheless, her heart was still not 100% calm. Simulatte was a business project that she had planned a few months before moving to San Francisco. She wanted to open a simple business, not wanting to depend on Tom's work to manage their finances. Tiffany wants this business to do well. Otherwise... Tiffany didn't want to imagine the disappointment of her hard-earned capital costs.

"I hope so, Tom." Tiffany took a bite of a piece of bread, enjoying the warmth as she checked the ingredients for the dish that would be available at her new cafe. Lately she's easily hungry and tired quickly. Maybe because of the stress of managing her new cafe. "What about your project?"

For the past three months since moved, Tom has been working on Modal, a simulation where AI can develop their intelligence. His boss was quite impressed with the proposal, so he provided a lot of funds and assistants so that Modal could become a product that could be marketed or invested. Tiffany herself often sees the process of working on Modal from a computer she and Tom bought two months ago. She admits that Tom's simulation is very sophisticated and can compete with trade competition in this technological era.

"So far so good," Tom admitted, sitting next to Tiffany, sipping his coffee before sighing softly. "I just need to set up the algorithm and the setting. Maybe in the next few months, Modal can be done."

"You know, Daniel would be surprised if he found out you designed your AI based on its appearance."

Tom chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with a little surprise."

"True." Tiffany's smartphone vibrates. She saw a new message from Skroce. "Oh?"

"What is it?"

"Skroce just contacted me about the construction staff. Looks like they got the bar table wrong." Tiffany took the files on the desk and put them in a big bag. She gives him an awkward smile. "I have to go. Love you."

"Love you too," Tom responded, placing a small kiss on her cheek before opening the door to make it easier for his wife to get out. She looked at him one more time before leaving.

"No. Wait."

"It's all right. They need you."

"I need you."

"I know, but there's time."

What the hell is that? Tom shook his head, trying to get those images out of his mind. Feelings of sadness and yearning were still swirling in his heart chaotically, as if his wife's departure was a bad omen, that something bad would happen if he let go of her hand. The feeling that always comes every time they part.

Good God, you're such a loser. Tiffany just went to take care of her new cafe. Control yourself, Thomas Alfa Anderson!

Tom forced his legs to move to the bathroom. His hand turned the tap water, letting the water flow. With his hands slightly shaking, he bent slightly, washed his face, and let a cold sensation hit his skin.

As soon as he stood up again and looked at his reflection in the mirror, Tom saw a slightly younger self, in sunglasses and a cassock-like outfit.

"Wake up," his reflection said with a serious expression. Oh my gosh. Is this a form of hallucination? Am I crazy? "The Matrix has you."

"You ever have that feeling... where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"

His chest was tight.

"A Deja vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something."

His head is so dizzy.

"There's a difference between knowing a path... and walking a path."

Both hands hold the edge of the sink.

"The purpose of life is to end."

"What's up, neighbor!" Tom turned around, surprised to see Barney suddenly in the living room, staring at him. "You're okay?" He asked with a worried expression.

He looked in the mirror in the bathroom, only to find his current reflection in a black t-shirt and blue trousers. This must be because he stayed up late working on the project. "Yeah," he answered before sighing softly. Seeing Barney waiting in the living room reminded him of something. "Barney, how did you get in?"

"Your door just opened," he said as he turned his head towards the door. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Very sure." Tom looked alternately at Barney and the door. Weird. He remembered closing the door to his house. Why's the door open?

"Anyway, I heard Tiff's cafe will be opening soon. Is that true?"

"She's still in charge of the interior, but in the next few weeks, Simulatte will start operating."

"Great! So listen," Barney lowered his voice, as if he was about to share a big conspiracy, when there were only the two of them in the house. "Chad's going to have a social event in his house, especially for our neighborhood. You could do a promotion about Tiff's business. The more people know the merrier."

"I don't think that's a good idea," he rejected, shook his head. If he did that, he would only attract people's attention. Tom had always disliked attention, preferring to be alone and busy himself with his computer. Ironically, it was precisely because of his introverted attitude that Tiffany was attracted to him at a club that his friend Choi invited him to one night.

Tiffany Amanda Morrow. Motorcycle lover. Smart in technology. Got the title of being the coveted girl in her high school. Not to mention, her personality. Very brave but also full of love, such as being able to defeat a million criminals but continues to make Tom hypnotized by love.

At that time they met briefly at a nightclub. But out of curiosity, they started seeing each other more often and, well... the rest was predictable.

Speaking of it, he doesn't remember much about his past. Almost everything was blurred, like a strong fog that forced Tom not to see clearly. Sometimes he has to rely on his intuition and unclear memory if people start asking questions about his life before meeting Tiffany or while dating her.

"Hello? Earth to Tom?"

Tom looked at Barney again. "Sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked if you'd like to come along. Honestly, Tom. You keep daydreaming. Are you really all right?"

One of Barney's bad qualities is that he's always pressing on other people's business. Sometimes Tom wants to move house so he doesn't have to deal with Barney. Tiffany wouldn't mind that notion, especially after giving him a scorpion kick the week before for commenting how weird her attire was.

The problem is, they're not the rich type of people. Deus Machina is a big company, but not very big like most company. Of course Tom could have asked his friend Daniel for help, but he was busy with his job as CEO of a large company. He was reluctant to ask his friend for help again, especially since he got married.

Come to think of it, after moving, Tom rarely interacted outside the work and household environment with Tiffany. Maybe this social event can help him relieve the stress of that weird imagination.

"Okay. But just a moment."

"Mrs. Anderson?" Tiffany's head turned and found a fairly dirty-clothed worker holding a long chair. "The chair just arrived. Where do you want to put it?"

"Oh, uh," Tiffany looked left and right. "There. Keep it level with the table."

As soon as the worker left, Skroce approached him. "All right, Hon?" He asked with a frown on his forehead. "From the time you came here until now, your focus was easily distracted. And don't tell me it's because your husband keeps popping into your head. I know how you look when you think of Tommy boy."

Tiffany didn't know how to react to Skroce's words about the last sentence. "I'm fine," she replied, trying to hide the warmth on her cheeks. "It's just... I don't want to fail in," she casts his hands around, "all of this."

Scroce nodded. "Take it easy, Tiff. With your persistent attitude? Simulatte is going to be the most visited cafe in San Francisco. Especially if they find out that the owner is a woman as beautiful as you. A lot of people will envy you," he looked up slightly, thinking for a moment, "or Tommy."

She snorted softly. There was nothing wrong with Skroce's words. She remembered many people liked her in high school. Sometimes in the neighborhood, Tiffany finds several woman--or man--interested in Tom... before finally resigning when they see their wedding rings. To be honest, Tiffany was quite happy to see their embarrassed and uncomfortable expressions when they found out that Tom was her husband.

Speaking of high school, Tiffany remembered something odd. She doesn't remember much about his school days. About her classmate, her teacher, her favourite subjects...

"Tiff?" Skroce called out to her.

"Yes?"

"I think you should see a doctor."

Tiffany looked at him, surprised.  "What?"

Skroce glanced at her with a worried look, as if to indicate something, but didn't dare say anything. "Believe me, Tiff. You'd better see a doctor. My friend Jackie has it too."

What the hell? What did Skroce mean? Why did he say that?  

Wait. Could it be...

But if you think about it, Tiffany's body wasn't what it used to be for the past two weeks.  She had morning sickness in the morning, had a strong appetite, had cramps in her stomach, had sudden nausea, and was easily exhausted, even when she and Tom were doing activities together in the room.

Could this really happen?

On the one hand, Skroce's suggestion did nothing wrong. But on the other hand, Tiffany doesn't want her cafe business to be missed.

As if reading her mind, Skroce said, "I'll take care of the cafe. The important thing," he put a hand on Tiffany's shoulder, "take care of yourself. We don't want Tommy to worry like last month's incident with the photo booth and the trash can."

Tiffany laughed softly with that reminder. "Thank you, Skroce."

Skroce had an acquaintance who worked as a doctor at a hospital in San Francisco, so making an appointment with the doctor wasn't as complicated as it used to be.

With her Ducati, Tiffany walked to the reception desk. "Hello. Uh, I want to see Doctor Miller?"

"Please wait in lobby C."

Tiffany nodded in understanding. As she walked, she picked up her cell phone, called Tom. She didn't plan to tell Tom with an uncertain suggestion. But her heart longed to hear the voice of the man she loved so much. Although only separated for 2 hours, she already misses her husband. "Tom?"

"Hey, T! Everything went well with the cafe?"

There were voices of people talking excitedly. Mostly he had known for the past three months. "Cafe's good, Love. Where are you?"

"Social event at Chad's. Barney suddenly asked me to come here."

"Oh?" Tiffany knows her husband isn't the kind of person who likes to socialize, let alone go to social events.

"Yeah. I think this show can relax me. Fresh air, you know." Ah, that's why. Tiffany understands that.

Wait a minute. "Tom, you said Barney invited you?"

"Yeah?" His response, apparently not understand the meaning. Oh Lord. Her husband can be very oblivious.

"Love, remember the incident a month ago?" Tiffany sat next to a woman slowly so her stomach wouldn't cramp. "The neighbor show at James and Barney's house almost burned the house down with his magic trick?"

There's a brief pause. "Oh, that. Well, Barney hasn't done any magic tricks related to fire so far. He's just been busy with the fireworks and the cat--"

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Barney exclaimed proudly from afar. "For the closing ceremony, I'm going to blow you away. How, you may asj? I'll shoot fire right out of my mouth--"

"You were saying?" Tiffany asked again.

"Shit. Gotta go. I love you, T!"

While hanging up the call that had been enlivened by the panicked voices of other neighbors, Tiffany put down her phone and looked directly at the woman beside her.

"How many months has it been?" asked the woman, curious. She looks beautiful, dressed like a rock & roll's lover with a tattoo on her neck and left arm.

Tiffany shook her head, stroking her stomach slowly. "I'm not sure. That's why I came here. You?"

"Just accompanying. My girlfriend's inside," she gestured her head at one of the doors in front of him. "Want to check the blood test results. It's quite complicated."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She has a family history of blood disorders. I was going to come in, but she wouldn't."

"Tiffany Anderson?" One of the nurse called.

"Oh, that's me," Tiffany slowly stood up, looking at him once. "I hope your girlfriend's okay..."

"Callie," he said. "You too, Tiff."

As she walked into the doctor's office, Tiffany glanced at Callie, feeling something odd about her.

Something that reminded her with uncertainty.

"Sorry to keep you around," Chad apologized, picking up a bunch of plates and putting them in the dishwasher. "I know you're busy with your wife."

"It's okay," Tom waved as he picked up the half-burnt banner from Barney's magic trick. Chad wasn't mad at Barney, but Tom knew that the man was holding his temper in order to maintain harmony between the neighbors and not startle his two children, Brandon and Donnie, who were playing soccer on the terrace right now.

The song Daydream Believer by The Monkee spun off television. "But it rings, and I rise. Wipe the sleep out of my eyes."

"You know," Chad began as he and Thomas cleared the table. "I heard a lot about you and your wife."

Thomas looked at Chad with a suspicious look, trying his best to calm himself down. It felt weird every time Thomas interacted with Chad. It's not like he hated Chad. Actually, Chad wasn't bad either. He and his kids never got into trouble with him or Tiffany. He often offers snacks and invites to dinner together at the restaurant in the neighborhood where they live.

"My shavin' razor's cold and it stings."

It's just...sometimes, Thomas feels, Chad secretly doesn't like him and Tiffany. Like he personally hates the couple.

"I don't know what you heard, but we didn't have any bad intentions," Thomas replied as gently as possible. "At all."

"I know," Chad shrugged, looking unconcerned. But his gaze was cold, which made Tom steady like a soldier. "But just so you know, what you and your wife did were enough to worry us all. You screwed up the system."

"Our actions?" Thomas repeated.

"Just because of one act of a blind man willing to help, you think they will forgive you?"

Okay, now he's even more confused. What the hell is Chad talking about?

Before Tom could reply, his eyes suddenly turned to the television near them, hearing something else.

"Cheer up, sleepy Jean N̴̠̗̝̔e̸̛̞̤͂̅̓̈́ǫ̸̼̭̺̌͛͘͜͠͝ Oh, what can N̸̼͆͋̀͝ḙ̴̉͊o̷͍͆̎͛͘,̴̱̼̮̪̀̋ c̷͎͚͉̾̈̓̓͌a̸͍̼̅͝n̵̯̩͉̪̑̔̀̀͌ y̴̨̹̟͚͈̓͘͠ō̶̠͗͂͝u̶̖̿̅̚ h̶̛̤̥͎̜̐̀̉è̸̬̭͎̈́̽͜͜a̶̜͌̄͝͠r̸̨͕̱͕̓͒̅͝ m̴̩̥͒e̸͙͌̏?̵̪͘ that..."

There was no broadcast, but Thomas heard a strange sound coming from the television.

"Daydream believer N̸̖͙̿̄̈́̿e̶̯̝̮̔̅̊͒̽o̵̥̙̅?̶̧̬̉ N̷̘̆̆̈́͝e̵͋̇̋͌͜o̷̪͎̙̿̀̚͜͝,̸̝͇͆̓͝ c̸̡͔͖̀̕á̵̭͗n̸̨̮̺̭̦̽͗ ̵̫͑̏y̵̛͎̫͍͆̇̐̽o̴̽͒̄ͅu̶̜͛̄͂ ̴͕̰͛̿̚ḧ̸̨̹̍̏e̷̱̖͇͔̟͊͂̀a̴͎̼͗ͅr̶͍̱͙̅̿̓ m̵̨̩͓̈͌̄̋e̴̞͑͐,̵̲̈ o̵̹͙͗̆̋̔̕v̸̡̝̇̃͆͌ẽ̸̮̝̗̆̓͛r̸̨̟͛̈́͋̕?̸̘̪̱̗͂͂̑ homecoming queen," a man's deep voice asked as the TV screen flashed static images and rainbow bars over and over.

Tom's chest ached, making it hard to breathe. His head started to get dizzy. Many strange memories surfaced as his vision blurred.

"Hello, Neo," Tiffany greeted with a charming black mermaid dress.

Daniel in all black and sunglasses said, "Free your mind."

"Why, Mr. Anderson, why?" Someone from above demanded. His body was crushed, making it difficult for him to stand in the rain. "Why, why do you do it? Why? Why get up? Why keep fighting?"

"You brought me back once," Tiffany said weakly, "but not this time."

"Neo, who did this to you and Trinity?!"

"Stop," he begged loudly, covering his ears as the television fell from the wall hanger. Both he and Chad were shocked by the explosion that came out of the television screen.

Chad glanced awkwardly at his television. "I just bought it," he complained.

Tom didn't say anything because he already fell to the ground, losing consciousness.

Inside an old apartment, a woman looks seriously at her tablet screen. Her hand adjusted her square glasses as she analyzed the file in her left hand.

"He's very perceptive," she murmured anxiously. "Taking this risk, knowing that it will attract people outside the Matrix." She sighed softly. "Using the connection of the two of them to his advantage, draws the energy that should be able to awaken them as an eternal prison..." her eyes were fixed on the screen again, which showed Tiffany was walking towards the hospital. "I hope this is the last simulation."

Chapter Text

For our love is a ghost that the others can't see
It's a danger
Every shade of us you fade down to keep
Them in the dark on who we are
(Oh what you do to me)
This love is gonna be the death of me
It's a danger
Cause our love is a ghost that the others can't see

- Familiar by Agnes Obel

The touch of his hand calmed her down.

Tiffany knew this sounded ridiculous. She had only known him for two days, and that too by accident. There was no way she fell in love with a patient in such a short time. Very irrational. But her heart kept beating fast as his brown eyes stared at her, her cheeks burning hot as she studied the shape of his face. Christ, even she often imagined what it would be like to kiss his mouth.

He's just a stranger, Tiff. He may be married and have children. Don't let your fantasy get carried away. Remember!

Currently she was sitting, observing Bobbi who was checking Thomas' condition. It felt a bit awkward, just standing still and staring. Tiffany could have gone out for privacy, but she couldn't... no, she didn't want to. She didn't want to leave Thomas.

"So far so good," Bobbi said, removing the stethoscope from Thomas' chest. "Get enough rest. If things get better by tomorrow, you can be out of the hospital in two days."

Thomas nodded slowly. Bobbi gave a look that indicated that Tiffany should come out, but the woman just stared back at him with a fierce look. Between exhaustion and fear, Bobbi left without much protest. Very nice. Tiffany also doesn't want to argue with Bobbi anymore.

"Hey," said Thomas with a small smile. Tiffany almost let out a small scream if she didn't hold her mouth fast.

"Hey."

He looked down, looking embarrassed. Gosh, he's so cute. "You don't have to accompany me."

"But I want to," Tiffany admitted before realizing what she had just said. Thomas' reaction, which widened his eyes, didn't help things. "I'll stay with you if you feel comfortable," she added as quickly and calmly as possible.

Is Tiffany hallucinating or is Thomas' cheeks redder than usual? "I don't mind at all," he said quietly

Like a magnet, Tiffany stood up from the chair, walking over to Thomas. The sun's rays shone beautifully from the window, giving off a warm atmosphere decorated in golden orange tones. Thomas didn't stop staring at him, as if waiting for Tiffany to do so. Tiffany didn't intend to stop approaching him.

Her hand touched Thomas' left wrist. Thomas also held Tiffany's hand. There was an electric sensation running through her body as well as a deep warmth. This isn't the first time Tiffany has felt this way, but she always love it. 

Screw it.

Slowly, she bent down as Thomas raised his head, letting his lips touch each other's. It feels so amazing and so precise.

"̸̝̰͚̩̈̀̑͝Ĭ̴͍̟̯̻̒'̴̛͔̮̒̈́͛ḿ̵̜̉ ̸̨͈̣͚̾̽͝s̸̛̳͌ơ̵̡͎̬̐͆r̵̖͉̒͛̉͊ŗ̴̠̮̗̉̐ÿ̶́͜,̷̢̤̀̾̈ ̶̯͖̜̻̈́P̷͇̂̇r̵͇̀̋̀î̶̩̦̾̀͠n̸̦̅͊c̸͇̼͌͝e̴̢͇̥̰̎ ̵̝̽C̷̡̥̮̓h̴̡̯͚̽̀̔͌ä̸̩́r̴̪̼̔̓̐͠m̸̡̙̻͗̈́̋̉ͅi̷͖͔̯̋̽͐n̵̢̛̺̫̽̍͐g̶̤͇̟̔.̵̩̍ ̶̨̈́B̵͒̊̍ͅu̴͚͐̈t̸͇̎͆͋̏ ̵͖̼̀̅͝t̶̳͒̀̕ḧ̶̩̻̎́̎i̴̲̮̽̃̒͝s̴̺͓̍͗ͅ ̵̖̲̓̆̈́͘i̵̖̥͑̇̈́̇s̵̙̤̔̒n̸̳̹͉̂̿͠'ẗ̴̖̳́ ̸̯̠̊t̷̙͋h̶̹͐̆e̵̹̟͐̂ ̶͕̙͍͈̋̿͝t̵̩͈̤͋̃̊i̵͖̪̅̇͋̚m̸̺̮̿̀͗̍ë̷̢̠́̇ ̷̭̙̹͈̆͑f̷̥͙̯͚͆̎ǒ̷̪̔̔͝r̴̛̩͙͒̈̏ ̸̨̠̖́͋̂Ŝ̸̢̭̘n̶̬͊̓ò̸̱͑̉w̴̹̼̦̎̈́̌͒͜ ̶̰̘̣̺͊̾W̴͙̑h̴̯̝́͌̌͝i̴̧̛̬̳͋t̸̼̫̐̽̆e̶̳͐̍́ ̵͕̲̃͘͜ṭ̴̓̇͂̀ö̶̧̨́͗͒͂ ̸̳̖͖̲̒̽̊͊w̶̱̳̑̈́a̴̼͈̾̇ͅk̵̗͎̰̥͊̎͆̇e̸̘̐͊̏͝ ̴̫̹͔͍̓͝ũ̶̥̑p̴̣͌.̶̘̲̜̇"̷̜͝

Thomas opened his eyes instantly. A chilling sensation ran through his veins. His breath hitched a little.

"Tom?"

He stared at his wife, Tiffany, on their new bed they bought before moving. Her blue eyes were open, revealing a pure blue color that always fascinated Thomas with the beauty and courage that would never be separated from Tiffany's personality. The sight of his wife slowly calmed Thomas. "Yes, T?"

"Don't you think all of this feels... real?"

"Of course all of this is real." Thomas's hand held Tiffany's fingers gently. "After everything that happened..." his memory blurred when he thought about what happened in the past. He shuddered inexplicably. Lately this worried him. But he soon might ignore all that. "We deserve this moment."

Tiffany looks unsure. There was a crease in her brow, an indication that she was deep in thought. "I think you're right," she replied before reaching her hands towards Thomas' back, hugging him tightly, but not so tightly, considering that her stomach was carrying another life that would come to this world in the next six months.

"Worried?"

"Very," Tiffany admitted, her voice submerged as her mouth touched Thomas' shoulder. "I knew this was going to happen. But it still feels like an impossible dream. And... I'm not sure I'll be a good mother."

He knew why Tiffany felt this way, considering that her relationship with her family had not been very smooth since she graduated high school. Despite foggy memories, Thomas still recalls bits of his and her family.

Tiffany's mother, Jane, is a picky mother, loves her sister Caroline more than Tiffany since the older woman knows her academic grades are bad. Her father, Micheal, was neutral with his second daughter, but became worried when he found out that Thomas was her husband.

"I'm not sure I'd be a good father, T," Thomas replied, squeezing his wife's hand a little hard. Similar to Tiffany, Thomas doesn't have a good enough relationship with his father, John, who hates Thomas' personality who is 'crysy' and 'have a too girly look'. For example, when he found out that 10-year-old Thomas had deliberately lengthened his hair past his shoulders, John immediately cut Thomas' hair in a disheveled manner with scissors, not caring about the cries the young boy made or the sound of his mother protesting when he found out about it.

Thomas felt the shaking of his wife's head who was still hugging him. "You will be a very good parent, Tom. Our child will be lucky to have you."

"And you too." He stroked Tiffany's hair, kissed her forehead gently. "Our child will be more lucky with you, T. You are the strongest and the kindest woman that I ever know."

Tiffany mumbles something he can't hear properly. She must be tired now. Quietly, Thomas dragged the sheet closer, closing his eyes into deep sleep.

Two months later

"Here you go," Thomas said as he put down a cup of vanilla ice cream he'd just bought from the supermarket to stock up on for the next few months. While Tiffany took the ice cream impatiently, Thomas massaged the back of Tiffany's neck, helping her to relax. "Feel better?"

"Much better," Tiffany confessed, visibly enjoying the taste of the ice cream.

Inwardly, Thomas was relieved. Five months pregnant isn't easy for his wife. Fatigue that continues to appear, restrictions on food consumed, pain from the back of her body and legs, and so on. It added that the fetus in her stomach turned out to be a pair of twins--a boy and a girl, according to Doctor Miller. Of course, both of them were very happy when they found out. But the feeling of uncertainty, of the great responsibility of being a parent, cannot be separated from the shackles inside their hearts.

Thomas tried his best to be with her all the time, even though Tiffany kept reminding Thomas that she could handle the pregnancy and that he needed to think about maintaining his job at Deus Machina. Both Thomas and Tiffany know that the existence of the twin is very important, but their health as a husband and wife also needs to be considered.

"Love?" Tiffany spoke after a while.

"Yeah, T?"

She glanced at her stomach which had grown since she was pregnant. "I just realized something."

"What?" He asked slowly, but inside his heart was already panicking. Thomas has read about the many problems that arise in pregnant women. He's afraid what might happen to her and the babies.

Tiffany smiled shyly. "We haven't thought about our children's names yet."

Oh.

"Oh," Thomas echoed, not knowing how to react. "You have any suggestions?"

She took a spoonful of ice cream. "Not yet, but I'd like to hear from you."

Thomas thought for a moment. "Luke and Leia?"

"No. It's too common."

"Not as common as Thomas and Tiffany."

"But still common. I want our children to have special names," Tiffany insisted.

"Alright," Thomas thought for a moment. "Peter and Wanda?"

"Still common." Tiffany pondered for a few seconds before giving him a look of disbelief. "You can't be serious about naming our kids out of Marvel characters."

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Okay. How about Leto and Ghamina?"

"From Dune? Still not that special."

"Dipper and Mabel?"

"No."

"Oh, I know!" Thomas said after a moment of silence, knowing a suitable name for the twins...

"Don't tell me you want to name them names like Qwerty or Noodle," she deadpanned, just remembering how ridiculous her husband can be.

Thomas immediately lost the will to speak with his mouth shut. Tiffany immediately chuckled at his expression, as if he had just lost his precious lunch.

One month later

Tiffany never felt relieved like this.

Simulatte has been officially open for six hours and there have been no disturbances. All the customers enjoyed the food and drinks from the waiters. She admitted, she was very nervous and worried that her business would fail miserably in mere hours. But lady luck turned out to be willing to give her a chance to make things run smoothly after the hare hail chaos in San Francisco a few days earlier with the raining rabbits. (Don't ask why it's raining rabbits in San Francisco. Tiffany herself doesn't understand the logic of how many white rabbits fall from the sky like heavy rain and how poor Barney looks mortified aftermath).

As Tiffany sat at the end of the counter, she felt a small kick in her stomach. Tiffany smiled a little. "Can't wait to come out, huh?" She mumbled softly, stroking her big belly with both hands. Honestly Tiffany also can't wait to see the twins born in this world. Apart from being incredibly tiring being pregnant, she wanted to see their faces, wanted to embrace them with Thomas.

From behind, Tiffany felt someone's body embrace her. "I'm proud, T," he said quietly. "You're really amazing with all this."

"I know," she replied as she looked at her husband who was still embracing her with his forehead touching the back of Tiffany's head. "You're no less cool."

"It's nothing."

She raised her eyebrow. "Nothing? The man who managed to create Modal and foster innovation in the tech world is nothing?"

She could feel the annoyance behind Thomas' voice. "They're just exaggerating, T. You know that."

Tiffany chuckled, about to reply to her husband's words when her eyes caught something on one of the cafe tables and chairs.

A pair of men and women were sitting, each holding a cup of coffee. They look in their 50s. Tiffany felt a sensation of deja vu as well as creepy when she realized the two people were herself and Thomas.

"I remember wanting a family...but was that because that's what women are supposed to want?" She asked after he took a drink. "How do you know if you want something yourself or if your upbringing programmed you to want it?"

"Mmm," he nods, listening to her conversation. "I pay my analyst a lot of money to answer such questions for me."

"Smart. I should get more therapy but honestly, I'm too goddamn tired. Kids are exhausting, you know?" She commented, taking her drink.

He smiles sadly as he took another. "No, never had kids."

Fuck. Tiffany knows that he'd lost his lover from plane crash many years ago. His lover, that some articles suggested, who might inspired him to create Trinity, but never confirmed to be true or not. "Oh, right. I-I knew that," she quickly said, cursing herself from being careless, and adding some small joke so he knows she didn't meant to be rude. "Sorry, I googled you."

He laughed. Oh thank goodness he laughed. She didn't want to see him being sad. It breaks her heart for some reason.

Tiffany's head immediately hurt, rubbing it with her fingertips. What the hell is that?

She can hear her husband's voice. "T?"

"Just a little headache," Tiffany assured him, not wanting to worry him. She had never had that conversation with Thomas, but why did it feel like she had?

Again, Tiffany felt the strange sensation she had felt since moving to San Francisco six months earlier. Conversations at dinner with her husband's boss and Jude, vague memories of her old life before moving town, and now, memories that Tiffany had never experienced but felt like she had.

There's something wrong here. Something's not right.

"You want to rest?" Thomas asked, his gaze indicating a very familiar worry as his hands stroked Tiffany's shoulders.

"Don't worry, Love," Tiffany assured him with a friendly smile. She'll discuss this later. "I can handle it."

"Are you sure?"

She kissed Thomas for a few seconds before whispering in his ear. "Very sure."

Three months later

Thomas is really in trouble. Big trouble.

He had run as fast as he could to the hospital where his wife was. He had been looking for the best route to arrive faster. However, it seems that San Francisco is stuck in the worst traffic jam. Wherever he went, many vehicles blocked his path.

His cell phone rings again. Fuck. This is the fourth time. Tiffany won't be happy.

While getting ready, Thomas picked up his cell phone and pressed the green button on the call. "Yeah?" He replied meekly.

"Thomas! Where the hell are you now?!" 

Fuck. He's really unlucky. Tiffany's in the process of giving birth. It's not good. "I'm stuck in traffic, T. Really. I'm trying to get to the hospital as fast as I can."

"You better be. Because I don't think the babies are patient enough waiting for you to come here." He heard her whimper before heard Callie's voice--the girl who helped Tiffany to get there with her car--and many doctors told her to lay down. "Just hurry!" She yelled.

As soon as the call ended, Thomas looked around and started to make his way to the hospital--which took 13 minutes and 27 seconds of running into many pedestrians and almost hit by cars. But Thomas didn't really mind it, focused more on arriving as fast as he can and waiting at the door, even though Callie told him to sit quietly.

About 20 minutes later of full agonize waiting, Doctor Miller allowed Thomas into the room.

Tiffany looked at her two children, who were lying in a special baby bed with joy. Joy that the agony of the painful birth and the wait for the arrival of the twins has ended. It felt like she was going to cry on the spot.

Thomas stroked her forehead, which was already wet with sweat from the effort she put into giving birth to the twins. She gave a relieved smile as her eyes glanced at the window, at the setting sun and the sky slowly turning a reddish-orange color. The sight that always gave her warmth every time she and Thomas both watched the sunrise or sunset in warm embrace.

"There it is," she whispered.

"Hmm?" Her husband responded, his voice slightly hoarse from crying.

"The names of the twins," Tiffany said, sighing softly. "Until now we haven't found the right name." She glanced at the twins for a moment. "Solaria and Caelus."

"Sun and sky," Thomas whispered, remembering their name association, before smiling. "I love it."

Doctor Miller came into the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but could you come out for a moment, Thomas? I have something to discuss with you."

Thomas looked at Tiffany worriedly. He didn't want to leave his wife and the twins. That's the last thing he needs.

"Go," Tiffany said quietly, closing her eyes. "We'll be fine."

"I called Callie to accompany you."

Tiffany nodded slowly, feeling her husband's kiss on her cheek before falling asleep slowly.

Afterward, somewhere else inside a big ship

Callie opened her eyes followed by a gasping sound like someone struggling to catch their breath.

"Gosh, you're awake!" Someone shouted. "Bugs, are you okay?!"

Callie...no, that's not her name.

Bugs.

Bugs is her name.

"Lex?" She whispered in disbelief.

Lexy immediately pulled the plug from Bugs's head and stroked her girlfriend's hair gently. "We thought you were gone for good," she whispered as Ellster and Berg helped her up from the chair and laid her on the medical chair.

"H-How much time?"

"Thirteen days," Berg replied, picking up a nearby antiseptic before handing it to Ellster. His face looked relieved but also worried. "Bugs, what happened there?"

Bugs closed his eyes. "Something happened in the Matrix," she said, remembering what she had experienced during her few days there. "Something involving Neo and Trinity."