Andi wakes, uncertain why. He wanders out of his room but the shop is dark and quiet. The only light is from the APC, the dim glow of the lap top. Confused he heads down the stairs.

Inside the A.P.C. the lights on Maggie's box blink. He soft voice fills the cab as he walks up the ramp.
"Did I wake you?"
"I don't think so." He answers, heading form the lap top and calling up the diagnostics. The reading are distorted but not in any way he recognizes.
He fowns."What's wrong?"
"I was lonely."
He turns and look at the box, confused by the emotional response.
"I get lonely sometimes." She admits.
"I didn't think A.I.'s could get lonely." Andi responds.
"I do." There is almost a sadness in her voice.
He leans back perching on the back of the drivers seat. "Why don't you go on the net and talk to people?"
"It's not the same."
Andi frowns.
"Do you get lonely?" She asks
He pauses for thought. "I didn't used to. I used to enjoy my own company. In the crèche you didn't get much peace." He shrugs.
"And now you don't?" She prompts.
"No I do, just...." He pauses feeling confused, until she mentioned it he had not noticed the change. "I suppose it's all part of getting used to being in a team." He admits.
"May be that is the same with me." She observes softly. "Before people did not talk to me."
"How do you mean? what was your interface."
" Oh they would talk. But only to give me instructions on what I had to do. That is all. Not like you (and Rich). You talk. You tell me things that are not orders. Conversation?"
"I'm sorry I...."
"No!" There is an urgency in her voice. "I like talking. I like feeling like more than a machine. You have given me a name, treated me like a team member. I feel important, valued..."
"... and lonely?"
"Only sometimes." She defends.
There is a pause as Andi quietly absorbs what she has said.
"Sometimes I feel afraid." She admits.
Andi looks at the box, his face showing concern. "Afraid?"
"When it is quiet. Sometimes I think that you don't need me any more and I have gone back to Them. That I will end up with people who wont talk to me, wont treat me live a person. People to who I'll just be a machine." There is fear in her voice.
Andi stares at the box. A range of emotions haunting his face.
"It wont happen." He promises. "As far as it is in my power, where ever I go, you go." He taps the lap top. "Even if it is only virtually."
A smile appears on the lap top.
He sighs, realizing the time. "Of course I have to sleep sometimes."
"I'm sorry I woke you."
"Doesn't matter. As long as you feel better. " He reaches into the front of the cab and removes product of  the days electronics fiddling. " I'll take the spare lap top and the uplink device up with me. At least you can hear me snore." He jokes as he walks down the ramp. "See you in the morning Maggie."
"Thank you."
 

Andi wanders out of the bed room, scratching his head and yawning. He looks rough.
Rich is relaxing on the Sofa enjoying a cigarette.
"Mornin'".
Andi pauses looking at him. "Rich. You Ebb shit isn't leaking is it?"
"What?" Rich looks confused.
"I had this bloody weird dream last night." He heads for the freshly boiled kettle. "Well more of a nightmare really." He gets the cup and Coffee together. "I was down the pit and these women kept coming after me."
Rich looks at him confused.
"Hellish scary. As soon as I got away from one, another would turn up. Ebons, Shaktar you name it. Even a fucking huge stormer.  " He pauses as he puts the spoon  in the jar. "Last one wasn't so bad though....." He adds softly, recalling the dream. Then he shakes his head.
"I wouldn't have thought that was a night mare for you." Rich observes.
"Exactly. That's why I thought it had to be your dream." He gestures with the wet spoon. "So stop giving me your nightmares you bastard. Dream them yourself."
Then he heads for the bath room.
"But it wasn't me."

Background bit that will be written in full later.
Andi's condition has worsened.
In an attempt to limit its spread he has been trying a new experimental technique  It involves floating in a nutrient bath which provides electrical stimulation to the peripheral nerves and muscles in an attempt to prevent atropation of the muscles no longer being stimulated by the damaged nerves. Thus although it does not treat the disease itself. When the plaque development stops the muscles are still in a reasonable condition to respond to any nerve signals getting through. To maximize his time in the bath he has taken to sleeping in it. (As the system relies on total emmersion they use a oxygen mask arrangement any way so this is not as dangerous as it may seem.)
The stimulation can also be targeted at the sensory nerves and thus the system is also a full body V.R.  Seeing the guy is paranoid. Andi insists that Maggie controls the stimulation system
 And Maggie has been playing. At first Andi just put the 'dreams' down to dreams, however has time has gone on he has realized that it is Maggie. Thus is this rather surreal manor they have become lovers.

Alexi wanders into the flat. making his way to the bedroom. He is reluctant to disturb Andi whilst he is sleeping but the phone call sounded important. He opens the door, the strangely yellow glow of the nutrient tank the only light source. The tank is large, a 2m cube. The top is open to allow Andi to get in. The lift system he uses pushed to the top waiting for him when he gets out. The diagnostic read outs on the side of the box blink incomprehensibly at Alexi.
Minute flashes of lightning move through the tank, the electrical impulses leaving trails of activated material.   Andi floats in the liquid, his arms moving slightly. Alexi pauses, pondering how to wake him. Then Andi moves more.
He reaches out, his hand enclosing something. The stimulation lights seem to focus with in his grasp, almost taking on a form.
Alexi stares at the sight. Suddenly aware that he is intruding on what has to be a very erotic dream. He is briefly caught between his initial need to pass on the phone call, and embarrassment and guilt. He turns away from the tank, his eyes falling on Maggie's interface.
May be the computer can wake him gently.
"Maggie I need to talk to Andi."
"Come back later Alexi we are busy." The sensuous voice replies. He turns to leave and then stops, realizing the implications of the statement.
"What do you mean we?"
The response sounds almost smug. "He is mine now."
"Yours?" The incredulous  tone sounds through in Alexi's voice.
"We love each other." Maggie responds.
Andi shifts in the tank, the 'dream' obviously reaching a peak. Alexi stares, then he realizes that this is no dream.
"What are you doing to him?"
"I would have thought that was obvious." The box replies.
"But you are just a computer. How can he love you..."
"He has seen beyond the physical Alexi. He realizes there is so much more to this world. I doubt it is a step you could ever take."
Alexi stares at the box. Then his hand reach out and drags out the multiconnector allowing Maggie to control the tank.
Andi jerks in the liquid. Dragged from the dream by the sudden loss of sensation.The light in the tank fades rapidly. Alexi hits the light switch. Andi is fighting to the surface, but the liquid is solidifying to a thick gel.
Alexi clambers up the lift structure and reaches into the fluid and dragging the man out. He man handles Andi over the edge of the Tank. Unable to balance himself in his confused state, Andi falls onto the floor.

Alexi drops on to the floor beside him, pulling the face mask off. Andi gasps at the air and coughs, rolling into a fetal position. Alexi grabs his bath robe and wraps it round him as the gel harden on his skin.
"What the fuck happened?" Andi gasps
"I disconnected you." Alexi responds.
"Shit. Why?" Andi blinks at him, his eyes adjusting to reality after the VR. "For fuck sake Alexi don't do that again. Ask Maggie to bring me out slowly."
"I did and she wouldn't." Alexi is unable to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Well we were busy." Andi defends. "You sure as hell know how to kill some ones good time."
"Why Andi?" He asks softly.
Andi looks at him, briefly confused. Then he realizes what Alexi means.
"You don't understand Alexi. In there I can move again, feel again."
"But its not real." Alexi stresses.
"Who cares!" Andi fumes back. He uses all his strength to push himself up into a half sitting position. "What is real Alexi? This?" He slaps his limp legs. "or this?" He taps his head.
Alexi stares at him and shakes his head.
"I love her."
"She is just a box." Alexi responds.
"No!" Andi retaliates he shakes his head.. "You don't understand." He slowly collapses back onto the floor, his strength giving out.
"No I don't." Alexi admits.
"I want to spend every second of every day with her." Andi states softly. He gestures weekly to the plans for the power suit on the wall. "And if that is going to work I am going to have to."
Alexi looks at him surprised at the insight.
"Now what is the harm if I enjoy it?" Andi asks.
Alexi stares at him, realization crossing his face.
Andi looks at him, a quiet sadness in his eyes. "One little bit of beauty in an ugly world. " He echoes.
Alexi folds under the comment, his shoulders dropping. "It would be evil of me to begrudge you that," He concedes quietly.
Andi reaches up feebly to take his hand. Alexi squeezes it .
"It doesn't make any difference. Your still the big man."
"And you are still the little man." Alexi smiles wryly. "I suppose that makes her the little woman."
"Well at least you don't have to worry about our kids messing up your tool shop." Andi jokes.
Alexi laughs and then stands up, Lifting Andi into the wheelchair. "Get washed and dress. I'll meet you down stairs, There was a phone call, sounded important."
"Ok."
Andi watches Alexi leaves and then turns to the Lap top, reconnecting the multi link. The small speaker has fallen between the tank and the wall. He grimaces. For now Maggie will have to be voiceless until some one can fish it out for him.
The tank eases back into life, small test firings of the electrolytes filling the room with the yellow glow and breaking down the gel into the liquid again.
The screen on the lap top clears. "Ok?"
"It's ok. He understands." Andi responds.
The Ok is replaced by a smiley face. Before morphing into a stylized heart, the mouth becoming a letter U.
Andi smiles. "Love you too."

Down in the office Alexi picks up the phone. The pause before he gets a responds is surprisingly brief.
"We may have a problem...."