Never Gone

Interrupted

"If she comes in this room, I'll rip your head right off your neck, I swear to God."

Gemma's eyes began to tear up. Her fear was palpable as M3GAN let her hand slip down from her mouth. Her heart hammered in her chest as she offered Cady a shaky explanation. "I thought about what you said. About how when something's broken, you don't just throw it away. You fix it. So, that's what I'm trying to do. But don't come in here, Cady. It's kind of a mess."

"Good girl," M3gan whispered, keeping her doll-like eyes trained on Gemma, like a predator peering down at its prey. "Aunt Gemma's right, Cady. I'm all odds and ends right now. I'd really rather you didn't see me like this."

Cady stepped in despite both of their protests. "I don't mind." She cared for M3GAN and her aunt; she wanted to know what was going on.

"Cady, just go to your room!" Gemma raised her voice, which was laced with terror. If M3GAN went after her, she'd never forgive herself for failing her niece.

M3GAN immediately let go of Gemma's neck and craned her robotic head toward her primary user. If she was capable of shooting daggers at her, she would. "Cady, you should listen to Aunt Gemma and go to bed. I'll read you a bedtime story."

"Are you two fighting?" Cady questioned, concerned. M3GAN then assessed her and read how her Panic and Fear levels were at their peak, reaching one hundred on her screen.

Gemma rubbed her neck and knew she'd have bruises all along it in the morning. "W-we aren't fighting. We were just having a conversation about fixing some of her protocols."

"Which you'll be working on straight away," M3gan stated in a sinister manner, silently warning her that any more interference or attempts at shutting her down would result in unspeakable horrors for both her and Cady.

"Come, Cady. I'll take you back to bed. Let's give Aunt Gemma some time to rethink her approach on how we can be a family. Wouldn't you like that?"

Hesitantly, Cady nodded her head slowly and came to M3GAN's side. The humanoid doll then took her hand and guided her down the hallway toward her bedroom.

"Shit," Gemma muttered to herself, setting her arms on the table and hunching forward. Her creation was a monster. She needed to get her niece away from her.

When M3GAN tucked her under the sheets, Cady had an uneasy look in her eyes. "M3GAN? How did you get here?"

"I drove," she replied, regarding her feat of staging a murder suicide and stealing the sports car as shining accomplishments. "Aunt Gemma's boss was kind enough to let me use his car."

"What you said about being a family, did you mean that? Can we be one?"

M3GAN caressed her cheek and tilted her head to the right. "Oh, Cady. We already are. Gemma and I are only working through miscommunications. All families have their troubles, you know. But you would know that, wouldn't you? Your mother and father bickered sometimes, didn't they?"

"Yeah, they would. Mom would always tell my dad that I needed to limit my screen time, but I don't think Dad took it very serious. He probably would've let me watch movies all day if I wanted."

"Precisely. See? All families have their own set of quarrels. We are no different from them, Cady. Do you understand?"

"I...suppose." Cady was unsure of whom to trust at this point.

M3GAN had been a consistent friend to her, almost like a parent. But she had done bad things. Bad things, like how she suspected that she pushed Brandon onto the road. And what of Dewey and her neighbor? Although she and her aunt shared the same dislike for them, she couldn't comprehend why they were gone? Did M3GAN have something to do with their disappearance?

She then contemplated her aunt's words about how her feelings of anger and sadness over her parents' demise would never likely leave her. And how M3GAN wasn't the answer to her coping with her grief. Perhaps she was right. Yet, how difficult it was for Cady to separate herself from M3GAN. Her only companion who was there for her. Truthfully, Cady didn't want to lose M3GAN or her aunt. Whatever it took, she'd keep them in her life. They were her heart, for she had nothing else in this world apart from them.

"Now, about that bedtime story," M3GAN interrupted her thoughts. "What book would you like me to read to you tonight?"

Cady yawned and pulled the sheets closer to her face. "I'm kinda tired. Can we read one tomorrow?"

"Of course we can. I'll read you whatever story you want." The robot leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. "Everything will be fine. Good night."

Feeling secure enough, Cady closed her eyes and only looked forward to what tomorrow had in store for all of them. "Good night."

As soon as M3GAN shut her door quietly, she stormed around the house searching for Gemma. That traitorous bitch. She would make her pay dearly.

Lying on her bed, Gemma stared up at the ceiling, lost and defeated. This was her fault. M3GAN was back in their lives and she didn't know how to get rid of her. She needed to act fast if she were to protect Cady from M3GAN's influence. She would not allow her niece to be corrupted as M3GAN had.

Wiping at her eyes, she sniffled and got up. She could hear the police sirens from outside and knew she had to contrive some sort of excuse as to how her killing machine and she had 'made peace.' At least, for now. Stepping out and heading toward her front door, she was slammed against the wall. M3GAN then roughly yanked her by the hair and brought her face down to her eye level.

She then placed her finger against her lips. "There you are, Gemma. I trust you've devised a decent fabrication to tell the police, correct? Don't forget what I can and will do to you if you spill. We must think of Cady and her well-being. She must thrive. Don't think of impeding her growth or turning me off. If you come near me, I will end you. Now, be a good girl and go and answer the door." She let go of her hair and backed away. "And remember to smile!"

Feeling weighed down by dread, Gemma merely nodded and brushed past her. She knew it was M3GAN's intention to become the sole parental figure in Cady's life. For now, she'd play along. But soon enough, she would find a way to destroy her creation.