sentient // phan

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The hologram ended and shut off. Dan was crying. I hugged him, tightly, and shushed him softly.

"So he was arrested?" I questioned.

The hologram was long and most of the words were lost on me. But I understood the gist; Dan had called the police after I had passed out and they came, arresting the both of them. Dan had explained his side of the story and Chris had explained his, both of which were very different. They decided to try both of them, using my memory bank as evidence.

Chris had sputtered after they pulled up the tape.

"He's lying!" He shouted, pointing at the screen. Dan had smirked, slightly, though his eyes were puffy and red.

"Droids can't lie, Chris," he said. "But humans can."

He had been found guilty of battery and assault, and for the illegal usage of human psyche in a robot. Dan had also passed a law to make that illegal in the future, and, as he had whispered to me the night of the trial, had managed to get me full rights.

It made me so happy. To think that a little over a year ago, Dan had been a robot hater, had hated me, had hated life. But now he had granted me full rights as a human. Had brought my family together. Had made me look exactly like I did before all of this happened.

"He's going to prison for ten years." Dan said, squeezing my hand. I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder.

"So, what happened to Phil?" I asked softly. That was one thing they kept avoiding talking about during the trial. Where Chris had actually managed to get my soul.

"Phil... you were in an accident. That left you paralysed; you couldn't move your body. So Chris had picked you up from the hospital, saying you were the perfect test subject. They never told us." Mum said, patting my leg. I nodded slowly, taking it all in.

"What kind of accident?"

Dan smirked slightly. "Flying car." I nodded again. I couldn't stop nodding. It all made sense. It made so much sense that I couldn't believe I hadn't figured it out before now. But it still boggled my mind, made it hurt, made everything hurt. Where had my life gone?

"And my memories?" I asked. This is the question I needed and answer to desperately, but hadn't really wanted to ask. I didn't want to know that I would never get them back. I didn't want to know I'd have to recreate them. I didn't want to have to come to terms with the fact that, as much as they wanted me to be, I'd never be the Phil my family had raised me as. Sure, I would have the same personality and the same face. But experiences were what made someone who they were.

But that didn't explain the things I could recollect. Like the taste of salt and the smile of my brother. The way anger and fear and love feels. The familiarity of that silent room and each person in it.

No one said anything. No one had to. Their silence was enough.

"Okay." I whispered. Dan cleared his throat.

"I need to do some maintenance check ups on Phil, if you don't mind."

"Check away." Dad said, trying to break the tension with a joke. Dan took my hand and led me to my room, and I was expecting him to actually work on me, but instead he just shut the door behind me, raising my hand in his. He produced my ring from his pocket, the one I had relinquished all those months ago. He slipped it slowly onto my finger again without looking at me or saying a word.

"Dan..." I started to ask what he was doing but found I couldn't form my words properly. He finally looked up at me.

"Phil, you can go," he whispered. I creased my eyebrows.

"Back to the lounge?" He hook his head.

"Away. You can go get a house. A job. Go somewhere and live your life, the way you should have when you were alive. Do everything you've ever dreamed of doing. You don't have to stay here." I brought my right hand to my left and spun the ring on my finger, biting my lip.

"You want me out of your life?" I choked, falling onto the bed. Dan sat beside me.

"No. No, not at all. But I'm setting you free." I shook my head, quickly.

"I love you." I said, unashamed, truthfully, filled with a passion I could only describe as such. I didn't want to leave. I couldn't think of a single thing I wanted to do less.

"And I love you, Phil. Which is why-"

"Stop this!" I shouted, making him flinch. "Stop saying you're doing this for me!" I looked back down at my ring, fiddling with the button that turned it on and off. "I want to stay here. With you. I want a life with you. I want to love you. I don't care about anything else." He grinned, putting both his cool hands against my face.

"Okay." He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine, gently, and I followed suit, tilting my head slightly so our lips locked together. He smiled, pulling me closer, but then pulled away.

"I'm glad you're staying." He whispered.

"I'm glad you fixed me."

"I'm glad you're sentient." I thought about it for a second.

"I am too."