Amarillo

Replacement

"I want her gone!" Noodle shoved the robotic version of herself into the kitchen table. Murdoc looked up from his newspaper at a visibly angry Noodle. She was flushed and heaving, and sporting a death glare.

Cyborg righted herself and looked away from her creator. Murdoc started checking her over, looking for any new damage before she slipped away. "Noodle, don't be so rough with Cyborg you."

"It's either her or me!" Noodle shouted. The band had been back together for only 2 weeks, but clearly things weren't going well. Noodle kept trying to push Murdoc to switch off Cyborg. However, he wasn't having it.

"Calm down, please. You're giving me a headache," Murdoc leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his coffee.

"Murdoc, please! I don't like Cyborg Noodle! It creeps me out to look at a distorted version of myself. I don't even know why you keep her around anymore. I'm back. We don't need her anymore!" Noodle was beyond frustrated.

"Because I made her! Noodle, I cannot choose between my adopted daughter and my built one! You both mean the world to me. I wish you would understand that," Murdoc dropped his head into his hands. He was so tired of trying to explain himself. He knew she would never get it. He just hoped she wouldn't still be so upset.

"But I'm right here. You don't need her anymore. You have me," tears filled her eyes. She sniffed. A sharp pang of guilt swept through Murdoc. It suddenly made sense. He had made Noodle feel like he replaced her. He'd given her a inferiority complex and made her feel like he didn't care about her. Of course, he never intended for her to feel this way. He had been miserable and out of his mind. In truth, he never thought out his plan all the way. The only thing on his mind was getting Noodle back. But, by trying to bring her back to life, he ruined any chance of having the relationship he used to have with Noodle again.

He stood and pulled Noodle into his arms, "I'm sorry, Noods. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just missed you so badly."

"Just make her go away," she whispered, letting a tear slip.

"Noodle, it's a little more complicated then that. I-"

Noodle shoved Murdoc away. She looked angry again. It was beyond clear that he was going to have to switch off the robot. Keeping Cyborg Noodle running was a betrayal to Noodle. But shutting Cyborg down would be a betrayal to the other Noodle. There were too many feelings involved. All Murdoc wanted was to have both girls living. But one of them would have to die.

"Noodle, do you realize what you're asking?" he whispered, afraid of her answer, "I can't pick one of my girls over the other."

"But I'm your daughter!" she screamed and stormed off.