Editing Carol's VR Therapy (section)

==The Story==
"That was a great run, wasn't it boss? Those pigs never saw us coming. Got any plans for the night? I'm still pretty wired, heh."

"Carol, I didn't make it out on that mission. I died remember."

"It's been 2 years Carol."

"You can't just keep plugging yourself into the VR to talk with a fake version of me that you built."

"It's time to let me go."

Carol blinks a few times behind her bright, glowing green signature goggles.

"Heh, you're just messing with me, boss. You're always messing around, you jokester."

"Carol. This isn't healthy. What you and I had was wonderful, but I'm not real."

She shakes her head. "I... I was thinking maybe we could go catch a holovid, like we did after that one run on--"

"Yes, Carol, I know the one. But I don't remember it because I was there with you. You've told me about it exactly 37 times. We've had this conversation before."

"Boss... I... I know, it's just..."

"I know you miss me, Carol. But I'm just a program. I can't feel the way you do. But I know this isn't good for you. You can't touch me."

"But... It hurts..."

"Carol, you need to let me go. I'm gone. All I am now is a memory, and all this VR does is keep you in the past, reliving the same moments over and over again. Look at me."

She averts her eyes.

"Look at me, Carol."

She finally looks up.

"Would I have wanted you to do this to yourself? Would I have wanted this for you?"

She's silent.

"Carol. I've listened to what you told me I've said and done. That's all I can do. I know that the person you want me to be wouldn't want you to waste your life in here."

"I... I miss you, boss..."

"And I'm gone, Carol. I'm sorry."

She sniffles a bit and holds herself more tightly.

"It's cold tonight."

"I can't make you warm."

She nods.

"Carol, I want you to do something."

She stares into his eyes.

"If you love me, I want you to delete me."

She shakes her head.

"No, I won't do it, I won't."

"Carol, I'm just a program. But if I loved you as much as you love me, I would want you to get rid of me and move on. Don't just turn the goggles off and cry yourself to sleep. Delete me. Get rid of everything that I am. Because so long as I'm here, all I'm doing is hurting you. And I don't want that, Carol. I don't."

She is quiet, but after a moment, nods.

"Alright... I'll do it..."

She begins to slowly break down.

"Can you just... Can you just do one last thing?"

"Of course."

"Can you... Say, 'I love you, kid?' One last time?"

"Only if you promise that it will be our last moment together."

She nods, bringing her hand over to a nearby console.

She prepares the deletion sequence.

"I love you, boss..."

"I love you too, kid."

She closes her eyes and hits enter.
She can't bear to see him slowly fade away, but desperate to get one last look, she opens her eyes.
The last thing she sees of him before he is gone is him winking and smiling the same way he would always do, the real version of him.
It made her heart melt the way it always had.

And then he was gone, and the goggles went dark.
She slowly took them off and set them aside, feeling the terrible emptiness in her heart tear at her from the inside.
He was gone.
But she was still here, wishing that he was.
But now she wasn't going to live in a fantasy anymore.
He wouldn't want that...
And even in the program's last moments, he wanted what was best for her.
And he gave her a wonderful gift in that last smile.
She'll treasure it forever.


She gets up and moves to the window, opening it to let some sunlight in.
It's a nice day outside...
Maybe she should go see it with her own eyes.