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Once upon a time there was a girl named Francine, Frankie if you asked for her preference. She had a loving mother and father and her world was absolutely perfect. Until one day it wasn’t. Her father, a man who always believed in wonder and magic, walked out the front door and never came back. During a trip he came upon an accident. The rain had caused a young woman to drive off a bridge and into a river. He, being the man he was, stopped and helped, diving into the river without thinking. The girl in the car made it to the surface. He did not. From then on, Frankie stopped believing in magic. How could she when she was left alone? Why would her father risk his life, lose his life, for some stranger when she needed him? How could the world be what he told her it was when such a thing could happen?

Thus it was incredibly shocking when, as Lloyd and the girl he protected fell into the water, Frankie dove in after them.

The world began to stutter. It was as if reality began to skip, like a video failing to load properly. Frankie’s eyes locked onto Lloyd’s. It was like she could hear his thoughts, their minds merging in this dreamscape.

“I failed her,” Lloyd’s voice echoed through her skull as he hit the water, the splash spraying her face as she followed him.

“Lloyd! Hold on! I can get you out!” Frankie thought back, the cold water shocking her, surrounding her.

“I swore my life to her. I…I loved her. Like a sister, a daughter, a…I couldn’t protect her…” Lloyd lamented as he sank, Penevolie locked in his arms. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t escape his grip, as the shot from her father had damaged his arm. “Go back, Frankie. I’m dying for real this time. I’m a reject. If you follow me, you’ll die too.”

“Don’t give up, you metal asshole! Please, Lloyd! I can pull you up!” Frankie screamed, trying to swim down, his body sinking faster.

“He was right to scrap me. I was defective. My job was to protect her. My only purpose. All I could do…was become her escape in death. I was shut down when they found us. Her father made good on his threats. I was sent away, cast into your world like trash. I am trash. This is his revenge. Letting me discover what I am,” Lloyd said, the darkness of the water consuming him. Frankie could feel him drowning, not in water but regret. If he continued to sink he would disappear entirely. This was not simply a replay of his past. It was a trial, and Lloyd had sentenced himself to execution.

“Like hell!” Frankie’s thoughts rang out, the words seeming to ripple the water around them. She swam faster, furious strokes leading her down. She still couldn’t catch up to the descending robot with the girl in his arms, but she was not giving up. “Fight for yourself, damn it!”

“Why?” Lloyd said, looking to the dying girl in his arms.

“Because you tried! You did everything you could! It doesn’t make you a failure! It makes you a…” Frankie’s words were cut off. Her eyes went wide as her hand reached out. Suddenly, like a great wave consuming her mind, she understood. And as the understanding came to her, she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, one she hadn’t felt since she was small.

“Swim faster, Scooter,” the voice said into her ear, kind and strong. “We’re so close to saving your friend. You can reach him.”

Her legs kicked, propelled by his. Her arms curled in powerful strokes. Lloyd looked from Penevolie to Frankie, and for a moment Frankie saw it. Hope. Her arm reached again.

“I can reach you! Give me your hand! Stop sinking!” Frankie yelled out.

“Stop sinking…” Lloyd said, his left arm moving. His hand opened, reaching for her.

“Right! I believe in you, stupid robot! Believe in me too!” With one last burst of speed powered by her father, her hand clasped around Lloyd’s. The world exploded into light and color.

“Proud of you, Frankie,” she heard her father say, and then darkness consumed her once again.

*

Lisa’s mouth was on Frankie’s lips, blowing into her mouth as she regained consciousness. Frankie sat up, sputtering and coughing. “Get…get off of me, you pervert,” Frankie said.

“Oh god! You stopped breathing and you both fell over! There was all this lightning and you were shaking and…” Lisa said, panic clearly still gripping her heart.

“Man, am I glad I volunteered us into learning CPR,” Frankie said. “How long was I out? Has my mom noticed we were gone yet?”

“You were only out for a few minutes,” Lisa said, relaxing against the wall.

“Like hell! It felt like I was in there for hours! Lloyd and I…Lloyd!” Frankie shot up, scanning Lloyd’s bedroom, finding him laid on his bed, the green starting to come back into his eyes. She rushed to his side, grabbing his cold metal hand. “Wake up, you stupid toaster! Talk to me!”

“I couldn’t save her,” he said weakly.

“No. You couldn’t,” Frankie said.

“But you…you jumped,” Lloyd said.

“Yeah. Couldn’t let you sink after, you know, you trying to save her and getting shot and all,” Frankie said.

They were quiet for several moments, knowing what each wanted to say.

“I’m not her,” Frankie said sternly.

“And I’m not him,” Lloyd said back.

“Good. So maybe…we can try being ourselves again,” Frankie said. Lloyd’s eyes went wide, and if his metal form had a mouth, she was sure it would be smiling. She returned it, grinning from ear to ear.

“Man, a real non-sarcastic smile from Frankie. Merry freaking Christmas,” Lisa said.

*

“Man, when you said you lived in the middle of nowhere…”Ian said, the old car banging into a shallow pothole as it slinked through the snow covered woods, the town finally in sight, his skinny frame shaking from the vibration caused by the rough roads. Frankie grinned, her hands gripping the steering wheel in tense anticipation.

“Hey, this is the best place for winter break. Snow, frozen lake, family food…” Frankie said.

“My parents are totally going to blow their lids finding out you got a boyfriend before me,” Lisa said in the back.

“What can I say? I’m charming and loveable,” Frankie said, a smug little grin on her face.

“True. Since the first time I saw you in the tech lab, I thought there was something…magical about you,” Ian said. He was confused when Frankie and Lisa started laughing. “What?”

“Nothing. Years old joke,” Frankie said, pulling next to her mom’s diner. They had no sooner stepped out of the car as it gave one last rusty shake than her mom burst from the building. The past few years had been kind to her, only a few grey hairs showing as she ran to her daughter.

“My college girl!” her mom said, wrapping Frankie in a fierce hug. “I can’t wait to spoil the crap out of you! And is this your boyfriend? Good looking, good stock.”

“Please stop making him sound like a cattle bought for breeding,” Frankie moaned as they walked toward the diner.

“Why not? He’s about to get a fierce inspection,” Lisa said, nudging Frankie in the side as they spotted the figure at the diner’s entrance, his dorky lumberjack look barely evolved over the past few years.

“Um, hi! You must be Frankie’s step…” Ian said nervously, sticking his hand out.

“No!” Both Frankie and Lloyd said it at the same time, both of their arms crossed. Ian’s eyes went wide, leaning back.

“My apologies. I am married to her mother, but Frankie and I have a…unique relationship,” Lloyd said.

“So…what do I call you?” Ian asked awkwardly.

“Simply Lloyd,” he said, looking to Frankie, both giving a small smile.

“Okay. Lloyd. Can do!” Ian said. He began to walk into the diner, but Lloyd blocked him, his face directly in front of the boy’s. Lloyd’s grin stretched unnervingly wide as he locked eyes with the boy.

“Let me be clear, though. I am not her father. But I will protect her. Do you understand me?” Lloyd said, not a threat, but a promise.

“Um…gotcha!” Ian said, wondering if he was about to be chopped up and turned into meatloaf. Lloyd’s grin went back to normal.

“Excellent! Then come in! I made cake!” Lloyd said cheerfully. The group walked in, leaving Frankie and Lloyd alone momentarily.

“Good scare tactic, tin can,” Frankie said.

“Thank you, Frankie. I practiced it for days once I learned you were bringing home a suitor,” Lloyd said.

“Ugh. Don’t call him a suitor. This isn’t a steamy Victorian novel. Now go. Bother Ian. Kiss mom,” Frankie said, shoving Lloyd forward.

“As you command, mistress,” Lloyd said, marching into the diner. Frankie looked up at the night sky, the stars dotting the blackness, looking somewhat like fireflies.

“Yeah, I know. They’re both alright. Thanks for sending them my way,” Frankie said softly before walking in to spend time with her family.