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Eric and Deborah sat in the trunk of the car, facing the window of the door. They sat there in silence, watching things in the horizon disappear and listening in on whatever this strange family was talking about.
Well, Deb was listening. Eric was clearly lost in thought. He looked hyperfocused on something. He has been like that ever since the Mitchells made them come with them and no one can blame him.
He and Deb can’t remember their real names and their lives before getting their minds controlled. All they know is that it feels like they’ve known each other for years and that Pal wanted them to capture all humans. That would leave only him and Deb being slaves for Pal until they die probably. That scared Eric but he knew he had to be the emotionless tough guy out of the two.
“Um... hi...” he heard a soft tone. Eric was snapped out of his thoughts instantly. Deb had such a sweet, shy and soothing voice.
“Yes?” Eric responded, trying to sound emotionless as possible.
“Um... so... we’ve definitely known each other for years...”
“Yes...? You’re point...?”
“Well, we can’t really... remember anything before this whole thing and... I was thinking if we should reintroduce ourselves if that makes any sense...” Deb explained, hugging his helmet close to his chest.
Eric raised an eyebrow before smiling a bit.
“Sure. Um... I’ll go first I guess,” Eric said before repositioning himself. “Um... my name is Eric... I... don’t know what I like to do on my free time but I’d really like to figure that out with you if I... don’t get my memory back...”
Deb smiled a bit before clearing his throat. “I’m Deborah. Weird name to most people but that’s the name that makes me happy and... I don’t really remember anything either...”
Eric nodded. “There. We’ve introduced ourselves... again.”
A long silence washed over the two as the Mitchells where busy talking about their own things to not notice the twos’ conversation.
Eric looked out the window, messing with the zipper on his suit.
“... I’m also scared...” Deb blurted out.
He looked back at Deb who was tracing the circle on the side of his helmet anxiously.
“Scared?”
“What’s gonna happen to us...? We can’t remember anything, these stupid things on our heads malfunctioned and now anyone can tell us what to do and... if Pal ever... wins... we’ll be...”
He didn’t finish the sentence. He didn’t need to.
Eric frowned and looked down at his own helmet sitting in his lap. That stupid Pal phone...
He looked at Deb who had his knees pulled up to his chest as he looked out the window of the trunk door. Eric thought for a moment before holding his hand out.
Deb looked at his hand and then up at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Just hold it...”
Deb raised both eyebrows in surprise before hesitantly holding his hand. Eric gripped it tightly.
“Don’t be scared. I’ll protect you.”
“Really...?”
“Of course... if anyone hurt you, I’ll hurt them.”
Deb smiled and chuckled a bit. “Softie...”
“Nope! I’m not soft. I’m a remorseless assassin.”
“Okay.” Deb said with a smile.
——————
“Shitshitshitshit—“ Eric whispered to himself and he started falling behind.
Never in his life would he expect to be chased by a giant Furby. It wasn’t even a thought but here he was.
Another electric blue blast hit a pillar, making it tip over as Eric tried catching up to the others. He went faster, trying to at least outrun the pillar before it collapsed.
He was suddenly knocked down by the heavy pillar, knocking the wind out of him but luckily not injuring him due to the “armor” protecting his chest. That’s one thing Pal did right.
“Wait—! Help!!” Eric yelled, trying to free himself.
“We can’t leave that boy!!” Linda shouted.
Eric looked at her in surprise, not expecting her to actually stop for him. She ran back to him and pulled the pillar up. She then grabbed his hand, pulling him out from underneath it. Eric exhaled in relief.
“Thank you!” Eric said.
“It’s nothing! C’mon!” Linda said, pulling him as they ran off with the others.
Eric looked over at Deb who looked at him with a relived look as they all ran as fast as they could.
——————
“Take that, Poseys!! Oh... they’re nice... so... I’m sorry I said that out loud...” Linda said, snapping herself out of her excitement.
Eric was still in shock about what happened. Besides the whole Furby thing, Eric was surprised someone actually stopped to save him. He didn’t know why he felt so shocked by it but something in him felt like no one ever helped him like that before.
“Purple Glasses Woman,” Eric said, taking off his helmet and letting his hair fall against us face. “Why did you save me...?”
“Oh, c’mon! You boys are family now!” Linda replied with a smile.
Eric suddenly felt something in his chest. It was a weird feeling and it felt so unfamiliar. He furrowed his eyebrows, opening his mount to day something but nothing coming out. What DID come out, though, was a tear.
“Oh! Sweetie!” Linda said, reaching in her bag to hand him a tissue. “What’s wrong...?”
“Uh... I honestly... don’t know...” Eric chuckled a little, wiping his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve felt something like this...”
“Awww...” Linda patted his leg with a small smile.
Katie got up and started rambling about stuff Eric and Deb couldn’t understand. Deb looked over at Eric who was looking at the tissue given to him. Deb chuckled and nudged him a bit.
“‘Remorseless Assassin’, huh?” He smiled.
Eric chuckled and nudged him back. “Shut up...”
Deb laughed before resting his head on his shoulder. “You big softie...”
Eric sighed and shook his head. “Yeah yeah you got me...”
“Also... you said you’d protect me but it seems like it’s been the other way around.” Deb said, poking Eric in the side. Eric flinched and chuckled.
“You bitch,” Eric laughed, pushing him away. “We had to run from a Furbyzilla. Cut me some slack.”
“Okayyyy! Whatever you sayyyy!”
——————
The Mitchells got back in the car after stopping at the gas station for food and gas. Rick and Aaron where fast asleep and Katie just woke back up as they started driving away.
Deb and Eric where wrapped up in a large shared blanket. Deb was asleep on Eric’s shoulder. Eric on the other hand couldn’t sleep.
They where so close to arriving at Silicon Valley and that’s where the person who mind controlled them was. He honestly didn’t know what to do as soon as they get there in case they where ever caught. There wasn’t only Deb to protect. He had an entire family to protect.
“Mom... what is that?”
The car came to a screeching halt, jolting everyone else wide awake and alerting everyone. They all got out of the car, looking up at the green pods floating in the same direction. As Eric and Deb’s eyes followed the direction they went, their eyes landed on the giant ship. It’s so familiar due to Pal engraving it into the chips on their heads. It was a haunting thing to look at in person.
Eric was pulled out of his thoughts as he felt Deb’s hand nudge his. He looked down and saw Deb’s hand being held out, silently asking to be held. Eric reached his hand out, holding Deb’s tightly.
“It’ll be okay...” Eric whispered softly, trying to keep his composure.
“You really think so...?”
Eric hesitated before forcing out a small “Yes.”
——————
“Deborah!!” Eric forced out in a pained voice.
Deb was on the ground, glass scattered around him. He tried getting up, only to stumble back down, wincing and holding his leg in pain. Eric looked around to see that the Mitchells didn’t seem injured badly. He sighed in relief before getting up and checking on Deb.
“Are you alright?” Eric asked frantically.
“I-I think so... ah... my ankle...” Deb bit his lip to avoid crying out in pain.
“It’s okay... w-we need to just l-leave quick a-and—“
Before he could finish, the glass of the tram broke. The stronger robots burst in grabbing the parents. Eric and Deb immediately stood up, Deb being a little more careful.
“Mitchells!!” Eric shouted. “We will help you—“
“Oh no no no you don’t!” They heard Pal’s voice say.
They both felt a wave a fear rush through their bodies. It felt like time slowed down at that moment when they looked up to see Pal’s face.
“Download new orders!”
They felt like something was piercing though their skulls as a wave of pain and screeching rang through their heads. Eric looked at Deb just a second before his mind went blank and all feeling left his body. Deb looked horrified.
He didn’t protect him like promised.
“Capture The Mitchells!” Pal’s voice said in their heads.
“No! No! You don’t have to listen to her!!” Linda shouted, trying to break out of the stronger robot’s grip.
“We’re sorry, mother...” they both said in monotone voices. Eric then picked up the kill code, crushing it in his hands.
——————
“My ankle still hurts...” Deborah said as the Mitchells celebrated heir victory.
“Oh, right! Um... well, we’ll get you some medical attention. Just sit down until we find something.” Eric said, sitting Deb on top of a pile of rubble.
“It was nice not feeling any pain when I was controlled again.” Deb chuckled.
Deb sighed in relief as he rested his foot on some smaller pile of rubble. He looked up at Eric who sat down next to him, taking his helmet off and pushing his hair away from his face. He looked at Deb and smiled.
“What?”
“Nothing... just remembered a small thing about you...” Deb replied, smiling.
“Really? What is it?”
“You were a very caring person... you were selfless... you still are...”
Eric smiled, pulling him into a tight hug.
“I’m so glad you’re safe...” Eric whispered, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
Deb smiled, hugging back tightly. “I’m glad you’re safe too... I don’t think I could live without you...”
“Me neither...”
They pulled away and Eric sighed. “I really wish I can remember our lives before all this. Mark can tell us but we still wouldn’t remember.”
“Yeah... but hey, it’s fun to think we could make new memories...” Deb leaned back, looking up at the bright blue sky.
“That’s very true...”
They both looked at the sky in silence, drowning out everyone’s elated and relieved voices as they reunited with one another. Eric felt like a huge weight on his chest was lifted off of him. Not lifted, yanked. It was almost dizzying.
Eric reached over to Deb, holding his hand firmly and smiling. “This feels right...”
“It does...” Deb responded softly.
——————
“Okay! Everybody ready?” Rick asked, starting up the car.
“Yup!” Aaron responded, giving him a thumbs up.
“Read as we’ll ever be!” Katie said.
“Yes sir!” Eric said with a small salute. “Er... dad.”
Monchi sat in between and Deborah, wearing his fancy little suit Katie got him. Deb put on the top hat as Eric adjusted his tie.
“Our first road trip as part of the family...” Eric said with softly with a smile.
“Mhm! This is exciting! Who know we’d find a family after being mind controlled by an evil phone.” Deborah responded.
Eric chuckled, getting himself comfortable.
“Guys!” Katie called, holding her phone up. “Sibling selfie! C’mon, Aaron!”
Eric hugged Katie tightly as Deb and Aaron hugged each other tightly. Katie took the picture and looked at it with a smile.
“Perfect!”
“I know, I’m in the picture.” Eric said.
Katie laughed, posting the picture online with many many heart emojis. Eric and Deb smiled, feeling their hearts swell.
Even if they can’t remember their life before this, everything feels like they’re where they’re supposed to be.
They couldn’t be anymore happier.