I watched the car carefully, but it stayed on it's ribbon, even as it got close enough to make a break for us. I was hiding behind Doctor Reg anyway; he could stop it. Or if he couldn't, it would get him first. But it surprised me by behaving. That was a good word to know; maybe if nurse Gracie told the cars of the world to behave they would?

"Come on Mary, let's go meet our guests."

What were guests? Again, doctor Reg was was reading my thoughts.

"Guests are other people, Mary."

Other I's! I wanted to know them all! But they had come in the metal guts of the car. They were still in it, even. What if it wouldn't cough them up? Would we have to go get them?

The other I's opened the side of the car, and escaped. They were smaller than Doctor Reg, but not as small as nurse Gracie. They were dressed in black over white clothes, and seemed very sour. Both of them had white hair, and one of them had a stick in his hand. They both nodded to Doctor Reg.

"Doctor Stutz."

He nodded back.

"Doctors Covings, Mallory."

They got his name wrong. They were talking right at doctor Reg, and calling him something else. They had to be set straight!

"Doctor Reg!"

So I might not have been paying as much attention to them as I wanted; the car was still open, and it could try to swallow us all at any time. The two other I's now identified, did not seem worried about that possibility at all. I was trying to decide who I should try to save. Doctor Reg or nurse Gracie might be able to jump clear on their own and get away, but I wasn't sure. The best thing to do was pay close attention to the car, even though it seemed quiet now.

And Doctor Covings leaned near me with a smile that somehow wasn't, and held out a hand.

"And you must be... Mary. Pleased to meet you."

Then he looked at Doctor Reg with even less of a smile than before.

"What's she doing?"

Doctor Reg looked at me, behind him.

"Well if I had to guess, I'd say she's hiding from your car."

I nodded, and he grinned.

"It's O.K. Mary, with the people out of it, it's asleep. It won't hurt anyone."

I didn't fully believe him, but nurse Gracie grabbed me and brought me closer to Doctor Covings.

"You're supposed to shake his hand, Mary. It's only polite. Gently."

I did so. He wanted to shake my hand too, up and down, so I let him. Then Doctor Mallory wanted to take a turn. Apparently it was a fun game for them, but I had to play by the rules. Oh well, I could always play with the butterflies again! They were fun, and knew how to fly!

"Mary, where are you going?"

"Butterflies!"

"Alright, be careful O.K?"

I nodded. Of course I would, they were small, and for all that they liked to play I didn't want to hurt them. The rules of that game were clear too. But even with the rules, this game was more fun than the other. I could still hear everyone talk though, and I made a point of listening for my name in case they were talking to me.

"Well, for being dead as long as she was and her prior state, she seems remarkably less retarded than one would expect."

Doctor reg spoke up, but that butterfly was waiting for me, right on the other side of the wooden road. I didn't want to go too far, but that wasn't that far away.

"What did you expect? She was a mutant. She would have died long ago if her mutation didn't actually provide benefits. Her intelligence was preserved; her memory, after so long however, is something else entirely."

Doctor Mallory spoke up.

"Ahh, so that's what it is. How bad is the problem? How much has the heir lost?"

"Childhood easily, though she seems to remember some things. Like your car scared her; That's why she was hiding. She remembers or internalized being in her death-like state somehow. I'm not sure how badly that may affect her yet. She remembered me, and recognized me right off, but doesn't seem to have made the full connection yet. And she hasn't asked about her father yet."

"Hmm... odd."

Doctor Covings got involved.

"Not necessarily. She might be very visual based at the moment, and seems to have... imprinted on Reginald and Gracie. Those portions of her memory might just simply be gone. Tell me, has she seen any evidence of her father?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw nurse Gracie nod. I wanted to nod too, but the butterfly was just about to land....

"She has; two things jogged her memory. But she hasn't asked. It's been all about us, so far."

Doctor mallory spoke next, and the butterfly left. I wondered if his loudness had chased it off. Could it hear things?

"One wonders why she isn't more interested in this conversation."

Doctor Reg spoke up.

"Oh she is, but she doesn't know who we're discussing. After all, no names have been used. It's a hole in thinking we haven't had time to correct."

"Intriguing."

They were talking about holes. Holes were weird, and did so much. I wondered if I could find any holes around; the thinking hole sounded like it would be amazing. How would a hole think? Then the butterfly landed on me, and I had to stop. It started crawling around, moving it's wings.

"So what does she know? Have you done any of the standardized tests? Math, langauge, problem solving? You have at least scanned her for brain activity, haven't you?"

Doctor Reg sounded odd as he replied.

"There wasn't time for testing, she's only been awake for two days! But of course I have brain and body scans. They show some rather amazing results, actually. Nothing short of a miracle."

"Oh?"

"Yes. To start with, though her brain shows activity, and we have the electrical charge applied for that, it's primarily comprised of what existed before, the... substance that was the heir. And she's still quite dead."

The doctors were all looking at me. I didn't know what to do, so I smiled and waved. It seemed to be the right thing, since they smiled and waved back, though their smiles looked small. And then the butterfly took off again, not liking my movement. I followed, making a noise that just seemed to bubble out of me: I wondered where it would lead me this time!

"What do you mean?"

I looked over at the emotion in doctor Mallory's voice, to see what had startled him. I didn't see anything, and the car was still quiet and motionless, so I went back to the butterfly.

"I mean her heart beats because it's being massaged by the substance. Her brain sparks because it is made from it, like jello filling a mold or a clay sculpture. Several of her organs are not functioning, several of her muscles have been bridged by the same substance and most biological activity we associate with life is not present. The substance is making up for the lack, taking on the roles it needs to in order to make the body function."

"That is... astonishing. Any theories? Have you finally managed to determine what it is?"

"A few. As for what it is... well, she's a virus. Cellular structure, behavior, DNA, all shows that she shares many of the common attributes we associate with viruses. She was inert for lack of power, but since wakening she has spread throughout her host, and is currently assimilating more of it each moment. One of my theories is that she is massaging the heart because she needs to, and is using it to pump more of herself to the harder to reach tissues of her host; if I'm right she will eventually repair and restart all of the organs and make the body live again, as opposed to just reanimating it. Her work on the heart and brain seem to bear the theory out."

"You have proof?"

"Of course. Time elapsed scans, inside."

"Can she do it to living tissue?"

"We've tried before, remember? The results were negative, even though the side effects to the organism were... interesting."

Nurse Gracie walked up as the doctors all walked off. That was mean, I just met them and they were just going away.

"Hey, Mary, do you remember how to play 'catch'?"

I shook my head no. What was catch? Something.... a small ball and a weird glove. An faint image of a face, all detail long since washed out. Nurse Gracie held up a circle... a ball, and a large one. She held it in both her hands, and I would need both hands for it. It was red and soft to the touch.

"Here is how the game works. We both take turns, throwing the ball to each other. We have to do it gently, or we might hurt each other. The one not throwing, tries to catch the ball in their hands, then throws it back. Want to try?"

I nodded. That sounded fun.

Nurse Gracie moved back several steps and then threw the ball. I tried to catch it but missed.

"If you fail, you have to go get the ball before you throw it back."

I did so; it took a few tries to pick it up. It wanted to squish out of my hands!

"Remember Mary, throw gently."

I did, and the ball didn't reach Nurse Gracie, which made me frown. This was harder than it looked!

"A little harder than that. Part of the fun is in throwing it just hard enough."

Nurse Gracie threw it to me again, and this time i caught it! I had to use both hands and the rest of me, but it was a win! Nurse Gracie thought so too.

"Great Job, Mary!"

I threw it back, and Nurse Gracie caught it, having to move towards me a little to do so. I smiled; I think I had the hang of it now. If I threw just a little stronger, she wouldn't have to move at all! A few throws later and I had it down. We were throwing that ball to each other so easily!

And then I got an idea.

I did not like that black car the doctors had come in. Even more than the car Doctor Reg said was his, it was scary. Big and black and just... there. So maybe it would like to play catch? I think you needed arms to play catch, and I didn't see any. Maybe it would just eat the ball, the way it ate the doctors? If so it would spit it back out, so that wasn't a problem.

"What are you doing, Mary?"

Uh oh, Nurse Gracie was on to me! If I was going to do it, I had to do it now!

The ball bounced off the car, and the car screamed. I had woken it up!

Nurse gracie was hugging me.

"Mary, Mary, it's O.K.! It's alright, you can stop. It won't hurt you!"

I had been about to run, and I realized I had been making a loud noise too, like the car. A... scream? Yes, a scream. I remembered just in time not to hug nurse Gracie too hard. It took a long time before the car was silent again. I learned my lesson; I would never do that again.

"What happened?"

Doctor Reg! I hugged him too, dragging him away from the evil beast in our midst.

"Mary, stop! Mary, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much doctor; Mary got the bright idea to throw the ball at the car, and the alarm scared her."

I didn't stop until he as out of the car's ribbon. That way he was safer. Doctor Reg turned to the other doctors, who had also come with him. They seemed to be having fun breathing, they were doing a lot of it. I wasn't about to drag them out of the way though, it was their car!

"I see. Perhaps gentleman, for your next visit, you might turn off your car alarm? It seems to have frightened our subject."

Wait, what was a subject? Something about that word....

Doctor Mallory pointed a thing at the car, and it chirped at him. Could it make other things chirp too? That would be fun!

"Mary, you don't need to imitate the car."

Another word I didn't know.

"Imitate?"

"Make noises like the car. People might think you are a car too!"

That was silly. I didn't look anything like a car. Nurse Gracie was smiling at me though. I wasn't entirely sure but nurse Gracie could be playing another game with me? But it was mean to do that without telling me the rules! There were always rules. Rules were there to keep people from getting hurt, like the rules for hugging and sleeping and things.

The car, despite all the new noises it made, did not move. Doctor Reg pulled himself away from me and turned to the doctors.

"Copies of all the data will be sent to the locations you requested. Did you need anything else?"

Doctor Mallory answered.

"No, that's all... so long as you remember to turn on your camera feeds. There must be confirmation of all findings, and oversight. We were content with the prior process, but full methodology must be observed now."

Doctor Reg bent over slightly.

"I understand. If there is nothing else, I will see to the well being of the subject."

"See that you do."

And then they opened the car up. I was taking no chances this time; before they got inside of their own free will, I had Nurse Gracie and Doctor Reg well away and in the door of home.

The car started making noise again, the deep rumble different from it's screams, and moved away with the other doctors inside. I liked them, but they could just leave their car wherever cars were left next time. I poked Doctor Reg's car. It did not scream. It was also white. Maybe the white cars didn't scream?

I didn't see any more butterflies; were they scared away?

"So how bad was it?"

How bad was what? Nurse Gracie sometimes asked confusing questions. She was talking to Doctor Reg though, so I didn't answer. Even though I thought the other I's had been mean to leave so soon.

"Bad... the incident out here was timely. But nothing I can't handle. The camera feeds have to be turned on, which you heard. And copies of all my data streams have to be sent, which you heard. Basically what we feared, should we ever succeed. But we are ready for that, and have been. It's just... annoying, thinking that now they finally think of all this as worthwhile."

Fido walked up, grass all over him. I wondered how he managed that.

"It's fine doc, we got your back. They won't get anything from us. Ans I'll whip that useless guy into shape too. If they try something, we'll be ready."

They? Try something? Who was they and what something would they try?

Doctor Reg made a noise.

"Quiet. Little ears are present."

"Going to need to know sometime, doc."

I tried to imitate the noise, hoping it would scare Fido. He was still eying me like I was food!

"Yes, eventually... just not now. Please? Not now?"

"It's your call. But don't blame me for any hate later."

Nurse Gracie spoke up next.

"He wouldn't do that sort of thing. He's one of the good ones. Besides, I doubt he will get any such hate."

Nurse gracie was looking at me sort of from the side, so I smiled. I wondered what she was worried about. She seemed worried as she smiled back. Then I wondered what worried was. It was something I felt I should know....

"Any hate I get is no more than I deserve. And I'll deal with it myself if it comes."

Hate was bad, wasn't it? The way everyone was talking about it made it sound like it was bad. But I had to focus on the important things. I pointed to Fido.

"Grass."

He grinned at me.

"Yep. Grass is fun to roll around in. Unfortunately I have no arms or hands, so I can't brush it off. I guess nurse Gracie will have to wash me clean later, eh?"

Nurse Gracie didn't look smiley at Fido. I think she was mad. But again, the important things had to come first.

"Mary, what are you doing?"

"Rolling in the grass."

I guess it was kind of fun, just to wiggle around. And it made my back feel better. But I think nurse Gracie was mad; she had her hands over her face again.

"Heh. Looks like I've corrupted the innocent! Awesome."

I'm not sure what Fido meant, but he was smiling, and not in his 'Mary is food' way. So I smiled back.

"Alright enough Mary, you're getting your clothes all dirty. Stand up, it's time to go inside."

I didn't want to go inside! The inside was so small and smelled old.

"Don't pout Mary, it isn't polite. And if we don't go inside, we can't see Randolph. You want to see Randolph, don't you?"

Yes I did; why was Randolph not here? He said he would be here, and play outside!

"He didn't come outside."

"He couldn't Mary, he wasn't feeling well."

What was not feeling well? Nurse Gracie seemed to understand my thoughts once again.

"It means he's sick Mary."

What was sick? And just like that, Nurse Gracie's face was in her hands again.

"It means his body isn't working right, Mary. He can't move around as well as he wants."

So his body wouldn't work that well? Seemed a silly reason not to go outside. I mean we aren't doing anything hard, were we? Well throwing the ball just right was hard... was there a way to make him feel better?

"Let's go!"

"Mary, you can stop pulling, I'm coming! Be gentle, remember?"

I moved quickly (ran? Another word I somewhat knew) to Randolf's room, Nurse Gracie right behind.

"Wait Mary. Knock first and wait for Randolf's reply, remember? Randolf likes his privacy."

I knocked, gently. And waited. And Randolf did not answer. I looked over at Nurse Gracie.

“I'll go in first.”

She knocked again and then walked in, while not opening the door enough to let me in or see. So I gently opened the door more. Doctor Reg followed me in, smiling.

“Seems there is more we need to work on, eh Nurse?”

“As you say, Doctor.”

Randolf was in bed. His eyes were shut and he was not moving. Were his eyes not working too? I knew how that felt; it wasn't good.

“What's wrong?”

Nurse Gracie touched him on the arm, and neck. His eyes looked like they wanted to open, but didn't.

“Nothing more than usual. I guess he was just tired and fell asleep.”

Well that was wrong! I promptly climbed into his bed and settled in beside him, making sure to be gentle.

“Uh, Mary? What are you doing?”

Doctor Reg replied for me.

“Mary doesn't want Randolf to be alone. Or to be more precise, to face the darkness alone. It's fine, she won't hurt him.”

“But....”

“But nothing, it's fine. Look you can stay too and make sure. Your work for the day is pretty much done. You were just going to read, weren't you? Shouldn't be any problem, and this way you'll be right here if his condition changes.”

Fido spoke too, though I didn't understand what he was talking about.

“Ahh, the look on Randolf's face will be priceless.”

Looks had prices? What were prices, and how would you know?

“Alright Doctor, but you get to explain your decision when he wakes up. I won't.”

Then Doctor Reg left with a wave, and Nurse Gracie settled into Randolf's chair to read. I snuggled in, listening, and feeling Randolf's heart thud in his chest. It was comforting.