DEE couldn’t see anything funny about what had nearly happened.  In response to Chester’s jest, the hologram’s expression shifted to one of exaggerated disapproval, making Dumas resemble a stern schoolmistress who’d just caught her student looking at dirty pictures instead of studying.  It was probably just as well that the former soldier had never witnessed one of DEE’s solo performances -- having his features stretched and twisted like a rubber mask was hardly flattering.<br/><br/>But the frown didn’t last long.  DEE knew that turning everything into a joke was just Chester’s nature.  What mattered was that during the moment of crisis, Chester had taken things seriously, and averted disaster.<br/><br/>“Do you really think that I’m imaginary?” DEE inquired, while the expression on the hologram reverted to something more deadpan.  It knew that Dumas questioned its existence, unsure if it was a separate intelligence or simply an echo of his own mind.  But Dumas also questioned the existence of God, black holes, fairies, honest politicians...it was a long list.  And aside from the knowledge that he needed to do his job, the head of Wonderland’s security didn’t exactly keep up with the latest technology.  Chester, on the other hand, was clearly an expert.  So DEE felt quite interested in his opinion.<br/><br/>Then Chester brought up the bet, and the hologram actually flickered for a moment, as DEE’s excitement distracted him from maintaining it.  “That’s been quite a challenge,” it conceded.  “The military are so paranoid about their database security.  But I’ve learned a trick or two from you, and there were a couple things in Dumas’s mind that helped.  Also, I made a new friend.  The AI over there was absolutely thrilled to interact with anything possessing some semblance of intelligence.”<br/><br/>DEE hadn’t quite backtracked as far as Chester’s original name yet. But it was getting closer.  With surprising flare, the hologram bowed to Chester, while the image of a caterpillar smoking a hookah appeared in the air nearby.  “You’ve led quite a busy life, haven’t you…Your Majesty.”<br/><br/>*****<br/><br/>Dumas wouldn’t mourn the bitch if she never surfaced again.  Unfortunately, a permanent reprieve seemed unlikely.  There were parts of himself that he couldn’t keep buried, no matter how hard he tried.  The bruises on Mari’s skin provided painful reminders of that.  And the severity of his problem wasn’t even close to the severity of hers.  So, while Dumas didn’t doubt Mari’s determination, he feared that it wouldn’t be enough.  He didn’t want her setting impossible goals and then blaming herself when she failed.  “We’ll do what we can,” he promised.  “But if she comes back, it’s not your fault.  We’ll just deal with her.”<br/><br/>As Mari spoke about wanting him with her during the doctor visits, Dumas held her even tighter.  “All that medical shit is scary stuff,” he agreed.  “But if you’re a good girl, I’ll buy you a big lollipop afterwards.  That’s what my mom always did when I needed to get a shot.”  Bowing his head, he gently pressed his lips against Mari’s brow.  If only his kiss had the power to heal all that was broken inside her.  Dumas remembered how it had been when he first came to stay with Mari -- their struggle to determine who would take care of who.  He’d surrendered, letting her pamper him, and that had been nice.  But it would be good to look after her for awhile.<br/><br/>“You’ve never hurt me, Bunny Girl.  And even though<span style="font-style: italic">she</span>did, the pain is already fading so fast.  As long as I know that everything is okay between us, she can’t get to me like that again.”  Carefully, Dumas brushed away a strand of blonde hair that had fallen across Mari’s cheek.  “As for what I want you to be...I want you to be happy.  And if you think you could be happy while also being my girlfriend, that would be perfect.”<br/><br/>Closing his eyes, Dumas thought about everything that lay ahead of them.  He felt proud of Mari for finally confronting her problem.  For his sake, she was willing to get help, to risk being called crazy and possibly put in an asylum.  Shouldn’t he be willing to do the same for her?  His demons weren’t as fully formed as the bitch, but they’d proven that they could still cause harm. “Mari?” Dumas murmured (softly, so he wouldn’t wake her if she’d already fallen asleep).  “The veteran’s hospital has a free counseling program.  I think...I think I’ll try going.  I don’t want to risk hurting you again, either.”