WIR: Pre-Programmed

WARNING: THIS DRABBLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR WRECK-IT RALPH! If you have not seen the movie yet, for pity's sake, GO AND SEE IT! Then we'll talk.

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"Wedding jitters." The words sounded unnatural coming out of her mouth, even Calhoun had to admit it. And that wasn't even considering the fact that it was a lie. The Sergeant turned the empty glass mug between her fingers and watched what froth remained in it slowly drip to the bottom.

"If you'll pardon my presumption, Milady," said the smaller man sitting next to her, "I don't think social anxiety fits in your coding."

'Milady'. Calhoun felt a smile play at her lips for a moment. Only Felix would be bold enough to call her that. Likewise, only Felix would be persistent enough to track her down all the way to Tapper's after she had taken such caution in coming here discreetly. The pair now sat in the back corner of the room, Calhoun with her elbows on the counter and her eyes down and her (recent) fiancée next to her gently swinging his legs beneath the tall stool.

"What is it really?" He looked up at her as he asked this. Calhoun avoided his gaze.

"I'm-" She stopped, exhaling and taking another breath before she continued. "I'm just not sure about this." A soft gasp from beside her made her finally turn to look at him, and she immediately regretted her words.

"You mean, you didn't want to…" Felix's words came out with difficulty, and the look of hurt in his eyes nearly broke her heart.

"Oh no," Calhoun quickly interjected, "Fix-it, that's not it! That's not it at all. I meant what I said." It had barely been a week since the Cy-Bug invasion in Sugar Rush, and Felix had wasted no time in proposing to her. She hadn't wasted any time in agreeing, either, though some of her soldiers had appraised the retro hero questionably. One look from her and they had shut up quickly enough. Then she had started thinking about things. Memories. Mistakes.

"It's…your back story, isn't it?" asked Felix, his look of hurt replaced with one of concern. Calhoun turned her gaze back to her glass, saying nothing. Felix scooted a little closer and tried to give her an encouraging smile. "If you're worried about Cy-Bugs at the wedding, I'm sure we can set up enough security-"

"It's not just that!" she shouted, causing some of the other patrons to look their way and then quickly pretend they hadn't heard anything after seeing who it was. Calhoun continued at a softer volume, but one could still hear the intensity in her voice. "I couldn't protect him. I was right there and I couldn't protect him. If something happens and I can't protect you…" She clenched her hands into fists on the table.

In retrospect, Felix had been very considerate about her past. He could have easily reminded her that it had never actually happened; that it was a memory written into her program by the creators of the game. She knew that, of course, but that didn't make her feelings about it any less real. Perhaps Felix knew that. Perhaps that was why, when he took her hand in both of his, she didn't pull away.

"Pardon my bravado," he said with a gentle, rosy-cheeked smile, "But I believe I may be made of hardier stuff than you think, Milady." Calhoun hesitantly met his gaze. He seemed so certain of things, positive that everything would be alright. Slowly, she nodded.

"I can't promise you that my past will never come up again," she told him, a hint of command, of her usual self sneaking back in.

"I can fix it." As if to prove it, Felix pulled out his signature golden hammer and tapped it on the breastplate over her heart, then leaned up to kiss her.