Mathew trailed after him, wishing that things were different, it was always the human factor that messed things up, and he'd managed to mess up big time. Ford moved about the kitchen, filling and emptying various things as he loaded the coffee machine with water and synthbeans. Everything was artificial, but that didn't really matter when you'd never had anything else to compare it to.

"Do you think the AI made a mistake when they made me?" Mathew asked a question that had been bugging him for most of his life.

Ford paused what he was doing and pursed his lips, "no, no I don't. I don't think you're a mistake, I think you're perfect just the way you are. I'm just sorry you feel uncomfortable about it, and I wish I could fix that for you."

Mathew felt his heart skip, "..do you really mean that?" he whispered.

Ford pressed the button to start the coffee brewing and then walked over to Mathew, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him in against him. He looked down into Mathew's eyes and Mathew felt like someone had plugged him into a socket, tingles of electricity racing through him.

"Yes, I really mean it," Ford husked, then leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

Mathew's knees went weak as he returned the kiss, hesitant and eager at the same time, his heart beating so hard he thought Ford must be able to both hear and feel it. After what felt like both an eternity, and not nearly long enough, Ford pulled away, looking down at him with a star struck look.

"Wow.. uh.. wow.. Matty.. hah.. WOW!" Ford gave him a wide, lopsided grin.

Mathew found himself giggling and blushing, both from the kiss and Ford's reaction. Ford slid an arm up to cup the back of Mathew's head and leaned in for another kiss, which he accepted greedily, wanting to soak up as much of Ford as he could while he still had time.

"E'hem, not to interrupt you two playing tonsil hockey or anything, but the others will be here in a minute." Chris's voice made Mathew jump, and pull away from Ford guiltily.

Ford didn't let him get far before pulling him back in, his arms wrapping around Mathew from behind, his chin resting on Mathew's shoulder.

"Any progress yet?" Ford's voice had a nervous edge to it it hadn't held before.

Chris went and got himself a mug from the cupboard, "Well, we've found out who complained about you, which is a start. If they will retract the complaint then there will be no reason not to reinstate you."

"So who was the asshole?" Ford grouched, nuzzling his nose under Mathew's earlobe.

Chris poured coffee into his mug, and then stirred in two spoons of sweetener, "Some guy named Isaac, you know him Mathew?"

Mathew felt the blood drain from his cheeks, of course, now he knew why, "..y..yeah." he whispered.

"And?" Ford pressed.

"He asked me out.. I said no, but he kept asking...," Mathew swallowed, scared of what Ford was going to say.

"So you went out with him?" It was Chris who asked this, Ford silent and still behind Mathew.

"..n..no.., I.. really didn't like him.. he made me feel.. unsafe..," he felt Ford breath out heavily against his neck, like he'd been holding his breath.

"But?" Chris prompted.

"..he wouldn't leave me alone, ..he'd follow me when I left work.. he stalked me on the connectivity, I..I told him if he didn't leave me alone I'd report him." Mathew felt stupid now, knowing that if he had just reported Isaac first, then none of this would be happening now.

Chris sipped his coffee and looked thoughtful, "did anyone else witness this harassment?"

Mathew shook his head, "no, he always made sure I was alone."

Ford snorted, "alone? The eyes will have a recording of it, everything we do is watched."

"Maybe, but requesting access to the eye feed takes weeks, time we don't have." Chris swallowed the last of his coffee and went to pour another one.

The sound of the doorbell made both Mathew and Ford jump, and Mathew found himself giggling nervously. Ford squeezed him and let go, announcing, "I'll get it" before he dashed off to the front door to let their guests in. Mathew suddenly felt very alone with Ford's comforting presence gone, and he hugged himself, trying not to let the fear gnawing at him overwhelm him again.

A group of nine arrived in the kitchen in a confusion of voices and greetings. Mathew swallowed hard, Chris had really gotten all the members of HR for sector eighteen here, and one of them had allowed him to be terminated. He backed up uneasily until he hit the cupboards, and could go no further, wondering where Ford had gone, he wasn't with the group.

They didn't pay him much attention as they got themselves coffees and snacks and drifted as a group into the living area, taking seats and chatting amongst themselves. Mathew felt a little bit in awe at how well they worked as a group, but then again, his group was one hundred, and they were ten, so naturally they would be closer. He stayed on the threshold of the kitchen, leaning against the archway between it and the livingroom, not wanting to intrude.

Chris caught everyone's attention and then began to explain the situation, while the others listened in respectful silence. That would never happen in Mathew's group, the only time they were quiet was when the AI made an announcement. Chris was eloquent but to the point, leaving nothing out, but managing to lay out the entire problem in a few well worded sentences. Mathew was so enraptured he almost didn't notice Ford returning and sliding an arm around him.

A short sandy haired man who lived in the same house as Mathew was shaking his head as Chris spoke, quick to stand up and take Chris's place when he finished.

"That's not right, I dealt with that complaint. As per protocol, I sent a reprimand to our Isaac, who has always been trouble maker, and marked our Mathew for promotion to our Isaac's current job. Our Mathew is a perfect citizen, his work is always flawless, I would not terminate him."

He pulled out his connectivity pad, "I can even show you, here." he brought up something and passed it around, everyone nodding and agreeing.

Chris took the floor again, "then what went wrong? How is Mathew marked as terminated in the main files?"

Silence answered him, nobody had any idea, because the one answer that was possible, was also impossible. Nobody could hack the main files, and the AI was never wrong.

Mathew felt sick, he was terminated and it couldn't be undone because nobody had done it. How was that even possible?

"Has anyone actually checked the main files? Do we know that Mathew's notice of termination really came from there?" Ford was tense beside him, probably thinking the same thing Mathew was, how could this be happening, it was impossible.

Chris swore softly under his breath and pulled out his own connectivity, tapping into it and humming to himself as he looked. He frowned, and then looked straight at Mathew, "bring your connectivity here."

Mathew swallowed and dug it out of his pocket, taking it over with shaking steps and trembling hands.

"This is how you got your termination notice, right?" Chris asked after he'd taken Mathew's device from him.

Mathew nodded numbly.

Chris tapped into it, scrolling through files and folders, humming to himself under his breath for what felt like an eternity to Mathew.

Finally he breathed, "gotcha."

He turned to the rest of the room, "I'm going to send you all a file, I want it tracked, pulled apart, analysed, sourced and rooted out of the system, and when you find the perpetrator, I want him brought directly to me." His eyes had a gleam to them that Mathew was very glad wasn't directed at him.

"As for you, Our Mathew, you are not, nor were you ever terminated. However, for your own safety, until the creator of this malicious code is brought to justice, I think you should stay here. I'm sure Ford can find room for you." Chris gave him a knowing smile and a wink.

Mathew found himself babbling his thanks, relief overwhelming him, while behind him Ford whooped happily before picking him up and bodily swinging Mathew around.

The room was filled with happy industrious voices as the HR team set to work, but Mathew only had eyes and ears for Ford. His Ford, perfect, wonderful, accepting, Ford.

Ford who was dragging him back to his bedroom, kissing him the whole way.