Lucy laid motionless on her bed with a Braindance chip jacked into her data port. Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling as she breathed slowly. She’d been like this for hours, reliving memories of David and their jaunt on the moon. The flickering images of their time together played endlessly in her mind, a bittersweet escape from the harsh reality of Night City.

Eventually, she sat up and removed the program. Her eyes were red and irritated, a testament to the tears that had flowed freely during her digital reverie. It had been a month since David's passing, and the weight of his absence pressed heavily on her heart. She stood slowly, her movements mechanical and devoid of the vivacity she once possessed.

Lucy wandered through her small apartment, completely naked and indifferent to the world around her. The chill of the room did nothing to stir her; she felt numb, disconnected from everything but the haunting memories of a happier time. Clinging to the past was all she had left, a fragile tether to a time when hope and dreams seemed within reach. Now, the cold, unfeeling expanse of Night City loomed around her, indifferent to her grief and suffering. The city cared for no one, least of all a heartbroken netrunner.

She walked to the window, gazing out at the neon-lit sprawl that stretched endlessly before her. The vibrant lights and bustling streets felt like a cruel mockery of her pain, a stark reminder that life went on for everyone else. But for Lucy, time had stopped the moment David was gone.