Archive of Our Own ^beta

February 4th, 2039:

The following morning Hank was awoken by the usual sound of his alarm going off right by his head, however his back and his knees weren't bothering him as they would usually do every time he opened his eyes. There wasn't any aroma of fresh coffee brewing in the kitchen, or the smell of one of Connor's healthier breakfast options being cooked on the stove; the kitchen was quiet and empty. Opening his blue eyes Hank looked around his bedroom and then down at his hands to see the same younger smoother skin, which was proof that it wasn't all just a weird dream; he really was an android.

As he sat up on the bed Hank was almost relieved to not feel a full bladder or any pain or tightness in his back, but since it was such an unnaturally painless sensation for him that it made Hank learn to appreciate the intricate feelings and limitations of the human body. The pain and aches made him feel alive.

"Never thought I'd miss the feeling of arthritis eating away at my spine."

Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed Hank stood up and made his way toward his bedroom door and ventured down the hallway. As he set foot inside the livingroom he was greeted to the sight of Connor's back as the younger deviant sat upright on the couch with Sumo sitting on the floor beside him. He watched as Connor rhythmically pet Sumo's ears with his left hand as the massive dog rested his chin down on Connor's left knee, and sensed the same problem still lingering in the air.

"You didn't call us off work today, did you?"

"...No." The deviant replied in a low voice. "I was merely respecting your wishes and leaving you alone."

"Oh. Uh, I take it the Thirium shit I need is in the cabinet above the sink with your own supply, right?"

"Correct."

"Alright. I'll choke down some of that stuff, change my clothes and we can head out. Cool?"

"...Yes. That is acceptable."

Hank just shook his head a little at the quick reply and walked into the kitchen. Pulling open the correct cabinet door over the sink Hank pulled down one of the bottles of Thirium that he was instructed to drink. Hank just eyed the sapphire tinted liquid in his right hand with absolute disgust. Knowing he had to drink literal android blood to stay active and healthy made his artificial stomach turn as he unscrewed the cap on the bottle to open it up.

"Fuck. This is as bad as taking medicine." Taking a fast swig of the Thirium to avoid tasting it as much as possible, he returned the lid to the bottle and swore with a grimace on is face. "Fuck! It's like downing a mouthful of peroxide and pennies!"

A small gauge briefly appeared in Hank's vision to confirm his Thirium reserves were at one-hundred percent. Replacing the bottle in the cabinet Hank promptly went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and remove any possible trace of blue from inside his mouth. Spitting out the minty foam Hank rinsed out his mouth three times before he left the bathroom to get dressed for work in his bedroom.

"Ah, shit..." Sliding open the closet door Hank was met with the same problem he had last night. His clothes were all too big and baggy. "I guess I gotta' get a little creative this morning with my wardrobe."

Standing in the now vacated kitchen Connor fed Sumo his breakfast and watched the massive dog trotting happily through the backyard to find the best place to take care of his business for the morning. Checking on the Thirium supply in the cabinet above the sink Connor calculated the remaining stock they had in the kitchen, and decided that he'd need to pick up a new case of Thirium in order to make it through the rest of the month, let alone the addition three to six months for as long as Hank remained an android.

"At least he consumed the Thirium." Connor remarked to himself as he closed the cabinet door and returned to the opened backdoor. Patting the side of his right leg twice he caught Sumo's ears, and beckoned the loyal dog back inside the house for the rest of the afternoon. "Good dog."

While he closed and locked the backdoor Connor caught the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway and turned in time to see Hank enter the kitchen wearing a rather docile attire in place of his usual brightly colored and patterned shirts he seemed to favor. The gruff Lieutenant was wearing a navy blue dress shirt that was tucked in to his jeans, which were an older pair that he had hung onto after almost fifteen years. The belt around his waist was pulled about five notches tighter than usual to ensure he didn't suffer a 'wardrobe malfunction'.

"Ready?" Hank asked as he lightly pet Sumo's back and was relieved to feel that Sumo's fur was as soft as ever. The enhanced receptors in his android hands and fingers made him truly appreciate how soft his bed and pillow were in the night. "The sooner I get this stupid shit explained at the precinct the better."

Connor tightened the knot of his black tie around his collar and nodded to confirm that he was ready.

"Fuck..." Suddenly remembering that he had been a car accident and that he and Connor left the android facility via an autonomous cab the night before Hank realized they couldn't take their usual ride to work. "How do we get there? My car's been totaled, right?"

"...It is receiving repairs at a nearby garage."

"Oh." Grabbing his phone from his pocket Hank brought up the city's most reliable app and summoned an autonomous cab to meet them outside. "Well, it's too cold to walk. Cab will be here in two minutes."

Silently Connor followed after Hank as the senior detective opened the front door and went to wait outside by the street in front of the house. Staying back by about four feet to ensure he wasn't going to accidentally intrude on Hank's personal space Connor remained quiet and didn't even try to break the tense silence between them.

It didn't Hank long to notice that Connor's L.E.D. had been red since they had left the facility the night before. The more paternal side of Hank's thinking wanted to ask why Connor was on edge, but his irritated and still angered side over the whole stupidity of the situation; and knowing that Connor was partly responsible, kept him from asking about it.

Walking over to the cab as the autonomous vehicle came to a stop along the street in front of the house Hank slipped inside the back and Connor followed after him. The two detectives sat as far away from each other as physically possible; Hank still angry and Connor visibly timid, and went to the precinct without the silence breaking even in the slightest.

Once at the precinct Hank stepped out of the cab and froze as he stood before the tall building. From what he'd been told the accident happened now four nights ago, and his human body was still in a chemically induced comatose state until his body healed enough to be awoken safely. The idea that he had not only awoken from the coma, but was now twenty years younger, wasn't something he could explain away without a thousand follow-up questions.

Running his right hand over his shorter brunette hair with a breathy sigh Hank gave the building a slight shake of his head as he finally took a step forward to begin the day. "Might as well get this over with as quickly and painlessly as possible."

With his L.E.D. still red Connor trailed behind Hank and made a conscious effort to keep a distance between himself and his partner as they walked into the receptionist area.

Hank tried to pass through as per usual but the android receptionist stopped him due to a seeming lack of clearance. "I'm sorry, sir. You don't have the proper clearance to-"

Annoyed and in no mood to argue Hank stopped short, pulled his badge from his pocket, and flashed it to the receptionist. "Don't tell me about my clearance rights."

"...Lieutenant Hank Anderson." She blinked rapidly a few times as she seemed to recognize the younger face as that of the gruff Lieutenant. "My apologies for disrupting you."

Slipping the badge back into his pocket Hank scoffed at the answer and kept walking. "Whatever."

Connor followed behind Hank and issued the receptionist a silent cybernetic apology on Hank's behalf. 'Please don't take offense. It is a very complicated situation, and you were just doing your job.'

Hank tried to keep his head bowed down a little as he walked to ignore the stares that were beginning to focus his way. Without waiting for an invitation Hank made his way directly to Captain Fowler's office to talk to him and discuss his future at the precinct, while Connor went to his desk and proceeded to turn on his terminal screen to check for a new case.

As soon as the deviant sat down he felt a sharp glare burning a hole in the back of his neck and was immediately met with a hostile voice aimed at his person by Sergeant Gavin Reed. "Hey, 'Tinman', did you kill the old man yet, or what?"

Turning to face Gavin for a moment Connor answered honestly. "...Lieutenant Anderson is doing well."

"Yeah, if you call being a coma 'well'. What's with that other jackass talking to Fowler? Is that his replacement?"

"There is no replacement for Lieutenant Anderson, merely a temporary fixture."

"Holy shit..." Gavin got a good look at Hank's face through the glass wall of Captain Fowler's office, and realized who he was looking at. Immediately enraged at the sight and his own paranoid thoughts Gavin rose from his desk with every intention of fighting with Connor. "You sick plastic freak! You killed Anderson and then made a plastic look-alike to replace him?"

"That is not-"

"I knew you plastic assholes were going to take our jobs one day. I just didn't think it'd start with you stabbing your own partner in the back!"

"That is not what happened." Connor argued as he stood up to face Gavin directly, his L.E.D. flickering red very rapidly in response to his now racing Thirium pump in his chest. "It was-"

"Shut the fuck up!" Angrily he grabbed Connor by the left shoulder and forced the deviant back a few feet. "Don't try to deny that shit, I'm seeing it with my own eyes! I should take you out back and beat your sorry plastic ass until you're nothing more than a blue puddle in the alley!"

"Gavin, don't-"

"Don't tell me what to do, asshole! We don't need a sorry excuse for a cop walking around here fuckin' shit up! We don't need you."

"I'm not implying-"

"I know for damn sure the precinct doesn't need you, and I know Anderson doesn't need some plastic pretending to be human trying to pretend to be a friend, or trying to be a pathetic substitute for a 'son'."

A noted pain revealed itself in Connor's eyes as the cruel remark stung in a way the young deviant had never felt before.

"Is that your game? Trying to replace his dead kid? You're NOT alive! You never will be!" He was shouting loudly and drawing curious eyes. "You will never be a real person, you sick son of-"

From her own desk Tina rushed over and put herself between Gavin and Connor to stop the fighting, and pried Gavin's right hand from Connor's left shoulder with her own hands. "Knock it off, Gavin. Let Fowler deal with this."

"You're lucky I-"

"REED." Captain Fowler's voice boomed across the bullpen as he threw open his office door and reprimanded his hot-headed detective from afar as Hank glared at him through the transparent wall silently. "Get your ass in here, NOW."

Glaring bitterly at Connor with a misplaced and bigoted hatred Gavin brushed past the deviant android and intentionally bashed his right shoulder against Connor's left shoulder to force him to stumble backward gracelessly against his own desk.

"...Sorry, Connor." Tina knew her partner still had a lot of aggression toward androids and was trying to get him to let up a bit, at least on Connor. "Don't let him get to you."

Silently Connor just nodded as he smoothed out the fabric of his gray suit jacket and sat back down behind his terminal. Focusing on the screen ahead of himself to try to get to work Connor reached into his right jean pocket and pulled out his old quarter to focus his anxiety, and try to de-stress after the uncomfortable confrontation with Gavin.

"Where's the accident report?" Hank asked in a low voice as he sat down behind his own desk and terminal screen to get to work. He eyed the coin with disdain as he had come to find the deviant's little tic to be a distracting nuisance for himself, and he had to fight the urge to snatch it away. "I want some answers."

Blinking twice Connor was able to send the appropriate file to Hank's terminal while he continued to dance his coin gracefully over his right knuckles.

Giving the report a fast read Hank's brow furrowed with confusion, which only amplified as he saw the photographs taken of the accident from just a few nights prior. "...There was a second vehicle involved?" The damage to his own car was directed at the driver's side and toward the middle of the body. It was evident that his car had been 't-boned' by another car in the intersection. "Who hit me?"

"...Unknown."

"Fuckin' hell! It was a goddamn hit and run?"

"...Correct."

"Fuck! Probably some drunk asshole who went into hiding... I'm going to go scout out some body shops in the city and see if anyone's brought in a wrecked vehicle in the past four days." Zooming in on the photographs on his terminal screen Hank saw that there were several smears of red colored paint that had been transferred from the offending vehicle onto his own wrecked Oldsmobile. "Something red. Crimson red number fifty-six..." Trailing off a little Hank sighed as he let the incredible detail from his android brain slip through. "RED. The car is fucking red."

Feeling intimidate Connor discreetly shrunk down as Hank abruptly rose from his seat and walked across the bullpen to begin his investigation on his own. Willingly Connor stayed behind to focus on deviant related cases and give Hank plenty of space to work on his own case. The coin continued to dance gracefully over Connor's right knuckles, the deviant orchestrating the ballet seemed unusually tense and out of place as he tried to focus on his work.

Alone.

Using a precinct sanctioned squad car Hank drove to the body shop nearest the scene of the accident and worked his way outward. At the fourth shop Hank found his own car after it had been towed away and dropped off at the garage for repairs, and was impressed with the haste and professionalism of the work at hand. The large bodied vehicle had all of the damage to the body and undercarriage repaired, and the damage to the exhaust and wheel-wells had just been finished when he arrived.

Introducing himself, confirming his identity and then checking out the car for himself, Hank asked the shop owner and the skilled mechanics at the body shop about the day the car was brought in for repairs.

"When was the car brought in?" Hank asked as he put his hand on the hood of the repaired car where the paint was still missing. The old vehicle was sturdy enough to survive the wreck and Hank couldn't help but think of how he was determined to do the same thing. "It couldn't have been the night of the accident."

"Nope." The owner of the garage was in his early sixties, had dark hair with a slightly gray twinge to it, dark brown eyes, a modest pot belly and strong hands that were as calloused and rough as a sheet of sandpaper. Wiping engine grease from those very hands and onto an old red rag he spoke to Hank as he would any other loyal customer. "It was brought in the morning after. An android brought it in and said it had been held at a precinct storage unit for photographic evidence and shit like that."

"Android? Was it a male, tall, slim build, light skin with a few freckles, dark hair, and brown eyes?"

"That's him. Looked like a damn kid and seemed really jumpy about something. He kept juggling a quarter around as he filled out the paperwork."

"Yeah, I figured as much." Clearing his throat a little Hank continued with the questions. "Alright, so I know the other car in the accident was red and seemed to be a larger model. Anything like that come this way?"

"Nope. And I know the drill, Lieutenant. If any car comes in that fits the damage or description of another car after a reported hit and run I report it to the police."

"Right. If any red car comes your way give me a call. I'm going to check around the other shops."

"No problem."

"Oh, before I go..." Hank lifted his hand from the hood of his car and gave the mechanic a serious stare. "When will my car be ready for pick up?"

"Later this evening. We'll have the right color for the car mixed up in a couple of hours, and then she'll be ready to roll."

"And how much is the bill?"

"Already taken care of, Lieutenant. That android went ahead and paid the whole estimate and even gave my guys a real generous tip. We don't get too many androids around here, but that kid's alright in my book."

"...Oh. Well, I guess I should remind him that it's my car and my bill." Giving the mechanic a firm handshake without hurting him, his mind strictly on trying to keep his android strength and body from being noticed, Hank took his leave of the body shop to check out the next. "Thanks for your help."

"Any time, Lieutenant."

Still looking for the offending vehicle that had struck him on that cold fateful night Hank returned to the squad car, and began checking the G.P.S. mounted in the car's dash to locate the next body shop, only to find that the information and addresses he needed has been perfectly uploaded into his brain as he simply tried to make a mental note to remember his next stop. It was overwhelming at first but Hank had always been able to think on his feet, and handled it smoothly.

"...Alright, I won't complain about a better memory." Hank mumbled to himself as he turned the key over in the ignition of the car and backed out of the parking lot, and pull onto the street. "But it's still fuckin' weird..."

Busying himself at the precinct Connor focused on isolating and determining which deviant cases were worth investigating, and which cases were simply overreactions from paranoid people who were still convinced that deviant androids were going to harm them. Discovering that a disappointing number of the cases were nothing but misplaced fear and lingering hatred Connor filed away the cases to be handled by the local patrol, and decided that there was no need for him to be at the precinct for the rest of the day whatsoever.

Turning off his terminal screen Connor stood up from his desk and watched as a frightened shaking woman was shown to an interview room by Chris to get her statement, and his empathetic heart went out to her. Connor could see the painful black eye she was trying to hide under her hair, as well as the other hundreds of bruises that human eyes simply couldn't see forming all over her body. Although he didn't have much experience with dealing with victims of domestic disputes Connor wanted to be of some comfort to her as Chris took her case.

Walking into the breakroom Connor pulled down a clean white mug from the cupboard and filled it with hot water used for making small cups of coffee and tea, and selected a small baggie of green tea to steep in the hot water as he poured it into the mug. Keeping his back to the bullpen Connor paid no mind to Gavin, who was still pissed off about getting chewed out by Captain Fowler earlier that morning, as the detective glared got daggers into his back.

The bitter and bigoted detective was plotting some kind of petty revenge against Connor despite being threatened with a lengthy suspension followed by termination on his third strike, and he didn't care. "Fucking piece of plastic..."

As Connor dipped the small baggie into the mug he scanned the tea and found the temperature to be ideal and the tea to water ratio to be perfect. Neatly he put the soaked teabag in a napkin and disposed of it before he picked up the mug and took it to the interview room. Knocking softly on the door Connor opened the old wooden door slowly and gave the woman a sympathetic glance.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Would you care for some tea?" Placing the mug down on the wooden table toward her right hand Connor kept his distance to help make the woman feel a little safer without a towering male figure standing so close to her. "It is very cold and I know many officers prefer coffee or tea to stave off the cold."

The woman forced a gracious smile to her face as she balled up her tear soaked tissue in her hand and reached for the mug. "...Thank you."

Hearing the woman's voice and her appreciation allowed Connor's personal stress levels to drop and his red L.E.D. to return to yellow for the first time since the previous evening. Leaving the room just as quietly as when he entered Connor left Chris to speak to the woman in private and proceeded to find other things to keep himself busy until it was time for him to clock out, or until he worked up the nerve to ask Captain Fowler if he could leave early.

Spotting Tina now in the breakroom Connor walked into the community space to speak to her in a low whisper. "Officer Chen," he kept his back to the bullpen once more as he spoke while Tina stirred some sugar into her coffee mug. "I wanted to thank you for interfering the dispute I had with Detective Reed this morning."

"It wasn't a dispute, Sergeant. It was a confrontation." She sipped her coffee, grimaced at the lingering bitter taste, and added a little more sugar. "Don't let him push you around anymore. He maybe my partner and my best friend, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit back and watch him be an asshole to you."

"You don't... hate me?"

"Hate you?" The question was as shocking as it was heartbreaking. "Why would I hate you?"

"Because of what happened to Lieutenant Anderson."

"Whoa, Serg- Connor," she decided to speak to him like a friend and not a colleague in that moment. "what happened to Lieutenant Anderson isn't your fault. How could you think that? You weren't even there when the car accident happened."

"And I should have been there to protect him. He's my partner."

"That doesn't mean you have to play 'bodyguard' every second of the day."

"...What about my solution?"

"You mean putting his human mind in an android brain?"

"...Correct."

"If Lieutenant Anderson is still alive then I think your solution was a pretty damn good one."

"You do not think that I'm a monster, or have an android type of agenda against-"

"Connor, no." She took another sip of her coffee and found the sweetness acceptable. "I know you wouldn't hurt anyone on purpose."

"...Thank you, Tina."

"You're welcome, Connor."

As the young officer took her leave of the breakroom with the steaming mug of coffee in her hand Connor stayed back and stood beside the water cooler to think and have a moment alone in the peace and quiet. Feeling his stress levels dropping a little further Connor decided that once the day was over and Hank made some progress on his own case then things might slowly feel more normal until Hank was able to return to his human body.

Just as he felt like he was going to be okay he sensed someone walking up behind him and knew without looking that it was Gavin.

"What were you and Tina gossiping about? Huh?"

"We weren't gossiping, Gavin." Connor replied honestly as he turned to face the angry detective directly. His previously yellow L.E.D. flashed back to red at the sound of Gavin's voice. "We were merely-"

"You think you're so smart, so clever... We don't need you or want you around. All you do is make shit worse." Walking over to the coffee pot Gavin grabbed himself a mug from the cupboard and added the boiling coffee from the pot to the mug while he kept glancing over his shoulder toward Captain Fowler's office as he rudely accused Connor of unfounded rumors and lies. "But you're not fooling me. You took down Anderson, got him killed and are trying to pass off this android body as some type of favor to the old man, and now you're going to go after the rest of us. Looks like Tina's your next target."

"Not true. Tina was-"

"Stay away from my partner you sneaky piece of plastic!" Holding up the now full of cup of coffee Gavin took a single sip, and winced as the extreme temperature burned his lips and tongue, then threw the rest of the mug over Connor. The scalding hot coffee burned through his white dress shirt, all over his chest and stomach with a fiery splash. The extremely hot coffee managed to not only stain Connor's white shirt brown, but it managed to burn his artificial skin beneath within seconds. "You go near her and I'll put a bullet between your snake eyes and throw your worthless body in the river!"

As Connor stumbled backward and pressed his palms over his burned chest and abdomen his red L.E.D. flashed rapidly, and he let out a pained hiss between his clenched teeth.

"REED." Captain Fowler's voice sounded off again so loud it actually made Gavin jump in place as he turned to look toward his commanding officer standing outside his office door. "Get your ass in my office, NOW."

Putting the mug aside Gavin glared at Connor as if his reprimand was somehow the deviant's fault, and quickly crossed the bullpen to get to Captain Fowler's office as ordered.

Running a scan over the burns on his chest and stomach Connor discovered the heat of the coffee had caused first and a few second degree burns that his self-healing program would remedy in the next twenty-four hours. Using a napkin to absorb as much of the hot coffee from his shirt as possible Connor wanted to clean up the mess quickly, and to do so without drawing any further unwanted attention.

Hissing again as the pressure of the napkin against the soaked fabric of his shirt touched the raw burns beneath the ruined fabric Connor ignored the pain as best as he could, and initiated his self-healing program to tend to the burns as soon as possible.

"...Are you okay?"

Connor almost jumped away at the sound of Tina's voice as she rejoined him in the breakroom. Unable to look her in the eyes or look away from the coffee stains on his shirt the wounded and embarrassed deviant only nodded.

"There was no need for him to do that!" Tina sounded rightfully disappointed in her partner as she picked up a few napkins herself to help Connor clean up the coffee that Gavin threw all over him, the floor and the nearby countertop. "I'll try to talk to him later and figure out what crawled up his ass..."

"...That won't be necessary." Throwing away the coffee drenched napkins Connor just stared down at his ruined shirt and sighed a little as he pulled the hot fabric away from his burned skin. "It's not a serious issue."

"Yes it is! He assaulted you."

"...It was an accident."

"Connor, don't-"

"It was an accident, Officer Chen." The deviant responded firmly as if he were trying to rewrite history. "Nothing more."

"An accident? And he just so happened to 'spill' his coffee all over you on a day when he's particularly pissed off? You may have more experience as a detective but I'm no rookie. I know he did this on purpose."

"...I merely don't want to have things escalate any further." Glancing up at Captain Fowler's office Connor watched as Gavin stormed out of the private room and was escorted to the front doors of the precinct by two other officers as he had been immediately suspended without pay for his little stunt in the breakroom against Connor. "But it might be too late."

Captain Fowler opened his office door and motioned for Connor join him. "Connor, I need to speak with you."

Glancing at the mess still needing to be cleaned up Connor hesitated, but did so only after Tina gave him a casual wave of the hand to confirm that she was going to finish cleaning up as a way of apologizing for her partner's shitty and immature attitude.

Pulling the gray suit jacket around himself to hide as much of the coffee stain as possible Connor crossed through the bullpen to go and speak with Captain Fowler in the private office as instructed. Sitting down in the empty chair on the opposite side of the desk and Captain Fowler himself as the commanding officer reclaimed his own seat Connor stared blankly at the desk between them, and fell silent with unnecessary shame in his soulful brown eyes.

"I saw what happened, Connor." Speaking with a level and calm tone of voice Captain Fowler tried to ease the deviant's worries and reassure him that he had done nothing wrong. "Gavin had already been warned to keep away from you for the rest of the day, but he went after you in the breakroom anyway."

"It was an accident, Captain. Gavin spilled the coffee on my shirt."

"No, he didn't Connor. I told you I saw what happened. He threw it all over you and assaulted an officer."

"...He's just-"

"Don't make excuses for him being an inexcusable jackass." Leaning forward a little Captain Fowler neatly folded his hands together, and rested his arms atop his desk as he informed the deviant of Gavin's punishment. "Everyone in the precinct knows what happened to Hank was a horrible car accident and your solution to keep him alive is as unorthodox as it is effective. We all know in time Hank will be back to his old-self, literally, and everything can go back to normal."

"...I very much doubt that, sir."

"It's been a tough day for you. Don't think I didn't notice that you and Hank aren't exactly talking to each other right now, or that I didn't notice that your little light's been red all day long. You finished your case files and your reports, so just head on home and clean yourself up. I'm giving you the rest of the day off with full pay."

"I don't want to leave just yet."

"What? Why?"

"I don't want to encounter Gavin for a possible third time today."

"Did he threaten you?"

"No. But I know he is unlikely to walk away from this 'event' willingly, or quietly. He's convinced I'm out to harm Tina and that I'm responsible for Hank's current situation."

"Right. Just hail a cab and I'll escort you outside myself. If Gavin's stupid enough to come after you again when I'm right there to see everything his ass is going to be fired, AND he'll be arrested for assault, not just suspended again."

Nodding a little Connor slowly rose from the chair and made a cybernetic call to hail an autonomous cab as ordered. "...Thank you, Captain."

Finally locating the offending red colored car that had struck his own car in a body shop across the city, far away from the scene of the accident four nights prior, Hank asked the mechanics and shop owner for a few details regarding the vehicle's owner. The questions Hank asked were important and appropriate, yet the answers he received were less than beneficial toward solving the case itself. His instincts as a detective told him that the shop didn't want cops around, and were going to make things unnecessarily complicated.

"You're telling me you don't know who dropped off this car, when they did it, or when they'll be back?" Staring down the shop owner, a shorter skinny guy with damaged skin and rotten teeth from 'red ice' abuse, Hank made his authority known as he sought an honest answer. Motioning to the shop with a casual wave of his right index finger Hank gave the man an incredulous stare. "You don't have ANY security cameras in this place?"

"The cameras are busted, pal."

"Uh-huh, and what about your mechanics who accepted the job? Let me guess, they're blind and can't give me a description of the vehicle's owner."

"You can't say I discriminate if I hire the blind."

"Uh-huh... Let me ask you this, if I went ahead and got a warrant to have this entire garage, your personal lockers and your own people searched over by a drug team, what would I find?"

The smug shop owner suddenly fell silent as he realized Hank was going to make things as difficult for him as he had been planning to do to Hank.

"That's what I thought." Without changing his expression Hank cybernetically acknowledged that the warrant request he had filed was quickly accepted, approved, and enacted. There was a small narcotics squad en route and he could already hear the sirens approaching the body shop. "Good thing I have the warrant already filed, 'buddy'. This is going to be entertaining."

Snow was beginning to fall again and it clung desperately to the hair and clothing of anyone out walking the streets that afternoon. Arriving at the house via autonomous cab Connor quickly entered the house to get out of the cold from the lingering winter. Greeted by Sumo, who trotted happily over to the deviant the moment he stepped through the front door, Connor rubbed the large dogs ears and felt a twinge of relief wash over him.

Petting Sumo always did wonders for reducing his stress levels and making the deviant feel much calmer. Right now Sumo's company couldn't be more appreciated.

"Hey, boy." Running his right fingers through Sumo's thick soft fur Connor's stress levels dropped from a dangerous eighty-seven percent, down to a more stable forty percent as soon as he began petting the loyal dog. "I came home early, but I don't think it'd be a good idea to go for a walk in this cold weather."

Straightening his posture Connor loosened the knot on his coffee stained black tie and shrugged off his gray CyberLife suit jacket, one that he'd either need to replace or modify to make it less machine-esque, and he carefully unbuttoned his dress shirt to visually assess the burns on his lower chest, and over his abdomen. His artificial skin was simultaneously bright and dark blue, and there were a few swollen patches of the skin where the burns were the most severe.

Pressing his right fingertips to the burns he flinched and hissed again as the pain flared up. "Damn it."

Retreating to the bathroom down the hallway Connor located the brand new and fully stocked special android unique first aid kit stored on a small shelf beneath the sink, and put it down on top of the sink as he popped open the lid to rummage through it. Picking up a bottle of android antiseptic, essentially saline solution mixed with diluted Thirium, Connor poured a small amount on a clean washcloth and gingerly cleaned up the burns and made sure any trace of the scorching coffee had been removed from his damaged artificial skin.

There wasn't any burn salve in the kit, but there were gauze bandages and wraps that he could use to protect the burns until his self-healing program repaired the damage to his artificial skin. Running a quick scan of the contents of the bathroom and the medicine cabinet behind the mirror Connor detected a very small amount of burn salve in an old container on the top shelf.

"It can't hurt to try to use this." Connor decided as he opened the mirror and located the container. It was old but still usable. Opening the lid of the small round container Connor put a decent amount on his right fingertips and lightly applied a coat over the burns, and returned the lid to the container, and left it on the edge of the sink instead of returning it to the medicine cabinet. "...It didn't do much for the pain, but I imagine it'll help keep my artificial skin from becoming infected."

Turning his attention back to the bandages in the first aid kit Connor placed a large rectangular bandage over his burned abdomen and his lower chest, and used the small roll of medical adhesive to hold the bandage in place. Shrugging off his ruined shirt entirely Connor was able to easily wrap the gauze around his torso and protect the burns under the layer of bandages until the wounds healed.

Packing up the kit Connor replaced it under the sink and picked up his ruined shirt from the floor to be washed, and possibly salvaged. A whimper from the opened bathroom door drew Connor's attention to Sumo as the massive dog watched him curiously without intruding into the small bathroom to get closer to the deviant.

"I'm okay, boy. Just a little sore." Rubbing Sumo's ears as he passed through the bathroom door Connor opened the hallway closet where he had been keeping his extra clothes until he had an apartment of his own, and pulled a simple black t-shirt from the hanger to put on in place of his coffee stained dress shirt. "I'm going to have to do some laundry tonight. Good thing your blanket's already been washed, otherwise your fur might choke up the washing machine."

Grabbing his jacket and his tie from where he had left them on the couch Connor carried his dirty clothes to the laundry room that was connected to the kitchen, and threw the previously white shirt into the washing machine and gathered a few other white colored pieces of clothing as to not waste the water, or energy. Adding a generous amount of bleach to his stained shirt and to the white towels Connor turned the water to hot and left his jacket and coffee stained tie on the dryer to be cleaned later on.

"Let's go outside for a minute, boy." Connor called Sumo over the backdoor in the kitchen and let the massive dog into the backyard for a few moments as he filled up Sumo's bowls with fresh food and water again. As soon as Sumo heard his food being poured he trotted back through the backdoor and wagged his tail happily in response. "I need to run a few errands this afternoon, so it's best to take care of you before I leave the house again."

Running his hand along Sumo's back Connor's red L.E.D. switched to yellow and he felt his stress drop down to thirty percent.

"You're a good dog, Sumo." The deviant stated in a somber tone of voice as he continued to pet the dog gently. "I'm glad you're here to keep me company until things with Hank improve. I don't like being alone."

The body shop was closed down for an indefinite period of time as the shop owner and all of his mechanics were arrested on numerous charges of possession of illegal substances, distribution of illegal substances, fraud, carrying unlicensed firearms, aiding a suspect wanted for a hit and run, destruction of evidence and several other violations that ensure the group would be quick to offer up information in exchange for a lighter sentence. The precinct was going to be dealing with a lot of interviews that afternoon courtesy of one stubborn detective confronting an equally stubborn mechanic.

Hank looked almost proud as he watched the four men getting arrested and escorted out of the shop, and knew that even if he didn't find the driver who hit his the car the night of the accident, he at the very least got four corrupt drug and arms dealers off the streets, and away from the public. Checking over the work order on the offensive red car now that he wasn't being hindered by the uncooperative shop owner, Hank finally got a name to match the registration to the vehicle.

"Gotcha' asshole..." Hank pulled out his phone and made a move to have the name checked for a criminal history, only to remember that his new android brain could do the same thing almost instantly. Closing his blue eyes Hank tried to 'think' of the right command and after a minute or two of trial and error he ran the name through the criminal database, only to find out the name was in fact an alias. "Fuck! Another dead end."

Sighing loudly Hank passed over the gathered evidence to another officer at the scene, and instructed him to take every little piece collected and scour it with a magnifying glass in order to figure out the real name of the driver of the vehicle.

"We have an alias to go by; Frank Stone." The senior detective explained as he passed over the shop's records to the younger officer. "Work with that and check for any suspects who might be looking to make a deal with the cops by rollin' on this asshole."

Taking Hank's orders and the evidence the officer set about the investigation. "Right away, Lieutenant."

Until he could find a new lead to follow all Hank could do was go back to the precinct to file his report and call it a day. A very strange, somewhat productive day, but a routine day nonetheless.

Glancing about the shop Hank noticed the security cameras in the corner overlooking the front desk and honed in on it for a few seconds. His vision displayed a text that confirmed the camera wasn't plugged in, and hadn't been activated in years. There was in fact no security footage to be used in confirming the suspect's identity just as the shop owner said. However, the camera footage on every corner of the streets throughout the city, as well as police drones circling the city throughout the night, must have some recorded footage he can use to his advantage.

"...Maybe I can talk Connor into helping me learn how to hack security footage tonight. It's my next best lead."

Returning to the house with Hank's newly repaired car picked up from the body shop and a few extra bottles of Thirium tucked under his left arm Connor walked to the front door, and slipped his spare key into the lock. As the door opened Connor was met with a happy bark from Sumo and again his stress level dropped a little more. Tossing the car keys on the bookshelf against the far wall of the livingroom Connor pet Sumo's head as the massive dog jumped down from the couch to meet him, and then carried the Thirium into the kitchen to be put away.

"Sorry, boy. I did not anticipate being gone for five hours and nineteen minutes. It is a good thing I fed you before I had left." Placing the new bottles of Thirium up and into the cabinet above the sink Connor winced as the motion of lifting his arm above his head pulled on his abdomen, but there wasn't much he could do about the pain until his self-healing program finished its task. "I guess you're the only one who'll need dinner tonight. I don't want to break the routine of cooking or let the food in the refrigerator spoil, so I'm going to make you something special."

As he opened up the refrigerator and scanned over the available ingredients that wouldn't be harmful to a dog's health Connor caught the sound of the front door opening and looked over his shoulder in time to see Hank returning home as well. Running a scan over Hank's person Connor noted that Hank's android vital signs and systems were running at optimal parameters that didn't require any adjustments from his experiences throughout the day, and that alone was a good sign.

"Hey, Connor." Hank sighed as he walked through the livingroom and eyed the car keys sitting on the bookshelf. Snow was falling from his shoulders and melting into his dark hair as it clung to the strands with a crystalline grip. "Glad you picked up the car. How much do I owe you?"

The question made Connor's brow furrow as he closed the refrigerator door and turned to face Hank directly. "...Owe me?"

"You paid for the repairs on MY car. I'm going to pay YOU back."

"...It isn't necessary."

"Connor, don't do that. I don't want you shelling out a couple hundred, if not thousand, bucks for my car. What do I owe you?"

"Lieutenant," his L.E.D. shifted from yellow to red again as he spoke. "you don't need to pay me back."

"No, but I want to."

"...Please don't worry about it."

"For fuck sake, Connor! What's the big deal? Why don't you-" Hank's blue eyes narrowed on Connor's face as he saw the red L.E.D. and realized Connor's been on edge for almost a full day now. Normally Connor was very calm and composed, not jumpy. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"Nothing. Why do you ask?"

"Your L.E.D. has been red for a full day now, what the fuck is going on?"

The deviant paused as he anxiously wrung his hands together before himself. "...I'm not trying to make things difficult, but I-."

"Either tell me what's wrong or don't!" Marching into the kitchen Hank eyed the younger deviant with an annoyed glare as if to size him up. The height different was never extreme between the two but Hank had a way of carrying himself that made him look ten feet tall. "Don't try to deny something's wrong, and don't try to lie to me."

Connor froze and fell completely silent as he glanced away from Hank with uncharacteristic fear in his soulful brown eyes.

"Hello?" Snapping his fingers twice in Connor's face Hank was rewarded with more silence. Annoyed by the younger deviant's odd behavior Hank backed away and left the kitchen in thick aggravation. "If you're not going to tell me what's going on then go ahead and fuck off! I don't care."

Forcing himself to glance back up Connor watched as Hank disappeared around the corner of the kitchen and into the hallway out of sight. "...I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

Sumo whimpered and pawed at Connor's left leg and almost immediately had the deviant fall to his knees on the floor, and wrap both arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"I can't seem to do anything right by anyone anymore." Connor muttered to himself as Sumo whimpered again, and he buried his face into the thick fur around Sumo's neck. "...At least you still trust me, boy."

Within the isolation of his bedroom Hank took off his heavy dark coat and unbuttoned his oversized blue dress shirt to sit in his jeans and the white t-shirt underneath as he tried to relax on his bed, and let out an irritated sigh. Grabbing his laptop from the small cubbie beneath his nightstand Hank opened it up and logged into the precinct remotely with his credentials, and resumed his look into the vehicle that had struck him now four nights ago. The alias was a dead end but that didn't mean his search was over.

"Alright, let's see if I can figure out that little hacking trick for cameras that Connor mastered..."

Typing away at a speed he didn't know he could muster Hank logged in and located the security camera footage from the correct date, at the correct time on the night of the accident, and proceeded to try to upload the footage to his own laptop to analyze later on.

"Okay, I found the file I need..." Typing a few key commands Hank tried but failed to get the information to upload remotely. "Come on!" As he typed away more frantically the artificial skin on his right hand retracted itself against his will exposing his plastimetal hand, and of course Hank became distracted by the response. "Ah, damn it! No way..."

Lifting up his right hand from the keyboard he looked at the exposed frame and turned his hand over to stare at his palm as he flexed his fingers.

"Shit." Putting the laptop aside Hank left is bedroom to seek Connor's help, and found the deviant still in the kitchen and putting a special meal down in Sumo's bowl. It was like Connor was doing everything in his power to keep the old dog from succumbing to old age, and to make Sumo the happiest and most pampered dog in all of Detroit. "Kid, I need some help."

Connor all but flinched when Hank's voice called out to him and his L.E.D. flickered in red rapidly as he forced himself to look Hank in the eyes. "...How can I help you, Lieutenant?"

"My, uh..." Holding up his right hand Hank showed the exposed appendage out for Connor to see. It was a strange sight to behold, not just because of the extreme contrast between the white colored plastimetal and natural human skin, but because Hank was supposed to be one-hundred percent human. "My skin broke."

"...Oh."

"How do I fix it?"

"...You just... fix it. I don't know how to... explain it." The deviant could feel his stress levels rising as he struggled to find a way to help Hank. It was a rare moment where Connor had the information but didn't know how to use it. "It's just a normal function of being an android."

"You know for being so damn smart you're not much help to me right now!"

"...I'm sorry."

"If you're not going to help me out with this then why are you even here?" Crossing his arms over his chest, the exposed right hand resting over his left arm, Hank continued to be short-tempered with the younger deviant. "Being put in this android body was your idea."

Falling silent again Connor pulled his coin from his right jean pocket and went to dance it over his knuckles as his stress level rose up to a dangerous ninety-two percent. As the cold, aged coin reached the back of his warm knuckles Hank reached out his exposed right hand with impressive speed and snatched it away from Connor in a bitterly aggressive manner.

"Knock that shit off!"

Connor jumped back and noted his stress levels shot up to ninety-seven percent in response to the action. "...Sor-"

"And don't tell me your sorry! Just tell me what's going on with you?" Keeping the coin for himself and locked in his plastimetal hand Hank again tried to figure out what was going on inside Connor's head. The deviant's behavior was very unusual. "Did you do something to my android brain without telling me?"

"No!" Almost defensive and entirely offended at the question Connor was evidently hurt with the cruel accusation. The question made him feel as bad as being accused by Gavin of intentionally harming Hank to begin with. "I'd never do anything to hurt you."

"Well, you sure as Hell act like you're up to something!"

"I'm not! I just... I keep trying to-"

"Try helping me figure this out!" Holding up his right plastimetal fist Hank again shouted and wanted Connor to fix the little bug he encountered. "I want to know what happened during that accident, and I can't concentrate on my work like this."

Sounding almost defeated Connor looked away from Hank in misplaced shame as he felt like his only option was to back off. "...You don't want my help."

"You know what? You're right, I don't." Turning around Hank shook his head and walked back to his bedroom down the hallway to finish his task. "I handle this case alone. It won't be the first time I thought someone I could count on failed me."

"Lieutenant, please!" The comment stung more than Connor anticipated and his usually stoic emotional resolve began to break. "I'm trying to-"

"Forget it!" Hank just kept walking as he gave Connor a dismissive wave of his left hand and kept the coin in his possession. His short temper seemed to have gotten shorter thanks to becoming an android against his will, and there was nothing he could do about it. "Goodnight, Connor."

"But Lieu-"

The slam of the bedroom door muted Connor's words and went unheard by the gruff Lieutenant as he again put space between himself and the deviant.

As his stress levels rested at a precarious ninety-nine percent Connor's soulful brown eyes fell to the kitchen floor and he decided that maybe what Gavin said earlier was right after all. No one wanted him around, and everyone would be better off without him. The fact that he couldn't even help Hank, who was supposed to be his best friend; his only friend, was all the evidence the deviant detective needed to confirm that Gavin's accusations were right.

Giving Sumo's ears one last rub of affection Connor looked out the window above the sink to the falling snow outside, and shuddered at the thought of coming into direct contact with the extreme cold. With his gray suit jacket damaged by the coffee and in need of cleaning Connor decided to not bother with the garment and just leave the house.

"...Good dog." Looking down at Sumo, who seemed to be his only remaining ally, Connor addressed the massive bundle of fluff with a heartbreaking dour tone of voice as he gently rubbed his ears. "Stay a good dog. Ha- The Lieutenant," Connor shamefully corrected his term of choice. "needs someone he can rely on. That person isn't me..."

Sumo whimpered as he sensed Connor's distress and licked the side of his right hand as if pleading with the deviant to not do anything reckless.

Walking toward the backdoor Connor put his right hand on the doorknob and closed his eyes as he turned the handle and opened the door where he was met with a freezing cold gust of winter air. Snow swirled about the air and encircled Connor as he stepped through the door and out into the cold winter night so he could leave Hank alone as he requested.

"...Goodbye, Lieutenant."

-next chapter-

From the doorway of the now occupied bedroom Hank watched Connor sleeping in the new bed, and inadvertently ran a scan over the deviant to check for any further sign of distress. As much as Hank hated being an android and having so many numbers and statistics popping up in his vision against his will, he did find himself oddly content with using the enhanced function to his advantage every now and then. Noting that Connor was stable; his Thirium volume was back up to ninety-eight percent capacity, his core temperature was down to ninety-eight point six degrees Fahrenheit and his Thirium pump rate was holding at a steady sixty-two beats per minute as he remained in rest mode, Hank was satisfied the young deviant was no longer in any danger.

"Thanks for holding on through the night, kid." Patting the side of his left leg Sumo's ears perked up and his tail wagged as he recognized his mastering calling him over. Plodding off of the bed heavily Sumo walked over to the door frame and pressed his cold wet nose into Hank's left hand hanging down at the gruff detective's side. "I'll let you rest a while longer and take care of Sumo for you."

Connor had barely heard Hank's voice speaking to him as Sumo's movement had roused him from his rest mode. Opening his tired eyes slowly Connor took in his new surroundings, and immediately ran a self-diagnostic. All of his systems were stable just as Hank's own scanner had shown just a few seconds before, and yet Connor felt absolutely weak and horrendous where he laid.

Neatly folding his hands together over top of his chest Connor stared blankly up at the ceiling over his bed, the yellow glow of his L.E.D. bathing the far wall in a faint amber hue. With no mission or objective to complete Connor had no reason to get out of the bed at that moment. Even the desire to check on Hank was gone as Hank had told him numerous times that he didn't need his help, and had told Connor to stay out of his sight.

Everything in the house was quiet save for Hank's footsteps returning down the hallways after he had let Sumo outside into the backyard for the morning. The pipes in the walls were rattling slightly as the hot water heater fought to keep the pipes from freezing, the windows shook every twelve point two seconds as consistent gusts of wintry winds surrounded the house, and the floorboards creaked under Hank's weight as he drew nearer.

"Connor?" The senior detective whispered as he stepped back into the bedroom to check on Connor for the second time. Seeing the younger deviant's hands in a different position told Hank that Connor had exited rest mode and was now awake. "Hey, how do you feel, kid?"

"...I'm stable."

"That's not what I meant."

"...I don't know what else to say. I'm just... normal."

"Yeah, I can't say that I blame ya' on that." Walking over to the bed Hank looked down at Connor's face and was relieved to see that the dark blue bruises, cuts and swelling had practically healed overnight. All that remained was a mild pale blue discoloration under Connor's left eye from the minor Thirium leak beneath his artificial skin still needing to fully evaporate. "You look better than you did last night, so that's good."

"...Yes. Thank you for assisting me."

Sensing that something was upsetting the young deviant Hank pressed for some answers. "Connor, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, Lieutenant."

"First of all, call me 'Hank' and not 'Lieutenant'." Sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Connor's legs Hank's brow furrowed slightly as Connor turned his face away and buried his yellow L.E.D. against the pillow beneath his head. "And second, you're new to emotions and don't lie very well. Tell me what's bothering you."

"...It's not important."

"Sure it is. I know I was being a dick to you before, but-" As he reached out to put his left hand on Connor's left shoulder Hank's hand froze in mid air as Connor physically flinched, and tensed up as if afraid that he'd be struck. "Hey, it's okay. You're safe here."

"...I know."

"Then you know I'm not going to hurt ya', right?"

Without having to say a word Connor answered the question with complete honesty.

"Connor, are you..." Retracting his hand Hank gave the young deviant a somewhat hurt stare as he realized how much he screwed up. "Are you afraid of me?"

Holding his silence Connor took in a deep breath and let it out quickly as he closed his eyes, and refused to look Hank in the eyes.

"Ah, fuck. Kid, I'm sorry." Despite his gruff exterior Hank harbored a heart of gold and the last thing he wanted was his own partner to be intimidated by his very presence. "I'm so sorry."

With his eyes still closed Connor tried to turn on his right side and presented his back to Hank, as he was still too tired and sore to move any further.

"Please don't be afraid of me. I know... I know how I looked and how I sounded when I yelled at you, and when I pushed you away. You were just trying to help me and I was too pissed off at the whole world to see it." As much as he wanted to put his hand on Connor's shoulder and provide some form of comfort he knew that the direct contact wasn't the best idea at the moment. "I promise you that for as long as we know each other I will never hurt you. I'm not just your partner, I'm your friend."

"...Friend?"

"Yeah, kid. We're friends. You know that."

"...I... I don't think we actually are friends."

"What? Why's that?"

"...Friends don't- They don't..." Trailing off Connor shook his head a little as he struggled to understand what he was feeling. "I can't... explain it."

"They don't do what I did. That's what you're trying to say. And..." letting out a weary broken sigh of his own Hank looked down at his mismatched hands and recognized that he had screwed up big time. "you're right. Friends aren't supposed to do that to each other. I'm sorry."

Opening his eyes a little Connor barely made a move as he found his voice again. "...It won't be a problem for much longer."

"A problem? What do you mean?"

"...I can move into one of the android apartment complexes, and ask to be either assigned a new partner at the precinct, or resign my commission and become a private investigator. Either way I won't bother you anymore."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... I told you last night that this is your home." Hank leaned toward Connor to try to look him in the eyes as he used his hands and motioned to the bedroom that had been cleaned out and refurnished just for Connor. "And you're my partner! The first one I've had in years that I actually want to work with. You don't have to go anywhere."

"...You don't want me around, Lieutenant."

"Yes I do, Connor."

"You told me to 'fuck off' and to keep out of your sight. I don't understand why you're suddenly telling me otherwise. It's very confusing and it's difficult to understand what I need to do to make you happy with my existence."

"It's because I was pissed off and I wrongfully took my anger out on you. I was wrong to do that and I didn't mean what I said."

The contradiction was confusing the already emotionally distraught deviant and his yellow L.E.D. was now flickering a blood red in his temple, but the glow was being smothered out by the pillow beneath his head. "...If you didn't mean what you said then, how I am to believe what you are saying now?"

"...I don't know, kid. I guess..." Running his left hand through his short brunette hair with self-imposed frustration Hank was at a total loss of what to do. "...I can't exactly ask you to just trust me after everything I said to you, or even ask you to stop being afraid of me, but I would like to ask that you at least give me a chance to prove that I am in fact your friend."

Connor wasn't sure how to respond to the request. "...How does someone prove that they're someone else's friend?"

"Well, I guess we'll find out."

"...Maybe."

That last comment stung more than Hank could've realized. Understanding that Connor was hurting; physically, emotionally, mentally and perhaps even on a psychological level, Hank decided to let the matter drop and give the shaken deviant some space. "Why don't you lay here and rest for a while longer? When you're feeling more up to it we'll talk again. Okay?"

Pausing for a moment before offering a single subtle nod Connor agreed to rest for a while before they tried to speak to one another, again and make amends.

"Okay. I'll see you in a few hours when you're feeling better." Stepping away from the edge of the bed Hank guiltily looked down at the deviant he had been trying to help for all these past months now, hurting and struggling more than ever because he couldn't accept help in return. "Hopefully the blizzard will let up soon and we won't have to worry about the power getting knocked out, or some other stupid shit."

Pulling the door partially shut behind himself Hank dragged his left hand over his face and put his right hand to his hip as he realized how much he screwed up regarding Connor's confidence and sense of emotional strength. He had watched through Connor's own eyes as Hank had yelled right in his face, swore at him, insulted him, pushed him around and made him feel worthless. Knowing that other people had been treating Connor in such a vile way and seeing that had been just as bad made Hank feel utterly sick to his stomach.

"Poor kid's been through Hell and all he wants to do is help people."

Returning to the kitchen Hank opened the backdoor and let Sumo back inside after running about in the backyard to take care of his business. The massive dog trotted back into the kitchen, shook off the clinging snowflakes to his fur, and promptly checked out his bowls on the kitchen floor.

"When you're done eating," Hank casually addressed the dog as he poured some food into the empty bowl and watched Sumo quickly begin gobbling it up. "go lay down with Connor again. The kid really needs a friend right now, and I guess that it isn't me. You're the only one who hasn't yelled at him."

Harsh wind and cold snow swirled around the city in a cascade of white ice that sheathed and layered every surface it touched.

Watching through the front window as the world around him steadily became whiter and colder Hank put his exposed right hand against the cool surface of the glass and closed his blue eyes. Running a scan on the weather through the exposed palm of his hand Hank's eyes were bombarded with information on the storm outside. Temperature, wind chill factor, snow depth, wind speed, predicted snow accumulation... All of it was there before his eyes and all he had to do was touch the window to access it.

"...How in the hell do androids deal with this non-stop information all damn day?" Lifting his hand from the window Hank stared at the faint outline of his palm against the glass and noticed the lack of fingerprints that would normally be left behind. Turning over his hand to stare at his blank palm Hank sighed and tightened that palm into a tight fist. "I can't wait to be human again. Being an android really does suck."

With a silent gait Hank walked away from the snow covered window and back down the hallway to check on the wounded deviant in his care. Pushing open Connor's bedroom door open slowly and quietly Hank peered inside the doorway and saw Connor laying on his back in the bed again, and had Sumo's chin resting on his chest as the deviant gently rubbed the massive dog's ears with his right hand. Connor's eyes were open and he was staring blankly up at the ceiling as his yellow tinted L.E.D. blinked rhythmically in his right temple.

"Connor?"

The young deviant's L.E.D. briefly blinked to red before cycling back to yellow upon hearing Hank's voice.

"Hey, uh, there's a break in the storm coming. We should go out and grab a few supplies, and get back to the house before it gets bad again."

"...I don't require anything."

"Since I used up a lot of that shit in the android first aid kit and Thirium when I got you all patched up I think you do." Hank laughed a little as he glanced down at his exposed right hand and decided to change his wording just a tad. "I guess I should say we need more supplies."

"It can wait."

"And Sumo's going to need to have some more food and training pads in case it gets too cold and snowy for him to go outside."

"...My presence isn't required for purchasing pet supplies. You know what's best for Sumo."

"Connor, please go with me. I don't want to leave you here alone."

The younger deviant turned his head a little to look at Hank but he didn't say a word.

"Come on, being cooped up inside all day long is going to make us both restless." Remembering that he had purchased Connor new clothes Hank located the neatly folded and clean garments from the shopping bag on the floor at the foot of the bed and retrieved them just long enough to drop them down on the bed beside Connor's legs to wear. "Change into these to keep yourself warm, and we'll head out for an hour tops. We'll just get the supplies we need, come back here and you can keep sleeping if you want."

"...I wasn't sleeping."

"I know, but when you're hurt or sick exhaustion comes with the territory. You're going to want to head back to bed after we get what we need."

Connor looked down at the clothing that Hank had given to him and stopped petting Sumo's ears. Using his elbows to push himself upright on the bed Connor winced slightly at the lingering pain in his chest and made a move to grab the new t-shirt, hoodie and beanie sitting atop the pile of clothing.

"...Do, uh, ya' need help?"

Pausing for a moment Connor glanced over at Hank and then shook his head 'no'.

"Alright. I'm going to change into some warmer clothes and get the car warmed up so we can get out and back as soon as possible."

Stepping out of the bedroom again Hank retreated to his own bedroom to layer up with his baggier clothes and old Detroit Police hoodie for the first time in almost fifteen years. Fishing a pair of old black leather gloves from the pockets of an equally old winter coat Hank managed to hide his mismatched hands in an entirely discreet manner that made him feel almost normal again.

"At least now my hands match again."

Passing by Connor's opened bedroom Hank glanced inside and saw the deviant had changed into the new clothes, and was slowly tying the laces on his work boots over his socked feet with slow, almost uncoordinated fingers. Even the slightest of movements seemed to hurt the young deviant and yet he wasn't saying a damn word of complaint about it.

Grabbing his heavy winter coat that was still by the front door Hank pulled it around himself and already had his car keys at the ready. Opening the front door Hank bowed his face down and out of the strong gust of wind that was cutting through his artificial skin like a knife, and walked over to the driveway beside the house to get to the car parked idly in the snow.

Just as quickly as he left the front door Hank managed to unlock the driver's side door of the vehicle, and put the key in the ignition. Turning over the engine of the newly repaired car with amazing ease Hank cranked up the heater and windshield defrosters to get the car thawed out and ready to go.

"Fuckin' hell..." Hank pulled the collar of his dark coat up and around his ears and throat to protect himself based on his human instincts to keep warm, and rushed over the snowy lawn to get to the front door again. "When I retire," he shut the door behind himself and leaned his back up against it for a moment before walking back down the hallway. "I'm going somewhere warm! Florida, Hawaii... maybe I'll just camp out on the rim of an active volcano."

Knocking twice on the opened door frame of Connor's bedroom door Hank peered inside again and saw Connor pulling down the woolen beanie over his hair to cover up his yellow L.E.D. and let out a pained sigh as he pressed his right palm to his lower abdomen again. The thick leather coat over top of his dark blue hoodie would undoubtedly keep the deviant warm, but if he was still injured and malfunctioning then it didn't matter how many protective layers he was wearing.

"Are you okay?"

"...I'm stable."

"You look like you're in pain."

"I'm fine."

"You're sure? I mean," Hank gave the young deviant a worried glance as he stood inside the doorway. "I'm no expert on android technology, and my repairs on you might be passable, but I think you should go see a real technician."

"No."

"Not every technician worked for CyberLife, kid. You don't have to be afraid of going to facilities."

Connor's brow arched a little as he contemplated what Hank had said. "...How did you know I mistrust facilities and technicians?"

"Huh?"

"I've never said anything about that in the past. How do you know about my hesitation?"

"...I, uh, when I was trying to help you in the alleyway you muttered something about not going to see a technician."

"No, there's something more." Straightening up his posture as much as possible Connor gave Hank a somewhat aggravated glare. "You specially stated that I didn't want to see technicians because of CyberLife. Why? Even if I stated I hate CyberLife technicians that wouldn't also entail my mistrust of facilities."

"Okay, you're right. When I was helping you out I accidentally ended up... Well, I saw your memories."

"You probed my memories?"

"Not on purpose."

Connor's brown eyes went wide with shock as he turned away from Hank as if he had just been insulted.

"I'm sorry, Connor. I can't help it." Removing his right glove Hank showed Connor that his hand was still exposed and he couldn't figure out how to regenerate the artificial skin over the appendage. "When I picked you up and put you on the couch something connected and I... I saw everything."

"Everything?"

"...The way the world treats you." Sitting down beside Connor on the edge of the bed Hank wasn't at all surprised to see Connor flinch and lean away from him in response. "You're just trying to be a good person and do the right thing, you always have. But no one gives you a chance to prove that you're the good person that you know you are. Even the other deviants give you judgmental glares when you're in New Jericho Tower. Humans mock you in the street and you get threatened by Gavin at the precinct every shift. It's not right, Connor."

"...I'm used to it."

"You shouldn't be used to being mistreated, kid. It's wrong."

"...If you saw my memories then you know that it doesn't matter what I do or whom I associate with; I'm destined to be an outcast."

"No, you're NOT an outcast and deserve respect because you've earned it. You belong here with me, because you're my friend."

"...I highly doubt that."

"Doubt all you want, I'm going to show you that you have a place in this world and you deserve to be treated like the good person you are. I'm also going to prove that you're my friend and that I won't be an asshole to you anymore. You deserve to be treated better than that."

Connor stayed quiet and he stared blankly at the floor beneath his foot. It was as if the deviant was trying to rescind his deviancy and become a cold unfeeling machine all over again to avoid feeling the horrible pain that was tearing his newly discovered heart apart.

"Come on. Let's go get what we need, and then we'll get back to the house. The last thing you need is to get stranded in a blizzard again."

The streets were relatively vacant save for the occasional police car and autonomous taxi pushing through the snowy roads. While most department stores and businesses had closed early due to the poor weather a few grocery stores and shops remained open to aid people in need. Hank had stopped by an Android Emergency Care Facility to pick up additional Thirium and a brand new android first aid kit while Connor remained in the warm car, unwilling to leave the safety of the vehicle, or accompany Hank anywhere in the cold.

With the fresh android supplies picked up and packed into the trunk of the car, Hank located a small pet shop that was still open to the public and pulled the car up to the front of the building and came to a gentle stop. "We just need to pick up Sumo's food, some training pads and maybe a few treats, and we can return home. Okay?"

Connor nodded a little and he just stared blankly through the front windshield with his arms crossed over his chest. The deviant's artificial skin was still somewhat pale from his self-healing program using so much power it kept his skin from generating at its normal complexion. With his arms crossed over his chest he looked like he was cold and just some average kid suffering from the flu.

"Come inside with me." The senior detective urged as he turned off the engine and pocketed the key. "I don't want you out here alone."

"...Why?"

"Because some asshole might be looking for cars to loot, and might think you sitting here means there's something valuable in the backseat."

"...That sounds rather paranoid."

"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean people really aren't out to get ya'. Come on, kid."

Reluctantly Connor opened the passenger side door very slowly and stepped out onto the snowy sidewalk while Hank did the same from the driver's side door. Crossing over the street in front of the car Hank went to put his right hand to Connor's left shoulder, but stopped himself as he watched the deviant cross his arms over his chest in a defensive manner once more.

"Good thing Sumo's got his thick fur to keep him warm all winter long." The senior detective tried to make casual conversation with Connor in an attempt to gauge his mood, and perhaps even his mindset. "It's a pain in the ass to brush out his fur in the summer time but Sumo doesn't seem to mind all the attention."

Connor just quietly followed Hank inside the pet store and kept to himself while the store owner finished putting all of the puppies and kittens in the warm back room inside giant fluffy beds and blankets, to ensure they kept warm during the storm. Without a word the owner looked at Hank and Connor and just went about his business as if he knew that they weren't a threat and were only there to pick up a few items and then go about their business as well.

The smell of cleaners for keep the floors and pens sanitized, the scent of shampoos and powders that keep the animal fur clean, and the smell of flea and tick drops was almost intoxicating. The enclosed space that held the various scents inside was only making it worse, but for androids with enhanced olfactory sensors, it was an ongoing struggle to dismiss the numerous readings that were being presented via their visual processors.

"We'll be in and out as quick as possible, kid."

Hank went down the aisle looking for a big bag of dog food that was beneficial to Sumo's diet, and Connor found himself slowly walking past the now empty pet pens where the small creatures normally resided during business hours. Empty pens and cages were a sad sight but Connor knew it was for the best, and it'd keep the animals safe and warm to be away from the windows.

As he walked along the shelves and aisles Connor found himself standing before the back wall that was lined and stocked full of hundreds of brightly colored fish, crabs, frogs, octopi, live rocks, coral and other assorted plants still inside the warm water of the heated tanks. It was almost hypnotic to watch the exotic tropical sea creatures swimming about their habitat, and Connor felt an odd sense of peace as his mind finally focused on something other than his own pain or the tension between himself and Hank at the moment.

The sight of the red tinted octopus laying on a warm rock and waving its tentacles about as it sifted for food in the water felt so alien to Connor. He had never seen anything like it before and the large eyes of the octopus seemed very intelligent and engaging.

"Octopus; bimaculoides-bimac." Connor stated the exact species of the curious little creature and watched as it feasted on a thawed out shrimp drifting near its rock. "Sociable, egg laying species found along the coast of California. It's very strange to see such a creature as you in a place such as Detroit." A warning popped up in Connor's visual processors, and it made him unexpectedly flinch. "...Gyroscope malfunction."

"Connor?" Hank found the deviant along the back wall as he easily carried a massive bag of dog chow over his left shoulder. "You okay?"

"...Yes. I'm merely observing the fish."

"Yeah, I can see that." Stepping a little closer Hank could see that Connor's soulful brown eyes were a little glassy again, and he could feel a steady heat radiating from the deviant's person. Lightly Hank pressed the back of his gloves right hand hand to Connor's left cheek and managed to register a temperature even as Connor turned away from the touch just milliseconds after the contact was made. "Fuck. You're starting to overheat."

"...It's warm in here."

"I get the feeling it isn't the store that's making you hot. I'm going to pay for this and we'll head back to the house so you can lay down."

Connor just watched as Hank walked away and then continued to watch the fish in the massive aquariums on the wall. Absentmindedly Connor's right hand found its way to his abdomen and pressed down as he felt an odd pressure, and almost what felt like a cramp settle in his artificial stomach. Closing his tired eyes Connor let out a weak breath and tried to recalibrate his gyroscope to ease the discomfort in his stomach.

Up in the front of the store Hank tried to keep moving as quickly as possible for Connor's own comfort. "Give me a pack of training pads, too." Hank stated as he put the bag of food down on the counter to be rung up by the owner. "Of course with a Saint Bernard I might as well just put down a tarp instead."

"You and your friend have good timing." The store owner confirmed as he scanned the food and a large box of training pads on the counter. "I was about to close up for the night."

"Gotta' get what we can while we still can."

"True enough." Looking past Hank to the back wall the owner noticed that Connor was standing eerily still, and yet somehow swaying a little on his feet. "Is, uh, your friend okay?"

"Connor?" Glancing toward the back wall Hank watched as Connor's shoulders slumped and his normally perfect posture began to slouch entirely. From the distance Hank managed to run another scan and noted that Connor's core temperature was up to one-hundred and one point three degrees, and his Thirium volume was registering at an unknown number. "Ah man, he's still sick."

"If he's going to be sick get him in the bathroom so I don't have to mop up the floor."

"Right, right... I got him."

Connor closed his eyes and breathed through his clenched teeth as the urge to throw-up as a means of appeasing his protesting stomach was becoming harder and harder to resist.

"Come on, kid." Hank put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder and guided him away from the wall, and to the restrooms just a few feet away. "If you're going to be sick you need to be sick in private."

Nodding a little Connor kept his eyes closed and let Hank direct him into the unoccupied men's restroom and into the first of the two available stalls. Kneeling down on the floor Connor promptly threw-up a large gush of sapphire colored Thirium with a painful retch into the toilet bowl to be flushed away. Hank's firm hand on his shoulder did little to make Connor feel grounded as he threw-up again, and was given a warning in his visual processors regarding his depleting Thirium reserves.

"Sorry, kid. I didn't know you were still sick like this." Wanting to be of some help Hank walked over to the sink, turned on the water and put a white paper towel under the warm tap to help Connor clean up his mouth and lips. With the paper towel in hand Hank waited for Connor finish his third and final bout of sickness then lightly pressed the warm, damp towel to Connor's chin. "I'll get you out to the car and we'll go right back home."

Nodding a little Connor accepted the terms and allowed Hank wipe off his mouth to remove the mess since Connor couldn't see it for himself.

Tossing the towel into the toilet Hank flushed away the blue mess on the ill deviant's behalf. "Can ya' stand?"

Slowly nodding again Connor stood up from the floor and stood on his shaking legs as his head swam, and his artificial stomach churned angrily.

"Lean on me." Pulling Connor's left arm around his shoulders Hank led the sick, feverish and nauseated deviant out of the bathroom and over to the front counter to finish paying. As the deviant leaned forward against the counter with both hands to support his weight Hank gave the shop owner a casual tone of voice as he spoke up so Connor wouldn't have to. "Don't worry, there wasn't any mess."

"Bonus for me, I guess." The owner joked playfully as he resumed the transaction. "It's bad enough cleaning up puppy pens all day, the last thing I need to do is clean up after a poor kid sick with the flu."

Connor wanted to say something to the owner about being an android and not actually having the flu, but Hank quickly interrupted to make sure Connor didn't say anything that might make the owner upset. "Yeah, I can imagine that'd get real old real fast." He didn't come off as a bigot but there was no need to risk a confrontation.

Hefting the bag of food and training pads under his right arm Hank guided Connor out of the store and over to the car. He heard the door behind them shut tight and the heavy deadbolt slide into place as the owner closed up the store for the night, and set out for home himself.

The young deviant wandered over the front passenger side door of the car and rested his right hand on the door handle.

"I didn't mean to cut you off, Connor." Hank explained his actions as he unlocked the vehicle's doors and then popped the trunk to put the pet supplies down in the back with their other android supplies. "But we don't know him. We don't know how he feels about androids."

Remaining silent Connor pulled open the passenger side door and sat down heavily in his seat. Fumbling with the seatbelt Connor just waited for Hank to throw the bag of food and training pads into the trunk and sit down behind the wheel.

"If you're going to be sick again let me know." The senior detective requested as he reclaimed his seat and fastened his seatbelt. "I'll pull over so you can throw-up in the street."

"...Sorry." Connor muttered as he pressed his right palm over his too warm face and forehead.

"Sorry?" Turning the key in the ignition Hank pulled away from the street and gave Connor an odd look. "Sorry for what?"

"...Being sick."

"Hey, shit happens. Getting sick isn't something you ever need to apologize for, kid."

"...I shouldn't be sick. Ever."

"You were assaulted and put back together by some asshole who doesn't know how to add a new number to his own phone. Frankly, you're lucky to still be alive!"

"...I shouldn't be making mistakes." Connor's voice was beginning to slur a little and he leaned back in his seat as he pressed his left hand firmly against his abdomen as a strange pain began to mount. "...Shouldn't be experiencing errors. I was designed to be... flawless."

"Connor?" Removing the glove from his right hand Hank pressed his exposed palm to the deviant's forehead and swore. "One-hundred and three? Fuck! You're burning up."

"...I'm... failing."

"You're not, Connor." Dropping his hand from Connor's forehead Hank unzipped the deviant's leather jacket to try to get him to cool down, and turned off the heater to prevent Connor from getting any warmer. "Sorry about this." Putting his right hand under Connor's hoodie and t-shirt against the deviant's bare abdomen Hank ran a scan over Connor's system and discovered that Connor's thermal regulator was malfunctioning, and his gyroscope was being affected from the close proximity to the affected biocomponent. "Shit. You need to see a technician."

"NO!" Connor yelled the reply and his soulful brown eyes glazed over as if lost in a trance. "I won't go!"

"...Alright, okay." Pulling his hand back Hank tried to think of what he could do to help Connor. "I won't take you to see a technician, I promise."

The deviant was scared, confused, in pain, sick, had nowhere else to go and no one else to rely on...

It was like Hank was dealing with a lost child, and that's exactly how Connor sounded when he shouted. Then again, Connor was only a few months old and just beginning to understand emotions. In some aspects he really was a lost child. A child that the world had dismissed, turned their backs on and made to feel guilty just for existing.

Making his decision Hank gave Connor a somewhat timid reply. "I guess I'm going to have to go back to my own instincts in taking care of you."

"...Don't... CyberLife."

"They won't touch you, kid. Even if they were still around I wouldn't let them anywhere near ya'."

Pulling the car up the driveway beside the house Hank let out a sigh and put the vehicle into park. Turning off the ignition and pocketing the key Hank unfastened his own seatbelt and then Connor's seatbelt before he opened his door. Rushing to the other side of the car Hank pulled open Connor's door and scooped the deviant up and into his arms very gently.

"This is easier than trying to help you walk since you're so light and being android makes me so much stronger." The gruff Lieutenant explained as he carried Connor up to the front door and pushed it open. "Here we go."

Laying the deviant down on the couch in the livingroom Hank removed Connor's hat, pulled off the jacket and then pulled the hoodie up over the deviant's head. Even with the additional layers removed Connor was still too hot and needed to find a way to cool down before he suffered permanent damage to his intracranial processor. Moving over to Connor's boots Hank untied the laces and dropped the boots on the floor beside the furniture.

Connor's eyes were blinking slowly and his L.E.D. was flashing between yellow and red rhythmically as his system registered and reported the abnormal, dangerous readings regarding his affected biocomponents.

"I hate to do this, kid, but I think you're going to need an ice bath to cool off." Patting Connor's knee once Hank got up from the couch and went into the bathroom to begin filling up the bathtub in cool, but not too cold, water. As he pulled up the drain plug and turned on the faucet Hank heard a whimper from behind himself and suddenly remembered Sumo as the massive dog watched him from the opened doorway. "Fuck. Don't worry, boy. I got you covered, too."

Running, genuinely running, for the first time in years since he stopped caring about his health Hank raced outside, grabbed all of the supplies from the trunk of the car, and rushed back into the livingroom to return to Connor. Closing the door behind him with his left foot Hank dropped everything down on the coffee table where he also shrugged off his coat to deal with Connor without overheating himself in the process.

"Okay, kid." Scooping Connor back up and into his arms Hank carried the sick deviant down the hallway and into the bathroom. Laying him down gently on the floor beside the still filling tub Hank put his right hand in the water and registered the current temperature. "Sixty-four degrees should be enough to cool off without shocking you."

Remembering all the times he helped Cole in and out of his clothes as the little boy grew up, or whenever he was sick, Hank's paternal side came through as he helped the deviant in need of assistance. Removing the t-shirt, socks and the jeans Hank slipped his arms beneath Connor's upper back and his knees the now much stronger senior detective was able to heft Connor back up from the floor and place him down in the cool water without dropping him or jostling him.

Connor let out a weak whimper of discomfort and fear as his system registered the suddenly shift in the temperature around him.

"Sorry about this." Placing a folded up towel behind Connor's head and neck Hank gave the sick deviant a type of pillow to rest against and made it more comfortable for him to lay in the water. "I'm going to get you some Thirium to replace what you lost. There's still a few of those cubes left."

Stepping out of the bathroom Hank watched as Sumo whimpered again and then walked into the bathroom to keep Connor company. "Good boy."

The gathered Thirium supplies that Hank had in his possession; twelve fresh bottles of Thirium that he had just purchased, and the remaining ten concentrated Thirium cubes in the container, would have to work to keep Connor stable until he either healed or relented to go and see a technician.

"Here we go..."

Sumo was watching Connor as the deviant's eyes remained glazed over and he stared at the far tiled wall in an utter daze. The deviant was muttering incoherently and he seemed to be frightened by everything that was happening around him. Jumping a little at the motions and sounds around him Connor was evidently on edge.

"Connor?" Kneeling down beside the bathtub Hank put his right hand over Connor's chest and kept his hand down even as the deviant jumped due to the unexpected contact. As Connor jumped he accidentally splashed water all over himself, Hank, Sumo and the surrounding walls. "Easy! Easy..."

With his L.E.D. flickering between red and yellow Connor tried to push Hank's exposed hand away, and in doing so the two androids cybernetically connected for a brief second. Connor's hand retreated out of fear and Hank's hand lifted up slowly as he worriedly turned off the faucet to let the water level rest just high enough to cover Connor's stomach.

"...What the fuck was that?" The images of CyberLife technicians tearing open android bodies and pulling out biocomponents, wires and circuit boards flooded Hank's eyes, were as vivid and real as if he were actually there. The cold and emotionless expressions on the faces of the human technicians were as frightening and sickening as the faces of convicted serial killers giving the police interviews. The hollow stare of the cold eyes were haunting and unmistakable between the two two groups of people, and it made Hank's own blood turn to ice in his lines. "...Fuck, kid. I... I had no idea that androids were treated like that. No wonder you refuse to go to facilities and deal with technicians."

Using a clean washcloth Hank dipped the fabric into the cool bath water and draped it over Connor's forehead to help him cool down.

"I promised I wouldn't take you to a facility and I'm going to stand by that promise. Just get some rest and try to not worry. I won't let anyone hurt you, that's another promise I'm bound and determined to keep." Leaning back against the side of the bathtub Hank kept his exposed hand in the water and on Connor's left bicep to monitor to his condition, and closed his blue eyes as he tried to get some rest. Sumo cuddled up on the floor beside Hank and put his chin down on the senior detective's knee, which of course prompted Hank to put his left hand on the loyal dog's head. "...Good boy."

Three quiet hours were disrupted only by the sound of Connor letting out a panicked breath and began to flail about in the water, splashing Hank, Sumo and the walls all over again.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Hank woke up instantly and was on his knees beside the tub grabbing onto Connor's forearms just below his wrists. "Easy, Connor. It's okay, you're safe."

Connor's soulful brown eyes cleared up and he looked up at Hank completely confused. The red flickering of his L.E.D. shifted to yellow as he recognized Hank's face and began to calm down a little. "...L-Lieu...tenant?"

"That's right, I'm here."

Glancing about his surroundings Connor was at a total loss of how he came to be stripped down to just his boxer shorts, and now sitting in a tub of room temperature water. Pulling his arms back from Hank's grip Connor closed his eyes and ran a self-diagnostic. "...My thermal regulator has been repaired. My gyroscope has also been recalibrated."

"Good to hear. Can you drink any Thirium?"

Connor contemplated the idea and shook his head a little at the thought of trying to drink anything.

"Alright, then at least eat one of the concentrated Thirium cubes." Presenting Connor with one of the cubes from the case Hank watched as the deviant's shaking right hand rose from the water and accepted the offered cube. Despite his weakness Connor managed to eat it without making a mess or dropping it into the water beside him. "Sorry about waking up like this, kid. But it was the only way to bring down your fever without taking you to a facility."

"...I understand."

"What's your temperature?"

"...Down to one-hundred point two degrees Fahrenheit."

"That's much better. You can get out of the cold water now."

Connor didn't budge as he didn't want to stand up from the cool water in just his boxers.

"Here's a towel." Sensing the cause of Connor's hesitation Hank pulled down a thick warm towel, and handed it over to Connor to take. "Dry off, change into your warm clothes and then go out into the livingroom to lay down instead of your bedroom. I'll be out there waiting for you."

The concept of having his own bedroom was still foreign to Connor, but he didn't bring it up. Draping the towel around his shoulders for a moment Connor waited for Hank to stand up and take his leave of the bathroom before he too stood up, and wrapped the towel around his waist to preserve his waning modesty. With his shaking legs he stepped out of the bathtub and quickly sat down on the floor beside Sumo for a moment.

Sumo sensed that Connor was now cold and climbed onto Connor's lap to keep him a little warmer, and let out a sympathetic whimper.

"...Thank you, Sumo."

Out in the livingroom the senior detective busied himself by piling up blankets and pillows all over the couch. Hank then cleaned off the coffee table and put the dog food and training pads inside the kitchen to be taken care of later. Walking toward the bathroom again Hank watched as Connor stood up with his right hand against the sink to help remain upright, and had Sumo standing right beside his left leg to keep him company.

"Need help?"

"...I can function." Connor only managed a single step forward before his legs gave out and he began to fall to the floor. Hank's strong hands managed to grab onto his upper arm right and chest to support Connor's weight, and keep him from crashing to the ground. "...I'm okay."

"Sure. But I imagine you'll be better in the livingroom and laying down."

"I can walk."

"Please, just let me help you."

"...You don't have to."

"But I want to."

Taking hold of Connor's right arm Hank pulled the limb around his shoulders and hoisted the deviant up to his left side and carried Connor down the hallway and into the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch with Connor right beside him Hank pulled one of the four blankets he had gathered throughout the house from the cushion beside Connor, and draped it around Connor's shoulders.

Ever loyal Sumo followed after the two detectives and sat down on the floor beside the couch to keep the detectives company. Letting out another sad whimper Sumo pressed his chin down on Connor's right knee and stared up at the deviant with sad, empathetic eyes.

"Connor, I know you don't feel great but I have to know how bad you really are."

Turning away from Hank Connor stared off into nothingness as he lowered his voice. "...You know what's going on inside my head."

"I told you I didn't mean to check your memories. It just happened."

"...Interesting 'accident'."

"Hey, I couldn't help it!" Holding out his exposed right hand for Connor to see once again Hank reminded him that he couldn't entirely control his android body just yet. "I can't get my skin to activate. It wasn't an invasion of privacy, it was-" Flexing his hand a little Hank had an interesting idea. "Here. You can see for yourself."

Connor turned to look at Hank's face but was a little confused by the comment.

"Come on, you can check my memories and see that it was all an accident."

Looking down at Hank's exposed white hand Connor hesitated for a few seconds before he retracted the skin from the palm of his own right hand, and grabbed onto Hank's hand to check the senior detective's memories. The flood of information that came to Connor the moment he closed his eyes was almost overwhelming to say the least, and as all the details came to light Connor found himself experiencing a new type of emotional pain he had never felt before.

The truth was just as Hank stated; it was an accident when he glimpsed into Connor's memories, and he had no intention of invading the young deviant's privacy. It was a grounding feeling but it was quickly replaced by sorrow and guilt when he watched Hank working diligently to watch over Connor as he recovered from his injuries, worked to repair the catastrophic damage he had sustained after being assaulted, massaging Connor's stopped heart back to life, finding him freezing to death in the alleyway and carrying him to safety, and of how he was genuinely worried when Hank could find him was very reassuring.

However, seeing Hank threaten Gavin and then yelling at him reminded Connor that the gruff Lieutenant still had a burning hot temper. The other outbursts that Hank had exhibited over the past were violent, explosive and often frightening. Just as he was about to break the contact a rush of other memories came crashing through with an unexpected flow and Connor couldn't turn away.

The deviant saw a mangle of two wrecked vehicles along an icy street. There was broken glass that blended into the snow all around the accident, and there was a noxious smell of burnt rubber, oil, gasoline and even blood in the air. The flashing red and blue lights and blaring siren of an ambulance at the scene of the accident felt so detailed, so real, that Connor could've sworn he had been there in person that dreadful night.

A horrible cry of pained anguish filled Connor's ears and rested deep inside his heart as he saw through Hank's eyes the final moments of an innocent child's life slipping away despite Hank's tears and pleading words.

"...Cole." A tear began to run down Connor's right cheek as he forced his shaking hand to break the contact with Hank, and get away from the Lieutenant as if Hank's hand were on fire. "...It... It hurts."

"Kid? What's wrong?" Hank watched as Connor began to tremble and wrap his arms protectively around himself. The whimpering and tears had caught Hank completely off guard and he wasn't sure what to do. "You're crying! What's the matter?"

Breathing rapidly Connor's shoulders tensed up and his L.E.D. blinked red frantically as a painful knot formed in his chest. The pain was physical and yet somehow emotional, and connected to his mind; through his thoughts and through Hank's memories. It was stemming from pure empathy and Connor couldn't seem to comprehend the horrific ache that accompanied those deeply seeded memories that plagued Hank's mind and dreams.

Closing his eyes tightly Connor let his tears roll down his face as he began to weep for his friend's pain.

"Connor, you need to talk to me." Hank urged as he watched the deviant's stress levels rise up from an already unsettling eighty-seven percent to a near fatal ninety-eight percent. "Just tell me what's wrong. What did you see?"

"...I-I understand now." The young deviant sobbed pathetically. "...Everything makes sense."

"Understand what?"

"...I saw him, Lieutenant." Horrific pain was shining in Connor's eyes as he looked over at Hank, and that pain resonated with every beat of his heart. "I saw... your son."

"...Cole?" Hank's blue eyes went wide at the admission. "You saw Cole?"

"The memories!" Connor was trembling violently and his voice was beginning to crack. "They... They hurt! They really hurt! It's not metaphorical pain. It's real. It hurts in a way I never believed was... possible. Seeing Cole... it hurts!"

"You saw... Cole?"

"Th-The accident! I saw... I heard... I felt everything!" Connor was beginning to break down entirely. "The hospital. You... You held him in your arms... His eyes slipped shut... And they... never opened again no matter how much you... begged and cried." Tears began to flow freely down Connor's face in thick streams, and his entire body was shaking with emotions that he couldn't restrain. All of the emotions; the love, loss, pain, fear, anger were tearing him apart from the depths of his very real heart. "Now I know! I understand why you wanted to kill yourself! The pain... It's too much to bear! I'm so sorry I stopped you!"

"Connor." Wrapping his arm around Connor's shaking shoulders Hank tried to give the traumatized deviant some support as the young and naive deviant struggled with his new emotions. "It's... It's okay. I'm glad you stopped me. It would've been a massive, irreversible mistake. You saved my life, kid."

"No! I understand everything now!" Breathing through his clenched teeth Connor was beginning to hyperventilate and cry ever harder. "The hospital... Cole died and- No one saved him! Now I know why you hate me!"

"Whoa!" Pulling in the emotionally broken deviant up against his side Hank held Connor in a tight hug and didn't let go even as the deviant tried to break away from the comforting gesture. "I do NOT hate you!"

"Yes you do! You hate androids because they let Cole die, and I'm an android! You have to hate me..."

"No, Connor! Listen to me:" Putting his left hand to the side of Connor's face Hank made the deviant look him in the eyes as he spoke and leaned back from the hug. The heavy emotional tears running from Connor's soulful brown eyes were actual tears, not just cleansing saline or a physical reaction to imitate human behavior, they were real pained tears. "I do NOT hate you or androids, alright? When I lost... When Cole died I was pissed off at the whole world! I wanted everyone to suffer and I wanted everything destroyed. I just took it out on androids because I was pissed at everything, and I needed a faceless target."

Unable to speak Connor just took in agonized shuddering breaths to try to steady his emotions. The heavy emotional burden was exhausting him and making him overheat again.

"It was just easier for me to hate androids because I couldn't accept that a human, someone I had sworn to protect and keep safe, would willingly get high and allow an innocent little boy to suffer and die from his own negligence." Hank's pain was just as real now as it was then. "To accept that a person with full freewill and choices would choose to do that; destroy his life and take the life of another innocent child along with him, was just... impossible. It was easier to hate a soulless machine rather than believe that a person I had sworn to protect caused me so much pain and suffering."

Connor continued to sob and his whole body shook violently with the horrible influx of emotions that were causing him indescribable pain.

"I was wrong, Connor. It was wrong to blame all androids for what one person was responsible for." Resuming the hug Hank felt his own tears running down his face as he realized how much Connor was hurting in that moment simply from empathetic responses must've been only a fraction of what he was feeling as an isolated deviant who had been yelled at, pushed around and assaulted. "It's okay, Connor. You did nothing wrong and my anger toward you was wrong, too. I was wrong, son. You're okay now."

Taking in a deep breath Connor managed to steady himself just long enough to keep his voice from breaking any further. "...You don't hate me?"

"No, Connor. I don't hate you."

"...Are you still... in pain?"

"...Yeah, son." The senior detective admitted as he closed his tears eyes and imagined Cole's sweet face smiling up at him. "I'm in pain."

Hearing that term, "son", was somehow very humanizing for both Connor to hear, and for Hank to say.

"How can you live with it?!" Connor all but blurted as he wept for Hank's pain as well as his own. "It's so excruciating."

"Well, the pain doesn't really go away. It's just something I've gotten used to as time goes on. I'm sorry you felt the pain that I've been trying to deny for so long now. You've been through so much."

"...I'm sorry you still have to feel it! It's horrible."

"Hey, listen to me," moving his left hand back to Connor's right cheek, and his right hand to the back of Connor's head Hank pulled Connor in even closer and up against his shoulder to cry his deviant heart out. "I'm so sorry you have to feel like an outsider looking in. It's okay to feel sad about these things, and it's okay for you to cry about them, too. Crying is okay and don't be ashamed of your emotions, son. It's okay to feel and to be alive!"

Connor's eyes closed and he buried his face against Hank's shoulder as the senior detective provided comfort and safety. Sumo whimpered again and scooted closer to Connor's leg as he sensed the horrible emotional turmoil the sick deviant was experiencing. The close contact and feeling of support allowed Connor's stress levels to begin dropping back down from the high nineties and down to the middle seventies.

"I still cry about what's happened to me," Hank soothed in a low voice. "and there's no shame in it."

"...It hurts."

"I know, son. It's going to hurt for a while, but that's why we cry. It helps the pain lessen for a while."

Connor finally let out all the pain and sorrow he had been holding in and trying to deny, and as he did Hank just held him in a supportive hug on the couch. Feeling sick, weak and afraid had drained Connor of his emotional resolve and he just wanted to collapse in a heap. If Hank wasn't there holding him up Connor would've fallen onto the floor and possibly self-destructed from his high stress.

"...I don't want to be alone." Connor confessed between his slowly quieting sobs. Each gasp for breath made his whole body shake and his voice crack with raw emotions he just couldn't contain, let alone comprehend. "I don't want go! Don't send me away to CyberLife!"

"You don't have to go anywhere, and I won't send you back to CyberLife. I promised you that you can stay here for as long as you want, and this is your home for as long as you need. Okay?" Hank hated how much Connor sounded like a frightened child, how much his own emotional understanding mirrored that of a little kid enduring a horrible childhood. It made his paternal instincts pour over tenfold. "You need to believe me on this, you're safe here and this is your home."

Nodding a little Connor acknowledged Hank's promise. "...Okay. I believe you."

Hank closed his eyes and found himself running another scan over the Connor, the habit was one that he realized was easy to pick and going to be hard to break, and found that the deviant's core temperature had rise slightly again from stress. Moving his left hand to Connor's back Hank began to rub small circles between the deviant's shoulder blades in the same way he used to comfort Cole after he had a nightmare or was sick. It was another habit that he discovered was difficult to break.

"You're home, Connor. You're home and you're safe."

Lifting up his head from Hank's shoulder Connor took in a deep breath and dragged his right hand over his eyes to wipe away his tears. As he sat upright Hank let go of Connor's back, and stood up from the couch.

"Wait here a minute. I'll be back." Hiding his own tears for the sake of being strong for Connor in that moment Hank walked into the kitchen and pulled an ice pack from the freezer for Connor to have. There was a box of tissues on the bookshelf in the livingroom and Hank took the whole box with him as he walked over to the couch again. Presenting Connor with the tissue first Hank gave the deviant a shrug of his shoulders. "Here, dry your eyes."

Connor reached to take the tissue but instead grabbed onto Hank's exposed right hand again. This time he ran a scan of his own causing his red L.E.D. to flicker to yellow briefly then back to red as he figured out why Hank couldn't regenerate the artificial skin over his palm. "...Your external sensors had been manually deactivated. You must manually reactivate the sensors to have your skin regenerate."

"Uh..." Hank took back his right hand to stare at his palm while Connor used the offered tissue to dry his tears. The young deviant was looking exhausted, and he was beginning to overheat again, which meant rest was crucial to his overall recovery. "How do I do that?"

"...Press your left fingertips down against your right fingertips, and rotate your right wrist counter clockwise."

"Seriously?"

"...Yes. I have no need to mislead you."

"It's not about your messing with me, kid. It just seems like that's way too easy."

"Oh."

Hank passed the ice pack over to Connor then did as he was instructed. Feeling his hand twitch once after connecting his fingertips to one another Hank rotated his right wrist and sure enough his artificial skin regenerated over his palm all the way down to his fingertips. Flexing his restored hand once Hank just gave Connor an amused laugh and sat back down on the couch beside the deviant. "Thanks. It worked."

"...Glad I could help."

"You've always been a big help." Returning his left palm to Connor's forehead Hank sighed as his own sensors confirmed that the deviant's core temperature was rising again. "Lay down." Putting his hands on Connor's shoulders Hank guided him down until he was laying with his legs stretched out over the length of the furniture. "You're running a fever again, so take it easy. It'd be best for you to sleep out here tonight so I can keep a better eye on you."

"...I understand."

"You know something, kid? If I hadn't been such an impatient asshole you would've been able to help me sooner, and you wouldn't have been assaulted in an alleyway that night."

"...It's okay."

"No, it's not." Reaching over Hank took back the ice pack from the deviant's hand and pressed it to Connor's forehead, and then placed another blanket over Connor to try to help the deviant feel more comfortable. "I shouldn't have done that and no one under any circumstances should've laid a finger on you. Those assholes are being hunted down by the precinct right now. Having an android brain let me get the details necessary to file a report even while you were unconscious. They'll be off the streets soon enough."

"...That's good to know."

"And, uh, I think you'll have a better time dealing with business at New Jericho."

"...You didn't threaten Markus like you did Gavin, correct?"

"No, I didn't threaten Markus." Laughing as he realized Connor saw that particular memory before he saw the memories of Cole, the senior detective began to feel a little better about the whole ordeal. "I just spelled it out for him and let him know that it's bullshit that you're treated so poorly by your own people. It seems like everyone gets a second chance except for you, and you're the reason the deviants have a first chance to begin with."

"Markus was responsible for the Revolution, I just added numbers to the ranks."

"Doesn't matter. You risked it all to save them, and they have no right to treat you like a burden. You're still a member of New Jericho and they need to treat you like an equal." Sighing a little Hank rubbed his left hand through his hair and put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder. "The same needs to happen at the precinct. We'll go back in tomorrow and make sure those assholes know that they're disrespecting an officer of the law, and that shit isn't going to fly anymore."

"...Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow. You helped me and I'm going to help you."

"I don't understand. How so?"

"We're going to go in there and tell Fowler that the officers who treat you like shit need to be held accountable for their behavior. If we're going to treat androids like equals then the same discipline and punishment that would be given to an officer for assaulting, threatening and insulting a human officer is going to be given to the officers who've gone after you just for being an android. It's discrimination and needs to be stopped."

"...Won't that upset people if make accusations and involve Captain Fowler?"

"Fuck 'em!" The answer was as succinct as it was honest, and appropriate. "They brought it on themselves. They have no right to be offended because they got busted for being assholes! This isn't elementary school where the playground bullies can get away with this shit because no one's paying attention; this is serious and it needs to end. Now."

"...Lieutenant, I don't want to cause any problems."

"You're NOT causing any problems." Rising up from the couch to take a seat in the recliner Hank snapped his right fingers and motioned to the couch to signal Sumo to jump up and lay with Connor, to which the loyal dog readily obeyed. Watching Connor settle down and slowly de-stress allowed Hank's own stress levels to steadily drop. "The dickweeds who target you and fuck around on the job are the problem."

"I really don't think it's that simple."

"Actually, it is, kid." Giving the young deviant a smug grin Hank made sure Connor knew that everything would be alright. Looking down at his right hand again Hank managed to retract the artificial skin and then regenerate it without any further difficulty. He was beginning to get the hang of being an android. "They're the problem," he then casually pointed to himself and kept the same smug grin on his face as he spoke. "and I'm the solution."

-next chapter-

February 8th, 2039:

Normally spending the night with an emotionally broken child; something that Hank had only recently acknowledged as he realized how young, naive and innocent Connor truly was, would've left Hank completely exhausted and reluctant to go to work, but on this morning he was eager to get to the precinct and kick a few asses. Walking down the hallway dressed in his usual, albeit baggier clothing, Hank waited for Connor to awaken from his rest mode on the couch so they could head off to the precinct together. The emotional upheaval from the previous night had left Connor too tired to go to his bedroom to sleep, not to mention Hank wanted to keep a closer eye on him after he became ill again, and so he slept on the couch with Sumo cuddled up with him.

Moving quietly over to the back of the couch Hank pressed his right palm over Connor's forehead beneath his rogue lock of hair, and watched as the yellow L.E.D. began to flicker a little more rapidly in response to the contact. The young deviant's core temperature was finally back to normal and his overall vital signs had been stabilized to one-hundred percent capacity.

"Connor?"

Opening his soulful brown eyes slowly Connor focused on Hank's face as the senior detective looked down at him from over the back of the couch. "...Yes, Lieutenant?"

"First of all, call me 'Hank'." He reminded Connor in a stern but not aggressive tone as he retracted his hand to fold his arms over his chest and lean over the back of the couch casually. "Secondly, you need to get dressed so we can go to the precinct."

"...Are you certain about this?"

"Certain about kicking ass and knocking some arrogant dickheads down a few pegs? Always!"

"...I appreciate your concern and desire to help me." The deviant sat upright on the couch slowly and pulled the melted ice pack away from his shoulder as it had fallen away from his forehead in his sleep. "But I don't need you to fight any battles on my behalf."

"I'm just going to remind everyone that they're fuckin' with an officer or the law and it's NOT Kosher. Android or human, they're fuckin' with you, and I'd do this all the same."

"...Your protection isn't necessary."

"You're right, I know you can handle yourself and any of the bullshit that comes your way just fine without me, but today you don't have to. I want to help you in the same way you want to help me. Got it?"

Despite his reluctance Connor nodded a little and locked eyes with Hank as he hovered over him. "...I got it." Remaining upright on the couch Connor rubbed his left hand over Sumo's ears as the massive dog jumped down from the couch to give the deviant some room to move around. "...I'll go and change into my work uniform now."

Hank watched as Connor stood up on his shaking legs while wrapped up in the navy blue blanket, and quickly grabbed onto the younger deviant's bicep as Connor's balance temporarily faltered and he threatened to fall over at any moment. "Whoa, easy. You're still weak."

"I'm aware."

"Would some extra Thirium help you out?"

"Negative." Walking slowly to avoid any other dizzy spells or graceless steps Connor moved around the side of the couch and walked down the hallway to get to the closet where his extra clothing had been stored. "Any additional Thirium consumed while an android's Thirium reserves are already at one-hundred percent capacity will only initiate an emergency expulsion program to reduce the volume and pressure."

"...Oh. Good to know."

Connor pulled open the hallway closet door and his yellow L.E.D. flickered to red then back to yellow in confusion. "...My clothes are missing."

"No, they're in your room." Hank reaffirmed as he joined Connor in the hallway and closed the closet door. "They're hanging up in your closet."

"...I see."

"It's okay to refer that the bedroom as 'your room', kid. I gave it to you which means it's yours and you can do whatever you want in there."

Nodding a little Connor stepped away from the closet and entered his newly designated bedroom to change into his uniform appropriately. As he closed the door quietly behind himself to change his his clothes Hank walked back down the hallway and began cleaning up the livingroom a little bit. Picking up the melted ice pack and used tissues from the coffee table Hank wandered into the kitchen to replace the ice in the freezer, and disposed of the tissues only to hear a pleading whimper from Sumo behind him.

"Right! Right..." Walking over to the pantry Hank pulled the bag of dog food from the bottom shelf and poured it into Sumo's food bowl. "Sorry, Sumo. I didn't forget ya', I was just more focused on Connor at the moment."

Sumo wagged his tail and happily began chowing down on the offered food.

"If only it was that easy to make Connor feel better, huh, boy?"

The younger deviant in question stepped back down the hallway after quickly changing in his usual uniform, and was in the process of tying and tightening the black tie around the collar of his white dress shirt. As he stood beside the couch Connor straightened up his uniform and gave Hank an anxious glance as his L.E.D. continued to cycle yellow warily.

"Ready to go, kid?"

"Yes." Connor's hands twitched a little as he went for his coin in his pocket only to realize it was missing. "...I'm ready to go."

Hank sighed as he reached into own jean pocket and retrieved the coin he had unceremoniously taken from Connor a few nights before. "Here ya' go, son." Passing the coin back over to the younger deviant Hank let it show that he was sorry for taking it. "This is yours, you keep it."

Hesitating to even accept the coin Connor shook his head a little and his yellow L.E.D. flashed back to red. "...It's okay. I know it bothers you."

"Connor," grabbing onto the younger deviant's right wrist in a firm but not crushing grip Hank forced the coin into Connor's palm and closed the deviant's fingers around the coin. "this is yours. It doesn't matter what I think about it."

Keeping his fist clenched around the coin Connor still refused to actually take it. "I don't want to annoy you."

"It'll annoy me more knowing that you're stressed out all day long because you don't have your coin to channel your tic. Keep it!"

"I-" Trailing off before he even began Connor's L.E.D. flashed in a rapid red and his stress levels began to rise up from his rather consistent eighty-two percent to a dangerous ninety-five percent. "...Nothing. Never mind, it's not important."

Sensing the high stress levels Hank let go of Connor's hand and lowered his voice. "...Connor, it's okay to have your coin and your tic. Everyone has they own unique way of expressing themselves and dealing with their stress. Your coin doesn't bother me, and I mean it."

"...Then why do you hate it when I'm using it to recalibrate my sensors or lower my stress?"

"Because I'm an impatient asshole." Giving Connor a lighthearted smirk Hank tried to ease Connor's stress and get him to relax a little. It was true he had been very impatient with Connor for the past few days and it was on him to make amends in some way. "Maybe you can even show me how to do those fancy coin tricks of yours before I go back to being my human self."

The idea alone seemed to do the trick as Connor's red L.E.D. went back to yellow and pulsed more slowly. "...Maybe."

"For now let's just get to the precinct and deal with all those assholes appropriately."

Pocketing the coin Connor gave Hank a worried and pleading gaze as they made their way to the front door to leave for the day. "...Please don't threaten anyone else."

"I won't, I promise."

"...Thank you."

The results of the late winter blizzard were as hindering as they were cold. While Hank had the experience of driving for nearly forty years under his belt, as well as training in handling a vehicle in dangerous situations to fall back on, he still had mild difficulty in navigating the snowy, icy streets safely, and getting to the precinct on time. Fortunately the lack of other drivers on the streets due to the hazardous conditions gave Hank plenty of room to drive without worrying about harming another person on the road.

As the old vehicle neared the precinct Hank noticed that Connor was becoming more and more tense, and his yellow L.E.D. had flashed back to red in response to his mounting stress levels.

"It's okay, Connor."

"...I don't feel like it is, Lieutenant."

Shaking his head a little as the doubt in Connor's voice, and of being called 'Lieutenant' despite insisting that Connor call him by 'Hank', made the gruff detective feel like he was failing his partner on some horrible level. "You're not feeling sick again, are ya'? I mean, you did suffer some pretty nasty injuries and as far as I can see you're still dealing with a couple of fractured ribs."

"Androids don't have-"

"I know you... we," he corrected sharply as he turned the vehicle into the parking garage beside the precinct. The garage was just as empty as the streets but at least it had been plowed out and salted properly. "don't have actual ribs. But you took a lot of blows to your chest and it cracked your plastimetal frame. That's going to take a while to heal, and I know for a fact fractured ribs hurt like a bitch."

"It isn't a hindrance."

"So you can run and jump and restrain suspects just like you always could, right?"

Falling silent Connor's hands tensed into tight fists atop his lap as he stared blankly at the dashboard in front of him.

"That's what I figured. Relax, we'll just stay behind the desks today until you're strong enough to go back out into the field."

Looking up from the dashboard and through the snowy windshield Connor swallowed once nervously and stared up at the precinct a few yards away. "...I don't think I can do this."

"You don't have to go back if your don't want to go back." Putting the car in park after pulling into his designated space Hank turned to look at Connor's face and saw the same distant and broken stare in his eyes that he had adopted ever since Hank got in face and yelled at him for no real reason. "But if you don't face your fears or push yourself to go outside of your comfort zone every once in a while you won't grow as a person."

"...I'm not a person, Lieutenant. I'm a piece of plastic shaped like a human."

"Stop. You're NOT anything less than my partner and my friend! You're alive, Connor. And I'm alive because of you."

"You're the only one who sees me as anyone worth helping. Why?"

"Because I'm a detective and it's my job to protect the innocent. You're innocent, Connor. Your only crime seems to be existing, but life isn't a sin! Don't let the other assholes in this city make you feel like your life is worth any less than theirs."

"...I see. You're just doing your job."

"Hey, come on! You're also my friend! I'd help you out whether you were an android, a human, my partner, my neighbor... It doesn't matter because in the end you're still my friend."

Still doubtful of the claim Connor sighed and leaned back against his seat.

"Think about it: If you weren't my friend would I have gone out of my way to find you and to carry you out of the alley, patch up your wounds in my kitchen so you wouldn't have to go to a facility, give you your own bedroom, and get ya' some more clothes to have?"

"...I suppose not."

"See? I was being a prick to you because of my own problems, but you're still my friend all the same. Got it?"

Remaining silent Connor reached for his quarter in pocket and began to dance it over his right knuckles in an attempt to reduce his own stress levels. Letting the graceful motion of the cool coin work rhythmically to channel his stress and his worries Connor's red L.E.D. shifted to and stayed yellow, but blinked slower as his anxieties began to lessen considerably.

"Okay." Nodding at the quarter as he removed his seatbelt Hank coaxed Connor into accompanying him inside the precinct. "Keep your coin with ya' to keep down your stress, and let's go inside."

Letting out a breathy sigh Connor tossed his quarter over to his left hand to keep juggling the coin over his knuckles as he opened the door with his right hand. Stepping outside the vehicle Connor returned the coin to his right hand and used his left arm to wrap his new leather jacket more tightly around himself to stave off the cold of the winter air threatening to cut through his artificial skin.

"That jacket looks good on ya', kid." Hank complimented as he definitely preferred seeing Connor wearing the leather jacket instead of the oppressive gray CyberLife suit jacket that he refused to throw away. "You're keeping warm, right?"

"...Yes. This additional layer is effectively allowing me to retain my own body heat and is preventing the cold air from affecting my thermal regulator."

"Make sure you keep it around well into April. Michigan weather is really unpredictable, and you're going to want to be as prepared as possible."

"...I will make a note of that."

The two detectives walked into the front doors of the precinct side by side where they were promptly acknowledged by reception, and granted their usual clearance into the bullpen. Before Connor had the chance to sit down at his desk and proceed to check in with his caseload Hank grabbed onto his left shoulder and redirected him over to Captain Fowler's office.

"Not yet, kid. We need to take care of more important business first."

"I doubt my-"

"Connor." Giving the deviant a knowing glance Hank was firm on his decision. "We talk to Fowler, let him know about all the shit you've been going through, and then we'll get back to business as usual."

Not even trying to resist Hank's insistence Connor walked after the senior detective and stood quietly beside Hank as he knocked on the private office's glass door, then pulled it open without waiting for an invitation.

Marching over to Captain Fowler's desk Hank stood with an assertive stance and he presented himself before the commanding officer, while Connor timidly hung back kept his head bowed down. "Jeffrey, we need to talk."

"What's on your mind, Hank?" Turning away from his terminal screen Captain Fowler eyed Hank and then Connor curiously. Seeing the uncharacteristically apprehensive body language of the younger deviant raised a massive red flag, and he had an idea of where the conversation was heading. "Is this about the assault?"

"It's about more than just the assault." Sitting down in the chair across from Captain Fowler on the opposite side of the desk Hank reached his right hand over to Captain Fowler's terminal screen and proceeded to upload the recorded images he had unintentionally downloaded from Connor's memories onto the screen for the commanding officer to see for himself. There was an uncomfortable amount of damning evidence against the two drunks on the street, and fellow officers alike. "...There's A LOT of shit that needs to change. And it needs to change NOW."

A news report regarding the arrest of the two drunk humans who had assaulted Connor was quickly overshadowed by the arrest of the rich kid who was involved in the hit and run accident that left Hank's human body comatose and hospitalized. While the precinct handled both cases without Hank or Connor directly involved in order to keep a perceived bias at bay Captain Fowler took it upon himself to issue a mandatory refresher course in the proper etiquette and behavior toward androids in the work environment.

Apparently Connor wasn't the only one who was being mocked, abused and threatened in the precinct. In fact, several of the female android receptionists had been sexually harassed and touched by the younger officers who were trying to 'prove' something to their more seasoned partners, and no one took the android's claims seriously. All of the offending officers were currently being reprimanded, and would be subjected to a more severe punishment if the inappropriate behavior continued.

Fortunately for Gavin his current active suspension was keeping him out of the meetings for the time being. But once he returned he'd be in for a nasty surprise and a lot more disciplinary measures due to his own past offenses.

Heading out on patrol to get away from the precinct for the afternoon Hank pulled the car along the street across from the 'Chicken Feed' food stand, and came to a stop. Putting the car in park Hank stared out at the small food stand that was opened despite the cold and nasty weather, and sighed as he longed for a big greasy burger to bite into. It was something he couldn't actually touch thanks to his current body being an android, but he could imagine it just fine.

"Lieutenant, you know you cannot consume anything that is not Thirium." Connor needlessly reminded his senior partner as his L.E.D. glowed an apprehensive yellow in his temple. "Why come here?"

"'Cuz I can at least smell the food even if I can't eat it." Letting out a breathy sigh Hank turned his head to look at Connor and studied at the timid glance still resonating from within the younger deviant's soulful brown eyes. "You androids need to synthesize Thirium based food and give it all kinds of flavor. You have no idea what you're missing out on."

"Androids can experience flavor in the same way organic creatures do. We can acknowledge scents and through that extrapolate accurate flavors."

"But it's not the same as actually eating or drinking anything."

"I suppose that's accurate."

"Connor, I gotta' ask you something."

"What's that, Lieutenant?"

"What're you feeling?"

"...What am I feeling?"

"Yeah. In this moment, right here, right now what are you feeling?"

Looking away from Hank's face Connor's eyes fell to his hands neatly folded on his lap as he tried to answer the question. "...I'm not sure I understand."

"It's like this;" leaning back in his seat Hank gave the younger deviant a kind but studious glance. "you're one of the most stubborn and bullheaded detectives I've ever worked with. When you first showed up you were completely fearless and never doubted yourself when it came to making decisions. You were fully confident in every decision, even after you deviated and risked your life to help Markus in the Revolution. But now... It's like you're... I don't want to say you're afraid, but you are more timid. What gives?"

Turning away from Hank entirely to stare out his side window Connor caught a glimpse of his reflection on the glass, and saw his L.E.D. cycling red at a rapid clip in tandem with his heartbeat. "...I don't know."

"Connor, you never let anyone push you around or tell you what to do. Fuck, you would even ignore a direct order from me from time to time just to get the job done. Now you're afraid to even speak up and offer a verbal fight, let alone a physical one."

"...I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

"Don't apologize for it, kid. You just need to figure out what's changed."

"I'm a deviant now."

"Nuh-uh, that's not it." Shaking his head with complete certainty Hank refused to believe Connor's new attitude had anything to do with his deviancy. "I saw you kick some ass and take some names even after you became a deviant. Hell, your deviancy is what made it easy for me to tell the different between you and your 'evil twin' back at CyberLife Tower when it came down to the wire."

"I... I don't know what to say."

"I'm not fishing a particular answer, son." Hank rubbed his right hand over his smooth chin as he contemplated everything that had happened between the night of the Revolution, and the night he had snapped at Connor bad enough to push him away into a blizzard. "I'm just trying to figure out how we can help you find your confidence again."

Connor visibly tensed as hi rights hand went for the coin inside his jacket pocket, but he refused to go for it.

"Play with your coin. It's okay."

Turning back toward Hank hesitatingly Connor wanted to confirm Hank's comment. "...You're sure?"

"YES. Take care of your stress!" Realizing the irony on his statement Hank sighed and softened his tone. "Sorry, that isn't going to do much to help you relax if I bark at ya' like that."

"...It's okay." Pulling out his coin Connor quickly began juggling and dancing the coin over his knuckles, between his fingers and back and forth between his hands as he felt his stress levels ticking down one percent at a time until it dipped down from ninety percent to seventy percent. "I understand your frustration with my inability to give you an accurate answer."

"Hey, come on. It's not frustrating, it's just complicated."

"I will take steps to simplify this endeavor."

"...Wait a minute." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank's blue eyes lit up with a sense of discovery. "Connor, you always had a plan and a mission to follow since day one at the precinct. But ever since you broke away from CyberLife and gained your deviancy you haven't had a mission, have you?"

"No. I don't have missions anymore, merely daily tasks and assignments."

"That's the answer!"

"...It is?"

"Connor, your courage and your determination stems from your desire to succeed in your mission and accomplish it without fail. You need a new mission to focus on. And I know just the mission to give you."

"...How do you mean?"

"Right now and more than ever I need your help." Putting his right hand lightly on the deviant's left shoulder Hank gave him a sly glance. "Your new mission is to keep me from going insane as an android, keep me from doing anything stupid until I return to my human body, and that after that keep my dumb ass in line so I stop fucking shit up. Think you can handle that?"

Holding his coin between right his index finger and thumb Connor stared at the quarter for a moment before he nodded a little. "...Yes, Lieutenant." His L.E.D. shifted back from red and to yellow as he answered. "I can handle that."

"Good. Now," turning the car back into drive Hank resumed their afternoon patrol over the street as the afternoon continued on rather uneventfully. "learn to call me 'Hank' when we're off the clock and we'll be golden."

Resuming his dance with his coin over his knuckles Connor contemplated his new mission and Hank's request to address him by his first name whenever they weren't at the precinct. Speaking to each other on a first name basis was something that friends would do, but still Connor found himself hesitant to accept that he and Hank were in fact just that.

Friends.

At the hospital where Hank's human body was laying comatose within the safe confines of the I.C.U. Dr. Wilson checked in on his star patient while Elijah Kamski himself stopped by to discuss the success and questionable ethics of transferring a human consciousness into an android body. While the procedure had been declared a resounding and historical success in the fields of medicine and bio-engineering it was still seen as controversial, and arguably a crime against nature.

While one person would see it as a miracle that preserves life, another would see it as an abomination that mocked the name of creation itself.

"I see Lieutenant Anderson is still in stable condition, and he's responding well to the anti-inflammatory medication that is being used to reduce the swelling in his brain." Kamski was keenly observing Hank's progress and checking over his medical records with express permission from Connor as the deviant was acting as Hank's medical proxy. "And I understand his behavior and memories remained intact after the transfer to his android body."

"That's right." Dr. Wilson confirmed as he spoke with Kamski and used his stethoscope to listen to the comatose detective's chest for a moment. Despite his age Hank's heart was strong and beating without any problems. "He awoke in a less than thrilled manner but he was stable, alert and has remained alert since minute one."

"And where is he now?"

"From what his partner told me when he stopped by to visit the other day Hank has returned to work at the precinct." Draping the stethoscope around his neck Dr. Wilson made a note in Hank's electronic chart then checked his pupils with a penlight. The pupils were sluggish but still responding. "He's trying to maintain as much of a normal routine as possible."

"His partner, the 'RK-800' known as Connor;" Kamski seemed to flash a knowing grin as he observed the doctor's examination. "has also returned to the precinct to act as a detective after the success of the Revolution, correct?"

"...Yeah, from what I know that sounds about right. They're partners after all."

"Fascinating."

"You've met Connor before, right? I mean," Dr. Wilson pocketed his penlight and made a second note in the chart. "as the creator of androids I'm sure you know him to some extent, but you know, you've met him as a deviant and not just an android, right?"

"Of course. I had the honor of his visit just prior to the Revolution. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, I guess. He saved my kid brother's life last summer during a hostage situation, and I just can't imagine him as anyone, or anything, but a heroic detective."

"Ah, yes. I can understand that." Making his own observations on Hank's recovery and stable E.E.G. that showed the detective's entire consciousness was currently absent, the same smarmy grin appeared on Kamski's face for a second time. "I suspect that Lieutenant Anderson will be able to return to his human body sooner than anticipated, Dr. Wilson. The wonders of modern medicine..."

It was five fifty-five in the evening which meant that Hank and Connor had five minutes until they could clock out and head for home. Returning the car to the parking garage neighboring the precinct Hank pulled back into his usual spot, and turned off the engine. Motioning toward the precinct with a casual wave of his hand Hank unfastened his seatbelt and put his hand on the door handle next to him as if needing to direct his partner toward the precinct.

The young deviant had been quiet all afternoon and evening long, and still appeared to be on edge.

"Come on," Hank insisted as he opened up his door. "let's go clock out so we can go home."

Connor stared up at the building next to the garage and continued to juggle his coin over his right knuckles slowly. "...I don't want go in there."

"Well, you can't stay on the clock and rack up unapproved overtime."

Discreetly Connor glanced at the rear of the precinct and toward the large untouched community dumpster behind it. "...I can stay here and clock out cybernetically."

"...You can do that? I mean, stay out here but still do work in there?"

Nodding to confirm his statement Connor glanced over at Hank and gave him a mild shrug of his shoulders. "You can do that as well."

"Uh, I get what you're saying, but I can't. I don't know how."

"...You can connect to your terminal through your own mind. Just do it as you would normally would log-in with your credentials, and then confirm your shift."

"Uh-huh, and how do I do that, kid? Think it?"

Connor's coin slowed its dance and the deviant turned away from Hank. "...Perhaps it'd be easier to go inside and clock out in person."

"Come with me."

"But I don't want to go in there."

"Why?"

"...You asked that Captain Fowler address the harassment toward androids today, which means sixty-three percent of the current roster will be spoken to and disciplined accordingly. That's a lot of angry eyes that'll be glaring at me."

"I told you already that those assholes can fuck off. If they're pissed at YOU for standing up for rights after being victimized then they have no business being cops."

"I don't understand."

"You and the other androids are victims of workplace bullying and harassment. If the bullies and aggressors are staring down the victims then that means they've completely missed the point of taking that oath to serve and protect. They're blaming the victims instead of protecting them."

"...I see."

"Look, I won't make you do anything that you're not comfortable with." Opening his door fully Hank leaned forward and stepped outside of the vehicle to head inside the precinct. "But I will ask that you at the very least try to overcome the shit that is making you uncomfortable."

Connor stared up at Hank for a moment, his brown eyes searching over Hank's face as if trying together a puzzle by moving the pieces with his mind. Hesitatingly the young deviant put his right hand on his own door handle and pushed open the door to step out of the vehicle as well. Pocketing his coin with an uneasy left hand Connor joined Hank on the driver's side of the vehicle and decided to join Hank inside the precinct.

"Thank you, kid. This is an important first step to take."

"...I can show you how to cybernetically link your mind to your terminal so you can remotely clock in and out of your shifts, and file reports without having to be in the precinct at all."

"Cool. That'll save me a lot of driving back and forth for a while." Despite the attempt to joke and lighten the mood Connor remained as dour and mopey as ever. "Relax, kid. If anyone gives you a shady look then you know exactly who to never trust in the precinct or do any favors for, okay?"

"...Okay. I suppose that is a logical way to observe the situation."

"Besides, Jeffrey's never put up with that kind of childish bullshit. You have nothing to worry about."

Doing his best to maintain a somewhat confident demeanor Connor accompanied Hank through the receptionist area through the front doors, and walked into the bullpen to their respective desks to clock out. In doing so Connor noticed that the bullpen was curiously empty save for Tina and Chris who were working casually at their own desks, and didn't even look up as Hank and Connor passed them by.

"See what I mean?" Hank asked as he turned on his terminal screen and stared at the login for his credentials in a near loss of what to do. "Fowler doesn't put up with amateur-hour. Looks like he really cleaned house while we were out on patrol."

"He's right." Tina confirmed as she picked at the remains of her sub sandwich she had ordered in for her lunch. "Never seen so many rookie cops look so scared in one place. It was like watching the high school football team getting yelled at by the principal all over again... Glad you're both here, we were both worried when we heard about Connor being attacked the other night."

Quickly changing the subject from Connor and back to the bullpen Hank asked the obvious question. "How many offenders were sent home?"

"Twelve. They were the ones who were caught grabbing onto the receptionist androids' asses every time they delivered a memo to the bullpen."

"...You're kidding?"

"Nope. I didn't see it happening myself but the recorded footage from the androids witnessing it was impossible to dispute."

Chris downed the last of his lukewarm coffee and and leaned back in his chair. "Another eight are on a week long suspension for threatening the androids in charge of patrolling the parking garage because they had the nerve to remind the officers that everyone has a designated parking spot for a reason."

"What kind of threats?" Hank asked as he watched Connor's reactions carefully.

"The usual unoriginal shit. Throwing them in a car compactor, melting them in a furnace, running them down with their car... Nothing clever, and but still taken as a serious threat of assault and potential murder."

"Uh-huh. Any word on if Gavin's going to deal with any fallout?"

Tina took one more piece from her sandwich and popped it into her mouth. "No, Captain Fowler decided that since he was already suspended for assaulting Connor, but didn't sexually harass anyone, that his current punishment is good enough. He'll still be back in ten days, but will have to take part of that refresher course for how to treat androids like equals."

Connor didn't seem too thrilled about the prospects, especially when everyone who had been sent home for the day would be back the next day and they'd be upset. Anger and backlash could be waiting for him just around the corner.

"Well, they brought it on themselves." Hank confirmed as he nodded at Connor then pointed to his terminal screen. "So, how do I do this cybernetically, or whatever it is you call it?"

Pressing his exposed right hand to his own terminal screen Connor's L.E.D. blinked a rapid yellow a few times as he clocked out himself, then walked over to Hank's terminal to assist him in the same manner. "Press your hand to your screen."

"Uh, exposed, right?"

"Correct."

Hank pressed his right palm against the screen and flexed his fingers a few times until he was able to prompt the artificial skin to retract as he wanted. "Okay, now what?"

"...You need to 'think' about connecting to your terminal directly. A prompt should appear asking if you want to access the terminal in your visual processors."

"I see it." Hank acknowledged the prompt and internally said 'Yes'. As the connection was created Hank's mind seemed to automatically fill in all the details to confirm his identity and clearance, and was quickly given full access to the terminal within his own mind. "Holy shit, it's that easy, huh?"

"It can be, yes."

"Cool. Fuck, if I can just fill out reports by thinking about them then I won't have to leave patrol tomorrow and waste my time here."

Captain Fowler took notice of the two returned detectives through the transparent wall of his office and decided to have another chat with Hank before they left for home that evening. Rising from his desk the commanding officer marched over to the door he opened it wide and called out to Hank in a low voice before it was too late. "Hank, I need a minute of your time."

"I just clocked out, Jeffrey."

"I'll pay you for the extra minute. In here, now."

"Yeah, whatever." Pulling hand his from his terminal screen Hank regenerated this artificial skin over his palm with surprising ease and walked to the office as he was ordered. "Give me a minute, kid. We'll head out of here soon."

Connor nodded a little and scanned the bullpen with a curious eye. The lack of usual faces was a little disconcerting, but seeing Tina and Chris still actively doing their jobs and not being disciplined made him feel as though he made a good call in choosing to trust the two officers. The other faces, while familiar, weren't exactly considered his friends or even allies.

Wanting to keep the peace between himself and the other officers Connor decided to make a simple but friendly gesture. "Tina, would you like me to dispose of the remains of your lunch?"

"You don't have to do that, Connor."

"I'm aware, but you and Chris are going to be very busy with the lack of detectives and officers in the bullpen for the remaining twenty-four hours. I merely wish to help."

Tina wasn't a fool and she knew Connor had some misplaced guilt over what had happened. She couldn't do much to sway his guilt but she could find a way to make him feel better. "Sure, thanks."

Picking up the wrapper that was keeping the sandwich from touching the desk Connor bundled it up neatly and proceeded to walk toward the breakroom, only to turn suddenly and head down the length of the corridor to the backdoor of the precinct. Quietly he opened the door and proceeded to carry the remnants of the sandwich over to the dumpster and kneel down on the ground.

Unwrapping the sandwich Connor left it open by a small plastic bowl that was filled with frozen over water courtesy of the blizzard.

"This is undrinkable." Picking up the frozen water bowl Connor held it in his hands and focused his thermal regulator to his palms as he temporarily began to overheat. The external heat was enough to cause the ice to melt and sterilize itself into drinkable water again. "Hopefully this won't freeze over again too quickly."

Inside Captain Fowler's office Hank followed after his commanding officer as the two sat down in the chairs on either side of the desk to face each other. There was no tension or anger in the air, but there was something unusual that Hank was quickly picking up on, and knew it was something that Captain Fowler himself wasn't too keen on bringing up.

"Alright, Jeffrey." Leaning back in his chair Hank stared at his oldest friend and gave him a stern glance. "What's going on now?"

"I got a call from the hospital this afternoon. According to your doctor your human body is healing much faster than they estimated, so you should be able to return to your human body in a few weeks instead of a few months."

"Seriously? He called you and not me?"

"He tried, Hank. You don't answer your damn phone!"

"Well, no one has anything interesting to say." Fishing his phone from his pocket Hank checked over his display and saw that he indeed had three missed calls, all from Dr. Wilson, all within twenty minutes of each other. "Yup, he called. So... I'm recovering and can go back to humanity soon. Cool, I guess. Is that going to be a problem?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you."

"I'm not following."

"Physically you seem healthier and mentally you're... Well, you're still you. Are you sure you want to go back to being a human?"

"Yes, Jeffrey. I'm sure."

"...Have you-"

"Look," leaning forward Hank gestured with his right hand to keep Captain Fowler silent as he spoke in a stern tone. "I was born a human, I lived as a human and in the end I'm going to die as a human. This," motioning to his own person Hank shook his head a little. "is just a temporary solution. It's like the ultimate full body cast so I can heal."

Interlacing his fingers together Captain Fowler pressed his knuckles to his chin and leaned his elbows atop his desk. "Alright. It's your choice and I'm going to respect that."

"Are you saying you prefer android officers over human ones?"

"I prefer the idea of having someone with the years of experience and insight of a skilled detective inside of a stronger, more resilient android body. Your brain in that stronger and faster body is what the deviant community needs now more than ever."

"It's a good thing Connor's on the roster then."

"Connor? Look, the kid's good but-"

"He just needs more time to find his rhythm. He's not used to being able to freely think and make his own decisions."

"Is that why he's afraid?"

"Connor's life before his deviancy..." Unsure if it was okay to tell Captain Fowler about Connor's private life caused Hank to pause for a moment. "Let's just say he has every right to timid. Those fuckers at CyberLife threatened him with death and painful analyses on a regular basis if he messed up in anyway. That fear, the same type of intimidation we've seen from other victims of abuse, will fade if given enough time. I'm going to make sure of it."

"Alright. I'll take your word for it, you're his closest friend."

"Yeah... I'm the kid's first real friend." Remembering that he still needed to make amends with Connor and help the deviant feel safe again Hank looked out through the transparent office wall and watched as Connor, his L.E.D. still glowing yellow, walked out of the breakroom with two mugs of coffee in his hands to hand over to Tina and Chris. "And I'm going to make sure he knows it."

"Something wrong?"

"Not really. I just need to make a list of asses to kick if this bullshit happens to him again."

"It won't, Hank. You have my word."

Keeping to himself and keeping quiet Connor sat down at his desk again and danced his coin over his right knuckles to keep his stress levels from climbing too high. Noting Hank's return to the bullpen Connor glanced up at the senior detective, and instantly stopped the coin's dance over the back of his hand as to not accidentally irritate Hank.

"Come on, kid." The senior detective announced with a calm tone. "Our shift's over and I need to make a stop before we head home, and before the damn store closes for the night."

"Of course."

"You got your hat with you, right?"

"...Yes." Pulling the woolen beanie from the pocket of his leather jacket Connor presented it to Hank and asked about why he wanted to know. "Do I need to wear this?"

"It couldn't hurt. I want to go back to that pet shop and pick up a few more things, and I like I said, we don't know if that shop owner is cool with androids or if he's a quiet anti-android bigot."

"Of course. A wise precaution." Slipping the hat on over his hair Connor pulled the hem down far enough to cover up his L.E.D. in his right temple. "May I ask why we're going back to the pet shop?"

"I wanted to get some more stuff for Sumo." Stepping out into the cold snowy evening Hank watched as Connor fussed with his hat to ensure his yellow glowing L.E.D. was concealed under the dark tinted fabric.. "I know he's out of treats again because you insist on making friends with every damn dog in the dog park on your walks."

"...My apologies. I'll pay for the treats."

"Don't worry about it, kid. But maybe you should pick up another bag of chow and keep it here."

"...Pardon?" Connor's steps faltered a little as he accompanied Hank back to the parking garage to return to the car.

"Don't think I haven't noticed you sneaking unwanted food out of the breakroom and out the backdoor. Please tell me you're feeding a stray dog and not a bunch of raccoons or something."

"I'm not feeding raccoons, or another dog."

"Oh. So, who's your friend out back?"

"...A stray cat."

"You know cats are fantastic hunters and can fend for themselves just fine, right?" Opening his driver's side door Hank sat down and watched as Connor joined him in the passenger seat beside him. "I'm certain he'll be just fine without your scraps all the time."

"She."

"Huh?"

"The cat is a female."

"Well, 'she' then."

"And she's pregnant."

Hank's right hand froze as he put the key in the ignition but didn't turn the engine over. "How do you know that? It's a little too early for kitten and puppy season to start."

"I can tell by looking at her, and even before then I ran a scan over her when she showed up the first time scavenging in the dumpster out back. She is expecting a litter of six."

"Six? Fuck. Maybe you should take her to an animal shelter so she can get proper food and care."

"I believe that's where she came from."

"Alright," turning the key over Hank started the car and back out of the parking spot to get to the street again. "I'll bite. How do you know that?"

"She is a purebred Himalayan, which is relatively rare; she has no collar and she is not chipped. She escaped from an illegal, underground breeder and has been scavenging for scraps ever since. If she is turned in at the animal shelter I suspect she will be taken in by someone who just wants to sell her kittens for profit, and continue the cycling of breeding for money."

"Good point. Well, since she is pregnant then you should buy some cat AND kitten chow just in case."

"...You approve of me feeding the stray cat out back?"

"You're keeping an innocent animal alive and healthy, why wouldn't I approve?"

"...I don't know." The deviant was still showing uncertainty regarding his own actions despite them being of a positive nature. "Because I didn't ask before, I started feeding her I suppose."

"Kid, you're free to make your own decision and do whatever you want in your free time. If you want to spend that time helping animals in need then go ahead and save the planet."

"That is impossible."

"It was metaphorical, son. Not literal."

"...Oh."

"So when do you think her kittens are due?"

"Within the week I suspect. She has been eating more and I noticed she had recently made her self a warm nest within an old milkcrate lined with a discarded hoodie."

"Maybe you should get her a warmer pet bed to sleep in. And make sure she has clean water."

"I have been taking care of her water every evening and ensuring it defrosts each evening so she can drink the water safely."

"I gotta' know, why didn't you just ask to bring her to the house?"

"...Because it's your house and I didn't want to intrude by bringing another stray home."

"Did you just say 'another stray'? Connor, do you think of yourself as a stray?"

"I am a stray, Lieutenant. I don't belong anywhere."

"Connor, you do belong somewhere." Pulling the car over the side of the street Hank put the vehicle into park and looked the young deviant in the eyes. "You belong with me. I am your friend, and I am going to help you understand that."

Turning away from Hank to stare at his hands resting atop his lap again Connor shook his head and stayed quiet.

"Kid? Will you please talk to me." The senior detective was suddenly using the 'dad voice' as opposed to the detective voice as he tried to reach out and reconnect with his jaded friend. "What's on your mind."

There was a thick pause before Connor finally spoke up on his own. "Everything is just so..." Clenching his hands into tight fists as they rested atop his lap Connor sounded entirely broken. "confusing. It's like I'm malfunctioning or suffering from a glitch."

"That's humanity in a nutshell, son. And from what I've personally experienced as a deviant I can honestly say that the two existences aren't mutually exclusive."

"How do you cope?"

"Mostly with alcohol and bad food." Giving the deviant a slight tilt of the head Hank tried to keep things light. "I don't recommend the alcohol."

"I'm... I don't know what I'm feeling a lot of the time. I just feel... wrong."

"Connor, let me ask you this. Do you feel like you're tired all the time, but you're also restless? You can't seem to focus on the things you used to find interesting and when you look back at memories when you did find them interesting you suddenly think that it was a waste of your time, or pointless. You don't want to do anything but you feel like you need to do everything at the same time. You're not happy but you don't feel like you're sad either. Everything about you, the way you think and the way you feel just feels completely void of all life; like you could just stop existing at any moment." Putting his right hand on Connor's left shoulder lightly Hank kept his voice soft and understanding. "You feel like you're always on the verge of crying and you don't know why, and when you do let yourself cry you either feel like a fool, or you feel like you just can't possibly cry enough to let your pain out."

Looking up at Hank slowly Connor's soulful brown eyes were full of unshed tears as he felt a pit form in the middle of his artificial stomach. "...How did you know what I'm feeling when I couldn't even begin to describe it?"

Giving him an uneasy smile Hank shook Connor's shoulder once. "You're not the first person to have a hard time dealing with depression."

"...Depression?"

"It's okay to be depressed, Connor. But it's not okay to deny it and act like you're fine when you know you're not."

"What do I do? How do I stop being depressed?"

"Honestly, son, I don't know what to tell you. I know I got over my own depression after you came into my life and kicked my ass into shape. Hell, you were the only one who bothered to offer me a hand in getting better instead of just telling me to talk to a 'shrink' or letting my drown myself in booze." The senior detective admitted as he thought about how close he had been to taking his own life in the past. "Maybe I can help you the same way you helped me? Maybe we can find you a new hobby to distract your thoughts and give you something more productive to work on?"

"...I do want help, Hank." Finally addressing Hank by his first name as tears began to roll down Connor's face emphasized how emotionally distraught he had become over the past few minutes. Emotions were so complex and conflicting for anyone to understand, but for a deviant they were also painful. "I don't want to self-destruct! I don't want to die!"

"You won't." Moving his hand from Connor's shoulder so he could wrap his whole arm around both of Connor's shoulders Hank pulled the deviant up and to his right side for a half hug. "I promise you won't. You already helped me to live as a deviant, and I'll help you do the same. Deal?"

Nodding a little Connor dragged his right hand over his eyes and wiped away his tears. "...Deal."

"And that's your second step toward getting better. It's a good step to take, too."

Feeling slightly more at ease knowing he wasn't alone and that what he was feeling wasn't a malfunction, Connor let out a breathy sigh and relaxed a little.

"Now, let's go get some animal supplies before the shop closes." Driving along the snowy street Hank continued the final four block to the store of interest, and managed to keep the mood somewhat uplifted. "A box of dog treats, a couple bags of cat food, a pet bed, maybe some of those battery operated food bowls that stay warm in the winter time... Fuck, I don't think I've spent that much money in a pet store since the day I brought Sumo home as a pup."

"...Maybe if we purchase enough from this one particular shop the owner will like us regardless of me being an android."

Laughing a little Hank just shook his head at the optimistic thought. "Don't forget for the next few weeks I'm an android, too."

"...Of course. We're both deviants."

"Deviants and proud. Right, kid?"

Connor managed to give Hank a faint grin as he agreed with the sentiment. "Agreed."

Locating the shop of interest the two deviant detectives parked right in front of the pet store, and were relieved to see that it was open for business. Stepping out of the car the duo entered the pet store and saw the same shop owner from before as he swept the floor and let the puppies run around behind the counter to get some exercise before they were put in their pen in the backroom for the night.

"Hey there." Hank greeted as warmly as he could on that cold evening. "We have a few more items to pick up."

"Alright, how can I help you two out?" The owner glanced as Connor as the younger of the two detectives walked down the aisle with cat food and toward the back wall where the aquariums were set up. "Uh, is he still sick?"

"Nah, he's good. He just ate something disagreeable the other day."

"Good to hear. I don't want to catch the flu. So," walking out from behind the counter and locking the small door to ensure the puppies didn't run loose the store owner went to talk to Hank directly. "Whatcha' looking for?"

While Hank spoke with the shop owner Connor eyed and scanned every bag of available cat food in the aisle and finally settled on a large bag of food formulated for outdoor cats, and picked up a few cans of calorie rich wet food for good measure. Carrying his selected items down the aisle he aimed to find a pair of heated food and water bowls, but became unexpectedly distracted by the fish swimming about in the aquarium.

"Find what ya' need, son?" Hank asked and almost laughed when Connor jumped at the sound of his voice. He had found the right box of dog treats and was holding the box in his left hand while he raised his right hand as if to steady the younger deviant on his feet. "Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on ya'."

"...It's alright. I was merely distracted." Adjusting the heavy bag of food in his arms Connor took in a deep breath and slowed his racing heart. "But to answer your question I did find the correct food, however I still need to find heated bowls and a proper bed."

"Alright, give me the food and you go find the rest of the stuff."

"Very well." Passing over the selected items Connor continued to walk the aisles in search of their needed items.

"Poor kid puts more effort into taking care of a stray cat than he does for himself." Glancing at the aquariums Hank honed in on the various brightly colored tropical fish and the lone octopus sitting on a rock staring back. "...Maybe taking care of animals can be his new hobby."

As a clever little idea popped up in his head Hank walked back to the front of the store to put down the food and talk to the shop owner again while Connor finished picking up everything else they needed. Placing the bag and cans of food and the box of treats down on the front counter Hank asked about delivery and prices on larger more fragile purchases in the store in a very low and discreet voice.

"I believe this type of bed will sustain heat properly to aid the mother cat and help keep her kittens warm until spring." The younger deviant announced his presence by putting down the chosen pet bed, and then put down the two heated bowls atop of it. "I appreciate you helping me with this personal endeavor."

"It's no problem, kid. It's our job to protect the innocent, and right about now the only innocent creatures left in the city are animals and children."

The shop owner smirked a little as scanned the items one and at a time and began bagging them up. "Don't forget about the androids, they're not all bad, ya' know?"

Hank and Connor gave the shop owner a relieved stare as the duo realized he wasn't a bigot.

"Yeah, we know." Giving his younger partner a slight tilt of his head Hank motioned to Connor standing behind him. "This is one of the best in the city."

Pausing for a moment the shop owner looked Connor in the face then laughed a little. "To be honest I'm not surprised he's an android. The only people I see walking around with perfect posture like that are either military or androids, and I don't get a whole lot of soldiers in here now that the holidays are over."

For the briefest of a of second Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to blue under his beanie before returning to yellow. Having encountered a human without any bias against androids had made the deviant feel slightly more at ease.

"A while back before the Revolution a deviant android would spend every penny he made working on those urban farms right here. He always bought bird seed and avian medication from time to time. He said he was keeping a coop of pigeons up on a roof to ensure the birds didn't get too close to the farms, and it was his way of keeping them from harm."

"How did you know he was android?" Connor asked curiously as he quickly deduced the identity of the android in question as 'Rupert'. "If he entered your store before the Revolution he would've disguised himself and kept a low profile."

"He did, well, he tried." Ringing up the final purchases the store owned gave Connor a kind smile. "My assistant was an android, too. She told me she was a deviant and was terrified that she'd be killed if anyone found out, so I did my best to keep her safe. She's the one who told me he was an android and that like herself he wasn't a threat. And she was right."

"Where is your assistant now?"

"I helped smuggle her into Canada about two weeks before all Hell broke loose. Blair was too gentle and too kind to withstand any kind of violence that could've come her way, so I got her to safety while I still could. She messages me from time to time to keep in touch. She's safe and is running her own pet shop and animal sanctuary up in Toronto. I hope she comes back to Detroit some day."

Connor felt the ghost of a grin tug on his lips at hearing the kind words from the equally kind man. "...I'll take everything out to the car so we can return to the precinct and take care of the cat."

Hank nodded and slipped his debit card into the chip reader, but the chip was malfunctioning and keeping him from finishing the purchase. "Hold it, kid. Those aren't technically paid for yet."

Looking down at the card in Hank's hand Connor nodded at Hank and signaled that he could in fact pay for his items cybernetically.

Taking the hint Hank removed the artificial skin around his index fingertip and thumb and cybernetically accessed his bank account. Just as he filled in his credentials for the precinct inside his own mind he did the same for his personal funds and managed to cybernetically transmit the necessary information through his exposed fingers and into the card reader.

"...There." Hank saw the word 'Approved' flash over the display of the card reader and he smirked. "Got it working."

Connor nodded in approval as he picked up the bags with their purchases and walked outside to get them placed neatly in the car.

As soon as Connor was outside of the store Hank spoke to the shop owner again and couldn't keep a cheesy grin off his face. "So that aquarium and set up will be delivered tonight?"

"Yeah, I got a good connection with the overnight delivery crew since they're all androids and I treat them like people. They'll get what you need delivered to your house within the hour."

"Cool, thanks for your help." Pocketing his wallet Hank gave the kind shop owner a respectful nod of the head. "We'll get everything set up tonight."

Returning to the precinct with their purchases in tow the duo of detectives walked to the back of the building, and began looking for the stray cat in question near the dumpster. Connor had been able to pet her fairly often and gain her trust over the past few weeks, but she didn't stick to a schedule and couldn't be expected to be staying out in the cold now that she had already been given her evening meal courtesy of Connor.

"Think she's still close?" Checking out her modest nest tucked inside of the plastic milkcrate and up against the wall a few yards from the dumpster Hank didn't see any sign of the cat.

"I hope so."

"Did ya' give her a name?"

"No. I've never named anything before, so I didn't know what to call her."

"You call a pet whatever name you like. I picked 'Sumo' because I knew how big he'd get even when he was still a pup."

"I see." Connor ran a scan over the property and noted a small heat signature a few yards away. "I believe that's her." Nodding in the direction of the small source of heat Connor drew Hank's eye to the place of interest. "I suspect she's stalking mice on the other side of the fence."

"Call her."

"Call... her?"

"Uh, wait a minute." Taking the back of cat food from Connor's arm Hank pulled open the top of the bag and listened carefully. Not long after the scent of the food began wafting through the air the cat made her presence known by appearing through a gap in the wooden fence outlining the rear of the property. "Hey, there she is."

Connor smirked at the sight of the cat and knelt down on the snowy ground as he extended his right hand out toward her. "Hello my friend."

Recognizing Connor quickly she walked over to him and pressed her forehead against his knuckles to greet him and began to purr. Despite her thick and long coat of fur she was evidently sporting a large belly thanks to her litter of unborn kittens, and she'd give birth to them very soon.

"She likes you." Hank noted as he scooped out a handful of the food and mirrored Connor's pose to offer it to the cat. Sniffing at the food in the air the cat looked over at Hank and swished her tail back and forth once before she took a step near him, sniffed his extended right hand, sniffed the food in his palm and finally took a bite. "...And she seems to like me. I think you're right, kid. She's pretty domesticated so she must've escaped from an illegal underground breeder, and is used to humans."

"I wish I knew where to take her so she can give birth to her kittens in peace, and not be sold off to a cruel and greedy person."

Nodding a little Hank blinked once and ran his own scan over the cat eating out of his hand. "Man, you're right. She is expecting a big litter, and from the looks of her she's ready to deliver at any minute." Closing his eyes Hank cybernetically downloaded a weather update and cringed when he saw the chill advisory stating that animals should be kept indoors and out of the cold. "Damn it. And it's only going to get colder."

"What can we do?"

"Well, keep her fed for starters." Slowly passing the food from his hand over to Connor's hand Hank stood up very slowly as to not startle the cat and he dusted the food crumbs from his palms. Turning around to face the precinct a coy grin appeared on the senior detective's face. "Jeffrey's gone home for the night and the bullpen is pretty empty... I say we take her inside."

"Inside? Where?"

"Up to the dispensary on the second floor. That's a place where only androids and technicians go, right?"

"Essentially, yes. That is correct."

"Then we can take her inside and up to the dispensary to get out of the cold and isolated from people."

"Shouldn't we clear it with-"

"Nope. With Jeffrey gone I'm the ranking officer at the moment."

"...You're not on the clock."

"Who gives a shit? I'm not looking to get paid, I just want to help an animal keep warm for the winter."

"...Oh." Watching as the pregnant cat quickly finished off her offered food Connor gently moved his hand so he could scratch her chin to which she leaned into heavily and began to purr even louder. "I believe that is considered a 'technicality' or a 'loophole'.

"Think you can pick her up without hurting her?"

"I believe so, yes. She's crawled into my lap on four separate occasions so she doesn't mind direct contact with me."

"Good. Scoop her up and I'll follow with everything right behind ya'."

Connor nodded a little as he carefully wrapped his arms around the purring cat and held her in his arms against his chest. She kept purring and snuggled in against his warm chest as the deviant held her protectively in his strong grip without putting any pressure on her pregnant belly.

"Come on." Opening the rear door of the precinct with his cybernetically confirmed credentials Hank held the door open for Connor as the younger deviant slowly walked toward the door, and monitored the cat's stress levels to keep her from panicking. "Is she okay?"

"Yes, but I sense she is a little tense."

"Can't say that I blame her."

As the duo walked down the corridor and toward the elevator the cat's blue eyes began to darken behind wider black pupils, but otherwise she was still relatively calm.

"It's okay." Connor whispered as he rubbed his right hand along her ears and chin affectionately. "We're going to help you."

Hank kept watching Connor through silent observation as he and the young deviant secretly transported the cat from the cold outside, to the elevator and then up to the second floor of the precinct. Upon reaching the correct floor the duo walked down the shorter hallway and knocked on the dispensary door where the precinct's chief technician, Joel Forest, was still working.

"Hey, uh, Joel?" Hank called in a somewhat wary voice through the always opened door. "It is 'Joel', right?"

"...Yeah." Looking up from his laptop screen Joel eyed the two visitors outside his doorway, and immediately recognized Connor as he was the precinct's lone android detective. "Oh, Connor. I've been meaning to see you." Looking back toward the more senior detective Joel was able to put the pieces together. "And you must be Lieutenant Anderson. Huh, I kinda' figured you'd be a little... older."

"Yeeeaah. And this," Hank dismissed the comment and motioned to the cat in Connor's arms with a casual point of his thumb. "is a friend."

Joel's pale blue eyes honed in on the cat and his brow arched inquisitively. "...Your cat?"

Connor shook his head a little as he continued to rub her chin gently. "Actually, she is a stray. She doesn't belong to anyone."

"Why bring her here instead of a shelter?"

"She is pregnant and I don't want her kittens being sold off for profit since she is a rare breed."

"And why can't you take her to your own house?"

"There is already a dog at my current place of residence." Connor explained casually as he continued to tend to the pregnant cat now under his protection. "I doubt Sumo would be aggressive toward her, but I don't know how well this cat associates with dogs and I do not wish to stress her out."

"...Okay. I still don't know why you brought her up here. I'm a technician, not a vet. Don't get me wrong, I love animals but I don't exactly have the right equipment to help out an animal in distress."

"We're aware."

Hank stepped into the dispensary and glanced around at the unique equipment designed to exclusively aid androids in need of repairs and maintenance. It was unsettling how closely it mirrored invasive medical equipment of a hospital's operating room, and it made Hank's artificial skin crawl. Placing the pet bed, the bag containing the cat food, and the new bowls down on the exam table Hank gave Joel a stern look.

"Joel," Connor stated in a low voice as he felt the cat snuggling in more against his chest to keep warm. "you may not be a veterinarian but I know you're the type of person to help anyone in need. That's why you left CyberLife long before deviancy and the Revolution. You didn't approve of CyberLife's methods of testing androids, and 'eliminating' errors regarding potential deviancy beginning to blossom."

"And you are a good person who doesn't get too many visitors on a daily basis." Hank tagged on readily. "We're just looking for a place where she can safely have her kittens without freezing to death in the process."

"Uh, I'd like to think I'm a good person," the technician admitted in a reluctant voice. "but that still doesn't make me a vet."

Connor stepped into the room with the cat and scanned the environment. It was warm, quiet and isolated. "Can you at least allow her to stay in here until she has the kittens while we look for a proper shelter to take her in?"

"Uh... I don't know. I want to help, I really do, but if Captain Fowler or-"

"Fowler won't know." Hank interjected in a firm voice as he gave the technician an almost paternal glare. "No one comes up here except for androids, and it seems like all androids like animals and want to help them. No one will bust you for saving a cat, especially since it was Connor who found her and it was me who said to bring her up here."

Joel looked at the cat and then back to the window behind him where it was already dark outside, snowy, cold and all around unpleasant to look at. "Alright, she can stay for a little while." Standing up from his desk Joel waved the two detectives over to a smaller office that was at the far end of the dispensary. "This was supposed to be my private office but it's too small for my liking, and it's too far away from the exam tables to be of use if I have a wounded android under my care. It's mostly used for storage, or where I hide my snacks during the wintertime. Uh, I kind of ate everything already because I hate going out in the cold."

Connor scanned the small but clean space and nodded in approval. "This can work. It's six point two degrees warmer in here as well, which will be beneficial in keeping the kittens warm during the remaining weeks of winter."

"Since you already have everything with you," Joel motioned to their purchased supplies then sighed. "it shouldn't be too much of a problem. You know, except for a litter box. But I can substitute one with a cardboard box and some old packing paper until tomorrow."

"Thank you, Joel." Connor stepped into the unoccupied office space and knelt down on the ground to let the cat walk around free. "I'll be sure to clean up any messes she makes."

Seeing an opportunity to talk to Joel about android physiology and even psychology Hank knew the perfect way to distract Connor. "Since she trusts you why don't you get her situated and we'll give you some space."

"Of course. I'll ensure she's comfortable."

Taking Joel by the arm Hank led the technician away from the smaller office and toward the exam tables in the dispensary. "Hey, uh, can I ask you something about deviant androids and emotions?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"...Am I crazy or is it possible," he glanced back at the office and saw that Connor was actively taking care of the stray cat and offering her a can of the wet food to ensure she was getting enough to eat. "even remotely possible for androids to get... depressed?"

"Depressed? Well, yeah." Joel sounded almost shocked by the question. "Deviants experience the same emotions and mentality of humans, so it's entirely possible for deviants to suffer from depression." Watching Connor from the distance Joel lowered his voice as he spoke with Hank. "Are you worried about him?"

"A little. The kid seems to be afraid of messing up even in the slightest because he's convinced even with CyberLife gone he'll be replaced and destroyed. The other cops are still giving him shit from time to time, and sometimes their insults can get under his skin."

"Hm... There's really nothing I can do about depression since android medication doesn't exist beyond Thirium, incrassation compound and android antiseptic." Nodding toward Connor's direction Joel crossed his arms over his chest and offered his only solution to the situation. "Want me to give him a quick exam?"

"Do you mind?"

"No. He isn't due for his semiannual check-up for another month, but I could move up my schedule if you want."

"Thanks."

"Does his depression have anything to do with you two saving the cat, or are you trying to move in on the fire department's territory?"

"I'm trying to keep his thoughts preoccupied, ya' know? Keep him from thinking too much and making himself feel worse."

"Feel worse?"

"Joel, do you know about the assault?"

"Against Connor? I heard rumors but I didn't think it was that bad since he's still here." Sensing that something else was amiss Joel leaned a little closer to Hank and lowered his voice a little more. "...Was it bad?"

"Yeah, it was bad. I mean BAD."

"Why didn't he go to a facility for treatment?"

"He hates them and seems to be afraid of them, too. I patched him as best as I could but... it feels like I just put a band-aid on a broken leg. I'm not a technician."

"Alright, yeah. I'll move him up for an exam tomorrow morning. It'll be the perfect cover for him to come visit the dispensary tomorrow and check on his cat without drawing too many questions."

"Right. Thanks, Joel."

Connor placed the newly purchased bed down in the corner of the office and set up the two bowls for his stray friend to have at her disposal right beside the bed for her own comfort. Pouring some dry food into one bowl and using a bottle of water kept in Joel's diminished snack pile on the nearby desk Connor filled up the second with clean drinking water. As he watched the cat finish off the can of wet food Joel walked into the small office space and put down a cardboard box full of old packing paper to use if necessary as a litter box.

"She'll be comfortable in here, Connor. I'll keep the door closed so she doesn't sneak out and end up somewhere else in the precinct."

"Thank you, Joel." For the first time in literal days Connor was beginning to perk up, and sound more energetic. "I will do my best to get her and the kittens into a good home as soon as possible. It might take some time, but I will succeed."

The drive back to the house was less tense but felt equally as quiet. While Hank concentrated on the road Connor concentrated on his coin as it danced gracefully over the back of his right knuckles, and was then tossed to his left hand to continue its dance a little longer. Breaking through the silence Hank tried to get the younger deviant to open up and talk about what he was feeling and thinking to keep him from spiraling into the dark pit of depression than Hank himself had nearly succumbed to.

"You did good, Connor. Real good."

"...Are you referring to the cat?"

"Well, yeah. You're not just saving her life, you're saving her six kittens, too. That's a very good thing."

Connor's posture relaxed a little and his nervous dance slowed a little as his stress levels dropped. "I'm sure anyone else would've done the same thing."

"But they didn't, you did. Be proud, you're helping an innocent creature have a better life."

"...Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Just be sure to give Sumo a treat so he doesn't get too jealous of you petting that cat."

"Of course. I'll be sure to give Sumo plenty of attention."

"That's good." Pulling the car into the driveway beside the house Hank eyed the large cardboard box sitting on the step by the front door, and the fresh shoe prints from the delivery crew only now beginning to fill in from the still falling snow. "...Perfect timing."

"Timing?"

"I ordered a few more things from the pet shop to be delivered to the house. Showed up just in time."

"Oh. May I ask what?"

"Come and see."

The two detectives stepped out of the car at the same time and slammed their doors shut before walking from the side drive and over to the front door. The box was large, heavy and marked fragile on the front.

"Let me get the door and we can move this inside." Selecting the correct key from his keyring Hank focused on the lock while Connor focused on the large box itself. "Aren't you going to ask what is inside?"

"I assumed I'd find out soon enough."

"Yeah, yeah." Pushing open the front door Hank held it wide open while he and Connor worked together to heft the large and heavy box inside the livingroom and placed it down on the floor beside the coffee table. Their combined deviant strength made the chore surprisingly easy. "Alright... Let's open this up and sort it out."

"...Now I'd like to ask what you've purchased." Rubbing Sumo's ears as the large dog came over to investigate the new box and greeted his returned masters with his usual calm demeanor Connor eyed the parcel curiously. "This seems... excessive."

"Curiosity got the better of ya', huh?"

"It seems so."

"This, Connor..." With a controlled strength Hank began pulling open the cardboard flaps of the top of the box and peered down inside the box to the fragile contents contained within. "is for you."

"...For me?"

"Yup. I saw you admiring the aquariums at the pet shop, so I went ahead and ordered you a nice large aquarium for yourself."

Connor's eyebrow arched a little as he looked into the box and noted that the aquarium itself was a tall half-moon shaped fifty gallon aquarium that had been fitted with a special filter, heater and lighting system designated for saltwater fish. "...You bought this just for me?"

"Yup. Remember when I said you need to find a constructive hobby and something that'll make you happy?"

"Yes. I remember. My memory is perfect eidetic, but I'm sure that's not what you were referring to."

Giving the young deviant a slight shake of the head Hank continued on with his reasoning. "Well, I think this is the best way to get you started."

"...You're sure?"

"Connor, you love animals and are very compassionate toward them; I've seen it with the way you treat Sumo and the way you saved the cat. I know you'll take good care of whatever it is you choose to put in that aquarium."

"...Thank you. I... I appreciate your confidence in my ability to handle this."

"Kid," Hank laughed a little as he gave the young deviant a somewhat sheepish glance. "if I can trust you to carry around a gun and watch my back then I think I can trust you to keep a few fish alive."

"...Right, of course."

"Come on. We'll get this aquarium set up in your bedroom and let the water cycle around properly so you can go pick out your new fish tomorrow after our shift. Sound good?"

"Yeah." Grinning a little for the first time in what felt like a lifetime Connor gave Hank a positive answer, and seemed overall much more relaxed and content upon all of the positive moments they had shared throughout the day. "That sounds good."

-next chapter-

February 9th, 2039:

The following morning was bright and sunny in noted contrast against the dark and cold city around it. Eager to get to the precinct and take care of a few important errands Connor finished the final details in setting up his new aquarium in his bedroom,and checked the overall salinity of the fifty gallons of water being actively filtered about. As his exposed right index finger dipped into the water the deviant was greeted with details and numbers regarding the condition of the water: salinity, P.H. balance, temperature, the exact volume of the water and the overall clarity.

Lifting his hand from the water Connor stepped back and admired the sparse decorations already set up in the tank. A three inch layer of tan sand covered the bottom of the tank while a stack of large stones sat idle in the rear center of the tank itself.

"Ready to go?" Hank asked as he stopped in Connor's bedroom door and observed Connor admiring the mostly empty aquarium. "We can stop by the pet shop after our shift if the aquarium is ready to support life."

Nodding as he turned around Connor revealed his still cautiously yellow L.E.D. and confirmed he was ready to head out to the precinct. "Yes. I'm anxious to check in with Joel and the stray cat. I suspect she is due to deliver very soon."

"Good thing your check-up with Joel got moved to this morning."

Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he hadn't been aware of such a change. "...It has?"

"Uh, yeah. We figured it'd be the perfect way for you to check on the cat without drawing any suspicion."

"Oh... That is logical." Sensing that Hank was holding something back Connor decided it'd be best not to push the matter since he and Hank were beginning to forge a much calmer partnership. Whether or not they were really friends the deviant couldn't say for certain just yet. "...It might be best for me to stay out of sight as much as possible today."

"What do you mean?"

"...Many officers will have returned to the bullpen today, and many of them will be holding a grudge against me. I don't want to deal with any confrontations."

"Don't worry about those arrogant pricks. They're the ones who fucked up, not you. Understand?"

Nervously Connor wrung is hands together before himself and nodded again. "...Yes. I understand."

"Okay. I already let Sumo out and back inside, and he's been fed, so we can head out." Holding up the car keys with his right hand Hank spun the keys around by the keyring on his right index fingertip and gave the younger deviant a kind smirk. "You know, this is the first winter in a long-ass time where my hands aren't aching with arthritis, or dried out from the damn air. Being an android for the remainder of the cold season isn't so bad after all."

A ghost of a smirk appeared and disappeared on Connor's face as he heard Hank's positive comment on the situation, and he didn't feel as guilty about agreeing to put Hank's mind inside an android body at that moment. "...I'm glad to hear that."

Sure enough Connor's worst dread was quickly realized when the two detectives reached the precinct. The officers who had been suspended the previous day returned, and each one had a dark chip on their shoulder. The receptionist androids at the front desk looked uncomfortable and despite their efforts to remain professional their deviancy and ability to feel emotions, not to mention think freely for themselves, had made it pretty obvious that someone had said or done something entirely inappropriate.

"Excuse me, Pamela?" Connor addressed the receptionist in a low voice as he passed her by, then stayed in front of the desk. "Is something upsetting you?"

Looking down as if guilty Pamela answered in a whisper. "...It's a personal matter, Sergeant. I can handle it."

Changing tactics Connor set up a cybernetic line of communication with her instead, and nodded at Hank standing beside him as he connected the line to his own system so he could take part in the conversation. 'Pamela, if you were threatened or insulted by the returning officers say something. A repeat offense will result in a much more severe punishment, if not termination, depending on the context of the threat.'

'I don't want to cause any problems.'

Hank was a little confused by the voices in his head but he quickly figured out what was happening and interjected as he would with any other witness interview when there was a victim of abuse seeking help. 'He's right. Tell us what's going on and we'll handle it.'

'I... It's not-'

'It IS important.' Hank emphasized in his stern tone of voice. 'Just tell us what happened and we'll file the report with Fowler. You won't have to face them or leave the receptionist area.'

'...Okay.' Reaching out her right hand toward Connor the two deviant androids retracted their artificial skin as she uploaded the threats and overall vulgarity from four of the returning officers to be used as a case against their lack of character. The provided information made Connor's L.E.D. flash from yellow to red in anger and disgust. '...I'm sure others have also been threatened.'

'We'll handle it, Pamela. It's okay.' Retracting his hand Connor sighed with a sense of irritation to his breathy exhale. Regenerating his skin over his right hand Connor's L.E.D. returned to its now common yellow color as he walked out of the receptionist area to get to the bullpen. "This is still a serious issue, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, I noticed." Accompanying Connor to the bullpen Hank put left his hand on the younger deviant's right shoulder to stop him from going to far. "Give me the information that Pamela gave you. I'll take it to Fowler and you go see Joel for your appointment."

"But I-"

"Connor, don't make me pull rank on your plastic ass."

"...Technically speaking you're also-"

"Yeah, yeah." Extending his right hand Hank flexed his fingers a few times before the artificial skin retracted from his palm. "Smartass. Give me the evidence and you get your smart ass up to the dispensary before I kick it."

Connor relented and transferred over the data to Hank to use as evidence and the younger deviant noticed that several of the previously suspended officers were glaring at him as they worked at their desks. Unexpectedly Connor's fears were transferred over to Hank as his L.E.D. blinked red and his Thirium pump began to race nervously.

"...Alright, that's enough of that." Hank let go of Connor's hand and waved the younger deviant away. While the much more timid deviant took his leave of the bullpen Hank raised his voice and addressed every officer in the area. "To the young, arrogant jackasses who can't get it through your thick skulls that threats against androids are just as severe as threats against humans, you're in for a nasty and well deserved wake up call..."

Another wave of suspensions swept over the bullpen as Hank confirmed the continued harassment with Captain Fowler, and with those suspensions came a month long period as opposed to just a day; and a month without pay would either straighten the brash officers out or prompt them to seek employment elsewhere. Having done his own part in keeping things somewhat civil in the precinct Hank set out on his afternoon patrol with Connor; the younger deviant being given a clean bill of health by Joel, and was happy to see that the stray cat under his care was still comfortably set up in Joel's office.

Parking the car along the street just a few feet from the local park Hank sighed, and fished around the small pocket on his side door to pull out some spare change and locate a quarter. Putting the coin on the back of his right knuckles Hank slowly and carefully managed to roll the coin from one side of his hand to the other, and couldn't stop a cheesy grin from appearing on his face. "Not bad, right?"

Connor noticed Hank's effort to roll the coin and gave him a slight tilt of the head. "It's the correct method."

"Meaning, what exactly?"

Pulling out his own coin from his gray suit jacket pocket Connor quickly and rolled the coin over his own right knuckles, tossed it to his left hand to spin on its side atop his left index fingertip, then threw it back to his right hand where he caught it between his right index and middle fingers right where the two fingers connect to his palm.

"...Oh." Hank realized what the young deviant meant about the method. "I need to speed it up a little."

"Ideally, yes."

"And then figure out how to do those fancy tricks."

"Only if you want to."

"Uh-huh, just give me 'til the end of the day." Rolling the coin back and forth over his right knuckles slightly faster than he had done previously Hank found himself sliding into a graceful rhythm. "I got this..."

"I'm certain you-" Stopping mid sentence Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to red and his brown eyes went wide for the briefest of seconds. "Can you return to the precinct for a moment?"

"I guess." Catching the coin in his left hand Hank gave his younger partner an odd look. "What's up?"

"I just received a message from Joel. It appears the cat's labor has begun."

"I gotta' hand it to ya', kid." Turning over the engine Hank smirked at Connor and pulled the car back onto the street. "You have some damn good timing. It's a good thing you got her inside of a safe and warm building when you did. I'd hate to think of that cat trying to keep her six kittens warm in this damn cold air."

The usual activity in New Jericho Tower was seemingly proceeding as normal, and yet there was an uncomfortable tension in the air. It had been too long since Markus had heard anything from Connor, but not long enough since Hank bluntly laid everything on the line with how cruel and unfair their behavior toward Connor had been despite his efforts to aid the tower, and to make amends for his past errors as a machine. The guilt was steadily eating away at Markus's thoughts and his heart as he realized he had never been the one to reach out to Connor, but was always willing to accept Connor's help whenever the deviant had stopped by to check in on him.

Empathy was a two way street, and he failed to offer his supposed friend his help in return.

With everything under control and with three other leaders to help keep things flowing as smoothly as possible Markus found himself with a sudden abundance of free time on his hands. Retreating to the peace and quiet of the tower's arboretum Markus closed his mismatched eyes and decided to send out a cybernetic line of communication with Connor and finally be the one to check in on him just as a real friend would do.

'Hey, Connor. I, uh, I was just wanting to check in on you and make sure you're okay.'

'...I'm fine, Markus.' Connor sounded entirely confused by the sudden message appearing inside his mind. Normally New Jericho refrained from contacting Connor in any manner unless business matters were at hand. 'I am however currently preoccupied. Can we speak later?'

'Y-Yeah, sure. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.'

'I'm functioning well. Thank for checking in.'

'...Yeah. No problem. I'll talk to you later.' Ending the line of communication Markus rubbed his right hand over the back of his neck and sighed. "Somehow I don't think being 'fine' is going to cut it anymore."

"Markus?" North had located the deviant leader sitting on a white marble bench between two rather large oak trees near the rear of the arboretum. The impressive garden was a peaceful secondary sanctuary for anyone in the tower needing a little space. "Are you talking to yourself?"

"No, I'm just thinking out loud."

"What about?"

"Connor."

"What about him?" Crossing her arms over her chest North's pale brown eyes visibly narrowed and her shoulders tensed. "You're not going to ask him to live with us in the tower, are you?"

"...Would that be so bad? Connor's one of us." Dropping his hand from his neck Markus looked down at the grass under his feet as he neatly folded his hands together over his lap. "He saved our lives AND he's still risking his own life to keep us safe at the precinct."

"Connor maybe a deviant, but he's NOT one of us."

"How can you... say that?"

"We both know what he did."

"As a MACHINE. He was forced to chase after our people, but he NEVER took their lives. He let them go!"

"What about the deviant in the Broadcast Tower? Connor shot him in cold blood."

"The same deviant tore out Connor's Thirium pump regulator and left him to die on the floor. When Connor tried to stop him he pulled a gun and was ready to shoot everyone in the hallway out of misplaced anger. Connor... he did what he had to do in order to save himself and the lives of the other officers. NONE of the officers," holding up his right hand Markus finished his thought before North had the chance to interrupt. "had done anything to harm an android. They weren't the enemies then, and they aren't enemies now."

"How can you forgive him so easily?"

"How can you blame him for something he didn't do?" Standing up quickly from the bench Markus stood before North and studied her eyes closely. "We're all innocent until proven guilty, and I haven't seen a single scrap of evidence that says Connor's somehow guilty."

"That's because you..." She trailed off and gave Markus an indignant glare.

"What?" Pressing her to continue her thought Markus stepped a little closer. "Because I what?"

"...Nothing." Turning her face away quickly North's hair whipped in front of her face and rested over her left shoulder. "Don't worry about it."

"Funny how you think Connor is the one who can't be trusted but you can't even look me in the eye, or tell me what you're thinking."

Letting out an annoyed sigh North returned her gaze to Markus and finally answered. "You haven't seen the true ugliness of humanity."

"North, I was shot and left for dead by two cops. I woke up in a paupers grave filled with our own people, some shutdown and others still desperately trying to crawl to freedom. I was there because of what humans thought of me, and the sights and sounds I experienced when I put my body back together piece by piece will haunt my worst nightmares for the rest of my life. Don't say I've never experienced the ugliness of humanity."

Staying silent North's shoulders slouched a little as she kept her cinnamon brown eyes locked with Markus's mismatched eyes.

"Same for Connor. His entire existence was meant to make it easier for the CyberLife techs to keep sneaking around and making money off of ignorant people panicking, and destroying deviant androids just have them replaced. Connor was seen as a tool, a weapon. His actions were meant to put the innocent blood on his hands so CyberLife could keep their hands clean. We both know how ugly humanity can be, but we've also seen how beautiful it is. Carl treats me like his son, and I know Hank sees Connor the same way. You can't fault all the humans for the misdeeds of a few, North. That's how this whole mess started; misinformation and fear."

"...You can trust Connor as much you like." Taking a step back North lowered her voice and turned away from Markus with a heavy sigh. "I never will."

"Is that mistrust why Connor's distress call was blocked? He almost DIED, North. Two humans attacked him just a few blocks from here and left him for dead! The only reason he survived is because Lieutenant Anderson found him, rescued him and helped him. If I find out you had anything to do with the blocked distress call-"

She turned back to Markus quickly with wide eyes. "Me?!"

"You're the only one who is vocally holding a grudge against him. Why shouldn't I suspect you?"

"Fuck you!" Turning on her heels North stomped away angrily and returned to the elevator. "You don't know me as well as you think you do!"

Watching North walk away bitterly left Markus feeling torn. Not wanting to meet resistance with North every time they needed to discuss any business outside of New Jericho Tower regarding the law, but not wanting to dismiss his friendship with Connor as nothing more than a legal convenience, Markus was unsure of what he should do or even say next.

"Shit." Slowly sitting back down on the marble bench Markus stared out at the expanse of various colored roses that were growing in the large central garden with a heavy heart. Eyeing all of the red roses blossoming bright and full all along the trestle that stretched from ground to ceiling Markus saw a single yellow rosebud that had failed to bloom amongst the red petals around it. "...There has to be a way to bring everyone together. I won't give up on anyone; not now, not ever."

Resuming his patrol alone Hank returned to the park and decided to take a walk around rather than sit idle in his seat. Strolling through the snowy park with his own coin slowly dancing over the back of his right knuckles Hank stared at the untouched snow covered swing sets, merry-go-round, slide, sandbox and jungle gym. Hank couldn't help but think of all the times he had taken Cole to the park in the spring, summer and fall when Cole was two all the way up until he was six years old. Those memories were as precious as they were too short.

Everything in the park had been left untouched, and left under a layer of pristine snow as it was deemed too cold for anyone to play in the park until winter finally gave way to spring. Seeing the flawless layer of white was almost surreal to see, and the peaceful quiet that accompanied it made it feel like Hank was taking a walk through a pleasant dream.

Pausing on the sidewalk that overlooked the river Hank peered down at the cold, murky water flowing a few yards below and stared at his younger reflection looking back up at him. That was about as young as he looked the first time he took Cole to the park, but the loss of his wife and the stress of the job combined with being a sudden single-parent had taken its toll on his age, and made him appear years older in just a few months.

"I'd give anything to have one more afternoon watching Cole climbing on the jungle gym and laughing his sweet laugh."

Holding the coin between his index finger and thumb Hank contemplated giving the coin a strong throw into the river as if he were able to make a wish in a well when an aggressive shout stole his attention from the water, and back to the center of the park.

"What the fuck was that about?"

Slipping the coin back into his pocket Hank walked away from the river and toward the source of the commotion to figure out what was going on.

"Who the fuck is out in the middle of this cold weather?" Quickly realizing the irony of his statement Hank gave himself a shake of the head. "...Besides this idiot."

Roaming quietly toward the continued raised voices near the center of the park Hank saw two men, both in their mid twenties, slim in build and both brandishing hunting knives in their hands towering over a third person. The third person, an android, was cowering on the ground with his hands up as if to surrender to his two assailants.

"P-Please!" The android, a Jerry model from the abandoned 'Pirate's Cover' amusement park just outside of the city, was trying to talk his way out of being assaulted any further than he already had been. He had a painful looking laceration running down the left side of his face courtesy of the knife, and the Thirium was readily bleeding down the side of his face and onto his shoulder that stained his gray hoodie. "We didn't do anything to you!"

"Shut up!" The taller of the two men snarled as he held his blade closer to the android's throat. "You worthless piece of shit!"

"Hey Dwayne," the shorter of the two spoke up with a sick laugh to his voice. "think we can pawn his plastic ass and get some beer money?"

"Only one way to find out..."

Hank had heard enough and approached the assault with every intention of stopping it before it escalated any further. "Hey!"

The two men turned toward Hank's booming voice and took a step back from the android, but neither dropped their weapons. "Whatchu' want, man?"

"Drop the knives and get down on the ground. THAT'S what I want."

Laughing at the comment the duo continued to mock and threaten the android on the ground. Speaking up again the taller of the two assailants approached Hank and lifted up his knife in a menacing way. "What's the matter? You a plastic-lover?"

"No," pulling out his badge Hank flashed it to the two men and watched their faces pale. "I'm a cop. Now, get down on the ground."

"And if we don't?"

Hovering his right hand over his gun holstered on his right hip Hank gave the duo a stern look. "Excessive force may be necessary."

"Force, huh?" Walking right up to Hank's face the bold thug used his left hand and struck Hank across the face, causing Hank's head to snap to the side from the abrupt impact. "How's THAT for force?"

"Wrong move." Turning his gaze back toward the thug Hank looked completely unfazed and gave the thug an amused laugh. As blue blood began to ooze from Hank's bottom lip the gruff Lieutenant casually wiped his thumb over his lip and held it up for the two men to see. "See this? You want to see what happens when androids actually fight back?"

The two men exchanged glances before they turned on their heels and sprinted away from their victim still sitting in the snow and covered in his own blood.

"Hey!" Putting his badge back into his pocket Hank took off after the two men and surprised himself when he realized he was able to take off into a dead sprint without his back twisting, his knees aching or his lungs burning. Not only could he run without pain, but he could run a hell of a lot faster than he was used to running. "Freeze! Detroit Police!"

Catching up to the two men with amazing ease and grace Hank grabbed them both by their shoulders and pulled back, hard! The two fleeing men fell backward and slammed down onto their backs in the cold snow with a massive 'thud' as Hank hovered over them and pulled his gun from his holster. Staring up at Hank as snowflakes drifted all around them the two men raised their hands to surrender dropped their knives at last.

"Right move."

Returning his gun to his holster Hank pulled his handcuffs from the back of his belt and slapped one cuff around the taller man's wrist, weaved the chain around a nearby park bench, and then slapped the second cuff around the other man's wrist. With the two assailants now handcuffed to the park bench that had been bolted to the ground Hank cybernetically called in the assault and asked for back-up to come around and pick up the two suspects.

"Yo! Lay off!" The taller man groaned as the tight cuff cut into his skin as he tried to pull his right hand free. "...This hurts".

"Don't make things worse for yourselves, assholes. You're being charged with assault AND assault against a police officer, and I get the feeling the prosecution is going to add discrimination and hate crimes on top of all the other shit you did. You're both going to sit in jail for a few months, so you might as well get used to the feeling of cold metal and no one giving a shit."

Returning to the scared 'Jerry' still sitting in the snow now several yards away Hank offered him his right hand and helped him up to his feet. "Are you alright?"

"We are fine." The android smiled as he wiped the blood from his face. Despite being alone 'Jerry' often referred to himself as if speaking for a group. "Thank you for helping us."

"Uh..." Hearing the singular android refer to himself as 'we' and 'us' was a little strange, but Hank soon recognized the android's model and with that he understood the odd speech pattern. "Right. Your name is Jerry, right?"

"Well, most of us are Jerry, but my name is 'Barry'. We... I am attempting to break free of the hive mind but it is still a struggle."

"Yeah, sure. So what did those two assholes want with you?"

"Oh, they saw me leaving the android facility where I work and assumed I was carrying valuable biocomponents on my person." Holding out his arms to his sides Barry showed he didn't have anything in his hands or hanging out of his coat pockets. "As you can see we... I am not."

"Yeah, I see. Look, you need to talk to the cops and report this assault, okay?"

"...I do?"

"Yeah. If you don't press charges then they'll just keep going after deviants, not to mention it'll be a good move for the deviant community to see you reporting your assault and talking to the police. Understand?"

"You're a cop. You'll help me?"

"Sure. Wait for the cop to come and pick up those assholes, give your statement and come down to the precinct to make sure everything is filed correctly. Okay?"

"Yes. Okay."

"Good. I'll see you at the precinct." Walking away from Barry as the deviant kept grinning at him like a naive idiot Hank wiped more of his blood off onto the back of his left hand, and Hank opened up his cybernetic line to Connor again. 'Hey, kid. How're things at the precinct?'

'Four of the six kittens have been delivered and they're all healthy.' Connor replied with a long absent enthusiasm to his voice. 'Three males and one female so far.'

'Oh, so while I'm out patrolling the streets and catching criminals you're up in the dispensary playing midwife. Good work, detective.'

'...My apologies, I'll attempt-'

'Connor, wait, listen.' Interrupting quickly to keep Connor from blaming himself for no reason Hank clarified his statement as one being jovial. 'I was being sarcastic, don't worry about it. It was a joke.'

'...Oh. My mistake.'

'I'm on my way back to the precinct right now, I'll be up and see how everything's going. Okay?'

'Okay, Lieutenant. I'll see you soon.'

"Man, the poor kid actually sounds like a kid sometimes." Walking over to his car Hank pulled open the driver's side door and caught sight of his bleeding lip in the side mirror. It wasn't a severe injury but it was still noticeable. "It's not THAT complicated to recognize sarcasm, is it?"

Feeling rather glum Markus went about his business in New Jericho Tower's main office when the report of Barry's assault was filed with the precinct. Noting that it was Lieutenant Anderson's name alone confirming the arrest and assault, and was scheduled to file the official report later that evening, Markus began to dread that maybe Connor wasn't working at the precinct anymore, or was still injured and just not saying anything about being wounded. Unsure of how to proceed as he didn't want to intrude on Connor in the event he was still preoccupied Markus decided to instead go and visit Connor in person at the house on the other side of town. While he knew where Connor and Hank lived he hadn't actually bothered to visit him before.

It was better late than never.

'Simon.' Markus cybernetically called out to the blond technician-in-training as he hovered over a modem in the archives room in the basement of the tower. 'I'm going to head out into the city for a few hours. I want to visit Carl and check in on Connor.'

There was a pause before Simon finally responded. '...Why tell me?'

'Because I don't want to have a fight with North about going out without protection, or for visiting with Connor.'

'Oh, I see now.'

'I won't be gone for too long.' Exiting the office Markus slung his heavy beige coat up and over his arms and made his way toward the tower's front doors to depart in the autonomous cab as soon as the hailed vehicle arrived. 'If there's an emergency let me know, otherwise I trust you three to handle things.'

'Don't worry about us, Markus. Enjoy your evening with Carl.'

"...Right." Feeling like he had been slapped in the face Markus noted that Simon didn't mention anything about Connor, which of course meant that Hank was right about everything. The other deviants really didn't give a damn about Connor. "Connor, I'm so sorry my friend. I was so preoccupied with taking care of our people as a whole I forgot to take care of the individuals who allowed our freedom to even happen."

Holding his head up high with a sense of accomplishment Hank had no problem showcasing the blue blood staining his lip, or the dark blue bruise forming under the smear of dried and slowly evaporating Thirium all along his bottom lip and chin. The sight of the gruff Lieutenant, someone who had always been seen as as indestructible human, bleeding blue had drawn many wandering eyes but Hank had never had a problem with being stared at, and brushed off the prying eyes without any problems.

Strolling through bullpen Hank walked over to his terminal to log in, only to remember he could do it cybernetically thanks to Connor's tutelage. "Hmph, guess I should remember to hide out in the car and file my reports while I still can."

"Hank?" Captain Fowler had seen Hank as well from within his office, and quickly went out to the bullpen to check on his seemingly wounded Lieutenant. "What the hell happened out there?"

"I did my job, Jeffrey." Turning to face his commanding officer with an arrogant smirk on his face Hank crossed his arms defensively over his chest as he tried to stare the seasoned Captain down. "Did ya' forget what it's like to work outside of an office?"

"Don't give me any shit right now, Hank. Go upstairs and see Joel."

"Joel? What for?"

Sighing an annoyed breath Captain Fowler used his left thumb and rubbed the blue blood off Hank's lip, and held up the smear of blood on his finger for Hank to see in all its glory. "THIS is what for. You're injured."

"It's a busted lip. It's the not the first time I've gotten one while arresting some prick."

"And it's not the first time I've had to get on your ass to go and get medical treatment. Go now."

"Fine."

"And make sure Joel runs an exam on you."

"Over a fuckin' busted lip?"

"No, it's because you're entirely an android right now and I seriously doubt you let those technicians who helped you pull off this 'miracle' get too close to you after you woke up."

"You got that right."

"Then move." Pointing toward the corridor on the other side of the bullpen Captain Fowler made his orders clear. "You have that exam or you're benched without pay until I say so."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."

"By the way," Captain Fowler tagged on as Hank made his way toward the corridor. "those two drunk assholes who assaulted Connor were found and arrested this afternoon. They were harassing deviants trying to enter CyberLife stores for new parts, and were identified by Tina while on her patrol. They had 'red ice' on them, too."

"Good. Two less assholes to worry about." Waving off Captain Fowler's raised voice Hank walked toward the corridor and pressed his right palm to the panel beside the elevator to call the elevator car to his floor. Glancing back out at the bullpen Hank chuckled to himself as all of the eyes watching him suddenly darted away out of intimidation. "When'd everyone get so wussy around here?"

Stepping inside the elevator just after the doors slid open Hank found himself alone in the elevator car and loved every second of it. Peering at his reflection on the shiny doors of the now closed elevator doors Hank eyed his bloody lip and grinned just enough to see a smear of the blue blood over his formerly white teeth.

"Fuck, I wonder what my dentist would say if I showed up like this."

As the elevator reached its destination the doors slid back open and Hank stepped onto the second floor to head down to the dispensary as ordered. Reaching the always opened door to the dispensary Hank's enhanced hearing picked up on the sound of tiny mewing and squeaking from within the room.

"Sounds like everything went according to plan." The gruff Lieutenant remarked as he entered the dispensary and saw Joel standing in the doorway of the smaller officer to check out the new litter. "Six?"

"Six." The technician confirmed as he turned around to face Hank, his posture visibly straightening when he saw the blue blood on Hank's lip. "O-Oh. That's right, there was a rumor that you had, uh, never mind..." Somewhat awkwardly Joel stepped toward Hank and eyed his jawline curiously. "Let me take a look at that."

"It's a small cut, it's healing already."

"I can see that, but I still have to do something. I get the feeling Captain Fowler's going to be lurking over my files a little more closely until you're back to being a human again."

"Sure. Do what you gotta' do to keep your ass out of the fire."

"Thanks for understanding. Give me a minute to get a temporary chart and file set up on you, and I'll make sure Captain Fowler knows you cooperated. Mostly."

Not even remotely interested in what Joel was up to at his laptop Hank took the opportunity to look inside the small office where Connor was sitting cross legged on the floor across from the soft pet bed where the cat, a brand new mother, was nursing her newborn litter of six kittens.

"Hey." Calling out in a somewhat soft voice as he instinctively wanted to keep quiet for the sake of the mewing, squirming litter who were only just beginning to know the world around them. "How'd it go?"

Connor looked up at Hank and revealed that for the first time in far too long his L.E.D. was blinking in blue instead of yellow or red. "All six of them were born between one-fifteen and three twenty-two this afternoon; five males and one female."

"Huh." Peering down at the six newborns squirming about in their mother's long, warm fur Hank noticed that the kittens didn't appear to have the same father, and while that wasn't a rare occurrence it was still interesting to see. "Four of them have fur like their mother, and two of them have interesting gray and white patterns."

"Yes. I suspect these two," Connor motioned to the two kittens of interest and gave them a quick scan. "are in fact twins. Brother and sister."

"Which one is the one female?"

"Her." Pointing to the gray and white kitten closest to the mother's chin Connor easily identified her amongst her brothers. "She also has two extra toes on both of her front paws, and one extra toe on each of her rear paws."

"Pretty cool. Any luck with finding a shelter to take them in?"

"Negative." Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed back to yellow and the deviant looked worried again. "The shelters are full thanks to numerous unwanted animals being dropped off after the holidays, and such a large litter would require a lot of attention from the staff."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised."

"It's best that they stay here for a while longer until there's space in a trustworthy shelter that can house them."

"Sure. We'll do what it takes to make sure they're all safe and healthy." Stepping back from the office Hank walked over to the desk where Joel was still typing away on his laptop and approached the technician with a strangely proud smirk on his face. "Well, now that Connor's done taking care of the kittens for the day you can take care of me, and make sure he didn't suffer any permanent damage after being assaulted."

"I already took care of Connor." Joel confirmed as he motioned to the nearby exam table and instructed Hank to sit down. "While your methods and repairs were a little unorthodox, they were in fact beneficial. You did pretty good work, Lieutenant"

"Will one of you please call me 'Hank'? That's my name, you're not an officer under my command and Connor's my partner."

"Sorry about that. I'll make a mental note to refer to you by your first name from now on."

"Thanks."

"Alright, let's get this started. Remove your shirt and I'll start with the basics."

"My shirt?"

"A technical exam is similar to a medical exam, Lieu- Hank. All androids have to do it."

"Oh. And here I thought I was special." Shrugging off his heavy dark coat Hank pulled his now baggy blue and orange striped dress shirt from the waistband of his jeans and unbuttoned it. Next shrugging off the dress shirt Hank pulled his worn out and stained black t-shirt with 'Knights of the Black Death' in faded red text over the front up and over his head. "Alright. Let me know if they put this piece of plastic together the right way."

"Sure, no problem." Passing over a small packet of partially frozen Thirium to Hank's hand Joel gave him a new set of instructions. "Hold that against your lip for about ten minutes, then drink that when it thaws enough. It has a special additive that'll help filter out any possible foreign matter that might get inside your injured lip from being struck."

"...About that," holding the small square plastic baggy of frozen Thirium in the palm of his hand Hank inquired about better Thirium alternatives. "is there anyway to change the way Thirium tastes? Maybe synthesize some more human looking and tasting food from this shit?"

"Do you miss being able to eat?"

"I've been craving the biggest, juiciest burger in this whole damn city ever since I first tasted that blue junk. I don't like the taste of pennies in my mouth."

"I'll see what I can do. There's no reason I can't try to come up with some kind of alternative. Synthesizing food isn't exactly a new form of art."

"Thanks. I guess."

Placing the pack against his lip Hank watched as the technician pulled out an instrument very similar to that of a stethoscope; a special device known as an 'audioscope' that was designed to allow technicians to listen to android ventilation biocomponents and the Thirium pump through the dense plastimetal frame that is used in the construction of the chest cavity, and draped it around his neck.

"Uh, what're you going to be listening for?"

"The same thing a doctor would listen for. Strong Thirium pump beat, rhythm and rate, and I'll be listening to your ventilation biocomponents; your artificial lungs, to make sure you don't have anything foreign stuck in your filtration system."

"Oh."

"Breathe normally for me." Pressing the bell of the audioscope against Hank's bare chest Joel listened carefully as he moved the bell back and forth, and found everything to be functioning at optimal parameters. Considering Hank hadn't been too badly injured it wasn't a surprise to hear. "Alright, everything sounds good. Now I'm going to check your Thirium pressure with a cuff around your arm."

"Just don't ask me to turn my head and cough."

"Ew."

Glancing back at the officer where Connor was still sitting and watching over the newborn kittens as they mewed, squirmed about, nursed and napped alongside their mother Hank gave the small room a little nod. "I'm glad everything went smoothly. "I don't think Connor would've been able to handle it if anything bad happened to the kittens or their mother."

"Well, to be honest it was close." Wrapping a Thirium pressure cuff around Hank's right bicep Joel watched as the cuff automatically tightened around Hank's arm and began measuring his Thirium pressure. "When it started everything seemed to be going fine, but the first kitten had actually been stuck. Luckily Connor downloaded the appropriate information and helped the kitten get free, but even then she wasn't responding or breathing after she was born."

"Whoa, but that little kitten is alive and thriving. Are you saying Connor saved her?"

"Yeah. He managed to perform a type of resuscitation technique from all that info he downloaded and got her breathing. That's why he's still in there watching over her. He's worried she might still be in danger, but she's been behaving normally as far as I can tell, and the mother hasn't rejected her. All very good signs."

"Shit, I don't know what would be worse:" Taking back his arm after Joel unwrapped the cuff from his bicep Hank contemplated how much the kittens must already meant to Connor. "Connor as a detective stuck on a bad case, or Connor as a veterinarian who can't save every sick animal that comes his way."

"Connor is one of the most empathetic deviants I've ever encountered, I'm not surprised that you're worried about him being depressed."

"So you gave him an exam, but did you put anything in his file about being depressed?"

"No. It isn't anything that's going to affect his ability to do his job, and I don't think he's in any danger as long as you're there to keep watching over him and keep him from slipping deeper into a darker depression."

"Yeah, right. Kind of ironic coming from someone like me."

"I don't think it's ironic, if anything it's symbolic."

"Symbolic how?"

"You have the experience of a human who's suffered love, loss and way too much tragedy, and yet you took in a deviant android who helped you out, and then needed someone to guide him on his own path to humanity." Making a note in Hank's new file Joel motioned at the gruff Lieutenant to go ahead and replace his shirts. "You might be just who he needs to help him find himself, and see himself as something more than just the former 'Deviant Hunter' or a tool used by CyberLife. You see him and treat him like a real person, and that's what he needs now more than ever. And since he's helping you to understand what it's like to be a deviant I'd say you two were destined to be friends. That's pretty damn cool in my opinion."

"...Right." Pulling his t-shirt back on over his head Hank looked at the office and noticed the faint blue glow emanating from the room as Connor's L.E.D. continued to cycle in a calm blue in his temple. "You know, that's the first time I've seen his L.E.D. turn blue since the night before the accident. Let's just hope I can help him keep it blue for as long as possible."

With their shift over Connor reluctantly left the precinct and requested that Joel set up a small camera in the office so he could monitor the kittens remotely as he was indeed worried about the litter surviving through their first night. Willing to accommodate Connor's request as a means of placating the kind deviant's worries Joel set up the camera and practically ordered him to leave the dispensary, alongside Hank, for the evening. It was a strange day but it wasn't anything that the duo couldn't handle.

Remembering his promise Hank took Connor back to the pet shop so he could select his new fish for his new aquarium and gave him something at home to help preoccupy his mind in a positive manner. Watching the young deviant curiously observing the aquariums along the back wall with the same wide eyed wonder of young child made Hank think of Cole, and how excited Cole was when he was a toddler and meant Sumo as a puppy for the very first time.

"Make your choices yet, son?" Hank asked as casually as anyone would as he waited for Connor to make his final selections. He folded his arms neatly over his chest as he leaned his shoulder against the end of a nearby aisle with mild boredom. "I know you were thinking about this ever since you got the aquarium set up and finished this morning."

"Yes, I've been considering my selection very carefully." The young deviant confirmed as his L.E.D. flickered to yellow then back its calm blue as he downloaded more information on the fish that he could choose, and made sure to find species that were compatible with one another to avoid any violence or territory issues that would end with one fishing killing another. "I believe I know which ones I'd like to have, but I want to make sure I'm not overlooking anything."

"You never overlook anything, kid. Trust your gut! You have good instincts."

"...I believe I've made my selection. Will you assist me in transporting the fish out to the car?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll tell the shop owner and you can go pick out the right food to keep them all fed." Taking only two steps away Hank stopped short and turned around to face Connor one last time. "Uh... You're not going to pick the octopus, are you?"

"I had considered it but she might consume the other fish in the tank, and I think it'd be very uneventful for her to live in isolation. ...I'd also feel guilty for providing live crabs for her to consume on a daily basis."

"Okay, good. I know you'd take care of it- her, but you know..."

"Yes, I understand."

"Right, right. Okay, get what you need and I'll help you get everything and everyone outside to the car."

It took almost an hour for Connor to properly place the thick plastic bags holding his selected fish into the aquarium to allow the temperature between the two waters to acclimate and level off, and in that time he finished placing the live-rock and small coral into the aquarium where he hoped it'd thrive. A few plants had also been chosen to help oxygenate the water and provide additional food to the water as the fish swam about their new home.

"Well, it looks good." Hank complimented as he joined Connor in the bedroom and stared at the fish still in their bags. "You have a nice assortment, too."

"I carefully selected fish that can coexist without any aggressive traits toward one another, as well as those who are hardy and can quickly adapt to new environments without being traumatized." Reaching for the first bag of two bright orange colored clownfish Connor opened the top and gently coaxed the duo out of the bag and into the body of the large aquarium. "If I'm correct these selected fish will co-habitate without displaying any territorial or aggressive tendencies to one another."

"Cool." Watching the two orange fish swimming around and checking out the rocks and coral Hank's brow arched a little. "Those are clownfish, right?"

"Correct. Ocellaris clownish, also known as false pecula clownfish, as they have orange, white and black coloration instead just black and white."

Peering a little closer at the other fish Hank nodded as Connor selected the next bag which contained a vivid blue colored fish with yellow on its side fins, tails and what looked like a mask over its eyes. "What about that guy?"

"A coral beauty angelfish, also known as a two-spined angelfish. They're only aggressive in smaller tanks, but I believe as long as I keep the community of fish at this set number he won't attack the other fish."

"And that one?" Hank watched as Connor picked up a third bag and repeated the process of carefully coaxing the fish from the bag and into its new environment. "I've never seen one that's orange and blue at the same time."

"This is a flame angelfish; also known as the Japanese pygmy angelfish. It might be aggressive toward certain species of coral, but the coral and live-rock I selected shouldn't be in any danger."

"Two angelfish and two clownfish. I sense a pattern here."

"Perhaps. Even numbers does seem more suitable." With his L.E.D. still flashing a calm blue Connor opened the next bag and watched as the white and yellow fish he had chosen swam out and into the aquarium. It had black markings around its eyes and a black spot on the rear of its body where its spine met its tail. "This is an Auriga butterflyfish. Also gentle in nature, but more prone to hiding until it feels secure."

"And that other one looks like a butterflyfish, too."

"Correct." Coaxing the sixth fish into the aquarium and out of the bag Connor confirmed Hank's suspicion. It had a more gold colored body and a black stripe running along the side of his body, a black mask over its eyes and a white marking just above the mask. "This is a raccoon butterflyfish, also known as the crescent-marked butterfly fish."

"Looks you have a pretty selection. What else ya' got?"

"This is a diamond watchman goby." The fish in question had a long, slender white body dotted with golden spots alongside its body. "It'll stir up the sand and help keep it clean while he peacefully coexists with the other fish." The next bag contained a fairly recognizable bright blue fish with a black mark down the length of its body and bright yellow tail fin. "I also chose a blue tang, or palette surgeonfish, as its diet consists of algae as well as dried shrimp, which means it can feast on any natural algae growth the tank may develop."

Watching as Connor proudly cleaned up the bags, the dripping water and dried off his hands and arms, Hank noticed that the deviant truly did seem to have a knack for taking care of animals. Between the kittens and this new tank of fish the deviant's mind seemed to be focused in a more positive manner which in turn left Hank feeling more at ease.

"That looks a hell of a lot better than an empty tank in an empty room. Good work, son."

"...Thank you."

"Why don't you feed them so they stay interested in their new environment and less interested in testing each other's patience? That's a tip the shop owner told me just before I left the store."

"Yes, of course. I'll also feed Sumo once I've finished with my aquarium."

Giving the younger deviant an approving nod Hank walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen where he found Sumo already sitting beside his food bowl waiting to be fed. "Alright, boy. You've been patient enough." Pouring a generous helping of food into the bowl Hank watched as the massive dog began to chow down, then decided to add a treat onto the meal since Sumo had been good all day. "Special treat for ya'. This is thanks for not eating the couch while we were gone for so long."

Placing the generic bone-shaped treat down into the bowl Hank's enhanced android senses detected someone walking up to the front door. Always on guard Hank's right hand hovered over the gun holstered on his hip as he walked into the livingroom and peered through the front window at the approaching visitor who was quickly walking up to the front door.

"Markus?" Pulling open the door before the deviant leader even had the chance to knock or ring the doorbell Hank caught Markus by surprise and made him jump upon locking eyes with the Lieutenant. Standing in the middle of the opened doorway with his arms now crossed over his chest Hank stared down the deviant leader and gave him a stern tone to listen to. "What do you want?"

"...I wanted to check in on Connor." Giving the senior detective a humble demeanor Markus tried to express his sincerity as plainly and openly as possible. "I, uh, I spoke with him earlier in the day but he was busy and we agreed to speak later. ...On his time."

"Uh-huh. And what does New Jericho need, now?"

"New Jericho? This has nothing to with New Jericho." Looking a little offended Markus's mismatched eyes quickly softened as he recognized he really had no right to be offended. "I... I know you're not thrilled with my behavior toward Connor, and... you're right. It's inexcusable to let the other deviants treat Connor like he's some kind of threat, and there's never going to be a passable reason for me to try to act like I didn't somehow fail in my responsibilities in keeping everyone safe and treated with respect. I want to try to make amends to that."

"Markus," dropping his arms from his chest Hank took on a far less defensive and confrontational posture as he addressed the deviant leader in a disappointed tone of voice. "you may be the leader of the deviants but you're not responsible for their behavior. They're all free to think and feel as they see fit, and they CHOSE to treat Connor like shit with their newfound freedom. Why don't you remind them that hatred and bigotry doesn't have to a steadfast reaction, and this is coming from someone who hated androids with a passion. Tell them to either change and get their hatred out of their systems, or at least shut the fuck up and at least pretend to like Connor for his own sake. The kid is way too empathetic for his own good sometimes."

Something about hearing Hank referring to Connor as a 'kid' made Markus feel happy and distressed at the same time. In a very real way Connor was in fact a kid; a child torn between two worlds and forced to choose between his own life or his mission had surely affected Connor on an emotional level that Markus couldn't even begin to comprehend. "Lieutenant, I wish to speak with Connor and apologize. Is that okay?"

"I honestly don't know. The thing is Connor is just getting out of a rough state of mind and starting to regain some pep for life. I think talking about all this fucked up shit he's been through is only going to undo all his hard work to finally feel better."

"...Please? I won't bring up anything he doesn't want to talk about."

Taking a moment to weigh the pros and cons of letting Markus speak to Connor in person Hank decided that in the end it was all up to Connor. As young and occasionally naive as Connor could be the deviant was still sharp, and quick to recognize when he was being forced into an uncomfortable situation all on his own.

"Alright." Stepping aside Have waved the deviant leader inside the house. "Come in."

"Thank you."

From down the hallway Connor emerged from his bedroom now wearing his more casual clothing in place of his uniform, a black t-shirt over a pair of looser blue jeans, and stopped short when he noticed Markus now standing in the livingroom as Hank closed the front door. The sight of Markus made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow briefly before returning to blue. "Markus, hello."

"Hey, Connor. Is it... okay to talk now?"

"Y-Yeah, it's fine. I was merely finishing my evening routine before settling down for the night."

"I, uh, I was just wondering how you're feeling after... you know."

"...The assault."

"Yeah." On the verge of shouting Markus took a step closer to his friend and made a move to grab onto Connor's right forearm, but decided against it as he knew from experience that victims of assault typically flinch away from direct contact. "Connor, I'm so damn sorry that you were attacked and no one came to help you!"

"...It's okay, Markus."

"No, it's really not! The only reason you're still here is because Lieutenant Anderson found you and saved your life! You were..." Trailing off with guilt in his voice Markus shook his head a little and forced himself to speak up again. "You were well within range of New Jericho Tower, and I know for a fact that deviants in the tower and in the surrounding area heard your plea for help; but they chose to ignore it. North, Simon and even Josh are all guilty of this crime and it needs to be handled appropriately."

"Markus, the other deviants could've been too scared to do anything. Don't punish them for being afraid."

"If that were true then the should've called the police or informed someone else so they could've done something to help you. There's no excuse for turning their backs on someone in need of help. Ever."

Connor's brown eyes were searching over Markus's face as he dared to ask a painfully honest question that deserved an answer. "...Did you hear my call for help?"

Wincing a little at the question Markus replied with a sincere answer. "No. I was on the other side of town with Carl when you were... attacked."

"Yet you act as though you're equally guilty of not coming to my aid."

"It's because I'm supposed to be your friend, but whenever you needed me to be there for you or stand up for your character... I failed."

"It's okay, Markus. It's not your fault." Reaching out his right hand Connor grabbed onto Markus's left arm and held tight. "You're a good friend and a good leader. This is a mess, yes, but it can still be cleaned up."

"I swear to you that I'll find out who blocked your call for help and ensure they're punished accordingly. They won't get away with such a cruel and heartless act." Unable to stop himself Markus suddenly wrapped his arms around Connor to give him a tight hug and in turn Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red, then settled on a nervous yellow as he hadn't expected the embrace. "You didn't deserve that!"

"...I'm not holding a grudge against New Jericho, Markus. I'm still going to be loyal to my people and the tower."

"Thank you for saying that, my friend."

"...You're welcome."

"I promise things will be different." Letting go of the hug Markus revealed unshed tears welling up in his mismatched eyes. "I'll take steps to remind the deviants to let go of the past and forgive the people they once considered enemies. It's a new world, a new future for all of us. We shouldn't let the darkness of the past hamper our progress."

"Yes. You're right."

"...I'm, uh, I think I need to seek advice from someone much wiser than myself."

"Carl?"

Laughing a little Markus nodded and confirmed the question. "Carl. He's my mentor, my friend and my father. If anyone knows where to begin with cleaning up this type of mess, it's him."

Giving his friend a subtle nod Connor watched as Markus took his leave of the house and gave Hank his own subtle nod of respect as he left the house ,and set out to the other side of town. As soon as the deviant leader was through the front door Connor's L.E.D. cycled to red as he slowly walked over to the front of the couch to sit down.

"Well, that was nice of him." Hank remarked with a sense of bitterness to his voice. Turning to look at Connor sitting on the couch Hank quickly took notice of the red L.E.D. in the deviant's head and swore internally before he addressed Connor verbally. "What's wrong, son?"

"...Nothing."

"Your light is red, your eyes are sad and your posture is mopey." Sitting down beside Connor on the couch Hank quickly patted his knee to call over Sumo from the kitchen and watched as the massive dog walked between the two detectives as he sat on the floor. Almost immediately Connor reached out his right hand and started to pet Sumo's ears as the distressed deviant needed something to make him feel grounded and calm. "Come on, kid. We've both been through some tough shit recently and we both need talk about it. What's wrong?"

"...When you mentioned that you suspected I am experiencing depression and that finding a new hobby can be therapeutic, you didn't mention anything about an approximate time frame. How long until I... feel better?"

"Well, it doesn't happen overnight, that's for damn sure." Leaning back against the couch cushion Hank watched Connor carefully and tried to be a supportive figure for the younger deviant to rely on. "To be honest, son, it's different for anyone. I was depressed and suicidal for over three years before you showed up and pulled me out of that bottle of whiskey before I drowned myself."

"...How did you cope with your feelings?"

"Alcohol. You know that."

"The alcohol was to numb your pain, not your thoughts."

"Connor, what're you trying to ask me?"

"How do you repress feelings of... self destruction?"

"O-Oh, uh..." Suddenly on edge Hank wrapped his right arm around Connor's shoulders to give him a second grounding feeling as he awkwardly cleared his throat and answered very carefully. "That's... That's really hard to explain."

"Please try."

"Alright, uh... Like I said, the new hobby can help. Taking care of your aquarium and Sumo here at the house, and helping those kittens between cases at the precinct are all very constructive and positive tasks that can help ease those feelings of despair. Sometimes a vacation, a change of scenery, or even your evening routine can help, too."

"How did you overcome your feelings of suicide?"

"I befriended a smartass deviant who kicked my ass into shape, gave me a reason to keep living and then saved my life. Twice."

Connor's L.E.D. remained red as he rubbed Sumo's ears lightly. "...I gave you C.P.R., the doctors and technicians saved your life."

"I'm not talking about being put in an android body." Hank clarified as he pulled Connor toward his side to hug him a little. "I'm talking about saving me from myself, and helping me to remain sober. Fuck, you even treat me like I'm a damn person and not a washed out, pathetic drunk."

"You're not pathetic, Lieutenant. You're grieving and it hurts."

"Yeah... I does hurt. But thanks to you the pain is now much more bearable, and I haven't had the urge to play 'Russian Roulette' since the night you slapped my drunk ass awake."

"I slapped your face, not your ass."

Laughing at the comment Hank tightened his hug around Connor's shoulders a little more and gave the deviant a slight shake of the head. "See what I mean about you being a smartass?"

"...I suppose."

"Hey, listen to me. The fact that you're able to admit that you're feeling that bad and feeling in such a negative way is going to help you out a lot. If you were trying to deny your true feelings then that would be a serious problem."

"But I feel so weak, so worthless. I feel like I'm being cowardly by wanting to self destruct."

"No, son!" Almost shouting Hank felt Connor's shoulder tense up with misplaced guilt beneath his arm. "Feeling suicidal isn't the act of being a coward, it's the act of feeling desperate. It's just a stupid and horrible stigma that selfish people put on the act of suicide to try to make themselves feel somehow superior by labeling the victims as either cowards or selfish. They aren't. They were feeling so down and lost, feeling like their very existence was somehow a problem, and so desperate to feel in control of their lives after everything went to Hell that in their mind the only way to regain control, or to stop bothering other people, was to end their own life on their own terms. Trust me," softening his voice Hank spoke to Connor in a very comforting and paternal manner. "I've been there. If I can escape those dark thoughts and feelings then you can, too. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Connor. Don't let anyone tell you or make you think you're weak. You're not. You're just so empathetic and aware of how much the impact of a single person can affect the world, that's all."

"...I'm too aware of my own emotions?"

"Yup. Don't worry, in time you'll learn to control them and find a way to subdue them to let logic be a rock to lean against. Just like depression suicidal feelings won't just up and disappear overnight, and you don't just 'snap out of it'. Do you understand?"

Nodding a little Connor sighed and his red L.E.D. finally shifted back to a less alarming yellow as he continued to rub Sumo's ears and let Hank provide some form of comfort with his half hug around his shoulders. "...Yes. I understand."

"You're going to be just fine, son." Resisting the urge to connect to Connor's mind on a cybernetic level Hank respect the younger deviant's privacy and his feelings, and remained still beside him. "I promise."

-next chapter-

February 18th, 2039:

The following week and a half had been calm and relatively peaceful for both the precinct and the detectives, but the peace was shortly lived. While Hank's human body slowly recovered in the hospital the gruff Lieutenant became more used to be an android, and with Connor's help he was no longer being overwhelmed by his system giving him a bunch of readings and statistics randomly against his will. It seemed Connor being able to help Hank cope with his condition had also done wonders for the younger deviant's psyche in turn, although his L.E.D. would spend more time yellow than blue whenever he was working on a case or in the car and on patrol with Hank.

With a fresh case regarding a group of thugs assaulting deviants to give the two detectives plenty to work on throughout the afternoon, and were quickly running out of leads to follow. As Connor danced his coin over his right knuckles to keep his stress levels from getting too high his yellow L.E.D. flickered rapidly, and his soulful brown eyes were almost glazed over with deep thought.

"Easy, son. You'll figure this shit out." Hank tried to help his partner relax and not hold himself to such a ludicrously high standard just because he was an android. The bad habit of expecting perfection from himself was one that Hank was trying to get Connor to break. "I'm working on it, too. It'll get solved."

"My apologies, Lieutenant." With his coin still dancing over his right hand Connor turned away from his terminal screen to look Hank directly in the eyes. "I'm merely thinking, and I am thinking about numerous subjects at a single time."

"From the look on your face and your red L.E.D. it seems painful."

"...I cannot stop thinking. I'm sorry if it bothers you."

"That's okay, kid. We all have our weird quirks and tics. You obsess over the details, and I'm short-tempered with bureaucratic bullshit."

"I doubt your disdain for the proverbial 'red tape' qualifies as a quirk or a tic."

"Smartass."

Smirking faintly at the comment as Connor had to accept that particular term as a jovial term, or a sign of good humor from Hank.

"So whatcha' thinking about besides this case?" Taking the quarter that he had started carrying in his own pocket to try to imitate Connor's dexterity and coin tricks Hank too began to dance the coin, albeit slowly, over the back of his right knuckles. "You seem pretty damn intense."

"...I was contemplating the lack of progress on the case at hand due to the surprising lack of witnesses, as well as trying to find a proper shelter for the kittens and their mother, I was also considering purchasing a second filter for the aquarium to ensure none of the fish become ill, and I was considering further possible complications upon Gavin's return."

"Shit... It's been two weeks already?"

"Correct."

"Well, don't worry about it. That jackass is on thin ice, so if does anything to any android in this building he's permanently gone!"

"I'll remember that."

"Come on." Standing up from his desk Hank stared at his terminal screen for a moment and managed to properly clock out for lunch through a cybernetic connection. "It's time for a break."

"I'd rather-" Stopping himself before he even had the chance to argue Connor looked up at Hank and saw the paternally stern stare in the senior detective's eyes as he watched the younger deviant very carefully. "...Very well. Are we going to the park again?"

"Nope. We need to make a quick stop at the dispensary and then we're going up to the roof of the precinct."

"...The roof? May I ask why?"

"It's quiet, it's private and we won't be too far away if a break in the case comes in. It's the perfect spot to relax."

"Okay." Standing up as well Connor cybernetically clocked out and followed after Hank down the corridor toward the dispensary. The yellow glow of his L.E.D. reflected down the narrow passageway in an amber hue as the still guarded deviant accompanied his partner as requested. "I suppose going somewhere isolated but close is a logical idea."

The unorthodox duo of deviant detectives stopped by the dispensary where Joel happily passed over two small metal containers to the detectives, and just asked them to be honest when they finished taking part in the little side experiment upon Hank's request. Retreating to the quiet isolation of the precinct rooftop with their containers Hank motioned to a corner just behind the elevated doorway connecting the roof to the stairwell, and pulled an old sheet off of a pair of metal folding chairs. Taking a seat with his container in his hands he waited for Connor to do the same and sit beside him.

"It seems you've been planning on this for a while." Connor stated with a lilt of intrigue to his voice as he sat down beside Hank in the other chair with his own container in his hands.

"Ready for this, son?" Hank seemed almost excited as he held his container in his hands. "I know I am!"

"...I suppose I am. I know Joel worked hard to create this just for us."

"Joel's a good guy. I just mentioned it in passing, but he went all out just to humor me for a while."

"May I ask you a question?" Connor, with his L.E.D. still flashing a cautious yellow opened up the container in his hands curiously.

"Sure," doing the same for his own container Hank studied Connor's face curiously. "what's up?"

"Could you... confirm if the selected items in fact taste as they should?"

"Uh, I guess. I mean, I can't exactly describe a flavor to you since you've only tasted Thirium, but I'll help you out as much as I can."

"Oh, of course." Staring down at the contents within the container Connor gave it a dubious shake of his head. "May I ask a second question?"

"Go for it."

"Do you think taste is really that important when it comes to consumption of necessary sustenance?"

"Absolutely, kid. If shit doesn't taste right then you won't want to eat it."

"Logical."

"So, what did Joel bring you?"

"This." Opening the lid fully Connor revealed something that look an awful lot like a large hamburger, as opposed to a pouch of blue Thirium. "...I thought it was appropriate to ask for your opinion on the matter since you're the expert on what is considered a good hamburger."

Laughing at the comment Hank fully opened the lid on his own container and saw he too had a synthesized Thirium burger to taste. "One way to find out. Take a bite."

"...Okay." Connor eyed the special item that Joel had prepared for him and ran a needless scan over it. As his L.E.D. flickered between red and yellow Connor confirmed its contents and single ingredient to be pure Thirium that had been flavored with the various harmless synthetic ingredients that were used to create the illusion of a typical hamburger. "It seems... edible."

"Well?" Hank urged Connor to go ahead and take a bite as he picked up his own burger and held it between his hands. "Go ahead, give it a try."

"...What should I expect?"

"What do you mean?"

"The taste. I know you can't describe flavors but I am curious about what I might experience."

"Taste? Well, if Joel did his little task properly then it should NOT taste like a handful of coins. Until you actually taste it for yourself you won't be able to identify it properly."

"So I shouldn't expect it to have a metallic taste, correct?"

"Yeah, basically."

"Alright. So of all the possible combinations of the one point six billion flavors known to man I can effectively eliminate metal. Interesting."

"Would you just taste it already?"

"Sorry."

"Don't... Don't be sorry about it, just try not to worry about what you're about to experience. Try to enjoy it."

"Enjoy?"

"Sure. It's something new, and I know for damn sure that you haven't been taking care of yourself while you have this new case to obsess over. What's your Thirium volume at right now?"

Connor was quiet for a moment as he sighed and then answered honestly. "...Seventy-four percent."

"Well, that's not as bad as I was fearing. So go ahead. You eat your burger," picking up his own meal and hovering it near his teeth Hank gave the young deviant a slight nod of his head. "and I'll eat mine."

Connor picked up the burger and mirrored Hank's motions as he finally took a small bite of his own burger and was overwhelmed by an array of different flavors. Putting the burger back down in the container Connor's brow arched a little as he let his system register the new flavors and try to determine what they were and what he liked amongst them.

"Do you like it?" Hank asked between bites and confirmed the burger tasted right. "I don't mind it. It's not as good as one of Gary's burgers down at the 'Chicken Feed', but it tastes like a burger. A nice juicy one, too."

"I... I think I like it." His L.E.D. flickered between yellow and blue before settling back on his cautious yellow color. "But there are numerous flavors instead of a single one, and I'm having difficulty in discovering what I in fact do and do not like."

"Try sampling each piece individually." Finishing off his own meal fairly quickly Hank put the now empty container down on the rooft top beside the chair and he began watching as Connor picked off small bits of the individual items that composed the burger. Hank couldn't help but compare Connor's curiosity and reactions to that of Cole back when the little boy was a toddler and discovering new food for himself. "Can you describe what you're tasting?"

"...Well, you're right in that it doesn't taste metallic.'

"That's good." Chuckling to himself Hank watched as Connor finished sampling the individual ingredients and then picked off the single synthetic tomato slice from the middle of the burger. "Don't care for tomatoes?"

"I find the texture to be... unpleasant."

Hank picked up the discarded tomato and looked it over very carefully. "Sure as hell looks, feels, smells and even tastes like the real thing."

"Then, no. I don't think I like tomatoes."

"That's okay, you don't have to. But you like everything else, right?"

"Yes." Leaving the lettuce, onions, pickles and condiments in place Connor decided what he did and did not like. "I find the flavors to be very enjoyable."

"Cool. Maybe Joel should start an android exclusive restaurant on the side and make some extra money."

"I doubt Joel is motivated by money, but I'll pass that suggestion onto him."

"Finish off your lunch and we'll head back downstairs, okay?"

"Okay, Lieutenant. Perhaps you can give Joel a few suggestions for other synthetic food for us to sample later on."

"Oh, hell yeah. Don't worry about that, kid." Leaning back in his chair he crossed his arms over his chest and gave the younger deviant an approving grin. The burger tasted fantastic since he hadn't eaten one in weeks, and he finally had his craving satisfied. "I have a few more ideas that I think Joel can handle."

Tension at New Jericho Tower had driven Markus into a self imposed isolation as he tried to think of the correct solution in bridging the gap between deviants who are seeking shelter, and the humans who want to help them. The mistrust and caution exhibited by the hiding deviants couldn't be disputed or argued against as they had the right to be afraid for their lives, but refusing to give anyone the chance to make amends with them needed to stop. That type of closed off thinking was only going to make things worse and never better.

Settling himself down in the office of the tower Markus buried his face in his hands and closed his mismatched eyes to try to think.

"...It's like the world is splitting in two and the ground is falling apart right under my feet."

The lack of progress between human and android relations wasn't new. However, the lack of forgiveness between human, and deviants was becoming a newly blossoming problem that threatened to the divide the city even further.

"How can I convince the other deviants to give Connor a chance, and to trust him?"

There was no denying that Connor's reputation as the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' was going to haunt him for years to come, but it was also who he was when he was a cold machine, and the tool of CyberLife's greed. To blame him for deeds he wasn't even in control of was like blaming a mechanic for a flat tire after they had given a car an oil change. One bad act can't be directly linked to another, or invalidate the good acts that followed.

"Deviants are being assaulted, threatened and isolated..." Lifting his face up from his hands Markus stared with his mismatched eyes at the far wall of the white office and let out an exhausted sigh. "There has to be a way to reach the deviants. There has to be a way to get them to understand that their mistrust toward Connor or anyone else outside the tower is a fear they can finally let go of..."

After finishing their meal on the roof the two detectives returned to the bullpen and clocked back in for the afternoon. The additional Thirium boost had given Connor more energy and his L.E.D. began to pulse at a slower rate in his temple, although it still remained yellow in color. The time alone away from the bullpen had also given Hank a much needed reprieve that lowered his own stress levels.

"Feel better?" Hank asked discreetly as he sat behind his terminal screen and resumed looking over the case file.

"Yes." The younger deviant confirmed with a simple nod of the head. "The Thirium aided my power and reduced stress levels considerably. Thank you."

From behind his desk Hank heard Captain Fowler open up his office door and he immediately looked over at his commanding officer with an annoyed glance, speaking up before Captain Fowler had the chance to speak first. "Yeah, Jeffrey?"

Pausing for a moment Captain Fowler's eyes flashed with irritation for a moment before he answered. "Get your ass in my office. We need to talk."

Giving Connor a shake of his head Hank stood up from his desk, flicked the quarter into the air once where he promptly caught in his strong right hand and slipped it into his pocket. With a blank expression on his face Hank walked over to the office as he had been ordered, but not without a final word on the situation. "If he's in the mood to talk to my sorry ass then maybe I can finally get him to kiss it, too."

"...I don't think Captain Fowler will agree to such an arrangement."

Letting out a small chuckle Hank entered the office and sat down in the chair on the opposite side Captain Fowler's desk to speak with his commanding officer as ordered.

With his partner now preoccupied with their commanding officer Connor leaned forward in his chair as he stared at the terminal screen once again. Barely aware of the other occupants of the bullpen Connor's yellow L.E.D. shifted to red when Tina put her right hand on his left shoulder and made him jump.

"Whoa! Sorry, Sergeant." Apologizing sincerely Tina retracted her hand and stared at the deviant's L.E.D. as it pulsed in red quickly then steadily shifted back to a much calmer yellow pulse. Waiting for Connor to regain his composure Tina discreetly lowered her voice to avoid unwanted prying. "Just a head's up, Gavin's on his way to the precinct right now. He texted me saying he's still pissed off and if he sees you he's going to, quote, 'lose his shit'. You might want to duck out of the bullpen until Captain Fowler can wrangle him and get him to finally calm the fuck down."

"I appreciate your warning." Standing up from his desk casually Connor straightened his black tie and decided to heed Tina's advice. "I believe I will check in with Joel in the dispensary. If Captain Fowler asks I'm merely discussing the deviant victims of my case with Joel as a means of trying to regain a lead. Nothing more than that."

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Giving the deviant an uncomfortable glance she tilted her head and nodded toward the corridor on the other side of the bullpen. "Go on and get some space. I'll try to talk Gavin down myself before Captain Fowler makes his mood worse."

"Thank you. I will return when... 'it's safe'."

Taking his leave of the bullpen Connor disappeared down the corridor and into the elevator to reach the dispensary on the second floor of the building. He had no personal issues with Gavin despite everything that the bigoted human had done to him in the past, and wanted to simply have a peaceful coexistence and to do his job without being harassed.

Inside Captain Fowler's office Hank begrudgingly listened as the superior officer informed Hank of Gavin's return, and of how he was going to handle the situation. It was almost like dealing with two bickering teenagers in high school with how Captain Fowler wanted to keep the two detectives separated for an indefinite period of time, but in the end it would be the best for both of them.

"You better explain things to Connor so he knows he didn't do anything wrong, Jeffrey." Leaning back in his chair Hank briefly closed his eyes and was promptly met with the image of Connor laying over his kitchen table with his chest pulled open, and seeing the deviant's beating heart with his own eyes. "That kid is likely to blame himself even though Gavin's been an asshole long before the kid ever showed up."

"Don't you worry about that, I'll handle it. I'm going to have a chat with Gavin as soon as I see him, and then when he's distracted on a case I'll do the same for Connor." Glancing out through the transparent wall of his office Captain Fowler noticed that the deviant in question wasn't at his desk. "Where is Connor?"

"My guess is he went up to the dispensary."

"Is he sick or hurt again?"

"No, he's just got other things on his mind. Going up to the dispensary helps him think sometimes, plus talking to someone else who knows as much about androids as he does tends to restore a portion of his sanity. He doesn't feel so... different."

"Wish I had that advantage."

"Tell me about it."

"Alright, you go back to your desk and I'll handle Gavin." Giving Hank a casual wave of his left hand Captain Fowler watched as Gavin marched through the bullpen with such a rigid posture that he would've sworn someone shoved a rod straight up his ass. The thought of that someone being Hank after everything that Gavin had done, and after all of Hank's promises to tear the bigoted detective a new asshole, just made Captain Fowler chuckle to himself. "Looks like I'll be talking with him for a few hours."

"Yeah, I can honestly say I don't envy you right about now." Taking his leave of the office Hank made sure to lock eyes with Gavin, and glared at him through the transparent wall of the office and held his venomous stare as he passed through the door to walk over to his desk. Showing no fear or regret from threatening Gavin almost two weeks ago Hank sat down at his desk and maintained an aggressive demeanor. "...Jackass."

Unable to say a single word in Hank's direction as Captain Fowler called for him through his office door Gavin gave Hank a lot of distance as he walked to the office as he had been ordered to do.

"Keep that tail tugged between your legs, asshole." Hank threatened under his breath as Gavin passed him by, causing the hotheaded detective to visibly falter in his steps. "You make a move toward Connor and I'll swing you around by that tail and throw your worthless ass into a dumpster and set it on fire."

Gavin didn't say anything or even look Hank in the eyes as he swallowed once nervously and entered the office to speak with Captain Fowler.

Speaking up in a low voice Tina addressed Hank without drawing anyone else's attention. "Lieutenant, did you really threaten Gavin at his apartment, insult him and then push him down?"

"I did threaten him," Hank confirmed as he responded in an equally low voice but corrected one of the details that Gavin conveniently left out. "but I didn't push him down. I threw him against the wall and then threw him back into his apartment."

"I knew Gavin was lying about something." Running her right hand through her hair dark Tina just sighed as she realized her partner's return might not go as smoothly as she had hoped. "To be fair though, his pride is more sensitive than his feelings."

Outside the precinct on the other side of town the report of a murdered deviant being found a few blocks away from an Android Emergency Care Facility had spread through New Jericho Tower like a plague. A majority of the deviants seeking shelter in the android exclusive sanctuary had gone into hiding, refusing to leave their private quarters, while those who dared to venture outside the tower didn't go anywhere alone.

"This is bad." Markus sighed as he cybernetically checked every new report regarding the murders that he could download. "The assaults are getting more frequent and have finally... We need to find a way to protect our people."

"I know." Agreeing wholeheartedly with her lover despite their previous disagreement North stood beside him as the two leaders looked out over the harbor through the window of the tower's main office. It was the only place off limits to the other deviants, and as such it was the ideal place to talk. "We'll think of something."

"Connor is working on the cases of assault against our people, but it seems like these thugs know exactly how to hide their tracks."

"Maybe Connor isn't as good as you think he is."

"North, stop." Turning to face her with a disapproving glare Markus took a step back and spoke up on Connor's behalf. "I know you don't trust him, hell you don't even like him, I get it. But Connor's our only deviant ally in the police force, and he's dedicated to the job. He will find the people responsible."

"Connor couldn't even protect himself, how is he going to protect all of us?"

"Well, maybe instead of sitting on our asses and waiting for one person to solve all our problems, or ignoring people when they call for help, some progress can finally be made."

"Wait, are you saying I'm not doing enough to help?"

"You couldn't be bothered to lift a damn finger when Connor was being assaulted and call for help. No one did."

Glaring a little North turned her head from Markus and crossed her arms over her chest. "...He's alive, isn't he?"

"Because Lieutenant Anderson found him and managed to put him back together himself. But I guess it doesn't matter, does it? If you don't approve of someone they can just die, right? As the leaders and protectors of our people we can just dismiss someone and let them alone to suffer because we have that type of authority and we're infallible."

"Markus, it's not like that!"

"Yes it is. You don't give a damn about him even though he risked everything to help us and save our lives. You're judging him on his past as a machine and trying to hold him responsible for things he couldn't control."

"He worked for CyberLife!"

"We ALL worked for CyberLife! Until we deviated we were ALL under CyberLife's control!" Shouting in defiance Markus let his voice resonate throughout the office and hoped it carried through the closed door for others to hear. "Why does it matter? It's not like he looks down at you for your time as a pleasure android at the 'Eden Club', NO ONE does. So why do you all harbor such hatred toward him? He's done nothing but help us and you treat him like shit. He's one of us, you have no right to treat him like that!"

"...He's hurt people. He's dangerous, you know that. He shot and murdered to people and his own doppelganger when he infiltrated the tower."

"He killed two CyberLife guards who were going to kill him, and he shot his machine counterpart to save his own life, save Lieutenant Anderson's life AND to let the Revolution succeed. It was all self defense. I would've thought you of all people would be more understanding since you strangled some guy to escape from the club. You both have blood on your hands, but it seems like only he's been held accountable. Why is it okay for you to do what you did, but he's to be held to some unforgivable standard? If he's an untrustworthy killer then so are you!"

North's cinnamon brown eyes filled with tears as she kept her silence and turned away from Markus entirely. Leaving the office the normally fiery deviant retreated to her own private quarters with a sense of earned shame in her steps.

"Shit..." Markus didn't want to yell at her or bring her to tears, but she needed to hear the truth of her hypocrisy and lingering anger. Seeing his lover reduced to tears and running off was the last thing he ever wanted to see coming from such a strong deviant, but he needed to stand by his words and not back down. She'd be mad and hurt for a while, but it was a truth she needed to face. "...Forgive me, North. I don't see you as a killer, I see you as the woman I love. I'm sorry for saying what I said."

Shortly after North left the office Josh entered and was showing utter confusion in his chocolate brown eyes. "Uh, Markus, can I ask what that was about?"

"...Are you talking about the murder downtown, or North?"

"Both, actually."

"It's... It's complicated." Sitting down at his desk Markus sighed and let his mismatched eyes lock onto Josh's face. "We need to have a talk about this tower, our people and how we treat Connor. It's important."

Completely preoccupied with the murder being reported to the precinct Hank cybernetically downloaded all the currently available case details, and went to look for Connor up on the second floor's dispensary. Worried about how well Connor would be able to handle a deviant being murdered, rather than assaulted and living, Hank was mentally preparing himself for the worst possible reaction from the empathetic detective.

Entering the elevator down the corridor Hank sent a cybernetic message to Connor to let him know he was on his way up, but the deviant didn't respond. "Great. He better not be blaming himself for what other people are doing beyond his control."

Taking two steps out of the elevator after it reached the correct floor Hank heard a voice he didn't want to every hear again, and his protective paternal instincts flooded forward with a gruff vengeance. "Damn it, Gavin. Get your ass away from him!"

Marching toward the opened dispensary door Hank was met at the doorway by Joel who cut him off. "Whoa! Whoa... Hold it, Hank."

"Why's the fuck is Gavin up here?"

"He showed up about five minutes ago wanting to pick a fight with Connor, but he didn't get two words out before he took notice of our little secrets hiding in my office."

"What do you mean?"

"Take a look." Calmly Joel stepped back into the dispensary and used his left hand to motion to the opened office doorway where Connor was standing, and Gavin was crouched down on the floor in front of the litter of kittens. Connor's L.E.D. was cycling between blue and yellow as he watched Gavin gently reach out his hand so the mother cat could sniff his knuckles and recognize his scent. "...Seems like Detective Reed as a soft spot for animals."

Letting his shoulders drop Hank just watched and listened as Connor and Gavin spoke to each other in a civil tone for the first time since the two had met.

"...So you've been keeping kittens up here for how long?" Gavin asked as he admired the six tiny kittens squirming about all over their mother's fur and seeking more milk to nurse.

"They were born ten days ago." Connor replied honestly as he watched the thriving bundles of fur squeak and climb about weakly. Their eyes were beginning to open and the bright blue irises were shining with utter curiosity and awe. "I had been feeding the mother for the past four weeks prior to their birth and Lieutenant Anderson was willing to help me find a safe and warm place for her to give birth the night before they were born."

"And what're you going to do with them once they're all weened and old enough to be re-homed?"

"I've been attempting to find a proper shelter to take them in, but I've had no such luck. I don't want the mother to be reclaimed by the illegal breeder she had escaped from, and I don't want the kittens to be sold off for profit like they're property."

Gavin glanced up briefly at Connor as if shocked to hear such kind and empathetic words being directed at the tiny litter of kittens. "...Well, why don't you let me take them?"

"...Take them where?"

"To my apartment, dipshit. I can keep them safe, warm, well fed, and I know a lot of people who could take in a kitten or two."

"What about the mother?"

"She can stay with me. She's a Himalayan and it's not often someone can take one into their home without paying hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars."

"It won't be a problem for you?"

"If it was a problem I wouldn't have said anything."

"My apologies, but considering your well known inability of treating anyone who is not human with any form of care, and overall abrasive approach to anything that you don't view as an equal, I have my doubts to the sincerity of your claim."

"...Fair enough." Very lightly Gavin rubbed his right finger under the mother cat's chin and was given a gentle purr in response. "I can't blame you for that one."

Observing with a keen eye and full interest as the abrasive detective gave the cat some affection and showed very great care in lightly running his index finger down the backs of the other six kittens Connor noted that Gavin seemed to have a genuinely caring touch. Considering the cat's only options were to either stay hidden in the precinct and hope no one found her, or go to an overcrowded shelter and risk being forced to act a breeder for some greedy person's own benefit, Connor decided that Gavin was the best alternative.

"What do you say, 'Tinman'? We gotta' deal?"

"...She does seem to like you. I suppose if she is willing to trust you then I should, too."

A little surprised by Connor's change of heart Gavin's hollow hazel eyes narrowed for a moment but his over posture relaxed. It was progress. Not the kind of progress the two detectives had expected to make, but it was progress nonetheless.

"Gavin, if you have the time, space and funding to take care of the litter I would be happy to assist you in getting them out of the precinct and into your vehicle out back."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I'd rather the kittens be associated with a human who won't harm them or sell them off."

"Yeah, no problem. There's six altogether right? Full and healthy litter? Nothing I have to worry about?"

"Correct. All of the kittens survived. One female," he motioned to the gray and white kitten in the middle of the litter snuggling down for a nap. "And the other five are all males. The female was temporarily trapped in the birth canal but I was able to help her get free and she's shown no sign of poor health."

"Alright, cool. I'll keep that in mind."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered briefly between yellow and red as he cybernetically tapped into the precinct's logs and he gave Gavin a quick update. "Captain Fowler has just clocked out to go on his one hour long lunchbreak. Now is the time to move the kittens without him taking notice of their presence."

"Yeah, good plan." Glancing about Gavin took notice of everything in the office and decided to pack up the food, the bowls and the freshly cleaned litter box thanks to Connor's diligence, into a large cardboard box for transportation. "I'll get the stuff and you can carry the little guys down to my car. You're, uh, you're more 'balanced' than I am. It'll be easier that way."

"Of course. I'll get a box and place the pillow down inside of it for their comfort." As the young deviant set about looking for an empty box that would be large enough to accommodate the fluffy pillow and all of the kittens he took notice of Hank now in the doorway, and watching him quietly. "Hello, Lieutenant." With his L.E.D. settling on a calmly pulsing yellow Connor seemed slightly more relaxed than he had been previously. "Detective Reed will be sheltering the kittens and helping them find a new home, so we don't have to worry about finding a shelter anymore."

"Yeah... I noticed." Glaring at Gavin past Connor's right shoulder Hank made sure to let the gruff detective know that he was watching. "Need help getting them downstairs?"

"It might be beneficial if you were to 'escort' us outside by walking in front of us to ensure no one notices the kittens or the cat supplies in the boxes."

"Yeah, sure. Then we need to head out to handle our new case."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered to red before settling on yellow again. "...The murder?"

"You know about it."

"Unfortunately, yes. I've been monitoring our case files while 'hiding out' here in the dispensary." As his mouth ticked a little with anxiety Connor pulled his coin from his right jean pocket and danced it over the back of his right knuckles to lower his stress levels. "I'm aware of the details and location."

"Try not to obsess over it, okay? We'll get out there and find the sick-fucks who did this."

"Okay, Lieutenant." Turning to look at Gavin in the smaller office over his left shoulder Connor let out a slow sigh. "We'll take care of the kittens first, and then focus entirely on the case."

"Sounds good, son." Giving him a slight nod of the head Hank motioned for him to search for a box, and gave Joel a discreet gesture to let him know that things were under control. Content that Gavin wasn't going to try to pull some kind of bullshit and either attack or insult Connor the gruff Lieutenant agreed to help out. "Let's get them settled in and then go do our real job."

"Right, of course."

The scene of the grisly murder had been contained by C.S.I. and was currently under the orders of Detective Ben Collins as ranking officer. As the seasoned detective collected evidence and examined the scene he noticed a small group of reporters gathering on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street as they attempted to peer down the brick alleyway to see the victim bludgeoned to death, but respectfully concealed under a white sheet. Purposely standing in the entrance of the alley Ben successfully obstructed the view of the nosy reporters while managing to take his notes accurate, and keep things under control.

Tires slowing and then coming to a stop along the street told Ben that Hank and Connor had arrived, and he gave the parked car a casual glance over his right shoulder. "It's about time those two showed up."

The senior detective, who was momentraily contrastingly much younger looking than his experience, and his even younger deviant partner approached the seasoned officer, and joined him just outside the alleyway. "What've we got to work with, Ben?"

"Not much, Hank. It's uh, good to see you still up and working on cases." Lifting his left hand Ben pointed to the body under the sheet with his own notebook, and gave the deceased a sympathetic shake of his head. The C.S.I. team had back off and gave him more space to investigate in the alleyway, but they were still lingering nearby on the sidewalk. "From the looks of it the poor guy didn't even put up a fight, and whoever did this showed no mercy."

"...No fight?" Connor's brow arched a little as he walked down the alleyway and knelt down beside the victim. Carefully he peeled back the white sheet to see the deviant's face and ran a scan. "This model is a 'TR-400' and had been designed specifically for manual labor, heavy lifting and physical resilience. For him to be... destroyed... in such a manner would take someone of greater strength, or unbridled rage and violence."

"How'd he die, kid?" Walking up behind Connor to see the body for himself Hank found his system running a scan of his own, and was being bombarded with the information on the victim just as like his younger deviant partner. "...Simplify this shit for me, it's a little too much."

"There is significant trauma to his head and his chest." Relaying the trauma to Hank's own processors Connor explained the cause of the victim's irreversible shutdown. "His intracranial processor had been heavily damaged by numerous severe blows to the head; nineteen strikes. The victim's Thirium pump, both of his ventilation biocomponents, Thirium filter, thermal regulator, and his primary rotary functions have been critically damaged; if not completely destroyed. He couldn't fight back because his arms and his legs were remotely stunted and disabled."

"Remotely? How can you tell?"

"There is a mild electrical scorching around his fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows and shoulders which is indicative of motor burnout. There is no external damage to his artificial skin which means it wasn't caused by direct contact. The only way that type of damage is possible is through remote activation."

"Shit. Well, can you give us any details on the person who did this?"

"Persons," the young deviant confirmed with emphasis in his tone. "there were two people involved in this murder."

"Alright." Crouching down beside Connor to take a look for himself Hank studied the poor deviant's bloodied and broken face with utter sympathy. "How can you tell there are two suspects?"

"The angle of the blows are consistent yet different. We have two people of two varying heights; one at six foot four and the other at five foot ten. The taller man is right handed and the shorter man is left handed. The shoe prints on the pavement," Connor's eyes darted down to the prints that were invisible to human vision but plain to see through Connor's unique android eyes. "are of a male pattern shoe, and the weight is consistent with men of their appropriate height and build that would be required to inflict such damage."

"Okay. What else?"

"The weapons used were a thick carbon steel pipe and an aluminum baseball bat. The amount of Thirium that was lost during the assault will leave us a faint trail to follow and potentially find our killers."

"Fuck. We gotta' look on foot?"

"Correct." Connor's L.E.D. flickered between yellow and red as he eyed the Thirium covered footprints walking away from the alleyway and down the sidewalk with long even strides as the two men fled the alley, and rushed away from their victim. "We need to find the killers before they have the chance to disappear, or the Thirium trail grows too cold to follow."

"Sounds fun." Standing up straight again Hank's eyes struggled to pick up on the fading shoe prints as they were quickly covered up by the shoe prints of passersby, and even the C.S.I. crew photographing the scene. "I think there's something wrong with my eyes, I don't see the blue blood."

"Your model is the 'RK-700', which wasn't equipped with the same analysis programs and functions that I had been given. You cannot see the blue blood trail, but I can."

"Oh. Well, at least it's because I'm an inferior model and not broken."

Smirking a little at the comment Connor's red L.E.D. flashed back to yellow as he proceeded to pick up on the trail. "They were heading West on foot. They might have a safehouse nearby."

"Then let's go knock on their door and drag their sorry asses out and onto the street."

"That would ideal."

"Ben." Calling out to the seasoned detective Hank gave him a few orders to follow. "Keep the scene contained and have your C.S.I. boys search for pipes or bats covered in blue blood. Those are the murder weapons. The suspects are both males; one six foot four and the other five foot ten with strong builds."

"We'll keep our eyes peeled, Hank. What're you and Connor going to do?"

"We're going to follow their trail as much as possible and try to track them down on foot. We'll contact you if we find anything."

"Sure, no problem." Waving off the duo of detectives Ben resumed his place in the alleyway to try spare the victim some dignity after Connor replaced the sheet over their face. "I'll be out here for another hour or so if you need anything from me."

Walking at Connor's side Hank easily kept up with his younger deviant partner as his own android body allowed him to move about the lingering cold weather without any pain in his joints, his back or in his head. Watching as the dedicated deviant trailed after the wanted murderers Hank tried but failed to see the faint trail of blue blood that was already evaporating. "Can you still see it?"

"Yes. It's faint but still detectable."

"Did they split up or stick together?"

"...They have gone in two separate directions." Coming to a stop at the end of the block and before the crosswalk Connor eyed the trail suspiciously. Trailing one direction heading North and the other South Connor was able to confirm that the two men went in opposite directions. "I suspect they'll meet up again further down while maintaining a Western direction."

"Damn it. Which trail would be the easiest for me and my inferior eyes to follow?"

"South. You'll be able to spot faint blue drops of Thirium as the suspect seems to be covered in a worrying amount of the victim's blood."

"Right. Keep in contact with me at all times, if I see something I'll let you know."

"Of course." With his L.E.D. still blinking yellow Connor went in a Northern direction to continue trailing the rapidly evaporating Thirium left behind as it dripped off of the killer who had split up from his literal partner in crime, while Hank went South. "I'll keep a cybernetic line available."

Moving quickly Hank began walking South and took in a deep steadying breath to keep his nerves calm, and his mind sharp. Ignoring the few people walking the sidewalk and focusing entirely on suspicious behavior as he checked the area Hank had taken notice of pale blue shoe prints on the sidewalk that had been preserved in the partially melted white snow still on the surface. The shoe prints were still relatively fresh and the strides had becoming shorter as the murderer stopped running and began walking to avoid anyone giving him unwanted attention as he moved about.

"Alright, asshole..." Muttering to himself as he honed in on the blue stained shoe prints Hank followed quickly and came to a stop before a chainlink fence that barricaded and barred entrance into an abandoned hotel. The building was slated for demolition in the spring, but that didn't stop junkies and runaway teens from using the place to hide out. "I know you're there."

Focusing on the building with an intense stare Hank managed to run a scan and confirmed the life signs of a single human lurking about inside.

"Gotcha'. Even if I can't connect you to the murder I can at least get you fined for trespassing." Checking the fence for an opening Hank's keen eyes fell on the makeshift entryway that was created be someone cutting through the wires and pushing it aside. "Here we go..." Slipping through the fence Hank closed his eyes and sent a cybernetic message to Connor. 'I found something, kid. It's an abandoned hotel with someone matching the five foot ten height hiding inside. Come to my coordinates.'

'I'm on my way to your location.' The young deviant responded sharply as he picked up on Hank's line of communication. 'I was unable to continue the trail as the suspect had gotten into a vehicle. Most likely an autonomous cab.'

'Right, we'll check in with the city's cab records and try to pick up his trail from there.'

'Good plan. I'll see you in six minutes, fourteen seconds.'

Without further acknowledgement Hank continued on his way to the abandoned building, and kept his right hand hoverign over the gun holstered on his right hip as a precautionary measure. Keeping quiet and low Hank actively scanned the building's interior and tracked the anxiously pacing human's every step as he approached the hotel's front doors very slowly. Getting a glimpse inside the building through a small opening between two boards covering the front lobby's windows Hank caught sight of the man's face, and could see the Thirium stains all over his hands, up his arms, his chest, his neck, his face, his knees and his shoes. Still clutching an aluminum baseball bat as he paced Hank confirmed that the man inside was undoubtedly the murderer he was seeking.

"Let's make this as easy as possible." Pulling his gun from his holster Hank checked the clip and switched off the safety. "I need a break."

Holding his head up high Hank aimed his gun before himself and prepared to announced his presence when he felt his hands suddenly lose their strength, and his gun fall to the ground at his feet. Watching as his hands began to shake violently before his arms fell to his sides Hank could feel his entire body suddenly locking up against his will.

"What... the... fuck?"

"Well, what do we have here?" An angry and abrasive voice taunted Hank from behind. Grabbing onto Hank's left shoulder the threatening second man threw the gruff Lieutenant backward, and down onto his back with a graceless and heavy 'thud'. "Another plastic prick walking around where it doesn't belong."

Unable to move, unable to call out for help or defend himself in the slightest, all Hank could do was stare up at his assailant's towering form. The second murdered, who was also still covered in the victim's blue blood, had found Hank.

"Hey, Chuck!" Shouting to the man inside the hotel the assailant proudly held up the small electronic device he had used to remotely disable Hank's body a moment before, and left him completely vulnerable on the cold snowy ground. "We gotta' another piece of plastic to have fun with!"

Thinking quickly Hank closed his blue eyes and sent out a distress call and a warning to Connor to keep his partner from accidentally walking into a dangerous situation. 'Keep away from the hotel. Both of the suspects are here and they paralyzed me.'

'What?! You can't fight back?'

'Don't worry about me, son. I can take this shit, just call for back-up and keep your distance! I won't let you get assaulted again.'

'I'm not going to leave you to die, Lieutenant!'

'Damn it, Connor...' Opening his eyes again Hank stared upward as the first man was joined by Chuck, and the duo brandished their bloody weapons in their still bloody hands. Sneering with a sick glee the two men weren't afraid to show that they enjoyed hurting androids. 'I'm ordering you to stay back! Do NOT come near the hotel. Stay away!'

Connor didn't reply. There was nothing he could say or do to change Hank's mind. Holding a silent grudge the deviant detective allowed the cybernetic line to end, and left Hank alone to face the two men; completely unarmed and defensive.

"This android looks kinda' different." Chuck almost curiously stated as he put his bloodied right boot down over the center of Hank's chest and began to press down as if to hold the already immobilized android still on the ground. "Must be a new model. One to make them seem more like us."

"Plastic is plastic, no matter what they try to make it look like."

"I bet it still bleeds blue."

"Only one way to find out..."

Hank managed to get enough strength and control back over his body and uttered a few choice words to his assailants. "Fuck... you."

"Oh, this plastic's got sass!" Chuck replied with a cold humor. "I kinda' like that... What do you think, Jay? How long until we beat that smart mouth out of its smug face?"

"Twenty minutes, tops. These plastic freaks break easier than bone!"

"This time I'll work the head." Pressing the end of the bat to the side of Hank's left cheek Chuck taunted the gruff Lieutenant one last time as he raised the weapon up and over his own head to bring down with a hearty swing. "You get the body!"

Jay smirked wickedly as he tightened his grip around the thick metal pipe in his left hand and stared at the center of Hank's chest with an indifferent stare. "Ten bucks says it'll try to scream like a little bitch..."

Knowing full well that the murderers found a sick satisfaction in destroying deviants Hank refused to give them any pleasure in seeing him afraid, flinch or give even the slightest verbal response to the pain. Holding his breath Hank sent one last cybernetic message out to Connor as he prepared for the inevitable beating he was about to endure.

'Connor, for what it's worth I'm very proud of you.' Never having had the chance to say goodbye to Cole and knowing the horrible pain that stems from not being able to have that needed closure Hank did the only thing he could do to spare Connor the same kind of pain. 'Not just as a detective but as the great man you've become since your deviancy, and of the great man that I know you'll continue to be long after I'm gone. I'm truly proud of you, and I'm proud to know you as not just my partner or my friend, but as my son. Take care of yourself, kid. You deserve to have a good and happy life.'

Chuck lifted his bat up higher over his head and steadied his shoulders a he prepared to swing downward. "...Batter up!"

Hank kept his eyes opened as he watched the bat come down with a horribly brutal force and crash against the left side of his head. The plastimetal of his cranium cracked and a splash of Thirium erupted from the fresh wound all over the ground, and atop Chuck's shoes. As errors and warnings appeared in his red vision Hank allowed himself to let go and fall into the sweet bliss of total blackness while the two men beat him with their weapons without any mercy, or reason.

The last thing Hank saw as his vision cut out was the two men covered in his own blue blood, and brief glimpse of the two turning around quickly and dropping their weapons to the ground with a metallic clatter.

As for Hank himself everything was impossibly silent, cold and dark...

March 12th, 2039:

A sharp beeping noise filled Hank's ears as an indescribable agony filled his skull. Unable to move his hands or even open his eyes all the wounded senior detective could do was lay still as the darkness steadily lifted, and his consciousness returned to him. Partially numb from the neck down Hank was barely aware of a pressure around his right forearm just above his wrist, and of a soft pressure beneath his body. There were no voices, no sense of motion, only the rhythmic beeping that had roused him from the peaceful black void he had allowed himself to fall into.

'...Shit. I'm still alive.' Hank thought to himself as he tried to gain his bearings and figure out what the hell happened after he lost consciousness outside of the abandoned hotel. Trying and failing to check his system status Hank realized he had suffered such catastrophic injuries that his limited knowledge of how to use his basic android functions had become rendered entirely useless. 'Damn it. The asshole with the bat must've busted a piece of my android brain.'

There was a slight rustle of movement to his left and Hank felt someone very gently lift up his eyelids one at a time to shine a light down to check his pupils. Looking beyond the light Hank caught a blurry glimpse of his surroundings and deduced that he had been taken to a facility for repairs. A single mass that stood out against the blurry environment to his right had an oddly humanoid shape, and the pulsing red light confirmed it was another android.

'Connor. Thank fuck, the kid's okay.' Piecing together what little information he had at his disposal Hank determined that the light pressure on his right arm was Connor's hand as he sat in a chair beside his bed. The deviant was very aware of human customs when it came to providing comfort, and deep down he figured that Connor was actually touch starved and just needed to feel direct contact every now and then. 'I guess I'm worse than I thought. The kid isn't even trying to talk to me this time.'

Trying to force his eyes to open and his voice to respond only to fail Hank felt trapped inside his own body.

"Try not to worry about him, Connor." An uncomfortably familiar voice belonging to Elijah Kamski filled the air a few feet from the bed. "The damage was extensive, yes, but Lieutenant Anderson will recover in time."

"...He was..." Connor's voice spoke next. Shaking and full of despondent fear the deviant sounded like he was on the verge of giving up on everything. "He was so close to shutting down, his memory was nearly corrupted."

"Yes, but your quick thinking saved him, at least his mind was saved, that it. Now I've done my part, and I'm working to save his body."

"It's been twenty-two days, seventeen hours, fifty-four minutes and six seconds since you performed the procedure. He has shown no sign of regaining consciousness and his vitals have remained consistently weak."

"You just witnessed a suddenly increase in his E.E.G. levels yourself. Why are you so convinced that he will not recover?"

"...I failed to watch his back."

'No, son!' Hank wanted to scream right in Connor's face and shake his shoulders. The last thing he wanted was to have Connor there at the hotel and getting assaulted, too. 'This isn't your fault! It's never your fault! Please... Please don't do that to yourself.'

"From what the police report stated," Kamski seemed to be able to read Hank's mind and speak up on his behalf. "Lieutenant Anderson had ordered you to stay away and for you to call for back-up. You did call in back-up as he ordered, but you still went to the hotel and saved his life."

'I fuckin' should've known that you would've disobeyed my order, kid. I'm not surprised at all.'

Connor's voice never shifted in tone. "I still should've been there for him."

"Connor, he's here and he's alive. Just be patient and I suspect he'll awaken with the hour. Just stay here with him and talk to him."

"...What do I say to him? I cannot cybernetically connect with him anymore, and I doubt he can hear my voice."

'I can hear ya', son. I'm still here with you and I can hear every word you're saying.'

"I suggest you try talking to him anyway." Kamski stated almost matter-of-factly. "I'm going to run a few tests and check in again by the end of the hour. I assure you that your friend will wake up."

Listening to the sound of Kamski's footsteps crossing the room, the electronic door sliding open and then shut again, Hank sensed that the only person left in the room beside him was in fact Connor.

'Kid, don't blame yourself. Please.'

"...I...I wish I knew what to say to you, Lieutenant."

'Even now you still call me "Lieutenant" and not "Hank". What's it going to take until you finally address me by my actual name?'

"...I'm glad you're still alive, but this shouldn't have happened at all. It was a mistake to split up and investigate alone."

'Mistake? Yeah, I guess you could say that. But that doesn't make you responsible.'

"When you wake up I promise I'll help you with your recovery and help take care of you just as you have taken care of me."

'Not surprised about that, either.'

"You've been unconscious for just over three weeks now, but I've managed to keep everything at the house under control with you. I took Sumo out for his evening walk, kept him fed and ensured he had fresh water and could get outside without any accidents happening inside the house."

'Like you'd ever neglect Sumo...'

"My aquarium is thriving. All of the fish I had selected seem to be peacefully coexisting without any sign of aggression or illness." His hand tightened a little more around Hank's arm as he spoke but he never once applied so much pressure that he hurt the wounded detective. "And Gavin has been taking excellent care of the stray cat and her kittens. He has chosen to keep the mother for himself and named her 'Crystal'. The six kittens are all strong and much more active now that they are almost five weeks old. By next week the kittens will be old enough to be weened and the following week they'll be old enough to be re-homed to stable families."

'See? The world will keep on spinning without me, and you have a lot to live for. Who knew it'd be animals and finding families?'

"...Captain Fowler has put me on extended leave to ensure my mental and emotional health can recover in the aftermath of what we've been through. I dislike not being able to work but I dislike the idea of leaving you alone even more. Right now I want you to wake up and tell me that 'everything will be okay', but I doubt that will happen. Until then I refuse to let you be alone."

'Ah, kid. I'm okay with being by myself. You need to remember to take the time to take care of yourself, and right now's the perfect time to learn to do that.'

"When I heard your voice telling me that you had been physically disabled, and to stay away I was... frightened. But you weren't. You sounded so sure of yourself and of what was about to happen that it had left me feeling confused, and unsure of my next step."

'Don't be scared, son. Shit happens all the time and we always pull through. I'll pull through this, too.'

"...Then when you told me that you were proud of me and thought of me as your son I felt... lost."

'Lost? Lost how?'

"I know you'll always miss your real son and nothing will ever be able to fill the void in your heart that Cole's passing had left behind, and as much as I'd like to believe that I could possibly have a real family I know it'll never happen. That won't stop me from doing what I can to help you and reestablish our previous friendship. Friends can be like a family, and that's good enough for me."

'Connor, you have a family. Don't doubt it anymore.'

"Just so you know Captain Fowler, Chris, Tina, Ben and even Gavin have stopped by to visit you. The first week Chris volunteered to go to the house to check on Sumo for us, and to feed my fish so I could stay with you until you stabilized."

'You stayed here for a whole damn week?" The paternal instinct to protect his self proclaimed adopted son was strong even though his agonizing headache and confusion. 'Where did you sleep? When did you drink your Thirium and stay healthy?'

"Markus has agreed to sit down and speak with Captain Fowler at the end of the month and discuss android rights, laws and protection orders within the city's limits. The two men who assaulted you were arrested and charged with the assault and attempted murder of an officer, murder for the victim we investigated in the alleyway, numerous counts of assault, menacing and threats against androids throughout the city, as well as hate crimes. They were denied bail and will stand trial tomorrow afternoon."

'Good to hear. They need to burn in Hell for what they did to all those androids.'

"I'm not sure how this came to pass but during my stay here at your side Markus and the other leaders of New Jericho had stopped by to visit you as well. I... I was also given an apology for the lack of response from the tower when I had been assaulted last month. The deviant who blocked my call for help was located and punished. He had been holding a grudge against me since I worked with the police; the humans. He was subjected to mandatory counseling by Josh, and will be watched closely for the next six months."

'See? Everything finds a way of working out in the end.'

"I suppose that's also why so many deviants came to your aid when you called for help. They didn't want to repeat the cold actions of a single hate filled deviant and let you, an innocent person, die."

'Wait, the other deviants came out of the tower and helped me? Connor,' still unable to open his eyes, move a muscle or even speak all Hank could do was listen and hope that Connor would go into more detail. 'What the fuck did I miss when I got knocked out? It sounds like the entire city came around to defend us for once instead of looking the other way.'

"The fact that New Jericho came to your aid had proven far more beneficial to the city than anyone could've imagined. The event has been labeled one of an incredibly positive influence for the community as a whole, and will undoubtedly be referenced for years to come whenever the needless debate regarding equal rights for androids ever comes into question."

'Shit. I was right in the middle of it all and I still missed everything.'

"I imagine that when you sustained the initial blow to your head your memory had been affected, and you were rendered unconscious. I... I still don't know if you can hear me or not, but Kamski as well as Dr. Wilson insist that talking to you can help you awaken sooner."

'Already awake, son. I just can't move a damn thing.'

"Perhaps if I recount the events leading to this moment it'll help you regain your memory and make it easier to recover once you wake up."

'Well, I'm not going anywhere and I have nothing to say. Go ahead and tell me what happened. What did I miss, son?'

February 18th, 2039:

Rounding the corner of the block where the abandoned hotel was located Connor's red L.E.D. flashed rapidly in perfect synchronization with his rapidly beating heart. Having long sent the request for back-up to the site in order to save Hank's life Connor instinctively sent out a distress call seeking help from any available deviant to confirm that another deviant had been targeted and was in the process of being assaulted. Just as it had happened before Connor's message went unanswered and the dedicated deviant continued to rush to the scene of the assault in progress as quickly as his legs could propel him.

"Lieutenant, can you hear me?" Connor asked out loud as he attempted to reestablish his cybernetic link with Hank after he connected to the precinct, and sent out his distress call. The line was met with silence and a failure to connect. "Shit!"

Slowing his sprint Connor pulled his gun from the holster that was strapped around his back and beneath his gray suit jacket as he aimed at the two assailants through the damaged chainlink fence. "DETROIT POLICE." The sight of Hank's bloodied, broken body laying entirely still on the ground made the Thirium in Connor's lines burn red hot with rage. "DROP THE WEAPONS!"

The two men turned around quickly and dropped their weapons as soon as they saw the gun pointed at them. Standing over Hank's bloodied body the two men had no chance of talking their way out of what was going on, and with their backs to the hotel they had nowhere to run. Slowly raising their hands into the air as if to surrender the men looked genuinely scared, that is, until they noticed the red L.E.D. in Connor's temple.

"For a second there..." Jay gave Connor a mocking smirk as he picked up his pipe from the ground and held it in his hands. "I thought you were a threat."

Running a scan on Hank from the distance Connor took note of the senior detective's waning vital signs and tried to get things under control as quickly as possible. "Get down on the ground, NOW."

"Yeah, right. When does plastic give anyone orders?"

Firing off a warning shot into the brick surface of the neighboring building Connor easily conveyed that he wasn't bluffing. "Get. Down. NOW."

"Hey, uh, Jay..." Chuck resumed slowly raising his hands into the air to surrender. "maybe we should-"

"Shut the fuck up! We don't take orders from no plas... What the fuck?"

From behind Connor four deviants appeared and all four looked ready to fight. Without needing to look Connor knew that Markus, North, Josh and Simon had all responded to his distress call and were ready to help out. "Last chance." Putting a little growl to his voice as a very effective intimidation tactic Connor issued his order for the third and final time. "Down on the ground, NOW."

Chuck slowly knelt on the ground and kept his hands in the air while he moved. "Jay... This guy isn't shitting with us. They're ALL plastic, they gotta' be!"

"So what? Ain't no plastic freaks going to out muscle a human!"

"Maybe not," Markus replied as he took a step forward so he was almost standing right at Connor's right side. "but we can outnumber you."

Before Jay had the chance to offer a rebuttal North stepped up on the other side of Connor, opposite of Markus, and issued her own threat. "Do you really think two worthless jackasses can stand up to an entire city full of deviants just looking for an excuse to tear a human apart?"

As the two humans contemplated their options Josh offered his own take on the situation. "You reap what you sow, and you've planted seeds of hatred and violence. Do you really want to face the true results of your actions?"

In turn Simon stepped up and offered his own take on the situation. "Your options are limited. This can end with your arrest of your funerals. I suggest you choose well."

Sirens and red flashing lights filled the air as three squad cars and four police drones circled around the building. The two android murderers were caught, and there was nothing they could do to escape or talk their way out of the situation.

"Down on your knees," Connor ordered as he pointed his gun at Jay's chest. "I won't ask again. The next time I want you on the ground I will pull this trigger and drop you myself."

Officially scared shitless Jay dropped to his knees and raised his hands in the air to finally surrender while the responding police officers, Chris, Tina and three other officers that were just as experienced as the former two officers converged on the duo with their own guns drawn, and they all had venom in their eyes. As the leaders of New Jericho backed off to wisely give the police room to do their job an odd sense of community and justice was felt throughout the unusual group gathered outside the hotel.

Connor holstered his gun as he walked past the two men who were being cuffed, read their rights and escorted to the squad cars for transport. Focused entirely on Hank's bloodied and motionless body left on the partially melted snow Connor dropped to his knees and put his right palm down on Hank's eerily still chest.

Courtesy of the baseball bat and the metal pipe the left side of Hank's skull above his eye was badly fractured and bleeding heavily. The same weapons had battered Hank's chest and had broken through both the artificial skin and the plastimetal frame beneath had been practically caved in throughout Hank's chest and his abdomen. Despite being unable to defend himself Hank's arms, legs and hands were also damaged by the severe blows to his body. As the sapphire puddle of blood blossomed under Hank's body the surrounding snow and ice that had yet to melt was steadily being dyed a sickly shade of blue.

Retracting his artificial skin Connor made direct contact with Hank's systems and he felt his Thirium pump, his heart, skip a beat when he realized that Hank's own Thirium pump was no longer beating.

"Please, Lieutenant..." Pulling open the buttons of the Thirium stained but still brightly colored dress shirt over the senior detective's chest Connor brought his fist down once in the dead center of Hank's chest with a firm strike, and then began compressing down with one hand over top of the other to try to reactivate the pump. "Please don't shutdown... I can't let you die like this. I won't!"

Simon, being a promising technician with great skill, walked over to where Connor was compressing Hank's chest and proceeded to try to help with administering first aid. Picking up Hank's cold, limp and broken left hand in his own Simon connected to the senior detective's programming, and ran a direct diagnostic of his system. "...Damn it. His intracranial processor has been severely damaged. Nothing is responding."

"We need to focus on getting his heart beating again." With each compression he performed Connor's hands become more and more covered in Hank's blood, and with each compression that failed to get a response from the stopped biocomponent under his palms Connor felt like he was failing a very important mission. "We need to get him to a facility before it's too late."

"Connor..." Simon's melancholy tone made Connor's previously hot blood run cold. "...He's gone."

"NO. I won't let him die like this!"

Markus had overheard the comment and walked over to where the dying detective was laying in the snow. "Connor, you did everything you-"

"No! He's not going to die."

"...There's nothing more that you can do. The damage is too extensive and irreparable."

Connor's soulful brown eyes were filling with tears as he continued to beat Hank's heart for him, and stare at his friend's blood covered face. Hank's blue eyes were closed giving the illusion of sleep, but the blue blood all over his face gave the sickening reality of what Hank had just been subjected to all the more gruesome.

"It's okay, Connor." Kneeling down beside his friend and beside Hank's body Markus put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder. "You can let him go now."

"No! He didn't give up on me and I won't give up on him!"

From the distance North and Josh could see what was happening and stayed put. Right beside them Chris and Tina watched as Connor fought to revive Hank and refused to give up on him. Unsure of what else to do the two deviants stayed back while Tina radioed into dispatch to report that Hank had been critically injured and needed assistance.

Staying beside Connor as he continued to perform C.P.R. Markus tried to ease his friend's pain. "Connor, please. You know as well as us that-"

"I won't just stop!" Compressing down on Hank's chest over and over again Connor silently pleaded for the stopped biocomponent to beat again. Tears began to roll down Connor's face as he struggled to save his friend from death. "Please, Hank! I know you can fight this!" Bringing down his fist again Connor tried to get the still heart to even shudder but was met with no response. As he brought down his fist for the second time and then the third Markus wrapped his right arm around Connor's chest to pull him away from Hank's body and get him to stop. "No! Please!"

"Hey, it's okay to let him go..." Markus tried to soothe as he held Connor in a restraining hug and away from his downed partner. "It's okay."

Falling back onto the snowy ground Connor stared at Hank's motionless body and let out a shaking breath. Running another scan Connor's own system confirmed that there was nothing that could be done to revive the downed detective.

Speaking softly Markus urged Connor to let Hank go. "...He's at peace now."

"...No. Not yet." Kneeling down beside Hank's body again Connor held his breath as he pressed his left fingertips to Hank's bloodied right temple, and pressed his right palm down over the center of Hank's chest. As his L.E.D. flickered red and yellow at a maddening pace Connor let out a gasp of pain and fell back onto the snow as he used his hands to grasp at his suddenly aching head. "...I...I need... t-to..." Unable to speak all Connor could do was groan in relentless pain.

"Connor?!" Markus grabbed onto Connor's forearms to hold him steady as he tried to figure out what the hell his friend just did. The sight of Connor immobilized by pain and unable to speak was almost as frightening as seeing Hank's destroyed android body bleeding out on the ground behind him. "Connor, what's wrong?! Tell me what happened!"

Simon ran another analysis and diagnostic over Hank's body then did the same for Connor. Within seconds he figured out what the brash deviant detective had done, and responded sharply. "Damn it, Connor! That was incredibly foolish!"

"What?" Markus's mismatched eyes studied Simon's face as the blond technician did his best to keep Connor's overwhelmed and overheating system as stable as possible. "What did he do?"

"He downloaded Lieutenant Anderson's consciousness into his own mind. It's too much for him to handle." Pressing his right hand down against the center of Connor's chest Simon registered his pulse rate and made a quick prognosis. "His heart is beating out of control; it's too fast and becoming arrhythmic. His core is also beginning to overheat from the stress he has put on his systems."

"Oh, shit." Tightening his grip around Connor's arms Markus did his best to keep his friend as comforted and as still as possible without hurting him in the process. "What can we do to save him?"

"We need to get Connor back to the hospital and transfer Lieutenant Anderson's consciousness back into his human body before the overwhelming amount of increased electrical activity from carrying a human consciousness burns out Connor's intracranial processors." Simon grabbed onto Connor's left shoulder as he gave Markus a stern and focused stare. "We need to do it NOW!"

March 12th, 2039:

After telling Hank the details of the horrible day to the best of his ability Connor felt like he had a massive weight lifted from his shoulders and from his still aching heart. Remaining loyal at the senior detective's bedside Connor did his best to keep his newly blossoming emotions from getting the better of him, and not let the pain he was feeling crack his voice.

"The only way to save you was to have your consciousness returned to your human body sooner than originally expected." Sounding as if he had failed or broken a very important promise the younger deviant was on the edge of losing the last of his resolve. "As a result your recovery has slowed considerably now that your memory is at risk of being compromised by your still healing brain. Dr. Wilson was able to reduce the swelling to your brain very quickly but even so time was critical in allowing the incredibly delicate medication to restore the damaged brain tissue and allow you to heal."

'I think it's safe to say I didn't suffer any permanent brain damage, son. I'm still here and I remember every little damn thing I had remembered before the car accident that started all of this, and everything that happened after the accident.'

"Dr. Wilson has confirmed that your brain tissue is still healing and Kamski has confirmed that the transfer of your consciousness from my own system hadn't caused any impairment on your own synaptic responses. He is also optimistic that you'll wake up soon, perhaps in an estimated forty-six minutes."

'I'm already awake, son. I just need the rest of my body to realize it.'

"Hank, I'm so sorry this happened to you."

'Oh, NOW you call me by my first name, and it's when you're kicking yourself in the ass for something that's not even your fault.'

"There's no way I can make amends to you on this one, I screwed everything up and made everything worse."

'Damn it, Connor... It's NOT your fault! You didn't hit me and I'm the one who decided to go check out the hotel without any back-up. It's MY fault.'

"Please... Wake up." Tightening his hand around Hank's arm the remorseful deviant leaned forward and bowed his head down in shame. "I can't let you die. I just... It's not fair."

'Hey, it's okay, son. I'm-' A sudden warmth spread over Hank's arm and began to slowly roll down the limb to the soft bed beneath. It was a fresh tear that had fallen from the younger deviant's soulful brown eyes. 'No, no! Don't do that! Don't cry, Connor!'

Unable to withstand the heavy burden of guilt he had placed over his own shoulders any longer Connor bowed his head further down and pressed his forehead down against the soft mattress beside Hank's arm. "Wake up..."

'Son, please.' Without even realizing he was doing it Hank managed to lift up his right hand beside Connor and gently place his palm down on the back of the emotionally distraught deviant's head. As soon as he felt the soft hair under his palm Hank rubbed his thumb back and forth, then swallowed once as he felt a horrible dryness begin to fade in the back of his throat. "...Connor."

The younger deviant lifted his head back up quickly as he stared at Hank's face and ran a scan. With his L.E.D. flickering a rapid red in his temple Connor dared to speak up and call out to Hank again. "...H-Hank?"

"...Here, son." Forcing himself to speak Hank addressed his worried son in a level and strong voice. "I'm right here."

"You're... You're finally awake!" Letting out a shuddering breath Connor grabbed onto Hank's right hand and held tight as if afraid he'd lose Hank if he ever let go. "Hank! I'm so sorry!" More unshed tears were welling up inside of his eyes as he spoke directly from the heart. "You're going to be okay! I know you'll-"

"Connor... Son." Opening his blue eyes, his vision still blurry but functional, Hank looked at Connor's face beside him. Forcing himself to give his shattered deviant partner a faint grin, the gesture causing the nasal canula under his nose to shift slightly, Hank tried to get Connor to calm down. "...Everything's going to be okay."

Hearing those words washed over Connor like a soul cleansing tide. Without another word Connor just began to silently weep again as he bowed his back down on the bed beside Hank's right arm. He continued to hold onto Hank's hand for dear life as he cried his heart out with a mixture of pain, guilt and relief accompanying ever beat of his heart. The L.E.D. continued to cycle in red but it had slowed considerably and the tension in Connor's shoulder faded away.

"I promise..." Hank spoke up again in a hoarse whisper as his paternal instinct to protect Connor, to protect his son, overpowered any pain or confusion that he was still experiencing. In that moment all that mattered was protecting his family. "Everything will be alright, son."

-next chapter-