"Why the hell would you bring a kid here?" John glared at Dorian then at the small silver haired girl who hid herself behind the DRN.
"Why not?" Dorian glanced at the kid then to John. "It would be unprofessional to abandon someone who came to us for help."
"That's not my point, what the hell are we supposed to do with her?"
"Don't be mean John, she's still frightened and uneasy." Dorian knelt in front of the small girl and held her hand. "Don't worry little one, you'll be safe with us."
"With you. I'm not going to have anything to do with this." John turned on his heel before Dorian could reply but was stopped when a small hand gripped his sleeve.
"Don't go." The girl sniffled. "I'm scared." Tears welled in her violet eyes. "Don't leave me."
John looked at Dorian. "What if this is a trap. Those terrorists could have sent her to spy on us or something."
"She's just a small child! You wouldn't leave your son on the streets alone and cold."
"She's not my daughter. She's a synthetic, just like you Dorian. She could have been programmed by those bastards to act all innocent and catch us off guard. I don't trust her." John turned again and walked back to the car.
"John, listen to me. We can have Rudy run some tests, see if she is a threat. If she is we can reprogram her, she doesn't have to be considered trash." Dorian spoke as he jogged after his partner.
John seemed to think it through a bit before speaking. "Fine, but the first sign that she's a threat during the car ride I won't hesitate to put a bullet in her head right there and then."
The small girl smiled slightly. "Thank you Papa." John stiffened slightly and looked at Dorian.
Dorian only chuckled. "It seems like she likes you John."
"This is going to be a long car ride... What's your name kid?"
"Cat." She smiled.
'He doesn't do well with kids or cats.'
John seemed to take in a deep, forced, breath before replying. "Come on Cat, let's get you back to the lab so Rudy can check you out."
Dorian smiled softly with a quiet chuckle and picked the small synthetic girl up. He settled her in the back seat and made sure she was securely buckled before going to the passenger seat. "Don't worry Cat. John will warm up to you within time."
"Shut up." John mumbled as he started the car and drove off.
"Well her programming seems to be the same as Dorian. She's much more advanced, she's no threat. Besides she's just a child so even if she had been programmed to bring disaster she wouldn't have gotten much done. Her programming is made to make her seem more human, meaning she has feelings like pain. She also seems to have a type of blood. So if she gets cut she will bleed, like a normal human, and as I'm already sure you know she also has tears." Rudy explained to both John, who had been against the whole thing, and Dorian, the one who was more accepting.
"Anything else we should know Rudy?" John scowled as he asked feeling very much like a worried father who was talking to a nurse after being informed that his child had just broken an arm or leg.
"She was made to be like a real human, as I've already informed you, but not just that. She was made to be the daughter of a couple who couldn't have a child, weather that have been a male and a male or a female and a female or just a man and woman where the woman couldn't reproduce is unsure. So for the time being you and Dorian will have to act as her parents, until we can find out who she was meant for." Rudy explained, keeping the attention of both men meaning no one noticed when Cat appeared behind Rudy's legs.
"I'm hungry." She tugged on Rudy's sleeve slightly.
"That's another thing, unlike Dorian her body reacts like a human, meaning she needs to eat and drink." Rudy spoke not truly realizing that the child he was talking about had appeared right behind him. "So if she doesn't get food she is liable to starve and-," the scientist jumped as he registered that the small girl was right there, "hello precious." He smiled slightly.
"Uncle Rudy I'm hungry." She blinked her violet eyes and glanced at John and Dorian.
"What would you like to eat?" Rudy knelt down to be level, sort of, with the small girl.
She bit her cheek and her eyes glossed over slightly, a soft violet light glowed on the side of her face. "Cookies!" Her eyes lit up and she smiled.
"No! No sugar before a real meal." John spoke before Rudy could reply.
Cat's attention shifted over to him and she frowned. "Papa..." She sniffled and tears filled her eyes.
"No."
"John, be kind. She's just a child." Dorian murmured softly as he picked the child up. "How about one cookie? Then you eat something real?"
"Ok." The small girl sniffled lightly and hugged his neck.
"What's she going to eat then?" John asked, now standing beside Dorian looking thoroughly confused.
"How about ramen?" Dorian offered, sending a sly smirk to John who made no protest against the offer.
"Ok Papa." She smiled slightly and rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe away her tears.
"Good." Dorian smiled. "John is buying."
"Hey! I never-"
"Ah, ah, ah." Dorian smirked. "You want to be a good fatherly figure don't you? Then you'd buy your daughter lunch."
"She's not my daughter."
"Papa." Cat whimpered slightly giving him her best puppy-dog eyes.
John scowled for a minute longer, staring into her violet eyes the whole time, before sighing deeply and ruffling her hair. "Fine... I'll consider you my daughter..." Dorian smiled at the way John seemed to accept Cat. John glowered at Dorian slightly. "Though I hardly see how buying her lunch would be 'fatherly' it seems like something a lover would do, and she's far too young for me to be her lover."
"You can still love a four-year old John. It would just be more of a friendly or family type love." Rudy stated as Cat busied herself with tracing the soft blue lights that Dorian showed for her.
"Oh yeah? Well I still hardly see why I-" Cat glanced at John and motioned for him to take her from Dorian's arms, obviously having lost interest in the light show for the time being. "You want me to hold you?" John asked in disbelief.
"Yes." Cat blinked, giving a slightly confused look before flexing her fingers.
"Alright." John took the small silver haired girl into his arms. "For a three year old-"
"Four." Dorian corrected.
"Yeah, whatever, Mommy Dorian. For a four year old she sure is smart."
"She's almost the same as Dorian. She's an android. She may be small but she is very smart." Rudy smiled slightly. "Well then, now that I've told you all that you seem to need to know I'll be going now. If you need anything else just call me."
"Alright." Dorian nodded.
"I'm hungry." Cat repeated as she tugged lightly on John's hair.
"Hey, kid, don't do that! Alright, alright! Come on Dorian." John sighed again as he headed up the stairs.
They walked down the hall in silence, well except for the few times when Cat got excited and accidentally pulled John's hair or kicked his chest. No one had bothered to stop them, seeing as no one had been in the halls. That is, until they came in front of Captain Maldonado's office.
"John? What's this kid doing?"
"I... Er... Dorian and I... Um... Dorian adopted her. She's a synthetic as well so we just had Rudy check her out a bit, you know, make sure her programming wasn't weird."
"So what you're saying is that you and Dorian either adopted or found this kid?" John looked to the floor unable to keep eye contact. "That's so sweet, just don't let her mess with your work or the other officers."
"Yes ma'am!" Dorian nodded with a soft smile.
"For a kid you sure do eat a lot." John commented, seeing that Cat was on her fifth bowl, two more and the meal would be half off.
Cat just let the soft violet lights flicker on the side of her face. She then put her fork down and glanced at her empty bowl longingly. "Papa can I have some more?"
"Now, now little one," Dorian murmured quietly as he scooped her into his lap, "I think you've had enough."
Cat blinked then yawned deeply. "Ok Papa." She rested her chin against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I'm sleepy."
"Does she require charging?" John raised an eyebrow as he watched the small child rub her eyes.
"I'm contacting Rudy now." Dorian glanced from Cat to John. "Ah, Rudy!"
"Yes? What is it Dorian?"
"John and I wanted to know if our little android here requires charging like I do?"
"No, no. A good night's rest and she should be ready to go."
"Alright. Thanks Rudy." Dorian smiled as he hung up. "She gets to sleep at your place John."
"What? I only have the one bed!"
"You have a couch." Dorian pointed out. "You can sleep there, let her have the bed."
"Fine. If it will shut you up for a while." John sighed as he grabbed his keys. "Get in the car."
"Yes, thank you." Dorian smiled and carried Cat to the car.
The car ride was short and quiet, Cat having fallen asleep leaned against the door. Dorian carried her up to John's apartment and settled her in John's bed. "Be good to her John. If she wakes up crying or panicked you have to comfort her."
"How the hell do I do that?" John frowned.
"You hug her. Let her sit in your lap."
"That would be awkward! I'm not going to do that!"
"John." Dorian frowned slightly. "Please, for me?"
"Fine! Whatever. Get in the car. I'd better get you to Rudy and get back here quickly." John sighed and grabbed his keys again.
John walked into his apartment again and sighed deeply. He went to his room to check on the small girl. Her nose was scrunched up in a pained and frightened expression. John watched her for a minute as she whimpered and twitched. He sighed again, taking his synthetic off and placing it on it's charging port, and climbed in bed beside her. He wrapped an arm around her small shoulders.
Cat made a soft sound and twitched awake looking up into John's eyes. "P-Papa?" She sniffled and buried her face in his chest.
"Shh. It's ok Cat." John murmured softly and stroked her hair. Cat seemed to physically relax and her breathing soon steadied showing that she was asleep again. John chuckled lightly and closed his eyes falling asleep as well.
John woke up with a start as Cat jumped on his chest. "Whoa there! Don't do that!" John snapped as he pushed the girl off of him.
"I'm hungry papa." Cat giggled as she clung to his arm.
"Alright, alright. What do you want?"
"Pancakes!" Cat smiled and nuzzled his shoulder.
"Alright. Let's go pick up Dorian and go get pancakes."
"Yay! Pancakes!" Cat giggled and the side of her face glowed the soft violet light.
John chuckled as he put his synthetic leg on, grabbed Cat and his keys and headed for the door. He buckled her into the backseat and headed off to pick Dorian up.
Dorian smiled at Cat as he climbed into the passenger seat. "Hold these." John handed Dorian two wires that were connected to his coffee cup.
"John I'm not going to heat your coffee." Dorian sighed as he put the wires down. "Where are we going?"
"Pancakes!" Cat jumped up and down in excitement.
"John, you do realize I don't eat right?"
"That's exactly why I told her yes." John grinned as he flexed his fingers on the steering wheel.
"You're so cruel, John." Dorian chuckled lightly as he faked a pout.
"Sure, sure. Keep that up and I'll have to get a new partner."
Cat watched out the window of the car constantly analysing things as they passed by. She was staying silent just like the first time and only made soft short sounds on a few occasions. She jumped a few times, the violet lights springing to life on the side of her face.
"Cat, are you alright?" John raised an eyebrow as he looked in the mirror back to the small child. She jumped slightly, the lights fading, and brought her violet gaze to his dark brown. She nodded lightly and glanced at Dorian before returning her gaze to the window.
"Why didn't Papa stay home last night?"
John and Dorian shared a slightly puzzled look. "Me?" Dorian asked as he turned to look at her. She nodded, not bringing her gaze from the window. She seemed hurt which deeply confused John.
"Why wasn't Papa there?"
"I couldn't stay. I need to charge, I have no way of doing so at John's house."
"You can move your charger can't you? It's out of place in Uncle Rudy's lab." She glanced at him, sending imaginary daggers at him.
"No." John barely managed to not swerve off of the road as he processed what she had said. "He's not bringing that bulky station into my house."
"Papa." Cat seemed even more upset but she said nothing more instead settling on glaring out the window. She entertained herself with examining her small hands, causing them to light up with the same soft light that glowed on the side of her face.
Cat finished a plate of pancakes and pushed the empty plate to the centre of the table. She hadn't said a word to either men and instead set herself to the task of tearing up a napkin.
"Aren't you going to ask for more?" Dorian leaned over the table slightly and wiped the chocolate from her mouth.
"No. I'm not hungry." She scowled, glancing from Dorian to John, sparing a deep glare for the latter.
"John just say yes. She's obviously upset about it."
"About what?" John asked as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Let Papa move in." Cat muttered as she ripped the napkin in half.
"There's no room for him." John argued.
"The back room. I did a blueprint scan and there's another room." Cat looked up, the violet lights glowing with a soft red.
"That's new."
"John she's angry. You know it's only a matter of time until Captain Maldonado says I have to move in."
"And until then?" John took another long sip of his coffee. "Who's going to make me allow you to move into my house until then?" Dorian blinked and a soft blue light glowed on his face. "What's with the disco face?"
"Hello?"
"Dorian, since you and John will be caring for the kid I expect you to move in with them. It would be easier on the child and would also allow you to help John care for her."
"Can do Captain."
"Alright thanks."
The call ended with that. "What? What did she say? Dorian you'd better not-"
"She said she expects me to move in with you to make things easier on Cat. Having her parent figures live in two different areas would be to stressful." Dorian explained slightly.
"She said that? Oh come on! You have got to be kidding me, tell me this is a joke." John scowled, putting his half full -or half empty, depending on how you look at it- mug of coffee down.
"So Papa can move in? Papa's coming home tonight?" Cat asked, visibly perking up.
"Yes. I'm going to be moving in, weather Jong likes it or not. Captain's orders." Dorian smiled as the small girl did. He watched as she hopped down from her side of the booth and walked over to his side, struggling slightly to climb up.
She perched herself between the two and leaned against John slightly. "This is going to be a long day..."
Cat watched as John and Dorian pulled the charging station through the door. She sifted on the couch and the violet lights sprang to life again. "Papa... something tells me that you don't like having me here..."
"No, no. That's not it." John glared at Dorian slightly, silently warning him to stay quiet.
"He's not good with kids."
"Dorian." John growled slightly.
"... Or cats."
John grumbled something under his breath and Cat giggled. "Dorian."
"John. It's true. You know that."
"That doesn't mean you have to say it."
"Oh, but it does." Dorian grinned as they positioned the charging station in the corner of John's room.
"Why does it have to be in my room?" John protested. "You could've put it in the kitchen."
"Someone has to watch after Cat. Besides, you like me."
"Why do you insist on saying that?"
"It's alright John. I like you too." Dorian smiled as he picked Cat up. "We have the day off John. We should go spend the day with Cat."
"Fine. Let's go buy her some clothes so I don't have to ruin another one of my shirts." John scowled slightly as he grabbed his keys.
"Wait... you made the cute little dress she's wearing?" Dorian asked as he admired the black dress. It did look surprisingly like one of John's black shirts that had been cut and modified to fit her.
"I wasn't going to leave her to wear the stained dirty dress she had yesterday." John grumbled as he climbed in the drivers seat. "Just get in the car." Dorian smiled and did as told.