Never Alone
B: Wolfa Moon
S: Genderbend. Female John/Joan gets a new lease on life and a new partner. Jorian.
D: Don't own.
Pictured Amanda Peet as Joan Kennex. But I Still Love Karl Urban.
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/NEVER ALONE/
Joan hated herself. Sure they would call it depression. Sure it is related to her PTSD. And on top of all that the cherry on the cake, a synthetic leg. Her leg blown off in an ambush. The blast taking everything, everyone she knew and relied on. To be alone.
Then to find comfort in the only way she can. To find her purpose in needing to find out who killed her team. Sure it is surprising for a woman to have so much power in a man's world. It is the future and she has always burned bright.
Her first day back she is partnered with a face she despises and hates. Something that she wanted her to fill it full of bullets. Also a good shove out of a fast moving car is doable.
Then told to go see Rudy. Smiling at the man.
"As I live and breath." He comes over and hugs her. Joan never really liked being touched. After all the hard work she put into being a cop and undercover work to be the best. The select few she allowed inside her bubble of trust. Her heart had to admit she missed the contact, slightly.
"Good to see you Rudy. How've you been?"
"Constantly turning down party invitations." Joan hands the paper over to the tech genius.
"I'm going to need a new one."
"A moving car?"
Then they get the DRN out of storage and on the table.
"Would you do the honors?" She gives him a look before taking the rod from him. Looking over the android she can appreciate but she has bigger fish to fry. He jolts awake.
"Hello, I'm Dorian. Your file is very impressive."
"Use to be. Update your files, let's go." She exits to go take her meds.
Dorian turns to Rudy.
"It's not you. Once I update your files you'll see." Dorian sat while his files were updated. Then Rudy came back with cloths for him.
"I see." Dorian spoke looking at the cloths.
"Take it easy on her." Dorian looks at Rudy. "She's my friend and… Please take care of her."
"I will."
/NEVER ALONE/
Inside the car Dorian tries to recalibrate his lips.
"Why am I in this car?"
"I am required to ride with a synthetic."
"I'm not a huge fan of that term."
"Great." Dorian notices the medal than began to guess male names. She just shakes her head. Glad everything is not in her profile.
Entering the precinct she orders him to get registered. The words of Detective Paul do not go unnoticed.
"Don't let him get to you." Dorian looks at Joan as she comes to collect him. "He's always been a sensitive prick."
"How did you know?"
"I am a trained detective and I've known the asshole from the academy."
"You broke his record."
"Glad your memory is updated."
Then Vogel happened. And everything clicked and connected. She needed to find out.
Going to the reflection chair and seeing her. Her ex was there. How could she be? Then the world collapses back to the present. Opening her eyes and breathing heavily to see Dorian before her.
"Be glad you got the partner with a bleeding heart." Helping her out he holds a glass of water to her lips.
"Slowly." She does.
"We should get out of here." Dorian sets the cup down to help her with her shirt and jacket.
"Thanks."
"Let's get out of here."
They make it outside to a noodle joint. Sitting down she orders her usual.
"Who did you see?"
"My ex, she was there." Dorian looks at her. So that is why she glared at him back in the car. Things fell into place and they saved the precinct.
/NEVER ALONE/
She started on Tuesday and now it's Friday. Putting on her jacket she looks around the precinct. The MX units were going to their recharger area. Paul just ignored his as he left. Stahl wished hers a good weekend as he walked off to his closet. Turning to Dorian he is just sitting there looking at the computer screen. The MX are all logic and no heart.
"Dorian?" Her partner looks at her.
"Yes, Joan?"
"Where do you go at night?"
"I sit, recharge, and compress my memory."
"That's it?" Asking him skeptically. He smiles at being caught.
"I peruse case files. Go for walks." Joan can't believe what she is thinking.
"Grab your coat." Turning she walks away. Dorian quickly following behind her.
"Detective, did you get a call?" The secretary stops her.
"No, I'm off."
"Then why is your DRN going with you?"
"Because he is my partner and is more than an MX."
"Then you'll have to sign it out." Dorian had finally come up behind her.
"Fine." She snatches the pad signing it and handing it back. "Let's get out of here." The secretary smiles at Dorian as he passes.
Inside the car.
"Are you okay?" Dorian scans her vitals.
"Just, people."
"Where are we going?"
"My place."
"Why?" Joan ignores him. She didn't know why. Maybe she got to use to being around him that she didn't want to be alone. Her maternal instinct kicking in to help her partner.
"Because you're different." Dorian could only look at her.
Getting to her place they go in. She leaves Dorian to his own devices. Pulling a drink form the fridge she comes out into the main area. Dorian is standing in what is the music studio and main area to see out upon the town.
"This is a magnificent view."
"It's home." Dorian turns to her to look at the room.
"Do you play?" Stepping over to one of the many guitars.
"I do. I just haven't played in a while."
"When was the last time you played?"
"Two years, give a month or two." Dorian takes in the rest of the room. Paintings on the floor. A section an art studio.
"Did you do those?"
"No Annie was the artist. I just dabbled." Dorian focused on some of the pictures on the wall. They were of her and some kids with guitars in their hands.
"You taught guitar." He deduces.
"Once upon a time." Joan moves to sit in one of the chairs. Her leg acting up on her.
"Would you teach me?" She nods solemnly to him.
"Sure." Joan goes over to look at the pictures. Taking one off she drops it behind some of the art on the floor. Dorian goes through his memory to see it was a picture of both Joan and Annie. Joan sits down with a groan.
"Your leg bothering you?"
"Yes," she groans bending over to rub her leg.
"I'll be right back."
Dorian enters the kitchen looking for his suggestion of olive oil. Taking inventory there is a lot of ingredients to make a lot of home cooked meals. Yet she always seemed to only eat noodles. Then he hears it. The guitar being softly strummed.
"I waited for you today,
But you didn't show,
No no no." Finding the olive oil he returns to watch his partner. Her eyes are closed. The world seemed to fade away for her.
"I needed you today.
So where, did you go?
You told me to call,
Said you'd be there.
And though I haven't seen you,
Are you still there?" Joan began to rock with the music. Dorian had never seen live music played. Sure he has seen recordings of it. Yet to see his high strung partner relaxing a little.
"I cried out with no reply
And I can't feel you by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know
You're here and I'm never alone." The music and singing stops. Dorian meets his partner's eyes. He smiles at her.
"That was lovely."
"Thank you." Dorian moves over to kneel before his partner. Moving to lift her pant leg up. "Whoa there cowboy."
"I am going to rub olive oil on your leg." Joan looks at him.
"You are one strange man."
"Thank you." Dorian considered himself human. Sure they started out rough but to see her in her natural environment. She seems more her, human. Not the gruff hard ass she has to wear at work to constantly prove herself. She can do it better than them. Is not a relic like some think.
"Dorian?"
"Yes?"
"Do you prefer to recharge there or would you prefer here?"
"I can recharge anywhere. This is a lot nicer than the MX closets. Why would you want me here?" Reminding her she didn't like synthetics.
"I don't like being alone." Dorian could appreciate that. Being built for human interaction and empathy. To save lives. Then a human to be so alone. He could relate. There but not. To be but not.
"Ok."
"Thank you." Dorian looks to Joan. She half smiles at him before picking up the guitar again. "Any request?"
"Silver lining."
"There's a storm on the streets, but you still don't run…"
/NEVER ALONE/
Never Alone: Barlow Girls
Silver Lining: Hurts (liveobsession on YouTube acoustic)
PART 1/3