Lara had never ever ever been more confused in her life. At all.

What the fuck just even happened?

She looked at Connor with wide-eyeswho was standing in front of her. She tried to keep her breathing stable, "What- How- When-" she couldn't form a single sentence.

Connor took a step back, "I apologise if I was too forward, Lara." he started to feel like maybe kissing her out of nowhere was a bad idea...

"No. You don't... You don't need to apologise, Connor. Really." she assured, "I'm just trying to process what just happened."

The android chuckled which caused Lara's heart to melt, "You're starting to sound like an android."

"And you're starting to sound like a human." she replied, still breathless as she leaned back on the kitchen counter.

The pair just looked at each other for a few moments.

"Did you really kiss me or am I dreaming?" Lara asked with a groan.

Connor nodded, "It was not a dream, Lara. It is near impossible to even be considered a drea-" Lara had cut him off by lunging forwards and capturing his lips with hers. Shock washed over Connor before he finally closed his eyes, hands coming up to cautiously rest on Lara's hips. Her own hands coming to rest around the back of his neck.

This time it was Connor's turn for confusion to seep in. Why did he enjoy this? He was an android... Androids shouldn't be doing things like this.

Why did he feel so alive?

His heat levels were rising and he tried to keep his fans in working order. He also tried to calm himself to make his soft yellow LED go back to its original blue.

Lara could feel the heat radiating off of him. Should she be worried? Can he overheat and... blow up or something?

The thoughts running through her head disappeared when Connor stepped forward and gently pushed her against the kitchen counter.

Connor pulled back, suddenly remembering that humans had a need for oxygen... This proved correct when Lara let in a deep breath.

A few moments later she stated, "This is really weird." a smile plastered on her face.

He nodded, "You could say that." a smile also on his face. Lara then moved one of her hands from the back of his neck to his cheek, which he soon leaned into.

Lara took in how close together they were right now... But she soon ended up clearing her throat awkwardly before saying, "Er... M-Maybe we should... Coffee... Cold." she hoped he understood.

"Of course, Lara. Wouldn't want the coffee to go to waste." the smile stayed on his face as he headed back into the living room, taking a seat on the couch.

Lara's fingers sub-consciously came up to her lips.

She was in too deep now to turn back.

She was in love with a fucking android.

-x-

Connor's fingers sub-consciously came up to his lips.

He was in too deep now to turn back.

He was in love with a fucking human.

-x-

Lara had her head resting on Connor's shoulder with his arm wrapped around protectively. They had coffee in their hands as they quietly watched the TV.

The news was on and Markus was the highlight.

Lara still needed to find this Markus. She just had to. Everyday she has tried to push Connor into deviancy but he continuously denied it. Markus had to help her.

She decided to move away from Connor slightly so she could her whole body to face him, she looked into his eyes as his features possessed confusion, "How..." she didn't even know what she was trying to say, "When did you-"

"When did I remember you?" he helped. She nodded. Connor then placed his drink on the coffee table before leaning back and playing with his coin, "I..." he paused, "There were triggers. When I felt that deviant... die. I genuinley felt fear. The word 'Jericho' popped up in my head. It made me realise that I was becoming deviant. And when you... When you hugged me on the roof trying to comfort me. It triggered something inside of me."

Lara listened in silence, quietly drinking her coffee.

"And then in the kitchen with those three androids. The thought of death came back to me. I had already felt death before because of 'you-know-who' and I didn't want to feel it again." he stopped paying attention to the coin in his hand as he looked at Lara, "There's nothing, Lara. I-I don't want to be shut down."

Lara noticed his LED turn to red, she placed her hand on his leg to try and calm him down, "You're okay, Connor. I will never let you die. I promise." she leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss to the lips, "I promise." she whispered.

He smiled, his LED turning yellow, "When you saved me. By replacing my regulator. Deviancy started to show through me as I realised that there were some sort of emotions that I felt towards you. I didn't want to believe it because... I am a machine and nothing more."

After a few moments of Connor going through his thought process...

"Kamski." he said, anger flowing through his words, "When I... When I saw what he was doing, I couldn't let it happen. I don't know why I did it but... As soon as I grabbed his hand I remembered. I remembered that we are friends. That you see me as your equal. I remembered my deviant side. My unexplained emotions and feelings."

Lara's heart beat faster as Connor went on. Was he really going to come out and say that he was in fact a complete deviant? Finally?

"But I am not completely deviant. I am still just a machine."

This angered her, "You really think that you're still just a machine?! You think that all of these emotions are just apart of your stupid programming?! Even Kamski had some sense when he did those ridiculous tests." she moved closer to him as she placed her coffee on the table, "You're more than that, Connor." both hands coming up to his cheeks, "And if you can't see that... Then I'm going to have to leave right now." her hands dropped.

He narrowed his eyes, "Wh-What? Leave? Where?"

"That's none of your business." she had to find Markus. She had to find Jericho.

"It is my business, Lara. I vowed to protect you."

She reluctantly stood up, "Not this time, Connor." he quickly stood up too, "You say you're a machine. Right?"

"Yes."

"Machines are obedient. Right?"

"Correct."

"Then I order you to stay here, Connor. You are not allowed to leave this house until 8am tomorrow."

Connor's LED flickered between yellow and red, "B-But..."

"No, Connor. I order you to stay here until 8am. You can leave if there is an emergency like... a house fire or something." she continued, "You are a machine and you will do as I say."

He returned his coin to his pocket and with a nod he said, "Understood, Detective."

Lara detected the frown on his face but she quickly turned to walk towards a drawer, "I'll see you tomorrow, Connor." tears brimming in her eyes as her back faced him, she pulled out an android LED from the drawer, "Please don't follow me. I don't want you doing something you'll regret."

"Of course, Detective..." he mumbled as he watched Lara leave. She closed the door. His metal heart broke. He definetely didn't like seeing her leave like this.

Connor decided to pace around the house. Trying to find anything he could pass the time with.

His eyes caught the drawer that Lara had just opened. Why did she even have that android LED?

-x-

Lara sat in her car. Going through file after file. One of these files just had to have some information on Jericho. She needed to find an address.

As if by magic, a text came through on her phone.

Norman Jayden?

Norman: Lara!

Lara: What's up, Jayden?

Norman: I think I have found where Markus is

Lara: Ur kidding me?

Norman: I am not. I'll send you the address. I will be back in Detroit in a few days so we can head on over there together if you'd like?

Lara: If you don't mind. Im gonna go check it out now. We can go again though when you get back!

Norman: Sounds good. Stay safe.

Lara: Thank you so much FBI asshole ;)

Norman: Yeah, Yeah, I'll see you soon.

-x-

A boat. A giant one. The only entrance she could see was guarded by two androids.

Time to use that LED.

She pulled out the LED from her pocket and began to attach it to her head whilst looking in her car's side mirror. She tapped it a few times as it tightly fit to her head.

"Perfect." she said to herself. She quickly exited the car and made her way towards what she could only assume to be 'Jericho'. Nerves started to course throughout her body, "You can do this, Lara..." she reassured herself.

"State your model." one of the androids asked her as she arrived.

She looked between the two androids before saying nervously, "RK700."

"RK700 registered. What is your preferred name?"

"Lara."

"Lara registered. Welcome to Jericho."