Disclaimer: I don't own Detroit: Become Human in any way, this is written strictly for fun and no profit.
The truck was silent. No request for speaking or anything inquiring. Alice didn't know what to make of it. "Connor?"
"Yes?" He was there. Driving, but not himself. "Is there something else you needed explained, Alice?"
Connor came back home. Told her that Kara said he was no longer her Sugardroi, and that he was taking her to a new home. He kept Hank and Max at home as she climbed in. And there they were. "Why is Kara no longer with you?"
"She is with Markus now. He needs more help." Short sentences. "You will live with him and Kara at his house."
"But why?" Alice asked again. "I thought we all got along." She looked at Connor at an angle. "I thought you two liked each other."
Connor didn't answer as fast. "I believe I did. I don't know Kara's feelings. I just know what she decided."
"But aren't you upset?"
"I'm? I'm not happy," Connor said. "I'm not happy with this situation at all. It doesn't change it though. Being unhappy with a situation does not change what must be done."
"Then . . ." Alice paused. "I can't call you dad anymore? I? I don't get how this works, Connor."
"There is no real way for it to work." Connor glanced toward her briefly before putting his eyes back on the road. "We are androids, Alice. We were built to serve man, and none of us do that anymore. We now have will. We've all been making up the rules as we go along, and sometimes someone's rules don't match the rest."
"Then Max? Is he like my friend, or my brother? Do I make my own rule about that?" Alice asked. "I want him to stay my brother."
"I cannot define those rules for you," Connor answered back. "If you want to still call him your brother, even though you are leaving him, that is up to you."
"Then?" Alice leaned her head against Connor's arm as he drove. "Can I still call you dad, Dad?"
Connor looked down at her and smiled before looking back to the road. "Kara would not enjoy that. But I would."
Alice sighed. "I don't understand. Why do we have to go with Markus? Why can't we just stay with you and Max and Hank?"
"It's complicated," Connor said. "Well honestly, it's not that complicated. It's not like it takes ten billion processing programs to figure it out. Markus was about to be kicked out of New Detroit. He wasn't getting the favor he needed. TAN have terrible plans for humanity. Kara wants to stop those plans, and so she joined with Markus. Now together, they have favor. Worked perfectly. The majority of androids are very happy."
"Not me." Alice sunk her head.
"The majority of androids are very happy," Connor repeated. "I'm not part of that majority either."
Alice looked ahead. It was strange coming to Detroit at that hour. It was always earlier when they came and finished. It felt wrong. The whole thing felt wrong. "Are you mad at Kara?"
It was a good twenty seconds before Connor answered. "I could never be mad at her. She only did what she thought she had to." Then, Connor's communicator went off. "I couldn't be mad at anybody." Yet, he seemed to be grinding on those words as he answered his inner phone. "Markus. I am already bringing Alice. There is a thing called a speed limit which does interrupt progress."
Yeah. Alice couldn't blame his tone though. Right thing or not. Markus. Was ruining their lives.
"I really don't want to talk about this right now. I am bringing her there and I will be at your house in less than one hour. There is nothing else that needs said." Connor continued the conversation with communication only open to him and Markus. You had better be careful with Kara. She is not a typical android.
I know, Connor. I'm sorry this had to happen. I promise, it won't be for forever. I don't want to be in any relationship with anyone. I . . . I miss North. I miss our world. Our family.
Markus. Now is really not the time to install feelings into my programming about pity. I do not know if you will get the result you are intending if you proceed with it.
I'm just saying. I won't bother Kara in any way more than a friend, except in public. Even then, I won't go farther than I have to. I don't want to. TAN is dangerous though. I've heard from Josh and Simon again. They gave me a lot more details. Did they tell you that a deviant can be turned? Elijah Kamski figured that out. It's why TAN and him don't get along.
I am not in the mood to discuss work right now, Markus. I am sending you someone who has been with my family since New Detroit broke up. In a human family, she is the equivalent of my own daughter. Does that mean anything to you? Do you understand what I am giving up right now for you? Connor hit his wheel. Is there anything else you want that I have to make me more miserable? I have my orange soda still. Would you like to take the only other thing I have left in this world? That is ridiculous, I also have Max and Hank. I am . . .
Your feelings are making you malfunction a bit. You care deeply for Kara. I'm sure she cares deeply for you . . . we'll figure out something, Connor. I won't take your happiness just because I've lost mine. Just, give us some time to figure out what to do. Markus out.
Connor drummed on the wheel slightly. At least it didn't sound like Markus was going to try anything with Kara. Still. What if she needed cuddled? Would Markus know how to comfort her? He didn't understand anything. Kara wasn't part of Markus' world. What would he be able to do for her? While Connor was thinking though, the lights of Detroit were shining back. Most of the workers would be off now, going home to rest and recharge.
Outside Carl Manski's Former Home/Markus' Home
"He's coming with her," Markus told Kara who was sitting idly on the bed. "You should meet him one more time. Explain things."
"He's an RK 800, if I figured it out, he figured it out," Kara said.
"I didn't mean about that," Markus said. "You should share your feelings with him. Let him know this is temporary."
Kara wiped her mouth gently. "If I say that, he'll assume it's because I have deeper feelings for him. I let him go as my Sugardroi. There's nothing else I should say."
"You'll go out, get Alice, and you won't say anything to him?" Markus asked. "That's not right. Connor doesn't deserve that."
"I am not doing anything wrong." Kara got off the bed. "I never told him he was anything more than a Sugardroi and a friend. I consider him a friend too. That's as far as I went, and-and that's further than I told any of my other Sugardroi's in the past. Connor knew this was coming one day."
"Funny. Your mouth says one thing, but everything in your eyes say otherwise. Even in us, they really are the window into someone." Markus started to leave the room.
Don't give in. Don't listen. Kara went outside and waited at the sidewalk of Markus' home. She saw the truck coming. Don't say anything. Arranged, it was all arranged from the beginning. His life was never yours to share. She watched the truck stop. Alice, get out. Please. She didn't. Of course not. Alice was going to make him come out and get the door.
She heard Connor's door open and watched him walk around. Their eyes caught each other's.
" . . . I've assisted in bringing back Alice. As per the arrangement, she is yours. Max is mine." The words were hollow though as he opened the door. "Goodbye, Alice. I will see you again."
Alice didn't want to go. She just stared at Kara. "Why do we have to leave? Weren't you happier there too?"
"Connor is better and now Markus needs us," Kara said to her. She reached up and pulled her out of her seat. Don't be rude. Say thank you somehow. She looked toward Connor, bent on thanking him for being a nice Sugardroi, a good friend, and for bringing Alice back. But instead, something else fell out that she hadn't planned on. "I don't want to, Connor."
Almost immediately she realized what she said. "I mean! Thank you." Still, the words had been said and she gave away her feelings.
"I will find another way then." His voice. The sadness was replaced with determination and confidence. Back to old Connor's voice. "We'll find a way to keep the old and new androids happy without you having to leave home for long."
Home. He used it. "I didn't mean-" Kara found herself being hushed by his finger over her mouth.
"Don't worry. Your feelings are making you malfunction a bit." He winked at her for some reason before pulling her into a hug.
Kara didn't know how to take the gesture. She knew Connor cared, and when she backed away, he should be hurting more than ever. Yet there he was, hugging her. "This is the opposite of what I deserve." No! Why am I letting my feelings run away with my programming?
"You are wrong. You thought of the humans and their plight first before considering what makes you happy. That? That is my sweet and simple Kara." He rocked her gently back and forth. "I won't let this go on for long. We'll keep TAN out of charge of Detroit, and find a way for you to come back home. I promise."
Connor. Look at him. Even now, he didn't change his mind about her. Through thick and through thin, he was still there on her side. With his shining eyes, bent on doing the right thing and yet she could almost see the sparkle of intent to get her back no matter what. A gentle android who could be a furious machine when it was called for. Terrible for an enemy. Good for a boyfriend. Boyfriend? I did not say that.
No, of course you didn't.
Connor! Of course he heard her thoughts. She wasn't in control of them right now. It's not. Quit. I can't.
Don't. Whatever you say will only make it worse, not better. "Take good care of Alice." Connor watched as Markus started to come out. "Permission granted for a last goodbye kiss. It's customary for Kara to deal with her Sugardroi's in that matter."
"Connor." That little. Okay, he was right. Okay, she should've, but? Kara felt a like a ragdoll in his arms.
"Permission granted," Markus agreed. "As is customary. Deal with your closure." He turned around. If he did like Kara for real, watching her kiss him would be hard. He tried to make the moment fit.
"Shouldn't have gone this far," Kara scolded Connor as he brought her closer to him. "It's only going to make it harder."
No. It's a basic reminder I am inputting into my longest memory. No matter how tricky it may be, or what he had to do, even if he had to leave Detroit and go to another country. Whatever it took. He was getting her back. He pressed his lips delicately against hers, knowing overstepping in front of other androids wasn't going to look polite. Even with Markus' back turned, Kara would still be respectful.
It was still enough. He wanted to upload all of the sensations he was feeling with her there, but only so much data could be accumulated. He would never be able to feel that exact way, in that exact moment, again. Loving and losing her. He gave her one more tight hug. Not for long, I swear this won't be for long. He felt Alice by his leg, also hugging hum. He patted Alice's head affectionately and looked at Markus who had turned around again. "I am leaving them in your care. Don't mess up."
"I'll be good to them," Markus insisted.
"If anything happens, I will find a way to decommission you, whether you rule New Detroit or not."
Markus simply nodded.
Connor held onto one of Kara's hands and one of Alice's. "I am going to miss the both of you. It will be different at home without you there."
"I'll miss you, Dad." Alice gave him one more hug, before moving to hug Kara.
"Thanks for bringing her back." That was as far as Kara trusted herself to talk. She couldn't risk going on automatic with her feelings again. "Goodbye. Connor."
Connor nodded to both of them before heading back over to the side door. He got in and held himself steady. Already he was trying to remember any of the folders of residents that he had seen that could fit the part. It wouldn't be easy, but he would find a suitable replacement for Kara to Markus.
Because there was no suitable replacement for Kara to him.
