"Hank!" Connor's voice, laced with panic, rang out through the house from his bedroom. "Hank, I need help!"
"Jesus Christ, Connor!" The older man sprang up from his place at the kitchen table and nearly sprinted across the room and down the hall. He slammed the door open to find Connor standing in the middle of his room looking completely fine. "What the fuck?! You sounded like you were in trouble!"
"I am." He stated calmly and smirked a little. "Although, I found that if I really need your attention quickly, I need to put a bit more feeling into my voice."
"You little—" Hank gritted his teeth and placed his head into his hand in an attempt to control his anger at the android's snark. "What. Do. You. Want."
"I need your assistance in learning to dance. I have downloaded the necessary program, but my coordination still seems to be a bit off."
"Do I dare ask why you're learning to dance?"
"Well, upon further research of human wedding customs, I found that dancing seems to be a large part of the celebration. I am sure Samantha will want to partake in the dancing and I wish to surprise her by learning the skill."
"That's nice and all, but why the fuck are you asking me?!"
"You've been married before and know the customs better than I do."
"Connor, that was thirty-some odd years ago! I didn't know how to dance then and I don't know how to dance now." Hank shook his head and began to walk away back to the kitchen. "Why don't you sign up for a class or…I don't know, ask someone else?"
"A class?" Connor cocked his head in thought. "Where would such a class be held at?"
"Hell if I know. Aren't you connected to the internet? Look it the fuck up!" Hank grumbled and roughly took his seat back at the kitchen table, leaving Connor to ruminate over his learning options.
The following weeks Connor attended a class after work. He would bid Samantha farewell, telling her that he would be home later, and head down the street to the local recreational activities center. Samantha would frown every time he left, curious as to what he was doing. He would never answer her directly when she asked him and it was starting to get on her nerves. She took a deep breath on one such day as she watched him get into a taxi before marching up to Hank.
"What the hell is he doing?! He won't tell me!"
"Fuck if I know."
"You're his dad! You should know!" She followed after him.
"Yeah, and like a teenager, he doesn't tell me shit!" Hank breathed into his hands to keep them warm as they walked to his car. "Do you want a ride home or not?"
"…Yes." She pouted and slid into the passenger seat. "I wish he wouldn't keep it from me though…"
"Yeah, well…" Now he felt bad about lying for Connor. He side glanced over to the small woman. She was sulking against the window, her fluffy scarf pulled up above her nose. Hank sighed. "…Maybe it's a surprise or something. I don't know. I wouldn't worry about it too much."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"…Thanks, Hank." She gave him a little smile and exited the car as he parked it. She gave him a quick wave and trotted up the stairs and to the elevator. When she got to the door, she scrunched her face up in confusion. Susan didn't welcome her back or open the door. She manually opened it and hesitantly walked inside. "…Susan?"
"Hey, sis." James was standing in the middle of the living room with a big grin on his face.
"James? What're you doing here?"
"I've a surprise for you." Sam took a few steps further into her apartment, looking around in confusion, her LED flashing between blue and yellow. "You can come out now."
"Are you sure?" A female voice came from the second room and James just laughed.
"Yes. Are you nervous?"
"A little…" The timid voice opened the door very slowly and the owner stepped out hesitantly. A small android woman with straight black hair just above her shoulders and bangs took a few nervous steps forward and gave a small smile. She was wearing some of Sam's clothing. "Hello, Samantha."
"…Susan…?" Sam stared at the other woman for a long while before approaching her. "No way. Susan?!"
"Surprise." The other woman gave a big smile and gestured towards James. "He found me a body! Sorry, I had to borrow some of your clothing. I will return it as soon as I acquire my own."
"Well, it's just a bunch of spare parts that I've come across on my tours."
"What kind of tours are you doing that you find spare parts?"
"The good kind?" He laughed again. "It's not like that. I just found really good deals on stuff while on the road. The hard thing to find was her head. I don't even want to discuss how I went about getting that…"
"That sounds…grim." Sam frowned for only a moment before facing Susan again. "But…I am so incredibly happy that you are truly free now."
"As am I." She kept smiling, accepting a hug from Samantha as it was offered.
"So…" Sam began, looking over the woman once more. "What're you going to do now?"
"Everything." Susan walked over to James and stood next to him. "James agreed to take me with him on his next tour. I'm going to travel the nation and see and do everything that I can. Which means…I won't be here for you anymore. I…I am going to miss you."
"Oh, Susan. I'm gonna miss you too. But…you need to go. You have to! Traveling is so much fun and you have so much to experience! James will take good care of you, I'm sure of it."
"Of course I will." He nodded before his LED started flashing yellow. "I'm getting a call. Excuse me."
"For sure." James stepped away and answered very quickly before coming back, shrugging.
"We've gotta go. My manager just booked us our next destination." He held his arm out to Susan and she took it. "Shall we?"
"Yes, please." Susan gave Samantha one last look, beaming brightly, before her and James left the apartment. "I'll see you later, Samantha. Please, take care of yourself."
"I will. Have fun." Sam waved them off and then stood in the living room for a bit while she caught up with all that had just happened. The apartment was going to be a lot quieter now. A little while later, Connor returned from his class and let himself into the apartment as Susan wasn't there to open the door for him.
"I'm home." He called and hug up his jacket and scarf. Sam came out from the bedroom and silently hugged him. "…Are you ok?"
"Susan is gone." Her voice was muffled by his chest. "James found her a body and took her with him on his next tour."
"Oh. That's good, right?"
"Yeah." Sam sighed and smiled up at him sadly. "But I'm gonna miss her. She's become sort of like a best friend to me."
"It will be ok. She'll be back." Connor gave her a squeeze before taking a step back and smiling. "Come on now. Isn't there a new episode of 'The First Shores' on tonight?"
"Oh, yeah!" Sam grinned and flopped herself onto the couch, Connor joining her as she turned the TV on and their new favorite show began.
