Connor stared at the screen of his terminal at a total loss for a lead or even a basic theory to head his case in the appropriate direction. An unusual string of robberies aimed at numerous electronics stores throughout the city was indicative of deviant behavior, but there wasn't any security footage to confirmed the robberies, there were no witnesses to the crime, and no reported deviants being seen in the area of the crimes or any underground black marketeering of stolen goods in the android community.

While Connor anxiously danced his coin over the knuckles of his right hand Hank watched him with an unspoken worry in his blue eyes. Hank knew Connor could obsess over little details and set aside his own needs until his work was accomplished, and this nasty little habit of working himself into the ground needed to stop. Now that Connor had a confirmed illness regarding his heart Hank wanted him to kick that habit sooner rather than later.

"Connor, take a break." Hank ordered rather than suggested as he stared at his own terminal screen with an unblinking gaze.

"I'm okay, Hank."

"Connor, you've been sitting there for almost seven hours without moving." The sternness of Hank's voice carried authority, but not aggression. "Get up. Take a walk around the block. Then come back."

"I'd rather-"

"I know you'd rather keep working, but you need to take a minute to clear your mind. Go." Hank reached his hand out and grabbed onto Connor's coin with a quick snatch and held onto the half-dollar piece for the time being. "Ten minutes. Go now."

"I don't-"

"Connor. GO."

Connor's tired, dull eyes briefly lit up with irritation, but he obeyed Hank's order and rose from his desk with a begrudgingly halting pace. Rarely one to show any annoyance toward his fellow officers, let alone Hank himself, Connor's irritation was evident to everyone who saw the stressing detective cross the bullpen and make his way toward the from receptionist area of the precinct. Letting out a deep sigh Hank leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin as paternal concern set in.

How does one even try to explain to a dedicated detective, who spent two years of their lives as a 'perfect prototype' that had been initially programmed to succeed at any cost, that it was okay to make mistakes, and that it was okay to work at a slow pace? How does one explain to someone who has a loyal mindset specifically to succeed that it was okay to NOT be perfect? Very few humans understood that reality, a deviant was less likely to understand, and Hank knew for a fact that for Connor it was an entirely unique scenario that could ultimately prove fatal to his health.

Resuming his work on his own terminal screen Hank noted the time on the small digital clock and began counting down aloud to himself as the ten minute long window closed, reach the final few seconds. "Five... four... three... two..."

Connor returned to the bullpen anxiously and sat back down behind his desk to resume his investigation.

"One."

Connor overheard Hank and his brow furrowed with confusion as he looked to the detective inquisitively. "One? One what?"

"Nothing." Hank dismissed the question easily as he cleared his throat. "Feel better?"

"No. I feel the same, just ten minutes slower."

"Remember what I said about the dangers of obsessing?"

"This isn't an obsession." Connor defended with a bitter retort as his soulful brown eyes rapidly scanned over every detail, every image on his terminal screen for clues. "This is dedication."

"Yeah, sure kid. Whatever you say."

Six more long hours passed before it was the end of the two detectives' shifts, and Connor had failed to make any progress in his case. Determined to solve the mysterious thefts throughout the city Connor refused to budge from his chair even when Hank insisted that he go home for the night. Hank decided to give Connor one more hour before he'd drag the stubborn younger man back home. If anything he'd put Connor over his shoulder and carry him out of the precinct if he needed to.

Sitting down on the corner of Connor's desk somewhat casually Hank waited until the hour was up before he reached his hand over to Connor's terminal screen and turned the display off. "Okay, that's enough."

"But I haven't-"

"Connor. Home."

Connor squared his jaw as he tried to reach for the power button on his screen only to have Hank grab his hand and hold it back.

"Connor..." Hank put authority in his voice but didn't yell at the stubborn kid. "Home. Now."

Annoyed, more with himself than with Hank, Connor reluctantly nodded and stood up from his chair. As soon as he was standing Hank let his hand go and pointed to the front doors of the precinct.

"Go."

"I'm going." Connor muttered as he turned away from his desk and walked across the bullpen once more with Hank right behind him. As he passed through the front doors of the precinct through the reception area Connor noticed that Hank was holding out his confiscated coin for him to take back as the detective easily caught up to him. "...Thanks."

"You'll figure it out." Hank encouraged as he and Connor entered the parking garage together, and Connor pocketed his coin. "Be patient with yourself."

"I should have solved this case by now." Connor lamented as he pulled open his car door and took his seat with an irritated huff. "I don't understand why I can't solve it."

"Relax, kid." Hank took his own place behind the steering wheel and pulled the car out of the garage easily. "Remember how long it took us to crack the deviant case when we first started working together? Remember how long it took for you to find Jericho?"

"Yes. I remember. I have a sub-eidetic memory and remember nearly everything I've ever experienced, witnessed-"

"Anyway!" Hank interjected quickly to keep the younger detective from obsessing on anything else. "Just take it easy, you'll figure this out sooner than you realize."

"...But what if I can't?"

"What if you can't, what? Solve the case?"

"...Yes."

"Then you work on another case or something. Where's this coming from? It's not like you to doubt yourself, Connor."

"It's just... Sometimes I feel as though my return to humanity," his hand went over his chest absentmindedly as he felt his heart beating under his palm. "my physical and mental limitations returning along with it, has hindered my ability to function as a detective."

"Since when?" Hank almost laughed at the revelation as he pulled out onto the street to head for home. "You've NEVER had to struggle with being a human AND a detective before. One cold case isn't the end of the world, you know? How does being a human mean you're a lesser detective?"

"...I don't know. I can't explain it."

"You're stressed out." Watching Connor from the corner of his eye Hank could see the same cold stare that had affected so many other detectives and officers during his career. Hell, Hank himself had even caught a glimpse of the same look in his own eyes a few times. "Every cop in this city has been stumped by at least one case during their time on the force. It happens all the time, it's not that big of a deal."

"It's even happened to you?"

"Especially to me." Hank returned his full focus on the road ahead of him. "Do you have any idea how long it took me for to bring down that massive 'red ice' ring? Do you have any idea how many hours of sleep I lost because I couldn't get that damn case out of my head? How close I came to stressing myself into sickness because I couldn't let it go?"

"...Sick?" Connor's eyes went wide with fear, and his hand pressed firmer against the center of his chest. "A case can make you sick?"

"Well, yeah. When you don't eat right, drink enough fluids, get enough sleep... It doesn't take much for anyone to drop from weakness. You know that."

"But I never considered-"

"Stop thinking, Connor." Putting his hand on the radio Hank powered it on and turned up the volume as a classic metal song from the 1980's began blaring through the speakers. "Find a way to distract yourself. Take my word for it; you NEED a distraction right now, or you will drive yourself crazy."

Gazing with a sense of loss out his window toward the various buildings and people along the sidewalk beside the street, Connor decided to take Hank's advice to heart and try to stop thinking. "Very well. I will attempt to do so."

Once home Hank took a quick shower and made a light dinner before retiring to the couch in the livingroom to watch an old movie. The effort was accompanied with the hope of stealing Connor's attention from the case that had him stumped for just a little while, but it seemed to have little to no effect on the stubborn younger man's focus. Staring at Connor's glassy eyes as his hand constantly rubbed Sumo's ears, and his other hand rubbed Ruby's back, Hank ran his hand through his gray locks of hair and clamped his hand down on Connor's shoulder as soon as he saw Connor's mouth tic for the twelfth time that evening.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" Connor feigned innocence as he conveniently relaxed and gave Hank his full attention. His hand never left Sumo's head as he sat on the floor next to Connor's leg, or Ruby's back as she napped over his lap. "I'm not doing anything."

"You're running that case through your head like an Olympian-hopeful runs sprints. Knock it off!"

"...Sorry, Hank."

Hank hated seeing the kicked puppy look whenever Connor felt like he screwed up. Despite seemingly going out of his way to remind Hank that he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself there were still times that Connor seemed more like a kid struggling to find their confidence as they become an adult, rather than a highly intelligent young man just trying to enjoy life after enduring so much tragedy.

"Don't apologize, Connor." Hank insisted in a calm, understanding tone of voice. "Just stop worrying yourself over something you can't control."

"But I should-"

"Connor, stop. You need to get something to eat and you need to get some rest." Pulling his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank rose from the couch with the intent of going to bed himself. "After you get some sleep you'll feel a lot better and you'll crack the case."

"...Okay, Hank." Connor didn't want to make things worse by overthinking. "I'll take care of Sumo and Ruby, and then go to bed."

"Good. I'll see you in the morning, son."

"Yes, of course. I will see you tomorrow morning."

"Be sure to eat, too."

"...I will."

Despite being worried for Connor's health, if not his sanity, Hank was sleeping peacefully until something roused him from his deep slumber just after three in the morning. Running his hand over his tired face Hank stumbled out of his bedroom and down the hallway toward Connor's bedroom door as if obeying some long dormant paternal instinct. Pushing the door open Hank noted the empty bed and angrily swore internally as he turned his attention to the bathroom on the ground floor.

Walking down the staircase Hank saw that the door was closed and there was an orange glow from the light inside the room pouring out from under the door. The shower wasn't running so he knew he was up to something else.

"Damn it, Connor."

Not bothering to knock Hank pushed open the bathroom door with every intent to scold the stubborn young man for not getting any rest, but he wasn't expecting to see Connor sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his shirt unbuttoned, and a single sensor pad attached to the center of his chest over his heart. The sensor pad was connected to a long cable that was plugged into Connor's phone that he was clutching in his hand as his soulful brown eyes stared at the small display screen of the phone.

"...Connor?" Hank's tone was immediately softer as he entered the bathroom and put his hand on the back of Connor's neck. Keeping his tone level he spoke to Connor calmly, not angrily. "What's wrong?"

"...I don't know."

Hank craned his neck to look at the screen of his phone in Connor's hand and noticed that Connor had uploaded an app into the phone to monitor human vital signs in the event of an emergency. The sensor pad provided an internal view of Connor's heart beating in his chest with surprising ease. The sight of Connor's heartbeat, arrhythmic and fluttering at times, was a worrying sight to behold.

"What the hell are you doing?" Beginning to worry he sat down on the edge of the tub beside Connor and waited for an answer. "What're you doing?"

"...I wanted to be certain that I'm not sicker than I had anticipated. I theorized that maybe my heart condition was somehow affecting my ability to think."

"Shit, son." Hank shook his head as he slipped his other hand over Connor's forehead under the young detective's rogue lock of dark hair and pressed down gently. Moving his first hand from the back of Connor's neck he picked up Connor's wrist to count his pulse. "You're not feverish and your pulse is normal."

"Yes." Connor confirmed as Hank pulled his hands away. "It seems I'm stable. Well, stable enough with all things considered..."

"See? You're not losing your touch or getting knocked down from being sick, you're just overthinking things."

"I'm sorry, Hank." Connor apologized again as he turned off the app on the phone and he pulled the sensor pad from his chest. Handing the phone over to Hank with a timid gesture Connor stood up from the bathtub and slightly bowed his head in shame. "I'll go to bed now."

"Connor," Hank lightly grabbed onto Connor's wrist to keep the worrying younger detective from walking out of the bathroom. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Glancing back at Hank from over his shoulder Connor's brow arched in confusion. "For what?"

"I know what it's like to get so fixated on something that nothing else seems to matter. I shouldn't have told you to stop, like you could just 'snap out of it' or something. It's not easy, I know, but you do need to rest. I don't want to see you work yourself so hard you collapse." Holding up Connor's phone he motioned to the screen where the app was still opened. "You really need to be careful, now more than ever."

"...I don't want to collapse, either."

"Well, at least we can agree on something right now."

Connor gave Hank a slight grin as he lifted his head up and stood tall once more. "Perhaps if we work on the case together we can make some progress."

"Yeah, of course."

"I just wish I knew why the deviants are stealing electronic devices to begin with. If I could at least uncover their motivation I could uncover their identities."

Hank's eyes flashed with a sense of discovery as he shook Connor's shoulder lightly. "...Maybe the reason you can't identify the deviants is because there are NO deviants involved."

"But the security footage and the lack of fingerprints-" Connor's own eyes went wide as he realized what Hank was suggesting. "...Humans can alter security cameras just as easily as any deviant, and if a human were to wear gloves over their hands they'd conceal their fingerprints to mimic that of deviant hands. The deviants can't be properly identified because humans have framed them."

"Bingo."

"Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Because you were following PLANTED clues; false evidence." Giving Connor a reassuring nod of the head Hank emphasized the importance of Connor doing everything right while the real criminals had done everything wrong. "See? I told you that you're fine."

"Yes, you were correct. Tomorrow we can finally make some real progress."

"Tomorrow, huh?" Hank dropped his hand from Connor's wrist to cross his arms skeptically over his chest. "You're not going to insist on rushing off to the precinct or calling whoever's in the bullpen to follow up on the lead?"

"...No. The thefts aren't resulting in any casualties, we can wait until morning." Moving his free hand to the center of his chest Connor felt a palpitation ache in his chest then pass as quickly as it set in. "No point in obsessing over it, right?"

"That's right. I'm glad to hear you finally say that."

"I'll go get some rest now, I'll see you in the morning. Thanks, dad."

"No problem, son."

As Connor took his leave of the bathroom Hank glanced at the phone and saw the recorded readout of Connor's heart rate and sighed. He wasn't a trained medic, but he knew an irregular heartbeat when he saw it.

"...Damn it. He's actually getting worse."

...next story...