The night felt unusually heavy, dark, cold and lonely as the aftermath of the attempted self destruction was still a raw incident fresh in the Anderson household. Despite Killian being successfully rebooted, his wounds being bandaged and his Thirium being stabilized, Connor couldn't stop worrying about the 'RK-900' he had attempted to take under his wing as a friend. Cold, shaking and exhausted Connor listened to the sound of the house as Hank showered off, cleaned up the bathroom and went about taking care of the laundry and the recycling. While one part of him said to 'get up and help Hank', another part of him said to 'stay with Killian, he needs you more'. Unsure of what to do Connor just stayed put but alert in case Hank did indeed ask for his help.

Adjusting the quilt over himself Connor was aware of Sumo laying at the ends of the two mattresses with his eyes fixated on Killian as the deviant slept. It was nice having the company and the added watchful eyes after Killian's close call to permanent shutdown. Recognizing all the help and support that he and Killian had been given when they needed it most - Hank, Joel, Abby and even Sumo being there for them, Connor realized that the two deviants really did have good friends watching their backs.

To his right Connor sensed Killian beginning to stir and waited for the deviant's green eyes to open. It took a moment for Killian to fully awaken as his system still needed to run through basic system diagnostics before he'd be completely coherent of what was happening around him. As the memories of the previous self destruction attempt came flooding back Killian's entire body went rigid and his right hand immediately went to his chest.

"It's okay." Connor's voice spoke to Killian in a small tone. He sounded exhausted and like he was about to fall asleep. "You're okay."

"But... I..." Pressing his left palm over his eyes Killian turned his face away from Connor as he began to cry again. The full reality of what he had attempted to do sank his heart like a stone cast into a murky pond. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be sorry, Killian." Reaching out his right hand Connor grabbed onto Killian's left wrist to make sure Killian knew he wasn't alone. It was a simple gesture but one that was undeniably comforting all the same. "You're okay now."

"I-I shouldn't have done that! It was foolish and-"

"Please, don't blame yourself." Feeling Killian shaking under his grip Connor did his best to keep his voice level at all times. "You were suffering from extremely high stress levels and reacted as any deviant would at such an extreme degree. You're not the first one to do something like that, and unfortunately you won't be the last."

"I-I-I didn't even try to ask for help!" Crying even harder Killian was aware of his stress levels trying to climb back up to a dangerously high number but something about Connor's hand being wrapped around his wrist was keeping his stress from reaching critical levels. The feeling of loneliness was gone despite Killian believing that he was doomed to isolation because of everything he had done in the past all because Connor was with him. "I was overwhelmed with my emotions and I nearly did something I couldn't undo! How can you say it's okay!?"

"Because it is." Tightening his grip a little Connor refused to let Killian's dark thoughts dare to make a second appearance that night. He refused to let Killian tear himself apart any further. "I remember how frightening it is to be overwhelmed by emotions and to feel alone. I won't try to act like I didn't contemplate my own self destruction a few times whenever I felt alone."

Taking in deep breaths, his bandaged chest heaving with his desperate inhalations, Killian fought to get his emotions under control. "...Wh-What do you know about being alone?"

"Too much." Feeling the tension leaving Killian's body under his grip Connor lowered the deviant's hand from his own face so they could look one another in the eyes. The two deviants shared the same face and the same voice, but they were very much their own people with their own personalities that needed time to get to know each other before they could become friends. "I awoke in the middle of the empty, rundown church with a bullet in my head and no memory of how it happened. The only thing I could think to do is find a place where I felt safe and to find a person I could trust. That's how I was reunited with Hank during the night of the Revolution."

Turning to look at Connor beside him Killian gave the 'RK-800' a truly perplexed look. Even in the darkness of the room his green eyes were abundant with loss and confusion as he sought more answers to his endless painful questions. "...You came here?"

"That's right. Something I couldn't explain at the time, something I now recognize as my gut instinct, told me to find Hank because he'd help me. And he did."

"Because he was your partner at the precinct."

"No, that's how we met each other." Clarifying the moment on the historic night Connor helped Killian to understand what he was talking about. "I went to Hank for help because we befriended each other after we got to know more about each other. He's my friend, my best friend."

Such a concept sounded incredible causing Killian to parrot such an endearing term. "...Friend."

"Friends take care of each other, Killian. Just as you helped me back at the building and saved my life, I helped you last night. Wen we were trapped in the building I told you to run, but instead you chose to help me and saved my life because I couldn't help myself." Managing a weak smile Connor did his best to get Killian to see himself as someone beyond a machine who almost made a horrible mistake. One mistake wasn't a life defining moment and Connor was determined to help Killian understand that. "You did exactly what Hank did for me during the Revolution, which means we're friends, too."

"After everything I've done," lost, confused and unsure of how to react Killian tried his best to understand Connor's mindset. "after everything I could've done and would've done to you and our people if I hadn't been stopped, you'd still want to be my friend?"

"Of course I would. You're a good person, Killian." Not backing down Connor stood by his word and was bound to keep his promise to befriend the deviant over time. "Good people can make mistakes or even do perceptibly bad things and still remain a good person at heart."

Lingering on the word 'heart' Killian remembered what he had done and felt entirely ashamed of himself for trying to shut himself down. "...You saved me."

"Yes. I... heard Sumo whining and scratching at the bathroom door." Gingerly bringing up the subject Connor told Killian the truth. "When I detected your signature behind the door I knew that something was wrong."

"Sumo?" Glancing down at the massive dog watching him at the foot of the two mattresses Killian was surprised that the massive dog had taken a role in saving his life on that frightening night. "...He knew I was in need of help?"

"Yes. Sumo is very protective of the people he cares about."

Killian found it hard to believe that Sumo cared about anything or anyone, specifically himself. The way the massive dog growled, snarled and barked at him just for trying to speak with Hank back while he was still a machine had left a lasting impression on the already guarded deviant leaving him skeptical and extremely wary of the large dog.

"I'm glad he awoke me." Continuing on as if they were having an everyday conversation Connor filled Killian in on everything he missed out on during his nearly successful self destruction attempt. "I'm relieved that I managed to get to you in time."

"...I should've shutdown." Lamenting his failed self destruction Killian turned away from Connor and stared at the blank wall of the bedroom as if he could find something, anything, to distract his dark thoughts for a moment. He was ashamed of actions but also felt that everything he had tried to do was in fact justified because of what he had done in the past. "The fact that you were able to revive me seems improbable, yet here I am."

"I managed to return your Thirium pump back to its proper port and reestablish connection to the correct couplings. Afterward I placed you down on the floor and performed C.P.R. to manually reactivate your pump. It's fortunate that C.P.R. is effective on androids."

"But my Thirium loss was substantial. It should've proven fatal."

"Hank returned to the house and assisted me while I was tending to you. He was able to replenish your Thirium through your lines while I continued to perform C.P.R., and evidently you responded very well to the treatment."

"Hank... helped me?" More surprised by Hank's assistance than Sumo making a ruckus, Killian returned his focus to Connor and stared at him with wide-eyed wonderment. By all account Hank would've let him perish if he truly hated him, instead he helped Connor save his life. "But why?"

"Because Hank cares about you, too. I remember what it was like to be under the constant supervision of CyberLife and what it was like to answer to someone as cold and unfeeling as Amanda. Hank is not like that. He has his own past struggles with android bigotry but he's making amends for his errors. No one is beyond redemption, you and I are included."

Running a self diagnostic Killian confirmed his improved Thirium volume and his rebooted Thirium pump. Despite the close call Killian was on his way to a full recovery with no complications to his system. "...I'll try to remember that. I mean it."

"That's good. You should drink more Thirium." Connor insisted in a patient voice. He sounded exhausted and like he was about to fall back asleep, but he wasn't going to get some rest until he knew that Killian was going to be okay. "You will need the extra Thirium to heal more efficiently."

"I'll be okay, Connor." Responding with total indifference Killian did his best to not think about everything he had just experienced. "I promise."

"Okay. We're both all right, and that's what matters right now."

"You were speaking in your sleep while enduring significant overheating." Not wanting to talk about himself Killian deflected the response and asked Connor a question of his own. The memory of Connor becoming delirious while feverish was more intriguing than his own previous behavior. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay." Understanding what Killian was trying to do Connor allowed the deflection and played along. "The confusion has cleared up and I'm fully lucid."

"Do you remember what you said while delirious?"

"Vaguely." Turning away from Killian for a moment Connor held out his left hand and immediately had Sumo snuggling up under his left arm. The massive dog was wagging his tail happily and resting his chin over Connor's chest in an affectionate manner. "I was just enduring nightmares courtesy of bizarre memories that had been locked away inside my memorybank."

"What kind of memories?"

"They're very peculiar to say the least." Filling Killian in on the life of the human who had inspired their appearance, voice and potentially their personalities, Connor showed Killian the obituary that had been written about the original Connor Wolf via holographic image on his right palm. "Turns out Kamski used the transcendence theory to transfer the real Connor's memories into a special memory program and locked it away in a secret file to keep him alive. Such a file was used by CyberLife technicians without Kamski's approval or knowledge to create us."

"And you can access his memories?"

"Not all of them, but yes. I have fleeting glimpses of memories from his childhood through dreams."

"You said our human counterpart was an abused child and you were muttering in your overheating delirium about someone attempting to harm you, needing to get away and you were trying to say a name." Killian recounted accurately and in a delicate manner. "Was that nightmare inspired by those traumatic memories?"

"Unfortunately, yes. I've been able to lock away most of the negative memories." Dropping his right palm Connor gave Killian a somber stare as he told Killian everything he had been doing about the odd memories. "A few still leech through to the surface since very few positive memories aren't connected to the negative ones in some capacity."

"The name you briefly spoke of," the word 'Luc' was incomplete but Killian knew it was a name Connor had been trying to call out for. "was that a friend to our human counterpart?"

"In a way." Confirming the question Connor rubbed his left palm over Sumo's ears as he spoke in an attempt to remain relaxed in order to heal. "He had an imaginary friend, from what I understand such a concept is fairly common with human children who have active imaginations and struggle with social anxiety, and he found comfort in the idea of having someone with him during his darkest days."

"What was the friend's name?"

Recalling the imaginary friend's identity Connor replied with an entirely casual voice. "It was 'Lucas'."

"Lucas..." Repeating the name Killian's brow arched a little as delved into the meaning of the name. "'Lucas' means 'light' and is often associated with other positive attributes. Why did our human counterpart choose such a name?"

"I'm unsure. Perhaps it was just a pleasant name to choose while enduring an unpleasant situation." Connor thought about how 'Lucas' meant 'light' and that the code name for Killian as the finished 'RK-900' model was dubbed 'Project Light'. There were no coincidences and he deduced that the CyberLife technicians who used their human counterpart's memories for their side projects must've been able to access the memories at some point and learn of the real Connor. "I must've been given the same name as our human counterpart as a confirmation of their success with the 'RK-800' project. Maybe he also knew someone named 'Lucas' and just gave the same name to his imaginary friend."

"Do you think my name would've been 'Connor' as well if I had been properly activated before the Revolution?"

"I'm not sure what your name would've been." An interesting idea popped up in Connor's head and he turned to look at Killian beside him. "What would you have chosen?"

"...I don't know." Killian had never even considered such a question before. "Androids cannot select their own names, you know this."

"That's right, androids don't. But deviants can." Very thick in his hint Connor coaxed Killian into choosing his own name that was something he could be proud of and happy to introduce himself as. "You were assigned the name 'Killian' by Hank when he was angry and being aggressive. I was assigned the name 'Connor' by CyberLife. While I never considered changing my name I know I wouldn't want to since I now know that I'm honoring the memory of a good person who has since passed away. You have every right to change your name to whatever you'd like for whatever reason you'd like."

Killian contemplated the idea very deeply, his L.E.D. cycling in yellow very quickly in tandem with his racing mind and heart, and took in a deep breath as if to slow his heart back down. "I can have any name as I see fit?"

"That's correct."

"And... You'd embrace it?"

"Without question."

"What if I wanted to go by the name 'Lucas' instead of 'Killian'?" Speaking in such a timid way Killian quickly went into unnecessary detail to explain his reasons that didn't need to be explained whatsoever. "You're honoring our human counterpart and I'd like to honor the positive memories he once had."

"Then you can do that. Please, choose your new name."

Nodding once Killian closed his green eyes and erased the name 'Killian' as the one he had initially been registered under and selected his new name. Opening his eyes the deviant looked at Connor and confirmed that the deed was done. "...I have chosen my new name."

"Then we should be properly introduced." Proud of the 'RK-900' for finding the strength to move on from his bleak past and begin a new life by choosing a new name all of his own, Connor held out his right hand toward the second deviant to take. "My name is Connor Wolf."

"Hello, Connor." Shaking Connor's hand the renewed deviant returned the greeting with a new fire burning his green irises as he had a new name and a chance at a new life. "My name is Lucas... Wolf."

The warm spring day stayed sunny all afternoon and well into the night by the time Hank finished cleaning the bathroom. Checking his phone as he trudged out of the bathroom he saw a text from Abby confirming that the two deviants were resting well and were on their way to a full recovery - no sign of Killian's near self destruction. Having some good news made it easier for Hank to relax a little as he felt a headache trying to creep forward despite his earlier dose of aspirin the previous morning. The stress of taking care of two ill deviants while also being expected to handle the bizarre abduction and fire case at the precinct, and then cleaning up a bloodied bathroom was proving too much for him to handle.

Quietly steeping into the hallway Hank peered inside the second bedroom and saw that the two deviants were sleeping peacefully on their own mattresses. He could also see empty Thirium bottles indicating that the ill deviants had in fact upped their Thirium through ingestion after Connor carried the unconscious 'RK-900' back into the bedroom just as he had hoped they would.

"Good." Whispering as to not disturb the duo Hank spoke to himself with utter relief in his tone. "Stay like that."

Taking notice of Connor sleeping with Sumo curled up at his left side Hank put his hands to his hips and shook his head. He should've known that Sumo would've weaseled some affection out of Connor even when the deviant was sick and after a stressful night.

"Spoiled dog. The kid needs his own damn pup to spoil rotten and leave my dog alone."

Entering the bedroom without disturbing the two deviants Hank managed to give Connor and Lucas (although Hank was unaware of the second deviant changing his name) courtesy fever-checks before going about his own business. They were both in the clear and weren't coughing at all just as Abby had stated in her text message.

Lightly Hank pulled down the quilt from Lucas's chest and made sure there was no sign of bleeding from his chest. Keeping his touch light Hank pressed his palm down over Lucas's chest and felt the deviant's steady heartbeat under his right palm.

"Finally. Now I can go and take a shower and get something to eat without having to worry about you two."

Unsurprisingly Sumo stayed with the two deviants while Hank went about his own business as quietly and discreetly as possible. The loyal dog was determined to protect the two deviants until they were both strong enough to walk about on their own and defend themselves.

Enjoying his hot shower, all of the blue blood cleanly washed away from the tub, walls and floor, Hank let the water pound against his back and neck to loosen all the tightness that had formed during the previous night and throughout the entire stressful day and evening. Mentally replaying the meeting he had with Captain Fowler earlier that afternoon Hank was relieved to know that neither Connor or Lucas were going to be asked to give a statement in person or do anything they didn't want to do. Since Connor was a private detective the seasoned Captain was willing to let Connor take on the investigation himself and figure out what went down that night on his own.

Reluctantly turning off the shower and toweling off Hank proceeded to head to his bedroom to change into more comfortable clothes, throw his dirty clothes in the laundry room on top of the bloodied towels in the washer, and then place an order for a pizza delivery. He was too tired to cook and Connor wouldn't have the energy to remind him to eat healthy after everything they went through.

Laying down over the length of the couch in his gray sweatpants and faded black 'Knights of the Black Death' the senior detective listened to the quiet of the house, and was surprised to have a sense of warmth and companionship even though the two deviants were entirely quiet and sleeping just down the hallway. Having company in the house beyond Sumo was a welcome change that Hank didn't realize he enjoyed or missed.

"Guess I had good timing with ordering those new mattresses. I had no idea they'd be used so fast though."

Tilting his head to the side Hank cracked his tight neck and sat upright on the couch to keep himself from falling asleep by mistake. It was too early for bed and the last thing the senior detective needed was a messed up sleep schedule.

"I was hoping to use those mattresses only as a last minute resort after I got the new bed ordered for that room. Gotta' start somewhere I guess, and it's a hell of a lot better than letting them sleep on the couch and recliner while they're so sick and miserable."

A small knocking on the front door caught Hank's attention and he quickly answered the door to accept his delivery and pay up. Grateful to not have to cook that night Hank tipped the delivery boy handsomely and went about eating his greasy, unhealthy dinner in the livingroom.

"Damn, Sumo isn't out here begging for a slice. Now I know for sure he's worried for those boys."

Flipping open the lid of the pizza box Hank stared at his cheesy meal and decided he needed a cold soda to wash it down. The aroma of the freshly baked pepperoni pizza was intoxicating filled the house with the enticing scent in a matter of seconds. It was a nice change in comparison to the usual scent of dust or metallic Thirium wafting in the air.

"That dog really does love Connor. It looks like he's trying to make friends with Killian, too."

Finding a single root beer can tucked in the back of the refrigerator Hank cracked open the drink and sipped at the sugary beverage as he walked back in the livingroom. Wanting to keep noise to a minimum Hank turned on the television and found an old movie to watch on low volume to help his thoughts stay a little distracted for a while as he ate.

"Tomorrow I should try to do something nice for those boys, like a vacation or something. We need to get away from the city for a while."

Taking a bite out of the first slice of pizza Hank sank back against the couch cushion and felt the tension finally leaving his body. It had been stressful for everyone as of late, and it was nice to just sit still and relax for a moment. Any quiet moments in a detective's life was worth savoring for as long as possible.

"I have no idea what that'd be, but I'm sure I'll think of something. At least I hope I will."

Within the confines of the dimly lit bedroom Lucas awoke from his rest mode as his system required additional Thirium. The enhancements to his software required more energy to function and his attempt self destruction left his system depleted of Thirium. Glancing about the bedroom Lucas noticed that all of the provided Thirium from Hank and Abby had already been ingested leaving behind only empty bottles to compliment Hank's empty coffee mug still sitting on the floor near the closet door.

Not wanting to disturb Connor or try to ignore his system's alert Lucas slowly and silently rose from his mattress on the floor, stepped over Sumo's rump and crept out of the bedroom and into the hallway. Peering into the livingroom Lucas's previously blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he spotted Hank sitting on the couch in the middle of the livingroom with his back to the hallway itself.

Scanning the house Lucas detected extra Thirium in the kitchen and knew if he wanted to replenish his supply he'd need to enter the kitchen, locate one bottle of the critical elixir and make his way back to the bedroom without Hank hearing or seeing him. Grateful for his stealthy design Lucas managed to walk down the hallway without making a single sound and enter the kitchen without pulling Hank's attention away from the television.

Honing in on the Thirium in the cabinet above the kitchen sink Lucas reached up, opened the small cabinet door and pulled down one of the bottles without disturbing anything else in the small space. As he went to close the cabinet Lucas heard the old hinges 'creak' and the sudden noise made his yellow L.E.D. flash to red in fear. Without needing to turn around Lucas knew that Hank had heard it and was making his way to the kitchen to investigate the traitorous sound.

"Hey, glad to see you up!" Hank was genuinely relieved to see Lucas conscious and walking around on his own. Seeing the bottle of Thirium in the deviant's right hand Hank nodded in approval and let Lucas know it was okay to take it. "There's plenty of Thirium so help yourself to however much you need or want. I can order any extra you might need, too."

Steadily Lucas's hand tightened around the bottle in a frightened grip as he slowly faced Hank directly. As the evident fear flashed over his green eyes Lucas contemplated putting the Thirium back and slinking into the bedroom as if he could somehow pretend that he never entered the kitchen. As much as he didn't want to be afraid of Hank any longer Lucas just couldn't bring himself to face the senior detective and try to make amends. Not yet.

"I get it."

Arching his brow for an inquisitive moment Lucas gave Hank a silent stare of deep contemplation. "...Get what?"

"I was a huge asshole and I pushed you away and nearly got you and Connor killed as a result." Hank saw the fear and wasn't about to tell Lucas that what he was feeling was wrong. "You don't have to talk to me if you don't want to, I wouldn't want to talk to me either."

Wrapping his left hand around the bottle of Thirium in his already tight grip Lucas began to wring his hands nervously around the bottle as if needing to keep his hands busy to ensure he didn't fidget around too much. Having such emotional responses continued to confuse Lucas as he learned to adapt with each new experience that came his way. The way neither Connor or Hank were talking about his attempted self destruction was either out of respect for what Killian was going through or because it was just too awkward to bring up.

"Okay." Seeing the lingering fear in the deviant's green eyes Hank backed off and trusted the 'RK-900' to go back to bed without doing anything else potentially harmful to himself. Turning around to return to the livingroom Hank gave the sensitive deviant some space. "I'll leave you alone, Killian."

Before Hank had the chance to turn away and leave the kitchen Lucas called out to the senior detective in a low voice to correct him. "...Lucas."

"Huh? Lucas?" Turning back to face the deviant Hank gave the 'RK-900' a truly perplexed look. "Who's Lucas?"

"I... I am." Stammering a little Lucas struggled to speak and couldn't even look Hank in the eyes as he worked up the courage to say something. "I changed my name. I am no longer 'Killian', I am now 'Lucas Wolf'."

A faint grin made its way across Hank's lips as he acknowledged the new and much better name. "That's a good name. A lot better than Killian by a long shot."

Unsure of what to expect Lucas was definitely surprised that Hank wasn't annoyed by the name change and didn't even ask why he did it. The senior detective just accepted the new name as if a person changing their name was the most common thing in the world. "...Yes. I think so, too."

"It suits you." Hank remarked without ever losing his grin. The way his blue eyes twinkled a little was reminiscent of a proud father watching his child grow-up and begin to succeed at life. "You look like a 'Lucas'."

Having zero idea what it meant to look like a name Lucas simply didn't respond or even react to the perceived compliment. Everything was still very tense and unusual at the moment, and even as night settled over the house everything felt like it was still out of control.

"If you boys get cold I keep extra blankets in the hall closet." Ever attentive Hank was aware that deviants were susceptible to the cold and disliked it very much for numerous reasons. "They aren't as thick or soft as the quilts already on your beds, but another layer would be all you need to feel warmer."

"...May I ask why you'd question if we were cold?"

"I can see the goosebumps on your arms from here." Hank replied almost coyly as watched Lucas's body language very closely. "I for sure hate the cold and I know Connor hates the cold, too. So I imagine you'd hate being cold just as much."

"Yes." Confirming Hank's suspicions Lucas admitted that he was in fact cold and that he in fact disliked it. "I do."

"Then help yourself to every blanket, hoodie and extra shirt you want. I don't mind."

Not wanting to say or do anything potentially offensive to Hank's kind gestures said the only thing that came to his mind. "...Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Just call me 'Hank'."

"I'm..." Trying to decline the gesture Lucas explained why he couldn't call Hank by his name. "I don't feel comfortable doing that."

"All right, then address me however you do feel comfortable. We have a lot of stuff to work through all thanks to me being a fuckin' idiot, so just let me know if I say or do anything that you don't like."

"But this is your home."

"And you and Connor are guests who are welcome here at any time you want to stay here." Remaining open and kind Hank let Lucas know he was welcome in the house whenever he wanted to stop by. "There's a reason I just so happened to have two brand new, identical and, hopefully, pet proof inflatable mattresses ready to go."

As his grip lessened on the plastic bottle in his hands Lucas gave Hank an entirely surprised look. "...You want me to stay here?"

"Sure I do. Connor cares about you and I know he's bound and determined to befriend you. Any friend of Connor is going to be welcomed here as a safe place to hide out if they need a warm bed to sleep in. And I want to do my share to make amends with everyone I wronged for the sake of just being able to do the right thing after I did so many other things wrong throughout my life."

"I suppose having regrets is a part of living. Maybe even a part of humanity."

"Yeah, you got that right." Rubbing his right palm over the back of his long gray hair Hank gave Lucas an apologetic stare. "Same with trying to fix mistakes and mend fences."

"I know about making amends for previous errors."

Hank could see that Lucas was still afraid of him but he wasn't nearly as tense. It was progress and Hank wasn't going to ask for anything more from the timid deviant. "Let me get ya' a hoodie to wear. Connor has an extra hoodie for when he visits so you should have one, too."

"...You're trying to treat Connor and myself as equals?"

"Well, yeah. I was never one to really play favorites, and to be honest it's a dick move to even think about that type of thing when it comes to people. You're both welcome here and you both have free reign around the house."

"Equality is nice. It's like being complimented without someone saying anything to you."

"I can see how that makes sense. Being treated like other people instead of being knocked down or put up on a pedestal does help you feel like you're being seen as a person and not a lesser being or a fragile idol." Seeing the way Lucas was beginning to shiver a little Hank sighed and motioned for Lucas to follow after him as he walked down the hallway toward his bedroom. "Come on. I'll get you that hoodie, Lucas."

Slowly but surely Lucas trailed after Hank, walked past the second bedroom where he had been sleeping, and stood just outside Hank's opened bedroom door. Glancing about the bedroom curiously Lucas took in the modest dwelling and noted how it matched the modesty of the rest of Hank's home. It was clear the senior detective was just trying to live comfortably rather than extravagantly, or trying to put on a show of implied wealth to impress other people.

"Let's see..." Sliding open his closet door Hank sifted through the older clothing he kept stored on the left side of his closet and found some of the hoodies he had outgrown after graduating high school, putting on bulk as a detective and from aging of course. "Perfect!" Grabbing a pure white hoodie that was just Lucas's size Hank held it up for Lucas to see. "This should fit you just fine."

Eyeing the offered hoodie Lucas scanned the old garment and noted the one-hundred percent cotton blend of the material and determined its overall thickness would provide ideal warmth to stave off any chill in the air. Nodding in acceptance Lucas made a move to take it from Hank and hesitated for a moment as he realized he'd need to put the Thirium aside in order to slip the hoodie on over his head.

"Here." Holding out his left hand Hank offered to hold the Thirium for a moment so Lucas can slip the hoodie on. "Your hands are full."

Very slowly Lucas traded the Thirium for the hoodie and quickly slipped the warm layer over his shivering form. The softness of the material felt very soothing and comforting on the deviant's bare arms and effectively doubled the warmth being provided by the white t-shirt he was wearing.

As Hank took the bottle of Thirium from Lucas's grip Hank could feel how cold the deviant really was as Lucas's hand was like ice. "Jeez, you're actually freezing! You're not having icy nightmares like Connor does, are you?"

"No." Pulling the hoodie down and over his torso Lucas crossed his arms over his chest and then rubbed his palms up and down his arms to try to warm himself up a little quicker. "I'm just cold."

"I'll turn up the heat for you."

"That isn't necessary." Eyeing the Thirium still in Hank's grip Lucas waited for the senior detective to hand it back. "I'll be fine."

"If you say so." Extending the Thirium out to the deviant to reclaim Hank felt Lucas's icy fingers grab the bottle and wanted to offer the chilled younger deviant a pair of gloves since he was so cold. It was as if the poor kid had been stranded in a blizzard for hours on end. "Why don't you head back to bed? You'll feel a hell of a lot warmer under the quilt now that you have that hoodie."

"Yes, I'll do that." Quickly taking back the Thirium Lucas took a step back from Hank as if afraid of being struck despite Hank being nothing but kind and patient with him. Eager to get away from the human Lucas tried to politely excuse himself and disappear from sight. "Thank you for the hoodie."

"No problem. Before you go, can I ask you something?"

Freezing in place Lucas gave the senior detective a skeptical glance but relented to the humble request after a single moment of contemplation. "...Yes. What do you want to know?"

"When you disappeared after you first deviated did anyone... I just want to know if you're okay." Hank hated asking potential abuse victims about said abuse, but knew it was a necessary evil for such victims to actually begin to recover. It was even harder when the victim was showing suicidal tendencies. "I mean really okay."

"I was... held captive and repeatedly struck." Lucas admitted in a whisper. The memories of being abused by the other 'RK' models and of having to fight for his life for the demented entertainment of rich humans in Chicago were memories he'd never be able to forget. "Twice at that. Once in Chicago and then again here in Detroit."

"Okay. I just want you to know that even if you're physically better, are you also okay on an emotional and mental level?" Trying to be gentle Hank wanted to get to the point of his question without being too intrusive. "It's okay to NOT be okay, son. I've been where you are before and I'm a good listener."

Something about the way Hank spoke to him as a person, not as a deviant or an inconvenience, really resonated in Lucas's core. Unsure of what to say to the question Lucas just fell silent and stared at Hank with pain evident in his green eyes.

"Healing takes time and there is no right or wrong way to get better. Just know if you need someone to talk to you about it you have Connor and myself to confide in." Reaching for Lucas's left shoulder in a kind manner Hank watched the deviant flinch away and wince as if he had been hit. It was a common reaction by people who had been repeatedly abused in the past to flinch at direct contact from other people. "...You've never had anyone just give you a pat on the shoulder or a hug, have you?"

"I... I have not." Feeling hot tears well up in his green eyes for an unexplainable reason Lucas looked away from Hank and to the bottle of blue Thirium in his grip instead. He was shaking and the Thirium was beginning to slosh around in the bottle as a result. "No one has had a reason to give me any form of praise or positive reinforcement."

Deciding to take a chance Hank stepped forward and slowly put his right hand down on Lucas's left shoulder and held it there for a moment. Waiting for the deviant to calm a little Hank felt Lucas's tense shoulder slowly relax as he subconsciously leaned against the warm touch. Knowing when someone needed reassurance Hank took another chance and pulled Lucas forward to give him a full hug and help him finally feel a positive interaction with another person.

Tensing up and trying to put up his arms to shield himself Lucas felt his heart race in panic for a split second before he realized what was happening. When Hank didn't show any sign of anger or aggression toward him, and when he felt the warmth of a full hug Lucas couldn't hold back his tears any longer. Letting them finally fall the deviant bowed his head forward and rested his teary eyes against Hank's right shoulder for a moment as he cried again.

"It's okay, Lucas." Using his 'dad voice' Hank spoke to Lucas in a very comforting and protective manner. He didn't care that Lucas had nearly killed himself, all Hank cared about was helping the deviant feel better. "You're safe here and you have people who want to keep you safe. No judgment here."

For the first time in his short life Lucas was actually willing to believe such a wonderful concept as a safe place and people who cared about him. Raising his own arms with a calculated motion Lucas returned the hug and sank into the comforting embrace as if he had been waiting his entire existence to finally feel like he was accepted, and found a place where he belonged.

"It's hard to believe right now, but in time you're going to feel much better and recognize that you do have a place in this fucked up world." Hank continued to be a voice of comfort to the traumatized deviant. "I have a feeling that, just like Connor, your place is going to be making this world better than it's ever been."

As Hank wrapped his right hand around the back of Lucas's hair Lucas tightened the hug and let go of the sense of dread and isolation that had been crushing his heart since the moment he woke up and deviated. If Hank was willing to trust him and give him a second chance at life, then Lucas was willing to offer the senior detective the same courtesy.

"Everything will be all right, son."

-next chapter-