Notes: I have been getting some reviews lately that hate on certain relationships and plot points in my story. I just want to make it clear that this story is planned out, and I don't plan to change any relationships or preset story plots. If you really don't like it, please feel free to find a story that better suits your interests instead of hating something that I worked very hard on. For everyone else, I hope you continue to enjoy the story! xoxo
Every morning, Connor woke up to the same noises. Hank getting out of bed, groaning at the pain in his back as he did. Then he would hear the sound of Hank's footsteps heading to the bathroom to take a shower. At that time, Connor would get up and feed his fish, then get ready for the day.
However, this particular morning was different. He heard Hank get up, but it was followed by hurried footsteps to the bathroom. After a door slam, he heard the unmistakable sound of Hank throwing up. Connor quickly got up and stopped at the bathroom door, knocking over the sound of his partner's retching. "Hank?"
Hank's only answer was a wet cough followed by groaning. "Hank, I'm coming in." Connor announced before opening the door. He filled a glass with cold water and rubbed his partner's back as he vomited one more time. He stood up slowly and took the glass that was handed to him. "Thanks." He muttered tiredly, walking past Connor and heading back to his room.
As he did, the deviant grabbed an empty bucket, some crackers, and medicine for his flu. After setting the bucket down on the floor, and the crackers and medicine on Hank's nightstand, he looked over at his partner who was already dozing off. "I have to go. Please call me if you need anything, okay? There's some medicine you should take before you rest on your nightstand." He said caringly before quickly getting dressed and heading to work.
Once he got to the precinct, Connor was stopped in the hallway by Gavin. "Hey Connor, where's Pops?" He smirked. Connor rolled his eyes, slightly amused. "Sick. No chance he's coming in today." He replied.
"Great, I get you all to myself today." Gavin smirked; a certain gleam in his eyes.
Was that...?
"That is, if Fowler pairs me with you." He shrugged. "Better go let him know about Hank." He patted Connor's shoulder before walking past him to his desk.
The android paused for a moment before heading to Fowler's office. He knocked on the glass door before entering and sitting down in front of Fowler's desk. "What do you need, Connor?" Fowler asked.
"Hank is sick. I need a temporary partner."
"Oh. Anyone specific you want me to pair you with, or do you care?"
Gavin. Come on, please.. This would be the perfect time to-
"O-Oh, it doesn't matter." He interrupted his thoughts.
Idiot.
Fowler looked through his files for the day's cases. "Well, Tina is with another partner today, so you can go with Reed. There's an android running rampant in a Cyberlife store, wrecking everything. You guys go check it out." He ordered, sending the deviant on his way. Connor nodded and left his office, almost instantly running into his new partner for the day.
"You with me today?" Gavin asked, nudging Connor with his shoulder as they walked back down towards the front door.
Connor nodded, smiling nervously. "Yeah."
"Sweet. Let's go."
The Cyberlife store was on the other side of the city, so the two partners had some time to talk on the way there.
"So, how did ol' Hank get sick? Hungover?" Gavin asked.
"No. Influenza A virus. It seems to be going around this time of year, so I'm not surprised he caught it." Connor answered. "It's not like he cares about flu shots, anyway. Or most vaccines, for that matter." He mumbled, earning a chuckle from Gavin.
"Never seen you annoyed at Hank before." He smirked. "It's funny."
Connor blushed slightly. "I-It's not annoyance, more so concern.." He stammered nervously. "What Hank chooses to put or not put into his body is out of my control."
Gavin chuckled again. "Easy, hot stuff. I'm just messing with you." He sighed, still smiling. "It seems like every day you get a little more human."
...What? Is he-
"There's the store. Looks like the nutcase already took some hostages." Gavin stated, quickly parking the car and stepping out to talk with the officers at the scene. Connor followed and caught the backend of the conversation between Gavin and the chief officer. "...armed and dangerous. We have to get those hostages out of the store before that robot goes haywire and kills everyone." The officer said, quickly noticing Connor. "Sorry, son. I didn't mean-"
Connor shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "It's okay. Let's see what we can do."
Gavin motioned to his android partner. "Connor here is trained to deal with hostage situations. Let's try to get him inside and see-"
Gunshots rang out. A few officers around Connor dropped as they got hit by the spray of bullets fired from the crazed deviant in the store. "Everyone get down!" The chief officer yelled to the remaining officers. Connor got down behind a barricade and quickly looked around. There were three downed officers, and when he went to speak to Gavin, he saw him lying on the ground; a pool of blood beginning to form underneath his body.
"Gavin!" He ran to his partner and dropped to his knees beside him. There was a large gunshot wound in Gavin's chest, and it was bleeding profusely. Connor quickly put pressure on it, making Gavin groan in pain. "Stay with me, Gavin. You're gonna be fine." The deviant tried to hide the tremble in his voice. Gavin groaned again and panted through the pain as Connor tried to stop the bleeding. He cybernetically called an ambulance and stayed by Gavin's side.
"Con.." Gavin mumbled, looking up at his partner.
"Shhh, don't talk. You're going to be alright." Connor soothed, his heart pounding in his ears as the blood continued to leak out of the wound through the android's hands.
"Connor, I-I'm sorry I treated you like crap.. I shouldn't have...been like that.." His breathing was becoming shallow.
Connor shook his head. "It's okay. I promise, it's alright.. The ambulance will be here soon, just hold on." He tried to stay calm as Gavin's pallor was taking on a pale hue, indicating his severe blood loss.
"Y'know... you're not the worst android... I've met.." He smiled slightly through the blood that was now seeping out of his mouth.
"Gavin, please.." Tears were threatening to fall down the deviant's cheeks. "You need to hold on. Please stay with me!" He increased pressure on the wound, making Gavin groan weakly. His breath was dangerously shallow and his pulse was thready.
"Connor. L-Look at me." Gavin ordered, turning Connor's face gently towards his. "I-I'm not gonna make it out of this one, okay..?" He smiled sadly as Connor started crying. "Hey.. it's okay." He wiped Connor's tears with his thumb. "I'm sorry I'm not a terminator like you.."
Connor made a noise that was a mixture of a sob and a laugh as he ran his blood-soaked hand through Gavin's hair. "You're a lot s-stronger than me.." He retorted. "And I know you're going to make it through this.." His chest was heaving with sobs that he was trying to hold back. Sirens from an ambulance rang out as it finally pulled up to the scene. A sliver of hope ran through the panicking android and he laughed with relief at the sight of the emergency vehicle. He looked down at his partner. "Gavin, the ambulance is here.. you're going to be-" His words were cut short as he noticed that Gavin's chest stopped rising and falling.
"...Gavin..?"
He frantically searched for a pulse; his own heart almost stopping when he felt nothing. "Gavin?!" He tried shaking his partner, not believing that he was gone. "Please.. please... y-you can't do this, you can't leave!" With tears flowing freely down his face, the heartbroken deviant prayed. Prayed to anyone to bring him back.
This isn't real. It's just a nightmare, and you're gonna wake up any second, and you're gonna man up and tell Gavin how you really feel about him.
All you have to do is wake up.
Connor opened his eyes. Paramedics were carefully lifting Gavin onto a stretcher, along with the other downed officers at the scene. Four people, including Gavin, lost their lives to the crazed deviant who was now sitting silently in the back of a police car; no sign of remorse on his face.
Feeling numb and detached from the world, Connor got into the driver's seat of Gavin's car, alone. He didn't remember driving home; didn't remember making it back to the other side of town and into Hank's driveway. Turning off the car, he got out and walked into the house. He stood in the doorway as Hank stood up from the couch, concern clearly on his pale face. "Where the hell have you been? I tried calling you all afternoon." He walked over to the deviant but stopped when he saw Connor's face and blood-stained hands. "...what happened?"
Tears ran down Connor's cheeks silently. His expression was one of pure shock and heartbreak.
"Gavin's dead."