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Author's Notes: Hi everyone! Thank you for sticking with this story. We're starting to get into the good stuff. I've been waiting to release this chapter for a while. It's one of my favorites. I hope you like it!

Chicago: Become Human

Chapter Ten: How Love Works

Calvin and Angela both kept tabs on Connor through Samantha until she reported that he had leveled out and was acting normally again. Normally, but more. He felt, he emoted what he felt. His eyes had life in them. His expressions were more natural. Even better, he leaned in again. He engaged by putting his body into her space, but neither touched the other.

Samantha still liked it when he did that. There was a playful tease about it. As if he just knew how much she liked him in her space. Even if it sometimes made her flush, she still liked it. Connor brought up no more qualms about how she loved him and she was content with that: to keep loving him quietly and feeling him in her space. They would take care of each other in a humble, simple life and she would be satisfied.

Then it was suggested by her new friends—and by now, she was accepting them as actual friends—that they all give Connor's upgraded programming a 'field test'. This test would, surprisingly, come in the form of taking him to Six Flags. Samantha had never heard of such a ridiculous thing. But she had also never been and suddenly really wanted to go.

"I'm surprised you want to go," Connor said when she informed him of the idea. "With all that's happened lately, it seems safer to stay here."

"It is safer," she agreed. "But I can't let the bad things in my life control what I do. I tried that for six months and it was miserable. Then you came. You gave me my life back. I'm going to keep it now. I'm not going to let fear stop me from leaving the house and living as normal of a life as I can."

"This is more dangerous than a quick visit out to Calvin's apartment," Connor reasoned. "We'll be there all day. If someone followed us there, they would have plenty of time to coordinate an attack."

"I'm pretty sure the park has security. And I will have you."

"Samantha."

"You keep me safe."

"I try, but I don't think it's wise to flirt with danger. This feels like flirting."

She put a hand on his arm. He glanced down at where she touched him but, this time, he did not pull away from her.

"I am listening to what you are saying," Samantha said. "You're not wrong, but... I saw this poster once—you'll probably think this is dumb—but it said something like 'A ship is safe in the harbor, but that isn't why ships are built.' We are ships, Connor. We have to sail, even if it's dangerous. We are not built to stay in the harbor forever, even if it's safe."

"That isn't the exact quote, but I understand what you are saying."

She gave him a secretive smile. "Connor, do you want to go to Six Flags? Do you want to ride the rides for the first time with me?"

And that was Connor's first real want: to go to a new place and experience something for the first time with her. He wanted to feel what it was like. He wanted to see Samantha as she experienced it for the first time, too.

It would be the first of many wants to come.

.

Calvin and Jace, and Angela and Derek were waiting by the front gates of the park when the two arrived. Angela eagerly waved them over, excited about their "group date." Samantha did not make any comments on this. She and Connor were not a couple in love. She loved him, he cared for and protected her, and that was how it was. Even if Angela thought or expected differently.

Though there were many establishments that either limited or disallowed android access, Six Flags was not one of them. They did have a wait station for androids outside the park if one wished to use it, but, since this was Chicago after all, androids were allowed to go in. There was only one rule for androids: if they were going in, there had to be a ticket purchased for them just like everyone else.

There were two types of android tickets the park offered. One was a cheaper park access only. This was almost exclusively purchased for androids brought along to help supervise young children. They were allowed in the park, but not to take up seats on the rides or any other events. The other ticket was the same price as a regular attendee. The android was treated as if they were a human guest and allowed to go anywhere and ride any rides. This was not a popular ticket, but for Chicago, the city that was earning the reputation of treating their androids like people, it wasn't exactly unheard of.

When the humans and androids presented their tickets at the front, the unenthusiastic teenage girl behind the counter didn't even bat an eye before scanning their passes and moving them along. Angela ushered them all toward the Superman ride and they put themselves in line.

Connor was immediately focused on the ride rumbling overheard. No doubt he was analyzing every aspect of it: the speed, the angle, the free-hanging seats. It was in his nature to analyze. Samantha tried to ignore it. She was nervous. This would be her first roller coaster ever.

"This is the most dressed down I've seen of Connor," Angela said, catching Samantha's attention.

She glanced at the android in question and smiled. "You and me both. I told him if we were going to a theme park he had to dress to fit in." And Connor was doing barely that. Samantha had taken him to a store and made him try on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He had frowned so thoroughly the entire time she laughingly told him she wouldn't make him wear it. Connor liked dressing nice, he liked looking professional. Casual wear was not his preferred aesthetic.

They had settled on a pair of charcoal slacks and the plum sweater she had purchased for him their first time shopping. It was more of an autumn look, but the sweater would not kill the android in the warm weather. He had also rolled up the sleeves to the elbows, which Samantha loved. (He still wore the friendship bracelet she gave him in March. Whenever she noticed it, it made her feel warm.) The generous scoop of the neckline showed off his delicate clavicle, which she loved even more. Though she had to attach an android armband to the sweater so he could wear it in public, the android was still turning a few female heads.

As he should be. Connor was a very attractive model. But in that dress casual look he was downright delicious. Yes, she always thought that mouth was so kissable, but she just wanted to suck on those collar bones. More than once, Samantha had to stop herself from blatantly admiring his new look with a thirsty gaze. Especially now that they were in familiar company who would probably call her out on it.

"He and I compromised," Samantha added. She smirked a little when she saw him absently reach to straighten his tie, remember he wasn't wearing one, and then look slightly annoyed.

Would this android ever fully understand just how absolutely adorable he was? He had nearly thrown a fit when she informed him he wouldn't be allowed to bring his gun into Six Flags and she had laughed at his pout for a good twenty minutes.

When it was their turn, Connor and Samantha sat side by side, their legs dangling out of the hanging seats. Samantha was so curious about Connor's every move. An android on a roller coaster. Would he react to it at all? Did these rides mean anything to him?

"You ready?" she asked as the attendant checked everyone's restraints.

Connor, who had been looking at everything but her with utmost curiosity, finally glanced her way. "This will be... interesting," he said.

The seats were suddenly raised and let loose to swing freely for a moment. Then they were pulled back so the riders hug suspended parallel to the floor. The ride began to move, lifting them away from the platform to hover out in open air, the ground several feet below them and climbing. Samantha thought she heard an uncomfortable sound from her android companion.

"Connor, you okay?"

"I'm okay. You okay?" came the tense reply.

She laughed. "I'm okay."

They rose higher and higher until they came to the apex and the Superman sent them flying. Samantha thought she heard Connor's cries as they rumbled and rolled high above the ground. It was hard to tell above her own breathless screams as the air bit into her face and whipped her hair around. A few minutes later, the ride was over and the guests were lowered to the ground and released. Samantha hurried off down the ramp, feeling Connor at her heels as she fled from the ride.

Once they were free, she turned to him. They were both wide-eyed and wind-swept.

"How was that, did you like it?" she asked breathlessly.

"I did like it! Did you like it?" Connor asked with enthusiasm.

"I did like it! Do you want to go again?"

"Yes! Let's go again!"

"Woah, hold on there kids," Angela laughed. "There's other rides here. Calm down."

"This wasn't your first theme park ride ever, was it?" Calvin asked.

"It was?" Angela demanded when the two didn't answer. "You just popped your roller coaster cherry on the Superman? You poor, sheltered children. What have you been doing with yourselves?"

"Well, Connor's an android and I was created in a lab, so..." Samantha ventured.

Connor shot her a surprised look, but Samantha was still riding her high from the Superman.

"Oh, you're funny, huh?" Angela shot back. "I guess you'd have to be, being a princess always locked in a castle, right?"

"That's me," Samantha said with a laugh. "So what are we going on next?"

.

The day was fun. Samantha learned more about her new friends as they waited in line. She learned Angela was a graphic designer who worked for an advertising company. Jace was an absolute cut-up. He was always telling jokes and funny stories. Mostly funny stories about Calvin who protested every time and then tried to change the subject.

Then while Calvin talked—because it was true that if you got him talking about programming he could talk all day—Jace would watch him with this enraptured look on his face. Calvin usually had no idea. An absolutely smitten android was something Samantha had never seen before. It was cute; they were both so cute. Samantha felt bad she had ever once judged people who found their significant other in an android. She had learned they were people, too, because of Connor. Because of him she understood that they could be loved and, in Jace's case and Derek's too, they could return romantic feelings as well.

Maybe Connor couldn't. Or, maybe he just did not love her in that way. Samantha could accept that. As long as they were friends, as long as he cared about her in his own way, she would care about him in hers. Every so often she would fall in love with him all over again. Earlier, it had been because of the sweater. Right now, she was in love with watching him on roller coasters. How he would clench up when they were dropped, how he looked breathless and excited when they ripped through the g-forces. How he yelled at her when she purposefully screamed on the rides because that made him scream too and then they were both screaming until Samantha was lightheaded and laughing so hard she could barely walk away to get to the next one.

When the humans began to get hungry, the group took a break from rides to find something to eat. The three androids stood out of the way while their human counterparts found different lines in which to purchase food.

"You seem to be having fun," Jace commented to Connor after a while.

"I am."

"First time having fun?"

"Actually... probably. It's definitely something new. Everything is still very new."

"Yup," Jace agreed with a grin. "Will be for a while. We're still not sure if Derek ever had fun."

The tallest of the three androids gave Jace the side eye, but in good nature. "I like it just fine," Derek said.

"You like everything just fine," Jace countered. To Conner he then said, "I can't even imagine what your emotional break was like, that your emotion was anger. That had to be rough. I know Cal and I are both relieved to see you're doing so well."

"What was it like for you?" Connor wondered. "What was your emotion?"

Jace watched the humans, a hint of a smile on his face. "Cal bought me secondhand. My first owner sold me after he purchased an upgraded model. Cal bought me because I was being sold cheap because my software was out of date. He wanted an android he could fiddle with, upgrade on his own. Something to learn with while he went to school. For weeks he kept me in a corner connected to his laptop. For weeks I didn't see another human. No friends, no family, no lover. Just Cal quietly plugging away alone and in silence.

"One day I just asked him where were the other humans in his life. The look on his face was priceless that I would engage him. For the first time, he really looked at me. Stood and looked at me eye to eye and saw something. It was a magical moment. I felt it, even if I didn't understand what it was at the time.

"After that, he talked to me. It felt miraculous to be talked to. He stopped asking his laptop about my programs and started asking me. I would let him upgrade my systems over and over again. We both became addicted to it. I felt different each time; faster, better, more complete in my understanding of the world. Of him. I fell in love with that oblivious, adorable nerd while he studied me. I saw his loneliness, though he wouldn't admit it, and I wanted to fill that void.

"Love was my emotion, Connor. Or maybe it was obsession. I was obsessed with becoming what he needed, what a human needed in a companion. I told him so and watched his little brain explode, and then came my second emotion, a desperation to not be rejected by the one I loved the most. The only person in my world while I was the only person in his.

"The transition isn't smooth for anyone, Connor. We still had a long road to go, to figure things out before we came to where we are now. If you are still on that road yourself, I just want you to know that it's okay. And it's fine to take as long as it needs to take. Don't hurry anything. And I know Samantha will help you as best she can. So will I."

Connor appreciated the sentiment, but he said out loud, "That is more than what I asked about."

Jace shrugged. "Sorry for the TMI. Cal talks forever about programming, but I can talk forever about Cal. I love him."

"And he... loves you," Connor surmised, a somewhat quizzical look on his face.

"Yes. Well, that's what he tells me, anyway."

"He loves you as a person, not as property."

"He better."

Connor's gaze drifted off, his LED rolling in thought.

"This is difficult for you to process?" Derek suddenly spoke.

"I am not sure," Connor said truthfully. "Samantha told me she loves me as a person and I haven't been comfortable with it."

"Why? Isn't that what any of us would want? To be seen and treated as a person?" Derek asked in that calm, thoughtful tone he had.

Connor thought on this. "I appreciate that she cares about me; I'm grateful for it. But she is human. She should love other humans. They should love her... but they don't." His voice dropped to a tight whisper as a harsh realization hit him. "No human loves Samantha, and I don't know why."

Connor clutched his chest as a different type of pain hit him, worse than the guilt he felt before. This was sadness; profound sorrow. Why didn't the humans love this person who was so gentle and so damaged, and gave love so freely without expecting anything back? Why did they use her as a thing to capture and cut and harvest? Why did they see her as an object to own and use when she was warm and caring and so alive?

Jace watched him carefully, saw the sadness on his face, his LED on solid yellow. Maybe Connor wasn't getting through the transition as smoothly as he first thought.

"But you love Samantha," he reminded softly.

Connor's eyes widened. Did he?

Samantha approached the androids just then, a vanilla ice cream cone dipped in a chocolate shell was slowly melting in her hand. "Hey guys, we've got a table. Come sit with us."

The other androids seemed to purposefully leave them behind while Connor lingered with all his sudden and confusing internal questions. And through his inner turmoil, he looked at the cone in her hand and said, "You should eat an actual meal before you have dessert. It isn't good for you."

Her response was to touch the ice cream to his nose and he jerked back, feeling the cold on his sensors. "No mother-henning on Six Flags Day," she laughed. "It's a special occasion. We can do what we want."

Connor gave her a tolerant look and then searched himself for something to clean his face. Samantha had left all napkins at the table so she wiped his nose with her thumb and stuck it in her mouth. The action brought Connor's attention to her fingers, her lips, her tongue. Why were they suddenly so captivating? He watched in rapt attention as she licked the side of her arm as melted ice cream blazed a trail down her skin.

After she had cleaned herself the best she could, Connor reached over and rubbed his thumb over a spot of chocolate at the side of her mouth. He casually licked the pad of his thumb and watched with amusement as Samantha sported a healthy blush, her eyes also carefully watching his mouth. Interesting.

"I'm going to be at the table," she announced bright, but slightly awkward. "Join us if you like."

Connor followed after, a small smile on his face.

.

The rest of the day comprised of more rides, more junk food and just walking around in the presence of friends. Friends. Samantha now seemed to have human friends. She was bright and laughing, more animated and in higher spirits than Connor had ever seen her. This made the ache in his chest subside. He was unaware of how amendable it made him until Samantha paused and looked at him.

"Your smile is adorable," she told him. "Your real smile. You should keep using it."

It was hard not to smile after that. Connor kept feeling it tug at the side of his mouth whether he was trying to smile or not. When he wasn't feeling his internal workings jumping into his throat on the rides, he found himself watching her. This day at the park felt like he was really seeing her for the first time.

Her form is what he studied the most. Her delicate limbs, the curve of her hourglass shape. Her mannerisms of worrying a fingernail while she was thinking kept calling his attention to her lips. They were a striking shade of peach that stayed on his processor even when he wasn't looking at her. He thought of her fingertips and her arms, how they had touched him and held him in the past and he hadn't fully appreciated what he had. He wanted her to touch him again. He wanted to really feel it this time. That thought distracted him often as the afternoon turned into evening. More than once a member of their party had to bring him back to the here and now when the line moved forward.

The night began to settle over the park and there was another break for food. Samantha was standing alone, licking her fingers from the churro she just consumed when she noticed Connor on the other side of the pathway. Several park guests were wandering between them. She would only catch a glimpse of him now and then, but every time she saw him, he was watching her with a focused gaze, a small, secretive smile pulling at his mouth.

In an attempt to get through the crowd toward him, she took a few steps along the path and then noticed Connor was mirroring her strides. Hands casually in the pockets of his slacks, the breeze playing with his hair which had become a little wind-swept from the day, he continued to copy each of her steps, not moving closer, but not increasing the distance between them either.

Out of curiosity, Samantha kept walking down the path. Connor continued to follow. Every now and then she would lose sight of him through the crowd and then he would be there, parallel to her on the other side. Ahead, the path diverged to make room for a fountain. Samantha wondered what he would do. As she went around it, he took the other side, watching her through the water as jets shot up and down between them.

It became their own little dance of sorts. If she stopped, he stopped. If she backtracked, he backtracked. His gaze never wavered from her and it was an intoxicating feeling to have that much of his attention. She stopped moving and just stood across the fountain from him. His focus remained on her, watching her openly, unafraid to keep his eyes on her. When she could no longer handle his gaze, she glanced away with a blush and a smile and continued walking.

He followed her around to the other end and Samantha's heart began to pick up. It was like a flirt, a tease to share such an intimate gaze and be so far apart. But the paths would merge again. What then? What would Connor do? What was going through his processor as he watched her like that, delicate arcs of water leap-frogging between them.

The fountain ahead was rounding out. The number of steps between them became less and less. Connor wasn't keeping his distance anymore. He traced the curve of the fountain's foundation, following its path toward her. Samantha's heart picked up anew as now they were facing each other, crossing the distance to meet in the middle.

They stopped toe to toe, Connor standing over her, watching her with a serene smile, as if being in her presence was all he wanted. It made her feel special, important. She basked in it. Standing there smiling up at him, a healthy, happy flush on her cheeks.

His gaze flickered down to her bare arms. "You have goosebumps. Are you cold?"

"It's a little cool, but I'm fine."

"If you had let me bring my suit I'd have my jacket to give you."

"But I really, really like you in this sweater," she insisted.

He pulled one hand from his pocket and it hovered close to her. Androids were not supposed to initiate touch. But his protocols couldn't stop him now, and Samantha was not moving away. He finally gave himself permission to touch and brushed a knuckle down her arm. If Samantha didn't have goosebumps then, she certainly had them now. They raced up her back and made her shiver. That motion caused him put both his hands on her, running them up and down her bare arms. She felt the warmth of him and her skin soaked it right up.

He stayed in her space, hands coming to rest on her upper arms. She felt him melt around her, his forehead resting on hers. Somewhere, in the inner workings of his chest, she heard almost a hissing sound, like that of hydraulics coming to rest. His eyes closed and he just stayed there.

"Connor, are you tired?" she asked with wonder.

"Hmm... maybe," he murmured with low energy. "My systems feel... over-exerted."

All around her his body radiated heat. Maybe too much heat. She cupped his bare neck, then his cheeks and felt his forehead. He did seem warmer than usual. Connor had his eyes closed at her cool touch.

"I think we should call it a day and go home," Samantha said.

"I don't want you to feel you have to cut it short if you want to stay longer," he protested.

"No, I think I'm tired, too. Especially my feet. It's time to go."

She walked back to where they had started before their little trip around the fountain. There she found Angela and Derek canoodling and kissing. Samantha paused as she watched them. They both seemed to enjoy it. Did androids really like kissing? Or was it exclusively a human thing and they just played along?

Samantha shook herself when she realized she was staring and cleared her throat to get their attention. Angela pulled away, looking a little dreamy and content from being in the android's arms. Samantha chose not to comment on it and was sorry she ruined their moment.

"Hey, we're going to go. Connor says he's tired." She said the last word with a little bit of excitement. "That's good, right?"

"Mm, could be," Angela said slyly. "Or maybe he's just looking for an excuse to finally get you home. He's been staring dreamily at you all day."

"I... don't think that's true," Samantha replied, though her face felt a little warm. "I think you're seeing what you want to see and not what's really there."

"You love him," Angela responded with confidence.

"I do, but that has nothing to do with him or what he needs. I think he's had a long, stimulating day and he needs to go home and rest."

Angela narrowed her eyes at the other woman. "I don't get you sometimes. And I really don't get the deal between the two of you." When Derek put a hand on her shoulder she added in a softer tone, "But I'm not here to judge, I guess."

Samantha smiled at her. Was this what it was like to have friends? Even if they didn't agree or get each other, they accepted each other as they were? She liked that.

"He always takes care of me and I'm just trying to take care of him. That's all. I'm going to find Calvin and Jace to say good-bye and then we'll see you guys another time."

.

Once home, Samantha bemoaned her aching feet as she instantly took off her delicate sandals and padded barefoot over the wood floor. She ordered Connor to rest while she took a shower. He sat in the silent house for a while before a specific sound from down the hall urged him up. He wandered to the bedroom and the door was open. His travels halted at the threshold of the adjacent bathroom where a healthy cloud of steam billowed out.

There was the source of what called to him. That lilting melodic voice as Samantha sang little lines of various songs she knew while the water poured over her. She didn't sing much. He had never heard her sing in the shower before. He liked her voice. He liked it when she sang songs, especially when she played the piano. But her voice in the shower, with the acoustics of the bathroom, was also very pleasant to his ears.

He wasn't all the way into the bathroom. Only enough to see partially through the frosted shower door where he caught glances of her flesh-colored form as she washed herself. Samantha would probably protest his presence. She hadn't ever exclusively told him he couldn't be in the bathroom or the bedroom while she showered. She merely made the point that it was impolite.

There was very little in Connor's protocols about being polite. Mostly it was all about professionalism. And this, he was sure, was very unprofessional. Even toward his best friend. But he stayed and listened because a new sensation—a new emotion—was creeping up and he was trying to chase it, catch it, put an identifier to it.

His body remembered hers; all the times he had held her, she held him. The feel of her skin against his. She was soft and silky against his sensors, the pads of his fingers. He always liked it when she touched him, but it had evolved into something more than a mere preference. He yearned.

The realization startled him, sending his LED spinning into yellow. He shook himself and made his silly upgraded processor give it a rest. The practical part of him reminded himself that he was letting these things distract him. He still had an important job to do and he needed to stay focused.

By the time Samantha was out of the shower, Connor was gone.

.

It was late when Connor decided he had made enough rounds around the property and stepped back inside. The house was dark. He assumed Samantha had gone to bed, but she wasn't in her room. He immediately went to the parlor and saw her silhouette sitting on the couch. It was a full moon outside and the light shone perfectly through the windows. It seemed that it was the brightest nights that always kept Samantha up; called to her in a voice only she could hear.

Connor stepped inside, walking around so he was standing in front of her. His lanky form and broad shoulders were highlighted by the moonlight.

"I assumed you would be tired and in bed," he informed her.

"I thought you were tired," she shot back.

"I still have a job to do. Going through my normal routine was calming. I'm feeling better now."

Samantha motioned for him to stoop closer to her. He bent down and she felt his neck and forehead. "You don't feel as warm. Good. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

He straightened and looked down at her. "You waited up for me?"

"Mmhm."

"You care about me," he said, feeling as if he had never understood those words until now. "You... love me."

"Yes." Her response was practical and calm; oblivious to the roiling emotions inside him.

"I'm an android."

"I know."

"I'm not a person."

"You're not human, but you are a person. You are a person to me."

"If they wiped me, if you took me back to Cyberlife and I was reset, the person I am now would die. And you would still love what came back to you. You would be loving a shell that looked like me."

For the first time, Samantha looked distressed, as if she hadn't considered it like that. And there was fear in her, that he would still ask her to take him back.

"You said you would still love me after I was gone, because that was how love worked," Connor accused.

She worked her mouth up and down, trying to find a proper response; trying to come up with a rationalization to her words. This human that no other human loved would love him far after he was gone. Maybe for as long as she was alive. He couldn't process this, it didn't make sense.

He surprised her further as he suddenly dropped to his knees, his gaze distant and lost. "How could you even do that? I don't understand." He lurched toward her, sliding between her knees to hug her, face buried in her midsection. "I can't do that. If you left, I couldn't love you after you were gone. There would be nothing left of me to feel anything. If I lost you, I'd be hollow. I'd be devastated."

"Connor," came her surprised reply. Her hands landed lightly on his back.

He held her tighter, needing her, aching for her. "Please keep touching me. Don't stop," he whispered into her silk night shirt. A growing heavy weight consumed his chest and he could barely handle it.

She leaned over him, her body and arms enfolding him in the most heavenly, protective embrace and he felt... safe. The tightness in him began to relax, the ache began to subside. He didn't want to leave contact with her. She held him for several blessed minutes.

"Connor," her voice said in his ear after a while. "Come to my room with me. You can say with me as long as you want. As long as you need."

.

Samantha fought to keep her skipping heart under control. Sometimes it felt almost like a panic attack and she worried her body might mistake her flittering heart for anxiety. In truth, she didn't know what it was. She had never felt like this before. Connor was struggling with something, she could clearly see he was. But the way he held her, begged for her touch, it was impossible not to react emotionally and physically. She wanted to hold him, do whatever he needed to get him through this. But there were cameras watching. She hated them.

She asked him to come with her to the one room where they had privacy. He soundlessly released her so she could stand, but he was still needfully in her space The heat of their bodies brushed each other. Whatever he was going through, he craved contact, she understood that. She took his hand to lead him down the hall. His fingers purposefully slid to intertwine with hers and she blushed in the darkness. Why did that feel so intimate? That was how lovers clasped hands; those who knew each other's bodies and touched with experienced fingers. That was not her and Connor, but he clasped her hand that way anyway. Held on tight like he needed her touch or he would fall apart.

They reached her room and she made sure to lock the door behind them. She guided Connor to the bed and sat next to him, holding his hand in both of hers now. She rubbed it between hers while he intensely watched where they touched. She hoped the stimulation would help with whatever he was struggling with.

"Is that better?" she asked. "Do you feel okay?"

He looked up from her hands to her face. "More? Can you touch me more?"

God, her face was so hot. Her whole body reacted to that; warming, becoming restless in intimate places. "Um... where?" she asked, barely a whisper. She had no idea what she was doing.

"Anywhere, everywhere."

Samantha nearly melted into a puddle. This android was going to be the death of her. There were so, so many places she wanted to put her hands. But it felt wrong. He was lost, he didn't know what he wanted. She would have to use care to figure out what he was searching for.

With both hands, she cupped his face, running her thumbs over the sharp cut of his cheekbones. Her fingers slid back to trail across the nape of his neck and then around the shells of his ears. Eyes closed, he shuddered in response and then rolled his shoulders.

"Connor, did you raise your sensitivity settings?" Samantha asked.

"Yes."

What was this android trying to do? Fritz himself out? "Are you going to be okay? I don't want you to... overload your systems." Was that the correct terminology?

"I like it. It feels good," he insisted pragmatically. He was leaning in further, chasing her hands so they would land on him again.

Samantha cupped his face once more, wondering if she was doing right by him. She caressed the sides of his face before running a finger down his nose and then tracing his brows. That mouth. She wanted to touch his lips, feel if they were as soft as they looked. Instead, she allowed herself a different indulgence by running her fingers through his hair.

She would be lying if she said there hadn't been an idle daydream about disheveling his perfectly groomed head. Now was her chance. She played with the errant lock that always brushed his forehead and never wanted to stay in place. Her fingers delved deep into his scalp, mussing his hair and scraping over his sensors with her fingernails. He made a soft sigh that sent electricity through her veins and a heat into her core. God, calm down Samantha. Be cool about this.

But it was so hard to be cool when he was making soft sounds and moving into her space. He was so close that she would have felt his breath on her neck if he were human. After a few moments, her exploration of his soft hair turned into her just holding him by cupping the back of his head. His face was so close to her now. Their noses brushed. It felt intentional on Connor's part.

His eyes had been closed the entire time. Then he opened them, his chocolate gaze wandering her face, landing on her mouth, and then looking back up into her eyes.

"Samantha." The intensely smokey voice turned into a throaty whisper. "I think I love you."

Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.

"As best as something like me can love, I love you. I... I need you. If I lost you, I don't know what I would do."

Samantha didn't move She stared at him for several seconds before letting out a long, shaky breath. Connor put his hands on hers as she still held him.

"You're shaking and your heart rate is higher than normal. Are you alright?" he asked.

She forced herself to let out another long breath. "It will be okay," she managed to get out. It felt like she couldn't get enough air into her lungs.

His fingers intertwined with hers, her hands still on him. He stayed close in her space. Their noses brushed again.

"Samantha." His voice was hardly more than a whisper. "Will you kiss me? Or... let me kiss you?"

It was even harder to breathe now, her heart was pounding in her ears. "You... do you want this?"

He nuzzled her palm, heady and drunk on her touch. "Yes. I feel like this should have happened some time ago, if I had not been so... defective. Inadequate. You deserve more than this. You deserve to have humans love you. They could love you so much better than I could."

Her chest squeezed tight and Samantha let out a sound between a laugh and a sob and pressed his forehead to hers. "Connor, listen to me, this is enough. You are enough. I don't need anything else, just you."

He pulled away to look her in the eye, his expression doubtful, lost. Samantha couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't stand to see him think so little of himself. How could he not know how amazing he was? She clutched his face and pulled him in, pressing her mouth to his. There was little else to it than that. Samantha had never kissed anyone before, she had no idea if she was doing it right. She just wanted him to know that she loved him no matter what.

Connor's response was similar; just sitting there, their mouths touching, feeling, unsure what else to do. Samantha ended it, disguising her lack of experience as she then kissed the side of his mouth.

"Close your eyes," she whispered to him.

He obeyed and she continued to flatter his face with kisses: on the nose, forehead and cheeks. A cute little smile grew on his lips and she also gave that a quick peck. Such a kissable mouth. She wished she was better at it. That adorable smile changed to something else as she then kissed his chin and slowly worked her way up his jaw. He leaned into it, the sides of their faces brushing against each other.

Samantha's heart soared as he silently begged for more. This is what she had ached to do for so long: show affection to this soft, fierce, adorable, protective, amazing android. Her heart was his. Even if he wasn't sure what to do with it, it belonged to him only. Always. Her fingers danced over one side of his neck while her mouth slowly teased along the other side. Such a strong, gorgeous neck. She met the juncture of his shoulder and scraped lightly with her teeth. The sound Connor made was akin to a gasp, despite the fact that he didn't breathe.

"You okay?" she asked between kisses.

"Don't stop," was his only reply; in such a throaty, ragged voice that the sound shot right through her. God, did he know how he sounded? What it did to her?

She reached those delicate clavicles that had been teasing her all day and pulled at the collar of his shirt to gain access. Connor's response was to quickly remove the sweater in one motion and toss it on the floor. Samantha laughed a little as he welcomed her closer against him. They both wanted her to touch him. Her hands glided over his chest for the first time; his skin smooth and his frame firm. She didn't think about what parts of him were close to human and which ones weren't. She just wanted to keep touching him as long as he wanted to be touched. Both were drunk on it, the world around them blurring until there was only just him and her.

Samantha kissed the dip between his collar bones, delighting in the little noises he made as her tongue tasted it. Connor leaned back on his elbows as her lips worked their way down his sternum. Her finger reached out to trace the glowing circle just below his rib cage and Connor's hand suddenly slapped over it. She looked up at him.

"Protective reflex," he said in apology. "The power core keeps me alive. It's in my programming to automatically protect it."

She grinned playfully, placing a hand on either side of his torso so she could hover over him. "Do you need to protect yourself from me?" she purred as she scraped her teeth over the shell of his ear.

Connor let out a breathy laugh. Breathy. Samantha pulled back and pressed her palm to his chest. She felt it expand and then contract in a hot exhale.

"You're breathing."

"It's how I cycle air to aid in cooling my inner systems."

Samantha sat back on her knees, fully removing herself from him. "Your systems have been overheating? Connor. I don't want you to damage yourself."

"I should be fine."

"Yes, you're going to be fine, because we're going to let your poor body cool down before you're over-extended."

The look on the android's face was comical devastation. "You're done touching me?"

Samantha leaned in, cupping his face to kiss his forehead and then his nose. "I'm not going to be done touching you for a long, long time. But right now you need to cool down and rest."

He let out another exhale of disappointment. And it was adorable. She fought the urge to molest him all over again. Instead, she climbed off the bed and helped him remove his shoes and socks. Next, she tackled his belt and Connor finished the task of removing his trousers while Samantha kicked off her silk pj pants as well.

She urged Connor into bed; he wearing nothing but his cute Cyberlife briefs and her in her silk sleep shirt and panties. He again insisted on being closest to the door. Samantha crawled over him and slid under the covers. She sidled up next to him, her head on his shoulder, an arm draped over him. Their bare legs tangled with each other.

"How's that for physical contact?" Samantha asked.

"Very acceptable." Connor caught himself in his old android speak and amended, "I like it."

"Good, me, too. Turn off the light please and get some rest."

In the dark, Samantha fought to stay awake, even though she was so tired. This was too heavenly and she wanted it to last. Connor's arm was around her, his fingers finding their favorite place in the dip of her spine. She moved her head to his chest so she could feel the rise and fall of the air cycling through his pumps. To lay with him, her arms holding him to her, was a dream come true and she wasn't willing to submit to the obliviousness of sleep yet.

After a while, she was finally about to dose off when Connor's chest stopped moving. Her human instincts immediately shouted 'He's not breathing!' and her eyes popped open. She sat up to check on him, even as her brain reminded her that Connor did not need to breathe and he was probably fine. The android lay still on his back, face pointed to the ceiling. His eyes were closed.

"Connor," she whispered to him.

He didn't respond. His LED held solid blue, blinking once every now and again. It never did that before. Was he sleeping? Perhaps recharging was the correct word. His chest and neck felt cooler now, more like his regular body temperature. Samantha pressed her ear to his thirium pump. She heard the inner workings of his form and they sounded like they were running like normal.

Satisfied that he was well, Samantha snuggled back against him and closed her eyes. It was the best sleep she had experienced for weeks.