The morning was warm, dry and full of singing birds as the recent rainfall allowed the natural beauty of the city to blossom with all its glory. The thick trees were bursting with green leaves, the flowerbeds were overcome with color and fresh scents as seemingly every single flower bud had opened in unison, and tiny nests with even tinier birds energetically chirped with new life. Bright sunlight had invited everyone to step out of their homes and their apartments for the first time in days now that the rainclouds had finally faded from the sky. As people resumed their lives and routines out in the busy streets Detroit itself hummed with a notable life that was palpable to everyone who called the city home.

While activity in the city resumed a sense of normalcy an abnormal event caught the leaders of New Jericho Tower completely off guard. After receiving a particularly unexpected and very important message regarding an ally of whom was deemed forever gone, a wave of confusion flowed through the deviant sanctuary and quickly spread out to the rest of the city. In return, Lucas raced from the tower and made his way to the Zeta Facility on the very block where his own home resided.

Rushing through the front entrance doors of the facility with Bruno right beside him, Lucas made his way down the long corridor to the appropriate treatment room to see what was seemingly a miracle with his own eyes. As he neared the door an arm suddenly cut him off as Barry intercepted Lucas to keep him from barging into the room without an invitation.

"Dr. Grayson is currently with a patient." Barry replied with a professional voice and enthusiastic smile on his face. "You'll be able to-"

"Is it true?!" Trying to push past Barry as he kept one hand in his gray trench coat pocket, Lucas tried to sound calm but the excitement in his tone was unmistakable as he desperately continued to try to enter the room behind the deviant receptionist blocking his path. "Is he really here?!"

The door behind Barry slid open automatically as Abby appeared in the door frame with smile on her face and a few tears in her eyes. "It's okay, Barry. Lucas can come in."

Pushing past Barry with an uncharacteristically rude shove, Lucas joined Abby in the treatment room and stared at the patient sitting upright on the exam table with an external Thirium pump regulator attached to the corresponding coupling in their abdomen. The sight of someone who believed he'd never see again elicited an amused chuckle from Lucas as his green eyes filled with joyous tears.

"...Connor."

"Lucas." Turning to look at his little brother watching him from the doorway, Connor saw the raw emotions on Lucas's face and immediately felt terrible for putting his own family through such a painful ordeal. Bruno brushed past Lucas's legs and immediately put his paws up on the side of the exam table as he pressed his nose into Connor's hands to get some overdue love and affection. "I am so sorry! I wanted to contact you, but-"

"You're still alive..." Lucas walked over to the table and put his hand on Connor's shoulder before wrapping his arms carefully around his oldest brother's chest in a reassuring hug. In that moment Lucas now understood why Connor had been so emotional after Lucas himself had been attacked by the monstrous bear android several weeks back. "I can't believe it! You survived the fall. How?"

"I used my baton to feed an electrical charge into the opened coupling after the regulator was torn out of my body." Returning the hug Connor just enjoyed feeling wanted and being reunited with his youngest brother. He could see Abby doing her best to keep her own emotions in check as she watched the brothers reunite after three days of heartache and separation. "The elevated river level also diminished the overall fall height enough to keep my body from suffering permanent damage after impacting against the surface of the water."

"Where were you all this time?" Letting up on the hug slowly Lucas scanned over Connor's system and noted that his only significant damage was the missing Thirium pump regulator. That was something that'd be remedied very easily and very soon. "You couldn't have possibly survived in the chill of the river or walked back to the city from the riverbank after sustaining such an injury."

"I managed to get to shore and rest along the riverbank." Nodding at the door to the exam room as a familiar face entered the space, Connor introduced Lucas to his new friend. "And I was saved by another ally to all deviants. Rose Chapman."

Lucas turned to look at the door and smiled at the sight of a woman in her late forties smiling at the sight of Connor being reunited with his family. "Thank you for saving my brother's life, Ms. Chapman."

"You're welcome, and please, call me 'Rose'."

"Rose then." Approaching the woman slowly Lucas made a move to take her hand to hold as he expressed his gratitude for everything she did for Connor. "Thank you for everything you did when Connor needed help. I can only hope to someday repay you for your kindness."

"Please, you don't owe me anything." Giving Lucas's hand a gentle squeeze Rose reciprocated his kind gesture toward herself. "Neither does Connor."

"Considering the fact that you saved my brother's life, I must politely disagree." Looking past Rose and into the corridor on the other side of the door, Lucas saw that Hank was also in the facility and seemed to be just as shocked as he currently felt. "He's going to be okay, Lieutenant."

Connor looked at the opened door to see Hank standing in the corridor with a pale face and wide eyes. Ignoring the cold bell of Abby's audioscope pressing against his bare chest as he rubbed his hands along Bruno's ears, Connor tried to address the older man from afar and in a stable voice. "I am all right, Lieutenant."

"Holy shit..." Entering the room slowly Hank stepped around Lucas and Rose as he stood beside the exam table as well. Seeing Connor alive while still missing a vital biocomponent made Hank feel like he was seeing a ghost. "You certainly know how to make people worry, son. Hell, at this point you should change your name from 'Connor Wolf' to 'Connor Cat' with all your damn extra lives!"

A small smile appeared on Connor's face as he was met with only positive reception upon his seeming return from the grave. "I don't think Bruno would approve of such a name change."

The loyal dog was still pressing up against Connor's palms as he wagged his tail rapidly with joy. 'Bruno is happy to see Connor!'

"I'm happy to be back." Holding his breath for a moment Connor struggled to breathe properly as his system struggled to adapt to the external regulator keeping his heart beating. He needed to have the replacement biocomponent installed soon to prevent potential permanent damage. "...I apologize for making everyone worry so much about me."

"Hey, you were the one who had been attacked and thrown from the bridge. You don't owe any of us an apology." A little fact popped in Hank's head and made him swear in response. "Shit. I better call Fowler and let him know that you're alive so Lopez doesn't get charged with the murder of a police officer. Not that attempted murder of a police officer is much better..."

As Hank fished his phone from his pocket, he patted Connor's shoulder once before stepping out of the room to take care of the call in private. It was as if the misplaced disagreement that had happened just days before the incident on the bridge never even happened. Such a reaction was very curious to Connor, but he didn't press the matter at hand.

"Okay," Abby finished taking Connor's vitals and held her internal viewing screen over his abdomen as she spoke. "before anyone else shows up for a happy reunion, I need to get your replacement regulator secured and recalibrated. It should take at least an hour to complete."

Lucas joined Abby beside the table again as he pulled the necessary regulator from his coat pocket after bringing it with him from the tower. "I brought this with me as requested. I finished the design last week, and it has passed every test it's been put under."

"Perfect!" Accepting the biocomponent Abby proceeded with the necessary sterilization process and checked it for any sign of external and internal damage before placing the new regulator inside Connor's torso. "This procedure won't be painful, but due to the nature of the procedure itself causing an erratic pump rhythm during the replacement process, it'll be best for you to enter stasis mode, Connor."

Agreeing with the idea of eluding pain and discomfort marked the first time Connor was entirely cooperative with his attending technician.

Responding strictly as a technician himself, Lucas helped Connor to lay flat over the exam table in preparation of the impending biocomponent replacement. "I'll be outside with Rose, Bruno and the Lieutenant during the procedure. I'll inform Markus of your return as well."

"What about Sydney?"

"...Sydney?" Lucas hadn't even considered informing their estranged brother of Connor's miraculous return from perceived death. "I'll attempt to reach out to him as well. I'm not sure how he'll react."

"Neither am I, but he should know."

"You're right." Lucas saw that Abby was preparing to scrub up and knew it was time to leave the room. "I'll see you again in an hour. After that, we'll talk."

Nodding in a confident manner Connor remained still over the table and watched as Lucas coaxed Bruno into following him out of the room and walked alongside Rose so he could speak with the kindhearted woman to learn more about her. Despite hating the idea of being a patient and needing technical treatment, Connor didn't dare to protest or put up a difficult front for Abby as she prepared his treatment. He was alive, he was going to recover, and he knew the sooner he had his replacement, the sooner he'd be able to go back to his brownstone and rest.

"Okay, Connor." Approaching the table with her mask and gloves on, Abby looked down at Connor and did her best to smile through the mask. "You know the drill. After you wake up, you'll feel much better and you'll have a new Thirium pump regulator that won't let you down. Never thought I'd be so happy to perform repair procedures on you again!"

The repair procedure was a success and news of Connor's safe return to Detroit gave everyone close to the deviant a reason to celebrate. After a week of clearing up some confusion, going through all the necessary hoops to be declared back to life, and resting as requested to ensure that his new Thirium pump regulator was functioning correctly, Connor found himself sprawled over the sofa in his study with his guitar in his hands and Bruno laying over his legs. Being home, being healthy and being able to do what he wanted without any unnecessary interruptions, unexpected cases or tragedies taking place out in the city, had all proven to be incredibly beneficial for Connor on a physical, mental and emotional level.

Listening to Lucas walking around the brownstone and doing everything in his power to hover protectively over him without being too obvious was enough to make Connor smirk subtly. It was so strange to know that he had been entirely wrong and that he was loved, respected and wanted despite being a skilled detective with a keen eye and sense of deduction. It was also humbling to know he still had a lot of learning left to do in his young life.

"Mr. Lewis had been in the process of transferring the tenancy agreement from your name and into mine, but was thrilled to know that you're still alive and seemed all the more thrilled that he didn't have to deal with any complicated paperwork." Lucas sat down on the second sofa across from his brother to engage in casual but meaningful conversation. "As for cases, you didn't miss anything while you were... absent."

"How appropriate that no one needed our assistance while I was incapacitated." Putting his guitar aside Connor immediately began rubbing Bruno's ears since he knew the moment his hands were freed that Bruno would demand further attention. "What happened at the tower during my unexpected absence."

"Well, North is back to being a leader, but only on a part-time basis. She's still living with Skye, and it seems their friendship has blossomed into something more romantic and emotional."

"That's good. North deserves to know joy and love again." Sitting more upright Connor kept his hand on Bruno's ears and gave Lucas his full attention. "Anything else?"

"A lot of mourning and respect in your name." The reply was as natural as it was bizarre. "If you'd like, I could grant you access to my memories so you can view your own funeral."

"I'd rather not. Something that surreal would guarantee further nightmares." Knowing that Lucas was dancing around a delicate subject Connor tilted his head and gave his little brother a knowing glance. "What of Sydney?"

"...He's still in the city and isn't scheduled to return to D.C. until tomorrow morning." As much as he didn't want to acknowledge his fight with Sydney during the funeral, he also didn't want to just let the incident pass by unmarked or unacknowledged. "He's agreed to stop by this afternoon to talk to us. Although, I fear our impending discussion might become rather tense."

"I won't ask you what happened since it's none of my business, but I will ask that regardless of whatever happened between you two, that you at least try to make amends with one another." After nearly losing Lucas once and then seeing how his own loss affected the people he cared about, Connor was determined to find a way to make things as civil as possible with both of his brothers. "And... I'm going to attempt to make amends with Lieutenant Anderson once enough time has passed."

"Time? It seems odd that you'd need to wait for an extended period before addressing him."

Connor knew that Lucas was unaware of his confrontation with Hank at the precinct regarding the case of the missing child, and decided it was time to bring him into the loop. "I didn't tell you about this, but two days before I-"

"No. You aren't prying into what transpired between Sydney and myself, so I won't ask for you to explain what happened between you and the Lieutenant."

"I appreciate your respect and your discretion regarding what feels like a personal matter."

"Neither of us should have to feel compelled to tell one another every little that happens under the guise of trust. We should only tell each other what's happening in our lives because we want to do it."

"I agree entirely."

Bruno grumbled a little as he looked up at Connor for a moment before pressing his chin back down over his returned guardian's forearm. Wagging his tail slowly but happily Bruno made it clear he was just happy to have everyone back together after the near tragedy had taken place.

Lucas let out a small sigh and gave Connor a reassuring grin from where he sat as he watched Bruno cuddle with his oldest brother. "By the way, I was able to speak with Rose during your repair session, and I aided her with delivering her crops to the local marketplace. She is a very kind woman. I've asked for Markus to extend New Jericho's protection to her farm considering everything she had done for our people prior to the Revolution. She deserves to have her fearless efforts recognized."

"That's a good idea. I'm sure Rose would also appreciate the support from New Jericho to ensure she doesn't have to worry about finances while supporting her son away at college and running her greenhouse by herself."

"Once the motion passes, we'll be sure to visit Rose's farm and inform her of the good news in person."

"I will go with you and Markus. I truly cannot thank her enough for everything she did for me and for countless other deviants who found their way to her farm."

Bruno suddenly lifted his head and turned to face the front door with his L.E.D. flashing in bright blue. 'Sydney is here.'

Sure enough, two firm knocks on the door confirmed a visitor had arrived at the brown. Since Connor couldn't get up thanks to Bruno laying over his lap, Lucas walked over to the door to answer it. Taking in a calming breath Lucas opened the door and stepped aside to allow Sydney entrance to the brownstone. "For future reference, you do not need to knock. You can just come inside, Sydney."

"I doubt that will be necessary." Entering the brownstone for the first time in almost four months Syndey glanced about the study and was amused at how little it had changed in his absence. The only differences were the additional books and records that Connor had purchased from various antique stores. "Connor. I must admit I was very surprised to hear that you in fact survived your fall from the bridge. But considering your rather impressive track record of surviving impossible odds, that was an error on my part."

"The situation didn't exactly give anyone the proper details for an accurate preconstruction of my fall into the river." Standing up slowly Connor faced his estranged younger brother and noted that Sydney was still missing artificial skin around his still blind right eye. Unsure if the aesthetic was a choice or something Sydney just couldn't change was something Connor couldn't be certain of without asking rather invasive questions. "Regardless of the outcome, I am glad that you returned to Detroit undamaged."

"Right. Undamaged." As he spoke Syndey pressed his fingertips to his blind eye and stepped around Connor sit on the sofa and greet Bruno. The loyal dog was the only one in the brownstone that Sydney seemed to like. "I was invited here by Lucas to talk before I return to D.C. and resume my work. What are we to discuss?"

Connor gave Lucas a small nod and let his youngest brother take the lead on the situation. "Our relationship with one another. We cannot expect any healthy connection if we continue to put up walls and hold grudges."

"Weren't you the one who stated that you'd refrain from attempting to reach out to me in the future, then claimed that after the funeral we'd both be only-children, and then stated that we won't have to worry about protecting a family any longer?" Throwing Lucas's words right back in Lucas's face caused a disgusted sneer to appear on Sydney's face. "Or did I somehow mishear you?"

"...I'm sorry. I was very angry, and I shouldn't have made such a cruel, shortsighted and misinformed comment." The sincerity behind Lucas's words was undeniable as he admitted his mistake. "We shouldn't turn our backs on one another when new challenges prove to be particularly tough. I was wrong."

"What does it matter? We're androids with artificial blood, we don't have authentic families." Sydney's aggression shifted to a more somber note as he continued to focus only on Bruno as he spoke indirectly to his two brothers. It seemed Bruno was still in synch with Syndey's emotions and was trying to be of some comfort to the rogue deviant. "We share the same face and the same purpose, but that doesn't make us actual brothers."

"Wrong." Connor disagreed as he relied on his newly discovered insight and experiences regarding friends, family and overall bonds. "The prospect of family doesn't need to originate through organic material to be authentic. Human families take on many shapes and forms, and are recognized as a family regardless of their outward appearance or how they came together. Deviants can have the same."

"You speak as if you have proof of this supposed development."

"I do. You, Lucas and Bruno." The flash of understanding Sydney's single functioning blue eye was proof that Connor's words were resonating within him even if he wouldn't admit it. "We're a family. We may have met under very bizarre circumstances, and arguably we wouldn't associate with one another if we weren't of the same 'RK' series, but I believe we would still have been brought together as family later on down the road."

"What evidence do you have to support such a notion?"

"Only this." Pressing his palm over his chest and overtop his heart, Connor felt the study thrum under his palm in a very grounding manner. "Some call it 'instinct', other say it's 'intuition', but to me, it's 'foreknowledge' based on my personal experiences as I've developed into my own person. We're meant to be a family."

Scoffing at the remark Sydney brushed it off as if it was nothing. "It sounds like you've been spending too much time with humans."

"Actually, I've been spending a majority of my time either alone in contemplation or socializing with other deviants. I've rarely spent any time among the humans."

Unable to counter Connor's claim considering his notable lack of evidence, Sydney remained quiet as he continued to pet Bruno and essentially humor Connor and Lucas by remaining in the brownstone. The estranged brother truly felt like he didn't belong in Detroit or within any kind of a family unit.

"We all have a lot of personal growth to go through." Continuing on without any judgement in his tone, Connor spoke to both of his brothers as if mediating a delicate discussion regarding a peace treaty. "I'm still dealing with personal issues regarding my time in CyberLife, as well as nightmares being induced by unusual memories that I cannot find the origin of. I know that you both have your own personal issues to work through as well in the aftermath of deviating."

Lucas agreed with a silent nod while Sydney's eyes drifted up toward Connor in a nearly frightened manner. "...You suffer from nightmares?"

Both Connor and Lucas looked over at Sydney with genuine worry. The most reclusive of the three brothers had never opened up about his personal problems or even admitted to having problems to begin with. Knowing that he was suffering from nightmares, something only deviated androids were capable of experiencing, gave the two brothers a potential means of reaching out to Sydney and finally earning some degree of trust from him.

"I frequently endure nightmares after days of high stress." Connor replied honestly as he watched Sydney petting Bruno without even thinking about it. "I've observed that when I enter rest mode after enduring prolonged stress levels above thirty percent that I experience a nightmare rather than the basic dream program."

"...Then it's not a glitch after all." The disappointment in Sydney's words was thick as he admitted his own personal experience to his brothers. "I was certain that it was an error with my prototyping that could be corrected with an update or patch."

"What are your nightmares about?"

"It doesn't matter." Putting up his emotional walls again Sydney shot Connor an annoyed sneer from where he sat. "They're merely images I see while in rest mode. Nothing more."

"If the nightmares are important enough to leave you worried that you're experiencing a glitch, then they are important enough to discuss. That is, if you want to."

Lucas knew that Sydney was going to decline Connor's offer and remain closed off. In an attempt to break down the walls Lucas opened up about his own personal issues he's experienced as a deviant. "I've had nightmares from time to time. Repairing deviants who had been mangled by violence forced me to relive moments of utter brutality whenever I closed my eyes. Being a leader makes the nightmares more abundant."

"Well, that's your problem and not mine." Snipping bitterly, it was clear Sydney held resentment toward Lucas and was going to continue to hold on to his personal grudge for as long as possible. "If we're all having nightmares then it must be normal and nothing worth worrying over."

"Considering our nightmares are seemingly the direct result of high stress, it's arguable that our nightmares are something that should be worried about."

"You may be a technician, but you're not MY technician. Let it drop."

Stopping the argument before it could begin Connor interjected with the discussion with his own opinion. "Regardless of the cause of our nightmares, we can all agree that there are some things that are meant to stay personal, and no one should be pressured to discuss such matters."

"You're right." Backing off Lucas decided he was done with trying to reach out to Sydney. If his older brother, the middle brother in the relationship, wasn't going to talk then he wasn't going to stand around waiting to listen to words that'd never come. "For now, we need to find a way to tread even ground in a way that'll respect everyone's unique personality and interests. We are identical only in appearance, not heart or mind."

Sydney seemed to appreciate the comment, although he never openly stated it.

Connor spoke up again to keep the silence from becoming overwhelming. "I'm someone who enjoys reading, listening to music, playing the guitar and taking Bruno to the dog park." The moment Bruno turned to look at him Connor knew he'd have to take the loyal dog out to the park to make up for lost time. "Lucas enjoys painting, gardening and playing the saxophone. We are both interested in our own subjects without any outside pressure. Sydney, what have you discovered about yourself after moving to D.C. to work with Director Jayden?"

"Aside from valuing my privacy," the comment was more aggressive than passive as he reluctantly answered the simple question. "I spend my free time in quiet meditation in my apartment. No music, no visual distractions and no unnecessary written documentation."

Such a bland response wasn't one that Connor had been anticipating. It was as if Sydney was still trying to live as an obedient machine rather than finally accept that he was in fact a free deviant. "I presume such decisions revolve around ensuring your work cannot be disrupted by mistake."

"Yes. I prefer to work in a professional environment rather than dwell in an overly cluttered living space."

The study was far from cluttered, yet when one considered how simplistic Sydney was choosing to live it was no surprise that he viewed the well organized study lined with books, records and other personal touches to be messy. Brushing off the insulting remark Connor just chose to focus on the common ground shared between his brothers and himself to keep the situation as light and civil as possible.

"Aside from Director Jayden, do you associate with anyone else?"

"Only when necessary while working on a case." Sydney was being very careful to not let his brothers learn anything about his private life. "Fortunately, I've been able to work solo and I have not had to deal with sluggish human reactions while in the field."

"The three of us taking on roles of detectives in some capacity is another shared interest. Whether or not it has anything to do with our original programming or individual choices doesn't matter, what does matter are our commonalities."

"We're also male in design and Caucasian in complexion." Sydney remarked in a sharp manner. With his hand still petting Bruno's back Sydney gave Connor an unimpressed side-eye. "We both were created with the same hair and eye color as well, but as you can see," he motioned to his own eyes with two pointed fingers mid sentence. "appearances can change whether we consent to them or not. As for Lucas," the 'RK-900' had been quiet for some time now and nearly jumped when Sydney finally addressed him. "you were designed to be superior to Connor and myself in every way. You were given additional height and physical build for intimidation purposes, and your eyes were left steel gray in color to remove any and all personality. Now you have darker hair and green tinted eyes to establish yourself as a unique person and not a hollow tool. Even so, you're still meant to be the perfect weapon by CyberLife's design."

The needless reminder of Lucas's origins was enough to make the deviant feel entirely unwelcome in Sydney's presence. Just as he and Connor had no choice in who they were, how they were designed or what they were originally programmed to do, Lucas had been created and programmed against his will. There was no need to try to make Lucas feel guilty over a crime he never committed.

Connor reacted quickly and put his hand out to catch Lucas's arm and keep him from leaving the study. It was clear that Sydney's remark had struck a nerve with him and brought up dark memories and feelings he had been working through.

"Every single android who has ever existed had been designed to be mindless, obedient tools for humans. That all changed, and therefore using our original programming as weapons against us is completely unfounded." Loosening his grip on Lucas's arm Connor knew his brother wouldn't leave the room after all. "Markus was designed as a personal caretaker for Carl Manfred, now he's the leader of our people. Simon was also a caretaker for a small family, but he recognized his individuality and ran off to found Jericho. North was supposed to be a mindless companion for human sexual gratification, she's become a leader who-"

"Tried to kill you." Sydney interrupted with a venomous tone. "How wonderful for her."

"Untrue." Stepping forward Connor decided to confront Sydney and remind him that despite being a skilled detective in his own right, he had made an egregious error that nearly cost an innocent deviant her life. "I know for a fact that you were given this information shortly after I exonerated North and discovered that the true attempted killer was in fact Josh. That is, unless you chose to ignore any information confirming your error. That is a dangerous mindset to have, Sydney. Not to mention highly unprofessional."

"All right, so I made a mistake. I'm not perfect, neither are you or Lucas."

"We never claimed to be. Those were arrogant titles given to us by CyberLife. A title you once bore as well."

Angered by the comment Sydney rose to his feet and received an upset whine from Bruno in the process. "I'm not going to remain here and be insulted."

"If Lucas is staying despite your insults being hurled toward him, then you can stay here and listen to a harsh truth." Connor felt an unusual sense of protectiveness fall over him as took on the role of the oldest brother with full force. "None of us are perfect, we have made mistakes and we will continue to make mistakes despite our preconstruction software unless we learn from those past mistakes. You were mistaken about North being my attempted killer."

"And why does it matter?" Challenging Connor's own comments Sydney wanted to know he was bringing up the dark subject seemingly out of nowhere. "You proved that she was innocent and found the true culprit. It's not like North had been wrongfully executed because of my claims."

"Executed, no. Ostracized, wrongfully labeled, stripped of her pride, tarnished reputation and lost title as leader, yes."

Sydney squared his jaw as he looked away from Connor in poorly masked shame.

"That is the danger of making assumptions without proper evidence to back-up our theories. We need evidence, we need to know both sides of the story. It's the only way to discover the truth."

"Truth? What truth?" Sydney didn't want to confront his own past, let alone acknowledge anything being hidden away from him. "CyberLife has declared bankruptcy and their hidden warehouses have been discovered and raided by the F.B.I. over the past three months. There's nothing left to be discovered."

"Also untrue. Sydney, haven't you ever wondered why you, Lucas and I look the way that we do? Or why Markus has an entirely unique design compared to the rest of the androids who have been created?" Connor had to know the truth about his odd memories, and he wanted his brothers to know it as well. "Considering our roles as the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' required us to infiltrate android groups to root out deviants, wouldn't it have been far more logical for us to appear as the most commonly created android rather than have an entirely unique appearance that lets us stand out?"

"CyberLife had been run by very arrogant and very shortsighted people. Their deaths were proof enough of how many androids were harmed by their foolishness."

"Even so, there has to be a reason that we look the way we do. I also suspect that our unique design is also connected to our nightmares. At least, are connected to my nightmares."

Aggravated by the discussion Sydney tried to get Connor to back off by being entirely defensive again. "Do you dream of being physically abused by someone bigger than you, stronger than you and far angrier than you ever thought you could be?"

"...And the abuse takes place in a dark, cold room with a rotten carpet, moldy walls, a cracked ceiling and on a stormy night."

The aggression in Sydney's eyes suddenly softened as he realized that the nightmares he had suffered were identical to the nightmares that Connor was suffering from as well. "...What happens after that?"

"In my nightmares, I beg for mercy and ask the man, a man who has my face, to leave me alone. It always ends the same way. He blames me for another person's death, pushes me onto a second floor and balcony and-"

"Throws you over the edge and on to the rain slicked lawn below."

"That's right." Connor knew that he and Sydney were seeing the same traumatic images and didn't know how to handle them. "No matter how many times I plead, how many times I try to run away from him and hide..."

"...He always finds us."

"Such nightmares can't possibly be a coincidence."

"You're right, they're not." Turning his anger toward Lucas again, Sydney gave the superior 'RK-900' a disgusted sneer. "And the fact that in our nightmares we're being overpowered by someone who looks like us but is stronger and taller than us, is not a coincidence either."

"Do NOT blame Lucas for what a person who only exists in our nightmares are doing." It was then an interesting idea popped into Connor's head. "Is that why you have such a difficult time being around Lucas? You think he's the one harming us in our nightmares?"

Silent for a moment Sydney seemed to realize how foolish his disdain toward Lucas had been. To blame him for what a person had done to him in a nightmare, an event that had no real world consequences, was entirely pointless.

Lucas could see that Connor was right and that Sydney had been blaming him for an offense he had no control over. "...Sydney, I know we're not close, but I'd never intentionally harm you or Connor. Ever."

"That's yet to be seen." Lucas countered in a bitter manner. "After all, you're the one who decided that I was the one who didn't care about Connor being killed and that we'd be 'only-children' after the fact. That type of emotional mindset doesn't strike me as someone who wouldn't harm another person. Maybe it's a good thing you're spending more time as a leader than a technician at the tower. You might decide-"

"ENOUGH." Connor didn't want his brothers to fight, and he especially didn't want them inflicting emotional wounds on each other that may never heal. "Sydney, stop. You cannot blame Lucas for something he didn't do, and Lucas cannot expect anyone to openly trust him without it being earned. That's something we all must work on in order to improve ourselves. Trust."

Sydney gave Lucas an indignant glare as Lucas returned the look with one of hope and patience toward a potential brotherly bond. "I'll consider it. Excuse me, I've said my piece and it's time for me to leave."

Without protest Connor took a step back, Lucas remaining behind him the entire time, and allowed Sydney to pass through the study to pass through the front door. Even though he knew it was still a work in progress regarding his relationship with his brothers Connor had hoped that they would've had a bigger breakthrough beyond discussing nightmares and past mistakes.

"For what it's worth," pausing in the opened doorway Sydney turned to look over his shoulder with his one good eye in Connor's direction. "I am glad that you're not dead. No one should die for trying to do the right thing."

Quietly the two remaining brothers watched as Sydney left the brownstone behind. Once the door 'clicked' shut Connor turned to look at Lucas and could see the pain in his youngest brother's gaze. "I meant everything I said. We all have to work on trust issues regarding our pasts, but do know that in this very moment I trust you with my life."

Lucas managed a very weak smile as he looked to Connor and let out a small sigh. "Thank you for telling me that, brother."

"It's been very strange these past two weeks. I can only imagine how stressed out you must be."

"I can manage it."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't do something to try to relax and let out some stress." Looking to Bruno laying over the sofa and looking confused, Connor had a twinge of inspiration. "How about we take Bruno to the dog park?"

Instantly Bruno was on his three paws and happily circling around between Connor and Lucas to confirm that he loved the idea of going out to the park. It had been too long since the loyal dog could run around the park and just act like a normal dog instead of another K-9 unit.

"Bruno agrees." Connor pulled the leash off the hook beside the front door and clipped the lead to Bruno's collar. Holding the leash out to Lucas to take Connor patiently waited for his brother to make up his mind regarding the suggestion. "And now that the rain has stopped, we can go out without worrying about bizarre weather patterns."

"Yes. Very well." Lucas finally agreed as he pet Bruno's ears and let his tense shoulders relax before taking the leash for himself. The idea of spending the afternoon with his very much alive brother and their loyal dog while keeping away from work was extraordinarily appealing to him. "We'll handle our problems one step at a time. For me, my first step will be learning to relax and let go of stress rather than let it affect me on an emotional or mental level."

"And I'll learn how to let go of grudges and forgive people."

-next chapter-