Kate breathed in deeply, her dreams fading into darkness as she felt something on her shoulder. She moved automatically, drawing her shoulders up and straightening her legs slightly, but she kept her eyes closed. That hadn't been enough sleep. It still hovered over her like a thick blanket, slowly falling onto her and encouraging her body to stop moving. Before she could let it take her again, her shoulder was gently shaken.

"Kate…"

She rolled onto her stomach and drew her arms up underneath her pillow. The heavy blanket of sleep was rising away, disappearing into the darkness above. Kate clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to draw it back.

Her hair was brushed behind her ear, and she felt the satisfying warm presence against her back. Despite her desire for more sleep, her mouth tensed into a smile. Then there was a weight over her and she felt lips against her neck. The touch sent a shockwave of mild energy through her, and she found herself moving again. Her mind was clearing, and with it came a combination of thrill and passion that brought reality back to her in hyper sensitivity. As everything solidified around her, she became aware of every part of him. It was breathtaking and rejuvenating at the same time.

Simon's breath warmed her neck as he moved down to her shoulder, his mouth closing against her skin. She tensed and made a sound as another shockwave swept through her.

"It's twelve minutes to noon." Simon's voice was unbelievably soft yet still powerful enough to ignite that chill within her. Kate tightened herself up, struggling to regain some control.

"Mhm," she whispered.

His lips were back, and again Kate felt the smile spread across her face as she began to shift uncontrollably at his touch. His hand was sliding up her back, running along the folds and creases of her shirt until it reached her bare skin. When it did, a wash of numbing electricity went through her body, and she bit her lip as she found herself wide awake. At least now she had the added benefit of her energy, and she gathered her resolve against him. He was getting good at this morning routine, but not good enough for her to stop resisting it.

"Why do I have to get up…" She twisted further against the mattress in a futile attempt to escape his mouth. Instead, she felt him against her ear.

"Because I said so."

He was winning. Kate put her hand over her face to block out the weak light shining in between the closed curtains.

"I was having a good dream," she said.

His hand moved down the center of her back and drifted over her hip, and Kate couldn't help the desperate sigh that left her. He ran it back up again, and she felt him lean further onto her. The way he was holding onto her shoulder, his mouth closing against her skin as he made his way down her neck to her jawline, and how he was slowly moving himself on top of her was making her heart race in sweet shock. Unwittingly, she found herself reaching behind her to thread her fingers through his hair, lifting her head up to give him more access to her neck. It would be so easy to let this take its course. To fall into the overwhelming sensation of him exploring her body with his lips, taking control of her with his gentle hands, losing herself in the taste of his mouth─

"Hey─ whoa, whoa!" Kate rolled to the side, dragging herself a bit further from him so that he came into view next to her. The elation he'd been filling her with shook away now that he was no longer touching her, but it was replaced by an aching desire at the sight of him lying on his side, one hand gripping his blond hair and his eyes narrowed slightly as he gave her a slight sideways smile. Kate clenched her teeth in an attempt to force herself from smiling, though she knew she was failing miserably. She drew in a deep breath and shook her head, making a fist against the mattress. "Nice try. You got a lot closer that time."

Simon let out a breath of laughter, then rolled onto his back and rested his hands on his chest as he looked at her. "I wasn't exactly trying."

A soft growl escaped her, and then a groan as she realized the sound she'd just made. What he was doing was absolutely sinful. He had to know that the way he was lying was revealing every perfect shape of his body. His eyes were brightly lit from this angle, making his eyebrows seem higher and straighter than usual, and his jawline sharper to compliment the smile he was giving her. His neck was exposed, accentuating the ridges and muscles that met at his collarbones which were catching the light as though tempting her. He looked even more slender lying down, stretched out with one knee drawn up. His shirt had become wrinkled and pulled up, exposing the skin of his waist and the angular structure of his hip. Even his hands looked amazing and delicate with intricately sculpted knuckles. It was all one seductive invitation which she didn't believe for a moment was considered him not trying.

Kate drew in an irritated breath as she looked at him, hating herself for not being weaker. "You can be a real son of a bitch, you know that?" She lowered herself down onto her back, giving him the same look he was giving her. "I don't care if flavors don't bother you. I can taste my mouth, and it's fucking gross."

His sideways smile straightened, and his eyes drifted downward as he seemed to analyze the shape of her. A strange tension took over as she noticed his expression had deepened into a somewhat longing gaze. She couldn't help the regret that swept through her as she watched his LED spin yellow for a brief moment. Without thinking, she stretched her arm out and reached for him, her heart beginning to hammer in her chest.

"Hey…" She slid her hand along his arm and over his wrist until she was able to take his hand. He raised it and for a terrifying moment, she thought he would pull away from her. Then he opened his palm, clasping his fingers in between hers and smoothing his thumb down to her wrist in a way that sent shivers through her body. She gazed at him as he first pressed her hand against his chest, then seemed to reconsider and brought her hand up to his lips, closing his eyes as he pressed his mouth to the back of her hand. Kate watched him in stunned silence, the urgency of his mouth and the way he tensed as he closed his lips against her hand drawing up nervous apprehension within her.

She flexed her hand slightly to slow him. "Hey, I didn't mean that," she said softly. "I forget sometimes that being a bitch is still ingrained in my personality─"

"It's not you." Simon looked up at her quickly, his blue eyes ignited in a tense focus as he flexed his fingers deeper between hers. Kate immediately felt the blood freeze in her chest. She recognized that expression. The wide and intense gaze, set jaw, and nervously drawn eyebrows. He'd had it when he was speaking with the android through the door at her house. A look of trepidation on top of helplessness. It was something she never thought she would see again, or at least hoped she never would.

Simon immediately looked back down again as though he'd realized what he'd done. Kate continued to stare at him, fierce determination flowing through her. "What's going on?" she said.

Simon shook his head, a hint of a smile returning to his lips. A burst of irritation swept through her as Kate watched him. He looked as if he were about to lie.

She squeezed his hand, drawing his attention back. "Simon."

He looked up at her again, and this time his expression was more focused. She held his gaze, pushing him for an answer. Part of her was afraid to hear it.

He let out a sigh, pressing her hand to his mouth again and closing his eyes. For a moment, Kate thought he would dodge the question.

"There's something I need to tell you," he said quietly against her hand.

Kate rolled onto her shoulder towards him, giving him her full attention. "What is it?"

He didn't look at her. She felt his soft breath on her knuckles as he turned his head slightly, rubbing her hand against his cheek. "I'm not sure… where to start."

Kate opened her hand and pressed her fingers against the side of his chin, turning his head towards her. "You can start by just telling me."

A hint of that terrified expression returned, and then faded as quickly as it came. Simon tensed his eyebrows and glanced away, letting out another heavy sigh. Kate pushed herself up on one elbow, gripping the blanket in front of her. "Are we in danger?"

Simon shook his head quickly and the nervous expression faded. "No. No, we're not in danger."

"Well… then does someone know about us?"

Again, Simon shook his head. Kate breathed out in frustration.

"Did my dad corner you again? Did someone tell you something? What─ what the hell is going on, Simon?"

He rose up, pulling himself towards her and laying partially over. Kate gripped the front of his shirt as she felt him press his mouth to her forehead, and despite herself, she felt her heart calm. For a few moments he stayed there, resting over her in satisfying coverage, and it was difficult for her not to believe that something wasn't terribly wrong. Then she shook herself out of it, turning her head to the side and pushing his shoulders up.

"Nope. No." She moved somewhat out of his grasp, gazing up at him as he came into view. "You don't get to do this. You need to talk to me."

She watched his shoulders drop as he gazed at her, one of his fingers tracing the edge of her face. His LED was flashing yellow, although she didn't need it to see the gears turning in his head. If he was expecting the silence to improve the situation, Kate was only growing more anxious by it. A thousand different worrying thoughts were already racing through her mind, each more terrible than the last. There were so many things that could be wrong. The t-shirt, their time together, Taylor's judgement, her father's disapproval, Simon's interaction with the androids in the house, her father's android's visit to collect her things, the taxi they'd travelled in, her mother's credit card… there was so much to be afraid of. She couldn't believe she hadn't taken the time to even consider it. They were all suddenly so much more dangerous than they had been the whole time she and Simon had been hiding here at her father's house.

Simon ran his thumb over her bottom lip, gaining her attention again. His LED had returned to its blue color, and he stared slightly off to the side. When he looked at her, his expression had grown more confident.

"It's probably better if I showed you," he said.

Kate narrowed her eyes in confusion, giving her head a small shake. "If you showed me… showed me what?"

Simon shifted off of her, resting on his elbow and smoothing his hand down her stomach. He breathed in deeply, his body tensing as if he were struggling with something. "You'll have to get dressed. Warmly if you can. And I'll need to speak to your father first."

Kate didn't move. She held her narrowed gaze. "Simon. You do realize how nervous you're making me?"

She could see his shoulders flex as he shifted slightly, his eyes gaining a deeper solemn focus. Then he moved into her, running his hand through her hair to bring it behind her ear. "We aren't in danger. You have to trust me."

She analyzed his expression, making sure he acknowledged what she was doing. "Are you sure of that?"

Simon nodded, and his gaze softened as he held onto the side of her neck, running his thumb along her cheek. "Yes, I'm sure."

Somehow that didn't seem to ease her mind. She threw her eyes up at the ceiling, letting out a tense sigh through her nose. "Alright. If you have something crazy to show me that doesn't involve me going to prison or you getting recycled but you won't tell me what it is…" She sat up and rolled her neck slightly as she stretched. "... what choice do I have."

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stepped down, pressing her hands behind her hips and stretching her back. Without a glance behind her, she moved to the dresser and began to sift through it. She collected up a stack of fresh clothes, and picked Spot up in one hand from where he'd been curled up on top of the sweater she'd worn the day before. With a bit of awkward coordination, she added the sweater to the pile of clothes in one hand and carried Spot around the midsection in the other so that he drooped like a limp doll.

When she turned back to Simon, he was still sitting up on the bed, his knees drawn slightly so that he rested his elbows on them and gripped his wrist. He looked as if he'd been watching her apprehensively, though Kate could see the shame in his eyes. Despite her frustration towards him, she immediately felt a strange sense of urgency. That was an expression she never needed to see again. No matter what he did or what he said, there was never a reason for him to feel any ounce of shame or doubt in regards to her. They were well past that.

She dropped Spot onto the bed and moved towards Simon, resting her knee on the mattress as she leaned towards him. He looked up, his eyes lit in surprise as she threaded her fingers through his hair, pulling him slightly forward so that she pressed her lips against his forehead. She held him there for a moment, closing her eyes and losing herself in his blond locks. Finally he breathed out, and she could feel him relax underneath her.

When she pulled away, his pained expression had been replaced by a nervous but somewhat thankful smile. Kate felt her heart flutter, amazed that she had been able to produce that kind of change in him. She tensed the corner of her mouth and motioned with her stack of clothes.

"Guess I'll be right back?" She moved off the bed and rolled her shoulders again. "God, I need to brush my teeth…"

She turned and headed towards the bedroom door, automatically stepping over Spot as he darted underneath her feet.

"Do you want me to get you anything?" said Simon.

"No─ yes!" Kate raised a finger and turned towards him as she organized her thoughts. "Coffee. Black coffee. The darkest coffee you can find. Something that will put me into heart failure."

He narrowed his eyes at her and raised his head slightly. "I'll make you a latte."

"Black coffee," she said, opening the door.

"I'll compensate with espresso," he said.

"Black. Coffee. And if I find any milk in it, it's going in the sink."

"Kate."

She paused halfway out the door to look at him. It was a mistake. He'd leaned back against the headboard, hands behind his head and his legs stretched and crossed in front of him. His eyebrows were raised and tensed in a way that she recognized as her own cynical expression. For a moment, all she could do was simply stand and stare at him.

The corner of his mouth rose, and she felt her heart nearly stop. "Trust me," he said.

Kate's eyes widened as a wave of debilitating desire fell over her, making her fight the urge to rush back towards him. She clenched the door handle, her frustration solidifying into a miserable groan. He made it look so easy.

"God damn it…" She turned and moved out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

She dressed as quickly as she could in the bathroom, making an attempt to comb her hair before giving up and detangling it with her fingers. Her thoughts continued to fixate on what could be enough of an issue that would cause Simon to react like that, yet not be so dangerous that he would be in full panic. Kate frustratingly scrubbed her teeth as she contemplated their problems. There was suddenly so much for them to discuss that she wasn't sure which was more important to begin with. An infuriating regret flowed through her, causing her to pause for a moment and tilt her head back, her eyes closed. They should have spoken about this days ago. When they had arrived at her father's house. When they had gotten into that taxi. This all should have been dealt with at the very beginning. And now that something might be threatening their fragile stability, despite Simon's claims that they were safe, it seemed too late to fix what was too much to handle.

She pressed a hand to her eyes, another wave of debilitating shame overpowering her as it had been doing more often. They hadn't spoken about it because she was too busy convincing herself that it didn't matter. That losing Simon wasn't the worst thing that could happen. So it'd been allowed to fall into a background of problems and forgotten, or at least blurred together in a way that was unapproachable. She didn't care if Simon believed they weren't in danger. Even if they weren't, this was the catalyst she needed to put herself back on track and allow the logic to take hold again. It had been long enough. She knew what she wanted, and now she needed it to save the very thing it had tried to destroy.

Kate moved out of the bathroom, her old clothes under her arm and feeling physically revitalized even if her mind was still in a frenzy. She still didn't know how she was going to begin this uncomfortable conversation, and she wasn't ready to confront whatever he had to show her. But something within her was giving her strength. She owed this to him. To both of them. If the easiest thing to do was to launch straight into it, then that's what she was prepared to do. Before giving herself any more time to debate it in her head, she threw her bedroom door open.

The room was empty. Spot had looked up from where he was curled up on her bed when she opened the door, his yellow eyes completely round and pupils dilated in mild shock at her abrupt entrance. Kate gazed around for a moment, then leaned back to look down the stairs even though they were too far away to effectively see into the room below. A tense sigh escaped her, calming the nervousness in her chest. This wasn't helping to solve the problem, but at least it gave her a chance to catch her breath.

She dropped her dirty clothes on the floor as she moved to her bed to gather her shoes. She felt Spot butt his head against her hip as she slipped them on, and Kate stopped for a moment to gaze down at him. A frantic wave had her scooping him up in her arms, pressing him in a curled up bundle against her chest as she buried her face into his fur and closed her eyes. The cat didn't move, although Kate suspected the little animal's LED was probably spinning red at how tight she was holding him. Finally, she drew in a deep breath and felt her thoughts structure themselves somewhat better than they had been. She let the cat leap off her arm onto the bed and he turned to look back at her, giving her a judgmental meow.

Kate rolled her eyes and blew a strand of hair out of her face before moving back to the bedroom door. As she closed it behind her, she became aware of voices downstairs in the kitchen. Tension drew tight in her chest as she recognized one of them as her father's. Without hesitation, she headed for the stairs and stepped down them carefully, doing her best to make it look like she wasn't in a hurry.

She immediately spotted Simon in the kitchen. He was facing the coffee maker with his back to the rest of the room, though Kate noticed that his head had been turned slightly as though he were trying to see what was happening behind him. He looked up when Kate appeared on the stairs, and by the furrowed expression he was giving her, she suspected whatever conversation was taking place wasn't pleasant. She moved slowly towards him, throwing him a tense questioning glance as the rest of the kitchen came into view.

"...I wish you wouldn't assume that. You know I don't care about what you do as long as it's productive."

"So get the hell off my ass, Rick. What do you think I've been doing?"

"I think it's better to ask what you haven't been doing."

"Oh for fuck's sake─"

The room fell quiet as Kate stopped by the counter. Richard turned towards her, his eyes lit in a mild surprise that was obviously forced. As he moved, Taylor appeared sitting at the kitchen table, her arms crossed over her chest and her gaze firmly locked on the wall across from her. Standing behind her was a brown-haired female android, her young freckled face blank and her arms stiff at her sides.

Kate didn't move as she looked in between them, narrowing her eyes and making it clear that she'd been listening to them. When no one spoke, Kate shrugged her shoulders.

"Picture-perfect family moment going on in here," she said, stepping towards Simon. "Don't stop on my account."

Richard let out a sigh, and Kate saw him glance at Taylor. "Look, I'm not here to argue."

Taylor let out a tense laugh. "Could have fooled me.

"Just… think about it Taylor, okay?" Richard moved towards Kate, and she tried not to let that classic leather smell overwhelm her with nostalgia as he gave her a quick one-armed hug and a peck at her temple. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." Kate clutched the edge of the counter and stretched, straightening her back and feeling her spine pop.

"Are you sleeping okay?" said Richard. "You've been getting up later every day."

"My sleep schedule is just screwed up," said Kate. She turned around and leaned back against the counter. "Something I have to work on."

"You should find something to do so you'll have an excuse to get up regularly," said Richard. "Might also do you some good to get out of the house once in a while."

Taylor gave a snort, and Kate looked up to see that she was still staring at the wall but she now had a smirk on her face. Kate cast a glance to her father whose expression hadn't changed, though she could see a spark of ferocity in his eyes.

"Tell you what." Richard turned towards Taylor. "Taylor's going to one of those SoulState meetings. Why don't you go with her?"

Taylor made a frustrated noise, then looked over at Richard with a narrowed smile. "You really are a fucking piece of work, aren't you?"

"What do you want me to say, Taylor?" Richard moved towards her. "All I ask is one thing. Just the one thing. We made a deal on this."

"You mean the one-sided deal that I had no part in?" said Taylor.

Kate raised her eyebrows and turned around, throwing a stunned look at Simon as she rested her hands on the counter. He raised an eyebrow at her, and Kate had to make an effort to stop the nervous flutter in her chest at that human behavior. As the argument continued behind them, Simon picked up a mug which she hadn't noticed and he handed it to her.

"It's not that hard, Taylor. Just show up, do the work, and pass the class. I don't even care how many you take in a quarter as long as you're putting effort into it."

The coffee was a lighter brown, and Kate narrowed her eyes at him as she took the mug from him. She stared at it for a moment, then automatically moved it towards the sink. Simon's hand suddenly stopped hers, and she looked up to see his scrutinizing smile, his blue eyes lit under his blond eyebrows in a clear dare for her to do it.

"You said you didn't care as long as I was doing something productive. What the hell do you think this is? You think what I started isn't important?"

Kate let out a sigh and brought the mug back. Simon was still watching her with his encouraging smile, and as much as she wanted to defy him, the idea of letting him test her was somehow even more enticing. She threw another frustrated glance at him, then brought the coffee mug to her lips.

"It is important, but that doesn't mean you can sit and do nothing while I pay for your god damn tuition."

The sweet roasted aroma filled her nose as she swallowed a sip of the coffee. The flavor came in waves of deep smokey grounds, a hint of sweetness, and an aftertaste of cream just strong enough to be present. Kate closed her eyes for a moment, absorbing the last of the flavor as she fought for a thousand reasons to believe she didn't approve of it. When she opened her eyes, Simon's smile nearly crippled her. She could hardly believe how many signals he was able to send in such an innocent expression. There was confidence, pleasure, joy, relief, and a multitude of other emotions making it nearly impossible for her to contain her breathlessness towards him.

"So stop paying for it. I never asked you to. The only reason you keep paying for it is because you'd rather tell people your step-daughter is a college student rather than the president of the biggest ant-android organization in Michigan."

Kate shook her head, knowing she was unable to stop her smile even though she was glaring at him. With a burst of brazen courage, she mouthed a silent "fuck you."

"That's complete bullshit and you know it."

Simon's smile grew wider, and he rested his hip against the counter as he mouthed quietly "I love you."

A burning thrill caught her stomach, igniting every muscle in her body for wanting nothing but to throw herself into him. To get her hands in his blond hair. To taste his mouth. To make him prove it to her. Instead a tense groan escaped her as she clenched the coffee mug in both hands and paralyzed herself to the spot, her eyes growing wide. It took her a moment to realize the room had grown quiet, and she didn't need to look behind her to know that her father and Taylor were both staring at her.

Kate cast a terrified and furious glance at Simon before slamming the coffee mug down on the counter in front of her, racking her brain for a quick and believable explanation. She quickly settled on one. "Will you guys just shut the fuck up?"

She didn't think the room could be more silent. She didn't move as she clutched the coffee mug in front of her, terror and anticipation drilling through her body and making her feel more exposed than she'd ever been. Then she heard footsteps behind her, heading towards the entryway.

"I'm sorry." Her father didn't sound at all apologetic. "I didn't mean to─ sorry."

His footsteps moved through the living room, and then there was the sound of a door closing.

Kate let out a desperate sigh, part in relief and part in horrible frustration. She looked at Simon as she turned back towards the kitchen, and was surprised to see that his expression had grown focused and determined. He gazed past her, his LED blinking yellow.

He took a step towards the living room, pausing as he stopped in front of her. "I'm going to go speak to him. Stay here."

Kate gave a small shake of her head, struggling to understand. "Stay here… why?"

"I'll be just a minute," he said. He leaned into her to reach behind her, and Kate unwittingly felt her heart race at how close he was to her. When he moved back, he held the coffee mug in his hand. "Finish this. I worked hard on it."

Kate let out a tense laugh, staring at him as she took the mug. He held onto it for a moment, and just as she found herself wondering why, his hand slid past it to graze her thumb down to her wrist. The hint of a smile he gave her combined with the shocking touch of him nearly had her heart bursting from her chest, and it resided in her as he moved away and left her in the kitchen.

It took a while for Kate to regain control of her beating heart. Avoiding the temptation to watch Simon as he left, she focused her attention instead on Taylor. She was glad Taylor was looking in the opposite direction from her. If Kate had to guess, she probably looked as breathless and nervous as she felt.

Kate dropped her gaze to her coffee and shifted against the counter to settle her nerves. "So you're going to a SoulState meeting?"

Taylor twisted in her seat as she reached into her back pocket, pulling out her phone. "It's not really a meeting. More of a get-together. Wouldn't have had to deal with your asshat of a dad if Luke had just shown up when he said he would." Taylor looked up at her, and Kate noticed she appeared much more relaxed. "You should come."

Kate shook her head. "Nah, I've got stuff I need to do today."

"Like what?" Taylor shoved her phone back into her pocket. "All you do is fuck around with your android all day. Literally."

Kate narrowed her eyes at her, a nervous tension rising in her gut. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on. You really think I'm going to believe you just sit in your room and do nothing with that hot plastic ass?" Taylor folded her arms across her chest. "Plus you're louder than shit when you orgasm."

Kate let out a sickening heave, coffee splashing onto the floor. For a moment, she felt as though she would vomit, her body lit with icy needles. Her brain couldn't even handle a response to that. If she simply didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't think, she could believe she hadn't heard it at all.

The android immediately moved forward towards her. Taylor looked up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to clean spilled coffee," said the android.

"Nope. Nope. Get back over here." Taylor motioned towards the android who stopped as if frozen. Taylor pointed behind her. "Get over here, stay there, and shut up."

The android moved back into place. Kate's hands shook as she set the coffee mug down on the counter in front of her. She swallowed, numbness replacing the prickling terror in her nerves. Taylor laughed.

"Why are you so embarrassed? You told me you were having sex with it."

"I didn't think…" Kate pressed a hand to her mouth, clenching her eyes shut as the icy needles stabbed at her again.

"Anyone could hear you?" Taylor laughed again. "You were right. The sex must be pretty awesome."

Kate's body was frozen as she forced her brain to work. It was as though a thousand roadblocks had been set up in her mind, making every consequential thought agonizing to reach. She focused instead on finding an appropriate emotion to respond with. Anger wasn't worth it. Humiliation was already obvious. She would die before she submitted to fear. And if she expressed surprise, she was simply asking for the process to be drawn out as long as possible.

Kate lowered her hand, feeling her face burn as she forced a tense smile even though she was still unable to open her eyes. She drew in as deep a breath as she could. "Maybe… you should try it sometime."

Taylor shrieked in laughter, and there was a thump. Kate opened her eyes to see that Taylor had thrown herself forward into her arms on the table's surface. Her shoulders shook as she laughed into the table. When Taylor drew up, her eyes were red.

"Oh my god… oh my god, you need to come with me."

There was a crunching of tires, and a taxi appeared through the windows, rolling up to the front door. Taylor's hair whipped as she looked towards it, then she stood up.

"Come on, Kate. You really need to do this." Taylor moved forward towards her, and Kate stiffened as Taylor grabbed her arm. "Seriously, this is going to be so good for you."

Kate shook her head, stumbling slightly as Taylor pulled her. "I can't. I've got shit to do."

"What, really?" Taylor narrowed her brown eyes as she smiled at her skeptically. "Just leave your damn android for one day. Or better yet, bring him and we can show you other ways to have fun with him."

There was a knock at the door, and Taylor pulled her forward with more eagerness. Kate took a few steps forward, anxiety clawing at her. "I can't. Not after the shit you just said."

"What, you think we're going to judge you for that?" Taylor gripped tighter onto her arm. "Dude, everyone's going to want to hear all of it. I want to hear all of it. I want all the sexy details. What kinds of positions he's got in his databank, how big his dick is, does it vibrate─"

"Fuck, Taylor!" Kate wrenched her arm out of her grip to plaster her hands to her face in a combination of shock and mortification. She could hear Taylor laughing in front of her, and then there was pressure on her shoulders as she felt Taylor throw her arms around her.

"Oh my god, everyone is going to love you Kate." Taylor was pulling at her hands, giving Kate brief flashes of Taylor's smiling face. "You need to come. If you don't come, I'm going to make things so much worse for you."

Kate opened up a hand, giving her a tense glare. "How can it be worse?" She relaxed slightly as Taylor let her go and took a step back, still laughing. Kate shook her head, trying to ignore the sick wrenching in her stomach. "Next time. I'll go with you next time."

Taylor let out a heavy sigh, her brown-eyed smile softening into something of a comforting expression. She tilted her head to the side, then pressed a hand to Kate's cheek. "You know…" Taylor's smile widened. "Somewhere out there, some poor lucky bastard is being let down so hard."

Kate stared at her, unsure of how to respond. A tension was rising in her chest that she didn't quite recognize, as though it were something from a dream. Before it had a chance to become uncomfortable, Taylor dropped her hand.

"Wish I could talk you into coming," said Taylor as she turned. She glanced to the corner and snapped her fingers. "Hey, let's go."

The android moved forward after her, and Kate watched Taylor as she walked to the entryway where the android she'd met in the library was greeting a red-haired young man. She gazed at them for a moment feeling a slight apprehension at her hasty promise. It was too early to say that she wasn't interested in what Taylor was involved with. On the surface, it sounded like right-wing bullshit, and Kate had never bothered with politics unless it was obviously ridiculous. Not to mention the thought of being surrounded by people with the sole intention of socializing was the last thing Kate would ever volunteer for.

But she couldn't help the strange pull she felt towards the idea of catching a glimpse into this opposite world from hers. This was an anti-android group. As dangerous of a place as she could be in if she had still been so uncertain, and still could be in danger depending on how provocative the group wanted to be. They weren't bound to change their minds, and she wasn't naive enough to believe she could make a difference with anything she had to say. If there was any place where she could have an idea of how far the spectrum of public opinion stretched, Taylor would take her to it. The only question was how much Kate really cared to know.

It took her a moment to realize Taylor was calling to her. Kate straightened slightly, watching as Taylor waved her over. Feeling a frustrated nervousness sweep over her, Kate moved slowly forward, purposely indicating her reluctance.

"Hey, I want you to meet Luke," said Taylor as Kate approached. "I told him all about you. He's kind of the vice president of SoulState."

"Co-founder," said Luke. "You're Kate?"

Kate gave a nod as she gazed at him. She vaguely recognized him from the protest at the college, though only by his red hair. What she hadn't noticed that day was how intense his brown eyes were. It was difficult for her to maintain eye-contact without feeling as though she were being scanned. Instead, she stared off to the side.

"Well, you're welcome to come by anytime. We're not going to force you." He threw a glance at Taylor. "Don't let Tay twist your arm."

"I'm not twisting her arm," said Taylor. There was a clap as she smacked his shoulder. "And don't call me that."

"Whatever." He turned, and Kate made herself look up at him. He gave a small smile that lessened the effect of his eyes. They drifted downward, then flicked back up to hers. "It's good to meet you."

Kate tensed her eyebrows as he and Taylor began to move towards the door, her stomach beginning to churn. The invitation was already sounding less intriguing as well as her curiosity about the opposite spectrum. This wasn't what she had expected, or at least not so soon. If this was the price for a taste of knowledge, then remaining ignorant was perfectly comfortable.

"Taylor."

Everyone stopped. Kate watched as Taylor dropped her shoulders and turned slowly to look behind her. "What, Clark?"

The male android tensed his shoulders. "Are you taking another android with you?"

Taylor let out a sharp laugh, narrowing her brown eyes at the android. "Why the fuck do you care?" She motioned to the female android as she began to move again.

"I'll be forced to inform Mr. Hayes about this," said Clark as he took a step forward. "The cost of your recreational activities is beginning to take a toll. He won't be pleased."

A strange tension hung in the air along with the silence. Kate stared at the android, absorbing the situation. When she looked at Taylor, her brown eyes had grown fierce.

Taylor swung her arm lightly at her side, chewing something in her mouth. Then she reached into her pocket and drew up a small oval object. As she moved towards the android, she flicked it open. Kate realized with a jolt of shock that it was a pocket knife.

"Hey, hey!" Kate immediately reached out to her. "What the hell are you doing?"

Taylor paused, and a wave of dread flowed through Kate's body as Taylor's tense gaze focused on her. Kate took a step back, feeling real fear flow through her and becoming painfully aware that she was within slicing distance of Taylor's knife. Taylor shook her head slowly.

"Care to see what's really been licking your pussy?" said Taylor. Kate stared at her in borderline terror, her mind scrambling to comprehend what was happening. Then Taylor turned towards Clark and raised the knife.

There was a dull thud as Clark's hand swung up, catching Taylor's wrist. For a moment, everyone seemed frozen. Kate watched in stunned confusion as Clark's LED spun red, a strange and yet somehow familiar energy in his eyes. Taylor stared back at him, her face lit in shock.

Clark's face suddenly straightened as though he'd come out of some sort of concentration. He released Taylor's hand, dropping his own to his side. The silence was almost tangible, adding to the unnerving feeling that time had come to a halt. Kate felt a horrible dread grip her. She knew what was going to happen even though every part of her wanted to believe it wouldn't. She also knew she wouldn't be able to stop it.

Taylor's head tilted to the side. Then she swung the knife into the side of Clark's face with a sickening crack.

Clark's skin burst white where the knife pierced his cheek. Kate jumped, her heart hammering. Clark hadn't reacted except to jolt at the impact, keeping his calm expression and holding perfectly still. For a blinding moment, Kate wanted to rush forward. To pull the knife out of his face, to panic, and assess the damage. But as she watched a line of blue liquid work its way down his jawline, she forced herself to remain in place.

There was a high pitched ring as Taylor wrenched the knife out, then plunged it in again further up towards his forehead. A break formed along that side of his head, revealing a clean edge as though a panel were breaking off. Kate felt her body tremble as more deep blue fluid trailed over Clark's eyebrow and down his nose. Taylor twisted her wrist, and then ripped the knife downward. The android's face detached and clattered to the floor like a mask, revealing a frightening skeletal framework underneath complete with wide staring eyes and grinning white teeth.

Kate couldn't stop her panicked reaction. Her hand flew up to her mouth and she made a sound, her heart freezing in her chest. Clark's eyes glanced from Taylor to her, the different mechanics of his face shifting like gears as they seemed to blindly guide the intricate facial features which were now absent. Kate gasped in terrified breaths as she studied him, unable to look away. She was aware of Luke laughing haughtily behind her.

"Come on, we're already late," said Luke.

Kate heard a snap of what was probably the pocketknife being clicked closed, and she saw the shape of Taylor move into her in the corner of her vision. Kate clenched her hand tighter on her mouth, shaking slightly and still unable to tear her eyes from the exposed android face.

"This is what he is," said Taylor quietly. "This is what they all are. Don't forget it."

Taylor moved away, and Kate was finally able to close her eyes. She steadied herself, forcing her heart to calm as she listened to the footsteps leave the room and the door closed next to her. From outside, she could hear Taylor and Luke joking and laughing as they headed towards the car, and there was a slamming of car doors, the rev of the engine, and then rolling of tires that gradually faded away.

Kate lowered her hand, feeling a wave of relief wash over her though the lingering dread still remained. She looked at Clark who hadn't moved from his position, though he was now looking down at the mask of his face on the floor. Kate studied his exposed face in a somewhat more organized frame of mind, letting the reality of the situation sink in, though in a controlled way that she knew Taylor wouldn't approve of. This was shocking. It was scary. And it was also the truth.

She could feel the avalanche of unnerving thoughts claw at the back of her mind. Thoughts that wanted to dismantle everything that she had come to know about androids. They traveled in an ominous direction, one that she knew would lead to the sensitive place that Taylor obviously intended. But Kate drew herself up, stemming the tide by allowing herself to accept it. All androids looked like this. They were manufactured, artificial, robotic. There was an inconvenient reality underneath that skin which was easy to forget when they passed so easily as humans. This was what they were. What they always would be.

And it wasn't anything Kate didn't already know.

Clark bent down as he reached for the fallen shell of his face, and Kate suddenly ducked to quickly grab it before he did. When she stood up, he gazed at her, the levers and gears of his face working quickly as though he were trying to form an expression. Kate tensed nervously as she forced herself to hold his wide gaze, and she held the face out to him.

His round eyes flicked down to the face, and he took it from her. "I'm sorry you witnessed that," he said. His teeth opened and closed as he spoke, framework moving around them.

Kate shook her head, tensing her eyebrows. "No, I'm sorry that happened." She watched as Clark brought the mask up, and the mechanics seemed to freeze. He pressed it into place, and there was a click. The unnerving scene dissolved as he returned to his human appearance, his eyebrows moving slightly and his mouth pulling to each side as though he were testing his reflexes. He looked sideways at her through the rivers of blue, and kept his hand against his face as he braced it.

"There's no need to apologize. I'm unable to feel pain or discomfort."

Kate drew in a breath, her chest aching in remorse. "Well, I felt enough for the both of us."

Clark's LED flashed yellow for a brief moment, then he gazed away from her. "If you'll excuse me, I need to speak to Mr. Hayes. This damage will require professional repair."

As he moved away, Kate suddenly felt a burst of energy. She followed him. "Hey, I'll come with you." She moved next to him, and he panned his head towards her, his hand still plastered to keep his face in place. She threw a glance at him, giving him a small smile even though she knew he didn't have the ability to cheer up. "Your name's Clark, right?"

He nodded, his hand moving with his head. "Yes. I am a domestic LM100 android purchased by your father in April of 2030 as his─"

"Nice to meet you, Clark," said Kate. She didn't hide her smile as she walked with him through the living room. When she glanced at him again, she could swear his lips were also slightly tensing.

"It's nice to officially meet you too, Kate."