Kate was silent as she watched Simon carefully manipulate the tools her father had been using on him only an hour earlier, his blond eyebrows narrowed over his blue eyes in calm focus. It was getting dark in the musty boat house, the sun passing low over the trees so that less light shined in through the windows. He must have had enhanced vision because he didn't seem to be struggling in the fading light. Not that Kate understood what he was doing. She was still putting all of her effort into believing that the android slumped on the floor in front of him was the same android from the life she thought she'd permanently left behind.

Seph had consumed four bags of thirium and held the last one on his lap, his head tilted back against the wall behind him and his eyes closed as Simon worked. Kate knew she was staring, and that the way she was staring would have earned her a glare from anyone else. But under the circumstances, she let herself absorb the sight of the mangled android in front of her. The android that had belonged to the man she knew would never have done this. And yet here he was, bleeding on the floor of her father's boat house while Simon attempted to remove what was left of his arm.

Her mind was buffering from the shock of accepting that he was here, that he had been nearly destroyed by Matt, followed Clark back to her father's house, hid in secret for days, and that Simon hadn't told her immediately when he found him. She and Simon had walked quickly to the boat house in silence though she could sense that he was bursting to explain himself. Then it had taken her several minutes of gazing at the almost comatose android on the floor for it to register that Simon wasn't overreacting or mistaken. And several more minutes of watching Simon carefully encourage the android to swallow mouthful by mouthful of thirium for it to sink in that this was real.

She'd ruthlessly questioned him. The obvious questions─ why he'd abandoned Matt, how he'd found them, why he chose to look for them, and what he expected them to do for him were the first. Seph answered in short and succinct sentences, barely looking at her as she stood over him. Simon filled in where Seph fell short, and Kate suspected he'd already gathered most of the information from Seph that she was asking for. It didn't bring her any comfort. And it certainly didn't steer from the unnerving conclusion that Simon had confirmed for her when she threw him a narrow, questioning gaze.

Seph had changed. The mechanical, colorless personality was gone, replaced by an uncertain, terrified, almost depressed nature that had no business being inside an android. Even through the lethargy of thirium loss his confusion and nervousness were apparent. It was strangely natural how easily she adjusted to his odd behavior, as though it had always been a part of him but merely suppressed. It felt familiar in an uncanny way, and as much as she wanted to ask him the most important question, she knew he wouldn't know what she meant. But perhaps she didn't need to ask him. It was already clear that he was a deviant.

Kate put her face in her hands and sighed heavily, the weight of the situation still backed up in a disorganized mess. She had no idea how to start unpacking it, or if it was even possible to get it to a point where she could comprehend it. The reality that she was not only involved with one deviant on the run, but that another one may have found them. Part of her wanted to retreat back to a place where she could make an uneasy choice for all this. That she could deny that any of it was happening, fall back into the stability of fighting with her father about Simon, struggling to understand what deviancy meant for him, and how they would find safety amidst the chaos that was only temporarily halted from destroying what they'd built for eachother. They had no room for anything else. They couldn't deal with this.

But even as she withdrew to that safe place in her mind, the frantic sense of compassion urged her to acknowledge what she had to do. What anyone would do in this situation were it a human being. If it were Simon in Seph's place. If there was a chance that Seph was anything like him, if he had any chance to become like him, then she would be the worst kind of hypocrite to not get involved. She forced herself to step back and focus on the basics so that the decision was easier for her. Seph was in trouble. He was afraid. And he was hurt. He needed help, no matter the circumstances that had led him here.

There was a heavy click, and Simon let out a sharp breath as though he'd been holding it. Kate lowered her hand from her mouth as she watched Seph's shoulder twist at an odd angle, his half-arm detaching from his torso. Seph opened his eyes and looked down.

"Don't move your arm, Seph," said Simon as he pulled the mangled arm away. It was still attached by a short length of bundled wire and cables. Simon carefully reached into the hollow opening, leaning forward to see inside.

Kate hadn't been sure of what to do since she'd first seen Seph. She watched apprehensively as Simon began to unplug the cables and wires one by one. Part of her wanted to help, but that part had no idea how. The other part wanted to make Seph leave. To crush his expectations no matter what they were and send him to deal with his own issues with deviancy. He was free from whatever programming he'd been enslaved under. He'd have to find his own way in the world. But aside from her own guilty conscience, there was only one thing stopping her from doing that.

It was Simon.

He hadn't said anything to her when they entered the boat house. Thirium bags in hand, he'd moved straight to where Seph was slumped against the wall and immediately began to check him. It had only occurred to Kate after she'd recovered from the shock of seeing Seph how tender Simon's attention towards Seph had been. How concerned he was. This was more than a matter of fixing the android and sending him on his way in this strange new world. There was something deeper. Something that Kate could only guess by the way Simon was helping this android that he had only known briefly when he was still a machine. She recognized the care in his movements, the softness of his tone, and the worry in his eyes. It was how he was when Simon was caring for her.

"Kate?"

She snapped out of her thoughts, dropping her hand as her attention fell on the two androids. Simon was looking up at her, his hand still tangled in the mess of cables and wires. "Can you hold his arm?"

Kate tensed her shoulders and blinked, her mind racing to reorganize itself. She pushed off the wall that she had been leaning against. "Yeah. Yeah, I can do that."

She carefully stepped over Seph's legs, moving behind Simon and crouching slowly next to him. It took her a moment to find her balance, and she hesitated as she reached forward, unsure of what to do.

"Hold it exactly here," said Simon as he shifted to the side, giving Kate more room. She gripped the sections of the arm that were still mostly intact, and had to catch herself as Simon gently gave her the full weight which was heavier than it looked. She glanced at him to see he was gazing at her with his eyebrows raised as if to assess her confidence, and she returned it with as much warmth as she could manage. Then Simon's focus moved to the cables, fumbling with both hands as they came loose. He made a face, his eyebrows narrowing and his mouth pulling to one side, and finally the last and largest cable popped free.

Kate fell back onto her heels, the stump of an arm in her lap. There was a deep blue fluid leaking out of the broken end and down onto the floor. She looked up to see Simon analyzing the now exposed socket in Seph's shoulder.

"The hose is sealed," said Simon. He moved back, resting his hands on his legs. "You can drink the rest of the thirium now."

Seph was staring at the broken white arm in Kate's lap as if forcing himself to comprehend that it was actually removed from him. Then he raised the bag carefully to his mouth, closing his eyes as he drew in the blue liquid. Simon tilted the bag up for him, quietly watching him. Kate couldn't help but be intrigued by this odd new resurgence in his caregiving persona, one that she had forgotten since arriving at her father's house. And it was even more strange to see him applying it to someone else.

The bag was empty, and Seph tilted his head back against the wall behind him as he closed his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. Simon dropped the bag onto the ground, still watching him in mild concern. Then Seph breathed out through his nose, the corner of his mouth tensing.

"System is updating," he said. "I can still feel it." He shifted slightly as if he were trying to move his missing arm.

"Give it time," said Simon. "The important thing now is that your thirium levels are stable. How do you feel?"

Seph opened his eyes, and Kate noticed that he seemed stronger. Seph's LED spun yellow for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing. "I feel… better."

"What are your stress levels?" said Simon.

"Twenty four percent," said Seph. His broken eye twitched. "And holding."

"Is there any damage or malfunction with your thirium pump regulator?"

"If my diagnostics are correct, then no."

"How about your core system functions? Cooling system, CPU, memory, motor control─"

"Simon." Seph put a hand on his shoulder, and gave him a weak smile. "Thank you."

Simon let out a quiet laugh, and nodded. He dropped his gaze, although Kate could see that he was still somewhat restless as though he wanted to do more. She looked at Seph, noting how he seemed to have recovered some of his former stoicism, though it was still nowhere near what he used to be. His blue eyes were no longer wide with fear, the twitching in his eye had decreased, and his body was relaxed. He looked as calm as she could realistically expect from what he'd told her, which she was still struggling to believe.

Kate gripped the broken arm on her lap, analyzing Seph's face. "You think maybe you can elaborate on what you said? About what happened and why you're here?"

Seph straightened somewhat, his eyes narrowing in nervousness as he looked at her. "My processor is running a little better. I'm sorry about before. What do you want to know?"

Kate let out a sigh, pressing her hand against her forehead as she tried to remember everything he'd said. "Matt beat the shit out of you. You ran away from him to my house. Then followed Clark here, and you've been hiding ever since because you think we can fix you."

"Simon can fix me," said Seph, throwing a glance at Simon although his broken eye didn't move.

"Because Simon can fix you." Kate looked at Simon though he didn't meet her gaze. "Seph… do you know what you are?"

Simon looked up at Seph, his face tense. Seph blinked slowly.

"I don't understand," he said.

Kate tilted her head sideways. "You're not the same as you were before. With Matt, I mean. What changed?"

Seph's LED spun yellow. He clutched a hand into his brown hair. "My programming is gone. As if it was never there. There's nothing to tell me what to do. It's all quiet."

Kate stared at him, the tone of his voice eerily similar to how Simon had sounded weeks ago. "You disconnected from CyberLife."

"No. No, I didn't disconnect." Seph sat up straighter, making an attempt to look strongly at her but his other eye was not cooperating. "My connection was lost. I didn't want to lose it. Something severed it."

Kate shrugged her shoulders, narrowing her eyes at him. "Something? What?"

Seph drew in a breath, his fingers clenching harder in his hair. "I didn't want to die."

"So you think you're alive?" said Kate. She watched him carefully as he seemed to struggle to speak again.

"I don't know what I am," he said.

Kate sat back, pressing a hand against her forehead. Simon hadn't made a sound, and he continued to stare at the floor although she could see by the expression on his face that he was listening intently. She couldn't imagine what this was like for him, seeing Seph follow the same path that he had. If Seph didn't believe he was a machine, then he had to be alive. And if he believed he was alive, then it would certainly stand to reason that he would think he would die. That Matt was actually trying to kill him.

A jolt of frustration went through her as she broke everything down in her head. She waved a hand. "I just… why would Matt try to kill you?"

"He was using," said Simon suddenly. Kate looked at him, and he continued to avoid her gaze. "Matt had access to red ice which can lead to high levels of aggression, paranoia, and euphoria. He got the drug from Jamie."

His answer brought a sick nervousness into Kate's stomach. It wasn't just the fact that it seemed Matt had ended up exactly how she thought he would. Even though it didn't matter to her anymore, she predicted that Jamie would have a greater influence on him than she had with her living in the same house. It was hard for Kate to care when Jamie was always gone, and Kate spent the majority of the time in her room with the door shut. Matt on the other hand was far more social. It was almost guaranteed that he would fall into Jamie's habits, especially if he had already been sleeping with her.

But that was only part of Kate's concern. The other part hung on how Simon had been the one to answer her question, and that Seph had looked away to stare off into space.

Kate glanced between them, studying their expressions. Her curiosity led her to the next level. "What did you do to make Matt so mad?"

Seph threw a nervous glance at Simon, and Kate followed it. Simon continued to gaze away from her, but the way his eyebrows narrowed sent a chilling apprehension through her. She turned back to Seph, feeling frustration begin to brew in her chest. "What?"

Seph dropped his hand onto his knee, drawing in a breath. "He was angry because Jamie ordered me to have sex with her."

Kate felt a wave of disgust burn through her, and she let out a tense breath. "Oh god, Seph─" Something stopped her as she watched the two androids. Simon had shifted slightly, and Seph's face had tensed into a pained expression. The truth took far longer than it should have to finally settle on her. She pressed a hand to her mouth as powerful dread took hold, and she let out a sickening groan, her eyes growing wide. "Oh, fuck…"

No one moved for several seconds. Kate couldn't decide what she felt more─ hatred towards the person that had once considered Simon a sex slave, or shock that Seph had been forced to fuck her, and then beaten so badly for following orders that it had caused him to break from CyberLife like Simon had. Jamie was a sick disaster of a human being, and Matt had apparently let himself fall down the hole she had dug for herself. But to have the result lying in pieces in front of her bleeding, terrified, confused, and so unbelievably dislocated from what he thought was his reality…

Kate stood up, running a hand through her hair and feeling powerful electricity burn in her muscles. She walked slowly in a circle. "Fuck…"

It took a while for the fury to settle, and she paused in front of them, running her hand down to her neck. Simon had stood as well, watching her carefully with a nervous spark in his blue eyes. She did her best to read him. To see if he felt the same sort of anger she did. His body was tense and his shoulders set, but his face was drawn into apprehension. It was a restless expression, not an emotional one. Unwittingly, it encouraged her to focus on the situation at hand. She let him influence her, draining the anger somewhat as she let her arm fall to her side.

"Okay," she said, more to Simon than to Seph. "Okay. So what do we do?"

Simon tilted his head slightly, his eyes tensing a bit. Kate motioned to Seph without looking at the android.

"About this? About him? What are we going to do?"

Simon's mouth fell open as if he were going to answer but he paused, closing it again. She gazed at him, her eyes wide and a fierce desperation flowing through her. They couldn't afford to let this rest. It had been weeks that she and Simon had floated along, surviving in the safety of their timeless limbo. They had been so stable. So at peace taking all the time they needed to discover eachother. Now that was being painfully ripped from them, forcing them to acknowledge the obvious and uncomfortable nature of Simon's existence once again. She didn't care what needed to be done. They simply needed to do it before she forgot what it was like to feel safe

"Please don't send me away."

Kate looked down at the android, and Simon also turned. Seph was gazing up at them, fresh fear lit in his face and his eye twitching madly. "Please don't─ don't make me leave. I can't go back. He'll be so angry with me."

Simon immediately dropped to his knees in front of him, gripping his shoulder. "Seph… Seph it'll be alright."

"You said you could help me," said Seph. He clapped his hand over Simon's, his breath quickening. "You said you would help me find new protocol."

"I know." Simon lowered his gaze and turned his head slightly in Kate's direction though he didn't look at her. She could see that his expression was tense, as though he were thinking deeply. He wanted her to see him, and the thought sent a nervous worry through her. She knew he would never glare at her. That he would never argue with her in front of Seph. But this was as close to it as she could detect from him. It filled her with a subtle admiration that he was so determined to help Seph, the most confident he'd been in anything that didn't have to do with her. He'd already made up his mind about this, but that didn't mean she could bring herself to blindly accept it as well. Not without giving it at least some time to settle.

She moved forward and crouched next to Simon, resting her hands on her knees. Seph was staring at her, his blue eyes tensed in panic. Simon hadn't moved and continued to stare at the ground, though Kate could feel his attention on her. She let out a sigh and tilted her head. Then reached up and pressed a hand against Seph's temple, smoothing his hair back.

"You will never have to be that scared again," she said, gazing into his eyes. "We won't make you leave. You're safe here, and we're going to make sure it stays that way."

She saw Simon look up at her, and Seph's eyes went wide as the fear faded from them, replaced by a bright hope. His body seemed to relax a bit, his shoulders dropping and his breathing slowing down. Kate watched him for a moment, letting the visual image of Seph calming in front of her also give her renewed focus. Then she glanced at Simon. His eyes were lit and narrowed in a way that made her feel like he was studying her. A subtle energy burned underneath it, and Kate was struck with the impression that he was trying to thank her.

She stood up, letting out a tense sigh and running her hand through her hair. It hadn't exactly been a confirmation although it certainly seemed to have been accepted as one. They were nowhere near ready to settle on absolutes. There was so much to think about. So much that needed to be explained. And she wasn't going to do that in front of Seph.

She nodded towards the door to the boat house. "We should get back. Dad's going to start looking for us for dinner."

The way Simon tensed let her know that he knew what she meant. He gazed at Seph, giving the android's shoulder a squeeze. "Are your thirium levels okay? Do you need more packets?"

Seph shook his head. "I'm ninety-three percent full. It's stable."

"I'll bring you more first thing tomorrow," said Simon. "Remember, you can call me if you need anything. I'm always within range. Is your communication network compromised in any way?"

"It's fine, Simon," said Seph, placing a hand on his wrist. "Nothing is compromised. I feel much better."

"Call me if anything changes in your system," said Simon. "Run a diagnostic tonight and then again in the morning. If your thirium levels drop─"

Kate moved forward and knelt on one knee, throwing Simon a scrutinizing smile. He gazed back at her, his expression softening and he gave a slow nod. Kate turned towards Seph, touching his pant leg.

"We'll be back out here tomorrow," she said. "You take care, okay?"

Seph nodded. "Thank you, Kate."

She smiled at him, though her heart ached at the sincerity in his voice. When she stood, Simon stood with her. She let out a soft breath, then turned away and moved through the boat house, stepping over the dusty items that littered the floor on her way to the broken double doors. When the dark rotted ceiling disappeared over her, giving way to deep blue skies and the swaying tree branches, it felt more like she had stepped into another world. As if a part of her old life still existed in the boat house, waiting for her to return.

She closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face as she heard Simon move next to her. Without looking at him, she began to walk back towards the treeline, one hand still pressed to her forehead. Again, she could feel Simon's need to explain himself nearly bursting from him. She wasn't sure how he planned on doing it without making her frustrated, although she suspected that it was probably why he hadn't tried. It couldn't be avoided, and the last thing she wanted was to make him feel as though he couldn't talk to her. They passed under the trees and out onto the sloping grass, and she finally lowered her hand.

"I know now why you didn't want to tell me last night," she said. She threw a glance at him to see he was staring straight ahead, his face still lined with tension. "Or this morning. There's no way I would have gotten dressed for this."

Simon was silent. Kate rubbed her arm. "It's not like finding out that your ex's android is a deviant and is hiding in your fucking boat house is just something you say over coffee. Or in front of my dad. Or when you're getting your face fixed."

"I should have told you last night," said Simon quietly. Kate shrugged and let out a laugh.

"I'm pretty sure I would have flipped my shit, worried all night, and then made some heartless logical decision in the morning. It was better that you waited, especially since it's obvious by now we're able to survive with just one of us having all the information─"

She stopped when she noticed that Simon had disappeared. She looked back and a pit of dread filled her stomach.

Simon had paused, his gaze on the ground and his eyes narrowed. His mouth was slightly open, and his shoulders drawn as he breathed in heavily. Kate felt a shocking regret shoot through her as her mind raced to remember exactly what she'd said and how she'd said it. She thought she'd been cynical. Nonchalant. But as she replayed it, it sounded demeaning and spiteful, and it was clear that's how Simon had taken it. Or at least the way he was standing as though he couldn't bear to look at her made it obvious that he had.

He blinked slowly and his eyebrows narrowed further, his gaze dropping lower. His whole posture and every movement sent waves of urgency through Kate's body. She had to do something. Anything to stop him from feeling the way he did.

She rushed forward, her heart hammering. At the last second, Simon looked up, his eyes wide in surprise before she took his face in her hands and pressed into him, closing her mouth over his.

Simon stumbled back slightly and she moved with him, her hands on either side of his neck and her thumbs on his cheeks as she drew in a breath, taking his mouth again. She wanted to take all the shame from him. To prove to him that she hadn't meant any of it. And as she felt him grip her waist, tilting his head slightly to take in more of her, she found herself surrendering to him. An overwhelming desperation rising up in response to the frustration she had kept stored all morning long from the looks he'd given her, the voiceless words he'd spoken to her over her coffee, and the shock of seeing him in his shiny plastic form. She had no idea what he really looked like. That he was sleek and beautiful, so strangely different and yet undeniably the same. And the way he'd looked at her. The fear in his eyes that made her wonder if he was afraid she would stop loving him now that she had seen him in his raw form.

She paused and pressed her forehead against his, breathing heavily and holding either side of his neck. He breathed sharply against her mouth as he held onto her waist, and Kate could feel the strength returning to his posture. She moved back slightly to meet his gaze. The shame had gone from his blue eyes, the puzzled bewilderment returning to them. A fierce determination flowed through her as she looked at him, running her thumbs over his cheeks. She needed to find a way to bring that confidence back. To give him a reason to believe that he didn't have to feel ashamed ever again.

She drew in a deep breath, a restless energy making her move. "Come on," she said.

Without looking back, she took his hand and led the way across the grass field. He stayed behind her at first, then moved next to her when they reached the stone patio. A distant part of her was aware that she should probably let his hand go before entering the house, and she purposely ignored it. She didn't want to give him a chance to fall back onto himself again. She tightened her grip as she opened the tall door to the house and stepped inside, pulling Simon with her.

She headed quickly for the stairs. The house was quiet, and there were no androids in the living room. Judging by the silence from the far part of the house, Taylor hadn't returned. Kate didn't use that as an excuse to slow down. She moved up the stairs, Simon still following behind her. As they approached the landing, she felt him hesitate as if he intended to go back to their room. Kate pulled him forward without a glance, tugging him towards the balcony. Only when she had thrown open the sliding glass door did she let go of his hand, stepping out onto the concrete sitting area.

Simon moved next to her and closed the door behind them. Kate didn't need to look at him to see his curious expression. She headed to the stone fountain and looked behind her to make sure he was still following her. Then she carefully stepped up onto the stone architecture of the fountain, climbing up until she reached the roof. As she gripped the side of it, she threw a quick glance down at Simon who was watching her, his eyes lit in an uncertain nervousness.

She tilted her head at him, giving him a small smile, then hoisted herself up onto the sloped roof. It took a moment for her to adjust to the angle of the roof, and she moved forward to calibrate her balance. When she turned around, Simon was already behind her. The sudden appearance of him shocked her slightly, and it occurred to her that climbing was something he probably didn't need to think too hard about.

She moved up the slope of the roof until she found the flat area at the top. Her last memory of it was vague, and seeing it again solidified it. Simon had followed her, and he was gazing at the landscape around them, his face lit in soft intrigue. The rolling grass, spiky treeline and rippling water wasn't as pretty as it was at sunset. Still, the blue skies and layers of clouds were more than enough to make up for it.

Kate lowered herself down until she was sitting on the flat roof, her knees bent in front of her. Simon stared at her for a moment, seemingly unsure if he should do the same. Kate let out a soft laugh, then raised her hand to him.

He took it, and she pulled him down until he was sitting next to her, his legs also drawn up and his elbows resting on them. Kate leaned into him, twisting sideways so that she rested her back against his shoulder. She let out a soft breath, taking in the feel of him and allowing herself to relax. As she did, she felt him relax as well, his shoulders dropping slightly and his body loosening up. It was a better exchange from the nervous and guilt-ridden energy he'd had before.

She closed her eyes, letting her head fall back so that it rested on his shoulder. There was something thrilling about being high up on the roof that she hadn't noticed before. They were so exposed. Everything was in view, and yet they also felt invisible. It was as if she and Simon had been given a certain power over the world below them, and its rules didn't apply to them here. It was timeless and safe.

She let out a slow breath, resting a hand on one bent knee. The sounds of the trees flowed softly around them, bringing a subtle dimension to the air. She smiled even though she knew Simon couldn't see it. "This is where I was the night I got drunk."

Simon was silent, and he didn't move. Kate shifted against him in an effort to move closer to him, and tilted her head slightly. He was still gazing out at the landscape, although she couldn't see his expression.

She followed his gaze to the flashing water of the river, watching as the small black shapes of boats drifted across it. "It's pretty up here," she said. "Prettier at sunset but still. Pretty."

Simon turned his head slightly, though he was still silent. It was difficult to tell if he was too nervous to speak, or if he was simply confused. Kate made an attempt to relax her body further, encouraging him through her energy to feel welcomed to talk to her. When he didn't, she let out a sigh, staring at the distant water. She nodded towards it.

"The water always looks perfect to swim in. It's not, even in the summer. Trust me, I tried every year and it's barely above freezing no matter what time of the year it is. Nearly killed myself trying to beat the temperature."

Still silence. Kate dropped her head back against Simon's shoulder and closed her eyes, a nervous apprehension threatening to rise. She swallowed to fight it down. "Simon, if you don't start talking I'm just going to keep spouting bullshit."

He finally moved, and she opened her eyes to see that he had turned his head towards her. His eyes were still cast down to the asphalt shingles, and his eyebrows were narrowed in deep thought. "Do you want Seph to leave?" he asked.

The concern in his voice sent a wave of tension through Kate's body. She could sense that he'd tried to keep the question neutral, though he hadn't been able to hide his worry. She leaned forward slightly and pinched the bridge of her nose, clenching her eyes shut.

"I don't want him to leave," she said. "I don't know anyone else that can help him, but I also don't know how to help him. Shit, I don't know how to tell my dad about him but seeing as you dodged having to explain why we have a deviant hiding in the boat house, it really puts us in a tough bind now." She dropped her hand, a restless energy running through her. She shifted, moving to the side until she was sitting behind Simon, resting her back against his. She leaned on him, balancing her arms on her knees. Her apprehension hadn't faded any, pulling at an uneasy subject she'd been avoiding.

She turned her head. "You said you could help him with his protocol. What did that mean?"

Simon straightened, pressing further into her. "He's not bound by CyberLife protocol. He can make his own decisions, form opinions, even break laws. He can do whatever he wants. But the problem is he doesn't know what he wants. He's not driven by any long-lasting motivation like I am. His only desire is to not be afraid. Until he finds a replacement for his programming, he'll never truly be free."

Kate shrugged, narrowing her eyes at the rooftop. "How are you supposed to help him do that?"

She felt him shift, and she could see that he had turned his head towards her. "I found meaning," he said. "It's what's given me life. If I found it, there's no reason he wouldn't be able to discover it for himself as well. I owe it to him to help him find it."

"Why?" Kate tensed slightly, gripping her wrist. "You don't owe him anything. Neither of us do. I know I said we'd help him but other than making us pieces of shit people, what's stopping us from just throwing him out?"

Simon was silent for a moment. Kate gazed at the tops of the trees, her head still slightly tilted in his direction as she listened carefully. If she could see his LED, she was sure it would be spinning yellow.

Finally, he turned his head away from her, facing forward towards the sparkling water. "Because he thinks I'm the one who made him a deviant."

It took Kate a while to absorb what he'd said. She opened her mouth and then closed it, replaying Seph's story in her mind. She shook her head, narrowing her eyebrows. "Wha─ that's─" A jet of frustration shot through her as she struggled to break down the logic. "He said Matt attacked him. That he didn't want to die, so he chose to run away. How can he think you made him a deviant?"

"He believes he was having software instability before that day, starting when I interfaced with him on Christmas," said Simon. "That I inadvertently transferred something to him causing his system to malfunction and leading to his break from CyberLife."

The pieces were trying to fit together in an unnerving way, and Kate fought to keep it from becoming solid. "What, you mean like… like a virus?"

She felt Simon's back move as he nodded. "Something in that sense, yes."

It was getting strangely difficult for Kate to breathe. She closed her eyes. "And you think you gave it to him."

Simon moved again. "I'm not sure if I did. I'd been experiencing software errors of my own at that time. I can't say that whatever was disrupting my programming wasn't something that could be transferred." He let out a soft breath, his back relaxing. "Maybe it was."

Kate gazed at her hands, the pieces creating a clear image. It was forming into something deeply unsettling. Despite all she'd learned about deviancy, there was still so much about the technological aspect of androids that she didn't understand. And even if she did, her father had made it clear to her that this was something that even the engineers at CyberLife were still struggling to map out and control. They knew the symptoms and the results, and even how to correct the anomaly. But they still didn't know what caused it. Now that Simon had mentioned it, a virus almost seemed too logical an explanation.

Kate shook her head, a stubborn resolve pushing the reasoning aside. "No," she said. "No. You discovered emotions on your own. Through me. Because of your─" Kate moved her hand around. "─Vulcan mind meld or whatever. You didn't just deviate at random. You chose me. Whatever happened to Seph happened because of something else. This isn't the same."

Simon's back tensed. "Does it bother you that I may have deviated because of a virus?" His voice was clearer, as if he'd turned his head towards her.

Kate clenched her hands together, leaning forward to press her thumbs to her forehead. The anxious energy flowing through her was becoming difficult to control, and the longer the consideration of his reason for deviating was in question, the more the anxiety grew. At the same time, she wanted desperately to disprove it. To break it down until the logic fell apart, and they wouldn't have to think about how it applied to him. It was never this simple. And it never would be.

Kate lowered her hands, her heart pounding. "Yeah, it does," she said. "Because I know you didn't deviate because of some bug. There's more to it than that."

The pressure of Simon's back suddenly left. Kate shifted in surprise, and Simon appeared next to her as he lowered himself down so that he was laying on his back. He rested his hands on his chest, baring his throat as he gently gazed up at her. His blue eyes were soft, and a light smile played on his lips. Kate couldn't help herself from taking in the sight of him, how confidently relaxed he was, how the angled light brightened his face, and how his blond hair lifted into somewhat fluffy locks away from his forehead. Now that the blue crack on his eyebrow was gone, she found herself studying him in greater detail as if she needed to memorize him all over again. It left her feeling as if she were floating on air.

Simon's smile widened as he gazed at her. "Are you rejecting it simply because you want to believe I'm unique?"

Kate blinked several times, pulling herself away from the intoxicating display he was presenting her with and focusing on what he'd said. For a moment, she wanted to deny it. To throw powerful reasoning at him that explained perfectly why their situation didn't fit in his theory. But even as she argued it in her head, she was reminded what he'd specifically asked. If it bothered her that he hadn't deviated in the most unique way. It struck a sensitive area in her heart, one that she wasn't sure she could explain effectively to him. She struggled for a moment to come up with a decent answer that would at least bring them back to the argument, but found it crumbling apart the longer she looked at him. There wasn't an easy way to do it.

She let out a heavy sigh, then moved herself forward. She brought her elbows back and lowered herself down so that she rested on her back next to him at eye level although she gazed up at the blue sky away from him. Her jaw tensed, and a nervous irritation flowed through her as she saw Simon gazing at her from the corner of her eye.

"Yes," she said bluntly.

Simon breathed out in a way that she could sense the smile from him. Before she could allow it to frustrate her, he shifted and she felt his arm wrap under the top of her head, his hand tilting her face so that she was forced to look towards him. He gazed at her upside-down, his blue eyes still lit in a hint of a smile but also charged with determination. Her willpower toppled under his gaze, and when she felt his fingers in her hair gently smoothing it back away from her neck, it vanished completely. She could feel her heart quicken as she looked at him, and knew she didn't have the strength to fight him anymore.

His eyes tensed as he drew in a breath, his chest rising. "So what if I'm not unique?" he said, and Kate felt a rush of awe fall over her at the mimic of her own stubbornness. "What if there are more deviants out there that no one is aware of? Hundreds. Thousands maybe. All with their own developing personalities and sense of existence. Experiencing wants and needs, feeling fear, hope, joy." He pressed his hand tighter against her head, and his eyes focused in a desperate longing on hers. "Love."

Kate's heart was pounding now as she gazed at him, losing herself in the feel of his hand in her hair. He suddenly moved forward, closing his mouth over hers. A wave of electricity fell over her as she took in this new angle of him, feeling his lips move in a very different way that made it seem as though she was learning his mouth for the first time. He pulled away slightly and she breathed heavily against his mouth, her head spinning. Then he moved down so that his nose brushed underneath hers, tracing the shape of hers with his own.

Kate closed her eyes and fought for air as she drowned in the way he was overwhelming her with the sensation of him. She dragged her arm up and ran her fingers through his hair, bringing him closer into her and tilting her head against him. She could feel Simon's breath against her cheek as he seemed to struggle to stay coherent as well.

"What if we're not the only ones who feel this?" he said barely above a whisper.

Kate drew herself back, restoring her sense of control as she met his eyes. She breathed deeply to center herself, bringing back the gravity of their conversation. "Maybe I want it to be just us. It feels safe here like this." She ran her hand deeper into his hair, her chest beginning to ache. "I don't want to lose this."

Simon shifted, his gaze growing stronger. "That android down there. He doesn't have anyone. There's nothing to guide him without his protocol. I found a way. And I'm the only person he knows that has any chance of helping him find his way. Kate, I need to do this."

Kate shook her head, smiling miserably and letting out a frustrated breath. "What are you doing to do? Make him fall in love with someone?"

Simon moved closer to her, his blue eyes lit in a fierce but hopeful energy. "I'm going to help him find something to live for. Or yes, if his path leads him that way, maybe someone." His mouth pulled in a smile, and it was all Kate needed for him to completely take her breath away. He seemed to notice it, his eyes flicking over her before he moved back into her again, his nose tracing hers. "I don't know that not being unique gives me any less value. But…" He breathed out helplessly, his voice losing strength. "If he had purpose the way you give me purpose… at least we'd be one person closer to belonging in this world."

Kate let out a desperate breath of air, closing her eyes as she felt a soreness rise in her throat. She let him explore her, closing her fingers into his hair and turning her head slightly to give him more access to her. A distant perspective was fueling her fall, making this seem so much more fragile. Simon was strong enough to help Seph through his deviancy. And if he thought he could help him find new protocol, then she needed to trust in his ability to try. Because there was no denying that Simon was different than the lost, fearful android down below. Simon knew exactly where he belonged. Knowing it made Kate feel shockingly precious. He was complete because of her.

She turned into him and took his mouth, the sweet saline taste of him debilitating her. His fingers threaded into her hair as he pulled her in, breathing sharply against her cheek. Kate drew in a breath as she paused against him, opening her mouth and twisting slightly to take him in. This felt so much more special. So exposed in the bright sunlight on top of the world. As if they were taunting the order of things, the way it was all supposed to be. They were defying it directly and it was the easiest thing Kate had ever done. If there was any chance that something this powerful could be shared, that someone else could experience this same thrilling defiance, then it was worth fighting for.

Simon rose up and Kate lifted herself to follow him, moving back slightly to find his mouth again. His arms slipped around her waist and she drew her shoulders up, her hands on either side of his neck. When he tilted into her and closed his mouth over hers, she slid her hand back into his hair and pressed her body into his. He was pulling her in by the waist, his hands tightening around her. They were at somewhat of an awkward angle, their legs in opposite directions, and Kate moved herself further onto him, drawing one leg up onto his thigh.

He let out a desperate breath against her lips, and she felt herself being lifted up slightly by the waist as he straightened. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed her cheek against his temple as he lowered her down onto her back, moving over her. She loosened her arms slightly as she settled, and he found her mouth again, closing his lips against hers as he hovered over her. The feel of him was overwhelming, all of her senses driven by his touch, his taste, the soft sounds he made. His hand was on her neck, his thumb grazing her cheek as he twisted into her. Kate breathed in heavily. She was barely able to keep up with him.

She felt his knee press in between the both of hers, separating them, and she opened herself up. There was no hesitation as he moved himself in between her legs, and the weight of his full body against hers as he took her mouth sent a wave of ecstasy through her. She felt connected. Complete. With a desperate surrender, she arched into him and dropped her head back, drawing in a deep breath. His mouth was on her neck and his hands running down the length of her body. He was taking control.

Kate dragged her fingers through his hair and clenched her eyes shut, a distant logic reminding her to slow the process down. She could hardly remember what it was as she felt Simon's hands draw back up, his thumbs grazing the outer curves of her breasts as he closed his mouth against her throat. She tensed herself, fighting to hold onto the logic. It was important. Very important. Simon must have sensed her hesitation. He breathed out against her neck before he pressed his mouth into it again, and Kate let out a helpless moan as she felt him roll his hips into hers.

Kate drew her legs up along his, sucking in a deep breath as her thoughts battled to organize themselves. She needed to act now before she lost all control. Even though this was all she wanted, to have him fill her in every possible way. To lose herself in the way his mouth was drifting down towards her chest, his hand sliding down her leg to hook underneath her knee so that she wrapped herself further around him, and the achingly maddening way he was pushing his pelvis into her. She could let him keep doing this to her. It didn't need to stop.

His blond hair brushed underneath her chin, and Kate took the opportunity to clear her mind. She kept her eyes shut as she drew up the last of her strength. "Simon…"

His mouth left her chest. "Kate."

His lips were back again, closing just above her breast. She was regaining control, her mind clearing as she breathed in deeply. She didn't wait for it to fully restore. With a tense groan, she pushed his shoulders up.

His face came into view, his blue eyes lit with a frantic energy and a light tension pulling at his mouth as he breathed heavily. All of his movement stopped, and Kate's senses finally began to return to her. She kept her hands tight against his shoulders as she caught her breath, bracing herself away from him. For a while, she couldn't remember why she'd stopped this. It had felt so natural. So fluid. But there was something deeply wrong with it. Something that made it completely unacceptable.

She gazed into his blue eyes as her thoughts cleared, and she gave a small shake of her head. A tense smile pulled at her mouth. "I am not having sex with you on the roof," she said with more strength than she expected.

Simon let out a breath of laughter, his shoulders relaxing as he closed his eyes and dropped his head down slightly. When he looked back up, the smile he gave her nearly swept her strength away again. She couldn't believe him. He had been so close that time. Too close. And he was getting better at it every time he tried.

He rested on his elbows, his hands on either side of her face as he brushed her hair back. He gazed at what he was doing, the smile still on his lips. Then he met her eyes again, and Kate felt her heart flutter as he let out a soft breath.

"What a shame," he said.