WARNING:
Graphic theme in this chapter regarding attempted sexual assault and successful physical assault of a supporting character. Please skip if such a topic is too uncomfortable for your reading pleasure and see the "TLDR" down at the bottom of the chapter. Thank you!
The cold weather had done more damage than either detective had anticipated. The morning after Bruno's impromptu emergency repairs that resulted in Connor and Hank venturing out into the cold weather on foot, Hank awoke with a nasty cough in his chest and a tremendous ache in his head. When his temperature began to rise and his throat became unbearably scratchy, Connor took it upon himself to aid his friend's recovery in the same way that Hank had aided him in the past. As expected, the senior detective was proving himself to be a stubborn patient, but Connor was just as stubborn and willing to put up with Hank's foul mood in order to see his friend make a full recovery.
After making sure Hank had warm, had clean clothes to sleep in and had taken a proper dose of medication, Connor set about diagnosing the man's illness to the best of his ability. His still recalibrating system made his ability to utilize additional software - namely medical analysis and forensic deduction, a particular chore. Connor was still recovering and was still struggling with his basic functions.
...SELF DIAGNOTIC: [Engaged]
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Connor Wolf"
MODEL: RK-800
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 51
ACTIVATION DATE: *January 4th, 2039 [*additional data required to confirm date]
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 00.24"; 162.2 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Brown
ASSIGNMENT: *ERROR
ASSOCIATION(S): Private Detective; Consultant with New Jericho Tower
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Critical data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - ^76.3%
[...Thirium Volume - 88.9%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 60 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 14 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 98.8 Degrees Fahrenheit]
ERROR: Memorybank compromised - ^76.3% Functionality
-STRESS LEVELS: ^20%
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
Despite the fantastic progress in his overall recovery and the number of memories he had managed to reclaim, Connor still couldn't recall anything beyond arriving at the now defunct CyberLife Tower via cab on the night of the Revolution. He had no recollection of what happened inside the tower or the events leading to his decision to go back to the tower in general. His nightmares about Amanda were still a problem, too, but he was finding his own way to overcome such fears by reminding himself that he was free of her control and CyberLife's influence. The only person he needed to answer to was himself.
"You should lay still and try to sleep." Connor urged as he placed a cool washcloth over Hank's too warm forehead. The senior detective was laying in his bed and looked pale, miserable and exhausted. "I'll go and purchase some more beneficial medication and fresh ingredients for a decent meal."
Coughing into the bend of his arm Hank sighed and tried to persuade Connor to remain safe inside the house. "D-Don't go out of your way for me. You need to stay here where it's safe and warm."
"I can handle purchasing a few necessities and return without any issue."
"You're still recovering." Hank countered in a pathetic tone of voice. He sounded as weak as he looked. "You can't risk your health because of me."
"I'm not risking anything."
"Don't go out in the cold."
"I'll wear layers. What I wore yesterday was evidently effective as I'm not ill or suffering from hypothermia."
"Just order the stuff and have it delivered through drones."
"Due to the high volume of orders taking place at this time, our hypothetical order would not arrive for eight hours. It's easier and faster for me to go out on foot and make the necessary purchases."
"I don't like it." Protesting as much as he could Hank tried to get Connor to stay put. "You shouldn't be out there alone with the shooter still on the loose."
"The odds of the shooter noticing my presence while at a grocery store, and making a second attempt against my life, are astronomically low."
"Low, but not zero."
"I'll be fine. You need medication and other necessities to recover." Standing by his decision Connor was adamant in going out to the store for Hank's sake. "I will be able to get what's necessary and return without any incident against my person."
Sighing in response Hank finally backed down and let Connor go about his business. "Just get back here as soon as possible."
"I will do so." Pulling the quilt up higher over Hank's body, Connor made sure his friend was warm and comfortable in his bed. "I'll be back within an hour."
"You better be." Coughing into the quilt Hank urged Connor to remain safe and return to the house as quickly as possible. "Be safe, son."
"I will. Get some sleep and I'll be back before you know it."
Unfortunately, Hank wasn't the only detective suffering from a nasty cold on that frightfully cold winter day. Gavin knew he was going to be sick the day before after getting caught up on the chilly air and had tried to stave off his illness to the best of his ability, but it still wasn't good enough. Waking up feeling feverish, exhausted, nauseated and with a pounding headache made the abrasive detective pine for a week in a coma. The hottest of showers wasn't enough to make his aching muscles feel any better, and no matter how many times he blew his nose the younger man couldn't seem to breathe properly and would be knocked down by the harshest of coughing fits.
Forcing himself to layer up and exit his apartment after navigating around the packed moving boxes strewn about the place, Gavin trudged down the narrow corridor, entered the elevator that tragically smelled of stagnant urine and walked through the parking lot to find his car. The abundance of snow still piled up in the parking lot and the streets made driving impossible and made Gavin feel even worse.
"Ob' course I can'd drive righd' now. Fuck..."
Speaking to himself with a notable stuffy nose only made Gavin feel even worse. He'd have to get to the pharmacy on foot to pick up some cold medicine and then walk back to his apartment with his purchases in hand.
Out of a misplaced sense of guilt Gavin refused to ask Tina for help and made the four block trek on his own. With his hands buried in his pockets and his jacket zipped up to his chin, Gavin tried to burrow down into his clothing as much as possible as he endured the harsh winds and icy air without making himself sicker.
As he neared the shopping plaza Gavin couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched from somewhere unknown. Chalking up the sensation to just being sick, tired and having strong instincts as a cop, Gavin ignored the feeling as he focused on getting to the pharmacy as quickly as possible. The sooner he could buy his medicine the sooner he could return to his apartment to be miserable in peace.
Walking down a narrow alleyway Gavin fixed his gaze on the pharmacy just in the distance and started to make his way toward his salvation. Just as he reached the mouth of the alleyway a strong hand on his shoulder pulled Gavin back into the dark space, and then a strong forearm pinned his back against the wall by pressing against his throat.
"Hey, baby." The offender hissed as he got uncomfortably close to Gavin's face. "Miss me?"
"G-George?!" Gavin's bloodshot eyes widened with fear as he saw the face of his abusive ex-boyfriend looming over him. "What the fuck?!"
"Glad you remember me, because I've never forgotten about you. I've been thinking about you for years, 'Gavvy'." The man was uncomfortably close to Gavin's face and breathing down his neck. The man of interest was six foot in height, respectably built, had pale skin, hollow blue eyes and blond hair that had been buzzed into a military crew-cut. "I told you before that you're mine and I always keep my word. You know you want this..."
"Back off, George!" Struggling to break the taller man's arm away from his throat Gavin's own gray-hazel eyes were wide and filled with a fear that seemed impossible for someone as smug as Gavin to ever exhibit. "We're done and have been done since high school! Get away, now!"
"We're done when I say we're done!" Applying more pressure to Gavin's throat it was clear George had zero respect for Gavin as a person and saw him only as an object. "You got me locked up in 'juvie' and I spent years looking for you after I got out of the army. Now you're going to give me what I want. The principal isn't here to save your sorry ass this time."
"Fuck off!"
"No... Fuck me." Moving his left hand toward Gavin's waist it was clear George was a true predator and about to cross the line in the worst way possible. Moving his hand down toward the belt of Gavin's jeans George was serious about his control issues over Gavin and wanting something from him. "I want you to fuck me like you used to do."
"Get OFF!" Gavin shouted as he tried and failed to get George away from him. Too sick and too weak to fight back, Gavin could only shout in his feeble, shaking voice as George opened the belt on his jeans and unzipped the fly against Gavin's will. "FUCKING STOP!"
"Don't you EVER tell me what to do!" Smacking Gavin across the face George dropped the shorter man with a single strike. The sight of fresh blood pouring from Gavin's broken nose and split lip made George smile with demented satisfaction. "See what happens when you don't obey?"
"Fuck off!" Gavin reached for his gun only to realize he had failed to arm himself before leaving his apartment. Somehow the idea of needing his gun while running out to buy medicine never crossed his mind. "I'm a cop, asshole! I'll make sure you die in prison!"
"You can't do nothing to me!"
"Wanna' bet?" Getting to his knees Gavin tried to get up and fight back, but George grabbed him by his hair and kept him down on the ground. "Get off of me!"
"Only after you get me off..." Snickering at his own crude comment George opened his own belt and unzipped the fly on his own jeans. "Come on, 'Gavvy'. You know how to make me happy, so do it! Do it right now!"
"I said, NO!" Gavin shouted as he moved quickly and punched George right where the man was the most vulnerable. "Get the fuck away!"
George staggered back as he yelped in pain and used both hands to protect his wounded pride. Enraged that Gavin wasn't the weak willed younger man he had abused in high school and was frustrated by Gavin's refusal to give in, George decided to escalate the situation even further. "You little bitch!"
Fighting to get to his feet Gavin found himself slipping on the icy ground as his legs shook with adrenaline and his eyes watered from his nose being broken. He barely had the strength to stand upright, let alone right off his assailant.
"You need to remember your place." Reaching toward the back of his belt George pulled a knife out for Gavin to see and taunted the wounded, sick man with the offensive weapon. "You're going to do what I want, or so help me-"
"HEY!" Moving into the alleyway an unexpected savior glared George down as he managed to stand just a little taller than the dangerous person and grab onto George's right wrist in such a strong grip that the helpful rescuer could feel and hear the bones fracturing under his hand as George's grip weakened to the point where he dropped the knife in the snow at his feet. "What's your problem? He told you to back off!"
Gavin rubbed his right hand over his bloody nose as he frantically stood beside Connor and coughed once as he found his voice. "Sh-Shit... Never thought I'd be h-happy to see you!"
George was biting at his lower lip and trying to not yelp in pain for a second as Connor easily held him back. "H-Hey, mind your own busi-"
"No, I won't." Refusing to let up Connor kept George firmly secured in his grasp. "You actively assaulting an officer of the law is something I will never look away from."
"F-Fucking... You're a, AAGH, HEY?!" Feeling Connor's grip tightening even further George knew his wrist had been fractured and was seconds away from being completely snapped in half if Connor applied any more pressure. "LET GO!"
"I will do so AFTER the police arrive to arrest you."
Gavin didn't want to deal with George for any longer than necessary, let alone face his fellow officers looking as pathetic as he did, and stepped up to stop things from getting any worse. "Let him go. He ain't worth the paperwork."
Giving Gavin a confused look Connor contemplated his request and slowly let go of George's wrist as he respected the detective's response. "...Very well."
Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to mess with Gavin as he had planned, George cradled his fractured right wrist to his chest as he tucked his tail between his legs and shot Gavin a truly venomous stare. Backing away George shook his head and gave the abrasive detective a parting threat. "We're not done here."
"Yes we are." Gavin reiterated in a firm tone as he refused to back down and be a victim again. Picking up the dropped knife from the ground Gavin decided to use it as evidence against the man if George tried to do anything to him a second time. "Go get your shit together and grow the fuck up! This isn't high school anymore and you can't control people with fear. Get some damn help!"
Connor watched George cower away and didn't move until it was safe to leave the area. Staying in the alleyway until George reached the other end and disappeared from sight, Connor looked to Gavin in a concerned manner. "You're injured."
"I'm fine." Blushing a little Gavin dropped his hand from his throat and zipped up his pants and belt, before he zipped jacket a little higher to conceal the bruise forming around his throat. "I had that handled just 'bine by myself."
"I'm aware." Lying for the abrasive detective's sense of dignity Connor walked out of the alleyway and back to the parking lot with Gavin surprisingly enough tagging right along with him. "But it helps that I am a witness when it comes to reporting his assault and verbal threats."
"Yeah, well... Whatever." Sniffling a little Gavin wiped off the blood from his face onto his jacket sleeve as he tried to regain his composure. "George means nothing to me, and I hab'ent seen hib' in years." Congestion was filling his words as his nose swelled shut and made his cold all the worse. "Wid' any luck dat'll be the last 'dime for the rest of 'by life."
"I presume he's an ex-boyfriend."
Defensive and snippy Gavin barked at Connor in a cold manner. "So what if he is?"
"Nothing." Giving Gavin a somewhat perplexed response Connor struggled to understand why he was being so sensitive over his past relationship. "I was merely making an observation."
"You damn deviants and your observations..."
"You're also ill." Connor noted as he ran a biometric scan over Gavin's vital signs. Not only was Gavin's heart racing from adrenaline, but his blood pressure was higher than average, and his body temperature was alarmingly high despite being surrounded by the harshly cold weather. "You should see a doctor." The sight of Gavin's broken nose was its own separate concern that would need to be treated soon. "You've suffered significant damage to the upper lateral cartilage of your nose that requires proper straightening to reduce swelling, clear blocked blood and prevent serious infection."
"Fuck off..."
"Normally I'd keep to myself and allow you to tend to your own wounds, but I must insist that you allow me to aid you." Showing Gavin some compassion completely caught Gavin off guard. As Connor went to lay his palm down on Gavin's shoulder the deviant paused and held still when he saw Gavin flinch away from the physical contact. "Since Hank is also ill and I am tending to his illness, I can aid you as well."
"I don't- Just stop."
"Stop what?"
"...Being nice." Gavin admitted as fresh tears welled up in his eyes. Whether those tears were from pain or an emotional break Gavin couldn't decide. "I don't need your pity."
"This isn't pity. I want to help people who need help. At this time such people are currently Hank and yourself."
Too miserable to argue and too shaken to go anywhere alone, Gavin reluctantly allowed Connor to help him after all.
"Come with me." Moving slowly and gently Connor took hold of Gavin's elbow to lead him out of the alleyway so they could both go to the pharmacy to get some medicine and bandages to make the recovery process a little easier for both detectives. "I won't report this incident as I realize what you're going through is very personal."
"Just... stop talking!" Gavin was on the verge of losing his cool entirely and didn't want to think or talk about what he just went through. Holding his hand over his still bleeding nose Gavin took in a deep breath as he walked alongside Connor to get to the pharmacy at long last. "...I just want to get my shit and get outta' here. I don't want ANYONE to know what happened to me. I don't want you to talk about it, either. "
"Understandable. I'll only be a moment." Connor promised as he escorted Gavin to the front of the pharmacy to remain outside the front entrance doors and away from prying eyes. It was the only way to spare what was left of the man's sense of pride. "It'll be warmer for you to stand over here out of the wind while I shop."
As much as Gavin wanted to run back to his apartment and hide from the world, he knew he couldn't possibly do that. The fear of George waiting for him to let his guard down and follow him back to his apartment was too real and he knew that at the moment there was safety in numbers. In spite of his pain and pride the abrasive detective knew it'd be best for everyone to cooperate with Connor until he had the chance recover from his cold and go back home under his own power.
The horrid coughing fits that had disrupted Hank's sleep prompted him to stumble out of his bedroom to find something, anything, to ease the infection trying to settle in his chest. Standing in the kitchen with Sumo sitting on the floor behind him, Hank stood before the stove and waited for the kettle on the stove to whistle so he could use the steam to help open up his blocked sinuses. He felt absolutely horrendous but refused to lay down and rest until he knew for certain that Connor was back in the house and safe from the cruel city that still held onto outdated anti-android sentiment. The fear that someone could do something to Connor was so real that Hank found himself just waiting for his phone to ring to relay the bad news.
Picking up the kettle the moment it started to sing its song, Hank poured the steaming water into a large bowl and then leaned over it to let the soothing heat waft over his face and open his blocked sinus. It was a simple trick, yet effective all the same.
"Wonder where-" The front door opened up and the sound of shoes on the hardwood floor cut Hank off mid question. "Nevermind. Connor?"
"I'm right here." Connor confirmed as he walked slowly toward the hallway with his unexpected guest at his side. Opening the bathroom door Connor escorted Gavin inside the bathroom to help the sick man clean up his wounds and recover after being assaulted. "What do you need?"
"I need to be able to fuckin' breathe!"
"I can help with that." Carrying his paper bags into the kitchen Connor placed each purchased medicine down on the table for Hank to select from. "I purchased nasal decongestants, throat sprays and several cough suppressants so you can rest and keep your pulmonary tissue from becoming irritated as your body combats your current illness."
"Why'd ya' go into the bathroom first?" Turning to face the deviant Hank watched as Sumo whimpered once before rising up and slowly plodding toward the closed bathroom door. He knew something was going on, but he didn't have any clue as to what that was. "What's going on?"
"I... gave my word I wouldn't mention a particular incident."
"Connor, tell me. I'm a detective and I'll-" The shower in the bathroom turned on and Hank now knew that something serious had happened. "Is someone hurt?"
Not wanting to betray Gavin's word Connor decided to use discretion to his advantage. "I can confirm that there was an incident earlier this afternoon."
"All right, I get it." Hank had enough experience as a detective to know when there was a victim of a crime who was being coy about coming forward and talking about the incident in question. Coughing into the bend of his arm Hank sniffed hard and gave Connor a stern look. "Man or woman?"
"...Man."
"Okay. Man-on-man or man-on-woman?"
"It was a man-on-man incident."
"Anyone I know?"
"Yes."
"Anyone you know?"
"In a professional manner, yes."
"Uh..." Hank was trying to figure out who Connor was referring to without Connor openly stating their name. "Is it safe to assume that you're trying to show some respect by openly-" Coughing again Hank groaned and then sat down in a chair beside the kitchen table. Rubbing his temples with both hands Hank sighed and tried to remain patient with Connor. "...Is it safe to assume you're being discreet because the person in the shower feels ashamed?"
"That is an astute assessment."
"Fuck. How badly are they hurt?"
"Their injuries aren't directly life threatening but still need to be treated properly."
"Doctor?"
"That would be preferable."
"Shit. All right, let me make some calls-"
"Please don't." Connor insisted that Hank remain discreet as well, and placed his palm over the human's feverish forehead. Hank was still too warm and needed to rest properly in order to recover. "You both are suffering from the cold and contacting the precinct will break my word."
"Wait... Are you saying it was a cop who was assaulted?"
"...Indirectly."
"Son of a bitch."
"I gave them my word to not mention or discuss the incident in any manner."
"You didn't." Rising from the table slowly Hank made his way to the bathroom door and stepped around Sumo so he could knock on the closed door to announce his presence. He didn't know who Connor brought back to the house, but it didn't matter. Whoever was in the shower needed help. "Hey, uh, you good in there?"
The shower turned off but the voice remained quiet through the door.
"Right. Uh, I'll be in the kitchen and Connor's right here." Tagging out Hank let Connor resume taking care of his unknown guest. "You do what you have to do, son. I'll give them space while you help them."
"Thank you." Waiting for Hank to return to the kitchen Connor tested the doorknob and was relieved that the door had been left unlocked. Turning the doorknob slowly Connor pushed the door open and called out to Gavin a low voice. "I need to come in and assess your condition."
Gavin didn't say a word as Connor entered the bathroom. Wrapped up with a towel around his waist and a second towel draped around his shoulders, Gavin sat on the edge of the bathtub looking miserable, pathetic and ashamed of himself.
"With your permission I can apply the appropriate pressure to straighten the break in your nose. It will be painful and it was cause a second bleed as I release the pressure and block blood flow."
"...Just do it. It's not like I'm not used to pain as it is."
Closing the door behind himself Connor stood before Gavin and gently put his hands on either side of Gavin's face. Using his biometric scanner Connor slowly pressed his thumbs to the sides of Gavin's nose and applied pressure to the broken cartilage to realign it to how it had been before Gavin had been struck.
"Aghhh... Fuck!" Gavin swore loudly as his nose was realigned with an audible 'crack'. Within seconds he could smell and taste blood as his nose did begin to bleed again and drain the excess blood that had been blocked by his swollen nasal passages. "Shit! Still fuckin' hurts after all this time..."
"I'm sorry." Lowering his hands Connor retrieved a washcloth and ran it under the warm tap in the sink then wrung out the excess water. Passing it over to Gavin to take Connor backed off to give him some space. "The warmth will allow your sinuses to fully drain. Afterward apply a cool compress."
"Sure, I'll remember that." Holding the washcloth under his bloody nose Gavin shook his head and regretted the motion when his head began to ache and little black dots swam over his vision. "Shit. As soon as I'm back at my place I'm going directly to bed."
"I suggest you remain here so you can be observed. You suffered head trauma and if your nose swells shut while you're enduring a chest cold then you could develop pneumonia."
"Can't stay here. I have a pet to take care of."
"I was unaware." Wanting to help Gavin without crossing any boundaries Connor offered to help in a way that'd be beneficial to everyone. "I'll go to your apartment to take care of them for you."
"You have a dog, not a cat."
"I imagine I can handle providing fresh water and food to a cat."
"...Whatever."
That particular turn of phrase was one that Gavin seemed to favor over anything else. The indifferent and deflective comment was one that was more obstructive than beneficial in numerous capacities. "Give me the keys to your apartment. I'll take care of your cat so you can rest."
Gavin felt too horrible argue and motioned to his jeans dropped on the floor. "Keys are in the pocket."
"I'll be back soon." Locating the ring of keys from the jean pocket Connor exited the bathroom and left Gavin alone to recover. "Please try to rest on either the couch or in the guestroom."
The moment the door to the bathroom closed Gavin let his shoulders slump as he let out a single strangled sob before recollecting his emotions. He refused to cry and admit he was feeling emotionally vulnerable. After enduring a traumatic and abusive childhood the man had developed a nasty habit of denying any form of pain or upset.
The door to the bathroom was pushed open as Sumo nosed his way into the room and grumbled a little. He had picked up on Gavin's distress and wanted to help him feel safe in his own way.
"You again?" Gavin acknowledged Sumo as the dog sat down in front of him and pressed one of his massive paws down on Gavin's knee. Petting Sumo's ears lightly Gavin tossed his blood washcloth into the sink and sniffed once to test his breathing. "Don't tell me you want me to talk to you."
"You should talk to someone." Hank stated as he peered inside the bathroom. Tossing Gavin some clean clothes Hank let the younger man know he was indeed welcome to stay in the house to recover. "A little deviant told me that we're both feeling like shit and need to heal. If I have to suffer through Connor playing doctor, so do you!"
"...Guess it's better than Tina trying to drown me in tea."
"Or Ben spraying down everything we touch like we're carrying the damn plague."
"Glad I'm not the only one he does that to." Pressing his hand to his forehead Gavin sighed and closed his eyes as if the reality of what had happened to him and what had almost happened to him had set in all at once. "If I had just carried my damn weapon none of this would've happened."
"What're you talking about?"
Lifting his gaze Gavin gaze Hank a confused look that was emphasized by his bloodshot eyes. "The 'Tinman' didn't tell you?"
"Nope. The kid's an honest soul and told me that he gave me his word that he wouldn't tell me who was hurt and what happened." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank nodded at the bloody washcloth in the sink and noted that Gavin's eyes were beginning to blacken from his nose being broken. "So, what happened?"
"...I fucked up." Sniffing again Gavin dragged his arm under his nose and wiped away a little more blood as it oozed down his face. "Again."
"Welcome to the club."
The empathetic response was unexpected and kept Gavin silent for a beat longer.
"I'm going to hazard a guess. You went out to buy something because you're sick and some asshole looking for a quick buck jumped ya' and sucker punched you to try and snag your wallet."
Bowing his head down Gavin closed his eyes and tried to ignore the burning of his tears welling up again. "I wish it was something that fuckin' stupid."
"Okay, I know we're not friends and we don't see eye-to-eye on pretty anything, but I have to know what happened."
"So you can tell Fowler and get my sorry ass benched for a month?"
"No, it's because I'm a detective and I'm talking to the victim of some kind of an assault. Even cops get assaulted, just as firefighters get burned, doctors get sick, and mechanics get stranded on the side of the road."
Gavin wasn't ready to talk about what happened and remained silent.
"All right. When you're ready you can either tell me and I'll file your report under a pseudo name, or you can let Connor keep handling it since he's a private detective and can work on your case without anyone else knowing anything is happening."
Stepping away from the bathroom door Hank gave Gavin some privacy and caught a stray sneeze in the bend of his elbow. Eager to get his cold under control Hank decided to sift through the medication Connor bought and find something that'd work for him.
"Fuckin' city's been falling apart for decades."
Muttering to himself Hank pressed the back of his hand to his own forehead and tried to gauge his fever. He didn't feel too warm, but it was hard for him to be accurate since his hand could've been the temperature as his forehead.
"Cops are getting assaulted, innocent people get killed and the good people have given up on taking down the bad people because the bad people seem to outnumber them a hundred to one."
Taking two cold pills in his palm Hank popped them into his mouth and retrieved a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Chasing the medicine with the cool water helped soothe his agitated throat. It was a small victory that Hank was willing to celebrate.
"Fuckin' hell... I hate the cold."
"Lieutenant?" Gavin called out to the man as he stumbled into the kitchen. He was wearing the clean clothes provided to him - a white t-shirt and gray sweat pants, and looked absolutely exhausted. "If I tell you what happened can you swear to me that no one in the precinct will find out AND I can be present when the fucker gets caught?"
"As long as you don't interrogate the person who did this to you, yeah." Turning around Hank faced the younger man and watched Gavin present a hunting knife to him with his fingertips holding the end of the hilt to keep the fingerprints from George from getting smeared away. "What's that?"
"The evidence that..." Trailing off for a moment Gavin forced himself to keep speaking as his felt physically worse by the second. "Tonight my ex-boyfriend was going to kill me."
It didn't take too long for Connor to locate Gavin's apartment building and find his apartment, even while traversing the city on foot. After unlocking the door Connor was greeted by soft mewing as a young and very fluffy cat strolled up to Connor and casually rubbed against his ankle as if they were old friends. The friendliness of the cat was a reassuring sign and made Connor grin as he picked up the cat to hold in his arms for a moment. Lucky readily snuggled in against his chest and purred loudly as she seemed to know that the deviant was there to take care of her, and she wanted to thank him for his time and generosity to come and see her on that cold night.
Noting the packed boxes all around the apartment Connor stepped around the large obstacles and located Lucky's bag of food, and the food and water bowls up on the kitchen counter to ensure the bowls weren't accidentally blocked during the move. After refilling one bowl with fresh water and filling the second bowl with fresh food, Connor put Lucky down on the countertop so she could eat.
"You're a friendly cat." Connor noted as he checked the collar around Lucky's neck and saw her name engraved on the tag. "Lucky. That's a good name for a cat."
Lucky purred as she ate her dinner and enjoyed Connor's company.
"I'm going to look for clothes for Gavin to wear and make sure there isn't any medication that he needs being left behind. He is quite ill as of the moment."
Roaming the apartment carefully Connor didn't unpack the boxes or snoop in every cupboard of the apartment, he merely explored the area and made sure all of Gavin's necessities were claimed. The bedroom down the hallway had been partially packed up for the move as well, but Gavin's clothes were still neatly folded in the dresser drawers and hanging in the closet.
The sight of the nightstand beside the bed covered in used tissues, empty drinking glasses and empty bottles of medication helped confirm that Gavin was indeed sick and had been trying to buy some more medicine when he had been jumped by his dangerous ex-boyfriend. The idea of being assaulted by someone while feeling ill was a horrific image that made Connor wince on Gavin's behalf.
"I'll bring him clothing that'll be appropriate for the precinct in the event he wants to work tomorrow. Otherwise-"
As he opened the closet door Connor caught sight of something he hadn't expected to see on the top shelf within the closet and knew he found something very important. It was a small white case with the caduceus emblem on the top of the lid. Gavin's name was on the side of the case along with his date of birth and confirmation of a diabetes diagnosis.
"Gavin's a diabetic."
Plucking the case from the top shelf of the closet Connor opened the lid and saw the glucose testing meter and a box of fresh testing strips beside it. If Gavin had been too sick to check his blood sugar that morning then there was a good chance his blood sugar could be at a dangerous level.
"I'll bring this to him as well."
Connor quickly repacked the case and grabbed three different t-shirt, three pairs of jeans and fresh socks to take with him back to Hank's house. Placing the items down in a small cardboard box that hadn't been filled yet, Connor prepared to take his leave of the apartment again to head out before it got too dark or too much colder.
"I wonder why Gavin didn't mention his diabetes? It's nothing to be ashamed of."
Another mew stopped Connor from leaving as he noticed Lucky standing on the countertop and looking right at him. The idea of leaving the cat all alone in the cold, empty apartment gave Connor an unexpected ache of sympathy for the fluffy and very gentle cat.
"It doesn't seem fair to leave you here all alone."
Reaching out his hand Connor pet Lucky's head and made his way over to her bowls to pack them up as well. Dumping out the water Connor placed the bowl inside the box, put the half empty food bowl on top and placed the remaining bag of her food inside the box next. Holding out the box toward Lucky for a moment Connor watched as Lucky instinctively jumped inside of the box and curled up on the pile of clothes and next to her food as he picked up on Connor's invitation.
"I'm glad you understand what I want to do. I'll do my best to traverse back to the house as quickly as possible to keep you from being affected by the cold air."
Heading toward the apartment door Connor opened and then locked the door behind himself, and tightened his grip on the box to ensure he didn't drop anything important on his return trip to the house.
"Even though you're covered in fur I imagine you dislike the cold weather, too."
What had started out as a sad story of emotional abuse, physical abuse, betrayal, assault and an arrest, ended with Gavin sitting on the couch next to Hank with an ice pack pressed over his broken nose. The younger man hadn't told anyone but Tina about his abusive past and it felt oddly relieving to tell someone else about what he had gone through to ensure he wasn't being dramatic or overly sensitive about everything he had survived. The story of his negligent parents finally crossing the line with their physical abuse when he was fifteen-years-old, and then ending up in an emotionally abusive relationship with George while he was still in high school, brought tears to Gavin's swollen and blackened eyes.
As he spoke Gavin traced his fingertip very gingerly over the scar over his broken nose. It wasn't the first time his nose had been broken, but with any luck or mercy from the universe, it'd be the last time it happened.
"You're sick and you were caught off guard." Hank sympathized as he sat beside Gavin and watched as Sumo pressed his chin down over the younger man's knee. He had always used Sumo's judgement on people to help him determine if someone was being sincere or not, and he knew that Gavin was currently reaching deep down into some old wounds to try to let the pain go. "It'd happen to anyone."
Gavin was still lamenting his recent experience and felt as if he had failed in every aspect of the situation. "I'm a cop."
"So am I, and I've been one a lot longer than you. I still get my ass knocked down every now and then."
"Ever have your crazy ex pull a knife on you and try to shove his dick in your mouth?"
"Uh, since I've only dated women in the past I can honestly say 'no'." Hank saw the faintly amused smirk appear on Gavin's face only to vanish within milliseconds as it seemed the effort to smile made his nose hurt. "I did have some drunk chick threaten to bite my ear off once, and I had two 'red ice' junkies point their guns at me. It never gets any easier to deal with, no matter how many times someone threatens your life."
"Ever have someone you thought you loved threaten to kill you, call you a piece of shit and swear that you'll never find anyone better than them because you're so worthless, pathetic and won't amount to anything?"
"No. That's something I've never experienced." Coughing a little Hank turned his head away and ended up sneezing into the bend of his arm. His symptoms were coming back as his medicine began to wear off. "Shit... At least the medicine Connor bought doesn't taste like ass. Need something for your head?"
"Yeah." Muttering his response Gavin confirmed that he was suffering from a pretty nasty headache. "My head's really starting to kill me."
Standing up from the couch Hank reached his hand down and patted Gavin's shoulder once in a reassuring manner as he gave the man some space. The last thing he ever thought he'd be doing was offering Gavin shelter after an assault, let alone actually caring about what the man had gone through. He didn't care about Gavin while at the precinct since he was mouthy, disrespectful and brash; but in that moment Hank saw the frightened teenager Gavin had once been when his past trauma had reached its peak.
The front door 'creaked' open slowly as Connor returned at last and placed his packed box down on the nearby recliner. Watching Sumo carefully Connor opened the flaps on the top of the box and let Lucky pop her head up to look around the livingroom curiously. "I brought you some essential items from your apartment."
"Like what?"
"This." Placing the case down on the coffee table Connor let Gavin see the white box with the glucose meter for himself. He refrained from identifying it for Gavin's sense of pride. "And this." Lightly Connor next put Lucky down on Gavin's lap and watched as Sumo wagged his tail and sniffed noses with Lucky in a gentle manner. "It didn't seem right to leave her behind."
"You got a soft heart, 'Tinman'." Gavin admitted as he pulled Lucky against his chest and rubbed her chin. The cat readily snuggled with her favorite person and purred loudly. "...Thanks."
"You're welcome." Another biometric scan confirmed that Gavin's nose had been set properly, but his eyes were going to continue to blacken and swell up, and his temperature was still fairly high. The medication would only ease his symptoms, not cure his illness. "I'm going to make some chicken soup since it seems to be the ideal meal for humans who are ill. Do you think you can eat?"
"Yeah, I, uh..." Gavin noticed Hank's return to the livingroom and that the older man was staring at Lucky. "Connor brought her here, I didn't ask him to!"
"It's fine." Handing Gavin a couple of Ibuprofen, Hank never raised his voice or showed any sign of irritation. "Just make sure she doesn't try to use my shoes as a litterbox."
"She's housebroken, that won't be a problem." Popping the tablets into his mouth Gavin tilted his head back to swallow the medicine and grimaced as it felt like he had sandpaper going down his throat. "Shit..."
"I will also make some tea." Connor volunteered after he saw the pained reaction and entered the kitchen to begin cooking. It wasn't often Connor had the chance to cook actual food, but he found the task to be oddly enjoyable. "You two must rest now and let your bodies heal."
"Jeez, he's as bad as Tina." Gavin coughed slightly as he pulled his legs up to curl beneath himself and held Lucky even closer. He began to shiver a little and Sumo responded by pressed his upper body over Gavin's legs in a cuddly manner. "...Nice to meet a dog who doesn't bark at every little thing."
"Sumo's pretty chill." Hank noted as he pulled the blue blanket from the back of the couch and handed it over to Gavin. "Here. This'll help."
"Thanks." Eager to get warm Gavin burrowed under the blanket after draping it over his shoulders and let the two animals provide extra warmth. "And, uh, thanks for keeping this whole mess under the radar. I don't want-"
"I get it. Rumors suck bad enough, but having some stupid bullshit being your every waking moment for the next couple of weeks is a nightmare." Heading down the hallway for a moment Hank pulled his own quilt from his bed and wrapped it around himself before reclaiming his spot on the couch next to Gavin. "And like I said, Connor's a private detective, so he can track down your psycho ex for you."
"He did manage to get to George to drop his knife." The memory of being forced onto his knees and seeing the knife made Gavin's stomach turn slightly. As if being down with a nasty cold didn't bother his stomach enough, that memory was sure to keep him queasy. "Problem is, George is ex-military and knows how to really hurt people now."
"Doesn't matter. Connor's resourceful, patient and he has his own skills with fighting back." Hank looked into the kitchen and saw the deviant washing up some fresh vegetables in the sink and couldn't help but wonder if Connor's helpful demeanor would change once he regained his lost memories. Connor hadn't shown Hank any sign of forgiveness before being shot, and now he was working in the kitchen to help nurse Hank and Gavin through their colds. "He's also too kind for his own good sometimes."
The following early morning hours were a little better for both detectives as they recovered from their respective illnesses and traumas. Connor had elected to sleep on the couch to let Gavin have the bed in the guestroom and have both Lucky and Sumo to keep him company as he slept. Hank had gone to bed a little earlier than usual after taking another dose of medicine and after promising to not try to push himself and rest properly. As a means of keeping himself preoccupied, Connor entered light rest mode on the couch and then checked on the two ill humans every hour, on the hour, to ensure their conditions hadn't worsened and to make sure that Gavin's broken nose hadn't caused any secondary complications.
Being able to rest lightly also allowed Connor to avoid nightmares while his system continued to recalibrate. A few more broken memories began to piece themselves back together as Connor healed, and soon a faint memory of interacting with Hank at New Jericho Tower, formerly CyberLife Tower, began to surface.
The memories of what they were doing inside the tower and what had been said... were still lost.
...SELF DIAGNOTIC: [Engaged]
...LOADING INFORMATION:
REGISTERED NAME: "Connor Wolf"
MODEL: RK-800
SERIAL NUMBER: 313 248 317 - 51
ACTIVATION DATE: *January 4th, 2039 [*additional data required to confirm date]
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6' 00.24"; 162.2 lbs
COMPLEXION: Caucasian
AESTHETIC GENDER: Male
HAIR/EYES: Brunette; Brown
ASSIGNMENT: *ERROR
ASSOCIATION(S): Private Detective; Consultant with New Jericho Tower
BOOTING PROCESSORS...
LOADING OS...
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION...
-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]
-INITIALIZING BIOSENSORS... OK]
-INITIALIZING AI ENGINE... OK]
-MEMORY STATUS... ERROR]
[...Critical data corruption detected]
-INITIATING DATA RECOVERY MODE
READY...
-MEMORY REBOOT: Engaged - ^79.6%
[...Thirium Volume - 84.9%]
[...Thirium Pressure - 120/80]
[...Thirium Pump Rate - 60 B.P.M.]
[...Ventilation Rate - 12 V.P.M.]
[...Core Temperature - 98.4 Degrees Fahrenheit]
ERROR: Memorybank compromised - ^79.6% Functionality
-STRESS LEVELS: ^24%
-SYSTEM READY... OK]
As he stood outside the opened door to the guestroom Connor watched Gavin sleeping and noted that the man's temperature was beginning to drop and felt his right hand flexing in a curious rhythm as if searching for something to fidget with to help preoccupy his mind. A strange urge to hone his hand-eye coordination and overall reflexes was proving itself to be an unexpected distraction.
A loud sneeze and bout of coughing pulled Connor's mind back into reality as he focused on Hank's closed bedroom door just down the hallway. He could hear Hank fumbling around in the private space and knew Hank had been awoken by his own illness.
Entering the room quietly Connor peered at Hank for a moment before whispering his name in a low tone. "Hank?"
"...'M awake." Hank mumbled as he sat upright in his bed and rubbed his palm over his sleepy, sweaty face. Coughing again Hank cleared his throat and spoke to Connor in a fatigued manner. "'M fine. Go back to sleep."
"Not until you take another dose of medicine." Connor urged as he ran a biometric scan over Hank's body. He could see that the congestion in Hank's lung had broken up considerably and his nasal passages were less swollen, but he still had a mild fever that needed to break. "If you stop coughing then you'll be able to sleep long enough to let your body finish combating your cold and allow you to fully recover."
"At this point I'll try anything." Coughing into his hand again Hank sounded less pained but twice as annoyed. He motioned to the empty pill bottle on the floor and indicated the source of the noise Connor had recently heard. "...Even choking down more pills."
"I'll get you some water as well."
Hank remained in his bed and waited for Connor to return. He was too tired to get up at that moment and just wanted his damn cough to finally let up.
"This will stop your cough and allow you to sleep." Passing Hank the two pills and a glass of water, Connor made sure the man was able to take his medication without any problems. "Gavin's fever has decreased considerably, but he will be suffering from a significant headache for some time."
"Yeah, busted noses and black eyes will do that to ya'." Gulping down the medicine Hank finished the entire glass of water and laid back down against his pillow. The water didn't aggravate his throat and thankfully went down easily. "Think you can handle his case?"
"Yes. I will remain discreet and find a way to get the man known as George Angus behind bars."
"If it helps, the man violated a restraining order when he went after Gavin today." Taking in a deep breath Hank did his best to keep himself from coughing again and waited for the medicine to kick in. "You can use that as more evidence against the abusive prick. And if Gavin's restraining order was still good after almost twenty years, then you know that asshole isn't one to be taken lightly."
"I'll make a note of that." Taking back the empty drinking glass Connor fidgeted with the item in his right hand as he tilted his head and observed Hank's behavior in the dim lighting of the bedroom. "Need anything else?"
"No, I'll be good until morning."
"Very well. I'll check in on Gavin and then resume my rest mode."
"Hey, uh, I just wanted to say 'thanks' for everything you've done." Hank was clearly growing more concerned that he was going to lose his friendship with Connor and resume being seen as an untrustworthy human in the deviant's eyes. As Connor recovered Hank saw more of Connor's old behaviors returning and knew that his memory was being actively restored. "You've been a big help for me, for Lucas, Sydney, Bruno and now even Gavin."
"I'm happy to help. Since I was essentially a shell of a former being after I had been shot, I feel as if I should be thanking all of you for helping me regain my strength, my memories and my overall ability to function."
"Don't thank me for helping you."
"Then don't thank me for doing the same for you."
"Hey, it's different for me!"
"How so?"
"You were shot and you... died in my arms." The horrid memory made Hank's heart hurt. Even though he hadn't been particularly close with Connor when he was shot, Hank couldn't help but feel as if that bullet had been meant for him the entire time. "That's way different than treating a cold."
"...I suppose that's accurate." Tightening his grip around the empty glass Connor knew he'd need to look into the shooter sooner rather than later, and in time he'd have to face the person who nearly succeeded in having him permanently shut down. "Get some sleep. I'll check on you again later."
"Yeah." Burrowing himself down under his quilt Hank sighed and tried to fall back asleep. "Thanks, son."
"You're welcome."
Stepping out of the bedroom Connor pulled the door shut behind himself and checked in on Gavin a second time. He knew the man had discreetly checked his blood sugar after having something to eat, but Connor needed to make sure he was stable and resting without any further complication after his nose had been broken.
Gavin was sleeping on his side with Lucky curled up against his chest and abdomen, and had Sumo curled up at the foot of the bed. The way Gavin was able to earn the trust of animals and find solace with the furry companions spoke volumes of a troubled heart just seeking peace in their life. Even while asleep he seemed to be guarded and tense, but aside from his symptoms of high stress Gavin was in fact sleeping well.
"They're both stable. That's good."
Connor confirmed as he stepped away from the guestroom door. Sitting down on the couch Connor put the empty glass aside on the coffee table to be used again if necessary and then wrapped himself up in the blue blanket and prepared to resume rest mode on the couch. The house was quiet, warm and everyone was resting well. Now it was Connor's turn to get some sleep.
As he laid over the length of the furniture and rolled onto his back, Connor stared at his right hand as his flexed his fingers and tried to think of what was missing. He knew there was something that was a small extension of himself that had been lost when he had been shot, but what that was he couldn't even begin to imagine.
"Hopefully I'll be able to either help Gavin find security by getting George off the streets, or at the very least begin to make progress on identifying my own shooter. Then there's the incident with the Winters family that needs to be reassessed upon their return to the city."
Restlessness was beginning to manifest in Connor's recovering mind as Connor's natural instincts as a detective steadily began to surface and remind him of who he used to be prior to the shooting itself. He knew what he needed to do even if he didn't currently have the means or ability to do it.
"There is so much to do and an unknown amount of time in which to do it. It seems my role as a detective is far from over."
-next chapter-
TLDR: Connor takes care of a sick Hank and then a wounded Gavin after Gavin is attacked by his abusive ex-boyfriend in the streets. Gavin is traumatized and struggles to admit that he needs help. Hank recovers and worries that his friendship with Connor will come to an end once Connor reclaims all of his lost memories.