Fully recovered and wearing his replacement uniform Connor appeared as he normally did every morning and went about his usual routine with no difficulty on his part whatsoever. Straightening his black tie before trucking it under his two toned gray vest Connor slipped on his replaced gray blazer and met Hank in the livingroom after exiting the bathroom. Without so much as stumbling as he walked Connor gave the senior detective a simple nod to confirm that he was ready to go about and clock-in at the precinct to begin their shift.

Already dressed and ready to go Hank tossed Connor his leather jacket that was on the hook by the front door, then slipped on his own heavy dark coat to brace himself for the impending cold waiting for them outside the front door. The two detectives were acting as if nothing had happened since Connor was showing no sign of a relapse in his recovery or strength, and everything just seemed to happening as per usual.

"It's Christmas Eve and the city is going to be absolutely fucking nuts." Spinning the car keys around by the keyring on his right index finger Hank opened up the front door and gave Connor a quiet sigh. "I know you're feeling a hell of a lot better and just like your old self, but today is going to be far from normal."

"I'm certain I can handle it."

"Good. Because today is going to start weird and end weird. I can feel it."

With his blue L.E.D. blinking to yellow for just a moment Connor gave the senior detective and odd look as he follow Hank through the front door, and locked the door behind himself. "...You can feel events that have yet to transpire?"

"Intuition." Responding casually as he walked to the car parked in the driveway beside the house Hank gave the young deviant a somewhat coy glance. "It's something you can feel in the air once you have more experience as a detective. When you start getting strange feelings in your gut then you listen. It'll keep ya' safe."

"As a deviant I doubt I'll acquire a sense of intuition."

"You already have good instincts and a sense of right and wrong. Trust me," opening up the driver's side door Hank kept his voice level as Connor joined him through the passenger side door to join him inside the vehicle. "you're going to be one of the most intuitive detectives in the entire city."

The streets of the city were crowded to say the very least. Cars were honking their horns, people were clambering along the sidewalks with heavy shopping bags in their hands and under their arms, and loud holiday music was playing on repeat through the speakers positioned atop the lamp posts that lined the sidewalks. Pushing through the traffic to get the precinct before they were late Hank just sighed at the numerous cars and restrained his frustrated swearing until after he managed to get the car into the parking garage next to the precinct.

The garage had been plowed and salted due to the snow and ice, but the surface was still slick to walk on. It didn't help that the forecast confirmed even more snowfall that night guaranteeing a white Christmas the following day.

"Alright, let's get this day over with. Oh, one more thing..." Exiting the vehicle alongside Connor the senior detective gave the deviant a warning regarding what was surely awaiting Connor inside the bullpen. "Since you got hurt and were out of action for a while your desk is going to be covered under cards and flowers. Don't look so shocked."

With his L.E.D. cycling to yellow once Connor walked at Hank's side as they passed through the front doors of the precinct together. "Why would I be shocked?"

"You'll see..."

Taking only two steps into the bullpen Connor stopped short and stared at his desk in the middle of the bullpen. "Oh."

Connor's desk was buried under flowers, cards, a few partially deflated balloons, Thirium based candy and a large dark blue scarf with a red bow on it.

"See?" Patting Connor's shoulder just once Hank walked over to his own desk and easily logged-in to his terminal and watched with masked glee as Connor slowly unburied his own terminal screen to do the same. Seeing Connor carefully put aside the flowers into a neat bundle on one side of the desk, then pick up and read every card before putting those in another neat stack to before putting them in his bottom left desk drawer made Hank grin a little. "For the record, any time an officer gets wounded in the line of duty while saving another officer's life their desk will become a shrine of gratitude whether or not sacrificial officer survives or not."

"Noted." Next placing the candy down in the top right drawer of his desk Connor logged-in, sat down in his chair and then picked up the scarf curiously. It was very soft under his touch. Running a scan over the scarf Connor noted the blend of soft cotton and wool, the naturally dyed fibers, the very mild imperfections that come from a handmade garment as opposed to machine manufactured. It was just over four feet in length and six inches wide. "...Who made me this scarf?"

"Looks like the work of Tina's mom."

"...Officer Chen's mother made this for me? I've never met her, nor am I 'close friends' with Officer Chen."

"That's another thing about being wounded in the line of duty. The mothers with children in the precinct feel the need to protect ALL the other officers like they would their own."

"But this would've taken approximately ninety-six hours to complete. I've only been gone for fifty-nine hours, twenty-three minutes and fifteen seconds."

"So?"

"...The timeline doesn't make any sense."

From his own desk Ben started chuckling and finally gave Connor the answer he was seeking. "Mrs. Chen knits as a hobby and sells her work at craft shows every autumn." Taking a sip of his coffee Ben gave the deviant a knowing glance. "Tina was assigned to the precinct just this past spring and this fall, before everything went down with the Revolution, her mother stopped by and passed out scarves, hats and gloves for everyone to have. She apparently did the same thing at Tina's old precinct last year. Without a doubt Tina told her about you and her mother made an extra scarf just for you so you didn't feel left out. Welcome back, by the way."

Holding the scarf in both hands Connor felt the strange pressure return to his chest as he realized that the gift wasn't a 'get well' present, but something that Tina had been planning to give him before he had been injured. It was a sincere gesture of kindness that Connor, though appreciative of, still wasn't used to experiencing.

Ben continued on as he showed Connor the new coffee mug that Tina had bought everyone a few days before Connor had been injured. "She's the type of person who enjoys giving and not taking, so don't think this is any form of special treatment or something."

"...I've noticed." Glancing about the bullpen Connor didn't see Tina anywhere, or Gavin and Chris for that matter, and Connor was unsure of what to say further.

Hank leaned around his terminal to look at Connor curiously. "Kid, just say 'thank you' when Tina gets back. That'll make her day."

"Where is Officer Chen at the moment?"

Once more Ben spoke up and answered the question. "She took Gavin back to his apartment about twenty minutes ago. He wasn't feeling well."

"Oh..." Unsure of what to do with the scarf Connor just folded it up to keep it looking nice and presentable and placed it down next to the flowers to keep it safe. Giving Hank a stern look Connor nodded and set about checking through his caseload that had briefly stacked up during his absence. "I will thank Officer Chen when she returns."

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Call her 'Tina' and not 'Officer Chen'. It'll seem more personal and sound more sincere by calling her by her real name and not her title."

Making a mental note to refer to Tina by her name and not just her title Connor stared at the beautiful scarf for a moment before he set about his assignments for the day. "...Yes, I will do so."

Taking visual stock of the rest of the bullpen Connor saw that even more garland, some multicolored lights, snowflakes and additional candy were strewn about the area as Christmas Day drew near. Every single desk had something festive adorning it, even Hank's desk had some green garland along its side. The additional garland stretched over the doorway to the breakroom and was dotted with colorful ornaments and white lights that gave the relaxing space an inviting feeling. There was even a small bushel of mistletoe hanging from the garland over the center of the doorway courtesy of Tina's enthusiasm.

"Hank?"

Typing away on his keyboard Hank heard the deviant's voice but didn't look away from his terminal screen. "Yeah?"

"What happens to the decorations after the holidays are over?"

"They get slowly taken down one by one, put into storage and sit in the dark for a year."

"Who put all the decorations up?"

"This year it was Tina and I know that BEN," intentionally raising his voice to make sure that Ben heard him Hank finished his answer. "encouraged her."

"What?" Ben poorly feigned innocence as he took a smug sip of his coffee. "You gotta' problem with a few lights and garland, Hank?"

"No, but I do have a problem with the bullpen looking like a damn 'Hallmark card' threw-up in the precinct!"

"You're such a Grinch."

"That's 'Lieutenant Grinch'. And remember," turning to give Ben a somewhat stern look Hank pointed an arrogant finger at him. "since you helped her put the decorations up, you get to help her take them down."

"Jokes on you, it's easier to pull stuff down than hang it up!"

Connor gave the two humans an odd glance for just a moment before he set about checking through his caseload and setting about his routine as normally as possible. "...Humans can be quite strange at times."

Despite Gavin's complaints and insistence that he didn't need any help the abrasive detective allowed Tina to half carry him to his apartment and show him inside the modestly furnished space to relax while being sick. The apartment was small, dirty and well below what Gavin was worth as a detective. Numerous unpacked cardboard boxes, plastic storage totes and a few garbage bags of clothes were dropped haphazardly throughout the small apartment after Gavin's hasty arrival. Moving into the first available apartment after breaking-up with his cheating girlfriend Gavin took everything he had to his name, put his ex's name on his previous tenancy contract and left her with the douchebag she cheated with to figure out paying the rent on their pathetic part-time income.

Even after returning the engagement ring he spent almost a full thousand dollars on to the jewelry store (making sure his ex saw how gorgeous the ring had been and how it expensive it was before returning it to the store) Gavin still didn't feel like he came out on top in the break-up. Struggling with his depression during the holiday time and now feeling sick it was clear that the bullheaded detective was running on fumes, and on the verge of collapse.

"I wish you'd let me take you to a doctor." Tina lamented as she helped Gavin walk over to his small sofa to lay down and rest. "You're feverish, exhausted, nauseated, pale and your stomach's upset. Sounds like the flu to me."

"...I got the damn flu shot, Tina." Falling on his back over the length of the furniture Gavin sighed and tried to ignore his aching stomach for a moment. Pressing his right down down over his stomach Gavin sighed and ignored the tight knot forming without mercy in his abdomen. "...If I got the flu even after getting stuck with a damn needle then the last thing I want to do is see another doctor."

Pressing her right palm over Gavin's forehead Tina sighed and shook her head a little at the burning fever under her touch. "Where's your first aid kit?"

"...In a box."

Holding out her arms at her sides in a theatrical manner Tina motioned to the dozens of boxes all around her. "Which box, Gav? I'm not going to unpack your whole apartment just to find one thing."

"...Bathroom."

"Okay, that narrowed it down."

Gavin listened to Tina walking around his apartment to find the bathroom and felt four tiny paws walking up his legs and over his aching stomach to greet him after returning home. "...Hi, Lucky." Rubbing his left palm along the fluffy brown Maine coon kitten's side Gavin was given content purrs and soft kneading from the affectionate kitten he took in after moving out of his old apartment. "Easy. My stomach is killing me."

Tina returned to the small livingroom where Gavin was sprawled out over the couch and sat down on the cushion beside his legs. "Open up."

Sighing with deep annoyance Gavin opened his mouth a little and didn't resist as Tina placed the digital thermometer into his mouth to get an exact reading on his temperature. "I'm going to make you some tea and get you some ibuprofen."

"...Tea?" Speaking around the thermometer in his mouth Gavin watched Tina walking out of the livingroom and into his tiny kitchenette as if on a stakeout. "I don't drink tea."

"That's what everyone says." Locating a small tea kettle in a box marked 'kitchen' on the counter Tina filled it with hot water from the tap in the sink and put it down on the stove to heat up. Resuming her search through the other small boxes in the kitchen Tina located the untouched box of ginger tea that she had given Gavin with his new coffee mug a few days ago, and she showed Gavin the box while giving him a smug look. "Then they get sick, can't stomach anything and suddenly ginger tea is the only thing they'll drink."

"...Are you psychic or some shit?"

"Nope. Just a damn good cop." Returning to the livingroom as soon as the thermometer 'beeped' Tina checked the number and gave Gavin another sigh of frustration as she held the thermometer in her hand. "One-hundred and one point eight. That's pretty high."

"I'll be fine." Dragging his right hand over the scar over his nose Gavin gave Tina a knowing glance. Having a paled complexion made the old scar seemingly stand out more than usual. "I've suffered through worse."

"You're going to stay here and sleep as much as possible. I'll check on you in the morning after my shift, and if your fever hasn't broken or come down by the time I'm back then I'm going to drag you into the E.R. kicking and screaming."

"Which one of us will be kicking and screaming?"

"I'll be kicking your screaming ass if you don't cooperate you jackass!"

Grinning devilishly Gavin didn't take the threat seriously. "Sounds like a date."

"Uh-huh. If you'd actually date someone more like me and less like your other ex's..."

"Yeah, yeah..." The grin faded and Gavin tried to wave her off. "I've heard it before."

"Then maybe you should actually listen!" The kettle began to whistle and Tina quickly returned to the kitchen to get Gavin a mug of tea to properly steep. Dipping the ginger tea bag into the water Tina watched as the clear water began to slowly darken, and carried the mug over to the coffee table next to the couch before returning to the bathroom to find some medicine. "Why do you always do that to yourself?"

"...I don't know."

"You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy."

"I know."

"So why do you gravitate toward the people who remind you of the assholes who make you miserable?"

"...Bad habits are hard to break I guess." Tracing his fingers over the scar again Gavin gave Tina a pathetic glance. "You know how fucked my childhood was."

"You do know that you don't have to worry about your psycho ex-boyfriend getting out of jail and coming after you, right?"

"Let it go, Tina. Please..."

"Not until you do." With the bottle of ibuprofen in her left hand Tina returned to the livingroom and offered him two tablets to take before she left. "Stop thinking you need to just settle for whoever's available, and find the person you're meant to be with because you genuinely love them, and they love you in return."

"You sound like a damn after-school special."

"I'm just being honest." Waiting for Gavin to take the medicine and drink a small amount of the tea Tina gave her stubborn partner a very sisterly and worried stare, even after it was clear Gavin didn't hate the tea although he'd never admit it. "Maybe the reason you keep ending up with crazy ex-girlfriends is because you're afraid to go out and find a boyfriend."

"Hey, I'm bi! If I'm in the mood for a guy then I'll find a guy! I just happen to be in the mood for women right now..."

"You told me you haven't been with another man since your high school ex-boyfriend beat the hell out of you."

"Forgive me for not wanting to dive back into a relationship that's anything like the worst relationship of my life."

"I'm just saying that maybe if you were willing to let your heart guide you instead of letting your brain or your dick tell you to just go for the easy ones who just happen to be right in front of you, then maybe you'd finally be happy!"

"Thanks for the unwarranted dating advice, Tina. How was your date with that snobby jackass from the bank?"

"...Turns out he was married." Blushing with embarrassment Tina gave Gavin an annoyed glare as she crossed her arms defensively over her chet. "I didn't know it until his wife called while we were getting coffee together. The dumb-fuck honestly couldn't figure out why I was so pissed off at him and stormed out."

"Did ya' tell Ben to give the asshole parking tickets for that little scheme?"

"No, I don't want to be petty. But his wife should know that her husband is stepping out on her."

"Well, you'll think of something." Groaning a little as his stomach continued to betray him Gavin turned slowly onto his right side to curl around himself and be miserable in private. Lucky just moved from standing on Gavin's stomach to standing on his left side as she continued to purr and knead him. "...Fuck."

Seeing Gavin's face pale even further Tina knew her friend was in trouble. "Please go to the hospital."

"No."

"Gavin..."

"I said 'No', Tina. I'm not going."

"Fine. But if you end up puking all over your floor or messing up your pants I'm NOT going to help you clean it up."

"Fair enough..."

"Just rest and call me if you need anything." Patting Gavin's left shoulder sympathetically Tina found her way into Gavin's bedroom and pulled his blanket off the bed to drape over him and Lucky in a comforting manner. "I'll check on you whenever I can, but yeah, just call if you need anything."

"Thanks, Tina. You're the best."

"Damn right I am."

The cold day played out slowly and Connor was able to quickly catch up on his caseload at his terminal while Hank filed his own reports that were somewhat delayed due to him taking days off to take care of Connor back at the house. While the two detectives were sitting in the warm car listening to music and enjoying the privacy of their lunchbreak outside of the precinct Connor stared at the numerous lights and decorations adorning all of the nearby buildings through his window, and isolated the holiday music playing throughout the city via loudspeakers from the metal music playing out of the radio just a few inches from his ear.

Hank was more focused on eating his less than satisfying grilled chicken salad and water, and seemed to have tuned out the holiday environment all around him in general. As his black plastic fork picked at the strips of chicken over the salad Hank imagined that the chicken would taste much better if it had been drowned in B.B.Q. sauce or fried beforehand. Eating the healthier meal to make Connor feel more at ease Hank choked it down and did so without complaint.

Watching the people walking down the streets with heavy shopping bags in their hands Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as a curious thought popped into his head. "Hank," turning to look at his partner beside him Connor sought answers. "why do humans equate love and affection with material possessions and money?"

"Because the 80's happened."

The answer sounded so confident but it didn't give Connor an answer he could use. "...I don't understand."

"A decade of greed and materialism swept through the country in the 1980's and it never left. It's stupid, I know, but so are humans as a species."

"When Offic- When Tina," trying to fall into a line of less formal statements Connor corrected himself. "gave out gifts she did so because she wanted to. Her act is one of generosity, but purchasing the gifts is arguably materialistic. I find the act of giving gifts to be very contradictory."

"'Contradictory' and 'humanity' and synonymous, kid." Fussing a little more with the unappetizing salad Hank gave the young deviant a sympathetic glance where he sat. "When it comes to the Christmas season a lot of people put huge emphasis on the day and want to have a huge extravagant celebration because the holiday happens near the end of the year, and people spend that entire year planning for the big day. It's a shame that kind of enthusiasm and generosity can't be shown year round."

"May I ask how you previously spent Christmas, or would that be too personal?"

"No... It's fine." Putting aside his unfulfilling salad in favor of his tasteless water Hank sighed and turned down the radio for a moment. "Uh... When I was a kid I spent every Christmas with my parents and my grandparents since it was a small family. Big dinner, lots of handmade gifts, some charitable contributions and listening to old records were our family staple. That tradition held strong until my maternal grandfather passed away when I was nine, and my maternal grandmother passed away just three weeks later from 'broken heart syndrome'."

"You stopped celebrating Christmas after you lost your maternal grandparents?"

"No, no... We just had smaller dinners, fewer gifts exchanged, made even more charitable donations and kept listening to the records until they were worn out and too damaged to listened to any longer. And that... Well, that lasted until I was fourteen and my mom... Her cancer got the better of her. It sucked but my dad and I kept going with his parents until they too passed away when I was sixteen and eighteen. Then it was just us for two more years until my dad also passed on."

"I'm sorry you were alone during Christmastime, Hank."

Chuckling a little to keep an emotional tear from falling down his face Hank took in a deep breath and sighed. "It's fine. I was alone for a few more years and thought I'd stay that way until I met Barbara." Speaking of his wife for the first time Hank's blue eyes lit up for a moment. "She was my partner at the precinct first, my best friend second, and then my wife."

The revelation made Connor's brow furrow with shocked and confusion. "...You married your partner?"

"We didn't plan on falling in love, kid. It just... happened. She was younger than me but a, uh... well, let's just say it wasn't a secret she married down and I married up."

"...I don't understand that terminology."

"It means that she married me even though she could've done WAY better than me, and I got to marry her even though I didn't deserve someone as amazing as she was."

"I doubt it's emotionally healthy to determine that your own worth is beneath finding substantial love and happiness."

"That's what Barb told me, but I know that deep down inside I was truly lucky to meet her and have her in my life. When she gave birth to Cole... That was the happiest I had ever been. Christmas became enjoyable again for the first time in a long time, and I... Well, I was happy."

"My apologies."

Now it was Hank's turn to look confused. "For what?"

"Bringing up a sensitive subject from your past."

"It's okay. You asked, I answered, and now you know the truth." Sipping at his water Hank watched as smiling and laughing families walked past the car with shopping bags in their hands and Santa hats on their heads. The idea of Christmas day being less than twenty-four hours away made Hank smirk again. "Now it's my turn to ask you a question."

"What's that?"

"What do you want for Christmas?"

"What do I... I... I don't want anything."

"Come on." Pushing lightly Hank tried to get the deviant to respond. "You must want something."

"No, I honestly do not."

"Well, think about it."

Shaking his head a little Connor was unsure of how to respond. "I'm truly content with what I have in my possession. Beyond saving my money for a house I-"

"A house?" Interrupting sharply Hank gave the deviant a truly stunned glance. "You stopped looking at apartments?"

"Yes. I've accepted that I will never be able to live in an android community peacefully, and it's best if I locate a house that is relatively isolated."

"Or... You could just stay with me."

"Stay with you?" The offer was too simple and tempting to not address. "For how long?"

"For... ever? Listen son, I know you think you're somehow in the way or just intruding on my space, but you're NOT." Keeping his voice level as he spoke to the naive deviant beside him Hank reminded Connor that he was was welcome in Hank's home for as long as he wanted to be there. "I like having ya' around. You're good company and you're good at keeping me from doing stupid stuff to my body. Hell, ever since you moved in and started helping around the house Sumo's been getting his daily exercise, I've been sleeping better, I've dropped about five pounds-"

"Eight pounds, two ounces."

"...Right. Anyway, you're a good influence on me and I want to return the favor and try to be a good influence on you as you discover what it's like to be your own person. You're my friend and friends help each other out."

"But I can't stay in your house forever. In time eventually one of us will... expire."

"All the more reason for you to stick around. I want to spend as much time with my friend as possible."

"You logic is sound yet impractical."

"How about instead of putting your money toward a house you use it to buy yourself a nice car? It's something that's truly your own and something that you can control."

"That is also a logical suggestion. It'd benefit both of us."

"Cool..."

"Hank." Addressing the senior detective in an almost disciplinary tone Connor locked eyes with Hank and gave him a simple plea. "Do NOT buy a car for me for Christmas. Please."

Looking a little disappointed Hank put his water aside and slumped down in his seat. "...Are ya' sure?"

"Yes. Please allow me to make such a purchase on my own. As you stated having a vehicle would be something that is mine and something I can control."

"Alright, you win."

"Thank you."

"At least let me help ya' shop around for fun. I love working on old cars and it'd be pretty damn fulfilling to restore a car by hand."

"I will consider your opinion as you've had far more experience with vehicles than I have."

"Keep saving your money until spring and I'll help ya' out."

"That sounds reasonable. But... What about you?"

"Me?"

"For Christmas. You must want something as well."

"Well, I think you and I are in the same boat on this one, kid. I really don't want anything beyond a nice peaceful Christmas morning tomorrow. I'm overdue for a peaceful day of just quiet, calmness and nothing to worry about."

"You just want a day off?"

"Essentially, yeah. We lucked out since I've worked every Christmas for the past three years in a row Jeffrey made sure I got the day off this year, and since you're my partner you get the day off, too."

"Interesting."

Dispatch intruded on the lunchbreak and made Hank sigh as he confirmed that he and Connor were available. A deviant had been assaulted on the other side of town and their presence was requested at the scene. "Duty calls, kid." Shifting the car out of park Hank gave his deviant partner a simple sigh as he pulled the car out onto the street. "Ready for this?"

Fastening his seatbelt Connor gave the more seasoned detective a serious glance. "I don't believe I have a choice."

As expected the word of a deviant being assaulted spread to New Jericho Tower, and the four leaders were on edge. The lack of recognized authority within the tower itself prevented any one of the leaders from taking part of the investigation and handling the assault on a legal matter, and knowing that the only deviant with any form of authority in the entire city saw Markus as an enemy made things within the sanctuary all the more tense. Those who had witnessed Markus shooting Connor that historic night in the church had either been entirely supportive as they had disdain toward the infamous 'Deviant Hunter', or they entirely disapproved as they had seen Markus gun down a fellow deviant without any provocation.

Waiting for an update on the assault without actually leaving the tower Markus stood in the private office of New Jericho with his hands behind his back military style as he stared through the window overlooking the snowy harbor outside. The wait was painfully quiet and Markus hated every minute of it.

Joining Markus inside the office Josh tried to be a peaceful voice of reason to encourage the deviant leader to keep his chin up. "The police are going to check on the assault victim, get his statement and ensure he gets the proper care he needs."

"That's good." Without looking away from the window Markus responded to Josh in a low voice of worry. "Do we know who assaulted him or why?"

"No. We just know that the person who assaulted him took off as soon as witnesses accidentally walked in on the assault in progress."

"Damn. We need to know if the assault was personal, prejudicial or just plain random."

"According to the deviant witnesses lingering at the scene Connor and his partner, Lieutenant Anderson, are handling the assault."

Hearing Connor's name made Markus's shoulders visibly stiffen and then slump with a sense of trepidation.

"It's not a crime to keep in the loop just because Connor is handling the case." Watching Markus's body language closely Josh tried to assess his leader's current state of mind. "Alliances are crucial right now."

"I know, but it'd best for everyone for me to keep my distance. Maybe you or Simon should go to the precinct to speak with the victim after they've given their statement."

"I can't. I have too many deviants in need of therapy sessions and Simon is handling deviants who are suffering from the extreme cold." Crossing his arms over his chest Josh gave Markus a hesitant look. "Maybe North could go instead."

"North hates humans still. I don't think she'd be very comfortable in a whole precinct full of armed humans keeping dangerous humans locked up in cells."

"Just ask her."

"Sure. Okay." As he let out a slow breath Markus cybernetically connected with North to see if she'd be willing to go the precinct. 'North, are you aware of the assaulted deviant downtown?'

There was a pause for only a moment before North responded. 'Yeah, I know what's going on. What's up?'

'Simon and Josh are both busy with other tasks and I don't want to bother Connor with my presence. Would you be willing to go to the precinct and talk to the deviant after he's given their statement?'

'...The precinct?'

'We're aware of your mistrust of humans and understand if you don't want to go.'

'My personal discomfort doesn't matter.' She sounded confident and somewhat offended. 'A deviant needs our help. I'll go.'

A little surprised to hear North being so cooperative in a matter regarding a trip to a very human location Markus thanked her profusely. 'Thank you, North. If the victim needs anything let him know New Jericho will keep the doors open.'

'Yeah, I know the drill.' Unable to keep the sharpness out of her tone North replied somewhat venomously. 'I'll wait for the victim to be transported to the precinct and then go and interview him.'

Taking note of her spite Markus sighed and just shook his head. "...Shit."

"Something happening between you and North?" Josh didn't need to be a therapist to pick up on the tension between the young couple. "I mean, it's pretty easy to see that you two aren't exactly... close right now."

"We're just... I don't know. It's like she's putting up walls and I don't know how to get through."

"What's changed?"

"Everything. Now that weren't not scrounging for any scraps to survive in the middle of a sinking freighter it's like she doesn't feel the need to trust people and let them in anymore."

"Maybe she's just adjusting to her newfound freedom in her own way, and needs a little space to figure things out."

"You're probably right, but I can't help but feel like she's pulling away from me entirely."

"If she needs the space then let her have it. If you push her to get close to you again she might break away entirely and leave."

"...Yeah. I'm just so worried about losing her." Turning to face Josh directly Markus locked his mismatched blue and green eyes on Josh's chocolate brown eyes as he sought guidance from the kindhearted deviant. "She's very important to me."

"And you're important to her, too. Just let her have the space and time to think, then wait for her to come to you. Until then, stop worrying."

"Hard not to worry about one of the most important people in my life."

"I know. Just breathe and take the night off. You're exhausted from dealing with all of the deviants coming our way, so go be with Carl and enjoy your Christmas with him at home. We'll manage just fine without you for one day."

"...You're sure?"

"Of course I am." Smirking a little Josh tried to lift Markus's spirits as much as possible. "It's not like we have another Revolution to organize."

"Right, yeah..." Putting his hands to his face Markus sighed deeply and took in a deep cleansing breath. "You're right. We're okay now. We're all going to be okay." Walking away from Josh slowly to head toward the office door Markus gave Josh a single nod. "Thanks for listening, Josh. I appreciate it."

Speaking alone with the deviant victim in an interview room Connor got a statement and learned that the deviant, an AX-700 model named 'Logan' who had been working as private security at a department store, had been assaulted by a drunk human who was trying to steal from the charity bin just inside the front doors of the same store. Chasing the human outside Logan was beaten down by the drunk man and his drunk buddies in the parking lot, but more humans came to his aid. After explaining that he didn't feel personally threatened and he didn't feel as though it was an act of discrimination Logan confirmed he only wanted the drunken humans to be charged with attempted theft and assault, and nothing more.

Not hate crimes, no discrimination, no headlines.

Very cooperative with Connor and the police in general the statement was handled professionally, smoothly and swiftly.

"Thank you, Logan." Finishing with the statement Connor rose from his chair in the interview room and shook the deviant's hand as Logan did the same from his side of the table. "Do you require anything further?"

"No, I'll be fine, Detective." Returning the handshake Logan let Connor show him out of the room as he pressed his left fingertips to the bandage over his left eyebrow where he had sustained a laceration during the assault. "I'll hail an autonomous taxi to take me back to my apartment. I've been told by my boss that I'll be given hazard pay for being assaulted while on the job, and that all four men will be permanently barred from the store."

"I'm glad you're being taken care of. Try to have a pleasant evening."

Seeing Logan across the bullpen and toward the front receptionist area Connor stopped by the front desk and his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow when he noticed that North was standing by the entrance waiting for Logan to step out. Introducing herself and escorting Logan outside the precinct doors Connor turned away from the discussion and walked back over to his desk to give Hank an update while struggling to maintain his composure.

Sitting down behind his terminal Connor set about filing his report for the evening and spoke up in an emotionless tone. "...Logan has given his statement and he's returning to his apartment. The damage he sustained was very minor and he'll recover without needing technical assistance."

"Good. Sounds like..." Trailing off for a moment Hank noticed that Connor's L.E.D. was yellow and that his increasingly soulful brown eyes were heavy with discomfort. The young deviant had been steadily perking up over the past few days, but now he was lethargic and dour. "What's wrong, kid?"

Giving Hank a looked of feigned ignorance where he sat Connor replied to the question with another question. "Pardon?"

"Your light is yellow and you look like you just watched someone kick a puppy across the street."

Moving on autopilot Connor's right fingertips rubbed over the betraying amber light with inward irritation. "...It's nothing."

"Clearly it's not." Turning off his own terminal screen for a moment Hank gave Connor his full attention. The detective side of his brain was being pushed aside by his more paternal side in the moment. "What's up? And don't deny it. I'll just keep asking ya' until you crack. Remember, I'm a Lieutenant and I made a living out of asking annoying questions."

Giving the senior detective a somewhat annoyed look Connor leaned back in his chair and craned his neck to look toward the front entrance of the precinct, but he thankfully didn't see North anywhere nearby. "...As Logan left the precinct North arrived to speak to him. Seeing her was unexpected and unsettling."

"Oh... I know how weird it gets to see a familiar face with an unfriendly attachment."

"Why do I have such a strange sense of revulsion to her presence? She hasn't done anything against me, nor has she even tried to defend Markus's decision against me when he- ...During the Revolution."

"Because you got shot while protecting her just a few weeks ago. Negative associations can have more than one type of origin, kid. She just happened to be at both places when you got hurt."

"I dislike feeling as though deviants who have done nothing wrong to me on a personal level are somehow threats."

"From what you told me about how the other deviants don't want you around in deviant communities it sounds like they're the ones who put that weird feeling in your head because of their own issues. Don't worry about it and just focus on yourself."

"I'm attempting to do so."

Seeking a distraction for Connor's benefit Hank glanced about and found the perfect solution. "Hey, Tina got back from her afternoon patrol while you were interviewing Logan." Pointing to the breakroom behind Connor the senior detective tried to get Connor to pay attention to something else for a while. "Why don't you go and thank her before she heads out on her evening patrol?"

The suggestion worked and Connor's mindset quickly changed over to a new thought. "She's going out on a third patrol tonight?"

"Reed's not the only asshole who got sick this winter, and she's getting paid overtime. Just go thank her and make sure she knows that you appreciate the gift. It'll help make her night go by smoother knowing that she made ya' feel good."

"...Yes, of course." Standing up from his desk Connor approached Tina in the breakroom and watched for a silent moment as the young but tired officer made herself a cup of peppermint tea to drink to keep herself somewhat more alert on her patrol. Calming himself Connor's yellow L.E.D. returned to blue and he spoke up in a low voice as to not startle the other officer as he walked up to her. "...Tina?"

"Hey, Connor." Turning around from the countertop Tina beamed a truly happy smile at the deviant and perked up within seconds upon seeing him. "Ben told me you were coming back today. I'm glad you're back, too! Chris told us how you saved his life and we were all really worried when you were taken away in the back of an ambulance."

"Yes, I took notice of the flowers and cards upon my return."

Sensing that the deviant still wasn't accustomed to human behavior Tina gave him a skeptical glance and a tilt of her head. "Too much?"

"I don't know, I've never had an experience like this before."

"Well, get used to it. If you do something like that ever again we'll flood the entire bullpen with cards and flowers."

"Noted. While I appreciate the kind gesture and support from the bullpen I wanted to personally thank you for the scarf. It was an incredibly thoughtful gift."

"You're welcome!" Her bright smile became brighter at the comment. "My mom loves to knit scarves, and when I told her that we were getting another detective on the roster this winter she didn't even hesitate to pick up her knitting needles and make you something nice."

"Will you tell her I said 'thank you' as well?"

"Of course! I'm going to see her tomorrow morning for Christmas, so I'll tell her in person."

"Thank you again."

"No problem. I'm glad you liked it." Tina returned her attention to her mug of steaming tea and took a tentative sip as she noticed that someone was standing just behind Connor and watching him. Nodding at the person of interest behind the deviant Tina raised her eyebrows inquisitively. "Who's your friend?"

Turning to look at the curious person behind him Connor's blue L.E.D. returned to yellow for a moment. "...North?"

Tina heard the name and the tone of Connor's voice, and took a slow sip of her tea. Without saying a word she exited the breakroom with her mug of tea and hid her somewhat amused grin behind the mug to give the two deviants space to talk in relative privacy.

"Hey, uh..." North approached Connor slowly with her arms folded over her chest and her wary eyes barely able to lock onto his. She was clearly nervous and was unsure if her presence would be tolerated. "I was here to speak with Logan. We learned of the assault and I was asked to check in on him, and see if he needed anything from New Jericho."

"I see..."

"I also wanted to see how you were doing. I never checked in on you after you took a bullet to protect me, and no one bothered to see how you were doing after you fell from the top of that building."

"...I'm recovering well. Thank you for asking."

"I... I also wanted to thank you."

Connor's brow arched a little as North took a step toward the deviant to stand just inside the breakroom without intruding on Connor's personal space. "You wish to thank me? For what?"

"You've saved my life twice," North stated in a low voice to prevent eavesdropping as much as possible as she spoke to Connor in a sincere manner. "you helped with the Revolution, you've continued to dedicate yourself to protecting innocent people; deviants and humans alike, and you've never once complained about being isolated from the deviant community because of... Well, everything we've been through. You deserve to be thanked for everything you've done, and you deserve more than just being known as the former 'Deviant Hunter', or the rogue deviant detective."

"I'm fine as I am, North. I'm not seeking recognition or special treatment."

"I know. But you still deserve respect, you've earned it."

Connor could hear the genuine emotion and respect in North's voice, but he didn't know how to react. While he wasn't seeking any form of validation from North or anyone else for that matter, Connor had to admit her words were resonating somewhere deep inside of his heart. "...Your confidence is appreciated."

Feeling a little out of place North looked around the bullpen suspiciously and took another step toward Connor. Giving him a focused stare, her cinnamon brown eyes looking onto his soulful brown eyes, North quickly stood up on her tiptoes and gave Connor a kiss right on his lips.

Not expecting the kiss Connor froze where he stood and his L.E.D. blinked to red for a moment before cycling back to yellow, and then finally back to blue as he instinctively reciprocated the kiss without thinking.

Breaking the kiss North took a step back from Connor and felt herself blush a pale blue and cleared her throat with an impressively human manner. "I, uh, I have to go." Backing away slowly North gave the deviant detective a wary look. "Take care of yourself, Connor."

"Y-Yeah. You do the same, North." Waiting for North to disappear from sight Connor pressed his right fingertips to his lips where he could still feel and taste North's kiss, and stayed statuesque in the breakroom.

"Looks like that mistletoe really works..." Tina giggled to herself as she returned to the breakroom to put her now empty mug of tea in the sink to be washed out later.

"...Mistletoe?"

Walking back toward the doorway Tina pointed up with her two thumbs toward the small unassuming leaves hanging from the garland over her head and gave him a cheeky grin. "I put it there for decoration, but it looks like it really works."

"...I see."

"I won't tell anyone about this, I swear." Walking toward her desk in the bullpen Tina sighed, picked up her phone and slipped on her coat before heading out to begin her evening patrol with Chris. "Merry Christmas, Connor."

"...Merry Christmas, Tina." Walking out of the breakroom to return to his desk Connor dropped his fingertips from his lips and tried to focus on his report for the night, and forget about North giving him his very first and very unexpected kiss.

"I saw the smirk on Tina's face." Hank remarked without provocation as he noticed Connor's return from the corner of his eye.

Feeling his L.E.D. shift to red for a moment Connor gave Hank a wide-eyed stare of embarrassment. "H-Huh?"

"I told you that if you thanked Tina it'd make her night."

"...O-Oh. Yes." The L.E.D. returned to a calm blue as Connor realized what Hank was talking about. "Tina was indeed very appreciative of my thanks. She will also tell her mother that I said 'thanks' as well."

"Cool. Are you okay?" Noticing that Connor's posture was stiff and tense Hank gave the deviant an odd glance. "You look jumpy."

"I'm fine." Forcing himself to relax his shoulders Connor did his best to deflect the question. "I'm just... thinking."

"Stop it. You look like you're about to run for cover or some shit."

"...I will try."

"How's your report comin' along?"

"It's finished. I just need to-" A buzzing sound from the top right drawer of Gavin's desk pulled Connor's attention from Hank, and made his blue L.E.D. cycle in yellow for a moment. "Curious." Standing up from his own desk Connor walked over to Gavin's desk, pulled open the drawer as the phone buzzed again, and picked up the device to check it over for himself. "It appears Gavin forgot to take his phone after he was escorted from the precinct this morning."

"Dumbass." Hank mumbled as he watched Connor easily unlock Gavin's hone to check on the missed phone calls and text messages.

"He was ill and not thinking clearly. I believe this incident can be given a pass." All of the unanswered attempts at communication toward Gavin's person were from Tina. The time of the sent messages that were left unread lines up with the time in which Gavin had been resting in his apartment. "It's evident that Tina has been trying to get a hold of Gavin all afternoon and now the evening. She must've thought he was sleeping and didn't hear his phone."

"Well, he definitely didn't hear it if he left it behind. Let Tina know that you have the phone."

"And then what?"

"Drop the phone off at Gavin's apartment." Thinking quickly Hank turned to look at Ben over his left shoulder and nodded once as the seasoned detective felt Hank staring at him. "Take the car." Fishing his car keys from his coat pocket Hank tossed them toward the deviant who caught them gracefully with his right hand. "I'll get a ride home with Ben."

"...You're certain?"

"Yeah. Mrs. Collins has been bothering me to stop by so she can give me one of her homemade pecan pies, and I can't put it off any longer. Think of this as multitasking, kid. You do your thing and I'll do mine."

"...Yes. Of course." Replying to Tina's texts to inform her that Gavin had left the phone behind and that he was now on his way to take the phone to Gavin's apartment Connor cybernetically clocked-out for the evening and gave Hank a polite goodbye as he began walking toward the front doors of the precinct to take his leave. "I will see you back at the house as soon as possible."

Returning to New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi North walked through ankle deep snow and passed through the front lobby of the sanctuary as she dusted the few stray snowflakes from her hair and shoulders without a care in the world. As she approached the elevator to take her up to her personal quarters for the night North caught sight of Simon walking her way, and looking completely exhausted. Sympathetic to the lone technician's plight North gave him a very faint grin of approval for all of his hard work.

Waiting for the blond technician to join her at the elevator North gave him a kind glance as she pressed the call button. "Hey."

Letting out a weary sigh Simon dragged his left palm of the back of his tense neck as he and North passed through the parted elevator doors together. "...Hey."

"How're the deviants with frostbite doing?"

"Recovering." Ready to go to his own personal quarters after making a chronicle of the day's events in the tower's main office Simon confirmed that the deviants in his care were fairing well. "No one succumbed to their wounds, and everyone is resting well."

"That's some good news to hear."

"So, where's Markus?"

"I don't know." Pressing the button and verbally requesting the correct floor North's tone dropped considerably. "I was handling business in town."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"I just figured you'd be spending time with him for Christmas, maybe even going to Mr. Manfred's home to celebrate."

"Carl is Markus's family, not mine."

"...Right." The elevator reached their mutual floor and the two deviants stepped through the doors side by side. "Well, have a goodnight, North. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah. Have a good night, Simon."

Parting ways as they reached the doors of their respective private quarters North stepped inside the quiet and personalized space and removed her protective winter coat, and placed it inside of the small closet beside the doorway. Pulling her long hair out of her neat braid North ran her fingers through the auburn strands, and stood before the window overlooking the harbor with a somber stare.

North looked at her faint reflection on the glass for a moment before letting her gaze drift over to the framed physical newspaper image of herself, Markus, Simon and Josh all standing together in triumph atop the metal cargo containers on the night of the Revolution that had been mounted on the wall above her nearby white leather sofa. It was a historical image that usually made North smile with pride, but now she couldn't help but feel as though the image was just for show. Everyone who was involved in the success of the Revolution should've been photographed together, and yet Connor wasn't there.

"One problem at a time."

Whispering to herself North returned her focus to the harbor outside her window and peered through her reflection to watch the snowflakes falling from the dark sky and into the even darker water far below. A sense of guilt filled her heart as North pressed her left fingertips to her lips and thought about her kiss with Connor at the precinct.

"You can't fix everything at once."

Driving slowly through the streets Connor admired the holiday decorations glowing throughout the city and thought about how North had kissed him without any provocation. He could still feel her lips against his own and the sensation made him lick his lips once in an attempt to get the feeling to go away. There was no reason for her to kiss him, there was no reason for him to reciprocate the kiss and there was no reason for him to be thinking about the kiss any longer than he already was.

Hearing Gavin's phone buzzing again beside him Connor was brought back to reality and he looked down at the screen and saw a new text from Tina.

'Gavin's apartment was left unlocked. With any luck he kept it unlocked, but if you have to force the door open I'll take the heat from his wrath.'

Deciding it'd be best to keep that message on the phone for Gavin to see for himself Connor was grateful for Tina supporting him and having his back.

"Hopefully Gavin will be asleep and won't be angry with me for showing up at his apartment uninvited."

Locating the correct address Connor scanned over the apartment building and grimaced at the rundown structure in need of repairs, and a deep cleaning. It wasn't hard to pull of the street and locate a vacant parking space as very few residents of the cheap apartments could afford vehicles of their own. Phone in hand Connor put the car into park, opened up the door, strode over the snowy parking lot and located the front entrance to the apartment building with ease. Entering the building through the front without anyone noticing his arrival Connor located the elevator and ascended to the second floor.

"No one up front to watch for potentially dangerous people. Very disconcerting."

Scanning the elevator as he rode it alone to the next floor Connor detected a disturbing amount of human spit, vomit and even urine on the floor, in all four corners of the elevator car and even the doors and control panel where people put their hands.

"...This is unsanitary."

Eager to step out of the elevator the moment the doors opened Connor walked a few feet down the corridor to get to the correct apartment. Knocking twice on the door Connor waited for an answer but received none. Not waiting around and unwilling to walk away Connor opened up the door, it had been fortunately been left unlocked, and stepped into the livingroom quietly.

"...Gavin?"

There was a loud groan of pain from down the hallway as the ill human responded in the only way he could.

Closing the door behind himself Connor placed the phone down on the coffee table and walked down the hallway to locate Gavin. "Gavin?"

The sound of painful retching followed by coughing filled the apartment as Gavin knelt in front of the toilet and vomited up every meager morsel from his aching stomach. Looking pale, sweaty and on the verge of death Gavin spit the lingering foul taste from his mouth as he leaned heavily against the base of the toilet bowl and rested his forehead down top his left forearm as his arms hung limply over the bowl. Trembling a little Gavin managed to lift his head up enough to let his bloodshot hazel eyes look at Connor's face.

"I see you're still ill." Connor needlessly stated as he walked into the bathroom and ran a direct scan over Gavin's feverish body. The elevated heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature were all negative vital signs that made Connor very alert to Gavin's every movement. "...Have you seen a doctor?"

"...Fuckin' flu. Don't need one."

"No, your symptoms don't fit the flu."

"What the fuck would you know abou-" Throwing-up again Gavin lost his sneer and what was left of his stomach in the process.

"Gavin." Kneeling down on the floor beside the sick detective Connor pressed his left hand against Gavin's right shoulder and pressed his right hand against Gavin's forehead to ensure he didn't pass out and fall into the mess he had just made against his will. "You should seek medical assistance."

Coughing and spitting again Gavin breathed deeply, his sore stomach muscles aching with the heaving breaths he need to take to calm down, and failed to bat Connor's hand away from his forehead. "...No."

"Why not?"

"...I got it out of my system. I feel better now."

"Your vitals are telling me another story."

"...Fuck off."

"Not this time."

"What the fuck are you even doing here? Get out!"

"You left your phone in your desk at the precinct and I brought it here because Tina has been trying to get in touch with you all afternoon."

"...Where's the phone now?"

"On the coffee table in the livingroom."

"Then you did your little errand, now piss off!"

"No."

"What do you- Hey!" Connor grabbed onto Gavin's right bicep to pull him back up onto his feet as he flushed the toilet, and 'escorted' him out of the bathroom, down the hallway and into the livingroom to lay down. Fighting the entire time Gavin paled even further and began to sweat heavily as his fever steadily increased in temperature. "Let go!"

"I will once you're laying down on the couch and have stabilized."

"Stabilized?!" Yanking his arm out of Connor's grip Gavin fell onto the couch and leaned back over the furniture to get some rest. "Fuck..." Wrapping his arms around his aching abdomen Gavin hissed a pained breath through his clenched teeth and tried to dismiss the concerns as if Connor was overreacting. "I told you, I'm feeling better now! Get out!"

"From what Tina has told me you are suffering from something worse than the flu, and from what I've seen I have to agree with her. Your heart rate is nearly tachycardic, your blood pressure is down to one-ten over seventy, your respiration rate is eighteen and your body temperature is hovering at one-hundred and two point six degrees. That is a serious fever and a sign of an equally serious infection."

"I've got a gun, remember?" Threatening Connor in the only way he knew how Gavin tried to get the deviant to get away from him. "Leave or I'll use it!"

"It wouldn't be the first time you aimed your gun at me."

Scoffing at the remark as Gavin all but admitted defeat as he shook his head and closed his pained eyes to try to rest. "You ain't a doctor, so fuck off!" Groaning again as the throbbing ache in his stomach flared up Gavin tried and failed to sound aggressive. "...Shit."

Confident that Gavin was in serious trouble Connor ran another scan and noticed that the core of Gavin's discomfort was aimed directly at his lower right abdomen. Cybernetically Connor began comparing Gavin's symptoms to that of other illnesses that the abrasive detective could be experiencing, and everything pointed to a single and far more serious infection that could kill Gavin if left untreated. "Is your pain radiating from the lower right quadrant of your abdomen?"

"...My entire stomach is killing me! What of it?"

Not bothering to answer Connor pressed his right palm down along Gavin's lower right abdomen beneath his arm, and slowly applied pressure.

"Don't fuckin' touch me!"

"I need to do this."

"What the fuck for?!"

"An answer." Feeling a modest swelling under his palm Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow and he gave Gavin a truly sympathetic glance. "I apologize now in advance for the pain you're about to feel."

"...What?"

Lifting up his palm slowly Connor took a step back and waited for Gavin to finish letting out a loud yelp of pain as he suddenly turned onto his right side to curl up protectively around himself. "I'm sorry."

Turning his face to bury it into the couch cushion beneath his head as a rogue tear escaped his left eye Gavin mumbled his complaint through the dense material of the cushion as he managed to catch his breath at last. "...Wh-What the fuck did you to me?!"

"I confirmed my diagnosis."

"Shut up! You're not-" Stopping short as the act of shouting hurt his entire torso Gavin took in deep slow breaths to try to ease the horrible pain in his stomach as much as possible. "...Leave."

"No. I need to call an ambulance."

"...No."

"Gavin, if I'm correct then you are suffering from severe appendicitis. I estimate your chances of your appendix rupturing to be ninety-seven percent, and your chances of recovery without immediate medical attention to be only four percent."

"...Shove your numbers up your ass! I'll take my chances. "

"But I won't." Slipping Gavin's phone into his jean pocket Connor walked about the apartment in search of Gavin's shoes that had been kicked off at the end of the couch earlier that afternoon, then his coat that had been thrown over the back of the couch onto the floor behind it. Lucky was cuddled up in the coat and just watching Connor curiously as he took notice of her, paused for a moment, then gently picked her up and placed her down on the floor beside the coat to retrieve the warm garment. "Gavin, you need help."

"...Fine. I... I don't want to go to school anyway."

"School?" The comment made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with confusion for a moment as he ran another scan and confirmed that Gavin's fever was rising to a very dangerous degree. Returning to the couch Connor gently rolled Gavin from his side and onto his back before pressing his right palm down directly over the detective's burning hot forehead. "Shit." Gavin's fever had reached one-hundred and four degrees, and the abrasive detective had fallen into a state of delirium. "I need to get you to the hospital, now."

Moving quickly Connor slipped Gavin's shoes over his feet then sat Gavin upright on the couch just enough to wrap the coat around sick man's body before slipping his own left arm around Gavin's upper back, and then his right arm beneath Gavin's knees. Lifting the feverish and dangerously ill detective up and into his arms Connor carried Gavin to the apartment door, awkwardly opened the door with his right hand, then stepped outside in the hallway to carry Gavin down to the car for transportation.

"Forgive me, but I cannot risk waiting for an ambulance." Connor stated as if Gavin could perfectly understand him as he carried the sick man down the stairwell to avoid the filthy elevator, and reached the ground floor and passed through the front door quickly.

As soon as the cold winter air hit Gavin's face he let out a shocked gasp and opened up his glassy and unfocused hazel eyes to look up at the bright Christmas lights glowing all around him. "...Shiny."

Ignoring the comment Connor carried Gavin over to the car, pulled open the front passenger side door and placed Gavin down on the seat. With the sick detective now in the seat Connor fastened the seatbelt over his person, then cybernetically informed St. Mercy hospital of the critically ill patient he was about to bring in for them to treat.

"Please do not succumb to this illness." Pleading with Gavin to hold on and not get any worse before he was able to get proper treatment Connor sent a text to Tina to let her know what was happening, and where to find Gavin. "I do not want to tell Tina that her best friend has died on Christmas Eve."

Barely twenty minutes after Gavin was admitted as a patient and wheeled into an emergency treatment room of St. Mercy Hospital Tina arrived with Chris as they used the lights and sirens of the patrol car to get to the hospital in record time. Just as Connor suspected Gavin had severe appendicitis and the affected non-vital organ was on the verge of rupturing. Connor had remained in the hospital to ensure that Gavin wouldn't be alone once his emergency appendectomy had been completed, and refused to leave until he could see Gavin again in the recovery room just for his own peace of mind.

Watching as Tina approached the nurse behind the receptionist desk and informed her that she was Gavin's emergency contact Connor absentmindedly pulled his coin from his vest pocket to fidget with. Cybernetically he also informed Captain Fowler of the current hospitalization and put him in contact with the doctor treating Gavin's condition.

Chris had stayed out in the waiting room with Connor and approached the deviant detective in a quiet manner while Tina spoke to the nurse. "That's two."

Catching his coin mid dance between his right index finger's knuckle and right thumb Connor's yellow L.E.D. blinked a little faster as he gave the young officer a righteously confused glance. "...Two?"

"Two lives you've saved. First me," holding up his left index finger as he counted Chris realized how appropriate it was that his middle finger represented Gavin in his mini countdown. "and now Gavin. Thanks for having our backs like that."

"Oh." With his L.E.D. settling on blue again Connor now understood Chris's comment. "...You don't have to thank me."

"No, but I want to. You're a good guy, Connor. Don't ever let anyone try to tell you anything different." Giving Connor's left shoulder a firm pat Chris walked up to the receptionist desk to speak with Tina, and get an idea of what was happening with Gavin. "Thanks again!"

"...Curious." Cybernetically Connor contacted Hank's phone and was met with a rather confused sounding greeting on the other end of the line.

'Connor, where are you? I was just about to you call you.'

"I had to take Gavin to the hospital and due to such an unexpected event I will be at the house later tonight than anticipated."

'Oh. What's wrong with the little prick?'

"Appendicitis." Walking out of the waiting room with the coin still dancing over his right knuckles Connor found a quiet corner to speak in privacy without actually leaving hospital grounds. "It was on the verge of rupturing and he's currently undergoing an emergency appendectomy."

There was a pause before Hank spoke up again. '...He's going to survive, right?'

"The doctors give him a ninety-eight percent chance of a full recovery without any complications."

'Cool. So when are you coming back? It's almost eight o'clock and the snowstorm is going to get worse before midnight. Besides, it's Christmas Eve. Friends and family need to be hanging out together.'

"I'll be at the house as soon as I can. I wish to see Gavin in recovery before I leave."

'Why? He hates you.'

"I'm aware, but there is something about this situation that is compelling me to see him with my own eyes before I leave. It's difficult to explain."

'Like I said, you're empathetic. Just be careful on the roads, okay? I don't want you to get stuck somewhere or get in an accident.'

"I will be okay, Hank."

'Good. See you soon, son.'

Ending the call Connor looked down at the coin in his right hand and contemplated Hank's words for a moment. Friends and family needed to be together on Christmas Eve, and Hank again referred to him as 'son'. Knowing that the worst moment of Hank's life happened on a cold snowy night in an unavoidable car accident had a surprisingly chilling effect on his heart. He didn't want Hank to worry about him.

"...I'll be careful, Hank."

"Hey, Connor." Chris approached the deviant again and gave him a quick nod. "I just got word that the surgery is over and Gavin is being sutured up. I guess the hospital hired on some top-notch deviant surgeons who can perform routine surgeries in half the time it takes a human surgeon."

Noting the time between Gavin's admission to the hospital, emergency examination and preparation for surgery Connor realized that everything had happened within forty-six minutes and twenty-two seconds. "...Yes. The average appendectomy takes between one and three hours, but it seems medical advancements through deviant reflexes and accuracy have improved procedure times exponentially."

"Tina's going to be staying here with Gavin for the night, and then she's going to be watching over him as he recovers for the next few days."

"...Tomorrow is Christmas Day and Tina had plans to be with her mother."

"No sweat, Tina's mom actually adores Gavin for some reason and I guarantee that with Mama Chen around Gavin's going to recover in record time."

Remembering that Tina's mom had knitted him a scarf Connor suddenly felt guilty for not bring the scarf with him when he left the precinct, and a strange sense of shame washed over him. "...Oh, no."

"What?"

"I don't have the scarf."

"Relax, man." Almost smirking Chris was genuinely touched by how much Connor did appreciate the gift. "Just pick it up on your way out. It's not like Tina's going to be offended if you're not wearing the scarf every second of your life."

"...Yes, of course."

"Why don't you head out? We'll stay with Gavin and keep Captain Fowler update."

"No, not yet. I wish to see him for a moment and then I'll leave. Hank is expecting me back at the house."

"Yeah, I bet Hank's looking forward to tomorrow morning."

The second curious statement from Chris made Connor's eyes narrow for only a moment. "How so?"

"You're the first family he's had ever since that car accident." Lowering his voice out of respect Chris told Connor an unfortunate truth about the past few holidays seasons regarding Hank and the precinct. "For the past two Christmases everyone at the precinct made sure to constantly keep a close eye on Hank to ensure he didn't... Well... You know."

"I understand." The notion of Hank's suicidal tendencies weren't exactly a secret to anyone who knew him. "As of late Hank is doing much better mentally and emotionally."

"Yeah, because of you." Seeing the confusion in Connor's eyes Chris finally smirked and gave the deviant a smug grin as he took a step back to check in on Tina as she waited for the clear to go and see Gavin. "Man, I guess that's three lives you've saved now."

As the young officer walked away Connor replayed Hank's words in his mind and realized something that seemed painfully obvious, yet he was only just now seeing. Hank's request for him to return home safely wasn't just because he was worried about the deviant being stranded or in a car accident, it was because truly cared about Connor as his friend.

His family.

Slipping the coin back into his vest pocket Connor thought about everything Hank had told him about previous Christmas traditions with his own family, and of how Hank hadn't been able to celebrate Christmas with a family for years. It was a thought that made the odd tightening feeling around Connor's heart return, and with it came a compulsion to be with Hank as his friend and family on Christmas Day.

"...I need to make Christmas with Hank memorable." Walking away from his quiet corner Connor saw the doctor who operated on Gavin speaking with Tina and Chris, and watched as his colleagues were escorted down the corridor to see the recovering detective at last. Catching up to the two officers Connor tagged along and listened in as the doctor explained everything that happened, while also thinking about Hank's emotional stability. "...I need to help Hank realize he's not alone."

It didn't take long for Tina to pass out in the chair beside Gavin's bed as she held onto his left hand under her right hand, and kept by her best friend's side all throughout the night. Chris resumed his patrol and picked up another rookie officer who was willing to clock-in for a few hours to cover the extra time now that Tina was no longer on patrol, and with it everything became quieter. Watching through the opened doorway of the private recovery room as Gavin slept off his lingering fever, the anesthetic and recovered from his emergency surgery under heavy painkillers Connor stared at the muted cardiac monitor recording his vital signs, and noted that they were much better than they had been a few hours prior.

Entering the room very quietly Hank placed Gavin's phone down on the small table beside Tina so the device was finally back with its rightful own, then draped a spare white blanket that was sitting neatly folded up on the foot of Gavin's bed over Tina without waking her up. Satisfied that his two colleagues wouldn't need anything further from his presence Connor discreetly left the room and let the door slide shut behind himself to keep the room nice and quiet.

"Gavin is resting well and Tina is staying beside him." Connor sighed to himself and quietly took his leave of the hospital to finally tend to other things in a timely manner. "He has his best friend and is doing well. Now it's Hank's turn to have his friend for the rest of the evening."

Making a mental objective list Connor decided on his next task carefully:

- Get his scarf from the precinct.

- Return to Gavin's apartment to tend to his kitten and lock the door.

- Find Hank a Christmas gift.

"Hank wants this Christmas to be special for me because it's my first one, but I feel as though it needs to be more special for him considering all the pain and suffering he has endured for the near three years he spent alone. He deserves to have a nice day tomorrow."

Sitting in the recliner in the nice warm livingroom while wrapped up in his red quilt Hank rubbed his left hand along Sumo's ears, and used his right hand to hold his mug of hot coffee as he patiently waited for Connor to finally return home. Watching the weather report on television confirming the increased snowfall and dropping temperatures for the night Hank began to worry for the deviant's safety. Refusing to look out the front window to the outside world as it steadily became buried under thickening white snow Hank just sighed and looked down at Sumo at his side with a tired gaze as the clock ticked up to ten in the evening.

"Maybe I should strap a saddle to your back and ride ya' around town until I find Connor. What do you think of that, Sumo?"

Sumo grumbled once and licked his nose nervously.

"You're a snow dog, it'd be fine. Besides, I'm not that heavy."

The sound of fresh snow and ice crunching under tires filled the air as Connor finally returned to the house, and parked the car in the partially shoveled driveway beside the house.

"Finally! The kid may be able to take care of himself, but he can still make me worry."

There was a moment of silence after the car door opened and then slammed shut before the front door creaked open causing Sumo's tail to wag happily, and Connor entered the warm house to escape the cold snowy weather at long last. Removing his snow covered gray boots, his leather jacket and the warm blue scarf that had been his gift from Tina and her mom, Connor looked almost frozen and eager to curl up under his own quilt to get warmed up.

"There ya' are." Watching as Connor quickly walked down the hallway and listening as Connor opened up the hallway closet to get his night clothes tucked away inside Hank relaxed in the recliner and put the coffee mug aside. "How's Gavin doing?"

"He is expected to make a full recovery." Connor replied loudly as he entered the bathroom and changed his clothes. Keeping the door open since Hank wouldn't be able to see him the deviant gave Hank all the details he needed to know. "As long as he doesn't show any sign of complications or lingering infection he'll be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning, and into Tina's care."

"Well, knowing Tina's charm Gavin will either recover in less than a day, or run off and hide for a month."

Returning to the livingroom in his usual night clothes of a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants Connor readily wrapped himself up in the chocolate brown quilt he neatly folded up to lay on the couch, and sat down at long last. "I made sure to feed Gavin's kitten and lock his apartment door after I left the hospital."

"Gavin has a cat?"

"Yes. She is apparently twelve weeks old, and a long haired breed known as Maine coon."

"I didn't take Gavin as the type of person to actually give a damn about a helpless creature."

"Neither did I. But upon examination of his apartment I found very expensive kitten food, numerous cat toys, a large 'cat tree' that needs construction, a new collar and flea drops to be given to Lucky once she's bigger." Connor's mouth ticked a little as he made a curious comparison to Lucky's items compared to anything Gavin had provided for himself. "By all account Gavin is taking better care of Lucky than he is himself."

Hank glanced down at Sumo and sighed as he realized that he and Gavin had more in common than he'd care to admit. "...It happens, kid."

Sensing the despondence in Hank's tone Connor glanced about the livingroom and then gave Hank a hopeful stare. "Since we don't have to report to the precinct tomorrow how do you want to spend Christmas Day?"

"Well... I just want to stay here, keep warm and enjoy the peace. What about you?"

"That sounds ideal to me. I very much dislike the cold and I find remaining here as opposed to going outside into the cold far more preferable."

"Then we have a game plan for tomorrow." Leaning back in the recliner Hank gave Connor an appreciative nod. "Awesome."

"Did you get what you needed from Mrs. Collins?"

"Yup. Two pecan pies, an apple pie, a dozen homemade cookies AND..." Giving the deviant a smarmy grin Hank watched the deviant's reactions carefully. "A dozen homemade Thirium based cookies just for you."

"...Thirium cookies?"

"Sheila loves to bake. She'll use anything as an excuse to try a new recipe."

"That was very kind of her to do."

"Why don't you go try one?"

"Yes... I will do so." Standing up from the couch with the quilt still wrapped around himself Connor walked into the kitchen where he saw a ceramic plate of pale blue cookies sitting beside the other baked goods Hank had brought home. Picking up one of the cookies Connor ran a scan over the item and found it to be pure Thirium and entirely safe for him to ingest. Taking a small bite Connor was bombarded with delightful sweetness he had never tasted before. "...I like this."

"Good!" Hank shouted as he heard Connor speaking to himself. "There supposed to be chocolate chip cookies."

"Chocolate chip..." Noting the flavor and comparing it to the Thirium based candy canes he had tried Connor decided he preferred chocolate more than cinnamon, but still liked peppermint the best. However combining chocolate and mint was still a good flavor as well. "It tastes better than pure Thirium."

"I'd hope so."

"It's getting late." Wanting to ensure that Hank had a restful night Connor finished the Thirium cookie and returned to the couch in the livingroom where he proceeded to lay down, and prop his head up against the thick white pillow he had been sleeping on ever since Hank took him into the home. "I'm ready to enter rest mode, but if you'd like to watch a movie it won't bother me."

"Nah. I was staying up until you got home anyway." Standing up from the recliner Hank rubbed Sumo's ears again and then patted the end of the couch next to Connor's legs to coax the massive dog into cuddling with the deviant throughout the night. Sumo happily jumped up and cuddled down with Connor just as he had done every night since Connor moved in. "See you in the morning, son."

"Goodnight, Hank."

Laying down and relaxing against his pillow Connor quietly waited for Hank to make his way down the hallway and close his bedroom door behind himself. Waiting until he was certain Hank was laying down and drifting off to sleep Connor silently rose from the couch and made his way to the hallway closet without making any sound whatsoever. Opening up the closet door Connor reached inside the storage space and located the wrapped up gift he had smuggled into the house beneath his gray blazer then hidden under his uniform, and carried it back to the livingroom to place it down under the Christmas tree as was the proper tradition that Connor had observed while patrolling the city and admiring the holiday decorations.

"It's not much." Connor whispered to Sumo as he placed Hank's gift under the small tree, then placed a second small gift for Sumo down beside it. "But I believe it's something that Hank will appreciate all the same."

The following Christmas morning Connor was unexpectedly awoken from rest mode by Sumo pressing his cold wet nose up and against the right side of his neck in a gentle manner. Opening his eyes Connor was met with Sumo staring at him and waiting for a response. As he sat upright on the couch Connor watched Sumo wag his tail and trot into the kitchen to sit next to the backdoor to be let outside for a few minutes. Glad Sumo knew to wake him up instead of making a mess Connor remained wrapped up in the warm quilt as he walked into the kitchen and let Sumo outside for a while.

"Good boy, Sumo."

As the backdoor clicked shut Connor heard Hank walked down the hallway and into the livingroom for a moment, then retreat to the bathroom to wake up properly on that snowy Christmas morning.

"Everyone's awake now."

Walking over to the coffee maker Connor started up a fresh pot of coffee for Hank to enjoy, and then took care of Sumo by filling up his bowls with fresh food and water. As he went about the usual morning routine Connor received a cybernetic text message from Tina, and the text was one of a positive outcome for the morning.

'Gavin got a clean bill of health and I'm taking him to my mom's house for the day.' An image of Gavin sleeping in the backseat of Tina's car with Lucky cuddled up on his chest was accompanied with the message. 'Gavin won't say it directly but he is grateful you saved his life, and thanks you. Have a Merry Christmas, see you tomorrow morning.'

Sending a kind reply to Tina a sense of warmth washed over Connor's heart, and made him feel like he truly did the right thing. 'Merry Christmas, Tina.'

As the coffer maker 'dinged' Hank exited the bathroom and made his way into the kitchen to greet Connor for the morning. "Good morning. Merry Christmas, son."

"Merry Christmas, Hank." Opening up the backdoor as Sumo began to scratch at the closed door Connor watched Hank pour himself a fresh cup of the hot coffee with utter gratitude while Sump checked out his bowls. "I received a message from Tina. She and Gavin are on their way to her mother's house and Gavin is doing well after his surgery."

"That's good. No one should spend Christmas in the hospital." Sipping at his coffee Hank began walking back toward the livingroom and motioned for Connor to join him. "Come here for a moment. I have something I want to give ya'."

"Oh?" Walking into the livingroom behind Hank the deviant took notice of a red, large, slender rectangular box in the corner of the livingroom behind the small Christmas tree, and noticed that the gift he had purchased for Hank was sitting right next to it. "...You got me a gift?"

"Yup. I see you got me something, too."

"...And Sumo."

Laughing a little Hank put his coffee mug down on the coffee table and picked up the gift he had bought for Connor. "Well, you open up your gift, I'll open mine and Sumo can have his."

Accepting the gift Connor put the bright red box down on the couch and then picked up the blue box that contained Hank's gift to hand it over to him to take. The box was bigger than a basketball and as heavy as an eight pound bowling ball. Sumo's gift on the other hand was small, wrapped up in green paper and in the exact size and shape of a standard rawhide chew bone meant for a larger breed of dog.

"This is for you." Passing Hank the somewhat heavy box Connor gave the senior detective a somewhat eager look. "...I was unsure of if you'd like this, but I tried my best."

"Hey, the fact you got me anything at all is pretty damn cool. I'm sure I'll like it no matter what it is." Taking hold of the box Hank was surprised by the heft of the box and then gave Connor a perplexed glance. "...You didn't buy me a weight set, did ya'?"

"No. It's different."

"Good. I'm not in the mood to workout."

After picking up Sumo's new bone from beneath the tree Connor removed the green paper a little and called to the loyal dog. "Sumo?"

The massive dog plodded into the kitchen as he immediately began smelling the rawhide bone being unwrapped in Connor's hand. Wagging his tail happily Sumo accepted the new bone from Connor's hand and laid down on his pillow in the corner to chew away on his new treat.

"Why'd ya' get Sumo a bone?" Hank asked as he waited for Connor to open up his gift first.

"I noticed that Gavin had numerous toys for his kitten, and I noticed that Sumo's toys are old and worn out. He needed something new, too."

"Well, you're not wrong." Sitting down on the couch beside Connor to open up his gift Hank began peeling back the blue paper slowly and watched as Connor did the same for the red paper over his own gift. "I had a hell of time picking out which one to give you, but I figured that'd be a good start. And Ben hurried me along so his wife wouldn't worry about us showing up late."

Arching his brow a little as he peeled back the red paper Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he examined the contents of the revealed cardboard box, and discovered that he been gifted a brand new ivory white Fender Vintera 50's Stratocaster with a maple colored neck and fingerboard. "...You bought me a guitar?"

"Yup."

"This is... beautiful." Truly impressed with the design, weight and overall quality of the guitar Connor carefully removed the surrounding packaging to hold the gorgeous instrument in his hands and felt as though the guitar was meant for him. "Thank you. This is... This is something I believe I wanted but didn't know it until now."

"That's usually how it goes, son." Motioning back toward the box Hank watched the deviant's eyes trail over the box curiously. "I put a white support strap and a box guitar picks in there, too. The amplifier is sitting in your bedroom already." Pointing at the instrument's shiny color Hank explained the reason for his final decision. "I went with white since I figured you'd be able to customize the guitar and add your own personality to it over time."

"I... I like it as it is. It's pure and untouched." Glancing up at the fresh, deep snow outside the window for a moment Connor locked his eyes with Hank again as he conveyed his gratitude. "It's like snow without the feeling of cold and isolation. This feels somehow... warm and inviting."

"That's one hell of a way to describe it." Finally peeling back the rest of the blue paper over his own gift Hank's eyes went wide as a grin appeared on his face, and a few tears began to well up in his eyes. "I don't believe it..."

"It was difficult to decide," Connor admitted as he watched Hank's reaction. "but I did my best."

"Son... This is perfect!" The box contained a dozen vinyl records that Hank hadn't seen in years. "These are the same records that my grandparents used to play during the holidays. I struggled to find them after the original records were worn out, but I had no luck. How'd you find them?"

"After I left Gavin's apartment last night I cybernetically browsed through the record selection in the antique and pawn stores still opened, and made my selection. Based on your nostalgic feeling for the records you briefly mentioned I deduced that the records themselves contained music that matched the holiday season and were of limited prints."

"You were one-hundred percent right, son. This is..." Checking each record carefully Hank's eyes lit up brighter and brighter with enthusiasm. "I can't believe you actually found them."

"I was very fortunate that the stores were also willing to stay open as late as they did."

"The holiday season tends to make people-" Hank's blue eyes went absolutely wide with shock. "Whoa..."

The reaction made Connor's L.E.D. flash to yellow for a moment. "What is it?"

"You found the debut album of 'The Knights of the Black Death'? This is the type of stuff you can only see in the most dedicated fans' music collections."

"That's what the pawn shop owner stated as well. I think he was disappointed that I wanted to purchase it."

"I know for damn sure I'd want this mounted on the wall behind me all day long, so yeah, he was disappointed." Putting the box of records down on the coffee table Hank put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "Thanks, kid. This is one hell of a gift."

"I'm glad you like it. This guitar," holding the instrument tightly in his hands Connor confirmed that he was in fact truly grateful for his own gift. "is something I believe I will cherish. Thank you."

"No problem, I'm glad you finally have something more than just clothes, a coin and an untouched bed to call your own."

Noting that he had yet to actually sleep in the provided bedroom courtesy of Hank's generosity Connor nodded a little and gave Hank a faint grin. "Yes. I appreciate this and everything else you've given me. This guitar will be safely stored in the... my bedroom from this day on."

Happy to hear the comment Hank selected one of the new records from the box before him and carried it over to the stereo against the far wall. "I think today is a good day to just stay inside out of the cold, and listen to some unappreciated music."

"I believe you're right." Feeling a sense of warmth and peace in the air Connor agreed. "That sounds ideal."

Putting the record down inside the player Hank turned on the stereo, adjusted the speed and carefully lifted up the needle to put down on the record to listen to songs he hadn't heard on vinyl in over twenty years. As the aged song began to play out in a calm and warm fashion Hank turned to look at Connor over his left shoulder as the deviant began to press his fingertips along the neck of the guitar as if making chords to play. "Merry Christmas, son."

Giving the senior detective a ghost of a grin Connor reciprocated the sentiment. "Merry Christmas, Hank."

-next chapter-