The following morning was quiet and thankfully somewhat warm as the worst of the winter seemed to have finally passed Detroit by, and soon a very welcome spring would thaw out the city under a coveted new season of warmth. Due to his improper previous rest cycles Connor awoke at noon rather than nine in the morning as had become his routine on his days off, and the deviant was met with Sumo anxiously nosing at his left hand waiting for him to wake up. Sitting upright in the bed Connor noted the current time and realized that Sumo needed to go outside and into the backyard before he had an unfortunate and messy accident on the floor instead.

Nodding a little Connor rose from his bed and let Sumo lead the way down the hallway, into the kitchen and right to the backdoor to get into the backyard. The moment the door was opened up Sumo eagerly trotted into the backyard and didn't bother to circle around, but merely chose a spot and took care of his business before it was too late to do anything about it.

"Good boy." Closing the backdoor with a soft 'click' Connor heard a loud 'bang' from the garage and a muffled swear from Hank shortly after the first sound finished echoing in the small space. "...Lieutenant?"

Opening the laundry room door Connor's blue L.E.D. cycled in yellow as he scanned the garage on the other side of the second door leading into the garage itself. Cautiously opening the door Connor peered inside the garage and noticed that Hank had been attempting to clean up the space but ended up dropping a deceptively heavy cardboard box on the floor, and pulling on his back in a most uncomfortable manner in the process.

"Lieutenant, what happened?"

Sighing at both the pain in his back and Connor's use of the word 'Lieutenant' instead of his name, Hank pressed his left hand to his lower back and leaned against his right arm as he rested on the old tool bench bolted to the rear of the garage. "...Fuckin' threw my back out."

Approaching Hank cautiously, stepping over other dropped boxes and crates in the process, Connor ran a scan over Hank's vital signs and noted the sudden and severe inflammation of the muscles in his lower back courtesy of the abrupt movement of lifting up the too heavy box without checking the weight first. The muscles were not only beginning to swell from aggravation but the surrounding vertebrae were becoming compressed under the swelling muscles, and the nerves beneath were going to become constricted if the overall swelling wasn't reduced properly.

Moving gently Connor pulled Hank's left arm around his shoulders then wrapped his own right arm around Hank's waist to help support his weight without it harming his back any further. "Lean on me."

"Fuckin'-" Despite the gentle motion it was still enough to make Hank's back ache at him mercilessly as he was moved. "What're you doing?"

"I'm assisting you as you walk. You cannot stand in the garage until the inflammation of your thoracolumbar fascia reduces."

Having never heard that term in his life Hank stumbled a little and gave the deviant a perplexed stare. "...My what?"

"The muscles in your back that have been aggravated by the physical exertion of lifting the inappropriately heavy box."

"Oh." Moving slowly and sluggishly Hank allowed Connor to help him cross the garage, walk around the boxes, and return to the laundry room at a steady pace. "Look, from now on just say my 'damn back went out' whenever my damn back acts up. Okay? None of that fancy medical shit."

"Noted." Leading Hank out of the laundry room and into the kitchen Connor helped Hank to support himself against the top of the kitchen table for a moment before walking any further. Letting Sumo back inside the house through the backdoor Connor scanned the cold weather hovering over the city and knew that Hank would be resistant to using an ice pack to aid his sore muscles, and an alternative solution was a must. "You should take a hot shower or a hot bath to help your muscles relax."

"I'm not up for standing in the shower for twenty minutes, and I'm not going to ask you to haul my old ass out of the tub when I undoubtedly won't be able to get back up by myself."

"Do you have a heating pad or a hot water bottle?"

"Heating pad shorted out two years ago." Hank stated with a grimace as he pressed his left hand to his back again. "The hot water bottle is M.I.A., and there hasn't been an update on its fate."

Arching his brow at the odd comment Connor resumed helping Hank walk out of the kitchen, down the hallway and into his bedroom to rest. Keeping Sumo at bay as the massive dog was a furry tripping hazard at the moment Connor managed to easily help Hank walk into the dimly lit bedroom and sit down on the edge of the massive bed without jostling his back in the process.

"I got it..." Hank sighed as he forced himself to relax his posture despite the pain trying to force his back to go rigid. Slowly falling to his right side with his right arm to guide his motions Hank managed to shift his posture and lay on his sore back very carefully. "...Thanks."

"Do you require anything, Lieutenant?"

Internally wincing at the term again Hank sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the consistent ache in his back. "No. I just need to rest for a few hours, then I'll be fine."

Scanning over Hank's person Connor could see the strained muscles tensing and relaxing with every beat of Hank's heart, and knew that Hank was in far more pain than he was letting on. Not wanting to leave Hank alone in his pain and misery Connor decided to take the initiative to help Hank through his current condition, and do so without getting too intrusive in the process.

"Sumo?" Calling for the dog Connor patted the foot of Hank's bed and coaxed the dog into hopping up and then laying down at Hank's side. After Sumo settled in Connor grabbed onto Hank's left shoulder and helped the senior detective turn from his back and onto his right side so Sumo could lean up against his back for a while. "Stay in this position and try to relax."

Eyeing Connor suspiciously Hank tucked his pillow up under his head and did his best to let his back muscles relax as much as possible. "What the fuck for?"

"Sumo can provide additional heat to your affected muscles until I return with a proper heating pad."

"You're going to do what," confused by Connor's behavior Hank kept his perplexed gaze focused on the deviant's face. "and Sumo's doing what?"

"I'm going to go purchase you a functional heating pad, and until I return with my purchase Sumo's own body heat will have to suffice."

"Don't. Just... Just stay here."

"I will only be gone for a moment. You need something to help your back otherwise you'll be in pain longer than necessary and possibly incapacitated to the extent that you won't be able to work, and may even require physical therapy due to your age and poor health."

"Kid, it's still fuckin' cold outside and you're just finally getting your energy back after working your ass off and not sleeping well. Don't worry about it."

"I insist." Not backing down on his decision Connor stepped out of Hank's bedroom and entered his own bedroom to change into a pair of jeans and a clean long sleeved black shirt, and slipped a navy blue t-shirt over top for an additional warm layer. Slipping the black beanie down over his hair and L.E.D. Connor walked into the livingroom to grab his leather jacket and shoes, and was ready to brave the cold on Hank's behalf.

Locating the car keys on the bookshelf against the far wall of the livingroom Connor made a mental list and proceeded to go about his self imposed errands. As he opened the front door Connor shuddered a little and responded by zipping up the leather jacket to keep the cold away from his chest as he walked over to the Oldsmobile in the driveway beside the house.

The old car was nowhere near as advanced as the autonomous vehicles in the city, but it was still loyal and managed to start right up when Connor turned the key in the ignition. Adjusting the seat and mirrors to accommodate his height and line of sight Connor turned on the heater and maxed it out to its highest temperature before backing down the driveway, and heading toward the center of town to get to the shopping district.

Snow and ice still coated the streets, but the plows and salt trucks helped keep the dangerous conditions to a minimum. Easily driving out of the neighborhood and toward his new destination Connor found the lack of activity on the sidewalks and roads to be very refreshing in comparison to the usual hectic activity that stems from being a detective in a busy city such as Detroit.

Restless and eager to find something to do Gavin found himself performing a brief workout on his livingroom floor, and trying to ignore Lucky as she purred and rubbed around his right forearm trying to get some attention during his push-up routine. Waiting for a change in the housing market Gavin just went about his own thing while Lucas continued to monitor apartment listings in the city, and also kept close tabs on the weather as he didn't want to deal with another blizzard or power outage without proper supplies at his disposal.

Giving up on his work-out in favor of giving Lucky some attention Gavin sat cross legged in the middle of his livingroom and used a small flashlight attached to his car keys to lure the kitten about the floor in a playful manner. As the kitten scrambled back and forth in search of the elusive white dot of light on the beige carpet Gavin smirked a little, and Lucas took notice of the positive emotional reaction from the usually abrasive detective.

"Man, if I had half the energy of a kitten I could kick caffeine altogether." Leading Lucky into a small circle on the floor in front of himself Gavin smirked as the little kitten ran about until she made herself dizzy. "Weird little fuzzball..."

"There are more apartments available at the moment," Lucas stated in a firm tone as he remained on the couch and dedicated his processors to cybernetically monitoring the city without leaving the apartment. "but there are of apartments with two bedrooms, not one, or do not allow pets."

"Keep looking." Rubbing Lucky's chin Gavin sighed and peered out his livingroom window to the blue sky overhead as opposed to dark snow clouds that had been lurking over the city for what felt like an eternity. "The moment one pops up with what I'm looking for let me know so I can contact the property."

"I will do so."

"How about the weather? Are we going to get any more snow or ice?"

"Negative. The snow and ice have moved North of our current location, but a strong windstorm is expected to arrive in Detroit within the next forty-eight hours. The storm is expected to have gusts from between forty to sixty miles per hour, and a substantial drop in temperature has been noted."

"Shit. Alright..." Standing up from the floor Gavin tilted his head to the side to crack his neck and proceeded to walk down the hallway to his bedroom to change his clothes. "I'm gonna' go grab some stuff in case we lose power again. What do androids need in the event of an emergency?"

"We only require adequate shelter and Thirium." Glancing up at the dirty and somewhat moldy ceiling above him Lucas confirmed that 'adequate' was indeed the correct term for describing Gavin's current apartment and living situation. "I will be fine."

In the aftermath of the blizzard Detroit was left covered under fluffy white snow and thick sheaths of ice. Everything the ice touched was glistening under the afternoon sunlight with a brilliant shine that reminded the deviant of pure crystals as he drove into the large parking lot in the center of the shopping plaza. Parking the car and turning off the engine Connor exited the vehicle and stepped onto the cold blacktop to begin his errands. Noticing the few cars in the area and the even fewer amount of people roaming the area Connor decided that he'd need to take advantage of the somewhat calm moment, and stock up on everything he and Hank might need in the event of additional foul weather keeping them cooped up inside the house.

Walking toward the nearest shop in the plaza, a clothing store, Connor remembered how he had stepped inside once before to ask about Lucas only to learn the RK-900 hadn't ever been inside the store and he continued on from there. The antique store that held the vintage guitar was next door, but Connor refrained from entering as he knew he'd become distracted in the guitar's history and Hank's health was far more important than an instrument.

The store after the antique shop was a small pawn shop and the store beyond it was a shoe store, neither of which could help Connor in his quest to help Hank through his current predicament. Continuing down the sidewalk Connor walked past a flower shop and suddenly froze in his tracks at the sight of a single red rose growing in a terracotta pot through the shop's display window. It was the same deep red color that reminded Connor of human blood, and its petals were as soft and delicate as life itself.

Staring through the window at the rose a flash of blue shone over the single flower and a chill crept up Connor's spine as his nightmare seemed to come to life.

"Window shopping?"

Jumping and turning around quickly Connor came face to face with Abby and immediately calmed himself down upon recognizing her and the kindness to her voice. The blue that had shone over the rose was courtesy of the bright blue jacket Abby was wearing to stave off the cold, and the window reflected the color perfectly over the flower in the distance as she walked up behind him making the rose appear blue.

"Whoa, easy." Seeing the sudden reaction from the deviant drew Abby's concern toward Connor,who was readily becoming a frequent flier at her facility. As much as she liked steady business Abby hated the idea of a single patient becoming a regular as it usually meant a more serious underlying condition. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"...You didn't." Dismissing the comment Connor regained his composure and his tense posture relaxed slightly. "I was merely distracted."

"Could've fooled me." Crossing her arms over her chest Abby gave him a knowing look and peered past Connor's right shoulder to look inside the shop window for herself. Spotting the red rose in the distance she grinned a little and then focused on Connor again. "Looking to start a garden this spring?"

"No, I was merely passing by and took notice of the shop's presence."

"Do you like flowers?"

"I neither like them nor dislike them."

"What about roses?"

Connor's eyes darkened for a moment before he replied honestly. "...I do in fact dislike roses."

"That's an oddly specific dislike to have."

Looking away from Abby and to a suddenly very interesting pile of snow on the sidewalk behind her Connor told her the truth of his negative feelings toward that specific breed of flower. "...They remind me of someone I greatly disdain. She betrayed me, and tried to kill me."

"O-Oh, I'm sorry." Blushing a faint pink at realizing she accidentally pressed a raw nerve Abby apology sincerely, and desperately wanted a change of subject. "I didn't mean to bring up a painful subject."

"It's okay." Accepting the apology Connor brushed off the awkwardness and remained civil with her. "You didn't know, it's not your fault."

"So... What're you doing today?" Taking a step away from the store Abby intentionally began leading Connor away from the shop window and tried talking about something new. "You look a hell of a lot better than you did last night, I was a little surprised to see you up and about already. It's a good thing though, so I suppose that's all that matters."

"I am looking for proper supplies to aid Lieutenant Anderson's current backache."

"Hank hurt his back? When?"

"He strained his thoracolumbar fascia while attempting to lift a heavy box in the garage six minutes, seventeen seconds prior."

"So yeah, he hurt his back this afternoon." Walking slowly as Connor kept pace at her right side Abby walked a little closer to his side as she gauged his current mindset after collapsing, and enduring such a mentally taxing case the day before. "What're you on a mission to find?"

"A heating pad to ease the tension in his muscles and perhaps a muscle relaxer so he can properly rest."

"Good plan." Motioning with her right hand toward a pharmacy at the end of the block Abby decided to join Connor on his little shopping venture for the sake of not being just Connor's primary technician, but his potential friend. "The trick to dealing with tense muscles is getting the affected person to actually cooperate and do what's necessary to relax and feel better."

"Yes." Agreeing with her assessment Connor glanced about the well stocked pharmacy through the large window with a curious eye. He had never set foot inside a pharmacy before and was unfamiliar with the store's layout. "I suspect the cooperation aspect will be the most difficult part to overcome."

"How well did you cooperate after your fall?"

"I... admit I could've been more cooperative with the technicians, but I am also unaccustomed to technicians aiding me without CyberLife's influence behind the act." Stepping through the sliding doors of the pharmacy Connor let Abby direct him about to the correct aisles and medications without being prompted. "I am also unaccustomed to humans being so... kind to me."

"To be honest with you, experiencing any form of kindness is a little rare these days." Always a realist Abby understood where Connor's hesitation to accept assistance from other people had come from. "I don't blame you for being a little wary of people being nice to you or offering to help you out when you're used to an ulterior motive behind their gestures."

"I am attempting to recognize the sincerity in wanting to help, but it is a difficult adaptation." Walking down the correct aisle that held numerous forms of external pain relievers Connor scanned each product in search of the correct items. Honing in on a rechargeable heating pad and a neighboring hot water bottle Connor decided to purchase both items and then add some pain medication to ensure Hank stayed comfortable. "...I know that Lieutenant Anderson is looking out for me as his partner in the precinct and as his friend when we're off the clock, yet I'm still very guarded around him. I cannot explain why."

"You seem okay around me, and I'm your technician. We barely know each other."

"Perhaps it's that lack of information that is allowing me to be more relaxed in your presence."

"Maybe." Studying Connor closely with her hazel eyes Abby tried to offer him a helping hand and feel less out of place in the world. "Want to know more about me as a person?"

Carrying his selected items with him to the neighboring aisle Connor gave Abby an inquisitive look before he began scanning the available medication for purchase. "Do you wish to talk about yourself? I know it can be very uncomfortable to talk about personal backgrounds."

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to talk about it."

"True enough. Very well, tell me about yourself."

"Okay. I was born and raised in Chicago," joining Connor in the aisle Abby used her knowledge as an E.M.S. to assist him in his selection to continue to be of assistance. "and I was raised solely by my mom after my father died when I was only four years old."

"I'm sorry about your father."

"Me too, I barely knew him. As for my mother she died four years ago and my older brother died last year."

"You..." Beneath his hat Connor's L.E.D. cycled in a wary yellow color at all the information. "I'm so sorry you've been surrounded by so much death and loss in your life."

"Hey, it's what motivated me to be an E.M.S. and now a technician. I want to help people and end as much suffering as possible."

Pausing for a moment Connor gave Abby an anxious glance. "...Can I ask what happened to your family?"

"My dad died in car accident. Turns out the driver who hit him fell asleep at the wheel and crossed into the lane of oncoming traffic, and couldn't stop the car on time. My mom was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and my brother performed a mercy killing with morphine he stole from the hospital where he had been working as a security guard. Then..." Continuing on with her sad story Abby gave Connor an almost casual shrug of her shoulders. "Last summer my brother got an infection while serving his life sentence in prison, and died because the guards didn't believe him when he said he was sick. I've been around death, loss and pain for as long as I can remember. It gave me a thick skin and a dark sense of humor, and as a result it also made it hard for me to get close to people."

"You seem very friendly and personable."

"Again, I worked as a medic and now a technician. I've gotten very good at faking one emotion while restraining another." Lifting her brows at Connor as the deviant located the appropriate medication from the wide selection on the shelf Abby gave him a little reflection of his own behavior. "I fell into a very bad habit of trying to not feel anything because it's easier to be numb than to endure pain, and as a result I lost my ability to read people. That's how I ended up with my ex-boyfriend Freddy. And you know damn well how that turned out."

"...Yes. I've noticed the less than civil relationship between you two."

"My attempt to deny my feelings could've ended up with me dead, and it almost cost you your own life just for doing the right thing and stopping him."

Falling silent Connor began contemplating the dangers of denial, silence and the unwillingness to let other people become friends or allies becoming dangerous moments in the future. Isolation kept the pain at bay, but it kept the vulnerability and sense of worthlessness close by. It wasn't a far trade off and could create far more harm than good.

Lightly Abby put her left hand on Connor's right forearm and gave the limb a gentle squeeze. "I'm not going to pretend that I know what you're going through and I won't insult you by trying to compare your pain to my own, but I can tell you that you not letting yourself befriend anyone or open up about what you're really feeling is going to hurt you. I don't want to see you hurt."

"...I know. Lieutenant Anderson has said something very similar."

"Since when is he 'Lieutenant Anderson'? I know you call him 'Hank." Keeping her hand on his arm Abby remained quiet and understanding. "I heard you calling him Hank when you were injured after your fall. I know you trust him, I could hear it in the way you were pleading with him to help you."

"I do trust him. I just... I don't want that trust to be used against me." Lowering his eyes to the floor Connor shook his head a little and let out a breathy sigh of loss and conflict. "Not again."

"He'd never betray you, Connor. The way he speaks to you and the way he treats you is more like a parent looking out for their child. It's okay to trust him and to let him know that you trust him."

"You may be right."

Relieved to see Connor being cooperative and willing to open up Abby let go of his arm and looked over the medication that the deviant had selected. "Good. Now, it seems you have what you need for Hank to feel better, but you should also make sure he drinks more water. Hydration is the key to preventing and easing muscle cramps."

"I will do so." Walking toward the front register Connor decided it was time to make his purchases and return to the house. "Thank you for your help, and for speaking with me Abby. It was very... enlightening."

"No problem, Connor." Smirking a little Abby turned on her heels and made her way toward the door to go about her own business for the day. "It's nice to be able to help someone who isn't bleeding to death for once..."

Finishing up with his purchases with additional key items now in his possession Connor cybernetically downloaded more information on humans suffering from chronic back problems, and noted other remedies that can be used to a human who has been physically limited by muscle exertion. The information included rather unsettling facts revolving around advanced age, degenerative diseases and all the more unsettling; mortality.

The last thing Connor wanted to contemplate was the death of someone who was arguably his only real friend.

With his items paid off and his task completed Connor exited the pharmacy to return to the old car parked several yards away with only a single shopping bag in his grip. Ignoring the cold air and averting his gaze from the flower shop as he returned in the direction from whence he came Connor quickly reached the Oldsmobile, popped the trunk and put his single plastic shopping bag inside for safe storage.

Closing the trunk with a solid 'thunk' Connor caught the sound of two masculine voices in the distance arguing with one another in a neighboring alleyway. As a detective Connor's immediate reaction was to investigate the commotion and try to handle things in a professional manner in the event they escalated from an argument and into a physical assault.

Though unarmed Connor bravely approached the situation ready to handle anything. Honing in on the argument Connor caught sight of Gavin squaring up, or at least trying to square up, against a man who was easily a foot taller than him. The other man was pressing Gavin up against the brick wall of the alleyway and using their right forearm over Gavin's throat to keep the shorter man trapped. It was clear that the two knew each other and it was all the more clear that despite Gavin being a detective, armed and more than capable of taking care of himself the fear he was feeling seemed to have rendered all of his training and self confidence moot.

"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 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 pale 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 controlling issues over Gavin and wanting something from him. "I want you to fuck me..."

"HEY." Moving into the alleyway Connor glared George down as he managed to stand just a little taller than the offensive person and grabbed onto George's right wrist in such a strong grip that the deviant could feel and hear the bones fracturing under his hand. "What's your problem? He told you to back off."

Gavin rubbed his right hand over his physically sore throat as he 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 as Connor easily held him back. "H-Hey, mind your own busi-"

"No, I won't." Reaching into his back pocket Connor revealed his badge and kept George in his grasp. "You assaulting a fellow officer 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!"

"No. You're under arrest for assault and harassment."

Gavin didn't want to deal with George for any longer than necessary 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 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. "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!"

The irony in hearing Gavin telling someone else to stop being a bully and seek therapy wasn't lost on Connor. Staying in the alleyway until George reached the other end and disappeared from sight Connor looked to Gavin in a concerned manner. "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine." Blushing a little Gavin dropped his hand from his throat and zipped up his jacket a little higher to conceal the bruise forming around his throat. "I had that handled just fine 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 if there's a witness when it comes to assault and verbal threats."

"Yeah, well... Whatever. George means nothing to me and I haven't seen him in years. With any luck that'll be the last time for the rest of my 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..."

Sensing that his presence wasn't welcome Connor decided it was time to take his leave. "If you don't need me to be here then I would like to continue on with my errands."

"Y-Yeah, get outta' here." Putting his hands to his hips Gavin walked over to his own car and nearly tore the driver's side door off the hinges as he pulled it open so he could leave as well. "I'm finished here."

Without another word Connor walked past the car, noting the purchases that Gavin had made were typical emergency supplies; flashlight, batteries, bandages, candles, matches and extra food. For some curious reason a bottle of fresh Thirium was in the car's backseat as well. After making his observations Connor went about his own business. Opening up the driver's side door of the Oldsmobile Connor sat down and waited for Gavin to leave the parking lot first to ensure he was truly going to be okay.

From the distance Connor could see that Gavin was still stressed out and a little shaky after the uncomfortable encounter. As his right hand turned over the key in the ignition Gavin let out a weary breath and calmed himself down before driving away to return to the relative safety of his tiny apartment.

"Curious..." Turning over the Oldsmobile's engine Connor turned up the heater and proceeded to pull out of the parking lot to return home as well. "Why did Gavin have Thirium? He hates androids."

Back at the house Hank was grumbling to himself as he tried to get as comfortable as possible on the bed without his back throbbing in the process. Rolling over to lay flat on his back again Hank swore as Sumo refused to budge, and he had no choice but to roll back onto his right side. Rubbing his left hand along his sore back muscles Hank tried to will the tightness to finally let up, and hoped the pain would cease before Connor returned to the house, but it didn't seem to be working as he had hoped.

As he remained on his side Hank glanced to his nightstand and his eyes fell on the framed photograph of Cole for a moment. The sight of his son's smiling face always made his heart feel warm, and all of his problems seemed to fade away for a moment.

"Hard to believe you're still not here with me, Cole. You'd be nine years old right now and finishing the fourth grade this year."

Sumo whimpered as he picked up on Hank's suddenly sorrowful tone and proceeded to rest his chin on Hank's left side in a comforting manner.

"You know something, you'd like Connor." Speaking to Cole was one of the ways Hank dealt with the loss of his son and it helped him feel a little less alone in the massive world. "He's a little strange sometimes and he's still struggling to figure himself out, but he's a good guy. I bet you two would've been best friends if you had the chance to properly meet him."

Sighing to himself Hank used his right arm to prop himself upright on the bed and slowly forced himself to stand up. Supporting his back with both of his hands Hank limped a little as he walked down the hallway at a snail's pace and entered the kitchen to find himself a bottle of water in the refrigerator. As he opened the refrigerator door, the simple motion being enough to pull on his back in the process, the front door opened up and Connor returned to the house.

"You should be resting." Connor stated in a firm tone as he removed his hat and walked into the kitchen to put the shopping bag down on the kitchen table.

"Yeah, I know..."

"Lay down again."

"Connor, I can get a damn bottle of water by myself." Pulling the bottle from the fridge Hank turned around slowly to face Connor and gave him a somewhat aggravated stare. "I'm old, not an invalid."

"I never stated you were physically incapable of taking care of yourself." Making a move to pull Hank's left arm around his shoulders again Connor paused and watched as the senior detective stayed statuesque where he stood. The L.E.D. cycled in yellow once before returning to blue. "I'm just trying to help you."

The way Connor spoke and even the way he stared at Hank from time to time made Hank think of how eager Cole was to try to help out around the house once he was bigger, and how more often than not Cole accidentally made more messes while trying to clean. That innocence and desire to help people was something that needed to be encouraged, not dismissed.

Finishing his water Hank sighed and nodded at the shopping bag on the kitchen table with a curious gleam in his eyes. "Whatcha' get?"

"I purchased you a new heating pad, a new hot water bottle, muscle relaxers, isotonic beverages to help you remain hydrated and ease muscle cramps, herbal teas that will aid the immune system and an external muscle rub that can numb the affected area long enough for you to rest properly without losing any core strength in the event you want to get up and move."

Putting the empty bottle in the nearby recycling bin Hank stared at Connor with utter disbelief in his blue eyes. "...You bought all that just to help me?"

"Yes. You've helped me when I was incapacitated and unable to care for myself after I had fallen and remained temporarily paralyzed. I wish to return the kindness you've shown me."

Almost amused by how childlike Connor's response sounded despite it being very mature and that of a caring adult, Hank submitted and allowed Connor to help him return to the bedroom to rest. "Alright, kid." Raising his left arm Hank let Connor support his weight and escort him out of the kitchen. "Lead the way."

Careful and meticulous with his movements Connor pulled Hank's left arm around his shoulders then wrapped his own right arm around Hank's waist to support his weight as much as possible. Walking slowly Connor assisted Hank's every step as they departed the kitchen and traversed the hallway to get to the bedroom at the end of the hall.

"I'll bring you the heating pad." Helping Hank to sit down on the edge of the bed again Connor watched as the senior detective guided himself back down against the mattress to rest without interfering. Taking a step back Connor scanned Hank's vital signs quickly then returned to the kitchen to get his purchases to aid Hank's recovery.

Staying on his right side Hank reached his left hand out to Sumo as the massive dog remained on the bed, and rubbed his ears gently. "You're a good boy, Sumo. But you take up way too much damn room sometimes."

Sumo grumbled once before he yawned and then rested his chin down atop his outstretched paws. Wagging his tail Sumo remained loyally at Hank's side and wagged his tail a little harder as soon as he saw Connor return to the bedroom.

"This has a rechargeable battery." Connor stated as he handed the heating pad over to Hank to use. "It will last for eight hours before needing to recharge. Afterward you should take a hot shower to keep your muscles relaxed while simultaneously stretching them without exerting yourself."

"Yeah... Thanks 'doc'."

The joke was confusing to Connor and his response reflected it perfectly. "...I am not a doctor."

"I know, kid. It was supposed to be a joke." Giving the deviant a coy stare as he lifted up his shirt and then pressed the heating pad against his back Hank slowly rolled over onto his back to hold it in place as he let the device work its magic into his sore muscles. "Kinda' like when a younger officer says 'thanks dad' or 'thanks mom' to their somewhat older partner who's just showing them the ropes."

With his blue L.E.D. cycling once in yellow Connor now understood the context of the comment. "...Oh."

"I'm fine in here and I will lay down and relax for a bit." It didn't take long for the heating pad to seep into his muscles and Hank realized how much he truly appreciated Connor's kind gesture at the moment. "Trust me, I'll be good and stay down for a while. Why don't you go play your guitar or catch up on your reading? It's still your day off and you're free to do whatever it is you want to do."

Connor's head tilted a little to the side as he contemplated the suggestions then settled on something else. "I believe I'd prefer to finish cleaning the garage first, and then I will resume learning how to play my guitar afterward."

"Don't clean up my messes, kid. I'm not a pup' and I can handle it."

"Not while you're recovering from a severely pulled muscle in your back." Leaving the bedroom before Hank had the chance to protest Connor set out on his new mission and was determined to help Hank recover properly. "Call me if you need anything."

Smirking at the stubborn deviant's attitude Hank laid back against his pillow and glanced at the photograph of Cole beside him again. "Yeah, you definitely would've liked him, son. Connor's a stubborn bastard, but so am I. You loved me and I know you would've adored him as an honorary big brother."

Remaining silent and somewhat confused Lucas stayed on the couch in the livingroom and tried to understand Gavin's sudden shift in mood upon his return to the apartment. Gavin had been in a relatively good mood when he left the apartment to run his errands, but upon his return his expression was cold and his posture was stiff. Dropping his purchases down on the livingroom floor the moment he returned to the apartment Gavin silently marched down the hallway and locked himself in the bathroom. Shortly after the lock was secured into place the shower turned on and it had been running for almost an hour before it finally turned off.

Unfamiliar with humans and their emotions, let alone their sudden mood swings, Lucas decided to not pry into Gavin's mindset and chose to instead focus on what the abrasive detective had purchased before returning to the apartment.

Putting each item neatly on the kitchen counter after removing them from the bags Lucas took stock of the supplies, and was perplexed by the new Thirium. Not only did Lucas not require a replenishment at the moment, but he didn't request the Thirium, or even give Gavin the funds to purchase it.

"Curious, why did he-" The bathroom door unlocked and Gavin stepped out of the small room just to disappear into his bedroom out of sight, the bedroom locking behind him as he sought further isolation.

Returning the Thirium to the countertop Lucas dared to venture down the hallway only to hear knocking on the apartment's door. Walking over to the closed door Lucas ran a scan through the door and noted a single, human male visitor of an unknown identity. Peering through the peephole Lucas saw a tall man with short cut blond hair, cold blue eyes and a red colored cast around his right wrist.

Something about the man's appearance and demeanor told Lucas to not open the door and to instead inform Gavin of the visitor.

Walking down the hallway Lucas gently knocked on the locked bedroom door and spoke to the abrasive detective through the barrier as the visitor resumed knocking more forcefully on the apartment door several yards away. "Gavin? There is a visitor at your door."

Through the closed bedroom door Gavin's muffled voice responded with utter frustration. "Tell them to fuck off!"

"I'd rather not. I do not know who they are or why they are here."

"Fuckin'- What do they look like?"

"Male, Caucasian, five foot eleven in height, one-hundred and ninety-two pounds in weight, approximately thirty-seven years of age, he has very short cut blond hair, blue eyes and is currently wearing a cast over his right wrist due to four fractures to his scaphoid and lunate bones."

Despite the door being closed a tension filled the apartment as Gavin instantly knew who Lucas was describing. "...Lucas, do NOT answer the door!"

"I will not." The knocking on the apartment door resumed and became more aggressive as the visitor was insistent on coming in. "What should I do?"

Opening up his bedroom door Gavin revealed his pale face and the gun in his shaking right hand. Dragging his left hand over his scarred nose and mouth the shaken detective stepped into the hallway and took in a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "...Take Lucky into my bedroom and close the door."

Lucas didn't like the way Gavin was speaking and knew something dire was in the wind. "Gavin," with his blue L.E.D. cycling in a cautious yellow Lucas did as he was instructed and scooped the confused kitten up from the livingroom cushion where she was napping, and placed her in the bedroom before closing the door to keep her inside the room. "who is that man and why are you afraid of him?"

"...I'm not afraid of him." Tightening his grip around the handle of his gun Gavin's hazel eyes seemed to glaze over a little as he spoke. "Not anymore."

"Answer my question." More defiant and less empathetic than Connor could be it was clear Lucas wasn't going to back down and let Gavin handle the situation by himself. "Who is he?"

"...His name is George. He's my ex-boyfriend." Jumping a little as George pounded with enough force on the apartment door to cause it to shake on its hinges Gavin forced himself to step closer to the offender. "And he's soon to be my late ex-boyfriend."

"Shouldn't you call for assistance from your precinct before you do anything drastic?"

"I did. I told my partner and she's on her way in with another detective. They'll vouch for me when I blow this dickhead's brains out..."

"Do NOT kill him." Lucas put himself between the door and Gavin and planted his feet in place. "If you do then the guilt will affect you for the rest of your life in a very negative manner."

"How in the fuck would you know? You're plastic and haven't had a life to live!"

"You're right. I'm not a human and I haven't gone through human experiences, but I do understand that making such irreversible decisions can be detrimental to your future. Please do not-"

The pounding on the door was so loud and so forceful that Gavin jumped again and began to sweat. "...Let me handle this."

"No. You're too emotionally compromised to think rationally." Reaching out his left hand slowly Lucas took the gun from Gavin's trembling right hand and placed it down on the kitchen counter out of his reach. "I will speak to him, stay back."

Stunned by Lucas being willing to protect him and face off with a very dangerous man in his stead Gavin found himself curiously frozen in place, and fell silent.

Remaining unarmed Lucas approached the door, unlocked it and pulled it open just as George began another round of violent knocking. "You're not welcome here." The deviant stated firmly as he stood tall over George and glared angrily at him. "Leave."

"What the-" George wasn't expecting anyone but Gavin to open the door, and when he saw who he thought was the very android who broke his wrist a few hours prior the cowardly bully shrunk down a little where he stood. "Where's Gav-"

"Leave now. You will NOT be bothering him any further."

"Hey! You can't tell me what to-"

"You're right, I can't." Lucas stated in a firm tone as he sensed two people charging down the hallway in the direction of the confrontation. "But they can."

George looked to his left in time to see Tina and Ben approaching him with haste in their steps. Unwilling to chance running from a uniformed police officer and a seasoned detective George stayed in place and watched as Lucas stepped back into the apartment, and closed the door behind him.

"Hey, ass-hat." Tina pulled her cuffs from her belt and gave George a fiery glare of utter disdain. "What part of keep away five-hundred feet at all times don't you understand?"

Ben held up a paper document confirming that the restraining order Gavin filed against George back in high school was actively still in effect for another full year, and that George was now in direct violation. "If you're going to be dumb enough to stalk your ex who is now a damn cop and carries a gun, can't you at least wait another year so you don't violate the restraining order while you're at it? It's less paperwork for us."

George paled as Tina grabbed his left shoulder and turned him around to face the wall. "Hands behind your back. You're under arrest."

"Hey, watch it, bitch!"

Tina purposefully tightened the cuff around his unbroken left wrist to an uncomfortable notch just to watch George squirm in pain. "Add verbal assault to the list of charges, Ben. I'm going to talk to Gavin and get the full story, then we're going to have some fun talking to this guy's commanding officer."

"Right." Taking hold on George's right shoulder Ben led the man away to the elevator, and over to the squad car in the parking lot to be transported to the precinct. "You're really fuckin' dumb, you know that? I bet your commanding officer is just going to love knowing that one of his men threatened an ex from high school the first opportunity he got to walk around unsupervised. You are familiar with a dishonorable discharge, right?"

Entering the apartment slowly, grateful that the door had been left unlocked, Tina peered inside the small space and looked at Gavin as her partner sat slumped on the couch in the livingroom. His entire body was trembling from adrenaline and fear. "Hey?"

Speaking up in a whisper Gavin acknowledged her presence. "...Hey."

"You told me that George found you at the plaza and confronted you this afternoon." Shutting the door softly behind herself Tina joined Gavin on the couch and watched her best friend's eyes very closely. "And you said Connor scared him off?"

"...Yeah. After he broke that asshole's wrist."

"Wow, busted right hand. So now George can only fuck himself by breaking the law." Seeing the amused smirk on Gavin's face helped Tina's own tension begin to ease up. "Explains a lot."

"Think he'll get locked up longer this time, or just get out with a slap on the wrist?"

"Since he assaulted an officer, tried to sexually assault the same officer, and did so in front a witnessing second officer, I think he'll get some jail time. The fact that he violated his restraining order against the same officer he assaulted, and did so in the presence of two more witnessing officers, means I think it's safe to say that this will be the last time you'll ever have to deal with George."

"...I hope so."

"Need anything? I can clock-out a little early and bring over a pizza so you're not alone."

"N-No, I'm fine." Pressing his face into his hands Gavin sighed and remembered that Lucas retreated to the bedroom after scaring George enough to get him to quiet down, and realized that he wouldn't be alone after Tina took her leave. Neither Tina or Ben saw him before he disappeared back into the apartment. "It's cool. Do your thing and I'll see ya' tomorrow, Tina. Thanks for arresting his dumb ass so I didn't have to."

"No problem." Patting Gavin's right knee Tina rose from the couch and made her way toward the door. "Friday night we're getting drinks at Clyde's Bar, no exceptions."

"Right. I'll buy the first round." The moment Tina left the apartment Gavin practically jumped up to his feet and locked the door behind her. Pressing his forehead against the cool surface of the door Gavin closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of belief at long last. "He's gone. He's can't get me. I'm okay now."

The bedroom door opened up as Lucas stepped back into the hallway with Lucky in his arms. Joining Gavin in the livingroom Lucas placed the kitten down on the couch and stared at Gavin's back for a moment before speaking up. "...I will continue to search for a more suitable apartment to ensure that George will not be able to find you again. It may take some time, but I will succeed."

Keeping his forehead against the door Gavin contemplated Lucas's words and sighed. "...Earlier you said that there was a two bedroom apartment that met my criteria, right?"

"That's correct."

"Is it still available?"

Cybernetically Lucas checked on the apartment's open availability and confirmed it was open. "Yes. It's available for rent."

"Give me the info so I can contact the landlord and let them know I'm interested."

"I understand your desire to relocate after your uncomfortable encounter, but you shouldn't settle on something you don't actually want."

"I'm not settling." Walking away from the door Gavin walked into the kitchen to reclaim his gun so he could lock it up, and noticed that Lucas had neatly organized his purchases on the countertop next to it. Picking up the bottle of Thirium he tossed it over to Lucas to catch and gave him a nod. "You're a pretty good roommate, and maybe not all androids are super annoying. Until you can find your own place you'll move in with me and split the rent. Fair?"

Holding the caught bottle of Thirium in his right hand Lucas gave Gavin an odd glance and preconstructed all of his future options. While living with Gavin, a human of any kind at that, wasn't something he was anticipating Lucas couldn't deny that the odds of success were wildly increased by electing to live with a roommate rather than living out on the streets.

"Well?" Impatiently Gavin waited for an answer to his offer to be roommates. "Are you in or not?"

"...I accept your offer. Thank you, Gavin." Surprised by the abrasive detective's change of heart Lucas decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, and was willingly to give him a chance to possibly become a friend over time. "I'm in."

Having finished with cleaning up the garage and having already checked in on Hank's condition Connor went into his own bedroom and picked his guitar up from the support stand in the corner of the room to resume his private lessons. Having quickly picked up on reading music notes and understanding chords Connor was able to easily play simple tunes and practice more iconic rhythms of very well known songs from the past one-hundred years. Relying on the songs he found more engaging to guide his progress Connor was able to master the guitar riff to 'Baker Street', and immediately thought about how Lucas had been performing the same song the last time he had seen the RK-900 in person.

The sudden fear of not knowing about Lucas's current location or fate made Connor's hands stop moving as his heart had a strange ache to it. As the silence filled the house Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with indescribable worry.

"Why'd ya' stop?" Hank appeared in Connor's opened bedroom doorway and managed to easily move about now that his sore back had time to rest and received proper treatment. "That was really good."

"...Sorry. I became momentarily distracted."

"Yeah, that always seems to happen when you get into a good rhythm."

Connor put his guitar aside and scanned Hank's vital signs curiously. "Your back muscles seem to be responding well to the bedrest and heating pad."

"Yeah. Thanks, kid. I feel a hell of a lot better."

"You're welcome."

"How much of the garage did you get straightened out?"

"All of it."

"A-All of it? Uh, this I gotta' see..." Walking easily down the hallway, into the kitchen and then the laundry room Hank opened up the side door to peer into the garage and swore his jaw would've hit the floor if at all physically possible. "Holy shit."

Connor joined Hank as he entered the garage and glanced about curiously. "Is this acceptable?"

"Acceptable? Shit, the garage hasn't been this clean since the day I moved in." All of the boxes had been neatly labeled, stacked and placed against the walls or on the shelves where they belonged. The tool bench had been cleaned off, the tools had been put in their proper places and all of the empty cans, paper bags, old receipts and dirty rags had been disposed of properly as well. "Fuck, I feel like I need to pay you for cleaning this place up."

"Payment is unnecessary."

"Man..." Walking into the center of the now cleaned up garage Hank glanced about and put his hands on his hips. "Did you find anything interesting while you were cleaning this place up?"

"I located tools, old sports equipment, workout equipment..." Pointing to the offending box that had injured Hank's back Connor identified it as the one containing six fifty pound dumbbell weights. "and I located a large box of old clothes. I decided to wash the clothes and I figured it'd be more beneficial if you check through the clothing and decide what you wish to keep, and what should be donated."

"Oh... Cool."

"Oh?" Arching his brow at the comment Connor tried to understand why Hank was so disappointed. "What were you looking for?"

"My old guitar. I must've pawned and never bought it back. Could've sworn I did though, but it's been so long..."

"Would you like to borrow my guitar?"

"Nah, you keep that on you." Turning around Hank gave Connor an appreciative nod and made his way back toward the laundry room door. "I don't really need a guitar anymore, I was just wondering if I still had it somewhere around the house. So, you slept okay last night, right?"

"Yes." Accompanying Hank back into the house through the numerous doorways connecting to the garage Connor confirmed he was doing well. "I am functioning at optimal parameters and I'm no longer utilizing low power mode."

"Good." Walking into the livingroom Hank sat down on the couch and stretched out his legs over the lounger section, and was relieved his back didn't ache at him for moving around. Noting the calmer weather and the approaching spring Hank brought up a rather sore subject and gauged Connor's reaction to the matter very closely. "...It'll be warming up and thawing out pretty soon. Do you want to head up to the cabin and, uh, check on things?"

The blue L.E.D. flashed to red before cycling once in yellow and then back into a calm blue. "...I think that would be appropriate." Connor agreed to the idea in spite of his own discomfort. "I doubt anyone would've tampered with the... grave site." The term felt so odd to speak about regarding his body's previous demise. "But it'd be best to check on the area to ensure no one was scavenging for rare android biocomponents."

"Yeah, no problem. We'll do that as soon as the city thaws out."

Remembering Abby's comment about not pushing people away and replaying the assault against Gavin he had witnessed all in one afternoon, Connor decided to push himself beyond his normal comfortable boundaries and sat down on the couch near Hank before speaking up. "...Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot. I've never stopped you before."

"You've been very understanding toward me and you've been helping me ever since I deviated on that rooftop. Why did you do it? Why did you make my life your responsibility?"

"Because you needed someone to help you, and I wasn't going to ignore you just because I have my own shit to deal with." Hank could see the deep confusion in Connor's soulful brown eyes and tried to give him more clarification. "To put it simply you needed a friend to watch your back that night, and as your friend I wasn't about to turn my back on you. You needed my help, so I helped."

"...Thank you. Not just for helping me," Connor needlessly explained his gratitude further. "but for being my friend when I desperately needed a friend."

"No problem. Just don't scale a building with a sniper rifle again. Okay?"

Detecting the humor in the comment Connor nodded a little agreed to the very simple terms of request. "Okay... Hank."

Hearing his name and not his rank instantly made Hank feel much better, and his backache was immediately forgotten. "You're going to be alright, kid. Just keep moving forward and you'll be just fine, I promise."

-next chapter-