The morning was bright and sunny as small birds sang their enthusiastic song welcoming the impending spring back to Detroit. While Sumo rolled about in the small patches of grass being revealed from beneath the melting snow in the backyard Connor finished planting the delicate carnation seed into its small terracotta pot that had been filled with nutrient and food rich potting soil within the garage, and then proceeded to carry the pot back into the kitchen to give it some warm water to help it grow. After securing a plastic dome over the pot to help create a mini greenhouse over the seed Connor placed the pot on the countertop, and opened up the backdoor to get the massive dog's attention.

Seeing Sumo covered in snow, slush, mud and bits of dead grass Connor then decided he'd get a towel to dry off Sumo's fur before Sumo had the chance to track mud all over the kitchen floor. Carrying his potted seed down the hallway and into his bedroom Connor placed the small item down on his windowsill to ensure it received adequate sunlight, and then proceeded to enter the bathroom to get a large towel for the equally large dog.

Awake at last Hank opened up his bedroom door and yawned as he stepped into the hallway and saw Connor exiting the bathroom with a towel. "Let me guess..." Stretching his back a little after he yawned Hank gave the deviant a knowing glance where he stood. "Sumo got into the mud."

"Correct."

"Idiot loves the snow and mud. It's easy to give him baths, but it's a pain in the ass to keep him clean whenever the winter thaws into spring every year."

"I'll handle it." As he spoke Connor's blue L.E.D. suddenly shifted to yellow but the deviant didn't seem to notice. "I'll also give him a bath if he needs one."

"Yeah, sure..."

Sensing the doubt in Hank's voice Connor tilted his head a little and gave the senior detective an odd look. "What's wrong?"

"Maybe you."

"...Me?"

Pointing to the deviant's right temple Hank explained his reaction. "Why's your light yellow?"

Furrowing his brow Connor pressed his right fingertips to the offending light, his index fingertip stinging with an unknown lingering ache, and tried to answer as honestly as possible despite his self diagnostic not finding anything wrong with his system during his nightly scan. "...Unknown."

"Seriously? You don't know?"

"I am serious. I'm not sure why it's yellow." Dropping his hand Connor locked eyes with Hank to remain as honest as possible. "I feel fine."

"Did your diagnostic thing malfunction?"

"No, it's functioning properly." Flexing his right hand again Connor remembered the shock he received the day before and tried to make a connection to the shock and his current condition. There wasn't anything in his database that could connect to any error with his self diagnostic and an electric shock which left the deviant in the dark. "I cannot explain my current condition."

"Well, do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Until your light is blue again do NOT leave the house. I want to keep an eye on you."

"I don't need to be protected, Hank. I can take care of myself."

"This isn't about protecting you." Moving toward the bathroom Hank patted Connor's right shoulder to motion for him to step back so he could shower off and begin his day. "This is about making sure you're okay."

"...I am okay."

"Then just humor an old man and stay in the house."

"You're not old, you're experienced."

"Uh-huh, don't turn into a kiss-ass son. I prefer you being a smartass."

"Why are humans so fixated on asses?"

"Not sure." Laughing as he shut the door behind himself Hank admitted he didn't know the answer, but shouted a secondary reply through the closed door before Connor left. "Maybe it's because having an ass is something every human on the planet has in common!"

"That might be the answer, but humans are too confusing to be certain of anything." Lowering his voice a little Connor walked away from the bathroom and toward the backdoor in the kitchen. "Then again humans are *deuterostomes, and from my personal understanding many humans don't develop much further than that."

Opening up the backdoor again Connor knelt down and called out to Sumo to get the massive dog back to the house to be cleaned up at last. Within seconds the happy Saint Bernard trotted through the backyard and walked right up to Connor. With Sumo inside the deviant closed the backdoor and began drying off his fur with the soft warm towel to prevent a mess from happening. For Connor it was a bit of a chore to clean off Sumo's damp fur, but for Sumo it was just another day of receiving pets from his favorite deviant.

"You're fortunate that your fur keeps you warm, Sumo." Rubbing the towel around Sumo's ears Connor removed all of the dirt and slush from his pelt before moving down his neck, back and all four legs before finishing off with his long tail. "Androids and humans require additional external layers to keep warm, and sometimes it feels like it's never enough."

Grumbling a little Sumo waited for Connor to pull the towel away before shaking off his fur and giving and Connor a lick on his right cheek before plodding into the livingroom to lay down on his soft pillow in the corner of the livingroom.

"...Thank you, Sumo."

Pressing his right hand to the lingering slobber on his cheek Connor sighed and then immediately tensed up as the strange sensation in his right fingertip began radiating from all five of his fingers and reached down toward his palm. The odd sensation of pin pricks and what felt like electric shocks had taken over his entire right hand.

"Why is this happening?"

Another scan over the appendage and another self diagnostic found nothing wrong with his external sensors or artificial skin, and yet Connor knew something was in fact different about his body.

"This is distracting..."

Standing up from the floor Connor placed his right hand under the tap in the kitchen sink and ran some cool water over his palm and fingers to try to ease the discomfort. The cold water helped to pull Connor's attention from the tingling sensation, but soon his entire hand became numb from the cold which was just as irritating as the tingly sensation, and potentially dangerous.

Pulling his hand out of the water Connor turned off the tap and flexed his numb hand curiously. Everything still functioned and responded as he wanted, but the fact that his hand itself was experiencing some type of unknown glitch was very disconcerting.

"I need to check for updates, bugs, glitches, malware and viruses."

Drying off his hand with the towel Connor left it in the sink to be tended to later, and discreetly isolated himself in his bedroom and laid down over the length of his bed to run a full system diagnostic in regards to the odd sensations he was currently experiencing. Such a drastic change in his sensors shouldn't be ignored and could not continue to exist without a proper explanation.

The quiet morning was all Hank needed after dealing with annoying cases at the precinct as of late. The hot shower and peaceful silence as he was left alone with his thoughts helped the senior detective decompress a little after enduring the cold winter, and handling Connor's slow but steady progress into his deviancy. As much as he didn't want to admit to feeling lonely after the loss of his family Hank couldn't deny that having a good friend now living with him had perked up his mood, and given him a new zest for life regarding his responsibilities as a detective trying to protect the city.

Turning off the shower Hank stepped onto the bathmat beside the tub and toweled off before redressing himself in the sweatpants and t-shirt he had worn to bed since it was his day off. Even so he didn't give a shit about what other people had to say about his fashion choices. Stepping out of the steamy warm bathroom and into the hallway Hank entered the livingroom and saw that Sumo had been dried off and was now napping peacefully on his pillow.

"First time I've seen you come in front the backyard in February without mud all over the place, Sumo."

Entering the kitchen Hank smelled the lingering scent of wet dog in the air and saw the bath towel in the kitchen sink. Picking up the towel Hank found it odd that Connor didn't immediately put it in the washer and decided to do it himself before checking in on the curiously quiet deviant.

"I told him to not leave the house, and I didn't hear the garage door open while I was in the shower..." Opening up the laundry room door Hank wadded up the towel and tossed it into the opened washer like it was a basketball before shutting the door and looking for Connor. "He's gotta' be in his bedroom."

Knocking on the closed bedroom door Hank waited for a moment and then called out to Connor through the still closed door. "Connor? Are you okay?"

"...F-Fine."

The stammering and pause from the deviant didn't sound 'fine' to Hank. The deeply seeded paternal instincts that had begun resurfacing shortly after Hank had been assigned Connor as his partner were telling him to open the door to check on the deviant, but he still needed to respect Connor's right to privacy.

"Kid? Can I come in?"

"...No."

"I know something's wrong." Putting his hand on the doorknob Hank turned the knob and was relieved the door wasn't locked, and he held his grip on the knob to ensure that it couldn't be locked if Connor chose to do so. "I'm not mad or anything, I just want to help."

"...You can't."

"Let me try." Pushing the door open slowly Hank announced his presence and stepped into the room. "I'm coming in."

"Don't!"

"What's going-" The sight waiting for him on the other side of the door wasn't one that Hank was expecting. "Connor..."

The deviant was sitting upright on his bed and covered in his own blue blood. The deviant's L.E.D. had gone from a consistent yellow to a glaring red, and the artificial skin on his right hand, fingers and forearm had been almost completely scratched away by Connor's left hand leaving only a dark blue mass of pulp over the limb. Despite having the artificial skin horribly scratched away Connor was still scratching maniacally at the plastimetal frame that had been exposed after the skin had been torn into, and torn away from the limb.

"Shit!" Walking over to the bed Hank grabbed onto Connor's left hand and had to muscle it away from Connor's right forearm before he did any further harm to himself. "Stop! What're you doing?"

"...My hand. It won't stop-" Struggling to get his left hand from Hank's grip Connor so desperately wanted to scratch at the offending limb again as the horrendous sensation returned with a vengeance. "It's numb and then it's... It's like I'm being shocked over and over again!"

"So you scratched your skin off?"

"The scratching made it stop!"

"Kid, you're hurting yourself! Look..." Holding Connor's right forearm as he held onto the deviant's right palm Hank made sure Connor saw the full extent of the damage he had inflicted on himself. Fresh blue blood dripped off the limb and collected on the chocolate brown quilt beneath his body. "This isn't the way to handle these things."

"I..." Staring at his aesthetically destroyed forearm Connor shook his head a little and sucked in a breath between his clenched teeth as the numbness faded and the tingly sensation returned yet again. "I don't know what to do..." Letting out a hiss of pain Connor forcibly pulled his left hand from Hank's grip and tore back into his damaged skin for only a second before Hank pulled his hand back again. "Let me go!"

"No! I'm not going to let you keep hurting yourself."

"Please!" Desperate to get the sensation to stop Connor had to resist the urge to strike Hank in order to get him to back off. "It feels like my arm is on fire! Please! It hurts!"

"Okay, hold on..." Wrestling to pull Connor's left arm around his shoulders Hank hoisted the deviant up and off the bed, then dragged him into the bathroom across the way. Turning on the cold water in the sink Hank forcibly held Connor's bloody right forearm under the tap and watched as the clear water turned pale blue as it washed the sapphire blue blood from the damaged limb. "Stay here, don't move."

Connor nodded a little and lowered himself to his knees so he could kneel in front of the sink as he kept his burning right forearm under the cool water.

"And don't fuckin' scratch!" Hank let go of Connor's left hand and watched as the deviant clenched his left hand into a tight fist and dropped it knuckles first onto the ground to keep himself from scratching at his right forearm again. "I'm going to get you some ice and towels."

"I-Ice?"

"If your arm is burning then maybe the ice can help."

Making his way down the hall and into the kitchen Hank sighed as he pulled open the freezer door and pulled out a flexible blue ice pack to give to the affected deviant. Returning to the bathroom Hank winced at the exposed white plastimetal frame on the previously bloodied forearm, and could see a few faint scratch marks against the frame due to Connor scratching the limb so damn hard.

"Here." Turning off the water Hank took a nearby clean towel from the rack and wrapped it around Connor's right forearm to dry it off, then wrapped the ice pack around the limb before using the same towel to hold it in place by wrapping the towel over top of the ice pack like a bandage. "Wash off your left hand, too." The sight of blue blood under Connor's fingernails was rather disgusting. "Talk to me, what's going on right now?"

Cradling his right forearm to his chest as he turned on the warm water to awkwardly wash his left hand off Connor answered honestly. "...I can't explain it. It started with a strange sensation that fits your description of 'tingly' in my right index fingertip." Turning off the tap Connor let Hank dry off his left hand as he continued to try to give answers to the senior detective. "It has been a chronic discomfort ever since I received the mild electric shock yesterday while examining the stolen hardware, but after I took care of Sumo the sensation became more volatile."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was attempting to locate the cause of the problem with a full system self diagnostic." Letting Hank put his calloused right palm against his right shoulder Connor allowed the senior detective to lead him out of the bathroom, and toward the livingroom. His L.E.D. was still glowing red and now his legs were shaking due to the sudden blood loss and unsettling feeling his entire body was experiencing. "Before my diagnostic was completed the sensation in my right hand increased and radiated down my forearm to such a severe manner I... I just had a compulsion to scratch it."

"Sounds like you're having some kind of allergy or something."

"Androids are immune to any and all allergens." Sitting down on the couch Connor kept his wrapped up arm pressed to his chest to prevent himself from scratching through the towel and ice to get to the remnants of his artificial skin beneath. "...And my external sensors cannot locate any source of error or glitch that would cause this particular type of extreme reaction."

"Your system doesn't know, you don't know, and I sure as hell don't know..." Putting his right hand to the back of his neck Hank admitted defeat and decided to grab his phone out of his bedroom to get a little help elsewhere. "I'm going to ask Joel for his opinion."

"Joel?"

"If I call Abby I guarantee you'll have to go to her facility, and I know you hate being there. It's either I ask Joel for help, or I try to Google a cure for your condition, and I highly doubt that'd work out well for either of us."

"...Fair point." Leaning back against the couch cushions Connor closed his eyes and tried to ignore the lingering, burning ache in his right forearm.

"Sit still and try to not think about it."

"It's hard not to."

"Focus on your plant instead." Raising his voice as he walked down the hallway to get his phone out of his bedroom Hank tried to think of a clever way to keep Connor's mind preoccupied. "What did ya' pick to grow?"

"...A carnation." Opening his eyes Connor tilted his head back a little to watch Hank return from the bedroom with his phone in hand. "A white carnation."

"That's oddly specific." Texting his concerns to Joel with all of the details he had to give Hank sat down on the couch beside Connor to help the deviant remain somewhat distracted. "What made ya' pick that?"

"...There is a supposed connection between white carnations and good fortune. I'm not familiar with the concept of 'luck' or 'Karma', but considering how unfortunate and morose my life has started out I decided it might be worth looking into."

"Can't say that I blame ya'. There's a reason humans carry around four leaf clovers and even rabbit's feet to try to improve their luck."

Sitting upright Connor gave Hank a stunned look. "...Humans sever the feet from rabbits for luck?"

"Just remind yourself that humans are fuckin' weird, kid. That's what I do."

"Apparently so. If a rabbit loses one of its feet then it's clear that said rabbit wasn't very lucky to begin with."

Chuckling at the observation Hank agreed entirely and received a reply from Joel. "...Okay, according to Joel your itching thingy isn't going to be detected by your system because the cause of this thing, according to Joel anyway, is being caused by a new glitch that causes your skin sensors to overreact to everything you touch. That electric shock you told me about is what Joel thinks started this mess."

"Why it did suddenly get worse?"

"Because you used a warm dry towel to clean off Sumo's wet, muddy, sticky, cold fur. Too many different sensations at once kicked the glitch into overdrive, and now your entire right hand is too damn sensitive for your own good."

Glancing over at Sumo as the massive dog's ears perked up when his name was spoken Connor looked defeated, if not betrayed. "What do I do?"

"Wait it out. Joel's going to work on a patch to fix the glitch and he's checking in with other technicians in the city for help."

Looking down at his right forearm wrapped under the ice and towel Connor sighed to himself and closed his eyes again. "...I don't want to wait."

"No one does when it comes to pain and itching." Another message popped onto Hank's phone and Hank read over the message quickly. "For now Joel wants you to keep your arm covered under bandages after you coat it in something called... incrassation compound." Looking away from his phone and toward Connor with an arched brow Hank asked the deviant the obvious question. "What the fuck is that stuff?"

"It's a type of antiseptic for androids that will clean plastimetal, sterilize exposed Thirium lines and can help stop Thirium loss. It's not as potent as the usual decontamination chrism used during larger or more invasive repairs, but it is effective all the same."

"Then we'll get you taken care of right here." Slipping his phone into his pocket Hank motioned with his right thumb over his right shoulder the hallway closet before he got up. "There's some of that stuff in your fancy android first aid kit, right?"

"Correct." Tightening his left hand around his right forearm Connor closed his eyes and breathed through his pain as the burning sensation returned to the already damaged limb. "...It is the orange tinted liquid compound alongside the android unique gauze."

"Alright, sit tight and I'll get ya' patched up." Rising from the couch Hank made his way to the closet to get the supplies he needed. "Then maybe you can help me figure out how to plant my tomato seed without accidentally killing it in the process. I've never had a 'green thumb'."

"Gladly." Releasing his grip on his arm Connor let out a slow breath and stared up at the ceiling blankly as he began running math equations inside his mind to keep his thoughts as distracted as possible. "...Anything to not think about this current pain."

The previous day off for Connor was less than ideal as the bizarre glitch continued to wreak havoc on his external sensors throughout the rest of the day and well into the night. The incrassation compound had eased the painful sensation on the deviant's forearm but there was still a mild tingly that made him uncomfortable enough to not rest properly. Despite Hank urging him to call off sick until his sensors could be repaired and he could get some sleep Connor went to work on schedule, and kept his bandaged forearm and hand out of sight by slipping it into his blazer pocket. Using his coin as a way of channeling the discomfort in his right hand without drawing too much attention to himself Connor managed to appear as casual as possible.

Before Connor even had the chance to sit down and try to work on a new case he received a message from Joel requesting him up at the dispensary for a brief examination of his hand and arm. Begrudgingly Connor acknowledged the request and informed Hank where he was going and that he'd be back down soon.

Taking a sip of his morning coffee Hank glanced about the bullpen and noticed that the other deviants in the precinct; receptionists, parking garage security guards and a handful of patrol officers, were all curiously absent. One or two androids not in the bullpen wasn't uncommon, repairs and update needed to take place sometime, but for every single one of them to be absent was very strange and needed to be inquired.

Putting down his mug Hank turned in his chair to face Ben and called out to the seasoned detective for a quick answer. "Hey, Ben? Why're the deviants all M.I.A.?" Noting the lack of deviants in the area Hank asked his question with a deep curiosity in his voice and in his blue eyes. "Is there some kind of special robo-holiday I'm missing out on?"

"Nah, some type of bug is messing with a few deviants and Captain Fowler let them go home until it's sorted out." Picking up his morning blueberry muffin Ben gave Hank a casual shrug of his shoulders as he spoke around the morning treat in his mouth. "Truth be told I'm kinda' surprised Connor came in today."

"Why's that?"

"The deviants were losing control over their skin and you could see that plastic stuff beneath it."

"Uh..." Feeling himself pale a little Hank sighed and proceeded to rise from his chair to head up to the dispensary to check on Connor himself. "I think I'm going to double-check and ask Connor if he wants to stay home today. The kid has enough problems going on right now."

Patiently Connor waited for Joel to finish re-bandaging his right forearm after checking the damaged artificial skin beneath, and did so without saying a word. The artificial skin wasn't regenerating as it should've been, but the damage wasn't scarring, permanent or even infected with external debris thanks to the gauze keeping the exposed areas clean and safe. After his arm had been cleaned up and bandaged for the second time that morning Connor agreed to a brief check-up to ensure his only current issue was the odd glitch with his sensors and nothing more serious.

Checking Connor's Thirium pressure and volume Joel made sure the deviant wasn't suffering from the deviant form of anemia; chlorosis, after scratching his arm so much that he bled from his wounds. Afterward the laidback technician connected a diagnostic cable to Connor's blue glowing L.E.D. and ran a full system diagnostic to ensure his software and programs were all up to date.

"Aside from the tingly, itching and burning problems from your exterior sensors," Joel was making small notes in a private chart that would be kept close to Connor's personal file, but not added directly to it. "are you having any other problems?"

"I was unable to remain in full rest mode due to this error. But I am not functioning in low power mode."

"That's good."

"May I ask why you're giving me a secondary examination during the time that the other deviants are currently absent from the precinct?"

"Not at all surprised you noticed they're gone." Finishing with his notes Joel gave the deviant an honest reply. "It seems this glitch you're experiencing isn't unique to yourself."

"The others have been infected?" With his blue L.E.D. flickering to yellow and soulful brown eyes narrowing Connor was clearly worried, but the expression on his face remained as stoic as ever. "How did it happen?"

"Not from you." Already knowing why Connor felt so anxious Joel quickly eased his mind with the truth. "Apparently that electric shock you took yesterday is the catalyst for this specific error, and thanks to the dry winter weather the other deviants have been getting random static shocks as well from just routine things like opening a car door or picking up a phone. It's not a fatal glitch, just annoying."

"Why are the other deviants currently absent if the error isn't serious?"

"Because the other deviants were struggling to keep their artificial skin generated over their plastimetal frame. I suspect that's the reason why your forearm isn't healing after almost twenty-four hours of being bandaged up."

"...My artificial skin isn't going to regenerate?"

"It will but only after I can figure out a patch, or one of the facilities in the city beat me to it."

Connor removed the Thirium pressure cuff that had been wrapped around his exposed left bicep and rolled his dress shirt's sleeve back down. "I see." Slowly and hesitantly rolling back the gauze over his right forearm Connor noticed that the artificial skin still intact on his limb was beginning to flicker and fade away against his will. "...Shit."

Checking over the deviant's processor diagnostic and then Connor's right forearm again Joel sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, your skin projection is going to be temporarily disabled soon. Go home and rest." Giving the deviant a sympathetic smile Joel was about to make a note in Connor's chart to let Captain Fowler know he'd be going home. "You'll feel better after-"

"I'm staying." Putting his left hand on the chart in Joel's own left hand Connor stopped him from completing his note.

"Connor, if you're experiencing a serious glitch you should-"

"I'm the only deviant left in the precinct and I'm the only deviant detective in the entire city. I won't go home and leave the other deviants in the city without another deviant they can trust to protect them still working with the police."

"You need to rest if you want this glitch to be less severe."

"I'll be fine."

From the doorway of the dispensary Hank called out to the deviant and gave him a stern look. "You will be fine after you rest. I know what's going on and I don't want you to get hurt in the field because of a stupid glitch."

"I can handle it."

"We know that, but having you in the field when you're not feeling like yourself is a risk. It's the same reason we don't let human officers work in the field if they're sick, injured or even pregnant. It's too dangerous."

"Hank, I can-" Twitching a little Connor felt the skin on his right arm retracting entirely and felt the rest of his remaining skin thin slightly and flicker as the glitch continued to affect his external sensors. Looking away from Hank as his L.E.D. flashed to a frustrated red Connor stood by his decision. "...I can do this."

There was no changing the stubborn deviant's mind and Hank knew that there would be no point in arguing. "Fine. Then we'll go do our usual thing, but if you get any sicker or suffer from any other problem then I dropping you off at the house to rest."

"...That is acceptable."

"Okay then. Come with me to the locker room for a minute."

"The locker room?"

"I have an extra hoodie you can wear. I know you're cold thanks to your skin getting fucked up, it'll help."

Appreciative of the offer Connor slipped off the edge of the exam table and gave Joel a kind nod before following after Hank. "...Thank you for helping."

Impossibly pale and hiding under the black hood of the D.P.D. hoodie that Hank had provided him Connor looked as miserable as he was surely feeling. Despite not complaining or fidgeting as he stayed behind his terminal screen it was clear that the deviant was uncomfortable and knew he was being watched. From his own desk Chris couldn't stop glancing over at Connor's almost ghost white face peering out from under the dark hoodie or the yellow glowing L.E.D. that illuminated the right side of his face under an amber glow. Tina had managed to remain more discreet and only looked at Connor once before going on patrol with Gavin, and Gavin himself didn't seem to care at all.

As noon rolled around with no new deviant cases being reported Hank decided it was time to go on break and to get Connor away from the prying eyes of the passing human officers who were walking around the bullpen. He knew it wasn't anything personal but Hank also knew that Connor was still rather introverted and hated being stared at.

"Let's go get some lunch." Hank stated firmly without giving Connor a chance to argue. "I'm starvin'."

Quietly Connor agreed and clocked-out for lunch before following after Hank to leave through the front doors.

The moment Hank was outside the precinct with Connor right beside him Hank tried to give the deviant some peace of mind. "You're not scratching at your arm anymore. That's good."

"My artificial skin has completely retracted from my arm despite my attempts to restore it. I cannot scratch was does not itch."

"Sounds like a damn fortune cookie."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing. Lame joke." Leading the way to the car through the parking garage Hank tried to ignore how pale and sickly Connor looked all because of a single stupid glitch. "So you planted a white carnation and I have a tomato plant ready to go." Unlocking the car doors Hank kept talking as a means of keeping Connor distracted. "Which one do you think will sprout first?"

"I don't know. I've never attempted to grow anything before."

"Can't you do your scan thing and check that kind of information out?"

"I can confirm the two seeds are viable," joining Hank inside the warm car Connor fastened his seatbelt and slipped both hands into the front pocket of the hoodie out of sight. "but I cannot estimate how long it'll take before they break through the top soil and begin the flourish."

"Yeah?" Turning over the engine Hank turned up the heater, pulled out of his parking place and drove out to the street to find a something to eat. "How long does it usually take for that stuff to happen?"

Sensing the tension in the air Connor questioned it with a somewhat guarded tone. "Are you truly interested in the plants or are you just making nervous small talk because of my current condition?"

"Can't it be both?"

"...I suppose so."

"If you don't want to talk you don't have to." Brushing off the snap without even flinching Hank focused on the road ahead of him as he set out to find something palatable to eat. "I get it, you don't feel good and sometimes you just want to be left alone with your thoughts."

Recognizing that Hank was just trying to help him in whatever limited way he could Connor felt guilty for being so accusatory, and quickly changed his attitude accordingly. "...It's okay, we can talk." Cybernetically downloading the information on their respective plants Connor answered Hank's question. "Your tomato will germinate and begin to sprout in one to two weeks. My carnation will take two to three weeks."

"Cool. We'll just keep them warm, watered and in the sunlight as much as possible and have healthy plants this coming spring."

Peering at his pale reflection in the side mirror through his window Connor sighed and pulled his hood down a little further over his face to hide his paled complexion as much as possible. "...Healthy would be great."

On the other side of the city Markus took one last look at the unfinished would-be masterpiece in Carl's beautiful gallery and took in the image of blue over the human face with perfect detail down to the final brush strokes. It had been over three months since Carl last touched it and it was the last time Markus had seen Carl working on anything creative or constructive. While Carl was making an impressive recovery after his heart attack the elderly artist still didn't have the strength to keep painting, let alone finish the elaborate work he started just prior to his heart attack.

Looking past the massive painting mounted on the wall to the thawing green grass through the giant neighboring window Markus took notice of a single orange tinted autumn leaf that had managed to survive the winter by hanging onto a tiny twig, and watched as the breeze blew it about gently without a care in the world.

Closing his mismatched eyes Markus folded his hands neatly behind his back military style and made his next decision. "...It's time."

"Time for what, Markus?" The aged voice called out curiously as Carl used his electric wheelchair to enter the gallery and check on his deviant son.

Turning to face Carl directly Markus opened his eyes and gave his father a somber yet confident glance. "Time to go back to New Jericho and face my pain."

"Your mind sounds like it's made up, but is your heart in agreement?"

Pressing his left palm over the center of his chest Markus felt his heart beating against his palm and gave Carl a subtle nod. "Yes. It may still hurt and I know my heart is still broken, but the pain will fade and my heart will heal in time. I'm ready to face North and continue to lead my people. I may be in pain but my people still need me and pain can be overcome with patience and time."

Smiling proudly Carl agreed with Markus's statement. "That's what I wanted to hear."

"Thank you for helping me through my heartache and giving me understanding in what it means to be a truly compassionate and trustworthy leader."

"You've always been compassionate and you've already appreciated the value of trust, you just stopped feeling it when your own heart broke. Those feelings, those beliefs and instincts never leave us. They go numb for while until you find the strength to feel them again."

"I can feel everything right now. The tension in the city," glancing back at the tiny orange leaf as it continued to cling onto the branch Markus felt compelled to protect the leaf despite knowing it'd be just fine on its own. "the fear in the air and the dwindling hope in the hearts of deviants all over the world. I can feel it and I want it to stop."

"And what're you going to do about those feelings?"

"I'm going to change them. Peace isn't just a dream, it is a reality." Returning his gaze to Carl behind him Markus kept a steadfast gleam in his mismatched eyes as he prepared to make his next move. "We just need to work to make it happen."

Grabbing onto Markus's right hand in a strong and supportive manner Carl gave the deviant his blessing. "Then you go and do what you need to do to make that dream our new reality. I want to see the true beauty of this world through the eyes of a man who appreciates his rights and freedom, and doesn't just expect the world to cater to his every whim."

"I won't let you down, Carl."

"You never have, son." Tightening his grip on Markus's hand Carl showed no fears or doubts as he admired his son's newfound strength. "And I know you never will."

The afternoon seemed relatively quiet save for the occasional voice muttering a complaint about the service at the small food stand while everyone else went about their own business. Hank had already eaten his lunch and tuned out Connor's reminder of the unhealthy amount of cholesterol, sodium, fat content and lack of actual nutrients from his chosen meal. The duo were now enjoying the remainder of their hour break as Hank located a song to listen to as they sat in otherwise silence together in the warm Oldsmobile parked along the street.

It seemed the warming weather was prompting more people to leave their homes and venture out onto the streets again, but unfortunately a majority of the people who had cooped themselves up for long had a lot of pent up energy and aggression. The increasingly hostile voices and tension in the air was indicative of that very notion.

"Chill out, asshole." Hank huffed as he watched a dude complaining about his drink having too much ice in it through his side window. "By summer you'll be bitchin' about not having enough ice instead."

"Should we stop him?"

"Nah, we'll just piss him off more and he'll throw his drink at one of us in response. Not a fan of trying to get sticky soda out of my clothes, and I know you don't want to deal with it either."

"That is true."

"Besides, we're on break. Unless that asshole pulls a knife or something it's not our problem."

A loud feminine scream and panicked voice drew Connor's attention from the mouthy disgruntled customer and to a little old lady who had just had her purse snatched by another woman in her twenties. The thief was running away from the lady and actually ran in front of the car as she tried to flee.

"THAT is our problem." Connor stated firmly as he opened up his door and chased after the thief down the sidewalk to reclaim the stolen purse. "I'm on it!"

"Ah, shit..." Grabbing his radio Hank reported the crime in progress to dispatch and proceeded to drive after Connor and the thief down the street while the duo proceeded with the chase on the nearby sidewalk. "The kid doesn't get paid enough to put up with stupid humans."

Rushing after the thief who had been caught in the act of her crime Connor easily trailed after the woman and managed to match her speed within seconds. Putting his right hand on her left shoulder Connor applied pressure and ordered her to surrender. "Stop! Detroit Police!"

"Fuck off!"

Applying further pressure Connor pulled back on the woman's shoulder and forced her to stop. The jerking motion was enough to make her lose her balance and fall back, but Connor grabbed onto her upper arms as he stayed behind her, then forced her to kneel forward on the sidewalk as he pulled the purse from her grip and refused to let her move. "You're under arrest for theft and fleeing the police."

"Fuck you!" She seethed as she glared at Connor over her left shoulder. Her thin and bitter blonde hair hung raggedly over her pale and gaunt face. Based on her prematurely aging skin, the dark circles under her wile gray eyes and gnarly teeth it was clear she was a drug addict seeking funds to get her next fix. "I'll kick your bitch ass!"

"Not from where I'm standing." Ignoring the threat Connor just logged it away as yet another instance of humans being fixated on asses. "You're going to go to the precinct and answer a few questions. I strongly suggest you exercise your right to remain silent."

Hank pulled up beside the deviant and his captured thief with the Oldsmobile and threw the car into park before stepping out of the vehicle. "Patrol's on its way." Walking over to the arrested woman Hank gave her a disappointed shake of his head as Connor secured her wrists behind her back with his handcuffs, and glanced down at the somewhat damaged leather handbag in Connor's right hand. "You even got the purse back."

"Yes." Lifting up his head Connor handed the bag over to Hank to hold onto. "I believe all of the contents..." Noticing that Hank's eyes were transfixed on his face with a sense of discomfort Connor pressed his left fingertips along his left cheek and felt nothing but pure smooth white plastimetal touch the same type of smooth surface in return. Panicking a little Connor took a step back and pulled down the hood entirely over his now exposed white face in fear. The flashing of the crimson L.E.D. from beneath the hood confirmed the sudden shift in Connor's mood at the unceremonious revelation. "...Damn it. I didn't know."

"Take it easy." Hank encouraged as he kept his left hand on the woman's left shoulder until patrol arrived. "Go sit down in the car and try to relax. We'll go right back to the house."

Ducking away and rushing toward the passenger side door of the car Connor pulled the door open and sat down before keeping his face low, and well out of sight of anyone passing by. Putting his shaking hands, the right hand still bandaged up and the left hand now fully exposed, into the front pocket of his hoodie Connor closed his eyes and tried to disappear from the world for just a moment.

Connor had never been left fully exposed in such a way since his initial activation at CyberLife Tower. To be unable to conceal his plastimetal face and be seen as just Connor and not a deviant android was surprisingly terrifying to the young deviant's still developing mind and heart.

The driver's side door opened up and Hank returned to the car to check on his shaken partner. "Chris is here." The door slammed shut with a loud 'thud' and the car itself rocked a little on its wheels courtesy of the motion. "He's taking that strung-out chick in for questioning, and I was able to reunite the old lady with her purse. She wanted to thank you in person, but I told her that you already went back to the precinct so I'm telling you on her behalf."

"...Thank you for not letting anyone see me."

"Don't worry, kid. I'll get ya' back home."

As the car pulled away from the street where it had been parked Connor pulled both of his hands from the front pocket and stared at the exposed appendage in comparison to the wrapped up counterpart. They were both white but one was white by choice, and the other was white against his will. The sight of his flawless and smooth frame that was only marred by the necessary imperfections allowing his fingers to bend, his palm to flex and his wrist to roll were the only things that seemed human on the otherwise inhuman limb.

"Are you cold?"

"...No."

Concerned for Connor's health Hank made sure he wasn't in any danger. "Need any more Thirium?"

"...I don't need anything."

"It's not a crime to admit you might need something to feel better if you're sick or hurt."

"There's nothing that can be done." Dropping his hands onto his lap Connor turned his face away from Hank as if ashamed.

"It's not your fault. Shit happens and there's nothing you can do about it."

"I'm supposed to be a flawless android. No glitches, no errors and no mistakes." Pulling the hood down even further it was clear Connor was trying to hide not just from the world but from himself. "But that's all I am. I'm one massive mistake and disappointment after another."

"No, you're not." Turning at the next block to head back to the house Hank tried to get Connor to stop doubting himself and feeling like he's done anything wrong just for going through an annoying glitch. "You're a great detective and you do great work. Always have, always will."

"I deviated once, got myself killed, deviated a second time, helped change the world for what's supposed to be the better, and ever since I've been plagued with conflicted feelings, doubts, fears and I keep making decisions that I always second guess! I shouldn't be like this..."

"Take a look at me. I get to boast about being the youngest Lieutenant in Detroit history and succeeding in the biggest 'red ice' bust in narcotics history. I'm also a washed up alcoholic with so many emotional issues my therapist needs a therapist! Yet, here I am." Reaching the driveway leading to the house Hank tried to remind Connor that no one is perfect and no one ever will be. "I keep going to work; mostly because I got assigned a smartass deviant for a partner who won't let me give up on myself or walk away from my responsibilities, but at least I keep trying to do what's best. Right?"

Staying quiet Connor didn't move or react until he heard the garage door opening and felt the darkness wash over him as the car was pulled inside the garage to be kept safe from the public.

"Come on." Patting Connor's left shoulder lightly Hank waited for the deviant to respond before he opened his own door. "I'll help your change the bandages on your arm before I go back to the precinct, and I'll let Fowler know you're done for the day."

With his shaking bandaged hand Connor opened up his door and followed after Hank as the senior detective led the way back to the house through the connecting exterior door to the laundry room and kitchen. As he set foot inside the kitchen Connor heard Sumo let out a small 'boof' before he got to his feet to greet Hank and then came into the kitchen to see Connor himself.

Sumo quickly nosed at Connor's left hand seeking attention and didn't stop until the deviant gently curled his fingers around Sumo's soft ears to give him some very much wanted ear rubs.

Hank turned and saw Sumo treating Connor as he normally did and smirked a little. "If you don't believe me about you being fine, then believe Sumo."

"...Believe Sumo?" Lifting his eyes just enough to look at Hank the deviant clearly didn't understand the comment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean animals are better at judging people than people are. He likes ya', and he's liked ya' since the first time you met." Watching as Sumo suddenly stood up on his rear paws and put his front paws on Connor's shoulder Hank knew that Connor was about to get his face drooled all over and began to chuckle a little at the sight. "Hell, he doesn't even care if you have skin or not! Fuck, that's something that humans needed to get over decades ago, and something that animals have never given a single shit about."

Putting his hands on Sumo's shoulders Connor tried to turn away from the dog's unprompted kisses, his hood sliding back and away from his face in the process, and looked past Sumo to Hank standing near the entryway. "...Humans needed to get over androids decades before androids were ever created?"

"I'm not talking about the anti-android bigots." Walking over to Connor with a somewhat guilty expression Hank lightly patted the right side of Connor's face as he spoke, his touch never faltering away from the plastimetal against his calloused palm. "I'm talking anyone, and I mean anyone, putting the value of a person strictly on their skin. Humans have been doing that shit for centuries and it's nothing but shallow paranoia and bullshit that got perpetuated by us living in a vain society."

Contemplating Hank's words Connor gently pushed Sumo back down to the floor while Hank pulled his palm away from his cheek.

"Don't put your own self worth and value on the way you look just because you think that's what you need to be in the eyes of a selfish and judgmental society that's being run by a bunch of self righteous pricks who don't know how the world really looks." The rant seemed to come from somewhere deep down inside Hank's heart and sounded like he had been wanting to make that statement for years. "We're all flawed, tired and constantly making mistakes so we can learn and get better. Life is just one giant mistake that's slowly being fixed up until the day we die."

The comment was impressively grounding. Feeling his worries beginning to lessen and his red L.E.D. cycled back to yellow at last Connor's personal doubts seemed to be getting pushed out of his mind.

"It doesn't matter if your skin is active or not, or what it looks like when it's there. You still caught a thief and had no problem responding to the crime as it was happening."

"...You're right." Replaying the moment in his mind Connor realized he had responded appropriately and did so without fear. "Thank you, Hank."

"No problem. Let's get your arm re-bandaged and I'll head back to the precinct so you can relax here in private."

Agreeing to the suggestion Connor walked into the livingroom to sit down on the couch while Hank opened up the hallway closet to get the android first aid kit to once more take care of Connor's right forearm. Removing his black hoodie Connor shrugged off the gray blazer beneath and then proceeded to roll up his white dress shirt's right sleeve to expose the bandages over the limb. Carefully Connor began to unwrap his arm and watched as Hank placed the kit down on the coffee table before them to prepare the new wraps.

"I'll pick up more bandages for you after I clock out this evening." Opening up the plastic kit Hank picked up the remaining roll of gauze and looked over at Connor's arm as the deviant finished removing the old wraps to reveal the arm beneath. "When your... Ha!" Pointing at the arm Hank gave Connor a smug look and grinned. "Look at that."

Connor's eyes flashed with confusion for a moment before he looked down at his right forearm and saw that his artificial skin was regenerating along his fingers, palm and starting to stretch down his wrist. The skin was very pale and thin, but it was regenerating all the same.

"You're healing."

"...Y-Yes." Flexing his right hand a little Connor pressed this right thumb to his right index fingertip and felt no pain, no tingling and no burning sensation. "It doesn't hurt either."

"Maybe you don't need that patch from a technician after all. You're doing just fine on your own."

"Maybe." No longer needing the bandages Connor's yellow L.E.D. returned to blue as he slumped back into the couch cushion with relief. "I'll send Joel an update and inform him of my improved condition."

"Cool. See how patience pays off?"

"Yes. Time does seemingly heal all wounds." Giving Hank a somber glance Connor's memories of feeling like a failure and like he was doing something wrong just by being himself returned, however Hank's words of wisdom quickly pushed those memories aside for a moment. Reminding himself that positive changes can happen Connor refused to give up on himself, just as Hank had done. "It's unfortunate some wounds take an eternity to heal."

-next chapter-

Author's Note: *Deuterostomes are organic lifeforms that develop the two ends of the digestive tract first and grow around it. This is known as a 'second mouth' development as one end starts out as an anus, and the other end becomes the mouth later. Humans develop anus first; as in we're a literal butthole, and then further develop around it.

In the end we're all just glorified buttholes with more complicated emotions!