March was just around the corner and with it the new laws would go into effect regarding android rights, regulations and the underlying consequences for breaking said laws. With that impending new future the precincts all throughout Detroit were already on edge and familiarizing themselves with the new laws, rights and penalties for breaking said laws, and many of the still bigoted cops were not happy with the necessary transition. To mentally prepare for the changes themselves Connor agreed to spending their final day off on the final day of February up at the cabin with Hank while the senior detective finished signing the last of the necessary paperwork to purchase the cabin at long last.

While Hank was speaking with the realtor inside the cabin Connor was kneeling down beside his own grave and staring at the white stone marker at the head of the grave with a strange sense of trepidation. Marking the stone with the Revolution's insignia that was seen throughout the life and world changing event was symbolic of what the original Connor had died for, and yet somehow it seemed like a cruel mockery.

The emotional conflict within Connor's heart was as unbearable as it was constant.

Unaware of the time passing by Connor's blue L.E.D. turned red as he jumped and made a move to withdraw his gun from the holster around his back and under his leather jacket when Hank walked into the clearing to join him at the grave. The sight of Hank raising his hands slowly into the air in a submissive manner and his blue eyes remaining calm was all it took for Connor to lower his right hand, and let out a shaking breath of relief as the red L.E.D. cycled to yellow and then to blue.

"Sorry, kid. I didn't mean to sneak up on ya'."

"...It's okay." Lowering his hand Connor returned his focus to the grave that he had cleaned up after the cold winter left dead leaves and loose branches over the area. "I shouldn't have let my guard down."

"Let your guard down? It's your day off and you're in the middle of nowhere." Joining Connor at the grave Hank sighed and crossed his arms over his chest as he listened to the sound of birds singing in the surrounding trees with a happy little chirp. It was so serene at the cabin that Hank was looking forward to the impending summer so he could get away from the city and watch fireworks glowing over the lake once again. "You should take this time to relax a little and enjoy the nothingness."

"I currently cannot relax and enjoy anything."

"Anxious about the new laws being passed tomorrow?"

"No, I have no reservations or fears for the new laws."

"Then what is bothering you?"

Staring at the headstone of the grave for a moment Connor told Hank the truth about what was preoccupying his thoughts, and waited for his response. "This grave was meant to bring me closure and to give my original body a respectful departure. Yet now when I look at it I feel as if this is not a memorial but a reminder of my past failures. A taunt."

"Son, you didn't fail. You did the right thing and paid with your life."

"Being murdered by someone I tried to aid feels like a failure to me."

"Well, it's not." Putting his left hand around Connor's right bicep Hank gently pulled the deviant back up to his feet and showed him out of the clearing, and back to the main property. "Come inside and take a good look at the cabin. Hell, we can use the door this time."

Trudging out of the clearing and onto the side property Connor gazed about the wooden cabin's exterior and noted that he couldn't detect another human's vital signs for just over two miles. The distance was comfortable and yet it didn't feel quite isolated enough for someone trying to hide from the world. It seemed as if no matter how far away Connor ventured or how often he spent time completely alone in his room playing his guitar the deviant still felt like he needed to keep hiding.

"Fortunately it's warming up." Hank stated in a casual lilt as he carefully walked over downed branches and uneven muddy terrain. "Whenever we have a bad day at the precinct we can come up here and hide without worrying about freezing our asses off without any firewood."

Falling silent Connor accompanied Hank inside the cabin through the front door and tried to not think about how just a few yards away from where he and Hank were planning on spending their free time was his own grave, and his original body having been laid to rest.

It seemed like no matter where Connor went he was always being reminded of something dark from his past and simply couldn't escape.

The private office of New Jericho Tower was far busier and more strung-out than the rest of the city as the remaining three leaders of the sanctuary gathered together to discuss the new laws taking effect in less than twenty-four hours. The prospect of being protected under the law and not just under the roof of the isolated sanctuary seemed like a distant dream finally coming true. Josh and Simon were enthusiastically discussing the positive changes while overlooking all of the rights they'd be able to exercise the following day, and Markus was sitting behind the desk completely distracted and thinking about something else.

Rather, he was thinking about someone else.

It had been almost two weeks since North left the city and her departure left a strange void behind that Markus hadn't felt before. Still displayed on the terminal screen in the middle of the desk was the letter North left behind confirming that she rescinded her position as one of the four leaders of New Jericho, and that she wouldn't be returning to the tower in the foreseeable future.

The goodbye letter didn't say anything beyond North just needing the time and space to find herself as a freed individual, but in Markus's eyes he saw only the loss of a friend he once considered his dearest friend all because they had failed to properly communicate with one another during the more difficult moments in their lives.

"Since deviants won't need to worry about hiding here during civil unrest we can offer more programs to aid our people without needing to worry about any extra space." Josh sounded almost energetic as he began contemplating additional therapy groups, integration programs and even a skill reassignment program to help deviants seeking an alternative skill-set adapt to a new life. "In time the tower could completely change from a sanctuary and into a type of embassy to ensure equality across the entire world."

Simon was in total agreement and eager to begin expanding the emergency repair bay, recovery wing and creating a section dedicated solely to physical therapy for the deviants who had suffered nearly irreparable damage to their entire bodies. So many deviants were left crippled and maimed by human violence before and during the Revolution, and all of them needed extra attention in order to recover properly.

"We could even form our own type of private security to work alongside the police department. I mean, it might be a little weird but it's worth a shot! It'll guarantee our rights are never ignored by biased cops."

Less interested with tower renovations or their new guaranteed rights, and more focused on how it seemed the deviants were distancing themselves from Markus and even New Jericho Tower for one reason or another, Markus himself excused himself from the office in search of guidance from Carl once more.

If anyone knew about the fickleness of emotions, independence and pain it was Carl; an artist who loved, lost and learned to love all over again.

Sitting on his couch with Lucky curled up on his lap and a tablet in his right hand Gavin had waited until the last minute to familiarize himself with the new android laws and rights going into effect the very next day. While he was trying to act like he understood half of the legal jargon that only lawyers could speak Gavin ignored Lucas's eyes watching his every move while the deviant cleaned up his saxophone, and replaced the reed on the mouthpiece with an incredibly gentle touch. The steel gaze from the steel gray eyes was slowly eating away at Gavin and the abrasive detective lowered his tablet as he turned his head and looked at Lucas sitting in the small recliner next to the couch.

Lucas remained focused on Gavin's face, his L.E.D. pulsing a steady blue and his hands moving seamlessly over the instrument as he ensured it was properly maintained and ready to be played.

Unable to take the staring any longer Gavin finally spoke up and asked why his unexpected roommate was just staring at him. "What?"

Lucas blinked once as he continued to stare blankly at Gavin's face. "Pardon?"

"You're staring at me. Quit it!"

"I'm not staring."

"The unblinking gaze says otherwise, you freak. Knock it off!"

"I assure you that I was not staring."

"Then what were you doing? Trying to see through time and space?"

"I was running a self diagnostic, downloading the appropriate software to ensure proper instrument maintenance, monitoring the current news broadcasts, noting your stress levels and-"

"Whoa, what?" Cutting Lucas off quickly Gavin all but jumped and Lucky let out a small 'mer' of protest at being jostled during her afternoon nap. "My stress levels? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your resting heart rate is higher than average, your blood pressure has increased, your body temperature is one point four degrees higher than what is normal for you, your posture is very rigid, your brow is furrowed, your eyes are fixated on a single object and your respiration has increased, yet remains shallow. All factors indicative of high stress."

Denying the readings Gavin gave Lucas annoyed glare. "I'm NOT stressed."

"Your vocal tone is indicative of stress as well."

"Shut up! I'm not stressed, I'm focused." Turning away from Lucas's gaze again Gavin resumed reading the tablet and put his left hand along Lucky's back to give her some attention. "...Big difference."

"I'll take your word for it."

Scoffing a little Gavin put the tablet down on the couch cushion beside him as he began rubbing Lucky's ears gently. "What do androids know about being stressed out anyway?"

"Quite a bit, actually."

"What? That 'self destruction' garbage your 'big brother' talked about last fall?"

"In regards to deviants self destructing due to dangerously high stress levels, yes, that is correct." The steel gaze seemed to narrow as Lucas elucidated on Gavin's question. "However, to refer to Connor as my 'big brother' is incorrect. He is not my brother. Androids do not have siblings."

"Uh-huh, denying the existence of a sibling?" A sly grin appeared on Gavin's face as he watched the usually unflappable deviant getting a little tense. "Sounds like something a little brother would say..."

"We are NOT brothers." Holding firm to his statement Lucas refrained from raising his voice or betraying his feelings with his body language. "He is merely the prototype to my final design."

"So you're saying between the two of you, you're the superior android?"

"Correct."

"Also something a little brother would say!"

Lucas's gray eyes narrowed even further as he checked over his work on his saxophone and decided it was ready to be played. "I will not continue to explain the impossibility of a familial relationship between androids. It seems your own opinion regarding sibling relationships has been firmly established, and there is no point in trying to change your mind."

"Now why can't everyone else at the precinct be as agreeable as you?"

"I'm not agreeing with you, I'm merely choosing to end the discussion as there will be no benefit in speaking to the proverbial brick wall."

"Hey! That's not fair. You can't argue like that and then declare 'stamp, stamp, no erasies'. Not cool."

Tilting his head curiously to the side at the odd comments Lucas rose from the recliner and placed his saxophone down in its case to be protected during transportation. "How is not fair to end a discussion?"

"Not that..." Leaning forward to watch Lucas setting the instrument into the case on the coffee table Gavin tried to explain his reasoning. "I mean, how can you argue about siblings and sibling relationships when you say it's impossible for you to even have one? You can't be an expert on something you have zero experience in."

"I suppose that is a logical statement. Might I ask why you're so focused on sibling relationships despite no longer having one of your own?"

"How did-" Gavin's face paled and his hazel eyes went wide for a moment. Taking in a deep calming breath the abrasive detective leaned back into the couch and kicked his feet up on the coffee table beside the case much to Lucas's disgust. "Alright, how in the hell do you know I have a brother?"

The blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as Lucas straightened up, his black and white attire getting smoothed out under his hands in the process. "...I was referring to your late sister Kimberly. I was unaware you have a brother."

"O-Oh... Yeah." Paling even further and looking entirely uncomfortable Gavin cleared his throat and moved Lucky from his lap so he could stand up from the couch. "Uh, go do your thing and earn money. I'm... I'm going to go to the gym. See ya' later."

Understanding that he had inadvertently brought up a sensitive subject Lucas sincerely apologized for his comment. "Gavin, I apologize if I overstepped my bounds. I wasn't trying to upset you or make you feel uncomfortable in any way, I was just asking a question."

Holding his silence Gavin walked out of the livingroom to head to his bedroom down the hallway to get away from the deviant.

A strange feeling hovered over Lucas's heart that he couldn't quite comprehend. As he rested his left palm over his heart Lucas's gaze lowered to the floor and an unexplainable urge to make things right between Gavin and himself as a means of truly apologizing for his behavior. Unsure of what to do about the incident, his undeniable lack of experiences with emotions and personal tragedy affecting his ability to act, Lucas decided to go out and play his music and think about how he can atone for his personal gaff.

Walking around the thawed yet still chilly lake Connor scanned the gentle water and noted the flora still blossoming beneath the surface, and the small various species of fish swimming about while feeding from the plants in general. Despite the intense cold that would've killed humans and androids alike the previous winter the tiny little fish and plants managed to survive the harsh and unforgiving elements with only the most minimal of discomfort. Kneeling down beside the lake Connor traced the sandy shore under his right index fingertip, his sensors detailing the type of silica under his touch and the exact amount clinging to his artificial skin, and turned his hand to face palm up as he rubbed his thumb over his sand covered fingertip curiously.

It was the very first time Connor had ever touched sand in his short life, and it was a curious sensation. The scent of the lake was different than the scent of the Detroit River, and the thousands of trees that surrounded the cabin were far different than the hundreds of buildings and skyscrapers back in Detroit. Being away from the very technology and electronic devices that had brought Connor into this cruel and ever changing world made the already wary deviant feel all the more out of place.

The smell of fresh rain building in the air along with a chilly breeze warned of an impending spring storm.

Slipping his right hand into the cool water of the lake Connor sighed as the sand was washed away and listened to the sound of Hank's footsteps approaching him from behind. It was a calm pace that was intentionally loud as Hank didn't want to accidentally startle Connor for a second time.

"Pretty nice out here even in the spring." Joining Connor at the edge of the lake Hank watched Connor pull his hand back out of the water and stand upright where he had been kneeling down. "Still a little chilly for my taste, but it's not terrible."

"I appreciate you purchasing this property so I can frequently tend to the grave and find isolation when I need it, but I believe it would've been best if you continued to save your money to purchase a new residence in a warmer environment after you retire."

"I already said I'm not going anywhere. My family's in Detroit and I won't leave them behind."

Staring thoughtfully at the calm water on the lake Connor contemplated the idea of leaving Detroit himself. Leaving the city where he had been born, where he had died and where he had fought in a war for equality seemed impossible. It was as if he was bound to Detroit and the tether could never be cut.

"Want to do anything else before we head back to the city?" Speaking sympathetically Hank waited for the deviant to make the next move. "I know Sumo's waiting for you to take him on another walk and you're not the type to let anyone down."

"...No." Turning around slowly Connor faced the cabin and let his eyes trail over to the neighboring clearing where the hidden grave was left peacefully intact behind the treeline. Even without seeing the grave directly Connor felt mildly queasy. It was a sensation he disliked but refused to acknowledge. "I think it'd be best to return to the city for now."

"You're probably sick of hearing this," talking in a sincerely sympathetic manner Hank lightly rested his right palm on Connor's left shoulder as he walked at the deviant's side back to the car. "but things will get better. I know I got fuckin' sick of hearing that thing over and over again after everything I went through and everything I lost, but it is true. It'll get better and you'll feel better, too."

"...I'll take your word for it."

Noticing that the deviant's eyes were downcast and his posture was slumped Hank saw all the telltale signs of a mounting depression. "How about we take Sumo for a walk and take him to one of those fancy pet stores that let you bring your pets inside to play around, get groomed and find a new toy?"

"Why?" The suggestion was illogical if not entirely unnecessary. "I've been keeping up with Sumo's grooming and he's quite fond of the rubber green ball that he's been playing fetch with."

"I don't know. To do something a little different for once. Besides, you said you liked dogs so I figured you'd like to see some more dogs beyond just Sumo's drooling face every day."

"Yes..." The flicker of the memory of Connor attempting to make friends with Hank by stating he liked dogs flashed before his eyes and the claim seemed to hold merit. He did like Sumo, but Sumo was the only dog he'd met so far. The best way to test that claim would be to visit other dogs and see if he truly did like dogs and not just one specific dog. "I suppose that would an acceptable errand."

"Cool." Removing his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank opened up the driver's side door while Connor did the same for the passenger side door. "I bet Sumo will love it."

Staring blankly at the chessboard before himself with his white rook in his right hand Markus seemed to have forgotten the game entirely as his thoughts refused to let him focus on the entirely strategic game for even a moment. A distant gaze in his mismatched eyes betrayed his emotions as the ache in his heart matched the confusion in his mind. Unable to articulate his feelings or even really open up about everything he had gone through Markus fell painfully silent as the memories of his decisions leading to the Revolution and everything he had chosen to do and say after the successfully peaceful Revolution passed by, it was clear that the sense of regret the deviant had long since tried to deny.

Carl had been studying Markus's demeanor the moment his deviant son returned to the mansion seeking further guidance. Watching as Markus's attention steadily dwindled away from the chess game and into the stratosphere Carl patiently waited for Markus to speak up first, but the words never came.

"Markus? You've been contemplating your next move for five minutes."

Looking up at Carl the moment his words hit his ears Markus realized he had been staring off into space. "I'm sorry, Carl. I was thinking about something else."

"I noticed. You're here for a reason and I don't think it's just because you're eager for our enthralling game of chess."

"You're right about that." Placing the rook back down onto the board from the space he had picked it up from Markus leaned forward on his forearms against the top of the table as he tried to gather his thoughts. Taking in a small breath as a rumble of thunder echoed in the distance Markus told Carl about everything that had happened since his last visit, and of how he was becoming aware of how the deviants saw him, really saw him, as time ticked by. "It feels like I fought for common ground only to lose everything else around me."

"I can understand your worries of being seen as a failure as a leader or like you somehow just lucked out, but I think you're worrying just a bit too much."

"How so?"

"The people you freed are now capable of having their own personal thoughts and beliefs." Nodding at the chess board Carl urged Markus to finally move his rook to the correct place and continue the game. "You should be proud that they're thinking for themselves, forming their own opinions and standing up for their own beliefs instead of just falling in line and blindly following someone without question."

"I don't want my people to just march behind and obey like an army, I just want them to trust me."

"Trust is earned, not given." Moving his black pawn on the board Carl easily paid attention to the game while also guiding Markus through his newest challenge into the seeming unknown. "Would you just accept the word of someone who is often seen and not heard within the community? Try being more direct with your people, maybe even invite them to partake in your little meetings every now and then instead of just telling them that the new rules or decisions are going to take effect whether they agree to it or not."

"You're right... I've been leading my people but not listening to them. I've been worried about being called a murderer or a failure, and now I just... I guess I stopped listening. I stopped listening to everyone."

"It's not a crime to be deafened by hate, but intentionally not listening is a serious problem."

"I'll stop trying to hold myself above my people and start including them more in New Jericho's affairs." Moving his next piece Markus glanced at the large window to his right as a flash of lightning in the distance followed by more thunder filled the air. A storm was inevitable. "I hope North is okay..."

"If she's half as fiery and resourceful as you told me she is, then I can guaran-damn-tee that she's doing just fine."

"You always sound so certain."

"I'm old." Sliding his queen into the next place Carl casually spoke of life and fate in general. "Nothing is certain but anything can happen."

"Including forgiveness?"

"Ah, we just found the roof of your problem. You're talking about that one deviant again."

"He hates me and he has every right to hate me, but I don't want him to hate me because I made a single horrible mistake. I can't undo my mistake and I know there's no way I could possibly make it up to him. There's no amount of apologizing that can bring someone back from the dead."

"Well, if you're going to start listening to your people a little closer from now on then maybe you should offer him the same courtesy."

"Speak to him directly? How?" Hovering his hand over his pawn Markus found himself at a total loss again. "He won't acknowledge my existence and I'm not going to confront him at the precinct while he's working. It'd just make things worse if I intrude on his time."

"Have you considered talking to his partner instead?"

"Lieutenant Anderson..." The brief encounter he had with the gruff detective wasn't the most pleasant memory to think about. "He doesn't like me anymore than Connor does."

"Sounds like Connor has a good partner then. Have you spoken to this Lieutenant Anderson very much?"

"Once, not counting when I was framed. The day that the mayor had been targeted for assassination was the day I met him. He and Connor were assigned to watch over the building as an extra precaution." Moving his pawn at last Markus recounted that very odd day to Carl in full detail. "It turned out Connor took a bullet protecting us and North after she chose to stick around, and it was Lieutenant Anderson who brought me into the precinct for questioning for the attack."

"Let me guess..." Selecting his first rook Carl moved the piece about the board and grinned mischievously. "During the drive to the station he gave you an earful about what you did and put the fear of God in you."

"Actually, he was very professional." Sliding his knight into the next space the deviant leader leaned back in his chair and watched the first few drops of rain dotting the window from the corner of his eye. "He passively let me know that he's aware of what I did and how I hurt... killed, Connor. He never threatened me or insulted me directly, but I could feel a type of anger seething from him that I had never experienced before."

"A man of passion and dedication." Taking one of Markus's pawns Carl set the piece aside and smirked a little more. "That's the right person to be a cop. Not someone who gets off on idle threats and throwing their weight around. If anything that's the exact reason you should try to talk to him and ask him to be a mediator between you and Connor."

Eyeing the board carefully Markus realized he had left his king completely vulnerable and there was nothing he could do to save himself. Pressing his left index fingertip to the crown on the king Markus laid it down on its side and admitted defeat. "...You win."

Seeing the easy victory before himself Carl refused to accept it as it was. "Rematch."

"Rematch?" The green and blue eyes searched Carl's face for answers to the unexpected declaration. "Why?"

"Your mind wasn't on the game, that was too easy of a victory." Resetting the pieces across the board Carl gave the somewhat wary deviant a knowing glance as he prepared to figure out how deep Markus's guilt resided. "Let's play again."

"I don't think I'll do any better the second time around."

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Waiting for Markus to make his first move Carl continued to push the deviant to make the right decision. "You can't be sure of the outcome of any interaction until you actually let it happen."

Understanding what his father was encouraging him to do, what he was trying to get him to see for himself, Markus gave Carl a subtle grin and moved his first pawn forward on the board. "Okay, Carl. We'll see how this plays out first, and go from there..."

Down on the vacant lot on Baker Street standing before a modest crowd of intrigued passersby Lucas played his saxophone, and earned an impressive amount of charitable contributions from his sporadic crowd. The deviant had managed to learn how to play new songs during his time hiding out from the winter in Gavin's apartments, and he had even created a few new songs of his own during his quiet time before entering rest mode. Earning nearly five hundred dollars throughout the afternoon and evening Lucas only stopped playing when he felt the first drop of rain land on his nose, and signal him to stop.

Stopping his song Lucas looked upward at the rain clouds overhead and cybernetically checked the Doppler radar. The rain was going to continue on well through the evening and into the night. Pocketing his money that had collected in the saxophone's opened storage case Lucas put the saxophone away, closed the case, and picked up the instrument by the case's handle to begin walking back to the apartment to get out of the storm.

As he began walking down the street to escape the storm before he got too wet he sensed a car slowing down beside him and stopping as the driver rolled down the window to speak to him directly. "Connor?"

Lucas paused in his tracks and looked over at the female driver and recognized her as Tina Chen. He had gotten a very brief glimpse of her face when she arrived at the old apartment to arrest Gavin's ex-boyfriend, and he knew her name after Gavin told him all about her.

Letting Tina look him in the eyes, the only real discernible difference between Connor and himself beyond the mild height difference, Lucas politely corrected her understandable mistake. "Actually, my name is Lucas."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Blushing a little with embarrassment Tina apologized for her mistaken identity. "You just look so much like a friend from work."

"Yes, I've deduced as much."

"Well, I'm sorry to stop you like that."

Ignoring the rain soaking into his hair but being deflected by his leather jacket Lucas continued to speak to Tina despite the rainstorm overhead. "May I ask why you did?"

"I wanted to see if you wanted a ride to get out of the rain."

"That's very kind of you. I can understand why Gavin likes having you as his partner."

"Wait, you know Gavin?"

"I do."

"...How?" Shifting in her seat Tina gave Lucas a somewhat skeptical glance but never lost her cheery tone. "Gavin's not a fan of androids."

"I've deduced that as well. But to answer your question he is an acquaintance that gave me shelter during the winter, and I am currently his roommate."

"Roommate?" A devilish grin appeared on Tina's lips as she unlocked the doors of the car and motioned for Lucas to get in. "Come on, I'll drop you off at your apartment and give Gavin a surprise visit while I'm at it."

Unsure of why Tina didn't already know that he and Gavin were roommates Lucas agreed to the ride in order to get out of the rain and to get some answers. Putting his saxophone case in the backseat of the car Lucas sat up front beside Tina and fastened his seatbelt. "Thank you for the ride, Miss Chen."

"Please, call me Tina." Pulling the car back onto the street Tina drove out to Gavin's apartment and kept flashing Lucas an amused grin throughout the entire journey. "So... Tell me about yourself Lucas. I want to know everything!"

The pet store wasn't too busy but it was full of energy as shoppers went about their business with their beloved pets. The numerous animals that were in the store for either a grooming session or to get new supplies were all energetic, and their owners were rather upbeat. A majority of the animals were small puppies on leashes who were being trained to handle larger groups of people, while a nice handful of full grown dogs were peppered into the mix. Even a few cats and kittens on harnesses were in the store alongside their owners as the store welcomed any and all pets to provide some kind of service to their needs.

Keeping a tight grip on Sumo's leash Connor led the Saint Bernard inside while Hank accompanied them both into the store. Sumo's tail wagged happily as he took in all the new scents and sounds of the store, whereas Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he noted the relatively large crowd gathered in the limited space.

"Good thing we cut Sumo's walk short and drove to the store instead." The building storm was quickly encroaching over the city and it was just beginning to rain. Watching Connor immediately tense up and seek a side aisle to duck down Hank sighed and followed after the deviant leading Sumo about the store without getting too close to Connor in the process. "Sorry, I didn't know you're claustrophobic."

"...I'm not. I merely dislike large groups." Connor's right hand tightened around the handle of the leather leash to the point his knuckles were stark white from the intense grip. "I am, by all account, enochlophobic: One who is afraid of larger groups."

"I think you're more introverted than actually afraid, kid."

"...Maybe."

"Wanna' go wait outside or something? We don't have to be in here."

Looking down at Sumo as the massive dog looked back up at him and wagged his tail while gently nibbling on the tips of Connor's left fingers in an affectionate manner, Connor chose to put up with his discomfort for a moment longer. "...No. I can do this."

"Okay. You're already in the right aisle." Motioning for the deviant to keep walking Hank kept some distance for Connor's own comfort. "It's been a while since I got Sumo something new to chew on. I bet he'd like a new tug-o-war rope or a treat."

Connor peered at each shelf with a curious eye and noted the various brands of dog food, treats, flea and tick medication, grooming shampoo, collars, leashes, nail clippers, brushes, bowls, toys and beds on sale. His scanner was giving him hundreds of details on the products; ingredients, chemicals, materials and manufacturing dates, but Connor still wasn't sure of what he should be looking for.

Sumo whimpered once as he honed in on the large bin of raw hide bones and selected one to keep for himself. Taking hold of a large bone at the top of the bin the Saint Bernard wagged his tail and held tight onto his selected new toy.

"See?" Hank rubbed Sumo's ears as the massive dog chewed on the bone with delight in his every tail wag. "We better pay for this before he eats the damn thing and accidentally shoplifts it."

Agreeing to the suggestion Connor handed the leash over to Hank to take while he hung back a little from the busy front register. Continuing down the aisle Connor checked over the large pillows and beds designed to accommodate larger dog breeds in a comfortable manner as if seeking something specific without knowing what that item even was. Seeing the large and brand new beds that were in much better condition than Sumo's current pillow made Connor think of how Hank had gone out of his way to help Connor feel comfortable with getting, not just a new couch, but a brand new bed to call his own.

Sumo deserved a decent bed, too.

Outside thunder rumbled and the sound of rain pattering over the roof seemed to echo under the surprisingly heavy and cold drops. It sounded less like a warm spring rain and more like gravel running down a tin roof.

Picking up the largest blue pillow from the bottom shelf with both hands Connor felt how soft and thick the material was under his touch. It was much softer and thicker than the worn out pillow that Sumo had been sleeping on for years, and it seemed like as Sumo got older he'd need the softer support to keep his aged body from hurting him too much, especially in the winter time.

Silently carrying the pillow toward the front register Connor kept his head low and tried to keep people from staring at the yellow L.E.D. in his right temple. Holding the pillow in an unnecessarily tight grip as the crowd kept building Connor looked at the various dogs on leashes happily keeping up with their masters and counted all the various breeds as a means of keeping his mind preoccupied. Just as it seemed he was beginning to calm himself a little a strange tugging sensation on his right pant leg stole his attention and made him look down.

A rottweiler puppy, barely four months old, was chewing on Connor's jeans and playfully pawing at his shoe to try to get him to play. "...Hello?"

"Scout!" A young woman approached the puppy and grabbed into the leash that the puppy had managed to pull out of her grip. "I'm so sorry!" Scooping the puppy named Scout up from the ground the woman apologized to Connor for Scout's behavior. "He's just a really good judge of character and loves-" Noting the L.E.D. in Connor's right temple the woman stopped short and backed up nervously. "...A-Anyway, I'm sorry he chewed on your leg."

"...It's not a problem."

Recognizing that the woman was uneasy about him being an android Connor just focused on reaching the register and paying for the pillow so he could leave and not be around very uncomfortable humans. With his purchase in hand Connor made his way through the various dogs on leashes all wanting to play with him, and made it to the front door where he found Hank standing beside the car with Sumo laying in the backseat and chewing on his new rawhide.

"There ya' are! Sorry, kid." Extending his right hand Hank took the pillow from Connor's hands and placed it in the backseat alongside Sumo to get used to on the way back to the house. Ignoring the cold rain pouring down from above the senior detective waited for Connor to sit down in the car before he joined him in the warm vehicle. "I figured you would've just returned to the car when I walked up to the register, I didn't mean to leave you behind."

"It's not your fault."

"Are you okay?"

Shaking his head a little as the cold rain soaked into his hair and clothing Connor opened his mouth to speak only to hear a somewhat familiar feminine voice shout in a panic as an equally familiar puppy darted into traffic. "Scout?! No! Come back!"

Looking toward the sound of the distressed woman Connor saw that the puppy had again broken free of his master's grip and was now running in the middle of busy traffic. Simply reacting Connor rushed into the street and scooped up the puppy in his arms before jumping to the side of the road out of the way of an autonomous taxi racing down the road that would've surely struck Scout instead of stopping or swerving.

"C-Connor?!" Hank wanted to rush after the deviant but stayed back out of traffic and harm's way in general. "Be careful!"

Holding Scout in his arms Connor scanned the area for additional traffic while Scout wagged his little tail and proceeded to lick at the side of Connor's face affectionately. With the street cleared Connor carried the puppy back over to his frightened owner parked three cars behind where Hank had parked, so she could put Scout in the backseat to get out of the rain and traffic.

"He is unharmed." Connor stated as the woman tearfully took Scout from his arms and held him tightly against her chest and under her umbrella. Turning away from the woman Connor kept his head low again and barely reacted when the woman called out to him from behind.

"Wait!" Jogging up to the deviant as he slowed down and turned to face her again the woman gave him a sincere apology for her earlier behavior, and held her umbrella over his head to try to help him keep out of the rain. "Thank you so much for saving Scout. I... I'm also sorry for how I reacted to you inside the store. It was inappropriate and very close-minded of me."

Not expecting an apology or really even feeling strongly one way or another Connor dismissed the remark entirely. "...It's okay."

"No, it's not. You could've been hurt saving him and... I was so cold to you. I'm sorry I reacted the way that I did and I promise from this moment on I'll get over my feelings toward androids."

The woman's comment made Connor's yellow L.E.D. blink in red once before settling back on yellow as he studied the woman's claim with an unspoken curiosity in his eyes."...All because I saved your puppy?"

"Yes!" Thunder rumbled again and Scout yipped at the loud sound causing the woman to hold onto the squirming puppy a little tighter. "I mean, if your first reaction to a helpless puppy in the street is to save him from traffic then that means you... You understand what it'd feel like to lose someone you care about and how horrible death can be. Like I said, Scout is a great judge of character and I should've listened to him when he ran right to you and wanted to play."

"Apology accepted."

The woman offered Connor a warm smile as she studied his soulful brown eyes and saw something there. "You're really alive, aren't you?"

"I..." Unsure of what to say or do in the moment Connor turned away from the woman and took step back out from under the umbrella to stand in the cold rain away from her. "I wish I knew." Returning to the car Connor didn't give the woman a second thought and waited for Hank to react to his rash decision in an expectedly angry manner. "I know."

Arms folded over his chest Hank stared at the deviant's expressionless face. "You know what?"

"What I did was foolish. I don't need you to remind me that I was an idiot or reprimand me."

"Kid, I wasn't-" The way Connor spoke made it sound like Hank constantly yelled at him, or Connor was just so used to getting criticized for his decisions that he began to think he deserved to get 'corrected' at all times. "Just get in the car."

Offended by the deviant's assumption of his own reactions Hank's shoulders slumped as he motioned for him to get inside the warm car and out of the cold rain before it could make his system react to the extreme temperature change. Turning up the heat in the car Hank watched as Connor sat down in the passenger seat beside him with what seemed like the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Silently Connor took his seat and fastened his seatbelt as if on autopilot as opposed to making a conscious decision.

Unable to stand the intense quiet any longer Hank spoke up first and asked a simple question. "...Are you cold?"

"I can function."

"That wasn't an answer." Refusing to let Connor dismiss his own feelings Hank asked again. "Are you cold?"

Turning to look at Hank for a moment Connor shook his head once and leaned back in his seat. "...No. I'm not cold."

"Bullshit." Pulling out onto the street Hank proceeded to drive along the rainy stretch of road to head back home and out of the storm. "You're shivering."

"If you already knew the answer then why did you ask the question?"

"You know, I'm trying to be patient with you. But you not talking to me or admitting when someone's up is really starting to piss me off."

"Sorry, Lieuten-"

"And don't start that shit again! Call me by my name and not my rank for fuck sake."

Falling quiet Connor didn't respond and closed his eyes to run a self diagnostic. His core temperature was already two degrees lower than average and his stress levels were at a worrisome sixty-two percent. Even as Sumo whimpered from the backseat and pressed his cold nose into Connor's left elbow as he sensed the deviant's distress Connor's stress levels remained elevated.

Taking a moment to calm himself down Hank lowered his voice as he tried to get the ever stubborn deviant to let his guard down for just a moment. "So... Before your little puppy-rescue you were about tell me something. What was it?"

Opening his eyes Connor's yellow L.E.D. pulsed slowly and his eyes watched the windshield wipers rhythmically moving back and forth over the windshield in a seemingly eternal battle to remove the rain from the glass surface. Struggling to articulate himself Connor practically whispered even though the rain already made it difficult to be heard. "...That woman was frightened by my presence."

"What woman? The one with the pup'?"

"Yes."

"She didn't seem all that worried when you were talking to her."

"I was referring to our initial interaction inside the store."

Tightening his hands around the steering wheel Hank let out a sigh through his nose and pulled up to the red light to idle for a moment. "What happened?"

Shrugging his shoulders a little Connor recounted the interaction in vivid detail and a somber voice. "The puppy approached me and tried to engage in a game with me by chewing on the cuff of my right pant leg. When the woman arrived to pick up her puppy she was initially kind to me and apologized for the puppy's behavior, but upon noticing my L.E.D. her attitude changed from kind to intimidated. I don't..."

"You don't what?" Pulling through the now green light Hank pushed Connor to finish his thought rather than let it hang there unaddressed. "What's going on?"

"I..." Lost and confused Connor admitted defeat in a low tone. "I don't know."

"Sure you do."

Raising his voice back up Connor disagreed with a sharp snap to his words that made Sumo whimper. "I don't know, Hank. I can't explain things I've never felt before." Folding his arms over his chest Connor sunk into his seat and stared blankly out the window beside him. "I can't explain emotions I've never felt. I can't discuss situations I've never experienced. I can't discuss how a single interaction is distracting my thoughts when I can't understand my own mind."

"Sorry, kid. I keep forgetting that you didn't have a childhood and you're still new to emotions." Turning at the next block Hank tried to help the deviant understand what he was going through to the best of his limited ability. "You were struggling to understand sarcasm when we first met, you had to force small talk between us, you empathized with our murder suspect after you found him hiding in the attic of the victim's house, you felt a minor defeat when you let those two deviants escape over the highway, you found your authority when we went to investigate that pigeon-freak's apartment, you-"

"Stop. Please." Closing his eyes again Connor tried but failed to stop shivering as his system steadily increased his core temperature to a more manageable degree. "Why are you recounting all of the events you witnessed with me?"

"Because I'm trying to help you remember that you've felt things before. Use those memories and feelings from back then to help you understand what you're going through right now."

"That won't work for me."

"Why not?"

"Because those memories don't really belong to me." Opening up his soulful brown eyes Connor stared at the house coming into view beside him and focused on the memory of his original body breaking into the house through the kitchen window to aid Hank after he had collapsed. The original Connor had been worried that Hank was seriously injured or ill, but for Connor as of the moment he didn't feel anything toward that memory. "The emotions tied to the memories mean nothing to me. I don't know what I was feeling or why I was feeling it."

Pulling the car into the driveway and then the garage Hank put the car into park and turned off the engine as he gave Connor a completely shocked stare from where he sat. The soulful brown eyes that had been so full of life and determination the night of the Revolution before Connor had left the precinct to find Jericho seemed so broken and almost hollow now. The heart and soul that Connor had tried to deny for so long had been seemingly broken by that damn bullet, and now the young deviant had only detached memories and detached experiences to guide his every move.

Unsure of what to say or do Hank just stared at Connor and tried to not to think of the deviant as a lost child needing a father's guidance, but of the incredibly heroic and skilled detective that he truly was. It was hard, if not impossible, to see him as anything else at the moment no matter how many times Hank told him to let Connor be alone for a while.

"Okay. I'll back off and stop pushing you to talk when you don't know what's going on, and I'll stop trying to get you to talk in general. Just... Just do what you think is right and if you want my help then let me know." Opening up his door Hank stepped out of the car and reached into the backseat to grab onto Sumo's leash and the new pillow as he guided the massive dog out of the vehicle to return to the house. "I'll do what I can to support you."

Having the senior detective finally understanding his mindset, having his only friend standing by his side even though he had no idea where he was going, gave the deviant a sense of grounding that he so desperately needed. Exiting the car as well Connor followed after Hank and Sumo back into the house through the side doors connecting the garage to the house he made a move to remove his rain slicked leather jacket, but was stopped as Sumo whined and began pawing at the backdoor frantically.

Sighing loudly Hank placed Sumo's new pillow over the old pillow in the livingroom and walked back into the kitchen to look at the massive dog. "Seriously?" The heavy rain battered the house and practically blacked out the kitchen window behind the thick drops. Putting his hands to his hips Hank gave Sumo a rather annoyed stare from where he was standing. "Your stomach and your bladder have the worst timing in the world, Sumo."

Connor approached the backdoor and proceeded to let Sumo outside for a moment. "I'll take care of it."

"Yeah, thanks kid." Slipping off his own coat Hank draped the garment over his left arm casually as he exited the kitchen. "I'll grab a couple of towels so we don't have to deal with mud all over the floors."

Wandering down the hallway Hank felt his phone buzzing in his pocket as he received a text message from a seemingly unknown number and made him pause in his tracks. Pulling the phone from his pocket Hank glanced over the message and prepared to delete it, he wasn't immune to getting spam texts despite his best efforts to block all unknown numbers, but seeing the identifying marks alongside the message caused his thumb to freeze over the delete icon for only a moment.

"What the...fuck?"

The sender of the message wasn't a stranger but it was still from someone Hank had never expected to reach out to him; RK-200.

"What the hell does Markus want?"

Hiding out in the bathroom Hank read over the message and felt his shoulders tense up as his blood began to boil over with anger.

"That arrogant son of a bitch..."

Rushing out of the rain after his lengthy workout Gavin ducked into the apartment building's front lobby from the adjacent gym and rubbed a white towel over his slightly damp hair and then over the back of his still sweaty neck. Entering the clean and shiny elevator to take him up to his apartment Gavin was relieved to not smell stagnant or fresh urine inside the small space as he ascended to the correct floor. Stepping out of the elevator onto the fourth floor through the doors that slid open without shuddering or sticking Gavin wandered down the hallway and toward his door as he pulled the little gold key from his right shorts pocket to unlock the door.

As his hand hovered over the doorknob Gavin heard muffled voices from the other side of the door and a single feminine laugh despite not having any guests staying over, at least, not to his knowledge. Opening the door the abrasive detective looked inside the apartment and saw Lucas sitting on the couch next to Tina as she sipped at a mug of steaming tea as Lucky napped on the back of the couch behind them, and his spine immediately stiffened upon seeing his partner talking to the deviant.

"Uh..." Closing the door behind himself Gavin tried but failed to give Tina an annoyed look as he leaned his back against the closed door. "What the hell is this?"

"Tea." Tina quipped sharply as she took a sip of the warm drink and gave Gavin a knowing glance over top of the blue cup. Finishing off what was surely a particularly delightful sip Tina placed the small cup down on its matching saucer atop the coffee table and smirked devilishly at her partner. "So, who's your friend?"

"Not my friend." The retort was bitter and defensive. "He's my roommate."

"And you didn't tell me you had a roommate because...?"

"Because what does it matter?" Walking away from the door and dropping into the recliner Gavin sulked a little and gave Lucas a dirty look. "He helps pay the rent and I was able to get my ass out of that shit-hole apartment sooner." Refusing to go into detail if he could help it Gavin kept his eyes on his partner's every reaction. "What the hell are you doing here, anyway?"

"Well, I was doing my usual errands when I saw who I thought was Connor walking in the rain and I offered to give him a lift. You can imagine my surprise to discover that Lucas here even exists."

Dragging his right hand over his stubble marred chin Gavin sighed and swore in a whisper. "...Fuck."

"Have you heard Lucas play his saxophone before? It's amazing!"

"No, and I don't care to hear it."

"You're the only guy I know who has a professional musician living under their roof and doesn't want to hear it. Lucas," turning her attention to the deviant beside her Tina gave his left knee a little pat. "you're truly talented. And you make a bitchin' cup of tea. I'm glad I took you up on the offer."

Giving Tina a ghost of a smile Lucas humbly thanked her kind words. "Thank you, Tina."

Gavin rose from the recliner and held out his arms at his sides in a theatrical manner. "You finished your tea, now you can go, Tina."

"I will in one moment." Leaning back into the couch in a manner that matched Gavin's own dramatic flare Tina gave him a coy look. "How'd you two meet?"

"Lucas already told you." Gavin shot back with an aggravated manner at the question. "I know he did."

"You're right, he did. I just wanted you to admit to being a dumbass and jogging through a blizzard while you were dealing with a migraine."

"Clearly it wasn't dumb, I saved a life."

"Good point, but you're still a dumbass."

"Are you just here so you can bust my balls, Ti'?"

"Why else would I be here?"

"Sometimes I hate you."

Flashing a coy grin Tina refused to accept that statement as fact. "No you don't."

"And you," pointing at Lucas beside Tina on the couch Gavin him a very fiery glare. "what happened to apologizing for overstepping boundaries with me?"

"I didn't overstep boundaries this time, Tina did."

Miming a mic drop with her hand Tina laughed and crossed her right leg over her left leg triumphantly. "Boom!"

"Tina... Please." Pressing his right index finger and thumb to the bridge of his nose Gavin closed his eyes and let out a defeated sigh. "This is the last thing I want to deal with."

"Alright, alright..." Getting up from the couch with a pouty lip Tina grabbed her purse from the coffee table and walked over to the apartment door to slip her shoes back on. "I'll go."

"And don't you DARE say a word about Lucas to the precinct!"

"Why not?" With her shoes back on her feet Tina held onto the doorknob and gave Gavin a truly confused stare.

"Because I don't want people gossiping about me."

"Oh..." Remembering one of the sadder stories Gavin told her about his time in his former precinct Tina backed off and let the matter drop entirely. "I get it."

"Please don't say a damn word about this."

"I promise I won't." Holding up her right pinky finger Tina gave him a sincerely warm smile. "Pinky promise."

"Yeah, sure." Wrapping his own right pinky around hers Gavin scoffed a little at the gesture. "Hard to believe it's the playground rules that are more honorable than anything else in this fucked up world..."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Gav'. And Lucas," Tina opened the door and gave him a small wave. "it was nice to meet you."

Lucas nodded politely and reciprocated the feeling. "Likewise. I hope to see you again."

The moment Tina was out the door Gavin ran his hand through his hair and took in a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Gavin?" The deviant had been scanning Gavin's vital signs the moment he returned to the apartment. "Your stress levels-"

"STOP. Doing that..."

"My apologies." Rising from the couch Lucas picked up Tina's cup and saucer from the coffee table to be washed in the kitchen. Remaining silent Lucas observed Gavin from the kitchen as the abrasive detective laid down on his back over the length of the couch and draped his left arm over his eyes to block out the overhead light.

Lucky mewed and jumped down from the back of the couch and onto Gavin's chest to snuggle down and purr as she sensed her human owner's distress just as easily as Lucas could and wanted him to calm down.

With the cup and saucer now cleaned Lucas returned to the livingroom, his L.E.D. glowing in blue, and stood at the end of the couch to look down at Gavin's face partially concealed under the arm. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or ask you too personal of a question, but I must know. Why have you kept it secret that you have a roommate? Is it because I'm an android?"

"...You really want to know?" The question was a breathy whisper that Lucas barely registered.

"Yes. I'd like to know the truth."

Sitting upright slowly on the couch Gavin used his right hand to hold onto Lucky as he shifted his position and dropped his left arm from over his eyes. "...The last roommate I had was my cheating bitch ex-girlfriend. The roommate before that... was a guy I had a crush on but he didn't feel the same way. It didn't stop my old precinct from making up their little soap opera theories about me and Ian. Lies about break-ups, dates and even a denied marriage proposal."

"Your former colleagues made you feel uncomfortable for having a male roommate that you had no romantic relationship with?"

"Yeah, and what's worse is Ian got wind of it and promptly moved out without giving me a head's up or a chance to apologize for their bullshit. I haven't seen him in four years, and I transferred to my current precinct to get away from those assholes. He was the first guy I was comfortable around since... You know."

"I understand." Sitting down in the recliner beside the chair Lucas finally had an idea of why Gavin was keeping his existence a secret. He greatly disliked being the center of gossip. "For what it's worth androids are both bisexual AND asexual. We do not actively pursue relationships on a romantic level unless we are truly connected to one another. I, for one, have not been connected to anyone and thus I feel nothing romantic toward anyone."

"Why are you telling me that?"

"In the event that somehow your colleagues learn you are rooming with a male android I can confirm that I feel nothing toward you on a romantic level, and that their rumors won't cause me enough discomfort to abruptly move out. It wouldn't affect me in any way."

"So what you're saying is androids are more secure about themselves and relationships than humans ever will be?"

"Correct."

Scoffing again Gavin shook his head as his tense shoulders finally relaxed a little. "Great. Nice to know I won't have a roommate bail on me and fuck up my finances with the rent."

"I'd also like to point out that since our acquaintanceship is one of convenience, and because I look entirely identical to Connor; of whom you have a very tumultuous relationship with, even if we were to somehow acquire an attraction to one another it'd be so unhealthy and unstable that it'd never work."

"Is that the 'android way' of saying 'I just like you as a friend'?"

"Acquaintance." Lucas corrected sharply as he confirmed Gavin's assessment of the situation. "And yes. We simply are not compatible enough, nor do we have a healthy level of trust to be anything beyond peacefully coexisting acquaintances."

"Fair enough." Standing up from the couch Gavin gently placed Lucky down on the cushion where he had been sitting, and made his way toward the hallway to take a shower after his workout. Pausing in the middle of the hallway Gavin turned around and faced Lucas as the deviant remained in the recliner without moving a single synthetic muscle. "Hey? Do you... want to know why I don't talk about my brother?"

Lucas's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as his gray eyes brightened with curiosity. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

"Sure. Just, uh, let me shower off. And order a massive fuckin' pizza and get me a six pack of beer." Removing his wallet from his back pocket Gavin pulled out a fifty dollar bill and tossed it onto the couch for Lucas to take on his behalf. "It's going to be a sad fuckin' story."

Staring at the offered bill, one that Lucky was now pawing at playfully, Lucas questioned the abrasive's comment. "Pizza and beer help with sorrow?"

"It's not the best way to cope with pain." Gavin admitted as he returned his wallet to his back pocket. "But it works!"

Contemplating the message from Markus on his phone with deep thought Hank sat on the edge of the bath tub as he stared at his phone's screen reading, and re-reading, the message over and over again until he had every word perfectly memorized if not burned into his brain. The odd request seemingly came out of nowhere and Hank had no idea how to handle it. Not wanting to keep anything regarding the deviant leader secret from Connor for any reason Hank made the hard decision to let Connor know about the message and to tell him what's going on. Pocketing his phone Hank stood back up, grabbed an armload of clean towels, and ventured down the hallway to meet Connor and Sumo in the kitchen.

Setting foot inside the kitchen Hank put the towels down on the kitchen table and pulled open the backdoor to check on the deviant and the dog enduring the rain for the sake of Sumo taking care of his business. Peering into the rain drenched backyard Hank was practically barrelled over by Sumo as the wet Saint Bernard bolted into the warm dry kitchen to shake off his fur and get out of the rain.

"Ah, Sumo!" Grimacing at the all the water droplets that now peppered the kitchen floor, walls and cabinets Hank made a move to wrap up the dog in one of the towels, but stopped short when he realized Connor didn't follow after the dog to get back inside the house. "Hold on... Where's Connor?"

Returning to the backdoor Hank looked out in the backyard and saw Connor standing perfectly still in the middle of the property with his eyes trained upward and fixed on the storm clouds overhead. Completely soaked through by the rain and visibly trembling even from the distance Connor looked more like a statue and less like a deviant.

"Connor?" Swearing under his breath as he walked into the backyard Hank grabbed onto Connor's right shoulder with his left hand after approaching the deviant from behind, and turned Connor around to face him directly. The deviant's L.E.D. was yellow and pulsing very slowly as Connor's brown eyes glazed over. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm trying to experience a new sensation. I want to... feel. Really feel."

"What? Fuckin' hypothermia?!" Pulling on the deviant's shoulder Hank forced Connor to walk back to the house over the muddy, soggy grass to get out of the rain at last. "Didn't you get enough of that shit when your thermal-thing got fucked up a while back?" Practically shoving Connor through the opened backdoor Hank slammed the door shut behind them both and grabbed one of the towels from the table. "You're going to make yourself sick doing shit like that!"

"Androids don't get sick." Dripping wet from head to toe Connor stood idle in the puddle on the floor as it grew around his feet with each drop. "...I think. I'm not sure anymore."

The way Connor suddenly doubted and questioned his own body's limits made Hank react in the only way he could. Compassionately. "Here..." Pulling on the collar on Connor's wet jacket Hank pulled the soaked fabric away from his shoulders and down his arms to get the soaked garment off of his body. Handing Connor a towel Hank pointed to Sumo and tried to get the deviant to move a little bit. "Get Sumo dried off and then you can get changed into some nice dry clothes."

Kneeling down in a very stiff manner Connor used the towel to dry off Sumo's pelt as he shivered from the cold. If it hadn't been for Hank's constant presence Connor would've jumped to the side when the senior detective dropped a towel onto his wet hair as he used the clean towel to help dry off the deviant's icy cold locks.

"Shit..." Swearing again Hank saw Connor violently shivering as the deviant focused on drying off Sumo's fur as much as possible. Taking the towel from Connor's hand Hank decided to finish what the deviant started so Connor could warm up. "You're freezing. You need to go take a warm shower and switch into dry clothes."

Looking back at Hank as the senior detective pulled the towel away from his hair Connor nodded once and stood back up on his shaking legs. Walking very slowly as if his knees were hurting him Connor entered his bedroom to get some clean clothes then disappeared into the bathroom to shower off.

"If he starts putting his hand on the hot stove or tasting shit under the sink I'm going to hire someone to 'android proof' the house." Having dried off Sumo's fur as much as possible Hank mopped up the drops on the floor, walls and cabinets then gathered up all the damp towels and carried them into the laundry room. "Go lay down on your new bed, Sumo. You already ate that damn raw hide, so it's all you have left to enjoy today."

Obediently Sumo shook off his fur one more time before he trotted into the livingroom and checked out his new pillow laying atop his old one. Circling around the soft pillow twice Sumo settled down and thumped his tail happily atop the hardwood floor.

"Glad you're at least comfortable in all this mess." Dropping the towels into the washer to be taken care of later Hank made his way to the bathroom and knocked on the closed door politely. "You good in there, kid?"

The sound of the shower nearly drowned out Connor's voice as he replied to the question in an emotionless tone. "...I'm fine."

"No, you're not." Walking away from the door Hank sat down on the couch in the livingroom and pulled his phone back out of his pocket.

Unwilling to delete the message or respond to it without Connor's consent Hank just stared at the screen and waited for Connor to exit the bathroom after showering off. Every time it seemed like the struggling deviant was beginning to focus on himself and stop worrying about Markus or thinking about that horrible night he was shot something would ruin that moment of peace with an ugly reminder of the very thing he was fighting to forget.

"I fuckin' hope this shitty timing thing that's following Connor around stops soon. The kid needs a damn break."

As he thought about Connor's words and the way he was willingly subjecting himself to the cold rain Hank mentally scolded himself for not realizing he could be doing more harm than good by trying to get Connor talk about his feelings and experiences. If Connor was willing to stand out in a freezing cold rain, the cold being something he absolutely loathed for very personal and valid reasons, what else would he be willing to experience just for the chance to feel something, anything, new?

The bathroom door 'clicked' open as Connor stepped out of the small space and walked down the hallway to locate Hank in the livingroom. Staring at the senior detective as Hank turned to look at him over his right shoulder Connor spoke up in a small voice as he stood behind the furniture with his arms crossed over his chest and eyes downcast.

"Connor?" The distant gaze in the deviant's brown eyes was as prevalent as ever. "What's going on?"

Giving Hank a eerily hollow stare Connor replied in a manner that was neither deviant or machine. He just sounded lost. "...I'm still cold."

"Alright, we'll fix that." Standing up from the couch Hank walked around the deviant to get the spare navy blue blanket out of the hallway closet. Wrapping the blanket around Connor's shoulders Hank guided him over to the couch to sit down and remain wrapped up to keep warm. "You'll be okay in a few more minutes. Remember how you survived your thermal thing going haywire?"

"Yes." Tightening his grip on the blanket around himself Connor stared blankly at the coffee table as his L.E.D. remained yellow in color. "I remember."

The way Connor seemed so listless and exhausted made Hank worry that he was going to get sick again. "You look like you're fighting off a cold."

"...Androids don't get colds. We suffer from malfunctions, bugs, glitches and errors."

"I've noticed." Putting his phone back into his pocket Hank decided to wait to discuss the message and let Connor have some peace of mind as the rainy day slowly came to an end. "Maybe you should call off work tomorrow. Everyone's entitled to sick days, even you."

"No." Refusing the suggestion Connor tried to ignore his own body trembling. "I'd prefer to work."

"You need to keep your mind preoccupied?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. How about until you have a case to work on we watch a detective movie and you figure out what happened before the actors do it?"

Nodding with indifference Connor wasn't opposed to the idea but he also had zero interest in the suggestion.

"Right. I'll find a good one, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' is still a classic. It's also a pretty cool concept of animated characters coexisting alongside humans." Smirking a little Hank realized the strange irony of the movie in comparison to his current reality. "...Artificially created beings trying to get along with the very humans who created them. Proof that humanity really doesn't ever learn from their dreams or mistakes."

Connor stayed quiet as he struggled to recalibrate his thermal regulator and warm himself back up to an optimal degree.

"Lay over the couch while I go make some popcorn. It may not be Thirium based but I think you'd like the flavor all the same if you'd care to try it."

"...No. Thank you."

As he rose from the couch Hank looked over at Sumo relaxing on his pillow and tried to pull Connor's attention over to the dog to keep his thoughts on something more positive than his negative cold rainy day experiences. "Sumo loves the pillow you picked out. Good choice, kid."

Glancing over at the massive dog as Sumo let out a big yawn and rested his chin down atop his outstretched paws Connor's eyes seemed to clear up a little as he took in the peaceful sight. "...I'm glad. Sumo deserves a nice bed, too."

"Yeah, that he does. As long as you stick around Sumo will be the happiest dog on the damn planet."

Looking back into the livingroom as he pulled a bag of popcorn out of the cupboard above the microwave Hank watched Connor fall onto his left side, his L.E.D. creating an amber hue against the ceiling as the yellow light flickered in tandem with his slow heartbeat, and had flashbacks to the days when he'd come home from the precinct and find Barbara; his late wife, laying in the same position after she endured her own rough day at her own precinct.

"Poor kid." Putting the bag of popcorn inside the microwave Hank set the timer and simultaneously discovered that he was just as lost as Connor in that moment. This wasn't just depression or a bad day. "Wish I knew what to do to help you through whatever it is you're going through, son."

-next chapter-