The warm spring morning was partially rainy as a chorus of bird songs echoed throughout the city while the small various birds all roosted in the trees beneath large green leaves to seek shelter from the rain. It was calm and peaceful as the rain clouds slowly parted and allowed the bright rays of the morning sun to shine through the sky, creating small rainbows peppered throughout the entire city. As the smell of fresh earth filled the air with its intoxicating fragrance Hank opened up the backdoor to let Sumo outside for a few minutes, and proceeded to check on the two potted plants sitting on the patio beside the door. Taking in a deep breath Hank enjoyed the fresh morning air.

The small seedlings had both broken through the top soil and were now just beginning to really grow and sprout leaves as they sought more sunlight and nutrients from the rain. Crouching down beside the two plants Hank focused on the green sprouts with his exhausted blue eyes and stifled a deep yawn. The previous night's sleep had done little to let Hank regain some energy after dealing with his horrific nightmare, and Connor's attempt at self destruction.

"I'm not surprised the flower is alive," Hank stated somberly as he stood back up and stretched out his tight back muscles a little. "but I almost forgot about the tomato plant until Connor mentioned it again."

Looking out at Sumo as the massive Saint Bernard rolled about in the damp grass in the middle of the backyard Hank sighed and gave the dog an annoyed wave of his hand.

"Yeah, you're not coming back inside until your fur dries off on its own. I'm not in the mood to deal with it."

Returning to the house through the backdoor Hank shut the door softly behind him with a subtle 'click' and decided to check on Connor without waking him up in the process. Pushing open the bedroom door Hank peered inside and saw Connor was still in rest mode and curled up on his left side under the blue weighted blanket while seemingly sleeping peacefully.

After Connor literally cried himself to sleep in Hank's arms the senior detective had to awkwardly half carry, half drag the deviant from the bathroom and into his bedroom to sleep properly, and by all account Connor hadn't moved since Hank left him alone. Aside from the steadily pulsing yellow L.E.D. in right his temple and the gentle rise and fall of his chest the deviant was entirely motionless.

"Stay like that for a while, kid. You need the rest."

Turning around Hank looked at the bathroom where the tragic incident nearly took place and examined the scene again. The revolver had been left on the sink and the lone bullet was still on the floor just beneath the sink. Picking up the bullet Hank stared at the powerful round and tightened his fingers around it as he clenched his hand into a tight fist of frustration at how the entire moment even happened.

Grabbing onto the revolver Hank stared at the weapon in his left hand and shook his head despondently. "I should've chucked this into the damn river the night of the Revolution."

Carrying the gun and the bullet out of the bathroom Hank quietly opened up the hallway closet and pulled out the metal lock box that had once contained the dangerous weapon. Re-securing the gun and bullet inside the box Hank proceeded to place the box down on the bookcase in the livingroom as he tried to think of what to do with offensively tempting object.

"Now I know why Connor wanted me to take away his gun."

The way Connor stated he didn't trust himself after the incident at the plaza initially seemed like a typical response to any officer being too close to an incident and having a shaking hand, now Hank realized it was because Connor was feeling self destructive long before their fight at the precinct.

"I may not be the best detective in this world," dragging his right hand over his bearded chin Hank leaned against the back of the couch and tried to clear his thoughts and come up with the correct solution to the problem at hand. "but there's still no excuse for me not seeing the warning signs sooner."

The city itself was handling the two failed assassination attempts with a surprising amount of respect as the two deviants who were nearly killed were being given their privacy while the investigation concluded. While Connor was already safe at his home with Hank and Sumo to keep him company Markus was currently on his way back to Carl's mansion along with North to finish recovering from his current wounds. Riding in the back of the autonomous taxi Markus eyed the neighborhood through the side window with a longing to never leave the familiar and comforting area ever again, while North gazed at it warily as if uncomfortable with being in such a ritzy location.

Part of the reason the two deviants had initially been drawn together stemmed from their very different backgrounds and experiences giving them a sense of completeness when together. The lack of common ground, while initially a fantastic reason to get to know one another and connect, was now beginning to grow as neither deviant seemed to be developing or changing in a way that the other could relate to anymore.

"...Thank you for coming with me, North." Speaking softly as to no aggravate his still healing throat Markus turned to face her as she sat beside him in the rear of the taxi. The thick white gauze bandages remained in place while Markus moved almost like he were wearing a warm scarf. "I know you have your other deviant friends to handle after you led them to freedom from Canada, so I appreciate you spending time with me."

"They're all being taken care of by Simon back at the tower." Reassuring Markus that she didn't mind spending the day with him at the comfort of Carl's mansion North offered him a kind smile. "They'll be just fine without me."

"...I hope so." The taxi arrived in front of the mansion and Markus promptly paid the fare with a cybernetic interface of his left palm. The door slid open and he and North stepped out of the vehicle together to walk up to the mansion's front door side by side. "...What of your friend who's going to talk with Connor?"

"She..." Pausing for a moment North sighed and made sure Markus didn't stumble as he walked to the front door to head inside the warm mansion. "She's going to seek shelter outside the tower for a while."

"...Did something happen?"

"Let's just say she doesn't see the tower through the same eyes as we do, and wanted some space to think."

"...She doesn't approve of me." Realizing what North was trying to dance around Markus just accepted the truth and opened the front door with a gentle motion. The artificial feminine voice of the house's security system greeted Markus upon his return, and with it David appeared in the foyer from the sitting room to give him a polite nod of respect. "Frankly, I can't say that I blame her."

"You're not offended?"

"...No. I was..." Trailing off for a moment Markus tried to think of the best way to admit his faults without getting too lost in thought. "Who I had been and who I had been trying to become was a hypocritical fool. I'm glad so many deviants rebelled against me and left the tower to be their own people."

"So, you're really going to go through with it?" Helping Markus remove his jacket North walked with him toward the sitting room where Carl was waiting for them while eating his breakfast. "You're going to step down as leader but remain the figurehead so our people just have a single target to channel all of their frustrations on?"

"...Yes. Our people don't need a leader or a false god right now. They need a symbol for hope and change, and I can be that symbol now that I've seen how much influence I've had in the world; both good and bad."

"Markus?" Carl's elderly voice called out to the returned deviant and invited him to join him and David in the sitting room. "It's about damn time you came back home."

Flashing North an optimistic smile Markus walked into the sitting room and joined Carl at the small table at the far side of the room while she hung back and David walked into the kitchen. "...I'm sorry if you were worried about me."

"Worried? I damn near had another heart attack!" Staring at the lingering bandages around Markus's neck Carl just sighed and patted his left hand along the deviant's right cheek. "You know, I was expecting your speech to have a major impact on the city, but not to such an extreme."

Confused by Carl's words Markus gave his father a lost glance as Carl pulled his hand back. "...How so?"

"Television; on!" The large television behind Markus glowed to life as a news broadcast detailing the plans to expand a housing project designated to save dying neighborhoods into a deviant community was being talked about in great length on every new channel in the city. "It sounds like your plan to open doors and build bridges really struck a chord with the city."

"...I was just trying to give comfort to the deviant community." Turning back to face Carl before him Markus gave the elderly artist a stunned looked. "Not ask for the humans to change the city's plans for reconstruction."

"Seems like your words and your actions," he motioned to the television screen prompting Markus to look again. The images of Connor saving Markus and then of Markus returning the favor were being replayed over and over again much to the fascination of the humans throughout Detroit. "carried more weight than you realized."

Turning away from the television Markus looked to North as she hung back in the doorway to the sitting room and gave him a kind smile.

"You led by example, son." Speaking with true pride in his words Carl helped Markus see his actions as they truly were. "You weren't just talking a big game when you said it was time for everyone in the city to come together. You were protected by someone who doesn't trust you and you didn't hesitate to repay his good deed with one of your own. THAT is the mark of a true leader; one who stands by their words and doesn't hide away on a throne of power."

"I don't think what I did was actually all that extraordinary or world changing, Carl."

"You already changed the world in a single night once before, why not do it a second time?"

"Isn't that a little much to ask for?" Glancing at North over his left shoulder Markus contemplated everything they had been through together as he searched through his his heart for his answers. Too much power and too much free reign has already proven to be detrimental. "If not arrogant?"

"Maybe, but as long as you're making efforts to change the world for the better rather than make it worse, then have at it. I'll proudly support you every step of the way."

Opening his burning eyes Connor glanced around his bedroom as his right hand trailed up his throat to rest beneath his jaw where he swore he could still feel the cold metal barrel of the revolver pressing up against his chin. Ashamed and confused by his emotional outburst from the previous night Connor replayed the previous night's events, the previous day's events over in his mind, and then tried to figure out how to begin his current morning in the aftermath of his darkest moment. As he sat upright in the bed Connor pushed aside his blanket and saw that he was still dressed in his old CyberLife uniform that had been left dirty and tarnished from his previous experiences post deviancy. The way the fabric rested on his artificial skin made him feel sick.

Rising from the bed Connor quickly tore off the offending uniform and left it in a pile at the foot of his bed before he slid open the closet to change into his clean and non-CyberLife affiliated clothing instead. The plain black t-shirt felt twice as soft in comparison to the uniform and even the jeans felt far more comfortable. Rubbing his fingers over his tired eyes Connor ran a self diagnostic and exited his bedroom as he tried to figure out what to do with himself.

Seeing Hank sitting in the recliner in the livingroom with his face pressed into his palms and elbows resting atop his knees made Connor realize how much his behavior had an impact on Hank as well. The senior detective's stress levels were very high despite him just sitting idle and it was evident that he hadn't slept well the night before.

Speaking up in a soft voice Connor approached Hank very warily. "...Hank?"

"Hey, kid." Lifting his head up quickly Hank looked over to the deviant and did his best to hide his very evident fatigue on both his face and in his overall body language. Clearing his throat a little every fiber of Hank's being told him to check on Connor without pushing too hard. "Uh, how do you feel?"

"...Ashamed."

"Don't be. You're not the first person, and you won't be the last, to have such an extreme break down." Putting both of his hands against his chest Hank motioned to himself as he spoke. "Just take a look at me..."

"I am looking at you."

Managing a weak chuckle Hank shook his head and tried to relax his tense posture as much as possible. "I went ahead and cleaned up the bathroom. I tossed that tarp in the garage so it can be properly used to clean up oil or paint, or some other shit."

"...What about the gun?" The yellow L.E.D. flashed to red as Connor dared to ask about its location. "You don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable with me knowing of its location."

"It's actually right beside ya'." Pointing to the locked metal box on the bookshelf beside Connor without any hesitation Hank made sure Connor knew he was still trusted. "I put it back in the box and I'm going to get rid of it so neither of us have to be tempted to use after going through a bad day again."

"A bad day? That seems like an oversimplification of what I nearly did."

"Everyone has 'em, kid. I'd say nearly getting shot, then nearly getting stabbed, then getting slapped in the face and undergoing a panic attack, only to end up having a fight with your partner is the very definition of one super bad, if not all out shitty, day."

Relief washed over Connor causing his shoulders to slump and his L.E.D. return to a slightly healthier yellow color. "Than you for understanding."

"No problem. Now..." Standing up from the recliner Hank walked with a mild limp as his back was beginning to ache due to him hefting Connor's dead weight around the night before. "We need to figure out what to do with this." Patting his left hand on the lid of the locked box Hank sighed and looked to the deviant for any suggestions. "Got any ideas?"

"Sell it?"

"I thought about it, but a gun like this would attract a lot of unwanted attention. Not to mention the fact that it's registered under a cop, so who knows what kind of trouble some asshole could make with that type of knowledge."

"Logical point. I take it you don't wish to have it destroyed, otherwise you would've done so while I slept."

"Yeah... My first thought was to take it out to the river and throw the damn thing in the water, but I just can't do it."

"May I ask why?"

"It was a gift from Barb from our first wedding anniversary." Pulling his hand back Hank gave the box a longing glance as memories washed over him. "I know it would seem so fucked up if I ended my own life with a gift from my late wife, but I think it'd be symbolic. A gift from her would allow me to finally be reunited with her on the other side..."

"There is often beauty found in despair. At least," perplexed by his own statement Connor sought validation. "that's what I think is true."

"It is, son. It's true."

Glancing down at the metal box on the bookshelf Connor contemplated an alternative to destroying the gun or selling it. It'd be best if it were kept under lock and key, and even better if it were out of sight and mind. A secondary place to keep it secured would be ideal, and keeping it safe in a place that only Hank could access it would be perfect.

"Until I can think of what to do with this thing," Hank sighed as he heard Sumo scratching at the backdoor. "I might as well hand it over to Fowler to keep."

"...Take it to the bank and keep it locked up in a safety deposit box."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Good idea, kid." Walking over to the backdoor Hank let Sumo inside and wisely stepped aside to make room for the massive dog as Sumo barreled through the door and promptly sat down at Connor's feet seeking some attention. "You can go to the bank, open up your own account and get the gun locked away."

Petting Sumo's ears Connor looked up at Hank with a blank stare in his eyes. "...Me?"

"Yup. You have the right to have your own accounts now, so why don't you start putting that money in a savings account to gain some interest instead of keeping it locked up in your own head for those digital transactions? Go ahead and get your account started and really watch your paychecks add up."

"...I suppose I can do that." Pulling his hand back from Sumo's ears Connor contemplated the offer and glanced at the metal box beside him again.

"I know you won't be tempted to use it again, Connor. Stop worrying about it."

Flashing utter shock at the senior detective Connor was almost convinced that Hank could read his mind. "How did you know what I was thinking?"

"Because I've been where you are, and I know how it feels to doubt your self control after a close call." Giving the deviant a firm pat on the shoulder Hank nodded at Connor and encouraged him to take the case and go to the bank. Picking up the box Hank presented it to Connor to hold without blinking. "You can do this. I know it."

"...Y-Yeah." Accepting the box with both of his hands Connor did what he could to keep his grip from shaking. "...I can do it."

"Before you go." Putting his left index fingertip to the yellow glowing L.E.D. in the deviant's temple Hank gave him a knowing glance. "You should cover that up. It might attract unwanted attention."

"How so?"

"Some people are still bigoted assholes who won't want to deal with an android at a bank and try to make a big deal about it. You know, there are still dense idiots blaming androids for their lost jobs and might see an android in a bank as a slap to the face."

"...That is a logical warning." Tightening his grip on the metal box Connor knew his L.E.D. was flickering back and forth between yellow and red nervously.

The flashing light in the deviant's temple didn't go unnoticed. "You can wait until you next day off if you're not up for going out into public just yet."

"No, I can do it. Just give me a moment to locate the appropriate bank and change my attire." Placing the box down on the bookshelf where it had been Connor walked down the hallway to return to his bedroom. "I'll be okay."

"I know you will." Smiling at the confident answer despite the nervous behavior Hank was relieved to see that Connor was pushing through his discomfort to overcome his current emotional obstacles. "We'll all be okay given enough time to heal."

Busying himself with Lucky's needs before stepping out to play his music Lucas made sure the growing kitten had plenty of food and water, as well as a new toy mouse to bat around so she'd be preoccupied long enough to let Gavin sleep-in without disturbance. Even without entering the abrasive detective's bedroom Lucas knew he was stressed out and exhausted, and that he needed to rest. Scanning through the walls and door Lucas could detect Gavin's elevated resting heart rate and blood pressure, as well as his inability to enter a proper deep R.E.M. sleep despite snoring loudly and having been asleep since almost three o'clock that morning.

Checking in on the detective only through cybernetic scans Lucas was satisfied that Gavin wasn't in need of anything to keep his blood sugar balanced or in danger of suffering any other complication due to his previous numerous concussions. Leaving the apartment quietly with his saxophone case in his hand Lucas stepped through the door and locked it behind himself before turning to leave down the corridor.

As the deviant turned around he nearly bumped into someone walking down the hallway with a small tray in his hands, but quickly corrected himself before the stranger dropped the tray and made a mess of the cookies all over the floor. "My apologies." Lucas stated sincerely as he eyed the unfamiliar face curiously. "I was too preoccupied with leaving the apartment quietly and hadn't considered anyone walking past the door."

"It's fine, no harm done." The stranger was a man in his early thirties with a flawless sun-kissed dark complexion and raven black hair. He was tall, had a strong build but he was still lean, dark green eyes and a perfect smile. With a strong jawline accentuating the smile the stranger could very well be a model and making bank in Hollywood, yet there he was just roaming the hallways of the apartment complex. "My name is Aaron Lockhart and I just moved in down the hallway. I'm just introducing myself to the neighbors and offering cookies to ensure I'm not a threat."

"Hello, Aaron." Extending his right hand Lucas shifted the case to his left hand and greeted Aaron properly. "My name is Lucas Blake. My roommate," nodding toward the door beside him Lucas took the liberty of introducing Gavin as well after releasing the polite handshake. "is sleeping. He is Gavin Reed."

"Gavin, huh?" Both of Aaron's hands tightened around the tray as he stared at the door with a noticeable gleam in his green eyes. "Is he the one with the hazel eyes and a scar?"

"That is Gavin, correct."

"I saw him stumbling out of the elevator around three this morning when I was pushing my couch into my apartment. He helped me get the damn thing inside so I could finally go to bed, but before I could thank him properly or get his name he was gone."

"Please don't mistake his personality as rude, he is a detective and was working very late last night."

"Oh no, I get it." Aaron reached into his back pocket with his right hand and showed Lucas a shield in his wallet. "I'm a firefighter so I'm no stranger to late nights and going into 'zombie mode' after midnight."

"That's a relief."

"Uh... This might seem very straight forward and I'm sorry if I'm crossing the line here, but..." Flashing Lucas a sincere grin Aaron decided it'd be best to be honest rather than play coy. "is Gavin single?"

"Single?" Lucas's blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow for a moment before returning to blue as he answered the question. "Yes, he is not currently in a relationship or dating anyone."

"Then there's a chance?" Blushing a little it was clear Aaron was interested in getting to know Gavin better. "I mean, unless he's, not into guys."

"From what he's told me he is in fact open to such a relationship."

"That's the best answer I could've gotten!"

"However..." Lowering his voice Lucas decided that he needed to offer some form of protection toward Gavin as the exhausted detective had been enduring the aftermath of a very negative relationship and an even worse encounter with an abusive ex-boyfriend. "he has recently gotten out of a very serious and toxic relationship; his previous partner was unfaithful. He's also recovering from a secondary abusive relationship that has left him traumatized."

"Oh... Okay, I get it." Sincere in his words Aaron understood what Lucas was hinting at and respected that Gavin might be guarded or unreceptive. "Is there any way I could introduce myself without seeming like I'm coming off as too strong?"

"Well," thinking about Gavin's routine during his time off Lucas thought of a possible method for Aaron to reintroduce himself to Gavin in a subtle way. "during his time off he typically goes to the apartment's gym during the afternoon for a workout. You might be able to meet him there later on today."

"Perfect! Anything else?"

Lucas eyed the tray of cookies, ran a scan over the treats and gave Aaron some additional helpful advice on the potential courting situation. "Gavin is diabetic. You may want to offer something that is more appropriate for his diet."

"You know something, Lucas? You're the best wing-man!"

"'Wing-man'?" Unfamiliar with the term Lucas just took Aaron's word for it and decided to continue on his way. "...Thank you."

"Well then, I guess I'll go make up a special batch of cookies for Gavin and use my mom's best recipe. She was a diabetic too, and she's the one who taught me and my sister how to cook. It won't be a problem."

"Then I suppose all that's left is determining how Gavin will respond."

"Yeah, thanks for the information, Lucas. I'll see ya' around!"

Lucas watched as Aaron returned to his apartment two doors down to set about his new mission of baking cookies just for Gavin and getting to know his new neighbor a little better. Tightening his grip on his saxophone case Lucas went about his business reaching the elevator at the end of the hallway and let out a very human sigh in response to the interesting conversation he had just taken part in.

"I wonder if all human dating rituals are so complex." Pressing his right hand against the call button for the elevator Lucas stepped into the vacant space and proceeded to descend to the ground floor. "Or if it's just exclusive to Gavin and his special brand of personality?"

It took Connor an hour of searching to find the bank that he felt was the most appropriate for not just his financial needs, but one that was in a relatively open minded area that would ensure he'd have minimal issues with potential bigots skulking about the area. Wearing his usual simple attire of a black t-shirt and jeans Connor also threw on a dark blue button down shirt over top, and as much as he wanted to wear his winter beanie to hide his glowing L.E.D. Hank convinced him to wear a baseball cap instead since it was now springtime. With the faded blue 'Detroit Tigers' cap on his head covering both his hair and his glowing light Connor drove to the bank with the lock box, and prepared to say goodbye to the offensive weapon for an indeterminate amount of time.

Sitting in the parking lot outside the bank Connor eyed the building for a moment, watching the seemingly perfectly balanced amount of humans and androids alike entering the premise to handle their daily routines, and contemplated how opening his own bank account would be an ideal way to secure his funds and ensure his paychecks were gaining interest.

Taking in a deep breath Connor looked at the metal box to his side and eyed it was an almost sickened glance as he thought about how he had been so low and so close to ending his own life just the night before. Unsure if he was grateful for Hank's intervention or resentful of it, Connor picked up the box and carried it at his side as he exited the vehicle and walked into the bank to go about his own business.

It didn't take long for Connor's own account to be set up and to have a safety deposit box put in his name, and in a way the efficiency was a little alarming as he had anticipated such an easy interaction. The bank teller he spoke with was very kind and friendly, and she seemed very happy to be helping a deviant open up an account. With everything officiated, signed and filed away Connor was shown to the bank's massive vault to place the metal box in his new safety deposit box for storage.

"Right here's your personalized and secured safety deposit box, Mr. Wolf." The teller personally showed Connor into the vault and gave him the key to open up said box for himself. "Our vault is secured at all times and monitored inside and out with motion activated cameras to ensure no one has their personal items stolen."

"I'm not worried about theft." Opening the deposit box Connor pulled it from its designated place in the metal wall and placed it down on the small metal table in the middle of the vault. Opening the lid Connor took the metal lock box from under his arm and placed it down inside the deposit box to be locked up and forgotten about for the time being. "I am worried about temptation."

"I know what you mean. I had to lock up my grandfather's prized pearl handled pistol and my grandmother's jewels because I have family members who put monetary value over sentimental value."

"It's not uncommon for people to secure weapons in a bank vault?"

"Not at all." Smiling warmly the teller watched as Connor returned the deposit box to the wall and locked it up tight. "We're more than happy to help people keep certain objects secured for whatever reason they may have."

"That's reassuring to know." With the box secured in place Connor slipped the key into his pocket and readied to return home after dealing with the gun at long last. The urge to use the gun seemed to disappear the moment the key was put away. "I appreciate all your-"

From outside the vault a mixture of panicked screams and loud masculine voices sounded off through the bank in a threatening manner. "EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW! DON'T FUCKING MOVE!" As the panicked voices quieted and turned into whimpers the same voice shouted again. "ANYONE MOVES AND THEY DIE! ANY DAMN MACHINE SO MUCH AS LOOKS AT ME AND I'M BREAKING IT!"

Connor held out his right arm in front of the teller to keep her from leaving the vault as he cybernetically tapped into the bank's security cameras and figured out what was going on through the live feed. Just a minute prior four masked men all wielding high caliber guns stormed the bank and were now holding all the tellers and customers hostage. Sending a distress call to the precinct and informing them of the situation Connor knelt down on the floor of the vault and motioned for the tell to do the same.

"There are four men attempting to rob the bank." Connor whispered in a cautionary manner as he kept himself between the thieves and the innocent teller. His first instinct was to keep everyone safe as he was the only officer at the scene, and they needed his help. "Remain in here and don't move or cry out."

"What?!" Struggling to keep herself from yelping in surprise the teller grabbed onto Connor's shoulders with her shaking hands as she stated the obvious. "We need to call for help!"

"I'm a detective and I have already requested help." Speaking calmly Connor informed her that he had everything under control. "It'd best if you remained in here and out of sight, it'll make things simpler with fewer hostages on the floor."

Pulling back her hands the teller gave Connor a terrified stare as she continued to tremble in fear. "Wh-What're you going to do?"

"I'm trained in hostage negotiation. I need to try to handle this to the best of my ability." Holding up both hands Connor stood up and stepped out of the vault and out into the middle of the bank to address the four armed men in a calm but confident voice. "Hello, my name is Sergeant Connor Wolf. I work with the Detroit Police Department, let's work this out."

The four men all turned around and faced Connor with wide eyes seen through the holes of the refractory masks they were wearing to disguise their faces from the cameras, and to make it all the more difficult to be identified by witnesses. All four men were tall in height, two of whom were very strongly built, one was overweight and the other was clearly emaciated from consistent drug use. Through the small opening the masks that allowed the mean to see and speak Connor could see that two of the men were white, one was black and the fourth man was too sickly and frail to identify properly. Connor couldn't identify any other details of their beings to accurately determine their ages.

Scattered throughout the bank were men, women and a few children all laying on their stomachs on the floor in a murmured panic as they awaited the outcome of the situation at hand. Just as many deviants were also cowering on the ground, some had their L.E.D.'s while others did not which helped them blend in easier with their fellow humans. No one dared to move and everyone did their best to keep the kids from crying out in fear and making things more stressful.

"GET YOUR ASS ON THE FLOOR, PIG!" The leader of the group, the very well toned white man, pointed his gun at Connor and shouted at him to surrender. "OR I'LL BLOW YOUR DAMN HEAD OFF!"

"Listen to me, please." Cybernetically Connor recorded the encounter and sent a live feed out to the precinct as other officers were sent to the bank to handle the incident. Such an eclectic group of people immediately ruled out gang activity in the robbery's motivation, but it didn't narrow things down enough for Connor to negotiate to the best of his ability. "I work with the police and other officers are already on their way to the bank. We need to end this peacefully and calmly before anyone gets hurt."

The overweight white man nudged the leader in the ribs and spoke up in a low voice. "...We should just go. The cops are coming and we can still run."

"Shut up, I got this." Keeping his aimed at Connor the leader ordered him to surrender again. "I SAID GET DOWN."

"I won't do that. We need to talk and I need to have your attention. You must be willing to reason, otherwise this will end poorly."

"YOU MOTHERFUC-"

"Listen to me!" Raising his voice Connor kept his hands up in a submissive manner and used his eyes to motion to all the cameras actively recording what was going on. "You're being recorded as we speak and the police can see and hear everything that's going on. While your masks will make identification difficult it won't guarantee you'll escape. Drop your weapons and surrender now to make things easier on yourselves. No one has to be hurt today."

Back-up arrived in a blaze of sirens and flashing lights as a dozen patrol cars swarmed the bank and set up a perimeter around the entire building. The prompt arrival and heavy number of police officers made the four men very uneasy as they realized their window for escape had just closed.

"I already told you my name," Connor stated in a calm tone as he tried to keep the situation under control. "and I identified myself as an officer. My job is to protect the public, and even though you're currently breaking the law, I still have to protect you, too. Please, let me help you."

Lowering his weapon the black man agreed with the overweight man and tried to get their leader to back down. "This isn't going as you said it would, we need to bail. NOW. We can find another way to-"

"No! We've come this far and we're not leaving until we get what we came for!" Pointing to the scrawny man who was fidgeting a little where he was standing the leader ordered him about. "Go find those names and do it now! Earn your keep."

Connor remained in place and continued to speak civilly with the remaining three men of the group. "Any names found within the bank are going to be secured behind very strong locks and passwords. You won't be able to locate the information you need before the police enter the building."

"Shut up!"

"You're clearly looking for something particular. Talk to me and I can help you find a solution."

"Fuck off, pig! You did nothing when those damn machines started stealing our jobs," he waved the gun's barrel at a nearby deviant teller who tried to press herself lower into the floor as if she could disappear. "so why should I trust you?! The machines are killing us and you're doing nothing about it!"

Cybernetically relaying the information about the group's motivation to the precinct outside Connor made an effort to speak as 'human' as possible and dropped his more formal form of natural dialogue to keep his deviancy a secret. "...Yeah, I understand. The cops didn't do anything when corporations began firing hardworking people and replacing them with machines. Those people were so focused on lining their pockets that they didn't care that they were letting honest people starve in their homes, if they were lucky enough to keep their home after being laid off."

"So you do get it! Then why the fuck didn't you guys do anything about?!"

"The cops can't legally make corporations keep humans on their payroll. I'm sorry you were left without a job and felt betrayed, but stealing from the bank and holding all these innocent people hostage won't help your cause."

"Fuck off!" Looking to his scrawny partner who was looking for certain names and details the leader snapped at him impatiently. "Get me the damn names, NOW! We gotta' move!"

"I-I-I'm trying..." Scratching at the side of his neck the scrawny man was frantically typing away on a keyboard with one hand and struggling to hold still during his tense search. "There's... I'm not f-familiar with-"

"You're fuckin' high AGAIN, aren't you?!" Losing what was left of his patience the leader was ready to snap at any moment. "Goddamn it, you needed to keep straight for just one damn hour, asshole! You just ruined EVERYTHING!"

Deductive reasoning based on the group's motivation and their search for names, not money, gave Connor the information he needed to determine what the men were really after. "If you're going to use the bank records to locate the addresses of every C.E.O. in Detroit to get revenge, then I'm going to warn you now that taking their lives or robbing their homes won't help you in any way."

The four men all froze as they realized that Connor had figured them out, and were now very guarded with their next moves.

"You'll get out your aggression and make them feel your pain, but in the end nothing will change. Be patient." Finding words of optimism and honesty Connor tried to get the four men to surrender without incident. "Due to the new laws and rights being passed androids will be getting paid to work rather than being used as free labor. No one will be forced aside to make room for free labor anymore, and I know that a majority of the androids who were FORCED into unpaid servitude have now vacated those positions. It's entirely possible that your job will return to you in time."

"But you can't KNOW that, and my kid can't wait for something that MIGHT happen!" Losing his emotional composure the anger melted into frustration. "He's sick and needs an operation I can't afford!"

"I'm sorry about your son, but consider how much more help your family will need if you go to jail for armed robbery. Your son needs you to protect him but doing this isn't the right way."

"He's right, man." The overweight man agreed and watched as the black man began taking away their guns to put on the table as an act of surrender. "I love him, too, he's my nephew and I'd put down my own life to help him. But there's gotta' be another way to help him."

"It's too late." Jerking the gun from who was now clearly his brother's hand, the leader pointed the gun at Connor again. "We've come this far and we won't leave empty handed. Go raid the vault and take what you can. Bills only, no jewels or watches!"

"But we-"

"Do it, now!"

Submissive and not wanting things to get any worse the brother walked toward the vault but Connor stopped him by grabbing onto his left bicep.

"Do not do this. Surrender now." Connor warned as he gave the man a stern look. "You already know this is wrong. Surrender and I give you my word that I'll find a way to help your nephew get the treatment he needs. He's done nothing wrong and doesn't deserve to be neglected or suffer."

The black man put his hand on the leader's gun and lowered it to the ground. "Listen to him. We know money's tight but I'd be willing to pitch in and help your boy get his surgery. You know I love him like he's my own, we can find a way."

Taking back the gun in a jerking motion the man took a stepped away from his allies and kept aim on Connor as his finger hovered over the trigger. "...There is a way I can help my son and I'm going to do it."

"By killing a damn cop?!"

"No, by going out by cops." Taking in a deep breath the leader evidently made his decision and wasn't going to turn back. "Tell him that I love him and I will miss him, and tell my wife that I did what I needed to keep our son alive."

Connor's eyes went wide as realized what the man was going to do. "No! If you let the police kill you then your family will be denied any and all insurance payouts AND your family will struggle even more due to the public scrutiny. Do NOT do this! Your son needs you to be his father, not a pariah."

"...It's too late. This wouldn't have happened if there wasn't a fuckin' cop in here. Or if Reggie hadn't fucked up!" Tightening his finger around the trigger the leader looked at the hostages, honed in on the scrawny man and pulled the trigger once, putting a bullet in the man's head. "And if these damn machines would've just left the city none of this would've had to happen!"

Moving quickly the leader shifted his attention to an innocent android tell cowering on the floor and sent off the second shot that echoed loudly throughout the bank and caused all of the hostages to scream in panic while the police outside responded by kicking down the doors to get inside.

Unable to disarm the man Connor instinctively ducked down and managed to get to the side out of harm's way. As he kept low he looked about and traced the second bullet's trajectory, and trailed it into the vault behind him. Peering inside the vault Connor saw that the teller who had helped him earlier was now nursing a bullet wound in her left shoulder and covered in her own blood as she knelt on the floor and wept in righteous fear and pain.

"Damn it..." Before he could react more bullets flew through the air and more shouts of screams of pain and fear filled the bank. Scanning the area Connor began counting the wounded bodies and gunshots with sickening accuracy. Unable to stop the chaos or even defend himself; by the time he'd get the deposit box opened and the gun retrieved it'd be all over, Connor just stayed down and documented the carnage as much as he could.

Everything was a blur and the chaos that had filled the bank suddenly quieted down as a canister of tear gas rolled into the room and responding officers swarmed the building to seek the four gunmen responsible for the incident. Once the smoke cleared Connor was greeted with the gruesome sight of bodies laying on the floor in growing pools of blood. The responding officers had isolated the offending four gunmen and were securing two of the men in handcuffs, while the third and fourth man were left laying on the floor in their own puddles of blood.

"...This shouldn't have happened." Connor felt his heart hitch in his chest as the brutality of the incident was made abundantly clear. "...Th-This is my fault."

"Connor?" Chris's voice cut through the bloody fog as he knelt down in front of the stunned deviant. Removing the protective visor from his eyes Chris looked at Connor more directly and spoke to him in a calm voice. "Are you hurt?" When he didn't receive a response Chris asked again in a slightly louder tone. "Connor, talk to me, man! Are you hurt?"

"...N-No. I am not damaged."

"We got the guy who started this." Remaining professional and disciplined Chris tried to get Connor to focus back onto reality. "We saw what you saw, your feed helped us keep the casualties as low as possible."

The sight of the desperate gunman on the floor, dead, made Connor's artificial stomach twist. "...He didn't have to die."

"We know that, too. You tried to get him to surrender but he was too dangerous for us to risk any form of confrontation with. We saw him kill his own friend for fuck sake."

"He was desperate." Looking past Chris to where the body was laying Connor closed his eyes and tried to not think about the wasted life laying on the floor just a few feet away from him. "His family was desperate. And now they'll be worse off because he made one desperate decision that backfired."

"I know, we heard it all. We'll figure something out, you were right about what you said earlier."

Connor opened his eyes and looked toward Chris with utter confusion in his tired gaze. "...What was that?"

"His son doesn't deserve to suffer because of a shitty economy and unemployment rate. Knowing that the boy's father was so desperate to save his life that he'd rather die instead just proves how desperate their situation truly is."

"Even if the little boy does get his surgery and live he'll have to live without his father. That isn't fair to either of them."

"Yeah..." Chris thought about his own young son and couldn't imagine letting Damian grow up without him. It was a very heavy and emotional day, and even though it was Connor's day off it was clear everyone involved was going to need time to come to terms with what happened. "We'll figure this out, Connor. You should head on out of here while we find a way to clean this mess up."

"...I hope so."

While Chris backed off to tend to the other hostages Connor stood up slowly and looked inside the vault to the teller who was having her wound tended to by another cop, and then looked at the other victims of the shooting. The deviant who had been aimed at had been killed instantly when the bullet pierced her cranium through her forehead. Two other men were bleeding from wounds in their abdomen and hip, while one woman had a severe wound to her chest and tragically her son was dealing with a bullet to his back.

So many innocent people had been injured, one man was dead, and countless others were going to be affected permanently in an incalculable way.

"Shit..." Putting his hands to the back of his head in a physical display of his frustration Connor took in a deep breath and felt himself beginning to tremble. The same type of stress and emotional upheaval he had felt inside his heart just prior to his panic attack was returning quickly, and Connor knew he needed to get away from the bank in order to calm himself down. "This is... This is wrong!"

Walking on his shaking legs Connor kept his eyes downcast and stepped out of the bank's front doors one careful, slow step at a time. Not wanting to step in any blood or step on any evidence at the scene as he walked the deviant exited the bank, and found his way over to Captain Fowler standing outside beside a squad car as he awaited updates from his men inside the devastated bank.

"Connor." Addressing the detective in a compassionate tone Captain Fowler put his hand right to the deviant's left shoulder and gave him a worried stare as he saw the emotional distress in Connor's eyes. "Look, you just went through some very heavy stuff today, and the shit from yesterday wasn't any better. Take the rest of the week off and do whatever it is you need to do in order to work through whatever it is you're feeling."

"Captain, I accept full responsibility for-"

"No, I'm going to stop you right there." Shaking Connor's shoulder a little Captain Fowler's terse tone shifted into a more paternal and understanding one. "We all saw and heard everything that you went through. We know you did what you could and tried to get him to surrender multiple times, but he made up his mind and made his choices. There's nothing more you could've done, and nothing that happened in there is your fault."

"I honestly doubt that."

"Don't. Trust me on this, you did everything right and you tried to be reasonable, but he wasn't listening."

"That doesn't undo the fact that so many people were hurt and killed today."

"You're right, it doesn't. But that doesn't make you responsible either. You're a great detective Connor and a skilled negotiator, but you don't have the experience to tell you that some people just don't want to be saved and can't be saved. That doesn't mean you're any less of a detective or negotiator as a result, it just means you're-" Stopping for a moment Captain Fowler realized 'human' wasn't the correct word to use. Finding the appropriate substitute he finished his thought and gave Connor a kind glance. "...perfect. You're not perfect, no one is, and that's just fine. You always do your best and in the end that's all that matters."

Full of doubt and pain Connor just gave Captain Fowler a silent shake of his head as he walked away from the damaged bank, walked past the parked car and continued to just keep walking to a destination unknown.

The day had started off tense for the deviant and it seemed it was going to end just as tense, if not traumatizing.

Playing his usual set down on the vacant lot on Baker Street for almost three consecutive hours Lucas had accumulated an impressive amount of money from passersby, and casual audience members alike. The opened saxophone case sitting on the sidewalk in front of Lucas was slowly filling up with bills and coins of all denominations, and Lucas found himself growing a little weary of playing his lengthy songs. Finishing his current melody and ending on a high note Lucas opened his gray eyes to look at the small group of people applauding his skill and slowly departing from the lot after the concert came to an end.

Pleased with his financial gain Lucas thanked the crowd before he knelt down and began sorting through the bills and coin to put them into the hidden compartment within the case before setting the saxophone down inside it for transport. Removing the support strap from around his neck Lucas carefully set the instrument down into the case and closed the lid with two firm snaps.

"Today was a profitable day." The deviant's blue L.E.D. cycled slowly in his temple as he cybernetically filed his current finances. "If I can continue to acquire approximately three hundred dollars per afternoon for the next three months I will have the appropriate funds to pay for rent and additional Thirium without any difficulty."

"...You're very good."

Lucas looked up at the voice as he immediately recognized Connor and was surprised to see him. "Connor, I was unaware you were even here."

"...I arrived during the middle of your final song."

"I see." Standing up with his case in his left hand Lucas stared at the deviant and detected his very high stress levels that made him worry. Approaching Connor curiously Lucas stood before the deviant detective and tried to understand the blank expression on Connor's face without getting too intrusive. "You appear to be very upset. What's wrong?"

"I... I keep making mistakes." There was no other way for Connor to say what was he was feeling. "I don't know what to do to remedy said mistakes."

"Mistakes? How so?"

"You know of the incident at the plaza yesterday, yes?"

"Yes. I also know that what happened wasn't your fault, nor does anyone believe you're in any way responsible for what happened. You saved Markus's life and he in turn saved your life. Our people are rejoicing at the mutual acts of kindness and heroics."

Closing his eyes Connor took in a shallow breath as he tried and failed to control his emotions as the panic attack he was attempting to ignore intensified with every beat of his heart. "...There was another incident beyond just the attack at the plaza yesterday, and today I... I made another error."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Shaking his head Connor just extended his right hand and retracted his artificial skin to expose his plastimetal palm beneath as he next words shook with his distress. "...I can't talk."

Without a further word Lucas took Connor's right hand in his own and connected his mind to Connor's mind. The images, the sounds, the smells, the sensations and the intense emotions nearly overwhelmed Lucas's processors causing his L.E.D. to flicker in an empathetically angry red hue. Ignoring his urge to break the contact until every one of Connor's memories and experiences were transferred over Lucas felt a tear run down his cheek as Connor's pain became his pain within a matter of seconds.

"Connor... You..." Letting go of Connor's trembling hand only after the deviant detective lessened his grip first Lucas gave Connor a truly sorrowful stare as he too could feel the impending panic attack. "You've suffered so much in such a small time frame." Shaking from the emotional contact Lucas put his case down on the sidewalk and quickly wrapped both of his arms around Connor in a tight hug to embrace the suffering deviant in the only way he knew was effective courtesy of the memory of Hank saving his life the previous night. "I am so sorry you feel like your life isn't worth living anymore!"

"It's not..." Refusing to reciprocate the embrace out of a misplaced need to feel like he deserved to be disowned and left to rot somewhere forgotten, Connor struggled to express himself without breaking down in the process. "I continuously make bad decisions and other people get hurt!"

"No, I saw your memories." Tightening the hug Lucas was overcome with an unexplainable urge to protect Connor from all the evils in the world as if it had been a mission assigned to him by a higher power. "You did everything right, it's the other people involved who were mistaken. Please don't blame yourself for those previous transgressions!"

"How can I not? I'm the common denominator in every negative incident that's taken place in this city!"

"Not true! You saved Hank's life, you saved our people during the Raid and the Revolution, you've helped other deviants find justice by continuing your role as a detective, and you're helping bridge gaps between humans and deviants!" Letting up on the hug for a moment Lucas looked Connor in the eyes and kept his hands on the pained deviant's shoulders. "You're just so focused on saving the rest of the world that you've forgotten that you need to save yourself."

Letting fresh tears fall from his eyes Connor forced himself to speak his mind and not deny what he was feeling as Captain Fowler's previous words began to echo in his mind like a sign from above. "...What if I don't want to be saved?"

Lucas's expression dropped as his red L.E.D. flashed to yellow with utter worry. "Then all I can say is maybe you should look beyond what you want and find out what you need."

"What I need?"

"Connor, I can detect your dangerous vital signs and high stress levels. By all account you're suffering from P.T.S.D. from what you've been through and are now enduring a horrible depression. I cannot relate to your past experiences, you protected me from having to suffer through such hardships and for that I am eternally grateful, but I can still offer you my hand to help you through this."

"How?!" Abruptly stepping back from Lucas as if enraged by the comment Connor dragged his right forearm over his eyes to remove his tears as he sucked in a breath between his clenched teeth. "I don't know what to do and I'm the epicenter of the problem! How can you know the solution when we've only socialized on three distinct occasions?"

"I don't claim to know the solution, and I doubt I ever will. But I can still help you and I want to help you."

"...Why?"

"Because we're-" The concept of siblings was still an impossibility in Connor's mind, Lucas knew it as a fact through Connor's memories. Selecting a new way to describe his feelings and motivation Lucas continued with his thoughts. "We're friends. We may not have socialized on a regular basis but we are friends. You saved my life and for that I feel a form of friendship had been forged."

"Friendship?"

"Yes. As your friend let me help you through your current pain. I know you blame yourself for what happened at the bank today and how you feel as if you're somehow unworthy of being given the chance to live, but you're wrong. Hank has told you as much and even though you doubt his claims you should believe him. He has much more experience with life and being a detective in general."

Quiet and struggling to keep his frayed nerves from splitting any further Connor just stood before Lucas with a lost stare in his soulful brown eyes.

"I know he cares about you. Despite the argument and physical altercation you two had yesterday he still helped you through a dangerously bleak moment and trusted you to be alone with the very gun you nearly used on yourself. If he can trust you then you can learn to trust yourself as well."

"...Maybe."

"Let me take you back to the house so you can speak with Hank again. I'm certain he's waiting for you to return now that the incident at the bank has been resolved." Tightening his right hand on Connor's left shoulder Lucas encouraged him to keep striving forward to have a better future as he picked his case up from the ground again. "We'll both help you."

Watching the news report on the television regarding the incident at the bank, while also talking with Captain Fowler over his phone, Hank just stared at the screen as if waiting for something else to happen just to make things worse than they already are. Having been told of Connor's now mandatory week off to rest and recover on a mental degree Hank agreed entirely, and volunteered to take the week off as well to keep an eye on the deviant. Refraining to mention Connor's close call the night before the senior detective just handled the phone call professionally and patiently waited for Connor's inevitable return to the house after the hostage situation at the bank.

The news broadcast confirmed the casualties at the bank and of the failed robbery, to which Hank knew those details were going to give Connor mixed feelings. Connor succeeded in stopping the robbery, but he failed to keep all of the hostages alive during the negotiation process. It wasn't Connor's fault as the four gunmen were behaving erratically and weren't as cooperative as they should've been to receive a peaceful outcome, but Connor wouldn't see it like that. He'd just see it as a failure on his part for not having impossible to obtain details or facts to use as tools during the negotiation process.

The dark cloud hanging over Connor's head just got a little darker and a lot heavier all because of a chance encounter at the bank.

Slipping the phone into his pocket Hank slumped back against the couch and sighed deeply to himself. Pressing his fingertips to his temples Hank tried to quell the building headache threatening to burst through his skull at any moment as he awaited Connor's return.

From his pillow in the corner of the livingroom Sumo whimpered once and rose to his paws to go over to Hank and sit down beside him.

"Good dog, Sumo." Rubbing his left hand over the massive Saint Bernard's ears Hank looked down at the loyal bundle of fluff at his side. "Wait until Connor gets back. He's the one you're going to need to cheer up, not me."

The sound of the garage door opening caught Hank's attention and with that sound he let out a weary breath of relief. Staying on the couch Hank waited for the side doors to open up before he even turned to look at the deviant upon his return. Blinking his tired eyes a few time Hank swore he was seeing double until he realized that Lucas had been the one to drive Connor back home after the close call at the bank, and he wasn't actually going crazy.

"Well, I wasn't expecting to see you here, Lucas." Greeting the second deviant kindly Hank rubbed his thumb and forefingers over his bloodshot eyes as he spoke up loud and clear. "But you're welcome all the same."

"Hello, Hank." Greeting the senior detective politely Lucas discreetly motioned to Connor at his left side as the devastated deviant pulled off his cap to reveal the rapidly red pulsing L.E.D. in his right temple. "Connor found his way to my block after I finished my set." Holding up the car keys in his right hand Lucas tossed the keys over to Hank to take back for himself. "He had a rather unsettling experience and so I drove him home."

"Thanks, kid. I'm glad you did that." Catching and pocketing the keys Hank rose from the couch and approached Connor with a protective demeanor. Lightly he put his left hand under Connor's chin and forced the deviant to look directly at him. The pain and shock in Connor's eyes told Hank everything he needed to know about the deviant's mindset and how to react. "Just another shitty day, huh, son?"

Something about the way Hank spoke gave Connor a sense of relief. There was no hostility in Hank's tone, only understanding, and with that understanding the panic Connor had been restraining began to ebb away until there was nothing but fear and sorrow left behind.

"After days like today the best thing you can do is go shower off and let out your frustrations in private. Go on." Patting Connor's right shoulder lightly Hank motioned for him with a tilt of his head to go down the hallway and lock himself in the bathroom. "Take all the time you need."

Only nodding silently Connor replied with such a melancholy presence that Sumo whimpered empathetically. Accompanied to the bathroom by Sumo right at his side Connor readily locked himself away in the bathroom with the intention of scrubbing the horrible day from his skin, and hiding out from the rest of the world for as long as he could.

Once the door 'clicked' shut Hank fell back down the couch and pressed his burning eyes into his left palm as he leaned forward atop his knees in slumped frustration. "...I have no idea what I'm going to do with him."

"Yes you do." Lucas joined Hank on the couch and offered the senior detective a shoulder to cry on for a moment. "He showed me his memories and I saw everything he's gone through as of late. The incident at the plaza, the confrontation with the widow, his panic attack, the fight..." Trailing off as he felt Hank tense up beside him Lucas kept his voice calm and patient. "You also kept him from doing something irreversibly regrettable last night. You know what to do, you're just unable to get him to cooperate with you and he is unable to see all the good he's done for the city."

"Wait, you saw his memories? Does that mean you felt his emotions, too?"

"Yes. I-" Not wanting to betray Connor's trust but unwilling to risk Connor's life in the process Lucas told Hank the unfortunate truth. "I can confirm he is still feeling self destructive."

"Damn it..."

"From what I've witnessed through his own eyes he is feeling overwhelmed and is on constant edge that if he fails in any way, or does anything to can be perceived as a failure, he will be forcibly deactivated and permanently shutdown."

"No!" Defiant and protective the very idea of Connor being taken away and destroyed pushed away his mounting fatigue for a moment. "That won't happen to him, ever."

"You and I are aware of this fact but from his own personal experiences and pain he has to accept this as a truth, and not just hopeful outcome."

Shaking his head a little Hank lifted up his gaze and looked to Lucas beside him. "You know what? It all makes sense now."

"What does?"

"His behavior." Listening to the sound of the shower turning on in the bathroom Hank gave Lucas an ashamed glance. "He's worried about being killed for a mistake, for something beyond his control, and so in his mind the only way to take back control and fix these mistakes is to end his own life on his own terms."

"He..." Lucas's brow arched a little as his blue L.E.D. cycled in a wary yellow in his temple. "He believes ending his life is the only way to maintain control over said life?"

"Bingo. I've been down that same dark path with the same fucked up mindset guiding my every step. I know exactly how the kid feels right now."

"Then you know how to help him?"

"I know what helped me, but I can't guarantee it'll help him. Mental health and depression don't have a single universal cure, and no amount of drugs, therapy or 'positive thinking' will get him, or anyone else, to just 'snap out of it'."

"May I ask what helped you?"

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank leaned back again, his tired blue irises shining brightly in contrast to the dark bags under his eyes, and nodded at the closed bathroom door behind the couch. "Him. Having someone to look out for and having someone see me as a person worth living and being useful in some way gave me the drive to keep on living for a while longer."

"Then perhaps that's what Connor needs. He already has you as a good friend who will watch his back." Lucas noted as his L.E.D. returned to calm blue with his equally calm words. "Now he needs someone to look after to remind him that he does help other people in this world, and that he is a good person."

"Sounds good in theory, but how're you going to make it a reality?"

"...Perhaps now is the time to inform him of my hope to have him be a brother to me and not just a friend as I stated before."

"Well, a little brother to protect could be exactly what he needs to focus his thoughts on something more constructive and get him away from his sense of self destruction, but he needs to be receptive to the idea. It can't just be forced on him."

"Yes, I'm aware." Preconstructing the potential outcomes Lucas knew they needed to tread lightly and give Connor plenty of space to think and decide for himself, otherwise their efforts will be ineffective. "How can I do so without overstepping my boundaries?"

"First of all, don't worry about it." Leaning forward again Hank tilted his head to the side to crack his stiff neck then arched his back a little to get his sore back to do the same. "Second of all, tomorrow I'm going to take him up to the cabin out in the forest, and away from the city for a while so he can just think and not have to worry about anything else. Third, I'll try to get him to respond to adopting a more social life and suggest he spend time with you instead of always just me and Sumo."

"Connor does not socialize with other people?"

"Nope." Popping the 'p' in his response Hank rubbed his palms together anxiously and took in a deep breath. "He's either here or working. Even when the other officers try to make small talk with him at the precinct or try to get him to join them at a cop bar on the weekends the kid always shies away."

"...Does he socialize with other deviants?"

"Only the receptionist at the front of the precinct, and on forced assignments when dealing with New Jericho. He never goes anywhere deviant exclusive unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Connor doesn't feel welcome by our own people?"

"I guess not. None of them have really reached out to him unless they need a favor or some shit, and he knows that they're trying to use him."

"That is unfortunate."

"Do you hang out with other deviants?"

"No, my roommate is a human and he has a kitten as his only other company. I do not go out and socialize, either."

Hank raised his index finger and pointed at Lucas as if a moment of eureka just struck him. "I think you're onto something with this brother-thing. Connor is stuck between two worlds; he's a deviant who doesn't feel welcomed in the deviant community, and he works with humans who don't really understand that he doesn't feel comfortable in the human community. You might be the key in unlocking that damn door he hides his heart behind."

"Just by being his brother?"

"By being someone he can confide in, trust, relate to and count on during moments of tragedy." Running his fingers through his locks of gray hair Hank admitted that his ability to help Connor was rather limited at times. "I can only do so much since I have no idea what it's like to be a deviant. I can help him understand humanity to some extent, and you can help him understand himself throughout his deviancy."

"We'll both help him and look out for him. Like... a family?"

Hank's own brow arched as he contemplated the term only to have a faint grin appear on his face. "Yeah, I guess that's what we're talking about. After all, the kid is essentially an orphan; brought into this world without a mother or father to guide him as he grows, but now he has the chance to be with people who can help fill the void that those CyberLife creeps and that damn bullet created. Orphans can find a family of their own in time, so why not us? Especially since you and Connor share the same weird origins and you can relate to being without someone to help guide you for a long time."

"I will be happy to aid Connor on his journey to recovery, Hank." Eager to do the right thing and help Connor in whatever way possible Lucas showed no hesitation in agreeing to the idea. He wanted to help Connor; his brother. "Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

Putting his left hand on Lucas's right shoulder Hank gave the kind deviant a gracious smirk of absolute approval. "Spoken like a true brother!"

-next chapter-