The bright spring morning was warm and quiet. Sitting upright in the recovery bed under his own strength Connor patiently waited for Abby to finish taking his vitals and listening to his heartbeat with her audioscope as she began his final exam of the morning. With his Thirium pump fully recalibrated and no other strange reactions or side effects from his very unusual and rare heart attack hindering his recovery Connor was cleared to return home to rest once Abby finished the examination. Patiently waiting for the skilled and dedicated technician to finish the tests Connor obediently responded to her sensory commands; taking in deep breaths, following her light with his eyes, responding to audio prompts and moving his fingers and toes in the proper sequence Connor refrained from complaining or fidgeting about where he sat.

Confirming that all of Connor's internal and external sensors were working Abby smiled at him and pocketed her light as she wrote down a perfect score in his personal chart. The fact that Connor had been at death's door barely twelve hours prior just made his recovery seem all the more miraculous.

Dressing himself in the clean clothes that Hank brought for him after returning to the house just long enough to take care of Sumo and grab such clothing from the deviant's closet, Connor ran a self diagnostic and was relieved to find every one of his biocomponents working within optimal parameters. There was no permanent damage to his heart despite the near lethal malfunction, and no other complications were expected upon his recovery.

"Your Thirium pump sounds as strong as it always has been." Abby confirmed as she watched Connor pull his black t-shirt on over his head to cover up his bare chest and abdomen. Putting her left palm to his right cheek she gently turned his head long enough to look at his glowing blue L.E.D. in his right temple and smirked again at the positive color. "How do you feel?"

"...I don't know." Carrying his jeans into the small changing area of the recovery room Connor removed the teal scrub pants in favor of the jeans, and quickly slipped on his socks and shoes before exiting the private space. "I feel physically normal." The deviant detective confirmed as he returned to the main space of the room to speak to Abby more directly. "But mentally, maybe even emotionally, I don't know how I feel."

"That is in itself normal."

"It is?" Arching his brow inquisitively Connor stared at Abby as he smoothed out the fabric over his t-shirt. "How so?"

"Whenever a human recovers from such a serious illness or injury after being so damn close to death they more often than not have a strange sense of loss. Going from desperately ill to fully recovered in a small amount of time can be pretty damn jarring."

"Yes, I've noticed."

"Just take your time and heal slowly. Your body has made a full recovery." She stated kindly as she rested her left palm gently over Connor's normally beating heart and stood before him. Confirming the steady beat under her palm Abby was confident in letting Connor go home to rest without needing to be monitored any further by a technician. "But your mind and thoughts are still reeling. Relax, chill on the couch with a book or a movie, and let your mind wander where ever it needs to go."

"I will attempt to do so." Lightly putting his right hand over top of her own as she kept her palm in place Connor stopped himself from running yet another self diagnostic as he sensed Hank walk into the room to drive him back to the house. The way her soft hand rested over his heart was comforting. "Thank you for everything, Abby."

"You're welcome, Connor." Peering past the taller deviant's right shoulder Abby gave Hank a kind nod of her head. "And Hank, take care of him."

"You can count on it." Extending his right arm Hank handed Connor his leather jacket and gave the recovered deviant an approving grin as Abby took her leave to finish her morning rounds before going home herself. "You look a hell of a lot better, kid. Ready to go home?"

"Yes, I'm ready." Accepting the jacket Connor slipped it on over his arms and up to his shoulders to layer up before stepping outside. "Thank you." Noticing that Hank was alone Connor followed the senior detective outside of the room and down the corridor to check himself out at the front desk of the facility before heading home. "Where is Lucas?"

"He went back to his apartment to check on his roommate's cat, something about them working overtime, and then he'll meet us at the house."

"That's good." Standing at the front desk Connor accepted the electronic tablet from Barry's hand and pressed his bare right palm against the screen to cybernetically confirm his check-out of the facility. After handing the tablet back Connor accompanied Hank toward the front entrance to get to the Oldsmobile parked in the nearest space in the parking lot. "I appreciate you both staying overnight with me at the facility. I greatly disdain being admitted into facilities, and the idea of being alone makes the disdain all the worse."

"It's no problem, son. That's what friends do for each other."

The thought of his friends being supportive hadn't even occurred to Connor as he rested in the facility overnight. Initially Connor just assumed Hank was staying with him because they are partners at the precinct and roommates at the house, and he had assumed Lucas chose to stay because of his similar model to Connor's own possibly being beneficial in the event Connor's condition worsened.

Now knowing that both Hank and Lucas had stayed by his side through a sense of friendship was unexpectedly comforting.

"...Right." Opening the front passenger side door of the car Connor sat down slowly and fastened his seatbelt over himself to prepare for the drive back to the house. The prospect of returning home to spend the day with Hank and Lucas was very appealing and Connor craved the safety of the house in favor of the facility. "Friends always help each other."

Patiently Lucas stood beside Gavin's bed with a glass of water and two seltzer tablets in his hands as he looked down at the pained detective struggling to not throw-up or audibly groan in pain. Having returned to the apartment to tend to Lucky's needs on Gavin's behalf Lucas found himself unexpectedly helping Gavin back into the apartment after he left Aaron's apartment just a few doors down; the newly blossoming couple saying their goodbyes and exchanging a quick kiss before Aaron went off to work, and aiding the detective after Gavin admitted that he overate at breakfast that morning.

Running a scan over Gavin's vital signs for a moment Lucas waited for the stuffed detective to open his eyes and acknowledge his presence. The way Gavin's stomach was visibly distended under his t-shirt with Gavin's left hand resting over top of it, and the way Gavin was breathing deeply, it was clear that the human foolishly didn't know when to stop eating before it became almost too much for his body to handle.

"Gavin, if you take this medication it'll help ease the pressure in your stomach."

Letting out an uncomfortable groan Gavin opened up his eyes and gave Lucas a pitiful stare. "...If I tried force anything else into my stomach I'll explode!"

"No you won't. Based on my scans your stomach can still withstand point six liters of food or beverage before it actually reaches max capacity. I believe the reason you're in such discomfort is because you ate quickly and inhaled air into your stomach as you ate."

"...Fucking stop scanning me!"

"Will you please take this medication? It'll not only ease your pain but aid your digestion to prevent you from becoming ill."

"I'm fine! It doesn't even hurt."

Having spoken with Tina about Gavin's stubborn behavior, especially when it comes to his diet, Lucas put the glass of water on the nearby nightstand and simply pressed his left index fingertip to the middle of Gavin's distended belly and watched the detective wince and let out another groan of pain.

"...Don't touch me!"

"Did that hurt?"

"No!"

"Are you certain? It appears you're suffering from either overindulgence or you're miraculously twenty-two weeks pregnant."

"Stop trying to crack jokes, you're not funny!"

"Very well. Now, either take this medicine or I will call Tina and-"

"Don't you dare!" Batting away Lucas's hand from his stomach Gavin took in a deep breath and pushed himself upright on his elbows as he gave the helpful deviant an annoyed glare. Rubbing his left hand over his almost comically distended stomach Gavin grabbed the glass of water from beside his bed with his right hand and held it out toward Lucas. "...If you leave me the fuck alone I'll take the medication."

"That's fair." Dropping the two tablets into the glass Lucas watched as the medication fizzled for a moment before Gavin quickly chugged it down and fell back against his bed. The way humans could punish their own bodies in such illogical manners to please other humans was as fascinating as it was unfortunate to observe. "I plan on spending the day with Connor as it is, you'll have plenty of distance from me while you recover from your morning binge."

"Right, Connor..." Rubbing his right hand through his messy hair Gavin sighed and closed his eyes to get some rest. "How's he doing?"

"Full recovery."

The hazel eyes snapped back open as he gave Lucas a stunned stare. "You're shitting me."

"I assure you no such action is taking place. Connor's condition had been fully corrected after you brought me the Thirium to test and find the contamination, and his self healing program was able to correct his Thirium pump rhythm during recalibration. In short, you saved his life."

"Uh... sure." Trying to not think about that particular detail Gavin attempted to change the discussion at hand. "...If only humans could recover from heart attacks so fast."

"Yes, I imagine with the way you've recently been indulging on sweets as of late you'd be truly grateful for such swift recoveries attributed to prolonged poor diets."

"Hey! Aaron went out of his way to prepare a special breakfast after I had to cancel our dinner date last night. It's not my fault he's an amazing cook who has already mastered recipes for diabetic diets. It would've been rude to not eat what he prepared."

"I doubt you needed to consume all of it."

"Shut up! What do you know about eating?"

"Admittedly not much, but I do know that there's a reason the android artificial stomach was designed with a limited capacity that is equivalent to that of the human stomach."

"Dude, just shut up and go see your brother." Pulling his pillow out from under his head Gavin buried his face in the soft material resumed rubbing his hand over his stomach.

"Very well. Before I go-"

"Shut. Up."

"After I say my piece."

Sighing deeply Gavin relented to the request in exchange for peace and quiet as he mumbled through the pillow resting over his face. "...What is it?"

"If you switch to pants with a looser waistband and lay on your left side it'll ease your discomfort and aid your digestion further."

"...Whatever."

"I will return later this evening, Gavin. Please rest and refrain from eating anything else for at least nine hours and twelve minutes to avoid extreme indigestion."

"Just get outta' here!"

"I'm leaving." Turning around on his heels Lucas stepped out of the bedroom quietly and double-checked Lucky's bowls before he left the apartment. Rubbing the cat's soft ears as she laid over the back of the couch Lucas made sure he had his apartment key and headed toward the door. "You'll be fine with just Gavin for a while. Just refrain from jumping onto his stomach in search of attention, such an act would end poorly for both of you."

The moment Connor stepped through the front door of the house he was met with Sumo as the Saint Bernard trotted over to him with his tail wagging as he sought some attention from his favorite deviant master. Rubbing Sumo's ears as the massive dog stood up on his hind legs and put his paws against his shoulders Connor felt entirely at ease as the routine of acknowledgement and affection settled his otherwise still racing thoughts. Something about the way Sumo always saw him as a person and not a piece of plastic or an intruder always made Connor feel like he had made the right choice in taking the necessary steps to befriend Hank and trust the senior detective to give him a home.

Hank shrugged off his coat and hung it up on the hook beside the front door as he watched Connor getting some much needed affection. "Why don't you chill on the couch and enjoy your day off?"

"I will in a moment." Pushing Sumo back down onto the floor before him Connor looked at Hank over his left shoulder. "I wish to tend to the seedlings outside before I do anything else."

"Damn, I keep forgetting about those things."

"I'm certain the recent weather has been keeping them adequately watered on our behalf."

"Good. One less thing to worry about."

Stepping around Sumo to walk across the livingroom, through the kitchen and out the backdoor Connor stood on the small brick patio and checked on the two potted plants eagerly. The flower seedling was getting taller and greener, while the tomato seedling was beginning to break off into a tripod type of plant as the plant too became stronger and taller as it grew. The soil was still damp and the sunlight was ideal for helping the plants to grow.

"I'm relieved my absence hasn't caused any harm to you." Whispering to the plant to avoid anyone else hearing his words Connor crouched down and scanned its growth, and began chronicling its overall development. "In time you'll be planted elsewhere and will be free to grow beyond just this small pot."

The backdoor opened up a second time as Hank leaned through the doorway. "Connor?"

"Yes?" Standing back up from where he had been crouched down in front of the plants Connor turned to face Hank directly.

"Lucas is here."

Without a word Connor followed Hank through the backdoor and acknowledged the other deviant as he too was greeted with affection by Sumo in the livingroom. The sight of Sumo approving of Lucas's presence confirmed that Lucas wasn't a threat whatsoever. "Hello, Lucas."

"Hi, Connor." Using both hands to rub Sumo's chin and neck Lucas gave the recovering deviant a soft grin. "I would've been here earlier but my roommate was unexpectedly ill and I wanted to tend to them before I left."

"Understandable. I appreciate you staying at the facility with me the night before and spending the day with me today."

"I'm happy to help you out. I am serious about wishing to forge a type of friendship with you and to spend more time with you."

"Because you don't associate with other deviants?"

"That, and I wish to know you better considering you rescued me from New Jericho Tower and gave me the chance to live a life without being hindered by a bias opinion from other people. You're a deviant that I know I can trust."

Not expecting that type of gratitude Connor gave Lucas a subtle nod as he appreciated the comment. "I'm just relieved that you're doing well."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and joined the two deviants in the livingroom. "Why don't you two take Sumo out on a walk? It's a nice day and you two can just chat for a while."

Connor glanced at Hank for a moment as he contemplated the suggestion. "It would be nice to be outside for a while."

"Then go on, enjoy the warm day." Motioning to the leash hanging on the hook by the front door Hank encouraged him to head out for a while. "Sumo will love it, too. Just don't let him roll in the mud anymore."

"I will do my best." Walking toward the front door Connor took the leash from the hook and crouched down by the door. "Sumo?"

Seeing the leash in Connor's hand Sumo immediately walked over to the door and sat down to let the lead get clipped to his collar.

"Good boy." Standing back up Connor opened the door and waited for Lucas to join him as he wrapped the handle of the leash around his right hand in a tight grip. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, of course." Joining Connor by the door Lucas kept a kind and faint smile on his face. "I'm looking forward to spending the day getting to know you better."

Watching the two deviants step outside through the door Hank let out a small breath of relief rubbed his hand through his long locks of gray hair. "Good job, Lucas. If Connor ever needed a brother to talk to about his life, it's now!"

New Jericho Tower was bustling with activity as the three remaining leaders continued to work with their people rather than above their people, and were trying to find a solution for their current predicament of trying to reach out to Connor while still respecting his request to be left alone. The delicate balance of letting Connor know he was officially welcome at New Jericho for any reason he could have, while also letting him be alone, was a unique challenge to the leaders to handle.

Interacting directly with the other deviants in the tower Markus was well aware of how many of the occupants still didn't trust him and that he still had a lot to answer for as a leader, and as a decent person in general. As he spoke with the other survivors of the serial killer Martin Jonas in Canada - their rescue only made possible thanks to North leaving Detroit in search of a greater purpose, Markus was made aware that none of the survivors trusted him in the least.

Leaving the recovery wing of the tower with his hands clasped behind his back and his head bowed down with shame Markus sighed and made his way to the garden at the top of the tower to think. Stepping into the elevator Markus bumped into Josh and spoke to the pacifistic deviant kindly as he stood beside him and pressed his palm to the panel to access the appropriate floor.

"I knew I messed up and lost the trust of many of our people," Markus admitted in a low tone as the elevator car began its ascent. "but I didn't know it was almost half of the deviants in the city."

"Collateral damage."

"Or just the domino-effect in motion. I don't blame them."

"Let's just hope they don't all leave the tower and hide out in shelters around the city."

"How many have left so far?"

"From our maximum occupancy after the night of the Revolution," Josh relayed the information with one-hundred percent accuracy. "we've lost twenty-three percent of our people."

"...That's a lot. Too many to leave at once, anyway."

"Have you spoken with the survivors from Canada, yet?"

"Yes." That discussion was the very reason Markus was now seeking solitude. "I know they don't trust me, but they are willing to remain here until they can find a new place to reside after they heal."

"What about Skye?"

"Skye?" The name was unfamiliar to Markus as he never met her, or even knew she was one of the survivors. "Who is Skye?"

"...She was a friend of North's who also escaped from the 'Eden Club'." The elevator reached the top floor and opened the elevator doors with a loud 'ding' that echoed throughout the elevator car. "She made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the tower and left after only one day. Our policies aren't something she agrees with."

"Was she wounded when she left?"

"Skye was recovering from a single burn on her left shoulder." Joining Markus in the garden for a moment Josh relayed the information as accurately as he could. "From what she stated before leaving the tower she was going to talk to Connor about the incident in Canada and nothing more. I assume she's going to stay outside the tower and in one of the shelters."

"It's a shame she isn't on better terms with us."

"I know what you mean. I don't think we'll have to worry about her, she's strong minded and seems fearless."

"That's good to know. I'm going to spend some time up here to clear my head, are you and Simon going to be okay on your own?"

"Yeah, we can handle this." Making a humble observation of his own Josh glanced out at the flowers in the garden with an indifferent gaze. "It's funny how much we didn't notice North's contributions until after she left. There's a lot to do here."

Markus sighed and nodded weakly as he glanced at the bright red tulips growing in a row encircling the perimeter of the garden. "I really miss her."

"We all do, Markus. Don't worry though." Returning to the elevator Josh stepped inside and gave Markus a reassuring grin. "She'll be back."

As the doors to the elevator slid shut Markus walked over to a small white marble bench beside the walking path and sat down for a moment to clear his thoughts. "I sure hope so..."

Side by side Connor and Lucas walked Sumo around the block and toward the dog park as they spoke and enjoyed the nice spring day. Exchanging stories of their experiences throughout the city and of their personal interests the two deviants discovered that their mutual fascination with music had the same effect of calming their thoughts, and easing their emotions. Whereas Lucas preferred jazz and to play by ear, Connor preferred metal and perfecting songs one at a time before moving on to the next. The duo also preferred learning how to play their respective instruments as opposed to simply downloading the software to make the experience truly unique to their own styles and personalities.

Connor mentioned the plants he was currently tending to outside the house and of how he had been saving money to buy his own residence, but decided he'd stay with Hank for a while longer and accept the senior detective's advice in buying a vehicle of his own instead. In return Lucas told Connor of how he had been considering a change in his current career from street musician and to that of a detective to fulfill his originally programming purpose.

Letting Sumo walk a few yards ahead of him to check out a nearby tree Connor warned Lucas of the dangers of being a detective, and of how it had been a very difficult career for Connor himself to handle despite being designed for those particular responsibilities. Going into detail of how his past decisions had come back to haunt him through acts of petty revenge, one of such resulted in his recent heart attack, Connor found himself feeling oddly protective toward the other deviant.

"I'm aware of the risks, but I'm ready to take them." Glancing about the park with a keen eye Lucas noted the numerous other people with their own dogs enjoying the warm spring day as well. It was a calm area and there was no need to feel guarded whatsoever. "For what it's worth, I'm glad that the people who harmed you have been charged with their crimes."

"As am I." During the drive back to the house Hank confirmed that Officer Chet Stone was being charged with attempted premeditated homicide, assault, sabotage and vandalism after all the collected evidence connected him to the tainted Thirium in the breakroom. Chet's sister was being issued a restraining order barring her from the precinct and Connor himself, but it seemed she was already preparing to move away from the city making the order somewhat overkill. "Some argue that true justice isn't the law being upheld, but of balance."

"An eye for an eye?"

"Yes." Confirming Lucas's inquiry Connor expressed his remaining guilt for what had happened that fateful night in November. "I killed Chet's brother-in-law and he tried to kill me in return."

"It wouldn't have brought the brother-in-law back to life. It was a petty act that was grounded in hatred, not justice."

"You may be right. Thank you for locating the contamination, by the way." Walking deeper into the park Connor observed Sumo's behavior curiously as the large dog happily investigated every tree, bush and sign in the park itself. "May I ask how you located a proper sample to identify the cause of my malfunction?"

"Detective Reed brought me the Thirium and asked for my assistance with an analysis sample."

"Gavin?" Shocked by the revelation Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he questioned the validity of the answer. "He... He helped me?"

"Yes."

"And... how does he know of you?"

"Oh, right..." It was Lucas's turn to have his blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with mild embarrassment as he realized that Gavin had made it clear he didn't want anyone to know of his current coexistence with Lucas himself in their apartment. "As of this previous winter I have been rooming with Gavin Reed. He is the roommate I had previous mentioned."

Connor's L.E.D. remained in yellow as he brow arched very slightly while his expression remained otherwise blank. "...May I ask how you met?"

The explanation of how Lucas had been willing to live on the street in the cold rather than go to a shelter and had been pulled off the freezing park bench by Gavin wasn't something Connor was expecting to hear. Also explaining how after he helped scare off Gavin's ex-boyfriend the same day that Connor had also protected Gavin from the same dangerous man seemed too farfetched to believe. In return Gavin was willing to keep Lucas as his roommate and move into a nicer apartment so they could both rebuild their lives after having strange circumstances hold them back from progressing toward a better future.

"I see... And you stated earlier that Gavin is currently unwell." More or less impressed that Gavin was willing to peacefully coexist with a deviant Connor decided to not ask anymore questions about their acquaintanceship, and change the subject to something new. Speaking casually Connor's L.E.D. returned to blue and continued to cycle in a calm pace. "Is it a serious illness?"

"Fortunately, no." Lucas picked up a nearby stick from the grass beside a large tree to his right and gave it a toss in such a way that Sumo immediately decided to give chase. "Gavin merely overate after leaving-" Pausing for a moment Lucas chose his next words carefully. "Well, he's seeing someone that is 'special' to him, and he had breakfast with them this morning."

"He's in a relationship?"

"Possibly. He's been spending a majority of his free time with this particular person when they both have time off, and the more time he spends with this person the happier he seems to become."

"Happy?"

"Yes. I believe he's finally ready to move on from his past negative relationships." Accepting the stick after Sumo returned with the fetched item in his teeth Lucas pet the dog's ears and tossed the stick a second time. "I've met the other man and didn't detect any hostility in his body language, and the way Gavin is eager to spend time with him and later return to the apartment happier than when he left is proof that this new potential relationship is very positive."

"Interesting to know."

"I assure you that I wasn't trying to deceive you by keeping my acquaintanceship with Gavin a secret. He merely pleaded that I keep it quiet to prevent rumors from spreading about him as he had endured such a negative experience once before."

"That's understandable. I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you, Connor."

It was Connor's turn to take the fetched stick and give it a toss. As Sumo ran after the stick for a third time Connor tilted his head a little to the side with continued curiosity. "Gavin overate this morning after seeing his possible boyfriend. Do you know what recipe was used?"

"I do not. Why do you ask?"

"Because I have begun cooking special dietary meals for Hank back at the house. I'd like to make something new for Hank to thank him for all of his assistance and patience."

Lucas's gray eyes lit up with intrigue at the notion. "You can cook?"

"Yes. Would you like me to show you how?"

"Yes, please. I'm greatly in favor of learning new techniques and skills."

"Very well. We should..." Trailing off suddenly Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed in red once before cycling in yellow and then back to blue. With his soulful brown eyes going wide and his voice growing quiet it was clear something had completely stolen Connor's attention.

"Connor?" Taking notice of Connor's distraction Lucas followed the deviant detective's line of sight and took notice of another deviant watching them from afar. She was wearing a dark blue hoodie, had long brunette hair and hazel eyes that were shining as bright as her L.E.D. somewhat concealed under her locks of hair. "Do you know her?"

"...Yes. She is the witness I was speaking to before I collapsed at the precinct." Pressing his left palm over his heart Connor gave Skye a truly intrigued glance from where he stood. "She also went and informed Hank of my collapse and got me assistance very quickly."

"She may have very well saved your life through her rapid reaction to the emergency situation."

"Possibly. But why is she here?" Feeling Sumo pressing the retrieved stick against his right hand Connor took the stick and handed the leash over to Lucas to take for a moment. "I'll be only a moment, I wish to speak with her."

Accepting the leash and the stick Lucas resumed the game of fetch with Sumo to give Connor some space to speak with Skye in private. "I'll remain here."

Walking away from Lucas and Sumo for a moment Connor slowly approached Skye as she watched him curiously as she stood beside a large oak tree, and kept his body language timid to ensure her that he wasn't going to say or do anything aggressive. It was clear Skye was still anxious around people after her escape from the serial killer over the border, and Connor didn't want her to be afraid of him for any reason.

"Skye?"

"...Hello, Connor. I'm glad to see you're okay." Skye spoke softly and crossed her arms over her chest in a guarded manner. Locking eyes with Connor the wary deviant tried to offer him a kind smile but she just didn't have it in her to even feign contentedness due to her previous experiences. "I didn't stick around the precinct after you were taken away, and I wasn't sure if it would've been acceptable to visit you at the facility. I was worried."

"It's okay. It was rather crowded and overwhelming in my recovery room at times, you would've been uncomfortable."

"You're so understanding. That's good to know."

"Oh?" The comment made Connor's brow knit with confusion as he studied Skye's face carefully. Her posture was guarded but her words and her eyes were open and sincere. "How so?"

"I... I know what happened to you the night of the Revolution and I disagree with how everything was handled."

Feeling his posture slump with a sense of disappointment knowing that his encounter with Markus was still widely debated Connor's brow smoothed with a sense of cold reality. "...I see."

"It's okay. I know what it feels like to be a victim." Tightening her hands around her upper arms Skye gave Connor a wary glance. "I also know what it's like to fight back and not let yourself stay a victim after being wronged."

"That's why you were willing to go into the police precinct to deliver a witness statement," Connor deduced with a keen observation. "and why you chose to only speak with me. You knew I'd take you seriously and be empathetic to your plight. No judgment, no reservations."

"That's right. I was so worried that when you suddenly collapsed that the deviants who are living outside the tower were going to lose their only trusted ally who refuses to side with New Jericho."

"The mistrust toward New Jericho seems to have stalled to some extent now that everyone had seen Markus protect me at the plaza."

"Yeah, we know what he did to help you, but that doesn't undo the fact that he nearly killed you in cold blood once before."

Grimacing at the term 'nearly killed' Connor closed his eyes and reminded himself that no one beyond Hank and himself knew that he had in fact died that night and had been revived only through transferring his memory from his original body into his current body. "...Yes. I'm fortunate to still be alive." Opening his eyes Connor resumed speaking with Skye but of a different subject rather than one revolving around his death. "...I want to thank you for seeking help for me as quickly as you did. I also remember you catching me and guiding me down to the floor in a gentle manner when I collapsed."

"I couldn't just let you suffer like that." Almost offended by the gratitude as it implied she couldn't be bothered to help other people in need Skye explained her reasoning with a passionate voice. "I had to do something!"

"Yes, and in order to do so you had to overcome your discomfort of humans and ask them for assistance. I know that it isn't easy to ask for help and it takes a lot of courage to speak up."

"O-Oh..." Blushing a pale blue at her initial reaction Skye softened her tone and remembered that both she and Connor had to deal with their own past traumas in their own unique ways. "I suppose you're right. Sorry for being so jumpy."

"It's alright. All the same, thank you for helping me."

"I should be thanking you, too. I know you're going to help bring so many murdered deviants the justice the deserve." Shrugging her shoulders a little Skye's arms began to relax as she began to feel steadily safer in Connor's presence. "I know you're going to be recovering for a while longer, but I also know that you're not going to let us down."

"I'll do my best, Skye." Just as before Skye's very presence had a strange warming and comforting feeling over Connor's heart. "I promise."

Managing a weak smile at last Skye tucked her long brunette hair further behind her right ear fully showing her L.E.D. and decided it was time to let Connor alone for the afternoon. "Well, I'm glad I saw you when I did. I'm going to go to the Zeta Facility and volunteer to help deviants of assault the courage to speak up and defend their rights as equal beings to humans."

"Commendable. That's a very generous way to spend your time."

"I had the fortune of being rescued while dozens, maybe even hundreds, of our people weren't so lucky. I wish to do what I can to help them find their own justice through their own inner strength. A lot of deviants are being harassed right now, and I won't stand for it."

"Harassed? More so than usual?"

"Yeah. Turns out the deviants who choose to befriend or date humans are being targeted by bigots. Even worse it looks like the violence is beginning to escalate and both the deviants and humans are being harmed."

"That's unfortunate. I will look into that as well once I return to the precinct."

"I had a feeling you would."

The comment was enough to lift Connor's mood just enough that his eyes didn't seem so sad anymore. "Good luck, Skye. I'll be in touch if you need my help in any way."

"Thank you, Connor. Take care of yourself." As she took a step back Skye gave the deviant a somewhat coy glance before she left the park. "Maybe I'll see you around some time, yeah?"

"Y-Yeah. It's possible."

"See you then."

"...Bye." Slowly turning around where he stood Connor made his way back to Lucas just as the second deviant took back the chewed up and drool covered stick from Sumo for what could've been the tenth time. Reunited with Lucas as he decided that the stick was too chewed up to continue to be tossed any further and just dropped it on the ground beside his feet Connor returned his full focus to his friend. "Are you ready to return to the house, Lucas?"

"I am if you're ready. I believe Sumo has gotten adequate exercise for the day."

"Agreed." Motioning toward the direction back home Connor began walking with Lucas right at his side as the two deviants continued to spend the morning and afternoon getting to know one another as friends. "I think it'd be best to ask Hank what he'd like for dinner tonight. We can work together to make him something special so I can show him my gratitude for his compassionate nature, and you can learn to cook in the process. It's beneficial to us all."

"That sounds like a good idea, Connor. It'll also be a leisurely activity that'll allow you to remain preoccupied while still recovering from your heart attack."

"I have already made a full recovery. I'm fine and I can resume work tomorrow."

"You may have recovered physically from your malfunction, but I believe you still need time to recover emotionally and mentally after such a traumatic ordeal." Tightening his grip on Sumo's leash Lucas dared to speak of his worries without sounding overprotective. "From my experience with rooming with a human who has a less than ideal past I've noticed that mental and emotional pain is far more severe than anything physical."

"You're not wrong about that, Lucas. But I assure you I'm doing well. I actually feel stronger now than I had been prior to my heart attack, and I'm now very aware of how the sense of mortality that comes with being alive is a gift, not a burden."

"Then if you're ready to return to work I'll support that decision and be of help if you need it."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. May I ask one more question?"

"I suppose so." Unsure of what else Lucas would want to talk about Connor indulged the other deviant's curiosity. "What do you wish to know?"

"Do you ever get lonely associating only with humans?"

"Lonely? No." Glancing about the sidewalk full of humans and deviants alike Connor thought about his time at the precinct and back at the house whenever he wasn't working. The need for constant companionship wasn't something Connor had ever experienced, let alone seeking the companionship of a fellow deviant for any particular reason. "Confused? Yes."

"How so?"

"I'm still struggling to fully understand humanity and how deviancy bridges the gap between man and machine. I doubt interacting with other deviants would make it any easier as we each have our own unique experiences rather than a single universal experience to make things simpler." Noting Lucas's demeanor Connor's brow arched slightly with curiosity. It appeared Lucas was seeking a confirmation of some kind. "Why do you ask? Are you lonely?"

"...Occasionally." The admission sounded deeply morose as if Lucas had been denying it for some time. "I spend a majority of my time out on the street playing music and surrounded by people all day long. But when I'm in the apartment I typically only have Lucky, Gavin's cat, to keep me company. Whenever Gavin is around he goes about his own business and we only talk when it's necessary. Now he's with his new possible boyfriend leaving me alone in the apartment more frequently."

"Oh. I'm sure Hank wouldn't mind it if you came over to the house to seek company when you feel lonely, Lucas." Picking up on the veiled question as Lucas didn't want to impose on the two detectives Connor gave Lucas a positive answer. "I know he's already told you that you're welcome at the house for any reason, and I believe loneliness is a valid enough reason to accept the offer."

A ghost of a grin appeared on Lucas's face as he and Connor reached the next block and continued on their way back to the house. "I will remember that, thank you."

-next chapter-