The sunrise gently awoke Connor as the bright natural light peering through the livingroom windows washed over his resting form. Sitting upright on the couch Connor remembered the night before and promptly rose from the couch to check on Abby upstairs the moment he regained his bearings. Climbing the staircase slowly Connor walked down the carpeted corridor to peer inside Abby's bedroom and saw her still fast asleep in the bed under her blue blanket. Silently walking into the dim bedroom Connor ran a scan over Abby's form and was satisfied that she was resting well, that her blood alcohol level had reduced to zero and she was showing no sign of distress.

Quietly leaving the bedroom Connor made his way down to the kitchen and promptly located the coffee maker on the countertop. Preparing a fresh pot of coffee for Abby to drink once she woke up Connor closed his soulful brown eyes and cybernetically checked in with the precinct regarding the case against both Officer Wade Argus and Martin Jonas.

After a moment Connor received an update from the two cases after every report had been filed and every piece evidence had been chronicled. There was no denying that Officer Argus was going to be sent to prison and put on death row, whereas Martin Jonas was still being investigated since he was arrested over the Canadian border. As a result it appeared that Canada would have the final say in his punishment.

"As long as both men are behind bars and away from innocent people that's good enough for now."

The soulful brown eyes opened up Connor as detected movement up on the second floor and tracked Abby's footsteps as she sluggishly made her way into the bathroom on the second floor to wake up.

"I'm sure Abby will be relieved to know that Wade never left custody last night."

Cybernetically Connor contacted Hank's phone and gave him an update on his own situation. 'I'm going to make sure Abby is well enough to be left alone before I return to the house. I'm unsure of when I'll be back.'

There was a short pause before Connor received a reply from the senior detective. 'Take your time. It's our day off and taking care of Abby is more important.'

Hearing Abby's footsteps again Connor stared at the top of the staircase and watched as the groggy technician walked down stairs to greet Connor for the morning. Upon seeing Connor in the kitchen and smelling the coffee brewing the coffee pot she gave him a weak yet sincere smile.

"Good morning, Abby."

"Good morning, Connor. Thanks for staying the night with me."

"You're welcome. For the record Officer Argus never left custody and will be tried immediately for his crimes."

"Sounds like a fantastic way to start this hopefully better day. Uh, let me ask your something..." Entering the kitchen Abby pulled down a dark blue coffee mug from the cabinet above the coffee maker and poured herself a generous cup of the caffeinated elixir as she spoke. "Last night, after the wine started flowing, did we... kiss?"

"Yes." Confirming their previous night together Connor didn't deny the kiss. "You leaned in and kissed me."

"Shit... I thought it was a drunken dream."

"...Oh." Her response made his blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with a sense of uncertainty. "I'm sorry."

"N-No, no!" Turning around quickly Abby gave Connor an apologetic stare as she quickly grabbed onto his right hand in a firm grasp. "I don't mean I regret kissing you, I just regret that I did it when I had been drinking! That was very unlike me, I swear. You didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

"And neither did you."

"You're my friend and one of my patients, I shouldn't have done that. It was very unprofessional of me and I crossed a huge line."

"Abby, it's okay. You were emotionally overwhelmed and had been drinking. While being drunk isn't an excuse for bad decisions it does help explain why certain things happen."

"You're not offended that I kissed you?"

"No. It wasn't expected but it was..." Trying to find the correct word Connor hesitated for only a moment. "enjoyable."

"That's a relief." Taking a slow sip of her coffee Abby's tense shoulders slumped as she studied Connor's face curiously. "I also vaguely remember asking you to... uh... be intimate with me. Did we...?"

"No! Of course not." The blue L.E.D. in his right temple flashed back to yellow for a moment as the very idea of sleeping with a drunk woman made him feel queasy. "I would never do that."

"I should've known, you're too good of a person to do that. I just remember you carrying me to my room and giving me my pajamas." Taking another sip of her coffee Abby began to perk up as her energy returned to her at a steady pace. "Nothing more."

"That wine had a very potent alcohol volume. You also had been emotionally traumatized which can cause your reactions and inhibitions to a much more severe extent than usual. Even if we were an official couple it still would've been wrong to behave in such a manner with you."

"Yeah, but that still doesn't make it any easier to accept that I kissed you and then tried to seduce you." Putting aside her mug Abby motioned to Connor's right shoulder so she could take a look at the bandaged wound for herself. "I'm so grateful that you were here with me and have morality."

"You're my friend. I wanted you to feel safe." Unbuttoning his shirt and vest Connor revealed his bandaged right shoulder for Abby to be inspect. "I'll stay here for as long as you want me to stay."

"Now that the night is over and we both survived until the morning..." Peeling back the bandage Abby saw the perfectly mended artificial skin over Connor's shoulder and decided to remove all of the bandages in response. "I think it's safe to say I'm going to be just fine. And your shoulder has fully healed. Does it hurt?"

"No, it feels normal."

"Good. So... I have two hours to shower off, get something to eat and head out to the facility. How about you?"

"Today is my day off."

"Lucky you. Do you mind sticking around until I'm ready to leave? I'll drop you off at your house in return."

"That's acceptable. Thank you."

"Great." Wading up the old bandages in her hands Abby tossed the white gauze into the nearby trashcan and resumed drinking her coffee. "The sooner we get back to our usual routines the better."

As per usual Lucas went about his morning routine in the apartment as quietly as possible due to Gavin returning to the apartment at a painfully late hour. The abrasive detective had disappeared into his bedroom to salvage as much sleep as possible after working overtime in order to handle the case with Argus. Remaining practically silent as he moved about the apartment Lucas managed to clean the living space while keeping Lucky entertained, and only stopped when he heard a very faint knocking on the apartment door. Curious about the early morning visitor Lucas opened the door and was greeted by Aaron standing on the other side with an eager smile on his face.

The sight of the friendly human was welcome as Lucas approved of the way Aaron's very presence seemed to bring out the best in Gavin. Seeing Gavin actually taking the time to sleep properly, eat well balanced meals and being more social gave Lucas hope that Gavin would finally be able to move on from his traumatic past and into a happier future.

"Good morning, Aaron."

"Same to you, Lucas." Keeping a faint smirk on his face Aaron addressed the deviant with utter respect in his every word. "I was wondering if Gavin was awake or not? I didn't want to text or call in case he was sleeping."

"That was a courteous thought. Gavin is currently asleep, but I'm sure he'd be okay with you staying in the apartment for a while until he wakes up."

"Really? I... don't want to intrude."

"I'm certain." Opening the door fully Lucas stepped aside and let the firefighter inside the apartment. "In a way you stopping by is beneficial to everyone."

Aaron entered the apartment and gave Lucas curious stare as he shuffled about nervously on his feet. "Oh? Is something happening?"

"I was merely going to visit my brother today and I dislike leaving Gavin alone after he's worked himself into exhaustion. Again. If you'd be willing to stick around to ensure he isn't alone when he wakes up I'd be very grateful."

"That won't be a problem at all." Flashing Lucas a cheesy grin Aaron looked toward the hallway leading to the two bedrooms in the apartment with a hungry stare in his eyes. "Go enjoy your day with your brother, I'll keep Gavin company for as long as he can take it."

"Thank you."

Lucas didn't need to be a detective model of android to know that Aaron had every intention of spending his day off with Gavin and that they'd both appreciate some privacy during their time together. Without a word Lucas grabbed the leather jacket from the hook by the door, the very jacket Hank had purchased him last January, and slipped it on over his white t-shirt and unbuttoned cherry red dress shirt to help him keep warm.

"I will return later this evening."

"Right, don't worry about Gavin." Aaron gave the deviant a friendly smile as he removed his shoes and placed them on the floor beside the door. "He'll be well taken care of. I enjoy helping people, and the more stubborn they are the more fun they are to help."

Taking his leave of the apartment Lucas took two steps away from the door and slipped his jacket back off. Buttoning up the red dress shirt Lucas tucked the shirt neatly into his jeans, smoothed out the front and rolled down the sleeves to button the cuffs around his wrists. He then pulled a black tie from the shirt's right breast pocket. Popping up his collar Lucas slipped the dress garment around his neck and tied it into a perfect and professional knot before securing it into place with a golden tie clip.

Returning his collar to its original place Lucas replaced his jacket and proceeded on his way to the elevator to reach the ground floor of the apartment complex. Standing beside an elderly resident Lucas pressed the button for the ground floor and cybernetically reached a deviant contact elsewhere in the city.

'This is Lucas J. Blake confirming my time of appointment for this morning. Can I have a confirmation on the time and location of said appointment?'

'One moment.' The feminine deviant voice replied in a kind tone as she checked his name on her schedule. It only took her less than two seconds to retrieve the information Lucas was seeking. 'I have your time confirmed at nine-fifteen this morning. Interview room two with Captain Rourke.'

'Thank you. I'm currently on my way.'

Ending the cybernetic call Lucas then cybernetically hailed an autonomous cab and let out a deep breath as he prepared himself for the impending meeting.

"You look like you're on your way to a wedding, young man." The sweet elderly lady was leaning heavily on her cane with her right hand and had a small shopping list clutched in her aged left hand. With a smile on her face and a brightness in her cinnamon brown eyes shining through her glasses the elderly woman approved of Lucas's current attire. "What's the special occasion?"

Giving his neighbor an appreciative half smile of his own Lucas told her of his plans for the day. "Before I go to spend the day with my brother I'm going to a very promising job interview. I suspect things will be very interesting once I begin a new career."

Thanking Abby for the ride back to the house Connor used his blazer to conceal the bottle of Thirium-based wine from Hank as he entered the house through the already unlocked front door. Being greeted by Sumo the moment he closed the door Connor rubbed the Saint Bernard's ears and acknowledged Hank as the senior detective sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his right hand while he fussed with a plate of scrambled eggs with a fork in his left hand. Walking down the hallway Connor entered his bedroom to remove his uniform and switch into his more casual clothing, and stored the Thirium-based wine on the top shelf of the closet to be kept out of sight.

After changing into his black t-shirt and second pair of dark blue jeans Connor returned to the livingroom and entered the kitchen. Opening the backdoor of the house Connor peered at the two plants beginning to slowly outgrow their pots on the patio and decided that he needed to replant them soon. Kneeling down on the brick surface Connor turned his left forearm upright, removed his artificial skin and opened up the plastimetal frame over his limb.

Removing a small spare external sensor unit from his arm Connor placed it in the terracotta pot housing his flower seedling and synced it up with his processors to remotely monitor the plant's growth through the sensor. It was a high-tech way for Connor to keep tabs over the plant and ensure it was as healthy as possible without needing to constantly observe it with his own eyes.

"I'll be sure to replant you soon to ensure you don't become root-bound as you grow."

Scanning over the small plant Connor found it odd that his carnation seedling didn't look much like the fully bloomed carnations he had passed by while at the isle the previous day. The way the seedling was growing was entirely different of the stems supporting the carnation blooms, and seemed to growing at a slower rate than estimated.

"Curious. Perhaps I should seek counsel from a botanist to better understand your development."

Standing back up from the patio Connor returned to the kitchen through the backdoor and joined Hank at the kitchen table to ask about the previous night's case. The confirmation that Argus was going to be sentenced to the maximum extent of the law was only a very mild comfort in comparison to everything that's happened in the city over the past five months. Dealing with a second serial killer targeting deviants in less than three months was something that Connor just couldn't ignore.

The way Abby told him about finding a sense of happiness and being more open to romance made Connor's right hand reflexively go for the silver band he had tucked in his jean pocket, only to remember that he wasn't wearing his uniform anymore and stopped. The very idea of finding joy in such a harsh, cold, cruel world seemed like an impossible dream that Connor was beginning to believe he'd never achieve.

"So how was Abby after that fucked up night?" Finishing off his coffee Hank looked to the deviant across from him for a few answers. "Is she okay?"

"Yes." Putting both hands up on the table Connor noted that the technician was back in a healthy state of mind. "She was very shaken up last night and she asked me to stay since she didn't want to be alone. When she awoke this morning she seemed completely fine, and had gone to work as usual."

"That's good. She's tough so I'm not surprised." With the final bite of his eggs finished Hank cleared his dishes from the table and placed them in the sink. "I'm going to work on the car since we have the day off. What're you going to do?"

"I'm going to take Sumo for a walk and then I'm going to stop by a local florist to get larger pots for the plants out back."

"Good plan. I'm sure Sumo will approve, too."

"I'd hope so. Will you need any help with the car before I go?"

"Nah. Simple oil change, battery test and tires being balanced now that the cold weather is behind us are all things I can do alone. How about your shoulder?" Remembering that Connor had been grazed by a bullet the previous night Hank pointed to the deviant's right shoulder curiously. "Are ya' good?"

"Yes. My shoulder has healed entirely."

"Cool. Now as long as you can avoid more bullets as you go about your day then I'll say we can call this a relaxing day off."

"That'd be nice." Rising from the table Connor walked over to the front door and pulled his leather jacket off the hook and then did the same with Sumo's leash beneath. Without saying a word Connor knelt down and clipped the lead to Sumo's collar after the Saint Bernard sat down at his feet without even needing to be called; the sight of the leash was all Sumo needed to know he was about to go on a walk. "Good boy."

Opening the front door Connor let Sumo lead the way as they went about a nice walk around the neighborhood. Making a conscious decision to avoid the dog park as he didn't want to risk running into another angry human with only Sumo as his companion Connor chose to instead walk around the next few blocks, and take a new route as he explored the area.

While Hank didn't live in the nicest neighborhood in the city he didn't necessarily live in the worst area, either. Many of the houses were owned by upper-middle class families, while others were put on the market after the success of the peaceful Revolution. Several of which were undergoing reconstruction after the new laws giving deviants the right to own property ensured that many deviants would purchase the houses for themselves. At the moment everything was quiet as construction wouldn't begin until noon according to the city ordinance, and as such many people were still sleeping through the morning.

Enjoying the peaceful silence of the neighborhood Connor closed his eyes as he walked and occasionally gave the leash a firm tug when he could feel Sumo straying too far off the sidewalk, or stopping too long to sniff at the trees, decorative shrubbery and fire hydrants along the street.

"Keep walking, Sumo. I know it's a new place but-"

A sudden cry of pain caught Connor's ear making the deviant stop mid stride and look toward the source of the sound. Sumo began whining and pulled at the leash as he too heard the cry of pain. A second cry, sharper and louder than before, immediately made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow as his scanner tried to locate the person in distress.

"Someone's in trouble."

Honing in on a small house that was being renovated by a local construction crew Connor began jogging toward the place of interest with Sumo leading the way. Hearing the cries of pain and fear coming through the front door of the house Connor instinctively checked the doorknob and found it to be locked. Peering through the front window beside the door Connor spotted a young woman laying on her side in the middle of the livingroom floor in great physical distress. A simple scan of the woman told Connor that she was deep in labor and about to give birth.

"Damn it." Letting go of Sumo's leash Connor checked the window and was relieved that it was so old and in need of repair that he could easily slide it open without breaking it. "I work with the Detroit Police Department." Connor stated as he put both palms down on the windowsill and lifted himself up from the ground before pulling his body through the window to get the woman in distress. "I'm going to help you."

"It hurts!" The woman sobbed in such a pitiful voice that Connor swore he felt his own heart ache on her behalf. "It hurts so much!"

As he got closer to her Connor realized that the young woman was in fact a teenage girl who was scared out of her mind. She was to term and couldn't have been older than fifteen years old. Kneeling down beside her Connor let the frightened teenager grab onto his left hand and squeeze for dear life as he placed his right palm over her laboring belly.

"What's your name?"

"...T-Tara!" Between contractions and sobs of pain Tara managed to answer Connor's questions as the deviant timed her contractions and then shrugged off his leather jacket. Not resisting when Connor rolled her from her side and onto her back Tara looked up at the kind deviant with tears in her blue eyes. "My name is Tara."

"Tara, my name is Connor." Cybernetically Connor contacted emergency services and requested an ambulance come to the house to transport the teenager and her soon to be born child to the hospital. "How long have you been in labor?"

"A-All night..." Whimpering again as another contraction burned through her middle Tara sought Connor's hand and began crushing it as the pain peaked and refused to let up. "...It hurts so much! I t-tried to get some help, but I waited until m-morning before I left the sh-shelter."

"You'll be okay, Tara." Helping Tara to bend her legs so her knees were pointed upward Connor draped his jacket over her legs in a modest manner. Holding up his right palm Connor showed the teenager a holographic projection of his badge to confirm his identity to ensure she felt safe with him. "I have the proper emergency training and will keep both you and your baby safe."

"Don't tell my parents! I won't go back to them!"

"...Your parents?" Carefully removing the teenagers black sweatpants Connor continued to talk to her and keep her somewhat distracted as her labor progressed at a steady pace. Removing the artificial skin from over his right hand to expose the sterilized plastimetal beneath Connor prepared to help the laboring teen deliver. "Why not?"

"My mother is a junkie who will sell the baby for drug money! And her husband is the one who did this to me!"

"Your own father-"

"He's not my father! He's my step-dad and he's a monster!"

"I... I'm sorry." Running a scan over Tara's body Connor could see that she was not only in active labor, but the baby had descended down the birth canal and was ready to crown. With Tara being fully dilated there was no time to wait for the ambulance and paramedics; Connor needed to help her deliver the baby at that very moment. "I won't contact your parents and I'll help you stay away from them."

"Th-Thank you!"

"Tara, you're ready to deliver. When you feel the next contraction you need to hold your breath, bring your chin down toward your chest and push for at least ten seconds. Push as hard as you can and I'll help you."

"I'm scared!"

"It's okay to be scared. You'll be okay and I promise you'll be safe, trust me." Letting her hold onto his left hand throughout the entire ordeal Connor did his best to act as though he had helped deliver babies before to keep Tara as calm as possible. "Get ready to push."

Nodding frantically as another contraction tore through her body without mercy Tara did as she was instructed and began to push. Letting out a pained grunt as she pushed with all her strength Tara would've surely broken Connor's hand if he had bones in favor of plastimetal. Her tight grip left her fingernails marks cutting into his artificial skin just enough to create pale blue indentations in the lifelike material.

"Very good." Monitoring her vital signs with his scanner Connor was keeping close tabs on both Tara and baby's heart rates and oxygen levels. "On the next contraction push exactly as you had done before. Keep pushing with each contraction with all your strength."

Four more good hard pushes finally managed to get the baby low enough to begin fully crowning. Letting out a sharp gasp of pain Tara fell back flat on the floor and began crying frantically at the horrible burning pain her body was going through.

"It's okay, Tara. You're doing very well." Focusing on helping the baby's head out to prevent tearing Connor knew that a verbal discussion could be very distracting when a person is in pain. "Do you have a name for the baby picked out?"

It took a moment for Tara to realize that she had been asked a question as she focused on pushing with each contraction that accompanied her panting breaths. She trusted Connor in delivering her baby and determined to pull through the horrible ordeal. "...C-Cynthia if it's a girl." Struggling to breathe and push as the baby fully crowned Tara forced herself to answer the question. "...Tyler if it's a boy."

"Those are nice names." Easing the baby's head out right his right palm Connor made sure the newborn turned appropriately, and held the infant's head in his palm in a supportive manner. "Almost there, push again to remove the shoulders."

Tara took in another deep breath and pushed for the final time and delivered her healthy baby into the world.

"That's it." Holding the infant in both of his exposed plastimetal hands Connor checked its nose and mouth to ensure its airways were clear before flicking the bottoms of its feet to elicit a cry. Once the newborn began crying and took in its first breath Connor stared down at the new life he had witnessed coming into the world with absolute awe in his soulful brown eyes. "...It's a girl."

"A girl?! Cynthia... She's Cynthia!"

The sound of sirens racing to the house pulled Connor out of his trance long enough to gently place Cynthia down on Tara's chest before guiding her hands to the baby's head and back to hold her appropriately. Standing up from the floor Connor walked over to the front door and unlocked it to let the paramedics inside to tend to Tara and Cynthia on his behalf.

"Tara, help is here." Kneeling down beside her again Connor ran another scan to make sure both mother and baby were stable. Pressing his right palm down over Tara's lower abdomen Connor applied pressure to ensure she didn't bleed out while her afterbirth was delivered, and continued to speak to her in a comforting manner. "What made you pick the names 'Cynthia' and 'Tyler'?"

"Cynthia was my grandmother's name. My... My real dad's name was Tyler."

The past tense made Connor's blue L.E.D. flicker to yellow once in sympathy. "...Was?"

"He was killed in a car accident when I was eight years old. That's when everything changed and went to Hell."

"I'm sorry, Tara. But things will get better for you."

The paramedics entered the house through the front door with a gurney and portable O.B. kit to tend to the already delivered newborn and new mother. Positioning the gurney next to their patients the two medics assessed the situation and responded appropriately.

"Her name is Tara." Staring at the newborn with the same sense of awe in gaze Connor found himself oddly fascinated by the tiny baby crying in her mother's arms. "The baby is a girl and was delivered one minute, fourteen seconds ago without complication."

While the two paramedics checked on Tara and Cynthia the teenager began crying tears of relief and happiness.

"Sir?" The first paramedic looked over at Connor and gave him a wary glance. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sergeant Connor Wolf. I called 911."

"Sergeant?"

"I'm a detective."

"Oh!" Passing Connor a disinfecting wipe the paramedic watched as the deviant cleaned off his hands. "Glad you were in the neighborhood."

"As am I. For the record Tara does not want to establish contact with her parents."

Picking up on something interesting the paramedic stood upright and pulled his notebook and pen from his pocket to stand directly in front of Connor while his partner cleaned up Tara and cut the tied off umbilical cord. "Can you give me a statement on what happened while we were en route?"

Nodding discreetly Connor wrote down that Tara had been sexually abused by her step-father and requested that a social worker help Tara find a safe place to live and raise Cynthia away from her drug addict mother, and the mother's sexual predator of a husband. "...If you have any other questions you can contact me through my precinct."

"Right. We'll take good care of her, Sergeant."

Connor proceeded to help the paramedics gently lift Tara up from the floor and onto the gurney before he reclaimed his jacket and prepared to exit the house to take his leave. "The original owners of this house are currently out of town, I'll request patrol to come by the house and get in contact with them to let them know what has happened."

"I'm sure they weren't expecting a baby to born in their livingroom, that's for sure."

"Tara?" Walking alongside the gurney as Tara and Cynthia were wheeled to the back of the ambulance Connor's detective side made an appearance. "May I ask why you entered this house? Why not go to a hospital?"

"I was trying to get a house that I was told was a safe delivery sight. The pain became too much and I couldn't keep walking." Adjusting Cynthia in her arms Tara told Connor the rest of her strange story. "I knocked on the backdoor of this house to see if anyone was home, but it was empty. It was unlocked so I went inside to get off the street and try to catch my breath." Reaching into her own jacket pocket Tara passed Connor a piece of paper that had an address written down on top of it. "This is where I was trying to go. Hospitals are too judgmental..."

"I'll be sure that information is passed along to patrol." Taking the paper slip for himself Connor gave Tara one of his business cards from his jacket pocket then took a step back to give the two paramedics room to secure the gurney in the back of the ambulance. "You'll be safe at the hospital, Tara. You and Cynthia will both be helped. If you feel like you're being discriminated against then contact me. I'll help you."

"Thank you, Connor."

"You're welcome." Watching as Tara was loaded into the back of the ambulance Connor slipped his jacket back on and called over Sumo as the Saint Bernard patiently sat in the small flowerbed under the front window after Connor had slipped inside the house. "Come on, Sumo."

Plodding over to Connor obediently Sumo wagged his tail and followed after the deviant after his leash was reclaimed.

"We should go home now."

Unfolding the paper Connor began walking down the sidewalk just as the ambulance took off in the opposite direction of where he was currently walking. Reading the address Tara had been trying to find as he reached the end of the block Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he immediately recognized the address, and felt his heart skip a beat in his chest.

"...This day somehow just got more interesting."

Keeping the garage door open Hank worked under the Oldsmobile's hood and listened to music from the stereo system that Connor unburied when he cleaned up the garage in his stead after hurting his back. The additional room in the garage was greatly appreciated and Hank was determined to not mess things back up while he worked on the aged vehicle. Stepping away from the old engine as he wiped a red rag over his oil and grease covered palms Hank spotted a familiar face walking up the driveway and heading his way.

At first Hank thought it was Connor coming back home but Sumo wasn't there, and the steel gray eyes looking back at him were far from the soulful brown eyes that Connor bore. Stepping around the vehicle Hank nodded at Lucas as he tossed the red rag carelessly over his shoulder and onto the workbench behind him to remain for the rest of the day.

"Hey, Lucas."

"Hello, Hank."

The red shirt under Lucas's jacket caught Hank's attention and the black tie left casually draped around his collar was just as interesting. "What's with the fancy clothes?"

"I just left a job interview."

"Oh, really? Where at?"

"The Eastern Precinct out on-"

"Over on LaGrange... That's Captain Rourke's command." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank thought back to how each precinct was run at a different pace and of how each Captain had their own personality that set the mood for the entire precinct. Rourke wasn't a bigot, but he wasn't as open minded as anyone would hope in the aftermath of the Revolution. "I've met him a couple times. Good clean record, no problems with android abuse... But I can't say the same for the rest of his bullpen."

"I'll be okay, Hank. I know not to let my guard down until I'm certain I can trust someone."

"Good to hear."

"May I ask where Connor is at the moment?"

"He's taking Sumo for- Never mind." Motioning toward the driveway behind Lucas the senior detective indicated that Connor has just returned home. "He's back."

"Connor." Turning to face the deviant he hoped to call his 'brother' Lucas greeted him properly. "It's good to see you."

"Hello, Lucas." Unclipping Sumo from the leash Connor watched as Sumo rushed up to Lucas to seek some attention from the second deviant. Keeping the paper clutched in his left hand Connor seemed a little edgy and eager to speak to Hank for a moment. "It's nice to see you again."

The low tone of Connor's voice and the distant gleam in his soulful brown eyes stood out in Lucas's mind, and needed to be addressed. "Are you okay?"

With his brow furrowing for only a moment Connor's blue L.E.D. blinked once in yellow before returning to blue. "Pardon?"

"You seem distressed. I can also detect your elevated stress levels." An inexplicable instinct to protect Connor prompted Lucas to keep asking questions until he understood what was on Connor's mind. "Has something happened?"

"...I had an interesting night and now an equally interesting morning."

"How so?"

Looking past Lucas and toward Hank behind him Connor seemed to be silently asking questions that only the senior detective could answer.

"Uh," Hank knew that Connor wanted a moment to think before he spoke and offered a mild stall on Connor's behalf. "why don't we go inside and talk for a while? There's a lot of things we need to discuss right now, so we might as well do it while sitting on our asses."

The two deviants exchanged glances before following after Hank through the side garage door to return to the house. Making sure Sumo went back inside as well Connor and Lucas accompanied Hank to the livingroom to remove their shoes and to hang up their jackets politely. The moment Lucas's red dress shirt and loose tie were fully exposed Connor sensed that the deviant had begun taking steps to move forward and have a career beyond street musician.

As for Lucas he could detect trace amounts of human blood and other fluids on Connor's hands the knees of his jeans. Of the two deviants it seemed Connor's story was far more interesting than Lucas's story.

"So... Lucas, you had an interview at Eastern with Captain Rourke." Dropping into his recliner with a breathy sigh Hank looked at the steel eyed deviant as he sat down on the couch next to Connor. "What were your first impressions of him?"

"Beyond Captain John Rourke's impressive career as a detective who solved numerous homicide cases and helped close fourteen separate cold cases, he seems to be a person with a sincere attitude and penchant for discipline."

"No red flags?"

The human term was entirely foreign to Lucas and made his gray eyes narrow with confusion. "...'Red flags'?"

"You know, a gut instinct telling ya' that something might be a little off. Your intuition."

"Oh... No." Now understanding the metaphor for identifying immoral behavior Lucas replied honestly as his eyes scanned the fluids on Connor's person without looking directly at him. Blood, amniotic fluid and trace amounts of human waste. "I didn't see any sign of deception or questionable behavior from Captain Rourke during my interview."

"That's good. And did anyone in the bullpen give you a red flag when went in or left?"

"No. I believe I was of total disinterest to the other officers and detectives in the bullpen."

"Alright, that's a good start. When will you know if you have the job?"

"Tomorrow morning. I will be contacted and informed of his decision after my application and overall interview are reviewed, and my personal records have been thoroughly investigated to confirm that I have no criminal background."

"Sounds about right, I hope you get the job."

"Thank you, Hank." Changing the subject from himself and toward Connor beside him Lucas acknowledged Connor's tense behavior curiously. "Connor, can I ask why you seem so distressed?"

"...I'm merely thinking. I have been handling two different cases revolving around serial killers targeting androids, and a friend of mine was nearly killed last night when she volunteered to help me."

"She was nearly killed?" Lucas's L.E.D. flashed to red with absolute concern. "Was she harmed during the altercation?"

"Thankfully, no. She was nearly taken as a hostage and threatened; never physically injured"

"...That's good to know." While his L.E.D. cycled through yellow and then back to blue Lucas was relieved to know that his friend wasn't wounded. "May I ask who this friend is?"

"Dr. Grayson. Abby wanted to help us locate the person responsible for targeting and killing sixteen human-deviant couples. In the end she was taken by him and nearly killed, but I found her before he could pull the trigger."

"Abby's okay now..." Lucas reiterated with audible relief. "But what about you?"

"...I'm okay. It's not the first time I've had a gun pointed at me."

Lucas wasn't convinced and pushed Connor to keep talking. "There is clearly something bothering you. What has happened?"

Pausing for a moment Connor glanced down at the paper in his right hand and then handed it over to Hank to take for himself as he finally spoke up about his unusual morning encounter. "...During my walk with Sumo I had to aid a young woman in distress. She was pregnant and trying to come here."

Hank accepted the paper and immediately recognized the handwriting that had given Tara his address. "I'll be damned. Looks like Blair is still helping runaways and battered women in need."

"You know why the young woman I assisted was trying to come here?"

"I have an idea. Was she a teenager?"

"Yes." Seeking further information from Hank as it was clear the senior detective knew something he didn't know Connor answered honestly. "Why was she trying to come here instead of going to a hospital or stay with the woman you mentioned?"

"This house has been designated as a 'safe delivery site', and Blair has a private shelter where she helps teens who ran away from shitty homes and women escaping abusive relationships. Barb and I had helped dozens of young girls deliver their babies right here a few years back." Hank pointed to the livingroom floor as he spoke with pride in his tone. "We also had a couple of newborns dropped off at the front step needing care, and we've helped a few grown women as well. I never asked for the house to be taken off Blair's list of safe places."

"I see."

"What happened to the girl you helped, kid?"

"She ended up giving birth in a house under renovation. She had a girl and suffered no complications."

"That's good!" The positive news made Hank's blue eyes light up with excitement at the idea of Connor helping deliver a baby. "Hey, you helped deliver a baby for the first time today. Welcome to the club!"

"The... club?"

"Sure. It's a milestone and an honor to help deliver babies like that, and not everyone gets to say that they took part in such a miraculous moment."

"It was very... fascinating to experience." Staring down at his palms Connor remembered how it felt to hold the crying, squirming newborn as she took her first breath in the new world. Everything he had gone through that morning was unexpected yet incredible. "The young woman was scared and in pain, yet she was willing to trust me enough to help her deliver her child."

"It's amazing what some people are capable of when they're desperate or scared. I imagine she was both." Rubbing his palm over the back of his neck Hank gave both deviants a somewhat casual shrug of his shoulders. "I also imagine her maternal instincts were kicking in and she was more focused on making sure her baby was going to be okay. The maternal instinct is one of the strongest things in this fucked up world... Almost unbreakable."

"She told me that her own mother is addicted to drugs and her step-father... violated her. It seems that instinct isn't strong for everyone."

"Ah, shit..." Hank's heart truly went out to Tara and he hadn't even met her. "Poor thing."

"She chose to try to come here until she was in too much pain to walk because she didn't trust hospitals. She said that they are 'too judgmental'."

"Well, she isn't wrong."

"...I can't help but worry that she won't be able to keep her child because she herself is still arguably a child. That seems very unfair to both of them."

"Hey, things aren't as cold and cruel as they used to be. There's a lot of programs that help teen parents handle the difficult adjustment into parenthood while getting their education. I'm sure she'll be just fine."

"I hope you're right."

Lucas now understood why Connor had traces of blood and other fluids on his person, and could only imagine what he had gone through. "I believe you being there in her time of need will greatly aid that young girl in her decisions in a very positive manner." The memories of how Gavin had saved himself from the cold street and gave him a place to stay gave Lucas a strong feeling that Connor's act of kindness was going to have a very positive impact. "You helped an innocent person in need when she needed it the most, and in turn you also helped her child. She will always remember that."

"But do you think she will find a way to be happy?" The very idea of happiness continued to elude Connor no matter how much he tried to understand it. "She's suffered from so much loss, betrayal and isolation at such a young age."

Instantly Hank picked up on the projection that Connor was unknowingly expressing and tried to reassure the doubtful deviant. "Sounds like if she's already hit rock bottom then the only way left for her to go is back up. You were the first person to offer her your hand and help her out, so there's a very good chance that she's going to be just fine in the next few months."

"...Maybe."

"No maybe about it, son. Take it from me, a single act of kindness can be the greatest gift a person can receive when they feel their worst."

Unsure of how to respond to that comment Connor could only nod and put his left palm on Sumo's ears when the Saint Bernard sat down beside him and pressed his chin over Connor's knee. Unaware of how much his emotions resonated with his friends Connor continued to remain lost in his feelings while those around him continued to offer their support.

Smoothly changing the subject Hank did his best to the lighten the heavy mood in the air. "Did ya' get your flower taken care of?"

"...No. I was sidetracked."

"Then go head out to the store. Lucas," Hank pointed to the second deviant and motioned toward Connor with his eyes. "go with him. If you're both going to be working as detectives then you'll want to take advantage of when you both have time off at the same time. Socializing is never easy when you work in law enforcement."

Understanding that Hank just wanted Connor to continue about his day despite everything that's happened to him as of late Lucas stood up from the couch and made his way toward the front door. "I have no experience with gardening, but I'm willing to learn and help."

Giving Sumo's ears one final rub Connor stood up as well and met Lucas by the front door to reclaim their jackets and shoes. "It isn't complicated dealing with plants, merely time consuming and they require patience."

"Sounds like my roommate."

Letting out a small chuckle at the comment Hank watched as the two deviants stepped outside and took their leave of the house once more to spend the afternoon in one another's company. Holding out his left hand Hank beckoned Sumo over and rubbed his hand along Sumo's chin lightly.

"I don't know if Connor being around Lucas is going to help him with his deviancy or not, but at least I know in time that the kid will have a little brother to look after so he doesn't feel alone anymore."

Sumo grumbled once as scooted closer to Hank and pressed his chin down over the chair's armrest.

"Then again, the way Lucas is acting he might actually be the big brother looking after Connor instead." Something about deviants being siblings struck Hank as both amazing and amusing. "And that type of relationship could be exactly what Connor needs to finally see that he's a good person and worthy of life, AND happiness."

-next chapter-