Recovering well from his previous day's injury Connor saw Lucas off as the helpful deviant hailed an autonomous cab to take him to his own precinct to begin his second day as a new detective. Supporting his back with his left hand Connor limped away from the front door and leaned against the back of the couch as he ran yet another self diagnostic to get a time frame for when his self healing program would finish mending the damage to the plastimetal frame along his back. The long hours of repairs felt like an eternity to an android, but for a deviant android in pain time itself might as well have halted entirely. Grimacing and running his right hand through his messy locks of dark hair Connor could feel his stress levels rising slowly as the pain intensified with every second he stood upright instead of laying down to keep the weight and strain off his back.

Feeling a firm hand on his left shoulder made Connor turn to look at Hank as the senior detective motioned for the deviant to lay down again. Having suffered from his own chronic back problems in the past Hank knew all too well how much a backache drained you of your energy and the will to do anything beyond sleep or breathe.

"...My self healing program won't finish the repairs to my affected dorsal frame for another eighteen hours, twenty-six minutes and forty-three seconds."

"You can make it. Less than a full day with a bad back is actually a good thing compared to how much worse it could be."

"I know."

"Lay down on the couch and rest your back for a while."

"I dislike remaining idle for too long." Dragging his feet as he walked around the side of the couch to lay down Connor lowered himself down against the soft cushions to lay on his stomach and keep all his weight off his back for as long as possible. Using the pillow that Lucas had been using the night before Connor tucked it under his head as he let out a soft sigh. "...I shouldn't need any extended time off to heal in general."

"Kid, we've been over this before. You're NOT indestructible."

"I was designed to be flawless."

"You're also a prototype, so by that very definition CyberLife tried to get you to be something you're not. Perfection isn't possible for anyone, so don't try to hold yourself to such an impossible standard."

"...I'll try to remember that."

"I'm going to go take Sumo on his walk once he finishes eating so he doesn't climb all over you and hurt your back by accident. Need me to get anything for you while I'm out?"

"...Such as?"

"I don't know. More Thirium, maybe some of that weird android pain killer stuff if you want to try it... Whatever you may need I'll go and get it."

"No. I just need time to heal."

"Alright then. Take it easy and please don't move from the couch until after I get back home, okay?"

"...Okay."

"Hey, don't act like you're being punished or think you did anything wrong." Walking over to the front door Hank picked up Sumo's leash from the hook and patted the side of his leg to call the massive dog over to him from the kitchen. "As a detective you need to understand that getting hurt is going to be a constant possibility, especially since you don't have those CyberLife creeps stalking your every move. Now you're going to be less graceful than you were before you deviated."

"I'm aware."

"Then keep reminding yourself it's okay to get bumped and bruised along the way." Bending down Hank clipped the lead to Sumo's collar and tightened his grip on the leash before he opened up the front door to take his leave. "I'll be back in maybe an hour."

Staying on the couch as he listened to the sound of the front door opening and then closing Connor stared blankly at the coffee table beside him with complete indifference in his gaze. The silence of the house was almost eerie, whereas the stillness was calming. Something about not moving or being expected to move or go anywhere else helped to reduce Connor's stress levels despite the deviant being frustrated with not only himself, but the world around him.

Feeling glum and useless Connor prepared to return to rest mode only to have the effort interrupted by an unexpected message from an unexpected deviant.

'Connor? It's Skye.'

Responding to the message with confusion as a comforting warmth washed over his heart Connor's demeanor suddenly perked up. 'Skye? Is there something I can help you with?'

'Maybe. I... I heard you were hurt yesterday in that explosion downtown.' She paused as if trying to test the boundaries so she didn't do anything to offend or upset Connor. 'If it's okay I'd like to discuss the investigation into Martin Jonas, but if you don't want to I completely understand.'

'N-No, it's fine. I'm merely at home resting.'

'...Okay then. I'll wait until you return to the precinct.'

'There's no need to wait.' Surprised by his own words it was Connor's turn to pause before speaking up again. '...You can come here so we can talk in person, or continue cybernetic contact.'

'...You don't mind?'

'No. In fact, I'd prefer to have some company right now while I heal.'

'Oh, I see. Okay then, I'll hail a taxi and stop by your house.'

'That's optimal. I'll send you the address.'

'Okay, I'll see you soon, Connor.'

'Yes. See you soon.'

Lifting his head up from the pillow Connor glanced down at his attire, or lack there of, and sighed. He didn't have the energy to change out of the blue scrub bottoms and into his jeans, let alone find a t-shirt to cover his exposed chest and abdomen. Settling for the blanket that had been left neatly folded over the back of the couch to cover himself up Connor forced himself to sit upright against the couch, but shift his weight to keep pressure off his back as he waited for his unexpected but welcome guest to arrive.

"...I hope she isn't still afraid that she'll be attacked by Jonas or anyone else like him."

Limping in pain as both Tina and Aaron helped him back into his apartment Gavin found himself surprisingly alone, only to remember that Lucas had his own work schedule to stick to now. Happy to be out of the hospital and granted his freedom Gavin pulled his left arm from around Tina's shoulders and managed to get over to his own couch without any problems while his two friends gave him space. The moment he sat down Gavin had Lucky on his lap as she purred loudly and rubbed her nose against his chin seeking attention.

Aaron just smirked at the sight and decided that since Lucky's food bowl was empty that she needed to have some fresh food provided. The moment he picked up the bag of food Lucky forgot all about Gavin and was far more interested in Aaron.

"Traitor..." Grumbling at the fickle feline Gavin pressed his right hand to his sore ribs and watched as Tina gave him an annoyed look. "...What?"

"I wish you would've stayed at the hospital. That's what."

"I don't need you to baby sit me, Ti'."

"You getting blown up yesterday says otherwise."

"I wasn't blown up, I was just in the proximity of an explosion set off by a drugged out freak!"

"Same thing."

"Don't you have to go to work?"

"I do. In fact, I need to work some overtime to cover for your absence." The annoyed glare to turned to a coy glance as Tina backed toward the door. "And since I got to meet Aaron last night that means when we meet up for drinks tomorrow night I get to have double my usual amount since I know you're in good hands."

"Yeah, yeah..." Waving his hand dismissively Gavin failed to hide his amused smirk at getting paid time off while Tina had to go to work. "Just don't do what you did last time and drink so much you end up crying over a plate of nachos."

"No promises! I'll see you tomorrow night, no exceptions. And Aaron," opening the apartment door Tina gave the helpful and very kind firefighter a knowing glance. It was clear Aaron was truly smitten with Gavin and it seemed Gavin felt the same way. "don't let him out of your sight!"

Offering Tina a playful salute as he tossed a kitchen hand towel over his shoulder Aaron happily took up the responsibility on her behalf. "Yes, ma'am." The moment the door shut Aaron walked back into the livingroom and leaned over the back of the couch to give Gavin a kiss on his cheek. "Be good!"

"To quote our dear, sweet Tina: 'No promises'."

"I like it when you're fiery."

"As a firefighter you should hate that!"

"Don't tell me how to live my life."

"Are you going to spend the whole day flirting with me, or what?"

"'Or what' sounds fun..." Throwing the towel back into the kitchen where it landed on the counter Aaron playfully fell over the back of the couch and on top of Gavin without hurting his still healing ribs. Moving his hands up Gavin's sides toward his ribs Aaron leaned down and kissed him on his lips. "Let's see how this day of 'or what' goes..."

Keeping as still as possible as he waited on the couch Connor sensed the autonomous taxi pulling up in front of the house and coming to a gentle stop without even needing to turn his head to look out the window. As Skye exited the vehicle and neared the front door Connor felt his heart warm even further, and a strange sense of excitement filled his mind at the prospect of seeing her again. Taking in a slow breath Connor waited for Skye to knock on the door before he spoke up and invited her inside.

Two firm knocks announced Skye's presence.

"Come in."

Opening the door slowly and quietly Skye set foot inside the house and glanced around the livingroom warily. "...Connor?"

"I'm here on the couch."

Glancing down Skye saw the telltale signs of shoes often being placed down by the occupants of the house and did the same out of respect. Walking over to the couch Skye looked at Connor as he sat still on the furniture, and sighed at how tired and sore he looked. "I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly during that explosion."

"As am I." It was rare that Connor ever said he was 'glad' about anything. It's as if Skye being around him made him feel more optimistic. "I have damage to my lower back but it's healing well."

"That's good. I heard through the cybernetic news line that the man who caused the explosion didn't survive."

"No, he did not."

"It's a shame that someone did that out of desperation and paranoia."

"Agreed. But I can assure not every person is like him or like Martin Jonas, or any other person who has targeted deviants in the past. Truly dangerous and sadistic people are few and far between."

"...I know."

"Skye, what did you want to discuss?"

"Rumor has it that Jonas has been sentenced to death row." Sitting down on the couch near Connor the quiet but bold deviant gave him an almost broken stare as she forced herself to establish eye contact with Connor. "His trial was swift and he had been found guilty."

"That's right."

"But the jury was composed entirely of humans... I understand that the law states someone needs to be tried by a jury of their peers, but deviants are supposed to be equal to humans now. Will every human be sentenced by humans only? Or will deviants finally have their say in court?"

"...I can't say one way or another, Skye."

"Yeah... I guess you can't. It just feels like us having a say in the courts will give us true credibility as equals."

"Please don't lose faith in the law's ability to progress beyond the previous prejudices it once held. Every day the city is moving further from its darker past and into a bright future."

"It's hard not to lost faith when you have nothing else to hold onto."

"...Is there something else going on?" His keen eye as a detective told him that Skye was dealing with something very personal, and for a reason he couldn't explain he wanted to help her. The concern was reflected perfectly as his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow for a moment. "Has someone threatened you or harmed you?"

"N-No, nothing like that. It's just... I'm stagnating."

"Stagnating?"

"So many deviants have been able to move on with their lives and become someone better than who they once were. And yet... I just keep hiding in a small room in a deviant shelter downtown; only leaving when I absolutely have to, and even then it feels like I've accomplished nothing."

"You feel like you haven't found what it is about your life that makes it your own."

"...I think that's it. How did you move on from your own previous experiences?"

"I remained a detective because I found the work satisfying and I've been able to help our people without getting too close to them." The answer was so sure and confident as Connor replied almost instantly. "Lucas began his life as a street musician and has now become a detective as well, but it took him months of weighing his options before he made his final decision. Even North..." Speaking of the deviant who had not only kissed him, but had once dated the very deviant he saw as an untrustworthy figurehead, made Connor wince as grim memories filled his mind. "...North decided to leave Detroit to become her own person and find a new calling."

"...You're right. And that's why I decided that tomorrow I'm going to join North and help her rescue our people who have been held captive by bigoted humans, or have abused. That means crossing the border again."

The information made the warmth in Connor's heart suddenly chill to an uncomfortable degree as his L.E.D. flashed to red and cycled on yellow. "...You're leaving Detroit?"

"Yeah. It's time to go. I have no reason to stay."

Resisting the urge to put his hand over the back of Skye's hand Connor just gave her a saddened look. "...Are you certain leaving that the city is the way to go?"

"...I'm not certain about anything anymore." Skye's eyes were as full of so much sorrow that Connor could feel it. "There's only one way to find out if this is the right thing to do, and I'm willing to take that chance."

"I see..." Something about knowing that Skye was going to leave made Connor's heart feel ice cold. It almost hurt. "If that's what you feel is the right thing to do, then do it. Don't let anyone hold you back."

"Thank you for the support, Connor. You're... the first person I told about this."

"Is it a secret?"

"No. I just don't want to be told I'm a fool for wanting to have something beyond Detroit."

"It's not foolish to want something better than what you already have. I hope that whatever you do and whatever you find can help you feel a sense of purpose and belonging. Maybe even happiness."

"Thank you, Connor." Standing up from the couch Skye gently put her left hand to Connor's right cheek in a comforting manner. "You're very sweet."

"Be safe, Skye. Never see yourself as a victim, you'll always be a survivor."

"I appreciate that." Lowering her hand from Connor's cheek Skye backed away from the couch and made her way to the front door to take her leave. Replacing her shoes Skye could feel Connor watching her and it made her feel safe. "Thank you for protecting this city, Connor. Detroit still needs you to protect the deviants who are too afraid to speak up for themselves and ask for help."

Watching Skye leave the house with a heavy heart Connor couldn't help but feel like the kind deviant leaving the city somehow took a piece of his heart with her. The oddly extreme reaction had an undeniably grounding feeling for the wounded deviant. Slowly falling back down to lay on his side over the length of the couch Connor closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his chest in a form of a self hug after the unexpectedly emotional moment.

"...Stay safe, Skye." The yellow L.E.D. settled on red as an icy, heavy uneasiness settled in Connor's heart. "That's all I ask of you."

Finishing his report with Captain Rourke regarding his role in the previous night's search and rescue operation at the scene of the explosion, as well as finding the evidence to convict their suspect in grand larceny, Lucas was complimented on his efficiency and assigned a permanent partner in the homicide division. Recognizing Lucas's skills as something to be put toward more productive means; murder was far more important than white collar criminal's being greedy, Captain Rourke was happy to have the deviant on his roster to help distribute caseloads more evenly and effectively.

Walking over to his new desk Lucas eyed the cleaned off space with a sense of belonging and pulled back the chair. Lucas decided that in time he'd add small touched to personalize the space to reflect his own personality and make the desk truly his own. Turning on the terminal screen Lucas confirmed his credentials and logged in to begin working on his next case as he listened to the ambience of the bullpen around him.

An unfamiliar feminine hand placed a name placard with "Detective Lucas Blake" down on Lucas's desk and them promptly sat down at the desk across from his own as she gave the deviant a kind smile. "Hello." Placing down a second placard the woman introduced herself. "I'm Noreen Kayda. And I'm your new partner."

"Hello, Noreen." Studying the seemingly fearless woman's face closely Lucas compared her name to the precinct records and was very impressed with her previous accomplishments. Noreen was twenty-six years of age, had located fourteen missing persons and closed six cold cases. She was the only daughter of a prominent F.B.I. agent who was famous for working on the infamous 'Origami Killer' case out in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 2009, which seemed to indicate law enforcement was in her blood. "It's nice to meet you."

Noreen leaned back in her chair and studied Lucas as well. Having a tall and slender build made it easy for Noreen to look her male colleagues right in their eyes and she never let anyone talk down to her. She had a somewhat dark complexion courtesy of her father being white and her mother being black, and she had a truly radiant grin on her face. Sporting dark blue eyes, dark brown hair pulled up in a ponytail, a handful of freckles over her nose and a confident demeanor it was clear that Noreen's experiences as a detective had left her virtually unshakable.

"You've only been recently transferred to homicide." Lucas noted as he finished reading through Noreen's file. She had been working in the missing persons division for three years, but requested a transfer the previous month. As to why she wanted the change Lucas couldn't be sure though he was confident in time he'd know the truth. "As have I."

"Yeah, I noticed. I'm honestly surprised you got the opening since Roscoe over there," motioning toward the other detective of interest with a nod of her head Noreen helped fill Lucas in on bullpen gossip. "has been up Rourke's ass seeking a promotion for months."

"Roscoe?" Looking at the somewhat overweight and seemingly bitter detective without drawing unwanted attention toward himself Lucas checked over his personnel file as well. Edward Roscoe was thirty-two years of age, white, had blond hair, gray eyes and a chip on his shoulder. He worked in narcotics and had a bit of problem following orders. While his discipline file wasn't extraordinary it wasn't necessary something to be overlooked either. "Do you know him well?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. He's been here a little longer than me, and he's been craving a newsworthy promotion since day one."

"Perhaps if he learned to follow his orders instead of making impulsive judgment calls that rarely pay off he would receive such a promotion."

"You know something, Lucas?"

"What?"

"I like you." Smiling brighter Noreen gave the deviant her approval. "You and I are going to work out as partners just fine!"

Smiling return Lucas felt the same way about his new partner. "I think you're right, Noreen. I have a good feeling about this."

Unsure of how long he had been laying on the couch Connor barely reacted when Hank returned to the house and unclipped Sumo from his leash. Remaining still as Hank leaned over the couch to look down at him Connor only blinked slowly to indicate he was awake and not in rest mode. The way Hank was staring at him made Connor want to hide under the blanket since he swore he could actually feel Hank's gaze focusing directly on his face. Remaining still even as Sumo nosed under his chin and tried to get a response Connor appeared as listless and defeated as he felt.

The lack of reaction made Sumo whimper once as he settled down on the floor between the couch and coffee table to lay down. Letting out a sigh through his nose Sumo rested his chin down atop his paws in a lethargic manner.

"Kid?" Walking in front of the couch Hank put his left palm to Connor's right shoulder very lightly as he waited for a response. The silence spoke volumes and the red glowing L.E.D. confirmed the wariness the senior detective was feeling at the moment. "What's wrong?" Moving his hand from Connor's shoulder to the deviant's forehead Hank did an instinctive fever check but noted that Connor wasn't overheating. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

Lightly pushing Hank's hand away Connor closed his eyes and told the senior detective the truth. "...Skye came by to talk to me."

"Oh?" The idea of Connor socializing with anyone never occurred to him. "Is something wrong?"

"...She's leaving Detroit. She wants to be a different person."

"Did someone come after her or something?"

"No." Shaking his head a little Connor explained things with more detail. "She just wanted to leave under her own freewill."

"...And that upsets you?"

"Yes." Looking up at Hank with a somber gaze Connor sought some answers from one of the few people he actually trusted. "And I'm not sure why."

"Me neither." Sitting down on the coffee table Hank leaned forward against his knees and tried to help Connor sort through his feelings. "You're sure she wasn't threatened or assaulted?"

"Yes. I asked her before she left."

"And she wasn't injured at all, right?"

"Correct."

"Okay then. Before she arrived how were you feeling?"

"Huh?"

"Clearly her leaving is affecting you, so the answer as to why revolves around how you were feeling before she showed up."

"I... I was feeling tired." Remaining honest Connor recalled the events as they happened. "When Skye contacted me cybernetically to discuss a few things I felt... better."

"Better how?"

"I suddenly wasn't as tired and it felt like I had more energy. It event felt like I had a strange warmth in my chest."

"In your chest?" Picking up on something important Hank needed just a little more clarity before he continued with his theory. "Like... over your heart?"

"Yes. That's exactly where it came from."

"Oooh... I see."

"See what?"

"Connor, you were going through your first crush."

"...'Crush'?" The human term was completely foreign to him. "What is a 'crush'?"

"Uh... It means you were attracted to her and secretly harboring those feelings."

The comment made Connor's red L.E.D. flash to yellow for a moment as he used his left arm to push himself upward on the couch so he could sit upright and face Hank more directly. "...You're right. I was attracted to Skye and I... I didn't even know it." Blushing a pale blue Connor realized that he been drawn to Skye without recognizing the behavior, and every time he saw her the feelings grew stronger. "How is that possible?"

"You're not familiar with all your emotions just yet. It makes sense that you'd be feeling things without knowing why."

"...But after she told me she was going to leave that warmth faded. It's... It almost feels cold now. And heavy."

"That's because now that you know she's leaving the city your attraction for her has begun to fade. Hell, knowing that she's going to try to change herself and become someone knew can even affect your attraction toward her."

"...So I'm no longer attracted to her?"

"No, you're just..." Rubbing his left hand over the back of his neck nervously Hank let out a soft breath as leveled with Connor. "That type of strange feeling in your chest is actually called 'heartbreak'."

"This cold pressure in my chest is what heartbreak feels like? I don't understand."

"Son, sometimes emotions can have a physical effect on us that we can't explain. Why do humans cry when we're sad? Why do humans laugh when we're happy? Physical responses being connected to emotions is still something that humans can't figure out, so I'm not surprised that deviants are even more confused about them."

"...This pain", pressing his right palm over his chest atop his heart Connor gave Hank a teary eyed glance. "is this what you felt when you lost- Is this what you were feeling for so long?"

"Something like that. Not to invalidate your feelings but Skye is still alive, she's just leaving the city. When I lost my family they didn't just move to a new city, they sort of... left permanently."

"That type of loss would..." Connor's flat palm suddenly turned into a tight fist over his chest as he let out a soft sob. "H-How could you bear such a pain for so long? It's awful."

"I was alone and in pain, but I survived. Getting assigned to work with a smartass deviant that's way too clever for his own good helped the pain finally numb enough that I could go on with my life."

"...I don't want to be alone right now."

"You're not." Sitting down beside Connor on the couch Hank put his left palm to the back of Connor's hair and rubbed his fingers through his hair in a simple gesture of comfort. "You're not alone, Connor. I'm right here with ya' and I know Lucas will come back here if you just ask."

"This pain- I just don't understand. We were never together and she didn't share my emotions. Why does it hurt so much when there was nothing there to actually be hurt?"

"Because as wonderful as emotions can be they can also suck in the worst way. It always hurts the heart the most."

"...Is it okay to feel sad knowing that she's going away?"

"Yes, it's just fine. If you feel sad then be sad, it's okay."

Letting out another soft sob Connor leaned forward a little against his knees and didn't resist when Hank moved his hand over from the back of his hair to rest on his right shoulder. The physical contact was surprisingly comforting and Connor was appreciative of the kind gesture.

"You'll be okay, kid. Take these new experiences one day at a time and you'll be just fine." Shaking Connor's shoulder a little Hank sighed and prepared to spend the day taking care of a heartbroken deviant. "I promise you that one day you will be okay with who you are and everything you've been through."

-next chapter-