WARNING:

Story contains objectively graphic imagery from an injury, and contains the subject matter of sexual abuse. Read at your own risk, and please only do so if you're in a state of mind that can handle such content. Will put a summary in the form of an "Author's Note" at the very end of the chapter for those who do not wish to read about such subject manners.

Beginning a new morning routine Connor gave Baron some flakes of food and checked the water with his exposed right index fingertip to ensure it was clean and at the appropriately warm temperature for a betta. Having placed the small aquarium down on the nightstand beside his bed Connor was able to watch his new companion gracefully swimming about in the water and find a sense of peace wash over him as his rest mode engaged at night. In the past week since he was gifted the blue fish Connor had felt far less anxiety than usual, and was able to de-stress after each shift easier than he had previously. It was as if now that he had a small life that needed his care and attention he had a stronger motivation to make the world a better place and to overcome his lingering fears of the past to have a brighter, far better future.

It was a simple change and a small one at that, and yet for Connor it was a big improvement in his mind and his heart.

The company of the quiet and passive life was a fantastic substitute for the traitorous rose now growing up at the cabin. The fish was a beautiful, harmless creature going about its own life in its own way. His very presence was a friendly reminder to Connor of how the very first life he chose to save was a fish, which led to him saving the life of a cop and then a little girl all on the same night.

The choices he had made were positive and had positive outcomes. There was no reason for him to ever doubt his decisions or question his motives. Despite his initial role as a weapon for CyberLife against his own people Connor had become so much more than the infamous 'Deviant Hunter'. He was now a highly skilled and respected detective with a best friend, a little brother, a loyal dog and now a beautiful fish to call his own.

With Baron now fed Connor exited his bedroom to feed Sumo in the kitchen, and let him into the backyard for a few minutes while he prepared Hank a healthy breakfast. Sticking to the veggie omelette diet since Hank actually seemed to like the abundance of flavor mixed into the eggs, Connor sliced up a single grapefruit and prepared a fresh pot of coffee to accompany the omelette to ensure Hank had a decent breakfast to enjoy.

Outside a rumble of thunder in the distance pulled Connor's attention to the darkening rain clouds building over the city and his blue L.E.D. cycled to yellow as he tapped into the Doppler radar to track the storm. The severity of the storm was already being monitored very closely by many different eyes from all over the city.

"...Today is going to be less than ideal."

Thunder rumbled again and Sumo began pawing at the backdoor to be let back inside. Opening the door Connor was practically pushed out of the way as Sumo barrelled back inside to get away from the approaching storm. Crouching down to Sumo's level Connor gently rubbed at the dog's chin and ears as the Saint Bernard sought his comfort due to his fear of storms.

"You'll be safe in here, Sumo."

Staring out the opened backdoor to the darkening clouds outside Connor sighed felt an oddly tense feeling settle into his heart. A bad feeling before a shift always seemed to precede a bad day in its entirety.

"...I just hope I can say the same for Hank and myself once we're at the precinct."

As per protocol the severity of the storm caused an increase in normal patrol to keep the city as calm as possible, while every detective who wasn't working on an active case were assigned to patrol as well. Due to Hank's leg still needing a week to heal before he could walk around without the use of his crutches he was assigned the role of keeping track of patrol and rotating shifts around. Meanwhile Captain Fowler had the misfortune of tracking the storm and constantly updating the higher-ups about everything going on in the city.

With a grimace on his face Connor checked over the patrol schedule and noted that he wasn't going to be on patrol with Hank and would be required to ride alone. Never too comfortable with being alone for too long - his fear of having his program being hijacked by Amanda or CyberLife again made him unwilling to trust himself while alone, Connor begrudgingly accepted his assignment.

Tina grabbed her car keys and finished off her tea with a single gulp as then slipped on her rain jacket to begin her own assignment. "All right, let's do this."

"You seem awfully pumped up." Gavin noted as he gave his younger partner and best friend an odd look. "What gives?"

"It's the stormy air. It always gets me psyched up!"

"Yeah? Well don't let your guard down." Checking his phone Gavin sent a quick text, undoubtedly to Aaron based on the cheesy grin that appeared on his face, and then slipped the phone back in his pocket. "Stupid shit always happens on these kinds of patrols."

"You talking about how Ben got rear-ended by the autonomous taxi last winter?"

"That, and you never what idiot is going to do something stupid because they think the weird weather is an excuse to be a jackass."

"Speaking from experience?"

"No way, Ti'. I'm just talkin' based on facts." Grabbing his own keys from his desk he gave his partner a stern look and motioned toward the front door. "I don't wanna' get a report about you getting hurt or dealing with a lunatic while you're on patrol."

"I'll be fine, Gavin. I always am."

"Don't jinx it..."

Watching as the duo took their leave of the precinct to begin their respective patrols Connor took in a deep breath and tried to push aside the bad feeling he had felt earlier that morning. There was something hanging in the air that was putting him on edge and he just couldn't explain it.

"You know you can talk to me while on patrol, right?" Sympathetic to Connor's current predicament Hank reminded his partner that he wouldn't be alone for too long. Understanding Connor's hesitation Hank made it clear that he trusted the deviant and knew he'd be just fine on his own for his six hour patrol. "These types of patrols are typically boring save for some impressive lightning displays and wind storms."

"I'm not sure if it's wise for me to be alone." Nervous about being unsupervised Connor gave Hank a worried glance. "I don't want to endure another error and disappear during a storm."

"Kid, that was from being accidentally drugged, not an error. You'll be fine."

"...What if I'm just not comfortable patrolling alone?"

"That's fine, but I don't think Fowler or the higher-ups would be so receptive to such a statement."

Worried about his career Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he considered the consequences of such a statement. "I'll get reprimanded?"

"No, but you'll get reevaluated and I don't think they'd be as understanding toward a deviant's mindset as they would a human."

"Discrimination?"

"Lack of empathy and sympathy." Speaking almost indifferently Hank made it clear that while he understood Connor's plight no one else would. "They can't relate to a deviant's error or experiences."

"I see..."

"Connor, you'll be fine. Take the car, go on your patrol route and if you feel uneasy text me. I'll be sure to stay in contact at all times, okay?"

"Y-Yes. Okay." Fishing the car keys from his jean pocket Connor looked at the metal keys in his right palm for a moment until a rumble of thunder overhead drew his eyes upward as if he could see through the ceiling and roof to the storm clouds overhead. "...I can do this."

"I know ya' can. I'll see ya' back here at six so we can go home and chill for the rest of the day. It's just another day on the job."

Silently taking his leave of the precinct Connor's hands tightened into fists at his sides as he felt his anxiety returning with a vengeance. His mind began to race and his heart thundered as violently as the storm outside as he forced himself to exit the building and head out into the rain entirely alone.

Stepping into the rain Connor held his head high and marched over to the parking garage to begin his assigned patrol.

"I can do this..."

Standing in the middle of the glass encased art studio Markus looked up through the transparent ceiling to watch the storm raging over the city with his mismatched eyes focused and clear. Though he was still mourning the loss of his father Markus knew he needed to returned to New Jericho Tower and needed to remain the strong figurehead that his people deserved during times of uncertainty. While his own heart was in turmoil his people were still awash in fear, and wary of returning to the city after the string abductions and production of 'devil's kiss' resulted in several deaths and countless assaults of those who were lucky enough to escape their would-be abductors.

Watching the tiny raindrops collect together to create larger and larger puddles over the glass ceiling Markus blinked with each flash of lightning and would listen to the distant echoes of each rumble of thunder shaking the sky. The storm was as beautiful as it was fierce.

"...Life continues on even after death claims a brilliant heart."

Stepping toward the glass door of the studio leading into the rear flower garden Markus reached out his right palm to collect the falling raindrops and feel the storm running over his artificial skin. Closing his eyes Markus breathed in the scent of the storm that mixed in with the abundance of various blooming flowers in the garden before him.

"...Carl wouldn't want me to stop living because he did. He'd want me to keep moving forward and to find something to live for."

Curling his fingers around the puddle of water collecting in his palm Markus pulled his hand back and pressed his wet palm over his chest atop his heart.

"And I will find what's worth living for. My role as a leader may be over, but my place is still with my people. All of my people."

Remembering how he swore to find a way to reach out to Connor and make amends to the deviant detective for his past mistakes Markus decided that before his own life came to an end - no matter when or where that may happen, he'd atone for his failure and help Connor finally heal and move on from his past.

"I won't fail my people." Markus vowed as he listened to the storm cleansing the city around him. "I won't fail my friends."

The entire afternoon was chaotic as rain threatened to drown the entire city under a warm deluge, while harsh winds rocked the car from side to side, pushed traffic lights back so far they threatened to snap from their cables, power lines twisted in the strong gusts and trees were mercilessly shredded of their loose branches and leaves. The impressive cacophony of thunder and blindingly bright flashes of lightning created an atmosphere of natural carnage that made Connor feel uneasy as he was certain that at any moment the rain would turn to snow and ice and the warm summer air would freeze over into a frigid blizzard of death.

Getting anxious again Connor pulled his coin from his vest pocket to dance over the back of his right knuckles as he took in deep slow breaths. Slowing his already slow speed as he drove along the street on his assigned patrol route without any sign of anyone else in the area. It was eerie to feel alone yet he swore he was being watched by his former handler at all times.

Glancing up at the rearview mirror to make sure he wasn't being followed Connor felt disgusted at his paranoid behavior and lowered his eyes to the front windshield before him.

"...This is absolutely foolish. I'm acting as if Amanda is some type of malevolent spirit or god causing chaos to happen at the snap of her fingers."

Mentally steeling himself against his own fears and paranoia Connor refused to let the cruel woman plague his mind any further as he continued his patrol.

"She cannot harm me. She cannot control me. She cannot do anything anymore, she's gone. Amanda is dead."

Holding his coin firmly between the sides of his index fingertip and middle fingertip Connor stared straight through the windshield and into the storm as if staring down a raging beast beyond the rain.

"I'm free of her and of CyberLife. I have no reason to fear a simple memory."

As a strong gust of wind shook the Oldsmobile on its wheels Connor took in a deep breath and turned his attention to his coin being clutched in his fingertips.

"I removed her from my programming on the night of the Revolution. I removed her from my heart when I defied her and chose to help my people. I beat Amanda, I beat CyberLife, and I'll continue to beat the odds for as long as I keep fighting."

Sliding the coin over to the back of his thumb Connor flipped the coin into the air once before snatching it mid air in his palm, and sliding the coin into his vest pocket for safekeeping.

"Hank taught me that." Driving through the storm alone with his thoughts Connor focused on his memories with Hank as a means of distracting himself. "As long as I don't back down and as long I refuse to let other people push me around I will continue to succeed."

The lessons that Hank had taught Connor either through example or wise words had resonated within his heart without him even taking notice until that very moment.

"Hank's taught me many things since we've met. He taught me to think for myself, to trust my gut feelings and to not let the concept of what is morally right versus what is legally right sway my decisions as a detective. Hank's even helped me during my recovery periods when I've been injured, sick or depressed."

Thunder blasted through the sky with so much force the windows of the nearby buildings shook with an audible rattle.

"He's been... Hank's been a real friend to me and even a mentor."

Contemplating contacting Hank to check in on him and to update his own status as he slowly drove through the waterlogged streets Connor thought back to all of their time together over the past seven, nearly eight months. He remembered how Hank had given him a home, a bed, new clothes, encouraged him to take up new hobbies and was even willing to celebrate the holidays again for the first time since Cole had passed away. Almost everything Connor had in his life that was good was because of Hank looking after him and being a true friend, not just an ally or a partner in the precinct.

In a way it was like Hank's behavior was that of a father looking out for his child...

The memory of Hank collapsing when he had his stroke and of how he had dove to catch Hank before he fell played out in Connor's mind. As he cradled Hank up from the kitchen floor and tried to calm himself down enough to get Hank help Connor could hear his own words calling out to Hank with a shaking tone and using a term he had never said before.

"Dad".

Unsure of why he had called Hank "dad", and never really thinking about until that moment, Connor finally began to understand was prompted such an extreme reaction. In the most basic way Hank had become his father and in the most basic way Connor was in fact a child. The unorthodox duo had become a family without even realizing it.

"...Did Hank even hear it when I called him that?" Perplexed by his previous behavior and Hank's lack of reaction Connor tried to deduce his actions and words from weeks past. "He didn't say anything about it. Perhaps he didn't hear me after all."

Receiving a call from Hank as he drove alongside the Riverside Park for the umpteenth time during that single patrol Connor cybernetically answered the call, and acknowledged Hank's voice on the other end of the line. "Hello, Hank."

'How ya' doin' out there, kid?'

"I'm fine. The weather is quite extreme and it seems everyone has wisely decided to remain indoors to avoid the storm."

'Not surprised. From what we can see on the new broadcast,' Hank had been monitoring the weather between patrol rotations and knew they were in for a long shift on that rainy day. 'this storm is strong, moving slowly and is going to drop another eight inches of rain before it leaves. Wonder if the Detroit River will raise up enough for us to see it?'

"Possibly. I'm driving by it as I speak."

'Can you see Canada on the other side?'

"Negative. The rain is too dense and a white mist has formed over the water obscuring the border."

'Should've known. It's going on three o'clock, ready for a break?'

"...I'm okay, Hank. I've actually been able to handle the isolation better than I had initially expected."

'Yeah?' There was genuine pride in Hank's voice that Hank swore he could feel as well as he could hear it. 'Good to hear.'

"Would you like me to try to find an opened restaurant and bring you some lunch?"

'Nah. Me and Jeffrey are stuck here so we're going to get all the leftover food out of the fridge before it rots.'

"That sounds relatively unsanitary."

'Not as bad as letting food actively rot in an enclosed space.'

"Fair point."

'All right, kid. You keep doing your thing and come back here at six to call it a day. We got a bunch of officers eager for some overtime already on call and ready to patrol the evening and night until the storm lets up.'

"Understood. I'll see you in two hours and fifty-six minutes."

'Yeah. Stay safe out there.'

"Will do."

Ending the call Connor continued his patrol and eyed the downed tree branches all throughout the park area and the handful that had blown over the road in front of him. Relieved that there was no one else driving around Connor pulled the car to the side of the road to quickly run out and remove the obstructions from the street ahead of him to prevent accidents from occurring.

As he threw the broken branches off the street and back onto the park's property to be cleaned up later on after the storm had passed Connor shuddered at the way the rain quickly drenched his clothing. Quickly soaked through Connor rushed back to the car and pulled back out onto the partially flooded street. With his hair dripping wet and his uniform clinging uncomfortably to his artificial skin Connor decided to turn on the heater to dry off and warm up a little.

"Hopefully the summer will have more sunny days than rainy. I dislike foul weather entirely."

Shrugging off his rain soaked beige jacket Markus returned to New Jericho Tower for the first time since Carl passed away before his eyes. Glancing about the empty lobby area of the tower Markus could feel an odd tension in the air that he couldn't quite identify. There was a strange energy full of urgency and worry resonating throughout the tower that was as palpable as the pouring rain outside. Heading across the expansive lobby to the private office Markus entered the isolated space and was surprised to see all three of his allies gathered together with an emergency technician's satchel opened up, and numerous empty pouches of Thirium littered on the floor at their feet.

Sitting in the middle of one of the white sofas North silently wept as she nervously raked her right fingernails through her short, messy hair. She had small cuts and blue bruises on her face, her neck, her arms and her hands. The portions of her jeans, t-shirt and jacket that had been ripped open revealed even more cuts and bruises all over her body. The way Simon was gently sterilizing her wounds while Josh was tentatively rubbing her back in a comforting manner left Markus stunned beyond words.

Never before had Markus seen North look so weak and vulnerable, and it made a fire in his heart burn with an unparalleled intensity. Slowly approaching the sofa Markus knelt before North and resisted the urge to hold her hand as she wept in pain and fear between her two allies.

"...North?"

Having not noticed Markus's return to the tower all three deviants gave him a shocked look as their leader presented himself before them.

"North," lightly taking her cold left hand in his own Markus gave her a soft voice to listen to as he gave her an entirely supportive presence. "it's okay. You're with your friends." Taking in all of her wounds and the fear in her eye cinnamon brown eyes Markus wanted to know what she had just been through. "What happened?"

Breaking down entirely North curled around herself and began crying with painful sobs and flinched when Markus instinctively wrapped his arms around her to hold her in a tight hug. Pressing her face against Markus's right shoulder and weeping from the heart as her still bleeding wounds stained his clothing a sapphire hue, North just let herself be held as her vulnerability showed itself.

"It's okay." Whispering the words of comfort to North as he held her as tightly as he dared Markus's own eyes filled with empathetic tears and he just waited for North to find the strength to speak up and tell him what had happened. "You're okay, North. We're all here for you. I promise..."

Beyond the black rain clouds the sun was just beginning to set as evening fell over the storm drenched city. Reaching the end final hour of his patrol Connor finished his last lap around the block and began driving back to the precinct to clock-out, and pick up Hank to return home. Passing through downtown where the flooding was getting worse and the wind was gusting with extreme force so much so that Connor struggled to keep the large bodied vehicle in its lane. Tapping back into the Doppler radar system Connor watched the bright red and orange storm system slowly moving past the city, and estimated that the storm wouldn't even begin to quiet down until almost four in the morning.

That horrible feeling he had experienced that morning hadn't let up and Connor was feeling incredibly tense.

Fighting against the wind to the best of his ability Connor slowly finished his patrol and contemplated waiting out the storm back at the precinct in favor of trying to drive back through the storm to the house. Focused entirely on the partially flooded road before him Connor nearly jumped when the radio in the car suddenly screeched to indicate an emergency call had been placed.

There was a vehicle accident four blocks South of Connor's current location. According to the still partially functioning surveillance cameras that caught the accident in realtime a driver had sped through a red light and t-boned a patrol car legally passing through the intersection. Connor cybernetically tapped into the feed to see the accident before he even responded to the scene and swore at the severity of the wreck.

"Damn it..."

Due to the dangerously slippery roads the patrol car was pushed out of the intersection and against an electrical pole, effectively pinning the driver's side door shut against the pole when the offending car struck it. The passenger side door of the patrol car was pinned shut courtesy of the offending vehicle smashing into the patrol car causing said accident. Both vehicles were smoking from under the hoods, but it seemed the relentless rain was enough to keep the engines from bursting in flame.

Cybernetically Connor confirmed that he was going to the scene of the accident and requested that the fire department send a single engine to clean the leaking oil and gasoline, but to drive with extreme caution due to the torrential downpour. As for the ambulance he requested that only one arrive at the scene to ensure the large bodied vehicle didn't overturn in the rainy streets during transport.

"Hank," cybernetically checking in with Hank at the precinct Connor reestablished contact with his partner as he carefully changed direction and made his way to the scene of the accident as quickly as he could. "I'm going to respond to the vehicle accident before I return to the precinct."

'I figured you would, kid.' The way Hank sounded nonchalant confirmed he was expected Connor to check out the wreck. 'Which patrol car got hit?'

"Unknown. The rain obstructed the license plate and patrol number on the surveillance footage."

'All right. Give us a name as soon as you find out who got hit.'

"I will do so."

Reaching the rain drenched accident scene Connor parked the Oldsmobile just down the street to ensure the fire engine and ambulance would have plenty of room to work, and threw open the door to check on the occupants of the two wrecked vehicles. Running through the flooded street with loud splashes echoing with his hastened steps Connor reached the offending vehicle first and peered inside through the broken driver's side window at the lone occupant still inside.

"Sir?" Connor scanned the man's body as he remained slumped over the deflated airbag and steering wheel. There was no sign of life and his advanced scanner confirmed a broken neck as the immediate cause of the man's death. There was a powerful stench of alcohol in the air and on the man's dead breath. There were shards of broken glass on the floor around a damp puddle of the lethal whiskey that undoubtedly played a role in the accident. "Shit..."

Stepping away from the deceased man Connor checked the front of the vehicle to see if there was a way to pry open the passenger side door of the pinned patrol car, but it seemed hopeless. As he examined the trapped patrol car itself Connor connected to Hank's phone again and spoke aloud as he preconstructed the best way to get to the driver, who was seemingly unconscious and trapped in the totaled vehicle.

"Hank, the driver of the vehicle that sped through the red light is deceased. His neck was broken upon impact, and he was drunk."

'Ah, fuck... Dumb asshole went driving in the rain while drunk, I'm not surprised it ended that way.' Pausing for a moment as he updated Captain Fowler on the call at hand Hank began speaking again in a somewhat worried tone. 'Who was the officer that got hit?'

"I'm attempting to get into the vehicle to identify the driver. The patrol car is severely damaged and the driver is not responding to my presence."

'I'm going to put you on speaker while you do your thing. Keep talkin', kid.'

"Very well. Due to all of the doors being damaged and pinned shut," preconstructing his options Connor decided he needed to break through the already broken and weakened windshield to get to the driver. "I'm going to go through the windshield. I've already requested a single responding fire engine and ambulance to the scene because of the increasing severity of the weather."

'Good plan. Do what you gotta' do.'

"I'm removing the fractured windshield as I speak." Retracting the artificial skin from his palms and fingers to prevent his skin from getting cut up Connor took hold of the broken windshield directly over the driver's side of the vehicle, and began slowly pulling it back and away from the single unconscious person inside the ruined patrol car. The windshield was broken in such a way that it moved and folded in on itself like paper and easily popped out of the window's support frame to be tossed aside. "I have the windshield opened. I can now climb inside the car."

'Who's the victim?'

"I'm getting an identification right now." Maneuvering himself over the rain slicked crumpled hood of the car Connor slid inside the vehicle and knelt on the glass littered passenger seat to look over the driver. Recognizing the occupant of the vehicle as he rested slumped against the partially inflated airbag from the steering wheel, Connor felt his heart skip a beat as his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow with worry. "Hank," pressing his left fingertips to the side of the driver's neck Connor game the unconscious officer a name. "it's Gavin."

'Shit!' Despite his immense dislike for Gavin's arrogant and disrespectful attitude Hank still cared about all of his officers and detectives, regardless of the circumstances. 'How bad is he?'

"Unconscious and I'm detecting very erratic vital signs." Connor's highly tuned scanner noted that Gavin's heart rate was through the roof while his blood pressure was uncommonly low, and his he was extremely pale. Unconscious, bleeding from a cut under his left eye and from an unseen wound somewhere on his left shoulder and side, Gavin was in critical condition. "He is alive. He seems to be bleeding from a severe and unseen injury."

'Can you identify it?'

"One moment." Checking Gavin's neck and spine for injury Connor next checked for any sign of brain injury or skull fracture and found none. Then moving his attention to Gavin's chest and abdomen Connor didn't detect any internal bleeding, and Gavin didn't react when Connor's hands pressed against his chest and stomach to ensure his scanner wasn't missing something vital. "The bleeding is not internal... He must've suffered a laceration to large vein or perhaps an artery."

'Where's the ambulance?'

"Due to the intense rain the ambulance will arrive in an estimated five minutes and seventeen seconds."

'Fuck... That's not fast enough.'

"I'm aware. I'm going to try to find the source of the bleeding and stem it."

Using his scanner to direct him to the main source of the bleeding Connor carefully maneuvered his hands to find the injury as he gently pushed Gavin back in his seat away from the airbag. Checking over Gavin's left side Connor saw no sign of bleeding yet there was blood all over him. Following the blood trail up toward Gavin's left bicep Connor's brown eyes widened as his yellow L.E.D. settled on a deep red color.

"Oh... no."

'Connor?' The fear in the deviant's voice immediately held Hank's attention. 'What's happening?'

"...There is a massive portion of sharpened metal embedded in Gavin's left humerus... It has severed the entire limb." The gruesome injury was bleeding heavily and the damage was stomach churning. "The metal cut through the brachial artery and is the source of the severe bleeding."

'Wait... What?! The metal cut THROUGH his arm?'

"...Yes." Connor saw the severed arm pinned between the door and Gavin's side away from his body. The arm was pale, gray and cold to the touch. "The accident has resulted in Gavin losing his left arm from the middle of the humerus bone."

There was a heavy pause as Hank and Captain Fowler contemplated Connor's words. '...Can his arm be saved?'

"I can attempt to-" A sudden spark under the damaged hood stole Connor's attention as one would expect. "The car is now on fire. I need to get Gavin out and tie off the bleeding before he slips further into hypovolemic shock."

'Go, kid! Move it!'

Breaking the jammed metal clasp of the seatbelt over Gavin's chest and lap Connor pulled Gavin's remaining right arm around his shoulders then slipped his own left arm behind Gavin's upper back and his right arm under Gavin's knees. Lifting the unconscious, weak and bloody detective up and into his arms Connor managed to awkwardly slip Gavin through the opening where the windshield had been, then climbed through the opened windshield after him.

Carrying Gavin away from the now smoking and burning vehicle Connor placed Gavin down on his right side on the rain soaked sidewalk, and examined the bloody nub that had once been Gavin's left arm. Thinking quickly Connor removed the belt from his jeans and carefully looped the leather belt around Gavin's remaining arm and tightened it into a strong tourniquet to stem off the residual bleeding. As the belt tightened to a literal suffocating strength Gavin let out a pitiful and weak groan of pain in response to the lifesaving tourniquet.

"Gavin?" Catching the noise through the rain Connor called out to the abrasive detective to get him to reply to his voice. "Please respond."

Too weak to talk Gavin fell silent and still again even as the painful pressure was tightened around his painfully severed limb.

"Shit..." Shrugging off his gray blazer Connor looked at the smoldering vehicle a few feet away and made a rather drastic decision. "...I need to get his arm."

'Connor, stay away from the burning car!' Hank's voice righteously pleaded as he tapped into the surveillance feed of the intersection and watched as the rainy water all around Gavin's limp body turned a sickly pink and red color. The accident was as brutal as he had feared. 'Let it go!'

"...I have to try! I need to give Gavin the chance to have his arm reattached."

Rushing back to the car Connor quickly slid over the damaged and smoking hood to get back into the cab of the wrecked vehicle, and slid through the missing windshield. Locating Gavin's severed arm pinned between the seat and mangled door Connor carefully freed the limb from where it had been trapped and held it in his left hand protectively. Using his right hand he pulled off his black tie and wrapped the dressy garment around the shredded portion of Gavin's severed arm where it had been cut through to tried to keep as much blood as possible inside the limb. He then wrapped the arm up in his gray blazer to keep it as clean and safe as possible until help arrived.

Exiting the car before the fire spread Connor carried the wrapped up arm back over to where Gavin was laying and tended to the downed detective to the best of his ability. Slipping his left palm under Gavin's head Connor knelt down beside Gavin and held the unconscious detective up from the rain drenched sidewalk, and pressed his right fingertips to the side of Gavin's neck to track his vital signs.

"Gavin? Gavin, please respond to my voice."

Letting out a deep breath Gavin's glassy hazel eyes cracked open and his body began to shiver from cold and blood loss.

"Gavin, help is coming." Hearing the sirens of the approaching emergency vehicles in the distance Connor tried to keep Gavin as alert and responsive as possible. "Please try to remain awake."

Finally managing to speak a single word Gavin sounded as pathetic as he looked. "...C-Cold."

"You'll be okay." Connor pulled the detective's body up from the absolutely soaked sidewalk to hold closer to his core in an attempt to keep Gavin warm until the paramedics arrived. Leaning over Gavin to some extent Connor was able to shield Gavin from the ongoing downpour to keep him somewhat dry and warm. The way Gavin was shivering and the way his pale lips were turning blue confirmed how cold he truly felt. "...Do you know what happened?"

The answer was a whisper as Gavin lost consciousness again. "...Cold..."

"I know you are. Help is coming." Checking over Gavin's vital signs very closely Connor's L.E.D. cycled in a nervous yellow as he addressed Hank who had been remotely monitoring the situation from the precinct. "Hank, he's lost a lot of blood, approximately eighteen-hundred c.c.'s of blood based on my observations. That's not including the blood that has been washed away by the rain... He needs medical attention, now!"

'Just keep doing what you're doing, kid. Keep him warm and keep pressure on his arm.' There was a pause for a moment before Hank gave Connor additional information regarding the situation. 'Fowler is calling Gavin's emergency contacts and already reported the limb separation to the hospital and paramedics en route.'

"...I doubt the arm can be saved." Scanning over the devastating damage to the severed arm Connor noted the uneven and jagged break in the bone, the shredded and dying muscle, the thoroughly severed and exposed nerves and the dirty, necrotic flesh that was still dripping blood even with the tourniquet and blazer applying pressure to the opened vessels. "The damage is catastrophic."

'Let the surgeon make that decision. You just keep Gavin alive.'

The ambulance arrived with the fire engine right behind it. The emergency vehicle pulled over along the street across from where Connor was kneeling with Gavin's body in his arms, while the fire engine focused on the two wrecked vehicles.

'Don't worry about the arm, kid. Just make sure Gavin is still breathing and has a pulse!' Talking for the sake of keeping Connor from trying to find a way to twist the tragedy into his own fault Hank reminded the deviant that losing a life was far worse than losing a limb. 'It's a hell of a lot easier to replace an arm than an entire person.'

"The driver's side airbag of the car failed to deploy. The vehicle must be inspected and evaluated to discover why the airbag failed."

'We don't care about the car right now. Fowler is heading out to the hospital so he can give the docs' waiting for Gavin a heads up. How's his pulse?'

Watching as the two paramedics hurried over to the sidewalk with a gurney rolling between them Connor relayed the information, and assisted the duo of medics in lifting Gavin up from the rainy sidewalk and onto the gurney to be taken back to the ambulance. "His pulse is weak and thready at one-hundred and twenty-two beats per minute. It's difficult to get a read on his blood pressure, but I know it's too low."

'The paramedics will handle that stuff for you. Once he's loaded up swing by the precinct so we can both head out to the hospital.'

"Who will monitor the patrol?"

'Ben. He's already here and knows what's up.' The urge to be the voice of reason and rock during hard times never evaded Hank's mind. 'Relax, Connor. This isn't the first time one of our own has been hurt while on patrol.'

"...That's unfortunate." Once Gavin was secured to the gurney he picked up the severed limb, and carried it over to the ambulance to be placed on ice. With both Gavin and his arm placed in the back of the ambulance and ready for treatment and transportation Connor stared at Gavin's deathly pale face as an oxygen mask was secured over his mouth and nose. He then tried to not stare at the bloody remains of Gavin's left arm. "...Gavin's in the ambulance. I'll come by the precinct now."

'Are you going to be okay? You sound shaken up.'

"...I'll be fine. I just need a moment to process everything."

'Take your time, son. The roads are dangerous, the weather is still unpredictable and there's nothing more you can do for Gavin.'

"...Yes, I know."

'See you soon, son. I'll be waiting.'

"Right. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Closing the doors of the ambulance with a hearty 'slam' Connor patted the back twice to signal to the driver to leave for the hospital. Watching the large bodied vehicle carefully drove away from the scene of the accident with the lights flashing and siren blaring Connor's scanner detected a sudden heat as the car's engine burst into flame despite the rain. Turning to look at the blaze behind him Connor watched as the fire department worked to douse the flames and remove the deceased second victim from the offending car to be transported later. A white sheet was placed over the body to preserve his dignity, but the rain caused the white sheet to cling to his body and quickly became stained with blood.

"...Of all the bizarre things that could happen today, why did it have to be something as egregious as death and dismemberment?"

The heartache Markus was feeling on North's behalf made the former deviant leader remain ever loyal by her side as she finally got some rest in her private quarters high up in the tower. Sitting on the edge of her bed Markus rubbed his hand along her back and shoulder in a comforting manner while she slept curled up on her right side, and considered his options regarding what had happened to her. The story was horrible and North could only tell it by linking her memories to Markus as she couldn't find the words to speak about the horror she had endured. The images and sounds that Markus had been shown through North's eyes were as loathsome as the very pauper's grave he had dragged himself out of after being shot by the police.

To make things worse it wasn't just North who had been attacked and violated. Skye and several other deviants working to rescue refugees had been attacked by a group of bigoted humans, then violated in the most degrading and cruel manner possible.

Closing his eyes Markus tried to reach out to Skye but the deviant had gone into hiding once she was back in Detroit, and wasn't talking to anyone. The other deviants who had been victimized had retreated to the safety of New Jericho Tower and were having their wounds tended to by Simon and Josh. Knowing that numerous deviants he promised to protect were harmed in such a vile manner made Markus want to either throw-up or a throw a punch.

Cybernetically Markus connected to Simon as to not disturb North or leave her company. 'How're the other deviants, Simon?'

'...Faring well all things considered.' The kind technician was making detailed notes regarding the numerous injuries the victim's sustained. Those who were willing to be examined more intimately regarding their violation were in tears and begging Simon to not go to the police about it. '...A total of eight deviants were assaulted by three human males who discovered the routes being used to traverse the forest in secret.'

'Were they hunters?'

'I can't be sure of that. Only a trained investigator can answer that question.'

'No one is going to talk to the cops, Simon. And our only deviant allies in law enforcement...'

'I know. Connor and Lucas.'

Looking back at North as she continued to cry even while asleep Markus now had a damn good reason to speak to Connor and ask for his help. '...I'll handle this.'

'How? You're not a cop.'

'No, but I swore to protect our people and I'm not going to just turn my back because this happened outside the tower. I'll find Connor and talk to him myself. If he won't listen then I'll go to Lucas.'

'...And if they won't help us?'

'Then I'll keep asking them until they finally agree. I doubt it'll come to that. I suspect Connor and Lucas's disdain toward New Jericho is directed solely at me and they wouldn't let other deviants suffer just to spite me.'

'You're probably right. But even so, North is so private and proud of her strength... Do you think she'd cooperate with the police and tell them her story? I know Skye won't cooperate and the other victims have already made it clear that they don't want to deal with the police.'

'I don't know. We can't just let this matter pass by without those men paying for their crimes.'

'Well, whatever you're going to do I wish you the best of luck. Josh and I will stay here with the victims and make sure they get the counseling they need.'

'Right. I'll go and seek Connor out tomorrow. As of the moment,' Markus decided that North's comfort was far more important than anything else. 'I'm going to stay with North so she isn't alone and still feels safe.'

Outside the tower the rain poured down without mercy and completely covered the window overlooking the harbor with an opaque layer of nature. The same fog that had formed over the river also formed over the harbor creating a white curtain over the shore that surrounded the entire isle in a strange mist. The sun had long since set and night was well on its way.

"I promise you that I'll find a way for you to get justice, North." Resisting the urge to lay down alongside her Markus just stayed in place and kept his hand on her shoulder and back in a comforting manner. "I won't let you down."

The waiting room of the hospital was eerily quiet as Connor, his clothing still damp from the rain and partially stained with blood, paced about the area with his coin dancing over the back of his right hand. Hank was sitting in a chair beside Tina and doing his damnedest to remind Tina that her best friend was hurt, but not dead, and that he was in good hands. Captain Fowler was speaking with the nurses and doctors regarding Gavin's condition seeing as Gavin had no family, and Lucas had taken the time to go to Aaron's fire station in person to inform him of Gavin's accident and to bring him over to the hospital via patrol car. Those who cared the most about Gavin were all sitting in the waiting room and silently waiting for news.

Seeing a gathered group of worried fellow officers and friends all comforting each other and waiting for an update gave Connor a sense of unity that he had long since been seeking. Despite Gavin's abrasive personality and demeanor it was made abundantly clear that he still had people in his life that cared about him, and he cared about them in return.

As he passed through the waiting room for the actual fourteenth time Connor felt Lucas walk up to him and discreetly lead him from the waiting room and into the men's room a few feet away. "...Lucas? What're you doing?"

"Your clothing is saturated in blood." Lucas needlessly stated as he stopped Connor beside the sinks in the empty restroom, then turned on the water as hot as it could go. Pulling a white paper towel from the dispenser Lucas dipped the towel into the steaming hot water and motioned for Connor to remove his blood soaked vest and the white dress shirt beneath. "If you wish I'll go and ask for a set of scrubs for you to change into."

"...No, I'm fine." Unbuttoning his gray vest Connor handed it over to Lucas and watched as his little brother worked to remove the blood as effectively as possible. As he unbuttoned his white dress shirt Connor looked at his palms and saw a rosy hue lingering over his skin courtesy of the dried blood. "There's a spare hoodie in the trunk of the Oldsmobile. I'll change into that in a moment."

"Hank told me that you were the one who found Gavin and you... found his arm."

The memory was as vivid as if he had just performed the rescue mission seconds before entering the restroom. "...I did."

"Are you okay?"

"Physically I'm well, mentally I find the situation to be unsettling, and emotionally I feel... conflicted."

Steam rose from the sink and wafted before Lucas's face as he tried to scrub out the blood stains from the gray fabric in his grip. "How so?"

"My priority was to aid Gavin, to stop the bleeding and to keep him warm. Even though I know I did the right thing a part of me feels as though I should've done more to save his arm. I did the right thing, I know this." Watching as Lucas worked to get the blood out of his vest and now dress shirt Connor tried to understand why he was so confused. "But it feels as if I still failed."

"You saved a life and you gave him the best chance at a full recovery. Even if you had somehow managed to place Gavin's arm in a cooler with iodine and ice the odds of a completely successful limb reattachment would still be seventy-seven percent at best, with only eighty-two percent regained functionality after months of physical therapy."

"I know. As it currently stands Gavin only has a twenty-two percent chance of successful reattachment with fifty-three percent functionality. The arm was severed in such a way that..." Trailing off for a moment Connor cybernetically downloaded information on such odds and procedures as he spoke. "It might be better for him to undergo a prosthesis surgery instead."

"Even the most advanced of prostheses won't replace an entire left arm and hand." Turning off the sink Gavin looked at the faded stain on the front of the vest as his L.E.D. cycled in an anxious yellow. The white dress shirt was a lost cause. "Gavin may have to retire."

"All of this carnage and loss..." Taking back his dress shirt Connor wrung out the excess water and slipped it back on over his arms and up to his shoulders despite it being wet. Staring blankly at the floor by Lucas's feet Connor tried to get the image of Gavin's bloody, mangled arm from his mind. "It all happened because one man decided to drink alcohol and drive around in a rainstorm."

"Humans are irrational and foolish, brother. You know this better than I."

"It doesn't excuse what happened."

"It does not, but what's done is gone." Finishing with the vest to the best of his ability Lucas handed it back to Connor and then offered him his own leather jacket for a moment. "Here. Wear this so you can go out to the car and get your hoodie without being exposed to the rain."

"Thank you." Accepting the jacket and his vest Connor quickly covered up and made his way out of the bathroom to get to the parking lot outside the hospital. Nothing had changed during the time he and Lucas stepped aside and Connor could feel how emotionally heavy the waiting area had become. "...It seems Gavin is far more important than he realizes."

While Connor left the hospital to cover up his bloody clothing Lucas took the opportunity to speak with Hank in a soft tone as he sat down beside the senior detective. "How is your leg?"

"It's fine." Rubbing his right palm along his healing right thigh Hank admitted he still had some time to go before he'd be entirely mobile again. "Still sore as Hell, but at least I can walk on it without my damn leg feeling like hot lead."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Just help me keep an eye on Connor. I don't want the kid to blame himself for what happens if the doctors can't save Gavin's arm."

"I will do so. How should I handle Gavin?"

"Uh... Maybe leave that to Tina and Aaron." Looking over at the devastated firefighter as he sat in fearful silence beside Tina across the waiting room Hank sighed and made sure his voice remained low and discreet. "He's one of the worst people to deal when he's hurt or sick."

"I've noticed."

"And if he has to do physical therapy then... He's going to be all the more difficult to say the least."

"I'm certain I can handle it. I'd just prefer some insight into what to expect regardless of his recovery rate."

"That's something you'll have to wait and see. You can't even try to predict how he'll behave."

Quietly Connor returned to the waiting room and draped Lucas's rain drenched jacket over the back of his brother's chair to dry off. Now wearing his spare black D.P.D. hoodie Connor looked warmer and far less macabre now that his blood covered clothing was out of sight. Closing his eyes for a moment Connor connected to a deviant surgical assistant aiding the doctors stabilizing Gavin and was given grim news directly from the operating room.

Leaning forward in his chair Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycled in red as his sorrow manifested. "...Shit."

It didn't take a genius to notice Connor's reaction or figure what had him upset. Lucas had connected with the deviant medic as well and was met with the same information. "...This is unfortunate."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank leaned back in his chair and let out a soft sigh of disappointment under his breath. "...Fuckin' hell. This is going to be one of the worst challenges of his entire life."

Throughout the city the storm continued its rampage while everyone sought shelter inside their homes and apartments. The hospital was filled with patients who had become ill from the storm or injured while trying to protect their properties from storm damage. Yet it was a single patient that had drawn a crowd of worried friends and coworkers together in the hospital as he was placed in post operative recovery. That particular patient was one of the most stubborn detectives in all of Detroit.

The number of visitors allowed to see Gavin were very limited as the detective recovered in the I.C.U. with his heavily bandaged remaining left arm being monitored closely. The doctors were unable to save the limb and have no choice but to salvage as much bone, muscle, tissue and nerves in the remaining arm as possible to prevent infection. It'd also maximize the chances of an advanced prosthetic limb taking well to Gavin's person.

Dressed in scrubs, wearing a protective mask and sterilized gloves Aaron sat beside Gavin's bed and clutched desperately at his boyfriend's right hand as he waited for any sign of Gavin regaining consciousness. Letting tears silently fall Aaron whispered to Gavin and promised to help him endure this new challenge and promised to always be with him no matter what happened.

Gavin himself was still very pale but had stabilized. With a cardiac monitor recording his vitals, a nasal canula feeding him clean oxygen, a blood pressure cuff loosely wrapped around his right bicep and a steady stream of blood, antibiotics and fluids were running into the bend of Gavin's right arm via I.V. to ensure he didn't develop an infection or dehydrate as he recovered.

What was once Gavin's left arm was now a surgically cleaned and repaired limb that ended half way down the humerus. Wrapped up under thick layers of white gauze and plastic to keep infection at bay the surgically affected limb looked as small as Gavin did as he rested in the massive hospital bed.

Staring at Gavin through the window showing the interior of the I.C.U. Connor bowed his head down and tried to not think about how Gavin had been left maimed by a pointless vehicle accident caused by a single drunken fool. The bad feeling was still there, but was momentarily replaced with grief and sorrow. Barely reacting when he felt Hank's palm press down on his right shoulder Connor simply let out a small breath as his L.E.D. cycled in a stressed yellow.

"Fowler spoke with his doctor." Hank stated in a calm voice as he joined his partner by the window. "The nerve damage to his arm was so severe that if they reattached the limb and restored circulation it would've been nothing but dead weight that would've left him with horrible pain. The moment that chunk of metal cut through his arm it was beyond saving."

A heavy weight seemed to lift from Connor's shoulders, but he still felt guilty. "...I couldn't have done anything more to help?"

"No, son. The fact that you got that tourniquet tied around his arm when you did was the best possible thing for him. You kept him from bleeding out and you got him out of that car before it filled with smoke or fire."

"Then why do I feel like I'm responsible for his current predicament?"

"Empathy, kid. You give a damn about him and you don't want to see him or anyone else suffer."

"...I had a bad feeling this morning. Why didn't I warn anyone?"

"Connor, you are in no way responsible for that idiot going for a drive through the rain while drinking straight from the bottle. Even if you warned the precinct that you had a bad feeling that wouldn't have stopped that jackass from drinking and driving. It was a freak accident."

"...I still feel responsible."

"Well, stop it. The world doesn't revolve around you and no one's personal shit is so fucked up that it fucks up the world around them." As Connor turned to give him an arched brow stare Hank shrugged his shoulders dismissively and reminded Connor that he was speaking to an expert on having extensive personal problems. "Trust me on that."

"I do trust you. I just don't trust myself."

"Learn to let shit go and accept that you'll never be perfect and that's just fine." Turning to look at Gavin through the window Hank sighed a little and couldn't help but have flashbacks to how he had seen Cole through a similar window in another hospital's I.C.U. too many years ago. "...Tina and Aaron are going to stay here overnight and keep him company. It won't be easy for him to accept what's happened but I know Tina won't chicken out no matter how much Gavin snarls at her, and as for Aaron... I have a good feeling that he won't be scared off so easily, either. Lucas is going to help out, too. In fact, he went back to their apartment to sterilize it now, so when Gavin is released in a week he won't risk a nasty infection while he heals."

"...What of Gavin's position at the precinct?"

"Well, since he's so experienced and has a lot of successfully closed cases I know he won't be forced to retire early. Fowler will keep him on desk duty for a few months and Gavin will either piss and moan while he stays put, or he'll try to fight and find a way back out into the field."

"A prosthetic arm can give him some degree of normal mobility and function."

"Yeah, but as advanced as those prosthetic arms have become over the past twenty or so years it still isn't good enough for the higher-ups. He'd need a brand new arm that responded just as good as his real arm in order to get back into the field."

"...Interesting."

"Man," seeing and hearing the mourning in Connor's voice Hank knew that the deviant was truly feeling down after everything that happened. "you don't even like Gavin as a friend but you're acting like you're the one who cut off his damn arm. What gives?"

"I... It feels like there is something else happening in the city. It feels like Gavin isn't the only one who is in need of help right now. Like I'm needed elsewhere."

"Another bad feeling?"

"I think it's the same feeling." Confused and emotionally uncertain Connor struggled to express his current feelings. "I can't explain it."

"You don't have to explain it. Just trust your gut." Giving the deviant a knowing nod Hank began limping away from the window to take his leave of the hospital as visiting hours came to an end. It was time for everyone to go home. "It'll never lead you astray."

Giving the healing detective one final sympathetic glance through the window Connor slowly trailed after Hank to take his leave as well. "...I just wish I knew what my gut was trying to tell me."

-next chapter-

Author's Note: TL;DR: Gavin loses his left arm in serious a traffic accident. North and Skye (OC) are both attacked and violated by bigoted humans.