There was nothing Connor could do. Nothing left for it to say. Just dull, sightless eyes gazing into its own with a horrible judgment that it had never experienced before. Even the girl's mother had only been upset about the fact that it was an android, wanted a human negotiator instead – her judgment had meant little to it beyond the fact that she was being lead to safety and thus did not constitute a threat to its objective. Daniel, on the other hand… he had trusted it. He'd listened to it and deescalated, but the humans had still destroyed him for daring to threaten one of their own.
Connor turned, kneeling beside Emma to check that she hadn't been injured. Scans told it that she didn't seem to have any wounds. Tears still gleamed on her cheeks, though, and despite MISSION COMPLETE flashed across its HUD, it found an incomprehensible force gripping its processors, rooting it to the spot until it made sure.
When she glanced up at it, she seemed to see the question written on its face, even though Connor hadn't found words to ask yet.
"I'm okay. You…" Voice cracking, the girl wrapped her arms around herself, as if to hold in an illusory warmth. "You saved me."
Connor's vocal modulator came unstuck when Emma took the first initiative. "It is my purpose." It had no programming that related to childcare, but the shivers wracking her small body were worrying enough to prompt it to act, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders and supporting her as it lead her back toward the ruined apartment. Humans needed so much space – would she be able to remain there? What about her mother?
Questions. Machines did not ask questions that did not pertain to the mission. Best to get the girl inside and leave, where it would be safe in stasis until the next time Cyberlife called on its abilities.
"Your name's Connor?"
It blinked, finding Emma craning her neck to look up at it. "Yes. Hello, Emma."
"Where are you going to go after this?"
And for the first time Connor noticed a bruise – previously hidden by her collar – that was shaped disturbingly like a hand. Maybe the anxious desperation that flashed across her face had a more logical cause than it had thought. Maybe she didn't want to be alone with her mother, whose hand shape and size were a rough match to the bruise.
"I have to go back to my creators, Cyberlife. There I will remain in stasis until I am needed again. We may not see each other anymore. I'm sorry."
There. It hadn't been a fluke. Though Emma nodded, pretending to be okay with that answer, a thousand subtle microexpressions told Connor the opposite. Perhaps there was a way for it to keep track of her, even if it would be difficult to render aid if she proved to be in genuine trouble.
Squeezing her shoulder in silent reassurance, Connor stepped away and allowed Captain Allen and his men to take over. No more delays. Time to go back to gather its thoughts and put a plan into place.
As it met the taxi on the street below, however, the android couldn't resist the urge to cast a glance up at the building. Specifically the 70th floor. 1554 Park Avenue. It would remember that.
oOoOo
Author's Notes: I wanted to explore Connor's psychology, and was inspired by a story I saw here a while back where he deviates to save Emma from her abusive family by going on the run with her. "The Emma Dilemma" is its title. So check that out if you're interested - it's unfinished but an engaging AU - and also check out my other works (I'm refugeeoftumblr on AO3 as well) or say hello on tumblr (lyrical-harmony) if you're so inclined. Thanks for reading this far!