So here's part 2 of my wedding update!

I know, two chapters so close together is unheard of. I've been writing like crazy over the past few days, my mind is almost spinning. I'm making the most of what little free time I have before my wedding on the 3rd of November. So, this will be the last update for about 3 weeks. Don't worry, I'll still be thinking on various ideas in the meantime, and please feel free to keep up your suggestions!

In saying that, you might all want to check out my profile at the end of this chapter (only at the end!). There's a little surprise waiting there for anyone who is interested.

Special thanks for reviews: Mayday Maria, lordvaatithewindmage, xNarielx, FandomsMJ, Darnea, Demon Skitty, AnUnorthodoxDecision, Minecraft Guardiansaiyan, Little-Miss-Anime-Luva, Celestic1234 and two Guests.

Credit for this prank idea goes to Aureux on AO3. I thought it was brilliant, and this seemed like the most fitting place to use it.

And I'm going to apologise now. You're all going to hate me for where I leave this chapter off, especially considering my mini-hiatus (and probably for what is coming). All I'm going to say is, this has been the plan all along.

"So, you two have finally decided to let Reed in on the secret, huh?"

Connor smiled at Hank as the human finished the soda he had bought with his lunch. Despite almost constantly pestering Hank about his unhealthy eating habits, Connor did let off some days. He was a lot better than he used to be. "Well, it has been several months now, Hank. Katie has decided that she's had enough of hiding her identity, and I can't say that I blame her. Masquerading as a human would be difficult at times," Connor answered him.

Hank raised an eyebrow. "I can't tell if that's a veiled swipe at humans or not."

The android laughed lightly. "It was not intended as such, but I can see how it may come across as that. Hiding her android identity means Katie has to consciously lie to everyone around her, and she feels guilty about it now that she is established in the department."

"Yeah, I can see why she feels bad about it. Can't say that the reactions all around are going to be great, but I think most people will be accepting of it. The biggest headache is going to be her damn partner."

Connor's mouth quirked up. "Actually, she's not too worried about it."

That had Hank looking at Connor suspiciously. "How come?"

"Gavin's views on androids have mellowed considerably in the months since she joined: I would know better than anyone. He is much more accepting now. The thing Katie is mostly concerned about, is whether having kept it secret for so long is going to damage her friendship with Gavin."

"I still can't believe she actually likes that asshole, let alone that she's friends with him. Well, if she's willing to do that given his views, maybe he has changed." Hank smiled as he took another bite of his burger. "So, what's the plan?"

"Katie and I going to spar in the training hall, and we are both going to be giving it our all. She's going to invite Gavin to watch."

Hank whistled lowly. "Yep, that'll do the trick. Gavin will twig pretty quick that she's an android seeing that. Have you ever gone all out on her?"

Connor chuckled. "No, Katie is still learning. Rather than download all of my advanced fighting protocols, she is learning from both myself and Richard through human methods: observation, experience and practice. She finds it much more rewarding. Her improvement is rapid nonetheless."

Yeah, Hank could believe that. More and more androids were choosing to learn in what would be deemed the 'human way'. The experience was often enjoyable to them. "Mind if I watch? I'd like to see you kicking into high gear against someone who is actually a match for you."

"Are you sure, Hank?" Connor asked cautiously. "If you are there, Gavin will no doubt ask if you knew about Katie's real identity."

Hank shrugged. "Let's be honest, Connor. As soon as he realises you know, he's gonna assume I do too. Besides, this was my idea in the first place, might as well face the music right alongside you. We might want to let Fowler know that you're going to spill the beans though, just in case Reed's reaction is shit."

Connor nodded in agreement. "Very well, Hank. And I have just sent a message to the Captain about our intention. I doubt it will take very long to receive an answer.

"All units, we have an active shooting on Broadway Avenue. Officers on scene and requesting backup."

The duo's expressions become more serious as Hank's radio crackled with the message. "Guess that's our break over. You taking the wheel?" Hank asked while tossing the remains of his lunch in the trash. Connor simply nodded as they strode back to the car, prepping themselves for the imminent situation. The android swiftly pulled away as Hank checked his gun before getting back on the radio. "Dispatch, any details on the shooting?" he barked, knowing that he was distinctive enough that he wouldn't have to identify who was en route.

"Suspected gang attack. Officers 3310 and 6731 are under fire and have requested immediate support."

Connor's LED flashed red as Hank's breath caught. "Hank-"

"Shit! Floor it, Connor!" Connor stepped on the gas pedal harder, turning his pre-construction software up to maximum to swerve through the traffic while tapping into all active road reports to find the best route.

Gavin and Katie.

The android's LED continued to flash red and his expression was fraught as they sped through the streets. "Hank, I can't reach Katie. She's not responding."

"They'll be all right, Connor. We've just got to reach them."

"10-00 on Broadway Avenue, all units respond. Ambulance en route.

Both of them seized at the message and Connor blocked everything else out, focusing all his vast processing power on the road. They just had to reach that scene as soon as possible.

This wasn't how everyone was meant to find out. Then again, life seldom went to plan.

By the time the pair managed to reach the scene due to various road works and another accident en route, it was already over. Several others were already scoping the area, collecting evidence and photographs while they spied Chris interviewing several bystanders. There was no sign an ambulance being there any longer. They jumped out and approached, seeing Ben staring at a shot-out cruiser in the middle of the street.

Blue blood was spattered over the side of it. Connor's LED stayed red.

Ben stared at them sadly. "Wondered what held you two up. We've got nine perps in custody: we'll make sure they all go away for a long time for this."

Connor seemed frozen on the spot, so Hank was the one who addressed Ben. "The fuck happened, Ben?"

"Don't know, yet. Gavin radioed in asking for backup after they came under attack, but we arrived too late. Looks like they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, cause the shits over there were still firing at each other when other officers arrived."

Hank swallowed hard. "What's their status?"

"Gavin's critical, he took two shots to the chest. Katie is…" Ben hesitated briefly, and Hank knew what was coming when the other detective looked at him in confusion. "Did you know, Hank?"

Ben's gaze fell to the blue blood on the cruiser, and Hank sighed. "Yeah, we know. Connor and I have known since day one."

The other man hummed. "As it happens, it's probably just as well. A human wouldn't survive the wounds she's got. Even an android might not."

Hank winced and turned his attention to Connor. His partner was now studying all the blood spatter and the shell casings on the floor. "Shit." He gave Ben a curt nod and strode over to Connor, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What you got, Connor?" There was no point in asking his emotional state – it was evident from his red LED, and the android probably wouldn't answer him anyway. He was adept at avoiding answering questions when he had to.

"I can't tell an awful lot from just this, Hank," he answered blandly, his stare continuing on to further along the street. Connor walked over intently, Hank right behind as they came to a much larger collection of blood. This time, there was both blue and red. "From what I can see, Katie was wounded next to the cruiser, and Gavin helped usher her to cover behind this dumpster. The initial damage was enough to cause her systems to go into brief shock. Once in this position, they were caught out by the appearance of more assailants. They had nowhere to go."

Hank's eyes fell to the ground as he sighed. "There's no way he missed it. Even after learning the truth, Gavin put his own body on the line to try and save his partner." He looked back up at Connor, the android's own gaze still on the puddle and smears over the ground. "Looks like she was right after all."

Connor's LED flashed as he got a message, and Hank suspected it wasn't good news when his shoulders slumped and his eyes pointedly looked the other way. "Captain Fowler contacted Markus," he said in a voice choked with emotion. "He's asked for assistance in Katie's repairs…and whether it is possible to re-activate her."

The human swore quietly. "Fuck…I'm sorry, Connor. She'll come back, the kid is tough." He could already see Connor was reluctant to commit to that hope, and he couldn't blame him. There were never any guarantees with re-activating an android which was deviant. Especially a prototype.

Hank brought him in for a hug, and Connor gripped back tightly. He'd never seen his son so shaken since the uprising, but he wondered if this was how Connor had been after his car accident.

Remembering that gave Hank an idea. Maybe he could help Connor after all.

It had taken a few hours to submit all the evidence they had gathered and write up reports, but Fowler soon chased the pair out once they were done. He ordered Hank and Connor to take at least the next two days off as the precinct dealt with the aftermath; and while Fowler addressed the revelation of Katie's identity. The shock was going to make reactions unpredictable, and Fowler was adamant about making sure the pair of them weren't going to be in the firing line for some unsavoury comments when it came to light that they'd known all along.

That, and Fowler had taken one look at Connor and known the android was struggling under the weight of his concern. Until they knew what would happen to Katie one way or another, Hank was to keep an eye on him.

This was one of the few times Hank had wished Connor wasn't an android. He didn't get exhausted to the point of sleep, and he wasn't due to go into stasis for another couple of days. His incredible processing capacity meant that distracting Connor to the point of taking his mind off things was near impossible.

Well…impossible if Connor had access to all of it.

Which was where the little gadget Simon had given Hank at his request was going to come into its own. This was an idea he'd had weeks ago: locking down some of Connor's processors to see how the android would react with what he would deem 'human' reactions. He'd planned to use it to catch Connor out with a whole series of other pranks, it would be a lot easier to inflict some of the more traditional ones if Connor couldn't use his scanners.

Now, however…Hank knew this was probably the best thing possible for Connor. He needed to somehow be distracted. What better way than to slow his brain down so that he could only focus on one thing at a time?

He grabbed the small drive from his bedside table and stared at it for a minute before going back through to the living room, seeing Connor doing his best to focus on the screen in front of him. The android had been learning all about flower arranging over the last two days, looking to advance his interest now that they were into the summer. Rather than interfacing with the touchpad, he was studiously reading it to learn more 'organically'. It wasn't really helping take his mind off things, however.

Sumo was curled behind Connor's legs, sensing his low mood and kept whining at him. Hank's eyes fell to kitchen and he soon realised a way to maybe blindside Connor to the inhibitor he was going to install. He strode over and turned on the coffee machine, while grabbing an egg from the cupboard.

…Okay, this really was a dumb idea. Oh well.

He walked back over and hovered behind Connor for a moment, working out how to do this, before tapping the exact right point of his neck to open the port at the back. Connor's eyes widened at the change but before he turned to ask Hank what he was doing, he felt the egg slam on top of his head.

Connor's look was decidedly unimpressed as he turned to look at Hank, and he scowled at him while closing his neck port again. "Was that strictly necessary, Hank?" he asked tiredly.

Hank shrugged at him. "You looked like you could use the distraction. Did it help?" he said in reply.

The android sighed and stood. If Hank hadn't known better, he would have said Connor was exhausted: no doubt he would be mentally if that was such a thing. "Messing with my neck port to divert my attention was an unusual tactic, I will grant you that. I will be back momentarily." Connor wandered to the bathroom to clean his head off, and Hank smiled slightly.

He really hadn't noticed the quick installation: that showed just how much of Connor's mind was on what had happened earlier that day.

Quickly using the touchpad, Hank opened up an app that Simon had built and switched it on before putting back to the previous screen. Now he just had to wait and see how long it took Connor to notice the change.

Connor reappeared a couple of minutes later, rubbing his now damp hair in a towel. "What you been reading, kiddo?" Hank asked conversationally.

"Just some more on flowers," Connor answered while sitting down again and picking up the touchpad. "Some of it has been highly interesting, and I have many ideas. Would you object to me ordering some for the back yard? I think they would look beautiful in the sunshine."

Hank smiled at him affectionately. "Knock yourself out, Connor, it could use some livening up. Just make sure to get ones that you don't mind Sumo potentially eating: I'd maybe stay away from orange, he has a stupid fascination with that colour. Fuck knows how often I've caught the big idiot munching on leaves because he likes the look of them."

That had Connor chuckling lowly, and he soon turned his focus back to the touchpad. Hank turned on the TV and found an old programme from when he was younger, and it didn't take too long for Connor's attention to drift toward it. The human suppressed a smile as he saw Connor subconsciously settle in more to watch it, and his LED shifted back to yellow for the first time since the shooting.

It was working – and the longer Connor was unaware, the better.

They watched four episodes together before Connor stiffened, his LED flashing frantically, but it stayed yellow. "Markus just contacted me. They have successfully re-activated Katie," he said slowly, suddenly turning his attention to the time.

Hank laughed at the utter confusion on his face as Connor realised just how much had passed. "Time flies, doesn't it?" he said knowingly, to which Connor stared at him.

"What did you do, Hank?" Connor asked cautiously.

"Just a little processor inhibitor, that's all. I intended to use this when I had a whole slew of pranks lined up for you, but it looked like you needed it more tonight. When your attention is fixed on only one thing, your concept of time goes right out the window. At least you weren't so fixated for the past while." Connor's gaze was affectionate and infinitely grateful. "How's she doing?"

"No apparent memory loss thus far, though she is traumatised," Connor answered while standing.

Hank gave him a soft smile, knowing exactly where he was headed. "Good, I'm glad. You going to tell her that Gavin made it out of surgery all right?"

Connor nodded as he slipped on his shoes and jacket. "Yes. I'm sure she will be relieved."

The human gave him a warm hug before stepping back to grab a beer from the kitchen – the mood had vastly improved now that they knew both Gavin and Katie would recover. "All right, get out of here. Go tell your girlfriend I said hi, and that I'm looking forward to seeing her soon."

That had Connor's hand freezing on the door handle. "Wait…Hank?"

Hank turned back to see utter confusion on Connor's face. "Something I said?"

Connor hesitated before answering him. "Hank, Katie and I, we aren't…we're not together."

The lieutenant's eyes widened comically. "You're shitting me, Connor."

The android shook his head. "We're just friends, Hank. Very close friends, but friends none the less. Nothing would ever happen between us."

Hank paused before coughing. "Shit, sorry, Connor. I was just convinced you two were…"

A laugh escaped the android. "No, Hank, and we never would be. Neither of us want that, for a multitude of reasons."

He suddenly had a lot more questions, but Hank knew this wasn't the time for it. "Okay, forget I said anything. Go make sure Katie is okay and we'll catch up later, kiddo."

Connor nodded and opened the door, flashing Hank a warm smile before he left. "Thanks, Hank."

"What for, Connor?"

"…For knowing just what I needed."

Hank smiled back at him. "That's what parents are there for."

Connor's LED finally cycled back to blue.