Gavin had been crying for over an hour. He'd cried until his eyes itched and burned, until his chest and ribs ached, until his throat was sore and dry. He was exhausted by the time he finished. Too tired to do more than lean into Nines' chest and sniffle as he was lifted. Nines was careful, cradling him securely with his head on his shoulder. After all the crying, Gavin just felt numb. His green eyes were red and bloodshot, barely able to focus as he was carried through to the infirmary. Nines hushed him as he was laid on his usual bed.
"You need rest," he murmured softly as he threaded his long fingers through Gavin's dark hair. His skin had paled somewhat since he'd finished crying, the redness of his eyes and the scar across his nose making it seem even more pallid. He shook his head in objection, looking vulnerable as he quietly leaned into the cooling touch. "I'll put you to sleep," Nines assured in a low murmur, noting Gavin's posture relax a little at the reassurance. He didn't want to sleep for real. He didn't want to risk a nightmare while he was feeling so worn and helpless. Nines was gentle as he encouraged him to turn over and made sure he had a pillow resting comfortably beneath his chest and head. Gavin brought one arm up beneath the pillow as the other relaxed, limp above his head.
He was so exhausted he couldn't even make a sound as Nines' firm hands worked his sore muscles. His green eyes blinked slowly. His head was turned to the right, where he could see Connor lounging in the doorway. Connor gave him a small smile, something warm and comforting in his soft hazel eyes. Gavin's blinks gradually became longer as Nines' movements slowed. Connor watched the skin of his brother's hands retract, the flesh trickling away like water. Nines was calculating as he measured Gavin's vitals. He gripped the back of his neck and a small blue glow flashed across the skin beneath as a small pulse was jolted through the soft flesh. Gavin's breathing levelled out and Nines drew back with a worn sigh. Connor was there in an instant, catching the weight as his larger body sagged.
"You've pushed yourself," Connor chided as he hefted Nines' weight and helped him find his feet as he climbed off the bed. Nines slowly eased himself upright, though he was clearly fatigued. Connor kept an arm around his waist, Nines' arm remaining gratefully across his smaller shoulders. "When was the last time you recharged?" Connor asked worriedly, knowing it was longer than six days at least. The RK series was designed to go for long periods of time without rest, which could be further extended by going into stasis regularly. The issue was that over the past week or so, Nines had been running at full capacity for almost twenty-four hours a day. He'd been awake and alert constantly, scanning Gavin, interacting with his brothers, caring for Pipsqueak, cleaning the apartment and doing other small chores. That didn't even factor in the added emotional distress he'd experienced as Gavin had withdrawn his usual affection and friendship.
"About a week…perhaps longer…but…Gavin…" Nines murmured as he swayed a little, trying to stop Connor as he attempted to lead him out of the infirmary. He didn't want to leave the bedside. He didn't want to leave Gavin. Connor paused with a fond huff, tightening his hold on Nines' waist as he hefted his weight again. He felt Nines leaning into him a little more as they moved towards the doorway. He was almost touched by Nines' stubbornness as one of his hands tried to grip the doorframe to halt their progress. Connor was gentle as he tugged, knowing Nines was truly exhausted as his hand slipped and fell to his side.
"You'll be no good to anyone if you go into forced stasis. Don't worry, I'll watch Gavin, and I'll wake you if anything happens," Connor promised gently as he helped Nines stagger through to the bullpen. Hank was out of his chair the moment he saw them, his expression worried as he grabbed Nines' free arm to take a little of the weight. He often forgot how strong Connor was, which he found incredibly endearing. Hank would always insist on doing things like taking point on missions, lifting heavy items, and offering to help with various physical tasks.
"Don't let him wake up alone," Nines pleaded softly, slowly straightening up as Hank and Connor manoeuvred him into the charging station. Connor promised assuringly, keeping his hands on Nines' arms until he finally leaned back and set his cycle to begin. His body jerked and stiffened as the connector slotted into his neck port, his silvery eyes dimming to stare at nothing as the cycle took hold. His expression was lax but somehow sad as he stood there like a statue fixed to the wall.
"What the hell happened while I was away?" Hank asked in a mystified tone as they stepped away from Nines. He'd never seen him in such a state, and he hadn't seen Gavin at all. Even Connor looked tired as he stepped back with a worn sigh, and he didn't even need to recharge. Since it was Gavin's first day back and he'd known his brother would be stressed, Connor had made sure to fully charge the night before. He'd known he'd have to be the strong one holding everything together for a while.
"Gavin," Connor replied with a tired sigh, though his wan smile was laced with affection at least. It softened further as he noticed Hank looking even more worried. "He had a bad day, but…I think Nines and I got him through it," he added gently as they returned to their desks. Hank settled down with a tired sigh. Not for the first time over the past week. He'd been worried sick about both of them, his eyes often straying to the empty desks and his phone. He'd often wondered if he should try calling or going to Gavin's apartment. The only reason he hadn't was that Connor had assured him that Nines had it handled.
"How bad was it if he put Nines in that state?" Hank asked warily as he looked at the imposing figure across the room. Connor joined him in admiring his brother's larger form. It was true that Nines was strong and durable with the most advanced software, but he was also young. On top of that, he still hadn't deviated. To put it simply, he was physically strong but emotionally fragile. Hank looked at him and saw an immovable wall, a mountain of muscle and machinery, but Connor looked at him and saw the softness on the inside. The stress was what had worn down his systems more than anything else.
"He was…like the old Gavin again. He'd bullied Nines a fair bit already, and I think coming here and having therapy brought everything to a head. I followed him to the gym and helped burn off his excess energy…After sparring a little he apologised to Nines and cried himself out…I hope that's the worst of it…" Connor murmured, though he'd happily wear Gavin down as many times as it took to keep him stable. Hank watched as Connor gathered some files together and tucked them into the crook of his arm. "Do you need anything, Hank?" Connor asked quickly as he prepared to leave his desk.
"What? No, I'm…Where the fuck are you going?" Hank asked with a mystified expression as Connor stepped around his neatened desk.
"The infirmary…I promised Nines I wouldn't let Gavin wake up alone," he reminded, leaving with a nod as Hank waved him off. When he reached the quiet room, Gavin was still out like a light. One look at his vitals told Connor he'd likely be staying that way for a good few hours. The emotional stress, forcing himself to stay awake, therapy, fighting with Connor and crying himself out had all taken their toll on him. After examining Gavin's vitals, Connor grabbed a fleece blanket from the cupboard. Gavin was getting cold in the slightly cool room. He didn't stir as he was tucked in, and Connor took the plastic seat at his side.
He crossed his legs smartly and opened one of the files on his knees, taking the rest of the small stack and leaving it on the bedside cabinet. He was sitting near the head of Gavin's bed with a good view of his sleeping face. He knew he wouldn't have to worry for a while, safely losing himself in his current case. It was a pretty simple matter. They'd found some androids being kept holed up in a couples' basement. The humans had been slowly selling off their thirium to a red ice ring. They were lucky. The house had been raided as part of a drug bust, so the androids had been found alive for a change. It wasn't exactly homicide's area, but Hank and Connor were the most experienced in dealing with android victims.
He read through the file, skimming and double checking all the evidence numbers, report figures, names and identities. Everything seemed in order, so the file could be signed off and sent to Captain Fowler. It would then be passed on to the courts. They already had witness statements and a confession from one of the perpetrators. It was a good bust, for them and narcotics. Luckily, with the lack of homicide it would be narcotics doing most of the work surrounding the court case. With that file done, he set it aside and picked up the next one.
"Uh…Connor? You have a visitor," Miller reported quietly as he put his head around the door hesitantly and noted Gavin sleeping in the bed. Connor could feel his LED spinning yellow already as he shut the file and checked on Gavin again. He was still sleeping peacefully for now and didn't seem set to wake just yet. He moved silently as he crossed to the doorway with a questioning expression. Miller waited in the hall and gestured sheepishly to Connor's desk, where a small figure was sitting in his chair, talking animatedly with Hank across their desks.
"Thank you, Officer Miller. I'm sorry for the trouble," Connor apologised awkwardly, his chest tightening with apprehension as he slowly crossed to his desk. He'd already spoken to Simon and Markus about this. It really had to stop. The first time he'd seen Niles, he'd been bundled up in Gavin's leather jacket with a fleece blanket over the top. Miller had been sitting with him, but he'd been fairly non-responsive to him. Perhaps that wasn't surprising, considering how he'd been found. He'd at least seemed to gain a little comfort from Gavin's jacket as he'd buried his face and breathed in the slightly smoky scent. Connor had approached with a gentle expression and crouched at his side.
The instant those hazel eyes had met his own, he'd felt something. He couldn't define it. It was a warmth, almost like a spark. He'd volunteered to take over from Miller and sat with Niles until child services arrived. Niles had been reluctant to leave him, so Connor had given him his personal number and assured him he was going to Jericho. Somewhere safe for androids. He hadn't expected to see or hear from him again, but he'd called him later that night to talk. He'd felt scared and alone, so Connor had stayed on the line with him until he'd fallen asleep.
It had only been phone calls at first, and Connor had been fine with that. Niles had been traumatised, and he'd needed someone to lean on. He'd thought those calls would stop after a few days. He'd thought that Niles would settle in at Jericho and get picked out by a new family. That hadn't happened. He'd turned up at the station by himself a few weeks ago looking for him. Connor had been gentle about it, telling him he shouldn't just turn up at the station like that without telling anyone where he was going. Niles had really wanted to see him though. Connor couldn't be mad about it. He was a child looking for guidance and attention, which Connor readily provided in that instance. He was having trouble fitting in with the other child androids. He was lonely and unhappy. He'd just wanted to talk to Connor.
He'd turned up at the station a handful of times since then, and Connor had visited him a few times at Jericho, too. He'd take him to town sometimes and buy him a thirium slushy or shake. Connor would ask him about any potential families, at which point Niles would tense and become evasive. According to Markus, he'd turned down all of them so far. The only adult he'd shown any connection to was Connor. He tolerated Simon; he studied with Josh, and he'd usually do as Markus and North told him, but it was Connor that he always talked about. He'd stay up every night waiting for a call from Connor, even if he didn't get one.
"Niles? What are you doing here?" Connor asked softly as he approached his desk, trying not to seem too anxious about it. He sent a message to Simon internally, checking to see if Niles had told anyone where he was planning ongoing. Niles was laughing, likely at something Hank had said if the old man's affectionate expression was anything to go by. Hank had only met Niles once before, the first time he'd visited the station. Hank looked up at Connor before frowning and looking across at Niles. It was astounding. Niles even had that little out-of-place brunette curl on his forehead.
"Jesus Christ! He's the spitting image of you, Con," Hank exclaimed as he looked at his partner, whose expression became a little tense. It was a resemblance that Connor was more than a little aware of. Niles beamed at the comparison, looking up at Connor in a way that almost begged for recognition of the comment. His hazel eyes were almost disappointed at the conflict he found in Connor's warm eyes.
"Yes, it's widely believed that the face models used for the YK series were chosen from various adult androids and aged down," Connor replied politely, though he'd been surprised too at first. His model had been a brand new prototype during the revolution. He hadn't expected any other models to have facial features based on his own, and yet he'd found the RK900 and now the YK600. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked gently as he returned his attention to the young boy sitting in his chair.
"It's lunch time," Niles replied defensively, though he knew he wasn't supposed to disturb Connor while he was at work. Connor looked like he was about to say as much when Niles got to his feet and grabbed his backpack. "Forget it! I know when I'm not wanted," he huffed, instantly making Connor feel bad. Hank raised his eyebrow at Connor a little, encouraging him to go after Niles with a nod as he headed dejectedly towards the main doors.
"Niles…Wait!" Connor called out as he took a few short steps to catch up. "Please? I didn't mean to give you that impression…Please wait?" he added in a softer tone as they reached the main lobby and walked through the barriers. Niles looked at his feet rather than at Connor as he stopped, and Connor didn't know what to say. How could he explain to a child that the connection he was looking for was inappropriate? He knew Niles was just trying to find somewhere to belong, someone to bond with. That wasn't a bad thing, but I'm really not that person…
"I didn't mean to make you mad, I just wanted to tell you first…" Niles murmured quietly, Connor crouching down cautiously. He was quite tall, so crouching put him at about the right height to peer up at Niles' dejected face. His bottom lip was trembling a little, and Connor felt terrible for upsetting him. He wanted to reach out in comfort to reassure him. Would that be alright? Would it give him the wrong impression?
"Niles, I'm not mad, but the station is…it's my place of work, so I can't take personal visits like this. I'm supposed to be working," Connor explained delicately, resting a gentle hand on Niles' shoulder and giving him an assuring smile. "It's alright, just don't make a habit of it," he added more cheerfully, watching Niles nod in agreement as he perked up a little. With that sorted out, he asked again why he'd come all the way to the station. What was so important that it had drawn him all the way from school in the middle of the day?
"I spoke to the coach earlier! I made the team…I just wanted you to be the first to know," Niles confessed with a shy expression, quietly filled with pride. Connor smiled warmly at that. Niles had been talking for days about the try-outs. He was the only one in his group of human school friends that wasn't on the baseball team. He'd been working hard to learn the rules, and he'd been practicing with his friends after school, trying to get better. Child androids couldn't simply download programs the way adults did. He'd had to learn the human way.
"That's wonderful news, Niles! Thank you for thinking of me…When will you start?" Connor asked, listening as Niles excitedly told him about the meeting that evening after school. He'd have his first practice, and he'd be able to get the order form for his uniform and kit. For now, the financial responsibility would fall to Markus or Simon, but Connor was pretty sure that Jericho would cover the expense. Androids didn't need much, and Niles never asked for anything beyond school supplies. "Thank you for telling me, but next time, it might be easier to call," Connor added as he tapped his temple with a small wink.
"Isn't it about time for you to be back at school?" Hank's gruff voice asked kindly as he stepped into the lobby, likely heading out to get some lunch at this time. Connor's eyes widened as he got to his feet and looked at the clock on the lobby wall, shifting his gaze to Hank as he realised that he was right. "Connor, Connor! It's fine. I'm heading that way anyway. You don't mind an old man driving, do you?" he added to Niles, who beamed up at him in an eerily familiar manner. He even had that little dimple in his cheek.
"No, not at all! Thank you for offering, Lieutenant," he said politely, the words sounding a lot like something Connor might say. Hank huffed affectionately as he span his keys on one finger and led the way to the door. "Good bye, Connor! Talk to you later?" Niles called hesitantly, his big brown eyes filled with hope as he looked back at him. Connor wouldn't call him every night anymore, but their calls were still fairly regular.
"Of course. Get back safely," Connor called after him, waving until they were out of sight. He felt his brow furrow a little once they'd gone, that odd feeling in his chest starting up again. It wasn't exactly worry, but it was close to it. He heard a small hum and to the right as a small hand slapped his arm lightly. Tina was looking up at him with a surprised grin.
"I didn't know you had a son! He's a cute kid," she said as she sauntered by, likely just back from patrol.
"What? No! You've misunderstood. He's not my son! He's just one of the children staying at Jericho…He's the YK600 that Gavin saved during the child android case…" Connor replied defensively as he followed Tina into the bullpen. The last thing he needed was for rumours to start flying around. There were worse forms of gossip, of course. Such as the one about him sleeping with Lieutenant Anderson. He'd even heard multiple accounts of how he was sleeping with his brother, or Gavin, or his brother and Gavin. At the same time. He'd shaken his head in amusement more than once at the stories people came up with, and outright blushed at others.
"Oh right, thought I recognised him from somewhere…What was he here for then?" Tina asked curiously as they reached her desk on the outskirts of the pen. Connor faltered a little at that. He told her honestly that he'd come to share some good news, but her expression told him it was more than that. He hated the fact that she was probably right. He wasn't a complete idiot. He knew why Niles had turned down anyone showing an interest in adopting him. He'd even confronted Markus about it and asked him to discourage Niles' interest in him as a potential parental figure. "Certainly sounds like he's stuck on you," Tina teased lightly, which Connor couldn't argue with.
"You might be right…" he replied, but he didn't want to unload his problems on Tina. She got enough of that from Gavin and Miller, besides he had Hank. The old man was like a father to him and he was always willing to give him advice. Perhaps he would raise his concerns with him at some point. He needed to set Niles straight. Let him know that it just wasn't practical. He wasn't a domestic model. He wasn't built to take care of children. He was a full-time detective, living in his partner's house. That wasn't the type of lifestyle to slot a child into.
He was still troubled as he returned to Gavin's bedside and grabbed another file. He could barely focus on it as he thought about Niles. I have to talk to Simon and Markus again. We can't keep going on like this! Was it wrong of me to give him my number? Maybe I shouldn't speak to him so often or visit him in person. Maybe if I stop talking to him, he'll move on…but I don't want to upset him. He doesn't deserve to be abandoned, not when he trusts me…How do I explain to him I'm not the parenting type without upsetting him? What if he runs away? What if he hates me? What if I-His thoughts ground to an abrupt halt as he registered the tired green eyes staring at him from the bed.
"Hello…" Connor greeted in a quiet voice, letting it fill with the soothing tone that always worked on calming victims. Gavin either didn't notice or he was too tired to care as he returned the greeting in a croaked voice. Connor took that as a sign that he needed to rehydrate and grabbed a cup of water. Gavin groaned stiffly as he turned over. Everything hurt. He'd fought pretty hard earlier without either warming up or cooling down. "How do you feel?" Connor asked as he handed the cup to him. He'd just barely managed to prop himself up enough to drink through the ache in his ribs.
"Like I got run over by a truck…Twice," Gavin replied with a grunt. He almost felt hungover on top of the muscle aches. That was probably down to the dehydration. He downed the small paper cup before handing it back and slumping down on the bed. "Where's Nines?" he asked tiredly as he looked around the small room. It wasn't like Nines to leave him when he was like this. It put him on edge a little to think that his partner may have been angrier than he'd thought.
"He needed to recharge. He's been running without rest for over a week," Connor replied sympathetically, though he quickly insisted that Nines would be fine just as soon as he'd rested. He may have said more, but Hank chose that moment to walk in triumphantly with a bag from The Chicken Feed clutched in one hand and two drinking cups secured in the other. Connor sharpened his hazel eyes, giving him a look that clearly said he was in trouble.
"I thought you'd be hungry," Hank greeted considerately as he plopped himself down on the other side of the bed. Gavin grinned at him, clearly feeling a little better as he sat up a little higher and looked at Connor's yellow LED. "Hey, the boy's got to eat!" Hank defended as he handed one of the cups to Gavin and hunted in the bag for the burger and fries he'd bought him. Gavin sipped the pineapple passion fruit drink and hummed at the sweetness of it. He rarely ate at that place. Connor was right when he talked about the health warnings, but it was alright on occasion. Right now it smelled damned good.
"He should eat something nutritious! As should you! You know the level of cholesterol in that burger alone is almost three times the-" Connor cut off indignantly as Gavin popped one of the crunchy fries into his open mouth mid-sentence. Hank couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him as he watched Connor's big hazel eyes widen before he closed his teeth and chewed. His expression changed. He looked downright confused as his brow furrowed and he worked the potato snack between his teeth before swallowing. "That…shouldn't taste good," he said finally, looking absolutely mystified and almost offended.
"But it does, right?" Gavin retorted knowingly as he took a bite of his burger. Connor nodded hesitantly, Hank watching in amazement as he leaned in and nibbled a small bit of Gavin's burger. Gavin was willing to give it, almost eager to see Connor's reaction. He chuckled as his LED span red, likely because he'd analysed the unhealthy content of the meal. His expression was different however. He licked his lips with an expression that suggested he was again confused and almost resentful. "Hank's been sticking to your diet, right? A little treat now and then won't hurt. You think I eat like this every day?" Gavin added with a scoff as he held his drink out for Connor to sample.
"It's so sweet…" Connor murmured after he'd sipped the fruity beverage. Hank quickly cottoned on that Connor had been holding out on him. He hadn't exactly meant to keep the program a secret, but since he didn't eat in Hank's presence, it simply hadn't come up. He hadn't actually used it since his last lunchtime with Gavin and his brothers the day before the incident. We've been so busy with everything since then…On top of Gavin's troubles, it seemed he was increasingly distracted by Niles, too.
"I figured you'd like it," Gavin huffed as he allowed Connor to take a second sip. Hank and Connor stayed, eventually encouraging Gavin to rest a while longer. He didn't have to sleep, though they weren't about to complain if he happened to drift off. Fowler stopped by, negotiating with Gavin over when he'd be fit to work again. Gavin had wanted to return right away, but Fowler had point blank refused that suggestion. He'd compromised a little, saying he wouldn't mind Gavin coming in to help clear out the archives and maybe give a fresh eye to a few cold cases. Gavin would take whatever he could get. Anything to keep him from being trapped in his apartment, thinking about what had happened. Apparently, Dr Marr had agreed that it would be better to keep Gavin busy and surrounded by people he trusted rather than confined to his apartment as he had been for the past week.
Gavin dozed a little, but didn't truly sleep again. Hank and Connor both remained past the end of their shifts, wanting to make sure Nines got all the rest he needed. It reached about nine o'clock, so Connor ordered in some dinner for Hank and Gavin from a local restaurant. He chose healthy options since Hank had sneaked to The Chicken Feed earlier in the day. Neither human complained. Gavin was more than happy to eat the neatly packed lasagne with a crunchy side salad, and Hank was content with his spaghetti. Connor was beginning to worry by ten, but barely a few moments later, Nines appeared in the doorway.
"Hey, Terminator, feeling better?" Gavin asked in a forcibly casual tone. Connor could hear the anxiousness underneath and it seemed Nines also picked up on it. He didn't smile exactly, but there was the slightest quirk of his lips and his sharp eyes softened as he approached the bed to stand beside Gavin. The humans had finished eating and Hank was just taking the packaging out to the trash.
"Much better, Rump Steak," Nines replied, relishing the use of their old nicknames after so long. That had been one of the harder things to deal with over the past week. The loss of banter. The loss of friendship. He'd been with Gavin, but he hadn't been with Gavin. It had been difficult. He'd encountered a side to his partner that he hadn't met before. Gavin seemed happy as he heard Nines use his old nickname too, his shoulders dropping in something like relief. "Are you ready to go home, Gavin?" Nines asked in a softer tone, noting another drop in Gavin's vitals as he used his first name.
"Yeah, sure, Nines…You driving?" Gavin asked as he pushed himself up with a wince, his body still stiff from his earlier tousle with Connor. Nines nodded his agreement as he helped him to his feet, slightly displeased with his rigidity. Connor said his goodbyes and watched them go with a tired sigh. He looked at the clock, calculating he had just enough time to call Niles for a quick chat before it got too late. He checked the empty corridor before closing the door and making the call.
Hello, Niles. How was practice? he asked warmly as he re-made the bed Gavin had used and prepared the sheets and blanket to go in the wash. He felt at ease as he listened to Niles telling him all about his day. It certainly sounded like he'd had a lot of fun with his human friends. It was a nice distraction from the chaos of the station.