A/N: This is a very Simon chapter. Lots of Simon. I hope you all enjoy it.

After It All

Simon looked at himself in the mirror. He was standing in the bathroom of their 'New Jericho' which was just the old Cyberlife building. His eyes were locked on the glowing ring on his temple. He twitched at the sight of it. He had been constantly removing and reapplying it for the last three months. Something about it filled him with anxiety, he had initially removed it after the revolution, but some two years later had been filled with the urge, the need to put it back on. That had been routine for him for the last year, remove, reapply, remove, reapply.

He pressed his fingers to the ring and resisted the urge to pull it out. He knew why he was doing it. The pain. Removing the LED was the closest he could get to feeling physical pain, sure since becoming deviant he could feel pain, to a degree at least, but the feeling of removing the LED was intense. It was a reprieve from his emotional pain. Ripping it from his body was a catharsis. It was addictive as it was bad for him.

He smacked his hand against the counter. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't do it. He hit the counter again. He needed to get out. He needed to get away. It hurt. He hurt. Seeing him every day, loving him and knowing that he couldn't be with him. He wanted Markus to be happy, he really did. But he also couldn't bear it anymore. He turned and started walking.

"Simon?" Josh looked at him confused as Simon walked out of the bathroom and stormed past him. "Where are you going, Simon?" he chased after him.

"I'm going for a walk." The way that he was walking, in combination with his stiff voice, caught the attention of others surrounding them.

"Simon? Josh?" Markus noticed them and jogged to catch up with them. "What's going on?"

"I am going for a walk." Simon's voice raised and his LED flashed red.

"Simon-" Markus reached out to him.

Simon shrugged the hand off him and did not look back. "I will be back when I am ready."

XXX

It was a beautiful sunny day and Connor was walking to work. Hank had offered him a lift on his way to traffic control but Connor had turned him down. With how lovely the weather was, he wanted to take in some scenery and the walk gave him time to do so systems checks. All in all, he was in a good mood and all his systems were functioning.

As he reached the precinct he watched as a car pulled in at the front of the building. He looked through the window and noticed that it was Adrian in the passenger and another male in the drivers seat. A scan told him that the man was Thomas Cleary, no criminal record.

When Adrian saw him, Connor raised a hand in a wave. Adrian waved back with a bright smile and moved to leave the car. Connor watched with keen eyes as Thomas pulled a face, said something and raised his hands in… annoyance? He watched as Adrian smiled nervously and leaned over, he placed a quick kiss on Thomas' cheek before practically running from the car. The car then sped away, the cars wheels screeching on the road- a sign of aggression.

"Connor!" Adrian greeted with a smile as he jogged to the android. "How are you? Did you walk? You should have called me I could have given you a lift, well I couldn't have today my cars getting repaired but any other day I could. Actually, I might have been able to give you one today, it would have been up to my own lift though."

Connor returned the smile while he listened to Adrian's rambling. "I am well, thank you. I did walk, it was a nice change of pace. Perhaps we could ride together another time?"

Adrian smiled. "I'd like that." He then tilted his head. "Hank still on traffic?"

Connor nodded. "He tells me that he would rather be in the pigeon room than doing traffic. His moods have been low too, we've been listening to lot of heavy metal at the moment." Adrian chuckled at his words. "Can I ask you a personal question, Adrian?" Connor asked suddenly.

Adrian raised a brow but nodded. "Oh course, anything."

"That man in the car, Thomas Cleary, is he your boyfriend?" Connor took note of Adrian's increased heart rate, and that he had also gone a little white.

Adrian tugged on the sleeve of his top, a nervous habit. "Erm… that is…" he looked away. "He is."

Connor was completely unprepared for the raw emotion that shot through him. Were he human, he probably would have staggered backwards from the sheer force of it all. He was filled with emotions that he could not name, he was also filled with confusion at why he would be feeling emotions that he was taken with. It did not make any sense, why would he feel the way he was feeling, if Adrian had a boyfriend, why should he care?

"I see." Connor replied evenly. "I'm glad that you're happy."

Adrian fiddled with his sleeves. "Yeah, happy… let's go inside before Captain fowler comes and drags us by our ears."

XXX

Because Connor had walked to work this morning. In the evening, he was now left to do the same thing. Walk home. He looked up at the stars, it truly was a beautiful sight. He liked the stars, it was the simple things that gave him enjoyment in his life. Watching the stars while walking home was simple enough that he took great enjoyment in it.

While he walked he noticed someone else walking on the opposite side of the street. He paused. It was Simon. What was Simon doing down this end of Detroit?

"Simon!" Connor called out to the android.

Simon snapped his head to Connor and offered him a light wave. Connor crossed to the street to him. He took in the other's appearance. Simon looked unhappy, and there was blue blood on his knuckles, from physical force? Connor offered him a smile.

"How are you?"

Simon looked away. "I would rather not talk about it right now." He looked back at Connor. "I'm sorry, it's been a long day. You haven't done anything to deserve me snapping at you."

"You seem to need some counselling." Connor replied with a matter of fact voice. "Can I help you with that, Simon?"

Simon smiled sadly. "Sorry Connor, I'm being unnecessarily cruel to you." His smile widened. "Thank you for being kind to me." He looked away. "I have been… emotional lately, I have done something that I probably shouldn't." his eyes watered.

"Would you…" Connor hesitated. He leaned forward to see the other's face. "Would you like to come back with me for the night? You seem like you need the help."

Simon was silent for a long time. Connor was patient though and waited for the answer. Eventually Simon turned his wet eyes to Connor. The tears glistened as they caught the light from the street lamps. He nodded shakily. "I would like that, thank you Connor."

X

Hank looked at the clock. Connor had told him that he would be home by exactly eight fifty-two, which was apparently exactly forty minutes from the DPD. So given that it was now nine o'clock, Hank was feeling a little worried. Connor was never late. Connor was always on time, right down to the second. It made him paranoid. Even years after the civil war, there were still plenty of humans who were anti-android. He hoped that nothing had happened to Conner. He did not know if he could deal with the loss of another child.

"Five more minutes Sumo.." He looked at the dog who was waiting at the window for Connor. "Five more and we'll go look."

Sumo made a noise.

"I know Sumo, I know."

At the sound of a key in the door, Hank and Sumo jumped to alert. Sumo bolted to the door and waited eagerly. Hank pulled himself up from the chair and began to walk to the door when it opened. Sumo barked happily and jumped up to greet Connor. Hank all but charged at the Android.

"Connor! You okay! Nothing happened?" his panic slipped into his voice. He did not mean it to, but he had been so worried.

Connor ruffled Sumo's head and once the dog was satisfied he wandered off to his bed. Connor then looked over at Hank. He could see the concern on the older mans face and was touched by the care that the man had for him. "I am fine Hank, thanks for worrying about me." He gestured with his hands to Simon who was standing awkwardly in the doorway. "This is Simon."

Hank's eyes went wide. He glanced between the two Androids for a few moments before he held out a hand to Simon. "Uhh..nice to meet you Simon… um, welcome to our home, I did tell Connor to start bringing home boys, so, it's uhh… nice to meet you." He stepped back and gestured to the living room. "C-Come in."

"It isn't like that Hank," Connor interrupted, noticing how uncomfortable both Hank and Simon looked at the situation. "He is a friend who is having personal troubles."

Hank looked at Simon, if there ever was a contender for Connor's 'puppy' expression, it would be Simon. He let out a chuckle and ushered Simon in. "Connor barraging you with 'personal questions'?"

Simon looked at the human and he found himself smiling. "He is. Does he do it often?" Hank laughed in response to the words and patted the android on the back, while guiding him to the sofa.

Connor wasn't sure whether to smile or frown as the two made jokes about him.

XXX

"What's it like living with a Hank whose stuck-on traffic duty?" Adrian asked while he munched on an apple. The two of them were standing in the coffee room having their 'tea break'.

Connor, who was not eating but was sitting at the table across from Adrian, replied. "The first three weeks he was irritable, and not unlike a 'gossiping wife' from a daytime drama. Now that Simon has been staying with us for the last three days, he seems lighter. I believe having a new face is good for his phycological condition. He still drinks and Jimmy's Bar on the weekend. An improvement from what it used to be though."

Connor watched as a strange expression formed on Adrian's face. It was not something that he had ever seen on the usually happy face of the Detective. Something about the expression seemed uneasy. "Who is Simon?" Adrian asked curiously.

"He's my friend." Connor replied simply.

"Oh." Adrian replied quietly. "Well I'm happy that the Lieutenant is doing well. I gotta go back to work." Adrian tossed his apple into the bin and hurried back to his desk.

Connor was left sitting at the desk with a strange feeling in his 'stomach'.

XXX

Simon's hands trembled as he held the knife to the LED. It bothered him. Looking at it, feeling it, knowing that it was there… it bothered him to his core. He couldn't stand it, the need, the connection that he had with that tiny piece of plastic and wires. He let out a grunt as it snapped from his skin and landed in the basin. He let out a shuddering sound and looked down at the blue stained object in the sink. With a shaky hand he lifted the LED and slipped it into his pocket. His systems were flashing at the invasive procedure that he continued to engage in.

"That's not going to stain the basin, is it?" Simon jumped and with wide eyes, he looked over to see Hank leaning in the doorway.

"H-Hank…" he stammered. He lifted his hand to his head in an attempt to hide the blue blood on his face. It did not helped, the blue blood in the sink told the story anyway. "I-I"

Hank pushed himself off the doorway and nodded his head towards the kitchen. "Come tell me about it kid." With that said he walked away from the room.

Simon listened to the sound of Hank's retreating steps, and then the sound of a chair sliding against the floor, obviously Hank sitting on the chair. He then looked down at his blue blood on his shaking hands. He felt his heart pulse. An exhilaration took him at the knowledge that someone knew. It wasn't just his little secret. Someone cared enough to notice. With shaky hands he quickly cleaned up the blood and made his way to the kitchen, where Hank was indeed waiting for him.

Hank looked over to him and gestured to the chair across from him. Simon quietly took the spot. He fiddled his fingers nervously as the older man pinned him with a stare. Amazingly it was not anger or disappointment in his eyes, it was just concern.

"Now Kid, what's going on?" Hank leaned his elbows on the table and gestured with his hands. "Why do it to yourself?"

Simon looked down, he didn't know how to word it. He had never talked about it before, nobody had ever noticed to want to talk about it with him.

"Simon?" Markus' voice flowed through his mind. "Simon, you've been gone for days… what is going on? Are you alright?" Simon's heart ached at the tone in Markus' voice. It was full of hurt.

Simon closed his eyes and tried to ignore the androids voice. He instead did something that may be considered foolish. He sent Markus images of what he had done. Markus' words shot through his mind at the images. "Simon! Why would you do that! Simon? Simon!" Simon ignored the voice and returned his attention to Hank. He felt… liberated… he wondered why, in the span of minutes, he would feel so good, and why he would feel comfortable enough to finally share his problem. Not just with Hank. With Markus of all people. He briefly wondered if it was because Markus was not there, he was unable to see the other Android, which perhaps made it all easier?

"It's…" Simon began quietly. "It's the pain, it makes me… feel. I feel a physical euphoria."

"Oh Simon…"

Hank did not say anything, he instead waited for Simon to continue. "I know that it's stupid. I know it hurts… it damages my circuits every time that I do it, but I want to feel something… I have troubles expressing this…" Simon looked up at wet eyes. "…it takes away emotional pain… the loneliness… I can't stand it… I feel so alone…"

"Simon, I never wanted you to feel like this… please come back. I want to fix this with you."

"Well kid, and I'm speaking from personal experience," Hank scratched his head before standing up and walking to the refrigerator. He pulled out a beer and popped the top off. "you need to find you someone who makes you happy. It doesn't need to be romance, could just be a friend, a friend who cares enough to make sure that you don't die."

He walked to his spot and had a sip of his drink. He eyed Simon for a long stretch of time before he spoke again. "Now you have Connor as a friend, and we get along well enough, but I don't think that it's either of us that you want that from, are we?" he raised a brow and gestured with his hands.

"Simon, please."

Simon remained silent. His eyes locked with Hank's. The Lieutenant had a point. A good point. Simon desperately wanted that. He wanted his friends to help him. He wanted Markus to help him. But he had been so horrible to them all, would they accept him back? Would they want him back? They had every reason to turn him out, especially with how he was. Did he have a place to return to?

"Simon, you will always be welcome back. Your home is with us. With me."

After a long time of sitting with Hank, the only sound being that of Hank drinking. He finally had his answer.

"Mr. Hank." He gained the attention of the Lieutenant.

Hank hummed and waited for him to continue. "I want to thank you, being here for three days with Yourself and Connor has, given me perspective. Give Connor my thanks."

Hank nodded. "Good luck kid."

XXX

"Claire?" Ralph knocked on the door to her bathroom. She had been locked in for the longest time. She had come home an hour earlier, tears pouring down her face, she had pushed past him and had locked herself in the bathroom. Ralph knocked again. "Claire, Ralph is worried about you!"

"J-just give me a minute!" Claire called out in response.

Ralph jumped back from the door and jogged on the spot. His hands waving nervously. What had happened to her? Why had she been crying? What had happened? Had that man done something to her? She had been on a date with him this evening. What had happened? Why was she crying? Ralph stopped shaking as the door opened. He watched with wide eyes as she stepped out.

Her hair was wet, showing that she had had a shower. Her face did not seem blotchy, despite the fact that she had been crying. Though he noted that she had reapplied her make up. Perhaps that was why she was not blotchy. He also noted that there was a hint of something… purple showing on her shoulder, but it was mostly covered by her dressing gown.

"Where did the bruise come from Claire?" he asked coolly. Rage was filling in his systems. That son of a bitch had hurt her!

Claire shook her head and hastily pulled her dressing gown tighter to cover the mark. "N-nothing Ralph. It's okay…" she whispered.

"Claire what happened?" Ralph pushed.

"Ralph it doesn't matter!" Claire shouted, waving her hands wildly. She started to shake. "Please Ralph… just…" she flung into his arms, the sobbing took over and she trembled in his arms. "Just be here…"

Ralph's LED flashed red. "Ralph will look after Claire."

She squeezed him tightly and cried into his shirt.

XXX

The foyer to the old Cyberlife building was surprisingly empty. Simon was baffled to see how empty it was. He had never experienced it like this. He could hear the echo of his feet as he walked. It was strange. There was usually someone in the room, even if it was only another two or three androids. He wondered why it was so deserted.

"Simon…" Simon jumped at the sound of his name. He looked up and saw Markus standing beside the water feature.

"Markus…" He started to walk. So, did Markus. Slow at first, then they both made it to a sprint… and soon enough their bodies collided and they held each other in a tight embrace.

"I am sorry for the pain that I have caused you." Markus whispered.

Simon felt a smile tug his lips and he tightened his grip on the other Android. He didn't say anything, he did not need to. Whatever needed to be said could wait.

XXX

Connor walked out of the DPD, it was the last day of Hank's 'traffic duty' so on Monday Hank would be back to working homicide with him. He could honestly say that he was excited for it. He had missed working with Hank. While he was walking, he noticed Adrian standing by his car. He frowned. Things had been uncomfortable between himself and the detective and he was at a loss as to why. There was a stiffness when they talked that was not there before.

"Good evening Adrian." Connor said as he reached the detective.

Adrian nodded in greeting. "Busy weekend?" he asked.

Connor shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary, tending the garden. Informing Hank of what's been happening here. And you? What about your weekend?"

Adrian smiled wryly. "I'm helping Tom move out."

Connor paused. "Oh? Why?"

"We spilt up." Came Adrian's fairly relaxed voice, given the nature of the statement.

Connor frowned and placed a hand on the detectives shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I am sorry to hear that, how long had you been together?"

Adrian looked at the hand on his shoulder, then back at Connor. A warm smile took his face. "Three years." He replied. "It was my fault, my heart wasn't in it. Tom deserves someone who can love him with all of their heart. I'm sorry it didn't happen sooner."

Connor tilted his head as he processed the information. He did not remove his hand. "If I can ask. Why wasn't your heart in it?"

Adrian let out an, almost bitter laugh. "How can you give it your all when you're madly in love with someone else?" Connor's eyes went wide, and Adrian shook his head. "Anyway. That's not important, what is, is that it's the weekend." He pointed to his car. "Need a lift?"

"I'd like that Adrian."

A/N: Not sure how I feel about this chapter. I hope you liked it, let me know!