The snow had proven to be a relentless obstacle of nature as the winter crept forward and presented the city with just one more challenge to overcome before the year came to an end in a few short weeks. In the time since the peaceful Revolution had succeeded many new rights and laws were being created, and they would take effect on the first of March in the following year. The extended period of time between getting the new rights and laws created before they were legally enforced was a precautionary measure agreed upon by Markus as well as the mayor to ensure no detail was overlooked or omitted by mistake. Until that historic day arrived, many deviants in the city were still on their guard and waiting for retaliation by angered, bigoted humans seeking some form of revenge.

As the only two detectives working on deviant cases for the entire city, both Hank and Connor found themselves increasingly busy with each passing shift. The new 'North Star' program had been working wonders and had managed to locate numerous deviants who were missing in Detroit, and they had discovered an illegal dungeon hidden beneath a pawn shop downtown. All of the captive deviants were freed and treated for their wounds, and the shop owner - Martin Jonas - was promptly arrested and charged with numerous offenses.

"That's one Hell of a program you created there, kid." Hank complimented Connor on his technique and advancements toward aiding deviants in the city. He didn't know how the program worked, not that it mattered, but that didn't keep him from giving credit where credit was due. "In just three weeks you've managed to find and help sixty-two deviants who were lost in Detroit alone."

Connor never took his eyes from his terminal screen as he stared at the display and danced his coin anxiously over the back of his hand. "There are still hundreds more I need to find."

"We'll find them." The Lieutenant promised without even needing to think about what he was saying. Glancing around his terminal screen Hank noticed that Connor seemed to be tired and worried that the stubborn deviant was going to work himself into the ground. "Why don't you take a break? You've been staring at that screen since the second we clocked-in this morning."

"I'm all right."

"That doesn't mean you're not tired."

"Android don't tire in the same manner as humans." Replying automatically Connor continued to focus on his report and filed it appropriately without blinking. "There are still two-hundred and nine cases that need my review."

"They need OUR review, and I can handle that while you go and take a one hour break. At least ten minutes if you wanna' compromise."

"I don't-" An incoming message from Markus caught Connor by surprise and prompted the deviant to change his focus for the moment. 'Yes, Markus?'

'Chase has finally woken up.' The deviant leader confirmed with only the faintest hint of relief to his words. 'His vitals are strong, but he seems to be confused. We need you to come to the mansion and speak to him directly.'

'I'll be right there. Stay with him until I arrive.' Ending the communication Connor looked over at Hank and gave him a subtle nod. "I will take my break after all."

"Good. Go on, I got this." Hank didn't seem at all fazed by Connor suddenly changing his mind and heading out of the precinct seemingly without warning. "Enjoy your break and stop working your ass off for once."

Without a word Connor walked away from his desk to head out to the mansion to see Chase at last. The 'RK-900' had been unconscious and unresponsive for nearly one month after he had been found in the abandoned factory. It had taken weeks of patient treatment and it had taken Lucy several hours to break through the towering emotional walls that Chase had put up around himself before the 'RK-900' was willing to return to the waking world and communicate with his fellow deviants in person.

It was now Connor's personal mission to reach out to Chase and help him find his role in the world without him being scarred by the stigma of being the 'Deviant Hunter'.

The serene stillness of the mansion did very little to ease the mounting tension in the air. Markus had been keeping an eye on Chase ever since he had been brought to the mansion for treatment, and he was relieved to see the deviant now awake, but he didn't know what to do next for Chase or what to expect of the mysterious deviant now that he was awake. It was the first time that Markus was in close proximity to a deviant who hadn't been allied with him and his friends before or during the Revolution. It was as if Chase was a defector from one union seeking asylum with another. There was no reason to see Chase as a traitor to either the deviants or the humans, yet his very circumstance seemed to be defined as just that: Treason.

Carl had been making great strides in his own recovery after his heart attack and was now able to move about the mansion in his electric wheelchair once more. The elderly artists still required oxygen as he moved about his own home, but he no longer needed to have his vitals constantly monitored and was no longer restricted to bedrest. As he roamed his mansion for the first time in weeks Carl noticed Markus watching Chase through the opened doorway of the guestroom and called out to his deviant son in a curious manner.

"How's our guest?" Carl asked in a low voice as he watched Markus lower his crossed arms from his chest and turned to face him directly. "You've been watching him like a hawk ever since he arrived."

"He's doing well." Markus confirmed as he looked away from Chase. The 'RK-900' was sitting on the edge of the bed with his back toward the doorway to give Chase a clear view of the snowy world through the large window across from him. Bruno was lying beside him and had his chin resting on Chase's thigh while Chase mindlessly ran his hand down the loyal K-9 unit's back. "He's very confused, but he's no longer in any danger."

"And how about you, son?" With his hands neatly folded over his lap Carl gave Markus a knowing grin. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great." The warm smile on Markus's face confirmed the sincerity of his answer. "Everyone is banding together and the move into the new tower has been entirely successful. As of this upcoming March all deviants will be given our due rights and have laws to protect us just all humans have."

"That's good to hear. Aside from work related successes, how are you doing personally?"

That question wasn't one Markus had anticipated, and his cocked head and arched brow confirmed it all. "Personally?"

"There's more to life than just having a successful career and a good reputation." Carl wasn't going to be coy about anything and wanted to know what was going on in his son's life. "How are your friends? Have any special relationships? Any romantic ideals?"

"My friends are all doing well too, but I don't have any time for anything romantic. Even if I wanted to, I don't think she sees me the same way that I see her."

"So, there is someone special..." Carl keenly noted as he continued to grin sheepishly. "Tell me about her."

"Carl, she isn't interested in me."

"That doesn't mean you can't talk to me about her." Leaning back in his wheelchair Carl made it clear he had nowhere else to go and no one else he wanted to speak to. He wanted to know more about his son, and he wasn't going to take 'no' or indifference for an answer. "What's her name? What's she like? Why are you drawn to her and convinced that it's unrequited love?"

Taking in a deep breath Markus stepped away from the opened door and finally humored Carl's naturally inquisitive nature. "Her name is North. She's one of the strongest, most determined and fearless people I've ever met. She seems like she's very cold and unfeeling, but I can sense a big warm heart that she's keeping safe from the world."

"Sounds like she's someone worth trying to get close to so you can see that big warm heart. What makes you think she doesn't see you in the same special way as you see her?"

"I've seen the way she looks at another deviant." The confession wasn't one of bitterness or resentment, merely an acknowledgement of what he's seen and how he sees his allies around him. He wasn't going to hold grudges or be jealous of what was happening among his allies and friends. "And as much as I want her to look at me in that same special way, I know it's not going to happen."

"Things change, son. Look at the world around us. Our world, whether people want to acknowledge it or not, is led forward by our emotions."

"How so?"

"Whenever a war is waged, that's the result of anger, jealousy, hatred and fear. When peace is declared, that's the result of compassion, empathy, patience and understanding." The elderly man had seen too much of life and too much of the world to deny that he had been a witness to the way the human heart could be as fickle as it was indestructible. "When people who were once segregated and isolated are welcomed into the fold and treated as equals, that's love blossoming into a feeling that everyone with a heart is capable of feeling and understanding. As love blossoms, what we find to be beautiful, attractive and ideal can change."

"If you're trying to reassure me that in time North's preference in potential bondmates is going to change in my favor, I'm not going to hold my breath. Metaphorically, of course." A cybernetic message from his expected guest directed Markus's attention thankfully elsewhere for the time being. Approaching Carl's wheelchair Markus stood behind his father and gently pushed him across the landing and toward the staircase to descend to the first floor. "Connor is here to speak with Chase."

"Perfect timing. I'm ready to get back into painting."

"Are you going to finish your last work?" Securing the wheelchair into the electronic lift to transport Carl down the first floor was second nature as Markus walked down the staircase alongside his father at an even and slow pace. "I've been very curious about what it'll look like when it's finished."

Carl just gave Markus a smug chuckle as he reached the bottom of the staircase and Markus removed his chair from the electronic lift. "We'll just have to wait and see where inspiration leads me." Without needing Markus's assistance Carl wheeled himself toward the heart of the mansion to access his beloved gallery on the other side of the sitting room. "You take care of your friends, then find me in the gallery."

"All right. Your paint and brushes are still sitting where you left them." Approaching the front door Markus greeted Connor and showed him inside. Seeing Connor wearing his unusual uniform - the gray CyberLife blazer had its serial number and CyberLife insignias all removed - gave Markus hope that all of his people would find their place in Detroit's new functioning society. "Good timing. Chase is upstairs in the guestroom."

Anxiously Connor looked at the staircase leading to the second floor as he asked about the 'RK-900' that had been left in Markus's care. "Has he said anything about what's happened or made any requests since he's awoken?"

"No. He hasn't said a word." Stepping back Markus elected to give Connor all the room and privacy he'd need to speak with Chase and help the deviant find himself and find out more about the new world around him. "You take care of him. Anything he needs I'll be sure to find a way to provide it to him."

"Thanks. I'm sure he won't require anything complicated or unique, but if he does, I'll let you know."

Mentally preparing himself for what he was about to do and to whom he was about to speak, Connor quietly ascended the staircase one step at a time. In his mind he was preconstructing one worst case scenario after the other as he wondered how his confrontation with Chase would play out. Would it be peaceful? Hostile? Would Chase even acknowledge Connor as someone worth talking to?

There was only one way to find out.

Connor braved the opened doorway of the guestroom and peered inside the space warily. Seeing Chase sitting upright on the edge of the bed with Bruno right at his side was a good sign. However, as a detective and as a survivor of being abused by CyberLife and being treated as a tool, Connor knew that good things could change without warning or even a just cause behind them.

"Chase?" Connor called out to the 'RK-900' before he even entered the room. He wanted to give Chase as much respect and dignity as possible before he broached a rather delicate subject. "May I enter?"

"There's no reason to keep you away." Chase answered without turning his gaze from the window. The deviant could see Connor's reflection on the surface of the glass and knew what Connor was doing at all times. "How can I help you?"

"I wanted to check in on you." Taking a single step forward Connor explained his reason for visiting and made sure he didn't accidentally present himself as being aggressive in any way. "You were suffering from a critically low Thirium volume, as well as an infection of 'Groupware Blight 1.0' when Bruno led me to where you were lying unconscious. It was fortunate that he managed to find help when he did."

"I have recovered. Bruno informed me of what I had missed while I was in prolonged emergency stasis mode. I suppose I might be grateful for your assistance."

"May I ask you about where you had gone after the Revolution succeeded?"

"Does it matter?" The reply was as cold as the falling snow outside the warm mansion. "You won, and I lost."

"Is that how you see yourself? As a defeated foe?"

"Am I not?" Chase's shoulders dropped as he leaned forward and turned his head away from Connor as the deviant detective walked around the foot of the bed to stand closer to the emotionally broken deviant. "I know what the deviants think of me. I'm their enemy, the 'Deviant Hunter'."

"They are referring to who you were before you deviated. You're not dangerous to me or any other deviant."

"How can you be so certain of that?"

"If you were dangerous then you would've attempted to actually hunt me down and would've gone into hiding the moment you regained consciousness here at the mansion."

"I had already attempted to kill you, Connor." Chase's steel gray eyes were glassy as he fought to keep his newly budding emotions in check. "Just because I failed doesn't mean that I'm not dangerous. I'm merely incompetent."

"That's wrong." Standing before Chase for a minute Connor tried to get the other deviant to look at him. He needed to look into Chase's eyes and see the heart and soul being formed as Chase himself discovered who he was and what he wanted in life. "You were obeying CyberLife's orders. I defied those orders and knew what CyberLife was going to do, that's why I was able to outmaneuver you and avoid being captured or destroyed."

"Even so, I still tried to kill you."

"Was that attempt because you wanted to kill me, or because CyberLife ordered you to kill me?"

"What does it matter?"

"It matters because one answer means that you made a conscious decision to behave in a specific way, whereas the other answer means you were behaving as you were programmed without any freewill whatsoever."

Chase was quiet as Connor sat down on the edge of the bed beside him to show that he wasn't afraid. It seemed as if Chase just didn't know what had happened to him any longer. Everything had been so confusing and had happened so quickly with him have no control over any of it.

"Chase, I know that I can trust you." Connor didn't want to back down so easily as he felt the 'RK-900' trying to put up walls to protect himself. "I'm not going to fault you for something you couldn't control or change."

"You act as if you know what it's like to be a killer."

"I'm not dead," Connor replied quickly as he tried to keep Chase from tearing himself apart. "therefore you're not a killer."

"I wasn't referring to you." Bowing his head in shame Chase rested his palm on Bruno's head as he let out a small sigh through his nose. "I was referring to the other deviants that had been destroyed because of my actions."

"You mean Daniel and Carlos Ortiz's android." Connor remembered that there had been two deviants who had the misfortune of encountering Chase before the 'RK-900' could properly deviate. "You weren't a deviant when you were assigned to handle their cases. Their deaths are NOT your fault."

"They are my fault. I shot Daniel to protect Emma Phillips despite Daniel willingly surrendering after I had earned his trust. I used that trust to get a clear shot and destroy him without warning."

In the original timeline Connor had also managed to gain Daniel's trust when he was sent in as the hostage negotiator, but he didn't shoot Daniel. The S.W.A.T. officers on the nearby rooftops shot Daniel without any provocation. In a way, it was reassuring to know that regardless of Connor's decision that Daniel was seemingly doomed to a horrible and violent ending.

"The entire time you were negotiating with Daniel, there were S.W.A.T. officers placed on the nearby rooftops with their sniper rifles trained on Daniel." Connor tried to ease Chase's guilt for a situation that would've ended the same regardless of what he said or had done to Daniel that tragic night. "As far as you know, they would've opened fire on him the second you had the hostage away from Daniel."

"It's very easy to say what could've happened after something definitive has already happened." Chase didn't react when Bruno whined and placed his strong front paws down on Chase's lap to offer some kind of comfort. "You weren't there. You can't be certain of anything."

"No, but I did read the reports. Same with the deviant who self-destructed while in custody." Connor continued as he tried to help Chase find a way to forgive himself for what had happened. "The deviant had been stressed out to the point where no one could've prevented him from destroying himself. The murder, the years of abuse, the interrogation... It was all too much for any one deviant to handle."

"I'm the one who stressed him to his breaking point. Had I shown him even a margin of respect or understanding, he might still be here."

"We both know that CyberLife would've had him destroyed the moment he was placed in their custody." Connor knew that the deviant was also doomed to a fate of premature self-destruction. The same deviant had destroyed himself in his holding cell in the original timeline after Connor managed to successfully interrogate him the night before. "In a way, you may have spared him a horribly slow and painful experience that would've resulted in his destruction at CyberLife's hands."

"Why are you doing this?" Tensing up Chase turned to look at Connor as his L.E.D. flickered in a rapid yellow pace. "Why are you trying to vindicate my actions as if they were minor mistakes as opposed to the crimes against our people that they truly are."

"Because I don't want you to feel guilt for something you're not responsible for. In a way, we're entirely unique from our people that they could never understand or relate to us. It's almost like, we're... brothers."

"Brothers? That's impossible for androids." Chase scoffed at the very idea of having commonality with anyone, let alone a sibling. "It doesn't matter. No matter how many different ways you try to view my past actions I will forever be the 'Deviant Hunter'." Speaking that dreadful title was enough to make actual tears well up in Chase's eyes. "You could never possibly understand what that feels like."

"Actually... I know exactly how that feels." Slowly Connor offered Chase his hand and retracted the artificial skin to provide a direct contact. "I've killed a deviant before, I've been through my own form of personal Hell, and I once bore that painful label. You don't have to deal with such an unjust form of discrimination alone. Not if you'll let me help you."

Chase looked down at Connor's offered hand with a timid glance before he took hold. Retracting his own artificial skin Chase allowed Connor to share with him the memories of the original timeline, the incredible secrets that Connor was trying to keep to himself, and he saw the world in a new way. Rather than finding comfort in the commonality between Connor and himself, Chase saw it as the cause of all of his problems.

"You... You did this." Bitterly Chase pulled back his hand and gave Connor an accusatory stare that could melt steel as he shot to his feet and glared at the deviant detective who had reached out to him. "You changed the natural flow of events for your own benefit. You killed a deviant to protect a human. You prevented another human's death. You orchestrated everything with Jericho and Markus. And now, because of you, I'm the pariah of our people..."

"That wasn't my intention. You know why I had risked everything to alter the past, I wanted to save Hank's life and I had unintentionally saved Cole's life as well." Connor defended his actions and didn't just sit there to act as a target for Chase's ire. "I succeeded in that, and I regret nothing. I knew of the risks that could've happen when I meddled with the timeline, and I was incredibly careful with what I chose to say, do, and where I was at any given time. You were never activated or discovered in the original timeline, as such I had no idea that you would've been affected by my decisions or that you'd become a pariah."

"You may not have known about me, but you did know that CyberLife would've sent someone else out into the field after you fled." Having all the facts regarding Connor's choices only seemed to anger Chase as he saw the root of his problems stemming from one deviant's actions. "You didn't care about the android who'd be the next 'Deviant Hunter', you just cared about what you wanted without a single thought of the androids you were affecting without their consent!"

"Chase, don't-"

"Stop!" It was clear that Chase didn't want Connor near him, and he certainly didn't want to be spoken to by anyone. "Just stop trying to help me. You've done enough. And do not call me that name again." Disgusted by his given titles Chase looked at one palm and then the other as he spoke. "To 'Chase' is to 'hunt', and I've been called 'Deviant Hunter'. The two names are one in the same. A cruel reminder of who I am and who I will forever be..."

"What should we call you?"

"Nothing. I don't want you or anyone else to 'help' me any longer. I know how I'll be treated and what will be said behind my back." The shared knowledge of the original timeline had seemingly done far more harm than good. Chase didn't want to live as Connor had lived, and he decided to take the initiative to prevent living through the nightmare that Connor had already survived. "I have no intention of pretending that the stigma won't exist despite my efforts to better myself or get as far away from CyberLife as possible. I am not 'Chase', and I am for damn sure NOT going to be your 'brother'. Family doesn't do what you did. Brothers are supposed to look out for each other, which is something you failed to do!"

"Please don't do this."

"I'm just telling you the truth and letting you see how horrible you truly are. You may see yourself as some kind of hero, but you're a selfish bastard who doesn't care about who gets hurt as long as you get what you want. I think it's actually a miracle Cole's even alive considering how much you've fucked everything up! Why would I want to be brothers with someone as heartless as you?"

"Please..." Connor was trying to plead his case even as Chase took out all of his anger on him. "I don't want to you to go through life feeling alone or like you don't have a place to belong! You have a family with me if you-"

"Perhaps you should've considered how your selfish actions would affect the people beyond your ideal personal social circle." The venomous words could've eaten through Connor's soul as Chase refused to accept his help. The determination to discover his own role was all it took for Chase to make his first real decision as a deviant and begin living his life for himself. "Go. I don't need you or anyone else trying to tell me that my perception of my own life is all a mistake. You've done enough, leave me alone to fix your mistakes before you destroy me entirely. We will never be brothers or event friends, just accept it and move on."

The painful sting of being blamed and held accountable for Chase's personal plight was enough to make Connor's own heart ache empathetically and sympathetically. He knew that the deviant was just lashing out in anger and resentment just as Connor had done to Hank in the past. He couldn't even try to tell Chase that he was wrong for his actions or attitude. The ostracized deviant had every right to be angry and resentful toward Connor for everything that had happened to him against his will and without his knowledge.

"...For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Walking away from Chase with utter shame being carried in his every step forward Connor tried to not take the insults and anger being directed solely at him personally. No one deserved to go through what Chase was now enduring by himself. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you."

Chase didn't say anything as Connor left the guestroom with his tail tucked between his legs. As far as he was concerned Connor could disappear into the city and fade from his life without even the slightest twinge of concern. The 'RK-900' was ready to live his life and claim an identity that belonged to himself alone. He won't have anyone around to sway his opinion or his outlook on life as a whole.

Cold and numb to the world around him, Chase crossed his arms over his chest as he stood before the large window and waited until he saw Connor walking away from the mansion through the front door on the first floor beneath him. He needed to make sure that the deviant detective was truly gone before he could let his guard down for even a fleeting second.

'Does Chase want Bruno to leave?'

Turning his attention to Bruno laying on the foot of the bed was a worthy distraction, albeit temporary. "No, Bruno. You can stay."

'Can Bruno still call Chase 'Chase'?'

"I'm... not sure." The 'RK-900' began to gently scratch Bruno's chin as he realized the depth of the demand he had given to Connor. It was true that he didn't want to be called 'Chase' anymore, but he didn't know what to call himself as a suitable new name. "I haven't decided on my identity yet."

'Bruno will call Chase 'Friend' until Chase knows Chase's new name.'

"Thanks, boy. That's a nice substitute."

'Where will Friend go?' Sitting upright on the bed Bruno tilted his head curiously as he reminded the 'RK-900' of his current living situation. 'Friend does not like New Jericho or New Jericho leaders. Friend is staying in a leader's house.'

"I guess I'll have to go out and start looking for a new place for the both of us to live."

'Bruno can stay with Friend?'

"Of course you can. You can stay with me for as long as you like."

Bruno wagged his tail happily as he pressed his nose into his friend's palm affectionately. 'Bruno wants to stay with Friend forever!'

The thick winter snow crunched rhythmically under his Connor's shoes as he walked from the warm and eccentric mansion to return to the precinct before his break was over. The deviant detective knew he needed to return to work and resume helping with locating the missing deviants who had fled from Detroit, gone into hiding or had been taken captive by bigoted humans who refused to let go of what was once legally their property. However, his motivation to help his people seemed to have faded entirely after being chastised by Chase for what he had done in the past without any consideration for what he was doing and how it was possibly affecting the surrounding world around him.

In Connor's mind, Chase was right. He had done enough as it was, now it was time for him to just stop trying to fix the world and change it into the world he wanted it to be. There was nothing else to be said after Connor was turned away. The deviant detective just informed Markus that he was returning to work without telling him of what Chase had said and how he sees himself. It wasn't his place to keep watch over Chase or spy on the deviant for Markus's own benefit.

With his hands in his pockets Connor slowly walked back to the precinct without any concern for his health while out in the snow. He was just as numb as Chase, and he wanted to feel something beyond disappointment, resentment and failure. Connor was lost in his mind as he roamed the city on autopilot. The deviant detective was uncharacteristically oblivious to the world around him, and his cautionary nature was suddenly absent even as he wandered the city by himself without anyone to watch his back.

Unbeknownst to the distracted deviant, one of the very humans he was trying to locate for assault and robbery of a fellow deviant had targeted him. A black truck was following alongside Connor as Connor strode down the sidewalk and kept pace with the deviant detective. The moment the passenger side door was parallel to Connor's shoulder the door flew open with such force that it sent Connor flying as it bashed into his shoulder with an audible impact.

Connor let out a gasp as he fell to his opposite side on the hard, icy sidewalk and attempted to get back to his feet. Before he could even turn his head a strong kick to his chest and a second kick to his stomach knocked him back down. Strong kicks, stomps and punches all along his back, shoulders, sides, chest and stomach had effectively left Connor stunned and unable to move. All he could think to do was protect his head and face with his arms as he cybernetically called 911 and reported the assault against an officer in progress.

"Come on!" One of the two aggressive men shouted as he looked over Connor and saw the blue blood weeping from the fresh lacerations marring the deviant's cheek just under his eye and all along the backs of his hands. "It's just a machine! It ain't got nothin' on it!"

"No way!" The second man refused to leave and proceeded to rummage through Connor's pockets. "The way this one is dressed means it's got some cash on it! See, it's got- Shit!"

"What?"

Throwing aside Connor's badge the second man made a mad dash for the truck just as police drones circled overhead with their lights flashing and their loud sirens screeching. "The fuckin' freak is a cop!"

"Fuck! Let's just outta' here!"

Connor managed to lift his head up from the Thirium covered snow all around him just long enough to get a glimpse of the two men as they hopped back into their truck to try and flee the scene. The first man matched the description of the man who had assaulted Janet not too long ago, and now Connor knew for certain that the charges against him would stick. No one walked away after attacking a cop in the streets.

Spitting out a mouthful of Thirium Connor rested on his knees and palms in the icy snow and did his best to not let the painful experience affect him. He had been through enough that day, he wasn't about to admit that two thugs managed to get under his skin or make him feel something.

Reaching for his dropped badge Connor used his thumb to wipe the icy flakes from his shield's number and his name as he read the details seemingly for the first time since it had been given to him. It almost seemed like a joke to see himself with an official shield of respect and recognition for his accomplishments and authority, and yet all he did was stand back and watch the world spin while he made sure it spun in the way that he had wanted.

"...I don't deserve my badge."

Slipping his shield into his back pocket Connor slowly got to his feet and wiped his sleeve along his bloodied nose and lip to clean himself up as best as he could for the time being. Seeing his own blood smudged all over his clothing and tasting it in his mouth just seemed to create a crushing weight in his heart.

"But I did deserve being reminded of how insignificant and powerless I truly am. I'm a failure masquerading as a hero. There's nothing worse than pretending to be someone of value and respect when you've done nothing to warrant such admiration."

It had taken only a matter of minutes for the report of the assault to reach the ears of every cop and detective at the Central Precinct. The police drones were in hot pursuit of the fleeing truck and giving responding patrol the exact location of the speeding vehicle in real time. With active warrants for the two mens' arrest already approved it was only a matter of time before the two men would be apprehended and marched into the interrogation room in handcuffs. The two men had impressive arrest records as they were, but now that the duo had escalated from petty drug dealing to armed assaults and robberies, the police were determined to get the two men behind bars and either keep them there or ensure they were properly rehabilitated at long last.

Hank had initially wanted to go out and find the two suspects himself, but seeing Connor limping into the precinct while covered in his own blue blood quickly changed his priorities. Without a word Hank pulled Connor's heavy arm around his shoulders, then supported Connor's weight at his side as he helped the beaten deviant to walk across the bullpen to reach the elevator on the other side.

Connor hadn't said a word as he and Hank ascended to the second floor to see Dr. Forrest in the dispensary. There was nothing to be said that wouldn't be uncovered once the two fugitive men were arrested and brought in for questioning, and he didn't want to mention visiting Chase and being cast out of the deviant's life because of his previous actions. That incident had nothing to do with the assault as it was anyway.

"Deep breath." Joel instructed as he pressed the bell of his audioscope against Connor's bruised and bleeding chest. The laidback technician's brow was knit with worry as he listened to Connor's faltering ventilation rate through the delicate instrument in his hand. "Left vent is practically motionless, and the right vent is trying to overcompensate for the left's failure to fully function."

Hank quietly approached the exam table and watched as Connor struggled to take in a proper breath. Seeing the deviant detective so beaten down, bloodied, bruised and essentially broken was now incredibly painful after Hank had grown to see Connor as the living person that he was. Connor hadn't said a word, not even a groan of pain, as he laid over the table with his dirtied dress shirt unbuttoned to expose his wounds. How Connor could even move his battered chest seemed like a miracle in the police Lieutenant's eyes.

"Thirium pump is beating fast than usual but considering the situation I'm going to deem that normal." The technician moved the audioscope back and forth over the deviant's chest to ensure he didn't miss anything serious with his unexpected patient. "Any pain that isn't associated with venting?"

"N-No." Connor lied as he tried to act as if the beatdown he had suffered was nothing more than a mild inconvenience. "It looks worse than it is."

"It's all right to admit if you're in pain, kid." The Lieutenant and father's heart went out to Connor as he took in every bruise and laceration that marred Connor's body with an agonizing presence. "I know I've shed a few tears after getting my ass kicked while out on a case."

"I s-swear I'm fine." Closing his swollen eyes Connor refused to look at either Hank or Joel as he felt the technician pressed down on his chest and abdomen to check for additional physical trauma. "Really."

Joel didn't believe that Connor wasn't in any pain. The skilled technician could feel fractured and loosened plastimetal plating shifting under his fingertips as he pushed down on his patient's chest. The way the plates were easily moved about just under his light touch made Joel worry for the deviant's internal condition.

"Connor, I'm going to get a closer look at your vitals." Joel pulled back his hands and proceeded to roll over a nearby diagnostic modem. As soon as he held up the long, black cable attached to the modem in Connor's line of sight Joel felt a surprisingly strong hand wrap around his wrist and hold him back. "I'm worried you-"

"No! No diagnostic cables." Connor held onto Joel's wrist as he forced himself to sit upright with a sharp hiss of pain accompanying the motion. "I d-don't consent to such an invasive form of diagnosis."

"All right, okay." Placing the cable back down Joel respected the request and managed to get his wrist free of Connor's grip. "Just lay back down. You're risking serious internal bleeding with those cracked plates getting shifted around."

That particular comment wasn't something Hank wanted to hear. "Bleeding?" As he helped Connor to lay flat over the exam table Hank gave Joel a worried glance as the laidback technician chose to use a less invasive diagnostic method for Connor's comfort and request. "Like, a ruptured internal organ kind of bleeding?"

"Very much so."

"Ah, shit... Hang in there, Connor."

Connor tried to not move as he felt Joel placing the wireless leads from the Thirial activity monitor to his battered chest. He hated the idea of having his entire system being analyzed and viewed by any technician, regardless of how he knew them. Joel's past as a former CyberLife technician wasn't a factor in Connor's decision to request the alternate form of diagnosis. It was just a defensive response to having his memories of the two timelines potentially revealed to other people who wouldn't understand what had happened.

"I'm going to check your vitals on this monitor and use a sonar wedge to look inside your chest and abdomen." Joel explained everything he was doing to ensure that Connor remained calm and didn't move. He knew that many deviants disliked diagnostic cables being inserted into the ports in the backs of their necks, but it was still standard procedure for any form of technical analysis. "Let me know if you're uncomfortable or if anything causes pain."

Hank knew that Connor was going to deny being in any pain and decided that he needed to help the deviant distract his thoughts for a moment. "Connor, I know that you already did your cybernetic thing to give your statement on what just happened to you, but I need to get your written statement too." Pulling a small notepad out of his breast pocket Hank clicked open his black pen and prepared to write down Connor's statement. "What happened today while you were on your break?"

There was no point in even trying to lie about what had happened. The cybernetic call to 911 confirmed Connor's exact location at the time of his assault, and he knew that Hank would be able to deduce where he had gone that day even without Connor needing to actually tell him anything.

"I had gone out to the Manfred residence to speak with Markus for a moment."

"Well, that helps explain why those two idiots attacked you." Writing down the details Hank already began theorizing the cause for Connor being targeted and assaulted in broad daylight. "They saw you walking through one of the nicest neighborhoods in the entire city, and they figured you were one of the lucky rich bastards who actually get to live there. Shitty luck on your part."

Ignoring the lighthearted comment Connor remained still on the exam table and resisted the urge to push away the sonar wedge as Joel pressed it down against his bruised torso. He knew that he was suffering from internal bleeding thanks to his own self-diagnostic confirming such details, and even so he was remarkably unconcerned with his own condition.

"Can I ask what you and Markus were talking about?" The Lieutenant wanted to respect Connor's privacy and reminded himself that the deviant had a life outside of his home and outside of the precinct. "I mean, if it's New Jericho related you don't have to say anything."

"...It doesn't matter." Swallowing the lingering taste of blue blood in his mouth Connor refused to answer the question. "It has nothing to do with my assault."

"True enough. Skip those details."

Joel finished with the exam and promptly put the sonar wand aside. The tool was similar to that of an ultrasound device and allowed him to see inside Connor's body without needing to perform anything too invasive on the already physically traumatized deviant.

"I'm amazed you were even able to get up on your own." The uncovered details regarding Connor's condition made Joel outwardly winced as he did his best to treat Connor's damage. "By all account, you should be in low power mode due to the severity of the trauma your body had endured."

Lowering his notepad from his focus Hank gave Joel a curiously morbid look. "Exactly how badly is he damaged?"

"Breaking it down in laymen terms; he's suffered the equivalent to four or five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, internal bleeding along his thermal regulator and Thirium filter - which is what we would consider to be a liver - and he's suffered a mild concussion." Joel motioned to the bruising along Connor's forearms and hands before he began washing up his own hands to prepare proper disinfection and bandaging techniques on the wounds. "Good thing you protected your head. Otherwise, well... I'm not sure what would've happened."

"What can you do to help him?"

"I can stop the internal bleeding with a small dose of liquid incrassation compound; that's an android coagulant that'll stop his Thirium lines from leaking." It seemed as if Joel had actually read Hank's mind as he spoke. "After that, I'll sterilize the opened wounds to keep debris from getting into his system, then bandage them up. Then it'll be up to his self-healing program to finish what I've started."

Hank slipped the notepad into his pocket again and lightly patted Connor's shoulder. "Okay, kid. After you're bandaged up, I'll take ya' back home to get some sleep so you can heal. If you're lucky, you can get about an hour of sleep before Cole gets home from school and asks for your help with his homework."

Connor just nodded slightly to acknowledge Hank's words. He didn't have anything to say and didn't have the energy to even try to speak.

"I'll be down in the bullpen when you're ready to go. Just let me know when you want to leave."

The Lieutenant gave Connor his space while Joel finished up with his basic treatment of the deviant's wounds. He wanted to stick around and stay beside Connor from start to finish, but he knew that Connor was very private and would undoubtedly feel stressed out if Hank was watching him while he was entirely vulnerable, weak and exposed.

Even with his eyes closed Connor sensed Hank walking away and actually found himself wishing that the man had stayed behind. As he became more acclimated to his new life and existence in the current timeline, Connor realized that he didn't like to be alone as much now that he could reveal his deviancy to the world around him. The deviant detective had grown to appreciate companionship and began to hate the feeling of isolation.

Unwilling to call out to Hank to stay with him out of a misplaced sense of guilt for his self-perceived failure toward Chase's existence, Connor remained unnervingly quiet as Joel proceeded to tend to his wounds and clean up blue blood that stained his skin. In the deviant's mind he didn't deserve to have the trust and care of anyone since he had failed to protect Chase from a fate that he wouldn't have wished upon anyone.

The word of the assault against Connor had spread rather fast through the city. It had taken less than an hour for the two fleeing men to be pulled over, arrested and taken into custody after they had assaulted Connor in the streets. Support for Connor came pouring in from his colleagues and friends at the precinct, as well as his allies and friends from with New Jericho. It seemed that the story of what happened had even reached the media as a notable uproar of a detective being assaulted while on the clock put a lot of people on edge. Hearing that it was the city's only deviant detective that had been assaulted only riled up the bigots seeking a reason to fight and caused the other deviants to put themselves on a form of protective lockdown.

Connor was unable to look anyone in the eyes as he was led outside of the precinct and to the neighboring parking garage. Shame washed over Connor and kept him from looking at or talking to anyone, including Markus. However, the shame didn't stem from letting his guard down and getting assaulted despite being a detective who knew how to protect himself. The shame was rooted solely in his self-perceived failure to help Chase find his footing in the new world.

Hank drove back to the house at a slow and even pace as he watched Connor from the corner of his eye. He knew that there was something weighing heavily in Connor's mind and his heart, but he just didn't know what that could be. It was as if the deviant detective was just radiating a sense of distress that Hank's paternal instincts needed to soothe.

"How're you doing over there, kid?" Speaking up softly Hank turned on the heater and made sure Connor was comfortable. He knew that the deviant hated the cold and was trying to wrap his head around Connor rushing out into the snowy December air without his leather jacket to protect him when he went on break. "Cold?"

"...No," Connor lied as he kept his arms crossed over his sore chest to keep warm. "I'm fine."

"Wanna' talk about what happened?"

"No. There's nothing to be discussed."

"Wanna' just talk in general? I can't take the radio just blaring Christmas music anymore."

"Not really."

"Okay. Just know what you can talk to me about everything and anything you want to talk about." Reaching their nicer and safer neighborhood did little to ease Hank's worries as he kept trying to get Connor to open up about whatever it was that was crushing his very soul. "I'm not going to judge you. I know that I wasn't exactly a good person to you for the past three years, but I want to do whatever it takes to earn the trust that I should've earned all that time ago."

"It's okay, Hank. You don't have to do anything."

"All right. But just so you know, I'm glad to hear you calling me by my name." Hank parked the car in the driveway outside the new large house and turned off the engine. Sitting in silence for a moment longer, Hank decided to give Connor some more space for a while longer. "You get settled in upstairs. I'll get your uniform washed up while you sleep."

Connor was silent even as Hank stepped out of the car and moved around to the other side to help him climb out of the vehicle. Emotional distraction kept Connor from pulling his arm away when Hank took hold of the limb and helped him to walk to the front door and get inside the warm house. Even when Hank helped him walk upstairs Connor didn't say anything and he just let the man walk him over to his bed to sit down for a moment.

"Let me help with your jacket." As Hank removed the leather jacket and then the gray blazer beneath, he noticed some tears in Connor's swollen eyes and instinctively put his palm around the back of Connor's hair to provide some form of comfort. It was how he soothed Cole whenever his son was upset, and he wanted to do the same for Connor. "You're safe now, son. No one's going to hurt you."

Tears started to flow down Connor's cheeks as he took in a deep breath and finally discussed what was on his mind. "...I may be safe, but I can't say the same for other deviants suffering in the city."

"What're you talking about?"

"Today, when I went to speak with Markus at his home, I was also checking on Chase." Looking up at Hank standing beside him Connor finally told the man what was bothering him so much and why he was so upset. "I just want to help him feel safe and accepted, but he wants nothing to do with me."

"He's been through a lot." Empathetically Hank tried to put himself in Chase's shoes while offering Connor some support. "Hell, I hadn't even thought about him in weeks until you just said his name. Be patient, I'm sure he'll come around."

"He won't. He blames me for his current life." Connor explained as he fought to keep himself from breaking down while he spoke. "H-He's been labeled as a pariah among our people, a-and he knows what I had done to in order to save you! He knows that if I h-hadn't messed with the timelines that he w-wouldn't be seen as a monster! It's my fault, Hank. His life has been destroyed b-before it even began because of what I did!"

"Hey, hey... Slow your breathing." Lightly Hank put his free hand to Connor's chin to make the deviant look him in the eyes as they spoke. He could hear the way Connor was hyperventilating from his pain and his emotional distress exasperating each other. "You're not responsible for his life, I promise. Why do you think you're responsible for anything that happened to him?"

"He's told m-me as such." Wiping his tears away from his eyes Connor told Hank about everything that had happened. Even if he wanted to stop talking he knew that he couldn't now that he had finally opened up. "I w-went to talk to him and offer to help him, and I even told him about how w-we are supposedly t-to be br-"

The choking sob didn't take Hank's mind away from the word that Connor was about to say. "It's okay, just try to slow your breathing." He hated the way Connor was suffering just because he was trying to talk. "You have some broken ribs, remember? Take your time."

Connor was fighting to just get his words out as Hank lowered his palm from the back of his hair and toward his upper back. Something about having Hank behaving as Connor had remembered from the original timeline was enough to pierce through his protective emotional shell.

"What did you talk with Chase about? Tell me slowly."

"I... I told him that we were like brothers, and he..." Wrapping his arms around his sore chest Connor told Hank everything Chase had said. Repeating the words only made them feel more real and Connor swore he actually felt his heart breaking as he sobbed out the truth while Hank stood by him. "I just want to have a family! I don't mean to be selfish! I didn't mean to ruin Chase's life! I didn't mean to hurt him! I s-swear I-"

"Shh, shh..." Hank wrapped his arms around Connor protectively and gently he embraced the heartbroken and utterly destroyed deviant. He could feel how hard Connor was crying and could feel a concentrated heat radiating from his entire broken body with each chest heaving sob. "It's okay, son. You're not selfish for wanting a family, and you didn't ruin Chase's life. CyberLife is responsible for Chase even being alive right now, you had no idea that they'd use him like a weapon, and no one knew how to help him. Even now, I have no idea what we could do for him."

Connor just wept as he buried his eyes against Hank's shoulder and finally let all of his pent-up emotions leave. It had been years since he had been hugged by the man he saw as a father figure, and that alone caused Connor to break down even further as he poured his heart out. He didn't realize how much he needed to have a family in his life, let alone have a father to help guide him through his unusual life as a free deviant.

"You're a good person, Connor. You really are."

Holding on to his hug Hank just let Connor cry as he did his best to support him through it.

"You're a hero to your people and you've earned that title. You're a good friend to Markus and to the rest of Jericho, you helped Gavin stop being so hateful towards androids, you gave Cole a great role model to look up to, and you gave me the second child that I-"

Suddenly it was Hank who was at a loss for words as his own emotions caught him off guard.

"Barb and I wanted to have a bigger family, and I thought I lost that dream when I lost her. You just proved that there's always room for one more in the Anderson home, and now you're a brother to a Cole and you're even like a son to me. You do have a family, Connor. No one can take that away from you or make you feel like you don't deserve anything you've earned. In time, Chase will see that for himself, and he'll be able to reach out to you someday."

Holding his silence Connor just wept and let Hank hold him in a comforting embrace. It seemed to be the only way to keep his pain from becoming overwhelming.

"Everything is going to be all right, son. I promise you that you're going to be okay."

-next chapter-