An emergency call from the Central Precinct had been the last thing Connor had expected to receive that fateful and otherwise uneventful afternoon. The deviant android had been busy cleaning the house and preparing for that night's dinner when Captain Fowler reached out to Connor via cybernetic call and demanded that he go to Cole's school to pick up the little boy and bring him directly to the precinct on Hank's behalf. While Connor hadn't been informed of the source of the emergency or why he needed to take Cole to the precinct, the receptive deviant knew that something terrible had befallen Hank that day. Using the autonomous van Connor swiftly went to Cole's school, explained the emergency request to the school's principal with Captain Fowler confirming the story, and checked Cole out of school early.

After he took Cole to the precinct as requested Connor was told to stay with Cole in the private office while Captain Fowler sat the little boy down to tell him about something important revolving around his dad. It wasn't an easy discussion, but it was one that the seasoned Captain owed Cole since he was Cole's godfather and a trusted figure in the little boy's life.

"Okay, Cole. There's something important that I need to tell you." Captain Fowler knelt down in front of Cole so that he was eye-level with the little boy. His own kids were just a few years older than Cole, and Captain Fowler knew exactly how to talk to kids when it came to difficult situations. "Today, your dad was working on a case in the city, and one of the bad guys he was trying to find... Well, the bad guy found him first."

"What happened to my dad?" Cole asked as he felt Connor's reassuring hand rest on his shoulder to help him feel safe. He could sense the tension in the air and he didn't like it. "Where is he?"

"Your dad is in the hospital. He's hurt, but he's-"

"What happened to him?!" Wide-eyed and panicking Cole would've jumped out of his chair if Connor hadn't been holding his shoulder. "Tell me what-"

"Shh, shh..." Gently Captain Fowler shushed Cole as he took both of the little boy's hands in his own. "Cole, listen to me. Your dad's in the hospital and he's being taken care of by amazing people right now. When your dad was out working on his case a bad man snuck up on him and used a gun to try to scare your dad. But your dad is going to be okay. He got help right away."

"I want to see him!" The little boy was about to start screaming when he realized the severity of what had happened to his dad. "I want my dad!"

"All right, okay. As soon as I have someone to fill in for me, I'll-"

"No! I want to go now!" Cole refused to wait for anyone else to get involved. He wanted to see his dad and he wanted to see him immediately. "I need to see my dad! I want my dad!"

Connor knew that Captain Fowler's responsibility to the precinct was keeping him from getting to the hospital despite being good friends with Hank. In order to find a peaceful middle ground between Cole being terrified and Captain Fowler being professional, Connor volunteered to take the lead and take charge of Cole while keeping an eye on Hank at the hospital.

"I will take Cole to the hospital." Connor stated firmly as he kept his palm on Cole's shoulder. He could feel the little boy trembling with fear, and he wanted to help him feel more secure after learning that his only family was shot and wounded in the line of duty. "I am already familiar with Lieutenant Anderson's medical history, and as Cole's designated caretaker, I have permission to act as Cole's guardian in the event of a medical emergency on Hank's behalf."

Captain Fowler glanced up at Connor with indifference since he didn't care about Connor's permissions to do anything. In his mind, Connor was a machine and a tool, not a being with any actual rights to behave or do anything without direct orders. "I'm Cole's godfather, and what I say goes."

"Please!?" Cole shouted with tears now rolling down his face. He was terrified of losing his dad and just wanted to be near him. "I want to see my dad!"

Taking the initiative Connor elected to do what Cole wanted regardless of Captain Fowler's personal decision. "Since you are currently unable to vacate your roll as the precinct's commanding officer, it is only logical to allow me to transport Cole to the hospital and remain his immediate guardian until you or Lieutenant Anderson are able to be of immediate availability to Cole."

Unwilling to argue Captain Fowler sighed and rose to his full height as he tried but failed to stare Connor down. "Fine. Connor, you are to take Cole to St. Mercy Hospital and remain there with Cole until told otherwise. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I understand." Picking Cole up to hold in his arms Connor decided to personally carry Cole back to the autonomous van to ensure that Cole didn't run off ahead of him or go somewhere he shouldn't go. "I'll take you to see your dad, Cole. We'll both be there for him when he's ready to go back home."

Cole just buried his face against Connor's neck and shoulders as the protective deviant took care of him and promised to reunite him with his dad. The second grader was scared, confused and had no idea what to expect. He had never seen his dad injured in the line of duty before.

It took Connor only a few minutes to find his way to the hospital and confirm that he and Cole were there to check on Hank. The deviant android was able to provide proper identification for Cole and himself as Cole's caretaker to the receptionist at the front desk, then was shown to the waiting room to patiently await an update on Hank's rather serious condition. Being an android meant that Connor wasn't going to be given any clear details about Hank or the nature of his injury as it was hospital policy to only update immediate family members or a medical proxy on a patient's condition. And with Cole only being seven years old, he wasn't going to be told anything either.

Three hours passed by before Captain Fowler finally arrived at the hospital and rejoined Cole in the waiting room. The police Captain was surprised that Connor had located some food and drink for Cole, and he was actually impressed that the android was able to get the scared little boy to actually eat some of the provided food so that he didn't get sick from worry.

After what felt like an eternity had passed the doctor taking care of Hank finally walked through the waiting room to update the waiting trio on the man's condition. The doctor looked over at Connor and then through him as he saw the L.E.D. in Connor's right temple confirming that Connor was an android and not a human. The man then focused on the only adult human in the waiting trio.

"Are any of you here for a Lieutenant Anderson?" The young doctor asked as he looked to Captain Fowler expectantly. It seemed through recognition alone the doctor knew that Captain Fowler was the one to speak with. "I'm Doctor Caleb Wilson, and I'm the one who treated your detective."

"Yeah, we're here for Hank." Speaking up on the group's behalf Captain Fowler shook the doctor's hand and instantly recognized the young man with a quick onceover of the doctor's face. "Your brother's an officer with the Eastern Precinct, isn't he?"

"Yes, Michael Wilson. He's been on the force for seven years, and I've been on surgical rotation for just as long."

"Now I know Hank was in good hands." Folding his arms worriedly over his chest Captain Fowler thoughtfully pressed the side of his hand to his chin as he asked about his friend. "What's his condition? Oh, uh, this young man is Cole Anderson, Hank's son." He quickly introduced Cole so that the little boy didn't feel unseen while the adults spoke around them. "The android is Cole's caretaker."

"Walk with me." Dr. Wilson insisted as he watched Cole's blue eyes lift to face him while Connor gave him a hand to hold. "We'll talk on the way to see Lieutenant Anderson in recovery. Okay?"

Connor had gotten used to being ignored and promptly chose to discreetly eavesdrop and listen in on everything Dr. Wilson was telling Captain Fowler as they walked down a long corridor to reach an elevator at the end. The deviant detective had enough knowledge of human anatomy and medical conditions to understand everything that Dr. Wilson was saying, and he knew that Hank's condition had been serious enough to warrant emergency surgery.

The man who shot Hank managed to strike the Lieutenant in the abdomen. The bullet had passed through Hank's small intestine, nick his left kidney and come to rest in the muscle tissue along the left side of his spinal column. There was no damage to his spine, all key nerves running along his spine and major arteries had been fortunately missed. However, the soft tissue damage caused by the bullet ensured that Hank would have to undergo a three week recovery period - modern medicine had come a long way in the past fifteen years - and during those three weeks Hank would have to remain in a wheelchair to keep his healing abdominal muscles from becoming stressed.

"We were able to repair all of the damage." The good doctor confirmed as the group exited the elevator after reaching the correct floor where Hank was resting. "He won't need to worry about an ostomy bag thanks to the minimal damage to his intestine and the newly developed protein rich serum that accelerates the regenerative ability of his soft tissues. He'll have that taken care of before he goes home."

"What about his kidney?" The seasoned Captain knew any organ damage was to be taken seriously. "That can't be an easy injury to heal from."

"Since he's in great health we don't see any need to worry about a potential renal complication. He'll be on antibiotics during his recovery period to reduce chances of infection. He'll also need to have someone looking after him to assist with his medications, bandage replacements and limited mobility."

"That won't be a problem." Captain Fowler promised as he stood outside the door of the private room and peered through the window to look at Hank laying in the recovery bed with a nurse hovering over him. The man had a cardiac monitor recording his vital signs and a nasal canula under his nose to provide him fresh oxygen to breathe. An I.V. stand was set up next to the bed and the attached line running fluids, antibiotics and painkillers was hooked into the back of Hank's left hand. "Can we talk to him?"

"He's still waking up from anesthesia." Dr. Wilson explained as he removed his glasses to clean the lenses on the hem of his scrub top. His dark hair was cut short, deep brown eyes were tired, and his overall posture confirmed he had been run ragged aiding in Hank's treatment. "But he should be able to hear you. It'd be best if you only spoke to him for a few minutes so he can continue to rest."

"Right." Captain Fowler looked down at Cole as the scared second grader stood on his toes to peer through the window and see his dad at long last. Lightly Captain Fowler put his hand on Cole's shoulder and caught Cole's attention without startling him. "Cole, I'll take you inside the room so you can see your dad. But he needs to keep sleeping so he gets better faster. Do you understand?"

Cole only nodded as he looked up at Captain Fowler then over to Connor still standing beside him. "I want to see dad."

"Okay."

Connor remained by the window as he watched Captain Fowler take Cole by the hand to lead him into the recovery room. Through the window Connor watched Hank's vital signs suddenly spike with improvement when the man heard his son's voice speaking to him. It was amazing to see Hank respond so quickly to Cole and even manage to open his eyes just enough to see his son standing beside him.

Hank reached out a weak hand to wrap his palm around the back of Cole's hair and pulled his son in for an equally weak hug. Cole quickly melted into his dad's embrace as the two spoke reassuring words to one another while Captain Fowler kept watch over both his friend and his godson.

Quietly Connor observed everything from the distance and read the lips of Hank, Cole and Captain Fowler as the trio all conversed within the private space. The deviant knew that in three days - as long as Hank remained stable with no sign of an infection - that Hank would have to live his life in a wheelchair in his own home and rely on the kindness of his friends to assist him with his recovery. While Connor had no reason to object to helping someone who had been critically injured recover, he did feel as if everyone had just decided that Connor wouldn't be of any use beyond keeping house and watching over Cole.

"I'll leave the instructions regarding Lieutenant Anderson's care and medication to you." Dr. Wilson stated as he watched Connor turn to face and acknowledge him with an impressively somber stare. "As an android, I know you'll be able to keep him on a regimen with little to no error."

"...Of course." For a moment Connor thought that he was going to be treated as a person, but instead he was seen as an alarm clock to keep Hank on schedule during his recovery. "That's a very logical decision. I'm sure Lieutenant Anderson wouldn't want it any other way."

The first day of Hank's return home to resume his recovery had been quiet and without any incident. The man had plenty of support and help from the precinct in getting back to his home and into his bed to recover in comfort. With Captain Fowler leading the charge Hank had everything he needed for a proper recovery, and as long as he had Cole to come by and see him every few hours he'd be able to recover just a little bit faster. Several officers and detectives from precinct were working in self-appointed shifts to help out Hank and Cole around the house, and as a result there was always a guest at the house to make sure everything was under control while Hank was down and out during the final days of his recovery.

From within the kitchen Connor patiently prepared Hank his light lunch as he had done for the previous day. He knew what Hank wanted to eat and he knew what he was allowed to eat, which made lunchtime always a bit of a challenge considering Hank's bullheadedness kept showing itself whenever he was presented with the warm soup, crackers and water.

Just as Connor prepared the man's medication Tina strolled down the hallway and joined the deviant android in the kitchen. She smelled the warm soup and had to admit that whatever recipe Connor used seemed to be very enticing.

"Hank's ready for lunch." Tina confirmed as she stood beside Connor and watched the android carefully count each pill before placing them down on the serving tray for Hank's convenience. She could sense tension in the air and wondered if there was anything she could do to help. "You seem to have the cooking under control, but that doesn't mean you couldn't use a little help with groceries."

"I have purchased all the necessary groceries for both the Lieutenant and Cole's convenience the night before Lieutenant Anderson was discharged from the hospital."

Tina swore she heard a hint of pain in Connor's words as he spoke, and she needed to be sure she wasn't going crazy. "Hey, uh, are you all right?"

"...Me?" Turning to face Tina for a moment Connor did his best to appear as machine as possible to avoid any unwanted attention and questions. "I am performing at optimal parameters."

"Well, that's cool. But what I was asking is if you're feeling okay after everything that happened?" The kind officer explained as she took the spoon from Connor's hand to stir the pot of soup and taste the broth for herself. She had to admit that the recipe Connor was using was top notch. "That's really good. I'll need to see that recipe so I can take some notes..."

"I assure you that I'm feeling okay, Officer Chen." Connor didn't want to talk about anything or admit to feeling shaken by Hank being wounded in the line of duty. In spite of everything that had happened Connor still cared whether Hank lived or died, and he especially cared about what would happen to Cole if he lost his only living family. "May I ask why you're interested?"

"Because seeing someone shot is never easy, and then seeing that same person recovering from being shot is just as difficult. Don't think I didn't notice that you were unable to look Hank in the eyes or help with his bandage change without a wince on your face."

"Androids don't wince."

"You do." Tina challenged playfully as she studied Connor's facial expressions with a keen interest. She knew what she saw, and she wasn't about to let Connor try to fool her into believing otherwise. "It's okay to feel bad for other people. After spending so much time with Hank and Cole, I know that you have to care about them in some way. I don't believe that androids just 'pretend' to care about people because of their programming, then just stop caring if they get replaced or sold or... whatever. I know that you really care about them in some way. Just admit it."

"...Imprinting from people is not uncommon with androids." The guarded deviant admitted as he finished with preparing Hank's medication alongside his meal. "As a prototype with a social relations program that allows me to adapt to each human's unique personality, it is plausible that I seem emotionally affected by a situation despite not having any emotions."

"I knew it." Being as helpful as she could Tina opened a nearby drawer and pulled a reusable napkin from the storage area, then neatly folded it before placing it down on the serving tray. "Need a hug?"

Connor stared at Tina with a blank expression as he picked up the serving tray with Hank's lunch and medication already on top of it. "No. I do not need a hug."

"Want one anyway? This whole house feels like it needs a hug."

"No, I do not want a hug, either."

"Fine." Tina followed after Connor with a playfully pouty lower lip as they ventured down the hallway together to check in on Hank in his bedroom. "Maybe I'll get to hug Cole when Gavin brings him back home from school."

Connor managed to nudge the bedroom door open with just his elbow as entered the dim space to check on Hank. The man was sleeping deeply with Sumo sprawled out on the foot of the bed with his floppy tongue hanging out of the side of his drooling mouth. As soon as the deviant approached the bed Sumo snapped awake and rolled from his side to his belly as if on alert, only to happily wag his tail when he recognized Connor and Tina as friends.

"Lieutenant?" Connor whispered to Hank as to not startle him while he placed the serving tray down on the nightstand beside the bed. Lightly Connor lifted up the quilt covering Hank's upper body and performed a biometric scan over the man's bandaged abdomen. "You need to take your medicine."

"...Do I really have to do it?" Hank responded groggily as he cracked open his eyes and turned his head to look at the nightstand beside him. Seeing the wheelchair on the other side of the bed was enough to make his blue eyes fill with disgust. "I was finally getting some good sleep."

"Yes. It's important to stick to your schedule."

From the doorway Tina watched the way Connor carefully inspected Hank's bandages and swore that she saw a glimpse of genuine worry flash over the android's gaze. Suspecting that she might be intruding despite only wanting to help, Tina decided to take Sumo outside for a few minutes and give Connor the chance to speak to Hank alone.

"Sumo, need to go outside?" Tina called softly as she patted the front of her knees to get the Saint Bernard's attention. "Outside?"

The large dog wagged his tail harder as he climbed down from the bed without accidentally rocking the mattress as he moved. It seemed even Sumo sensed that Hank was injured and needed to be taken care of and left alone to rest.

"Good boy." The animal-loving officer praised Sumo and rubbed his chin as he sat at her feet for a moment. "Let's go outside and make sure you don't become one with the bed by laying on it all day!"

Connor finished examining the bandages, the healing incision, and the bullet wound beneath. There was no sign of infection and Connor would be able to easily change the bandages without needing to worry about treating any underlying conditions.

"Once you finish your lunch I'll replace your gauze, then you can resume sleeping."

"Yeah, sure." Slowly Hank sat upright, mostly with Connor's help, and leaned against the pillows that Connor had tucked behind his back and shoulders to ensure he remained supported with minimal strain to his abdomen. "What time is it?"

"It's currently twelve twenty-two in the afternoon." The deviant confirmed as he watched Hank begrudgingly take his medicine and chase the pills with the glass of cool water. It was important to keep Hank on a consistent schedule with his medication to ensure a proper recovery. "How is your pain level?"

"Not bad. Feels more like a bruise than anything else." Hank let out a small huff of breath as Connor placed another pillow over his lap and then placed the serving tray down over top. "How's Cole?"

"He is still worried about you but knows that as soon as school is over that Detective Reed will bring home to see you."

"I sure hope he isn't going to have nightmares about this whole mess."

"If he does, I'll be sure to offer him comfort so you can continue to rest."

"I'm not so weak that I can't handle my own's son's bad dreams." Hank argued as he picked up his spoon and carefully ate his light lunch. "What about the precinct? Am I missing anything big?"

"No. As of the moment, Captain Fowler has requested that Officer Lewis postpone his retirement for another six weeks to ensure that your role is being filled without requiring the assistance of a temporary replacement." The rundown of activity at the precinct seemed complicated but was actually quite simple thanks to loyalty and trust among Hank's peers. "Detective Reed is working the graveyard shift to ensure that he can be Cole's emergency contact while you're recovering. Officer Chen has elected to spend the mornings and afternoons here to assist in maintaining the household whenever I'm assisting you. Investigator Collins is building the case against the man who shot you, and he has already collected a substantial amount of evidence to ensure he remains imprisoned for the rest of his life. And Officer Miller is pulling overtime shifts to help cover patrols while you're absent, and to ensure he has extra income to pay for his upcoming wedding."

"And what about you?" Hank asked in an almost accusatory manner as he eyed the deviant detective in a stern manner. He didn't notice Tina returning to the bedroom with Sumo beside her leg. "What're you doing right now?"

"I'm doing what you expect me to do." Connor replied with a noted pain to his words. He was doing everything he could to help, but no one seemed to notice or care how much effort he was putting in to keep everything flowing normally. "I'm maintaining the house, cooking meals, taking care of Sumo, handling errands, and now I'm assisting you with your bandages and medication during your recovery."

"Make sure it stays that way. I don't want Cole to come home and find a bunch of shit out of whack, it might upset him even more."

"...I'll be sure to keep everything stable for Cole's sake."

Tina stepped closer to the bed and lightly patted Connor's shoulder to get his attention. "Why don't you get those fresh bandages ready? I'll stay with the Lieutenant and make sure he eats his soup like the 'big boy' I know he is."

"Watch it, Tina." Hank's voice was light since he knew that she was just teasing him in a playful manner. The way he could go from so cold while talking to Connor to open and warm while talking to Tina just seemed to make Connor feel worse. "I'm knocked down on my ass, but I still get the final say on who gets a raise and who doesn't."

"Good thing I brought an 'Uno' deck to help pass the time." Unphased by the hollow threat Tina took Connor's spot by the bed and then sat down on the edge of the mattress to begin a few rounds of the card game. With a casual push of her foot Tina scooted the wheelchair away and out of Hank's line of sight. "Don't worry, I removed the 'Dare' cards since it's unfair to make a wounded man hop like a flamingo or draw four cards!"

Silently Connor exited the bedroom and rubbed his palm along Sumo's silky soft ears as the large dog remained in the doorway as if guarding the space. He didn't want to do anything that'd stress Hank out by mistake or give him another reason to suspect him of being defective or dangerous in any capacity.

Tina turned to look at Connor over her shoulder as she opened up her card box and began shuffling the deck with great ease. She knew that Connor had been affected by the shooting as well, but he was hiding it because that's what he was supposed to do. Hide his emotions, hide his awareness and hide that he cares.

"Let's go with the basic rules, then creative if you feel up to it." Tina decided as she tried to get the hurt look in Connor's eyes from her mind. "I'm feeling particularly competitive today."

It didn't take long for a new routine at the house to be considered normal during Hank's recovery period. As the third week approached and Hank was nearing the end of his time temporarily confined to a wheelchair - which had been an exercise in patience for everyone trying to help him - and the other officers and detectives from the precinct began stopping by less frequently. They knew that Hank was well on his way to a full recovery and that he didn't need or want people hovering protectively over him during every second of his time bedridden and weak, and they were all exhausted after trying to convince Hank to use the wheelchair to get around his house. It was a nice shift to see fewer people stopping by and lingering every day for hours on end. Hank wasn't a social butterfly and could only handle so many guests at one time, Cole was still adjusting to the fact that his dad wasn't indestructible, and Connor was getting used to being treated like a lesser being by more people on a regular basis.

The only time Connor was able to even remotely let his guard down was when Tina, Gavin, Ben and Chris were around. Tina was able to see something inside of Connor that the deviant was trying to ignore, and as a result she treated him with genuine kindness and even recognition as a person. As for Gavin, he had seen androids in a new light after helping Connor receive emergency repairs and learning more about android anatomy. It was hard to treat someone who sounded human and looked human - both in and out - as anything but a living being.

Ben had been around the block so many times that he knew there was far more to life than just accepting everything as black and white. He could understand why some people treated androids better than disposable machines, and he had no reason to try to argue with it. Meanwhile, Chris was just a kind soul who lived his life believing that as long as he was a good person and treated other people with respect that he'd find goodness and respect in return. That mindset fortunately extended toward androids.

However, whenever Captain Fowler was around, Connor acted as if he was trying to avoid the burning wrath from the flames of Hell. He was rigid, silent and kept out of sight whenever the man was around. It was difficult to try to pretend that he was all right when Cole kept asking why he was hiding out in the kitchen or in the backyard all the time. Even the little boy knew that there was more to Connor than the deviant android was willing to admit. Just being in Captain Fowler's presence when he was arguing with Hank to use the wheelchair was enough to make Connor feel uneasy and unwelcome.

Standing outside the house in the backyard, Connor enjoyed the cool night air and looked up at the black sky overhead to gaze at the stars that only his eyes could see. He felt entirely alone and like he had been exploited by the world around him. Everything he had done had resulted with an act of irritation, indifference or even pity, despite just trying to do the right thing for the right reasons. The way so many people could just see right through him when looking at him was as unsettling as it was unwarranted.

As it neared nine o'clock in the night Connor knew it was time to return to the house and resume taking care of Hank. The stubborn man hadn't once thanked Connor for his help, and by all account fully resented Connor for even being in the household despite being exclusively helpful for everyone who stopped by. Then again, Hank hadn't thanked anyone and had made it very clear he didn't want help in getting around his own house.

Silently Connor returned to the house through the backdoor and crept through the kitchen to first check in on Cole sleeping in his bedroom before bringing Hank his next dose of medicine. The sight of Cole sleeping peacefully on his side with Sumo cuddled beside him was enough to help Connor feel only marginally better after dealing with three consecutive weeks of being treated like a nameless, inferior being.

"Sleep well, Cole. Your dad will be able to walk around and be like his old self again very soon."

Only after he spoke what were supposed to be comforting words did Connor realize he felt far from comforted. The thought of Hank being at his full strength and full range of motion made Connor wary of potentially stepping out of line in front of him.

"...I wish I could say that I'm looking forward to such an event."

A strange shuffling sound followed by a 'thud' from Hank's bedroom pulled Connor from his thoughts and back to reality. Sensing that someone was amiss, Connor made his way toward the master bedroom and pushed the door open very slowly. It didn't take Connor long to find the source of the odd commotion.

Hank was resting on his knees beside the bed with his arm wrapped around his abdomen. The man had pushed his wheelchair aside and was trying to walk around on his own despite still needing a few more days to heal before he could begin his physical therapy. Such a rash decision could've potentially set Hank's recovery back by months if he reinjured his healing wounds.

"You must use the wheelchair, Lieutenant." Connor stated blandly as he refrained from getting too close to the man. "That is why it was given to you."

"Fuck off." Sighing in annoyance and self-disappointment Hank fell back to rest on the floor with his back pressed against the bed behind him. "I should be able to walk across the hall and into the bathroom."

"Yes you should. But only AFTER you heal."

"Don't get smart with me! I know what I can and can't do!"

"...Clearly you don't."

"What did you just say?" Hank heard the snarky comment and made sure that Connor knew it. "You piece of shit, don't you tell me-"

"I'm not telling you anything." Unable to remain patient any longer Connor finally stood up for himself. Ironically, he was only able to stand up to Hank when Hank was down on the floor and unable to support his own weight. "I'm reminding you that you're still recovering from an injury, and if you don't take care of yourself then you won't be able to fully recover. I don't want to see Cole's heart break because you're too impatient to recover properly. He needs to see you healthy."

"Do not EVER use my own son against me!"

"I'm not using Cole against you; I'm reminding you of how he sees you." Connor nearly growled as he found himself unwilling to put up with Hank's intimidation tactics any longer. "He doesn't want to see his dad, his only family, being stubborn and making himself helpless because he can't accept his temporary limitations! Either let the people you care about help you or use your wheelchair. If your pride is more important than your health, then you can be the one to explain to Cole."

Hank was quiet for a moment as he looked over at the wheelchair beside him with disgust. He couldn't say that Connor was wrong, but he didn't want to admit that Connor was right. Forcing himself back to his knees Hank pulled himself up onto his bed and sat on the edge of the mattress with a bitter glare in his eyes.

"You need your medication." Connor stated flatly as he kept his distance from the angry man. He didn't want to get too close while Hank was looking for a target to take out his frustrations on. "I'll bring it to you."

"No, don't."

"You must take-"

"Shut up. Just... Just help me get to the bathroom." Hank insisted despite his pride not wanting him to admit he needed some help. "I'll take my meds there."

Connor looked over at the wheelchair with a sense of dread. He didn't want to push it near Hank since he was convinced that the man would lose his temper and awaken Cole with a verbal meltdown. "...Very well. I'll ask for Detective Reed to stop by for a moment."

"Don't bother Gavin. Just fuckin' help me." The heated man extended his arm and waited for Connor to help him stand up. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The deviant didn't budge as he contemplated what Hank had just said. It was as if the Lieutenant could read his mind and knew what Connor was worrying about in regard to his own wellbeing. There was no denying that Connor was afraid of Hank, and he didn't want to do anything that'd get on Hank's bad side.

"Come on." Hank insisted impatiently as he waited for Connor to finally make a move. "I gotta' piss and I'm not about to lose it in here."

Hesitantly Connor approached Hank and finally pulled the man's offered arm around his shoulders. Carefully Connor helped Hank to stand upright and let him lean against his side to ensure that the physically weakened Lieutenant didn't stumble or fall. Walking slowly Connor helped lead Hank to the bathroom without saying a word during the very short walk that suddenly felt like it was a mile long.

Without batting an eye Connor helped Hank to reach the bathroom sink and let the man support himself against the white basin with both arms. It wouldn't be difficult for Hank to move about the relatively small space without any assistance, and it'd preserve the man's modesty.

"I'll give you your privacy."

"Keep outside the door." Hank requested as he watched Connor leave the bathroom. "I won't be long."

"...Right."

Standing outside the closed door had given Connor the chance to be alone with his thoughts again. He hated that he had snapped at Hank and lost his cool, even if he had every right to say what was on his mind and express his long repressed feelings. In that moment Connor began to contemplate leaving the house and going on the run and into hiding to ensure he didn't end up destroyed by Hank's angered hands.

"All right." The toilet flushed and the water in the sink turned on as Hank washed his hands. "Open the door."

Quietly Connor opened the door to the bathroom and peered inside the small space. He could see Hank washing his hands without any issues and also saw that the man had the bottles of his medication readily at his disposal on the sink beside him.

"Did you make anything for dinner besides that soup?" Hank asked as he popped the necessary pills into his mouth and drank some water to chase the pills down. He was nearly finished with the antibiotics and had been taking smaller doses of the pain medication over the past few days. "It's not that I'll ever grow tired of anything that's one of Barb's recipes, I'm just sick of eating the same thing for every meal for three weeks straight."

"I made Cole some pasta for dinner." The suggestion was as innocent as it was timid as Connor decided that Hank could handle something a little heavier. "There is a single helping left over."

"That'll do. Let's go."

Connor fell silent as he again helped Hank limp out of the bathroom, down the hallway and through the livingroom. By the time they were both in the kitchen Hank had been the one to break the tense silence between them and finally speak to each other in a civilized manner.

"You know, Tina told me that you were acting weird about this whole thing." Sitting down slowly in the kitchen chair had given Hank the chance to regain his energy while Connor opened the refrigerator door. "She seems to think that you were shaken up about me being shot."

Pausing for a moment Connor contemplated the correct response to such an odd statement. "...She isn't inaccurate with her assessment."

"Don't tell me you got scared about me getting shot." Hank nearly laughed at the idea of Connor being worried about him, or doing anything else emotional for that matter. "You're a machine."

"I'm also aware that you refrain from wearing Kevlar while in the field." Connor rebutted as he put the bowl of remaining pasta in the microwave to warm up. "It was concerning to calculate the odds of your survival considering you hadn't taken any proper precautions. The numbers were low, and I was unsure of what would've happened to Cole if you hadn't survived."

"Huh." The healing man hadn't even thought about how Connor's concerns were actually founded for reasons beyond what anyone else had initially considered. "Cole would've been taken in by Jeffrey. He'd have a good family if I- Well, let's not talk about that."

"That's a good idea."

"I also noticed that when Tina was around that you seemed to be actually, I don't know, relax a little." The Lieutenant commented as he watched Connor's shoulders tense up and his hands freeze mid motion. "Same for Gavin, Chris and Ben."

"I have no reason to be guarded around them." The deviant replied casually as he pulled the bowl of pasta from the microwave and stirred it to ensure it was warmed through evenly. As he placed the bowl down before Hank at the table Connor backed away and kept his distance. "They are good people."

"So's Jeffrey." The Lieutenant tagged on as he picked up his fork and checked through the pasta to see what he was about to eat. "Don't think I didn't notice you tensing up like someone rammed a damn flagpole up your ass every time he came around."

"Captain Fowler doesn't agree with my presence in your household. I didn't want to do anything that'd cause him additional stress while already handling a stressful situation regarding your injury."

"Fair enough, but don't act like you're expecting him to pull a gun and blow your head off." Hank simply requested as he tasted the pasta and found the makeshift recipe to be impressively tasty. "He wouldn't hurt you."

"...I cannot be certain of that statement."

Hearing such a wary reply was enough to catch Hank's immediate attention. The way Connor responded made Hank think of the victims of abuse he had interviewed when he did his best to convince them to testify against their abusers. The victims were always terrified that their abuser would always be able to track them down and that they'd make their victim suffer twice as much for reporting them to the police. However, knowing that Connor sounded so terrified and that his fear was directed at the police, gave Hank a sudden twinge of guilt.

"I'll leave you to your meal."

Connor volunteered as he exited the kitchen and made his way into the bathroom. The deviant was clearly looking for something to preoccupy his time, and it seemed cleaning and organizing were the best solution.

Hank suddenly lost his appetite as he realized that his chronic indifference toward Connor's very existence seemed to be more harmful than anything else he had done. Being loved and hated were two extremes that anyone could easily identify when it came to emotional reactions and causes. But being completely ignored and left to fend for yourself with no one to rely on and everyone to fear was something that only a select few tragically had any experience with overcoming.

In spite of his own ideas on what androids were capable of feeling and experiencing, Hank had to admit that the way Connor was behaving couldn't just be dismissed as a weird programming quirk or a glitch. There was no mistaking it when a victim of violence, discrimination or abuse finally made their voices heard. On that night, Hank finally heard Connor loud and clear.

"Not sure if I want to know if Connor said that because someone threatened it in the past, or because someone's threatening it right now."

-next chapter-