The first snowfall of the memorable year graced Detroit, swiftly covering the entire city under a thin white blanket of crisp, icy flakes during the previous night. With the fresh snow came a brisk chill in the air as well as a layer of ice that gave everything a slick, shiny surface. The biggest holidays of the year were only a few weeks away, but the excitement for such celebrations was unusually low considering the rather upsetting and historic events of the past year weighing heavily on everyone's mind. It seemed a vast majority of Detroit was simply counting down the remaining weeks until the new year came along to give everyone a fresh start that rivaled the welcomed grace of the freshly fallen snow.

Such low spirits throughout the city had resulted in poor morale in the Central Precinct that didn't go unnoticed by Captain Fowler. In an attempt to improve the moods and mindsets of his personnel, the experienced Captain decided to stir things up by partnering his patrolling officers with someone they either haven't patrolled with before or rarely went on patrol with during their usual shifts. Such changes had partnered Connor with Tina, Hank with a new officer - Kenneth Davidson - for their morning and afternoon patrols, while putting Gavin with Sarah Lee and Chris with Lance during the night shift. Such changes resulted in very interesting conversations to say the least.

"Okay, so here's another one..." Tina was grinning maniacally as she engaged with Connor in a round of hypothetical scenarios with fictional characters. "Who'd would Dr. Watson rely on for his own medical diagnosis: Sherlock Holmes or Dr. Gregory House?"

"I am unfamiliar with the character known as Dr. Gregory House." Connor admitted as he tried to understand Tina's strange curiosity. Rubbing his fingertips along his right temple, Connor tried to ignore the residual ache in his head courtesy of being shot a few weeks prior. "Just as I am unfamiliar with the other fictional doctors that you've asked me about."

"The shows are really old and only show up on select streaming services. Use your fancy android-brain to search for info on everyone I named today and give me your opinions."

"May I ask why you wish to know my opinion regarding fictional characters?"

"Because whenever I play this game with Gavin, he always responds with stuff that that he knows I'll agree with because he doesn't want to upset me." Tina admitted as she turned the patrol car down a quiet street that took the two officers along the partially frozen Detroit River. "Chris doesn't watch the same old shows and movies that I like to watch, so he can't play this game very well. Sarah Lee only watches sports, and she pretends that she's never heard of anything I'm talking about, same with Lance. And the Lieutenant just turns everything into a discussion about music."

"Am I the only one who hasn't indulged you in your intriguing game as of the moment?"

"Yup! Well, no, there's the new guy who showed up a couple weeks back, but I don't like talking to him." As she continued her route Tina gave Connor a casual shrug of her shoulders as she brought him up to speed on a few things that he missed while he was out of action. "The new guy gives me an off-vibe and I don't like being near him. But we're not talking about him, we're talking about you and my questions! So... Google them bitches!"

"...Very well." Connor had seemingly accepted his fate of being backed into a corner full of hypotheticals and decided to indulge Tina's curiosity. It took Connor only a few minutes to process the characters and scenarios that Tina had asked of him, and he now had some answers to give. "I have formed my opinions."

"Let me hear 'em." Tina's grin was almost Cheshire-like as she eagerly waited to for Connor to answer. "I have to know what a completely logical and empathetic person without any bias has to say about everything that I've asked!"

"For your first question: A satisfying conclusion for Dr. John Carter would have been for him to become romantically involved with Dr. Jing-Mei Chen, rather than neither of their characters truly having a confirmed romance at the end of their respective roles during the series."

"Interesting..." A satisfied smirk appeared on Tina's lips as she turned and gave Connor an approving acknowledgement. "Why Jing-Mei? Of all the characters who had come and gone from that show, why her of all people?"

"Jing-Mei's character had become one of true confidence and compassion. She would've been able to ground Carter and allow him to develop beyond the limitations of his character being emotionally stunted, apathetic, unintentionally selfish, and being unable to admit to his personal flaws while expecting the people around him to answer to all of their own flaws just to satisfy his own demands."

"YES..." Tina not to discreetly gave the response a fist pump as she bounced a little in her seat. "Finally!"

"What is 'finally'?"

"I'm not the only one who saw him as a hypocrite! Carter wanted everyone he was romantically interested in to change their personalities, interests, and personal goals to line up with what he wanted, but when they expected him to just compromise and connect with them emotionally, he put up his walls and forced the women to break up with him over petty reasons so that he wouldn't be seen as the bad guy!"

"Oh..."

"Trust me, I had an ex who was JUST like him, and it completely changed the way I watched 'E.R.' reruns to this day." It seemed Tina approved of Connor's first answer and wanted to hear what he had to say next. "What else you got?"

"The premise of 'Back to the Future Part III' is superior in storytelling quality compared to the first two films since the overall plot ties up all loose ends, helps reshape the future for the main characters in a logical manner, and confirms the ongoing premise that a single action in our pasts and our presents can drastically alter our futures."

"Good, good... Go on."

"However, the original film is still the arguable best of the trilogy since it had to set the actions of the sequels in motion while also being able to allow the story to come to its own conclusion in the event that a sequel or two weren't permitted for production." As he spoke Connor realized how much he appreciated his movie nights with Hank since it allowed him to form actual opinions on such topics and communicate in a more human manner. "A story that can work as a complete tale on its own or set up a larger series is a mark of a thoroughly planned plot and overall quality storytelling."

"Love it! And what about Dr. Watson and his potential medical care?"

"While Dr. Watson would trust Sherlock Holmes with his life regarding an investigation or a legal matter, being a man of medicine would guarantee that he'd seek the prognosis and treatment from the hands of another doctor."

"Boom! If I had a mic right now, I'd drop it." For whatever reason Tina was now in high spirits and eager to keep speaking with Connor. "You are SO much more fun to play this game with than everyone else!"

Lowering his hand from his temple, Connor gave Tina a perplexed glance. "I am?"

"Oh, hell yeah! When I asked Gavin the same questions he just kept going on and on about how hot Dr. Ross and Nurse Hathaway are and kept saying how he'd like to have a threesome with them. Then he said that he thought time travel movies are just complicated for the sake of being complicated, and he said he doesn't care about fictional detectives since we're the real ones with real work to do."

"That is strange to me."

"And why's that, my new favorite patrol-buddy?"

"I know that you and Detective Reed are close friends." Connor couldn't understand how a person could intentionally be obstreperous and unwilling to play a silly game with their own friend. "It seems unusual that he wouldn't want to play a harmless game while on patrol with his best friend."

"He just gives me those answers because he knows it bugs me. Honestly, it's cool."

"It's also strange to me how humans can find mutual enjoyment in being cold or by replying in such a manner that they know would be unsatisfactory for a friend."

"Oh, Connor, my dear sweet summer-child." Tina reached out and sympathetically patted Connor's shoulder as she pulled the patrol car up to a small diner and shifted the vehicle into park. "I can't believe that of all the people in the precinct who'd adopt you and take them in as their own family, that Lieutenant Anderson hasn't educated you on the fine art of ball bustin'."

"I don't believe that's an officially recognized form of art."

Tina laughed loudly as she tried to figure out if Connor was being sarcastic or not. Such a sweet and naive response was just too much to handle.

"Connor, never change!"

Unsure of what Tina meant by such a broad request, Connor merely watched her exit the car and joined her outside the vehicle shortly thereafter. The swirling snow and ice in the air made Connor shiver slightly and pine for the leather jacket that was left on the back of his chair back at the precinct. As he pulled his blazer's collar up higher around his throat Connor followed after Tina and managed to grab Tina's elbow as she slipped on the ice and momentarily lost her balance.

"Whoa! Shit..." Tina managed to get her footing and looked down at the ice surrounding the diner. "Good reflexes."

"Are you harmed?"

"I'm good. I'll just need to remember to lay down some salt before we head out."

Casually Tina entered the small Piquant Diner with Connor right behind here where the two police officers were met with a wash of warmth and delicious smelling food. The diner had a handful of people enjoying their lunch, but the vacant booths made the diner seem empty. There was a distinct aura of being welcomed that helped fill the space between the sparse customers and the lunch and dinner time rushes.

"Mama?" Tina called out as she approached the front counter and leaned over the surface to peer into the back of the restaurant. No one seemed to find it odd that Tina was there and essentially helping herself to the diner. "I'm here for some comfort food!"

Connor noted the familial connection between Tina and her mother, who undoubtedly worked at the diner or owned it, and wondered why Tina never spoke of the diner while at the precinct. It seemed as if such a topic would come up frequently and be a positive topic to mention on a regular basis.

"*Xiao douzi?" An older woman's voice called out from the back of the restaurant and came around the counter. As soon as she saw Tina the woman smiled brightly and wrapped up her daughter in a big hug. "There you are! Why haven't you been stopping by as much as you should?"

"Sorry, mama. Work's been busy." After embracing her mother Tina turned to look at Connor and introduced the deviant detective to her mother. "So, mama, this is Connor. He's the famous deviant detective I've told you about. And Connor, this is my mother, Min."

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Chen." Connor politely greeted the woman and gave her a sincerely kind smile. "I'm Detective Connor Anderson."

"So you're Connor!" Without any hesitation Min walked up to the deviant and gave him a warm hug as well. Despite being much shorter than Connor, the older woman had no problem with offering hugs and wrapping her arms around him. "I heard about your unfortunate accident and how you were hurt. I am so glad that you're okay now!"

"Yes, I am fine." Connor was quick to both reciprocate the hug and flash Tina a confused look as his L.E.D. shifted from blue to yellow momentarily. "I've made a full recovery."

"Tina told me that you were hurt, and she was so worried!" As Min spoke Connor could see Tina blushing faintly and shaking her head in mild embarrassment. "She also told me that I needed to start making some Thirium treats so she could give you a proper welcome back."

"O-Oh." Connor allowed Min to break the hug and take his hands in her own to lead him over to the counter. "While that is appreciated, that isn't-"

"No, no, no!" Min wasn't going to let Connor refuse her gift as she made her way back to the kitchen to locate something special just for Connor. "I won't have you walking out of my diner without a full belly!"

Tina stood beside Connor and gave him a sheepish apology. "Sorry about that. Mama thinks of everyone in the precinct as family, even if she's never met them before. She worked hard to find a way to make flavored Thirium, so, even if it doesn't taste right, please pretend it's good."

"I won't say or do anything that'll offend your mother, I promise."

"I know. It's just... Mama tries to do far too much for far too many people." Whispering as she explained things Tina helped Connor understand her mother's mindset and behavior. "It's kind of her weakness. Once a mother, always a mother!"

"Here we go!" Min returned to the main diner with two glass cups full of something frosty in her hands. One cup had a chocolate brown coloration, and the second cup had the distinct shade of Thirium blue. "This is for you, fēngmì pài."

Connor accepted the cup and scanned the contents while Tina took the other cup for herself.

"And for you, xioa douzi." Lightly Min brushed her hand along Tina's cheek affectionately. "Your favorite!"

"Thanks, mama." Putting her hand to Connor's shoulder Tina motioned for the deviant to join her in a nearby booth for a few minutes. "Come on, Connor. Let's have our snack and get back on patrol."

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Mrs. Chen."

Accompanying Tina to the booth Connor sat down across from his temporary partner and timidly tasted the Thirium drink and realized that Min had managed to create a Thirium-based ice cream in the diner and managed to fill it with flavor without compromising the efficiency of the necessary substance as it pertained to Connor's overall function. Such a feat was very impressive.

"My parents are famous for their cooking, especially the ice cream." Tina explained as she sipped at her chocolate milkshake and then used a spoon to dig through the ice cream and locate the chocolate chips mixed within. "Mama found out she could make Thirium-based ice cream a couple weeks ago, and the rest is history."

"That's very impressive." Slowly Connor sipped at the offered treat and found the flavor to be very unique. It was a flavor he hadn't tasted before. "This is... good! It's not chocolate or pure vanilla, and I cannot identify the secondary flavor. But I do like it."

"Really? Wow, I never thought about how androids don't have experience with tasting new foods or flavors." Curiously Tina looked at Connor's cup and noticed a small 'C.V.' etched into the base of the glass from her mother's own hand. "Ah, I got it." Using her spook Tina motioned to the initials. "Caramel and vanilla. Mama likes to keep the ice cream glasses labeled to ensure there are no flavor mishaps with serving the customers."

"Caramel." Repeating the flavor aloud Connor made a mental note to try adding two flavors together to create a third unique flavor. "I can say that I like the taste of caramel."

"Then that means you have good taste."

"Tina, may I ask-"

"Mama's been a widow since I was a teen." Replying quickly Tina ate more of ice cream from the spoon and looked back at the kitchen where she could see her mother taking another customer's order. "Papa died from a heart attack, and me and my little sister, Sasha, have been helping in the diner ever since."

"...Oh." There were times where Connor hated his own curiosity since he was well aware that some questions were inappropriate or too nosy to ask. "I hope I didn't offend you."

"Don't worry, I get asked that question every time I bring a new patrol-buddy in the diner for a treat." Finishing her ice cream in record time, Tina winked at Connor and proceeded to carry her now empty glass up to the counter. "You enjoy your ice cream while I help mama in the kitchen and get some salt on the ground by the front door, then we'll head back out on patrol. I won't be more than ten minutes!"

Connor remained where he sat and steadily sipped at the Thirium ice cream despite not needing to replenish his reserves and the cold weather outside giving him no reason to consume chilled Thirium. There was special something about the way Tina was just happy to spend time with him even while working and the way her mother welcomed him with opened arms that compelled the deviant to simply sit back, enjoy his treat, and appreciate the companionship for a truly generous and caring person.

After all, it wasn't every day that Connor was treated like a living, feeling person by a new friend.


The snow had stopped falling but the ice refused to melt even as the afternoon sun reached its peak in the sky. Ice had formed all over the city along the streets, the sidewalks, over the Detroit River and along the frames of doors and windows alike. The crystalline shine of the ice sheathing every surface it touched created an almost ethereal atmosphere that gave Detroit an enchanting aesthetic, but even so the cumbersome ice was still a nuisance that the city was attempting to remove. Autonomous salt trucks and snowplows were actively scraping the streets and melting the ice at a steady pace, yet it seemed the relentlessness of the ice was no match for the efforts of the humans and androids attempting to free the city from its icy cocoon.

Connor and Tina had resumed their patrol, but this time Connor was driving while Tina sat as the passenger and admired the sparse holiday decorations giving the city some semblance of a holiday spirit. As the patrol car reached the shopping plaza for its usual loop around the neighborhood Tina leaned back in her seat and turned to look at Connor as she asked him a new round of hypothetical questions.

"Which scenario is more likely to happen?" Tina began without any hesitation as an interesting scenario entered her mind. "Bioengineered dinosaurs going on a rampage in a major city, or a ginormous great white shark going on a killing spree at a popular beach during a holiday weekend?"

"I presume you're attempting to compare the logistics of the films 'Jurassic Park' and 'Jaws', am I correct?"

"You got it."

"Considering the science behind resurrecting dinosaurs from fossilized D.N.A. is-"

"Skip the science and get to the action." Tina teased playfully as she gave Connor's arm a light pat. "The fun of science-fiction is getting lost in the fiction while ignoring the science."

"Yes, of course. To answer your question, it'd be far more likely for a single great white shark to reach a substantial size and select a single location along a populated beach to use as hunting grounds, than it'd be for extinct creatures to return to life and create chaos through a chain reaction of poor security efforts."

"Yeah, I figured as much. So boring too." Returning her focus to the city Tina noticed something unusual happening at the nearby mall. "Hey, pull off to the side for a minute. I think someone's about to try to pull a Grinch."

"Hm?" Doing as he was instructed Connor slowly pulled the patrol car to the side of the street and shifted the vehicle into park. "What is 'a grinch'?"

"That means someone wants to ruin Christmas for someone else."

"Oh."

With a casual motion Tina directed Connor's attention to a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus ringing a bell and standing beside a large 'Toys for Tots' donation bin. A few feet away from Santa was a man wearing a thick coat with a scarf covering most of his face from the nose down and a thick hat pulled down to cover up the rest of his face. The man kept eyeing the donation bin while also glancing about the area suspiciously as if trying to make sure no one was watching him.

"I guarantee that he's going to try to snatch some of the toys from the bin and run for it." Tina unfastened her seatbelt and watched Connor do the same as the deviant detective began preconstructing potential outcomes in the event that the man did something greedy and foolish. "Think we can stop him?"

"I believe so. We'll need to be fast if we're going to prevent him from disappearing into the city with his stolen items."

"And are you ready for such a chase?" It wasn't a big secret that Connor was still in pain from being shot in the head, and any physical exertion could make his misery even worse despite him not uttering a single complaint. "It's okay to sit this out since you're just getting back to work after being shot and comatose for a couple days."

"I'll take all necessary precautions to prevent any further damage to my cranium."

Connor opened up his door and stood just beside the parked patrol car as he took in the sight of the suspicious man walking slowly toward the toy bin. The man then rapidly reached inside the bin to pull out a bundle of donated items to hold in his arms before bolting down the sidewalk. The thieving man had been so quick and calculated with his decision that the witnesses and passersby were too stunned to react in an appropriate manner.

"Report to dispatch!" Connor shouted as he began a foot chase after the toy thief while Tina took his vacated seat behind the wheel. "I'll pursue him!"

Taking off twice as quickly as the thief, Connor easily caught up to the man by the time the thief had reached the end of the block as he attempted to disappear with his stolen goods and avoid justice. The stealthy and graceful deviant detective was able to get right behind the thief just as Tina pulled the squad car up along the street to keep pace with the chase and inform dispatch of their current location while requesting drone assistance to monitor the chase from above.

"Stop!" Shouting his simple order Connor reached for the man's shoulder and took hold with a firm grip. "Detroit police!"

Yanking back on the thief's shoulder Connor managed to pull the man off his feet and cause both the thief and Connor himself to slip on the ice underfoot in a graceless fall. As he fell backward Connor instinctively wrapped his hands around the back of his head to protect himself from any further damage to his cranium and succeeded in protecting his head from harm as he slipped and landed with a harsh impact on the icy sidewalk on his back. However, the deviant had been unable to turn his body or shift his weight in time to prevent the fall from affecting his back itself as he landed on the unforgiving concrete in an uncontrollable plunge.

The sound of two bodies hitting the frozen sidewalk echoed with a sickening 'crunch' through the streets and immediately drew everyone's attention to the scene of the slip and fall. Within seconds Connor's vision was filled with red warnings in regard to the impact to his back, specifically his spinal support column discs. The thief on the other hand was entirely silent as he failed to protect his head whatsoever and had been knocked out cold after he banged his head on the frozen sidewalk.

"Oh, man..." Tina bore witness to the two falls and immediately winced sympathetically. "That had to hurt!"

Tina quickly but carefully parked the car along the sidewalk and checked on the unconscious thief while speaking to Connor who was laying nearby. The sight of the unconscious grown man buried under a small pile of stolen stuffed animals would've been funny had the fall not resulted in two painful injuries.

"Connor, are you okay?" Gently Tina assessed the unconscious thief's vital signs and used her radio to request an ambulance to the scene to transport him to the hospital for an examination. "Can you move?"

"Y-Yes." Slowly Connor moved his legs and then his arms as he tested his range of motion. The deviant used his arms to push himself into a sitting position on the ground and supported as much of his weight as possible against his arms to keep the strain off his back. "I am functional."

"Did you hit your head?"

"No." As if to prove his claim Connor held up his hands with the backs of his hands facing Tina so that she could see the small scrapes marring his appendages courtesy of his hands cradling his head and absorbing the impact of the fall. "I avoided any damage to my head."

"Too bad our Grinch here can't say the same for himself."

"He's unconscious and has suffered a hairline fracture to his occipital bone." Connor noted as he performed a biometric scan over the thief and then a facial recognition scan to determine their criminal's identity. "His name is Clarence Smith. He has an impressive record regarding theft and fraud."

"Yeah?" Lightly Tina pressed a tissue to the back of Clarence's bleeding head as a sign of good faith despite the man being a known criminal. "How impressive?"

"Mr. Smith has been arrested thirty-seven times in Lansing for theft, twelve times in Battle Creek for fraud, and four times in Detroit for additional thefts." In a swift motion Connor managed to shift his legs to kneel on the sidewalk to hover over Clarence. As he moved Connor subconsciously put his palm to his lower back where he had impacted the frozen ground. "...He is supposed to be on probation."

"Probation for over fifty arrests? Man, he's been getting off easy!"

The ambulance arrived at the scene just as two drones began circling the arrest overhead. While Tina explained the situation to the responding paramedics, Connor awkwardly got back up to his feet and winced as he began to limp over to the patrol car to run a self-diagnostic on his system. The numbers regarding his vital signs were all nominal, but the warning regarding a slight destabilization of one of his spinal support column discs.

"No... I can't have been damaged during my first shift after returning from my previous impairment." Letting out a slow breath Connor tried to find a way to ease his pain and keep his current plight a secret. "Hank will keep me on desk duty for the remainder of my career."

"Our thief is going to spend the night at the hospital." Tina stated casually as she rejoined Connor by the patrol car. The two paramedics were able to easily tend to the unconscious man and didn't require police assistance as they treated him and prepared him for transportation. "After he regains consciousness, the doctors will give us a call and we'll be able to go and have a little chat about being generous during the holidays, not greedy."

"And the toys?" Connor managed to hide the pain in his words as he turned to Tina and noticed that the young officer had already gathered up the stolen toys and was holding them in her arms. "Were they damaged?"

"Nope. That's the best part about stuffed animals, they can't break when they get dropped."

Connor nodded slowly as walked over to the passenger side of the patrol car to sit down while Tina put the reclaimed toys in the backseat. The deviant didn't want to drive while his back was now causing him sporadic pain.

"I have a great idea!" Tina excitedly called out to Connor after she slammed the rear door of the patrol car and sat down behind the steering wheel. "After we return these toys, let's go through the mall and get MORE toys to have donated to the 'Toys for Tots' bin. It'll help encourage people to be generous and bring in the holiday spirit at the same time!"

"Th-That is a good idea." Connor knew that after he stumbled on his words that his L.E.D. flashed to red, and that it gave away the fact that he was in pain. "We should do that right now."

"Well, we'll return these toys right now." Sensing something was amiss Tina turned the patrol car around to return to the shopping plaza where the initial theft had taken place. "We can shop later. I get the feeling that you need to make a stop at a facility."

"What makes you say that?"

"You took a nasty fall on the ice, and you have that look in your eyes that says: 'I'm in a crazy amount of pain, but I'm going to tough it out because I don't want everyone to be worrying about me'. I've seen it too often to mistaken it for anything else."

"I don't need to go to a facility."

"But you ARE in pain. Don't deny it!"

"...Yes." There was no point in even trying to deny it or lie to Tina about his current condition. She had seen him fall and she could see that he was in pain just by looking into his eyes. "However, it isn't critical and I'm not in need of a technician's care."

"Considering I'm not a technician myself, I'd rather take an actual technician's word for that. I don't want to see you suffering all day."

"I... I'm not suffering." Speaking carefully Connor discreetly pressed his palm to his lower back again and tried to keep his voice steady. "However, it wouldn't be problematic if I were to go and see Dr. Forrest at the precinct. He'll want to see me anyway regarding my past damage to ensure my personnel file is being kept up to date with the precinct."

"Then let's drop off these toys, go and see the friendly precinct technician, then we'll resume our patrol together. Okay?"

"Yes, that is okay."

"You know, I should go on patrol with you more often." Tina grinned as she pulled the car into the shopping plaza parking lot and prepared to return the previously stolen toys to the bin and give Santa a reassuring hug. "You're far more agreeable than Gavin is, and he knows that I'll drag him into a hospital kicking and screaming whenever he gets hurt!"


The second-floor dispensary of the Central Precinct allowed the deviant android personnel some relative privacy whenever they needed to report to the dispensary for a routine examination or to have damage tended to by the designated technician on call. Such discretion allowed deviants to admit to being damaged, low on power, or experiencing unusual glitches and errors without nosy and ignorant humans stirring the pot for the sake of drama. It seemed the only place that a lot of the nosier and somewhat bigoted humans would never snoop around was the second floor since they had no reason to be anywhere near that particular location unless they had some official police business regarding deviant androids.

Truly appreciative of the discreet location of the dispensary, Connor sat on the edge of the exam table with his blazer removed and white dress shirt untucked to allow Joel to examine his back for any sign of trauma. There was a dark blue bruise running along the middle of Connor's back that intensified and deepened in color as it reached the base of his spine. The artificial skin hadn't been broken, but the small Thirium lines running beneath had leaked a considerable amount of blue blood creating the painful bruising.

"It looks like your spinal support column escaped serious structural damage." Joel confirmed as he held the internal viewing screen over Connor's back and zoomed in on the holographic images of each individual disc. There was no sign of cracks, chips or dents anywhere. "It looks like the interior diamond coating has given you a nearly unbreakable spine. Worth every penny in my book."

"Diamond?" Tina looked at the screen for herself as she had no idea that Connor's design was so special and unique. "Wow! Your spine is so shiny!"

Connor glanced at Tina and Joel over his shoulder as he tried to figure out how Tina could be so chipper and spritely all the time. "All plastimetal has a natural sheen over the material. My diamond plating does not make such a sheen unique to myself."

"Yeah, but yours has to be extra shiny from all the diamonds."

"I highly doubt that."

"Anyway..." Joel cleared his throat awkwardly as he put aside the screen and pressed his palm along the bruises marring Connor's back. It didn't take long for the skilled technician to note an unusual discrepancy in Connor's current physiology. "There is a physical abnormality that I still need to diagnose."

"You've located the source of my pain." It took everything in Connor to keep his hands planted firmly on the edge of the table to avoid swinging his arm back to strike Joel and get the man's hand off his sore back. "C-Can you tell me why I'm experiencing discomfort? My self-diagnostic indicates a structural anomaly."

"That's right. While you escaped breaking any of your spinal support column discs, you didn't elude partially dislocating one." Joel confirmed as he kept his hand in place and watched Connor tense up in pain as his palm applied pressure to the affected disc. "It should be able to realign itself without any additional treatment from me, but if you'd like, I could pop the disc back in for you right now."

"I-Is there a preferable option of the two that you've offered?" Connor was speaking through his gritted teeth as his L.E.D. flashed between red and yellow. "I greatly dislike this feeling of persistent pain."

"If you let your back heal on its own, you'll be in pain longer but will be able to resume full function by tomorrow morning. If you allow me to pop the disc back in with my own hands, then your pain will cease quickly, but you'll need to take the rest of the day off to allow proper recalibration without physical exertion by tomorrow evening."

"Isn't there another option I could potententially consider?" Leaning back slowly Connor could feel the dislocated disc bulging from his spinal support column and against his artificial skin creating a small bump that protruded outward from his back. "I want to finish my shift, but I cannot fully ignore this pain for the remainder of the day."

"Well, I could give you a support wrap that'll keep your dislocated disc from shifting around and stop the pain, BUT it'd limit your physical mobility and strength."

Connor was quiet for a moment as he contemplated his options. Being taken off his shift entirely was out of the question, along with being in pain as his spine slowly healed itself throughout the day. The idea of physical limitations wasn't all that preferable, yet it did seem to be an appropriate middle ground given his options.

"Wh-Where's the wrap?" As he tried to straighten up Connor winced again and let out a pained breath. Now he understood entirely why Hank was often so grouchy whenever his back acted up and gave him grief. "I'd... like to consider how significant the limitations could be before I make my final decision."

"It's in my supply closet. Hold on, I'll help you get it on, and you can decide for yourself."

The sympathetic pat to Connor's shoulder didn't help matters considering Joel's usually laidback demeanor had been replaced with a sense of dread. While Connor knew that Joel was simply worried about his condition as a technician the deviant detective couldn't help but think of the young man as a friend who was trying to keep him safe.

"Want me to let the Lieutenant know what's up?" Tina asked as she put her hand on Connor's upper back and rubbed his shoulders softly. "He'll understand what you're going through. Back pain sucks."

"No. He's already assisted me once before when I had been struck by a speeding vehicle and I had endured temporary paralysis." That truly upsetting and bleak memory was one that Connor didn't want to think about too often. "I don't want him to endure that particular stress for a second time."

"He's your friend and he's your father now. He'll be stressed about you being hurt, sick or uncomfortable no matter what goes on."

"Even so, I don't want him to worry." Connor tried to straighten his posture again but failed to do so. The pain in his back was too much to currently endure. "I've only recently recovered from my comatose state, and I don't want Hank to spend the rest of the day worried about me."

"All right, it's your decision. We can still go on patrol, and you can just sit back, relax and entertain my questions as they pop into my head. It'll be easy!"

"Thank you."

Joel located the support wrap and carried it over to the exam table to secure around Connor's torso and around his shoulders. The wrap was designed to tighten around Connor's lower back to support his damaged spinal support column with additional support being provided to his shoulders to ensure that he was able to keep his spine as straight as possible while he healed. The supportive wrap looked like a sleeveless shirt with two strong zippers on either side. The zippers were long and could be tightened and loosened as necessary by moving the zipper up and down along the teeth. The thick shoulder straps of the support wrap could be opened up and resecured by using the metal snaps without the wearer needing to fully remove the wrap to adjust it as needed.

"Remove your shirt." Joel instructed casually as he helped Connor with the sleeves, then began helping him with the wrap. "Slip this on like you're putting your arms through a pair of backpack straps and then let me reposition the wrap to line up with your spine."

"All right." Connor did as he was instructed and let the wrap settle over his shoulders and hang down along his back. It didn't take long for the skilled technician to put the wrap where it needed to be for maximum efficiency. "How long will I need to wear this?"

"For twenty-four hours." As he spoke Joel pulled down the wrap and tightened it around Connor's lower back and over the front of his abdomen. The wrap was made out of a dense Kevlar and helped to keep the deviant's posture perfect even while he was in pain. "That'll give your self-healing program the appropriate time it needs to realign your support discs properly."

The dark gray wrap was heavy on Connor's shoulders, but it did support his back and keep the pain at bay. Once it was secured over his shoulders, down his back and over his abdomen, Connor slipped back on his white dress shirt, tie and blazer to go about his business as usual.

"The wrap's position is going to limit your strength in your arms and your shoulders." Joel cautioned as he used the internal viewing screen one last time to ensure that the wrap was secured appropriately, and that Connor's spinal support column wasn't being forced into an uncomfortable or painful position. "If you need to loosen or tighten the wrap for any reason, use the snaps on the shoulder straps. Be mindful of loosening them entirely since that'll make the wrap completely ineffective."

"I'll be cautious." It was evident that Connor was feeling much better and was eager to return to work. His L.E.D. returned to a stable blue coloration and he was no longer compelled to support his back with his hands. "Thank you, Dr. Forrest."

"Just call me 'Joel'. And make sure you come and see me before your next shift so I can make sure your back is going to heal just fine."

"I will do so. Tina?" Looking to his temporary partner Connor let her know he was ready to resume patrol. "If you're ready to leave, I am as well."

"Sure. I'm still driving though." Tina walked alongside Connor and made sure he wasn't limping or trying to mask his pain by putting on a brave face for her sake and his own pride. As the entered the elevator Tina gave him a coy smirk and tried to keep the mood light as they carried on with their shift together. "Let's just avoid any more foot chases until the city thaws out."


The brisk afternoon continued on well toward the evening with no other reports of thefts or holiday hijinks, but even so there were still a few confirmed incidents that required police assistance. A growing number of motorists were beginning to struggle to navigate through the slick city streets as the treacherous ice refused to melt or be scraped away entirely. The autonomous salt trucks and snowplows were only able to maintain the relatively safe road conditions when the temperature allowed for it. The drastic chill in the air blending with the snow drifting back onto the streets caused the ice to return, and as a result it had made the efforts to keep the streets navigable feeling like an exercise in insanity.

To avoid getting stranded on the icy streets themselves, Connor and Tina roamed the shopping plaza on foot and proceeded to dissuade other potential shoplifters and thieves by being an active, visual presence of authority. While Tina happily roamed every toy store in the plaza to add to the donation bin outside, Connor watched his footing and made sure he didn't suffer any other falls that'd further harm his already damaged back. It was a simple process, yet one that was crucial to Connor's overall functionality.

"What do you think?" Tina asked as she showed Connor the massive teddy bear that she had purchased from the nearby toy store and carried it over to the donation bin to be given away at Christmastime. "Too much?"

"Only in size."

"Yeah, that's what Chris said when I snuck one of these bad boys into his house after his little ones were born!" Never once losing her grin, Tina happily placed the massive teddy bear inside the bin and made sure it was covered up enough to not get wet from snow and ice. "They're just too cute to be ignored."

"Do you make such a drastic purchase often?" Connor asked as he took in a deep breath to ensure that his back wasn't aching and that his spinal support column was still properly healing. While he could walk without hindrance, he could still feel the bulging disc in his back as he moved. "It seems as if such a regular purchase would be rather problematic from a financial standpoint."

"I don't buy these bears more than three times a year." The young officer confirmed as she made her way over to another toy store to grab a few more gifts to donate to the bin. "I save the big bears for when someone at the precinct has a baby, then I buy one to give to a little kid who needs a big hug at Christmastime."

"That is very generous. I'm still struggling with the concept of the holidays when it comes to gift giving." The deviant detective stopped beside a large shop window full of festive displays and wondered if he should do anything special with his family that Christmas. "I know Hank well enough to select something to give him that I know he'd like, but at the same time I worry that I'll make a mistake and that I'll have to admit that I don't know him as well as I believe that I do."

"That's normal." Tina promised as she finished paying for her new toys and carried the two shopping bags outside and over to the donation bin. Carefully she put the toy fire engine, the plastic tea set, the six board games and dozen boxed trading card sets into the bin for safekeeping, then had the bags recycled. "Everyone worries about getting someone they care about something they won't actually like, that they won't need, or that they might even get offended over. Just go with your gut, you'll be able to get the Lieutenant the perfect gift without any doubts."

"I hope you're right."

"And with these last donations, I can hold my head high knowing I helped make a couple of kids' Christmas mornings fun." Tina theatrically dusted off her hands and began strolling down the sidewalk in front of the plaza with Connor still at her side. She was making a conscious effort to keep her pace slow to ensure she didn't move too quickly for Connor's sore back to handle. "Ready to move on to the next area of our patrol?"

"Not just yet." Glancing about the area Connor noted the increase in foot traffic since school had let out and many families were shopping before heading back home to rest for the remainder of the evening. "There are more shoppers in the area, which means there could be more opportunistic thieves in the area."

"Good call. We'll take another lap around the plaza and remind people that they're being watched before we head out."

The duo managed to easily traverse the shopping center on foot without causing too much of a huff in the process. Some people were rather uneasy around the police due to an unfortunately negative, violent, corrupt reputation that law enforcement had garnered throughout the 20's, and it seemed the old wounds and scars left behind by the truly corrupt cops were still too painful to fully heal or even address.

Wandering about the plaza at a steady pace seemed to be aiding Connor's damaged back and helped the deviant detective recover steadily. The soft crunching of the snow, ice and salt on the sidewalk underfoot was somewhat soothing. It created a rhythmic ambience that helped block out the muffled voices speaking all around the plaza, the holiday music playing in the stores, and traffic honking and idling in the nearby streets. Such sounds were typical of city living.

"It's getting pretty cold." Tina lamented as she adjusted her jacket and zipped it up until the tab was at the top of her collar. "Crazy to think I was craving ice cream just a few hours ago."

Connor wanted to comment on the ice cream when his scanner detected something unusual happening only a few hundred yards away. Turning to eye the large intersection just outside the plaza Connor became aware of car horns blaring, tires screeching, and voices shouting as a large vehicle sped through the red light and nearly collided with the other cars along the streets. The speeding car was careening right toward the plaza with no sign of slowing down or stopping.

Reacting quickly Connor pushed Tina to the side and rushed forward toward the oncoming car to try to stop the vehicle. Planting his feet on the icy ground wasn't Connor's best decision, but the deviant detective wasn't about to back down or risk the car crashing into one of the stores in the plaza where countless people could be injured or even killed if the car wasn't stopped.

The deviant detective preconstructed his options, weighed the odds, and promptly slammed his palms against the front bumper of the speeding car while shifting his weight to press down on the car's hood to stop its forward momentum. The sudden pressure being added to the front of the car caused its back tires to lift up high enough into the air to lose traction, and the car began to slow as it continued to move forward even with Connor pushing down on the front of the car. The vehicle pushed Connor backward toward the large storefront behind him with nowhere else for the deviant to go.

Red warnings appeared in Connor's vision as pushed back against the car with his arms and planted his feet down on the sidewalk beneath himself.

WARNING:

...ERROR DETECTED:

-CHECKING BIOCOMPONENTS... OK]

-CHECKING BIOSENSORS... OK]

-CHECKING AI ENGINE... OK]

-MEMORY STATUS... OK]

READY...

[...Thirium Volume - 97%

[...Thirium Pressure - ^130/80

[...Thirium Pump Rate - ^153 B.P.M.

[...Ventilation Rate - ^22 V.P.M.

[...Core Temperature - ^99.3 Degrees Fahrenheit

WARNING:

[...Spinal Support Column: COMPROMISED - #DL8002]

[...Spinal Support Disc #DL8002: 88.6% Structural Integrity]

...Seek Immediate Technical Assistance

-SYSTEM READY... OK]

The strength and energy needed to hold back the two-ton vehicle while pushing it down was putting too much strain on Connor's systems for him to ignore. Peering through the red tinted warnings marring his vision, Connor looked through the windshield of the car under his palms and eyed the driver behind the wheel as he performed a biometric scan over the driver and lone occupant of the vehicle.

There was far more at stake than just a single out-of-control car.

"T-Tina..." It was difficult to just speak courtesy of the strain on Connor's entire being. "The driver... Th-They're unconscious!"

"What can I do to help?"

"Turn off... the engine!"

Responding quickly Tina rushed over to the driver's side door of the car and tried to pull it open. The door was locked, and Tina needed to use the 'slim-jim' tucked away in her belt to force the lock inside the door to pop so that she could get to the driver inside the steaduly smoking vehicle. Thick, black smoke was beginning to pool from under the hood as the engine began to overheat and burn up. Tina managed to get the car door open and pull the driver's heavy foot off of the accelerator pedal and finally throw the vehicle into park before turning the car off. By the time everything was said and done, the plaza was filled with the unmistakable scent of hot metal, smoke and burnt rubber.

"S-Seizure." Connor managed to eke out as he lifted his hands from the car's hood and saw his own palm prints now dented into the vehicle's metal body. The deviant detective immediately contacted emergency dispatch cybernetically to ensure help arrived to take care of the driver. "Call... I'll call an ambulance."

"Sir?" Tina tried to get the driver to respond to her voice as she rubbed her knuckles along his sternum to try and pull him back into the waking world. The man was elderly, pale and barely moving. "Sir, you need to wake up. Detroit police, wake up."

Keeping himself entirely still Connor closed his eyes to run a self-diagnostic and was met with another warning regarding his spinal support column. The dislocated disc was now bulging out of place twice as far as it had been before, and a burning pain began to radiate along Connor's back where the dark blue bruise had formed shortly after he had fallen earlier that day. It didn't take long for Connor let out a pained gasp as he took a single step forward to get himself out from between the car and the building. Such a response brought tears to Connor's eyes and left the deviant detective unable to speak without his voice shaking with agony.

"Sir?" Again, Tina tried to get the driver to wake up even as the ambulance rushed to the scene to tend to the unconscious man. "You need to respond. You were in a near accident, and we need to know what happened."

"...Medication." Connor's voice was a pained whisper as he told Tina the answer to her question. As he spoke Connor felt the pain in his back intensifying with each passing second. "H-He is... suffering from a side effect from... his medication."

"What kind of-"

"U-Unknown." The deviant's biometric scanner could only detect the sudden onset of extreme syncope and hypotension, but it couldn't tell him what medication the man was actively taking or what the medication was being used to treat unless he ran a sample of the man's blood. "I can't tell."

Tina remained with the still unconscious man and didn't move until the paramedics arrived at the shopping plaza for the second time that day. After she informed them of the man's apparent medication issues Tina rushed over to where Connor was standing and looked into his pain-filled eyes with genuine worry for her friend's health and safety.

"Connor, that was incredible! You stopped a speeding car with your bare hands!"

Whimpering a little Connor pressed his palms to his lower back and tried to force the pain to leave his mind where he stood. Unfortunately, pain relief seldom worked out in such a favorable and effective manner.

"Hey?" Lightly Tina put her hand to Connor's chest as a sign of support and felt his heart thundering in pain beneath her touch. "What's going on? You look like you're trying to not cry. Talk to me, what's going on in your body right now?"

"I..." Connor was only able to take in a shuddering breath as he looked Tina in the eyes and used his remaining resolve to keep his tears from falling. "I aggravated the damage to my back. I need... I have to see a technician."

"Shit, is it that bad?"

Connor could only nod as he fought back the urge to shout out in pain. The physically damaged deviant could barely take a step forward without a sharp pain shooting down his back toward his legs. With one hand on his back Connor allowed Tina to lead him over to their squad car that was suddenly parked too far away.

"Okay, hang on, tough guy." Tina wrapped one arm around Connor's waist and let him lean against her shorter frame as she escorted him to the car. "I'll get you taken care of and back on your feet in no time."

"N-Not at the precinct." Connor nearly begged as he struggled to just walk. The ice covered ground and unstable terrain caused him to openly wince with each step he took with Tina protectively at his side. "Can't... let Hank see me. He'll be upset."

"Don't worry, I'll get you somewhere discreet and comfortable." The way Connor was still more concerned about Hank than himself was both sweet and sad in Tina's mind. It meant Connor cared about his father, but still didn't find it important to put his health and safety at the top of his priorities list. "Just trust me, I'll help you through this."


It seemed the day was going to remain slightly unusual and dour even as the sun had set, and the city prepared to welcome the night. Hank of course had a feeling that something was amiss when he clocked-out for the evening and didn't see Connor anywhere in the bullpen and was quick to notice that Tina hadn't returned from patrol either. After grabbing Connor's leather jacket from the back of the deviant's chair, Hank decided to head right for home and not bother asking questions around the precinct or wait for any reports to come his way to help him figure out what he had missed. While the Lieutenant hadn't noticed Connor going up to the dispensary earlier in the day his instincts as a father told him to check on his son as soon as he could.

The man wasn't too surprised to see Tina's usual patrol car parked in his driveway that evening, but he was very surprised to see another little blue car parked just behind the squad car as well. Two cars meant two visitors, and the man could only hazard a guess as to why his humble home was suddenly so popular.

Hank walked into the house through the front door and was met by the sight of Tina herself walking out of the kitchen with a small serving tray in her hands. When he made eye contact with the younger officer, Hank knew that she was up to something. It wasn't anything malicious, but it was certainly something Hank wouldn't have necessarily approved of either.

"Tina."

"Lieutenant."

The dry greetings were exchanged without either officer budging from where they stood. After a few tense seconds had passed Hank casually removed his coat and his shoes then approached Tina to examine the contents on the serving tray. A small bowl of blue tinted ice cream, a heating pad, and three large dog biscuits with a strip of bacon were all neatly arranged on the tray without one item touching the others.

"Do I want to know what happened today?" Hank asked with a knowing look as Tina gave him an uneasy smirk. "Or should I just go and see it for myself?"

"Why not kill two birds with one stone?" Sheepishly Tina nodded at the hallway and leveled with the senior detective. "It was a rough shift for Connor, but he's in good hands and good spirits. He'll also be able to go back to work tomorrow without any problems."

"And why would I be worried about him not being able to work?"

"I guess you'll see in a minute."

Hank put his hands to his hips as he followed after Tina down the hallway and spotted Connor laying on his chest over his bed with Sumo curled up at his side and Abby sitting on the edge of the bed. The deviant detective was shirtless and had a massive blue bruise that was holding Abby's full attention as she used an internal viewing screen and some other small device in her hand to tend to the injury site.

The way Connor's fingers were curling into the quilt under his hands confirmed that the deviant was in pain. Connor was verbally keeping his discomfort to himself and refrained from audibly complaining despite Abby continuing to press her fingertips along his bruised back to palpate the damage.

"Hey, son." Hank walked over to the bed and put his palm down on Connor's shoulder. He could feel that the deviant was tense and doing his best to not flinch away as Abby treated the bruise marring his back. "Rough day at work?"

"S-Something like that." Grateful for the distraction Connor opened his eyes and looked up at Hank now standing beside him. "I slipped on some ice today. I was too preoccupied with protecting my head that I was unable to protect my back as I fell. As a result, I partially dislocated one of the support discs near the base of my spinal support column, resulting in a large bruise and extreme pain."

"Dislocated?" As far as Hank knew, no human could actually dislocate one of their vertebrae. Herniating seemed more accurate. "Like a bulging disc?"

"Correct." Hissing a little Connor tried to remain still just as Abby finished realigning his dislocated disc with her magnetic device and took the heating pad from Tina's hands. The heat would soothe the discomfort and encourage the lost Thirium beneath Connor's artificial skin to evaporate quicker. "Dr. Forrest gave me a support wrap to keep my damage from getting any worse. However, another incident occurred that resulted in extreme physical exertion that exacerbated my damage despite the wrap being in place."

"How bad is it?"

"...Bad." The admission was as painful to hear as it was to actually say. "I can barely walk without horrific pain flaring up with each step I take."

"Shit, I know that feeling all too well." Peering down at the bruise as Abby placed the heating pad down over Connor's back, Hank grimaced and looked to the technician for a little guidance. "When will he recover?"

"Overnight as long as he stays down and doesn't push himself." Abby stated firmly as she finished adjusting the heating pad and packed up her satchel. The kind woman was softly petting Sumo's side as the large dog remained curled up alongside Connor as the duo recovered from their own injuries together. "If I had known that Sumo was recovering from a broken leg, I would've brought Connor his own 'cone of shame' so that they could match!"

Tina cooed at Sumo and offered the dog the treats that she had collected and stared at the bright red cast on the dog's leg. "Poor baby. The only one who actually likes to run around in the snow and ice can't run right now. So sad."

"Sumo's gonna' be just fine." Hank promised as he pressed his fingertips to the bridge of his nose in mild irritation. The way Tina could be so professional one moment and then say something so innocent and spritely often led to headaches. "And so will Connor. If there's one thing that I'm good at, it's treating back pain and keeping it from getting any worse."

"Then I'll leave you to it." Confident that Connor was in good hands, Abby carefully rose from the edge of the bed and slung her satchel over her shoulder. "Connor, stay down just like you are right now. Let your back rest and don't move your legs. If you do, then you'll just aggravate your spine and cause undo pain that'll take your breath away. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Connor refrained from nodding as he let go of the quilt and gingerly moved his arm to let the limb hang lightly over Sumo's side. Having the large dog to keep him company seemed to make the recovery process a little easier to handle. "Thank you for assisting me."

"No problem. I always get double-pay for house calls, so call me any time." As she prepared to take her leave, Abby looked back at Hank and gave him a reassuring grin. "He really will be just fine. The only reason he threw his back out is because he was prioritizing the protection of his head, and to be honest, I'd rather treat a spinal injury than a head injury any day of the week."

"Yeah, me too."

"Call me if his pain gets worse or he begins experiencing numbness. A simple recalibration to the support column will be all he needs, and I could do that in less than five minutes."

"Right, thanks for everything." Hank took a knee beside the bed and kept his palm on Connor's shoulder. "It'll be all right, son. I'm not mad or anything, just worried."

"I didn't want you to worry." The healing deviant stated with a truly somber tone. "That's why I refrained from mentioning my fall earlier in the day."

"Well, too bad. As your father I have the right be concerned about you even if everything is going as it should."

"See?" Tina chimed in after she finished spoiling Sumo with his treats and then placed the Thirium-based ice cream on the nightstand beside Connor's bed. "I told you that he was going to be worried about you. That's what parents do."

"Thank you, Tina." Connor could only move his eyes to watch as Tina also prepared to take her leave as well. "And I apologize if I frightened you today."

"Hey, after spending the past couple of years patrolling with Gavin, nothing scares me anymore. Just promise me you won't stop speeding cars 'Superman-style', and I'll know your recovery is assured."

"Uh..." Hank didn't know anything about a speeding car that day and he wanted some details. "What speeding car?"

"About an hour ago, an elderly man passed out behind the wheel and his car began speeding toward the shopping plaza. Connor managed to stop the car with his bare hands - literally like something out of a movie - and he kept other people from getting hurt." It almost seemed like Tina was trying to protect Connor despite the deviant not doing anything wrong. "That's how he ended up making his back worse."

"Oh. Well, I'll be sure that Connor doesn't do something like that again." The seasoned Lieutenant promised as he gave Tina and then Connor a stunned look where he knelt. "Besides, Superman's overrated. Head on out, Tina. Thanks for getting Connor home and reminding Sumo that he's still king of the castle."

"My pleasure." Before exiting the bedroom Tina gave Connot's hand a light squeeze to let her friend know she was glad that he was going to be all right. "I'll see you tomorrow, and I won't say a word about this to anyone, even Captain Fowler."

"Thank you, Tina. And thank you for staying with me."

"You're welcome. Feel better and goodnight!"

Hank waited for Tina to leave the house before he addressed Connor in a more authoritative manner. It was hard to explain to the still emotionally developing deviant that he wasn't angry with him for getting hurt, he was just irritated with the entire concept of Connor getting hurt on the job since he cared about Connor's wellbeing.

"So, you thought you'd make me worry less by keeping your injuries a secret, huh?" Hank asked with a mild scold. "Son, you don't have to pretend that you're always feeling great or that you're not in pain just to placate my worries. I worry more when I find out you've been keeping secrets since that makes me feel like you don't trust me and can't come to me for help."

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention." Lifting his head up from his pillow, Connor gave Hank a truly sorrowful stare. "Due to my recent injury resulting in my previously comatose state, I was attempting to keep you from worrying about me returning to work so soon after surviving such a grievous injury. I'm not keeping secrets, and I do in fact trust you."

"Good. You don't ever have to hide being injured or sick from me, especially if something happens to you in the line of duty."

"I'm aware." Readjusting his arm Connor rested his cheek against his forearm and watched as Hank sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "The ice is supposed to thaw tonight as the temperatures momentarily increase. That'll greatly reduce my risk of a potential second fall."

"Even better. With any luck we'll be able to resume patrol tomorrow together. I missed being able to talk to you all day."

"I presume the new officer you had been partnered with isn't very sociable."

"Talk about a pain in the back..." Hank grumbled to himself for a moment. "No, he's the polar opposite. The kid wouldn't shut up and wouldn't stop asking me questions about my past career achievements." Leaning back a little Hank sighed and then shook his head slowly. "Never met such a blatant kiss-ass before."

"Tina claimed that she dislikes the new officer."

"Really?" That revelation seemed to put Hank on his guard as he took the observation to heart. "Tina's always been great at getting a reading on people..."

"Is something wrong?"

"Maybe. If Tina of all people doesn't like this new guy, and he was bugging me all day, I think it might be a good idea to keep this Davidson kid at arm's length and not talk to him unless it's absolutely necessary." Hank thoughtfully rubbed his palm along his bearded chin as he brought Connor up to speed. "Sometimes the new guys are adamant in pushing the old guys out of the way to climb the corporate ladder."

"What should I do about it?"

"Nothing. It's just another pile of bullshit to sift through when the higher-ups begin nosing around in search of reasons to fire someone or have them promoted right out of the bullpen." Hank looked at the bowl of ice cream and picked it up curiously. The blue tint of the ice cream confirmed it was Thirium-based. "Where'd this come from?"

"Tina's mother."

"From the Piquant Diner, yeah." The man was familiar with Tina's family and of their skills in the kitchen. "They make some damn good ice cream."

"I'm aware." Connor propped himself somewhat upright by tucking his pillows beneath his chest and took the ice cream from Hank's hands. "Tina also brought some ice cream over from the diner for you to enjoy as well."

"Yeah?"

"She said it's Cherry-Garcia flavored."

"That's the BEST flavor the diner has to offer. All right, here's the deal." Hank was mindful of his motions as he rose from the bed and gave Sumo's side a gentle pat in the process. "I'm gonna' get the spare T.V. out of the garage and bring it in here so we can eat ice cream and watch some of those cheesy holiday movies for a while. The best thing for a bad back is junk-food and mindless television, trust me on that!"

"I'll take your word for it."

"Good. It won't take me long to get the T.V. in here, and I think I still have a beanbag chair from my high school days around here somewhere."

"It's in the far corner of the garage inside of a protective bag two point two feet from the television." Connor confirmed as he used the spoon to stir his ice cream and ensure that the flavors were melded together in perfect harmony. "May I ask why you kept such a piece of unusual furniture?"

"Nostalgia mostly. That, and I don't know too many people who'd want a worn-out 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' themed beanbag chair." Hank couldn't stop himself from grinning as he stepped out of the bedroom to get everything needed to enjoy a quiet evening while Connor recovered from his back injury. "Relax right there, son. You'll be feeling better in no time."

Grateful for all of his support and help throughout the day, Connor managed to relax his body and ease the lingering tension in his back. The discomfort lessened considerably, and Connor was able to slowly consume his Thirium-based ice cream - vanilla with a butterscotch topping. It seemed Connor didn't need to worry about causing undue stress on his family or friends after all. The fears that Connor had about being a burden or causing problems began to melt away as he laid over his bed with a loyal dog thumping his tail happily and his adoptive father making special arrangements just to spend the evening together watching movies.

"Tina was right, boy."

Connor spoke to Sumo in a hushed tone. The way the large dog had to crane his neck to see Connor around the protective cone still around his neck was almost comical.

"I don't need to worry about accidentally making Hank worry about me. It seems... strange to know that I can make my mistakes or be the victim of unfortunate circumstances, and that it won't cause anyone else further harm or disappointment in me. There is no shame in admitting that I am in pain or that I need help."

Sumo's tail wagged harder as he rested his chin down over Connor's back and the heating pad. If the loving Saint Bernard would never see Connor, Hank, or anyone else as a burden just for being injured or sick, so why should anyone else do otherwise? Animals were far better judges of character than humans after all.

"Here we go."

Hank returned to the bedroom and placed the older but still functional television down on the floor and angled its screen so that Connor could see it clearly without needing to move around. Next, he plugged in the T.V. and dropped his old beanbag chair down on the floor to prop up against the side of Connor's bed.

"You got your snack, and I got mine. W're ready to let our brains go numb."

Connor saw that Hank had found the carton of ice cream left by Tina and had already begun eating some of it before he had even entered the bedroom.

"The holidays are just starting but these cheesy movies have been playing since autumn." Slowly Hank lowered himself to the beanbag chair and relaxed entirely as he turned on the T.V. and began scrolling through the channels. "You've already seen a few of classics, but there are so many more you need to experience."

"I imagine there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of other experiences waiting for me as well."

"You got that right." Hank indulged in his sweet treat and soon found himself falling into a lull of relaxation where he sat. "You're still young and learning, son. Just when you think you've endured everything that life has to offer you, that's when life will surprise you with something completely new and completely out of the blue."

-next chapter-

Author's Note: '*Xiao douzi' roughly translates to 'Little Bean', and *'fengmi pai' roughly translates to 'honey pie' in English. And as for the "Superman's overrated" reference, if you know, you know!