After spending a week recovering from his assault at the hands of a crazed and violent deviant that nearly stole his life, Hank was declared healthy enough to return to work but was still restricted to desk duty as his fractured ribs still needed time to heal. Enduring mild pneumonia had only hindered his recovery time but Hank was in no rush to return to the cold, unforgiving streets of Detroit just yet. Connor on the other hand was getting restless during the recovery period. Sitting behind his terminal all day sorting through various cold cases and deviant related crimes had become a dull monotonous routine for the always astute and energetic deviant detective. Without Hank to watch his back in the field during investigations Connor was also restricted to desk duty and he was growing tired of the tediousness of his temporary reassignment.

Statuesque at his desk, Connor began to rapidly fidget with his coin over his fingertips, then flicked the quarter back and forth between his palms much to Hank's chagrin. Unaware of Hank's eyes piercing daggers into his coin Connor stared at his screen and continued with his little tic to quell his pent-up energy.

"Connor." The senior detective spoke up in a level tone to get his partner's attention. "Put the coin away or I'll put it in a vending machine."

"Sorry." Connor obeyed the request and slipped the quarter into his blazer pocket out of sight. Letting out a surprisingly humanly sigh of discontent Connor clenched his now empty hand into a tight fist to rest atop his desk. "I'll leave my coin in my pocket."

"Good." Seeing the fatigued response from Connor made Hank's tone soften considerably. "Bored?"

"I believe this constant lack of activity constitutes as boredom, yes."

"Maybe Fowler has an assignment you can take care of instead of playing 'desk jockey' all day."

"Unlikely. Besides, Captain Fowler doesn't trust anyone aside from yourself and Chris to act as my partner in the field."

"And Chris is still gone for a few more days. He has a hell of a sense of timing, too."

"Are you referring to Julia going into labor during their family vacation?"

"Yup. They were already all together, and Fowler had his paternity leave ready to go as soon as he returned to the city." Hank leaned back in his chair casually as he tried to think of a solution for Connor's mounting restlessness while they reluctantly continued to play the waiting game. "You've already gone through all of the cold cases involving deviants, right?"

"Correct."

"And nothing of interest has popped up? Not even a very faint trail of interest for us to follow?"

"No. There has simply been a lack of-" Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed yellow and his soulful brown eyes went wide with fear. "...No."

"Connor?" Reading the worried expression like an open book Hank pressed for an answer as he gave Connor his full attention. "What's up?"

"...I just received a report of a structure fire to a farmhouse at a private residence just outside of the city."

"So?" Hank couldn't understand Connor's tense reaction to the emergency call considering their current line of work. "We're the police department, that kind of call is for the fire department, kid."

"Hank, the address is of the residence of Mrs. Rose Chapman."

"Holy shit..." Instantly recognizing the name Hank leaned forward against his desk and was now fully alert. "Is she all right?"

"No reported casualties, but the fire itself has already been ruled as arson." Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he cybernetically sifted through the macabre details in the provided, partially completed report. "There was anti-android hate speech in the form of graffiti spray painted all over the property, which narrows down the suspect pool to anywhere between one and all of the bigots still roaming the county."

"Shit, sounds like it's in our jurisdiction after all." Hank all but jumped up to his feet and pulled the car keys from his coat pocket, only to toss them to Connor who caught them gracefully without even blinking. "You drive. We have a long way to go and with my wrist still broken I don't have the reflexes to handle these shitty roads right now."

"I understand." Standing up from his chair Connor readily prepared for the long drive and felt appreciative of Hank's faith in his ability to drive during such unfavorable road conditions. "I'll also relay our location to Captain Fowler as an active deviant case that coincides with the fire department's arson investigation."

"Smart move." Motioning for the deviant to follow him toward the front doors of the precinct Hank had a fiery determination glowing in his eyes as he focused on finding justice for Rose. "Come on, I want to get out there before all of our evidence burns to useless ash."

It had been almost a year since Rose Chapman and her son Adam Chapman came to Connor and Hank's rescue when they were in a car accident that left them stranded without help any other help on that long, cold night just outside of the city. Without Rose's generosity and kindness, and Adam's selfless courage and his resourcefulness, Connor would've undoubtedly shutdown from the grievous damage that he had sustained in the devastating car accident. There was also a strong chance that Hank could've potentially frozen to death along the snowy road before anyone had found the wrecked squad car in the ditch during the freak blizzard on that frighteningly cold and dark night.

The drive out to the once loving homestead seemed to take forever as the two detectives went to the aid of their dear friend. Despite still being a considerable distance away from the farmhouse Connor and Hank could already see the bright orange flames of the intense blaze that was consuming Rose's home with every passing second. The fire wasn't accidental, it was intentional, and the two detectives were determined to locate the arsonist responsible.

"Son of a bitch..." Hank swore as he watched the ominous glow becoming steadily brighter as they neared the scene of the crime. "I hope Rose and Adam are okay."

"As do I." Connor confirmed in a heavy voice as he easily navigated the back roads in the waning dusk that threatened to transition into the blackest of nights at any second. The darkening sky made the flames seem all the brighter as the shone against the thick clouds and smoke. "We must find the ones responsible for this crime."

"We will, kid." Trying to think of a motive for the fire Hank's mind went to a single potential cause of the arson. "Some sick fuck must've found out Rose had helped deviants across the border and retaliated like the bigoted coward that they are."

The blockade of fire engines and emergency vehicles illuminated the damaged property in flashing red and blue lights as firefighters diligently worked together to battle the flames that had quickly destroyed Rose's home. The damage to the house was catastrophic. All that remained were scorched bits of timber and ash that smoldered amongst the ruins of what was once a loving home and a sanctuary to wayward deviants.

"Shit..." Hank cursed again as Connor stopped the Oldsmobile along the road across from the property. Opening their doors the two detectives rushed over to the scene of the blaze in search of their friends. "Damn it, they better be all right."

Pulling his badge from his back pocket Hank readily brandished it to everyone who saw him as he huffed across the road and over to the property. Connor followed close behind Hank and cybernetically scanned as much of the crime scene as possible before the fire department unintentionally, yet necessarily, doused the property under torrents of cold water to extinguish the blaze and subsequently destroy potential evidence in the process.

"Lieutenant Hank Anderson, Detroit Police." Hank announced as he looked through the crowd of first responders and motioned to Connor walking right alongside him as they set foot on the property. "This is my partner, Connor. Where are the occupants of this property?"

An unfamiliar police officer pointed to the opened back of the nearby ambulance where Rose was sitting alone and wrapped up in a silver emergency blanket. Dark soot and smoke were smudged over her face and her hands as she sat quietly on the bumper of the ambulance. The generic blanket was wrapped around her shoulders as if that could somehow be enough to comfort her on one of the worst nights of her life. Her dark brown eyes watched with utter disbelief and pain as her home was enveloped in the flames and reduced only to smoldering ash within a matter of minutes.

"Rose?" Hank approached the traumatized woman calmly while Connor continued to scan the area and walk right behind him. It was hard to not watch the flames destroying something that was once so beautiful. "Rose, are you hurt?"

Looking away from the fire and toward the voice calling her name, Rose's warm eyes briefly lit up as she recognized the two detectives approaching her.

"Hank. Connor."

"Are you all right?" Hank asked again as he lightly put his hand on her shoulder as he stood before. He was intentionally trying to block the view of the flames from the shaken woman as he spoke with her. "I mean... stupid question. Are you hurt?"

"No." A tear began to roll down Rose's face as she found her voice. "No, I'm not hurt."

Connor looked about the property curiously, his L.E.D. blinking yellow rapidly. "Where's Adam?"

"At school." Rose replied in a whisper as she confirmed that her son was safe. "He started college last fall."

"He's safe too." The senior detective sighed with palpable relief in his voice. "Rose... I know you don't want to talk about this right now, but the sooner the better. Do you know who did this?"

"No." Using her ashen covered fingers Rose wiped a heavy tear from beneath her eye as she fought to remain composed. "I never saw or heard anything until after the fire had started."

Without missing a single inch of land Connor scanned over the environment again and noted three distinct sets of shoe prints rushing up toward the house and then rushing away; none of the prints belonged to the first responders at the scene. "Were you inside the house when the fire started?"

"No. I was out back in the greenhouse." Rose closed her eyes tightly and shook her head with sorrow. "I don't understand why someone would do this. After all this time, after all the progress..." The shaken woman pressed her trembling hand to her face and her voice began to break as tears rolled down her face. "What am I going to do? I have nowhere to go."

As Rose trailed off and began to weep Hank sat beside her on the bumper of the ambulance and wrapped his arm around her shoulders in a supportive and comforting manner. Needing the comfort now more than anything else in the world, Rose pressed up against Hank's side and chest, and let the kind detective embrace her as tightly as he possibly could.

"You'll be okay." Hank soothed sincerely in a sweet voice as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm gently. "I promise. We're going to help you figure this out."

Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to red in anger as he squared his jaw as he looked back at the destroyed property. It was such a senseless crime, one of pure hatred and malice. Rose and Adam hadn't harmed any humans with their efforts to save deviants. Retaliation was completely unnecessary. The people who burned down her home did so out of misplaced spite and misguided malevolence with absolutely nothing to gain by hurting her.

"I'm going to investigate the property more closely." Connor volunteered, only to have his wrist grabbed by Hank to hold him back before he could step away. "Hank?"

"Not until the fire department clears the scene." The Lieutenant warned with righteous concern. "You're not fireproof, kid."

"But if I don't-"

"Connor." Hank used the 'dad voice' to get his point across without sounding hostile or angry. "Wait a moment. I know it's hard, but you need to wait." Using his eyes Hank motioned to Rose crying against his side. "What's more important right now?"

Looking back to Rose weeping at Hank's side Connor nodded subtly, his L.E.D. shifting from red to yellow in the process. Sitting down at Rose's opposite side in a slow motion, Connor tentatively put his palm on Rose's knee to show his own form of moral support. He hadn't had much experience with comforting loved ones at the scene of a tragedy, but he was always observant of Hank's body language and decided it'd be best to mirror the act of direct friendly contact that Hank had openly shown.

The trio sat together in total silence on the bumper of the ambulance as the flames consumed the final pieces of the old farmhouse house with the greedy blaze seemingly summoned from the depths of Hell itself. The only sound over the property was the crackling of dying flames as the embers snapped through wooden beams and scorched the earth beneath it.

"You're going to be okay, Rose." Hank promised as he held her tight. The man wasn't one to look away when faced with a challenge, and he wasn't about to let a good woman be left homeless while bigoted arsonists were able to roam free. "I promise that you'll find a way to be okay again."

Almost three hours had passed before the fire department finally allowed Connor to investigate the ruins of the property, but even the highly advanced prototype was having great difficulty in identifying any evidence that would lead to the arrest of the three arsonists responsible for the tragedy. Determined to not fail Rose and Adam on that bleak night, Connor meticulously retraced his footsteps multiple times to make absolute certain he hadn't overlooked any shred of useful evidence at his disposal. The deviant detective was determined to bring justice to his friend - an ally to all deviants throughout the entire city - and arrest the trio of bigoted arsonists as soon as possible.

The paramedics cleared Rose and determined that she hadn't suffered any ill effects from the fire and was free to go find shelter for the night. Suddenly without a home to call her own and a bed to sleep in, Rose was clearly at a loss of what to do. The kindhearted woman had never suffered from such a personal setback before.

"Fire's out." As Hank stayed at her side, watching Connor doing his investigation in the distance, he spoke to the unsettled woman in a deeply worried yet incredibly comforting voice to ensure she felt supported. "Where are you going to stay for the night?"

"There's a hotel about eight miles down the road." Rose sounded so somber and defeated as she spoke. With only the clothes on her back and her phone in her pocket, Rose had very little to her name. "I can stay there."

"Wait, the 'no tell motel' off of the interstate?" Hank visibly grimaced at the idea as he knew that place unfortunately too well. Many 'red ice' busts and hookers were found at that particular location during his illustrious career, and they often were in the same room. "Nuh-uh, no way. I've spent too many of my cases as a rookie down there. Trust me, you don't want to know what I found there."

"Well, my brother lives in Ontario, but... I lost my passport in the fire. I don't know if they'll accept my loss as a form of emergency asylum since the police will need to remain in contact with me during the investigation."

"Let us give you a ride into the city." The offer was sincere and meant to be one of generosity on Hank's behalf. "We'll take you to the nicest hotel in town. Our treat."

"That's incredibly generous of you, but I can't-"

"Sure you can." He smiled coyly at Rose as he tried to lift her spirits just a little. "You saved us and gave us shelter when we needed it the most, now it's our turn to do the same for you."

"But I can't-"

"Don't worry about paying us back. Just let us take you somewhere safe for the night you can call Adam and let him know you're all right." The insistence in Hank's voice was difficult to decline. "Okay?"

"Thank you." Rose was hesitant at first, but she eventually nodded and accepted the offer. "I appreciate your help."

The duo resumed watching Connor in the distance and observed as the deviant detective crouched down on the remains of the front porch to examine the burnt spray paint hiding under a layer of fresh ash. Running his hand over the ash Connor removed the sooty layer then pressed his fingertips against the paint hard enough to smear a sample onto his fingertips before pressing the paint sample onto his tongue. Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly as he ran an analysis test on the newly discovered paint.

"What in the world?" Rose had never seen Connor's method of investigation before and was a little perplexed by his action. "Did he just-"

"Yup."

"And that's... normal?"

"For Connor it is." Hank laughed a little at Rose's disgusted reaction. He had become rather jaded at the sight of Connor putting evidence in his mouth, but he still flinched when Connor sampled human blood or Thirium. "Took me a long time to get used to it, but I still wince when he tests blood."

"Blood?" Repeating the word Rose gave Hank a perplexed glance. "That's strange."

"But effective." The senior detective cleared his throat a little before calling out to his partner. "Hey, Connor! Find anything?"

"Possibly." Connor replied honestly as he stood upright and strolled back over to where Hank and Rose were standing. "The paint is a unique brand sold only in the next town six point three miles down the road. The color itself is 'midnight black number seven-three-nine. If we can locate the person or persons who have purchased this particular brand and color of paint within the past seventy-two hours, we can potentially find one of the three suspects. From there we can find the other two suspects."

"Report it to the sheriff." Hank decided as he began guiding Rose over to the Oldsmobile parked alongside the road on the opposite side of the property. "If they can't find the fuckers within the next seventy-two hours then, we'll come back here and do it ourselves."

Connor wanted to protest but decided against it. There was something about Hank's demeanor that told him to not question the seasoned detective's motivations or logic of the situation. Cybernetically Connor issued a report to the appropriate sheriff's office as he followed after Hank and Rose to the car across the road without saying a single word.

Hank opened the passenger side door for Rose before walking around to the driver's side door on the opposite side. Pulling up the driver's seat Hank gave Connor clearance to the backseats of the vehicles.

"A four-door car would be a better option than a two-door coupe," Hank admitted with a cheesy grin. "but I can't bear to part with this old girl."

"I still think an autonomous vehicle would be the most practical choice." Connor commented as he ducked down to sit in the backseat behind the driver's side seat to sit down. The deviant's long legs were having trouble fitting in the backseat, but he adjusted his position accordingly to ensure that Rose could be comfortable in the front seat. "Practical and more spacious."

"Practical, yeah. But not as much fun to drive."

"If it's autonomous you don't actually drive it." The somewhat cramped deviant stated sharply as waited for Hank to sit down and turn over the engine. "They drive themselves."

"Exactly my point." Hank argued as he climbed into the front and turned the key in the ignition. Turning up the heat a little Hank pulled away from the house and headed back into the city to take Rose to a decent hotel for the night. "We'll find the people who did this to you, Rose." The senior detective spoke softly to the shaken woman sitting beside him as she continued to clutch at the silver blanket around her shoulders like a lifeline. "I swear."

"Thank you for helping me out." Whispering her gratitude Rose tried not to think about everything she lost in the fire and focused on the fact that she survived, and that Adam wasn't harmed. "It's nice to know there's still good people out there in the world."

As per Hank's instructions Connor had cybernetically made Rose a reservation at the nicest hotel in all of Detroit and they both chipped in to pay for the stay to ensure that Rose was comfortable. After arriving at the prestigious Wemilat Hotel in the heart of the city Hank and Connor escorted Rose to her suite once she had been checked-in for the next seven nights - or until she found a new residence to call her own - and the two detectives made sure Rose had everything she'd need during her stay. Despite everything that Rose had gone through in just one day, the strong woman was still holding her head up high with confidence and trust in her unexpected friends.

Opening the door to her expansive room Rose flipped on the light and looked about the luxurious space with a reluctant sigh. There was a massive kind sized bed against the wall with an equally massive television mounted on the opposite wall. A long sofa stretched over the large rectangular window that overlooked the hotel's outdoor pool and her bathroom had a private Jacuzzi complete with complimentary champagne and strawberries.

"Thank you for everything you've done, Hank, Connor." Glancing about her room Rose wasn't impressed with the luxurious accommodations since her mind was still reeling after what she endured. While grateful for the clean, safe space Rose couldn't appreciate the style and comfort of the private suite. "I truly appreciate you coming to my rescue tonight."

"Don't mention it." Replying with a low voice Hank did his best to help Rose feel less stressed and more secure. "If you need anything just call us. We're only a few blocks away."

"I will."

"Do you need anything? Anything at all?" Wanting to do more to help Rose through her trying time Hank volunteered to get her anything else she needed in order to feel better. "Clothes? Something good to eat? Maybe even something strong to drink? We can run to the store for ya'."

"I just need a moment to myself, that's all." Politely refusing the offer Rose eyed the phone sitting on the nightstand beside the fluffy bed. "I have to call Adam and let him know that everything is okay and that I'm okay. My phone charger was lost in the fire, and I've been wanting to call him for hours."

"Yeah, of course." Hank took a step back from the door and gave her an understanding smile. "Try to have a good night, Rose. Don't be afraid to call us for any reason. We mean it. We want to help you."

"Thank you, I'll remember. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The door shut softly with a subtle 'click' and Hank motioned for Connor to follow along behind him to head for home.

"Any news on the arsonists, kid?"

"One moment." Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed in yellow as he received an update on the report. "There have been three men identified as possible suspects, and all three have been brought in for questioning as of twelve minutes ago. Two of the suspects have histories of assault against androids, while the third suspect has a history of arson and vandalism."

"Sounds like the right guys have been caught. Good." Nodding his head in approval Hank was confident the right men had been captured. "It means we don't have to make a special trip out of the city just nail their sorry asses to the wall."

"Pardon?" Connor's brow furrowed in confusion at the very violent comment. "How would one go about nailing-"

"It's a figure of speech. Nothing literal."

"O-Oh." A little embarrassed by his obliviousness Connor acknowledged what Hank had meant. "You're speaking metaphorically again."

"Come on. Let's go home." Tired and ready to get some sleep Hank ran his hand through his gray locks as he trudged down the hallway and to elevator at the end of the corridor. Pressing his thumb to the 'call' button on the elevator panel Hank sighed and looked at Connor beside him. "We'll check in with Rose tomorrow. She needs to rest."

"So do you." Connor insisted as his biometric scan over Hank's body told the deviant that Hank was fatigued and that his ribs and wrist were still healing. "It's been an exhausting day for everyone."

"Tell me about it." Entering the elevator after the doors 'dinged' open Hank pressed the button for the lobby and admitted he was exhausted. "I'm ready for bed and I want to sleep-in a little tomorrow before we check on Rose."

"Of course." Agreeing to the idea of getting some sleep Connor decided to respect Hank's request and not push the matter of the investigation any further for the time being. "Rest is crucial for everyone's recovery."

The following morning Connor was the first to awaken as usual and had set about his daily routine of taking care of Sumo, preparing Hank a small breakfast, and quietly cleaning up the house when he heard Hank speaking on the phone in the privacy of his bedroom. From the tone of Hank's voice, it was evident that the senior detective was worried but trying to sound confident as he spoke to the unknown person on the other end of the phone. Resisting the urge to tap into the phone call as a means of respecting Hank's right to privacy, Connor resumed his tasks without interruption and waited for Hank to inform him of the call under his own volition whenever he was ready to discuss it.

Five minutes passed before Hank stepped out of his bedroom with his phone still in his hand and met Connor in the livingroom. The seasoned detective looked unusually distressed and emotionally exhausted as he turned his attention to Connor while the deviant was in the middle of straightening the livingroom.

Daring to speak first, Connor asked Hank what was on his mind. "Is something wrong?"

"I just spoke to Rose." Hank admitted as he gave Connor a rather sorrowful glance. "The three men brought in last night for questioning actually confessed to the arson and are going away for a long time. They're going to prison and won't see the outside of a cell for a couple of decades."

"That's good news." Connor replied boldly as he sat on the couch and watched the senior detective's body language curiously. The look on Hank's face was one of upset rather than of relief, and the young deviant found it to be very confusing. "Why do you look so somber?"

"The insurance company decided that they won't pay to repair the damage to Rose's property because of her history with assisting deviants. They claim that she had brought the resulting aftermath on herself." Nearly growling as he informed Connor of the problem, it was clear Hank was angry on the kind woman's behalf. "The cheap fuckers are actually blaming the victim for what a trio of arsonists did. She can't even file a bad-faith claim since laws pertaining to deviant rights haven't spread beyond the state of Michigan yet."

"Shit." Connor seldom swore, but when he did it was with purpose and his blue L.E.D. flashed to red with anger. "We have to find a way to help her."

"I don't think we can, son. We can't do anything about shady-ass insurance companies, except try to take them to court. But that'll take years to get any progress made in Rose's favor."

"We can still do something to help Rose." In that moment Connor's red L.E.D. flashed back to yellow as an idea popped into his head. "Where is Rose now?"

"She's still at the hotel. Why?"

"Do you think you can keep her company today and keep her distracted for a few hours?"

"Uh... I guess." Sensing something was brewing in Connor's mind Hank cautiously asked what the deviant was thinking about. "What're you up to, kid? You have that look of determination that makes me dread leaving you without adult supervision."

"I have an idea that can help Rose." There was an unbridled confidence oozing from everything Connor was saying that was difficult to ignore. "Please trust me on this. I know we can help her."

"I do trust you. I just want to know what's going on."

"It's difficult to explain." Connor's L.E.D. flashed back and forth between blue and yellow as if he was in ongoing cybernetic conversation with people that Hank couldn't see. The young deviant's soulful brown eyes were bright with intrigue and hope as he communicated with other deviants far outside the house. "I think this can work. No, it will work."

"WHAT? What can work?" Hank crossed his arms defensively over his chest as he studied Connor's demeanor with a mixture of intrigue and an a hint of irritation in his voice. "Please tell me you're not going to organize a raid against every insurance company in town or go on a 'Robin Hood' crusade and steal from the rich to feed the poor."

Flashing Hank a sly grin Connor shook his head a little in the negative. "No promises."

"I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not..."

"Call Rose." Connor kept the grin on his face as he pointed to the phone clutched in Hank's left hand. "Tell her that you want to spend the day with her."

"What?" That was something Hank didn't necessarily object to, but it was a tall order to fill. "You mean like a date or something?"

"That is the usual human custom when a person wants to spend time with another person that they are attracted to, isn't it?"

"Uh, t-technically yeah..." Trailing off as he spoke Hank blushed a faint pink and turned away from Connor's face in needless embarrassment. "But..."

"But what?" Knowing that Hank was holding something back Connor pressed him gently to continue. "What's wrong?"

"Connor," letting out a breathy sigh Hank returned his eye contact with Connor and told him the truth. "I haven't been on a date in almost fifteen years. I'm too old for that kind of crap."

"I fail to see the correlation between advanced age and seeking companionship."

"Right, yeah." Rolling his eyes at the comment Hank remembered that the young deviant had no experience with dating whatsoever. "Of course you don't..."

"Please?" Pushing a little harder Connor tried to get Hank to go along with the plan and spend the day with Rose. "Do this for Rose. She's our friend, and we need to help her in any way that we can."

"Ah, shit..." Giving Connor a stern glance Hank uncrossed his arms and stared at the phone still clutched in his hand for a moment. "Fine, all right. I'll ask her if she wants to spend the day with me, but no guarantees!"

"Thank you! That's all I ask is that you try to spend the day with her."

"Yeah, yeah... Give me a minute." Hank walked back down the hallway and into his bedroom to speak in relative privacy as he made the call. "I'm a little rusty at this kind of thing, so, yeah, don't get your hopes up."

Connor just watched as Hank disappeared into the isolation of his bedroom to make the call while also keeping in cybernetic communication with his mysterious allies outside the house. As the deviant's L.E.D. flickered rhythmically between the two colors of blue and yellow, a look of relief fell over his face. It took almost ten minutes, but Hank reemerged from his bedroom with the phone in his hand and an awkward grin on his face.

"Okay, I did what you asked." The senior detective sounded almost surprised at his success and his face still held traces of blush. "Rose and I will spend the day together just like you wanted. But you do realize that there is one problem with whatever this little scheme of yours is all about, right?"

"No." The preconstruction of Connor's plan failed to anticipate any issues whatsoever. "What's that?"

"Well..." Hank ran his hand through his hair anxiously before he answered. "I don't exactly look like the 'gentleman' type that Rose needs right now."

"You don't necessarily look like a detective either." The deviant quipped without any hesitation. "It hasn't stopped you before."

"Watch it, kid. You seem to forget I still outrank your smart ass."

"Sorry."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to go clean up a little bit then meet with Rose at her hotel." Returning to the hallway Hank opened the bathroom door and sighed heavily at what he was about to do. He hadn't had to prepare for a date with a lovely woman in far too long. "You go do whatever it is you plan on doing."

"Very well. I'll call you this evening when I've accomplished my mission."

"Uh..." Pausing just inside the opened bathroom door Hank gave Connor a confused glance. "Your mission?"

"Yes." The confident deviant responded with a righteously confident smirk as he stood up from the couch. "And I always accomplish my mission."

Feeling a tad awkward Hank made his way to the large and luxurious hotel freshly showered, and with his gray hair partially slicked back to lessen his usually gruff exterior. A trim of his beard and a fresh set of clothes made Hank look for more presentable than one would typically expect of him. Wearing a plain black dress shirt that was properly tucked into his freshly washed jeans, as opposed to wearing his otherwise colorful and tacky shirts that hung loose over his body, Hank made his way to Rose's room and knocked on the door to greet her. With Connor's spare leather jacket tucked under his arm he hoped that he'd be able to help Rose feel more comfortable walking about the still chilly air in the city to get some fresh air.

Wearing her own freshly laundered clothing courtesy of the hotel, Rose answered her door and gave Hank a warm smile as he smiled back. Having a friend to spend the day with was exactly what the woman needed to finally relax a little.

"Hank." As Rose spoke his name her eyes lit up a little and a small smile appeared at last. "I'm glad you called."

"Y-Yeah?" Surprised by that response Hank's own eyes lit up in a positive manner. "Really?"

"Yeah. I was talking with Adam last night and he said he wanted me to try to enjoy myself in the city before he came by to see me tomorrow. And he's right." Rose admitted with a genuinely happy lilt to her voice. "What's done is done. I'm safe, Adam wasn't hurt, and no matter what those men do now won't change what Adam and I have already done to help those deviants find their freedom. We regret nothing."

"That's good to hear." Hank was relieved to see Rose so confident so soon after a personal tragedy. It just showed how strong and pure her spirit truly was. "Anywhere in particular that you'd like to go?"

"Do you know of any nice parks we could walk through?"

"In this weather?" It was quite brisk as spring and the past winter battled for control, and Hank hated the idea of walking in the cold. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, absolutely. I love spring and winter. The cold doesn't bother me."

"You're probably the only one in all of Detroit." The senior detective joked as Rose stepped out of her room and immediately folded her arms over her chest to stave off the impending cold air. "Wear this." Handing her the jacket Hank waited for Rose to slip it on over her arms. "It's probably a little big, but at least it's warm."

"Thank you, that's so kind. Is it yours?"

"Nah, it belongs to Connor." Hank replied as he helped Rose to slip on the jacket in a very gentlemanly manner. "Impatient deviant seems to forget how much he hates the cold air until he's already half frozen to the ground."

"Where is Connor anyway?" Rose asked as Hank escorted her to the elevator to set out on their journey together. "I was hoping to see him."

"I don't know where he's gone off to." Stepping into the elevator Hank's eyes suddenly flashed with intrigue. "But he's up to something."

"I see you two are still working as partners." Noting that the two detectives came to her rescue together Rose wondered how deep their friendship ran. "Do you see each other during your down time?"

"Are you kidding?" Hank almost laughed at the question as he and Rose entered the elevator and began their descent to the ground floor. "The kid lives with me. I see him all the time."

"Must be nice to have company." As she spoke Rose found herself longing for the days when her only son was a toddler running about the house causing problems, making messes and filling her home with an energetic ambience. "I never realized how big and empty that house could be until after Adam left for college."

"Yeah, don't I know it."

Rose vaguely remembered Hank mentioning something about not having children when she met him almost a year ago. She decided against pressing the matter after seeing his reaction to her statement. Even now, she could see it was still a delicate subject and backed off respectfully.

Hank fell silent as they stepped out of the elevator through the doors and onto the ground floor to walk out the front door of the hotel side by side. Walking over to his car parked in a spot next to the front doors, Hank opened up the passenger door of the car for Rose yet again. Trying to break the tension he decided to bring up a cheerier subject for Rose to divulge into as they sat down in the car together.

"So..." Speaking up again Hank made sure to keep the tension between Rose and himself to an absolute minimum for both of their sakes. "Do you see many deviants heading your way anymore?"

"Not too many, but that's a good thing." Fastening her seatbelt Rose gave Hank a confident nod and her gaze flashed with sincere hope. "It means they're free, and that they don't have to run and hide anymore."

"You're right." Turning over the engine Hank turned up the heat and decided to drive about the city to find Rose the best park to walk through. There was one special park that immediately came to mind, and Hank knew she'd love it. "Any time anyone doesn't need to run and hide is a damn good thing."

Keeping to his own schedule for the odd day, Connor arrived at New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi and was greeted at the front door by Markus, North, Josh, Simon and Lucas as was expected. Many other deviants had also gathered at the tower near the entrance and were waiting for Connor to explain things to them in greater detail as they had heard about the senseless fire from the night before. Some of the faces of the deviants were familiar while others were completely new to Connor but welcome all the same. It seemed the one thing that brought them all together was a mutual sense of respect toward Rose and everything she had done for the deviant community before and during the Revolution.

Dozens of the deviants now standing in the main entrance of the tower had found refuge with Rose and they all wanted to do something to help her. The way so many freed deviants stepped up to help just one person was a truly heartwarming sight. If anything, it was further proof that deviants and humans could peacefully coexist alongside one another even as the lingering bigots tried to argue to the contrary.

"Markus, I see you've spread the word of what had happened." Connor observed as he stepped out of the taxi and stood before the deviant leader. The eyes watching his every move seemed to be focused and just waiting to act even if they didn't fully trust the deviant detective. "Is everyone here because of Rose?"

"Yeah." Markus motioned with outstretched arms to the impressively sized group standing behind him. "Once word got out that Rose needed help, all the deviants in the area who found their freedom because of her bravery all readily stepped up to repay her kindness. So, Connor, what's the plan?"

Nodding in approval at the large number of deviants ready to work together for the sake of two humans brought a noticeable grin to Connor's face. It was a nice change compared to the usual chaos that the deviant detective had to deal with whenever he clocked-in at the precinct.

This is what progress looked like: A group of people ready to band together to help another person in need with no questions asked.

"My plan is simple, but it'll still need to be executed in a timely manner." Connor replied as he fearlessly addressed the crowd of eagerly waiting deviants. "But by working together we will succeed. I know it."

Nearly hand in hand as they kept very close to one another, Hank and Rose had been walking through Riverside Park all morning long and hadn't even noticed the time that had passed until it was well past noon. The two widowed people greatly enjoyed each other's company as they unexpectedly had a lot in common with one another, and they just needed someone with shared experiences to talk to and listen to from time to time. Both unfortunately knew the pain of losing a spouse far too soon, they both had sons that they were very proud of, they both had developed an affinity for helping out deviants in need of aid, and they even shared the same mutual love for jazz. It was as if Hank and Rose had known each other for years.

The dreaded awkwardness that Hank feared would ruin the day had disappeared entirely and was replaced by a mutual warmth between the two friends. Hank felt like he was speaking with a kindred spirit and Rose helped him feel less alone in his pain. After enjoying a nice lunch together, something that Hank hadn't been able to do with another person he tolerated enough since Cole's death, he and Rose resumed walking through the quiet park well until the sun was beginning to set over the water in the distance.

"It's beautiful out here." Rose commented as she and Hank sat together on a bench and watched the sunlight reflecting off the water and under the Ambassador Bridge. The view was extraordinary at sunrise and at sunset. "How'd you find this place?"

"Luck." Hank bowed his head a little with lingering sorrow at the bittersweet memory but decided to confide in the kind woman as she had quickly become a good friend to him who'd potentially understand his pain. "...This is where I used to bring Cole all the time. He loved the playground, and I loved watching him play."

Slowly Rose wrapped her hand around Hank's hand as he sat quietly beside her. She could hear the mourning in his voice and her heart went out to him. The very idea of ever possibly losing Adam was enough to make her own heart ache empathetically.

"Cole was your son."

"...Yeah. My firstborn." Hank confirmed with a dim tone as he spoke of his tragic past. "He, uh, he was six. We were in a bad car accident."

"I'm so sorry." Squeezing his hand tighter Rose leaned her temple against Hank's shoulder sympathetically. "No one should ever have to experience that kind of pain."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Returning her squeezing grip with a squeeze of his own, Hank sighed and continued to watch the sunset beneath the bridge. "Lucky for me I ended up working with Connor, and he helped me move on a little and finally start to heal. Had no idea that he'd end up becoming so important to me."

"I'm glad you're doing well. You deserve to be happy."

"So do you."

Sitting in silence the new friends just enjoyed one another's company and watched the beautiful sunset creating a warm, amber glow over the river. The peaceful moment was disturbed only when Hank's phone buzzed in his coat pocket and stole his attention from the sight before him. Clumsily reaching into his pocket while he kept holding onto Rose's hand, Hank answered the call already knowing who it was on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Connor. What's up?" Hank paused for a moment as he listened to Connor's voice on the other end of the line. "We're at the park. Why?" It was then Hank's brow furrowed with confusion, but he didn't bother to question the enigmatic deviant as Connor gave him new instructions. "Okay, we'll stay here and meet you- Connor, are you still there?" Hank checked the phone and realized that the connection was lost. "...Hello? Connor?"

"What was that about?" Rose laughed a little as Hank shrugged and put his phone away again. "Lost connection?"

"Beats the hell out of me. I don't know what Connor's up to, but I trust the kid to not do anything stupid."

"I'd sure hope so." Rose smiled warmly at the was Hank referred to Connor as a 'kid'. "Never thought I'd see the day a human detective would work so well with a deviant to uphold the laws and protect everyone."

"Neither did I." Admitting his previous doubts only seemed to lessen what lingering pain still dwelled in Hank's heart and his mind. "For the longest time I hated androids, then I got assigned to work with Connor and he... Well, he really started to behave like he was... alive." The confession was as sincere as it was reassuring from where Hank sat. "I'm convinced now more than ever that he is just that, alive. I swear at times he's more human than even me."

"I had the same reaction the first time a deviant wandered onto my farm." Rose admitted her own doubts until she spent time with deviants herself. "He was so lost and frightened; it was like looking at a scared child."

"I get that." Hank smirked a little at the comparison and agreed wholeheartedly. "Sometimes I feel the same when dealing with Connor. It's like living with a really tall toddler with a smart mouth, or a really stubborn puppy at times. Makes me glad that Sumo is already fully grown."

Rose smiled even brighter at the joke and watched the sun continue to set.

"What happened to that first deviant who came to your farm?"

"Well, he came from a construction site and had been... tortured by the human workers who felt like their jobs were being threatened by him. I don't know how he made it out to my place in the condition he was in, but I couldn't just leave him out in the cold to bleed to death." The day she encountered her first deviant had left a permanent impact on Rose's mind. "I took him in, did my best to repair the damage that he sustained, and it was then I saw that he was in actual pain. How can someone not be alive if they can feel pain?"

Hank's hand lightly squeezed Rose's hand again as he gave her an honest reply. "I have no idea."

An autonomous taxi quietly pulled up next to Hank's car in the parking lot and Connor stepped out of the vehicle. Approaching the two humans sitting on the bench side by side Connor gave the duo a sincere smile as he called their names.

"Hank. Rose."

"Connor, hello." Rose greeted as she turned to look at the deviant now standing beside her. "Where've you been all day?"

"I had a mission to accomplish." He politely extended his hand out toward Rose to take and gave her a sincerely kind smile. "Would you please come with me?"

"Sure." Without any hesitation Rose accepted his hand and stood up from the bench all the while her other hand remained in Hank's grip. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Escorting Rose to Hank's car Connor motioned to Hank for the keys to the car. "I'll drive."

"Wait..." Hank realized that now he'd have to sit in the backseat while Connor and Rose sat in the front. "At least move your seat up for me, will ya'?"

"Of course." Giving Hank a smug smirk Connor adjusted the driver's seat to make room for the tall detective. "Leg space is crucial during road trips."

"Yeah, yeah..." Sitting down in the backseat with an uncomfortable grunt Hank flashed the deviant an amused grin. "Smartass. I knew that was coming."

The scenic drive out of the city went by surprisingly quickly as Connor easily navigated over the partially deserted, somewhat snowy roads with little difficulty. Having enhanced senses and reflexes had many benefits for any deviant, but it also had just as many drawbacks. Fortunately, one of the perks of such advanced software made Connor a much better driver than Hank during harsh weather. It also made Connor more attune to potential speed traps set up by fellow patrol officers and police drones, as well as black ice spots or potholes everywhere that he'd drive. The biggest con was the inability to escape uncomfortable sensations or extreme temperatures that surrounded and occassionally overwhelmed him.

As the Oldsmobile neared Rose's damaged property, the air in the car became tense as no one wanted to see the ruins of what was once a beloved home. It was too soon to go back, at least it was in Rose's mind.

"All right, kid." Hank reached his hand up from the backseat and grabbed onto the deviant's shoulder. "You've been secretive all morning, tell me what's going on."

"I can't do that just yet."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not something I can tell you."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because it's something I need to show Rose."

"A surprise then?"

"Something like that."

Amused by the deviant's cryptic behavior, Rose just smiled and shook her head at the bizarre conversation taking place around her. Hank was right, Connor was very human at times.

"Rose?" The deviant detective turned to face her and pulled his attention away from Hank. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Please close your eyes."

"Okay, I guess I can do that." Doing as she had been requested Rose shut her warms eyes and patiently waited for whatever what was about to happen to finally happen. "Now what?"

"Wait just one moment." Connor pulled the Oldsmobile to a gentle stop and opened his door as he turned off the engine. As he stepped out of the car Hank did the same from the backseat and did so without saying a word. In that moment Hank didn't even know what to say. "It'll be worth the wait."

The door to Rose's side of the car opened from the outside and Adam greeted his mother in person. "Hi, mom."

"Adam!" Rose's eyes snapped open and she all but jumped out of the car to hug her son. Wrapping her arms around her son's neck Rose held him tight and didn't dare to let him go. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Me too." Guiding Rose around the car Adam motioned with his right arm across the road to the second surprise waiting for her. "And so are they!"

"Who are you-" Looking past Adam to the place of interest Rose's eyes went wide and her jaw actually dropped. "Adam... It's..."

Proudly Connor stepped forward and joined the group of easily one-hundred-plus deviants on the other side of the road, all standing on the private property.

"Welcome home, Rose."

The entire farmhouse had been rebuilt on its original foundation in a matter of hours by every deviant who had volunteered to help Rose and Adam in their time of need. Using their own resources, money and connections, the mass of deviants worked together to restore what was once lost as a means of thanking Rose and Adam for saving so many lives before the Revolution had taken place.

Every detail of the house had been restored to absolute perfection. Every piece of siding, every window, the doors, the front porch, the front walk, even the color of the siding and the roof were exactly as they had been prior to the blaze. The interior of the spacious house was surely the same as well albeit void of matching furniture.

"Wow..." Hank stared up at the rebuilt house with absolute awe shining in his blue eyes as he said what was on everyone's mind. "Holy shit!"

"I... I don't know what to say!" Rose burst happily as she and Adam walked across the road to stand with the deviants. "H-How can I ever begin to thank you?"

Kara, Alice and Luther all stepped forward from the group to hug Rose in person as they made their gratitude known.

"You just did!" Kara beamed. It was clear she and her family all made a special return to Detroit just to thank the woman who saved their lives. "This is the least we could all do for you."

"Oh, I was so worried about you, Kara!" Rose wept as she embraced the trio of deviants happily. She never stopped thinking about them from the very moment she watched them safely cross the border into Canada together. "You made it, you really did..."

"We own many thanks to you for everything you did for our people." Markus next approached Adam and handed him an envelope containing important documents that were crucial to the rebuilt property. "This is for you."

"For us?" Adam accepted the envelope but had no idea what was inside of it. "What is it?"

"That is a legal document that places this property under the protection of New Jericho. This home has been declared an official sanctuary for all deviants, and as such protected from any form of vandalism, destruction or unwarranted trespassing."

"Uh... What does that mean?"

Connor answered the question on Markus's behalf as he knew the legalities better than anyone else.

"It means that if anyone attempts another attack on this house, or against you or your mother, then they will be arrested; or as Hank would put it: 'Have their asses nailed to the wall'."

"So... We're safe?"

"Yes." Markus put his hand on Adam's shoulder and gave him a firm nod. "You're safe. You won't have to worry about hateful people anymore."

Kindly and warmly, Kara stepped back and held Rose's hands in her own for a moment longer. "I know we can't replace everything that was lost, but we did our best to help you turn your new house into your old home."

Alice walked around Kara's legs and handed Rose a small rectangular box wrapped up in some decorative blue paper. "Here! This is for you!"

With her hands shaking from emotion Rose opened the box and peered inside at the curious object contained with. It was a framed photograph of her late husband, and it was just one of many salvaged photos tucked inside the box.

"I had seen the photo when you helped us." Kara explained coolly as she watched the confusion flash over Rose's face. "I managed to have a replica printed from my memory to replace the one that had been lost."

"This is..." Rose couldn't find the words to speak as the other deviants gathered around to thank Rose and Adam in turn. "I honestly don't know what to say!"

"You don't have to say anything." Luther stepped forward and presented Rose with one final gift. A small rottweiler puppy to help her feel less lonely and more secured in her rebuilt home. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and keep helping others. That's all the thanks we'd ever need."

"A... puppy?" Rose took the small bundle of fluff from Luther's hands and immediately got her face licked for her trouble. The little pup was immediately fond of Rose and happy to show it! "What for?"

"Protection." Luther stated somewhat flatly as he reached out his strong hand to gently rub the puppy's silky soft ears. "We'll always be there to watch your back, but perhaps a guard dog will give you some additional protection when we're not right here at the farm."

"Yeah." Adam patted the puppy's head lightly as well and smiled as he stood at his mother's side. "And he'll give you some companionship while I'm at school."

"You're all so wonderful!" Rose hugged her son once again before turning to hug Kara, Luther, Alice and Connor. "I'll never forget this! And Hank," she motioned for Hank to join the crowd just long enough to give him a kiss on the cheek. She didn't mention him blushing but did see that his eyes were warm and bright with newfound joy. "you're all so kind. I'm glad to have met you all."

"We just wanted to help you." Hank stated humbly as he nodded at the deviants who had painstakingly rebuilt Rose's home from the ashen foundation in what had to be a brand new world record time. "It's time for you to go home and sleep under your own roof where you belong. No one will ever threaten you again."

"You're all so sweet." Graciously Rose gave Hank and Connor a hug goodbye before she and Adam returned home together. "We'll never forget this!"

Connor stepped back and watched the crowd of deviants happily gather around Rose to thank her one at a time before she was led into her rebuilt house by Alice dragging her by the hand. Hank joined Connor as the two detectives discreetly returned to the car to take their leave, this time Hank taking his usual place behind the steering wheel with Connor as his passenger at his side.

It was time to let Rose and Adam become reacquainted with their home and with the deviants that they had rescued. What was once a tragedy had become a celebration.

"So, this is what you were doing all day, huh, kid?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he slipped on his seatbelt with his L.E.D. flashing a calm blue in his temple. "Are you upset?"

"Upset? Hell no! What you did today was amazing, son." Putting his hand approvingly on Connor's shoulder he gave his partner an appreciative nod and made sure Connor knew his good deed was amazingly kind. "You did something incredible. I'm proud of you. I really am."

This time Connor blushed, though his complexion gained a pale blue coloration instead of pink. "...I wasn't alone in this endeavor."

"No you weren't." Hank smiled at the hundred deviants celebrating Rose's new home with the very woman who was responsible for their freedom. The massive show of appreciation and love did his old heart some good. "And neither is she. Not anymore."

"She never was alone." Having noticed the way Hank and Rose were holding hands at the park Connor wondered if he accidentally intruded on something special when he arrived. "Did I interrupt anything important when I called you earlier?"

"Nah, we were just talking." Hank stated somewhat blandly as he pulled the car into the drive just long enough to back up onto the road and return to the city a few miles away. There were some things that were better off kept a secret. "It's been a long day, and we have to return to work tomorrow. Let's go home and chill on the couch."

"That's a good idea. We have to return to work tomorrow."

Connor kept a ghost of a smile on his face as he watched the gathered celebration at Rose's rebuilt home fading away in the rearview mirror. Seeing the generous woman and her courageous son returning to their family home gave Connor a strange sense of warmth inside his heart that he hoped would never fade. Rose, Adam and now their new puppy were going to be safe and sound inside their home where they truly belonged.

"Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I adopt a pup-"

"NO. No fuckin' way." Hank's reply was as quick as it was firm. The human side - if not childlike demeanor - of Connor was showing itself yet again. "Sumo's enough. Besides, with your level of empathy you'd probably come home with the whole damn kennel in your arms..."

-next chapter-