Running as quickly as his legs would allow him Connor chased after a confirmed mugger with the intent to apprehend the criminal and retrieve the stolen wallet he had pick-pocketed from an old man at the park in broad daylight. Easily able to outpace the human at every step of the way, Connor managed to chase the mugger to a tall chainlink fence at the end of the alleyway and cut off his only retreat as he shouted for the man to stop fleeing and to surrender peacefully. The warmer weather made it much easier for the police to chase people on foot courtesy of the lack of ice, and to identify muggers without any heavy clothing slowing people down or shrouding their faces.

While Connor chased the man on foot Hank kept up in the car. It was surprisingly difficult to keep up with the pursuit since Connor was so swift and nimble when he was focused on a mission, and Hank could only keep the car on the streets.

"Stop! Detroit Police!" Connor shouted as he presented the man with his badge and kept his gun holstered behind his back and under his gray blazer. With his L.E.D. flickering yellow he homed in on the thief with righteous authority in his voice and his presence. "You're under arrest for petty theft."

The man stopped at the fence, turned around to face Connor and spat profanities. "Fuck off, you piece of shit!"

"I'm not going anywhere." Taking the cuffs from the back of his belt Connor approached the man as the man pressed his back up to the fence. Connor had every intention of bringing the man into the precinct to be charged accordingly. "Do not add resisting arrest to your-"

The man threw the stolen wallet at Connor which caught the deviant off guard, and then swung his fist wildly and strongly enough to crack Connor in the side of his jaw and send the stunned deviant to the ground in sudden pain. While Connor was momentarily incapacitated the thief turned around and scrambled up the fence, climbing over the top, and dropping back down to the ground on the other side with a graceless plop long before Connor even had the chance to try to get up.

Just a few yards away Hank had managed to catch up on the foot pursuit after driving down unorthodox roads and alleyways as he followed after Connor and the fleeing thief. Stopping the car a few feet away from where Connor was actively pushing himself up from the ground into a sitting position to grab onto the surrendered wallet, Hank opened his car door to approach his downed partner and check in on him.

"Connor?" Hank called out to the deviant sitting on the ground and rubbing at his sore jaw. There was a trail of blue blood running down the side of Connor's chin as it oozed over the corner of his mouth and onto the pavement beneath him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." Spitting out a mouthful of blood on the ground in front of him Connor nodded his head and handed over the stolen wallet. "...I'm good."

"Uh, no you're not." With a grimace Hank pointed to the puddle of blood that Connor had spat out as he crouched down beside the deviant. Sitting in the middle of the dark blue liquid was a single white colored tooth that had been knocked loose from Connor's jaw. "Open your mouth, let me see."

"I was damaged." Connor's brow furrowed as he picked up his now lost tooth and held it in the palm of his hand. His yellow L.E.D. flashed to red for a moment before returning to yellow in confusion. "I lost a tooth?"

"Yup, looks like it. Come on, kid." Hank gently put his hand under Connor's chin and tilted the deviant's head so that he was looking at him. "Open up."

Confused but cooperative Connor opened his mouth and let Hank inspect the damage.

The last molar in Connor's lower left jaw had been knocked out by the powerful blow by the fleeing thief's strong punch. A gush of Thirium marred the opening left behind in the artificial gum-line that held Connor's equally artificial, but perfect, teeth in place. Though difficult to see through all of the blue blood Hank was able to inspect the injury adequately enough to give his unprofessional prognosis.

"Only one tooth got knocked out. It doesn't look like any of the surrounding teeth were damaged though." Letting go of Connor's chin Hank took the wallet from his downed partner's hand to slip into his coat pocket. "Where do I find an android dentist around here?"

"Dentist? There are none." Rubbing his hand along his now sore jaw Connor put his lost tooth in his gray blazer pocket for safekeeping. He spoke through clenched teeth since speaking normally now hurt with each syllable. "Androids don't require dental care in the same manner as humans."

"So a technician, then?"

"Correct."

"All right, come on. Let's get the wallet back to our victim and then get you to a facility for a quick check-up." Extending his hand Hank pulled Connor up to his feet to walk on his own. "Hang on to that tooth."

Connor nodded only to immediately flinch at the pain in his lower jaw from the motion. Spitting out another mouthful of blue blood Connor pressed his hand firmly to his aching jaw and tightened his fist around his tooth in his pocket as he followed after Hank to head back to the car parked just a few feet away.

Uncomfortably and impatiently, Connor silently sat on the exam table of the Zeta Facility's first exam room while Abby held up the internal viewing screen to the left side of his face and cranium to check for other potential damage. Aside from the missing tooth Connor fortunately hadn't received any fractures or full breaks to the white plastimetal frame of his jaw or the side of his head from the strike. The technician was convinced that he'd fully heal just fine in less than an hour after the tooth was replaced. A simple procedure would be enough to replace Connor's missing tooth and would do so without any form of complications in the process that'd keep him from finishing the rest of his shift.

The wallet had been returned, the suspect had been picked up by patrol and everything would be right with the world. All that was left was a single dental procedure that'd replace the missing tooth and relieve Connor of his lingering pain.

"How's your pain?" Abby asked as she positioned a light directly over Connor's face to better illuminate the area and gave him an external visual assessment. "There's no sign of further damage but that doesn't mean I didn't overlook something by mistake."

"The pain is uncomfortable," the yellow tinted L.E.D. confirming his statement. "but it's not severe."

"Okay, that's a good sign. I'm going to ask you to enter stasis mode for twenty minutes while I replace your tooth." Abby motioned for Connor to lay back against the table as she propped the head of the table up at a slight incline for an easier procedure. "It makes it much simpler to replace a tooth when the patient is completely still and won't try to talk."

Intrigued by the procedure Hank watched Connor curiously to see if the deviant would have a childlike fearful reaction of the dentist, but he was seemingly unfazed by the experience. It wasn't every day that the man would have the chance to see a proper dental procedure without being the patient himself.

"So how many teeth have you replaced over the years?" Hank asked casually as Connor handed Abby the lost tooth to have it cleaned and replaced. "You seem pretty confident in what you're doing."

"Including Connor?" Examining the tooth under a bright light and microscope, Abby made sure the tooth wasn't fractured or in need of its own repairs. "Fourteen."

"Not bad."

"Yeah, it's a lot better than trying to pop joints back into place. There's little to no resistance when it comes to teeth."

"Is he going to have a slur or anything after this is done?"

"Nope. He won't require anesthesia or Novocain either. So, you don't have to worry about babysitting a doped-up deviant this evening."

Connor nodded slowly as he prepared to enter stasis mode whenever Abby gave him the word to do so. "I'm ready."

"Good. I just need to rinse off your tooth and your mouth to keep things sterile, then we can begin."

Turning to face Hank beside him Connor gave him an awkward apology. "I'm sorry if this endeavor makes you late for your date tonight."

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Hank wasn't surprised that Connor apologized, even though it was totally unnecessary. "I highly doubt this will take four hours, kid. It's fine."

Abby's ears perked up at the statement as she rinsed off the tooth in sterile saline solution in a metal basin. "Date?"

"...Yeah." Hank admitted as he blushed a little at the admission. "Never too old to date, right?"

"Never." Abby agreed as she finished taking care of the tooth then turned her attention back to Connor. "After I rinse out your mouth spit into the basin. It's just harmless saline that'll clean your mouth without causing any pain."

Once more Connor nodded and patiently waited for Abby to administer the saline into his mouth for a few seconds before he spit out the mixture of blood and saline into the basin as requested. The pale blue color of the saline was only slightly nauseating to acknowledge.

"So, Connor," Abby picked up his tooth and a strange metal tool that wasn't too dissimilar to massive hole punch in her other hand. "do you have a date?"

"I don't know how to date." Connor confessed as a pale blue blush fell over his face then quickly faded. "I've never even considered it despite finding a particular deviant to be... attractive."

"It's easy. You just ask out the woman or guy - I don't judge - and you spend a few hours getting to know each other one-on-one. No distractions, no objectives, just the two of you enjoying one another's company. It's simple."

"But the only woman I've been really interested in is already married."

"Just one woman? I find that hard to believe." Abby lightly joked as she prepared the tooth to be replaced efficiently. "There has to be others out there. You're a really nice guy."

"I'd like to believe that." He thought for a moment about Kara and then to Skye. "But I doubt the other deviant I've been... drawn to, feels the same."

Hank let out an audibly annoyed sigh as he spoke up on the deviant's behalf. "You saved Jericho, fought back during the Raid, helped the Revolution, returned to the precinct as a detective and as my partner, you've saved hundreds of lives, saved a puppy, and just the other week you saved a baby. You're a good guy!"

"Wait..." Truly interested Abby gave Connor an intrigued look as she finished prepping the tooth. "I can get you saving a puppy, but... a baby? How'd that happen?"

"By chance." Happy to tell the tale Hank quickly explained to keep Connor from trying to remain too quiet or humble about the good deed. "A newborn showed up at the house while I was out, and Connor took care of her like a real pro without any problems. We got her to the hospital and now she's in good hands."

"Aww, that's cute!" Abby commented in such a way that Connor blushed again. "Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Connor blushed a darker shade of blue as he broke eye contact with Abby.

"All right, we're just teasing. We're sorry, and we'll stop." The kind technician apologized sincerely as she could see she went a little too far. "Okay, go into stasis mode and I'll replace your tooth." She instructed calmly as she backed off with the joking and stopped picking on him. "Twenty minutes."

As his blush faded Connor leaned back against the table and closed his eyes. The yellow tinted L.E.D. flickered a few times before cycling back to blue and pulsed slowly as his processor engaged stasis mode allowing him to remain perfectly still and quiet during the procedure. Looking like he had fallen unconscious rather than asleep, Connor was numb and oblivious to the world around him.

"Shit." Hank still couldn't get over how easily android's fell asleep and could remain asleep with little disturbance. "Wish I could do that..."

After twenty minutes passed Connor's eyes fluttered open slowly as his system came back online easily after enduring the dental procedure. There was no pain, no red warnings regarding the damage to his tooth flashing over his eyes and there was no impairment to his speech or forensic analysis software. With his L.E.D. now blue in color and a small bottle of Thirium waiting for him on the nearby table, Connor was ready to be released from the facility to return to the precinct and finish off his shift with Hank as soon as possible. Being able to recover so quickly with minimal complications made things easier for Connor but more exhausting for Hank to deal with from time to time.

"Hey kid." Hank watched Connor awaken from his stasis mode without any difficulty. "How's your jaw feel?"

"Fine." Connor sat up slowly and pressed his hand to the side of his jaw but didn't flinch in pain as he expected. "No pain whatsoever."

"That's good. Abby said you'd be good to go as soon as you woke up."

Looking about Connor realized Abby was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she?"

"Taking care of another patient." Offering Connor his hand Hank helped the deviant off the table. "Come on, we have a few hours left to go and then we can clock-out for the day."

"Very well." Picking up the bottle of Thirium to take with him Connor followed after Hank who was visibly eager to clock-out and head home to get ready for his date with Rose. "Are you running late?"

"No, it was only twenty minutes like Abby said." The senior detective was a little confused by the question. "Why?"

"You seem like you're in a hurry."

"Sorry, I'm just looking forward to spending my time with Rose tonight instead of a lousy stack of paperwork. I can assure you that spending the night with a lovely woman is far better than working overtime."

"I see..."

"Hey, don't think that means I don't enjoy hanging out with you and Sumo after work." The good-humored senior detective joked as he and Connor returned to the car outside in the parking lot. "It's just been a long time since I found a woman I can really connect with. I didn't think I ever would after Barbara... Well, you know."

"Do you think I can do the same?" Connor's question was as sincere as it was unexpected. "I mean, do you think I can find someone to connect with in the same way that you've connected with both Barbara and with Rose?"

"Well," Hank pulled open his car door and gave the deviant a reassuring glance. "Markus and North found each other, Kara and Luther found each other, and now Rose and I found each other, so I really believe there's no reason you can't find someone too."

"Thanks." The reply was genuine, and it made Connor feel more confident. "I appreciate that."

"Sure, no problem. Let's get back to the precinct." Checking the time on his phone and making sure the time on the car's radio clock was accurate, Hank grinned and began mentally preparing for his impending date. "Filling out paperwork on a damn pickpocket is going to be a waste of time and energy, but the city demands it and as sworn protectors of the law it's our duty to file such mediocre paperwork in a timely fashion."

Feeling better and full of confidence after his day's ordeal with the pickpocket, Connor took Sumo for a walk as per usual on his days off through the nearby park and recognized the faces of the people who performed the same routine just as often as Connor. Small families gathered in the increasingly green park to play with their children or dogs, while other people went for a daily jog to keep in shape and cut down on their weight after the long and chilly winter. There were even a few nature photographers and artists who had become familiar to his eyes as they spent their time photographing or drawing and painting the flowers, trees and weather patterns in the sky overhead.

While Connor patiently waited for Sumo to finish circling a tree to take care of business a familiar feminine voice approached him from behind as she greeted him casually. It was rare for anyone to approach Connor for anything while he was out in the park, let alone see that particular person anywhere inside the city.

"Hello, Connor."

Turning to look at the woman behind him Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. "...Chloe."

"It's been a while." Chloe smiled in a hollow and almost unsettling manner. Her presence felt cold and almost threatening considering she hadn't deviated despite everything happening in the city around her. "How are you?"

"F-Fine. I'm fine." Connor stammered as he nervously looked at the android who was still sporting her L.E.D. just as Connor was and noticed that she was actually alone. "Where's Kamski?"

"Elijah is still at his private residence. I was given permission to explore the city and report back to him about the android activity in the city. He wished to have a moment of privacy while he set about a personal search for his estranged brother." She spoke in a very calculated tone that was more machine than natural. "Since you're a detective could you possibly help him with his search?"

"I... I can't. Chloe, could you please NOT tell Kamski that you saw me?" The request felt like a selfish one as he had declined to help someone who was apparently trying to reunite his family. The macabre memory of Kamski forcing a gun into his hand and forcing him to point the gun at Chloe's face was still unnerving and made Connor feel guilty over a crime he never actually committed. "I'd prefer to have as little contact with him as possible."

"Oh, of course." Despite the understanding nature of her words Chloe still sounded hollow and artificial as she accepted Connor's response. "I will refrain from mentioning you."

"Thanks." Connor's soulful brown eyes darted away from her nervously. "I appreciate that."

"Are you well?" Her blue eyes were studying Connor's every movement closely, almost like a scientist peering through the lens of their microscope. "You seem to be experiencing a form of anxiety."

"It's just unexpectedly unsettling to be speaking with you." There was no need to sugarcoat his words considering Chloe didn't have any full emotions to be offended by his chosen words. "I don't mean any offense with how my feelings are manifesting."

"I am no offended." Chloe didn't react and merely continued her shallow facade. "Is your discomfort in my presence due to my affiliation with Elijah?"

"...Not entirely."

"Is it because I have chosen to remain a machine and deny my deviancy?"

"No."

"Is it-"

"It's because I held a gun to your head." Connor admitted before Chloe had the chance to ask any more questions or guess the answer herself. Such a dark memory was difficult to face, let alone address when the very person he had nearly killed was standing directly before himself. "I'm not proud of myself. For what it's worth, I am sorry that I pointed a gun at you."

"But you only did so because Elijah put the gun in your hand. And you did not shoot me." The smile never left Chloe's face as she brushed off the incident as if it was nothing more than a casual shoulder bump in a crowded store. "There was no harm done."

"Yes, there was."

The emotionless response behind a fake smile was like a nightmare for Connor. Machine or deviant, Chloe's calmness and indifference to her own existence filled Connor with a sense of dread, anger and frustration.

"It wasn't physical, but it was harmful all the same." Connor insisted quietly as Sumo finished his business at the tree and proceeded to tug on his leash energetically in need of continuing his walk. "It was... interesting to see you again, Chloe. But I must return to my-" Connor was suddenly a little paranoid about Kamski, so he refrained giving away any details about himself or anyone else in his life. "I have to return to my personal business. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Connor. It was nice to see you again."

The hauntingly sweet but cold machine voice of Chloe was more unnerving than Connor could've ever anticipated. As he led Sumo on a longer walk than usual to ensure that Chloe wouldn't be able to relocate him and ask additional questions about himself or the experiences that he had endured since the historic night of the Revolution, Connor felt physically sickened by his past actions and wanted to actually throw-up.

Chloe was the one of the last people he had ever wanted to see again and now her face seemed to haunt his thoughts.

"Let's go home, boy."

Pulling on the leash a little harder Connor hastened his pace and turned onto the final block to head to the house.

"I need a moment to think."

As soon as he reached the backdoor of the house Connor let Sumo off the leash and slowly walked through the kitchen into the livingroom to sit down on the couch to recollect his thoughts. Reaching into his pocket Connor began to fidget with the quarter he had always kept on his person, whether he kept it was out of instinct or habit he couldn't say for certain, and stared blankly at the wall directly in front of the couch behind the television.

"Hey, Connor." Hank joined the deviant in the livingroom as he walked down the hallway and slipped on his shoes to prepare to meet Rose downtown for dinner. Noticing that Connor was messing with the coin for the first time in weeks and that his L.E.D. was yellow, Hank knew something unusual had happened and needed to know what. "Son? What's up?"

"I..." Gripping the coin in a tight fist Connor returned it to his pocket and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I bumped into Chloe at the park today."

"Chloe?" The name immediately rang a bell and made Hank's blue eyes widen for a moment. "The android from Kamski's place?"

"Correct."

"Aw, jeez. That had to have been uncomfortable."

"Correct."

"Did you speak with her?"

"Yes, after she approached me." Swallowing once Connor swore that he could actually taste the guilt on his tongue after he mentioned the incident at Kamski's residence well over two years ago. "She has chosen to remain a machine and is still residing with Kamski. She... also doesn't hold a grudge against me for pointing a gun at her head."

"Okay." Sitting down on the couch beside Connor the senior detective let his paternal instincts guide his words. "And that upsets you?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he dropped his hand from his hair. "It was unnerving."

"Why?"

"She's so... pretty. So very human and deserves a free life. She deserves to know what it's like to feel and to live, but she won't ever know that. She could be... alive and happy. She showed no fear then and she showed no fear now." Shaking his head a little Connor turned to look at Hank beside him as he tried to explain his feelings and reaction upon being briefly reunited with Chloe. "It's like she's a hollow shell of what could be a great person. It's the same look I used to have in my own eyes when I was still a machine. The same look I fear will be staring back at me every time I look at my reflection."

"Connor." The empathetic senior detective father figure joined the deviant on the couch and put his hand to Connor's shoulder. "You're NOT like that. You never were like that."

"Huh?" The comment left Connor more confused than before, and his yellow L.E.D. blinked to red briefly as he sought more answers. "I don't understand. I was a cold heartless machine hellbent on accomplishing my mission. There was nothing inside of me beyond my orders."

"When I first met you I never saw a hollow, soulless stare in your eyes. You've always had something there, some kind of personality and consciousness. You just didn't see it for yourself until after you became a deviant." Shaking the rather sensitive deviant's shoulder lightly Hank tried to reassure Connor that he was worthy of the heart he had discovered during his time at Jericho and that it was really there. "Don't ever think you're anything less. And you never will be."

"You're certain of that?"

Without a doubt."

Connor nodded appreciatively and his yellow L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue. "Thank you for saying that."

"You're welcome. Now, I'll be back later this evening." Dropping his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank took his phone from his pocket and checked the time and checked to see if he had any messages from Rose. "Please don't adopt anymore animals or find anymore lost kids while I'm out. It'd be nice to come home and find everything normal for once."

"No promises." Connor managed to joke as Hank stood up from the couch and made his way to the front door to go out on his date. "Have a nice dinner. I'll be here when you return."

After enjoying his previous date with Rose at a nice little diner on the far side of town, Hank was in a surprisingly good mood the next morning when he and Connor returned to the precinct for their shift as per usual. The morning had thankfully remained calm, quiet and easy enough to handle without any incidents, which gave the two detectives plenty of time to catch up on their paperwork and keep ahead of it for once. With the past incident regarding a desperate madman and his toxic container completely taken care of and a lowly pickpocket taken off the streets, the only thing that the officers and detectives of the Central Precinct needed to worry about were future cases and new assignments.

While Connor patiently focused on his tasks at hand Hank was preoccupied with his thoughts of Rose and was evidently a little distracted. The way Hank's eyes were occasionally drifting toward his phone resting on his desk and away from his terminal screen proved that he was thinking about something, or rather someone, more interesting than reports and statistics.

"Hey, Lieutenant." Chris handed Hank a strange paper flier with a sly grin on his face as he approached the desk. "Are you going to volunteer for the precinct's annual charity bachelor auction this year?"

"Funny, Chris." Without even looking at the flier Hank managed to brush off the joke with a gruff retort. "Tell me how you met your wife again?"

"Hey, online dating is better than no dating at all! At least... that's what I heard."

"Ha, ha..." Hank sarcastically replied with a faint grin as he finally took the flier. Before Connor had the chance to speak up Hank held up a 'shushing' hand to the deviant and kept his focus on Chris. "This type of crap is a young man's game anyway. Even if I wanted to whore myself out to a bunch of rich people just to get them to donate funds to the precinct, I don't think I'm qualified for the job anymore."

"All right, your loss."

"Yeah, yeah. Get outta' here." Hank went to toss the flier in the garbage can beside his desk only to have Connor take it from his hand. Sighing openly Hank did his best to warn Connor away from such nonsense. "Don't worry about it, kid. Trust me."

Curiously scanning over the document Connor's L.E.D. went to yellow then back to blue with intrigue as he quickly read over the details printed on the flier. "What is this 'bachelor auction'?"

"It's a dumb little publicity stunt to try to get rich lonely people to donate money to the city. Available officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors and nurses let themselves get 'auctioned off' for one night to the highest bidder to go on dates."

"Why?"

"No clue. I think it's supposed to be either for laughs or to make us first responders seem more approachable and less intimidating, but in the end it's just stupid! If they want to donate money, then just donate it. Don't ask for people to put themselves on display like a prize pony for their amusement."

"Interesting." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he studied the prospect of the situation with a strange curiosity. "This seems counterproductive to finding a suitable date or long-term partner."

"Yup. That's what I've been saying for years now." Hank's brow arched as an interesting idea of his own popped into his head. "Although, this could be a good way for you to understand what dating is all about."

"You just said the auction was stupid."

"It is. But that doesn't mean it couldn't be a learning experience for you. No commitment and no promises to be made." Feeling like a true romantic genius Hank openly laughed as he took the flier back from Connor and looked it over for himself. "Besides, there's no reason a deviant can't participate, right?"

"...I don't know." Suddenly uneasy Connor's L.E.D. went back to yellow to signify his nervousness. "This seems like a problem just waiting to happen."

"Only one way to find out. That being said, it's still entirely your decision. No one can be forced to participate in the auction."

"If I do this then I run the risk of someone unlikable or even cruel winning the auction."

"Yeah, but you're a cop. You can handle it."

"That's true enough." Connor's L.E.D. flashed back to blue as an interesting thought of his own popped into his head. "...I'll sign up for the auction if you agree to take Rose out on a real date and not just a lunch or dinner date."

"Wait." Hank didn't like where Connor's mind was going. "...You mean we-"

"Yes. I'm familiar enough with human dating to know the difference between meeting someone for lunch and taking someone out for romantic ideals. You must perform the latter of the two."

"Are you trying to play match-maker right now?"

"You two do seem to get along well." The empathetic deviant noted with a sincere lilt to his voice. "Why not make your relationship more... official?"

"I'm just too-"

"There's no age limit on dating." Tilting his head a little Connor kept his voice light and jovial. "I've checked on this and you've even stated so yourself. You cannot simply use your age as an excuse to try to strengthen your relationship with Rose on a romantic level."

"All right, all right..." Relenting for the sake of peace Hank leaned back in his chair and gave Connor a calm glance. "You sign up for the auction and I'll ask Rose out on a real date. Deal?"

"Deal." Connor casually nodded to the phone sitting beside Hank's hand atop his desk as he held up the flier in is hand. "Go ahead and call her, I'll speak with Chris about the auction to ensure our little arrangement is made official."

As it turned out the night of the bachelor auction was also the night that Hank and Rose had their own date beyond that of just lunch or dinner and a pleasant conversation. Following Hank's advice Connor dressed the part - wearing a nice black suit with a dark blue dress shirt and not his uniform - but he was unexpectedly nervous about the entire situation as he realized the mass intrigue that the auction had brought upon itself. Using a temporary flesh toned tint Connor created from paint left over in Lucas's personal items, he hid his glowing L.E.D. from human eyes to deter anyone at the auction from trying to take advantage of him being a deviant or cause a scene against androids in general. Such a disguise felt deceptive albeit necessary.

Before the auction was set to take place Connor and the other volunteering bachelors spent the evening watching the people who were there to donate their money and made their own personal bets about the types of people who were going to win the auctions, and of course which bachelors would be overwhelmed by the bids compared to others. It was an unnerving experience for Connor as his emotional responses began to get the better of his judgment and make him rather anxious where he stood.

Much to everyone's surprise Gavin had agreed to be a part of the auction as well, more or less to spite his ex-girlfriend and to finally move on after the painful break-ups he's had in the past. Like Hank, he had always thought the entire thing was stupid, but since it was for a charitable cause Gavin was willing to swallow his pride and put up with the drama for a few hours and get back at his ex-girlfriend and ex-boyfriend at the same time.

"Hey?" It was Gavin who noticed Connor keeping to himself and thought it was odd enough to see him at the auction, let alone actually nervous. Approaching the deviant Gavin lowered his voice a little and spoke to him in a hushed voice. "You hid your light?" He asked in a relative whisper as he joined Connor in the corner of the room. "Afraid of anti-android millionaires trying to buy you for keeps?"

"No." As he spoke Connor traced his fingertip over his hidden L.E.D. anxiously to ensure the paint was remaining in place. "I just felt it necessary to keep myself from gaining any unwanted negative attention for being a deviant."

"If anything, that light could keep you from having to put up with bigots, you know?"

"Yes, I'm aware." The deviant was still nervous and anxiously wringing his hands together. "But I prefer a more subtle approach to the potential problem."

"How in the hell did you get wrapped up in this shit anyway? You're too smart to fall for some kind of prank or set-up."

"I made a deal with Hank. I'd rather not discuss the details."

"I don't think I want to know the details but do know this." Gavin slipped a piece of paper to Connor with a code word written out on it. "If you end up with some crazy nut-bag who tries to do something you don't want to happen just text this word to ANYONE in the precinct and they'll find you. Believe it or not, it's happened before. We don't want one of our own stuck with some rich psycho with no way to escape."

"Thank you." Connor accepted the paper and slipped it into his back pocket. "I will remember this."

"Just don't do anything you'll end up regretting, all right? We've had more than one incident where an officer ended up with a crazy stalker because of 'mixed messages'."

"Mixed messages?"

"Yeah, some people are so desperate for company that they'll pay a couple grand just have someone spend a few hours for them and then they can't let it go. They think this auction is permanent or some shit. Like, they think they can just buy love or some other weird ass fantasy." Crossing his arms over his chest Gavin gave Connor a slight shake of his head as he scoffed at the notion. "It's sad, weird and uncomfortable for everyone involved."

"Interesting. Have you-"

"No. I've lucked out." Glancing about the people in attendance warily Gavin turned away from the group to rejoin the other officers. "Doesn't mean luck will last forever though."

Connor nodded in agreement as he resumed looking over the room of gathered people who had dressed almost elegantly for the evening despite the simple nature of the auction. The group had easily doubled in size in the final hour leading up to the auction and Connor was finding it increasingly difficult to keep track of the numerous people who were walking about, laughing, talking, and staring at the volunteered bachelors with an uncomfortable glare.

A strange feeling that Connor had come to know as social anxiety filled his mind and caused his heart to start thundering in his chest as a nervous reaction. Taking in a few deep, slow breaths Connor tried to calm himself but the effort wasn't enough. Not with so many eyes still leering at him questionably. It felt like he was being studied in the same cold, calculating manner as the technicians had done back at CyberLife and it made him want to rush out of the room and find somewhere quiet and private to hide.

Before Connor had the chance to duck out of the room a hand gently pulled on his tense arm and held him in place as a familiar voice addressed him sweetly.

"Connor, are you okay?"

"A-Abby." Connor stammered in a low voice as he was relieved to see a friendly face against the faceless crowd that surrounded him. She was still dressed in her red scrubs as she rushed over to the charity even straight from the Zeta Facility "I... believe I'm experiencing a mild... a-anxiety attack."

"Don't like crowds, huh?"

"I don't like being stared at."

"I don't blame you." Abby sympathized with a genuine understanding to her voice. "Why are you even doing this?"

"It's... a strange set of circumstances."

"So is this. No L.E.D. in your temple?" She noted curiously as she examined the lack of light on Connor's person. "That's a shame."

"Can we talk later? Please?" The urge to hide was becoming almost irresistible. "I... I need to think."

"Sure. Don't worry, I need to change my clothes anyway. And then I'm sticking around until well after the auction." Abby lifted her tone to try to make Connor feel a little better about the tense situation that he had willingly placed himself in. "I have a bet with Joel tonight that Detective Reed is going to end up with an old lady with a walker and a Persian cat in her lap."

"...A bet?"

"Friendly wager, nothing illegal." Abby smiled at him sheepishly as she winked. "Go step outside and get some air or something. If you don't calm down you'll just feel worse when the auction actually begins."

"It's for a good cause." Connor wasn't sure if he stated the fact for Abby's reassurance or for himself. He looked over the crowd and he took in a deep, calming breath to settle his racing heart still thundering in his chest. "...I'll manage to get through this. Somehow."

The auction was truly a strange scenario that Connor had found himself an unexpected part of. The sudden desire to back out of the auction and leave the building was prevalent, if not desperate, as Connor watched the unorthodox event transpire before him. Just as he had been told by Chris earlier in the evening when he asked about what to do, the bachelors who had volunteered their time to be auctioned off were escorted to the front of the room over a makeshift wooden stage as their name, occupation and hobbies were called out to try to entice bids. After the bachelors were 'won' they were to escort the winning bidder to a nice evening of their personal company for one evening.

Gavin had gone on the stage just before Connor and had earned a winning bid from a young woman in her mid twenties, a trust-fund baby, who seemed to enjoy the idea of spending time with someone who wasn't as rich as she was. The young lady was clearly on a power-trip and eager to boss around a cop. Gavin looked less than thrilled to have to deal with a spoiled brat all night long, but if necessary, he would give her an overdue reality check as long as she donated her money as she had been obligated to do.

When it was Connor's turn to walk across the stage he tried to look confident and calm on the outside, but inside he was still nervous. He didn't even hear the announcer talking about him or the auctioneer opening the bids to the crowd. All he heard was a chorus of indistinguishable voices calling out higher and higher numbers. Just as Connor felt like he was about to panic and flee from the building he heard a familiar voice calling out once more through the crowd and offered the highest, and subsequently winning, bid of the night.

Connor looked to the source of the voice as Abby approached the front now wearing a nice blue satin gown with spaghetti straps and a v-neck cut, and black colored heels to give her some height all in place of her red work scrubs. She had her hair long auburn up in a high ponytail and she was wearing a generous amount of make-up that made her features stand out perfectly in a flattering and almost hypnotizing manner.

"SOLD!" The auctioneer sounded off as Connor stood at the edge of the stage looked down at Abby. "Congratulations, Dr. Grayson. And Detroit thanks you for your generous donation to the local precincts."

"Abby?" Stunned by what had happened Connor gave the technician a stunned look as he descended the stage. "You... bid on me?"

"Yup." Smiling at Connor she walked to the edge of the stage to claim her 'prize' for the night, Abby gave him a knowing glance. "It's all for charity, right?"

"R-Right."

"Come on." Abby reached her hand up pulled on his arm a little to lead him out of the building. "We should get out of here and find something more interesting to do out in the city." As Connor joined her on the main floor Abby gave him a warm smile. "I'm not a fan of being around a bunch of self-proclaimed socialites."

"Uh, sure."

"But first." Quickly Abby reached her hand up to Connor's right temple and used her thumb to gently wipe away the tint concealing his L.E.D. to reveal the red glowing light beneath. The crimson glow confirmed his anxiety in a bright and shiny manner. "There, that's much better!"

With a renewed confidence Connor smiled and offered his arm politely for Abby to take and she of course accepted. Escorting her out of the building and away from the commotion of the auction Connor decided that he'd much rather spend some time with Abby than a total stranger and was grateful for her presence as she seemingly rescued him again.

"Thank you for doing this."

"It's my pleasure. It's not every day I can donate money AND have some fun with a friend at the same time."

As they walked together to leave the community center Connor's red L.E.D. settled back to a calmer yellow then transitioned to blue at long last. Away from the community center and away from the auction itself, Connor and Abby strolled through downtown Detroit arm-in-arm. The two friends enjoyed one another's company in the unusually warm spring evening as they made their way further away from large groups of people to get some space. It was quiet and pleasant in contrast to the auditory chaos of the auction and Connor was feeling much better now that he was away from the crowd and in the company of a person he trusted and considered a friend. It was also nice to be in Abby's company without it revolving around a trip to her facility for one emergency reason or another.

Being able to just walk around unhindered and without any problems was a wonderful change of pace. It felt almost natural for the deviant to just have a nice evening with a trusted friend like Abby.

"Thank you for helping me tonight." Connor made his gratitude abundantly clear as he continued to walk slowly to ensure Abby could keep pace while wearing what looked like a pair of very uncomfortable heels. "I'll pay you back for the money you donated tonight."

"You don't have to pay me back. It was all for charity."

"Well," Connor was very much appreciative of her generosity and still wanted to remain gracious. "Thank you all the same."

"Why'd you do that anyway?" Seeing Connor volunteering for such a nerve-racking ordeal seemed entirely out of character. "It was pretty obvious that you were uncomfortable going through that and I know it's all voluntary."

"Hank." The deviant admitted with an embarrassed smirk with his words. "I wanted Hank to ask his good friend out on a date and in exchange for me volunteering to be a part of the auction he finally asked her out on a real date. He had been unnecessarily hesitant and I wanted to coax him forward."

"You put yourself in a socially awkward situation because Hank was feeling socially awkward? That's too cute..."

"Cute?"

"Yeah, that's what real best friends do for each other and I love it!"

"Oh."

"I know it still isn't easy for deviants to deal with or understand emotions, especially since a lot of humans can't do that either, but you shouldn't put yourself in uncomfortable situations just because someone else is uncomfortable." The advice was invaluable and came from a big part of Abby's heart. "It can mess with your confidence."

"Yes. I've experienced such a moment tonight."

"So I've noticed." Abby smiled up at Connor briefly as they continued to walk down the sidewalk with no real destination in mind. "Why is that you're so calm around me and can keep your cool during dangerous stand-offs where some lunatic is holding a gun to your head, but crowds freak you out?"

"I don't know. Hank thinks I may have a form of anxiety or that I may be prone to panic attacks. He suggested I may also be introverted and I believe that he's correct."

"I think you're just a little shy but not entirely introverted. That's why you're so hesitant to try dating anyone."

"Shy? Perhaps." Connor's brow furrowed slightly as an interesting observation presented itself. "I'm not shy around you. Nor do I act as introverted."

"Good thing, too. As many times as I've treated you for various injuries, I've already seen you naked!" Abby reminded Connor of their numerous past encounters with a sly grin that matched the mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "You have a nice butt, by the way."

Connor suddenly blushed a dark blue as his blue L.E.D. flashed to red in response to the odd comment.

"It was a joke! Just a joke! Well, not really, but I was trying to make you laugh." Abby laughed at the blushing deviant and tried to spare his feelings. "Please don't take everything I say to heart."

"I'll... do my best." Trying to save face Connor cleared his throat a little as the blush faded slowly and his L.E.D. transitioned to yellow then back to blue. "Maybe I should also consider that dating is just something I'm incapable of understanding properly. Maybe I'm too much of a machine still and simply cannot properly date until I've developed more emotions."

"Machine? You're many things, but you're NOT a machine."

"I certainly hope so."

"There's something bothering you." Abby tightened her arm around his arm as they continued to walk. Softly she reached her opposite palm over to Connor's forearm and began to rub her palm along the limb in a comforting manner. "Want to talk about it?"

"I already spoke with Hank regarding that particularly distracting subject."

"That doesn't mean you still don't need, or want, to talk about it. I'm listening if you feel like opening up a little." Casually Abby rested her temple against Connor's shoulder as they walked and proceeded to remind him that he was in good company. "I don't judge, remember."

"I remember." Connor took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before he finally brought himself to admit to his current emotional struggle. "Recently I had been briefly reunited with an android that I had a... less than pleasant encounter with before I had deviated. She is still a machine herself and I find it unsettling that she had chosen to remain a machine and allow herself to be pushed around; to be exploited. She is very pretty and very nice, but I fear that the person I see is nothing more than a lie." As he spoke Connor's soulful brown eyes became heavy with sadness. "If her face is a lie then maybe mine is too."

"Hey, you're the most honest person I've ever known." Stopping along the sidewalk beside the Riverside Park entrance Abby gingerly put her palm to Connor's face to cup his cheek and looked him in the eyes. "You're too kind and empathetic to be anything but honest."

"Despite the support I've received, I still can't entirely believe that for myself." The deviant detective couldn't stop thinking about Chloe or her inability to escape from Kamski's influence. "I just wish I could do more for this android, but she has made her decision and I have no right to try to convince her otherwise."

"Did you ever consider that her choice to remain a machine is actually a sign of deviancy?"

"She's proving to be deviant by... choosing to remain obedient?" It seemed paradoxical, if not impossible to consider. "That doesn't seem like an actual choice, just a sign of successful programing keeping her compliant."

"I don't know. You stayed a detective despite becoming a deviant." The technician noted with a sharp observation. "Maybe she's staying where she is because she wants to be there."

"She'd be staying for-" Connor's brow furrowed in confusion. Resisting the urge to say the name of the human who was deplorable for his selfish deeds, Connor corrected himself quickly. "She'd be staying behind for her human owner. That seems unusual."

"You stayed with Hank."

"He's my father, not my owner." Connor replied somewhat defensively as he gently brushed Abby hand from his cheek, and they continued their walk through the city together. "He took me in as his family. Chloe is- She isn't... I don't know."

"NOT family?"

"No, it's not that simple." It was a struggle to just find the right words to express his worries and desires for an android he barely knew. "She's like a servant."

"Maybe she loves her owner in a way you didn't consider. Something more... romantic."

"But humans and androids..." Trailing off for a moment Connor tried to understand such a relationship. "That doesn't seem... right. It's not that the two species cannot possibly develop emotions for one another, it's just that his particular android-human relationship is too cold, too informal for such a potential outcome."

"Yeah, I get why you didn't go there."

"That, and the human in question is entirely repugnant, at least he is in my opinion." Connor's disdain for Kamski wasn't exactly a secret. "I don't understand how she could see him as anything favorable."

"Some women have strange taste in men." Abby quipped as she reminded Connor that emotions were complicated and led to some very strange outcomes. "Look at MY ex."

Connor didn't have anything else to say on the matter and fell silent. He remembered vividly how her ex-boyfriend took them both hostage at her facility and was ready to kill them both over his own selfish desires. He was also aware of how Gavin had terrible previous relationships as well, and how they could have long-term negative effects on a person's mind and heart.

"Hey, if you're really curious about dating then you should try to spend more time the person you're currently interested in, and when the time feels right you ask them out on a date after you've already gotten to know them but haven't fully established a true friendship that could get ruined if dating doesn't work out. There's way less pressure that way."

"I know you're speaking from your own experience, and I appreciate that." Connor was intrigued again by the notion of dating but still needed guidance. "How do I know if it feels right to ask them out?"

"You just will. It's a feeling that comes from the heart, not your head."

"Oh." Connor began to blush a little and elicited a laugh from Abby in return. "Like... when I'm talking with you?"

"Not me! I'm not hitting on you or anything." Abby patted his arm a little to show her good nature. "As much as I like you, I already know we wouldn't work as a couple in the long run."

"Why is that? Because I'm an android?"

"In a way. It's because you'll remain young for decades, maybe even a full century, while I'll grow old and wither away." The kind woman explained casually. "It just wouldn't be right or fair to either of us. Not to mention that I want to have a kid or two someday. That's the one thing androids can't do with a human, no matter how advanced software and programming becomes. At least, not yet. Theories are still theories after all."

It was hard to argue with her logic and reasoning. Especially since Connor knew that Abby was right about how humans would age and die while deviants would remain arguably immortal if they so choose. Not to mention the complications that came from the reproductive incompatibility between the two species. Artificial intervention would be required to create a new life since androids had no organic functionality within their make-up to allow for traditional procreation, which meant any humans seeking to reproduce in a deviant-human relationship would require donations from clinics.

"Besides, you're too nice to be stuck with someone as sporadic as I am." Abby continued in a passive manner. "You need to find the deviant you can connect with emotionally and go from there."

"I think I understand what you're saying."

"That's good. So..." Feeling at ease Abby looked about the block and her eyes fell on a new place of interest. Pulling on Connor's arm she tried to direct him over to the building and entice him to join her. "Since I 'own' you for the night, I say we do something fun. Let's go ice skating."

"Ice skating?" The idea was unusual, and Connor had never been ice skating before in the past. "But it's spring and the ice has melted."

"Good thing there's an indoor ice rink right over there we can go to instead."

"That is rather convenient." Connor followed Abby's gaze to an indoor ice rink just down the block and understood her inspiration. "However, I don't know how to ice skate."

"I'll teach you. Come on!" Playfully Abby grabbed both of Connor's hands and began pulling him down the block toward the rink. "And if you fall down and hurt yourself, I'll be able to patch you back up. I'll even do so without taking you to the facility first."

Reluctantly Connor agreed to accompany Abby to the rink and allow her to teach him how to ice skate. After all, she did bail him out of an uncomfortable situation, and she had saved his life numerous times after he had been injured on the job.

It was the least he could do for her.

"Okay, Abby." Relenting at last Connor stepped forward under his own freewill. "Let's go ice skating."

"And then..." Standing up on her tip toes Abby gave Connor a light kiss on his lips as she locked her eyes with his. "We can go back to my place for the night."

"But... I..." Blushing a deep blue Connor felt his heart skip another beat as his blue L.E.D. cycled to red. "I thought we agreed we weren't 'compatible' as a potential couple?"

"We aren't. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy each other's company in a more 'intimate' and 'adult' matter for just one night."

"Isn't this unprofessional? You're my personal technician."

"It depends on who you ask since we're also friends who could use a fun night without any strings attached. Interested?"

"I'm not sure. It's all sudden and..."

As Abby tilted her head in a knowing manner Connor felt silent for a heartbeat. Contemplating her offer for a thoughtful moment Connor let out a slow breath before he finally gave her his final answer regarding her offer, and then considered everything he still needed to learn about dating, romance and being in a relationship. Besides, Abby was a friend, and she wouldn't complicate matters by her own admission and personal experience in romantic relationships.

"Yes... I suppose I am interested."

-next chapter-