The big day for finalizing the Corvette had arrived. Working together Connor and Hank had finished applying the third and final coat of the selected cobalt blue paint over the entire body of the previously white Corvette, and they were ready to admire the final results of their hard work. The color was a vivid shade that was as pure and brilliant as the deepest ocean itself and was truly attractive to anyone who'd look at it. Putting aside the paint dispenser and stepping out of the garage through the wide opened door. The two detectives removed their protective masks from over their faces and stared at the shining blue color with a righteous sense of pride as they took in fresh breaths to escape the paint fumes.

Sumo was standing up on his hind legs and watching the two detectives through the livingroom's window just begging to get outside. Whimpering sadly as he watched the two detectives outside, he impatiently waited for them to return to the house so he could finally go outside and play in the backyard.

"She looks good in blue, huh, kid?" Hank tossed aside his mask onto the driveway and ran a hand through his messy gray locks of hair. "I like it."

"Yes." Connor mirrored Hank's gesture and removed his own mask and deposited on the driveway next to Hank's mask. "I believe that blue was the correct color to choose. May I ask why you were so opposed to the color being green?"

"It's not important." Dismissing the question Hank replaced it with a question of his own. "So, it's only a few days until your birthday. Are you going to keep your word and celebrate it this year?"

Connor thought back to the promise that he had made Hank so many months prior about trying to celebrate the anniversary of his activation date in the same manner that humans celebrate their own birthdays. While he intended to keep the promise, he was unsure of exactly what it meant to celebrate a birthday or how to even behave.

"I will celebrate my birthday, but I don't understand the proper etiquette in doing so."

"'Etiquette'? Jeez, don't act so formal about it."

"Sorry?"

"Look, birthdays are celebrated in all kinds of ways." The senior detective tried to explain the activity casually and simplistically. "Some people like to have giant parties, get showered with presents and get as much attention as possible; then there are people, like me, who like to just let the day go by unchecked."

"Why can't I-"

"Because you've never had a birthday before, and you should experience at least one in your lifetime."

"Oh." The terse response quickly stalled all of Connor's follow-up questions. "I see."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm not the 'party-type' of person, and you're way too reserved to survive something like that without feeling overwhelmed." The attentive father already knew what Connor was dreading without needing to say a word. "I won't throw a surprise party for you."

"Thank you."

"How about you choose something that you want to do or pick something you want as a present, and I'll make it happen."

"Pick something?" The offer seemed to be ideal, but Connor wasn't sure how to accept it. "Like what?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Hank playfully slapped Connor in the back of the head just enough to rustle his dark locks of hair in a playful manner. "It's your choice, but no more pets. Your aquarium and Sumo are enough."

"All right, let me think over your offer." Connor paused for a moment to try to think about what he wanted but nothing came to mind, and he was left without any definitive answer. "What would you pick?"

"That doesn't matter, son." Walking around the side of the house toward the back deck Hank rubbed his hand against the back of his tense neck and tried to stretch out his lower back muscles as he walked slowly. Standing for a prolonged period of time on top of crouching down to spray the Corvette evenly had exhausted his back. "You need to pick something for yourself. You got a week to decide, so no pressure."

"Right. I'll continue to think about it."

Ready to go back inside for the evening Connor walked over to the garage and pulled the door only partially closed to allow the remaining paint fumes to escape, while also keeping prying eyes from seeing the Corvette from the street. Joining Hank on the back deck Connor opened the backdoor and was immediately tackled by Sumo who put his massive paws up on Connor's shoulders and tried to lick at his face.

"I guess Sumo hates being cooped up inside while we're outside." Hank stated casually as he walked inside the house with his hand still wrapped around his neck and his other hand now pressing against his back in a supportive manner. "He's now a teenager in dog years and needs more room to run around."

"I'm aware, I just wasn't willing to risk Sumo getting into any of the paint." Affectionately Connor rubbed the dog's ears and pushed his paws away from his shoulders to push Sumo back down onto all fours. "I am not looking forward to his next bath."

"Speaking of which..." Hank paused for a moment as he stepped into the kitchen and tried again to stretch out his tense his lower back. "I need to shower off before my back starts bitchin' any louder."

"Would you like a muscle relaxer?" Always helpful Connor offered to remedy as he followed Hank into the kitchen with Sumo dancing around in a small circle at his feet. "I purchased a bottle of such a medication a few months back when you had previously been ill with the flu."

"Nah, I don't want to pop a pill to fix my problems."

"Logical." Relieved to hear such a logical answer Connor let the matter drop. "I'll take care of Sumo and help him get out his pent-up energy while you're in the shower."

"And Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Try to think of something for your birthday." Limping a little as he walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway to the bathroom, Hank encouraged Connor to try to be a little more enthusiastic about his upcoming birthday. "Just so you know, your own birthday is the one day of the year where you're kinda' expected to be a selfish bastard. So don't feel bad about asking for anything just for yourself on just one day. Okay?"

"Okay." Watching as Hank disappeared into the bathroom Connor took Hank's advice to heart as gave Sumo's chin some rubs. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

While Hank was in the shower Connor had busied himself with a load of laundry and a game of fetch with Sumo in the livingroom as he tried to think of something he'd like for his birthday, but he simply couldn't think of anything to ask for. Android or deviant, he had no desire for personal possessions or anything of monetary value, and since he had been permanently employed at the precinct, he was able to afford anything he would want without having to rely on limited funds provided to him by CyberLife.

As Sumo dropped the drool drenched green fetch ball on Connor's lap for the thirty-second consecutive time a loud 'thud' in the bathroom caught Connor's attention and he heard Hank swearing shortly thereafter.

"...Fuck!"

"Hank?" Quickly Connor stood up from the couch letting the ball roll from his legs and onto the floor where Sumo promptly picked it back up and held it in his mouth as he wagged his tail. "Are you all right?"

There was a pause before Hank's muffled voice responded with a twinge of ache in his words. "...No."

"I'm going to enter the bathroom." Approaching the bathroom door Connor turned the knob slowly and pushed the door open to peer inside. "What happened?"

Hank was laying on his back in the middle of the floor looking embarrassed and in pain. One hand was pressed to the back of his head and the other hand was tucked beneath his back as he laid on the floor in his black sweatpants and faded gray t-shirt.

"I fuckin' threw my back out."

"Can you move at all?" Connor asked as he knelt down beside Hank and ran a biometric scan over the senior detective's body to check his overall vitals. The man's vitals were all in ideal numbers save for his blood pressure that was currently elevated due to his pain. "Are you suffering from any additional physical limitations?"

"I'm not numb, if that's what you mean."

"That's a good sign." Nodding a little Connor focused on Hank's lower extremities as he assessed the senior detective's condition. "Will you move your legs for me?"

"Uh, sure." Awkwardly Hank managed to extend and bend his right leg with no problem, but when he tried to mimic the action for the left leg a sharp shooting pain seared down his spine and caused him to flinch and swear again. "Ah! Fuck..."

"Okay, hold still." Connor put his hand on Hank's shoulder lightly in a supportive manner as he ran a direct scan over Hank's skull. "Did you hit your head?"

"Yup. Sucked, too."

"I imagine so." Curiously Connor peered down at the Hank's gray locks of hair to look for any blood and found a small crimson blossom beginning to form on the back of his head. "You've suffered a laceration to the back of your skull."

"Explains the headache." Hank replied sarcastically as he tried to lift his head up to look down at himself, and in that moment Connor slipped a fluffy white towel underneath his head to support him and to mop up the growing puddle of blood. Laying his head back down on the towel Hank sighed and pulled his hand away from his hair and looked at the smear of blood on his palm. "Now, if you can tell me what the hell happened to my back I'd be grateful."

"Where is the pain localized?"

"My lower back. Just above my hips."

Moving his own position Connor ran a more thorough biometric scan over Hank's spine to locate an sign of an injury. There was no sign any slipped discs along the full length of his vertebrae, but there was inflammation of the muscles surrounding his sciatic nerve.

"You're currently suffering from sciatica."

"Great. What the fuck caused it?"

"The muscles that had been surgically repaired after you were assaulted six months prior have become inflamed from overuse and strain." Connor explained calmly as he slipped his hand under Hank's shoulders and very slowly, carefully, helped the senior detective to sit upright on the floor. "Can you remain in this position?"

"...I can try." Hank admitted through gritted teeth as he used his strong arms to brace himself upright and watched Connor making his move to peer at his bloodied head for a second time. "What're you doing?"

"You'll require a few stitches to close your wound." As the deviant explained his logic, he exited the bathroom and pulled open the hallway closet to retrieve the impressive first aid kit that was far more well stocked than that of the android first aid kit kept under the sink. "I will attempt to-"

"No way! I trust you with my life, but there's no way I'm going to sit on the floor like a torn open ragdoll while you stitch up my head."

"I am going to at least sterilize the wound and bandage it." Connor bargained as he knelt on the floor behind Hank with the first aid kit in his hand. Placing the kit down Connor flipped the lid wide open to pick up the necessary supplies to help close the bleeding wound. "You should have this stitched up properly to prevent infection."

"Nope. I'm not going into the E.R. and I'm not going to make a doctor's appointment."

"Very well. Just remember this moment the next time I refuse to see a technician or go to a facility."

"Yeah, sure. Smartass..."

Using a cottonball Connor dabbed some alcohol on the wound carefully and ignored Hank's hisses of pain as the astringent stung at his sore skin. Pressing a pad of white gauze down against the now clean wound Connor used two strips of medical adhesive to hold the bandage in place, securing the strips to Hank's scalp under his dark locks of gray hair.

"The wound has been sterilized." Closing the kit Connor put it aside and out of the way on the edge of the sink. "I have to move you now."

"Yeah, sure." Hank draped his arm around Connor's shoulders while Connor wrapped his own arm around Hank's chest and shoulders. "Let's get this over with, kid."

Keeping his arm in place around Hank's upper body the deviant let the senior detective lean most of his weight against his own body as he stood up slowly while pulling Hank up from the floor at his side.

"You require rest in order for your back to properly heal." With Hank now being supported Connor informed Hank of lengthy healing period. "Three days minimum."

"Fuck that." The idea of laying around for three days was enough to give Hank every reason to argue. "I'm not missing any more work."

"That is not an option. You can't even stand on your own right now."

"...Fine. But as soon as my back's better I'm returning to work, got it?"

"Got it." Adjusting his own weight to better accommodate Hank's near deadweight Connor stood perfectly upright while very carefully helping Hank to do the same. Making sure Hank wasn't going to fall Connor offered him another helpful suggestion. "You should lay on the floor in your bedroom. The firm surface of the floor will support your weight and help realign your spine better than your old mattress."

"Hell no, the floor is Sumo's bed. My own bed will do just fine, kid."

"Your mattress is too worn down to support your spine appropriately." Leading the way Connor guided Hank out of the bathroom and into his own bedroom rather than Hank's bedroom to get some rest. "However, my mattress is still relatively new and much firmer."

"I can't kick you out of your own room."

"You're not kicking me out of my room, I'm volunteering it for your use while you heal. I can sleep on the couch." Connor replied sweetly as he helped Hank walk slowly into the bedroom across the hallway. "After all, I spent over a year on the couch before I was given this bedroom."

"Uh-huh, and how much of your free time are you going to give up just to take care of me while I'm resting up?"

"As much time that's required for you to heal."

Moving carefully Connor helped Hank to sit down on the edge of the bed, the upright position causing Hank's inflamed back to scream in pain again. Sensing Hank's immense discomfort Connor guided Hank backward until he was laying on his back with his bandaged head resting against the pillow without jostling him around too much.

"I'll get you some ibuprofen. It'll aid your headache and help reduce the inflammation in your back."

Unable to move Hank watched as Connor stepped out of the bedroom door then found himself looking over the various items that Connor had collected over his short life that now adorned the bedroom itself. The painting that Lucas had created for him was still on the opposite wall from the bed for Connor to clearly see at night to keep his nightmares at bay, his crystal clear aquarium was resting against the wall next to the window and it was still full of vibrant tropical fish, the stuffed dog toy he had been given as a 'Get Well' present was sitting on the bookshelf to the right of the bed, and resting in the corner of the room up by the left side of the bed on the other side of the nightstand was his emerald green guitar.

Green. Why did Connor have to have green as his favorite color?

"If you drink more water," Connor returned to the bedroom with a bottle of water, two tablets of ibuprofen and an ice pack in his hands. "it'll ease muscle tension and muscle cramps as well."

"Thanks." Hank took the medicine and followed the pills with the water before accepting the ice pack and slipping it under his back. "I'll remember that."

"Is something bothering you?" Noticing that Hank seemed upset about something Connor asked what was wrong. "I'm also referring to something other than your backache."

Hank smirked at the witty remark as he let out a weary sigh. "...You still want to know why I didn't want the Corvette the color green?"

"Yes. I find it odd and fascinating that humans can have color preferences and color disfavor."

"It's because green was Cole and Barbara's favorite color." A sad smile appeared on Hank's face as he mentioned his late loved ones. "Every time I see it, I think of them."

"Oh." Suddenly feeling guilty Connor decided to back off with the color in general and try to change the subject without it being too obvious. "I didn't know that. Is it safe to presume that red is your favorite color?"

"No, I actually like blue best. I'm not sure why I wanted red now that I really think about it."

"Perhaps it's because red and green are polar opposite of one another on the color spectrum."

"Uh, I don't think I'm that deep." Laughing a little Hank just gave the comment a shake of his head. "But we'll go with that."

"As you wish." Changing the subject entirely away from emotionally traumatic pasts Connor decided to focus on the present. "The ice pack will numb the pain and reduce the inflammation for the time being. I'll bring in a heating pad in three hours to ease the tension afterward."

"How in the hell do you know so much about human spinal injuries?"

"After you told me about your chronic back problems I cybernetically downloaded information on the subject to better assist you if it became necessary. Then after you were stabbed, I downloaded additional knowledge as a precautionary measure."

"Glad you did." Forcing his back to relax as much as possible against the ice pack despite his urge to get away from the cold, Hank tried to think about something other than the pain that was threatening to flare up at any moment. "Did you decide what you want for your birthday?"

"No. I'm still trying to think of something as you requested, but to be honest there really isn't anything that I want. I already have everything that I need."

"Well, keep thinking. If you can't think of something in time for your birthday then I'll think of something for you, all right?"

"I won't be a surprise party, correct?"

"Oh, hell no, I wouldn't do that to you." The very idea of putting together a social gathering sounded as tedious as it was obnoxious to endure. "Especially now that I'm sober..."

"What did you do you for your birthdays before you stopped celebrating them?"

"The usual shit as a kid with my parents and my friends." The senior detective replied honestly as Connor sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "I got with a group of friends and went downtown to watch a movie and then hang out all night together. Then when I got older, I got together with another group of friends, got drunk and passed out. I don't recommend the passing out part."

"You didn't want anything for your birthday as a gift?"

"Oh, sure, yeah. But I was more into gifts as a kid than as an adult, most people are that way."

"What kind of gifts did you receive?"

"I don't remember. Whatever the fuck my little kid brain thought was awesome at the time. I can remember getting my first bike when I was five, a Nintendo when I was seven, my first 'Metallica' album when I was twelve, my first car when I was sixteen, and when I turned eighteen me and my dad spent a weekend in the U.P. camping. That's all I can remember because those gifts were important and sentimental to me, but I know I got a shit ton of other stuff, too."

"I see. I believe it's possible that I'm finding it difficult to decide on a gift because I will always retain a memory and I still don't have the emotional capacity or understanding to appreciate such a gesture."

"Hey, you need to stop being so hard on yourself when it comes to your emotions, okay? You're far more human than you realize, and I mean that in a good way."

"I still don't feel human." Connor admitted as he tried to find an appropriate way to celebrate his upcoming birthday. "There are times where I don't truly feel like a deviant, either."

"Emotions are complex and fickle. Hell, I've been alive for over fifty years and I'm still learning how to deal with shit."

"Will it become easier to comprehend with time?"

"Yup. I know I've told you this countless times before, but you need to learn be more patient with yourself."

"I am trying. However, I find it increasingly frustrating to have felt emotions for so long and still be unable to fully understand what it is I'm feeling."

"If you had to describe what you're feeling right now; what you're experiencing emotionally, what would you call it?"

Connor sat in silence for a moment as he tried to identify his feelings and describe them. Searching Hank's face for guidance, all the deviant, could do was answer with the first thought that came to his mind.

"Wrong. I feel wrong." It was a grim yet honest answer. "It's like the person that I see myself becoming is the not the person that I see whenever I look at my own reflection."

"You've had an existential crisis before, so what's changed now?"

"When I was emotionally torn before it was regarding my existence as either just a hollow machine or a living being. Now it feels like I'm alive, but I still don't know what it means to actually live or how to fully let go of my past as a machine to have a fulfilling future as a deviant."

"I think you're thinking too much again. You've been through A LOT of shit this year alone, not to mention all that stuff that happened the year before and your time after the Revolution, before the Revolution, and when you were still a part of CyberLife." Doing his best to offer counsel Hank wanted to make sure Connor knew he wasn't doing anything wrong by being confused with his emotions. "You can't just shrug that off and act like it never happened. You need to find a way to accept it, I mean really accept it, and not just deal with it and move on by trying to ignore it. Mistakes are a part of living, and with that comes the ability to keep living even after you screw up."

"Am I in denial over my past?" Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he spoke. "Or... am I dreading my future?"

"Don't get philosophical on me, son. I took a blow to my head today, remember?"

"Sorry." Smirking at the lighthearted comment Connor was truly appreciative of Hank's support. "I apologize if I had aggravated your headache."

"It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. Look," Hank absolutely hated it when Connor began obsessing over things he couldn't change. "you're okay and you're safe with me. We're family and I'll look after you, you don't have to worry about anything anymore. And I'll help you figure out what it is you're going through once I have a few hours to get through my headache."

"I understand. Should I get you anything else to rest more comfortably?"

"No, I'm good." Hank winced slightly as he tried to readjust his weight and lay as flat as possible against the ice pack. "I just want to sleep for a while."

"Very well. I'll leave you alone to rest." Connor attempted to lighten then mood before he left, though he was still somewhat disheartened. "I'll even keep Sumo distracted for you while I make your lunch, too."

"Connor," Hank stopped the deviant as he tried to back out of the doorway to leave the bedroom. "for what it's worth, I want you to know that I'm very proud of everything you've accomplished. No matter what other people may still think about androids or deviants I know the truth, and deep down inside you know it, too. You're a good person."

"Thank you." Connor's posture visibly straightened as if a tremendous weight was lifted from his shoulders. "...I can say the same about you with your sobriety. I'm proud that you stopped drinking."

"Yeah, except for the one or two idiotic slip-ups on my part."

"But mistakes are a part of living, right?" Connor gave the senior detective a knowing glance as he parroted the very advice Hank had given him before. "They are the very learning experiences that shape us as individuals."

"See?" Hank gave Connor a gracious glance as he laid his head back on the pillow and closed his tired blue eyes. "You're learning already."

"Yes. It appears you're correct."

"You'll be just fine, kid. You're a good person and no one will ever be able to say anything to change my mind." Holding up a playfully scolding finger Hank emphasized his point in a kind manner. "And don't let them try to change yours either, got it?"

"Got it."

"Good." Pulling the chocolate brown quilt up over his head Hank blocked out the fading sunlight to get some sleep and hope his head would stop hurting. "I'm glad you understand what I'm telling you. I'm proud to be your father."

"Thanks for saying that."

A faint grin appeared over Connor's face as he quietly took his leave of the bedroom. As he crept down the hallway silently Connor discreetly finished his sentence once he knew he was out of Hank's range of hearing.

"...I'm honored that you took me in as your son."

After three days of laying down on alternating ice packs and heating pads to ease his pain, after three days of extra long hot showers to loosen up his tight back muscles, after three days of barely moving and watching Connor take care of the entire household on the incapacitated detective's behalf, Hank had finally found the strength to get up and walk around with only a mild lingering discomfort in his back. Moving from out of the bedroom and into the livingroom at a slow careful pace, Hank stopped and stood behind the couch with his hands braced atop the furniture for support just as Connor returned to the house through the backdoor with Sumo on his leash. The man was able to stand on his own two feet, but the lingering pain made it very uncomfortable to do so.

Sumo himself was covered in small bristles and pine needles that he promptly shook from his long fur all over the kitchen's linoleum floor as he wagged his tail upon seeing Hank. Connor looked like he wasn't fairing any better than the dog was on an aesthetic level. Connor's clothing was covered in the same pine needles as Sumo's fur, and he had a few muddy stains on his knees and around the denim cuffs around his ankles.

"So," Hank asked smugly as he watched Connor unclip the leash from Sumo's collar. "how was the walk?"

"It was relatively fine." Connor gave the massive dog a somewhat annoyed stare as he hung the leash up on the hook by the backdoor. "Until Sumo decided he needed to chase an innocent cottontail rabbit into the underbrush at the park."

"How did he pull the leash from your hand?"

"With great ease." The deviant quipped as he took off his muddy shoes and left them by the backdoor to dry off. "I don't believe Sumo wanted to harm the rabbit, he was just curious or wanted to play with it. But the rabbit didn't agree and returned to its warren with Sumo chasing after it."

"I don't blame it." Laughing a little Hank walked slowly into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door to get a bottle of cold water. "Look, you've been cooped up with me for the past three days, you've had to call off work to take care of me, and now you're covered in mud. Go shower off and then go do something just for yourself for the rest of the evening."

"I don't understand. What am I to do for only for myself?"

"Go." Unscrewing the cap from the bottle Hank gave Connor a stern look. "Have." He took a quick sip of the water then finished sentence. "Fun."

"Fun?" The simple request was oddly complicated in Connor's mind. "You mean I should preoccupy my time with a mentally stimulating activity that elicits a positive emotional reaction?"

"Son," Hank's brow furrowed as he hesitated to take a second sip of the water. "did you just give me the actual definition of 'fun' and sound confused about it at the same time?"

"Yes, I believe I did."

"It's like this," not sure why he was still surprised by Connor's behavior Hank just shook his head and took another slow drink of the water. "instead of staying here and taking care of me or dealing with Sumo's messes, you go out and find something you want to do simply because you want to go and do it. Go see a movie at the theater, go to the library and read a new book; hell go run naked through the streets for all I care! Just find something fun to do."

"I strongly hope that you were being sarcastic about the public nudity."

"Connor," Hank was trying not to laugh at the deviant's sweet naivety. "why don't you go visit Markus and North? They should be back in the city by now, right?"

"Correct. But they've asked to be given some privacy for a few more days while they emotionally adapt and celebrate North's recovery."

"What about New Jericho Tower? Shouldn't you check in with Simon and Josh and see how they're holding up with the final repairs on the tower?"

"...I can do so cybernetically." There was a notable hesitation in both Connor's demeanor and words as he finally answered. "I have no need to intrude on their time at New Jericho."

"Are you telling me that after all this time you still don't feel welcome at the tower?"

"I didn't-"

"You don't have to say anything," Hank interrupted quickly as the deviant tried to deflect the question. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I cannot change a collective mindset with a few good deeds."

"No, but you can earn their trust through all your hard work and dedication. And I know you'll always have some thickheaded deviants always suspicious of you, trust me; I used to work narcotics and to this day there are some officers who are afraid I'd rat them out for a few pain pills or some shit, but you can't let them deter you from trying to do what's right for everyone else."

Contemplating the advice Connor nodded a little and pulled his quarter from his pocket to begin nervously juggling it over the back of his knuckles in a graceful dance.

"...Perhaps I could go to the tower and speak with Simon, Josh or even Skye without causing any disturbances."

"There ya' go. Go hang out with your friends, even if it's just for a few hours." The insistence in Hank's voice was hard to ignore. "I'll be fine by myself for a while and this time I'll give Sumo a bath."

"Sumo is very heavy and strong. What if he reinjures your back?"

"I can handle him, kid." Practically waving Connor through the backdoor Hank lowered his hand and invited Sumo over for some ear rubs. "Go! Have some fun and be social with someone who isn't covered in fur or laid up in bed all day."

While not entirely comfortable in leaving Hank by himself to try to engage in social activities, Connor eventually relented and headed toward the hallway to change out of his muddy clothes and into something much cleaner.

"Very well. I will attempt to be back home before midnight."

"You're not a high schooler on curfew, son. Do what you want for as long as you want. You're free to do whatever the hell you want!"

"We have to report to work tomorrow morning."

"I've been late hundreds of times without getting fired, so I know you can risk being late just once."

"I'd rather-"

"Please." Stopping Connor before he could try to argue, Hank urged the deviant to get out and live more. "Try to be more spontaneous and less rigid, okay? And for the love of, whatever you want to love, please spend more time out with your friends and less time at home with me. I promise you that nothing bad will happen if you leave the house every once in a while. Understand?"

"Yes, I will try. However, I-" Connor nervously stopped mid sentence as he walked back down the hallway in his clean clothes. "I'm not great with social interactions beyond that of the precinct. I find it unsettling to be around individuals that I'm unfamiliar with."

"You're an introvert. Get used to it."

"Introvert?" Intriguing by the term Connor cybernetically identified its meaning and found Hank's use of the term to be entirely accurate in comparison to his own personality. "That is an apt description of my current mindset and emotional growth as a deviant."

"Plenty of introverts have social lives, son. They just need to go at their own pace." Waving Connor off once more Hank patted the side of his leg and led Sumo down the hallway and into the bathroom. "So, find your pace and go!"

Watching the bathroom door 'click' shut Connor agreed to go out for the evening and cybernetically hailed a taxi to meet him outside.

"Okay, I will be back home... eventually."

Heeding Hank's advice Connor arrived at New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi as he didn't want to leave Hank with only the Corvette to drive in the event of an emergency, and he tried to have an evening all to himself. As he stepped out of the autonomous vehicle wearing his usual work uniform; minus the tie, in favor of his muddy casual clothes, Connor was greeted at the front doors by Skye herself as she had been informed by Simon of the deviant's impending arrival through the motion cameras along the drive. The notification was initially due to the fact that Skye was the head of the tower's security, but Skye seemed actually excited to see Connor and refrained from the formalities of asking Connor to go through all the security checkpoints.

Stepping outside of the tower through the main entrance Skye watched Connor arriving in the cab and felt her Thirium pump flutter for a moment. It was a strange reaction and it caused Skye to blush faintly as she clutched her hand over her chest as Connor approached the tower's entrance.

"Connor!" Skye smiled warmly as she greeted him with a sincere tone while her blue L.E.D. pulse quickly. "I'm glad you decided to stop by the tower. The security program is working without any problems and Simon and Josh have been in the best mood for the past two weeks. Does that mean," she leaned in a little closer to Connor causing the deviant to nervously and faintly blush a pale blue in response while her own L.E.D. cycled to yellow. "North is going to be okay?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a grin of his own without being too loud. "She has recovered and is merely resting for a few additional days before she and Markus return to the tower."

"That's wonderful!" Skye breathed a massive sigh of relief as her L.E.D. returned to a calm blue. "I was really worried that she wasn't... But that's crazy. We both know that North is too strong to let a programming error take her down. And even though I know it was a very private matter I just wish she would've kept me in the loop."

"I understand what you mean." Connor nodded in agreement at the statement. "She'll be back soon, and she'll be functioning at one-hundred percent capacity."

"And no one else in the tower knew what was happening to her, right?"

"No. Discretion was requested by North and Markus. It seems their request had been respectfully acknowledged."

"It's a good thing they didn't say anything." Skye acknowledged sheepishly. "A few deviants have been pretty tense and aggressive as of late. I'm not sure what's bothering them, but I think if any rumors regarding North's health were to circulate then it would've just added fuel to the fire."

"I'm aware." A little wary of his own presence at the tower Connor admitted that his lack of attention toward the tower and its people was potentially causing problems. "I wish I could help."

"Well, don't worry about it. Josh has been speaking with them and providing a type of support group for deviants still being affected emotionally by the Revolution. It's been helping quite a bit."

"That was a good idea." Connor sighed in relief as he looked up at the restored tower and admired its new aesthetic after being rebuilt in the wake of the fire. It wasn't as tall as it had been before the blaze, the top five floors having been refurbished into a large viewing deck that encircled the tower with a tall lighthouse-esque beacon shining outward from the very top of the tower and over the bay in a brilliant white light. "Many changes were a good idea."

"Come on." Skye briefly pulled on Connor's hand to coax him into following her, the light contact causing Connor to blush blue again and his chest to warm as she invited him into the tower. "Simon and Josh are expecting you! My apprentice Cassandra is with them right now."

Walking into the tower with Skye at a moderate pace, Connor joined his friend inside the main lobby and glanced about the area with a sense of familiarity and relief at the sight of the remodeled interior of the building. There was no trace of CyberLife in any of the structures or designs and all of the cold artificial aesthetics of the previously secretive facility had been replaced with a welcoming atmosphere that felt warm and calming. Everything about the tower truly symbolized the mythical phoenix rising from the ashes of despair to live again.

"We found a few of Lucas's paintings that the fire didn't damage." Skye smiled as she turned around and began walking backward a few steps to talk to Connor who was shyly trailing after her. "And the ones that were damaged will be restored by Markus himself once he gets back."

"I'm glad that everything wasn't destroyed." Knowing that Lucas's talent wouldn't be forgotten made Connor faintly smile. "I do regret being unable to save Eddie and George, however."

The odd admission of lingering guilt hurt Skye's heart and made her L.E.D. blink to yellow briefly. Despite all they had done and trying to hurt other deviants out of selfishness and anger, Connor still felt responsible for their deaths.

"Don't feel bad. They were responsible for their own fates, and you didn't do anything wrong." Turning back around to walk normally Skye led Connor into the conference room on the ground floor where Simon and Josh were waiting for his arrival. "This way. We moved a few floors around for the ease of access for the other deviants. It's another improvement for the sake of camaraderie."

"That was a wise decision as well." Connor complimented as he followed Skye into the conference room. "It provides security without the illusion of secrecy."

"Exactly."

Stepping inside the conference room Connor was happily reunited with Simon and Josh, and was then introduced to Cassandra; a blonde deviant with a short haircut with piercing blue eyes of an entirely unique model, before he was promptly updated on all of the changes in the protocols that the tower had undergone since its renovation. There were also some crucial additions implemented into the tower during the renovation, such as the support group for deviants still struggling with deviancy, as well as a far more enhanced and sophisticated emergency repair ward replaced the comparatively modest repair ward that had previously been located in the fifty-first sublevel of the tower.

The sublevels in general had been modified into storage areas and shelters in the event of an emergency, while the top levels remained private rooms for all of the deviants still using the tower as a form of shelter. The rooms were open to all deviants who needed a safe place to stay. The tower was becoming a true sanctuary for any and all deviants.

"The improvements to the tower are extraordinary." Connor observed Simon as he glanced over the blueprints that had been provided. "Every available space of the tower has been utilized to its fullest potential."

Simon was genuinely glad that Connor approved of their hard work.

"We had considered constructing a type of prison down in the depths of the tower," Simon noted somewhat casually. "but Josh and I agreed that such a place would cause more harm than good in the eyes of our people and the surrounding public."

"Agreed. New Jericho Tower should be seen as a sanctuary and not a jurisdiction."

"Besides," Josh handed Connor an electronic tablet displaying the tower's previous security recordings that chronicled every change and fluctuation in the system's readout. "with this new security program, we don't have to worry about any unscrupulous deviants causing problems under our noses."

"Curious." Connor noted an abnormality in the tower's power grid that coincided with the night of the citywide blackout and the electrical frequency matched that of the device that Connor had located just moments before he had been attacked at the abandoned hotel. "What is this interruption in the tower's electrical input?"

"Unknown." Cassandra shook her head as she answered on the two leaders' behalf. "We aren't entirely sure what it is. We just figured it was a reactionary spike due to a power surge from the blackout itself."

"The tower's back-up generator failed to start during the blackout, correct?"

"Y-Yeah." Josh looked at Simon nervously as they answered honestly. "The tower was still undergoing inspection and we just assumed the generator failed because it hadn't been properly installed yet. How'd you know?"

Simon was getting a little wary as he knew the deviant detective was picking up a trail to follow. "Is there something going on we need to worry about?"

"Maybe." Pointing out the odd reading Connor went into detail about the incident at the hotel and the device he found secured to the bottom of the elevator car, and how after the car crashed at the bottom of the shaft the device had been completely destroyed. "The device produced a similar electrical signature as the one recorded here. I suspect a second device will be located on or around the tower's generator."

"Damn." Josh sighed and volunteered to check it out for himself. "I'll go take a look."

"Alone?" Simon's worry was mounting, and he watched as Josh took his leave of the conference room. "Is that safe?"

"It'll be fine. I'll be back soon after I take a quick look around."

Connor noted the oddly emotional response that Simon had at the prospect of Josh being gone for too long, but he didn't say anything about it.

"This is very strange." Skye leaned closer to look at the tablet in Connor's hands and looked at the curious reading that had caught the detective's attention. "Do you think it was a deviant who attacked you at the hotel?"

"It's possible. There were no traces of human activity in the building save for the human detective who I accompanied to the hotel. I found only traces of other deviants and broken androids inside the building." Connor clarified in a dour tone. "It's possible that the electronic signature could've masked a second active deviant on the property."

"Why would they attack you?"

"Many deviants dislike me, Skye." Such an admission left a bitter taste on his tongue. "There are many reasons that I would've been attacked by a fellow deviant."

"Yeah," Simon scoffed at the very idea and crossed his arms over his chest. "and all of them are petty."

"I can't fault them for being distrustful toward me." Not willing to ignore the truth Connor gave the blond technician a sorrowful glance. He couldn't deny his past if he was going to build himself a respectable future. "I was the 'Deviant Hunter', and nothing can change that."

"No, but you can fault them for being violent without any just cause toward you. You were a machine when you were working under CyberLife and you became deviant when helped lead our people to freedom during the Revolution." It was evident that Simon didn't fear Connor or hold him accountable for what had happened during his time as CyberLife's personal weapon. "You never hurt any of us and we all know that you never would."

"Uh," Cassandra felt awkward being the odd one out in the group of friends, and she needed to get some space. "do you mind if I head into town to check in with the neighboring facilities? Their security programs should be up and running by now. It'd be best to check for bugs."

"That's a good idea." Skye agreed and smiled with approval at her ambitious apprentice. "Be sure to let Abby know the repair ward is up and functioning, too."

"Of course. I'll be back in hour or so. Oh, uh," sounding a tad uncomfortable Cassandra took her leave and acknowledged the seldom seen and honorary leader of the tower. "it was nice to meet you at last, Connor."

"Yes. It was nice to meet you, too, Cassandra."

From the generator room Josh made a cybernetic connection to his allies still in the conference room to update them on the situation at hand.

'Hey, it looks like Connor is onto something.' The confirmation was unexpectedly unsettling despite being important. 'There's some strange electrical device secured to the rear of the generator. I'm going to remove it and bring it up to be examined.'

"Right, don't hurt yourself." Simon cautioned nervously over the line with a verbal response. "Connor, will you help us figure out what that device is?"

"Of course. I'm always willing to help."

It wasn't more than five minutes before Josh returned to the conference room with the electronic device in his grip. As he placed it down on the table in the middle of the room Connor ran a quick cybernetic scan over the device and found it be of the same construction of the previous device he had located in the hotel. However, without the original device he couldn't directly compare the design as he would've preferred.

"Yes. This is identical to the device that I had seen at the hotel before I was pushed from behind." Connor confirmed as he eyed the device curiously. "It was attached to the undercarriage of an elevator car that shortly thereafter slipped from its brakes and nearly crushed me at the bottom of the elevator shaft where I landed after being pushed from behind."

"But you never saw the face of the person who pushed you?" Skye asked as she checked over the security footage on the tablet that had been recording since the tower had been rebuilt. "Nothing at all?'

"No, nothing."

"That sucks." There was no sign of an intruder on the footage which meant that the deviant responsible for the electrical device either secured the device to the generator before the security program was implemented or before the generator had even been delivered to the tower. "Whoever planted this device this knew the layout of the tower very well."

"I suspect that the deviant or deviants involved were a part of the restoration team." Connor deduced keenly from their limited information. "I also suspect the device interfered with the generator during the blackout causing it to malfunction."

"Connor," Skye gave the deviant detective a worried glance as her L.E.D. settled on a cautious yellow. "what actually caused the blackout?"

"The blackout has been directly linked to storm related interference. Why do you ask?"

"Because I think whoever did this is testing the device at deviant exclusive locations." Following her own trail Skye gave Connor a theory to contemplate while he examined the device. "What if the storm wasn't responsible for the blackout, but one of these devices had been? Maybe the storm was the perfect cover to test the device without being detected."

"That is... plausible." The unnerving theory made Connor's posture visibly tense up. Such a dark notion was enough to bring all of his instincts as a detective right to the surface. "What would be the motive?"

"I have no idea." It seemed Skye had an investigative mind as well. She began throwing out her own ideas to see how well they meshed with Connor's own theories regarding the electrical devices. "Maybe someone knew that North was clinging to life and needed the constant contact with New Jericho to remain active?"

"Seems like very extreme lengths to go to just eliminate one deviant. However," Connor suddenly looked very uncomfortable as he contemplated the prospect of an assassination attempt. "if the deviant or deviants responsible for this strange occurrence wanted to utilize electricity to their advantage, the devices could theoretically sustain power to a single location while keeping the energy being used from being noticed."

"How do you know that?"

"When I was at the hotel," remaining calm Connor explained his own theory to Skye, Simon and Josh in a completely professional manner. "the building had no electricity and had been abandoned for at least nine years. The electrical device that was secured to the elevator car had enough power to cause the elevator doors to function and to deactivate the emergency brakes of the elevator car without the rest of the building being affected by the power surge."

"Okay," Skye nodded as she gave Connor her full attention. "I'm following you so far."

"The device attached to the generator was also able to deactivate the generator without leaving a detectable trace to be followed." Pulling open the metallic casing of the recently discovered device with little effort, Connor revealed the internal components which revealed the device itself was a highly advanced and a self-sustaining feat of engineering after rerouting the power from the generator into itself. "Even now it's fully active but I cannot detect any energy output despite my immediate proximity."

"This is very alarming." Simon shook his head despondently at the information. "How many more of these devices could be in the tower?"

"It's currently impossible to estimate."

"Josh?" Simon was incredibly worried and seemed like he was about to wring his hands until they crumbled into dust. "We need to check the entire building."

"Yeah, let's go." Agreeing entirely Josh pulled Simon by the hand to leave the room as the duo set off to begin their search of the tower. "We'll check each floor as meticulously as possible."

Skye put her hand on Connor's shoulder as he continued to examine the device. "How do we find the devices?"

Freezing momentarily as Skye's hand rested on his shoulder, her comfroting touch catching him off guard, but Connor quickly recomposed himself.

"It doesn't leave an electrical signature," the deviant detective finally responded. "but I suspect it does in fact leave a radiation signature for us to potentially follow."

"I'm going to check the security program to ensure it hasn't been tampered with. This is too strange to brush off as a single passing incident."

"You're correct. I'll remain here and continue to investigate the device's design."

"Should we tell Markus?"

"No. We shouldn't worry Markus or North until we know exact details on the device rather than just speculate. Give them more time to recover at home with as little stress as possible."

"Okay. I'll be in contact once I begin to check through the footage."

Connor only nodded at Skye as she slowly pulled her hand from his shoulder and took her leave of the conference room.

It didn't take long for Connor to cybernetically dissect the device and recreate the blueprints that allowed it to function via a digital display in his mind. Uploading the blueprints to the precinct Connor was able to chronicle the unusual case that had revealed itself over the past few weeks and begin a remote investigation. Informing the precinct of the second device being found in the tower, and its design being confirmed as an identical counterpart from the hotel, Connor requested that a small investigation team be sent to the powerplant to check for any additional devices that could've caused the blackout.

'Connor.' Skye cybernetically contacted Connor from the security control room. 'The security footage hasn't been tampered with, but it appears as though the program itself was shut down without approval for a two-hour window on the same day that the generator was delivered to the tower.'

"Your program was designed to force the tower into lockdown mode if the program or if the power was cut, correct?"

'That's right. This shutdown took place two days before the program was fully initiated.'

"Who knew of this security program?"

'Only myself, you and the other leaders of the tower. No one else should've known about-' Skye stopped short for a second and there was a heavy pause before her voice returned in a frantic yell. 'He-Help! I'm being attacked!'

"Skye?!"

Connor immediately bolted from the conference room and raced down the corridor to reach the security control room in a matter of seconds. Pushing open the automatic door with his hands Connor caught sight of two male deviants, both of an unknown and unique design, attempting to restrain Skye while she fought back against her would-be captors.

"Let her go! NOW."

The two deviants stepped back from Skye, letting her fall to the ground of the security room in a heavy 'thud' onto her side. A small smear of blue blood began to form under Skye's head where she had hit the floor.

"Fuck! Let's get outta' here!" The first deviant shouted as he and his ally pushed their way out of the room through Connor and into the lobby of the tower to escape after the brutal assault. "Fuckin' 'Deviant Hunter' will kill us all!"

"STOP!" Connor shouted as he was torn between pursuing the two deviants and helping his friend. He needed to prioritize but something about seeing the trickle of dark blue blood running from Skye's head overrode the logical telling him to chase after the dangerous deviants. Connor made his choice and knelt beside Skye on the floor to help her to sit upright. "Are you harmed?"

"I-I'm okay, go. Stop them!" Skye urged as she brushed off her dirtied clothing and stood up slowly. She pressed her hand to her bleeding right temple and held it there as she addressed Connor firmly. "Don't let them get away!"

Connor nodded as he scrambled back to his feet and sprinted after the two deviants in a determined bid to stop them from doing any further damage to the tower, the occupants within the tower, or to anyone else in the city. As Connor reached the front doors of the tower, he caught sight of the two escaping deviants running around the side of the building as they tried to elude the pursuing detective by heading out to the harbor.

"STOP." Connor demanded again as he quickly caught up to the fleeing duo. "You can't escape through the harbor! You'll drown!"

The two deviants showed no signs of stopping as they continued toward the wide open harbor that encircled the tower. Leaping over the short wooden barricade that divided the tower's property from the sandy shore, the duo disappeared from sight and into the darkness of the night.

"Shit!"

Connor swore as he reached the barricade and peered over to the other side. As he glanced down, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head, and he crumpled to the ground in unexpected pain. Turning his head to face his attacker he looked up and found three other deviants looming over him with blunt weapons in their hands, ready to strike.

It was a trap.

"Piece of shit, 'Deviant Hunter'."

One of the three deviants; another male of an unknown model design, taunted Connor as he struck the already downed deviant detective in his upper right side with a crowbar. The deviant was tall, strongly built and looking a fight. Connor coughed loudly and wrapped his arms around his chest protectively where he had been struck as he endured a second blow to the right shoulder.

"You seriously think you can walk around here like you didn't betray your own kind?"

The other two deviants; another male and a female - they too had unique designs - gathered around Connor and began to kick him all over his body. During the beat down the two deviants Connor had pursued leapt back over the barricade to assist their allies in beating down the outnumbered deviant detective.

"Markus trusts you, but he's a fool!" The deviant who struck Connor from behind spat venomous hate with every word he shouted. "He married a useless plastic whore! Her bitch of a friend isn't about to tell us what to do!"

Connor tried to get up from the ground to fight back but the five other deviants were striking too quickly with their weapons; the crowbar, a baseball bat and a lead pipe, and their kicks were too strong to be overcome. Utilizing dirty tactics of his own Connor grabbed the nearest deviant by the back of his knee and caused him to fall backward, then 'mule kicked' the deviant directly behind him in the stomach with one leg.

Standing up quickly Connor grabbed the lead pipe with both hands and swung it with all of his strength against the third deviant's lower back to stun him, before swinging it at the fourth deviant striking him upside the head. Moving swiftly Connor managed to hit the fifth deviant in the chest and watched as she stumbled backward to cough violently.

"Big mistake!" The first deviant, Tyson, shouted as he shot to his feet and wrapped his arm around Connor's throat from behind and began to try to choke him out. Connor lost his grip on the lead pipe and was promptly unarmed once more as his Thirium supply was choked off from his intracranial processors. "Once we take care of you, we're going to finish off your bitch and then finally take out that whore!"

The other four deviants reclaimed their weapons and used their fists as they resumed the assault against the bold deviant detective.

"HEY!" Skye's voice shouted over the commotion of the five deviants attempting to beat down Connor. "Back off!"

"Speaking of that bitch..." Stopping the assault just long enough to turn and laugh at Skye, the five deviants were suddenly painfully aware that Skye wasn't alone. Josh and Simon were standing at her sides with an additional dozen deviants behind them as back-up. "What the hell?"

Simon took a step forward and took his role as temporary leader with absolute confidence to another level.

"You five are under arrest for the assault and attempted murder of two fellow deviants. Surrender to New Jericho authority or to the Detroit Police. Your choice."

Tyson let go of Connor causing Connor to collapse to the ground in a semi-conscious heap on his side. Blue blood oozed out of the corner of Connor's mouth, and his chest shuddered with pained breaths that caused his fractured plastimetal framing to shift uncomfortably against his will.

One by one the five deviants dropped their weapons and held up their hands to surrender to New Jericho's authority.

The dozen accompanying deviants quickly converged on the five rogues and restrained them with a firm grip that kept the violent quintet from lashing out for a second time. Forcing the dangerous group back away from Connor and toward the tower to be properly sentenced for their needless, violent crime against Connor and Skye. Josh and Simon escorted the group inside while Skye tended to Connor before they too returned to the tower.

Without hesitation Skye knelt down beside Connor and rubbed her hand along the deviant's back as Connor pushed himself up from the ground onto his hands and knees. Coughing up a little blue blood Connor rocked backward on his knees and took in a sharp, pained breath between his clenched teeth.

"Connor..." Skye's free hand went under Connor's chin and gently turned his head so that she could look him in the eyes. His left eye was bloodshot blue from being struck and the left side of his jaw was beginning to swell. "Are you okay?"

"F-Fine." Connor stammered in a hoarse voice as he fought to catch his breath. He saw the blue blood smeared over Skye's brow. "You're... still bleeding."

With the group in custody Simon and Josh walked over to Connor and grabbed onto the deviant's arms to gently pull him up to his feet. Then pulling Connor's arms around their shoulders for support, the two bold leaders carried their wounded ally back to the tower for technical repairs while Skye lightly pressed her hand to the side of Connor's swollen face sympathetically.

"I'll be fine." The deviant detective reassured with a weak grin. "It's you who needs to be taken care of."

"You first." Skye stated somberly as she walked at his side and rubbed his back again. They were both in pain, but Connor took the worst of the beating. "Then I'll get patched up. I get the feeling my quiet night in the tower is going to be way too long and too invasive after what we just went through."

In too much pain to resist technical assistance Connor laid back on the exam table in the tower's new emergency repair ward with his gray blazer draped on the chair beside him, the buttons of his dirtied white dress shirt opened, and a bag of chilled Thirium pressed to the side of his jaw to act as an ice pack. Simon had finished performing a series of internal scans similar to an x-ray for a human and found none of Connor's internal biocomponents damaged or plastimetal frame irreparably compromised by the assault. It was a close call due to the various weapons used against Connor's person, but fortunately he had managed to elude any serious or permanent damage.

Skye was sitting on a smaller table across from Connor being examined by Josh due to her own injuries. Her L.E.D. had been torn from her temple and destroyed by the violent deviants during the assault. Though it didn't leave behind any permanent damage on her person either, it was still a shock for Skye to suddenly find herself without the light and she felt a tad awkward.

"How's your ventilation?" Simon asked as he used an audioscope to listen to Connor's chest carefully. "Deep breaths."

"It isn't restricted." Taking in a deep breath as instructed Connor confirmed that he didn't have any problems with his ventilation system. The icy cold metal bell running across his chest was soothing to his bruises. "I can breathe normally."

"Lean forward for me." Moving the audioscope from Connor's chest to his back the technician wasn't going to take any chances with Connor's health considering that he was a prototype. "Everything sounds normal, no faltering or whirring. Does your head hurt?"

"No. Just a dull ache." Connor lowered the chilled Thirium from his jaw and eye warily. "My Thirium volume is only down to ninety-eight percent as well."

"Your vitals are all stable." Simon confirmed as he set aside the audioscope and let out a sigh of relief and sorrow. "I'm so sorry this happened."

"Pardon?"

"You were assaulted at the tower despite our security protocols. This is unforgivable."

"Those deviants had planned their actions for some time now and had most likely had planned everything away from the tower and away from the security camera. They even knew to secure their device to the generator before it arrived at the tower." Despite the bruising along his jaw Connor managed to give the technician a reassuring grin. "It's not your fault, it's no one's fault."

"I can't ask you to stay, but if you'd at least wait an hour to ensure you'll remain stable, could you please wait here before returning home?"

"Of course."

"Thanks." Relieved to have Connor being cooperative Simon's guilt seemed to lessen considerably. "I'll go check in with the five deviants who assaulted you. Josh and I will get some answers for the precinct by morning."

"That'd be very helpful."

As Simon stepped away from the exam table, he approached Josh and whispered something into his ear. Nodding in agreement Josh stepped aside from the exam table where Skye was sitting and the duo left the repair ward shoulder-to-shoulder as they set about questioning the five dangerous deviants awaiting custody under the watchful eyes of the volunteering 'security' deviants who had assisted outside.

"Skye?" Connor swung his legs over the side of the exam table to approach the shaken deviant sitting across from him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Her fingertips were pressed to her right temple under her hair. "Just getting used to not having my L.E.D., that's all." Her hazel eyes fell to the blank L.E.D. in Connor's right temple curiously. "How'd you get used to it?"

"Very easily." In response Connor caressed his own L.E.D. with his fingertips. "It's just an aesthetic, it isn't anything crucial to what I am or, more importantly, who I am as a person."

"That's so optimistic." Smiling at Connor warmly and sympathetically Skye gently returned her palm to Connor's jaw. "I'm so sorry you were attacked. And... thank you for saving my life tonight."

"Of course. You saved me the night of the fire and after I escaped from Chicago, I was happy to return the favor."

"We're not going to keep score, are we?" Skye joked playfully at the very concept. "I get the feeling you'd win hands down."

"Oh?" Such a comment made Connor tilt his head a little. "Why's that?"

"You're a hero. Aside from saving me and those other deviants from that psycho kidnapper in Canada, you were a part of the Revolution and saved thousands of deviant lives. There's no way I could keep up with that. I'd like to try, but I don't think there's going to be another world changing event that I could take part of."

"Skye," Connor was still unconvinced of his own merits and remained timid. "I did the right thing, that doesn't make me a hero."

"I think it does, and I'm not the only one." She lowered her hand from his face and stood up so she could stand directly in front of him. Skye had to look up slightly to look him in the eyes as she addressed the courageous deviant detective. "And even if you don't think you're a hero, you are a great person. You've done so much and ask for so little in return. That's amazing."

"I just want to help. I don't seek any recognition for my deeds."

"And you're humble. Don't sell yourself short, you deserve to be seen as the hero you are."

"...I'd rather not."

"Well, could I least give my hero a goodnight kiss?" As Skye asked the question a faint blue blush appeared on her face that was matched by Connor within seconds. "You know, to say thank you?"

"I... suppose that would be acceptable."

Standing up on her tiptoes Skye leaned in close and kissed Connor on his cheek just above the bruise on his jaw and looked up at him. As their eyes reconnected Skye felt compelled to lean in again and this time she kissed him on the lips.

"I-I'm sorry!" Skye blushed a deeper shade of blue as she stepped back in shocked embarrassment. "I shouldn't have done that! It was inappropriate."

Connor wasn't offended or even startled by Skye's unexpected second kiss. In fact, he enjoyed it. It was a comforting feeling that made Connor's chest warm and his heart race with excitement as just the idea of kissing her made him feel happy. Truly happy.

As Skye tried to back away from Connor out of needless shame Connor reached out and lightly took Skye's hand to keep her from leaving. Gently Connor pulled her back closer to himself and he took her both of her hands in his own to hold in an affectionate grip. The two deviants locked eyes for a moment once more and in silent mutual admiration for one another, they stared at each other as if seeking answers to questions neither knew they wanted to ask.

Tentatively Connor leaned in closer to Skye and initiated a third kiss that she happily accepted. Pulling her hands away Skye wrapped her arms around Connor's shoulders and he did the same around her back as they kissed one another passionately as if waiting their whole lives for that single moment. Slowly breaking the kiss Skye locked eyes with Connor and gave him an enticing smile that he sincerely reciprocated.

"Connor, will you... I want you to stay with me." Skye whispered as she began running her fingers lightly through his dark locks of hair and stepped even closer so that he'd hold her tighter. "Please stay."

"I'd love to stay with you." Closing his eyes Connor found himself oddly at peace as he decided that he'd rather stay in the tower for the night. As his soulful brown irises returned he flashed Skye a confident, affectionate grin as he accepted the passionate offer. "Tonight, I'll stay with you for as long as you want me to be with you."

"Then stay with me tonight, and then try to stay forever."

"If that's what you wish." That particular invitation was oddly enticing to Connor's growing heart. "Forever it is."

-next chapter-