Sitting somewhat uncomfortably behind his desk Hank pressed a bag of ice against his sore right shoulder and a second ice pack over the knuckles of his right hand as he nursed a pulled muscle in the shoulder and his two fractured fingers. Hank sat in quiet pain all the while Connor finished questioning their deplorable arrested suspect in the interrogation room. The suspect himself was a young man in his twenties and very strong, a trait Hank discovered for himself the hard way. Having been identified by witnesses as the man who beat the hell out of his wife - putting her in the hospital and tragically on life support - it didn't take Hank long to take on the case for the sake of tracking him down and making sure the abhorrent man knew how it felt to have someone bigger than him beating down on him.
Connor insisted that Hank sit the interrogation out to prevent any further incidents or bias and Hank agreed, but only because he didn't want to have to look at that man's horrible face a second longer than absolutely necessary. The interrogation itself didn't take too long, yet when Connor returned to his desk he looked as though he had spoken with the Devil himself.
"Connor?" Sensing Connor's distress Hank urged the deviant to talk it out as Connor reclaimed his seat behind the desk across from Hank's desk. Handling such tragic cases always resonated deeply within Connor's blossoming heart. "Don't hold it in, what's on your mind?"
"It's... complicated." Pausing for only a moment Connor's soulful brown eyes glistened with confused and conflicted emotions. "How can anyone be so cruel as to violently assault someone that they claim to have affection for, and do so over such an insignificant indiscretion?"
"Remember what I said about humans sucking?" Hank asked in a casual manner as he adjusted the ice over his swollen knuckles. "That's one of the many reasons why we do. What lame-ass excuse did he try to give for smacking his wife around?"
"He believed that she was cheating on him with another man because she returned home from her shift approximately six minutes later than expected."
"Fuckin' traffic!" Immediately defending the wife Hank straightened up in his seat and winced as the motion caused his sore shoulder to ache. "No one gets home when they want to in this city. That's a normal part of living here."
"That is apparently what she had told him, and he claimed that she was a liar. He needlessly struck her for supposedly cheating on him and then supposedly lying to his face."
"Fuckin' psycho." Struggling to flex his fractured fingers under the ice Hank looked away from Connor and stared into nothingness. "I should've hit him hard enough to put his sorry ass in a coma, too."
"I agree. The man shows no form of empathy, sympathy, or any emotional comprehension beyond that of his own direct inconveniences." Glancing at Hank's hand resting atop his desk Connor ran a quick biometric scan and noticed two hairline fractures of his right forefingers. "You should see a doctor. It's clear that your first and second metacarpophalangeal joints have been fractured."
"Yeah..." Hank wasn't sure what Connor just said but had a hunch it had something to do with his swollen knuckles. "That's what I figured."
"You should have your fingers secured in splints to diminish the pain and allow your joints to heal properly without needing surgical intervention."
"Later. After we finish our shift."
"You wish to avoid filing a report regarding the injury you've received while on the clock?"
"Yup."
"Very well." Connor's curious eyes trailed up the length of Hank's arm and rested on his right shoulder concealed beneath the pack of ice. "You should also know you suffered a grade one sprain to the acromion joint of your right shoulder."
"Is that bad?"
"Not as bad as it could be. You will have a limited range of motion until the swelling reduces and the joint has time to heal."
"I'm used to that, kid. My damn back keeps me from moving during the winter and winter will be here sooner than you think."
"I dislike the cold. Next winter we-" Connor stopped suddenly as a police report was filed to the precinct and a text message from Chris was cybernetically directed to his processor. The phone on Hank's desk 'buzzed' as he too received the message from Chris. "There was a car accident at Ford and Lilly, the victims have been taken to Henry Ford Hospital. Chris says that one of the occupants of the car was Abby."
"Yeah, that's what I just got on my phone." Hank confirmed as he showed Connor the display. Awkwardly Hank pulled the car key from his pocket and tossed them to Connor who caught them without any difficulty. "You drive."
Rising from his chair quickly Connor readily made his way toward the front doors of the precinct with Hank right beside him. While they trusted that Chris could handle the simple call, the two detectives couldn't stop themselves from worrying over a friend who had helped them both out numerous times in the past without asking for a single thing in return.
Using their badges to gain access to the hospital without any hindrance the two detectives had to wait nearly two hours until the doctors finished treating Abby for her injuries before they could finally speak to her regarding the accident. The duo was then shown to the private room where Abby was recovering from the accident in a less than comfortable manner in the small bed with her right leg wrapped protectively in a cast from her ankle up to her knee. Abby's left eye was bruised, and she had a red scrape along her right jawline. A larger bruise stretched from her right shoulder across her chest diagonally from the seatbelt catching her during the accident itself, and she had a mild red scrape over chin and her nose from the airbag being deployed during the collision.
Gavin was already at the hospital, having responded to the accident along with Chris, and was standing beside the bed looking down at Abby with his back toward the opened door. He was speaking to her and making small notes in his notepad, but it seemed like they were having a friendly conversation and were less interested in writing down her account of the accident itself. Such an upbeat interaction caught both Connor and Hank off guard when they approached the room.
"Abby?" Connor politely called her name from the opened doorway to the room before he and Hank even entered. "May we come in?"
"Connor?" Abby looked up at the doorway behind Gavin with utter confusion as she recognized the two detectives who had come to visit her. "Hank? Hi. Why're you two here?"
"We got a message that you had been in a traffic accident." The deviant detective clarified as he and Hank entered the room and stood beside her bed on the opposite side from where Gavin was already standing. Connor couldn't help but feel as if their presence was somehow an intrusion. "We wanted to check on you."
"That was sweet of you, but I'm fine."
Gavin took a step back and cleared his voice awkwardly before excusing himself from the room. "...Uh, I got everything I need from you Miss Grayson."
"Call me 'Abby'." Without missing a beat Abby gave Gavin a playful stare as he put his notepad away. "Even my own peers call me 'Abby' and not Doctor Grayson while at the facility. You should know that by now."
"R-Right... Abby." Trying remain cool Gavin momentarily fumbled as he slipped his notepad into his coat pocket and said his 'goodbye' to Abby. The man looked oddly pale and a little flustered as he walked away from the room to give Abby some space. "If uh, you need anything or want to talk about the accident just call me with that card I gave you. You can call at any time you want to talk, too. I mean it."
"Thanks, Gavin. I will."
"Feel better. See you soon, or you know... Whenever." Turning around quickly Gavin acknowledged his fellow detectives before taking his leave of the room rather quickly. "Lieutenant. 'Tinman'."
"Reed." Hank replied curtly as the younger detective passed him by. Discreetly Hank concealed his right hand in his coat pocket to keep the keen-eyed technician and former E.M.S. from spotting his own injury as he approached her bedside. "What happened?" Looking at Abby's swollen eye Hank watched her mannerisms carefully as she recovered slowly from her fresh wounds. "It sounds like your car was 't-boned' at an intersection."
"Yeah, we were."
"'We'?"
"...Well, yeah. I wasn't alone in that accident."
"Who was the driver?" Hank pressed gently as he knew that Connor was also cybernetically chronicling the details. "I can tell from your injuries that you were the passenger today."
"I hate to say this, but..." Abby sighed a little before answering honestly. The simple motion of the deep breath was enough to make her bruised shoulder ache slightly where she sat. "He was going to be my ex-boyfriend. Now he's my late ex-boyfriend."
"Ah, shit." That type of answer made Hank inwardly flinch. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I am too." Remaining respectful for the sake of the dead Abby whispered as she watched the two detectives curiously standing beside her. "I'm just glad this happened before I had the chance to tell Hector that I wanted to see other people. He wasn't the type to take rejection very well."
"Your eye." Connor noted the injury curiously as he cybernetically downloaded the photos from the scene of the accident and compared them to Abby's other current injuries that had been chronicled by the doctors who had treated her. "It is inconsistent with the rest of your injuries. Did you sustain it before the accident?"
"Shit..." Hank noticed the same thing and continued to watch Abby warily. "Abby, did your ex hit you?"
Mildly embarrassed Abby grimaced a little as tears welled up in her eyes and she cleared her voice. Still shaken from the accident Abby wrapped her arms around herself protectively as she answered the question. "And that's why I wanted to see other people."
"Fuck. Why didn't you call one of us?" Hank motioned toward Connor and then to himself with his left hand defensively. "We would've protected you."
"I know that, but I can protect myself." Remaining strong Abby made it clear that she wasn't one to carry regrets. She'd been through enough in her lifetime to know that emotional burdens hurt more than physical scars. "Not to mention the fact that my new beau would've potentially killed him before the accident if he knew what Hector had done to me."
Without asking about that new beau Connor agreed with Abby as he assessed her overall demeanor. Cautiously he ran a biometric scan over Abby's vital signs and was relieved to note that she was stable. While running a scan over Abby's body Connor's system picked up on something unusual that he couldn't quite place, but since she was stable, he decided to pass it off as a glitch in his processors to be evaluated later. Showing support for his friend Connor gave Abby an optimistic voice to listen to.
"I'm glad you had decided to end the relationship before it could've degraded into something far more violent or even... lethal."
"Me too." Abby placed her hand over the cast on her leg and patted it once. "I just wish it could've been handled less 'dramatically' and without my leg getting broken in the process. I hate crutches."
"How long are you required to stay in the hospital?"
"Just overnight. I can go home tomorrow morning as long as I stay in stable condition."
"Should we call anyone to assist you while you recover?"
"No, I'll be fine by myself. My beau already knows what's going on, and he'll be able to check on me again as soon as he's free from work."
Hank didn't buy it. There was something Abby was hiding, and he was determined to figure it out.
"You moved out here from Chicago, right?" The Lieutenant instinctively began asking her the routine interrogation questions in an attempt to locate any next of kin and emergency contacts. "Anyone follow you when you made the move? Parents or siblings?"
"No. My dad died from cancer when I was four and my mom died about six years ago."
"Siblings?"
"My older brother was serving life in prison for killing our mom."
"O-Oh." Hank backed off the subject readily at all of the past tense terms being used. "No wonder you took off."
"Well, it's not what you think. Mom had brain cancer and we didn't want her to suffer. My brother intentionally gave her a morphine overdose when I was at work, and of course the coroner found the drug in her system. I tried to explain things to the court, but they wouldn't listen to me."
"It was a mercy killing."
"Yup."
"How'd he get the drugs?"
"He was working at a local hospital as a security guard. He got into the locked cabinet and stole a vial of only what he needed and a syringe, nothing else."
"Then you said your brother 'was' in prison." Hank had picked up on the past tense in Abby's statement. "Where is he now?"
"Three years into his life sentence my brother died from an infection because the prison guards didn't believe he was sick. Appendicitis is a painful way to go." Abby sighed a little and put her hand over her stomach lightly as if uncomfortable. "Speaking of morphine, could you ask the nurse to step in and give me something to stop the nausea? Morphine and I have never been on good terms."
"Yeah, sure. Maybe I talk them into giving you a V.I.P. suite during your stay."
While Hank stepped out of the room Connor addressed Abby in a low tone of voice. He was aware of her desires for discretion and privacy in general.
"What of Hector? Did he have any family that should be contacted and notified regarding the accident?"
"No. He was alone, too. I think that's why I gave him a chance, I felt bad for him." Paling where she sat Abby put her hand over her mouth as she felt suddenly sick and Connor responded quickly by handing her a metal basin for her to use as she threw-up a little. With the discomfort out of her stomach Abby regained her composure quickly. "...Nice timing. I wish I could say the same for myself."
"There's nothing wrong with giving someone a chance to be happy." Connor never flinched while Abby was sick and put the basin aside to be cleaned later. "And you weren't responsible for the accident. You have no reason to feel guilty."
"How do you know what happened today?"
"Aside from the fact that you weren't driving, I'm currently receiving cybernetic updates from the officers who are chronicling the events of the accident. Hector ran a red light, and the other driver couldn't stop in time to prevent the collision at the intersection."
"Yeah. He had a temper, and he was really impatient."
"May I ask where you were going?"
"Back to his house after having an argument at dinner."
"Oh. I apologize for asking such an intrusive question."
"Why? You weren't the one being an ass." Abby brushed off the needless apology in her usual laidback style. "Besides, it helped me see how wonderful my new man is and that I was doing the right thing by breaking things off with him. We weren't all that serious to begin with, but Hector was pretty narcissistic and couldn't handle being told 'no'."
Hank returned to the room with a nurse who brought with her a small syringe loaded with some medication to ease Abby's nausea. While the nurse checked Abby's electronic chart and her overall vital signs, she whispered something discreetly to Abby in her ear which caused Abby to pale a little further, before administering the drug then stepping out of the room giving the trio some privacy.
From where he stood Connor was able to easily read the nurse's lips, but he didn't say anything out of respect for Abby. It wasn't his place to say anything for any reason, especially about another person's medical history and diagnoses.
"Abby, let me ask you this." Hank spoke to Abby with a paternal need to look after her. It was the same tone of voice he used with Connor whenever the deviant was showing self-doubt or confusion, or whenever Connor had been injured or ill. "Would you be willing to let us drive you back to your apartment tomorrow so we can at least make sure you get back home safely?"
"Sure. Except I moved out of my apartment two weeks ago and now live in a house closer to New Jericho Tower."
"That works. We don't mind."
"All right, thanks." Abby tried to sound confident, but she was still shaken by everything that happened and looked pale. "I'll take you guys up on that offer."
"Get some rest." Connor nodded his head and placed his hand on the back of Abby's forearm briefly. "We'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah, see ya'. Thanks for checking on me, and for not getting grossed out when I puked."
As the two detectives stepped out of the room Connor discreetly put his hand on Hank's uninjured left shoulder and guided him over to the nurse's station.
"Connor?" Hank knew the deviant was up to something and sighed with subtle irritation. "What're you doing?"
"You need your hand and your shoulder tended to before we depart from the premises."
"Shit." Swearing to himself Hank realized that there was no way for him to escape Connor's attentive nature. "I was hoping you'd forget about that."
"Not a chance. I always remember when you're injured or ill."
"Yeah," letting Connor steer him over to a nearby nurse to request an examination Hank relented to the deviant's little plan. "I've noticed."
After a few hours passed by without any further interruptions Connor drove from the hospital back home with Hank beside him. Hank's right hand had been splinted and his right arm was being supported in a sling to keep weight away from his strained shoulder. As the deviant carefully maneuvered through the somewhat dense traffic to get back home without jostling the wounded detective around too much, he couldn't help but think of the odd interaction that Gavin seemingly had with Abby after visiting her earlier that day. The senior detective beside him had been pondering the same question but didn't say anything about it until they were away from the hospital.
The one downside to being a detective was knowing that despite their trained skills as observers and natural curiosity, they weren't entitled to know everything happening in everyone else's lives. Privacy was important, especially when it came to good friends and family.
"I wonder why Gavin was there?" Rubbing his good hand over his sore right shoulder Hank turned his gaze over toward Connor curiously. "Chris sent us the message, but Gavin was the one taking her statement."
"I believe it's safe to assume that Gavin is interested in Abby in a romantic manner."
"No shit? Maybe she should date him." Laughing once to himself Hank dropped his hand from his shoulder and peered out the window coolly. "She might be able to get rid of some of his attitude problem and make him more bearable."
"That would be interesting, but I doubt that she'll be seriously interested in dating anyone any time soon."
"Yeah, I can see that. Even if she was about to dump her boyfriend it'll still hurt for a while now that he's... you know, dead."
Connor wanted to say something about the unusual interactions he had witnessed between Abby and Gavin, as well as Abby and her nurse, but decided against it for the sake of privacy and to avoid gossip. Instead, Connor changed the subject and ran another biometric scan over Hank's shoulder as he pulled the Pace into the driveway beside the house.
"How is your shoulder?"
"Sore. But I'll be fine."
"We can pick up Abby from the hospital at nine o'clock tomorrow morning." The deviant noted as he checked the hospital's hours for visiting patients. "Should we bring anything to better accommodate her?"
"Yeah, but I think you should ask Skye or North for help in that department."
"How so?"
"It's actually pretty simple." Hank opened his door slowly and stepped out of the car carefully as to not jostle his arm too much. The cool autumn breeze felt great on Hank's face, and the smell of burning leaves filled the air. "Abby's going to need some clean clothes and I know better than to go snooping around in a lady's closet or dresser without her express permission."
"O-Oh." Connor followed Hank out of the car and followed the senior detective's logic as the two made their way up to the front door of the house casually. "I will send Skye a message and ask her to pack a small bag for Abby in a more appropriate manner. She and Abby have become good friends and I know she'd be willing to help."
"Smooth move, son. It's the little comforts of home and good people that can really help a person feel better."
True to their word in the following morning, Connor and Hank returned to the hospital to take Abby back to her modest home located near New Jericho Tower. Skye had arrived at the hospital just a few minutes before the two detectives via autonomous taxi, and she had been waiting for them near the entrance with a small black packed bag with a few clothing items for Abby. Smiling broadly as Connor stepped out of the car to keep his promise to his friends, Skye approached him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she accompanied Connor inside the hospital. Fortunately, Hank didn't say anything about the kiss and allowed the couple to have their moment together without bring unwanted attention their way.
Abby required a little assistance from a nurse to change into her clothes while she became more accustomed to her leg's cast, but she was soon given the needed discharge papers to sign, and she was wheeled out to the car parked near the front entrance. Hank was waiting patiently for everyone in the front passenger seat of the Pace since he was a little wary of Connor trying to convince him to see a doctor for a follow-up exam on his shoulder and hand.
Once outside Connor knelt beside the wheelchair as the nurse stopped it beside the car and made sure Abby was comfortable.
"Let me help you."
Slipping his arms beneath Abby's legs and around her lower back, Connor easily lifted her up and held her in his arms for a moment as Skye opened the backdoor to the car. Sitting her down in the backseat carefully, Connor backed off while Skye climbed inside beside Abby with the now empty bag over her lap while Connor placed her necessary crutches in the trunk. Soon after Connor took his seat behind the wheel so they could leave.
"Do you require anything before we take you home?" Connor asked as he looked at Abby in the rearview mirror for a moment. "We can make a stop at a store if you need something."
"No." Still looking tired and uncomfortable, Abby managed a weak smile and politely declined the offer. "I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed tonight."
"I don't blame you one bit." Hank turned to look at Abby over his shoulder and gave her an empathetic nod. "So, are you going to be able to get around just fine on your crutches by yourself?"
"Skye is going to stay with me at my house until I get the cast off." Giving Skye a grateful glance Abby leaned back against the soft cushion of the backseat and let out a slow sigh. Her hand returned to her stomach somewhat protectively as she adjusted her seatbelt straps. "We'll be just fine."
"Are you sure? You look like you're going to be sick."
"I'm swear I'm going to be just fine." As she flashed Skye a coy smirk Abby dismissed her friends' worries and just enjoyed the ride. "Let's just say physical changes can be upsetting."
"Okay." Glancing briefly over to Skye who wasn't betraying anything in her eyes Hank turned around and looked through the front windshield at the thin traffic ahead of the car. "Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything more. Taking care of a hurt friend is far better than handling paperwork or idiots in their holding cells."
Once at Abby's small home Connor proceeded to carry Abby inside the modest two-story house and gently place her on the couch in the livingroom. Meanwhile, Skye accompanied the duo while carrying the pair of crutches and now empty bag. Hank followed inside after the group and looked about the house warily to look for any possible security problems to the property; namely checking that the windows on the ground floor were properly secured and locked and that the front and back doors had locked deadbolts. The experienced Lieutenant wasn't about to take any chances regarding his currently injures friend's safety while she recovered in the privacy of her own home.
Abby looked a little pale again and she wrapped her arm around her stomach before looking over at Skye with a desperate glance. It seemed her nausea hadn't been entirely taken care of even after receiving prompt medical attention.
"...Crutches please."
"Right here." Skye handed Abby the requested items and helped her to get up and walk toward the bathroom just down the nearby hallway without slipping. "Easy, let me guide you."
Slightly worried Connor ran another biometric scan over Abby and detected the same bizarre anomaly in her vitals that he had noted the night before. One he couldn't quite place, but again her vitals were stable.
"Are you feeling ill?"
"Yup." Abby admitted as she awkwardly limped on her crutches out of the livingroom and into the bathroom with Skye at her side. "I won't be long."
Still confused and ever curious Connor watched as the two women slipped into the bathroom together and closed the door. The sound of Abby being sick reminded Connor of all the times he had tended to Hank when he had fallen ill. It was an unsettling feeling as he had grown to care about Abby as one of his good friends and all he wanted to do was help her. Hank was also a little worried and lowered his voice as he addressed Connor.
"Did she get concussed during the accident?"
"No." Connor confirmed as he answered Hank in a tone of voice that was equally as low to prevent eavesdropping. "Her most severe injury are the two fractures to her tibia and three fractures to her fibula."
"I wonder if she's having a bad reaction to a painkiller then."
"She did not consume any medication prior to her release and her prescription is of a less potent pain medication specifically chosen to prevent any further nausea."
"I'd hate to think she caught a cold or the flu on top of bustin' her leg." Noticing the focused stare in Connor's soulful brown eyes Hank knew that the deviant had discovered something about her health but wasn't saying anything as Abby finished being sick in the bathroom. "Is something bothering you?"
"Bothering me?"
"About Abby. You look like you're trying to solve a puzzle but can't find all the pieces." The sound of the toilet flushing followed by water running in the sink filled the house as Hank pressed Connor gently to answer the question. "Come on, what is it?"
"...While we were visiting her in the hospital last night, I ran a biometric scan to note the severity of her condition and I detected something that my sensors couldn't properly identify." It was hard to speak the truth considering Connor wanted to spare Abby's privacy. "At first I thought it was a glitch, but I've received the same reading after I scanned her for a second time."
"Is she really sick or something?" Hank's blue eyes went wide with worry but kept his voice low. The senior detective turned his full attention toward Connor and away from the sound of Abby being sick down the hallway. "Did she suffer a permanent injury in the accident and just didn't say anything about it?"
"No permanent injuries, but she vomited once after she felt nauseated and you had gone to locate a nurse while at the hospital yesterday." Continuing his explanation Connor remained just as perplexed by the readings he had received no matter how many times he tried to deduce the odd reading. "When I ran my biometric scan last night, as well as my second scan two minutes and fourteen seconds previously, my sensors found her vitals to again be stable. Yet there was something consistently unusual that I cannot explain."
"What was it?"
"I somehow detected. a second heartbeat."
"Ooooh..." Hank sounded incredibly relieved as a faint smile crept over his face and his tense shoulders relaxed. "That would explain the nausea."
"She had an adverse reaction to her previously prescribed pain medication." Connor stated confidently, only to notice the amused look on Hank's face and his confusion immediately intensified. "...Didn't she?"
"Nope. And that wasn't a glitch in your system when you scanned her."
"It wasn't?"
"Nope. If I'm right I think it's safe to say that Abby is 'expecting'."
"'Expecting'?" Connor was completely unfamiliar with the human term despite everything that Hank has taught him over the past three years. "Expecting what?"
From down the hallway Abby replied firmly as she and Skye exited the bathroom together, leaving the door wide open. "Expecting a baby."
"O-Oh." Connor turned to look at Abby and his brows raised with surprise. Within milliseconds he put the term into context and now fully understood Hank's reaction to his comments. "Now I understand."
Skye smirked a little and squeezed Connor's hand as she walked by him to help Abby over to the couch. "Exciting to hear. Isn't it?"
"And Hank's right." Abby confirmed as she limped back into the livingroom and sat down on the couch slowly. She placed her crutches down on the floor beside the couch for easier access for when she needed to use them again. "I'm just over eight weeks along. I didn't know it until last night after I arrived at the hospital and the doctors ran a blood test. And now I can't seem to shake the morning sickness, which of course is just what I want to worry about when I can't run to the bathroom anymore."
Hank gave Abby a somewhat hesitant look before saying anything. "So, if it's okay to ask, are you gonna'... you know?"
"Yup. And the good news is the father isn't my ex. And no, I didn't cheat on him." Putting her hand lightly to her lower stomach Abby gave Hank a coy grin as she happily told the story. "This was the result of a one night stand I had a while back with the beau I've mentioned, before I started dating my now ex. HE is the father, and I couldn't be more relieved, especially now that we're officially a couple now."
"It's none of my business to ask who the father is by name, so I won't." Making sure Abby maintained some dignity Hank didn't push the matter too far. "But does he know about it?"
"Yup, he knows. I told him last night and he's dealing with it in his own way right now." Abby confirmed with a slightly concerned reply. "I imagine I'll get a weird late night phone call from him tonight."
"Well, remember you have us to help you if you need it. So congratulations."
"Thanks, but keep this to yourselves a while longer, please."
"Your secret is safe with us.
Giving the house one final glance to ensure that Abby would be safe while she healed and remain safe well after she had the baby, Hank decided it was time to leave the poor woman alone for a while. Everything was nice and secure.
"Come on, Connor." Reaching out Hank patted the side of the deviant's arm to coax him into moving. "Let's get outta' here and let Abby get some sleep."
"I'm coming." Connor agreed as he took a step to follow Hank back out of the house. Locking eyes with Skye he waited for her or Abby to say something before going any further. "Are you certain that you'll be okay without us?"
"Yup." Abby nodded in confirmation as she slowly fell to her side on the couch and curled up around herself a little as she pressed her head down against the soft couch pillow. "We're going to be just dandy..."
Skye walked up to Connor and gave him another kiss on his right cheek. "We'll be okay. But if we do need anything I'll be sure to contact you or Hank."
"Okay." Smiling at Skye and then over to Abby, who already had her eyes closed and was nearly asleep Connor took his leave of the house after giving Skye a quick kiss that went unnoticed by the two humans. "I'll see you later, Skye. Take care."
The drive home was quieter than normal as Connor sat in deep contemplation behind the wheel. As he tried to process what had recently happened with his good friend and how much her life was about to change, he couldn't help but think of all the possible ways his own life could change and how it already has. His deviation, the Revolution, the fall of CyberLife, his impending promotion, his developing relationship with Skye... There was so much happening in Connor's life that the deviant was having some trouble comprehending how fast life seemed to move without someone telling him how to live. Changes were inevitable and seemingly unpredictable for everyone involved.
Hank was grinning to himself for a while before he finally spoke up with a good-humored lilt to his voice. The man had been silently contemplating everything that had happened and had developed his own theory.
"Guess now we know why Gavin was there and why he was so anxious." The cheesy smile on Hank's face was hard to ignore. "Hope he keeps his cool..."
Still lost in his own thoughts Connor had heard Hank's comment but didn't bother to respond beyond an indifferent nod of the head.
"I can actually feel you thinking." Hank commented dryly as the car pulled in the driveway beside the house at a gentle speed. "Now what's on your mind?"
"I was attempting to comprehend how Abby could remain so calm and emotionally level after enduring such drastically contrasting events; one traumatic and the other availing. Unexpected death and now a new life; she took it all so well."
"Some people are just far better at dealing with change than others." Wincing a little as he stood up from the car Hank let out a sigh and watched as Connor did the same and made his way toward the backdoor to unlock. "Is that what's really bothering you? Change?"
"Possibly. It's difficult to put into words."
"Remember, you're free. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, and no one can tell you anything different."
"I'll remember." Giving Hank a truly curious stare as he opened the front door Connor needed to ask the burning question that was sitting in his mind. "Were you so calm when you learned that Barbara was pregnant with Cole?"
"Fuck no!" Responding sharply Hank didn't try to deny that he was nowhere near as calm as Abby was. Casual as ever the two detectives walked inside the house together. "I almost passed out when she told me."
"You were scared?"
"Outta' my mind. It never occurred to me that I could actually become a father until it was already happening. It was a HUGE change and while it was a welcome change and something we were hoping for it was still a little unexpected. I have no regrets and I was over the moon with happiness during Barb's first ultrasound."
"That's reassuring." Connor was still trying to understand the prospect of having a child to take care of despite Hank's guidance and his own brief previous experiences with children in the past. "I assume it's difficult raising children, but even more so when you're trying to raise a child alone."
"Yup. It was a massive adjustment after Cole was born, even with Barbara there every step of the way, but I wouldn't have changed a thing." Making his way into the livingroom Hank adjusted the strap on the sling supporting his bad shoulder and shooed Sumo off the couch so he could stretch out and rest a little after waking up early enough to go pick up Abby from the hospital. "If I can take care of a kid by myself after being widowed, then I know for a fact that Abby will do just fine. Don't worry about her."
"I don't think that's possible." The deviant admitted as he stood beside the couch and looked down at Hank as the senior detective stretched out his back along the length of the furniture. "She is a very good friend after all, and she's alone."
"Yeah? Well, I don't think she'll be alone for very long anyway. That baby's father still has some say about it."
"Do you know who the father is?"
"I have an idea of who he is, but I'm not going to start naming names and spreading rumors. We'll find out when Abby's ready to tell us who the lucky guy is, or when the lucky guy blurts the big news by accident."
"Interesting." Rubbing Sumo's ears as the teenage dog sat at his feet, Connor decided to take Sumo for a walk and to get some space to think. "I'm going to take Sumo to the park for a while. Need anything while I'm out?"
"Nah, I'm good, kid."
"All right." Taking the leash from the hook by the front door Connor clipped the lead to Sumo's collar and opened the front door again. "We'll be back soon."
Enjoying the somewhat warm autumn morning in the relatively empty park, Connor kept Sumo on the leash since the young dog was still being trained but let Sumo lead the way as he explored the park happily. More focused on Abby's big news and of the circumstances leading to her big revelation, Connor couldn't help but think of how shameful it was that people abused their supposed loved ones and harmed them either physically, emotionally, or mentally. It was a disturbing notion that made the deviant all the more hesitant to discuss personal relationships as he now realized that he could never really be sure of what someone was going through behind locked doors.
As he watched Sumo meeting a friendly golden retriever and her owner also enjoying the park, Connor decided to cybernetically reach out to Skye to ask about Abby's condition. He knew it wasn't necessary to worry so much but he couldn't shake his instincts to look out for his friends.
'Skye, is it okay to talk?'
'Any time is a good time to talk.' Skye sounded as enthusiastic and chipper as ever. 'Right now, Abby is taking a nap and I'm making her some chicken soup to help her nausea.'
'Abby is resting well?'
'Yeah, her AND that little baby are both doing great!'
'...Baby.' It wasn't until that moment that Connor really thought about what was happening to Abby. 'It's both strange and exciting to think about Abby being pregnant and becoming a mother.'
'And I can't wait to help her start picking out clothes, toys and furniture. She promised to help me learn about pregnancy and childbearing in general since I want to get the surrogacy biocomponents installed in my own system someday.'
Falling silent Connor felt his heart skip a beat and his eyes widen as he remembered what Skye had said about wanting a family when they were at the lake together. She was clearly very focused on achieving her dreams, and now determined more than ever because of Abby.
'Connor?' Skye felt Connor's shock over the cybernetic link. 'Are you okay? I didn't say something upsetting, did I?'
'N-No, no... It just never occurred to me that you'd want to obtain such upgrades and bear a child of your own, as opposed to adoption.'
'Does that bother you?'
'Of course not. It's your body, your decision. And I already told you that I'd like to have a family as well, it's just...' Thinking for a minute Connor did his best to explain what was going through his mind. 'As a male prototype, my potential for of procreation still isn't possible.'
'Oh... I'm sorry! I didn't consider that.'
'There's nothing that can be done about that current limitation, it's not your fault.'
'Actually...' Sounding sheepish and even playful Skye begged to differ. 'Thanks to all the files being uncovered at the terminals left behind by CyberLife, Simon thinks it's entirely possible that the company; maybe even Kamski himself, had actually been experimenting with the necessary technology, software and biocomponent upgrades to make android procreation a reality!'
'...What?' Tightening his grip on Sumo's leash to keep the young dog from getting away, Connor could stop himself from smiling with optimism at the possible future awaiting all deviants in regard to their freedom, choices and rights as living beings. "That's incredible!'
'It's still a theory, but it's a working theory with a lot of evidence to back it up. What do you think?'
'I think it'd be an amazing new challenge and a rewarding experience to father a child of my own. And... maybe even find my bondmate and start expanding my family beyond just my father, my brother and my dog.'
'That sounds wonderful.' Blushing as she spoke Skye focused on her task at the stove to avoid burning Abby's soup by accident. 'It evens sounds like a dream that I'd like to be a part of.'
'I'd be honored if you'd join me in such a dream. When we're both ready, of course.'
'Then it's settled. When the time is right and we can get the upgrades, plan a bonding ceremony and start a family, we will! Sound good?'
'That sounds perfect to me, Skye.' As he spoke Connor rested his free hand over his chest as he imagined Skye's smiling face in his mind. He could feel his heart thundering with emotional excitement as he spoke to his beloved from afar. 'I know I'd be at peace by having a family with the deviant I love.'
'I love you, too, Connor.' Without even hesitating Skye felt her own heart skipping a beat in her chest. 'You saved my life, gave me the confidence to live my life as I see fit, and you're helping the rest of the city with their own problems. I couldn't possibly love anyone else for any other reason and I feel like we were destined to meet.'
'As a detective I don't believe in coincidence, I feel the same about you. We were meant to meet, and we were meant to be together. I'm not sure why, but I know it's true.'
'Some things are just better left a mystery. Don't think too hard on why we met or why we fell for each other, okay?'
'Also as a detective I find such a request difficult to accept, but I will make an effort.'
'You're sweet.' Laughing a little Skye finished with her task and noticed Abby was awake again and looking pale. 'Thanks for at least trying! I'll talk to you again tonight, Abby's awake and needs a little help getting back into the bathroom. Morning sickness again.'
'Of course. Take care of her, remind her that she has friends and I'll talk to you later. I love you.'
'I love you, too. Bye, Connor!'
'Bye. I'll take to you tonight; we have a lot to discuss.'
Returning his focus to Sumo on the leash Connor led the energetic dog away from the golden retriever as he cybernetically made a veterinary appointment to make sure the young dog was taken care of before he accidentally got too friendly with other dogs in the park. Sumo was now mature enough for such a procedure and it was a necessary part of being a responsible pet owner since Connor didn't want to have to take on the care of a litter of puppies.
"Sorry, Sumo. While Abby is ready to have a child, I don't think I can say the same about you."
Speaking casually Connor seemed to find a sense of comfort with knowing that his friend was going to bring a new life into the world that Connor was fighting so hard to change for the better. He had another reason to keep fighting for change and improvements.
"Besides, taking care of an entire litter is far different than caring for just one baby at a time. At least, I presume that is correct."
Sumo keened loudly as he pulled on the leash but Connor was too strong for him to break free and get back to his new friend.
"It's interesting how everyone seems to be in the same mindset right now. All I can do for the moment is hope that I too can have my own family someday. Until then, I'll just focus on keeping Skye happy, keeping Hank healthy, and keeping you out of trouble. When the time comes, I imagine Hank will have the same mindset that I do in this very moment."
-next chapter-