A/N: Yay, another chapter out! Two out in two weeks; awesome.

Real talk, though, I just want to say a quick thank you to everyone who's hung around and read this story. I know more often than not my updating is insanely sporadic and I can go months without putting anything up. I know I have a couple stories online that haven't been updated in a few YEARS. Whoops.

Seriously, thank you to those who read, those who leave reviews (a few I'd got during my months-long accidental hiatus made me grin so hard my cheeks hurt,) those who favorite and follow Coming Home. It means a lot to me. I'll try my best to keep the chapters coming, especially now that I have free time.

"Who are you?"

"Fugitives," an android answered Markus. This one, beside the blonde, was tall. Slender. Dark skin and full lips. "Just like you two. My name is Josh."

"I'm Simon," the blonde greeted.

The girl beside Simon looked between Iris and Markus. "North."

Iris trained the flashlight on the three; the obvious leaders. The rest of the deviants kept to the shadows, hidden from the newcomer's eyes. She could vaguely tell where some were from blue and red circles shining in the dark.

"I'm Markus," Iris heard, but her focus wasn't on the introductions. She stared into the dark; a pair of androids huddled close by a fire barely kept alive. Were they so broken they felt the cold? One seemed much smaller, scratches on their face ripping through the metal. A child. They were pressed against the other android's side with their hands outstretched to the barrel. When she didn't say anything, Markus added, "This is Iris."

"Sorry," she apologized, pulling her gaze from the pair. "I've just… never seen so many deviants in one place."

So many deviants, so much suffering. Suffering her kind caused. Iris felt sick.

"There's nineteen of us still in working order," North explained, bitterness in her voice. "The rest were damaged escaping their masters."

Masters. God, we sound like slaveowners. We are slaveowners. Fuck.

"Many tried to reach Jericho…" Simon trailed off. Iris didn't need to hear the rest to understand his implications. She and Markus saw the bodies in the trail.

"Few succeed. Humans have little pity for our kind." Josh finished.

Iris unconsciously flinched, heart hammering in her chest. She shouldn't be here. She—a human—had no right in their home. All they've known is horror from her kind. And she just waltzes in with Markus by her side. The guilt was stifling.

"So, this is Jericho?" Markus asked, his side pressing into Iris's. Her eyes flicked to his, and she took a slow breath to calm her thoughts.

Simon nodded. "It's a refuge for those who don't want to be slaves anymore."

"And you knew that only an android could follow the trail," Iris said. The clues were smart; no human could ever get in here. Not without a deviant by their side.

"Only those who are like us can find Jericho." Josh explained, and a pang flew into Iris's chest. I'm not like you, I'm not like you…

"If you could decipher the signs, one of us trusted you enough to give you the key," Simon added.

Iris's brow furrowed, the feeling of guilt burning inside her. Her hand twitched by her side, tapping at her leg without conscious thought. North's eyes caught the motion and she silently raised an eyebrow.

Markus's gaze flicked between the crowd, settling on the trio in front of them. "I don't understand. I thought Jericho was a place where androids lived in freedom."

This place doesn't look like freedom, Iris thought. It looks a refugee camp where they can die in peace. What little peace they have. Her eyes flitted to the child and adult android by the lit barrel, a blanket thrown over their shoulders. The metal scrapes in the kid's face glinted in the orange glow of the fire. That was only two Iris could see. What about the others in the shadows? How many would she pass by that were seconds away from deactivating?

She could cry from her guilt. Androids may not be human, but they were alive. How could anyone do this?

"We do live in freedom," Josh pressed. "It may not be what you two hoped for. But here we have no master. We don't belong to anyone."

"We came to Jericho looking for hope."

"I understand how you two feel, but you have more freedom here than you ever did."

"You're lost." Simon said. "Just like the rest of us. We didn't ask for this. All we can do now is deal with it." He turned from the pair, walking further into the darkness.

Iris bit her lip. She certainly was lost, just not how Simon believed.

Josh added, "You're safe here—"

"No, you're not," North interrupted, staring hard at Iris. The artist's gaze flew to the deviant, a brow raised.

"Why?" Markus's gaze hardened.

"Scan her."

Shit, shit.

A chorus of gasps filled the boat, echoing in the damp space. The androids of Jericho immediately drew back, granting a wide berth between themselves and Iris. Blue circles in the dark furiously flash red, terrified. Guess the secret's out. She clenched her fist tight by her side, palms sweaty.

"You brought a human here?!" Josh accused.

Markus threw back, "She hasn't harmed anyone—"

"You." North spat. "She's never harmed you. She's human, you know what her kind thinks of us."

Iris pleaded, "I would never—"

"I don't want to hear it. You all think the same."

"You don't even know her," Markus reasoned. "Don't be so quick to judge."

"We know enough," Simon eyed her warily. Iris couldn't meet his gaze—the guilt in her throat swallowing her words whole—and instead focused on the metal of the boat. "We're all here because of humankind harming us."

Yes, they are. Her kind is the reason they live on a boat, alone and afraid. How could Iris come here? How dare she?

North took generous steps to Iris, standing directly in front of her. "Humans beat us. They break us, they rape us; throw us out when we're not useful. And one comes right into our home."

Iris forced herself to look straight at North. Never seen such hatred. Never at herself, at least. It was stifling. "I'm sorry for what my kind has done. It's criminal, and horrible, and no one should go through what you have, whatever it was. No one should be treated like you all have been."

"Don't act like you understand our suffering."

North turned and stomped past Simon and Josh, out of Iris and Markus's sight. She wasn't the only one who hid from the newcomers. Even the child by the fire shrunk into the shadows, away from her gaze.

It was easy to tell she wasn't wanted.

"Fine," Markus growled, grabbing Iris's arm. "Then we'll—"

"I'll leave," Iris interjected, pulling away from Markus's grip. She looked to Simon, brown eyes wide and pleading. "Me. Let Markus stay."

"What?" Markus vehemently shook his head. "No; Iris, we said we were in this together. I won't let you—"

"This isn't up for discussion, Markus," Iris looked to him, and smiled sweetly. Her hand grabbed his, squeezing it tightly. "Loosely paraphrasing, a wise android once said, "If the shelter is better off without me present, then I won't be present anymore." Please, let me do that for you."

"Iris, you don't have to—"

"No," she shook her head. "I do. You know what's out there for you. It's not safe. I'll be okay. And you'll be okay here, in Jericho. That's what matters."

She knew if she let Markus talk she would give in. They'd leave, find something else. But she wouldn't—couldn't let him pass up this opportunity. She could go back home, to her cat and her brother and hopefully her father. Markus couldn't. He didn't have that choice.

His eyes found hers—one blue, one emerald green—and he pressed. "Are you sure?"

Damn him. The pang in her chest grew—she'd miss him. So much. If the past 24 hours didn't relay that, the indefinite separation would. But he needed Jericho. He needed a new start.

So she nodded. "My life doesn't matter here. Yours does. You deserve a second chance." She flicked her gaze to Simon and Josh, and repeated, "Please. Let Markus stay. He's been through enough."

"And how do we know you won't come back?" Josh challenged. His tone was less bitter than North's, though, so Iris counted it as a win. "That you won't lead other humans here, bring us harm?"

The answer was easy. "I would never do that. If not because of Markus, then because I don't believe in punishing innocents. You've done nothing wrong. You deserve to live, too."

With her heart in her throat, Iris gently pulled her hand from Markus and took a few generous steps back. "That, and no one would dare jump from a crane into the middle of a boat."

She shone the flashlight behind her in the darkness, landing on a set of broken stairs that could lead her back up to the top of Jericho. Her mind raced—how exactly would she get off this ship? Would she have to fall into the water, climb up to the docks? The night would be cold, especially if she was damp from the water.

Doesn't matter. She'd get through it.

Just as she was about to take the first step onto rickety stairs, Iris heard, "You would do that for him?"

Iris twisted her neck, looking back to the deviants. Simon cocked his head, staring at her curiously.

And she smiled. "For my best friend? I'd do anything."

She turned back to the steps, but stopped again when she heard, "Stay."

North immediately seethed, "Simon, no—"

"She may as well," Simon argued, and Iris pulled off the step, eyeing the group from her spot. "She already knows where we live. Who knows if she would tell? I'm not willing to take that chance."

"She did risk her life to get to Jericho." Josh added, after a moment of pondering. "We all know the route isn't easy. If she's loyal enough to follow one of our kind, perhaps we give her a chance."

"You would feel safe with a human here?" North spat.

Simon answered, "At the first sign of trouble, she goes. If she harms us, steals, anything, she leaves Jericho for good. That work for everyone?"

Iris and Markus both nodded, and the human released a gentle sigh. The angry red circles in the shadows slowly blinked in yellow, and eventually faded to blue.

"Good. Then I think that's enough excitement for tonight."

Simon pulled back into the shadows, content with the agreement. Looks like whatever he says, goes. Wonder how long he's been in Jericho to earn such respect. Whatever the case may be, Iris was glad for the agreement. She'd much rather stay by Markus's side.

The rest of the androids sulked off into the dark, much more relaxed than before. Iris could work with that. Keep to herself and Markus; don't step over any boundaries. If that was what it took to keep her and Markus safe, she'd live with it.

Speaking of Markus…

Three wide steps brought Iris to her favorite android, her smile wide as she flung her arms around him, tightly squeezing. His own went around her form before his grip faltered and he shrugged a shoulder. The fall. Right. The blue blood had stopped flowing into his shirt, but some damage must've been done.

Iris rested a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Still hurts?"

"Not hurts, exactly." Markus tried to explain. "I don't feel pain." He lifted a portion of his shirt off his torso, revealing a deep enough gash that Iris could see wires and flecks of broken metal. Blue seeped into the wound, trailing down the hole before drying. Her hand tentatively touched below the gash, her thumb wiping at the blue, but it was already dried to his skin. "My diagnostic program informs me of my broken parts. It won't leave until they're fixed."

As he readjusted his shirt, North said, "Go see Lucy. See if she can patch you up."

Markus nodded. "Thank you."

She said nothing, and instead trailed off further into the boat. Iris and Markus shared a look, but stayed silent and pulled away from each other. They had nothing to add, either.

Iris took a few tentative steps to an unlit barrel and pulled her lighter out from her back pocket. She brought the metal down and flicked it to life, the kindling inside burning easily. Warmth. Sweet, bright warmth.

"Please tell me you don't—" Markus groaned in defeat as Iris pulled her cigarette pack from the same back pocket.

Iris rolled her eyes as she tapped the pack against the palm of her hand. "Hey, I think I've been through a lot today. I just need one to unwind."

"Just because I'm technically not your android anymore doesn't mean I condone smoking."

"What?" She raised an eyebrow. "Because it's not healthy? Guess what, so isn't jumping from a crane or freezing to death. Cut me some slack." She pulled a single stick from the pack and set the rest into the pocket, and set it between her teeth.

"Touché."

"I know," Iris winked at him and lit the stick, humming happily. Then she handed him the flashlight, its beam bright beside the orange hue of the fire. "Go, see Lucy. I'll be okay for a minute."

"You're sure?"

"Of course. I'll be here, smoking my cancer stick."

He nodded and pulled away from her side, trailing into the heart of Jericho. Iris kept her eyes trained on his back until he slid past old, torn curtains hung to create a makeshift room. He'd be fine by himself for a moment.

She smoked her cigarette in silence, though her gaze hopped from android to android in the dark. North rested atop a container, throwing a ball against the nearest wall to keep herself entertained. Simon stood straight against one of the ship's poles, eyes completely shut and LED softly blinking. If Iris had to guess, he was doing a maintenance check. She could recall Markus doing the same thing at home every now and then. Iris also noticed some of the androids leaning towards the warmth of the fire, and that gave her an idea.

With the cigarette on its last legs, she smushed the butt under her foot and pocketed it—just like she would at home—and trekked to another barrel. She lit that one, too. With the three aflame, it gave more visual around the boat. There were androids in worse shape than she was hoping to see. But, those who could stand and move fairly well took solace by the new warmth.

Iris lit another barrel and found an android stiff by a wall, her skin mostly the white plastic instead of a skin tone. No hair, mostly broken parts. The android stood, completely stiff, her arms unnaturally held out by her side.

The android noticed Iris's gaze, and said, "Tell me, are humans afraid of dying, too?"

Her voice was more robotic than it should've been, but Iris tried not to be fazed. She didn't know the android's story—why she was broken this way. Being afraid of the stranger would only hurt her.

"Some are," Iris replied easily, gentle steps clicking in the air as she went to the android. She remembered the way her dad spoke of death, unafraid. But that was his philosophy. "I am. Are you?"

"I'm not sure. Do you know what happens after death?"

Iris shook her head. She wasn't much for religion or philosophy. "I don't know. I like to think it's easy, like falling asleep. Dreamless, happy. Where you don't worry anymore."

"Well I'm about to find out," the android's eyes—the irises completely black and broken—searched Iris's. The human gave a soft, sad smile. The android was moments away from deactivating, and Iris could do nothing but watch.

"Is there anything I can do? To make it painless?"

The android shook her head, slow, and asked, "What's your name?"

"Iris."

The android grabbed Iris's hand steadily with both of her own, fingers searching the smooth skin absentmindedly. The plastic and metal were jagged in some areas, but Iris paid no attention. Her other hand covered the android's, gently squeezing. If this was all she could do, then she'd take it.

No one deserved to die alone.

"I was glad to meet you, Iris," the android looked up to Iris's face and smiled, unmoving. Iris smiled back. Then blinked.

The android's face froze in the smile. Her hands no longer moved. She had deactivated.

Markus left Lucy's area when Iris pulled her hands from the android's, and noticed her heart rate spiked. Her hands rubbed themselves together nervously, a tick of hers when her anxiety increased. Oh, no. It didn't take long for him to reach her.

"Everything okay?" He cautiously asked.

Iris couldn't take her gaze from the deactivated android. "Ye… uh, no." She couldn't lie. "No, she… she's gone."

Markus looked to the android—frozen in place—and frowned. Things were worse off in Jericho then he had imagined. This wasn't a place for hope, it was a place to die.

"C'mon," his hand grasped at Iris's forearm, gently pulling her from the body. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to see that."

"Guess we better get used to it."

It was all she could say.

"Oh, wait," she added, and pulled from Markus. Another unlit barrel by the stairs. She could light it up, get a few more rays in the boat before nightfall came and set everything in darkness.

She set her lighter in the top and flicked it alive. Just like the rest, the kindling crackled happily and shone more light on the hurt androids hiding by the sides of the room. There was one sitting on the ground that Iris kept her eyes particularly trained on.

His skin was a mix of the pale white plastic every android was made of, plus a fair cream of what his designated skin tone used to be. The colors molded in some areas, swishing gently, as if his components couldn't decide what to stay at. His back rested against an old crate where he slouched.

Iris stared a beat too long, and the android looked up to her. "I'm not in very good shape, am I?"

His voice. Just like the other android. What happened? It was more robotic than it should've been—too damaged to work properly.

She shook her head, softly saying, "No. I'm sorry."

Markus trekked beside her, the broken android's eyes flicking between the pair. "My diagnostic program isn't working." He scoffed, "I don't think it'd have anything good to say anyway."

"What happened to you?" Markus asked.

The android's fist tightened. "They tied me to the back of a car… I think they wanted to have fun."

Iris felt sick. "Is there anything we can do? To help?"

"Spare parts, blue blood, anything?" Markus added. There had to be something in Jericho to help. Right?

"I don't want to shut down," the android shook his head. "No, I—I don't want to shut down."

And he shouldn't have to, Iris cried inside. No one should have to go through this. No one.

"We'll give you some privacy," Markus offered, and the android gave a soft nod. Iris and Markus meandered away from the stranger, Iris silently fuming.

"Markus…" She gritted her teeth. "I shouldn't be here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean—" Iris gestured to the ship around them, "I shouldn't be here! You're all here because of humans—my kind—abusing you! North was right. All we do is break, and rape, and kill… and here I am, invading their only safe space." Her eyes couldn't help but gaze to the child by the fire; the other android had left their side, but Josh rested on a crate nearby and lightly conversed. "Men, women, children. All abused and left for dead. By people like me."

"Not people like you," Markus pointed out. "You would never hurt someone for being different, would you? Another human?"

"Well, no—"

"Would you hurt an android, simply for being an android?"

"No."

"Then there's your answer." He smiled. "The Iris I know treated me with kindness and respect my whole life. She's taken care of her father, her brother, a cat that was found on the streets. She treated the waiter at her gala the same as a friend." Iris looked up to him, her guilt dissipating with each word. "The people that made Jericho necessary are nowhere near the likes of you."

"Fine," she smiled, touched by the sentiment. "Touché."

"I know."

Iris jabbed at his shoulder, grinning. He was right; the people who harmed were prejudiced. She wasn't. It was a simple truth. But it didn't mean she wouldn't do everything in her power to undo the suffering they caused.

The pair made their way to Josh and the child. The kid had wrapped the blanket tight around themselves, resting on the ground. From what Iris could tell, they wore regular clothes—which she could only assume was from a family—but the fabric was in rough shape. Short, wavy brown hair tousled around their face, tresses covering most of their forehead. Their eyes were closed, as if sleeping. Wonder what color they are.

Iris murmured, "What's their story?"

With some child androids, they're sold as a blank slate—the human gets to choose the appearance. They could be more feminine, more masculine, long-haired, short-haired, black, white, Asian, anything in between. Iris had seen a couple ads for them before. She could only assume, since deviating, the child chose their identity. She didn't want to impose until she knew their pronouns for sure.

Josh answered softly, "Family threw them out when they got pregnant. Poor kid was living on the streets before we brought 'em here."

"Do they have a name?"

"If they do, they haven't told me." Josh shrugged, staring at the child's sleeping form. "They've been through hell."

Iris stared at the jagged scratches on their chin. I'm sure they have.

"They'll all shut down if we don't find a way to help." Markus remarked. The androids they've talked to—sans North, Simon, and Josh—were all weeks, if not days, from shutting down. One's already been lost and the pair haven't been in Jericho a full day.

Josh nodded. "But to help them we need blue blood and biocomponents."

"Which we're out of," Iris hummed.

"We salvage what we can from those who shut down, but there's never enough."

"So, how do they survive?" Markus asked.

"They won't."

"We can't… we can't let that happen." Iris pleaded. "There's got to be something we can do to help!"

Josh's jaw set tightly. "We're slowly dying out."

With the thought in mind, Josh stalked off, trailing beside Simon who rested in stasis. The hue of his LED was so soft, almost white in the darkness of the boat.

"Markus," Iris flicked her gaze to him. "We can't let that happen."

His eyes focused on the empty crate Josh previously sat on, nodding. "We won't."

It was said with such conviction that Iris's eyes widened slightly. She'd never heard such bravado—or, at least, what she assumed was bravado. It was all she felt—from him. Consider me intrigued.

"Simon!" Markus barked. He pulled from Iris's side.

She blinked. Damn, never seen him this determined. Iris trailed behind, following curiously. Simon's eyes opened, the blue of his LED glowing strong. He raised an eyebrow.

Markus stopped in front of him. "I know where we can find spare parts."

"What?" Iris asked.

"The CyberLife warehouses in Detroit Harbor," he explained. "They have everything we need."

Iris cocked her head. He isn't wrong. But it's certainly not safe.

"The docks are guarded," Simon replied, chiding. "We can't just walk in there and take what we want. Humans will never let us!"

"Which is why we won't ask permission."

Josh interrupted, "We don't have any weapons. And even if we did, none of us know how to fight."

"We can steal what we need without fighting," Markus countered. Could that be done? Could they sneak in, take what they need without getting noticed?

Iris mulled it over, her brows furrowing in worry. "Markus, it's dangerous—"

"Dangerous?" Josh countered. "We'll just get ourselves killed!"

"Maybe," Markus replied hotly, "but it's better than waiting here to shut down."

"I'm with you." North said, nodding in agreement.

Iris nodded silently, too. She was worried, but at least trying would be better than standing in Jericho waiting to die. If anything could be done to help the android against the wall, or the child with the scratches… Well, she'd be willing to take that chance. "Me, too."

Simon agreed, "Maybe it's worth a try."

The four looked to Josh silently, awaiting his answer.

"Okay," Josh sighed reluctantly, looking to Markus. "I'm in."

A/N: So so happy I finally got this out. We get into the nitty gritty of Jericho with this one. I'm a particular fan of North's, so writing her with Iris is loads of fun!