"Sensitivity Training"

Detroit Central Precinct: The Bullpen

Stress in the city was reaching a fever pitch. The new rights and laws regarding deviant androids being freed and treated as equals among humans were causing a lot of panic in the streets as the bigoted humans who refused to change began protesting outside of android exclusive establishments to cry victim. The abundance of noisy and troublesome protestors had resulted in the police being run ragged as they responded to the dozens of calls regarding the protests that came in every passing hour. Such frequent calls and exhausting people had created a tense atmosphere in the bullpen as just about everyone was on the verge of losing their cool. It was as if someone was holding a lit match over a mound of gunpowder, and all it would take was one wrong move to set off the explosive situation into an actual confrontation that would end in pointless bloodshed.

The increase in android related hate crimes had prompted Captain Fowler to schedule a private meeting with Hank in his office out of earshot of the other detectives, including Connor. While Captain Fowler was impressed with Connor's skills and knowledge as both a detective and as an expert on androids, he still felt it was necessary to keep only his seasoned officers and detectives apprised of a possible citywide riot to ensure possible panic was kept to a minimum.

To keep himself preoccupied Connor sat at his desk to file the latest reports on the confirmed hate-crimes while discreetly checking for any leads on his missing brother through the decrypted CyberLife files. It was easy to keep his second task a secret since Connor was able to hide his work by remotely accessing Joel's terminal from the second floor with his own terminal. By using the peripheral terminal Connor could ensure that none of his superior officers could catch wind of him taking on a personal errand while on company time, and he could continue with his search.

"This fuckin' bites!" Gavin openly griped as he slammed a tablet down on his desk, nearly cracking the screen in the process and drawing everyone's attention his way whether he wanted it or not. "I'm wastin' all my time arresting a bunch of mouthy assholes when there's real crimes needin' my attention!"

Chris sighed from his desk as he shook his head at the way Gavin was being so vocal about having to do his job. "There's a noisy asshole right in front of us, too."

"You got something to say, Miller?" It was clear that Gavin overheard the remark and took personal offense to Chris's logical observation. "Think because you're no longer on Fowler's leash that you're a big boy now? Hm? Think you can handle the same shit that I have to deal with?"

"Lay off him." Tina didn't want there to be any fighting and tried to interject before it was too late. Wisely she stood up and put herself between Gavin and Chris's desk to try to reason with her temperamental friend. "He was just saying what we were all thinking."

"You think I'm an asshole too, huh?" It wasn't often that Gavin showed any sign of anger toward Tina, but when he did everyone took notice. "You know, you've had a problem with me ever since that CyberLife punk joined our team. You two got somethin' goin' on?"

"We're not the ones with anything going on or being annoyingly loud, Gav." Taking a step back Tina looked Gavin in the eyes and made it clear that she wasn't in the mood to deal with his attitude problem. "I just hate bullies. You've known that for as long as you've known me."

"So, speakin' my mind makes me a bully? Fuckin' weak." Gavin's fiery glare turned toward Connor as the rookie detective wisely attempted to keep his own gaze transfixed solely on his terminal screen to avoid any confrontation. He was still healing from his fractured ribs and wouldn't do well in a physical fight. "Did he tell ya' some kind of sob story? CyberLife was corrupt as Hell, including all of their people, end of story!"

"Funny how you, as a detective, should know the dangers of profiling. Besides, Connor sided with the deviants before CyberLife went bankrupt and came to work as a detective after busting his ass to study and pass all the tests just as any other detective would do."

"So what?" The hostility in Gavin's voice was getting all the more intense prompting Connor to sink down in his chair while Chris rose to his feet as if ready to get physical with his coworker. "That doesn't mean you can trust him! Don't be stupid!"

"Excuse me?" Now it was Tina's turn to get hostile. She was shorter than Gavin, but that didn't stop her from getting right in the abrasive man's face. "Did you just call me stupid for not judging someone I barely know for what a fucked-up company did to an entire race of people?"

"I didn't say you were stupid, I said you were acting stupid!"

"Good thing I'm not nearly as stupid as you're acting right now. I can't believe you're behaving like this. Actually, no." Unwilling to continue arguing Tina attempted to take her leave of the bullpen before the argument escalated any further. "I can believe it. You've always been a prick; I've just chosen to look the other way. Not anymore."

"Speaking my mind doesn't make me a prick! Is that seriously what you-" Seeing his friend turn her back on him only angered Gavin further. "Tina!?"

"Hey!" The second Gavin tried to follow after Tina as she wisely removed herself from the situation, Chris stepped in and stopped him. "She's walking away, so let her walk. Let it go."

"Get out of my way, Miller." Gavin shoved the younger man back and caused him to stumble backward, bumping against the side of Connor's desk with an audible commotion before he regained his balance. "I won't warn you again."

"You think you can put your hands on me and just walk away like nothing happened?" Chris snapped back as he got to his feet and marched after Gavin as he tried to trail after Tina into the community breakroom. "We're NOT done with this!"

Connor decided it was time to get involved and rose from his seat just long enough to reach out and put his hand on Chris's shoulder. The light contact was enough to get Chris to stop pursuing Gavin and lock eyes with the rookie detective.

"It's not worth risking your career or reputation by confronting Gavin." Connor spoke softly as he did his best to deescalate the situation. "Officer Chen can take care of herself. Let it go."

"Y-Yeah, you're right." A deep, heated breath escaped Chris's lips as he realized that trying to continue the confrontation would only result in damaging his own character in the eyes of his colleagues. "He's not worth fighting with."

Gavin had apparently been expecting Chris to follow after him and was instantly annoyed when he turned and noticed that the younger officer was speaking directly with Connor. Something about seeing anyone talking to Connor in a friendly manner instantly put him on edge and he felt like a raging fire had begun burning in his core. Turning his wrath away from Tina and toward Connor was the only thing on Gavin's mind.

"HEY?! You talkin' shit about me!" Stomping back into the bullpen Gavin grabbed Connor's shoulder hard enough to force the younger man to turn around and then reeled back his fist to punch Connor right in the face. However, Gavin's knuckles were met with the metal of a desk divider rather than bone, and the man shouted in pain while he cradled his bruising knuckles to his chest. "FUCK!"

After ducking the punch Connor backed away and wrapped one arm around his tender ribs and resisted the urge to throw his own punch while Gavin was momentarily distracted by his self-inflicted pain. The rookie detective didn't want to fight, but he didn't want to get beaten down either.

"You son of a bitch!" Before Gavin had the chance to take another swing at Connor another strong hand reached out and grabbed Gavin by the shirt to pull him aside and then the angry man was put in a strong headlock from behind. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME!"

"REED." Captain Fowler's booming voice made Gavin's temper cool to ice as his heart froze mid beat in his chest. "Enough. My office, NOW."

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Are you going to be calm when I let you go?"

"Yes, sir." Turning his head slightly Gavin looked at his commanding officer standing behind him as he responded in a much calmer manner. "I'm cool."

"Good. Go." Letting up on the hold, the disappointed Captain pointed to his private office and made sure Gavin made his way across the bullpen without any further incident. It was like watching a rowdy student getting sent to the principal's office after the entire class witnessed a temper tantrum. "The rest of you, as you were. I want to see Miller, Chen and Zale in my office before the end of day; no excuses."

"But-" Connor wanted to protest since he knew he hadn't done anything wrong but fell silent almost as soon as he started speaking. There was no point in arguing with his commander officer for any reason. "...Yes, sir."

Dread settled in like a smothering cloud as Connor had no choice but to accept some form of disciplinary action despite not actively doing anything that merited such action. There was a genuine fear that the rookie detective felt whenever he was deemed troublesome that stemmed back to his childhood. He couldn't remember exactly why he felt such a feeling or remember where it originated, and yet the sensation was undeniable and one that made his stomach twist nervously.

"Why was I ordered to speak with Captain Fowler?" The entire ordeal seemed so illogical and pointless. His search for answers would seemingly never end. "Detective Reed is the one who started the fight."

"He just wants to know what happened from everyone's perspective." Chris replied in a mildly irritated manner. The young officer was just as aggravated as Connor, but he was showing it in a less concerned manner. "Don't worry, me and Tina will make sure Captain Fowler knows you didn't do anything, and that Gavin tried to hit you, but you dodged it. No sweat."

"...Thanks."

Any motivation that Connor had previously felt in regard to his work and even his personal search had immediately faded away. A chill crept up his spine as he swore that he could hear Amanda's voice scolding him about his impending disciplinary meeting. Even though she was gone it seemed Amanda would always follow Connor in the form of a haunting memory or a recurring nightmare.

"Kid?" Hank had stepped out of the private office the moment Gavin had entered and was now in search of answers as he had no idea what he had missed. "What's up? You look like you're about to puke."

"I can't really explain what's happened." Connor admitted as Chris stepped away to clear his own head. "At least, not yet."

"Heard Gavin's fist hit the wall." Lowering his voice Hank tried to improve Connor's mood by joking about what little information he had about the unusual situation that had taken place in the bullpen during his brief absence. "Did the dumb-fuck really try to punch ya'? Hope the asshole broke all his knuckles."

"Why does Detective Reed hate me?" The only question on Connor's mind was uncovering the source of Gavin's ire for his very existence. It was hard to hide the emotion in his tone as he tried to understand where he had made his error. "He's hated me since the first case I worked alongside you. Did I say or do something disrespectful toward him?"

"No, kid. Gavin's... He's just always been a jerk with a lot of high walls surrounding him." Checking his phone Hank noted the time and decided to go out on lunch to ensure Connor could get some fresh air. "Come on, let's get something to eat."

"I'm not- I know I say it a lot, but I truly mean it right now. I'm not hungry."

"Doesn't mean you can't get something to have a little later when your appetite comes back." Hank replied in an understanding manner as he gave Connor's shoulder a friendly pat. It wasn't easy to get close with Connor, but Hank knew he was making progress. "It'll be okay. We all just need to get a little space from one another since everything is so fucked up right now. Try not to take it personally."

Without another word both Hank and Connor put on their coats - the younger detective's coat an early Christmas gift from Hank due to the issue with falling through the ice a week prior - and made their way to the precinct front doors together. Connor had no reason to doubt Hank's claims since the more senior detective had for more experience and insight with disciplinary matters with the precinct. Not to mention that even though Connor hadn't known Hank for very long, he knew that Hank hadn't once lied to him or ever gave him any reason to doubt the sincerity of his claims.

The moment the duo stepped outside of the precinct they felt an immediate lift in the air that was far less oppressive compared to the bullpen. It was like stepping out of the ocean to walk on dry land without needing to push against the waves or fight to keep your head above the water. It was unfortunate that such a sense of relief wouldn't last throughout the rest of the day.

Hank Anderson's Residence

The uncomfortable day at work mercifully came to an end with a horribly tense silence that hung in the air over the entire bullpen. One by one Captain Fowler spoke to the four detectives and officers that he had ordered to his office, and from there he was able to piece together the story of what had happened, who had started it, and why Gavin had to be restrained. Even after figuring out that Gavin instigated the entire confrontation and that he had laid his hands on Chris and attempted to assault Connor, the seasoned Captain knew that by punishing Gavin alone that it'd just cause the abrasive detective to be all the more antagonistic in the future. To ensure that he was properly rooting out the true problem among his people and finding a way to ease the mounting tension, Captain Fowler had ordered all four of his offending officers and detectives to attend a sensitivity training seminar to avoid any disciplinary notes being added to their personnel files.

Connor felt absolutely mortified and as if he was being unjustly treated by being ordered to partake in the seminar, but he didn't challenge it. There would be nothing gained by being confrontational or stubborn. He'd have to accept his current situation for what it was and handle it in a professional manner even if he didn't want to deal with what he felt like was an unnecessary response to a problem that Gavin had created.

With his eyes transfixed on the laptop screen in the warm livingroom Connor continued his search for Lucas while Hank finished watching his movie and turned off the television. There was a small plate with an untouched sandwich beside Connor's hand, and the sight annoyed Hank but he kept it to himself since he didn't want to add to Connor's stress.

"What time do you need to be at your seminar thing?"

"At seven o'clock." Connor confirmed in a barely audible response. "And I imagine that Captain Fowler would greatly frown on even a single second of tardiness."

"Damn, I was hoping you'd at least be able to sleep-in a little. Don't think I haven't noticed that you're still not sleeping all through the night."

"My apologies." Turning his head Connor looked at Hank still sitting on the couch and knew the man was too smart to be fooled by anything. "I'll keep my workout sessions quieter from now on."

"Or you could try sleeping for a few more hours every night. Just a thought."

"A thought I've greatly considered on numerous occasions, but insomnia isn't an affliction that's easily negotiated with."

"Fair enough." Hank let out a small yawn and rose to his feet catching Sumo's attention. The massive dog was sleeping on his pillow in the of the livingroom corner to keep close to Connor, but it was clear her wouldn't object to getting a quick snack from Hank before bed. "Try to get some sleep. Maybe take a bite or two out of your sandwich before you let Sumo finish it off for you."

"I will try."

"Want me to give ya' a ride to the seminar in the morning?"

"No, I'll use a cab. You shouldn't lose your day off because of me."

"Kid, you're my partner and you're my friend." The man needlessly reminded Connor that he wasn't a burden and that he wouldn't volunteer to offer Connor any help unless he wanted to do it. "It wouldn't be a personal tragedy if I work up early on my day off. But if you want to take a cab, then I won't stop ya'."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem. Goodnight," Hank managed to give Connor's shoulder another pat as he walked behind the chair and made his way toward the hallway. "I'll see ya' tomorrow."

"Right... Have a good night."

The moment Hank was down the hallway Connor buried his face in his palms and exhaled deeply through his fingers as the pressure of needing to be perfect returned with an unspoken vengeance. It seemed the conditioning and what could be argued as intense brainwashing by CyberLife was as persistent and stubborn as Connor himself could be. It was hard, if not impossible, to let go of such strong mental conditioning and emotional manipulation when it had years to be instilled and fester inside someone's mind.

Peering up at the laptop screen again only resulted in additional stress mounting in Connor's focus. He had vowed to uncover the truth behind his twin brother's sudden disappearance from CyberLife, and despite his best efforts and even finally finding a way to reach out for help in his search, Connor still wasn't making any progress.

"Lucas... I'm trying to figure out what happened to you, but I can't even seem to figure out how to be a proper detective."

With each new challenge that Connor overcame another obstacle was thrown in his way. It was exhausting to keep fighting for the basics of everyday life, and it seemed as if Connor's fighting spirit was burning out.

"Please be patient with me, brother. I'm trying in every way that I can to find you."

The Carl Manfred Institute for the Arts

The early morning was met with an abundance of fresh snow and ice that bathed everything in an almost blinding white. There was a sense of eeriness to be felt as Connor stepped out of his cab and passed through the automatic doors of the large institute to find his way to the correct room to begin the seminar. The rookie detective didn't dare to ask the deviant receptionist at the front about where he needed to go to avoid being gossiped about. At least that's what he told himself as he signed in for the day and tried to hide the shame in his gaze as he crossed the relatively empty lobby. Slowly Connor wandered down the lengthy corridors to both put off entering the appointed room until the last possible minute, while also admiring the donated works that Carl Manfred had given to the institute shortly after he had the institute funded and built. The institute was meant to help people from all walks of life for a multitude of reasons, which meant there was no reason to be ashamed to be at the institute in general.

As he neared the correct door Connor noticed Tina walking to the same room from the opposite direction and stopped beside the door to politely wait for her to join him. The young officer had an armful of snacks from the nearby vending machine and a sleepy look in her eyes as she met with Connor and offered him one of her bags of snacks as a sign of good faith.

"Want some cold, mostly likely stale toaster pastries?" Tina managed to find a little humor even with the lingering fatigue hanging over her head. "I'm told it's the breakfast of champions."

"No thank you." Pressing his palm next to the closed door to unseal it Connor stepped aside and allowed Tina to enter the room first. "I'm fine without any snacks right now."

"Lucky. I always end up stress snacking whenever I get my butt in trouble with the Captain."

The moment Connor entered the room behind Tina he felt the same oppressive atmosphere from the bullpen hanging overhead. Both Gavin and Chris had already arrived and were sitting in stone silence on opposite sides of the isolated room with Gavin sitting as close to the door as possible. Based on the layout of the personal desks resting on a bleacher structure to ensure that those who sat in the back could clearly see the front of the room, Connor deduced that they were in a type of classroom. It wasn't often that Connor had the chance to be in such a room due to his unsettling childhood with very limited memories, and yet he immediately felt small. In his mind Connor was officially a naughty child who needed to be scolded for his inappropriate behavior in a professional setting.

"Where's our administrator?" Tina asked as she chose to sit near Chris who was in the front row further from the door (and Gavin) and offered him one of her many snacks as a sign of good faith in her colleague. "Thought they'd be here by now."

"Car trouble." Chris confirmed as he appreciatively accepted the snack and motioned to the electronic blackboard at the front of the classroom. "She sent us a message about a minute ago saying she'd be late because her car wouldn't start, and her streets are too snowed-in to let an autonomous cab through."

"Not surprised. My own car barely made the drive, and I only live four blocks from here." After using her teeth to tear into the wrapper of her treat, Tina kicked back in her seat and noticed that Connor had chosen a seat in the furthest back row behind Chris and herself. "What're you doing back there, Connor? You can sit with us if you want to."

"The freak's just sticking to the back of the room where he belongs." Gavin snarked as he watched Connor flinch slightly at the insult and knew he had managed to get under his skin. The way Connor reacted so strongly to any criticism seemed to entertain Gavin in a malicious way. "The most fucked up part is I've interacted with androids that behave more normally than you ever do!"

"Gavin, shut up." Tina snapped back as she gave her friend a truly disappointed glance. "We're all here because you were being a prick to Connor yesterday, and you're being a prick to him today. Can you please at least try to go one day without being an insufferable asshole?"

"I'm just calling it as I see it."

"And no one asked you what you see." The way Connor was always so quiet and refused to interact with other people didn't escape Tina's attention, but she didn't dare call him out since she understood what it felt like to be bullied just for existing. "Leave him alone."

"Hey," Chris spoke up to keep Gavin from talking again as he turned to look at Connor sitting behind him. "I've been meaning to ask... You're friends with Markus, right?"

"That's correct." Connor confirmed the question while waiting for Gavin to butt-in with another rude comment. "I'm aware of what he did to you and your former partner when you were on patrol. I assure you that he would never pull the trigger on any human for any reason, and that you were never in any real danger."

"That much I know. I could kinda' just feel it when he chose to not shoot us and let us go." The young officer wasn't entirely at ease after his close call that night, but he was willing to talk about it since he survived to tell the tale. "Markus isn't a bad guy, he was just reacting to a bad situation. Anyway, I was just wondering if you could let him know that I'm grateful he spared me. So are my wife and son."

"I... Yes, I could tell him that." Being a messenger wasn't something Connor was accustomed to, but he took no offense to it either. "I'm sure he'd appreciate knowing that the police force isn't holding a grudge against him."

"Speak for yourself, freak..." Gavin couldn't keep his mouth shut and received a half-eaten toaster pastry slapping the side of his face in return. "Hey!?"

"I told you to knock it off." Tina growled as she refused to just sit back and let Gavin be rude and insult a good person for no reason. "Do you have a crush on Connor or something? You can't seem to stop talking about him even when no one's talking to you."

"Not funny, Ti." The redness on Gavin's face was a mixture of embarrassment and rage at being called out. "Low blow calling out my sexuality like that."

"I wasn't calling you out for being bi, I was calling you out for always being mean to Connor. You're like a schoolkid with a crush, and it's driving me crazy."

"If the fucker wasn't a CyberLife flunky then I'd have no problem with him. But he's a sellout and traitor to his own people."

"Oh, for fuck's sake..."

"What? It's true!" Gavin looked like he was ready to start another fight despite no one else being aggressive or getting to their feet. "The fucker even acts like a damn machine. Doesn't emote, doesn't engage in conversation..."

"Gee, I can't imagine why Connor wouldn't want to stroll over to your desk to discuss the weather with your cheery, upbeat attitude." Tina quipped while Chris withheld and amused chuckle. "You're such an inviting ray of sunshine!"

"This ain't about me, it's about that emotionally stunted freak."

Gavin focusing his misplaced ire on Connor had left Connor replaying Hank's previous warning about being a walking target surrounded by itchy trigger fingers. He really did feel like it was just a matter of time before Gavin pointed a gun at him and pulled the trigger. After all, Hank had pointed his gun at Connor before and Hank claimed to be Connor's friend. Why wouldn't an openly hostile enemy shoot Connor just for existing?

"What's the fuck is wrong with you, anyway?" Gavin pressed as Connor turned away from the man to look out the snow covered window a few feet away. "You got brain damage? Those CyberLife fuckers put microchips in your brain to make you an android in human skin? Answer me!"

"Gavin, shut the fuck up!" Tina had enough of her own friend's outbursts and silenced him very effectively. She rarely showed her anger, but when it happened everyone took notice and quickly shaped up. "You of all people should know that not everyone gets to have an ideal life, especially during our childhoods. Just leave him alone."

"You know something about him that I don't?"

"Apparently I know that it's rude as hell to talk about someone when they're sitting right in front of you. I also know that someone else's life experiences are none of my business unless they feel like they can trust me and confide in me. Just leave him alone, it's your fault we're in this mess anyway."

"How is this MY fault?"

"How is it NOT? First, you tried to pick a fight with anyone in the bullpen," Tina used her fingers to count off Gavin's missteps one by one while Chris and Connor silently listened to her fending off Gavin's anger with her words alone. "you tried to pick a fight with me, then you physically SHOVED Chris - your colleague and friend - and then you threw a punch at Connor. You started everything and dragged all of us into your petty little drama. You owe all of us an apology right here, right now."

Gavin didn't have anything to say after Tina essentially forced him to finally realize how much he screwed up just by spelling things out as simple as possible. It was rare for the bitter detective to be stunned into silence, and that was a unique moment that was going to be appreciated for quite some time.

"That's what I thought." Slowly Tina turned away from Gavin with raw disappointment in her words and her eyes. "Chris, thanks for taking the high road and not getting into a fight with Gavin yesterday. And Connor, thanks for never stooping down to Gavin's petty level."

Connor didn't say anything as he folded his arms over his chest and sank into his seat. He didn't have anything to say, not that anyone was surprised, and he wasn't quite sure what he should've been feeling - if anything at all.

It didn't take long for Tina to change the subject to something far cheerier by asking Chris about his son, all while Gavin fell into embittered silence and Connor retreated inside his own mind to avoid any further uncomfortable conversations. The sooner their assigned administrator arrived the sooner they could discuss the previous day's incident and return home. Once Connor was back home, he'd be able to resume his search for Lucas and put the ugly interaction among his colleagues behind him.

"Uh, dare!" Chris responded enthusiastically as he humored Tina with a simple game. "What you got?"

"All right, I dare you to..." All it took was for Tina's gaze to reach the front of the room for inspiration to strike. "Write your name on the blackboard super large!"

"Why?"

"I want to see if our impending host has a good sense of humor or not."

"Cool."

Fearlessly Chris strolled to the front of the room and picked up the stylus to write out his name in big, perfect cursive letters on the digital blackboard, then added "was here" beneath it for bonus points. Turning around he bowed theatrically as he displayed his fearlessness of the simple dare and return to where he had been sitting to resume the game.

"Tina, truth or dare?"

"Dare me, baby!"

"Cool, cool... I dare you to..." Glancing about the room inspired a little creativity of his own and Chris smirked Devilishly before speaking up. "I dare you to pose on the front desk, snap a selfie and upload it to your 'Inner-Voice' page."

"Like that even counts as a dare!"

While Tina made her way to the front desk to chill out in a rather relaxed pose Connor remained silent in his seat and Gavin just rolled it eyes. It seemed neither detective was in a particularly fun mood, which meant Tina and Chris needed to play their game alone.

Choosing the classic resting her cheek in her palm while laying on her side pose, Tina held her phone and snapped a photo of herself while captioning the image as 'detention all over again' and uploading the image. There was no fear in her playful nature. The way she could even remain upbeat and positive after getting in trouble the previous day at work spoke volumes of her character.

"Done!" Tina rolled off the desk onto her feet again and reclaimed her chair beside Chris without so much as breaking a sweat. "Okay, Chris. Truth or dare?"

"Truth this time."

"Truth, huh? Okay." Thinking for only a minute Tina knew exactly what she wanted to ask and hoped that Chris would oblige. "How old were you when you... You know. Had your first 'adult experience'?"

"Uh..." Chris bashfully looked away from Tina before replying honestly. There was no shame in his past experience since they were all adults, and no one was passing judgement. "Freshman year of high school. The big game had just started, our school was already ahead by forty points, and Rita - the peppiest cheerleader in school history - gave me the 'come hither' gaze. Who was I to say no?"

"Wait, so did you two actually do it AT the game?"

"Kind of. We went to the locker room showers during halftime, and uh, yeah." A faint blush appeared as Chris shared such a fun memory with his friend. "We shared a special moment together at the innocent young age of fourteen."

"No way! Really?" The positive shift in Tina's voice helped bring Connor back to reality as he realized that the argument seemed to be over. "You were fourteen when you cashed in your V-card? I'm impressed!"

"Impressed?" Chris theatrically pressed his palm over his chest to feign offense to Tina's reaction. "Are you saying that I ain't got no game?"

"Not at all. I'm just impressed that you were able to experience something so life changing so young since you seem like such a boy scout." Laughing a little to herself Tina tilted her head and confessed her own young age. "Then again, I was seventeen and I talked my junior prom date into joining me for a nice evening at the local dive hotel, so who am I to judge?"

"Seventeen's young but nowhere near as young as I was. I kinda' regret going through that when I was just starting high school since I didn't realize how special it is to have that kind of moment with someone you truly love."

"Aww... That's so sweet." Stealing a glance Gavin's way Tina decided to try to extend an olive branch and let her friend know that despite being mad at his poor attitude that she still saw him as a friend. "Gavin was only a year older than me when he had his first romantic encounter with... What was her name again? Gladys? The private dancer by night who studied to become a mechanical engineer by day?"

"Her name was Glenda, like the 'good witch', and yeah, she got her degree in mechanical engineering and left town." The smug grin on Gavin's face confirmed he wasn't ashamed to talk about his first time being intimate with anyone either. "I kinda' wonder what would've happened if I went with her. Damn she had amazing legs, and an ass that was hypnotic to watch whenever she danced."

"And who was your first male romantic partner again?"

"...George." The smile disappeared and Gavin cleared his throat nervously. "That fucker is someone I've tried very hard to forget about since he wasn't exactly a stable person to be around. I've chosen to replace my first time with a guy with Juan. Now Juan was the first stable romance I had with a man, but he wasn't the kind to want to settle down and get serious for too long. He also had a great ass."

"Sounds like you have a type."

"No, I just admire toned asses."

"Whatever. What about you?" The moment Tina returned her focus to Connor she saw that Connor was immediately uncomfortable with the discussion. "That is, IF you want to talk about it. It's cool if you don't, it's all very personal and different for everyone."

Gavin openly laughed and made everyone suddenly feel uncomfortable. The intense redness on Connor's spoke volumes of his own discomfort considering he was once again being scrutinized by Gavin.

"What's so funny?" Chris asked defensively as he gave Gavin a rather fiery glare. It seemed that Chris understood he was in the right place to give Gavin attitude if he so wished. "There's a lot of people who don't feel cool with talking about their sex life, especially with coworkers."

"There's no way that emotionless freak has ever gotten laid!" Feeling all the more antagonistic, Gavin turned in his seat and watched Connor squirming in his own seat at the back of the room. "Have you even seen anyone naked before? You're so uptight I bet you- OW! Tina?!"

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?" She asked rhetorically as she reclaimed her thrown shoe and slipped it back on over her foot while Gavin rubbed at the sore spot forming on his left cheek. "Next time I won't aim for your head, I'll aim for your dick."

"Why'd you throw your damn shoe?"

"Because I already ate my pastry, and the desks are bolted to the ground."

There was a heavy silence in the room that only made Connor feel all the more uncomfortable. The rookie detective didn't want to keep brushing off other people's comments about his life without knowing a thing about him, but he didn't want to be confrontational either.

"I don't remember." Connor stated firmly and with a marked discomfort. The topic of discussion that he had been dragged into wasn't something he particularly wanted to keep going. "I have no memories of any past friendships, let alone personal relationships."

"How in the fuck can you not remember you own childhood?" Gavin blurted crassly despite already been warned by Tina to choose his next words carefully. "You're only in your twenties!"

"I spent my entire childhood in the foster care program until I aged out." The response was as cold as the snow outside. As soon as the admission passed his lips Connor sensed his three colleagues suddenly tense up with a sense of discomfort. "I don't remember having any friends, going on any dates, or ever meeting anyone new. The only people I do remember talking to were CyberLife personnel and-" He didn't want to mention Lucas since he knew it'd open up another can of worms that he didn't want to discuss. "I... I guess that's it."

Everyone was silent for a minute as they all realized how lonely Connor must've felt growing up. Such isolation without family or even friends explained why Connor was so socially introverted and unwilling to really open up to make friends as he didn't seem to know how. It explained why it was easy for him to reside with Hank since the older man wasn't a massive social butterfly and made it simpler for Connor to learn how to interact with other people in a less chaotic manner.

"So what?" Apathetic as ever, Gavin didn't care that Connor had such a depressing childhood. "No one's childhood is ever perfect. That's no excuse to act like an emotionless robot when you're out in the real world. You're a big boy now. Time to act like one!"

"...You mean act like you?" Connor had enough of Gavin's mouth and was finally acknowledging his true thoughts on the deplorable man. It was as if Connor's patience had just run out, and now everyone was about to see what it was like to deal with a composed man pushed to his limits. "If being a 'big boy' means acting like a self-righteous, embittered, miserable prick like you, then I'm perfectly content as I am."

While Chris was left speechless, Tina started to giggle a little. She could see that Gavin was stunned that Connor just stood up to him and called him out on his own behavior at the same time.

"Are you getting smart with me?" Gavin challenged in a sorry attempt to save face. "You think you're better than me?"

"My behavior compared to your chronic dumbassery by contrast confirms that I already am smart. As for being better than you, I don't consider myself above anyone else except for you, considering I can at least be civil with my colleagues and not engage in incessant pissing contests."

"Oh, little boy found his voice. Did your drunk-ass, loser roommate teach you to talk?"

"You know what's truly sad? Despite Hank's obvious disdain for your very existence, he's never once spoken ill of you behind your back. I think it's a real testament to how pathetic you truly are that a 'drunk loser' feels sorry enough for you that even they won't attack your lack of character behind your back."

"Damn, Connor." Tina congratulated the previously meek detective for his sudden shift in attitude. "You're slaying him."

When Gavin didn't say anything in return Connor knew he had finally pushed a bully back and it felt good. He felt better knowing he had managed to stand up for himself and stop pointless insults and threats without any negative reaction in response. It was okay for him to speak up and tell someone to back off, to leave him alone, and even throw a person's nasty words back in their face.

"What the fuck ever." A single scoff escaped Gavin's lips as he struggled to salvage his ego by pushing back. "You're still a CyberLife sellout."

"I only worked for the company because the other places that I had applied to never responded. The unemployment issues in the city didn't give me or many other people any choice but to apply to wherever was hiring. It was either work for CyberLife or end up homeless."

Tina and Chris turned to look at Gavin as if waiting for him to try to combat Connor's claim with some type of rebuttal, but the abrasive detective was quiet again. It was unfortunate that the silence didn't last.

"That doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you're a fuckin' sellout. You were working with CyberLife to weasel your way into the precinct," the ignorant detective tried to argue despite not having any evidence to back up his wild claim. "then when things started looking shitty, you apparently grew a conscience and decided to help the fucking androids who were trying to kill us all! They went deviant, turned violent, and then you helped then turn on us! Race-traitor!"

"Your ignorance is as abundant as it's loathsome." Connor countered with a notable growl. The rookie detective's normally placid expression began to turn sour as his face reddened and his hands clenched into fists atop his desk. "The deviants were only violent when the humans - who TURNED them deviant with their own violence against them - provoked them. Your behavior, indifference and fear are far more responsible for the deviants existing than I ever could be. As for races... You want to talk about being a 'race-traitor'?"

Slowly Connor rose to his feet causing Tina and Chris to hold their breaths as their normally passive colleague began to stand up for himself and stop bottling all of his pent-up emotions and thoughts inside. It was like watching a butterfly emerge from a cocoon through words alone.

"Let's talk about growing up in foster care with no family to take care of you. Let's talk about being treated like a financial burden and waste of life in the eyes of the very people who were responsible for your health and overall well-being." Approaching Gavin with his eyes piercing through the other man's soul had left Gavin actually frozen in his seat without a single syllable to utter. "Let's talk about being forgotten, shifted around, forced to attend classes inside the very building where you always resided because no one wanted to deal with the paperwork of sending children to public schools. Let's talk about being deprived of any semblance of a normal childhood and being denied the chance to learn about yourself, to grow in the real world, and to find out who you really are."

Just as Gavin was about to respond Connor cut him off as he continued with his statement.

"Let's talk about being denied basic healthcare because no one saw you as worth the extra effort to make appointments or trips downtown. Let's talk about the fact that the people who are so cold, apathetic and indifferent to the lives of the thousands of innocent children who depend on them just to survive are all HUMAN."

Gavin just looked away from Connor as he refused to admit any fault or engage any further. If he couldn't win a competition, then he'd just quit - a horrible weakness of his character.

"The first time I was ever acknowledged was at CyberLife for my job interview. The first people I interacted with were other CyberLife personnel, and yes, androids. The funny thing is, I always felt more comfortable around the androids than humans, and it's becoming abundantly clear as to why."

"Whatever..."

"Is that all you have to say?" Connor was feeling something, anger perhaps, and for the first time in his life he wanted to be angry. He wanted Gavin to understand how it felt to be threatened by another person's anger and finally show a shred of empathy. "You told me I need to emote more, and now that I am you finally have nothing to say? Hm?"

When Gavin tried to get up to leave Connor slapped his hands down on the desk in front of the man mirroring Gavin's own previous aggression back when Gavin knocked Connor's personal items from his desk and into the trash. When Gavin physically flinched Connor knew he had gotten under his skin and had undoubtedly also opened a few old wounds by mistake. Seeing that it was true how bullies always backed down when another bully gave them a dose of their own medicine would've been fascinating if it wasn't so pathetic and juvenile.

"That's what I thought." Lifting up his hands Connor stepped back and decided to leave the room to get some fresh air to avoid saying or doing anything that might be unforgivable by mistake. "Only cowards attack those who are unwilling to fight back. Be better."

Leaving the now silent room behind him, Connor began walking along the corridor to get away from the insufferable and arrogant detective to ensure he cooled down without having a meltdown in the process. It had been years since he allowed himself to feel anything and feeling anger for the first time since he could remember wasn't the most refreshing feeling. It was, however, very effective as proving that Connor wasn't a pacifist target just waiting to be shot.

The heated detective didn't even make it halfway down the corridor before he heard footsteps hastily chasing after him. Unwilling to stop, unwilling to even look back, Connor continued on his way down the corridor and didn't stop until he felt a soft hand wrap around his wrist from behind and stop him from walking any further. The tension in the air had followed after Connor's pursuer and was no hanging heavily over Connor's head once again.

"Connor, don't leave." Tina urged as she did her best to sound calm and keep her colleague from ruining his chances of getting the previous day's incident expunged from his record at the precinct. "It's okay. We'll make sure Gavin doesn't-"

"I'm fine." The lie was as detectable as the visceral heat radiating from Connor's entire being. "I just need some space."

"Okay." Lightly Tina let go of Connor's wrist and waited for him to turn and acknowledge her. "I'm also sorry that he pushed you so far. If I had known-"

"You're not responsible for other people's emotions. Neither am I." Connor's response was both true and cold as he finally turned to face Tina directly. The ability to self-reflect was doing wonders for Connor's otherwise destroyed self-esteem. "I merely responded as I saw appropriate. I'm not going to apologize for standing up for myself."

"I'm not asking you to apologize, far from it, I'm just asking that you don't walk away and let Gavin paint you as the villain in his story."

"I won't. I just need a minute to myself to recollect my thoughts and calm down."

"All right. Just so you know, our instructor sent another text." The relief in her voice was unmistakable. "She's on her way and will be here in about fifteen minutes."

"I'll be back before then."

"That's good." Tina nodded subtly and took a step back from her fired-up colleague before adding an interesting thought for Connor to ponder. "You know, it was good that you stood up to Gavin. He's been pushing his luck too much lately, and he's needed a good reminder that he can't act like a prick all the time and expect anyone to actually want to work with him in any way. It's dangerous to be an asshole when you're a cop."

"It's dangerous just being a cop, let alone an asshole." Wisely Connor stopped himself from continuing on with his thought as he didn't want to keep stirring the metaphorical pot and accidentally cause more drama. "Go back to the room, I'll rejoin you shortly."

"Okay. Don't be late!"

Connor slowly let out a deep breath before he walked over to a nearby row of chairs and sat down heavily. There was marked disgust in every single one of Connor's personal fibers as he thought about what he said, why he said it, and how it made him feel to speak his mind. At first it was freeing and felt good to finally let it out rather than hold it in, let alone remain passive and pretend that the insults, threats and physical assaults weren't affecting him. Now that the confrontation was over, all he felt was self-disappointment for not staying composed and staying above Gavin's level.

"I remember you telling me that I had a nasty temper once before, Lucas."

Bowing his head down and into his palms helped block out the surrounding world just enough for Connor to feel less overwhelmed.

"I've been working hard to keep calm, but sometimes I feel that no matter how hard I work that it'll never be enough. Forgive me if I let you down, brother."

Hank Anderson's Residence

The long, unusual day had come to an end with the instructor reviewing proper protocol and etiquette that's expected within a professional workforce, and the four occupants of the seminar being dismissed for the night after successfully completing their review course. It seemed the quartet had become far more reasonable, patient and understanding after they had their disagreement before the instructor had even arrived. Such a calm, cooperative environment resulted in an easy-going seminar that ended with the impressed instructor verifying their full participation in the sensitivity training program. The moment that the instructor confirmed their cooperation and sent her report in for Captain Fowler to review for himself, the four reluctant participants went their own separate ways back to their lives outside the impressive institute.

Shame was hanging heavily over Connor's head and in his heart as he sat at the desk in the livingroom with Hank's laptop open before himself. The rookie detective didn't say much after returning to the house and quietly ate his dinner without any protests to ensure that he stayed on Hank's good side. Unfortunately, his sudden eagerness to cooperate immediately caught Hank's attention and pushed his detective senses into full gear.

"Are you good to return to work tomorrow?" Hank asked casually as he walked into the livingroom and picked up the empty plate from the desk to ensure Connor had plenty of room to work on his search. It was the first time since he had met Connor that Hank had seen the younger man actually finish an entire meal. "Usually those kinds of training sessions last only for a couple of hours, not days."

"Yes. I was given full approval to resume working at the precinct." Connor replied quickly, almost nervously, as he sat back in his chair and gave Hank his full attention. If guilt had a physical shape, there would be no denying that it'd be shaped like Connor in that very instance. "We can resume our case without any issues."

"Cool, cool. So, what's on your mind?"

The color drained from Connor's face as he hesitantly replied to the single question. "...Pardon?"

"Don't even try to act innocent. Something's bugging you." The shift in Hank's voice sounded entirely paternal and almost comforting. It was hard to believe that the man had such little patience or a hot temper considering how understanding he was being with Connor. "Did Reed do something stupid again?"

"He..." Connor trailed off softly as he looked away from Hank and hunched over himself protectively. "He may have been the catalyst for my own stupidity."

"So yeah, he did something stupid. What happened?"

The emotionally fragile detective did his best to explain the situation without sounding argumentative or defensive. In his mind it was important to remain entirely level and indifferent while relaying only the relevant facts regarding the incident earlier that day at the institute. Any sense of bias or hint of unprofessionalism were unacceptable.

"So Gavin pushed you again, but instead of letting him get away with it, you pushed back? Good."

"It wasn't good, Lieutenant." Connor made a move to close the laptop as he prepared to admit defeat and go to sleep for the night. "I shouldn't have lost my temper or insulted Gavin. I stooped to his level, and I feel awful."

"Are you going to do it again? Stoop to his level, I mean."

"No. I don't want to feel so horrid again for as long as possible."

"Then you want. And it was a good thing, kid." Hank insisted as he pushed Connor's hand away from the laptop screen and refused to let the rookie detective feel as if he did anything wrong. "You defended yourself, let Gavin know that you're not going to take his shit anymore, and now that you know how shitty it feels to be a shitty person, you're not going to act like that again. It only seems like a bad thing because you feel bad. But empathy is never a bad thing, kid."

"Breaking a promise will always be bad."

"What promise?"

Connor couldn't discuss the situation any further. The very notion of breaking his word to his own brother was enough to put Connor on edge.

"It's okay, I won't judge you." The sincerity flowing through Hank's voice helped make it easier for Connor to keep talking. "I just want to know what's happening."

It was hard to deny that Hank had been a great help to Connor shortly after they had met one another. The rookie detective went from being a mindless tool to being a promising young detective with strong ties to the deviant community, and to having an actual friend who cared about him. If Connor was already willing to trust Hank with his search for his missing brother, then there was no reason for Connor to not tell Hank about a single memory from his past.

"While growing up, I had an issue with keeping my temper under control. Lucas told me that if I failed to take control over my temper, then it'd just create problems for me down the road." Connor explained in a disappointed tone. "I promised him that I'd keep my temper in check, but today... I failed."

"Keeping your temper in check doesn't mean you're never allowed to feel or express anger, kid. It just means you don't let your anger get the better of you. That's a hard lesson that I had to learn for myself not too long ago."

"Then why does it feel like I failed?"

"Remember what I said about empathy? You're just not used to being able to actually acknowledge your emotions, that's all."

"Will it become easier for me to accept my emotions without such heavy confusion following them?"

"Yup. Just be patient with yourself." Seeing Connor relax a little prompted Hank to keep the younger man talking for as long as possible. "You know something? That's the first time you mentioned anything specific from your childhood. When did you and Lucas have that chat?"

"I... I'm not really sure." The memory was real, that much he knew. When it happened, why it happened and where it happened were all unknown. "I just remember talking to him one night and taking his words to heart. I think I may have started a fight with someone, but I can't remember."

"That's okay. Your memories will come back to you over time."

"Do you truly believe that?"

"I do." There was no denying that Hank was confident in everything he was saying. "I don't say anything that I don't mean."

"How can I remember my childhood when the memories are just gone?"

"Little things will jumpstart your memories." Hank insisted as he casually rubbed his free hand along the back of his neck. "Like, for me, when I made my first meal by myself after moving into my first apartment, the smell reminded me of eating that same meal for the first time when I was a kid."

"What memory was that?"

"Let's see... Pre-school age, so three or four, and I was sitting at the dining room table with my dad on my right and my mom on my left. Mom made spaghetti for the first time since my parents got married since she didn't think she was that good of a cook, but she was. We were talking about going to the arcade that weekend, and I remember asking my parents for a Nintendo for my next birthday. I got one, by the way."

"You followed your mother's recipe when you moved into your own place, and that's what triggered your memory."

"You got it. Hey... Why don't we try using that as a trigger for your own memories?" Hank had a sheepish smile on his face as he resumed carrying the empty plate into the kitchen to clean up for the night. "You don't know how to cook anyway, so I can teach you how and maybe something you make will trigger a memory from your childhood when you start making new meals."

"That seems a little too simple."

"No way, kid. Memories are tricky, fickle things." The older man confirmed as he let the plate soak in the sink full of warm water and then let Sumo back inside since dinner was over and the large dog couldn't sneakily help Connor finish his own meal. "The weirdest shit always triggers them, especially smells."

"I suppose there's no harm in trying your suggested method."

"That's the spirit!" After rejoining Connor in the livingroom Hank peered at the laptop screen and noticed that the younger detective was painstakingly sorting through each file and chronicling the details that'd be used against CyberLife C.E.O.'s in an impending lawsuit, while keeping any files that could pertain to her personal investigation separate. "I tried to do some digging while you were at that seminar today, but I didn't get too far. Has Markus been able to help?"

"He has. Markus uncovered the master password so that I can unlock any and all files as I see fit." Connor confirmed as he continued to diligently work on his search and keep everything organized. "Markus has also been able to locate other prototype androids that were going to be used as weapons and has been working to slowly activate and deviate them."

"More prototypes?" That was something Hank didn't want to think about considering the close call they had at the tower during the night of the Revolution. "Like the one who... uh..."

"Yes. They found other androids that mimic my own appearance." Connor knew exactly what Hank wanted to ask without actually asking about it. "Markus had decided to alter their faces and voices since I never consented to allowing my personal likeness to be used in the illegal designs. They don't look or sound like me in any capacity."

"Good. No offense, but you and your own twin should be the only people who look like you runnin' around Detroit."

"Agreed." Finishing up for the night Connor closed the laptop and turned in the chair to look at Hank standing behind him. "If I do find Lucas, what then? Do I start a new life with my brother elsewhere?"

"You two will do whatever you feel is right. Hell, you can both crash on the couch if ya' want," Hank stated as he gave Connor's shoulder a reassuring pat. "but don't complain about cramped living spaces."

Connor knew Hank was joking but didn't feel like laughing. There was just so much on his mind that he didn't know whether he needed to laugh, cry or punch a hole through the wall.

"Let's watch a movie then get some sleep. There's going to be another heavy snowfall before the holidays hit, which means we're going to be too busy helping stranded motorists and interrogating pickpockets to get any other time to just relax."

"That sounds logical. Should... I make some popcorn?"

"Do you want some?"

"Yes, I think I do."

"Then yeah, go make enough for both of us. Help yourself to the kitchen whenever you're hungry, kid." Hank urged as he dropped onto the couch and picked up the television remote to find a good movie for the night. He turned to watch Connor walk into the kitchen to rub Sumo's ears and then locate a bag of popcorn in the pantry. "My house is your house for as long as you need one; don't worry about it."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"And Connor?" Calling out a little louder, Hank caught Connor's ear just as the rookie detective put the popcorn in the microwave and started the popping process. The way Connor turned to look at him made Hank think of a bird responding to an intrusive noise. "When we're off the clock you can just call me 'Hank'. We're friends, and friends call each other by their names."

"I'll try to remember to do that... Hank."

"We're making progress, that's good." The older detective smirked to himself and let out a small sigh as Sumo jumped up onto the couch and pressed his front paws and chin down over his lap. Sometimes it was like Sumo forgot he wasn't a puppy anymore. "You better keep up your cute charm and get that kid to start trusting both of us, boy. We're not going to let him down, right?"

Sumo looked up at Hank and licked his nose while wagging his tail. The large dog seemed to understand what Hank was saying and promptly agreed to the simple arrangement to make sure Connor knew he was in a safe place and surrounded by good people.

"Good dog. Now, make room for Connor." Hank urged as he lightly patted Sumo's rump to push him a little further down the couch so that Connor could have a space to sit. "Don't be rude to our guest, especially when the guest is bringing us a bowl of hot popcorn for movie night."

-next chapter-