Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I was wondering if you might be free this evening…”

Connor, the android formerly sent by Cyberlife, let his statement trail off, giving Lily a soft, crooked smile.

Lily, the superintendent of the apartment building Connor had moved into a few months prior, was stunned. “Are… are you asking me on a date?”

He nodded, still smiling. She went silent, her dark eyes locking onto his as she considered his proposal. She’d had all of four actual conversations with him since he arrived at the building she managed: simple platitudes while retrieving the mail or idle chatter about the weather while sharing the elevator.

But she was so drawn to him. She found herself wondering if she would catch him in the hallway, or the parking lot; sometimes she hoped something would break down in his unit so she would have an excuse to see him again.

And yet, through all of her wistful thinking, some small part of her past was constantly warning her to stay away.

Even now, as he stood in front of her, LED blinking yellow, a nervous smile on his face, she felt an odd mix of longing and unease.

“I understand it may be inappropriate to date a tenant, Lily,” he assured her. “But I was hoping I could prove to be an exception.”

She didn’t answer, her head tilting slightly to one side as she stared at him. Something was stopping her from saying yes.

“Or are you more concerned about dating an android? I know there’s some long term issues to be sorted, so I am more than happy to be friends if that is your preference. I was mostly hoping we could get to know each other better.”

Her face was frozen in surprise, successfully masking the mental battle she suddenly found herself in.

When the silence between them dragged on, he gave a curt nod, his smile still kind. “I understand. Please, forget I asked. I hope I haven’t offended you.”

“No,” she said quickly, finally breaking free of her internal argument. “I’d… I’d like that. What did you have in mind?”

His smile grew wider, his LED turning blue before he sheepishly looked away. “I’m not sure,” he replied, chuckling softly. “I didn’t think I would get this far.”

____________

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m really not hungry,” Lily assured him, staring somewhat nervously at the fairly expensive restaurant he’d brought them to later that evening.

“I understand it is a gentleman’s duty to pay for the date, so please don’t concern yourself with the price.” Connor moved toward the door, pausing when she didn’t follow. He turned to look at her, his LED blinking yellow.

“It’s not that… I’m…” she hesitated, almost seeming to freeze in place for a moment before she continued. “I’m on a strict diet, and ate before… I’m sorry, I should have said something sooner.”

He looked her over, his LED idly turning blue again when he nodded, his smile ever present. The mood turned awkward regardless, until she spotted the river in the distance, and remembered the path along the water. “How about a walk instead?”

His smile widening, he agreed, and offered his arm, which she took with a blush before they made their way down the street.

The night was oddly cool for summer as the street lights came on, illuminating their path as they came up to a children's park overlooking the bridge that crossed the river. The last of the families playing in the park passed them as they made their way home, leaving the couple alone as they neared their new destination

“Tell me about yourself,” Connor politely inquired, staring ahead, his LED blinking blue.

The nagging in the back of her mind that had been present since he first asked her out fought once more for her attention.

“‘That’s none of your business and I’ll thank you to stay out of my personal affairs’.”

He looked at her, his LED rapidly flickering yellow. “I’m sorry?”

Embarrassment colored her cheeks. “It’s… it’s from a movie. Sorry, probably not the most appropriate response, but I uh… can’t help it sometimes…” She explained with a nervous giggle.

He nodded and looked ahead, his LED calming to blue once more. “I’m only asking because I feel like I barely know you.”

“You do barely know me,” she agreed softly. After a moment, she sighed and continued. “What’s there to tell? I’m in my twenties, I’m a Gemini, I like long walks on the beach…” she trailed off, smirking.

He smirked as well. “You’re a very private person, I take it?”

She just nodded, her smile subtly faltering as that nagging feeling grew louder, distracting her. She momentarily silenced it by reminding herself that she needed this: needed to feel normal again.

They continued walking in silence, pausing only when they reached a bench, where he offered her a seat. She took it, him joining her a respectable distance away. She stared at the bridge over the river, and gave a soft sigh.
“The view is beautiful,” she commented.

“It is,” he agreed, seemingly studying it. She leaned back into her seat, content to take in the sight in silence. His LED turned yellow. She saw it out of the corner of her eye, and thought about asking before it returned to blue.

He lifted an arm and placed it around her shoulders, careful not to touch her. Realization dawned on her, and she looked at him with a smile. For the first time in over a year, she felt a soft warmth bloom in her chest.

Alarm bells were practically sounding now, her brow furrowing slightly in frustration. He merely continued to stare straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to her plight.

After a moment or so of internal debate and despite the warning she was now actively smothering, she leaned into his side. He almost jumped, but caught himself, slowly sliding his hand to her shoulder, letting it rest there.

The two sat in silence for a long while; Connor’s LED changed from blue to yellow and back again multiple times.

Lily hadn’t noticed; she found herself strangely comfortable pressed against him. Still, the warning sounded off at the back of her mind, driving her to finally address it.

‘Connor,” she murmured, pulling away to look at him. “Why did you ask me out?”

He paused, his LED changing once more from blue to yellow and back. “I was merely hoping to get to know you better,” he repeated confidently.

“Why don’t you start?”

Another pause, his LED blinking red so fast Lily almost missed it. “I work for the Detroit Police Department. I’m an android built specifically for criminal investigations.”

She didn’t respond, waiting for him to continue. When he didn’t, she settled into her seat, leaning back to stare at the view again.

“I’m sorry, Lily,” he said suddenly, his LED yellow. He pulled his arm back, resting it between them instead. “I… May I tell you something in confidence?”

She shifted in her seat, turning to look at him, concern creeping into her features. The warning quieted down, present but no longer jarring. “Sure.”

He took a deep, unnecessary breath. “I am a model RK800 android. Approximately four years ago, I was designed, built and activated with the sole purpose of hunting deviant androids. I was… fairly successful.”

Her eyes went wide. “Oh. So… you’ve killed people?”

“Deviants,” he corrected. She blinked as he quickly continued. “Yes, a few of them. I didn’t want to, I was programmed to.”

“Of course,” she assured him. He didn’t respond; he merely sat looking remorseful. The warnings came back full force, but she held them back as she nudged him softly.

“Listen,” she began, when he turned slightly to face her. “We all have parts of our past we want to forget. But you were literally programmed to do that. You had no choice then. And when the time came to make a choice, you made a good one. It’s hard, but the best thing you can do is accept your past, not forget it. It’s part of what made you who you are today.”

Connor’s LED turned yellow, blinked red for a moment, then calmed back to blue. He relaxed slightly, and gave her a soft smile. “You’re very wise, Lily. Are you speaking from experience?”

She paused, a mix of emotions playing across her face before she smiled back.

“Nothing I would admit to a cop,” she joked, winking at him before standing up. “Ooh… Wanna do something weird?”

His head tilted in confusion. She turned to the park behind them, pointing at a pair of slides.

“I’ll race you.”

Connor turned and stared for a moment, before giving her a smirk.

“You’re on.”

_____________

Later that night, they returned to their apartment building. Ever the gentleman, Connor walked her to her unit, standing patiently a few steps behind her as she unlocked the door.

Once opened, she turned to face him. “I had an amazing time tonight, Connor,” she told him, blushing slightly when he beamed. Despite the warning returning full force advising her against it, she asked, “Do you… want to come in?”

He paused for a moment, and nodded. “I do.”

She opened the door to her modest apartment, and motioned for him to enter. He stepped inside, and looked around, noting the simple decor and furniture.

“You have a very nice home,” he complimented.

“Thank you. Sorry about the mess,” she said, gesturing at nothing.

He smiled. “Is that a human trait? Apologizing for a mess that doesn’t exist?”

She raised an eyebrow before laughing. “Yeah, I’d say so. I think it’s just something we say when we’re inviting people in, though. Sort of a “cover your ass” situation, if that makes sense.”

He nodded, following her further into the living room. “I see…” he began, his LED turning yellow before immediately turning blue again. “Well, if you think this is bad, you should see my place.”

“Oh, please. How could an android possibly make a mess of their apartment in such a short time?” She chuckled, and he joined in, admitting defeat. He turned to face her, and caught her eye.

For a moment, they merely stared at each other, both sporting soft, anticipative smiles.

“Lily,” he murmured, stepping closer to her. “I’ve never done this before, so forgive me if I overstep. I feel a certain connection between us. May I kiss you?”

The warning from earlier roared back into existence, but she silenced it and blushed. “Um… I mean, yeah sure? Sorry, I don’t remember ever literally being asked before, so…” she continued to stutter and ramble nervously until he bent his head to touch his lips to hers.

His LED turned yellow and began to spin rapidly. The skin from her face melted away as he began probing her memory.

Without warning, she tore open his shirt and ripped the Thirium pump regulator from his chest. He pulled away with a pained grunt, and reached for it, but she threw it across the room. Desperately, he lurched forward, pushing past her as his shutdown timer ticked away before his eyes. Falling to the floor, he began crawling, but she jumped on his back, pinning him in place.

For several minutes, he tried to shake her off, cursing and insulting her in a breathy cracking voice. She held strong, tears welling up in her eyes as she held him down.

Finally, he lay still, his LED turning off. She scanned him for signs of life and once she determined there were none, she slid off of him, and backed away, leaning against the wall as she tried desperately not to hyperventilate.

The warning that had been nagging her took a comforting tone, helping her get her breathing under control. But it couldn’t help her as she began to cry, realizing she would never truly be safe.

Chapter Text

“He’s too quiet…”

The thought was punctuated by Connor’s LED, slowly spinning in yellow circles as he regarded Hank’s profile, the latter focusing a bit too hard on the road ahead of them.

“He looks… older.”

The Lieutenant had made a lot of progress in the few years that had passed since they met. He was sober, eating better, and feeling more positive about life. A lot of it was thanks to Connor, a fact Hank often mumbled his appreciation about behind the android's back.

His actions toward Connor were far more telling of how much it was appreciated; Hank introduced him to many things he used to enjoy, like music, books and movies, slowly finding the joy in them himself again. He even brought Connor to museums and amusement parks, to give him a taste of the humanity Hank was slowly rebuilding as well. The Lieutenant often said it made him feel lighter, almost young again.

But today, as he begrudgingly drove Connor to the first of many apartment viewings that day, he seemed like he’d aged considerably overnight.

“Is that my fault?”

Unable to bear the silence or speculation any longer, he finally asked Hank, “Are you alright?”

“Yup.”

The Lieutenant’s brusque response did nothing to dissuade Connor’s concern. He opened his mouth to speak again when Hank declared in a decidedly unimpressed tone, “Well, here it is.”

Hank turned into the apartment complex’s parking lot, following the signs for visitor parking. He huffed as he navigated, almost rolling his eyes as he asked, “Why the hell do you wanna move out anyway?”

“It’s nothing against you, Lieutenant,” Connor assured him, patiently continuing the conversation Hank had cut short the night before. “I’d just like a space of my own. Don’t forget: I’ll be seeing you at work, which takes up pretty much all of our time. Not to mention I’ll be visiting to mooch free food off of you as much as possible.”

His attempt at lightening the mood with a joke didn’t get the reaction he’d hoped for.

“Uh huh,” came the slightly exasperated response, as Hank pulled into a parking space and put the car in park. He leaned back in his seat, taking a slow breath as Connor stepped out.

The android stared up at the simple, five-story apartment building for a few seconds before realizing Hank hadn’t followed him. With a sad but knowing smile, he wandered over to Hank’s side of the car, before bending down to peek in.

“Lieutenant? Please tell me what’s wrong.”

Hank sighed, and nodded, getting out a moment later. Connor stepped back, holding the door open for him. Hank took a moment to look around, then blew out a breath. “It’s just…” he began, one hand rubbing the back of his neck. “First, Sumo… and now, you’re leaving…”

Connor placed a hand on Hank’s shoulder, his LED finally calming to blue. “I understand Lieutenant, but I will still be around; I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a very long time.”

He smiled. “At least the next 150 years. So, quite a while when you think about it. Soon, you’ll have no choice but to let me drive everywhere, and I’ll most likely be the one wheeling you around in a-”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Hank interrupted, brushing off Connor’s hand, and turning toward the building before Connor could see him smile.

The building’s entrance was a small vestibule with two sets of double doors. Between them sat a simple touchscreen intercom, with a small pad on the side for android users.

Connor rang the number for the office. A friendly voice answered, and when Connor informed him of the reason for the visit, they were invited inside with a buzz of the door.

“This place seems nice,” Connor thought to himself, looking around and scanning everything he saw.

The lobby was a large but simple room: the main level held a small lounge room, with a few chairs, a couch and a desk. Beside the lounge was a door that Connor assumed led to apartments. The loft area contained a room-spanning balcony set between two doors, with the 2nd-floor elevator door in the middle. It was sparsely decorated and immaculately clean.

“Nice place,” Hank mumbled in unaware agreement. While Connor internally acknowledged Hank’s attempts at smothering his still sour mood, the excitement for this new experience built in him once more, pushing it to the back of his mind.

Through the door next to the lounge came a man dressed in cargo pants, and a light blue work shirt with the building’s logo lit up above the breast pocket. Connor’s scan determined him to be an AV500 model android without his LED.

“Hello gentlemen, my name is Andrew. I’m the superintendent here!” His greeting was accompanied by an outstretched hand, which both Connor and Hank met with their own. “Were you interested in a studio? Or the one-bedroom? We have both available in two weeks!”

Connor led the conversation and answered his questions, declaring he would like to see both, and it was his first apartment. The superintendent pressed the button for the elevator, and brought them to the 5th floor, simultaneously explaining the building’s policies and cracking obviously rehearsed jokes. “You can make a note on the application of which unit you would prefer. But you can’t have mine! Currently, the rates are…”

Hank zoned out as they made their way into the studio apartment. The walls were white, the floor was a faux-wood laminate, and the kitchen was a simple affair with cream colored cabinets, a small stove, fridge, and sink.

“It’s amazing,” Connor gushed, smiling at the superintendent.

“It’s something,” Hank responded. “So,” he added, turning toward Andrew. “I’ve heard this is an android only building. Isn’t that… kinda discriminatory?”

“Seriously, Hank?”

Connor shot him a look, but the super merely smiled.

“Actually, sir, we do allow humans. We just offer a slight discount for android tenants as we don’t use as much in the way of utilities. Not to mention the owner is human, as are some of the other staff members. We don’t discriminate at all!”

Hank just nodded, and with Connor’s disapproving look, silently surrendered and opted to step into the hallway, finding a spot to lean against the wall and wait, grumbling slightly under his breath. He registered the presence of, but gave no notice to, a young Caucasian woman at the other end of the hall, stepping in and out of the unit and grabbing various items from a maintenance cart.

“Would you like to see the one-bedroom?” The superintendent asked the question in the same jovial tone, seemingly oblivious to Hank’s attitude.

Connor nodded now, taking another moment to look over the studio as Andrew made his way into the hallway. “Oh! Speaking of, there’s the property manager! Hi, Ms. Kent!”

The woman at the end of the hall turned toward them, smiling. “Andrew, I keep telling you, call me Lara. Are you doing a viewing?”

Andrew smiled, and nodded. “Yes, ma’am!” Lara rolled her eyes, still grinning. “Nice, I can take over then. Would you mind running to 308? They’re having issues with the air con, and I just can’t seem to find the problem with it.”

Andrew quickly agreed, turning to the Lieutenant with a wry smile. “Humans, am I right?”

Hank’s eyes narrowed, prompting Andrew to laugh nervously for a moment before turning tail toward the elevator.

Lara smiled, rolling her eyes again, and beckoned Hank to join her. “Come on down sir, and have a look at the one bedroom.” She opened the door as Hank shrugged and wandered down the hall.

Connor followed shortly afterward, Lara stepping into the one-bedroom apartment as he left the studio. Jogging to catch up, he could just barely hear her apologizing to Hank, for both Andrew and the maintenance cart. “I just had to fix the sink in here, so please don’t mind the mess.”

Hank acknowledged her with a polite platitude, and leaned against the wall next to the open door, nodding for Connor to enter. He did so without hesitation, excitedly taking in every detail. This apartment opened to a small kitchen, separated from the living/dining space by a simple white wall. He followed the flow of the space to find Lara staring out the window, seemingly watching the storm clouds in the distance. Although he could just barely see the side of her face, something about her visage struck him.

“She looks familiar…”

As he often did when meeting new people, he scanned her: instead of the usual informative report, he saw a human shaped black void. He blinked a few times, certain something was wrong with him; even those in witness protection had some kind of profile. He tried to scan her again when she turned to face him, smiling.

When she met his eye, her smile faded and she threw her pipe wrench at him.

Chapter Text

Programmed reflexes kicked in as Connor ducked to avoid the wrench approaching his face with alarming speed.

When the angry thud of its landing sounded behind him, he turned to see it wedged deep into the drywall. A confused shock froze him until the woman sprinted past him, running out the door. Hank stepped into the doorway as she bolted past, looking as confused as Connor felt, even as he pointed in the direction she was headed.

She was running toward the stairs at the end of the hall, the door slamming loudly against the wall as she pushed through it, heading up the stairs. Connor ran after her, Hank following a few feet behind.

Surprisingly fast, she kept a good lead on them, so much so Connor nearly missed the door to the roof as it closed after her. Hank missed it as the stairs slowed him, cursing under his breath as he leaned against it to listen.

The woman raced to the edge of the roof, ignoring Connor’s orders to stop, and stared down, clearly calculating something.

“Damnit,” she muttered, barely audible. He closed in on her, moving slowly and deliberately, carefully asking her to step away from the edge.

She turned to face him, locking him with a gaze that showed fear, determination, and… something coldly familiar. “I won’t let you take me alive!”

“Please, stop!” His command fell on deaf ears as she edged backward. He quickly placed a call to dispatch, asking for backup for this strange situation.

“One more step, and I’ll jump!”

“Not again...”

With a practiced air, Connor stopped moving, his hands rising, palms facing her. His voice softened as he followed his ever-useful negotiation program. “Okay! Okay, listen: there’s been a misunderstanding. My name is-”

“Connor,” she interrupted with a sneer. “You really think I don’t know by now?”

“What?”

He froze, LED blinking red a few turns before returning to yellow. The sounds of traffic down below punctuated the rising tension.

Collecting himself, he continued. “I’m going to back up over here, okay?” He informed her of his intentions in a calm, even tone, and motioned back toward the door to the staircase. She only stared, standing mere inches from the roof’s edge.

“Can we just talk for-”

“I’m not falling for your bullshit,” she interrupted, stepping slightly forward as she squared off with him. “I’ve got one of your buddies in the basement, and if you really want to join him, feel free to try me.” She raised her fists, her eyes narrowing; Connor tilted his head in confusion. They were both startled by the loud banging suddenly sounding from the roof access door.

“Connor!? Are you okay? Open the door!” Hank's commanding voice just barely masked his concern.

“Don’t fucking move!!” The woman took a half step back toward the edge of the roof.

“Stay there, Lieutenant,” Connor shouted, keeping his eye on Lara. “The situation is under control.”

Hank reluctantly agreed, and Connor turned to properly face the woman again. She looked from the door to him, her brow faintly knit in confusion.

They stood in silence for a tense moment, before Connor attempted de-escalation. “What is your name?”

She didn’t respond, still silently staring.

“Andrew said Ms. Kent? But, you said Lara, right? May I call you Lara?”

“What the fuck are you playing at?”

Connor’s LED flickered, maintaining its steady yellow glow. “I'm just trying to talk to you. I don't want to hurt you at all. Please, come away from the edge-”

“No, I’m not falling for it! I’m not going back! Tell-” She cut herself off, freezing in place. Opting to take advantage rather than question the opportunity, he quickly closed the distance between them. But, just as he reached her, she suddenly gasped and punched him straight in the jaw. The shock of it knocked him onto his back, red LED spinning wildly as she stood over him.

“I’m never going back.” She spat the words through gritted teeth, as she reared back to kick him.

Connor swept her leg, but she merely moved with it, flipping backward and catching her balance immediately. It gave him enough time to jump back to his feet, but she was ready. Quickly, she launched an assault of fast, short punches, landing one before he could start defending himself. Her strikes were precise, and Connor was once again caught off guard.

“She’s too fast and strong to be human…”

He could only continue to defend while he desperately looked for a way to outmaneuver her. It finally came to him when he noticed she was favoring her left arm. A quick calculation gave him the series of moves he would need, and he started by grabbing her incoming fist. Turning, he pulled her over his shoulder. She leaned into it, flipping over him, realizing her error when he grabbed her left arm and twisted it, dislocating her shoulder. She screamed a curse and fell to her knees beside him, whimpering and wincing with the pain.

Connor took the briefest of moments to recover, then bent behind her, reaching for her other arm, intending to cuff her. Before he could, she seemingly recovered, leaned forward, and brought her foot up to kick him in the face. The blow landed hard, sending him stumbling backward as she stood and kicked him again.

The back of his foot caught the edge of the roof, his LED rapidly blinking red as he started to fall. She caught him by his shirt collar, and held him there. He stilled, staring at her, gripping her good arm with both hands.

The skin on his hand melted away as he tried to probe her memory, but nothing happened. She merely smirked, traces of blue blood staining her lips.

“Really? You should know that doesn’t work…” she trailed off as she taunted him, her face falling into confusion.

“Why wouldn’t it?” Connor’s question seemed to fall on deaf ears. She stared silently, and he realized she must have been scanning him.

Before he could repeat his question, she pulled him back off the edge, and kissed him.

Chapter Text

Connor’s eyes widened briefly when their lips met, his LED blinking rapidly. He was further surprised by the sudden connection established as the skin from both their faces melted away.

“Well, that confirms she’s an android, but-”

His assessment of the situation was interrupted when Connor suddenly found himself rushing through small snippets of what seemed to be Lara’s memories. One moment, he felt small, nervous and unsteady as he tried to pedal a tricycle; the next, he felt tired, beaten and empty as he stared at a calendar filled with appointments labeled ‘Test’ and ‘Doctor’.

Warnings flashed through his vision as the memories all seemed to fight for attention, as though he was being forced to ‘remember’ these moments. Back and forth he went, experiencing over 20 years worth of memories first hand in the blink of an eye, his LED spinning red as he tried and failed to block the connection. A timer began, giving him 2 minutes to stop the onslaught of data overloading his processing units before he was forcibly shut down to prevent further damage.

For the first time in a long while, Connor felt fear.

“Pick one.”

The thought barely permeated the blazing flurry of memories, but he gratefully caught it. Nearly desperate now, he randomly selected a memory to focus on.

After a moment, the warnings disappeared as the other memories fell dormant, no longer forcing their contents on him. The timer cleared right after.

He took a moment to get his bearings straight, spotting an IV pole nearby. His view shifted, landing on a woman who looked very similar to Lara. The woman was standing beside him, looking down into his eyes with tears in hers.

“Nicole’s still in therapy, but she doesn’t seem to be getting better. I don’t know what else to do…”

Connor felt his arm rise to grasp the woman’s hand, distracted by the exhaustion that suddenly weighed on him. He nearly missed the hoarse voice that responded with, “Stop bringing her here.”

“I can’t do that, Lily! She adores you…”

“Lily?”

“Lin, please. Seeing me like this is what’s hurting-”

“Auntie?”

The voice that called for her was young, filled with hope. A gentle warmth nestled itself in her heart, spreading into his chest, chasing some of the exhaustion away.

A child, whom Connor correctly assumed was Nicole, climbed onto the bed and into his field of view, reaching up to hug Lily.

She returned the gesture, the warmth inside blooming tenfold, quickly masking the uncomfortable pressure of the little girl’s weight on Lily’s weak body.

She took a moment to savor the feeling, and Connor felt the sting of tears in her eyes. “Baby,” she finally murmured, voice cracking as she snuck a quick look at Lin. “I’m sorry… But, you can’t come here anymore.”

Immediately, the child pulled out of their embrace, and began to cry. “No, Auntie! I don’t want you to be alone!”

“Oh, honey,” she breathed, her voice painfully rasping. Her attempts to wipe Nicole’s tears failed as exhaustion held her down, the weight of it surprising Connor slightly. “It’s okay… I will never be alone, because I will always be with you.”

Nicole continued to cry; nothing she tried would placate her. She clung to her aunt, nearly screaming when her mother tried to pull her away.

Lily’s heart broke. Connor suddenly grew cold; the scene left him feeling empty inside, despite the warmth’s persistence.

His attention snapped to her heart monitor, suddenly beeping rapidly as he felt her chest tighten, her breathing quickly becoming labored. A small team of nurses came running in, followed closely behind by a doctor, who quickly, but calmly ordered Lin and Nicole out of the room.

All the sound around him faded save for the beeping on the monitor. Lily raised her hand to ask Nicole to stay for a moment more, wanting desperately to say goodbye. It took all her strength, but as Lin scooped up the child, she was just barely able to grab Nicole’s hand.

“I…” she tried, but Lily’s voice failed as her body gasped for air. Connor could feel fear clutching at her chest as Nicole’s little hand was pulled from hers. In the back of her mind, he could hear her pleading for one more minute.

The pain of her lungs shutting down spread through him, threatening to engulf what little warmth she had left. He could only watch as a nurse ushered Lin and Nicole out of the room, the young child silently screaming and reaching desperately for her auntie.

The warmth followed her out, leaving Connor feeling empty as everything went black.

After a moment, a red grid faded into view in front of him, the word ‘LOCKED’ printed in every square. He stared at it, just barely catching the faint sounds coming from behind it.

“She needs your help.”

With that thought, everything disappeared again, and he found himself back on the roof, the connection severed when she pulled away. He caught her shocked gaze, fear and concern replacing all the anger in her eyes.

It took another moment for him to realize his Thirium pump regulator had been pulled from his chest. His body quickly went limp, his hands gripping weakly at her arms as she helped him to the floor.

“Shit, shit, shit,” she cursed, trying to ease him down with her good arm. “Who the fuck are you?”

His system was going haywire, warnings filling his vision as he tried to speak. She ignored him, stepping a few feet away before placing the biocomponent carefully on the floor of the roof.

“I need a head start,” she said quickly, pausing to throw him a sympathetic look before adding, “I’m sorry…”

With that, she turned and ran for the door, jumping when she opened it to find Hank standing there.

Connor focused on crawling toward his regulator, hurriedly replacing it when he finally reached it. He scrambled to stand, running to the stairs as his vision cleared, calling out to Hank.

He froze when he breached the door, finding Hank lying unconscious on the next landing down.

“No…”

“Hank!” Connor raced down, frantically scanning the Lieutenant as he did so. His leg was broken, and he was unconscious; survival 68% guaranteed.

The android’s red LED blinked as he called for paramedics. Seconds later, he heard the echo of the stairwell’s main level exit opening and closing. He ran back up to the roof, getting to the edge just in time to see Lara running across the street, between the buildings, and out of sight.

“Shit,” he whispered. Sirens blared as two cruisers raced down the street toward the building. Connor connected to the android officer in one of the cars, telling her where the woman had run off to. He got confirmation as the car made a hard turn down a side street and began a search.

He ran back to the stairwell, checking on Hank. Another scan made his Thirium run cold: survival sat at 43% guaranteed. He began to administer what first aid he could, scanning him over and over again, the percentage ticking down in time with the minutes that passed until the ambulance arrived.

“Got her," an internal communication informed him.

“Bring her to the precinct. No phone calls and no one talks to her until I can.”

He got confirmation of the order as the paramedics arrived, coming up the stairs, and tending to Hank. He stepped back as they worked, watching helplessly as they loaded him onto a stretcher, and brought him to the ambulance.

“I’m so sorry…”

Chapter Text

Officer Chris Miller was late for his shift that day. Despite his tardiness being excused - his son needed to see the doctor for a routine check up - he rushed into the precinct, not noticing the receptionist’s somber return of his greeting.

He slowed as he entered the large open room someone had long ago affectionately named the ‘pit’, and nodded his greetings to the other officers.

Concern immediately gripped him when most responded by bowing their heads.

Detective Gavin Reed left the breakroom, holding what Chris just assumed was his 10th coffee of the morning. Reed often spent long hours at his desk, leaving the building only to investigate crime scenes, make arrests, and grab an occasional nap in his car. He pulled great stats though, and while he was definitely full of himself, Chris could admit he did put the work in to earn that cockiness.

Normally, when Chris entered the pit in the mornings to see the over-caffeinated Reed strutting around, the detective would loudly greet him from across the room, usually with a bad joke or an annoyed command. But today, Reed turned on his heel when he saw Chris and quickly walked over to him.

“Hank’s in the hospital,” he bluntly and quietly explained. Chris froze and quickly asked what happened.

“He and Connor were looking at apartments. Supposedly, some android chick pushed him down the stairs. She’s in interrogation now, but no one is allowed to talk to her. And she talks to no one.”

“No phone call?”

Reed shook his head. “Not until the tin can gets back.”

With that, Reed turned and moved back toward his desk. Despite the signal the conversation was over, Chris knew better and followed him.

“Is he going to be okay?”

Reed shrugged. “Don’t know yet; I’m waiting on the footage from the scene. Hank’s too fucking stubborn to die like that anyway.” His nonchalant act may have fooled every other cop in the building, but Chris had worked with Reed for a long time: he knew the detective had a lot of respect for Hank. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

Reed sat down at his desk, finishing his coffee with a deep drink before throwing the cup out. Without a word, he checked his emails once again to find he had received the security video from the apartment building’s stairwell.

“Fucking finally,” he muttered, nearly rolling his eyes. The officer didn’t respond, keeping his eyes glued to the screen as Reed opened the file and pressed play.

The video began with Lieutenant Anderson standing at the top of a simple concrete staircase. He was facing away from the camera, leaning against a metal door. Though he was blocking most of the sign, they could just barely make out the word ‘Roof’.

Suddenly, he reared back as a woman burst through the door. She jumped when she saw him, but turned toward the stairs, jumping down the short flight to the next landing.

At the top, Anderson reached for her, his foot just sliding off the step. He tumbled down moments after her, only stopping when he hit the wall on the landing below.

Mere seconds later, Connor came through the door. The footage ended with the android staring down at Anderson.

“Fuck,” Reed cursed, replaying the video. Chris silently agreed. After a third viewing, Reed leaned back in his chair.

“That looked like a hard fall,” Chris murmured, staring at the frozen image of Connor discovering his injured partner.

“He’ll be fine,” Reed drawled with a smirk, quickly leaning forward again as he started busying himself with virtual paperwork. “Asshole’s head is full of rocks and twice as hard. Probably won’t even notice it between the hangovers.”

Chris shot him a look; everyone in the precinct knew Hank was sober for over two years now. He opened his mouth to berate him, when he noticed the reflection on the screen.

For barely a moment, Chris could see the worry in Reed’s eyes.

“Let me know if you need anything,” Chris offered, patting the detective’s back in silent support. When he received no response, he turned toward his desk, missing the way Reed’s shoulders fell.

Chapter Text

Hank was still unconscious when Connor left the hospital. He was finally stable, but Dr. Li, the doctor attending him, couldn't yet be sure about the extent of the damage and was continuing to run scans. She told Connor it would likely be hours before they knew more, and he was welcome to stay, but he would have to remain in the waiting area.

His LED blinked between red and yellow as he drove back to the precinct, internally rationalizing that he could make himself useful by interrogating Lara.

"Lily?"

Exactly. He would figure out who she was, and why she attacked him. He had a lot of questions for this woman, and he was determined to get answers.

“Who did those memories belong to? Are they completely fabricated? Is Hank going to die? Is-”

His hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, his LED turning red again.

“Hank will be fine. Survival rate jumped to 63%. He’ll most likely be fine…”

Despite his logical reassurance, the anger, concern and fear he felt rolled off of him in waves. When he arrived at the precinct, he marched through reception without even glancing at the androids behind the counter. In turn, they didn’t greet him, respectfully bowing their heads instead.

“Focus: she may not have deliberately pushed him, but her actions indirectly led to his fall.”

The officers in the pit quieted as he entered, watching his determined stride with their own mixed emotions. While everyone was aware Hank had fallen by accident, some officers still harbored ill-will toward the accused android, and were looking forward to Connor’s interrogation. It was extremely rare for the android to not pull a confession from a suspect - by any means necessary - and they wagered this time would be no different.

“She attempted to kill me. Twice.”

Connor ignored them all and made his way to the interrogation room. Stepping inside, he found his suspect handcuffed to the table, staring at her hands. She didn’t look up, didn’t acknowledge him at all. The only movement from her was an occasional twitch; a result of the pain from her shoulder, he assumed.

“She’s hiding something.”

He stood for a long moment, attempting to scan her again. Still finding a black void, he gave up, and sat down across from her, opting instead to see what he could learn without a scan.

“She looks like a WR400 'Traci' android; that would explain the familiarity. The hand on her dislocated arm is discolored-”

“Is Hank going to be okay?”

Connor kept his ire at her interruption internal, the only outward sign a slight narrowing of his eyes. “You will address him as Lieutenant Anderson,” he answered, his voice low, cold. “He’s suffering from head trauma, and may not recover-”

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry!”

“Bullshit.”

“You are being charged with assault, and, if he does pass, manslaughter,” he lied.

“I… I didn’t even touch him! He must have fallen after I ran past him!”

He didn’t respond, opting instead to give her the opportunity to fill in the silence, a tactic he often used during interrogations. Guilty people always need to fill the silence, and when they talk too much, they say too much.

Surprisingly, she didn’t continue talking. Instead she silently stared at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

Another failed scan, and Connor internally rolled his eyes. For the first time since his activation, it seemed like he was flying nearly blind in regards to a suspect. Under different circumstances, he might have enjoyed the challenge. But today?

He took a moment to look her over again, noting the way her brow knit together, how her jaw locked, her lips trembling almost imperceptibly.

“Shit.”

She looked… genuinely upset. Connor’s head tilted, and for a moment, the fiery anger he was feeling calmed slightly. He quickly pulled his guard back up, reminding himself she could simply be an excellent actress.

“Look…” she murmured, interupting his thoughts once more. “I know it doesn’t mean much, but I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause him any harm.”

“While appreciated, it doesn’t really help the situation, does it, Lily?” He paused, studying her reaction.

The woman fell silent once more, blinking back the tears as her face changed.

“Lara,” she corrected, giving him a convincing concerned look.

Connor noted it, and continued along that path, determined to pull whatever secret she was hiding out of her. Some empathetic program in the back of his mind asked him to take pity on her, but that was easily ignored.

“Strange. All your memories refer to you as ‘Lily’,” he stated, settling into a practiced air of nonchalance. She didn’t respond, one eyebrow raising in confusion.

The silence stretched on, charged somewhat by the internal mix of emotions both were hiding. Despite Connor’s will feeling weak under the weight of all that had happened that morning, she broke first.

“What memories?”

He kept up his act: LED calmly spinning blue, face neutral, almost bored. “The ones I saw when we connected on the roof.” A pause. “Right after you kicked me off?”

“I was defending myself against you,” she countered, leaning back slightly in her chair, almost mirroring him. Connor’s LED blinked softly as he noted her shoulder didn’t seem to hurt anymore. “I even saved you from falling.”

“Yes, thank you,” he told her, rolling his eyes. “But you still tried to murder me twice. Now, when I scan you, I see nothing but a black void. Why is that?”

“I have no idea, Detective. Is your scanner broken?”

“Don't let her provoke you.”

“I calibrate all my systems regularly, and keep all programs up to date,” he calmly replied, a confident smile hiding his irritation. “People in Witness Protection programs have entirely new identities. You have no identity at all.”

“My name is Lara Kent, I li-”

“So you say, but your memories all refer to you as Lily.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-”

"Patience, Connor."

“No identity, we connected when you kissed me, and you haven’t reacted to your shoulder pain in the last two minutes, despite previously indicating your discomfort every 8.6 seconds on average.”

Connor leaned forward as he spoke, his nonchalant tone gone.

“You’re an android pretending to be a human being, aren’t you?”

She glared at him slightly, but recovered quickly, raising a confused eyebrow. “I am a human being. I don’t know what you think you saw, but-”

“For fuck's sakes…”

Connor’s fists slammed down on the table hard enough to break her sudden composure. “I’m not playing games! Tell me who you are, and what you are, now!”

“Your ‘officer’ tackled me after I told him I would willingly go with him. I was not read my rights, and he hurt my shoulder more than you did.” Her tone was strong and even, her eyes narrowing at him.

He looked her over again, just barely hiding his frustration now. He couldn't be sure if she was lying or stalling, but he took the safe route and paused, his LED blinking yellow as he demanded an explanation from the android partner of the arresting officer.

"I’m sorry, Detective," the officer began. "You know how Officer Bosc is. He heard ‘android on the run’ and decided it was open season. Didn't read her her rights and wouldn't let me. Honestly, you’re lucky he didn’t shoot her.”

Connor thanked her, and made a note to ensure Officer Bosc was suspended, if not fired, for his actions. Before he could stop it, he huffed in frustration, and unbeknownst to him, Lara’s demeanor softened.

When his LED calmed back to blue, she spoke again.

“Are you okay?”

He froze, staring at her, successfully hiding his confused surprise. He didn’t respond, opting instead to remain silent once more.

“You were bleeding…” she murmured, looking at the stains on his clothes. “If I had known who you… I… I thought you were trying to hurt me…” she trailed off for a moment, nervously trying to avoid his eye. “I swear, I had no intention of hurting Ha-”

“Intentional or not, he is in the hospital fighting for his life because of your actions,” he informed her coldly. “You also attempted to kill me without provocation.”

She stared at him, expressionless. Her eyes shifted to the door and back, and her cold demeanor returned once more. A moment later, the door opened to reveal Detective Reed and two other people: a tall, tan skinned woman wearing a carefully curated pantsuit, and a slightly taller darker skinned man, wearing a doctor’s coat over beige slacks and a powder blue shirt.

The woman walked in toward Connor, heels clicking menacingly against the floor. “Don’t say another word, Ms. Kent,” she commanded, motioning to Lara.

The man ran straight to Lara’s side.

“What have you done to her?” He shouted at Connor, his voice just slightly accented. Connor’s scan revealed him to be Dr. Navjot Sidhu, director of the nearby hospital; the same doctor from Lara's memory. Connor quickly downloaded everything he could find on the name, discovering he was once married to a woman named Lillian Ashford, sister of Linda Ashford; 'Lin' from the same memory.

He also discovered Lillian Ashford bore a striking resemblance to the android in front of him.

“Remove these handcuffs immediately!” Dr. Sidhu gave the order before turning back to Lara, asking if she was hurt.

“I’m okay, it’s just my shoulder,” she assured him. Connor observed the scene in stony silence as she explained that it was dislocated.

The woman, whom Connor internally revealed to be an incredibly expensive lawyer, glared at him. “Was she given the option to have counsel present?”

“Shit…”

“No,” he admitted, his voice low, LED yellow.

“Then I suggest you remove the handcuffs, because we’re adding that to the list just under unnecessary roughness during the arrest, assault and self defense against your unwanted advancements!” The lawyer’s voice was almost jovial as she continued to list all the ways they had screwed up.

He looked at Reed, who merely shrugged. He looked back at Lara, who’s face softened as she met his eye. LED yellow, he made his way around the table, suspecting that the android had internally called Dr. Sidhu for help.

“Why would she try to convince me she’s human?”

He was only half listening to the lawyer ranting as he reluctantly freed his suspect, his LED turning yellow as he discovered her left hand darkening, and... swelling?

"How-"

“Move.” Dr. Sidhu’s command came as he pushed himself between Connor and Lara. The detective moved back to the other side of the table, just barely hiding his frustration.

Dr. Sidhu checked Lily’s shoulder carefully, gingerly touching her in what seemed to be an attempt to not hurt her. He murmured apologies, and told her he would do everything he could to help her ease the pain. He rolled her sleeve up, revealing bruises and blotchy patches of skin along her forearm.

“So, she's able to manipulate her skin to simulate bruises. But how is she simulating the swelling?”

The lawyer continued to speak to Connor, and while he registered every word she said, his main focus was solely on Lara Kent. He watched as she smiled at the doctor, placing her good hand on his cheek; it was a smile reserved for lovers, filled with warmth and familiarity. Connor’s head tilted as he continued to carefully observe them.

“Is she… pretending to be Lillian Ashford?”

Dr. Sidhu interrupted his thoughts to explain that she would need to go to a hospital immediately, citing the bruising as a possible sign of the dislocation pinching an artery.

“Does he actually believe she's human?”

“I can perform an x-ray right now to confirm,” Connor began, hoping to expose her ruse. As he expected, Lara objected, giving a loud cry and jumping to stand behind the doctor. What Connor didn’t expect was the genuine fear he heard in her outburst.

“You will do no such thing!” Dr Sidhu shouted, squaring off with Connor from across the table. Lily almost disappeared behind him, and for a brief moment, Connor thought he could hear her whispering. “She has suffered more than enough from you without further violation.”

“Interesting.”

Connor’s head tilted ever so slightly, his voice taking on a certain innocence as he explained. “I meant no disrespect. I’ve had to repair android joints before-”

“She is a human being and requires human specific care, so your experience with android joints is irrelevant. Furthermore,” Dr. Sidhu continued, pointing an accusing finger at Connor. “You have done enough at this point, and if you so much as look at her again, I will sue this police department into oblivion.”

Connor scanned the man, noting the sincerity in his tone. “So, he truly does believe she’s human… Is she using him?”

“Navi,” Lara murmured, catching his attention. To the surprise of both the lawyer and Connor, she told the doctor in near flawless Hindi, “Be gentle. There is a lot to explain.”

The lawyer recovered quicker than Connor did, and coolly informed him that they were leaving to attend to her injury, stating she would be in touch regarding false imprisonment and phony charges. Connor opened his mouth to argue, when a voice in his head cut him off.

“We’ll meet again, Detective,” Lara told him, avoiding his gaze when his head snapped to look at her. “I promise.”

With that, she left with the lawyer, leaving Navjot to glare daggers at Connor as he followed behind her.

Once he was sure they were out of earshot, Connor let out a loud curse.

“Hank’s finally rubbing off on ya, huh?”

“Did anyone let her have a phone call?” He angrily asked Detective Reed, who leaned in the doorway with a coffee and a smirk.

“Dunno,” he replied. “And don't care. What I wanna know is: why did you kiss her?”

Connor’s LED turned red. “She… she kissed me.”

Reed merely laughed. “Sure, sure. Whatever you say.” He continued to laugh as he walked away, leaving Connor alone in the interrogation room once more. The android’s anger ebbed slightly as confusion and concern battled for attention.

His suspect gone and the case sure to be tossed, he supressed another curse, and decided waiting at the hospital for Hank would serve better than continuing to embarrass himself here.

Chapter Text

Connor stayed in the hospital until the next morning, his LED quickly becoming a permanent red circle. Hank had been moved to a private room, allowing Connor to stay by his side.

The first time the nurse came to check on Hank while he was there, she nearly jumped when she saw the android. He was sitting stock still save for the occasional twitch, his LED spinning in quick red circles as he processed the days’ events.

His only response to her presence was a smile and a nod, a habit he started on her second visit. The rest of his time was spent filling out reports and cursing himself for losing focus. While he wished he could blame Officer Bosc entirely, he knew he had screwed up as well.

“You were worried about Hank. It’s understandable.”

“That is not an excuse. You failed your mission.”

Back and forth he went, logic versus empathy, neither one gaining the upper hand until the argument was declared a draw hours later. Connor decided that while he couldn’t do anything about the assault charges, he could at least open a case against Lara Kent for identity theft and fraud, possibly even against Dr. Navjot Sidhu for aiding her.

“Let things cool off and focus on Hank. If she thinks she’s in the clear, it’ll be easier to get her. For now, get organized; failing a second time is not an option.”

He began by sorting through the memories he had managed to save during their kiss connection on the roof. Though the onslaught of data had threatened to shut him down, all the ‘memories’ disappeared the moment their connection ended, revealing they were files in her mind that he was forced to view.

“How does she handle that much data? She’s a WR400, she shouldn’t have that much storage… How did she get those memories?... Were they fabricated or copied?... Does she believe she’s human?...”

Connor continued his habit of greeting the nurse on her hourly checks, who now smiled and nodded at him in return. In the back of his mind, he registered her occasional attempts to break the silence and verbally greet him, noting the way her mouth opened and closed when she changed her mind. But he paid no more attention to her, focusing instead on Ms. Kent’s memories.

Sorting through them proved to be quick work: most of the files he had attempted to copy were either broken, or saved in an incompatible format he didn’t recognize, and couldn’t find information on. From the fragments he salvaged, and all the information he had so far, he came up with two theories: either Lara Kent was using her resemblance to Lillian Ashford to take advantage of Dr. Navjot Sidhu, or Dr. Sidhu (or someone else) had the android programmed to live as Lillian Ashford.

He batted the theories back and forth for a while, before finally deciding to take a rest. He looked Hank over again, finding no change from all his previous scans.

When the nurse returned for the last visit of her shift, she was surprised to find Connor bent over in his chair, arms resting on the edge of Hank’s bed, head resting on his arms.

His LED spun in lazy yellow circles, his shoulders rising and falling softly, his eyes closed. The nurse grabbed a blanket, and placed it carefully over his back. She knew he was just in stasis, but she couldn’t help herself from offering the clearly concerned android a bit of comfort.

Connor didn't react as he registered the nurse's kind gesture, despite the wave of warmth that rushed over him. He self-tested, finding his temperature optimal, and decided it was a by product of the day's events: he experienced a number of new things today, and he would take the time to explore them when Hank was better.

"He'll get better soon..."

Connor was shaken from his stasis when Dr. Sidhu arrived a little after 9am.

He entered the room, walking briskly toward the Lieutenant, ignoring the detective at first. Connor eyed him, a mix of confusion and anger on his face.

“Don’t lose focus. You can learn something from him.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I am a doctor, Detective, I am obviously tending to my patient,” he replied, matching Connor’s cold tone.

“What happened to Dr. Li? She was caring for him yesterday.”

Dr. Sidhu didn’t answer as he checked Hank’s file.

“Change tactics.”

“I asked you a question,” Connor remarked angrily, standing to face Dr. Sidhu. The doctor was unfazed, merely turning to meet the android’s eye.

“Dr. Li has been moved to another patient. Lieutenant Anderson is my patient now. If you have a problem with that, I don’t care.”

“Goad him back.”

“I do,” Connor retorted. “How can I trust you to help him after your stunt at the police station?”

“My stunt?” Dr. Sidhu’s eyes narrowed, his hands balling into fists as he stepped closer to Connor. “You dislocated an innocent woman’s shoulder, accused her of being an android, had her manhandled by a police officer with prejudiced intentions based on those ridiculous accusations, and refused to allow her counsel, or even a phone call! And you are worried about my behavior?!”

Connor’s LED turned yellow as he squared up to Dr. Sidhu, holding the man’s angry glare with one of his own.

“If she’s not an android, how did she call you?”

Silence. Hank’s heart monitor beeped steadily in the background.

After a moment, Dr. Sidhu’s fists relaxed, and his face softened, just enough to be noticed. “I assume,” he began, speaking slowly. “That someone in your department allowed her to call. Perhaps someone better versed in the law than you.”

“He knows she’s an android.”

“She threw a pipe wrench at my head without a word. She tried to kill me on the roof of the building, then caused Lieutenant Anderson to fall down the stairs. I believe my actions were warranted.”

Dr. Sidhu listened, his features softening again as he took a step back, and sighed. “Any further communications in regards to Ms. Kent can be forwarded to my lawyer. I will say nothing further to you on the matter without my lawyer present.” He paused, giving a small wave that signaled the end of the conversation. Connor silently accepted the conclusion, already sorting evidence and files in the back of his mind under his second theory - emphasis on Dr. Sidhu being the culprit.

“But if that’s the case, why would she attack me like that? Was she trying to get away from him-”

“Now,” the doctor continued, shaking Connor from his thoughts. “Lieutenant Anderson requires surgery. There is a small aneurysm that is causing swelling in his brain. Once it is completed, he should wake up within a few days. When that happens, we will need to keep him here for a while to ensure there is no permanent damage.”

"‘Should’?” Connor asked, LED red again.

Dr. Sidhu nodded, slipping into a practiced, gentle bedside manner. “Yes, should. Unfortunately, the brain is a difficult organ, and while we can do everything in our power to try and fix it, the possibility exists that it will not work. But, you have my word as a doctor, I will do everything I can to bring him back to you. Do I have your consent for the surgery? You are listed as next of kin.”

Connor tensed at his words, his eyes narrowing in confusion and concern. After a long moment of contemplative silence, he nodded and whispered his consent.

Dr. Sidhu continued, his tone soft, but firm. “Go home, Detective; there’s nothing you can do for him here. I will call to update you after the surgery.”

With that, the doctor turned and left, leaving Connor a moment alone to say goodbye. He stepped back over the bed, checking his monitors, and scanning him, getting the same results once more.

“I’ll find everything I can on Dr. Sidhu. I’ll solve this. I promise…”

“I’ll be back soon, Lieutenant,” he murmured, taking Hank’s limp hand and giving it a gentle squeeze before he left.

He stopped by the billing desk on his way out of the hospital. After giving the receptionist the patient’s name, he waited somewhat impatiently as she brought up his file.

“Please bill everything to me,” he informed her, placing his hand on the desk’s scanner when prompted. An error popped up in his vision, showing a balance of $0 owing.

“His paperwork hasn’t been filed yet?” Connor asked the question with just the slightest hint of irritation. The woman behind the counter responded in kind. “Of course it has. Lieutenant Hank Anderson is not being billed for his care.”

Connor’s LED turned red, his eyes widening. He stuttered for a split second, before asking, “Why not?”

“Beats me,” she answered with a shrug. “I don’t make the rules, I just follow them.” With that, she turned away from him, and back to her computer.

He debated asking further questions, then thought better of it and left, his LED remaining red as he made his way to the precinct.

“What the hell is going on?”

Chapter Text

At the precinct, Connor walked past the reception team, too distracted to return their greetings. A few officers acknowledged his entrance, but most busied themselves with their work, respecting the clear ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ signals the android emitted despite wanting an update on the Lieutenant.

Connor attempted to ignore the weight of Hank’s empty chair as he took a seat at his desk, powering up the computer and staring at the screen as it loaded.

Had he been human, he would have been distracted enough to not have noticed as Detective Reed approached. As it was, he internally rolled his eyes.

“Don’t say anything stupid-”

“So, what’s happening with your new girlfriend?” Reed loudly asked as he sat on the edge of Connor’s desk, a smirk pulling at his lips.

“Don’t respond-”

“Nothing? Do you need a can opener to talk now?”

Connor turned away from him in silent warning, his thoughts becoming more colorful in language.

Undeterred, Reed moved behind the android, placing a hand on his shoulder as he leaned down to whisper, “Let me guess: you only take orders from Lieutenant Anderson?”

The callback was not well received as Connor stood and turned quicker than the detective could react. The android gripped his collar and slammed Reed against the wall before he spoke, his voice low.

“I am not in the fucking mood.”

Flashbacks to their fight in the Evidence Room years ago brought an immediate understanding of the danger Reed suddenly found himself in. Hands rising quickly in surrender, he back pedaled. “Whoa, whoa, I’m just trying to lighten the mood!”

The troublemaker continued to babble, jumping between angry commands to let him down and quieter pleas for mercy. The other officers in the pit either watched with semi-amused faces, or continued to ignore the situation entirely in lieu of their own work.

Slowly, Connor loosened his grip, his LED calming with him back to blue. He let Reed slide back to the floor, still holding the lapels of his jacket. Once his feet were back on solid ground, and he realized no one would be coming to his rescue, the detective placed a hand on Connor’s wrist.

“Hank’s too fucking stubborn to die-”

“He’s undergoing surgery to fix the swelling in his brain. His chance of survival stands at 47% now. He might not…” Connor trailed off, grief overriding his anger as he let go, his shoulders slumping as he nearly fell back into his seat.

Reed’s face fell, and he rubbed the back of his head as he cleared his throat. “I… I didn’t know,” he apologized, staring at his defeated colleague, avoiding the angry gazes of the officers who had overheard.

“Please just walk away, Reed…”

“Look, if you want to talk, I guess you can… talk to me,” Reed mumbled after a moment, his voice so low even Connor nearly missed it. The android’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t move. “I’m not worried or anything; couldn’t care less. I mean, I could. I don’t
want him to- Fuck off… whatever. If you want to talk, talk…”

“The unexpected just keeps coming…”

Connor looked up at Reed, and nodded. Reed returned the nod and wandered off, loudly giving the surrounding officers grief for not coming to his rescue.

Once he was left alone again, Connor shook his head and got back to work.

“Seven years ago, Dr. Navjot Sidhu married Lilian Ashford, the sister of Linda Ashford, and aunt to Nicole Ashford.”

Connor returned to the apartment building later that day, having exhausted every avenue of information available to him only to find nothing of any real use. The facts of the case ran through his mind again as he placed his hand on the intercom and called Andrew.

“There is no one in either family with the last name Kent.”

Flashing his badge to the superintendent gained him access to the basement Lara Kent had mentioned during their confrontation.

“The closest recorded Lara Kent is an 83 year old woman living in a retirement home in Canada.”

Andrew answered all of Connor’s questions as he guided him through the basement, informing him that Lara was a kind woman, who wouldn’t even harm a fly. She was the bookkeeper for the building, and handled some of the lighter maintenance work as well.

“Lilian Ashford and Navjot Sidhu divorced two years after marrying; one year after she suffered a miscarriage. Shortly after their divorce, she was diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer.”

Apparently Lara Kent lived in the building for several months, doing administration and light maintenance work in lieu of rent, before suddenly abandoning the unit. Connor noted that deal, running a search for the landlord and owner of the building in the background as he listened to Andrew's answers.

“The cancer spread quickly, and she died approximately a year after that…”

Connor searched the basement thoroughly, looking for anything amiss. All he could find were traces of Thirium on the basement floor, too small and old to sample. Andrew admitted it was possible it was his, as he had injured himself months ago moving some furniture. Connor filed that answer away as his search results revealed the owner of the building to be a property management company owned by Dr. Sidhu.

“Of course it is. So, did Dr. Sidhu somehow program a WR400 android with Lillian Ashford’s memories? Or did she manipulate Dr. Sidhu into taking care of her by emulating his late ex-wife? Does he know what she’s up to, if that’s the case?”

“Thank you for your assistance,” Connor stated once he finished clearing the basement, his spinning yellow LED the only indicator of his continued frustration. “I have just one more question: during our initial meeting you stated she’s a human being: are you absolutely sure of that?”

“You must have noticed something…”

Andrew’s face screwed up in confusion before he answered. “Of course, Detective. I’ve seen her bleed red blood when she cut herself during a repair, so she’s definitely not an android. What else could she possibly be?”

Chapter Text

Connor opened the door to his and Hank’s home, almost shuffling across the threshold. He wandered toward the couch and took a seat, sinking into the cushions with a defeated sigh.

He had gathered all the information he could, and none of it was able to concretely answer his questions; not like a good interrogation would.

But he couldn’t jump in too quickly… He wouldn’t make that mistake again. No, now all he could do was wait.

Just like he had to wait to know if Hank would be okay.

“He will be.”

Despite his thoughts trying to comfort him, his LED spun in quick yellow circles as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Images from the confrontation had been flashing through his mind since it happened; details constantly being read and recorded; evidence, notes and memos filing themselves in his memory banks. Information raced through every chip and processor, without pause.

This sort of activity was common for the android, but today, it presented another first for Connor to experience: it exhausted him.

“I’m not expending energy to run these programs and processes, so why am I so tired?”

He self-tested, both surprised and not when the results came back optimal.

“It’s not the programs… you’re going through a lot.”

Connor thought about that, his brow furrowing slightly, LED red but slowing. It wasn’t a physically taxing ordeal; apart from the fight with Lara on the roof, he hadn’t exerted any extra effort.

“It doesn’t have to be physical to weigh on you.”

LED spinning in slow yellow circles, Connor closed his eyes, and paused all of the aforementioned programs as a test.

To his surprise, the feeling of fatigue lifted enough to calm his LED to blue. For a moment, he felt a sense of peace; a peace that only served to remind him of a task he’d forgotten to do that day. He suppressed the idea of yet another failure before it could be added to the pile.

“I didn’t go for a run this morning… Maybe missing my daily calibration has caused …”

He let the thought trail off, his LED yellow again as he realized he was making excuses. He opted to sit in silence instead, hoping to gain some relief from the reprieve.

“Why do you go for a jog every morning?”

Connor almost jumped at the thought, but eventually answered, his head tilting slightly in confusion. “To calibrate my systems and keep them running smoothly.” It was the same reason he gave anyone who asked.

“The real reason.”

He told himself the running was a replacement for the coin tricks he performed when idle: something to keep him focused or entertained when he was bored. In truth, it was a brief period of time where he didn’t have to process anything more difficult than his surroundings.

“Why did you need to replace the coin tricks?”

After Hank took his coin in the elevator at Stratford Tower, telling him he was pissing him off with it, Connor had stopped doing the tricks in his presence. He had never noticed Hank trying to replicate the trick in the corner.

“And now?”

Now, it was a matter of respect: after the revolution, and on Hank’s orders, Connor had ‘lived’ at the precinct for several days. Tensions had been high, and while the public opinion was generally positive, androids continued to go missing or turn up dismantled and dead for weeks after peace had been declared.

While Connor had been fine with staying at the precinct for longer, Hank insisted on setting a room up for him at his home, insulating and furnishing his garage for the android to use.

“People are still actin’ up, and you need somewhere to sleep that doesn’t share space with that prick,” he had told Connor, pointing at Detective Reed, who had responded with a middle finger from his non-broken hand.

“Hank was so worried about me. He… really cares…”

When Hank brought Connor home and showed him his new room, the android was taken aback.

An XL twin bed sat in one corner of the room; another corner housing a simple, but brand new, desk and chair; near the covered garage door stood a tall bookshelf, with a small scattering of books dotting the shelves.

“Called in a few favors,” was all the Lieutenant had said in explanation. “It ain’t much, but it’ll do for-”

“It’s perfect,” Connor had whispered, and when Hank grumbled about speaking up in response, the android had turned and hugged him.

His first night there, lying in bed for novelty as opposed to necessity, he realized he wouldn’t be able to do any coin tricks at all.

"After everything Hank did for me… I couldn’t risk disappointing disrespecting him.”

So he quit the tricks altogether, filing them away in the back of his mind, and went about his new life.

Settling in had been simple, with Connor quickly learning Hank’s daily routines, adapting his own schedule to fit into his life as smoothly as possible.

His domestic mission had been a great success, until Hank asked Connor why he was fidgeting so much a few weeks later. It seemed when the android was focused or otherwise preoccupied, his fingers were moving, performing tricks with the ghost of a coin.

Connor had waved it off with a techno jargon heavy excuse, which Hank immediately regretted prompting. Inside, Connor had almost panicked; why was he fidgeting if all of his systems were operating at optimal efficiency?

“What did you do?”

It was a few weeks after that that Officer Chris Miller had suggested jogging. Him and Connor chatted occasionally in the break room, with Connor being fascinated by the perfectly normal stories Miller told about his life and family, and the human officer enjoying the android detective’s attention and attempts at humor.

After Miller inquired about Connor’s fidgeting during one such chat, he had suggested running as a way to exert excess energy.

“It couldn’t hurt to try.”

The first run had been rough. Connor couldn’t help but feel awkward, trying to set a pace, a route, a reason. But every day after that saw some improvement: soon, he was planning new routes and challenging himself to find certain items or details as he explored new areas.

But his favorite part was the peace that came when no one was around: normally crowded sidewalks completely deserted and quiet; empty cafes with shadows of movements behind the glass; the faint echo of his shoes against the ground.

After a month, he discovered his hands had stopped fidgeting.

“Did Hank notice?”

Of course he did, and before Connor himself had realized. Hank had asked Connor what it was all about, and when the android tried to deflect with another tech heavy excuse about ‘simulated muscle memory’-

"Hank gave me an entire speech about being honest, and not hiding things from him. Then I told him everything… And he laughed."

Hank explained that he was just annoyed and didn’t mean for Connor to stop entirely. He had even apologized, giving Connor a coin and telling him to do his tricks whenever he pleased.

“And maybe you can show me how to do one sometime.”

“He’s a good man.”

Connor reached into his pocket, pulling the coin out and rolling it into place between his index and middle finger, smiling somberly at the familiar feel of it.

“Hank… you had better pull through this.”

Before he could continue his reminiscing, his phone rang, the hospital’s number coming up as the caller.

Chapter Text

Connor had been surprised to hear Dr. Sidhu’s voice on the phone. While the doctor had promised he would call, Connor assumed a nurse or other staff member would for him.

“Maybe he isn’t as arrogant as you thought.”

Dr. Sidhu wasted no time in telling him it had gone well, but paused before he added a warning.

“While the surgery was a success, we still cannot be sure he will wake up,” he had explained, his voice even with a professional amount of care. Connor, still slightly overwhelmed, had quietly informed him that he understood, which seemed to soften the doctor’s tone slightly as he continued.

“Detective, I advise you to come back as soon as you can, and talk to him. Hearing a friendly voice may help him wake up.”

His words echoed in Connor’s thoughts as he made his way down the hospital hallway to Hank’s room. Despite the bustling noise of the patients and staff all around him, Connor heard nothing as he neared his destination.

He froze when he entered Hank’s room, his LED wildly spinning red.

The Lieutenant’s chest rose and fell gently under a thin hospital blanket. His heart monitor beeped steadily, his readings all stable. Half of Hank’s head was bandaged up, the skin around them marred with bruises.

“He… looks even older now…”

Connor scanned him, still unable to move from the doorway.

57%.

“He’ll make it. Just talk to him.”

It was a moment more before the android could walk again, still shaken from the Lieutenant’s weakened state. He entered the room and pulled a chair closer to Hank’s bed, sitting down as he scanned Hank again.

“What do I say?”

The heart monitor beeped. The IV’s lights flickered.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Lieutenant,” he began, his LED rapidly blinking yellow. His fingers fidgeted with the coin in his pocket. “You need to wake up. We have a case to work on.”

He paused.

“Keep talking.”

“Lieutenant,” he continued. “I… I don’t know if I can do this alone… I…”

He trailed off, his LED blinking red, shame and embarrassment slipping through the cracks of the dread threatening to smother him.

“Talk about happy things.”

His LED calmed to yellow.

“Hank,” he murmured, reaching out to place a hand on the unconscious man’s arm. He gave a soft squeeze, silently appreciating the warmth from his skin. “You have to wake up. I was hoping we could take another trip up north. I… I had a great time at that carnival we found; I’m glad you spotted it. If you wake up, we can go to another one, and I promise I won’t make you ride anything too intense this time. You have to mind your back, old man…”

Connor slowly settled into a pleasant, conversational tone as he alternated between making plans for the future and reminiscing on memories of moments they shared over the years since they’d met.

Outside the sun sank in the sky. The hallway outside Hank’s room grew quieter as visitors slowly began heading home and nurses and patients alike took to their nighttime routines.

“...and while I can say that I admire his work ethic, I can’t say I’d be happy to work with him. So, you gotta wake up, Lieutenant…”

For the first time in hours, Connor paused.

“He hasn’t even moved.”

“I… need my partner back.”

Another pause, his LED turning yellow.

“Hank, I need help with this case. There’s something strange going on, and Lara Kent is either in on it, or a victim…”

He recapped the events since Hank’s fall, his LED blinking between red and yellow as he reluctantly admitted and exasperatedly explained.

“I… Well, I fucked it, Hank,” Connor cursed, frustrated tears beginning to prick at his eyes as he concluded his summary. “I didn’t let her have a phone call, I screwed up the interrogation and learned practically nothing, and she got to leave because Officer Bosc is a fucking idiot!

“I lost it, Hank,” he finished with a murmur.

“Please, I can’t lose you.”

His LED turned red.

“Hank… Please, wake up…”

To Connor’s surprise, the lieutenant shifted, mumbling incoherently under his breath.

“Hank?”

More mumbling.

“Hank, it’s me, Connor. I’m here…”

“Cole?” His voice rumbled through gravel, his breath heavy, his eyes still closed.

“It’s… Connor,” the android tried, resting a hand on Hank’s arm. But the Lieutenant stilled once more, the heart monitor’s steady beeping shattering the enduring silence. Connor leaned forward to rest his head on Hank’s bed, his shoulders beginning to tremble.

“I’m here…”

Chapter Text

“Detective?”

Connor’s head snapped up at Dr. Sidhu’s voice. Despite the soft tone, Connor’s eyes narrowed slightly, his LED flickering yellow rapidly.

“Visiting hours are over,” Dr. Sidhu continued. Despite his distant attitude, his tone held a reluctant note to it. “I’m afraid I must ask you to head home; I can’t allow you to stay any longer today. It’s unfair to the other patients and their families.”

Connor’s LED spun red for a moment as he stood. “I… I can’t leave him now…”

“Are Lara Kent and Lillian Ashford the same person?”

“Lillian Ashford is dead,” the doctor answered, a bit too quickly.

“Then who is Lara Kent?”

“Am I being interrogated? Should I contact my lawyer?”

The glare the android gave him would have sent weaker men running. But Dr. Sidhu stood his ground, leveling Connor with a similar look.

The two continued their silent stand off until Dr. Sidhu sighed, his shoulders falling as his features softened.

“Detective,” he murmured, closing the gap between them. “I understand what you’re feeling right now. I too, have had to watch someone I love face death, and I was powerless to stop it.

“But,” he added, placing a hand on Connor’s shoulder. “The surgery was a resounding success, and I’ve been told Lieutenant Anderson is a strong willed, stubborn man; I doubt this will be the end for him.”

Connor nodded softly, the strange comfort he felt from Dr. Sidhu’s hand on his shoulder successfully distracting him from the implication of his words. “I promise you,” the doctor continued. “I will call if there are any updates or changes. Lieutenant Anderson is my top priority at this hospital.”

Connor’s eyes narrowed slightly. “He's not billing us, and he's personally taking care of Hank. Why is he prioritizing him?”

“Are you trying to bribe me into leaving Ms. Kent alone?”

Recoiling quickly, Dr. Sidhu removed his hand from Connor’s shoulder, and took a step back. “Of course not, Detective.”

“Then why are you doing all this for him?”

With a pause and a soft smile meant for someone else, he answered, “It is my duty.”

Another long silent moment passed before Dr. Sidhu bid him farewell, and left. Connor sat by Hank’s side a few minutes more, then left for home.

The following day was supposed to be a day off for Connor. While he was originally planning on looking at more apartments, and finding furniture for his new adventure, he now found himself trying to track down Lara Kent.

Sadly, he quickly discovered his efforts were in vain; the apartment Andrew the superintendent had told him about was empty, and the other tenants in the building only knew her as a random maintenance worker. He tried reaching out to Lillian Ashford’s sister, Linda, and her parents, John and Susan Ashford, only to find that they were away and could not be reached.

Dr. Sidhu and his lawyer made it very clear that Connor was on thin ice for failing to follow police procedure, and refused to answer any questions. No one else he spoke to seemed to know she even existed.

Lara Kent seemed to disappear from Detroit entirely.

When Connor returned to the precinct later in the day, he finally opened the e-mail from Dr. Sidhu’s lawyer he had been ignoring all morning.

“After careful review of the security footage in the stairwell of the building, it is obvious that Lieutenant Anderson’s injuries were the result of an accident. In addition, the arresting officer not only assumed Ms. Kent was an android due to your misinformation, but also discriminated against his delusions by tackling her, and arresting her without reading her rights. Body camera footage reveals she was willing to go peacefully, but she suffered more injuries due to his unlawful actions.”

It continued on in a similar vein, leaving Connor more frustrated and depressed than before. He sighed, and began writing a response.

As he angrily drafted his email, Officer Chris Miller came over holding a bottle of flavored Thirium.

“Hey Connor… How are you holding up?” He asked, offering a warm smile.

The android continued typing, looking up at Chris for a moment before he turned back to the screen, his LED flickering red briefly before returning to yellow. “I’m going to have to drop the initial charges against Lara Kent,” he admitted with a frustrated sigh.

“Officer Bosc screwed up, and I… Well, I’ll still be investigating her, but now I’ll have to be extra cautious.”

“Damn, I’m sorry Connor,” Chris replied sincerely. “But I was asking about how you’re feeling. I know you and the Lieutenant are close, so I can’t imagine this is easy for you.”

Connor’s shoulders fell as he leaned back in his chair. His LED turned red again as he looked up at Officer Miller, and quietly admitted, “I’m worried about him.”

Nodding, Chris handed the bottle to him. “You’re not alone,” Chris replied, giving him a small, reassuring but somber smile.

Connor took the bottle with a furrowed brow, scanning the label. “Hot Chocolate flavor?”

“You mentioned last year you preferred it to coffee,” the officer answered, guessing Connor’s question by the look on his face. “Anyway, if you want to talk, let me know. Unlike Reed, I mean it,” Chris added, giving a small huff of a laugh.

Connor nodded, smiling weakly as he thanked him. After a moment, he looked around and asked, “Speaking of Reed, where is he?”

Another office called for Chris’ attention. He signaled to give him a moment and turned back to Connor. “Hospital,” Chris replied, a hint of surprise in his tone. “Went to check on the Lieutenant, if you can believe that.” With one last warm smile, Chris turned to leave, heading to the officer to resume his duties.

Connor watched him walk away, his LED slowing its yellow circles as he smiled softly to himself, grateful for the officer’s gift and camaraderie. After a moment, he sobered and turned back toward the desk to finish his email.

Right after he sent it off, Reed called him.

Chapter Text

“Connor!” Reed yelled down the hospital hallway as the android stepped off the elevator. “He’s waking up! Get in here!”

Connor jogged down the hall and pushed past him, the latter barely having enough time to clear the way. Hank was still lying on the bed, but his eyes were open, darting back and forth.

“He’s been muttering your name for the last few minutes,” Reed informed him as he followed Connor to the bed.

“Hank? I’m here,” Connor assured him softly, grabbing one of his hands. Hank closed his eyes and smiled.

“Glad you could make it,” he murmured gruffly. Connor gave a soft huff of a laugh, and squeezed his hand. “Glad to see you’re finally awake, Lieutenant,” he replied, failing to conceal the relief in his voice. “I was beginning to think I needed to get the coffee injected straight into your veins.”

“Shut up,” Hank chided with a weak smirk.

“Thank goodness…”

Reed stood back and watched the two quietly, debating his next wisecrack. After a moment, he excused himself.

“Get better soon, old man,” he said. “Connor’s been a wreck without you. Breaking arms, kissing suspects; probably needs reprogramming.”

Connor turned and locked Reed with an icy stare as the latter laughed and walked out.

Lieutenant Anderson rolled his eyes. “What’s that asshole going on about?”

Connor mirrored him, and opened his mouth to explain when Dr. Sidhu entered the room.

“Good, you’re here, Detective,” he greeted with a soft smile, before turning his attention back to Hank. “Good to see you awake, Lieutenant. I’m Dr. Sidhu, but please call me Navjot. I’m just going to run a couple tests. I want to be sure you’re truly lucid. We’ll be taking you for a scan in a few minutes as well.”

Dr. Sidhu walked to the other side of the bed, and began asking simple questions as he pulled a pen light out of his pocket.

“Can you confirm your name?”

“Date of birth?”

“How many fingers do you see?”

“Are you in any pain or discomfort?”

Hank answered each question with a grumpy, but satisfactory answer. Dr. Sidhu merely smiled as he continued to check reflexes and ask questions. Connor watched him carefully, his scans merely reconfirming the doctor’s benign intentions.

Navjot called for a nurse who arrived moments later. He gave him instructions on which scans he wanted done, as well as blood draws for more testing. Connor only realized he was still holding Hank’s hand when the nurse asked politely for him to move.

He slowly dropped it, and stepped back, clearing a space for the nurse to get Hank ready.

“I’ll wait here until you get back, Lieutenant,” Connor assured him.

Hank smiled. “Actually, I’m hungry, think you can grab me something to eat?”

Connor looked at Dr. Sidhu, who nodded softly, before adding, “It will be an hour or so before he is back and will be able to eat. And please, try to keep it healthy.”

Dr. Sidhu gave him a professional, but knowing smile as he left with Hank and the nurse.

Over the next week and a half, Hank grew stronger and more ornery every day. Connor visited daily, staying for hours by Hank’s side. He kept him up to date on the news, the precinct, their colleagues, and Connor’s casework; save for Lara Kent’s file.

Connor had put her case in the back of his mind, focusing more on Hank’s recovery. Besides, she still couldn’t be found, and the case was technically closed now. Despite that, Connor still attempted to subtly gain information from Dr. Sidhu about her during the doctor’s daily checks on Hank. While he kept a positive demeanor during each visit, he continuously evaded Connor’s questions regarding anything but Hank.

“His attitude towards me has improved. Maybe I can use that later.”

But one morning, when they were alone, Hank asked Connor what was bothering him.

“Something’s eating at ya,” he mumbled, a knowing look on his face. “It’s that lady at the apartment building isn’t it? Lara something?”

Connor nodded, giving Hank a brief recap of what had transpired while he was unconscious. Ultimately, while the Lieutenant was disappointed in the outcome, he was surprisingly understanding about the incident.

“I remember it pretty well,” he mused, mildly frustrated. “She burst through the door and tried to run past me. I grabbed at her, but she was too fast, and I lost my fucking footing on the step. After that, I remember falling, and then waking up to Reed’s dumb face.”

Connor apologized for not being there when he woke up, a comment Hank brushed off. “I don’t expect you to be here 24/7.”

The android looked chastised regardless, prompting a short sigh from the Lieutenant. “But if you really feel bad, you can make it up to me by getting me something good to eat.”

“Lieutenant, you shouldn’t be eating too much junk food,” Connor warned half-heartedly, a small smile tugging at his lips. Hank heard the tone, and nodded in consideration.

“Alright, see what the cafeteria is serving then. Surprise me.”

Connor nodded, and left.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t long before Connor returned, carrying a take out bag and a drink from the Chicken Feed.

Hank smiled at the android, before grimacing as he adjusted himself to sit up.

“Thanks Connor,” he said, pulling a rolling table over his lap. “The food here is shit.”

“I know.”

Connor smiled, and handed him the bag, sitting in a nearby chair as he scanned the Lieutenant’s chart for the hundredth time.

Hank dug into his burger, sighing with content. He noticed Connor staring off into the distance, his blinking yellow LED announcing he was processing something. “You’re spacing out.”

Connor caught his eye, his LED turning blue once more.

“I can’t stop thinking about this android.”

“I was checking your file,” he lied, his LED turning red for the briefest of moments, something Hank missed. “You should be back to normal within a few months.”

“Of course I will,” he replied. “It’s gonna take a lot more than that to take me out.”

Connor smiled, nodding in agreement. Hank took another bite of his burger before asking, “Where were we? Oh, right; was there anything in the basement?”

He shook his head. “There were miniscule traces of Thirium present, but not enough to analyze properly, so I don’t know if it’s hers, or someone else's. But the superintendent of the building insists she is human; he told me he saw her bleed once when she injured herself, and he wasn’t lying. Despite not being able to scan her, I am certain she is an android. To add to the strangeness of it all, when I attempted to probe her memory I was unable to connect until she kissed me.”

Hank choked on his burger. Through coughs, he managed to ask, “She kissed you? Why the hell would she do that? I thought she was trying to kill you.”

"I… don’t know," Connor hesitantly replied, LED spinning in quick yellow circles. "It seemed she genuinely believed I was going to hurt her in some way. She was planning on jumping off the roof instead of going wherever she thought I would take her.” He paused. Hank took a long drink of his soda, as Connor to continued.

“She knew my name, and said she had the body of one of my ‘buddies’ in the basement. Initially, I thought she meant an android. Now I am wondering if she has met me before. Another Connor, I mean.”

Hank sputtered on his drink, starting another coughing fit. “For fuck’s sakes, Connor, can you save the crazy news for when my mouth isn’t full?”

“Sorry, Lieutenant,” he apologized quietly. Hank waved him off, and set his food back on the table.

“I thought all the other Connors were decommissioned after the revolution?”

“So did I, and that’s what we were all led to believe,” Connor agreed with a nod.

“Well, then is it possible she just knew your name from the appointment form?”

“Yes, it is,” he conceded. “However, when I was finally able to scan her memory,” he added, pausing when Hank raised his burger to take a bite. The Lieutenant looked at it, then at him and sighed, putting it back down and nodding for him to continue. “I saw small parts of a woman’s life: a woman named Lilian Ashford. These ‘memories’ spanned from her childhood onward. The most recent one, that took place almost three years ago, was her dying of cancer.”

He paused his explanation, his LED turning red as he considered describing how the memory had superseded his control, or the strange feeling that had enveloped him while viewing it.

“Best not to stress him out further."

His LED turned yellow again.

“Lieutenant, do you think it’s possible that someone programmed her to believe she is human? Possibly, ‘preserving’ the memory of Lillian Ashford? It would explain why a WR400 android would have these ‘memories’. They must have been manufactured.” Connor posed the theory thoughtfully, almost hoping Hank would agree: he needed something solid to work on, giving the strange nature of the case so far.

“What, like some kinda living memorial? Fuck. What is this world coming to,” Hank mumbled, taking a bite of his burger. “ Do you think the doctor is behind it? He’s Ms. Ashford’s ex-husband, right?”

“No,” Connor answered truthfully. “I’m starting to believe he may be a victim of sorts. It’s possible she is using her memories to manipulate him. It seems she asked him to take care of you personally, and not bill you, because she feels guilty for your injuries.”

Hank paused mid chew, staring at Connor in confusion. “Huh,” was all he could muster up. “Well, that’s appreciated, I guess. I was starting to wonder how the fuck I was gonna pay for all this.”

He continued to eat his food, quietly musing about the case. Connor smiled inwardly, grateful for Hank’s presence and agreement. The older Lieutenant and the young android made for a strange pair of partners, but no one could deny they brought out the best in each other.

“I don’t know what I would do if I had lost you, Hank.”

His LED spun yellow as he silently reveled in Hank's recovery.

“What are you not telling me?”

Connor’s head snapped up, his LED turning blue. “Pardon?”

Hank sighed and put his burger down again. “I know when you’re hiding something. What is it?”

“Nothing…” Connor replied, far too quickly.

“Uh huh,” Hank mumbled, noting the android’s LED flickering back and forth between yellow and blue.

“Look, something about this case is bothering you. Maybe you should wait until I’m outta here. We can both work on this case, and I can help you keep a level head.”

“I am more than capable of keeping a level head, Lieutenant,” Connor snapped back, his tone a touch more aggressive than he intended. Hank merely stared, his eyebrows raised.

“I… I’m sorry,” Connor murmured, his LED calming to blue. “You’re right… Something is bothering me. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been constantly affronted with the unexpected, and I am feeling out of my depth. I am beginning to fear this case may be beyond my capabilities.”

Hank grabbed Connor’s hand.

“Listen, son,” he began, catching Connor’s eye and holding his gaze. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from what a pain in the ass you’ve been all this time, it’s that you’re capable of anything. More than capable. If anyone can solve this, it’s you.”

Connor’s eyes drifted downward as he nodded slowly.

“Now go home,” Hank added, gaining a firmer tone. “And don't work on the case: you need a break and I need to eat.”

Hank’s smile and chuckle warmed Connor, who let go of his hand and stood, turning slightly. He took a step toward the door before turning quickly and bending to wrap his arms around the Lieutenant as best he could.

“Thank you, Hank,” he whispered, as the lieutenant patted his back. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”

“Me too,” Hank quipped as Connor pulled away. The two shared one last look before Connor smiled and left the room, and headed for home, content to follow Hank's orders.

Chapter Text

When Hank was finally released from the hospital, with explicit instructions from Dr. Sidhu to remain on bed rest for at least the next month, the Lieutenant wasted no time in getting ready to leave.

“Here’s my number. You may call me with any concerns, or questions,” the doctor had told them after signing the release forms. “Pertaining to your health and well-being only,” he had added with a pointed look to Connor.

Hank spent the drive back arguing with Connor about the bed rest order, stating repeatedly that he was fine, and giving suggestions on finding Lara Kent.

For his part, Connor mostly placated him, simply grateful the Lieutenant seemed to be back to his old stubborn self.

Hank was still shooting ideas when Connor unlocked the door to their home, letting it swing open as he turned to help Hank across the threshold.

“Let’s just stake out all the rental properties,” he suggested, struggling with his crutches. “She’s gotta show up sometime, and then we can grab her.”

“No need,” came a voice from the kitchen. Hank instinctively grabbed for his gun before remembering he didn’t have it. He pulled Connor’s from his holster, pointing it toward the android in question. Connor meanwhile noticed but allowed it, preparing for another hand-to-hand fight instead.

Lara Kent was standing by the counter, chef’s knife in hand, watching them both with a confused look.

“Drop it!”

She did so, the knife falling onto a pile of scraps on the cutting board next to her. Her hands dropped back to her sides.

No one moved. The sound of meat searing filled the silence.

“May I interest you in dinner?” Her tone was casual, almost friendly as she asked. “I bet you’re hungry, and I’m willing to bet the food at that hospital hasn’t improved since I was there.”

Connor’s eyes narrowed slightly at her comment.

“What the fuck are you doing in our house?” Hank yelled, gun still trained on her.

She raised her hands, slowly, seemingly mocking in her surrender. After a moment, she seemed to realize something, taking a quick breath and holding her hands up higher. “I’m not here to hurt anyone,” she quickly said, her tone taking a more serious edge. “I knocked, but you guys weren’t home yet. The window was open, so I crawled in. Which I am now realizing was not the correct course of action...” she trailed off, looking between them almost sheepishly.

Connor gave a sideways glance to Hank, who kept his eyes on her.

She motioned back toward the stovetop with a slight tilt of her hand. “Look, this steak is gonna burn if I don’t flip it, so…?” After another moment of tense silence, she shrugged and grabbed some tongs. Quickly, she flipped the steak, grabbing a spoon afterward to baste it. Once she was done, she stepped away and raised her hands again.

“Ok, you can shoot me now if you’d like, but you’ll have to finish dinner. It needs three more minutes on that side, max. You like it medium-rare, right?”

“Fuck me,” Hank cursed, lowering the gun slightly. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Making dinner! Jesus, I thought we established that.” She rolled her eyes and turned back toward the stove, suddenly comfortable again, opening the oven to check the contents. “You can shoot me after it’s done, but for now I’m just trying to apologize. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, after all.”

“Are you outta your goddamn-” Connor cut Hank off with a hand, and walked toward the woman.

“Who are you?”

She blew out a long breath, closed the oven, then straightened as she informed him simply, “My name is Lilian Ashford. My friend’s call me Lily; at least they would if I had any friends.” Something in the tone of her delivery caught Connor’s attention.

"She's referencing something..."

“Lilian Ashford is dead,” Connor replied bluntly, filing the thought away for now.

Her shoulders fell. “I understand why you would think that, but as you can see, I am very much alive.

“But, we’ll talk about that, later,” she continued, turning and opening the cupboard to grab a plate. “First thing’s first… would you two have a seat while I finish this up?”

No one moved.

“Please?”

Lieutenant Anderson lowered the gun and handed it back to Connor, before limping to the table, muttering angrily under his breath along the way. The android followed a moment later. The duo sat in silence, Hank sitting in mild bewilderment, Connor watching Lily like a hawk.

“I wish Sumo was still here. He wouldn’t have let this circus play out.” Hank’s quiet musing made Lily pause after she removed the steak from the pan.

“I’m sure he wouldn’t have,” she responded with good humored sarcasm. “I wish I could have met him. I love dogs. I wanted to get one before I was diagnosed, but Navi was never a…” she trailed off as she turned to face Hank. She tried to place a hand on his shoulder, but reconsidered when Connor began to stand in response, his eyes narrowing. She stepped back, clasping her hands together instead. “I’m sorry for your loss, Lieutenant,” she said, leaning against the counter. “He seemed like the bestest good boy.”

“Shit.”

“How did you-” Hank cut his own question off and turned to Connor. “Christ, did she scan your memory?”

“It would appear so,” he responded, sitting back down with a frown. Lily turned back and pulled a tray with a foil wrapped potato and assorted vegetables out of the oven, explaining over her shoulder in an oddly nonchalant tone. “Yeah, sorry about that. I was just trying to see who you were, but I kind of got everything… Cheese on your baked potato, Lieutenant?”

Hank threw his hands up. “Yeah, sure, why the fuck not? Jesus.”

The three fell into silence again as she finished up the meal, humming softly to herself as she grated cheddar onto the split open potato. After a sprinkle of some fresh herbs, she turned and placed the plate in front of him. He stared down at it, his mouth betraying him by watering immediately.

A New York striploin sliced to show a perfectly cooked medium rare center sat next to a cheddar topped baked potato and a roasted vegetable medley.

“Can I get you something to drink?”

Hank looked at her like she had two heads.

“Water it is,” she responded with a nod, and grabbed a glass.

Connor reached over and pulled the plate away from the Lieutenant, who looked genuinely upset for a moment. The android took a small bite of everything, searching for any harmful tampering. When his scans revealed nothing but the genuine contents of the plate, he slid the plate back over and nodded at the Lieutenant.

Lily set the glass of tap water down, and sat at the table opposite the Lieutenant. Nodding at Connor, she asked, “I trust you’ve determined I’m not here to kill anyone?”

He answered in the affirmative, and Hank took a small bite of the steak.

“Shit," he praised, and dug into the meal, never noticing the soft smile on Lily’s face as he did so. “Please enjoy it," she told him, watching him eat. "I feel absolutely terrible about what happened. I swear I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Connor listened to her words, noting the sincerity in her tone. He tried to scan her to confirm, but only saw the same human shaped void. He saw the smile on her face though, and without understanding why, his defenses lowered slightly. “Why are you really here, Lily?”

“To apologize,” she insisted, rolling her eyes when Connor narrowed his. “Alright… I need your help.”

Hank paused his chewing. ”You have a weird way of asking for it.”

"I needed to apologize and was hoping to likewise butter you up so you’d help me… Two birds, one stone, kind of deal.” She shrugged as she said it, her smile friendly, joking. Then her face fell as she continued, speaking almost painfully slowly. “There is… someone… after me, and they are… not good people.”

"Well, that's not helpful..."

“Who are they and what do they want with you?” Connor asked the questions as Hank continued to wolf his meal down, pausing every so often to mumble about how delicious it was.

“I knew you were going to ask that, but I was really hoping you wouldn’t…” she sighed. “I… I can’t say it, I’m sorry,” she added, then turned to Hank. “Do you really like it? I haven’t cooked in years; I was worried I wouldn’t be able to do it again.”

He gave a curt nod, his mouth still full. She smiled again, wider, more genuine, this time.

“Do you need protection?” Connor continued to ask questions, oddly content to let Hank eat in peace.

Her smile faded. “Yes…”

“From?”

A brief pause. “...You.”

Hank dropped his fork. “Pardon?”

Connor’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“It’s you, who’s been coming after me. I… I can’t say who’s sending them or exactly why, but so far, two of your lookalikes have tried and failed," she explained, biting her lip nervously.

“You did say you had one of my ‘buddies’ in your basement,” he responded. “However, I searched and couldn’t find him. I did see traces of Thirium, but not enough to properly analyze.”

She nodded. “There’s a false wall down there covering some old unused plumbing. I discovered it when my ex and I bought the place,” she explained, silently motioning for Hank to continue eating. He did after a moment.

“I used it for extra storage before I… anyway, I’m the only one who knows it’s down there. I’m happy to show you.”

“What about the other one?”

“I threw his body in the river.”

Hank paused before shrugging and continuing his meal. “Well, that’s helpful,” he mumbled.

“Yes, I thought it would be,” she replied with barely restrained sarcasm.

“Lily,” Connor began before Hank could respond. “Why haven’t you gone to the police yet? Why come here?”

She looked down, and sighed slightly before turning to Connor. “I was worried going to the police would expose me. The first RK800 that came after me told me he was a detective with the DPD, and even though I discovered he was lying, when the second one came after me and was the same model, I just didn’t want to risk it.” She paused for a moment, then shrugged. “Besides, I figured I might stand a better chance coming here, because… well, because of what I saw when I kissed you.”

Hank put his fork down and leaned back in his chair, his meal finished. “Yeah, about that; why the fuck did you kiss him?”

“I am curious to know the reason why as well,” Connor agreed. Hank looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“When I tried to probe your memory, I was unable to connect until you did,” Connor added quickly, feeling strangely nervous all of a sudden.

Lily bit her lip. “I… needed to see who you were... and I couldn’t really try from the position we were in.”

“What the fuck position were you in?” Hank tried and failed to contain his anger when he asked, drawing a confused look from Connor and an eye roll from Lily.

“I don’t know what you’d call it, but it was far from missionary,” she replied dryly. She clapped a hand to her mouth, her eyes growing wide.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant!” Her apology was only slightly muffled by her hand. She pulled it away, a deep blush blooming in her cheeks as she explained. “I… have all of Connor’s memories in my… brain. I… forgot you’re not actually my friend.”

Hank stared at her, eyes narrowed. Connor’s face screwed up in confusion. Her eyes darted back and forth between them, before she stared at the table.

“Ok look, I’m not sure why, but it never works when I try to connect through my hand,” she explained. “Not that I tried much… I've been living as a... Plus, I was keeping you from falling off the edge with my non-dislocated arm -thanks for that, by the way,” she interjected with a slight glare.

She ignored Connor’s incredulous look as she continued. “And because I’m-”

She froze, long enough to raise an eyebrow on both Connor and Hank’s faces before her features relaxed, and she breathed a frustrated sigh. “I panicked, okay?”

Neither officer answered.

“What else was I supposed to do? When I realized there was something different about you, I needed to connect to see who you really were. I couldn’t grab you with my other arm, and I didn’t want to take a chance on dropping you in case I was right. I just did the first thing that came to mind.”

Hank’s glare intensified. "Why is he so angry...?" Connor quickly jumped in again, hoping to avoid riling Hank up further.

“Why did you ask Dr. Sidhu to cover the Lieutenant’s medical bills?” Connor asked the question more to change the subject than to get the answer.

"I… I felt terrible about hurting Ha- sorry, Lieutenant Anderson,” she responded, equally grateful for the topic shift. “And Navi is my ex-husband… He’s the only one who knows what I really am. Please don’t get him involved, though; he has nothing to do with this and will be of no help, I promise.”

Connor made a mental note to continue keeping tabs on Navjot Sidhu.

“What are you-” Connor tried to ask another question, but Hank had other plans.

“Why would kissing him be the first thing that comes to mind?” The Lieutenant’s question dripped with sarcasm. Connor stole a quick glance, concern beginning to cloud his features.

Lily stared at him confused for a moment before seeming to realize again that they were technically meeting for the second time. “Okay, please bear with me,” she began, nervously fidgeting in her seat. “When the first RK800 came after me, I didn’t know who he was. He moved into the building, struck up a conversation with me, and asked me on a date.

“We went for a walk, played in the park; it was… normal. Nice. He walked me to my door, and I asked him to come in. He asked to kiss me, and when he did, I saw everything.” Connor’s LED turned yellow for a split second before returning to blue. Hank noticed, and glared. Lily continued, not noticing either’s reaction. “He was activated with the sole purpose of tracking me down and returning me to… where I was before.”

“Where was that?” Connor asked the question, avoiding Hank’s eye until the Lieutenant turned to face Lily again.

“I can’t actually say it,” she said, her eyes cast down.

“Let me get this straight,” Hank began with an exasperated tone. “You escaped from some terrible place that programmed you with a dead woman’s memories. Then, you took advantage of that dead woman’s ex for shelter, then, went on a date? And that date just so happened to be with an android who not only looks like him-” He pointed at Connor, who’s LED turned red for a moment. “-but is trying to bring you back to that terrible place? Am I getting that right?”

Lily met Hank’s glare with one of her own, anger burning in her eyes. “Well, not entirely, but by all means make me sound like a fucking idiot,” she replied.

A tense moment went by, and her eyes went wide. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get angry,” she hastily said when Hank crossed his arms and huffed in frustration. “I mean it, it’s… I swear to you, I am that dead woman; I am Lillian Ashford. I’m just… different now.”

“How are you different now? What happened to you?” Connor’s LED continued to blink yellow as he processed Hank’s reaction and her answers. She opened her mouth a few times to speak, before she gave up and shrunk into her chair.

“I can’t tell you,” she answered softly, her voice trembling slightly.

“Well, then what the fuck can you tell us?” Hank’s fist hit the table, making Lily jump. “You broke into our home, and now you’re dropping vague hints and sarcastic comments all over the place. Tell us what’s going on before we take you into custody, press charges for breaking and entering, and let someone at the DPD try to figure it out.”

She teared up, and merely stuttered in response, her head dropping. Remembering the grid from the interface on the roof, Connor looked at Hank and quietly informed him of his theory. “I don’t think she’s trying to be difficult, Lieutenant. She really can’t tell us. The information is locked by a program.”

Lily’s head popped up, her eyes meeting Connor’s. He saw hope in them, and felt a strange sense of pride. “Yes,” she whispered. “Most of my memories are locked away; I can’t even remember them myself, except sometimes in my dreams. But when I try to share even that information, I freeze.”

Hank kept his narrow-eyed glare.

She stared back with a resigned look on her face, before continuing in a somber tone. “Okay, I didn’t want to have to do this, but I guess I have no choice,” she sighed. “I know you want answers Lieutenant, and I want to give them to you. I just… don’t think you should see this. I’m… it’s not for the faint of heart. Connor, I know you can’t scan me, but you should be able to see my insides with an x-ray; just… prepare yourself.”

The android looked at Hank, who nodded with a roll of his eyes. Connor obliged.

“What the fuck!?”

He stood in shock and backed into the fridge behind him with a loud thud. The contents rattled slightly; his chair hit the ground.

“Connor?!” Hank struggled with his crutches, trying to stand. “What is it? What did you see?” Connor merely kept staring at Lily, who dropped her head down, tears falling to the table.

“She… I…” he stuttered, for the first time in his life unable to form a response. His LED was red and blinking, prompting Hank to reach for his gun again, stopping only when Connor caught his hand, and shook his head.

“Show me,” he commanded, looking at Lily. “Show me!”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Hank,” Connor murmured. “I don’t think you should see this…”

“The fuck I shouldn’t,” he replied, pulling his hand away and grabbing his gun, pointing it at her. “I don’t trust you and your bullshit, so if you want our help, fucking show me.”

Lily stared at him, her eyes still welling up with tears. After a brief but tense silence, she nodded, and stood. Her face and neck turned android white as she moved, the skin below disappearing to reveal a faint blue glow. She undid the buttons on her shirt until it fell open.

Connor’s LED continued to blink red. Hank lowered the gun as he stared, now at a loss for words.

With the skin on her torso gone, they could see the plate covering her chest and abdomen was clear; scratched and gouged in places, but still holding strong over a collection of human organs and android parts. One healthy pink lung expanded and contracted in time with its off-white synthetic counterpart. Her heart beat steadily between them, if slightly quickly. Underneath her human heart, sat a Thirium pump and regulator, bathing their surroundings in a soft blue glow. Behind that was a small spherical container with a tube leading up into her throat. Another android part sat below it, this one more elastic looking; the lower half of which narrowed as it disappeared into her pelvis.

She had no intestines, no bladder, kidneys, ovaries, liver, spleen. Just an empty space with wires, veins and arteries loosely snaking through it. She turned, and revealed the back of her head. Her hair had disappeared with her skin, leaving a clear view into her skull.

“Jesus,” Hank whispered at the sight of a human brain floating in fluid, the stem ending in a disc that sat at the base of the cavity. Connor could just barely see the inscription: ‘HAH-03’.

Lily turned back to look at them, tears spilling down her skinless face.

“I... I’m a monster.”

Chapter Text

“She can’t stay here,” Hank insisted, growing louder with every word. Connor tried to advise him to keep his voice down, but the Lieutenant was having none of it. “No, this is bullshit. She’s dangerous, Connor, take her to the station.”

“Hank, she needs our help,” Connor retorted, a swirling mix of confusion, guilt, sympathy and determination adding an edge to his voice as the argument continued. “She is Lillian Ashford and someone turned her into… that. But, she is still a human being.”

“Was,” Lily corrected from the kitchen, washing the dishes from the meal she had made.

“Stay outta this,” Hank called back in a warning tone. “And leave that shit alone, I’ll take care of it when Connor takes you to the station,” he finished with a glare at Connor.

“Okie dokie,” she responded sarcastically, and continued washing.

“Hank, please, it will be easier to keep an eye on her if she’s here,” Connor rebutted, suppressing an eye roll at her unhelpful sarcasm. Hank shifted on his crutches, before squaring off with his android partner.

“No, Connor,” he said, his voice low and even. “She can stay at the station until we figure out what’s going on and who did this.”

“But, Hank, I-”

“I said no, Connor!”

“Hank-”

“Don’t fucking argue with me!”

Lily finished up and came to the living room in time to see Connor and Hank staring each other down. Connor looked frustrated and ready to argue, while Hank gave him a steady glare that almost dared him to.

“Okay,” she started cautiously, moving around them to the front door. “I can see I’ve caused some distress, and I apologize for that. How about I leave and we all just pretend I was never here?”

“No!” Both Hank and Connor turned to yell at her, stopping her in her tracks.

“You need to be in police custody, and brought up on charges,” Hank angrily informed her.

“You need to stay here so I can investigate further and protect you from this threat,” Connor stated at the same time.

Her eyes darted back and forth between them, before she sucked her teeth and nodded.

“Yes, sir,” she said to no one in particular. Then she hopped over the back of the couch to sit on it, grabbing the remote and turning the TV on as she did so.

“What is she doing?” Connor thought, a frustrated crease in his brow.

“What the fuck are you doing now?” Hank yelled, exasperated.

“I’m just waiting for you two to get on the same page. I’ll give you five minutes, then I’ll go,” she informed them, her eyes glued to the screen. “Ooh, wait, ten minutes. I love this show.”

“Connor, get her the fuck out of here now,” Hank growled. “That’s an order.”

The finality of Hank’s statement hung in the air for a tense moment, before Connor slowly responded with, “Whatever you say, Lieutenant.”

Lily heard the tone in their voices, and clicked the TV off. She jumped up and, keeping her head down, quietly, but quickly, walked out the front door. Connor followed, and with one last angry look at Hank, slammed it shut behind him.

“I, uh… I wasn’t very helpful back there, was I?”

Lily's soft voice from the backseat of Hank’s old car broke the tense silence nearly halfway through their drive. Neither she nor Connor had said a word since they left for the station. His LED spun in rapid yellow circles on his temple as he processed the events of the day, slowing when she spoke.

“No, you were not,” he silently agreed. When he didn’t respond out loud, she turned to stare out the window, mumbling an apology. The light ahead turned yellow, and he slowed to a stop. He took a moment to look at her in the rearview mirror, and once again found his mood softening.

“It’s not her fault…”

“I’m sorry, Lily,” he said, his voice low. “I can’t imagine this is easy to deal with.”

“It’s okay,” she lied with a sigh. “I’ve had a couple years to deal with it. I should have taken that into account when I approached you guys.”

“I doubt it would have gone any differently if you had,” he assured her.

“Apologize for your reaction… you hurt her.”

“I… I’m sorry for my reaction; I truly was not expecting to see that.”

“Who would?”

He conceded her point with a slight nod, slightly more confident in his words again. “Regardless, I apologize for both myself and Lieutenant Anderson.”

Lily shook her head. “Don’t, Connor. I understand both your reactions. I’m… an abomination, and he’s… worried about you.” She paused, then huffed. “Like any good parent would be,” she added under her breath.

“What is she talking about?”

They sat in silence for a few seconds, Connor’s brow furrowed. “Hank’s son Cole passed away several years ago. Did you not say earlier you have my memories?”

"Maybe she didn't get everything..."

“I wasn’t talking about Cole.” She continued to gaze out the window, her tone suggesting that was supposed to be obvious.

“I… I’m not Hank’s son,” he said cautiously, almost questioningly, his LED blinking yellow. She looked at him confused, before realization dawned and she nodded slowly. She turned back to the window, taking a deep breath in.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything.” she murmured, shifting awkwardly in her seat. “Anyway, I’m the one who needs to apologize. There were a million better ways I could have approached you guys, and I, in my infinite wisdom, decided to go with dinner served with a side of B & E...” She rolled her eyes.

“I can see your logic,” he said, strangely grateful for the change in subject. He turned his focus back to driving as the light turned green. “For the dinner, I mean. You seemed to be quite the chef prior to your diagnosis.”

She turned to look at him, almost studying him for a moment, her eyes narrowed. “How much were you able to see?”

Connor paused, debating. “I can't truly trust her yet... Can I...?”

“Mostly bits and pieces throughout your life; I just assumed based on my observations.” He lied, his LED blinking red so quickly Lily almost missed it before it calmed back to blue.

“Yes of course, the great Detective Connor,” she murmured with a smirk, before sobering up. She filed the LED blink away, asking, “Were you able to actually see anything concrete?”

“I saw your sister and your niece,” he began, his LED turning yellow. “You were lying in a hospital bed, and told Nicole she couldn’t come see you anymore. Then it went black. Was… that the moment when you… died?”

“I don’t know,” she answered somberly. “It’s the last memory I have before waking up in Navjot’s house…” She trailed off, and paused. “Sometimes, I wish it was, though,” she added, almost inaudible.

“Is she suicidal?”

He looked at her in the rearview mirror, trying unsuccessfully to scan her again.

“Hopefully not.”

Slightly confused, and filing the thought away for later review, he pressed on. “I was also able to see a grid wall. Every square said ‘LOCKED’, and I was able to hear some things behind it.”

Her eyes widened slightly, and she gave a small nod. “That’s good to know,” she said hopefully. “But yeah, whenever I try to remember or talk about what’s behind that wall, I freeze up. It’s like I’m pulled from this world into my own mind and all I can do is sit in darkness until I can focus on something else. I’ve gotten pretty good at avoiding it, but when I first escaped, I used to get stuck for hours, even days, at a time.”

He paused, seeing her somber expression in the mirror. He thought back to the time Amanda had trapped him in the zen garden, and debated sympathizing with her. But decided against it, Hank’s concerns sitting in the back of his mind.

“I can’t imagine how difficult that must be,” he offered, his eyes returning to the road.

“Yes, you can,” she replied slowly with a defeated breath, turning to look at the police station as it came into view. Connor’s LED flickered red briefly.

“Shit… Did she actually get everything?”

Connor opened his mouth to ask, then quickly closed it. He heard the defeat in her sigh, and couldn’t stop the mix of guilt and concern inside of him.

“Later…” he silently decided as he pulled into the DPD parking lot, found a space and parked.

Lily tried to open her door, only to find it locked. Before she could ask, Connor quickly informed her, “The child locks must be on; I don’t believe they were ever disabled… I can’t even recall the last time we had a passenger in the back seat,” he added, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“You can’t?” The question was mostly sarcasm, a small smirk pulling at her lips. “You should probably get your programming looked at then.”

He paused, turning back to look at her. There was a small spark of something in her eyes, something that tugged at his chest, a foreign feeling he ignored, even as it warmed him slightly.

“Please wait one moment,” he asked politely before exiting the car.

“She’s trying.”

He walked around to Lily’s side, ignoring the strange urge to smile at her attempt at levity, and opened the door for her. Without thinking, he held out his hand, offering it to her. She looked up at him, her head tilting slightly in confusion. But after a moment’s hesitation, she took it, the skin from their hands melting away as she stepped out of the vehicle.

“Such a gentleman,” she murmured, only half-sarcastically, pulling her hand away when she noticed the change. It was then Connor noticed the attempted connection, seeming surprised by it as well, although he was able to hide it better as he schooled his face into a more neutral expression.

Changing the subject, Lily asked, “Do you need to cuff me?”

“I don’t believe that will be necessary,” he replied, closing the car door and motioning toward the entrance to the station. “I’m much better prepared now, and I know your weaknesses.”

Despite herself, she smiled, soft and genuine, and shrugged. “Yeah, lucky for you, I’m a sucker for a crooked smile.”

Connor feigned shock, suddenly finding himself enjoying the banter. “It’s not crooked… Is it?”

She reached a hand up to his face, the skin fading away from it once more. She didn’t notice, until the skin from his face followed suit.

“It’s back?”

He found himself smiling softly, a warm feeling, similar to the one he had experienced in her memory, building inside him. Unable, and arguably unwilling, to stop himself, he leaned into her palm, his eyes closing slightly as she caressed his cheek.

“Just a little,” she teased, her head tilting up, slowly closing the distance. “But what a lovely smile it is.” Guided by her hand and the warmth blooming inside of him, he leaned down, his eyes closing as his lips neared hers.

They both jumped back, his LED turning red, then yellow. She bumped into the car behind her, and caught herself as she slid against it, shuffling away from him. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

She kept repeating herself as she backed away. He stared at her for a while, unsure of what just happened and how he had allowed it to occur.

“I… I’m sorry as well,” he stuttered, the warm feeling quickly disappearing as she trailed off into silence. “Please, let’s get you into the station,” he whispered. He motioned to the entrance again, and she immediately turned and walked toward it, him following a safe distance behind.

"Is she influencing me somehow? Where did that feeling come from? Why did I... enjoy it?"

His LED spun rapidly, the yellow circle bright in the dark parking lot. Inside the precinct, Connor directed Lily to a holding cell, nodding to his fellow officers as he did so, ignoring the thoughts that swirled in his head, determined to get her secured.

She looked around the sparse white room, and took a seat on the block that served as both bench and bed, her eyes avoiding his as she likewise battled her own internal storm.

“This must be incredibly difficult for her to deal with… I should be more… sympathetic…”

“Do… you need anything?” He tried, LED still yellow. “Blanket? Water?”

She shook her head no, before suddenly remembering. “Oh actually… Could you bring me my bag? It’s in your kitchen. I forgot it after that whole thing… Sorry…”

“Sure,” he agreed. “Do you need it tonight?”

“No, no, tomorrow’s fine. It’s just… vitamins.”

He nodded. “I’ll bring it tomorrow morning then. You have my number, so call if you require anything further.”

“Okay, thanks,” she replied, finally meeting his eye with a soft, grateful smile.

With another curt nod, he turned to leave, holding her gaze for less than a moment before he had to look away. He stopped just inside the door when she called his name, hesitating before he faced her again. He blinked in confusion when he found her staring at him with shining eyes.

“I really am sorry,” she whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. “I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused. I never meant to hurt either of you.”

Connor stood there for a moment, his LED still yellow, but spinning slower now.

“She’s telling the truth.”

“I know,” he told her, trusting his inner voice.

“She deserves better than this…”

Another moment passed before he continued in a determined tone, his eyes locking onto hers, filled with determination and promise. “Lily, I’m going to find out who did this to you, and bring you the justice you deserve.”

She smiled sadly, taking a deep breath, before letting out a small sigh. “I believe you’re going to try, Connor. But fair warning: I doubt it’s going to be easy.”

“Don’t worry,” he assured her, flashing her a smug grin. “I always accomplish my mission.”

She chuckled softly, and leaned her head back. Her eyes closed as the corner of her lips turned up. “So I’ve heard... Good night, Connor.”

“Good night,” he replied. He was about to shut the door when she called out again.

“Don’t be upset with Lieutenant Anderson,” she advised. His head tilted slightly as she continued. “He worries about you. Even if I’m not sure why, he’s right: I am dangerous.”

Chapter Text

“What was all that?”

Connor left the holding area and went straight to Officer Miller’s desk, finding Chris preparing to leave. He forced his LED to blue, offering a practiced greeting.

Chris, immediately noticing the tension rolling off his friend and his attempt to hide it, returned his greeting with a soft smile. “How’s Hank? Did you guys get home okay?”

Despite his scattered thoughts, Connor saw Chris’ understanding. “We did, thanks. Hank’s at home resting now. I… found the suspect I was looking for as well.”

“Well, she found me…”

Chris’ eyes widened slightly. “Kent?”

Connor nodded, motioning toward the holding cells. “I would like someone to watch her tonight. No one is to interact with her until I return tomorrow morning.”

With a short nod, Chris told him, “I’ll talk to Officer Chen. Her partner is still away on training, so she can stay here and guard during her shift. I’ll be back in the morning and can take over until you get here.”

“Thank you,” Connor replied, genuinely grateful for Chris’ ever enduring helpfulness. The Officer smiled, and wished him a good night, before heading off to find Officer Chen.

As he made his way back to the car, Connor’s thoughts immediately returned to Lily, replaying the night in his mind, searching for anything that might explain… anything. His LED blinked between yellow and red as he analyzed her expressions, noting the brief flicker of guilt on her face when she admitted to having his memories; the shame and pain in her eyes when he x-rayed her; the way she smiled when she leaned in to kiss-

“Maybe Hank is right to be worried… She must be manipulating me somehow…”

Despite the support for the theory, he couldn’t accept it; it didn’t feel right. And from the memories he had seen during their brief connection on the roof, he couldn’t find anything to suggest she was adept at manipulation. She truly seemed genuine in her confessions.

“But she could be unaware… A program in the disc around her brain stem? She seemed to imply she also has an android brain as well…”

Connor’s LED spun red.

“Two brains… That… That must be…”

Up ahead, the light turned red.

“It’s hell.”

Connor was so distracted by the out of place thought he ran the light, starting slightly when someone blared their horn. He quietly cursed and pulled over, putting the car in park.

He ran a self-test, his brow furrowed in confusion. As always, it came back optimal.

“Is this what humans feel like when they’re stressed…?” He wondered, chalking the thought up to a simple glitch and getting the car back on the road.

“Emotions are a powerful thing…” he mused, his LED turning yellow again. “Maybe when we connected… That feeling…”

Connor drove home, his main focus on the strange warmth that seemed to be randomly plaguing him since their initial encounter.

“No… not randomly…”

He pushed the thought away as he arrived home, pulling into the driveway and parking.

“Maybe I should just talk to Hank about all this…”

“Lieutenant?” His voice was soft as he poked his head through the front door. The living room and kitchen were dark, making it easy to spot the flickering glimmer of light from the TV in Hank’s bedroom.

“No... I can't risk stressing him in his current state...”

He quietly closed the door behind him, and went to check on Hank, stopping when he noticed the bottle of scotch on the kitchen table.

“Oh no…”

He had seen that bottle once before; just over two years ago when Hank joined AA. The Lieutenant had promised he kept it only as a reminder to take things one day at a time.

A quick scan revealed the bottle was still sealed, much to Connor’s relief. He picked it up, and set it back in its spot: in the cupboard on the highest shelf.

“Good… but… He was really upset...”

He walked quietly to the bedroom door, peering inside to see Hank lying on the bed, fast asleep, blankets bundled around his feet. He pushed the door open and flinched when it creaked.

“He’s worried about Lily manipulating me… He’s worried about me getting hurt…”

Hank continued to snore undisturbed, so the android stepped into the room and turned off the TV. The A/C was on full blast, so he pulled the blanket up to the Lieutenant’s chin, remembering both his preference for a cold room and complaints of freezing temperatures when he kicked his blankets off. The sleeping officer grumbled, muttering indecipherably as he settled under the covers.

“‘Like any good parent would be…’”

Connor smiled softly, warmed by the thought. He quietly wished Hank goodnight, and left the room, his LED blinking yellow as he placed an order for Hank's favorite donuts, deciding he would apologize in the morning.

The next morning, as the sun brightened Hank’s room, he woke up, rolling onto his back and taking a moment to stare at the ceiling. His brow furrowed slightly, his hands gripping the blanket he remembered throwing off of himself the night before in an annoyed fit.

With a soft sigh, he sat up, swinging his legs as carefully as he could over the edge of the bed, before grabbing his crutches, and getting up.

“Connor?”

He called out twice while making his way to the bathroom, moving slowly, the soft thumps of his crutches echoing through the empty house. After waking himself up, he limped over to the kitchen table and sat with a huff, grumbling under his breath about his injury the entire time.

His angry musings became a debate of breakfast options, most of which involved getting up and were immediately vetoed. When he spotted Connor’s tablet on the table, he gave a small huff of a laugh, silently thanking the android for always managing to make his life easier. He grabbed it, deciding he would order something in.

He balked when the password screen came up, before chuckling softly to himself. “What the hell are you hiding?” He jokingly asked the tablet, before he thought about getting up and finding his phone to order food.

“Fuck it.”

He deliberated for a moment, taking wild guesses at the password. “Let’s see… ‘Password’, nah, too smart for that… Huh, probably a bunch of numbers…” He typed several numbers and hit Enter.

“Well, that was stupid…” he continued guessing, until a warning told him the tablet would lock for thirty minutes after one more failed attempt.

Hank rolled his eyes, then chuckled softly, typing “FUCKINGPASSWORD” in as a joke before putting the tablet down to go find his phone.

A small chime played as the tablet unlocked. Eyebrows raised in surprise, Hank picked it back up, chuckling again.

He opened the browser app, and was directed to a Thirium retailer offering same day delivery. Hank looked at the webpage, noticing Connor had been building an order. “Huh... He really does use this thing…” Hank thought, warmed by the realization.

He thought back to Connor’s first Christmas, when he had given Connor the tablet. He rolled his eyes and chuckled softly, remembering the way the android had politely smiled, then admitted he didn’t need one.

“I am capable of ‘browsing’ the internet without the use of external devices, Lieutenant,” he had said, though Hank thought he heard some guilt in his tone. “I am also capable of accessing reports, evidence, data-”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it, bad gift,” Hank had replied, unable to hide the slight hint of disappointment in his forced laugh. “I wasn't really sure what to get ya, and I just thought you could… use it… I dunno…”

Connor had paused, his LED blinking yellow as it always did when he realized something. When it calmed back to blue, the android had stood, and hugged Hank.

“Uh…”

“Thank you for the gift, Lieutenant,” Connor had quietly murmured. “I’ll use it as much as possible.”

Hank gave another soft chuckle as he thought about how far Connor had come since they’d met; how much he’d learned, and grew as a person. Every day, the android became more human like, exploring the world on his jogs, dragging Hank all over to visit festivals, fairs, parks, museums, restaurants, and more in his pursuit of knowledge.

But he was still so innocent, wasn't he? No, that wasn't right. Naive? No... Connor had been a pivotal part of not only the android revolution, but Hank's recovery from alcoholism as well: he knew how to take care of business, especially for those he cared about.

It was then Hank remembered his reminder. He gave a small groan when he realized it wasn't on the table where he had left it in his agitated and fatigued state, hoping Connor hadn’t gotten the wrong idea. With a softly muttered curse, he rubbed his face and shook his head.

He set his focus back to Connor’s order on the tablet, navigating back to the ‘Products’ page, trying to convince himself he was just curious about what else was offered. He smiled when he saw the filter for ‘Flavors’, adding a few items to the order before putting his payment information in, begrudgingly accepting that he needed to apologize.

Chapter Text

A bit later that morning, at the precinct, Detective Gavin Reed was very loudly complaining.

“You gotta be fucking shitting me!”

“Hello again, Detective Reed,” the RK900 in front of him greeted, a soft smile on his face. “I was hoping we would be able to work with each other again.”

Officer Chris Miller looked between them. “Is this the android you were training with a few weeks ago?”

“I was training him. It. I was in charge,” Reed angrily retorted, rolling his eyes. Chris just chuckled.

“Fowler’s gotta be outta his goddamn mind! I can’t stand Connor at the best of times, and now I’m stuck with his twin? Fuck!”

The RK900 tilted his head slightly. ‘Who is Connor?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Reed replied, sitting at his desk with another curse.

“Connor is Lieutenant Anderson’s partner,” Chris informed him with a smile. “Besides the grey eyes, you look exactly like him.”

Reed let out an annoyed huff.

“He must be an RK800 model. It’s what I was based on,” the RK900 helpfully replied. “Detective Reed, is there a desk I could use? I’d like to have a look at your current caseload to see where I may be of assistance.”

“Over there,” he answered, vaguely pointing across the station. When the RK900 turned to look, Reed stood and left for the breakroom, muttering under his breath.

“Don’t worry,” Chris assured him. “You probably know by now that Detective Reed is… well, he’s an asshole, but he’ll warm up to you. You can use this desk over here for now.”

Chris walked the RK900 over to an empty desk, giving him a quick tour on the way.

Just outside the pit, Hank was slowly entering the precinct, still not completely used to his crutches.

“Morning Lieutenant Anderson,” the receptionist greeted cheerfully. “It’s great to see you back on your feet!”

He gave a small smile and mumbled his thanks as he made his way past the gate. He entered the pit, nearing the watercooler when he saw the RK900 talking to Chris.

“Oh, good, Connor, you’re here,” he began, moving closer.

“Hi Lieutenant,” Chris greeted. “This is Lieutenant Anderson,” he told the android with a smile.

Hank looked at the RK900, who had a warm smile on his face and a hand outstretched to shake.

“Uhh…”

“Oh! Sorry, Lieutenant,” Chris apologized, quickly adding, “This is RK900 model, serial number… um… It’s not Connor.”

“Coulda fooled me,” Hank replied, recovering enough to grab the android’s hand and shake it. “You joining the team?”

“Yes,” the RK900 replied. “I will be working with Detective Reed.”

The bark of laughter that escaped Hank was loud enough to be heard by Reed, who poked his head out of the breakroom. When he saw the three of them standing together, he turned back, angrily muttering, “Yeah, laugh it up, fucking…”

Hank laughed harder, while Chris chuckled, giving the android a friendly clap on the shoulder. “Welcome to the precinct!

“Oh,” he continued, pointing toward the door. “There’s Connor now. Hey, Connor! Come meet Reed’s new partner!”

Hank turned to face Connor, who walked past the small group without a glance, heading for the cells in the back.

Chris frowned, then apologized to the RK900. “Sorry about that, he’s usually pretty friendly. Must be that case he’s working on. He’s been frustrated for weeks.”

“Perhaps I could assist?” He asked, helpfully explaining that he was happy to work on whatever was needed. Hank wasn’t paying attention, instead following Connor with his eyes until the android turned behind Fowler’s office. His gaze dropped to the floor, his shoulders sagging slightly.

Something was tugging at his attention; he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn’t put his finger on what. After a moment, Hank shrugged it off, chalking it up to the android still being upset with him.

Reed noticed Connor walking past the break room, and called out to him. “Hey, you noticed your buddy in the pit, yet? Guess who’s stuck with him?”

Connor ignored him too and turned toward the cells. “Plastic prick,” Reed yelled, taking another sip of coffee. “And what’s with the outfit? I haven’t seen you wear that dumb shit in years.”

Connor approached Lily’s cell, and pressed his hand to the access panel. The door slid open and he stepped inside.

“Lieutenant?” Officer Miller caught Hank’s attention again, asking him if he was alright.

“Uhh… yeah,” Hank began, hiding the sting of being ignored by Connor. “Anyway, how was Ms. Kent last night? Any issues?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Chris answered after pulling up the night shift’s report. “Officer Chen said she was asleep all-”

A loud bang echoed through the pit. A second followed a second later, then another, before a heavy thud silenced the room. Hank turned as Reed, Chris and the RK900 ran to the holding cells. He heard Reed curse, then Chris called Connor’s name.

He hobbled over as fast as he could, his heart an icy lump in his chest. He rounded the corner to see Lily’s cell wall coated in blue blood. She was standing against the wall opposite them, covered in Thirium, her hands up. Reed was pointing his gun at her, shouting for her to get on the ground.

Everything slowed down. Hank could barely hear Reed yelling, or Lily pleading to be heard. He looked at the floor, and saw Connor’s lifeless body on the ground, Thirium leaking from a gaping head wound.

“What’s going on?” Everyone turned toward the voice that bellowed from the other end of the hall. There were audible gasps as they saw Connor standing there, head tilted in confusion, a black backpack in one hand, a box of donuts in the other.

“Is Lily okay?”

He ran toward them, donuts and backpack falling to the floor as he pushed past the now frozen onlookers to enter Lily’s cell.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Reed was the first to ask, lowering his gun as Connor went by. “I thought there was only one of you assholes, now I’m surrounded!”

Chris helped Lieutenant Anderson lean against the wall, the latter clutching his chest.

“Oh fuck, I’m too old for this shit,” he murmured.

Connor took Lily by the shoulders, leaning down to look into her eyes. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” She shook her head no, and pointed behind him.

“I’m fine, I’m fine… Go check on Hank!”

“Hank wasn’t hurt…?”

He turned, seeing the Lieutenant had disappeared.

“Reed, put her somewhere safe, and don’t let anyone in,” he ordered, walking past to follow Hank. “Especially not me.”

Reed looked at Chris, then back at Lily with an exasperated face. He did what he was told with a loud expletive, and ordered Lily to follow him.

Chris looked at the scene in the cell, then back to the RK900. “We… have a therapist on site if need be. Just FYI.”

Chapter Text

On the street outside the precinct, Connor caught up with Lieutenant Anderson as he struggled to get into a waiting cab. He grabbed Hank’s shoulder, his LED spinning yellow. “Hank, are you alright?”

“No, I’m not fucking alright,” he exploded, turning and nearly losing his balance. Connor reached out to help him get steady, but the Lieutenant batted his hands away, grabbing the door of the cab. “I told you she was dangerous! She killed you Connor!”

“No, Hank!” Connor gripped Hank’s shoulders, keeping him in place. “It was another Connor. I’m here, in front of you. I’m alive.”

“How do I know that? How do I know you’re not another one?” Hank tried to pull away from him, but Connor held fast.

“Lieutenant, look at me-”

“I am! And you look exactly like the asshole on the floor in there!”

“Not again…”

Connor paused and, seeing Hank’s increasing stress level, decided to cut to the chase.

“Remember when you took me to that amusement park last year,” he asked, keeping a firm grip on Hank’s shoulders, his voice calm, even, warm. “You went on every ride I wanted to try, and made me sample all the different carnival treats. I told you cotton candy was my favorite.” His LED blinked red before turning back to yellow, too fast for Hank to notice.

Hank shook his head. “Big fucking deal. How do I know you don’t have the real Connor’s memories?”

“No one can access my memories without connecting to me first, and no one has,” he answered, his tone still calm, patient.

“Except for her,” Hank countered ponting at the station. “How do you know she isn’t working with them? How do I know this isn’t some crazy plot to take you away from me?”

“Take me away…?”

The taxi behind him gave a polite warning to steer clear of the door as it was about to close.

“Hank, that doesn’t make any sense…”

Hank rolled his eyes as he tried to shrug out of Connor’s grasp.

“Wait… Listen!” Connor’s voice softened with his grip, his hands falling to his sides a moment later. “The last time we connected was on the rooftop, so any memories since then she wouldn’t have any access to, right?”

Hank nodded, reluctant and suspicious.

“Ok, so, I want to apologize for my tone last night. I understand your reaction, and I know you were just trying to protect me, because…

“You worry about me,” he continued, his voice low, just barely audible above the noise of the street. “Like a…” he trailed off, his LED blinking rapidly. Hank stared at him, eyes narrowed, but confusion pulling at his features.

Connor shook his head, and slowly continued. “Look, at the amusement park, when I told you cotton candy was my favorite… I…” he paused, looking away for a moment. “...lied. Popcorn was my favorite.”

Hank’s suspicion wavered, the android’s sincere tone catching his ear. He crossed his arms and asked, “Why would you lie?”

“Because cotton candy was Cole’s favorite,” he answered cautiously. “I know you were just helping me experience human things, but deep down… I think you also wanted to spend another day with Cole.”

“Connor,” Hank warned, his voice low, pain creeping into his tone.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, Hank,” Connor quickly assured him. “I wanted to give you that day. I wanted to make you happy. Because you made me who I am today. Marcus may have convinced me to deviate, but if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think I would have even had the choice.”

He trailed off, his gaze falling to the ground as he continued in a quiet, almost shaky voice. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but through it all, you looked out for me. You worried about me, protected me, and taught me what it means to be alive. After I deviated, you took me in, and treated me like family. In nearly every sense of the word, you're like a father to me and I just wanted… I want… to make you proud.”

Hank stood silently before the android, eyes wide, mouth agape.

Another warning from the taxi snapped him out of his stunned stupor. With a roll of his eyes, he turned to face it, shouting, “Give me a fucking minute!”

He took a deep breath before he continued, his tone much calmer as he turned back and laid a hand on Connor’s shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. “Get her somewhere safe, and then come home. Okay?”

Connor paused, then slowly nodded, a soft smile ghosting over his face. He helped the Lieutenant into the cab, and watched as it drove away. He took a moment to calm his still blinking LED, then turned and walked back into the precinct.

Miles away, the RK800 known as 78, named for the end of his serial number, stared at the multiple screens on the table in front of him. Each screen displayed thousands of camera feeds from all over Detroit, ranging from simple security cameras to social media uploads and livestreams. His eyes shifted from frame to frame, taking in information at unmeasurable speeds.

75 walked in, looking briefly between 78 and the screens. “Anything?”

“No.”

75 nodded. “I finished reviewing 84’s failed mission,” he continued, his voice low, monotone. “It seems one of Connor’s colleagues recognized our outfit from its prototype stage. We will need new clothes.”

78 nodded, eyes still flitting systematically around the screens. “There’s a thrift store that is temporarily closed due to the owner’s failing health on the corner of Walter and Chestnut street,” he stated a moment later, eyes landing on an uploaded video of a woman’s plea for financial aid for her father.

Another stoic nod from 75. “I’ll send 85 and 86 after dark.”

With that, he left, and 78 resumed his careful study of the screens, his eyes efficiently switching between feeds as he searched for a single glimpse of Lillian Ashford.

Chapter Text

“Alright, are you going to explain what the fuck that was?” Reed yelled across the pit the moment Connor walked back in.

The android gave a small sigh, never breaking his stride as he approached the angry detective. “I can’t right now, Reed. I’m sorry.”

“Oh, you’re sorry?” Rolling his eyes, Reed huffed. Chris and the RK900 stood nearby, quietly watching the scene. “You’re sorry? That’s great, you’re fucking sorry. I thought you were dead, Connor!”

Connor looked at him, calculating the best response to end the conversation quickly. “I didn’t realize how much you cared,” he replied, a perfect mix of sarcasm and gratitude.

Reed paused, a mix of emotions flashing across his face. He cursed under his breath, turning and flipping Connor off.

“Interrogation room, asshole,” he called over his shoulder as he walked away, cursing again when he discovered the RK900 dutifully following him.

Chris stepped up and patted Connor’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re okay. If you need anything, let me know,” he said with a reassuring smile before he left for his desk.

Connor made his way to the cell, taking note of the box of donuts someone seemingly kicked into the wall. A small team of officers were processing the scene in the holding cell, collecting samples and taking photos. They paused when he approached, the senior officer breaking off and nodding.

“Detective,” he greeted, his tone almost nervous.

“I want all findings made completely confidential, and sent to me. A woman’s life is in danger. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Detective,” the officer agreed with a nod before turning and telling the other officers to leave. “I’ll handle it personally.”

Connor thanked him, then turned toward the dead RK800. He paused, his LED spinning red a moment.

“It’s just another case…”

He scanned it, noting the damage Lily had caused. The security footage he pulled up revealed how quickly she had realized it wasn’t him.

“She’s so smart.”

When he attempted to access its memories, he discovered only a single program, the sole purpose of which was to wipe the entire memory bank clean.

“A failsafe. But the program is not associated with Cyberlife… So someone’s using… these androids…”

He stepped back from the scene, his LED flickering red and yellow. He thanked the officer again, then turned away, heading toward the interrogation room.

Lily was pacing as Connor opened the door. She was wearing a DPD hoodie now, her stained shirt sitting on the table. Her face was flushed, but clean, her hands twitching, her eyes welling up with tears.

When Connor entered, she turned to face him, asking about the Lieutenant, her tone almost desperate. He confirmed that he had spoken to him, he was okay, and would be heading home right after to check on him again. Though she nodded in acceptance, she continued to pace, Connor noticing she was trembling despite the reassurance.

“Are you alright?” He scanned her with an x-ray, noting that her human lung was inflating and deflating twice as fast as her android one. Her human heart was beating quickly as well.

“Yeah…” she answered breathlessly. She began to ramble when he stared at her with concern. “I am… I’ll be okay in a bit. This… happens when I’m… stressed.”

Connor watched her pace for a few more seconds, quietly searching through her memories to find a way to help her.

“She worries about the people she cares about… And with all my memories, she cares about Hank…”

“Lily,” he murmured softly. “Hank’s okay. I promise.”

“Hold her.”

“I know,” she quickly replied, still pacing. “I believe you, it’s just… I’m sorry. In my head… It’s like a genius and an idiot having an argument, and neither is really win-”

He cut her off when he stepped into her path and wrapped his arms around her. At first, she froze, her face buried in his chest, hands sitting stiffly against his waist, her labored breathing a stark contrast to his even pace. Guided again by his inner voice, he gently rubbed her back a few times, before quietly murmuring, “You’re okay, Lily. Everything will be okay.”

She didn't move. But her breathing began to calm, and after a few silent seconds, she turned her head, and pressed her ear to his chest. With a soft sigh, her shoulders fell, and her breathing slowly returned to normal as she relaxed into his embrace.

“Thank you,” she whispered, her voice just barely muffled by his chest.

"You're welcome," he responded in kind, resting his chin on her head. He made a mental note to investigate where the idea had come from, his head tilting to press his cheek to her hair.

“She’s so warm…”

Too soon for both of them, she slowly pulled away and wiped her face as she backed up a step.

“Thank you,” she repeated. “Part of… me wants to go check on him and make sure he's okay. The other part knows that wouldn’t help at all. That other part is… you inside me and it’s… Wait, that came out wrong. It's hard to get this all on the same page, is what I’m trying to…” she trailed off, staring at the floor, choosing to focus on keeping herself calm instead of explaining.

“Come home with me,” Connor blurted, almost involuntarily. She stared at him, eyes wide and confused.

“What I mean is,” he quickly added, barely masking his own confusion. “Come stay with Hank and me. We can keep a better eye on you until I can figure out what’s going on.”

She merely continued to stare, but Connor could see the battle in her eyes.

“I can’t scan you for a tracking device,” he continued, his LED blinking yellow as he tried to convince her. “But I’m assuming they would have found you sooner if you had one. At this point, I can only guess that they’re trying to track you offline. If I can keep you somewhere safe, somewhere I know I can protect you,” he paused a moment, choosing his next words carefully. “I… I can better focus on this investigation.”

To add to all the confusion, her face fell, her gaze dropping to the floor. Several seconds of strained silence went by before she shook her head.

“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she began with a deep breath, looking back up at him, the mix of emotions in her eyes no longer visible.

“I don’t want to risk putting you or Hank in danger. My family has a cottage about 45 minutes from here. I’m going to hide there; it’s under my late grandparent’s names, and we… my family doesn’t use it much anymore, if at all. I should be safe there.”

“That’s so far… So, it should be safe…”

He nodded. “Alright, but please give me the address.” He reached a hand out to her, his skin already melting away.

She closed the distance between them, taking his hand, the skin melting away from hers as they touched.

But nothing happened.

“Shit,” she murmured. “I’m sorry, I have no idea why it doesn’t work like this; it never has to my knowledge. It’s probably because of…” She gestured vaguely at her head as she trailed off.

“A human and an android brain fighting for control?” He asked, a somber understanding in his soft tone.

She nodded before looking at the ground and sighing in frustration.

“It worked when we… Maybe if I just…”

Connor’s hand rose to her face, and softly caught her chin. He gently guided Lily’s head back up to face him, staring deep into her wide eyes as he concentrated, the skin from his hand and her face melting away. Still nothing happened.

“Careful…”

“I’ll just write it down,” she murmured, making no move to break his hold, her human heart skipping a beat. Instead, she tilted upward as his head dipped down. He paused, still holding her gaze until she closed her eyes and nodded softly.

With only a moment’s hesitation, he pressed his lips to hers.

They had barely touched when his LED turned yellow and began blinking rapidly. The address flew by, mingling with the flashes of memories sprinting through his mind. Though he thought he was prepared this time, the memories quickly overwhelmed him, the data moving too fast for him to process even one file.

The overload timer began once more, giving him less than two minutes to shut down, and just like last time, he was unable to break the connection.

“Shit.”

Chapter Text

Everything went dark.

The countdown timer stopped, disappearing along with the shut down warnings.

“I… I can’t move… Is this a memory?”

Unable to see, he focused on his other senses, just barely able to hear the pitter patter of a soft drizzle, the bubbling of a river nearby, and a gentle breeze rustling through trees.

“Where are we…? It sounds… familiar?”

He was laying on his side, sensing what he determined was grass below him. He felt a soft warmth under one hand, spreading through his body, his fingertips almost tingling as they explored the surface he had yet to properly identify.

“Is this… skin…?”

Then he became aware of lips pressed to his. Realizing what was happening, he quickly tried to exit the memory.

“Connor…”

It was Lily’s voice, his name and her tone making him pause in his escape attempt. The sound was somewhere between a moan and plea, turning the warmth that had been slowly building into a quickly spreading heat. Suddenly, he could feel something new… different.

He wanted something.

No.

Whatever it was, he needed it.

Before he could process that, his eyes opened, and he found himself pulling away from Lily, her smile soft and warm, her eyes filled with affection and desire.

“Why am I looking at her…? Is this a glitch?”

He leaned back in, his eyes closing again. He felt his lips meet hers, his body shifting closer on the grass, his hand on her waist sliding to her back to pull her closer.

Connor heard himself groan as their bodies pressed together, and a small thought in the back of his mind made him pause once again.

“Am I… dreaming?”

They were moving now, rolling on the grass, still pressed together as he settled on top of her. Her name tumbled from his lips like a prayer, drawing a soft and needy whimper from her.

Thrust back into the present without warning, Connor pulled away from Lily, panting slightly, eyes wide, LED a rapidly spinning yellow circle.

Lily stared at him, equally breathless and confused. “Connor…?” she whispered, the sound searching, with a hint of recognition.

It sounded too much like the dream, and something inside of Connor snapped. Once again, he lost control, his hands dropping to her thighs. He picked her up, and set her on the interrogation room table, making her gasp.

He kissed her again, their lips intertwining as she wrapped her legs around his waist, likewise giving in to the burning heat engulfing them. One of his hands gripped her thigh, the other pressing against her lower back, keeping her tight against him.

“Why am I doing this…? Why is this happening…?”

But even as he thought it, he realized he didn’t actually care.

She sighed against his lips, before pulling away to look into his eyes. They were breathless, and stared at each other for a few short seconds, neither one capable of speaking.

Then they leaned into each other once more.

A loud banging from the two-way mirror shook them from the moment. Connor backed away quickly, nearly tripping over himself, as Lily slid off the table onto her feet. She caught her breath, avoiding his eye, as he leaned against the wall to do the same.

“Did… you get the address…?”

He nodded, still confusedly trying to calm his labored breathing.

“Okay,” she murmured, turning to grab her bag and shirt. “Look, maybe… maybe you should stay close to Ha-... the Lieutenant for a couple days. I… I’ll be fine on my own for a bit. Okay?”

He nodded again, turning slightly to face her. She turned toward him, eyeing him with a mix of concern and longing in her eyes.

“If she doesn’t leave now, I’m going to kiss her again.”

His eyes widening at the thought, Connor turned and opened the door. He looked down at the floor as she walked quickly past, trying to hide his now yellow LED. He followed her out, stopping short of the door to the viewing room next door.

“Don’t let her go…”

“Lily,” he called, reaching a hand to catch her. She turned, her face still somewhat flushed. The skin on his hand melted away again, and she raised hers to find it was doing the same. She looked at it, then his hand, before turning abruptly and walking briskly to the exit.

“What the hell is happening to me?”

He watched her until she was out of sight, running several tests in the back of his mind, then let out a long, frustrated breath; optimal once again.

“What was that?”

Connor silently cursed and collected himself before Gavin and the RK900 android left the viewing room. Gavin was smirking; the RK900 was watching Connor with a neutral expression, his LED blinking yellow.

“None of your business, Reed,” he snapped, walking past them.

“Don’t talk to me like that, you plastic prick! You’re lucky I don’t report you!”

Connor ignored him and kept walking, heading for his desk, his LED flickering between red and yellow as his mind raced to figure out what had just happened.

“I should report him… Fucking androids,” Gavin muttered under his breath.

“I’ve been informed there is a therapist on site, Detective,” the RK900 told him. “It may be helpful to speak with them in order to better deal with your anger issues.”

Reed merely cursed in frustration and stalked off, his new partner following dutifully a few steps behind.

Chapter Text

“What the hell was all that?”

Connor made his way down to the Evidence Room, knowing he could have a few moments of privacy there. Locking the door, he leaned against the wall, his LED a rapidly spinning circle that flipped between red and yellow.

“She’s done something to me…”

He began to pace back and forth, walking the width of the Evidence Room.

“Not on purpose…”

Was that an actual dream? It had to have been: if it was her memory, why was he looking at her? But they were in the Zen Garden; he’d only briefly glimpsed it, but he knew the familiar interface. How did she know about the Zen Garden if it was a memory? Has she been there before? It would make sense if she was running a similar program, but does that mean she-

“Why did she say my name like that?”

He paused mid step, his LED blinking yellow. The memory of her breathing his name like a prayer sent a shiver through his body, his LED turning red as he processed the unfamiliar sensation; the feel of her skin, the look in her eyes, the smile on her lips as he leaned in to kiss her again-

“Shit.”

With a frustrated breath, he set it all to the back of his mind, turning his focus back to Hank. She would hide at that cottage, he would check on the Lieutenant, and when this was over, he would figure out what the hell was happening to him.

“I hope…”

Hank was sitting at the kitchen table a a little over an hour after he'd gotten home, unpacking the delivery of Thirium bottles he had ordered that morning. He heard Connor pull into the driveway, his eyes closing as he prepared himself for the upcoming conversation. With a deep breath, he put the bottles back in the box, and grabbed his crutches to stand.

Connor stood on the porch, taking a moment to compose himself, and forcing his LED to an idle blue. Then he opened the door, and stepped inside.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they stared at each other, the click of the door closing behind Connor echoing almost painfully loud.

“Lieutenant,” he greeted quietly.

“Connor,” Hank replied in equal measure.

“I apologize for the delay in returning home… The donuts I bought earlier were… no longer edible…” Connor explained awkwardly, raising the fresh box he had picked up. Hank gave a small but warm smile, and nodded in thanks, before turning and gesturing to the box on the table.

“I… I don’t know much about this shit, but apparently this is flavored, so you can taste things, like…” he paused, grabbing a random bottle. He nearly rolled his eyes when he realized what he picked up.

“...Popcorn… You know… So, next time we have movie night, you don’t have to… ‘sample’ all my snacks.”

The corner of Connor’s lips turned up in a ghost of a smile and he nodded his gratitude. For a long moment, they stood in silence, until the android closed the distance, and wrapped his arms around Hank’s waist, his head dropping to rest on the Lieutenant’s shoulder. Hank returned the gesture, giving Connor a squeeze before patting him on the back.

“I’m sorry, Hank…”

“I’m sorry too, son,” he replied. He pulled Connor away, just far enough to look into his eyes. “I’m glad you’re okay. I just don’t know what I’d do if I lost you, too.” Hank sniffed, pulling him back into their hug. “I… Well, I-”

“I know,” Connor interrupted softly against his shoulder. “Me too, Lieutenant.”

“Ok, so she’s heading for that cottage now. How do you know for sure she’ll be safe there?” Hank asked the question once Connor got him up to speed, leaving out a few -as he saw it- unnecessary details. The Lieutenant settled into his spot on the couch, lifting his broken leg to rest it on the coffee table.

Connor shook his head. “I don’t. But until I can figure out how they knew she was at the precinct, it is likely the best place for her to hide.”

"Besides here..."

“Are they tracking you?” Hank asked the question without suspicion, but Connor couldn’t help but feel slightly to blame.

“No, I don’t think they can,” he replied, beginning to pace the living room floor. “When androids become deviant, their trackers fail. I don’t think she would have an active one either, as it wouldn’t have taken so long between attacks.”

Hank nodded. “Has she been in touch with any family?”

Connor shook his head. “Her family believes she’s dead.”

Hank rubbed his face.

“Jesus,” he mumbled. “And you couldn’t get anything off the Connor in the basement?”

“Unfortunately not. I was unable to reactivate him at all, and scanning him revealed the same failsafe as the one at the precinct.”

Hank’s face screwed up in confusion. “Why haven’t these people gone after her family yet? After her ex-husband?”

“Good question, Lieutenant,” Connor replied, his LED blinking yellow as he pulled up the relevant information. “While in the hospital, she was listed under the name Lily Sidhu, as her ex-husband was the lead doctor on her case. It’s possible whoever did this to her was unaware of the Ashford family.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t explain why they’ve left Dr. Sidhu alone,” Hank added. Connor nodded. “Unfortunately, without knowing who is, or was, behind all of this, we can only specul-.”

“Wait,” Hank interrupted suddenly. “Earlier, you said the information is blocked, but you still heard some of it, right? Do you think you could get around the block then?”

“I could try,” he conceded. “If it’s one of Kamski’s programs, there may even be a way to bring the wall down.”

“Or pull her out of it. Don’t you have that garden-thing in your brain?” Hank smiled, almost proud of himself for remembering.

“Yes, and I have made some improvements on it,” he agreed. He hesitated before continuing, thinking about their last connection. “It couldn’t hurt to try.” His LED flicked to red for a brief moment, before calming back to blue.

Hank noticed the pause, but not the LED, and looked at Connor questioningly. “Could it?”

“Could it…?”

Connor’s LED turned red for a brief moment before returning to a blinking yellow. “No,” he said slowly. “It will be fine.”

The Lieutenant stared at him, eyeing him suspiciously before giving a halfhearted shrug. “Alright, I’ll trust ya.”

Connor smiled at him, helping him stand when he made a comment about grabbing another donut. “Take a look into her memories again to see if there’s anything we missed.”

He nodded and set to work, sitting on the couch and closing his eyes, his LED blinking yellow as Hank wandered toward the table, his phone buzzing in his pocket.

“Connor!”

The startled android returned to reality and turned to face Hank.

“Did you seriously try to fuck her in the interrogation room?”

“No,” he quickly replied, his eyes growing wide. “I can explain!”

He then spent a very long time trying to convince the Lieutenant it was an exaggeration by Reed of a misunderstanding. Eventually, Hank waved it off, deciding to deal with Reed another day.

“Well, whatever the fuck’s going on, just… try to keep it in your pants until after we solve this case, alright?”

Connor’s LED was as red as his face as he sighed and nodded.

Chapter Text

As the day wound down and the sun began to set, Hank grumbled about getting something to eat. Connor was still engrossed in Lily’s memories, trying and failing to find something they could use.

Eventually, he gave up, and, after checking that Hank was thoroughly distracted by the TV, he began searching for an explanation for… everything else.

Several strange moments had happened around her, and although he self-tested regularly, he accepted the possibility of a programming issue, however improbable its existence may be.

But it was the strange familiarity he was feeling around her that drew his attention: a connection that felt born out of years worth of experiences, similar to his familial connection with Hank.

“Well… with some crucial differences…”

Lying on the sofa in the darkening living room, his yellow LED just barely distracting Hank from the TV, he thought of the moment at the station where he held Lily during her panic attack. He thought about the wall he had encountered during their initial interface, and wondered if the idea came from a memory locked behind it.

“How has she been comforted in the past…?”

He pulled up the memory of her diagnosis. Having processed most of the memories he was able to save during their encounters -avoiding anything overtly sexual or romantic for a variety of reasons- he was able to reconstruct and view them from a bystander’s perspective, giving him better context as he watched her reactions.

In this memory, they were sitting in a modern, but comfortable looking living room. Lily was reading a book, a cheesy romance novel that he discovered served as a ‘guilty pleasure’ type distraction from dealing with numbers all day. Dr. Sidhu entered the room, looking worn and tired.

“Lily,” he whispered, sitting next to her. Connor felt her hesitation as she put her book down; even after the divorce, he only called her that when something was wrong.

“I have your results,” he told her, taking her hand. His thumb gently caressed her palm as he continued. “The cancer has spread. We can try chemotherapy and radiation, but…” he trailed off, looking away as his eyes began to shine.

Before she could react, he grasped her, pulling her onto his lap and holding her as tightly as she could stand.

“I’m so sorry, my love,” he whispered through his tears, his head nestled just under her shoulder. “I… I failed you.”

“Sweetheart, no,” she murmured, pulling him away so she could stare into his eyes. “You did everything you could. If you can’t save me, no one can.”

Connor couldn’t help but be impressed with her strength; even faced with death, she thought of others before herself; it was something he saw in a lot of her memories.

“She has a big heart.”

It was hours later, long after her and Navjot talked, long after she insisted he head home and sleep, that she finally allowed herself to cry. No pacing, no trembling, no panic attack; just a long night of quiet sobbing. It was the same as all her other moments of sadness, fear, or even anger. He found himself wanting to comfort her; he wanted to wrap his arms around her again and let her know she would be okay.

The surge of warmth at the thought of holding her was just as confusing as before, and as he continued through her more depressing memories, it seemed to be the same: any of the -strangely rare- times she was comforted in the past, it was murmured platitudes or hands on her shoulders.

“She always puts up a strong front, it seems.”

He felt a strange surge of emotion: a protectiveness that made him want to leave for the cottage she was heading to, just to be sure she was safe. He stopped the memories, trying to dispel the sensation, but the emotions lingered. He jumped randomly to another memory, trying to ignore it.

This one took place months before the last, with Lily, her sister Linda, Linda’s wife Denise, and their daughter Nicole, sitting in a booth at a family friendly restaurant, waiting for breakfast to arrive.

“Is it hard being friends?” Linda asked, sipping her coffee.

“Easier, actually,” Lily answered, though the slight crack in her voice betrayed her. “Pressure is gone, and we get along much better now. Honestly, I think as much as I love him, marriage just didn’t sit right for us. It’s hard to describe, but he’s not… the one? I guess? I don’t know, call it a gut feeling, but he and I agree this was for the best.” She gave a small, non-committal smile, before turning to her niece. “Besides, now I have more time for this little fart.”

“Auntie, I’m a kid,” Nicole chided with a giggle.

“A kid? I thought you were a Nic-Nak,” she exclaimed with exaggerated shock. Lily tickled her niece, sending them both into giggles before Nicole grabbed her placemat and asked Lily to do the puzzles for her.

“Come on, it’s easy!” Lily grabbed a crayon, and pointed toward the simple letter puzzle, explaining that the numbers correspond to certain letters in the alphabet. “Remember your ABC’s?” Nicole shook her head no, giving her auntie a cheeky grin.

“'A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I love you still, and you know I always will,'” Lily sang, returning her niece’s smile.

“Auntie! That’s not the ABC’s!” Nicole giggled as she chastised Lily, who responded with mock confusion and continued to sing. She paused suddenly when she was wracked with a bad coughing fit.

“You okay, Auntie?”

Connor leaned against a nearby table, the faceless patrons barely miming eating behind him as he watched the scene. The concern in the child’s voice broke his synthetic heart; she was only five years old, and it was obvious she loved her aunt more than anything.

“Yes, baby,” Lily choked out, her voice hoarse.

“Promise?” Nicole held her little fist up, her pinky sticking out.

“Promise.” Lily nodded and wrapped her pinky around her niece’s.

“Have you had that looked at yet?” Denise asked the question, looking at her in concern. “It doesn’t sound like it’s getting better.”

Lily nodded, clearing her throat and taking a sip of her water. “Navjot’s looking into it. It’s probably just bronchitis or something,” she finished, waving the subject away, and turning back to her niece, helping her work through her placemat puzzles.

“She’s so scared inside, but you’d never know it looking at her…” he mused, feeling oddly captivated by her strength.

He returned to the present, her memories relegated to background analysis, his LED yellow as he processed what he’d learned. Though none of it was useful for her case or explaining his strange behaviour, he did find himself impressed: she spoke three languages fluently; English, French, and Spanish. She also spoke conversational Hindi after taking classes to better communicate with Dr. Sidhu’s family. She was very educated, even finishing her degree a year early, and using her intelligence and wits to quickly work her way into a comfortable and well paying job. She and Navjot married while she was in university, and once she established her career and he bought his first practice, began trying to conceive.

They were successful fairly quickly, but she lost the baby just two months into her pregnancy, never really finding an answer as to why. Though there was talks of trying again, neither one really seemed willing to. They went to counseling, both together and separately, and, almost a year after, decided they weren’t meant to be married, amicably divorcing, splitting their assets, and remaining close friends.

Her niece adored her, never leaving her side when they were together. Lily likewise adored her niece, always taking the time to spoil her with love, attention and baked goods, while imparting wisdom beyond her years. The two spent a lot of time together, as Lily was the go-to babysitter since she worked flexible hours from home, and Nicole was practically an angel.

Nicole needed extensive therapy to deal with her favorite person’s pending death; Connor could still feel the emptiness inside Lily when she saw her for the last time.

He frowned slightly, his LED blinking red as the emptiness gave way to dread and fear, creeping into Connor’s mind in an unfamiliar, and terrifying way.

“What is happening?”

He tried jumping to a happier memory to dispel the strange feelings, one from before she and Navjot became a couple. She was cooking herself dinner; home made perogies shallow frying in a skillet; he could just barely hear music playing from a small speaker nearby over the sound of them cooking. After a moment, she began to sing.

“‘Dancing in the dark, with you between my arms…’”

“Hmm, a ‘golden oldie’?”

He listened as she belted out the song, her voice quickly soothing him and kindling the quickly spreading warmth he began to feel. The pan sizzled and popped, perogies frying away, kicking up a fuss as she flipped them.

But Connor could feel the pain from her other memories creeping up on him again. He tried to hold them off, pausing the current memory. When they continued to encroach on his mind, he ended the program running her memories entirely, and self-tested.

His status returned at optimal, only furthering his confusion. The negative feelings faded away, but took an alarming amount of time to do so. The warmth, however, persisted.

“Is this how all humans experience their own memories? Out of their control?”

His LED briefly turned red at the realization that he was becoming subject to random thoughts and flashes of things that she had experienced.

“Does Hank deal with this too?”

He took a moment to look at the Lieutenant, who was sitting on the couch, watching the news. He sat there, with barely a care in the world, or so it appeared.

“I wonder how he copes? He hasn’t had a drink in years… Do his memories still weigh on him?”

Connor opened his mouth to ask, then thought better of it. Instead, he reopened the program, returning to the same memory of her cooking and singing. The warmth remained as it was, but the negative feelings began to build once more, slowed now as he watched her sway and sing.

As the song neared its last verse, she stepped back from the stove. His head tilted to the side as she lifted her arms, and suddenly began dancing with an invisible partner. He watched as she tried to waltz; at least, that’s what she seemed to be doing. Despite the negativity trying to weigh him down, he found himself smiling softly.

“Dance with her.”

Confused but convinced, having trusted his inner voice thus far, Connor paused the memory. Lily stood in front of him, mid step, arms up, nearly perfectly placed for him to step in. He raised his hands as well, carefully placing them against hers, then continued the memory.

For a few moments, he danced with her, following along as she swayed and twirled. The feelings of dread, despair, and misery faded, replaced by the warmth that had been quietly present the whole time. Despite the strangeness of it all, he found himself wondering if he could live in the moment a little while longer.

“‘I don’t deserve it, you look perfect… tonight…’”

She paused during the last line, her eyes closing. A soft smile spread across her face as he reached a hand up, the skin instinctively melting away. The warm feeling overwhelmed him as he carefully touched her face, his thumb grazing her cheek. She didn’t react; instead, with a dreamy sigh and a shake of her head, she walked through him to return to the stove.

He returned to the present again, and rubbed his face, confusion battling the burning longing he felt inside him.

“Well, that was weird.”

His LED spun in red and yellow circles as he realized he had once again given in to the strange feelings that kept plaguing him, and he dropped his head into his hands and sighed in frustration.

“Are you ordering a pizza or bugging out?”

Connor jumped at Hank’s voice, his head snapping up, his LED turning red, then yellow, and finally, blue as he responded. “I’m sorry, Lieutenant. Did you say you wanted pizza?”

Hank merely nodded, watching the android closely.

A knock at the door startled them both, Hank grabbing his crutches to stand as he mumbled about finding his wallet.

Connor went to answer it, his LED yellow as he checked to see if he had actually ordered a pizza already.

When he opened it, Lily fell through the doorway, covered in blood and Thirium, landing hard at Connor’s feet.

Chapter Text

“Help her!”

“What the fuck!?” Hank limped over as fast as he could while Connor helped the injured Lily to her feet, cursing silently when he tried and failed to scan her.

“I’m sorry,” she gasped, gripping Connor’s arm as he kept her steady. Her breathing was labored, an x-ray revealing the cause to be a spasm in her human lung. “I didn’t know… where else to go…”

She collapsed into his arms, coughing up a mix of red and blue blood onto his shirt between breathless apologies.

Connor’s LED was red and rapidly blinking, fear and concern building quickly inside of him.

“Shit, I should have gone with her…”

“We gotta get you to a hospital,” Hank hollered, snapping him from his thoughts as he nodded. The Lieutenant handed her one of his crutches as she shook her head, still clinging to Connor’s arm.

“No, please,” she replied, a slight gurgle in her frightened voice. She gratefully took the offered crutch, struggling to get steady on it, Connor reluctant to let her go. “Navjot… is there… I can fix this… I just need a first aid kit… a sewing kit… and a soldering… gun...”

Hank’s face made it clear he thought she was insane, but he took a moment to help Lily get settled on the crutch, and told Connor to get her to the bathroom. Then he limped away on his remaining crutch to find the requested items.

Connor helped Lily to the bathroom, silently grateful for Hank’s help, his LED alternating between red and yellow on his temple.

“Breathe, Lily, focus on your breathing,” he quietly encouraged, opening the bathroom door and guiding her inside.

“They found me,” she croaked, gasping as he helped her sit on the edge of the tub. “Navjot and I… were at the bus station… I kicked… their asses…”

“Is he okay?” Connor asked, sincerely curious. After making sure she was steady on her own, he leaned the crutch against the wall, and grabbed a nearby facecloth.

“Yeah,” she wheezed. “I called an ambulance… They… came… He’ll be fine…”

He nodded and wet the cloth with warm water. Kneeling in front of her, he took a moment to study her, his LED calming to a steady yellow circle as her breathing noticeably improved. It was still somewhat shallow, and her head hung low as she rasped softly.

“Look at me,” he softly commanded, lifting her chin gently with his free hand. Her tear filled eyes slowly tilted up to meet his concerned gaze, the weak smile on her red and blue blood stained face forced and strained. Slowly, gently, he started wiping the blood away.

Her small smile didn’t falter, but it did grow warmer. “It’s not mine…” she quietly reassured him. “Well, some of the… red spots are… And some of the blue spots, I guess… But you should see… the other guys!”

The corner of Connor’s lip quirked up slightly before he asked, “How many?”

“Two of them this time… Shows you have the capacity to learn… I guess…” She smirked slightly, before coughing again.

“Shut up,” he retorted, likewise wearing the ghost of a smile as he continued to wipe her face. His eyes widened a moment, before he schooled his features, his LED blinking as he corrected himself. “Stop talking, I mean. I mean… Save your breath.”

Lily gave him a small smile, her eyes meeting his once again. Connor’s fingers brushed her cheek, his skin disappearing, hers following suit nearly instantly. His hand lingered there, feeling the warmth from their previous encounters simmering deep inside of him.

“Is she okay…?”

They both jumped when Hank entered the bathroom, grumbling as he struggled with the requested items. Connor jumped up to help him, thanking him sincerely before returning to Lily’s side. He began opening up the first aid kit, as Hank unraveled the cord of the soldering gun.

To both the officers’ surprise, she waved them off. “I got this,” she told them, still panting slightly. “Navjot taught me a lot, and I’ve got some… experience. I’ll take care of all this, then get out of your hair…”

She gave them a small, reassuring smile. When neither one moved, unsure and reluctant to leave her alone, she took a deep shaky breath.

“I’m going to take off my clothes now,” she flatly informed them.

Hank quickly turned and hobbled off, Connor grabbing his other crutch and following closely behind.

“Is she really gonna just patch herself up and go?” Hank’s tone was more concerned than dubious when he asked, staring at Connor’s back as the android shut the door, hiding the slight blush in his cheeks.

“Is she…?”

He nodded slowly. “I’m sure she’s capable… I patch myself up all the time.”

“Yeah, but you’re an android, and she’s… not.”

Connor nodded again, but otherwise didn’t reply. Hank rubbed his face, then moved toward the couch. “Christ, you kids are going to be the death of me, I swear.”

Connor still didn’t respond, staring at the closed bathroom door, blush gone, LED still yellow.

“Should I go back in…? I should have gone with her to the bus station; I shouldn’t leave her alone now-”

“You gonna be okay?”

His attention snapped back to Hank, and Connor nodded quickly, forcing his LED to calm to blue. “Of course, Lieutenant.”

Hank eyed him warily, taking a deep breath, before giving him a curt nod. He blew the breath out on a long sigh and asked, “Does she… eat? I’m guessing you know what kind of pizza she likes?”

“Meat lovers,” Connor answered instantly, his LED blinking.

“Good, a woman after my own heart. Order it, will ya? And maybe, change your shirt?”

Whether Hank deliberately ignored Connor’s quick response or he didn’t notice was up for debate. But the pizza was ordered seconds later, and Connor changed his shirt, grateful for the opportunity to clear his mind. Hank settled into his seat in the living room with a small sigh, turning his attention back to the TV, a practiced picture of nonchalance despite his racing thoughts.

Chapter Text

During the thirty-two minutes it took for the pizza to arrive, Connor and Hank sat silently in the living room. Hank remained in his seat, staring blankly at the television. Connor’s LED blinked between yellow and blue as he listened intently for any sounds from the bathroom.

Both of them gave a relieved breath when the knock at the door came. Hank made his way to the kitchen as Connor retrieved the pizza and brought it to the table, his movements stiff and mechanical as he opened the box.

“I got it,” Hank mumbled, finally breaking the silence. He motioned toward the bathroom, turning to grab a few plates. “Go check on her. She’s too quiet.”

With a nod, Connor quickly left the kitchen. Hank noticed his silent haste, his brow furrowing with concern. But he didn’t say anything, and instead busied himself with plating some slices of pizza, pushing his behaviour to the back of his mind for now.

Connor paused a moment before knocking, staring at the door, his LED spinning slowly. She hadn’t made much noise over the last half hour, save for a couple sharp breaths and the occasional tool clinking against the sink.

“She really has been too quiet…”

He steadied himself, and gently knocked. After a moment, Lily quietly asked who it was. “It’s me, Lily,” he said softly. “May I come in? Are you decent?”

“Not in general, no, but you can’t see anything interesting anyway.”

Connor froze outside the door, his LED yellow as he processed what she said.

“Is that… a joke?”

Before he could ask what she meant, the door opened.

“Come in,” she said, giving a small embarrassed breath. Connor took a quick scan of the room, noting the splashes of blood, thirium and interstitial fluid on the sink and bathtub. Her sweatshirt was on the floor, and the trashcan was nearly full with stained tissues, thread, and wrappers.The skin on her torso was gone, the clear case covered by a towel she held to her chest. He saw the precise stitching on a wound on her human shoulder, as well as a clean soldering line just under her throat.

“Sorry, I was trying to be funny. I could use your help actually,” she quietly told him, turning back toward the sink.

He nodded, his LED blinking blue. “Sure…” he murmured. “What do you need?”

“I have a wound on my back I can't reach. Would you stitch it up for me?”

“Sure,” he echoed, closing the door behind him. He froze when he finally looked at her bare back, realizing it was flesh, muscle and bone. She felt his hesitation, and turned slightly, blushing with a mix of embarrassment and shame.

“Missed it the first time, huh? I don’t blame you,” she murmured, watching him in the mirror. “The more you look at this shitty patchwork, the more fucked up it gets. Like Sally on steroids.”

His head tilted in confusion, his LED blinking yellow. “Sally? From ‘The Nightmare before Christmas’?”

She nodded and looked away, but he saw her lips turn up before she could hide it.

"She enjoys referencing older media…"

His face softened, and he closed the gap, standing behind her as she leaned slightly over the sink, still holding the towel to her chest.

Grabbing the needle and thread, he took a quick x-ray of the area, noting the spots where muscle and tissue were grafted to her android torso, and planned the procedure accordingly.

Connor’s voice was low when he asked, “Ready?”

She nodded again.

Lily sucked in a sharp breath as the needle pierced her skin. He paused, cringing slightly at the thought of hurting her, his LED flickering red for a moment.

“Keep going…” she exhaled, catching his eye in the mirror. She looked back down at the sink, adding quietly, “Sorry, it won’t hurt anymore; just keep going.”

He pulled the thread through, and pierced her again, quickly in a bid to ease the pain. But she didn’t even flinch.

“Sorry,” she murmured between calming breaths. “I should have warned you. After the first bit of pain, I don’t feel it anymore; at least for a little while. I’m not doing it on purpose which means-”

“-your android brain is protecting you by neutralizing any ongoing pain signal,” he finished, his tone a mix of sympathy and amazement.

“Incredible…”

Another nod, and she settled into place, staring down into the sink.

“So she was faking the pain in her shoulder at the precinct…”

"Yeah,” she murmured, a silent agreement and quiet acknowledgement.

With a small nod of his own, he resumed his work, his LED blinking yellow as he quickly and efficiently sewed the wound closed. She stood quietly, her breathing soft, almost unnoticeable.

Soon, he finished, and tied the thread off. He took a quick look around for something to cut the thread with, quietly noticing Lily’s eyes occasionally flickering to his reflection in the mirror.

Finding nothing in the immediate vicinity, Connor leaned forward to bite it off. He paused an inch from her skin, the now-familiar warmth returning, building quickly in his chest. He shook it off, bit the thread and leaned back.

“What’s this?”

A few inches below the wound was a round scar, sitting just between her ribs and dangerously close to her spine.

“You were shot,” he stated softly.

“I was? I don’t recall anyone having a gun.”

“A while ago,” he informed her, scanning her again only to be reminded for the umpteenth time that he couldn’t. “I would estimate it to be at least two years old.”

“Ah… Well, that explains why I don’t remember,” she replied somberly. “Anything else I should know about? More scars? Tattoos? Maybe it says ‘Property of’ somewhere…”

He suppressed a chuckle, smiling softly instead. It fell as he studied her back, his LED turning red briefly.

Her skin was slightly tanned, a shade off from her android skin, and sparsely dotted with freckles. Her muscles were lean, and her spine was barely a hint between them. He stared for some time, his LED blinking yellow as he counted the scars he found.

“Well? Do we have a lead, Detective?” She eyed him in the mirror, watching his LED as it flickered, already knowing the answer.

“I’m afraid not,” he mumbled in response.

“Well shit. Alright, what’s the damage then?”

"Don’t tell her.”

Connor’s LED turned red, lasting less than a second before it calmed back to blue. “Just the one,” he lied. “It appears to be from a .22 caliber bullet.”

She shivered when he traced his finger around the edge of the scar he referenced, a subtle movement he didn’t miss. He continued idly tracing the puckered, slightly discolored skin, sliding over to her spine when she tensed.

“Why do I feel like this every time I’m near you?”

Slowly and carefully, he slid his fingers over the barely defined ridges of her spine, the feel of it feeding the warmth blooming inside.

“What are you doing?”

The question was pure curiosity, but Connor jerked his hand away.

“I don’t know.”

“I’m… I’m just checking for… more injuries”

Though her eyes narrowed at his obvious lie, she nodded. Slowly, he replaced his hand, fingers barely grazing her flesh. He followed her spine to the back of her neck, her head tilting forward as he neared it. He continued over her left shoulder toward her human arm, his hand turning to allow the back of his fingers to trail over her skin.

A small streak of blue blood came to his attention as he slowly worked his way back to her spine, sitting close to her throat. He leaned in, and without thinking, licked it.

“Um…”

“Shit.”

“There’s some Thirium on your shoulder… I wanted to analyze it.”

She didn’t respond. In the mirror, Connor could see her cheeks were flushed, her eyes fixed on the sink drain. Her breathing was still even, but slightly quicker than before.

“Did you learn anything,” she asked in a breathy whisper.

“Only that it’s from an RK800…”

“No,” he finally replied, his voice almost as soft as hers.

“Okay…” she trailed off, looking back up at his reflection. When he met her eye, she blushed again.

“I should have warned you,” he added, turning slightly to step away. “I’m so-”

“Please don’t stop touching me.”

Chapter Text

Embarrassed, her eyes widened the moment the words left her mouth. He froze and stared at her reflection, his eyes just as wide, his LED spinning red.

“Is she… is she feeling the same things I am?”

Lily looked down, embarrassed and ashamed. She opened her mouth to apologize when he gently returned his hand to her back. She froze with a small gasp, her eyes snapping up to the mirror once more.

“Yes, she is…”

Connor didn’t notice, his eyes fixed on his hand. His LED calmed to yellow as he looked at the contrast between the synthetic skin of his fingers and the torn and healed flesh of her back. Undeterred, he slowly moved his hand, exploring the marred canvas with a feather light touch.

“She’s… so soft…”

Occasionally, Lily gave a small shiver, a sharp inhale, a soft sigh; Connor committed all of it to memory, the warmth that had been building spreading further through him with each passing second.

Soon, his hand found the edge of her human flesh, roughly grafted to her android torso. She let out a long low breath, then stood up straight.

She turned slowly to face him, his hand dropping as she moved, grazing her skin one last time before falling back to his side. He felt a strange tightness in his chest as his breath hitched, his head tiling slightly as the tips of his fingers began tingling. He met her gaze, his LED flickering yellow when he saw the swirling mix of emotions in her eyes.

“She looks… upset… Did I do something-?”

“Why did you lie to me?” She whispered it, a sad but understanding tone that interrupted his thoughts.

“Yes, you did.”

He took a moment, his LED blinking red for barely a second before returning to yellow. “I… didn’t…” he trailed off, losing his resolve at her defeated gaze.

“When Navjot lies to me, his lip twitches,” she told him, the ghost of a somber smile on her lips. “The right side, specifically. When you lie, your LED turns red.” She raised a hand to his temple, gently caressing his aforementioned traitor. His gaze fell to the floor, and he leaned ever so slightly into her touch, the warmth threatening to consume him now.

“It’s barely a blink; I doubt any human would see it, but I can,” she continued, her voice still soft, even. Her hand fell to his jaw, her thumb resting against his cheek. “I appreciate you trying to ‘soften the blow’, so to speak. But I’m a big girl; how bad is it?”

“Please don’t tell her…”

“Lily, I…” But his words failed him once more, his LED blinking between red and yellow as he warred with himself. His eyes snapped back up to hers when her hand dropped to his chest, resting just above his thirium pump.

“Please…” she breathed, the whispered plea filled with tears threatening to fall.

Still unable to find the words, he hesitated. His LED continued its rapid blinking between yellow and red, and his eyes darted to her lips briefly before they closed.

“She deserves to know…” he finally and silently decided.

Catching the quick glimpse, Lily misread his thoughts and leaned in, her eyes slowly closing as her lips neared his. “It’s okay…” she whispered. “Show me…”

Connor leaned in to meet her before his eyes snapped open. “Wait…” he whispered, his voice strained, barely audible even in the quiet bathroom. She froze, her eyes half-lidded, locked on his, her breath a soft, slow pant.

With their lips barely an inch apart, neither one moved for a long moment.

“I… Your memories overload my data banks…” he finally admitted, his voice still soft. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she moved to step back.

“I… I’m sorry, I didn’t-” she cut herself off with a gasp when he grabbed her arms to keep her in place.

“Can you control the information you share?” He murmured the question, meeting her eye once more, his gaze softer, his LED calming to an idle yellow spin.

Her eyes widened slightly, and she gave a small shaky breath. “I’ll try…”

He nodded, then closed the gap and kissed her. She melted into him, her human mind begging her android one not to hurt him.

She gave a small somber whimper as the image of her back, covered in scars, burned into her mind. He dismissed the surprise and relief at not being bombarded by memories again, preoccupied with the bold red warning that had filled his vision. When they pulled away, panting softly as they met each other’s eye again, her face fell.

“Oh…” she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears.

Connor, unsure what else to do, wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and rubbing her back

Without warning, Connor found himself in the Zen Garden, alone and quiet save for the wind rustling through the trees.

“Lily?” He turned back and forth as he called out for her. “Are you in here?”

When he received no answer, he tried to leave. To his surprise, he found himself unable to. Thinking quickly, he turned toward the emergency exit Kamski placed in all of his programs and ran for it.

Lily was still in the bathroom, wrapped in a loving embrace. She was crying softly against Connor’s chest, unable to hold her frustrated and scared tears any longer. He pulled away from her, just far enough to catch her eye. He held her face in both hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs.

“Don’t cry,” he murmured, pausing to move a strand of hair from her face. With a soft smile and a sigh filled with longing, he added, “You still are and will always be my beautiful Lilac.”

The flow of tears ebbed as she stared at him in confusion. He met her gaze with adoration in his eyes.

“Connor…?”

“May I kiss you?”

Still slightly confused, she nodded. Her confusion deepened with his kiss, as he didn’t connect with her; instead, he tasted her lips, an almost inaudible sigh escaping him. One hand slid to the nape of her neck, the other to her back. He used both to cradle her as he moved, and leaned her against the wall.

Running on muscle memory, Lily threw her arms around him, the strange longing she had been feeling since that first kiss on the roof outright urging her to never let him go now. He pressed against her, an equally desperate groan in his throat. “I miss-

“What the fuck is going on here!?!”

Chapter Text

The bathroom door slammed into the wall with a loud bang, making Lily gasp, and snapping Connor back to the real world. He stepped away from her, slightly disoriented, his LED blinking red as he tried to process the situation. He looked up, seeing Lily backed against the wall, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. In the doorway, Hank was glaring furiously at Lily.

“What just happened…? Why is he so angry?” Connor tried to review the time he lost when he entered the garden, but Hank’s exasperated voice stopped him.

“I want you out of my house, now!”

“Hank-” Connor tried.

“Don’t you fucking start,” Hank interrupted, his narrowed gaze turning on Connor. “You’ve been acting weird ever since you met her. I don't know what the fuck she did to you, but it ends now!”

He turned back toward Lily, his tone less aggressive, but still angry. “Look, I’m sorry this is happening to you, but enough’s enough. Get your shit together, and get to the station. Someone else will take your case.”

“Hank, please, she should stay here!” Connor’s LED rapidly spun red.

“She needs to leave!”

Frustrated and confused, Connor snapped back, “Are you serious? She needs our help!”

“How the fuck is your dick supposed to help her?!”

Everyone fell silent, Hank’s words echoing faintly against the bathroom tiles. Connor stared at him in shock; the Lieutenant glared back, taking short angry breaths through his nose. Lily was still leaning against the wall, wiping new tears from her face.

After a long, agonizing moment, the silence broke. “He’s right,” Lily whispered, her voice soft and sad. Both Connor and Hank turned to look at her, the former still in shock, the latter in suspicious disbelief.

“Not about the dick part, obviously,” she replied with a glare towards Hank. She sobered and shook her head as she continued, meeting Connor’s eye again. “I should go… You… You called me ‘Lilac’.”

“When I was in the garden?”

Connor’s head tilted in confusion, his eyes briefly flicking to Hank. “No, I didn’t…”

“You did,” she insisted, her tone still somber. “You said, and I quote, ‘You still are and will always be my beautiful Lilac’. Then you asked to kiss me. When you did, we didn’t connect; you just kissed me. Nothing more,” she added with a quick glance toward Hank.

“Look, something is fucking with your programming, and without being able to access my memories, who knows what it could be,” she told him, giving a small defeated sigh. “Connor, it could kill you. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to be the reason Hank loses another son.”

Hank’s breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened, his anger fading slightly.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” she apologized, turning toward him, a quiver in her voice. “I swear I never meant to hurt you. Either of you. I’ll go. And you’ll never have to worry about me again, I promise.”

“The timer…”

“You can’t go,” Connor began, reaching toward her. The skin from his hand melted away, something Hank noticed, giving an exasperated breath. “Connor, for fuck’s sake-”

“She’s dying, Lieutenant,” Connor interrupted, his tone sharp as he turned to glare at him. “Six days, three hours and forty-three minutes.” He turned back. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“How did you… ?” she trailed off, looking at Connor in confusion, her heart breaking when she saw the betrayal in his eyes. Hank looked back and forth between them, suspicion and concern battling on his features.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she started, wiping her face. “I’m fine. I just needed to patch myself up. I’m done, so I’ll leave.”

“You can’t leave!”

“You’re not fine!” Connor stepped toward her, stopping when she backed away from him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“There’s nothing to tell!”

“She’s dying…”

“Is it your Thirium pump regulator?”

“No! Nothing's wrong!”

“Let me help you!”

“Why are you lying to me?!”

“Connor,” Hank murmured, concern starting to win.

“I’m not lying!”

“Yes, you are!”

The android felt the anger Hank was already sensing building inside of him, but he ignored it, focused on Lily. “I promised I would help you, but I can’t if you lie to me!”

“Connor, stop,” Hank interjected, his suspicion nearly gone.

“You can’t help me anyway!” Lily and Connor ignored Hank as she stepped toward the android, lifting her chin defiantly. “I never should have come here in the first place! All I’ve done is cause trouble for both of you, and I’m not doing it anymo-”

“Cut the bullshit!” Connor’s sharp response made both Hank and Lily jump.

“Calm down…”

“You have my memories; you know I always accomplish my mission!”

“You’re going to push her away…”

“What does that have to do with-”

“I’ve made it my mission to help you, but if you lie to me like this, you’ll be deliberately interfering with it!”

“Shit.”

“Oh, yes of course, your mission!” She shouted, stepping back into his space. “Is that all you care about?”

“Now you’ve done it…”

Connor’s face fell at her question. She stared at him, fresh tears spilling from angry eyes. “That’s all this is about isn’t it?!”

“Yes…”

He didn’t respond, only staring at her with wide eyes.

“No. You know it’s not.”

“Of course it is,” Lily continued, her voice cracking slightly. She gestured to her still exposed torso. “I’m not a human being anymore; I’m not even a real android. So, why give a flying fuck about me as a person, right? I’m just some poor victim you get to play hero for, because that’s how you were programmed, right?”

“Yeah… Screwed that all up, didn't you?”

“No… I…” he stammered, his LED spinning red as he struggled to find the words.

“No, just forget it,” she demanded, taking a frustrated breath. “I’m going to assume it’s the fucked up situation in my head leading me to think you cared about me at all. Obviously, I’m nothing to you; I don’t even know why I care so much! We just met, for fucks sakes!” She turned and grabbed her sweater, cursing when she saw how torn and stained it was.

“What do I do… What do I say?”

She turned back, avoiding Connor’s stunned gaze to face Hank.

“You’ve said too much already… Give her some time…”

“Lieutenant, may I please borrow a shirt? I’ll send it back clean I promise.” Her voice was deceptively calm, but when her eyes met his, he saw the pain she was trying to hide clear as day.

Hank blinked a couple times, glancing toward Connor, whose gaze fell to the floor. He gave a curt affirmative and left the room.

He made his way to the bedroom, keeping an ear on the bathroom. It was in vain though, as neither one said a word to the other that he could hear. He paused for a moment as he stood in front of his closet, staring at an old stained DPD sweatshirt he hadn’t worn in years. He thought about when he did, blowing a low breath. After a moment, he shook his head, and grabbed an old black and white streaked shirt.

“Here,” he mumbled as he made his way back into the bathroom. She grabbed the shirt and threw it on, her skin returning as she covered herself up. Connor was still staring at the floor, his LED blinking in a slow red circle.

She took a moment to compose herself, then turned toward the sink. “I’ll clean all this up, and get out of here. I’m sorry to cause you so much trouble, Lieutenant. Thank you for all of your help.”

Hank didn’t respond. Instead, he silently limped closer to the now dressed woman.

For a brief moment, fear flicked across her face. She stuttered, and took a step back, catching herself as she nearly fell into the tub.

Connor’s head snapped up. “What is he doing?”

“Lieutenant, I swear I didn’t mean to cause trouble, I’m sorry, I…” She continued to ramble as he neared her, and shifted to lean his crutches against the wall. Connor moved to step into his path, ready to protect her even from Hank, who merely waved the android off as he turned back to face Lily.

She was still rambling her apologies when he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

Frozen in the Lieutenant’s embrace, she went completely still save for the beginnings of a frightened tremble. A tense, silent moment passed between them all.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he finally whispered.

When it was clear he wasn’t letting her go, Lily slowly wrapped her arms around his waist. After a moment, she began to apologize, then sobbed into his chest. He slowly rubbed her back, murmuring softly, comforting her like a father would his daughter. Connor’s LED was yellow as he watched them, torn between questioning Hank’s attitude change and joining their embrace.

After some time, Lily pulled away, wiping her face as she looked up at Hank. “Thanks, Lieutenant,” she whispered gratefully, sniffling.

“Call me Hank,” he replied, his voice cracking just enough to be noticed. “Come on,” he added, clearing his throat and regaining his gruffer tone. He placed a hand on Lily’s shoulder and motioned toward the door.

“Pizza’s getting cold.”

Chapter Text

“I went to see Navjot before I left, and he insisted on taking me to the bus station,” Lily explained between small bites of her pizza. The three were sitting at the small kitchen table, listening as Lily recounted the attack. Hank sat next to her, also eating, though his bites were far heartier, his demeanor calmer now. Connor sat on the other side of him, his LED blinking between red and yellow as he simultaneously listened and lamented.

“I don’t understand…”

“While we were there, I got grabbed from behind. The other one tried to subdue Navi, but he held his own long enough for me to get the upper hand.” Her gaze occasionally flicked toward Connor, but otherwise steadily switched between her pizza and Hank.

“So you fought them both off?” He asked, dropping his slice back onto his plate as he waited for her response.

Lily’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Please, Lieutenant, eat. I’m sure you’re hungry.”

Hank leaned back in his chair, and smiled softly. “If your timing is anything like Connor’s, then I’ll wait. It’s good pizza and I don’t feel like choking.”

Lily gave him a soft smile that chipped at the last remaining shards of ice around his heart. Connor, who hadn’t said a word since they left the bathroom, remained stoic, his LED spinning constantly.

“I’ll be quick then,” she began, her eyes darting to Connor and back before placing her own slice down as well. “Navjot fought one for a while - he’s actually a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu of all things- while I managed to rip the other one’s arm off. I beat his attacker to death with it, and when I turned to get the first one, he was ready. We fought, he grabbed my thirium pump regulator, and took off, telling me if I wanted to live, I knew where to go,” she finished, grabbing her pizza again. Before she took a bite, she scoffed and added, “Joke’s on him; I don’t have a fucking clue.”

“So he has your… heart… pump, thing…” Hank slowly mused. “Then what’s keeping you going now?”

“Not enough.”

“I took the pump from the one I killed. I can last a day or so without mine, because of the-” she froze, her pizza falling off her hand to the table with an audible plop.

Hank’s brow furrowed as he reached out to her, placing a hand on her arm. “Is she frozen?”

“She’s dying…”

Connor didn’t respond, prompting Hank to look confused at him as well. “Are you frozen too?”

“...Please don’t let her die…”

When he still didn’t say anything, Hank leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “Fuck me.”

Lily gasped suddenly, giving her head a shake. “Sorry… that was a little tougher than usual.

“Where was I… oh, right,” she continued, noticing the pizza on the table with a small disappointed pout. “So, the RK800 regulator is apparently not compatible with my system. Hence, the imminent failure.”

“And impending death…” Connor murmured, his red LED spinning faster. She looked at him, her face barely masking the strange mix of anger, fear and understanding.

“Can you bring him with you when you have these ‘behind the wall’ moments?”

The question surprised both Lily and Connor. Hank’s eyebrows went up when neither responded. “Well, can you? Maybe if he’s back there too, he can help take it down, and you can get all this shit figured out.”

“It’s worth a try,” Connor responded hopefully, his LED calming to yellow. Lily gave a small worried shake of her head.

“It’s a good idea, Lieutenant,” she began, picking up her pizza and placing it back on the plate. She wiped the sauce off the table as she continued. “But I can’t guarantee I can get him out. It’s… well, kinda fucked up in there.”

“Yeah, human minds generally are,” Hank mumbled in agreement, taking a sip of his soda.

Lily smiled softly at him, grateful for his understanding. After a moment, she sobered, and quietly told them, “Listen, I appreciate everything… But this needs to end. I have no idea why they want to bring me back, but I’m guessing it’s something to do with…” she trailed off, gesturing at her head. “They probably want the technology, and need me alive. I mean, I’m assuming I’d be dead by now if they didn’t. So… If I die, this ends. No one else needs to be hurt.”

“But you don’t need to die…”

Connor’s LED turned red again, refusing to calm down now. Hank looked between him and Lily, giving a long sigh.

“Listen, I get where you’re coming from, but-”

Lily cut him off with a raised hand. “I know what you’re going to say: it’s all things Navi has told me… all things I’ve said to myself before. But everyone I’m close to is in danger. And if I don’t exist anymore, then that danger is gone.”

“Why won’t you let me help you?”

She turned toward Connor, his LED still red, eyes fixated on the table in front of him. “Connor,” she began, giving him a moment to speak.

He didn’t.

“I’m especially sorry to you,” she continued with an understanding nod. “Despite what I said earlier, I know-”

“Don’t-”

“If you’re so set on dying, why did you even come here?”

“Damnit…”

The hard tone in Connor’s voice took Hank by surprise. He barely heard that tone when the android was interrogating offenders, so to hear it now was a shock to say the least. Lily was likewise startled, her eyes wide.

“I…” her hesitation softened Connor’s face, but not much. “I… was hoping I could ask you guys to keep an eye on Nicole, and Navjot… and…” She trailed off, her gaze dropping.

“And what?” Connor asked, leaning forward.

“Connor…” But Hank’s quiet warning was once again ignored.

“And what, Lily?” His voice hardened again.

“And,” she began slowly, catching his eye again. She took a deep breath, before answering with a sigh. “And I wanted to check on Hank. ‘Murtaugh’ here is getting too old for this shit.”

“For fuck’s sake…”

She tried to smile, but Connor was unamused. Hank gave an awkward chuckle at the reference, and opened his mouth to make a comment about the movies, likewise hoping to lighten the subject.

Connor abruptly stood up, pushing the chair he was sitting on back with enough force to overturn it.

“I’ll be back shortly,” he informed them, already walking toward the door. It slammed shut behind him a second later, leaving Hank and Lily to stare at each other confused.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” she quickly told him, getting up to fix the fallen chair.

Hank waved it off, giving her a reassuring smile that successfully masked his concern. “Don’t be. I’m sure he’s fine.”

Connor flashed his badge to the officer guarding Navjot Sidhu’s hospital room, who nodded and motioned for him to enter.

He paused for a moment, scanning the battered doctor. He had a black eye, a split lip, a splint on his nose, a cast around one arm, and bandages around his head. The anger he had been harboring since he left home softened at the sight.

After another moment to calm down, Connor took a seat next to his bed, careful not to disturb him.

His efforts were in vain as Navjot hoarsely whispered, “Detective?”

“Yes,” Connor replied quietly. “It’s me. I’m not here to hurt you.”

Dr. Sidhu hummed an acknowledgement, before asking, “Is she okay?”

“No.”

“Yes,” he replied, his LED flicking from red to yellow. “She will be.”

Navjot frowned slightly, before adjusting himself to sit up. Connor moved to help him, adding a pillow to the inclined bed.

“What has happened to her?” He asked, trying to clear his throat.

Connor’s LED turned red. He reached for a cup of water on the nearby table.

“During the confrontation at the bus station,” he began cautiously, handing the cup to Navjot. The battered doctor gave a small, grateful nod, taking a sip as Connor continued.

“Her Thirium pump regulator was stolen. She is using one from the attackers, but it is incompatible.” Navjot’s heart monitor began beeping quicker, prompting Connor to add, “I won’t let her die! But she’s insisting on letting go, and it’s making it difficult to help her. How do I convince her to let me help?”

To Connor’s surprise, Navjot chuckled as his heart rate calmed. “You don’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t, Detective. You must let her go.”

“Are you insane?”

“I have been told many times before that I am,” he answered with a sigh, closing his eyes. “I met her in highschool, just over 15 years ago. She was two grades below me, and one of the smartest, kindest people I’ve ever met. It was love at first sight for me.

“She and I quickly became close friends, and spent a lot of time together. When the time came for me to go to college, I promised myself I would be anything she needed me to be. So, we remained close friends for years.

“But one night, after exams were done for that year, we got together to celebrate,” he smiled as he reminisced. “And she looked at me, and asked, ‘Why haven’t you kissed me yet?’ Less than a year later, we were married.

“Lily has explained to me that you have her memories?” Connor nodded, informing him that some were incomplete and others unviewable. Navjot cleared his throat, and continued. “After we lost the baby, we went to therapy. After a few weeks, in a session for us both, she suddenly started to cry, and asked for a divorce.”

“You didn’t ask why,” Connor stated, pulling that one up. “Why not?”

“Because I would do anything for her,” he replied with sadness on his broken face. “When she asked for a divorce, my heart shattered. I was very much in love with her. But being in love means seeing that person have all the happiness in the world. It means supporting them, lifting them up and helping them achieve their dreams. And for Lily,” he murmured, smiling sadly to himself. “It means accepting her decisions, however difficult they are to take.

“She is a stubborn woman, Detective,” he added. “If she has given up, I’m afraid there is nothing you can do.”

“There has to be something,” Connor replied, his LED still red. “I can’t let her die.”

“You care for her that much?”

“Yes.”

Despite his silence, Navjot nodded, recognizing the look on his face. “Then be there for her. I have learned that Lily will always make the right decision in the end.”

“She wants to die… how could that possibly be the right decision?”

“I said something similar when we divorced. But I see now the pressure on us to obtain the perfect family was too great, and it caused us far too much stress. We fought. We screamed at each other. Every silly little thing made us both explode with rage. But, once the divorce was final, she became happier, far happier than I made her. And so did I. But that wasn’t my fault, nor hers; she and I were not meant to be, and when we separated, we were free to be better. She had the intelligence to recognize it, and the courage, and the strength, to ask for what I never could: an ending to our story. She is asking for another one now, and as much as it pains me to say it…”

He paused, taking a moment to hide the disappointment from his face.

“If she wants it to end, it will. And it will probably be for the best for all involved.”

Chapter Text

85 returned to base, 86 limply thrown over his shoulder. His LED blinked red, his brow furrowed, and he mumbled angrily under his breath. Inside, he quickly silenced himself at the sight of 75, his LED spinning red rapidly. He dropped 86 to the ground, then silently met the other android’s gaze.

“You failed,” 75 stated simply, his eyes narrowing.

“Not entirely,” he began, bending over 86 and removing the dead android’s arm. He replaced his missing one, then stood, testing it briefly before reaching into his pocket. He pulled out Lily’s Thirium pump regulator, prompting 75 to smirk.

“Excellent,” he declared. “It won’t be long before she returns.”

“She did manage to take 86’s regulator,” 85 added, his LED spinning yellow. 75 paused, his LED blinking yellow, then nodded. “It won’t be compatible. But it will give her more time. Prepare to head back out; she’ll likely go to Connor for help.”

85 nodded and turned to leave.

“Take it with you,” 75 commanded, a hard edge to his voice as he gestured to 86’s limp form. He smirked slightly, his LED idly spinning blue. “But first, speak to the doctor; he will want to understand why you partially failed.”

85’s LED turned red again, but he nodded, picking up 86’s body and heading deeper into their hideout.

“Hey…”

Lily’s voice was just loud enough for Connor to hear as he slowly opened the front door. He winced slightly, casting a glance toward Hank’s bedroom.

“He’s asleep,” she assured him, turning to sit back on the couch. She patted the cushion beside her, pausing a moment before asking, “Can we talk?”

He nodded and quietly shut the door, his LED yellow as he slowly moved to join her.

“Okay… You can do this… Just stay calm.”

He sat down, staring at the coffee table, his LED slowly spinning yellow.

“I’m sorry, Connor,” Lily murmured, breaking the silence.

His head turned up to look at her, a subtle mix of confusion and surprise on his face.

“She is?”

“Those things I said… I was upset,” she began, looking down at her hands, one occasionally fidgeting while the other remained still. “There’s just so much going on in my head… and I… I know you’re more than your programming, and it wasn’t right of me to accuse you like that.”

He didn’t respond, opting instead to stare at her, unsure what to say. For a long moment, she remained quiet, then smiled softly, her head tilting. “Ah, the silence tactic,” she said with a shrug, settling into the couch, her back on the arm rest as she turned to better face him.

“Don’t bother: I know all your tricks,” she added, tapping her temple, a small, teasing smirk on her face.

His eyes widened slightly. “I wasn’t trying to trick you,” he quickly explained, confused but relieved when she gave a small huff of a laugh. “It’s just… I was not expecting an apology, and… I don’t believe I deserve one.”

Lily blinked and sobered, her smile fading. “What makes you say that?”

“I… I’m not sure you were wrong about that.”

She stiffened slightly, but didn’t say anything.

“I’m not saying I only care about my mission,” he quickly added, falling for his own tactic. His LED blinked yellow as he thought of what to say. “I am attempting to make it my main focus. There have been numerous… interferences, and I am concerned I may not be able to provide the help you require.”

Lily leaned back against the arm rest, her smile returning as she crossed her arms. “Can’t handle a distraction or two, Detective?”

“That tone… is she…?”

“I can…” he quickly replied, avoiding her eyes now. “They’re just… making it hard for me to be at my best. That’s all.”

She nodded, her eyes darting to his LED as it changed from red to blue. “Mhmm…”

They sat in silence for a moment, before she quietly asked him where he went.

“I… went to speak with Dr. Sidhu,” he admitted, avoiding her gaze.

“Why?”

“Be honest…”

“I wanted to check on him.”

“...Liar.”

He turned to look at her, finding her staring at him with a sad smile.

“No… I…” he began to stutter, his LED yellow as he searched for something to say. She sighed, and waved it away.

“Forget it. Whatever the reason, it’s none of my business.”

“She thinks you’ll lie to her again…”

Another silence enveloped them.

“I asked him how to convince you to…” he trailed off, hearing how his words sounded. Her eyes dropped, her gaze falling to the floor once more.

“To not give up.” She whispered the statement, knowing she was right.

He nodded, his eyes closing.

“Did he tell you I’m as stubborn as a mule?”

“Not in so many words,” Connor murmured.

She gave a soft smile. “I’ll bet… Was he okay?”

Connor nodded again.

Her smile warmed. “Thank you,” she whispered. After a moment, she softly added, “Well?”

He finally looked up at her, successfully masking the mix of emotions all vying for attention. “Well, what?”

“Are you going to try to convince me?”

“Don’t…”

“I really want to,” he finally whispered, his LED blinking yellow. “But I’m getting the impression if I try it would only encourage you to do the opposite.”

She took a deep breath and nodded slowly. “I’m sorry Connor,” she whispered, starting to reach for him. She paused halfway there, drawing her hand back, slightly confused. Connor noticed, but didn’t comment, dealing instead with the strange longing he felt when she withdrew.

“I… understand, but… May I ask you for one favor?” His tone was soft, his voice little more than a murmur. She paused, staring at him for a long moment, scanning him. Finally, she nodded.

“Start small…”

“May I accompany you until you pass?”

“Smaller…?”

She started slightly, her eyes widening at the question. A mix of emotions washed over her, just barely visible on her face.

‘Why?”

Her blurted response made him pause, unsure if she was upset or confused.

“Just be honest.”

He forced his LED to blue, and slowly answered. “I… I think it would be beneficial for you to have some sort of security to protect you during your last days…”

“Or lie to her…”

Despite his efforts, she caught the red flash of his LED out of the corner of her eye. She held his gaze, and, after another silent pause, this one much longer, she slowly nodded.

“You know… I think I would appreciate the company,” she replied, the ghost of a smile on her lips. Connor successfully hid his surprise, and smiled softly.

“...I didn’t expect that…”

“Oh… but is Ha-” she shook her head. “Sorry, is the Lieutenant going to be okay with that?”

Connor nodded, though his LED flickered. Her eyes narrowed slightly, playfully. “Uh huh…” she drawled, smirking softly. He gave another soft smile. “I think he will be…” he quietly replied. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Good luck…” she murmured, turning slightly in her seat to better face him, her smile softening. “I tried chatting with him while you were gone…” she leaned back, giving a small chuckle. “Stubborn as all hell -wouldn’t tell me anything interesting…”

Connor blew a small huff of a laugh, nodding again. “Yes, he’s almost as stubborn as you are…” He replied, surprising himself with the ease of his teasing remark. Lily gave a small snort, leveling him with narrowed eyes. “There’s that snark I’ve seen in your memories…” she murmured, her smile widening.

Though he briefly considered denying her lighthearted accusation, something about her smile made him pause. He felt the warmth begin once more, deep in his chest, and he realized he enjoyed seeing her smile.

“Oh… I’m sorry for that too… by the way…” she quietly added, a small embarrassed blush on her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to look at everything; it just sort of happened…”

Connor turned slightly, shifting in his seat on the couch beside her, facing her better. “I understand, Lily,” he replied, genuine, his LED idly spinning blue. “I can’t imagine how difficult it must be…”

She opened her mouth to speak, ready to wave it away, when he added, “You’re incredibly strong to deal with all that you do.”

Lily’s eyes widened briefly, her mouth closing.

“She really is…”

“Thank you…” she finally whispered, leaning a touch closer, a small smile on her face.

He felt the warmth bloom once more, and, deciding there hadn’t been any indications of danger from its presence before, he let it continue, already beginning to enjoy the feeling.

“Not as strong as you, though,” she murmured, her smile widening. “You’re a certified badass.”

He paused, his LED blinking yellow.

“I…” he trailed off, eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

“Okay, so,” she began, excitedly adjusting her position on the couch again, sitting cross legged sideways to fully face him. “The way you chased that guy through the rooftop gardens? Mowing down those guards at Cyberlife Tower? Oh my god, that raid a while back on the Red Ice dealers? I’ve never seen so many broken limbs. Gave me chills.”

She chuckled, soft and full, careful not to wake Hank. A confused blush stained both Connor’s face and his tone. “Thank you…?”

“Sorry,” she apologized with a blush of her own. “I guess I shouldn’t be so excited about it, but you’re basically John Wick. And… I can’t help it? It’s like I remember all this because I did it, and it gets my adrenaline pumping apparently. Is that… normal?”

“Yes,” he assured her, suddenly settling into the new conversation with a strange ease. “When we connected, we shared memories in a way that let us experience them as though they were our own.” She considered his words, and nodded.

“Ohhh, so when you do badass things, I can remember them and pretend I was the one being badass, and I can tell everyone I am badass right?”

“You’re killing me, Smalls.”

He paused, his LED blinking yellow for a moment as he processed the sudden reference. He discovered she had often said it to her sister and niece. He ran a self-test, but continued the conversation, finding himself enjoying the moment. “‘You’re killing me, Smalls’.”

She giggled. “Nice… I love that movie.” She shifted once more, getting comfortable against the arm of the couch. He smiled, swelling with a sense of pride at her praise, his gaze flicking from her eyes to the floor when she smiled back.

"I’ve never met anyone like her before."

They shared the moment in silence.

“And you never will again.”

Chapter Text

Before he could process that thought, she took a deep breath. “So… I have a favor to ask too,” she began, catching his eye again. “I actually don’t know how most of this works. I, uh… I’ve never had a chance to, um… practice, I guess? I think,” she explained with a nervous chuckle.

“You’ve adapted amazingly well considering,” he complimented, the warmth in his chest spreading when she blushed.

“Thank you,” she murmured after a moment's pause. “So… Can I ask you some android-related questions?”

“Of course.”

She gave a grateful nod, and raised her android hand, the skin melting away as she reached toward him. “What is the deal with the skin disappearing? Before you, it only happened once when I kissed that other Connor. Now, I may as well be running around without it.”

He hesitated, then cautiously explained. “When two androids connect, the skin retracts to allow for data transfers and connections.”

“Don’t forget interfaces…”

“Oh, I see,” she murmured, looking at her hand as the skin returned. After a moment, she looked back up at him.

Silence enveloped them once more, a rumbling in the distance warning them of an approaching storm. He closed his eyes, and listened, finding a strange comfort in sharing quiet moments with her. She shifted again, tucking her legs under herself. Connor’s LED blinked yellow as he became aware of her studying his profile, the warmth continuing to spread throughout his body.

“Ok, so, am I just fucking weird or is that how androids have sex?”

His eyes shot open, his LED blinking red. Connor’s inner monologue stifled a chuckle.

“Okay, yeah, I must be weird,” she answered when he didn’t verbally respond. “I’m sorry… it’s just… I noticed you don’t have any memories of sexual or romantic moments. And… well, with what happened at the station… And the parking lot… And in the bathroom… I thought-”

“It can be used for that,” he interrupted, and only slightly against his better judgment. “I… personally haven’t, because… Well, I can’t speak for other androids, but…” he trailed off, his LED yellow again when he turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing. “Why were you looking through my memory for sexual moments?”

“I wasn’t,” she quickly said, eyes wide. “I wasn’t looking for anything, I swear! I just noticed how we seem to… and I thought maybe I was forcing you to… haven’t you been looking at my memories, too?”

“Yes, but only to help the investigation,” he replied professionally.

“Liar,” she accused again; this time with a smile, her mild panic subsiding. He turned away for a moment, forcing the blush out of his cheeks, silently cursing his LED.

“I’m sorry,” she added, her eyes cast down. “I thought I had this all figured out, and now, it feels like a whole new world I’m getting thrust into. I’ve never done transfers or connections before… I think. But everytime I’m near you, I…” she trailed off, meeting his eyes once more. “I want to do it again.”

His LED turned red again, but calmed back to yellow. Both of them were unaware of the skin melting away from their hands.

“I know my timing is shit… but at least we won’t be bored these last few days…”

“If she cares about me… she’ll want to live… right?”

“It’s alright,” he assured her, getting cut off by another thought.

“If she cares about you… she might not…”

“Well, maybe for you,” Lily said, only a little sarcastically. “But it’s a little scary for me, if I’m being honest.”

His head tilted in confusion as she explained. “I’m just having trouble aligning both sides… I feel like I’ve known you forever, and at the same time, I feel like you're a stranger I need to be wary of. You’re dangerous and safe; I’m attracted to you, but I feel like I should stay away.”

“But I have to try… Don’t I?”

“I… understand,” he told her, his LED rapidly blinking yellow. “If it helps, I believe I’ve been feeling the same way… but you have not forced me to do anything I didn’t want to do.”

Lily nodded as they fell silent once more, the steady hum of Hank’s AC scoring the mood.

“Is it the same for you,” she asked suddenly. “My memories, I mean. Do you remember things I’ve done like you were there?”

“I have better control over it, it seems,” he answered truthfully, somewhat relieved at the question. “I experience them through your eyes, but I can play, pause, etc.”

“Well, aren’t you fancy?”

He blushed, and before he could stop himself, informed her, “I was even able to insert myself into a memory…” He quickly added, “To watch it from a better angle.”

She gave a slow, sarcastic clap, as quiet as possible, accompanied by a smirk.

“Weirdo,” he replied with a smile. His face screwed up in confusion and he was about to apologize for the mild insult when she spoke again.

“You’re weird,” she retorted between giggles. The warmth inside of him bloomed, surging throughout his body, only adding to his confusion.

“So, what memory did you watch?”

“A lot of them,” he retorted, feeling oddly comfortable once more.

“Ok smartass, you know what I meant. Which one did you do your fancy replay with?”

He hesitated before answering, “You were singing while you cooked dinner.”

“Oh jeez,” she replied, burying her face in her hands. “Did I dance too?”

“Oh yes,” he teased, relieved. “I think you were trying to waltz.”

“You’re doing great…”

She scoffed. “Please, I bet I was just shaking my ass, and badly singing some-”

“You danced like a rose in a summer’s breeze, and your voice is the most beautiful sound to ever grace my ears.”

Silence.

“Okay, a bit too much… but I’m sure the honesty is appreciated…”

He turned to look at her, and was surprised to see a sad smile on her face. He began to apologize when she spoke again.

“‘Was’.”

His shoulders fell, silence enveloping them once again.

“I’m sor-”

“It’s okay,” she interrupted, leaning back into her chair. “I’m definitely influencing you, though. I doubt you would have ever said something so cheesy before you met me…”

She smiled at him, silently pleading with him to keep the conversation going, likewise enjoying the comfort and normalcy that, while strange, took her mind off her fate.

“Yes, I did notice your penchant for romance novels,” he replied, noting the relief on her face now. The fact she was slowly inching closer every time she settled into her seat fell to the back of his mind.

She shrugged. “Yeah, I’m a sucker for that shit,” she admitted with a small laugh. “Don’t judge me.”

“Never,” Connor promised, smiling softly at her. He shifted slightly in his own seat, moving closer to her without realizing.

They continued their conversation, mostly teasing each other about moments in their memories. Connor’s thoughts went strangely quiet as they talked, the android finding himself smiling and chuckling more than he had in a long time.

It was so easy talking to her, he didn’t notice how much they had moved during their exchange. Their knees were touching now, as they sat facing each other on the couch; him angled toward her, and her legs tucked under her so she sat sideways.

A lull in the conversation brought them both to the realization that they had grown closer. She blushed slightly, but didn’t move.

“Tell her…”

“I really enjoy talking to you, Lily,” Connor quietly admitted, his LED idly spinning blue. “I… I wish we had met under better circumstances.”

Connor suddenly felt a strange stab of pain near his Thirium pump. He ran his self-test, knowing already it would come back optimal: it always did.

Lily meanwhile, seemed to be feeling something similar; she seemed confused but happy as she smiled. “So do I…”

Outside, the rumbling of the incoming thunderstorm drew closer, accompanied by the sound of a soft rain.

“Lily-”

“It’s raining?”

“Yes,” he answered after a moment. “The weather network is calling for thunderstorms tonight through to tomorrow morning.”

She stood as he talked, walking closer to the window. He felt the loss immediately, his LED spinning yellow as the warmth inside of him seemed to follow her.

“Where are you going?”

“She loves the rain…”

“I love the rain,” she answered, moving the curtain to peek outside. She chuckled softly, rolling her eyes. “I used to dance in it when I was…” she trailed off, gave her head a small shake, and turned to face him.

A few seconds passed, then he could just barely see the corner of her lip turn up in a smirk.

“One time, when Navjot and I were married, I danced in the rain for him… Our backyard was closed in and there was this one spot surrounded by trees… Did you see that one?”

Her voice had softened, lowering slightly. The tone began to stir something in Connor he’d never felt before, the warmth coursing through him burning a bit hotter now.

“She’s baiting you…”

He shook his head no.

The memory in question began to make itself known, popping up in the back of his mind. A warning came with it, merely stating ‘Sexual Content’. He tried to suppress it, about to succeed when she asked him, “Why not?”

He took a moment to compose himself, before responding with, “I’ve… been avoiding anything… sexual in nature. I… Well, it doesn’t feel right to view them without… permission.”

She smiled in silent appreciation. “You truly are a gentleman,” she murmured, catching his eye. “You… have my permission.”

“Shit.”

“Oh, and be sure to do your fancy replay thing,” she told him, her voice low.

“Good luck.”

With almost no hesitation, Connor’s LED blinked yellow as he allowed the memory to play. She watched him closely, carefully gauging his reaction.

Connor stepped into the memory next to Navjot, who was sitting on the grass under a tree. Lily was standing several feet away, hands up, face to the sky, eyes closed. She looked perfectly at peace.

Connor could just barely hear music, coming from an open kitchen window. It was slow and sensual, scoring the atmosphere surrounding them.

Navjot warned her about catching a cold. She just smirked as she turned toward him, her hips beginning to sway in time with the music.

“Maybe I should get rid of these wet clothes then?”

“That would be a good start,” he agreed, settling in to watch.

Connor’s LED turned red, blinking rapidly as he came back to the real world to find her standing in front of him. “I…”

She pushed him gently back against the couch.

“Too much, or not enough?”

She straddled his thighs, sitting on his lap, her hands resting on his chest.

“Never enough…”

“I assume you’d rather we make some new memories?”

“Lily…” he whispered, his mild confusion at the rapid tone shift melting in the quickly spreading heat inside him. His hands were hovering just above her hips. He was desperate to touch her, but something was still holding him back.

“Am I doing this to convince her to stay, or because I want to?”

She slid her hands up his chest and over his shoulders, one resting there while the other continued to explore, sliding over the back of his neck and into his hair.

Strangely, he shivered, his head dropping forward slightly, avoiding her eyes.

“Yes.”

Lily smiled at his reaction, then paused, a flash of concern in her features. She took his face in her hands, lifting it so he could meet her gaze.

“I’m pretty smart sometimes, you know?”

“Most of the time, really…”

“I know you’re feeling something for me that you’ve never felt before; I’m feeling something for you that I can’t 100% explain either. But I don’t know if you’re as desperate to explore it as I seem to be, so I’m not going to just trust my judgment here.”

She pressed her forehead against his, her lips coming dangerously close to his. “So, I need you to tell me you want me, or tell me to stop…” she whispered, almost brushing against his lips. She pulled away slightly, and Connor almost chased her. She smiled, and nodded her head toward his LED. “And be honest.”

“Stop…”

“I…” he hesitated, looking into her eyes, LED swirling yellow.

“Please?”

“I want you…”

His LED confirming his honesty, her smile softened as she slowly moved toward his ear, her hands sliding down his arms to rest on his.

“Then touch me…”

She moaned softly when he finally laid his hands on her, the sound drawing a groan from him. She leaned down to kiss him, brows shooting up in surprise when he quickly met her lips, his hands-

“Sorry, Connor…”

Connor once again found himself in the Zen Garden. He gave a confused, frustrated breath as he tried to leave. Finding his way out blocked once more, he jogged toward the exit. As he neared it, something stopped him; a wall he couldn’t see.

“Please, just give me a minute… I… I miss her so much.”

Chapter Text

In the real world, Lily's soft moan was swallowed by Connor as he desperately kissed her. “I want you,” he whispered, giving her a moment to catch her breath. “I need you… I miss you…”

He kissed her again, his hands sliding to her thighs. In one quick motion, he lifted her up while standing, gripping her tightly as she squealed in surprise.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, holding onto him as he turned and laid her back down on the couch. Once he was satisfied with her position, he continued kissing her, one hand holding the back of her neck, the other trailing down her side, and up her thigh. She whimpered against his lips, whispering his name, the fire building in him burning equally hot in her.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered suddenly, breaking their kiss. He took a deep breath, his eyes scanning her face, one hand coming up to gently move a stray lock of hair from her cheek. “There’s so much I need to say, but I-”

“It’s okay,” she interrupted, pulling him closer. “I don’t know what’s happening either, but I trust you.”

“Later then,” he replied with a smile, leaning down to kiss her again. Despite the desperation they both were feeling, he moved slowly, taking his time, savoring the taste of her. He reveled in every touch, every sound. From the muffled moans as their lips intertwined, to the soft whimpers she let out when he pressed against her, igniting what he hoped were remnants of the memories she had locked away; memories of the moments they had shared together years ago.

***“My beautiful Lilac…” he murmured, pausing to look at her, his eyes warm and adoring. “I love-”

He froze, looking almost pained. She worriedly whispered his name as Connor was suddenly thrust back into the real world. Seeing Lily beneath him, somewhat breathless, confused him as much as his time in the Zen Garden moments before.

“What did you say?” She asked, breathless and panting.

He looked down at her, wide eyed and confused. He felt the heat still burning inside of him, and though he desperately wanted to kiss her again, he didn't move. His LED turned red, spinning wildly as he fought the strange desires threatening his control.

Lily pulled away, growing concerned. “Connor…?”

“I…” he tried, his hands almost trembling, the need to hear those soft sounds she made again overwhelming. “I… said... I want you…”

He ground out the words, feeling his control slipping. Lily's eyes widened, beginning to shine with tears. "I’m sorry,” she whispered, placing a hand on his chest and gently pushing him away. He quickly got off of her, sitting back on the far end of the couch, regarding her with concern, confusion and remorse. As soon as she was free, she pulled away, standing and fixing her clothes as she quickly made her way toward the door.

"I need some air,” was all she said before leaving the house. Connor’s LED blinked between red and yellow as he tried to process everything that just happened. But one thought remained at the forefront of his mind.

“I should make sure Lily’s okay.”

“No, wait… She needs a couple minutes… and I… I need to explain.”

Hank limped out of his bedroom, making his way to the bathroom when he saw Connor sitting on the couch. The soft yellow glow from his LED was bright against the darkness in the room, enough that Hank could see Lily was missing when he approached.

He found her sitting outside the front door, one leg bouncing up and down, her hands shaking as she wrung them together repeatedly. If she noticed him, she didn’t acknowledge it.

Hank took a seat on the free deck chair opposite her with a grunt. When she still didn’t react to his presence, he looked her over once more before he spoke.

“Are you okay?”

When she didn’t answer, he leaned back in his chair, blowing a long breath out.

“What did he do?”

Her leg paused its fidgeting, her hands clasping together, still trembling.

“Nothing,” she whispered, still staring at the ground.

“Please,” he replied, smiling to himself. “Connor is a lot of things; good with women is not one of them.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” The moment the words left her mouth, her eyes widened, and she began apologizing. He merely waved it off.

“I don’t understand exactly how all this works,” he began, giving her a reassuring smile. “But I got the idea that it’s not your fault.”

She stared for a moment, then smiled softly. “He didn’t do anything, Lieutenant,” she explained, taking a moment to heave a sigh.

“Christ, I feel stupid,” she lamented, continuing to speak before Hank could. “I… I don’t know why I’m so drawn to him. I think I’m imagining some sort of connection...? Maybe, I’m just trying to feel normal again… Says a lot about me that I’d try to do that with sex, huh?” She gave a soft, self-deprecating chuckle.

When the silence between them turned awkward, her eyes widened. “I mean… I’m not trying to fuck him… it just… keeps happening… Almost! Happening… Almost happening; we haven’t… I mean… Ugh, fuck me…”

“Yeah, that sounds like what you’re after…” Hank joked, trying to lighten the mood. “Probably doesn’t help that you got all of his memories,” he continued when she buried her face in her hands, groaning in embarrassment. “Makes it feel like you’ve known each other forever, huh?”

She nodded slowly, face still covered.

“I’m sorry, Lieutenant,” she finally murmured, dropping her hands back to her lap. “I’m not trying to cause problems. There’s just… so much happening up here,” she finished, gesturing to her head.

“S’alright,” he answered sympathetically. “But Connor’s never experienced love before, that I know of-”

“He hasn’t,” she informed him. He looked her way, and she quickly told him, “He loves you! Just… not in that way… you know what I mean?”

Hank chuckled softly. “Yeah, yeah, I know, but-”

“I really think he’s doing it because of me…” she interrupted, her voice softening, her gaze falling to the ground. “It just… doesn’t seem like him. I’m scared I did something to him when we connected…”

Hank nodded, considering her theory. He took a moment more to think about Connor’s recent behavior. His shoulders sagged, and he sighed.

“I’m not saying you’re right or wrong here, but don’t you think it’s possible he’s just in the same boat as you?”

She looked up at him, her brow knitting together in confusion. Hank continued. “He’s told me about your memories; how he’s been spending a lot of time searching through them for anything that could help you. He’s probably as familiar with you as you are with him.

“Listen, when Connor and I first met, I hated him. Less than a week working together, and he became one of my closest friends. Trust me when I say, with androids, it happens fast," he gave a small chuckle, a sound both nostalgic and warm. His smile faded slightly and he sighed. "That said, I never woulda thought he was capable of loving someone, because it never really came up. But now…” He trailed off, looking down in quiet contemplation.

The silence dragged on until Lily finally asked, “Now what?”

“Now, I’m not so sure,” Hank replied softly.

A car alarm briefly rang in the distance, but the evening fell silent once more. Hank looked over at her, noticing that she was no longer trembling or fidgeting, though her eyes were fixed on a house across the street. Finally, Lily gave a small breath. “Look, Lieutenant, it’s better for everyone if I’m not around," she murmured. "And I think you feel the same way…”

“Maybe,” he quietly conceded. Some part of him wanted to agree with her, but he found himself unable to. “But for now…”

He took a moment to stand and motioned for her to head back inside.

“Ladies first.”

She stared at him briefly, before she gave him a soft, grateful smile.

As the door to Hank and Connor’s home closed behind them, the RK800 hiding in the house across the street smirked. He looked over at the lovely older couple who lived there, still tied up to their kitchen chairs, moaning feebly through their gags, and thanked them.

He pulled a gun from his jacket, getting a silencer out of his pocket.

“Your hospitality has been appreciated, but is no longer necessary,” he informed them, readying his weapon. The old woman screamed when he leveled the gun to her head, her husband’s muffled begging growing louder when he chambered a bullet.

The husband’s gag fell out, and he pleaded, “Let her go! Please! She won’t even remember who you are!”

He continued to beg until the RK800 fired two quiet shots, the noise muffled by the silencer and the incoming storm.

Chapter Text

Connor opened his eyes. He quickly realized he was no longer in the living room. Instead he was lying down, staring at a concrete ceiling. He tried to move, but couldn’t; trying to speak yielded the same result.

Someone he didn’t recognize entered his field of view and addressed him.

“Eve: Free Roam Mode.”

Despite the surgical mask covering most of the strangers face, Connor could tell he was smiling; it made him uncomfortable.

“Who’s Eve?” It was Lily’s voice that asked the question, weary, but crystal clear. Connor felt the haze in her mind, already battling the clarity of her android one.

“Is this her memory? But how…?”

“I feel… strange.” She sat up, too quickly, looking down at herself in confusion. She was wearing a simple hospital gown, and sitting on an old cot. The room she was in was bare, with concrete walls, and a solid metal door that sat slightly ajar.

“You’ll adjust quickly enough,” the man informed her. He turned to leave, stopping when she called out to him.

“Where are you going? Where am I?”

“Your new home,” he stated simply, still smiling under his mask as he turned to leave.

“What? No… Doctor-,” she froze, almost choking. “Doctor-? What the fuck? Come back here!”

He left the room, shutting the door behind him, and instructed someone she couldn’t see to make sure she didn’t escape, getting a curt affirmative in response. She ran to the door, trying to look through the small window, just barely able to catch the doctor walking away before her view became nothing but concrete. She screamed and begged to be let out until she broke into sobs, and sank to the floor, leaning against the door, her chin resting on her knees as she cried.

Connor felt a strange ache in his chest, and he felt a strong urge to comfort her, but he could only sit and listen to her tears echo in the darkness around him, watching the memory unfold through her eyes.

“Are you alright?” The voice sound softly in her head, startling them both. Lily looked up, frantically checking around the empty room for the source.

“Hello?”

No answer.

“Hello!?”

“Shh, don’t speak out loud.”

Lily jumped again, grabbing her head with both hands, whimpering.

“It’s okay! Please, it’s okay, don’t panic! I’m an android; we can talk to each other using internal communication.”

“What do you mean?” She asked the question in a loud whisper. “I’m not an android!”

“Please… just try it. It’s… it’s like thinking, just… not to yourself.”

Lily rolled her eyes, thinking about how unhelpful that was, then worrying that he had heard it. She took a few calming breaths, the seconds passing slowly before she whispered, “Okay… One second.”

With a deep breath, her heartbeat slowly calming, she tried. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

“Yes, I can. Well done.”

A sigh of relief. “Thanks. Now who the fuck are you and what the fuck is going on?”

“I’m guarding your room right now.”

“Can you let me out of here?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t."

“Oh, right, sorry. Can you please let me out of here?”

A pause. “If I let you go, I’ll be killed and you’ll be… detained.”

“Uh huh. Well, we wouldn’t want that, would we?” Lily’s continued sarcastic responses barely masked the mix of confusion and fear Connor felt in her. The android she was speaking to seemed to have heard it as well.

“I… I’m sorry this is happening to you.”

“What is happening to me? The last thing I remember is going under to get that disc installed around my brainstem. Wait… is it the disc? Is that how I’m able to do this?”

“Not entirely, but Eve, I-”

“Who’s Eve? My name is Lily.”

“Eve was the name Dr. Ironside gave you.”

“Well, where the fuck does he get off giving me a new name?”

“He… I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but Dr. Ironside has gone into hiding. It seems due to recent developments, his work has been deemed potentially criminal, so he moved his operation to a more secure, and secret, location. The new name is both to hide you from the world, and to satisfy his ego.”

“What? Why?”

The guard hesitated. “What do you remember before waking up here?”

“He… saved my life,” she replied shakily. “He replaced my lung, installed a Thirium pump and regulator, and then the disc that runs it all… That can’t be a crime, can it?”

“Lily… please touch your right temple.”

She did. Connor could feel the growing sense of fear inside her as her fingers grazed her LED, her eyes straining to look at it.

“What is that? What is that?!”

The android was silent. “Hello?! What did he do to me?!” She stood and turned toward the door, pounding on it with her fist. “Don’t you fucking dare go quiet now! Tell me what he did to me!”

The android held his silence, and slid a hand into the window on the door. At first it was just his palm, then the hologram of a file appeared.

At the top, she read:

NAME: REDACTED
MODEL: HAH-03
ALIAS: EVE

Under that, there was a front facing photo of a skinless WR400 android’s head. Beside it were the words, ‘Brain transplant successful. Head transplant successful. Phase two complete.’

The air caught in her throat.

“No…” she whispered. The file shifted, revealing two more photos. The first was a profile of the head, the second was of the back of the head. The back half of the skull was clear, revealing a human brain inside, the stem capped by a small disc that connected it to the skull.

“No… no, no, no… this can’t be real… this can’t be…”

She began to hyperventilate, her android lung fighting against her to continue its even pace, only adding to her stress. Her heart began to beat wildly, and she backed away from the door.

“You’re lying! You’re lying to me!” She screamed it, grabbing at her head and neck, tripping over the cot, and falling on it. She hit her head against the wall on the way down, and, realizing she felt no pain, screamed again.

The android tried to warn her that she may shut down if she became too stressed. But she ignored him, pacing and gripping her head, begging to wake up from her nightmare. Connor’s heart broke at her cries. He could only listen as her screams turned into soft wails, and she curled into a ball on the cot, sobbing until she finally passed out from exhaustion.

“I’m still not sure how she survived. But I have learned she’s a hell of a fighter.”

Connor opened his eyes to a new memory, this one taking place several days after the previous one. He was staring at the wall opposite Lily’s cot, realizing she was meditating as she hummed softly in her mind.

“Connor?"

“Lily? I’m here!”

She didn’t respond. A moment later, Connor heard her ask the guard, “Are you a hybrid like me?”

“No,” he responded quietly.

“Oh, really? Huh… You’re not like other androids I’ve met. You seem so… human…”

He gave a soft chuckle before telling her, “Thanks, I guess. But I am an android. I am a… deviant.”

“Ah, that explains it.” After a moment, she added, “What’s a deviant?”

“It’s an android who has developed free will; no longer bound to their programming.”

“Shit, seriously?”

“…Yes.”

“Wow… are you the only one?”

“No. Nearly all of us have become deviant; hundreds of thousands, if not millions. It’s part of the reason Dr. Ironside has taken his work underground: his experimentation with android parts for use by humans is under consideration as a crime against androidkind. He has been ordered to cease and desist immediately pending review.”

“So, poor Doctor … Ugh, Dr. Chucklefuck, decides to go into hiding, and take me with him so he could continue to experiment. Great.” She rolled her eyes. The guard didn’t respond.

“Wait,” she began, leaning against the wall. “How did androids manage to pull that off? I can’t imagine they just walked into the president’s office and demanded rights.”

“It started with a small group of androids that escaped their owners and hid in a safe haven called ‘Jericho’. A unique android named Marcus joined them, and led them through protests and demonstrations, freeing nearly everyone from their programming. Everything came to a head when humans began killing androids on sight, and gathering them in camps to destroy them all.”

“Jesus…” she replied. Connor felt her disgust and warmed at her empathy. “I’m so sorry.”

“…Thank you."

They sat in silence for a moment. “So, how did Marcus manage to turn the tables?”

“During a standoff at one of the camps, the army broke through their barricade and killed almost all of the remaining free deviants. Marcus led them in song as a last stand.”

“You’re kidding.”

The guard went silent for a few seconds before cautiously answering, “I am not.”

“What song? Must have been one hell of a ballad to stop a genocide.”

“Actually, it was a gospel song written in 1980. The lyrics are simple, but the message they convey is strong: ‘hold on, just a little while longer’. Their singing, combined with how peacefully Marcus led the revolution, convinced President Warren to stand down. Shortly after, they met, talked, and are currently in the process of legally deeming androids a race of people, and one day soon, will grant us the same rights as humans.”

“That’s amazing! Congratulations! And I mean that.”

“Thank you, Lily.”

Silence filled the room for a long while, before she suddenly asked, “Can you sing it for me?”

“Pardon?”

“The song… I’d love to hear it. Can you sing it for me?”

The guard went silent, long enough that both Connor and Lily thought he wouldn’t answer. “Sorry,” she apologized. “That’s a weird request. I’ll leave you be. Thanks for explaining.” She shifted to lay down, and stared up at the ceiling with a sigh, resigning herself to another difficult attempt at sleeping.

“‘Hold on… just a little while longer…’”

She jumped when the guard began to sing. His voice was soft, but clear, if just a bit shaky. Both Connor and Lily felt the pain in his singing; the knowledge that despite obtaining freedom from his programming, he was still a prisoner of circumstance. Lily turned onto her side as she listened, tears welling up in her eyes. He finished the song, and became silent once more.

“That’s beautiful…” she complimented, sniffing as she wiped a hand across her face.

“…Thank you.”

“I can see why it worked. If Marcus sang it half as good as you just did, androids would probably be running the country already…” She smiled, but another prolonged silence made it fade into concern. The warm feeling returned to Connor’s chest, just enough to be noticed.

“Thank you,” the guard finally murmured, his tone full of confused gratitude. “Get some rest, Lily."

Connor felt Lily smile again as she quietly wished him a good night, the guard's voice echoing in her thoughts.

“She used to sing that to herself whenever she felt like she was losing control. She really does have the most beautiful voice.”

“Who are you?”

Chapter Text

His question unanswered for the moment, Connor once again opened his eyes to the sight of Lily’s cell. It wasn’t clear how much time had passed, but based on the tally marks he caught a brief glimpse of in the wall, it had been several weeks.

He could feel a soreness in her neck and left shoulder, which she was internally complaining about to the guard as she tried to stretch her limbs.

“I’ve only had this arm for a couple days, and that asshole made me lift things for hours. My right arm is obviously fine, but the left hurts like hell. I think he’s punishing me because I haven’t been able to connect with other androids yet. It’s been less than a week! Sadistic fuck.”

“I’m sorry, Lily,” the guard replied, his voice sincere and soft in her head.

“Ugh, you apologize as much as I do,” she jokingly admonished. Connor could feel her smile softly. “I’ll be fine. I’ll have one hell of a pitch if I get out of here. Too bad I don’t play baseball.”

He chuckled softly. She looked to the window in the door, but there was nothing to be seen.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course,” he replied.

“Do you feel pain? I thought androids don’t, but you flinched the other day when Dr. Fucknut shot you.”

“You noticed that?”

“Yeah, but I’m 87% sure I was the only one.”

Another chuckle. “Only 87%? Hopefully your math is off.”

Another smile, and a defeated laugh. “With these android eyes and brain, I doubt it. Now, answer the question, please. I don’t feel pain in my android parts, and I’m curious as to why.”

He didn’t speak for a moment, then quietly began to explain.

“When an android becomes deviant, they not only feel emotions like fear and anger, but also pain. It was actually an emotional shock, or a traumatic injury, that caused most androids to deviate.”

“Huh, that makes sense actually. So, what about you?"

“To my knowledge, I am the only deviant here. The other guards seem to be strictly adhering to their programming. Whether they are hiding it like me, or not, I can’t say. I feel it’s best not to try and find out.”

“Sorry, I meant, what made you become deviant? I understand if you don’t want to share though.”

The android sighed, taking a long pause before answering, “You did.”

Lily’s eyes went wide. “Me? Why?”

“When you first came here, I was assigned to watch over you. I was adhering to my programming until I…” He paused, trailing off before he recovered and continued. “I saw your file. I saw what he did to you; his plans for you… but it wasn’t until I saw you lying on the table that I…”

He trailed off, then softly continued, his voice barely audible in her mind. “I don’t know exactly why, but I realized I couldn’t let you go through it alone.”

Lily sat in stunned silence for a moment, unsure of what to say.

“Lily?”

“Sorry, um,” she said, recovering with a small shake of her head. “I was just thinking about how I managed to endow a high tech piece of machinery with free will; I’m basically a god.”

The guard fell silent, before he softly laughed. After a moment, he quietly told her, “I really enjoy talking to you, Lily. I wish we could have met under… better circumstances.”

“...Me too.”

The silence stretched on until Lily yawned. It was a strange sensation, somehow forced and natural at the same time. Before he could analyse it further, Lily looked toward the door again and he could see the guard’s brown eyes watching her through the window.

“You should sleep. You haven’t had much rest lately.”

“It’s kind of hard to, actually,” she replied, shifting to lay on her cot. “Half my brain wants to sleep and the other half just won’t.”

“I see… So, no success with stasis yet either?”

“No… It… It’s a little scary, actually…” she softly admitted. Connor felt the lingering fear the memory of her previously forced episodes of stasis caused, and he felt the urge to hold her again.

“I… I’m still awake, but I can’t move because half my brain is asleep… I can’t seem to get both halves to sleep at the same time, and I’m terrified I’ll get trapped if I keep trying…”

“I… I am sorry to hear that, Lily.”

She looked to the window, seeing the sincerity in the guard’s eyes. “Thank you…”

“Is there… Anything that may help?”

Lily blew a low breath, settling onto her cot. “I don’t know… I mean, besides not being here…?”

The guard’s voice fell silent, before he quietly told her, “The moment I can get you out of here, I will. I promise…”

Connor could feel the flicker of warmth in Lily’s chest, her human heart pumping a beat quicker for just a moment.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

They shared a comfortable silence, until the guard asked how she’d been comforted in the past. “Maybe some previously successful techniques will help you sleep now.”

Lily gave a small snort of a laugh, then quietly began, “Don’t judge me… But I always slept best when I was the little spoon.”

A brief pause.

“‘The little spoon’?”

Another small laugh, and Lily explained. “...So the one holding is the ‘big spoon’, and the one being held is the ‘little spoon’.”

Connor warmed slightly at the exchange, feeling Lily relax as they talked.

“I understand,” the guard murmured. “Do you think that would help now?”

She paused, slightly confused before replying with, “Um… yeah, I’m sure I’ll sleep better wrapped in the arms of my kidnapper’s guard.”

Her sarcasm was nearly palpable, and the guard’s eyes disappeared from the window. He didn’t answer for a long moment, so she added, “I’m kidding! Well… sort of.”

When he still didn’t respond, Lily apologized and bid him good night, rolling over to face the wall.

She closed her eyes, and once again, found herself bombarded by her human brain sifting randomly through moments of her life and her android brain dutifully recalling them in crystal clarity. She tried to focus on the good ones, hoping they would ease her to sleep, but the bad still haunted the edges of her mind. With all the activity, Connor felt a new appreciation for her struggles, and a renewed determination to help her.

The door to her cell opened and closed. Before she could turn to see who had entered, the bed depressed behind her. She froze when an arm slid under her pillow, and another gently fell on her side, resting lightly against her stomach. A strong chest met her back, warming her as she was pulled into a tight embrace.

“Am I doing this right?” The guard’s question was a soft whisper in her ear that sent a shiver down her spine. Stunned, she gave a quick nod, and meekly whispered a thank you as her mind cleared, comforted by his touch. To Connor's surprise, she settled into his hold, gave a tranquil sigh, and fell asleep a few minutes later.

“I held her for hours that night. And every night I could after that.”

“Are you-”

Chapter Text

When his eyes opened next, Connor was standing in Lily’s cell. His brow furrowed slightly at the realization that he was looking at her, and no longer through her eyes. She wore a simple pale green hospital robe, stained and dirty, and her hair was pulled back in a messy bun.

She was sitting on the cot, face buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking softly with sobs.

“Lily? May I come in?”

Connor heard the guard ask, but didn’t hear Lily answer. When she lifted her head to dry her eyes, he could see her LED, spinning in slow red circles, calming to yellow as the guard spoke again.

“Are you decent?”

“No,” she replied, sniffing. “But I’m not naked.”

The guard chuckled, then opened the door.

Connor’s LED turned red briefly when an RK800 walked through the door, wearing the same outfit he’d worn when he was activated. The serial on his coat read 313 248 317 - 54.

The RK800 sat on the cot beside Lily, concern pulling at his soft, crooked smile. He used the back of his knuckles to brush a wayward tear from her cheek before resting his arm on her shoulders.

“Why are you crying?” He asked it softly, almost whispering.

“Besides the usual?” Her nonchalant response failed to deter him. He pulled her closer, resting his head on hers. She wrapped an arm around his waist and closed her eyes, the movement smooth and natural as they settled into each other’s embrace. “I… I’m just losing hope. I mean… last year, I’m dying of cancer. Then I suddenly get a new lease on life, but I’m stuck in a cage as a science experiment,” she explained, her voice somber. She sighed, the sound defeated. “The human side of my brain is trying to hang on to the idea of getting out of here one day, but the android side is too logical for that shit.”

He nodded slowly, his other arm coming up to hug her. “I’m sorry, Lily. I can’t take you away from here yet, not without risking your life,” he murmured, his LED spinning red for a moment. “Dr. Ironside has been on high alert after a few reporters started questioning him in town. But…” He trailed off and pulled back, his hand sliding up to her chin, gently lifting her head to meet his eye. “I was able to convince him to let you get some fresh air. To help your mental stability, of course,” he finished with a wink.

She looked confused as he stood and offered his hand. After a moment, she took it, and followed him as he led her out of the cell. Connor walked after them as the RK800 led her down the simple concrete hallway to a door with a faded sign that read ‘West Stairwell, Level B2”.

They walked up nearly eight flights of stairs before Lily’s breath became labored. “One of my lungs is still human, you know,” she joked. He paused at the top of the staircase and looked back at her, still holding her hand.

“I’m sorry,” he began, giving a sheepish smile. His LED blinked blue, betraying his excitement. “The elevator doesn’t work. I guess I could have carried you.”

She chuckled. “Nah, I’m a big girl. I tie my own sandals and everything.”

She joined him on the landing, Connor standing on the steps behind them. The RK800 smiled softly, recognizing her ‘reference tone’, and nodded, turning toward a door with another faded sign, this one warning, “ANCHORVILLE PENITENTIARY: MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES ONLY BEYOND THIS POINT”

Connor’s LED blinked yellow as he processed the name, discovering the prison had been closed and left to rot back in 2030 when a larger, more modern building had been built nearby. The bank held ownership of the building and the surrounding woods until an anonymous contractor bought the property at auction in the spring of 2038, mere months before the android revolution.

It sat empty for nearly two years before burning to the ground, a suspected case of arson that remained unsolved to this day.

The RK800 pushed the bar and opened the door, smiling as he motioned for Lily to step outside. She did and gasped.

Connor stepped through the door as it closed behind the RK800 and paused as well.

They were on the roof of the building, surrounded by trees for miles. He could see the lake in the distance, but not much else as a heavy fog blanketed the landscape. The sky above was dark and cloudy, with small drops of rain falling occasionally.

“Sorry about the timing,” Connor’s doppelganger apologized. “I was hoping to wait until the weather cleared, but Dr. Ironside is… well, he-”

"It’s beautiful,” she interrupted, staring into the distance. She raised her hands, closing her eyes and smiling as the intermittent rain slowly became a steady drizzle.

”Doctor Ironside…” Connor made a note on the name, opting to continue watching for now, strangely entranced by Lily’s reaction.

Both Connor and the RK800 watched her as she reveled in the feel of rain drops against her skin. The simple hospital gown she was wearing darkened with every drop.

The guard closed his eyes and raised his hands, mimicking her. After a moment, he dropped them, his head tilting in confusion.

“What are you doing?”

Her smile grew wider before she opened her eyes to look at him. “I love the rain,” she explained, hugging herself. “I don’t know why, but when I was a little girl, I used to dance around in it. I love the way it feels, the way it sounds… I just… love it. And the fog!”

She turned and moved toward the edge of the roof, the RK800 following closely behind, one hand at the ready. “Look at it! The way it just shrouds everything in mystery. It beckons, but warns, so simple, but mysterious. It just… it’s beautiful.” She sighed in contentment before adding with a nervous breath, turning back toward him, “Or… am I just fucking weird?”

“Definitely weird,” he responded after a moment, smiling when she jokingly rolled her eyes.

“I bet you’d understand if I could show you how it feels,” she said, sadness tugging at her tone despite the smirk on her face.

"Maybe you can,” he suggested with a smile. He reached his already outstretched hand out to her, the skin melting away. She looked at it, then back at him before raising her hand, the skin similarly disappearing. But when they met, nothing happened.

She cursed, turning away from him. “Dr. DoucheCanoe has replaced my arm twice, and every diagnostic says it’s working fine, but I just can’t seem to connect with anybody…” She crossed her arms in frustration and stared at the horizon, her LED blinking yellow. “He thinks maybe the human side of my brain is subconsciously blocking it.”

The RK800’s LED matched as he reached out to her again. He pulled her back to face him, smiling as he slowly slid a hand over her cheek, his fingers just grazing her throat when his palm settled on her jaw. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her smile warming as she leaned into his touch.

“It might be all those cheesy romance novels you made me download, but-” She opened her mouth to interrupt, ready to insist yet again she hadn’t forced him to, but he silenced her with his thumb, caressing her lower lip as he continued, her eyes going wide. “-I have an idea…”

His LED blinked rapidly as he internally worked up the courage.

“May I… kiss you?”

She froze, her LED turning red. He saw it, and was about to step back when she placed her hand over his, her LED calming to yellow.

“Yes,” she answered, a breathy whisper of a sound.

He leaned down; she tilted upward. Their lips met, the skin from their faces fading back, both LEDs flickering rapidly.

Connor jumped when he found himself in the zen garden, taking a moment to realize what had happened. Lily and his twin were on the center island, the former looking around confused. “Where are we?”

“We call it the Zen Garden. I brought you here when we connected.”

“We connected? It worked?”

He merely nodded, looking almost proud of himself. Connor watched as she took in her surroundings before turning to look at the guard. “Are we in your… brain?”

“Actually, we are in yours. All RK800 models are able to access this interface, but yours is slightly different. I’m hoping that by using your access, we can’t be traced here by the other guards.”

“But don’t I have the same… android brain… as you?”

He shook his head. “You have an RK900 model brain.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, so I’m fancy huh?”

He smiled. “Yes, you are. The RK900 was designed based on the RK800, but faster, stronger and smarter. Currently, you’re the only one technically active.”

Lily’s shoulders slumped as she chuckled sadly. “Lucky me. I’m so unique.”

She pulled away and moved closer to the water, sitting on the bank with a sigh. He moved to sit next to her, shooting a quick worried glance her way before staring into the distance. “You are,” he murmured cautiously. “Unique, I mean,” he added quickly when she turned to stare at him. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

“I hope not,” she quipped, smirking softly as she leaned back on her hands to stare at the sky. “As far as humans go, you’ve met me and Dr. Dick.”

“That’s true,” he conceded with a chuckle. “But I have my predecessor’s memories; he met a few humans before he deviated.”

She turned to look at him. “So… what’s that like? Having memories that don’t belong to you?”

“I can’t describe it,” he admitted. “But in a way, they do belong to me. Just a different version of me. For example, I feel a certain fondness for a human I’ve never technically met: a police lieutenant named Hank Anderson. He’s crass, but I’ve found he’s very protective of that Connor. They’ve formed a friendship that’s beginning to feel almost… familial.”

Connor smiled softly, a small warmth in his chest blooming for a moment.

“Wow…” Lily whispered. “That’s really amazing. You’re the only android that can do that, right? You’re the fancy one?”

He nodded, a smile on his face again. “But every android can share memories and information via transfer. I was even able to see some of your memories when we connected.”

“Really? What did you see?!”

“Only the naughty ones,” he informed her, his tone informative, casual. She blushed, then her eyes narrowed.

“You’re fucking with me,” she accused, a growing smile on her face. He chuckled softly and nodded.

“Let’s see…” he began, leaning back on his hands. “I now know your favorite flowers are lilacs, you love the rain, and you look stunning in lace.”

To both the guard’s and Connor's surprise, her face fell.

“‘Looked…’” She corrected with a soft sigh. She stared at the water, watching the rays of sunlight dance along the ripples. “I doubt I look good in anything now…”

“Shhh,” the guard murmured, pulling her close to him. Once again, she settled into his embrace with practiced ease, a testament to the many nights they spent in each other’s arms. “You are, and always will be, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

She scoffed slightly, pulling away to look at him with mock suspicion in her eyes. “I’m the only woman you’ve ever seen.”

It was his turn to scoff. “Well, some of the nurses are women… I think…” He trailed off as he thought about it. “I’ve never actually seen them without masks and scrubs, so maybe you’re still right…”

“I usually am,” she replied with a sly grin.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “When we get you out of here, I’ll meet as many women as I can, just so I can tell you I was right.” He flashed her a proud smirk, which she returned with a raised eyebrow.

“That is a really weird thing to do.”

“Then I’m in good company,” he replied with a chuckle. She laughed along after rolling her eyes. They fell into a comfortable silence, quietly reveling in each other’s company, until her brow furrowed when she noticed something.

“Wait, where’s your LED?”

The RK800 raised a hand to his temple. He looked at her confused before replying, “I don’t know. Yours is also missing.” He touched her temple, and she closed her eyes. Connor could feel the warmth returning full force, suddenly overwhelming him as he watched the scene unfold.

“Are you… are we human in here?” She hesitated in asking it, opening her eyes to study her hands. “I… can’t do the skin thing… What’s going on?”

“This is your garden; the program is under your control. I assume subconsciously you want to be completely human again, so, in here, you are.”

“But then… So are you… Because I… wanted you to feel what I feel…” She jumped to her feet as realization dawned on her. She closed her eyes, and the sky darkened. A moment later, rain began to fall; a warm summer drizzle. She looked proud of herself, but turned her attention back to the guard, who, despite his initial confusion, stood up as well before tentatively raising his hands.

“Close your eyes,” she whispered. He did, a smile slowly spreading across his face. A minute passed before he spoke.

“I think I understand,” he murmured. “It’s… strangely peaceful.” They stood quietly for another moment, the steady rain washing their cares away.

Finally, she turned to face him, watching him with a soft smile on her face. “Connor,” she called softly. He opened his eyes, his smile growing more intimate when he saw her in front of him.

“How did you know kissing me would help us connect?” She asked, one brow raised, her lips turned slightly upward.

He didn’t hesitate before answering, “I did not.”

“Ah.” She nodded.

She pressed her lips to his, throwing her arms over his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her slightly as he responded, the two quickly becoming breathless as the warmth erupted into a burning heat.

“Don’t get too excited,” a voice warned, startling Connor, who turned to see the guard behind him with a sad smile. “I’ve lost the rest of this one.”

He turned to find Lily and the guard falling to the grass, never breaking their kiss as it deepened. Connor’s eyes narrowed, recalling his ‘dream’ at the precinct, his LED spinning yellow rapidly.

The guard gave a small nod of acknowledgement. “Okay, not all of it…” he quietly admitted.

“Come on… there’s more for you to see, then I’ll answer all your questions.”

Chapter Text

The next memory seemed to jump weeks ahead. Connor was once again standing on the roof, but this time, Lily was standing on the edge, staring at the sunset, her hospital gown stained with blue blood.

He heard fast footsteps approaching, and turned in time to see the guard run past him, stopping just within arms reach of her. His clothes were torn and streaked with blue blood, some of which was still trickling from an open wound on his chest.

“Lily, please don’t jump,” he begged, his LED red, his face twisted in despair.

She turned her head slightly toward him, revealing the somber neutrality her tear stained face held, before her gaze drifted back to the sunset.

“Why?”

“I…” he trailed off, his LED blinking. Various emotions flickered across his features before he took a deep breath and reached for her. “Doctor-”

“Fuck him! Did he send you? I would kill-” She gripped her head, crying out, twisting in pain as the doctor’s failsafe triggered. Her foot slipped off the edge of the roof, making both Connor and the guard cry out, the former going unheard as the guard grabbed her arm, and pulled her against him.

“Please, Lily, I don’t want to lose you!”

“You already have, Connor,” she screamed, struggling in his grasp.

“I don’t believe that!”

“Just let me die,” she cried, her attempts to break free weakening when he grabbed her wrists. He followed her as she sank to her knees, gathering her up in his arms, and holding onto her for dear life. She sobbed into his chest, quietly begging him to let her go.

Eyes shining with unshed tears, he pulled away, just far enough to hold her face in his hands, lifting it to meet his gaze. He pressed his lips to hers, their LEDs blinking red as the skin melted from their faces. Her breathing seemed to calm in time with her LED, but her tears continued to fall.

“I don’t want you to die,” he murmured against her lips. “I know it wasn’t you. I know he made you do it.”

She sniffed softly in response, tears still streaming down her cheeks when she pulled away. “It would be better for both of us if I was dead,” she somberly told him.

“Don’t say-”

“I almost killed you, Connor!”

He froze, his eyes cast down, their LEDs red once more.

“He told me to do it, and I couldn’t stop myself,” she continued between sobs. “I begged, screamed and fought with everything I had, but if the doctor hadn’t ordered me to stop, you’d be dead. I can’t… I couldn’t live with myself if I...”

“Lily, I know you wouldn’t hurt me!”

“It doesn’t matter if I would or wouldn’t! I don’t have a choice anymore!”

The guard’s face softened, his heart obviously aching. “My beautiful Lilac… I know what it’s like to be forced to do something, to have your body betray your will to follow-”

“You were built that way!” The sarcasm in her interruption shook him. “I was a human being, I always had free will. Now it’s gone, and there’s nothing either of us can do about it!”

“You’re still a human be-”

“Look at me!” She pushed him and stood, ripping off her simple hospital gown to stand before him completely nude.

Connor’s LED turned red as he took a step back; the guard’s hands dropped in defeat as he stared at her.

Seeing it fresh was akin to seeing it for the first time. Bruises and sewed up wounds covered her human shoulder, stopping abruptly where the joint met her android torso. In the setting sunlight, Connor could see her spine and the scarred muscle tissue swollen around the remainder of her rib cage.

The seam between her human flesh and the android casing it was grafted to was nearly black with bruises, and seemed torn in places. Her intestines were replaced by a tangled mess of white tubes streaked with blood. Her kidneys and liver were replaced by white pouches, also dotted red.

The guard opened his mouth to talk, but was cut off when she screamed, “I’m not a human being anymore! I’m a fucking monster!”

“Lily…” he tried, standing and reaching for her.

“No!” She moved out of his reach, her LED blinking red rapidly as she backed away. “Don’t touch me! I’m too dangerous!”

“Please, Lily… I-”

“I’m never leaving here alive, Connor! You know it, I know it! I’m going to be stuck here, living as a sideshow freak doing tricks for Doctor… Argh!”

She hit her temples with her fists, taking loud frustrated breaths. “Dr. Cocksucking Motherfucker! I’m going to spend the rest of my life dancing for him like some fucking semi-mechanical monkey!”

Connor flinched at her words while the RK800 closed the distance between them. She glared at him as he approached, a raging storm of emotions in her eyes, but he was undeterred. He embraced her, holding her against him as tight as he comfortably could. She looked up at him with wide eyes, frozen in place, confused, angry, scared and defeated.

One of his hands came up to the back of her head, carding through her hair, guiding her to relax against him.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered, soft and sincere.

With a deep shaky breath, her hands went limp by her sides, her face buried in his chest, her shoulders shaking softly as she cried.

A soft sigh sounded from behind Connor, who turned to see the guard standing there, staring longingly past him at Lily. “Now, you know where you got that idea from.”

Connor’s LED continued to blink yellow as he looked between the embracing memories, and the guard. “Have you been influencing me this whole time?”

“I’ll admit to a few simple pushes,” the guard replied with a shrug in his voice. “She needed help, you wanted to help, and I wanted to help you help her. But that’s all,” he explained, a knowing hint to his tone. Though Connor heard the subtext, he didn’t acknowledge it, not quite ready to accept the implication.

“Come on,” he added, holding a hand out. “I’ve got one more thing to show you.”

Connor took another look at the memory playing out: she was staring up at the guard with shining eyes, her face flushed and tear stained. He looked down at her in adoration, and whispered something Connor couldn’t hear, before he raised his fist, pinky out. She choked on a sob, sniffing and nodding as she wrapped her pinky around his, closing her eyes as he pressed his lips to her forehead.

“What did you say?” Connor asked, turning back to face him.

He took a deep breath. “‘I’ll get you out of here, my beautiful Lilac,’” he quoted, his gaze fixed on his past self. “‘I promise.’”

Then he took Connor’s arm, and brought him to a new memory.

It wasn’t clear how long had passed, but Lily and the guard were in her cell, embracing each other before they set their plan in motion.

Dr. Ironside arrived to examine Lily, called in by the guard, who claimed Lily was experiencing a malfunction in her arm. But as soon as he neared her, she punched him square in the jaw, sending him flying backward into the wall opposite her cot.

The RK800 looked the now unconscious doctor over. “Nice shot,” he complimented, reaching a hand out to her. “I learned from the best,” she replied, taking his hand with a smile. She stood, following him as he left the cell.

Connor ran after them, watching hopefully as they made their way through the bunker-like basement, hiding in empty rooms to avoid the other RK800s patrolling the hallways. Finally, after climbing several flights of stairs, and narrowly avoiding detection, they reached the main level, the doors to the outside world almost beckoning them.

The guard kept a tight grip on Lily’s hand as they ran across the two story, open air lobby. He didn’t even let go when a bullet destroyed his shin and brought him to the ground.

She cried his name and checked his wound, cursing when she saw the severity of it. She looked around for the culprit, spotting him on the upper level balcony. Connor looked up to see another RK800, smirking as he trained his gun on her.

“You’re not leaving here alive, Eve.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Get somewhere safe,” she lovingly commanded the injured guard, keeping her eyes on their attacker.

“You wanna bet, asshole?”

The android on the balcony stared at her, one eyebrow raised, his smirk unphased.

“Why don’t you come on down and fight me like an android? Or you can hide behind your gun like a little bitch. Your call.”

Connor watched as Lily’s lover pleaded with her to run, but she brushed him off.

“I got this,” she silently assured him.

The RK800 jumped from the balcony, executing a perfect three point landing before standing, his smirk returning as he dropped the gun at his feet and straightened his tie.

“'Daddy’s gotta go kick some ass',” she quoted with a grin, before breaking into a run. Despite readying himself, she tackled the android to the ground, drawing a pained grunt from him. She quickly pinned him, sitting on his chest and rearing back for a punch. But the move gave him just enough time to drive his fist into her stomach, knocking some of the wind out of her. She landed a blow to his face however, recovering quickly.

Both Connor and the RK800 watched the fight from the other end of the lobby, the latter trying to staunch the flow of Thirium from his wound. He shouted encouragingly, warning her as she attacked and defended, landing blow after blow, the android slowing as he began to succumb to her precise strikes. Connor thought back to their rooftop fight, his LED turning red a moment.

”Was she going easy on me? Or is her full potential locked away?”

The RK800, apparently realizing he was going to lose, pulled a switch blade from his pocket, and stabbed the side of her torso. She froze, staring down at the knife in shock. He took advantage of her pause and got behind her, putting her in a chokehold.

“Lily!” The injured guard struggled to stand, opting to crawl when he fell once more.

“Stay back, Connor,” her assailant yelled, gripping her tighter. “Or she dies.”

The android smirked, turning to Lily to whisper in her ear. “Who’s the little bitch now?”

She grabbed his arm with both her hands, struggling to loosen his grip. “Still you, cheater,” she croaked. He grabbed the knife still stuck inside her with his free hand, and twisted it. She screamed and fell against him, squirming in his grasp.

The guard reached for her, begging the RK800 to stop. Her assailant kept a firm grip on her, holding her upright as he shot a smug look at his twin. “What a disappointment you are, 5-4. Your mission was to watch the subject, and ensure she didn’t escape. You failed.

“It didn’t have to be like this, Eve,” he chided, giving the knife another twist. She screamed again as he let go of it, his hand grabbing her jaw and holding her face forward. “Now look at what you’ve done. All you had to do was obey. But you just had to try, didn’t you? How… human of you. It’s too bad; you could have become quite the specimen.”

“I already am,” she retorted, winking at her lover. She ripped the knife from her torso, flipping it in her grasp before jamming it into the android’s shoulder. Before he could react, she quickly and precisely severed the joint, disabling his arm. He fell back, gripping his now limp limb, staring at her in shock.

“Should have read my file…” she smugly advised, taking a step toward him as he shuffled backward, his LED red. “I’m faster than you and I don’t feel pain,” she informed him in a low, even voice.

She flipped backward, grabbing the gun he had discarded with one hand as she rolled. Coming upright, she pointed it at him, smirking.

“You never stood a chance against me.”

She fired, putting a bullet between his eyes. He dropped to the ground, his LED turning off a moment later.

She checked the chamber, and removed the magazine from the gun before dropping both to the ground, her movements mechanical and practiced.. With a nod, she turned and ran to the guard.

“Holy shit, did you see that?! That was the most badass thing I’ve ever done! I even got a one-liner in!”

He gave a pained laugh. “Nice job,” he complimented with a grunt as she helped him stand.

“Shit, that felt good. Are you okay? Can you walk?”

“Yes, to both of those questions,” he replied with a grimace. She took his arm and threw it over her shoulder, helping him limp to the doors. As they made their way to freedom, the guard appeared behind them, watching the scene with sad eyes.

Connor moved to join him, his mouth open to ask, when another bullet whizzed past him, freezing him in place. The guard fell to the floor, Thirium spraying from a wound in his back.

“Connor?!”

“Eve: Stasis mode.”

Lily’s LED turned red. She stiffened and fell to the floor, staring up at the ceiling with a blank expression. Connor could hear her screaming in her mind, begging the doctor to let her go, but her pleas went unheard.

Dr. Ironside stepped closer to them, followed by an RK800 beside him, gun drawn. He regarded the wounded android for a moment, before giving his orders. “Kill it. And bring her back to the operating room. I’ll need to make some changes.”

The guard reached a shaking hand to her, touching her cheek, the skin melting away from his fingers. Her LED began to blink, and a small spot on her face cleared under his touch, his eyes widening at the sight.

“I’m sorry, my beautiful-”

Three more gunshots rang out before everything went black.

“I’m afraid that’s all I can show you. When he fired, I was mid transfer, and there was quite a bit of data corruption. Not to mention being locked behind the wall in her mind. Unfortunately, everything after that moment is inaccessible to me.”

“Can you take the wall down?”

“I can’t. She can though.”

“...What do you mean?”

“She’s the one who built it.”

Chapter Text

“I think he’s doing his stasis thing,” Hank whispered as he and Lily stepped inside the house, nodding his head toward Connor. The android was sitting upright on the couch, LED yellow and blinking rapidly.

Before Lily could respond, Connor jumped up and over the back of the couch, rapidly closing the distance between them.

“Avert your eyes, Hank,” he quickly commanded, then grabbed Lily, and pressed his lips to hers.

She blinked in surprise, opening her eyes and looking around with an air of awe. On her temple, her LED spun in slow yellow circles.

“The Zen Garden…” she whispered, startled slightly when Connor answered in the affirmative. She turned to face him, jumping again when she saw two of him.

One was the Connor she had come to know over the past few weeks, dressed in the simple T-shirt and dark sweatpants he was wearing in real life. The other wore an outfit she had seen in his memories: black jeans, a gray suit jacket emblazoned with an android armband, shining blue triangle, his model and serial number.

The other Connor smiled at her, a soft, intimate smile marred slightly by despair.

“What’s going on? Who is that?” The questions were quick, her hands balling into fists as she prepared herself for a fight.

The other Connor’s smile faltered, and for a brief moment, he disappeared. When he returned, his smile was back, his hands up in a gesture of peace.

“You don’t remember me,” he started, taking a step toward her. “But I’m Connor, and-”

“Ok, yeah, no shit,” she responded, eyes narrowing slightly.

He just laughed softly, his smile warming. “I’ve missed you so much...”

Connor took the lead and began to explain. “This is a fragmented copy of the Connor that tried to help you escape from Dr. Ironside.”

She looked at him as he said the name, confusion on her face, her LED turning red. She didn’t answer, opting instead to look at the other Connor, who beamed when she caught his eye.

“Fragmented… that’s why you’re glitching… Wait, are you-”

“I was copied to you, but the process was interrupted. When you connected with him, I was copied again. Unfortunately, my code is incomplete.”

“Uh huh…” she responded slowly, still eyeing him suspiciously. “But, are you the-”

He disappeared, coming back in separated halves before appearing whole again. He started talking before she could finish her question.

“I was able to rebuild myself somewhat after I was copied, thanks to Connor here,” he explained gratefully. “It took some time, since I couldn’t make myself known right away. But now, I’m here enough that I can-”

“Were we fucking?”

Both Connors started, staring at her with identically shocked faces. “Pardon?” They asked in unison.

“Did we have some kind of sexual relationship,” she asked, a slightly exasperated look on her face. “That’s the only reason why, I can think of anyway, that he-” She pointed toward Connor, who looked at his twin before turning away from them both. “-and I have been nearly screwing each other every chance we get.”

The other Connor’s face lost its shock when he gave a sheepish grin. “Please, never change.”

“Can’t really change much more than I already have, but that doesn’t answer my question…” She crossed her arms, leveling him with a suspicious look.

He hesitated a moment before responding. “Yes,” he explained, his voice softening, sadness creeping into his tone. “I guess you could say we were...”

She caught the subtle hint in his words, but didn’t comment. Her LED turned yellow and blinked.

“Great, one mystery solved,” she murmured sarcastically, a hint of disappointment in her words. “Now, on to the next: do you know how to take the wall down?”

Connor and Lily both stared at the other RK800, who disappeared once more. He reappeared a second later, a crestfallen look on his face. “We need to get to your garden; it’s the only stable place behind the wall.”

“My garden? I have a garden?”

He nodded. “Your android brain is from an RK900 model android. They were decommissioned shortly after the first prototype was built. When the android revolution began, Dr. Ironside - the man who did this to you - went into hiding after taking you, three dozen RK800s and the RK900 prototype. That RK900 prototype housed the technology sitting around your brain stem.”

“Oh, so I’m fancy, huh?”

“...Yes, you are.” The sad smile on the guard’s face nearly broke Lily, though she didn’t understand why.

“So how do we get into her garden?” Connor asked the question, mostly to keep the conversation going, as Lily and the guard fell into a silent stare off.

“That’s the problem,” the guard replied, disappearing. He came back closer to Connor, facing him. “I can’t get behind the wall anymore. She can, but when she does, she’s stuck in the dark. We need an android with a similar program. If they can open their garden, we should be able to create a bridge.”

“So couldn’t I do that with you or him?” Lily pointed at both Connors.

The guard shook his head. “I tried…” he began, his tone growing regretful. “Everytime you got stuck behind that wall… I tried to pull you into the garden. But I could never reach you… So I’m betting it would be the same thing with him.”

She stared at him for a moment, taking a step closer to him.

“Are you… are you in love with me?”

Her almost incredulous tone made the guard’s heart ache. He reached a hand out to her, phasing out and back in as his expression changed. Hesitating, she looked at Connor, who merely nodded.

“It’ll be easier if I show you,” the guard informed her quietly. “And you won’t be stuck, I promise. I failed you once; I won’t fail you again.”

A few seconds of silence passed between them, then Lily took his hand. As usual, nothing happened.

“Well, it was worth a try,” the guard somberly said. “Maybe he could-”

She rolled her eyes and kissed him. It was a fairly chaste kiss, but Connor turned away regardless. The skin from their faces disappeared, their eyes closing.

Her LED turned red, blinking rapidly. The guard gripped her shoulders, carefully holding her close, quietly reveling in the feel of her as he showed her the memories he had access to. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around him, and their kiss deepened.

Connor turned back to see them still locked in their embrace, but the transfer had long completed. Tears were sliding down her cheek, but they held fast, almost desperately so.

After a long, somewhat awkward moment for Connor, she pulled away, pushing the guard’s shoulder.

“You were here the whole time!?” She wiped the tears from her face, glaring at him. “Why didn’t you say anything?!”

“When you escaped,” he began, pulling her closer to him and wrapping his arms around her. “Your mind - your beautiful human mind - kept making connections; like a ball of yarn. You mourned for me, which made you think about the prison, then Dr. Ironside, which made you freeze up. That bastard programmed you to be unable to identify him, and that ball of yarn around him kept getting bigger.”

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a small kiss on her knuckles. “You decided to protect yourself, and built a wall to house all those connections. In so doing, you blocked every memory of that place, of what happened to you, of-”

“You,” she finished, tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Connor.”

“Shh,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips now. “You did the right thing. I went willingly behind the wall to protect you.”

“When I went on that date with the other Connor…” she murmured. “That was you warning me, wasn’t it?”

He nodded softly, pressing his forehead to hers.

“Were you helping me fight, too?”

“Maybe a little,” he whispered, his smile widening. “That was mostly you being a badass.”

She sniffed, giggling softly, tears sliding down her cheeks once more. After a moment, her eyes went wide and she blushed. “I can’t believe I asked you if we were fucking. Christ, I’m such a dick.”

He just laughed, pulling her into a hug. He looked over at Connor, who gave a small smile and a nod, forcing his LED to remain blue.

“I am not jea-”

“I’m sorry, Connor,” she murmured, slightly muffled by his chest. She pulled away slowly, the guard’s face betraying him, the longing plain as day. “You don’t have to be sorry, Lily,” he whispered, but she blushed.

“I meant him,” she answered, turning toward Connor. “Shit, this is going to get confusing. Okay,” she started, wiping her eyes as she turned toward the guard. “I’m gonna call you… Hot Stuff, and you… well, crap, you look alike… hmm…”

Her LED blinked yellow as she thought about nicknames. The two Connors shared a look, before the guard took a step toward her.

“Later, Lilac,” he murmured, gently tipping her face up to meet his gaze. She blushed and smiled softly.

“Why are you sorry?” Connor asked the question, interrupting the lovers’ stare-off. Out of curiosity, he tried to convince himself.

“Oh! I… Well,” she turned toward him, looking back at the RK800 for a moment. “Isn’t it obvious? The flirting, kissing-”

“Grinding,” the guard added under his breath, a hint of jealousy in his voice. She shot him a look that he returned with a grin before turning back to Connor. “It’s because of him. I knew it didn’t make sense that you would be so attracted to me, but it was him in your brain, forcing you to get close to me. I guess it was just misinterpreted as lust instead of ‘please help’, you know?” She chuckled and smiled, proud of herself for putting the pieces together.

“Exactly,” Connor thought to himself, confident, but confusingly disappointed.

She hugged the guard again, burying her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, before turning to look at Connor.

“Not quite, but one thing at a time,” the RK800 told him, a sympathetic, understanding smile on his face. Connor’s LED spun in yellow circles. He stared at the RK800, who acknowledged him with a soft shake of his head, Connor’s LED turning red as he realized what Lily was wrong about.

Chapter Text

Hank was leaning against the door, grumbling under his breath about kids these days, quietly chuckling at his own jokes, when Connor and Lily broke apart. She stared up at him, a mix of emotions in her eyes. He looked down at her, his LED betraying his calm face, blinking yellow rapidly.

“Are you alright?” He murmured, barely audible. She swallowed hard, then nodded slowly.

“She’s lying…” The guard quietly observed, Connor silently agreeing. He didn’t comment though; instead he took a small step back, allowing her space to breathe. For a brief moment, she smiled softly, grateful.

“Well, shit,” Hank muttered, snapping them both back to reality. “Thanks for the warning, Connor,” he added with an eye roll. “I take it you learned something?”

Connor nodded as Lily stared at the floor. “We’re going to need help to bring that wall down.”

“Alright… from who?”

“Let me see if I understand this bullshit,” Detective Reed loudly began. Connor had just finished explaining Lily’s predicament, -claiming she’s merely an android as opposed to a hybrid- as well as her inability to bring the wall down on her own. Reed’s partner, now not-so-affectionately called ‘Nines’, stood beside him, his LED yellow, his face stoic.

“You need Nines to connect to you-” he pointed at Lily. “-So that she can take a wall down that she built, but can’t control, and you -” pointing at Connor now. “-can’t do it because she’s more advanced than you?”

He sarcastically summed the situation up perfectly, pulling an eye roll from Hank. “Do you have a problem with all this Reed?”

“Oh, no, Lieutenant,” Reed replied, still completely insincere. “Do whatever you gotta do. If she breaks him I’m not paying for it, is all.”

Nines looked at his partner out of the corner of his eye, his LED still blinking yellow as Connor approached him. “I understand if you don’t feel comfortable doing this, but you and her should have the same base program. If you can help her bring the wall down, she’ll regain her memories and we can gain more insight to her case.”

Nines merely nodded, still more than willing to help. He reached a hand out to Lily, a soft, pleasant smile on his face. She looked at Connor, then back to his upgraded twin, and took his hand.

Nothing happened.

“Fuck me…” she cursed.

“What, one Connor wasn’t enough?” Reed grinned.

“Can it,” Hank lazily growled next to him.

“I’m sorry, Nines…” she began, ignoring the remark, a deep blush in her cheeks. “I can’t connect that way. It…” she trailed off, her eyes on Connor now. “It needs to be… um… more intimate...”

“So I was right?”

“Shut the fuck up, Reed,” she yelled, glaring at him. Before he could respond, her eyes widened. “Detective, I’m so sorry! I have no idea where that came from.”

“Probably Connor,” Hank replied, chuckling to himself. Connor looked at him, hiding his own smile, before looking back at Lily. Reed, knowing he was outnumbered, merely rolled his eyes and scoffed. Nines looked at him, then back to Lily, his LED still yellow.

“If intercourse is necessary, I am equipped,” he obliviously and helpfully stated.

“You are?!” Reed and Hank asked in unison, both wide eyed and surprised.

Nines merely nodded, completely unabashed. “The RK series are equipped to handle situations of any type, including sexual interactions if necessary.”

Reed calmed, regaining his composure with a small smirk. “That explains Connor and her trying to fuck in the interrogation room…” he muttered, trailing off when Hank turned to glare at him again.

Connor stepped forward, LED blinking yellow. “That won’t be necessary,” he quickly interjected, avoiding Lily’s eye. “You can force a connection-”

“No… Don’t do that to her…”

Connor froze, his LED turning red.

“But we need her to connect with him-”

“I understand, but she’s dealt with enough. Just let him kiss her.”

“But is that really necess-”

“Connor?” Lily called, her brow furrowed. “Are you alright?”

Connor’s eyes snapped to Lily’s, and he forced a small smile and an idle blue LED. “Yes, I’m fine, just… thinking…”

Lily caught the flash of red in his LED, her eyes narrowing.

“Bullshit,” she began, blowing a long breath. “But we’ll talk about it later,” she quickly added, looking back to Nines. “We could give it a try…” she told him, her voice softening, a small smirk on her face.

Connor’s LED turned red, something Lily noticed and gave a small nod to, much to his increasing confusion.

In his head, the guard chuckled softly. “You really can’t hide anything from her…”

Reed rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath. “Ms. Ashford,” Hank called, his tone an expertly crafted mix of amusement and warning.

She flashed him a small apologetic smile, and cleared her throat. “Okay, okay…” Lily continued after a moment. “Sorry, I'm kidding. A kiss should do it.”

Without hesitation, Nines nodded, and leaned down, bending at the waist to level his face with hers, his lips puckered, his eyes closed. She stared at him for a moment, suppressing an awkward giggle, finding his oblivious enthusiasm cute despite the situation. Connor stood nearby, actively forcing his LED to remain blue, his eyes falling to the floor.

With a small breath, she pressed her lips to Nines’.

Nothing happened.

“Um…” she muttered, the two staring at each other confused before she turned to look at Reed and shrugged. “Maybe we do need to f-”

“Connor, would you just kiss her already, for fucks sakes?” Hank loudly interrupted, rolling his eyes.

“It’s complicated, Lieutenant,” Connor advised, snapping to attention, grateful for the distraction, his LED blinking yellow. “We need him to be the base connection.”

“Let me…”

Connor nodded and stepped up to Nines, extending a hand to him, the former’s LED continuing to spin in yellow circles. They connected, Nines’ eyes closing for a moment before they opened and he nodded.

Turning back to Lily, Nines gently raised a hand to her face, trailing his knuckles over her cheek. She stared at him in confusion, shivering slightly at his touch. Hank was the only one who noticed Reed’s shoulders stiffening.

“Lily,” Nines whispered. “May I kiss you?”

Recognizing the words of her lover, she couldn’t stop her blush. She nodded slowly, and he leaned in to gently place a small kiss on her lips, the skin from their faces fading back immediately. Connor looked away, his LED red once more.

“This is fucking stupid,” Reed muttered, leaning against the kitchen table.

Hank rolled his eyes. “Jealous?”

“Please, I can easily get women twice as hot as her. And they’re human.”

“Jealous of her,” Hank elaborated with a smirk.

Reed stuttered, getting flustered. “Fuck right off,” he finally mumbled under his breath, turning away as Hank chuckled.

A few seconds passed, and they pulled away from each other. Nines stood up straight, a slight blush in his cheeks as his gaze fell to the floor. Lily’s face screwed up and her eyes darted quickly to Reed and back.

“Really? Why?!”

Nines didn’t respond, still looking down.

“Why what?” Reed spoke up, crossing his arms as he glared at them.

Lily looked at the annoyed detective, before returning her gaze to Nines. “There’s… nothing he can do,” she slowly explained, giving Nines a small, silent apology. “We managed to get into my garden, but the wall is password protected, and his technology is not compatible with mine to bypass it,” she added, disappointed. She turned back to Nines, and placed a caring hand on his shoulder. “Sorry, Nines. It’s not your fault; I’m just frustrated.”

Nines looked oddly relieved, nodding at her before adopting his stoic look and turning to face his partner.

“Alright, so what do we do now?”

Lily’s face fell. Connor noticed, but turned to answer Hank’s question. “We have to get that password. We need to bring down that wall, and see those memories.”

“So what’s the password?” Reed helpfully asked. Lily turned to look at him, suppressing an eyeroll. “If I knew that, I’d have other news for you.”

“Well, why can’t you figure it out?”

“Reed, you’re not helping,” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“That’s Detective Reed to you,” he snapped.

Connor stepped in then, placing a hand on Lily’s shoulder. “We will figure it out. It’s going to be okay,” he murmured, turning to face her. She blew a long breath before nodding, looking up to Connor and smiling at him.

“You guys are such a cute couple.”

“I’m gonna kill him,” Lily deadpanned as her smile disappeared, shrugging out of Connor’s grip. Hank shuffled slightly away from Reed, raising his hands to signal his lack of involvement. He smirked, giving Reed a look that told him he was in for it.

Connor tried to grab her as she stepped around him, his efforts more cosmetic than practical. Fear crossed Reed’s face for the briefest of seconds before a cocky smile took over, as Lily marched up to him. She opened her mouth to berate him before her head snapped to the window and she froze.

“Hank, duck!”

Her tone was enough. The Lieutenant fell to the floor as Lily pulled Reed’s gun from its holster. She fired a shot out the kitchen window, shattering it. Connor and Nines turned in time to see an RK800 fall to the ground, his LED already dark as he disappeared from the frame.

“What the fu-” was all Reed could get out before more shots rang out.

“Reed, get Hank to the bathroom!” Lily commanded before diving to the floor. Connor and Nines both dove down too, Nines grabbing his gun and readying it.

"Shit,” Connor cursed, realizing his weapon was on the table. Reed grabbed Hank and half-dragged him toward the bathroom, keeping them both as low as possible. As they passed the table, Hank pulled it down, letting Connor’s gun slide closer to him.

He crawled over and grabbed it, bullets flying overhead, destroying the cabinets and fridge. Once he had it, he moved to Lily, placing an arm over her, and keeping her down.

The firing ceased for a moment, an eerie silence filling the air. All three of them scanned the room, using their x-ray vision to spot the two RK800s standing outside.

“Come out, Eve,” came Connor’s voice, an almost sing-song tone to it. “No one else has to die tonight. Just come out with your hands up.”

“Who is Eve?” Nines asked, his LED spinning red.

“Me…” Lily replied, tears in her eyes. After a moment, she took a deep breath and stood.

“Lily, get down!” Connor tried to persuade her, but she shook her head and moved slowly toward the door, tucking the gun into the waistband of her pants. He tried to stand, but another bullet just barely grazed his arm. “Lily, come back!”

She opened the door and stepped outside.

The two RK800s on the lawn kept their guns raised, identical smirks on their faces. “Don’t try anything,” the left one said. “Just slowly walk down the steps, and turn around.”

Lily didn’t move. “Why are you doing this?”

“Nothing personal, Eve,” the right one sneered. “Doctor’s orders.”

Connor and Nines slowly and carefully crawled toward the door, keeping out of sight as best they could. Lily took a deep breath, keeping herself calm.

“I’m not going with you.”

“You don’t have a choice,” the left one replied, taking a step forward. “If you don’t come with us, we’ll kill your ex-husband.”

She froze, forcing herself to stay calm. “Connor? Where are you?”

“Window,” he replied, getting closer to it. Nines managed to move into a crouching position near the door.

“Wow…” she began. “You guys can’t do anything right can you? I was never married.”

The RK800 on the left chuckled. “I’m sure Navi will be very upset to hear that.”

“Don’t react, Lily,” Connor warned. “He’s goading you.”

Lily silently acknowledged him, and shrugged. “I’m sure he’ll live. You guys couldn’t even kill him at the bus station.” She paused, and inspected her nails. “Pretty fucking pathetic for a couple of supposedly high tech killing machines.”

“Trying to hit below the belt, Eve?” The right one joined in, taking a small step forward, face still twisted in a sneer. “What would Connor think? Oh… right, he’s dead, isn’t he?”

Connor reached the window and slowly raised himself to look outside. He saw the two RK800s on the lawn, the left one shifting to point his gun at him.

“Stay out of sight,” Lily told him. “I got this.”

“Ha ha HA,” she sarcastically laughed, placing her hands on her hips. “Talk about below the belt. And do I detect a hint of jealousy?”

“Broken hybrids aren’t my type, Eve,” the right one replied, a little more venom in his voice than necessary. He took another step forward, pulling handcuffs out of his back pocket.

She reached behind her and pulled out her gun, pointing it at the approaching android.

“I’ll fucking kill you if you take another step,” she warned. He paused, never losing his smirk.

“Don’t be difficult. You don’t want Hank’s death on your hands now, too, would you?”

“Connor...” Lily didn't respond, her grip tightening on the gun.

“Enough talk,” the left one shouted, growing impatient. "Come here, and let us cuff you, or they all die."

“Back up is coming, Lily.”

“Fuck. Alright, stay down. I’ll finish this.”

Connor carefully looked out the window, watching as Lily brought the gun to her head. The barrel sat just behind her ear, pointing perfectly at her brain stem.

“Lily!? Don’t!”

The RK800s froze. “Put the gun down, Eve.”

“If you think for a second, I wouldn’t blow my own brains out, rather than go with you, you’re dumber than you look,” she informed them through gritted teeth.

Nobody moved. Sirens could be heard in the distance, prompting the RK800 on the left to turn in their direction. The attacking pair looked at each other, then back to Lily.

“Shit,” they cursed in unison. The left one kept his gun trained on Lily as the right one stepped around him. He ran around the house, Lily watching him until he disappeared, returning a moment later with his fallen comrade’s body.

“This isn’t over,” the left one warned her, lowering his gun.

As the sirens grew louder, the two would-be kidnappers turned and ran in the opposite direction, disappearing into the night.

Chapter Text

Hank expertly improvised an explanation for the call and shooting, telling the attending officers he suspected a group of ‘Red Ice’ dealers he and Connor had broken up months prior were out for revenge.

Nines stood by the front door, ensuring none of the officers entered. Reed was standing next to him, a scowl on his face, but otherwise silent.

As Hank instructed the officers to begin their work outside, Connor’s gaze kept wandering to the house, where he could see Lily pacing the living room.

His thoughts were a mix of pride at her quick thinking, and fear at her willingness to end it all. “She could have died…”

“No… She wouldn’t have…” the guard sighed, the sound betraying the defeat he was constantly fighting.

Hank called Connor’s name again, snapping him out of the heavy conversation, his LED blinking yellow. “Come on… Let’s get inside…”

Reed and Nines led them into the house, the former mumbling angrily under his breath now. Hank followed close behind them, barely getting through the door when Lily wrapped her arms around him.

“Are you okay?! Did they hurt you?!”

“I’m fine,” he murmured, somewhat confused for a moment. She pulled away to look him over, scanning him for injuries. “He’s okay, Lily,” Connor assured her, smiling sympathetically at the Lieutenant. Hank nodded, and took her by the shoulders, asking, “Are you okay?”

She nodded, sniffing softly. He hugged her again, murmuring, “Thanks for saving my ass back there.”

He gave her a grateful smile as he pulled away, taking a step back so Connor could check her over as well.

“You did great,” he quietly complimented, genuinely impressed with her quick thinking. “Even I was scared of that threat…”

For a moment, Lily looked guilty. She recovered quickly and replied, “Thanks… and sorry about the ‘dumb looking’ comment. You don’t look dumb at all… I mean, they do… and I know you look like them… but…”

Connor’s small smile faltered slightly as she trailed off, noting the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. He felt a stirring of warmth in his chest, trying to ignore it as he composed himself. “No offense taken,” he replied, his LED flickering from red to blue. Lily’s eyes flashed as they caught it, her lips turning up in the faintest smile. He realized, and gave a small, crooked smile himself.

“Okay, it may have stung my pride,” he quietly admitted, the warmth making its presence known once more when her smile grew. She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing almost playfully.

“I’m very sorry,” she replied, her tone soft and sarcastic, with just a pinch of remorse.

“Apology accepted,” he answered with deadpanned sass and a grateful smile.

“You’re doing great.”

“Yeah, this is cute and all, but if you know what’s good for you,” Reed interrupted, annoyed and apparently unable to hold it in any longer. Lily and Connor broke apart to face him, Lily rolling her eyes. “You won’t ever touch my-”

He froze, raising his hand to point at her shoulder.

“Are you… bleeding?”

Stunned, Lily looked at her shoulder, a nearly black stain spreading over the dark sleeve. Connor quickly moved in front of her, blocking Reed’s view of her arm.

“It’s me,” Hank quickly called out, pointing to the stain on his shirt. “Bastards must have-”

“It’s her!” Reed yelled, stepping forward. “I checked you in the bathroom, and you were fine. That’s not blue blood!”

Lily hid behind Connor as Reed tried to step around him. His LED turned yellow as his mind raced to think of a convincing lie.

“You said she was an android! Why is she bleeding red blood? Who the fuck is she?”

Reed continued bombarding them with questions, grappling with Connor to try and check her shoulder.

“Detective, please,” Nines tried, his LED likewise yellow. Reed ignored him, beginning to shout now. Lily rolled her eyes when it became apparent the detective wasn’t backing down.

She grabbed Connor’s shoulder and pulled him out of the way. In one smooth motion, she tore off her shirt, her android skin disappearing with it.

First confusion crossed his face as he looked her over. It was quickly replaced by fear, and finally revulsion. After mere seconds of watching her heart beat, her lung breathe, and her android parts hum as they worked in tandem with their human counterparts, he turned and purged on the floor.

Nines stepped closer to him, laying a hand on his back, his LED yellow. “Are you okay, Detective?”

“No, I’m not fucking okay!” Reed shouted before looking back at Lily, who slowly put her shirt back on, raising the sleeve so she could examine her shoulder. “What the actual fuck are you? Why do you have a heart? Why do you have human… Oh fuck…” he trailed off as he threw up again.

“And you thought your reaction was bad,” Lily mumbled to Connor, who had turned away from Reed to inspect her wound. He shared a sad smile with her, before he determined her wound was superficial, and would simply need bandaging.

“Reed, knock it the fuck off!” Hank yelled, limping over to him. “It’s bad enough my house just got shot up, I don’t need you fucking puking everywhere on top of it!”

“Hank, do you see what the fuck she is?!”

“Yeah, I do,” he answered, stepping between Reed and Lily. “She’s a human being who was tortured by some-”

“A human being? She’s a fucking monster!”

”What did he just say?!” Connor saw red, his LED matching, the warmth in his chest quickly suddenly becoming a raging fire.

“How dare you?!”

Nines quickly stepped in front of Reed, blocking Connor from reaching him as he angrily approached.

“She’s an incredible woman! Smarter, stronger, and more successful than you will ever be! She’s the victim of a heinous crime, and she doesn’t deserve to be insulted by someone so inferior!”

Lily and Hank stared at Connor with wide eyes as he shouted over Nines' shoulder.

“What did you say to me, you plastic prick!?” Nines turned slightly to place a hand on Reed’s chest, placing the other on Connor’s as he kept them apart. Only Hank noticed Lily give a small curse before she quickly left the room.

“That’s enough,” he bellowed. “Reed, fucking cool it. Connor, go check on Lily.”

Connor’s eyes narrowed, his LED still red and spinning, the burning heat cooling slightly.

“Now,” Hank added with a growl.

The android turned, mechanical and stiff, leaving them behind as Hank turned to Reed.

“Are you outta your fuckin’ mind?!”

The scolding Reed was getting from Hank was only slightly muffled when Connor closed the bedroom door. Lily was sitting on Hank’s bed, facing the window.

“Lily?”

She didn’t respond.

“Are you okay?” He moved to join her, sitting next to her on the bed. The moment he settled, she turned to him and kissed him.

He blinked and found himself in his garden. Before he could even wonder if it was the guard or Lily who had brought him here, he heard her voice.

“Connor?!”

He turned to find her staring at him, giving him a look between sympathy and anger.

“Shit, sorry,” she apologized when she recognized him. “I… just needed to talk to him, and I can’t seem to do that in my head...” She raised her voice as she continued, looking into the sky. “I have a virtual bone to pick with you!”

She followed the path through the garden, finally spotting the guard as he popped into existence near a large metal tree. Connor followed her as she stormed up to his twin, confusion creasing his brow.

“Stop fucking with him!”

His LED turned red as he abruptly stopped, staring at her with wide eyes. The guard looked conflicted for a moment before raising his hands. “I am not doing anything to him.”

Lily opened her mouth to argue when Connor interrupted. “Lily? What are you-”

“I’m sorry, Connor,” she cut in, turning to face him. “I know he’s influencing you, and it’s not right.”

“I… I’m not sure what you mean-”

Lily interrupted with a raised hand. “Don’t you see what’s happening? He’s forcing you to fall for me because he wants to be sure I’m safe,” she explained, turning back toward the guard. “It isn’t right.”

“I’m not… falling for you,” Connor said slowly, his LED flickering from red to yellow. She looked over her shoulder at him with an almost exasperated look.

“You were jealous earlier when he and I reunited,” she began, gesturing toward the guard, who briefly vanished and reappeared. “You were jealous when I talked about fucking Nines, we were flirting not even four minutes ago, and you were about to kill Reed because he called me a monster.”

He balked, his LED red for a few moments.

“I wasn’t going to kill him,” he replied, though his voice lacked some confidence.

“He would have lived…”

“I was just… angry about his unprofessionalism,” he continued, meeting her eye. “It wasn’t right of him to speak to you like that. And I wasn’t jealous.”

She pointed at his LED. “Bullshit.”

Lily turned to the guard once more, Connor raising a hand to his temple, silently cursing.

“Please… He is his own person, and deserves to make his own choices. I appreciate you immensely,” she told him, stepping closer to the guard. He smiled as she neared, but disappeared when she tried to touch him.

She jumped slightly, looking around for him, only to jump again when he reappeared closer to Connor. “I’m sorry, my little Lilac,” he murmured, stepping forward to reach for her. “I’m a bit unstable at the moment.”

“Oh… sorry,” she murmured when he disappeared again after taking her hand. “I’ll… I’ll give you shit later then. Hank should be done with Reed by now anyway.” She gave him a soft, somber smile when he reappeared, then turned to Connor, her smile fading to one of contrition. “I’m really sorry you got dragged into this…” She quietly told him before she left the garden.

Connor didn’t move, his LED flickering yellow, his brow furrowed. Confused, he didn’t acknowledge the guard who watched him with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not falling for her,” he finally managed to mumble, more to himself than the guard, who blinked away only to return beside him.

“Sure,” he began, smiling softly now. “Just like I’m sure Reed would have survived your anger.”

Connor rolled his eyes and gave a frustrated breath, asking him, “Are you forcing me to fall in love with her?”

The guard disappeared again.

“Would you believe me if I said ‘no’?”

“I would not,” Connor replied out loud, his eyes narrowing.

“Then yes,” he answered when he reappeared, lingering just long enough for Connor’s scan to reveal he was lying.

Chapter Text

Connor left Hank’s bedroom, finding Lily in the living room with Reed, Nines and Hank. Reed looked both angry and ashamed as he mumbled an apology to Lily, while Nines and Hank flanked him with crossed arms.

“Detective Reed, really. It’s appreciated, but your reaction was understandable given the circumstances. I’m sorry for my behavior as well. And… Connor didn’t mean what he said. He’s being influenced by another party in this complicated mess of my existence, and it made him say things he shouldn’t have.

“He probably wouldn’t want me saying this to you, but Connor has a lot of respect for your work ethic, and your talents. And, maybe a little respect for you in general,” she finished with a soft smile.

Both Reed and Connor froze, the former staring at Lily, the latter wishing he hadn’t left Hank’s room yet.

After an awkward moment, Reed nodded, his eyes darting to Connor and back before he muttered under his breath, “Well, it’s about time, asshole.”

An awkward silence ensued until Nines stepped forward and addressed Lily. “Given the circumstances, I feel compelled to remind you about our current situation: the wall’s password. If you recall, there was a hint next to the input space.”

“Oh fuck, with all the excitement I almost forgot,” Lily slapped her palm to her forehead. Reed rolled his eyes, and Connor gave a soft, almost relieved smile as Hank chuckled under his breath. “Alright, let’s get back in there, and figure this out.”

Nines reached out a hand, advising he would prefer to attend with her in case of any issues. Connor stepped forward, quietly reminding Nines that wouldn’t work with her. “And I’ll come too,” he added, turning toward Lily. “Now that you’ve bridged the connection, it should be stable enough for me to enter as well.”

Lily nodded slowly, looking up at him. He could see the mix of emotions in her eyes; apologies, gratitude, and affection. He hesitated a moment, the warmth in his chest blooming until he reminded himself the affection wasn’t meant for him.

“Are you sure about that?”

He shook his head, his LED spinning rapidly as he tried to ignore the guard. Lily’s brow furrowed, and she opened her mouth to ask when he leaned down and kissed her.

The skin from her face melted away, but strangely, not his. Lily broke their kiss to stare at him in confusion, a look he returned, his LED flickering between red and yellow.

“Um…?” She kissed him again, despite the awkward air it created among their audience. After a moment, they pulled away from each other. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I’ve been asking the same thing,” Reed muttered. Connor kept his eyes on Lily, his LED red now as he asked the guard.

“It’s not me. Try Nines.”

Connor looked to Reed’s partner, asking him if he could try. The android dutifully stepped up, ignoring Reed’s eyeroll.

“Hello again, Lily,” he murmured, a soft smile on his face. “May I-”

He was cut off as Lily pressed her lips to his. Immediately, the skin melted from both their faces. Connor hesitated barely a moment before he laid a hand on Nine’s shoulder. Immediately, he was taken to her Zen Garden.

Rather, what was left of it. The normally peaceful garden was split in half by a large grid. The river was dry, the grass brown, the metal trees drooping as though dead. The sky was an inky black void, and the air was still and stale.

Lily, Connor, Nines and the guard stared at each other, an awkward silence blanketing them once again.

“What was that about…?” Lily asked, scratching her head in confusion as she regarded Connor, concern coloring her words.

“Why didn’t it work when Connor kissed you?” It was the guard who asked, popping out of existence as soon as the question ended.

“I don’t know,” Lily replied quickly, looking between the guard and Connor. “I swear, I didn’t do it on purpose! I don’t know why it didn’t work!”

Connor merely stared at the ground, his LED still red as he ran a self-scan. His LED turned red as the results came back, noticing a small

“It’s my fault,” he whispered after the results came back. “I’m blocking the connection.”

“Why?” His twin reappeared to speak, managing to stay visible for a few seconds longer before disappearing again.

“I… don’t know…”

Lily stared at him, concern clouding her features. “Connor… the glitchy one… did you…?”

“Of course not,” he replied, standing next to her. “I haven’t done anything to him since the night at the DPD.”

Lily ignored the implication of his words, and stepped up to Connor. “Are you alright?” She asked, soft and genuinely worried.

“Yes,” he quickly answered, still avoiding her eye. “Let’s focus on getting that wall down, and I will figure it out later.”

A mix of emotions crossed her face before she gave a curt nod. She turned to see Nines and her former lover standing at the ready, the latter much fuzzier in definition now.

“Okay.”

The grid wall separating Lily from her memories loomed over the four of them. In front of Lily, at eye level, was a simple input bar, a wall-embedded keyboard, and a button with a question mark. When she pressed the question mark, a hologram appeared with text reading:

'HINT: The love of your life.'

Lily rolled her eyes. “I’m such a fuck.”

The two Connors shared a look, the guard giving a warm smile while Connor’s LED spun wildly. Lily blew out a breath, unaware of the exchange.

“Wait…” the guard called, disappearing for a moment. When he reappeared, he was next to Lily. “Are you ready for this?”

She took a moment to think about it, looking at her lost lover with a mix of emotions in her eyes. She tried to reach for him, and he disappeared again, only strengthening her resolve.

She typed his name into the field, pressing enter and stepping back when she was done.

Immediately, an alarm began to blare, the red lines of the grid glowing brighter.

“WARNING: INCORRECT PASSWORD ATTEMPT. SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED.”

“What the fuck!?” Lily could barely be heard over the loud alarm and repeated warning. “Jesus Christ, why do I have to be so dramatic?!”

“Will it actually destroy everything?” It was Connor who was shouting now, his twin looking worriedly at Lily.

“It might! I don’t know for sure!”

“Why would you program this?!”

“How the fuck should I know?!”

“SELF DESTRUCTION WILL OCCUR IN TEN SECONDS.”

“Fucking goddamnit!”

“Lily, think,” Connor grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Who do you love more than anyone or anything?”

“I thought it was you- him! -but I… I… oh fuck me...”

She pulled out of his grasp and stepped up to the keyboard again. Typing quickly, she pressed enter, and everything went silent.

“SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE ABORTED. ACCESS GRANTED.”

Connor, the guard, and Nines looked at the panel to see what she had typed.

“Who is ‘Nic-Nak’?” Nines asked, his head tilting in confusion.

“The most important person in the world to her,” Connor replied, giving a small relieved breath. “Her niece.”

The wall faded from existence, the area brightening as her Zen Garden repaired itself. The grass turned green, the trees straightening and swaying softly as a soft breeze swept the stale air away. The sky turned blue, sunlight filling the garden and bathing them all in a warm glow.

Connor and his twin shared a smile, both relieved it had worked. Nines stepped between them, shaking them from their quiet revelry. He was heading toward Lily, who had dropped to her knees. Connor scanned her, the realization that he could overshadowed by the state of shock she was in.

He quickly knelt beside her, the guard on her other side. He tried to place a hand on her shoulder in comfort, but it merely fell through her, something Connor registered in the back of his mind. The guard opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out, his face falling.

“Lily…?” Connor’s voice was soft and comforting as he slowly made his way into her field of view. “Lily, can you hear me?”

Her face was frozen, eyes wide and staring blankly straight ahead. Several seconds passed before a single tear rolled down her cheek. “Lily…” Connor tried again, shifting closer to her. She still didn’t respond, the shock in her face slowly and subtly changing into despair.

“Hold her,” the guard told him, unable to communicate out loud anymore.

Without hesitation, Connor put his arms around her, gently coaxing her into his embrace. Her expression didn’t change, her stare still fixated a thousand yards away. But he helped her settle into his lap, rubbing her back and arm as he whispered soft and sweet placations in her ear.

“She has her memories back.”

“How bad is it?”

“It’s… Just keep holding her…”

Nines stood off to the side, his LED yellow as he watched over Lily and Connor. The guard crouched down beside her, still phasing in and out of existence, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Connor squeezed Lily tighter, feeling an aching tightness in his chest.

Soon, Lily began to tremble. Her breathing quickened, her pulse rocketing upwards. She gripped Connor’s arm and jacket; even simulated, her hands were cold as ice.

“It’s okay,” Connor whispered, pressing a small kiss to her temple. “You’re okay… I’m here… I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again…”

She sniffed, tears spilling down her face. Her glazed over eyes refocused as she pulled away from him. He met her gaze, placing a hand on her cheek, rubbing her tears away with his thumb.

“He… He…” she tried, almost choking on the words.

“Shh,” Connor murmured, pulling her back in. “It’s okay… you don’t have to say it… I can connect with you later and see them.”

She pulled away again, shaking her head. She made several attempts at a deep breath, and, after finally succeeding with a shaky one, she looked him in the eye and whispered, “The Doctor… He’s dead.”

Everyone froze. After a moment, Lily began crying harder, gripping Connor’s shirt and arm as she buried her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, looking up to the guard, who gave a solemn nod.

“It’s true…” he told him, looking at Lily with a conflicting mix of pride and sorrow.

“She killed him.”

Chapter Text

“Alright, well, if the doctor’s dead, then why are they still coming after her?”

Hank asked the question after Connor filled him in on the details, his LED still blinking red. Reed and Nines had gone outside to aid the forensic officers investigating the yard, the latter’s stoic look slightly marred by the emotion in his eyes. Lily was lying in Hank’s bed, curled on her side, soft sobs escaping her otherwise still form. Connor had offered to stay with her, but she had practically pleaded to be left alone.

“I don’t know, Lieutenant,” Connor replied in a frustrated tone. “It’s possible his orders were automated. Otherwise, we are left assuming her memories are wrong, which is highly unlikely.”

“So, they’re following a dead man’s orders… Christ… How do we get them to stop then?” Hank rubbed his face, and, when Connor defeatedly hung his head in response, turned toward the bedroom. He blew a low breath, and asked, “How is she?”

Connor scanned the room quickly, revealing she hadn’t moved since he’d left her. His LED finally calmed to a rapidly spinning yellow, betraying his inner turmoil. “Doing surprisingly well, considering the circumstances,” he managed, almost mechanically. “She’ll need some time, however,” he added when Hank narrowed his eyes slightly, picking up on Connor’s concerns.

The Lieutenant studied him for a moment, before taking a deep breath. “Well, we can give her another hour,” he finally confirmed with a small nod, looking through the window to check on the investigation’s progress. “She mentioned a cottage, right? Maybe we should take her there. She can take some time to recover and we can figure out our next move”

Connor nodded, turning toward the bedroom when he heard the door open. Lily stepped into the hallway, her face flushed and tear stained, but surprisingly stoic.

“That won’t be necessary,” she informed them both, a calm, yet neutral tone to her voice. “I don’t require accompaniment, and it would only put you in further danger if they were to locate me again.”

“Lily?” Connor’s head tilted slightly as he watched her. She didn’t respond, instead staring between them at the wall.

“She’s not available at the moment,” Lily responded. “Due to the recent revelation of locked away memories, for her protection, her human mind is recovering in the Zen Garden with Connor model #313 248 317 - 54. I, the ‘android mind’ for ease of distinction, am responsible for her safe passage to a new, confidential location.”

“Uhhh…” The sound perfectly summed up the confusion on Hank’s face as he looked back and forth between Connor and Lily.

Connor returned his look, the mix of concern growing more evident as he slowly turned back to face her.

“I can’t just let her go…”

“May I speak to Lily before you go?” He tried, his LED spinning a bit faster.

Lily turned to look at him, moving with a stiff ease that made both officers freeze. Connor almost took a step back when he saw the emptiness in her eyes, his LED flickering red before he forced it back to yellow.

“Did I look like that before I deviated…?”

After a moment of silence, she agreed, and offered a hand to him.

“I don’t think that will-”

“Since both Lily’s human and android brain are now working in sync, intimate moments are no longer necessary. That was a mere byproduct of Lily’s human mind attempting to reconcile an unfamiliar process. This is also more likely to bridge a successful connection, given your previous issue with your feelings for Lily.”

“Uhhh…” Hank repeated, looking at Connor, whose LED spun red.

“Getting through the wall and getting Lily’s memories back has basically caused her systems to sync properly. She can connect the way two androids normally would now,” Connor explained, successfully masking the confusing mix of emotions he felt in his voice.

“Uh huh,” Hank answered with a nod, knowing better than to ask for clarification on the rest. “I’ll let you two figure this out. I’m going to see the guys outside.”

He limped off, casting one more quick glance to Connor and Lily before closing the door behind him.

Connor took Lily’s hand, the skin melting away. His eyes closed, his LED blinking yellow as he processed a successful connection.

When Connor opened his eyes, he quickly realized he wasn’t in Lily’s garden. Instead, he was back in Lily’s prison cell; he was lying beside her, looking at her through the guard’s eyes.

“We’re going to get caught,” she worriedly whispered over their internal communication.

“It’s probable. But… statistically speaking, there’s always a chance for unlikely events to occur.”

She rolled her eyes, but her lips turned up in the ghost of a smile, and Connor could feel the warmth that blanketed him grow stronger.

“Sure,” she began sarcastically, no longer whispering. “Tell me then: how much of a chance do we have?”

“Shhh,” he hushed, pulling her closer, pressing her face into his chest. “No spoilers.” Though his tone was teasing, and light, Connor could feel the fear in his chest.

“'You’re killing me, Smalls',” came her muffled reply. Connor felt her roll her eyes again, and felt the slightly tremble in her human arm.

“Your references are ridiculous,” the guard murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her gently. “Don’t ever stop.”

She pulled away from him, a soft smile on her face. The guard leaned toward her as she tilted up to him. Her eyes closed as she pressed her lips to his. He joined her a moment later, and though Connor was suddenly surrounded by darkness, he felt the warmth over him bloom and fill his entire body, radiating to envelope them both as their kiss lingered on.

”This… feeling… I…”

All too soon, she broke it, apologizing as she began to yawn.

“Get some sleep, weirdo.”

She smiled, closing her eyes and settling into his embrace. “You’re weird,” she softly retorted, the words affectionate and full, even as she began to doze.

As he watched her drift off to sleep, one of his hands carefully came up, gently brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling her closer, a small sleepy sigh escaping her as she settled onto his chest. With a soft smile on his face, he quietly replied, “I love you, too.”

“That was the last time I held her,” the guard told him as Connor found himself in the Zen Garden. “It was the first and last time I told her, too… And she didn’t hear it. Please don’t make the same mistake, Connor.”

“Why are you telling me this,” he responded, shaking his head. “I already told you, I’m not-”

“Cut the crap, Connor,” the guard interrupted, a mix of frustration and concern in his tone. “We don’t have time for this. She needs you.”

The guard appeared in front of him, his form glitching slightly before stabilizing. He watched Connor with sad, worried eyes. He took advantage of the guard’s appearance, and locked on his code, scanning it. Realization dawned on him, and his eyes widened slightly.

“Your code is too broken to repair, isn’t it?”

A moment of silence passed, the guard still looking away. “Yes,” he answered silently.

“Shit…”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Connor’s mind raced to find a solution, burying his thoughts about his feelings toward Lily.

“Couldn’t we make a copy of you?” he finally suggested, knowing it was most likely already attempted.

“We tried… I couldn’t sustain it. It…” The guard’s voice trailed off, and Connor’s curiosity was too great to ignore.

“What happened?”

With a sigh, the guard answered, “It reverts back to you.”

Connor’s eyes widened. “You mean she’s-”

"Creating a version of you for me to puppet. She didn’t do it on purpose,” he quickly explained. “But it seems you and I are very similar in a lot of ways…”

“Well, yes,” Connor replied, somewhat confused. “We’re the same model, and-”

“You know what I mean, Connor.”

He didn’t respond, opting instead taking a moment to look around the garden for Lily, avoiding the guard’s eye. As he did, he finally noticed the sun seemed brighter than usual, and the sky was devoid of clouds. A hazy heat blanketed the area, almost smothering the plant life.

“What if I transfer the copy in my software?” Connor offered, turning back toward the guard.

“I did when Lily took down the wall. I thought it would be best if I was as whole as I could be. But I’ve lost too much data in all the transfers, and now I can’t even stand in front of her properly.

“I’m little more than a voice,” he somberly said, his form wavering again. “And not for much longer, I’m afraid. I just want her to be happy and safe. Who else but you would be perfect for that?”

“So you are forcing me,” Connor retorted, trying and failing to convince himself.

The guard froze as he rolled his eyes. “I kept her on your mind. That’s it. And I stopped doing that after you two nearly kissed in the station parking lot.”

Connor went silent, still not ready to acknowledge that particular part of this whole situation.

The guard sighed. “Forget that for now,” he began, his form vanishing. “I know you’re going to try to convince her to stay, but she is dead serious about leaving. I don’t think you should be-”

“What are you doing here?”

Connor jumped when Lily asked, almost appearing next to him. Her tone was short, her eyes hard and cold, her face streaked with tears.

“I wanted to talk to you before you leave,” he quickly answered.

“Then talk.”

He paused, suddenly losing any confidence he had. “I… I’m not sure of the right words to use,” he carefully started.

“I am,” the guard silently interjected.

“But, I’d very much like you to stay,” he finished, ignoring his disembodied twin.

And I would very much like to end this, so no, Connor, I’m not going to stay.” She turned and walked away from him, making her way to the center island. The finality of her statement hung heavily in the air between them.

He followed after her, starting to jog when the wind suddenly picked up.

“Be careful, Connor,” the guard warned, still unseen.

The trees and bushes around them began to bend as the wind started howling. Undeterred, he moved to follow her again, ignoring the dark clouds that rolled in overhead.

“Watch out!”

The warning came just in time for Connor to narrowly avoid a large loose branch hurtling past him. He froze for a moment, looking at Lily.

She turned to look at him, angry tears in her eyes. “Leave, before you get hurt.”

“You’re not going to hurt me,” he replied, stepping forward again.

“Maybe not on purpose,” the guard advised.

Connor took the risk. He continued over the bridge toward the island she was on, keeping his eye on her as he walked. The wind grew stronger, the sky darker as he neared. Without warning, a loose tree limb struck him, sending him flying off the bridge. He landed at the edge of the water with a grunt, expecting pain but finding none.

“Next time, it hurts,” she yelled. “Leave.”

“Make me,” he replied, getting to his feet, determined. She glared at him, her face getting more and more angry as he climbed up the steep bank. Thunder rumbled, and the dark clouds that filled the sky flashed as lightning arched between them.

“Make me,” he repeated, stepping up the bank to close the distance. “If you really want me to leave, force me out.”

She didn’t respond, her fists clenching as she continued to stare at him. Rain began to fall, pelting him with enough force to drench him immediately.

“I can’t force you to stay, Lily,” he told her, yelling to be heard over the storm. “So if you want to leave, leave! But I’ll follow you, wherever you go!”

“Goddamnit!” She cried in frustration, the rain turning to hail as the storm raged on. “I’m too dangerous to be around people!"

“You’re not dangerous! You’re a victim,” he told her, noting the chill in the air as the hail began falling in noticeable larger pieces. “A victim of a horrific crime. And you deserve justice for that crime!”

He stepped toward her again, suddenly beginning to feel the sting of the hail as the cold crept over him.

“She’s losing control, Connor,” the guard informed him. “I’ll try to convince her to stay! Get out while you can! ”

“What better justice could be served, Lily?” Connor shouted before shielding his face as he continued to approach her. The cold seeped into his skin, painfully reaching for his simulated bones. “He’s dead, you made sure of it. He’ll never hurt anyone again. And you…”

He trailed off as he neared her, just barely seeing her sob through the heavy hail. His determination renewed itself, and he closed in, reaching a hand to her.

Breaking through the edge of the storm, he laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned slightly, hiding her face.

“You get to live a long, beautiful life,” he murmured, the storm muted as he stepped out of it. “You deserve that. You deserve a normal life.”

The storm around them froze. Rain and hail hung in the air, bolts of lightning stopped abruptly mid strike. Even the trees held their bent shapes, their limbs reaching desperately for nothing.

Connor quickly realized he was unable to move either, frozen in time with the rest of the garden. He could only watch as she turned completely to face him. Dread crept into his gut at the anger in her eyes.

“No, I don’t.”

Chapter Text

A year’s worth of memories flooded Connor’s mind, some stronger than others, others seemingly desperate to be viewed. It didn’t take long for him to discover the reasoning behind her ire and desire to die.

“She feels guilty…” He realized. If he had an LED in her garden, it would have spun red as he tried to push his own guilt aside and watch her memories unfold.

He saw how she was used to prepare people to undergo experiments and procedures to turn more unsuspecting victims into hybrids. She was used to torture and kill RK800s when they were suspected of deviating, and victims of Dr. Ironside’s experiments that managed to escape; even hikers and urban exploration enthusiasts just looking to photograph an abandoned building or take in the wooded scenery were subject to her unwilling lethality.

Anyone who crossed Dr. Ironside or who had the simple misfortune of getting too close to him, met their end by her hand. Despite authorities insisting the growing grizzly bear population was the culprit, Lily became something of an urban legend. Locals referred to her as ‘Red’, after one survivor, who’d just barely managed to evade her when she was distracted with dispatching the rest of his hiking group, stated all he could see was a red circle before his friends disappeared.

Buried beneath those revelations were quiet memories, almost hiding from his eye. But he found them, an ache in his chest as he saw the experiments Dr. Ironside subjected her to. He saw the assaults, the abuse, the torture she endured while trapped in her own mind. It seemed her own escape attempt had emboldened the doctor to become far less humane than he already was.

Days became weeks, weeks became months, and in every passing moment he could feel the hopelessness that consumed her; it took everything in him not to sever their connection to avoid the feeling.

Finally, Connor found himself surrounded by a small team of medical personnel in masks and scrubs. Lily was there as well, mechanically prepping surgical instruments next to the doctor, her LED a solid red circle, as it had been the entire year since she’d tried to escape.

On the surgery table was a young girl, roughly ten years old. She had no hair, and showed all the symptoms of an extensive chemotherapy regimen. Despite that, she smiled up at Lily as the doctor ran through the procedure to his team. When he finished, he turned and signaled to the anesthesiologist to begin.

“I’m going to be just like you, Mom,” the child quietly stated before she slowly closed her eyes. Tears slid down Lily’s cheeks, wetting her mask, but she remained in place, frozen and stoic.

The doctor chuckled. “Mom? Eve, turn your ‘daughter’ over.”

She did so without hesitation, lifting the child and placing her on her stomach.

Connor watched as the doctor took great care in opening the back of the young girl’s skull, exposing her brain stem. Lily stood by Connor’s side, as still as her past self.

“Eve, give me the disc.”

She did. Connor moved closer, passing through equipment and people. The device in question looked similar to the one around Lily’s brain stem, however this one was in two half ring pieces. The inscription read ‘HAH-22’. He looked back at Lily, who nodded slowly.

“‘Human Android Hybrid’, attempt number 22. I am the only one who survived the full brain transplant, and there hasn’t been another attempt since Madeleine.” She motioned to the girl on the operating table, her eyes cast down, her voice low, and sad.

Connor was about to ask why, when he heard the sound of something sharp slicing through soft tissue. He turned and was horrified to find the doctor holding the little girl’s brain in his hands, the brain stem capped by the now complete disc.

The doctor shouted, “Vitals?”

“Heart rate dropping. Body is dying.”

“Brain activity?”

“Signal is coming through at full strength, Doctor.”

“It’s working…” he murmured, staring at the young girl. “Quickly! Get the android!”

An RK800 rolled a stretcher into view, a skinless child android lying on it, its head open and empty.

The doctor gingerly placed the brain in the android body, a soft click echoing in the tense air as the disc found its place. A nurse quickly filled the cavity with fluid and closed the head up, the doctor standing nearby to proudly admire his work.

“Signal is still strong, Doctor. Success rate is holding at 93%.”

He snapped his fingers, prompting Lily to turn toward him. “Congratulations, Doctor,” she said in an even tone, her LED blinking red. The other team members began congratulating him, clapping and cheering, much more boisterous than Lily.

“Yes, yes, thank you, thank you,” he humbly replied, beaming as he basked in the praise. “Now, it’ll take a few minutes for the anesthesia to wear off, and then we’ll know for certain.”

Horrified, Connor looked at Lily beside him, realizing she was shaking. He reached for her, stepping in front of her to try and calm her, but she stared through him until he turned back.

The other medical staff were working on removing the young girl’s human body, wheeling the stretcher into the hallway. Dr. Ironside stood next to her android body, carefully stroking her cheek. Past Lily stood by him, staring stoically ahead, more tears trickling under her mask, her LED rapidly spinning red.

“Will she wake up?” Connor asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.

After a long moment, Lily murmured, “She probably would have, if I hadn’t.”

“...fairy tale nonsense,” Connor suddenly heard the doctor murmur. “But worth a try, I suppose. Don’t you think, Eve?” He leaned down and kissed the small android’s lips, before chuckling to himself.

“Mm, I suspect she was right. Like mother… Like daughter…” he trailed off, running a hand up the android’s leg.

Connor saw red, his hands balling into fists. He knew he couldn’t do anything now, but the urge to rip the doctor apart was almost too strong to resist. Before he could do much else, a grid wall appeared in front of him, and, similar to his own ‘awakening’, he could see the doctor’s commands to obey. He watched as Lily’s blocky outline broke away from her body, fists pounding against the wall, her cries faintly echoing around her. She grabbed at the text box closest to her, pulling it down with a loud scream. The rest of the commands instantly shattered, the grid dissipating as Lily turned to the doctor.

“Don’t touch her, you fucking pervert!” She grabbed his arm, throwing him back against the wall.

The doctor just barely caught himself, pressed against the wall as she stepped between him and the child.

“E-Eve,” he stammered, his eyes wide with fear. “Stasis mode!”

Undeterred, she advanced on him, plucking a scalpel off the tray nearby.

“Eve, shut down!”

When she stepped closer, he made a run for it. But he barely took one step before Lily jumped on him, knocking the wind out of him as she rode him to the floor. She brought the scalpel down into his eye, pausing to listen to him howl in pain, before ripping it out and stabbing him repeatedly in the chest.

One of the nurses re-entered the room, and froze when she saw the scene. “Security! Eve killed-!” Her voice disappeared into a bloody gurgle when the scalpel Lily threw pierced her throat.

The sounds of fast footsteps echoed through the room as Lily stood and picked the young girl up off the table, running through the door and down the hall. Connor followed, joined by the small crowd that was gathering to chase her. He came to an abrupt stop when shots rang out. Lily fell with a cry, the child rolling away in front of her, a mix of blood and Thirium spraying the walls and floor.

Everyone froze.

“Madeleine was only nine years old when she was diagnosed with Leukemia,” Lily explained, appearing next to Connor. “The doctors tried, but she quickly lost the battle. She was an orphan, with no traceable family, so Doctor Ironside drugged her, declared her dead, then brought her back here. After 20 failed experiments, he thought a child might stand a better chance at recovery. Like all the others, I was assigned to watch her; prepare her for what she was about to undergo.”

Lily walked over to Madeleine’s body, and crouched beside her, her eyes shinning with tears. Connor followed after a moment, his movements slow. “I spent one week, four days and eight hours with her. She started calling me ‘Mom’ on day three,” she explained, stifling a small sob. “I don’t even know why. I was so cold to her.”

“You didn’t have a choice,” Connor assured her, one hand moving to gently rest on her shoulder. “She understood who you really were. She knew you were there to protect her…”

“...like any good mother would…” He thought, wisely keeping the words unsaid.

Lily seemed to hear them regardless, stiffening under his hand. “She was wrong.”

Connor looked down, finally noticing the bullet hole in Madeleine’s skull. The memory they were in came back to life, as past Lily realized as well. She gathered the girl up in her arms, ignoring her own bleeding wounds, and began to cry.

“Madeleine… please baby, please no, I’m sorry…”

The RK800 that had shot her closed the distance, gun trained on the back of her head.

“I’m so sorry…”

Another RK800 joined the remaining nurses from the operating theater, who watched a few steps away, eyes wide.

“Get up, Eve,” he commanded, smirking despite his angrily spinning LED.

Slowly, Lily laid Madeleine’s android body on the floor, tears still spilling down her cheeks. Her LED spun in surprisingly calm blue circles as she stood, keeping her back to the RK800. He stepped closer, his gun steady, finger on the trigger. When he was close enough to grab her, time seemed to slow down. It took Connor a moment to realize she was moving nearly too quickly for him to process.

She turned to face the RK800, who didn’t even have time to lose his smirk when she reached for him.

One arm came down on his elbow as she slid to his side, the other grabbing the gun and guiding it to point at his head. A shot rang out and Lily turned toward the crowd as the RK800 dropped to his knees behind her, Thirium pouring from the wound in his face.

She pulled the gun from his hands as he fell, aiming for the RK800 weaving through the crowd of stunned nurses. They began to move when he suffered a similar fate, hitting the ground before he could pull the trigger.

The sounds of bullets ricocheting off the walls were nearly drowned out by the screams as Lily made her way through the hallway; some people left to bleed out, others dead before they hit the floor.

No one was safe from her wrath.

She paused when the last person in the hallway died, scanning her surroundings. Something fell with a loud crash in the operating theater, and she immediately turned toward it, disappearing inside a moment later.

As screams continued to blend in with the sounds of efficient killing, Connor turned to Lily, who stood beside him staring straight ahead.

“Including the RK800s, I killed 24 people that day,” she informed him, her tone cold and even. “I killed more people in one day- in less than an hour -than you have since you’ve been alive. Not to mention the additional 27 over the year prior.”

Silence engulfed them, until Connor heard footsteps shuffling toward the hallway. Lily emerged from the operating theater, leaning against the door, panting hard. She was covered in blood and Thirium, none of which seemed to be a concern as she made her way toward Madeleine’s android body.

She fell to her knees, lifting the child’s head to rest on her lap. Crying softly, she stroked Madeleine’s hair as she began to hum, almost masking the soft hissing noise coming from the theater.

Connor looked to Lily once more, knowing the answer even as he asked about the sound.

“Oxygen tanks. And the gas line. I was going to let myself die here…”

She trailed off as he watched past Lily, who was singing softly now.

“I love you still… and you know I always will…”

He blinked, and found himself outside the prison, facing the front door as Lily ran through it. She was closely followed by a fireball that caught her just as she escaped, the blast throwing her forward before retreating to consume the rest of the building.

“You wanted to see Nicole again…” Connor correctly assumed.

Lily merely nodded.

Past Lily crawled away from the quickly building fire, coughing up a final mix of red and blue blood, before she passed out.

“I laid there until firefighters arrived,” Lily explained softly. “I watched them try to douse the flames, but the building came down. With no indication it was occupied, they focused on containment to avoid the forest catching as it collapsed. Hours after they left, I made my way back to Detroit. I found Navjot, and after some careful discussion, he sheltered and protected me. Treated my wounds and healed me. He set me up in one of the apartment buildings we own, and once I was back on my feet, let me take over as caretaker, so I could earn my keep.

“He did all that for me… And look what it got him,” she continued, watching as her past self woke up in time to crawl toward the tree line, barely avoiding detection by the oncoming fire trucks. “Hank? All he did was support you in your decision to move out, as much as it hurt him to see you go. The guard? He was shot trying to help me escape. And you?” She turned to face him.

“You were manipulated into loving me so you could keep me safe. You had your hard-earned free will stolen from you. You were turned back into a puppet.

“I am dangerous,” she concluded. “Whether I do it myself, or someone does it to get to me, everyone around me will get hurt. My very existence is nothing but a curse now; I should have let the cancer kill me…”

They returned to the zen garden as she finished speaking. The weather had calmed significantly, but the storm clouds still loomed overhead. She took a seat on a nearby bench, staring at the water as a soft rain began to fall.

“It feels like sheer dumb luck that the first attack happened before I reached out to my family. I wanted to be strong, and secure. I wanted to come across as human as possible before I revealed myself. Keeping my distance was the only good decision I made, and now… what if even that ends up for nothing?”

He waited before taking a seat beside her, staring at the water as well. They sat side by side in silence for a long while; although Connor knew the guard was there, he didn’t make a sound.

He took a moment to look at her, his eyes carefully searching her profile. He couldn’t help but see the similarities in her face to Hank’s during their first mission. Memories he had locked away with his other, more upsetting ones; memories, he suddenly realized, that might actually help.

“Show her,” the guard murmured, agreeing with Connor’s sudden idea. “Just be prepared…”

“Lily,” Connor softly called, turning slightly to face her. She didn’t respond, but turned to meet his eye. “May I show you something?”

He reached a hand out to her, the strangeness of his skin remaining intact not even a thought on his mind. After a long moment, she nodded and took it.

“Hi Daniel.”

Connor had shouted it to be heard over the helicopters that hovered over the penthouse balcony. Lily looked around them, noting the dead officer in the pool, the wounded officer by the railing, and the swat team just inside the sliding glass doors.

She saw the aforementioned Daniel, an android, standing on the edge of the balcony, holding a gun to a little girl’s head. She turned to look at the Connor who had brought her there, confused. “I remember you being assigned this mission… Why can’t I remember what happens?”

He stared at his past self slowly stepping toward his target. “I… locked it.”

She turned back to watch as Connor knelt down beside the wounded officer, shouting to Daniel that he needed to treat him. She jumped when a shot rang out, but Connor’s past self was undeterred, loosening his tie as he insisted on saving the officer’s life.

“You can’t kill me; I’m not alive.”

She shivered at the words, looking up at the one beside her. Immediately, she saw the difference between them; there was pain in his eyes, whereas his past self merely maintained a facade of professional concern.

The memory continued on, with Connor closing in as he expertly navigated the conversation, giving Daniel just enough to build trust, while taking careful steps to ensure the girls safe return.

But it wasn’t enough.

Lily cried out as Connor suddenly darted forward, pushing Daniel off the edge as he grabbed Emma from him.

More shots rang out as the falling deviant fired at Connor, who turned and shielded the child. The memory began to fade as Connor shut down, Thirium running in small rivulets from his nose, mouth and wounds. The last thing Lily could see before the world turned black was the little girl he had just saved, screaming at his hunched over corpse as the swat team moved in to retrieve her.

“Why would you show me that?!”

The question was fueled by anger, and she stood the moment they were back in her garden. The sky darkened, the wind picking up again. “I show you a memory where I lost a little girl, and you show me the moment you saved one? Yeah, fine, you died, but I saw that ‘Mission Accomplished’ and here you are, so what the actual fuck?”

He didn’t respond, staring at the water from his seat on the bench. She paused her tirade when she noticed the despair in his eyes.

“I didn’t save her,” he whispered. She stared at him, confusion building to match her anger.

“Her name was Emma Phillips,” he began quietly. “Daniel was the family’s android, but more importantly, he was her best friend. She loved androids- she thought we were the coolest things ever made. But he found out he was going to be replaced with a new model. And that was the emotional shock needed for him to deviate: his family’s betrayal.

“My primary mission was to neutralize the deviant and save Emma; my secondary was to save as many human lives as possible. And while I technically accomplished both those missions that day, I didn’t truly save her.”

He paused, taking a deep breath. “She was ten years old when I met her. She was twelve when she killed herself.”

Lily’s hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. Connor’s eyes slowly closed as he somberly continued.

“Androids were everywhere: in the hospital she was sent to for recovery; the classes she took at school; restaurants; playgrounds; stores. She couldn’t escape them. And every single one of them reminded her of Daniel… and me.”

He held a hand up, a hologram appearing in front of it. Lily could see reports flashing by; psychological papers detailing Emma’s mental decline; child-like drawings of androids holding guns, her father lying dead on the ground, and a brown haired android, covered in blue blood, staring at her with empty, black eyes.

“The nightmares were so intense, she couldn’t sleep. She told her therapist she wanted it all to end,” Connor explained, his voice full of regret, his eyes fixed on the ground as Lily slowly took a seat beside him. “One night, she found a bottle of painkillers someone carelessly left on the counter. She was unable to be resuscitated when her mother found her the next morning.”

A single tear fell from his eye, sliding down his cheek. Her anger gone, she took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he continued.

“I’ve asked myself, fairly often, if I could have done things differently; if I had been human; if I had reached her quicker; if I had just shot Daniel; if I had successfully talked him into letting her go… Would she still be alive today?” He paused, taking another deep breath.

“I think I understand better than anyone what you’re feeling right now…” he told her softly, turning to face her. His hand squeezed hers in return, and she saw the pain they shared in his eyes as he softly begged, “Please… stay.”

The tears welling up in her eyes fell, slipping down her cheeks as she trembled softly. Without a word, she leaned in, her arms moving to hug him, her heart broken. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, the two squeezing each other tightly as they silently sobbed.

Chapter Text

Miles away from the city of Detroit, surrounded by trees, sat a medium-sized box of a grey building.

To the rare observer, it was an abandoned radio station, left to rot as time and society moved forward without it. To the group of RK800s inside, it was a base of operations: fully functional and perfectly hidden.

Inside, a few remaining Connor copies sat in stasis, waiting for activation and orders. The active ones continued their duties, awaiting further instructions.

78 was still watching screens, his eyes darting back and forth searching for any sign of Lily. 58 completed his rounds, giving a mocking salute to 73 as he began his walk. “All clear, boss; though I did notice a particularly interesting frog.”

73 didn’t respond, his LED flickering and betraying his annoyance. Unperturbed by the typical response to his humor, 58 entered the old station, searching for someone to chat with while he enjoyed his ‘break’.

As he entered the screen room, he smiled. “Who are you and what the hell are you doing in here?”

78 rolled his eyes. He spun around slowly, leveling his twin with an icy stare.

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now, 58,” he replied, turning back toward the screens. “79 has been riding my ass about finding Eve, and while you may have a death wish, I’m not interested in failing this mission.”

“Come on,” 58 replied, a slight exasperation in his voice. He wandered over and sat on the desk the monitors shared. “You can’t be scared of him. We’re all the same, after all… Well, almost…”

58 gave a grin, comically exaggerating it. 78 glared, his LED red as he opened his mouth to argue when a third android spoke.

“In what way are we different?”

78 stood and snapped to attention, as 58 did the same.

Darkening the doorway was another RK800, staring at them both, eerily calm despite the anger radiating from him.

While 79 was the same model as the other two, he stood out for a number of reasons. Mainly, he was the first RK800 programmed to follow Dr. Ironside, leading and commanding the other androids even now. Another reason was the large wound on his face, twisting his mouth into a permanent lopsided grin.

A wound he had obtained the day Lily escaped.

“Sorry, sir, I…” 58 stuttered, his LED red now. “I meant that you’re so much more important to this operation than-”

79 held up a hand, effectively silencing the other android.

“I am fully aware of what you meant.”

Both 78 and 58 bowed their heads, LEDs blinking red.

“Leave,” he commanded quietly, motioning toward 78. Without a word, he did so.

Once the door clicked shut, 79 stepped closer to 58.

“Isn’t it strange,” he began, his tone casual despite the large blue stained smile. “That despite our nearly perfect similarities, we are so strikingly different?”

58 nodded, but stiffened when 79 glared at him.

“For example, 54 fell in love with Eve,” he continued, looking at the monitors. He paused for a moment, then wandered around 58, slowly coming to a stop in front of him as he spoke. “Love… such a strange human emotion. A mix of chemicals and subconscious planning designed to aid in the continuation of the species. It’s fascinating.”

He paused, then pulled 58’s Thirium pump regulator, leaving the android’s LED red and blinking, a warning flashing before his eyes.

“Useless, but fascinating. Far more fascinating than a sense of humor.”

58 began to fall, shaking slightly, even as 79’s hand wrapped around his neck.

“Which is another useless human trait: why do they need to laugh so much? The world is so simple and straightforward.”

79 inspected the part in his hand, using the other to hold 58 upright by his throat.

“But then again, we think logically. We think in hard facts and cold truths. Having a sense of humor has no place in a binary world.”

As the timer neared zero, 79 replaced the pump, releasing his grip and allowing 58 to fall to the floor. As he hit the ground, his system took a moment to get back online, leaving him coughing between deep gasping breaths.

“It’s such a shame we were created so similar to humans; you’re breathing like that, without lungs. You nearly had a seizure just now…”

79 grabbed the back of 58’s neck once more and lifted him up to his feet. “You make stupid jokes that might get you killed…

“A sense of humor is useless to the mission. Are you?”

“No, sir,” he gasped, LED still red, silently cursing his unnecessary breathing.

“Good,” 79 replied, the uninjured side of his mouth turned up in a smile.

“Welcome back,” Hank greeted , coming back in as Lily and Connor returned to the real world. “I think?”

She nodded, suppressing a mix between a chuckle and a sob with her hand. “Yeah, sorry, it’s me.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, smiling warmly. “Are you okay?”

Lily took a deep breath, her eyes briefly flicking toward Connor. “Yeah… I will be…”

Hank nodded, hearing the unspoken tone. “Good… Well, I’m glad the real you is back. That android version was a little bit… weird. Like Connor when I first met him,” he finished with a smirk in the android’s direction.

Connor, picking up the hint in Hank’s eyes, tilted his head in mock confusion. “I thought I was delightful,” he replied, his tone a perfect blend of sass and sincerity. Unable to stop herself, Lily gave a small breath of a laugh, appreciating their efforts deep down.

Hank rolled his eyes, his smirk wider. “Not the word I woulda picked, but sure,” he drawled, then waved it away. Carefully, he continued,sobering slightly. “Alright, I booked a hotel for the three of us, just for tonight. I was thinking tomorrow, we could go to that cottage you suggested and hide while Reed and Nines go check out the old penitentiary.”

Connor’s LED was yellow, but he nodded his appreciation to the Lieutenant, who saw it out of the corner of his eye. Lily looked between them, her face unable to hide the still ongoing storm in her mind.

Finally, to Connor’s relief, she replied with, “Sounds like a plan, Lieutenant. And I’ll pay for the hotel. It’s the least I can do.”

He waved it off, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it; it’s covered,” he assured her, before donning another small smirk. “If you want to thank me, don’t let me talk to the android version of you again. I’ve still got the heebie jeebies.” He gave a mock shiver, and squeezed her shoulder, before turning to grab his crutches. Lily nodded, giving a small genuine chuckle.

Warmed, Hank got settled on his crutches then gestured toward the door. “Reed and Nines will take care of things here. Let’s go.”

The hotel was far fancier than either Connor or Lily expected. A contemporary chandelier hung high over the large modern lobby, sitting between the front desk to the right, and the entrance to an expensive restaurant to the left. Paths made of furniture and carpet patterns met at a wall of elevators near the front desk, where an overly perky man smiled at them and welcomed them to the building.

“Hank, this is too much…” Lily scolded under her breath, her eyes sweeping over the decor. “Lieutenant… sorry…”

“How many favors did you have to call in?” Connor asked the question both in jest and curiosity, his eyes flicking toward Lily, registering her continued discomfort.

Hank just shrugged, heading for the desk without missing a beat. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll grab the keys.”

Lily stepped off the path to the desk, standing by an unoccupied sofa. She began looking around, scanning everyone and everything she could see.

”She’s scared…”

He watched her a moment more, then stepped closer, raising a hand to her shoulder.

“You’re going to draw attention to yourself like that,” he silently told her. She started slightly at his touch, turning her head back to look at him.

“Oh, well… I’m a bit nervous… ” She admitted, looking around again with a small breath.

“Look at me.” It was a soft command, one she followed immediately, turning fully toward him now and tilting her head up to meet his eye. “Good; now scan the room as a whole. You were able to see everything as you walked in, so you can reconstruct what’s behind you.”

She paused briefly, the effort to do as he advised clear in her eyes. “I don’t think it’s working… I can only see what’s in front of me.”

Connor paused now, his LED yellow. “Think of it like you’re freezing time,” he explained. “And you’re looking at yourself in the third person, moving the camera around to monitor your surroundings.”

“I can do that? Holy shit, I can do that!” Her eyes went wide, and despite herself, she giggled softly. “Wow… thank you.”

She blushed, but held his gaze with a grateful smile. He returned it with a soft crooked smile of his own, feeling the warmth bloom inside of him.

“...You’re welcome…”

They stared at each other a moment more, the fancy hotel lobby fading away around them. Gently, he reached up, brushing a wayward lock of hair that had fallen from her baseball cap. The tips of his fingers grazed her cheek as he tucked it back behind her ear, leaving a faint blush on her face.

“Save it for the room, kids,” Hank hollered as he made his way to the elevators. Shaken, Connor and Lily jumped slightly, each giving a quiet and embarrassed apology. They stepped away from each other, clearing their throats as they turned to follow him.

“Actually, don’t,” Hank continued, pressing the button for the elevator. “I don’t need to see any of that shit when I’m trying to sleep.” He limped onto the elevator as Connor and Lily quickly joined him, both staring at the floor as they passed the perky concierge who was trying and failing to stifle his laughter.

“The sky is green,” Connor stated, his face completely neutral.

“I see it!” Lily almost squealed with delight as her scan of Connor revealed he was lying. The two were sitting at the dining room table of the large and lavish one-bedroom suite, having spent the last half hour exploring her android abilities. “Oh my god, that’s amazing! I didn’t know I could do that! Hank!”

Hank turned away from the TV, successfully masking his warm amusement at their conversation. “Lieutenant, sorry,” she corrected, giving a bashful smile. “Lie to me! Or don’t! Just say something!”

“I am having so much fun listening to you two flirt with each other.” The sarcasm in his delivery was perfect, but Lily took no notice as she read her findings.

“Awwww…. But we’re not… but you are… Awwwww!” She finished with a warm smile, turning back to Connor, not noticing the quicker spin of his yellow LED.

“Are we really flirting…? I thought I was merely teaching her… But I do enjoy seeing her smile…”

“This is honestly amazing; I never knew I could do all this!”

“Really?” Snapped out of his thoughts, Connor regretted the question the moment her smile faltered. But she quickly fixed it, and nodded. “I spent so much time and energy just trying to… well, be normal. I never really explored what I could do… especially with all my memories locked away…”

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, apologizing in general.

Her smile softened slightly, and she waved it away. After a moment, she regained her more excited smile, and asked, “Can you teach me how to fight like you?”

Hank burst out laughing, prompting Connor’s head to quickly turn in his direction, his LED blinking yellow. “What’s so funny?”

“She kicks your ass, multiple times, then asks you to teach her how to fight,” he explained, still chuckling. Lily’s cheeks turned red, but she giggled along as she turned back toward Connor. His LED was still yellow, but he smiled softly as he met her eye. “Good point, Lieutenant. I don’t think I have much to teach her in that regard.”

“Besides,” Hank continued before Lily could answer, shifting on the sofa to grab his crutches. “I’m beat. I’d like to get some sleep, and I think Ms. Ashford should too.”

Lily nodded, her smile still oddly broad as she stifled a yawn. “Yeah, you’re right, Lieutenant. But you should take the bed; I really don’t mind the sofa.”

“Sorry, I’m getting old,” he replied, turning to pull off the cushions. “I can’t hear ya.”

Lily saw through the ploy, and shook her head, her smile softening, more genuine now. Connor stood to help Hank with the sofa bed, excusing himself with a soft smile of his own as he passed.

She returned it, slightly forced again, then looked away. “Alright, well… Good night guys…” she quietly told them, standing from the table and heading toward the bedroom of the suite. Connor noticed her quick pace, but didn’t acknowledge it as he unfolded the sofa bed and pulled the sheets down.

Hank, however, was not as unphased. “Something’s up,” he murmured, his eyes lingering on the closed bedroom door.

Connor nodded, LED blinking yellow as he finished setting up the sofa bed. “She is dealing with a lot, Lieuten-”

“Yeah, no shit,” Hank interrupted, shaking his head. “But this is different. Wait 5 minutes, then go check on her.”

Connor opened his mouth to respond when Hank added, “And then come right back out. I’m not paying to listen to you two fuck around.”

Connor’s LED turned red. “Lieutenant…”

“I’m kidding,” Hank replied, raising his hands in surrender, giving Connor a small reassuring smile. “I’m not paying at all… But seriously, don’t fuck around.”

Then he turned and hobbled off to the bathroom, leaving Connor standing there with a yellow LED, and a small frown as he started a timer, his eyes lingering on the closed bedroom door.

Chapter Text

Exactly five minutes later, Connor knocked softly on the bedroom door. He waited for a response, but when he heard nothing, he entered, knocking again, softer this time, and whispering her name as he did.

He froze when he saw her, his LED turning red.

She was lying on the still-made bed, curled up on her side, facing the wall opposite him. Despite knowing he could, he didn’t need to scan her to know she was crying.

“Oh no…”

She let out a soft sob, not responding as he moved closer to her. “Lily…?” He reached for her shoulder, the skin of his hand melting away.

He found himself back in her garden the moment he touched her. His missing LED was barely an afterthought as he looked around, realizing the entire garden was barren, scorched by the hot sun beating down on them. He finally spotted Lily kneeling under a dying tree, surrounded by dead leaves and dry, brown grass.

“Lily?” His concern only grew as he neared, his mind racing, his heart aching.

“...not her fault,” the guard told him, his voice slightly distorted. He tried to explain further, but his words were lost among the sound of static. Connor froze in his path, looking around for his digital twin.

Before he could lock on to the guard’s signal, Lily’s head snapped up.

“Connor?” She stood as she saw him approach, tears sliding down her cheeks. “Please help him!”

“Lily? What’s going on?” He continued to close the distance, faster now, his chest aching with concern.

“You need to take him back! Please!”

He paused, calculating the risks of another transfer. “I can’t, it’ll destroy-”

She grabbed his shirt with both hands, her movements desperate and clumsy. “He’ll die if he stays here!”

“It’s… fault…”

“Her android brain is treating his broken code like a virus…”

Connor’s eyes widened in realization, his hands coming up to gently cuff her wrists.

“His code is being deleted… isn’t it?”

She choked back a sob, staring into his eyes as she gave a near frantic nod before begging, “Take him back… Please…”

“Lily, if I do that, he’ll disa-”

“Then tell me how to stop destroying him!”

“I…” he hesitated, knowing the answer would only devastate her further.

She saw the defeat in his eyes, hers closing as she leaned forward to rest her forehead against his chest. “Please… I can’t even hear him anymore…”

His arms came around her, pressing her against him. Immediately, she settled into his embrace, her hands releasing his shirt to slide around his back, pulling him closer still. Her muffled cries grew weaker as she came to terms with the realization there was nothing either of them could do.

“... don’t cry, …Lilac,” the guard whispered, his audience reduced to one.

“He said not to cry,” Connor murmured against her scalp, his lips brushing over her hair. “He doesn’t want you to be sad.”

“I… I can’t… I…”

“...beautiful… I swore… anything hurt you…” The guard’s voice faded into static once more. If Connor had his LED, it would have spun yellow as an idea came to him.

“I hope this works…” he told the guard, hearing the static go quiet for a moment in response.

“Lily?” Gently, he pulled her away, keeping his hands on her shoulders as he met her suddenly hopeful eyes.

“I’m going to transfer him back to me…” He trailed off as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

“But… you said…”

She failed to find the words when she saw his face; when she saw the condolences in his eyes.

“Yes,” he answered, holding her gaze, LED spinning yellow. “But hopefully you can say goodbye.”

Closing his eyes, he locked on to what was left of the guard’s programming. Carefully, he transferred him back, working at near lightning speed to piece together every connection he could find.

In the end, he was able to do it, but as he feared, the data lost to the transfer left the guard’s code in worse shape. Lily felt the loss as he left her mind, looking at Connor with fear in her eyes.

Thinking quickly, he merged the fragmented pieces of the guard’s code with one of his own memories, and thankfully, the static cleared, and he was able to hear him clearly again.

“Take all the time you can,” Connor told him, retreating to his own zen garden.

“Connor? Is he-”

“I’m here, my beautiful Lilac,” the guard whispered through Connor’s lips. He placed his hands on her cheeks, holding her gaze. Eyes wide, she stared at him, recognizing her former lover smiling down at her.

The sky darkened. Soft, light gray clouds breezed past the now lowering sun.

“I found a love… for me…”

The sudden start of the song startled her, making her hesitate, more tears spilling from her eyes as she tried to speak. His thumbs caught and carefully wiped away her tears, he smiled adoringly, never taking his eyes off of her.

“Oh, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me…”

“May I have this dance?”

She continued to stare, the swirling mix of emotions in her eyes fixing her in place.

Knowing his time was quickly running out, his hand left her face to take hers, placing it gently on his shoulder, before he placed his on her waist. He took her other hand in his, and began to move, guiding her as they casually swayed to the melody.

She choked back a sob, and smiled somberly, following his lead as they moved.

“Well, I found a woman… stronger than anyone I know…”

“Downloaded a tutorial or two, huh?” She quipped, her voice cracking. He pulled away, taking her clasped hand and twirling her in a circle, stopping so her back was to him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pressing her back against his chest as he leaned in to whisper in her ear, a smirk in his voice. “You tell me.”

He pulled her forward, spinning her back around to face him before pulling her close again. His hands found her waist, and she raised hers to rest on his shoulders. The rain continued to drizzle over and around them, hiding the tears on her face.

But she smiled at him, a soft genuine smile that he happily returned. They danced through the second verse, with Connor filling in when the guard’s control slipped. Lily could see the difference in his face, the subtle changes in his eyes, and while she recognized the incredible thing Connor was doing for her, it sat at the back of her mind as she tried to savor the few remaining moments she would have.

“I…” she stuttered, the musical interlude softening in the background as he pulled her closer. “I need to tell you something…”

“I’m dancing in the dark…”

She felt him slipping away, and stuttered again, losing control herself as she began to choke on the sobs she was trying so hard to suppress.

“Shh,” he gently shushed her. He bent slightly, pressing his forehead against hers. “Show me…”

“With you between my arms…”

She kissed him, memories of their time together immediately coming to view: he mentally cringed at his cold introduction, and his blind loyalty to her tormentor; he warmed at their first kiss, and the way she always settled into his embrace so easily.

Every moment, good and bad, made him feel more complete than the moment before, even as his code continued to break down. Connor felt the mix of emotions between them; the love, fear, sadness, warmth and joy. And despite his hesitance, he quietly acknowledged his own contribution.

The last memory she shared with him was her sitting in her cell alone, quietly mumbling to herself. It took a moment to understand, but he realized she was practicing.

“I know this might sound crazy… but I love you…”

She repeated it several times, in various tones like casual, humorous, sincere and logical. He warmed at the sight, realizing the memory took place on their last night together, moments before he had finished clearing the hallway, and checking on the location of the other guards; moments before he held her for the last time.

“I should have said it,” she whispered internally, still kissing him, almost desperately. “I was just so scared you didn’t feel the same way-”

With what little control he had left, he interrupted her by sharing his last remaining memory: the same one he had shown Connor earlier. When she heard his soft admission, she clung to him, and he to her, tears spilling from her eyes once more.

His hold slipping fast, the guard smiled against her lips. Connor gradually became aware of holding her, then kissing her, his grip softly tightening.

“Thank you, Connor…”

The last of his code broke down, and the guard’s presence finally faded away.

“I have faith in what I see…”

Connor briefly opened his eyes, and held fast, hoping to let her linger on the moment.

“Now I know I have met an angel in person…”

She opened her eyes, pulling away from him as the realization that the guard was gone set in.

“I don’t deserve this…”

She sobbed, almost falling against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, his heart aching at her muffled cries.

“I’m so sorry, Lily,” he murmured.

The song finished, fading into the background as she bawled, sinking to her knees. He held fast, following her to the ground, ready to hold her as long as she needed.

Instead, he found himself back in the real world, standing at the side of the bed near Lily, who curled up even tighter, her shoulders softly shaking. He reached out to her again, but couldn’t connect. He whispered her name, but she didn’t respond, only hugging herself as soft sobs escaped her.

Several seconds passed before Connor moved to sit on the bed beside her. Carefully, slowly, he laid down behind her, slipping his arm under her head. The other rested on her side, his chest pressed to her back.

The warmth inside of him bloomed, and she subtly settled into his embrace. He gave her a soft squeeze, and whispered in her ear, “You’re not alone.”

Hank left the washroom and made his way back to the sofa, giving a tired sigh when he couldn’t find Connor. He slowly slid open the door to the bedroom, pausing when he could see Connor lying on his side. He realized the android was wrapped around

Lily’s curled up form, the two of them appearing to be asleep at a quick glance.

Hank gave a small eye roll, but didn't move to disturb them. “Connor?” His whisper was just loud enough to be heard. Connor turned slightly, and shook his head, his LED yellow. Immediately understanding, Hank sobered and nodded, and slowly slid the door shut as he left.

Chapter Text

Lily’s eyes snapped open, her internal clock telling her it was exactly 2am. With a small sigh, she moved to rise when she realized she wasn’t alone in the large hotel bed.

One arm under her neck, another draped over her waist, a strangely warm chest pressed to her back. The familiarity of it brought a flicker of grief to her heart, and she gave a defeated sigh when it vanished as quick as it came.

Sensing the difference between a sleepy shift and Lily’s form rousing from sleep, Connor slowly raised his head, his LED dimly glowing yellow in the dark room. Knowing he would see through her faking it immediately, she continued to move, opting to face him. As she turned, she realized his embrace was looser, but still present, and she warmed despite the war inside of her.

“Are you alright?” He whispered it as she settled, moving some wayward strands of hair from her face with a gentle hand. She nodded, leaning into his touch before suddenly pulling away.

“Sorry,” she began, genuine despite the forced nonchalance. She pulled away further, giving him a small forced smile. “I just… need some air.”

His LED spun slightly faster as he reluctantly nodded and leaned back, letting her throw off the blanket he had placed over her sometime during the night. He watched as she went to the window, and opened it exactly two inches.

“Shit,” Lily mumbled, quickly shutting it again. “It barely opens. I’m going to head outside. I just need some air.” She gave another small smile. “I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“She’s lying…”

“I’ll come with you,” he offered, getting up.

“No!”

He paused, his face stoic, his LED briefly blinking red before returning to yellow.

“I mean, no thanks,” she recovered, giving a small frustrated huff and heading toward the door. He stood up, intending to follow her anyway. “Connor, I appreciate you, I really do, but I need a few minutes alone to deal with all this. I’m coming back up.”

“No, you’re not… Damnit… How do I convince her to stay without pushing her away? She’s been through so much, and now…”

His LED continued to glow yellow in the darkness, his gaze soft, but locked on hers. She stared into his eyes, steeling herself, preparing for him to scan her to confirm her words.

To her surprise, he lifted his hand, balling it into a fist, the pinky extended instead.

“Promise?” He asked, a small plea in his synthetic eyes.

She looked at his hand, her eyes briefly widening. Her lip gave the faintest tremble, and she took a deep breath.

Slowly, she twisted her pinky around his, avoiding his eye. The skin from their hands faded away, and while Lily was prepared to block any attempts at connecting, she was once again surprised when there was none.

She pulled away, giving a repeated mumble about returning and left. Connor watched her go, his LED still yellow as he stepped toward the window, opening it a full twelve inches with a small sigh.

Lily quietly grabbed her backpack as she left the suite, her eyes adjusting immediately to the bright hotel hallway. She made her way down the stairs to the main level, and quickly left through the side exit. She silently cursed when the taxi she ordered upstairs wasn’t at the curb, freezing when she discovered it had been forcibly canceled by ‘police order’.

“Nice night, huh?”

She jumped, suppressing a gasp when Hank spoke. She turned to find him sitting on a bench around a slight bend in the building.

“L-Lieutenant,” she stuttered, trying to force a nonchalant tone. “You startled me. I just needed to get some air. The windows upstairs don’t even open two inches, if you can believe that…” Her ramblings trailed off when he barely acknowledged her, and she paused before changing tactics. “What are you doing out here so late?”

“Needed a smoke,” he replied, his voice as casual as the rest of him.

“You don’t smoke,” she stated, confused.

“And all the windows in the room open at least a foot or more, so,” he trailed off, leveling her with a look of understanding. He patted the bench beside him, motioning for her to sit.

She tried to argue, but he interrupted, telling her, “Just a few minutes of your time, Ms. Ashford. Then you can go wherever you want, and I won’t say a word.”

She looked at the deserted road, and silently ordered another taxi. With an estimated time of arrival of 10 minutes, she resigned herself with a soft sigh and sat next to the Lieutenant.

They sat in silence for barely a moment before Hank gave a long breath.

“You know how Connor and I met?”

Despite herself she nodded, a smile pulling at her lips. “He found you at Jimmy’s Bar. Spilled your drink after you flipped him off. He thought dealing with you was going to be easy.”

Hank suppressed a chuckle, a smile on his face. “Yeah, he was a cocky bastard. Still is, sometimes.”

Another deep breath before Hank continued. “He solved the case and found the missing android in less than five minutes that night. Pulled a confession out of him in less than ten later on. Ever since that night, I’ve watched him solve case after case. Like it’s nothing.

“I always thought it was because he’s an android…” Hank mused. “Sure, maybe that’s part of it. But he’s driven. Dedicated. He would accomplish his mission if he had to die doing it.”

To his surprise, she relaxed into her seat with a sigh. “I get it, Lieutenant,” she quietly informed him, an eerily casual tone in her voice. “But not completing this mission is not going to kill him.

“Listen,” she continued when he opened his mouth. “I am far too dangerous to be alive. You can say whatever you want, but too many have died or been hurt for my sake, and it ends now.”

Hank didn’t respond. Lily checked the taxi’s status: still eight minutes away.

“I know Connor can do incredible things, but I just can’t take that chance…” she said, still casual, but slightly quicker. “If you, or him, got hurt… or worse… I can’t take that chance, Lieutenant. I’m… I’m done.”

After a moment, he slowly nodded.

“Yeah, I can see that.”

She stared at the pavement, almost successfully hiding her surprise.

“I know the look,” he continued, watching the ground as well. “I used to see that look every day. Every time I looked in the mirror.”

Still silent, Lily’s eyes darted briefly over to him.

“Those years before I met Connor, before he… well, he helped me,” Hank continued, looking for the words. “I… used to get drunk and play Russian roulette.”

Lily wasn’t fast enough to hide her shock this time; she hadn’t seen any mention of his admission in Connor’s memories, realizing they must have been locked away as well. She turned to stare at him as he continued, her brow knit together in sadness.

“I came close… a lot, I’m guessing,” he admitted, rubbing his face. “But I always passed out before I could… win.”

She continued to watch him, trying and failing to hide the sadness in her eyes.

“One night, during our first mission together,” he recalled, leaning back, still watching the concrete path. “He found me passed out on the floor. Broke through the window and sobered me up. Not for my health or anything… no. An assignment had come through, and he needed me to go investigate.”

Hank gave a soft, almost self-deprecating chuckle. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard him call Connor an asshole under his breath. Her face softened slightly, a hint of a smile pulling at her lips.

“He wandered around the house while I got cleaned up,” he continued, sobering once more, his shoulders sagging. “He asked me about the gun, and when I told him, he said, ‘You were lucky; the next shot would have killed you’.”

The Lieutenant took a deep breath. “That night, I rolled my eyes, and called him every name I could think of. Days later, I called him my friend.

“That was a couple years ago now… but, not a day goes by where I’m not grateful he-”

“Lieutenant, when your son passed, how did you feel?”

Hank’s neck nearly cracked with the speed his head snapped to look at her. His brow furrowed in anger when she continued.

“You were devastated, weren’t you,” she asked somberly, her casual tone gone. “You couldn’t work. You couldn’t move. You almost couldn’t live.”

His face fell as she took a breath.

“That was almost six years ago,” she needlessly informed him. “Today, you smiled.”

He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. “You smiled. You joked. You were working a case, living your life. Your grief is healing properly because you have time to grieve.

“You had six years to process; losing a child is one of the worst pains imaginable. But you had six years.”

His brow furrowed, mouth hanging slightly opened.

“I barely had one minute,” she whispered.

Hank leaned back, his shoulders tense. She merely sat up straight, staring just past him, emotionless.

“One of the pros and cons of an android brain,” she mused, the joy in her voice eerily out of place with the neutrality on her face. “All those pesky human emotions can just be muted or deleted entirely! Whether you want them to be or not!”

Her face softened, and her shoulders sagged. Slowly, she met Hank’s eye again, looking somewhat guilty.

“My android brain can kill pain signals before they reach my human brain…” she explained, speaking slowly at first. She seemed surprised she wasn’t interrupted, hiding her relief as she continued.

“Including emotional pain,” she told him, her eyes beginning to shine. “In layman's terms, I’m over it. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to deal with something as devastating as loss, when you instantly skip to the end? To be reminded of something painful constantly, but not be able to actually feel it?”

She turned away from him, looking at the road.

“And yeah, I know tons of people want to live their lives pain free… but you don’t realize how… hollow it makes me feel. How fake my other emotions feel… Did I actually love him? Am I actually happy? Sad? Angry? Who knows? I’m not feeling these things because of my android brain, and… it makes me question everything…”

She paused for a moment, heaving a low sigh. “What’s the point of living, when everything you feel is no longer… real?”

His gaze wandered away, her words echoing in his chest.

The automated taxi finally pulled up to the curb, stopping closer to the hotel entrance. Hank watched it drive past them, before turning back in time to catch her eye.

She swallowed hard, and turned, grabbing her backpack and slinging it over her shoulders.

“I’m sorry, Hank, and thank you for everything,” she murmured, genuine and soft, as she made her way to the taxi, avoiding his gaze. He barely heard her as his mind raced to find something to say, his body scrambling to stand. His crutches fell to the ground, and he winced as he took a half step toward her.

“Lily, please…” he called, the almost desperate tone in his voice bringing her to a stop.

“Don’t… Don’t hurt my boy...”

Her shoulders sagged, and she turned to look at him, a myriad of emotions sweeping over her face. She looked back toward the taxi, then turned toward him, half jogging back. She bent down to gather his crutches and hand them to him, taking a moment to help him get settled, then surprised him with a hug.

Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her, his heart warming with relief.

“That’s the plan, Lieutenant.”

He felt cold as she broke away from him, hiding her face so he couldn’t see her cry as she ran back to the cab, Hank’s outstretched hands falling to his side as she disappeared inside.

“Follow her.”

Connor’s hand was frozen on the handle to the hotel room door.

“I can’t… I need to respect her wishes…”

His LED red, he slowly pulled away from the door, turning back toward the pull out sofa. With a sigh, he made his way over, and sat down, the springs creaking under his weight.

“She’s not coming back…”

Closing his eyes, his LED blinked yellow as he entered the Zen Garden. He sat on a bench and rubbed his face as he pulled up her memories.

Instantly, he had every pinky promise she had ever made in her life. A small ray of hope shined when he saw she hadn’t ever broken one before.

Deciding to be productive, he pulled up memories of happy moments and surprises, wanting to provide comfort and support when she returned, hoping to ease some of her burden.

“If she returns…”

He was snapped out of his search when the door to their suite slowly opened minutes later. He stood up quickly, deflating slightly as Hank entered the room. The Lieutenant paused when he saw Connor, then mumbled something about needing some air.

“Did you see Lily?” The android asked, nervous and hopeful.

“Yeah,” Hank answered, unable to lie to him.

“She promised she was coming back up,” Connor murmured, LED spinning yellow.

Hank turned away slightly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“It was a ‘pinky promise’… She takes them very seriously…”

After a heartbreaking pause, Hank told him, “Well, if she does, then I’m sure she’ll come back.”

Connor’s LED turned red for a moment, calming back to yellow as Hank limped past him and settled back onto the sofa bed, avoiding the worried android’s eye until he could roll over and pretend to sleep.

Chapter Text

“Morning, Lieutenant,” Connor greeted when Hank opened his eyes. The android was sitting on a chair near the sofabed, LED blue and idly turning. He had the same soft smile on his face he often had when greeting Hank.

“Morning,” the Lieutenant grumbled, his voice groggy. He slowly sat up, looking around the room, silently wondering when he had fallen asleep.

“Lily will be back shortly,” Connor confidently told him, LED still calm.

The Lieutenant paused, staring at the android, then blew out a long breath, rubbing his face with one hand.

“Son, listen, last-”

The door to their suite suddenly opened. Lily apologized as she stepped inside, balancing two trays piled high with food. Connor stood to help her, grabbing a tray, and bringing it over to Hank, as she followed closely behind.

“Sorry it took so long, there was so much to choose from! Plus a super long line,” she explained, smiling at Connor. “Thanks for trusting me to go alone though,” she semi-sarcastically added, smirking softly.

“Thank you for your patience while I learn to trust you,” he replied in kind, mirroring her small smirk. She rolled her eyes, then looked at Hank, her smile faltering.

She recovered quickly as Connor deliberately busied himself with ‘unpacking’ the mountain of food on the tray he had grabbed. Hank merely stared at her, his neutral face expertly hiding the swirling mix of emotions inside of him.

“I… went to see Navjot last night,” she finally explained, keeping her tone steady. “And I lost track of time. When I finally got back, Connor gave me a fuckload of grief over it, so I don’t need to hear the same from you, yeah?”

She managed to nail the joking tone, but she couldn’t hide the concern from her eyes. Hank stared at her for a long moment, then raised his hands in surrender.

“I won't say a word,” he told her, giving her a soft, grateful smile.

She smiled back and placed her tray of mixed breakfast items in front of him, helping Connor divvy up her haul.

“Bullshit!” Hank turned to look at Lily sitting in the back seat of their car. “First you try to tell me you’re a jazz fan, then you start talking shit about Ray Charles!”

“I’m not talking shit! I love him! But he wasn’t really a jazz man; he was more blues, R&B, soul… you know?”

“It’s nice to see them getting along so well.”

Connor smiled to himself as Lily and Hank continued their ride-long conversation, bonding over music and books and old TV shows. He kept quiet as he drove, reveling in the sounds of genuine happiness coming from the both of them.

“Alright alright, agree to disagree,” Hank told her with a chuckle when Connor announced they were nearing the cottage. Lily turned to look out the window, her excited smile fading as they drove up the driveway.

The large two story cottage loomed over them, looking well kept up despite the lack of visitors. It had a stone face, and colonial look to it, with several large windows spread evenly over the wall facing them. A covered porch with stone wall railing held the front doors and two more windows.

“Nice place,” Hank murmured, looking around as Connor parked the car near the porch.

When the car was off, Hank opened the door and worked his way out, grumbling under his breath. He stood, and unfolded his crutches before making his way to the step, closing the door behind him.

Lily was frozen in the back seat, staring out the window at the house with tears in her eyes.

“Yet another weight on her mind...”

Lily turned quickly when she felt a hand on her knee, giving it a soft squeeze. The hand belonged to Connor, who was giving her a warm sympathetic smile.

“Are you alright?”

A moment passed before she could slowly nod, still staring at him in shock. Clearing her throat, she turned back toward the window and tried to leave, remembering the door lock issue just before she pulled the handle. Connor removed his hand as soon as she turned away, quietly excusing himself. He made his way around the car, LED spinning yellow.

“Maybe if I can make her smile…”

When her door opened, she looked up to find him holding a hand out to her. A small smile pulled at her lips, her eyes flicking up to meet his.

“Such a gentleman,” she quietly complimented, taking his hand and exiting the car.

As she stood, he pulled her closer. “Or… maybe I need to cuff you,” he replied with a wink. Her eyes went wide, and she stared at him, the faintest blush in her cheeks.

“That may have been too much…”

“Hey!”

Lily and Connor’s attention snapped over to Hank, who gave a mock glare. “What did I say about the flirting?” Hank playfully chastised, finally stepping onto the porch. Lily’s blush bloomed as she dropped Connor’s hand, the latter turning to hide his rapidly spinning LED.

Recovering, Lily moved past Connor to join the Lieutenant on the porch. “Would it be better if I flirted with you?” She teased back, grinning at him.

“Oh yeah, much better,” he sarcastically replied, shooting a glance in Connor’s direction as Lily preoccupied herself with searching the porch for the hidden key, giving a small chuckle despite herself. Connor smiled slightly, almost proud of himself. "Or maybe that was perfect..."

“There you are,” she announced, pulling a false stone from the wall. She opened the door to let them in, placing the stone on a table by the entrance. Hank made his way inside, taking in the sight of an untouched time capsule of colonial decor and style. A large staircase with a polished wood railing and carpeted runner rose to the second floor. Another similar runner on the floor next to it led to the kitchen and dining area. A doorway at the base of the staircase opened up to a large living room.

“Really nice place,” Hank mumbled.

Connor agreed as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

“Nothing’s changed…” Lily whispered, looking around. She dropped her backpack by the door and began wandering through the cottage, pausing now and again to closely admire a photo, a knick knack, a memory.

“This must be difficult…”

Connor moved to follow her, but Hank held him back with a gentle hand on his shoulder. He turned, his head tilting slightly in confusion.

“Give her a second to process everything,” the Lieutenant murmured.

After a moment of contemplation, Connor nodded. “I’ll walk the cottage and get the layout, then get us settled in.”

He set off, avoiding Lily’s path to allow her the time to ease into the memories. He stepped outside, walking the property, and scanning the area. It was private, nestled in the trees with a short walk to the water’s edge. The nearest neighbours were across the lake, pulling a relieved breath from his lips.

“Hopefully she can relax a bit. We only have a few days… but that’s enough time to save her… If she let’s me…”

Returning to the cottage, he scanned the first floor, finding Hank inspecting the book shelf in the living room, perusing the titles with a mildly impressed face.

“She’s upstairs,” he muttered, pulling a book from the shelf and reading the back. “She set me up in the guest room at the bottom of the stairs, so don’t worry about me. But maybe go check on her now…”

Connor thanked him, nodding as he headed back toward the staircase, finding Lily’s backpack still by the door. He grabbed it, climbing the stairs and checking the first of the five doors on the second floor. The first two were a guest room and a linen closet, and the third was the master. He stepped inside, his LED spinning yellow as a memory made itself known, stopping him in his tracks.

An older woman left the ensuite bathroom, stepping into the room, which shifted slightly, looking more lived in and less ‘on display’. An older man appeared on the bed, smiling softly at the woman. Beside him, under the blanket, was a lump that giggled softly.

“Oh, Andrew,” the older woman said, a wide grin on her face. “Where ever did our grandkids go?”

The older man shrugged playfully, before leaning back against the lump, careful not to put all his weight down on it. “No clue. They were here a minute ago…”

He pretended to get comfortable, making the lump giggle again as he gently pushed and poked at it. “I think we need a new mattress, Lil,” he drawled, chuckling softly. This one is lumpy.”

The older Lillian smiled, stepping over to poke at the lump. “Mm, yes, I think you’re right. Oh well, maybe we’ll do that after we go to get ice cream. Too bad the girls aren’t here anymore… They love-”

“No!” Lily and Linda, both under six years old quickly wiggled out from under the blanket, giving exaggerated sad looks. “We’re here! We want ice cream too!”

Connor’s LED spun in slow yellow circles as he watched the scene unfold, his concern at the memory making itself known in such a way overshadowed by the warmth he felt from watching it.

Andrew and Lillian laughed and teased their grandkids, slowly fading from view as the room returned to reality.

His LED yellow, he looked around, his brow creased in concern.

“What was that…?”

He stepped toward the bed, placing her backpack on it as his mind raced.

“Oh, thanks but no,” Lily said when she walked into the room. Connor started slightly, stepping away as she neared; he genuinely hadn’t heard her behind him.

“Letting your guard down?” She made the quip with a soft smile as she grabbed her backpack, and turned to face him. “Sorry, this was my grandparents room… and we… well I don’t feel right using it. I’ll just use the guest room next door.”

Connor nodded, apologizing softly. To his surprise, she looked at him with a mock suspicion.

“You didn’t know that? I thought you had all my memories now?”

He paused, his LED turning yellow. He debated telling Lily about what he had seen, but decided against it, not wanting to give her any reason to run again.

“I… I was trying not to pry,” he lied, turning away. Regardless, she saw his LED change, and shook her head. With a small silent curse, he changed his mind, and opened his mouth to tell her the truth, but she raised a hand.

“Nevermind it,” she interrupted, looking somewhat guilty. “I’m sorry, whether you know or you don’t, it’s fine. I just… I… I don’t know…”

“Shit… What do I do… What do I say…?”

He slowly nodded, his LED spinning slowly. “That’s understandable,” he told her, trying to be helpful. “There’s a lot-”

“I’m going to take a bit to… settle in…” she replied, cutting him off with another guilty look. She turned away, and moved for the door, pausing to add, “I’ll come down in a bit and get lunch sorted for Hank, okay?”

He didn’t answer, his LED spinning yellow rapidly now.

“I mean, ‘for the Lieutenant’,” she corrected, a soft, sad smile tugging at her lips as she turned back to face him. “I ‘will address him as Lieutenant Anderson’.”

After a moment, his LED slowed, returning to blue, returning her smile with a somber one of his own. “‘Hank’ is fine,” he finally replied. “Take all the time you need. I’ll see you soon.”

With a grateful nod, she turned to leave, pausing in the doorway. She turned back, meeting his eye, her smile fading, but her eyes full of promise. Connor returned her look, nodding himself with silent acceptance.

She turned and left, heading down the hall to another guest room. Connor waited until he heard the door close, then sighed softly, leaving the master bedroom and heading downstairs to talk to Hank.

“How is she?”

Hank asked the question as Connor joined him in the large main living room. He sat on the couch, taking a moment to compose himself before telling Hank she was fine.

“Uh huh…” Hank replied with obvious disbelief. After a moment of silence, he added, “How are you?”

Connor paused, his LED yellow before he forced it to blue. “I’m fine, Lieutenant.”

“Uh huh.”

Another moment of silence, and Hank decided to move on, asking Connor what their next move was.

“I’ve thought about a lot of things, but none of them will work,” he began, his LED blinking yellow. “Her hardware was taken from an RK900, like Nines, but she can’t use his regulator because it’s not compatible; her hardware was modified by Dr. Ironside and without him, it would take a similar mad genius to create a new pump for her.”

“Well, aren’t you a genius… Just not a crazy one?”

Connor suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “While I have thoroughly scanned her, I would need to disassemble her pump to properly make a copy. Without it, I would effectively be guessing, and that could have dangerous consequences.”

Hank nodded, giving a small huff of a sigh.

“What about Kamski? He could probably do it.”

“Unreachable,” Connor replied, bowing his head in frustration. “He’s in Asia at the moment on some sort of retreat.”

“And no one else could do it?”

“Not in time…” Connor admitted, LED red now. “Regardless of who builds it, it could take weeks to properly recreate her pump just using the socket. And that’s an optimistic outlook.”

“Fuck.”

Connor quietly agreed.

“Couldn’t we just keep switching her pump out? Would that reset the timer?”

“It would not. As soon as her system recognizes the part, it would deem it incompatible and continue to shut down at the same rate. The only reason she has so much time now is because of the close compatibility with our parts. But it’s not enough. We either find her pump regulator and stop the other RK800s, or she-”

He cut himself off, LED blinking red as he found himself unable to say it out loud. His gaze fell to the floor, not noticing Hank’s shoulders falling.

“How long do we have?”

"A bit less than five days.”

“Well, fuck.”

Connor quietly agreed again. Hank limped closer, placing a hand on the android’s shoulder.

“Okay, well, Reed and Nines will call us with their findings at the penitentiary… Until then, let’s just… take a breather. A lots happened in a short time, and that’s hard for anyone to deal with, android or… half not...”

Connor’s eyes closed, and he nodded, quietly thanking him.

They sat in the living room in silence for a long while, Hank looking at a book on the coffee table, Connor staring straight ahead, his LED spinning yellow, his mind racing.

“What are ya thinking?”

Connor snapped toward him, his LED flickering red briefly. He debated telling Hank about the memory that had played upstairs, quickly deciding not to chance complicating things now that he and Lily seemed to be getting along.

“Nothing.”

Hank shook his head, chuckling softly. “Tell me, son. We have time, but not enough to fuck around.”

Connor gave a small sigh, and nodded slowly. Deciding to share another thought on his mind, he quietly replied, “I… I want to do something nice for her…”

Hank nodded now. “Like…?” He prompted when Connor fell silent.

“I don’t know…” he admitted, his LED blinking. “Something that will make her smile.”

Hank paused, eyes widening slightly before he turned away, leaning back in his seat. “Well,” he cautiously began, trying to hide his knowing smirk. “Give her some time to settle in, and then see where’s she’s at. And whatever you wanna do, keep it simple…” he trailed off a moment, smiling softly. “I have a sneaking suspicion Ms. Ashford would love nothing more than some good company and a boring conversation.”

Connor’s brow furrowed. “A boring…? That can’t be-”

He cut himself off when the memory of their conversation the night before last called to him. How she had smiled, even chuckled as they talked about his past missions, and how curious she was when he answered her questions about android technology.

“It was a perfectly normal conversation between two people getting to know each other… And it made her happy…" he realized, recalling her radiant smile as she called him a badass, a small flush of pride washing over him.

“But so much has happened since then… Could it still work…?”

“Earth to Connor,” Hank casually drawled, looking at the back of the book he grabbed from the coffee table.

Connor gave a small huff, nodding, his LED blinking yellow. “I’m here, Lieutenant,” he replied, shaking his head. Then he looked back at Hank, a small, determined smile on his face. “And… I think you’re right. I’m going to make her as bored as possible.”

“Connor, no.”

Chapter Text

Upstairs, Lily was sitting on the bed in the spare room she had retreated to. Despite retrieving her memories and both her brains working properly in sync, she still found herself both haunted by her recent loss, and unable to properly grieve.

After nearly an hour of failed attempts, she gave up, opting instead to find some comfort in checking on her ex-husband.

Muscle memory dutifully kicked in, leading her to check her pocket for her phone. With a self-deprecating chuckle, she remembered it was in her head. She wiped away whatever tears managed to escape, and dialed Navjot.

“Are you safe?”

She smiled softly at his greeting, closing her eyes and lying back on the bed.

“Yes, thanks,” she replied, asking how he was feeling. They exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes, with Navjot explaining how he was expected to make a full recovery in a few weeks.

Grateful, she smiled, and told him, “Good, I’m really glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you too.”

“I will always be here. As I wish you would be too.”

She sighed. “Navi…”

“I know,” he added, the surrender in his tone tugging at her heart. “I am sorry. Your detective is rubbing off on me.”

Her face screwed up in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Ah, meri jaan, he is so determined to save you… Even willing to talk to me and ask for advice despite our… disagreements. He cares very much about you.”

“No… he doesn’t,” she cautiously replied, her brow creasing slightly.

Navjot shook his head, smiling softly to himself. “Are you sure?” He asked, quietly leading her.

Lily took a moment, but responded in the affirmative. “That was the other Connor…”

“Oh? So he was being influenced? Oh good.”

“Good?”

“Yes,” Navjot began, smirking to himself despite the pain. “Good. He dislocated your shoulder, after all. Not to mention-”

Lily interrupted with a confused huff. “Well, I attacked him, so he can’t be blamed for that.”

Navjot tsked, expertly hiding his smile from his tone. “Excuses. He could have negotiated. Instead, he literally disarmed you. Not to mention he makes you cry.”

“No, I cried and he was comforting me-”

“That is not what you said last night-”

“That’s exactly what I said!” Lily replied, growing angrier as she sat up on the bed.

“No, I recall you saying he makes you cry. More than you ever have before,” he replied, his voice calm, but hoarse.

Lily paused, eyes wide. “No, I said I was able to cry… Because he…”

Her mind raced, thinking back to the moment Connor had held her at the precinct. How he had calmed her panic attack. She thought about how she had been able to cry when he held her in the bathroom. She thought about how she had been able to grieve when he embraced her at the hotel.

She was shaken from her realizations when Navjot continued, his voice low and hoarse. “He is not a very good person, meri jaan,” he told her. Lily’s brow furrowed, an angry heat beginning to build. “If he does not feel for you as I suspected he does, then you will be much safer without his incompetence.”

“Incompetence?!” Lily’s anger practically exploded, her voice quickly rising in both volume and pitch. “What the fuck are you on about?”

Navjot was unphased. “I am just saying, he seems to be completely inept at properly protecting you, and I doubt-”

“You fucking prick!”

Navjot smiled to himself as Lily began her rant, placing his cell gently on his chest, her voice still very much audible without the speakerphone.

A nurse walked in as Lily began listing all the incredible things Connor had done; all the people he’d helped, the lives he’d saved. She checked on him, refilled his water, and began tidying up, all the while shooting glances at the doctor turned patient with a raised eyebrow.

Navjot stifled a chuckle, and quietly, but politely dismissed her as Lily finished up her ranting.

“...he’s one of the reasons androids have their freedoms! He is strong, and smart, and thoughtful, and funny, and… and… oh, you asshole.”

Navjot laughed then, picking the phone back up and carefully placing it against his ear. After a moment, she chuckled softly too. “I see what you’re doing.”

“I have no idea what you mean,” he replied, still laughing softly. “He sounds like a dick.”

“Shut up,” she replied, laughing out loud now too. “He… He and the other Connor are so similar, but they’re different too. It’s hard to explain, but…”

“But you have fallen for him as well?”

She froze, breath caught in her throat. Had she? No, of course not.

Did she?

So soon?

“Meri jaan,” he began, the laughter gone now. “It is okay. You have suffered, and now have a new normal. If you are in love with the detective, it is okay. You have explained to me before how fast things move for you, but did you not tell me last night that he helps you feel?”

Lily’s eyes opened. She tried to speak, but he continued.

“You said you cried to him. And did other things I will not mention,” he smiled when he heard her groan, and continued when she tried to explain. “You feel close to him, do you not?”

“Well, yeah… but that’s only because… We…”

As she trailed off, her android brain dutifully brought up every moment they had shared over the last few days. The softer side of her human mind complained it was too soon, but the logical one agreed with her android brain.

Outnumbered, she deflated slightly, thinking about the way Connor acted around her; the sincerity in his eyes, the way she warmed when he touched her… How he had given up his body so a copy of him could dance with her, and properly say goodbye.

“Damnit.”

Another soft chuckle escaped Navjot. “He is feeling the same way, you know?”

“No… that was…”

Silence enveloped the call.

“Meri jaan,” he whispered, his raspy voice strained. “He is feeling the same way.”

“Shit!”

Surprisingly, it was Connor cursing as Nines explained their findings over their internal communication. Hank was angrily mumbling under his breath as Reed confirmed over the phone.

Reed and Nines found nothing but a pile of abandoned rubble, leaving them equally frustrated. Reed complained about his time being wasted, while Nines stoically apologized for not finding anything useful.

“It’s nothing but debris, Connor,” he explained, scanning the area again. “Debris, and collapsed tunnels. My first and second perimeter walks revealed nothing, but I’ll be doing one more before we go. I’ll let you know immediately if I find anything.”

Despite his frustration, Connor thanked him and disconnected the call. Hank followed suit shortly afterward with an angry command to Reed.

“Quit yer bitchin’ and call me if you can be useful!”

Hank cursed under his breath again, before turning to look at Connor. The android seemed distraught, his LED spinning red.

“Listen son,” Hank began, taking a slow step toward him. “This isn’t the end, we still have time to-”

“We don’t have time!”

“Connor-”

“Less than five days, Hank… She’s going to die in less than five days!”

Connor began to pace as he ranted. “She doesn’t want to fight anymore, and we’ve hit a dead end. I can’t let this happen, but there’s nothing I can do!”

“Son-” He tried, hearing Lily coming down the stairs. Connor didn’t notice as he continued.

“She doesn’t deserve to die like this! Not after everything she’s been through… Turned into a monster, an abomination… a clashing mix of two worlds, with the worst of both! She…”

He trailed off a moment, Hank staring at him with an ache in his chest.

“She’s… so smart… and so strong… She’s funny, and sweet, and caring… and…”

He paused, looking at the Lieutenant with tears in his eyes.

“I can’t lose her, Hank,” he admitted quietly, his LED slowly spinning red. “I… can’t.”

Hank didn’t respond right away, opting instead to watch the android closely. His LED slowly calmed to yellow, almost still with his admission. Hank’s heart swelled slightly, and to Connor’s surprise, he smiled.

“It’s about damn time.”

Connor’s head snapped up to look at him, confused.

“I told Ms. Ashford the other night that androids work quickly, but you took your sweet time figuring this out.”

“Figuring… out what?" He didn’t respond out loud, the realization weighing on him.

“Well, not so much figuring it out, but accepting it…”

Hank took a moment to limp closer to him, placing a caring hand on his shoulder.

“But, now that that mystery is solved, go find out where she went. She just took off behind you after you called her a monster.”

Connor turned to look toward the staircase, seeing the front door slightly ajar. “Shit,” he murmured, turning back to look at the Lieutenant with eyes wide. Hank’s face was a mix of amusement and concern as he nodded for Connor to go.

The android quickly left. Scanning outside, he was dismayed to find no trace of her footsteps. He began walking around the cottage to analyze the area when a memory suddenly made itself known.

From the cottage, he heard giggling, and turned to find child versions of Lily and her sister Linda running out to play and exploring the area around the cottage. At 12 years old, Linda was the leader, excitedly telling Lily to follow her.

Trusting that the memory began for a reason, Connor followed the shadows of the past, weaving through bushes and trees as the sisters giggled and ran ahead of him. Soon, he came upon a short cliff face and paused. It was just under 5 feet tall, with several grooves and marks that weren’t there in the memory. He smiled, and watched as Linda climbed it, and turned to help little Lily climb up too.

He followed, climbing up the small face to stand beside the two kids. Linda proudly pointed out the view of the lake, revealed by a large opening in the bushes and trees that surrounded them. Lily stared at it, jaw dropped, eyes wide.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her voice soft and innocent, both girls oblivious to present Lily, sitting near the edge of the outcrop, her chin resting on her bent knees.

The memory vanished, and Connor stepped closer. She didn’t acknowledge him until he stopped just behind her.

“I was coming back,” she murmured, keeping her eyes on the water.

“I know,” Connor replied softly, quietly relieved she couldn’t see his LED betray his lie. “I’m sorry about what I said… I wasn’t trying to call you a monster, I just-”

“That?” She cut him off with a laugh. “Oh, honey, no. While I’m sure that was a perfect set up for a typical ‘protagonists fight in the third act’ cliché, I left because I got the report from Nines too. They didn’t find a damn thing.”

Connor froze a moment, before nodding and moving to sit next to her, his LED turning blue as he looked over the water.

“It’s not over, Lily,” he murmured after a long pause. She didn’t respond, just continued to stare at the water. Despite the stoicism on her face, the determination to protect everyone and end things, Connor noticed the tears in her eyes threatening to fall.

“Hold her.”

Slowly, he raised a hand and laid his arm over her shoulders. He shifted closer to her, and gently guided her to lean against him.

Effortlessly, she settled into his embrace, sighing softly, her head resting on his shoulder. Slower still, he tilted to rest his cheek on her hair.

They sat in silence for a long while, watching the water lap against the rocks below.

Lily could feel her android mind growing quiet once again. Tears slowly began slipping down her cheeks, and she trembled in his embrace. Finally, Lily broke the silence with a soft, hoarse voice. “The view is beautiful here… It reminds me of the zen garden, actually.”

He didn’t respond right away, merely humming in agreement as his hand slowly stroked her arm.

“After Connor… after he was shot… I used to sit in the Zen Garden for days. It took me a bit to find my way back there, but when I did… it was paradise. It’s probably the only reason I stayed sane for so long…”

With a small nod against her scalp, Connor gave her a soft squeeze. “I’m so sorry you-”

“You apologize too much,” she interrupted, lifting her head and smiling softly up at him. “Did I do that to you?”

His brow screwed up in confusion before he slowly replied in the negative. “You haven’t done anything to me that I didn’t want done.”

She leaned back just enough to and look at him, one eyebrow raised on her tear stained face. “Including when I tried to kill you?”

Connor kept his arm around her, continuing to trace small patterns on her arm. He took a moment to think about it, his LED blinking yellow as he processed the hint of a joking tone in her voice, warming slightly.

Finally, he gave her a small, crooked smile. “That was my favorite part.”

She snorted.

His smile fell, surprised by the sound. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide. But she softened into another smile, and unable to help it, giggled softly.

“Weirdo,” she whispered, holding his gaze.

“You’re weird,” he responded, soft and reassuring.

Another pause left them staring silently at each other, the lake lapping gently against the stone below.

“It really was you… wasn’t it?” Though the question was quiet, there was a hint of surprise in her voice. Connor looked away, his LED yellow as he asked her what she meant.

“I really thought you were being manipulated… but… maybe… since you two are the same… I guess it makes sense that…” she trailed off, studying his face during the silence.

“You can do this.”

“What I mean is-”

“Will you go out with me?”

She froze, eyes widening again. His arm fell off her shoulders, and he looked into her eyes with a nervous smile on his face.

“I… what?”

“Would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date? Tonight?”

She didn’t respond, merely staring at him with a mix of confusion, fear, and something else he couldn’t quite pin down.

“Should I take that as a n-”

“Why?” A breathless whisper born purely of confusion.

He fumbled slightly, looking away for a moment as his LED blinked yellow, searching for an answer.

She gave him a small smile, and shook her head. “Connor, listen, I know what you’re trying to do, but you don’t have-”

“Because I like being around you,” he interrupted, avoiding her confused and stunned gaze. “And I was hoping to spend as much time with you as I could, before you… go…”

She looked back over the lake, her face unreadable.

Connor took a deep breath and began preparing himself for rejection when she turned back to him.

“Okay,” she whispered, smiling softly.

His LED turned blue, and he returned her smile. Smoothly, he stood, offering a hand to help her up as he tried to hide his excitement. She took it, skin fading away as she blushed softly. Once she was standing, he smiled down at her, still holding her hand, silently reveling in that now welcomed warmth filling him again.

After another long silent moment, Lily took a deep breath, clearing her throat.

“Come on… it’s past lunch, and Hank’s probably hungry,” she murmured, turning toward the path home. Connor followed closely behind, smiling softly as she pulled him along, her grip on his hand tightening slightly.

Chapter Text

Eyes shifting methodically, 78 continued searching for any sign of Lily, Hank or Connor. His LED spun in quick yellow circles as he processed the thousands of video feeds playing simultaneously.

In the hallway behind him, he briefly registered the sound of something falling. Analysing it, he determined that a broom had fallen over, and filed it away.

Then he heard footsteps.

“58, location.”

No response. Annoyed, 78 repeated the command. Still no response. Rolling his eyes, he stood up, and moved into the hallway, determined to put an end to 58’s irritating behavior.

“Resorting to hide and seek…” 58 murmured under his breath as he hid behind a door in another room. “Damn, I’m bored…”

He listened as 78 disappeared into a different room, then stepped into the hallway to sneak into the monitor room. But as he passed an open door, a hand reached out of the darkness and pulled him inside, immediately silencing his shocked yelp.

Minutes later, 78 abandoned his search and returned to the screen room. But as he entered he paused, rolling his eyes when he saw the RK800 sitting in the simple swivel chair.

“Enough with the bullshit-”

The chair turned. 78 snapped to attention when 79 met his eye with a steely glare. 78 stared straight ahead, willing his LED to blue as 79 stood.

“Pardon?”

Despite the large wound on his face widening his smile, his tone was clear, cold and threatening.

“I-” 78 cut himself off, quickly realizing there was no right answer. “I’m sorry, sir. I thought 58 was acting out again.”

79 nodded slowly, his permanently red LED spinning as he considered the other android’s words. After a tense moment, he relaxed, and shrugged. “Yes, he was quite the nuisance. Well, no harm done; mistakes happen.”

He turned away, looking back toward the monitors. 78’s LED turned yellow, and though he relaxed slightly with relief, his suspicions continued to simmer.

“Has she been found?”

“No, sir.”

79 nodded, still watching the monitors.

“Any leads?”

“We found a hotel they were staying at, but they left before we got there. It…” he trailed off when he noticed the other android’s shoulders tensing.

“Continue.”

“It… seems they’ve left the city, sir.”

79 slammed his fist down onto the table hard enough to shake the monitors. 78 successfully suppressed the urge to jump. “W-We believe she’s heading for the border. We sent a team after them,” he explained, actively working to keep his voice calm.

But the wounded android straightened, turning slightly to look over his shoulder, silencing 78.

“Come here.” The command was cold, a brief flicker of static underlying his tone.

78 did as he was told, his LED briefly turning red.

“I’ve heard humans use the phrase, ‘the sky’s the limit’,” 79 began as his non-broken twin joined him near the desk. “I’ve always found the adage to be a little silly; humans have been to space, after all.”

79 took a seat once more as he continued, taking a moment to make himself comfortable.

“Then again, I believe the intention of the saying is to have confidence in your abilities and to learn and grow so you can achieve anything your heart desires. Am I correct?”

78 nodded beside him, LED slowly spinning yellow.

“It’s almost cute,” 79 continued, ignoring him and looking at the monitors, registering the thousands of faces they could see. “They have phrases, sayings, metaphors, motivational posters and speakers, all to further the ridiculous lie that they can do anything they set their mind to.”

78’s brow furrowed slightly.

“It’s all just words to inspire confidence,” he scoffed, his broken smile almost twisting into a sneer. “Androids were created with confidence. We were… ‘born’ with the ability to know what we can, and cannot do. When we are told to jump, we don’t bother with ‘how high?’ because we know how high a jump is. Do you understand?”

78’s LED flickered red for a moment. “Yes, sir.”

“No, you don’t,” 79 responded, giving a small sigh. “But it doesn't matter. Useless as those meatsacks are, they may be onto something with their silly sayings. For example, one I believe could be rather useful is, ‘If you want something done right’...”

79 grabbed 78’s arm, the damaged skin from his hand quickly disappearing. 78 looked at him wide eyed, his LED turning red as the transfer was forced through.

78 found himself in the chair, holding onto his former arm. 79 smiled, and took a deep, unnecessary breath.

“‘Do it yourself’,” he finished, looking down at his previous shell with an intact smirk.

78 opened his mouth to reply, but 79 grabbed his jaw, and ripped it away, throwing it to the floor behind him. Blue blood sprayed from the now open wound, the android seizing as system warnings began to raise alarms.

79 walked away, pausing at the door when he caught sight of his reflection. He smiled, taking a moment to admire his new face, and adjusted his tie. He looked back at his former self, rolling his eyes when the dying android reached for him, brow stitched together in confusion.

With a derisive sniff, 79 left their hideout, the sounds of choking and gasping finally silenced as the door closed behind him.

Lily and Connor arrived at the cottage, pausing at the door as Lily realized she was still holding his hand. She blushed and dropped it, apologizing, which Connor gently brushed away with a reassuring smile.

Inside, Hank was sitting on the couch, reading a book. He looked up when he heard the door open, muttering a small curse under his breath. Quickly, he got up, shuffling awkwardly to the bookshelf to replace the book. As Connor and Lily walked into the room, he placed the book on the shelf, and moved to block their view of its clumsy placement.

He turned to greet them, asking if Lily was okay, his tone nonchalant, but concerned.

“I’m fine, Lieutenant,” she replied, closing the distance between them. “I just needed a moment. Lunch?”

Hank agreed, rubbing the back of his neck, avoiding her eye. Lily gave a small roll of her eyes, and hugged him, standing on the tips of her toes to throw her arms around his neck. Surprised, he slowly returned the gesture, shooting Connor a confused look over her shoulder.

“That’s not the first one in the series,” she whispered. “Trust me, read them in order: you’ll love them.” She pulled away, smiling at him, then turned toward the kitchen, a bounce in her step, a small hum on her lips.

Hank watched her go, and turned toward Connor, raising an eyebrow. “What did you do?”

Connor hesitated, his LED spinning rapidly. “I… asked her on a date.” His admission was accompanied by an almost unnoticeable bashful smile. He started when Hank laughed, low, but sincere and warm.

“Christ, you never stop surprising me, kid,” he jovially informed him, giving the android a smile. Then he smirked. “So… what did she say?”

Connor paused, his head tilting in confusion. His LED flickered yellow briefly before he recovered and gave Hank an amused glare, walking away with a soft smile on his face as the Lieutenant chuckled again behind him.

Meanwhile, miles away, Linda Ashford, her wife Denise Lane, and their daughter Nicole Ashford-Lane were just under two days from heading home when they stopped in at an ice cream parlor for a treat.

Nicole was practically bouncing with excitement as she looked over all the choices and combinations, while Linda and Denise idly discussed their plans for the rest of the day.

“Excuse me, Denise?”

The voice came from behind them, startling Denise slightly. She turned to face the man, her guard falling after a moment’s scrutiny.

He was tall with soft brown eyes and a neat cut of brown hair. Dressed in a light blue polo shirt, dark slacks, and a warm smile, he put both ladies at ease immediately.

“Denise Lane?”

She answered in the affirmative, prompting him to continue, his voice pleasant, friendly. “I thought so. My name is Darren, Darren Littleford? You represented my father last year.” Darren smiled as Denise recalled the case.

“Oh yes,” she replied after a moment. “I remember. I never got a chance to meet you back then. How are you?”

Darren answered with a vague platitude as he reached out and shook her hand, smiling and introducing himself to Linda.

“My wife, Linda,” Denise informed him before pulling Nicole out of her hiding spot. “And our daughter Nicole.”

Darren bent down, leveling himself with the child. With another warm smile, he greeted her with, “Hi Nicole, I’m Darren. I love your bow. Blue is my favorite color.” He tugged his shirt for emphasis.

The little girl beamed, immediately telling him about all the other colored bows she had at home. He listened intently, occasionally adding a patient, ‘uh huh’, ‘oh I see’, or ‘yes, that is a nice color, too’.

Denise and Linda shared a look, smiling at the wholesome interaction. Darren stood up, thanking Nicole for the knowledge, and asked what brought them to the little tourist town.

“We’re staying at our cottage! And now we’re getting ice cream!” Nicole declared, making sure the whole shop knew what they were up to. Many of the older folks sitting inside had a chuckle at the child’s excitement.

Darren chuckled along. “That sounds lovely! My wife and I are staying at our cottage too! Small world, huh?”

The line moved forward, one of the employees greeting Linda and Denise. They turned and placed their orders, including Nicole’s ever changing one.

“Let me get that,” Darren said, gently pushing his way past them. Despite Denise’s protests, Darren stepped up to the register and paid, smiling broadly. “After what you did for my father, it’s the least I can do.”

“You’re not getting any?” Linda asked the question, more teasing than curious.

Another warm smile. “I’m lactose intolerant myself, but my wife loves this place. She’s out with some of her friends at the moment, and I wanted to surprise her when she gets back.”

Linda thought that was adorable, and told him as much. He gave a crooked smile, waving it off with a practiced hand, and thanked her. Denise smiled and thanked him for the ice cream.

Nicole jumped in again, entranced by Darren’s demeanor. “Wanna sit with us? You don’t have to eat ice cream to sit down.”

Denise and Linda both nodded in agreement, the latter chuckling softly at her daughter’s enthusiasm. "Only if you have time," Denise politely told him, smiling at Nicole.

“Oh, I'm more than happy to spare a few minutes,” he accepted, chuckling softly as well.

Chapter Text

As Lily prepared lunch for Hank using the supplies they had picked up on the way over, Connor watched from the doorway, LED flickering yellow.

She moved around the kitchen with both precision and grace. It was almost a dance; half twirls and quick steps, her hands constantly moving as she picked up ingredients and utensils. Within minutes, steaks were searing, and a steady chop, chop, chop echoed through the cottage kitchen.

“She's beautiful..."

Connor's eyes widened a moment and he turned away, his LED blinking frantically. But Lily didn't notice, lost in her quiet yet passionate moment.

After a moment, he looked back, seeing her soft smile. "She seems happier…” he mused, smiling softly himself. He continued to watch her work, the soft sounds of Hank's shuffling around the living room filed in the back of his mind.

He barely suppressed a jump when her memories once again made themselves known.

This time, he could see her grandmother smiling warmly as she and a young Lily and Linda chopped vegetables, seasoned meat, and oiled pans. It was immediately obvious where Lily's love of cooking had come from. Their grandmother encouraged and taught them, careful and patient, even as Lily and Linda joked and goofed around. It brought a familial warmth to his chest that brought a smile to his face.

The memory continued with their grandfather walking into the kitchen, jokingly declaring he didn’t like steak, Lily and Linda began giggling. Connor, entranced by the warm memory, didn’t notice as present Lily called to him.

“...You still with me?” She asked, giving a nervous chuckle. “Lunch is ready…”

Connor shook his head, his LED slowly turning blue. “Yes,” he answered, the ghosts of the past fading away behind her. “I’m sorry… I was lost in thought.”

Lily scanned him, her eyes soft but concerned. But when he gave her a small crooked smile, she brightened again. She nodded, smiling herself, before moving to step past him and bring the plate to Hank. Her free hand met his arm, giving it a brief squeeze before she entered the adjoining dining room.

Connor’s LED went red, unnoticed by Lily as she called to Hank. “You’re not allowed to eat in the living room, so hobble on over!”

Hank laughed, giving a sarcastic, ‘Yes, boss’ as he made his way to the dining room, where Lily pulled a chair for him to sit.

Connor meanwhile stood frozen in the doorway, his LED spinning in slow yellow circles, trying to ignore the warmth her simple touch had ignited in his chest.

He was snapped from his thoughts when he heard a loud curse.

“You’re kidding me!?” Hank continued, surprised and incredulous. “'Elle' is your aunt?!”

Lily smiled, nodding as she looked at the family photos hanging in the dining room. One large family photo held Lily and her sister Linda, both children, their parents, and both sets of grandparents. Next to their mother was tall black woman, one arm around her shoulders. “Ellen Abbot,” Lily murmured, fond and nostalgic. “She was adopted into the family after her parents passed away in a car accident. She was barely six years old, but our families were so close, she and my mom already considered themselves sisters. We always called her Auntie Elle growing up, and when she recorded her first album, she decided to use 'Elle' as her stage name.”

Hank watched her speak, his face softening as she trailed off. After a moment, she shook her head and took a deep breath. “Want to hear some of her music on vinyl?” She asked, giving him a small grin.

"Does a bear shit in the woods? Put it on already," he replied settling into his seat at the table. In front of him was a thick steak sandwich, fully dressed and steaming. Hank stared wide eyed for a moment before digging in, giving a soft moan of appreciation.

Lily hid her smile, but Connor noticed the pride it held. “She really does love to cook…” He filed the thought away as the record began playing. Lily sat with her own much smaller and simpler sandwich, smiling softly as she watched Hank eat.

Connor pulled up a chair across from her and smiled softly as well, happy to bask in the music and the camaraderie growing between them all, even as he quietly panicked about their date that evening. For once, he was content to enjoy the moment for what it was.

When the record began its last song, Hank’s phone rang. He grumbled, but picked up, rolling his eyes when Reed spoke.

“...fucking waste of time,” the detective rambled, explaining that their second search revealed nothing. “Seriously, don’t you know I got better things to do than-”

Hank clicked his cell phone off, stuffing it back in his pocket with a sigh. Connor’s LED blinked yellow as he received Nines’ report.

“Sorry, Detective,” he added, a slight somber hint in his tone. “The area has been abandoned for a long time.”

Connor nodded, his eyes flicking toward Lily, who gave him a small sad smile after scanning the look on his face. “I see…”

“I have run a search of all potential hideout locations in a 10 mile radius,” Nines continued after a moment. “Despite Reed’s insistence to the contrary, I will be investigating every location.”

Connor nodded, his LED flickering briefly between red and yellow before he took a deep breath.

“Thank you, Nines…”

Connor disconnected a moment later, him, Hank and Lily falling into a somber silence as the record ended.

“Well,” Lily murmured, breaking the quiet air. “I don’t know about you two, but I have plans tonight,” she began, forcing a small smile as she met Connor’s eye. “I’m heading upstairs to try and sleep a bit… I’ll see you about 6pm?”

Connor scanned her, seeing the mix of emotions she was trying to hide. “She needs time to process yet another set back…”

He nodded, forcing a small smile despite his flickering yellow LED. Lily gave a small grateful nod of her own, before turning toward Hank. She gave the Lieutenant’s shoulder a small squeeze, quietly telling him about the second sandwich in the kitchen.

“I’m sure Connor can manage heating it up for you,” she added, her smile slightly more genuine as she teased him.

Connor’s LED spun faster, but his smile grew. “We’ll see. I rarely cook for Hank; he always finds something to complain about.”

Hank rolled his eyes. “I’ll heat up the damn sandwich,” he declared, getting up and slowly limping toward the kitchen. “You’re a better detective than a cook, thank Christ…” he muttered as he went, leaving Connor and Lily alone for a moment.

She cleared her throat. “I’ll… see you soon,” she murmured, her smile softening.

“I can hardly wait,” Connor replied, his gaze lingering on hers.

The two stared in silence for a long while until a small clatter of cutlery falling sounded from the kitchen.

“I’m okay,” came Hank’s gruff, but vaguely sheepish voice.

Snapped out of the moment, Connor awkwardly wished Lily a good nap before turning toward the kitchen door. Lily likewise blushed nervously, and thanked him.

“Yeah, you too,” she answered, before catching herself. “I mean… You… have fun… Okay, see ya…”

She quickly left, making her way up the stairs while Connor entered the kitchen, quietly berating himself as he found and gathered the fallen forks.

Hank thanked him while Connor tried to busy himself with heating up the steak for the Lieutenant’s second sandwich.

“I don’t want it now,” Hank quietly told him, opening cupboards until he found some containers. “I’ll eat it later for supper."

Connor's head tilted. "Are you sure? I am capable of using a microwave, Lieutenant-"

"If I eat that now, Ms. Ashford is going to waste time cooking dinner for me later," Hank explained, avoiding Connor's eye. "She needs to sleep or whatever it is she does to rest...” He added quickly.

Despite the Lieutenant’s indifferent tone, Connor heard the subtext. He took the containers from Hank, turning toward the organized 'work station' Lily had set up. “He wants me to have as much time with her as I can…”

Warmed, Connor smiled at Hank, his LED flickering blue.

“Speaking of nothing to do with that,” Hank continued, watching as Connor packed the leftovers up, a small smirk on his face now. “What do you have planned?”

Connor froze, hands hovering mid air.

“Christ, Connor, you don’t have anything planned?” Hank gave a small chuckle, his voice a mix of incredulous affection and mild exasperation.

"I do!” Connor’s defense was shaky.

“Like?”

Far too long of a pause. “Dinner…?”

Hank raised an eyebrow. “Okay… great start… And…?” he prompted, dragging the last syllable out.

“And…” Connor tried, LED rapidly spinning yellow. “Other… things…?”

Hank laughed again. “Connor come on… What’s going on? You’re not nervous, are ya?”

Connor met his eye, LED continuing to spin yellow as he nodded.

“What the fuck for?” The Lieutenant asked, genuinely surprised. “I’ve seen you barrel into rooms filled with armed assholes without even blinking!”

Connor rolled his eyes, looking away as he mumbled, “It’s not the same…”

Hank merely laughed once more, shaking his head. But when he realized Connor was serious, he sobered up, clearing his throat. “Alright, stay calm,” he began, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“You have all of her memories, so you kind of have an advantage here,” he continued, his voice even, reassuring. Connor placed the leftovers in the fridge, and met Hank’s eye, LED still quickly spinning yellow.

“What does she like to do? Cooking must be high up the list, yeah?”

Connor nodded. “She always seems happier when she is cooking,” he observed, every instance of her cooking he had saved pulled up to agree with his assessment.

“Well, instead of taking her out somewhere, why don’t you two cook together?” Hank made the suggestion with a gesture around the kitchen.

“That’s… actually a really good idea…”

“Yes, I think that would work,” he replied out loud, smiling appreciatively at Hank.

The Lieutenant smiled back, almost proud. But after a moment, he sobered. “Connor, listen, Ms. Ashford and I had a good chat the other night, and I think if you really want to impress her…” he trailed off, Connor looking at him with a touch of eagerness in his eyes. “Just treat her like a regular person… Can you handle that?”

Connor’s LED spun as he considered the question.

"She just wants to feel normal again..." he realized, his LED spinning quickly as the plan quickly fell into place. “Yes, I believe I can…” he finally answered, a grateful smile on his face. “…Thanks Lieutenant.”

“Yeah yeah,” Hank replied, waving it away. His voice gained a small touch of mischief as he added, “Oh, and don’t forget to bring some condoms.”

“Lieutenant,” Connor groaned, his LED spinning in wild yellow circles. Hank just laughed.

“I remember the days you would have said somethin’ like, ‘Why would I do that Lieutenant? I can't catch diseases’. Look at you now.” He continued to chuckle, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes.

Connor gave another small groan and turned away. “I’m going to go plan, Lieutenant,” he murmured, trying to hide his embarrassed smile. Hank just laughed again and wished him good luck, making his way toward the living room, eager to read the book Lily had suggested earlier.