Author's note: Okay, so, I am completely rewriting this story I know it's crazy but I honestly just didn't feel like it was telling the story how I wanted it to be told. So I've edited and moved around some chapters! I just wanted to provided the best ctory for you lovely people! Hope you aren't too upset.

Connor seemed to dance around the kitchen of the small house in the suburbs outside of Detroit, dishes in his hands and headphones in his ears. Sumo let out a small bark at the muffled music coming from the android, disturbing his sleep. "Shhh, we don't want to wake Hank," Connor said as he threw a scrap of Hank's half-eaten dinner to the dog with a wink.

Connor knew Hank would lecture him in the morning for cleaning up his mess yet again but he wanted to delay the inevitable as long as possible. He didn't really mind Hank's lectures though, ever since the Revolution happened and ended about a month ago Connor had been staying with Hank and it was an adjustment for both them. Connor had never lived with anyone so learning to adjust to Hank's "lifestyle" had been both difficult and new.

Honestly, everything since that night on Jericho had been difficult and new. He had no idea how terrifying it would be to actually be alive, to have to make his own choices. The way it made him feel so full and yet so empty at the same time, so lost yet confident. It reminded him of that android from the homicide, Carlos Ortiz's Android and the confusion Connor had felt when he said he hid in the attic because he didn't know what to do. But now Connor perfectly understood.

He rubbed the LED on his head. Connor remembered thinking how irrational he thought those androids had been before he deviated. Why would you stay at the scene of a crime you'd just committed? Why did they put themselves in dangerous situations if they truly were afraid to die? He remembered using that to rationalize saying they were just 'defective machines.' if they were truly alive they wouldn't want to die and therefore avoid anything dangerous.

He knew now that kind of thinking was incorrect. Connor had risked his own life constantly to save those he cared for. He remembered storming into Cyberlife tower knowing there was a 92% chance he would not leave there alive. He'd been ready to die that night just so his people had a chance. And Connor would do it again.

"CONNOR!"

A glass shattered against the hard tile as he sped to grab his gun, Connor whipped the door open to Hank's bedroom. The glaring red of his LED flooded the room, "Hank! What's wrong?" he said as he swept the room but found no threat. As he scanned Hank he noticed his heart rate was elevated and he was perspiring.

"For fuck's sake, Connor, I'm fine," Hank grumbled head in his hands.

Connor just stared at him confused, gun still in his hand. "You yelled my name, I thought you may have been in danger."

"The only danger in my bedroom is you barging in with a loaded gun!" Hank yelled back as he laid back on the bed.

"Okay, Lieutenant." Connor tucked the gun into the back of his pants, convinced Hank was safe, and he went to exit the room. "Sorry to disturb you."

"Uh... Connor?"

"Yes Hank?" he said turning on his heel.

"Um… Uh… sorry. You just scared me was all," Hank looked down, embarrassed by the fact he was apologizing as well as how bad he was at it. It wasn't a convincing apology and Hank knew it.

"Thank you," Connor smiled at the simple act, he was not use to people respecting him enough to apologize. Something he still was not familiar with rushed over him, he still couldn't pinpoint what it was, like warmth and certainty, maybe belonging? "Can I ask you a personal question, Lieutenant?"

He sighed. "Only if you finally stop calling me lieutenant."

"Sorry Hank." Connor made a mental note not to fall back into that habit again. "Why did you yell for me in the first place?"

Hank shrugged now sitting on the edge of the bed. "Nightmare, I guess."

Connor thought about that for a while, nightmare, an unpleasant and/or often frightening dream, he knew the word of course, but he had no real reference of what it represented. How could he? He didn't have the ability to dream and he'd only recently learned the unpleasantness that he'd come to understand as fear. He felt it now as he thought of being randomly put in a fearful or stressful alternate reality for hours with no control. No wonder Hank had been angry.

"Connor are you alright? You're red." Hank interrupted motioning to his temple.

Hank was right his stress had raised to 67%, "Um, Yes, just trying to understand the whole concept of dreaming and nightmares." He thought on it again. "It seems quite unpleasant."

He chuckled. "Yeah kid, it's definitely not fun."

"Wait, Lie-Hank, I still don't understand why you said my name?" Connor asked having been distracted by the thought of nightmares earlier.

"Well, it was about you dying," Hank answered frankly.

"Oh."

Hank laid back down in the bed. "Now get some sleep, Connor. It's your first day tomorrow remember?"

Connor considered reminded Hank yet again that he did not need to sleep at all. Even though he had been given what used to be the guest room he'd barely stepped foot in it. "Of course. Good night."

"Night Connor." He heard as he closed the door behind him.

Connor didn't know what to think as he slowly wandered back to the kitchen. He felt that warmth again but also a tightness, anxiety, maybe guilt? It was nice to know Hank cared for him, but he felt strange that such negatives could come from a positive feeling for someone. He kneeled to clean the glass he'd broken and noticed thirium on a particularly jagged piece of glass, a trail of it lead to Hank's room. Confused, Connor checked the bottom of his socks and to his surprise, he found his left sock was wet with blue blood. He must have been so distracted about Hank he hadn't even noticed the system warning until just now.

"Come on Jeffery, help him out, hell, help me out, you know he's competent." Connor could hear Hank yelling once again at Captain Fowler through the glass of his office. He became suddenly aware that Hank had not quite sorted out all the details of his new employment. Connor had to pull himself from the scene playing out before him.

He caught a glimpse of the news on TV in the break room as he waited. The news anchor was discussing the continued Congress meetings on the validity of androids as an intelligent species as an image of Markus and the deviants singing appeared on the screen. "The android known as Markus, as well as a few other deviants, have been in contact with Congress in hopes to show them that they are indeed alive."

They transitioned to a clip of Markus, in a well-tailored navy suit on the steps on an important looking building. "We are here to remind Congress not only are we a new intelligent species but that we are people who deserve dignity and rights. I am very honored to speak to Congress regarding this extremely important issue." His distinct eyes shined with the same determination and understanding he always seemed to possess. Connor wondered how he was always so self-assured. Markus always seemed so confident in everything he did. Connor couldn't help but wonder why he didn't.

"We expected the results of these meetings to come to a decision by the end of the week."

"Connor!" Hank called from the top of the stairs to Fowler's office and motioned for him to join them.

As he entered the pristine office, Connor scanned the room, Hank's jaw was clenched, and his arms were crossed tightly across his chest. Captain Fowler quickly scrolled through the terminal on his desk. Connor knew this meeting hadn't gone great.

"Captain Fowler, it's nice to see you again." He greeted.

The captain nodded to android standing in front of him. "Okay Connor, so here's what I can do," Hank mumbled incoherently in the background obviously displeased with whatever agreement they'd come to. "Since we have been limited the number of androids we are able to employ and in what positions, you can come on officially as Police Assistant Android. However, you will only be working with Hank exclusively and working mostly as a detective until everything gets sorted out in Washington."

Connor smiled. From Hank's demeanor, he had assumed the meeting had gone absolutely terrible. He was just happy to be given the opportunity to do what he was meant to, it felt good to have some type of purpose again. With almost all his time being spent in the house, he was starting to go insane. Even the idea that he could get stir crazy was a little funny to him. "Thank you very much, Captain. I'm very excited to join the team."

Jeffery reached into his desk and pulled out a small box. "Here's your uniform, for now, you have to be identified as an android and all times." There was another scuff from Hank as Connor grabbed the box with the DPD crest and the large Cyberlife font laid over it. Connor wasn't sure how he felt about having to wear the uniform either, again he felt that tightness and just a hint of fear. "I'm keeping you two assigned to crimes involving androids. Go ahead and change Connor and you two can get to work."

Hank stormed out of the office as usual. "Thank you again, Captain."

Captain Fowler looked at Connor with confusion. "You're Welcome, Connor, I know you'll do great."

Connor closed the glass door gently behind him as he followed Hank to his desk. As Connor approached, he noticed Hank biting his lips. "This is fucking bullshit," he mumbled to himself.

"It's really okay Hank. I'm glad to be officially part of the team." Connor responded hopefully.

"No, it really isn't Connor. If you're wearing that uniform on the street, they will tear you apart."

He knew Hank was right. As soon as Connor saw the uniform he knew the implications that came with it. While things were definitely getting better for androids, Connor knew better than to go out in the city by himself identified as one. Even when he was just walking Sumo around the block he wore a hat to cover his LED. He guessed he could have removed it but for some reason, he couldn't get himself to part with it. However, this uniform would make him a target. "You know I can handle myself." He said confidently as he headed to the restroom.

As he entered the restroom, Connor couldn't help but stare at the image of himself in the mirror. The man in front of him looked... foreign. A mix of two people. The man wore fitted jeans and a tailored white shirt, but it was contrasted by a baggy brown leather jacket and a gray beanie pulled tightly over his hair. He contemplated the unfamiliar man in the mirror as he pulled off his hat.

That's better, he thought. His dark wavy hair just barely fell in his face as he ran his fingers through it. He looked at the small circle on his temple, it was so simple, yet it meant so much. It was a brand. To many, it was his whole identity. Once they saw that, all he was was an android. Connor hadn't quite decided what it meant to him yet.

He took an unnecessary breath as he tore himself from the unfamiliar man in the mirror and moved to a stall to change. He considered changing in front of the mirror before he remembered that most humans were uncomfortable with that. Connor looked at the uniform for just a moment before slipping it on and neatly folding his clothes.

As he stepped back out in front of the mirror he couldn't help but think of the android who was supposed to wear this uniform before… everything happened. Connor wondered if he was in that warehouse he freed, or if he was in Jericho, he wondered if he died fighting for his freedom or if he was left in a junkyard. Connor shook the thought from his head as he took one last look at himself, as he left the restroom to rejoin Hank, he couldn't help but notice the uniform was just a tad too small.