After a few minutes of constant reassurances, Hank decided it would be better to take Connor back to his house, instead of lying on the ground for hours on end. Hank took a moment to compose himself before speaking gently to the traumatised android lying in his arms.

" Hey, Connor?"

" y-yeah, Hank?" Connor stuttered on his words. "that can't be good," Hank thought to himself.

"I think we should head home. It's getting pretty cold out here, we'll see what we can do for you there." Connor froze.

Shit, wrong choice of words, Hank!

"Uh- I.. Sorry." Hank scrambled to apologise.

"It's ok." a quiet voice stated.

"Ok..come on, son. Here we go." Hank rose to his feet, wrapping Connor's arm around his shoulders, and grabbing his waist with his other hand. Connor groaned, and Hank felt awful. I should've been looking out for him.

Hank caught a glimpse of the flashing red LED. "Hey, Connor! Is it too sore to move?" Hank was getting more and more worried by the second.

"No, well, yes it hurts, but-" Connor cut himself off, with a shake of his head.

"But?" Hank encouraged him. "I-I'm scared. I'm really scared." Connor whispered, almost crying again. Hank froze.

"I'm scared, Dad! I can't do it!" A boy, 6 years old, not wanting to get onto the rollercoaster at the theme park.

"Cole, it's ok. I'll keep you safe." Hank, on the last family trip before the accident, reassuring his son.

Hank snapped back into the moment and struggled to speak around the sudden lump in his throat. "Connor, it's ok. I'll keep you safe."

"Thank you, Hank." The android said with a small smile, his LED flickering back to a yellow colour.

"You don't have to thank me. Ok, let's go, you'll be much more comfortable back at the house." Hank walked slowly, making sure Connor wouldn't bump into anything on the way to the car.

xxx

They slowly, but surely, reached Hank's old car, and Hank lowered Connor carefully into the passengers seat. "Alright, let's get out of here." Hank was more than happy to leave that park. He probably wouldn't be back anytime soon.

Hank couldn't stop himself from looking over at Connor every few seconds. "Hank, keep your eyes on the road, please." Connor's voice startled Hank, that was the longest sentence he'd said all night. Hank tried, but ultimately failed, to suppress a small chuckle. "Whatever you say, kid."

They made it home, and Hank went to unlock the door first, before returning to the car to help Connor inside. He put him on the couch, and went to get some wipes and bandages for the wounds. "I'm just gonna clean you up a little, ok? Might make you feel a little better." Hank carefully began wiping away some of the blue blood.

"Hank, what happened to those androids that.. attacked me?" Connor startled Hank, who was busy cleaning.

"I shot them. Both. Right in the head." Hank wasn't sure how Connor would react, seeing as they were also deviants, albeit crazy ones.

"Good." Connor's short answer was accompanied by a small flash of red on his LED.

"Connor? What do you mean?" Hank was slightly concerned by the angry tone the androids voice took.

"I- I know I shouldn't .. but, I feel angry thinking about those deviants.. and.. I don't particularly mind what you did to them."

"Jesus Connor! Of course you're allowed to be angry at them! I mean, I get angry at people pretty much on a daily basis." Hank tried to make Connor realise that these new emotions were ok.

The only answer Hank received was a small nod, but it was good enough for him. "Ok, those wounds look much better now, with those bandages on them. I'm gonna call Cyberlife, and see when they can get out here to fix you up." Hank sat beside Connor and pulled out his phone.

"Hi there, Hank Anderson. My android has major damage, and I'd like someone over here ASAP to fix it." Hank talked to the man on the phone, trying to be polite, for Connor's sake. "Yeah, both eyes. Ok, great."

"He's an RK800." A long pause. "What?" Hank couldn't stop the dangerous edge in his voice. "No, you're gonna come here right now! I don't fucking care what day or time it is! I'm not fucking waiting until Monday! This android is sitting here, suffering, blind, and you're telling me I have to wait until Monday because you don't work on weekends!" Hank was screaming into the phone now. "You listen to me- hey!" Hank threw the phone across the room as the man hung up. He looked over at Connor, who was looking very uncomfortable.

Hank put his face into his hands. "Fuck.. Sorry Connor. These assholes won't come until Monday."

"It's not your fault Hank, they probably still don't like me very much after I failed them." Connor tried to make Hank feel better, but he was feeling pretty miserable, and Hank could tell.

"Hey, I have some thi-ther- blue blood in the fridge." Hank stood up and retrieved it, putting it in Connor's hand. "Might make you feel stronger or something."

"Thanks." Connor drank every drop. "Huh, you were right. It does make me feel a little stronger. Do you mind if I go into rest mode? I need some time to.. think."

"Sure, Connor." Hank fluffed up Connor's hair fondly, before getting a blanket and putting it on the android.

xxx

Connor knew he was out of rest mode, but he didn't understand why he was in complete darkness. He panicked. Did Amanda trap him in his own mind? Was he dead? Oh my god, he was dead... Where's Hank? Is he ok? Hank!

"HANK! Hank!" Connor found himself screaming into the dark abyss. He felt artificial tears fall down his face, and he felt his mechanical heart beat faster and faster. He felt as if he was spiralling down, down into eternal darkness, and he was terrified, petrified, and he thought he was going to explode, and he missed Hank, and he had never felt emotions this strong before, which was even more scary until- a rough hand touched the side of his face, instantly calming him. Hank.

"Connor! Hey.. hey.. come here. Shhh, shh. It's all ok. Do you remember what happened? Listen, I need you to calm down and listen to me, ok? Calm down, I'm right here."

The contact grounded Connor, and he found that he did remember. Those.. androids.. what they did to him.. the pain. He remembered Hank on the phone, really angry. He remembered he was blind.

"I'm sorry, Hank. I forgot what happed, and I got scared." Connor felt stupid that he couldn't get through this like everything else he had before, Hank shouldn't have to look after him like a scared child.

"Hey, don't you dare be sorry. It wasn't your fault what those androids did to you. Shit, if that was me, I'd probably fall into a coma or somethin'." Connor heard Hank speak with determination, and he could imagine the look in Hank's eyes as he tried to make him understand.

"You ok now? I'm not gonna leave again tonight. I'm gonna be right here."

Connor felt pressure on his arm, and he realised that Hank must have put it there to make sure he stays grounded. This thoughtfulness gives Connor a warm feeling all over, and he decides he likes it. This must be what family is.

But Connor always remembers Hank's schedule, and he needs to remind Hank, as he would on any other day. "Hank! You need to get some sleep, for work tomorrow. My internal clock says its around 3AM. Am I correct?"

Connor hears Hank sigh, "Jesus Connor, I'm not going in to work tomorrow. What would I do without my partner anyway? Fowler can kiss my ass."

Connor recognises from Hank's tone of voice that he means what he's saying, so he opts to not argue. "Ok, Hank."

A loud bark startles Connor, and he can sense a presence in front of him. Sumo, of course. "Hi, Sumo."

"Connor, I'm gonna go get my phone. I'll call Fowler and tell him we're not coming in tomorrow. I'll be back in just a second," The pressure on Connor's arm lifted, and he found he missed the contact, and felt a little unstable without it.

Sumo decided that he wanted to play at that moment, so he jumped up on Connor. "Woah.. Sumo." Connor didn't expect that, but he expected even less that Sumo was going to jump up onto the couch with him. A misplaced paw, covered Connor's mouth, and that was all it took for a series of flashbacks from the park to play out in this mind.

The android, grabbing him from behind. The fear of not being able to call for help. Connor certainly didn't regret fighting his programming and becoming deviant, but sometimes he didn't like emotions very much. The scene replayed over and over and over again, and Connor wanted it to stop, to stop feeling the pain, both physical and emotional.

The same exact scene, a perfect recollection of his traumatic experience, the android kneeling right in front of him, menacingly holding a knife in front of his eye, about to strike, when there was.. an earthquake?

Connor! Connor.. please! Connor heard a voice, a voice he'd know from anywhere, and he followed it through the awful memory. He felt himself closer and closer to escaping the scene, following the voice.

He was almost there, just one more barrier to break through, though this one was difficult. He searched for his guide, the voice he loved to hear so much.

Connor.. come back.. I can't lose another son.

That was all Connor needed to smash through his mental barriers and into the waking world. "Hank.." He found it a little difficult to speak, like he hadn't used his voice in some time.

"Oh my god.. Connor!" Connor felt himself being hugged tightly, surrounded by a nice warmth, and of course he hugged back.

"What happened? Are you ok, Hank?"

"Are you ok, Hank? Jesus Connor, you scared the shit out if me, I thought you were dead! I came back in after being on the phone, and you were just lying there, not moving an inch. I tried talking to you, I even shook you,- oh, earthquake- but you wouldn't respond. Fuck, don't do that again. You were gone for about 5 hours! What happened exactly?" Hank was very concerned, and it made Connor feel loved, that someone actually cares about him for once.

"I'm not too sure actually.. Sumo jumped on me...and put his paw on my mouth.. and I guess.. I-I thought I was back in the park. With those two androids." Connor still found it hard, thinking about it.

"Oh." Hank realised what had happened. "I think you went into shock, Connor. When you felt Sumo's paw on your mouth, your mind believed you were at the park. Jesus.." Hank spoke softly, and that comforted Connor. "Ok, from now on until the assholes from Cyberlife get here, I'm staying right here. So you don't have that happen again."

Connor felt that familiar pressure return on his arm. "Thanks, Dad."

Hank blinked back tears, but remembering Connor couldn't see him, he let them fall. "No problem, son." He said, as he hugged Connor close once again. Son.. that does fit.

xxx

The loud doorbell startled both Hank and Connor awake. Checking that Connor was ok, Hank got up and opened it. "Finally, asshole!"

An employee from Cyberlife was standing there, with a large toolbox in his hand. He coughed, "Um.. yes.. ok.. Mr. Anderson. Where is your android?"

Hank gestured to Connor, who was still on the couch. "Ok, so the procedure shouldn't take too long, but I recommend you go into standby, RK800." He spoke to Connor, while trying to avoid Hank. Ha, scared of me, dumbass?

Hank's eyes jumped over to Connor's LED, which glowed a warning red. Quickly, he moved over to him, placing his hand over Connor's.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine. I'll be right here when ya wake up."

Connor seemed to relax, the LED returning to a soft blue. Satisfied, Hank stepped back to allow the worker to do the procedure. He couldn't help pacing around the room in worry, the last time a procedure, a surgery had been done for someone he cared about... No, he wasn't going to think about that now, Connor needed him to be strong.

A few minutes, that felt like hours, later, the employee stood up, admiring his work. "Ok, are we good here?" Hank stood in front of him.

"Ah, yes. Everything went smoothly and he should wake up shortly. Since your RK800 was stationed to the police department, the costs are covered." The employee seemed to be in a hurry to leave.

"Well, ok. Bye- bye!" Hank waved him out the door in an overly dramatic fashion, before sitting down beside Connor on the couch. He waited anxiously for his surrogate son to awaken.

Hank was petting Sumo when he caught he movement out of the corner of his eye. Fluttering eyes. Hank looked at Connor, waiting for him to say something, worried when he didn't speak.

"Connor? Say something, son!" Hank was terrified the employee had messed up. He cupped Connor's face and looked deep into his brown eyes.

"Hank.." Hank noticed tears forming in the android's eyes. "Connor.. talk to me! What's wrong? Did that Cyberlife asshole do something to you?"

Connor shook his head, "No, no. It's just.. I can see." He smiled a bright smile, which pretty much killed Hank, who was overjoyed and relieved. "Thank god.." Hank shook his head.

"Hank, now that I can see you, I must inform you that you look like, how would you say it? Shit. You look like shit." Hank was speechless for a moment, before exploding into a fit of laughter, closely followed by Connor.

"You are gonna be the death of me one of these days." Hank was breathless after laughing so hard.

"Thank you Hank. For helping me through this." Connor said so sincerely, it almost made Hank cry again. Almost.

"Don't thank me son. I'll always do it."

"Thank you anyway, Dad."

Fin.

Woah! The end of my first fic! I hope you all enjoyed the ride, and feel free to leave a review.

Thanks!