Don't Get Attached

Chapter Four

"[Y/N], can I talk to you in my room, now?" You father asked impatiently.

"Yeah, alright fine." You got up from your spot on the couch. "Connor, take a seat and watch some TV with Sumo. It's weird having you just standing there." You tossed the remote control to Connor, which the android caught perfectly. "Plus it will keep your mind focused on something else." You turned and followed your father down the hall, not bothering to point out that since Connor was an Android he probably would hear your entire conversation through the walls anyhow.

"So what do you want to talk about?" You asked, leaning against you father's closed bedroom door. "The case you just came home from? Your android partner? Or maybe you want to talk about the gun Connor found you with?"

"What is this world coming to?" Your father sat down in his unmade bed and shook his head. "You know, when Cyberlife first introduced androids, they said they'd make our lives easier. They haven't made my life easier."

"You still play records from before you were born and keep shelves of old fashioned paper books." You reminded him. "Technology was never going to make your life easier. I want to also point out that a Cyberlife android saved your life. The gun, Dad, let's talk about the gun. I thought you'd stopped doing that."

"Well, I did." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Then I didn't. What difference does it make, I'm still here aren't I?"

"Dad, you promised me." You responded quietly. "We agreed that you'd call me if things go this bad again."

"Well, I didn't feel like talking to you, alright?" He replied.

"No, it's not alright." You stepped forward directly into his line of sight so that he had no choice but to look at you. "What do I need to do to help you? Should I move back in? I could help take care of the house. I could go back to cooking your meals, make sure Sumo is taken care of..."

"Don't do that." Your father was unusually quiet. "The truth is I didn't call you, because I knew what you were gonna say. I don't want you moving back into your old room because you feel like you need to take care of me. You need to have your own job, your own life. I'm just in your way."

"Dad, just because I don't live at home doesn't mean I don't want to take care of you." You sat next to him on the bed. "I know you think it should have been you instead of Cole, but you can't do that to yourself. That could have just as easily have been me. I was supposed to be in the car that night too. We can't let the survivor's guilt keep us from living."

"How'd you ever get to be so smart, huh?" He threw an arm around you, forcing you to lean into him. "Wasn't from your bitch of a mother, that's for sure."

"You're impossible." You sighed. "Please just tell me what happened. You were doing so good."

"It's that fucking android!" He waved his free hand in the direction of the living room. "And all these cases about deviants. All the shit I had buried, its getting dragged back out."

"When you were in here changing Connor and I were talking. He said that he wished he had someone that he could talk to about what happened with your case tonight. Maybe you could try being his friend. It would probably help your investigation along, and it might make you feel better having someone other than me to talk to."

"You know, I thought androids weren't supposed to have feelings." Your father was glad for an excuse to take the conversation off himself. "I know Connor's not deviant because he's always talking about how his mission is more important than anything else, but there's something about him. Like tonight at the club, we chased these two Traci's out into a back alley. He had a clean shot, could have taken them both out but instead he let them go. I can't understand why he would do that if he's only programed to compete his mission."

"How about a compromise." You suggested, standing up. "I'll move back in, but only until your investigation is done."

"You can't do that!" Your father argued. "You work on the other side of the city. You'd have to get up an hour earlier than usual and that's not even counting traffic."

"But I'll be here, and I'm not accepting no as an answer." You insisted.

"Fine, fine. It's not like you've given me a choice." He said, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "Now get out of my room. I'm going to bed."

"Where are the guns?" You asked, not moving an inch.

"Service weapon's locked in drawer of my desk at work, you can ask the android, and here's this." He handed over the same revolver that you'd passed off to Connor hours ago.

"Have a good night, Dad." You told him before leaving the room. In the living room, Connor was sitting on the couch like you'd instructed him to. Sumo's head was now resting in the android's lap and he scratched behind his ears. "I know you could hear us."

"I would never intentionally listen in on your private conversation with the Lieutenant." Connor said. "It would not benefit my investigation in anyway."

"Right." You nodded, not exactly believing him. You looked down at Sumo wondering if the dog knew the difference between an Android or a human. You guessed that it didn't much matter to the dog as long as he was fed well and given enough affection.

"I know that Sumo is not supposed to be on the couch." Connor said, following your gaze. "But I like dogs and he seems to like me."

"It's alright. Dad feeds him table scraps when he thinks I'm not looking, so who is he to judge?" You shrugged.

"Do you live with Hank?" Connor tilted his head.

"I thought you could do a facial scan thing. Can't you access all of my public records from that?" You asked him curiously. "Just from one look you can tell where I live, what I do for a living, my date of birth all those kinds of things."

"Yes, I could do a facial scan to collect all of the information I want." Connor agreed with you. "But as doing so would not be necessary for my mission, I decided it would be more polite to ask."

"Oh. That's nice of you." You said. "No, I don't live here anymore or at least I didn't. I just told Dad I was moving back in until the investigation is over. He needs me here."

"What about what you need?" He asked kindly. "I don't mean to be rude in my line a questioning, but why would you move in with your father if you are used to living alone?"

"Well Connor, part of being human means that you put other people before yourself sometimes." You told him with a smile. "Dad always did his best to put me first when he could, it's my turn to return the favor."