Some False Truth || Connor x Reader D:BH

11 | Playground Parallels

Out on the ocean
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we'll both just have to be patient
(Y/N)

Three days had passed since the knee scraping incident. As far as (Y/N) was concerned, Connor was doing well to blend in and cause no trouble. If anything he was a great help. He often insisted on doing the laundry, preparing coffee, or putting Toby down for a nap, wanting to assist in some way.

It was refreshing to have another pair of hands around the house, especially one that didn't have to duck back out to work every day. He had his moments where he'd sit and stare at a wall, but (Y/N) soon found out that he was writing reports or sorting evidence in that time. She often forgot that despite everything he was still an android, LED or not.

Toby waddled alongside his mother, holding tight to her hand as they made their way down the street of Greektown. The frost of winter had held itself back today, meaning once again Toby was tugging at (Y/N)'s pant leg to go to the playground at Henry Ford Park. She wasn't complaining, if half an hour of running around and swinging was all it took to calm this toddler she would gladly take the time out of her day. CJ was at work and (Y/N) had made some extra cash from a commission piece early in the week, so the afternoon was free.

Connor tagged along, as was expected. But Hank had also decided he'd come along seeing as work was 'slow as shit'. He'd told Fowler it was a routine check-in with his case partner, but Hank was dying to escape the cramped office for once seeing as he was getting too old to get out on the field. He still refused to retire yet.

Reuniting with the man who saved your life isn't easy, especially when you haven't seen him in 20 years. (Y/N) had never thought of looking for him, and that was strengthened after she moved in with her father. But now that he was here in the flesh, she still felt the need to thank him once again. No matter how many times she shared her sincerity, Hank insisted it was no issue as the case had closed so long ago.

Dropping his puffy parka to the ground, Toby booked it to the play equipment. The jumper was left to be collected by (Y/N), folding it tightly and placing it into the open carry bag along with her glasses in their case. With one last leg stretched, she turned to the officers.

"Alright, I'm on the clock. You two have fun."

"We'll try." Hank settled onto the park bench next to Connor, hot chocolate in hand.

She jogged onto the playground following behind Toby loosely. She was dragged over to the swing set to settle Tobes into the children's swing. She gave his hair a loving scruff before starting to push him up into the air. Every few swings he'd turn around to check if she was still behind him, smiling wide. She'd loved his smile from the start, despite its dark background. Toby smiled like his father.

If someone had told (Y/N) 6 years ago that she'd be raising her son alongside her best friend, she would've done everything to deny it. At many moments in her life she tried to erase what happened in the past, picturing that instead her partner was an angel painted by the heavens that died selflessly. That she was raising a boy given to her by the skies above, even when his father came from the pits of hell. She realised when she held him in her arms after hours of relentless labour that he was everything she ever wanted. Her gorgeous boy had been handed to her from the clouds. With slow growing locks of dusty brown hair and blue eyes gifted to him to pay homage to his true home in the deep skies. Her angel son, weeping tears and being swaddled in a blanket to rest against her.

And in that moment she realised how lucky she was to have survived.

"When are we making my hat for the parade?"

And instantly she was snapped back to present time.

Only to realise she'd forgotten about the preschool hat parade happening in a week.

"Oh shit."

Her son piped up.

"Swear jar!"

"Go easy on her, tiger." Both (Y/N) and Toby looked up at the nickname to see a slow Hank Anderson approaching. Even after those many years, he still had the same attitude in his walk. His lopsided, semi-sober stance with his hands in his jacket pockets. He'd barely changed. "She's doing the best she can. Go take a break, kid."

(Y/N) gave him a thankful nod, taking a few steps backwards to allow Hank to take the reins. Hank rolled his shoulders, mumbling a quick 'Here's hoping this doesn't kill me'.

When CJ chose to stay by (Y/N)'s side to help her take care of Toby, she was hesitant to accept the support. It wasn't common for her to get help around the house. It took some adjusting to, knowing she was no longer left to do everything. It was no longer expected of her. And now that Connor was around as well, she found herself looking for more things to do around the house. It was as though a switch in her brain had flicked from a young age, telling her to do some kind of job around the house each day. Perhaps this was why she was so hesitant to change.

She was met by Connor's polite wave as she walked over to the park bench, breathing in the changing winter air as it slowly melted down into spring. She sat herself down beside him, ensuring to leave plenty of room between the two.

(Two brosssss chillin' in a hot tubbbb)

"Enjoying the weather?" Connor asked, watching as she picked up her bag and tucked it under her seat.

"As much as I appreciate the cold, I'd kill for some hay fever at this point." She put her hands into her coat pockets. They sat in quiet for a moment, thawing out the leftover snow slush from Connor's icebreaker question.

Their attention had now moved to Hank, babysitting a restless Toby. They both watched as the burly, supposedly cold lieutenant chased the boy around the playground. (Y/N) couldn't help but grin.

"He hasn't been this happy in a very long time." Connor broke the silence. Her smile faltered and changed to confusion.

When she turned to look at Connor he was smiling too. The corners of his mouth had lifted, leaving small dimples in his cheeks. But it was more of a lonesome, painful smile. As though he knew why Hank was unhappy and brooding most of the time.

"What do you mean?"

Connor didn't break his eyes from the two. "The lieutenant lost his son a few years ago in a car accident. Cole was his name. He was about Toby's age. A truck skidded on some ice and hit their car. Cole's surgeon was high on red ice and couldn't operate. It absolutely broke Hank. He fell into alcohol and became heavily suicidal. I haven't seen him this happy the whole time I've known him, except the day he realised I was back from the android revolution. I didn't understand why, and I still don't."

"Because it's the equivalent of watching your son go to war, Connor. He was scared he was about to lose another one of his boys and there was nothing he could do."

"Maybe. All I know is today you brought back something for him that he thought he'd never have again. You let him relive those moments with Cole. Hopefully it'll make things easier for him, help him mourn and find some peace. He's been through enough."

She gave him a soft smile, resting her hand over his. Connor flicked his head around, looking at their sudden contact. She spoke. "I'm glad we could help him."

Connor's rising anxiety dropped, and (Y/N) felt his hand stop tensing. They both turned back to Hank and Toby. Toby sat on the ground telling a very thrilling story as Hank sat on a playground platform nodding and smiling, with the occasional 'wow'. The whole time he couldn't tear his eyes from the little boy that reminded him so much of his own son. It was soothing for (Y/N) to watch her protector sit so comfortably and be at peace for once.

And somehow (Y/N) and Connor knew Cole was sitting on Hank's lap, nodding excitedly, and grinning up at his dad.

Hank was right, coming to the park that day was a better choice than going to work.

A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter, a mini-chapter from Connor's perspective on a moment from this page will be uploaded soon. I'm currently on a waiting list for a psychiatrist to get me tested for BPD so I'm in a really shite place right now. Take care of yourself, mini memes <3