Accident Prone - Becoming Human (The Final Chapters)

Peace

The concussion kept Hank on the injured reserved list for a full week and of course Connor volunteered to stay home with him as he healed. It was relatively easy for Hank to get the additional rest he needed in order to recover, but Connor himself was having some trouble sleeping after their painfully close call that he, Hank and Markus had with the vengeful minded Benjamin Perkins of Quondam. More often than not Hank would find Connor sitting on the couch juggling his coin nervously over his knuckles with Sumo sprawled protectively over his lap at early hours of the morning. The deviant wasn't sleeping well and it was beginning to show as the days wore on.

It wasn't the first time that either detective had struggled with insomnia, but with any luck it'd be the last. Hank was making peace with his past and he hoped that Connor would be able to do the same very soon.

"Kid, you need to get some sleep." Hank urged as he joined the deviant in the livingroom at four in the morning and snatched the coin from Connor's hand. Connor didn't even react to the loss of his coin, instead he dropped his hand and sighed. "What's bothering you so much?"

"...Everything."

"By 'everything' you mean what Quondam and what Benjamin Perkins tried to do, right?"

Connor quietly nodded and began to slowly pet Sumo's fur with his freed hand much to the large dog's delight.

"It's over, son. We're safe, Markus is safe and Benjamin is back behind bars." Sitting down in the recliner next to the couch Hank let out a sleepy yawn and pressed his head down against the palm of his right hand as he leaned forward slightly where he sat. "What's the matter?"

"...One person can change the world for the better." The deviant's soulful brown eyes were distant, almost as if in a trance. "Just like Markus did. And one person can change the world for the worst."

"Like Benjamin."

"Yeah. How can one person willingly hold so much hatred in their heart? It's toxic and it hurts to let hate reside there."

Hank gave the deviant a weak smile of approval. "Yeah, it really does. But some people find it easier to hate than to learn to understand anything else."

"He was ready to kill us to prove a point, and that point was that hatred was stronger than love. He was wrong. All we did was survive and keep one another safe to prove that. That was enough to show the entire city that tolerance and coexistence is possible. Even though the city has come to accept deviants as equals there will always be one more person full of hate trying to prove the opposite. What's the point in fighting back anymore?"

"You can't change the hearts of every single person in the world in one night. It's impossible."

"Why not?"

"Humans are fickle, unpredictable and dangerous in large numbers. It'll get better, but it takes time. And time is unforgiving to us all."

"I hate waiting."

"Don't I know it." The senior detective chuckled to himself as he blinked slowly through his sleepy eyelids. "Waiting seems to be your worst enemy."/

"How can you be so calm?" Connor looked visibly agitated but he never stopped petting Sumo. "He was ready to kill us all."

"...I've been a cop for a long time. I've come to terms with my mortality a long time ago. I won't live forever, not that I want to. I'd get bored. The idea of dying doesn't bother me, but the thought of losing someone I care about still makes me flinch."

"I don't want you to die. I was already scared when Markus was taken, but when I thought he was going after you I was absolutely terrified. But..." his hand paused along Sumo's back as he spoke. "But you were ready to die?"