Dechart: Become Connor

Emily 9

Hank hasn't been to work all day. It's going on 4:00 in the afternoon. Captain Fowler told me about how we are off the case and the FBI has taken over now. Now I watch, on my terminal, the revolution. I watch innocent androids be gunned down and compromised like nothing. I watch them all die, the light leaving their eyes. They're all gone. Gone, like Connor. I didn't even get to say goodbye. Hank and Connor went to the station yesterday after dropping me off and they got the news. Maybe if I didn't break my phone... A part of me wishes he didn't have to leave to cyberlife, that he could stay here, but he's just a machine, he'll be destroyed at the camps like every other plastic imitation. I turn the terminal off and look at my desk. My eyes fall onto the little chicken. Hank had given it to me my first day working here, when I had given him a smile and said hey. I was new so I didn't know much about the area or the office, but he willingly helped me. I haven't asked him about the gift or why he had given it to me, but we got close really quick so I kept it on my desk. He told me it was important to him, that I should never lose it. He said it's name is Cole. He never told me why it was important or how he came up with the name, but with time I had found out. I feel wrong having possession of it. It's important to him. Why should I have it? Everything seems pointless now. I feel so lost and empty. Hank could've played with his gun last night and Connor, he was definately sent back to cyberlife and/or destroyed. I've gotten so attached to that plastic fucker in such a short time, even though he couldn't feel that same attachment, and Hank... he's never missed a day. Why did I come into work today? Maybe in the hopes at least Hank could lift me from this hole. If he even shows up.

"Emily." I tiredly look over at Gavin.

"Yes?"

"You alright?" He asks. He has worry actually embedded in his features.

"Yeah. I just couldn't sleep last night. I'll be better when I get home tonight." I lie.

"Maybe next time you could use some company?" He tries to flirt.

"No." I say simply and turn away again. I can hear he grumble before walking away. I look at the time. I've been here doing nothing since 8 in the morning. I prop my head on my hand and sigh out. I don't even know how to pass the time since I shattered my phone the other day like an idiot. I could clock out early today. The president did assign a curfew for us and I wanted to look into getting a low maintenance pet. Are people even working today? I get up and clock out, heading to my car. That's when someone grabs me from behind and lifts me. I reconize instantly who it is and I can't prevent the squeal that forces from my throat.

"Hank! Put me down!" I demand through giggles. He finally puts me down and I turn and hug him as my eyes water instantly. He pulls away from the hug and wipes my eyes.

"Hey Em. Where are you going?" He asks.

"I was going to just browse some pet stores or something. I don't really have a plan honestly." I answer shrugging.

"With the revolution, alot of people aren't working. Instead they are locking themselves in their homes." He informs me.

"That's a bummer. Chicken feed?" I suggest.

"Sounds good to me."

...

"If you do this one more damn time I'm never taking you here ever again." Hank jokingly warns.

"I'll just come here on my own then!" I declare and laugh, pointing the bunless hotdog at him. He shakes his head at me and bites into his burger again. "Hey hank, are you gonna finish that bun?" I joking ask.

"I'm gonna finish the whole damn bun. You're not getting a bite." He sasses. I fake crying my hands dramatically.

"Please! I haven't eating in days!" I beg.

"That sounds like a sad story. I'll tell it to Sumo later as a bedtime story and we'll laugh at your pain." He teases and laughs.

"Damn, guess I'll die then." I snort.

"That's going on your fucking tombstone. I'll kill someone for that to be." He chuckles out.

"Will you kill me?"

"I actually might." He jokingly considers.

"Yes! Finally!" I exclaim in victory. He laughs. "I was gonna ask why you came into work so late but that's just how you are." I playfully tease.

"At least I don't disappear randomly." He fires back.

"For now." I say.

"Where did you go after that deviant at the tower was shot? One minute you were next to me then you were gone. I tried to call you but I kept getting voicemail." He asks.

"I disappeared randomly." I giggle out, biting into the hotdog. He sighs with a smirk and shakes his head.

"I was told you were upset."

"By whomst?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"By Connor." He answers. "He said you were 'questioning your worth' and left." My face falls and I try to hide the pain from it. I need to build that wall back up, the wall that held back my emotions and made me seem fun and easygoing. "Don't try to lie to me. Your phone rang the first 3 times I called. You turned it off." He adds.

"I didn't turn it off! I broke it. That's different." I correct and throw the hotdog at him. He puts his burger down and sighs.

"What happened?" He wasn't playing around anymore.

"Nothing happened! I was tired and I went home. That's it. I dropped my phone trying to answer you!" I bullshit.

"Oh yeah? Is that why you rejected the call twice before it magically broke?" He asks. Shit I forgot about that.

"I'm sorry!" I whine and put my head down.

"How about you stop lying to me and tell me what really happened?" He persists. I know I can't run from this conversation forever, so I sigh and look at Hank.

"Connor." I finally admit.

"What did he do?" Hanks asks, anger in his eyes.

"Its not what he did, it's what he didn't do." I say quietly and pull the clothing from my neck to show the cut. Hanks eyes go wide.

"What the fuck happened?" He asks, anger now in his voice.

"I was going to kill myself in front of him." I answer honestly. Hanks eyes go soft. "He stopped me, told me to keep living. I told him that he's just programmed to say that shit. That he doesn't actually care. That no one cares. He didn't say anything after that. I had hoped that maybe he does feel shit, that maybe he cares, but he doesn't." My eyes stay steady glued on the table and he reaches over and grabs my hand.

"You'd be surprised how many people care." He says. I meet his eyes and his gentle smile brings a small smile to my face.

"Oh." Damn. I can't make myself say anything more than that.

"I know it's late, but I was wondering if you wanted to just sit back and have a movie marathon tonight." He proposes.

"Sure!" I accept happily. We throw our trash away and he leads me to his car. "Let's watch some movies and get out of this ice weather."