Survivor - Connor x OC

Shake It Out

Florence + The Machine – Shake It Out

"You should stay awake." Taylor sighed. She was seated next to Connor in the backseat of Hank's old beater, trying not to shiver from the cold. The old bastard hadn't even left the heat on after he'd picked up his six pack of beer and left them sitting there without a word.

Normally, she would be annoyed, but she probably would have just taken a nap while the lieutenant had a few drinks. She knew that Hank had baggage and she didn't begrudge him for it. She had her own baggage, though she tried her best not to drag anyone else along for the ride. It had been harder since she had been back in Detroit, the original breeding ground of most of her drama in the first place, but still.

No, the real problem was that Connor had pestered her until she had admitted that yes, there had been some ringing in her ears. He was convinced now that she could have a concussion, so she could not go to sleep. Every time her eyes drifted shut for just a moment longer than a blink, he would say something to bring her back around.

Connor had tended to her as soon as they had gotten into the car. Hank had taken the first aid kit from the glove box and passed it back to them, and the android had carefully washed the blood from her face with peroxide. Then he had placed a bandage over what he claimed was only a small cut near her hairline.

Now when he wasn't peering into her face, making sure her eyes were open, he was sending furtive glances toward where the lieutenant was seated on a bench, taking swigs from his bottle as he stared out across the water.

"Come on," Taylor pushed the seat in front of her forward and climbed over it, reaching for the door. She stood next to the car and ducked her head down to look back in at Connor. "Let's go. If you won't let me sleep, I'm not going to watch you making goo-goo eyes at Hank all night."

She didn't wait for his response, just withdrew from the car and leaned into the hood to wait. The car had been cold, but it had been more insulated than the frigid air that surrounded her now. She shoved her hands deep into her pockets, drawing her jacket tighter, as she heard Connor climbing from the car beside her.

They walked toward Hank together in silence, Taylor just a step or two ahead. Connor trailed uncertainly, his eyes moving between her and the lieutenant. As they approached, Hank's blue eyes shifted to them for a moment, but they didn't linger. He just took another swallow and settled his gaze back across the water.

"Nice view, huh? I used to come here a lot before..." Hank trailed off, his sentence like a thread on a sweater that had been pulled, unravelling into nothing. Taylor lowered herself onto the bench and wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to keep the warmth in.

"Before what?" Connor asked, his voice filling the sudden silence. She fought off a shiver, her breath clouding in front of her face in small white puffs.

"Hm?" Hank hummed without looking at the android. Taylor wondered if he'd experienced Connor's unique persistence the way she had. She had detected a shift in their relationship over the past few days in a more positive direction and knew they'd been together without her at times. Now, she couldn't help but wonder what Hank and Connor were like when she wasn't around, and if she was intruding on something private.

"You said 'I used to come here before.' Before what?" Connor elaborated. Well, at least she knew she wasn't the only one who didn't get to avoid questions. Not with Connor. She almost smiled, except she knew it wasn't the time for humor.

"Before... before nothin'." She risked a glance at the lieutenant. He was still gripping the bottle loosely in his fingers, but his shoulders had tensed, eyes hardened on the horizon.