Connor's POV

Connor scanned the area in search of Amanda. Connor was always pleased with the way it looked here.

Calm. beautiful.

He couldn't brush off the feeling of something missing though.

Connor looked to his left, and seen a pedestal approximately twenty-seven feet away. He walked over to it, and noticed a hand print; He wasn't sure what it was for, but it looked important.

He set his hand atop of the hand print, and the flat surface seemed to have scanned his hand. It was odd. Instead of him scanning something, something was scanning him. He didn't know what to think of it.

He looked to the center, and noticed Amanda smelling the roses. Once he made it, she turned as if she expected him to come.

"You've been doing good, Connor. Tell me: what do you think about Lieutenant Hank Anderson?" Amanda questioned as she turned her whole body to face him. He thought about it for a moment.

"He's a bit complicated. I feel working with such a good detective who has some personal problems is going to be problematic, but overall; he's a good partner." Connor replied, hardly pausing between sentences.

Amanda asked another question about Lieutenant. "How are you planning to cope with him?" She turned toward the roses once again, and Connor studied her. She was hiding something.

"I will try to befriend him. I can earn his trust that way, and it will be easier to solve the cases we are assigned to." Connor sounded a bit hopeful-- but also not. Because why would he? He's just a machine.

Amanda didn't seem to like this comment, but she continued to ask Connor questions.

"And Miss Parker? I see you may call her Samantha now. She seems nice. What do you think of her?" Truth-be-told, Connor didn't know what to think of her.

She's thanked him several times. She's so polite to him; treats him as if he's a living being. He didn't understand.

"She is nice." Connor paused. He better not tell Amanda how Samantha treats him like he's human. It might make Amanda upset.

Software Instability

"She's a really good detective-- just like Lieutenant. She got shot in the chest earlier, though."

"And how has that affected your mission?" She kept egging him on. For some reason, Connor felt attacked by this question.

"It hasn't. The deviant was deactivated. I did my mission; just like I was suppose to. What are you getting at, Amanda?"

Software Instability

Amanda 🔽

"I'm just saying, if she becomes a problem to your deviant hunting, we'll have to expel her from partnering with you and Lieutenant Anderson."

Connor's insides twisted.

He didn't know how, didn't know why; all he knew was he didn't want her gone.

She loved Lieutenant; and he loved her as well. They were like family. Connor couldn't split them up.

Then it came back to Connor again. The thing that was missing. He decided not to tell Amanda; she already seemed frustrated enough. He thanked her, then left his small mind palace, and came back to reality.

Connor opened his eyes, and noticed Lieutenant and Samantha looking at him.

"Did you get tired?" Samantha asked, laughing toward the end. Connor was confused. "It was a joke."

"Oh." He tried to laugh like she did, but it didn't sound right.

She started laughing so hard. it hurt her chest.

Is she laughing at me ?? It's nice.

"Be careful; you don't want to hurt yourself any more than you already have." Connor gently touched her arm, and his mind started to burst.

He quickly pulled away as if something had shocked him. He smiled and stood next to Hank once again; hoping it wasn't as expressive as it felt.

Odd.

Sam's POV

Connor pulled his hand away, almost as fast as he put it on my arm. I didn't know why he was freaking out so much, but I decided not to say anything.

"I better get goin. Sumo's prolly startin to worry about where I am." Hank stood up and saluted as he walked to the door. "Now don't go doin stupid stuff while I'm gone, got it?"

I laughed, and scrunched my nose up. "No promises." He narrowed his eyes, then walked out; closing the door until there was only a crack left.

"While you were asleep, the doctors said you may be able to get out the day after tomorrow. Are you feeling alright? Your stress level is at forty-three percent." Connor stated as he sat next to me.

"I'm okay. I just really want to leave this place.." It was silent for a few beats, until Connor spoke up.

"May I ask a personal question?"

"Uh, sure." I smiled as I looked into his curious eyes. What a lively man-- android... Mandroid. That works.

"How did you feel? When you were shot?" Wow. Connor's not subtle about anything, is he?

"Um.. I was scared. I honestly thought I was going to die. If I would have died then, I wouldn't have died very happy. I was upset. Connor, I'm only twenty-seven. Im definitely not ready to die.."

I started tearing up as I looked back at the thought. Everything was dark. "It was almost like looking into a deviant's eye. They know they are about to die; they're frightened, sad, stressed. I didn't want to die.. There's so much more to do before I die.."

The tears were streaming now. Connor slowly-- hesitantly-- wiped them away.

"Help me sit up, will you?" He stood up, then gently pulled me away from the pillow.

"Connor, have you ever hugged anyone? Or even recieved a hug?" I asked, holding myself up with my knuckles.

"No, I do not recall. What is a hug? A way of greeting someone?" I held onto his arm which he stuck out for me, and I pulled myself to a stand.

"Hold your arms out."

"But if I do that, you'll fall--"

"No, it's alright." I interrupted. "Just do it." He moved his arms to form a T, and I giggled.

Software Instability

Mind Corrupted

Kiss????
Leave??
What's kiss??
Must Listen.
Machine.
Stop.
Listen.
Listen.

A hug. Alright. Connor might know what a hug is; with Samantha showing him, it shouldn't be all that hard. Connor is a quick learner. He may not understand why she would want a hug; quite frankly, he doesn't even know what a hug is used for-- but he still has to listen. She is one of his owner's after all.

I wrapped my arms around Connor's torso, then looked up to his face; which seemed to be studying mine.

"Now do the same to me." He slowly wrapped his arms around me; his LED shifting between dark blue, and yellow.

"What does a hug do?" Connor asked. He was warm. I really didn't wanna let go.

"Check my stress levels again." I watched him as he scanned me, and tried to hide my smile.

"Your stress has gone down by nine-teen percent!" He almost sounded amazed. "Does hugging make you feel more comfortable? More calm, perhaps?"

"You could say so, yes."

I hugged him for a few more seconds, until I finally asked to be laid down again. Not because I wanted to; but because I had to.

He's just a machine, Sam.