Light streamed through the window of Clara's hospital room, gently waking her. She was distantly aware of her cheek pressing against something firm and warm. Gradually, she emerged from her sleep, sitting up. Her body was sore and stiff. Looking around, she was startled to see Connor's slightly blurry form still sitting next to her. Evidently her glasses had been removed at some point, and she noticed the book had been closed and set off to the side
"Good morning, Dr. Hayes" the android said, eyes still closed. "Did you sleep well?" He opened them, smiling slightly.
Clara cleared her throat, a little flustered. "Well enough." She stretched carefully, wincing at the sharp pain in her ribs.
"Are you alright?" A flash of concern crossed Connor's face.
"Fine," she said. "Just sore." She adjusted her position, moving slightly away from him.
He held out his hand, offering her glasses.
"Thanks," she said, putting them on. She looked around. It was still fairly dim outside. "What time is it?"
"It's about eight in the morning." He moved away, sliding off the bed. "The nurse came in about 20 minutes ago. She says you're good to check out when you're ready. I've already contacted your cousin. He'll be here shortly."
Clara felt a flicker of surprise. "You took care of all that already?"
"Was that wrong?" He looked sheepish. "You seemed eager to leave, so I thought you'd approve."
"No," she said quickly. "I appreciate it actually. I'd like to get out of here as soon as possible."
Just then, her phone buzzed. She looked to see a text from Eli. He about 20 minutes out. Clara slid carefully off the bed, stepping gingerly with her injured foot, then grabbed her bag pulling out a set of clothes, originally intended for an android. She moved to the bathroom to wash her face and change out of the hospital gown. She emerged in a plain tee shirt and baggy sweatpants.
"Lets go then." She started shuffling slowly around the room, carefully putting her things back in the bag. She moved to sling it over her shoulder, then hissed, holding her ribs. Connor stepped toward her, taking the bag.
"You shouldn't carry this," he said, slinging it over his own shoulder.
"I suppose you're right." She gave him a smile, then moved toward the door. Heading down the hallways, she paused at door 203. "Did you visit him last night?" She turned, looking back at Connor.
He shook his head.
"Let's drop in then, since we're here." She opened the door carefully. She stepped in, then halted, seeing another figure in the chair beside the bed. He was hunched over, head in his hands. Hearing the door open, he turned. It was Detective Reed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, frowning slightly. His eyes were red-rimmed, indicating that he'd cried.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "We didn't mean to disturb you." She turned to leave.
"No," he called. "It's okay." He gestured for her to come in, then froze, noticing Connor behind her. "Well if it isn't the plastic detective." His voice held a bitter venom.
"Detective Reed," Connor greeted, voice neutral. "I thought you hated the lieutenant."
Reed scoffed, glaring at the android. "You don't know anything."
Sensing the tension, Clara intervened. "I'm sorry, detective. We should go." She tried to leave, but Connor's form blocked the door, unmoving.
"You know, he was like a father to me, before Cole died," Reed went on, ignoring Clara. He continued to glare harshly at Connor, standing and taking a few steps forward. "But after, I tried to be there for him, but he pushed me away. He pushed everyone away." He slowly advanced toward them.
Clara shrunk against Connor, trying to push him out of the room. The android seemed frozen in space, LED flashing yellow briefly.
"Then you came along. You plastic f***ing bastard." The detectives voice was low and harsh. "He trusted you. He let you in, and you weren't there for him when needed you. He was left dying in the snow, and you weren't there."
Clara turned around, facing the android. "Let's go, Connor." She tugged gently on his arm. Ignoring her, he stepped around, placing her behind him.
"I had a mission to complete." Connor's voice remained even and neutral, but his LED flashed briefly red and then yellow. "I don't expect you to understand."
"You f***ing bastard!" Reed lunged forward, swinging for Connor's face. The android moved aside, dodging swiftly and catching the man's fist.
"Calm yourself, Reed," he said softly.
"F**k you!" He yanked his hand out of Connor's grasp, stalking back to the chair. "Just go. You don't belong here."
"Come on, Connor." Clara tugged his arm again, this time prompting him to move. Turning to Detective Reed, she said, "I'm sorry we disturbed you."
"F**k off," he muttered, sitting down and turning back to the bed.
Silently, Clara grabbed Connor's hand, pulling him away and closing the door softly. Glancing at him briefly, she saw his face set into a stony expression, LED flashing red. Had Reed's words gotten to him?
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine," he said, opening them. "I was just surprised to see him is all. I thought they hated each other." There was a note of confusion in his voice, but slowly, his LED made its way back to the normal blue.
"Humans are...complicated." She leaned against the wall. "We're illogical. Our emotions don't make sense. I think the relationship between Lieutenant Anderson and Detective Reed was complex. From what I've gathered, they were close when the lieutenant's son was alive, but the grief from losing his child made him push Gavin away. That hurt Gavin, so he lashed out at him."
She sighed, looking up at the android. "See, emotions aren't very clear-cut. One easily morphs into another, so it can sometimes be hard to tell where one stops and the other begins. Anger and hatred are often products of hurt. People often find it easier to be angry than hurt."
"He wasn't that angry with me when he was helping me find you." Connor knit his brows, looking perplexed.
"He may have been able to put aside his personal feelings temporarily to focus on the task at hand because the emotions weren't as pressing," Clara offered. "But just now, seeing you and Lieutenant Anderson in the same room brought everything to the surface. Like his jealousy of your relationship with the lieutenant. He had tried to help him after his son died, but he was rejected, whereas you were able to form a connection where Gavin couldn't. And then his anger with you for not protecting the lieutenant when he fell from the roof. It was all so fresh in that moment."
The android's LED flickered red again briefly. "It wasn't my fault," he whispered. "I gave Hank a chance to change his mind. He rushed off that roof himself. I thought he was dead."
"I know, Connor." She reached up, turning his face to meet her eyes. "You both made your choices, and you both must live with the consequences."
He stared at her for a moment, silent, then nodded. Closing his eyes briefly, he squared his shoulders and regained his composure. "Let's go." He turned away, heading to the elevator.
Clara followed him slowly, stepping carefully with her injured foot. They silently made their way down to the reception, where Eli was waiting for them with Clara's tattered clothing and other personal effects. She was relieved to see the watch among them, intact. She slipped it back into her bag for safekeeping.
They finished the checkout process and headed out. As they approached the door, Eli stopped her. "Forgetting something?" he said, smirking at her.
"No?" Clara looked around, confused.
Eli held out a pair of flats. "Shoes, Clara."
Looking down, she realized she was still only wearing the hospital issue socks. She frowned at his smug expression, taking the shoes and slipping them on. "Thanks," she grumbled.
He chuckled lightly, shaking his head, and they made their way to Eli's car. The three piled in, and Eli took the wheel, driving them home.
To kill the silence, Eli turned on the radio, listening to the news.
"--recent reports of Cyberlife researchers being attacked by rogue deviants. One was abducted last night from a café downtown. She was found alive and injured in a nearby warehouse, but police forces have been unable to track down the androids who abducted her. No parties have made a statement as of yet. The public has been left wondering what this could mean for the future of Cyberlife and our city. Citizens are cautioned to stay off the streets at night or--"
Clara pressed a button, switching it to quiet music. "Well, that was fast." She leaned against the window, groaning. "Why can't anything ever just be private?"
He reached over, patting her knee comfortingly. "That's what happens when you get involved with crazy capitalistic companies."
"Ugh, if it were my choice, I wouldn't be involved at all." She looked out the window, watching the other cars go by. "I wish I could leave it all behind," she whispered.
"Why don't you?" Eli asked, glancing at her briefly. "You know could disappear if you wanted to."
"You know why." Her voice was quiet. "I have work to do."
"You're just like her, you know." Eli's face fell, looking a little sad. "Abigail, I mean. She refused to run too, no matter how I tried to convince her. I don't know what it is with the women in this family and getting into trouble."
Clara scoffed lightly. "Oh you're one to talk," she said, looking over at him. "You're just as mixed up in this whole thing as I am, as she was."
"And whose fault is that?" He looked over at her, smiling.
"Touché," Clara smiled back. "Guess it really is just like old times."
He laughed lightly, and they fell silent again, listening to the music playing softly.
Eventually, they arrived back at Clara's house, pulling up the long driveway and coming to a halt outside the garage. Eli exited, coming around to open the door for her and hold her steady while she climbed out after him. They made their way to the front door, distantly aware of Connor following behind them.
As soon as they entered, Clara made her way up the stairs, heading to her bedroom. She was desperate for a long, hot shower.
Connor watched Dr. Hayes as she quickly disappeared up the stairs, moving toward her bedroom. Eli stood at the bottom. As soon as Dr. Hayes was gone, the man turned to Connor, holding out his hand. "I can take her bag now," he said.
Connor nodded, handing it to him. Eli disappeared down a different hallway toward the office. He emerged a couple minutes later empty-handed.
"I don't think I ever thanked you," he said, looking at Connor. "For finding her, I mean."
The android stayed silent, holding his gaze.
Eli continued. "So, thank you." He turned to leave, then froze. "Maybe you're not so bad after all." He gave him a small smile then disappeared into the living room.
Connor stood for a moment, watching him leave, then headed up the stairs to check on Dr. Hayes. When he got the the end of the hall, he noticed her door was closed, but he could hear faint music coming from behind it, along with the sound of running water.
Analyzing, he realized the song was Fix Me by 10 Years. He could hear her singing along faintly. Satisfied she was safe, he walked back down the stairs.
He walked around the first floor of the house, looking around. He found Eli in the kitchen with several ingredients strewn about the counter. He poured milk into a bowl of flour and other ingredients, whisking it together. He looked up, hearing Connor's footsteps.
"Need something?" he asked, voice polite.
"No." Connor took a seat at one of the stools on the other side of the counter. "Dr. Hayes is showering."
"I see." He continued adding ingredients into the bowl and whisking.
"Can I ask a question?" Connor looked curiously at the man.
"Go ahead," Eli said, not looking up from his task.
"What was Abigail Hayes like?"
This time Eli looked up, pausing his whisking for a moment. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Connor kept his voice neutral. "You and Dr. Hayes talk about her a lot."
Eli sighed, resuming his task. "She was...hmmm." He pursed his lips, thinking for a moment. "Abigail was a good woman. She was always looking out for me and Clara, and she was constantly involved in some charity scheme or another. She and Clara were a lot alike in how selfless they are, but Abigail always did have more self-preservation instinct. She knew when to say no. Clara hasn't seemed to learn that yet."
"She adopted you, right?" Connor watched him rifle through a cabinet. "How did you meet?"
Eli smiled a little, shaking his head. "I snuck into her car to steal away from the children's home I was in. I'll never forget the look on her face when I popped up from the back seat."
Connor looked at him inquisitively. Sensing the unspoken question, Eli continued. "She'd been a sponsor of the home, so she was making a routine visit to see how the facility was faring and to meet with the director. I was tired of being pushed around by the other kids, so I came up with the plan to hide in her car and run away. I think I was about seven at the time." His smile took on a melancholic element. "I guess something about me impressed her. She took an interest in me and fostered me for a few summers, then the summer after I turned 10, she applied to adopt me. That was the same summer I met Clara."
"What happened?" Connor felt his curiosity well up.
"She didn't like me much at first. I think she was afraid I'd come between her and her aunt." He broke into a grin. "My first day here, she stole all my shoes and glued them to the ceiling of my bedroom. I still have no idea how she managed it. It was a beast getting them down though. I think there still might be glue marks from it in my room." He pulled out an electric griddle, setting it on the counter and plugging it in to an outlet on the underside.
"You say you eventually saw eye to eye, right?" The android prodded more. "What changed?"
"It took a while. She'd spend nearly every summer with Abigail while her parents went on extended vacations, so we were stuck together a lot. The first two years, she was a bit of a menace. I was probably just as bad though. We'd get into all kinds of trouble. Abigail was usually content to let us fight it out since we never seriously hurt each other." He poured some batter from the bowl into the griddle in neat, even circles.
"Then one summer, we were at the park, getting up to our usual trouble while Abigail was nearby. We were walking to the bus stop to meet her, and a car pulled over." His expression darkened. "A man jumped out and grabbed Clara. He tried to pull her into the car with him. I grabbed her hand and wouldn't let go. The commotion drew the attention of a nearby officer, and we were able to get away, but we were both terrified."
Connor looked at him in shock. "Did they catch the man?"
"Yeah." Eli flipped the pancakes. "He couldn't get away in time. The officer chased him down and arrested him. Evidently the man had heard about her family's money and was planning on holding her for ransom. It was a poorly planned scheme, and thank goodness for that. Her parents pressed charges, and I think the man got lifetime imprisonment."
He moved the pancakes to a plate and poured another round of batter. "She was nicer after that," he continued, smiling. "And I held it over her head for a while. But we got along better after that, and we got put in the same private school. That's when we started working together for our pranks. We were such troublemakers." He shook his head, laughing softly.
Connor processed this information. "The officer," he said. "What was his name?"
"Officer Hank Anderson, if I remember correctly." Eli flipped the next round of pancakes. "Clara made cookies for him as a thank you the next day."
The android startled. Dr. Hayes had known Lieutenant Anderson as a child? Had they kept in contact afterwards?
"Are you telling stories again, Eli?" They turned, hearing a voice from the doorway. Dr. Hayes stood there, dressed in a striped grey dress and her customary black tights and cardigan, along with a pair of black flats. Her hair hung around her face, still damp from her shower. She pushed an unbroken pair of glasses up her nose, with round black frames instead of her customary gold.
"All good things, little goose." Eli looked up from the griddle, smiling. His face fell when he saw her attire. "You're not planning on going back to the lab today, are you?"
"I need to make sure Kara and the boys are okay." She walked into the kitchen, taking a seat next to Connor. "I've been gone too long already. They'll be worried."
Eli sighed, rubbing his face. "You really don't know when to take a break, do you, Clara? Not even getting beat half to death is enough."
"I'll be fine, Eli." She offered him a brave smile. "No rest for the wicked, right?"
"Fine. At least eat something before you go." He put two pancakes on a plate, handing them to her.
"That, I can do." She took the plate, smiling gratefully. "You're the best, Eli."
"So you keep saying." He shuffled around, getting out butter and syrup, setting them next to Clara, then poured steaming water into a mug, throwing in a teabag. He set the mug next to her as well.
Clara ate quickly and pushed the plate away. Then moved to the cabinet, grabbing out a thermos and transferring the tea to it. She poured in copious amounts of cream and honey, then screwed the lid on.
"Let's go, Connor." She gestured with her head for him to follow. "I'll be back this evening, Eli."
"Straight home this time," her cousin said, giving her a stern look. "No detours. I'd rather not hear that you've been kidnapped again."
"Deal." She gave him a smile then walked out.
Connor followed her down the hall to the office, and she grabbed her bag, sliding the thermos into a side pocket. He took the bag from her, slinging it over his own shoulder.
"Thanks!" She gave him a bright smile. "Let's go."
They made their way to the front door, walking out into the cold air.