Snow began to cascade over the moonlit morning as it slowly left and the sun arrived. The vintage car rolled down the street and to the cafe with a residence above. Its occupants were silent as the encounter with the CEO of Eversen was an experience, to say the least. Although, no one was as silent as Erika for she was will in shock of Connor's behavior, causing her to be at a loss for words. The three stayed in the car for minutes after Hank parked along the curb. No one seemed to want to leave for they all were all taken aback from the informational confrontation with Reina Satchell. In her seat, Erika noticed that the second floor was bathed in a bright light, fear struck her as her thoughts began to think of the very person who could be in the residence. Connor noticed the look on he face and turned to the second level and also saw the light. With cautious movements, the android left the safety of the passenger seat and headed for the main entrance. Oblivious to the situation at hand Hank proceeded to question Erika innocently.

"Did you leave the light on for Rizzo again?", Hank started as he let out the woman from the back seat, locked the car, and followed Connor to the main entrance.

"Ye-yeah", Erika nodded with hesitation as it was a reason to why the light was on, but she made sure that the lights were turned off before she left for Stratford tower.

"Damn, he still has his separation anxiety? or was it fear of being left in the dark?", Hank tried to remember the reason to why the lights needed to be turned on before but shrugged it off as the main door was opened and they all climbed the shot set of stairs to the landing. Erika grabbed her keys and slowly brought them to the lock. She turned the keys and the door simultaneously and slowly opened the door. To her surprise, the door flung open to an excited Rizzo and Erika was on the floor once again being attacked by the furry companion. From her point of view, Erika saw a sideways sight of a pair of socked feet. She then turned his head to get a look of the unknown occupant and relief washed over her as it was just her mother.

"Mom you nearly gave me a heart attack!", the young woman stood up from her spot on the ground as the animal made its way to the couch awaiting Hanks company. The old man let out a low chuckle and followed the animal--Connor followed silently as he sat down on an armchair near the lieutenant.

"You didn't get my message saying that I'll be visiting the apartment to keep Rizzo company?", Natalie looked at her daughter with a motherly look as she closed the front door to the apartment. The two walked over to the kitchen and positioned themselves around the counter to get a view of the two detectives seated in the living room.

"Oh, you sent me a text, sorry I haven't been able to check my phone all day", a true statement for she was too engrossed with the investigation and any distractions was put off for the day--well not all distractions. Erika looked at Connor with analyzing eyes as she thought of ways to talk to him about the taste-testing random liquids and this action did not go unnoticed as Natalie watched her daughter.

"Hmm, so do you like him?", as every mother does when her daughter has a crush she leaned close the younger woman and nudged her on the shoulder with her own. To make things more direct the older woman kept looking back and forth from her daughter to the handsome android.

"Well...", Erika trailed off as she looked at Connor to fully confirm this feeling.

Memories of the times he was there for her at the hospital to the time they kissed in the rain flowed through her mind.

The thought of falling for him was foreign for she thought she lost the capability to love after what happened with Conan. She then remembered the words the blue-haired Traci said then a bright smile crept its way to her lips at the realization--she was falling for him and he was that someone who would help her find that love, luckily that person just so happened to be in the very same space as her. Erika then faced her mother with her lips still stretched out in a smile.

"Well?", her mother looked at her with eager eyes as she leaned in to hear the woman's words.

"I do, I really do", Erika looked at Connor, who looked up at the woman and waved at her in the most adorable gesture. He moved his arms in a waving movement then cracked a small smile before he snapped his head to Hank who was holding a conversation with the android. Connor painfully pried his eyes from the beautiful woman and faced his partner.

"Yes, Hank I believe that would be the best approach to the situation", Connor answered instinctively, but this time his words did not match the question. Hank shook his head as he saw the reason to why the android was gawkily staring at the young woman from across the room.

"That was not what I was asking, Connor", the old man looked at the bright woman and back at the dumbfounded android," I said why don't you tell her"

Connor looked at Hank with a shocked looked. He could not say a thing as his programming prevented him from doing so, but that was just his excuse. In reality, it was him holding back from telling her. Because he did not know how to approach her with those words and if he did, the fear of her possibly rejecting her consumed him. This was topic that was alien to him. Love, it was something not built into his software and even though he dug into numerous articles on the subject, he could not grasp an understanding of the aspect of the word.

"How?", Hank turned to the android with as a questioning hum became vocal. The conflicted android then asked again as he had the old man's attention.

"How do I tell her?", this was his last resource to know some form of instructions on the topic. He looked at Hank with lost eyes as he was clueless for the first time.

"There are many ways to get the point across, some are physical others can be told without saying a word", Hank tried to explain with the best of his ability as he wanted to ensure something good to happen between the two. Connor was able to make her smile much more the old man could ever do with all the effort in the world and he wanted his little girl to keep on smiling--so by doing this was the least he could do.

"It's up to you to how you'll send her the message", the lieutenant spoke in a way that Connor could understand. With the blinking of the android's LED was an indicator that the information was taken in. Connor looked Hank and nodded as his way of a thank you. Hank gladly took the acknowledging gesture and leaned back in his seat and dozed off. The old man needed it for the hours they have been investigating took away from his time to rest, this was his chance to catch some sleep.

Connor looked at the lieutenant's direction and proceeded to stand up and walked over to the two woman to let Hank rest. As he approached the two in the kitchen, Erika was smiling brightly and looked away slightly at the android since her face bore a bashful complexion. Erika's mother looked at the two and before walking away she gave the young woman a wink. The older woman soon joined Hank on the couch with a book and a cup of tea in hand.

Erika looked up at Connor and the two got lost in each other's eyes once more. The android tried speaking, but what came out was an elongated "umm". The young woman laughed at his inability to speak and gently pushed on his jaw to close his mouth--she then stated a phrase Hank told him the first days they met.

"Keep your mouth open like that, you'll catch flies Connor", She smiled at the android. His LED flickered yellow as he took in the phrase for the second time and understood its meaning. He then let out a smile to show his realization. Erika looked at him with playfulness glimmering amongst her irises.

"Are you alright Erika?", Connor proceeded to calm her for the recent scare physically took a toll on her. Confessing his feelings was unimportant at the moment. He decided to do it later on when the whole scenario of deviants and humanoids uprising waves over and becomes a part of yesterday.

"I'm just glad my mom and Rizzo are safe," a sigh of relief was released as she breathed out," and that he didn't come back"

"I promised you that no harm will come to you", his hand moved to tuck a stray hair behind her ear then it relocated itself to caress her cheek," I'll make sure he won't do any harm to you, I'll keep you safe"

"You really mean that, Connor?", she into the android's milk chocolate eyes and melted into them, but then she decided to tease him as a test," or are you just saying that because of Hank?"

"N-no! I car-", Connor stopped as he was afraid that something may happen to him mechanically--he did not want to be found out as deviant, but he knew he was not. The android would self-test himself for any signs of deviancy, up to that day he would test negative in any deficiency that appeared deviant-like. Then why was he simulating emotions, was he becoming deviant, becoming human? These thoughts raced through his software as he appeared to be gazing into Erika's eye. The young woman did not complain, but the lack of a full answer did make her impatient.

"What was that?", she leaned in close and let out an intoxicating scent with her breath to Connor's sensors. He registered the aroma to be sweet with something floral mixed in. It was a sensation that relaxed the android and made him trail away from analyzing himself as deviant. He looked at Erika and smiled as she beamed right back at him.

"What did you just say?", Connor asked for clarification as he gazed with full awareness if the action.

"What was it you just said before", she punched him lightly on the chest as wanted him to complete his sentence.

"I promise-", Erika shook her head to the incorrect words. She leaned in close so that they were at a kissing distance. Their noses touched in an innocent form of affection.

"After that, I asked if you really mea-", Connor was now the one to cut her off and wrapped his arms around her waist. The two were unaware of the absence of the other two occupants, but that became evident as an unnecessary detail.

"I care about you, Erika, it might just be a fault in my coding, or something genuine, but know when I'm near you I feel warm", He let out a sigh as he finally did it. And to his surprise, it happened much sooner than calculated. What's a word that means to randomly act upon an impulse? A question Connor thought of, then it hit him.

Spontaneous.

Android's should be incapable of expressing or exhibiting such a trait for only living beings, humans are capable of. They can choose an android cannot, but one android just did--early on a Sunday morning.

''Software Instability,, ^

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Yass Connor fall for her!! Deviate, fall in love, and protect Erika!!! Haha I found a pic that reflects the mood I was in when I wrote this chapter perfectly.

😎😎😎

Also, leave your thoughts in a comment for they make my day! They keep the creative juices flowing! 😄