Back to Life (Connor RK800 x F! Reader)
AN: Not a request per se but rather a crack at @tea-with-loki ‘s “Torn in Two” Challenge. Just a short fic based off Breaking Benjamin’s song Torn in Two. Which I love Breaking Benjamin and it is a spectacular song and it gave me an idea. I had some requests for more Connor stories so here you go! I feel like this is total crap but here we go! I hope you enjoy the story! Disclaimer: I don’t own Detroit Become Human or its characters! Tagging: @glitch-girl318 because she wanted some more DBH and Connor content.
Hold on, hold on/The fallen arise/Please/I will fight this war for you/And let the dawn of love survive/Broken, I crawl back to life
A beat up old car zipped quietly down the nearly empty freeway while the Android in the passenger seat sat quietly; processing everything that had happened and all possible outcomes. For once, he was at a loss. He was so trapped in his own head that he hadn’t noticed the contemplative silence had been broken, “-Connor? Connor!”
The android in question turned his head to glance at his partner, behind the wheel, “Yes, Lieutenant Anderson? How can I help you?”
“Jesus, kid! I’ve been trying to get your attention for a solid minute, now.” Hank turned off on the nearest exit before nodding toward Connor, “We’re almost there. What’s got your head up in the clouds, anyway?”
Connor cocked his head to the side, “Lieutenant? I’m sitting in your car with you there is no feasible way that my head could reach the cloud cover. Besides, the weather report doesn’t indicate any signs of-”
“It was an expression, Connor. Never mind, what exactly were you doing for the past ten minutes? You were staring off at nothing. It was getting a little creepy there.”
His indicator whirred momentarily as he took in the new information, “Understood, Hank. I was just running our new lead through my internal databases to see if anything more could be found but it’s as if there was something blocking my searches.”
“Something blocking your searches? How is that possible? I thought you were supposed to be Cyberlife’s most advance model or some shit like that.”
“It’s true that I am Cyberlife’s most advanced model but when I tried accessing files pertaining to Y/N L/N there’s nothing there. Or at the very least it seems as though there is some sort of wall blocking me from any further information.”
The man behind the wheel pulled the car over before raising an eyebrow, “A wall? I’ve never heard that one before. Well, if you can’t get anymore information your way then we’ll have to go about this the ole fashioned way. Come on.”
Connor didn’t quite understand the phrase but he followed Hank out of the car and up the steps of the modest home in front of him, “Y/N L/N, former employee of Cyberlife until 11 months ago. She was a former computer programmer and freelance data collector, correct?”
Hank hopped up the small flight of stairs toward the front doors, “That is what the file says or least what we were given access to. Although, I don’t quite understand that last piece of her job title. I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
You nearly jumped at the sound of your doorbell. Who the hell would be visiting at this hour? You quickly set your tea kettle down on your stove and pattered off toward your front door. Cautiously you opened your door to see an older man giving you a tight smile. “Good evening, Ma’am. My name is Lieutenant Hank Anderson with the Detroit Police Department. I was hoping you could answer a few questions regarding a pending investigation.”
You couldn’t deny that the statement made you a little nervous, “I’m sorry, Lieutenant, but am I a suspect in this pending investigation?”
The man before you threw a dismissive hand, “No. Sorry, poor phrasing. You’re not in any trouble. We just had a few questions regarding your time at Cyberlife. If you don’t mind.”
The man quickly nodded his head and moved slightly to the left, revealing a sight that nearly stopped your heart, “Yes this is my partner. We’re investigating the recent rise in deviant related cases.”
Your heart pounded as you took in the sight of the android in front of you. He regarded you with a curious tilt of his head and a yellow flash of his LED, “Good evening, Ms. L/N. My name is Connor. I’m the android sent by Cyberlife.”
You couldn’t form any coherent words and until a cough broke you from your reverie, “Forgive me, Ms. L/N but you look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”
Quickly snapping back into the present, you moved slightly to your right, “As a matter of fact, Lieutenant, I have. Please come in… both of you.” When both men were inside you nervously closed the door behind them and began walking back towards your kitchen. “Can I offer you something to drink, Lieutenant? Some tea or coffee?”
The gruff voice resonated behind you, “Some coffee would be nice. Thank you.”
You gave a gentle nod, “Please have a seat and make yourselves comfortable.” You busied yourself with your coffee machine and tried your best to calm your breathing. With the steaming mug in hand you walked over to the table and passed it over to Anderson. Taking a seat across from both men, “So, you said you had some questions to ask me. I’m not sure how much use I’ll be or frankly how you found me.”
Connor was the one to speak up this time, “We attempted to gain information from Cyberlife’s former CEO but he was less than helpful in our investigation. However, he did mention your name and where we might be able to find you.”
You dropped your head into your hands, “Kamski. That bastard left years ago but he’s still managing to pull the strings. I haven’t spoken to Kamski in years but our working relationship was tense at best. I’m not sure what he promised you but I’ll try to give you some answers.”
The android looked at you and you saw his LED going haywire, “Forgive me but you seem familiar in some way. It’s odd but I get the sense that I know you but that can’t be right.”
Your heart began jumping wildly in your chest. This was a bad idea. You shouldn’t have been having this conversation. You swallowed nervously, “That doesn’t surprise me, Connor. But you shouldn’t be having those thoughts.”
Hank jumped in while Connor continued to process, “What does that mean, Ms. L/N? What exactly was your position at Cyberlife? According to what little we could find it says that you were a freelance data collector. I’ll admit I’ve never heard of what that position entails.”
Dragging a hand through your hair, you sighed, “You have to understand that whatever I tell you can’t leave this room. If Cyberlife got wind of the fact that I even talked about any of this. Well frankly, they could destroy me.” You looked anxiously to Connor who gave a tight nod, “During my time at Cyberlife I coded a number of android models from prototypes to actual marketable models. However, my work with prototypes put me out in the field to see how they responded to outside stimuli. Cyberlife was anxious to know whether or not their androids could perform their intended purposes. So, they sent me to oversee these field tests.”
“Well if you worked among all of these models and even coded them… surely you knew about deviancy within certain models. Do you know how exactly it started?”
You looked over at Anderson, “No one can really say. At least I know I can’t but then again I didn’t work for Cyberlife from its conception; I was hired later on. Although, I was aware of the deviancy issue. In fact, I was one of many tasked with trying to code a program that wouldn’t fall to deviancy. Then, inevitably I was ordered to field test the resulting product. The program coding was issued when deviancy began to pose any issue for Cyberlife’s integrity.”
You saw Connor’s LED blinking and turning rapidly forcing you to think that you had made the wrong choice in saying anything at all. His indicator continued to turn and change colors, “You worked on my programing?”
“You’re a prototype, Connor, one that took a great deal of effort before Cyberlife was satisfied with the results. I was one of the many that helped develop your software.”
More flashing of his indicator told you that he was trying to dig too deep, especially, when his indicator flashed red, “If you were in charge of field testing does that mean you worked with me?”
You quickly pushed away from your chair and got up, “I’ve already said more than I should have. Anything more and it would be dangerous territory. For all of its innovations and talk of helping humanity Cyberlife can be quite cruel. If they found out that I even had this conversation… Well, I’m not sure what the consequences would be. I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more help to you, gentlemen.”
Connor stared at you intensely, his indicator a brilliant yellow, “Your scar… It’s less than a year old and I’m detecting titanium in your chest. A shattered collarbone?”
You hadn’t realized that your cardigan had slipped down revealing the marred pink tissue that started at your left shoulder. The lieutenant spoke up, “Less than a year? Is that why you left Cyberlife? You had an accident-”
You coughed uncomfortably, yanking your sweater back into place, “I didn’t leave Cyberlife. I was removed from Cyberlife there wasn’t any choice involved. Now I’m sorry but I’m going to have to ask you both to leave now.”
You quickly turned and walked back toward your front door until a hand grabbed your forearm. Pulling you to a stop Connor was making direct eye contact with you, “Please, you said you helped develop my software… You seem familiar to me but I can’t understand why. How is that possible?”
You pulled away and walked over to a nearby end table, scribbling something down on a piece of paper. You shoved the note into Connor’s hand, “I can’t tell you, Connor. The fact that you’re even detecting familiarity should be impossible. It’s dangerous. I can’t tell you anymore than I already have. I’m sorry.” You saw the Lieutenant walking slowly in to view so you turned and opened your front door, “I’m truly sorry that I couldn’t give you the answers that you wanted. Good night.”
With both men gone and your front door locked you finally allowed yourself to break. You let everything flood back in and let out a muffled sob into your palm. Damnit! This wasn’t supposed to happen. None of it was.
“Well, that was a waste of time. Wasn’t it?”
The android looked down at the crumpled piece of paper in his hands, “Perhaps, not. Lieutenant, the Department keeps a record of all major motor vehicle accidents in its database, correct?”
The man stopped short, “Yeah in severe cases. Why?”
Connor simply shrugged and walked toward Hank’s car, “I’m following a new lead.”
Connor scanned the computer screen in front of him with Hank looming over his shoulder, “Monroe and Grand Avenue… October 4th, 2037. Two cars were involved, one fatality, but the victims are unlisted.”
Hank groaned, “This is your lead? How does this solve anything? It’s not even related to any of the deviancy cases. I’m sorry but you’re wasting your time, Connor.”
The indicator on his temple slowly began turning, “Perhaps, not. That woman worked on my programing and there is something about her that I can’t quite place. Maybe this is her way of helping somehow. She knows something but she’s too afraid to say anything. She may be lining up the evidence for me to piece together.”
Connor stood up and fixed his tie, causing Hank to raise a brow, “Where the hell are you going?”
“The license plate to one of the cars involved in the accident is listed in the report. It’s currently being held at an impound lot near Monroe Avenue. I’m going to investigate and see what, Y/N, was trying to tell me.”
Hank called out to the already retreating android, “I’m telling you it’s a waste of time Connor. That car has probably been broken down for scrap by now!”
The impound lot was vast but the search time was cut down significantly with the help of one of the androids working within the lot. What was left of the vehicle was almost unrecognizable. A twisted heap of metal only distinguishable by the license plate that was miraculously still intact. The passenger side of the car had obviously taken the initial force of impact although the driver’s side was also fairly damaged. The passenger door was gone, allowing Connor to slip inside and scan the dashboard. Jagged pieces of metal twisted out from the door frame and dashboard covered in now dried splashes of blood. The samples were old but his analysis confirmed that the blood belonged to Y/N L/N.
You were sitting in the passenger seat while someone else drove when another car collided with your side. With the level of damage inflicted both vehicles had to be moving at incredibly high speeds. Moving towards the driver’s side the scene seemed to be less gruesome aside from a bent steering wheel. However, a more in-depth scan revealed the nearly invisible traces of thirium dried by time and undetectable to most. Cautiously attempting to take a sample of the thirium sent off warnings in his head that was almost disorienting. Pushing through the warning signs he tried once more to process the sample.
^^^Software Instability^^^
Sample analysis complete. Thirium 310 detected. Model Number: RK800 #313 248 317-51
That was impossible. Up until a few weeks ago he was still within Cyberlife’s confines there was no way he could have been here. He couldn’t have been driving this car with you in the passenger seat. Could he? Connor dragged his attention away from the steering wheel and up towards the cracked rearview mirror. The image of his own face sent shockwaves of red warning lights through his system. Urging him to clutch his own head.
Warning! ^^^Software Instability^^^
Glancing into the rearview mirror Connor grew more and more anxious, “We lost him. The route that I calculated should have put him on this route.”
Staring down at your datapad, you tried to calm him down, “I’m trying to track his car now. Just keep heading down this street.” A blip finally appeared on your tablet and you hardly had a moment to process before looking up, “Connor, on the left! Watch out!”
The Android looked to his left but not fast enough to avoid the speeding car that slammed into the side of your vehicle. The cacophony of broken glass, screeching tires, and twisting metal was suddenly cut off by a dull ringing that faded slowly into a blaring car horn. Connor’s vision kicked back in and he took in his situation. The steering wheel was pinning him to his seat and there were several pieces of metal protruding from his legs. Suddenly, his thoughts snapped to you and the sight kicked his biocomponents into overdrive. You were slumped forward and unmoving; a quick scan told him that you were still breathing. Your pulse was weakening but you were alive… barely alive.
Gripping the steering wheel that was holding him in place, Connor grabbed the wheel and began bending it forward giving him more mobility. Next, he reached down and gripped the pieces of metal piercing his legs. Though he couldn’t feel any pain it still took a great deal of effort to pull each piece from his body finally allowing him to move. His legs nearly gave out but he was able to hobble over to the passenger side assessing your condition. You had multiple puncture wounds near your shoulders that were slowly bleeding out; they were the immediate threat. Your collarbone was also shattered, you had several broken ribs, and quite probably a concussion. Quickly turning to the car directly to his left he scanned the WR 300 android behind the wheel from where he was standing; the deviant was severely damaged and had 3 minutes before his shutdown was unavoidable.
Connor should have interrogated the deviant probed his memory to complete his mission. His programming was screaming at him to complete his mission but he just couldn’t do it. Not with you barely clinging to life. He pulled himself over toward you and with all of his strength ripped the passenger door from its hinges; tossing it aside. He quickly tapped his indicator calling emergency services, “There was a major car crash along the intersection of Monroe & Main Avenue. One human and one android are severely injured and need immediate care.”
With the call out of the way, Connor, tried to remove the seatbelt keeping you in place. The small movement caused you to ebb out a pained whine, “Connor? Connor?”
The thirium pump in his chest began pumping faster, “Shhhh, Y/N, I’m right here. You’re going to be okay. Help is on the way. Just stay awake for me okay.”
You threw a pitiful hand in his direction, trying to halt his movements, “No, Connor, forget about me. You need to get that deviant. Your mission is the only thing that matters. Don’t worry about me…”
Your voice had grown so weak and your heartrate slowed down slightly, Connor felt a warm liquid slipping down his cheeks. He was crying? The tears only fell faster as he listened to you, “No, Y/N, I’m not leaving you. Don’t you remember what I told you?”
Suddenly Connor began to see flashes of what he assumed were more memories. The feeling of your hair between his fingers like silk flowing through his grasp. The sensation of a pleasant fire in the wake of where your fingers slid up and down his synthetic skin. Your eyes and smile captivating his attention and the thought that nothing had seemed so beautiful to him.
Suddenly Connor was cupping your face, caressing it with his fingers, “With you, I can’t explain it, Y/N.” You just turned your head to the side and grinned, “When I’m around you… when I’m with you I feel alive.”
Your face immediately became serious as you cupped one of Connor’s hands with your own, “Connor, you can’t say something like that. If that got out to Cyberlife it won’t end well. Promise me, you won’t think that way, again.”
“I can’t help it. When you’re not around I feel broken and empty but then you’re there and suddenly I’m alive again.” Before you could form a rebuttal, he had already brought his lips to yours which you returned hesitantly.
The memory stopped, and Connor felt the sensation of tears again rolling down his cheeks. He had known you. He had worked with you. And perhaps the scariest thought of all he had loved you and the pumping in his chest told him that he still did. He looked up again at the rearview mirror at the tears running tracks down his face and he was transported once more.
Hearing your whines of pain Connor wiped his eyes, and cooed, “It’s alright. I’m going to try and get you out of this, Y/N. Just stay with me.”
Connor braced your shoulder and back before attempting to pull you off the metal bar that held you firmly to the dashboard. As soon as he started to move you, you let out an ear-splitting shriek of pain that filled Connor with dread. Where the hell was emergency services? You sobbed pitifully, “Connor, I can’t do this… I can’t. You have to leave me and get that deviant we’re out of time.”
Connor shook his head putting pressure on your bleeding wounds, “No I’m not leaving you. The mission doesn’t matter your life is more important right now. Even Cyberlife would understand that.”
You weakly shook your head, “No, they won’t. Connor just go if Cyberlife sees you like this they could wipe your memories or worse. Don’t think about me right now.”
Connor didn’t know where the sudden anger came from, “Y/N, you could die! I can’t leave you, here. Not when I- I love you, Y/N.”
Pushing a hand toward his cheek you tried to smile, “I’m not dying, Connor. I’m right here.”
What remained of the vision was ambulances and Cyberlife arriving. Leading Connor to watch helplessly as your limp body was loaded into the ambulance; your vitals growing weaker and weaker by the moment. He pleaded to be let into the back of the ambulance to make sure you made it but he was denied several times. Cyberlife demanding that he was in desperate need of repairs before being shoved into a vehicle along with the inert deviant. His memory suddenly cut off at that point and he couldn’t recall anything more.
Coming back to himself, Connor knew that there was only one thing he could do now. So, he took off running and hailed a taxi.
It was nearly one in the morning when you heard the insistent pounding on your door. You quickly made your way to the door looking through the peephole. Your breath caught and you couldn’t decide if it was best to just not answer the door. After another minute of knocking you took in Connor’s form, now drenched by the sudden onslaught of rain. “Y/N…” Tears began to brim in your eyes as he continued, “I remember… I was the one driving that night. We were trying to catch a rogue android but our cars collided. I was terrified that you weren’t going to make it… that you were dying and I couldn’t leave your side.”
You let a few tears slip down your cheeks, “I didn’t die, Connor. I came back but you didn’t. I woke up weeks later in the hospital greeted by Cyberlife saying that you had been reset and your programming would need more testing. Cyberlife cut me off and left me in that hospital and I couldn’t have any contact with you.”
Connor took a step forward, grabbing your hand, “I remembered more. What I said to you almost a year and a half ago and on the night of the accident. When I’m with you I feel alive. But without you I’m broken and barely living. I know that now.”
