(Long ass chapter ahead, get ready guys)

Reader's Perspective

The sound of large aircrafts sped through the air, causing (Y/N)'s ears to ring as she towed behind Connor, who was pulling her along in a rushed matter. Her brain was clouded with the thought that she might not get out of the situation alive. She had a gut feeling - that prick Perkins had something to do with it.

What would've happened if she'd never found Andrew? She wouldn't have met Markus, North, anyone at Jericho, hell, she wouldn't even know about Jericho. Maybe she wouldn't have wanted to be part of the revolution, to stop what was happening right now as Connor looked back at her every few seconds with hesitation & worry in his brown hues, as if he was scared he'd lost her.

They came to an intersection, meeting with North.

"They're coming from all sides!" She said, breathlessly "Our people are trapped in the hold, they're gonna be slaughtered!"

(Y/N) watched Markus place two fingers on the side of his temple, closing his eyes.

"Where's Josh?" (Y/N) asked hastily.

"I don't know, we got separated."

"We have to blow up Jericho." Markus approached North. "If the ship goes down, they'll evacuate & our people can escape!"

"You'll never make it!" North's voice cracked. "The explosives are all the way down in the hold, there are soldiers everywhere!"

"She's right." Connor added. "They know who you are. They'll do anything to get you."

"Go & help the others. I'll join you later."

"Markus.." North pleaded.

"I won't be long." Markus ran off in the other direction, leaving the three of them.

"Come on!" Connor grasped (Y/N)'s hand protectively, heading towards the other door, North following.

They ran as fast as their feet could carry them, the same thought of 'keep going or they'll kill you' was the only thing keeping (Y/N) from collapsing onto her knees. Hundreds, thousands of androids ran past them, desperate to get away. Gun-shots ran through every corner of the boat, (Y/N) fighting off the urge to shut her eyes whenever someone was gunned down nearby. She was hoping and praying that Markus was near the hold, that he was ready to let the ship sink. Agents were storming every inch of the ship, Connor dragging her behind a corner to avoid some of them as they patrolled around. She'd never been this scared of her own blood as they open fired at another group of helpless deviants. She'd never felt more disgusted to call these people her kind.

She'd never been more ashamed to be human.

Connor placed a hand on her cheek, turning her head so she faced him.

"We have to keep going." He urged, seeing the terror in her (E/C) eyes. She nodded, swallowing her dread as they kept on running.

"Josh, you're alright!" She yelled as Josh emerged from around the corner.

"Not dead yet." He shrugged, keeping up as they sprinted down another hallway, dead-bolting for the next door.

They stopped as Markus met up with them.

"Markus." North's voice rang.

"Bomb's gonna explode any second. We gotta get out of here!" They all nodded, running in single file down the next section of mix-matched halls and ramps, vaulting over crates and fallen objects, along with a giant hole in the floor. North was gunned down, collapsing as they all stopped. Without hesitation (Y/N) grabbed the scrap metal on the ground with her newly found confidence and ran to where North had fallen, using the scrap to block off the bullets as she threw it at the soldiers.

The two of them threw military after military to the floor, rage coursing through her veins as she shot at the last two men.

"Come on, North!" She yelled, helping the android as she limped behind the woman, ducking as Connor shot at the group of soldiers blocking their path. He approached them without fear, but (Y/N) was more focused on North & her shoulder.

"You okay?" She asked, breathing heavily.

"You saved my life..."

"Kinda part of my job.."

"Look, about what I said.. with what happened with Andrew-"

More gunshots rang overhead.

"Apology accepted!" She yelled hastily, looking up to see that Connor had taken all of the soldiers out and was now approaching them.

"Run! Quick, come on!" Markus bellowed, Connor staying to look at (Y/N).

"We need to jump."

"What? That water's at least-"

"Freezing temperature, yes, I'm aware!" He locked eyes with her.

"You've got to trust me.."

She rolled her eyes.

"Haven't I always? Otherwise I wouldn't be here." She gave him a hesitant smile. He took her hand.

"Deep breath."

She complied, & they went soaring out the hole in Jericho's walls, into the water below. (Y/N)'s hand never left Connor's as he pulled her close, ensuring she didn't sink into the icy waters below. Explosions filled the air, as she looked up she saw the man she'd suspected.

Special Agent Perkins was staring down at the water, & she could just make out what he was saying as her head bobbed up for oxygen quietly, in the discrete of darkness.

'This ain't over, Markus.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stained glass windows let light flood in as Jericho's people collected inside the near dismantled church. They were all sitting, waiting for the next order from their leader whom had recently visited his father figure. Judging by what Markus had told (Y/N), Carl was an amazing person, no wonder he wanted to visit him as he was bedridden. (Y/N)'s eyes scanned the room from where she sat on the steps, the dim glow of LEDs and arm bands were lighting up the room with a warm blue light. Whispers & mutters were heard, she identified some being about her.

'It's a human.'

'They've done so much to us, why have mercy on this one?'

'Is she dangerous?'

'Is she trustworthy?'

'Why does she stand behind us?'

'Does she plan to slaughter us?

'She doesn't change anything.'

'She's one of them'

'She-'

She cupped her ears, settling her head on her knees, Connor leaning against a pillar beside them.

"Don't listen to them."

She looked up, seeing Connor staring down at her.

"Let them believe what they want about you. We're all just pawns in this game, let them spread their epidemics. If they saw what you'd been through..."

"It wouldn't change their view on me." She shook her head. "I'm human, they'll forever see me as a thorn in their side."

"What if we change that though?"

"There's no way to."

A silence sat between them.
"Do you...regret it?"
"Regret what?"
"Shooting that Chloe."
Connor's eyes trailed off.
"I do now. I close my eyes & I see her dead ones staring back. When I did...kill her, I was only thinking about the mission. But, now I regret it. A lot. I regret being handed that gun, even considering to shoot her."
(Y/N) looked at him sadly.
"That's sympathy, Connor. That's an emotion. You felt that because you were changing, you were feeling."
He looked down at her.
"Was it true.. What you said to Markus?"

"What? The fact that my kind is a pile of shit or-"

"That you.."

He faded out, & (Y/N) got the hint.

"Yeah. Yeah I guess I did."

He gave her a dorky half-smile.

"Which is stupid, I know! I mean, I've only known you for, what, a few weeks? It's absolutely psychotic, & yet..." She stared at him.

"It makes so much sense. But who am I to say what love is, right? I mean, you probably don't even know what love is let alone what it feels like. As for me I've never been in love with anyone in a romantic way so overall- yeah I'm just gonna stop talking there."

"What would you say love..feels like?"

"What, in my experience? I've only ever loved my mum & shiny stuff, like those random pieces of quartz you find in rocks along the road. Shit, I've turned into a magpie." She chuckled at herself.

"But..I guess.." She trailed off.

"It feels warm. Not like, uncomfortable weather warm...But the warmth you get in winter. Except this warmth only ever comes around when this person does. They make your heart race. Someone could say their name & your breath could hitch, your pulse could quicken, your cheeks could go red or you just feel happy. You might want to surround yourself with them more. Hear their voice, their laugh, see them smile. You feel like shit whenever they feel like shit. If they cry, you want to, if they're pissed you want to know why so you can get rid of that problem ASAP. You want to be part of their life more and more. You want more and more to hug them, comfort them, make them laugh, make them smile, you just want something, anything from them...Or at least, that's how mum explained it."

She scrunched up her nose.

"Which is confusing 'cause...
Dad was hardly ever around. He barely showed her any love, a quick kiss of the cheek but then he was just...cold. How did mum know so much about this stuff if dad hardly ever made her laugh or comforted her or wanted to know why she was mad or upset? And yeah, she was dating someone else before dad, but she never told me who it was." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"But yeah.. I guess that's what it means." She shrugged. Connor let his gaze drift to the floor, (Y/N) dropping the conversation as Markus made his way over.

"It's my fault the humans managed to locate Jericho."

(Y/N) looked at Connor with guilt. With Perkins' power, he could've easily tracked her voice message to Hank at the drop of a hat.

"I was stupid.." He shook his head. "I should've guessed they were using me."

He took a few steps towards Markus.

"I'm sorry, Markus...I can understand if you decide not to trust me."

"You're one of us now. Your place is with your people." He turned to leave but was cut short.

"There are thousands of androids at the Cyberlife assembly plant. If we could wake them up, they might join us and shift the balance of power..."

(Y/N)'s eyebrows were knitted with worry.

"You wanna infiltrate the Cyberlife Tower?"

"Connor, you can't, it's suicide." She butted.

"She's right."

"They trust me," Connor pushed. "they'll let me in. If anyone has a chance of infiltrating Cyberlife it's me-"

"They will kill you on sight Connor, we can't risk that." (Y/N) stood up.

"There's a high probability...but statistically speaking, there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place."

Markus patted him on the shoulder.

"Be careful.." He gave a final nod, letting Markus speak to the rest of his people. Connor turned to face (Y/N), her eyes not meeting his.

"(Y/N)-"

"I'm not mad..."

"...I know."

"Just.." Her eyes welled up.

"Just don't get hurt, please?"

"God...Don't start crying." He pulled her into his arms, cradling her head. "Not for someone like me."

"Why not? I-If you died-" She choked back a sob.

"I won't." He shushed her, her arms wrapping around him, her face buried in his chest.

"(Y/N) look at me." She did, staring up into his brown hues as he drowned in those (E/C) pools she called eyes.

"I'm not going to abandon you, not like your parents, not like anyone. I promise you that I'll come back in one piece, so long as you promise me you'll go back to your house & stay safe."

"I can't just sit around-"

"I'm not asking you to." He brushed some of her (H/C) hair out of her face, his hand lingering at her cheek.

"Please. I just need to know that you'll be safe."

"Alright...For you."

"Thank you."

He held her close, hoping Father Time would be willing to let this moment last forever.

"Humans have decided to exterminate us." Time was unforgiving as they pulled away, seeing Markus address the crowd of androids. "Our people are packed in camps right now, being destroyed. Time has come to make a choice, one that very well may determine the future of our people."

"What's he talking about?" (Y/N) asked Connor.

"I have no idea..."

"I know...I know you're all angry, & I know you wanna fight back. But I assure you violence is not the answer here. We are gonna tell them peacefully that we want justice. If there's any humanity in them, they will listen. And if not, others will take our place & continue the fight." Markus let a silence drift upon the air in the church.

"Are you ready to follow me?"

Cheers erupted from the people, yells & cries of loyalty echoed throughout the community. Deviants pledging their undying devotion to their leader as they chanted his name in a holy chorus.

"You should get going, I'll need to retrieve my uniform, so I'll do the same." Connor turned to walk out.

"Connor, wait!"

He shifted to look at (Y/N) & she walked up to him, looking him dead in the eye. She slowly got onto her tip toes & pressed a kiss to his forehead, steadying herself by placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Be safe, now go do your superhero shit." She smiled at him, adjusting his beanie as he smiled back at her.
"I'll be rooting for you back home."

She stayed still, watching him walk away. But something else caught her eye, an android with short white hair, & a younger girl. She recognized them.

They were the two at the highway, the ones they'd chased.

She walked over to them, the little girl looking up at her first.

"Kara..."

The android's attention snapped up at the sound of the child.

"So, that's your name..." (Y/N) mumbled, The android kept looking at her, as if trying to remember who she was.

"Look, for the chase down the highway...I'm so sorry. I had no clue you were just searching for a place to call home. It's obvious you two needed each other, I'm just...glad you're both safe."

"You were that officer, the one by the fence..."

"Heh, yeah. That was me. But I also want to thank you. When I saw you both, how much you seemed to care for one-another, something clicked in my head. If you'd risk your life to protect a human, then there could be others like you." (Y/N) looked around the church "I guess that's how I got here. I just wanted to apologise, if you're both planning to look for a new home, maybe even cross the border, I wish you luck."

"Thank you."

She gave a nod, before taking a few steps back & making her exit.