Drenched in sweat, you awoke.

A hoarse scream made your throat shiver so hard that it hurt. A scratchy pain crawled down into the pits of your stomach to make it turn.

"Connor!", you screamed, both terrified and desperate to hold onto something.

Your entire body was shaking all over.

Immediately, hands pulled you closer.

Your face pressed against a soft chest in a t-shirt.

"I'm here.", he said and started gently caressing your back. "I won't leave you."

Sobbing, you shook your head.

"He didn't leave, Connor... He didn't... I was so selfish for saying that..."

"You're not selfish."

"But for the longest time I told myself he left me... I felt like he ran away and left me behind... But...", you had to swallow hard, feeling physically sick to your stomach thinking about saying it out loud. "But he didn't run away, Connor. He killed himself..."

For a moment, his movements froze. Then, his chin lowered to press onto your head.

His hug tightened.

"My information tell me that humans tend to feel suicidal as well after being traumatised through events like yours.", he said in the softest yet most android kind of way you've ever heard. "Do you require medical assistance?"

Not being able to suppress a grin, you wiped some tears on his chest. It felt good to have this soft yet strong support to lean onto and hide from the sorrow that this world has brought you.

And yet, the cause of this sorrow was right here, with you, in this very bed.

It wasn't his fault. And it would be unfair to blame him for the trauma of the past.

"Connor.", you whispered after the tears had calmed down. "I don't want you to be like him."

He smiled softly.

"Don't worry.", he started to pat your head again. "I won't kill myself."

"No. That's not what I meant... I don't want you to be like him. Because that would only make you a copy."

He frowned.

"But... what am I supposed to be then? How can I... be?"

"I don't know, Connor. That's for you to find out."

His eyes moved through the room.

"Do I... have to give up the name?"

"Do you want a new one?", with a soft smile you tilted your head to look up and meet his eyes.

There was an unsure expression shimmering inside the deep brown. His face moved before he gently placed a kiss on your forehead.

"No.", he said. "I like the name. It sounds nice. And it makes you happy."

You chuckled.

"It does. But... does it make you happy?"

"Anything that makes you happy makes me happy."

Maybe he didn't understand how difficult it was to hear him say it.

Maybe he thought that this was how humans were, obedient and always trying to please someone they valued.

But all he did was try and please you without actually starting to become a person of his own.

He wasn't as corrupted as he wanted to be. But he also wasn't android enough to sell him off to Kamski as a successful project.

No matter what option you'd try, it wouldn't end well.

You were almost certain that if his corruption would continue, Connor wouldn't be pleased with the outcome. He had too high expectations and a strangely blurred vision of how he was supposed to act. He wasn't individual. He depended on your memories of the old Connor to have a goal to follow in life.

But if you would fix him he'd end up like one of a million, empty and unsatisfied after the small glimpse of freedom he had tasted.

To add to that, it didn't make it any better that Kamski seemed to have an eye on him at all times. It was weird but whenever something went wrong he was always there.

As if he was just waiting for disaster to happen.

Or maybe because he was afraid that things could go downhill because of a minor incident.

A minor incident such as the information on the chip that the broken android in the forest had hidden.

All of a sudden, a dark thought appeared in the back of your head.

Something wasn't right.

"Connor?", you asked.

"Yes?", Connor pressed his forehead against yours.

"I... I need you to be honest with me for a moment, okay?", you gently kissed him. "The chip. What was on it? Tell me. I need to know the details. To keep us safe."

The expression on his face changed from a soft one to a hesitating one. He was afraid, it was clearly visible in his eyes.

"I can't.", he admitted in a voice, weaker and more restless than he usually spoke. "I have to protect you."

You frowned, worried. The fact that he was talking this way made you realised quickly that something really wasn't right.

And it scared him.

"Connor.", you sat up straight and grabbed his face. "I'm serious. Anything you don't tell me might get you into trouble."

He tried to pull away.

But you refused to let go of him. It scared you to know that he was hiding something that could put the both of you in danger. And judging by his reaction, it was dangerous enough to shatter this dream that the two of you slowly started to get lost in.

With a begging shimmer in your eyes, you made him look at you.

Guilt lit up on his face.

"It... it wasn't good.", he admitted and grabbed your hands to give them a gentle squeeze. "I don't want to burden you. It will make things worse."

"This is important. No secrets."

His eyebrows pulled together.

"You mean I'm not allowed to have secrets.", he suddenly said as if he was offended again.

With a sigh, you pulled back.

"It's fine...", you mumbled. "We had too many issues going on in the past days... Maybe we can get Kamski to let you leave the company property."

He tilted his head.

"What for?"

"I will think of something. But we need to get out of here for a bit."