As soon as Gavin left the room, he pulled on his jacket and headed for the roof, taking his coffee with him. He barely noticed as he bumped into a vaguely familiar redhead in the corridor. Her voice followed him as he headed upstairs. He kicked the door open as he reached the top, swearing as he headed for the barrier and slumped against it. Somehow, he managed to balance his coffee and get out a cigarette at the same time. There was a bit of a struggle with the lighter before he finally took a long drag, one foot bouncing restlessly as he set it on the lower rail.

"Detective Reed? You haven't replied to my email yet." Gavin sighed as he remembered both his session the other day and the voice he'd heard a few moments ago in the hall. She'd followed him all the way up to the roof. "It seems I caught you just in time." Dr Sanders ambled over and joined him at the barrier, leaning on the rail as the wind whipped her hair. It was quite a view. She'd never been up there before, but she could see the appeal. It was airy and calming, and it certainly seemed to have cooled Gavin's seething temper.

"Just in time for what, Doc?" He wasn't in the mood to humour her, but he also wasn't in the mood for more fighting. He glanced at Sanders, taking in her cascading red locks and pale makeup. She was wearing a neat pencil skirt and blazer, only her ID card identifying her as a psychologist. She fixed him with one of those analytical stares. It was like the ones Connor gave him sometimes, only sharper. It was a look that told him she could see right through him.

"Just in time to curb your destructive rampage." He knew from her light tone that she was teasing him, but she also wasn't wrong. He felt numb. It was an unfamiliar feeling. Perhaps he should be angry. He was on some level, but it wasn't coming out. He was just done. So phcking done. "I believe a lot has happened since our last session." She may not know the details, but news got around, and Gavin's disappearance the other day hadn't gone unnoticed. The sigh he let out didn't refute the fact, either.

"You got a week?" he joked tonelessly, huffing out a stream of white smoke. Sanders smiled despite their mutual lack of amusement.

"If that's what you need," she replied in a gentler tone, with a sincerity that Gavin wasn't used to. "Why don't we focus on what happened just now though? Something happened that upset you a great deal." Gavin nodded his agreement as he took another drag from his cigarette. He was polite, blowing the smoke away from her despite her lack of lungs. He wasn't good at talking, and he hated the way he'd just spout out his problems when someone showed an interest like this. This doctor lady was as infuriating as Tina! She wasn't quite as good at reading him, but she still knew when something was wrong.

"I just needed a break...I'm on a tough case." He sipped his lukewarm coffee to avoid saying anything else. Sanders nodded her agreement. They'd covered this a little before, but she had the feeling it was more than just frustration with the case. She waited a little longer until the silence got to him. "I'm arguing with Nines...My partner." He was sure she'd remember him. She nodded her understanding. He wasn't the first detective to argue with his partner, and he wouldn't be the last. People disagreed. They had different ideas and opinions. That was perfectly natural. What mattered was how it was dealt with later.

"What was the argument about? Maybe I can help." She'd been a mediator in many disputes so far. Gavin scoffed at the suggestion. He was worried. Worried she wouldn't take his side, that his feelings were invalid somehow. Without knowing the problem, It was possible she wouldn't agree, but she'd never say his feelings were invalid. No one's feelings were invalid. Sometimes they just needed to be reasoned out.

"He wants to lead an op. A dangerous one...He wants to put himself out there to be abducted by the gang we're chasing, offer himself up as a victim. I told him it wasn't an option, but he won't let it drop...Now he's got Connor and Hank in on it!" Gavin was clearly stressed and upset, glancing at her constantly, looking for validation. Am I crazy for wanting to keep my partner safe? His green eyes were wide and earnest as they asked the silent question. Sanders nodded finally, working through the situation in her head.

"Why shouldn't he take part in the operation?" Gavin's brow quirked, as if she'd gone insane.

"Did you not hear me? Do you have any idea what those sickos are doing to their victims? If something goes wrong, if we lose track of Nines, he'll be..." He couldn't even finish the sentence. He let it trail off and anxiously shifted from foot to foot as he puffed his cigarette. Sanders was familiar with his case from the news and knew the grim details. She couldn't say he was wrong for worrying. Officers were often close to their partners, and worried about keeping each other safe. This was particularly true where there was a gender or significant age gap. Older officers, and men in particular, would always feel a sense of overprotectiveness when it came to their younger or female colleagues.

"But would you say your partner is competent? Do you trust in his abilities? Do you trust his judgement?" She didn't doubt his sense of friendship or camaraderie, but he clearly had doubt when it came to Nines successfully completing this mission. Gavin seemed surprised by the question, giving her a look that suggested he was almost offended. Nines had proven himself over and over. He'd gone above and beyond to fulfil his role.

"He's an android! Of course he's competent, and I trust him with my life...It's not that I think he can't do the job, but shit happens, and Nines has barely been here for a week!" His body screamed his agitation as he finished his cigarette and gulped down his coffee. It was interesting. He almost seemed paranoid. It was like he expected something to go wrong. Looking into his own records and how his first mission had gone, she wasn't surprised. "I just want to keep him safe," he added in a self-conscious grumble.

"He's your partner. That's understandable." Sanders couldn't say his fears were unreasonable. This group was clearly dangerous, and the way they disposed of androids was disturbing, to say the least. It made sense he would want to keep a fellow officer out of that situation. "Tell me about your first operation," she prompted, following her hunch. Gavin almost cringed at the question before lifting his top, revealing the scarred skin. The one he focused on was a deep red gash, faded and sealed with time, but still prominent.

"I was part of an undercover drug bust. It was supposed to be simple, but a civilian turned up and a fight broke out. I got the civilian away, but..." He gestured to the wound in explanation. "Almost phcking died," he added as he lowered his top and leaned on the railing. He'd taken part in many ops since then, so she knew he wasn't suffering long-term trauma from it, but it seemed he had worked up something of an issue.

"Just because you were hurt on your first mission, doesn't mean that Nines will be." He knew that. Nines wasn't the first recruit he'd trained, nor was he the first person he'd seen head out on their first op. But Nines is different! He didn't go to the academy or get trained! He hasn't even made his first arrest yet! Despite his insistence, he knew deep down that wasn't the real reason he wanted to keep him safe. "You must care for him a great deal," Sanders suggested with a calculating look. She didn't miss the way he tensed at her words.

"He's my partner," he grumbled in a guarded tone, as if that were enough. His defensiveness told her all she needed to know. If Nines had been a female model, she would have picked up on it instantly. As it was, she hadn't considered that he was a homosexual.

"Perhaps he shouldn't be." It was impossible to miss the way Gavin clammed up at the suggestion. Although the idea clearly upset him, he didn't challenge her. In some ways, he knew it would be better and fairer for Nines to partner with someone else. He was well aware that he was too emotionally invested in him, and Nines was too smitten with him.

"You might be right." It was a reluctant admission, but one he had to make.

"But you don't like that idea," Sanders observed, watching his jaw tighten defensively.

"Does that matter? Just because he's the first partner I've been able to work with for years doesn't mean he wouldn't work better with someone else." That was true, but she'd have to assess both of them to ascertain that. She knew from speaking to Gavin that he would certainly suffer negatively if Nines was removed. She'd looked through his records and knew from speaking with Fowler that his physical condition had only started to improve due to their partnership.

"Perhaps, but that's something to be looked into at a later date...What will you do about your current problem?" Gavin shrugged in defeat as he scuffed the cement floor with one foot.

"I dropped the case...If they want to go ahead with that operation, then I don't want to be part of it." Sanders folded her arms almost thoughtfully as she stepped a little closer. His feelings were unsurprising, and she could understand his point of view. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened when he was right there.

"But could you live with yourself if something happened, and you weren't there?" He winced at the thought. Technically, if he wasn't there, it wasn't his fault, but it would haunt him. He'd always wonder if he could have made a difference. If he could have seen or done something to save him. Damned if I do, damned if I don't..."Think about it," she encouraged gently as she laid her smaller hand on his shoulder. It was a lot larger and stronger than it seemed. Both turned their heads as the door opened with a small creak.

Nines looked timid and hesitant as he stepped onto the rooftop, freezing with wide blue eyes as he noticed the attractive redhead standing close to Gavin. Touching him. His LED span yellow as he watched her squeeze his shoulder once more before she smiled and walked by him with a polite nod. She closed the door behind her as she left, sensing that the couple had a lot to discuss. Gavin turned his attention back to the bustling streets below, idly toying with his empty cup as he tried not to look over his shoulder.

"Who was she?" Nines wasn't sure why his tone had come out sounding so clipped and demanding, and why his chest felt so strange. It was a heated feeling, but it wasn't anger this time. It was dirtier somehow. He didn't like it. He didn't like the way he felt. He didn't like how the woman had made him feel. That Gavin had allowed her into his personal space bothered him. The way she'd placed her hands on his human displeased him. That Gavin had let her was worse.

"Dr Sanders...She saw me earlier and followed me up." Gavin continued to avoid looking at him, unaware of his inner turmoil. Nines looked her up in the police network instantly. She was the precinct's psychologist. The one who'd spoken to Gavin the other day. The one who'd scheduled future meetings with him. Future meetings. Alone with Gavin. In his personal space. His thoughts were illogical, but he couldn't stop them. He stepped closer to Gavin as his LED cycled red. "What do you want anyway? Thought you'd be busy," Gavin added almost coldly as he returned to leaning on the railing. His body was facing outward, avoiding him.

"I came to ask you to reconsider." It was more difficult than he'd first expected. Disagreeing with Gavin was not something he enjoyed. The feeling of rejection almost hurt. The helplessness that came along with it was worse. He didn't know how to approach him when he was like this. His body was angled away. He didn't want to interact with him, almost like he disgusted him. Nines' LED span red as he bit his lip, silvery eyes dropping to his shoes like a chastised child.

"Don't waste your time," Gavin huffed indignantly, keeping his gaze trained on some far-away place. He didn't want to look at Nines. If he looked, he'd see those fucking eyes, giving him that fucking look. All lost and childlike. He wasn't getting sucked in. Not this time. Phck, I need another cigarette. He would have lit one if the packet hadn't been plucked from his grasp. Gavin's knee-jerk reaction was to snatch it back, turning around to do so. "Hey!" His hand reached up to where Nines held the box out of reach.

"Gavin...I cannot succeed in this mission without you!" Gavin huffed and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. From the way he was scrunching one shoulder, Nines knew the bullet wound was hurting. He should have brought the sling just in case. I should have anticipated that this would happen. Nines' free hand twitched as he thought of reaching out to touch the sore area, to soothe it somehow.

"Then don't phcking go through with it!" Gavin snapped in annoyance, half tempted to jump up to knock the box loose. He settled for kicking at the cement instead. Every time he looked towards Nines, he was wearing that needy, pleading look. "I'm your superior and your partner! It's my job to keep you safe!" he added heatedly, tugging his arm free as Nines gently tugged his leather sleeve.

"I am a competent officer, and this is a mission with calculated risks. I am more than capable of carrying it out." Silvery eyes begged for faith and understanding as he spoke in a soft voice.

"Great! You don't need me then!" Gavin's gaze hardened as Nines pulled his arm insistently. He forced him to look at him, to see the earnestness in his eyes and know he was serious.

"I need you! You're my partner, and I need your support. I don't...I don't feel safe without you...I understand that Connor and Lieutenant Anderson are decorated and experienced officers, however the thought of completing this mission without you watching over me is...unsettling." The vulnerable confession made Gavin's brow pinch. It wasn't fair. Nines wouldn't listen to him and let this thing drop, and he wouldn't let him stay out of it! "Gavin, I'm scared..." Nines lost his grip as Gavin wrenched himself free.

"Don't you phcking do that! You don't get to play the phcking guilt card! Not when you're trying to get yourself killed!" Frustrated fingers reached for his cigarettes before he remembered that Nines had taken them. He cursed under his breath and shoved his hands in his pockets instead, prowling back and forth like a caged animal. He was getting more frustrated. Without a cigarette in his hand, he had nothing to fiddle with to distract himself from the burning rage in his chest.

"I won't be killed if we plan satisfactorily and I can focus on the mission. I cannot complete either of those objectives without your presence. Your advice and guidance is essential to my success, and I cannot feel at ease without you watching over me...You are my partner...I need you in order to perform at peak efficiency." Nines was desperate as he cradled the small packet in his large hands, fingers idly tracing the plastic coating of the cardboard box. It was smooth beneath his fingertips, and quite delicate. He could crush it with very little effort, but he cradled it like a small bird. "I can complete this mission...Why won't you believe in me?" Gavin ran a hand over his face as he stepped closer.

"That's not it! I know you can complete this mission, or any other mission, but it's not that simple! Things can go wrong, and if you were left alone somewhere with those people...I can't lose you, Nines." His green eyes were soft and earnest, even as he dropped his head. Nines felt his chest hum at the revelation, warmth sweeping through his system. He had the urge to touch his human. To reassure him. To show him he felt the same way. Gavin didn't move as Nines stepped closer and slipped his arms around him, tucking his head against his shoulder.

"The feeling is mutual." Nines sensed a rise in Gavin's body temperature and heartbeat at his gentle words. It seemed the right time to tilt his face upwards, to seal his lips and stroke his cheek. He wanted to do those things. Gavin's earlier words held him back. He didn't want that sort of contact with him. He tightened his embrace as he imagined Gavin wanting that contact with someone else. With someone like Dr Sanders.

"We'll talk about it...but I get the final say on the plan. If I'm not satisfied, we don't do it." The mumbled words were almost muffled against Nines' shoulder. Nines nodded his silent agreement. He was sure he could do it. Come up with a plan that Gavin would agree to. For now, he enjoyed the moment of being able to nuzzle into his neck and breathe in his scent, even if it was tainted by stale smoke.

"Understood." He knew Gavin would appreciate verbal confirmation. Along with that verbal agreement came the reluctant realisation that he would have to release him. "Hank and Connor went to lunch..." he murmured as he allowed Gavin to step back and run an awkward hand through his hair. It had been a lapse on his part to allow Nines so close.

"Guess we'll wait for them to come back."

"You also need to replenish your energy reserves..." Nines' chiding tone softened as he listed a few cafes around the precinct. They were quiet for the duration, words hanging silently between them. Apologies. Reassurances. Soft unnamed feelings that lingered in wandering eyes and hesitant gestures. Nines sipped a thirium milkshake, though there was no real milk in it, while Gavin ate a thick club sandwich and fries with a lemonade. It was healthier than his usual choices. A sure sign that he expected a long day.

It turned out he was right. They spent the next three hours going back and forth, trying to hammer out the details. Hank was openly frustrated, while Connor and Nines were good at concealing their impatience. Gavin blocked them at every turn, unsatisfied with the precautions presented. Nines quickly realised his human wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than perfection. Which is impossible. He would have thought he'd purposely caught them in a trap if not for that fact that he looked so thoughtful. Each time he pointed out a flaw, he tried to think his way out of it, or present new options.

"If you consume any more caffeine, your body will have a negative reaction," Nines insisted as he pried the cup from Gavin's shaky hand. He'd refilled it three times, and had been intending to go for a fourth. He looked almost resentful as he watched Nines replace the cup on the table.

"I'll have a bigger negative reaction without it, Christ!" he cried in exasperation, though he knew Nines didn't deserve it. He was just trying to be considerate. Connor and Hank ignored the exchange, already knowing Gavin's temperament well enough not to get involved. There were worse addictions than coffee. Connor sat forward slowly, his LED pulsing yellow with fatigue. Gavin fell into his chair once more. Their eyes met across the table. "You're thinking...really loudly," Gavin groaned as he leaned back. Connor blinked at the attention.

"I...did have a thought." Gavin waved for him to go ahead. It wasn't like they had anything to lose at this point. "I believe we are attempting to plan too much...Perhaps the simplest plan would yield the best results." Nines was perfectly willing to listen. Hank had an almost withering look, as if he knew what Gavin's reaction would be, and Gavin looked like he was about to blow a fuse.

"Hear him out, Reed! It's just a suggestion," Hank sighed tiredly as he saw him open his mouth to object.

"The fewer people involved in the operation, the less likely we are to be spotted...We could send Nines in with just his tracker. When they abduct him, only one car will be required to follow, with another lying in wait along the way as backup. The tracker will operate over GPS for a distance of ten kilometres. It is unlikely that we will lose track of his position." Gavin liked it less and less as he continued. They'd have no direct eyes on him. No way of knowing what they were doing to him. What if they started working him over a little early? What if they got frustrated with his durability and brought in stronger machinery? And that's to say nothing of their plan to draw off his thirium. Nines wasn't concerned about that, but Gavin thought he should be. It would leave him defenceless. Paralysed. Completely at the mercy of those sickos.

"We're relying heavily on that tracker...What if something goes wrong with it?" That got Hank's attention. He rarely trusted technology, despite his partner being one hundred percent machine. Connor and Nines both analysed the query. It wasn't something they'd really considered since the trackers were inactive.

"It's a good point...We lose the tracker, we lose Nines," Hank added cautiously. Nines looked up at that, turning to give Gavin a meaningful look.

"We have the perfect contact who may be able to answer that very question...In fact, he may be able to improve on my current tracker." Gavin looked confused until he caught on. It should have been obvious, and perhaps he should have thought of it sooner. Seems kind of weird to ask a favour so soon after meeting him though...He wasn't sure it was even right to get a civilian involved in an active case. "It would do no harm to ask..." Nines added as he noticed Gavin quietly talking himself out of it.

"Perhaps he would be pleased to hear from you." Connor knew Gavin would be reluctant to reach out. Despite his brash personality, he was often quite hesitant and over analysed events when it came to positive social interactions. He was likely thinking that his brother didn't want to speak with him on a personal level. If that were the case, Connor doubted Kamski would have gone to the trouble of hunting him down in the first place.

"Or is it that you don't want to reach out to him? I wouldn't blame you...Your father had a whole second family, and treated your brother like he was his only son." Hank's suggestion was one Connor hadn't considered. It was also something he would never have brought up. He watched Gavin's jaw tighten at the unpleasant reminder. He licked his lips thoughtfully as he turned the question over. It wasn't something he'd considered because he'd only been dealing with this shit for two days.

"He didn't...I was the mistake. An accident he left behind after a phcking hook up...If anyone should be pissed, it's Eli." The self-deprecation was obvious. So perhaps he thinks of himself as being beneath his brother, that his brother will be ashamed to be associated with him...Nines tilted his head as he pondered human behaviour. His thoughts made no logical sense. It was their father who'd made the error, not Gavin. He shouldn't be held accountable for that man's lack of honesty. Elijah Kamski also hadn't come across as being ashamed. He had seemed fond of Gavin in their last interaction.

"That is an error. If a fault was made, it certainly was not yours." Nines wasn't sure whether his tone was supposed to be factual or comforting. Gavin shrugged as he slipped his hands in his pockets and settled his neck lower in his jacket, making himself smaller. He knew what Nines was saying was true. He just didn't know if his brother felt the same way. Only one way to find out...