Everyone had told Roy it'd be good for him. After Lian's death, everyone seemed to expect him to go crawling back to the needles like when he blew the Olympics by injuring his shoulder, especially Oliver. Most left him alone. Gave him space. He wasn't sure then if that's what he wanted. He knows now that it wasn't. He had Richard, who'd suggested after a long while of Roy doing nothing but barely surviving each day that he buy an android.

Roy was against it at first. How could a lifeless bot programmed with fake consciousness replace his baby? His little girl? Roy didn't talk to him for almost 3 weeks after that.

But he didn't stop thinking of it. And when a month had passed, he made his choice. He took himself down to one of Queen Industries' android shops, asked all the questions, filled all the paperwork, did all the customizing and setting-up. He didn't make the bot like Lian. It wasn't her and wouldn't be her. It was just to fill the hole. Give him something to put his time and energy into rather than rotting on his couch.

He fell into an easy rhythm with you. You'd been programmed with all the childish wonder and energy of a human kid. Roy started to be happy again, taking you to stores and amusement parks.

It was good for a short while. Until it hit him one day while making himself food. You didn't need to eat, you weren't alive. You wouldn't grow like his baby would've. You'd never be married, you'd never graduate, or get your first job.

You're not human. And Roy has just fooled himself into believing you could fix his broken heart.

He jumps when you appear at his side, trying to make his face neutral as he listens to you prattle on about the neighbor's new dog. "That's great, kid. Can you just.." He doesn't want to be mean. It's not your fault you're not Lian. You didn't even know about her or the fire that took her away from him. "Why don't you go watch TV in your room for a bit?" What should be Lian's room, he thinks bitterly.

He wishes the thoughts didn't make him feel as sick as they did.