Chapter 2...yay!

I don't own Astro Boy.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Astro pulled into the parking lot of his apartment and powered down his hover car. Instead of getting out, the robot teen sighed and sat back in his seat. A small smile graced his lips as he though about the day.

Cora was back. She was finally back. He felt his core spin a little faster as he thought about her. Talking on the phone was nothing compared to seeing her face to face. She hadn't changed much in the last four years; her hair was a little longer yet she kept the purple highlights, she still wore the same sort of clothes, though she lost the skirt and just settled for jeans. Her eyes still shone their brilliant blue.

His smile dropped a bit as he thought about himself. 'I wonder what she thinks of me?' The day that he realised he was growing had been one of the greatest of his life. His father had been ecstatic. They struggled to come up with a logical explanation before settling on the Blue Core.

"It is from outer space." Astro had shrugged and they had just left it at that. The thought of being able to grow with his friends and experience all the things life had to offer thrilled him. He remembered the first time he told Zane, Widget and Sludge. The quartet had spent the entire day celebrating at Pizza Palace; eating enough pizza and junk to leave them feeling full for the rest of the week.

Astro chuckled at the memory. He wondered what it might of been like if Cora was with them. His thoughts once again turned to Cora. He had always had a crush on her, from the moment she had brought him to Hamegg's. That night on the car when he found out she was actually from Metro City. When Zog had brought him back to life after sacrificing himself. Even all the years she was away.

'Maybe now we have a chance.' He thought to himself, however, the doubt was still there. Would she even want to? He was still a robot. Astro groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"Why does my life have to be so complicated?" He asked no one in particular. He removed his hands and checked the time on the dashboard.

11:45

"Woops." He quickly jumped our of his car, made sure it was locked, then briskly made his way towards the entrance of his apartment.

"Good evening Astro." The lady behind the counter greeted him as he walked/ran through the Lobby.

"Oh, hey Rayne." He replied, jogging on the spot slightly. The woman chuckled softly.

"Late again I see." Rayne said as she lent forward on the desk. "What excuse to you have this time?"

"Um...visiting a long lost friend." The receptionist got a thoughtful look on her face as she made a show of rubbing her chin.

"I dunno, I think you've already used that one." She joked making Astro laugh.

"No, I'm serious." He gasped, slowly inching his way towards the elevator.

"Well, ok then." Rayne said, noticing this. "Don't let me hold you up."

"Thanks Rayne." Astro smiled as he walked into the elevator, waving to the woman as the door slid closed.

"Good luck!" He heard her yell before the door shut completely. Astro sighed as he pressed the button for the top floor.

'C'mon, c'mon." He mumbled. Once there the doors opened with a 'ping' as Astro pushed his way out. He speed walked down the corridor, pulling his key card out of his pocket and swiftly scanning it through the lock.

The pent house was quiet. Too quiet. As quietly as he could, Astro slid the door closed and tiptoed further into his home. He silently made his way upstairs, towards his bedroom. For a precious minute, the robot teen thought he was going to make it, that is untill a light clicked on behind him, shining on him in all his guilty glory. Busted.

"Astro Tenma."

"Heh...hi dad." Astro chuckled nervously as he turned around to face his father who stood there in his pyjamas, a torch in his hand and a stern look on his face.

"And what time do you call this." Dr Tenma asked as he made his way towards his robotic son. Even at seventeen, Astro was still shorter than his extremely tall dad. He shrunk a bit under his gaze.

"Um." He glanced at the clock. "Twelve." Had it really taken fifteen minutes to get up here?

"And what time is your curfew?"

"Ten." Astro mumbled. Tenma sighed and turned off the torch, leading his guilty son into his bedroom.

"Where were you?" He asked, more softly this time. Astro Sat on his bed and fiddled with his blanket.

"I was at Cora's." He replied. Tenma's eyebrows rose when he said this.

"Cora?" He remembered the girl. She was always with Astro and his friends before she had to move away. He remembered Astro spending hours on the phone talking with her and laughing. "She's back?"

"Yeah, I was helping her move into her new apartment." Astro answered more brightly this time. Tenma smirked, suddenly getting an idea. Time to punish his son for disobeying him.

"I'm sure you two had a good time." He said, struggling to hold in his laughter as he watched his sons face turn bright red.

"W-what, dad, we, n-no, no, it's, it's not like that, n-no, I was just helping her, a-and plus her friend was there, a-and we where j-just-" Tenmas laugh cut off Astro's frantic rambling.

"Settle down son." Tenma chuckled as he placed his hand on Astro's tense shoulder. "I was only joking." Said robot pouted, his cheeks still pink.

"Jerk." He huffed making his father laugh again.

"Alright then." Tenma said as he stood and made his way towards the door. "Get ready for bed. You're going to need to get up early if you want to spend the day with Cora tomorrow." The doctor snickered, getting in the last tease.

"Out." Astro demanded with a slight glare.

"Ok, ok, I'm going." Tenma smiled as he watched Astro flop back on his bed. "Good night son."

"Night dad." Astro listned as the door slid closed and smiled. He and his father had defiantly become closer over the years. Dr Tenma was less of a workaholic and spent more time with his family. And not just Astro. A few months after Cora had left, Tenma had started seeing someone. A beautiful woman who worked at the Ministry of Science. Astro loved her just as much as she loved Astro, spoiling him every chance she got and after some time and some serious encouragement on Astro's part, Tenma finally popped the question. Dr. Henna Tenma was now officially part of the family. Henna wasn't the only new addition.

"Astro?" Astro lifted his head at he sound of the small voice. Standing in his doorway was a little girl of four years old. She had short black hair and large brown eyes. Her pink pyjamas hung off her small shoulder as she hugged a brown teddy to her chest.

"What's up Zoran?" He asked his little sister. After being married for a few months, Henna had announced that she was pregnant. At first Astro was terrified. He had no idea what the birth of a human child might do to his and his father's shaky relationship. However, once she was born, Zoran had quickly taken over his heart. Not that he would admit it, but his sister had him wrapped right around her little finger.

"I had a bad dweam." The little girl sniffled. Astro smiled in sympathy as he sat up. He opened his arms and Zoran didn't hesitate to run right into them.

"Do you wanna sleep in my bed tonight?" He asked softly. Zoran looked up at him with wide eyes and that was all the answer he needed. He chuckled as he helped her slide into bed then stood and began to walk towards his dresser.

"Where are you going." Zoran squeaked.

"To get my pjs, silly." Astro laughed fondly as he pulled a white t-shirt and grey pyjama bottoms out the top draw. Zoran watched as he stripped out of his clothes, leaving him standing in his black shorts with the green belt and his red boots. She cocked her head to the side.

"Hey, Astro?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I be a robot too?" Astro paused, the grey pants in hand. He looked down at his metal boots and black shorts. They weren't clothes; they were a part of him. He couldn't take them off even if he wanted to. With a sigh, he turned to address his sister.

"Zoran, being a robot isn't what it's all cracked up to be." Zoran just looked more confused.

"But you can fly." She stated. "And lift weally heavy stuff. And shoot stuff with you callons."

"Cannons Zoran." Astro chuckled as he pulled on the pants and t-shirt. He turned his bedroom light off, using his eye beams to navigate his way back to his bed; much to Zoran's delight. He pulled back the blanket and slid in beside his sister. "Listen Zoran." He started, lying on his side so he could look her in the eye (his eye beams no longer on). "Don't ever wish to be anyone but yourself." He said in a serious tone. "You are the most, incredible, amazing person in the world, even without super strength and arm cannons. You understand?" Zoran smiled.

"Yes big brother." She said as she snuggled up to his chest. He responded by wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close. "Astro?"

"Yes Zoran?"

"Do you pwomise to chase away the scary monsters?" She asked as she gripped his shirt. Astro smirked.

"Don't I always." Zoran giggled.

"Yes, coz you're the bestest big brother ever." Astro smiled softly this time.

"You got that right." Zoran buried her small face in his chest and yawned.

"Nighty night Astro."

"Nighty night Zoran."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"-stro?"

"Mmmmg"

"Astro?"

"Hmg."

"ASTRO!"

"WAH!" With a startled cry, Astro went tumbling off the side of his bed, landing hard on the floor. "Ow." Ok, so maybe it hadn't really hurt, but hey, it was early, he had the right to be grumpy.

"You're so clumsy brother." Astro squinted up at Zoran who was leaning over the bed and giggling.

"Oh har har." He grumbled. He wasn't mad at her; he just wasn't a morning person.

"C'mon Astro, daddy said you wanted to get up early." Zoran slipped of the bed and landed on his chest causing him to grunt. She continued sitting there as she leant over her brothers face, lifting his eye lid and watching it close when she let go. "Astro." She huffed. Astro finally cracked his eyes open and smirked at his sister and before she could blink, he had her in his grasp, tickling her mercilessly.

"N-NO, S-TOP." Zoran squealed.

"That's for shouting in my face." Astro said as he stopped tormenting her. Zoran gasped and wiped tears out of her eyes.

"Humph, it's not my fault your a big lazy bum." Astro wiggled his fingers at her causing her to squeak and run from his room.

"THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT!" He shouted after her. He heard a raspberry being blown down the hall and laughed.

"Not even eight o'clock and you two are all ready tormenting each other." Astro smiled as Henna walked through the door. She had deep, brown hair that she kept in a pony tail and bright blue eyes. A pair of glasses rested on her nose whilst she dressed in typical Metro City wear. Unlike his parents, Astro preference the old fashioned, slightly more colourful clothes of the surface, just like his friends.

"Good morning Henna.' He chuckled as he picked himself of the floor and straightened his shirt.

"Good morning Astro." Henna said sweetly as she walked into his room. "You know, we do own a washing machine." She stated as she picked up his clothes from yesterday, which he had left lying in a heap on the floor.

"Heh, sorry bout that." The teen robot replied as he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Another late night?" His step-mom asked. "What was is this time? Rogue robot or kitten in a tree." She joked making Astro laugh.

"No, I was with an old friend, helping her Seattle in."

"Her?" Henna asked with a soft smirk. Astro groaned.

"Not you too." He pleaded. "It's not like that, I was just helping her and her friend out is all."

"That's nice hun." Henna said as she patted him on the shoulder. "Such a gentleman. Girls like that in a guy."

"Hennaa." Astro whined.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry." The woman giggled. "Hurry up and get dressed, Orrin's making pancakes."

"Awesome. Be down in a sec." Henna smiled and left the room, giving him some privacy.

Astro moved to his wardrobe and pulled out a clean, white t-shirt, a pair of black jeans and a grey jacket with short sleaves that he left undone. Once he was changed he hurried into his bathroom and check his reflection in the mirror. The spikes on his head looked a little lobbed sided and bits of hair was sticking out. He cringed, whipping out his hair gel, re-styling his black hair back into two perfect points; not a hair out if place.

"ASTRO, HURRY UP OR I'M GONNA EAT YOUR PANCAKES!" He heard Zoran shout.

"TOUCH MY PANCAKES AND YOU'RE DONE FOR!" He yelled back, hearing her giggle. He finished up in the bathroom then made his way downstairs were he found his family already settled around the table and Orrin setting down their breakfast.

"Good morning son." His father greeted as he sipped at his coffee.

"Morning dad." He replied as he sat down next to Zoran, who already had a mouth full of pancakes. Orrin soon rolled over, placing his breakfast in front of him. "Thanks Orrin, it looks great."

"Why thank you mast-Astro." Astro smiled as Orrin rolled away. Even after all this time the house bot still had trouble remembering that he didn't have to call them 'master'. The teen shook his head and shoved a fork full of pancakes in his mouth, savouring the sweet taste.

"Are you seeing Cora again today Astro?" Tenma suddenly asked. Astro swallowed his food before answering.

"Yeah, I'm gonna head out as soon as I'm done." He shoved another fork full in his mouth then moved to his orange juice.

"Who's Cora?" Zoran asked beside him. Astro paused from his drinking.

"She's just a friend of mine." He answered, going back to drinking.

"Is she your girly friend?" His sister asked innocently. Astro suddenly choked on his orange, coughing and sputtering as his parents laughed across from them. Zoran looked between them all in confusion. "What?" Astro finally got his coughing fit under control.

"N-no." He sputtered, wiping his face and hands with the napkin Orrin had so graciously brought him. "No, she's just a friend."

"Who's a girl." Zoran pointed out.

"Whatever." Astro mumbled. "I'm gonna go brush my teeth." With that, he hurried from the table, leaving his orange soaked breakfast half eaten, and hurried back up the stairs.

"Did I say something wrong?" Zoran asked, once he was gone.

"No honey." Henna soothed "your brother's just being silly."

"Oh...ok." The little girl looked in the direction Astro had disappeared. She quickly finished her breakfast and downed her own juice. "May I be excused?" She asked politely.

"Of course." Tenma replied, watching his daughter scamper from her chair and chase after Astro.

Upstairs, Astro was back in his bathroom, scrubbing a brush over his perfectly white teeth. He suddenly heard a soft knock at the door and turned to see his sister standing there with her hands behind her back.

Zoran watched him lean over the sink and spit out the toothpaste, using a towel to wipe of the remainder around his mouth.

"What is it Zoran?" He asked once he was done.

"I'm sorry." Astro turned to her with a confused look.

"Sorry for what?"

"I'm sorry for making you spill your juice and ruin your breakfast." Astro smiled and knelt down in front of her.

"Nah, it wasn't you fault." He said "I was just being silly." Zoran giggled.

"That's what mommy said."

"Oh did she now." Astro asked with a raised eyebrow. Zoran nodded untill her eyes landed on something on the sink.

"Astro?"

"Yes Zoran?"

"Can you do my hair again?" Astro followed her gaze to the bottle of hair gel then turned back to her large, puppy dog eyes.

"Oh alright then." Yep. Right around her little finger.

"Yay!" Zoran squealed as she climbed onto the toilet so her brother could easily reach her hair. The robot teen shook his head as he reached for his gel. Zoran looked up to Astro. He was her big brother. Her hero. She loved him to no end. Wanting to be like him.

This lead to Astro, one day coming home from school and finding his little sister in his bathroom, the floor covered in hair gel and her black hair styled into, what he can only guess as a failed attempt at his spikes. He was about to shout at her untill she started crying.

"I just want to be like big brother." She had wailed. Astro soothed her as best he could, untill he finally got an idea.

"How bout you let me have a go?" He asked. Zoran wiped her tears and nodded. Astro spent the next hour washing the gel out of his sister's hair and starting over. "What do think?" Zoran looked at her reflection in the mirror and gasped. Instead of a spike at the top and side of her head, her hair had two curving spikes coming out the side of her head, looking a little more feminine.

"I love it!" She had squealed, giving her brother a big hug. Since that day Zoran had been coming to Astro and asking him to style her hair until she was able to do it herself.

"Ok, I'm done." Astro stated as he wiped the gel off his hand. Zoran smiled at her reflection then jumped off the toilet and followed her brother into his room.

"Astro?"

"Hmm?" Astro replied as he retrieved his phone from its charging station.

"Can I come with you to see your friend?" The android thought about her question. Cora had said she really wanted to meet her.

"Eh, why not." Zoran's eyes lit up.

"You mean I can come?" She asked hopefully.

"It's find with me."

"Yaaaaaayyyy-"

"But you're gonna have to ask mom and dad first." Zoran stopped her little dance.

"Ok, let's go." She grabbed Astro's arm and began pulling him towards the door, making the robot teen laugh.

"Mommy! Daddy! Can I go with Astro?" Zoran shouted when they made it down stairs. The two adults poked their heads out of the kitchen.

"Well, ok." Henna replied. "But remember to be careful." Astro rolled his eyes. It wasn't like this was the first time taking his sister out.

"Don't worry Henna, we're only going to Cora's." He reassured.

"Yeah, we're only going to Cora's." Zoran mimicked with her hands on her hips. Astro snickered and poked her on the side of the head, making her giggle and their parents smile.

"Well." Tenma suddenly said with a clap of his hands. "We better get to work." He pulled on his coat and made his way towards the door.

"Aren't you forgetting something Bill?" Tenma turned to face his wife and saw her dangling a brief case in front of his face.

"Ah, right, right." He took the case out of her hands as she chuckled. "Thanks Henna."

"I swear, it's a good job we work at the same place or else you would be making a lot of return trips home." She sighed with a shake of her head.

"Talking down to your boss are you." Tenma smirked as he lead her to the door.

"Not in this house your not." Henna snorted. They heard their children cracking up behind them at their little show.

"Alright, alright." Tenma laughed. "Lets go or we're going to be late."

"See you later kids." Henna cooed as she gave them each a kiss on the forehead. "Have a lovely day." The Tenma children waved goodbye their parents, wishing them a good day.

"Speaking of late." Astro said as he checked the clock. He looked down at his sister, noticing she was still in her pink pyjamas. "C'mon Zoran, let's get you dressed, then we can go."

"Ok." Zoran skipped of towards her room, Astro hot on her heels. Zoran's room was as big as Astro's and very pink. She had a mountain of plush toys at the end of her bed, though the brown teddy bear Astro had gotten her for her birthday was her favourite. She defiantly had a thing for animals. On her bedside table was a heart shaped picture frame filled with a photo of her and Astro.

Zoran ran to her dresser and pulled it open, spending a few seconds rummaging through it before finally settling on a pink, denim dungarees that reached just above her knees, a white t-shirt to go underneath, a pair is white, frilly socks and pink sneakers.

Astro hurriedly help her into her clothes, made sure she brushed her teeth then ushered her down the stairs and out of the apartment, making sure to lock up. Astro, being the responsible big brother he is, took Zoran's hand in his and lead her to the elevator.

They rode the elevator down to the lobby, Zoran humming along to the annoying elevator music.

"Good morning Astro, Zoran." Rayne greeted as then walked past.

"Morning Rayne." They replied in unison making the woman chuckle.

"Off to see you're long lost friend are we?" She asked.

"Yep." Astro laughed.

"I'm gonna meet Astro's girly friend." Zoran Sunddenly pipped up. Astro stopped laughing immediately, his face turning red as Rayne cracked up behind the counter.

"So that's where you where last night?" She managed to choke out making Astro blush harder.

"W-what, n-no, no, it's not, it's n-not like that." Astro once again found himself stuttering.

"I get it honey." Rayne giggled with a wave of her hand. "You two have a nice day."

"Bye Rayne." Zoran shouted over her shoulder as a grumbling Astro dragged her towards the door. Once in the parking lot, Astro led his little sister over to his car, taking out his keys and opening the door.

"Alright big mouth, hop in." He instructed as Zoran jumped into the passenger seat. Astro made sure she was buckled in before moving to the drivers side, getting in behind the wheel. He put his key into the ignition and the hover car hummed to life, rising off the floor. They pulled onto the road and began the drive to Cora's apartment.

"Astro's girly friend, here we come."

"Zoran!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Yes, Zoran is human in this story.

I like this chapter way more than the first. I think I had slight writers block when I wrote it. Oh well, that's life...my life anyway.

Next chapter we're back to Cora. Until then :)