Jeffery wasn't driving fast enough.

Yeah, yeah, he was going probably thirty miles over the limit, lights on and siren blaring, but they weren't there yet, so it wasn't fast enough. Hank was losing his goddamn mind.

Fowler said the report had come in, that Connor had been found. There was no indication as to what state his kid was in, or even if he was alive, but there was enough gray area that Hank dared to hope. Dared to consider the thought that he might be moments away from seeing his boy again.

"Dammit Jeffery, how much longer?" Hank demanded. His whole body felt like it was on fire with anticipation.

He could've done without the Captain's annoyed sigh. "Faster if you don't annoy me," he shot back before softening. "We'll get there, Hank. Not much longer."

Not much longer, fuck that. Every second felt like hours. His heart was pounding in his chest like he had run a marathon and his stomach twisted into nauseous knots. He needed to see Connor. Even if… even if it was just closure. He needed to see him.

Hank didn't really register the shitty house creeping into view beyond the fact that it was their destination. They pulled up and he was kicking the door open before the car was even in park. He was thwarted by the seat belt he forgot he was wearing. It pulled back, sticking him to his seat and unrelentingly not wanting to unlatch with the frantic force being applied to it.

"Oh for fuck's sake." Jeffery pushed him back, stilling him enough to undo the buckle himself and release the Lieutenant.

Hank didn't bother thanking him before charging out of the car. He left the door open, not willing to spare the second it would take to close it.

He was forced to stagger to a stop however, the pandemonium that was the house's front lawn making it impossible to decipher where he should look. Every goddamn officer the force could spare was here. That was fine, it was good they were taking this seriously, but dammit they had all gotten here first. He scanned the throngs of people and emergency vehicles feverishly, trying to pick out a tiny head of dark brown curls.

"Anderson!" He heard Gavin call to him over the commotion. "Your brave little toaster's over here."

He turned and, sure enough, there he was. Connor. His baby boy. He was sitting by Reed in the back of an android emergency service vehicle, swaddled in a light blue blanket, and shaking. But he was alive.

Hank didn't even register moving. One second he was staring in euphoric disbelief, the next he was crouching before his kid. "Connor?" His hands hovered, afraid to touch him in fear it would somehow dispel the illusion.

Connor blinked slowly in response to his name. He didn't immediately register that Hank was there. He just sat, shivering, tears rolling down his cheeks until his terrified brown eyes finally rose to meet his. His crying only intensified when he recognized him. "Daddy?"

Oh how a single word could both mend and tear his heart to pieces. He swallowed down the lump in his throat, then pulled him into his arms, now more afraid he needed to hold the boy together than he was of breaking him. How scared must his son be to call him that? Not Hank, not Dad. Daddy.

"I'm here, son," Hank said between the kisses he was pressing into his disheveled hair. "It's ok. I'm here. You're safe."

"S-safe," Connor sobbed in agreement. His small, sharp, synthetic fingernails dug into Hank's shirt and skin alike as he clung to him desperately. "I'm… I'm s-safe."

"Tech says he's ok," Gavin chimed in. "Few bumps and bruises, but nothing serious. He's mostly just shaken up."

"Thanks, Gavin," Hank sighed. He could finally breathe again. He didn't even know he had been choking, but he could breathe now. Connor was ok.

"Yeah, well. Whatever," he said, dismissively. But there was a noticeable softness to his voice. He reached over to gently pet Connor's head. Hank knew Gavin had been worried too, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

"I'm safe," Connor sobbed again. His muffled voice was as wet as Hank's shirt. "I'm ok. Why am I still crying?"

"Shh, because it's safe too," Hank cooed at him. He rubbed Connor's back, hoping to ease some of his fears. His own tears threatened to spill over, but they were from relief and joy. "It's ok to cry. You have every right to cry."

Evidently, he didn't need any more invitation. Connor melted into a puddle of sobs that shook his entire, tiny body.

And Hank, he took a sense of comfort from them.

Yes, Connor was crying. It broke his heart as it always did to see his boy so upset. But he was alive to be upset. He was alive. He was ok. He was well enough to express his emotions. There was no way in hell Hank was going to take that for granted.

So he held him tight, taking in each sob as a precious gift.

"Why don't you two head home," Gavin suggested. "Get some rest, unwind. I think you both need it."

Heaven forbid Reed actually have a decent suggestion. "That sounds nice," he admitted. He wanted Connor home.

Hank wrapped the shock blanket tighter around his son's shoulders before standing. His knees popped and cracked as he lifted Connor, making him feel even older than he was.

"I'll bring the cat by later," Gavin promised offhandedly.

"Cat?" Hank asked, confused, but Gavin just waved his hand dismissively and the question went unanswered.

"Come on," Hank heard someone call from behind him before he could reiterate his confusion. "The Captain brought you, right? I'll take you guys home."

Hank nodded even before he looked up at his old friend, Gavin's remark taking a backseat to the prospect of getting Connor home. "Thanks, Ben."

"Believe me, it's my pleasure," Ben responded with the warmest smile he had seen on the guy in years.

He guided both Hank and his crying bundle of android to one of the numerous patrol cars surrounding the dilapidated mansion. "Sorry to make you miss out on the investigation," he apologized, really taking in the bustle of activity for the first time. Jeffery wasn't kidding when he said they were going to throw everything they had at this. Not that he was complaining, of course.

"I think they can spare me," Ben assured them. He got them settled into the passenger side of the car. There was no way in hell Connor was leaving Hank's arms, so the Lieutenant was going to need to act as the kid's seatbelt. Normally not something either of them would condone, but that was beside the point. "Besides," he went on, gently patting Connor's back. "We have what's important."

Hank placed another kiss on the top of the sniffling lump's head. "Fuck, you've got that right," he sighed.

The trip home both went slowly and was over in an instant. Hank just clung to his boy who had no intention of moving from his dad's secure arms. And he had no intention of putting him down.

Even after they said their goodbyes to Ben and made their way inside, he held him. Even when Sumo excitedly greeted them at the door, happy to have his favorite android back home, he didn't let go.

And that night, when they finally let the adrenaline from the day die down enough to sleep, Hank didn't even consider tucking Connor into his own bed, unwilling to be separated from him even in unconsciousness. With his boy cuddled up next to him like a teddy bear, Hank was able to get his first good night's sleep in days.