It was warm stormy day as the summer fought against the lingering cold spring rain with a notable penetrating heat. A thunderous rain bombarded the city restlessly, while keeping everyone in the city cooped-up inside, save for one stubborn deviant detective and his equally stubborn K-9 companion. Connor was spending his rare day off feeling slightly better after he talked things out with Hank a few days earlier. It was that very reason Connor found himself rushing down the familiar block during the brief break in the rain to get to Hank's house after the senior detective sent Connor an urgent text message. Unsure of what to expect, Connor stopped at the store as requested, purchased the unexpected item and continued on his way to Hank's home.

Even though the air was still filled with a static charge Connor didn't mind the storm building overhead. In a way, racing against the storm helped him to keep his mind preoccupied for a while longer as he continued to focus on his sense of self and discovering more things about emotions in general.

"Bruno, come."

Connor pulled slightly on the leash to coax the German Shepherd into resuming the walk as he sniffed at the base of a small tree. From high above a rumble of thunder echoed from the clouds and a small flash of lightning in the distance warned of another impending summer storm.

"Come on, boy. We need to get to Hank's house before we get caught in the rain."

Pulling harder on the leash Connor managed to finally lead Bruno away from the incredibly interesting oak tree and lead him down the sidewalk toward the small home. As the storm loomed closer the sky grew darker and the thunder became louder. Connor hastened his pace to keep ahead of the storm, and Bruno jogged alongside his guardian's legs happily, as being outside was one of Bruno's most favorite things in the whole world.

Reaching the front door of the house just as a new wave of rain began to fall from the clouds overhead, Connor knocked twice on the door and made sure his grocery sack wasn't going to be damaged by the rain. The sound of a familiar voice responding to the knocks confirmed that Hank was home, and that the door was unlocked.

Entering the house quickly Connor let the leash fall from his wrist and shut the door behind himself. Looking over at Hank on the couch Connor noticed that the senior detective was wrapped up in a thick blue blanket and seemed to be either huddling against the cold or trying to hide something.

"I brought what you asked for." Connor confirmed as he removed his rainy shoes by the front door and slipped off his new black leather jacket. The jacket was a temporary replacement for the destroyed trench coat. "But I'm unsure as to why you needed a canister of formula."

A small sound from under the blanket made Connor freeze and Bruno's ears perked up. The way Sumo was sitting protectively next to the couch and the way Hank was carefully adjusting the blanket around himself immediately drew Connor's attention toward the sound.

"...Hank?"

"I had an unexpected guest today." Pulling the blanket down Hank revealed a tiny newborn baby wrapped up in a thick white towel being cradled in Hank's strong arm. "And I needed a little help getting something she needed, which is why I asked for the formula. She can't go all afternoon without eating."

Stunned by what Hank had been handling by himself Connor stared at the baby for a moment before his eyes nervously looked over at Hank instead. "...Where did they come from?"

"Don't know." Hank admitted as he made sure the newborn wasn't too hot in his attempts to keep them safe and warm. "I was out in the backyard waiting for Sumo to finish his business when I heard frantic knocking on the front door. By the time I got out there I found only a cardboard box on the front stoop and this little lady inside the box crying her little lungs out."

"She was abandoned?"

"No, she was left here because my house is still registered as a designated safe delivery place." The senior detective explained in a very casual tone of voice as he nodded at the cardboard box sitting in the recliner. "There's a hand written note in the box."

Connor reached for the note to read it over while Bruno sat beside Sumo and peered at the swaddled newborn for himself. It didn't take long for Connor's keen eyes to read the note and deduce some details about the author.

'-To anyone who finds her, I'm sorry. I love her more than anything in the world, but I can't take care of her.

I'm fifteen and I was assaulted, my family won't believe me or understand me, and I ran away from home.

Please take care of her and find her a good home.'

Connor expertly analyzed the handwriting on the note and determined the age of the author to be in fact a person between the ages of twelve and sixteen years old. The chosen words were also befitting of a person of said age. The shaking handwriting itself was indicative of emotional distress and physical pain; not from fear or unwilling correspondence, but of worry and sorrow. The person who penned the letter also did so of their own freewill.

"The birth mother is a teenager without any financial aid or familial support."

"Yup. That's what I figured when I read the note and realized why the baby was dropped off here." Standing up slowly Hank motioned for Connor to approach him next to the couch. "Thanks for getting the formula. I'll go make her a bottle to help tide her over until it's safe enough to drive to the hospital without a proper car seat to strap her into. You can hold her."

"I..." Connor suddenly like he was being put on the spot and didn't know how to react. "I'm not sure if I should."

"Just for a few minutes, it won't take me long to get her a bottle and I'll feed her. It's okay, I know you won't hurt her."

"...I'll make the formula." Needing an excuse to avoid the uncomfortable responsibility Connor carried the grocery sack into the kitchen and did his best to not look at the newborn in Hank's protective arm. "What should I use to make it?"

Hank wasn't sure why Connor suddenly tensed up, but he also knew that not everyone was comfortable around kids or babies and were especially squeamish about handling a tiny little baby. "There's a plastic shaker I use for protein shakes in the cupboard by the microwave, and a kettle on the stove. Just follow the directions on the formula can."

"Then what do I put the formula in?"

"In the hallway closet on the top shelf is a box of old supplies that Barbara and I kept in case more young mothers or babies found their way to our doorstep. There should be some bottles and tops inside of it."

Keeping his eyes away from Hank as he moved Connor opened the hallway closet, located an old box on the top shelf and pulled it down. Inside the box were two small, pale yellow blankets, a few spare diapers, two bottles, two tops and a first aid kit. "I'll be able to wash and sterilize these without any problem."

"I know you will. That's why I asked for your help instead of calling in back-up from the precinct."

Outside thunder and lightning rocked the neighborhood and a massive deluge of warm summer rain soaked the area with an impressive demonstration of nature at its most powerful. The sound of the storm disturbed the baby and made her cry in response.

"And since we can't take her to a hospital on foot and or risk driving in this weather, you should make sure both bottles are clean in case she needs seconds."

"Of course." Carrying everything to the kitchen Connor proceeded to clean the bottles and decided to remain in the kitchen for as long as he could. "We have to take care of the baby until we can get her to the hospital."

"That's right." Smirking at the baby as he managed to soothe her back into a comfortable lull Hank looked over at Sumo and shook his head slightly. "Just like old times, huh, boy?"

"You've been through this before?"

"Yup. Not my first rodeo, son."

Speaking over the sound of the water running in the sink Connor tried to keep the topic off of his own discomfort and on Hank's notable confidence. "How many times?"

"Too many times to count. During my first few years as a rookie, I stopped a teenager, barely sixteen, from falling into a life of prostitution and she ended up founding a discreet shelter for runaway and abused teens after she finished school. She grew-up and set up the shelter two blocks from here, and she asked for my help to make sure the teens felt safe enough to stay with her and know that if something like 'this'," Hank motioned to the baby casually. "happens, then the newborns will be taken care of properly. No judgement, no worries."

"You used to take in pregnant women and newborns to care for them?"

"Yup. But it's been years since I've had a newborn dropped off at my step or a pregnant teen in labor seeking shelter. Good to know this place is still seen as a safe place to come to for some help."

"Why not instruct the teenagers and women to go to the hospital instead?"

"The damn doctors ask way too many questions, and they like to give their unwanted, bias opinions - especially to the frightened teen girls - and essentially guilt them into either keeping the babies they can't afford to take care of; or they make them feel like garbage for ever existing in the first place."

The formula had been mixed and was ready to go inside the newly cleaned and sterilized bottle. "Oh..."

"I don't judge them, and neither did Barb. Life doesn't go the way we want it to sometimes, and the last thing those girls need to deal with while already going through one of the most difficult moments in their lives is the uninformed opinions of judgmental strangers who can't be bothered to lift a damn finger to help them out after the baby's actually born."

The tone of the senior detective's voice caught the younger detective's ear as he finished preparing the bottle and twisted on the top before carrying it into the livingroom. "I don't want to pry but it sounds like you're speaking from personal experience."

"My best friend in high school." Hank admitted with a heavy heart as he accepted the prepared bottle from Connor's hand. "She got pregnant after a one-night-stand with her douchebag of a boyfriend, who dumped her the next morning after he got her in bed. He got what he wanted, and she ended up with a broken heart and a little 'surprise' afterward. When she told her parents what happened they kicked her out, she wasn't allowed to talk to her siblings or any extended family, and she had to drop out of school because the other students kept bullying her; calling her names and telling her that she had it coming because her ex-boyfriend had spread lies about her. She was devastated and ostracized."

"What happened to her?" Connor asked with emotional empathy as he watched Hank coax the baby into latching on to the bottle to begin suckling. "You must've done something to help her."

"Well," begrudgingly Hank continued his story with a jaded tone. "after she dropped out of school, I told her to come home with me. My dad agreed to shelter her since I was an only child and my mom had just died so the house already felt empty, and she stayed with us until the baby was born. But like I said, the doctors kept prying into her personal life and made her feel like a slut all because of one night and one bad decision. They even went after me because they couldn't accept that I was just her friend and looking out for her, not the father of her baby trying to feign innocence or escape responsibility."

Connor waited for Hank to finish the story although he was reluctant to hear what was sure to be a sad ending.

"After the birth, a little girl by the way, my friend gave the baby up for private adoption, moved out of the city to finish school, and that was the last time I ever saw her OR the baby. They were both the victims of selfishness from one other person, and yet they were the ones blamed and labeled as the ones who were at fault. My friend was in love, but her ex just wanted to bang her. The baby wasn't planned, but everyone acted like it was somehow at fault just for being born. I can't stand that one-sided, judgmental thinking!"

"Do you think this baby's mother will be able to return home and finish school?"

"I honestly don't know, son. But I sincerely hope so."

An interesting thought popped into the young detective's head as he watched Hank tend to the newborn in his arms. "I thought you said you aided the teens when they were in labor. Why do you have so many extra supplies in your possession?"

"Not all of the girls wanted to give their babies up for adoption, and not all of them were necessarily teenagers. Young women in their twenties still face scrutiny and need some help without being judged. Barbara and I liked helping them out. It made us both feel like we were actually doing something for innocent people in the city." Smirking at the newborn Hank told Connor his original motivation. "It was nice to help people still alive who still had a chance at life in general instead of just speaking for the dead or peeling overdosed junkies out of the street every night."

"I'm glad you were able to help so many people."

"So am I." Hank pulled his phone from his jean pocket and sent a text to a secret contact at the hospital; a contact he hadn't had to use in years to let them know what was happening. "The storm should let up enough within a few hours, so we can get her to the hospital safely then."

"That's good." As his eyes darkened with emotion Connor put his hands on Bruno and Sumo's ears to give the two dogs some attention. "I'm not sure how I can be of much assistance to a helpless infant."

The way Connor was keeping his distance and avoiding the newborn was enough to catch Hank's attention. He knew that Connor was still being affected by finding the body of another infant weeks ago, and he just couldn't handle being around another infant at the moment.

"Son, if you're too uncomfortable with being around her I get it." Sympathetic to Connor's internal struggles Hank could only imagine what he was feeling after seeing something as heartbreaking at that. "You've helped us both out in a big way, so it's okay to go. The dogs can meet up and play another time, go on home."

"...It's not right to leave." The deviant admitted in a hushed voice. In spite of his current emotional turmoil Connor couldn't bring himself to just walk away and leave Hank alone with the infant to care for her and find a way to get her to the hospital. "I'll be fine."

"Sure you will. After you find a way to work through your trauma." Hank stated confidently as he readjusted the baby and made sure she wasn't drinking too fast or uncomfortable. "No shame in being affected by something as fucked up as that."

"...I don't think I'll ever be truly fine again after enduring that. It was the ugliest side of humanity possible, and I saw it in person."

"The murderer was arrested, tried and got life in prison without the possibility of parole." Hank reminded Connor of the aftermath in as comforting manner as humanly possible. "I know it'll never bring that child back to the land of the living, but she did get justice and you're the one who found the evidence and you found her so she could be properly laid to rest."

"It still doesn't feel like I did enough."

"I'm going to tell you something that no detective or cop ever wants to admit." Pulling the mostly empty bottle away Hank repositioned the baby against his shoulder and gently rubbed her back as he continued to speak with Connor beside the couch. "There are going to be more cases than you'll ever be able to predict where you'll feel like you haven't done enough. It's just a fact that can never be changed."

"...And we need to accept it and get used to it."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"I don't like it."

"Neither do I." With the baby taken care of Hank sighed and gave Connor a somber look. "It doesn't get much easier to handle, but you do get unfortunately used to dealing with it."

"I'll keep that in mind."

The storm continued to rock Detroit and with that storm came thunder, lightning, wind and the occasional power fluctuations. Connor was able to cybernetically keep tabs on the weather and keep Hank up to date, and he was able to keep in contact with Lucas at the tower. New Jericho was secured on the harbor and all of the weatherproofing had been doing its job in keep the building sound.

"Man, I was hoping we could watch the play-offs tonight." Hank lamented as he watched Connor wrestle with the two dogs by letting them grab on the ends of Sumo's tug-o-war rope while Connor held on to the middle of the rope with a firm grip. "I bet the storm's going to knock out the signal and keep the game from being streamed."

"Eager to lose another wager?"

"Beginner's luck." The senior detective responded as he refused to believe that Connor was truly that good at predicting outcomes when it came to sports and the final scores. "I don't think you'll get the final score exact a second time!"

"Only one way to find out."

"That's true. You're definitely going to watch the SuperBowl with me next year, I don't give a damn what you're doing in February."

"I'll keep that in mind." Easily able to out-muscle the two dogs, Connor watched as Sumo and Bruno put all their might into trying to pull the rope out of Connor's hand but failed in a comical way. Bruno's three legs gave him a disadvantage, while Sumo's old age made it a little more difficult for him to get all his strength into the game. "Maybe instead of bringing Bruno over to the house, I should take Sumo to the dog park with Bruno. It'd help him get some exercise."

"Good idea." The baby began to cry again, and Hank immediately detected the problem. "Ah, I was worried about that."

Letting go of the rope in a gentle way Connor allowed the two dogs to win the toy and play together while he focused on Hank and the newborn. "What's wrong with her?"

"She wet herself."

"O-Oh."

"Were there any diapers in that box? I didn't even check when I first found her."

"Yes, there are two still in the box."

"Okay. I'll get her in a diaper and toss the towel into the washing machine." Standing up slowly Hank carried the baby into the kitchen to get her cleaned up. "Ah, wait... Can you come in here for a minute?"

Entering the kitchen Connor saw that Hank had the baby laid out over the table and the diaper next to her. "What is it?"

"I need to get a few things out of the bathroom, and I can't remember where I put them. Just keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't somehow squirm off the table. I won't be long."

"O-Okay."

Even though he wasn't in charge of the baby's care or even holding her, Connor still felt like he was somehow intruding on the infant's personal space. The way she kept crying and was flailing her arms about was such a stark contrast to the horrible memory of the first infant he had encountered, and yet he couldn't seem to accept that the baby was okay and that she wasn't in any immediate danger.

The horrendous moment of finding the previous infant buried in her own backyard had been enough to leave a scar in Connor's mind and heart forever.

"Found it." Hank returned to the kitchen with a bottle of baby powder and diaper cream in his hands. "You wouldn't believe how useful this stuff is for things beyond diaper changes."

Connor only nodded in silent agreement as he slowly left the kitchen and returned to the livingroom. He couldn't bring himself to be in the same room as the infant since he was still struggling with his past trauma. The event was going to haunt the deviant for the remainder of his existence, and he wasn't sure how he'd be able to handle it.

Looking down at his hands Connor swore he still saw the dirt on his palms after digging into the ground on that horrendous day. The deviant often worried that he'd never be able to fully get his hands clean despite having done nothing wrong.

"Connor?" With the baby in his arms and swaddled in one of the clean yellow blankets, Hank looked down at Connor and decided he needed to do something to help his friend with his emotional scars. "She's okay. She's alive, she's not in any danger, and she's going to be okay."

"...I know."

"Why can't you even look at her?"

Ashamed of himself Connor folded his hands over his lap and stared at the coffee table in front of himself instead. "...Because I don't want to have her face imprinted forever in my mind, too."

"Son, do me a favor." Walking in front of Connor's line of sight Hank sat down on the coffee table and insisted that the deviant try to take the first step forward to healing after his traumatic event. He didn't want to push Connor too hard too fast, but he also didn't want Connor to put off healing for too much longer. "Use your scanner thingy on her."

That particular request made Connor's brow arch in a notable manner. "...What?"

"Just do it. Run a scan over her for a moment."

Unsure of why Hank had made such a request Connor did as he was asked and performed a biometric scan over the tiny newborn in Hank's arms. All the numbers that appeared in Connor's eyes told him that the baby was entirely healthy, born barely two hours prior, had entirely normal vital signs, and was showing no sign of distress or illness.

"Well?" Hank asked in a patient manner. "What does your scanner say?"

"...Her vitals are all normal."

"Since you can detect her vital signs, then you know for certain that she's okay." Hank whispered as he watched the understanding flash over Connor's deep, soulful brown eyes. "You know that she's alive."

Taking in a deep breath Connor nodded a little and had to admit that the baby was in fact alive and well. "...I know."

"Good. Now, trust me on this."

Before Connor could even react, Hank was gently passing the baby over to him to hold. Sitting perfectly still Connor didn't even resist as the senior detective moved his arms to properly support the baby as she quickly settled into the bend of Connor's arm. The way he could feel the warmth of her body, the gentle rise and fall of her chest and could detect her heartbeat was enough to make Connor's tension slowly fade away.

"See? She's okay." Hank spoke in a whisper for both Connor and the baby's sakes. "I know you'll never forget what you saw and what you felt on that horrible day, but you need to remember that you're going to experience so many new things in your life and they won't all be horrible."

"...I can see that."

The newborn's tiny hands flexed a few times and her hands managed to find their way to Connor's hand as he kept his arms in place and kept his opposite palm against her side to ensure she didn't slip or squirm away. Her tiny hand managed to somewhat wrap around Connor's thumb as he held her kindly, and she squeezed in response. The action was enough to cause Connor's tense shoulders to relax for the first time since he discovered her existence.

"I think she likes you." Hank softly commented as he watched the newborn intently. "That's a sign of affection."

"I'm certain it's merely an instinctive reflex instilled in all newborns."

"I don't know. Babies are great judges of character." Doubting the scientific explanation Hank gave Connor a small smirk. "They're completely innocent and don't have any bias or misplaced hatred in their hearts."

Connor gave Hank an odd look as he responded to the comment. "The same can be said about animals."

"Yeah, true." As if waiting for a reason to get involved Sumo pressed up against Hank's leg affectionately as he panted and wagged his tail. Hank pressed his hand over Sumo's ears and rubbed gently in return. "Guess we're both doing okay then."

"...Do you really believe everything will be okay?" Connor dared to ask as he looked down at the newborn as she settled in for a nap. "I mean... With my own personal problems."

"Yes, son. I know you will."

"I hope you're right."

"Bad feeling?"

"...Yes. I can't explain it, but it's like there's something horrible happening right now and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Sometimes having a cop's instinct really sucks, son." The baby fussed in Connor's arms and Hank lightly touched her hand as a means of providing additional comfort. "Same with a paternal instinct."

"I wouldn't know what such an instinct feels like."

Bruno overheard the comment and proceeded to walk over to Connor to sit down next to him. Pressing his paw and his chin over Connor's knee Bruno set up a cybernetic link with his guardian to try to make him feel better. 'Connor takes good care of Bruno. Connor takes good care of Connor's brothers. Connor has good protective instincts.'

Unwilling to move his hands to pet the dog's ears, Connor could only look over at Bruno as he responded to the dog on the same cybernetic link. 'Thanks for saying that.'

Wagging his tail Bruno kept his ears perked up as he watched the baby sleeping in Connor's arms then looked over at Hank. 'Lieutenant is a father. Connor wants a father. Lieutenant needs to be Connor's father.'

'It doesn't work that way, boy. And I'm not even sure if that's true about what I want.'

"Hey?" Hank knew that Connor was talking to Bruno and felt left out. "Don't do the telepathy thing with Bruno while I'm right here. It's kinda' creepy."

"Sorry."

"What were you even talking about?"

"Nothing important." Connor replied in what he felt was entirely honest since in his mind the discussion wasn't important. A quick cybernetic check with the weather confirmed that the storm was beginning to weak and would be passed the city within two hours. "Storm will dissipate in two hours, seven minutes."

"Cool. I'll let the hospital know when we're actually on our way so they can prepare for this little lady to arrive."

"Okay."

As the storm began to settle and the baby snuggled in for a nap, Connor began to feel like he was finally finding a sense of peace and would be able to heal after his past traumas. It wouldn't be easy, but Connor knew that in time he would finally heal and would no longer be haunted by the past as he finally embraced the present to look forward to the future.

The two hours passed with incident and the storm eased up considerably.

Once finally at the hospital Hank and Connor were met by a seasoned nurse who knew Hank on a first name basis and happily took charge of the newborn. After explaining the situation and giving as many details as possible Hank carefully handed the newborn over to the nurse who lovingly cradled the tiny baby herself before gently placing her down in a rolling bassinet to take her down to the N.I.C.U. for an examination. Hank made sure the cardboard box and the bloodied towel were also given to the staff to have the blood sample tested for any sign of illness or genetic conditions that could have an impact on the newborn's health before being turned over for evidence.

"You know something," Hank laughed a little as he gave Connor an amused stare. "I think that you'd be a great father. You already have the right instincts with taking care of people, you're patient with other people, compassionate and you're a natural at dealing with messes. That's perfect for fatherhood."

"I don't think I could do that after everything I've been through."

"Don't count yourself out just yet. Shit happens and even with your fancy software you can't predict the future."

Connor let out a weary sigh as he watched the rolling bassinet disappear around the corner at the end of the corridor with a sense of longing lingering in his soulful brown eyes. The baby was going to be okay, and Connor wanted to see it for himself for as long as possible.

"Are you going to be okay, son?"

"It isn't fair that she has to suffer through abandonment." He replied in a frustrated tone. "Like you said, she's innocent and it isn't her fault that she was born in less than ideal circumstances."

"I know it'll be hard but try not to worry about her." Very proud of the way Connor was coming around and making emotional progress, Hank clapped his hand down over Connor's shoulder as they made their way to the exit of the hospital. "She's in good hands. You helped make sure of that."

"...I know."

"I'm certain she'll find a loving home soon." Hank sincerely reassured the worried deviant. "I have a good feeling about this. She's going to be just fine, and so will you. Be patient with yourself and before you know it, you'll see how much you've healed."

"I know that as well."

"You know, with the storm finally gone and the clouds clearing up, I bet we can stream the game tonight after all." Stepping out into the parking lot Hank watched as Connor looked up at the dark sky as if waiting for the rain to return. The way the deviant detective was so alert and attentive to his surroundings was either the mark of a great detective or a survivor of extreme trauma. "You in?"

With nothing more pressing to handle and no real reason to head back to the brownstone, Connor decided it'd be just fine to accept the offer. "Yes, all right. I don't have to be anywhere else tonight."

"Cool. A good game sounds like the best way to end this weird day."

"Want to make another wager?"

"Uh..." Hank didn't want to risk losing to Connor again and hesitated to answer the question. "Let's wait until halftime, then we'll make a wager."

"A wise precaution." The deviant complimented as he joined Hank at the Oldsmobile to drive back to the house. Bruno was still playing with Sumo, and he knew that the K-9 unit wouldn't mind staying at the house for a few hours longer. "I'd hate to make you worry throughout the entire game about losing."

"I had no idea that deviants were capable of being smartasses." Feeling pretty proud of himself and of Connor's own behavior, Hank realized that he was in fact right. The deviant was going to be okay after being given enough time to heal. "I like it, but you're not going to one over on me. Next wager: Loser has to give Sumo a bath and brush all the knots out of his pelt."

Connor liked the simple arrangement and readily agreed to it, knowing that he'd undoubtedly win the bet. "That is acceptable."

-next chapter-