The excitement of the historic court case was flowing through the city like electricity. All the news could be bothered to discuss on every single channel was Markus's freedom and the mayor's own impending trial. Hank had heard enough of the news and turned off the television in a huff. He also had heard enough of the nails being pounded into the house and the power drills roaring as the construction crew arrived at the property at nine 'o clock sharp to resume their work. Desperate for some quiet and isolation Hank shuffled about the house as he changed his clothes, grabbed his phone, his wallet and his car keys before pouring himself a massive cup of coffee in the kitchen.

Stirring a diabetes-inducing amount of sugar and sweetener into the coffee Hank watched the construction crew through the side window as they quickly measured, cut and hung up the drywall and insulation for the new side room. It wasn't their fault that construction projects were always so damn noisy or that Hank wasn't a morning person, but he blamed them for his current headache anyway.

"Fuckin' hell..."

Sipping at his coffee slowly Hank tried to make it last for as long as possible, only to take down a big swig when the power drills started up again.

"I sure as Hell hope Connor is having a better morning than I am!"

Finishing off his coffee Hank put the now empty mug down in the sink and ran some water through the cup to ensure that all traces of sugar and sweetener were washed away. Fighting the urge to glare at the construction workers going about their jobs as they had been instructed through the window, Hank sighed and dropped himself down at the kitchen table to wait for something to change.

From his pillow in the livingroom Sumo whined and slowly joined Hank in the kitchen. Resting his chin and a paw over the senior detective's knee Sumo knew his master was having a bad day and just wanted to help him feel better.

"Fuck this noise..."

Instinctively Hank began petting Sumo's ears and let out a deep sigh.

"As soon as the kid's back I'm outta' here!"

As the couple laid in the bed under the sheets and comforter, Connor's arm wrapped around Skye and she snuggled into his side, the two deviants felt entirely at peace. The morning had been warm and bright as the sun rose over the city. As the comforting rays of natural light beamed through the second floor window Connor and Skye laid together in her bed and discussed who they were, what they meant to each other and what they wanted out of life. The duo had spent the night together and finally worked through their long suppressed feelings toward one another, and now that they had their heads and their hearts cleared it was much easier to talk to one another.

Connor spoke of how he wanted to continue to work as a detective for as long as possible to protect his people, of how he wanted to grow closer to his brother and his mentor like a family and how he was on a quest to find his happiness. Skye admitted that she too wanted to focus on her career, that she wanted to protect their people in her own way, but that she had momentarily given up on the hope to have a family after she suffered her personal loss. In fact, she had the upgrades removed from her person until further notice.

Discussing their personal interests and tastes when it came to their hobbies and their personal beliefs, the two found that while they had some things in common in the grand scheme of things they weren't truly compatible. At the moment they both had vastly different long term life goals, and it'd cause one to sacrifice their hopes and dreams for the other in order to succeed.

Such a sacrifice was entirely unnecessary.

Dressing himself in the same clothes had been wearing the day before Connor accepted a small glass of Thirium from Skye as she too got dressed for the day. "I have today off. What about you?"

"I have a meeting at eleven o'clock with my law firm." Making herself look entirely professional and presentable Skye drank her own Thirium to help replenish what was lost during the night. Sitting down on the foot of the bed next to Connor the defense attorney looked out the window to the bright and sunny world around them. "I imagine things are going to be hectic for a while."

"But in a good way. Everyone is now going to be focused on everything that the mayor has done, and they'll be looking at his corrupt contacts in the process."

"You're right. It wasn't how I was expecting to help our people, but I know I did the right thing. Nothing would've been gained by either you or Markus going to prison. Those men who preyed on people long before that night in the forest deserved to be locked away for the rest of their miserable lives."

"Then it's a good thing we're doing what we're going. I'll arrest them."

"And I'll make sure only the guilty go to prison." Finishing off her Thirium Skye slipped on her pumps and gave Connor a warm grin. "Do you think people are going to talk about us?"

"Do you mean through courtroom gossip?"

"That, and the deviant community."

"I doubt it. I don't think our making amends and moving on with our lives is worth discussing."

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you came here to talk to me last night. Even if we can't work together as a couple I know we can work together as friends and as professionals in our fields."

"You're right. I'd rather us be friends than nothing at all."

"Same." Leaning against his side for a moment Skye sighed and then proceeded to tie up her long brunette hair into a bun behind her head. "I'm going to use a cab to head to my firm and get a headstart. Want to split the fare?"

"Yes, it's time I got back home to Hank." Noting the morning hour Connor knew that everyone else was already going about their business. "I imagine he's not too happy with how early deviants get to work on big projects..."

Keeping Noreen company early in the morning as she and Lucas enjoyed their own day off, Lucas watched his partner as she laid on her stomach on the floor of her livingroom apartment, and dragged a feather covered toy around in front of Patches to entice the kitten to play. Noreen had adopted Patches almost a week ago and had been smitten the moment Lucas brought the kitten over to her apartment to live. It seemed Patches loved Noreen just as much as Noreen loved her, and expressed her love with loud purrs and by rubbing up against Noreen's shoulders and chin while she laid on the floor.

Lucas was happy to see that the two were getting along and hoped to find someone to adopt the final kitten soon. No one else at his precinct was interested in any pets at the moment, and he knew Gavin asked at his own precinct for any takers besides Tina. Hank said no to any additional pets, and Lucas didn't really know anyone else who would potentially want a little kitten.

"Noreen, you wouldn't happen to know anyone looking to adopt a pet would you?"

"Not at the moment." Laughing as Patches rubbed her nose against Noreen's nose, the kind human rubbed the kitten's chin affectionately. "Are you sure you can't talk Hank into taking her?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Hank is someone whose mind cannot easily be swayed. That's what makes his entire outlook on androids such a shock."

Pressing the feathers to Patches's nose Noreen grinned and looked at her partner sitting on the couch. "What do you mean?"

"Before Hank had met Connor he had been an anti-android bigot."

"...Your kidding." Sitting up on her knees Noreen scooped Patches up from the floor and joined Lucas on the couch. "He took Connor in and he's making you a special guestroom in his house. I can't imagine he ever hated androids."

"It's hard for me to believe, too, but it's the truth. Hank doesn't deny that he was mistaken for his previous hatred and has taken many steps to atone for his past mistakes."

"Proof that no one is beyond redemption..."

"For the most part, yes." Rubbing Patches's ear Lucas smirked and was glad the kitten was right at home. "Thanks for letting me check in on her."

"No problem. She's so sweet and cuddly and I hope she stays that way with all people, so stop by any time to help me spoil her."

"I will remember that." Standing up from the furniture Lucas walked to the apartment door and slipped on his shoes. "It's best that I get to the house right now and help with the construction."

"Help? How do you help a construction crew without actually joining?"

"By ensuring that they are adequately funded and aren't working in adverse conditions."

"You're too good for this world, Lucas. You really are!"

Breathing a sigh of relief Markus enjoyed the new dawn as he stood in the middle of the art studio and admired the massive blue portrait in a new light. He was free to go about his business and do whatever it was he wanted to do. The charges against him had been dropped, and in return the mayor had knocked himself out of the frying pan and into the fire. Feeling like he had done something that no one else could do, take justice into his own hands and walking free out of a courtroom when he was rightfully charged with the crime through false testimony, Markus began to rethink his priorities as a figurehead for the tower and a representative for his people.

Knowing that the anonymous tips weren't provided by the mayor's cohorts but came from the deviants back in New Jericho Tower made Markus feel as though he needed to reassess who he'd let into his life. North was always going to be welcome in his heart, and he was sure he could still trust Josh and Simon. As for the other deviants who not only exiled him, but tried to have him imprisoned, well, that was another story.

With his back to the gallery doorway Markus heard it slide open as North stepped through the door to join him. Wearing a red silk robe that was tied closed around her waist, and nothing more, North stood to Markus's right and wrapped both of her arms around his arm in an affectionate manner.

"I still don't understand this painting." His mismatched eyes never left the massive image as he spoke. "Yet somehow I feel like I can relate to it now that the trial is over."

"It's beautiful."

"I wonder how much more beautiful it would've looked if Carl had been able to finish it?"

"No clue."

"What's the tower doing right now?"

North leaned closer against Markus's side as she relayed what she had learned from Simon and Josh earlier that morning. "Apparently those who voted you out are actually mad about the trial ending as it did. They were trying to tell the police that you got off on a technicality and that you were really in the forest that night, but none of them are actually willing to go into the city to stand by their comments. It's being dismissed as a desperate attempt by the mayor to try to save his sorry ass."

"Are they afraid of backlash if they go to the police?"

"I think they're afraid of the world. They turned so quickly on you and are so determined to see you get locked up because they hate the world we're forced to live in."

"Which is why New Jericho Tower was founded in the first place. It's a sanctuary for deviants with nowhere to go and meant to be a symbol of peace. It's hard to keep the peace when there's chaos disrupting the flow, but not impossible."

"It also doesn't help when the peaceful figurehead behind the whole thing is exiled and then isolated."

"Honestly, it doesn't matter where I am." Holding no grudge against his people Markus only let serenity fill his mind and his heart. "I can help our people no matter what."

"What're you going to do next?"

"I'm going to lay low until after the mayor's been tried and is behind bars. After that, I'll begin working directly alongside Skye in an attempt speed up our rights and new laws being put into effect. We've suffered enough, and it's time for our justice to be won through more than just luck and technicalities."

"You're not going to become a lawyer, are you?"

"No, Carl actually hated lawyers and he once made me swear to never become one." Smirking a little at the odd memory Markus sighed and placed his left palm atop North's hands as she held onto his arm. "I'll find a way to help my people without needing to face them in the tower. I trust you to be my eyes for me."

Arriving at the house just before nine-thirty in the morning Connor jogged up to the front door of the house and stepped inside to check in on Hank. As he entered the livingroom Connor caught sight of Hank sitting at the kitchen table looked pissed off at the whole world, and hoped Hank was just annoyed with the loud construction and not with Connor himself. Approaching the senior detective warily Connor studied Hank's body language very closely while also scanning his vital signs. By all account Hank was extremely stressed out and was liable to snap at any moment.

"...Hank?"

"'Bout fuckin' time." Standing up from the kitchen table Hank passed by the deviant to get to the livingroom with heavy steps. "Assholes began pounding on the fuckin' house before I even had the chance to wake up."

"I'm sorry. I'll tell them to-"

"Forget about it. I have somewhere I need to be, anyway."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No." Jerking the front door open abruptly Hank made it clear he wanted to be alone. "Stay here and make sure they don't build a damn tree house in the backyard."

"Is there something-" A loud 'slam' shook the house as hard the construction crew outside as it cut Connor off mid question. "...Yes. Something is indeed upsetting Hank as of the moment."

Sumo whimpered as he pressed his nose into Connor's right hand in search of some attention.

"He was fine yesterday. I can't imagine-"

Checking the dates cybernetically as he made the comment to himself Connor realized what today was, and what tomorrow was going to be. It all made sense for Hank to be so touchy and angry seemingly out of the blue.

"...Oh. Perhaps it's best if I leave him alone."

Lightly rubbing Sumo's ears Connor walked into the livingroom and proceeded to watch the news regarding the mayor and of his downfall. It was Detroit's biggest story since the Revolution itself, and the media couldn't get enough of it.

As he sat down on the couch Connor was joined shortly thereafter by Sumo as the Saint Bernard hopped up on the cushions. Whether or not Sumo was upset by the heavy emotion in the house or the loud construction outside, the deviant couldn't say for sure. Once his ears started to get rubbed Sumo settled down across Connor's lap and went limp under his deviant master's kind touch.

"It's not right to intrude on someone else's family moments. It's best that we stay here and give Hank his space."

The drive out to the quiet cemetery was a long and silent journey.

Every year since he lost his wife Hank had to force himself to drive out to her final resting place so he could pay his respects and remind her that he loved her. When Cole died that drive felt twice as painful and twice as long. It had been almost four years since Cole succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, and eight years since Barbara was killed in the line of duty. In those eight years Hank swore his heart couldn't hurt any worse, and then the past four years cruelly proved him wrong.

The bright and warm morning was contrasting harshly against the dark and foul mood in Hank's heart as he pulled the car into the cemetery, and parked the old car along the dirt path before making his way to the two headstones that marked where his loved ones were currently laid to rest. Turning off the engine Hank opened up the trunk of the car where he had placed a small white box for safekeeping before he left the city. With the box tucked under his arm Hank walked down the dirt path a few feet until he found the two headstones that bore the names of his departed loved ones.

Kneeling down before the two graves Hank read the names and he let out a small sigh that was nearly choked by a sob. As he placed the box down over the graves Hank opened the lid to reveal the three flowers he had tucked away inside.

"Hey, babe."

Placing a white lily down on Barbara's headstone Hank spoke to his late wife in a somber tone.

"It's been a while, I know. I did show up on our anniversary and your birthday, though. It took me some time to think of a clever way to get out of the city without Connor following me, but I never forgot about you."

Next putting a deep blood red rose down next to the white lily Hank remembered how Barbara had a bouquet of red roses in her hands when they exchanged their vows on their wedding day.

"The kid hates roses, but I don't think he'd have any problem with me bringing you your favorite flower. I've said this before, and I still stand by it: You'd really like Connor, Barb. He's the stubborn second child we always wanted but never had the chance to... You know."

Wiping away a rogue tear with his thumb as he spoke Hank filled his late wife in on everything that was happening in the city since his last visit, and of how he and Connor were making room for Lucas to visit with them more often. It was a surprisingly cheery conversation given the circumstances and it ended only when Hank was ready to stop speaking.

Turning his attention over to Cole's grave beside his mother Hank sighed and placed down the final white lily out of respect and love for his firstborn.

"Hey, son. Tomorrow's your birthday and I wanted to stop by and give you something special."

Reaching into his coat pocket Hank placed down a brand new baseball to sit beside the flower in honor of his late son.

"You'll be ten years old tomorrow, and I bet if ya' had the chance you'd be the all star pitcher on your little league team this year. You always did have a mean fastball."

Proud of what Cole accomplished in his short life Hank made sure to let his son know he never forgot.

"I wish I could celebrate with you tomorrow, but duty calls. Again. So I brought you your gift early so you won't be disappointed."

Brushing a few stray leaves away from the headstone as he spoke Hank found his eyes tearing up again.

"Maybe next time I'll bring Connor with me so you can finally meet your honorary big-little brother. He's the big brother since he's bigger than you, but still the little brother since you were the man of the house before he was even born. In time I bet Lucas would like to meet you, too. Then you can meet your whole family."

Bowing his head a little Hank paid his respects to his beloved family as he reminded them that he never forgot about them and still loved them.

"This has been a weird year, but if it wasn't for your new big-little brothers it's would've been even weirder... And I don't think I would've had the courage to keep coming here without their support and belief that I'm not a total screw-up."

Working outside the house along with the construction deviants Connor told Lucas about Hank's foul mood, and tried to think of a way to make things easier for the senior detective to endure during such a sensitive time. Their first idea was to assist with the construction project to speed things along and make sure the work was done ahead of schedule. The second idea was to pay for a second crew to work along with the first crew to ensure the project stayed ahead of schedule and was completed properly. And their third idea was to give Hank as much space as he needed once he finally returned to the house to ensure they didn't accidentally upset him further.

As the brothers worked together to finish installing the new window on the new ground floor room, the construction crew worked around them and began attaching the exterior siding to make the new room blend in perfectly to the rest of the house. Everything was coming together nicely and all that was left to do was paint the interior of the new room, put down new flooring and help Hank put his gym equipment inside of it.

"Do you really think this will help Hank's foul mood?" Lucas accompanied Connor back toward the front of the house as they watched the construction crew working in overdrive to finish the second floor loft. "I don't see how the new rooms being finished earlier than estimated will make him feel better."

"The lack of noise from the construction crew and the lack of an intrusive presence from the crew should help his mood greatly. Hank prefers solitude and quiet when he's home. When we're driving he likes to blast heavy metal."

"Seems strange, but I'll take your word for it. I'm still unsure of what I could do to help him."

Needing a change of subject Connor decided to move away from Hank and over to one of Lucas's own dilemmas. "Have you had any luck rehoming the final kitten?"

"No, not yet." Standing together in the front yard Lucas was stuck with trying to find a solution. "I'm keeping Lucky and my apartment has a single pet clause. I can't keep the kitten myself, but I can't just drop her off at the humane society and hope for the best, either."

"Perhaps your landlord will be lenient with the clause since you're a good tenant and a detective."

"I don't want to ask for special permission, it isn't fair to the other tenants."

"What're you going to do?"

"I'll keep looking for a new home for the kitten, and until then I'll take good care of her."

Watching as the deviant crew finished installing the window on the newly created second floor loft Connor and Lucas were satisfied with how the designs were turning out, and knew they had done the right thing by giving the small house more space and additional character. Once the roof was finished the siding would be added and the loft itself would be completed externally.

"The wiring has been finished and the fuse box has been improved so it can withstand the extra power flow." Lucas noted as he received a cybernetic update from the deviant technician in the garage. "When the crew leaves we should clean up the house so Hank doesn't get annoyed by an unnecessary mess."

Speaking in a soft tone Connor replied to the suggestion. "That's a good idea..."

"Connor, I can see that you're holding something back." The soulful brown eyes were always Connor's tell when it came to his real emotions. "What are you thinking about now?"

"...I'm trying to understand how a person going through this type of grief copes." Giving his brother a lost stare Connor admitted he was indeed thinking about something beyond the house and kitten. "I've never lost a family member as Hank has, and I'm unsure of what I can say or do to provide any type of comfort to Hank."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"I think I need to seek counsel from someone who has an idea of what it's like to lose someone very important to them. I need advice."

"Brother, I understand your compulsion to help Hank through his trying time, but do you really want to risk opening old wounds?"

"I'm aware of the damage I might accidentally cause, but I have to try." Glancing back at the house as the none deviant construction workers worked together on the roof Connor was torn between his priorities. Seek advice or work on the house? "...I'll be back as soon as I can, Lucas. If I can't get any answers then we'll work on this together."

"Very well." Pulling his truck keys from his back pocket Lucas handed them over to Connor to take. "Use my truck. I'll be here waiting for you."

Watching the news play out on television from the sitting room of the mansion, Markus took in every detail that was being delivered with a grain of salt. He knew better than to just take the word of the media in regard to anything important happening in the city, but he couldn't just turn a blind eye to the reports as well. Unwilling to contact any deviants in the tower, even Josh or Simon, the exiled deviant leader tried to use his own resources without relying on New Jericho as he adapted to a new life. While he and North sat together on the leather sofa in the sitting room they both observed the news reports and began hoping for the best for their future and for their people.

"The mayor sounds like he's royally fucked." North commented as she leaned against Markus's right side to cuddle with him. "The creep is going to try to stall the trial through some other sleazy means. I can feel it."

"Even if he does try to pull another stunt it won't matter. The city knows the type of company he keeps, and they know he's trying to cover his sorry ass."

"Think he'll drag out the trial, too?"

"Most likely. The longer he can keep the trial going the longer he stays out of prison."

"Can't stall forever."

"And he can't afford his team of lawyers for more than a few weeks at a time. He's going to go down and go down hard."

The doorbell rang unexpectedly and both deviants jumped at the intrusive sound. Exchanging worried looks for a moment Markus switched the television from the news broadcast and toward the mansion's exterior security cameras that he had installed after inheriting the mansion, and checked the live feed. Seeing a single familiar face standing on the front step outiside made Markus and North exchange confused glances instead of worried.

"Connor?"

North sat upright so Markus could get to his feet and answer the door. "Why's he here?"

"I don't know, but I'll find out." Crossing the foyer Markus opened the front door and stared at the deviant with a truly confused gaze in his mismatched eyes. "Connor, is there something wrong?"

"...Maybe." Pausing for a moment Connor suddenly felt guilty and tried to leave the property as soon as he arrived. "N-Never mind, I'm sorry for intruding."

"No, wait." Closing the door behind himself Markus joined Connor on the front lawn so they could speak in private. "You came all the way out here and we're not even friends. You must be here for a very important reason."

"I did come here for a reason, but it's not important and it's a very cold request. Forget I stopped by."

"Connor, talk to me." Calling out the deviant before he got too far away Markus needed to know why Connor was there. "Is something happening with the case?"

"...No, the case is fine." Turning back around Connor faced Markus directly and could see North watching them through the front window. "It's just, I wanted to speak to a deviant who... Who knows what humans go through with grief and loss. I'm aware of what Mr. Manfred suffered in his life and I know you helped him get through his grief. I... I want to help Hank but I'm not sure how." Struggling to ask for help Connor had to force himself to look Markus in the eyes as he spoke. "I was... hoping you might know what to do."

Stunned by the simple request Markus took a moment to process what he was being asked. "You'd trust me to help Hank?"

"I need help and you're the only deviant I know who accepted their human companion as their family. Their father."

Markus was impressed by the fact that Connor was actually willing to ask him for help and was shocked to hear him refer to Hank as his family. In a way it finally gave the two deviants common ground to stand on and begin to mend fences. "...I'm not sure what help I can provide, but I'm willing to try."

Falling silent Connor just stared expectantly at Markus as if waiting for him to speak first.

"Tell me what's going on with Hank, and I can try to give you some insight from my own experiences."

Grateful to have his request fulfilled Connor's shoulders slumped with relief and he let out a tense breath he didn't even know he had been holding. "Thank you, Markus."

Needing to spend the day outside the city to think and clear his head Hank drove slowly back to Detroit and drove even slower back to the house. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a loud construction crew banging on his house until it was time for them to clock-out after another hour or so, but he had nowhere else to go and waste his time now that he had sobered up. As he pulled onto his street Hank noticed the air was quiet and then saw the finished exterior of the modified house waiting for his approval. It looked really well done and the only faint signs of construction could be seen on the recently disturbed turf around the new ground floor room.

The senior detective sped up a little and pulled the Oldsmobile into the driveway beside Lucas's truck and practically jogged to the front door. He needed to know what he missed while he was outside the city. Opening up the front door slowly Hank entered the livingroom and was hit by the smell of fresh pine and other disinfectants. The entire house was spotless and actually shining.

"Uh... Connor? Lucas?" Calling out to the two deviants Hank heard movement in the garage and went out to investigate while Sumo watched him from his freshly laundered pillow in the livingroom corner. Opening up the side door he peered inside the cold garage and saw the two brothers working together to clean up Hank's old workout equipment. "Boys?"

"Hank." Connor replied quickly as he sat aside his bottle of cleaner, and Lucas dropped his rag. "I'm sorry, we were trying to get this cleaned up before you came back."

"Kid, the livingroom looks like you could perform open-heart surgery in there! You've cleaned enough!" Using his left thumb over his shoulder Hank motioned to the newly finished ground floor room behind him and gave the two deviants a stern gaze. "What the hell did you do?"

"I paid for a second crew to help finish the construction sooner. I knew the noise was upsetting you and I-"

"Ah, shit..." Guilt hit Hank hard. "Son, you didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to."

Lucas spoke up quickly and sided with Connor. "The loft is finished as well. When we have time off again I'll pay for the paint and flooring since you are building the guest room for me."

"Boys, just... Just stop. Stop trying to do favors for me."

Connor looked at Lucas and then back to Hank. "...We're sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"For upsetting you."

"Kid, for fuck sake, you're NOT upsetting me. I just don't like it when you two go out of your way for me because I bitch about mild inconveniences."

"...This morning you were upset. You hated the noise and wanted me to show up so you could leave. With the construction now finished the house will remain quiet and no one will have to stay here during construction hours."

"Son, stop it. I wasn't upset over the construction, all right? It was pissing me off, sure, but that's not why I was pissed."

"...I know that, too."

Putting his hands to his hips Hank gave the two deviants a truly perplexed stare. "You do?"

"Yes. I'm aware of what tomorrow is and I know it's important for you to have your family moments to yourself. We just wanted the house to be presentable and comfortable when you returned."

Hank's heart nearly split in half when he heard that. The way Connor thought he and Lucas were excluded from Hank's concept of family was as wrong as it was saddening. Crossing over the garage floor in two long strides Hank grabbed both Connor and Lucas in his arms and hugged them tight. "Boys, you ARE my family! Never think otherwise."

Again Connor and Lucas exchanged looks as they reciprocated the hug they were receiving.

"I was pissed off and in a bad mood, but that doesn't mean you guys need to walk on egg shells around me, let alone think I want ya' guys to separate yourself from my family. I just needed to visit Barb and Cole because it's an important day tomorrow, and I'm pissed we gotta' work. That's all."

"We understand." The deviant brothers replied in an echoing chorus.

"You better." Letting go of the hug slowly Hank revealed the tears in his blue eyes as he let out a sigh. "Look, we may not be bound by blood or genetics, but we're a family all the same. I told Barb and Cole all about you two, and I promised them that the next time I visited that you two would be with me. If you don't think we're family now, then you'll see that we are a family then."

The two deviants weren't expecting such an emotional answer from Hank and were grateful for his kindness and generosity. While Connor hadn't been told anything new from Markus in regard to helping people with their grief, he did learn that people grieve in their own way. In that moment Hank's grief had been focused on getting space but not excluding people from his life the way Carl had tried.

"Hank," speaking very softly Connor tried to break the tense mood in the air. "it'd be our honor to meet your wife and son."

"Damn right it would be." Joking a little Hank patted the two deviants on their shoulders and motioned for them to return to the house. "Now, you two go take turns showering off and watch the game with me. We both need a little break after everything we've been through, and one of the best ways to relax is to watch a close game with either your closest friends, or your family. In my book, you qualify as both."

-next chapter-