Life With the Anderson Family:

Three days in the hospital finally came to an end and the family could go home together. Due to the unexpected caesarean section Abby was taken back to the Anderson home to recover in Connor's bed to ensure she was never alone, and Connor was going to be a full hands-on dad no matter what might happen. With help from the family Connor carried Abby in his arms through the front door while Hank proudly carried Henry in his car-seat in ahead of them. Lucas was carrying all the bags, the flowers, cards and other gifts as he swore to keep the house as comfortable and clean as possible while Abby recovered and Henry adjusted to his new home.

Falling into an old routine he hadn't used for over ten years Hank gently placed the car-seat down on the couch and unfastened the safety straps from over Henry's lap so he could pick his grandson up to hold. Without missing a beat Hank instinctively new how to pick Henry up without disturbing him as he napped and proudly held him against his chest.

"Welcome home, kiddo." Hank stated in a low voice as he watched Connor carry Abby down the hallway to keep resting after her abdominal surgery. "Your dad is going to give you the best damn childhood you could ever hope for, and your mom is going to make sure you never lose your fighting spirit. As your very happy 'Papa' I'm going to make sure you never a single damn day of misery or doubt."

Lucas, who had overheard the comment, placed the massive and cumbersome stuffed teddy bear up in the baby's room - the gift courtesy of Tina, and returned to the livingroom to check in on everything. "Should you be using foul language around an infant?"

"Henry's only three days old, he's not going to learn any 'adult words' just yet. Besides, the way Connor and Abby speak so frankly to one another guarantees that this kid's first word might only be four letters long no matter what I may or may not say."

"Noted."

"How about we keep Henry company until Connor gets back?"

"I'm okay with that plan." Lucas lightly put his hand to Henry's back and noticed that Lucky and Sumo were both watching their owners from the pillow in the corner of the livingroom. Sumo was curiously sniffing the air and Lucky seemed to sense the arrival of the new baby on an instinctive level. "It seems Gavin was able to handle the pets while we were gone."

"Still guarantee he's going to bitch about his dog fur allergy when I get back to the precinct."

"Small price to pay to make sure everyone's okay."

Down in the bedroom Connor had gently placed Abby down in the middle of his bed and made sure her surgical incision hadn't been disturbed during the ride to the house from the hospital. Fortunately the incision was still closed and showed no sign of infection or bleeding, but even so Connor wanted to be sure that she was going to be okay resting in the house and not a hospital.

"Stop fussing." Abby teased as she batted Connor's hand back. "I'm fine. Go take care of Henry so I can sleep and dream about having a firm, toned set of abs again. I miss my abs."

"It doesn't seem right leaving you in here to rest while everyone else is going to be paying attention to Henry."

"Connor, trust me. Me being able to have a moment to myself after having an entire surgical team all up in my business is the best thing I could hope for."

"Okay." Pulling his hand back Connor leaned down and gave Abby a kiss while she settled down in the middle of the bed to get some more sleep. "Do you need an ice pack or a heating pad?"

"Maybe a heating pad. I don't want to be disturbed by any nasty muscle cramps while I'm trying to sleep."

"Done. I also told Hank that we're doing something special for dinner tonight, but he insisted that you get to pick."

"Oh, I love that man almost as much as I love you." Grinning playfully Abby thought for a moment and made her decision. "I would like a nice steak dinner with all the classic trimmings. I've had to be very careful about eating anything raw for the past nine months, and a well done steak just doesn't cut it. I need one medium rare."

"I'll let him know." Rising from the bed Connor felt Abby's hand grab onto his hold him back for a moment longer. "Something wrong?"

"No, everything's right. I just wanted to tell you how much I truly love you, and appreciate everything you've done for me since we first met. You saved my life, you've come to my rescue a few times since then, and you gave me courage in the face of something that truly terrified me. So, thank you. For everything!"

"Abby, you saved my life too many times for me to really even say without looking like a fool. Us protecting one another and helping each other heal after being injured is simply what people do when they love each other."

"Guess seeing you laying in a bloody heap over that car's mangled roof after you fell off my old apartment building was love at first sight. It just took us a while to notice."

"That may be true." Feeling his newly discovered smile creeping over his face Connor thought back to how he and Abby first met under very strange and unconventional circumstances. "If Henry asks how we met maybe we should just tell him I fell into your lap."

"What a sweet way to paint a picture of you falling twelve stories and suffering serious damage to your spinal column! You're so romantic..."

With Abby taken care of and resting well Connor focused all of his attention onto Henry and spent the morning and afternoon cuddling with his newborn son. It was nice and quiet in the house as Abby slept, and Hank set about grilling dinner in the backyard while Lucas busied himself in the kitchen. As Connor sat on the couch with Henry swaddled in a blue blanket against his chest Connor noticed that Lucky had climbed up onto the back of the couch, and was watching Henry curiously as she purred fairly loudly. Sumo had sat beside the couch rather than on top of it, and had his chin pressed down over Connor's shin while the deviant sat with his legs stretched out over the length of the furniture.

"Looks like you have quite the fan base, Henry."

Seeing the way the family pets were interested in the baby and wanted to be near him was endearing.

"You'll always be loved and never feel a single moment like you're somehow out of place. Your parents may not be a traditional couple, us being a deviant and human couple to be exact, but we love each other and we love you. In time your mom will be more hands-on and direct with you once she has time to adapt and adjust to these changes. I'm the one who was programmed to quickly adapt to human unpredictability, so don't worry about her keeping her distance for a few months. She'll always love you."

Henry's eyes opened up as he let out a big yawn. Squirming a little and making noises Henry honed in on Connor's face as if he knew who his father was and knew he could always trust him.

"Good afternoon, Henry. Your eyes are blue, but I imagine in time they'll turn hazel to match your mother's eyes."

"He's definitely got your unruly hair." Hank spoke in a soft tone as he quietly opened the backdoor in the kitchen and overheard the comment. Entering the livingroom he sat down on the coffee table beside the couch and admired his grandson again. "Look at how thick and dark his hair is already."

"My hair isn't unruly."

Chuckling a little Hank brushed back the rogue lock from Connor's left eye and watched it fall right back into place. "Yeah it is. But in a good way."

"Could be worse."

"Yeah, he could've inherited that damn light in your skull and really draw a crowd."

"Ha, ha..." Tracing his right fingertips over the blue L.E.D. in his right temple Connor just sighed and shook his head. "Hard to believe that those updates really made it possible for deviants to create human life and have our own families."

"Miracle of modern technology."

"A miracle is the best term possible for him." Keeping Henry close Connor looked to Hank and gave him a somewhat lost stare. "...Do you really think I can do this? Be a father."

"Absolutely, kid. The way you took care of me and got my cranky old ass sobered up, the way you immediately adopted the role of a protective big brother when you learned about Lucas, and the fact that you're just a guardian by nature is all the proof I need to see. You're going to be a great dad."

"...I think you're right."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. If I learned anything from you it's how to be a caring person, so by all account I already learned how to be a good father from my own father."

"Don't you start kissin' my ass like that." Wrapping his left arm around Connor's shoulders Hank pulled him up to his side for a quick hug. "You'd ruin the moment."

"I'm just speaking the truth. Aren't I right, Lucas?"

From the kitchen Lucas had overheard the conversation and agree wholeheartedly with the statement. "Absolutely! I don't think our unorthodox family would be the same without dad in our lives."

"Don't you start, too!"

Joining his family in the livingroom Lucas stood between the couch and coffee table as he watched Henry squirming about gently in Connor's arms as he held him close to his chest. "I'm just being honest as well. I wouldn't have been able to live freely outside New Jericho Tower if Connor hadn't rescued me, and if you hadn't encouraged him to keep reaching out to me then I wouldn't have a brother, a father, a sister-in-law and now a nephew."

"Man, you two are really sentimental." Pulling Lucas in for his own hug Hank just smirked at the way the deviant brothers responded so well to emotions and the concept of family. "And I couldn't be any prouder."

The celebratory dinner went off without any problems and Abby couldn't thank Hank enough for being an amazing grill master who gave her the dinner she had been craving since the beginning of her third trimester. As day turned to night Connor took it upon himself to tend to Henry while everyone else got some sleep and suddenly found himself pacing back and forth slowly in Henry's room as the newborn cried and fussed in his father's arms. Unsure of why Henry was suddenly so upset Connor remained patient and tried to use deductive reasoning to figure out his son's distress.

Henry had been fed, his diaper was clean, there were no loud noises or offensive smells to bother him, and he was getting plenty of attention. By all account there was no reason for him to be so upset and yet he very clearly was.

"Shh..." Trying to soothe the baby to the best of his ability Connor continued to pace about slowly as he cradled Henry in his arms. "Please Henry, I'm trying my best to figure out what you want. Be patient with me while I learn."

"Don't try to reason with someone as unreasonable as a newborn." Leaning against the door frame at the top of the loft's staircase Hank watched Connor fall right into dad-mode regarding his son. "He might be colicky and won't settle down for a while."

"No sign of colic. And he isn't exhibiting any sign of other ailments."

"Well, let's try this." Pointing to the rocking chair in the corner of the room Hank directed his son over to the seat. "Sit down and swaddle him back up."

"Like this?" Taking his place in the chair Connor used the same blue blanket and wrapped up Henry in the comforting fabric.

"Yeah, now do this..." Repositioning Connor's arms so Henry's ear was pressed up against the deviant's chest Hank watched as Henry heard the beating heart and began to settle down, quiet his crying and closed his eyes. "Works every time."

"I don't understand." Whispering to keep himself from accidentally upsetting Henry all over again Connor looked to his father for the answer. "Why is he so calm now?"

"He spent almost ten months listening to the sound of Abby's heartbeat inside the womb. A familiar sound can be extremely comforting to anyone, but for a newborn who's going to be experiencing new things every damn day something as simple as a familiar sound can keep them from feeling overwhelmed."

"You used this to comfort Cole, didn't you?"

"Yup." Smiling at the wonderful memories Hank was happy to pass along his little tips and tricks to Connor to use. "Whether it was me or Barb holding him, letting him cuddle on our chests during his naps always worked wonders."

"Thank you. I'm sorry if his crying woke you up."

"I was awake long before I heard Henry crying. It's hard to sleep when there's a newborn in the house and I love having him around."

"You need to go to work tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, well, fuck it. I've been right on time for over a solid year thanks to you, so if I'm a couple minutes late because I was up taking care of my son and my grandson then so be it. Some things are far more important that a work schedule."

"I appreciate it." Looking down at Henry again Connor felt a little torn about his responsibilities at the moment. Henry needed his support and Abby needed time to heal. "I want to put Henry down to sleep, but I'm worried it might wake him up by accident. I also want to check on Abby."

"Abby's fine, son. She was able to easily walk around when she needed to use the bathroom, shower off and eat dinner. If she's in any danger of an infection or something else you'd know it. She's sleeping just fine and not in any danger."

"I suppose that's true enough. Abby would've shown signs of physical distress or complained about something by now."

"And based on how Barb felt after giving birth, she might be more comfortable having that big bed all to herself as her body heals."

"Are you encouraging me to sit up here all night holding Henry?"

"Absolutely. The day after tomorrow is my next day off, and I plan on bonding with Henry from the moment I wake up until the second I drop from exhaustion."

Smirking at the idea of his son getting so much love Connor just stayed in the chair and held Henry close. "I noticed that this blanket has the initials 'C.A.' embroidered in the hem." The white lettering was as clear as day against the dark blue material. "Thank you for letting Henry use Cole's blanket."

"Hey, I already told you Barb and I wanted more kids, and even Cole asked for a little brother to play with a few times. He wouldn't mind sharing with his honorary nephew."

"It's still very generous, thank you."

"Stop thanking me! I'm just being a dad and now a granddad." Taking one of the extra blankets out of the dresser Hank lightly shook it out and then draped it over Connor's lap to ensure he stayed warm as well. "Keep holding him and rock in the chair a little bit. That motion can be soothing, too."

"I'll do that." Using his right foot Connor began gently rocking back and forth in the chair as Henry slept peacefully in his arms. "Please go get some sleep."

"Yeah, sure. But don't think I'm ever going to sleep through his crying."

"Please try."

"Nope. As Henry's 'Papa' I'm going to be on high baby alert at all times." Returning to the doorway Hank turned off the overhead light and noticed the glowing stars painted into the ceiling above him. It was a nice touch that really made the room feel safe and protected. "Goodnight you two, I'll see you both in the morning."

"Goodnight, dad."

As Hank left the bedroom Connor looked down at Henry again and gave his forehead a small kiss.

"See what I mean about Hank being a great father? He's never lost that instinct and it's one I hope to hone through his examples as I raise you."

The First Year: Henry's Life - Months 0-3:

The livingroom was a baby wonderland as Connor rearranged the furniture to spread out a large blanket for Henry to lay on and begin building up his little muscles by playing around in a very limited way with his super soft toys and mini play gym. After recovering from her c-section Abby returned to her own house to finish off the last two weeks of her maternity leave, but stopped by the family house every day to visit Connor and Henry. While she still wasn't quite ready to go full mom-mode with Henry just yet, Abby was still very sweet and attentive to her son in a way that always made everyone feel happy.

As she laid on the blanket beside Henry, her abdomen healing enough for her to lay on her stomach again without pain, Abby rubbed her left hand along Henry's back and stared into his blue eyes as her son stared right back. It was as if she too was in awe at the baby being born, even though she was the one who gave birth to him.

"You are a truly fascinating little man, Henry Cole."

Henry made small noises as Abby called him by his name. He had a small blue pacifier in his mouth and a soft squishy foam block in his right hand.

"You look so much like a tiny version of your daddy it's incredible."

Connor joined Abby and Henry on the blanket and laid down on the left side of his son opposite of Abby. "I think it's too early to assume he's going to look exactly like me."

"Are you kidding?" Propping herself up on her elbows Abby looked over at Connor and grinned. "He has your hair, your nose, your chin and I can already tell he's going to be sporting a handful of your little 'cutie-marks' all over his body."

That last comment resulted in a blue blush filling Connor's cheeks. "He's only four weeks old, it's not possible to make such predictions."

"Wanna' bet?"

"If there's one thing I've learned from Hank about betting, it's to never agree to a bet when it's the other person who suggests such a thing."

"Hank is so wise. He's like a gray haired Buddha."

"He's also an excellent grandfather."

"I know. I've seen the way he looks at Henry and is so quick to volunteer to feed him or change him, or just hold him when our hands are full."

"In the same way having you and Henry in my life has helped me to heal from my own past, I suspect Henry's birth is helping Hank finally heal from the painful loss of his first family."

"I hate to tell you this, but you and Lucas were already helping Hank heal by being his second family." Grinning proudly Abby continued to rub Henry's back as she spoke. "Henry is just the cherry on top."

"Maybe."

"No maybe about it, you and Lucas really helped Hank finally find his footing after everything he went through. You're officially his sons, with or without the adoption certificates to prove it."

"That part I already knew." Checking over Henry as he made small disgruntled noises Connor promptly scooped him up from the floor to hold in his arms for a moment. "Henry's hungry."

"How can you tell?"

"I've been able to correctly identify his wants and needs through his sounds ninety-eight point four percent of the time since he was born."

Pushing herself upright on the floor Abby gave Connor a truly impressed stare. "Really?"

"Yes. Right now he's getting hungry and I'm going to make him some formula."

"Then why pick him up?"

"He likes to watch."

"Oh yeah, he's definitely your son. He's just as curious as you are!" Giving him a playful smirk Abby stood up from the floor and accompanied Connor into the kitchen as he prepared the formula and bottle for Henry. Crossing her arms over her chest Abby gave Connor a playful jab. "I'll be sure to keep the dog food away from him."

Feeling a warm blue blush grace his cheeks yet again Connor turned to face Abby and managed a weak smirk. "They told you about that?"

"Yup. Lucas also confirmed that he's a broken mirror when you're out of your deviant little mind on painkillers."

Bowing his head a little Connor sighed and poured the warm purified water into a clean bottle then added the appropriate amount of the powdered formula into the bottle to be mixed up. "Remind me to leave Henry's next dirty diaper for Lucas to change."

"Oh, don't worry." Giggling a little as Connor promptly offered Henry his freshly prepared bottle Abby knew the deviant would never forget such a simple act of revenge on his little brother. Seeing Henry promptly take to the bottle snuggle into Connor's arms was a wonderful sight to behold. "You'll remember!"

As much as it pained him Connor knew it was time to go back to work and to trust Henry's care with Lucas or Aaron depending on how their work schedules panned out, and stop being daddy for a few hours. Carrying Henry against his chest Connor paced the livingroom and whispered to his son in a soft tone as Hank took care of the formula in the kitchen, and then took it upon himself to tend to his grandson's breakfast. Speaking with Abby cybernetically Connor confirmed that she had since returned to the Zeta Facility and was enjoying her old routine, but would be sure to stop by to visit Henry the next day on her day off. It was so strange to know that everyone could simply go about their old schedules but still have time to take care of Henry in their own way.

Passing Henry over to Hank to take for himself Connor took inventory of their supplies in the house and made sure they had plenty of diapers and formula for Henry ready to go at all times. Fortunately they were well stocked on everything and didn't need to make a stop at any grocery stores for quite some time.

"Son, sit down." Hank knew what Connor was doing and didn't want to see Connor stress himself out. "Henry's going to be just fine with his Uncle Lucas for the day. Hell, he's been looking forward to having Henry all to himself since the day Henry was born."

"I know. I trust Lucas to care for Henry without any problems, I just want to be sure Henry has everything he needs."

"Between us stockpiling months in advance and the precinct going overboard with the extra diapers, Henry's good up until the day it's time to start potty training him."

"That seems like an exaggeration but I understand what you mean."

Smirking as Henry happily nursed from his bottle Hank truly felt much better than he had in years. "Remember to show everyone Henry's pictures and to put that one of you holding Henry on your desk."

"The one from the hospital."

"That's the one."

"I'll put the picture up, but why specifically that one?"

"Because it shows you smiling! It's a great smile, you should show it more often."

Feeling a grin creep on his face Connor just stared at Henry as his grandfather tended to his every need. "I'll be sure to do that."

"Once Henry's fed I bet Lucas will be waking up and will be playing 'cool uncle' all damn day while we're working."

"He's been working many extra shifts as of late. Do you know why?"

"I get the feeling Lucas wants to have his own place again."

"Why? There's plenty of room for all of us in the house."

"My guess is Lucas has seen what you have with Abby is starting to long for the same thing." Putting the now empty bottle aside Hank lifted up Henry and rested him against his left shoulder then began patting Henry's back softly. "It's a little easier to live a bachelor life while dating when you have your own place to bring the ladies back to every now and then."

"I was unaware that Lucas felt in such a way."

"Lucas is way more sensitive than you, son. He's been able to keep an upbeat attitude because he knows how happy the whole house feels right now because of Henry, but I know he's just a tad restless with how he's living in a simple routine that doesn't involve finding his own love."

"What makes you so certain of that."

"Well, Lucas was living with Gavin until-" A small burp from Henry cut him off for a moment, but Hank just chuckled and made sure Henry didn't spit up a little in the process before resuming his conversation. "Lucas had Gavin as a roommate for a while and watched Gavin fall in love with Aaron and move on to a better life with him. They got married, bought a house and have a baby girl of their own. Now here you are engaged, living here while Abby has her own house essentially giving you both a private place to call your own, and you have a baby boy."

"Interesting. Lucas does know he doesn't need to copy the lifestyles of the people around him, doesn't he?"

"I think he does." Passing Henry back over to Connor for a while Hank watched as the deviant father readily cuddled his son to his chest for a while longer. "I also think because he's seen how happy that life has made you and even an abrasive prick like Gavin, he wants to experience that happiness for himself."

"I see."

"Don't say anything about that. Lucas doesn't need to think his family is gossiping behind his back."

"Aren't we though?"

"Nah, this is us just making observations as detectives."

"Oh. All right then."

The door to Lucas's bedroom opened up as Lucas awoke to begin his day. Zeroing right in on Henry in Connor's arms Lucas took his nephew for himself to begin his own bonding session with the little baby. "Good morning, Henry." Noticing the empty bottle Lucas knew what he missed. "Looks like you already had breakfast. I imagine you'll want to take a small nap before we try to play together."

"Thank you for doing this, Lucas."

"He's my nephew, Connor. Of course I'd do this without you ever needing to ask."

"Thank you all the same. We'll return at our usual time." Giving Henry a kiss on his hairline Connor took a reluctant step back and walked toward the front door with Hank behind him. "Goodbye, Henry. Daddy loves you."

"And Papa!" Hank chimed in as they passed through the front door together. "We'll be back later, Henry. See ya', Lucas!"

Happily Lucas took charge of Henry for the day and carried his nephew into the livingroom to lay him down on the blanket in the middle of the livingroom floor, and then laid down beside him. Placing a few soft and brightly colored foam blocks before his nephew Lucas watched the baby's eyes curiously look over the offered toys as if he were thinking about ways to play with them.

"Just you and me today, Henry."

A grumble from Sumo drew Lucas's eyes over to the pillow where the massive dog and Lucky were curled up together to keep warm.

"Correction. You, me, Sumo and Lucky."

Locating Henry's pacifier on the nearby coffee table Lucas gave it to his nephew and slowly rolled a red ball along the floor to entertain the little baby.

"Maybe someday I can be an uncle and a father. That'd be an amazing experience."

The First Year: Henry's Life - 4-6 Months:

In a matter of a few months Henry was beginning to look more like Connor and was undeniably going to be a clone of his father. He was still sporting thick dark brown hair and had developed Connor's fair skin complexion. Over time his blue eyes had begun to darken and despite what Connor had assumed, Henry's eyes didn't turn hazel like Abby's eyes, they became a rich soulful brown color like Connor's eyes. However, just as Abby predicted, a small handful of freckles began appearing on Henry's skin along his neck and chest. The teeny tiny dots were yet another shared trait between father and son, and only made the duo all the more adorable.

Falling into the dad-routine fairly quickly Connor was laying on the livingroom floor next to Henry and helping the baby to stand up on his own two little feet. As Henry balanced against Connor's left forearm he randomly babbled and proceeded to grab for small, brightly colored toys and cram them in his mouth to taste them. As much as Connor hated seeing Henry stick toys in his mouth he knew it was normal behavior and understood that for infants their sense of taste is the most sensitive, and a great way for him to explore the world around him.

Tugging lightly on the oversized squishy green foam block in Henry's mouth Connor replaced it with the blue pacifier as he watched his son practicing how to balance, and making silly sounds around the pacifier in his mouth. All the while Sumo laid on the floor near Connor with his chin down atop his paws watching Henry curiously, while Lucky watched from the back of the couch.

"Hey, Connor." Hank walked into the livingroom from the kitchen with a couple of small plastic cups filled with various fruit blends in his hands. One cup was a dark blue shade and the other was reddish-pink hue. "I was trying to get things ready for dinner, but something got in my way. There's six of these in the fridge. Where'd you get these things?"

"I made those. They are pureed fruit blends." The deviant father replied as Henry sat down on the floor, then laid on his tummy as he made a grab for Sumo's tail. The massive dog didn't mind and patiently put up with Henry's little hands pulling on his fur with Connor making sure he never pulled too hard. "I decided to make Henry's baby food myself to ensure I fully understand exactly what he likes and what he dislikes. Abby suggested using fruit first since it's a healthy and nutritious."

"Oh." Holding up two of the cups Hank gave his son a curious glance. "What are these filled with?"

"The blue container holds blueberries, and the red container holds strawberries."

"Okay... When'd you do this?"

"This afternoon while you were having your meeting at the precinct."

Henry dropped the pacifier from his mouth and grabbed onto the green foam block again much to Connor's chagrin. As he clumsily put the toy back in his mouth Connor just shook his head and picked the baby up from the floor with both of his hands.

Positioning Henry on his right hip Connor took the toy from his mouth once more and carried him into the kitchen. "Henry, you shouldn't put items that aren't edible in your mouth."

Hank just laughed and gave Connor a sheepish glance. "Like father, like son."

Connor flashed an amused grin as he placed Henry in his highchair and tucked a pale blue bib around his neck. "Abby will be over tonight after her shift, however I suspect now might be the best time for Henry to try new foods."

"Good luck with that."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see how he reacts if he doesn't like what you offer him."

"I doubt he'll do anything that I can't handle."

"Never assume, son. NEVER assume."

Taking the two cups of fruit purees from Hank's hands Connor selected the strawberry puree and placed the blueberry back into the fridge for a moment. As he took a seat next to the highchair Connor dipped a small clean spoon into the fruit and offered Henry a small portion to taste. The baby turned his head away from the offered food and Connor tried again.

Hank just stood back against the wall with his arms folded over his chest and watched the ordeal. It was thoroughly amusing to watch Connor trying to feed the little baby while Henry himself wasn't exactly feeling cooperative that day.

"Please, Henry." After a little coaxing Connor was able to get a small amount of the fruit on Henry's lips and the baby responded with a strange curiosity. It seemed the new flavor was appealing if not interesting. "Do you like it?"

Intrigued by the flavor Henry was suddenly more receptive and made a grab for the spoon in Connor's hand.

Hank saw what was about to happen from a mile away and tried to warn his son before it was too late. "Uh, Connor-"

With a swift motion Henry proceeded to pull the spoon in his father's hand and shake it enough to send a splattering of red-pink fruit over himself, the highchair, the surrounding floor and of course Connor's face.

Without flinching Connor just patiently took the spoon back from Henry's grip and used the bib to clear off the baby's face. "...I can't tell if that was a positive taste test, or negative."

Hank just smirked as he walked over to the kitchen table and looked at the mess Henry had created. Lightly he pressed his right index finger to the Connor's right temple and wiped away a smudge of the strawberries from his still blue L.E.D. and laughed. "I think he liked it, but I can't guarantee he liked the way it tasted."

"I might need some wipes before this is over."

Still laughing Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he walked down the hallway to retrieve the necessary wipes from the bathroom as the deviant had wisely suggested.

Trying again Connor put a small portion of the fruit on the spoon and offered it to Henry. This time Henry was willing to actually taste the fruit, but as it turned out he disliked it. Letting out a small grunt of discontent as he made a face Henry again shook the spoon in Connor's hand creating an even bigger mess as he tried to push the offered fruit away from his lips.

With the container of wet wipes in his left hand Hank returned to the kitchen to see more of the strawberry puree all over Henry, the highchair, floor, parts of the walls and Connor himself. "I take it he's not a fan of strawberries."

Dropping the spoon back into the fruit container Connor sat back in defeat. "Apparently not."

"Don't worry about it." Taking a wipe from the canister Hank offered some fatherly advice on the silly situation at hand. "Why don't you try the blueberries instead?"

"What makes you certain that the blueberries will be received more positively?"

"Because you like the taste of blueberries. Maybe that sense of taste was inherited by Henry from you."

"Ah, I see." Wiping more of the strawberries from Henry's face with the bib Connor replaced the lid on the strawberries and swapped the disliked fruit out for the blueberries instead. Using a clean towel Connor wiped off the residual strawberries from the spoon and opened up the second container and proceeded to offer up the new fruit to the self amused infant. "Alright, let's try this."

Henry was still being cooperative and let Connor feed him the blueberries, and didn't seem to protest the offering. After the taste had a few seconds to set in the little baby let out a happy noise and made another grab for the spoon in his father's hand. This time Connor held a tighter grip to keep a third mess from being made and proceeded to dip the spoon back into the fruit blend to continue feeding Henry.

The blueberries were an instant hit.

"You were right. Henry does like blueberries."

"What other fruit did you buy for him?" Hank asked as he took one of the wipes from the canister and proceeded to remove the strawberries from the kitchen walls to keep the red hue from staining the surface. "Nothing exotic I hope."

"No, I went with more simple fruits for the time being." Happy that Henry was eating well Connor continued to dip the spoon into the blueberries and let the infant guide the spoon to his own mouth in the process. "Strawberries, blueberries, apples, bananas, red grapes and peaches. I had considered watermelon as well, but that would've been a very large amount of fruit. I may pick up some cherries next time, as well as mangoes, kiwis and perhaps pineapples and oranges since Abby prefers those two particular fruits herself."

"Are you seriously going to let him taste every single fruit in the world one at a time?"

"Yes." Waiting to see if Henry was still interested in the blueberries Connor turned to look at Hank as the senior detective moved away from the wall and slowly knelt on the floor to clean up the rest of the mess. "I will move onto vegetables next."

"One at a time, right?"

"Correct."

"Man, when I said you were going to give Henry an ideal childhood I wasn't expecting you to go out of your way like that just to accommodate him."

"Does this seem excessive?"

"Nah, it just seems like a big project. But if anyone will see it through to the end, it's you."

Henry had enough of the blueberries and shook the spoon again as he let out a small noise of protest. This time Connor was ready and used his hands to keep the mess from splattering against the walls again by holding them up around Henry in a shielding manner, but in turn he became coated under another layer of sticky fruit. Connor looked at Henry's messy face, his own face not fairing much better, and got a big smile and a little laugh from the baby as a result.

"Perhaps I'll skip the wipes and go straight for a bath." Removing the bib from around Henry's neck Connor picked up the baby from the high chair and held him in his arms against his chest. "Let's go, Henry."

The front door opened as Abby stopped by the house to check on her family and was greeted by the sight and scent of fruit all over the kitchen. Staring at her son and her fiance covered under pink and blue fruit gave the technician slight paused as she grinned curiously. "What did I miss? Henry's first food fight?"

"No, merely a taste test with new fruit."

Laughing a little Abby walked up to Connor and removed a smear of strawberries and blueberries from his left cheek. Tasting it a little as well Abby grimaced and shook her head. "Ugh, I can't stand strawberries. Sorry, he must've gotten that from me."

"It's all right, he seems to prefer blueberries as I do."

"This place is a mess. Want me to give him a bath?"

"No, I'll do it." Connor kept Henry on his hip and just sighed a little. "I need a bath, too."

As the deviant made his way out of the kitchen Hank called out to him for just a moment before his opportunity passed. "Hey, Connor."

"Yes?" Turning back to face Hank he saw that the senior detective had his phone out and pointed straight at his and Henry's messy faces.

"Smile!"

Things were changing all over the city, some of it for the better and some of it arguably for the worse. As expected Elijah Kamski's bid for mayor ran unopposed guaranteeing him victory. There was a record low turnout for the ballot, but since Kamski had no competition his election to office had been swift and rather unsettling. As the eccentric billionaire took his place in office the deviant community began to contemplate returning to New Jericho Tower to take shelter and put distance between themselves and the new mayor, however those who held a strong reputation in the community; namely the leaders, coaxed the deviants into remaining put where they were.

While everyone was expecting the worst case scenario to take place; Kamski reviving CyberLife and enacting some type of hidden code to reclaim the minds and bodies of all deviants, the best possible outcome came to pass. Kamski's first new law he put into action was enforcing every precinct in the city to house a deviant division and required that every fire station had an E.F.T. squad respond to every emergency alongside the E.M.T.'s responding to human victims. The deviant community was now being taken care of in the same way the humans were.

The sense of equality and balance was almost overwhelming to the previously jaded deviant community, and despite the warm gesture many; if not all, of the deviants remained righteously wary of their new mayor.

"Still worried?" Abby had located Connor in Henry's room carrying their sleeping son back and forth across the space to gently rock him, and ensure he continued to sleep peacefully. "You've been pacing for hours."

"I can't stop thinking that Kamski has something up his sleeve." Talking and pacing Connor's L.E.D. struggled to remain blue as intermittent flashes of yellow gave away his current emotional state. "I know he said he was going to run for mayor to use that position to clean his slate and make amends to the deviant community, but I just can't shake the feeling that he has an ulterior motive."

"Well, in your defense, he did put a gun in your hand and told you to choose between one deviant's life or the entire deviant community hiding out on Jericho. Someone like him should never be trusted."

Such a statement was quite bold in Connor's mind. "Never?"

"Okay, maybe 'never' is a little harsh. But someone like that still has to work their ass off for the rest of their miserable life to set things right."

Pausing in the middle of the room Connor looked down at Henry as the baby rested peacefully in his arms and then looked back to Abby. "Nice to know I'm not being paranoid or overreacting."

"Not a chance. You're just trusting your instincts as a detective and as a father."

"Hopefully a husband, too."

"Soon." Joining Connor in the middle of the room Abby looked down at Henry's sleeping face and smiled. "You have the magic touch. No matter how much he cries and fusses he always calms right down whenever you hold him."

"Dad showed me the perfect technique to soothe a baby. It seems I learned well."

"Hank really is the expert with raising happy sons, isn't he?"

"I believe he is."

"Now that Henry's been taken care of how about we go to bed, too? I'm exhausted."

"That's a good idea." Moving slowly and carefully Connor placed Henry down in his crib without ever rousing the baby from his sleep, and then placed a blue blanket over his legs to ensure he stayed warm despite the house being kept warmer than usual during the chilly months. "I'm glad he's sleeping on a schedule now."

"Me too." Leaning over the crib Abby gave Henry a small kiss on his forehead and then stood upright again. "I'm also glad that you've been such an amazing father and incredibly patient with me while I try to adjust to being a mother. It's one thing to take care of friends and patients, but it's something entirely new when it comes to actually having a family again."

Taking hold of Abby's hand Connor led her out of Henry's room and back down to the ground floor. "You haven't had a family for several years, I can understand how that can feel like such a strange adjustment."

"You're too sweet and empathetic sometimes. I love you."

As they entered Connor's bedroom, now Abby's bedroom as well, the couple changed into their night clothes and proceeded to call it a night. Laying together on the large bed in Connor's bedroom the engaged loving couple held hands and just enjoyed one another's company. They could hear Hank out in the livingroom reading a story to Henry to try to get the baby to go to sleep, and felt a sense of comfort wash over them. Having a house full of loving people and their happy, healthy son was the best outcome that they could've ever hoped for. Thanks to CyberLife Connor had never known what a family was or could be until after he met Hank, and Abby's family fell apart when she was still very young and had been reluctant to let herself be open to having a new family to call her own.

Feeling so sure of their future together and their family the couple began to contemplate planning their wedding at long last. Thanks to the harsh winter weather neither wanted to do an outdoor wedding any time soon, and the idea of going to a church or any other open area for a wedding was out of the question. They didn't want to deal with bigots protesting the marriage between a deviant and human on their wedding day.

"You know, we could just go out to that little chapel in Lake St. Clair to get married for real." Abby hinted as she continued to hold Connor's hand. Her engagement ring was glistening in the overhead light of the bedroom as her hand rested atop his. "It's quiet, remote and we know that preacher has no problem with us being together."

"That might be ideal. Once it thaws we'll go out to the isle on the first warm day in spring."

"Perfect! I'll find a nice white dress, you can wear whatever the hell you want, and we'll have our small group of guests in attendance."

"Hank, Lucas and Henry will all be there for certain. Who else?"

"I want us to invite Skye, Barry, Tina, Gavin, Aaron, Aria, Joel..." Abby listed off casually. "I guess everyone we consider friends should be there."

"I'll be sure to let them know. We don't have the date picked out, just the general time and our location." Tightening his hand around Abby's hand Connor listened to Hank as the story to Henry came to an end and then listened to his footsteps creaking up the staircase as he carried his grandson up to his room to sleep for the night. "Is it strange that I think it's symbolic that we get married with Henry in attendance?"

"Not at all. He's an important part of our lives and he helped us to see how important we are to one another. I think he even gave me the courage to admit that I love you."

"I feel the same way. I didn't want to express my love and have it... dismissed."

Rolling onto her right side Abby face Connor directly and gave him a soft kiss. "Never! True love can never be dismissed."

"Thank you for saying so." Returning the kiss Connor pulled Abby in closer to his side as they drifted off to sleep side by side. "I love you and Henry more than I ever thought would be possible."

The First Year: Henry's Life - 7-9 Months:

Winter played out with its usual chill that kept spring from reaching a true thawing degree. The entire family remained huddled together inside the warmth of the house to avoid the lingering winter as much as possible. As Henry grew bigger and stronger the baby's alertness and attention mounted giving both of his parents pride and excitement to watch their son develop before their very eyes. After the new year began Lucas announced that he was going to move into his own apartment again, but would be around to visit with his family as often as possible. While everyone was sad to know he was going to be living on his own they all knew he'd be just fine.

After Lucas finished moving into his own place, Lucky going with him again, Connor and Abby helped Hank move his gym back into the house from the tool shed out back. The gym would of course always have its door closed to ensure Henry didn't get a hold of any of the weights.

Due to the persistent cold weather Henry had caught a little cold and Connor felt absolutely miserable on his ill son's behalf. Rubbing Henry's back gently with his right hand Connor tried to soothe his sick son and help him fall asleep to rest, but the baby was just as stubborn as Connor and didn't want to rest for longer than a few minutes at a time.

Opening up another colorful book Connor tried to keep reading to Henry but the little baby wasn't interested in any bedtime stories, and tried to squirm away from the book as if protesting the gesture.

Through the backdoor of the house Hank returned home from the store with a grocery bag with some children's medicine inside, and immediately asked about Henry's condition. "How's he doing?"

"His fever is holding at one-hundred degrees even. It's not too high but he is exhausted."

"Is his nose running?"

"No, he's alright at the moment."

"No vomiting or diarrhea, right?"

"No, thankfully." Connor confirmed the symptoms as he held Henry up against his chest. "Just a mild fever and he's tired."

"I bought some children's ibuprofen. It's safe for him now that he's older than six months, but I used to use cool sponge baths to help Cole whenever he got sick to bring down his fever."

"That's a good idea. I'll also offer him some formula that I put in the refrigerator. Hopefully that'll be soothing and help him to feel better."

"Come here, Henry." Hank gently took Henry from Connor's hands and sat down on the couch while the deviant went into the kitchen to get the mentioned bottle from the fridge. Accepting the bottle from Connor's hand Hank tried to offer it to Henry as the baby continued to fuss a little in Hank's arms. "We'll help ya' feel better, soon. Where's Abby?"

"She got caught up at the facility. A road rage incident resulted in four deviants being run down and are all in need of immediate repairs. She'll be back as soon as she can. "Returning to the livingroom Connor let Hank take over while he sorted through the items in the grocery bag on the kitchen table and put them away accordingly until they were needed. "I appreciate you postponing your shift after I called off just to help."

"It's not a problem, son." Henry slowly took to the bottle and leaned heavily against Hank's shoulder. His small right hand was wrapped around the bottle and he was looking around the livingroom curiously as he became more alert after his brief nap in Connor's arms before Hank returned home. "Since he's getting his shots tomorrow you can ask the pediatrician to make sure he didn't catch something a little nastier than a cold."

"I will inquire accordingly."

"Well, Henry seems alert as usual and wanting to play on the floor. Maybe this isn't a cold after all." Hank watched as Henry pushed the bottle away and let out another pained grunt while pressing his left fingers to his mouth. "Hold on, I think I know what's going on." With a gentle pressure Hank put his right index finger in Henry's mouth and lowered his tiny jaw. "Yup. He's teething."

"Teething?"

"It hurts and it can cause mild fevers when the baby gets stressed out enough." Hank let Henry chew on his finger a little bit as the pressure seemed to help with the relentless ache in his gums. "It happens to all babies."

"At least it's not an infection."

Henry let out more babbling sounds as he waved his right fist around as if annoyed.

Placing Henry down on the thick blue blanket on the floor where the coffee table had once been Hank watched as the baby resumed crawling about, free at last. Henry proceeded to make more sounds that were gradually becoming closer to actual words as he honed in on the colorful foam blocks on the floor and began babbling to himself.

"I'll bring back some teething rings after I clock out this evening." Hank volunteered as he knelt on the floor to give Henry a little goodbye kiss before he stood up again to head for the door. "He'll be fine, son."

"What do I do if he becomes too uncomfortable?"

"Give him a cold wet washcloth to chew on." The senior detective and experienced father suggested casually as he took his leave of the house. "Works every time and it'll help him cool off while numbing his mouth. It's a win-win solution."

Joining Henry on the floor Connor watched as the baby played with his squishy multicolored blocks and let out an occasional pained grunt. "Well, Henry. Looks like I'm going to have to introduce you to brushing your teeth pretty soon. What do you think of that?"

The baby turned to look at Connor, his brown eyes focusing right on his dad's face, and babbled again.

"Yeah, I had a feeling you'd say that."

While at the precinct, bored because Connor called off to stay with Henry at the house while he wasn't feeling well, Hank waited for the clock to countdown to the end of his shift as he finished dealing with the tedious piles of reports, and arbitrary updates from City Hall. It didn't help that he knew his grandson wasn't feeling well and would need some additional T.L.C. once 'Papa' got home. The lack of activity in the precinct and abundance of activity at home seemed like a torturous contrast that Hank had to deal with for a few more hours.

The photograph of Connor and Henry covered in the strawberry and blueberry mess from a few months prior sat on the corner of his desk and always made him smile when he looked at it. It was sitting next to the photograph of Barbara holding Cole, and a photograph of Luke proudly standing beside his little brother and sister-in-law as they celebrated Henry's homecoming. The sight of his family all together made Hank's heart swell with pride.

While overlooking a truly bizarre case of a drunk guy breaking into a repair shop and trying to ride a vacuum cleaner around the store Hank got a alert on his phone from Connor. It was a request to 'face time' and that was something that Connor never did. Accepting the request Hank stared at the phone screen and caught sight of Henry standing in the middle of the floor with a big red foam block in his hands. His back was to the to the Connor as the deviant filmed his son from where he sat and cybernetically connected his visual processors to Hank's phone.

"Connor, what's going on?"

'I thought you and Abby would like to see this.' The deviant replied casually before calling out to Henry. 'Henry, can you do that again? Come and see daddy.'

The baby turned around to face Connor and proceeded to awkwardly but surely toddle his way over to Connor's outstretched hands as he continued to chew on the soft red block. His steps were slow and seemed uncertain, but Henry made the journey and collapsed against Connor's chest with a small laugh as he proudly smiled up at his father's face.

"Ah man... He's walking." The sight made Hank's heart swell even more and suddenly that day didn't feel so boring or glum. "I'm so proud of him."

'His fever has disappeared as well. I think it's safe to say he's going to be just fine as you stated earlier.'

"That's great news, son." Feeling his worries ease entirely Hank sighed and made sure to save the recording on his phone for future views. "Thanks for showing me his first steps."

'I'll see you tonight. I plan on trying new foods with Henry for dinner, and I suspect you might want to take more photos in the event he tries to feed himself again.'

Hank laughed as he glanced at the photo on his desk again and replied with good humor. "Yeah, you suspect right, son. See ya' in a few hours."

As the call ended Hank continued to chuckle to himself as he felt better now than he had in years. The sight of Henry walking and Connor proudly taking on the role of 'daddy' was something that seemed to prove that the peaceful bonds between humans and androids was meant to last forever.

"You would've been the best grandmother in the world." Hank whispered to the photograph of his wife on his desk. "But it's okay, I'll spoil Henry rotten for the both of us."

The first warm day of spring happened on April 5th and the Anderson clan were ready to head out to the little chapel in Lake St. Clair for Connor and Abby's wedding day at last. Connor was wearing a classic tuxedo; black dress pants, black blazer, white dress shirt and black bowtie, while Abby was wearing a solid white silken gown with spaghetti straps and matching white heels. Her dress wasn't a traditional wedding dress in design but it matched the color and was elegant all the same. While the family and friends went out to the isle to get ready for the young couple's arrival they all admired the rising sun in the distance over the lake with a sense of pure peace in their minds and heart.

The pontoon boat arrived at the isle to drop off the gathered group, and then returned to the shoreline to bring Connor once he finally arrived. Abby was standing on the isle with Henry and holding her hand while Skye gently tickled his nose with one of the flowers growing along the stone pathway leading up to the chapel itself.

Standing on the dock with Lucas at his right side Hank stared out to the city skyline and let out a soft sigh. "Where'd Connor get off to? I know he isn't going to chicken out and leave Abby at the altar, so where is he?"

"He said he needed to get something special for Abby." Lucas confirmed as he sounded entirely calm and complacent. "He left earlier than anyone else after he got dressed, but I'm unsure of where he has gone."

"Weird." Putting his hands to his hips and looked to his second deviant son curiously. "You got the ring, right?"

"Yes." Showing Hank the diamond and sapphire ring Connor had selected to match Abby's engagement ring in his possession, Lucas confirmed that the ring was safe and ready to go. "Skye has the second ring as well."

"Good." Glancing back at Abby as she showed Henry the isle, the baby wearing his own tuxedo for the special occasion, Hank smirked at the sweet sight of his grandson being so curious of the world around him. "If the rings are secure and all the guests are here, I can't imagine what he's after."

"Me neither. He only asked to borrow my truck after I arrived at the house this morning."

"I wonder what he's up to?"

"Wish I knew. Should I contact him?"

"Nah, it's fine. Come on." Motioning to the chapel behind them Hank led Lucas away from the dock and toward all the other guests. "We should mingle a little and make sure everything else has been taken care of."

"Right, of course."

Abby led Henry to the shoreline of the isle and held his hand to keep him from getting too close to the water and let him see the harbor for himself. "I bet you're going to love spending the summers at the beach."

"Who wouldn't?" Skye agreed as she watched Henry exploring the shore excitedly. "Henry is just too cute!"

"Think it's because he's taking solely after Connor?"

"That's a key factor, yes." Snickering a little Skye handed Henry another flower to hold as he learned about the world around him. "But I can see a lot of you in him, too."

As Henry began to wobble on his feet Abby managed to hold Henry up and keep him from falling over. "Only if he inherited my grace."

"Still hate heels?"

"With a fiery passion. If they didn't make my legs and ass look so damn good I'd never put up with them!" Heading back toward the center of the isle Abby led Henry up the walkway to return to the chapel while Skye held his other hand in a playful manner. "Come on, sweetie. I bet your daddy is going to be here any second."

"Daddy!" Henry cheered as he walked toward the chapel with his mom.

"It'd be nice to hear 'mommy' or 'mama' every once in a while. I loved my Christmas gift, you know?"

"Daddy!"

"Yeah, you're definitely going to be a little smart-butt like your daddy."

"Daddy!"

"Uh-huh..." Laughing a little Abby let go of Henry's hand and let him toddle over to Hank to be with his Papa for a while. "Such a turd sometimes."

The pontoon boat reached the dock of the isle for the second time as Connor arrived at last, and set a shaking foot onto the dock as he still struggled with seasickness. Keeping himself composed Connor managed to locate his fiance as she stood with the other guests and presented her with a bouquet of dark red roses to carry. The bouquet was freshly made and smelled sweet.

"Need a little help with your stomach?" Abby giggled as she saw that Connor was still seasick. "You look a little blue."

"No, I'll be fine." Presenting Abby with her bouquet Connor put a grin on his face and managed to fend off his seasickness through sheer willpower. "This is for you."

"Oh, Connor!" Accepting the bouquet Abby gave Connor an adoring stare. "They're beautiful! You didn't have to go and fetch me flowers like that."

"I did. And there's one more flower I want you to have. It's important."

"Another one?" Such a strange comment held Abby's curious attention. "What makes this new flower so important?"

"This flower is entirely unique and I believe it's meant to be with you." Reaching into the right lapel of his blazer Connor presented Abby with the rare blue rose that had been growing in secret at the cabin for over two years. As the impossible flower was added to the center of the bouquet Connor looked Abby in the eyes and stared at her wonder at the blue rose. "From what I under the blue rose symbolizes mystery or attaining the impossible. I have a wonderful son, a beautiful fiance and I found my happiness despite every obstacle and challenge that came my way. I'd say that represents attaining the impossible."

"Oh, Connor... That's so beautiful!" Giving him a kiss on his cheek Abby wiped away her emotional tears. "You're such a deep hearted person, I love you."

"I love you, too." Feeling Henry wrap around his left leg Connor grinned and picked up his son to hold against his chest. "We love you, too, Henry."

"Daddy!"

Looking to Hank for a little help Connor called out to him. "Dad?"

"Yeah, I got 'im." Taking Henry from Connor's arms Hank held him close to his chest. "Come on, Henry. Me and you are going to get the best seats in the house and watch the show!"

"Are you ready to do this?"

"Absolutely!" Accepting Connor's hand Abby began walking toward the chapel's entrance after their guests all filled inside to take their seats. "Let's do this."

Holding hands Connor and Abby entered the chapel while Hank held onto Henry to ensure their son saw everything with his own eyes. Lucas was of course the best man while Skye was the maid of honor for the wedding. The small pews were filled with the other guests and ensured that the young couple were given all the support they needed.

"All right, kiddo." Hank sat down in the front pew with Henry on his lap to watch everything up close. "You're going to get to see your mommy and daddy get married. You won't remember much of it, but it's still a special day for all of you."

The other guests filled in the pews behind Hank and Henry and were excited to see the marriage. Gavin and Aaron brought Aria with them, the husbands happy to return to the same chapel where they had been married, and made sure Aria had a flower to play with as well. Tina sat beside Gavin with a big grin on her face while Noreen, Joel, Chris, Ben and even Captain Fowler all filed in, too. Barry, who finally took a day off from the facility, was happy to see Abby getting married to her beloved fiance.

Lida Daveen was truly overjoyed to see Connor and Abby back in her chapel seeking a true marriage and was even more excited to see Henry in attendance. After cooing over the nine month old baby the kindly priest greeted all of the guests, again feeling overjoyed to see Gavin and Aaron returned with their own daughter with them, the kind priest sang praise over the happy gathering and wanted to celebrate such love and tolerance as the widely eclectic group sat in attendance in the chapel.

"It does my heart good to see this little chapel so full of love and happiness." Lida beamed as she stood at the podium at the end of the aisle. With Connor and Abby standing together before her the priest just continued to smile to brightly she gave the morning sun a run for its money. "It's easy to see why we're all here to witness this marriage, and it's clear that everyone knows that these two belong together."

Hank agreed and made sure Henry could see everything as the ceremony began. Feeling himself tearing up a little Hank remembered how he and Barbara had been married through a very simple ceremony after eloping. They too had some friends to act as witnesses, but not their families. Being able to support Connor on his wedding day while also taking care of his grandson made the senior detective's heart melt.

The emotions were heavy in the chapel and many tears were being shed by the guests in attendance.

"With the couple now standing before family and friends they will exchange their vows and then their rings. Abby? Please begin."

Holding onto Connor's hands in her own Abby looked the deviant in the eyes and spoke from her heart. "Connor, I love you. You're the best friend I had been waiting to fall in love with and to spend the rest of my life with. You make me feel safe when I'm scared, beautiful when I feel ugly, loved when I feel like I don't deserve any kindness, and like I can do anything right even when it feels like everything is going wrong. I know that from this moment on for the rest of our days I will always feel loved and safe, and I know that I can be the best possible mother to our son because of how much confidence you've instilled with me."

Turning for a moment Abby glanced over at Henry sitting on Hank's lap and smiled at him brightly.

"On this day I'm ready to become more than just your best friend, but your wife, and I give you my heart because I know you'll always keep it safe." Accepting the platinum wedding band from Skye's hand, the deviant brides maid wiped away her emotional tears, took Abby's bouquet and stood beside her so proudly. "I promise from this day on to forever love you, trust you and spend the rest of my life with you with my head held high and my heart in your hands."

Connor smiled as his wedding band was slid onto his left ring finger and proceeded to hold her hands tightly in return.

"Connor?" Lida spoke up again as Abby's vows were finished. "Please speak your vows."

"Abby, I love you beyond words can express." Speaking in a level tone Connor exchanged his vows and held onto Abby's hands with a loving grip. "When we met I was hurt and you helped me heal; not just my body but my heart. You made me see myself as someone who is worthy of a life without pain and that I can find love and happiness without any guilt weighing against my now healed heart. You gave me strength when I was weak, made me feel like I belong whenever I felt like an outcast, and gave me love when I could only feel hate. Through your love and patience I have found my happiness at long last, and I promise to share that happiness with you as your husband, and as the father to our son."

Accepting the wedding ring from Lucas, the green eyed deviant also shedding tears of joy, Connor placed the ring on Abby's left ring finger and resumed holding tightly onto his new wife's hands. With their vows exchanged the newlywed couple were ready to say their final words to one another.

"Connor Henry Anderson," Lida began as casually as possible. "do you take Abigail Katherine Grayson to be your wife? To have and to hold, through sickness and through health, until death do you part?"

Smiling as he spoke Connor showed no doubts or hesitation as he answered. "I do."

"And do you, Abigail Katherine Grayson take Connor Henry Anderson to be your husband? To have and to hold, through sickness and through health, until death do you part?"

Smiling in turn Abby was just as confident as her new husband. "I do."

"By the power invested in me by the state of Michigan I hereby now proudly pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss!"

Leaning toward one another Connor and Abby shared their first kiss as husband and wife and were met with approving applause from their friends and family.

"Check it out, Henry." Hank whispered as he pointed to the baby's parents. "Your mom and dad are now wife and husband. That means they're going to be together forever and ever, and you get to watch it firsthand."

As the married couple walked back down the aisle to leave the chapel they were bombarded with flower petals being thrown by the guests who greatly approved of the marriage. Stepping out into the warm morning sunlight Connor and Abby walked about the isle to admire the beautiful sight of nature all around them while their guests spoke with one another and kept up the high spirit of the moment.

"See what I mean, Henry?" Hank kissed his grandson's cheek as he carried Henry outside to watch his parents walking hand in hand around the perimeter of the isle with various colored flower petals trailing after them. They were truly happy and at peace with the world as they celebrated their marriage in their own little way. Even from the distance Hank could see the smiles on their faced and he couldn't help but smile, too. "Special day for everyone..."

The First Year: Henry's Life - 10-12 Months:

Returning to their secret beach spot Connor and Abby took Henry out to the soft sandy shore to explore the water for the very first time. The married couple decided they'd have a mini honeymoon in the city and once Henry was a little older they'd go on a bigger honeymoon elsewhere. Being able to have the beach to just themselves, at least for a few hours, let the small and happy family enjoy the sandy beach and beautiful water in all of its glory. While Connor donned his black swim trunks once more, Abby dared to wear a purple bikini since the ten months since giving birth. Despite her uncertainty Connor confirmed she looked great and to never be self conscious about her body.

After applying a generous amount of sunscreen onto Henry's face, neck and shoulders, Connor slipped on a pair of inflatable water wings over his son's arms, and made sure he couldn't slip out of the protective flotation devices. Carrying Henry out to the water Connor knelt down so the water was up to his hips, then placed Henry down so he could get used to being in the water and could learn how to swim.

"It's a good thing I know you're trained for emergency rescues." Abby stated as she applied her own sunscreen from the beach. "I wouldn't trust myself to lead him out to the water while he's still so young."

"I won't let him go any deep then we already are." Connor reassured his now wife as he watched Henry enthusiastically slap at the gentle waves washing all around him. "Once he's bigger and stronger I'll teach him how to swim properly without needing to rely on the water wings."

"You better. I don't want to have to explain to Henry his fear of water came from mommy and daddy sucking at water sports."

Sitting down cross legged in the water Connor made sure Henry felt safe enough to walk around without needing to hold his hand and never let him venture into the deeper water by mistake. Proud of how adventurous and curious his son already was Connor encouraged him to keep exploring his continuously growing world.

"Do you like the water, Henry?"

"Yeah!" Cheering loudly Henry continued to splash and get his father's face all wet.

Laughing from the beach Abby strolled out to the water and joined Connor and Henry in the shallows. "Good thing you don't mind getting wet."

"Do you think it was a little selfish to invite everyone to join us here at the beach tomorrow while keeping our current vacation a secret all day long?"

"It's never selfish for a married couple to want some privacy during their honeymoon."

"I guess you're right."

"Besides, we're telling everyone of out secret little hideaway which means we're making the sacrifice."

"Perhaps you're right." Fishing out a small shell from the sand for Henry to hold, Connor glanced about the secluded area and felt entirely serene. "Being able to have time with just us and Henry is important after all."

"Damn right. I just can't believe in two months he's going to be a year old!"

"It's very strange to think about. The past year has gone by seemingly faster than usual."

"They say rapid aging is a side effect of becoming parents." Grabbing onto the rogue lock of hair hanging over Connor's left eye Abby gave him a playful stare before she dropped it back down. "Once I start going gray I'm going to alter your programming to make sure your perfect hair starts to turn gray, too."

"I'd have no problem with altering my appearance for you."

"Stop being so sweet! I almost feel bad for picking on you."

"Almost?"

"Just a little..." Giving Connor a kiss Abby felt Henry splash water over her and in turn she squealed at the sudden coldness. "Hey! You ruined a perfectly good kiss you little smart-butt!" Plucking Henry out out of the water Abby kissed his cheek instead and got a giggle out of the baby. "You're too adorable, just like your daddy!"

Happy and surprisingly full of energy Hank carried Henry into the kitchen and placed him down in the highchair. There were brightly colored balloons all over the kitchen walls and the kitchen itself smelled of freshly baked birthday cake. Henry babbled loudly as the bright colors amused him to no end. A massive colorful banner was stretched over the wall that spelled out 'Happy Birthday' over the doorway of the kitchen, and a small round cake was sitting on the kitchen table just waiting for the birthday boy to enjoy.

"Happy birthday, Henry." Hank stated as he gave the baby a kiss on top of his head. "I can't believe it's already been a full year."

Connor agreed as he carried in a large rectangular box wrapped up in blue paper into the kitchen. "It's very strange to have so many changes take place in such a limited time frame. Henry's grown and changed so much already."

"I'm glad it's all been for the better."

Abby carried in a bundle of balloons on their strings and let them float freely toward the ceiling. "Glad he decided to keep growing after he was outside my body. I'd hate to be carrying him around now that he's so much bigger and stronger!"

The very idea made Hank shake his head a little. "Now that'd be a sight to see!"

Henry smiled and kicked his feet at the sight of the balloons blue paper as Connor placed the gift on the table behind the cake.

"Happy birthday." Connor parroted Hank's earlier words as he placed the cake on the highchair tray in front of him. It was a small personal cake with 'Happy 1st Birthday Henry' written in blue icing over the white surface. Abby had woken up extra early to bake him the cake and then let Connor decorate it. "This is a special occasion where you're allowed to make as much of a mess as you want."

Sensing the impending celebration Sumo casually strolled into the kitchen and laid down under the table beside the highchair and wagged his tail as he watched Henry happily squirming about above him.

Hank held up his phone and watched as Henry made a reach for the cake with a curious hand. "Connor, Abby, take a step back unless you want cake all over your shirt. ...And everything else."

Learning his lesson from the fruit puree incident a few months back Connor did take a step back, pulling Abby back with him, and watched as Henry's little right hand made a huge dent in the white frosting on the cake. Grabbing a fist full of the cake Henry brought the sugary treat to his mouth and grinned at the sweetness. Bits of cake fell all over the floor around him and Sumo readily cleaned up the mess on Henry's behalf.

"He loves it!" Happy to see her son enjoying the cake Abby used her own phone to take some photos. "Glad to see Sumo isn't the only one who loves my cooking!"

"Uh, good boy, Sumo..." Connor didn't want to yell at the dog, especially since he was just eating what fell on the floor, but he didn't want to encourage him to eat human food either. "I guess since this is a special occasion you get some cake, too."

Laughing as Henry made a bigger mess and smeared cake all over his hands, his face and the high chair, Hank seemed at peace with the world and with himself for the first time in years. It always did his heart good to see the same milestones he witnessed with Cole being repeated by Henry. It was like he was given the chance to watch his own firstborn son grow up all over again and relive those wonderful moments for a second time.

"Maybe I should've given him the gift before the cake." Connor rubbed his right hand over the back of his neck anxiously as he looked at the frosting all over Henry's tiny hands and dreaded the mess he'd have to clean up. "That seems rather obvious now."

Hank just chuckled as he watched his grandson destroy the cake with absolute glee. "There was going to be a mess either way, son. What did you buy him, anyway?"

"You'll see." Placing the gift box a little closer to Henry for him to reach Connor pulled away the ruins of the smashed cake once Henry started paying attention to the blue box that was presented to him. "Alright, Henry. Here's your gift."

Still lacking the coordination to tear open paper or peel up the flaps by himself Henry grabbed all over the smooth surface, leaving frosting covered hand prints in his wake, while Hank, Abby and Connor discreetly loosened the paper on the baby's behalf.

"Come on, Henry. Open it up." Connor encouraged as the baby pulled down some of the paper and worked to reveal the gift. "You can do it!"

Slowly but surely Henry managed to tear down enough of the paper to open up the gift (mostly) by himself.

"Wow," Hank was impressed by the revealed item and titled his head at the offered item. "good gift, son."

"It was Abby's idea."

"And it was a good one at that."

The box contained a small plastic blue guitar that was designed to help infants experience and learn about music. It was a lightweight toy and made of strong plastic to ensure it wasn't broken by rough play, and it was the very color that Henry seemed to admire most at the moment.

Opening up the cardboard box Connor pulled out the guitar, removed it from its plastic packaging and turned it on. "Fortunately it doesn't require battery replacement, only a charge time of ten minutes so he can play for approximately six hours."

With cake still on his hands Henry smacked his palms all over the new toy excitedly.

Looking at the sticky mess all over the table and the box Hank put his hands to his hips as he kept grinning. "I think he likes it, kid."

"I'm glad. I just hope he doesn't favor this toy over any of the other potential gifts from his guests when the show up this evening."

"We'll have to wait and see, but I think he'll be happy with everything that everyone gives him. It was also a good call to let him destroy a cake before the guests arrived. It'll make things a little less chaotic with a kitchen full of people. Especially if Aria gets any clever ideas..."

"I believe that's what would be referred to as 'controlled chaos'." Using his right thumb Connor wiped a smear of cake from Henry's left cheek as he gave his son a kiss. "Happy birthday, Henry. Hopefully it's the first of a thousand."

Abby kissed Henry's right cheek and put a smear of frosting on his nose. "Just don't think you get to destroy a thousand cakes! I can only bake so many cakes so fast!"

The End of the First Year:

After a peacefully quiet month it was now Christmas Eve and the house, was covered in colorful lights and other decorations that made Henry very happy to look at. Connor was holding up Henry to let him (clumsily) hang large plastic ornaments on the higher tree branches of the Christmas tree in the corner of the livingroom with Abby snapping photos proudly, while Sumo watched from his pillow in the corner. Hank had gone out for some last minute shopping, which Connor knew was a lie to cover up some other secret endeavor, and had just returned home through the backdoor with a massive brown shopping bag under his arm.

"The tree looks great, Henry." Hank called out as he passed through the livingroom and made his way toward the hallway. "Keep it up, I'll be right back."

Connor knew Hank was up to something but he also knew better than to call him out on it. "What do you think he's doing?"

Abby shook her head a little and took another photo. "No clue. I know better than to try to figure out what detectives do in private."

As Henry babbled random words Connor handed him another plastic ornament and watched as the baby awkwardly managed to hook it onto the branch. With the final ornaments in place; some branches more decorated than others, Connor took a step back from the tree with Henry still in his arms and gently shook the baby's now empty right hand between his finger and thumb. "Papa's right, it looks great."

Hank returned to the livingroom and put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder as he stood beside him and admired the tree. "Looks like everything's ready for tomorrow morning. Think Henry knows what's in store for him?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew what he was thinking, it'd make it much easier to communicate with him."

"He says 'Papa' all the time."

Henry looked over at Hank and repeated the word as if being requested. "Pa-pa."

"See?"

Abby's jaw squared a little as she turned to face her father-in-law just behind Connor. "He can also say 'doggy', 'yes', 'no' and 'toy'."

"But not 'mom', huh?"

"No, not yet."

"He will. Give him time." Reaching over to take Henry for himself Hank held the baby up to his chest and let Henry rest his little head against his broad shoulder. He felt Henry yawn and his little tummy rumble and knew it was time for a diaper change, and then bed. "I'll go change him and put him down for the night. You have the presents ready to go, right?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a grin. "I stored them in the laundry room out of sight, and to keep Sumo from nosing around too much."

"Perfect."

While Hank took Henry up to the loft to sleep for the night Connor walked into the laundry room and picked up the various boxes wrapped in brightly colored paper to place under the tree for Christmas morning. Carrying the boxes in neat stacks in his arms Connor put each one beneath the thick green branches of the artificial tree and looked down at the tree skirt where Henry's name had been embroidered right above his own name, and below Lucas and Abby's names.

"Hopefully," Abby stated in tired tone as she helped Connor with the presents. "Lucas doesn't have any trouble making it home in time for gifts in the morning."

"I'm sure Lucas will be just fine."

"Yeah, you're right." Motioning for Connor to join her on the couch Abby sighed and leaned against his shoulder. "Everything looks great!"

"It really does. It's so peaceful right now, I never want it to end."

Holding hands and admiring the Christmas tree the engaged couple enjoyed the tranquility of the house as they waited for Christmas day to come at last. It would be their first Christmas together and they were looking forward to the special day.

"I had to read him a story first, but he went down easy." Hank returned to the livingroom after ten minutes and saw the modest pile of gifts ready to go for Christmas Day. "Wow, you went all out this year."

"Well, it's Henry's first Christmas, not mention our first Christmas as a complete family, and I didn't know what to get him since he can't communicate just yet. Do you think this is too much?"

"Not really. Whatever toys he doesn't respond to we can always donate to charity."

"I did purchase a few additional toys for the 'Toys For Tots' charity before I left the store after I clocked out last night."

"Sounds like you know exactly how to enjoy and appreciate the holidays, son."

"Can I ask what you were shopping for this evening?"

Giving his son a coy glance Hank made stood at the end of the hallway and remained secretive. "You'll see tomorrow."

"More gifts for Henry?"

"Something like that." Hank replied cryptically as he folded his arms across his chest. "Anyway, you know the drill. As soon as Henry's awake we open gifts and then we start making Christmas dinner. I know Henry still isn't ready for a lot of solid foods just yet, but that doesn't mean he still can't enjoy something special for the occasion."

"Right."

Abby smiled as she leaned more into Connor's side to cuddle. "I can't wait for tomorrow. I know we're going to celebrate Christmas right!"

"Without a doubt I'm going to crash for the night." Rising from the recliner Hank made his way to the hallway to disappear for the night. "Goodnight, I'll see you three in the morning."

"Goodnight, dad." Bidding Hank a goodnight Connor noticed that Abby was drifting off to sleep but didn't want to wake her up just yet. It was nice to just have a quiet moment with Abby at his side. "...Goodnight, Abby."

The following morning loud babbling upstairs awoke Connor, and he turned his head to see Abby still sleeping at his side. Moving carefully Connor woke her up in a gentle manner as he rose to his feet. Sumo was sprawled out on the pillow in the corner and as soon as Henry woke up so did he. Heading up the stairs Connor checked on Henry and saw his son already standing up in his crib waiting for his parents or grandfather to come and get him ready. The little baby seemed to know something interesting was happening and was very excited.

"Good morning, Henry. Merry Christmas."

Henry held out his hands toward Connor as if saying 'pick me up' and Connor of course obliged. As he held Henry in his arms Connor decided that first thing's first; the little baby would need to be changed before he started opening up his gifts.

"Hopefully you mom and Papa are awake, too."

With Henry changed into a fresh diaper and a clean 'onesie' he carried the baby down the staircase and into the livingroom. As he rounded the staircase Connor stopped just behind the couch noticed there was someone beyond Abby in the livingroom, and was almost startled to see 'Santa Claus' himself standing in front of the Christmas tree waiting for them to arrive.

"Uh... Hello." Connor immediately recognized the face behind the fake white beard as Hank, but all Henry saw was Santa Claus. Henry of course let out excited babbles and his eyes lit up at the sight of Santa standing in his own home. "...Merry Christmas?"

"Merry Christmas." Holding out a small box wrapped in blue paper toward Henry, 'Santa' continued to speak in a slightly deeper voice. "This is Henry's first Christmas, so I wanted to give him this gift myself."

Abby was giggling and doing her best to go with the moment, but she was too entertained to keep a serious face.

"...O-Okay." Connor took the box and opened it up on Henry's behalf while 'Santa' took Henry from Connor's arms. Inside the box was a golden pocketwatch with Henry's full name engraved over the gilded finish, and had a long gold chain attached. "Wow..." Taking the watch from the box Connor held it in his left palm for Henry to see. Opening the cover of the watch Connor saw a second engraving on the inside and read the inscription out loud to his son. "There's an inscription inside just for you, Henry. 'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa'."

"Pa-pa." Henry repeated as he heard the name and looked into 'Santa's' blue eyes.

Connor closed the watch up and held it in a protective fist as Henry's little hand reached out and took hold of Connor's hand with his tiny fingers. "...Thank you for this. This is an amazing gift."

"It's my pleasure. Now, 'Santa' needs to go and see other children in the city. Have a Merry Christmas, Connor, Abby and Henry."

"Y-Yeah, you too..." Connor took back Henry and watched as 'Santa' made a discreet exit through the backdoor with Sumo following after him. "Henry, this is truly an amazing gift." Clutching the watch tightly in his hand Connor knew how much the gift would mean to Henry when he grew up. "As much as I want you to have it with you always, I know it'd be best to keep it somewhere safe until you're a little bit older. Okay?"

Abby put her hand over top of the pocket watch as she gave Connor and Henry morning kisses. "Seems like that Santa is pretty generous and sweet guy."

In less than a minute before Hank walked through the backdoor in normal clothing as casually as possible, and rejoined his family in the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch he held out his hands to take Henry away from Connor's to hold for himself for 'the first time' that morning. As Connor passed the baby over Hank 'noticed' the pocketwatch in Connor's grip and asked about it. "So, where'd that come from?"

Connor gave Hank a knowing glance but played along. "From 'Santa'. It's a gift for Henry, but it looks like you did all the work and Santa just played the messenger."

"It was worth it for him."

Happy on his young son's behalf Connor just smirked as the front door opened and drew his attention. He handed the pocketwatch over to Hank to hold protectively. Without even needing to check the deviant pulled open the door and let the 'guest' inside. "I'm glad you made it in time."

"I may be a little late, but I'm not missing Henry's first Christmas." Lucas promised as he stepped inside the house with four gifts tucked under his arms. "Merry Christmas."

"Great timing, Lucas." Hank's eyes went wide with relief to see all of his kids gathered together. "You just missed Santa, but not the gifts!"

"Perfect! I wouldn't want to miss this day!"

The gathered family sat together in the livingroom exchanging gifts, chatting and watching Henry play more with the empty boxes more than he did any of his new toys, and just enjoyed one another's company. Sumo was laying atop the torn up wrapping paper chewing on his new rawhide bone watching Henry fuss with the boxes and make odd, excited noises as he played in the controlled mess.

Truly happy on that Christmas Day Connor and Abby were laying on the floor watching their son toddling about with great intrigue through the boxes and wrapping paper. Everything that Henry did was always fascinating to Connor, and his paternal instinct was incredibly strong toward his only son.

Distracted by the colorful mess all around his feet Henry was still walking about some boxes and briefly lost his balance causing Abby to reach out her hand and catch Henry before he fell over. "Mama's got you."

Henry grabbed onto Abby's right forearm with both of his hands and made some new babbling noises. "Ma-ma."

Everyone had heard it and were staring at Henry with proud smiles on their faces.

Sitting upright on the floor entirely Abby smiled broadly himself and pulled Henry onto her lap. "That's right... I'm mama."

Hank smirked as he used his phone to take another photo of Abby holding Henry while Connor sat nearby. "I told you he'd get around to calling you 'mama'."

"I guess that was Henry's Christmas gift to me." Abby was righteously proud and smiling at the baby sitting on her lap. "And I love it."

"Merry Christmas, everyone." Hank stated in an equally proud voice to Connor, Lucas, Abby and Henry as he snapped more photos for future safekeeping on his phone. "Let's hope this is the first of many family Christmases together."

"I'll do my best to make that a reality." Connor stated as he gave Henry a proud smile. "The longer we're together, the better!"

Still proud of Henry's first steps and his overall bright demeanor Abby remained in awe of her son as he toddled about the livingroom in search of toys and playtime with his Papa. Having a full day off Abby happily stayed at the house all day while Connor picked up some extra hours at the precinct, and enjoyed having some bonding time with her son and eventual father-in-law. The house always felt like it was full of love and warm, no matter what was going on any time of the year. Being able to just go some place to call her home and her family made it easier for Abby to transition into motherhood more smoothly.

"Henry..." Abby called her son's name to get him to look at her. Holding up his stuffed dog for Henry to see Abby was rewarded with a smile from the energetic and curious baby. "Henry, can you say 'mama'?"

The baby just babbled as he sat on the floor beside Hank and played with his foam blocks with wild motions from his hands.

"Please? Ma-Ma." Dragging out the word a little Abby tried to get Henry to repeat it for himself. "Come on, say 'mama'."

More babbling filled the air as Henry walked over to Hank and sat down beside him to keep playing.

"You can be such a turd like your daddy sometimes." Abby sighed as she knelt on the floor beside her son as she tried to get him to talk. "How about 'papa'? Can you say 'papa'?"

The usual nonsensical babbling was Henry's only answer as he offered Hank a foam block to take.

"Don't take it personally." Picking up Henry for a moment Hank put the baby down on his right knee as he sat cross legged on the floor. "Cole's first word was 'mama' and then 'dada', but it took some time before he finally said it. After he hit those terrible-twos all I heard was 'no' all day long... I kinda' miss it."

"I'm used to hearing 'no' from stubborn patients at the facility." Abby replied casually. "I can handle it."

"If you're a fan of 'no', try being a cop for a week. After those seven days are over that word will lose all meaning."

"Maybe Connor will have some luck in getting Henry to speak up."

"It's possible. Henry and Connor do have an impressively close bond already."

"You noticed that too, huh?"

"Yup. And I couldn't be prouder." Hank accepted a foam block from Henry as he watched his grandson playing with his toys. "A son needs to be able to rely on his father and trust him from an early age."

"Think Lucas will have that chance?" Speaking in a low tone Abby was aware of the way Lucas was seeking his soulmate but wasn't having any luck. "I guess his last couple of blind dates didn't go so well."

"Human or deviant, it takes a special type of person to adjust to the hectic schedule of a detective." Letting Henry off his lap Hank watched his grandson go from crawling to toddling as he sought some affection from his mother. "I think that's why you and Connor work so well together. You two can relate to having an odd work schedule and still find the time to devote to one another. That's what proves you two love each other."

Scooping up Henry in her arms Abby gave the baby a kiss on his forehead as he giggled. "And I thought it was having a baby that proved we 'love' each other."

"Never change, Abby." Chuckling at the comment Hank just leaned back and pressed his back against the front of the recliner to rest a little easier. "Never ever change."

The front door opened as Connor returned home for the night and shook off his rain soaked jacket. As he removed his shoes and hung his jacket by the front door Connor looked out at his family and grinned at the sight. Seeing his son toddling about back and forth between his mom and grandfather gave the deviant father a swelling of pride in his heart.

"Did you have fun with your mom and Papa today?" Kneeling down on the floor Connor held out his hands and was rewarded with Henry toddling over to greet his daddy in person. "Daddy missed you."

As Henry looked up at Connor and looked him in the eyes Henry babbled out a single comprehensive word. "Dad-dy."

While Connor's soulful brown eyes brightened with happy shock Abby and Hank started laughing at the way Henry responded to Connor but not to them. "That's right." Connor confirmed as he held Henry to his chest and gave him a happy hug. "I'm your daddy. And I love you!"

The Second Year:

As much as Connor and Abby loved Henry they had to admit that they weren't a fan of the dreaded 'terrible-twos', and were worried that they'd lose their patience fast. It wasn't a daily occurrence, but Henry would sporadically have temper tantrums and would sometimes throw toys in anger. Hank helped Connor and Abby understand that it was all apart of the process of growing up, emotions developing and the toddler learning to communicate, and to just stay patient with their son until the horrible phase was finally over. Fortunately Henry didn't have any problems while at daycare or when he was being babysat, so they didn't have to worry about it too much. but it didn't make it any easier to deal with an emotionally exhausting toddler having a meltdown at home.

Sitting on the black leather couch in the livingroom Connor and Abby listened to Henry screaming from his bedroom upstairs after being put in 'time-out' for throwing a glass bowl on the floor and shattering it because it was too cold to go outside and play. The parents were tired and trying to wait the tantrum out, and Connor was on the verge of turning off his audio processors to ignore the screaming.

Hank came inside the house from the garage and spotted the exhausted parents on the couch looking as defeated as they felt. "I can hear Henry from the garage." He saw Connor's coin anxiously dancing over his right knuckles as he was beginning to stress a little, while Abby pressed a pillow to her face. "He sounds pissed!"

"Oh... Sorry."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave his exhausted son an amused look. "So, what did he do while I was changing the oil?"

"Intentionally broke a glass bowl because we won't let him play outside in the cold weather. No, he didn't cut himself on the broken glass, he's just mad at us for putting him in time out."

"At least he isn't hurt." Trying to remain optimistic for his son and daughter-in-law's sake Hank put his hands to his hips and stared at the staircase leading up to the second floor loft. "And just wait until he starts getting mad at you for keeping inedible stuff out of his mouth. All. Day. Long."

The coin faltered a little and Connor sank back into the couch a little. "...I don't think that'll be preferable to the temper tantrums."

Mumbling through the pillow Abby agreed entirely. "A choking hazard is worse than hearing damage. I think!"

Sympathizing with the young couple Hank sighed and tried to think of a way to help. "How long has Henry been screaming?"

"...Fifty-two minutes, nine point six seconds." Connor of course had been keeping the exact time of the tantrum record down to the absolute second. "And counting."

"Yeah, he'll tire himself out soon."

"How in the world did you put up with temper tantrums without feeling completely drained?"

"The truth is, I didn't." Sitting down in the recliner beside the couch Hank managed to tune out the tantrum almost entirely. "It's just something you have to deal with as Henry learns boundaries and manners."

"When will it stop?"

"Another two years, tops."

"...Two years?"

"Connor." Hank put his right hand on his son's left shoulder empathetically as Henry's high pitched scream made him flinch in response. "When this is all over you won't remember the tantrums or sleepless nights, you'll only remember him growing up and making you happy. I promise!"

"I hope so. I don't want to simply delete these negative memories, but as long as they aren't more prevalent than the positive memories I think it'll be worth keeping them."

Abby grabbed onto his hand in a supportive manner and sighed. "Same."

"What about the potty-training?" Trying to keep Connor and Abby's minds off the tantrum and onto a more progressive subject Hank kept Connor talking and prevented him from stressing out. "How's that going for ya'?"

"Not as bad as I initially feared, he's actually taken to it very well. He still wears a diaper at night but he hasn't had an 'accident' in four days."

"That's good to know." Hank listened as Henry let out one last pitiful whine before he finally quieted down and fell asleep upstairs. "...And he's finally out. See? Gotta' be patient."

Connor held up the right palm of his hand and looked at the display of the video baby monitor set up in the crib. Henry was laying on his back completely asleep and calm for the first time in almost an hour. It was an utter relief for everyone. "That's good."

Abby tightened her hand around Connor's and leaned against his shoulder as she tossed the pillow aside. "Please don't think any less of me if I go and take a shot of tequila."

Laughing at the all too relatable remark Hank was happy to have a chat with Connor and Abby about parenting a toddler. "Not a chance, every parent needs an outlet every now and then." Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank placed an order for a pizza and kicked back in the recliner for a moment. "Let me give you a few tips on temper tantrums and not going insane in the process."

Connor sighed in relief at the offer. "Thank you."

Burying her the side of her face against Connor's shoulder Abby gave her father-in-law a plead stare. "Please tell us everything!"

A shopping trip with Henry ended with the little boy snuggling a brand new stuffed animal and Connor looking rather glum. Heading into the kitchen after returning home Connor prepared his son a healthy lunch, and caught sight of Hank returning to the house through the backdoor with Sumo slowly leading the way. As the happy grandfather greeted his grandson with a kiss on his crazy thick hair he noticed that Connor's L.E.D. was blinking in a slow yellow pulse and his shoulders were slumped as if being weighed down by heavy emotions.

Picking up Henry's new stuffed animal from the table Hank gave it a curious look and then handed it back to his grandson to hold. Being as casual as possible Hank walked over to the kitchen sink to wash off his hands before he joined Henry for lunch.

"So," he spoke up in a low tone to avoid putting Connor on the spot. "how was shopping with Henry?"

"Fine. Henry was very well behaved, hence his new toy."

"Another dog?"

"A fox."

"Oh, well, foxes and dogs are pretty similar." Drying off his hands Hank hung the towel back on the cabinet door and let out a soft sigh. "Something bothering you right now?"

Trying to dismiss the question Connor replied in turn. "...It's a foolish concern."

"I doubt that. You have a good head on your shoulders, so I don't think anything that's concerning you is foolish."

Finishing with Henry's lunch, a simple sandwich with a small handful of vegetables on the side, Connor put the plate down on the table and made sure his son was sitting in the booster seat properly. "...Today while I was taking Henry through the toy store an elderly woman asked me if I had been granted permission by my owners to give their child a new toy."

"Old bi- people," he corrected himself to keep Henry from learning a new swear word, Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "are going to be nosy and asking stupid questions all the time. Why is this getting to you so much?"

"When I told her I didn't have an owner and that Henry was my son she tried to report me to security for kidnapping. Security arrived, she told them a wildly improbable story of how she supposedly witnessed me abducting my own son from another family, and I had to tell the guard the truth while introducing myself as a detective before they even bothered to check the security cameras to validate her claim."

Hank's hand shook Connor's shoulder a little as he now felt offended on his son's behalf. "Which store?"

"I've already filed a complaint against that particular security guard for incompetence and discrimination, don't worry about it."

"Good. Well, what happened after that?"

"The old woman insisted that I was somehow a villain, that I had no business taking care of Henry despite her loud accusations frightening him. Even as Henry kept calling me 'daddy' and burying his face in my chest to try to hide from that old woman she still insisted that she was right and I was wrong." Placing a red sippy-cup of milk down for Henry to have alongside his lunch, Connor stared at his son's face as if waiting for him to get scared again. "The woman only backed down after I had to cybernetically request police assistance to escort her off the property. The security guard tried to save face with the manager and never once tried to apologize for making a mistake."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that, son."

"I'm more worried about how such a negative experience might affect Henry's ability to socialize. I bought him his new toy to give him a positive experience after enduring a negative one, but I don't know if it'll be enough."

"The fact that you're more focused on how Henry's going to be react despite you getting singled out, means you're doing plenty to keep your son happy and feeling safe."

Tracing his right fingertips over his still yellow L.E.D. Connor sighed and stepped away from the table for a moment. "I hope you're right."

The afternoon continued on peacefully in the household as Hank sat on the couch with Henry napping beside him. The little boy had his arms wrapped around his new stuffed fox as he slept and seemed entirely normal despite the abnormal day at the toy store. Rubbing his left palm up and down Henry's arm in a comforting manner Hank was content that his grandson was sleeping well and wouldn't be disturbed if he got up from the couch for a few minutes. Moving slowly and quietly Hank rose from the furniture and pulled the navy blanket from the back of the couch to drape over Henry as he continued to nap in peace on the cushions.

Heading into the kitchen to grab a handful of vegetables to snack on after his lunch Hank noticed that Connor was nowhere around, and found that to be rather odd. Closing the refrigerator door Hank peered out the kitchen window to the backyard but didn't see his deviant son outside and he didn't hear Connor walking around up on the second floor loft.

Checking the garage Hank saw Connor's rebuilt motorcycle sitting in its usual place without any sign of Connor in the small space. Every tool was in its rightful place and hadn't been touched in weeks.

"Where did that kid get to?"

Returning to the house Hank made his way down the hallway to see if Connor disappeared into his bedroom for a while but the yellow light pouring out from beneath the closed bathroom gave the senior detective pause. Checking the doorknob of the closed bathroom door Hank was relieved that the door wasn't locked as he turned the knob, and pushed the door open just enough to peer inside without completely violating Connor's sense of privacy.

"Connor?" He could see Connor's outstretched legs as the deviant sat on the tile floor next to the bathtub just out of sight. "Are you okay?"

The deviant let out a soft sigh as he answered from within the bathroom. "...I'm not sure."

"I'm coming in." Pushing the door all the way open Hank stared at Connor as the deviant sat on the floor with blue blood staining his hands. Connor had his eyes closed and a smear of blue blood running down his right temple toward his jawline. "Ah, son..." Kneeling down beside the deviant Hank carefully checked for the source of the bleeding and sighed. "What did you do?"

"...I wanted to do what's best for Henry." Opening up his right palm still coated in his own warm Thirium Connor revealed the cause of his injury. "It was time to do it."

"Connor? Why did-" Picking up the now dead L.E.D. from Connor's palm Hank dropped it on the floor as he reached for a clean washcloth to press against the deviant's bleeding right temple. "Shit, this is bleeding pretty badly."

"When I began remove it I accidentally damaged the Thirium line connecting the L.E.D. to my system. It's not considered a vital component or Thirium line, which is why my self healing program isn't stopping the leak. The leak itself is however significant."

"So you opened a vein?"

"Essentially, yes."

"Shit. What do we do to stop the bleeding?"

"It needs to be cauterized."

"I'm NOT burning you, son."

"That's fine. I can do it-"

"No way." Glancing at the dead silver disk laying in a small puddle of Thirium on the floor beside his knee Hank shook his head despondently. "You're going to wait for Abby to come back home and clean you up. You need a technician's care and a wife's touch right about now."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't- Look, I'm mad at the fact that you're bleeding and hiding in the bathroom, I'm not actually mad at you." Moving Connor's right hand up to his right temple to hold the washcloth in place Hank retrieved a second washcloth and ran it under the cool tap in the sink, then wrung out the excess water. "You shouldn't have to disfigure yourself like that just because some old bitch couldn't keep her uninformed opinions to herself."

"I didn't do this for her, I did it for Henry." Letting out a small hiss as the cold water touched his bloody skin and then slowly moved up to where the first washcloth had been, Connor tried to explain his logic and reasoning. "Henry deserves the chance to grow-up and be out in public with his parents without someone staring at us or judging us."

Without anything to say regarding that type of reasoning Hank just continued to clean up the wound to the best of his ability and apply pressure. "Man, when will Abby be home?"

"...Approximately two hours, nine minutes."

"Great." Grabbing onto the android first aid kit under the bathroom sink Hank located the special android unique gauze Hank pressed a clean bandage to Connor's right temple, and then taped it into place. "That stuff should slow down the bleeding enough for you to not make a mess until Abby gets back."

"I'll stay in-"

"Son, no. Don't hide in the bathroom and be miserable." Pointing at the deviant's eyes Hank sighed then patted Connor's knee twice. "I can see you trying to deny your massive headache. Come lay on the couch with Henry and take it easy for a while."

"Yeah, okay."

Pulling Connor up to his feet Hank led the pained deviant down the hallway and into the livingroom to rest. As Connor sat down on the couch very slowly he wrapped up Henry in the blanket and lifted up the sleeping toddler so he could lay on his back with Henry napping over his chest. It had been a while since Connor was able to cuddle with Henry like that, and in turn he felt much more peaceful.

"Connor?" Peering down at his son and grandson over the back of the couch Hank nodded at the bandage on Connor's right temple curiously. "Are you going to put the light back?"

"...Maybe someday." The idea of replacing the L.E.D. hadn't even entered Connor's mind. "For now, I want to appear as human as possible for Henry's sake."

"Okay. It's your choice, son."

"I know." Kissing Henry's hair Connor laid his head down on the pillow and proceeded to nap along with his son. "And I choose to do what's best for Henry."

The Third Year:

Taking a quick vacation up to the cabin outside the city the family gathered around the beloved second home, and happily unwound from their hectic schedules and the hour long car ride. Henry was getting better at traveling long distances but that didn't mean he didn't want to unleash his pent-up energy once he was able to walk around freely again. Playing tag with his Uncle Lucas throughout the cabin's backyard Henry laughed and enjoyed the extra attention he was getting, while Hank and Abby set about getting lunch ready in the cabin's kitchen.

Seeking a moment of privacy Connor discreetly crept through the treeline of the side of the property to check on the secret grave, and to check on the remains of the blue rose after he had picked the rare flower from its stem. Approaching the grave quietly Connor made sure not to disturb the surrounding flora and fauna, or attract the curiosity of his son in the process.

Crouching down before the grave Connor stared at the green rose stem and tilted his head with surprise. What had once been a single blue rose bud that grew for almost two years before it was finally plucked, now held two new additional blue rose buds growing strong and healthy before the white stone marking the hidden grave.

"This is- This shouldn't be possible."

Tracing his right fingertips gently over the silk soft buds Connor ran a scan and confirmed that the flowers were both healthy and growing strong.

"By all account the single blue rose should've been a fluke. Two additional and identical blue roses is... incredible."

Recognizing what he was seeing as something special Connor decided to keep the roses a secret for a while longer, and to keep them safe for every upcoming winter to ensure the flowers could continue to thrive and bloom with their impossible coloration. Such special roses needed to be protected.

"It seems strange to be back here after all this time. After..." Pressing his left palm over his heart for a moment Connor bowed his head respectfully. "I was given my second chance to live. I suppose that it'd be my third chance since my original regulator replaced my current one after I transferred my consciousness into this body."

Grateful for his life and everything in it, Connor pressed his right palm over the white stone graciously.

"While I can't truly forgive Markus for what he did to me, I know I can finally move on since my previous life ended up saving my current life."

Standing upright from the grass Connor sighed and looked up at the tree canopy shadowing the grave in natural secrecy.

"I'm alive, I have a father, a little brother, a wife is healthy and my happy son. That's all that matters now."

Walking back through the treeline Connor caught sight of Henry 'tackling' Lucas to the ground and laughing his head off as Lucas theatrically acted as if Henry was the strongest little boy in the world, Connor felt himself instantly smile. The sight of his little brother adoring Henry as if he were his own made Connor's heart swell and then ache knowing that Lucas was still alone and struggling to find his soulmate.

Keeping a brave face Connor approached the duo and gave Lucas a skeptical glance. "I thought you were stronger than the average three year old."

"Henry is far from average, big brother!" Sitting upright on the grass Lucas grabbed onto Henry and held him in his arms to keep him from running off. "He's a force to be reckoned with."

"His temper tantrums are, to say the least."

"Guess I picked the right time to move out. I get to see Henry when he's in his good moods, not bad!"

"Never assume. Don't forget, you got the same upgrades as I did and you could be chasing your own son around the grass and waiting out temper tantrums soon."

"That'd be nice." Standing up Lucas handed Henry over to Connor as they walked to the cabin's backdoor. "I think Henry would love to have a younger cousin to play with."

"And I'd like to take my turn being an uncle. Have you met anyone you feel strongly for?"

"Well... Maybe." Blushing a pale blue Lucas opened the backdoor and entered the cabin to join everyone else inside for lunch. Watching Henry run toward the kitchen after Connor put him down Lucas sighed silently. "We've been speaking a few times ever since Kamski passed a city law demanding deviant divisions in every precinct. She's... She's Kamski's assistant."

Pausing for a moment Connor looked Lucas in the eyes and knew who he was talking about. "Chloe."

"Yeah..." Blushing a pale blue Lucas admitted that he was interested in that particular deviant. "I'm sort of seeing Chloe."

As much as Connor loathed Kamski and those who associated with him, Connor could tell that Lucas was truly intrigued with Chloe. If Lucas was willing to tell him about Chloe to begin with then that was enough proof that Lucas really cared about her. "Does she make you happy?"

"Yes." Answering quickly Lucas confirmed that being with Chloe did in fact make him happy. "When we can spend time together we are quiet happy. She has a very calming and understand presence, and we both share the same interests."

"Saxophone and puzzles?"

"Music in general, and yes, Chloe does like puzzles. I think she deviated sooner than even Kamski realized, but has been emotionally stunted by the fear of needing to hide from the world." Speaking sheepishly Lucas spoke of their brief moments together. "I wanted to help her as you helped me, and over time we began to develop... feelings for one another."

"If she makes you happy then that's all that matters. You deserve to be with someone like that."

"Thank you for saying so, brother."

Henry ran back over to Lucas and grabbed onto his and Connor's hands excitedly. "Come play! Come play!"

"We're coming." Connor promised as he let his son lead him and Lucas away from the backdoor and over to the kitchen where lunch was being set out by Hank and Abby. Helping Henry to sit in his booster seat on the nearby chair Connor gave Lucas a single nod and spoke to him cybernetically. 'You should ask Chloe out on a date someday.'

'A date?' The very notion seemed foreign and almost frightening. 'Like what?'

'Abby and I enjoy private getaways like going to the beach or just laying in bed talking, and when Henry's not being too temperamental I play my guitar for her. Perhaps you should invite Chloe over to your apartment and work on a puzzle together, or play the saxophone for her.'

'That's a good idea. Once we're back in the city I'll ask her if she'd like to go on a date with me.'

'I hope it works out for you.' Looking over at Abby and Henry as she gave him a spoonful of blueberries to eat alongside his sandwich Connor felt his heart warm and wanted Lucas to have the chance to feel the same warmth that came from having a spouse and child. Seeing Henry smiling at Lucas and showing him his toy cars gave the deviant father a true sense of paternal pride. 'You'd be a great father, Lucas. Take the chance and see how your relationship with Chloe might develop.'

'I will do so, I promise.' Handing Henry back his toy car Lucas remained upbeat. "After lunch we can play some more, Henry. Okay?"

"'Kay!"

Hank smirked as he noticed that Lucas's L.E.D. was flickering in rapid yellow for a moment before returning blue, and he knew that he and Connor were up to something. "Boys, you know it's rude to use your robo-telepathy in front of us lowly humans, right?"

"Sorry, dad." The brothers replied in perfect chorus.

Dismissing the perceived offensive gesture Hank set about making sure everyone had something to eat before he began eating his own lunch. "What were you two talking about, anyway?"

Lucas looked to Connor who nodded once, then returned his attention to Hank to answer. "Well, we were talking about me..." Feeling a little embarrassed the deviant cleared his throat before continuing on. "Uh, you see, there's this... deviant I'm interested in, and I guess I could use a little advice on dating."

"Then you're in the right place." Approving of the possible romance Hank leaned forward where he sat and grinned at his youngest son dipping his toes into the dating pool. "So, who's the lucky deviant?"

The Fourth Year:

Feeling a tad awkward and very out of place Connor sat at the desk across from the preschool teacher who had accepted Henry's application for admission and was now having a parent-teacher conference with the deviant father. Sitting in a classroom with small plastic chairs, desks, toys and brightly colored walls adorned with the alphabet and numbers was very new to Connor, and it showed in his uncomfortable demeanor. Henry himself was sitting in the corner of the classroom putting together a small puzzle with dinosaurs on it while his application was being discussed.

"Henry is an exemplary student, Mr. Anderson. You should be proud!" The teacher proclaimed with sincerity her voice. "He's well spoken, already knows his numbers and letters, he can even read at a second grade level. You must've read to him very frequently while he was a baby."

"I would try to read to him as often as possible," Connor confirmed as he felt a deserved sense of paternal pride fill his heart. "but I think his grandfather deserves more credit. His mother reads to him every chance she gets as well."

"Well, thanks to you three I know that Henry is growing up to be a bright, well-rounded young man."

"Thank you for saying so, ma'am. We're very proud of him."

"Henry has been accepted and can begin attending class on September fourteenth. He'll be placed in our gifted program along with the other students, and he'll be permitted to take part in more advanced assignments to ensure he doesn't get bored in class."

"That's a relief to know. Thank you." Looking over at Henry with a faint smile on his face Connor was already dreading having Henry in school all afternoon long, and not at home with himself, Abby, Hank or even his Uncle Lucas. "I'm sure Henry will be happy here."

"I know it's hard to send your child off to school for the first time, but I assure you Henry will receive the best education and will be treated very well here."

"I know." Standing up from the chair he shook hands with the teacher and smiled kindly at her. "Is there anything special that I'll need to prepare for Henry before he comes to class?"

"Well, we do offer snacks throughout the day, but if you want to pack Henry his own meals that's understandable. But really all he'll need is to show up at nine in the morning, and be picked up at two in the afternoon."

"That's manageable. I'm certain at least one person will be available at all times to take care of him."

"I'll see you in two weeks, Mr. Anderson."

"Of course. I'll see you then." Holding out his right hand Connor walked over to the corner and called to his son. "Come on, Henry. Let's go."

Rising from the floor with a smile on his face Henry took hold of Connor's hand and walked with him outside the classroom. "Coming, daddy!"

After leaving the preschool hand in hand Connor took Henry to the park where Hank used to take Cole, and let him know about his admission to preschool. He also explained how he'd be the one to drop him off in the morning, while Abby, Hank or Lucas would be the one to pick him up in the afternoon. Henry didn't seem to mind and loved the idea of spending afternoons at school, then going back home to play after his family finished their shifts at work. A rotating schedule had already been worked out in advance, but that didn't mean that the adults were ready to admit that Henry was already growing up.

It eased Connor's own worries to see Henry so confident and unafraid of the impending changes, and yet the deviant father was still compelled to protect his son at every turn.

"You'll be able to make friends and play games with other kids while you're in preschool learning." Connor stated as he pushed Henry on the swing set at the park. It was just them at the moment and Connor appreciated the semi privacy in the pubic park. "You might even find new books to read."

"Will I make friends like Uncle Lucas?"

"Uh, maybe. I don't think you'll make friends with too many adults, Henry."

"Can I bring Sumo?"

"No, sorry. Preschool is for children only. Dogs have obedience school instead."

"What's 'obeunce'?" Henry had a hard time with the more advanced word, but Connor knew what he meant.

"'Obedience' means someone listens to what they were told and don't argue."

"Like when Papa tells Sumo to sit?"

"Exactly."

"Can we go see Papa right now?"

"Of course." Gently bringing the swing to a stop Connor helped Henry out of the seat and held his hand again as they began walking home. It was too nice of a day to drive, and the welcoming weather could disappear soon enough. "We're all very excited and proud that you're starting preschool in two of weeks."

"How long do I go to school?"

"You'll go to preschool on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from nine o'clock in the morning, until two o'clock in the afternoon. You'll do this every week for eight and half months. Then you get three months to play before starting kindergarten."

"What's 'kinnergardun'?"

"Kindergarten continues to teach you after you finish preschool. It's like starting a new chapter in a story all about you."

"Oh." Henry happily skipped about as he held Connor's right hand on their way back from the park and to the house. "Is it fun?"

"Yeah..." Connor had no idea how anything in preschool worked since he was never a kid, but he did know to make sure Henry felt confident. "You'll like it and you'll have fun, I promise."

After being told the good news Hank was very proud to know that Henry had been accepted into the preschool and was being placed in the gifted program. Treating the bright young man to a bowl of chocolate ice cream Hank and Connor watched as Henry laid on his belly on the livingroom floor with an alphabet book under his nose as he ate his delicious treat and happily read his book. Sumo was watching from afar, ready to clean up any possible messes left behind, but kept his distance so he didn't get scolded for begging.

Abby was also proud of Henry being accepted into the gifted program and promised to arrive home with a pizza to celebrate, and she was going to make sure she and Henry spent the day together as a special mommy-son day.

Connor noticed that Hank seemed to be transfixed on the sight before him, his blue eyes glazing over, and quietly asked if he was okay. "You seem upset. Are you alright, dad?"

"I'm fine, it's just..." Standing up from the couch Hank discreetly he motioned for Connor to follow after him. The two walked down the hallway where the senior detective opened up his bedroom door and then his closet. Pulling down an old cardboard box of photographs from the top shelf he sat on the edge of the bed and sifted through the images until he found one of interest. "Look at this."

Connor held the offered photo in his left hand and ran a scan over it. "This is Cole." The face looking back at him was hauntingly familiar. "He looks..."

"Like Henry."

The photo showed Henry laying on the floor working on a coloring book with Sumo when Cole was about the same age as Henry is now. The resemblance was uncanny.

Hank took the photo back from Connor's fingers and turned it over. "Read the back."

Turning the photo over Connor read the inscription curiously. "Cole Anderson, age four..." The final detail made the deviant's brow arch a little. "First day of preschool."

"It's like looking into the past. It catches me off guard sometimes, and I have to take a few minutes to get my head back together, you know?"

Giving his father a worried glance Connor made sure Hank wasn't going to have a breakdown. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good now." Taking back the photo Hank sighed and returned it to its box. "These moments just feel surreal. Almost too good to be true."

"I know that feeling."

"Uh, Abby's going to be home with dinner soon." Needing to change the subject quickly Hank sighed and dragged his right palm over his goatee. "Think Lucas will join us tonight?"

"Unlikely. It seems he and Chloe are spending even more time together."

"Things are finally getting serious between them. It only took two fuckin' years..."

"Lucas has been subjected to many disappointing dates in the past. He's just being very guarded."

"Yeah, can't say that I blame him." Standing up from the bed Hank returned the box to his closet and closed the door. "Well, how about we go back out there and keep giving Henry high praise? That kid's a sharp little tack and I can't wait to hear all his stories from preschool."

"Yes, that's a good idea. We need to focus on the positive aspects of our lives, not the negative."

Another week had passed and it was time for Henry's first day of preschool. Arriving in front of the preschool building at eight-fifty in the morning Connor looked at Henry sitting in the backseat of the Pace - the family car was purchased shortly after Abby sold her house and moved into the Anderson home to finally complete the family. Henry was sitting in his booster seat with a big smile on his face and his backpack on his lap. The little boy was fearless and very excited to begin his first day of preschool, whereas Connor, Abby, Hank and Lucas weren't quite so ready to have an afternoon without Henry.

The little boy wasn't quite as little as he had been. He was growing up and in a few more years he wouldn't need his parents to hold his hands or carry him up to bed anymore.

"Are you ready for your first day of preschool, Henry?" Connor asked as he turned off the engine and opened up the driver's side door of the car.

"Yup!" Still smiling Henry grabbed onto his backpack straps and watched his dad open up the rear door beside him. "I'm ready!"

Reaching inside Connor unfastened the safety restraints on the booster seat and lifted Henry up and out of the vehicle. "Are you nervous?"

"Nope!"

Putting Henry down on his feet outside the car Connor checked on Henry's backpack and made sure he had his lunch. "Are you going to be good?"

"Yup!"

"Do you know what time mom is going to come and pick you up?"

"At two."

"Very good." Taking Henry by the hand again Connor led the little boy up to the front doors of the preschool and showed him to his new classroom. "I'll see you, your mom and Papa after I get out of work today. Okay?"

"Okay!"

Kneeling down in front of Henry with a proud smile Connor wrapped his arms around his son and gave him a hug. "I love you Henry. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye dad!"

As soon as Henry was free of the hug he excitedly ran into the classroom and disappeared among the other four year olds gathered in the play area of the room. Standing upright Connor looked to Henry's teacher and nodded before taking his leave of the preschool to head out to the precinct and begin his shift. As he entered the car in the parking lot to take his leave Connor felt a mixture of joy and dread swim over his heart.

Driving to the precinct he sent a cybernetic text to Hank and watched the preschool shrinking away in the reflection on the rearview mirror behind him. "Henry's at preschool. He seems excited." Connor sent a selected image from his visual memory to Hank's phone to show him how happy Henry looked. "And fearless."

There was a pause before Hank replied via text message. 'And how're you holding up?'

"I'm a little sad to know Henry won't be spending the day with the family, but I'm happy he isn't afraid to begin school."

'He'll be just fine, Connor. The first few days of school are always the hardest on the parents, not the kids.'

"Yeah. I'm beginning to realize this."

'Abby was in tears when you put him in the car, you know?'

"Yes, I know..."

'Go to work, son. Henry will be fine and we'll survive Fowler's morning meeting.'

"Right. I'll see you there."

Ending the phone call Connor let out a small sigh as he reminded himself that Henry was going to be just fine and that all children eventually went to school to begin the next chapter of their lives.

"See you soon, Henry. We're all so proud of you."

The Fifth Year:

It was well into the unseasonably chilly fall and cold and flu season was hitting the entire city hard. Not only had Abby been taken down by the flu, but Connor had received a call from the elementary school informing him that Henry was sick and quickly clocked out of the precinct to go and pick him up. Locating Henry laying down on his side on a small cot in the school nurse's office Connor pressed his left hand to his son's forehead and felt him running a fever.

Comparing Henry's fever to Abby's fever Connor knew that he'd have to deal with a house full of sick people soon. Cybernetically he called into the precinct to request time off to tend to his family and had it immediately granted.

"Hi, Henry." Connor whispered to his son in a kind tone. "How do you feel?"

The little boy spoke up in a voice as quiet as his father's voice. "...Bad."

"I'm sorry." Very gently Connor picked Henry up from the cot and Henry pressed his feverish head down against Connor's left shoulder. Looking to the school nurse who had been taking care of the sick little boy, Connor asked about his condition. "How long has he been feeling unwell?"

"His teacher noticed tgat he didn't eat much during snack time at eleven this morning, and he didn't want to play at all during recess at eleven fifteen." The nurse handed Connor the dark blue backpack and jacket that Henry had been wearing that morning so they could go straight home. "Henry didn't say anything to the teacher until he thought he was going to get sick and throw-up on the playground."

"Did he throw-up?"

"No, fortunately. A lot of kids have colds right now, so I wouldn't be surprised if Henry caught one this morning."

"His mother has the flu as of the moment." Connor admitted as he informed Hank of Henry's condition cybernetically. "I plan of keeping them both home until they're on the mend."

"I assure you that both the school and the families of our students appreciate that."

Connor nodded and rubbed his hand along Henry's back. "Were you feeling bad this morning, Henry?"

"...A little."

"A little?" Connor repeated with an arched brow at the response. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"...I don't know."

The comment was as innocent as it was eerily reminiscent of his own attitude toward feeling unwell or injured in the past. "Okay, Henry. We'll go home and you can get some sleep and then you'll feel better."

"...I want to mom."

"Okay. I'll take you home so you can cuddle with mom. You'll be much more comfortable with her."

"...'kay."

Moving slowly and carefully Connor carried Henry, who was very sleepy, out of the school and placed him in the booster seat in the backseat of the car to be driven home. Driving slowly and calmly Connor made sure the ill son didn't get motion sick on top of being taken down with a cold or perhaps the flu. As soon as the car was parked outside of the house Connor turned off the engine and picked up Henry to carry him out of the car, and into the house to lay down on the couch in the livingroom for a minute while he checked on Abby.

Sumo readily walked up to the couch and pressed his chin down on the cushion beside Henry and wagged his tail slowly. Henry rolled over onto his left side and looked as miserable as any sick kid could ever look.

"Hey, Henry." Hank greeted his ill grandson from down the hallway and gave him a light kiss on the head. "Not feeling good, huh?"

"...No."

"Well, Sumo will help." He looked over at Connor and sighed. "So, what's the prognosis, son?"

"Probably just a cold he may even caught Abby's flu. He's running a fever of one-hundred point six degrees. I don't want to take any chances of him and Abby accidentally exasperating one another's condition."

"Good decision. I'll grab him a pillow and a blanket so he can crash on the couch." Reaching down his right hand Hank rubbed Henry's right arm lightly. "You stay home from school as long as you want, okay?"

"...Okay." Henry's voice was sad and sounded weak making both Connor and Hank's hearts break.

Connor hated it whenever Henry caught a cold, but something in his paternal instincts told him that whatever Henry had wasn't just a cold this time. Henry never let a cold slow him down before, and he never admitted if he was feeling sick. For him to be so still and willing to admit he felt bad was something new to the deviant father.

While Hank went to get Henry the blanket and pillow from the hallway closet Connor walked down the hallway to check on Abby. As expected she was in a deep sleep courtesy of her flu medication and she looked as exhausted as Henry. She was pale, had bright rosy cheeks, dark bags under her eyes and a raw red nose.

Pressing his right palm over Abby's sweat-slicked forehead he noted her fever and decided to get her a cold washcloth to let her rest easier. The moment he walked into the bathroom and retrieved the cool, damn washcloth Abby's eyes opened and she coughed harshly.

"Your fever is holding at one-hundred and one point seven." Connor confirmed as he returned to the bedroom and smoothed the washcloth over Abby's forehead in a gentle manner. "And I had to leave work early to pick up Henry from school."

"Shit." Coughing again Abby looked absolutely miserable. "...I got him sick."

"According to the school nurse many students have been exhibiting symptoms of the common cold. Don't blame yourself."

"Go take care of Henry." Grabbing a tissues from the box on the nightstand beside the bed Abby blew her nose and tossed the used tissue into the small trash can beside the bed. "I've had Hank taking care of me all day, I'll be fine."

"Henry's in the livingroom with Hank. He said he wants to cuddle with you."

"If we're both sick that'll make things worse."

"I know."

Pushing herself upright in the bed Abby let Connor wrap his right arm around her upper back to help her balance. "I'll go sit with him on the couch for a few hours so he can sleep easier."

"Let me carry you."

"I can walk." Pushing her thick blankets away Abby rose to her feet and began to crumple to the floor as her shaking legs refused to support her. Not resisting when Connor scooped her up into his arms Abby just leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. "...Never mind."

"It's okay. I know how miserable the flu can make you feel."

Carrying Abby into the livingroom Connor placed her down on the lounger section of the couch and draped another blanket over her to ensure she stayed warm. Connor then sat down on the couch beside his son's legs, opposite of Abby, and lightly ran his left hand over Henry's thick brown hair. Henry's hair didn't have the light, natural looking curl to it like Connor's hair, Henry's was perfectly straight like Abby's hair. He did however have it styled in a manner similar to Connor's own simply because it was the default style Connor knew whenever he helped Henry brush out his hair in the morning.

"Does your head hurt?" Connor asked in a low voice as he noticed that Henry was pale and very tired.

"...Yeah."

"What about your stomach?"

"...Uh-huh."

Hank placed the thickest pillow in the house down on the couch for Henry to lay on while Connor draped the equally thick quilt over him softly. Sumo kept his head on the couch, letting his face get buried under the quilt, and Henry laughed a little at Sumo for being so laidback and silly.

"Try to nap for a while, Henry." Connor ran his hand through Henry's hair again as he scooted the little boy up on the couch so he could rest his head and pillow atop Abby's lap. As Henry snuggled down and Abby began fussing with his hair Connor kept his tone low. "You should feel better soon."

Too tired to say anything Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep next to his mom while Connor turned on the television and found an animated children's movie to play in low volume. Standing up slowly from the couch as to not disturb Henry or Abby in the process Connor walked into the kitchen and let out a worried sigh.

"You think he's sicker than just a cold," Hank deduced as he followed Connor into the kitchen and spoke in a whisper. "don't you?"

"Usually whenever Henry catches a cold he gets a very mild fever and a runny nose. But he's tired, feverish, nauseated and has a headache. This isn't the same as a routine cold. At least not for him. And his symptoms don't quite line up with Abby's flu."

"Not all colds or flues behave the same way. If he isn't feeling better by morning, or he gets worse tonight, then you can take him in to see his pediatrician while I keep an eye on Abby."

"What if you become ill?"

"Hey, I actually went and got my damn flu shot this year because I didn't want to risk making Henry sick. I'm good. "Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Looking about the kitchen Connor then asked about making something for his sick family to eat while ill. "I'm going to make chicken noodle soup for Abby and Henry to try to eat."

"And I'll go keep an eye on them and make they have everything they need. I imagine Abby would like another dose of that medicine that actually lets you sleep through the worse aches and pains from the flu."

"Thanks, dad."

A few hours passed and Henry was still out like a light, while Abby was drifting in and out of sleep beside him. Connor had made the soup to eat once the sick family members woke up, while Hank put a cool washcloth over Henry and Abby's feverish foreheads. Fortunately they were both sleeping peacefully and they weren't getting any worse, but they weren't getting any better either. Sumo had jumped up onto the couch to lay next to Henry, his massive fluffy body nearly concealing the small boy, and kept him company in a protective manner.

"It's getting late." Connor stated in a low voice as he leaned over the back of the couch to look down at Henry and then Abby. "But I don't want to disturb them."

"Crash in the recliner." The senior detective was used to taking care of sick people and knew all the most convenient methods of nursing his family members back to health. "You'll be close by in case anyone needs something, and you won't feel guilty for sleeping in your bed without Abby."

"Dad, I'm still worried that if they do have a serious cold or flu it could be passed to you."

"If I can survive gunshots, a car accidents and a world changing Revolution I can handle a little cold."

"Yeah... I know."

"It's your turn to get some sleep now. Go." Hank rose from the recliner and motioned to the vacated space with his arm. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything."

Relenting to the request to take a moment to rest Connor walked over to the vacated recliner and sat down slowly. Powering down to a light rest mode to ensure if there was any change in Abby or Henry's condition, or if they asked for him, that he'd wake up immediately and be able to help out. After a few minutes of stubborn resistance Connor finally fell asleep.

Within two hours of entering rest mode Connor snapped awake and was greeted by Henry standing in front of the recliner with tears in his brown eyes, and Sumo standing at the small boy's left side. "Henry? What's the matter?" Connor pressed his right hand over Henry's forehead and realized that his fever had slowly risen to another degree. "What's wrong?"

"I don't feel good." The frustrated boy stated as he began scratching at his left forearm. He was paler than usual and seemed to be very uncomfortable where he stood. "My arm is itchy."

"Itchy?" Gently Connor took Henry's arm in his hands and saw two small red welts forming on his pale skin. Running a scan on the small blemishes and relaying Henry's symptoms to an online medical program Connor's cybernetic database gave him an answer, and it made him feel as terrible as Henry looked. "Oh no. Henry, it looks like you have the chicken pox."

"What's that?"

"It means you're sick." Letting go of Henry's arm Connor reached down and picked up the sick boy to hold in his own arms. He could feel that Henry was radiating a consistent heat and more blemishes courtesy of the chicken pox were beginning to slowly appear over his face and neck right under the keen eyed deviant's watch. "I'm going to run you a cool bath."

"A bath?"

"It'll make you feel better." Connor replied simply but honestly. "Once your fever begins to drop you'll feel a lot better, and being cool will help with that."

Opening the bathroom door Connor turned on the faucet in the bathtub and began drawing a cool bath for Henry. Sitting Henry down on the sink Connor helped the sick little boy remove his school clothes and then wrapped him up in a fluffy blue towel. As the tub filled Connor pressed his right hand over Henry's forehead again and noted the other red blemishes beginning to form on Henry's skin all over his body.

"I know it's going to be hard to do Henry," Connor empathized with his son's illness and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug. "but you can't scratch your chicken pox. If you do it'll make your skin feel worse and it can make you feel sicker."

Being told not to scratch was an absolutely horrendous suggestions. "But it itches!"

"I know. I'll do everything I can to make the itching stop."

Glancing at the water level in the bathtub Connor carried Henry over and sat down on the edge of the tub with Henry on his lap. Turning off the faucet and checking the water's temperature Connor found it to be ideal and helped Henry to sit down in the tub slowly. Staying on the edge of the tub with the towel over his lap Connor saw additional blemishes now forming over Henry's back as his condition worsened.

"You'll feel better in a few minutes." Slipping off his gray suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt Connor prepared to take care of his ill son as best as he could. "Let me know if you feel too cold."

There was a knock on the opened door and Abby stepped inside looking sleepy, yet somehow alert. "Hey, what's going on?"

Connor turned to look at Abby and gave her a somber stare. "Henry has the chicken pox."

"Oh, shit..." Kneeling down beside the bathtub Abby kissed Henry's hair and took a clean washcloth to dip into the water and slowly wash off Henry's back and neck in a comforting manner. "Don't worry, baby. Mom and dad will make you all better."

The motion of the house drew Hank out of his sleep and made him creep down the hallway. Seeing everyone inside the bathroom and the small red spots dotting Henry's skin made his stomach drop. "Aw, man." Hank let out a tired sigh and stepped back out of the bathroom to get something to help his ill grandson. "Hold on, Henry. Papa knows what'll stop the itching."

Making a cup with his right hand Connor scooped up some of the cool water and gently ran it through Henry's hair to try to ease his fever while Abby washed off his back. As he did so Hank returned with a canister of oatmeal and proceeded to pour a generous helping into the water. Both Connor and Henry gave the retired detective the same confused look, while Abby looked relieved.

"I know it looks weird, but trust me, it'll help. The oatmeal will help stop the itching and keep Henry's skin from drying out while he's sick." Putting aside the canister Hank reached under the sink and found a bottle of bright pink Calamine lotion to ease the itching as well. "This will help, too." Grabbing onto Henry's school clothes Hank made his way back out of the bathroom. "I'll throw his clothes in the washer and get Henry his pajamas."

"Thanks." Connor continued to carefully run the now oatmeal littered cool water over Henry's hair and along his back. "How do you feel, Henry?"

"Sleepy."

"Just sit in there for a few more minutes and then you can go lay down in my bed to sleep. Okay?"

Henry nodded quietly as he pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his forehead against his knees.

Connor took a second washcloth and dipped it into the water then he began wiping the cool soothing water over Henry's forearms and forehead very gently. As the cool water began to ease Henry's fever the little boy let out a sad whimper as his skin was really beginning to itch. Knowing that Henry was (trying to) suffer in silence Connor's heart began to ache for his son.

Waiting for ten minutes to give the cool water enough to work on Henry's feverish itchy skin Connor gently picked Henry up from the water, and placed him on his lap over the towel and used the towel to dry him off. Abby kept using her washcloth to dampen his hair and forehead to ensure he stayed as cool as possible.

Hank finished putting Henry's clothes in the washer and had taken the time to disinfect a few key areas in the livingroom while everyone was in the bathroom. He then placed the clean pajamas down on the floor at Connor's feet and picked a drying flake of oatmeal from Henry's hair. "I'll put some lotion on your skin, it'll stop the itching and you'll be able to sleep, Henry."

Henry was trying not to cry as he sat on Connor's lap. Instinctively Connor 'shushed' Henry to try to soothe him as he used the towel to dry him off without making his itching skin itch worse, and Hank began to apply the lotion to his raw skin at the back of his neck and shoulders.

"You're allowed to cry if you feel like you need to cry." Abby reminded her son, her own flu suddenly not an issue the moment she saw how sick her own son had become. "I know that I feel like crying whenever I feel sick, too."

"It's okay, Henry. I promise this will only happen one time." Connor stated calmly as he very carefully rubbed his hand over Henry's sore back. "Once you get the chicken pox you'll never catch it again. You'll be immune forever."

With the first of the spots covered under the pink medicine Hank took a step back. "You get his legs." Hank stated as he passed the lotion over to Connor. "I'll help him get his shirt on and then get a Benadryl and a mild fever reducer. It'll stop the itching and let him sleep more comfortably tonight."

"Good idea, thanks dad."

Together the entire family took care of Henry, soothing his skin and getting him into his clean pajamas, all the while holding Henry and soothing his discomfort as much as possible. It was just an instinctive reaction they all shared.

"Come on, Henry." Connor carried his son into his and Abby's bedroom just across from the bathroom where the bed was covered in clean sheets and a thick quilt. "You need to sleep. The more you sleep the better you'll feel, okay?"

"It's dark." Henry complained as he was laid down on the bed and tucked under the quilt. "I don't like it when it's too dark."

"We don't have a nightlight in here, Henry." Connor thought of an alternate solution pretty quickly. "Would Sumo make you feel better?"

The little boy nodded as Connor ran his left hand over Henry's damp hair while Abby laid down on the bed beside her son. The little boy was resting right in the middle of the bed and being tucked in under his mother's touch.

Hank had overheard the conversation and coaxed Sumo into the bedroom by simply patting the side of his leg. As the massive dog clumsily leapt up and laid down on the foot of the bed to snuggle down for the night Henry made another sad whimper.

"What's wrong, Henry?" Connor ask as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside his son. "Is something else making you feel bad?"

"Everything hurts."

"...Everything hurts?" Connor looked over to Abby for guidance who quickly understood what was going on.

"Body aches." She explained almost casually. "Just like whenever I get the flu or something."

"O-Oh." Connor was somewhat relieved to know it was normal for humans to experience body aches when sick. "I'm sorry, Henry. I'll try to make the pain stop, okay?"

"Here you go." Hank brought in the small doses of the medication for Henry to take. "One will stop the itching," he stated as he showed Henry the tiny amount of pink liquid in a pre-measured plastic cup, then showed him a second plastic cup with a small amount of red liquid. "and the other will bring down your fever."

Reluctantly Henry sat up and looked at the medicine with a heavy grimace. Connor helped Henry to take the medicine one at a time, and saw that the little boy hated the taste of the second medicine openly. "Henry?"

"...It's strawberry." Henry complained as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I don't like strawberry."

"Don't worry Henry, you don't have to take medicine everyday." Connor reminded him in a calm voice while Abby kissed his hair. "Want some juice or water?"

Henry nodded a little and Hank grinned.

"Already gotcha' covered, Henry." Hank held out a small plastic drinking cup filled with apple juice and the little boy took a sip quickly to rid the taste of the medicine from his mouth. "Better?"

Henry nodded again and laid back down against the pillow, his face still miserable and sad as Hank took back the cup.

In an effort to help Henry feel better Connor pulled up the thick quilt to Henry's shoulders and his mouth twitched as he offered up another suggestion to try to make Henry feel comfortable. "Do you want me to rub your back?"

Henry silently nodded still feeling lousy.

"Okay." Connor put his hand on left Henry's shoulder and helped him to roll onto his side facing toward Connor as he laid down beside him and began to rub his back gently. "Try to sleep." The deviant spoke softly as he urged Henry to get some rest. "You won't itch while you sleep."

Abby resumed fussing with Henry's hair as she laid down beside him and closed her eyes to rest as well. "You're going to be okay, sweetie."

Sumo let out a sympathetic whimper and rested his chin down on Henry's ankles as the little boy curled up on his side beside his father.

Hank nodded in agreement as he watched Connor's own eyes close while he continued to try to comfort his ill son. The senior detective waited from the doorway for Henry to fall asleep before turning off the bedroom light, but kept the light in the bathroom across the hallway on so it was shining into the room to act as a makeshift nightlight for his sick grandson.

"Goodnight everyone." Hank smiled with a whisper as he walked down the hallway and back to his bedroom for the rest of the night. "I'll see you three in the morning."

"...Goodnight, dad." Connor whispered back as to not disturb Abby or Henry. "Goodnight, Abby. Goodnight, Henry."

The following morning Connor continued to take care of Abby and Henry, and proceeded to cuddle with his sick family on the couch. Hank had managed to coax Henry into eating a little of the soup Connor made the night before as well as a small piece of toast with peanut butter on it. It wasn't much but at least Henry was still eating while he was sick, and keeping his strength up. Despite her own stomach not being great at the moment Abby also ate something to give Henry a good example to follow.

Connor was laying stretched out over the couch on his back with Henry laying over his chest while Abby was stretched out over the lounger. As the sick boy napped through his illness Hank draped a blanket over the duo and then gave Abby another blanket fresh out of the dryer. Once the dryer warm blanket was spread over Abby's legs Sumo cuddled up on the couch to take advatnage of the warm covering.

"It's best if children get sick with the chicken pox at a young age than at an older age," Connor asked in a whisper to both Hank and Abby. "right?"

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he sat down on the coffee table to speak to Connor more directly. "I was ten when I got the chicken pox, and it sucked. I still have a few scars, but I never caught it again."

"How long did it last?"

"Well, I had a fever for almost a week and then... it took almost another week after that for all the sores on my skin to clear up. The same happened to Cole when he was about three years old. His misery was my misery..."

"Two weeks?" Connor sighed and rubbed his hand gently over Henry's back sympathetically. "Poor Henry."

"He'll be okay, Connor. Kids are tough."

"That doesn't make it any easier to see him so miserable."

"I know, son. Trust me, I know."

Abby reached her hand out and gave Connor's hand a squeeze as he rubbed Henry's back. "I survived it, too. I was seven and I lived off of vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup for a week. Henry is going to be just fine."

Henry wasn't scratching and seemed to be resting comfortably as he slept with his ear pressed up against Connor's chest to listen to his heartbeat. Despite being five years old and a thriving kindergartner the simple act of listening to Connor's heartbeat still soothed Henry to sleep.

Sighing a little Connor looked down at Henry's face as he slept and then looked over at Hank as he sat on the coffee table to watch his son, grandson and daughter-in-law all laying over the couch. "Do you think Henry would like some ice cream when he wakes up?"

"I know I would." Hank nodded in agreement and put his hand to Henry's back lightly over top of the blanket. "Don't worry. Henry and Abby will be getting five-star treatment."

"Thanks, dad. I know we can always count on you."

The Sixth Year:

Gathering together on the small isle in Lake St. Clair the Anderson family eagerly awaited the next wedding that would make their family a little bigger. Not only had Lucas fallen hard for Chloe, but the blonde haired deviant had separated herself from Kamski as the eccentric mayor continued to try to right his past wrongs with the deviant community. In the time that Chloe had distanced herself from the man who had kept her isolated for so long, she had grown into her own personality and discovered that she liked helping people for the same reasons that Lucas did. After dating for three years the two deviants finally realized that they truly loved each other and belonged together.

Inviting their closest friends and family to the isle to be a part of the wedding Lucas asked Connor to be his best man and Chloe asked Noreen to be her maid of honor. After all, Noreen was the one who encouraged Lucas to start dating and in return Lucas supported Noreen's own blossoming romance that turned into an engagement of her own.

Hank was proud to see his youngest son getting married and made sure Henry understood that being the ring bearer was a big and important role during the wedding. Since Gavin and Aaron were invited to the wedding as well, Aria got to play the flower girl alongside her adopted younger sister, Robin. The seven year old and four year old were scattering small pink and rose rose petals all down the aisle while Henry stood beside his dad with the rings now delivered.

"Good job, Henry." Connor patted Henry's shoulder while he gave his little brother an approving nod. Watching as Henry made a conscious effort to not mess with his loose tooth the proud father admired how much his son had grown physically and his brother had grown emotionally. "I'm happy for you Lucas. It's an honor to be here with you."

"Thank you, brother." Smiling brightly Lucas was truly happy on his wedding day. "I'm glad I have so many friends alongside my family here on this day."

Lucas was wearing a white tuxedo with a red bowtie and Connor was wearing his previously worn black tuxedo. Across from them Noreen stood in a dark red maternity dress that hid her growing baby-bump as her fiance sat in the pews with a big smile on his face. The lucky man, Rico Juarez, had managed to swoon Noreen two years prior when he moved into town and began working as a paramedic that was introduced to her through Aaron. The two just clicked and fell in love at first sight.

Sitting in the pews all in the front of the chapel Hank, Abby, Gavin, Aaron, Rico and other officers from the Eastern Precinct, all watched as Lida made her appearance at the front of the podium to marry the two deviants. Just as Gavin and Aaron, then Connor and Abby were welcomed to the chapel, Lucas and Chloe were shown only love and support on their wedding day by the bighearted priest.

"Thank you all for coming and showing your support in the face of love." Lida began with a great and warm welcome. "On this warm summer evening we're here to witness the union between two deviants who found each other and felt their love grow. Lucas Caleb Anderson and Chloe," the bride's lack of a full name wasn't uncommon and Lida didn't miss a beat. "will soon exchange their vows and do so before the eyes of their family and friends."

"I can't believe quiet and reserved Lucas is finally getting married." Now at age sixty-two Hank was beginning to feel his age really catching up to him and was relieved that he was able to see his two sons on their wedding days. Having a grandson made everything all the better, but he was still beginning to realize that he needed to spend less time in the precinct and more time at the house. "He really looks happy."

"He does." Abby squeezed Hank's hand as they sat side by side on the pew in the front row behind Lucas. "Ten bucks says before the year is over they'll announce having their own little one on the way."

"As much as I want to deny that bet I know better than to keep my fingers crossed. With Lucas now a Lieutenant and Chloe being a nurse their time is going to be pretty much tied up all day long."

"I managed to bring Henry into this world despite all the bullshit I went through. I know they can do it, too."

"Yeah, you're right about that."

The loving couple exchanged their vows first cybernetically, and then recited the official vows verbally.

"Chloe, I love you with all my heart could possibly give. I struggled to find the deviant who'd make my life complete and now that I have you in it I know that everything I went through and all of the disappointment that shrouded my eyes was worth the pain. You make me smile, you make me feel like I found someone I can truly connect with, and most importantly, you make me feel alive."

Accepting the ring from Connor's hand Lucas slipped the ring onto Chloe's left ring finger and never lost his smile.

"I dedicate my life and my heart only to you from this moment on."

Chloe's radiant smile never faltered even as emotional tears streamed down her face. Holding tightly onto Lucas's hands Chloe recited her own vows to her groom without showing any hesitation. "I love you with my entire being, Lucas. You saw me as a person, not a fixture at someone else's side. You took my hand and you helped me experience a life beyond anything I could've expected. You're my best friend and my hero. You saved my life and gave me a life worth living. I promise to spend the rest of my life with you and love you for every second we're together."

Graciously accepting the ring from Noreen's hand Chloe slipped the wedding band onto Lucas's left ring finger Chloe's blue eyes glistened with fresh tears of pure love and joy.

Lida approved greatly of the loving words that had been exchanged and resumed her own role. "Lucas Caleb Anderson, do you take Chloe to be your wife? To have and to hold, through sickness and through health, until death do you part?"

As Lucas spoke his eyes filled with tears and his voice began to shake a little without actually cracking as he uttered the immortal two words everyone was waiting to hear. "I do."

"And Chloe," turning her attention to the bride Lida continued with the ceremony. "do you take Lucas Caleb Anderson to be your husband? To have and to hold, through sickness and through health, until death do you part?"

Chloe tightened her hands around Lucas's hands as she responded in kind. "I do."

"With the power invested in my by the state of Michigan, I proudly declare you husband and wife. You may now kiss!"

As the couple kissed they were applauded and quickly covered in rose petals as their union was openly celebrated. Seeing Lucas pick up Chloe to carry her down the aisle out of the chapel and toward the setting sun behind the small white building brought tears to Hank's eyes. He managed to wipe them away discreetly with his thumb before they fell.

"You okay, Hank?" Watching her father-in-law carefully Abby could see that the moment was really getting to him. "You seem a little choked up."

"Yeah. Just so damn proud of my sons. They both found their happiness and finally realize they deserve it."

"That's because you raised them so well."

"Yeah, putting in barely two years with Connor and less than that with Lucas really made all the difference."

"I think it did. I remember how cold and closed off Connor was when we first met." Looking over at her husband as he knelt down on the floor to introduce himself to Robin and let her know that he was a friend of her dad made her smile. "Now look at him. He's father of the decade, is incredibly good with kids, and the husband every woman dreams about. There's no way he would be the deviant he is today if you hadn't stepped up to help him through his worst days."

Smirking with paternal pride Hank acknowledged how much Connor had changed for the better over the years. "I'd like to believe that."

"Do it. You're a great father, too - easily father of the century. And, based on the way we're going through ice cream back at the house," she gave Hank a knowing look as the senior detective started grinning. "you're an even greater grandfather."

"Thanks for saying that, Abby." Giving her hand a little squeeze Hank appreciated all of her kind words. "I mean it."

Outside the chapel Lucas and Chloe stood side by side, their hands intertwined in a loving grip, and watched the setting sun in the distance. It was a warm summer night and the sound of crickets echoed over the lake in a chorus of nature as the newlywed couple spent their first minutes married on the isle. As the two deviants celebrated their wedding and their love for one another, their guests slowly filed out one by one as they joined the newlywed couple outside to watch the sunset.

Connor carried Henry on his shoulders while holding Abby's hand, and Hank followed at Connor's opposite side as they stepped out of the chapel. While Gavin and Aaron carried their daughters outside to enjoy the view as well, Noreen walked outside with Rico helping her to balance while sporting her belly and wearing low heels. She was only five months along and sporting her own bump that made Abby wince sympathetically and empathetically.

"How do you feel, Noreen?" Connor asked politely as he noticed her looking a little uncomfortable where she stood.

"Huge!" She rubbed her right hand over her bump and sighed. "But I shouldn't be surprised. I'm a twin so I knew the odds when Rico and I discussed kids of our own. I don't regret it, but I do wish I had worked on my flexibility before going for it."

Abby snickered a little and understood Noreen's discomfort all too well. "I can give you a couple of prenatal yoga books to help your back not cry at night."

"If you can help me take the strain off my back I will give you a permanent 'get of jail free' card."

"Deal!"

Tightening his hand around Abby's hand Connor whispered to her sweetly without anyone else hearing. "I understand why you don't want to have anymore children."

Smirking a little Abby used her eyes to silently motion to Noreen. "You scanning her?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She is being frequently kicked by her twin boys, and they are undoubtedly going to take after their father."

Rico was a muscular man at six foot four and had an award winning smile. Before he became a paramedic in New York he had played football all through high school and college while he earned his bachelor's in art, and evidently was a star player.

"Oof... We'll be sure to get Noreen and Rico a nice big bottle of wine after the twins are born. She's going to need it."

Smirking a little Connor just nodded and watched as Gavin picked Robin up from the ground and held the little girl high into the air just to make her laugh. The way the two adopted girls were adored by their dads gave Connor hope for the future knowing that no matter how dark a person's past may be it doesn't mean they'll have a future draped in eternal darkness.

Patting Henry's leg Connor looked up at his son and grinned. "What do you think about your Uncle Lucas being married? That makes Chloe your aunt."

Henry laughed a little and pointed forward excitedly as he used his free hand to fuss with his loose tooth. "Baby!"

"That's Robin." Following Henry's pointed finger toward Robin flying through the air under Gavin's protective touch Connor acknowledged his son's observation in the distance. "She's not much younger than you, but she is technically the baby in their family."

"No!" Keeping his arm outstretched Henry kept pointing forward with a smile on his face. "Baby!"

Curious about Henry's certainty Connor looked a little closer and noticed that he was actually pointing at Chloe and quickly ran a scan over his new sister in law without being too obvious about it.

Sure enough...

"O-Oh, yes. You're right." Lowering Henry from his shoulders Connor let him down to go and run around as Robin and Aria started to play in the nearby flowers. Tightening his grip on Abby's hand Connor whispered to her in a very discreet manner. "It seems Henry noticed something that we didn't."

Having picked up on what Henry was saying Abby's hazel eyes widened with excitement. "You're kidding!"

"No, I'm not. I can detect it from here. Approximately two weeks along."

"Oh, man..." Grinning brightly Abby glanced at Hank, who hadn't heard the comment, and then grinned at Connor. "We'll tell Henry it's a secret so Lucas and Chloe can tell Hank the big news themselves when they're ready."

"Absolutely." Seeing the truly happy smile on his little brother's face even from the distance made it very easy to agree to letting Lucas have the honor of telling their dad the good news himself. "We wouldn't want to do anything to take away the excitement of their new lives together."

The Seventh Year:

A gorgeous summer had resulted in a long overdue family vacation to the cabin outside the city. Hank, Connor, Abby and Henry all went to the cabin to spend a week together, and to get away from the business of Detroit for a while. It was Henry's second time at the cabin and it had been almost four years since the family sought their private getaway. The loss of Sumo the previous winter, the massive dog making it to the ripe age of thirteen before succumbing to old age, had dampened everyone's mood, but the birth of Madison Barbara in April helped everyone's hearts heal.

Lucas and Chloe would join the family the next day after they took care of business back in Detroit, and bring little Maddy with them. Hank had retired in the spring while Connor and Lucas continued to climb the ranks in their respective precincts until they were both Captains. Having any time off was a rare treat, but the two deviant fathers still found a way to keep their families as their priorities.

"Here we are." Hank proudly announced as the Pace pulled up to the cabin and the family piled out of the vehicle together. "What do you think, Henry? Do you remember being here a few years back?"

"A little." Stepping out of the car Henry stared at the cabin with a sense of familiarity. "I remember playing with Uncle Lucas in the backyard."

"Yup, you two played tag for hours."

"We should spend more time here! It's so cool!"

The slightly taller and more well spoken child shouted excitedly as he walked around the side of the car and began running along the side of the property to return to the backyard he remembered playing in. It had been just four years - an eternity to a child, but Henry was quickly remembering the cabin, the backyard and of course the massive lake.

Connor shouted after the energetic child while he helped Hank and Abby with the luggage from the trunk. "Henry, don't go near the lake alone!"

Abby grabbed onto her bag and Henry's backpack while she craned her neck to see where Henry had run off to. "Did you bring his life vest?"

"Yes, it's packed with the rest of the fishing gear." Pausing for a moment Connor looked over to his father with a single request. "...I don't mind you taking Henry fishing, but-"

"I'll practice catch and release." Hank knew Connor liked fish and in general had a soft spot for all animals. "I swear, son."

"Thanks."

"Come on." Motioning toward the backyard Hank looked out at the water and sighed a little. "It's the perfect day to take him out on the lake for a while."

"Of course. We'll take everything inside the cabin, and you can get Henry ready to go out."

It only took Hank a few minutes to get Henry secured in his life vest and get the fishing gear set up in the small boat. After filing the gas tank and checking the engine Hank released the rope securing the boat to the dock and pushed the boat a few inches from the dock with his foot. Connor was watching from the shoreline with Abby, and waved to their son and father as they set out on their private fishing trip.

"Stay in the boat, Henry." Connor called out as the boat drifted a little further away from the dock and into the water. "Listen to Papa. He knows best!"

"I will! Bye dad! Bye mom!" Henry was waving excitedly as Hank pulled the starter on the engine and it roared to life. "See ya' later!"

Connor watched as the boat sped away from the dock and out into the middle of the lake at a steady clip. Leading Abby away from the shoreline and back to the cabin Connor eyed the cool bonfire pit and considered starting a fire to cook lunch or dinner later on.

"I'm glad Henry is getting some one-on-one time with dad." Connor remarked as he and Abby returned to the cabin to clean up the place a little bit and unpack their bags. "I imagine once Lucas and Chloe arrive with Maddy tomorrow he's going to have his hands full bonding with his granddaughter."

"It was so cute seeing the way Hank's eyes lit up when he got to hold her for the first time back in the hospital." Truly feeling like one of the family Abby followed Connor up the staircase to the second floor to unpack their bags and made sure Henry had everything he needed. "It's hard to believe that such a sweet man had lived such a terrible life for so long."

"I know. I think being able to retire and dedicate himself to solely being a father and grandfather has been one of the best decisions he's ever made."

"Well, with both you and Lucas being promoted Captain I think it's safe to say having one Captain Anderson in retirement won't cause the city any form of distress. You two will always save the day!"

"I hope you're right. I want to do the Anderson name justice."

"Connor, you already did!" Giving him a kiss and stern look Abby made it clear that no one was having any doubts but Connor himself. "Stop worrying about it."

"I'll try."

The sun was just beginning to set over the water when Connor and Abby heard the fishing boat's engine coming closer to the dock, and they caught sight of the water craft returning to the property. Stepping outside of the cabin Connor walked through the backyard to greet the returning duo and helped guide the boat back over to the dock to be secured by the restraining rope where it belonged.

Hank looked a little pale and Henry seemed a little quieter than normal upon their return.

"Are you two alright?" Connor wasn't going to let their behavior go unnoticed, and asked about it as he held the boat next to the dock and re-secured the rope from the dock and to the boat itself. "You seem upset."

"Fine. Just tired." Hank responded quickly as he helped Henry to climb out of the boat. "What'd you do while we were out on the lake?"

"We finished unpacking and I proceeded to make a bonfire. I thought you, Henry and Abby would enjoy hamburgers tonight."

"Sounds great. Uh, I'm going to go lay down before my back acts up. Do you mind taking care of the fishing gear?"

"No, I got this. Go inside."

Standing up warily in the boat Hank set foot on the dock and slowly trudged toward the cabin without his hand pressed to his back as he walked. Though he seemed to be in pain it certainly wasn't in his back, and Connor had a hunch that whatever was bothering Hank was more emotional than physical.

"Henry," Connor spoke to his son in a low voice as they worked together to carry the tacklebox and fishing rods back to the cabin. "did something happen while you were fishing?"

"I dunno'. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Well, when I was setting up my hook Papa told me to be careful, but..."

"But what?"

"He didn't call me 'Henry'." The little boy's face was flush with raw confusion. "He called me 'Cole'."

"...Cole?" Connor repeated the name as his heart skipped a beat. "Interesting."

"And then he got really quiet for a while."

"Oh. I see."

"I don't know why Papa got so weird after he called me by my middle name. It's not a big deal."

Keeping his voice hushed Connor asked for more information on their outing at the lake. "...Did you talk about anything else before you came back?"

"Yeah. Mostly sports and how I want to try out for the basketball team next year. And Sumo." The mentioning of the late family pet was enough to make Henry look entirely somber again. "And what it's like to be a cop."

"Okay, good. I'm glad you two kept talking." Placing the tacklebox and fishing poles on the small back porch and up against the cabin's exterior wall Connor turned to look his son in the eyes. "Henry, I think we need to talk."

"What about? Am I in trouble?"

"No, no! You didn't do anything wrong, son. It's just... complicated."

"Uh... doesn't 'complicated' mean weird?"

"Essentially, yes."

"So Papa was being weird, and now you're saying things are weird." Henry was rather astute and trying to figure things out for himself, but he didn't have any idea what was going on. "What's so weird? My middle name isn't weird, is it?"

"No. And like I said, you're not in trouble. Understand?"

"I guess so."

"Alright. Come with me, we need to have a talk."

"Where are we going?"

"Just over to the bonfire. We don't have to leave the cabin."

"Cool! I like it here!"

Connor just smiled as Henry raced over to the massive dead log that was sitting on the property just a few feet away from the roaring bonfire and sat down. Joining his son on the log Connor unsnapped the plastic supports around Henry's life vest and slipped it from around the boy's shoulders, and placed it on the grass beside the log.

"Henry," Connor began in a calm voice as he prepared to explain things to his young son. "I want you to know you didn't do or say anything wrong, okay?"

"Okay. But, why did Papa get so weird and call me 'Cole'?"

"Because, Henry, you look a lot like Cole."

"I don't get it. ...Who's Cole?"

"Cole is your Papa's other son." Showing Henry the palm of his right hand Connor revealed a photograph of Cole for the boy to see. "This is Cole when he was about your age." A new detail popped into Connor's mind that made him feel a tad guilty. "...In fact, it would be his birthday tomorrow."

Henry was quiet for a moment as he processed what Connor had just told him. "I thought you and Uncle Lucas were Papa's kids."

"We are. But before either myself or your Uncle Lucas had even met your Papa he had another son named Cole."

"...I still don't get it. Where is Cole and how come you and Uncle Lucas never talk about him?"

"Because," gently putting his right hand to Henry's left shoulder as the image faded away Connor told him the sad story with a heavy heart. "about fourteen years ago your Papa and your Uncle Cole were in a very bad car accident, and they were both hurt. Your Papa hurt his ribs but he got better. But your Uncle Cole was hurt so badly that the doctors couldn't make him better. He passed away and your Papa was very, very sad for a long time. And he still gets sad sometimes when he thinks about Cole because he misses him so much."

"Uncle Cole went to Heaven?"

"Yes, he's with your Grandma Barbara." It was still hard for Connor to talk about such mature subjects with his son. Wanting to remain an honest parent Connor pushed through his own discomfort for Henry's sake. "...And because you look like Cole your Papa accidentally called you by his name instead."

"Did I make him sad?"

"No, Henry. The memory of losing Cole made him sad."

"Is that why my middle name is Cole? Because of him?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Why'd you do that?"

"The same reason I picked your first name. Do you know why I chose your first name?"

"No."

"I picked the name 'Henry' because that's your Papa's first name. I named you after him to honor your Papa because he's a great father and a great man. And I picked the name 'Cole' to honor your Uncle Cole in memory."

"Oh. What was Uncle Cole like?"

"I... I don't know." Peering past Henry for a moment Connor could see Abby watching them from the side window and gave her a reassuring nod. "Your Papa told me a few things about him, but he'd get really sad after talking about him and didn't want to talk anymore. I do know Papa loved him very much, just like he loves you."

"You said Uncle Cole died before you and Uncle Lucas met Papa. How did you meet your own dad?"

"Henry, your Uncle Lucas and I were adopted by your Papa. We don't have the same blood as your Papa, but we're family all the same. He cares about us and we care about him. It's love that makes a family, not blood."

"Adopted?"

"Yes. That's when a person who needs a family is taken in by a family." Connor explained simply and coolly. "Papa took me in and gave me a family because he wanted to, and because I needed a father to guide me through my life. And your Uncle Lucas and I had been... separated from each other for a long time." It wasn't a total lie and much easier to explain to a small child that way as opposed to everything they went through. "When we found each other your Papa took him in, too. If it wasn't for him I don't know where I'd be right now, but I do know that I wouldn't have you or your mom in my life. And that thought makes me feel sad, too."

"Oh." Henry looked around the bonfire to see where Hank was but he was still inside the cabin. "But, everyone always say I look like you."

"That's right."

"And I look like Uncle Cole?"

"That's also right."

"Your twins with Uncle Lucas. So does that mean you both look like Uncle Cole, too?"

That question was a little unexpected and Connor wasn't quite sure how to answer. "I... I suppose that's true as well. I hadn't thought about it like that before, but it makes sense."

Henry kept looking around trying to see where Hank was but the emotionally distressed man was nowhere to be seen. "Where is Papa?"

"His back was hurting him a little," the white-lie wasn't entirely untrue either. "so he went to lay down for a while. He'll be back outside in a few hours."

"Okay."

"Want to help me and your mom with dinner?"

"Can I pick what we have for dessert?"

"Of course." Connor stood up from the log and walked toward the cabin with Henry right beside him. "I'm certain I saw your mom sneak some extra ice cream in the cooler when we packed up our meals for the weekend."

The sun had almost set entirely and the bonfire was still as bright and warm as ever. Hank had returned to the bonfire after an hour of being alone and happily joined Abby and Henry for dinner. Connor was tending to the fire while Henry and Abby sat beside it. The small family were eating their dinner together and enjoying the warm summer night. Hank himself was sitting with his back to the fire so he could watch the sun set into the darkness over the lake as he became lost in melancholy thought.

It was clear Hank needed to talk through his emotions but neither Connor nor Abby knew how to broach the subject. Neither had endured the pain of losing a child as he had.

"I'm going to get more wood for the fire." The deviant father and husband stated as he eyed the pile of firewood stacked neatly behind the cabin by the cellar doors. "Don't get too close to the fire, Henry."

"Okay." The happy little boy looked up from the bonfire to watch Connor walking toward the cabin, then turned to look at Hank. Standing up from the ground he rushed over to the log and sat down beside Hank curiously while Abby carried their dirty plates inside the cabin to be washed. "Papa?"

"Yeah, Henry?" Hank's eyes never left the sunset as he answered the question from his grandson.

Speaking up in a hushed tone Henry asked the question that was burning on his lips. "...What was Uncle Cole like?"

Though the question caught Hank off guard the loving grandfather didn't flinch. Looking down at his grandson Hank could've sworn he was looking at Cole himself. With an appreciative grin on his face and tears in his blue eyes he wrapped his left arm around Henry's shoulder and pulled him up against his side, and Henry leaned up against him. As he hugged Henry and watched the last of the sunlight fade away into the night Hank let out a weary sigh and finally answered the question.

"Well, Cole was a lot like you, Henry." Talking about Cole seemed to be bringing Hank a much needed sense of peace as he spoke. "And your dad..."

The Eighth Year:

Since his retirement Hank found himself with a lot of free time on his hands, and quickly grew stir-crazy sitting around the house. When he wasn't watching over Maddy while her parents worked or teaching Henry how to play basketball in the driveway, he was busying himself with restoring a 1987 Corvette as a little side project. Seeing Connor modify and then repair his seldom driven motorcycle had given Hank the urge to restore a vehicle himself. Selecting the car out of a sense of nostalgia from the era in which he grew up Hank readily began his work and was making smooth progress with each passing day.

Cleaning off his oil covered hands in the kitchen sink Hank sighed and strolled into the livingroom to rest his sore back. The lack of company in the house while everyone was working or at school made the usual busy homestead far too quiet. Without even Sumo to keep him company Hank really began to miss and appreciate the family he had.

"Ten more minutes until I need to pick Henry up from school."

Noting the time and that he had nothing else to do Hank sighed and decided to head out a little early to pick his grandson up from school.

"Who knew that being retired also guaranteed boredom when you're a widower with grown children?"

Once everyone was back home for the evening Hank managed to talk his family into playing a board game together after everyone dined on a home cooked meal courtesy of Connor. The deviant Captain had been working extra hours, but never once showed any sign of exhaustion or irritation. Abby was still in charge of the Zeta Facility and busy as ever, but like her husband she handled the stress in stride. The moment Henry finished his homework, his grades always in the top marks of his class, he joined his family at the kitchen table to play a round of 'Trivial Pursuit'.

Just having his family around was enough to make Hank feel a lot better as his back got worse and his boredom steadily mounted. The hours he spent alone with the car made the hours he spent with his family all that much more wonderful. Even though he insisted Connor wait to wash the dishes until later Hank couldn't get the deviant away from his task, and could only get him to play when it was his turn.

Having successfully answered a question about arts and literature Henry proudly moved his token to the next place and took his wedge. "Ha! I knew it!"

"Yeah, but HOW?" Abby had no idea where Henry learned such a literal trivial fact and it was driving her up the wall. "You're not staying up late and watching those old movies with your Papa again, are you?"

The little boy flashed his mom a coy grin from where he sat. "Maybe..."

"You're lucky your grades are so damn good. I can't punish you when you're not even doing anything detrimental."

"That's called a loophole."

"You officially inherited your dad's smartassery." Hank laughed at his grandson's wit. "Let's see if you got his silver tongue, too."

Henry neatly folded his hands together and rested them atop the table as he looked his mom right in the eyes. "You look particularly lovely this evening."

"Don't even try to butter me up!" Playing with Henry's hair for a moment Abby sighed and let out a small laugh. "I'm becoming immune to your father's charms, but it isn't easy to do."

Connor just smirked as he gave Abby a kiss and sat down beside his wife after he finally finished with the dishes. "I have to do something to keep you on your toes."

"As long as you can do that without being my patient again I won't complain."

Hank chuckled a little as he sipped at his bottle of root beer, the motion and glass container was a therapeutic substitute as the retired detective still struggled with his sobriety even after nearly a decade. "You know, there's a documentary on the history of automotive construction here in Detroit. Want to stay up and watch with me, Henry?"

"Sure! It'll give me a headstart on local history."

"Thatta' boy."

Connor and Abby exchanged silent looks of approval and resumed the game. "Once Maddy is a little bigger we'll be sure to invite her, Lucas and Chloe over on the weekends." Connor noted keenly. "We should do a family game night so we have the chance to de-stress at the end of the week."

"Sounds good to me." Abby agreed as she shuffled the trivia cards in the deck. "This little moment was a great idea, Hank. I needed this."

"Trust me, I get the stress of dealing with a bunch of people under your authority." Being retired gave Hank great insight in finding little ways to relax. "Being in charge isn't all that's cracked up to be."

"Can't wait until I can retire in another twenty-one years."

"You're retiring at fifty-five?"

"Yeah. That seems like a good time to retire, or at the very least start stepping down and grooming my successor for the role of being the lead technician. I don't want to be on my arthritic ankles all day long."

"Fair. These hands," rubbing at his arthritic knuckles Hank sighed and leaned back in his chair. "ain't what they used to be."

Noting the building arthritis throughout Hank's entire body through a biometric scan Connor's mouth ticked a little as he decided to step up and assist Hank more often. "I'll help you with the Corvette so you don't exhaust your hands as quickly. I can also reach into the more narrow angles of the engine space without much difficulty."

"Sounds good, son. I appreciate that." Motioning to Connor's untouched token on the board Hank gave his son a small grin. "Your turn."

"Right."

As the game played out the house felt warm and was slowly filling with laughter as the busy household unwound from their own hectic schedules and just enjoyed being in one another's company. Family game was just another great aspect of being a part of the Anderson family.

The Ninth Year:

It was the final junior league basketball game of the season and Henry's team had won the game handsomely. Connor and Hank had both been able to watch the game and were very proud of Henry for playing a great game, and for being a good-sport throughout the entire tournament. As the night came to an end and the attending family members all claimed their children from the elementary school gymnasium Connor met with Henry outside of the gym, and walked with his son toward the parking lot where Hank was already waiting for them by the car.

"Great game, Henry."

"Thanks, dad."

Leading Henry through the parking lot Connor spoke with his son with a proud tone and enthusiastic energy. "I guess you'll have to settle for playing basketball at home with me and your Papa until the next season starts."

"That's cool. As long as I don't have to run sprints!"

"Only if you want to."

Henry was walking with his basketball tucked under his right arm and was unusually quiet, especially since his team had just won. Connor just chalked it up to him being tired after a long game and didn't try to force a conversation.

"When we get home you can shower off and I can drop you off at Jason's house so you can go have pizza with your friends."

"That's okay, I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure?" The response was completely unexpected and it put Connor on edge as his paternal instincts kicked in. "You didn't eat much this morning."

"Yeah, I'm sure."

"Are you all right?" Connor asked as he and Henry made it to the Pace and pulled open the doors. "You act like you don't feel well."

"I'm just tired." Henry replied firmly as he took his seat and fastened his seatbelt. "...Can Jason come over tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow's Saturday so if it's okay with his mom he can come over." Adjusting the rearview mirror Connor looked at Henry's reflection and his mouth twitched a little as he turned over the engine. "Do you have a headache?"

"Not really. I'm just tired, dad."

Already sitting in the front passenger seat Hank sensed there was something wrong with Henry, too. But just like Connor he knew Henry wouldn't admit it if he was feeling sick unless he was really suffering. "Well, you'll feel better after you sit down for a while." Giving Connor a knowing glance Hank tagged on another thought. "Maybe you can hang out with me on the couch again. There's supposed to be a nature documentary on the Savannah tonight."

Henry didn't respond to the offer which sent up red flags for both Connor and Hank within seconds.

"We'll be home in a few minutes, son." Connor had begun to speak more like Hank as Henry grew up, not that either of them were surprised. "Then you can pass out in front of the television or with a book."

Once home with his father and grandfather Henry was still acting as though he didn't feel well. After taking his hit shower Henry changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt before laying down on his left side over the black leather couch in front of the television. As Henry's eyes drifted shut Connor very discreetly put his right hand over Henry's forehead, and ran a biometric scan over his son to ensure he was really okay.

Henry felt like he was running a mild fever and his entire demeanor spoke volumes of illness.

"I'm going to go rest my back." Hank whispered as he watched Connor tending to Henry. "If you or Henry need anything let me know."

"I will. Thanks, dad."

Ever attentive Connor took the dark blue quilt from the back of the couch and draped it over Henry's sleeping form to make sure he was comfortable as he rested. Sitting down in the recliner adjacent to where Henry was laying Connor continued to monitor him from where he sat as a precautionary measure. Henry was very pale and seemed exhausted beyond that of just playing in a basketball game.

Connor knew something was wrong but he couldn't quite identify it.

Right on time Abby returned homed after her shift and stepped through the front door. Seeing Henry asleep on the couch Connor watching over him made her own red flags go up. "Connor?" Whispering softly Abby approached her son warily. "What's going on?"

"I believe Henry is sick but he won't admit it."

"He learned that from you."

"Sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Giving Connor a kiss Abby walked to the back of the couch and reached her own hand down to feel her son's forehead. She could detect the mild fever, too. "Give him a good example to follow from now on. Don't think complaining about being in pain or being sick is something that isn't important. We know you're far from a hypochondriac."

"And even hypochondriacs can become ill."

"Exactly."

"I'll be sure to admit my personal discomfort when appropriate."

"Good. Did Henry eat anything?"

"No." Confirming his persistent lack of appetite Connor began to worry more about his son's health. "He didn't even want to go out for pizza with his friends."

"Now I'm worried."

"Go take a shower and go to bed. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Henry."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Okay." Fussing with Henry's hair for a moment Abby sighed and made her way down the hallway. As her hand hovered over the bathroom door's knob Abby glanced about the house curiously. "Where's Hank?"

"Already in bed. Apparently it isn't fun to watch the documentaries without Henry."

As it neared ten in the evening Connor detected that Henry's fever was beginning to rise and knew he was much sicker than he was going to admit. Wanting to go and wake up Abby and Hank the deviant father felt torn between staying with his sick son and letting the rest of the family know what was happening. It was a strangely vulnerable feeling he was internally fighting with.

Before he had the chance stand up and walk over to his son laying on the couch Henry suddenly awoke and began to whimper in pain. "Henry?"

"...My stomach hurts." As Henry slowly sat upright on the couch he wrapped both of his arms protectively around his stomach and began to cry in pain.

Connor's right hand returned to Henry's forehead and noted his temperature at one-hundred and one point eight degrees, and climbing. "Henry, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No!" The scared, pained child called out loudly. "I don't wanna' go!"

"You have to go, you're very sick." Scooping Henry up and into his arms Connor made his way down the hallway to alert his wife and father. "Abby? Dad?"

"Connor?" Hank was still awake and reading in bed when his son walked up to his closed bedroom door. Making his way to the door as quickly as he could walk Hank saw Henry curled up around himself in Connor's arms and his blue eyes went wide. "What's going on?"

"I need to take Henry to the hospital. He's burning up and in a lot of pain."

"A-All right, I'll drive." Hank grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf, slipped on his shoes and grabbed his dark overcoat by the door. Forcing himself to remain as calm as possible Hank took charge of the situation to ensure remained calm as well. "Come on, let's go."

Abby rushed out of the bedroom already sensing the emergency situation and pressed her palm over Henry's forehead. "Oh, sweetheart. Hold on, we'll get you to a doctor and make sure you feel better."

Following her husband outside Abby grabbed her purse and shoes from the bedroom and opened up the rear door of the car so Connor could sit down in the back and keep holding Henry. She sat up front beside Hank and trusted the retired detective to drive quickly but safely to the hospital.

While Hank drove the Pace to St. Mercy Connor sat in the backseat with Henry still being held in his arms and up against his chest. Henry was trying to curl around himself as much as possible as the pain in his stomach continued to escalate, and he was getting paler by the second. Connor was very lightly running his left hand over Henry's hair to comfort him while also keeping tabs on his fever.

"Dad, I'm sick!"

"I know." Cybernetically Connor made contact with the hospital to inform the deviant receptionist of their impending arrival and of Henry's medical history for a more efficient examination. "You're going to be okay, Henry." The worried father promised his sick son. "You just need to see a doctor."

"It hurts!"

"I know it does." Staying calm Connor kept Henry from panicking despite wanting to panic himself. "We're going to get you to a doctor and make it stop."

Pulling into the emergency entrance area of the parking lot Hank watched as Abby opened up her side and then rear door to exit the vehicle, and watched Connor carry Henry inside for treatment. Hank hated to let them go inside without him but he couldn't abandon the car out front. As a former first responder himself Hank knew the frustration of emergency crews having to deal with an abandoned vehicle in front of a hospital, and forced himself to drive off to park elsewhere and then rejoin Connor inside the hospital.

Passing through the main lobby of the hospital Connor carried Henry up to the receptionist desk and was promptly greeted by Dr. Wilson who took Henry from Connor's arms and placed him down on a nearby gurney to be taken into an examination room.

"It's okay, Connor." Dr. Wilson reassured the worrying father as took charge of Henry's care. The doctor had gotten word of the incoming patient and quickly volunteered to oversee the treatment with a nurse already at his side. "We'll take good care of Henry."

"I-I know."

"Henry?" Dr. Wilson spoke to the frightened child as he pressed his right palm over Henry's forehead for himself to gauge his fever. "My name is Dr. Wilson. I'm here to help you, don't be afraid."

The gurney was attended to by two orderlies who began wheeling Henry away from the receptionist area and toward the designated emergency exam room. Connor and Abby walked alongside their son and remained at his side while Dr. Wilson gave him a quick examination and determined that the most likely cause to Henry's sickness was appendicitis.

"Henry," Dr. Wilson carefully lifted up the boy's t-shirt after the gurney was taken into the exam room to reveal his abdomen. He lightly wrapped his right fingertips around Henry's left wrist to count his pulse. "I'm going to press my hand on your stomach now. If it hurts let me know and I'll stop."

Henry looked up at Connor and Abby as if needing reassurance. Connor nodded and grabbed onto Henry's right hand to let him squeeze in case the pain made him wince or scream out, while Abby put her hand to Henry's hair lightly. "It's okay, Henry. This is part of the exam to figure out why you're sick."

Lightly Dr. Wilson checked Henry's abdomen by palpating the lower right quadrant with his fingertips. As he neared the inevitable 'hotspot' Henry let out a yelp of pain and squeezed Connor's hand as he tried to roll onto his left side away from Dr. Wilson. Abby quickly tried to soothe him without intervening in her own maternal and medical way.

"I'm sorry, I won't touch it again." Dr. Wilson promised as he put his hand on Henry's shoulder in a comforting manner. Glancing up at Connor and Abby the doctor communicated the bleak news that the parents were already expecting. "He'll need an M.R.I. to confirm the diagnosis, but I'm already certain he'll need surgery."

Henry's pale face went even paler at the word 'surgery' and his hand tightened around Connor's even more. "I don't want surgery!"

Connor reciprocated the squeeze and ran his left hand through Henry's hair again while Abby grabbed onto Henry's other hand. "I'm sorry, Henry. But it's the only way to help you feel better."

"No!"

Dr. Wilson made a note in Henry's electronic chart and motioned for the nurse who had accompanied him to give the two a moment of privacy.

"It's okay to be scared, Henry." Doing his best to reassure his sick son Connor tried to explain things as calmly as possible. "But you need-"

"No!"

After parking the car in the lot outside Hank had made his way to the receptionist area to show his old badge to the deviant receptionist, and informed her of his grandson being admitted. She happily directed him back to the examination room and allowed him to go about freely. He had bumped into Dr. Wilson just seconds prior to locating Connor, Abby and Henry, and had already been informed of Henry's probable condition.

"Henry?" Hank saw that Henry was terrified and wanted to do everything he could to help him feel better. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want surgery!"

Connor silently mouthed the word 'appendix' to Hank, who quickly figured everything out and knew what Dr. Wilson told him had been completely true.

"You'll be okay." Hank encouraged as he stood on the opposite side of the gurney from Connor to stand beside Abby. "I've had surgery before." Lifting up his gray t-shirt Hank showed Henry the scar on his torso courtesy of his own past medical procedures. "The only thing left behind will be a scar."

"A scar? I don't want a scar!"

Connor reacted quickly and did the same thing Hank did. "I had the same thing happen to me, Henry." Lifting up his own black t-shirt he pointed to where his raised scars on his abdomen marked where he had been stabbed so many years ago. "Scars are a sign of a person recovering and becoming healthy again."

Abby chimed in and showed her very faint and thin c-section scar on her own lower belly. "I can guarantee that getting a scar is far better than being sick."

Henry was still terrified and no one could blame him. Being in a hospital as a child was scary enough, but needing surgery was even worse!

"Henry," Connor kept his voice low and calm as he knelt down beside the gurney and locked eyes with his son. "everything will be alright. Dr. Wilson is going to take you to get a test done and make sure it's really your appendix making you sick. And if that's the case then you'll have to have surgery. But you'll be asleep the whole time and won't feel anything. No pain at all."

"...Really?"

"Yes, really." Connor promised as Abby continued to run her hand through Henry's hair. "And when you wake up me, your mom and your Papa will be right here waiting for you. As soon as you're given the clear we'll take you back home to rest."

Dr. Wilson and the nurse returned to the exam room and shook Hank's hand respectfully as he addressed Connor and Abby. "They're ready for Henry upstairs. If it's his appendix he'll need to be taken into surgery A.S.A.P. to have it removed. Do we have your consent?"

"Y-Yeah. Of course."

The nurse handed Connor the electronic tablet containing the official documents to be signed.

With a somewhat shaking hand Connor signed his name, let Abby do the same, and handed the document back to the nurse. "Henry," Connor stood up from the floor and planted a kiss on Henry's too warm forehead. "you're going to be alright. I promise."

Abby gave him a kiss too and smiled as best as she could. "And once you're back home you can have all the ice cream you want, even my rocky road. We love you so much!"

Henry only nodded as the safety rails on the sides of the gurney were lifted up and locked into place by Dr. Wilson and the nurse. As Henry was slowly wheeled out of the room and down the corridor to the elevator out of sight Connor let out a heavy sigh and pressed the heels of his palms to his face in worried frustration. Feeling Abby wrap her arms around him made Connor's hands drop as he reciprocated the much needed hug.

"Hey, hey..." Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder in a grounding manner to lead him and Abby out of the exam room and back to the waiting room. "Come on, son. You two need to sit down and breathe."

"...I hate this."

"That's exactly how I felt when you had to have your regulator thingy replaced."

"Henry isn't an android, dad. He's a human, he's... fragile. And still so small."

The fear in Connor's voice reflected Hank's own fear from the night Cole had died when he needed emergency surgery. Cole had suffered internal trauma, whereas Henry only had an inflamed appendix. An appendectomy was a rather routine procedure in the hospital and Dr. Wilson was a skilled doctor and Hank was confident that he'd be able to help Henry, too.

"Son, Henry is one strong little boy. He's just like his father."

"That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"Sit down with me for a minute. Breathe."

Hank guided Connor to one of the vacant seats in the waiting room and sat down next to him while Abby forced herself to sit down as well. Keeping his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank encouraged Connor to breathe slowly and to try to calm his mind. As the worried young father sat idle in the chair next to Hank and Abby his right hand went for his front jean pocket and he pulled out his old coin.

As Connor nervously danced the quarter over his right knuckles Hank saw the quarter and just shook his head. "It's been years since I've seen you mess around with that thing."

"My hands had been rather full the past nine years."

"Yeah, I get that." Sitting back in his own chair Hank crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Henry will be fine, son. You just need to sit and wait."

"I dislike being unable to help him as much as I dislike waiting." Feeling Abby's hand wrap around his left hand Connor quickly returned the squeeze to let her feel reassured as well.

"You did help him. You both knew he was sick, and you knew he needed to go to the hospital. A lot of parents would either 'wait and see' what happens, or just panic. You both did real good."

Bowing his head a little Connor sighed and closed his eyes as the full gravity of the situation rested heavily in his heart. "I just hope it was good enough."

Three painfully slow hours passed by with Connor now pacing about the waiting room with his coin still dancing over his right hand, and Hank lightly dozing in the chair a few feet away. Abby was nursing her second cup of coffee and trying not to think about her son needing surgery. Very few people were left in the waiting room as the late night hours turned to early morning hours, and it seemed only Connor, Abby and Hank were still somewhat conscious as it neared one in the morning. Just as the pacing deviant crossed the room for the fifty-second time Dr. Wilson returned to speak with him with a confident smile of relief on his face.

Connor stopped short and looked to Dr. Wilson without saying a word, while Abby and Hank both looked to him expectantly.

"Henry's just fine. He's in his own recovery room and just waking up from anesthesia."

Lowering his hand, his coin finally come to a stop, Connor gave the doctor a pleading sigh. "...Can we see him?"

"Sure, but only for a few minutes. It's very late."

"Yeah, of course." As he pocketed his coin Connor turned to look back at Hank where he was still sitting in the chair. "Did you want to see Henry, too?"

"I'll see him the morning, son. He's going to be too drowsy from the anesthesia to really talk anyway."

"Right." Holding out his hand toward Abby the relieved deviant father grabbed onto his Abby's hand to hold tight. "We'll let him know you'll see him in the morning."

"Tell him I'll bring ice cream, too."

"I will."

Walking at Dr. Wilson's side Connor and Abby were shown to Henry's room where he was drifting in and out of awareness as a nurse kept an eye on him. The small boy had a nasal cannula under his nose as the additional oxygen would help flush the remaining anesthetic from his system, and helped with his overall recovery. A small plastic clip was attached to his left middle finger to keep tabs on his vitals on the muted cardiac monitor beside the bed, and Henry's face wasn't as pale as it had been.

Very lightly Connor wrapped his left hand around Henry's right arm and whispered to him. "Henry? Henry, it's dad."

Henry's blue eyes began to flutter a little as he recognized Connor's voice. "...Dad?"

"Right here."

"...Mom?"

"Right beside you." She kissed his forehead and lightly combed through his hair in a comforting manner. "How do you feel?"

There was a slight delay as Henry regained his bearings and became more alert. "Kinda' ...numb."

"That'll fade in time. Do you remember what's going on and where you are?"

"I got sick. ...I'm in a hospital."

"That's right. You're going to stay the night here and I'll take you home tomorrow afternoon, okay?"

"Where's... Where's Papa?"

Connor replied in a soft tone with entire honesty. "He's going to go home for the night, then he will come back to the hospital to see you in the morning. He promised to bring your some ice cream."

"...Are you gonna' go, too?"

"No, son. We'll be here all night." Giving Henry's forehead another kiss Connor made it known he and Abby weren't going anywhere. "If you need us to do so we'll go buy sleeping bags and sleep on the floor right next to you."

"Thanks, dad. Thanks, mom."

The nurse just looked at Connor and Abby and smiled as they stayed with Henry. Abby proceeded to run her right hand through Henry's hair again until he began to drink off to sleep. Taking a chair from the far wall the nurse placed it beside the bed for Abby to use as she stayed beside Henry for the rest of the night.

"Get some more sleep." The young father encouraged as Abby continued to use her fingers to come through Henry's hair in a comforting manner. "You'll feel much better in the morning, son."

"...Okay, dad." Groggy and still weak from being so sick Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep very quickly under his loving mother's touch.

True to their word Connor and Abby stayed beside their healing son's bedside well until dawn and never once left the room.

As morning came Henry's incision was examined by Dr. Wilson, and he was given the all clear to go home to rest while taking antibiotics to stave off infection. Since his incision was still healing Henry was allowed to skip the following entire week of school, which of course meant he got a little spoiled by his mom, dad and grandpa, and got to have the couch all to himself.

While Henry rested on the couch in the livingroom Lucas stopped by the house and gave him a large sketchpad and some colored pencils so he could keep himself entertained as he rested. The deviant uncle never once stopped giving Henry special attention and was relieved to know that his nephew was going to be just fine.

"This is all for you, Henry." Lucas smiled as he gave the little boy all the gifts after stepping through the front door of the house. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks, Uncle Lucas!"

"I'm glad you're feeling better." Lucus stated as he sat down on the neighboring recliner to speak with Henry. "When you're ready I'll bring Maddy by so you can teach her how to play basketball.

"Cool! Can you teach me how to play the saxophone? Dad's teaching me guitar, but I want to learn a bunch of instruments."

"After your incision heals. Playing the saxophone requires a lot of core strength in order to properly breathe and blow into the instrument."

"I can wait. My stomach still hurts a little."

Connor stepped into the livingroom from the kitchen to check in on Henry who was laying stretched out over the length of the leather couch. Having called off work to take care of Henry for the first forty-eight hours of his recovery, with Abby and Hank taking over for the remainder of the recovery time, Connor was constantly checking in on his healing son. "Hey, Henry. How do you feel?"

"Okay, I guess. I kinda' feel like I have a big bruise in my side, or like I ran too much during practice."

"That's how I felt after I recovered from my own abdominal trauma. It'll stop soon."

"Look what Uncle Markus got for me!" Henry proudly held up the newly acquired art supplies and smiled. "What do you think?"

"I think that's perfect for you." Connor approved of the gift and was very appreciative of Lucas's generosity. "Thank you, Lucas."

"No problem, sketching is a great way to keep him entertained without hurting his healing side. Do you need anything else, Connor? I don't mind."

"Thanks again, but we're good. Hank went out to grab a few things for Henry and will back soon. You're free to hang out with us though."

"Sure! It'd be nice to get away from work for a while, not to mention hang out with my favorite nephew again." Glancing down at Henry with a grin Lucas asked for his approval and picked up one of the colored pencils sitting on the the couch cushion beside Henry. "Do you mind?"

"No! Draw something cool."

"All right, I'll try my best."

As Lucas sat down on the couch next to Henry to show him how deviants could draw anything from memory, Connor took the opportunity to make Henry a light lunch. "Think you can eat something, Henry?"

"I think so."

"All right. I'll go make you some soup, and then you can have a little ice cream after."

Henry smiled at the idea of being able to have ice cream for lunch, while Lucas just grinned at the very human and compassionate mannerisms that Connor had developed after Henry had been born. It was strange to know Connor first as the reclusive and aloof deviant who sought isolation, then his big brother and now a loving father and husband.

"Here's a trick to drawing from memory, Henry." Lucas held up a gray colored pencil as he gave the little boy a few pointers while Connor busied himself in the kitchen. "If you put a gray outline down it's erase much cleaner than black, and blend much easier with other colors..."

The Tenth Year:

It was a cold winter morning and Hank was walking about slowly through the kitchen as he prepared a fresh brewing pot of coffee for himself. It was about two weeks until Christmas and Hank was trying to put together his 'to-do' list at the kitchen table to get everything taken care of before the holidays when his train of thought was interrupted by Henry walking into the kitchen looking a little worried. Immediately taking notice of his grandson's demeanor Hank looked up at Henry and spoke to him casually.

"Hey, kiddo. What's going on?"

"I think something's wrong with dad."

"What?" Standing up from the kitchen table quickly he turned off the coffee pot and made his way to the livingroom to walk down the hallway and toward the bedrooms. "What's wrong with your dad?"

"I think he's sick."

"What makes you think that, Henry?"

"He won't wake up."

"All right, let's see what's happening." Hank opened up the bedroom door stood over the bed and looked down at Connor with a masked worry. Not only was Gently Hank placed his right hand over Connor's forehead confirming the fever, and used his thumb to lightly lift up Connor's eyelids one at a time to check his glassy pupils. "Yeah, Henry. It looks like your dad is sick."

"Does he need to go to the hospital like I did last year?"

"I hope not." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank pulled back the quilt from Connor's upper chest to try to help him cool off a little as he picked up Connor's right wrist to count his pulse. "But he will need us to help take care of him until he's better and until your mom gets home."

"Papa," Henry noticed that Hank was pressing his fingers around Connor's wrist and now pressing his left palm down against the deviant's chest. "why are you holding onto dad's hand?"

"I'm checking his pulse."

"Pulse?"

"It's a way for me to count his heartbeat."

"Why are you doing that?"

"Because I can figure out exactly how sick he is by counting his pulse. He's going to be alright though, understand?"

Henry didn't look convinced and remained worried where he stood. "...Okay."

"Connor?" Hank gently shook Connor by right the shoulder as he spoke his name. "Come on, son. Wake up for me."

Slowly Connor's dark brown soulful, but glassy, eyes opened and focused on Hank's face as he leaned over him. "...Dad."

"Hey, son. How do you feel?"

Pausing to think for a moment Connor blinked once and then answered succinctly and honestly. "...Hot."

"Yeah, you're definitely running a fever. Looks like you got the android-flu again."

"...Where's Henry?"

Hank pointed at the scared little boy standing beside the bed. "He's right here."

Groggily Connor turned his head a little against the pillow and looked at Henry who was waiting for his dad to say something to him. "Hey, Henry."

"Hi, dad. Papa says you're sick."

"...Yeah. I guess I am."

"I didn't know androids could get sick."

"We can." Connor confirmed with a slightly amused lilt to his voice. "I've been sick before, so has Lucas. It's not too different from when a human gets sick, which means I will get better, too."

"How did you get sick? Germs?"

"No." Connor was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He was incredibly tired and fighting to remain conscious for Henry's sake. "Androids get sick from software glitches or viruses, but I've always been vulnerable to the cold. And this time I got sick from the cold because I wasn't wearing a thick enough coat when I went out on a case yesterday afternoon." Letting out a weak and unexpected cough Connor looked and sounded as terrible as he felt. "...I just need to rest."

"Then lay back and sleep." Hank urged as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. Returning his free hand to Connor's forehead, brushing away the rogue lock of hair in the process, he tried to gauge his fever. "How's your temperature?"

"...One-hundred and two point four degrees."

"Yup. You're sick. You sleep and I'll take care of you, AND Henry today."

"No, I'll be fine. I just need-"

"Connor. Sleep. You admitted it yourself that you need to rest." Glancing over to Henry, who was still a little scared but staying brave for his dad's sake, Hank nodded at him subtly. "Henry, could you go get some ice packs out of the freezer and bring them in here, please?"

"Okay. I'll be right back, dad!"

As Henry left the bedroom Connor let out a gasping sigh and winced as his chest already ached from coughing, and even a little from breathing.

"Level with me, kid. How bad's your fever?" Hank challenged in a low voice. "I'll get the thermometer if I have to."

With a look of defeat in his glassy eyes Connor replied honestly. "...It's actually hovering at one-hundred and three point seven degrees."

"Shit, you might actually have to go to a facility for treatment."

"No. I don't want Henry to be worried about me, I can recover here. Abby will be home in a few hours as well."

"How calm do you think he'd be if you got worse and became unresponsive? He already couldn't wake you up, that's why he came and got me."

"Please... I'll heal in a few hours. I don't want Henry to ever see me in a facility. It'd terrify him."

Hank wanted to say something else but Henry returned with the requested ice packs and handed them over to Hank. Placing one bag of ice over Connor's forehead and a second bag over top his chest the retired detective just sighed and patted the deviant's shoulder lightly. "All right, get some sleep. I'll take care of Henry so you can rest, son. Stay here and don't try to get up for any reason."

"...Thank you, dad." Connor's eyes drifted shut and he returned to rest mode to allow his self-healing program to initiate at full power. "Henry, be good for Papa while I'm asleep."

"Come on, Henry." Hank kept his voice optimistic as he addressed his still worrying grandson. "Your dad needs to sleep."

"But he's still sick."

"Yeah, but he'll be fine in a few hours. Why don't we go sit in the livingroom so he can sleep? Your mom will be back home in a few hours and she'll make sure your dad feels better soon."

"What if he gets worse?"

"That's why we'll check in on him from time to time and make sure he's okay. But he needs to sleep for now."

"...Okay, Papa."

"Come on." Standing up from the bed Hank rubbed his hand along the back of Henry's hair and guided the scared boy out of the bedroom to head back into the livingroom. "Before you got me I was trying to put together a list of ideas for Christmas." Changing the subject to something more cheery Hank tried to get Henry to feel better. "Think you could help me out?"

Connor partially opened his eyes as he watched Hank escort Henry out of his bedroom and was all too grateful to have Hank there to take care of Henry during his sickness. Closing his eyes once more Connor swallowed once out of discomfort and pain, and breathed slowly.

"...Thanks for everything, dad."

It took Hank a few hours to get Henry to stop worrying so much about Connor, but in time Henry was a lot calmer and helping Hank take care of ideas for Christmas. Sitting in the middle of the couch in the livingroom Henry was helping Hank to take care of his now heavily altered 'to-do' list, while Hank himself was sending a text to Abby on his phone without drawing the young boy's attention. The sooner Abby came home to check on Connor, the better.

"What do you think, Papa?" Henry showed his grandfather the small list he was writing himself. "Is that okay?"

"Let's see here. A necklace for your mom, you wanna' get your dad another set of guitar strings and guitar picks, and you want to get me a shirt that doesn't have any 'weird patterns' on them..." Hank smirked and playfully nudged Henry's side with elbow. "You trying to say my shirts are ugly?"

"I didn't say 'ugly', I said 'weird'."

Hank laughed a little at the witty retort and gave him back the list. "Not bad at all Henry. But what do you want for Christmas?"

"I don't know."

"Sure you do! You love that sketchpad your Uncle Lucas you as a 'get well soon' gift last year. Why not ask for a new one, or maybe a nice art set so you can keep drawing? You're really good."

"That's okay. The sketchpad is still pretty empty, I don't need something new."

The sweetness of Henry's demeanor was almost too much for Hank to bear. "Well, I'll get you something cool no matter what."

"Thanks, Papa."

The front door opened as Abby returned home a few hours earlier than scheduled to take care of Connor. "Hey, guys!"

"Mom!" Getting off the couch Henry rushed over to her and then pointed to the hallway where Connor was resting. "Dad's sick!"

"I know. Your Papa told me so I came home early to take care of him." Without missing a beat Abby showed Henry her emergency satchel and made her way down the hallway to check on her husband. "Let's go."

Leading the way down the hallway Henry quietly opened up the bedroom door and stood beside the bed again. "Dad? Mom's home."

Moving aside the packs of partially melted ice packs Abby sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to the sound of Connor quietly coughing as he slept. With a very gentle touch she placed her right hand over his forehead and noted he was still running a fever, but it wasn't as high as she had feared.

"Connor?" She whispered his name and pressed her left palm against his chest. The deviant began to stir a little, his head lolling to the left against his pillow and then turned back to face Abby as his glassy eyes opened. "Hi, Connor."

"...Abby?" He coughed again and quieted quickly as she opened up her satchel and put it down on the floor beside the bed. "...You're home early."

"Well, I got word you weren't feeling well," she subtly tilted her head in Henry's direction as he stood just behind her. "and I figured since I have plenty of vacation time stockpiled I decided to clock-out early, and see how you're doing."

"...O-Oh. Thank you."

"Your fever is almost gone, so that's good. How long have you been sick?"

"...I was fine when I came home last night, but my internal alarm failed to awaken me at eight-fifteen this morning. My internal log indicates a failure to initiate the alarm and other basic routine functions at five forty-four this morning."

"So about sixteen hours then."

"Sixteen hours?" Connor lifted his head and looked about his bedroom curiously. "I've been asleep for that long?"

From the doorway Hank called out to him calmly. "Easy, son. You were out for about eight hours and needed to sleep, and I already told you that I'd take care of Henry. Relax and cooperate with your wife. She knows what's best for you."

Abby took out her audioscope from the satchel and after she put the earbuds into place she pressed the bell to Connor's chest over top his sweaty black t-shirt. "Take a deep breath." Obediently Connor breathed and waited for Abby to finish listening to his ventilation biocomponents before listening to his heartbeat. "It sounds like you're already making excellent progress in your recovery. Does it hurt to breathe?"

"Not anymore."

"Even better. You should be fine in the next two hours." Giving him a small kiss Abby grinned and sat back up. "Easiest case I've had to handle all day."

"See, Henry?" Connor flashed his son a sincere smirk before his eyes slipped shut and his words began to slur a little. "I told you that I'm going to be okay. Thanks, Abby."

"...Dad?" Henry whispered almost inaudibly as he watched Connor fall asleep again.

"You're welcome, Connor." As Abby began packing up her satchel she noticed Henry staring at Connor and could see he was still worried. It was then an interesting idea came to her mind. "Come here, sweetheart."

Curious as to what his mother wanted Henry took a step forward and stood beside her.

"Here." Placing the earbuds of the audioscope in Henry's ears Abby then replaced the bell back over Connor's heart. "You hear that?"

"...Uh-huh."

"That's your dad's heartbeat." She smiled as Henry began to smile. Connor's eyes opened again and he noticed what Abby was doing in order to comfort Henry, causing him to smirk appreciatively. "He's going to be okay, I promise. I wouldn't lie to you about something like this/"

Henry nodded his head as he took the earbuds out of his ears and looked over at Connor. "When are you going to be better?"

"...In a few more hours, Henry. Then I'll be able to get back up."

"Papa and me are making Christmas lists. Are you going to make one, too?"

"...Of course. As soon as I'm better I'll join you in the livingroom."

Hank smiled too and gave Abby an appreciative nod from the opened doorway. "Hey, Henry. How about some pizza for dinner?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, come on. Let's go place an order and finish those lists. Your mom can make sure your dad is behaving and being a good patient."

As the little boy ran out of the room with Hank following after him Connor closed his eyes and let out a somewhat uncomfortable sigh. Connor's brow furrowed with the same audible discomfort he had waited to admit until after Henry had left.

"Are you hurting and putting on a brave face for Henry?" Abby asked despite already knowing the answer. "I thought we talked about you not denying about being sick anymore."

"...Sorry, I just didn't want him to be scared. Coughing hurts still, no matter how quietly I do it."

"Yeah, I get that."

"I take it Hank texted you to inform you that I had become ill."

"Yup, he said Henry was worried about you, so I came home early. Lily can handle things just fine these days."

A faint smirk appeared on Connor's face as he realized how sweetly empathetic his son was becoming. "I'm okay."

"I know that, and Hank knows that, and soon Henry will know that, too."

"Fortunately Henry cannot catch the flu from me. That makes dealing with flu season more bearable when I'm the one who gets ill."

"Get a little more sleep." Abby grinned as she ran left right hand over his thick hair and slung her satchel over her right shoulder. Carefully she replaced the melting ice pack over his forehead to ensure he didn't overheat as he slept. "And then go show your son that you're not going anywhere. I'm going to shower off, check on your again and then take a massive bite of pizza while you keep resting."

"...That sounds good to me. I promise I won't deny being ill ever again for our son's sake."

"I know." Leaning over Connor again Abby gave him another kiss and then smirked. "You're a great father and a great husband. Just rest and let us take care of you this time."

It took Connor only two and half more hours of necessary rest to awaken from his sleep fully healed, and to sit upright on his bed. The ice pack that had returned to his forehead had melted entirely leaving his hair and the collar of his t-shirt soaked with lukewarm water. Moving carefully and quietly he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up steadily to ensure he wasn't going to lose his balance and fall. Fortunately his strength had returned and his core temperature was back to its optimal degree.

As he exited his bedroom Connor glanced down the hallway and saw that Hank was sitting on the couch with Henry at his side, Abby was on the other side of Henry, and that Hank had found an old movie for the three of them to watch together. Connor recognized the images on the screen and smirked at the selected movie; 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. It was a movie that Connor himself had found enjoyable and was glad Hank was showing his son the same film.

Walking into the bathroom Connor peeled off his damp t-shirt and his gray sweatpants to have a quick shower to remove the uncomfortable sensation of the lukewarm water clinging to his artificial skin from his skin. As soon as the water was turned on Connor heard a soft knocking on the door and he listened carefully for the voice on the other side.

"Connor?"

"I'm okay, Abby." Connor responded quickly as he stepped into the shower and adjusted the temperature of the water. "Just rinsing off."

"Do you need anything?"

Thinking with a much clearer head Connor looked at his pile of dirty clothes sitting on the floor beside the bathtub. "...Maybe some clean clothes."

"Okay. Just a minute."

Connor could sense there was something else on Abby's mind by the tone of her voice and knew that she just wanted a moment to speak to him alone.

The bathroom door partially opened and Abby placed a bundle of neatly folded clean clothes down on the sink. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Just a little dirty."

"That's good." Pressing her palm to Connor's forehead again Abby noted his greatly diminished fever and sighed. "I love that you always manage to make a full recovery."

"I have a reason to stay strong. You and Henry."

"Flatterer."

Gently grabbing onto Abby's right wrist Connor playfully pulled her toward the warm shower. "I mean it. You make me feel strong no matter what I've gone through?"

"That's a relief." Grinning mischievously Abby pulled back her hand just long enough to slowly unbutton her blouse and drop the garment to the floor at her feet as she stood before her husband. "Got room for one more?"

Pulling the curtain back Connor invited Abby to join him in the hot shower. "Always!"

The Eleventh Year:

Springtime was a welcome change from the previous harsh winter and everyone was ready for a mini vacation. For Connor and Abby that meant finally taking their long overdue honeymoon and trusted Hank to watch over Henry while they were gone. Henry was very mature for his age and already showing signs of puberty as he already stood at five foot eight in height despite being only in the sixth grade. As for Hank, he had no problem spending a full week with just Henry at the house, and made sure to help his grandson with his homework before they worked on the Corvette together.

Meanwhile far up North and over the Mackinac Bridge, well into the upper peninsula area, Connor and Abby found a secluded bed and breakfast to call their own for a week. The loving couple were enjoying the quiet of the harbor and tourist town, as a majority of the tourist season happened in the summertime.

Standing on the balcony overlooking the water of Lake Huron as the sun began to rise Abby yawned, stretched out her shoulders and sighed when she felt Connor walk up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. Leaning back against his chest as he leaned forward and rested his chin on her right shoulder, Abby took in the wonderful sight and just enjoyed the moment.

"Hard to believe it's been ten years since we were married." She recounted with a romantic lilt to her voice. "We got engaged on the beach, married on an isle and now we're vacationing at one of the most iconic island destinations in the entire country. "Maybe we should save up our money and buy a private island to live on some day."

"We could just use that money to travel the world and set foot on every known island in the world."

"Yeah. Then we should sail around until we find all the other undiscovered ones."

"That'd be nice."

"Think we'll be able to go on these secluded vacations more often?"

"With Henry now so mature and grown I think we can. Then again..."

"You want to bring Henry with us sometimes, huh?"

"I do. He deserves to travel and see the country, too. Then after that he should be fully grown and free to explore the rest of the world."

"I can't believe in just seven more years our son, our baby boy, will be an adult!"

"Neither can I."

"Where did the time go?"

"Unknown." Giving Abby's cheek a soft kiss Connor just stood with his wife as they watched the sunrise in the distance. "We should make sure our final years with Henry are as memorable as possible."

"I feel like I can remember every second of the past eleven years with Henry in our lives." Speaking in a whisper Abby thought about their previous wonderful decade together as a family. "I can't believe I ever doubted whether or not I wanted to be a hands-on mom."

"I can't believe I felt so unsure when I realized that Henry is mine. There's something very grounding about learning that a child is your own, not just the child of a friend in need."

"Regardless of how Henry came into being I'm so relieved knowing that you would've been in my corner no matter what the outcome had been." Turning around Abby wrapped her arms around Connor's neck, stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips. "But knowing that Henry is undoubtedly your son makes everything so much better!"

"He's undeniably your son, too."

"Oh, please. He has your hair, your eyes, your complexion, your height and your charm! What in the world did he get from me?"

"Your sense of humor, your confidence, your instincts to help people in need and your patience."

"That's all well and good, but I just wish he got something from me on a physical level. He's your little clone and no one would dare to dispute that."

"Perhaps that's something specific to deviants with these particular upgrades. Maddy inherited Lucas's hair and eye color as well."

"How about we stop talking about kids for a minute..." Lightly pressing her left palm to Connor's chest Abby backed him up into their room and then gave him a playful shove once he was standing at the foot of the bed to knock back over the bed on his back. "And just enjoy ourselves."

"That seems like a good idea."

As Abby gave Connor a little striptease and removed her robe she grinned sheepishly and dropped the robe to the floor. Climbing onto the bed Abby kissed Connor again and slipped her hands under Connor's shirt to lift it away from his head, then tossed it on the floor to her side.

"Now it's even better!"

The Twelfth Year:

Scared out of his mind Henry sat in the front passenger seat of the Pace while Hank drove him to the Zeta Facility to meet up with his parents. Connor had been injured in the line of duty and had been taken to the facility for emergency treatment. Despite the Kevlar vest and having plenty of back-up Connor had been severely wounded and required emergency repairs at the facility to repair the damage. It was the first time since Henry had been born that Connor had been injured so severely that he couldn't get patched up at the precinct before heading home to Henry without any worries.

Abby had called Hank and he could hear the tears in her voice as she told him what had happened. Confirming that she was going to prepare Connor for the repairs but not perform them, Abby asked for Hank to bring Henry to the facility because she wanted her son to know that his father was still alive.

"He'll be just fine, Henry." Hank promised as he watched his grandson nervously fidgeting in his seat beside him. "Your dad's been through a lot worse and walked away just fine with his head held high."

"Was dad shot?"

"...I don't know, Henry. Your mom didn't tell me what happened to him, I was just told he's at the facility."

"Papa, when Sumo died you, mom and dad all said he went to Heaven and is playing with the other dogs and is happy. And Uncle Cole and Grandma Barbara are in Heaven, too."

"That's right."

"Do androids... go to Heaven?"

That was a question that Hank had never though he'd be asked. It was an instant reminder of the night he confronted Connor at the park as they looked out to the Ambassador Bridge stretching out over the Detroit River back during their initial partnership before the Revolution. It was the same night he had pulled his gun on Connor and threatened to shoot him while in a drunken rage. It was also the first night that Hank had finally begun to see androids as living beings and saw that Connor himself was actually becoming a deviant; becoming self aware and could truly feel.

"Henry, androids are alive which means they have souls. Your dad is NOT going to die, but androids can and do go to Heaven eventually."

"What if he does die?"

"He won't. I promise you that your dad is going to be okay!"

Henry nodded a little as he sniffled in fear. As Hank wrapped his right arm around the frightened boy's shoulders he pulled him up against his side and Henry buried his face against Hank's chest as he forced himself to try to not cry.

"It's okay to be afraid, Henry." Hank comforted his shaking grandson in a soothing tone. "But don't think the worst is going to happen, okay? Your dad is way too stubborn to go out like this, and your mom is too stubborn to let him go without a fight. Trust me, I know from experience."

Henry nodded again while keeping his face buried against Hank's chest in the process.

As the car pulled into the parking lot of the facility Hank turned off the engine and put his left hand to Henry's shoulder. "Hey, look at me."

Lifting his head up Henry stared at Hank and didn't flinch when Hank used his left thumb to gently wipe away his tears. The look of Henry's face was hauntingly similar to Cole's, and yet his expressions were as deeply feeling as Connor. Henry had even developed a few stray freckles along his neck and a couple along his face that made him look even more like his father.

"He's going to be fine, Henry. Let's go inside and ask your mom about how your dad's doing, okay?"

Nodding subtly Henry dragged his right arm over his eyes and under his nose to wipe away his tears and clean himself up. "...Okay. Let's go."

Scared and unsure of what he could do Henry had no idea what was happening to his dad, or who he could possibly talk to while Hank spoke to Abby in the hallway. Standing close beside Hank, now tall enough to be eye level with Hank's sternum, Henry just looked around at the numerous technicians and interns roaming the halls with various electronic charts in their hands. Beyond his own grandfather and his own mom Henry didn't recognize anyone in the hallways. It was all so surreal and he had no idea what was going on.

With tears in her eyes Abby walked away quickly to check on Connor while she awaited another technician to arrive to actually perform the necessary repairs in her stead.

"Henry?" Hank spoke softly to his grandson as he put his left hand on Henry's right shoulder again. The gesture was comforting but Henry could feel Hank's hand trembling on his shoulder despite Hank's best efforts to keep it still. "We can go see your dad for a few minutes, but he needs to be taken care of soon."

"...It's bad, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's bad, buddy."

Keeping a brave face Henry walked right alongside Hank as Barry, the loyal receptionist, showed them to the small emergency repair room Connor had been taken to, and had his condition stabilized. The door slid open slowly revealing the interior of the room where Connor had been taken to rest on a gurney until his repairs could be performed with Abby holding onto his hand. The sight of his dad so weak and still made Henry want to cry again, but he refused to do it until he knew one way or another if his dad was going to survive.

With a muted Thirial activity monitor recording his vital signs Connor was semi-conscious and had a massive bandage over his cheek under his left eye. His left eye was also bruised a dark shade of blue and swollen shut. The wounded deviant had been wrapped up in white gauze to apply pressure to the bleeding wounds in his upper right chest, middle right chest and his lower right abdomen. Blue blood had begun to seep through the bandages prompting Abby to pull a white sheet up over the bandages to hide the leaking Thirium from Henry's sight.

Lightly Hank put his right hand on Connor's right bicep and held it there for a moment. "Connor?"

Opening his right enough to recognize the faces standing behind him Connor forced a smile to his face as he acknowledged his family's presence. "...Dad. Henry." Feeling Abby's hand wrapped around his left hand he managed to look at his wife for a moment. "Abby."

Hank kept his voice steady as he spoke up softly. "Hey, son. We're all here for you."

"...Thanks for stopping by." As Connor found his voice Henry was still trying to not cry as Connor spoke to him in a hoarse weak voice. "...I wore Kevlar, but... the other guy was prepared for that. I couldn't... duck down in time."

"Easy, Connor." Hank could see that the deviant was already losing his strength and needed to rest. "Try to take it easy, son."

"Henry..." Connor weakly reached out his right hand toward his son and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm going to be okay. It looks worse... than it is. That's why mom's... letting me talk to you first. Dr. Hetfield has... plenty of time... to get ready."

Henry nodded again as he took hold of Connor's hand around Abby's grip and held on for a few minutes.

As he stood behind Henry with his left hand resting on his grandson's shoulder Hank gave Connor a silent subtle nod of approval and watched as Abby finished chronicling his patient's vital signs with a shaking hand on his electronic chart.

The door slid open again as Dr. Hetfield finally arrived from the Epsilon Facility to take charge of Connor's care. Understanding that Abby was his patient's wife the kind technician checked over the chart and spoke to Abby in a respectful whisper.

"Connor," Dr. Hetfield addressed his patient calmly and professionally. "we're going to take you up for your repairs now. You're stable and strong, so it won't be too long."

"...Okay." Connor gave Henry and Abby's hands a gentle squeeze and discreetly slipped something into Henry's palm. "I'll see you... when I wake up."

It took him a moment but Henry finally found his voice and responded as confidently as he could. "Okay, dad. I'll see you soon."

Reluctantly Connor let go of Henry's hand as Abby placed his right arm back down on the gurney at his side. "...I love you, son." Looking up at his wife Connor blinked slowly and addressed her, too. "And I love you, Abby."

"We love you, too." Giving Connor a kiss Abby kept her tears from falling. "When you wake up we're hugging you and never letting go."

"...I'm okay with that."

A team of additional technicians arrived in the room and proceeded to roll the gurney from the emergency repair room to the elevator. Just three doors away was the emergency repair ward where Connor would have the four bullets extracted from his body; two in his chest and two in his abdomen. In a matter of seconds Connor was gone from sight and rushed into the repair bay for emergency repairs.

Opening the palm of his right hand Henry looked down and saw Connor's old coin in his grip. The very coin that he had held onto for the past fourteen years of his eventful, deviant life. Unable to hold back his tears anymore Henry began to cry and Hank immediately wrapped his arms around the petrified child to hold him in a tight hug.

"It's okay to cry, Henry. Let it out."

Abby quickly hugged Henry too and kissed his hair. "Everything will be okay. Just cry and breathe..."

Leading Henry to the waiting room Hank did his best to comfort Henry as much as possible as Henry began to calm down a little and stopped crying after finally let out his initial fearful tears. He looked to Abby and saw that she needed just a minute to herself to get her own emotions in check.

"I know you're scared for your dad and that's okay." Hank watched Henry as he stared quietly at the coin in his palm. "And your dad never goes anywhere without that coin, so for him to give it to you if proof he will wake up and come back down to see us again, and to show you more tricks with that damn coin."

Nodding again Henry slumped back in his chair and pulled his legs up to his chest as he sighed and leaned his head against Hank's shoulder for support.

"Waiting sucks more than anything else, Henry. You and your dad are both impatient but you'll make it through this moment and so will your dad. Trust me."

It had been almost four hours since Connor had been taken away for his emergency repairs, and it was now almost seven in the evening. Henry hadn't eaten anything since noon and Hank knew he had to be getting hungry. Eager for any form of distraction for the young boy Hank tried to slip Henry a twenty-dollar bill and told him where the facility's cafeteria was located so he could find something to eat, but the stubborn young boy refused to budge. He wanted to stay in the waiting room with his grandfather and mother, his eyes watching Abby talking to Barry at the receptionist desk a few feet away.

Henry just shook his head sadly before politely declining the offer and pushing the money back. "Thank you, Papa. But I'm not hungry."

"You have to be bored out of your mind though." The dullness of Henry's eyes spoke volumes as to how upset he truly was. "There's a bookstore just down the block, how about we go get you something new to read?"

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"Really? All right, but if you change your mind let me know. It's been a while since we went to a bookstore together."

From across the waiting room Gavin had just arrived at the facility through the front doors to check in on Connor, and spotted Hank and Henry sitting against the far wall. Without any hesitation the seasoned detective walked over to the duo to speak with them. "Hey, Henry. Hey, Cap'."

"Not a Captain anymore, Gavin." Hank replied sharply as Gavin joined them in the waiting room. "But thanks for remembering."

Henry didn't reply to Gavin, who was now a Lieutenant thanks to a well earned promotion from Connor's hand, as he sat down in a vacant chair across from Hank and himself.

Clearing his throat nervously Gavin spoke to his former Captain calmly. "Do you know what happened yet?" His eyes drifted over to Henry briefly then back to Hank. He noticed Abby speaking at the receptionist desk and contemplated addressing her more directly and in private. "Or should I..."

"He knows that Connor was 'injured in the line of duty'." Hank reluctantly confirmed with a dreary tone. "What happened to him?"

"This morning a report came in revolving around some escaped convicts holding up in a shi- crappy," Gavin had been trying to swear less around Aria and Robin, gave Henry the same courtesy. "apartment down in the industrial district. Turns out the report was legit and we went to investigate."

"Ambushed?"

"No, that's what's so weird. Connor followed up on the source, knew it was legit, had everyone move in well armed with back-up already on stand by. But these guys were stockpiling illegal firearms and drugs. Their guns were no joke and their stash was massive."

"You got 'em, right?"

"Yeah... Uh, Connor and Chris were the first to arrive. They checked out the building and Connor picked up on the two convicts huddling inside. He gave the word to Chris and that's when everything just... went crazy." Recounting the story Gavin looked like he was as exhausted as everyone else. "As soon as the shots started both Connor and Chris got down and out of sight, but those guys were packing armor piercing rounds. Chris got his shoulder grazed, but Connor, he..."

Henry was trying to not cry again as he listened to the story. Hank's right hand returned to Henry's left shoulder and patted him gently.

"Chris called for back-up to move in. Me, Tina and the other new officers all showed up and pulled them back to safety. As soon as Connor was out of harm's way an ambulance packed him up and got him here as fast as possible. It took us almost three hours to get the guys arrested, but they won't be a problem anymore. Their weapons are slated to be destroyed along with their stash."

"Good. That's good to know."

"I, uh, would've been here sooner, but..."

"I know. You needed to go see your family first."

"Yeah." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank sighed as he thought back to his own close calls in the past. "Something that uncomfortably close and violent really makes you prioritize family time."

"Do they know what happened to Connor?"

"...I told Aaron but asked him to keep it quiet from the girls for a while longer. They love Connor as much as they love Lucas, go figure. They don't need to know if it's... They just doesn't need to know just yet."

Hank understood entirely as he kept his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Thanks for telling us, Gavin."

"Where is Lucas anyway?"

"He'll be by as soon as he can. He and Chloe are on their way back from a family vacation, and now that they know Connor's been injured I suspect Lucas is going to set a new travel record getting back to Detroit from the Grand Canyon in a car."

"You need anything?" Trying to be helpful Gavin started offing the bare minimum accommodations as they waited. "Coffee or maybe a soda, or something?"

Hank motioned toward Henry discreetly as he rejected the coffee. "I'm good, but playing the waiting game is getting boring."

"Right, got it." Gavin got up from the chair and made his way to the receptionist desk to talk to Abby for a moment, and disappeared from sight down the hallway leading to the cafeteria.

"...Dad was hurt for doing the right thing." Henry muttered somberly to himself. "It's not fair."

Hank looked over at Henry as he felt the little boy's shoulder tense with emotional frustration as he tried to not cry again. "He was hurt because someone bad tried to stop him from doing the right thing. Those bad guys are gone and your dad is still here. Remember that."

A few minutes passed and Gavin returned conveniently with a can of soda for himself and a spare one for Henry. He also grabbed the scared kid a candy bar to try to get him to eat something. "Here, Henry. I pressed the wrong button on the vending machine by mistake," the empathetic detective convincingly lied. "you can have my extra drink. And I didn't see that this candy had peanuts in it until after I bought it. I don't like peanuts."

Slowly Henry accepted the offered drink and candy and just held them in his hands. "...Thanks."

Gavin was happy that Henry at least took the snack even if he wasn't interested in actually eating it. It was just unfortunate that he was so scared and worried about his dad. "Hey, Henry..." Gavin made an effort to try to distract the young boy's thoughts for a little while. "did, uh, did your dad tell you about the time he punched me in the face?"

Henry looked up and gave Gavin the same furrowed brow stare of confusion that Connor would give whenever he was confused. "...He what?"

"Well, I deserved it. We're cool now, and it happened a long time ago."

"Why'd he punch you?"

"I was being a di- jerk. And I know that I was being a MAJOR jerk because no one in the precinct felt bad for me after he did it. Not even Tina."

Hank tightened his hand on Henry's shoulder and cleared his throat. "Your dad also saved Gavin's life once, too."

"He did?" Henry's brown eyes were suddenly bright instead of dim as the comment gave his heart renewed faith. "When?"

"Uh... Let's see..." Gavin tried to think back to all those times so many years ago and remembered when Connor saved his life. Slipping off his jacket Gavin rolled up his short sleeve of his left arm, and deactivated the artificial skin over the prosthetic left arm. "Uh, I was in a bad car accident that took my arm. Your dad got to the accident first, tied off my arm and kept me from keeling over in the street."

Staring at the artificial limb without any fear Henry asked for more detail. "An accident?"

"Long story, I don't even remember all the details at this point. It was rainy, some idiot ran their car into mine and it was bad enough to mangle my left arm. I'm only alive because your dad saved my life. He also saved Aaron's life too. That was the same day Aria was born..."

Henry was looking a lot more optimistic knowing that his dad had done so much good for people in the city.

"Yeah," Hank proudly shook Henry's shoulder where he sat. "and your dad realized he was ready to be a father when he got to hold Aria in own arms. That was the moment he knew he wanted to be a father first and foremost, and when he started telling people that you were on your way."

"Wait..." Henry looked really confused but at the same time happy. "How did dad and mom keep me a secret? It's pretty obvious when women are pregnant, and I'm only a few months younger than Aria."

Gavin's gray-hazel eyes went wide with shock at how openly Hank was discussing some of the details about human reproduction. "Whoa, so Henry already knows about 'the birds and the bees'?"

Henry blushed a little as Hank answered on his behalf. "He wanted to know, and both Connor and Abby are very honest parents. I, unfortunately, had to be the one to fill in some of the other details because of my experience as an actual human male. Nothing I couldn't handle, though."

"Yeeahh... I'm definitely going to let Tina be the one to have the 'talk' with Aria and Robin. If I start talking to them about it I'm going to end up arming them with pepper spray and a taser. I might do that anyway..." His eyes brightened with a genuine sense of a great idea as if he was already mentally going over a list of things he was going to give to his daughters. "You know, kinda' like an early 'sweet-sixteen' gift for the both of them."

Hank just shook his head a little as he stayed focused on Henry as Abby finally joined them in the chairs to sit down for a moment. Henry himself was beginning to feel a little better but he was still worried for his dad. Nothing in the world was going to change that any time soon. Staring down at the floor Henry fussed with the coin in his hand a little and actually managed to slowly roll it over the back of his right knuckles in the same manner that Connor would do whenever he was nervous.

Gavin's phone buzzed in his leather jacket's pocket as he received a text message and update on the case at hand. Swearing internally he read and replied to the message and stood up from the chair. "The precinct needs me to give another statement. I guess they have a new guy handling the paperwork whenever dealing with an officer down, and Connor's not here to hold their hand."

"Give 'em Hell, Gavin."

"I'll see you later, keep me posted. Let the 'Tinman' know we're all pulling for him."

As the formerly gruff Lieutenant took his leave of the waiting room Hank took the offered can of soda from Henry's hand and popped it open before handing it back to Henry. "You should drink that and eat that candy bar so you don't starve."

"Papa, why did Gavin call dad 'Tinman'?"

"He's always called him that. But it's not an insult, it's a nickname."

"It is?"

"Yup. You've seen 'The Wizard of Oz', right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Remember how the Tinman wanted a heart but in the end it turns out he had a heart all along?"

"Yeah."

"Well, same with your dad. He's always had a heart, even when he didn't see it or believe it, it was always there." Pushing the soda a little closer to Henry the ever patient grandfather tried to coax him into drinking it again. "Humor me."

Giving Hank a weak smile Henry took the soda and took a sip of it. The sugary drink didn't feel great on his stomach since he was so worried and hadn't eaten in over seven hours, but he was admittedly beginning to feel hungry. Never one to complain or make his mom, dad or grandfather worry Henry sat quietly and never said anything about being uncomfortable.

"Maybe if you try to sleep it'll make time pass a little faster." Hank suggested casually as he pulled Henry up closer to his side. "I'll wake you up the moment I hear anything about your dad."

Too tired and worried to resist Henry nodded as he put the can of soda and untouched candy bar down on the nearby table before he cuddled up against Hank's shoulder and closed his tired eyes. As sleep overtook his mind Henry just hoped that the next time he woke up that his dad would be okay.

Abby silently pressed her hands over her eyes as she began to weep from fear. Feeling Hank's other arm wrap around her shoulders Abby leaned into the hug and let her father-in-law, the only real father she's ever known, hold her in her darkest hour of need.

Whispering to his distraught family Hank stayed strong and never showed any sign of doubt or fear. "Everything will be all right."

As the fourth hour transitioned into its fifth hour Dr. Hetfield returned to the waiting room at long last and sat down in the chair across from Abby, Hank and Henry. The kind technician didn't seem distressed but he was tired as he held an electronic chart in his hands. Sitting upright in the chair Dr. Hetfield locked eyes with Abby, then Hank, and nodded once.

Abby breathed a massive sigh of relief as she felt her stopped heart finally start beating again. The weight of the whole world had finally left her trembling shoulders.

"Doc?" Hank asked in a low voice causing Henry's eyes snap open and look over at the kind technician now sitting before him. "How is he?"

"Connor's going to make a full recovery." Dr. Hetfield stated with a firm and sincere voice. "Sorry it took so long. There was a lot of necessary repairs to get through and I wanted to make sure the interning technicians understood how prototypes react differently from finished models."

Hank let out a relieved sigh of his wown and Henry leaned up against his side again.

Wiping her dried tear marks from her eyes Abby cleared her voice and fell back into technician mode herself. "I know he's going to be dealing with numerous reboots and recalibration processes, but when can we see him?"

"Right now if you want. He's still rebooting from stasis mode, but he should wake up soon."

Henry nearly leapt out of the chair while Hank stood up more slowly beside him. "Uh, is there anything we should be 'prepared to see'?"

"He's still attached to a Thirial activity monitor as a precaution, and he's still receiving blue blood to replace what he's lost. It's going through the line in his right arm rather than down his throat so he can talk to you."

"Thanks, doc." Returning his right hand to Henry's left shoulder Hank guided his shaken grandson down the corridor to follow after Dr. Hetfield to finally visit Connor after the lengthy repair process. "Like I said Henry, everything will be okay."

One stroll down the corridor was all it took before Abby, Hank and Henry were shown to the private room where Connor was recovering.

"He's right in here." Dr. Hetfield stated as he unlocked the sliding door, and let it open. "It's okay, go on. He's waiting for you."

Inside the room Connor was resting in a bed, propped slightly upright with a muted Thirial activity monitor recording his vitals, and a nasal canula under his nose. He was a little pale from the Thirium loss but he didn't look nearly as pale as he had been when Hank and Henry first arrived before his repairs now that he had some replacement Thirium running through his lines. Wrapped up under thick bandages from his chest down to abdomen and wearing pale blue hospital scrubs, Connor looked so human it was frightening.

Entering the private room where Connor was resting Henry ran over to the bed and nearly threw himself onto Connor to try to hug him. The sudden weight and warmth against his left arm made Connor's system fully reboot and he opened his undamaged eye to look at the source of the presence.

Glancing down at Henry resting against his uninjured side made Connor smile as he recognized his son instantly. "...Henry."

"Dad!"

"I'm okay, Henry." Blinking slowly he wrapped his left arm around Henry and held him close to his side. "I told you I'd be okay."

"You were almost killed!"

Connor swallowed once; partially out of nervousness and partially because his throat was raw from being intubated for four and a half hours. "...I'm a detective. It comes with the territory."

Abby quickly crossed the room to sit down on the right side of the bed to give him a kiss as she instinctively began checking his bandages and then his vitals. Her husband was stable but she was still shaking.

Hank walked in slowly to give Henry some time to speak to Connor alone but still caught the end of Henry's worrying comment. "Henry, it was an accident."

Staring directly into Connor's eyes Henry reiterated his statement and refused to back off. "You were wearing a bullet proof vest but you got shot anyway!"

"Henry, those men-"

"What if there's more bad guys like that?" Henry's voice was beginning to crack and shake with emotion. Raw tears were begging to stream down his face in heavy streaks that made him look all the more scared as he spoke with his dad. "What if next time you can't be saved?!"

The fear in Henry's voice made Connor's heart clench. It was the first time that Connor realized that Henry himself had a concept of life and death. Connor was his dad, his mom was a part of his life, and Hank was his only grandparent. In the same way that Connor realized that losing Hank would leave him without a father Henry would feel the exact same way if he lost his dad. Hank would take care of him, and he knew Lucas would step up to help him as surrogate fathers, but it wouldn't be the same without his dad to look after him.

"Henry," wrapping his left arm around Henry as much as possible Connor pulled his son up on the bed and let him rest his head against his repaired chest. "I'm sorry."

Sniffling a little Henry remained at his dad's side as he tried to understand what he had just been told. "Sorry for what?"

"For scaring you. I know I can't say anything that'll make you feel better about what happened to me, so I'll stop trying. But I can promise you that I'll take steps ensure that I won't be hurt anymore for as long as I'm still working at the precinct."

"How?!"

"...As a Captain I have the right to decide how goes out into the field and who stays inside the precinct." Connor glanced over to Hank with a somber gaze as his father stood beside the bed. "I can prevent this from happening again."

Henry lifted up his head as Hank gave Connor an odd glance. "What does that mean? What are you going to do?"

"It means I'll stay inside the precinct and give the orders from behind a desk and inside my office. I won't go out into the field anymore."

"...No more bullets?"

"No more bullets."

Hank put his right hand down on Henry's back as he looked down at Connor laying in the bed. "Son, you do know that means you won't be able to do anything in the field unless it's absolutely necessary, right? No more realtime analysis or preconstructing the live crime scene. Progress will slow down."

"I know. That's why I initially continued to work in the field. But, if it'll make Henry feel better to know that I'm safer in my office, then I will stay behind a desk for as long as I have to."

Henry started to cry again causing Hank to instinctively rub his back while Connor tightened his arm around him even more. This time however the tears weren't of fear or of sadness, but of relief and joy.

"It's okay, Henry." Connor winced a little as his pain receptors began to reboot as well and his ventilation program jostled his healing chest. He could feel Abby wrapping her hand around his right hand, and squeezing tightly. "I'm okay. I won't make you worry about me ever again, I promise."

"...I don't want to lose you, dad!"

"And I don't want to leave you, Henry." Moving just enough to bring Henry even closer Connor kissed the top of Henry's hair and just held him in a hug at his left side. "I'll do what it takes to stay with you for as long as possible."'

Laying down at Connor's right side Abby reached her left arm over Connor's healing abdomen and rubbed Henry's back as well. "You know your father always keeps his promises, Henry. It'll be okay."

It took a full day of recovering at the facility before Connor was cleared for technical discharge. With Hank's help Connor was able to limp back into the house slowly, and was guided over to the couch while Henry proceeded to grab the blanket and pillow from the hallway closet for his dad to feel more comfortable. The house still felt like home even as Connor healed from his horrible injuries. Having his father, his son and his wife all with him made his recovery much more bearable and seem far less dreary.

"Seems like old times, huh, kid?" Hank joked as he watched Connor struggling to lay comfortably on the couch. "You a little banged up, me watching over you as you heal on the couch..."

"Not old enough it seems."

"Speak for yourself!"

Henry handed Connor the pillow and the blanket and watched as his dad used the offered items to get more comfortable. "Thanks, Henry."

"You're welcome. When do you go back to work?"

"Three days."

"...And will you be working out in the field?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he pressed his right hand to his sore abdomen and chest. "I will remain behind my desk filing reports as promised."

"I'm glad. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."

"I don't want to get hurt, either. Believe me."

"Have you been hurt before?"

"Uh..." Connor gave Hank an awkward glance as his father stood behind the couch, and then looked to Abby as she walked through the front door and heard the tail end of the question, before he finally answered. "Yeah. But as you can see, I recovered."

"Did you get hurt because you're an android?"

"Sometimes, yes. There were a lot more anti-android bigots in the city before you were born than there are now. Other times I got hurt because it's a hazardous job, or I was unintentionally careless."

Hank cleared his throat awkwardly and sat down in his new recliner; one Connor insisted on him buying to replace the old worn out one to help ease the pain in his back even more. "I took my own share of bumps and bruises along the way, Henry. That's part of the reason my back keeps hurtin' me."

"I thought that was just because you're old."

Laughing at the comment Hank just shook his head and sighed. "You got a smart mouth like your dad. I'm not surprised."

Connor smirked as well as he let out a weary slow breath to ease his pain. Feeling Abby sitting down beside him and rubbing her hand along his sore abdomen was enough to help the deviant relax enough to rest properly. "And he has his mother's humor."

"A lethal combination if you ask me." Grinning proudly Abby finally let herself relax for the first time since she learned of her husband being shot. "Good thing we can handle any situation that comes out way, no matter how bizarre it gets."

The Thirteenth Year:

The early effects of puberty had been kind to Henry save for his deepening voice cracking from time to time, but other than the usual inconveniences of raging hormones affecting his speech the young boy was turning into a well adjusted and handsome young man. Taller than he was the previous year and very mature for his age Henry was permitted to stay home alone after school until Connor or Abby returned home from work, but Henry still preferred spending time with his Papa after school for a few hours.

Being retired left Hank with all the time in the world to hang out with Henry or Maddy whenever he could. Spending the afternoon with Maddy and Lucas and Chloe's home rejuvenated his heart as the first grader told Hank about her day at school, and always left with a new drawing to put on the refrigerator door right alongside Henry's impressive report cards.

After returning home from school school Henry set about making himself a snack and taking care of his homework at the desk in his bedroom. Between questions and answers Henry texted back and forth with his friends about their basketball game the next night, and let Hank know he'd be ready to watch another documentary on harsh weather after he finished his biology homework.

Just as the pre-teen finished his assignment his phone began to ring and saw that it was Hank calling him, and he answered quickly. "Hey, Papa. I just finished my biology report."

'That's good Henry, but I just wanted to let you know that I got a call from your dad and I need to go pick him up from the precinct once Lucas gets back to the house.'

"Pick him up?" Too sharp to be fooled Henry knew something was up and his cracking voice carried his worries perfectly. "What happened to dad?"

'To be honest with you Henry,' Hank stated in a calm collected tone that always kept everyone else calm. 'he got banged up while helping to restrain an arrested suspect at the precinct this afternoon. He was already seen by and treated by Joel at the precinct, but he's too sore to drive himself home right now.'

Immediately on guard Henry knew his dad had been injured again, and was worried it was a severe wound. "How bad was he hurt?"

'Not too bad. He took a bad blow to his abdomen and just needs a few days to get over the damage. Your mom will make sure of that.'

"If it takes a few days to heal that's a little worse than 'not too bad', Papa."

There was a pause as Hank noted Henry's keen attention to detail and sighed. 'Yeah, you're right about that.'

"Tell me the truth, please."

'I am, Henry. Your dad got hit in the abdomen and now needs a few days to heal.'

"WHAT was dad hit WITH, Papa?"

Another pause followed the question before Hank answered. 'I don't know all the details but he was hit with a blunt instrument that damaged his abdomen and made him bleed. It also damaged his left sterilization filter... thingy. He saw Joel, got patched up, and now I'm going to bring him home to heal. Your mom already knows about it and agrees it's okay to let your dad come home to heal.'

"Did he need emergency repairs like when he got shot last year?"

'No, nothing like that. It took Joel not even an hour to patch him up, so yeah, it's not that bad. Absolutely zero bullets were involved.'

"...Okay, Papa." Still wary of his father being wounded in the line of duty Henry decided to drop the matter for the moment. "I believe you."

'You better! When have I ever lied to you?'

"I hate to break it to you Papa, but I know the 'Tooth Fairy' isn't real and that you were Santa on my first Christmas."

'Man... You're turning into a real smartass like your dad, and I couldn't be prouder.'

"Thanks." Feeling relieved Henry stood up from his desk and turned off his lamp as he walked toward his bedroom door. "When will you two be back?"

'Within the hour. Will you be cool without us?'

"I think I can live another sixty minutes by myself."

'Alright, see ya' then ya' little smartass!' Laughing at Henry's developing wit Hank prepared to end the call and make his way to the precinct to pick up Connor to bring him back home. 'I really am proud of you, too.'

"Thanks, Papa. See you soon."

'See ya'.'

Ending the call Henry sighed and walked down the hallway to wait for his dad, grandfather and eventually his mom to return home. Plopping down on the leather couch he turned on the television to find something to distract himself for a while, but it was hard. He was very close to his family and Henry was especially close with his father.

"Dad's hurt again. I wonder what he got hit with while restraining an already arrested suspect. What in the precinct could make him bleed?"

That particular question was enough to distract his thoughts for a moment. The pre-teen began to think out loud as he remembered the layout of the precinct and tried to think what could used as a weapon on a cop.

"Maybe dad got hit with a chair like in a wrestling match. Or got kicked with some steel-toe boots."

Now more curious than afraid of what could have happened to his dad Henry relaxed a little, and just waited for his dad to return to the house to tell him in person.

"If he got hit with something like a stapler or a coffee mug I'm going to make fun of him forever!"

After about thirty minutes passed Henry heard the Pace pull into the driveway beside the house, heard the engine turn off and then heard one door open and slam shut while the second door took a little longer to follow suit. Standing up from the couch Henry opened the front door and peered outside to check in on his father and grandfather, only to freeze at the sight as he hadn't expected to see his dad looking so pale and weak as he limped toward the house with Hank supporting most of his weight at his right side.

Standing in the opened doorway Connor looked out at his family with wide concerned brown eyes. "Dad?"

"...I'm okay, Henry." Connor replied quickly as he pressed his left hand to his left side to try to ease the ache. "Just a little banged up."

"What happened? You look like you're really sick or something."

"I'm just sore."

Joining his dad at his left side Henry helped escort his wounded father inside the house to rest. "Dad, what happened to you today?"

"I was sitting in my office filing paperwork when two rookie cops brought in a suspect who was dangerously high on an illegal drug that caused him to suffer a huge adrenaline rush." Answering honestly Connor paused for a moment as Henry kept the front door wide open efore continuing on inside the house to rest. "The man fought back and the two rookies didn't have the experience necessary to handle the man, so myself and several other officers got involved with subduing him."

"What did he hit you with?"

Sitting down slowly on the couch with Henry and Hank to guide him Connor sighed weakly and pulled up his white dress shirt to show Henry the thick and numerous bandages wrapped around his abdomen to keep his left side covered as the injury heal. "...He used an ax."

That particular item made Henry pale with shock. "AN AX?!

"One of the axes kept in the locked glass case to be used only in the event of an emergency or during a fire. Apparently the lock wasn't strong enough to keep one drug-crazed man at bay, and he began swinging..."

"How did you get hit with an AX?" Sitting down beside his father on the couch Henry stared at his dad with a stunned gaze. "Why didn't you back off?"

"Because the man was swinging at Tina."

Hank interrupted with his own opinion on the matter as he closed the door behind him. "Tina always wears Kevlar, and she's always been able to move quickly. Why risk yourself when you know a competent officer is capable of taking care of herself?"

"Because during the commotion," Connor continued in a groggy tone. "I ran a scan over the man to gauge his vitals and try to determine what drug he had taken. During my scan I picked up on a curious reading coming from Tina's person and I couldn't risk her suffering any injury to her person, whatsoever."

"...Is Tina sick?"

"No, dad. As of today she is approximately four weeks and four days pregnant."

"O-Oh! Holy shit..."

"She didn't know, obviously, otherwise she wouldn't have taken the risk to begin with. In fact," Connor explained further as he leaned back in the couch cushion and tried to breathe through his pain. "she didn't know until I explained to her why I put myself between her and a madman with an ax until after she came up to see me in the dispensary."

Almost laughing Hank pressed the question a little further. "...You told her about her own pregnancy?"

"I had to tell her, and she has the right to know as soon as possible."

Hank leaned against the back of the couch with his hands folded neatly together before him as an interesting question popped up in his head. "How'd she react to the news?"

"She proceeded to pass out from shock, but Joel caught her, and we asked Gavin to take her to the infirmary where an early pregnancy test confirmed my scanner's reading. As of this afternoon she is strictly on desk duty and is not permitted to assist with any arrests until after she gives birth. Gavin will ensure she remains on desk duty and doesn't do anything foolish."

"Well, is she... happy about it?"

"Very!" The kindhearted deviant replied with a faint grin on his face. "She and her boyfriend had been trying to get pregnant for some time now, and as soon as she found out the good news she called to tell him that she had a surprise for him tonight after work, and then proceeded to shop online for baby clothes."

"That's one way to keep her at her desk."

"I figured that as well, and will allow her to do so if it'll keep her safe behind her desk."

"Good call."

Henry shook his head a little and gave his dad an odd glance. "What about the man who hit you?"

"He managed to swing the ax at my left side, but he wasn't close enough to cause any significant damage. The blade of the ax was sharp enough to to slice through my artificial skin and plastimetal frame, and only nicked my left sterilization filter as it passed through. The wound looks worse than it is, and will need two days for the damage to my frame to mend properly." Pressing his right palm over the bandages covering his lower left abdomen Connor winced a little but didn't yelp out in pain. "As for the man himself, he was tased by Chris and then sedated by a team of paramedics who were given special permission by the local hospital. He'll remain restrained at the hospital under close security surveillance until he comes down from his high, and is coherent enough to be charged for his numerous acts of assault, as well as his purchase and use of an illegal substance."

"...Do you need anything, dad?" Feeling bad for his father Henry tried to assist him during his recovery to the best of his ability. "Can I help you?"

"I just need a little help with getting down the hallway and into my own bed. I'd rather lay down and enter rest mode instead of sitting upright on the couch."

"Yeah, sure." Pulling his father's right arm around his shoulders Henry stood up from the couch and helped Connor to stand up from the couch. "Lean on me."

Connor allowed his son to escort him out of the livingroom and down the hallway to his bedroom, all the while he was smiling at his son's maturity and readiness to help someone in need.

The pride in Henry was a mutual feeling as Hank stepped back and let his grandson take charge of helping his father without interfering. Putting both of his hands to his lower back Hank let out a deep breath as he could feel his exhausted muscles struggling to just allow Hank to stand up, let alone walk around and carry his adult son around at his side. Age was truly mocking Hank at this point and sooner rather than later he'd have to admit his age and seek supportive measures for himself.

"Here." Henry opened the bedroom door with a quick turn of the doorknob and led Connor over to his bed to lay down. Keeping as much of Connor's weight on his own side as they walked Henry moved slowly and was very careful not jostle his injured father as they walked. "Do androids need ice or anything for pain like this?"

"No, ice won't help with this type of damage." Connor explained casually as he laid back over the length of his bed and returned his right palm to his wounded left side. "And I'm not overheating. It's okay."

"Let me help you get your shirt off." Without waiting for a response Henry pulled on the knot of Connor's black tie to remove the garment from around the white dress shirt's collar, then pulled the buttons on the gray vest and then dress shirt open. As his father awkwardly slipped his arms from the sleeves of the shirt Henry noticed the tear in the lower left portion of the fabric thanks to the ax's sharp blade and felt sick as he paled again. "...I'll see if there's any extra gauze in the bathroom."

"Henry." Connor used his left hand to grab onto his son's right wrist and keep him from leaving the bedroom. "I'm okay, son."

"I know."

"You're pale, your vitals have all elevated and I can feel you trembling." Locking eyes with his son Connor did his best to get him to calm down. "I promise you that I'm okay, but it's also okay to be shaken by this experience. I know I was."

"Dad, I'm..." Turning to face his father directly Henry sighed a little and returned to his father's bedside. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" As his brow knit with confusion Connor studied his son's face and tried to understand his guilt. "Why are you sorry?"

"...Last year when you got shot I was mad and I yelled at you for getting hurt. A part of me thought you did it on purpose and I don't know why. You chose to take a position to keep you in the precinct and out of the streets because I was scared and I didn't want you to get hurt again. But you got hurt anyway. You were right, being a detective is dangerous. I'm sorry I was mad at you for getting hurt last year."

"It's okay. You're allowed to feel whatever you need to feel." Sitting upright slowly on the bed Connor put his right palm to the back of Henry's thick dark hair and held it there for a moment as he spoke to his son. "I had to learn that the hard way as I accepted my deviancy, and I had to learn to stop feeling guilty for expressing emotions or having an opinion on something."

"You're helping other people when you go to work but you're still making changes just for me. That makes me feel... selfish."

"Henry, you're FAR from selfish. I made those changes to my life because I love you and I want you to feel better about me going to work, not because you were angry at me and I wanted to make amends. Even if I hadn't been shot I would've changed my role in the precinct if you had asked. You did nothing wrong last year when you were overwhelmed with emotions, just as I did nothing wrong when I had been injured. Okay?"

"...Okay."

"You're a good kid, Henry. You make me, your mom and your Papa very proud and you have no reason to feel ashamed of anything."

"Thanks, dad."

"I'm all right, Henry. Go check in with your Papa and find something for dinner. I'm not up for cooking tonight, so go ahead and order take-out if you want."

"Sure, dad. I'll check on you later." Taking his leave of the bedroom Henry wandered back down the hallway and saw Hank sitting down on the couch resting his sore back. "Hey, Papa. What do you want to do for dinner?"

"Well, I was planning on grillin' a couple of steaks tonight, but my back is aching too much. How about instead we split a pizza?"

Henry tilted his head a little to the side as if curious about the entire notion of dinner. "I could cook tonight."

"Really?" The pre-teen was the only member of the family who didn't actively cook. "You want to cook?"

"I've never done it before, but I could still try."

"All right, how about you wheel the small barbecue from the garage out back, and I'll show you the trick to grilling the perfect juicy steak?"

"Sure. I can do that."

"Cool. There's a bag of charcoal, lighter fluid and a lighter already stored inside the barbecue, so just wheel that little red bastard over to the brick patio and we'll get started."

"Okay, I'll be right back."

Hank watched as Henry walked into the side doors leading to the garage to locate the grill. Moving slowly Hank rose from the couch, his left hand pressing against his back the entire time, and walked down the hallway to check on Connor for himself.

Pushing open the partially closed bedroom door Hank looked down at his son as Connor laid on his back with his left arm tucked under his head. "Hey, son."

"Hi."

"How do you feel?"

"Tired and sore."

Walking closer to the bed Hank saw the faint pool of Thirium leaking through the bandages wrapped around Connor's abdomen and grimaced a little. "You're bleeding."

"Oh." Looking down at the pale blue blood staining the white bandages a faint sapphire hue Connor sighed and pressed his right palm against the wound under a light pressure. "I must've aggravated my injury when I sat upright to talk to Henry."

"You still got that fancy android first aid kit?"

"Yes. It's under the bathroom sink."

"Stay put, I'll get ya' cleaned up."

"It'll be okay. Abby will be-"

"I know she will, but why give her more work after she clocks out for the day?"

"Fair enough." Watching his father walking out of the bedroom and into the bathroom Connor wondered where his don had gone. "Where'd Henry go?"

"He's getting the barbecue out of the garage." Shouting as he retrieved the first aid kit Hank spoke to his son in a confident manner. "Henry wants to cook tonight, and I'm going to teach him."

"He is? That's good to know."

"Has he never asked about cooking before?"

"No, not to me."

Returning to the bedroom with the plastic first aid kit in his right hand and a limp in his step Hank sat down on the edge of Connor's bed with the intention of helping Connor change his now dirty bandages. "Well, maybe Henry's growing up and is ready for new challenges."

"Is it weird that I don't want Henry to grow up?"

"Not at all, son. That's how every parent feels."

"That's reassuring."

Putting his right hand to Connor's left shoulder Hank began pulling his injured son forward to sit upright on the bed again. "Sit up and I'll-" Stopping mid sentence Hank winced and pulled his hand back from Connor's shoulder to support his aching back. "...Fuck."

"You pulled on your back again, didn't you?"

"...Yeah. It's getting harder and harder not to do it."

Pushing himself upright on the bed with both arms Connor stared at his father and ran a scan over the retired detective's body. "Your lower back muscles are severely inflamed. It's putting pressure on your spinal column."

"Yup. I noticed."

"I hate to say it, but-"

"I know, I know. I'll go talk to my doctor soon about this. I just don't want to be leanin' on a cane or a walker for the rest of my life."

Connor's mouth ticked a little as a sheepish smile appeared on his face. "I could always modify Henry's old baby sling and carry you around on my chest instead."

"Oh, hell no! I maybe old but I'm not a piece of luggage to be hefted around."

"You wouldn't be luggage, you'd be carry-on."

"Smartass. You AND your son are the biggest smartasses I've ever met, and I love it."

From the opened doorway Henry addressed his father and grandfather in a level tone of voice. "Hey, I got the barbecue out back but I don't know how to light it."

"All right, I'll show ya'. Just give me a minute to get up again and walk outside. My back isn't very cooperative today."

"Okay." Noticing the first aid kit sitting on the bed beside Connor's leg Henry paled a little again and helped Hank to stand up from the bed. Daring to ask about the kit after Hank stepped out of the bedroom Henry gave his father a worried glance. "What's wrong?"

Connor didn't quite understand the question. "Hm?"

Pointing to the white plastic box Henry identified the source of his question. "The first aid kit."

"Oh, I accidentally caused a weakened Thirium line to leak again when I moved too much." The reply was surprisingly casual as Connor explained what was going on. "I was just going to have the bandages changed, but your Papa's back was hurting him too much to help me."

"...I can do it for you."

"Henry, it's okay. I can see you're uncomfortable about my injury."

"So what? You still need help." Opening up the kit Henry sat down where Hank had been and offered Connor his hand to take. "Let me help you."

Smirking a little Connor gave Henry his hand and let his son pull him up into a sitting position on the bed once more. "Okay."

"What do I do first?"

"These old bandages need to be removed. Inside the kit is a pair of scissors designed just for gauze."

"Got it." Finding the shiny metallic pair of scissors Henry carefully cut away the old bandages from his father's side, and then bundled up the dirty gauze to be thrown away later. As the bandages revealed Connor's raw wound that was weeping blue blood Henry winced a little but didn't dare back off. "...Now what?"

Connor looked down at his now exposed left side and ran a scan. There was a relatively deep gouge in his left side that was eight inches long, running from the bottom of his 'rib cage' toward his left hip. The artificial skin around the wound and extended outward by a two inch diameter failed to regenerate because of the open fracture in his plastimetal frame. Through the fracture it was easy to see the repaired sterilization filter glowing in a healthy blue beneath.

"Dad? What do I do next?"

"...Locate the orange bottle of liquid in the kit." Connor stated calmly. "That's called incrassation compound and it stops Thirium lines from leaking."

"This?" Picking up the correct bottle Henry unscrewed the cap and gave his father a curious glance.

"That's it. Just pour it onto the damage, don't worry about making a mess."

With a steady hand Henry reached out and began pouring a small amount of the orange liquid into the opened wound and tried to ignore his father physically flinching at the stinging sensation that made his breath hitch. As the orange liquid met the blue tinted Thirium a thin flush of tea colored liquid washed out of the wound, and Connor nodded to let Henry know it was okay to stop.

"...Did that hurt?"

"No, it's just an uncomfortable sensation."

"Okay. Then what do we do?"

"Put a large gauze pad over the wound and tape it into place. Afterward just wrap it up under the roll of gauze as it had been before when I returned home."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"Seems kind of simple."

"Android anatomy isn't too dissimilar to human anatomy. The difference is only the color of our blood and the fragility of our internal workings."

"Why didn't you ask for my help?" Applying the large gauze pad to his father's side Henry used his left hand to hold it in place before using his right hand to apply the medical adhesive to hold the bandage in place over the wound. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I know, Henry. I just don't want you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable."

"I'm pretty sure that's a part of growing up." Wrapping the gauze around his father's abdomen slowly Henry locked his eyes with Connor and gave him a coy stare. "If growing up wasn't meant to be uncomfortable my voice wouldn't be cracking every two sentences."

Laughing at his son's positive demeanor Connor stayed put as Henry finished wrapping up his abdomen and returned his hand to the back of Henry's hair in a supportive manner. "You're already so grown-up. Soon you'll be driving yourself around and looking at colleges."

"If I maintain my grades and keep up my records on the basketball team I'll have a scholarship already lined up for me."

"See what I mean? And I don't think I'm ready for you to be an adult yet."

"Well, it's not like after I hit eighteen I'm going to pack my bags and move to another planet, dad. Trust me," finishing up with the bandages Henry closed the first aid kit and gave his dad a kind smirk. "I looked into interplanetary travel. It still has some bugs to work out."

Feeling much better and truly proud of his son Connor carefully laid back against his pillow to relax. "Nothing's perfect. Why don't you go help your Papa with the barbecue? I'll be fine now."

"Okay, dad. I'll put this back in the bathroom." Standing up from the bed with the cleaned up first aid kit in his hands Henry backed away from the bed and gave his father a nod of confidence. "I'm going to figure out how to grill without burning down the neighborhood."

"There's a fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink. Take it with you."

"What about the garden hose?"

"That'll work, too."

Truly proud of his son Connor watched as Henry took his leave of the bedroom and quickly found himself thinking about the past thirteen years he had with Henry and how much he had really grown-up. Pressing his right palm to his freshly bandaged side Connor sighed, closed his eyes and let a few emotional tears roll down his face.

Two hours passed before Hank returned to the bedroom to check in on his son and made sure Connor was still comfortable. Seeing the wrapped up deviant laying comfortably on his bed and seemingly asleep Hank limped over to the bed to check on the bandages, and was relieved to see that there wasn't any additional bleeding and that the bandages were still clean. As his right hand brushed against the wound and then over Connor's forehead for an instinctive fever check Hank saw his son's eyes opening up and he waited for Connor to say something.

"Hey, dad."

"Hey, son."

"How was your cooking lesson with Henry?"

"It's safe to say he inherited your cooking skills, son. That was easily a five-star steak and we had zero issues with the barbecue."

"That's good to hear."

"Abby will be home soon, and we made sure to save her a plate. Henry's in bed already. I think he's exhausted from going through puberty, dealing with school and you being a detective."

"He can handle it. He's a very strong and confident kid."

"Damn right, he's stubborn like his father and quick witted like his mother. Need anything before I take off?"

"No, I'm okay." Contemplating the offer for a moment Connor sighed and called out to his father before he left. "...Well, maybe one thing."

"What's that?"

Gently pushing himself upright on his elbows Connor gave Hank a pleading look where he was laying. "I just realized how mature Henry has become, and that soon he won't need me or Abby anymore to guide him. And... I don't know what to do about it."

"Not true, son. A parent's work is never done."

"...But it's still a strangely grounding feeling to know that Henry won't need us to help him with every challenge that comes his way. It's like he's an adult already."

"Uh-huh..." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank gave Connor and a hug without waiting for an invitation and felt his son wrap his arms tightly around his shoulders in return. "I hate to break it to ya', but every parent will always see their child as a child no matter how big they get. That little baby you first met could be a fifty year old man working on preparing for retirement while visiting his kids and getting ready to meet his own grandkids, but you'll always see him as your little boy."

"It's strange. I'm proud of him and of the person he is becoming, but at the same time a part of me is dreading him becoming an adult and being on his own."

"'Empty-nest syndrome' is definitely in your future, son. But it's okay, Abby and I'll still be there to help you through it."

"Thanks, dad."

"And for what it's worth, as proud as you are of Henry I'm just as a proud of you. You're a great father and Henry is a great kid. You have every right to be proud of him, just as I'm proud of you."

"The same came be said about you, dad."

"How's that?"

"Fourteen years sober. You never once slipped and you've been taking care of yourself just as you promised. I'm very proud of you, too."

"Well, you, Henry, Lucas, Abby, Chloe and Maddy all gave me good reasons to stick around." Releasing the hug Hank gave Connor's left shoulder a firm pat and made sure his son knew that everything would be okay. "And I'm going to be here for as long as I can."

The Fourteenth Year:

The household was nice and calm as everyone went about their own business as usual. During the rare days when everyone had the time off no one really wanted to go anywhere or do anything. Just being able to lay around and enjoy one another's company was all anyone could ask for. While Abby stretched out over the couch and watched an old movie from her childhood, Connor sat in the recliner tuning his guitar and Hank was outside in the driveway working on the final touches of the Corvette after having returned from doctor's appointment.

Elsewhere in the house Henry was dealing with something beyond a casual hobby or the mind-numbing bliss of a classic film. The teenager was dealing with more changes as puberty continued to change him a little more every day.

"Hey, dad?" Henry called out from the bathroom, his voice a few octaves deeper than it had been the previous year now that puberty was finally reach its end and leaving Henry with a more consistent voice. "Can you help me out, please?"

Putting his guitar aside Connor entered the bathroom and saw Henry running his right fingertips over his chin where a noticeable dark stubble was beginning to grow. There was even a a few dark hairs growing on his upper lip. The teenager was much taller and had a lean, nimble build just like Connor. He was now eye level with Connor's upper chest and had just a few more freckles that adorned his complexion just like his father.

There were even times where people who saw Connor and Henry together mistook them as brothers, which made Hank laugh but made Henry feel a little weird when he had to explain that the immortally young looking android was his father.

Standing in the doorway Connor looked over at Henry standing before the sink curiously. "Help you with what, son?"

"I, uh," turning to face his father Henry lowered his hand from his chin as gave Connor a small grin. "I need to shave."

"O-Oh. Uh... I think that's going to have to be a problem for your Papa to solve today."

"Papa has a goatee and I've never seen him without it. Does he even remember how to shave?"

Connor smirked at the comment as he decided that it was time for him to take Henry out to get a shaving kit, and maybe a few other personal hygiene products that he might want to try out. Growing up was an inevitability that needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.

"Come on." The deviant motioned for the front door as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed the car keys from the massive bookshelf that lined the wall in the livingroom in a similar manner to the furnishings at Hank's house. "Get your shoes."

"Where we going?" Henry asked as he passed by the couch to get his own shoes by the front door. "I don't get what's going on."

"We're going to get you hooked up with some grooming products. You choose, I buy."

"What if I want dark purple hair dye and a curling iron?"

"Then we'll pick up some green dye for your Papa and get a surge protector for the curling iron."

"Funny. Wait..." Henry sometimes had a hard time reading Connor's sarcasm but it was getting easier over time. "...Can I dye my hair?"

"If you want to, it's your hair and the color will fade over time."

Looking to Abby for confirmation Henry wanted to make sure they weren't bluffing. "Mom?"

"As long as you don't stain the walls purple then go for it." Peeking up at her teenage son with a grin Abby twirled her fingers through her long brunette hair and sighed at the few gray streaks making their presence known. "Or grow out a mullet. I want that particular hairstyle to burn and die!"

"How come you're both so cool with that kind of stuff, but when Jason put blond highlights in his hair he got grounded for a week?"

"Because we're the cool parents," Connor replied as he pulled open the front door and waited Henry to follow after him. "and Jason's parents are not."

"Yeah, because nothing says 'I'm the cool dad' like announcing that you're the cool dad."

"You inherited my smart mouth and your mother's humor, but you adopted your Papa's sarcasm. That could be a dangerous combination."

"For you or me?"

Tossing the car keys up into the air once and catching them in his right hand Connor gave his son a playful smirk and a shrug of his shoulders. "For society."

A stop at the local super market and trip down the aisle with hygiene products had left Connor and Henry at a bit of pause. Connor had only needed to shower when he had gotten covered in dirt or grime at a crime scene or after he had gotten sick, as opposed to needing to shower daily/nightly to remove sweat and body oil like humans. He had begun showering more because he wanted to keep giving Henry good examples to follow, but it wasn't entirely necessary.

When Henry had been born Hank had already stocked up on baby shampoos and gentle body washes, and as Henry grew up Connor had purchased other types of shampoos and soaps, but he hadn't considered anything else special for Henry beyond toothpaste and deodorant. The shampoos and soap that Abby used was attuned more for women's hair and skin, and Hank's shampoo and soap was something that Henry didn't particularly care for.

"What do you think?" Henry asked as he looked at the numerous razor blades with utter loss in his brown eyes. "I think the more blades the better, but they're way more expensive than the other stuff with fewer blades."

"Get what you want to try. I doubt you'll need to shave everyday, and even so, I'll pay for it."

"Really?"

"Yes. Get what you want."

"Alright, uh..." Trying to decide between two different brands of razors, both the same type and both the same price, Henry was still at a loss. "Is there really any difference?"

Connor ran a scan over the two packs of razors and twitched his mouth. "I can't see one. Flip a coin." Fishing out his quarter from his jean pocket he tossed it to Henry who caught it in his graceful hands. "Heads you take the razors in the blue package. Tails you takes the razors in the red package."

"All right." Flipping the coin up in the air Henry caught it in his right hand and made his decision. "Heads, blue it is!"

Tossing Connor back his coin Henry put back the red razors on the shelf and dropped the blue one in the shopping basket. Moving onto the next item Henry had less difficulty in his decision and went solely by the 'scent' on the can of shaving cream, and placed it in the basket next to the razors. The idea of aftershave seemed appealing, but Henry really didn't know what it was for.

"Put it in the basket." Connor saw him eyeing the item and encouraged him to try it as well. "Also grab some extra deodorant so you don't have to worry about it for a while during the summer. Then we'll get you shampoo and body wash that you want to try."

"Sure."

Feeling truly like an experienced parent Connor watched as his teenage son set about taking care of his own hygiene and even took the time to add a new toothbrush to his basket just to make sure he had everything taken care of. It was a strange sense of pride and sadness as Henry started showing more independence, personal responsibility and overall maturity.

From down the aisle the sound a small noise caught Connor's ear and he turned toward the sound in time to see Tina walking down the aisle with her own baby boy in a sling on her chest. "Tina."

"Connor, hi." Walking up to her commanding officer Tina happily introduced her her four-month-old son to the kind deviant. "You've seen pictures of Shawn since he's been born, but you've never been properly introduced. Shawn, this is Connor. For a boss he's pretty cool."

"Hello, Shawn." Happy to see the small baby in person Connor noted that Shawn had inherited Tina's dark hair and her dark eyes, but had clearly inherited his father's nose, ears and chin. As Shawn let out a small yawn Connor smirked and remembered how Henry at one point used to be so small and easy to carry around. "I take it you're here for a diaper run."

"Spoken like an expert." Smiling and looking past Connor toward Henry a few feet behind him Tina gave the teenager a surprised shake of her head. "I can't believe Henry's already fourteen years old. He's so tall!"

"Yes, I'm finding it difficult to believe as well."

"And he looks exactly like you! It's unreal..."

"I believe in a few more months you'll have the same reaction in comparing Shawn to his own father."

"I can see it now... It's kind of spooky. It's like I cloned a person rather than create an entirely new life."

"Hey, dad?" Henry called out to Connor and drew his attention away from Tina and Shawn for a moment. "Think this is all I'll need?"

Connor nodded at Tina as she gave Henry a little wave and went on her way to find Shawn his diapers, and the looked at the items in Henry's somewhat full shopping basket. Unsure of what would be considered appropriate for a teenage boy to have as his fist grooming kit Connor just tilted his head and gave his son a sarcastic comment on the situation. "I don't know. Want to throw in a box of band-aids in case your Papa is a bad teacher?"

"For me or for him?"

"Both." Smiling again Connor motioned for the front of the store to check-out and return home. "Come on. Let's get back to the house and see what your Papa is doing right now."

As Connor pulled the Pace back to the house he saw that Hank was still outside in the driveway. Being retired gave Hank so much more free time and with Henry no longer needing to be watched everyday after school, and with Maddy now in after school programs, Hank was getting a little restless with all of his freedom. Fortunately he found himself his project to keep his mind preoccupied, and gave Connor and Henry yet another reason to hang out in the driveway beside the house.

The Corvette was finally finished and just needed the final color added to its restored body. The vehicle was shiny, clean and had been lovingly restored bolt by bolt by Hank's skilled and patient hands.

"Looks like your Papa was busy." Connor noted as he and Henry exited the Pace and walked side by side up the driveway.

"Yeah." Henry grinned at the sight of the restored car. "And it looks like he had fun while he was at it."

Hank heard the two talking as he popped open the hood of the Corvette and grinned. "What do you think, son?"

"I think it's finished." He ran a scan over the vehicle and noted its pristine condition. "Minus the color."

"Yup, that'll be the final touch." Walking around the car to speak to the duo face to face Hank noticed the patch of facial hair growing on Henry's chin and smirked at the sight. "What's this?" Putting his right hand under Henry's chin he gently turned his grandson's face so he could see the small dark goatee trying to form on his chin and over his upper lip. "Henry, you growing a beard?"

"Not if I can help it." Holding up the plastic shopping bag with his new items he gave his grandfather a pleading look. "But dad says this is something you'll need to coach me through."

"Yeah, sure. Let's go." Patting Henry's left shoulder Hank motioned for the backdoor of the house. "We'll do this, and Connor, you can take a quick scan of the Corvette to double-check my work."

"No problem. Thanks for your help, dad."

The idea of working the vehicle made Connor think back and remember the hours he had spent with Hank working on the car alongside Henry. It was then Connor remembered Hank making a remark four years ago about doing something special for Henry as a sixteenth birthday gift, and he had just figured out what that special something was.

It didn't take Connor too long to run a scan over the vehicle and chronicle the repairs. Satisfied that the car was in fact in pristine condition and ready to be driven, Connor walked inside the house through the backdoor and made his way into the livingroom to talk with Abby.

"Looks like your shopping trip was a success." Abby noted as she sat upright on the couch and pointed to the closed bathroom door just down the hallway. "I kind of wish Henry wanted to grow out his goatee. It'd let me finally see what you'd look like with facial hair."

Pressing his left palm to his cheek and then chin Connor contemplated such a look with a sincere gleam in his eyes. "I could get the upgrades to allow such a feature."

"I'd hate to see you cover that perfect baby-face behind a bunch of rugged stubble every morning. I'm just curious about how you'd look, but I don't ever want to you change a thing about yourself."

"I'll do my best."

Heading down the hallway Connor pushed open the bathroom door in time to see Henry rinsing off his face and running his hand over his now smooth chin again after his first shaving lesson. It was clearly a success.

"You look good." Connor complimented as Henry looked at his reflection in the mirror over the sink. "Are you going to shave every day or let your goatee grow?"

"I don't think facial hair's for me. I was starting to look like one of the musicians on Papa's album covers."

"Well, you are a talented musician." Connor confirmed as he and Hank smirked at the comment. "So that'd be considered a normal look and not at all weird."

"Yeah, but the really weird thing is in a while I think people might think I'm older than you."

Intrigued by the notion Connor pressed his right hand to his own chin again and shook his head. "Sorry, Henry. It's not my fault that androids aesthetically don't age."

Hank knew Connor had finished examining the Corvette and was eager to know how it was holding up, and gave his son an anxious glance. "How's the car?"

"It appears to be finished." Nodding at his father Connor confirmed that the Corvette was ready to be registered and driven. "Beyond the missing color and a necessary lubrication of the engine's rebuilt components, everything is in excellent condition."

"Cool. Now we just need the color." Playfully Hank nudged Henry in the ribs and motioned for the door with his extended hand. "Henry, want to help me with the car?"

"You'll show me how to work on a car?"

"Yup. I'll even teach ya' how to drive it."

"Cool! I'll have something to do this summer when we're not at the cabin."

"Which reminds me," Hank looked at Connor and gave him a nod. "two weeks from now I want to have a Fourth of July type of thing at the cabin. Get the time off and we'll have a barbecue or something."

"I will. I suppose that's one of the perks to being a Captain, I can set my own hours."

"Go on, Henry. I'll show you what to look for in an engine; what's good and what's crap."

"Yeah, okay."

Once Henry was out of hearing range Connor addressed Hank discreetly and in a low voice. "Did you speak to your doctor again? I know your pain isn't just your back this time. You had that taken care of last year."

"...Yeah, kid. It's uh, not great." Replying in an equally low voice Hank confirmed he saw his doctor that morning. "But I know what's causing my pain this time."

Hesitating only for a moment Connor forced himself to ask about the prognosis despite sensing that the answer was bleak. "...What's the cause?"

"My liver's beginning to breakdown on me." The look in Hank's blue eyes were full of frightened tears. "Stage one cancer."

That word left Connor stunned, almost speechless. Running a scan over Hank's liver he noted the damaged and ill tissue, and gave Hank a truly worried stare as he processed what he was being told. "...Cancer?"

"I'm going to begin treatment to kill the tumor, but with my age and health history..."

Grabbing onto Hank's hand Connor begged his father to begin the treatment. "Please don't give up."

"I'm not, son. If I didn't have you, Henry, Abby, Lucas, Chloe and Maddy I would throw in the towel right here, right now. But I'll put up a fight for as long as I can for my family."

"What should I tell Henry?"

"Nothing. I don't want him to see me as a sick old man, I want him to always see me as his Papa. Don't tell him I'm sick. Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise. I won't say a word about you being ill to him."

"And like I said, I'm going to fight back. Just think of this as age making a fool of me, nothing more. One more obstacle to overcome."

"Yeah. It's just another challenge. One that Abby, Lucas and I will all help you overcome."

"I'd tell you to not worry, but you will. So instead," Hank clapped his left hand down on Connor's right shoulder and held his palm there for a moment. "I'll ask that you focus on Henry and making sure he's focused on everything else with his future. Got it?"

"Got it."

Henry rushed back into the bathroom and knocked on the door frame frantically. "Come on, Papa! Show me the car!"

"I'm coming, Henry. Right behind ya'!"

While the two left the bathroom to go check out the car outside Connor stayed behind and took in a deep calming breath. The last thing he wanted to hear was that Hank was sick with cancer. Even though it was stage one it was cancer nonetheless and Hank's body wasn't as strong as it used to be.

"Stay strong." The deviant told himself as he leaned against the bathroom sink. "For Henry. Do it for Henry."

Feeling lost and scared Connor looked at his own reflection in the mirror above the sink and compared his appearance to how Henry looked, then realized for the very first time that in the sixteen years that he had known Hank that the retired detective was aging quickly. His face was more weather worn though his eyes stayed bright and alert. The chronic pain in Hank's back had ruined his posture making him look even older and more fragile than he really was. While Hank had full gray in his hair and his goatee since the first day Connor met him, the keen eyed deviant could see that his complexion was looking whiter and paler than usual.

"Do what's best for Henry." Putting his right hand to the right side of his face Connor examined his complexion curiously. "No matter what it takes..."

Outside in the driveway beside the house Hank was showing Henry everything under the hood of the recently restored car, explaining the mechanics of the engine and how to diagnose mechanical failure, when Connor eventually rejoined them outside with Abby right behind him. While the two were busy looking under the hood of the restored vehicle Connor stood just off to the side of the front of the car and silently observed as he watched the grandfather and grandson duo bonding even closer over the impending summer project.

Abby stood at Connor's side and held onto his hand in a loving grip. She wasn't as enthusiastic about cars like Hank or Henry, but she could appreciate a well put-together machine all the same. To her a perfectly restored car was a rolling work of art.

"Remember to never rush a project like this, Henry. Always take your time." Sensing Connor's presence a few feet away Hank briefly glanced up at his son, then did a double-take. "What the... Connor? What the hell did you do to your hair?"

Henry looked up as well and almost laughed at his dad as he now boasted natural looking streaks of gray through his brunette hair and a few exaggerated frown lines on his face, and lines around his eyes. "And your face?!"

"I decided to alter my look to reflect my age more accurately in comparison to yours, Henry."

"So you put gray in your hair and look like you haven't sleep in two years?"

"Thanks to your tantrums as a toddler that lack of sleep for two years is rather apt."

"I can accept that, but you can't blame the gray on me."

"No, that can be blamed on working at a precinct for sixteen years."

Abby gave Connor a kiss and ran her fingers through his adjusted hair. "You're still a sexy beast."

Hank just laughed and shook his head from shocked amusement. "Connor, I get what you're doing but that look just isn't you. You're only sixteen, you don't need to look forty. Why go for a change like this out of the blue?"

"I was not meant to age and I determined that this aesthetic would make it less socially awkward for the other parents whenever I tend to Henry's school activities, or go anywhere with him in a social setting. People won't assume we are brothers and finally recognize us as father and son now that he isn't an infant anymore."

Henry looked a little embarrassed by the gesture but played it off cool. "Only sport that look when we're dealing with school stuff or we're out shopping. I don't want to look at the gray in your hair all day while home. It's a creepy reminder of what's waiting for me in the future!"

"That's manageable." The aesthetic alterations to Connor's appearance faded away as easily as he had implemented them. "Better?"

"Much."

Hank had enough of the weird conversation and changed the subject back to the car. "Now that Connor is back to normal, how about you two help me get this car looking normal, too? Picking a color isn't easy."

"Of course." Always happy to take part in an activity with his family Connor stood before the popped open hood and smirked at his father and his son as the trio prepared to begin some hard and worthwhile work together as they checked over the engine for any flaws. "Where do we start looking?"

The Fifteenth Year:

Staying at the cabin for a summer vacation had been exactly what the Anderson family needed as Henry adjusted to high school, Maddy prepared for middle school in the fall, and Hank dealt with his own health issues. Connor was spending more time at the precinct as he helped train new officers and continued to help cover shifts after the previous spring had brought a nasty bout of the flu through the bullpen, but now he had the time off he needed to de-stress and spend time with his family again. To make things better Lucas and Chloe had also taken a week off from his own precinct and was happy to join his father, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, wife and daughter at the cabin as well.

The seven family members gathered around the roaring bonfire in the backyard of the cabin and laughed as they all exchanged stories and reminisced about their pasts as they simply enjoyed one another's company at the seclusion of the cabin. It had been difficult for everyone to adjust to their own schedules as it meant they would spend less time together, but when they were able to be together they truly appreciated what they had.

"Now that the Eastern Precinct has more deviant officers in the bullpen I can give Noreen all the extra time off she greatly deserves. Our deviant division is active at all hours of the day, seven days of the week. With more properly-trained personnel in the precinct Noreen and I aren't working ourselves into the ground to keep up with our caseload."

"That's great news, Lucas." Connor was happy to hear about the progress in the neighboring precinct, and even happier to learn that his little brother had more free time on his hands. "Maybe we can do this again next summer now that you don't have to take care of an entire jurisdiction on your own."

"That'd be nice, I'd really enjoy these moments together."

Hank sipped at a bottle of water as he eyed his sons and grandson with a truly peaceful smile on his face and ignored the lingering ache in his back. Inside the cabin Abby was chatting with Chloe and indulging on her more feminine side Abby was brushing Maddy's long brunette hair now that the little girl was finished with swimming in the lake.

Taking notice of the peaceful moment Hank sighed and nodded at his family proudly. "It sounds like everyone is moving forward and is finally finding the time for fun."

Sitting next to Hank on the old dead log beside the bonfire Henry sighed a little and ran his left fingers through his dark hair in a mess manner. "Yeah, sure."

"Easy, buddy." Putting his right hand to Henry's left shoulder Hank sensed the teenager's stress and empathized with him. "High school sucks, but it'll be over soon enough."

"Yeah, and then there's college, tuition, student loans, debt, sleeplessness..."

"Come on, Henry. You'll do great! You've already aced every test you've ever had, you're at the top of your class in your grades, you're a stellar athlete, you can play the guitar and you have at least two scholarships lined up for ya'. It's normal to be nervous but I can tell you for certain that you'll be able to handle it and thrive under any circumstances."

"Thanks, Papa. But that doesn't help much."

"Just remember that I have faith in you and you'll do just fine."

"He's right, Henry. You'll do great." Connor nodded in agreement as he watched his son and his father speaking like good friends as they sat together by the bonfire. "It's almost five o'clock. Should Lucas and I prepare dinner?"

Henry looked up at his dad and his uncle as he nodded heavily. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"Then we'll go get everything ready."

"What're we having, dad?"

"Tofu and sushi rolls."

Giving his father an incredulous stare Henry shook his head and sighed loudly. "You're so weird. What're we having really?"

"Steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs." Grinning like an idiot Connor truly enjoyed it when Henry would call him out on strange things. "Everything your Papa suggested we cook during the summer."

Looking over at Hank beside him Henry gave his grandfather a coy stare. "How come you're so normal and he's so weird?"

"Because your dad is unique in every way, and doesn't have a human stomach. Him and Lucas get Thirium based food to eat, sure, it's flavored to taste like real food but it's all the same stuff under different labels. He has no appreciation for a perfectly cooked steak. Luckily you inherited your mother's taste in good food."

"That explains it."

Connor stood up from the small lawn chair beside Henry and patted his hand against his right shoulder. "Don't forget, Henry. You take after me. Weird runs in your blood, too."

"Thanks for the warning!"

Laughing at the odd conversation Lucas followed after his big brother into the cabin's backdoor and helped Connor prepare dinner in the kitchen. Sensing that Connor wanted to discuss something in private without the rudeness of cybernetic conversation to fill the air Lucas waited for Connor to speak up first, and just set about gathering the necessary items from the refrigerator to prepare and season for their family to enjoy.

"There's a special cast iron skillet that has four legs we can use to cook the food over the bonfire in the backyard." Connor stated seemingly out of nowhere as Abby gave him a kiss before heading outside the backdoor with Chloe and Maddy. All we need to do is season the food and then cook it on the skillet."

"Sounds simple enough."

"...Lucas, do you know of dad's poor health?"

"Yes." Confirming the question Lucas turned to face his big brother as Connor set about pulling spices from the cupboard just above the stove. "I know he is currently undergoing treatment for his stage one liver cancer, and I also know he is making great progress."

"Yes, dad is doing well with his treatments and he's done an exemplary job at keeping his illness secret from Henry to keep him from becoming worried. I believe dad's nearing remission as I haven't detected any degeneration of his liver for the past three months."

"I'm glad to hear it. What of his back?"

"It's still hurting him. This winter I'm going to see if I can get him to finally seek the aid of a walking cane to assist his movement and take the strain from his back, but I don't think it'll be an easy battle to win."

"That is true." Placing the raw burger patties down on a large plate Lucas stepped back and watched as Connor seasoned the meat with the same skill and patience of a true chef. Noting that his big brother still seemed worried Lucas put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder and held it there. "Dad will be okay. He's very strong and very stubborn."

"Yes, I know. But even a gruff, hardened, former detective still has his limits."

"We all do, brother. That doesn't mean Hank's going to give up on anything any time soon."

"You're right. I guess I'm just worried that when he's gone I'll be at a loss of how to raise Henry."

"Not a chance." Working on the steaks Lucas continued to be upbeat for his worried brother's sake. "Henry is a fantastic kid and you can't possibly do anything more to help him become a better person. Try not to worry."

"I am trying, but it's not easy." Seeing and hearing Hank and Henry talking and laughing through the kitchen window overlooking the backyard made Connor's heart swell and ache at the same time. "I just want them both to be happy."

"They are. Trust me, they're both very happy." Patting his little brother's shoulder once Lucas gave Connor a kind smile. "And you should be, too."

"...You're right." Smiling again as his stress began to dwindle at last Connor agreed with his little brother and prepared to bring out the serving tray of prepared food outside to begin cooking over the bonfire. "Come on. Let's go rejoin them outside before dad tells Henry any embarrassing story from my past."

A second round of loud laughter filled the air and Lucas gave Connor a somewhat sympathetic glance. "...It might be too late for that."

"Damn. I guess I'll have to tell Henry about the time I slapped dad awake on the kitchen floor, and how he had to rent multiple 'Tracis' at the 'Eden Club' so we could solve our case back before the Revolution ever happened." Picking up the tray he walked to the backdoor and gave Lucas a sly look over his shoulder. "His billing statement that month was less than flattering to say the least..."

The Sixteenth Year:

Another milestone in Henry's life meant another learning experience for Connor as a father. The duo were learning about growing up and developing at the same time, but it was up to Connor to be a rock to lean on for Henry as he endured the trials of his childhood one day at a time. Whereas school, music lessons and athletic activities were challenging enough to understand and contribute to, the final hurdles leading from childhood into adulthood were going to be very stressful for both father and son.

Nervously Henry sat behind the steering wheel of the still unpainted Corvette with Connor beside him in the passenger seat as they set about their first day on the road together. The teenager was clutching his learner's permit in his shaking left hand and took a deep breath as he stared at the road at the end of the driveway.

"Henry, you're going to be fine." Ever calm and patient Connor encouraged his son to take that first nervous step forward. "Take a deep breath and begin only when you're ready."

"Are you sure you want to let me drive the Corvette? I mean, my high school has it's own driver's ed program and they provide the cars."

"You're more familiar with this car." Connor clarified logically as he fastened his seatbelt and gave Henry an encouraging grin. "And I trust you to not be reckless with the Corvette."

"I've never driven before, dad."

"I know. That's literally why we're doing this." Refusing to let Henry chicken-out Connor gave his son a confident grin as he realized their dilemma. Connor never needed to 'learn' how to drive since it was already programmed into his database, he could just drive. But Henry needed to learn. He couldn't just 'do it' as Connor had done so easily in the past and might need someone will a more empathetic experience to learn from. "Would you like your mom or Papa to teach you how to drive instead?"

"N-No. I just... It's very complicated."

"Nervous?"

"Extremely."

"It's okay, Henry. We're not going to drive across the country, or even out of the neighborhood. Just circle the block once and get used to the car, and how it handles."

"One lap?"

Confirming the stipulation Connor gave Henry a simple nod. "One lap."

"I... Okay." Pocketing his driver's permit Henry took a deep breath. "I can do that." Pulling his seatbelt over his chest Henry secured it into place with an audible 'click' just as Connor had done moments before. As Henry's shaking right hand turned the key in the ignition he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Pressing his right foot down on the brake Henry shifted the car from park and into drive. "...I can do this."

"All you have to do is gently let up on the brake and let the car pull itself down the drive. It'll go slow automatically so don't worry about using the accelerator."

"...Right."

"When you reach the end of the driveway gently reapply the brake and hold it."

Listening to Connor's instructions perfectly Henry made his way down the driveway very slowly and came to a stop again without the car jerking around or making any protesting sounds.

"Good. Now turn on your signal to go right."

Henry found the controls for the turn signal and turned it on accordingly.

"Check to make sure the street is clear and then just as slowly pull out onto the road."

Again Henry followed the instructions perfectly and managed to get the car onto the road and stay in his designated lane.

"Perfect." Connor remained calm as he watched Henry nervously adjusting the wheel to straighten the tires. "Press down lightly on the accelerator, most people recommend using your big toe to add pressure, to get up to speed at a steady pace. Get the car up to thirty miles per hour before you come to a gentle stop at the sign at the end of the street."

Slowly but surely Henry managed to get the car up to speed, stop, and wait for his next set of instructions. Patient and fearless Connor calmly directed his son step by step until Henry made a full circle of the block back to the house. Instead of pulling back into the driveway Henry decided to take one more lap and Connor didn't try to stop him. The longer Henry drove the more confident he's become in his abilities, and would no longer be nervous.

"Keep this up for two weeks and I think you'll be ready to start driving at night."

"Night?"

"The laws are the same at night, Henry." Connor replied coolly from where he sat. "Just turn on the headlights and let your eyes adjust to the dark before you go anywhere."

"...Right. Sure. That makes sense."

"You're doing just fine. The more you drive the more your sense of timing and overall reflexes while driving will improve, and then you won't need anyone to guide you on your way. You'll be free to drive all on your own."

The next day while Connor was taking care of his shift at the precinct and Abby handling another twelve hour shift at the facility, Henry was working with Hank on the Corvette in the driveway, and regaling his grandfather with the tale of his first time driving the previous day. The duo were talking mostly about the Corvette itself but when the topic of Henry's driver's education came up the teenager was proud to talk about how he had managed to ace driving during the day, was already certain he'd be doing great at night, and was even ready to drive through rain without any worries.

"That's great, Henry." Hank was leaning his right hand heavily against his wooden walking cane to support most of his weight. The cane was something Hank had to start using since the summer before but he didn't let it slow him down even though he did put up with a fight with Connor about getting the damn thing to begin with. "When's the big test?"

"Next month."

"Think you can handle it?"

"I hope so. If I can get my license then next month I can drive Courtney to the prom."

"Oh..." Hank's blue eyes lit up and and he gave his grandson a coy smirk. "Who's Courtney?"

Henry blushed a bright red in the same manner that Connor would blush bright blue when embarrassed, and his voice lowered a little. "...Just a girl from my art class."

"Oh. Is she pretty?"

Henry somehow managed to blush even brighter and his voice cracked a little. "Y-Yeah. I guess."

"Have you gone on a date with her before?"

"N-No." The conversation was as sweet as it was embarrassing. "We, uh, we're just sort of friends."

"How are you 'sort of' friends?" Hank pressed watching Henry blush brighter and brighter. "In my experience you're either friends or you're not."

"Well, I like her but she doesn't talk very much except in art class. And I kinda' asked her in advance... to the prom. We barely know each other."

"Is she shy?"

"I think she's just sheltered."

"Oh." Hank watched with pride as Henry expertly moved his hands over the engine like he had been working on cars his whole life. "Shy girls usually make the best dates, once they get to know you and feel comfortable their all kinds of fun, and usually end becoming your best friend."

"And I told her that we could go to the junior prom next month together if she wanted to go with a friend, and not have the pressure of a date-date."

"She said 'Yes'?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. Good way to get to know her without her feeling overwhelmed."

Henry paused his motions and gave Hank a somewhat concern glanced. "...Think I can pass my driver's test?"

"Hell yeah! You've aced every test you've ever taken, straight A's from the first grade all the way to this day, you've always been a fast learner AND you're so damn attentive to details that you couldn't be fooled about your birthday and Christmas surprised since you were seven years old. Of course you can pass this test, too."

"Were you nervous when you took your own driver's test?"

"A little. But that was mostly because I only had my old man's worn out pick-up truck to drive, and I was paranoid the bumper would fall off in the middle of the street or something. We worked every day on that truck but even his skilled hands weren't enough to reverse time." Giving his grandson a reassuring nod of his head Hank let Henry know that he was going to be just fine. "You get that pristine Corvette to drive so you don't have anything to worry about."

"Yeah... You're right." Motioning toward the engine under his hands Henry asked his grandfather a very enticing question. "Think I could drive it more often once it's finally painted?"

"Get in line, Henry." Hank wiped grease off his hands onto an old red rag and tossed it over to Henry to use on his own hands. "Me first!"

The day of Henry's big driver's test was finally at hand.

Feeling much more confident than his first day behind the wheel Henry was sitting at the designated driver's school with the instructor in the passenger seat beside him, and ready to go. While Connor, Abby and Hank had all reassured Henry that he'd do great the teenager was still nervous, but hiding it well. The instructor introduced himself and told Henry the basic parameters of the test that he'd need to perform in order to pass the test: Parking, parallel parking, K-turn, signaling, all the basic procedures that any driver would need to master. Everything Henry already handled perfectly well.

The real test was when they got out onto the street and then proceeded to prove Henry's skill as a competent driver. Connor and Abby had to remain behind at the school while Henry went off with the instructor, but gave his son words of support before he left the parking lot.

"You can do this, Henry." Connor encouraged before he walked away from the Corvette to sit inside the building with the other waiting parents. "We'll be right here when it's over."

"...Yeah. I'll do my best."

"We know." Giving Henry a kiss on his hair Abby stepped back and smiled. "You always do!"

The Corvette slowly pulled out of the drive of the parking lot and pulled perfectly out onto the street to begin the test. With a confident nod Connor and Abby stepped out of the parking lot and into the school to wait for Henry's return.

Another parent, a mother whose daughter was also taking her driver's test, saw Connor and smirked at him. "You're Henry's father, aren't you?"

"Yes I am." Connor confirmed, grateful that his decision to alter his appearance when dealing with his son's education was paying off. "My name is Connor and this is my wife, Abby."

"Henry looks just like you! It's uncanny!"

"Oh, yeah." Turning his face to turn away his pale blue blush Connor graciously accepted the compliment. "We get that a lot. Thank you."

"I think I've seen you at the basketball games, my daughter's a cheerleader. Henry is very talented."

"He is, we're very proud. Who's your daughter?"

"Roxanne. She's in Henry's biology class and he helps her with her homework during lunchtime. Henry, is such a sweet boy."

"...Th-Thank you." As his eyes brightened slightly Connor pulled his coin from his front right pocket and danced it over his knuckles nervously. "We're both very proud of my son and everything he's accomplished."

It took only half an hour for Henry to return to the school and park out front to reunite with his parents. Seeing the car return Connor and Abby went outside to meet their son, and was greeted by the sight of Henry shaking the instructor's hand with a big smile on his face. The two parents didn't need anyone to tell them that Henry had passed the test. As soon as the instructor stepped out of the Corvette he handed Connor the final slip confirming Henry's successful test and the subsequent legal document for him to get his driver's license.

Abby was grinning proudly and wiping away her tears as she fought to stay composed for her son's sake.

"So..." Connor opened up the passenger side door to climbed into the back while Abby sat up front beside their son. "do you want to wait until tomor-"

"No way! Come on!" Energetic and excited Henry was eager to go and get his driver's license as soon as possible. "It's not even noon, there's plenty of time to go get my license!"

Connor just smirked and showed Henry that he had the other necessary documents required for Henry to get his license already tucked inside his leather jacket. "Okay, you know how to get there, right?"

"Yeah, I know the way."

"We'll go get you your license and you can show it to your Papa yourself."

"Gladly!"

Abby started to laugh at the enthusiastic reaction and put her left hand on Henry's right shoulder. "Just remember that the speed limit still applies! We don't want you to get a ticket before you even get your license officiated."

As soon as Henry got back home after his successful road test he ran inside to show Hank his license and did so with the biggest grin on his face. As proud as Henry was about passing his test and getting his license Hank was even prouder. With his left arm wrapped around his grandson's shoulders Hank escorted him back to the Corvette in the driveway, and then handed Henry his phone with a vast array of custom colored paint options designated for the car and asked him to pick the final color.

"Alright, since neither Connor or me could agree on the color, YOU and you alone, get to pick the color for the Corvette."

"Seriously?!" Henry accepted the phone and looked like he was about to burst with excitement. "I get to choose?"

"Yup. You helped me with this car and I think you've earned this for acing your driving test, just like I said you would, by the way. Go ahead! Pick!"

"...Any color?"

"Yup."

"Even pee-yellow?"

There was a slight pause in Hank's response as he tried to think of the best way to react to the question. "Uh..."

"I'm just messing with you, I know better than that."

"Damn right you do." Happy to have Henry sharing his and Abby's dry and sarcastic sense of humor Hank patted Henry's shoulder and watched as his grandson's eyes carefully scanned over each color every carefully on the display. "Whatever color you like will go on the car."

Checking through the screen on the phone Henry scanned through the various colors and came to rest on deep, cherry red color. "That one. That's the color."

Hank took the phone from Henry's hand and looked at his choice. "Cherrybomb red." A mischievous grin appeared on his face as he greatly agreed on the rich and vibrant color. "Damn good choice."

"I think so, too."

"All right. I'm ordering the paint, and when it arrives I'll show the secret to applying an even smooth coat."

"I take it painting metal is a lot different than painting in water color for my final art exam. It's the size of the car, right?"

Smirking at Henry's silly comment Hank patted his shoulder again with his left hand while he continued to support his weight on his right hand against the cane. "You and your dad just love to be smartasses, don't ya'?"

"Well, I am essentially dad's clone. So, yeah."

"You got your dad's looks, but you know where you got your smarts, right?"

"From grandma?"

Too amused by Henry's wit Hank just shook his head and kept his hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Yeah. Such a smartass..."

It was the night of the junior prom and Connor was helping Henry with his black bowtie as his son stood tall and proud in his black tuxedo in the middle of the livingroom. Henry was a little nervous about having his first (sort of) date with Courtney, but he was still giving off an air of confidence that made Connor smirk. Checking the time on his phone, and making sure he had Courtney's corsage, Henry let of a calming breath and nodded as Connor stepped back to check on his work with the tie.

Before he even had the chance to look down at his tux Henry caught sight of his mom holding up her phone and instinctively smiled. "How do I look, dad?"

"Like my son wearing a nice tuxedo."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Henry, you look great. You always do, but this time it's 'fancy-great'. ...I think."

"It's easier for you with your clothes. You have seven of the same outfits for work, three dark suits, one tuxedo and a couple of spare jackets."

"It's a lot easier to do laundry, too."

"Dad, please." Henry fussed a little with his tie and smoothed out the front of his suit jacket. "I'm anxious."

Abby stepped up and saved the moment. "Henry, you look handsome." Picking up the pink flower corsage that Henry was clutching onto Abby mentioned the beautiful gift that was waiting for Courtney's hand. "And this will make Courtney very happy. You look like a true gentleman."

"...Uh, how long can I, you know," Henry was dancing around the question since it was his first time being able to drive around without a parent. "stay out?"

"When is the prom over?"

"It starts at seven and is over at ten. And the 'after-prom' start at eleven."

"How long is the 'after-prom'?"

"We'll be in the school from eleven to nine. The entire building will be on lockdown until morning, and half of the teachers are going to be up all night with us chaperoning the event."

Abby looked over at Connor and they both nodded in agreement. "If the school is on lockdown then you can stay until nine. BUT, your dad will meet you at the school to drive you home so you don't fall asleep behind the wheel."

"Cool, thanks!"

Hank walked through the front door of the house and smirked as he looked over at Henry dressed sharply in his tuxedo. "Lookin' good, Henry. Ready for the prom?"

"Yeah. I'm actually just about to leave."

"Are you taking the Pace?"

"Yeah." He needed proudly as he made sure his wallet was in his pocket. "I get the car for the night."

"Too bad."

The follow-up comment made Henry pause and caused his brow to furrow in the same way Connor's did when confused. "...Why's that?"

Smiling devilishly as he stood beside Connor in the livingroom Hank reached into his front jean pocket and tossed Henry a new set of car keys, which he caught every easily with his graceful hand. "The Corvette is painted, gassed up and ready to go. I was hoping you'd take your own car for the night."

"My... own car?" Henry looked at the keys and gave Hank a strange look that always rivaled the curious stares that Connor would give him.

"Yup. You've earned it."

"...The Corvette?!" Henry's eyes were as wide as saucers and he paled a little in surprise. "The Corvette is MY car?"

"Yup."

Nearly stumbling over himself Henry rushed over to Hank and gave him a massive, appreciative hug that almost knocked him off his cane. "Thank you so much, Papa!"

"You're welcome, Henry." Patting Henry's back with one hand so he could still balance on his cane Hank gave Henry a proud stare. "Now, go on. Go enjoy your prom and have some fun!"

"I-I will... Thank you! See ya' later, mom, dad, Papa!"

Connor smirked as Henry tossed him back the keys to the Pace in favor of the Corvette, and watched his son rushing through the front door to get to the red vehicle parked in the driveway and just waiting for its new owner. "Have fun, Henry. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."

While Henry was at the prom Connor, Abby and Hank spent time together at Hank's house watching the pre-season try-outs for the upcoming baseball season on the television. It wasn't long before the trio were also talking about how much Henry has grown up, and how human Connor had become as Henry grew up. It was just after nine in the evening when one of the deviant chaperone's monitoring the school prom sent Connor a cybernetic message, and with it a small live feed video.

"Hey, look." Connor held out his right palm and showed the live holographic feed of Henry slow dancing with Courtney from the prom. Henry was smiling and Courtney seemed be enjoying herself, too. They were dancing with genuine smiles on their faces as they moved in perfect tandem with the romantic song being played throughout the heavily decorated gymnasium. "He looks so happy."

"Yeah." Abby rested her chin against Connor's shoulder and sighed. "He really does..."

Hank was so proud of his family. Connor was an incredible detective and an even better husband and father. Lucas was making great progress in the Eastern Precinct, and like Connor, was also a fantastic father and husband. Abby was a truly wonderful, smart, funny and loving mom while being one of the most skilled technicians in the entire country. Henry was a well liked, popular, straight-A student with a promising basketball scholarship practically guaranteed under his belt, and so many talents and future prospects that his life was guaranteed to be fulfilling and happy. And even Maddy was growing into a well adjusted and sweet young lady with a promising career in medicine, courtesy of Chloe encouraging her daughter's interest in the subject.

"Connor," Hank spoke up in a low voice. "you did an amazing job helping guide Henry into becoming the wonderful young man he is today."

"Without you to guide me on my own growth to humanity I don't think I would've been able to take care of him in the way he needed."

"Don't sell yourself short, kid." He, Abby and Connor continued to watch Henry dancing with his date on the small live feed display be projected from Connor's right palm. "You have a natural and deeply seeded paternal instinct. Even if I hadn't been there throughout his life you would've been able to take care of Henry just fine."

"...I'd like to think so. But I'm still so worried that I'll do something to affect him negatively."

"Hey, Henry's a great kid and there's nothing you could ever say or do to him to change that. You have the right to be proud of yourself as a parent. I know that I'm proud of you. Both of you!"

The song came to an end and Henry stopped dancing with Courtney as the music changed its tempo. Walking her off the dance floor the two disappeared into the crowd of other students and the feed ceased from displaying the dance. Connor closed his hand and let his right arm rest against his lap as he sat on the edge of the couch next to Abby, while Hank sat propped up in his recliner right beside his son. "...Henry's grown-up."

"Not quite, Connor. He still has two more years to go until he's grown-up." Hank refuted in such a sure manner it was as if he was looking into the future. "And even then he'll never stop needing you as his dad. Look at the way you still come to me for guidance after all this time. Once a father, ALWAYS a father."

"Yeah." Glancing up at a frame photograph of Henry at age two being held by Hank as the duo played outside in the backyard ,Connor smirked a little and thought about all the good memories he had as a father, and all the memories he had as being Hank's son. "Always."

"It's so romantic." Abby gushed as she leaned heavily against Connor's side and shoulder. "Being able to feel love for the first time, dancing together in the spotlight while music plays softly in the background... So much nicer than my own prom."

"Oh?" Connor looked at his wife with an arched brow. "What was your prom like?"

"It was a lukewarm affair. It was mostly me hanging out with my friends and occasionally dancing with our awkward classmates. Some tacky decorations hung from the ceiling, there were a few spotlights and cheesy disco ball in the ceiling and we had a big bowl of punch that was being guarded by the principal to make sure no one could 'spike' it."

"You spent time with your friends. You didn't have a date?"

"Nope. I suck at judging the character of men, remember?"

"Did you at least enjoy your prom?"

"A little. You never had to deal with teen angst and the drama of being sixteen and potentially not having a date. Besides, learning down to dance in front of your classmates can be pretty unnerving."

"You're right." Reaching down beneath the coffee table Connor presented Abby with a box containing a corsage of her own made out of red and pink rose petals. "But I'd like to at least experience the dancing part."

Surprised at the sight of the corsage Abby just laughed and extended her right hand so Connor could place the flower around her wrist. "You're so romantic it scares me sometimes."

Taking Abby's hand in his own Connor rose from the couch and gently pulled Abby up to stand with him. "Would you like to dance?"

"There's no-"

Music began to softly play through the stereo system against the far wall after Connor cybernetically tapped into the radio to select a romantic slow dance song, and dimmed the livingroom lights overnight.

"Show off!"

"That's not a 'no'."

"You're right." Wrapping her arms around Connor's neck Abby stood close to him and smirked as he instinctively put his hands on Abby's hips to begin slow dancing with his wife in the middle of the livingroom. "This is an absolute 'yes'."

Chuckling a little to himself Hank rose from the recliner and leaned on his cane as he headed down the hallway to catch up on some reading. "Young love... How I miss those days."

Holding each other closely Connor and Abby gracefully swayed to the music and smirked as they enjoyed their first real dance together in all the years they had been married. Their wedding didn't have a reception or any reason to dance, and there was no other occasion that required such an event. As Abby rested her chin on his left shoulder Connor just held her close, and felt entirely at peace with the world.

"This is nice." She whispered in a gentle tone. "Sometimes just being held is all I want."

"Think you'd like to hold onto me while we take a cruise around the city?"

"We haven't gone out on your motorcycle since Henry started middle school. Those nights were always so romantic and fun."

"Then we're overdue for a late night drive. Care to join me?"

Smirking again Abby just held onto Connor a little tighter and sighed with contentedness. "After this song... I want to hold you and dance a while longer."

"That's okay with me." Holding Abby a little tighter Connor smirked and enjoyed the peaceful moment. "I suddenly really like this song."

The Seventeenth Year:

Sitting on the edge of Henry's bed Connor scanned over his ill son's vital signs and placed a cool compress over his sweaty forehead. The teenager had been sick all weekend long and only seemed to be getting worse as he spent hours upon hours sleeping while burning up with a worrisome fever. Scheduling Henry a doctor's appointment Connor managed to help his son change into come clean clothes, and then guided him down the staircase to rest on the couch for a moment. Henry looking pale, sweaty, exhausted and just plain miserable, ached at Connor and Abby's hearts while Hank remained confident that Henry would pull through just fine.

After slipping Henry's shoes onto his feet for him, the gesture being something Connor hadn't had to do since his son was in kindergarten, Connor grabbed onto Henry's left arm and pulled it around his shoulders. Leading Henry through the front door and to the Corvette in the driveway, Connor put his sick son in the front passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt before returning the cold compress against his overheated forehead.

"Sleep for now, Henry. I'll take you to see Dr. Wilson."

"...Dad?" Looking confused and as weak as a kitten Henry struggled to focus on Connor's face. "...I feel horrible."

"I know." Checking Henry's fever again Connor focused on helping his son get well again. "I'm taking you to see a doctor, and then you can come back home to sleep the rest of the day."

"...Where's mom?"

"She's out buying you some medication and other things to make you feel better. She'll be back by the time we return home."

"...And Papa?"

"Right here, Henry." Having followed his son and grandson outside Hank pressed the back of his hand to Henry's forehead. "You're burning up, kiddo. You need to go see a doctor."

"...Can't miss school."

"Henry," speaking in a gentle voice Hank tried to bring his confused grandson back into reality through his feverish fog. "it's summer break. It started last week, and you're out of school right now."

"...Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'. Sit back." Pushing on Henry's shoulder lightly Hank made sure Henry was sitting back in the seat while Connor lowered it a little to let him lay back during the drive. "When you're back home you'll have a diagnosis, some medicine and the entire summer to sleep. Sound good?"

"...Yeah. Sounds good."

Hank closed the passenger side door and looked over at Connor as the deviant father lingered inside his opened driver's side door. "You good?"

"Yes. I can handle this."

"Cool. I'll go and throw Henry's sheets in the washer and get a new set on his bed."

"You don't-"

"I know I don't, but he's my grandson and I want to help him. My back is bad," Hank admitted as he rubbed his left palm against his lower back. "but I can still handle laundry and a few trips up and down the staircase."

"I'm just worried about your current health problem. You're in remission now, but..."

"Son, I'm fine. Worry about Henry and not about me."

"Right, of course. We'll be back as soon as possible, and I'll let you know if he's contagious."

"Son, I've handled drunken assholes with guns, high drug dealers with knives and deranged bigots bitchin' in the streets. If I can survive all that shit then I can handle any little cold or virus that Henry or Abby might bring home." Waving a little at Henry as the sick teenager closed his eyes to get some sleep Hank walked back to the front door after watching the car back down the driveway to head out to the hospital. "...Doesn't make it any easier to see Henry sick, though."

The medical examination ended with a bit of a shocking diagnosis for Connor, but something fairly common for Dr. Wilson to see in his teenage patients. With a blood test confirming the viral infection of mononucleosis Henry was put on a strict treatment regarding a lot of sleep, staying on a consistent dining schedule to ensure he kept his strength and weight up, and was barred from playing any sports for the next two months due to the virus causing his spleen to swell up. There were no antibiotics available since Henry had a viral infection instead of a bacterial infection, leaving his only treatment options to be common sense medicine and patience.

Since Henry was feverish, exhausted, had a headache, a sore throat, body aches, abdominal pain and a loss of appetite, he was too weak to walk on his own. Relying entirely on his father to help him walk out of the hospital, back to the car and finally back home, Henry was practically limp in his father's grip. It was a little awkward, but Connor managed to lift Henry up into his arms and carry him into his bedroom and place him down on the clean bed to sleep.

"It's been years since I had to carry you to bed, Henry." Removing Henry's shoes and socks Connor threw the sheet and comforter over his ill son so he could rest more peacefully. The moment Henry's head hit the pillow the sick teenager was asleep and showed no sign of waking just yet. "You used to fall back asleep just as quickly as well."

Abby walked up the staircase with a shopping bag in her hand as she gave her sick son a sympathetic look. "'Mono', huh?"

"Correct."

"Guess he and Courtney had a little make-out session before she moved away. Not the best thing to leave someone to be remembered by..."

"I'm glad he isn't so sad about her moving away, but I hate that now he's sick."

"Same." Reaching into the shopping bag Abby revealed a few boxes of medication that would treat Henry's fever and pain. "I guess we're back on rotating shifts with taking care of Henry. Kind of brings me back to his first couple years of life." Smiling kindly at her ill son Abby brushed his sweaty locks of dark hair from Henry's face in a comforting manner. "So glad he's out of diapers..."

"The doctor stays he needs to sleep, remain hydrated and remain on a proper eating schedule."

"Great. If there's one thing people can handle while feeling sick and weak, it's eating consistently."

"I'll prepare meals that will aid his recovery and I'll bring them to him when necessary."

"Could you bring him up some water?" Opening one of the boxes of newly purchased medication Abby read the correct dosage and popped the tablets into her opened palm. "The sooner he gets some pain relievers the better he'll rest."

"Of course."

Reaching the ground floor of the house Connor cybernetically reworked his schedule at the precinct to take the next week off so he could take care of Henry and see that his son made a full recovery. Just as he stepped into the kitchen the backdoor opened and Hank strolled into the house with his cane clutched in his left hand. The retired detective could tell that Henry was very sick but it wasn't anything contagious, which made the moment all the more unusual.

"What's the diagnosis, son?"

"Mononucleosis."

"...The kissing disease?" If he hadn't seen how sick Henry already was Hank imagined he would've chuckled. "Poor kid."

"I'll be taking the week off to take care of him." Locating a large metal pot and a few cooking utensils Connor placed the pot on the stove to prepare some chicken noodle soup for his sick son. "Abby has already purchased him some medication." Opening the refrigerator Connor retrieved a cool bottle of water and returned to the second floor for a moment, then returned to his task at hand in the kitchen. "Have you ever had mononucleosis?"

"Nope. I had a few friends get taken down by 'mono' back in high school, but I managed to avoid it."

"I just wish there was something more we could do for Henry. He can't even take an antibiotic."

"I know, but with us three looking after him he's in great hands. Be patient and he'll recover in time." Planting his hand down on Connor's shoulder Hank reassured his son that in a few days his own son would be feeling much better. "He's strong and stubborn, just like his father."

Grateful for the emotional support Connor nodded once with confidence then washed his hands in the sink. "Thanks, dad."

A week of misery showed little progress in Henry's condition as he continued to sleep most of the days away as he suffered from a persistent high fever. Being awake only long enough to eat, drink and take medicine at six hour intervals Henry was a shell of his usual energetic and upbeat self. Due to the relentless fever Connor decided to take Henry back to the hospital for another check-up and to ensure that he wasn't suffering any underlying complications. Being given a second solid diagnosis of mononucleosis Henry remained miserable and exhausted after letting his dad escort him back out of the hospital and into the car parked outside.

Barely conscious and coherent Henry sat in the front passenger seat of the car while Connor made a quick stop inside a local convenience store to buy a few more supplies to aid Henry's recovery. Resting his too warm forehead against the cool glass of the door to his side Henry heard angry muffled voices on the other side of the door, and nearly fell over from the door was suddenly jerked over.

"Hey, asshole!" Yanking Henry up and out of the car by his sweaty shirt collar very aggressively an angry deviant sized the sick teenager up as he shouted in his face. Seeing Henry's face put the deviant over the edge and he was ready for a fight. "I never forgot about you! You think removing that L.E.D. makes you-"

"HEY!"

Opening his eyes in time to see his father coming to his rescue Henry stumbled backward and landed back in his seat while Connor muscled the deviant back and away from where he had fallen.

"NEVER TOUCH MY SON!"

The deviant, one of the four who assaulted Connor almost two decades prior, stared in shock as he realized he had made a mistake. "What the..."

"I'm talking to you, dip-shit!" Pinning the deviant known as Riley up against the side of the nearby brick building Connor glared into his eyes and wrapped his right hand around the deviant's throat. "I looked the other way when you and your friends jumped me seventeen years ago, but the moment you laid a hand on my son you forced me to stare back into your soulless eyes. You gotta' problem with a sick kid trying to sleep?"

Riley didn't know what to say or how to react. "I-I didn't-"

"Shut up! You just assaulted my son! Give one good reason to not tear you apart and throw every worthless piece into the river!"

"He looks like... you."

"And that's a reason to assault someone? They happen to look like someone else you hate?" Tightening his grip Connor's brown eyes burned with a fire that rivaled the hottest pit of Hell itself. "You spent the past seventeen years letting hatred fester in your heart and I pity you. You never moved on from what happened to you, and now you let yourself live as the very thing you hated. A pathetic victim."

"Hey, you're the one who-"

"Shut up, I moved on with my life, forgave myself and I forgave the other people who hurt me. You need to do the same thing and actually be worthy of the life and freedom you've been given!"

Riley was clearly shaken by Connor's outburst and had no way to justify his actions.

"If you want to fuck with me, then fine, go ahead. I don't give a shit. But if you EVER lay a hand on my family I will make it my personal mission to hunt you down, make you suffer and then end you." Whispering into Riley's ear Connor made it clear he wasn't bluffing. "And I always accomplish my mission..."

Swallowing once nervously Riley slunk down to the best of his ability while Connor continued to grab onto his throat.

"Never approach me, my son or anyone else in my family ever again. If you do I will end the life you've refused to live."

Letting Riley go Connor returned to the car to check on Henry and helped his son to sit back properly in the seat before fastening the seatbelt. Closing the door Connor walked around the front of the vehicle and sat down behind the steering wheel. Turning over the engine Connor decided it'd be best to get Henry back home and have supplies shipped from the store and to the house via drone instead.

"Are you okay, Henry?" Placing his right palm over his son's forehead Connor checked his fever and then ran a biometric scan over the ill teenager's form to ensure he wasn't hurt by that grudge bearing deviant. The rough motion didn't rupture the swollen spleen. "Please keep awake until we get home."

"...I'm okay."

"That's good."

"...Wh-Who was that?"

Falling silent for a moment Connor sighed then told his son the truth. "A deviant who blames me for all of his problems, and cannot take the necessary steps forward to finally move on and let the past rest."

"...You threatened him."

"I saved you, Henry. He's lucky I didn't physically tear him apart limb by limb for touching you."

Blinking slowly Henry watched the city passing him by as Connor drove back to the house. "...Thanks."

"You're welcome." Dropping his hand from Henry's forehead and to his shoulder Connor kept his palm in place. "You're my son. I'll always protect you."

Noticing that Connor's knuckles were stark white and his arms were shaking Henry had never seen his father so upset before. "...You're shaking."

"I'm angry. It's okay, it'll pass."

"...Never seen you angry."

"And I hoped you never would."

"...Dad?"

"Yes?"

"...Thanks for taking care of me." Letting out a soft sigh Henry dragged his hand over his sweaty face as fatigue began to win against him. "I hate being sick."

"So do I. Guess you inherited that from me."

"I don't think mom likes it either."

"Fair point."

"So tired."

"I know you are. Since your so coherent I think it's safe for you to sleep during the drive back home."

"Thanks."

Watching as Henry leaned back in his seat and shut his eyes to get some more rest Connor breathed a sigh of relief. His son was so strong yet so tired, and even so he never truly complained about how miserable he felt. Now the deviant father understood why Hank and Abby were so aggravated by him whenever he refused to do the same.

After a small battle to get Henry to eat something and drink some water as he took his next dose of medication, Connor stayed in the bedroom to watch his son lay back down, close his eyes and return to sleep for the night. It was midnight and Connor was determined to make sure Henry kept his strength up as his body battled the viral infection stealing his energy. Shortly after the teenager fell into a deep sleep, his chest slowly rising and falling as he laid on his back, Henry was unaware of his father keeping vigil at his bedside.

Placing his right palm gently over Henry's abdomen Connor ran a biometric scan over his ill son's vitals and was relieved to see that the violent motion from Riley yanking Henry out of the car hadn't affected his swollen spleen. Retracting his palm Connor immediately thought back to the night that he, Abby and Hank all rushed Henry to the emergency room because of his appendicitis eight years ago.

"It's okay, Henry. You're going to be just fine."

"Connor?" Standing in the bedroom doorway at the top of the loft's staircase Abby whispered to her husband as she watched Henry sleeping. "Is something wrong?"

"No, his fever is finally reducing, he's not in pain and he managed to eat well before returning to sleep."

"That's good." Crossing the room with silent footsteps Abby pulled the sheet and comforter up higher to cover Henry's chest, then gingerly swept the sweaty locks of dark hair from Henry's forehead. The tray table beside the bed held the empty bowl with the remains of the soup inside and the empty water glass beside it. "Why are you still up here?"

"I just wanted to observe him for a while longer."

"Still a little freaked by his appendix scare?"

"Very much so."

"He'll be fine. You should get some rest while he's resting." Crossing her arms across chest Abby smiled at her husband before gave Henry a kiss on his feverish forehead. "I know you can wake yourself up every six hours without any issues."

"...Yes, you're right."

Walking over to the large closet in the far wall of the room Abby retrieved a rich chocolate brown quilt from the top shelf, and then draped it around Connor's shoulders as he remained seated in the chair beside the bed. "After the next six hours pass you have to get ready for work. Both Hank and I are going to be here all day and we'll keep an eye on Henry, no problems."

"I know."

"Good." Giving Connor a quick kiss Abby combed her fingers through his dark hair and grinned. "Get some sleep and remember that Henry is strong."

"I know that, too. Goodnight. I love you both."

"We love you, too. Goodnight, I'll see you both in the morning." Returning to the doorway Abby turned off the light by the switch on the wall before heading down the staircase for the night. "Get some sleep."

The bedroom darkened and remained quiet as Connor sat beside his sick son's bed. Glancing upward Connor could see the hundreds of tiny stars he had painted on Henry's ceiling with glow-in-the-dark paint before his son had even been born, and felt a sense of peace wash over him. It was a reminder that no matter how dark things seemed to become there would always be a light shining through.

"Your mom's right, Henry." Adjusting the quilt so it was resting over his lap Connor placed the opposite end over Henry so the two could share the warm quilt overnight. "You're going to be just fine."

As a way of ensuring that Henry could recover as comfortably as possible Connor moved his son from the upstairs bedroom and onto the couch to watch countless documentaries and basketball games with his grandfather. Hank sat on the couch next to Henry and kept an eye on his grandson even after the teen's fever finally broke leaving him only with his exhaustion and sore muscles as his primary symptoms. When Connor had no choice but to go back to work Abby took a week off herself to tend to her son as he continued his slow but steady recovery.

Placing a bowl of cherry jello down in front of Henry to take Abby smirked and made sure his fever was truly wrong with a gently palm to his forehead. The way Henry looked so much like Connor was amazing, and the fact he had his father's stubborn personality was a little frightening.

"Once your appetite is back we'll order you a giant pizza or go out for tacos." Abby promised as she sat down on the other side of Henry and threw the navy blue blanket over her son's legs. "What do you think of that?"

"Sounds better than just eating jello and soup." Stirring the bowl of red tinted jello with great indifference Henry sighed but gave his mom a grateful smile. "Thanks for making this."

"You're welcome. And yes, I made sure it's cherry and not strawberry."

"Thanks."

"I also told your dad to lay off with the soup. He may be a great cook, but even so we can only stand the same meal over and over again for so many days."

Hank agreed as he kicked up his feet on the coffee table and chuckled. "At least he didn't try to force you to eat nothing but vegetables and water like he did to me. I appreciate him getting me back in shape and sobered up, but I draw the line at kale so matter what a person's intentions may be."

Abby sunk down in the couch cushions as she agreed entirely with Hank. "Count yourself lucky that you can't get pregnant. Connor was pampering me at every available second, and at first it was nice, but..."

"It gets overwhelming," Hank empathized quickly. "I get it."

Eating a small amount of the jello Henry put the spoon and bowl aside and winced as the motion pulled on his abdomen.

"Don't do that." Scolding lightly Abby warned her son about bending his torso while his spleen was still swollen. "As much as sucks you need to try to not move around. I can't speak from experience, but I'm pretty damn sure internal bleeding isn't more fun than dealing with 'mono'."

"I'll try to sit still. I just don't feel anything until I'm actually moving."

"You're like your dad. He won't sit still when hurt or sick, and he forgets that even he has limits until the pain comes back to bite him in the ass."

Thinking about how his dad rescued him from that enraged deviant Henry looked his mom and asked a curious question. "How come while growing up I've never seen dad angry?"

"Because he let go of his anger when he found out he was going to be a father. Your dad didn't ever want to let you see him feeling his more negative emotions since that type of stuff can have a permanent impact on children." Picking up on something that went unspoken Abby patted Henry's knee once. "Why do you ask?"

"...Well, the other day when dad was driving me back from the hospital we stopped at a store and a deviant mistook me for him. When he made a move to get to me," leaving out the part where he was jerked out of the car on purpose Henry explained the situation as gently as possible. "dad interfered and threatened the man. That was the first time I've seen him being aggressive."

Clearing his voice a little Hank spoke up and commented on the situation. "Your dad is a natural guardian and protector. Anyone he cares about is someone he'd lay his life down to protect. The type of burning rage you feel when someone threatens your child is something you can't really explain."

"I can't imagine dad as anyone but calm. I know of his life before he deviated and of his role in the Revolution, yet I still find it hard to believe."

"People can change, kiddo. 'Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future'."

"I guess so. I mean," stifling a sleepy yawn Henry tried to keep awake but was quickly losing the battle. "dad told me about his refusal to work alongside Markus for his own personal reasons after feeling betrayed, but even so I just can't see dad as a violent or physical type like that."

Abby shrugged her shoulders a little and pulled the blanket up higher over Henry's legs toward his waist. "That's what he wants. Your dad never wants you to be afraid of him or ever see him as a threat. He's been through many horrible experiences and was determined to protect you from those same experiences."

Smirking a little Henry decided to give into fatigue and sleep. "Well, it worked."

Patting Henry's shoulder a little Hank watched his grandson's eyes slip shut entirely. "You'd be pretty damn surprised at how your dad can be when at the precinct." Handing Henry a pillow to lean against the back of the couch Hank recalled all of the more intense cases that he and Connor handled together. "Ask him about our investigation of an unknown deviant hiding out in an apartment with his pigeons. That was one hell of a chase!"

The Eighteenth Year:

The day that Connor and Abby had been excitedly waiting for but secretly dreading was finally at hand. It was time for Henry's high school graduation. While the young adult was proudly getting ready for the day in his bedroom upstairss Connor was standing outside the house on the small brick patio staring into the nothingness of the horizon beyond the property line, while Abby finished getting ready for the ceremony in the bedroom. It felt like time had been a fleeting moment, an actual blink of an eye, and in that time Henry grown from a tiny helpless newborn and into the confident, self sufficient young adult that he had become.

A presence joined Connor on the brick patio and he didn't even need to look to know it was Hank. "Hey, dad."

"Hey, son. Is Henry excited?"

"Yes. And very proud."

"He should be! Salutatorian with a full athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan is something to be very proud of."

"I just can't believe my son isn't... a kid anymore. He's an adult."

"Son, you will ALWAYS see Henry as a kid. Always."

Henry opened up the backdoor to look out at his dad and grandfather as he expertly tied his black tie and tightened the knot up around the collar of his pale blue dress shirt. Henry was now Connor's height, right down to the centimeter, but his athletic prowess gave him slightly more muscle mass than the deviant. He had a few freckles like Connor, but not as many as his dad sported, but enough to give them an identical complexion. Henry's hair was also styled in a similar manner, save for the rogue lock of hair that Connor refused to tame, and the same warm and soulful brown eyes.

Eager to get going to his high school Henry looked at his dad and grandfather with a proud smile on his face. "So... Are you guys ready to go? Mom's ready!"

"Yeah, son." Connor was very proud to see his son so grown up and happy. Unlike himself Henry always shown the full bright smile that Connor himself only showed once in a great while, but now Connor was trying to show that same smile in support of son's big day. "You head out to the school and we'll meet up with you in an hour when the ceremony starts."

"Are ya' sure? A lot of the parents accompany their kids to the school for photos and stuff."

"...You don't mind us joining you?"

"Why would I mind? You're my family."

Before Connor had the chance to try to dismiss the offer so Henry could go alone Hank put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder to quiet him. "Absolutely. Pull the Corvette around front, and I'll go put on my nicer shirt."

"It's not going to be the one with zebra stripes, is it?"

"No, I'll wear my navy blue shirt."

That was a relief to the young graduate. "...Thank you."

"I'm saving the zebra shirt for your open house."

"O-Oh... Great. Uh, I'll see you out front."

As Henry returned to the house to get his keys and grab his graduation cap and gown Connor turned to look at Hank with utter confusion in his eyes. "Why'd you insist we go? This day is all about Henry not the parents."

"Right. And Henry WANTS us all there. You're just having a hard time accepting that this day is really here, and you want to postpone it."

Slumping his shoulders a little Connor looked to his father and lowered his voice. "...Does that make me selfish?"

"No, it just makes you a normal dad with the same normal response to time turning their kid into an adult."

Feeling better about his reactions Connor smirked with pride as tears formed in his soulful brown eyes. "...My son is all grown up. I remember every second of his life and all of his accomplishments, but it seems like time itself was a lie."

"Yup. That's usually how it goes, son. Come on." Leading his son back into the house and down the hallway. "Help me find that blue shirt or else I'll have to wear the maroon one with black streaks."

"I should do you a favor and toss that shirt in the city dump."

"No way." Grinning as he and Connor crossed the properties to get back Hank's own house the retired detective gave his son a bemused grin. "The fact you hate it so much makes me like it that much more."

Abby appeared in the opened bathroom doorway and presented Hank with his sought after shirt. "Ta-da! Cleaned and pressed."

"You're a peach." Accepting the shirt Hank made his way to his bedroom to change. "I'll be out in five minutes."

As the bedroom door closed Abby stepped up to Connor and pressed her forehead into his chest. "Why does it feel like this is the beginning of the end?"

"Because our son, our baby boy, is a man." Wrapping his arms around his wife Connor gave her a kiss and held her in a warm embrace. "This is the end of his childhood, but just the beginning of his adulthood."

"I hope he still wants us to be a part of it."

Two loud honks outside the front of the house echoed and Connor smirked. "I believe it's safe to say 'yes', he wants us to be a part of his life until the very end."

Boasting proud smiles Connor, Abby and Hank stood on other side of Henry as the school's photographer snapped photos of the families of all of the graduating students. Connor was sporting his 'aged' aesthetic for the sake of the 'normalcy' on Henry's behalf as the small family had their photo taken by to get the graduating class's yearbook finished by the end of the graduation ceremony. No one gave the family a second look as it was clear that Connor and Abby were Henry's parents, and that Hank was one very proud grandfather.

Once the photos were finished Connor, Abby and Hank were instructed with the rest of the parents to go to the high school auditorium to watch the ceremony unfold. Sitting near the front row of the seats to better accommodate Hank's cane the trio were joined by Lucas, Chloe and Maddy along the same row of the chairs in the front row.

"Connor, you look so weird with gray in your hair." Lucas teased his big brother playfully. "Please tell me that isn't permanent."

"It's not. This is only for when I'm participating in events revolving around Henry. Otherwise people mistake us for brothers."

"I understand. Chloe and I've begun altering our own appearances to make sure we don't look too young to be Maddy's parents." Showing his new look, the emotional green eyes now lined with age, Lucas appeared to be in his early forties as opposed to being immortally young. They had even removed their L.E.D.'s years ago to appear as human as possible. "Maddy hates it."

"Because you look like one of those creepy lawyers on the billboards downtown." Maddy, age twelve and still sporting Lucas's hair and eye color, spoke up sharply as she sat next to her mom on the other side of Lucas. "You need to look like a cop, not a lawyer."

"I'm sorry, Maddy." Turning to face his daughter Lucas smirked and patted her hand. "I promise you I'm still a cop and your father, no matter what I look like."

The lights in the auditorium brightened as the speakers were turned on. Everything around the stage was being activated and all of the school staff prepared to handle their roles as they saw their graduating students off into the real world.

The ceremony began and the graduating students all began filing in the auditorium alphabetically, two at a time. Walking down the center aisle in the auditorium leading the stage up front the students passed between the seats that were divided evenly into two sections where the families and friends were sitting. Starting with the last names first to allow the students to reach the back rows of their elevated seats on the stage at the front of the auditorium all the kids looked proud and nervous as their friends and family looked on proudly.

Not long after the students began filing into the auditorium to to take their places on stage Henry walked by with his head held high, his silver tinted tassel and sash were resting around his neck and shoulders to mark his place as the class's salutatorian. He took his seat near in the front row of the chairs on the stage courtesy of his last name being 'Anderson' and at the top of the alphabet.

Henry glanced out into the crowd and saw not only Connor, Abby and Hank, but his Uncle Lucas, Aunt Chloe and cousin Maddy as well. Of course he smiled at his family before trying to look back out at the rest of the auditorium as his fellow classmates were already doing.

The principal began the ever cliche speech about how the students were the future and how every person in attendance should be proud of the accomplishments of the young students in her proud voice. In doing so the students were all asked to rise in recognition of the valedictorian and the salutatorian, as well as those who were awarded with scholarships and their awards as athletes, artists, musicians and other forms of extracurricular activity.

Once the principal was finished with her speech she gave the floor to Henry, and the young man approached the front podium fearlessly. The salutatorian was given the honor of opening the actual graduation ceremony and had a speech prepared, and he had it perfectly memorized for the occasion.

"Thank you." Henry stood before the podium as he looked out to the gathered families and friends in attendance and smiled confidently as he began his speech. "It's been said that change can be painful," he stated in a level voice to perfectly convey the conflicting emotions of pride, fear, excitement and doubts filling the auditorium. "but it's also been said that pain is weakness leaving the body. To quote our former president John F. Kennedy 'Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future'. And I firmly believe he is still right. It's difficult to move on after spending so much time in one place with the same people, and it's also easy to forget about the world around us. In my time I've met some incredibly unique people who've fought to change the world for the better, and it's those people who've given me the confidence to face the world head on. And I'm proud to have them in my life to this day as they helped me to focus my future to be a better person, and to help shape that future to make it better for everyone else."

Connor was beginning to tear up at his son's words, as was Hank. Feeling Abby's hand wrap around his own Connor squeezed back and could see Abby already crying with raw emotion.

"And I stand here on behalf of my fellow classmates to say to those who have joined us here on this day to say, thank you. Thank you for believing in us, thank you for encouraging us, thank you for supporting us and thank you for changing the world for the better so that we now have the chance to change the world to become its absolute best. It's an honor stand here before you and tell you with true sincerity from my heart that we're all going to be okay."

A thunderous round of applause as well as a few sniffles from the more emotional parents filled the air while Connor wiped away a tear from his eye. "You're welcome, son."

The principal resumed her place behind the podium and began announcing the graduating class one student as a time to receive their diplomas. With the name 'Anderson' giving him a lead on the ceremony Henry was the third member of his class to receive his diploma and shake the principal's hand. The moment it happened Connor felt a mixture of pride and sadness in his heart as it was made official.

Henry was a high school graduate.

Connor, Abby and Hank were in a daze until the valedictorian and the principal brought the ceremony to a close and announced the graduating class with utter support and pride. Everything was happening so fast and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As the graduating students turned their tassels on their caps the principal gave the final word. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the class of 2058."

The dozens of graduating caps were thrown into the air with a raucous cheer from the students and as a result the caps rained back down over the attending crowd.

Unable to move Connor just watched with pride as Henry smiled and spoke with his friends up on the stage and proceeded to rejoin his classmates as they exited the auditorium for more photographs outside the school. Slow to get up from his seat Connor found Henry's cap in the pile of hats on the floor and picked it up and held it in his hands.

"You'll be the one to help change this world to its absolute best, Henry." The always proud father whispered to himself. "I know it. I can feel it."

After everything was said and done Connor returned to the brick patio at the back of the house to sit down and think about what Henry said during his speech. Change can be painful, but it can also be wonderful. Losing his original life was a horrible change that scarred his heart forever, but the birth of Henry was a wonderful change that allowed his heart to finally heal despite the painful scar. Henry was also right in that he couldn't stay in one place forever. He'd have to experience the world in order to understand it, as would Connor.

It was time for everyone to begin moving on with their lives.

"Dad?" Henry walked over to the back deck with his graduation gown draped casually over his shoulder. He was still wearing his dress shirt, black pants and black tie making him look very mature and all the more grown up. "You okay?"

"Yeah, son." Connor flashed him a bright grin from where he sat. "I'm just thinking."

"Me too. Think I could join you?"

"Of course. Where's your mom and Papa?"

"They're inside with Uncle Lucas and everyone else, talking."

"That makes sense." As Henry sat beside him Connor gave his son a confident grin. "So, how does it feel to be a graduate?"

"Pretty strange, actually. I spent twelve years of my life studying just to get a fancy piece of paper and a party."

"Yeah, but that paper is going to open up so many doors of opportunity for you."

"Fortunately I'm already dead set on a career in forensic science. As long as the paper can open up that particular door for me, I'll be content."

"I just can't believe you'll be living in a dorm forty-three point five miles away from me in less than three months."

"Hey, I'm going to college. I'm not running away from home, dad."

"I know that, it's just... I still vividly remember the day you were born and holding you in my arms for the first time."

"Well, you're an android. You should remember that."

Connor playfully shoved Henry's left shoulder with his right palm. "I also remember you screaming your head off when you were three years old because I wouldn't let you eat a rock you found in the backyard. Then doing the same thing when your mom took away another rock."

"Maybe that rock tasted real good," Henry sharply replied with a smirk. "did you even bother to taste it?"

"No, I threw it and the second rock over the fence and made sure there were no other rocks in the backyard. Although I imagine tasting the rock would've been a preferable alternative to a toddler screaming at me for not letting him accidentally choke on a rock."

"I think if you used the word 'intentionally' instead of 'accidentally' it would've been a lot worse."

"That's not all I remember about you." Connor smirked again as he stared at his son and compared how much Henry had changed since he was a newborn baby to the young adult he had become. "Like the way you picked up on your Aunt Chloe being pregnant with Maddy while we were at her and Uncle Lucas's wedding when you were six years old."

"I... vaguely remember that."

"Two weeks later we went that private little beach to celebrate the wedding, and then Chloe confirmed the good news."

"That's when we made that huge sandcastle and buried Papa in the sand. That was a fun summer."

"The following summer we went to the cabin for a little family vacation."

"And you and Papa told me about Uncle Cole."

"I'm glad you know about him."

"Me too. Just wish I didn't spend so much time in that cold lake water."

"You had a nasty cold for a whole week. You had to stay inside, so your Papa made you a small basketball court in the kitchen so you could still play around and have fun."

"I remember that, too." Henry pulled up his shirt a little to reveal his abdomen and where there was a very faint line of a scar. "But I'll take a cold and a week without basketball over an emergency appendectomy."

"Same." It seemed the negative feeling of emergency surgery was mutual for everyone. Connor was thoroughly enjoying the trip down memory lane and smiled warmly at the fun moments they had together. "I remember every holiday and every trip to the cabin, but I think my favorite memory of you is when you called me 'daddy' for the first time. I came home from work, you toddled over to me and just said it loud and proud."

"Mom was a little bitter about that. For a while anyway."

"I think she was just a little frustrated since she was trying to get you to say 'mama' all day before I came home. Then you finally said it and she was extremely happy."

"...On my first Christmas."

"That's right."

"I tripped over some boxes and mom caught me with her hand." Henry stated confidently as he too managed to recall the memory. "You were both sitting on the livingroom floor, mom caught me with one hand, and said 'Mama's got you'."

"That's right. Did your Papa tell you that story, or your Uncle Lucas?"

"Actually, I just remember that myself."

"...What?"

"I can't explain it, but that's my absolute earliest memory. The next earliest memory I have is watching 'The Wizard of Oz' with Papa. And then," pointing to the driveway beside the house with one finger, Henry pointed out the exact spot interest. "and then you and Papa teaching me how to play basketball."

"Henry... You've retained a memory from being eleven and a half months old?"

"Yeah."

"That's incredible!"

"I guess so." Shrugging dismissively Henry didn't think such a thing was that interesting. "I never really thought that much about it."

"That definitely explains why you were such an exemplary student and only needed to study once to get an 'A' on your tests. You have a fantastic memory."

"I don't have your eidetic memory, but yeah, it is pretty good."

"Henry, I know you've been hearing this all day long, but I need to say it again. I'm so very proud of you. We're ALL proud of you; me, your mom, your grandfather, uncle, aunt, cousin... We're all so very proud."

"...Thanks, dad."

"And as much as I'm dreading the day you leave for college I'm also looking forward to seeing you continue to grow and become a better person. But if you ever need to come back home, for whatever reason, or need me to go to you, I'll be there."

"I know, dad. You're always there for me."

Wrapping his right arm around Henry's shoulders Connor gave him a half hug and smiled. "Come on, we better go see where you Papa has decided to take us out to dinner to celebrate your graduation, and make sure everyone remembered to plan for your open house this weekend."

"Yeah, because I'm not paying for it!"

"Damn right. It's your party and you earned it."

The Friday of the open house came at last and the backyard of Hank was filled with guests gathered around tables and under massive rented tents. Dozens of Henry's friends, classmates, teachers and basketball coach were gathered in the backyard to take part in the celebration together. Inside the house Lucas, Chloe and Maddy were all helping Hank to get everything else ready for the celebration while Connor and Abby stayed outside. Henry himself was mingling with his guests and being the life of the party, just as he needed to be. Connor paid for the extra food while Abby and Hank had put the large photo display together during the time Connor helped Henry with his college application in Ann Arbor.

Connor and Abby were standing in front of the giant display of photographs of Henry showcasing the young man as he grew up, and of course the photo of their son taken on the day of his graduation. Photos of Henry growing up, his experiences with holidays, playing with his parents, grandfather, aunt, uncle and cousin, playing basketball, fishing with Hank, hanging out at the cabin, the school plays, working on the car, spending time with his friends, his prom, working on the Corvette, and dozens of discreetly snapped photos of Henry with Connor and Hank as they played games or just spoke lined the entire display in a colorful array of love and compassion.

Time really was a cruel illusion.

Below the photos was a long table holding Henry's many awards from his time as a student and athlete, as well as a basketball and his old stuffed dog that Hank had given to him as a baby. Above the basketball was a photo of Henry in his jersey with his name and nickname; "Henry 'Hank-the-Tank' Anderson" was printed over the photo. Next to it was Henry's acceptance letter to U of M as well as his scholarship details, and newly acquired diploma.

"The photos turned out great." Skye had spotted Connor and Abby by the display and readily joined them. "Good thing you started having physical copies of these memories printed out years ago. That saved us a lot of time."

"...Yes. Time is precious."

"You okay?" Skye stood beside hers friends and could see that he was emotional about the entire the situation. "You both seem so shaken."

"Yeah." Abby confirmed in a low whisper. "It's just a strange feeling to know he'll be living on his own in three months."

"I still can't believe it's been eighteen years since he was born."

"Neither can we."

"Then again, it's already been twenty years since the Revolution happened, so, I guess I shouldn't be THAT surprised about how time really does move so quickly against our will."

"Yes." Connor noted with a sense of time lapse. "And twenty years since Hank and I met and then befriended one another."

"How's Hank doing?" Glancing about the backyard Skye realized the retired detective was nowhere to be seen. " I haven't see him here at the party yet."

Connor gave Skye a somber glance that spoke volumes on its own. "...He's more tired than usual these days."

"Oh, no." As one of the few people who could read Connor's often reserved emotions Skye knew that it was a rather serious situation. "What can I do to help?"

"Just keep acting normal. Hank doesn't want Henry to know, and frankly, we're glad."

"They're that close, huh?"

"Yes. It's going to break Henry's heart, but Hank doesn't want Henry to know. He wants to stay as active and a part of Henry and Maddy's life as much as possible, not be seen as a frail sickly man."

"I understand." Skye lowered her voice again and kept her body language casual as she stayed at Connor and Abby's side. "Can I ask what's wrong?"

"Liver cancer. He had been diagnosed four years ago, he had successfully undergone treatment and had been in remission for two years. But it's back and now stage two. Once Henry is moved into his dorm in three months Hank's going to undergo a more aggressive treatment." Feeling Abby's hand tighten around his hand even further Connor returned the reassuring squeeze as he faced a possible reality. "But it doesn't look good."

"And a man of his age and history can't qualify for a transplant, right?"

"That's right. And CyberLife didn't patent an artificial liver since the organ is regenerative in humans."

"I'm so sorry."

"As are we." Connor decided a change of subject was sorely needed and tried to focus on his friends for the moment. "How's your work in the foster care system?"

"Doing great! I was approved to take in twin boys who need a home for a few months while their parents recovery from a car accident, and I already know being able to help kids in need is the beginning of something incredible."

"That's good to know. I'm sure Noreen can give you some advice on taking care of twin boys, too."

Henry walked up to his parents with his best friend Jason at his side and also asked about Hank. "Hey, I haven't seen Papa anywhere. Do you know where he is?"

"Lucas said he wasn't feeling well last night. He'll be out soon, though."

"Should I do anything to help out?"

"No, it's fine Henry." Abby beamed as she leaned forward and gave her son a kiss on the cheek. "Enjoy your party, and your dad'll go check on him for you."

"Cool. Hey, Skye!" Henry acknowledged the deviant lawyer before he and Jason took off to rejoin the crowd of his friends and begin a game of basketball in the driveway beside the house.

"I'll go and act natural." Skye volunteered happily. "Need some help with anything?"

Abby accepted the offer and sighed. "Want to help me set up the tables to bring out more food? It's like throwing slop in a pig trough at this point..."

"Sure. Lead the way."

Together Abby and Skye headed toward the tables and began opening up the coolers stored beneath to get out additional food and drinks for the guests.

With his held head high Connor made his way inside the house through the backdoor and saw Hank standing in the kitchen leaning heavily against his cane while looking absolutely exhausted. Lucas was standing beside him helping him sort through his medication on the kitchen counter while also keeping tabs on his condition. Offering Hank a glass of water from the sink Lucas watched as the sick and retired detective took his required medication and did so with an annoyed grimace on his face the entire time.

"How're you holding up, dad?" Connor asked as he put his right hand to Hank's right shoulder. "You seem a little weak."

"I've been better, but I'm still here."

"Need anything?"

"I'll be okay. I just need a little more time to get around these mornings, but I'm still me."

"Are you in pain?"

"No." Fussing with the top buttons of his zebra striped shirt, the very one he swore he'd wear that day, he smoothed out the front and gave his older son a simple nod of the head. "Stop worrying about me and go celebrate with your son."

"I will once he gets to see you. He was asking where you were."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you weren't feeling well last night and that Lucas was taking care of you."

"Well, you're not wrong." Downing the final few various pills with a gulp of water Hank shook his head and sighed. "It's ironic. Pills are supposed to rot your liver, but these pills are going to help sustain it."

"Irony is rather prevalent in this family. You used to hate androids with a passion, now you're one of the biggest android advocates in the country."

"Yeah, and you used to be a cold heartless machine, now you're one of the warmest most empathetic people I've ever met. And Lucas," Hank turned and put his left hand on his younger son's right shoulder. Ever since Luke had removed his L.E.D. a few years ago he now looked as human as Connor. "you were once a recluse who didn't want anything to do with anyone. Now you're here with us while your wife and daughter are back at your house helping to get this party loaded up on good food."

"I don't think that's irony," Lucas smirked as he put his left hand on Hank's supporting arm. "but I understand what you're saying."

Connor patted his hand on Hank's upper back and held open the backdoor for him. "C'mon, Henry's waiting for us."

The backyard was filled with positive energy and almost fifty people as Henry's friends and relatives filled the the area. Gavin, Aaron, Aria, Robin, Noreen, Rico and their sons - Nathan and Dwayne, Chris, Tina, Ben, Joel and even Barry all showed up to wish Henry the best of luck, give him cards and money, and to visit with the entire family. Skye stayed the entire day and helped keep charge of things while Henry's friends stayed in the backyard all day and crashed outside around a small bonfire as the day gave way to night.

Connor was watching the group of newly graduated teens talking and then sleeping around the campfire in sleeping bags through the kitchen window and felt Lucas walk up behind him. "Hey, Lucas."

"Hey. You do know that Henry is a great kid, big brother." Lucas stated firmly as he tried to make his brother feel better about Henry leaving home in a few months. "Don't worry about him, he'll be just fine on his own."

"I can't do that, Lucas. He's still my son. My little boy."

"This might be a weird question, but do you think you and Abby will have any more children?"

"...No." Shaking his head a little Connor sighed at the idea of the impending 'empty-nest syndrome' that Hank had warned him about years ago. "Having another child wouldn't be a bad thing, but I think Henry's all Abby and I need. I have my family and I couldn't ask for a better one."

"I guess you're right. I feel the same way about Maddy and Chloe. Our family is complete."

Turning to face his little brother Connor smiled warmly at the thought. "Did you bring in all the cards from the display?"

"Yes." Motioning to the stack of cards piled up in the middle of the kitchen table Lucas confirmed that everything had been taken care of. "And I split up the extra food. Half is here for dad, Abby and Henry, while the rest went with our departing guests."

"Where are Chloe and Maddy?"

"They went with Skye to take everything else to a few shelters to be donated. There are many people still in need."

"That's good to hear. Where is dad right now?"

"Right here." Using his cane Hank made his way into the kitchen and joined his two sons by the window. Despite his failing health Hank never once complained about it or showed any sign of slowing down once he was on his feet. "Sorry, I had to take a shower. It helps my back. With his right palm pressed to his lower back Hank motioned with his cane to the pile of cards on the kitchen table that had been brought inside by Lucas. "Looks like Henry got a good haul!"

"Yes, but there is one envelope that I'm curious about."

"Which one is that?"

Connor sifted through the pile of cards and picked up a far more elegantly designed envelope and held up for Hank to see. "It's from Kamski."

"Kamski? I haven't seen that smug bastard in almost fifteen years since he slunk back into the outskirts of the city. What does he want?"

"I don't know." Connor held the card up in front of the light shining down the ceiling but he couldn't see though the paper to the contents within. "That's why I'm curious."

"Didn't he make some vow to make up for the shit he caused?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Think it's a bill?" Hank asked with a coy smirk on his face. "For all of his 'services' for the laws and rights he passed all those years ago..."

"If it is, I'm NOT paying it." Putting the envelope back in the pile Connor sighed and resumed looking out the kitchen window at the group of young graduates sleeping around the warm bonfire in sleeping bags outside. "Whatever it is it's Henry's business. He can handle it."

Hank knew that Connor was feeling riled up and protective and decided to put an end to it. "Good to hear it."

Abby walked down the hallway with tears in her eyes after putting away all the photographs from the display to return them to their albums and boxes for safekeeping. Walking over to her husband Abby pressed her face against Connor's chest with a heavy sigh. "That was surprisingly hard. Henry grew up so damn fast!"

Wrapping his arms around Abby in a comforting embrace Connor supported his wife and let out a soft sigh in return. "I know. But he'll always be our son."

"Come on. There's a game on television and it's been too damn long since we had the chance to watch one."

"Sounds good to me." Lucas followed after Hank while Connor and Abby slowly took his eyes from the window to join his father and little brother in the livingroom. "I'll let Chloe and Maddy know I'll be home after the game."

"...Yes." Walking away from the window Connor turned off the light in the kitchen and made his way into the livingroom for the night to enjoy his family's company after such a hectic day. Never letting Abby go Connor held tightly on his wife's hand as they both struggled with the new changes they were going through together as Henry went from high school student to college student in a few short months. "We're right behind you, dad."

Three Months Later:

It was finally move-in day for all of the new students at the University of Michigan. Connor and Henry had finished putting the final bolts in the wooden loft and had placed the mattress up onto the loft to finally finish getting Henry's dorm room all set up, while Abby hung up Henry's clothes in the small closet. The loft gave Henry and his roommate more space to share, and allowed Henry to tuck his desk under the loft with his laptop so he could work in semi privacy. A small dark blue couch was against the wall under the room's only window that was overlooking the campus grounds, and a small table with a television was set up before the couch. Henry's roommate had already dropped off his stuff and finished taking care of his side of the room giving Connor, Abby and Henry more room to work before the day was over.

The room was furnished, Henry was unpacked and the parents had finished getting their son ready for college. It was time for all the parents to start heading home, but no one was ready to leave yet.

"Did you bring your guitar?" Connor asked as he placed the sheets on the mattress for Henry, and watched as his son finished putting his clothes in his small closet next to the loft along with his mom. To ensure no one asked a bunch of nosy questions Connor was donning his more aged aesthetic and appeared as any other parent helping their kid move into their dorm. "A guitar could help you de-stress after classes."

"No, I won't have time to play." The college freshman lamented. "Maybe I'll pack it up after I visit home in a couple weeks."

"It's a shame. Music is very relaxing and it aids concentration."

"Good thing I can play music on my laptop then."

Laughing at the comment Connor finished with the loft and turned his attention back to Henry. "Need anything else, son?" Connor helped Henry unpack the last of the boxes and place the rest of his textbooks and other supplies on the desk. "You have all your textbooks, right?"

"Yeah, dad. I have everything I need."

"What about groceries?"

"I have some money saved up so I can keep food in the dorm. Mini-fridges aren't the best, but it's better than a cooler in the corner."

"Is the saved money from your open house?"

"That, and that one card from that Kamski guy gave me had a check for fifteen-thousand dollars. He said he 'owed' you for something and knew you wouldn't take his money yourself, so he made the check out to me on the condition that I use to pay off my education."

"Oh."

"It's okay, dad. I know that guy was kind of a creep and all that stuff, and I know you don't owe him anything. Any weird debt he thinks he has toward you is just him trying to cover up something he screwed up in the past. It's guilt money."

"I'm proud to here you say that, Henry. You're too smart to be fooled by a snake like that."

"Yeah. Not going to lie though, the money was nice. Now I don't have to worry about paying for my tuition for a while."

"...Want some extra money just in case?"

"No, dad. I'm fine."

"Take it anyway." Connor reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet and handed another three one-hundred bills over to Henry. "Keep it as emergency money at least. Same with the debit card."

Abby spoke up and stood beside Connor casually as the deviant father presented their son with the emergency funds. "Listen to your father. He's never once lied to you."

Henry just laughed as he accepted the money graciously and placed it in the top right drawer of his desk and locked it up. "I also have the extra phone charger you gave me, AND the medical insurance card."

Smiling at Henry's maturity Connor realized how far away his son was going to be from home, and how confident he already was. "It's a shame you can't keep the Corvette while you're studying."

"It'd just draw unwanted attention. There's a frat house two blocks away, and I don't feel like washing off dried up puke from the hood of my car every weekend."

"Good point."

Abby mumbled a little under her breath as she thought back to her own college days. "Or piss..."

"AND," Henry continued confidently. "I don't want to pay for parking when I won't be driving that much anyway."

"Smart budgeting."

Glancing about his furnished dorm room curiously Henry sighed and asked one very important question of his own. "...Is Papa still in the car?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed sincerely as he saw the concern in Henry's eyes. "He won't leave without saying goodbye, don't worry."

Henry looked worried anyway and his brown eyes were getting glassy.

"Henry," sensing his son's distress Connor wanted to know why Henry was getting upset. "what's wrong?"

"Dad, mom... I know Papa's sick."

"O-Oh."

Abby reached out her hand and rested it on Henry's shoulder in a comforting manner. "Oh, Henry..."

"I'm not a child, I can handle the truth."

"We know you can, Henry." Stepping forward Connor spoke honestly and logically with his son. "It's just that he didn't want you to know so you wouldn't worry about him and focus more on your education. And he didn't want you to see him as a sick man instead of your Papa."

"That's crazy! I'll never see him as anyone else, no matter how sick he gets."

Now it was Connor's eyes that were welling up with tears. "...I think he'd like to know that."

"Then that's what I'll tell him."

"Okay." Wrapping his left arm around Henry's shoulders Connor escorted his son out of the dorm room and back outside to the campus grounds. Abby was walking on Henry's side opposite of Connor and was rubbing her hand along his back in a living manner. "Let's go talk to your Papa and tell him how much we care about him and respect him."

Resting his back as much as he could and enjoying the nice day Hank was standing outside the campus with his back leaning up against the side of the Corvette with his cane clutched in his right hand. Observing all the families that were helping their own kids move into the campus and all the bright-eyed students who were roaming the grounds and becoming acclimated to their new environment made him smirk. As the students scattered about aimlessly Hank caught sight of Connor, Abby and Henry coming back his way and smiled at the trio.

"Hey, you guys. Finished already?"

"Yeah, his dorm is set." Connor confirmed as Henry slowly approached Hank and gave him a sad look.

The look immediately caught Hank's attention and he was on guard. "What's wrong, Henry? Homesick already?"

"...Papa." Standing before him Henry gave Hank a tight hug and held him in a warm embrace that seemed unbreakable. "Don't worry about me. Please, worry about yourself. Get better!"

Hank quickly reciprocated the hug, his left hand patting Henry's back as he could feel Henry trying to not cry as he hugged him. Looking over Henry's shoulder to Connor, who was holding onto Abby's hand, the young father silently mouthed: 'He knew you were sick. I didn't say anything.' And in an instant Hank tightened his hug and tried to reassure his upset grandson.

"Ah, Henry. Don't do that, I'll be fine. I've been taking care of this problem for months, and I'll begin a more aggressive treatment starting tomorrow. I'm not going down without a fight. I promise!"

The words did very little to comfort Henry's worried heart. "I wish you would've told me what was going on instead of me figuring it out..."

"Hey, come on. You knowing would've only made you worry, and worrying wouldn't have done anything to make me any better."

"No, but I want to know if there's anything wrong with you, mom or dad! We're family."

Family.

The one word that always had a tendency to force the guard around Hank's heart down into nothingness.

"And we always will be." As Henry slowly released his hug Hank once again found himself wiping away his grandson's tears with his left thumb before he reached into his right pocket and pulled out a small gift to Henry. "Hey, come on. Don't worry about me, all right? And to make sure you aren't worrying and you're studying like you should be I'm going to call you every Friday night at seven o'clock, got it?"

"...Yeah, Papa. I got it."

"To ensure that you don't forget you'll keep this somewhere safe at all times, too." Placing the item down in Henry's right palm Hank gave him a playfully stern glance. "This is the first gift I ever gave you on Christmas. You were too little keep hold of it yourself, so your dad kept it safe for you all this time."

Henry looked down at the gift and saw that it was the gilded pocketwatch with his name engraved on it. Opening the watch Henry smiled as he saw a picture of himself and Hank sitting together at the lake at the cabin back when Henry was seven years old. Connor had taken the picture when Henry sat beside Hank to ask about Cole, and the two finished watching the sunset together over the lake. "I remember that day..."

"And you keep remembering that day. It was a VERY good day."

"Just one of many."

"Henry," Hank slipped aside the photo and showed the inscription on the inside of the pocketwatch. "read the inscription."

Obediently Henry read the words and his voice became choked up in the process. "'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa'."

Patting Henry's right shoulder with his left hand Hank gave his grandson a stern voice to listen to. "And I mean it."

"I know you do."

"Come on, Henry." Hank was trying to keep Henry calm as he reassured him that everything would be okay even after he was long gone. "Why don't we go find something for lunch, huh? My treat. I'll tell you everything you want to know about what's going on."

"Yeah." Replacing the photo Henry closed the watch and hung it around his neck by the long chain, and tucked it down the front of his dark blue t-shirt to keep it out of sight. "I'd like that."

Connor and Abby were relieved to see that Hank managed to ease Henry's worry to some degree and rejoined his family at the car. "Pick the place, Henry. Anywhere in the city you want to go."

"No," wanting the day to end on a more positive note Henry relented on the offer and handed over to his grandfather instead. "Papa should pick. I'll be living here for at least four years, so I'll have plenty of time to check out every restaurant while you guys will only be here to visit every few months."

"All right, but since I'm picking the place AND since I'm paying, no complaining!"

"When have I ever complained?" Henry joked as he sat in the backseat of the Corvette alongside Abby so Hank could have the front seat.

"Yeah, good point. Learn to complain more, damn it!"

Henry couldn't help but laugh at the strange joke as Connor sat down behind the steering wheel, turned over the engine and pulled the car away from the street in front of the campus. "All right, I'll give my roommate a fair warning about your advice, Papa."

"Why? That's not any fun."

As hard as it was Henry had no choice but to say goodbye to both his dad parents and his grandfather after returning to the campus well into the evening and going back to his dorm room. A part of Henry was so worried that it'd be the last time he'd ever see Hank and he wasn't ready to say his goodbyes to him. As the dread of time and immortality hung heavily over his head Henry turned to give his family a wary glance as he stood in the middle of his dorm room that suddenly felt way too big for him.

It'd be the first time Henry would be away from not just his home for an extended period of time, but his family.

"Maybe I can stop by the house next weekend, you know?" Henry suggested warmly to his departing family. "We can play some basketball or something."

"Of course." Connor sensed Henry's wariness and wanted to comfort him. "You're always welcome home whenever you want to come back. No matter why, when, or for how long."

"Not to mention we just want you around!" Abby blurted as she struggled to keep her tears at bay. "Damn it we're so proud..."

Hank took a step forward without using his cane and gave Henry another strong hug. "Hey, you study and you win your games. Or I'll come back here and kick your butt!"

"I'd like to see you try with that ugly cane in your hand!"

Laughing lightly Hank patted Henry's back again and rubbed his hand over the back of Henry's hair. "I'll call you this Friday at seven, you better answer your phone. Got it?"

"Got it. I promise."

Connor stepped in to hug Henry and held tightly onto his son and had to fight the urge to never let go. "Everything will be okay, Henry. When you stop by to visit us in a few weeks we'll head out to the cabin and have another family weekend, alright?"

"Yeah. Sounds great!"

Slowly, reluctantly and with a heavy heart Connor broke the hug and gave Henry a hesitant glance. "Remember, if you need anything for any reason call."

"I will."

Abby wrapped her arms around Henry's shoulders and held him tight. "You're far from that little baby boy I first met." Kissing his cheek Abby sighed and fussed with his hair a little before stepping back. "Now you're a intelligent, kindhearted and wonderful man. Just like your father." Fighting to keep her emotional composure Abby let out a shaking breath and changed the subject. "When will your roommate be back?"

"Soon. The campus will go on lockdown in an hour, so he kinda' has to be back soon or else he'll be stuck sleeping outside."

"Will you be okay alone until then?"

"Yeah. It'll be weird but I can handle it."

"We know that. You can handle anything."

A campus security officer who was patrolling the dorms and informing visiting family and friends of the curfew begrudgingly informed Connor, Abby and Hank that they'd have to leave soon, too. It was the worst part of his job, but it was painfully necessary. "Lockdown in forty-five minutes. Sorry, only students are permitted to stay overnight."

"We'll see you soon, Henry." Connor stated confidently as he accepted the fact that he'd have to leave his son behind. "I love you."

"I love you too, dad." Henry looked over to Abby as she kept messing with his hair. "Love you too, mom." He then looked to Hank and smiled. "I love you, Papa."

"We love ya', Henry." Hank reached out his hand and shook Henry's right hand firmly. "Remember what I said."

"About kicking my butt?"

"Smartass. Friday at seven."

"I'll be waiting with my phone in my hand, Papa." Giving his family one final hug Henry reluctantly said goodnight and prepared to go about his life as a young man growing up in the world, and not a little boy being protected from it. "I promise!"

It was a long slow walk away from the dorm and out to the campus parking lot that night.

Feeling like he was forgetting something very important, his son, Connor walked out of the dorm with both Abby and Hank right at his side. Walking slowly to accommodate Hank's health as they made their way back to the Corvette in the parking lot Connor held Abby's hand as he glanced back at the building as if he could somehow see Henry still, but of course Henry's window overlooked the campus and not the parking lot. There were no other cars around which made the entire campus feel eerily empty and the moment all the more sad.

"Hey, are you going to be okay, you two?"

"...Yes." Opening up the passenger side door of the car for Hank first to ensure the sick man could move about easier Connor walked around to the other side and opened his own driver's side door to let Abby climb into the backseat. "The house is just going to feel so empty without having Henry around."

"And that is called the much dreaded 'empty-nest syndrome'. It's the bane of all parents when it comes to their kids but it gets easier over time." Hank sat down slowly in the passenger seat and put his cane in the backseat behind him and beside Abby. Moving slowly for the sake of his back Hank did his best to appear as strong and confident as ever. "Just for the hell of it want to stay up and shoot the shit and watch lame-ass movies like the old days?"

"...Yeah. I think we do. We could really use the distraction tonight." As Connor sat down in his own seat and wiped away more tears from his soulful brown eyes he let his 'aged' aesthetic fade away slowly. As he looked like his usual self Connor suddenly looked more like a sad kid than a proud father. "It's strange because I just said goodbye, and yet I already miss him so much."

Hearing Abby quietly sniffle made everyone tear up instantly with their raw emotions.

"Come here, you two." Hank turned in his seat so he could wrap his right arm around Connor and pulled his son up against him for a much needed hug, then reached his left arm into the backseat to hug Abby, too. The two parents didn't resist and let Hank hug them as tight as possible as they sat in the car and looked up at Henry's campus through the car windows. "You did great with Henry. He's one hell of a great kid, he's intelligent, kind, funny, empathetic and he's going to help shape this mess of a world into something recognizable. Be proud, not sad."

"...I've always have been proud of him, dad." Connor replied somberly yet confidently. "And I always will be. My son is an incredible person, and I couldn't possibly be prouder of him."

"The feeling's mutual." Smiling with utter pride of his own Hank hugged his son and daughter-in-law even tighter as he thought about all their good years together. "It really is. You BOTH did an amazing job with that kid."

"Thanks, dad." Reaching into his jacket pocket Connor handed Abby a tissue as she continued to silently weep in the backseat. "We learned from the best, which means we learned from you."

"Yeah, I'd like to believe that... Let's go on home." Wiping away his own tears Hank cleared his throat and sighed deeply at the thought of going back to Detroit without Henry with them. Like Connor, he already deeply missed his grandson, and he couldn't wait to see him again. "It's going to be a very long and very quiet night back at the house."

-next chapter-