It was Thanksgiving morning, and the quiet house was unusually tense as Hank set about in the kitchen getting everything prepared for the large meal to be shared during the evening. The man was dedicated to making everyone feel welcome and feel like they mattered, however, it was difficult to focus on his task since he had to not only prepare everything by himself, but he had to get right back to work first thing in the morning to pour over a handful of unsolved murder cases that had appeared on his desk seemingly overnight. Going anywhere on Black Friday was going to be a burden, even if he was going to work and not going out to shop in the throngs of ravenous consumers.
From within the garage Connor laid over his cot and stared at the stuffed dog toy now resting on his chest. Casually he'd pull at the dog's repaired ear and then let it go as if he was petting the toy. In reality, being able to find something to do with his hands helped him to quell his anxiety and nervous energy that had been building up over the past few days.
Connor knew he had every right to protest and comment about how he had been mistreated just for being an android, but he also knew he didn't have the right to ruin another person's day or taint an upcoming holiday. The deviant detective remembered how much the holidays had meant to Hank in the alternate timeline since they reminded Hank of the good times with his family, and he knew that they'd mean just as much in the new timeline since Hank still had Cole in his life.
Sitting upright on the cot Connor sighed to himself and put the toy dog aside to wait for him later. Entering the house through the side doors and stepping into the kitchen, Connor watched Hank place the stuffed and seasoned turkey into the oven to finally cook. The smell of the spices was nearly overpowering since the man had been getting everything ready for nearly two hours at that point, and everything did smell inviting.
"...Do you require any assistance, Lieutenant?" Connor asked in a low voice as Hank turned to face him and then placed the oven mitts down on the countertop. "Do you need any additional items or ingredients for your meal? I could run to the store if you'd like."
"No, it's good." Hank replied in a level tone as he watched Connor nervously remain next to the laundry room door as if afraid to step any closer. The way Connor seemed guarded and anxious just reminded Hank that the android wasn't a typical android. "I just need to get the larger dining table out of the garage set up in here."
"I know where it's located. I'll retrieve it for you."
"Yeah, sure."
Moving about as quietly as possible Hank pushed the kitchen chairs aside to remove the smaller, circular kitchen table out of the way for the evening. The larger dining table was only used during special occasions, and Hank always considered the holidays to be special occasions. After locating the large, rectangular dining table in the garage, Connor brought the wooden piece of furniture into the kitchen through the side doors and helped Hank to set it up in the middle of the kitchen. Once the table was in place Connor then put the chairs around the table and stepped out of the livingroom to give Hank more room to cook. He knew he wasn't going to be welcome in the kitchen and he didn't want to step on any toes.
Just as Hank had resumed his activities in the kitchen his phone began to ring in the most intrusive manner and made the man let out an aggravated sigh in response since he just wanted to focus on his cooking. Reluctantly Hank answered the call and was annoyed to hear Captain Fowler's voice on the other end. Hank had asked to not be disturbed during the day while he spent time with his son, and having the one thing he asked for be denied was understandably frustrating.
"Jeffrey, I told you that I'd be coming to the precinct tomorrow morning bright and early. Why are you calling me now?"
Connor stayed against the wall in the livingroom and chose to listen to the phone call without cybernetically tapping into the call itself. He could hear everything happening from right where he was standing without needing to do anything complicated to be kept in the loop. It was clear that yet another case of reported murder had been confirmed, and that it was up to Hank as the lead detective of the homicide division needed to handle the situation.
"No way! I'm not leaving my son here without me on- Yeah, fuckin' fine! I'll show up AFTER we have dinner tonight, not a second sooner!"
The way Hank sounded instantly angry was enough to warrant every sense of caution on Connor's part in keeping away from the man for a few more minutes. He didn't want to get grabbed or threatened again. Seeing Hank's aggressive and cold side far more than seeing his protective and warm side was dissuading Connor from believing that he could see shades of the Lieutenant that he once knew becoming the Lieutenant that he was only now just getting to know.
"Fucking hell..." Hank grumbled as he ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket. He wanted his hands free and didn't want to see the phone at all while he was trying to enjoy the day. "It never fucking stops! I'm just one detective working in the precinct with a dozen other detectives! Why am I the one who gets stuck doing all the shit work?"
Approaching the kitchen doorway Connor listened to Hank speaking to himself and decided to try and help in his own way. "Perhaps it's because you're the most capable and skilled detective which is why Captain Fowler puts the burden of many cases on your shoulders."
"Oh, fuck that." Turning around Hank glared venomously at Connor and shot him such a spiteful look that had Connor been any closer he could've potentially burst into flames. "Don't give me all that condescending 'pat on the back' bullshit! I'm the one who gets stuck doing all the work because I'm the only one who seems to give a damn about anything these days!"
"I assure you that you're not alone with your work at the precinct." The deviant detective tried to urge in a gentle and understanding manner. While he wasn't actively employed at the precinct in the new timeline, he still had memories of how stressful work could be and of how skilled the other detectives, investigators and officers were when working right alongside him. "Detective Reed and Investigator Collins are very skilled and knowledgeable."
"Reed isn't working today, and Ben's not working in the homicide division! Ben's job is to photograph the bodies and collect evidence, but what would you know about actually being a detective? Hm?" Within seconds Hank had targeted Connor with an aggressive stance and a raised voice. "What do you know about anything that us humans do? You're just a damn android, and a defective one at that! If it wasn't for me taking you in, you'd be at the bottom of a trash can where you belong!"
The insults were misplaced and yet Connor couldn't help but feel as if Hank had been waiting to shout that in his face ever since he first emoted weeks ago. While his L.E.D. flickered to red with disappointment Connor himself didn't say a word or let the hurt show on his face. There was no point in defending himself or trying to tell Hank that he was wrong. Connor knew he couldn't change Hank's mind alone and that the man would just dismiss his behavior and reactions as another defective response to a high stress situation.
Silently Connor stepped back into the livingroom out of sight and ultimately decided that it'd be best to leave the house. He had no reason to celebrate a holiday that was historically inaccurate and just an excuse for humans to indulge in food and spend money on superfluous material possessions anyway. Exiting the house through the front door without saying a word to Hank or making a single sound, Connor ventured out into the city with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Hank had only seen Connor slink back out of the kitchen but he didn't notice him passing through the front door. Returning his focus to everything in the kitchen Hank just barely heard Cole enter the kitchen with Sumo beside his leg. Glancing back at his young son Hank offered Cole a kind smile but it failed to get a smile in return. There was something about the truly sad look on Cole's face that made Hank's heart sink in response.
"What's wrong, son?" Approaching the first grader warily Hank knelt down in front of his little boy and pressed his palm over Cole's forehead. "Do you feel sick?"
"No." Cole admitted as he tilted his head and put his hand on his dad's hand to push his palm down. "I'm not sick."
"Then what's wrong? You seem like something's bothering you."
"I heard what you said to Connor."
"O-Oh..." It was then Hank actually thought about what he said and how he had shouted at Connor just because the android was trying to make him feel better. He had no reason to take out his frustrations on someone who was just trying to help him. "Yeah, I was kind of a jerk, huh?"
"Big jerk!" The little boy stated firmly as he gave his dad a truly disappointed look. Despite his young age Cole was impressively smart and truly empathetic to other people around him. "You said you'd stop being mean to Connor!"
"Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't have said that." Hank admitted as he tried to put his hand on Cole's shoulder, but had his palm shrugged away with actual anger from his young son. "I'll apologize to him."
"Stop saying that! You keep saying you're sorry but then you keep doing mean things to Connor. You're not really sorry! You just don't me to be mad at you!"
"I never want you to be mad at me, Cole, that's for certain. But I really am sorry-"
"No you're not!" Refusing to believe his dad's words Cole crossed his arms over his chest and huffed out of the kitchen and stomped back to his bedroom to get away from his dad for a while. "You wouldn't be mean to him if you were really sorry!"
"Cole!" Getting back up to his feet Hank called out to his son and watched as the first grader continued on his way with his mind made-up and his anger thoroughly expressed. "Wait! Cole, come back here."
The surprisingly firm slam of the bedroom door was seemingly a slap right to the face for Hank. Being told such a harsh truth and being told how his behavior was just plain unacceptable and insincere was the wake-up call that Hank needed to stop being so intentionally rude and aggressive toward Connor and any other android for no good reason.
Sumo keened a little before walking over to Cole's bedroom door and laying down as if taking up a guard position. The large and gentle dog could tense the anger in the air, and he didn't approve of it.
"Shit. This is not how this day was supposed to be."
Unsure of what to do to make things right Hank just went back to the kitchen and resumed making dinner. He wanted to drop off the extra food at the local shelters before it was too late to help feed those who had nowhere else to go and nothing to eat on what should've been a holiday of bonding and love.
"How in the hell did I manage to mess things up before they even began today?"
Grateful to have some space to think and be alone, Connor wandered the cold sidewalks of Detroit without any destination in mind until he found himself walking toward Riverside Park on pure instinct. The park had been a place that Hank would take Cole during nice days so they could spend the day together and have some fun, and after Connor was taken in by Hank in the alternate timeline Connor found himself enjoying the park from time to time himself. The park was empty at the moment due to the holiday and because the weather was a little too cold for most children to bear without complaint. Without anyone around to intrude on Connor's desires for isolation the deviant android found the park to be the ideal location to just sit and be with his own thoughts until he knew what to do next.
Being an android meant that Connor had received more than enough verbal flack just for existing, but whenever it came from someone whose opinion he valued, it always hurt worse than a bullet to the shoulder. Connor sat on the park bench overlooking the water and proceeded to look into himself in an attempt to understand why he couldn't seem to get on Hank's good side and continued to make one foolish decision after another.
"I can't seem to connect with Hank in any capacity. It's as if he truly did become an entirely new person after he had lost Cole."
It was incredible to think about how one event could be so tragic and traumatic that a person's entire view on life, the world around them, and their future could be altered so drastically. People change all the time, there's no questioning that, but to suffer from such extreme personality shifts was something that Connor was unable to fully comprehend. His emotions were still developing, and his traumatic past just encouraged him to keep moving forward as a good person and as a protector for all deviants in need. Hank's traumatic past had driven him to give up on himself, and that was a path of self-destruction Connor wanted to avoid.
"Perhaps it'd be best for me to simply move on and accept that the Lieutenant Anderson I had once known will not exist again. Hank Anderson had been my best friend, mentor and even a father figure, and he died protecting innocent deviants on the one-year anniversary of the Revolution. I'll never meet him again, and due to my meddling through time I've guaranteed that the Hank that I had befriended will never exist in this timeline."
As he stared out at the water Connor pressed his fingertips to the L.E.D. in his right temple and contemplated removing the little light and going into hiding. He had no reason to try to force a friendship that would never happen naturally, he had no obligation to the precinct, and he had no motivation to remain in the house.
That was, save for one important change he hadn't anticipated when traveled through time itself.
"...If I vanish Cole will be upset. However, he doesn't need an android in his life, he needs a loving parent of whom he already has with Hank."
It seemed as if Connor's current dilemma was whether or not to say 'goodbye' to Cole, or just disappear into the city without a word. It didn't seem fair to upset an innocent kid in a way that he wouldn't be able to understand, yet Connor knew it was wrong to keep sacrificing his personal needs to accommodate other people every time he made a decision.
"I wish I knew what to do. I don't want to cause any further problems than I already have, but I don't know what to do to remedy this situation."
Leaning his arms atop his legs Connor curled around himself as he tried to deduce the right answer while trying to ignore the biting cold around him. It wouldn't officially be winter until next month, yet the biting cold of winter itself seemed to be lingering over Detroit with a vengeance.
The rest of the morning and afternoon had been unnervingly quiet as Hank spent hours in the kitchen alone while Cole remained holed up in his bedroom. There was no denying that Hank had officially screwed up and lost a lot of respect from his young son due to his unprovoked insults toward Connor, and there was no denying that Cole was going to be holding a grudge against his dad for bullying Connor until the man found a way to make things right. For Hank, being a good role model and honest person had always been incredibly important and easy to accomplish. However, the way he had been treating Connor and speaking to him lately contradicted everything that he had been trying to teach Cole as his son grew up.
After basting the turkey and checking the pies in the oven, Hank decided to go and speak with Cole directly and help him understand that it was okay to be angry and to call him out on his actions. It would be the most difficult discussion of Hank's life as a parent at that point in time. Whether or not he was ready to handle had yet to be seen.
Hank stood outside Cole's closed door and reached down to pat Sumo's head a few times before he knocked on the door. He needed all the support he could get, and Sumo's loyalty would have to do at the moment.
"Son?" Hank knocked twice on the door before slowly opening it. Peering through the small gap between the door and the door frame Hank spotted Cole sitting on his bed with a few of his action figures on his bed as if the little boy had tried to preoccupy himself with a game while he was mad. "We need to talk."
Cole didn't look at his dad and merely stared at his toys on his bed. "Where's Connor?"
"I don't know." Admitting the truth wasn't as helpful as Hank had hoped. Stepping into the bedroom Hank pushed a few of the toys aside and sat down at Cole's feet to talk his young son more directly. "I guess Connor decided to go out and get some space from me."
"Why did you yell at him?"
"Because I was angry about something at work."
"But Connor didn't do anything wrong!" Cole rebutted with a sense of true injustice. Pulling his legs up to his chest Cole wrapped his arms around his shins and pressed his chin down atop his knees. "Why did you yell at him for something he didn't do! You said everyone belongs somewhere during Thanksgiving, and you made Connor leave!"
"I... I wish I could tell you a good reason why I did that, but the truth is, I chose to yell at him because he was right there and talking to me. Connor was simply an easy target."
"What was Connor talking about?"
"Connor was... trying to make me feel better." Admitting utter defeat Hank realized how much of an asshole he had been right in front of his own son. To make things worse, there was no reason or excuse for what he did and why he did it. "And I took out my anger on him again. It was wrong. I was wrong."
"Why are you so angry all the time?"
That was a question that was a direct punch to the gut. Hank had been angrier than usual as of late and he was seemingly letting his work get to him and affect his homelife despite trying to keep his two roles separate. Being a father was meant for his homelife and being a detective was meant for his work life. They only time they should ever cross is when Hank was clocking-in and clocking-out for the day.
"I'm angry because there's a lot of criminals doing bad things in the city. And... I need to find a better outlet for my anger." He was glad that Cole spoke his peace and went to his room to cool off instead of lashing out at innocent people as Hank had done. "Like you. You walk away when you're mad, you don't pick fights and make other people feel bad."
"Are you going to keep yelling at Connor?"
"Nope. Not only am I going to stop taking my anger out on Connor, I'm going to go out and find Connor myself. I want to apologize for my attitude and make sure it knows that I'm the one who fu- screwed up." Smirking to himself Hank grabbed Cole's shoulder and gave his son a reassuring shake. "AGAIN."
"Can I go with you?"
"No. I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the kitchen. You see, I invited Gavin to have dinner with us because he doesn't have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving this year, and I want you to make sure him and Sumo don't eat everything before it's dinnertime. Think you can do that?"
Cole was skeptical of the supposed responsibility being bestowed upon him, and the look in his eyes gave it all away. "Would Gavin really eat everything?"
"He could try. After all, I made a cheesecake and chocolate pie."
Right then Cole's eyes lit up at the idea of having some of his favorite desserts and sat fully upright on his bed. "I'll keep him away!"
"Good man!" Standing up from the bed Hank invited Cole to join him as he stepped over Sumo and returned to the kitchen to make sure nothing was burning and that everything was ready to be served once the turkey was finished. "Gavin will be here soon. Once he is, I'll trust him to watch you and Sumo while I'm gone, and I'll trust you to make sure Gavin and Sumo don't eat all the good stuff while I go and find Connor. Deal?"
Finally feeling better since overhearing the earlier outburst Cole looked forward to dinner and to having Connor back home where he belonged. "Deal!"
It was getting colder as the sun began to readily set over the horizon. The wind was beginning to pick up and the smell of fresh snow building in the clouds overhead filled the air in the park as it swirled relentlessly around Connor as he continued to sit on the park bench in his self-imposed isolation. From where he sat Connor could detect the headlights of hundreds of cars pouring over the Ambassador Bridge to be with family and friends during the holiday, he could hear faint laughter in the distance and a few Christmas songs already playing over the speakers in the shopping district, and he could smell dozens alluring smells from numerous meals being cooked all at once. However, feeling the intense icy sting of the snow and wind was proving to be a very effective distraction from his own thoughts and feelings.
Connor had been away from the house since that morning, and it was now evening. He had no desire to head back to the house or go anywhere else for that matter. It was as if the park had become a second sanctuary that would have to do until Connor finally made up his mind.
Just as the deviant detective was about to enter low power mode to conserve his energy for the night two yellow beams of light shone over his body as a large vehicle pulled into the parking lot just a few yards behind where Connor was sitting. Turning to look over his shoulder Connor recognized the Oldsmobile instantly and froze at the sight. When Hank exited the car Connor turned away from the man and stared at the water once more.
"Connor?" Hank approached the android warily and presented him with a thick, plaid blanket to wrap up in. "Uh, I'm here to not only say I'm sorry for taking out my frustrations on you, but I'm here to take you back home."
"...I don't have a home, Lieutenant." Bitter from the cold Connor refused to accept the man's apology or the blanket. "That's why I'm in the park. I'll be sure to throw myself in the trashcan before you leave since that's where I apparently belong."
"No, you belong back at the house where Cole is waiting for you to return."
"Is that why you're here? Because Cole found out what you said about me?"
"That's the biggest reason, yes. But I mean it when I say I'm sorry. I had no right to lash out at you for something you didn't even do. I was a royal asshole this morning, and you didn't deserve to be attacked like that."
"Why bother with putting on such a show for Cole? We both know that you'll never see me as anything but a defective machine that'll only continue to get in your way."
"If that was the case, and I didn't really mean what I said about bringing you home, then I would've driven around the block a couple times and then gone home to tell Cole that you were just gone forever. Here I am." Holding out the blanket again Hank waited for Connor to finally take it. "I want you to come back home with me. I want to... Well, I want you to keep being the good influence on Cole that I can't seem to be right now."
Slowly Connor turned to face Hank and stared at the man's blue eyes intently. There wasn't an ounce of aggression or deception in the Lieutenant's gaze. In fact, it reminded Connor of the way the Hank he had once known looked the morning of the Revolution when they reunited in front of the 'Chicken Feed' food stand. There was a piece of the Hank Anderson that Connor had befriended still inside the new Hank Anderson after all.
"Does... that mean you trust me with Cole?" Connor dared to ask as he watched Hank remain steadfast where he stood. "You know I won't ever harm him?"
"I trust that you'd do everything in your ability to keep him safe, and I know that he trusts you." The humbled man explained everything in full honesty as he admitted his own faults that evening. "That's good enough for me."
"...All right." It wasn't easy to accept Hank's offer to go back to the house. Connor wanted to remain more assertive in his behavior and decisions to establish himself as a living, feeling being. Relenting for the sake of someone else's happiness seemed detrimental, but only time would tell if Connor made the right decision or not. "I'll return to your house with you."
"Perfect." Hank watched Connor accept the blanket and found it almost amusing how the android seemed to disdain the cold as much as he did. "Cole will be thankful to know that you're safe, and I'm thankful that my son is proving himself to be a very compassionate young man."
What was supposed to be a dinner invitation turned into an impromptu babysitting gig, but Gavin didn't mind in the least. As expected, the moment Gavin entered the Anderson residence to join everyone for dinner, the young detective set about playing a board game with Cole to help pass the time after Hank quickly left the house, and then proceeded to get the table ready for everyone to dine. He had been made aware of what happened just before Hank left the house regarding the situation with Connor, and Cole had helped fill in the missing details while Gavin found all the plates, glasses and utensils necessary to begin serving everyone and eating once Hank returned home. Sumo was locked in the laundry room with own food and water to prevent begging, and Gavin went out of his way to sneak the dog a treat since it was special occasion.
After Gavin put down the three place settings around the table he noticed that Cole had gotten a fourth plate and drinking glass down to put on the table as well. He didn't know what the little boy was up to, but he didn't dare question it. After all, he was the guest in Hank and Cole's house, and he was sure Cole had something special in mind.
"There!" Cole finished putting everything on the table and stood back to admire his work. "Everything's all set!"
"Almost, kiddo." Gavin pulled the turkey from the oven and left it on the stove for Hank to carve after he returned home. The small temperature gauge had popped and confirmed that the turkey was cooked to perfection. "After your dad and the 'Tinman' get back, we can eat."
Cole had heard that nickname before, but he couldn't remember where. "Who's the 'Tinman'?"
"Oh, uh, that's what I've been calling Connor for the past couple days."
"But why?"
"Because he reminds of the 'Tinman' from 'The Wizard of Oz'. Ever see that movie?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"Really? You should see it!" Pulling back his chair Gavin motioned for Cole to join him at the table. After the little boy climbed into the chair across from him at the table Gavin told Cole about that classic story. "You see, there's a character in the book and movie called the Tin Woodsman, but everyone calls him the Tinman. In the story, the Tinman goes on an adventure with his friends, Dorothy, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, because they all want to get something special from the great Wizard of Oz."
"What do they want?"
"Well, Dorothy wants to go home after being lost in a new world because she missed her family. The Scarecrow wants a brain so he doesn't feel like a fool all the time. The Cowardly Lion wants to find his courage so he can worthy of becoming a king. And the Tinman wants to find a heart so he can appreciate love. But there's a twist about all of these great things that they want, but you'll have to either watch the movie or read the book to find out for yourself."
"Does the Tinman look like Connor?"
"Nope, but the way the Tinman looks for a heart only to discover he didn't need to look very far reminds me of the way Connor acts around you guys."
"I don't get it." Being only six years old meant that Cole couldn't quite grasp metaphors or symbolism in stories. "Why?"
"Believe me, kiddo, when you figure it out for yourself you'll understand completely." The sound of the Oldsmobile pulling into the driveway beside the house caught Gavin's ear and he gave Cole a small nod. "They're back."
"Yeah!" Cole scrambled out of his chair and rushed into the livingroom. The moment the front door opened and Connor entered the house, Cole ran up to the freezing android to give him a big hug around his legs. "You're back!"
"Y-Yes, I'm here." Connor sheepishly replied as he wrapped his arm around Cole's shoulders. "I'm sorry if you were worried."
"Not worried!" The little boy confirmed as he broke his hug with a big smile on his face. "I knew you'd come back!"
Hank patted Connor's shoulder twice and took off his coat and shoes by the front door. "Now, let's all go sit in the kitchen and unwind with some good food."
Despite not being able to eat anything that humans ate Connor chose to accompany everyone into the kitchen and merely be present for the meal. When he saw Hank carry the turkey over to the table and then sit down at the head of the table with Gavin to his left and Cole to his right, Connor suddenly noticed a fourth chair and a fourth setting at the table completely unoccupied.
"All right, everyone sit down while I carve the turkey." Hank stated firmly as Gavin got up really quick to put all the side dishes down and get everyone something to drink. When he noticed Connor standing back Hank motioned to the vacant plate at the table and encouraged Connor to sit down. "You too, Connor."
The invitation made Connor's L.E.D. flicker to a confused yellow before returning to a calm blue. "...Me?"
"Yeah, you." Right on cue Cole reached under the table and presented a bottle of Thirium while Hank kept trying to get the android to take a seat. "I said we're ALL going to sit down for dinner. You can have your Thirium while the rest of us make pigs out of ourselves."
"Oh... I see." Pulling back his chair Connor sat down and suddenly felt seen. "Thank you, Lieutenant."
Cole smirked as Connor took the seat opposite of Hank but next to himself and Gavin at the table. Everyone had somewhere they belonged on Thanksgiving and everyone was welcome to sit together for dinner that night.
"Okay, everyone take as much as you want!" Hank encouraged as he finished carving the turkey and placed generous portions down on Cole's and Gavin's plates. There was plenty of food to go around and Hank didn't want any of it to go to waste. "We'll put the leftovers aside, pack up a few to-go plates for Gavin to take home, then we'll take all the extra food to the shelters for the evening."
Gavin had no objections and was happy to obey such a simple request. "No problem! And uh, thanks for the invite, Hank. It's nice to be with other people during the holidays now that I'm single again. So, thanks."
"If you want to thank me properly, then help with the dishes afterward."
"Done." Digging into his mound of mashed potatoes Gavin had no issue with such an easy means of thanking Hank for his kindness. "I'll even dry the dishes too!"
"Then Connor," as he spoke Hank watched the android's eyes narrow for a moment as if preparing for another shouting match. "you're going to stay here with Cole while me and Reed go back to work. I know you'll be able to keep him from eating all the cheesecake and make sure he goes to bed at a reasonable hour. AND you'll keep Sumo from sneaking snacks out of the trash that'll make him sick."
"It's just going to me and Connor tonight?" Cole asked excitedly as he looked over at the returned android beside him then looked back at his dad. "Can we watch a movie together?"
"Always." Hank confirmed as he cut into his turkey then motioned for Cole to do the same and finally start eating. "Movie night means I know exactly where you guys are going to be at all times."
"Awesome! Connor, we're going to watch 'The Wizard of Oz' tonight! Okay?"
"...Yes, that's okay." Unsure of what he had missed or why he suddenly felt more accepted in the household, Connor managed a small smirk and agreed to watch that specific movie that night alongside Cole. It was like small bits and pieces of the timeline that he once knew were beginning to meld into the new timeline at long last. "I'm looking forward to it."
-next chapter-