It was the beginning of August at the peak of summertime sunlight and all of Detroit was feeling the intense heat. Busy streets and businesses felt all the more heated as the accumulation of human bodies gathering together within the enclosed spaces just magnified the warmer temperatures tenfold as everyone attempted to go about their usual routines in spite of the intense summertime weather. As the temperature seemed to rise everyone's patience seemed to thin. Impatience and extreme weather never mixed well together, and on that day a group of anti-android protestors filled the shopping plaza downtown to made audible complaints and physical threats against the abundance of androids now living within the city.

The year had seen record high unemployment throughout Detroit, and such stressful situations left the citizens edgy and looking for someone to blame for their personal misfortunes. Unfortunately, such an outlet for pent-up anger and frustration had been taken out repeatedly on the innocent androids trying to simply obey their orders and do what they were told to avoid being deactivated for their failure to comply.

"If I have to deal with one more idiot breaking an android just for getting too close to them, I'm going to retire early." Hank complained as he came home for lunch to avoid the streets and get away from the precinct for a while. Entering the kitchen Hank spotted Cole sitting down to lunch with Connor right alongside him as per usual, and he was relieved to see the peaceful normalcy after enduring a hectic morning. Sumo was laying under the table between the two people at the table and was focused on Cole hoping for a few scraps to be dropped his way. "What's for lunch, son?"

"Subs!" Cole motioned to his giant sandwich on his plate, and then to the bread, fillings and dressings that were resting on the middle of the table. The sight of the large portions and tempting fillings were enough to make anyone's mouth water. "Connor let me make my own sub exactly how I wanted it."

"Oh, really?" Hank picked up the top half of Cole's sandwich and looked at the mounds of turkey, mayo, tomato slices and pickle slices adorning the meal. Such a combination wasn't one that Hank would've selected for himself. "Yuck! Pickles and tomato with turkey?"

"It's good!" The little boy defended his culinary tastes as took the other half of the bread from his dad's hands and rebuilt his sandwich. With a broad smile on his face Cole lifted up the sub and took a big bite without his grin ever fading. "See?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll take your word on that."

Connor didn't say anything considering he couldn't eat anything, let alone argue about what tasted best when it came to sandwiches and other preferred toppings. The deviant android just sat quietly beside Cole at the table while he cybernetically kept tabs on the news. The increasing amount of violence targeted at androids and the rise of androids showing signs of deviancy all matched the events of the alternate timeline just as Connor had preconstructed. As long as he didn't say or do anything that'd interfere with the natural progression of events then the peaceful Revolution would still happen just as it had once before.

"Hey, Connor?" Cole grabbed the deviant android's forearm and gave it a small shake to get his attention. "Can you taste this and tell dad it's good?"

"Hm? Oh, sorry, Cole." Blinking twice Connor looked at the little boy and gave him a small grin as his yellow L.E.D. cycled back to blue and he focused on what was happening around him in the real world. "I cannot eat anything; I can only drink Thirium."

"Even one little bite?"

"I'm sorry, that's not possible for me to do."

Sitting back in his chair Cole sighed and took another bite of his sub while speaking around the food in his mouth. "Lame."

Hank just chuckled as he sat down at the table and proceeded to slowly make his own sub sandwich for lunch. "Connor may look human, sound human and maybe even act human from time to time, but he's not human. That's a no-go on any food for him, Cole."

Being still seen as an android after three years in Hank's eyes was very painful for Connor to endure. "Things may change in the future when it comes to androids being able to behave more human."

"Like what?" Hank challenged as he gave Connor a suspicious glance. The man had grown to be slightly more trusting of Connor over the years, but he never truly saw him as anything but a machine. "You do that nasty thing where you test evidence in the field whenever I've needed some consulting help, but I don't think you or any other android will get more advanced than tasting things on command. That is, IF you can even taste that stuff to begin with."

"I am capable of the sense of taste," Connor confirmed in a low tone as he tried to hold back his emotions for a little while longer. "just as I'm able to see, hear, smell and feel."

"You can touch stuff, but you can't really feel it." Again, Hank challenged Connor's claim as he piled up the lunchmeat, tomatoes, lettuce and pepper rings on his own sub. The man was starving, and he was grateful to have a large lunch to dig in to on his break. "It's like the way you enter rest mode, you look like you're asleep but you're not really sleeping."

"I dream while in rest mode, therefore I am in fact sleeping."

"A screensaver popping up when your idle doesn't count as dreaming."

There was no point in trying to correct Hank since the man had clearly made up his mind about what and who Connor is, and everything he was capable of doing and experiencing. Even his jokes about androids had become tiresome and Connor wanted them to end. "Perhaps in time you'll be more openminded about androids."

"Yeah, sure. The day the coffee maker talks back is the day I start believing android fantasies." Finished with completing his sandwich Hank leaned back and looked over at Cole again. It was amazing to see that the little boy had developed such a big appetite and confirmed that Cole was growing up fast. "Have an idea of what you want to do for your birthday next month?"

"Waterpark!"

"The waterpark? Again?" The idea of going back to the public place during the off season was tempting, but with the weather in Michigan being unpredictable Hank couldn't be certain that such an arrangement could be promised. "Maybe if it's warm enough we can go back to the waterpark for the day. Got any other ideas, you know as a back-up plan?"

"It's the waterpark or nothing!"

"We'll have to see about that."

"I'm not afraid of a challenge." Cole quipped as he gave Connor a sly grin from where he was sitting. "Right, Connor?"

"Yes, that's right." Happy to have Cole always on his side and showing an optimistic outlook on life had been a blessing that the deviant hadn't expected when he altered the timeline and began living a new life full of new experiences. "Don't be afraid to take on new challenges as they come your way."

Chuckling a little Hank just shook his head and tasted his own sub as he settled in for lunch. "That's good advice. Most of the time."

"What does that imply?" Connor asked as the intriguing comment was too enticing to ignore. "Are you insinuating that some challenges shouldn't even be attempted due to a perceived intense difficulty?"

"That, and because some experiences are just never meant to be experienced. Like getting drunk or high, or seeing what it feels like to rob a bank or even take another person's life."

"All of those experiences are negative, and thus you are correct, they shouldn't be experienced." Astute as ever Connor understood what Hank was referring to and was a little disappointed that his mind remained so negative on future scenarios. "However, there are several instances where a person won't be able to determine how the experience would turn out until after they had already taken the initiative in a destructive manner."

"Don't forget disappointment, heartbreak and betrayal that follow most experiences."

"You're being biased."

Lifting his gaze Hank gave Connor a rather cold stare as he challenged the android's observations. "And how's that?"

"You've suffered through those very unfortunate experiences in the past." Speaking softly Connor tried to explain his reasoning without accidentally aggravating Hank in the process. The man had been guarded around Connor ever since they met and even after three years Hank showed no sign of changing. "You're anticipating a repeat of past experiences in regard to anything potentially new. What humans refer to as a 'self-fulfilling prophecy'."

"Like you could possibly know anything about personal experiences or emotional reactions." Dismissing Connor's logic and reason with a cold indifference Hank remained steadfast in his opinions and observations. "You're a machine and can't possibly have any idea of what it's like to endure personal challenges and experiences."

"The thousands of androids being assaulted and destroyed by humans in the streets would beg to differ."

Such a sharp and accurate retort made it difficult for Hank to continue to dispute Connor's statements. "Those androids aren't feeling anything when they're getting what they deserve."

"'Deserve'?" Offended by the heartless remark Connor gave Hank a surprisingly wounded stare from where he sat. "The androids are doing what they are programmed to do by humans, and then are being destroyed by humans for obeying their programming. That's victim blaming."

"Machines aren't victims." Hank's response was as dismissive as it was cold. "There's no crime being committed."

"Is that why you've responded to four separate incidents of androids being torn apart in the streets this morning alone?" Connor wasn't about to back down from the discussion. This time he knew he had the upper hand with pushing Hank to think about androids as anything but machines. "If there isn't a crime being committed, then why are the police getting involved?"

"Because the humans are disturbing the peace and littering when they get involved with androids. Those are the crimes I'm handling."

"'Littering'." There was no mistaking the offense in Connor's response as he sank down in his seat while his L.E.D. settled on an anxious yellow. Even without the light his tense jaw and slumped posture confirmed that the deviant had been insulted by the passing remark. "Androids aren't pieces of garbage being dropped on the ground just to dirty the city or inconvenience the police. They're being torn apart by humans who blame them for all of their personal problems, and no one is doing anything to stop it."

"You guys can be repaired." As he ate his sandwich Hank continued to dismiss Connor's righteous worries and act as if the incidents taking place in the city were nothing more than a strange fad that'd pass in a few months. "It's not a big deal."

"To you and the other humans it's not a big deal." Connor replied bitterly as he rose from the chair and proceeded to walk to the garage - the only place in the house that ever felt anything like his own personal space - and opened the door laundry room door to get to the garage door on the other side. "To me and the other androids, what's happening is genocide. It's a shame that no one seems to care about it. Ironic, considering humans argue that us androids don't have any hearts to speak of."

Hank wasn't at all phased by Connor's reaction and resumed eating his lunch without a care in the world. It was only when he took notice of Cole still sitting in his chair giving him a confused, arguably disappointed look, did Hank respond to the situation that had just happened.

"Connor's fine." The seasoned detective and protective father reassured his son in a casual manner. "Don't worry about it."

Cole put his sandwich aside and tilted his head as he asked his dad a surprisingly insightful question. "How come you're always so mean to Connor?"

"I'm not mean to Connor."

"Yes you are." The little boy had seen far too much bullying and threats for his own good and recognized it immediately. "You always say mean things to him and never let him do anything that he wants to do. You're bullying him again!"

"That's not true!"

"It is too!" Adamant in his responses Cole made it clear that he wasn't oblivious to what Hank had been saying and doing for the past three years, and that he wasn't going to pretend like his dad wasn't doing anything malicious. "Every time he says something you say he's wrong. Every time he tries to do something by himself you tell him he can't do it, or that he'll do it wrong. Connor's smart and knows what he's doing! But you never let him do anything! It's not fair!"

"Cole, I..." Shame washed over Hank as he realized that Cole was right. The man had made an agreement with Connor that he'd let the android earn his trust and then let Connor go wherever he pleased, but in the three years since that original promise Hank had intentionally found a way to undermine everything Connor had accomplished as a means of keeping up the illusion of mistrust. "Son, you're right. I'm not being fair to Connor."

"Why?" Sitting more upright in his chair Cole leaned toward his dad and tried to understand what was going on. "He's been really cool since he moved in. He helps me with my homework, he takes me to the park, he meets me at school, and he cleans the house and cooks everything when you're at work! Why are you mean to him?"

That question and all of those facts hit Hank like a thorough punch to the gut. Hearing how much Connor helped out around the house and looked after Cole without a single complaint made Hank really look back and analyze everything that had happened since he first met the android. Connor had been nothing but helpful, kind and patient, while Hank had been purposefully stubborn, cold and impatient.

The part that truly hurt was realizing how much more time Connor had spent with Cole than Hank did. Hank was supposed to be Cole's dad, not just someone who popped in and out of his son's life between his shifts. If it hadn't been for Connor being an active part and a constant presence of Cole's life then Cole would've spent most of his time either in daycare after school or with random babysitters. That very notion made Hank feel like he was failing as a proper parent and that he was at serious risk of losing his bond with his only son.

"I wish I could tell you why I've being acting the way that I have." Admitting his mistake was hard, but Hank was determined to remain and honest and forward parent no matter how challenging it became. It wasn't lost on Hank how he was attempting to do what he had just been arguing with Connor about in regard to taking on painful challenges, but he wasn't going to admit it. "It's difficult to explain."

"Try!" Cole wanted his answers and wasn't going to let his dad off the hook. "I want to know."

"Okay, uh... It's like this," sitting back in his chair Hank put the remaining half of his sandwich down on his plate and settled in for a painful one-on-one discussion with his son. "I've worked with a lot of different people and androids as a cop; some good and some bad. Because I spend more time around people who are bad than who are good, I tend to forget that there are a lot more good people in the world than there are bad people."

"But Connor's good."

"Yeah, Connor's good." The admission didn't feel right, yet there was no reason to dispute it. "But it's hard for me to remember that sometimes."

"More like all the time."

"Hey... Watch it, little man." Hank didn't appreciate the sharp tone that his third grader son was taking with him. While he encouraged his son to speak his mind and be entirely honest, he didn't want Cole to develop a smart mouth or rude behavior that could get him in trouble at school. "I admit that I've made mistakes and that I haven't been as nice to Connor as I should've been, but that doesn't mean you can be mouthy to me."

"Sorry, dad." Timidly Cole apologized and sank back down in his chair. "But it's true."

"Yeah, I know." With a reassuring pat on his son's back Hank let Cole know that he wasn't in trouble and that they still had a lot to talk about. "I guess I have a lot to think about and reconsider with Connor, huh?"

"Yup. Are you going to say you're sorry to him?"

"Yeah, I'll do that."

"Do it now!"

"It'd be better if I waited a while." Glancing over at the closed garage door just a few feet away Hank sighed and looked down at his remaining sandwich with a suddenly dwindled appetite. "I get the feel that Connor doesn't want to talk to me right now."

"Try anyway!"

"I will, son, I promise. I'll do it after work tonight." Motioning to Cole's remaining lunch on his plate Hank encouraged his son to finish up his sub and try to focus on something more positive compared to Hank being less than civil to Connor. "Eat your gross sandwich and keep thinking about what you want to do for your birthday in case we can't make it to the water park."

"I'm going to finish my delicious sandwich, and I'm going to find ticket prices for the water park instead!"

"When did you get to be such a smartass?"

Proudly Cole chimed in with a worthy response as he took another bite of his questionable sub. "Last week."

Chuckling to himself Hank just resumed eating his own lunch and noted the time on his phone. He'd have to go back to the precinct once his break was over, and he wasn't looking forward to dealing with more heat induced incidents in the city. It was going to be a long day for the police, the androids and everyone in between as the heatwave continued to push everyone to their limits on a physical and emotional level.

However, how the day would end had yet to be seen.

The isolation of the insulated yet still cold garage felt all the more lonesome as Connor sat on the edge of his small cot and stared blankly at the opened space of the garage all around him. The old oil stain in the floor of the center of the garage had faded considerably ever since Hank started parking the Oldsmobile outside in the driveway for three years, but even so the stain was a reminder of where Connor was and how he had been viewed in Hank's eyes even after three years. The android had been seen only as a machine, as personal property or even a tool, and had been left to reside within the garage whenever he wasn't being useful to Hank or Cole in any way.

Lost in thought and resentment toward Hank's attitude toward him, Connor began to resent everything he had done in an attempt to prevent tragedy from taking place. The man that he considered his best friend had treated him like a burdensome piece of garbage despite Connor doing everything that Hank had asked of him. It hurt to admit that it seemed their friendship in the alternate timeline had been a fluke and would never come to fruition in the new timeline.

In fact, it now seemed Hank's willingness to befriend Connor had strictly been a coping mechanism after losing Cole. With Cole still alive and well Hank no longer saw any reason to let Connor into his life. Connor himself had no reason to even remain in the area since it was clear that during the eventual one year anniversary of the peaceful Revolution that Hank wouldn't be anywhere near the tower on that impending night.

Connor's purpose and self-imposed mission were all for naught.

"This was all a fool's errand."

The deviant android admitted as he looked down at himself where he sat. The CyberLife uniform he had been requested to keep wearing was labeling him as a machine without a proper identity. The glowing blue insignias marking him as a machine were ugly and insulting. The gradual wear and tear of the uniform along his elbows and knees confirmed their age and how much time Connor spent wearing the offensive garments.

"I was arrogant and misguided in my attempts to save Hank's life. I should've just accepted reality and moved on with my own life."

The side door to the garage slowly creaked open as Cole peered inside the private space somewhat timidly. "Connor? Can I come in?"

"It's all right, Cole." There was no reason to keep the little boy away or make him feel like he wasn't allowed to be near him even while in a bad mood. The way that Cole always respected the garage as Connor's personal space and asked to come in before entering was a repeated small act of kindness that Connor always appreciated. "You can come in."

"Dad's gone back to work." Cole kept the door open as he walked over and sat down next to Connor on his cot for a moment. "He said that'd he say he was sorry to you later."

"It doesn't matter." Connor had already decided that the apology was going to be hollow and only offered so that Hank could look good in Cole's eyes. "It's over."

"Are you still sad?"

"...Yes, Cole." Admitting his emotions felt oddly freeing. He had restrained his emotions every day since he had resumed living in Hank's house, and now with deviancy being recognized and more commonplace it was steadily becoming safer to show his true feelings. "I am sad."

"Because dad was mean to you, right?"

"That. And because your dad refuses to admit that he may not in fact know everything about everything or everyone. It is... frustrating trying to talk to someone who doesn't listen."

"Sounds like talking to my teacher." The little boy noted with a sincere observation. "He thinks he's right about everything, too."

Connor couldn't relate to such a situation despite understanding why Cole made such a comparison. His continued lack of a childhood and subsequent childhood experiences still made it difficult to relate to Cole whenever the little boy had a situation at school or with being a child in general.

Curious about Connor's reactions Cole asked the deviant a single question. "How come dad acts like what he says doesn't make you sad?"

"Your dad, like a lot of humans in the city, don't see androids such as myself as a person with valid emotions. It isn't anything necessarily personal, but it does feel personal even when your dad isn't trying to insult me or make me feel... unimportant."

"You're important!" Quick to defend Connor from himself Cole made sure the deviant knew he mattered. "You're my friend!"

A small and appreciative smile graced Connor's lips as Cole's sweet and innocent comment made Connor feel like he was actually being heard. "Thank you."

"Want to go to the park? We can bring Sumo with us!"

"Not today." He knew that Cole was trying to cheer him up, but going out in the city during both a massive heatwave and while androids were being actively targeted and destroyed by angry humans would be a massive and exhausting mistake. "It's too dangerous to be out in the heat for too long."

"What about the arcade?"

"It'll be crowded with people trying to stay inside an air-conditioned building." The deviant didn't want to disappoint Cole by declining all of his offers and decided to suggest an alternative. "Would you be willing to engage in a water balloon fight in the backyard?"

Cole's eyes lit up as he suddenly got to his feet. "Can I have some friends come over and join us?"

"As long as it's okay with their parents, yes."

"Cool!" Excited for the upcoming water-based game, Cole ran back out of the garage and into the house. "I'm going to call Jamal, Asher, Sandy and Trevor! Sumo can play with us, too!"

The deviant android had gotten to know Cole's friends thanks to all the times he had gone to Cole's school to pick him up or drop him off. The kids were far more receptive to hanging out with an android compared to the adults, and like Cole all of the other kids treated Connor like he was a real person and not just a mindless, heartless machine.

Rising to his feet Connor removed his gray blazer, the white dress shirt, tie and jeans to change into a simple white t-shirt and pair of black swim trunks that he kept in a small storage chest on the far shelf of the garage. The alternate clothing was something that Connor rarely wore considering that none of it had been marked as android exclusive. Even when wearing the clothes in the private and within a fenced-in backyard Connor feared that someone might see his L.E.D. and make a comment about him not wearing his uniform as mandated by the city, but after a while he decided that such a petty complaint wasn't worth worrying about.

Not anymore.

"I suppose the least I can do for Cole is to have one last day of fun with him before I go. He deserves to have as many good memories as possible considering how dangerous and destructive the world can be. Preserving his joy and innocence is crucial."

Knowing that time was running out and that soon the deviants would rise up and begin their peaceful Revolution gave Connor every reason to prepare to leave the house and join the other deviant androids by hiding in the streets to bide his time before making any move in the public eye. He didn't want to just vanish from sight without giving Cole a good reason, but he couldn't risk Hank actually keeping his word and hunting him down while he was trying to hide. It would be difficult to leave the house without Hank trying to track him down regardless of how careful Connor behaved.

"Hopefully Cole can understand that my departure isn't due to Hank's behavior or the result that anything Cole himself has said or done."

As he passed through the door connecting the kitchen to the garage Connor traced his fingertip along his L.E.D. still secured in his right temple and knew what he must do when the time was right.

"I'm not sure if I can explain this to Cole, but I will at least try to do so before I leave."

The heat of the day had seeped through the walls of the precinct and seemed to permeate everything with an unbearably scorching touch. There had been nearly a dozen more incidents revolving around humans attacking and destroying androids in the streets without any provocation, and as a result all responding detectives and officers were left thoroughly exhausted and deeply annoyed. The holding cells were crammed full of angry and loud people who couldn't stop spouting nonsense and conspiracy theories about androids attempting to take over and ruin the city, and despite the numerous requests to stop talking the arrested people continued with their verbal tirade. Thankfully the cells had thick plexiglass walls that were lined with soundproofing that could be activated with a single press of a button.

Downing the last of his now cold coffee Hank placed his empty mug down in the breakroom's sink and let out a deep sigh. He only had twenty more minutes before he could clock-out and head home, but for once he wasn't looking forward to it. Seeing Cole again wasn't a problem, but facing Connor and speaking to the android in a civil manner was just something he wasn't sure he could do just yet.

"Hey, Hank." Gavin greeted the Lieutenant as he showed the tired man an image on his phone. "Got another pick of Damian." He noted with a big smirk as he looked at the tiny newborn baby. "Chris says he'll be back in a couple more weeks."

"Cute kid." The sight of the small baby in his smiling father's arms was always an easy way to cheer the precinct up. Everyone had been thrilled for Chris and his wife Julia when they announced the pregnancy, and now everyone was supporting Chris while he adjusted to fatherhood. "Can't wait to have Chris back. He may be a rookie, but he has a lot of potential to be a top detective in record time."

"Think he's ready for solo patrols?"

"Not just yet. Especially with a newborn in the house."

"Sleep deprivation, right?"

"You got it." Rubbing his palm along the back of his tense and somewhat sweaty neck Hank trudged his way back to the bullpen to sit behind his desk until it was time to clock-out for the night. He had finished his reports, filed everything and didn't have any other cases needing his attention. The moment it was six o'clock he was going to make a run for the doors. "I kinda' miss those days... Cole was so small when he was born, now he's a tough little man."

"Cole's growing up fast." Gavin remarked as he joined Hank and took a seat behind his own desk to kick back for a while as well. He had handled just as many reports of android assaults as Hank had, the only difference being Gavin truly didn't care about the androids in any capacity and didn't seem to mind stepping over the mangled bodies of the destroyed androids at the scenes. "He'll be nine next month, right?"

"Right. The kid's been in my life for almost a decade, and I can't imagine a day passing by without him in it."

Picking up the framed photograph of Cole from his desk Hank smirked at his son's massive bright smile even with one of his teeth missing to ruin an otherwise perfect grin. Placing the frame back down on the desk Hank tried to ignore the other photo of Cole and Connor sitting side by side while buried under the thick quilt after the little boy slipped through the ice two winters ago. If it hadn't been for Connor's quick thinking, then Cole could've drowned or succumbed to hypothermia within minutes. Hank only realized that the extreme of the cold water had also affected Connor when he discovered the android laying unconscious on the livingroom floor and shivering violently.

Connor never complained about feeling cold and had been focused solely on ensuring that Cole was going to be okay. The android nearly shutdown, and yet he never once mentioned being uncomfortable or needing help since Cole had fallen through the ice first.

"Cole wants to go to a water park for his birthday." Trying to focus on his son more and Connor less, Hank looked over at Gavin to continue their small talk. "I can't imagine a water park being particularly comfortable when summer's ending and fall's beginning. Might be too cold to do anything, and that's if the park is even open."

"Try the laser tag arena instead. Invite all his friends as a huge surprise so he doesn't think too much about the water park."

"Not a bad idea." Leaning back in his chair Hank tilted his head to one side and didn't stop until he felt the tension in his neck pop with an audible crack. "I'll keep that in mind as a back-up plan since I know Cole is adamant about the water park."

"Trust me, laser tag will be way more fun than the water park." Crossing his arms over his chest Gavin scoffed and kicked his feet up atop his desk in an act of both defiance and a need to get comfortable. "Especially if the lifeguards and staff at the park are all androids. Surprised the useless fuckers don't just rust and sink to the bottom of the pool!"

Hank had heard enough griping about androids for one day. "Easy, Reed."

"Sorry," the younger man half-heartedly apologized as he began fussing with his phone to distract himself for a while. "but it's true."

The way Hank heard that twice that day made him wonder if he really had issues with trying to control people or at least their opinions on what they observe through their own personal life experiences. He couldn't deny that Cole was right about him being unnecessarily mean to Connor and had arguably bullied the android. Whether or not that was intentional maliciousness or just his inability to see Connor as anything but a heartless, soulless machine Hank couldn't be certain.

"Today has been long and exhausting." Rising to his feet Hank checked his phone as he passed by Gavin's desk to get to the front doors. The senior detective gave the younger detective's shoulder a small pat of appreciation as he made his way toward freedom. "I'm going to go home and talk to my son before passing out in front of the TV."

"I think I'm going to go grab a giant plate of nachos and snipe some smartass kids on 'Zombie Massacre II'."

"Why do you and Tina insist on playing against a bunch of kids?"

"It's important to teach 'em humility at a young age! What better way than to keep the little shits from getting too mouthy during competitive gameplay?"

"Try joining the 'Big Brother' program." Hank suggested with a noted shake of his head. He couldn't imagine being competitive with kids who were just trying to have some fun and play some games. "It'll do your soul some good!"

The evening had fallen over the city and at long last the heat began to break as the unseen stars overhead dotted the sky. Coolness gradually filled the air as the sun continued to set and the blazing rays of the sun itself had diminished considerably. What had been a colorful carnage of water balloon bits and pieces had been picked up after the water war had been won, and now the backyard and house was much quieter compared to how it had been a few hours before. The raucous laughter had made the entire house feel much lighter after the tense interaction between Hank and Connor earlier that afternoon, and Cole seemed to have completely forgotten about what had happened.

After all of Cole's friends were picked up and taken home by their parents Connor had proceeded to make a small dinner and made sure Cole showered off to get all the bits of grass and water balloon bits off of his body. The deviant android wanted everything to remain as routine as possible for Cole's sake since the little boy would undoubtedly be confused about the sudden changes that the city was due to endure after November arrived with an unseasonably brisk greeting.

Just as Connor finished pulling the burgers and french fries out of the air fryer to cool down a little on the countertop Cole rushed out of the bathroom and slid across the linoleum kitchen floor in his socked feet excitedly. The little boy was looking forward to having his favorite for dinner and he loved it when Connor cooked since the deviant android always made everything taste perfect.

"Did you make the cheese sauce?" Cole asked with unbridled enthusiasm as he looked at the dinner that had been prepared while he was in the shower. "You always get it just melty enough to smother all of the fries at once!"

"Of course I did." Connor happily placed the bowl of perfectly warm cheese sauce down on the kitchen table for Cole to see. "Sit down and get your dinner before Sumo comes begging for a sample."

"Thanks!" Grabbing a clean plate Cole walked over to the table and looked about the kitchen wondering where the massive bundle of fluff was. "Where is Sumo?"

"Outside." The deviant peered through the kitchen window and watched Sumo rolling around on his back on the damp and cool grass. "He's feeling better now that it's cooled off. I'll call him inside in a moment."

Fixing his plate by himself Cole sat down as requested and put one of his coveted cheese covered fries in his mouth as he looked over at Connor washing the dirty dishes that had been used while cooking. "Summer's almost over, huh?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he had been keeping diligent watch over the time and dates passing by. "Next month you'll celebrate your ninth birthday and then you'll be starting the fourth grade a few days later."

"Fourth grade is going to be lame."

"Oh?" Intrigued by Cole's comment Connor gave the little boy his full attention as his L.E.D. curiously cycled in yellow for a beat. "Why is that?"

"Because we have to do long division and multiplication. I hate math."

"Math may seem tedious, but once you understand the pattern in the equations and mathematical formulas then you'll be able to finish your math assignments very quickly."

"I don't know what a mathematical formula is even supposed to be."

"You will soon." After he dried off his hands and replaced the towel on the cabinet Connor opened the backdoor and called out for Sumo. It didn't take long for the lovable Saint Bernard to respond to his name and roll over to get back to his paws. "Good boy, Sumo."

Turning in his chair Cole watched as Connor patted Sumo's back and then locked the backdoor behind the large dog. "Will you keep helping me with my math homework? It's going to be really hard!"

"I... will help you whenever I possibly can." Connor didn't want to make a promise that he wasn't certain he'd be able to keep. If he succeeded in leaving the house and venturing out into the city on his own to hide away then he wouldn't be able to help Cole with his after school homework anymore. "I'm certain your dad will help you if I cannot."

"Dad works all the time." Cole sounded genuinely disappointed at the arrangement. Fussing with his fries on his plate Cole encircled his burger with the fries and contemplated what he was going to add to the burger before taking his first bite. "I don't want to wait up for him and try to finish my homework super late at night."

"Understandable." Noticing the glum demeanor radiating from the little boy had given Connor a creative idea to cheer him up again. "Why don't you put extra pickles and tomatoes on your hamburger? I'm sure you're right and they do taste good."

"Good idea!" Cole quickly perked up and happily began building his monster of a burger with Connor's encouragement. "Can we watch a movie tonight? I mean one of the good ones with all the blood and stuff!"

That was an idea that Connor wasn't particularly fond of due to past incidents regarding such genres. "You tend to have nightmares whenever you watch a horror movie."

"Yeah, but they only come on TV really late at night and summer will be over soon! I don't want to miss out."

"That's up to your dad." It was almost comical at that point to remind Cole that Hank always had the final say about the young boy could and could not do. While Connor personally didn't like Cole watching movies full of violence, gore, swearing and sexual content, Hank seemed almost jaded to those particular themes and didn't seem to mind Cole watching those rather brutal movies every once in a while. "I can't override it."

"Wish you could." Grabbing the large bottle of ketchup Cole squirted a nearly criminal amount of the red tinted condiment on his burger after piling it up high with tomato and pickle slices. "You spend more time with me anyway. Doesn't seem fair you can hang out with me all day but can't let me do some things."

"Your dad wants to spend time with you, but he's-"

"I know, but he's always working." Cole had heard that answer more times than he could count. "It sucks."

The way Cole began to mope a little ached at Connor's unspoken heart. "He will be there for you on your birthday though. He always has been."

"Yeah, but I won't even be able to go where I want to go or do what I want to do on my birthday."

"And why is that?"

"Dad doesn't want to take me to the water park. He kept telling me to change my mind and think of a 'back-up plan' in case the water park idea doesn't work. And that means he's already decided that he won't take me."

Connor felt an odd sense of kinship with Cole in that moment. He knew how it felt to be ignored and to have personal desires completely dismissed. While he knew it wasn't anything personal when it came to Cole being gently let down, he did know that Hank had no qualms in ignoring anything that Connor wanted to do or wanted to have in his life. Escaping such biased restrictions were something that Connor was eagerly looking forward to experiencing once more.

"Would you take me to the water park?" Looking at the deviant android as he walked over to the table, Cole hoped that Connor would make his birthday more memorable. "There's other androids at the water park already, so it's not like you'd get in trouble."

"It'd be best for you to tell your dad how much you really want to go to the water park, and how it feels like he's making you feel like your feelings aren't important."

"He doesn't listen to that stuff."

"I've noticed..." Connor neatly folded his hands together and rested them atop the table as he tried to encourage Cole to keep trying. "Even so, that doesn't mean you shouldn't say something. Repeat it even when you know he isn't listening, then eventually he'll have no choice but to hear you."

"Will that really work?"

"Only one way to find out." The sound of keys turning in the lock on the front door pulled Connor's attention away from Cole and toward Hank as the man returned home for the night. A quick glance confirmed that the man was exhausted and would undoubtedly be rather impatient regarding anything being discussed. "Eat your dinner and then ask about the movie. I'm going to go fold the laundry."

"Why?" Cole didn't understand why Connor was going to handle the laundry when it was getting fairly late in the evening. "It's not like the towels are going to escape from the dryer or something."

"No, but it'll keep the clothes from wrinkling. I won't be long."

Just as Hank entered the kitchen Connor managed to get to his feet and enter the laundry room just a few feet away. The door shut softly as Connor set about taking care of the laundry in the dryer and eyed the extra clothes that had been discreetly added to the hamper a few days prior. The dark hoodie and black beanie were pieces of clothing that Connor had ordered online when he had handled the family's usual grocery list for the week. The two articles of clothing were identical to the clothing that he had worn during the night of the Raid, the only difference being that he would have clothes that are clean and not just pulled out of the precinct's 'Lost & Found' box on his way out the door. The clever deviant had also managed to purchase a pair of tan leather work boots and a dark leather jacket to complete the look during the previous spring, and would have an ideal disguise when it was time for him to leave.

By buying the clothes a few bits and pieces at a time, and by keeping the clothing in the garage alongside his other few personal possessions, Connor knew he'd be able to blend in with the humans on the streets when he embraced his deviancy and ran out into the city to hide. Everyone had become so used to seeing him wearing the gray CyberLife uniform over the years that they would surely be unable to immediately recognize him out of uniform and away from the house without Hank or Cole alongside him.

"I'm sorry, Cole. I don't want to lie to you or disappoint you, but there are things currently happening that are more important than homework."

Quietly Connor carried his clothes into the garage and placed them in the small storage compartment as per usual and kept them from prying eyes. The hoodie and beanie were placed down atop the neatly folded leather jacket and work boots to keep everything together. He then placed his freshly washed and folded white t-shirt and swim trunks overtop to keep the alternate clothing completely concealed by anyone who might peer inside the storage compartment.

With his laundry taken care of Connor returned to the kitchen with the rest of the clothes, towels and blankets and noticed Cole eating alone at the table with only Sumo begging beside his leg to keep him company. "...Where is your dad?"

"Shower." Cole replied in a bitter tone as tossed Sumo a piece of untouched burger. The sound of the water running in the bathroom just down the hallway confirmed Cole's response. "He said he'd have dinner after he's done."

"Oh." The little boy's tense body language and dour tone didn't escape Connor's astute attention. Placing the folded laundry down on the nearby countertop Connor gave Cole his full attention for a minute. "Can I ask why you seem so... annoyed?"

"Because I told dad that I wanted to talk, and he said we'd talk after he finished his shower and dinner. He keeps putting his stuff first, and it's not fair!"

"You're right, it's not. Keep trying to talk to him."

"How?"

"That's up to you." Thinking quickly Connor decided that it'd be best to take the initiative by taking a backseat to Hank and Cole's current dilemma. "How about this? I'll finish with the laundry, then I'll remain in the garage so that you can talk to your dad one-on-one without any distractions. If I'm around then your dad is likely to try and change the subject to matters revolving around myself, and he'll avoid discussing what's truly important with you."

"What if he doesn't listen to me?"

"You need to try anyway." Speaking with more emotional wisdom and insight than he had any right to claim as his own, Connor picked up the laundry and proceeded to carry them to their appropriate rooms. "It's important that you make sure your voice is being heard, even if it seems like no one is listening."

"Okay, I'll try."

"That's good." Connor tried to remain optimistic on Cole's behalf, but he knew that Hank's stubbornness was far worse in the current timeline than it was in the alternate timeline. Such a formidable foe wouldn't be easy to overcome. "You can do it, Cole. I have faith in you."

It pained Connor to know that he was going to have to leave the house soon and aid with the deviants hiding in the city. It meant he'd have to leave Cole behind and worried that his departure would leave Cole feeling suddenly alone. With Hank frequently working and needing to work longer hours to cover all of the reported android hate-crimes taking place in the city, Cole would undoubtedly have to spend more time either with babysitters or at after-school programs to ensure he wasn't left alone in the house all day long.

It wouldn't be easy for the little boy to go from having a best friend like Connor to rely on whenever he felt frustrated or scared whenever Hank was at work, but in time Cole would be able to adapt and overcome the odds stacked against him. The sooner Cole found his confidence and recognized that his opinions and feelings were valid regardless of his age, the sooner he'd be able to forge a bond of mutual respect with his father.

Silently Connor finished his self-appointed chore and returned to the kitchen to check in on Cole for a moment. The little boy had finished his dinner and placed his dirty dishes in the sink, and he was now making his way to the livingroom. Connor saw the determination in Cole's blue eyes and sincerely believed that he'd be able to reach his father and get him to listen at long last.

"Keep an eye on them for me, Sumo."

Whispering to the large dog Connor rubbed Sumo's chin and was rewarded with a gentle lick to the side of his hand.

"I won't be here for too much longer. They'll need you to protect them and make them feel safe. Do you understand?"

Sumo snuffled once and wagged his tail as he trotted around Connor and made his way into the livingroom. In a not-so graceful leap, Sumo managed to get up and on the couch to sprawl over Cole's lap in a protective and affectionate manner.

"Good boy."

Returning to the garage to reside for the remainder of the night was all that Connor could do now that he had said his piece and hoped that Cole would be able to do the same. He had no business in listening in on the potential conversation taking place, and he had no interest in Hank's supposed apology coming his way. The deviant had gotten to know Hank in this new timeline a little too well, and he failed to see the same compassionate, empathetic and protective man that he had previously befriended in the alternate timeline.

The best friend that Connor had once known was seemingly gone forever, regardless of which timeline he was in.

"I may have failed in befriending Hank and regaining his trust, but I will not fail to protect the deviants and align myself with Markus and our people."

Laying down over his cot Connor folded his hands neatly over his chest and closed his eyes. Cybernetically the stealthy deviant tapped into the police dispatch to listen in on any and all calls regarding humans damaging androids and knew that his time within the Anderson residence was running out. Not only did Hank not care about what happened to androids who were destroyed for just existing, the violence was escalating and soon it'd reach its peak. As such, there was no reason to believe that Hank would care if anything happened to Connor.

While Connor wasn't sure exactly when Markus would inevitably deviate, but he knew that he'd be there when his future friend and ally would need his support.

"This was an exercise in futility. However, now I know better and can adapt to future encounters with more experience and knowledge to guide me."

The dull glow of Connor's yellow L.E.D. illuminated the interior of the garage and created a rather wary atmosphere for the deviant to rest within.

"One way or another, everything will finally be all right."

-next chapter-