Unwilling to let Lucas out of his sight for even a moment had left Connor exhausted and on the verge of collapse. The way that Lucas had been ambushed and left for dead made Connor feel like he had somehow failed to protect his little brother, and he wasn't about to let his guard down again. It seemed even with such a positive prognosis assuring that Lucas would make a full recovery and wouldn't need any further technical assistance, Connor couldn't dare to tear his eyes away from Lucas as he rested on his bed with Bruno and Sumo laying right up against his side. It was strange to think how just a few months ago Connor didn't even know Lucas existed, and now he couldn't imagine how much it'd hurt to lose his twin brother.

Cole had instantly taken notice of Connor's extreme worry for Lucas and did everything he could to help out. While he wasn't a detective or a deviant, Cole was still compassionate and helpful in a way that couldn't be denied. By giving Lucas some fresh Thirium and helping him get his bandages replaced Cole was able to help both of his big brothers in a way that made everyone feel a little bit better.

"I brought Lucas some more Thirium." Cole whispered as he stood beside Connor in the opened doorway. He didn't want to accidentally wake Lucas up and disturb his rest. "And I don't have camp today because of the rain, so we can do something fun with Lucas when he wakes up."

"Thank you, Cole." Blinking slowly Connor tried to ignore his exhaustion and remain upbeat for the little boy's sake. He had watched Cole grow up from a curious first grader and was now seeing Cole on the verge of entering the fifth grade; just one year shy of middle school. "I know he'll appreciate that."

"Since it's just us while dad's at work we can sneak downstairs and watch the really scary movies that he keeps locked up!"

The mischievous grin was hard to resist and made Connor smirk in return. "It's a little too soon for horror movies, but we can still watch some movies once Lucas is awake and feels like walking downstairs."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What do you want to know?"

"Since you are my big brother, and since Lucas is your twin brother, doesn't that mean he's my other big brother too?"

"Arguably, yes." Such an honest and sweet question made it hard for Connor to hang on to his bad mood. "Lucas is your brother as well."

"Does that mean you're in charge of everything that happens because you're the oldest?"

"I believe that I'm change because I'm considered an adult and because Lucas isn't in any condition to act as a caretaker as of the moment."

"When will I get to stay home alone? I'm not a helpless baby anymore."

"That's up to your dad, not me or anyone else. And for the record, I believe you're ready to be home by yourself after school for a few hours."

"Will you tell that to dad when school starts again? It's embarrassing having a babysitter."

"I'll mention it to him this summer." As he spoke Connor truly began to feel more like a big brother than ever before. "For now, we'll give Lucas some space and enjoy the day for what it is."

"And what's special about today?"

"Today is the first day we can use the pool."

Cole looked beyond excited and quickly dashed into his bedroom just behind Connor. "I'll get ready!"

Feeling a little better about everything happening Connor turned to look at Cole's closed bedroom door behind himself, then heard a small sigh from his own bedroom as Lucas finally opened his eyes and sat upright slowly to regain his bearings. "Lucas?"

"Connor." Letting out a small hiss Lucas pressed his palm to his sore chest prompted Bruno to lift his head and look at Lucas with his own worried expression. "I'm all right. I am admittedly very sore, but my self-healing program has remedied a majority of my damage."

"Let me see your bandages."

Lucas sat still and didn't shy away when Connor lifted up the gauze wrapped around his chest to make sure his lacerations had fully closed. When Connor lifted up the bandage around his forehead Lucas noticed Cole standing in the doorway looking very hopeful and excited. "Good morning, Cole."

"Hi." Cole returned the greeting as he stood before his honorary deviant brothers in his swim trunks and with a thick towel draped casually around his shoulders. "Are you feeling better, Lucas?"

"I am, thank you for asking."

"You should join us in the pool today! It's super hot outside."

Before Connor could speak up and try to politely deflect the offer Lucas nodded and accepted the offer much to Connor's surprise. "I'd like that. How about you, Bruno?"

Wagging his tail Bruno sat upright on the bed and put his paw on Lucas's knee. 'Bruno wants to be outside!'

"Okay. Let's go outside." Standing up slowly Lucas managed to find his balance and soon had Bruno's head under one hand and Sumo's head under the other. He didn't need the help of the two loving dogs, but he appreciated it all the same. "I think Sumo wants to go outside with us."

Connor nodded softly as an amused grin appeared on his previously distressed face. "Very well. I have some extra clothing you can wear while we're in the pool. It's time we've all hung out together."

The afternoon spent in the pool had done wonders for everyone as they just had one day together where there weren't any criminals needing to be located, issues at New Jericho needing to be resolved, or homework that needed to be tackled. It was a day of zero worries and a chance for everyone to decompress while cooling off in the large pool on that hot summer day. No one was afraid, upset or stressed out; everyone was just relaxed as they floated and swam about the pool while speaking with one another like they were a true family.

While Cole swam about with a round floatation ring under his chest, he spoke with Lucas while the physically exhausted deviant sat on the steps of the pool to let his body soak without needing to actually swim, and because he seemed to have an aversion to the deeper water. Connor was standing near the deep end of the pool to make sure there were no water-related accidents on his watch, and he was keeping tabs on how well both Sumo and Bruno were playing in the water.

Closing his eyes Connor cybernetically reached out to Markus at New Jericho Tower to remain apprised of everything while away from the isle. The deviant leader had returned from Washington D.C. with North after speaking with the Madame President, and Connor was curious about what had happened.

'Markus, are you free to talk?'

'Right now, yes.' Markus sounded as optimistic as ever as he replied to his friend's call. 'Carl's currently plotting his next chess move and he always takes his time.'

'Can you update me on what happened while speaking with President Warren?'

'All I can say is that deviant issues are going to be a hot-button topic for next election. However, she was very warm and receptive when North and I spoke with her in person.' As he spoke Markus continued with his game of chess and moved his piece after Carl finally made his own move. 'I could sense sincerity in her words, and I know that she didn't offer me a hollow gesture to try to secure a re-election.'

'Are you saying that we'll have the right to vote in the next election?'

'It's very possible. If we do, that'll be another monumental day for our people.'

'That's a relief to hear.' Quiet for a minute Connor thought about everything else happening in the city and dared to ask about another delicate subject as he reached out and patted Sumo's back as the large dog paddled by. 'May I ask about North's condition?'

'She's holding on. The error has begun draining her cell charge faster than usual, but she's still capable of full function and hasn't endured any serious glitches.'

'And the patch?'

'North is confident Abby will finish the patch before summer is over. The timing couldn't be more perfect either.' Markus replied with raw optimism in his tone. 'I've promised to take North on a tour of Carl's gallery when it debuts in September. She's really looking forward to it.'

Connor let out a small sigh that escaped his little brothers' attention. 'It sounds like you two are getting along as more than just leaders and colleagues.'

'Well, she's...' Even in his mind Markus sounded a little embarrassed about admitting his true feelings for North. 'It's not easy getting close to her.'

'She's a very guarded person, don't give up on reaching her. I suspect that she'll be very open to you once she has the chance to be herself without fear of other people seeing anything as a potential weakness.'

'I know she's worth the struggle, I just hate making her feel like she's less important to me than politics.'

'She understands what's happening, I assure you.' Opening his eyes for a moment Connor saw Bruno awkwardly paddling over to Lucas for some ear rubs before resuming his lap around the pool. It was fascinating to see how Bruno could act just like an organic dog, and it was the perfect evidence behind artificial intelligence truly being aware and emotional. 'What about Carl? How's he doing?'

'He's doing great! He's made an impressive recovery considering his age and preexisting conditions.' There was another pause as Markus moved his piece to the next spot on the board. Playing chess with his father was just as important as speaking with his friend. 'What about Lucas? I... Josh told me what happened.'

'He's made a full recovery and seems emotionally content.' Such an innocent question had unintentionally opened a large can of worms. 'Markus, we need to do something about the asylum.'

'I know. I've already begun discussing a role for Josh at the asylum to continue his group therapy sessions with the deviants, and to act as a liaison between the asylum and the tower. We'll also need to find a way to improve security to keep our people safe from abusive technicians and to ensure that they don't break out and wreak havoc.'

'I hope that'll be enough.'

'It'll have to do until we can think of a more effective alternative. Please let Lucas know that we're all glad that he's okay, and when he wants to speak to me again, he's always welcome to stop by the tower. I'll make the time to be available for him.'

'Thank you, my friend. I'll pass along the message.' The need to return to his family prompted Connor to end the discussion. 'I'll talk to you again soon, take care.'

"We need to make it a holiday or something!" Cole shouted as he and Lucas continued to bond while spending more time together. The shouting brought Connor back to reality and to his family around him. "A day just for just us brothers!"

Lucas seemed to be listening intently to everything Cole was saying as if he was contemplating such an idea with a sincere intrigue. "That does seem like an interesting idea. How would it work?"

"Like Father's Day! A day for just-" Cole suddenly stopped talking as he realized what he had just said. "Uh-oh. Tomorrow IS Father's Day, and I didn't get anything for dad!"

Swimming forward Connor spoke up as he decided to help Cole with his current predicament. "It's not too late to do something. What did you have in mind?"

"I wanna' get him something that he really wants. He keeps talking about cars and stuff, so maybe I can get him something cool for the car!"

"All right, then we'll-"

"Come on, Lucas." Scrambling out of the pool Cole dried himself off quickly with his towel and ran up to the backdoor. "We can go the store and Connor can stay here and let us know when dad shows up!"

Connor remained in the pool while Lucas gave him a puzzled look. It seemed the 'RK-900' had expected such a response either.

"I believe that Hank would be very worried to learn that either of us left the house with Cole today." Standing up slowly Lucas tried to not let out a pained huff as the basic motions caused his entire body to ache again. " And I'd rather not go anywhere until I've fully regained my strength."

"Agreed, but knowing Cole, he won't be willing to budge on his idea. I also fear he might blame his dad for neither of us leaving the house."

"What should we do?"

"I guess it'd be best to humor Cole."

"And how can we do that?"

"Take the autonomous van to a vehicle specialty store and let Cole pick out something of decent quality and price." Reaching out Connor took hold of Lucas's hand and cybernetically uploaded several dollars from his shared account with Hank so that Lucas could pay for the gift on Cole's behalf. "I'll remain here and ensure that if Hank stops by for lunch that he doesn't panic at the two of you being gone."

"But why should I be the one to go?"

"It's clear that Cole wants to spend more time with you. If you don't have the energy to go to the store then I'll take your place and explain things to Cole."

"No, I can do this." Lucas grabbed his own towel to dry off before entering the house. He didn't want to hide away from the world because of one deviant's actions, and he didn't want to stop living due to fear of the potentially unknown. "I can handle going to one store and then returning here."

"All right." Stepping out of the pool Connor patted the side of his leg to summon both dogs out of the water and onto the wooden deck to be dried off as well. "I'll see you as soon as you're finished with your errand."

The day had started out relatively normally and calm as the three brothers spent the afternoon together. It was only when Lucas was away from both Connor and Bruno while out in public, he did begin to feel a little uneasy. Being in such a large, busy place with Cole as his only company did little to sway Lucas's worries as he tried to remain calm and remind himself that no one was going to harm him. The two deviants who had openly made threats against him were both locked away in the asylum on the far side of the city under heavy surveillance, and he knew that if anyone did try to harm him again that Connor and Hank would help him. It was important to overcome his hesitations to prevent them from becoming full phobias that would be detrimental to his everyday life.

Only after he was able to help Cole decide on the gift that he was going to give his dad was Lucas able to feel as if he was still in control. No one had shown any aggressive tendencies toward him, no one had threatened him, and by all account no one gave a damn that a deviant was shopping in the store; and yet Lucas still felt very uneasy. As soon as he could Lucas paid for the gift and escorted Cole back to the van and then drove back to the house. It was over, and now they could relax back in the safe house together.

"Thanks for going with me." Cole beamed as he and Lucas entered the front door. The little boy was sure the gift he had picked out was going to make Hank very happy, and he couldn't wait to give it to him. "Want to go swimming again?"

"Perhaps later." Still a little anxious Lucas chose his next words carefully and removed his shoes by the front door alongside Cole. "For now, I'd prefer to sit down and get some rest to ensure I continue to recover."

"Okay. I'm gonna' go upstairs and find something to wrap the gift with, I'll be back in minute!"

The sound of Cole's footsteps echoing up the staircase filled the house and prompted Connor to enter the livingroom with Lucas's freshly laundered clothes in his arms. He could see the stress in Lucas's entire tense body as he joined his little brother on the couch.

"What did Cole pick out for Hank?"

"A novelty pair of fuzzy dice to hang from the rearview mirror." Lucas sounded calm but his body language was saying otherwise. "I'm certain Hank will find the gift to be very charming."

Connor handed Lucas his clean clothes and watched as his little brother's shaking hands accepted the neatly folded jeans, shirt and blazer. "Did something happen while you were out? You seem to be very stressed."

"I wasn't confronted, if that's what you're asking." Shifting his weight to get more comfortable Lucas tried to reassure Connor as much as he was trying to reassure himself that everything was okay. "It was just a little... strenuous to be in a public area surrounded by unpredictable strangers."

"Do you need to discuss it?"

"No, I'll be all right. I just need a minute of quiet to remind myself that I'm safe."

Bruno and Sumo came barreling into the livingroom at that moment and both dogs jumped up and onto Lucas's lap to greet the returned deviant while lying on his less clean clothes. Having such chaotic balls of fur wasn't the quiet that Lucas was hoping to find, but he was willing to work with what he had been given.

"Thanks, boys." Admitting defeat Lucas rubbed at both dogs' chins and settled into the couch. "I feel better now."

"That's good." With Cole out of hearing range Connor took the opportunity to update Lucas on what he had discussed with Markus. It was important to keep everyone in the loop and ensure that Lucas knew he was trusted and welcome in New Jericho regardless of what had happened in the past. "When you're ready, you can go and talk to Markus and ask for a role in the tower."

"I just can't believe that he was able to actually speak with the Madame President in person." Peering through all the fur obstructing his vision Lucas did his best to give his big brother his full attention. "That's incredible. Markus really is doing everything in his power to help our people become recognized, respected citizens."

"He's a fair and just leader." Connor was able to speak positively about his friend from two distinct lifetimes and knew that Markus wasn't the type to betray or go back on his word in any way for any reason. "You can trust him, and I know that if he makes a promise to you that he'll keep it. Don't hesitate to ask him for a place in New Jericho, he'll do everything in his power to give you a role."

"What would my role be? You've already been established as a trusted, loved detective." Pushing Bruno's shoulders down as he spoke allowed Lucas to actually see Connor more clearly. "Not to mention the fact that you have a reputation of earning the respect and trust of the human police officers in the city. There's nothing more that I could add to what you've already accomplished and will continue to accomplish."

"Not true, and you shouldn't compare yourself to me or anyone else. You're your own person," without thinking Connor nearly parroted the same advice that Hank had given him just the day before. "and you're free to be whomever you wish to be. If you enjoy being a detective then remain a detective, but if you're not happy with the work then find something that you do enjoy. Have you attempted to try new careers or even hobbies yet? I've discovered that I enjoy music and have even learned to play the guitar."

"I do find painted artwork to be very appealing." Thinking about what interested him brought up a few intriguing notions. "I had initially looked into the work created by Carl Manfred as a means of trying to understand Markus a little better since he lived with Mr. Manfred for so long, but I ended up becoming more interested in the paintings than learning more about Markus."

"Perhaps you should try painting in your spare time. Just as I found music to be a wondrous source and outlet for emotional understanding, painting could do the same for you."

"You might be right. I'll also begin sampling music in my spare time." Lucas was very open to new experiences as opposed to Connor. It seemed Lucas was more willing to try something new while Connor was hesitant to risk breaking a healthy routine and causing issues by mistake. "When I return to my office tomorrow, Bruno and I will explore the nearby stores and purchase painting supplies."

"That sounds like a great idea."

Cole scrambled back downstairs and leaned over the back of the couch to hang out with his big brothers. "What's a great idea?"

"Lucas exploring his potential future interests and hobbies." Connor answered quickly and honestly as he patted Sumo's back and noted the lingering pool water in his fur that'd need to be rinsed out. "Just as you enjoy your models and I enjoy my music; Lucas wants to find something that he enjoys as well."

"Hey, want to make a Lego model with me?" Turning his focus to Lucas beside him Cole hoped to have a new model buddy to work with. "Connor's really good already, so he doesn't need any help with making anything."

"All right, I'll try making a model. Maybe that's another hobby I could find appealing as well."

"Great! I'll get that really big 'Millenium Falcon' set, and we can start working on it!"

Lucas wasn't familiar with such a title and looked to Connor for answers as Cole sprinted back upstairs to his bedroom to find his coveted model. "What is so special about a 'Millenium Falcon' model set?"

"It's a set that contains one-thousand, three-hundred and fifty-seven pieces; and will be approximately five inches in height, seventeen inches in length and twelve inches wide upon completion." It was surprisingly enough the simplest answer that Connor could give as he tagged on a few more details. "It's also an iconic space transportation vehicle from the classic film series 'Star Wars'. Cole loves science fiction and has become enamored with 'Star Wars' despite still finding 'Star Trek' to be the more engrossing series."

"I feel as if I just stepped into a mystery without any clues to help me solve it."

"I'll help you to understand everything that Cole and Hank find appealing as it happens." Connor took hold of Sumo's collar and finally pulled the large dog off of Lucas's lap to let his brother have the ability to move and so he could take Sumo outside to rinse off his fur with the garden hose. "To be honest, I'm not even entirely sure I fully understand their passion or the concept of fandom that humans seem to create whenever they find something that they like."

"Do fandoms make people happy?"

"Yes, well, at least the healthy fandoms make people happy." As he led Sumo toward the backdoor Connor noticed Cole making his way downstairs with his boxed up model in his hands an eager grin on his face. "Then there are the toxic fandoms that make people angry. It's just another emotional complication that humans have created that I've been trying to comprehend since I first discovered I have the ability to feel. I can't explain it, I just know it exists."

The sun was setting and finally giving the city a break from the intense afternoon summer heat. By the time Hank had clocked-out and headed home after his long, exhausting and boring shift, a majority of the city had begun coming out of hiding from the sunlight and were now enjoying the still warm evening. The man wanted to get back home to spend time with his family and check in on everyone after the previously horrendous day, but first he needed to pick up a few things from the grocery store. Being able to grab some ready-made meals, snacks and drinks for Cole and himself was easy. However, finding some flavored Thirium snacks for Connor and Lucas was hard.

Undeterred by his small obstacle Hank made his way to the nearest CyberLife Store - now rebranded as a 'Digital Sentience' store - and finally found what he was looking for. With his purchases in his hands the tired Lieutenant made his way back home and managed to find a sense of renewed energy when he passed through the front door and saw Cole and Lucas sitting on the couch around the coffee table with an impressive amount of their model already completed.

"Wow, that's one hell of a project." Complimenting the model Hank gave Cole's hair a quick ruffle then put his palm on Lucas's shoulders as he stood behind the couch and toward the kitchen. "Can I help?"

"Nope!" Cole replied without taking his eyes off his Lego pieces. "This is for little brothers only."

"Just the little brothers?"

"Yup. Connor's the oldest and you're just old!"

"Hey!" Laughing a little Hank gave Cole's shoulder a playful shove. "I'm not that old!"

"Yet!"

"Smartass." Continuing on his way to the kitchen Hank decided to talk to someone who didn't joke about his age. "How do you feel, Lucas?"

"...Better." The frequent concern shown his way from Hank was still strange to acknowledge. Lucas couldn't deny that Connor was right, Hank was a changed man who now saw deviants as living, feeling and free-thinking beings who deserved recognition and respect. "Thank you for asking."

"Great to hear." Hank began to unpack the groceries and noticed something warm in the oven and instantly recognized the aroma of the taco casserole that Connor always seemed to make at the perfect times. "How was your day home and away from camp, Cole?"

"It was great!"

"When's your first game?"

"Next Saturday at four."

"I'll be there." Making a note on his phone Hank made sure to get time off before four o'clock to see his son's game. "I think Connor will be there too."

"Can Lucas come?"

"Sure! Everyone can go!" Peering through the sliding glass doors Hank saw Connor drying off Sumo and Bruno's pelts and decided to make one exception. "Well, everyone who can walk on two legs can go! I'd hate to see a game where Sumo charges on to the field to try to fetch every ball that gets thrown or hit."

Opening the backdoor Hank greeted Connor and made sure Sumo and Bruno went back inside the house as opposed to trying to jump back into the pool. Wanting a minute to talk alone the man cleverly picked up the pool skimmer and used it to get some bits of leaves, grass and clumps of Sumo's fur out of the water before it had the chance to clog the filter.

"Thanks for making dinner, son."

"You're welcome."

"Seems like Cole and Lucas are having a blast with that model." Dumping the skimmer net into a nearby compost bin Hank watched Connor's reactions closely as the deviant picked up the damp towels from the deck to be washed later. "Didn't feel like working on a model tonight, or...?"

"Cole asked for Lucas to assist him, not me." Replying honestly and without an ounce of pain Connor let Hank know what was going on. "It's all right, I've worked on twenty-six unique models with Cole ever since I was taken in, and Lucas is trying to find his own interests and hobbies."

"Cool." Tossing the skimmer aside Hank gave the deviant an amused smirk as he shared his observations on the evening. "You know, Cole's behaving the same way around Lucas as he did when you first showed up. I think he really loves having brothers."

"As do I. It feels right to look after both Cole and Lucas as if they're my brothers."

"Why don't we head back inside and chat in the kitchen?" Sliding open the door Hank peered into the livingroom at the sight of Cole and Lucas still working together to get the model finished. "They don't want our company since they have some 'little brother' code of conduct goin' on."

Connor accompanied Hank inside the house and tossed aside the towels into the laundry room before washing his hands in the sink. "I don't mind. I had to get dinner started anyway."

"Well, you didn't HAVE to do it, but I appreciate it anyway." Hank opened the oven and carefully pulled the hot food out of the oven to cool on the countertop. He was starving and was glad he had a real dinner and not just snacks or microwavable food. "Especially when you make this every once in a while. You know something, son? You have some deeply seated paternal instincts."

Such an observation made the deviant detective pause as he dried off his hands and gave Hank a surprised look. "...I do?"

"Sure. Not only were always great with Cole when he was younger," the seasoned Lieutenant was busy serving up the casserole and didn't notice the genuine shock that he had given to Connor. "you're patient, you care about everyone and everything, you take pride in your work, in your cleaning, in your cooking, you're always honest and you always find a way to put the happiness of other people above your own simply because you love those people and want to take care of them. That's the mark of a truly good father."

When Connor didn't respond Hank finally looked over at the deviant and saw the strange gleam in his eyes. It was as if Hank had accidentally struck a nerve or insulted Connor in some way.

"Hey," lightly Hank put his hand to Connor's arm and managed to get his attention again. "you okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Blinking a few times Connor seemed to snap back to reality as he lowered his voice and looked back at the livingroom to ensure that no one was eavesdropping. Fortunately, Cole and Lucas were too preoccupied with the model and with Sumo and Bruno rolling on the floor around them. "It's just... I've discovered that there's an upgrade to my system that'll... It could possibly allow me to-"

Whenever Connor couldn't find his words Hank knew that something huge was weighing on the deviant's mind. "Sit down and talk to me."

As he was guided over to the table to take a seat Connor finally seemed to reclaim his voice and put his thoughts in order. "This is a lot for me to explain, let alone fully understand for myself."

"I got all night long to hear what you need to tell me." Casually Hank picked up his fork and began digging into his hot meal as he gave Connor all the time he needed to find a way to put everything he was going through into words. "Just take me through what's going on step by step, and we'll go from there. Okay?"

"Yes, okay." As he settled into his seat Connor pulled his coin from his pocket and fidgeted with it to calm his nerves and help him control his thoughts. "Just know that this upgrade wasn't my idea, and I'm not even sure I want to keep it a part of me."

"You do whatever you feel is right and I'll support you. Now," with his curiosity thoroughly piqued Hank was eager to hear everything Connor had to say. "tell me what's going on, and how I can help you."

-next chapter-