There was a peaceful lull in the city that followed after Thanksgiving and Black Friday had passed by. Many people were on their way back home after visiting their family and friends in the city, and the locals were recovering from their massive food comas over the seemingly eternal weekend. As the serene moment fell over Detroit a sense of calm filled the house while Connor stayed with Cole throughout the morning, afternoon and well into the evening. Despite the holidays still being fresh in everyone's mind, those who were important to the city's overall function and stability had to return to work, which of course included every first responder whether they were ready to return to work or not.

Since it was too cold to go outside and Cole was tired of spending far too much time in stores as of late, the little boy decided to find a fun activity to enjoy with his favorite android while enjoying a mug of hot chocolate. The duo had already played every board game in the house at least twice, and Connor had managed to solve every jigsaw puzzle in record time, but that didn't deter Cole from finding a proper game to play and spend hours at a time playing.

"These are all the Lego bricks I have!" Cole confirmed as he dug two large plastic storage totes of colorful Lego bricks of dozens of shapes, sizes and lengths. After Connor picked up the totes Cole then grabbed some Lego model kits from the back of his dresser and carried them out of his room toward the livingroom. "Come on! We can make anything we want!"

Despite his high intelligence and overall curiosity, Connor had to admit that even as a deviant android he lacked an imagination. When it came to listening to music he was able to create mental images based on the lyrics he heard and the overall emotion of the melody, but creating something truly from his own mind, heart and hands was something that he no experience with.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to make anything special, Cole." Placing the totes down on the floor between the couch and the coffee table, Connor sat on the couch and watched as Cole happily opened up the previously untouched Lego kits to pour over the coffee table. "Androids lack creativity and imagination."

"Have you ever played with Legos before?"

"No, I have not."

"Then how can you know that for sure you can't make something?"

"I... suppose I can't."

"Watch! I'll show you how to use Legos!"

Curiously Connor did indeed watch as Cole's busy little hands set about opening the two totes and sorting through the various shapes and colors of his desire. After nearly five minutes of pouring over his every selection with a focus that rivaled any good detective, Cole managed to create a small vehicle with all sorts of colors bricks within its body. After Cole added four little wheels to the bottom of the vehicle he held it up for Connor to see.

"This is my race car!" The first grader explained with utter confidence. "It can go a zillion miles an hour and no one can catch it!"

"That is... very fast."

"And I made it by myself." Cole keenly tagged on as he put his car aside and then pushed one of the model kits toward Connor. "You can make this. It has 'instuc-tuns' that show you how to do it."

"Very well." Picking up the model kit Connor studied the image of the large space shuttle with small, intricate pieces required to complete the build. It'd take some time, but he knew he could finish it. "I can make this while you create something unique."

"You can make the spaceship and I'll make an alien spaceship to fight with it!"

"Why would they fight?" Connor asked sincerely as he opened the model's box and meticulously sorted every little piece out in a simple and effective manner. "There is no reason for the two ships to engage in combat."

"'Cuz aliens always attack the Earth. We gotta' defend it!"

"That is not true. On the television series 'Star Trek' alien races peacefully coexist with the Earth on many occasions." Connor had indulged in many old shows and movies with Hank in the alternate timeline, and he found 'Star Trek' to be the most engaging and enthralling of the science fiction programs he had discovered. "I strongly believe that such a fantasy could become reality if given the chance."

"Do aliens really exist?"

"Logistically, yes." The deviant android replied honestly as he and Cole continued with their own builds. While Connor perfectly followed each step on the instruction sheet and used the correct Legos without making any mistakes, Cole was picking up whichever brick he wanted and made a classic saucer shape for his own ship. "We live in an ever changing, ever expanding universe. The odds of the Earth being the only planet or moon that has an appropriate atmosphere to house any form of life are so astronomically low that it's virtually impossible to deliver an accurate estimation."

Cole only had a vague idea of what Connor was talking about. The confusion in his eyes as he turned to Connor gave it all away. "...What does that mean?"

"It... means that there are many planets in the universe, any number of them could have lifeforms on them just like the Earth."

"That's cool! If I met an alien I'd let him be my best friend!"

"I'm sure they'd appreciate that." Easily snapping the last bits of the Lego bricks together Connor finished the shuttle model and placed it down on the table for Cole to see. "I've completed the model."

"Whoooa!" Cole picked up the shuttle and admired Connor's swift and perfect handiwork. It looked exactly like the picture on the box, and Connor had finished the entire model within twenty minutes, whereas it would've taken him or his dad over an hour to complete. "You did that so fast!"

"You were right, the instructions were very useful."

"I want to keep the ship just like this!" Excited for how perfect the shuttle Cole held the completed model above his head and pretended to fly it back and forth as he made loud engine noises with his mouth. The light in his eyes was so sincere as he admired how well Connor completed the model. "I don't want to put it in the box again!"

"Perhaps you can display it in your room. Your dresser seems like it'll be big enough to hold it."

"No way! I want this to fly forever!" Cole lowered the shuttle and held it between both of his hands as he turned to Connor with an idea in mind. "Can you do that? Can you make it fly?"

"Perpetual flight is not currently possible, however, I could use wire to hang the shuttle from your ceiling to give it the illusion of flight."

"Yeah! That'd be so cool!"

Connor liked that Cole was so enthusiastic about the shuttle and was pleased that he was able to do something with his hands in a constructive manner. As he eyed the second model, Sumo - who had been napping peacefully on his pillow in the corner of the room - rose to his paws and walked over to the table to look at all the toys scattered around the coffee table. After a quick sniff of the dense plastic Sumo approached Connor and let out a small grumble before trotting to the backdoor.

"Sumo needs to be let outside." Connor got to his feet and entered the kitchen swiftly to aid the dog. "I'll be right back, Cole."

Cole paid little attention to Connor leaving the room and focused on the shuttle in his hands. Peering at his incomplete spaceship now sitting on the coffee table, Cole decided to make more space themed objects so that he could have even more ships flying in his bedroom that night. By the time Connor had returned with Sumo the little boy had finished his spaceship and was working on another one, but of a completely unique design.

"Connor, make another ship with me!"

"You don't have another shuttle model for me to build."

"Just make one up!" The first grader insisted without any care of knowledge of androids lacking a true imagination. "That's what I'm doing!"

"I'm not sure that-"

"Try!" Cole insisted as he pushed a large pile of spare Legos toward Connor to take. "You gotta' try!"

"...You're right." The insistence behind Cole's attitude was enough to give Connor a strange sense of intrigue. "I should at least try."

Eyeing the colorful blocks for a moment Connor tried to preconstruct what he could create with each block based on their sizes, colors and overall quantity, but he chose to instead watch Cole for a few more minutes and saw how the little boy was just enjoying his time creating anything he wanted for whatever reason he wanted. It was inspiring to say the least.

Deciding to use Cole's creations as his own inspiration Connor picked up some of the blue, green and white Legos, then began to create a sphere that started out looking rather abstract, but as he added the colored bricks in specific locations with dedication to the details it became clear what Connor was building. With the first of his creations finished Connor then focused on the gray Legos and made a slightly smaller sphere dotted with circles of darker gray bricks to accompany the first sphere.

"Made another spaceship." The first grader confirmed and set about his next design. Cole took a moment to pet Sumo as the large dog took the moment to receive some attention from his favorite little boy, then looked over at what Connor was building. He recognized the object that Connor had built instantly. "Hey! That's the Earth!"

"Correct. And this is the moon." Connor held the completed sphere of the Earth up next to his partially completed gray sphere that'd be the moon. "They can hang from the ceiling alongside your shuttle and other spaceships."

"That's so cool! Can you make even more planets?"

"I'll do what I can with the remaining Lego bricks, but I don't want to use them all up. After all, you're still creating spaceships."

"And I want to make a big shooting star, too!"

"That sounds very interesting." An amused smirk graced Connor's lips as he realized that having and using an imagination wasn't nearly as complicated as he had initially believed. In fact, it seemed to come naturally to him when he stopped trying to treat something as broad and nearly undefinable as 'imagination' as if it was a problem with a single solution. "Next time we're out shopping we'll find the plastic stars that glow-in-the-dark to attach to your ceiling."

Cole's excitement seemed to double at the idea of being able to sleep while surrounded by a universe of his own making. "That'll be the best! Let's get all the planets made and hung up so we can go find some stars!"

"As you wish." Finishing with the moon Connor put it aside and picked up some of the orange Legos to begin making a smaller and more easily constructed version of Mercury to accompany the other planets. "I suspect we'll need more Lego bricks as well."

"I'll show you the best store in Detroit to find Legos! We'll make everything in the universe out of Legos!"

Normally Connor would ponder such an impossible plan of action with logic and reason, but instead he chose to simply smile and embrace the innocence of the little boy beside him. Since his initial arrival in the new timeline, Connor truly felt comfortable and like he was doing something productive with his time, even if that time was spent playing games or building models with one very sweet and very kind child.

A child who was only alive because Connor happened to arrive at the right place at the right time with only one goal in mind; save Hank Anderson.

The winter season always brought with it short brisk days and long icy nights. The sun had set earlier than usual and left the city bathed in cold darkness. Many people found the dwindling daylight and prolonged nighttime to be mentally detrimental since the darkness usually brought with it a sense of dread and dreariness, but on that night Cole couldn't wait for it to get dark so he could watch his creations floating in the air above his bed and glowing with a soft light that'd make it easier for him to start sleeping without needing a nightlight on all the time. There was finally a good reason for Cole to look forward to bedtime, and it was because he had a universe of his own to dream about.

By the time Connor had finished hanging up all the Lego planets, spaceships, the shuttle and the shooting star from the ceiling, Hank had returned home and ventured down the hallway to check on his son. As he entered the bedroom the last thing that he expected to see was Connor standing on a small ladder with Lego models above his head and Cole already in his pajamas and sitting on his bed.

"Uh, what's going on?" Hank asked as he watched Connor hang the last model and step down from the ladder. "Remodeling without my input?"

"We made the whole universe, dad!" Cole beamed and extended his arms outward to motion to the ceiling above them. "Isn't it cool?"

"Yeah, sure is." Glancing about Hank noticed the three packages of glow-in-the-dark stars on Cole's dresser and eyed them with a strange sense of Deja vu from his own childhood bedroom. "Had no idea you liked the stars and planets so much."

"I love it! Space is cool!"

Connor folded up the ladder and gave Hank a wary glance. "I hope it was okay to do this. Cole seemed very excited."

"It's fine. I just wish I could've helped, you know?" The senior detective was missing his bonding time with Cole and was getting a little jealous of Connor. He was spending more time at the precinct and less time at the house with each passing shift. "I loved doing this as a kid."

"I haven't added the stars to the ceiling yet." The deviant android admitted as he watched Hank's eyes give flash an inquisitive look. "If you'd like to do it, you could finish helping us with building Cole's universe."

"Do it, dad!" Eager to see the ceiling glow to life Cole begged his dad to join in on the fun. "Play with us!"

Hank let out a small chuckle as he sighed, opened the packet of stars, and then took the ladder from Connor's hands. "All right. I'll get the stars hung up while Connor makes sure Sumo doesn't need to go outside."

"Of course." Connor knew that Hank was discreetly asking for a one-on-one experience with Cole without actually kicking him out of the room. "I'll take care of Sumo and ensure there aren't any loose Legos on the livingroom floor."

Feeling better about his current living situation had given Connor a new sense of belonging and purpose. He still had a chance to befriend Hank and bond with the man just as he had before, he'd just need to keep in mind that Hank wasn't alone or lonely anymore. While Hank would always put his son's wellbeing and happiness first and foremost, that didn't mean he couldn't find a way to add Connor to his life as an important person.

Connor rubbed Sumo's ears as the dog lifted his head up to watch Connor pass by the couch. Having Sumo's attention and love remain the same had been a small buffer for Connor to use as a means of protecting his emotional vulnerability while navigating a new life, a new timeline.

"Ready for bedtime, boy?"

Sumo wagged his tail and placed his giant paw down on Connor's wrist when the android reached his hand in to rub the dog's furry chin.

"I thought so. You're a good dog, Sumo."

"Well..." Hank strolled down the hallway casually with the ladder in one hand and the empty packets in the other. "The stars have aligned for us tonight, haven't they?"

"It was Cole's idea."

"Yeah, I know. I just didn't know he was so into space." The man admitted as he carried the ladder to the garage to put back on its storage hooks on the far wall, then threw the empty packets into the recycling bib. "I should take him to the planetarium some time."

"I think he'd enjoy that. He's also shown interest in watching shows and movies like 'Star Trek'."

"Really? I love that cheesy shit..." Feeling inspired himself Hank gave Connor's shoulder a small pat before heading back toward Cole's bedroom through the kitchen and down the hallway. "Guess I know what we're doing next time it's movie night. Come on, let's see the fruits of your labor."

Together Hank and Connor entered Cole's bedroom and made sure the little boy was ready to dream about his own universe before heading back to school in the morning. After tucking Cole in for the night, Hank leaned in to give his son a kiss on his hairline and checked the bedroom window to ensure that it was properly closed and locked to keep out the cold. With the curtains completely drawn over the window the full glow of the stars would be visible throughout the entire night, or at least until Cole drifted off to sleep.

"Okay, son." Hank returned to the doorway and hovered his hand over the light switch on the wall. "Ready?"

Cole eagerly nodded and stared up at his ceiling. "Ready!"

With a swift motion Hank turned off the overhead light and watched as the room went dark and bright greenish, white stars began glowing all around the ceiling and partially down the four walls all around them. The way the stars all glowed and the Lego planets reflected enough of the glow for their colors to be revealed was surprisingly ethereal and even soothing.

"Wow..." Cole whispered as he imagined himself soaring among the stars and traveling to those plants above him. "So cool!"

Hank agreed with a silent nod while Connor admired the imaginative work for himself. The two detectives were capable of appreciating the small things even if they were incapable of seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

"Enjoy your new universe, son." Hank spoke softly as he and Connor stepped out of the bedroom together. "I love you."

"Love you too, dad! Goodnight, Connor!"

"...Goodnight, Cole." Responding in a low voice Connor acknowledged Cole's pleasant comment. "Sleep well."

After exiting the bedroom and venturing into the livingroom Connor contemplated finding other models to work on to keep his mind preoccupied and his newly discovered imagination growing. Such positive changes in his life were the ones that he wanted to focus on until it was time to take action and change the entire world for the betterment of his people.

"Good work, Connor." Hank appreciated the way the android helped Cole feel like he was being loved at all times helped ease his stressed mind. "It's good to see Cole having fun and happy all the time."

"I'm more than willing to spend time with him." Connor confirmed as he hung on to the positive reaction. "Cole is a very good kid."

"Yeah, that he is. All right, I'm going to get something to eat and then go to bed."

"Understandable." Motioning to the refrigerator as he walked into the kitchen Connor informed Hank of what was waiting for him for dinner. "There is a container of kung-pao chicken and some pot stickers in the refrigerator. Cole insisted that those particular items were your favorite."

"And he's right!" Readily Hank opened the fridge door and found the takeout waiting just for him. "Thanks again."

"...You're welcome, Lieutenant." Entering the side doors to get to the garage Connor felt a swelling of pride fill his heart. "Goodnight."

As he set foot inside the garage Connor picked up the stuffed dog toy sitting on his cot then laid down to pull his blanket up and over himself while using the offered toy as a comforting outlet for his anxiety. Cybernetically, he turned off the light in the garage and then smirked as a handful of glow-in-the-dark stars illuminated the previously pitch-black ceiling with a greenish white hue that helped make the cold, dark garage feel a little more like a personal space.

"Cole is right, space truly is cool."

-next chapter-

Author's Note: According to spellcheck "Lego" is always spelled with a capital letter like it's a proper name. Good for Lego, I guess.