The Anderson Residence: October 31st, 2037

The final holidays of the year were fast approaching, and the city was becoming increasingly hectic as the pressure to prepare in time for the impending nationwide celebration. There was one small perk that everyone could look forward to as the air began to chill, the leaves turned color and fell from their tree branches, and the distinct aroma of pumpkin spice and cinnamon filled the air. That particular year Halloween had fallen on a Saturday, which meant the children could go out later in the evening and stay out longer than usual. As expected, the kids were thrilled while the adults who had weekends off began to readily arrange parties and more mature get-togethers weeks in advance. In return, quite a few kids were going to need babysitters that special and rare Halloween night.

Androids all over the city were recruited to handle the numerous children needing proper chaperoning and care that Halloween weekend, and Connor was no exception to that particular assignment. Hank had to work that particular Halloween night which meant that Cole either had to miss out on trick-or-treating or he had to go out with Connor and one of his friends who also needed a chaperone. Of course, Cole happily picked Connor over missing out of a night of fun!

With Cole now dressed up in his brand new costume Connor accompanied the little boy to his good friend's house to pick up the second child and begin their night out on Halloween before returning to the Anderson home for a sleepover. The deviant wasn't dressed up in anything fancy as he had no desire for a costume. He instead chose to wear his leather jacket and the beanie to cover his L.E.D. to avoid standing out as an android that night, and he arguably ended up dressed as a normal and unassuming human.

Cole's friend, Asher Ward, was a new kid to the city and seemed to only have one friend. Asher was uncommonly heavyset for an eight-year-old and seemed to come from a family that was more content with just letting the little boy have everything he wants to avoid any kind of protest. With shaggy blond hair, light skin and blue eyes, Asher looked like the average third grader, but his attitude was more of a spoiled brat with self-entitlement issues.

"Come on, Asher!" Cole shouted as he adjusted his mask over his face to ensure he could see through the tinted eye pieces. Being the green ranger of the latest 'Power Rangers' show came with a big responsibility in Cole's mind. "We need to get our candy!"

"I'm coming!" Asher replied as he threw his backpack at Connor and gave the android an indignant look. He was dressed as the red ranger and seemed like he was annoyed by Connor's very presence. "We better get a good haul tonight!"

"We will, I know where the best neighborhoods are." The little boy confirmed as he took his treat-or-treat bag from Connor's hands to carry for himself. "How fast can we make it to Lafayette Park?"

"Very fast if we start walking right now." Connor confirmed as he slung Asher's backpack over his shoulders to carry on the little boy's behalf. The backpack was loaded with his extra clothes, some toys and what smelled like some fast food. "We're have three hours and forty-seven minutes to collect as much candy as you want before trick-or-treating hours are over. If you're quick, you can collect approximately thirty percent more this year than you've collected in the previous two years."

"Then we're going to run!"

Connor watched as Cole and Asher began running side by side down the sidewalk in front of him. Protectively Connor began jogging after the two boys to ensure that they didn't get too far ahead of him or out of his sight. The deviant had virtually endless energy, same as the sugar fueled and sugar motivated kids currently under his protective watch, which meant he had no issues with running and chasing the duo all evening long.

From the end of each house's walkway Connor watched as Cole and Asher ran up to the front doors of houses, rang the bell and chanted "Trick or treat!" in unison before receiving their handfuls of candy. Seeing the bright smiles on everyone's faces helped Connor to finally understand the joy of the holiday through the eyes of children. Connor had been left at the house to pass out candy the previous two years and had been given smiles after passing out candy himself, but being able to see how much joy everyone had by being generous and kind gave the deviant hope for the future of humanity being able to retain their sense of empathy regardless of how their futures potentially changed.

"Hopefully I can continue to experience human holidays even after I flee into the city to aid my people." It pained Connor to even consider how much his departure could affect Cole on an emotional level. He didn't want to hurt Cole, but he knew that his people would need him more than Cole ever would. "There are some things that should be shared between our people to give us common ground to tread."

By the time the two boys officially collected every piece of available candy that they could get their hands, the trick-or-treating hours had come to an end and both of the boys had completely full candy bags. The two little boys were running on fumes but still excited for everything they had gotten that fun night. It was impressive that Cole wasn't out of breath, but as for Asher, he seemed to be struggling to keep up.

"Connor, can we take a cab?" Cole asked as he fought to keep his heavy bag of candy slung over his shoulder while keeping pace with Asher walking mush slower beside him. "My feet are starting to hurt."

Asher just laughed as he jumped on Connor's arm and tried to yank the android down to the ground. "Just ride on its back like a donkey! My dad says that's what androids are here for, to carry us around and do what we say!"

"Not Connor." Defending his android friend quickly Cole removed his mask and gave Asher an annoyed look. "He's not like that."

"It's android, so yeah it is!"

"Get off of him."

"Why? I'm not going to break it!"

Connor easily lifted his arm up and pointed it out straight as Asher continued to hang from the limb like a kitten clinging to a tree branch. "It'll take a lot more than a child like you or any other human to 'break' me. Let go of my arm please."

"You can't tell me what to do!" Asher removed his own mask and prepared to hock up a nice loogie and spit it in Connor's face. "And I can do what I want to you! Like this!"

Connor quickly pulled Asher's mask back down and caught the nasty blob of spit before it could fly. The way Asher let go of his arm and then dropped to the ground to quickly tear off his mask confirmed that Connor managed to smear the mess all over Asher's face before it got in his face instead.

"Hey!" Wiping off his face on his sleeve Asher protested and kicked Connor in the shin, but the android didn't react. "You stupid jerk! I'm telling my dad!"

"Don't kick him!" Cole jumped in and pushed Asher away from Connor in defense as a group of teenagers began walking down the sidewalk directly toward them as if drawn to the commotion. "You're the one who started it!"

"It's not allowed to- Hey!?"

One of the unknown teens walked right up to the two kids and stole Asher's bag of candy. The teen held it up over the much shorter kid's head in a taunting manner as Asher's eyes filled with tears. "Thanks for the candy, kid!"

"That's mine!"

"Not on Halloween, ALL candy's up for grabs and I just grabbed this!"

"Give it back!" Asher tried to grab the bag back, but he was too short to reach. "Stop it!"

"Hey, I'm doing you a favor, fatty!" The bully of a teen taunted Asher while his three friends all stood back and laughed. "You don't need any of this stuff, you're fat enough!"

"Leave him alone!" Cole shouted as he stood beside Asher and stared at the teen fearlessly. "Give him back his candy!"

"Or what? What's some punk like-"

Connor suddenly stepped up and grabbed the teenager by the front of his shirt and easily heft the mouthy bully into the air and held him without the slightest hint of difficulty. Staring with a cold gaze Connor saw the teen's own eyes widen with fear as he hung in the air with his legs dangling and his giggling friends now stunned into silence. A quick facial recognition scan gave Connor details about the teen and made it easy to intimidate the young bully.

"Big mistake." Threatening the teen with simple words, Connor made it clear he wasn't going to let the teen's nasty attitude fly. Reaching out with his free hand Connor easily pulled the bag of candy from the teen's grip and handed it back to Asher to take. "Taylor Watkins, you already have a record for assault, breaking and entering, menacing, vandalism and theft. One call to the police will get you not only arrested but tried as an adult for threatening the son of a police officer."

Taylor began to panic a little as his friends took several steps backward before turning around and running. With his friends no longer beside him and having bailed at the first sign of trouble, Taylor realized how much he had screwed up. "H-Hey, come on, man! It's Halloween! It's just a joke!"

"Then why aren't I laughing?"

Taylor swallowed nervously as he continued to be suspended in the air courtesy of Connor's strong grip. "I-I'm sorry! All right? I'm sorry!"

"Don't apologize to me." Easily Connor shifted his arm and made it easier for Cole and Asher to see the fear in Taylor's eyes. "Apologize to them."

"S-Sorry, okay?" Desperate to get away from the android who was giving him a taste of his own medicine, Taylor did as he was told and then looked to Connor expectantly and worriedly. "There! I s-said it! N-Now let me go!"

"Absolutely. Just know that as a consultant with the Detroit police I've already informed patrol of your menacing of two minors, as well as attempted petty theft, and that you will have someone waiting for you when you return home. I suggest you explain to your parents why the police are going to be looking for you before they come knocking on their door."

Without blinking Connor dropped Taylor from his grip and watched as the teen landed on his backside then scrambled to get up to his feet before running off in the direction of his cowardly friends as fast as he could run. The deviant detective waited until the teen and his friends were well out of the area before he turned his focus back to the two little boys who were staring up at him in utter awe.

"Are you two injured?"

"No." Cole stated at first quietly then a huge smile graced his lips as he realized what he had just witnessed. "That was AWESOME!"

"No, it was merely the right thing to do." Connor replied meekly as he helped Asher to pick up the few bits of candy that fell from the bag and on to the sidewalk. He could see that Asher was still shaken up and it was evident that the little boy wasn't used to dealing with problems on his own. "Asher, do you need anything?"

The little boy wiped his face on his sleeve again as he gave Connor an uncertain stare. "...How come you did that for me?"

"Because it was the right thing to do. That's why." After parroting his previous comment Connor cybernetically hailed an autonomous cab to their location to take them all home quicker. "Do you still want to stay the night with Cole, or do you want to go back home?"

"...I don't know."

Cole did his best to cheer his friend up and even offered him some of his own candy. "At least come back to my house so we can swap some candy and watch a scary movie. Please?"

Asher just nodded as he sniffled and tried to not cry. The little boy was still processing what he had just experienced and realized who had been the there to protect him when no one else would. His only friend and an android.

"Cab's here." Connor noted as he directed the two boys over to the summoned taxi idling along the street. The deviant had the distinct feeling that he'd need to give Asher some special attention that night just to make sure the little boy was truly going to be okay. "I'll order you boys a pizza and it'll be delivered by the time by the time we're back at the house. What toppings do you like?"

It was getting late in the evening and night was just settling in over the city. Cole and Asher were in the livingroom and laying on the floor in their sleeping bags with a makeshift fort made out of couch cushions surrounding them. There was a scary movie playing on the television and both boys were watching the screen with wide eyes as they snacked on their pizza and their candy while Sumo laid protectively nearby. Connor was sitting in the recliner just a few feet away and watching the two boys carefully. He had been thoroughly intrigued by Asher's behavior and wanted to know why the little boy was so emotionally sensitive and wanted to learn more about Cole's new friend in general.

A quick search through the official records on Asher's family gave Connor some useful details and some heartbreaking ones as well. Asher's mother died three years prior in a car accident, and his father suffered a major heart attack just one year prior. Mr. Ward was considered morbidly obese before the heart attack and hadn't taken the proper precautions to keep his health in check before or after the attack. Due to his poor health Mr. Ward took a remote job to work from home and moved from Grand Rapids to Detroit for proper accommodations a few months earlier.

The indifference to his health had clearly affected the way Mr. Ward was raising his son as a single parent. It also explained why Asher was overweight, spoiled and seemingly self-entitled. With any luck, Cole would be a good influence on Asher and help him develop a better personality.

The sound of a chainsaw revving as the masked killer jumped out from behind a wall in the movie caused both Cole and Asher to jump and hide under their pillows in response. It seemed the movie was a tad too scary for the two boys to handle and Connor decided to cybernetically turn off the movie under the pretense of an internet failure disrupting the stream.

"What happened?" Cole asked as the movie suddenly stopped and the television screen went into idle mode. "The killer just showed up!"

"Internet error." Connor lied as he attempted to get the boys to watch something else or even play a game instead. "It should come back soon."

"Man, the internet always goes out at the worst times." Sitting upright Cole sighed and looked over at Asher to be a good friend and gost. "Want to watch something else? My dad still has DVDs we can watch instead."

Asher just shook his head as he looked at the candy pile and pizza that was still leftover. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Okay. I'm going to go pee and then we'll find something new to watch!"

Connor took the opportunity to privately speak to Asher while Cole was down the hallway and in the bathroom. "Asher, are you still upset about the teenager who bullied you tonight?"

Asher looked up at Connor and stared at the android in a mistrustful manner. "Why do you care?"

"Because you're Cole's friend. I care about making sure that Cole is happy and that the people who are important to Cole are happy as well."

"You're lying."

"I'm an android. I'm incapable of lying." It was true that androids couldn't lie, but deviant androids could! Good thing no one knew that Connor was such a special android. "If you wish to tell me what's going on, I promise that no one will know anything that you don't want to be discussed. I am very good at keeping secrets."

Asher was quiet for a moment before he turned away from Connor and pulled his knees up to his chin and began to cry a little. "Everyone picks on me because I'm fat! I don't want to be fat, but I can't help it!"

"I see. It's unfortunately normal for humans to make terrible comments to other humans to make them feel bad, and more often than not, a person's insecurities or a lack of confidence is used against them. Try to not let their words hurt your feelings."

"If I could stop being fat then they wouldn't say anything to me!"

"I'm not a doctor or a dietician, but I do know that humans can change their eating habits and begin an exercise routine to help them lose weight if they wish to alter their physical appearance in a positive and healthy way."

"I don't know how to do that."

"Most humans change their eating habits by choosing to eat less sugary foods and picking leaner options. For example, instead of consuming candy they eat fruit, or instead of eating fried chicken they consume grilled chicken. Those are healthier options." Connor explained as simply as he could for the little boy's sake. "Humans also try adding exercise to their daily routines. Jogging in the morning is a very popular option that many humans use."

"My dad won't stop buying junk food and he never leaves his chair. He won't go running..." Asher admitted as Connor joined him on the floor to help the little get through a very troubling mindset. "He says that people who let other people tell them how to look and what to eat are weak!"

"No. People who choose to change their bad habits and better themselves are very strong. It's the weak people who'd rather take the easy way out and not make an effort to change because it's difficult who are arguably weak." Connor could sense that there was more on Asher's mind and he wanted to know what. As Cole returned to the livingroom Connor thought of a quick way to have more quiet time with Asher. "Cole, want to try letting Sumo out for a while on your own? I think he'll listen to you much better than he had before."

"Sure! Just don't tell dad!" Cole rushed to the backdoor in the kitchen and called for Sumo to join him. "Come on, boy! Outside!"

"Asher, can I ask why your dad eats primarily unhealthy food?" Connor asked as Sumo got to his paws and trotted into the kitchen. "Does he not like to cook or is he unable to cook for himself?"

"Dad has our android maid do all the cooking and cleaning." Asher answered honestly as he turned to face Connor directly. "And she buys what she's told to buy."

Hearing Asher referring to his own family android as 'she' was refreshing. It seemed coming to the little boy's aid had done more for Asher's mindset than Connor had initially anticipated. "When you return home tomorrow morning, have your android contact me. I'll let her know that you'd like for her to buy healthier food for your dad and yourself, and that you'd like her to start cooking healthier meals instead."

"Don't won't eat any of that."

"How do you know?"

"Because dad's only eaten deliveries and snacks since mom died."

"That seems unusual. Do you... I know it's difficult to remember things and understand them when they happened in your early childhood," Connor's knowledge and skills as a detective were truly beneficial as he did his best to reach out to the little boy in a gentle manner. "but do you remember if your dad began eating like that specifically after your mother passed away, or was he like that while she was still with you?"

"After mom died." Leaning back Asher seemed to be talking about something he was holding in for a very long time and was relieved to finally get it out. "Mom died when another drive ran into her car."

"I'm sorry about that."

"Mom was trying to go to the gym when she got in the accident. Dad said if she just stayed home and didn't care about her weight then she'd-" Tears rolled down Asher's face as he opened up about the painful memory. "She'd still be here!"

Connor wrapped his arm around Asher's shoulders and pulled the little boy up against his side in a comforting manner. "It sounds like your father has convinced himself that your mother wanting to be healthy is what led to her untimely passing. And as a result, he's now living a life that is the complete opposite of what your mother wanted. He's eating poorly because of his grief and anger at the situation."

"When d-dad got sick last year, the d-doctors said he needs to eat better or he'll g-get sick again! I don't want my dad to die!"

"Of course not. No one wants that happen."

"But he won't stop eating bad food!"

"Maybe he will if he sees you eating healthy food and working to stay healthy just as your mom was trying to do. I believe that if you talk to your dad, and adopt some good habits of your own, that he'll want to do the same."

"You don't know my dad."

"You're right, I don't. But I do know Cole's dad." Connor clarified calmly as he let Asher lean against him for as long as he needed to. "And I know that Cole's dad would do anything and everything he could to make sure Cole is happy and that he's setting a good example for Cole to see. I also know that Hank's changed a few bad habits of his own after Cole's spoken to him about what he didn't like his dad doing. You dad will listen to you too, be patient."

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then keep trying. He'll hear what you're telling him eventually." Connor looked up as Cole and Sumo returned through the backdoor together, then decided to quickly change the subject for Asher's sake. "If you'd like, I could show you how to make a quick and healthy snack. You can show it to your dad tomorrow and maybe that'll be enough to help him get on a healthier path."

Asher nodded and wiped his eyes as he felt much better.

"All right. Come with me to the kitchen, I'll show you."

As Asher stood up and walked with Connor to the kitchen, the little boy looked up at Connor and watched the android get a bag of apples from the refrigerator and begin washing one of the pieces of fruit in the kitchen sink. "Hey, Connor?"

"Yes, Asher?"

"I'm sorry I jumped on you earlier. And kicked you. And tried to spit on you. And called you a jerk."

Connor managed a small smirk as he dried off the apple and prepared to slice it up into even pieces on a cutting board. "Apology accepted, Asher. And thank you for apologizing in general. That's very hard for some people to do, but not you. Do you know why?"

"No, why?"

"Because you're strong."

Cole wasn't sure what he missed but he knew Asher felt better and that was all that mattered. When he noticed Connor slicing up the apple the little boy knew exactly what the android was up to. "Are you going to put peanut butter on the apple slices?"

"Always do."

"That's my favorite! Asher, we should watch another movie and build a better fort!"

"Yeah, okay."

Connor just nodded as he realized that Cole wasn't going to stop loving horror movies or spooky stories any time soon, and he didn't want to be blamed if the boys complained about the extreme horror movie that had been watching a few moments ago. "How about instead of another movie, I take you to the big haunted house attraction downtown? It's supposed to the scariest haunted house so far."

"YEAH!" Cole loved that idea and grabbed on to Asher's arm in excitement. "You'll love it! They got all kinds of monsters and stuff hidden all over the place! If you can make it all the way through the haunted house without chickening out, you get a special prize! There's a maze and some games and lots of cool movie stuff you can hold for yourself too!"

"Can we really go, Connor?" Asher's demeanor toward Connor was suddenly very respectful and kind. It was like the little boy had his eyes opened and could see Connor in the same way that Cole could. "That sounds super cool!"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't intending on taking you. The haunted house is open until three in the morning, it's not even ten o'clock." Connor finished with the apple slices and handed them over to Cole and Asher to take for themselves. "Finish your snack and change into your day clothes. I'll escort you to the haunted house myself."

There was a flurry of excitement and anticipation in the air as everyone who had gathered at the annual "Carnival of Carnage" prepared to enter the haunted house and navigate the large maze in search of monsters, scares and surprises. There were easily over a thousand people in immediate sight and almost all of them were in dressed in various costumes ranging from common, to unique, to entirely overpriced. The glowing handles and string lights cast an eerie aura over the entire area, and the smell of rich pumpkin spice, cinnamon and caramel filled the air. Loud screams of fear and joy echoed over the park and people were running about the carnival in an energetic and enthusiastic manner.

Due to the large crowd Connor decided to keep both boys right beside him at all times. By keeping one hand on each of the boys' shoulders Connor was able to easily keep track of their every movement and prevent them from getting lost or kidnapped. It was a simple but effective manner that neither Cole or Asher minded since it meant that they knew no matter how scary the carnival became that they had a protective guardian right behind them.

Cole and Asher braved the haunted house with Connor following them every step of the way. The costumed attendants jumping out at the patrons played up their roles as monsters, ghouls and zombies, and made the entire adventure very tense and entertaining. With sweat pouring off their faces the two boys reached the end of the haunted house and rewarded with small medals congratulating them on their achievements.

"That was so cool!" Cole beamed as he and Asher reached the exit and admired their medals in their hands. "What's next?"

"The maze?" Asher asked as he saw the entrance to the maze and wondered if it was possible to win another prize. "There's a special prize for anyone who can complete the maze in less than two minutes!"

"That thing is HUGE!" As he looked at the size of the maze Cole shook his head and decided it was too hard to even try. "No way..."

Connor stared at the maze and gave it a quick scan before giving the two boys' shoulders a squeeze. "Actually, you can. I'll give you the directions to lead you from the entrance to the exit."

"Did you cheat with your scanner thingy?"

"No, I merely viewed my environment and determined the most ideal way to navigate it." The clever deviant clarified in a rather casual manner. "Cheating would be me altering the maze's layout or disabling the timer to either mine or your own personal advantages. I have done neither of those things."

Cole approved of Connor's answer and gave Asher a nod of confidence. "Think we run to the end in two minutes?"

"Yes. There are numerous dead ends that aren't immediately noticeable due to how long the pathways lead before directing you into a wall of haybales." Connor escorted the two boys over to the maze entrance and whispered the directions in Cole's ears while the attendants prepared to start the timer and inform their colleagues at the maze's exit of the new contenders. "Just follow my directions and you'll win. I'll be waiting for you at the exit. Ready?"

Cole and Asher stepped up to the entrance and confirmed they were ready to beat the maze. "We're ready!"

The attendant nodded and hovered her fingertip over the timer on the clock. "All right. Starting in three, two... one!"

As soon as the two boys began running through the maze Connor proceeded to casually stroll around the side of the maze to reach the exit on the other side. He was able to keep track of the two boys through the maze walls with his scanner and confirmed that Cole was following his directions perfectly, and Asher had no trouble keeping up despite being out of shape and needing a little extra exercise. By the time Connor reached the exit the two boys sprinted out of the maze and managed to get out of the maze with just six seconds to spare.

"Time!" The second attendant noticed that the boys beat the two minute record and hit another button that create a flashing display of orange and purple lights to congratulate them. "We have two more winners! Two passes for unlimited access to the rest of the carnival's games, rides and attractions! Enjoy!"

"Yeah!"

Connor watched as Cole and Asher excitedly accepted their passes and celebrated their victory together. While they didn't technically win without some form of advantage, Connor decided that the context of the competition didn't nullify the win. The boys just listened to what Connor said, and their prize was only good for one night of fun - not a lifetime reflection an ill gotten win.

"This is so cool!" Cole grabbed onto Connor's wrist while Asher did the same for the deviant's opposite wrist. Cole had plenty of pep but Asher was a little winded, but he still had some fun. "Let's go check out the Ferris wheel and get some caramel apples!"

"Very well. The snack stands are over here."

Leading the boys in the right direction Connor watched as Cole and Asher happily showed the attendants their passes and picked out their snack of choice. Cole picked a caramel apple and Asher requested a plain apple and received it without question. It looked like Connor's advice for eating healthier was taking hold and Asher wanted to take care of himself and his dad as soon as possible.

"Let's get in line for the Ferris wheel." Connor insisted as he returned his hands to the two boys' shoulders and let them lead the way. "We'll be able to see the entire carnival from the very top. And once you've played all the games you wish to play and seen everything you wish to see, we'll return home."

It was past midnight when Hank finally managed to return home and get some sleep after the busy Halloween night kept him on his toes from start to finish. The man dragged his feet as he quietly unlocked the front door and spotted Cole and Asher asleep on the floor in their sleeping bags with Sumo between them and every cushion in the house surrounding them. The boys even had a sheet draped over their cushions to create a small tent like structure that'd let them see things without being entirely exposed. The horror movie that the boys had fallen asleep to was still playing out but at a low volume as Connor watched over the boys and decided to keep the movie playing in case either Cole or Asher woke up again.

Hank sighed and looked over at Connor in the recliner before motioning for the android to accompany him to the kitchen. The man was exhausted but needed to know what had happened while he was working all day long. Specifically, the man wanted to know why a blubbering teenager turned himself in at the precinct to confess to trying to steal some kid's candy and begging to not go to jail.

"How did things go tonight?" Hank asked in a whisper as he spotted the leftover pizza in its box in the refrigerator. Grabbing himself a cold slice Hank bit into the thick mushrooms and sighed with a sense of relief. "Boys give you any problems?"

"No, Cole was good as usual."

"And Asher?" Keeping his voice low Hank gave the android a knowing look as he ate the pizza. "The kid's uh... Kinda' bratty. Not his fault, I know, but still..."

"Asher was rude at first but has been very well behaved for the remainder of the night." Connor gave Hank some information like he was reporting to the police department after being out on an assignment. "Cole and Asher trick-or-treated until time was up, came home to watch a movie and eat some pizza, then I took them out to the haunted house attraction. Cole insisted on finishing the movie after it had initially been interrupted by an internet error, but he fell asleep soon after the opening credits completed."

"Good work. Encounter any problems while out?"

"There was... one." The run-in with the teenage bully had been only a mild hindrance in Connor's mind and didn't think much about it. "I handled it effectively."

"Anything to do with a teenager bawling his eyes out after trying to steal some candy?"

"That is an accurate description of what happened tonight, yes."

"Thought so." Chuckling a little Hank shook his head and gave Connor a nod of approval. "Having some wanna' be punk crying for his mommy over some cheap Halloween candy was the highlight of my night! I'm going to bed. Keep the light in the bathroom on and stay in the livingroom in case the boys have a nightmare or something."

"Very well, goodnight, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, goodnight, Connor."

Connor was pleased that Hank found the situation amusing and that he was able to give both Connor and Asher a fun and memorable Halloween. The emotional guilt of knowing that he'd be celebrating Halloween with Cole for what was arguably the final time had left Connor feeling unusually hollow and as if his desires for freedom and equal rights were somehow selfish. He knew that he needed to play his role if the peaceful Revolution was going to succeed, it was just difficult to do what he needed to do when he knew it'd upset Cole and potentially confuse the little boy in a way that'd be very difficult to make amends for later on.

Walking back into the livingroom Connor looked down at Cole and Asher sleeping peacefully then walked over to the recline to sit down again. Being on 'monster patrol' was something that both Hank and Connor wouldn't have to worry about for too much longer since Cole was growing up fast. Soon Cole wouldn't need a babysitter to watch after him all the time and Cole would be able to handle bad dreams and scary movies without needing to hide behind cushions or seek comfort from someone else. Cole wouldn't be a little boy for too much longer.

"I hope you had a fun Halloween tonight, Cole."

Whispering to the open air Connor settled into the recliner for the night and engaged a light rest mode so that he could continue to monitor the area while also getting some sleep himself.

"I'm glad I finally got to take you out trick-or-treating before I leave the house and begin my new journey without you."

The Anderson Residence: November 26th, 2037

The house smelled of warm, homecooked food that was absolutely intoxicating to anyone with a sense of smell. Connor had taken it upon himself to exit rest mode earlier than usual and began cooking everything for dinner by himself so that Hank could sleep in for a while. The detective had worked late the previous night in exchange for Thanksgiving Day off, and as a result the man was utterly exhausted and wouldn't be able to celebrate the holiday properly without decent sleep. It seemed like doing a majority of the cooking and helping out around the house without Hank needing to lift a finger was the best way to ensure that Hank and Cole had a great holiday together before Connor left the family to fight for his people in less than a year's time.

Cooking the turkey and baking the numerous desserts took up a majority of Connor's time in the kitchen, but the deviant didn't mind. It helped him to stop thinking about the future for a minute and continue to focus on the present to ensure that it was as memorable and pleasant as possible. He wanted to leave on the best of note as possible, and in return he was doing his best to make the holidays memorable in every positive manner he could think of.

"What do you think, Sumo?" Connor whispered as he finished basting the turkey and closed the oven door again. "Should I make deviled eggs or a vegetable platter?"

Sumo wagged his tail and keened as gave Connor a happy little spin on the floor at his feet.

"You're right. I'll prepare both."

"Connor?" Hank entered the kitchen and let out a deep yawn as he eyed the android with a mixture of confusion and lingering fatigue in his gaze. Seeing every available countertop and table space covered in bowls, pans, ingredients and utensils was quite the sight to behold. "What're you doing in here?"

"Preparing dinner."

"Yeah, that much I know. I mean, why are you up so early and why does it look like you're trying to make every recipe in the kitchen?"

"I wanted to ensure that you were able to get some rest."

"Oh. Uh, thanks." Hank was still tired but seemed to be perking up a little. "I guess..."

"Was this wrong?" Connor knew that Hank enjoyed cooking and hoped he hadn't overstepped in his efforts to be helpful. The flickering of his blue L.E.D. cycling into yellow gave away his fears of stepping out of line. "I didn't mean to-"

"No, no. It's fine, just unexpected." Walking over to the oven Hank peered in at the turkey through the window and gave it a quick nod. "Looks like you got everything under control here."

"Do you wish to get some more sleep?"

"Nah, I'd never fall back asleep now that I know I have some good food waiting for me." The Lieutenant made his way over to the coffee maker to beginning brewing a fresh pot only to discover that there was already some fresh coffee waiting for him in the glass carafe. "And coffee. Talk about waking up in a good mood."

"You didn't return to the house until two-seventeen this morning. You should get some additional sleep to avoid exhaustion and potential illness."

"I'll be okay." Hank poured himself a mug of the coffee and stirred in a single spoonful of sugar into the warm drink to dissolve and be mixed in. "I'll probably zonk out on the couch in an hour or two anyway. What kinds of desserts did you make?"

"I wasn't sure which ones you and Cole would prefer, so I made a selection."

"What kind of selection?"

"Pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, cherry pie, strawberry and rhubarb pie, chocolate pie, blueberry pie and three cheesecakes - one with a cherry glaze, the second with a raspberry glaze and the third with a chocolate glaze. I was also going to prepare a batch of muffins if I have the time."

"More like if you have the space. I appreciate your ambition, but you didn't have to make such a large array of desserts!"

"I was anticipating you inviting guests over this evening. Was that a wrong calculation?"

"No. But the guests won't be staying all evening." Sipping his coffee Hank sighed and hoped the caffeine would help him wake up. "Too many cases for anyone else to get a full day off. Gavin, Tina, Chris and Ben are all going to stop by for a quick hello and bite to eat on their breaks."

"Should I prepare takeout plates for everyone?"

"That might be a good idea. We'll keep them ready in case someone gets a call when they try to sit down for a good meal." With his coffee in his hand Hank walked toward the livingroom and patted the side of his leg to get Sumo out of the kitchen so Connor could cook in peace. "But if you insist on making some muffins, make some chocolate chip ones for Tina. Her mom loves 'em and I know she'll be stopping by her mom's diner for a while."

"I can do that. Anything else?"

"Yeah. Make sure you keep up the good work and don't burn down the kitchen."

"That is... doable." Connor replied as he watched Hank lay over the couch and prop two pillows up beneath his head as he turned on the television and began searching for something to watch then doze off to courtesy of white noise. "I'll continue to handle everything in the kitchen."

Casually Connor resumed working in the kitchen and looked through the special recipe notebook that Barbara had created before she had passed on. Those were the desserts that Connor had been making all morning long and decided to check and see if there were any recipes for muffins alongside the pies and cakes. The very least Connor could do was accept any and all food requests while he was busy cooking for Hank, Cole and another person who was going to stop by for some free food while on patrol.

"I'll need to make something sugar free as well. I imagine Gavin will be stopping by and will would enjoy a dessert that won't affect his blood sugar. He's been unexpectedly kind to me, and I want to make sure everyone who's been kind to me knows I'm grateful in some way."

It was noon by the time Cole had awoken at last and Hank finished his nap. It seemed with Cole nearing his pre-teen years he was needing more sleep to regain some energy as his body prepared to start growing taller and bigger as he aged. Once he was able to really wake up Cole joined Connor in the kitchen and did his best to help out where he could and learn a few things about proper cooking for future reference. Another notable change with Cole was his interest in taking on new and more challenging responsibilities as he grew up. The little boy Connor first met was maturing fast and wanted to do things on his own and he wanted to learn how to do things for other people.

Cole managed to let Sumo outside and get him back inside without any problem and was now helping Connor make some blueberry muffins. With the desserts being handled by two experts in the kitchen Hank did his own part with watching over the turkey to keep it from burning, then worked on the green bean casserole before working on the mashed potatoes.

"We should have everything covered by now." Hank sighed as he placed the casserole inside the oven alongside the turkey to begin baking. The potatoes were nicely mashed and just needed the proper seasoning before being served. "Once the turkey's done we're going to sit down at the table, get everything laid out nice and neat, then we're going to make takeout plates for anyone who might stop by needing a fast meal."

"I'll do that!" Cole volunteered as he moved a chair over to the cupboard with the portable plates and their matching lids. After pulling everything down from the proper shelf he carried the plates over to the sink and began washing them. "We'll need some bowls too! We have a lot of food."

Hank agreed and gave Cole a nod of appreciative approval. "Damn right. We'll use the good silverware and not any of that cheap plastic stuff that'll just break when they try to use them. They'll give it all back after they're done."

Connor had finished with the final dessert and decided to work on something else. Remembering what he had suggested to a little boy in need a few weeks prior, the deviant decided to create a large tossed salad and a fruit salad to offer in place of all the sugary desserts that had been baked that same morning. Something about providing a variety of food and showing Hank and Cole how much he wanted to do for them made it easier for the deviant to prepare for emotional detachment after the holidays were over.

"You know, this reminds me of when me and Barb would cook during the holidays." Hank stated almost somberly as he looked around the kitchen and took in the sight of everything that had been made that one day. "Plenty of food for us to eat and just as much to take to the nearby homeless shelters. Normally the shelters won't accept anything that had been prepared outside of their own kitchen to avoid contamination and allergens, but since I'm a detective they let it slide."

Cole looked over at his dad and gave him a confused look. "You and mom did this every year?"

"Yeah. It's something we bonded over when we were still dating."

"You bonded over cooking?"

"That, and we bonded over the desire to help people in need." The man explained casually as he tossed a hand towel over his shoulder and looked at how well his son was washing up the dishes in the sink. "It was your mom's kindness and generosity that really attracted me to her when we first met."

"Weird."

"Why's that weird, son?"

"'Cuz being nice should be something everyone is doing all the time. That shouldn't be something that's special!"

"Yeah, you're right. How'd you get so insightful for a third grader?"

"What does 'insightful' mean?"

Chuckling a little Hank patted Cole's shoulder and helped him to dry off the plates in the sink. "In this case, it means 'ironic'. So, what do you think? Heaping helpings of turkey and a little bit of the sides, or should we-"

"Heaping hunks of EVERYTHING!"

"Good man. Let's get started."

Discreetly Connor listened to Hank and Cole speaking to one another as he finished chopping up the lettuce and all the little veggies for the salad. Even after living with Hank and Cole for so long he still found it fascinating to see how easily Hank spoke with his son and how well his son responded to him. It was like the two were good friends on top of being father and son. Such a scene made Connor wonder if he had the same type of relationship with Hank in the alternate timeline or if he had just imagined their strong friendship through rose tinted glasses or misinterpreted memories.

The deviant managed to toss all of the ingredients in the salad evenly and placed the large glass bowl aside before he decided to make some dressing from scratch as well. It didn't take long for the skilled deviant's hands to craft five different dressings, two of which were sugar free, and put them in their own glass bottles to be selected from later.

"Jeez, slow down, Connor." While Hank appreciated all of the android's help and his efforts, he didn't want to see Connor work himself into exhaustion. "You're cooking for a couple of extra people, not for the entire precinct."

Connor put the dressing bottles aside as he refrained for adding any more to the salads. "I just want to make sure everyone can have a decent meal today."

"They will. It's fine."

"I'll finish the fruit salad and stop after that."

"Yeah, okay." The senior detective agreed to that little addition since it couldn't harm anything. "It's a good idea to put some fruit and veggies in with everything else on the table since Thanksgiving seems to smother everything under sugar and gravy!"

"Is there anyone else who may be stopping by?"

"Not that I know of. But with all this extra food I think it's safe to say we're covered." Lightly Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he carried the plates over to the countertop to prepare the takeout meals for his colleagues and friends. "Thanks for your help."

"I..." That simple act and kind acknowledgement caught Connor momentarily off guard. It had been so long since Hank offered him any complimentary words that Connor wasn't quite sure how to react. "You're welcome."

"Turkey's done." Hank confirmed as he peered in the oven and saw that the internal thermometer had been popped and that meant the turkey was cooked perfectly inside and out. The man opened the oven and hefted the large bird out of the oven and put it down the hot pads to be properly carved in a few minutes. "All right. Cole, you go ahead and put the plates, glasses and silverware down on the table. Be sure to fill up all six spots in case someone can stop by and actually sit down instead of grabbing their food and running right back out on patrol."

"Okay, dad."

"Connor, go ahead and start putting everything on the table. Be sure to keep the warm stuff in the center and on hot pads to protect the table and keep people from getting accidentally burned on the sides."

"Okay, Lieutenant. That won't take long."

Working together the trio set about preparing the table and takeout plates together, and they made everything look presentable despite not expecting anyone to stick around for too long. It was important to ensure everyone felt welcome to sit down and have a good meal even if they were only going to stop by for a few minutes before returning to work and heading out on patrol.

Connor seemed to be learning more about the way humans socialize just by watching the way Hank was preparing to help out his friends without any sign of irritation or hesitation. Such acts of generosity and utter caring were rare treats to observe, especially with a detective who had lost everything in another timeline and had very little reason to get out of bed in the mornings, let alone do anything for anyone else.

Even though it seemed like it should've been easy enough to decide if Connor preventing Cole's death was a good thing or a bad thing, it wasn't until that moment where Connor could see how happy Hank truly was with his son still a part of his life did Connor know he did in fact do the right thing. Changing the timeline in such a permanent way had been for the absolute best for everyone, and the rogue deviant knew that if he had the chance to alter the past again that he wouldn't change a thing regarding Hank, Cole or even himself.

The only downside to all of Connor's new emotional discoveries reassurance was the painful fact that in just a few months he'd inevitably have to leave all of his newly discovered comforts behind.

-next chapter-