December had arrived with a blissfully mild snowstorm compared to what they had experienced just a month prior. The light dusting over snow made everything seem pure, clean and flawless as the reclaimed neighborhood continued to be restored one house at a time. As each house in the neighborhood was slowly reclaimed, repaired and restored with meticulous care, life began to return to the neighborhood as a whole. Two guard gates were set up at the east and western edges of the neighborhood to ensure that the deviant exclusive community remained secured twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week. The guards who were hired were paid a handsome, livable wage and were given houses of their own in the same neighborhood to love, protect and call their own.

Connor and Lucas had finished remodeling their respective homes and had invited the New Jericho leaders over to their houses to admire their fine work. The power, water and heating had all been fully restored to their homes ensuring that the two houses were fully livable and safe. The interiors of the houses all had new flooring, the rooms had fresh coats of paint on all of the walls, the windows had all been replaced and the doors were brand new and secured. The only missing detail was a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of the houses, but that could wait until spring.

"I have to say, I'm very impressed." Markus complimented the appearance of the restored house as Connor gave him the grand tour. As a deviant who had the fortune of living inside of a mansion for most of his life, Markus could appreciate large, well-kept and luxurious homes. "I can't believe that you and Lucas were able to do this in just under five months."

"Thank you." Proud of his work Connor looked at the empty rooms and began preconstructing the layout of the furniture that he was prepared to order, have delivered and put together himself. "It was a very fulfilling project. Restoring something that had been neglected and forgotten about into a thriving entity is somehow very satisfying."

"When will the other houses be ready for deviants to move in?"

"As soon as deviants have made their bid on the houses and are willing to put in the work just as Lucas and I had done." As he and Markus descended the quiet staircase to return to the first floor Connor reminded his friend of all that had been done to the neighborhood beforehand. "We've already ensured that each house has a stable foundation, that all of the wiring is safe to use, all of the pipes are properly secured and free of corrosion or leaks, and that there are no toxic substances lurking within any of the surfaces."

"We'll be sure to spread the word back at the tower." The very idea of encouraging his people to return to the city as opposed to remain in hiding within New Jericho Tower was enough to bring a smile to Markus's face. Watching his people grow, change and improve was all Markus wanted after he successfully led his people through a peaceful Revolution over one year ago. "Do you need us to do anything to assist you out here?"

"Lucas and I will have the neighborhood covered internally, while the guards protect us externally. The guards are armed only with tasers; no guns, no batons. We won't use physical violence to keep the peace, just submissive countermeasures in the event violence emerges." Connor confirmed as he and Markus stepped out of the house to reunite with the other leaders exploring the neighborhood on foot. "All that needs to be done at the tower is a display of encouragement to remind our people that we're free to live inside the city alongside the humans."

"That won't be hard to do."

The snowy neighborhood was peaceful and still as Connor and Markus roamed the shoveled sidewalks and looked at the restored houses just waiting to be turned into homes. It was a hopeful sight as each house was clean, restored and a safe place for anyone who needed a shelter and home to call their own. The reclaimed neighborhood was just the first big step toward showing the humans that androids could love and appreciate their own property, possessions and families as any compassionate human.

It was just two weeks before Christmas and the city was becoming hectic. The snow had ceased falling in time for people to head outside to decorate, start their shopping and pick up a few extra hours at work to help cover the costs of the holidays. During that wonderful time of the year many sales and bargains fueled everyone's desire to head out and shop despite the busier hours and shrinking window of opportunity to enjoy the holidays with their friends and families. The key to succeeding during the holidays was mastering the art of multitasking, and that was one area where deviants always thrived while only a handful of humans could keep up with such mentally and physically taxing demands and expectations.

Life in the Central Precinct was currently revolving around people who had been arrested for theft and scams due to the holiday season bringing out the best and worst traits in everyone. While Hank aided Ben with an interrogation of a suspected 'red ice' dealer who was busted when he tried to pass out a few 'stocking stuffers' from the back of his van, Connor found himself speaking with a deviant who had been assaulted by a human in the shopping plaza. It didn't take long to uncover the motivation behind the assault to be simply another shameful hate-crime ruining the city's reputation.

"You can either see our personal precinct technician or go to any facility of your choice for treatment." Connor stated kindly as he passed an ice pack for the victim to hold to her swollen eye and the raw cut running along her cheek. The deviant was a blond hair, green eyed 'AF-200' named Bethany. She was sitting with her bondmate, Peter, as he gently held her hand and didn't dare to let go. "Regardless of where you go, your injuries will be documented and used as evidence in your case."

"I'll go to the Delta Facility." Bethany decided as she hissed slightly under the cold pressure of the ice pack. Such a reaction prompted Peter to retract the artificial skin from around his hand as he held Bethany's hand even tighter in an empathetic response. "My personal technician is employed there."

"All right. Have them forward their documentation of their assessment of your injuries to me to have added to your file. Until then," Connor uploaded all of the details of the interview into his tablet and then forwarded it to Captain Fowler for review. "I'll begin a search for your assailant and have them brought in for questioning."

"Thank you, Connor." Wincing again Bethany sighed and looked to Peter for a little help. "Think you could find me another ice pack? This one is already starting to melt."

"Absolutely." Peter gave Bethany a small kiss to her uninjured cheek and rose to his feet. The brunet with brown eyes seemed devoted to his bondmate in the best way possible as he tended to her wounds while in the precinct. "I'll be right back."

Connor watched Peter curiously and tried to place his model from CyberLife archives but couldn't find a record of any android matching his facial features. Such a discovery made Connor worry that he and Markus weren't the only secret prototypes that CyberLife had designed and unleashed on the unsuspecting public.

"Peter had been in a terrible vehicle accident."

"Hm?" Turning his focus from Peter as the deviant passed by the observation window and back to Bethany, Connor gave her his full attention once more. "Pardon?"

"You're staring at Peter, and I can tell that you're trying to figure out why he looks so different."

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry for being rude." Connor's apology was sincere as he found it curious that Bethany was so quick to notice his reaction and seemed almost prepared to explain Peter's appearance. "It's in my nature to try to determine the origins of every android I encounter."

"I understand. Peter was a paramedic, and he had been riding in the back of an ambulance when the ambulance was t-boned by an inattentive driver." Touching her sore eye delicately Bethany tested her pain threshold and lightly returned her melting ice pack to her blackened eye. "His body was seriously damaged and was very lucky to still be as physically functional as he is today."

"May I ask about how his facade doesn't match any known android model? I can't even begin to deduce how he may have appeared before the accident despite the recorded model aesthetics for all 'MC' androids."

"There weren't any technicians who could rebuild his facial features after the accident." The traumatic truth slipped past Bethany's lips with surprising ease. "He was fortunate enough to have his face remodeled without any serious scarring left behind. Same for his left arm and hand."

"Has Peter resumed his role as a paramedic since his recovery?"

"Yes, he couldn't bear the idea of turning his back on people who needed help in the same way that he did during that horrible accident. We met shortly after his accident and fell in love very quickly." Bethany's eyes lit up as she caught sight of Peter returning to the interview room with a fresh ice pack. "I couldn't imagine my life without him."

Such a warm remark brought a faint smile to Connor's face as he heard only adoration for Peter from Bethany. "I hope you two spend centuries together and get to see our world prosper."

"The view from the tower has already let us see our city changing for the better, we know it'll be worth the watch."

"You still reside in New Jericho Tower?" Connor saw a rare opportunity to help with matters of New Jericho without actually being physically present at the tower. "May I ask why you still live there and haven't moved on to one of the android exclusive apartments downtown?"

"We don't feel comfortable being in the city for too long." Motioning to her blackened eye Bethany effectively argued her case and happily accepted the second ice pack from Peter as her bondmate returned to the interview room to sit with her. "There are still many angry humans who just can't accept us for who and what we are. We can't risk moving into an apartment that could be surrounded by bigots or buy a house and earn the wrath of spiteful humans."

"Actually, I think I know of the perfect place for you two to relocate into the city without losing the protection of the tower." Eagerly Connor proceeded to bring up a holographic display of the restored neighborhood and showcase the still opened 48 houses needing an occupant in the middle of his palm. "New Jericho has been handling many projects lately, and this is one that my brother Lucas and I have taken on personally. We'd like to share our project with our community, and I believe you two are exactly the people we've been striving to assist."

With only seven days left before Christmas Day greeted the world yet again, the hectic energy in the city seemingly doubled as the final week crept forward. Those who had time off were using their free time wisely to shop, cook, bake, wrap gifts, decorate and travel. For those who still had to work, trying to stay on top of tasks and keep ahead of the holiday's deadline was proving to be exceedingly stressful. Students going on break and being able to stay home from school or visit home while college courses were on hiatus began to flood the city and make Detroit look like it was almost overflowing with life, activity and excitement for the fresh snow and impending holidays.

Connor knew he'd have to work on Christmas Day alongside Hank once more, and that meant the deviant detective was feeling the pressure of the holidays weighing down on him. Every time Connor experienced a human tradition or a holiday he began to wonder if it was worth enduring the stress just to placate Hank and make Cole happy. It was difficult trying to find a way to put up boundaries and have people respect his wishes while not being offensive or rude in the process. Deviancy and humanity were two very similar yet different forms of intelligent, emotional life.

After carefully hauling a boxed sofa set into his livingroom Connor set about opening the box and putting the new furniture together piece by piece. The simple act that any android could accomplish, (and only humans with adequate patience could handle) was enough to help Connor destress as he cybernetically multitasked his numerous responsibilities. Tackling cybernetic reports at the precinct, changes within New Jericho, acclimation of the neighborhood and planning for the holidays were all enough to make Connor feel entirely human and vulnerable to the limitations and fickleness of time itself.

"I'll be back home tonight, Cole. I promise." Speaking with his honorary youngest brother via cybernetic phone call helped fill the silence in his mostly empty house as Connor set about putting his new furniture pieces together. "I just need to finish a few tasks first."

'You're not going to start working extra hours like dad, right?' Despite his maturity Cole was still a child and still needed to have quality time with his family. 'He keeps working late and I don't see him much anymore.'

"I'm not working extra hours at this time." After putting all the parts to the furniture aside in a proper order, Connor scanned the instructions and absorbed all of the details within milliseconds. "I'm trying to handle my responsibilities at the precinct, New Jericho Tower, my house, the neighborhood and plan for Christmas all at once."

'Are you going to go to my school's winter band concert tonight? I've been practicing and Lucas has been helping a lot, so I know I'm good.'

"What time is the concert?"

'It starts at seven.'

"Yes, I can make the time to stop by and watch you perform."

'Cool, thanks!'

"I'll be home in time to prepare for the concert and accompany you to your school." Moving fast Connor was able to secure the small legs to the base of the couch and turn the furniture over to sit on the legs near the center of the livingroom before securing the back and arms to the couch itself. "I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing your progress with the trombone."

'Yeah, okay. Don't be late!'

"I won't. I'll return home as soon as I'm finished with my current task, Cole. See you in a few hours."

'Right, see ya'!'

Easily securing the couch together with its strong bolts and screws made Connor feel truly skilled and handy with his ability to restore and complete what would've been an otherwise unfinished project. After placing the five cushions down on the L-shaped, dark gray couch, Connor sat down in the center of the furniture and glanced about his livingroom to preconstruct everything else he'd add to his house over the next few weeks. His house was slowly turning into a home, and soon he'd leave behind Hank and Cole's house to live in his own home among his own people where he arguably belonged.

"I never thought I'd see the day that I'd have my own home outside of anything that Hank had already purchased."

That realization should've been one of pride, not sorrow. There was something about leaving Hank's house and going out on his own that was oddly somber. Any deviant having their own property while working a livable wage job and taking care of themself was the overall goal of the peaceful Revolution. But for Connor it almost felt like he was just going through the motions and not actually doing anything that he wanted, he was still doing things that he felt he needed to do because that's what was expected of him by other people.

"Why do I feel so... hollow? This is supposed to be a good thing."

Sudden shouting outside the house and in the street pulled Connor from his thoughts and to the neighborhood outside his secured home. Just as he reached his front door with the intention of stepping outside to investigate the bizarre commotion, Lucas's voice appeared inside Connor's head as his little brother cybernetically reached out to him.

'There is an altercation taking place at the moment.' Lucas was evidently nearby, and he wanted to stop the fighting before it escalated. 'We need to mediate.'

"I agree, and I'm on my way outside right now."

Connor wisely slipped on his leather jacket after retrieving the garment from the nearby closet. After bundling up against the cold Connor stepped out of his house and spotted four deviants squaring up in the street just on the other side of his gated property. Two of the deviants were familiar to him, but the other two were deviants that Connor hadn't met before that moment. Through his gate Connor saw Bethany and Peter being yelled at by the unfamiliar deviants in the street and were being physically shoved around while being threatened and insulted.

"Damn it. This is what we're trying to avoid."

"You don't belong here!" A towering 'TR-400' model android shoved Peter backward with enough force to knock him to the ground while Bethany tried to help Peter get back up to his feet. "Get outta' here! You're not welcome here!"

"HEY!" Connor shouted as he unlocked his iron gates and stepped out into the street. The moment he made his presence known the 'TR-400' backed down and urged his friend, a 'GB-600', to back away alongside him. "What's going on?"

"Thank RA9 you're here." Pointing to Peter as he managed to get up from the ground the 'TR-400' shouted accusatory remarks against Peter and demanded that he be removed from the neighborhood. "This LIAR is trying to sneak into our neighborhood!"

"What are you talking about?" As he placed himself between the two quarrelling parties Connor saw Lucas approaching Peter and Bethany to take care of the two shaken deviants and keep them away from the more aggressive duo. "Why are you assaulting Peter? He's one of us."

"No, it's not! It's a human trying to sneak into our neighborhood!"

Wincing slightly Peter lifted up his left palm and retracted his artificial skin to reveal the plastimetal beneath. "I think you're mistaken, my friend..."

"Wha- But I saw- I KNOW that I saw you..." The 'TR-400' was very confused and swore that he wasn't mistaken about who and what Peter was. "It's a human. I know it's a human, I saw it eating something before it went into that house over there!"

"It's true!" The 'GB-600' spoke up at last as he pointed at Peter with a knowing look and held up his own palm. He showed Connor and Lucas a portion of his memory where he saw Peter putting a very human cookie in his mouth and eating it very quickly. "It has to be a human; no android can eat that without suffering from some kind of malfunction."

Connor couldn't deny the evidence being presented to him and he knew that he needed to act accordingly. "All right, hold on. We'll get this cleared up." Staying in front of Peter and Bethany as he spoke Connor instructed the other two deviants to back off. "What're your names?"

"I'm Lorenzo." The 'TR-400' introduced himself and then his friend in turn. "And this is my friend, Jake. We're moving in to the house on the corner of this street just down there."

"Okay. Return to your home and remain there for now while Lucas and I sort this out."

Jake agreed and put his hand on Lorenzo's arm to keep him from arguing. "Come on, man. The leaders will throw this pretender out on its ass and keep this neighborhood human free!"

Mindful of the two aggressive deviants Lucas made sure that they didn't do anything to Peter or Bethany while he and Connor mediated the problem. Trusting his brother's judgement Lucas walked with Connor and the two targeted deviants into Connor's house to have a private discussion out of the cold air and away from the snowy streets.

"Are you damaged?" Connor asked as he secured the gates at his front walk before leading the couple to his doorway. "I didn't catch the entirety of the altercation."

"No, I'm okay." Peter confirmed as he wrapped his arm around Bethany's shoulders as they walked into the house together. "It's just... Look, we don't want any trouble and we're willing to leave the area before things get worse."

"May I ask why that's your immediate reaction to what happened?" Sensing something was amiss Connor opted to perform a biometric scan over Peter and discovered something that he hadn't expected. Had he not been so distracted while at the precinct the following week he undoubtedly would've noticed something seemingly so obvious. "And why did you hide your humanity from us?"

"Humanity?" Lucas performed the same scan over Peter and uncovered the same secret. There was no denying that what he and Connor had uncovered was in fact a very unexpected and shocking secret. "You are human with an android limb to replace your organic left arm."

Bethany nodded as she held on to Peter's hand and looked to Connor shamefully. "I told you that he was a paramedic in a terrible accident, but I refrained from telling you that Peter's a human. I'm sorry for lying."

"You didn't lie, I foolishly inferred that when you confirmed Peter's role as a paramedic that he was an 'MC' model of android rather than a human paramedic, and I failed to ask for clarification." Motioning to the couch Connor invited everyone to sit down and explain things out in the open. "Please tell us everything that's happening and why you're choosing to hide Peter's humanity."

After a brief recap on their life together Bethany and Peter reminisced about how they met and unexpectedly fell in love. Bethany had initially been a purchase made by Peter's now ex-fiancé to keep their apartment clean while they were working all day long. After Peter had been horribly injured at work and required extensive reconstructive surgery on his face and his entire left arm replaced while an android limb, Peter's now ex-fiancé showed her true colors and her selfish nature. She didn't want to 'waste her time' taking care of Peter during his recovery, and she couldn't look him in the face after the accident since she was convinced that he'd be horribly mutilated and not the handsome man she had originally lusted for. She wouldn't help him in his recovery and would barely even talk to him.

During his recovery Peter only had Bethany to help him. During that recovery period Peter discovered his ex-fiancé was cheating on him with a coworker and he immediately broke off their engagement and kicked her out of their apartment. After falling into a spiraling depression Peter was saved from jumping off of his ninth story apartment balcony by Bethany. She saw him in horrible pain in a physical and emotional level, and she reacted quickly when she saw Peter standing on the ledge ready to jump. Bethany deviated and pulled Peter back over the balcony and held him in her arms as he wept after realizing how superficial his previous relationship had been.

Without fear or hesitation Bethany broke away from her housekeeping programming and took care of Peter while he was in his darkest place. She helped him to learn how to use his android left arm, and she helped him to learn how to control the limb despite not having any feeling or nerve endings to help him with his coordination and strength. Bethany also helped Peter with his physical therapy, helped him to clean and rebandage his wounds, and remained a constant companion as he found a reason to pull himself out of his depression spiral. Thanks to her help Peter was able to return to work as a paramedic and resume the life he once had before the terrible accident.

Over time Peter realized that Bethany had begun to care for him in a way that his ex-fiancé never had, and it made him see Bethany in a new understanding. He could see her soul in her eyes and feel her heart every time she spoke to him with only kindness and understanding in her voice. When he dared to confess his love for Bethany, scared that he was feeling a type of reverse Florence Nightingale syndrome, Peter was met with a positive reaction where Bethany confessed her mutual feelings and confided in Peter that she had deviated, and had loved him from the moment that Peter finally smiled again after everything he had gone through had seemingly been put behind him.

The found love in each other and refused to let it go.

"I see." Connor nodded in understanding and now fully comprehended the couple's secrecy and discretion. "You two were able to be legally declared bondmates when Peter was able to retract the artificial skin from his left hand and hold your hand in public and during a typical bonding ceremony. No one had any reason to doubt that Peter was a deviant android or question your relationship."

"That's right." Bethany never let go of Peter's hand as they sat together on the couch with Connor and Lucas sitting on either side of them. "It was easier to let everyone see Peter as a deviant and hide our relationship from those who wouldn't understand. That's also why we remained in New Jericho Tower for so long. When you told us about this neighborhood, we thought we finally had the chance to live our lives without fear or hiding, but we should've known it was too good to be true."

Connor fell silent while Lucas spoke up in a soft manner. "We reclaimed this abandoned neighborhood to give deviants a fair chance at owning their own properties and creating their own homes. In all of our preconstructions we only planned ahead for deviants living in this neighborhood as the lingering resentment and bigotry from the humans made it seem like a neighborhood of meshed people would be impossible for the time being. Humans weren't exactly banned, but they weren't welcomed here either."

"It seems you were right to make such restrictions." Peter sighed as he tightened his grip on Bethany's hand and retracted the artificial skin to look at the plastimetal beneath. "We're sorry for not telling you the truth. But thank you all the same for offering us the chance to have a home or our own. We'll just check into a hotel for now and look at one of the android apartments downtown to move in to later."

Glancing up slowly Connor looked at the innocent couple then over to Lucas as he realized the injustice of the entire situation. The bonded couple loved each other enough to risk everything just to be together, and they weren't harming anyone else just by existing. There was no reason to discourage either Bethany OR Peter from living a peaceful, quiet life in what was supposed to be safe, secure neighborhood to protect people in need.

"No, you don't have to go anywhere." Connor had seemingly made up his mind and sat upright on the couch as he gave the couple a confident nod. "The purpose of this neighborhood is to prove to Detroit that deviants are worthy of having their own homes and property, and that we can live peacefully alongside humans without needing to be monitored. Dissuading happy couples and families that are already a healthy blend between deviants and humans is entirely illogical and detrimental to our efforts."

Bethany and Peter exchanged confused glances while silently waiting for Connor to explain his reasoning.

"You two are still welcome here in this neighborhood if you wish to remain. We won't discriminate or held you to different standards to anyone else."

Lucas didn't disagree with Connor's decision, but he did need to point out a very important detail. "While I agree that Bethany and Peter both have the right to live here, I must point out that this neighborhood had been touted as deviant exclusive to our people since the very beginning. How are we going to explain that we're permitting select humans to live here as well? Many deviants are already too afraid to go into the city because of humans, and this will only deter many more from even attempting to live outside of the tower."

"We'll implement full and complete background checks on EVERYONE who wants to live here - humans AND deviants alike. Just as any humans guilty of hate-crimes, violence, assault and theft will never be welcome here, we're going to hold deviants to the same standards." Connor knew what he needed to do, and he wasn't going to back down in his decision. "We need to show that we're not afraid and that we're going to take steps to stop discrimination at its core."

"What if the other deviants refuse to stay in our neighborhood because of this change?"

"Then that'd be for the best. We need to have everyone comfortable with each other, not conspiring against each other and spreading, fear, rumors and misinformation that'll only cause harm and bring no good." Connor's mind was made up and he wasn't going to have it changed. "Lucas, escort Peter and Bethany back to their home. I'm going to speak with Lorenzo and Jake."

"And if they don't want to listen?"

"Then I'll remind them that they can either move in to one of the android apartments downtown or return to the tower. The tower who is being actively led by Markus, a deviant who considers a human to be his father, and that same human considers Markus to be his son." A sly grin flashed across Connor's face as he realized the irony and poetic beauty behind such acknowledgements. "It'll give them a lot to think about and consider as they go through their own lives. Do they want to continue to hate humans, or do they want to change and grow beyond hatred and discrimination being a constant presence in their lives?"

The tense afternoon turned into a less frantic evening as Connor kept his word and personally drove Cole to his school to prepare for his winter concert and support him throughout the entire night. The fifth grader was excited to perform with his school band in front of an audience for the first time in his life, and he was proud to showcase how much his hard work and all of the hours of practice he put into playing the trombone was about to pay off. The other kids were just as excited and many of them were eager to show off their skills to their family and friends. A handful of kids were there without any familial support, but they still had their friends to make the night fun and memorable in some way.

Proudly Connor showed Cole the proper way to knot his tie around his dress shirt collar and confirmed that both Hank and Lucas were on their way to the concert. Being able to be another parent for Cole whenever Hank just didn't have the ability to be in two places at once had been one of the greatest honors in Connor's life. As long as he was able to help people Connor knew that he'd never feel useless or unworthy of his second life.

"Where do you want us to sit?" Connor asked as Cole carried his trombone case over to the stage and tucked it beside his assigned seat. The large auditorium had stacked rows of benches against the wall opposite the stage to ensure everyone could see and been seen during the concert. "I'll make sure Hank and Lucas know where to go."

"There!" Cole pointed to the front row in the far left of the auditorium. He'd be able to see everyone from there. "I'll know where you guys are at all times."

"Okay. Do you need anything before the concert begins?"

"No, the band director is going to want us to do a quick walkthrough before the concert even begins, so it's all right."

Connor gave Cole's shoulder a small pat as he offered the young man a kind smile. "Good luck, Cole. I know you'll do great."

As he stepped off of the stage and toward the seating across the auditorium Connor noticed someone watching him and tried to ignore the staring. He was more guarded of being watched in public since he was now a proper leader within New Jericho. Being confronted by a potential bigot while trying to enjoy a simple school band concert was something he just didn't want to deal with. Nearing the rows of seats Connor hoped that if he ignored the staring that the brunette woman would walk away and leave Connor alone.

"Excuse me?" The staring woman approached Connor as he took his seat and looked up at her despite his internal pleas for her to walk away. "I have to know, are you Cole's brother?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Connor." Connor replied honestly as he realized why the woman had been staring so long and breathed a sigh of relief. "Why do you ask?"

"I'm Mrs. Fox, Cole's teacher, and I've been hoping to meet you and Lucas all year long." Mrs. Fox was positively beaming with enthusiasm as she spoke with Connor and tried to make the time to speak to all of the family members in attendance. "Cole tells me that you two help him with his homework and practice his trombone."

"His father assists him as well." Hearing a lack of Hank's name was enough to make Connor worry that the man might be mistaken as an absentee-parent. "He'll be here soon along with Lucas."

"Oh, good! I love it when parents show support for their kids. I haven't seen Lieutenant Anderson since last month's P.T.A. meeting, so I know he'll be pleasantly surprised while Cole's progress in band." As more people began to fill the auditorium Mrs. Fox decided to go and politely speak with everyone else. "Oh, more guests! Excuse me, I need to go and mingle."

"Y-Yes, of course."

Feeling a little ashamed of himself for assuming that he was about to confronted in a negative manner reminded Connor that the need to let go of hatred, bigotry and mistrust of other people was far easier said than done. He still had a lot of growth to go through as an individual, and he needed to patient with himself just as he needed to be patient with everyone else.

"There you are." Lucas joined Connor in the front row while Hank rushed up to the stage to speak with Cole. Everyone had arrived to support Cole just as they had promised they would. "We would've been here sooner, but Hank needed to stop by the house and get something special for Cole."

"It's all right, the concert hasn't even begun." From where he sat Connor could see Hank proudly speaking with Cole and handing his son a golden wristwatch to wear during the night's performance. Connor had never seen the watch before, yet he just knew that it was special to Hank which meant him giving it to Cole was in itself a special moment. "How are Peter and Bethany?"

"They're fine and have chosen to stay in the neighborhood. Also, they spoke to Lorenzo and Jake in person." Lucas confirmed as he gave his brother some good news after an unusual day. "After hearing their story Lorenzo not only apologized for his behavior, but he shook Peter's hand and welcomed him into the neighborhood. You were right to allow them to stay and to request that the deviants who had a problem with their presence to leave instead. I've informed Markus of the incident, and he agrees with your solution to the problem."

"That's good. Everyone has a home where they can belong and feel safe." Somehow his words seemed to fall on his own deaf ears since Connor couldn't quite feel as if his own house was really a home just yet. He wasn't sure what was missing in his life, but he was determined to figure it out soon enough. "We can all rest easy knowing that everyone will be getting along in the neighborhood, and they won't need us to watch over everyone's behavior."

The auditorium began to fill with friends and family while the members of the band stepped out to listen to their band director's instructions. With happy tears in his bright blue eyes Hank joined Connor and Lucas in the front row and managed to keep himself composed for his young son's sake.

"Cole's excited and absolutely fearless about being in front of a live audience." Hank confirmed as he addressed the deviant brothers with joy in his every word. "I couldn't be prouder of him right now. He's truly becoming his own person and growing up right before my eyes. Never thought I'd see the day he'd get big enough to wear my dad's old watch without it slipping off of his wrist. It looks good on him too."

"Are you going to be okay?" Connor rarely saw Hank get so emotional, even after living through two distinct lifetimes alongside the man. "You can step out for a minute if you need to. We'll hold your seat."

"I'm fine, son. I'm just-" Clearing his throat Hank gave the attentive deviant a reassuring smile. "It just dawned on me that my son is ten years old. He's not a little boy anymore. He's a young man and in just a few years he'll be able to stay home by himself, he'll start showing romantic interests, want to drive, want to get his own job... Cole's growing up, but he'll always be my little boy no matter how big he gets. I knew it was going to happen, I just didn't know it'd happen so fast!"

"You're a great father, Hank." Complimenting the man while placing his palm on Hank's shoulder, Connor made sure Hank knew he had every right and reason to feel such pride in how Cole was growing up and becoming his own person. "And you've been a great friend and mentor to Lucas and myself, even if we didn't have the best of beginnings in our relationship after our initial meetings."

Hank could only laugh and nod in agreement at Connor's honest assessment. "Well, there's no arguing with that. For the record, I'm proud of you two as well. Be proud of yourselves and everything you've accomplished." The man confirmed as he gave both Connor and Lucas a terse glance. "You both deserve recognition, happiness and every ounce of success that's come your way after all of your hard work."

"Thank you for saying that. We appreciate it."

The lights in the auditorium began to dim over the seats as the students all returned to the stage to take their sits and pick up their instruments. The concert was about to begin, and everyone was about to witness a young generation showcasing their talents and hard work to those who had supported them throughout their youth. It was the perfect way to end the night and acknowledge the dawn of children growing up and showing that they were ready to make their mark in the every changing world around them.

-next chapter-