The chill of autumn was thick in the air as the dried, colorful leaves swirled about the sidewalks and streets courtesy of the prominent wind gusting over the city. As Detroit prepared for the final big three holidays that always brought the year to a close, a new celebration was being prepared out at Belle Isle as the deviants began planning their one-anniversary of their peaceful Revolution. The sudden spike in activity throughout Detroit had filled the city was an energy that was seldom ever felt, and emotions began running high. One unfortunate side effect of the emotional upheaval came in the form of delicate tensions beginning to mount and send people over the edge once their patience reached their limits and that tense bubble burst.

An unwelcome spike in anti-android sentiment had destroyed the prolonged lull in crime against the deviants in Detroit. In return, Connor and Hank found themselves handling upwards of fifteen daily reports of anti-android hate crimes throughout the city over the course of a single week. Being tasked with nearly one-hundred different cases in a week's time had left Hank running on fumes and Connor pushing himself to the brink of complete collapse, although no one could tell with how well Connor masked his emotions and hid his mounting fatigue.

"Get in there!" Hank growled as he shoved the arrested man covered in dried Thirium back into his holding cell to await transfer. The recent interrogation was sickening as the man openly gloated about attacking a group of deviants trying to walk through a local park, and Hank was about to punch the arrogant man's teeth down his throat. "Do us all a favor and keep your damn mouth shut until your lawyer shows up. Trust me, you're going to NEED a lawyer after all that shit you just confessed to."

Connor was sitting at his desk with his gray blazer removed and the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. The top button of the deviant's shirt had been opened and his tie had been removed as well, making Connor look far more casual than professional as he worked diligently on his cases. It was getting harder for the deviant to deny that he was tense and starting to overheat from his chronic exertion on a physical, mental and emotional level.

As he stared at his terminal screen with his brown eyes transfixed on a single pixel of the screen and his exposed palm resting on the keyboard, Connor meticulously scanned through each case file and chronicled the collected evidence, statements and pattern of behavior for proper analysis when the numerous arrested suspects were brought to trial in the next few weeks.

"This is getting out of hand." The Lieutenant grumbled as he dropped into his chair on the opposite side of the shared desk. "I can't believe how many assholes are running around assaulting androids and thinking that they're not doing anything wrong."

"It seems as if old habits die hard."

"You got that right." As he sunk into his chair Hank looked over at Connor and noted the deviant's current appearance. The experienced Lieutenant was quick to recognize the signs of stress in his colleagues and knew that Connor was on the verge of losing his cool. "Know what? Fuck this! Let's go burn off some of this stress in the gym downstairs."

"I don't need to exercise."

"So what? Doesn't mean that running on a treadmill or some controlled heavy lifting can't help you relieve some pent-up stress." Pushing himself up and out of his chair again Hank walked around to Connor's side of the conjoined desk and put his palm on the deviant's shoulder. Hank felt the tense synthetic muscles under his palm and the actual heat radiating from Connor's entire body thanks to his elevated stress levels. "There's also a punching bag that you can turn to dust with just your knuckles if you want to."

"It's unwise to use physical violence as an outlet for one's anger or stress." Connor pulled his exposed hand back from his keyboard as he gave Hank a knowing look where he sat. "We've had enough cases to prove that as more of a fact and less of a theory this week."

"Then what do you suggest you do to de-stress for a while? You can't just sit here steeping in your anger."

Remaining quiet Connor didn't answer the simple question as he realized he didn't have an immediate solution. Being able to decompress and let go of his stress was something that the deviant detective hadn't fully discovered for himself just yet.

"Come on. There's some extra workout clothes you can change into so that you don't overheat or whatever by working out in your jeans and long-sleeved shirt."

Unwilling and unable to decline Hank's offer to help him find a healthy way to de-stress after enduring such a stressful week, Connor pushed himself upright from his chair and felt his legs wobble as his fatigued demeanor left him weaker than usual. It was evident that he needed to lower his stress levels, get some proper rest and find a way to relax. Being so exhausted and stressed was very unhealthy and a dangerous habit to develop.

The chronic android abuse taking place in the city wasn't just being reported at the precinct, it was reaching a certain private detective who had sworn to protect his people even if he was no longer a member of the Detroit Police Department. The private office was seeing a new client on a nearly hourly rotation as Lucas met with the victims of the anti-android crimes. Fortunately, Lucas managed to find the humans responsible for the assaults in a timely manner through his own deductive reasoning and advanced forensics software. After locating the correct criminals and identifying them through facial recognition scans, Lucas cybernetically uploaded his cases to Connor's terminal with the collected evidence and then confirmed that the humans would be arrested for their crimes before the day's end.

After tracking down the twelfth human that day for assaulting and nearly destroying a deviant operating as a barista at a local coffee shop, the 'RK-900' returned to his office with Bruno at his side and promptly poured some fresh Thirium into Bruno's bowl. As tired as Lucas felt he knew that Connor, Hank and the other detectives throughout Detroit were feeling even worse.

"I was hoping that I'd be able to assist Connor with preparing for the one-year anniversary at New Jericho Tower, but I suspect that he's unable to do anything but handle the current increase in android related crimes."

Bruno was lapping up his Thirium as he cybernetically linked with his friend to discuss the situation. 'Lucas can still help Connor.'

"Yes, but only as a consultant. My consultations aren't needed since Connor is undoubtedly handling each case with Hank's assistance as we speak."

'Can Lucas help Markus?'

"I may be able to do that. But I imagine that with the first-year anniversary of the peaceful Revolution at hand, Markus would rather have only the deviant leaders working together to plan the ceremony." Lucas lowered himself to the floor to sit next to Bruno as the K-9 unit quickly drank his Thirium to replenish his diminished reserve. "It's a very special occasion that needs to be handled with the utmost respect, care and dignity."

'Lucas is respectful and caring and dignified.'

"Even so, I wasn't there during the Revolution." Lightly Lucas patted Bruno's back as he appreciated the way Bruno was so supportive of him as a person. "However, even if I can't do much to help Connor with his cases at hand, I might be able to assist Connor with his role in the anniversary celebration. What do you think?"

Finishing off his Thirium Bruno turned to look at Lucas and wagged his tail enthusiastically and perked his ears right up. 'Bruno thinks that's good!'

"Then I'll head out to the house to check on Connor this evening. In fact, we'll both go so that you can play with Cole and Sumo."

Bruno circled around very happily at that suggestion and greatly approved of Lucas's actions. 'Bruno likes Cole and Sumo! They are fun!'

The dreary evening did little to improve anyone's mood as the miserable day came to an end. The two detectives returned home after their shift had mercifully ended, and neither detective was feeling particularly sociable. Their aggressive workouts at the precinct gym only left Hank all the more exhausted and made Connor see how dangerous his temper and anger could be. Despite being in a safe place designed to let frustrated officers and detectives blow off some steam, the deviant detective had unintentionally damaged the punching bag causing it to tear after his enraged knuckles pummeled the leather and vinyl bag with rapid fire punches that echoed throughout the gym with a disturbing ambience.

Hank had grown to respect Connor's temper and made a mental note to never say or do anything that'd offend or anger the deviant. The man had enough experience with working alongside hot-headed officers in the past to know that there were just some things you never said or did around specific people. In time he had learned that Connor was one such person due to his past experiences shaping his emotions into a more aggressive mode when he felt threatened, and yet the deviant could be as gentle as a rose's petals whenever he needed to show a more delicate side of his personality.

A quick dinner was all Hank had the energy to create and it was one of his and Cole's favorites. As he stirred around the perfectly seasoned spaghetti sauce in its large pot on the stove Hank looked back at Cole sitting at the kitchen table with his homework under his nose, and then peered through the kitchen window to see Connor sitting on the deck alone as the deviant stared down at his hands as if ashamed of how much destruction he was capable of displaying.

"How's school?" Hank asked as he filled a second pot with water to boil next to the simmering sauce. From the corner of his eye Hank saw Connor staring down at his blue, bruised knuckles indicating the intensity of his boxing workout at the precinct. "Any problems with your homework?"

"No, I got it." Cole was diligently filling out his math homework without needing any help that evening. "It's the same stuff I learned from last year, so it's easy."

"That's good. Just don't get caught off guard when they start increasing the difficulty to challenge you."

"As long as they teach something more useful than cursive, I don't care."

"Yeah, not gonna' lie, the only time you need to know cursive is when you need to sign your name on legal documents." Locating a fresh baguette stored on top of the fridge in an air-tight bag, Hank pulled down the bread and placed it on a cutting board beside the stove. "You can sign your name, right?"

"Yup. And it's perfectly legible."

"Then you're ready to face the real world head-on."

"Ha, ha..." Feeling a little annoyed himself Cole put down his pencil and gave his dad an unamused look. "You're hilarious, you know that?"

"Damn right I am." Focused on his dinner Hank set about slicing the baguette into even pieces to create some tasty garlic bread to have alongside the spaghetti. Looking out at Connor again through the window Hank felt sorry for the deviant and knew Connor was still struggling to find a way to wrangle his emotions in a healthy, constructive manner. "Aside from schoolwork, are you having any fun with your friends?"

"Sure. It's the last year we'll get a recess, so we've been spending a bunch time on the playground."

"Man, I miss the simple days of recess being the most important thing in the world. Middle school won't be that bad though, you'll have a slightly longer lunch period and will be able to hang out with your friends like always." With the baguette now sliced Hank proceeded to place the slices down on a baking sheet, then melt a small bowl of butter in the microwave. "Any bullies you have to deal with?"

Cole went quiet for a heartbeat before he responded to the question. "Sorta'."

"Uh, how do you 'sorta' have a bully problem?"

"He's picking on Asher, not me!"

"Oh." Speaking casually with Cole while cooking Hank took a small glove of fresh garlic, minced it and then mixed it in with the melted butter before spreading it over the sliced baguette pieces. "Are you doing anything about the bully?"

"I tell him to knock it off, but he doesn't. The teachers don't care since Duncan isn't hitting Asher, just calling him names."

"Your teachers sound like they suck." After putting the garlic bread in the over to toast Hank joined Cole at the table and addressed his youngest son more directly while having an important discussion. "Do you know why this Duncan jerk is picking on Asher?"

Cole looked away from his dad as he sat back in his chair and dropped his pencil. "I promised Asher I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Son, I'm a detective, my job is to help everyone who needs it and I'm great at keeping secrets." As he spoke Hank heard the front door open and waved Lucas and Bruno inside the house while pointing them in Connor's direction out back. "I won't say anything if you tell me why Asher's being picked on."

It was clear Cole was unsure of what to do to help his friend. As much as he wanted to keep Asher's secret Cole knew that his dad would be able to do something to help his friend in a way that no one else could. "Okay. This summer Asher was taken away from his dad and is living with his grandparents in a smaller house on the other side of town."

"That explains why Asher didn't hang out that much here during the summer." Hank held his tongue while Lucas and Bruno entered the kitchen then exited through the backdoor to join Connor on the deck outside. "Do you know why Asher was put in his grandparents' care?"

"His dad had a stroke and can't take care of himself or Asher anymore."

"Ah, man... That's rough." One of Hank's biggest fears was getting hurt or sick and being unable to take care of his own son. "Poor Asher."

"Asher said his dad's really sick and the doctors don't think he'll get better. So Asher has to stay with his grandparents now."

"And Duncan thinks that's funny?"

"Duncan thinks it's funny that Asher's dad is really fat and got sick because he didn't take care of himself. Duncan's a huge jerk and always makes fun of people when something bad happens. He picks on a lot of people at school."

"Does Asher do anything when Duncan picks on him?"

"No. Asher just gets really quiet and leaves."

"Okay, this is what I want you to do." Hank wanted to protect Asher without the little boy knowing that his best friend told his secret. "Use a notebook to write down everything that Duncan is saying to Asher; make sure you write the day's date, the time, where it happened and if anyone else witnessed it. Then, after a week or two, tell your teacher and show him your notebook. If your teacher won't do anything then take your notebook to the principal."

"What is she doesn't do anything?"

"Then talk to your superintendent. And if they don't do anything, then you tell me, and I'll pay Duncan's family a visit with a nice collection of police cars to make sure everyone knows that Duncan's family got questioned by the cops, and then he can feel what it feels like to have people talking about him and making fun of him."

That idea struck a nerve with Cole and the fifth grader disagreed with his dad's solution. "That's still bullying, dad."

"You're right, it is. And unfortunately, it seems like the only way to get a bully to feel even the smallest shred of empathy is to make them feel as bad as they make others feel first. Don't worry, I won't arrest anyone or show up at your school, but I will do a wellness check with Duncan's bullying being the key reason for such a visit."

"Then Duncan will know I told on him!"

"All right, then I'll ask Gavin to step up in my place if it does come down to it." It seemed simple enough to get Gavin to step in for him and help stop some schoolyard bullying. "No one knows that Gavin's a friend to us."

"What if Duncan starts to pick on me too?"

"We'll cross that bridge if we come to it." Hank stated with an unbridled sense of confidence as he returned to the stove to make sure nothing was boiling over or burning under his watch. "Until then, let's just focus on helping Asher with his own bully problem before we worry about you getting one."

The cool fall air did little to help Connor feel as if he had managed to work off his stress or pent-up emotions after such a mentally taxing week. Being outside and away from Hank and Cole eased his sense of being smothered by work and responsibilities by only the slightly of margins. It was hard for Connor to isolate himself since he had discovered that being alone only seemed to make his mental state worse, and yet he knew that he couldn't be around anyone for a while until he was able to figure out how he could calm down, let go of his stress and find a way to actually relax for a few precious hours. The deviant detective had endured many strange experiences throughout his life, but he still had a lot to learn about himself and healthy emotional regulation.

When Lucas and Bruno joined him outside on the deck Connor tensed up for a moment and internally scolded himself for having such a reaction to his own brother just stopping by for a visit. There was no reason to be edgy around him or anyone else for that matter. He was safe in his own home surrounded by his own family.

As for Lucas, the moment he joined Connor outside the worried little brother noted Connor's high stress levels, his glum demeanor and the bruises along his knuckles. After a little coaxing Lucas was able to get the full story out of Connor and learn that his brother had been suffering from a very turbulent week that had left him feeling rundown and like he was caught in a perpetual cycle of violence and self-disappointment in how poorly he was managing his own emotions.

"You're putting too much pressure on yourself." Lucas deduced as he listened to his brother's story and watched his body language carefully. The younger of the two deviants didn't have nearly as much life experience as Connor had, but he did know a thing or two about trying to be perfect in an imperfect world. "It's only logical that you'd eventually reach your limits and have some kind of breakdown due to stress."

"I shouldn't be letting myself get so angry or violent as a result." The blue bruises on his knuckles just mocked Connor as he tried to put his thoughts into words. "I've gotten very physical with other people, threatened them, and have even thrown them out of New Jericho Tower."

"I'm aware. North has been keeping me apprised of New Jericho's events." Without skipping a beat Lucas continued to be patient and support Connor regardless of his own perceived shortcomings. "Markus and North both agree that you did the right thing by tossing that particular deviant out of the tower. He was being inappropriate and refused to accept that his behavior was inappropriate even after you gave him the chance to stop being loathsome and walk away."

"Even so, my first reaction to seeing him sexually harassing Chloe was immediate anger." Connor looked away from his bruised knuckles as if he was disgusted by the markings on his own body. "I don't want to be angry all the time or respond to every tense situation with a hostile nature."

"You don't have to do that if you don't wish to."

"I'm aware that I don't have to, but I don't know how to change the way I react and prevent myself from having such a reaction in the future."

"Neither do I."

The brothers sat in quiet contemplation together with Bruno sitting between them as they just enjoyed the quiet of the backyard. It was hard for people who were still developing emotions in an adult world with adult minds and bodies without the cushion of childhood experiences to guide them.

"Brother," breaking the silence at last Lucas turned to Connor beside him and gave him a meaningful glance. "when is the last time you did something that didn't revolve around the precinct, New Jericho Tower or tending to the family's needs?"

Shamefully Connor answered the question will full honesty as he realized that Lucas noticed something fairly important to Connor's mental health. "...I do not immediately recall such a time."

"Then perhaps it's time for you to spend one of your day's off actually enjoying your day off and living for yourself instead of living for everyone around you."

"I'm not sure if I know how to do that."

"We'll find a way for you to learn. Starting tomorrow, you're going to exit your rest mode without an alarm set, then you're going to do something that doesn't revolve around a chore or work. After that, I'll come over and we'll spend the day outside of the house, away from any work or cases, away from New Jericho Tower, and we'll find something that'll make you feel better. It'll be a form of healthy brotherly bonding."

"You make it sound as if all of my problems can be solved with a simple day away from the stress."

"It's entirely possible, and we won't know until we try. There's nothing to be lost but a lot to be potentially gained, so what do you say?"

Connor considered the pros and cons of Lucas's suggestion as he looked through the closed glass backdoors to see Hank and Cole sitting down to dinner together. The way Hank took care of dinner, was helping Cole with his homework and spending time with his son reminded Connor that he wasn't solely responsible for the happiness of the Lieutenant or the little boy, and that it wasn't a crime to go out and live his life for himself. Just as Hank and Cole were allowed to be happy, he too was allowed to find things to make him happy and actually be happy for a few precious hours at a time.

"All right." Agreeing at last Connor decided to take Lucas up on his offer and enjoy his day off rather than just let it pass him by. "Starting tomorrow, we'll spend time together as brothers and stop worrying about the world for just one day."

The following morning seemed entirely out of place and almost entirely unstable as Connor allowed his system to exit rest mode only after his power cell returned to a full charge during the night. Waking up at a little after nine in the morning wasn't too late for anyone to sleep, but for Connor - a perpetual early bird who was awake and doing something before the rest of the house was awake - it was like he wasted the entire day. The deviant detective made a point to not go downstairs to either prepare breakfast for Hank after Cole had gone off to school, wash any dishes, take care of any laundry, vacuum, dust, mop or do anything that was even the slightest bit laborious, and chose to instead change into his day clothes and let Lucas know that he was ready to go out and explore the city together.

Dressed in a pair of dark jeans, black Converse high-tops and a black hoodie over a black t-shirt, Connor looked more like a college student than a detective. Interestingly enough, Lucas had chosen to wear a pair of light jeans, white Converse high-tops and an unzipped white hoodie over his white turtleneck. The deviant brothers looked alike beyond just their identical models and were seemingly dressing like twins often did without even thinking about it.

After informing Hank that he and Lucas were going to go out for a while, Connor did his best to not worry about anything happening while he was out enjoying his day. Meanwhile, Lucas reminded Bruno to be a good boy and to play gently with Sumo since the Saint Bernard was getting pretty old for a larger breed of dog. It was difficult for the two deviants to break away from their old routines as they ventured off in search of something new and appropriately distracting for a few cherished hours, but it was something they were determined to do.

"There's an interesting antique store just one block away from my office." Lucas stated casually as he and Connor walked the city together side by side. It was a little warmer that day than it had been the previous day, and the sun had even decided to shine down on the city as if welcoming people out onto the streets. "I've found numerous oil paintings that were rather inspiring, and I noticed that it neighbored a music store. I've been meaning to explore it for some time now."

"Do you actually enjoy painting, or is it something you do simply to fill your time between cases?"

"I do in fact enjoy it. It allows me to find a way to express my feelings and observations that I can't fully put into words."

"That's good. I feel the same about my guitar, although I haven't been able to play for several weeks now."

"Resume playing." Lucas encouraged sweetly as he remained supportive of his big brother. "It might be able to help you destress on a more regular basis."

"I'll see what I can do in my spare time. I don't want to disturb Hank or Cole by mistake."

"I find it fascinating that there are three people living in one household, but you're the only one who is actively worrying about disturbing anyone by trying to do something for yourself for whatever reason you may have."

"It's Hank and Cole's home, and Hank would never do anything to make Cole feel unwelcome in their own home. Myself, however, I don't matter."

"It's your home too, is it not?"

"I'm... allowed to reside there, but it's not my home." The deviant detective hadn't really thought about the house or how it pertained to him as an individual. "It's simply a residence to use until I can find my own home to live in."

"Interesting."

"What is?" Stopping on the sidewalk Connor watched Lucas pause a few steps away and then turn to face him again. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that a lot of your stress stems from your inability to fully relax or feel safe anywhere in the city. I'm aware of how that feels."

"Do you think I need to move out of Hank's house and find my own residence?"

"I think you need to consider your options and everything that'll need to happen to ensure you feel safe, relaxed, and like you have a place where you can belong."

Glancing about the area Connor noted the nearest vacant house in the previously affluent but now abandoned neighborhood and wondered what it'd be like to have a home of his own. It wasn't the first time that he and Lucas had wandered through that particular neighborhood, and the deviant detective had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time. There was something oddly appealing and alluring about the forgotten neighborhood that seemingly drew the deviants to the area like a moth to a flame.

"Don't rush such a big change." Speaking from his own experience Lucas did his best to give his brother guidance without him getting in over his head by mistake. "I was able to legally obtain the deed to my office by utilizing squatter's rights and proving that my presence not only improved the property, but turned the property into a properly coded, safe location. I'd advise against squatting in an old house - especially with winter only a few months away."

"Having my own house, a place that I can call my own home to come and go as I please, and then open my door to anyone in need..." Connor approached the neglected and partially broken black iron fence outlining the overgrown property of an old, yellow brick, three-story Victorian house and peered up at the boarded-up door and windows of the house with a sense of longing. "That would be nice."

Lucas joined Connor by the fence and scanned over the house from where he stood. The deviant could detect the interior layout of the house of having three large bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large kitchen, equally large livingroom, a finished basement and full finished attic. The house had once been a warm, secure shelter for a family just a few years prior, but when unemployment swept over Detroit the former occupants had no choice but to pack up and leave their once beloved home behind.

"This might be what I'm missing." Slowly Connor curled his fingers around the top of the fence as he looked at the house with a sense of strange longing. "This might be what I need to feel somehow more... complete."

"A house?"

"A home." Connor clarified as Lucas joined him along the fence to continue admiring the house resting among the overgrown florae. "MY home. A place where I can welcome my family and my friends without a misplaced sense of intrusion."

"Do you truly feel as if you're missing something in your life?"

A small sigh escaped Connor's lips as he turned away from the house and back to Lucas beside him. "I'm not sure what it is that I'm feeling. It's like I'm just walking forward with no real destination in mind. An eternal journey with no end in sight and nothing to look forward to... That sounds incredibly lonely."

"Sounds like a human going through an existential crisis."

"I wouldn't know what that's like."

"Neither would I, but considering you've been a deviant for the better part of six years and were forced to live as a machine to avoid destruction from the hands of humans for three of those years, I imagine that a sense of loss and confusion would be understandable."

"Even if my feelings aren't entirely justified or actually telling me to buy a house, I know that I can't remain in Hank's house forever. I'll need to find my own place to reside someday."

"What about New Jericho Tower?"

"That's not my home; that's a sanctuary. It's safe but not my own."

The way Connor was speaking from his tired heart resonated with Lucas. He recognized a piece of himself in his brother as the two rogue deviants fought to find their place in the world and find a satisfying role to fulfill. As Connor's younger brother and as his friend, Lucas knew it was time to fully support Connor's decision and encourage his brother to do whatever it was that his heart was telling him to do.

"Okay. Tomorrow, after we're doing enjoying our day away from work and other responsibilities, we'll look into the available houses in the city that you can potentially rent or even buy."

"I don't need to look through the city to find a house, I know where I want to be."

"Here?" The idea of Connor living in an abandoned neighborhood by himself gave Lucas righteous pause. Not only was that very dangerous, but it was leaving the deviant detective open to burglary, assault and even murder if bigoted humans learned that an android was living so isolated from the rest of the city. "There aren't any other people around for another three blocks. You'd be lonely, even vulnerable living out here."

"I won't be alone." Lowering his hand from the fence Connor's previously dim eyes lit up with renewed energy as a sense of discovery flowed through him. "We'll turn this abandoned neighborhood into a deviant neighborhood. There's an apartment complex already being built downtown that'll house exclusively deviants, so that means we as citizens have the right to own property. Together we'll lead the restoration project of this neighborhood to salvage these houses, create a neighborhood watch, and have a secured, gated community that will give deviants a safe home to call their own."

"A deviant only neighborhood... It sounds safe and ideal, but isn't it discriminatory and favoring segregation?"

"No. Just as the humans have their own gated communities that keep out their own kind that view as less than deserving of living in such a neighborhood out of safety concerns, we'll do the same." Connor had no intention of keeping humans and deviants separated forever; he just wanted to create a safe neighborhood for his people to call their own. "Once the city calms down and the anti-android sentiment begins to fade, we'll remove the gates and welcome everyone with opened arms."

"You want to give our people our own section of the city to freely roam without fear of discrimination and hatred." As he continued to ponder Connor's idea Lucas began to suspect that his brother could very well be on the cusp of changing their city for the better yet again. "You want to show the humans that we can respect property, properly utilize resources, and prove to be valuable members of the community without anyone trying to argue that the restored neighborhood thrived due to human interjection and take away the proper credit from us deviants."

"Correct. We need the chance to prove ourselves as prosperous members of society, and we can do this by restoring a neighborhood that the humans have already abandoned to be forgotten and left to rot."

"You're right. Tomorrow we'll bring this idea up to Markus and do everything we need to begin building our own homes and lives here in this neighborhood. We'll work together, support each other, and bring life back to a neighborhood that's void of all activity."

Hearing such enthusiasm caught Connor off guard as he looked to Lucas for proper confirmation. "You want to work alongside me and New Jericho?"

"I do." A warm smile appeared on Lucas's face as he peered out at the old house again with a sense of intrigue and eagerness. "Thanks to you, I believe I've finally found my potential role within the tower."

The activity in the Anderson residence seemed to perk up in a way that Hank hadn't felt in years. The second that the two brothers returned to the house with a few choice purchases in hand, Hank could just feel a positive change in the mood, energy and atmosphere that gave Hank a sense of hope that Connor finally found a way to improve his state of mind. Even though he hadn't said anything out of respect to keep Connor from overthinking anything or becoming self-conscious, Hank had been incredibly worried about the deviant detective's mental health. Hank wasn't going to deny that he didn't know nearly enough about proper mental health care to give Connor any advice, but he wasn't going to just sit back and hope for the best either. Knowing that Lucas was looking out for Connor gave Hank a moment of reprieve, and then seeing the duo return in better spirits, had lifted Hank's spirit in return.

Just as Cole had returned home from school and walked into the kitchen to get himself a snack, Hank and Cole heard a gentle, rhythmic melody emanating from the second floor as Connor began to play his guitar up in his bedroom. While Cole prepared himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Hank peered up at the ceiling overhead as if he could see what was happening and ran his hand down Sumo and Bruno's backs as the two dogs laid beside him on the couch.

"Been a while since I heard any songs from that kid." The Lieutenant remarked with a noted relief. "He's good."

Cole finished with making his sandwich and proceeded to carry it and his heavy backpack into the livingroom to begin his homework. When the fifth grader unzipped his backpack to pull out his textbook, a new sound filled the air as a second instrument began to play and accompany the guitar chords being strummed.

"Dad," Cole didn't recognize the new instrument and took a big bite of his sandwich while he fished his homework from his backpack. "what's that?"

"Sounds like a saxophone." Hank replied as he leaned forward on the couch to help Cole with his homework. "Guess the boys found something new when they were out exploring the city after all. Connor and Lucas both seem to have some musical talent."

"Is that Connor playing the sax?"

"Nope. Connor's got his guitar and it sounds like Lucas has taken up the sax for himself."

"Can I play an instrument too?"

"I don't see why not." Hank liked that idea and encouraged Cole to try a new hobby and skill. "Auditions for band start soon, right?" After he received a nod of confirmation from Cole the proud father continued on with his train of thought. "Go ahead and audition. Pick any instrument you want."

"Guitar?"

"Schools don't offer guitar lessons, but I bet Connor will teach you if you ask him. Same with Lucas and the sax."

"What about the drums?"

"Drums? Sure, but you won't get a full drum set to play with like at a rock concert though."

"Oh. Tuba?"

"Son, if you have the lung capacity and upper body strength to heft a tuba around, then go for it!"

"Did you play anything when you were in school?"

"Trumpet in middle school, then I learned to play the bass in high school." Hank opened up Cole's closed math book and eyed the awaiting homework with a sense of dread courtesy of his own past disdain for homework from when he was a kid. A part of him would rather deal with heartburn than homework. "You go ahead and find anything you like to try and play. Don't worry about what me or anyone else is playing."

"Okay, dad." Finishing off his sandwich fairly quickly Cole prepared to get his homework done so that he could have the whole weekend to himself. "By the way, I showed the teacher my notebook today after Duncan picked on Asher at achool again, and he decided to do something about the bullying even after just one day."

"Great job, son. I'm proud of you." Sliding over Hank gave Sumo a playful shove to make sure that there was enough room for Cole to sit beside him on the couch while they worked together. "Now, let's tackle that long division so we can enjoy movie night like old times. And we'll order a pizza for dinner tonight. What do ya' think of that?"

"Extra jalapenos and onions?"

"We'll do a half and half pizza. You can have all the jalapenos you want on your half," Hank confirmed as he pointed to Cole like he needed to make a firm statement before he pointed to himself with his thumb. "and I'll have all the mushrooms I want on my half."

"Gross..." That very topping was enough to make Cole grimace and make a disgusted face. "Mushrooms!"

"Hard to believe that you can eat essentially lava without blinking, but a single mushroom is enough to make you squirm." Laughing a little Hank continued to listen to the music from above and swore that the house felt a little warmer and happier with each played note. "At least now I know how to keep ya' from eating all the pizza in one night."

-next chapter-