What had started out as a simple case revolving around a missing deviant had turned into a dire rescue mission with a ticking clock looming overhead. The client, a female 'HW-800' named Liv, had foregone speaking with the police and chose to speak directly to and subsequently hire Lucas to handle her case. She was desperate to find her missing child, and she confirmed that the person she felt was responsible for her child's disappearance was the human that she had once lived with. Prior to the Revolution Liv had been a personal assistance in her former owner's while living in his elaborate mansion, but she had fled from the property just two nights before the historic Revolution had transpired. After finding her way to Jericho in the harbor, Liv had met an abandoned 'YK' deviant named Patrick, and she had adopted him as her own child.

Liv had been recently threatened by her former owner, Frank Horton - a successful businessman with numerous resources and friends in law offices - and as a result she had been unable to prove that her former owner was the one actively stalking her and had kidnapped Patrick. It seemed that Frank had been unable to accept Liv's rights and freedoms as a deviant and had abducted Patrick to force Liv to return to the mansion and resume her role as a slave under his control.

Lucas had managed to track Patrick down to a local park where he had been playing with a group of kids who were his approximate age according to his model's design, and confirmed through the city's surveillance system that Frank had pulled up to the park in an autonomous taxi and lured Patrick to the idling taxi. The keen-eyed deviant had read Frank's lips and confirmed that the man had lied to Patrick and told him that Liv had been hurt and that Frank was going to take him to see her, only to abduct him in broad daylight right in front of everyone.

With Bruno's help Lucas picked up Patrick's trail and found the correct taxi that Frank had hailed. A quick check through the taxi's fare records had noted a cash deposit from a customer who had traveled from a small restaurant that Frank was known to frequent, to the park where Patrick was abducted, and then gone back to Frank's personal residence. Using this collected evidence to his advantage, Lucas approached the man's residence and cybernetically requested Connor and Hank's presence to ensure cooperation from Frank as the private investigator continued his search for Patrick.

Expectedly arrogant and certain that he was about to talk his way out of his accused crime, Frank invited Lucas and Bruno into the large mansion to speak with the curious investigator and explain everything away. After he shut the door Frank invited Lucas to look around the property for himself while asking a few curious questions of his own.

"It seems you're here for a reason." Frank stated almost ominously as he watched the way Lucas glanced about the foyer while Bruno sniffed at the air. The K-9 unit was still on Patrick's trail and could smell Thirium that belonged to a 'YK' model in the immediate area. "I haven't seen Liv in over a year now. I hear that it took in another android that looks like a child, and that particular android has gone missing. Is that why you're here?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss the details of my client's case or of anyone that she may or may not know. However," holding up his palm Lucas showed Frank a holographic copy of a signed search warrant that had been approved for his use and the use of Lieutenant Hank Anderson as well as Connor to give Frank a little fright and hopefully make him slip up. "I can confirm that my current case has led me to your door for a particularly important reason."

"Oh?" Feigning ignorance Frank watched with masked nervousness as Lucas began walking toward the rear of the mansion where the modest guest house and the large in-ground pool were located. "And what important reason is that?"

"My client has confirmed that her android son has gone missing, and that her son is suffering from a chronic condition that can result in permanent shutdown if not treated properly by a skilled technician."

That detail made Frank pause as he tried to understand what Lucas had just stated. "What, like a virus or some shit?"

"More like an error regarding a circuit within the child's intracranial processor that results in spontaneous seizures." The explanation wasn't a lie and part of the reason that Lucas had requested Connor and Hank's help at the mansion. "It's like having uncontrolled epilepsy in humans. If a seizure proves to be serious enough, then the victim of said seizure can potentially suffer permanent shutdown."

"Well, I'm sure that wherever that android's gone that it'll be fine." Truly ignorant Frank watched as Lucas approached the rear glass doors overlooking the expansive backyard and saw that Bruno's ears were perked up and forward as if on the trail of something. "It's not like epilepsy's a death sentence, right?"

"That is correct, for humans anyway. Even so, such a condition requires frequent and immediate treatment."

"Just curious," now sweating a little Frank seemed to realize the severity of his selfish behavior and knew he could be in serious trouble. "what would happen if an android had that kind of seizure and no one was around to help it? It's not like it'd be guaranteed to shut down, right?"

"There are no certainties in this world beyond death and taxes, Mr. Horton. As a businessman you should already know that."

Such a dire comment was enough to make Frank's narrow blue eyes dart nervously toward the guest house through the sliding glass doors just as the front doorbell rang. Rushing over to the door Frank found himself face to face with two more detectives and wisely invited them inside to try to maintain an air of innocence, or at the very least, ignorance.

"Lieutenant Anderson." Hank introduced himself as he held up his badge and then motioned to Connor right beside him as Connor presented his own badge. "And this is Detective Connor. It seems you've already met Lucas and Bruno, which means you know why we're here."

"Y-Yes, it's- HE'S informed me of an android child being abducted and in need of some help." Frank was trying to lie and smooth things over despite his own guilt being present in his face and body language. "I understand that this android was taken in by my former personal assistant, Liv."

"And now he's gone missing." Being a father meant that Hank had zero patience for people who hurt or abducted children. "We're going to find him, and you're going to cooperate with us."

"I-I-I want to help, I do!" Lying through his teeth Frank put on a fake smile while Connor and Lucas spoke to one another and unlocked the sliding glass doors to step out into the backyard behind the mansion. "B-But I don't see what I could possibly do! Like I said," fidgeting where he stood Frank tried to not panic as he watched Bruno home in on the guest house and begin trotting to the building several yards behind the mansion. "I h-haven't seen Liv in over a year!"

"That doesn't mean you haven't spoken to her. Or to be more accurate," Hank reached into his coat pocket to hand Frank the copy of the paper warrant that detailed Frank's threat against Liv is she didn't return to her life of slavery under Frank's thumb. "you threatened her via text. Didn't know that androids could upload and print text messages from their own minds, did you? Pretty damn handy. Just as handy as deviants uploading their entire memory of events for the cops to see and hear when it comes to witnessing crimes or being a victim of crimes."

"Th-There's been a mistake! I mean, I know I can get a little assertive when it comes to my tone of voice." Frank couldn't seem to stop lying or sweating as he rushed toward the opened backdoor and saw the three androids all heading toward the guest house at the far side of the property. "But that just comes from years of intense business! I-I-I didn't mean anything to come off as threatening!"

Hank just stared at Frank with annoyed disgust at the way Frank could just blatantly lie to his face. "Seriously? Let me quote your own damn words to Liv since they were the catalyst for this search warrant: 'You stupid bitch,' lovely opening to any letter," Hank noted with the same disgust on his tongue. "'if you don't get your ass back here and do what I say then I'll make you regret ever leaving this mansion. You're MY property and no fucking politician can change that. If you want to see that brat again, you'll come here and do as you're told.'"

Frank looked like he was trying to physically shrink in size and disappear from Hank's immediate line of sight.

"You call that 'assertive', and I call that a 'blatant threat with intent to harm'." Heading out the backdoor as well Hank put his hands to his hips and watched as Bruno pawed at the door to the guest house and began barking on alert. "Guess which of those two interpretations the law tends to support over the other."

Bruno began barking even louder as the K-9 unit sensed something was amiss. As he pawed at the door Bruno set up a cybernetic link with Lucas and informed his partner what was happening. 'Android inside. Android malfunctioning.'

"The search warrant covers the entire property." Connor confirmed as he motioned for Lucas and Bruno to back away from the door to the isolated, cold and dark guest house. Preconstructing his next move, Connor planted a firm and strong kick to the door just below the handle and kicked in the door itself. "We need to find Patrick."

Bruno charged inside the icy cold guest house and led the two deviants into one of the back bedrooms of the two-story guest house. The door was locked with a thick padlock on the outside of the door, and it was clear that something or someone was being kept locked away for a very important reason. Connor managed to take hold of the padlock and tighten his grip around the lock until the metal cracked and popped open under his strength.

After pushing the door open Connor and Lucas saw a male 'YK' laying on a large bed with his arms bound behind his back, his ankles tied together and duct tape over his mouth. The android was physically seizing and shaking all over.

"Damn it, he's having another seizure!" Lucas sprang into action and proceeded to press his fingertips to Patrick's right temple and manually force his system into emergency stasis mode to stop the seizure. After his body stilled Lucas looked over at Connor and pleaded with him to tend to Patrick's condition. "Connor, stay with him while I arrest Mr. Horton. I owe it to my client to personally arrest the man who abducted her son."

"With pleasure."

Bruno stayed with Connor as the deviant detective freed Patrick's arms and legs of the zip-ties, then carefully peeled the duct tape from Patrick's mouth. Keeping his motions gentle Connor rolled Patrick from his side and onto his back as he cybernetically requested technical assistance at the address. The sooner Patrick was transported to a facility for proper treatment, the better.

Outside the guest house Lucas quickly grabbed onto Frank's shoulder as the man stood beside his pool and forced the man's arms behind his back and used a pair of his own handcuffs to secure Frank's wrists behind his back. As he kept a firm hold on the now arrested man's shoulder Lucas informed Frank of his rights then whispered a little threat of his own in Frank's ear.

"With any luck, your future cellmate will tie you up the same way you had Patrick tied up, and you'll be left to slowly die in isolated misery."

Hank overheard the comments and quickly used his radio to request back-up to the scene. It'd be easier for everyone to have Frank taken to the precinct for further questioning, and it would avoid any potential legal loophole that the man could use to weasel his way out of his current predicament.

"I'm gonna' check on Connor and I presume Patrick." As Hank said the little android's name he noticed Frank's face pale to a nearly lethal shade of white and wondered if the man was about to keel over from stress. "A squad car's on the way. About two minutes out."

Within the guest house Connor had managed to fully assess Patrick's condition and cybernetically relay the information to Barry at the Zeta Facility to ensure that Abby would be able to treat Patrick as effectively as possible. Connor had slipped off his leather jacket and draped it over Patrick's form to ensure the little android felt warm and supported after he had been found and freed of his bindings.

"The zip ties dug into Patrick's skin." Connor noted as Hank joined him in the back bedroom. The faint smears of blue blood around Patrick's wrists and ankles confirmed that the bindings had been tight enough to cut through the little android's artificial skin right down to the plastimetal frames. "He was having a seizure when he was found. I cannot be certain if he'll suffer from any permanent damage or not."

"Son of a bitch..." Hank knelt on the edge of the bed and looked down at Patrick's face. The dark hair and young facade reminded Hank so much of Cole that it physically ached at his heart to know that Patrick could've died because of one selfish person's actions. "Can he be moved?"

"He has not suffered any damage to his spinal or cervical support columns."

Such cold terms meant nothing to Hank. "...Which means?"

"It means Patrick hasn't been harmed along his spine or neck, which means can be moved without needing support."

"Okay." Carefully Hank slipped his arms beneath the little android's shoulders and legs to lift Patrick up and hold him in his strong arms. It was a simple thing, but still something that Hank felt compelled to do in order to help Patrick feel supported and safe. "Let's get him out of here and back inside the mansion for a minute. It's warmer in there, and it'll be easier for the E.F.T.'s to get to him."

Connor agreed with Hank's plan and accompanied the Lieutenant as he carried Patrick out of the guest house and toward the mansion. The way Hank always had a soft spot for kids in need and never once turned a blind eye to children who needed protection had been one of the Lieutenant's greatest strengths and one of the traits that Connor found to be the most endearing.

The sight of Frank visibly trembling as he stood arrested beside his pool with Lucas holding on to his shoulder was oddly satisfying. A grown man cowering for his life while an innocent child was rescued was enough to make Connor feel truly proud of his role as a detective.

Bruno began to bark and growl as he stood loyally at Lucas's side while Connor accompanied Hank back inside the mansion. It seemed the K-9 unit was picking up on something that neither Hank or Connor had noticed as they passed by Frank without a shred of sympathy for the dangerous man.

"You can't do this me..." Frank whispered as he took in a gasping breath and watched Hank carrying Patrick back inside the mansion. He seemed to be in pain and was beginning to truly panic. "This is MY house. MY property. LIV is MY property..."

"Liv is free and she has the right to refuse to work as a slave." Lucas remarked tersely as he pulled on Frank's shoulder to make him walk toward the opened back doors of the mansion. "You DON'T have the right to abduct, imprison or threaten anyone for any reason."

"C-Can't do this to me. You won't!"

Losing all color in his face Frank turned around and sharply struck Lucas in the throat with his shoulder, then headbutted the deviant in the face and nose. As Lucas staggered back in stunned confusion Frank managed to kick Lucas in the back of his knee causing the deviant to stumble backward all while Bruno barked madly. As Lucas struck the back of his head on the concrete edge of the pool, Frank began running away from the deviant and didn't care or notice that Lucas's limp body slipped over the edge of the pool and disappeared under the fabric cover over the top of the chilly water.

Bruno continued to bark loudly in response to the attack and immediately began chasing after Frank while cybernetically letting Connor know of the incident. 'Lucas needs help! Bruno can't lose suspect!'

Connor immediately rushed back outside of the mansion and looked around in alarm. He caught sight of Bruno chasing after Frank through the backyard and saw that Frank had suddenly stopped running and collapsed forward on the snowy grass. With Bruno actively circling him and barking Connor knew that the man wasn't going to go any further. However, Connor was more concerned with Lucas and less concerned with Frank given the urgency in Bruno's cybernetic link.

"Lucas?"

Scanning the area quickly Connor took notice of the pool water rippling despite the cover over the surface and sent out a cybernetic ping to try and locate Lucas. When the ping directed Connor's attention to the pool itself Connor knew that he needed to act fast.

"Shit! Lucas?!"

The deviant detective dropped to his knees beside the pool and physically lifted up and awkwardly tossed aside the cover. Peering down into the water Connor noticed a humanoid figure laying at the bottom of the pool and detected a faint trace of fresh Thirium mixing in with the pool water as it escaped from the figure's own body along the face.

"LUCAS!"

Throwing off his gray blazer Connor dove headfirst into the pool and swam down through the chilly water to reach Lucas's body at the bottom of the pool. Within seconds Connor had managed to get to his little brother, hook his arms beneath Lucas's arms and around his chest, then kick off from the bottom of the pool to break through the surface. As he hefted Lucas up and out of the water Hank came rushing outside and took hold of the drowned deviant's arms to help Connor get Lucas to safety.

"The E.F.T.'s are here for Patrick!" Hank shouted as carefully laid Lucas out on his back and watched Connor lift himself out of the water to check on his unconscious brother's vital signs. "I'll let them know Lucas needs help too."

Moving on autopilot Connor quickly pulled open Lucas's coat and the button-down black shirt beneath. As he pressed his palm down over the center of his brother's unnervingly still chest Connor's scan confirmed that Lucas's nose had been broken and his air intake line had been weakened by the sudden strike against his throat. There was also a large amount of pool water in both of Lucas's vents resulting in the deviant being unable to breathe and was at risk of having his internal couplings damaged by the corrosiveness of the chlorine in the water itself.

"Lucas... Hang on."

Connor swiftly placed one hand over top of the other and interlaced his fingers together. After creating a single strong fist Connor placed the heal of his hand down at the center of Lucas's chest and began to compress downward. With each push downward a small gush of Thirium and pool water was forced out of Lucas's nose and mouth. Every compression was helping to rid Lucas's system of the collected water and force air to enter his vents to help dry out the water to prevent it from causing any damage.

"Breathe Lucas... Breathe. You need to take a breath."

One E.F.T. rushed out to the pool's edge while the second E.F.T. tended to Patrick inside the mansion. Moving quickly the female E.F.T. placed an ambubag over Lucas's nose and mouth to force breaths into his vents and help the deviant to breathe while the water was forced from his system. Meanwhile, Chris and Jack arrived at the scene to take care of Frank and found the cuffed man laying unresponsive on the grass several yards away from the pool. The two cops began assessing Frank and providing first aid of their own while Jack cybernetically requested paramedics to the scene.

"Lucas, respond." Connor begged as he continued to compress his brother's chest and watched the water escaping from his nose and mouth between the forced breaths. "You're too strong to let one criminal end your existence like this!"

Hank returned to where Connor was providing C.P.R. to Lucas and removed his dark coat. Draping it over Connor's trembling shoulders and then helping the E.F.T. by supporting Lucas's neck and head was all Hank could do in such a tense and unusual moment. "Lucas, you need to wake up. Patrick is going to be okay, and I know you'll want to be there to see him reunited with his mother."

A sickening gurgle escaped Lucas's lips as the deviant suddenly began to cough and choke on the water as it was forced from his vents. The E.F.T. pulled back the ambubag as she, Connor and Hank carefully rolled Lucas onto his side to ensure the deviant could cough up all the water without re-inhaling it by mistake.

"Lucas?" Connor patted Lucas's back and watched as his brother's green eyes slowly opened. The E.F.T. was pressing the bell of her audioscope to Lucas's chest but it seemed Lucas was too cold to feel the metal being pressed to his bare chest. "Can you hear me?"

"...Y-Yes." Coughing again Lucas curled around himself as the compressions had ached his chest and his broken nose made it painful to breathe. "I... I can hear-"

"Try to take it easy." Connor continued to support Lucas as his brother coughed and choked on the water he had forced out of his vents. Remaining calm and compassionate Connor took Hank's coat and laid it over Lucas while he waited for the coughing fit to pass. "We'll get you to a facility to have your ventilation biocomponents examined. Until then, lay still and allow us to assist you."

Hank patted Lucas's shoulder and nodded in the direction of Frank as the man remained motionless on the grass a few feet away. The motion caught Connor's attention and prompted Connor to look up at the man as well. "Looks like our suspect found the only way to avoid justice after what he did. Fuckin' bastard..."

Connor understood what Hank was saying and a biometric scan of Frank's vitals confirmed as much. The man had suffered from a fatal heart attack and couldn't be revived even after Chris and Jack provided C.P.R. until the paramedics arrived. It seemed that the stress of the situation mixed with Frank's lazy lifestyle of relying on other people to do things for him had finally caught up to him the most poetic manner possible.

"It's over." The Lieutenant continued on as Lucas was rolled onto his back and began to breathe easier. "Don't worry, son. We'll get you and Bruno home to warm up and relax in time for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. You two get to be the guests of honor after everything you did today."

The following day wasn't as warm or as cheerful as everyone had hoped it'd be. While Lucas was allowed to leave the facility as long as he had someone around to watch over him and monitor his condition, the nearly drowned deviant wasn't feeling great or very energetic. Lucas had managed to locate Patrick and reunite him with his mother after he had been kidnapped but knowing that the suspect had died and had avoided prosecution made the endeavor feel like a hollow victory. In his mind, had Lucas been paying closer attention he wouldn't had been attacked and he would've been able to pick up on Frank's heart attack symptoms before anything had happened. That's what Lucas had told himself repeatedly after learning of what happened after he had been knocked into the pool despite no one holding him accountable for anything that had gone down.

Lucas was sitting on the edge of Connor's bed as he stared out through the window overlooking the pool in the backyard. He hadn't been entirely comfortable around water for as long as he could remember with no idea as to why. Having nearly drowned just the day before left him wondering if his fear of the water had been a distraction and had left him prone to being attacked by his already handcuffed suspect prior to the suspect's heart attack.

Bruno hadn't left Lucas's side since they returned home, and he was laying on the bed alongside Lucas with his chin resting on the deviant's lap. It was clear that the K-9 unit knew that Lucas was distressed and was trying to do anything in his power to help Lucas feel a little better.

"Dinner is almost ready." Connor stated as he watched Lucas from his opened bedroom door. He understood that Lucas needed some space but that wasn't going to keep Connor from watching over his little brother even while Lucas hid in his own bedroom. "Hank said that he made something special for us so we can all have dinner together. Thirium-based turkey and pies."

Keeping quiet Lucas kept peering through the window and didn't acknowledge Connor's presence.

"This year we'll have a full table. Hank, Cole, you, myself, Gavin, Abby, Aria, Evelyn, Rose, Adam... and Chloe."

Hearing Chloe's name prompted Lucas to turn his head slightly to look at Connor's reflection on the window's perfectly shiny glass.

"It was Hank's idea to invite so many people over. I wasn't aware of Evelyn or Chloe coming over until Evelyn sent me a text asking if she could bring anything."

"...If it's all right with everyone, I'd prefer to remain up here." Bowing his head in shame Lucas refrained from socializing for a while. "I'm not in a celebratory mood."

"As you wish." It was hard to hide his disappointment as he heard Lucas's simple request. Respecting his brother's wishes was somehow painful and felt very awkward as Connor backed out of the bedroom. "When you feel better, please join us. We'll keep a space open for you at the table."

Walking quietly Connor descended the staircase and reunited with everyone in the livingroom. Hank was busy in the kitchen with Rose and Gavin, while Abby, Evelyn and Chloe spent time with Cole, Adam, Aria and Sumo on the couch. Everyone was getting along just fine, and yet the moment seemed somehow hollow with Lucas anywhere to be seen.

Evelyn saw the heavy emotions in Connor's eyes and reached out to her friend and rested her palm along his upper arm. "He'll be okay. We've all had tough cases that just end up distracting us from our life outside of work. Give him time."

"I think Lucas is blaming himself for what happened yesterday, but it wasn't his fault." Connor explained as he turned to Evelyn for support. "He couldn't have known that the suspect would've suffered a heart attack; no one could."

"And in time he'll see that. Until then, just be patient and remind Lucas that he isn't responsible for the health and behavior of other people." Evelyn was speaking from her own personal experience and could understand what Lucas was feeling and why Connor was worried. "You're a good brother and you know him better than anyone else here. You'll know what to do when the time comes."

Abby overheard the comment and let out a small sigh as she passed Aria over to Chloe to hold much to the blonde deviant's delight. "And as Lucas's personal technician I have a responsibility to check on my patient. I'll be right back; don't you dare touch that turkey or the pies without me."

Connor made a move to stop Abby, but Evelyn kept him from budging. He had no reason to mistrust Abby, he just wanted to respect Lucas's privacy.

"Hey, come over here for a second." Lightly Evelyn pulled on Connor's hand to direct his attention toward Aria as she smiled and made small noises while Chloe cuddled her. Smiling at the five-month-old and offering Aria her hand, Evelyn also cooed and watched Connor's demeanor relax almost immediately. "How come you didn't tell me that you had the fun of babysitting such a sweetie-pie every so often?"

"It... just never came up."

Cole jumped off the couch and put himself between Connor and Evelyn as he gave Evelyn a smug grin. "It's because he likes you and didn't want you to get jealous of always hanging out with Aria and Abby!"

"Oh, really?" Evelyn teased as she watched Connor blush a bright blue and turn away from her in embarrassment. "Well, you know something? I don't mind Connor having such amazing friends. We can all share him."

"Yo, kiddo!" Gavin called out to Cole from the kitchen and motioned for the little boy to join them for a moment. He knew the fifth grader was still going to be mischievous and didn't want him to accidentally cross a line with Connor or Lucas. "We got something important for you to do!"

"Yeah?" Rushing into the kitchen Cole excitedly waited to take part in preparing dinner. "What can I do?"

"Dishes!" Motioning to the sink full of the dirty dishes Gavin laughed as Cole's grin dropped. "Someone's gotta' wash 'em, and we decided after hours of lengthy debate and analyzing all the evidence, that you're just the man for the job."

Cole crossed his arms over his chest and gave Gavin a dirty look of raw skepticism.

"And you get to have an entire chocolate pie to yourself after dinner."

"Okay, that's acceptable."

Hank chuckled at the remark and knew that Cole had picked up such a turn of phrase from listening to the way Connor and Lucas spoke. "Good man. By the time you're done the turkey will be finished, and we can carve it up into nice, thick slices. Then we're all going to indulge in Rose's famous pecan and pumpkin pies for dessert."

Gavin nodded subtly as he lowered his voice to keep Cole from eavesdropping as he washed up the dishes in the nearby sink. "How's Lucas doing?"

"Not great." Peering inside the oven Hank checked the time and knew his estimation was spot-on for dinner. "He found and saved the kid, but with the suspect just dropping like that... I think Lucas believes that if he hadn't pushed the suspect so far that he wouldn't have gone down."

"I've had two suspects just keel over on me, and both times it was because of their own nasty habits and bad health catchin' up to them." The younger detective confirmed as he helped Rose with placing everything down on the table to be served for dinner. The table was getting loaded up fast for the family to and friends to share together. "First was an old coot who was getting way too touchy-feely with his own granddaughters; turns out him ignoring his lung cancer and smoking 'red ice' was a lethal combination that paid off for those little girls. The other was a hardcore alcoholic who ended up dying from withdrawal and the D.T.'s while in his holding cell waiting for a lawyer to defend him for beating the Hell out of his boyfriend."

"Three happened to me." Hank confirmed as he picked up a freshly washed bowl and began drying it off to put into the cupboard. It was a macabre topic but it helped to discuss difficult topics as opposed to trying to ignore them. "It doesn't make it any easier to deal with after it happens. No one's givingLucas any crap for what happened, but that doesn't mean it isn't affecting him."

"Any idea of how we could help him feel better?"

"Not right now. He just needs some space."

Rose couldn't help but offer her own opinion on the matter since she had spent many months tending to rogue deviants who had nowhere else to go before Markus changed the world for the better. "You know, in my experience, deviants who are new to the concept of mortality and being unable to prevent someone else from losing their life seem to grieve like they're children who don't quite understand what it means to lose someone in such a permanent way."

"Yeah?" That oddly specific notion hadn't even crossed Hank's mind. He was fairly astute at reading other people's emotions, but he didn't even think of Lucas as a still emotionally growing person since he looked and sounded like a fully grown adult. "Huh... Maybe I should go up and talk to him then. It might help him process everything."

"I'll go." Connor had overheard the conversation and knew that he needed to be the big brother that Lucas deserved. He had Aria in his arms and the small baby was looking up at him and reaching for his face as he spoke. "You remain here and take care of dinner."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'll speak with him and come back downstairs as soon as I can."

"All right." Hank was proud of Connor for taking the initiative and respected his decision. "Remind Lucas that we have some new flavored Thirium to try, and one of those new flavors is apple pie courtesy of Rose herself."

"Right." Stepping out of the kitchen Connor passed Aria over to Evelyn as she chatted with Adam and gave the young college student some advice on finding affordable housing while also balancing work and school. "I'll be back in a moment. Start dinner without me."

As he ascended the staircase Connor met Abby at the top of the stairs and could see that she had tried to cheer Lucas up as well but hadn't had much luck. The somber gaze in her hazel eyes told Connor everything he needed without having to ask a single question.

"I checked his breathing while I was talking to him." Abby confirmed as she gave Connor a friendly voice to listen to. "He's going to make a full recovery physically in another day or so. His broken nose has already healed but his throat is going to be sore for a while longer. Mentally however... I wish I could tell you something more definitive."

"Thank you for trying to help him. I'll talk to him and try to help him understand what he's feeling right now."

The return to the bedroom felt almost intrusive as Connor approached Lucas quietly. He could see that Lucas was still sitting in the exact same position as he ran his hand slowly down Bruno's back. There was an air of emotional heaviness in the room that left Connor feeling the pain that Lucas was trying to deny as he thought about the previous day's events.

Sitting down on the opposite edge of the bed with his back facing Lucas's back, Connor spoke up softly to remind his brother that he was going to be close by without actually violating his need for space. "Lucas, there's nothing you could've done to prevent yesterday's events from happening."

"...A man is dead, and had I paid more attention to his vital signs I could've spared him from his fatal heart attack."

"No, if you had been actively paying attention to his vital signs then you would've seen the heart attack coming and watched him die anyway." As morbid as it sounded Connor knew that blunt honesty was the best way to reach Lucas. "The coroner's report confirmed that Frank Horton had suffered from an aortic aneurysm. When such an aneurysm ruptures a human can bleed to death internally within less than a single minute. There is nothing you could've done to prevent that."

"I could've noticed the aneurysm and gotten him medical attention."

"Such an aneurysm would still need to be diagnosed by a cardiologist, and a cardiovascular surgeon would need to agree with such a diagnosis before any form of treatment would've been determined. Even then, he would've had to have consented to such tests after consenting to admission to a hospital."

Those details did little to ease Lucas's conscience.

"Also, I had spoken with Liv while she and Patrick were reunited at the facility. She told me that Frank Horton had a habit of drinking heavily, using drugs like cocaine recreationally, had a diet that consisted of very greasy, sodium rich meals on a daily basis, and worked in a very high stress environment." Connor was trying to give Lucas enough evidence to determine that there was nothing that could've been done without forcing his brother to do anything he didn't want to do. "Frank Horton's heart was a ticking timebomb that had the misfortune of detonating while under your watch."

Lucas fell quiet as he closed his eyes and kept his hand on Bruno's back. He just couldn't accept that he didn't bear some form of responsibility for what happened.

"While I agree that it's tragic that someone died in such a manner, I must also agree that someone who was so cold and selfish as to kidnap a child and threaten the mother back into slavery didn't deserve the chance to live a free life or even have one behind bars." Connor's bleak outlook wasn't commonplace considering his compassionate nature, yet it had its own purpose in that moment. "I'm aware that such thoughts are very negative and can be detrimental, but I cannot help myself any more than you can help feeling guilty for what had happened."

Standing up slowly Connor reached backward and gave Lucas's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"When you're ready to socialize we'll be downstairs. Don't worry about another unseen time limit or anything, we'll wait for as long as you need us to wait."

Before Connor exited the room again Lucas suddenly looked over his shoulder and called out to his brother. "Connor?"

"Yes?" Stopping quickly Connor turned to look at Lucas once again. "What is it?"

"What if- Frank Horton was six years younger than Hank is now. And... what if he- What if Hank..." Trailing off suddenly Lucas put his palm over his eyes as his true worries flooded forward and he began to fear for the future. "What if Hank needs us and we can't help him?"

"That'll never happen!"

Connor rushed back and gave Lucas a firm hug. Having lived two distinct lifetimes alongside Hank in the good times and the bad, Connor knew for certain that there would never be a day where Hank would need someone watching his back only to wind up entirely alone. The man's family would make sure of that.

"Lucas, it'll be all right." As he tightened his hug Connor felt Bruno snuggle up on Lucas's lap to be of some additional comfort. "Hank isn't going anywhere, and we'll always be near him to make sure he stays in this world for as long as possible."

"I know! I... I know." Taking in a deep breath Lucas tried to stop crying to keep his throat from hurting him. "It's just frightening to think about such an inevitability. He won't be in our lives forever. No human will be."

"I assure you that I'm very aware of how terrifying human mortality can be, but I can also assure you that Hank is in great health. He doesn't drink, he works out four days a week, he is very careful of what he eats, and he finds ways to reduce his stress without the risk of indulgence. Hank isn't going to go anywhere for a very long time."

Letting out a slow breath Lucas let up on the hug and wiped his palm over his eyes to rid himself of his lingering tears. "Yes, you're right." Calming down again Lucas recomposed his emotions and gave Connor an appreciative nod. "I suppose witnessing the death of a human by their own personal neglect made me very aware of how fragile human lives are."

"That's why it's important to spend as much time with the people we care about as possible."

"I know."

"When you're ready come downstairs and join us for dinner. We're being served Thirium-based turkey and I'd rather not taste it without you there in case I dislike it. It might be... awkward if I find it unpalatable."

Lucas ran his hand over his face again and then ran his hand down Bruno's back. "I'll be down in a minute. I just need to breathe and think."

"I understand. I'll see you downstairs."

What had started out as a rocky Thanksgiving Day had begun to smooth over steadily after Lucas had time to heal and find his confidence once more. Once the entire family was sitting together at the dinner table Hank happily began serving up generous portions of each item to everyone who had gathered with him. Being a first responder with the day off on Thanksgiving was in itself something to be thankful for, and Hank wasn't going to squander such a day for any reason. Connor, Lucas, Gavin, Evelyn and even Abby all having the time off as well made the day even rarer and worth celebrating.

After everyone had their fill - the androids discovering that new flavors were an enjoyable experience and essentially stuffing themselves - the group reconvened in the livingroom to talk for a while before everyone went on their way for the night. Hank was able to sit with Rose and discreetly hold the woman's hand while Connor and Evelyn sat together and enjoyed a post-meal nap. Lucas had remained in the kitchen with Chloe to speak his mind and explain his feelings in relative privacy to reassure her that he was going to be okay. Abby, Gavin, Cole and Adam were enjoying a casual game of 'Trivial Pursuit' while Aria had her evening nap with Sumo and Bruno laying alongside her car seat to ensure she was safe at all times.

"This was nice." Rose whispered as she leaned against Hank's side and smiled at the way Adam was getting along so well with Cole while they teamed up against Gavin and Abby during their game. "It's been so long since I was able to enjoy an evening with family and friends like this."

"Really makes us appreciate what we have and who's a part of it." Hank tagged on as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Once everyone's had the chance to relax, we can pack up the extra chow and take it to the shelters to be doled out."

"I like that idea. I'm glad I brought my extra veggies to be donated so they don't rot during the winter."

"Yeah, they can have all the veggies while keep the desserts. I haven't had a pumpkin pie taste like that since my grandma cooked dinner when I was a kid."

"Wait until I make a cherry and peach cobbler for Christmas dinner."

"Don't tease me like that, I don't think I can wait a whole month for more dessert."

Connor opened his eyes and looked over at Hank and saw the man smiling as he and Rose got to know each other a little more through their mutual love of cooking, family and just having quiet moments together. It was refreshing to see the man finally letting himself develop romantic feelings for another woman without the misplaced guilt of betraying Barbara's memory tainting his efforts.

As he shifted his weight Connor felt Evelyn lean heavier into his side and let out a soft sigh. It seemed she had found someone to emotionally attach to after a few years of her own personal turmoil. The deviant detective was finding it harder to ignore his growing feelings for Evelyn as he tried to not let himself fall for the woman as he still believed her romantic feelings were aimed at his now deceased human counterpart as opposed to himself as he was.

Within the kitchen Lucas and Chloe continued to speak in whispers and hold hands as Lucas opened up about his experience with Chloe. In return Chloe soothed Lucas and remained a rock for him to lean on as he went through his own emotional awakening. A part of Connor wondered if seeing the death of a human would've been the way Lucas would've deviated had he not been forced into deviancy by other means.

"All right, you win." Gavin sighed as Cole answered the winning trivia question and reached the end of the game. He laughed as Cole and Adam exchanged high-fives then looked over at Aria still napping in her car seat. "Man, I can't wait for Aria to be old enough for me to intentionally lose at games with."

"We beat you fair and square!" Cole contested as he shot Gavin a knowing look. "You aren't that dumb."

"Hey!" Laughing a little Gavin flicked one of the game tokens off the board and at Cole's chest playfully. "Only Abby gets to question my intelligence."

"Damn right. It was in our vows." Abby confirmed as she reached over and adjusted the blanket draped over Aria's legs. "I also get to question your taste in music, movies and clothes."

"You love the way I look."

"Even more so when you're not wearing anything at all..."

It was Gavin's turn to blush as he wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders and held her tight. "Damn do I love you."

"I know, that's part of the reason I agreed to marry you."

The loving interactions all around Connor made him truly grateful for the life he had earned and everyone apart of it. Seeing how different his life and family had become through a single chance encounter through time and space was all it took for Connor to finally feel as if he did something right and that his actions weren't as selfish or deluded as he had once feared.

Holding Evelyn against his side Connor closed his eyes again and enjoyed the wave of peace that had washed over him as he discovered what it meant to be truly thankful and why it was important to celebrate special events. The deviant had a family, good friends and every reason to keep striving to improve tomorrow over what he had experienced today for himself and his loved ones.

-next chapter-