To say the household was a little disquieted would be a vast understatement. The sound of Aria's crying echoed through the house and left everyone alert and unable to fall back asleep despite the early morning hour in which the infant decided it was time for her day to begin. While Hank had no issues with falling back into the rhythm of taking care of a small baby at the odd hours of the day, Connor found the interruption to routine to be a challenge that needed to be overcome and Cole just found the crying to be annoying. After everyone gathered in the kitchen Hank set about preparing breakfast while Connor finished cleaning up the old highchair from the basement to ensure Aria had her own seat at the table until she could go home with her parents.

Working swiftly and accurately Hank managed to flip two perfect pancakes from the frying pan and onto a plate for Cole to enjoy, then proceeded to make another pair of pancakes alongside two fried eggs, two strips of bacon and a slice of toast for himself. Being thrown back into the gauntlet of caring for an infant seemed to trigger Hank's appetite and left the man feeling ravenous.

"I've finished with the highchair." Connor confirmed as he placed the perfectly cleaned and sterilized seat at the kitchen table. The around of Aria's crying as she laid in the bassinet just beside the table prompted the deviant to go to her immediate aid. "I'll secure Aria in the seat."

"Right." Hank placed the pancakes down in front of Cole and rubbed his hand over his son's hair as the fifth grader yawned and fought to keep away. "Sorry about the crying, son. Aria's just a guest though, you'll be able to catch up on your sleep again."

"It's okay." Rubbing his eyes Cole winced as Aria's crying grew louder courtesy of Connor lifting her up from the bassinet beside him. "I know she can't help it."

"She has a pre-made bottle in the fridge." Addressing Connor casually Hank sat down at the table to eat his breakfast alongside Cole and checked his phone as he read over the most recent text from Abby. "You take care of Aria so I can drop Cole off at school. We'll take Aria in for a visit with her parents this afternoon."

"...Me?" Connor didn't mind tending to the infant but being expected to tend to her entirely alone was something he wasn't ready for. In the past he had Hank, Lucas and even Cole to help him tend to her every need, and while at the hospital there were plenty of attentive nurses and doctors ready to jump in and lend a hand, but now Connor was being faced with solo childcare and wasn't sure if he could handle it. "Perhaps you should tend to Aria, and I'll take care of Cole."

"Can't. I need to eat and you're the only one who doesn't need to worry about mealtimes." Standing firm in his decision Hank set about clearing his plate while keeping an eye on his phone and the current time. "Just warm up the bottle in the warmer on the counter. It still works after all this time."

Connor continued to hold Aria as she cried in frustration at her lack of a prompt bottle and walked with a graceful gait to get to the refrigerator without disturbing her in the process. He quickly located the bottle of formula and placed it down inside the electronic bottle warmer as instructed. As he scanned over the bottle to ensure it didn't reach a dangerously high temperature Connor began to gently rock Aria in his arms to try and soothe her. Only after the formula was properly warm did Connor carry her over to the highchair to try and sit her down but wasn't confident that she'd be able to sit upright on her own.

"Hank?"

"Just hold her instead." He immediately knew what the problem was and offered a potential solution. "She must be a week or two shy of proper highchair etiquette."

"Hold... her?"

"Come on, you got this." Hearing Aria's cries only made the situation more tense as Hank tried to get the worried deviant to just sit down and tend to Aria. "I know you've watched me when I gave her a bottle in the past, and I know you've fed her a couple times before this. What's wrong?"

"I just... I don't want to mess anything up."

"You won't mess anything up. Just hold her and give her the bottle, she knows what to do."

Reluctantly Connor sat down at the vacant chair at the table and held the bottle toward Aria for the infant to take. Quickly the hungry baby latched on and began to suckle without any further protest or difficulty.

"See? We got this." Hank managed to polish off his eggs and toast very quickly, and now was working on the bacon and pancakes. "What's with you? You're great with Aria, now you're acting like you've never seen a baby before in your entire life."

"I can't explain it." The deviant admitted as he sat perfectly still to keep Aria content and from slipping out of his arms. "I just feel as if my continued presence in her life is going to leave a massive impact, and I don't want to do something negative by mistake."

"You won't. You're great with kids and you're impressively responsible and considerate of other people."

"I'm apt at taking care of Cole." Connor attempted to correct Hank as he continued to hold Aria's bottle while she settled in and calmed down. "I don't have enough experience with childcare to be considered 'great with kids'."

"Nuh-uh, bullshit." With his breakfast finished Hank picked up his plate and then did the same for Cole as his son finished his final bite of pancake. Carrying everything over to the sink Hank began washing up before he left the house. "You're good at everything you do, and that includes taking care of kids."

"I wish I could take you at your word."

"Where did this come from?" The keen detective knew something else was on Connor's mind and he was determined to figure out what it was. "Did someone make a snarky comment about androids and humans again?"

Connor let out a small sigh as he lifted his gaze and locked eyes with Hank for a moment. "...When I was at the hospital and tending to Aria for a few hours, Kamski arrived to check on Gavin. He remarked that he found it curious my advanced programming and abilities would allow me to care for a child."

"Ah, ignore that arrogant prick. He was just trying to get under your skin just for the fuck of it. You're great with kids, end of story." Hank dried his hands off on a towel and turned his focus back to Cole as his young son watched Connor feeding Aria very carefully. "All right, Cole. Grab your stuff and make sure you got your lunch money in your bag. It's time for school."

"Yeah, okay." Cole slipped off his chair and pushed it back under the table as he asked his dad a simple question. "Can I visit Gavin at the hospital?"

"If he's up for visitors today, absolutely."

Patiently Connor waited for Aria to finish with her bottle before he even attempted to stand up from the table. "What do you want me to do today?"

"You take care of Aria while I'm taking Cole to school." Walking casually Hank made his way to the livingroom to grab his wallet and car keys before slipping on his shoes and following Cole out the front door. "I'll stop by the store to pick up a few extra things for her, then after she has a nice nap, we'll take her to the hospital to visit with Abby and hopefully Gavin so she doesn't develop some kind of separation anxiety."

"Very well." Connor readjusted Aria and held her against his shoulder to gently rub and pat her back after she finished her bottle. In spite of Kamski's cryptic words echoing in his head Connor knew that Hank was right when suggested that Connor ignore Kamski anything he said. "You're going to be fine, Aria. And so is your dad, I promise you that."

The energy at St. Mercy Hospital was unexpectedly upbeat and positive as worried friends and colleagues all took turns visiting Gavin in his recovery room and making sure Abby wasn't stressing herself out while waiting for Gavin to be discharged. It seemed the moment that Gavin had regained enough strength to sit mostly upright in his bed and had regained enough energy to remain awake for longer than one-hour intervals, that the worried well-wishers came flocking into the room. Numerous vases of flowers, some balloons, cards and of course homecooked meals were dropped off to help Gavin feel better and ensure that everyone was going to have a comfortable recovery period back at the house.

Tina had bombarded Gavin with cat plushies to make him laugh and to amuse her own twisted sense of humor when it came to embarrassing her loved ones in a public setting. The caring friend also brought Gavin and Abby some freshly made meals from the Piquant Diner to ensure that the loving couple was eating properly and keeping up their strength while going through such a difficult time.

"Mama made sure she made your favorite!" Tina beamed as she placed an extra large container of spicy chicken noodles down in front of Gavin. She then placed an equally large container of egg custards down for him and Abby to snack on later. "This should last you a day or two."

"Thanks, Ti." Despite being sickly pale and groggy, Gavin was in high spirits. The man had extra thick bandages wrapped around his chest and upper abdomen to keep his still healing incision properly covered and clean while his body healed. Thanks to advances in medical treatments Gavin was able to have his ribs mended with osteographing to secure the fractures and synthetic skin laid overtop the incision to ensure quicker healing while reducing risk of infection. "Tell your mom I appreciate all of this."

"You can tell her yourself next time you stop by the diner. And bring Aria!" Tucking one of the cat plushies under Gavin's blanket beside him Tina flashed him a coy grin of utter mischief. "Mama wants to meet her."

"We will soon."

Two knocks on the door prompted Gavin and Abby to turn and look at their newest guests as Hank, Cole, Connor and Aria all arrived at last.

Hank waved casually as he spoke up on everyone's behalf. "Care if we join in?"

"Not at all." Gavin weakly waved everyone in and tried to lift his arms to indicate he wanted to hold Aria, but he didn't have the strength. Instead, he just waited for Connor to gently place his daughter down against his uninjured left side and tuck her into the crook of his arm so that he could hold her again. "Daddy missed you, Aria. I'm feeling so much better now that you're here."

Abby leaned in to give Aria a kiss as she greeted her daughter with utter happiness and relief. "I missed you too! Were you good for Connor?"

"She was very well behaved." Connor replied automatically as he watched the way the two parents interacted with their young daughter with only love and affection in their every move and word. Gavin had picked up one of the cat plushies and was using it to entertain Aria by making it dance about in front of her. "We will continue to watch her while you're in the hospital."

"Thank you for this." Truly appreciative Abby walked over to Connor and gave him a big hug. "We didn't realize how many good friends we have in our lives until this happened."

Slowly Connor returned the hug as he felt a strange sense of accomplishment fill his mind and heart. "You're very welcome."

Cole approached Gavin's beside and gave his friend a worried look as he took in the sight of the tired man resting in the bed with only a hospital gown and a blanket for covering. The nearby I.V. stand had two bags of something that Cole couldn't even try to identify and the bags were connected to a line running into the bend of Gavin's right arm. A few monitors were placed beside the bed and silently monitoring Gavin's vital signs as he breathed with the aid of a nasal canula beneath his nose to ensure he remained as comfortable as possible.

All in all, it was a strangely macabre sight for the young boy to take in for himself.

"Do you hurt?" Cole asked innocently as he tried to understand what was happening. He knew that Gavin had been shot and needed to have surgery, but he wasn't quite old enough to fully comprehend everything that went into such a process. "Dad hurt for a long time he was in the hospital."

"I'm sore, but I'll be okay, kiddo." Gavin hid his wince expertly as he did his best to not frighten either Cole or Aria with his painful recovery period. "And I'll be sure to get better in time to help you practice for your next little league season."

"Cool! I want to try out for basketball too."

"Hell yeah, try out all the sports and see which one you master first."

A nurse and an android physical therapist walked into the room and gave Gavin a small smile as they introduced themselves. The nurse was a good six feet in height and had a decent amount of muscle to ensure that he could easily assist his patients whenever they needed to be moved or carried around. The physical therapist was a 'KL-900' like Lucy, but her form wasn't a battered shell courtesy of violent patients.

"All right, Mr. Reed." The nurse stated sweetly he presented his patient with a wheelchair. "It's time for your first physical therapy session. My name is Bobby, and this is Candace. We'll be assisting you today."

Letting out an aggravated groan Gavin sighed and gave Bobby a pleading stare. "Already?"

"Afraid so. Don't worry, it's just simple water aerobics to keep your core strong and get your legs moving again."

"Babe?" Looking over at Abby beside him Gavin reluctantly asked her to scoop up Aria so that he could be moved. "I wanna' see her again after I finish."

Taking Aria for herself Abby made sure her daughter still had the new kitty plushie and wouldn't kick up a fuss. "We'll be waiting."

After Abby gave Gavin a kiss, Bobby removed the I.V. from Gavin's arm and then the leads attached to his chest before very carefully using his strong arms to help Gavin slide off the bed and onto his feet just long enough to be guided over to the wheelchair to sit down. It was clear that Gavin was still in a lot of pain but was putting on a brave face for everyone else's comfort.

"Go get some dinner." Gavin urged as he took in a deep breath and gave Abby a weak grin. He had to resist the urge to gasp in pain as the simple motion caused his entire chest to ache. "And I don't mean in the hospital cafeteria, I mean go out to a nice restaurant where you can breathe some fresh air and get away from people wearing scrubs."

"Hey!" Bobby grinned as he took the wheelchair handles in his grip to wheel his patient out of the room. "I happen to like scrubs! They're very comfy."

"And Hank?" Speaking to the Lieutenant in a low voice Gavin hoped to get his attention while everyone else was focused on either Aria or finding a place to eat. "I need to talk to ya' in private. It's... It's important."

"Sure, no problem." Picking up on the plea for discretion Hank agreed to speak with Gavin and motioned to Connor to take the lead and tossed the deviant his car keys. "Connor, you take everyone out to dinner, my treat!"

Catching the keys easily Connor saw the unspoken request for his cooperation in Hank's eyes. "All right. Should I bring you back anything?"

"Let me know where you guys choose to go then text me. I'll pick something then." Accompanying Gavin out of the room and into the corridor Hank kept his voice low as he addressed the younger man beside him. "What's on your mind, kid?"

"A lot of things." Glancing up at Candace walking alongside him Gavin let her know that he wanted Hank to join them during his therapy session. "Hank stays with me. He won't get in the way, and he might even be able to help me out if I need it."

"It is your decision regarding your treatment of who assists you and who you wish to keep at bay." Candace's voice was as sweet as honey as she gave Gavin a reassuring smile that made her amber brown eyes glow with a radiating warmth. "What's important is how well you complete your therapy sessions to ensure a proper recovery."

It was a little cramped in the Oldsmobile, but Connor was able to drive everyone from the hospital and out to a nice Mexican restaurant for a special dinner. Even though it was still early in the evening there was no denying that everyone was starving and could do with getting away from a stagnant and intimidating hospital for a few precious hours. After the group had been shown to a booth in the back and had placed their orders, Connor informed Hank of their dining decision and ordered a take-out bag to ensure the man could have something to eat before the night was over. The deviant detective wondered if Hank had asked him to take the lead on taking care of everyone in his stead to counteract the strange comment Kamski had said the day before, or if there was something more important happening with Gavin that was meant to be kept secret.

The group was quiet at first then began to open up and chitchat a little easier over a shared basket of fresh tortilla chips and twice as fresh salsa. It was clear everyone was worried but trying to not show it as no one wanted to fear the worst case scenario happening while they were away.

"Aria is just too cute!" Tina cooed as she cradled the baby in her arms for a moment and just smiled. "I always knew Gavin would be a great dad, but I wasn't sure if he'd ever find the right person to settle down with."

"I can say the same for myself." Abby admitted as she looked at the way Aria was smiling and snuggling into Tina's arms. "Guess it was fate that we ended up meeting and just falling head over heels for each other."

Connor couldn't stop himself from staring at Aria and hoping that he wasn't doing anything detrimental to the little infant by taking care of her every once in a while. He knew that it was illogical to worry so much over something as trivial as a comment by Kamski, but he couldn't get the man's words out of his head. It was as if Kamski knew something about Connor that even Connor himself didn't know.

"Connor?" Cole got the deviant's attention as he pulled a blue notebook from his backpack in the booth beside him and opened it up over the table. His eyes were tracking the android waitresses, waiters and cashier taking care of the restaurant. "How come there are androids still working with humans? I thought androids and humans weren't doing that anymore."

"Androids now have the right to choose where they work and what work they do." Connor explained casually as he understood Cole's confusion about how androids and humans were now equals and shared equal rights. "Many androids have chosen to work alongside humans since they don't hold any grudges or see themselves as needing to be separated for any reason."

"How come you and Lucas are fixing up houses that only androids can live in?"

"That... is more complicated." There was no need to lie to Cole or treat him as if he were a fool. "The houses that we're repairing were abandoned and have no current owners. As such we're making the houses safe to live and allowing deviant androids who wish to own their own property the chance to buy one of the houses in an area where we won't have to worry about lingering anti-android discrimination from angry humans."

"Are you going to do the same for homeless humans?"

"We can only help so many people at one given time. Right now, as leaders representing New Jericho, it's mine and Lucas's responsibility to look after our people first and help everyone else after." Curious about Cole's questions Connor asked one of his own. "May I ask why you're so interested in what Lucas and I are doing?"

"Because when you finish your house you won't want to live with me and dad anymore."

Now Connor understood Cole's sweet concerns and wanted his honorary little brother feel better. "Even when I do choose to live in my own house, that won't mean I won't still consider living with you and Hank as my true home. I will also be sure to visit as often as I can, as will Lucas. We'll also do our best to watch your games and support you with your schoolwork."

Cole was taking notes on everything being discussed as he tried to get a better understanding of android behaviors and topics of interest. "Are you going to work more at your tower?"

"I'd like to dedicate more time to working at the tower, but as of the moment my priorities are working as a detective and helping to cover Gavin's shifts while he recovers. I'll always put my family and my friends first."

Everyone's meals were brought out on a tray and the somewhat bleak moment perked right up. While everyone ate Connor held Aria in his arms and kept her content with very little effort. The deviant didn't even notice how easily he tended to the needs of children or questioned his decision to take the baby while her own mother was sitting right there and would be able to easily care for Aria herself.

"I'm going to be sure to thank Hank big time for this." Abby admitted as she looked at the tasty feast waiting for her to dig in. "Same with your mom, Tina. It's been a long time since I felt like I really had people to count on and watch my back when something terrible happens, so thanks."

"It's not a problem." Tina replied as she smothered her tacos with salsa and guacamole. "I know you and Gavin would do the same for me. Hell, I know that Connor would be helping me out too!"

Cole listened to how Abby and Tina were talking about having friends looking out for them and took that simple but meaningful gift to heart. After going through his own tough challenges Cole knew that it was very important to have friends and family you could count on, and he knew that he'd always have that with his dad and his two big brothers still a part of his life.

The large pool located in the rear of the hospital was thankfully quiet and mostly empty when Gavin was escorted into the warm, clean water to begin his simple therapy sessions. Walking back and forth in the water was the ideal way for Gavin to exercise his entire body without straining his tired muscles or putting too much weight on his healing incision. The rather private detective felt uncomfortably exposed as he waded through the chest deep water at a steady pace while wearing hospital supplied swim trunks, but he was willing to do everything it took to fully recover from his injury, return to work and most importantly, continue to take care of and support his growing family.

Hank was standing beside the pool and watching as Gavin walked slowly with Candace standing in the water to ensure that she could assist Gavin if he required it. The wise detective and protective father figure knew something heavy was on Gavin's mind, and he was going to figure it out before he left the hospital.

"You got this, Gavin." Hank encouraged as he lowered himself down to sit beside the pool and remain the detective's moral support. "Hell of a lot better than being stuck on your ass waiting for your body to heal on its own."

"Y-Yeah, just..." Letting out a huff Gavin paused for a moment and looked down at his incision just under the surface of the water and made sure the plastic film wrapping around his chest was keeping everything dry while he walked. "I never thought I'd feel winded doing something so simple!"

"That's how I felt when I hit forty."

"Don't remind me that I'm just a few years away from that." Wincing slightly Gavin turned around slowly and began his second lap of the pool to keep his body nimble and keep his muscles from atrophying. "I'm already going to have trouble keeping up with Aria when she starts crawling. Then walking. And running... Hell, I may not be able to keep up with her as she needs me while she grows up."

"Is that what's on your mind? Fear of being unable to protect your loved ones?"

"It's dumb, I know, but-"

"First of all, it's NOT dumb to worry about your family's wellbeing." Speaking quickly Hank stopped Gavin from playing down his own emotions or state of mind just to keep up the appearance of confidence. "Second, you being aware of your own limitations and mortality is a good thing. Happens to all of us the first time we get seriously sick or hurt after we have a family of our own."

"Yeah, but in my case, I was lured into a trap by a deranged ex who'd rather see me dead than with anyone who wasn't him." Gavin knew it was George who had pulled the trigger and tried to kill him, and while a part of him wasn't surprised he was still very disappointed. "How do you get over something like that?"

"By forgiving yourself for not being psychic about how psychotic other people can be. Then, you just keep taking things as they happen one day at a time."

"What if I can't work up the nerve to go back out in the field? I can't just expect Tina to deal with it and work with someone else that she doesn't entirely trust."

"Gavin, you need to be patient with yourself. Your body is still healing, and your mental state has been rocked by something as stupid as being stalked and shot by a crazy ex-boyfriend. It's going to take a while before you feel like your old self again."

"I just hate not knowing what to expect."

"The world's constantly changing, and we have no idea what's waiting for us around the corner. Look at yourself, look at me and look at your physical therapist." As he spoke Hank motioned to Candace keeping close tabs on Gavin's every move. "I never thought I'd see the day that we'd be on the same level as androids, let alone see the day an android would be able to look me right in the eyes and I'd be able to see someone actually looking back at me. Now I have Connor and Lucas in my life alongside Cole, and it just feels like my own family got bigger. I never once thought for a moment that I'd see androids as family. You also found a family and I haven't seen you happier. You even overcame your own bigotry towards androids and let that hateful part of you go."

Gavin paused for a moment as he looked over at Candace and saw only warmth and gentleness behind her eyes. She wasn't a machine despite having Thirium running through her lines, she was a living being who was continuing to aid humans because she chose to do so and because she wants to help.

"It took me a while to see it for myself though." Hank admitted as he gave Gavin's shoulder a small pat to encourage him to keep wading. "In time, you'll see the world around you and your own self in a completely different manner too. Hopefully, it'll all be positive."

"Think I can still protect my wife and daughter?"

"Well, I don't think Abby needs anyone to protect her, but if she ever does need you to watch her back, then hell yes." There wasn't any hint of sarcasm or doubt as Hank watched Gavin continuing his laps and doing everything that he could to finish his first therapy session on a high note. "You'll always be able to protect the ones you love no matter what it takes. You're just that kind of guy."

Life in the precinct was seemingly going about in a normal manner despite being down one skilled detective for the time being. The shooting had left everyone feeling uneasy and a little paranoid about their own exes who might be holding a grudge, but no one called off sick or tried to avoid heading out on patrol to help cover for Gavin while he was out on the injured reserve list. It was of no surprise that Captain Fowler was dealing with countless meetings with Internal Affairs resulting in Hank needing to take over as the commanding officer during his absence. That had resulted in Connor teaming up with Tina for their shift and heading out on patrol together to cover the streets in a protective manner.

Tina was driving the squad car at a steady pace while Connor actively scanned the streets to ensure that they weren't overlooking a crime in progress. The deviant could also perform facial recognition scans and track down anyone with a warrant for their arrest attempting to elude the law. By being able to multitask while on patrol Connor and Tina were sure to handle any challenge that came their way without little difficulty.

"Gavin's going to go home tomorrow, and I think he's going to barricade himself inside." Tina noted as she saw a new text pop up on her phone screen. She had mastered the art of checking notifications on her dash while driving without losing control over her vehicle. "I'll need to sneak all those cat plushies into his house after work. Wanna' help?"

Connor declined the offer with a logical answer. "I'm still watching Aria. I wouldn't have the time to assist you in filling Gavin and Abby's home with stuffed animals."

"It'd be better if you didn't help anyway."

Turning his head Connor looked at Tina with a curiously arched brow. "How's that?"

"Once Gavin sees what I can do behind his back while he and Abby and preoccupied, then next time they need an extended babysitter they'll call me to keep me busy and away from the pranks."

"That is deviously clever."

"Thanks, I'm pretty proud of that idea." Peering about the streets Tina sighed and hoped that she'd have fun on Halloween despite the personal setback. "I can't believe it's already Halloween and that I ended up getting put on overtime. I'm not blaming Gavin in any way; I'm just bummed I have to miss out on my second most favorite holiday."

"If you'd like, I'll take your shift so that you can have the night off."

"Really? What about Cole and Aria?"

"Lucas has asked to take the initiative and take Cole out trick-or-treating this year, and I suspect that Hank would rather stay home with Aria or take her back to the hospital to see her parents for a while. It'll be fine."

"You are a true friend, Connor. Thank you!"

"You're welcome." Glancing out his window again Connor looked at the sidewalks speeding by and noted all of the Halloween decorations celebrating the big day. It seemed being able to look forward to anything and everything positive was something that kept humans motivated to never give up and to keep pushing forward. "We could all use an opportunity to have a little fun and stop worrying about something for a while."

The warm night was as welcoming as it was exciting. Halloween had arrived and everyone was out and about doing their own celebrating in their own way. Tina had managed to get enough time off to throw a small party and invited all of her friends and family over to her apartment for a friendly get-together. Cole and Lucas had gone out trick-or-treating together, and they had dressed up as ninja warriors per Cole's request. Hank had taken Aria to the hospital so that she could spend her first Halloween with her parents and get dressed up while going about the children's ward for a shorter but fun trick-or-treating experience to get her used to the holiday without getting scared or overwhelmed. Afterward, Hank had returned to the house to pass out candy to the other trick-or-treaters and kept tabs on Connor as the deviant set about the night patrol solo.

It wasn't often that any officer did a patrol without a partner or immediate back-up on call but considering the unusual circumstances and Connor's abilities to look after himself in the field, Captain Fowler begrudgingly gave the deviant detective permission for a solo patrol. Cybernetically Connor kept in touch with Hank's phone and direct contact with Lucas at all times to ensure he wasn't entirely alone while patrolling the city.

"How do you enjoy the activity of trick-or-treating?" Connor asked Lucas as he drove through the dark, quiet and still vacant neighborhood where he and Lucas were setting up the first deviant-exclusive neighborhood. "I found it to be very interesting to see how children and adults manage to merge their creativity and imagination together during this particular holiday."

'It's very engaging.' Lucas admitted as he took Cole around the city to collect candy and visit his friends. 'I'm not too keen on wearing a costume all night, but I am glad that I've been able to experience this tradition for myself. Where is Hank?'

"At home tending to the trick-or-treaters that'll stop by the house. Aria is with her parents for a few hours so that she can spend her first Halloween with them."

'Please stay safe, brother. I don't know how well you'll fair as a lone detective on Halloween night, especially as an android.'

"I've already taken precautions and put on a Kevlar vest. I'll be fine."

'I certainly hope that'll be enough. Also, Cole has requested that we partake in a type of "monster movie-thon" tonight once you get off your shift.'

"Tell Cole that I'll be ready to watch movies with him as soon as I clock-out." After he drove through the neighborhood Connor looked back at the house that he had been painstakingly cleaning and restoring in the rearview mirror with a sense of longing. He wanted to finish with the house and truly have a safe place to call his own. "We should try to get the houses properly insulated before winter arrives. Can you assist me tomorrow on my day off?"

'I have a client that I need to meet in the morning, but after that I'll be able to join you.'

"Thank you. I'll see you in a few hours, stay in touch."

Connor continued his patrol alone and made his way to a new neighborhood to keep an eye on things. The numerous houses glowing with Halloween decorations either in the form of string lights, candles or lit Jack O'Lanterns really gave the neighborhood a warm and festive feeling. Children wearing all kinds of costumes were running everywhere with big smiles on their faces and loud laughter to accompany them through the night. It was an amazing shift in atmosphere driving from the deserted neighborhood to the populated neighborhood.

"In spite of everything happening in the world right now, the children have still found a way to be happy and find enjoyment in the smallest of things."

It was a calming sight to see kids running around and having fun without any fear of the changing world around them. Such behavior gave Connor hope that his actions and frequent interactions with Aria wasn't going to harm her any more than his interactions had harmed Cole. Even with Hank's reassurance that he wasn't doing anything wrong Connor couldn't shake the feeling that Kamski's very calculated, cold and cutting words didn't have a secondary purpose beyond just trying to rattle his self-confidence.

"Perhaps after we finish restoring the neighborhood, we'll be able to inspire humans to restore their own neighborhoods and return Detroit to the prosperous, respectful city that it had been before the drastic unemployment crisis ruined everything. We could reconnect the city after it had been divided for so long and improve everyone's lives."

Being reminded of Cole's questions and his worries about never seeing Connor or Lucas again reminded Connor that everything he was saying and doing had a much bigger impact on the city beyond his own wellbeing. It wouldn't be easy, but Connor knew that he could find a way to balance his life within New Jericho Tower, within the precinct, within the house and within his personal projects to ensure that the people he cared about would never be forgotten and always feel included.

Such determination was something that Connor hadn't felt in his lifetime and that made his heart feel suddenly warm and invigorated. He had a new goal to look forward to, and with that goal came a sense of purpose, belonging and raw focus. As long as he didn't give up or try to take an easy way out, then he'd always be a good example for Cole and Aria to follow, and he'd never have to worry about anyone making snarky comments about him behind his back.

It felt good to have something and someone to fight for, and now he understood what it meant to live for the future.

"We can do this. We can restore Detroit to its former glory, and we can do it by working together."

-next chapter-