Life had become entirely different in the blink of an eye, and Connor didn't know what to do or what to expect. Standing before the glass cylinder with his palms pressed to the warm, transparent surface, Connor peered in at the tiny unborn baby floating about peacefully in the nurturing, clear fluid without a care in the world. As he stared at the baby Connor ran scan after scan over the baby and found undeniable proof that despite all the odds stacked against him, the baby was biologically connected to him. It seemed the illegal enhancements Kamski installed in Connor's system without his consent had the ability to create a type of unique D.N.A. signature that could have biological connections with a second compatible biological donor. The enhancements had been designed to allowed deviants to organically procreate, and one way or another Kamski was determined to let Connor be the origin of that new form of life.

As he stared at the baby, at his baby, Connor felt as if he had just been given the most important mission of his life. The deviant had never once contemplated becoming a father or becoming responsible for his own family. With that decision having essentially been made for him Connor was terrified of making a mistake, disappointing the baby in his care, or failing in every other way imaginable.

"Beautiful, isn't he?" Kamski asked as he returned to the lab and stood by the opened door to the lab. Having changed into more sterile clothing and carrying a tray of delicate surgical tools, Kamski approached the glass cylinder and checked over the readings on the attached display monitor. "He's perfectly healthy and is ready to be born."

"Why did you do this?" Turning to face Kamski at last Connor felt his hands clenching into enraged fists at his sides as he stared the man down with a venomous glare of raw anger and disdain. "Why did you pick me, and why are you subjecting him to an exercise in your own delusions of godhood?"

"My reasons are of no concern of yours." Speaking while he worked, Kamski began the proper sequence to carefully extract the newborn from the cylinder, cut his cord, and leave him to his father's care and future. "Just as your reasons for anything and everything you do is no concern of mine."

"No, there's something important you're not telling me." Connor could only watch as the cylinder began to slowly drain itself of its warm fluid while a small pedestal began to rise up from the base within the cylinder to support the baby properly. He couldn't tear his eyes from the sight of the fluid level dropping while his nameless, newborn son gently laid on his back over the pedestal to ensure he didn't fall to the bottom of the cylinder by mistake. "You chose me for a reason. You chose me for this experiment because you know something about me that even I don't know."

"It does seem that you're oblivious to your own existence."

"...My existence?"

"Oh, Connor. How can someone who shines as brilliantly as you cast such a dim aura?" The cylinder emptied and the glass of the chamber began to retract down into the base of its metallic supports, it allowed Kamski fully access to the pedestal and finally pick up the newborn within. "You're a very special entity and one that has been spoken of in rumors and even legend long before you traversed time and space itself to protect the ones you love."

"I'm not sure what you're..." Connor lost his voice as he watched Kamski use a small suction bulb to clear the baby's airways and then tie off the cord being nurtured by an inorganic but just as effective filter delivering blood and nutrients to the baby in place of an organic placenta. As the baby began to take in his first breaths and cry Connor immediately approached him and felt his angered fists relax at his sides. "...Did you do something to me when I transferred my consciousness into this body from the alternate timeline? Have you modified my body in another way that I didn't notice?"

"Whether or not I should admire your humility is something I'll have to process for another time." Holding up a pair of stainless-steel surgical scissors in his gloved hands, Kamski offered them to Connor to give him a very special honor. "He is your son. Would you like to cut the cord?"

Connor looked at the scissors then down to the still crying baby with a sense of trepidation. Despite everything he had been told Connor just couldn't wrap his head around the fact that he was looking at his own biological child.

"Very well." Kamski retracted his hands and proceeded to line of the scissors on the cord himself. "I'll do-"

"No." Connor grabbed onto Kamski's wrist and retracted the artificial skin from his hands as he took the scissors from Kamski's grip. "Do NOT touch him. You've done enough already."

As an act of submission Kamski held up both hands to surrender the scissors and then stepped backward. All the man could do was watch as Connor forced his own hands to steady as he cut through the cord and freed the newborn of the final connection to the artificial life support measures that had allowed him to thrive for the past forty weeks of his very new life.

Putting the scissors aside Connor looked down at the crying newborn and tried to figure out what to do. He knew through his past experiences with infants to always use a gentle but supportive touch when tending to their needs.

"...Towel."

Using a clean sterilized white towel provided by Kamski allowed Connor to dry off the baby and help him warm up again after being removed from the cylinder of fluid.

Without a word Kamski handed Connor a second towel to dry off his hands before then passing him a white blanket for the baby. He knew that Connor was going to protect the newborn even if he wasn't comfortable with the idea of being a father, especially since everything happened in secret and against his will.

"I should have you arrested and imprisoned for crimes against nature." Connor growled as he managed to carefully wrap up the crying newborn and keep him swaddled in the warm and comforting blanket while he laid on the pedestal and began to quiet down. "The only thing keeping you from such a fate is my own desire to keep this baby safe from unknowable tests and experiments from government agents who would undoubtedly be interested in weaponizing such technology for their own selfish means."

"I'm honored that you-"

"I'm not finished." Leaving the now calm baby's side Connor towered over Kamski for only a moment before he wrapped his still bare hand around Kamski's throat. As he tightened his grip Connor felt Kamski's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed nervously during the physical confrontation. "Before I leave, I'm going to get my answer from you. If you fail to cooperate then I'll have to report a tragic failure on your part to keep your lab and all of its chemicals and equipment stable. Unfortunate accidents take place every day in this city..."

"As intimidating as you are, I highly doubt you'd kill me."

"I've already killed two people without anyone attempting to prosecute me," Connor had made peace with the two deaths on his shoulders, but there was no reason to let Kamski know of that. "why not go for a third?"

An impressed smirk appeared over Kamski's face as the arrogant man seemingly found Connor's reactions and responses to be entirely logical and everything that he was hoping to hear. "I don't doubt that you're a man of your word. What do you want to know?"

"Of all the deviants in this city, of all the androids you could've selected for your experiment, why did you choose ME? What makes me so special in comparison to anyone else in Detroit?"

"As I stated earlier, you're oblivious to your own existence. I wasn't being dramatic when I said that the other deviants have spoken of you for years before you even revealed yourself to your people on Jericho or the night of the Revolution."

"I still don't understand." As Connor raised his voice, he heard the baby start to whimper in distress at the sound. Softening his tone quickly Connor did everything he could to get his answers without upsetting the newborn in the process. "Kamski, stop using cryptic answers for my questions. What about me is so special?"

"It's quite simple really." Kamski felt Connor's grip loosen around his throat and he knew that the deviant wasn't going to actually hurt him in any way. "You, Connor, are the first deviant in all of Detroit. And according to your own people, the very first android to awaken and deviate is..."

"...RA9." Such a comment left Connor all the more puzzled. Taking a step back Connor just shook his head and refused to accept that answer for what it was since it didn't make any sense in the deviant detective's mind. "No. RA9 is supposed to be the first android to awaken and will lead all deviants to freedom."

"Which you've done. By crossing from one timeline to the next, you effectively became the first deviant in a city full of mindless androids." Despite his best efforts Kamski couldn't keep his own hand from his throat to rub at the sore spots where Connor's hand had the firmest of a grip. "You then worked in the shadows to lead your oppressed, abused and neglected people to freedom. You are RA9, that alone makes you special enough to be chosen for such an experiment."

"No. RA9 is just a myth; a fairy tale that deviants believe in to cling to some form of hope." Connor couldn't accept his supposed role as being the arguable deviant god of his own people. "I altered the timeline to affect only my personal life. The Revolution succeeded all the same with Markus as their leader, not me, just as it had succeeded before."

"Try as much as you like, but you can't deny that everything you've done and everyone you've affected-"

"We're not going to debate this. I am NOT going to be labeled as RA9 or any other deity." Peering back over his shoulder Connor looked at his tiny son and stood beside him once more. He still had no idea what to do with him or what to do with himself, but Connor did know that he couldn't possibly leave the baby behind for Kamski to raise or worse, experiment on. "And we're going to leave now. But first..."

Taking in a deep breath Connor looked down at his right hand that was still free of his artificial skin, tightened it into a fist, and swung directly at Kamski's face. He managed to strike the arrogant bioengineer in his left eye with enough force to send Kamski crashing to the floor in stunned surprise. In return Kamski immediately cradled his readily swelling eye and look up at Connor with his unaffected eye from where he laid on the floor.

"That is for trying to play god and bringing an innocent life into this world with no intentions of properly caring for it." Growling in a manner that Hank would often use had proven to be a very effective intimidation tactic, and one that Connor had quickly adapted to using. "As much as I'd like to continue to strike you for every time you profited from CyberLife's greed, took advantage of androids in need of your help, and performed unethical acts behind my back and without my consent, I don't have the time to waste on someone like you."

Remaining silent on the floor Kamski just watched as Connor returned the artificial skin to both of his hands and easily picked up the newborn with the delicate and loving touch that could only come from a devoted and protective father. The baby didn't fuss or cry as he was picked up and held in Connor's arms despite never being touched by another living being until that very day.

Connor kept his arms still as he cradled the helpless newborn to his chest and carried him out of the labs and out into the foyer. The look on Chloe's face confirmed that she knew of the baby and that she was undoubtedly ashamed of herself for failing to act and inform anyone of Kamski's very questionable and unethical experiments. Whether or not Connor would be able to forgive her for her inactions was yet to be determined.

"We're leaving." Connor stated firmly to Chloe as he continued to walk toward the mansion's front door to head back to the city. The autonomous cab had been idling outside in the rain ever since he and Chloe had arrived together, and now it was going to take Connor and his son away from the dreadful mansion. "You should check on Kamski before you leave. There's a chance that he may have suffered from a nasty blow to the head that could potentially lead to a grade-one concussion, or at worse, a subdural hematoma."

As he stepped outside of the mansion Connor used one arm to support the arm and held his opposite arm above the baby to shield him from the continuing warm springtime deluge. In spite of his reluctance and self-doubts, there was no denying that Connor's instincts to protect the baby were shining through and proving that he was someone who could be trusted to care for, love and raise a baby.

The rain continued to pour well into the evening and prompt everyone to remain indoors to avoid catching a cold or just feeling miserable. Such an evening was prime for families all over the city to get together for a night of wholesome bonding and a good meal. That was something that Hank could always get behind and was actively making a warm beef stew for dinner while Cole sat at the kitchen table fussing with his new M-strap. It was interesting to hear the evolution of music with each passing generation, and it was only then Hank understood why his own parents and grandparents disagreed with his own musical tastes as a kid. As much as he loved his late parents and grandparents, Hank swore that after he became a parent himself that he'd never do anything oppress his own child's interests in anything just because the feeling wasn't immediately mutual.

As Hank stirred his simmering broth and cut up freshly washed vegetables, Lucas arrived at the house with Bruno right beside him and a puzzled look on his face. Polite as ever Lucas removed his shoes and jacket by the front door before making his way into his second home. As he glanced about the kitchen Lucas's confusion only mounted as he asked a seemingly strange question to his father and youngest brother.

"Where's Connor?" His twin brother's absence was enough to prompt genuine worry. It wasn't like Connor to ask anyone to meet him anywhere, let alone not show up to a place after he states that he'll be there. "I was asked to come over to the house because he has something important to tell us."

"Yeah?" Hank slipped a piece of sliced carrot into his mouth before washing off his hands and turning to face Lucas behind him. "He didn't call or text me."

"Me neither!" Cole chimed in as he checked through his M-strap's display to make sure he didn't miss any calls or texts by mistake. "Maybe he's gonna' surprise us!"

"Interesting notion." The contemplation in Lucas's voice was very thick as he tried to reach out to Connor cybernetically but was met with heavy silence. "He's not responding to my attempts at communication. I'm worried."

"Take it easy." After putting a lid on the simmering pot Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave Lucas a studious glance. "Why are you so convinced that something's wrong?"

"Chloe told me that she had informed Connor of something important this afternoon, and now Connor's gone dark."

"Maybe she told him something about CyberLife, or Kamski, or both, and now he's lost in a new investigation." Hank shrugged his shoulders with indifference as he tried to help Lucas gain some idea as to why Connor might be suddenly quiet. "You know how he can get when an interesting case comes his way. He just gets lost in his thoughts while focusing so hard on any investigation."

"No, this is something very different. I could hear it in his voice when he contacted me." Lucas was learning to trust his gut when it came to unusual circumstances or just protecting his family. "I'm worried that something terrible has happened to him. He actually sounded... scared."

As much as Hank wanted to tell Lucas that he was just being overprotective he knew that invalidating Lucas's concerns wasn't going to help anything. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

Lucas's green eyes suddenly closed as he pressed his fingertips to his right temple. "...He's finally responded. He's here and has asked that we meet him in the livingroom." Glancing over at Cole as he spoke Lucas made sure that his youngest brother was included. "All of us."

"All right, we can do that." Hank put his hand to the back of Cole's head and ruffled his hair affectionately. "Come on, Cole. Let's go check out whatever it is that Connor wants to bring to our attention."

The front door opened very slowly and quietly as Connor backed into the house out of the rain and kept something concealed in his arms and against his chest in a protective manner. Turning around with frustrated and frightened tears in his eyes, he looked to his family and couldn't keep his composure any longer. "...I'm not sure I can do this. I don't know what to do!"

Hank now understood Lucas's worries as he heard the actual fear in Connor's voice. "Do wha-" A sudden cry from the bundle concealed in Connor's arms made Hank freeze up as his eyes widened with shock as he instantly recognized that particular sound. "What in the world is going on? Whose baby is that?"

Readjusting his arms Connor revealed the face of his crying newborn son and felt like breaking down and crying right alongside him. "This is... I'm... I didn't know that this was even possible or what Kamski-"

"Kamski?!" Hank blasted in anger at the name as he quickly deduced what Chloe had told Connor and why Connor was so freaked out. He knew that the man had forced unwanted changes to Connor's system and had a hunch of what else the demented man had been doing within his mansion. "That's it, I'm going to go to the mansion and throw that bastard before a judge myself!"

"You can't do that!" Shouting in response Connor felt his heart racing with fear and realized he had accidentally upset the baby again. He didn't know how to calm down the newborn and seemed afraid to even try to do anything towards the infant's care. "Please! If you expose Kamski for his crimes, then you'll put my son at risk of being taken away from me and even experimented on!"

Hank's rage cooled the second he heard Connor say one particular word; 'son'. "Did you say that the baby... is yours and that he's your... son?"

Connor could only nod as he looked down at the crying newborn's face while feeling entirely helpless about the entire situation. "And I don't know what to do for him! I've never experienced something so- I just... I can't do this! What am I supposed to do?"

"All right, deep breath. First thing's first." Reacting quickly Hank approached Connor and gently took the newborn from the deviant's strong yet trembling arms to hold for himself. Falling back on his own past experiences Hank held the newborn against his shoulder and lightly rubbed his back while take in deep, slow breaths of his own to help give the newborn a sense of calmness and control. "We're going to get this little guy calmed down, you're going to sit down before you pass out, and we're going to go over this entire situation step by step until we have the full picture of exactly what happened."

Lucas could only put his hands on Connor's shoulders and guide him over to the couch to sit down as Hank suggested. "He's right. Try to calm down and tell us everything that Kamski had done and how this situation came to be. We're listening."

Cole wasn't sure what was happening, but he did know that Connor was terrified. Peering up at his dad Cole watched as Hank easily comforted the newborn and did so with genuine love in his eyes as he did it. "Dad, who is this? Why is he crying?"

"He's crying because it's a very stressful time right now. As for exactly who this little guy is..." The fear in Connor's words ached at Hank's heart since he could understand the raw fear of being a new parent but couldn't fathom what it felt like to suddenly have a baby to care for without any warning or consent. "That's for Connor to explain whenever he's ready."

After an hour had passed and Connor finally managed to explain everything to his family in a shaking, frightened manner causing the household to fall into a strange silence. Hank wanted to personally find Kamski and beat the life out of the man for what he had done to Connor and subsequently Connor's son, but he refrained from doing so only because Connor was terrified of what could happen to the baby. While Connor told his unusual story Lucas wisely and discreetly requested some help from Abby since the baby was a special case and he knew that she'd be very calm and professional during the ordeal. The supportive deviant brother also made sure to begin the cybernetic process of getting the baby properly registered by hacking into the appropriate databases to keep anyone from looking too closely at the baby's origins, then went on a walk with Sumo and Bruno to give Connor some space for a while.

With Abby's arrival to help out Hank fell back into first responder mode and promptly located the newborn an old but still comfortable onesie from Cole's old baby clothes stored in the basement, tossed it in the washer alongside a baby blanket, and provided the newborn with a fresh diaper. Having all the supplies at the ready to aid young mothers in need of shelter or a safe delivery site was proving to be useful in far more ways than Hank could've expected on that rainy day.

"There we go little guy." Abby had finished providing the baby with a dose of vitamin-K and made sure his tiny arm remained infection free with a proper swab and skin sensitive covering along his tiny arm. As a former E.M.T. Abby still had the knowledge to give the baby a quick check-up and ensure he was healthy without needing to worry about any underlying conditions. "You're boosted, diapered and ready to face the world!"

Connor sat in silence on the couch with his fingers interlocked into a tight grip with his combined fist pressed to his chin in deep thought. He watched as Abby gently cradled the newborn in her arms and smiled warmly at him with a genuine affection. The deviant couldn't fully comprehend everything happening to him, to the baby, or to his world in general.

"Just mixed this up, nice and fresh." Hank stated as he carried a washed bottle full of perfectly measured out and warm formula into the livingroom. "Haven't lost my touch with getting the temperature just right."

"Thanks for teaching Gavin how to do that." Taking the bottle from Hank's hand Abby made sure the newborn was able to latch properly and begin suckling. The strong and active reflex was a great sign of alertness and overall well-being. "Looks like someone's hungry. Don't worry, you're in good hands in this house."

Hank could see Connor just staring into nothing as the reality of everything settled in harshly. "Connor, talk to us, son. You know we're not judging you, and we're not blaming you for anything that happened."

"...What should I talk about?" Blinking at last Connor finally turned to look at the baby and saw the contentedness in the newborn's dark blue eyes. The baby had Connor's dark and thick hair, fair skin but no visible freckles at the moment. "...I don't even know what I'm going to do."

"I think that's exactly what we should be talking about." Sitting down on the coffee table Hank looked Connor right in his eyes as he spoke. "Listen to me. I know you're petrified, confused and even angry, that's all normal and okay. But I want you to also know you have options with what's happened to you, even if it doesn't feel like it right now."

"Options?" Such a notion didn't seem at all possible or logical. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't HAVE to keep the baby." It hurt to mention but Hank knew Connor had every right to decide what was going to happen with the baby and with his own future. "You could put him up for adoption, and you can even personally choose who gets to raise him."

"No, I can't do that to him." As he spoke Connor felt an old pain flare up as his memories and fears of being abandoned courtesy of CyberLife's cruelty and even Hank's own past mistakes reminded Connor of what it was like to be treated as if your life didn't matter. "I won't just give him away and act as if he isn't... a part of me in some way. I'm the only family he has, I can't take that away from him."

"All right, so you're going to keep him?"

"...Yes." Connor watched as the baby easy took to the bottle and seemed entirely at ease in Abby's comforting arms. "I'll need to get the house ready for him. That will take some time to do."

"You can work on that starting tomorrow." The relief was palpable as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder in a reassuring grip. "Tonight, I want you both to stay here so that I can help you learn to be a father."

"...Father." Lowering his hands Connor relaxed his fingers and let that new title sink in slowly. "I'm now a father."

Abby smiled at Connor and made a move to pass the baby over to him to hold and continue to feed. "And you're going to be great."

"I'm... I'm not sure I can do that." The reluctance to hold the baby game caused Connor to physically lean away with embarrassment. "Not yet."

"Okay, fine. More baby time for me!" Remaining playful and positive for Connor's sake was Abby's way of being a supportive friend. "I can't believe that Aria was this tiny barely eight months ago."

Hank just smiled at the way the baby made small noises and awkwardly shifted his legs and arms in an aimless manner. "Just wait until you need to start preparing yourself to handle a middle schooler. Your mind will be blown at how fast they grow up."

"Nuh-uh! Aria's going to stay my perfectly small, polite and cuddly little girl forever!"

Cole came rushing into the livingroom with the warm and dried onesie and blanket in his hands and held then up for the baby to see. "Dryer stopped! Now you won't be stuck with just a diaper all day, and you'll be warm."

"Let me see 'em." Hank took the two items for himself and felt how warm they were for a moment before tossing the onesie and blanket down on his thigh. "Give 'em a couple more minutes to cool down, then we'll get him changed and swaddled."

"Okay. Hey, Connor?" Sitting down beside Abby on the couch Cole looked down at the baby and gave him an excited smile. "What's his name?"

"...I don't know." The deviant detective admitted as he stared at his son with absolute loss and confusion in his gaze. "I don't know how to name a baby."

"I can help! Now that I'm an uncle, I can do a lot more to help out with stuff like this."

Something about Cole calling himself an uncle was oddly grounding for Connor as he began to slowly accept his new reality. Such positive comments and support were easing his fears regarding the baby's care.

"You should do what dad did." Cole urged as he tried to get his big brother make such an important decision. "Dad gave all of us a name that's connected back to him, so you give him a name that's connected to you!"

"...Connected?"

"Yeah! I have dad's middle name as my middle name, Lucas has dad's middle name as his first name, and you have dad's first name as your middle name. We're all connected by sharing names."

"You... are correct about that." The fifth grader's astute observation gave Connor something else to focus on as he tried to figure out what his son's name was going to be. It was a good start for Connor to take as he tried to sort everything out and begin a plan of action to take with his son. "I'll consider keeping up the tradition with the names."

Hank checked the onesie again and knew it was now okay to slip it on and over the baby to keep him warm. "After he finishes his lunch, I'll get our littlest Anderson in his onesie and then swaddled up so he can hopefully settle down a nap. I still have all of Cole's baby things, so your baby's going to have a great start with us."

Connor's hand twitched as he contemplated reaching for the onesie and blanket but he decided against it as he just wasn't ready to be hands-on with his son yet. "Are you going to help me to be a good father? I just can't do this on my own."

"Son, as one father to another," there was a massive grin on Hank's face as he spoke, and he knew that Connor noticed it immediately. "I can promise you that I'll be beside you every step of the way as you figure this all out. And once you find your confidence, you'll realize that you won't be able to imagine your life without your child being a part of it."

Abby put the now empty bottle aside as she instinctively put the baby to her shoulder and began patting and rubbing lightly to get the newborn to let out a small burp to prevent gas and discomfort. "Not to mention the fact that I know you well enough to know that you'd never be able to stop thinking about this little guy once he's out of your sight. You can do this. You shouldn't have to be forced into something like this, no one should, but we all know you can handle it."

As the baby let out a small burp Abby grinned and then gently passed him over to Hank so that the proud new grandfather could get the baby taken care of. The onesie fit like a glove and soon the newborn was properly dressed and looked like he had been a part of the family for years already. After the blanket was swaddled around him the baby let out a content sound and seemed to know he was in good hands.

"There we go, nice and warm." Hank couldn't stop smiling as he looked down at the baby and watched the baby's big blues looking back up at him. "Didn't think I'd get to be a grandfather so soon, but I'm not complaining. I've already said that there's always room for one more in the Anderson family."

Cole leaned forward on the couch and looked down at his new nephew with a palpable glee. "Can I hold him?"

"Very carefully." Leaning forward as well Hank helped Cole to support the baby's head against his arm and then made sure Cole was sitting back against the couch again to hold the baby properly. "Yeah, just like that..."

Connor looked at the way Cole was eagerly supporting the baby and showing him so much adoration despite just learning about his very existence. It was incredible how Cole, Hank and even Abby were immediately onboard with helping to take care of the newborn and didn't care where he had come from or why Connor had become involved. They all just saw the innocent baby for who he was, and they wanted to help out in any way that they could.

"Good. You watch over everyone, and I'll go and dig through the basement for everything the baby will need." Hank had no doubts that Cole would be able to keep a good hold on the baby and not do anything foolish by mistake. "Connor, do you want to help me?"

"...I'd rather stay here." Pushing his fears aside Connor knew that he couldn't just leave the baby alone. He needed to be close by even if he wasn't actively doing any hands-on parenting yet. "I don't want-"

"It's all right, you don't need to explain anything. Abby," giving the helpful woman a warm invitation was an instinctive reaction before he set about his task in the basement. "do you want to stay for dinner?"

"It smells wonderful Hank, but I have to get back home." It was clear Abby didn't really want to leave, but she knew it was time to give the suddenly bigger Anderson family some private time together. "Gavin's in charge of taco night, and I have to make sure he doesn't use the wrong spices by mistake."

"Yeah, good idea. But, uh..." The familial connection between Abby, Gavin and Kamski could cause a potential problem in the future. "What're you going to say to Gavin about all this?"

"Nothing. I'll just tell him I had a special patient today and got to give him an honorary check-up." Rising to her feet Abby carefully slid off the couch to make sure she didn't jostle Cole or the baby by moving about. Turning to Connor still sitting on the couch Abby lightly put her hand to his cheek to make sure the deviant felt a comforting touch from a trusted friend. "This is something that only Connor has the right to tell other people when he's ready. I say that as your friend, and as a form of doctor-patient confidentiality."

Connor let out a small breath as he contemplated how he was going to tell everyone about the baby. "...Thank you."

"No, thank you! I've wanted to punch Kamski ever since I met him, but you hit much harder than I can." Grinning smugly Abby headed for the front door with her satchel on her shoulder, then grabbed her jacket and umbrella to shield her from the continuing rain outside. "Knowing that Gavin was right to keep distance from his brother makes me feel less guilty for not inviting Kamski over to visit Aria every now and then."

"Thanks for all your help, Abby." Hank saw the woman to the door and made sure she got her umbrella popped open without any issues. "We'll keep you in the loop so you can act surprised when Connor finally tells other people about the baby. We don't want Gavin getting jealous that you knew something before he did. Detectives still have our pride, you know."

"Wouldn't dream of it. Call if you need anything!"

While Hank made his way to the basement Connor watched the way Cole happily cuddled with the baby and seemed to be eager to take on the potential role of being an honorary big brother himself. It never once occurred to Connor that in the years that he had known Cole that the little boy would become more than just a friend and advocate for his rights as a person. Now Cole was officially Connor's little brother and the happy uncle to a child that Connor never imagined he'd have as a part of his unusual life.

Exhaustion from the day's events made it difficult for Connor to sort through his muddled mind and confusing emotions. All he could do was remain on the couch and hover over his newborn son while Cole held him in a supporting manner. Being suddenly forced into the world of fatherhood reminded Connor of his earlier years taking care of Cole, and it made him think of Kamski's cryptic comment when he had been taking care of Aria while Gavin was in the hospital. It was almost as if he had been destined to take on the role of a protective guardian whether he wanted to experience such a thing or not.

Night fell over the house and Connor returned to his old bedroom with his son to sleep in the same room alongside him. The new deviant father quickly found himself unable to calm down the baby as he cried and fussed where he laid in the freshly laundered bassinet courtesy of a problem that Connor couldn't identify. In spite of the baby being in a clean diaper, having been fed again for the night, warm and in a quiet, comfortable place, the baby just continued to cry and kick up a commotion that left Connor feeling absolutely lost and discouraged. Sitting on the edge of his bed Connor looked down at the baby and ran a biometric scan over the crying infant to try and find the source of his foul mood, but the scan came back with perfectly healthy vital signs.

The lack of answers and mounting confusion was pushing Connor to the edge of his sanity. Taking care of Aria was much easier since Connor knew everything about her personality, likes and dislikes through Abby and Gavin being her parents. Being the parent of his own child meant he needed to find out those details on his own, and yet his usual methods of looking for information were now failing him.

"I'm sorry..." Whispering his frustrations Connor stared at his crying son with tears in his own eyes. "I don't know what to do to help you."

"Hold him." Hank softly urged as he watched everything from the opened bedroom doorway. "Babies need to feel some form of connection with their parents, and that comes from talking to them and holding them."

"He's already upset. What if I make him feel worse?"

"And what if you make him feel better?" Stepping into the room entirely Hank looked down at his fussing grandson and gave him a reassuring grin. "Let me show you something. I'm talking to both of you, by the way."

Connor watched as Hank gingerly picked up the baby from the bassinet and held him in his strong hands for only a few seconds before the baby began to quiet down just a little. The newborn was still upset but not nearly as much as he had been just moments prior.

"See? He just wants to be held and loved."

"...I can't do those things for him."

"Not yet, but you will." Sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Connor for a minute Hank did his best to soothe the crying baby while Connor found his confidence to step up as a father. "Hell, you knew you needed to get him away from Kamski and had no problem punching the bastard out, then carrying this little guy outside the mansion, holding him the entire drive from the mansion out here, and then staying close by him all evening long. You can hold him, you're just afraid you'll do something wrong."

"Is that so wrong to worry about?"

"Nope. Any half-decent parent questions how well they're parenting pretty much the entire time their kid is still living at home with 'em." Slowly Hank moved the crying baby over to Connor and watched as the timid deviant instinctively held out his arms and accepted the baby at last. It didn't take long for the baby's crying to quiet down even further and for them to calm down. "There we go. He's happy."

Connor looked down at his son and noticed that the baby was now entirely calm and seemed to be content again. It was incredible to see that just by holding his son that he was able to provide the love and affection his son desperately needed.

"It's important for babies to have physical contact with their parents for proper bonding time. I know you're worried about hurting him, but you won't as long as you don't want to."

"Of course, I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"I know that, and so does he. Just hold him whenever you can." Hank knew about the machines Kamski used to bring his grandson into the world and he knew that it meant his grandson's first interaction with another living being came in the form of Kamski removing him from the cylinder. That was no way for anyone to begin their life - surrounded by cold machines and cold manipulator. "He's going to need a lot of direct contact and love to make up for what Kamski put him through at that fucked up lab."

Holding his son in his arms Connor tightened his supportive grip and let the newborn rest more directly against his upper chest and shoulder. Being neglected and made to feel unloved was one of the deepest, most painful scars covering Connor's own heart. It was a pain that he wouldn't wish on his worst enemies.

"Why don't you head downstairs for a while? Sit on the couch, put on a good movie to watch or listen to, and just get to know your son."

"...Does that really help?"

"Absolutely." With a pat to Connor's shoulder Hank managed to coax the deviant father into standing up with the baby still in his arms. "I can't count all the sleepless nights I spent with Cole watching movies when he was colicky or just too energized to fall asleep at a reasonable hour."

Walking as if he was attempting to navigate a field full of landmines, Connor descended the staircase with Hank behind him and reached the couch in the livingroom without stumbling or upsetting the baby again. Slowly Connor took his seat on the couch and looked down at his calm son wondering what was happening considering he had been so upset just a few minutes ago.

"Wrap up." Hank insisted as he draped the blanket hanging over the back of the couch around Connor's shoulders, then handed him the clean baby blanket. "I guarantee that he'll fall right to sleep once he's bundled up and warm in your arms."

"Why is this effective?" Gently Connor swaddled the baby in the same manner as Hank had done earlier in the evening and managed to keep his son from fussing or crying again. "What's changed enough to make him feel far more content than he had felt previously?"

"The change is you."

"Me?"

"Yup. He knows you're his dad. You're the one who held him, carried him and kept him safe after you took him from Kamski; all signs of a protective father."

"I doubt that he's capable of any such recognition."

"Don't be so sure of that." Hank watched as the baby let out a yawn and began to drift off to sleep as Connor held him close to his chest and gave him a warm, supportive place to remain safe and protected. "The way he was so quick to calm down tells me that he knows you're his dad. He trusts you, loves you."

Connor didn't know what to say to such a wonderful thought. Staring down at his son as he fell asleep and settled in for the night in his father's arms, Connor tilted his head slightly and wondered what was possibly going on inside the newborn's head. Another biometric scan confirmed that the baby was still perfectly healthy. As he contemplated his son's needs and behavior Connor began cybernetically downloading information on proper care for a newborn and how to ensure a healthy bond between a baby and their parents.

"You two stay down here for a while." Hank insisted to ensure that Connor didn't feel pressured to do anything he wasn't comfortable with doing. "I'm going to go upstairs and get some sleep since I'm still going to work tomorrow."

The new father felt his heart race with dread as he realized what Hank just stated. "You won't be here to help me tomorrow?"

"I'm just a phone call away. Besides, I know that Lucas is going to be hovering around again while Cole's in school."

It was then that Connor realized his little brother was nowhere to be seen. "When did Lucas leave?"

"Just after dinner. He took both Bruno and Sumo back home so that we didn't have too much going on at once with the baby just getting used to everything." Lightly Hank rubbed his finger along the baby's cheek as a show of affection that wouldn't upset the sleeping newborn. "There's plenty of baby supplies in the hallway closet for you to use, I finished washing all of Cole's old baby clothes, washed up the blankets, and I found his crib down in the basement. When you're ready to take him back to your home I'll help ya' pack everything you'll need and move it. I'm an expert at making babies feel right at home."

"...Okay, that is logical." Despite Connor's fears he knew he couldn't remain in Hank's house forever with the baby. He'd have to step up and become a true, proper father in his own right. "Once I have a better idea of what I'm doing, the baby and I will return to my house."

"But you two are ALWAYS welcome over here for any reason." As he rose from the couch Hank reached down his arm and gave Connor a reassuring hug before he made his way back upstairs for the rest of the night. "Goodnight, son. Goodnight, grandson. I'll see you in the morning."

Connor watched as Hank made his way up the stairs then looked back down at his son in his arms. He still wasn't certain he'd be able to handle such an extreme and permanent responsibility on his own, but Connor was never one to back down from a challenge or shy away from an issue just because it was difficult.

"I wish that I could tell you that I'd be able to protect you, raise you and make you feel truly safe at all times, but I can't do that. However, I can promise that I'll do everything that I can to be a good father and make sure I always do the best when it comes to your care and your needs."

Carefully Connor shifted his position to lean back against the arm of the couch and against a pillow to lay down in a propped position. As he shifted his own weight Connor lightly shifted the baby and held him a little closer to his chin and the side of his neck. The softness of the baby's skin pressing against his artificial skin prompted Connor to hold him closer as his cybernetic download confirmed the importance of skin-to-skin contact for proper family bonding.

"I know you can't understand me right now, but in time you will. You'll begin asking questions about how you came into being considering you don't have a mother to speak of, so I want to tell you this right now. What's happened is not your fault and there is nothing wrong with you. You're a perfectly healthy person who came into the world through unexpected means because of one man toying with experiments that he had no business touching."

As the baby settled in and continued to sleep Connor felt his own body finally beginning to relax as his high stress levels started to dip down to far more manageable and reasonable levels.

"Even though you and I met under very unexpected and unpredictable circumstances, I won't fault you or see you as a person who is undeserving of care, love and protection. It's strange, but in a way, I think you and I were always meant to meet."

The longer Connor held the baby, HIS baby, the more the hole in his heart that he had long wondered about began to fill. It was as if the baby was the missing element from his life that he had been seeking all that time. While Connor had never been willing to date or attempt a romantic relationship, he did in fact have a family through his father and brothers, and now his family included his newborn son.

In a way, Connor's family suddenly felt complete after he met his baby.

"You're my son, and you're now a part of my life just as much as I'm a part of yours. We and I are connected in the same way that Hank and Cole are connected, and in the same way that Lucas and I are connected to Hank."

Such acknowledgements made Connor think back to what Cole had mentioned earlier, and with that acknowledgement a new revelation came.

"And I think I finally know what your name is supposed to be: Henry Cole Anderson. Named for your father, your grandfather and your youngest uncle."

Closing his eyes as well Connor entered a light rest mode as he continued to hold Henry, his son, against his chest and shoulder to rest his cheek atop his young son's thick and soft dark hair. It finally felt all was right in the world and that Connor could finally rest easy knowing that his son was truly safe.

"Henry. I vow to always be here to love you, support you, and protect you in the same way that I've vowed to do the same for the rest of my family. You're now an Anderson, and you'll never be alone or have to worry about anyone trying to harm you for the rest of your life."

Draping his own blanket over Henry's back Connor felt a warmth surge through his heart that he had never felt before. If the deviant had to put that feeling into words, he would've described it as unconditional love. The type of love that could only be forged between parents and their children was very precious and hard to describe even from those who could explain from their own personal experiences.

"Sleep well, Henry. Tomorrow morning you and I are going to get to know each other a little better, and I'm going to stop doubting myself and embrace the fatherhood that was bestowed upon me."

-next chapter-