It was noon and the sun was shining bright in the sky winter overhead. Dark gray snow clouds threatened to blot out of the sun but the warm rays kept the cold and the snow at bay for just a while longer much to everyone's relief. The winter was just beginning to settle in and chill the city, and as much as Hank hated wintertime he wasn't angered or even annoyed at the increasingly cold temperature as he parked the Oldsmobile along the edge of the dirt driveway that encircled the peaceful expanse of land as he emotionally steeled his heart. In that moment Hank more important things to worry about than a chill in the air or a little snow on the ground.
A deep, ruby red rose and two white lilies that rivaled the snow crunching underfoot were clutched in Hank's strong hands. Somberly he made his way over to the two headstones that belonged to that of his late wife, his late firstborn son and adopted third son as he paid them a long overdue visit.
Kneeling down in the snow front of the headstones Hank placed the lilies down before the stone monuments and wiped away a tear as he read the text on the gilded plaques that bore the names engraved over the pristine surfaces.
It had been months since he stopped by the pay respects to his family, but with big changes on the horizon Hank decided enough time had passed.
"Hey, Barb. I still miss you, honey."
Hank greeted his late wife in a calm level voice even as more tears formed in his blue eyes.
"It's a new year and everything is changing, this time it's for the better. I still miss you, but it's been easier since Connor moved in. I wish you could've been here to meet him yourself, he's a brunette and I remember how much you loved my hair back before it went gray from stress."
Running his hand through his shorter hair he laughed a little at himself.
"He's also an animal lover and fights to protect kids, deviants and when necessary, women. You two would've made an awesome team at the precinct."
As he spoke Hank felt a sense of pride for his adopted son's accomplishments.
"Yesterday was a huge victory for all deviants throughout the city, and it's only going to spread further across the entire planet. It's safe to say peace has finally been declared between humans and deviants, and now Connor and Luke won't have to fight anymore."
Gently Hank brushed his hand right over the name on the headstone to remove what little bits of ice and wayward snowflakes were clinging to the plaque to clear off Barbara's name.
"I can't believe I actually have Luke back in my life, I never thought I'd get a family member back from the dead."
Glancing at Lucas's honorary headstone Hank placed a lily atop of it out of mutual respect and the need to acknowledge the deviant who had fallen only to rise again.
"When I lost Cole I was convinced my heart would never heal, but when I ended up working with Connor and watching over this rookie, kid detective who had no idea how horribly cruel human's could be toward innocent androids like him... Well that changed. I was surprised to learn that I could in fact find some part of me still willing to reach out and bond with someone else. And I was more surprised that a part of me that was willing to forgive and actually change for the better."
The admission felt like Hank was removing a heavy weight of past burden from his still healing heart as he proudly looked to the future.
"Connor helped fill that painful void left behind after I lost you and then Cole, and when Lucas was killed I felt that same void opening back up. Then when I saw that happening to Connor after he lost his little brother and then his bondmate - his wife, Skye, I fought with everything I had to make sure he he didn't get lost in a darkness of anger and despair. I almost lost him when Skye was killed for trying to do the right thing, but by either some miracle or sheer luck I was able to find Connor and save him before he froze himself to death in the middle of the forest out of grief."
Hank had to take a moment to breathe and collect his emotional thoughts.
"If I lost Connor I would've finally put a damn bullet in my head, no games involved. That kid saved my life and helped give me a reason to keep living. And now Lucas is back and living out in Boston as a skilled technician and prefers to be called 'Luke' these days. Those two as brothers have never been closer. Connor found a sense of peace after his brother came back to him, but he'll always being hurting without Skye. Hopefully, like me, he'll have someone enter his life pretty soon to help fill that void in his heart so he can finally begin to heal and learn to love again."
Turning to look at Cole's headstone Hank sighed again but kept his voice level as he spoke from his heart.
"Hey, buddy. I wish you could've met Connor, too. You'd have taken him in as your honorary 'big-little' brother, and I know you two would've been best friends. Then when Lucas showed up you would've been over the moon to have two 'big-little' brothers, and you three would've gotten into trouble left and right..."
Brushing aside the ice and snow from Cole's name with the same gentle gesture Hank continued to speak in the same soft tone of voice.
"I know I've told you both everything about Connor and Luke, but it's still not enough. You're the family they'll never get to meet and you'll never get to meet them. Well," a somber thought entered Hank's mind but he didn't let it affect his tone of voice. "I guess I shouldn't say never. In time we'll all be together again on the other side, and you can finally be properly introduced. But I'm hoping that won't be for a long, long time yet. I still have someone else I need to meet."
Placing his palm down over the headstone Hank smiled as he spoke with his late firstborn son with a low and proud voice.
"You'd be thirteen this year, and I have the strangest feeling that you and Connor would be mistaken for brothers everywhere you two would go. There's so much I never had the chance to teach you or to experience with you, Cole, but I know I'd be proud of you regardless of what happened and what we did together. I swear I can still hear you playing in the house sometimes, but then I look around and I see that it's Connor going about his own routine and making the house really feel like a home again. It was so empty without you around, and now it feels like a real home again. That was the hardest part about surviving the accident, son. I had to go home all alone and listen to nothing but silence and my own heart breaking."
As much as Hank hated the idea of leaving the cemetery, leaving his late family behind, he knew he needed to go back to the house soon.
"Connor and I had an interesting experience the other day and we're both okay. I'm nursing a mild concussion and the worst of it's already over, but Connor is dealing with sleeplessness and he's still worried about his friends even though everything is better than it's ever been back in Detroit. It'll be even better soon enough and it'll finally give Connor the hope for the future he so desperately needs. I'm honestly excited for him yet he has no idea what's going to happen in his life. It's weird actually knowing something that the kid doesn't for once..."
Standing up from the ground Hank brushed the cold snow and ice from his knees, sighed and placed the red rose down on Barbara's headstone as he took a step back from the two graves with a heavy heart. Pressing his fingertips to his lips he pressed the same fingers to Cole's name, then did the same for Barbara as he bid a reluctant goodbye to his late family with a loving kiss.
"I love you both and I miss you every day. I promise we'll be together again some day, but until that day comes I'll be thinking about you and living my life as happily as I can with the unexpected family that I have. It's not the same without you here, but now that I'm not alone it's far more bearable and I don't feel so hollow inside."
Smiling at the names of his loved ones for a final time Hank bowed his head a little with respect to say goodbye.
"I'll visit again soon, I promise. I will always love you and I know we'll be together again as a complete family. I love you, Barbara and I love you, Cole. No matter what I do or where I go in my life I will always you love you two without question."
Walking back through the cold snow to the car Hank let out a sigh that disappeared in a white cloud of mist before his eyes, and turned over the engine to warm himself back up. Cranking up the heat Hank eased the ache in his hand from the relentless cold and felt a warm peace spreading through his heart.
He still had a family to go home to. Even if it wasn't the one he pictured himself having as he grew older, it was still his family.
"It's about time we have a fulfilling year instead of a stressful one, and this is going to be one interesting year for everyone in the best possible way."
Hank whispered as he left the cemetery and returned to the road where he made his way back to the city to check in on his sleepless son back home.
"I can feel it, and it feels good to have something to look forward to again."
-next chapter-
