Henry's First Week:
The good news of Henry's surprise birth spread like wildfire through the Central Precinct and everyone in the bullpen was eager to congratulate Connor on his wonderful news. While the ecstatic police Lieutenant was out on paternity leave to bond with Henry and adjust to his new life as a proud first time father, Hank moved around the precinct's work schedule and made sure every shift was covered during Connor's temporary absence, and that Gavin could earn some overtime since he was making great strides as a Detective and as a person. Everyone was improving their lives one way or another and that hard work deserved recognition.
Now that Luke was back in Boston and Rose had returned to her home to tend to her greenhouse, Connor and Hank were left alone to take care of Henry. While Hank had no problem adapting to the care of a newborn baby Connor was still struggling to find the right balance for taking care of Henry, taking care of Hank, taking care of himself and taking care of the rest of the house.
"You're certain about this?" Connor asked from the front passenger seat of the Oldsmobile as he looked into the backseat where Henry was safely secured to his baby-seat. The newborn was awake and alert, but somehow seemed groggy at the same time. "I'd rather remain at home with the items and the gifts that had already been provided for Henry rather than take him out in this cold weather."
"Trust me, son." Hank gently pulled the car into park and turned off the engine as they arrived at their destination. "Henry is going to outgrow those clothes a lot quicker than you think. Grab a few extras and some more boxes of diapers, and you'll be able to stay holed up at the house until your paternity leave is up in another five weeks."
"...All right." Opening up his door Connor closed it without slamming it before opening the rear passenger door to get to his son. "Hi, Henry."
The small baby was completely indifferent to the world around him as Connor slipped on the powder blue baby sling over his chest before unclipping Henry from his seat. As Connor gently secured Henry in the sling, his little legs sticking out either side of the supportive device, he grabbed the soft yellow blanket and wrapped it around the baby to protect him from the cold before wrapping the lapels of his leather jacket over top of the baby as well.
"Come on, kid." The senior detective and proud new grandfather encouraged as he neared the entrance of the massive store. The cold weather had kept most of the city indoors and out of the public, but there would always be a crowd at any department store that stocked items for babies. "The sooner you go inside, the sooner you can leave."
Taking a deep breath Connor looked down at his son as Henry rested while his chest pressed up against himself and relented. "I'm right behind you."
As the duo stepped inside the store through the automatic sliding doors of the department designed specifically to cater to the needs of infants and toddlers, Connor suddenly found himself being the target of numerous stares and smiles from the people already inside. It was as if the new father was somehow the center of everyone's world and Connor found the attention rather uncomfortable.
"...Why is everyone looking at me?" The shy new father whispered in a low voice as he put his hand behind Henry's head and held him close. Letting the baby rest his ear over top of his beating heart was a trick Connor quickly learned would help Henry relax and feel safe. "I don't like it."
"They're staring because you're an attractive guy with a newborn baby strapped to your chest. Right now you're irresistible to single people wanting to settle down with their own family."
"...They want to date me?"
Laughing at the naive question Hank gave Connor a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Something like that."
"I can't do that. I'm still bonded with Skye."
"That's okay, son. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Just grab a few things for Henry and we'll get out of here and back home to hide."
"Okay."
Remaining protective of his son and grandson Hank stayed by Connor as he set about locating several larger sized 'onesies', as well as larger shirts and shorts to purchase for Henry. As the new father focused on grabbing what he needed Hank made an effort to keep himself between Connor and prying eyes from people who were interested in Connor for the sake of the shy deviant's sanity.
"There's always extra diapers at the front of the store." Taking notice of all the people watching Connor, particularly a young yet prematurely aging woman that gave Hank a red flag, he decided to take some initiative. "We can grab those after you get a few more clothes and then get home."
"Of course. I'll be sure Henry has enough supplies to get him through the rest of the winter."
Clearing his throat Hank grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and reached into the worn-out, leather object to retrieve a small golden ring. "Hey, kid. Put this on your left ring finger."
"What?" Eyeing the offered jewelry curiously Connor didn't understand Hank's logic. "Why?"
"Just do it." Hank placed the ring down in Connor's hand and patted his shoulder. "It's my wedding band. Keep that on your finger and just tell people you're married and show them the ring. It'll help keep people away from you."
Connor looked down at the ring in his palm and gave Hank an odd look. "This is really your wedding ring?"
"Yeah, it took me about two years before I could finally take it off. But I kept it close to me ever since."
"...Thank you." Discreetly Connor slipped the ring on his finger as requested, granted it was a little too big but he kept in place, and resumed his shopping. "I appreciate this."
"Sure." Moving Connor's left hand so it was supporting Henry's back, the ring now visible to everyone who looked over at him, Hank gave him a subtle nod and took a step back. "And remember, the ones who don't have any respect for your marriage are the type you NEVER want a relationship with under any circumstances. If they don't respect any relationship you're in now, they won't respect any relationship you could have in the future."
"I'll remember that."
"Good. I'm going to go see if I can find a few extra blankets for Henry. This winter is going to be brutal and I don't want him to get a cold."
"Okay. I'll meet you up front."
Keeping his left hand on Henry's back Connor made his way through the store and grabbed what he needed so he could leave the store as soon as possible. Carrying the items under his right arm and right hand, Connor felt more confident and could see several people taking notice of the wedding ring and look away from the deviant disappointed.
However, one woman didn't seem deterred. It was the same woman that had given Hank a red flag only moments before. As she made her way toward Connor in a less than subtle manner Hank took notice and wanted to intervene.
"All right, son." Hank stepped between the woman and Connor, not being discreet in the process, and took some of the items under Connor's right arm to hold. "I found a couple of extra blankets. Ready to go?"
"Yeah, I think I have enough clothes for Henry."
"How many of these things did you grab?"
"Seventy-two articles of clothing varying in size ranging from newborn to eighteen months."
"Yeah, that'll cover it. For a while, anyway."
From behind Hank the woman who Hank had been wary of spoke up and approached Connor very assertively. "Is this your son?"
Connor looked uncomfortable but he was polite to the woman all the same. "...Yes."
"He's so cute!" The woman gave Connor the fakest smile that Hank recognized as that of a pathological liar and manipulator. "I bet you're so proud!"
"...Yes. I am."
Brushing a lock of her unnaturally bleached blonde hair behind her ear she tried to flirt with Connor and get inside his head. "Shopping without your wife?"
Connor shifted on his feet awkwardly but answered all the same as he rubbed Henry's back with his left hand to ensure that she saw the ring. "No. She couldn't make it today."
"Too bad." Her fake smile broadened and she took a step toward Connor as the deviant took a step back. "I'd never let my own child out of my sight if I could help it. Some people can't appreciate the children in their lives."
Hank was getting mad on Connor's behalf and spoke up. "Where is your kid anyway, lady?"
"Oh, he's at school." She never looked at Hank but kept eyeing Connor curiously and seemed to be convinced that the new father was rich since he was buying a large number of new clothes for Henry. "My own son's daddy walked out on us, and we-"
"Sweetheart," Hank rudely interrupted and gave the woman an annoyed stare as he tried to intimidate her into leaving Connor alone. "don't even try it. You already know he's married, you saw the ring and heard what he said, so back off."
The woman stared at Hank as if he had just given her a righteous dose of reality and didn't like it.
"Ready, son?" Hank turned back to his son and lightly rubbed his hand along Henry's back. "I bet he's ready to go home."
"Yeah. I'm ready to leave, dad."
The woman crossed her arms over her chest and gave Hank a dirty look as Connor made his way to the front registers with the clothing he had selected, as well as the blankets Hank picked up. Meanwhile Hank went to grab an extra box of diapers before leaving and put them up on the register as he joined Connor up front.
Henry was beginning to get fussy and Connor gently soothed him as he rubbed Henry's back again. "We'll be home soon, Henry. I want to leave, too."
As the items were being paid for the cashier complimented Henry and congratulated Connor on the birth of his child politely, all the while Hank watched as the woman kept staring at Connor from a distance. When she made a move for her phone Hank left the line and stood in front of her again and then showed her his badge as his every instinct as a cop, father and now grandfather put him on edge. "Lady. Stop."
"What's your problem, old-"
"Put the phone away before I have you arrested for stalking and harassment."
The woman's face suddenly paled as she saw the badge and realized exactly what Hank's problem was. "...You're a cop?"
"So is he." Hank confirmed as he gestured to Connor with a pointed thumb over his shoulder. "And even if he weren't he's still too damn smart to fall for your little scheme. Not mention the fact that if he weren't married he could do FAR better than a lazy gold-digging whore like you."
"You don't know me!"
"Honey, I've been a cop for over twenty years. I know everything about you, and I feel like I should let you know one very important thing." He leaned in close to her ear as he pocketed his badge. "You're not special."
Defeated at last the woman finally backed away in a huff and didn't bother with trying to seduce Connor anymore.
With the woman taken care of Hank met Connor at the exit of the store and grabbed a few of the bags to help carry the new purchases while the trio returned to the car to set off for home. Moving quickly to keep Henry out of the cold Connor secured Henry to his baby-seat and clipped the supports into place while Hank put the shopping bags in the trunk. Once the two detectives were back in the front seats of the car Connor breathed a sigh of relief and Hank turned over the engine to warm up the vehicle.
"Here." Connor slipped off the ring from his left finger and handed it back to Hank. "Thanks for the help. And for keeping the woman away from me."
"Sure, kid." Taking back his ring Hank slipped back over his own finger for the time being and smiled at seeing the golden band on his left ring finger once more. It still fit and it felt like he had never left his hand. "Anything to protect my son and my grandson."
"I'd never let anyone like her around Henry. I've also alerted her current location to the precinct."
"What?" Almost laughing Hank gave Connor an odd look as he pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the street. "Why?"
"She is a known criminal with a history of prostitution, drug possession, child neglect, child endangerment, child abandonment, shoplifting and has an active warrant for her arrest for numerous unpaid parking tickets downtown."
"You ran a scan over her?" Hank fully laughed as he pulled the Oldsmobile up to the red light in the intersection and came to a gentle stop. "You seriously scanned her?"
"Of course." Removing the baby sling from his chest Connor felt an odd sense of satisfaction for identifying the elusive criminal and ensured that she was finally arrested for her past misdeeds. "She gave me a bad feeling and I decided to perform a background check on her as a precaution."
"Good work, son."
"As for her child, he is in the sole custody of his father who moved out of state because she threatened to kill him with a knife; but settled for fifty dollars to leave the premises. She now owes six-thousand dollars in unpaid child support."
"And she had the nerve to..." Trailing off a little Hank decided to let the matter drop. "What a bi- witch."
"I know what you were going to say." Connor replied softly as he turned around to look in the backseat over his shoulder and saw that Henry had drifted off to sleep in his baby-seat. "I too was offended that she assumed that Skye was an inattentive mother, or wife."
"Hard to believe we still live in an era where a father spending time with his child automatically means there's something wrong with the mother. It takes two people to make a child, which means both people involved should take care of the child equally, but tragedy still happens. It's not a crime for a father to take care of his child without a mother being directly involved."
"Did you receive the same treatment when you were out with Cole?"
"Yup. It never stopped pissing me off and it felt good to tell off one of those judgmental bit-" Hank was making a conscious effort to swear less now that Henry was around and was getting good at censoring himself. "one of those judgmental idiots."
"Fortunately, I won't have to deal with that again for some time. I'd rather remain at home with Henry until he's a little bigger and stronger before I take him out of the house again."
"I don't blame ya', kid. But I'm going to warn you right here, right now; he's going to grow up before you know it." Glancing at Henry's reflection in the rearview mirror Hank smiled again and turned the next block to head home. Having a grandson really rejuvenated the senior detective's life and seemed to be giving him the drive to keep on striving for a better tomorrow. "But no matter how much Henry grows up and changes you'll always see him as your little boy."
"I'm looking forward to watching him grow up, dad." Connor beamed proudly as he watched Henry napping in the backseat. "I want to see what kind of person Henry will become."
"As long as he has you to look out for him he'll be great, son. Don't you worry about a thing."
Henry: 0-3 Months.
As expected Connor took to fatherhood naturally and quite easily. He spent the first six weeks tending to Henry on his paternity leave with only a few bouts of colic to disturb their usually peaceful routines throughout the day and at night. Hank stopped by the grocery store after almost every shift and made it easy for the deviant father to keep up on baby supplies without having to leave the house. After changing Henry's diaper and giving him a bath Connor carried the infant back into the livingroom just as Hank returned to the house with a big box of diapers under his arm and greeted his son and grandson with a proud smile on his face.
"Hey. How'd Henry do today?" Dropping the box of diapers down on the kitchen table Hank made his way to the livingroom ready to take the infant from Connor's arms to hold for himself. "He seems pretty content."
"Well, Henry's begun consuming more formula than usual over the past forty-eight hours, which is indicative of healthy growth." He placed a dark blue pacifier in the baby's mouth as he watched Hank walk into the livingroom. Passing Henry over to Hank's awaiting hands Connor continued to talk about their day. "He then spit-up once on my shirt after his first bottle and then spit-up a little more on Sumo after the third bottle approximately twenty-four minutes prior."
Hank laughed a little as he looked at the massive bundle of fluff laying on the floor next to the couch and saw the still damp patch of fur on Sumo's back where Connor had cleaned him up. "Getting spit-up on is much better than 'accidents' during diaper changes. Trust me on that!"
"Henry's also begun to show more strength in his limbs whenever I place him on his blanket on the floor or place him in the crib for a nap. He really seems to enjoy the stuffed dog you bought for him, too."
"Yeah, stuffed animals are almost always a win with babies. They're soft, lightweight and don't break when thrown across the room."
"I'm not looking forward to leaving Henry at the daycare tomorrow." Connor admitted as he watched Henry being protectively cradled in Hank's arms. The small baby was grabbing onto Hank's shirt collar with both fists and looking at his grandfather's face as he rested against Hank's chest. "But I know I must go back to work. I cannot take any additional time off."
"He'll be fine, son. Besides, Abby will be stopping by Skye Tower from time to time since she's still a volunteer, so I know she'll be watching over him, too. And Henry will have a little playmate with Aria. They don't have a biological connection but they might as well be half-siblings considering Abby was Henry's surrogate and you're Aria's godfather."
"I'm also a godparent." Connor's eyes briefly flashed as if something important suddenly popped up in his mind. "That's right."
"Connor?" The way Connor seemed to suddenly worry about something immediately held Hank's attention. "Something wrong?"
"No, I was just... thinking."
"Stop it. It's a bad habit."
"Yes, I agree." Returning his thoughts to Henry and to the next day Connor focused on his conversation with Hank again. "I also agree that the daycare is the perfect place for Henry to begin developing his social skills and he will be safe there. How could you stand going back to work after Cole was born?"
"Not gonna' lie," Hank smirked as Henry grabbed onto the collar of his shirt even tighter and began pulling at the fabric. "it wasn't easy. I'd call Barb on my breaks or use my phone to 'face time' with them both whenever I could get away with it. It helped a lot."
"That's a good idea. I'll be able to watch Henry without accidentally smothering him in the process by cybernetically linking with Skye Tower from time to time."
"Yup. Once you start to blend your work routine with parenting you'll feel a lot more confident about everything and the worries will begin to ease."
"But never fully go away?"
"Nope. They never will." Henry yawned and the pacifier fell from his mouth as he snuggled in against Hank's shoulder for a nap. Happily Hank obliged in Henry's request and sat down in the recliner so he could gently rock his grandson as Henry snuggled down against his shoulder. "So get used to it. Right now this little guy's ready for some sleep and I couldn't agree more."
As much as it pained Connor to do so he took Henry out to Skye Tower the following morning and dropped his son off in the tower's daycare for the first time since he had been born. Connor was happy to introduce Henry to the volunteering staff, notably Lila who was thrilled to have another baby to look after, and was very proud to let Abby see him for the first time since he was born and since she recovered enough from the delivery to return to work. Dr. Wilson was also excited to meet Henry and happily gave the small infant a complimentary wellness check; although it was more or less just an excuse to play with the baby, and then congratulated Connor with a firm handshake.
"He's doing great, Connor!" Abby complimented the deviant father as she held Henry in her arms for the first time since he was born. Seeing Henry thriving and the look of joy in Connor's face told Abby that everything she had done was indeed very much worth it. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Again Abby, I cannot possibly thank you enough for doing this. Henry is... my whole world." It was the only logical answer Connor could give to explain how he felt about his son. "I can no longer picture my life without him as a part of it."
"I was happy to do it, and I'd do it again. You know, as long as the hospital can give me better pain medication or knock my ass out."
"Abby, I was wondering if..." The young father knew that he needed to ask a very important question but it still somehow felt a little rushed. "If you and Gavin would consider being Henry's... godparents."
"Wha- Connor, of course I would! I'm sure Gavin feels the same!" Smiling at Henry again Abby stood up on her tiptoes to give Connor a kiss on his cheek as she beamed with pride in her eyes. "It'd be an honor to be Henry's godmother."
"Thank you." Relief washed over Connor as soon as he had the answer. "I'd ask Luke, but he's so far away from home, and Hank is... Well..."
"I know, I get it. Remember, it doesn't mean you don't trust them to look after Henry, you're just making sure that if the absolute worse case scenario were to happen that your son will be safe and have someone to watch over him and raise him at all times."
"...Yeah. That's it. I know if something were to happen to me that Hank would step up and raise Henry as his own, but Hank is a detective too, and of an advanced age."
"It's okay. I'll talk with Gavin tonight after we both get off work and can discuss this. Until then," she briefly passed Henry back to Connor so he could say goodbye to his son before heading on his way to the precinct to begin his first shift after six weeks of paternity leave. "go do your thing. Keep the city safe."
Smiling with a subtle nod Connor gave Henry a kiss on his head and handed him back to Abby. "I'll be back tonight at six-fourteen, Henry. I love you."
Once at the precinct, his mind still focusing primarily on Henry, Connor was greeted with a bunch of 'Welcome back!' and 'Congratulations', and dozens upon dozens of requests to see a picture of Henry from his coworkers. Holding up his palm Connor showed a holographic display of Henry at the daycare center laying on a soft blue blanket with a plastic mobile spinning slowly above him. The response was always a collective 'awe' or 'he's so cute', but for Connor it never got old as he was still a proud new father and very proud to have a son of his own. It felt good to share something so positive with the people he had grown to trust and befriend over the past four years.
As Connor walked by Gavin's desk he gave the Sergeant a nod of respect and the gesture was sincerely returned without a single word being uttered. The two detectives were officially able to work together and see one another as equals without any bitter resentment between them.
There was an impressive stack of case files waiting for Connor on his terminal screen, not that he minded, since it'd keep his mind distracted. Not to mention the less time he had to spend in the field the more opportunities he'd have to cybernetically check in on Henry without it interfering with his investigations.
"Hey, Connor." Chris walked over to the deviant's desk and placed a dark blue stuffed teddy bear on the desk, as well as yet another box of diapers with a red bow on the side. "Congratulations, man! How's fatherhood treating you?"
"I thoroughly enjoy it." Looking up at Chris beside him Connor gave him a proud smile where he sat as he showed Chris the picture of Henry. "I really do."
Jack, despite being deviant for almost two years, was still unused to human customs and didn't fully comprehend emotions. But as a sign of good will he also congratulated Connor and asked to see the picture of Henry. Seeing the small infant made Jack's head tilt curiously, but upon seeing the happy looks on both Connor and Chris's faces told him all he needed to know to confirm that a new baby was indeed worth celebrating.
Tina managed to jog over to Connor's desk and give him a small hug before placing a special dark blue blanket down on his desk as a gift for Henry. Instantly Connor recognized the material and technique that went into crocheting the blanket and realized that the blanket Aria had was a gift from Tina as well.
"Congrats' on being a daddy!" Tina beamed as she admired Henry's photo. "Oh, man... He looks like you!"
"I'll take that as a compliment." Picking up the corner of the blanket Connor eyed the gift and gave Tina a curious look. "Did you make this?"
"I wish. My mom loves to crochet and always gives blankets to anyone who has a baby. She made a purple one for Aria, made a red one for Damian and then a sunny yellow one for Raquel." Tina smiled as Chris nodded and showed Connor the picture on his phone of his two kids napping in their respective blankets made by Mrs. Chen. "I let her know about Henry and she set to work and all but demanded I give this to you the moment I saw you."
"This is exquisite." Appreciative of the skill and dedication it took to make the blanket Connor gracious accepted the gift. "Tell your mother I appreciate this and I know Henry will, too."
"Just send me a pic of Henry sleeping in the blanket so I can send it to my mom, and that'll be thanks enough."
"Consider it done."
Hank noticed that Connor had arrived some time ago, but waited for him to get back into his routine before speaking with him. Exiting the private office he approached the desk and handed Connor a tablet to view. "Got something for ya', kid."
Accepting the tablet Connor glanced over the details and his brow arched slightly. "What's this?"
"Joel wants to see you for a check-up. It's been six weeks since you reinstalled that update without checking in with a technician. It's just a precaution, son."
"Very well. I'll go see Joel and ensure that I'm healthy."
Beyond thrilled to have Connor finally being more cooperative Hank gave his son a knowing glance as the deviant rose from behind his desk while Chris, Jack and Tina went about their business. "I take it everyone's already seen a photo of Henry by now?"
"Everyone who's asked anyway."
"What about at Skye Tower?"
"He made a good first impression to the volunteers, especially with Abby and Dr. Wilson."
"Not surprised. He has your looks and my charm."
Smirking a little at the comment Connor straightened the lapels on his gray blazer and made his way toward the corridor across from the bullpen to get to the elevator on the other side. "Sounds like a lethal combination."
Chuckling at the quip Hank could only shake his head as he walked back to his desk. "Smartass..."
Just as he done before while in the bullpen Connor happily showed Joel a live feed of Henry at the daycare. Henry was playing as best as he could with his still developing motor skills with the plastic mobile spinning above him. The technician was just as awe struck as everyone else and spoke about how when he first met his girlfriend, now fiance; as she had been divorced and was struggling to raise her two kids alone. He had his own experience with raising kids and had become really attached to them, even considering them as his own. He truly understood why Connor was so proud of his newborn son and couldn't wait to officially be a dad, too.
"Looks like you're still completely healthy, Connor." Joel announced after he finished listening to the deviant's chest with the audioscope. "I'm glad all the glitches in that update have been sorted out."
"As am I."
"You haven't experienced any discomfort or unexplained sensations since the download, right?"
"Correct. I haven't been afflicted with any glitches or bugs, and my self diagnostic has returned with one-hundred percent functionality readings on a daily basis."
"That's great to hear. Lily, my intern you met under unusual circumstances some time ago, returned to Digital Sentience and is using the knowledge she gained from her experiences here to keep bugs and glitches under control. It seems like deviants won't have to worry about any more shady tactics from groups like CyberLife anymore or rely on untested third party programs."
"That'd be nice. I don't think I could handle anymore setbacks or faulty software now that I have Henry to take care of."
"You should bring Henry by the precinct some time." Joel suggested in a sincere and hopeful tone of voice. "I know I'd like to meet him in person."
"I'll consider it." Connor replied honestly in turn as he finished adjusting his tie and cybernetically filed his approval for active duty. "Thank you for your help. Hank told me you assisted him in furnishing the house while I was at the hospital during Henry's birth. I appreciate it."
"No problem. You're my friend and you help keep my job interesting. Not to mention you fixed up my truck, so the very least I could do was help you get situated in time to welcome your son home."
"All the same, thank you. I'm so very appreciative to have caring friends in my life and now a part of Henry's life."
After his shift ended at six in the evening Connor promptly returned to the tower to pick up Henry and to speak with Abby. She told him that she'd discuss things with Gavin and get back to him as soon as she had a firm answer later that night, but it seemed like everything was already set in stone. As the deviant gently picked up Henry from the soft blanket where he was laying he gave Aria some attention as well, and was pleased to see that the two small children were interacting very well together.
"I'm glad Henry isn't shy." Connor noted as he held Henry in his arm against his chest and held Aria in his opposite arm up against his hip. "I have difficulty with my own shyness at times, I don't think I'd be able to help him very much if we both shared the same trait."
"He'll be just fine." Abby reassured Connor as she took Aria from his arm and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "He's tough. Just like his father."
"...And his mother." The thought of Skye made his faint grin disappear for a moment. "Thank you for everything you've done for us."
"You're very welcome. Are you going to head home?"
"Not just yet. There is one errand I must run before I return home. It's very important for myself and for Henry."
Sensing what Connor was going to do Abby nodded in approval and waved her friend off. "See you later Connor and Henry."
Quietly Connor left the tower with Henry in his arms, then placed him in the baby-seat in the back of the Oldsmobile and drove out to a local flower shop. The final step after his purchase of a lovely flower was to go to the church that held the android cemetery in the back of the property. It was a bleak sight to behold but Connor knew he owed it to both his late bondmate and his son that they should have the chance to meet in some way.
Carrying Henry in his arms and wrapped up in the crocheted blue blanket Connor approached Skye's headstone and knelt down slowly. Placing the newly purchased lily down on her grave and a second lily on Lucas's grave next to her, the deviant father took in a deep breath. Holding Henry in his arms against his chest Connor held back the tears in his soulful eyes as he spoke to Skye in a low voice.
"Hi, Skye."
Smiling through his emotional pain Connor introduced his son to his bondmate and did so proudly.
"There's someone very important here that you need to know about. And he's beautiful, just like you..."
Henry: 4-6 months
In a matter of a few months Henry was beginning to look more like Connor and was undeniably his son in the eyes of anyone who saw them together. He was sporting thick dark brown hair and had Connor's fair skin complexion. While his eyes had remained blue they weren't as dark as they had been previously and were now the exact same shade of blue as Hank's eyes. No doubt that was a little detail that was intentional for the sake of a deep familial resemblance on Abby's part when she was selecting what traits to give to the baby during the (literal) conception phase. The way Henry was thriving and reaching his milestones made Connor feel especially proud and confident as a parent.
Connor was laying on the livingroom floor next to Henry and helping the baby to stand up on his own two little feet. As Henry balanced against Connor's forearm he randomly babbled and proceeded to grab for small, brightly colored toys and cram them in his mouth to taste them. As much as Connor hated seeing Henry stick toys in his mouth he knew it was normal behavior and understood that for infants their sense of taste is the most sensitive and a great way for him to explore the world around him.
Tugging lightly on the oversized squishy green foam block in Henry's mouth Connor replaced it with the blue pacifier as he watched his son practicing how to balance and making silly sounds around the pacifier in his mouth. All the while Sumo laid on the floor near Connor with his chin down atop his paws watching Henry curiously.
"Hey, Connor?" Hank walked into the livingroom from the kitchen with a couple of small plastic cups filled with various fruit blends in his hands. One cup was a dark blue shade and the other was reddish-pink hue. "There's six of these in the fridge. Where'd you get these things?"
"I made those. They are pureed fruit blends." The deviant father replied as Henry sat down on the floor, then laid on his tummy as he made a grab for Sumo's tail. The massive dog didn't mind and patiently put up with Henry's little hands pulling on his fur with Connor making sure he never pulled too hard. "I decided to make Henry's baby food myself to ensure I fully understand exactly what he likes and what he dislikes."
"What are these filled with?"
"The blue container holds blueberries and the red container holds strawberries."
"Oh. When'd you do this?"
"This afternoon while you were at the precinct."
Henry dropped the pacifier from his mouth and grabbed on to the green foam block again. As he clumsily put the toy back in his mouth Connor just shook his head and picked the baby up from the floor with both of his hands.
Positioning Henry on his right hip Connor took the toy from his mouth once more and carried him into the kitchen. "Henry, you shouldn't put items that aren't edible in your mouth."
Hank just laughed and gave Connor a sheepish glance. "Like father, like son..."
Connor flashed an amused grin as he placed Henry in his highchair and tucked a pale blue bib around his neck. "I suspect now might be the best time to try new foods since he seems to be a little hungry."
"Good luck."
"What do you mean?"
Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave Connor a knowing look. "Just wait and see how he reacts if he doesn't like what you offer him."
"I doubt he'll do anything that I can't handle."
"Never assume, son. NEVER assume."
Taking the two cups of fruit purees from Hank's hands Connor selected the strawberry puree and placed the blueberry back into the refrigerator for a moment. As he took a seat next to the highchair Connor dipped a small clean spoon into the fruit and offered Henry a small portion to taste. The baby turned his head away from the offered food and Connor tried again.
Hank just stood back against the wall and kept his arms folded over his chest as he watched the ordeal. It was thoroughly amusing to watch Connor trying to feed the little baby while Henry himself wasn't exactly feeling cooperative that day.
"Please, Henry." After a little coaxing Connor was able to get a small amount of the fruit on Henry's lips and the baby responded with a strange curiosity. It seemed as if the new flavor was appealing if not interesting. "Do you like it?"
Intrigued by the flavor Henry was suddenly more receptive and made a grab for the spoon in Connor's hand.
Hank saw what was about to happen from a mile away and tried to warn his son before it was too late. "Uh, Connor-"
With a swift motion Henry proceeded to pull the spoon in his father's hand and shake it enough to send a splattering of red-pink fruit over himself, the highchair, the surrounding floor and of course Connor's face.
Without flinching Connor just patiently took the spoon back from Henry's grip and used the bib to clear off the baby's face. "...I can't tell if that was a positive taste test or negative."
Keeping quiet Hank just smirked as he walked over to the table and looked at the mess Henry had created. Lightly he pressed his right index finger to the side of Connor's left cheek and wiped away a smudge of the strawberries and laughed. "I think he liked it, but I can't guarantee he liked the way it tasted."
"I might need some wipes before this is over."
Still laughing Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he walked down the hallway to retrieve the necessary wipes from the bathroom as the deviant had wisely suggested.
Trying again Connor put a small portion of the fruit on the spoon and offered it to Henry. This time Henry was willing to actually taste the fruit, but as it turned out he disliked it. Letting out a small grunt of discontent as he made a face Henry again shook the spoon in Connor's hand creating an even bigger mess as he tried to push the offered fruit away from his lips.
With the container of wet wipes in his hand Hank returned to the kitchen to see more of the strawberry puree all over Henry, the highchair, floor, parts of the walls and Connor himself. "I take it he's not a fan of strawberries."
Wiping more puree from his face Connor sighed and answered his father accordingly. "Apparently not."
"Don't worry about it." Taking a wipe from the container Hank offered some fatherly advice on the silly situation at hand. "Why don't you try the blueberries instead?"
"What makes you certain that the blueberries will be received more positively?"
"Because you like the taste of blueberries. Maybe that sense of taste was inherited by Henry."
"Ah, I see." Wiping more of the strawberries from Henry's face with the bib Connor replaced the lid on the strawberries and swapped the disliked fruit out for the blueberries instead. Using a clean towel Connor wiped off the residual strawberries from the spoon and opened up the second container and proceeded to offer up the new fruit to the self amused infant. "All right, let's try this."
Henry was still being cooperative and let Connor feed him the blueberries and didn't seem to protest the offering. After the taste had a few seconds to set in the little baby let out a happy noise and made another grab for the spoon in his father's hand. This time Connor held a tighter grip to keep a third mess from being made and proceeded to dip the spoon back into the fruit blend to continue feeding Henry.
"You were right." Connor noted the positive reception with a smirk. "Henry does like blueberries."
"What other fruit did you buy for him?" Hank asked as he took one of the wipes from the container and proceeded to remove the strawberries from the kitchen walls to keep the red hue from staining the surface. "Nothing exotic I hope."
"No, I went with more simple fruits for the time being." Happy that Henry was eating well Connor continued to dip the spoon into the blueberries and let the infant guide the spoon to his own mouth in the process. "Strawberries, blueberries, apples, bananas, red grapes and peaches. I had considered watermelon as well, but that would've been a very large amount of fruit. I may pick up some cherries next time, as well as mangoes, kiwis and perhaps pineapples and oranges."
"Are you seriously going to let him taste every single fruit in the world one at a time?"
"Yes." Waiting to see if Henry was still interested in the blueberries Connor turned to look at Hank as the senior detective moved away from the wall and slowly knelt on the floor to clean up the rest of the mess. "I will move on to vegetables next."
"One at a time, right?"
"Correct."
"Man, when I said you needed to become more patient I didn't expect you to get THIS patient."
"Does this seem excessive?"
"Nah, it just seems like a big project. But if anyone will see it through to the end, it's you."
Henry had enough of the blueberries and shook the spoon again as he let out a small noise of protest. This time Connor was ready and used his hands to keep the mess from splattering against the walls again by hold them up around Henry in a shielding manner, but in turn he became coated under another layer of sticky fruit. Connor looked at Henry's messy face, his own face not fairing much better, and got a big smile and a little laugh from the baby as a result.
"Perhaps I'll skip the wipes and go straight for a bath." Removing the bib from around Henry's neck Connor picked up the baby from the high chair and held him in his arms against his chest. "Let's go, Henry. Bath time."
"Hey, Connor."
Turning to face Hank he saw that the senior detective had his phone out and pointed straight at his and Henry's messy faces. "Yeah?"
"Smile!"
The warm spring was steadily turning toward an even warmer summer and Connor was enjoying every moment of learning how to be a good father for his young son. With Henry happy, healthy and thriving in his father and grandfather's care, it was no wonder that the deviant detective felt an overwhelming sense of pride whenever he went anywhere with Henry or was asked about his young son. As he slept peacefully in his bedroom knowing that his son was sleeping in the crib right beside his bed without a care in the world, Connor was awoken by a strange whispering sound and what seemed like an excited energy building in the air.
Opening his eyes Connor looked around his bedroom and noticed that Henry was curiously absent and that Hank was awake far earlier than usual. Sitting up in his bed Connor made sure to feed his fish in the aquarium then went in search of Henry, although he knew that Henry was already spending time with Hank since there was no way for his still infant son to escape the crib itself.
"Dad? Henry?" Walking down the hallway Connor entered the livingroom and saw the space empty save for Sumo still asleep on his pillow in the corner of the room. Turning his attention toward the kitchen the deviant then saw his father and his son sitting at the kitchen table with Hank reading the morning newspaper and Henry nursing from his bottle. "Why are you up so early?"
"Because we need to be at the restaurant in twenty minutes." Hank replied in a sly manner. "We're ready to go, how about you?"
"...Restaurant?" Having no idea what Hank was referring to Connor tilted his head and tried to understand what was happening. "What're you talking about?"
"Today is Father's Day." Standing up from the table Hank plucked Henry from his highchair and held him in his arms with great pride. "And it's your first Father's Day in general. We need to celebrate it."
"Oh..." The day's significance had completely eluded Connor since he had been so focused on Henry as of late. "I hadn't even considered celebrating that particular holiday with Henry."
"A lot of new dads forget about it the first time it happens. Come on." Motioning for Connor to head down the hallway and change his clothes Hank checked Henry's bottle and opened the backdoor so Sumo could go out for a few minutes. "We need to get going before it gets too crowded."
"All right, give me five minutes."
"No problem. I'll make sure Sumo's fed and me and Henry will meet you in the car."
The restaurant itself was of a nicer caliber in comparison to the usual places that Hank preferred to dine at, and due to it being a special day the restaurant was busier than what one would consider normal. Even though it was fairly early in the morning there were a lot of people already sitting at their tables and booths while the staff set about taking care of their numerous customers as efficiently as possible. Dozens of people from all walks of life were sitting together with their families - big and small, as they celebrated the special day with their patriarchs in one way or another.
Hank, Connor and Henry were shown to a very large private booth in the back of the restaurant where some good friends were waiting for their arrival. While Hank wasn't at all surprised by the familiar faces at the booth, Connor was a little shocked but happy all the same.
"Captain Fowler." Connor acknowledged his former commanding officer in a polite voice. The man was wearing a nice navy blue dress shirt and slacks while his wife was wearing a red sun dress, his son was wearing a sky blue dress shirt and his daughter was wearing a sunshine yellow sun dress as they sat together in the booth. "It's nice to see you again."
"Hey, Connor." Greeting the deviant with a strong handshake the retired Captain gave Connor a small smile. "And it's just 'Jeffrey' now. I'm no longer a Captain and you don't have to be so formal."
"Apologies. It's an old habit."
"No harm done. And this little man," noticing Henry in Connor's arms, Jeffrey smiled brightly and reached his hand out to shake with the little baby. "must be Henry. When I heard the news of you stepping into the role of fatherhood I couldn't be happier for you."
"Thank you." Placing the baby in the highchair at the side of the booth Connor sat down and stayed right beside his son. "I'm happy, too."
"And Hank," Jeffrey looked at the older man as Hank sat beside Henry on the other side of the table. "you seem damn proud to be a grandfather."
"You have no idea." Proudly giving Henry's hair a small rub Hank smiled at his grandson with utter joy. "My sons and my grandson are my whole world."
"I know what you mean." With his wife and two grown children sitting beside him Jeffrey was truly in high spirits as well. "I couldn't be prouder of my own family. Especially since Jeremiah and Renee both made the Dean's list this year."
"No kidding?" Hank looked at Jeffrey's son and daughter with genuine happiness in his words. "You two must be working your butts off. How do you two like college life?"
"It's all right." Jeremiah admitted as he waved over more invited guests to the booth. "I like the independence, but I hate paying for every little thing I have."
"Sounds like you're ready to face the world already."
Renee tilted her head a little as she agreed with her older brother. "I could go for less mornings needing to be fueled by coffee, but I'm enjoying it, too."
"That's good to hear. I'm glad you're both in school and doing well."
Gavin, Abby and Aria soon joined everyone at the booth and sat down after Connor moved aside so they could slide into the booth to sit down. Happy to locate a booster seat for Aria to use Connor was thrilled to see his goddaughter while enjoying his first Father's Day with his family and friends.
"Nice to see you again Cap- Uh, Jeffrey?" Gavin replied in a somewhat confused voice as he looked at the retired detective across from in the booth. Like Connor, he wasn't sure how to address his retired former Captain out in the real world. "Is that cool?"
"Yeah, Gavin." Laughing at the remark Jeffrey settled into his new role as a retired detective socializing with his former detectives and officers elsewhere. "It's nice to see you again, too."
"I'm glad you made a full recovery." Pressing his palm over the scar in his chest beneath his purple dress shirt Gavin sighed and then gave Aria a loving glance as his daughter snuggled in her booster seat between himself and Abby. "Getting shot sucks..."
"Don't I know it." Acknowledging Gavin's daughter in the booster seat Jeffrey smiled and offer her his hand, too. "And this lovely little lady must be Aria. If I stuck around a little longer at the precinct I could've met you sooner."
Aria smiled as she held onto Jeffery's hand and made happy noises.
"We're missing a few more people." Jeffrey admitted as he picked up one of the menus sitting on the middle of the table. "But we could order something for the kids while we wait."
"Good idea." Hank looked through everything on the menu and motioned to something for Connor to see. "Check it out. They have a kids menu that has stuff for really little kids to try. I bet Henry would like to sample all these sugary fruit syrups."
"After the incident with the purees," Connor gave his father a small glare and then a smile. "I think we'll wait a while longer before letting Henry try anything of a sticky variety."
Abby laughed as she held up her phone and showed Jeffrey, Marie, Jeremiah and Renee the photo that Hank had sent her. "I think Henry has excellent taste in fruit! Don't you?"
As everyone laughed at the picture Connor blushed a pale blue and then noticed Joel heading into the restaurant with a woman and two young children beside him. Needing the distraction Connor directed everyone toward the technician and his family at the doorway. "Is Joel the last person we're waiting for?"
"He's one of them." Jeffrey waved toward Joel to let him know where to find his booth. "Chris, Julia, Damian and Raquel are on their way, too."
"I see." Connor noticed that Joel and his fiancee, Sonya, were together with their kids. The way the kids were holding Joel's hands helped confirm that the technician was ready to be the loving stepfather the kids really needed. "Joel, it's nice to see you without it needing to be a meeting up in your dispensary."
"The feeling is mutual." Happy to show his family to the booth Joel introduced everyone at long last. "I'd like you to meet Sonya, my fiancee."
Sonya was a slender woman with only the faintest hint of a little 'bump' under her dark purple blouse, had fiery red hair, dark green eyes, a fair complexion and a noticeable beauty mark on the left side of her chin. She had an award winning smile and seemed thrilled to be meeting Joel's friends at long last. "Hello, it's nice to meet everyone!"
"It's nice to meet you, too." Connor confirmed politely as everyone made room for the additional four guests. "And your children."
"This is James," Sonya introduced her son - a seven-year-old brunette with his mother's green eyes and an energetic personality, and then her daughter who was four years of age, shared her mother's red hair but had her biological father's brown eyes. "and this is Bridgette."
"Hello, James and Bridgette." Connor greeted the two children politely. He knew Joel was fond of his now fiancee's children but he never had the chance to meet them until that day. "My name is Connor." Nodding to Henry beside him in the highchair he introduced his son to them as well. "And this is Henry. He's my son."
"Baby!" Bridgette pointed to Henry and then to Aria excitedly. "Baby! Mama has a baby in her tummy!"
Sonya discreetly shushed Bridgette while Joel sighed and shook his head a little. "Yeah, we were going to wait a while longer to say anything, but... Sonya and I are going to add at least one more Forrest to the family in the next six months."
"Congratulations!" Abby beamed as she laughed a little at Bridgette's outburst. "Hopefully this new little one will be better at keeping secrets than their big sister."
"That'd be nice..." Sonya laughed at last as she too sat in the booth and made sure her kids were sitting properly in the booth beside her and Joel. "I keep forgetting how kids have no appreciation for discretion or timing."
"Which is why Gavin and I agreed to have our more personal discussions either over text or after Aria has gone to bed. She might end up accidentally telling a big secret and putting us in an awkward place."
Sonya grabbed Joel's hand and nodded at him. "We're totally using that technique until the kids are old enough to recognize the power of embarrassment."
"I'm going to take all the parenting advice and techniques I can get."
"Formula and diapers." Connor and Gavin replied in chorus as they gave Joel a knowing look. "You'll need them."
While the booth laughed and placed small orders for their meals Chris arrived at last with his family and happily joined everyone else in the back of the restaurant. After securing Damian and Raquel in their own booster seats and exchanging introductions, Chris happily enjoyed the Father's Day breakfast with his wife, his friends and coworkers while sharing stories of his kids and experiences as a father.
The table was filled with delicious food and everything looked incredible. Connor fed Henry his small helping of cinnamon applesauce and juice while everyone else had their own breakfasts, and made sure all the younger kids were able to eat without any problems.
"And thanks to Damian cramming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into the old blu-ray player I can safely say it's much cheaper to just stream his favorite movies and keep my own movie collection safe in the bedroom." Giving his son a playful smirk Chris watched Damian giggle and grab onto an apple slice to put in his mouth. "You owe me one blu-ray player, little man."
Damian looked his dad right in the eyes and never lost his smile as he gave his answer. "No!"
The answer resulted in everyone laughing as Chris just shrugged his shoulders in defeat.
The way the kids were all enjoying the day as much as the adults was heartwarming. Everyone was in high spirits and Connor couldn't help but feel as if he were going to miss out if he didn't celebrate future Father's Days with Henry. The way his friends and family were all laughing and enjoying themselves just confirmed that his desire to become a father and have his own family had been one of the greatest dreams he could've ever have and it had come true.
"This is pretty fun, huh, Henry?"
Henry smiled as he smeared some applesauce on the tray of his highchair with the spoon in his hand while his dad spoke to him.
"We'll be sure to spend Father's Day together every year." Using a small wipe Connor cleaned off Henry's chin and watched his son still mastering the art of feeding himself safe-to-eat baby food. "We don't always have to go to a restaurant, but we will be sure to do something together."
Hank overheard the comment and agreed as he put a small amount of maple syrup on his spoon for Henry to taste. "And you'll cherish every single one of them, son. I did with Cole and I know I will do the same while watching you bond with Henry."
"You're my dad." Connor needlessly reminded the senior detective. "You'll be invited to these moments, too."
"Nah, you deserve to have some one-on-one time with your son." Hank insisted as he watched Henry love the syrup taste and pine for more. Offering Henry a small amount of honey next, the sweet flavor just as enticing to the little baby as the syrup, Hank gave Connor a warm smile. "We'll do something together, too. We'll do something as father son, and you'll do something with Henry as a father and son on the same day."
"All three of us can't do something together? Or with Luke?"
"Oh, sure we can." Hank next placed a small amount of raspberry syrup on his spoon and watched as Henry loved that new fruit taste, too. "But having moments with just your son is precious time you can never get back. We can split the day up so we're all together and bonding in our own ways after you and Henry have your time together. Sound good?"
"Yeah." Smiling proudly at his young son as he happily tried every little thing offered to him, Connor agreed to the future plans. "That sounds like the best."
Henry: 7-9 Months.
Carrying Henry in his arms with the supportive technical sling around his left shoulder making it a tad uncomfortable, Connor prepared to circle the block as Hank instructed, although he still didn't understand why. It was Halloween night and the neighborhood was alive with laughing and screaming costumed children running around the neighborhood and ringing doorbells to go trick-or-treating. Connor had witnessed Halloween a few times before while on patrol but never once participated in the festivities until that night.
"Why are we doing this?" Connor asked as he walked with Hank at his side while they set outside the house together. The two detectives were dressed in crude 'Blues Brothers' costumes thanks to their abundance of dark suits, and finding some hats and dark sunglasses while they were out looking for Henry's costume earlier that week. "We've never participated in Halloween before."
"That's because I'm too old, you're too unfamiliar with the entire concept and there's too much for me to try to explain in one night."
"What about Henry?" The little baby was dressed in a similar manner, a dark suit, hat and sunglasses for 'the sake of humor', as Hank put it. "He won't remember this night since he's so young."
"No, but you'll remember. And this is still his first big holiday, so he needs the chance to be a part of it."
"I see. But I don't like the idea of walking up to strange houses and requesting candy."
"It's not about the candy. It's about kids having fun and getting to be whoever, or whatever, they want for one night of the year."
"You used to do this as a child as well?"
"Yeah, me and my buddies would stay out as long as we could until one of our parents wrangled us up and took us home for the night."
"And you wore a costume?"
"That was kind of the point, son." Hank reminded Connor of what he just said about kids dressing up and gave him a stern glance through his dark tinted sunglasses. "Come on. Let's head out to the park, it always looks great during fall."
Connor was still trying to understand the unusual human holiday for Henry's sake. It didn't help that when the deviant did cybernetic research on the topic the origins of the holiday and what he was currently witnessing wasn't adding up entirely. Adjusting Henry in his arms so he was a little more comfortable and resting against Connor's warm chest, the deviant accompanied Hank to the park as requested.
"According to my data Halloween is a Pagan holiday designed to honor the memory of the deceased, ward off evil spirits and to encourage charitable donations from the neighborhood. Those who were not generous or refused to donate at all were subjected to cruel pranks or public humiliation."
"Yup."
"But now no one is expected to participate if they don't want to do so?"
"Yup."
"Interesting."
"Traditions change or just plain get forgotten over time, kid." Hank smirked as Henry made a few babbling noises and kicked out his legs in Connor's arms. The little baby was staring at the glowing Jack-O-Lanterns along the street with wide-eyed wonder. "Now Halloween is about children having fun with 'make-believe', hanging out with their friends, getting hyper on candy and gaining a sense of independence when they go out with their friends instead of their parents. And adults use these evenings with their kids hanging out with friends to hang out with their own adult friends and have some fun. Some will dress up, too."
"I'll remember that as Henry grows up."
Once they reached the park the duo sat down on the bench overlooking the river and looked out at the water as the autumn sunset glowed over the dark surface and colorful leaves swirled about them on the sidewalk. There were other kids in the park, too, as Halloween Night slowly encroached over the city. The kids were all dressed up and playing together while their parents were sitting down on another bench to check through their collected candy for any sign of tampering before heading back home.
Connor looked down at Henry's face and smirked as his son continued to kick out his legs and make small noises at the new sights and sounds he was experiencing for the very first time. "I imagine once Henry is older he'll enjoy this holiday more."
"Yeah." Hank agreed with the sentiment as he looked over at Henry and nodded once. "Cole didn't really get into Halloween until he was four. It think that's a pretty average age with kids."
Connor noted the mounting chill in the air and wrapped his suit jacket around Henry protectively to help him stay warm.
"How's your arm, son?"
"The repairs should be completed in the next seven hours. The bullet tore through the main connecting joint between my left arm and my left shoulder, while also damaging the main Thirium line running down the limb." Tilting his head toward his bad arm Connor offered up an intriguing suggestion. "Perhaps the Kevlar vests should be converted to Kevlar shirts and be given sleeves."
"I'll bring that up at the next I.A. meeting."
As the small family admired the beautiful natural scenery around them and listened to the kids laughing in the park Connor now understood why Hank loved to bring Cole to the park so often. It was as peaceful as it was gorgeous and brimming with positive energy.
Hank reached his hand out and grabbed onto Henry's little hand where he sat. "I bet he'll love all the glowing pumpkins when we walk back home."
"He does seem to enjoy lights and bright colors." Connor agreed as he had observed Henry's reactions as they walked to the park. "He still enjoys the yellow and blue blankets over the brown blanket back home, and seems to really enjoy the brightly colored animated movies you play for him at night."
"Maybe you can sort through some of his toys and see if he has a color preference yet."
"Henry does seem to favor the blue blanket and the blue blocks he plays with." Giving Hank an uncertain glance Connor thought about the family's future together. "In time I'll make sure his bedroom walls are painted blue."
"Good idea. Come on," carefully Hank patted Connor's right shoulder he motioned back to the sidewalk. "it's getting pretty cold already. It's not a good idea to keep Henry out here without a coat."
"I agree. Perhaps next Halloween we can do something more exciting for Henry and let him participate."
"Absolutely." Remembering all the good times he had as a kid with his friends during the holidays Hank was eager to let Henry develop and become a happy, playful little boy. "Kids need to have fun."
The autumn air brought an uncomfortable chill over the city and Connor was exhausted as he held Henry against his chest as he sat on the couch in the livingroom. Henry had caught a little cold and Connor felt absolutely miserable on his ill son's behalf. Rubbing Henry's back gently Connor tried to soothe his sick son and help him fall asleep to get some rest, but the baby was just as stubborn as Connor and didn't want to rest for longer than a few minutes at a time and stay still for too long.
Opening up another colorful book Connor tried to keep reading to Henry but the little baby wasn't interested in any bedtime stories and tried to squirm away from the book as if protesting the gesture. The last thing Henry needed was to get worked up and start crying while he was already ill.
Through the backdoor of the house Hank returned home from the store with a grocery bag with some children's medicine inside, and immediately asked about Henry's condition. "How's he doing?"
"His fever is holding at one-hundred degrees even. It's not too high but he is exhausted."
"Is his nose running?"
"No, he's all right at the moment."
"No vomiting or diarrhea, right?"
"No, thankfully." Connor confirmed the symptoms as he held Henry up against his chest. "Just a mild fever and he's tired."
"I bought some children's ibuprofen. It's safe for him now that he's older than six months, but I used to use cool sponge baths to help Cole whenever he got sick to bring down his fever."
"That's a good idea. I'll also offer him some formula that I put in the refrigerator. Hopefully that'll be soothing and help him to feel better."
"Come here, Henry." Hank gently took Henry from Connor's hands and sat down on the couch while the deviant went into the kitchen to get the mentioned bottle from the fridge. Accepting the bottle from Connor's hand Hank tried to offer it to Henry as the baby continued to fuss a little in Hank's arms. "We'll help ya' feel better soon."
After handing over the bottle Connor let Hank take over while he sorted through the items in the grocery bag on the kitchen table and put them away accordingly until they were needed. "I appreciate you postponing your shift to help us."
"It's not a problem, son." Henry slowly took to the bottle and leaned heavily against Hank's shoulder. His small hand was wrapped around the bottle and he was looking around the livingroom curiously as he became more alert after his brief nap in Connor's arms before Hank returned home. "Since he's getting his shots tomorrow you can ask the pediatrician to make sure he didn't catch something a little nastier than a cold."
"I will inquire accordingly."
"Well, Henry seems alert as usual and wanting to play on the floor. Maybe this isn't a cold after all." Hank watched as Henry pushed the bottle away and let out another pained grunt while pressing his fingers to his mouth. "Hold on, I think I know what's going on." With a gentle pressure Hank put his index finger in Henry's mouth and lowered his tiny jaw. "Yup. He's teething."
"Teething?"
"It hurts and it can cause mild fevers when the baby gets stressed out enough." Hank let Henry chew on his finger a little bit as the pressure seemed to help with the relentless ache in his gums. "It happens to all babies."
"At least it's not an infection."
Henry let out more babbling sounds as he waved his fist around as if annoyed.
Placing Henry down on the thick yellow blanket on the floor where the coffee table had once been Hank watched as the baby resumed crawling about, free at last. Henry proceeded to make more sounds that were gradually becoming closer to actual words as he honed in on the colorful foam blocks on the floor and began babbling to himself.
"I'll bring back some teething rings after I clock out this evening." Hank volunteered as he knelt on the floor to give Henry a little goodbye kiss before he stood up again to head for the door. "He'll be fine, son."
"What do I do if he becomes too uncomfortable?"
"Give him a cold wet washcloth to chew on." The senior detective suggested casually as he took his leave of the house. "Works every time and it'll help him cool off while numbing his mouth. It's a win-win solution."
Joining Henry on the floor Connor watched as the baby played with his squishy multicolored blocks and let out an occasional pained grunt. "Well, Henry, it looks like I'm going to have to introduce you to brushing your teeth pretty soon. What do you think of that?"
The baby turned to look at Connor, his blue eyes focusing right on his dad's face, and babbled again.
"Yeah, I had a feeling you'd say that."
While at the precinct, bored because he and Connor had taken up more rotating shifts so one of them could be with Henry at the house more often, Hank waited for the clock to countdown to the end of his shift as he finished dealing with the tedious piles of reports and arbitrary updates from City Hall. It didn't help that he knew his grandson wasn't feeling well and would need some additional T.L.C. once 'Papa' got home. The lack of activity in the precinct and abundance of activity at home seemed like a torturous contrast that Hank had to deal with for a few more hours.
The photograph of Connor and Henry covered in the strawberry and blueberry mess from a few months prior sat on the corner of his desk and always made him smile when he looked at it. It was sitting next to the photograph of Barbara holding Cole and a photograph of Luke proudly standing beside his little brother outside of Fenway Park in Boston. The sight of his family all together made Hank's heart swell with pride.
While overlooking a truly bizarre case of a drunk guy breaking into a repair shop and trying to ride a vacuum cleaner around the store Hank got a alert on his phone from Connor. It was a request to 'face time' and that was something that Connor never did. Accepting the request Hank stared at the phone screen and caught sight of Henry standing in the middle of the floor with a big red foam block in his hands. His back was to the to the Connor as the deviant filmed his son from where he sat and cybernetically connected his visual processors to Hank's phone.
"Connor, what's going on?"
'I thought you'd like to see this.' The deviant replied casually before calling out to Henry. 'Henry, can you do that again? Come and see daddy.'
The baby turned around to face Connor and proceeded to awkwardly but surely toddle his way over to Connor's outstretched hands as he continued to chew on the soft red block. His steps were slow and seemed uncertain, but Henry made the journey and collapsed against Connor's chest with a small laugh as he proudly smiled up at his father's face.
"Ah man... He's walking." The sight made Hank's heart swell even more and suddenly that day didn't feel so boring or glum. "I'm so proud of him."
'His fever has disappeared as well. I think it's safe to say he's going to be just fine as you stated earlier.'
"That's great news, son." Feeling his worries ease entirely Hank sighed and made sure to save the recording on his phone for future views. "Thanks for showing me his first steps."
'I'll see you tonight. I plan on trying new foods with Henry for dinner and I suspect you might want to take more photos in the event he tries to feed himself again.'
Hank laughed as he glanced at the photo on his desk again and replied with good humor. "Yeah, you suspect right, son. See ya' in a few hours."
As the call ended Hank continued to chuckle to himself as he felt better now than he had in years. The sight of Henry walking and Connor proudly taking on the role of 'daddy' was something that seemed to prove that the peaceful bonds between humans and androids was meant to last forever.
After a few weeks of teething and mild fevers Connor had figured out an effective routine and kept Henry quite content as the baby continued to grow.
Connor was sitting on his bed with his legs stretched out before him and with Henry on his lap while Sumo rested his chin over the deviant's ankles. Happily the young father was strumming a tune on his guitar much to Henry's delight, and the curious baby smacked his hands over Connor's hands as he played the nameless tune. Undeterred by the sound and very interested in new forms of music meant Henry was the perfect audience for Connor's playing.
"I'll be sure to let you take music lessons when you're older, Henry. Whatever instrument you like."
With a soft 'click' of the front door closing Hank returned home from the precinct a little earlier than normal and proceeded to make his way into the bathroom without speaking to Connor as he closed that door as well.
Despite the relatively loud sound of the guitar Connor had heard Hank come home and walk into the bathroom as discreetly as possible. Sensing that something was wrong Connor put aside his guitar much to Henry's dismay and placed the baby down in the nearby crib for a moment after climbing off of his bed.
"I'll be right back, Henry." Connor promised as he placed the blue pacifier in Henry's mouth. "I need to go check on your Papa."
While Henry babbled loudly around the pacifier and made his almost-words after Connor as he stepped out of the bedroom, Connor himself knocked on the closed bathroom door then opened it slowly. Peering inside the room Connor saw Hank sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his left hand pressed against his sore lower back and a look of pain in his blue eyes.
"Are you sick?" Connor asked quickly as he pressed his right hand to Hank's forehead and ran a scan to check his vitals. "You aren't feverish."
"No, I'm not sick. My back's just killing me." Hank admitted with a weak voice. "I almost threw it out today when I helped restrain an unruly suspect."
"How bad's the pain?" Moving his hand from Hank's forehead to the senior detective's back Connor could feel the muscles tensing up under his palm. "There is a lot of muscle tension in your lumbar region."
"Pretty bad. I couldn't take sitting at my desk anymore and took off early."
"Is your range of mobility limited?"
"No, it just hurts."
"Use a hot bath to ease the tension in your muscles." The deviant prescribed basic remedies to ease the discomfort as he retracted his hand. "I'll bring you something for the pain."
"Don't worry about me, kid. I can-"
"I know you can take care of yourself." Connor interrupted now using the same 'dad voice' that Hank had always used on him. "But I want to help you. Please?"
Sighing with amused defeat Hank relented and agreed to the offered help. "All right, son. You win."
"Well, I was bound to win at some point." The deviant smirked as he reached into the bathtub and turned on the faucet. As the tub began to fill with warm water Connor gave the senior detective a relieved and appreciative grin. "Try to soak in the water for at least an hour before getting out. I'll bring you a muscle relaxer and some clean clothes."
"Thanks, kid. I appreciate it."
The hot bath did seem to help with Hank's pain, but it still wasn't enough to combat the negative effects of time against Hank's body. Trying to relax as much as possible Hank was laying on his bed on his stomach with a heating pad on his lower back. Laying with his head on his pillow and his eyes on an old book, Hank felt old again for the first time in months and he hated that it felt like his body was betraying him. Annoyed and unable to focus on the story despite it being one of his favorites he sighed and put the book away on his nightstand.
There was a knock on the partially closed bedroom door before Connor opened it up and let Henry toddle over to the bed. Henry had a child's book clutched in his little hands and wanted someone to read him the story. With moderate difficulty Henry managed to partially climb up the side of the bed to climb on top to cuddle with Hank, but Connor still gave him a helpful boost to make sure he made it all the way.
"Hey, Henry." Hank was more than happy to have his grandson join him while he was down for the count. "How you doing?"
Henry responded with his usual babbling, his sounds ready to become actual words at any minute.
"Yeah?" Laughing a little Hank looked at the book in Henry's hand and smirked at the happy baby. "Me too."
"I made some tomato soup in case you were hungry." Connor stated from the doorway as he watched Henry laying down next to Hank as if he was ready to put himself down for a nap and wanted someone to read to him. "Would you like some?"
"Yeah, sure. Thanks, son."
"Would you also like me to make a doctor's appointment to have your back examined?"
"No, don't worry about it. It's just old age and there's no cure for 'old'."
"You're not old." The deviant stated with a sly smirk on his face. "You're experienced."
"...Yeah, no dice. I'm old!"
Connor knew that Hank was hurting and showing his age a little more, but he didn't want to think about it too much. "Well, you look good for your age at least."
Hank chuckled again as he looked at Henry laying beside him and smiled. "Do you hear the way your daddy treats your Papa?"
From where he was laying on his tummy Henry gave a happy smile to Hank as he babbled a few sounds then something coherent fell out. "Pa-pa."
Connor and Hank's eyes went wide with pride as Henry said his first word and made the old detective suddenly feel a lot better about his age. "...That's right." Rolling slightly onto his side Hank pulled Henry in for a hug and held him close. "I'm your Papa."
"That was his first word." Walking over to the bed Connor put his own hand down on Henry's back and rubbed a little. "Glad I didn't have to 'face time' it for you to enjoy."
"I'll tell you one thing," the senior detective's smile was broad as he stared at his grandson who was smiling himself, even as he let out a yawn and started to drift off to sleep. Henry laid down again on his tummy next to Hank and closed his eyes. "that made me feel a lot better."
Connor was smiling warmly at the sight of Hank cuddling with Henry on the bed. "Still want that soup?"
"Yeah, sure. By the way, we're supposed to be going out to Rose's place for Thanksgiving in a few weeks. I'm sure she has something planned already, but pack extra food for Henry just in case."
"Of course, I'm already prepared for the holidays this year. We have a good reason to celebrate again."
"I'm not surprised at all to hear that."
Henry: 10-12 Months.
A massive family gathering at Rose's house had brought together the unorthodox, but loving family, from Detroit to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Rose only had Adam as her family, and since he spent most of his time at school she was often alone with only her dog, Titan, as company. It was nice to have a full house of friendly faces and excited conversations taking place all around the welcoming house as everyone gathered together to celebrate the holiday. Hank and Connor arrived with Henry early enough to help Rose out in the kitchen; Connor was still a surprisingly good cook,and they were shortly joined by Adam after he returned home from his girlfriend's house to celebrate the holiday with his mom.
An hour or so later Gavin, Abby and Aria had all arrived as well since the small family, who had no extended family to speak of, didn't mind joining in on the holiday. Aria and Henry were playing together in the livingroom while everyone chatted together in the kitchen and helped prepare the very generous meal. Connor could keep tabs on the babies from the other room very easily and it was safe to say that the evening was going to be peaceful.
When it came time for the meal itself Connor had prepared a special selection for Henry since he was still wasn't quite ready for larger portions of solid foods yet, as well as something special for Aria just in case. He had also stocked up on extra wipes in case Henry decided to shake around a spoon again or feed himself in a less than ideal manner at the table.
Fortunately everything went off without any problems or messes and everyone just enjoyed each other's company without having to deal with interruptions. It didn't take long for Henry and Aria to wear out from the day's events and were left to nap on the blue soft blanket on the livingroom floor side by side.
The evening came to an end and everyone gathered in the livingroom together to chat a while longer before departing back to the city and to their homes.
Abby stared at Henry and shook her head with wonder as she compared the baby to his father. "Henry seriously looks just like you, Connor. It's incredible."
"You're the one who made it possible." Connor proudly quipped as he sat on the couch and watched his son napping peacefully next to his goddaughter. "But can I ask why Henry's eyes are blue while mine are brown and Skye's were hazel?"
"Because Hank's eyes are blue." Abby confirmed with a sly smirk. "I wanted to make sure that the grandfather had some resemblance his grandchild."
"I figured as much, but I wanted to be certain." Smiling at the confirmation Connor nodded appreciatively at the kind technician and friend across from him at the second couch over top of the coffee table. "I think that was a good decision."
"So, Henry's first word was 'Papa'?"
"Yeah, that's Hank's preferred nickname. We were both stunned and very proud. What was Aria's first word?"
"She said 'da-da'." Abby replied with her own pride as Rose joined the two in the livingroom with two mugs of coffee and a mug of warm Thirium in her hands. "I made sure to dodge that bullet."
The comment made Connor's brow arch inquisitively. "Dodge the bullet?"
Abby gave Connor a sly glance. "I'm going to hear 'mom' a lot when she grows up, so I wanted to make sure her first reaction was to call for 'dad', then me second. That way I won't go insane."
Rose laughed as she looked at the two sleeping babies and thought about raising Adam. "That's a smart move, I wish I thought of that. Adam said 'mama' and that's all I heard for hours on end for four years straight. I love him with all my heart, but hearing that all day can drive you crazy." She sipped at her mug of coffee after handing the second mug to Abby and the Thirium over to Connor, and then sighed. "There are times where I really miss it though. This big house is really empty without him."
Connor smirked to himself as he watched his son with true pride in his soulful brown eyes. "Henry's also taken his first steps/ I wasn't expecting it and it took me by surprise."
"When Aria started walking the first thing she did was go after Lucky." Abby replied as she watched Aria sleeping beside Henry on the blanket. "Fortunately the cat was smart enough to jump up onto the back of the couch and get her tail out of pulling range."
"Sumo tolerates Henry grabbing his tail. But I make sure Henry doesn't accidentally hurt Sumo when he plays."
Rose smiled again as she remembered that she left Titan with a big bowl of food and water in the laundry room. "I don't think Titan would be so patient. He's never been around little kids and I didn't want to take any chances."
"Yeah, and I don't think Henry is old enough to understand that not all dogs will behave in the exact same manner as Sumo."
Hank joined the others in the livingroom along with Gavin and Adam after the the group finished politely cleaning up the kitchen and taking care of the garbage. The three had then decided to admire the cobalt blue Corvette up close and personal before coming back inside. "Anything happen while we were gone?" Hank asked as he sat beside Rose and discreetly wrapped his hand around hers. "At least anything we want to know about?"
"Nothing more exciting than the babies napping."
"Sounds plenty exciting for me right now."
Connor knew that Hank's back was still hurting him but didn't want to complain. "It might be best to return home. I don't want to risk Henry's sleep cycle becoming disturbed when I have a shift tomorrow."
"Yeah..." Hank knew what Connor was doing and appreciated it. Squeezing Rose's hand as he prepared to say 'goodbye' Hank agreed entirely with what Connor had just said. "Nothing throws off your morning routine more than a cranky baby."
After saying their 'goodbyes' and packing up Henry's things the two detectives set out back to the city with Henry still peacefully asleep, even after he was picked up and placed his baby-seat in the back of the car. With Connor driving Hank leaned back in his own seat and closed his eyes to try to ease the lingering pain in his lower back as much as possible during the drive.
Glancing at Henry's reflection in the rearview mirror Connor gave Hank a logical opinion while whispering to not disturb his son's rest. "I still think it's more practical to use the Oldsmobile for Henry's baby-seat."
"Yeah, you're right. We'll switch them back out tomorrow morning."
"How's your back?"
"Sore, but at least I can move again."
"Perhaps a new mattress will help your back."
"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure no matter how new a mattress is I'll stay old."
Connor shook his head a little as he stared at the rearview mirror and looked at Henry's peaceful, napping face. The reality of Hank's dwindling mortality was making Connor wary at home and extra careful at the precinct. Ever since Henry had been born Connor's first thought had always been to his son and how Henry still needed him, which made it easier for the deviant to put his life above entering a hostile environment or risking his own life in favor of trying to keep a dangerous suspect from hurting themself.
"What're you thinking about, son?" Hank didn't even open his eyes, he could feel Connor thinking again. "The future?"
"I think I know what I'm getting you for Christmas." He lied quickly but believably as he wanted to keep Hank from worrying too much about anything else for a while longer. "Maybe a little sooner than that."
"Focus on Henry this year. Don't go out of your way for me."
"I'm won't, I'm merely looking out for my father."
After a peacefully quiet month it was now Christmas Eve and the house was covered in colorful lights and other decorations that made Henry very happy to look at. Connor was holding up Henry to let him (clumsily) hang large plastic ornaments on the higher tree branches of the Christmas tree in the corner of the livingroom, while Sumo watched from his pillow in the corner. Hank had gone out for some last minute shopping, which Connor knew was a lie to cover up some other secret endeavor, and had just returned home through the backdoor with a massive brown shopping bag under his arm.
"The tree looks great, Henry." Hank called out as he passed through the livingroom and made his way toward the hallway. "Keep it up, I'll be right back."
Connor knew Hank was up to something but he also knew better than to call him out on it.
As Henry babbled random words Connor handed him another plastic ornament and watched as the baby awkwardly managed to hook it onto the branch. With the final ornaments in place; some branches more decorated than others, Connor took a step back from the tree with Henry still in his arms and gently shook the baby's now empty hand between his finger and thumb.
"Papa's right, it looks great."
Hank returned to the livingroom and put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he stood beside him and admired the tree. "Looks like everything's ready for tomorrow morning. Think Henry knows what's in store for him?"
"I don't know. I wish I knew what he was thinking, it'd make it much easier to communicate with him."
"He says 'Papa' all the time."
Henry looked over at Hank and repeated the word as if being requested. "Pa-pa."
"See?"
Connor's jaw squared a little as he turned to face his father just behind him. "He can also say 'doggy', 'yes', 'no' and 'toy'."
"But not 'dad', huh?"
"No, not yet."
"He will. Give him time." Reaching over to take Henry for himself Hank held the baby up to his chest and let Henry rest his little head against his broad shoulder. He felt Henry yawn and his little tummy rumble and knew it was time for a diaper change and then bed. "I'll go change him and put him down for the night. You have the presents ready to go, right?"
"Yeah. I stored them in the laundry room out of sight and to keep Sumo from nosing around too much."
"Perfect."
While Hank took Henry down the hallway to sleep for the night Connor walked into the laundry room and picked up the various boxes wrapped in brightly colored paper to place under the tree for Christmas morning. Carrying the boxes in neat stacks in his arms Connor put each one beneath the thick green branches of the artificial tree and looked down at the tree skirt where Henry's name had been embroidered right above his own name and below Skye's name. The name 'Lucas' stuck out to him and he smiled to himself as he thought about his big brother out in Boston.
"Hopefully, Luke doesn't have any trouble making it in from the airport tonight."
"I had to read him a story first, but he went down easy." Hank returned to the livingroom after ten minutes and saw the modest pile of gifts ready to go for Christmas Day. "Wow, you went all out this year."
"Well, it's Henry's first Christmas and I didn't know what to get him since he can't communicate just yet. Do you think this is too much?"
"Not really. Whatever toys he doesn't respond to we can always donate to charity."
"I did purchase a few additional toys for the 'Toys For Tots' charity before I left the store, and I dropped off Aria's gift after I clocked-out last night." He motioned to a bright purple box sitting atop the smaller pile. "That's the gift for Henry from Abby and Gavin."
"Sounds like you know exactly how to enjoy and appreciate the holidays, son."
"Can I ask what you were shopping for this evening?"
Giving his son a coy glance Hank made stood at the end of the hallway and remained secretive. "You'll see tomorrow."
"More gifts for Henry?"
"Something like that." Hank replied cryptically as he folded his arms across his chest. "Anyway, you know the drill. As soon as Henry's awake we open gifts and then we start making Christmas dinner. I know Henry still isn't ready for a lot of solid foods just yet, but that doesn't mean he still can't enjoy something special for the occasion."
"Right."
"Cool. I'm going to crash for the night. That new mattress does seem to help my back a bit, so thanks for the early gift, kid."
"...And it helps with your snoring."
"What?"
"I said 'You're welcome'." Connor quickly covered his comment as he patted the side of his leg to get Sumo's attention. "Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning. I'll go into rest mode shortly, I just want to make sure everything is ready to go for tomorrow."
"Yeah, goodnight, son."
"Goodnight, dad."
The following morning loud babbling awoke Connor and he turned his head to see Henry standing up in his crib watching him as he slept. Sumo was sprawled out on the foot on Connor's bed, and as soon as Henry woke up so did he. Sitting upright in the bed Connor noted the time of the morning and decided to go ahead and get Henry ready for his very first Christmas.
"Good morning, Henry. Merry Christmas."
Henry held out his hands toward Connor as if saying 'pick me up' and Connor of course obliged. As he held Henry in his arms Connor decided that first thing's first; the little baby would need to be changed before he started opening up his gifts.
"Hopefully Papa is awake, too."
With Henry changed into a fresh diaper and a clean 'onesie' he carried the baby down the hallway into the livingroom. Sumo was right at Connor's leg, but soon the dog trotted quickly forward into the livingroom and sat down at another person's feet. Connor stopped just behind the couch and was almost startled to see 'Santa Claus' himself standing in front of the Christmas tree waiting for them to arrive.
"Uh... Hello." Connor immediately recognized the face behind the fake white beard as Hank, but all Henry saw was Santa Claus. Henry of course let out excited babbles and his eyes lit up at the sight of Santa standing in his own home. "...Merry Christmas?"
"Merry Christmas." Holding out a small box wrapped in blue paper toward Henry, 'Santa' continued to speak in a slightly deeper voice to keep up the charade for Henry's amusement. "This is Henry's first Christmas, so I wanted to give him this gift myself. It's special!"
"...O-Okay." Connor took the box and opened it up on Henry's behalf while 'Santa' took Henry from Connor's arms. Inside the box was a golden pocketwatch with Henry's full name engraved over the gilded finish and had a long gold chain attached. "Wow..." Taking the watch from the box Connor held it in his left palm for Henry to see. Opening the cover of the watch Connor saw a second engraving on the inside and read the inscription out loud to his son. "There's an inscription inside just for you, Henry. 'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa'."
"Pa-pa." Henry repeated as he heard the name and looked into 'Santa's' blue eyes. "Pa-pa!"
Connor closed the watch up and held it in a protective fist as Henry's little hand reached out and took hold of Connor's hand with his tiny fingers. "...Thank you for this. This is an amazing gift."
"It's my pleasure. Now, 'Santa' needs to go and see other children in the city. Have a Merry Christmas, Connor and Henry."
"Y-Yeah, you too..."
Connor took back Henry and watched as 'Santa' made a discreet exit through the backdoor with Sumo following after him.
"Henry, this is truly an amazing gift." Clutching the watch tightly in his hand Connor knew how much the gift would mean to Henry when he grew up. "As much as I want you to have it with you always, I know it'd be best to keep it somewhere safe until you're a little bit older. Okay?"
In less than a minute Hank walked through the backdoor in normal clothing as casually as possible and rejoined his family in the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch he held out his hands to take Henry away from Connor to hold for himself for 'the first time' that morning. As Connor passed the baby over Hank 'noticed' the pocketwatch in Connor's grip and asked about it. "So, where'd that come from?"
Connor gave Hank a knowing glance but played along. "From 'Santa'. It's a gift for Henry, but it looks like you did all the work and Santa just played the messenger."
"It was worth it for him."
Happy on his young son's behalf Connor just smirked as a knock on the front door drew his attention and he handed the pocketwatch over to Hank to hold protectively.
Without even needing to check the deviant pulled open the door and let the 'guest' inside. "I'm glad you made it in time."
"I may be missing Henry's first birthday, but I'm not missing his first Christmas." Luke promised as he stepped inside the house with three gifts tucked under his arms. "Merry Christmas."
"Luke?!" Hank's eyes went wide with surprised shock. "How in the fu-" he stopped short and quickly censored himself on Henry's behalf. "heck, did you get here?"
"I flew in last night and stayed at New Jericho Tower so I could visit. Connor said that having the whole family together would be the ideal Christmas present for you, and I agree."
Hank rose from the couch with Henry in his arms and promptly gave Luke a hug, while also passing Henry over to his Uncle to hold. "Man, you both got that right. Best gift I could ever ask for."
The gathered family sat together in the livingroom exchanging gifts, chatting and watching Henry play more with the empty boxes more than he did any of his new toys, and just enjoyed one another's company. Sumo was laying atop the torn up wrapping paper chewing on his new rawhide bone watching Henry fuss with the boxes and make odd, excited noises as he played in the controlled mess.
"I wish I knew you were coming, Luke." Hank stated as he stared at the blue eyed deviant sitting in the recliner and watching Henry playing. "I would've got ya' something more than that Gears cap I mailed you last week."
"It's okay. Besides, I don't like the idea of trying to fly back to Boston with a lot of personal items. Being able to spend time with my family is all I wanted."
"Yeah, I don't blame you."
"Being here and getting the chance to play with Henry before I have to leave tomorrow is enough of gift in itself. You know, when Connor's done."
Truly happy on that Christmas Day Connor was laying on his right side on the floor watching his son toddling about with great intrigue through the empty boxes and wrapping paper. Everything that Henry did was always fascinating to Connor and his paternal instinct was incredibly strong toward his only son.
Distracted by the colorful mess all around his feet Henry was still walking about some boxes and briefly lost his balance causing Connor to reach out his hand and catch Henry before he fell over. "Daddy's got you."
Henry grabbed onto Connor's forearm with both of his hands and made some new babbling noises. "Dad-dy."
Both Hank and Luke had heard it and were staring at Henry with proud smiles on their faces.
Sitting upright on the floor entirely Connor smiled broadly himself and pulled Henry onto his lap. "That's right... I'm daddy."
Hank smirked as he used his phone to take another photo of Connor holding Henry. It was one of the rare times when Connor was smiling a full smile, not just an amused smirk. "I told you he'd get around to calling you 'daddy'."
"I guess that was Henry's Christmas gift to me." Connor was righteously proud and smiling at the baby sitting on his lap. "And I love it."
"Merry Christmas, sons." Hank stated in an equally proud voice to Connor, Luke and Henry as he snapped the photo for safekeeping on his phone. "Let's hope this is the first of many family Christmases together."
It had been three weeks since Christmas passed and the small family trio was ready to start a new celebration.
Happy and surprisingly full of energy Hank carried Henry into the kitchen and placed him down in the highchair. There were brightly colored balloons all over the kitchen walls and the kitchen itself smelled of freshly baked birthday cake. Henry babbled loudly as the bright colors amused him to no end. A massive colorful banner was stretched over the wall that spelled out 'Happy Birthday' over the doorway of the kitchen and a small round cake was sitting on the kitchen table just waiting for the birthday boy to enjoy.
"Happy birthday, Henry." Hank stated as he gave the baby a kiss on top of his head. "I can't believe it's already been a full year since you came into our lives."
Connor agreed as he carried in a large rectangular box wrapped up in blue paper into the kitchen. "It's very strange to have so many changes take place in such a limited time frame. Henry's grown and changed so much already."
"I'm glad it's all been for the better."
Henry smiled and kicked his feet at the sight of the blue paper as Connor placed the gift on the table behind the cake.
"Happy birthday." Connor parroted as he placed the cake on the highchair tray in front of him. It was a small personal cake with 'Happy 1st Birthday Henry' written in blue icing over the white surface. "This is a special occasion where you're allowed to make as much of a mess as you want."
Sensing the impending celebration Sumo casually strolled into the kitchen and laid down under the table beside the highchair and wagged his tail as he watched Henry happily squirming about above him.
Hank held up his phone and watched as Henry made a reach for the cake with a curious hand. "Connor, take a step back unless you want cake all over your shirt and... everything else."
Learning his lesson from the fruit puree incident a few months back Connor did take a step back and watched as Henry's little hand made a huge dent in the white frosting on the cake. Grabbing a fistful of the cake Henry brought the sugary treat to his mouth and grinned at the sweetness. Bits of cake fell all over the floor around him and Sumo readily cleaned up the mess on Henry's behalf.
"Uh, good boy, Sumo..." Connor didn't want to yell at the dog, especially since he was just eating what fell on the floor, but he didn't want to encourage him to eat human food either. "I guess since this is a special occasion you get some cake, too."
Laughing as Henry made a bigger mess and smeared cake all over his hands, his face and the high chair, Hank seemed at peace with the world and with himself. It always did his heart good to see the same milestones he witnessed with Cole being repeated by Henry. It was like he was given the chance to watch his own firstborn son grow up all over again and relive those wonderful moments for a second time.
"Maybe I should've given him the gift before the cake." Connor rubbed his hand over the back of his neck anxiously as he looked at the frosting all over Henry's tiny hands and dreaded the mess he'd have to clean up. "It'd be easier for him to play with his gift without cake stuck to his hands."
"There was going to be a mess either way, son. What did you buy him, anyway?"
"You'll see." Placing the gift box a little closer to Henry for him to reach Connor pulled away the ruins of the smashed cake once Henry started paying attention to the blue box that was presented to him. "All right, Henry. Here's your gift."
Still lacking the coordination to tear open paper or peel up the flaps by himself, Henry grabbed all over the smooth surface leaving frosting covered hand prints in his wake while Hank and Connor discreetly loosened the paper on the baby's behalf.
"Come on, Henry. Open it up." Connor encouraged as the baby pulled down some of the paper and worked to reveal the gift. "You can do it!"
Slowly but surely Henry managed to tear down enough of the paper to open up the gift (mostly) by himself.
"Wow," Hank was impressed by the revealed item and titled his head at the offered item. "good gift, son."
The box contained a small plastic blue guitar that was designed to help infants experience and learn about music. It was a lightweight toy and made of strong plastic to ensure it wasn't broken by rough play, and it was the very color that Henry seemed to admire most at the moment.
Opening up the cardboard box Connor pulled out the guitar, removed it from its plastic packaging and turned it on. "Fortunately it doesn't require battery replacement, only a charge time of ten minutes so he can play for approximately six hours."
With cake still on his hands Henry smacked his palms all over the new toy excitedly.
Hank chuckled at the reaction while Sumo readily licked up more cake crumbs from the floor. "I think he likes it, kid."
"I'm glad. I just hope he doesn't favor this toy over any of the other potential gifts from his guests when the show up this evening."
"We'll have to wait and see, but I think he'll be happy with everything that everyone gives him. It was also a good call to let him destroy a cake before the guests arrived. It'll make things a little less chaotic with a kitchen full of people."
"I believe that's what would be referred to as 'controlled chaos'." Using his thumb Connor wiped a smear of cake from Henry's cheek as he gave his son a kiss. "Happy birthday, Henry. Hopefully it's the first of a thousand."
Henry: Fifteen Months.
With a keen eye Connor watched as Henry roamed the livingroom with a plastic blue colored 'sippy-cup' in his hand while Hank laid stretched out on his back over the length of the couch. The senior detective's back had been slowly getting worse over the past year and Connor knew that him helping to take care of Henry was exhausting him quickly. Hank of course would never complain about it since he loved Henry and Connor, but Connor refused to let Hank exhaust himself to the brink of sickness.
"You know, Henry is going to need to have a room of his own in a few months." Connor stated as Henry roamed around and kicked over some squishy blocks he had partially stacked up earlier that morning. The mess was as commonplace as Sumo's fur on the furniture. "And it's going to be harder to keep him contained without putting up barricades everywhere."
Hank sighed a little as he turned to look at Connor over the back of the couch as the deviant headed Henry off at the kitchen. "Yeah, I know."
"I recently learned that the Brilstein's next door are moving and that their house is now up for sale."
"Yeah?" Of course Hank already had an idea of what Connor was hinting at. "What about it?"
"I've already made them an offer and I think they'll accept it."
Smirking a little Hank forced himself to sit up on the couch and watched as Connor next kept Henry from trying to climb on the bookshelves in the livingroom and put him back on the floor. "So you're going to move out into your own house, but just go right next door?"
"If my offer gets accepted, yes."
"Cool."
Glancing at Hank as Henry went about his next task Connor made sure that the idea of moving out wouldn't hurt Hank's feelings. "...You won't be lonely?"
"You're going to be living right next door. It's not like you're moving out of state or even across town. And I know that you'll be stopping by all the time anyway, so it's not a big deal. Besides, you'll be taking Henry and I'll be keeping Sumo here so you don't have to worry about Henry trying to 'sample' dog food when your back is turned." Holding up a 'shushing' hand Hank followed up on his previous comment. "Trust me, a toddler who takes a bite of dog food is going to spit-up and it won't be pretty..."
The positive reaction and support made Connor relax where he stood, and feel more at ease. "I'm glad you're okay with us moving."
"You're free to do your own thing and Henry's your son. You know what's best for him, and if you think moving into your own house to give Henry a safer environment to explore is the best choice, then do it. I'll help you as much as I can, and I'll always be there to watch over Henry whenever you need me to. I promise."
"I know that." Picking up Henry, eliciting a grumpy 'no' from the toddler for his efforts as Henry tried to climb onto Sumo's back to ride him like a pony, Connor gave Hank an appreciative nod. "Thanks, dad. Once the deal is set I'll begin packing things up a little bit at a time and make the progress slow to keep Henry from getting too upset."
"I get the feeling you'll be more upset than Henry at this point, but thanks anyway."
Henry: Two Years Old.
As much as Connor loved Henry he had to admit that he wasn't a fan of the dreaded 'terrible-twos', and was worried he'd lose his patience fast. It wasn't a daily occurrence, but Henry would sporadically have temper tantrums and would sometimes throw toys in anger. Hank helped Connor understand that it was all apart of the process of growing up, emotions developing and the toddler learning to communicate while testing boundaries, and to just stay patient with his son until the horrible phase was finally over.
Fortunately Henry didn't have any problems while at daycare, so he didn't have to worry about that, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with an emotionally exhausting toddler having a meltdown at home. Sitting on the black leather couch in his livingroom Connor listened to Henry screaming from his bedroom after being put in 'time-out' for throwing a glass bowl on the floor and shattering it because it was too cold to go outside and play.
The deviant was tired and trying to wait the tantrum out, but he was on the verge of turning off his audio processors to ignore the screaming.
A knock on the front door was almost welcome as Connor quickly rose from the couch and checked to see who it was. "You don't have to knock, dad. You're welcome here all the time."
"I'll keep that in mind for next time. I, uh, I can hear Henry from next door." Hank saw Connor's coin anxiously dancing over his right knuckles as he was beginning to stress a little. "He sounds pissed!"
"Oh... Sorry."
Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave his exhausted son an amused look. "So what did he do?"
"Intentionally broke a glass bowl because I won't let him play outside in the cold weather or let him try to eat rocks when he finds them in the driveway. No, he didn't cut himself on the broken glass, he's just mad at me for putting him in time-out."
"At least he isn't hurt. And just wait until he starts getting mad at you for keeping inedible stuff out of his mouth. All. Day. Long."
The coin faltered a little and Connor stepped back a little. "...I don't think that'll be preferable to the temper tantrums."
"How long has Henry been screaming?"
"Fifty-two minutes, nine seconds."
"Yeah, he'll tire himself out soon."
"How in the world did you put up with temper tantrums without feeling completely drained?"
"The truth is, I didn't. It's just something you have to deal with as Henry learns boundaries and manners."
"When will it stop?"
"Another two years, tops."
That time frame made Connor's eyes widen with mild fear. "...Two years?"
"Connor," Hank put his hand on his son's shoulder empathetically as Henry's high pitched scream made him flinch in response. "when this is all over you won't remember the tantrums or sleepless nights, you'll only remember him growing up and making you happy. I promise!"
"I hope so. I don't want to simply delete these negative memories, but as long as they aren't more prevalent than the positive memories I think it'll be worth keeping them."
"What about the potty-training?" Trying to keep Connor's mind off the tantrum and on to a more progressive subject Hank kept Connor talking and prevented him from stressing out. "How's that going for ya'?"
"Not as bad as I initially feared, he's actually taken to it very well. He still wears a diaper at night but he hasn't had an 'accident' in four days."
"That's good to know." Hank listened as Henry let out one last pitiful whine before he finally quieted down and fell asleep down the hallway. "And he's finally out. See? Gotta' be patient."
Connor held up the right palm of his hand and looked at the display of the video baby monitor set up in the crib. Henry was laying on his back completely asleep and calm for the first time in almost an hour. It was an utter relief for everyone.
"...Do you want to stay for a while?" Connor asked as he lowered his hand. "I need someone to talk to who won't scream at me in return."
Laughing at the all too empathetic remark Hank was happy to have a chat with Connor. "Yeah, son." Stepping inside the house Hank motioned for Connor join him on the couch and relax for a moment. "Let me give you a few tips on temper tantrums and not going insane in the process."
"Thank you..." The relief was thick in Connor's voice as he sought his father's invaluable advice. "Please tell me everything."
Henry: Three Years Old.
From the backyard of his small but loving house Hank tossed a plastic white colored wiffle ball to Henry and watched as Henry managed to successfully swing his giant orange colored plastic bat and strike the tossed ball. As the wiffle ball rolled along the grass back toward Hank's feet Sumo trotted over to the ball and picked it up for himself as if playing fetch and circled around at Hank's feet excitedly.
"Great hit, Henry!" Hank complimented as the little boy smiled at Hank. Pulling the drool covered ball from Sumo's mouth he prepared to give it another toss to his grandson. "Ready?"
"Yeah, Papa!" Henry shouted excitedly where he stood. "Again!"
"Head's up!"
Once more Hank threw the wiffle ball and Henry managed another successful swing. The ball went a little higher in the air before falling to the grass and rolling over to Hank's feet and next to Sumo's paws.
"You're doing great, kid. One more?"
"Yeah!"
As Hank tossed the wiffle ball yet again Sumo let out a bark as soon Connor set foot in the backyard and watched Henry make another successful swing. The ball flew a few feet through the hair before bouncing off the grass and rolling past Hank up toward the back deck. Connor scooped up the ball and tossed it back to Hank.
"Hi, Henry." Connor called out to his son proudly as he nodded at his father. "Dad's home."
"Hi, daddy!"
After catching the ball from Connor's hand Hank tossed the ball a little into the air and caught it again himself. "Hey, son. Anything good happen on your shift?"
"Four drunk college students broke into a library to study and passed out in the 'self-help' section."
Laughing at the absurdity of the case he looked to Henry and prepared another pitch. "Hey, Henry! See if you can hit this to your dad!"
As the ball soared toward him Henry managed to swing the bat and hit the ball easily and while it didn't soar back through the air it did in fact bounce and roll in Connor's direction.
"Perfect!"
Connor picked up the ball again and tilted his head. "Henry has remarkable hand-eye coordination already."
"He's a natural athlete." Boasting like the proud grandpa he was Hank returned his attention to Henry and gave him a new idea. "How about tomorrow we play some basketball, Henry? Would you like that?"
"Yeah!"
Tossing the ball to Hank casually Connor walked over to Henry and picked up the little boy and put him over his shoulders much to Henry's delight causing him to laugh. "I'll join you and play basketball with Papa, tomorrow." Walking back to the house with Hank at his side Connor made sure there weren't any rocks in the grass that could hurt Henry if he tripped or tried to put one in his mouth, he then let Henry down on the kitchen floor. Once Sumo was through the backdoor Henry focused on playing fetch with the massive dog in the livingroom. "I have tomorrow off and I'd like to join you two for a game."
"Sounds like a plan. I already got him something for dinner." Hank stated as he dropped the wiffle ball on the kitchen floor and opened up the freezer door to get a bag of ice for his back. "I hope you don't mind him having pizza."
"No, that's fine. He deserves a little treat for sleeping all through the night in his 'big boy' bed last night."
"Wow, already sleeping like a 'big boy'. Does he still need the nightlight?"
"Yeah, but it's not as bright as he used to keep it."
"A three-year-old working to overcome his fear of the dark. That's really impressive."
Connor only hummed at the comment as he awkwardly shuffled on his feet and broke eye contact with Hank.
"Something on your mind, son?"
"...Maybe."
"Maybe? Come on, what's bothering you?"
"...There was an interesting rumor circulating through the bullpen today."
Hank sighed and pressed the ice to his back as he turned to face his son. "About me."
"There's been talk that you're going to retire soon."
"Uh, yeah, but not for another year or so."
"Oh." Connor seemed genuinely disappointed by the confirmation. "May I ask why?"
"Well, again I'm getting old, son. And in that time Henry will be in kindergarten. It'll be hard to keep a consistent babysitter in the house with our bizarre work schedules, so I figured that'd make it easier on everyone."
"I could hire a nanny."
"Yeah, right. Connor, I know you." Pressing the ice to his back even firmer Hank gave Connor a knowing glance and winced as his tight muscles finally began to relax a little. "You wouldn't trust a stranger with your son, and you won't hire an android to work for you because you'd feel guilty about it."
"I suppose you're correct about that. But you don't have to-"
"I know I don't HAVE to retire, but I want to." Hank interrupted quickly as he spoke with Connor about their futures. "But again, that's not going to be for a while, all right?"
"Right. I understand."
"Hey, come on. You know I wasn't going to stay there forever."
"Yeah, but I don't like the idea of going to the precinct and not having you there to watch my back."
"I hate to break it to ya', kid, but you don't need me to watch your back anymore." Hank confirmed in a proud voice. "You're doing just fine and everyone else is there to watch your back, too."
"That's not the same." Connor looked at Hank and gave him a rather somber glance as he took the senior detective's words to heart. "...You're my dad, I'll always need you to watch my back."
Always appreciative of Connor's kind words Hank patted Connor's shoulder as the two walked into the livingroom where Henry was laughing and rolling around on the floor with Sumo. "Trust me, son. You don't need me anymore."
"Yeah, I do."
As the two detectives sat on the couch together and watched Henry playing with Sumo the duo realized how long they've known each other and how much they've come to rely on each other. It felt like they've been father and son for decades not just a handful of years. And watching Henry grow up so fast only made the feeling that much stronger.
Doubling down on his previous statement Connor emphasized his feelings. "We both need you, dad."
"Good thing I'm not going anywhere any time soon." Ever appreciative of the positive reassurance Hank returned his hand to Connor's shoulder and gave him a gentle shake. "I'll be here, son. Don't worry."
Henry: Four Years Old.
Feeling a tad awkward and very out of place Connor sat at the desk across from the preschool teacher who had accepted Henry's application for admission and was now having a parent-teacher conference with the deviant father. Sitting in a classroom with small plastic chairs, desks, toys and brightly colored walls adorned with the alphabet and numbers was very new to Connor, and it showed in his uncomfortable demeanor. It also didn't help that Connor had no experience with going to school and couldn't empathize with his son's new experiences just waiting for him in the next few months.
Henry himself was sitting in the corner of the classroom putting together a small puzzle with dinosaurs on it while his application was being discussed. Sharp and astute, the little boy managed to use his imagination to entertain himself while Connor spoke with the teacher.
"Henry is an exemplary student, Mr. Anderson. You should be proud!" The teacher, Mrs. Adler, proclaimed with sincerity her voice. "He's well spoken, already knows his numbers and letters, and he can even read at a second grade level. You must've read to him very frequently while he was a baby."
"I would try to read to him as often as possible," Connor confirmed as he felt a deserved sense of paternal pride fill his heart. "but I think his grandfather deserves more credit."
"Well, between you two I know that Henry is growing up to be a bright, well-rounded young man. I just have one item of interest I'd like to ask about."
"Oh?" Certain he covered everything necessary for Henry's application Connor was a little confused by the comment. "What's that?"
"I noticed that when you filled out information on Henry's application you left the information on his mother blank. I take it she's not in the picture?"
"No. She..." Connor looked over at Henry and lowered his voice. He couldn't bring himself to tell Henry about Skye yet. "She passed away."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. It's tough to be a single parent, but it seems like you're managing just fine."
"Y-Yeah, my own father has been helping immensely."
"No need to worry. Henry has been accepted and can begin attending class on September fourteenth. He'll be placed in our gifted program along with the other students, and he'll be permitted to take part in more advanced assignments to ensure he doesn't get bored in class."
"That's a relief to know. Thank you." Looking over at Henry with a faint smile on his face Connor was already dreading having Henry in school all afternoon long and not at home with Hank. The little boy was seemingly fearless as he played with his toys in the corner of the room. "I'm sure Henry will be happy here."
"I know it's hard to send your child off to school for the first time, but I assure you Henry will receive the best education and will be treated very well here."
"I know." Standing up from the chair he shook hands with Mrs. Adler and smiled kindly at her. "Is there anything special that I'll need to prepare for Henry before he comes to class?"
"Well, we do offer snacks throughout the day, but if you want to pack Henry his own meals that's understandable. But really all he'll need is to show up at nine in the morning and be picked up at two in the afternoon."
"That's manageable. I'm certain his grandfather will be available to take care of him while I'm working."
"I'll see you in two weeks."
"Of course. I'll see you then." Holding out his hand Connor walked over to the corner and called to his son. "Come on, Henry. Let's go."
Putting the dinosaurs aside Henry sprung to his feet and quickly held his dad's hand. "Coming, daddy!"
After leaving the preschool hand in hand Connor took Henry to Riverside Park where Hank used to take Cole, and let him know about his admission to preschool as well as how he'd be the one to drop him off in the morning while Hank would be the one to pick him up. Henry didn't seem to mind and loved the idea of spending afternoons at Papa's house since Sumo was over there, then going back home to sleep after his dad finished his shift at work. To Henry it was a new day and a new game, whereas to Connor it was a whole new chapter in Henry's young life.
However, it eased Connor's own worries to see Henry so confident and unafraid of the impending changes.
"You'll be able to make friends and play games with other kids while you're in preschool learning." Connor stated as he pushed Henry on the swing set at the park. "You might even find new books to read."
"Will I make friends like Markus?"
"Uh, maybe." Connor knew that Henry enjoyed spending time with Markus and taking music lessons from the deviant leader every weekend. "I don't think you'll make friends with too many adults, Henry."
"Can I bring Sumo?"
"No, sorry. Preschool is for children only. Dogs have obedience school instead."
"What's 'obeunce'?" Henry had a hard time with the more advanced word but Connor knew what he meant. "Is it good?"
"'Obedience' means someone listens to what they were told and don't argue."
"Like when Papa tells Sumo to sit?"
"Exactly."
"Can we go see Papa right now?"
"Of course." Gently bringing the swing to a stop Connor helped Henry out of the seat and held his hand again as they began walking home. It was too nice of a day to drive and the welcoming weather could disappear soon. "I think he'd be thrilled to know you're starting preschool in two of weeks."
"How long do I go to school?"
"You'll go to preschool on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from nine o'clock in the morning until two o'clock in the afternoon. You'll do this every week for eight and half months. Then you get three months to play before starting kindergarten."
"What's 'kinnergardun'?"
"Kindergarten continues to teach you after you finish preschool. It's like starting a new chapter in a story."
"Oh." Henry happily skipped about as he held Connor's right hand on their way back from the park and to Hank's house. "Is it fun?"
"Yeah." Connor still had no idea how anything in preschool worked since he was never a kid, but he did know to make sure Henry felt confident. "You'll like it and you'll have fun. I can feel it."
After being told the good news Hank was indeed proud to know that Henry had been accepted into preschool and was being placed in the gifted program. Treating the bright young man to a bowl of ice cream Hank and Connor watched as Henry laid on his belly on the livingroom floor with an alphabet book under his nose as he ate his delicious treat, and happily read his book. Sumo was watching from afar, ready to clean up any possible messes left behind, but kept his distance so he didn't get scolded for begging.
Connor noticed that Hank seemed to be transfixed on the sight before him, his eyes glazing over, and quietly asked if he was okay.
"You seem upset about something." Whispering discreetly Connor addressed his father in a low voice. "Are you all right, dad?"
"I'm fine, it's just..." Standing up from the couch slowly he motioned for Connor to follow after him. The two walked down the hallway where the senior detective opened up his bedroom door and then his closet. Pulling down an old cardboard box of photographs from the top shelf he sat on the edge of the bed and sifted through the images until he found one of interest. "Look at this."
Connor held the offered photo in his hand and ran a scan over it. "This is Cole. He looks..."
"Like Henry."
The photo showed Cole laying on the floor working on a coloring book with the original Sumo when he was about the same age as Henry is now. The resemblance was uncanny.
Hank took the photo from Connor's fingers and turned it over. "Read the back."
"Cole Anderson, age four... first day of preschool."
"It's like looking into the past. It catches me off guard sometimes and I have to take a few minutes to get my head back together, you know?"
Giving his father a worried glance Connor made sure Hank wasn't going to have a breakdown. "Will you be okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good now. And I'm more than happy to pick up Henry from preschool and take care of him in the afternoons, so don't worry about that."
"I take it you mean to retire soon, too."
Sighing Hank continued to sort through the photos with a heavy heart and sat down on the edge of his bed. "I put in the request six months ago. This coming Friday is my last day."
"Why... didn't you tell me earlier?"
"Because I knew you'd be upset. But like I said, even though we won't be working together anymore we will still being hanging out in the afternoons and I'll be there to help take care of Henry." Sensing Connor's anxiety Hank wanted to make sure his son was going to be able to handle the changes. "Now it's my turn to ask. Are YOU going to be okay?"
"Yeah. It'll be a strange adjustment at the precinct, but I'll be okay."
"That's good to hear. Come on." Putting the box of photographs aside for a moment Hank stood up from the bed and motioned for his son accompany him back out to the livingroom. "Let's get back to Henry and away from the past for a while."
"Good idea. I'm sure he's finished reading by now and might want to play a game."
"Hopefully not another game of basketball. My jump-shot isn't what it used to be thanks to my damn back..."
When Hank's final Friday rolled around the bullpen was blessed with a quiet day and there were no belligerent drunks yelling slurs from the nearby holding cells. Despite his best efforts to keep it from happening a retirement party was being thrown on Hank's behalf in the conference room by his fellow officers. Being a good sport Hank went along with the party, which was respectfully kept small upon Hank's request, and was greeted by his fellow officers to bid him the best of the luck in the future.
Ben Collins, who had been an understanding and patient officer with Hank during so many cases in the past, made sure to stop by and give Hank a hearty handshake. Ben himself had retired three years prior but was still in the city. Jeffrey Fowler had also arrived to see Hank off, the two old friends had seemingly been able to patch things up when Jeffrey himself retired, and were still on good terms as they spoke to one another in the conference room.
Soon other officers filed into the room one at a time from the bullpen to say their goodbyes and shake Hank's hand. Tina was first and managed to slip in a large sheet cake to be shared throughout the bullpen later on. Almost tearful Tina made sure Hank knew how much she respected him before she had to go out on patrol and perform her responsibilities to the city.
Chris and Jack followed after her and expressed their utmost respect toward their retiring Captain. With a strong handshake Chris bid Hank farewell as he and Jack were assigned a new case to handle. And Jack of course managed to respond appropriately as his deviancy had finally full set in and subsequently he now understood how to be more human.
Always a master of his emotions Hank kept his resolve as he was given a respectful sendoff by his officers.
Joel entered the room next and knocked on the door to get the senior detective's attention. Despite only being the precinct technician and not an actual officer in the bullpen, Joel felt it was necessary to pay his respects as well. It was during his goodbye that Gavin stepped inside the room and waited for Joel to take his leave so he could speak with Hank in private.
"So... You're really outta' here?" Gavin asked in a somewhat nervous manner as he contemplated the bullpen's future without him. "Permanently?"
"Yeah. Between my back going out on me more and more, and Henry starting school, it's just easier this way."
"Hard to believe eight years ago I was convinced you would've... you know."
"Drank myself to death?"
"Yeah."
"You're not the only one." Hank admitted in a breathy sigh. "For what it's worth, you were right to give me shit for being a pathetic drunk."
"No. Now that I have my own kid I know I was wrong to be such an asshole to you. I shouldn't have been such a prick to you or to Connor. We all have our own shit we need to deal with, and it's no one else's business."
"Well, for the record I'm pretty sure you got what you deserved when Connor punched you."
"Yeah. Twice." Noticing that the deviant was curiously absent Gavin dared to ask about Connor's location. "Where is the 'Tinman' anyway?"
"He'll be by soon. Henry had a check-up today."
"Let me guess, you're going to retire from here so you can be a full-time grandpa out there."
"Pretty much, yeah. It's a hell of a lot better gig than dealing with sorry drunks, drug-dealers and bigots pulling guns on me all damn day."
"Yeah, not going to argue on that one. I'd give anything to have the money I needed so I could stay home with Aria all day long."
From the opened conference door Connor entered with Henry at his side and let the four-year-old run over to Hank excitedly.
"Hi, Papa!"
"Hey, Henry!" As much as his back hated it whenever he picked up Henry to hold in his arms Hank did it anyway. "Good to see ya'."
Gavin just stared at the little boy's face for a moment before looking over at Connor. "Jeez... He looks exactly like you."
Connor's brow arched a little as he gave Gavin an odd look. "I believe that was the point."
"No, I mean... It's like there was no, uh, 'steps' taken for him to be here. It's like he's all your blood. It's pretty awesome."
Smirking a little Connor understood what Gavin was saying and merely nodded. "I know what you're saying. And thank you."
"Right. Uh, I have to handle another case, so..."
"I understand. Go." Connor turned to see Hank offering Henry a small piece of the cake much to the future preschooler's delight before sitting him down in one of the chairs at the table. "It's official, dad. You're retired."
"Well, not until I clock-out anyway."
"Do you regret doing it?"
"Not at all." Hank replied confidently as he sat down next to Henry. "It'll be a strange adjustment to not have an entire precinct to take care of, but I'll be able to handle it soon enough."
"Do you know who is taking over the precinct on your behalf?"
"Yeah, she just got promoted and is moving in from Ann Arbor. Her name is Captain Rebecca Foxworth. She's younger than the average Captain but she's got a ton of experience and an impressive arrest record. She's also an advocate for deviant rights and had been one long before the Revolution."
"Good to know I'll have another ally."
Henry finished off his cake and turned to look at Hank. "Papa, can we play basketball at home?"
"Sure. We can play for a little while when I get home from work."
Connor nodded as he agreed to the game and extended his hand to ask Henry to come over to him. "Papa will be home in a couple of hours. Come on, let's get back to the house and take care of Sumo."
"Okay!"
Hank smiled as the upbeat little boy grabbed onto Connor's hand and held tightly. "Bye, guys."
Connor turned to acknowledge Hank before he got too far away. "See you at home, dad."
"See ya', son. See ya' later, Henry!"
"Bye!" The little boy shouted back excitedly as he followed after his dad to take their leave of the precinct. "Love you, Papa!"
Leaning back in the chair Hank let out a tired sigh and discreetly pressed his left hand to his aching back. The pain was getting worse and it was definitely time to retire. Even if Hank didn't have a grandson to take care of he would've retired all the same thanks to age alone.
"All these years of medical and technological breakthroughs and no one can figure out how to stop the human body from giving up on itself. Damn quacks..."
Another week had passed and it was time for Henry's first day of preschool. Arriving in front of the school building at eight-fifty in the morning Connor looked at Henry sitting in the backseat of the Corvette in his booster seat with a big smile on his face. The little boy was fearless and very excited to begin his first day of preschool, whereas Connor and Hank weren't quite so ready to have an afternoon without Henry.
"Are you ready, Henry?" Connor asked as he turned off the engine and opened up the driver's side door. "It's your first day of preschool."
"Yup!"
Pushing forward the driver's seat Connor unfastened the safety restraints on the booster seat and lifted Henry up and out of the vehicle. "Are you nervous?"
"Nope!"
Putting Henry down on his feet outside the car Connor pulled Henry's backpack from the floor of the car and handed it over to Henry to take. "Are you going to be good?"
"Yup!"
"Do you know what time Papa is going to come and pick you up?"
"At two."
"Very good." Taking Henry by the hand again Connor led the little boy up to the front doors of the preschool and showed him to his new classroom. "I'll see you and Papa after I get out of work today. Okay?"
"Okay!"
Kneeling down in front of Henry with a proud smile Connor wrapped his arms around his son and gave him a hug. "I love you, Henry. I'll see you later, okay?"
"Okay. Bye dad! Love you!"
As soon as Henry was free of the hug he excitedly ran into the classroom and disappeared among the other four-year-olds gathered in the play area of the room. Standing upright Connor looked to Henry's teacher and nodded before taking his leave of the preschool to head out to the precinct and begin his shift. As he entered the car in the parking lot to take his leave Connor felt a mixture of joy and dread swim over his heart.
"I'll see you soon, Henry. Have a good day."
Driving to the precinct he sent a cybernetic text to Hank and watched the preschool shrinking away in the reflection on the rearview mirror behind him.
"Henry's at preschool. He seems excited." Connor sent a selected image from his visual memory to Hank's phone to show him how happy Henry looked. "And fearless."
There was a pause before Hank replied via text message. 'And how're you holding up?'
"I'm a little sad to know Henry won't be spending the day with either of us, but I'm happy he isn't afraid to begin school."
'He'll be just fine, Connor. The first few days of school are always the hardest on the parents, not the kids.'
"Yeah. I'm beginning to realize this."
'Go to work, son. Henry will be fine.'
Clocked-out and free to return home after his shift Connor stopped by Hank's house next door to his own house and spotted Henry laying on the floor with a coloring book and a massive box of multicolored crayons. As he stepped through the front door Connor was greeted by Henry's big smile as the preschooler ran over to him and hugged his legs excitedly.
"How was your first day of preschool?" Connor reciprocated the hug and noticed Hank in the kitchen cooking dinner for Henry. "Were you good?"
"I got a star sticker!"
"That's great, Henry. Did you have fun?"
"Yup! I like playing with the keyboard!"
"Keyboard?" Unsure of what Henry meant Connor needed a little more information. "A computer keyboard or an electronic piano keyboard?"
"Piano."
"That's good to know." Picking up Henry to carry into the kitchen Connor greeted Hank just as the now retired detective turned off the stove and finished stirring the sauce in the pain. "How was your first day of retirement?"
"Quiet. Just as I like it!" Hank pointed to the refrigerator and smirked. "It got even better when Henry gave me that drawing."
It was a crayon drawing of Sumo by a giant tree. It said 'For Papa' in the top left corner and it had Henry's name messily scrawled in the bottom right corner in blue crayon.
"That's a great drawing of Sumo, Henry." Connor complimented his son's work. "It looks good on the refrigerator, too."
"The teacher liked it too!"
"Are you ready to go back to school tomorrow?"
"Yup! I want to keep playing with the keyboard!"
Connor tilted his head a little. "Maybe Markus can give you piano lessons as well as your guitar lessons. Would you like that?"
"Uh-huh!"
"All right. Eat your dinner and I'll see what I can do."
"Okay!"
Hank patted Connor's shoulder after he put down a plate of freshly made spaghetti in front of Henry and motioned for his son to accompany him outside to the back deck. Sumo was already running around the backyard and immediately rushed over to Connor to greet him happily. The deviant rubbed his hand over Sumo's ears affectionately and stooped down to rub his chin.
"Connor, my back is really killin' me." Hank stated in a tense voice. "I'm going to go see a chiropractor tomorrow before I need to pick up Henry from preschool."
Standing back up Connor asked his father if he needed any assistance for the following day. "Do you want me to drive you to your appointment?"
"No, I can move just fine, it's just that everything I do hurts me."
"Maybe being retired will take the tension away from your back so you can finally heal entirely."
"Heal entirely? Are you talking about that psycho stabbing me like... six or seven years ago?"
"Yes. The core muscles in the human torso take much longer to heal because they are in constant use from breathing and balance. Even after all this time you would still be healing, and the surgery from your double kidney transplant would only delay your recovery even further."
"I hope it's as simple as that. I don't want to be laid up all the time with ice and heating pads."
Empathetic to Hank's pain and frustrations Connor let out a weary sigh and stared at the setting sun in the distance. "As much as I dislike the idea of not being able to work with you I dislike the idea of you being in pain even more. Do what you have to do to let your back heal."
"I'm trying, son. I really am." Motioning toward the backdoor Hank made his way back inside. "Come on, you better get Henry back home after he finishes dinner so he can have a bath and go to bed. He has school tomorrow."
"It's hard to believe, but you're right. My son is now old enough to start school and needs to be kept on a schedule."
"Hey, why don't you go ahead and let Henry play with the bubble-bath that I picked up for him today? It was on sale and I figured maybe that'd make his bath times a little easier at night when he doesn't want to go down to bed."
"Bubble-bath? Isn't that messy?"
"Nah, it's only a pain to clean up if you get that fancy stuff full or perfumes and dyes." Motioning toward the backdoor of the house Hank kept grinning and was insistent that Henry get to play with the bubble-bath. "I used to give Cole bubble-baths so he'd wear himself out while playing the tub and go to sleep easier. I'll show you to the trick to the perfect amount of soap to make sure Henry has a ton of fun in the bubbles..."
Henry: Five Years Old.
It was well into the fall and cold and flu season was hitting the city hard. Connor had received a call from the elementary school informing him that Henry was feeling sick and quickly clocked-out of the precinct to go and pick him up as soon as possible. Locating Henry laying down on his side on a small cot in the school nurse's office, Connor pressed his hand to his son's forehead and felt him running a pretty uncomfortable fever.
"Hi, Henry." Kneeling down beside the cot Connor made himself eye-level with his son. "How do you feel?"
"...Bad."
"I'm sorry." Very gently Connor picked Henry up from the cot and Henry pressed his head down against Connor's shoulder in response. Looking to the school nurse who had been taking care of the sick little boy, Connor asked about his condition. "How long has he been feeling unwell?"
"His teacher noticed that he didn't eat much during snack time at eleven this morning, and he didn't want to play at all during recess at eleven fifteen." The nurse handed Connor the dark blue backpack and jacket that Henry had been wearing that morning so they could go straight home. "Henry didn't say anything to the teacher until he thought he was going to get sick and throw-up on the playground."
"Did he throw-up?"
"No, fortunately. A lot of kids have colds right now so I wouldn't be surprised if Henry caught one this morning."
Connor nodded and rubbed his hand along Henry's back. "Were you feeling bad this morning?"
"...A little."
"A little?" Connor repeated with an arched brow at the response. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"...I don't know."
The comment was as innocent as it was eerily reminiscent of his own attitude toward feeling unwell or injured in the past. "Okay, buddy. We'll go home and you can get some sleep, and then you'll feel better."
"...I want Sumo."
"Okay. I'll take you to see Papa so you can cuddle with Sumo. I'm also going to let Markus know you won't be making your piano lesson this weekend so you can recover at home. But don't worry, he'll reschedule and you'll be able to keep up with your progress. Okay?"
"...'kay."
As soon as Connor cybernetically texted Hank that Henry was sick and wanted to visit Sumo, the retired detective was quick to respond and made sure Sumo had already taken care of business outside so he could spend all afternoon with Henry, and Markus promised he'd make the time to give Henry an extra lesson as soon as he was feeling better.
Moving slowly and carefully Connor carried Henry, who was very sleepy, out of the school and placed him in the booster seat in the backseat of the car to be driven home. Driving slowly and calmly Connor made sure the ill little boy didn't get motion sick on top of being taken down with a cold. As soon as the car was parked outside of Hank's house Connor turned off the engine and picked up Henry to carry him out of the car and into the house to lay down on the couch in the livingroom.
Sumo readily walked up to the couch and pressed his chin down on the cushion beside Henry as if he knew that his presence had been requested and wagged his tail slowly. Henry rolled over onto his left and looked as miserable as any sick kid could ever look while trying to pet Sumo's head.
"Hey, Henry." Hank greeted his ill grandson from down the hallway and gave him a light kiss on the head. He could feel the fever radiating from Henry's forehead from the brief contact. "Not feeling good, huh?"
"...No."
"Well, Sumo will help." Hank looked over at Connor and sighed sympathetically for his ill grandson. "So, what's the prognosis, son?"
"Probably just a cold, but he's running a fever of one-hundred point six degrees." Connor stated and gave Hank a rather stern glance. "I don't want to take any chances."
"Good decision. I'll grab him a pillow and a blanket." Reaching down his right hand Hank rubbed Henry's arm lightly. "You stay here as long as you want Henry, okay?"
"...Okay." Henry's voice was sad and sounded weak making both Connor and Hank's hearts break. "I'm tired."
"Then take a little nap and you'll feel better."
Connor hated it whenever Henry caught a cold, but something in his paternal instincts told him that whatever Henry had wasn't just a cold this time. Henry never let a cold slow him down before and he never admitted if he was feeling sick. For him to be so still and willing to admit he felt bad was something new to the deviant father.
While Hank went to get Henry the blanket and pillow from the hallway closet Connor sat down on the couch beside his son's legs and lightly ran his hand over Henry's thick brown hair. Henry's hair didn't have the light, natural looking curl to it like Connor's hair, Henry's was perfectly straight like Skye's hair. He did, however, have it styled in a manner similar to Connor's own hair simply because it was the default style Connor knew whenever he helped Henry brush out his hair in the morning.
"Does your head hurt?" Connor asked in a low voice as he noticed that Henry was pale and very tired. "You look like you have a headache."
"...Yeah."
"What about your stomach?"
"...Uh-huh."
Hank placed the thickest pillow in the house down on the couch for Henry to lay on while Connor draped the equally thick quilt over him softly. Sumo kept his head on the couch, letting his face get buried under the quilt, and Henry laughed a little at Sumo for being so laidback and silly.
"Your Papa's right. Try to nap for a while, Henry." Connor ran his hand through Henry's hair again. "You should feel better soon."
Too tired to say anything Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep while Connor turned on the television and found an animated children's movie to play in low volume. Standing up slowly from the couch as to not disturb Henry in the process Connor walked into the kitchen and let out a worried sigh.
"You think he's sicker than just a cold," Hank deduced as he followed Connor into the kitchen. "don't you?"
"Usually whenever Henry catches a cold he gets a very mild fever and a runny nose. But he's tired, feverish, nauseated and has a headache. This isn't the same as a routine cold. At least not for him."
"Not all colds behave the same way. If he isn't feeling better by morning or he gets worse tonight then we'll both take him in to see his pediatrician."
"Yeah, good idea." Looking about the kitchen Connor then asked about making something for Henry to eat. "Do you mind if I make Henry-"
"Like you need to ask." Motioning toward the entire room with outstretched arms Hank let his son have full access to everything. "The kitchen's all yours. I'll go sit with Henry and keep an eye on him."
"Thanks, dad."
A few hours passed and Henry was still out like a light. Connor had made Henry some soup to eat once he woke up while Hank put a cool washcloth over the little boy's feverish forehead. Fortunately Henry was sleeping peacefully and he wasn't getting any worse, but he wasn't getting any better either. Sumo had jumped up onto the couch to lay next to Henry, his massive fluffy body nearly concealing the small boy, and kept him company.
"It's getting late." Connor stated in a low voice as he leaned over the back of the couch to look down at Henry. "But I don't want to disturb him."
"You're both welcome to stay here." Hank replied without missing a beat. "Either crash in your old bedroom or sleep in the recliner. I kept your room the same just in case you two needed to stay over for whatever reason."
"I'm worried that if he does have a serious cold it could be passed on to you."
"If I can survive a lunatic stabbing me in the kidney, gunshots, car accidents and maniacs with a vendetta against the city, I can handle a little cold."
"Yeah... I know."
"It's your turn to get some sleep now. Go." Hank rose from the recliner and motioned to the vacated space with his arm. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything."
Relenting to the request to take a moment to rest Connor walked over to the vacated recliner and sat down slowly. Powering down to a light rest mode to ensure if there was any change in Henry's condition, or if Henry asked for him, that he'd wake up immediately and be able to help out, Connor finally fell asleep. Within two hours of entering rest mode Connor snapped awake and was greeted by Henry standing in front of the recliner with tears in his blue eyes and Sumo standing at the small boy's left side.
"Henry? What's the matter?" Connor pressed his right hand over Henry's forehead and realized that his fever had slowly risen to another degree. "What's wrong, son?"
"I don't feel good." The frustrated boy stated as he began scratching at his forearm. He was paler than usual and seemed to be very uncomfortable where he stood. "My arm is itchy."
"Itchy?" Gently Connor took Henry's arm in his hands and saw two small red welts forming on his pale skin. Running a biometric scan on the small blemishes and relaying Henry's symptoms to an online medical program, Connor's cybernetic database gave him an answer and it made him feel as terrible as Henry looked. "Oh no. Henry, it looks like you have the chicken pox."
"What's that?"
"It means you're sick." Letting go of Henry's arm Connor reached down and picked up the sick boy to hold in his own arms. He could feel that Henry was radiating a consistent heat and more pink blemishes courtesy of the chicken pox were beginning to slowly appear over his face and neck right under the keen eyed deviant's watch. "I'm going to run you a cool bath."
"A bath?"
"It'll make you feel better. It worked for me when I was sick with-" Instead of saying the entirely accurate condition known as 'Pyrexia Impairment', a.k.a. android chicken pox, Connor replied more simply but just as honestly. "I had the chicken pox, too. A cool washcloth helped with the itching, so I know a cool bath will help you feel better quicker."
Opening the bathroom door Connor turned on the faucet in the bathtub and began drawing a cool bath for Henry. Sitting Henry down on the sink Connor helped the sick little boy remove his school clothes and then wrapped him up in a fluffy blue towel to keep warm for a while longer. As the tub filled Connor pressed his hand over Henry's forehead again and noted the other blemishes beginning to form on Henry's skin all over his body.
"I know it's going to be hard to do," Connor empathized with his son's illness and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug. "but you can't scratch your chicken pox. If you do it'll make your skin feel worse and it can make you feel sicker."
"But it itches!"
"I know. I'll do everything I can to make the itching stop."
Glancing at the water level in the bathtub Connor carried Henry over and sat down on the edge of the tub with Henry on his lap. Turning off the faucet and checking the water's temperature Connor found it to be ideal and helped Henry to sit down in the tub slowly. Staying on the edge of the tub with the towel over his lap Connor saw additional blemishes now forming over Henry's back.
"You'll feel better in a few minutes." Slipping off his gray blazer and rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, Connor prepared to take care of his ill son as best as he could. "Let me know if you feel too cold."
There was a knock on the opened bathroom door and Hank stepped inside looking sleepy yet somehow alert. "Hey, what's going on?"
Connor turned to look at Hank and gave him a pleading stare. "Henry has the chicken pox."
"Aw, man." Hank let out a tired sigh and stepped back out of the bathroom to get something to help his ill grandson. "Hold on, Henry. Papa knows what'll stop the itch."
Making a cup with his right hand Connor scooped up some of the cool water and gently ran it through Henry's hair to try to ease his fever. As he did so Hank returned with a canister of oatmeal and proceeded to pour a generous helping into the water. Both Connor and Henry gave the retired detective the same confused look as the oats were poured into the tub and quickly expanded in the water all around the sick boy.
"I know it looks weird, but trust me, it'll help. The oatmeal will help stop the itching and keep Henry's skin from drying out while he's sick." Putting aside the canister Hank reached under the sink and found a bottle of bright pink Calamine lotion to ease the itching as well. "This will help, too." Grabbing onto Henry's school clothes Hank made his way back out of the bathroom. "I'll throw his clothes in the washer and get Henry his spare pajamas from the hall closet."
"Thanks." Connor continued to carefully run the now oatmeal littered cool water over Henry's hair and along his back. "How do you feel, Henry?"
"Sleepy."
"Just sit in there for a few more minutes and then you can go lay down in my old bed to sleep. Okay?"
Henry nodded quietly as he pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his forehead against his knees.
Connor took a washcloth and dipped it into the water then he began wiping the cool soothing water over Henry's back very gently. As the cool water began to ease Henry's fever and the little boy let out a sad whimper as his skin was really beginning to itch. Knowing that Henry was trying to suffer in silence Connor's heart began to ache. Waiting for ten minutes to give the cool water enough to work on Henry's feverish itchy skin Connor gently picked Henry up from the water and placed him on his lap over the towel and used the towel to dry him off.
"I put your pajamas in the dryer for a few minutes so they're nice and soft for you." Hank placed the clean pajamas down on the floor at Connor's feet and picked a drying flake of oatmeal from Henry's hair. "I'll put some lotion on your skin, too. It'll stop the itching and you'll be able to sleep."
Henry was trying not to cry as he sat on Connor's lap. Instinctively Connor 'shushed' Henry to try to soothe him as he used the towel to dry him off without making his itching skin feel worse, and Hank began to apply the lotion to his raw skin at the back of his neck and shoulders.
"It's okay, Henry. I promise this will only happen one time." Connor stated calmly as he very carefully rubbed his hand over Henry's sore back. "Once you get the chicken pox you'll never catch it again. You'll be immune forever. It's just a shame you caught the chicken pox to begin with."
"You get his legs." Hank stated as he passed the lotion over to Connor. "I'll help him get his shirt on and then get a Benadryl and a mild fever reducer. It'll stop the itching and let him sleep more comfortably tonight."
"Good idea. Thanks, dad."
Together Connor and Hank took care of Henry; soothing his skin and getting him into his clean pajamas, all the while holding Henry and easing his discomfort as much as possible.
"Come on, Henry." Connor carried his son into his old bedroom just across from the bathroom where his old bed was still set up and covered in clean sheets and a thick quilt. "You need to sleep. The more you sleep the better you'll feel, okay?"
"It's dark." Henry complained as he was laid down on the bed and tucked under the quilt. "I don't like it when it's too dark."
"We don't have a nightlight here." Connor thought of an alternate solution pretty quickly since the aquarium had been moved from his bedroom over to his new house's livingroom a few years back. There was no alternate light sources but there was an alternate way to make Henry feel safe and secure. "Would Sumo make you feel better?"
The little boy nodded as Connor ran his hand over Henry's damp hair.
Hank had overheard the conversation and coaxed Sumo into the bedroom by simply patting the side of his leg. As the massive dog clumsily leapt up and laid down on the foot of the bed to snuggle down for the night Henry made another sad whimper.
"What's wrong?" Connor ask as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside his son. "Is something else making you feel bad?"
"Everything hurts."
"Everything... hurts?" Connor looked over to Hank for guidance, who quickly understood what was going on. "Everything?"
"Body aches." Hank replied casually as he knew what Henry meant. "Just like whenever I get the flu or something. It feels like your whole body is bruised."
"O-Oh." Connor was somewhat relieved to know it was normal for humans to experience body aches when sick. "I'm sorry, Henry. I'll try to make the pain stop, okay?"
"Here you go." Hank brought in the small doses of the medication for Henry to take. "One will stop the itching," he stated as he showed Henry the tiny amount of pink liquid in a pre-measured plastic cup, then showed him a second plastic cup with a small amount of red liquid. "and the other will bring down your fever."
Reluctantly Henry sat up and looked at the medicine with a heavy grimace. Connor helped Henry to take the medicine one at a time and saw that the little boy hated the taste openly. "Henry? Something wrong?"
"...It's strawberry." Henry complained as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I don't like strawberry."
"Don't worry, you don't have to take medicine everyday." Connor reminded him in a calm voice. "Want some juice or water?"
Henry nodded a little and Hank grinned.
"Already gotcha' covered." Hank held out a small plastic drinking cup filled with apple juice and the little boy took a sip quickly to rid the taste of the medicine from his mouth. "Better?"
Henry nodded again and laid back down against the pillow, his face still miserable and sad as Hank took back the cup.
In an effort to help Henry feel better Connor pulled up the thick chocolate brown quilt to Henry's shoulders, and his mouth twitched as he offered up another suggestion to try to make Henry feel comfortable. "Do you want me to rub your back?"
Henry silently nodded still feeling lousy.
"Okay." Connor put his hand on Henry's shoulder and helped him to roll onto his side facing toward Connor as he laid down beside him and began to rub his back gently. "Try to sleep." The deviant father spoke softly as he urged Henry to get some rest. "You won't itch while you sleep."
Sumo let out a sympathetic whimper and rested his chin down on Henry's ankles as the little boy curled up on his side beside his father.
Hank nodded in agreement as he watched Connor's own eyes close while he continued to try to comfort his ill son. The retired detective, father and grandfather waited from the opened doorway for Henry to fall asleep before turning off the bedroom light, but kept the light in the bathroom across the hallway on so it was shining into the room to act as a makeshift nightlight for his sick grandson.
"Goodnight, boys." Hank smiled with a whisper as he walked down the hallway and back to his bedroom for the rest of the night. "I'll see you in the morning."
"...Goodnight, dad." Connor whispered back as to not disturb Henry as his son drifted off to sleep. "Goodnight, Henry."
The following morning Connor called off of work to take care of Henry and proceeded to cuddle with the sick boy on the couch. Hank had managed to coax Henry into eating a little of the chicken soup Connor made the night before, as well as a small piece of toast with peanut butter on it. It wasn't much but at least Henry was still eating while he was sick and keeping his strength up.
Connor was laying stretched out over the couch on his back with Henry laying over his chest. As the sick boy napped through his illness Hank draped a blanket over the duo and held up his phone to show Connor that he had been texting with Abby since last night.
"Well, it turns out Henry is just one of a dozen kids at the school with chicken pox so far. Aria caught it too and got sick this morning. She's in the second kindergarten across the hall from Henry, right?"
"Correct."
"I guess recess is the most opportune place for germs to jump from one kid to another."
"It's best if children get sick with the chicken pox at a young age than at an older age, right?"
"Yup. I was ten when I got the chicken pox and it sucked. I still have a few scars, but I never caught it again."
"How long did it last?"
"Well, I had a fever for almost a week and then it took almost another week after that for all the sores on my skin to clear up. The same happened to Cole when he was about three-years-old. His misery was my misery..."
"Two weeks?" Connor sighed and rubbed his hand gently over Henry's back sympathetically. "Poor Henry."
"He'll be okay. Kids are tougher than they let on."
"That doesn't make it any easier to see him so miserable."
"I know, son. Trust me, I know."
Henry wasn't scratching and seemed to be resting comfortably as he slept with his ear pressed up against Connor's chest to listen to his heartbeat. Despite being five-years-old and a thriving kindergartner the simple act of listening to Connor's heartbeat still soothed Henry to sleep.
Sighing a little Connor looked down at Henry's face as he slept and then looked up at Hank as he hung over the back of the furniture to watch his son and grandson laying on the couch. "Do you think Henry would like some ice cream when he wakes up?"
"I know I would." Hank nodded in agreement and put his hand to Henry's back lightly over top of the blanket. "Don't worry. Henry will be getting five-star treatment while he recovers at 'Chateau-Papa'."
"Thanks, dad." Relieved to have his father guiding him through his own adventures through fatherhood Connor felt confident in his decisions toward Henry's care and recovery. "I know we can always count on you."
Henry: Six Years Old.
A loud scream followed by high pitched crying from the backyard made Connor go running from the kitchen, the meal cooking on the stove completely forgotten about, and outside into the backyard in matter of seconds. Laying on the ground beside the fence that lined the rear of the property from the neighbors was Henry, who was crying loudly and holding onto his left arm as he laid curled up in a protective little ball around himself. Next to Henry was a mess of pulled green leaves and extra twigs from the tree towering over the other side of the fence above the crying little boy indicating a nasty incident with the neighbor's tree.
"Henry!" Connor raced outside and knelt down on the grass beside his son. "Henry, what happened?"
Between sobs Henry managed to get out a few words that Connor understood. "Fell" and "Tree" stood out the most, followed by the word "Hurts".
"You were trying to climb the tree and fell?"
Henry nodded as Connor ran a biometric scan over Henry's small body and was relieved to see that he hadn't suffered any injury to his spine, neck or skull. However, there were two notable fractures in his left radius below his wrist. Scrapes and small cuts covered Henry's hands, arms, knees and his chin from when he fell out of the tree and hit the ground. Hard.
"Come on." Scooping Henry up into his arms Connor proceeded to carry his son from the backyard and back into the house. As he made his way to the backdoor Connor noticed that Hank was well on his way over as he too had heard Henry scream. "I'll take care of your arm, but you're going to need to see a doctor."
Hank managed to get through the backdoor right behind Connor and followed after the deviant as Connor carried Henry into the bathroom to clean up his scrapes and cuts.
"Hey, Henry." Hank knelt on the floor beside Henry as Connor placed the crying little boy on the edge of the bathtub. "It looks like you took a pretty bad fall."
Henry only nodded as he cried and sniffled.
"Did you climb the tree?"
Henry nodded again as Connor proceeded to gently press a damp cool washcloth to the scrapes on his knees to clean them up.
"Didn't we say you shouldn't do that because the tree's too tall?"
Again Henry responded with a nod.
"And now do you know what we meant when we said it was too tall for you to climb?"
Sniffing hard Henry gave Hank a sympathetic glance that just made Hank press his palm to the side of Henry's cheek and hold it there for a minute.
"Lesson learned, huh, buddy?"
Connor proceeded to finish cleaning up the small wounds on Henry's knees and wrapped them up in gauze bandages. "Henry, does your arm still hurt?"
Henry sniffled again. "...Yeah."
"We'll get you some ice for your arm, then we're going to have a doctor look at it."
"Why?"
"Because I think your arm is hurt bad enough that it'll need to be put into a cast until it's better." Connor had become very skilled at explaining things to Henry in a simplified but intelligent manner to his young son so he could understand what was happening to him without getting too technical. "The cast will make sure your arm doesn't hurt you anymore, and it will keep it safe until it's all better."
Hank lightly patted the side of Henry's face as he stood up from the floor. "I'll go get him an ice pack. Want me to go ahead and let the hospital know that Henry's on his way in?"
"That'd be a good idea." The deviant confirmed as he continued to clean up Henry's cuts and made sure there weren't any small bits of gravel or twigs, or anything else in his injuries, as he cleaned them and bandaged them. Hank took his leave of the bathroom while Connor stayed with Henry. "How'd you even get up in the tree to begin with?"
"I... I grabbed a branch."
"The low branch hanging over the fence?"
"Uh-huh."
"The branch that both your Papa and I told you to not climb on?"
Henry looked away from Connor and down at his bandaged knees as guilt crept over his eyes. "...Uh-huh."
Connor could see that Henry felt bad enough and had clearly learned his lesson. It was just a shame that he had to learn it in such a hard way. "I'm not mad. I'm just worried because you're hurt, that's all."
"I won't do it again, dad."
"I know you won't." Connor looked over his shoulder as Hank returned with a bag of ice wrapped up in a towel for Henry. As the ice was gently put on Henry's fractured arm Connor carefully picked Henry up and proceeded to carry him out of the bathroom and outside the house to the car. "We'll get your arm taken care of." It was then Connor noticed there was a small amount of blood on Henry's bottom lip as well and wanted to check for another injury. "Open your mouth for a moment."
Henry obeyed and opened his mouth revealing that he had lost one of his bottom front teeth.
"You lost your loose tooth when you fell."
"I did?!" Henry pressed his right fingers to his mouth in shock. "It's gone!"
"Don't worry, the 'Tooth Fairy' will find it."
"You take care of Henry," Hank called out as the deviant carried Henry outside and opened the car door as the Corvette sat parked in the driveway. "I'll take care of the mess in the backyard."
"Thanks, dad. Don't worry, Henry." Securing Henry in his booster seat Connor made sure his son heard a confident voice speaking to him. "As soon as your arm is in a cast it'll feel much better. I promise."
Two hours after taking Henry to the hospital the doctor who saw to the little boy confirmed the two fractures in his arm and set the limb in a protective cast to heal for the next six to eight weeks. Sporting a dark blue cast on his left forearm and carrying a cherry red popsicle in his right hand, Henry walked back into the house alongside Connor without a single tear on his face. As the little boy walked back into the livingroom of the house he was greeted by Hank who was looking a little worn out and was covered in green grass and dirt from his hands to his feet.
"Hey, Henry." Hank called out as he wiped a cool cloth over the back of his sweaty neck. "Nice cast."
"I got to pick the color!" Henry beamed as he showed Hank his arm that had Connor's name (Dad) written on its side in a white paint pen and in perfect CyberLife sans. Pulling the paint pen from his pocket with his bad arm, the cast making it somewhat difficult, he presented it to Hank. "Wanna' sign it?"
"Of course I do."
Connor glanced out the window in the kitchen to the backyard and saw that Hank had actually sawed off the low hanging branch from the offensive tree and cleaned up the leaves that had collected by the fence when Henry fell. It was the neighbor's tree that Henry had fallen from and that of course made the act a little worrying.
"Hey, uh, dad... What happened to the tree branch?"
"I asked the neighbors first, son." Hank replied as he finished writing 'Papa' on Henry's cast. "They were cool with it since the branch grew over your property, and that by us getting rid of it they wouldn't have to worry about Henry getting hurt again."
"That's good."
"Wow, Henry." Hank capped the pen and admired all the autographs on Henry's arm. "You have a lot of names on here already."
"Dad took me to see everyone before we came home. And Markus got me this popsicle!"
Carefully Hank turned over the cast to read all the other names printed neatly over the blue wrapping. "Let's see, you have my name, your dad, Markus, North, Josh, Simon, Aria, Gavin, Abby... Jason. Who's Jason?"
"My best friend!"
"Oh, that makes sense. I bet you'll fill up your cast at school tomorrow."
"Can Sumo sign my cast?"
"Uh, he might have trouble holding the pen. How about I write it for him?"
"Okay!"
Connor returned to the livingroom and was relieved to see Henry wasn't upset and wasn't in any pain after having his arm broken. "Henry suffered two hairline fractures to his radius. Fortunately they are stable breaks and won't require any surgical intervention to support the bones with pins as they knit."
"That's good to know." Hank gave his grandson a knowing glance as he spoke. "And now Henry knows why we didn't want him climbing the tree, right?
"Right." There was a smear of cherry red all around Henry's lips as he ate the popsicle, not that he cared. "I won't climb the tree no more."
"Good boy."
"Tomorrow you can show your cast to the rest of your class and get more names." Connor stated confidently as he stared at his brave and very tough young son. "Finish your popsicle so you can get a bath and go to bed, all right?"
"Can't I stay up a while longer?"
Knowing full well that Henry was going to fall asleep pretty quickly once he finally settled down Connor relented and allowed it. "Okay, but only a half hour."
"Thanks, dad!"
Henry rushed off to his bedroom to play for a while and Connor ran his right hand over his tired face.
Noticing Connor's demeanor Hank put his hand to Connor's shoulder and held his palm in place. "He scared the shit of ya', didn't he?"
"Yeah... I've never heard him scream that loud in his entire life. That was a whole new level of fear I felt."
"Well, you kept your cool and that kept him calm, too. You did everything perfectly."
"Is it strange that I wished he had inherited my initial fear of heights?"
"I don't think phobias are genetic, son. You had your fear instilled from what those CyberLife creeps did to you." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank craned his neck to make sure Henry wasn't in hearing range. "If Henry does become afraid of heights he'll know exactly why it started and can overcome it a lot easier than you did."
"I get the feeling Henry's going to be able to overcome A LOT of things much easier than I did."
"Sure, why not?" Sitting down on the couch Hank rested his back and let out a weary sigh. "He had you to raise him and you're the most empathetic person I've ever met. Hell, you actually felt bad for criminals who tried to kill you."
"Fortunately I haven't been singled out for being an android in nearly six years. That makes it much easier to do my job."
"Yup. By the way, I finished taking care of the little dinner you were making before Henry got hurt."
"O-Oh..." Connor hadn't thought about the pasta he had been making before Henry had fallen. "I must've forgotten to turn off the stove."
"Yeah, you're a dad all right. You put your son above everything else."
"I suppose I should also thank you for not allowing the kitchen to catch on fire during my abrupt departure."
"No problem, son. You can replace a few burned pans and even entire kitchen, but you can't replace you own kid. Also," Hank reached into his right front pocket and presented Connor with Henry's missing tooth. "I don't know how I actually found it, but I did."
"Thanks." Connor took the small tooth and held it between his right index finger and thumb. "I imagine Henry getting a visit from the 'Tooth Fairy' tonight will make him feel better tomorrow morning."
"Yeah? Is that tooth worth a whole dollar still?"
"More like five dollars since he was so brave at the doctor's office. It might be an odd way of going about it, but I think this would be an effective way to reward his positive behavior and reactions."
"Damn right. If you fall out of a tree and break your arm AND lose a tooth without crying all day long afterward, you definitely earned at least five bucks."
Henry: Seven Years Old.
A gorgeous summer had resulted in a long overdue family vacation to the cabin outside the city. Hank, Connor, Henry and even Sumo all went to the cabin to spend a week together and to get away from the business of Detroit for a while. It was Henry's first time at the cabin and it had been almost seven years since Connor was able to join Hank at the cabin because he was still working at the precinct and needed to tend to Henry at home.
Though he spent his weekends alone over the past few years Hank still loved going out to the cabin and had kept the place in pristine condition by himself.
"Here we are." Hank proudly announced as the Oldsmobile pulled up to the cabin and the family piled out of the vehicle together. "What do you think, Henry?"
Henry's blue eyes lit up at the sight of the cabin and property right beside the driveway. "This place is yours, Papa?"
"Yup."
"That's so cool!"
The slightly taller and more well spoken child shouted excitedly as he opened up the rear door of the car, released his safety belt from his booster seat and jumped out of the car onto the dark green grass. Henry stretched out his legs and began running through the grass to get to the backyard of the cabin with a new sense of excitement. Sumo, now older and moving slower, trudged after Henry protectively as he too jumped down from the backseat of the car.
Connor shouted after the energetic child while he helped Hank with the luggage from the trunk. "Henry, don't go near the lake!"
"Did you bring his life vest?"
"Yeah, it's packed with the rest of the fishing gear." Pausing for a moment Connor looked over to his father with a single request. "...I don't mind you taking Henry fishing, but-"
"I'll practice catch and release again, I swear, son."
"Thanks."
"Come on." The sun was out, the air was still and it was warm without being too hot. "It's the perfect day to take him out on the lake for a while."
"Of course. I'll take everything inside the cabin and you can get him ready to go out."
It only took Hank a few minutes to get Henry secured in his life vest and get the fishing gear set up in the small boat. After filing the gas tank and checking the engine Hank released the rope securing the boat to the dock and pushed the boat a few inches from the dock with his foot. Connor was watching from the shoreline with Sumo plopped down in the cool grass beside him.
"Stay in the boat, Henry." Connor called out as the boat drifted a little further away from the dock and into the water. "Listen to Papa. He knows best!"
"I will! Bye dad!" Henry was waving excitedly as Hank pulled the starter on the engine and it roared to life. "See ya' later!"
Connor watched as the boat sped away from the dock and out into the middle of the lake at a steady clip. Kneeling down on the ground Connor pet Sumo's side and received a happy wag of the tail for his efforts from the lethargic elderly dog.
"Good boy, Sumo. I hope this isn't your last summer with us, but if it is, we'll make it the best for you."
Sumo lifted up his head and licked at the side of Connor's arm affectionately as the two stayed at the cabin waiting for Hank and Henry to return from their private fishing trip together.
"Might as well take care of the cabin. Wanna' help?"
Sumo grumbled and laid back down in the shade.
"I didn't think so. It's your vacation, too."
The sun was just beginning to set over the water when Connor heard the fishing boat's engine coming closer to the dock and he caught sight of the water craft returning to the property. Stepping outside of the cabin Connor walked through the backyard to greet the returning duo and helped guide the boat back over to the dock to be secured by the restraining rope.
Hank looked a little pale and Henry seemed a little quieter than normal upon their return.
"Are you two all right?" Connor wasn't going to let their behavior go unnoticed and asked about it as he held the boat next to the dock and re-secured the rope from the dock and to the boat itself. "You seem upset."
"Fine. Just tired." Hank responded quickly as he helped Henry to climb out of the boat. "What'd you do while we were out on the lake?"
"I finished unpacking and I proceeded to make a bonfire. I thought you and Henry would enjoy hamburgers tonight."
"Sounds great. Uh, I'm going to go lay down before my back acts up. Do you mind taking care of the fishing gear?"
"No, I got this. Go inside."
Standing up warily in the boat Hank set foot on the dock and slowly trudged toward the cabin without his hand pressed to his back as he walked. Though he seemed to be in pain it certainly wasn't in his back and Connor had a hunch that whatever was bothering Hank was more emotional than physical.
"Henry," Connor spoke to his son in a low voice as they worked together to carry the tacklebox and fishing rods back to the cabin. "did something happen while you were fishing?"
"I dunno'." The little boy replied honestly and with confusion evident in his words. "Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Well, when I was setting up my hook Papa told me to be careful, but..."
"But what?"
"He didn't call me 'Henry'." Henry answered with the same confusion in his voice. "He called me 'Cole'."
"...Cole?" Connor repeated the name as his heart skipped a beat. "Interesting."
"And then he got really quiet for a while."
"Oh." Connor was beginning to understand Hank's suddenly dour mood. "I see."
"I don't know why Papa got so weird after he called me by my middle name. It's not a big deal."
Keeping his voice hushed Connor asked for more information on their outing at the lake. "...Did you talk about anything else before you came back?"
"Yeah. Mostly sports and how I want to try out for the basketball team next year. And Sumo." Henry recounted as he and Connor stepped off the dock together. "And what it's like to be a cop. That's about it."
"Okay, good. I'm glad you two kept talking to one another." Placing the tacklebox and fishing poles on the small back porch and up against the cabin's exterior wall Connor turned to look his son in the eyes. "Henry, I think we need to talk."
"What about?" Still confused Henry didn't know what was happening. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, no! You didn't do anything wrong, son. It's just... complicated."
"Uh... doesn't 'complicated' mean weird?"
"Essentially, yes."
"So Papa was being weird and now you're saying things are weird." Henry was rather astute and trying to figure things out for himself but he didn't have any idea what was going on. "What's so weird? My middle name isn't weird, is it?"
"No. And like I said, you're not in trouble. Understand?"
"I guess so."
"All right. Come with me, we need to have a talk."
"Where are we going?"
"Just over to the bonfire. We don't have to leave the cabin."
"Cool! I like it here!"
Connor just smiled as Henry raced over to the massive dead log that was sitting on the property just a few feet away from the roaring bonfire and sat down. Sumo was laying on the other side of the fire and promptly trotted over to Henry as soon as the boy called him with a simple pat of his hand on the side of his leg. Joining his son on the log Connor unsnapped the plastic supports around Henry's life vest and slipped it from around the boy's shoulders and placed it on the grass beside the log.
"Henry," Connor began in a calm voice as he prepared to explain things to his young son. "I want you to know you didn't do or say anything wrong, okay?"
"Okay. But, why did Papa get so weird and call me 'Cole'?"
"Because, Henry, you look a lot like Cole."
"I don't get it." Henry was more confused than ever. "Who's Cole?"
"Cole is your Papa's other son." Showing Henry the palm of his hand Connor revealed a photograph of Cole for the boy to see. "This is Cole when he was about your age." A new detail popped into Connor's mind that made him feel a tad guilty. "...In fact, it would be his birthday tomorrow."
Henry was quiet for a moment as he processed what Connor had just told him. "I thought you and Uncle Luke were Papa's kids."
"We are. But before either myself or your Uncle Luke had even met your Papa he had another son named Cole."
"...I still don't get it. Where is Cole and how come you and Uncle Luke never talk about him?"
"Because," gently putting his hand to Henry's shoulder as the image faded away, Connor told him the sad story with a heavy heart. "about fourteen years ago your Papa and your Uncle Cole were in a very bad car accident, and they were both hurt. Your Papa hurt his ribs but he got better. But your Uncle Cole was hurt so badly that the doctors couldn't make him better. He passed away and your Papa was very, very sad for a long time. And he still gets sad sometimes when he thinks about Cole because he misses him so much."
"Uncle Cole went to Heaven?"
"Yes, he's with your Grandma Barbara and your-" It was still hard for Connor to talk about Skye and he didn't want to tell Henry that he'd never meet his mother. Not yet. Instead he quickly changed the subject. "...And because you look like Cole, your Papa accidentally called you by his name instead."
"Did I make him sad?"
"No, Henry. The memory of losing Cole made him sad."
"Is that why my middle name is Cole? Because of him?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Why'd you do that?"
"The same reason I picked your first name. Do you know why I chose your first name?"
"No."
"I picked the name 'Henry' because that's your Papa's first name. I named you after him to honor your Papa because he's a great father and a great man. And I picked the name 'Cole' to honor your Uncle Cole's memory."
"Oh. What was Uncle Cole like?"
"I... I don't know. Your Papa told me a few things about him, but he'd get really sad after talking about him and didn't want to talk anymore. I do know your Papa loved him very much, just like he loves you."
"You said Uncle Cole died before you and Uncle Luke met Papa. How did you meet your own dad?"
"Your Uncle Luke and I were adopted by your Papa. We don't have the same blood as your Papa, but we're family all the same. He cares about us and we care about him. It's love that makes a family, not blood."
"Adopted?"
"Yes. That's when a person who needs a family is taken in by a family." Connor explained simply and coolly. "Papa took me in and gave me a family because he wanted to, and because I needed a father to guide me through my life. And your Uncle Luke and I had been... separated from each other for a long time." It wasn't a total lie and much easier to explain to a small child that way as opposed to everything Luke went through. "When we found each other your Papa took him in, too. If it wasn't for him I don't know where I'd be right now, but I do know that I wouldn't have you in my life. And that thought makes me feel sad, too."
"Oh." Henry looked around the bonfire to see where Hank was but he was still inside the cabin. "But, everyone always say I look like you."
"That's right."
"And I look like Uncle Cole?"
"That's also right."
"So does that mean you look like Uncle Cole, too?"
That question was a little unexpected and Connor wasn't quite sure how to answer. "I... I suppose that's true as well. I hadn't thought about it like that before, but it makes sense."
Henry kept looking around trying to see where Hank was but the emotionally distressed man was nowhere to be seen. "Where is Papa?"
"His back was hurting him a little," the white-lie wasn't entirely untrue, either. "so he went to lay down for a while. He'll be back outside in a few hours."
"Okay."
"Want to help me with dinner?"
"Can Sumo come with us?"
"Of course." Connor stood up from the log and walked toward the cabin with Henry right beside him. Sumo slowly plodded after them with his long tail lightly wagging back and forth. "He can help clean up any messes we make on the floor."
The sun had almost set entirely and the bonfire was still as bright and warm as ever. Hank had returned to the bonfire after an hour of being alone and happily joined Henry for dinner. Sumo ate up some of the scraps dropped on the kitchen floor or in the grass, but for the most part enjoyed resting his aging bones near the warm fire and being close to his family. Connor was tending to the fire while Henry sat beside it petting Sumo much to the dog's delight. Hank himself was sitting with his back to the fire so he could watch the sun set into the darkness over the lake as he became lost in melancholy thought.
"I'm going to get more wood for the fire." The deviant father stated as he eyed the pile of firewood stacked neatly behind the cabin by the cellar doors. "Don't get too close to the fire, Henry."
"Okay." The happy little boy looked up from Sumo to watch Connor walking toward the cabin then turned to look at Hank. Standing up from the ground he rushed over to the log and sat down beside Hank curiously. "Papa?"
"Yeah, Henry?" Hank's eyes never left the sunset as he answered the question. "What's up?"
"...What was Uncle Cole like?"
Though the question caught Hank off guard the loving grandfather didn't flinch. Looking down at his grandson Hank could've sworn he was looking at Cole himself. With an appreciative grin on his face and tears in his blue eyes he wrapped his arm around Henry's shoulder and pulled him up against his side left and Henry leaned up against him. As he hugged Henry and watched the last of the sunlight fade away into the night Hank let out a weary sigh and finally answered the question.
"Well, Cole was a lot like you, Henry." Talking about Cole seemed to be bringing Hank a much needed sense of peace as he spoke. "And your dad..."
Henry: Eight Years Old.
Still a little wary of his previous agreement to host a small slumber party for Henry and his friends, Connor managed to open up as much free space in the livingroom as possible as Henry and his best friend Jason, as well as two other good friends from his basketball team, Robby and Jordon - and of course Aria, spread out their sleeping bags on the floor. It was the first time that Connor had to entertain an entire group of children but he was up to the challenge and kept texting Hank for advice on the matter.
'They're eight, not eighteen.' Hank reminded him casually as he slowly texted his son from his own house next door. 'You don't have to worry so much.'
"I've sent Henry over to Jason's house four times in the past for a sleepover, but I've never had to host one."
'It's easy. Give the kids pizza, let them play some games and then watch a movie. They'll fall asleep really fast and by morning their parents will come by and pick them all up to head for home. They'll have a good time and in a few months you'll probably do it again.'
"I don't think it'll be that easy tonight since Aria is here."
'Why's that?'
"The boys are discussing basketball and Aria seems bored. She doesn't enjoy sports as they do."
'Well if the boys are entertained by themselves then you should just focus on her. She's your goddaughter after all. Hell, she and Henry are kinda' half siblings. You know what I mean?'
"Yeah, I know. Even if Aria and Henry weren't so indirectly related I'd tend to her all the same."
'Good. Now, stop talking with me and take care of her.'
"Right. I'll make sure she's having fun."
Ending his cybernetic texting with his father Connor walked into the livingroom from the kitchen where the four boys were talking about basketball and Aria was sitting on the couch with her stuffed toy cat on her lap. Sitting down beside the little girl on the couch Connor spoke to her kindly and decided to see if she wanted to do something fun that didn't revolve around basketball.
"Hi, Aria."
"Hi." Aria was soft spoken and very polite. She had Abby's hair color but Gavin's eyes and she was very intelligent and kind. "I liked the pizza."
"That's good. Do you want to play a game?"
"What kind of game?"
"Any game you want to play."
The invitation was very alluring and her eyes lit up quickly. "Can we play 'makeover'?"
"...What's 'makeover'?"
"I can show you!" Excitedly Aria got off the couch and grabbed her purple backpack that was sitting on the floor by the television set and rushed into the neighboring kitchen. "Come with me!"
Obediently Connor walked into the kitchen and followed after Aria as she pulled out some small make-up kits and nail polishes that she had been given by her parents for her birthday last month. Completely unfamiliar with the concept of make-up Connor just sat and watched as Aria got everything set up and grabbed on to his right hand.
"Lay your hand flat on the table."
"All right..." Doing as instructed Connor watched as Aria set up her small bottles of nail polish all in a neat row, then sat back in the chair. "Now what?"
"And now pick a color!"
Three hours after Connor initially texted Hank, he sent his father another text to confirm that everything went all right and that the five kids were all asleep on the livingroom floor, tucked into their sleeping bags and were all pretty happy. The boys were on the floor and Aria was sleeping on the couch since she was the last one to fall asleep and Connor put her there to rest after she started falling asleep at the kitchen table. Draping her sleeping bag over the small girl and tucking her stuffed kitty under her arm Connor was convinced she'd be warm and comfortable throughout the night.
After very quietly cleaning up the plates and empty cups from the floor without disturbing the kids Connor made sure they were all comfortable in their sleeping bags and all had pillows. The television was left on at a low volume to keep some form of light at all time for the little kids in case one or more were afraid of the dark or needed to see their way around the unfamiliar house to get to the bathroom just down the hallway.
A reply text appeared in Connor's visual processors as he went to his own bedroom and kept the door open to keep a close eye on the kids.
'Sounds like you made sure they all had fun. What'd you do with Aria?'
"I played a game with her while the boys talked. Then they all watched a movie and fell asleep."
'See? Not a big deal.'
"Thanks for your help. I'll see you tomorrow."
Connor stayed in a light rest mode to keep tabs on the five children and much to his relief they all stayed asleep throughout the entire night. Once morning came around Connor proceeded to make his way into the kitchen and prepared the five kids breakfast before helping them pack up their things and make sure they had everything they needed before leaving for home.
As the group of kids all sat around the livingroom with plates of pancakes, eggs and juice Connor received texts from the other parents letting him know that they'd be stopping by within the hour to get their kids. Unsurprisingly Abby was the first to show up since she and Gavin were going to head out of the city for a weekend away and have a small family vacation with Aria, and was so happy to see her daughter having fun with her godfather.
As Connor answered the door the sweet little girl rushed over her mom with her backpack and stuffed kitty in her hands. "Hi, mom!"
"Hi, Aria!" Abby beamed proudly as she saw the smile on her daughter's face. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah!" Aria continued to smile brightly as she told her mom about playing a game with Connor. "I got to play 'makeover'."
Abby gave Connor a curious glance as she picked Abby up and held her on her right hip. "'Makeover', huh?"
Connor blushed a pale blue and held up his hand to show Abby that he allowed Aria to paint his fingernails emerald green. "...It'll wash off."
"Don't worry, Connor." Abby laughed discreetly at the nail polish on her friend's fingernails. "You're not the first guy she's talked into playing 'makeover' with her." She leaned a little bit closer and whispered to the deviant to keep the four little boys from hearing her speak. "Gavin's toenails are purple."
Connor smirked as Abby thanked him, took her leave of the house and carried Abby out to the car where Gavin was waiting behind the steering wheel.
"Bye, Abby." Connor called out as the duo left the house to head out for their next adventure. "Bye, Aria."
"Bye!" Aria waved happily to Connor from her mom's ship and she shouted back to him before being placed in the backseat of the car by Abby.
Shortly thereafter the rest of the kids were collected by their parents and Henry helped his dad clean up the livingroom and put the furniture back in place. As the little boy picked up the plates and cups to put in the kitchen sink Hank walked in through the backdoor, and greeted Henry as Sumo walked in beside him.
"Good morning, Henry."
"Hi, Papa." Henry replied sharply as he saw his grandfather and the loyal Saint Bernard. "Hi, Sumo."
"Have fun last night?"
"Yeah!" Sumo trotted up to Henry and began licking sticky syrup from his fingertips making Henry laugh. "We're going to win all our basketball games this year and then we're going to win every game the year after."
"I wouldn't doubt it for a minute."
Connor joined Hank and Henry in the kitchen and promptly rubbed Sumo's ears with his hand as he offered Hank something to eat. "Want some breakfast? I believe I made too much even for five people."
"Yeah, sure. Then I want to-" Hank spotted the green on Connor's fingernails and grabbed his hand in a light grip. Admiring the shining color over Connor's fingernails he just gave the deviant an amused smirk. "Uh, son, are you trying a new look?"
"...Aria." Connor blushed pale blue again as he took his hand back from Hank's grip. "It was her idea."
"Oh. That explains it."
"I'm apparently not the first male that Aria managed to play her 'makeover' game with."
"Gavin?"
Nodding his head Connor placed his hand behind his back still somewhat embarrassed. "Gavin."
Henry saw the green on his dad's fingernails and laughed a little. "It's okay dad, it's better than having purple toenails!"
"O-Oh..." Connor smirked devilishly at the remark. "I suppose you're right."
Putting his hands to his hips Hank gave Henry and then Connor an odd look. "Purple toenails?"
As his blush faded Connor gave Hank some context for the comment. "...I guess Abby didn't whisper as quietly as she thought she did."
Henry: Nine Years Old.
It was the final junior league basketball game of the season and Henry's team had won the game handsomely. Connor and Hank had both been able to watch the game and were very proud of Henry for playing a great game, and for being a good-sport throughout the entire tournament. As the night came to an end and the attending family members all claimed their children from the elementary school gymnasium, Connor met with Henry outside of the gym and walked with his son toward the parking lot where Hank was already waiting for them by the car.
"Great game, Henry."
"Thanks, dad."
Leading Henry through the parking lot Connor spoke with his son with a proud tone and enthusiastic energy. "I guess you'll have to settle for playing basketball at home with me and your Papa until the next season starts."
"That's cool. As long as I don't have to run sprints!"
"Only if you want to. Ready to head home?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."
Henry was walking with his basketball tucked under his right arm and was unusually sluggish even though his team had just won. Connor just chalked it up to him being tired after a long game and didn't try to force a full conversation.
"When we get home you can shower off and I can drop you off at Jason's house so you can go have pizza with your friends."
"That's okay, I'm not hungry."
"...Are you sure?" The response was completely unexpected and it put Connor on edge as his paternal instincts kicked in. "You didn't eat much this morning."
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Are you all right?" Connor asked as he and Henry made it to the Corvette and pulled open the driver's side door. Pushing the driver's seat forward Connor let Henry climb into the backseat before replacing the seat climbing in himself. "You act like you don't feel well."
"I'm just tired." Henry replied firmly as he took his seat and fastened his seatbelt. "...Can Jason come over tomorrow?"
"Yeah, tomorrow's Saturday so if it's okay with his mom he can come over." Adjusting the rearview mirror Connor looked at Henry's reflection and his mouth twitched a little as he turned over the engine. "Do you have a headache?"
"Not really." Henry was fairly pale but denied feeling sick. "I'm just tired, dad."
Already sitting in the front passenger seat Hank sensed there was something wrong with Henry, too. But just like Connor he knew Henry wouldn't admit it if he was feeling sick unless he was really suffering. "Well, you'll feel better after you sit down for a while." Giving Connor a knowing glance Hank tagged on another thought. "Maybe you can hang out with Sumo on the couch again?"
Henry didn't respond to the offer which sent up red flags for both Connor and Hank within seconds.
"We'll be home in a few minutes, son." Connor had begun to speak more like Hank as Henry grew up, not that either of them were surprised. "Then you can pass out in front of the television or with a book."
Once home with Henry, having shown no interest in playing with Sumo, practically confirmed that Henry was still acting as though he didn't feel well. After taking his shower he changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt before laying down on his left side over the black leather couch in front of the television. As Henry's eyes drifted shut Connor very discreetly put his hand over Henry's forehead and ran a biometric scan over his son to ensure he was really okay.
Henry felt like he was running a mild fever and his entire demeanor spoke volumes of illness.
Ever attentive Connor took the dark blue quilt from the back of the couch and draped it over Henry's sleeping form to make sure he was comfortable as he rested. Sitting down on the second smaller couch adjacent to where Henry was laying Connor continued to monitor him from where he sat as a precautionary measure. Henry was very pale and seemed exhausted beyond that of just playing in a basketball game.
Connor knew something was wrong, something oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
As it neared ten in the evening Connor detected that Henry's fever was beginning to rise and knew he was much sicker than he was going to admit. Before he had the chance stand up and walk over to his son laying on the couch Henry suddenly awoke and began to whimper in pain.
"Henry?"
"...My stomach hurts." As Henry slowly sat upright on the couch he wrapped both of his arms protectively around his stomach and began to cry in pain. "It really hurts!"
Connor's hand returned to Henry's forehead and noted his temperature at one-hundred and one point eight degrees and climbing. "I'm taking you to the hospital."
"No!" The scared, pained child called out loudly. "I don't wanna' go!"
"You have to go, you're very sick." Scooping Henry up and into his arms Connor made his way outside the house through the front door and next to door to where Hank still lived. Opening the front door of the second house Connor called out to Hank for help. "Dad?"
"Connor?" Hank was still awake and reading in bed when his son walked inside. Making his way down the hallway as quickly as he could Hank saw Henry curled up around himself in Connor's arms and his blue eyes went wide. "What's going on?"
"I need to take Henry to the hospital; St. Vevila. He's burning up and in a lot of pain."
"All right, I'll drive." Hank grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf, slipped on his shoes and grabbed his dark overcoat by the door. Forcing himself to remain as calm as possible Hank took charge of the situation to ensure remained calm as well. "Come on, let's go."
While Hank drove the Oldsmobile to the hospital Connor sat in the backseat with Henry still being held in his arms and up against his chest. Henry was trying to curl around himself as much as possible as the pain in his stomach continued to escalate and he was getting paler by the second. Connor was very lightly running his hand over Henry's hair to comfort him while also keeping tabs on his fever.
"Dad, I'm sick!"
"I know." Cybernetically Connor made contact with the hospital to inform the deviant receptionist of their impending arrival and of Henry's medical history for a more efficient examination. "You're going to be okay, Henry." The young father promised his sick son. "You just need to see a doctor."
"It hurts!"
"I know it does. We're going to get you to a doctor and make it stop."
Pulling into the emergency entrance area of the parking lot Hank watched as Connor opened up the rear door to exit the vehicle and carried Henry inside the hospital for treatment. Hank hated to let them go inside without him but he couldn't abandon the car out front. As a former first responder himself Hank knew the frustration of emergency crews having to deal with an abandoned vehicle in front of a hospital, and forced himself to drive off to park elsewhere and then rejoin Connor inside the hospital.
Passing through the main lobby of the hospital Connor carried Henry up to the receptionist desk and was promptly greeted by Dr. Wilson who took Henry from Connor's arms and placed him down on a nearby gurney to be taken into an examination room.
"It's okay, Connor." Dr. Wilson reassured the worrying father as took charge of Henry's care. The doctor had gotten word of the incoming patient and quickly volunteered to oversee the treatment with a nurse already at his side. "We'll take good care of Henry."
"I-I know."
"Henry?" Dr. Wilson spoke to the frightened child as he pressed his palm over Henry's forehead for himself to gauge his fever. "My name is Dr. Wilson. I'm here to help you, don't be afraid."
The gurney was attended to by two orderlies who began wheeling Henry away from the receptionist area and toward the designated emergency exam room. Connor walked alongside his son and remained at his side while Dr. Wilson gave him a quick examination and determined that the most likely cause to Henry's sickness was appendicitis.
"Henry," Dr. Wilson carefully lifted up the boy's t-shirt after the gurney was taken into the exam room to reveal his abdomen before he lightly wrapped his fingertips around Henry's wrist to count his pulse. "I'm going to press my hand on your stomach now. If it hurts let me know and I'll stop."
Henry looked up at Connor as if needing reassurance. Connor nodded and grabbed onto Henry's free hand to let him squeeze in case the pain made him wince or scream. "It's okay, Henry. This is part of the exam to figure out why you're sick."
Lightly Dr. Wilson checked Henry's abdomen by palpating the lower right quadrant with his fingertips. As he neared the inevitable 'hotspot' Henry let out a yelp of pain and squeezed Connor's hand as he tried to roll onto his side away from Dr. Wilson.
"I'm sorry, I won't touch it again." Dr. Wilson promised as he put his hand on Henry's shoulder in a comforting manner. Glancing up at Connor the doctor communicated the bleak news that Connor was already expecting. "He'll need an M.R.I. to confirm the diagnosis, but I'm already certain he'll need surgery."
Henry's pale face went even paler at the word 'surgery' and his hand tightened around Connor's even more. "I don't want surgery!"
Connor reciprocated the squeeze and ran his opposite hand through Henry's hair again. "I'm sorry, but it's the only way to help you feel better."
"No!"
Dr. Wilson made a note in Henry's electronic chart and motioned for the nurse who had accompanied him to give the two a moment of privacy.
"It's okay to be scared, Henry." Doing his best to reassure his sick son Connor tried to explain things as calmly as possible. "But you need-"
"No! Please!" Scared and in pain Henry begged to not have the surgery. "I don't want it!"
After parking the car in the lot outside Hank had made his way to the receptionist area to show his old badge to the deviant receptionist and informed her of his grandson being admitted. She happily directed him back to the examination room and allowed him to go about freely. He had bumped into Dr. Wilson just seconds prior to locating Connor and Henry and had already been informed of Henry's probable condition.
"Henry?" Hank saw that Henry was terrified and wanted to do everything he could to help him feel better. "What's wrong?"
"I don't want surgery!"
Connor silently mouthed the word 'appendix' to Hank, who quickly figured everything out and knew what Dr. Wilson told him had been completely true.
"You'll be okay." Hank encouraged as he stood on the opposite side of the gurney from Connor and pulled up his gray t-shirt a little. "See that scar? I had surgery to have my appendix taken out, too. And I'm okay."
"A scar? I don't want a scar!"
Connor reacted quickly and did the same thing Hank did. "I had the same thing happen to me." Lifting up his own black t-shirt he pointed to where his analysis filter, his 'android-appendix' had been inside his abdomen, when it failed. "I didn't end up with a scar because I was younger than your Papa when I had my surgery. You won't have a scar either, and you'll be okay just like we are."
Henry was still terrified and no one could blame him. Being in a hospital as a child was scary enough, but needing surgery was even worse!
"Henry," Connor kept his voice low and calm as he knelt down beside the gurney and locked eyes with his son. "everything will be all right. Dr. Wilson is going to take you to get a test done and make sure it's really your appendix making you sick. And if that's the case then you'll have to have surgery. But you'll be asleep the whole time and won't feel anything. No pain at all."
"...Really?"
"Yes, really." Connor promised as he continued to run his hand through Henry's hair. "And when you wake up both me and Papa will be right here waiting for you. As soon as you're given the clear we'll take you back home and let you spoil Sumo rotten."
Dr. Wilson and the nurse returned to the exam room and shook Hank's hand respectfully as he addressed Connor. "They're ready for Henry upstairs. If it is his appendix he'll need to be taken into surgery A.S.A.P. to have it removed. Do we your consent?"
"Y-Yeah. Of course."
The nurse handed Connor the electronic tablet containing the official documents to be signed.
With a somewhat shaking hand Connor signed his name and handed the document back to the nurse. "Henry," Connor planted a kiss on Henry's too warm forehead as he spoke. "you're going to be all right. I promise."
Henry only nodded as the safety rails on the sides of the gurney were lifted up and locked into place by Dr. Wilson and the nurse. As Henry was slowly wheeled out of the room and down the corridor to the elevator out of sight Connor let out a heavy sigh and pressed the heels of his palms to his face in worried frustration.
"Hey, hey..." Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder in a grounding manner to lead him out of the exam room and back to the waiting room. "Come on, son."
Taking in a deep breath Connor fought to keep himself from having an emotional breakdown. "...I hate this."
"That's exactly how I felt when you had to have your filter thingy removed."
"Henry isn't an android, dad. He's a human, he's... fragile. And still so small."
The fear in Connor's voice reflected Hank's own fear from the night Cole had died when he needed emergency surgery. Cole had suffered internal trauma, whereas Henry only had an inflamed appendix. An appendectomy was a rather routine procedure in the hospital and Dr. Wilson was a skilled doctor. He helped Connor when he was sick, so Hank was confident that he'd be able to help Henry, too.
"Son, Henry is one strong little boy. He's just like his father."
"That doesn't make it any easier to accept."
"Sit down with me for a minute. Breathe."
Hank guided Connor to one of the vacant seats in the waiting room and sat down next to him. Keeping his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank encouraged Connor to breathe slowly and to try to calm his mind. As the worried young father sat idle in the chair next to Hank his right hand went for his front jean pocket and he pulled out his old coin.
As Connor nervously danced the quarter over his right knuckles Hank saw the quarter and just shook his head. "It's been years since I've seen you mess around with that thing."
"My hands had been rather full the past nine years."
"Yeah, I get that." Sitting back in his own chair Hank crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Henry will be fine, son. You just need to sit and wait."
"I dislike being unable to help him as much as I dislike waiting."
"You did help him. You knew he was sick and you knew he needed to go to the hospital. A lot of parents would either 'wait and see' what happens or just panic. You did real good, son."
Bowing his head a little Connor sighed and closed his eyes as the full gravity of the situation rested heavily in his heart. "I just hope it was good enough."
Three painfully slow hours passed by with Connor now pacing about the waiting room with his coin still dancing over his hand and Hank lightly dozing in the chair a few feet away. Very few people were left in the waiting room as the late night hours turned to early morning hours, and it seemed only Connor and Hank were still somewhat conscious as it neared one in the morning. Just as the pacing deviant crossed the room for the fifty-second time Dr. Wilson returned to speak with him with a confident smile of relief on his face.
Connor stopped short and looked to Dr. Wilson without saying a word.
"Henry's just fine, Connor." The good doctor replied with full honesty being conveyed in his words. "He's in his own recovery room and just waking up from the anesthesia."
Lowering his hand, his coin finally coming to a stop, Connor gave the doctor a pleading sigh. "...Can I see him?"
"Sure, but only for a few minutes. It's very late."
"Yes, of course." As he pocketed his coin Connor turned to look back at Hank where he was still sitting in the chair. "Did you want to see Henry, too?"
"I'll see him the morning, son." Hank knew Connor needed a moment alone with his son and found an ideal excuse to give him that moment. "He's going to be too drowsy from the anesthesia to really talk anyway."
"Right. I'll let him know you'll see him in the morning."
"Tell him I love him and I'll even bring Sumo, too."
"I will."
Walking at Dr. Wilson's side Connor was shown to Henry's private room where he was drifting in and out of awareness as a deviant nurse kept an eye on him. The small boy had a nasal cannula under his nose as the additional oxygen would help flush the remaining anesthetic from his system and help with his overall recovery. A small plastic clip was attached to his left middle finger to keep tabs on his vitals on the muted cardiac monitor beside the bed.
Henry's face wasn't as pale as it had been but he still looked miserably sick.
Very lightly Connor wrapped his hand around Henry's firearm and whispered to him. "Henry? Henry, it's dad."
Henry's blue eyes began to flutter a little as he recognized Connor's voice. "...Dad?"
"Right here. How do you feel?"
There was a slight delay as Henry regained his bearings and became more alert. "Kinda' ...numb."
"That'll fade in time. Do you remember what's going on and where you are?"
"I got sick." The little boy answered correctly. "...I'm in a hospital."
"That's right. You're going to stay the night here and I'll take you home tomorrow afternoon, okay?"
"Where's... Where's Papa?"
"He's going to go home for the night to take care of Sumo, then he and Sumo will come back to the hospital to see you in the morning."
"...Are you gonna' go, too?"
"No, son. I'll be here all night." Giving Henry's forehead a kiss Connor made it known he wasn't going anywhere. "If you need me to do so I'll go buy a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor right next to you."
"Thanks, dad."
The nurse just looked at Connor and smiled as he stayed with Henry and proceeded to run his hand through Henry's hair again. Taking a chair from the far wall the nurse placed it beside the bed for Connor to use as he stayed beside Henry for the rest of the night.
"Get some more sleep." The loving father encouraged as he continued to use his fingers to come through Henry's hair in a comforting manner. "You'll feel much better in the morning, son."
"...Okay, dad." Groggy and still weak from being so sick Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep very quickly under his loving father's touch. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Henry. Sleep well."
True to his word Connor stayed beside his healing son's bedside well until dawn and never once left the room. As morning came Henry's incision was examined by Dr. Wilson and he was given the all clear to go home to rest while taking antibiotics to stave off any potential post operative infection. Since his incision was still healing Henry was allowed to skip the following entire week of school, which of course meant he got a little spoiled by both dad and grandpa, and got to have Sumo all to himself while he healed.
While Henry rested on the couch in the livingroom with Sumo visiting with him and sprawled out over the little boy's legs Markus stopped by the house to visit the sick little boy and bring him a few things to help him feel better. A few 'Get Well Soon' cards came from New Jericho's leaders and Markus himself brought Henry a few spare canvases, various paintbrushes, oil paints and a wooden paint pallet for him to mess with while he healed on the couch.
"This is all for you, Henry." Markus smiled as he gave the little boy all the gifts after stepping through the front door of the house. "Enjoy!"
"Thanks, Markus!"
The deviant leader had essentially taken an honorary role as an additional Uncle since Luke still lived in Boston and loved every second of it. More than happy to give Henry piano and guitar lessons at his own house whenever he could spare the time, and Markus had become pretty attached to the little boy.
"I'm glad you're feeling better." Markus stated as he sat down on the neighboring couch to speak with Henry. "When you're ready I'll give you some extra piano lessons to help make up for while you're healing."
"Cool! Can you teach me how to play piano and play the guitar at the same time?"
"Uh... Maybe you can play the piano with one hand and strum with the other. But you're going to have to ask your dad about multitasking with a guitar. He's far better than I am and will start taking over your guitar lessons soon enough anyway."
"That'd be so cool. Then maybe I can learn to play the sax' like Uncle Lucas!"
"Sounds like you want to be your own entire band."
"Why not? That's be awesome!"
Connor stepped into the livingroom from the kitchen to check in on Henry who was laying stretched out over the length of the leather couch. Having called off work to take care of Henry for the first forty-eight hours of his recovery with Hank taking over for the remainder of the recovery time, Connor was constantly checking in on his healing son.
"Hey, Henry. How do you feel?"
"Okay, I guess." Henry was getting used to be laid up instead of running around playing basketball or doing something beyond watching television all day. "I kinda' feel like I have a big bruise in my side, or like I ran too much during practice."
"That's how I felt after my 'surgery'." Connor sympathized as he stood behind the couch to look down at his son. "It'll stop soon."
"Look what Markus got for me!" Henry proudly held up the newly acquired art supplies and smiled. "What do you think?"
"I think that's perfect for you." Connor approved of the gift and was very appreciative of Markus's generosity. "Thank you, Markus."
"No problem, painting is a great way to keep him entertained without hurting his healing side." Markus's experience as a caretaker was proving to be invaluable when it was truly important. "Do you need anything else, Connor? I don't mind doing a few errands."
"Thanks again, but we're good. Hank went out to grab a few things for Henry and will back soon. You're free to hang out with us though."
"Sure! It'd be nice to get away from work for a while." Glancing down at Henry with a grin Markus asked for his approval and picked up one of the paintbrushes sitting on the the couch cushion beside Henry. "Do you mind?"
"No!" Henry had seen Markus's work in person and was amazed by the deviant leader's artistic talent. "Show me how to paint!"
"All right, no problem."
As Markus sat down on the couch next to Henry to show him the proper method for using oil-based paints and the different types of brushes he had been given to use, Connor took the opportunity to make Henry a light lunch. "Think you can eat something?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"All right. I'll go make you some soup and then you can have a little ice cream after."
Henry smiled at the idea of being able to have ice cream for lunch, while Markus just grinned at the very human and compassionate mannerisms that Connor had developed after Henry had been born. It was strange to know Connor first as 'The Deviant Hunter', then an ally who infiltrated a high security tower to free their people, help lead the Revolution, help establish android rights and fight back against discrimination; now acting as one of the most attentive loving parents in all of the city.
"Here's a trick to oil-painting, Henry." Markus held up the tube of white paint and put a small portion on the first canvas to give the little boy a few pointers while Connor busied himself in the kitchen. "If you put a white base down and leave it wet the paint will blend much easier..."
Henry: Ten Years Old.
It was a cold winter morning and Hank was walking about slowly through the kitchen as he prepared a fresh pot of coffee for himself. Sumo was laying down on his side on the giant pillow in the corner of the livingroom with an old worn-out red and white plaid blanket wrapped all around his arthritic body. It was about two weeks until Christmas and Hank was trying to put together his 'to-do' list at the kitchen table to get everything taken care of before the holidays when his phone started 'buzzing' right beside his hand as he sat down at the kitchen table to continue sorting his thoughts.
Picking up the phone and recognizing the number instantly as Connor, Hank answered and continued on with his list. "Hey, son. What's going on?"
'Papa?' It was Henry's voice on the line not Connor. 'It's me.'
"Henry!" Always happy to hear from his grandson Hank turned his full attention to the phone call and put aside his left. "Hey, bud'. What's up?"
'Papa, I think something's wrong with dad.'
"What?" Standing up from the kitchen table quickly Hank turned off the coffee pot and made his way to the livingroom to grab his shoes and his thick coat from the hook beside the front door. "What's wrong with your dad?"
'I think he's sick.'
"What makes you think that?"
'He won't wake up.'
"Where is he?" Opening the front door Hank made his way over to the house next door and continued to talk to his grandson over the phone. "Keeping talking to me. Where's your dad?"
'Dad's in his bed.'
"Okay. Are you with him?"
'Uh-huh.'
"Good. Put your hand on his forehead for me. How does his skin feel?"
There was a brief pause before Henry answered. 'Hot. And he's sweating.'
"Okay, buddy, I'm outside the front door right now. I'll be inside in a few seconds." Unwilling to hang up the phone until he was by Connor and Henry's sides Hank entered the house by unlocking the front door with his own key and made his way down the hallway and into the master bedroom at the very end of the hallway. "Henry? Connor?"
"Papa." Henry hung up the phone and stared as Hank entered the bedroom and hung up his own phone. "Is dad sick?"
"We're about to find out." Hank stood over the bed and looked down at Connor's alarmingly pale, sweaty face with a masked worry. Not only was Connor's complexion pale, but he had dark bags under his eyes, his cheeks were pale blue with flush and his sweaty hair was clinging to his forehead. Gently Hank placed his hand over Connor's forehead confirming the fever and used his thumb to lightly lift up Connor's eyelids to check his glassy pupils. "Yeah, Henry. It looks like your dad is sick."
"Does he need to go to the hospital like I did last year?"
"I hope not." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank pulled back the quilt from Connor's upper chest to try to help him cool off a little as he picked up Connor's wrist to count his pulse. "But he will need us to help take care of him until he's better."
"Papa," Henry noticed that Hank was pressing his fingers around Connor's wrist and now pressing his opposite palm down against the deviant's chest. "why are you holding onto dad's hand?"
"I'm checking his pulse."
"Pulse?"
"It's a way for me to count his heartbeat."
"Why are you doing that?"
"Because I can figure out exactly how sick he is by counting his pulse. He's going to be all right though, understand?"
Henry didn't look convinced and remained worried where he stood. "...Okay."
"Connor?" Hank gently shook Connor by the shoulder as he spoke his name. "Come on, son. Wake up for me."
Slowly Connor's dark brown soulful, but glassy, eyes opened and focused on Hank's face as he leaned over him. "...Dad."
"Hey, son. How do you feel?"
Pausing to think for a moment Connor blinked once and then answered succinctly and honestly. "...Hot."
"Yeah, you're definitely running a fever." Hank confirmed as his son gained his bearings. "Looks like you got the flu again."
"...Where's Henry?"
Hank pointed at the scared little boy standing beside the bed. "He's right here."
Groggily Connor turned his head a little against the pillow and looked at Henry who was waiting for his dad to say something to him. "Hey, Henry."
"Hi, dad." Henry only looked mildly relieved when Connor acknowledged him. "Papa says you're sick."
"...Yeah. I guess I am."
"I didn't know androids could get sick."
"We can." Connor confirmed with a slightly amused lilt to his voice. "I've been sick before, so has Markus. It's not too different from when a human gets sick, which means I will get better, too."
"How did you get sick? Germs?"
"No." Connor was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. He was incredibly tired and fighting to remain conscious for Henry's sake. "Androids get sick from software glitches or viruses, but I've always been vulnerable to the cold. And this time I got sick from the cold because I wasn't wearing a thick enough coat when I went out on a case yesterday afternoon in the rain." Letting out a weak and unexpected cough Connor looked and sounded as terrible as he felt. "...I just need to rest."
"Then lay back and sleep." Hank urged as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. Returning his free hand to Connor's forehead, brushing away the rogue lock of hair in the process, he tried to gauge his fever. "How's your temperature?"
"...One-hundred and two point four degrees."
"Yup. You're sick." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank encouraged his son to get some rest so he could recover. "You sleep and I'll take care of you AND Henry today."
"No, I'll be fine." As he tried to get up Connor was silenced and held down by Hank's strong hand. "I just need-"
"Connor. Sleep. You admitted it yourself that you need to rest." Glancing over to Henry, who was still a little scared but staying brave for his dad's sake, Hank nodded at him subtly. "Henry, could you go get some ice packs out of the freezer and bring them in here, please?"
"Okay. I'll be right back, dad!"
As Henry left the bedroom Connor let out a gasping sigh and winced as his chest already ached from coughing and even ached a little from breathing.
"Level with me, kid. How bad's your fever?" Hank challenged in a low voice. "I'll get the thermometer if I have to."
With a look of defeat in his glassy eyes Connor replied honestly. "...It's actually hovering at one-hundred and three point seven degrees."
"Shit, you might actually have to go to a facility for treatment."
"No. I don't want Henry to be worried about me, I can recover here."
"How calm do you think he'd be if you got worse and became unresponsive? He already couldn't wake you up, that's why he called me."
"Please... I'll heal in a few hours. I don't want Henry to ever see me in a facility. It'd terrify him."
Hank wanted to say something else but Henry returned with the requested ice packs and handed them over to Hank. Placing one bag of ice over Connor's forehead and a second bag over top his chest, the retired detective just sighed and patted the deviant's shoulder lightly. "All right, get some sleep. I'll take care of Henry so you can rest, son. Stay here and don't try to get up for any reason."
"...Thank you, dad." Connor's eyes drifted shut and he returned to rest mode to allow his self healing program to initiate at full power. "Henry, be good for Papa while I'm asleep. After I'm better we can go downtown to look at the Christmas lights."
"Come on, Henry." Hank kept his voice optimistic as he addressed his still worrying grandson. "Your dad needs to sleep."
"But he's still sick."
"Yeah, but he'll be fine in a few hours. Why don't we go sit in the livingroom so he can sleep without us accidentally bothering him?"
"What if he gets worse?"
"That's why we'll check in on him from time to time and make sure he's okay. But he needs to sleep for now."
Reluctantly willing to leave the bedroom Henry agreed to leave his dad alone. "...Okay, Papa."
"Come on." Standing up from the bed Hank rubbed his hand along the back of Henry's hair and guided the scared boy out of the bedroom to head back into the livingroom. "Before you called I was trying to put together a list of ideas for Christmas." Changing the subject to something more cheery Hank tried to get Henry to feel better. "Think you could help me out?"
Connor partially opened his eyes as he watched as Hank escorted Henry out of his bedroom and was all too grateful to have Hank there to take care of Henry during his sickness. Closing his eyes once more Connor swallowed once out of discomfort and pain and breathed slowly.
"...Thanks for everything, dad."
It took Hank a few hours to get Henry to stop worrying so much about Connor, but in time Henry was a lot calmer and helping Hank take care of ideas for Christmas. Sitting in the middle of the couch in the livingroom Henry was helping Hank to take care of his now heavily altered 'to-do' list, while Hank himself was sending a text to a friend on his phone without drawing the young boy's attention.
"What do you think, Papa?" Henry showed his grandfather the small list he was writing for himself. "Is that okay?"
"Let's see here. A new toy for Sumo, you wanna' get your dad another set of guitar strings and guitar picks, and you want to get me a shirt that doesn't have any 'weird patterns' on them..." Hank smirked and playfully nudged Henry's side with elbow. "You trying to say my shirts are ugly?"
"I didn't say 'ugly', I said 'weird'."
Hank laughed a little at the witty retort and gave him back the list. "Not bad at all. But what do you want for Christmas?"
"I don't know."
"Sure you do! You love that keyboard you got for Christmas about four years ago, why not ask for a newer one, or maybe a nice case so you can carry it around easier?"
"That's okay. The keyboard is still good and I don't need something new."
The sweetness of Henry's demeanor was almost too much for Hank to bear. "Well, I'll get you something cool no matter what."
"Thanks, Papa."
There was a knock on the front door and Hank patted Henry's shoulder as he got up from the couch to answer it. He knew exactly who it was but tried to feign innocence as he met with the invited guest. "Hey, Abby. What brings you by?"
"Hi, Hank." Abby stepped inside the house and her eyes lit up when she saw Henry sitting on the couch. "Hi, Henry!"
"Hi, Abby." The little boy replied politely as he turned to look at her over the back of the couch. "Dad's sleeping right now."
"That's good. I was told your dad is sick." She stated calmly as he walked toward the hallway with her technician's satchel prominently slung over her right shoulder. "And I want to make sure he gets better as soon as possible. Okay?"
"Okay!" Henry excitedly jumped off the couch and ran down the hallway to check in on Connor. "He's asleep in here!"
Abby happily followed after Henry and Hank joined them shortly afterward. Moving aside the packs of partially melted ice Abby sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to the sound of Connor quietly coughing as he slept. With a very gentle touch Abby placed her hand over his forehead and noted he was still running a fever, but it wasn't as high as she had feared.
"Connor?" She whispered his name and pressed her left palm against his chest. The deviant began to stir a little, his head lolling to the left against his pillow, and then turned back to face Abby as his glassy eyes opened. "Hi, Connor."
"...Abby?" Connor coughed again and quieted quickly as she opened up her satchel and put it down on the floor beside the bed. "...What's going on?"
"Well, I got word you weren't feeling well," she subtly tilted her head in Henry's direction as he stood just behind her. "and I figured since I was in the area I'd stop by and see how you're doing."
"...O-Oh. Thank you."
"Your fever is almost gone, so that's good. How long have you been sick?"
"...I was fine when I came home last night, but my internal alarm failed to awaken me at eight-fifteen this morning." Replying honestly Connor clearly wanted to get better as soon as possible. "My internal log indicates a failure to initiate the alarm and other basic routine functions at five forty-four this morning."
"So about sixteen hours then."
"Sixteen hours?" Connor lifted his head and looked about his bedroom curiously. "I've been asleep for that long?"
From the doorway Hank called out to him calmly. "Easy, son. You were out for about eight hours and needed to sleep, and I already told you that I'd take care of Henry. Relax and cooperate."
Abby took out her audioscope from the satchel and after she put the earbuds into place she pressed the bell to Connor's chest over top his sweaty black t-shirt. "Take a deep breath for me." Obediently Connor breathed and waited for Abby to finish listening to his ventilation biocomponents before listening to his heartbeat. "It sounds like you're already making excellent progress in your recovery. Does it hurt to breathe?"
"Not anymore."
"Even better. You should be fine in the next two hours."
"See, Henry?" Connor flashed his son a sincere smirk before his eyes slipped shut and his words began to quiet down. "I told you that I'm going to be okay. Thanks, Abby."
"...Dad?" Henry whispered almost inaudibly as he watched Connor fall asleep again. "Are you okay?"
"He'll be fine." As Abby began packing up her satchel she noticed Henry staring at Connor and could see he was still worried. It was then an interesting idea came to her mind. "Hey, Henry. Come here for a second."
Curious as to what Abby wanted Henry took a step forward and stood beside her.
"Here." Placing the earbuds of the audioscope in Henry's ears Abby then replaced the bell back over Connor's chest. "You hear that?"
The rhythmic sound was very easy to detect. "Uh-huh."
"That's your dad's heartbeat." She smiled as Henry began to smile. Connor's eyes opened again and he noticed what Abby was doing in order to comfort Henry, causing him to smirk appreciatively. "He's going to be okay, I promise."
Henry nodded his head as he took the earbuds out of his ears and looked over at Connor. "When are you going to be better, dad?"
"...In a few more hours. Then I'll be able to get back up."
"Papa and me are making Christmas lists. Are you going to make one, too?"
"Of course. As soon as I'm better I'll join you in the livingroom."
Hank smiled too and gave Abby an appreciative nod from the opened doorway. "Hey, Henry. How about some pizza for dinner?"
"Yeah!"
"All right, come on. Let's go place an order and finish those lists."
As the little boy ran out of the bedroom with Hank following after him Connor closed his eyes and let out a somewhat uncomfortable sigh. Connor's brow furrowed with the same audible discomfort he had waited to admit until after Henry had left.
"Are you hurting and putting on a brave face for Henry?" Abby asked despite already knowing the answer. "Or is this a new symptom?"
"...Something like that." Connor admitted in a soft tone. "Coughing hurts still, no matter how quietly I do it."
"Yeah, I get that."
"I take it Hank texted you to inform you that I had become ill."
"Yup, he said Henry was worried about you."
A faint smirk appeared on Connor's pale face as he realized how sweetly empathetic his son was becoming. "I'm okay."
"I know that, and Hank knows that, and soon Henry will know that, too."
"Does Aria get worried whenever you or Gavin become ill?"
"Oh, jeez." Abby lamented a story as her eyes flashed with memories of taking care of a house full of sick people. "When Gavin got the flu three years ago Aria refused to leave his side when she got out of school. It was as cute as it was annoying since she got herself sick as a result of trying to be her daddy's doctor."
"Fortunately Henry cannot catch the flu from me. That makes dealing with flu season more bearable."
"Get a little more sleep." Abby grinned as she ran her hand over his sweaty hair and slung her satchel over her shoulder. Carefully she replaced the melting ice pack over Connor's forehead to ensure he didn't overheat as he slept. "And then go show your son that you're not going anywhere."
"What do you think of Henry?"
"I think he couldn't possibly have a better father, Connor." She admitted with a sincere grin. "He's a wonderful little boy and I can't wait to see him grown up."
It took Connor only two and half more hours of necessary rest to awaken from his sleep fully healed and to find the strength sit upright in his bed. The sweaty black t-shirt he was wearing clung uncomfortably to his still somewhat pale artificial skin and the ice pack that had returned to his forehead had melted entirely. Moving carefully and quietly he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up steadily to ensure he wasn't going to lose his balance and fall from unexpected weakness. Fortunately his strength had returned and his core temperature was back to its optimal degree.
As he exited his bedroom Connor glanced down the hallway and saw that Hank was sitting on the couch with Henry at his side and that Hank had found an old movie for the two of them to watch together. Connor recognized the images on the screen and smirked at the selected movie; 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. It was a movie that Connor himself had found enjoyable and was glad Hank was showing Henry the same film.
Walking into the bathroom Connor peeled off his sweaty t-shirt and his appropriately named gray sweatpants to have a quick shower to remove the pale blue sweat from his skin. As soon as the water was turned on Connor heard a soft knocking on the closed bathroom door and he listened carefully for the voice on the other side.
"Connor?"
"I'm okay, dad." Connor responded quickly as he stepped into the shower and adjusted the temperature of the water. "Just rinsing off."
"Do you need anything?"
"Maybe some clean clothes."
"All right, I gotcha' covered."
Connor could sense there was something else on Hank's mind by the tone of his voice and knew that he just wanted a moment to speak to him alone.
The bathroom door partially opened and Hank placed a bundle of neatly folded clean clothes down on the sink. "How do you feel?"
"Better. Just sweaty."
"That's good. Uh, there's something I want to tell you."
Connor made a reach to turn off the water but decided to keep it running to help mask their voices in case Henry could hear them talking. Peering around the dark blue and white shower curtain Connor ran his hand over his wet locks of hair to push them out of his face as he addressed Hank directly. "What's wrong?"
Stepping just inside the bathroom and closing the door behind himself Hank sighed and told Connor the truth. "...It's Sumo."
"Oh, no." Connor knew what was happening and it made him immediately start hurting. As much as he loved the dog he knew Henry loved Sumo twice as much. "He's going to be thirteen-years-old this coming spring."
"And I don't think he'll last much longer than that."
"Is he suffering?" Connor's eyes were filling with tears but he didn't shed them as he spoke. "I don't want him to suffer."
"No, he's not in any pain or sick. But he's slowing down and now he only gets up to eat or go outside. Since it's been so damn cold as of late I've just been putting down newspapers so he doesn't have to go into the snow to go to the bathroom. Even a winter breed of dog can be hurt by the cold when they get as old as him."
"Thank you for taking such good care of him."
"Do you think you can handle what's going to happen with Henry when it's time to say 'goodbye'?"
"...Yeah. I know I'll think of something." Looking uneasy about the impending event Connor sighed and began preparing himself for the best way to explain things to Henry after everything happens. "Just don't say a word to Henry about it. It'll make him sad and the holidays are just a few weeks away."
"Don't I know it." Sighing himself Hank rubbed his right hand over the back of his neck and gave his son a reassuring glance. "All right, well, Henry's still watching the movie and waiting for you to join us to make those lists. My 'to-do' list took a change in theme, but, whatever."
With an appreciative grin Connor acknowledged Hank then resumed his shower. "I'll be out as soon as my shower is over."
"By the way, I'm buying Henry his own guitar for Christmas this year so he doesn't have to keep borrowing yours."
"Really? I was going to buy him one as a special gift for his eventual sixteenth birthday."
"Don't you worry about getting him special when he turns sixteen. I've already got something perfect in mind."
"All right." Connor smirked as he trusted Hank's judgment on the situation. "I'll leave that to you. And thank you for everything you've done for me today."
"Hey, no thanks are necessary. You're my son and Henry's my grandson. It's my honor to have a family to take care of all over again."
Henry: Eleven Years Old.
Heartbroken and as sad as he had ever been, Henry was sobbing as he sat on the back deck of Hank's house with Sumo's old leather collar in his hands. The massive lovable dog had gotten old and had begun to act sickly over the past few weeks after spring set in. Old age caught up to Sumo and had peacefully taken him as he slept the previous night. While Hank sat with Henry on the back deck with his arm wrapped around the sad little boy's shoulders Connor finished laying Sumo to rest next to his predecessor in the backyard of the property and respectfully covered the fresh grave.
After placing the last of the loose soil over the grave Connor put the shovel aside and placed a massive white stone over the head of the grave and used black paint to neatly write Sumo's name out in memory to the dog, just as he had done from the first Sumo years ago. "...Good boy, Sumo."
As much as Hank tried to make Henry feel better the little boy was still in tears and nothing seemed to help. "Henry, it's okay to cry."
"Sumo was a good dog." Henry managed between sobs as he held onto Sumo's collar tightly. "Why'd he die, Papa?"
"Well, Sumo was really, really old for a dog of his breed." Hank tried to explain as easily as possible. "And he got really sick. It was just his time to go."
"So now he's just in the ground?"
"No, Henry. Sumo went to Heaven."
"Dogs can go to heaven?"
"That's right. All good people and all good animals get to go to Heaven when they die. He's playing with the Sumo who was here before him, and I know he's playing with your Uncle Cole and Grandma Barbara, so he's okay, son. And he isn't sick anymore either. He's happy again."
"When I got sick the doctors made me better. Why couldn't Sumo get better?"
"Because Sumo was much, much sicker than you were, and because Sumo was also much older. He was thirteen by human math, but for a dog he was really eighty-two in age. That's about five years more than how long a human is supposed to live, so you know Sumo had a very good life. And he stayed with us for so long because he wanted to stay with YOU. You gave him lots of love and he wanted to stay with you forever. But sometimes forever is just too long even for the most loyal dog."
Connor replaced the shovel in the garage and wiped off his hands as he rejoined his son and father at the deck. Sitting on Henry's other side Connor pulled Henry up against his side for a supportive hug. "Sumo knew you loved him. And he loved you, so it's okay to cry over him."
Staying with Henry until he finally began to quiet a little Hank sighed and gave Connor a shrugging glance.
Connor understood what he was asking but decided that getting Henry another dog so soon wouldn't be the right course of action. When Connor had adopted Sumo as a puppy the day his predecessor died it was an unexpected and chance encounter. The odds of them being able to find 'another Sumo' was unlikely, and even so Henry still needed to grieve over the dog he had lost.
"Do you want to go inside or stay out here a while longer?" Connor asked in a low voice as he kept his arm wrapped around Henry's shoulders. "We'll do whatever you want to do."
"I don't want to go anyway."
"Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to."
Henry was staring at Sumo's name on the white stone and wiped tears away from his eyes. "Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Sumo's in Heaven, right?"
"That's right."
"Does that mean I'll see him again someday?"
"Yes, Henry." The thought was as comforting as it was sweet. "You will. We all will."
It took some coaxing and patience but Connor and Hank were able to convince Henry to get up from the back deck and walk through the backdoor and into the kitchen. While Hank sat with Henry at the kitchen table Connor made Henry a light lunch of a sandwich and some potato chips, but Henry didn't eat much. He was still too upset to eat.
"Come on, Henry." Connor put his hand to Henry's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."
"I don't want to go anywhere."
"Well, I do." The deviant father looked over to Hank for a little back-up and Hank was quick to oblige. "It's a nice day out."
"I want to go out, too." The retired detective chimed in and knew that they needed to get Henry out of the house for a while. "How about the park?"
"Sounds perfect."
Despite Henry's reluctance Connor managed to get his son to finally leave the house and walk with him to the Riverside Park a few blocks away. Hank of course walked with them and studied Henry's sad face with a heavy heart. It was the first time Henry had to face death, and even though he was very mature for his age and very intelligent, it still didn't make it any easier for the innocent child to process.
"It's a beautiful day to go to the park." Hank stated in a calm voice as they neared their destination. "I'm very ready to kiss winter goodbye for another year."
The park itself was full of laughing kids and their parents or babysitters, but Henry wasn't in the mood to play. Henry was still holding on to Sumo's collar and kept staring at the ground beneath his feet. Just as it seemed like Henry was going to have another breakdown and start crying again, a group of kids gathered around a large cardboard box near the entrance to the park as a young couple placed it on the ground. The sound of squeaking and mewing filled the air which caught Henry's ear.
Connor stood behind Henry and looked at the box in the distance as he too caught the sound. "It sounds like someone has a litter of kittens."
Hank turned to give Connor a strange glance as if he was trying to read the deviant's mind. "Yeah, you're right."
"They must be at least six-weeks-old. I guess that means the kittens are ready to find a new home." Putting his hand to the middle of Henry's back between his shoulder blades Connor tried to get him to take a closer look. "Do you want to go see?" Henry looked up at Connor as if needing to confirm what his own dad had just told him. "You don't have to play with them or anything, but I know I'd like to see them. I wonder if they have a fluffy maine-coon like Aria's cat."
Henry had played with that cat a few times when he and Aria had play dates when they were smaller and knew what Connor was talking about. "You mean Lucky?"
"Yeah. Lucky."
Hank wasn't thrilled with the idea but he went along with it. "You know, when I was a kid I had a cat named Smokey. He was solid gray and had long fur. I haven't seen another cat like him since."
"That'd be interesting if one of the kittens look like either Lucky or Smokey." Connor pressed as he gently coaxed Henry into taking a step forward to get closer to the cardboard box. "We should see them soon. It looks like the kittens are already being adopted."
Henry wiped his arm under his nose as he sniffled again but finally began walking toward the cardboard box. Connor and Hank walked right behind him and watched as he edged closer to the box and saw the four remaining kittens inside. As they jumped about and squeaked and playfully pawed at the hands of the other kids gently picking them up Henry began to laugh a little.
Connor stayed with Henry while Hank spoke to the tallest husband that was the couple who brought over the box. "These little guys are what six, seven weeks old?"
"Yeah," the nice man confirmed with a smile as the kids and their parents gathered around the box. "they hit their six week mark two days ago."
"Hard to believe they were born just a month and half ago, and now they're ready for a new home..."
The man saw that Henry was upset about something then saw the dog collar still in Henry's hand. Catching on quick he helped with trying to make Henry feel better. "Yeah, these little guys had to be bottle-fed by me and my husband after their mama got out into the road. She's gone but her babies are still are here as a beautiful reminder that no matter how bleak life gets life itself still goes on."
Connor nodded appreciatively as he patted Henry's shoulder.
Too hesitant to play with the kittens Henry just watched as the last of the litter were picked up and taken by their new owners to their new homes.
"Ready to go home, Henry?"
Nodding quietly Henry was ready to leave and go back to crying at home.
"Come on, then."
Taking a slightly more creative route back to the house from the park Connor intentionally took Henry past the humane society where he had adopted Sumo thirteen years prior with the intention of making a quick stop. Giving Hank a silent confirmation Connor patted Henry's shoulder again and directed him inside the building.
"What're we doing here?" Henry asked as soon as he realized where they were and looked up at his father with utter confusion in his blue eyes. "I want to go home."
"None of those kittens back in the park looked like Lucky or Smokey. I wanted to see if there were any other kittens here who do."
"I know what you're doing, dad."
Connor instinctively tried to feign innocence. "What am I doing?"
"You're trying to make me forget about Sumo!"
"No, Henry. I'm trying to make you feel better." Putting both hands on Henry's shoulders as the boy crossed his arms defensively over his chest Connor tried to ease his son's mind. "You'll never forget about Sumo and you never should. It's okay to miss Sumo and be sad."
Hank spoke up and defended Connor's attempts to cheer Henry up. "He's right. And like I said, I had a cat named Smokey when I was kid. That was a long time ago Henry, but I still remember him very fondly."
The volunteer behind the desk saw the small family and overheard the conversation as the trio entered the humane society together. As soon as she saw Henry holding on to Sumo's collar she smiled and motioned to the door leading to the kennels in the back. "If you're interested we actually had a couple of litters of kittens dropped off this morning. They've been needing some attention all day long and I've been busy with inventory."
"...No." Henry stubbornly refused to go in the back and see the kittens. "I want to go home."
"Well, I want to see them before we leave." Connor took a step toward the door and Hank followed after him as he instinctively backed up his son's parenting decisions. "You can stay out here and look at the flea shampoo and pet food if you want, just don't go outside on the sidewalk."
Realizing that he was outnumbered Henry begrudgingly followed after his dad and grandfather and let them take him to see the other animals.
Inside the large room where the kittens and cats were kept in their protective cages the visiting trio were greeted by loud mews and a few stray purrs. At least twenty kittens were running about in the largest kennel at the far wall as they played and squeaked loudly. It didn't take long for Connor to spot a maine-coon kitten in the mix of fluff and pointed it out. "See? There is a kitten that looks like Lucky. I knew we'd find one."
Hank pointed out three dark gray kittens and motioned for Henry to follow his direction. "And there's three that look like Smokey. Long gray fur and everything. Maybe they're all distantly related."
Out of the mix of various colored furs and squeaks a single kitten began climbing up the side of the kennel's padded fencing and stopped right in front of Henry's face. The little kitten had short mostly gray fur with white markings down its face and its paws and a bright pink nose. Its eyes were still blue but were beginning to turn gold. As it mewed at Henry it reached its paw out toward him and Henry lightly ran his fingertip over the soft paw in response.
"Hey," Henry noticed something else about the kitten and pointed it out. "this kitten has extra toes on its paw!"
Connor and Hank took a closer look and sure enough the little kitten had two extra toes on the sides of its front paws and one additional extra toe on its rear paws.
"That's interesting." Connor observed as he scanned the kitten's paws and saw the extra bones beneath its soft fur. "I've never seen a kitten like that."
The kitten kept mewing loudly at Henry and reaching for him through the opening of the kennel with its other paw and began to purr.
"It likes you, Henry."
"...Why?"
"Well, I think it knows you're sad because of Sumo and I bet its sad because its stuck inside a kennel. It understands what it means to be sad."
The volunteer had been watching from the door and saw the little kitten of interest who was singling Henry out. "Oh, that kitten is special! We've been calling her 'Harley' because she's so silly like a harlequin and she makes a lot of noise like a motorcycle."
Hank laughed and gently ran his own fingertip over her outstretched paw himself. "That's a good name for a tiny kitten. Right, Henry?"
Henry just shook his head as he kept petting the kitten's paw. "She looks more like an 'Opal' to me."
"Opal, huh?" Encouraging Henry to keep showing interest in the kitten Hank asked about the name. "Where'd that come from?"
"The white in her fur looks like an opal. We learned about them in a geology lesson last week."
"Oh. Well, that's a good name, too."
In response to the positive reaction Connor began rubbing his fingertip under the kitten's chin and got welcomed with a loud gentle purr for his efforts. "I hope someone gives her a good home."
Henry was still being stubborn about Sumo, but since the kitten chose him he felt an instant connection to the small bundle of fur. "...Can we maybe give her the home?"
A sly smirk appeared on Connor's face as he gave the volunteer a confirming nod over his shoulder. "I suppose we could try. But only if you really want to."
Unable to stop himself Henry started rubbing the kitten's chin as well and got the same affectionate purr as Connor did. "...Only if we call her 'Opal'."
"All right." Connor was glad to see Henry's heart starting to heal after Sumo's passing and agreed to the name change. "I think that's acceptable. Opal she is."
A brand new blue collar with a small bell and golden tag with the name 'Opal' now hung around the newly adopted kitten's neck, and she was promptly taken to her new home by her young new owner. The whole walk home Henry held the pet carrier in his hand and his eyes lit up for the first time since his dad had told him about Sumo passing away that morning. Finally home Henry sat on the livingroom floor with Opal balancing on his right knee as the little kitten batted her paws at a feathery toy on a string being controlled by Henry's hand and soon Henry began to smile.
Connor had bought a scratching post cat-tree and placed it by the front window in the livingroom and also bought a modest selection of cat toys for Opal to play with. After placing her litter box inside the laundry room, now making it a habit to keep the door opened enough to let the kitten inside, Connor placed her new food and water bowls down on the kitchen floor and filled them up.
"Is that all I need for a kitten?" Connor asked as he and Hank watched Henry in the livingroom playing with Opal. They were standing side by side in the doorway of the kitchen and watching the duo bond from the distance. "I'll get her flea drops when she's a little bigger."
"Aside from getting her spayed; trust me, cats are much better are getting outside than dogs and you don't want to get attached to a whole new litter of kittens down the line, you got everything covered for her."
"I think this was the right thing to do. I mean... I just want Henry to feel better."
"Yeah, this was a good idea. You can never replace your first pet but you can always lessen the pain by giving another animal a chance to be your next best friend."
"All this time I never asked..." Crossing his arms over his chest Connor asked Hank a very curious question. "Where'd you get the original Sumo?"
"Well, it wasn't planned but it was meant to be." Hank too crossed his arms over his chest and smiled as Opal batted at the toy energetically. "I was working on a bust regarding an illegal puppy mill downtown way too many years ago. There were over sixty pups locked into tiny cages in an old warehouse and it was a pathetic sight to see. When we kicked down the door and were greeted with frightened puppy whimpers even the most hardened cop was temporarily weakened."
"You rescued Sumo from a puppy mill?"
"Yup. Jeffrey took one of the pups, too. A pitbull he named 'Rex'. Pitbulls get a bad reputation, so he took that puppy to ensure it had a chance to have a good life in a decent home. I took Sumo because he was such a massive breed of dog when fully grown that it'd be hard for him to find a home that could put up with his size."
"What did Barbara say when you brought Sumo home?"
"She asked why I didn't bring home ALL the puppies instead of just one."
Connor smiled at the comment as he watched Henry as he too finally began smiling and laughing for the first time that day. The kitten wasn't meant to replace Sumo by any means, she was a reminder that life goes on and no matter how much someone thinks their heart is too broken to feel love for anyone or anything again, it's untrue.
Opal needed a home and Henry needed someone else to love; they were perfect for each other.
"Like I said," Hank continued in a light tone of voice. "Barbara would've really liked you, kid. You both have a weakness for animals and children in need."
"I'm just glad I could make Henry smile again. I don't ever want to see him unhappy."
"You and every other half-decent parent under the sun, Connor."
Later that night Henry was laying in bed with Opal cuddled up under his chin and purring loudly as they slept. The small kitten was a huge change from Sumo but she was also Henry's kitten, his first pet. Sumo had been Connor's dog and living with Hank after he moved into the house next door with Henry, but even so Henry bonded quickly with the gentle giant and loved him as his own. It seemed like Connor's affection for animals had been passed on to Henry and the animals in turn loved Henry, too.
Holding on to Sumo's collar for himself Connor took Sumo's name tag from the leather band squeezed it in the center of his right palm in a tight grip.
"Goodbye, Sumo. You made us all very happy. You were a good boy."
With unshed tears in his soulful brown eyes Connor stood in Henry's opened bedroom doorway and watched as Henry slept peacefully with his newest friend right beside him. Just as Connor's adoption of Sumo had healed his own heart after the original Sumo had died, it seemed that Opal returned the favor with Henry.
"Goodnight, son."
Smirking as the kitten roused just enough to snuggle up closer to Henry and settle down once more Connor addressed her in a low whisper, too.
"Goodnight, Opal. Welcome home."
Henry: Twelve Years Old.
Scared out of his mind Henry sat in the front passenger seat of the Oldsmobile while Hank drove him to St. Vevila Hospital to meet up with his dad. Connor had been injured in the line of duty and had been taken to the human-android hybrid hospital for emergency treatment. Despite the Kevlar vest and having plenty of back-up, Connor had been injured and required emergency repairs to undo the damage. It was the first time since Henry had been born that Connor had been injured so severely that he couldn't get patched up at the precinct or a facility before heading home to Henry without any worries for his health.
"He'll be just fine, Henry." Hank promised as he watched his grandson nervously fidgeting in his seat beside him. "Your dad's been through a lot worse and walked away just fine with his head held high."
"Was dad shot?"
"...I don't know." Replying honestly Hank did his best to keep Henry calm. "I wasn't told what happened to him. I was just told he's at the hospital."
"Papa, when Sumo died last year you and dad said he went to Heaven and is playing with the other dogs and is happy. And Uncle Cole and Grandma Barbara are in Heaven, too."
"That's right."
"Do androids... go to Heaven?"
That was a question that Hank had never though he'd be asked. It was an instant reminder of the night he confronted Connor at Riverside Park as they looked out to the Ambassador Bridge stretching out over the Detroit River back during their initial partnership before the Revolution. It was the same night he had pulled his gun on Connor and threatened to shoot him while in a drunken rage. It was also the first night that Hank had finally begun to see androids as living beings and saw that Connor himself was actually becoming a deviant; becoming self aware and could truly feel.
"Androids are alive which means they have souls. Your dad is NOT going to die, but androids can and do go to Heaven eventually."
"What if he does die?"
"He won't. I promise you that your dad is going to be okay!"
Henry nodded a little as he sniffled in fear. As Hank wrapped his arm around the frightened boy's shoulders he pulled him up against his side and Henry buried his face against Hank's chest as he forced himself to try not cry.
"It's okay to be afraid." Hank comforted his shaking grandson in a soothing tone. "But don't think the worst is going to happen, okay? Your dad is way too stubborn to go out like this. Trust me, I know from experience."
Henry nodded again while keeping his face buried against Hank's chest in the process.
As the car pulled into the parking lot of the hospital Hank turned off the engine and put his free hand to Henry's chin. "Hey, look at me."
Lifting his head up Henry stared at Hank and didn't flinch when Hank used his thumb to gently wipe away his tears. The look of Henry's face was hauntingly similar to Cole's, and yet his expressions were as deeply feeling as Connor. Henry had even developed a few stray freckles along his neck and a couple along his face that made him look even more like his father.
"He's going to be fine." With a smile on his face Hank did his best to help Henry feel confident. "Let's go inside and ask about your dad, okay?"
Nodding subtly Henry dragged his arm over his eyes and under his nose to wipe away his tears and clean himself up. "...Okay."
Scared and unsure of what was going on, Henry had no idea what was happening to his dad or who he could possibly talk to while Hank spoke to Dr. Wilson in the hallway. Standing close beside Hank, now tall enough to be eye level with Hank's sternum, Henry just looked around at the numerous nurses, doctors and technicians roaming the halls with various electronic charts in their hands. Beyond his own grandfather and the kind doctor Henry didn't recognize anyone in the hallways. It was all so surreal and he had no idea what was going to happen.
"Henry?" Hank spoke softly to his grandson as he put his hand on his shoulder. The gesture was comforting but Henry could feel Hank's hand trembling on his shoulder despite Hank's best efforts to keep it still. "We can go see your dad for a few minutes, but he needs to be taken care of soon."
"...It's bad, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It's bad, buddy."
Keeping a brave face Henry walked right alongside Hank as Dr. Wilson showed them to the small emergency repair room Connor had been taken to and had his condition stabilized. The door slid open slowly revealing the interior of the room where Connor had been taken to rest on a gurney until his repairs could be performed. The sight of his dad so pale, weak and still made Henry want to cry again, but he refused to do it until he knew one way or another if his dad was going to survive.
With a muted Thirial activity monitor recording his vital signs Connor was semi-conscious and had a massive bandage over his cheek under his left eye. His left eye was also bruised a dark shade of blue and swollen shut. The wounded deviant had been wrapped up in white gauze to apply pressure the bleeding wounds in his upper right chest, middle right chest and his lower right abdomen. Blue blood had begun to seep through the bandages prompting Dr. Wilson to pull a sheet up over the bandages to hide the leaking Thirium from Henry's sight.
Lightly Hank put his hand on Connor's bicep and held it there for a moment. "Connor?"
Opening his right eye enough to recognize the faces standing behind him, Connor forced a smile to his own face as he acknowledged his family's presence. "...Dad. Henry."
"Hey, son. We're here for you."
"...Thanks for stopping by." As Connor found his voice Henry was still trying to not cry as Connor spoke to him in a hoarse weak voice. "I wore Kevlar, but... the other guy was prepared for that. I couldn't... duck down in time."
"Easy, Connor." Hank could see that the deviant was already losing his strength and needed to rest. "Try to take it easy, son."
"Henry..." Connor weakly reached out his hand toward his son and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm going to be okay. It looks worse... than it is. That's why they're... letting me talk to you first. Dr. Wilson has... plenty of time... to get ready."
Henry nodded again as he took hold of Connor's hand and held on for a few minutes.
As he stood behind Henry with his hand resting on his grandson's shoulder again Hank gave Connor a silent subtle nod of approval and watched as Dr. Wilson finished chronicling his patient's vital signs.
"Connor," Dr. Wilson addressed the deviant detective calmly and professionally. "we're going to take you up for your repairs now. You're stable and strong, so it won't be too long."
"...Okay." Connor gave Henry's hand a gentle squeeze and discreetly slipped something into his palm. "I'll see you... when I wake up."
It took him a moment but Henry finally found his voice and responded as confidently as he could. "Okay, dad. I'll see you soon."
Reluctantly Connor let go of Henry's hand as Dr. Wilson placed his arm back down on the gurney at his side. "...I love you, son."
A team of technicians arrived in the room and proceeded to roll the gurney from the emergency repair room to the elevator. Just three floors up was the emergency repair ward where Connor would have the four bullets extracted from his body; two in his chest and two in his abdomen. In a matter of seconds Connor was gone from sight and rushed into the repair bay.
Opening the palm of his hand after stepping out of the room Henry looked down and saw Connor's coin. The very coin that Connor had held onto for the past sixteen years of his eventful, deviant life. Unable to hold back his tears anymore Henry began to cry and Hank immediately wrapped his arms around the petrified child to hold him in a tight hug.
"It's okay to cry, Henry. Let it out."
Leading Henry to the waiting room Hank did his best to comfort Henry as much as possible as Henry began to calm down a little and stopped crying after finally let out his initial fearful tears.
"I know you're scared for your dad and that's okay." Hank watched Henry as he stared quietly at the coin in his palm. "And your dad never goes anywhere without that damn coin, so for him to give it to you if proof he will wake up and come back down to see us again and to show you more tricks."
Nodding again Henry slumped back in his chair and pulled his legs up to his chest as he sighed and leaned his head against Hank's shoulder for support.
"Waiting sucks more than anything else. You and your dad are both impatient but you'll make it through this moment and so will your dad. Trust me."
It had been almost four hours since Connor had been taken away for his emergency repairs and it was now almost seven in the evening. Henry hadn't eaten anything since noon and Hank knew he had to be getting hungry. Eager for any form of distraction for the young boy Hank tried to slip Henry a twenty-dollar bill and told him where the hospital cafeteria was located to he could find something to eat, but the stubborn young boy refused to budge from his seat in case something happened to his dad.
Henry just shook his head sadly before politely declining the offer. "Thank you, Papa. But I'm not hungry."
"You have to be bored out of your mind though." The dullness of Henry's eyes spoke volumes as to how upset he truly was. "There's a bookstore just down the block, how about we go get you something new to read?"
"I don't want to go anywhere."
"Really? All right, but if you change your mind let me know. It's been a while since we went to a bookstore together."
From across the waiting room Gavin had just arrived at the hospital through the front doors to check in on Connor, and spotted Hank and Henry sitting against the far wall. Without any hesitation the seasoned detective walked over to the duo to speak with them. "Hey, Henry. Hey, Cap'."
"Not a Captain anymore, Gavin." Hank replied sharply as Gavin joined them in the waiting room. "But thanks for remembering."
Henry didn't reply to Gavin, who was now a Lieutenant thanks to a well earned promotion, as he sat down in a vacant chair across from him.
Clearing his throat nervously Gavin spoke to his former Captain calmly. "Do you know what happened yet?" His eyes drifted over to Henry briefly then back to Hank. "Or should I..."
"He knows that Connor was 'injured in the line of duty'." Hank reluctantly confirmed with a dreary tone. "What happened to him?"
"This morning a report came in revolving around some escaped convicts holding up in a shi- crappy," Gavin had been trying to swear less around Aria and gave Henry the same courtesy. "apartment down in the industrial district. Turns out the report was legit and we went to investigate."
"Ambushed?"
"No, that's what's so weird. Captain Foxworth followed up on the source, knew it was legit, had everyone move in well armed with back-up already on standby. But these guys were stockpiling illegal firearms and drugs. Their guns were no joke and their stash was massive."
"You got 'em, right?"
"Yeah... Uh, Connor and Chris were the first to arrive. They checked out the building and Connor picked up on the two convicts huddling inside. He gave the word to Chris and that's when everything just... went crazy. As soon as the shots started both Connor and Chris got down and out of sight, but those guys were packing armor piercing rounds. Chris got his shoulder grazed, but Connor..."
Henry was trying to not cry again as he listened to the story. Hank's hand returned to Henry's shoulder and patted him gently.
"Chris called for back-up to move in. Me, Tina, Jack and Foxworth all showed up and pulled them back to safety. As soon as Connor was out of harm's way an ambulance packed him up and got him here as fast as possible. It took us almost three hours to get the guys, but they won't be a problem anymore. Their weapons are slated to be destroyed along with their stash."
"That's good to know."
"I, uh, would've been here sooner, but..."
"I know. You needed to go see your family first."
"Yeah. Something that uncomfortably close and violent really makes you prioritize family time."
"Do they know what happened to Connor?"
"I told Abby but asked her to keep it quiet from Aria for a while longer. She doesn't need to know if it's..." Trailing off for a moment Gavin didn't want to imagine Aria's reaction if she learned her godfather was hurt and might even die. "She just doesn't need to know just yet."
Hank understood entirely as he kept his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Thanks for telling us, Gavin."
"You need anything?" Wanting to be helpful Gavin volunteered to get Hank and Henry anything they might need. "Coffee or maybe a soda, or something?"
Hank motioned toward Henry discreetly as he rejected the coffee. "I'm good, but playing the waiting game is getting boring."
"Right, got it." Gavin got up from the chair and made his way to the elevator and disappeared from sight for a moment. "I'll see what I can do about the boredom."
"...Dad was hurt for doing the right thing." Henry muttered somberly to himself. "It's not fair."
Hank looked over at Henry as he felt the little boy's shoulder tense with emotional frustration as he tried to not cry again. "He was hurt because someone bad tried to stop him from doing the right thing. Those bad guys are gone and your dad is still here. Remember that."
A few minutes passed and Gavin returned conveniently with a deck of cards, a can of soda for himself and a spare one for Henry. He also grabbed the scared kid a candy bar to try to get him to eat something. "Here, Henry. I pressed the wrong button on the vending machine by mistake," the empathetic detective convincingly lied. "you can have my extra drink. And I didn't see this candy had peanuts in it until after I bought it. I don't like peanuts."
Slowly Henry accepted the offered drink and candy and just held them in his hands. "...Thanks."
Gavin was happy that Henry at least took the snack even if he wasn't interested in actually eating it. It was just unfortunate that he was so scared and worried about his dad. "Found a deck of cards, too." Placing the cards down on the small table between the chairs Gavin noticed Henry didn't want to play a game and then tried a new tactic. "Hey, Henry..." Gavin made an effort to try to distract the young boy's thoughts for a little while. "did, uh, did your dad tell you about the time he punched me in the face?"
Henry looked up and gave Gavin the same furrowed brow stare of confusion that Connor would give whenever he was confused. "...He what?"
"Well, I deserved it." He quickly admitted. "We're cool now, and it happened a long time ago."
"Why'd he punch you?"
"I was being a jerk. And I know that I was being a MAJOR jerk because no one in the precinct felt bad for me after he did it. Not even Tina."
Hank tightened his hand on Henry's shoulder and cleared his throat. "Your dad also saved Gavin's life a couple times, too."
"He did?" Henry's blue eyes were suddenly bright instead of dim as the comment gave his heart renewed faith. "When?"
"Uh... Let's see..." Gavin tried to think back to all those times so many years ago and remembered the first time Connor saved him. "Uh, there was a suspect who tried to pull a gun on me in interrogation. Your dad tackled her and pointed the gun away from me just in time before the trigger was pulled. Then there was the fire at the precinct. He got me out before it was too late."
"A fire?"
"Long story, I don't even remember the details at this point. Then there was the time a lunatic used an aerosolized weapon on the precinct, but it failed and Connor kept me from breathing in any dangerous chemicals. ...And he helped me when I had issues with my diabetes and passed out in the parking lot. He also got me home once when I got sick with the flu and even went out and bought me some medicine before taking off."
Henry was looking a lot more optimistic knowing that his dad had done so much good for people in the precinct.
"But the big one is when I had been the one with the useless Kevlar vest. I took a bullet and Tina was with me when I went down. Your dad and your grandpa were close by when I got hurt, and they got to me before the ambulance did. I... lost so much blood that my heart stopped and your dad got it going again. He literally saved my life that day. A few weeks later Abby had Aria, and if it wasn't for your dad I never would've lived long enough to meet my daughter."
"Yeah," Hank proudly shook Henry's shoulder where he sat. "and your dad was the one who helped deliver Aria when Abby went into labor."
"Wait..." Henry looked really confused but at the same time happy. "How did dad do that? Shouldn't Abby had been in the hospital when having a baby?"
"Things happened fast. And Connor was with her because they got to be good friends and she needed the help."
"Dad helped with Aria being born. Is that why Abby was a surrogate for me?"
"Uh..." Neither Hank or Gavin knew how to answer that but Hank tried his best for Henry's sake. "She was a surrogate because she wanted to help your dad finally have a child of his own. The laws weren't as advanced then as they are now. Only two years ago were deviants given the right to adopt; through private means rather than openly, but at least it's progress."
"What do you mean, Papa?"
"Well, thirteen years ago, before you were even born, your dad tried and failed to file for adoption. He was turned down for being an android, but they said it was because he was single, had a dangerous job and all that other crap they liked to say to cover up their own discrimination. He was so heartbroken and disappointed for being turned down that Abby was willing to be the first person to carry a child that was a blend of android D.N.A. in a human body so he could finally have a family to take care of. It's weird, I know, but it's the truth."
"...I was a gift for dad?"
"Yup. The best gift your dad ever got. It's a close tie with you saying 'daddy' for the first time on Christmas Day."
Gavin's eyes went wide with shock at how openly Hank was discussing some of the details about Henry's birth. "Whoa, so Henry already knows about 'the birds and the bees'?"
Henry blushed a little as Hank answered on his behalf. "He wanted to know and Connor is a very honest parent. I, unfortunately, had to be the one to fill in some of the other details because of my experience as an actual human. Nothing I couldn't handle, though."
"Yeah... I'm definitely going to let Abby be the one to have the 'talk' with Aria. If I start talking to her about it I'm going to end up arming her with pepper spray and a taser. I might do that anyway..." His own eyes brightened with a genuine sense of a great idea as if he was already mentally going over a list of things he was going to give to his daughter. "You know, kinda' like an early 'sweet-sixteen' gift."
Hank just shook his head a little as he stayed focused on Henry. Henry himself was beginning to feel a little better but he was still worried for his dad. Nothing in the world was going to change that any time soon. Staring down at the floor under his feet Henry fussed with the coin in his hand a little and actually managed to slowly roll it over the back of his knuckles in the same manner that Connor would do whenever he was nervous.
Gavin's phone 'buzzed' in his leather jacket's pocket as he received a text message and update on the case at hand. Swearing internally he read and replied to the message and stood up from the chair. "Foxworth needs me to give another statement. I guess they have a new guy handling the paperwork whenever dealing with an officer down, and she's done holding his hand."
"Give 'em Hell, Gavin."
"I'll see you later, keep me posted." Making his way to the doors of the hospital Gavin took his leave. "Let the 'Tinman' know we're all pulling for him."
As the formerly gruff Lieutenant took his leave of the waiting room Hank took the offered can of soda from Henry's hand and popped it open before handing it back to Henry. "You should drink that and eat that candy bar so you don't starve."
"Papa, why does Gavin always call dad 'Tinman'?"
"He's always called him that. But it's not an insult, it's a nickname."
"It is?"
"Yup. You've seen 'The Wizard of Oz', right?"
"Uh-huh."
"Remember how the Tinman wanted a heart but in the end it turns out he had a heart all along?"
"Yeah."
"Well, same with your dad. He's always had a heart, even when he didn't see it or believe it, it was always there." Pushing the soda a little closer to Henry the ever patient grandfather tried to coax him into drinking it again. "Humor me."
Giving Hank a weak smile Henry took the soda and took a sip of it. The sugary drink didn't feel great on his stomach since he was so worried and hadn't eaten in over seven hours, and he was admittedly beginning to feel hungry. Never one to complain or make either his dad or grandfather worry, Henry sat quietly and never said anything about being uncomfortable.
"Maybe if you try to sleep it'll make time pass a little faster." Hank suggested casually as he pulled Henry up closer to his side. "I'll wake you up the moment I hear anything about your dad."
Too tired and worried to resist Henry nodded as he put the can of soda and untouched candy bar down on the nearby table beside the deck of cards before he cuddled up against Hank's shoulder and closed his tired eyes. As sleep overtook his mind Henry just hoped that the next time he woke up that his dad would be okay.
As the fourth hour transitioned into its fifth hour Dr. Wilson returned to the waiting room at long last and sat down in the chair across from Hank and Henry. The kind doctor didn't seem distressed but he was clearly tired and holding an electronic chart in his hands. Sitting upright in the chair Dr. Wilson looked eyes with Hank and nodded at him once as a sign of recognition and respect.
"Doc'?" Hank asked in a low voice causing Henry's eyes snap open and look over at the kind doctor now sitting before him. "How is he?"
"Connor's going to make a full recovery." Dr. Wilson stated with a firm and sincere voice. "Sorry it took so long. There was a lot of necessary repairs to get through and I wanted to make sure the technicians understood how prototypes react differently from finished models."
Hank let out a relieved sigh and Henry leaned up against his side again. "When can we see him?"
"Right now if you want. He's still rebooting from stasis mode, but he should wake up soon."
Henry nearly leapt out of the chair while Hank stood up more slowly. "Uh, is there anything we should be 'prepared to see'?"
"He's still attached to a Thirial activity monitor as a precaution and he's still receiving blue blood to replace what he's lost. It's going through the line in his right arm rather than down his throat so he can talk to you."
"Thanks, doc'." Returning his hand to Henry's shoulder Hank guided his shaken grandson down the corridor to follow after Dr. Wilson to finally visit Connor after the lengthy repair process. "Like I said Henry, everything will be okay."
One elevator ride later Hank and Henry were shown to the private room where Connor was recovering with no sign of a complication.
"He's right in here." Dr. Wilson stated as he unlocked the sliding door and let it open. "It's okay, go on."
Inside the room Connor was resting in a bed while propped slightly upright with a muted Thirial activity monitor recording his vitals and a nasal canula under his nose. He was pale from the Thirium loss but he didn't look nearly as pale as he had been when Hank and Henry first arrived before his repairs. Wrapped up under thick bandages from his chest down to abdomen and wearing pale blue hospital scrubs, Connor looked so human it was frightening.
Entering the private room where Connor was resting Henry ran over to the bed and nearly threw himself onto Connor to try to hug him. The sudden weight and warmth against his arm made Connor's system fully reboot and he opened his undamaged eye to look at the source of the presence.
Glancing down at Henry resting against his uninjured side made Connor smile as he recognized his son instantly. "...Henry."
"Dad!"
"I'm okay, Henry." Blinking slowly he wrapped his arm around Henry and held him close to his side. "I told you I'd be okay."
"You were almost killed!"
Connor swallowed once; partially out of nervousness and partially because his throat was raw from being intubated for four and a half hours. "...I'm a detective. It comes with the territory."
Hank walked in slowly to give Henry some time to speak to Connor alone but still caught the end of Henry's worrying comment.
"You were wearing a bullet proof vest but you got shot anyway!"
"Henry, those men-"
"What if there's more bad guys like that?" Henry's voice was beginning to crack and shake with emotion. Raw tears were begging to stream down his face in heavy streaks that made him look all the more scared as he spoke with his dad. "What if next time you can't be saved?!"
The fear in Henry's voice made Connor's heart clench. It was the first time that Connor realized that Henry himself had a concept of life and death. Connor was his dad, his mom was already gone, his Uncle Luke lived seven-hundred miles away and Hank was his only grandparent. Gavin and Abby were his godparents, but it wouldn't be the same without Connor himself in Henry's life. In the same way that Connor realized that losing Hank would leave him without a family Henry would feel the exact same way if he lost his dad. Hank would take care of him and he knew both Luke and Markus would step up to help him, but it wouldn't be the same without his father to look after him.
"Henry," wrapping his arm around Henry as much as possible Connor pulled his son up on the bed and let him rest his head against his repaired chest. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For scaring you. I know I can't say anything that'll make you feel better about what happened to me, so I'll stop trying. But I can promise you that I'll take steps ensure that I won't be hurt anymore for as long as I'm still working at the precinct."
"How?!"
"...Captain Foxworth wants to return to Ann Arbor." Connor glanced over to Hank with a somber gaze as his father stood beside the bed. "Her family is there and she wants to be closer to them after her mother suffered a stroke last month. And two weeks ago... I was offered a promotion to Captain."
Henry lifted up his head as Hank gave Connor an odd glance. "What does that mean?"
"It means if I accept the promotion I won't be doing fieldwork anymore. It means I'll stay inside the precinct and give the orders from behind a desk and inside an office."
"...No more bullets?"
"No more bullets."
Hank put his hand on Henry's back as he looked down at Connor laying in the bed. "Son, you do know that means you won't be able to do anything in the field unless it's absolutely necessary, right?"
"I know. That's why I initially turned the promotion down." Connor admitted in a groggy voice. "But, if it'll make Henry feel better to know that I'm safer as a Captain than as a Lieutenant, then I will accept the promotion and stay behind a desk for as long as it takes."
Henry started to cry again causing Hank to instinctively rub his back while Connor tightened his arm around him even more. This time however the tears weren't of fear or of sadness, but of relief and joy.
"It's okay, Henry." Connor winced a little as his pain receptors began to reboot as well and his ventilation program jostled his healing chest. "I'm okay. I won't make you worry about me ever again, I promise."
"...I don't want to lose you, dad!"
"And I don't want to leave you." Moving just enough to bring Henry even closer Connor kissed the top of Henry's hair and just held him in a hug at his left side. "I'll do what it takes to stay with you for as long as possible. You have my word."
It took a full day of recovering at the hospital before Connor was cleared for technical discharge. With Hank's help Connor was able to limp back into Hank's house slowly and was guided over to the couch while Henry proceeded to grab the blanket and pillow from the hallway closet for his dad to feel more comfortable. The house still felt like Connor's home and Henry always felt like he had two homes to call his own. At the moment the house felt empty and sad since Sumo passed away from old age the previous year, but like his predecessor he was buried in the backyard and was still remembered fondly.
"Seems like old times, huh, kid?" Hank joked as he watched Connor struggling to lay comfortably on the couch. "You hurt, me fussin' over you..."
"Not old enough it seems."
"Speak for yourself!"
Henry handed Connor the pillow and the blanket and watched as his dad used the offered items to get more comfortable. "Thanks, Henry."
"You're welcome. When do you go back to work?"
"Three days."
"And will you be working out in the field?"
"No." Connor replied honestly as he pressed his hand to his sore abdomen and chest. "I will remain behind my desk filing reports until my promotion is cleared and I can take over for Captain Foxworth."
"I'm glad. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."
"I don't want to get hurt, either. Believe me."
"Have you been hurt before?"
"Uh..." Connor gave Hank an awkward glance as his father stood behind the couch before he finally answered. "Yeah. But as you can see, I recovered."
"Did you get hurt because you're an android?"
"Sometimes, yes. There were a lot more anti-android bigots in the city before you were born than there are now. Other times I got hurt because it's a hazardous job or I was unintentionally careless."
Hank cleared his throat awkwardly and sat down in his new recliner; one Connor insisted on him buying to replace the old worn out one to help ease the pain in his back even more. "I took my own share of bumps and bruises along the way, too. That's part of the reason my back keeps hurtin' me."
"I thought that was just because you're old."
Laughing at the comment Hank just shook his head and sighed. "You got a smart mouth like your dad. I'm not surprised."
Connor smirked as well as he let out a weary slow breath to ease his pain. "Henry, do you want to know about the time your Papa threw out his back and was stuck on the bathroom floor or do you want to see a photo of him with his long hair?"
A mischievous smile appeared on Henry's face as he sat on the couch next to his dad's legs and finally seem to be feeling better. "How about both?"
Leaning back in the recliner Hank propped his feet up on the coffee table and let out another sigh. "...Like father, like son. Not surprised by that either."
Henry: Thirteen Years Old.
The early effects of puberty had been kind to Henry save for his deepening voice cracking from time to time, but other than the usual inconveniences of raging hormones affecting his speech the young boy was turning into a well adjusted and handsome young man. Taller than he was the previous year and very mature for his age, Henry was permitted to stay home alone after school until Connor returned home from work but Henry still preferred spending time with his Papa after school for a few hours.
Taking the time to feed Opal after school and give the gray and white cat some attention, Henry set about making himself a snack and taking care of his homework at the desk in his bedroom. Between questions and answers Henry texted back and forth with his friends about their basketball game the next night, and let Hank know he'd be over as soon as he finished his biology homework.
Just as the pre-teen finished his assignment his phone began to ring and saw that it was Hank calling him and answered quickly. "Hey, Papa. I'll be over in a few minutes. I just finished my biology report."
'That's good, Henry, but I just wanted to let you know that I got a call from your dad and I need to go pick him up from the precinct.'
"Pick him up?" Too sharp to be fooled Henry knew something was up and his cracking voice carried his worries perfectly. "What happened to dad?"
'To be honest with you,' Hank stated in a calm collected tone that always kept everyone else calm. 'he got banged up while helping to restrain an arrested suspect at the precinct this afternoon. He was already seen and treated by Joel, but he's too sore to drive himself home right now.'
Immediately on guard Henry knew his dad had been injured again and was worried it was a severe wound. "How bad was he hurt?"
'Not too bad. He took a bad blow to his abdomen and just needs a few days to get over the damage.'
"If it takes a few days to heal that's a little worse than 'not too bad', Papa."
There was a pause as Hank noted Henry's keen attention to detail and sighed. 'Yeah, you're right about that.'
"Tell me the truth, please."
'I am. Your dad got hit in the abdomen and now needs a few days to heal.'
"WHAT was dad hit WITH, Papa?"
Another pause followed the question before Hank answered. 'I don't know all the details but he was hit with a blunt instrument that damaged his abdomen and made him bleed. It also damaged his left sterilization filter... thingy. He saw Joel, got patched up, and now I'm going to bring him home to heal.'
"Did he need emergency repairs like when he got shot last year?"
'No, nothing like that. It took Joel not even an hour to patch him up, so yeah, it's not that bad. Absolutely zero bullets were involved.'
"...Okay, Papa. I believe you."
'You better! When have I ever lied to you?'
"I hate to break it to you, but I know the 'Tooth Fairy' isn't real and that you were Santa on my first Christmas."
'Man... You're turning into a real smartass like your dad, and I couldn't be prouder.'
"Thanks." Feeling relieved Henry stood up from his desk and turned off his lamp as he walked toward his bedroom door. "When will you two be back?"
'Within the hour. Will you be cool without us?'
"I think I can live another sixty minutes by myself."
'All right, see ya' then ya' little smartass!' Laughing at Henry's developing wit Hank prepared to end the call and make his way to the precinct to pick up Connor to bring him back home. 'I really am proud of you, too.'
"Thanks, Papa. See you soon."
'See ya'.'
Ending the call Henry sighed and walked down the hallway to wait for his dad and grandfather to return home. Plopping down on the leather couch he pulled Opal from the back of the piece of furniture and held her against his chest where she snuggled in and purred loudly. The cat was as sweet and affectionate as she had been when she was a little kitten and had quickly bonded with Henry shortly after she was adopted.
"Dad's hurt, Opal. But he'll be okay."
Scratching the cat's ears gently Henry sighed and turned on the television to distract himself for a while.
"I wonder what he got hit with while restraining an already arrested suspect. What in the precinct could make him bleed?"
Opal just purred loudly and pressed her chin down on Henry's chest as she settled in for a late afternoon nap with her favorite human.
"Maybe dad got hit with a chair like in a wrestling match. Or got kicked with some steel-toe boots."
More curious than afraid of what could have happened to his dad Henry relaxed a little and just waited for his dad to return to the house to tell him in person.
"If he got hit with something like a stapler or a coffee mug I'm going to make fun of him forever!"
After about thirty minutes passed Henry heard the Corvette pull into the driveway beside the house, heard the engine turn off and then heard one door open and slam shut while the second door took a little longer to follow suit. Standing up from the couch Henry opened the front door and peered outside to check in on his father and grandfather, only to freeze at the sight as he hadn't expected to see his dad looking so pale and weak as he limped toward the house with Hank supporting most of his weight at his right side.
"Dad?"
"...I'm okay, Henry." Connor replied quickly as he pressed his left hand to his left side to try to ease the ache. "Just a little banged up."
"What happened? You look like you're really sick or something."
"I'm just sore."
Joining his dad at his left side Henry helped escort his wounded father inside the house to rest. "What happened to you today?"
"I was sitting in my office filing paperwork when two rookie cops brought in a suspect who was dangerously high on an illegal drug that caused him to suffer a huge adrenaline rush." Answering honestly Connor paused for a moment as Henry pushed open the front door before continuing on inside the house to rest. "The man fought back and the two rookies didn't have the experience necessary to handle the man, so myself and several other officers got involved with subduing him."
"What did he hit you with?"
Sitting down slowly on the couch with Henry and Hank to guide him Connor sighed weakly and pulled up his white dress shirt to show Henry the thick and numerous bandages wrapped around his abdomen to keep his left side covered as the injury heal. "...He used an axe."
"AN AXE?!
"One of the axes kept in the locked glass case to be used only in the event of an emergency or during a fire." Connor specified in an impressively casual tone. "Apparently the lock wasn't strong enough to keep one drug-crazed man at bay and he began swinging."
"How did you get hit with an axe?" Sitting down beside his father on the couch Henry watched as Opal cuddled on Connor's lap and began to purr again. "Why didn't you back off?"
"Because the man was swinging at Tina."
Hank interrupted with his own opinion on the matter. "Tina always wears Kevlar and she's always been able to move quickly. Why risk yourself when you know a competent officer is capable of taking care of herself?"
"Because during the commotion," Connor continued in a groggy tone as his hand rested on Opal's back to pet her soft fur. "I ran a biometric scan over the man to gauge his vitals and try to determine what drug he had taken. During my scan I picked up on a curious reading coming from Tina's person and I couldn't risk her suffering any injury whatsoever."
Worried for the officer Hank dared to ask a follow up question. "...Is Tina sick?"
"No, dad. As of today she is approximately two weeks and four days pregnant."
"O-Oh!" That was far better news than he was expecting. "Holy shit..."
"She didn't know, obviously, otherwise she wouldn't have taken the risk to begin with. In fact," Connor explained further as he leaned back in the couch cushion and tried to breathe through his pain. "she didn't know it herself until I explained to her why I put myself between her and a madman with an axe after she came up to see me in the dispensary."
Almost laughing Hank pressed the question a little further. "...You told her about her own pregnancy?"
"I had to tell her, and she has the right to know as soon as possible."
Hank leaned against the back of the couch with his hands folded neatly together before him as an interesting question popped up in his head. "How'd she react to the news?"
"She proceeded to pass out from shock, but Joel caught her, and we asked Gavin to take her to the infirmary where an early pregnancy test confirmed my scanner's reading. As of this afternoon she is strictly on desk duty and is not permitted to assist with any arrests until after she gives birth. Gavin will ensure she remains on desk duty and doesn't do anything foolish."
"Well, is she... happy about it?"
"Very!" The kindhearted deviant replied with a faint grin on her face. "She and her boyfriend had been trying to get pregnant for some time now, and as soon as she found out the good news she called to tell him that she had a surprise for him tonight after work and then proceeded to shop online for baby clothes."
"That's one way to keep her at her desk."
"I figured that as well and will allow her to do so if it'll keep her safe behind her desk."
"Good call."
Henry shook his head a little and gave his dad an odd glance. "What about the man who hit you?"
"He managed to swing the axe at my left side but he wasn't close enough to cause any significant damage. The blade of the axe itself was sharp enough to to slice through my artificial skin and plastimetal frame, and only nicked my left sterilization filter as it passed through. The wound looks worse than it is and will need two days for the damage to my frame to mend properly." Pressing his palm over the bandages covering his lower left abdomen Connor winced a little but didn't yelp out in pain. "As for the man himself, he was tased by Chris and then sedated by a team of paramedics who were given special permission by the local hospital. He'll remain restrained at the hospital under close security surveillance until he comes down from his high and is coherent enough to be charged for his numerous acts of assault, as well as his purchase and use of an illegal substance."
"...Do you need anything, dad?" Henry hated seeing his dad injured or sick and wanted to help him feel better. "Can I help you?"
"I just need a little help with getting down the hallway and into my own bed. I'd rather lay down and enter rest mode instead of sitting upright on the couch."
"Yeah, sure." Pulling his father's arm around his shoulders Henry stood up from the couch and helped Connor to stand up from the couch. "Lean on me."
Connor allowed his son to escort him out of the livingroom and down the hallway to his bedroom, all the while he was smiling at his son's maturity and readiness to help someone in need.
The pride in Henry was a mutual feeling as Hank stepped back and let his grandson take charge of helping his father without interfering. Putting both of his hands to his lower back Hank let out a deep breath as he could feel his exhausted muscles struggling to just allow Hank to stand up, let alone walk around and carry his adult son around at his side. Age was truly mocking Hank at this point and sooner rather than later he'd have to admit his age and seek supportive measures for himself.
"Here." Henry opened the bedroom door with a quick turn of the doorknob and led Connor over to his bed to lay down. Keeping as much of Connor's weight on his own side as they walked, Henry moved slowly and was very careful not jostle his injured father as they walked. "Do androids need ice or anything for pain like this?"
"No, ice won't help with this type of damage." Connor explained casually as he laid back over the length of his bed and returned his palm to his wounded left side. "And I'm not overheating. It's okay."
"Let me help you get your shirt off." Without waiting for a response Henry pulled on the knot of Connor's black tie to remove the garment from around the white dress shirt's collar, then pulled the buttons on the shirt open. As his father awkwardly slipped his arms from the sleeves of the shirt Henry noticed the tear in the lower left portion of the fabric thanks to the axe's sharp blade and felt sick as he paled quickly. "...I'll see if there's any extra gauze in the bathroom."
"Henry." Connor grabbed on to his son's wrist to keep him from leaving the bedroom. "I'm okay, son."
"I know."
"You're pale, your vitals have all elevated and I can feel you trembling. I promise you that I'm okay, but it's also okay to be shaken by this experience. I was."
"Dad, I'm..." Turning to face his father directly Henry sighed a little and returned to his father's bedside. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry?" As his brow knit with confusion Connor studied his son's face and tried to understand his guilt. "Why are you sorry?"
"...Last year when you got shot I was mad and I yelled at you for getting hurt. A part of me thought you did it on purpose and I don't know why. You chose to take a position to keep you inside the precinct and out of the streets because I was scared and I didn't want you to get hurt again. But you got hurt anyway. You were right, being a detective is dangerous. I'm sorry I was mad at you for getting hurt last year."
"It's okay. You're allowed to feel whatever you need to feel." Sitting upright slowly on the bed Connor put his free palm to the back of Henry's thick dark hair and held it there for a moment as he spoke to his son. "I had to learn that the hard way as I accepted my deviancy, and I had to learn to stop feeling guilty for expressing emotions or having an opinion on something."
"You're helping other people when you go to work but you're still making changes just for me. That makes me feel... selfish."
"Henry, you're FAR from selfish. I made those changes to my life because I love you and I want you to feel better about me going to work, not because you were angry at me and I wanted to make amends. Even if I hadn't been shot I would've changed my role in the precinct if you had asked. You did nothing wrong last year when you were overwhelmed with emotions, just as I did nothing wrong when I had been injured. Okay?"
"...Okay."
"You're a good kid, Henry. You make me and your Papa very proud and you have no reason to feel ashamed of anything."
"Thanks, dad."
"I'm all right now. Go check in with your Papa and find something for dinner. I'm not up for cooking tonight, so go ahead and order take-out if you want."
"Sure. I'll check on you later." Taking his leave of the bedroom Henry wandered back down the hallway and saw Hank sitting down on the couch with Opal happily sprawled out over his lap as she got her ears rubbed and her soft fur stroked. "Hey, Papa. What do you want to do for dinner?"
"Well, I was planning on grillin' a couple of steaks tonight, but my back is aching too much. How about instead we split a pizza?"
"I could cook tonight."
"Really?" The offer was fairly impressive for a pre-teen. "You want to cook?"
"I've never done it before, but I could still try."
"All right, how about you wheel the small barbecue from my garage over here and I'll show you the trick to grilling the perfect juicy steak?"
"Sure! I can do that."
"Cool. There's a bag of charcoal, some lighter fluid and a lighter already stored inside the barbecue, so just wheel that little red bastard over here and we'll get started."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
Hank watched as Henry walked out of the backdoor and made his way next door to get the small grill. Gently putting aside Opal for a moment Hank rose from the couch, his left hand pressing against his back the entire time, and walked down the hallway to check on Connor for himself. Pushing open the partially closed bedroom door Hank looked down at his son as Connor laid on his back with his arm tucked under his head.
"Hey, son."
"Hi, dad."
"How do you feel?"
"Tired and sore."
Walking closer to the bed Hank saw the faint pool of Thirium leaking through the bandages wrapped around Connor's abdomen and grimaced a little. "You're bleeding."
"Oh..." Looking down at the pale blue blood staining the white bandages a faint sapphire hue Connor sighed and pressed his right palm against the wound under a light pressure. "I must've aggravated my injury when I sat upright to talk to Henry."
"You still got that fancy android first aid kit?"
"Yes. It's under the bathroom sink."
"Stay put, I'll get ya' cleaned up."
"Where'd Henry go?"
"He's getting the barbecue next door." Shouting as he stepped out of the bedroom and into the neighboring bathroom to get the first aid kit Hank spoke to his son in a confident manner. "He wants to cook tonight and I'm going to teach him."
"He is? That's good to know."
"Has he never asked about cooking before?"
"No, not to me."
Returning to the bedroom with the plastic first aid kit in his hand and a limp in his step Hank sat down on the edge of Connor's bed with the intention of helping him change his now dirty bandages. "Well, maybe Henry's growing up and is ready for new challenges."
"Is it weird that I don't want Henry to grow up?"
"Not at all, son. That's how every parent feels."
"That's reassuring."
Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank began pulling his injured son forward to sit upright on the bed again. "Sit up and I'll-" Stopping mid sentence Hank winced and pulled his hand back from Connor's shoulder to support his aching back. "...Fuck."
"You pulled the muscles in your back again, didn't you?"
"...Yeah. It's getting harder and harder not to do it."
Pushing himself upright on the bed with both arms Connor stared at his father and ran a biometric scan over the retired detective's body. "Your lower back muscles are severely inflamed. It's putting pressure on your spinal column."
"Yup. I noticed."
"I hate to say it, but-"
"I know, I know. I'll go talk to my doctor soon about this. I just don't want to be leanin' on a cane or a walker for the rest of my life."
Connor's mouth ticked a little as a sheepish smile appeared on his face. "I could always modify Henry's old baby sling and carry you around on my chest instead."
"Oh, hell no!" That idea made Hank grimace and then laugh. "I maybe old but I'm not a piece of luggage to be hefted around."
"You wouldn't be luggage, you'd be carry-on."
"Smartass. You AND your son are the biggest smartasses I've ever met, and I love it."
From the opened doorway Henry addressed his father and grandfather in a level tone of voice. "Hey, Papa. I got the barbecue out back but I don't know how to light it."
"All right, I'll show ya'. Just give me a minute to get up again and walk outside. My back isn't very cooperative today."
"Okay." Noticing the first aid kit sitting on the bed beside Connor's leg Henry paled a little again and helped Hank to stand up from the bed. Daring to ask about the kit after Hank stepped out of the bedroom, Henry gave his father a worried glance. "What's wrong?"
Connor was a little confused by the question. "Hm?"
Pointing to the white plastic box Henry identified the source of his question. "The first aid kit."
"Oh, I accidentally caused a weakened Thirium line to leak again when I moved too much." The reply was entirely laidback as Connor explained what was going on. "I was just going to have the bandages changed, but your Papa's back was hurting him too much to help me."
"...I can do it."
"Henry, it's okay. I can see you're uncomfortable about my injury."
"So what? You still need help." Opening up the kit Henry sat down where Hank had been and offered Connor his hand to take. "Let me help you."
Smirking a little Connor gave Henry his hand and let his son pull him up into a sitting position on the bed once more. "Okay."
"What do I do first?"
"These old bandages need to be removed. Inside the kit is a pair of scissors designed just for gauze."
"Got it." Finding the shiny metallic pair of scissors Henry carefully cut away the old bandages from his father's side and then bundled up the dirty gauze to be thrown away later. As the bandages revealed Connor's raw wound that was weeping blue blood Henry winced a little, but didn't dare back off. "...Now what?"
Connor looked down at his now exposed left side and ran a scan over the wound. There was a relatively deep gouge in his left side that was eight inches long running from the bottom of his 'rib cage' toward his left hip. The artificial skin around the wound and extended outward by a two inch diameter failed to regenerate because of the open fracture in his plastimetal frame. Through the fracture it was easy to see the repaired sterilization filter beneath.
"Dad? What do I do next?"
"...Locate the orange bottle of liquid in the kit. That's called 'incrassation compound' and it stops Thirium lines from leaking."
"This?" Picking up the correct bottle Henry unscrewed the cap and gave his father a curious glance. "It says 'incrassation' on the label."
"That's it. Just pour it onto the damage, don't worry about making a mess."
With a steady hand Henry reached out and began pouring a small amount into the opened wound and tried to ignore his father physically flinching at the stinging sensation that made his breath hitch. As the orange liquid met the blue tinted Thirium a thin flush of tea colored liquid washed out of the wound, and Connor nodded to let Henry know it was okay to stop.
"Did that hurt you?"
"No, it's just an uncomfortable sensation."
"Okay." Returning the lid to the bottle Henry focused on his task at hand. "Then what do we do?"
"Put a large gauze pad over the wound and tape it into place. Afterward just wrap it up under the roll of gauze as it had been before when I returned home."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Seems kind of simple."
"Android anatomy isn't too dissimilar to human anatomy. The difference is only the color our blood and the fragility of our internal workings."
"Why didn't you ask for my help when Papa couldn't help you?" Applying the large gauze pad to his father's side Henry used his left hand to hold it in place before using his right hand to apply the medical adhesive to hold the bandage in place over the wound. "I'm not a little kid anymore."
"I know. I just don't want you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable."
"I'm pretty sure that's a part of growing up." Wrapping the gauze around his father's abdomen slowly Henry locked his blue eyes with Connor's brown eyes and gave him a coy stare. "If growing up wasn't meant to be uncomfortable my voice wouldn't be cracking every two sentences."
Laughing at his son's positive demeanor Connor stayed put as Henry finished wrapping up his abdomen and returned his hand to the back of Henry's hair in a supportive manner. "You're already so grown up. Soon you'll be driving yourself around and looking at colleges."
"If I maintain my grades and keep up my records on the basketball team I'll have a scholarship already lined up for me."
"See what I mean? And I don't think I'm ready for you to be an adult yet."
"Well, it's not like after I hit eighteen I'm going to pack my bags and move to another planet, dad. Trust me," finishing up with the bandages Henry closed the first aid kit and gave his dad a kind smirk. "I looked into interplanetary travel. It still has some bugs to work out."
Feeling much better and truly proud of his son Connor carefully laid back against his pillow to relax. "Nothing's perfect. Why don't you go help your Papa with the barbecue? I'll be fine now."
"Okay. I'll put this back in the bathroom." Standing up from the bed with the cleaned up first aid kit in his hands Henry backed away from the bed and gave his father a nod of confidence. "I'm going to figure out how to grill without burning down the neighborhood."
"There's a fire extinguisher under the kitchen sink. Take it with you if you want."
"What about the garden hose?"
"That'll work, too."
Truly proud of his son Connor watched as Henry took his leave of the bedroom and quickly found himself thinking about the past thirteen years he had with Henry and how much he had really grown up over the years. Pressing his palm to his freshly bandaged side Connor sighed, closed his eyes and let a few emotional tears roll down his face.
"You'd be so proud of our son, Skye. I wish you could've met him."
Two hours passed before Hank returned to the bedroom to check in on his son and made sure Connor was still comfortable. Seeing the wrapped up deviant laying comfortably on his bed and seemingly asleep with Opal curled up on his chest, Hank limped over to the bed to check on the bandages and was relieved to see that there wasn't any additional bleeding and that the bandages were still clean. As his hand brushed against the wound and then over Connor's forehead for an instinctive fever check Hank saw his son's eyes opening up and he waited for Connor to say something.
"Hey, dad."
"Hey, son."
"How was your cooking lesson with Henry?"
"It's safe to say he inherited your cooking skills, son." Hank was proud to talk about Henry's latest accomplishment. "That was easily a five-star steak and we had zero issues with the barbecue."
"That's good to hear."
"Henry's in bed already." Speaking with a mild fatigue to his own voice Hank confirmed that the day was long and tiring. "I think he's exhausted from going through puberty, dealing with school and you being a detective."
"He can handle it. He's a very strong and confident kid."
"Damn right, he's stubborn like his father. Need anything before I take off?"
"No, I'm okay." Rubbing Opal's ears Connor sighed a little and then changed his mind. "...Well, maybe one thing."
"What's that?"
Gently putting Opal aside on the bed so he could sit up again Connor sighed and gave Hank a pleading look. "I just realized how mature Henry has become and that soon he won't need me anymore to guide him. And... I don't know what to do about it."
"Not true, son. A father's work is never done."
"It's still a strangely grounding feeling to know that Henry won't need me to help him with every challenge that comes his way. It's like he's an adult already."
"Uh-huh..." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank gave Connor a hug without waiting for an invitation and felt his son wrap his arms tightly around his shoulders in return. "Remember what I told you about Henry when he had just been born? How you'd always see him as your little boy?"
"Yes, I remember."
"This is the moment I was talking about."
"It's a strange moment." Conflicting emotions filled Connor's mind and his heart as he tried to process what he was going through. "I'm proud of him and of the person he is becoming, but at the same time a part of me is dreading him becoming an adult and being on his own."
"'Empty-nest syndrome' is definitely in your future, son. But it's okay, I'll still be there to help you through it."
"Thanks, dad."
"And for what it's worth, as proud as you are of Henry, I'm just as a proud of you. You're a great father and Henry is a great kid. You have every right to be proud of him just as I'm proud of you."
"The same came be said about you, dad."
"How's that?"
"Fourteen years sober." Connor explained with a smile. "You never once slipped and you've been taking care of yourself just as you promised. I'm very proud of you, too."
"Well, you, Henry and Luke all gave me good reasons to stick around." Releasing the hug Hank gave Connor's shoulder a firm pat and made sure his son knew that everything would be okay. "And I'm going to be here for as long as I can. I promise to not go down without putting up some kind of fight."
Henry: Fourteen Years Old.
A year had passed without any further incident at the precinct injuring Connor or scaring Henry, and had left the small family feeling more secure. Gavin took over Connor's previous position and was now second in command as the precinct's ranking Lieutenant - a position that no one thought he'd attain because of his previous attitude problems; but then again no one thought an android would be given such a high rank or position of power. Chris was on his way to being a Lieutenant as well, while Tina and Jack were both successfully promoted to Sergeants and given rookie partners to train. Ben had retired the previous summer and had passed on the mantle of lead investigator to his most promising protege and all was well at the Central Precinct.
There was a whole new squadron of rookie officers that Connor was now in charge of. He wasn't afraid to lead and his fellow officers weren't afraid to follow after him. Hank had never been prouder of son's work as a detective and made sure he knew about it as often as possible.
"Hey, dad?" Henry called out from the bathroom, his voice a few octaves deeper than it had been the previous year now that puberty was finally reaching its plateau and leaving Henry with a more consistent voice. "Can you help me out, please?"
Connor entered the bathroom and saw Henry running his fingertips over his chin where a noticeable dark stubble was beginning to grow. There was even a few dark hairs growing on his upper lip as well. The teenager was much taller and had a lean nimble build just like Connor. He was now eye level with Connor's upper chest and had just a few more freckles that adorned his complexion just like his father.
There were even times where people who saw Connor and Henry together mistook them as brothers, which made Hank laugh but made Henry feel a little weird when he had to explain that the immortally young looking android was actually his father.
"Help you with what, son?"
"I, uh," Henry turned away from the mirror and tapped his fingertip on his chin as he spoke. "I need to shave."
"O-Oh. Uh... I think that's going to have to be a problem for your Papa to solve today."
"Papa has a beard and I've never seen him without it. Does he even remember how to shave?"
Connor smirked at the question as he decided that it was time for him to take Henry out to get a shaving kit, and maybe a few other personal hygiene products that he might want to try out. Growing up was an inevitability that needed to be taken care of as soon as possible.
"Come on." The deviant father motioned for the front door as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed the car keys from the massive bookshelf that lined the wall in the livingroom in a similar manner to the furnishings at Hank's house. "Get your shoes."
"Where we going?" Henry rubbed Opal's ears as he passed by the cat sleeping on the back of the couch to get his own shoes by the front door. "Next door?"
"Not yet. We're going to get you hooked up with some grooming products first. You choose, I buy."
"What if I want dark purple hair dye and a curling iron?"
"Then we'll pick up some green dye for your Papa and get a surge protector for the curling iron."
"Funny. Wait..." Henry sometimes had a hard time reading Connor's sarcasm but it was getting easier over time. "...Can I dye my hair?"
"If you want to. It's your hair and the color will fade over time."
"How come you're so cool with that kind of stuff but when Jason put blond highlights in his hair he got grounded for a week?"
"Because I'm a cool parent," Connor replied as he pulled open the front door and waited Henry to follow after him. "and Jason's parents are not."
"Yeah, because nothing says 'I'm the cool dad' like announcing that you're the cool dad."
"You inherited my smart mouth but you adopted your Papa's sarcasm. That could be a dangerous combination."
"For you or for me?"
Tossing the car keys up into the air once and catching them in his hand Connor gave his son a playful smirk and a shrug of his shoulders. "For society."
A stop at the local super market and a trip down the aisle with hygiene products had left Connor and Henry at a bit of pause. Connor had only needed to shower when he had gotten covered in dirt or grime at a crime scene or after he had gotten sick, as opposed to needing to shower daily/nightly to remove an accumulation of sweat and body oil like humans. He had begun showering more because of the update giving him more humanoid responses, but it wasn't entirely necessary since he didn't develop any form of body odor.
When Henry had been born Hank had already stocked up on baby shampoos and gentle body washes for convenience. As Henry grew up Connor had purchased other types of shampoos and soaps, but he hadn't considered anything else special for Henry beyond toothpaste and deodorant for his son.
"What do you think?" Henry asked as he looked at the numerous razor blades with utter loss in his blue eyes. "I think the more blades the better, but they're way more expensive than the other stuff."
"Get what you want to try." Connor encouraged as he watched his son making his decision. "I doubt you'll need to shave every day and even so, I'll pay for it."
"Really?"
"Yes. Get what you want."
"All right, uh..." Trying to decide between two different brands of razors, both the same type and both the same price, Henry was still at a loss. "Is there really any difference?"
Connor ran a scan over the two packs of razors and the corner of his mouth twitched. "I can't see one. Flip a coin." Fishing out his quarter from his jean pocket he tossed it to Henry who caught it in his graceful hands. "Heads you take the razors in the blue package. Tails you takes the razors in the red package."
"All right." Flipping the coin up in the air Henry caught it in his right hand and made his decision. "Heads, blue it is!"
Tossing Connor back his coin Henry put back the red razors on the shelf and dropped the blue one in the shopping basket sitting on the floor beside his foot. Moving on to the next item Henry had less difficulty in his decision and went solely by the scent on the can of shaving cream and placed it in the basket next to the razors. The idea of aftershave seemed appealing, but Henry really didn't know what it was for.
"Put it in the basket." Connor saw Henry curiously eyeing the item and encouraged him to try it as well. "Also grab some extra deodorant so you don't have to worry about it for a while during the summer."
"Sure."
Feeling truly like a parent Connor watched as his teenage son set about taking care of his own hygiene and even took the time to add a new toothbrush, shampoo and soap to his basket just to make sure he had everything taken care of. It was a strange sense of pride and sadness as Henry started showing more independence, personal responsibility and overall maturity.
From down the aisle the sound a small noise caught Connor's ear and he turned toward the sound in time to see Tina walking down the aisle with her own baby boy in a sling on her chest. "Tina."
"Connor, hi!" Walking up to her commanding officer Tina happily introduced her her four-month-old son to the kind deviant. "You've seen pictures of Shawn since he's been born, but you've never been properly introduced."
"Hello, Shawn." Happy to see the small baby in person Connor noted that Shawn had inherited Tina's dark hair and her dark eyes, but had clearly inherited his father's nose, ears and chin. As Shawn let out a small yawn Connor smirked and remembered how Henry at one point used to be so small and easy to carry around as well. "I take it you're here for a diaper run."
"Spoken like an experienced parent." Smiling and looking past Connor toward Henry a few feet behind him Tina gave the teenager a surprised shake of her head. "I can't believe Henry's already fourteen. I swear it was only yesterday he came in to the precinct for a visit when he was just a few months old."
"Yes, I'm finding it difficult to believe as well."
"And he looks exactly like you! It's unreal..."
"I believe in a few more months you'll have the same reaction in comparing Shawn to his own father."
"I can see it now..." Tina admitted as she gently ran her fingers over her son's hair. "It's kind of spooky."
"Hey, dad?" Henry called out to Connor and drew his attention away from Tina and Shawn for a moment. "Think this is all I'll need?"
Connor nodded at Tina as she gave Henry a little wave and went on her way to find Shawn his diapers, and then looked at the items in Henry's shopping basket. Unsure of what would be considered appropriate for a teenage boy to have as his first grooming kit, Connor just tilted his head and gave his son a sarcastic comment on the situation. "I don't know. Want to throw in a box of band-aids in case your Papa is a bad teacher?"
"For me or for him?"
"Both." Smiling again Connor motioned for the front of the store to check-out and head out. "Come on. Let's get back to the house and see what your Papa is doing right now. I'm sure it's interesting."
As Connor pulled the Corvette up to the house to visit with Hank he saw that Hank was already outside in his driveway next door, and he seemed to have a new toy to play with. Being retired gave Hank so much more free time and with Henry no longer needing to be watched every day after school, Hank was getting a little restless with all of his freedom. Fortunately it looked like he found himself a new project to keep his mind preoccupied and gave Connor and Henry yet another reason to check in on him on a daily basis.
"Looks like your Papa was out shopping, too." Connor noted as he and Henry exited the Corvette and walked side by side up the driveway at the neighboring house. "He found something bigger than a grooming kit, too."
"Yeah." Henry noted the purchase and grinned at the sight. "And it looks like he had fun while he was at it."
Hank heard the two talking as he popped open the hood of the old car he had just purchased and was now seeking to restore. "What do you think, son?"
"I think it's a 1989 Chevrolet Camaro." Connor replied as literally as he could. "And it needs work." He ran a scan over the vehicle and noted its rough condition and grinned. "...A LOT of work."
"Yup. I needed something to do and since you keep the Corvette with you or at work, I wanted another classic beauty to work on."
"Where'd you find it?"
"An old contact from the precinct told me about it." Walking around the car to speak to the duo face to face Hank noticed the patch of facial hair growing on Henry's chin and smirked at the sight. "What's this?" Putting his hand under Henry's chin he gently turned his grandson's face so he could see the small dark goatee trying to form on his chin and over his upper lip. "You growing a beard?"
"Not if I can help it." Holding up the paper shopping bag with his new items he gave his grandfather a pleading look. "But dad says this is something you'll need to coach me through."
"Yeah, sure. Let's go." Patting Henry's shoulder Hank motioned for the backdoor. "We'll do this, and Connor, you can take a quick scan of the Camaro for me so I know what I need to repair, replace and get restored."
"No problem." Connor had no objections to giving the car a thorough once-over. "Thanks for your help, dad."
The idea of working on another vehicle made Connor think back and remember the hours he had spent with Hank working on the Corvette and how it was a total shock when Hank gave the restored car to Connor as a gift. It was then Connor remembered Hank making a remark four years ago about doing something special for Henry as a sixteenth birthday gift, and he had just figured out what that special something was.
It didn't take Connor too long to run a scan over the vehicle and chronicle all of the maintenance requirements and even less time to figure out what Hank was up to. Satisfied that the car was in decent enough condition to be restored within a respectable time frame and within a reasonable budget, Connor walked inside the house through the backdoor and made his way down the hallway in time to see Henry rinsing off his face and running his hand over his now smooth chin again through the opened bathroom door.
"You look good." Connor complimented as Henry looked at his reflection in the mirror over the sink. "Are you going to shave every day or let your goatee grow?"
"I don't think facial hair's for me. I was starting to look like one of the musicians on Papa's album covers."
"Well, you are a talented musician." Connor confirmed as he and Hank smirked at the comment. "So that'd be considered a normal look and not at all weird."
"Yeah, but the really weird thing is in a while I think people might think I'm older than you."
Intrigued by the notion Connor pressed his right hand to his own chin and shook his head. "Sorry, Henry. It's not my fault androids aesthetically don't age."
Hank knew Connor had finished examining the Camaro and was eager to know how it was holding up and gave his son an anxious glance. "How's the car?"
"It'll need transmission, brakes pads, a battery, spark plugs, serpentine belt, new shocks, struts, brake drums, an alignment and an alternator - the usual repairs. But it's well within the realm of reality to do so with a practical budget and time frame."
"Cool. Think you can track the necessary parts and-"
"Already done."
"-send them to my phone." Sighing a little Hank gave his son an only mildly annoyed glance. "Connor, I can pay for the parts."
"I'm aware, but you already paid for the car itself and I know you'll be doing a majority of the work while I'm at the precinct."
"Well, joke's on you kid." Nudging Henry in the ribs lightly with his elbow Hank motioned with a thumb over the shoulder in the direction of the Camaro outside in the side driveway. "Henry, want to help me with the car?"
"You'll show me how to work on a car?"
"Yup."
"Cool!" Ever curious and eager to learn Henry was thrilled to have a side project to work on with his grandfather. "I'll have something to do this summer when we're not at the cabin."
"Which reminds me," Hank looked at Connor and gave him a nod. "two weeks from now I want to have a Fourth of July type of thing at the cabin. Get the time off and we'll have a barbecue or something."
"I will." Connor agreed without any problems. "I suppose that's one of the perks to being a Captain, I can set my own hours."
"Go on, Henry." Hank patted his grandson's injury lightly. "I'll show you what to look for in an engine; what's good and what's crap."
"Yeah, okay."
Once Henry was out of hearing range Connor addressed Hank discreetly and in a low voice. "Did you speak to your doctor again? I know your pain isn't just your back this time. You had that taken care of last year."
"...Yeah, kid. It's uh, not great." Hank admitted in a whisper to ensure Henry didn't hear them. "But I know what's causing my pain this time."
Hesitating only for a moment Connor forced himself to ask about the prognosis despite sensing that the answer was bleak. "...What's the cause?"
"My liver's beginning to breakdown on me." The look in Hank's blue eyes were full of frightened tears. "Stage one cancer."
That word left Connor stunned, almost speechless. Running a biometric scan over Hank's liver he noted the damaged and ill tissue, and gave Hank a truly worried stare as he processed what he was being told. "...Cancer?"
"I'm going to begin treatment to kill the tumor, but with my age and health history..."
"Please don't give up."
"I'm not, son. If I didn't have you, Henry or Luke I would throw in the towel right here, right now. But I'll put up a fight for as long as I can for you boys."
"What should I tell Henry?"
"Nothing. I don't want him to see me as a sick old man, I want him to always see me as his Papa." Cleaning up the grooming kit on the bathroom sink Hank pleaded with his son to keep his secret for as long as possible. "Don't tell him I'm sick. Promise?"
"I promise. I won't say a word about you being ill."
"And like I said, I'm going to fight back. Just think of this as age making a fool of me, nothing more. One more obstacle to overcome."
"Yeah. It's just another challenge."
"I'd tell you to not worry, but you will. So instead," Hank clapped his hand down on Connor's shoulder and held his palm there for a moment. "I'll ask that you focus on Henry and making sure he's focused on everything else with his future. School, getting his driver's license, maybe going to college... Got it?"
"Got it."
Henry rushed back into the bathroom and knocked on the door frame frantically. "Come on, Papa! Show me the car!"
"I'm coming, Henry." Putting the repacked kit down on the sink Hank walked out of the bathroom to follow his grandson. "Right behind ya'!"
While the two left the bathroom to go check out the car outside Connor stayed behind and took in a deep calming breath. The last thing he wanted to hear was that Hank was sick with cancer. Even though it was stage one it was cancer nonetheless and Hank's body wasn't as strong as it used to be.
"Stay strong."
The deviant father and son told himself as he leaned against the bathroom sink.
"For Henry. Do it for Henry."
Feeling lost and scared Connor looked at his own reflection in the mirror above the sink and compared his appearance to how Henry looked, then realized for the very first time that in the eighteen years he had known Hank that the retired detective was aging quickly. His face was more weather worn though his eyes stayed bright and alert. The chronic pain in Hank's back had ruined his posture making him look even older and more fragile. While Hank had full gray in his hair and his beard since the first day Connor met him, the keen eyed deviant could see that he was looking whiter and paler than usual.
"Do what's best for Henry."
Putting his hand to the side of his face Connor examined his complexion curiously.
"No matter what it takes..."
Outside in the driveway beside the house Hank was showing Henry everything under the hood of the recently purchased car, explaining the mechanics of the engine and how to diagnose mechanical failure, when Connor eventually rejoined them outside. While the two were busy looking under the hood of the aged vehicle Connor stood just off to the side of the front of the car and silently observed as he watched the grandfather and grandson duo bonding even closer over the impending summer project.
"Remember to never rush a project like this. Always take your time." Sensing Connor's presence a few feet away Hank briefly glanced up at his son, then did a double-take. "What the... Connor? What the hell did you do to your hair?"
Henry looked up as well and almost laughed at his dad as he now boasted natural looking streaks of gray through his brunette hair and a few exaggerated frown lines on his face and lines around his eyes. "And your face?!"
"I decided to alter my look to reflect my age more accurately in comparison to yours, Henry." Connor replied honestly as he rubbed his fingertips along his jaw and eyes. "I'm trying to look more like a person in their late thirties, if not their early forties."
"So you put gray in your hair and look like you haven't sleep in two years?"
"Thanks to your tantrums as a toddler, that metaphorical lack of sleep for two years is rather apt."
"I can accept that, but you can't blame the gray on me."
"No, that can be blamed on working at a precinct for eighteen years."
Hank just laughed and shook his head. "I get what you're doing but that look just isn't you. You're only eighteen, you don't need to look forty. Why go for a change like this out of the blue?"
"I was not meant to age and I determined that this aesthetic would make it less socially awkward for the other parents whenever I tend to Henry's school activities or go anywhere with him in a social setting. People won't assume we are brothers and finally recognize us as father and son now that he isn't an infant anymore."
Henry looked a little embarrassed by the gesture but played it off coolly. "Only sport that look when we're dealing with school stuff or we're out shopping. I don't want to look at the gray in your hair all day while home."
"That's manageable." The aesthetic alterations to Connor's appearance faded away as easily as he had implemented them. "Better?"
"Much."
Hank had enough of the weird conversation and changed the subject back to the car. "Now that Connor is back to normal, how about you two help me get this car back to normal, too?"
"Of course." Always happy to take part in an activity with his family Connor stood before the popped open hood and smirked at his father and his son as the trio prepared to begin some hard and worthwhile work together. "Where do we start?"
Henry: Fifteen Years Old.
Staying at the cabin for a summer vacation had been exactly what the small family needed as Henry adjusted to high school and Hank dealt with his own health issues. Connor was spending more time at the precinct as he helped train new officers and continued to help cover shifts after the previous spring had brought a nasty bout of the flu through the bullpen, but now he had the time off he needed to de-stress and spend time with his family again. To make things better Luke had taken a week off from his facility in Boston and was happy to join his father, brother and nephew at the cabin as well.
The quartet gathered around the roaring bonfire in the backyard of the cabin and laughed as they all exchanged stories and reminisced about their pasts as they simply enjoyed one another's company at the seclusion of the cabin. It had been difficult for Luke to return to Detroit to be with his family during special occasions, and it was even harder for the trio to go out to Boston to visit Luke in return. Finally being able to be together for the first time in almost three years had been perfect for helping the family to relax and enjoy the summer.
"Now that Boston has six additional android facilities functioning at full capacity I will be able to have more time off and I can return to Detroit more often." The accomplishment was being righteously boasted as Luke adjusted the burning logs in the bonfire pit with a long stick. "It's nice being able to take a vacation every few weeks."
"That's great news, Luke." Connor was happy to hear about the progress in Boston and even happier to learn that his big brother had more free time on his hands. "Maybe we can do this again next summer now that you don't have to take care of an entire city of androids by yourself."
"That'd be nice, I'd really enjoy it."
Hank sipped at a bottle of water as he eyed his sons and grandson with a truly peaceful smile on his face and ignored the lingering ache in his back. "It sounds like everyone is moving forward and is finally finding the time for fun."
Sitting next to Hank on the old dead log beside the bonfire Henry sighed a little and ran his fingers through his dark hair in a messy manner. "Yeah, sure."
"Easy, buddy." Putting his hand to Henry's shoulder Hank sensed the teenager's stress and empathized with him. "High school sucks, but it'll be over soon enough."
"Yeah, and then there's college, tuition, student loans, debt, sleeplessness..."
"Come on, Henry. You'll do great! You've already aced every test you've ever had, you're at the top of your class in grades, you're a stellar athlete, you can play the piano and the guitar, and you have at least two scholarships lined up for ya'. It's normal to be nervous but I can tell you for certain that you'll be able to handle it and thrive under any circumstances. Just keep doing what you're doing and know you have all the support of your family behind ya'."
"Thanks, Papa. But that doesn't help much."
"Remember that I have faith in you and you'll do just fine. You'll never disappoint me or your dad, so no pressure."
"He's right, Henry. You'll do great." Connor nodded in agreement as he watched his son and his father speaking like good friends as they sat together by the bonfire. "It's almost five o'clock. Should Luke and I prepare dinner for you two?"
Henry looked up at his dad and his uncle as he nodded heavily. "Yeah, I'm starving."
"Then we'll go get everything ready."
"What're we having, dad?"
"Tofu and sushi rolls."
Giving his father an incredulous stare Henry shook his head and sighed loudly. "You're so weird. What're we having really?"
"Steaks, hamburgers and hotdogs." Grinning like an idiot Connor truly enjoyed it when Henry would call him out on strange things. "Everything your Papa suggested we cook we brought."
Looking over at Hank beside him Henry gave his grandfather a coy stare. "How come you're so normal and he's so weird?"
"Because your dad is unique in every way and doesn't have a human stomach. Him and Luke get Thirium-based food to eat, sure, it's flavored to taste like real food but it's all the same stuff under different labels. He has no appreciation for a perfectly cooked steak."
"That explains a lot."
Connor stood up from the small lawn chair beside Henry and patted his hand against his shoulder. "Don't forget, you take after me. Weird runs in your blood, too."
"Thanks for the warning!"
Laughing at the odd conversation Luke followed after his little brother into the cabin's backdoor and helped Connor prepare dinner in the kitchen. Sensing that Connor wanted to discuss something in private without the rudeness of cybernetic conversation to fill the air, Luke waited for Connor to speak up first and just set about gathering the necessary ingredients from the refrigerator to prepare and season the meal for Hank and Henry to enjoy.
"There's a special cast iron skillet that has four legs we can use to cook the food over the bonfire in the backyard. All we need to do is season the food and then cook it on the skillet over the actual fire and not have to use the stove."
"Sounds simple enough."
"...Luke," changing the subject in a dour manner Connor asked his big brother an important question. "do you know of dad's poor health?"
"Yes." Confirming the question Luke turned to face his little brother as Connor set about pulling spices from the cupboard just above the stove. "I know he is currently undergoing treatment for his stage one liver cancer, and I also know he is making great progress."
"Yes, dad is doing well with his treatments, and he's done an exemplary job at keeping his illness secret from Henry to keep him from becoming worried. I believe dad's nearing remission as I haven't detected any degeneration of his liver for the past three months."
"I'm glad to hear it. What of his back?"
"It's still hurting him. This winter I'm going to see if I can get him to finally seek the aid of a walking cane to assist his walking and take the strain from his back, but I don't think it'll be an easy battle to win."
"That is true." Placing the raw burger patties and steaks down on a large plate Luke stepped back and watched as Connor seasoned the meat with the same skill and patience of a true chef. Noting that his little brother still seemed worried Luke put his hand on Connor's shoulder and held it there. "Dad will be okay. He's very strong and very stubborn."
"Yes, I know. But even a gruff, hardened, former detective still has his limits."
"We all do, little brother. That doesn't mean Hank's going to give up on anything any time soon."
"You're right. I guess I'm just worried that when he's gone I'll be at a loss of how to raise Henry."
"Not a chance. Henry is a fantastic kid and you can't possibly do anything more to help him become a better person. Try not to worry."
"I am trying, but it's not easy." Seeing and hearing Hank and Henry talking and laughing through the kitchen window overlooking the backyard made Connor's heart swell and ache at the same time. "I just want them both to be happy."
"They are. Trust me, they're both very happy." Patting his little brother's shoulder once Luke gave Connor a kind smile. "And you should be, too."
"...You're right." Smiling again as his stress began to dwindle at last Connor agreed with his big brother and prepared to bring the serving tray of prepared food outside to begin cooking over the bonfire. "Come on. Let's go rejoin them outside before dad tells Henry any embarrassing story from my past."
A second round of loud laughter filled the air and Luke gave Connor a somewhat sympathetic glance. "...It might be too late for that."
"Damn. I guess I'll have to tell Henry about the time I slapped dad awake on the kitchen floor and how he had to rent multiple 'Tracis' at the 'Eden Club' so we could solve our case." Picking up the tray he walked to the backdoor and gave Luke a sly look over his shoulder. "His billing statement that month was less than flattering to say the least..."
Henry: Sixteen Years Old.
Another milestone in Henry's life meant another learning experience for Connor as a father. The duo were learning about growing up and developing at the same time, but it was up to Connor to be a rock to lean on for Henry as he endured the trials of his childhood one day at a time. Whereas school, music lessons and athletic activities were challenging enough to understand and contribute to, the final hurdles leading from childhood into adulthood were going to be very stressful for both father and son.
Nervously Henry sat behind the steering wheel of the Corvette with Connor beside him in the passenger seat as they set about their first day on the road together. The teenager was clutching his learner's permit in his shaking left hand and took a deep breath as he stared at the road at the end of the driveway.
"You're going to be fine." Ever calm and patient Connor encouraged his son to take that first nervous step forward. "Take a deep breath and begin only when you're ready."
"Are you sure you want to let me drive the Corvette?" Henry was wary of accidentally damaging the classic car. "I mean, my high school has it's own driver's ed program and they provide the cars."
"You're more familiar with this car." Connor clarified logically as he fastened his seatbelt and gave Henry an encouraging grin. "And I trust you to not be reckless with the Corvette."
"I've never driven before, dad."
"I know. That's literally why we're doing this." Refusing to let Henry chicken-out Connor gave his son a confident grin as he realized their dilemma. Connor never needed to 'learn' how to drive since it was already programmed into his database. He could just drive, but Henry needed to learn. He couldn't just 'do it' as Connor had done so easily in the past, and might need someone with a more empathetic experience to learn from. "Would you like your Papa to teach you how to drive instead?"
"N-No. I just... It's very complicated."
"Nervous?"
"Extremely."
"It's okay, Henry. We're not going to drive across the country or even out of the neighborhood. Just circle the block once to get used to the car and how it handles."
"One lap?"
"One lap."
"I... Okay." Pocketing his driver's permit Henry took a deep breath. "I can do that." Pulling his seatbelt over his chest Henry secured it into place with an audible 'click' just as Connor had done moments before. As Henry's shaking right hand turned the key in the ignition he took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. Pressing his right foot down on the brake Henry shifted the car from park and into drive. "...I can do this."
"All you have to do is gently let up on the brake and let the car pull itself down the drive. It'll go slow automatically so don't worry about using the accelerator."
"...Right."
"When you reach the end of the drive gently reapply the brake and hold it."
Listening to Connor's instructions perfectly Henry made his way down the driveway very slowly and came to a stop again without the car jerking around or making any protesting sounds.
"Good. Now turn on your signal to go right."
Henry found the controls for the turn signal and turned it on accordingly.
"Check to make sure the street is clear and then just as slowly pull out onto the road."
Again Henry followed the instructions perfectly and managed to get the car onto the road and stay in his designated lane.
"Perfect." Connor remained calm as he watched Henry nervously adjusting the wheel to straighten the tires. "Press down lightly on the accelerator, most people recommend using your big toe to add pressure, to get up to speed at a steady pace. Get the car up to thirty miles per hour before you come to a gentle stop at the sign at the end of the street."
Slowly but surely Henry managed to get the car up to speed, stop and wait for his next set of instructions. Patient and fearless Connor calmly directed his son step by step until Henry made a full circle of the block back to the house. Instead of pulling back into the driveway Henry decided to take one more lap and Connor didn't try to stop him. The longer Henry drove the more confident he'd become in his abilities and would no longer be nervous.
"Keep this up for two weeks and I think you'll be ready to start driving at night."
"Night?"
"The laws are the same at night." Connor replied coolly from where he sat. "Just turn on the headlights and let your eyes adjust to the dark before you go anywhere."
"...Right. Sure. That makes sense."
"You're doing just fine, son. The more you drive the more your sense of timing and overall reflexes while driving will improve and then you won't need anyone to guide you on your way. You'll be free to drive all on your own."
The next day while Connor was taking care of his shift at the precinct Henry was next door working with Hank on the Camaro in the driveway beside the house and regaling his grandfather with the tale of his first time driving the previous day. The duo were talking mostly about the Camaro's repairs but when the topic of Henry's driver's education came up the teenager was proud to talk about how he had managed to ace driving during the day, was already doing great at night and was even ready to drive through rain without any worries.
"That's great!" Hank was leaning his right hand heavily against his wooden walking cane to support most of his weight. The cane was something Hank had to start using since the summer before, but he didn't let it slow him down even though he did put up with a fight with Connor about getting the damn thing to begin with. "When's the big test?"
"Next month."
"Think you can handle it?"
"I hope so. If I can get my license then next month I can drive Courtney to the prom."
"Oh..." Hank's blue eyes lit up and and he gave his grandson a coy smirk. "Who's Courtney?"
Henry blushed a bright red in the same manner that Connor would blush bright blue when embarrassed and his voice lowered a little. "...Just a girl from my art class."
"Oh. Is she pretty?"
Henry somehow managed to blush even brighter and his voice cracked a little. "Y-Yeah. I guess."
"Have you gone on a date with her before?"
"N-No. We, uh, we're just sort of friends."
"How are you 'sort of' friends?" Hank pressed watching Henry blush brighter and brighter. "In my experience you're either friends or you're not."
"Well, I like her but she doesn't talk very much except in art class. And I kinda' asked her in advance... to the prom. We barely know each other."
"Is she shy?"
"I think she's just sheltered."
"Oh." Hank watched with pride as Henry expertly moved his hands over the engine like he had been working on cars his whole life. "Shy girls usually make the best dates. Once they get to know you and feel comfortable they're all kinds of fun and usually end up becoming your best friend if not someone closer. Don't expect her to swoon over you and fall head over heels, though."
"I won't, I know she won't necessarily see me the same way I see her. I told her that we could go to the junior prom next month together if she wanted to go with a friend and not have the pressure of a date."
"She said 'Yes'?"
"Yeah."
"Cool. Good way to get to know her without her feeling overwhelmed."
Henry paused his motions and gave Hank a somewhat concern glanced. "...Think I can pass my driver's test?"
"Hell yeah! You've aced every test you've ever taken, straight A's from the first grade all the way to this day, you've always been a fast learner AND you're so damn attentive to details that you couldn't be fooled about your birthday and Christmas surprises since you were seven-years-old. Of course you can pass this test, too."
"Were you nervous when you took your own driver's test?"
"A little. But that was mostly because I only had my old man's worn out pick-up truck to drive, and I was paranoid the bumper would fall off in the middle of the street or something. We worked every day on that truck but even his skilled hands weren't enough to reverse time." Giving his grandson a reassuring nod of his head Hank let Henry know that he was going to be just fine. "You get that pristine Corvette to drive so you don't have anything to worry about."
"Yeah... You're right." Motioning toward the engine under his hands Henry asked his grandfather a very enticing question. "Think I could drive this Camaro once it's finally painted?"
"Get in line, Henry." Hank wiped grease off his hands onto an old red rag and tossed it over to Henry to use on his own hands. "Me first!"
The day of the big driver's test was finally at hand.
Feeling much more confident than his first day behind the wheel Henry was sitting at the designated driver's school with the instructor in the passenger seat beside him and was ready to go. While Connor and Hank had both reassured Henry that he'd do great, the teenager was still nervous but hiding it well. The instructor introduced himself and told Henry the basic parameters of the test that he'd need to perform in order to pass the test: Parking, parallel parking, K-turn, signaling, all the basic procedures that any driver would need to master. Everything Henry already handled perfectly well.
The real test was when they got out onto the street and then proceeded to prove Henry's skill as a competent driver. Connor had to remain behind at the school while Henry went off with the instructor, but gave his son words of support before he left the parking lot.
"You can do this, Henry." Connor encouraged before he walked away from the Corvette to sit inside the building with the other waiting parents. "I'll be here when it's over."
"...Yeah. I'll do my best, dad."
The Corvette slowly pulled out of the driveway of the parking lot and pulled perfectly out on to the street to begin the test. With a confident nod Connor stepped out of the parking lot and into the school to wait for Henry's return.
Another parent, a mother whose daughter was also taking her driver's test, saw Connor and smirked at him. "You're Henry's father, aren't you?"
"Yes I am." Connor confirmed, grateful that his decision to alter his appearance when dealing with his son's education was paying off. "He's out on the road as we speak."
"He looks just like you! It's uncanny!"
"Oh, yeah. We get that a lot. Thank you."
"I think I've seen you at the basketball games, my daughter's a cheerleader. Henry is very talented."
"He is, I'm very proud."
"Not that it's any of my business but I've never seen Henry's mother."
As his eyes dulled Connor gave the woman a kind response to the curious inquiry. "No, she has passed away."
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Blushing with mild embarrassment the kind woman quickly apologized for her comment. "I didn't know."
"It's okay. I know the question wasn't meant to be one of disrespect. There's no way you could possibly know that without my directly telling you."
"Well, for what it's worth, I know that she'd be proud of the way you raised Henry. He's such a sweet boy."
"...Thank you." As his eyes brightened slightly Connor pulled his coin from his front right pocket and danced it over his knuckles nervously. "I'm very proud of my son and everything he's accomplished."
It took only half an hour for Henry to return to the school and park out front to reunite with his father. Seeing the car return Connor went outside to meet his son and was greeted by the sight of Henry shaking the instructor's hand with a big smile on his face. Connor didn't need anyone to tell him that Henry had passed the test. As soon as the instructor stepped out of the Corvette he handed Connor the final slip confirming Henry's successful test and the subsequent legal document for him to get his driver's license.
"So..." Connor opened up the passenger side door and sat beside his son. "do you want to wait until tomor-"
"No way! Come on!" Energetic and excited Henry was eager to go and get his driver's license as soon as possible. "It's not even noon, there's plenty of time to go get my license at the Secretary of State!"
Connor just smirked and showed Henry that he had the other necessary documents required for Henry to get his license already tucked inside his leather jacket. "Okay, you know how to get there, right?"
"Yeah, I know the way."
"We'll go get you your license and you can show it to your Papa yourself."
"Gladly! I can't wait for him to see it!"
As soon as Henry got back home after his successful road test he ran next door to show Hank his license and did so with the biggest grin on his face. As proud as Henry was about passing his test and getting his license on the first test Hank was even prouder. With his arm wrapped around his grandson's shoulders Hank showed him to the Camaro in the driveway and then handed Henry his phone with a vast array of custom colored paint options designated for the car and asked him to pick the final color.
"All right, since Connor and I had a hard time picking the color for the Corvette so many years ago, YOU and you alone, get to pick the color for the Camaro."
"Seriously?!" Henry accepted the phone and looked like he was about to burst with excitement as he looked over the colors on display. "I get to choose?"
"Yup. You helped me with this car and I think you've earned this for acing your driving test, just like I said you would, by the way. Go ahead! Pick!"
"...Any color?"
"Yup."
"Even pee-yellow?"
There was a slight pause in Hank's response as he tried to think of the best way to react to the question. "Uh..."
"I'm just messing with you, I know better than that."
"Damn right you do." Happy to have Henry sharing his and Connor's dry and sarcastic sense of humor, Hank patted Henry's shoulder and watched as his grandson's eyes carefully scanned over each color every carefully on the display. "Whatever color you like will go on the car."
Checking through the screen on the phone Henry scanned through the various colors and came to rest on deep, cherry red color. "That one. That's the color."
Hank took the phone from Henry's hand and looked at his choice. "Cherrybomb red..." A mischievous grin appeared on his face as he remembered how that was the exact color he wanted on the Corvette before he and Connor compromised on cobalt blue. "Damn good choice."
"I think so, too."
"All right. I'm ordering the paint and when it arrives I'll show the secret to applying an even smooth coat."
"I take it painting metal is a lot different than painting on canvas. It's the size, right?"
Smirking at Henry's comment Hank patted his shoulder again with his hand while he continued to support his weight on his right hand against the cane. "You and your dad just love to be smartasses, don't ya'?"
"Well, I am essentially dad's clone. So, yeah."
"You got your dad's looks, but you know where you got your smarts, right?"
"From grandma?"
Too amused by Henry's wit Hank just shook his head and kept his hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Such a smartass..."
It was the night of the junior prom and Connor was helping Henry with his black bowtie as his son stood tall and proud in his black tuxedo in the middle of the livingroom. Henry was a little nervous about having his first (sort of) date with Courtney, but he was still giving off an air of confidence that made Connor smirk. Checking the time on his phone and making sure he had Courtney's corsage, Henry let of a calming breath and nodded as Connor stepped back to check on his work with the tie.
"How do I look, dad?"
"Like my son wearing a nice tuxedo."
"Is that good or bad?"
"Henry, you look great. You always do, but this time it's 'fancy-great'. ...I think."
"It's easier for you with your clothes. You have seven of the same outfits for work, three dark suits, one tuxedo and a couple of spare jackets."
"It's a lot easier to do laundry, too."
"Dad, please." Henry fussed a little with his tie and smoothed out the front of his sharp tuxedo blazer. "I'm anxious."
"You look handsome." Picking up the pink flower corsage that Henry was clutching onto, Connor mentioned the beautiful gift that was waiting for Courtney's hand. "And this will make Courtney very happy. You look like a true gentleman."
"Uh, how long can I, you know," Henry was petting Opal's ears with his free hand as she jumped up on the arm of the couch and rubbed against his elbow to seek attention. "stay out?"
"When is the prom over?"
"It starts at seven and is over at ten, and the after-prom start at eleven."
"How long is the after-prom?"
"We'll be in the school from eleven to nine. The entire building will be on lockdown until morning and half of the teachers are going to be up all night with us chaperoning the event."
"If the school is on lockdown then you can stay all night. BUT, I will meet you at the school to drive you home so you don't fall asleep behind the wheel."
"Cool, thanks dad."
Hank walked through the front door of the house and smirked as he looked over at Henry dressed sharply in his tuxedo. "Lookin' good, Henry. Ready for the prom?"
"Yeah. I'm actually just about to leave."
"Corvette?"
"Yeah." He needed proudly as he made sure his wallet was in his pocket. "I get the car for the night."
"Too bad."
The follow-up comment made Henry pause and caused his brow to furrow in the same way Connor's did when confused. "...Why's that?"
Smiling devilishly as he stood beside Connor in the livingroom, Hank reached into his front jean pocket and tossed Henry a new set of car keys which he caught every easily with his free hand as he lifted his palm from Opal's ears. "The Camaro is ready to go. I was hoping you'd take your own car for the night."
"My... own car?" Henry looked at the keys and gave Hank a strange look that always rivaled the curious stares that Connor would give him. "Are you serious?!"
"Yup. You've earned it."
"...The Camaro?!" Henry's eyes were as wide as saucers and he paled a little in surprise. "The Camaro is MY car?"
"Yup."
Nearly stumbling over himself Henry rushed over to Hank and gave him a massive, appreciative hug that almost knocked him off his cane. "Thank you so much, Papa!"
"You're welcome, Henry." Patting Henry's back with one hand so he could still balance on his cane Hank gave Henry a proud stare. "Now, go on. Go enjoy your prom and have some fun!"
"I will... Thank you! See ya' later, dad, Papa!"
Connor smirked as Henry tossed him back the keys to the Corvette in favor of the Camaro and watched his son rushing through the front door to get to the red Camaro now parked out front and just waiting for its new owner. "Have fun, Henry. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at nine o'clock."
While Henry was at the prom Connor and Hank spent time together at Hank's house watching the preseason try-outs for the upcoming baseball season on the television. It wasn't long before the father and son duo were also talking about how much Henry has grown up and how human Connor had become as Henry grew up. It was just after nine in the evening when one of the deviant chaperone's monitoring the prom sent Connor a cybernetic message, and with it a small live feed video.
"Dad, look." Connor held out his palm and showed the live holographic feed of Henry slow dancing with Courtney from the prom. Henry was smiling and Courtney seemed be enjoying herself, too. They were dancing with genuine smiles on their faces as they moved in perfect tandem with the romantic song being played throughout the heavily decorated gymnasium. "He looks so happy."
"Yeah. He really does..."
Hank was so proud of his small family. Connor was an incredible detective and an even better father. Luke was the most skilled technician on the East Coast and like Connor, had helped to bring about deviant rights in Boston. And Henry was a well liked, popular, straight-A student with a promising basketball scholarship practically guaranteed under his belt and so many talents and future prospects that his life was guaranteed to be fulfilling and happy.
"Connor, you did an amazing job helping guide Henry into becoming the wonderful young man he is today."
"Without you to guide me on my own growth to humanity I don't think I would've been able to take care of him in the way he needed."
"Don't sell yourself short, kid." He and Connor continued to watch Henry dancing with his date on the small live feed display be projected from Connor's palm. "You have a natural and deeply seated paternal instinct. Even if I hadn't been there throughout his life you would've been able to take care of Henry just fine on your own."
"...I'd like to think so. But I'm still so worried that I'll do something to affect him negatively."
"Hey, Henry's a great kid and there's nothing you could ever say or do to him to change that. You have the right to be proud of yourself as a parent. I know that I'm proud of you."
The song came to an end and Henry stopped dancing with Courtney as the music changed its tempo. Walking her off the dance floor the two disappeared into the crowd of other students and the feed ceased from displaying the dance. Connor closed his hand and let his arm rest atop his lap as he sat on the edge of the couch next to Hank, who was sitting propped up in his recliner right beside his son. "...Henry's grown-up."
"Not quite. He still has two more years to go until he's really grown-up. And even then he'll never stop needing you as his dad. Look at the way you still come to me for guidance after all this time. Once a father, ALWAYS a father."
"Yeah." Glancing up at a framed photograph on the mantle of Henry at age two being held by Hank as the duo played outside in the backyard, Connor smirked a little and thought about all the good memories he had as a father and all the memories he had as being Hank's son. "Always."
Henry: Seventeen Years Old.
The sound of Henry's soft crying through his closed bedroom door made Connor's heart ache with a pain he had never experienced before. The teenager was heartbroken and struggling to deal with the hardship that comes from a bad break-up and losing a good friend at roughly the same time. As Henry isolated himself to process the emotional turmoil Connor stayed outside the door, sitting down on the floor opposite the door and waited for Henry to make the first move to opening the door to talk.
It had been almost an hour before Henry's crying began to soften and he calmed a little as he endured the worst of his heartbreak.
"Henry?" Connor called out in a soft voice to his pained son on the other side of the door. "Do you need anything?"
There was a pause before Henry replied in a slightly muffled voice through the wooden barrier. "...No."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"...No."
"If you want, I can make you something to eat. You have to be hungry."
There was a longer pause before Henry finally responded again. "...Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Why does it hurt so much?"
"...Because hearts are fragile." The answer was simplistic but completely accurate. "I learned this a long time ago in the most painful way possible. I survived heartbreak, your Papa survived heartbreak and I know you will too. You just need some time to let your heart heal."
"If Stacy wanted to break-up with me why couldn't she just tell me? Why'd she have to cheat on me?"
"She didn't have to cheat. She chose to do that. It was cruel and you didn't deserve it. No one does."
"I miss Courtney!"
"I know you do. But she moved to California three months ago, and that's a long trip just to visit her. I also know calling her, texting her and face timing her isn't the same, but until either of you can travel to see one another it'll have to do. I know Courtney misses you, too."
"...This sucks."
"Yeah, it does."
"It feels like I'm going to be sad forever. Like I'm never going to find anyone like Courtney ever again, only find people like Stacy. Tomorrow at school I'm going to see Stacy all day long, and I want nothing to do with her! Everyone knows what she did to me but no one seems to care... It's not fair!"
Letting out a heavy sigh of his own Connor felt tears welling up in his soulful brown eyes, and his instincts to protect his son were quickly overriding his own instinct for self-preservation. "Henry, do you want to know about... your mom?"
There was a heavy and thick silence from the other side of the door as Henry contemplated the offer. Connor only told Henry a few details about Skye, always excluding the way she had died, but always telling him about how brave she was risking herself to help other deviants in need and how much they truly loved one another.
Henry whispered through the door somewhat perplexed. "...Mom?"
"Yeah."
"How come... you never talk about her?"
"For the same reason Papa doesn't like to talk about your Uncle Cole or Grandma Barbara. It hurts."
"So I am going to be sad forever."
"No, Henry. The type of pain you're experiencing only seems like it'll last forever. The pain that your Papa and I went through is the kind that'll... Well, it leaves a scar on your heart. But even the deepest of scars won't stop your heart from beating."
Connor heard Henry move from his bed and slink down to the floor just on the other side of his still closed bedroom door. "...Tell me about her."
Taking a deep breath Connor steadied his voice and went into detail about how he and Skye met under dire life-threatening circumstances and how they escaped from captivity and torture into the forests in Canada. He told him about how Hank and North came to their rescue and of how Skye stayed at New Jericho Tower to aid the other deviant refugees and help escort others to safety. He even mentioned how Skye had plans to become a lawyer so she could help defend their people in a court of law.
"She was brave and self-sacrificing. Fearless." Connor was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check but he maintained for Henry's benefit. "I think that's what began drawing me toward her. She overcame so much anger and darkness to find a way to be happy and live in the light. That's something I was struggling to do myself."
Telling his son about his mother at long last Connor spoke of meeting Skye for the 'first time all over again' after she changed her appearance from the design she had been forced to take at the 'Eden Club' and finally became the deviant she wanted to be. Connor talked about Markus and North's bonding ceremony at the cabin and how he felt like there was something more to Skye than just being her friend.
"As beautiful as North looked I couldn't stop looking at Skye. I was too shy to say anything to her, but I think she knew I was.. interested."
The next details regarding Connor's kidnapping and forced servitude in the illegal underground fight club in Chicago was a story Henry had never heard before. Escaping and being escorted back home by Skye after she used her contacts to find him at the deviant refugee camp outside the city, and how she tended to his fever until he was strong enough to move again were all bleak but hopeful memories. That was definitely the beginning of their closer relationship. The willingness to trust her when she developed the new security protocols at the tower cemented their bond and made it easier to get even closer to one another.
"Your mom was determined to keep everyone safe no matter what the cost." Connor continued on with pride thick in his voice. "She was attacked for her efforts when angry deviants were corrupted and turned against us, but she wasn't deterred in her mission to save our people from further torment."
Lifting the mood slightly Connor told Henry about his and Skye's first date, how they enjoyed spending time together while going to a movie and looking up at the stars and of how Hank was happy for him. The details regarding his promotion and her pride in his accomplishments made them feel even closer on an emotional level and they knew their combined efforts would help protect the innocent deviants throughout the entire city. But with every step forward they took there was always someone determined to make them take two steps back.
"Shortly after I was promoted to Lieutenant and your Papa was promoted to Captain an... incident happened in the city. There was a riot." Connor's eyes closed as he dared to tell Henry about the final night of his mother's life. "Skye, your mom, was trying to stop it before it went out of control, but..." Trailing off briefly Connor forced himself to finish the story. "She was injured. I arrived at the scene with your Papa and we took her to New Jericho Tower as fast as we could to save her. But... the damage was too severe. Before she passed away she and I bonded with one another, promising to be together forever and to never stray away from one another. We did this just hours before she passed. Losing her hurt more than anything I could comprehend, and... I was so depressed that I almost killed myself in my own grief from self neglect. Your Papa saved my life and gave me a shoulder to cry on. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here right now."
It was silent for a moment as the father and son duo processed their heartache and tried to understand how life can in fact continue in spite of their emotional pain.
Opening his bedroom door slowly Henry walked outside the room with Opal in his arms and sat down on the floor next to Connor in the hallway. "...What does mom even look like?"
Connor sighed and held up his hand to reveal the photograph of them together from the day of his promotion in the center of his palm. It was the photograph taken of the duo to highlight the story in the newspaper and was subsequently the only photo that Connor had of himself with Skye beyond the images in his memory.
Henry smirked a little as he finally saw his mother for the very first time. "...She was beautiful."
"She truly was. And smart, kind, patient, caring... She and I had talked about having our own family the moment the laws changed and we would be able to legally adopt. That's why when everything that happened with you coming into the world your mother's own model D.N.A. was used, too. She IS your mother, even if she wasn't here when you were born. You have her fighting spirit, I can feel it."
"I know. I can feel it, too." Henry sighed a little and rubbed his right hand along Opal's chin causing the cat to purr in his arms and snuggle up against his chest affectionately. "Now I know why you'd disappear on your bonding anniversary every year and come back home in tears. You were visiting her and you're sill in mourning, aren't you?"
Dragging his hand over his eyes Connor confirmed his son's suspicions and sighed. "...Yes."
"Is that why you never remarried or even dated anyone else? It's not a crime to date or even marry again. Papa has been dating Nana Rose for as long as I can remember, and they're both widowed."
"Henry, for deviants it's very different when we become widowed." Connor explained in a low voice as he explained his reasons for remaining single. "Your mother and I were bonded and she... shutdown shortly thereafter. Once the bond is forged between two deviants it's permanent until we both agree to sever it. She is gone and therefore the bond is impossible to sever. I can't... move on because I am forever bonded to her. And I still love her with all my heart."
"Widowed deviants are destined to be alone forever?"
"I'm not alone. I have you, I have your Papa, and I have your Uncle Luke in my life."
"But you still miss mom." Henry realized as he saw the tears welling up in his father's pained eyes. "And you miss her every day, don't you?"
"...Yeah. I do." Closing his hand to conceal the image Connor looked into his son's blue eyes and apologized. "I'm sorry it took so long for me to tell you about her. It just hurt too much to talk about."
Leaning against Connor's shoulder heavily Henry wrapped his arms around his dad's shoulders and held on tight. "...Yeah, I know that. At least I do now."
"You're very much like her. You're just as smart, kind, patient and caring as she was." Connor stated as he reciprocated his son's hug with both of his arms, Opal being almost squished in between the duo as they hugged. "I'm glad you took after her so much even though she couldn't be here to help raise you. She'd be so damn proud of you."
"You did pretty good on your own." Henry managed to comment in a weak voice and tried to lighten the heavy mood. "Even if you are the 'weird dad'."
Laughing a little Connor pressed his palm to the back of his Henry's hair and held it there for a moment. "I've never even offered you the chance to visit your mom and I'm sorry for that." As Henry let go of the hug Connor sat back and made his son a very generous offer. "Would you like to go visit your mother?"
"...Yeah." Wiping his hand over his face Henry removed his own tears, his blue eyes were bloodshot and red from crying and made his blue irises very brightly. "I think I'd like to visit mom."
"Okay. Just give me the word and we'll go see her."
"Thanks, dad."
"I love you, son."
"Yeah. I love you, too, dad."
Letting himself cry a little more against his father's shoulder Henry knew he was beginning to heal, even if it was still hurting him to think about all the pain he was still going through. Between Connor's compassionate nature and Hank's thick-skinned demeanor regarding hardship, Henry knew he had all the emotional support he'd need to get over his heartbreak and he would in fact be okay.
Henry: Eighteen Years Old.
The day that Connor had been excitedly waiting for but secretly dreading was finally at hand. It was time for Henry's high school graduation. While the young adult was proudly getting ready for the day in his bedroom Connor was standing outside the house on the small back porch staring into the nothingness of the horizon beyond the property line. It felt like time had been a fleeting moment, an actual blink of an eye, and in that time Henry grown from a tiny helpless newborn and into the confident self sufficient young adult that he had become.
A presence joined Connor on the small porch and he didn't even need to look to know it was Hank. "Hey, dad."
"Hey, son." Leaning on his cane Hank stood beside Connor on the back porch as he prepared for the big day as well. "Is Henry excited?"
"Yes. And very proud."
"He should be! Salutatorian with a full athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan is something to be very proud of."
"I just can't believe my son isn't... a kid anymore. He's an adult."
"Son, you will ALWAYS see Henry as a kid. Always."
Henry opened up the backdoor to look out at his dad and grandfather as he expertly tied his black tie and tightened the knot up around the collar of his pale blue dress shirt. Henry was now Connor's height right down to the centimeter, but his athletic prowess gave him slightly more muscle mass than the deviant. He had a few freckles like Connor, but not as many as his dad sported, but enough to give them an identical complexion. Henry's hair was also styled in a similar manner save for the rogue lock of hair that Connor refused to tame.
If Henry's eyes were brown and not blue he'd be a perfect clone of his father.
Eager to get going to his high school Henry looked at his dad and grandfather with a proud smile on his face. "Are you guys ready to go?"
"Yeah, son." Connor was very proud to see his son so grown up and happy. Unlike himself Henry always shown the full bright smile that Connor himself only showed once in a great while, but now Connor was trying to show that same smile in support of son's big day. "You head out to the school and we'll meet up with you in an hour when the ceremony starts."
"Are you sure? A lot of the parents accompany their kids to the school for photos and stuff."
"...You don't mind us joining you?"
"Why would I mind? You're my dad." He turned to look at Hank as he spoke. "And you're welcome all the same, Papa."
Before Connor had the chance to try to dismiss the offer so Henry could go alone Hank put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder to quiet him. "Absolutely. Pull the Camaro around front and I'll go put on my nicer shirt."
"It's not going to be the one with zebra stripes, is it?"
"No, I'll wear my navy blue shirt."
"Thank you."
"I'm saving the zebra shirt for your open house."
"O-Oh... Great." Henry failed to hide his uncomfortable grimace. "Uh, I'll see you guys out front."
As Henry returned to the house to get his keys and grab his graduation cap and gown, Connor turned to look at Hank with utter confusion in his eyes. "Why'd you insist we go? This day is all about Henry not the parents."
"Right. And Henry WANTS us there. You're just having a hard time accepting that this day is really here and you want to postpone it."
Slumping his shoulders a little Connor looked to his father and lowered his voice. "...Does that make me selfish?"
"No, it just makes you a normal dad with the same normal response to time turning their kid into an adult."
Feeling better about his reactions Connor smirked with pride as tears formed in his soulful brown eyes. "...My son is all grown up. I remember every second of his life and all of his accomplishments, but it seems like time itself was a lie."
"Yup. That's usually how it goes, son. Come on. Help me find that blue shirt or else I'll have to wear the maroon one with black streaks."
"I should do you a favor and toss that shirt in the city dump."
"No way." Grinning as he and Connor crossed the properties to get back Hank's own house the retired detective gave his son a bemused grin. "The fact you hate it so much makes me like it that much more."
Boasting proud smiles Connor and Hank stood on other side of Henry as the school's photographer snapped photos of the families of all of the graduating students. Connor was sporting his 'aged' aesthetic for the sake of the 'normalcy' on Henry's behalf as the small family had their photo taken by to get the graduating class's yearbook finished by the end of the graduation ceremony. A few feet away Aria herself was getting her photo taken along with Gavin and Abby, and they too were just as proud of Aria as Connor and Hank were of Henry.
Just as Henry was nearly a perfect copy of Connor in every way, Aria was nearly identical to Abby. Aria had Gavin's eyes and his same 'don't-take-shit-from-anyone' attitude, but she was just as compassionate and empathetic as Abby. It was uncanny to say the least.
Once the photos were finished Connor and Hank were instructed with the rest of the parents to go to the high school auditorium to watch the ceremony unfold. Sitting near the front row of the seats to better accommodate Hank's cane the duo were joined by Gavin and Abby along the same row of the chairs in the front row.
"You look so weird with gray in your hair." Abby teased, her own long brown hair now sporting a few gray streaks herself. "Please tell me that isn't permanent."
"It's not." Connor confirmed as he briefly returned his hair to its default color before reapplying his altered aesthetic. "This is only for when I'm participating in events revolving around Henry. Otherwise people mistake us for brothers."
Hank nudged Connor lightly in his side. "Speaking of which..."
Turning his head to where Hank was staring Connor saw that Luke, who had adopted Connor's aged aesthetic and removed his L.E.D., had just arrived to witness Henry's graduation. "Luke!"
"Hey, little brother." Luke smirked proudly as he joined his family in the row of seats. "I made it."
"I'm glad you found a way to get the time to be here for Henry." Connor smiled as Luke sat beside him on the other side of Hank. "How long can you stay?"
"Two weeks. I made sure to get enough time to participate in Henry's open house as well."
"Thank you. He'll be very surprised to see you."
Hank put his hand on Luke's shoulder lightly. "You're rooming with me tonight, not in a hotel and not in the tower. Connor's old bedroom is still free."
"Thanks, dad. I'll follow after you in my rental car."
A few feet from behind Luke and the gathering group of parents, Markus made his way into the auditorium and quickly spotted Connor and Luke in the front seats. "Hey, Connor, Luke, and Hank. Hope I'm not intruding."
"Markus?" Connor was surprised once more as the deviant leader arrived to join in on the ceremony. Markus was always welcome to take part in activities in Henry's life, but it seemed that having him take the time to show up at a graduation ceremony was almost too much to hope for. "You're not intruding, I just wasn't expecting to see you."
"Hey, I'm not missing out on this." Sitting down beside Luke quickly Markus reached out and shook Connor and Luke's hands, before doing the same for Hank as a show of genuine respect. "I've never been to a graduation ceremony and I want to see Henry graduate for myself. Everyone else at New Jericho will be at the open house this Friday."
"Thank you. I know Henry will appreciate all the support."
The ceremony began and the graduating students all began filing in the auditorium alphabetically two at a time. Walking down the center aisle in the auditorium leading to the stage up front, the students passed between the seats that were divided evenly into two sections where the families and friends were sitting. Starting with the last names first to allow the students to reach the back rows of their elevated seats on the stage at the front of the auditorium, all the kids looked proud and nervous as their friends and family looked on proudly.
When Aria walked by the rows Gavin discreetly reached out and passed a pink rose into his daughter's hand causing her to blush as she passed by her dad and took her assigned seat on stage. Not long after Henry walked by with his head held high with his silver tinted tassel and sash resting around his neck and shoulders to mark his place as the class's salutatorian, and took his seat near in the front row of the chairs on the stage.
Henry glanced out into the crowd and saw not only Connor and Hank, but his Uncle Luke and honorary 'Uncle Markus' as well. Of course he smiled before trying to look back out at the rest of the auditorium as his fellow classmates were already doing.
The principal began the ever cliche speech about how the students were the future and how every person in attendance should be proud of the accomplishments of the young students in her proud voice. In doing so the students were all asked to rise in recognition of the valedictorian and the salutatorian, as well as those who were awarded with scholarships and their awards as athletes, artists, musicians and other forms of extracurricular activity.
Once the principal was finished with her speech she gave the floor to Henry and the young man approached the front podium fearlessly. The salutatorian was given the honor of opening the actual graduation ceremony and had a speech prepared and he had it perfectly memorized for the occasion.
"Thank you." Henry stood before the podium as he looked out to the gathered families and friends in attendance and smiled confidently as he began his speech. "It's been said that change can be painful," he stated in a level voice to perfectly convey the conflicting emotions of pride, fear, excitement and doubts filling the auditorium. "but it's also been said that pain is weakness leaving the body. To quote our former president John F. Kennedy 'Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future'. And I firmly believe he is still right. It's difficult to move on after spending so much time in one place with the same people, and it's also easy to forget about the world around us. In my time I've met some incredibly unique people who've fought to change the world for the better, and it's those people who've given me the confidence to face the world head on. And I'm proud to have them in my life to this day as they helped me to focus my future to be a better person and to help shape that future to make it better for everyone else."
Connor was beginning to tear up at his son's words, as was Hank.
"And as I stand here on behalf of my fellow classmates to say to those who have joined us here on this day to say, thank you. Thank you for believing in us, thank you for encouraging us, thank you for supporting us and thank you for changing the world for the better so that we now have the chance to change the world to become its absolute best. It's an honor stand here before you and tell you with true sincerity from my heart that we're all going to be okay."
A thunderous round of applause as well as a few sniffles from the more emotional parents filled the air while Connor wiped away a tear from his eye. "You're welcome, son."
The principal resumed her place behind the podium and began announcing the graduating class one student as a time to receive their diplomas. With the name 'Anderson' giving him a lead on the ceremony, Henry was the third member of his class to receive his diploma and shake the principal's hand. The moment it happened Connor felt a mixture of pride and sadness in his heart as it was made official.
Henry was a high school graduate.
Connor was in a daze until the valedictorian and the principal brought the ceremony to a close and announced the graduating class with utter support and pride. Everything was happening so fast and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
As the graduating students turned their tassels on their caps the principal gave the final word. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the class of 2060."
The dozens of graduating caps were thrown into the air with a raucous cheer from the students and as a result the caps rained back down over the attending crowd.
Unable to move Connor just watched with pride as Henry smiled and spoke with his friends up on the stage and proceeded to rejoin his classmates as they exited the auditorium for more photographs outside the school. Slow to get up from his seat Connor found Henry's cap in the pile of hats on the floor and picked it up and held it in his hands.
"You'll be the one to help change this world to its absolute best, Henry." The always proud father whispered to himself. "I know it. I can feel it."
After everything was said and done Connor returned to the back deck of Hank's house to sit down and think about what Henry said during his speech. Change can be painful, but it can also be wonderful. Losing Skye was a horrible change that scarred his heart forever, but the birth of Henry was a wonderful change that allowed his heart to finally heal despite the painful scar. Henry was also right in that he couldn't stay in one place forever. He'd have to experience the world in order to understand it, as would Connor.
It was time for everyone to begin moving on with their lives.
"Dad?" Henry walked over to the back deck with his graduation gown draped casually over his shoulder. He was still wearing his dress shirt, black pants and black tie making him look very mature and all the more grown up. "You okay?"
"Yeah, son." Connor flashed him a bright grin from where he sat. "I'm just thinking."
"Me too. Can I join you?"
"Of course. Where's your Papa?"
"He and Uncle Luke are inside talking. Something about getting more baseball tickets for some other game out in Boston."
Connor just laughed a little and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm not surprised." As Henry sat beside him Connor gave his son a confident grin. "So, how does it feel to be a graduate?"
"Pretty strange, actually. I spent twelve years of my life studying just to get a fancy piece of paper and a party."
"Yeah, but that paper is going to open up so many doors of opportunity for you."
"Fortunately I'm already dead-set on a career in forensic science. As long as the paper can open up that particular door for me, I'll be content."
"I just can't believe you'll be living in a dorm forty-three point five miles away from me in less than three months."
"Hey, I'm going to college. I'm not running away from home."
"I know that, it's just... I still vividly remember the day you were born and holding you in my arms for the first time."
"Well, you're an android. You should remember that."
Connor playfully shoved Henry's shoulder with his palm. "I also remember you screaming your head off when you were two-year-old because I wouldn't let you eat a rock you found in the backyard."
"Maybe that rock tasted real good," Henry sharply replied with a smirk. "did you even bother to taste it?"
"No, I threw it over the fence and made sure there were no other rocks in the backyard. Although I imagine tasting the rock would've been a preferable alternative to a toddler screaming at me for not letting him accidentally choke on a rock."
"I think if you used the word 'intentionally' instead of 'accidentally' it would've been a lot worse."
"That's not all I remember about you." Connor smirked again as he stared at his son and compared how much Henry had changed since he was a newborn baby to the young adult he had become. "Like the infamous 'bubble-bath incident' when you were four."
"I swear I didn't dump the whole bottle in the tub on purpose!" Henry laughed while trying and failing to not look guilty or amused by the memory. "I'm not the one at fault."
"I know, it was your Papa."
"Wait... How do you know that?"
"Because he was the one who bought the bubble-bath, and he's the one who insisted that I let you play with it."
"Really?" Henry was starting to laugh a little harder but hid it behind his right hand. "Are you sure?"
"Henry, he was laughing the whole time I was cleaning up the mess. I know he's the one who did it when my back was turned."
"Oh. Sorry." Smirking at the odd memory Henry looked away from his dad to keep himself from bursting out into laughter. "I guess."
"It didn't help that Simon and Josh decided to send more bubble-bath to the house when Markus told them the story."
"That was a fun summer though."
"For you, not for me." Connor just gave his son an amused grin and patted his shoulder. "But it was better than the summer you fell out of the tree."
"I remember that, too. I broke my arm and lost my tooth. I haven't tried climbing a tree since." Henry pulled up his shirt a little to reveal his abdomen and where there was a very faint line of a scar on his torso. "But I'll take a broken bone over an emergency appendectomy."
"Same." It seemed the feeling of emergency surgery was mutual for everyone. Connor was thoroughly enjoying the trip down memory lane and smiled warmly at the fun moments they had together. "I remember every holiday and every trip to the cabin, and every Father's Day where we went to the movies, out to a restaurant or even an amusement park together, but I think my favorite memory of you is when you called me 'daddy' for the first time."
"...On my first Christmas."
"That's right."
"I tripped over some boxes and you caught me with your hand." Henry stated confidently as he too managed to recall the memory. "You were laying on the floor on your side, caught me with one hand and said 'Daddy's got you'."
"That's right. Did your Papa tell you that story or your Uncle Luke?"
"I've been told that story a couple times before, but I actually just remember that moment myself."
Connor turned to face his son and flashed him a truly perplexed glance. "...What?"
"I can't explain it, but that's my absolute earliest memory. The next earliest memory I have is playing wiffle ball with Papa right over there," pointing to the middle of the backyard Henry pointed out the exact spot. "and then I have a memory of you taking me to the precinct to celebrate Papa's retirement. I had a piece of cake with him."
"Henry... You've retained a memory from being eleven and a half months old?"
"Yeah, I guess I did."
"That's incredible!"
"I guess so. I never really thought that much about it."
"That definitely explains why you were such an exemplary student and only needed to study once to get an 'A' on your tests. You have a fantastic memory."
"I don't have your eidetic memory, but yeah, it is pretty good."
"Henry, I know you've been hearing this all day long, but I need to say it again." Wrapping his arm around his son's shoulders Connor pulled him up against his side in a half hug. "I'm so very proud of you."
"Thanks, dad."
"And as much as I'm dreading the day you leave for college, I'm also looking forward to seeing you continue to grow and become a better person. But if you ever need to come back home, for whatever reason, or need me to go to you, I'll be there."
"I know. You're always there for me."
"Come on, we better go see how many tickets your Papa is trying to get out of Luke and make sure they remembered to plan for your open house this weekend."
"Yeah, because I'm not paying for it!"
"Damn right. It's your party and you've earned it."
The Friday of the open house came at last and the two backyards of Hank and Connor's properties were filled with guests gathered around tables and under massive rented tents to celebrate. The day Henry was old enough to be left home alone was the day Connor and Hank put up a gate in the fence between their properties to allow easier access back and forth between the houses. The gate was left wide open and there were guests walking back and forth to speak with Henry and socialize with the massive group of people who showed up to congratulate him on his successes as a young adult.
Connor was standing in front of the giant display of photographs of Henry showcasing the young man as he grew up, and of course the photo of his son taken on the day of his graduation. Photos of Henry growing up, his experiences with holidays, playing basketball, playing guitar, fishing with Hank, hanging out at the cabin, the school plays, working on the car, spending time with his friends, his prom, painting with Markus and dozens of discreetly snapped photos of Henry with Connor and Hank as they played games or just spoke lined the entire display in a colorful array of love and compassion.
Time really was a cruel illusion.
Markus had helped with the display and even brought the massive wooden easel to put the photographs on for the display from Carl's art studio. Below the photos was a long table holding Henry's many awards from his time as a student and athlete, as well as a basketball and his old stuffed dog that Hank had given to him as a baby. Above the basketball was a photo of Henry in his jersey with his name and nickname; "Henry 'Hank-the-Tank' Anderson" was printed over the photo. Next to it was Henry's acceptance letter to U of M as well as his scholarship details and newly acquired diploma.
"The photos turned out great." The deviant leader had spotted Connor by the display and readily joined him. "Good thing you started having physical copies of these memories printed out years ago. That saved us a lot of time."
"...Yeah. Time is precious."
"You okay?" Markus stood beside his friend and could see that he was emotional about the entire the situation. "You seem depressed."
"Yeah. It's just a strange feeling to know he'll be living on his own in three months."
"I still can't believe it's been eighteen years since he was born."
"Neither can I."
"Then again, it's already been twenty years since North and I were bonded, so, I guess I shouldn't be THAT surprised about how time really does move so quickly against our will."
"Yeah. And it's been fourteen years since Hank retired."
"How's Hank doing? I didn't get a chance to talk to him after the graduation ceremony and I haven't see him here at the party yet."
Connor gave Markus a somber glance that spoke volumes on its own. "...He could be better."
"Oh, no." One of the few people who knew of Hank's waning health was Markus himself, and he knew by Connor's tone that the retired detective's health still wasn't great. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Just keep acting normal. Hank doesn't want Henry to know, and frankly, I'm glad."
"They're that close, huh?"
"Yeah. It's going to break Henry's heart, but Hank doesn't want Henry to know. He wants to stay as active and a part of Henry's life as much as possible, not be seen as a frail sickly man."
"I get that. Trust me, I really do." Markus lowered his voice and kept his body language casual as he stayed at Connor's side. "Can I ask what's wrong?"
"Liver cancer. He had been diagnosed four years ago, he had successfully undergone treatment and had been in remission for two years. But it's back and now stage two. Once Henry is moved into his dorm in three months Hank's going to undergo a more aggressive treatment. But the prognosis doesn't look good."
"And a man of his age and history can't qualify for a transplant, right?"
"That's right. And CyberLife didn't patent an artificial liver since the organ is regenerative in humans."
"I'm so sorry."
"As am I." Connor decided a change of subject was sorely needed and tried to focus on his friends for the moment. "...Where are North and the others?"
"North still isn't a fan of human gatherings, but she did give me a card to give to Henry. She also included a letter to make it more personal. Josh and Simon will be here later after they pick up Natalie."
"Natalie." As his brow knit together with confusion Connor looked to his friend for clarification. "Who is Natalie?"
Markus started grinning sheepishly as he was more than happy to answer the question. "Natalie is their daughter."
"What?" Connor's eyes lit up with excitement on his friends' behalf as his mood lifted considerably. "They... adopted?"
"Yeah, they filed for adoption and FINALLY got approved. Natalie was born last week and they just needed to finish a few more pieces of paperwork and now they're free and clear to have their daughter with them."
"That's incredible." The deviant father was truly happy to hear the good news for his friends. "Why didn't they say anything sooner?"
"Because they weren't sure if they'd get approved or when. It just so happens everything fell into place on this day."
"That's fantastic! I'm looking forward to meeting her."
Henry walked up to Connor with his best friend Jason at his side and asked about Hank. "Hey, I haven't seen Papa anywhere. Do you know where he is?"
"Luke said he wasn't feeling well last night." Connor replied honestly as he turned to face his son. "He'll be out soon, though."
"Should I do anything to help out?"
"No, it's fine Henry. Enjoy your party and I'll go check on him for you."
"Cool. Hey, Markus!" Henry acknowledged the deviant leader before he and Jason took off to rejoin the crowd of his friends and begin a game of basketball in the driveway beside the house. "Thanks for coming!"
"No problem." As Henry got out of hearing range Markus addressed Connor again. "Want me to go with you?"
"No, I can do this. Just keep this between us and remain as natural as possible for Henry's sake."
"Yeah, you got it."
With his held head high Connor made his way inside Hank's house through the backdoor and saw Hank standing in the kitchen leaning heavily against his cane as he looked absolutely exhausted. Luke was standing beside him helping him sort through his medication on the kitchen counter while also keeping tabs on his condition. Offering Hank a glass of water from the sink Luke watched as the sick retired detective took his required medication and did so with an annoyed grimace on his face the entire time.
"How're you holding up, dad?" Connor asked as he put his hand to Hank's right shoulder. "You seem a little weak."
"I've been better, but I'm still here."
"Need anything?"
"I'll be okay. I just need a little more time to get around these mornings, but I'm still me."
"Are you in pain?"
"No." Fussing with the top buttons of his zebra striped shirt, the very one he swore he'd wear that day, he smoothed out the front and gave his son a simple nod of the head. "Stop worrying about me and go celebrate with your son."
"I will once he gets to see you. He was asking where you were."
"What did you tell him?"
"That you weren't feeling well last night and that Luke was taking care of you."
"Well, you're not wrong." Downing the final few various pills with a gulp of water Hank shook his head and sighed. "It's ironic. Pills are supposed to rot your liver, but these pills are going to help sustain it."
"Irony is rather prevalent in this family. You used to hate androids with a passion, now you're one of the biggest android advocates in the country."
"Yeah, and you used to be a cold heartless machine, now you're one of the warmest most empathetic people I've ever met. And Luke," Hank turned and put his hand on other son's shoulder. Ever since Luke had removed his L.E.D. a few years ago he now looked as human as Connor. "you were once dead. Now you're here with us all over again."
"I don't think that's irony," Luke smirked as he put his hand on Hank's supportive arm. "but I understand what you're saying."
Connor patted his hand on Hank's upper back and held open the backdoor for him. "Come on, Henry's waiting for us."
The backyard was filled with positive energy and almost fifty people as Henry's friends and relatives filled the the area. Rose, Gavin, Abby, Aria, Chris, Tina and Joel all showed up to wish Henry the best of luck, give him cards and money and to visit with the entire family. Josh and Simon arrived soon after with Natalie to introduce her to the group, give Henry a strong handshake as well as a card, then politely excused themselves to take Natalie to her new home to get settled in after a few hours passed. Markus stayed the entire day and helped keep charge of things while Henry's friends, including Aria, stayed in the backyard all day and crashed outside around a small bonfire as the day gave way to night.
Having a deja vu moment from Henry's first slumber party at the house when he was eight years old, Connor was watching the group of newly graduated teens talking and then sleeping around the campfire in sleeping bags through the kitchen window and felt Luke walk up behind him. "Hey, Luke."
"Hey. You do know that Henry is a great kid, little brother." Luke stated firmly as he tried to make his brother feel better about Henry leaving home in a few months. "Don't worry about him. He'll be just fine on his own."
"I can't do that. He's still my son. My little boy."
"This might be a weird question, but do you think you'll adopt a baby now that it's legal to do?"
"...No." Shaking his head a little Connor sighed at the idea of the impending 'empty-nest syndrome' that Hank had warned him about five years ago. "Having another child wouldn't be a bad thing, but I think Henry's all I need. I have my family and I couldn't ask for a better one."
"I guess you're right. And who knows? Maybe I'll be the one to adopt a kid someday. Then you can be the uncle."
"I'd like that." Turning to face his big brother Connor smiled warmly at the thought. "Did you bring in all the cards from the display?"
"Yeah." Motioning to the stack of cards piled up in the middle of the kitchen table Luke confirmed that everything had been taken care of. "And I split up the extra food. Half is here for dad and the other half is at your house for Henry and his friends."
"Where is dad right now?"
"Right here." Using his cane Hank made his way into the kitchen and joined his two sons by the window. Despite his failing health Hank never once complained about it or showed any sign of slowing down once he was on his feet. "Sorry, I had to take a shower. I held Natalie for a few minutes and she spit up on my shirt about nine hours ago."
"Maybe Henry's right, that shirt must be ugly."
"Ha, ha." Hank never got tired of Connor's sarcasm and appreciated his wit. "Since Natalie's a cute kid she gets a pass. But you are all out of free passes."
Connor appreciatively grinned at the comment and kept the mood upbeat. "I saw Rose for a while and got to speak to her for a few minutes. She told me that Adam's wife is having their third baby this fall."
"Yeah, his wife and daughters are gorgeous." Hank was always happy to spend time with Rose and meet her grandchildren. "I think this time it's going to be a little boy, so that'll be something that'll really put Adam over the moon."
"Will you be stopping by to visit again once the baby is born?"
"Yup. Any excuse I have to see Rose or those kids is a good one. And Rose already told me she understands if you can't make it because you might have something going on with Henry."
"I will do my best to attend otherwise I will send a gift for the baby."
"Speaking of gifts..." Hank motioned to the pile of cards on the kitchen table that had been brought inside by Luke. "Looks like Henry got a good haul!"
"Yes, but there is one envelope that I'm curious about."
"Which one is that?"
Connor sifted through the pile and picked up a far more elegantly designed envelope and held up for Hank to see. "It's from Kamski."
"Kamski? I haven't seen that smug bastard in almost twenty years. What does he want?"
"I don't know." Connor held the card up in front of the light shining down the ceiling but he couldn't see though the paper to the contents within. "That's why I'm curious."
"Didn't he make some vow to ensure no one tried to mess with you or Henry?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Think it's a bill?" Hank asked with a coy smirk on his face. "Some sort of convenience fee or some shit?"
"If it is, I'm NOT paying it." Putting the envelope back in the pile Connor sighed and resumed looking out the kitchen window at the group of young graduates sleeping around the warm bonfire in sleeping bags outside. "Whatever it is, it's Henry's business. He can handle it."
Hank knew that Connor was feeling riled up and protective and decided to put an end to it. "So, tomorrow's Aria's open house, right?"
"That's right. Eleven in the morning until seven."
"Should we bring anything?"
"Just Aria." Connor pointed to her as she slept amongst her friends around the steadily dying bonfire. "I think Henry's going to be driving his friends over tomorrow, so it won't be a problem for us."
"Good. Come on, boys. There's a game on television and it's been too damn long since we had the chance to watch one as a family."
"Sounds good to me." Luke followed after Hank while Connor slowly took his eyes from the window to join his father and big brother in the livingroom. "Right, little brother?"
"...Yeah." Walking away from the window Connor turned off the light in the kitchen and made his way into the livingroom for the night to enjoy his family's company after such a hectic day. "I'm right behind you."
Three Months Later:
It was move-in day for all of the new students at the University of Michigan. Connor and Henry had finished putting the final bolts in the wooden loft and had placed the mattress up onto the loft to finally finish getting Henry's dorm room all set up. The loft gave him and his roommate more space to share, and allowed Henry to tuck his desk under the loft with his laptop so he could work in semi privacy. A small dark blue couch was against the wall under the room's only window that was overlooking the campus grounds and a small table with a television was set up before the couch. Henry's roommate had already dropped off his stuff and finished taking care of his side of the room giving Connor and Henry more room to work before the day was over.
"Did you bring your guitar?" Connor asked as he placed the sheets on the mattress for Henry and watched as his son finished putting his clothes in his small closet next to the loft. To ensure no one asked a bunch of nosy questions Connor was donning his more aged aesthetic and appeared as any other parent helping their kid move into their dorm. "A guitar could help you de-stress after classes."
"No, I won't have time to play. Maybe I'll pack it up after I visit home in a couple weeks."
"It's a shame your keyboard would be too big to have in here. Music is very relaxing and it aids concentration."
"Good thing I can play music on my laptop then."
"It's also too bad you can't bring Opal, too. A lap-cat would make studying much more enjoyable."
"I'm pretty sure a cat would get noticed fast. She wouldn't be paying tuition."
Laughing at the comment Connor finished with the loft and turned his attention back to Henry. "Need anything else, son?" Connor helped Henry unpack the last of the boxes and place the rest his clothes in the closet. "You have all your textbooks, right?"
"Yeah, dad. I have everything I need."
"What about groceries?"
"I have some money saved up so I can keep food in the dorm. Mini-fridges aren't the best, but it's better than a cooler in the corner."
"Is the saved money from your open house?"
"That, and that one card from that Kamski guy gave me had a check for fifteen-thousand dollars. He said he 'owed' you for something and knew you wouldn't take his money yourself, so he made the check out to me on the condition that I use to pay off my education."
"Oh."
"It's okay, dad. I know that guy was kind of a creep and all that stuff, and I know you don't owe him anything. Any weird debt he thinks he has toward you is just him trying to cover up something he screwed up in the past. It's guilt money."
"I'm proud to here you say that, Henry." Connor was relieved to hear Henry's mature comment on the situation. "You're too smart to be fooled by a snake like that."
"Yeah. Not going to lie though, the money was nice. Now I don't have to worry about paying for my tuition for a while."
"Want some extra money just in case?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Take it anyway." Connor reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet and handed another three one-hundred bills over to Henry. "Keep it as emergency money at least. Same with the debit card."
Henry just laughed as he accepted the money graciously and placed it in the top right drawer of his desk and locked it up. "I also have the extra phone charger you gave me AND the medical insurance card."
Smiling at Henry's confidence Connor realized how far away his son was going to be from home and how confident he already was. "It's a shame you can't keep the Camaro while you're studying."
"It'd just draw unwanted attention. There's a frat house two blocks away and I don't feel like washing off dried up puke from the hood of my car every weekend."
"Good point."
"AND I don't want to pay for parking when I won't be driving that much anyway."
"Smart budgeting."
Glancing about his furnished dorm room curiously Henry sighed and asked one very important question of his own. "...Is Papa still in the car?"
"Yeah. He won't leave without saying goodbye, don't worry."
Henry looked worried anyway and his blue eyes were getting glassy.
"Henry," sensing his son's distress Connor wanted to know why Henry was getting upset. "what's wrong?"
"Dad..." Leveling with his father Henry told Connor what was on his mind. "I know Papa's sick."
"...O-Oh."
"I'm not a child, I can handle the truth."
"We know you can. It's just that he didn't want you to know so you wouldn't worry about him and focus on your education. And he didn't want you to see him as a sick man instead of your Papa."
"That's crazy!" Henry nearly blurted in an emotional upheaval. "I'll never see him as anyone else, no matter how sick he gets."
Now it was Connor's eyes that were welling up with tears. "I think he'd like to know that."
"Then that's what I'll tell him."
"Okay." Wrapping his arm around Henry's shoulder Connor escorted his son out of the dorm room and back outside to the campus grounds. "Let's go talk to him and tell him how much we care about him and respect him."
Resting his back as much as he could and enjoying the nice day, Hank was standing outside the campus with his back leaning up against the side of the Corvette and his cane clutched in his right hand. Observing all the families that were helping their kids move into the campus and all the bright-eyed students who were roaming the grounds and becoming acclimated to their new environment made him smirk. As the students scattered about aimlessly Hank caught sight of Connor and Henry coming back his way and smiled at the duo.
"Hey, you two. Finished already?"
"Yeah, his dorm is set." Connor confirmed as Henry slowly approached Hank and gave him a sad look. "We're almost done for the day."
The look immediately caught Hank's attention and he was on guard. "What's wrong, Henry? Homesick already?"
"...Papa." Standing before him Henry gave Hank a tight hug and held him in a warm embrace that seemed unbreakable. "Don't worry about me. Please, worry about yourself. Get better!"
Hank quickly reciprocated the hug, his hand patting Henry's back as he could feel Henry trying to not cry as he hugged him. Looking over Henry's shoulder to Connor the deviant father silently mouthed: 'He knew you were sick. I didn't say anything.' And in an instant Hank tightened his hug and tried to reassure his upset grandson.
"Ah, Henry. Don't do that, I'll be fine! I've been taking care of this problem for months and I'll begin a more aggressive treatment starting tomorrow. I'm not going down without a fight. I promise!"
"I wish you would've told me what was going on instead of me figuring it out..."
"Hey, come on. You knowing would've only made you worry and worrying wouldn't have done anything to make me any better."
"No, but I want to know if there's anything wrong with you or dad! We're family."
Family.
The one word that always had a tendency to force the guard around Hank's heart down into nothingness.
"And we always will be." As Henry slowly released his hug Hank once again found himself wiping away his grandson's tears with his thumb before he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out a small gift to Henry. "Hey, come on. Don't worry about me, all right? And to make sure you aren't worrying and you're studying like you should be, I'm going to call you every Friday night at seven o'clock, got it?"
"...Yeah, Papa. I got it."
"To ensure that you don't forget you'll keep this somewhere safe at all times, too." Placing the item down in Henry's palm Hank gave him a playfully stern glance. "This is the first gift I ever gave you on Christmas. You were too little keep hold of it yourself, so your dad kept it safe for you all this time."
Henry looked down at the gift and saw that it was the gilded pocketwatch with his name engraved on it. Opening the watch Henry smiled as he saw a picture of himself and Hank sitting together at the lake at the cabin back when Henry was seven-years-old. Connor had taken the picture when Henry sat beside Hank to ask about Cole and the two finished watching the sunset together over the lake. "I remember that day..."
"And you keep remembering that day. It was a VERY good day."
"Just one of many."
"Henry," Hank slipped aside the photo and showed the inscription on the inside of the pocketwatch. "read the inscription."
Obediently Henry read the words and his voice became choked up in the process. "'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa'."
"And I mean it."
"I know you do."
"Come on." Hank was trying to keep Henry calm as he reassured him that everything would be okay even after he was long gone. "Why don't we go find something for lunch, huh? My treat. I'll tell you everything you want to know about what's going on."
"Yeah." Replacing the photo Henry closed the watch and hung it around his neck by the long chain and tucked it down the front of his dark blue t-shirt to keep it out of sight. "I'd like that."
Connor was relieved to see that Hank managed to ease Henry's worry to some degree and rejoined his family at the car. "Pick the place, Henry. Anywhere in the city you want to go."
"No," wanting the day to end on a more positive note Henry relented on the offer and handed over to his grandfather instead. "Papa should pick. I'll be living here for at least four years, so I'll have plenty of time to check out every restaurant while you guys will only be here to visit every few months."
"All right, but since I'm picking the place AND since I'm paying, no complaining!"
"When have I ever complained?" Henry joked as he sat in the backseat of the Corvette so Hank could have the front seat. "Name one time!"
"Yeah, good point. Learn to complain more, damn it!"
Henry couldn't help but laugh at the strange joke as Connor sat down behind the steering wheel, turned over the engine and pulled the car away from the street in front of the campus. "All right, I'll give my roommate a fair warning about your advice, Papa."
"Why?" Flashing his grandson a Devilish grin Hank managed to get Henry to smile at long last. "That's not any fun."
As hard as it was Henry had no choice but to say goodbye to both his dad and his grandfather after returning to the campus well into the evening and going back to his dorm room. A part of Henry was so worried that it'd be the last time he'd ever see Hank and he wasn't ready to say his goodbyes to him. As the dread of time and immortality hung heavily over his head Henry turned to give his family a wary glance as he stood in the middle of his dorm room that suddenly felt way too big for him.
"Maybe I can stop by the house next weekend, you know?" Henry suggested warmly to his departing family. "We can play some basketball or something."
"Of course." Connor sensed Henry's wariness and wanted to comfort him. "You're always welcome home whenever you want to come back. No matter why, when or for how long."
Hank took a step forward without using his cane and gave Henry another strong hug. "Hey, you study and you win your games. Or I'll come back here and kick your butt!"
"I'd like to see you try with that ugly cane in your hand!"
Laughing lightly Hank patted Henry's back again and rubbed his hand over the back of Henry's hair. "I'll call you this Friday at seven, you better answer your phone. Got it?"
"Got it. I promise."
Connor stepped in to hug Henry and held tightly on to his son and had to fight the urge to never let go. "Everything will be okay, Henry. When you stop by to visit us in a few weeks we'll head out to the cabin and have another family weekend, okay?"
"Yeah. Sounds great!"
Slowly, reluctantly and with a heavy heart Connor broke the hug and gave Henry a hesitant glance. "Remember, if you need anything for any reason call."
"I will."
"When will your roommate be back?"
"Soon. The campus will go on lockdown in an hour, so he kinda' has to be back soon or else he'll be stuck sleeping outside."
"Of course. Will you be okay alone until then?"
"Yeah. It'll be weird but I can handle it."
"We know that. You can handle anything."
A campus security officer who was patrolling the dorms and informing visiting family and friends of the curfew begrudgingly informed Connor and Hank that they'd have to leave soon, too. It was the worst part of his job but it was painfully necessary. "Lockdown in forty-five minutes. Sorry, only students are permitted to stay overnight."
"We'll see you soon, Henry." Connor stated confidently as he accepted the fact that he'd have to leave his son behind. "I love you."
"I love you too, dad." Henry looked over to Hank and smiled. "I love you, Papa."
"I love ya', Henry." Hank reached out his hand and shook Henry's right hand firmly. "Remember what I said."
"About kicking my butt?"
"Smartass. Friday at seven."
"I'll be waiting with my phone in my hand, Papa. I promise!"
It was a long slow walk away from the dorm and out to the campus parking lot.
Feeling like he was forgetting something very important, his son, Connor walked out of the dorm with Hank right at his side. Walking slowly to accommodate Hank's health as they made their way back to the Corvette in the parking lot Connor glanced back at the building as if he could somehow see Henry still, but of course Henry's window overlooked the campus and not the parking lot. There were no other cars around which made the entire campus feel eerily empty and the moment all the more sad.
"Hey, are you going to be okay, son?"
"...Yeah." Opening up the passenger side door of the car for Hank first to ensure the sick man could move about easier Connor walked around to the other side and opened his own driver's side door. "The house is just going to feel so empty without having Henry around. Opal is great company, but is no substitute for my son."
"And that is called the much dreaded 'empty-nest syndrome'. It's the bane of all parents when it comes to their kids but it gets easier over time." Hank sat down slowly in the passenger seat and put his cane in the backseat behind him. Moving slowly for the sake of his back Hank did his best to appear as strong and confident as ever. "Just for the hell of it, want to stay over at my house tonight?"
"Yeah. I think I do. I could really use the company." As Connor sat down in his own seat and wiped away more tears from his soulful brown eyes he let his 'aged' aesthetic fade away slowly. As he looked like his usual self Connor suddenly looked more like a sad kid than a proud father. "It's strange because I just said goodbye, and yet I already miss him so much."
"Son, come here." Hank wrapped his arm around Connor and pulled his son up against his side for a much needed hug. Connor didn't resist and let Hank hug him as tight as possible as they sat in the car and looked up at Henry's campus. "You did great with Henry. He's one hell of a great kid, he's intelligent, kind, funny, empathetic and he's going to help shape this mess of a world into something recognizable. Be proud, not sad."
"I've always have been proud of him, dad. And I always will be. My son is an incredible person, and I could possibly be prouder of him."
"The feeling's mutual." Smiling with utter pride of his own Hank hugged his son even tighter as he thought about all their good years together. They were truly an unbreakable family unit. "It really is."
"Thanks, dad."
"Let's go on home, son." Wiping away his own tears Hank cleared his throat and sighed deeply at the thought of going back to Detroit without Henry with them. Like Connor he already deeply missed his grandson and he couldn't wait to see him again. "It's going to be a very long and very quiet night without Henry with us."
-next chapter-
