It was surprisingly routine as usual for Connor and Hank as they sat at their desks completely exhausted after enduring a nightmarish day filled with overdue paperwork, a loud belligerent drunk yelling slurs from the drunk tank, the remaining violent anti-android gang members screaming about their rights from the holding cells, and two weeks' worth of late reports to file before the end of day. Hank, still relying on the sling to keep his healing left shoulder from aching too severely, used one hand to begin typing up the last report for the day as Chris escorted an unexpected visitor over to Connor's desk while the deviant detective across from him finished his own report for the evening.

Chris lightly put his hand on the studious deviant's shoulder to get his attention without startling him in the process. The last thing he wanted to do was potentially disturb Connor while he was nearing the end of his lengthy recovery and recalibration process after the car accident that nearly ended his life.

"Connor," Chris spoke in a level tone from just behind the deviant. "you have a visitor."

Turning around quickly Connor was a little shocked to see Markus standing beside his desk with an enthusiastic grin plastered over his face. It had been months since Connor had seen his friend, and his bright smile at the sight of the deviant leader standing tall and proud in the bullpen.

"Markus. It's nice to see you." Connor stood up quickly and faced his friend with genuine curiosity. Having Markus stop by the precinct was very unusual, but it was a welcome surprise all the same. "What brings you by?"

"I needed to see you in person. Do you have a minute to talk?" The deviant leader's mismatched eyes were bright with enthusiasm and there was a genuinely happy aura emanating from his person. "I want to speak with you in private, it's important."

"Uh..." Looking toward Hank for a second he was relieved to see Hank wave him off dismissively with his good hand without a care of the two deviants' having a private discussion elsewhere. "Yes. I can talk. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I just needed to ask you an important question and I didn't want to do it cybernetically." Markus explained casually as he and Connor exited the bullpen together and headed back toward the front doors of the precinct through the receptionist area. There was no sign of any pain in Connor's body after the car accident, and he seemed to be in good spirits. "This needs a more personal touch."

Stepping out into the fresh chill in the winter air as their feet crunched along the icy snow of the previous week's blizzard, the two deviants paused to speak to each another as they rounded the corner of the precinct to duck away from nosy people seeking gossip fodder. It wasn't uncommon to see deviants speaking to one another discreetly, but having a deviant show up to meet a friend at work rather than keeping their conversations cybernetic was a tad unusual. Such human reactions and decisions were still seen as a little strange to the humans who've refused to accept that deviants are in fact conscious, self-aware and alive.

"What's on your mind?" Connor asked coolly as he stood before his friend and wrapped his arms around his himself to try to stave off the cold as much as possible. The thin blazer did little to shield anyone from the biting winter air. "I'm always happy to help regardless of what you may need."

"Well, it's really as simple as this." The bright gleam in Markus's mismatched eyes seemed even brighter as he happily spoke with his friend. It felt like actual joy was radiating from Markus's very soul. "Last night I asked North to... bond with me."

"Bond?" In a flash Connor's L.E.D. shifted to yellow then back to blue and his facial expression was that of contained excitement. "You're now engaged?"

"Yeah!" Beaming with pride Markus confirmed the good news. "We're getting bonded this upcoming Friday!"

"Congratulations, Markus." Connor Managed to give his friend a true smile, not his faint grin or awkward smirk, but a real smile. It was rare for Connor to show such a smile since the deviant detective was still relatively reserved with his emotions unless under extreme duress. "I'm truly happy for you. What can I do to help you and North prepare for your bonding ceremony?"

"We already have so much covered, but there's a few things we still need to get taken care of." Giving his friend's arm a light pat Markus confirmed that he did in fact need Connor's assistance. "And that's why I'm here."

"Oh, of course. I'll do anything I can to help you. Name it."

"Well, we have Josh officiating the bonding ceremony, Simon will take care of the legalities and watch over New Jericho Tower while we're gone, and North has already chosen her maid of honor to act as a witness... but I still need my best man."

Connor's brow furrowed a little as he stared at Markus with a sincere naivety as his blue L.E.D. flickered briefly to yellow. "...Me?"

"Yes." Proudly Markus asked his friend to accept the honor and stand beside him on what was to be the happiest day of his life. "Will you please be the best man at my bonding ceremony?"

"I... I'm honored that you asked me to take on such a role." Flattered but confused Connor was a little hesitant to answer. It seemed a little odd for Markus to ask Connor to step up after the deviant leader spent so much more time with other deviants within the shelter of New Jericho Tower over the past two years. "But I have to know. Why ask me?"

"Because without your help during the Raid, I would've lost North after she had been shot. Without you, the Revolution would've failed entirely, and North and I wouldn't be together on this day. Without you, I would've perished at the hands of that assassination attempt, and I wouldn't have had the chance to ask for North to bond with me. Please, we want you to be a part of our bonding ceremony." As he spoke the gratitude poured from Markus's very heart. "Connor, will you be my best man?"

"Y-Yes, of course." Answering at long last Connor's L.E.D. remained blue and his smile never faltered. He never realized how important his decisions and actions had been in the lives of his two comrades, and he felt a righteous swelling of warmth wash over his heart. "It'd be my honor!"

"Thank you!" Markus reached out to shake Connor's hand appreciatively as the two deviants exchanged grins of excitement at the upcoming event. "I'm glad you accepted!"

"I wouldn't miss it!"

Markus let his hand drop from Connor's hand as he enthusiastically informed North of the good news through a cybernetic relay.

"Now all we have to do is find the right place to hold the ceremony and we'll be all set. And," Quickly Markus reached into his coat pocket and presented Connor with two rectangular pieces of painted glass that were in fact the invitations to the bonding ceremony. "One for you and one for Hank. I brought yours in case you said 'no' about being my best man, I'd still want you there. I mean, the invitations are just a formality at this point. You're both welcome in our lives no matter what."

"Thank you." Accepting the invitations Connor smirked at the hand drawn and gorgeously painted images created by Markus's own hand. The stained-glass image showed Markus and North's exposed plastimetal hands interlaced together with a blue chain encircling their loving grip. "We'll be there, I promise."

Still sitting at his desk Hank let out a tired sigh as he finished filling out his current report and contemplated getting himself a fresh cup of coffee to stave off his building fatigue. The drunk fool in the drunk-tank had quieted down, or passed out, and the violent anti-android gang members had been isolated in other cells to prevent a possible riot from taking place inside of the precinct. Too tired to function without the aid of some caffeine, Hank picked up his stained coffee mug and sluggishly walked into the breakroom for a large coffee refill just as he caught sight of Connor returning to the bullpen with an oddly complacent, yet unsure look on his face.

Intrigued by Connor's new demeanor Hank headed back to his desk and sat down the refilled mug as he returned to his chair and eyed Connor curiously. It wasn't often that the deviant seemed lost or confused considering how many new experiences he had gone through as a deviant.

"So, if it's okay for me to ask," Hank's blue eyes studied Connor carefully as the deviant sat behind his own terminal screen once more. "what did Markus want?"

"It seems complicated, but it's not." Connor shook his head a little as if he were still trying to comprehend their previous discussion outside before he answered the question. "Markus told me that he and North have decided to get bonded."

"Uh... Bonded?"

"The deviant equivalent to marriage."

"Oh. Oh!" The man's eyes went a little wide with surprise before he responded. "I didn't think androids or deviants knew anything about marriage. But that's cool all the same. Any reason he wanted to tell you that in private?"

"No, he wasn't keeping it a secret or anything like that." Placing the two handmade invitations down on his desk Connor slid the one with Hank's name over toward the Lieutenant while keeping his own invitation on his side of the adjoined desks. "He just wanted to ask me if I'd be his 'best man' at the bonding ceremony."

"That's cool. What did you say?"

"I told him 'yes'."

Watching Connor's demeanor curiously Hank couldn't figure out why the deviant seemed surprisingly glum about the situation. "And... Do you regret it?"

"No."

"Then why do you look so weirded-out about what's going on?"

"Because I don't know what a 'best man' is."

"Oh, man..." Hank repeated his shock as he laughed a little as he sipped at his warm coffee and leaned back in his seat. "Shit, I can tell you what you need to know."

"You can?"

"Yup. I was a best man once, it kinda' sucks but it's still a great honor." Pushing aside his mug Hank resumed typing up his report with one hand and gave the beautifully intricate glass invitation a once over; the images of the red and pink roses in the top left and bottom right corners were connected by green vines snaking around the borders. The names of Markus and North were painted in perfect calligraphy rather than 'CyberLife Sans' near the top of the glass invitation and had Hank's name painted in the same fashion near the bottom. "When's the wedding, er, bonding, going to happen? I don't see a date."

"This coming Friday."

"Seriously? Six days seems kinda' fast."

"Deviants don't need to worry about planning in the same way as humans do. However, Markus did ask for some advice of an appropriate location to hold the service before he left. Do you know of any place that could suffice as an appropriate location for such a ceremony?"

"Yup." Hank grinned a little as the perfect suggestion came to mind with very little thought. "The cabin. It'll look beautiful in the fall and wintertime."

"You don't mind having a mass of guests at the cabin? You said the cabin is a secret getaway you want to keep to yourself."

"Why should I mind? I bought the place a few weeks ago and now I have an excuse to go back that doesn't revolve around fishing. Besides, now that I own the place, we don't have to wait for a chance to rent it out for a weekend."

"You bought the cabin?" Connor tilted his head a little as he stared at Hank's face with a sense of shock. "Why'd you do that?"

"I love the place. AND it means I can run away from the city and hide out whenever I want. Go ahead," Hank insisted kindly as he continued his report with his one free hand. "let Markus know he can use the cabin. It's quiet, remote, beautiful, and on private property so no one can crash the bonding thing and ruin it." Peering around his terminal screen to look at Connor directly Hank gave the deviant a subtle nod. "If you want, I can take them up on a tour of the place tomorrow so they can decide for themselves."

"Thank you." Ever appreciative of Hank's support Connor closed his eyes and sent a cybernetic message to Markus to give him the incredibly helpful suggestion. "I will inform Markus immediately. I'm sure he'll agree to see it."

The following morning and true to his word, Hank took North up to the cabin in the new car that was purchased to replace the totaled Oldsmobile so she could look the property over for herself. Meanwhile, Connor went out to New Jericho Tower to check over the legalities of the bonding ceremony to make sure the ceremony would proceed without any interruptions or be delayed by any dreaded red tape that'd keep the bonding from taking place. The tower itself was full of activity as the deviants in the sanctuary excitedly prepared for the upcoming bonding in their own way while Connor assisted Markus in matters that were exclusive to his role as the best man. It didn't take Connor long to understand his new role and take on the responsibility and honor with pride. It wasn't every day that someone could stand beside their best friend as that friend's life changed forever.

Walking side by side Connor spoke with Markus and made sure they were on the same page regarding what was to be expected at the ceremony. Fortunately, everyone wanted a simple yet elegant event without a massive crowd or any attention from the public. Such a minimalistic approach would ensure a smooth and easy progression toward a historic conclusion.

"We won't be undergoing all of the same wedding traditions as humans." Markus explained casually as he and Connor walked to the tower's main office. "We just want a simple ceremony with each other and our closest friends and family. No religious scripture or elaborate set-ups. Just escort the maid of honor down the aisle and hold my bonding ring while North and I exchange our vows cybernetically. That's all."

"Who is North's chosen maid of honor?" Connor asked curiously as he followed Markus into the office and began cybernetically overlooking all of the legal details required to proceed with the bonding. Everything was meticulously organized and ready to be examined before being filed with the state. "As I understand it, the maid of honor is usually the bride's sister or best friend."

"North has chosen Skye as her maid of honor."

"...Skye?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow briefly as he recognized the name was nearly overcome with the dreadful memories of suffering at the hands of the android serial killer Martin Jonas. "She is still here in the tower after all this time?" He was genuinely surprised that Skye hadn't fled the tower after recovering from her injuries. "What about Cassie and the other rescued deviants? Last I spoke with Skye, she mentioned finding her own place in Detroit to potentially begin a law career."

"Everyone's fine. Cassie went back over the Canadian border to help deviants come back to Detroit, and the other deviants who were rescued have moved on with their lives. Most of them have gone to a hidden refugee camp outside the city."

"But Skye chose to stay behind?"

"Yeah, Skye isn't quite ready to leave despite having big plans for her future. She and North escaped from the 'Eden Club' and were reunited after... you know."

"Unfortunately, I do."

"She and North were very close friends back at the club, but lost track of one another when Skye tried to sneak out other deviants to their freedom. Without Cassie to keep her company, Skye got a little lonely, but she and North had become even closer as friends as a result. She's even stepped up as our head of security and has made some pretty impressive changes to the tower to ensure our people remain safe while preparing herself for a role a legal representative for us here in the tower."

"It seems Skye is very determined to succeed and live her own life." Whenever Connor mentioned Skye's name, he felt his heart momentarily skip a beat all while feeling a warm blush temporarily wash over his face. It seemed that his time with Skye was far more impactful on his mind and emotions than he realized. "I'm glad that she's okay."

"Yeah, us too." Markus put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he leaned over the legal documents Connor was quickly and easily scanning. "What do you think?"

"You're in the clear." Despite being briefly distracted with Skye's future Connor didn't skip a single detail as he reviewed the legal documents. "There isn't a single detail that Simon or Skye had overlooked or forgotten while creating this legally binding document."

"So, we can go ahead with the bonding?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a happy nod of his head. "Everything looks ready to go. In five days, you'll be a bonded deviant. How does it feel?"

"Incredible." Truly happy Markus smiled a little more only to have eyes fill with somber emotion. "I just wish Carl could be there during the ceremony."

"I'm sure Carl will be there in his own way." Connor stood upright from the desk and put his hand to Markus's arm kindly. "Hank told me once that the people we care about never really leave us, even after they've passed away or shutdown. As long as we remember them then the people we lose are never truly lost."

The sentiment was oddly calming to Markus and seemed to bring a sense of peace to his heart. "Yeah, you're right."

A light knocking on the office door drew Markus and Connor's attention to the arrived guest. "Hi, am I interrupting?"

"Skye." With a sense of perfect timing Markus turned and smiled at her warmly and motioned for her to enter the office. She looked much different than the last time Connor had seen her, and it was all for the better. "Not at all."

"Good." Handing Markus a tablet screen Skye explained her arrival and gave the deviant leader a quick update. "Simon wants to go over a few guidelines about the new laws and protocols just in case something pops up while you and North are away. I'm sure they're all correct, but we want to double-check everything."

"Yeah, no problem." Giving his future best man a quick pat on the shoulder Markus took his leave of the office and glanced at the tablet he had been handed with keen interest. "I'll be right back, Connor. And thanks for all your help."

Connor only nodded as he looked at Skye and noted the drastic change in her appearance since the last time he saw her. What had been short, dark - almost black hair - was now long dark auburn hair running down the length of her back to her waist and her hairline had been parted to the right allowing her long bangs to fall over her left, previously damaged eye, partially concealing it behind the long locks. Her eyes that had once been an unnaturally bright blue were now a more natural dark, green-hazel color and seemed far more calm and happier than ever before. The new appearance truly suited her.

Like Connor, Skye too kept her L.E.D. identifying herself outwardly as a deviant; unafraid, unashamed of who she really was or where she came from.

Everything about her seemed more natural, if not perfect, in Connor's opinion.

"Skye, I'm glad to see that you're okay and are still here in the tower." Connor commented somewhat nervously in his voice alone as she approached him confidently in her stride. "...You altered your appearance. You look... lovely."

"Well, what you saw before is what the clients at the club wanted." Skye remarked with a faint blue blush on her face as she gave Connor a kind smile. "After I arrived at the tower, I found my confidence and recently changed my appearance so I could look the way that I wanted. I'm my own person and no one else."

"It suits you."

"...Thanks." It seemed Skye was finding her way to move past her traumatic experiences and embrace the world anew. "I also started to find an interest in music and have learned to play the violin."

"I've found solace in music as well. I've learned to play the guitar."

"Really? I guess we have some common ground beyond just being lucky, huh?"

"Apparently so." The way Skye was more open, confident and seemingly happy made Connor's Thirium pump feel unusually warm. It was as if he had been reunited with an old friend who had survived the impossible. "I wish I had been able to check in on more often you after everything that happened, but..."

"I know." Empathetic toward Connor's discomfort Skye bore no ill will toward the deviant detective who had once been known as the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' amongst his own people. "You don't like coming to New Jericho Tower because the other deviants are still wary of your presence."

"...Correct."

"I did see you stopping by to speak with Markus in private out on the harbor. I wanted to talk to you, but I was too nervous to step outside or accidentally announce your presence to the other deviants."

"It's better for me to keep my distance from our people. Even so, I will continue to stand at Markus's side and be a trusted friend and ally, regardless of my ill reputation among the other deviants."

"I hate to break it to you, but after you saved Markus's life when he was shot and the way you recruited the deviants to help out Rose Chapman and her son after they were attacked by anti-android bigots, you've earned a tremendous amount of respect from your peers. Myself included."

Despite her words of comfort Connor didn't feel any more at ease. "...I don't seek to gain anyone's respect. I just don't want everyone to be afraid of me."

"Well, I'm not afraid." Gently Skye put her palm to the side of Connor's face as she looked him directly in his soulful brown eyes and unintentionally made his blue L.E.D. flash to yellow for a moment. "You saved my life, you saved Cassie's life, you saved the other injured deviants, and you've continued to risk your life to protect us long after the Revolution. I'm happy to call you my friend. That is, if that's okay."

"Y-Yes, it's okay." Connor smiled a little as he felt anxiety leaving his mind as well as his heart. "I'm looking forward to attending the bonding ceremony as the best man. We can spend time together outside of the tower if you'd like."

"I would like that. And I'm the maid of honor, so it's a good thing we get along."

"Yes." A small laugh escaped Connor's lips as he locked his gaze with hers. "I imagine it would be a tad awkward if we despised one another."

"I'll do my best to not get on your bad side and you don't do anything silly to give me a reason to start disliking you." Dropping her hand from Connor's face Skye ran her palm down his chest as she backed out of the room smiling warmly. The gesture was one meant to show that Skye wasn't afraid of Connor just as she had claimed, and yet there was something about her palm caressing past his beating heart that somehow seemed right. "It's hard enough making new friends when you spend all day in a tower locked away from the world. I don't want to lose a friend I had just gained because I'm intimidated by my own shadow."

Before Connor could say another word to Skye, she had slipped through the door out of sight and Markus had returned to the office.

"That's settled." Markus noted in regard to Simon and his concerns on the legalities of the ceremony. "Now," putting his hand on Connor's shoulder again he gave the deviant detective a somewhat stern glance. "let's talk about this cabin that you and Hank are so enthusiastic about. It sounds perfect."

"The cabin..." Connor finally pulled his focus from the doorway where Skye had disappeared and gave his full attention to Markus as his mood lifted considerably and registered what his friend had just stated. "Gladly! I know you'll be entranced by the property with a single glance. It's very peaceful there."

Acting as a guide Hank casually escorted North around the snow covered property of the cabin with a calm demeanor and appreciation for the isolated beauty. It was serenely quiet at the cabin, save for the sweet chirping of the birds in the surrounding trees and the gentle billowing of the winter breeze swirling all around the duo in a welcoming manner. The fresh snow along the property was flawless as no one had ventured onto the property and the ground was a perfect white color. The lake had been partially frozen over during the previous early blizzard, but the water was now steadily thawing as the chilly temperature attempted to stay above freezing for a little while longer.

It was as if the property had been intentionally isolated from the rest of the world to keep it ideal for a ceremony to take place. Such a place was a rarity that needed to be cherished.

"So, what do you think?" Hank asked as North walked down the back of the property and toward the frozen lake shore. She peered at the small fish swimming about under the icy surface with a strange intrigue. "If you want it, this place is yours for the bonding ceremony. We won't even charge ya' rent."

"This is perfect." North happily turned to look at the kind detective watching over her. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to stave off the chill in the air, but she was already too in love with the cabin to say 'no' even during the chillier season. "Markus and I want to be bonded as soon as possible. Do you think people will mind being out in the cold?"

"Screw 'em! It's your ceremony." The gruff detective knew better than to tell a bride 'no' on anything about her own wedding day, so he imagined the same rule applied to a bonding ceremony. Besides, it wasn't his place to say what the bride or groom were supposed to do on their big day anyway. "You can tell them to go jump in the lake if you wanted. Or I'll do it for ya'."

North gave Hank an odd look but knew he was speaking from a place of experience. "You've been to a lot of human weddings, haven't you?"

"Uh, only four, actually. But you only need to attend one to know it's about the bride and groom, not the guests."

"Well, this will be your first bonding ceremony, and thank you for your help."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could do something."

Keeping her hands running along her arms North gave the senior detective a nervous glance as she worked up the nerve to ask for help with one more thing before the ceremony. "...I do have one additional favor to ask of you; and feel free to say 'no', but I have to ask all the same."

"All right." Taking a step closer to North out of sheer curiosity Hank pressed her for the question burning on her lips. It seemed as if the fiery deviant was starting to overcome her disdain for humans one experience at a time. "What's up?"

"Would you... walk me down the aisle?"

"Whoa." That particular request was something that Hank never expected to hear. "...What? You're sure?"

"I don't have any family aside from Markus, let alone a father figure." She seemed almost sad as she spoke, but North didn't let it shake her always confident tone of voice. "The way you treat Connor, it's like... I don't know, real. Like you really see him as your son. So, I thought I'd ask so I could get an idea of what it feels like to have the love and respect of a parent. Sorry if it was a weird question."

"North, I think it'd be a privilege and an honor to walk you down the aisle. I don't have a daughter of my own, so that's something I never thought I'd get to do."

"You'll do it?"

"Of course I will." Respectfully Hank took North's hand in his own and offered her a warm smile. "Consider it already done."

As the busy and exciting day came to its end, Connor found himself absentmindedly strumming away on his guitar in the dim lighting of his bedroom with Sumo resting his chin over his outstretched legs. Ever since his brief discussion and overdue reunion with Skye out at the tower Connor had the urge to play the guitar and steadily master his craft through skill alone and no advanced programming to give him an unfair advantage. While he became lost and thoroughly enraptured in his nameless song, a soft knocking on his bedroom door drew Connor's attention away from the tuneless melody he had been performing and up to Hank standing in the doorway watching him.

Hank was sporting a small grin and rubbing his right palm over his healing left shoulder in an attempt to ease the persistent ache from the muscle. Aside from his still sore shoulder neither Hank or Connor seemed to have suffered any permanent damage after surviving the car accident just a week prior.

"Hank?" Connor was eager to learn of what happened at the cabin while he was at New Jericho Tower. "Did North approve of the location?"

"She's good with the cabin." Hank stated proudly as he stared at Connor with a faint smirk on his face. "And I get to walk her down the aisle. We're both a part of the wedding, wait, bonding ceremony, now. Pretty damn cool."

"I'm glad you were asked to participate." Connor stopped strumming but his left fingers continued to press down along the neck of the guitar as if performing silent chords. "It'll be a very good day when Markus and North are finally bonded."

"You okay?" Hank could sense that something was on Connor's mind. "You seem a little distracted."

"I'm just thinking."

"About the bonding ceremony?"

"Yes."

"You nervous?"

"No." Casually Connor set aside the guitar and ran a hand through his hair as he gave Hank his full attention. "I'm just thinking about the prospect of marriage and bonding, and how much it changes those who have the fortune of undertaking such an event. One must truly love another person to vow to spend the rest of their lives together."

Hank crossed his right arm over his still injured left arm and gave Connor an odd look from where he stood. "You feeling the 'bachelor blues' or something?"

"I..." Such a question was lost on the deviant. "I don't understand that metaphor. To what are you referring?"

"It's simple." Somewhat amused Hank shrugged his shoulders a little, wincing at the pull on his bad shoulder in the process. "I'm asking if you're ready to start dating and looking for the deviant of your dreams to spend the rest of your life with."

Blushing a faint blue as his L.E.D. flickered to yellow before settling back to blue. "I... don't know anything about dating."

"Neither did I. At least, in the beginning. Then after a few lunch, dinner or coffee dates you start to notice a pattern in the type of person, or deviant, you're looking for and eventually you find yourself more and more attracted to the person you were destined to fall in love with. When you know who it is you want to spend eternity with, you feel it." Hank patted his palm over his heart for emphasis. "Right here. There's no doubts when you feel it."

"Is that what happened with you and Barbara?"

"Yup. That's why we made sure to sneak off and elope so we could be married and still work at the same precinct together once we were sure we truly wanted to be together forever. Even then, forever wasn't long enough."

"'Elope'?" While Connor knew the textbook definition of the term he didn't understand what it meant when it pertained to human marriage. "What is that exactly?"

"It's a way of getting married and skipping over all the formalities; having to dress up, invite a bunch of friends and family to a place you have to rent for a few hours, getting everything on a schedule, shelling out a shit-ton of money... It just made things much easier, and we were happy all the same as if we had gone through with an elaborate wedding." As he reminisced his own wedding day Hank's blue eyes lit up with joy. "At the end of the day, we were married and that's all that mattered."

Connor gave Hank a somewhat unsure glance as he leaned forward on his bed and glanced up at Hank with somber eyes. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"I've never stopped you before. What's on your mind, son?"

"Why didn't you remarry after you... lost... Barbara?"

"Oh." There was a heavy pause before the answer. "...Honestly, I don't know." Hank admitted as he let out a somewhat mournful sigh. "I guess I just never felt like I needed to try dating again. Or maybe I knew I'd spend all my time comparing every woman I did date to Barbara, and sabotage my chances at a meaningful second relationship. It's hard to move on after losing someone like her and after losing her in such a horrible way."

"Didn't you get lonely?"

"...Only after I lost Cole, too."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, kid. I don't want to start ignoring my past again." Doing his best not to fall into his previous bad habits of emotional denial and alcohol Hank pushed through his discomfort with the sole motivation of helping Connor to understand the complexities of human emotions and mental awareness. "It always starts with a bad memory and ends with an even worse hangover. I'm tired of it."

"When you were still dating before you married Barbara," Connor's L.E.D. cycled from blue to yellow nervously as he dared to press the matter further. "how did you ask the person you were interested in out on your first date?"

"Connor, do you have someone special on your mind?"

"I-" The deviant blushed a bright blue as he turned away from Hank and looked at his guitar with a sense of intrigue as he wondered how his music tastes may or may not mirror Skye's musical preferences. "...A little."

Curious about Connor's behavior Hank gave the deviant a suspicious glance. "You still thinking about Kara?"

"Occasionally, but it's not her that I'm-" Connor was finding it difficult to explain his feelings and his thinking. "Kara is bonded already and I have accepted it. She is off limits to anyone who is not Luther and I respect the sanctity of their bonds."

Hank could feel the follow-up comment just hanging heavily in the air and he openly motioned with his hand for Connor to continue. "...But?"

"But... it feels strange to still think of Kara in such a manner, especially when I know she's unavailable." Taking a moment to try to compose his thoughts Connor continued with a palpable confusion. "Now I see someone else in the same manner at the same time, and I can't help but feel as if she's just as special to me as Kara is, despite us not having a very complicated past. Did that make sense?"

"Uh-huh. Keep going."

"I'm so perplexed by these emotions." As he sorted through his feelings Connor realized he had uncovered the source of his emotional discomfort. "How can I have an attraction to two deviants at one time?"

"Ah... I think I know what your little problem is."

"You do?"

"Yup. Kara was the first deviant you saw as a living being, even though at the time you didn't realize it for yourself." The senior detective deduced easily. "Then after you got to know her a little better, the life you saw in her became more tangible and relatable. It's like you saw the sunrise after enduring a long cold night. She was a ray of warm light in an otherwise dark world around you."

"That does seem accurate. Does that mean no matter what I will always think of Kara as someone special?"

"Yup. Your first love."

"...Will I always be distracted by thoughts of her?"

"Nah. After you find someone who makes you think of them as special as you saw Kara, you'll find that new someone to be the center of your every thought. You can quote me on that."

"That's reassuring. Perhaps my desire to begin dating won't be as complicated as fear."

"Dating always sounds more complicated than it really is. Just be yourself and you'll find out if you're emotionally compatible with this other deviant or not."

"I'll remember that." After a moment of silence Connor's yellow L.E.D. returned to blue as his mind eased considerably. "Tomorrow Markus wants us to join him downtown to find our tuxedos. What's the difference between a tuxedo and a suit, anyway?"

"About two-grand."

"...What?"

"Nothing, it was a bad joke." Hank ran his hand through his gray hair somewhat embarrassed at his own quip. "I'll tell you everything that you need to know about weddings later. For now, I need to take a shower and ease the pain in my shoulder."

"Do you require any medication?"

"Nah, a hot shower will work just fine. Considering what we went through, I'd happily deal with a bum shoulder than see you suffer any damage any day."

"Ironically enough, I feel the same." A change in subject was sorely needed and Connor knew just what to say. "I believe there is a football game on television tonight; the Lions versus the Packers. Are you interested?"

"Always. But no wagers tonight." Turning away from the door frame Hank entered the bathroom and turned on the light to illuminate the small space. "You're too damn good at figuring out what's going to happen during the games, and I still owe you eighty bucks."

A light dusting of fresh, white snow fell over the property of the cabin while Connor, Hank and Markus prepared for the bonding ceremony that was set to take place the following day at noon. The other deviants at New Jericho Tower had volunteered to help prepare for the ceremony but Markus declined as he and North wanted to take care of as much of their bonding ceremony by themselves (and with their friends) as possible. Working together Markus and Connor set up a wooden rose trestle painted white and bent into the shape of an arch at the end of the aisle long aisle leading from the rear cabin door out toward the dock stretching out into the partially frozen lake. As the trestle was fixed to the ground North herself began to wrap the trestle in numerous fake but incredibly realistic ruby red roses, and she added a handful of pink roses to make the colors truly vibrant against the white snow.

Skye found her own task and began lining the area with long wooden benches protected under thick blanket to keep any additional snowfall from affecting the seats for the following afternoon. She was showing signs of an artistic soul that Connor couldn't help but notice as he often stole quick glances at Skye whenever he could without being too obvious. The sight of Skye smiling and laugh as she and North worked together to fill the area with colorful flowers helped confirm that she was healing well from her own past traumas.

Helping out as well, Josh set about rolling down a thick red carpet to line the aisle while stretching the other blankets over top to keep the weather from ruining it. Small speakers were strategically placed around the trestle and near the benches to allow music to be played audibly during before the bonding ceremony and so the guests could hear Markus and North speaking during the ceremony itself. Everything had been set up easily, beautifully and with no drama, which of course was impressive for any wedding or bonding ceremony in general.

From inside the cabin Hank watched through the kitchen window as the deviants outside worked together in the cold to set things in motion for the next day. As the exterior of the cabin slowly became adorned with flowers and benches Hank couldn't help but think of his own wedding day; how it was so simple, so quick, but still so memorable in the best possible way.

Hank had also become aware of Connor looking over at Skye every chance he had while the deviants worked together outside in the snow. The way Connor seemed to glow whenever he chanced a glance at Skye confirmed that the deviant was beginning to feel the complex yet wondrous emotion known as love.

"Man, I hope the kid doesn't get his heart broken again."

The senior detective and father figure muttered to himself as he watched Connor helping Skye with the benches and managed to give her a kind smile as they worked together. It had been so hard for Connor when he learned that Kara had already been spoken for, and Hank couldn't imagine the pain that'd follow if he was rejected by Skye and harbored unrequited love in his heart.

"He's too empathetic for his own good, I swear. Hopefully he can deal with dating with minimal heartache in the process."

With the backyard appropriately decorated for the following morning the deviants took their leave of the property for the remainder of the night. Voluntarily Josh had gone back to New Jericho Tower with North and Skye via autonomous taxi leaving Connor, Hank and Markus alone at the cabin for the night. Setting a small fire in the hearth of the cabin's sitting room Hank proceeded to carefully remove the sling from his left shoulder and check on his level of pain tolerance for a moment. There was a dull ache but nothing that would hinder his movements anytime in the immediate future, which of course would make things a lot easier for the remainder of his recovery after such a greivous accident.

The warmth of the cabin made for a truly inviting environment and one that was difficult to resist. As the flames from the hearth illuminated the room with a warm aura any sense of discomfort had faded away and left only an atmosphere of comfort behind. The remaining trio settled in for the night and began emotionally preparing for the ceremony set to take place the following afternoon.

"Hank, are you sure you should be doing that?" Connor asked as he and Markus joined Hank in the sitting room of the cabin. The two deviants sat on the couch next to the old chair that Hank had taken for himself and were watching him carefully. "You were severely injured and still aren't cleared for active duty."

"I'm fine, son. Just a little sore." Hank replied honestly as he reminded Connor of his own previous damage. "You were the one who had their chest torn open and knee mangled. If you're okay, then I'm okay too."

Markus liked hearing Hank call Connor 'son'. It reminded him of Carl. Even though Carl couldn't be there for him in a physical sense, Markus did believe that Connor was right, and that Carl was still going to be there for him during the ceremony in a spiritual manner.

"I'm glad you both are okay." Markus suddenly stated as he joined in on the conversation. "I can't imagine going through such a severe car accident as that and being stranded so far away from home."

"Hey, we're all good now." Hank tried to lighten the mood for the sake of the upcoming bonding ceremony and to keep Connor from worrying too much about his shoulder for the remainder of the weekend. "But it wasn't all that bad anyway. Now I'll have a second car to work on when it warms up again. I started shopping for cars when I got the replacement for the Oldsmobile, and after I got a great deal on this place."

"I still think you should've purchased an autonomous vehicle." Connor refuted stubbornly from where he sat. "Especially since you'll have the other car as a pet project. Once you get it functional again you would've had the option of manual or autonomous vehicles at your disposal."

"We've been over this, kid. I'm not getting an autonomous vehicle. Might as well just hail a taxi everywhere..." Clearing his throat a little Hank turned to look at Markus to get Connor's mind off the cars. "Are you and North going to forego the honeymoon or are you going to keep some wedding traditions alive?"

"We'll be heading out to Hawaii the day after tomorrow. We have a contact in customs and the secretary of state, so we'll be able to travel without being harassed or questioned when we leave the state."

"That's good." Hank acknowledged sincerely as he rubbed at his sore left shoulder again. "You need to see the world. You too, Connor."

"I will travel someday." The deviant detective gave Hank, his father, a sincere glance as he leaned back against the couch as if tired. "I swear to it."

Hank smiled at the too human reaction he got from Connor then returned his focus to Markus. "Are you and North going to live in the tower still?"

"No, no. Uh, Leo let me have the house after Carl... You know." Having the entire mansion to himself made the house feel too empty to enjoy, but with North moving in with him Markus knew he'd turn the mansion back into his home. "We'll be living there but working from the tower as usual."

"Sounds like a good plan. You need the chance to be together with just the two of you."

"Hey, thanks for everything you've done for us." Graciously Markus leaned forward on the couch as he spoke to the senior detective respectfully. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. I'm happy to help."

"And Connor," Markus addressed his best man with the same respect. "after everything we've been through together, I'm proud that we've remained friends. I just wish we had more positive moments like this to help us find the time to hang out and not just when tragedy strikes."

"I agree." Connor admitted with a slightly arched brow as his L.E.D. flashed to yellow then back to blue. "Perhaps in time neither of us will need to worry about protecting deviants and can have more normal lives. Then again," Connor briefly looked at Hank before staring at Markus. "normalcy can become tedious; if not boring. Who wants to spend their life bored?"

"Good point." Markus laughed a little at the odd comment. "I'm just glad you're both here. It's important that we have our bonding ceremony with the most important people in our lives in attendance."

"You're welcome. I'm proud to be a part of it."

Nodding a little Markus rose from the couch and made his way toward the staircase. "I'm going to get some sleep. Tomorrow is the big day..."

Connor and Hank silently agreed and joined Markus at the staircase to retire for the night. The trio was ready to get some rest and readier still to be a part of deviant history as Markus and North would be the first androids to legally bond (wed) in the United States of America.

"You two take that room." Hank motioned to the first door on their left as he walked past them and took the room next to it for himself. "Wake me up whenever you need me."

"Right. Goodnight." Markus acknowledged the offer as he pushed open the bedroom door and spotted two beds inside the room. One bed was against the eastern wall and the second bed was against the western wall with a large window in between. "Wow... Hank must be prepared for everything."

"He usually is." Connor confirmed as he walked into the bedroom behind Markus. "But this was merely convenience. These two beds were once bunkbeds that were in storage. They had initially been purchased for if Cole... well, Hank and his late wife had planned on having more children. After she passed, he held on to the bunkbeds in case Cole brought a friend to the house when he got older."

"Hank refused to just give up on a happy future, huh?" The name 'Cole' struck a chord with Markus. Even though he didn't have all the details he knew of the tragedy and of how close it came to nearly destroying Hank in the process. "I get it."

Markus walked over to the bed furthest from the door and plopped down face first onto the pillow. The bed was warm, inviting and incredible soft.

"It seems so long since I had a bed to myself. Guess that's a good thing."

"It certainly is." Connor laid down on the opposite bed on his back and tucked his arm up under his head as he spoke with his friend. "It must be nice to have someone in your life you're so close with that you're willing to get bonded with them. I didn't think it was possible for any android to achieve such a close bond with anyone."

"Neither did I, but the more North and I got to know each other the more we realized how much we cared for each other and trusted each other. Our initial meeting was unconventional, but in the end, it turns out it was meant to be. We're already bonded in a way I can't put into words."

"And that's where the feelings of 'love' come from, right?"

"Yeah, I think it does. It feels right to say it."

"I'm glad you and North found each other. And I'm glad you two remained together after the Revolution."

"I am too." Markus smiled a little as he closed his mismatched eyes. "We met under dark circumstances, but we found strength in each other, and we found love in the light that followed."

Silently contemplating Markus's words Connor thought back to the relationships he had forged over the past couple of years after becoming deviant, and it seemed like Markus's comment about darkness and light was as substantial as it was heartfelt. All of the people that Connor found himself caring about were the people he found in the shadows or during dark times, yet he knew he was a person who had chosen to reside in the light. He had chosen to not let tragedy or hatred fill his own heart with that very darkness that threatened to take so many innocent lives on that fateful, snowy night in the Hart Plaza.

Emotions are as complex as they are abundant, and it was a struggle to sift through them as they readily filled his heart.

Closing his eyes Connor felt a sense peace fall over him as he felt as though he finally understood the concept of 'love' and decided sooner rather than later he'd be willing to risk the feeling of heartbreak once more in search of finding true love.

"...Goodnight, Markus."

"Goodnight, Connor." Closing his eyes Markus let out a content sigh and fell into a peaceful rest mode. "By this time tomorrow I will be a bonded deviant!"

The new morning that preceeded of the bonding ceremony was absolutely perfect. Above the snow covered cabin the sky was a pristine unmarred blue, the ground below was covered by an even layer of flawless and fresh white snow that had fallen during the night while the surrounding trees were sheathed under a layer of crystalline ice that glistened in the bright sunlight. The frozen lake was a pure expanse of shimmering ivory ice that gave the illusion of an eternal expanse of an untouched land. Songbirds tweeted melodiously through the surrounding tree line and a gentle breeze kissed the land with its passing presence to give the area a sense of life, energy and change.

Everything was peaceful and a sense of harmony fell over the forest.

After checking in on Markus and Hank to ensure that the two didn't need his assistance, Connor was already dressed in his black tuxedo and preparing for the day's events outside. As he greeted the small gathering of invited guests in turn, he also met with Josh who had arrived with the two bonding rings, as well as the bride and the maid of honor to the big event.

Anxious to get ready, North and Skye had entered the cabin to finish getting dressed in the second bedroom on the second floor without stopping to even say 'hello' to anyone on their way up the staircase. There was too much to do and everything was too exciting to wait!

Markus was eagerly standing before the floor length mirror in the first bedroom that he and Connor had shared the night before in his perfectly pressed tuxedo. He was fumbling gracelessly with the untied black bow tie that was supposed to already be neatly tied around his neck. Nervous and trembling with excited energy, Markus found himself unable to tie what had always been a simple knot that he had tied almost a hundred times before whenever Carl had been summoned to an art gala or exhibit in the past.

Dressed and ready to do his part in walking North down the aisle, Hank ventured down the hallway and slipped on his blazer with moderate difficulty over his bad shoulder only to see Markus struggling with his tie. Knocking on the opened door frame of the bedroom to announce himself, Hank called out to the groom with a kind and patient voice.

"Need some help?"

"Uh..." Markus blushed a little pale blue as he turned around and held up his tie for Hank to view. "I can't seem to get this right. I don't know why."

"Here, let me see it." Ever the father figure Hank stepped forward and took the tie from Markus's hand. Flipping up the groom's collar Hank laced the tie around the white fabric and began to meticulously slip the fabric of the garment in on itself. "How're you holding up? Nervous?"

"A little. Does it show?"

"Well, aside from a deviant being unable to do a task that most humans can't even figure out, you're blushing, and you are sweating a little." Giving Markus a slightly worried glance Hank decided to double-check on whether or not that was something serious and needed to be handled. "I sure hope that's because you chose to keep that update thingy and there's nothing wrong with you."

"Yeah, North and I kept the update . I'm supposed to be able to sweat." Laughing a little Markus lifted up his arms and pressed the back of his hand to his sweaty forehead to wipe away the pale blue beads. "It's not attractive, is it?"

"Depends on who you ask." Hank joked as he finished the final touches on the tie. "Is that... uh, Leo, guy coming, or..."

"We invited him, but he already told us he wouldn't be stopping by." Even though Markus and Leo never really got along, Markus felt like he owed it to Leo - someone who was by all account his brother - to invite him to the ceremony. "But he did send us a bonding gift and some flowers as a kind gesture."

"At least he made some kind of effort to be cool with you."

"That's all I can ask for." Sighing a little Markus lamented that one special guest simply wouldn't be at the ceremony that day due to circumstances beyond his and anyone else's control. "It's just weird with Carl being gone."

"Gone, but not forgotten." Hank flipped down Markus's collar then dropped his hands and stepped back from Markus himself. "There, you're all set."

Turning back around to look at his reflection in the mirror Markus trailed his fingers over the tie in appreciation before tugging down the lapels of his blazer to smooth out any lingering imperfection in the fabric. "How do I look?"

"Like a groom." Hank clapped Markus on his shoulder with confidence. "And happy. That's how you should look."

"I just wish Carl could see this. It would've done his heart some good." His mismatched eyes fell, and his grin began to fade. "Seeing deviants... androids in general, being treated like equals, having a celebration of a future that didn't involve being ordered about or programmed-"

"Hey." Eager to stop the grim outlook Hank pulled on Markus's shoulder to make him turn around to look him in the eye again. "It may sound a little weird, but I know that Carl IS here, okay? You're his son and not even death will keep a father from watching over his kids."

Markus smiled as a tear formed in his green eye. "You're right."

"Of course I am. I'm right about everything. Now," with Markus at ease Hank dropped his hand from the deviant's shoulder and motioned for the open door. "go downstairs and get ready. I have a bride to give away and I won't let her down."

Everything was set and the guests had begun to arrive and take their seats outside.

Josh was already standing at the end of the aisle with the two bonding rings safely in his hands as he awaited the cue to begin the ceremony. Only a dozen special guests were invited and every one of those guests; save for Leo, had arrived in a timely manner. The deviants who had courageously stood by Markus and North's side during the Revolution made up a majority of the guests, but seeing the likes of Rose, Adam and Abby, and knowing that Hank and Connor were also there; the two detectives who had been assigned to stop deviancy and locate Jericho to take it down only to side with Revolution, made the occasion seem truly progressive and full of love, forgiveness, trust and understanding.

Connor returned to the cabin and saw Markus standing nervously just inside the backdoor staring down the beckoning aisle as if waiting for his cue.

"Are you okay?" Addressing Markus curiously, Connor gave his good friend a worried glance. "You seem unnerved."

"Y-Yeah." The groom replied in a shaky voice. "It's just... emotional. It's a little overwhelming."

"Do you need a minute?"

"No. I'm ready, I just... I just want to make sure that this day is remembered for the right reason, you know?"

"I understand." Connor forced an unsteady smile to his face as he spoke with the trembling groom and good friend. "You want people to remember the bonding as the day you and North joined your separate lives together as one; not as a milestone to be simply thrown into the history books as the first deviant wedding in the United States."

"Yeah." Markus turned to look at Connor as the deviant detective put all the pieces in place for him. "That's it exactly."

"Don't worry. Everyone here will remember what happened and the reason why it happened. This day is more than just an important date on a history exam for future students."

"Thanks for saying that."

"Come on." The best man encouraged with a confident grin. "It's time."

Markus nodded with his own newly found confidence as he held his head high and began walking out the backdoor down the aisle to where Josh was waiting for his arrival. Cybernetically Josh accessed small speakers concealed throughout the property and began playing soft music to accompany the groom as he took his place at the end of the aisle and awaited his bride.

"Connor?" Turning around quickly Connor felt his Thirium pump race a little when he saw Skye standing behind him in her emerald green satin dress. Her hair had been pulled up into a high hanging ponytail that revealed her entire face and both of her eyes. She had a small bouquet of red and pink roses in her hands and an excited smile on her face. "Ready?"

"Uh, y-yes." Offering Skye his arm Connor happily escorted the maid of honor down the aisle to their designated places during the ceremony. The moment her arm hooked around his Connor felt his heart fluttering with an unexpected enthusiasm and excitement just to be near Skye. "Let's go."

Showing the same confidence as Markus had before him, Connor escorted Skye down the aisle with his own head held high and made a conscious effort to have a slight grin on his face to avoid appearing somber or angry. Once Connor and Skye reached their places at the end of the aisle, they both took their respective bonding rings to hold for Markus and North until the ceremony called for it.

Connor gave Markus a subtle approving nod as the music changed and North began her walk down the aisle with Hank escorting her at her side.

'This is a good day, Markus.' The best man spoke to the groom cybernetically. 'I'm happy for both of you.'

As soon as the bride was visible the guests, humans and deviants alike, all rose to their feet out of respect that was deeply seated into their processors as opposed to being pre-programmed or ordered to do so. The humans saw the loving couple as equals and never hesitated to show them the respect that they deserved.

North herself was radiant in her white bonding gown that had a short trail that billowed behind her as she walked gracefully down the aisle. It was a strapless gown that wrapped about her figure in a flattering manner and gave her an almost regal appearance. Her hair was pulled back into a French braid with a handful of tiny white flowers woven through the locks to give her a crown of nature. A thin white veil covered her face, but her beauty shown through without even the slightest obstruction as she smiled brightly at Markus waiting for her. With a massive bouquet of red roses clutched in her hands as she walked, North looked confident and proud to be bonding with the love of her life.

As Hank escorted North down the aisle, he gave Markus a subtle smile before taking his seat to watch the ceremony unfold with truly happy grin on his face. Skye took the bouquet of flowers from North and held it along with her own as she also held the bonding ring in her hand, while Connor held the second ring as he stood on the opposite side of the aisle from her.

"Please be seated." Josh spoke in a loud, clear voice as he addressed all of those who were fortunate enough to bear witness to the wondrous ceremony. "We are ready to begin."

Everyone took their seats and quietly waited for Josh to begin his speech and officiate the bonding.

"We are here to celebrate the union of life between Markus and North." The words were reminiscent of the traditional human religious services but there was no tradition to be followed on that day as the deviant bonding would be the first of its kind. "This is a moment of love overcoming adversity and of light emerging from darkness."

Connor was intrigued by the mentioning of light overcoming the darkness. Maybe everything Hank and Markus had told him was true after all?

"As a symbol of their love Markus and North will now exchange rings and cybernetically connect to one another and speak their vows, solidifying their trust and love with one another before the eyes of their most trusted friends and family."

Connor and Skye handed the rings to Markus and North and watched as the two slipped the rings over each other's left ring fingers before interlocking their exposed plastimetal left hands with one another into a single fist between their bodies, near their hearts. Their eyes closed and their minds became as one. Slowly they bowed their heads forward until their foreheads were touching and they simply felt peace by being in close proximity to one another.

There was a calm silence as Markus and North connected to each other and spoke words that only they could hear. The sweet ambience of birds singing accompanied the silent exchange of loving words as the gathered guests patiently waited for the two deviants to open their eyes once more.

"I love you." Markus stated in a kind voice as he opened his eyes and locked onto North's as she too awoke from their cybernetic bonds. "I don't have to say anything else. I love you more than anyone else that I've ever met."

"I love you, too." North opened her eyes and looked at Markus as he lifted up her veil to look into her eyes without the veil over top of them. "I love you with all of my heart. I never thought I'd be able to say that anyone until I met you. Now I can say it loud and clear for the remainder of my life."

Without another word the two exchange a loving kiss that solidified their love and brought about a new era of deviant rights throughout the entire world.

Josh nodded and resumed speaking. "To our friends and loved ones in attendance, I present to you the newlybonded couple of: Mr. Markus and Mrs. North Manfred."

As the guests rose from the seats once more and applauded the now bonded couple, Markus and North held hands tightly and walked back down the aisle and toward the cabin. Skye followed after North to ensure the bride had her bouquet while Connor joined Hank on the nearby bench to speak for a moment. The two detectives turned to watch the happy couple begin to celebrate their union together by setting foot in the warm cabin to be together as husband and wife for the very first time.

"That was short, sweet and to the point." Hank stated sincerely to Connor as the deviant joined him away from the mass of guests and sat down on the bench beside him. "You deviants really know how to get things done."

"I'm glad I was asked to be a part of it."

"Think you'd go through something like that someday?"

"I think I'd like to, yes." As he spoke Connor watched Skye as she entered the cabin and found himself almost entranced by her presence and her beauty. "But for now, I'll settle for being a bachelor."

"Well, you won't be the only one."

"You won't be dating anymore?"

"Who knows?" Discreetly Hank's eyes fell onto Rose, who was sitting a few benches away with Adam, before they stood up to join the other guests inside the cabin to wish Markus and North luck in their future together. "Maybe enough time has passed, and I can finally... Well... Things change and so do people."

"Change for the better, I hope."

"Ditto. Come on." Hank wrapped his good arm around Connor's shoulder in a half hug as they sat together on the bench. "Let's go join them inside the cabin before the happy new couple takes off to celebrate their first night as a bonded couple in nice warm Hawaii while we're stuck freezing our asses of here in Michigan."

"Of course." The very idea of returning to the warm cabin and seeing his friends off was too tempting to dismiss. "I'm sure they'd appreciate that."

Standing up from the bench with their focus on their friends Connor and Hank walked to the cabin side by side to bid the loving couple farewell. The beautiful day was surely a sign of a beautiful life for the young couple as they set out to face the world together and do so with the full support of their friends and family. It seemed the early winter was a sign of a fresh, new beginning and not an omen of an icy ending after all.

-next chapter-