Already feeling bored with his mandatory time off from his previous day's injuries, Connor spent the early morning hours silently taking care of Sumo, making sure his aquarium was still spotless, and began preparing a nice and healthy breakfast for Hank to eat before he left for his own shift at the precinct. It seemed boredom and deviancy never mixed properly, resulting in Connor becoming more restless than ever. Moving a little slower than usual courtesy of his still healing wounds in his chest and abdomen, Connor managed to finish his personally set tasks just in time for Hank to step into the kitchen and see everything that the deviant had already accomplished despite the early hour.

While Hank wasn't surprised to see Connor being active despite being injured, he was still a little annoyed by it and made sure the deviant knew it. The last thing Hank wanted to see was Connor collapsing from physical exertion and fatigue. Again.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy." Hank reminded Connor as he fussed with the knot of his mandatory and uncomfortable dark blue tie around his neck. He had been wearing clip-on ties until he had relearned how to properly tie a tie, and he wished he had never acquired such a skill. Stepping around Sumo, who was chowing down his own food, Hank stared at the prepared breakfast waiting for him on the kitchen table. "This is not taking it easy, kid."

"I dislike spending my time without anything to accomplish."

"Workaholic."

"Perhaps if you tied the knot," Connor watched Hank as he tried to get the annoying tie to rest more comfortably around the collar of his pale blue shirt. "and merely loosened it to take it off rather than completely undoing it and attempting to tie it again in the morning, it'd be more productive to your morning routine."

"I can handle a tie. I just hate the damn things."

"You could get a wide array of clip-on ties instead. Perhaps something in cheetah print."

"Smartass." Picking up the mug of warm coffee sitting on the kitchen table beside the plate containing a vegetarian omelet and one strip of bacon, Hank sipped at the srink and eyed Connor as the deviant kept one arm wrapped protectively around his chest and used his free arm to support himself upright against the countertop behind him. "Are you going to be okay alone?"

"I will be fine."

"What're you going to do while I'm at work?"

"I decided to follow your advice and spend time with Aria." Connor replied enthusiastically. "I texted Abby and she agreed to allow me to babysit for a few hours so that she can do something beyond work and childcare all day."

"Babysit, huh? Think you can handle it?"

"I think I can handle it as well as you handle your own tie." The deviant quipped with a sly stare in his soulful brown eyes. "How does that sound?"

"Questionable. Don't think that just because you have the day off that you're free to bust my balls." Putting down the mug Hank pulled out the small chair to sit down properly and begin eating his breakfast. "Now that I'm the Captain I can keep you benched for as long as I want."

"You wouldn't be able to handle the boredom at the precinct without my company."

"Did you forget that I'm now free to mess with Gavin as much as I want?"

Connor didn't have a verbal response to that information, only a coy tilt of head. Limping over slightly to the chair on the opposite side of the small kitchen table Connor sat down and leaned most of his weight forward against his arms with a pained wince.

"It sounds like you have a full day planned out already."

Hank saw Connor's discomfort and commented on it without being assertive. "Maybe you should stay home for the rest of the day. You can see Abby and Aria tomorrow or something."

"I won't leave Abby's house until it's time for me to return home." Connor reassured honestly as he watched Hank picking at the omelet he had perfectly cooked for the senior detective. "Besides, I've studied Gavin's exhausted demeanor and have estimated that Abby's own exhaustion is just as severe. I want to help them since they don't have any family to rely on."

"All right, sure." Sympathetic to new parents all over the world Hank couldn't fault Connor for wanting to help. "I remember how tough it was with Cole for the first few months."

"Colic?"

"Colic for the first three weeks, then the sleepless nights for the next two months." Finishing off the omelet Hank left his bacon for last and bit down on the greasy strip in a slow and meticulous manner. "Then he'd get little colds here and there... Teething was a real bitch, too. But it was all worth it in the end."

"That sounds rather time consuming. Perhaps that's why so many new parents had purchased housekeeping androids to assist in their child's care."

"That, and some people are just plain fuckin' lazy." Finishing off the breakfast Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and rose from his seat. "You know, I had lost about twenty pounds over the past year or so."

"Twenty-two pounds, seven ounces over the past fourteen months, three weeks and three days."

"Right... I'd like to keep that weight off, but if you keep cooking these large meals for me that's not going to happen."

"I'll keep that in mind and make smaller portions."

"Good. I'll see you later, son. And do NOT work on any cases today." Hank warned with a knowing stare. "I'll be able to monitor the servers and check for any cybernetic cases being worked on, so don't even try it."

Looking somewhat disappointed Connor nodded his head a little and flexed his hands atop the table anxiously. "I'll keep that in mind, as well."

Shortly after Hank had left for the precinct to begin his shift Connor drove over to the house that Abby had purchased the previous year and had welcomed Gavin to join her after the two secretly wed upon discovering that Abby was pregnant with their first child. It was a modest home and one that was designed to house a small family which made it perfectly welcoming to anyone who had befriended the couple. The house was also ideally located almost perfectly between New Jericho Tower and the Zeta Facility, allowing Abby ample time to arrive at either location in the event of an emergency. The house was even in close proximity to the Central Precinct to give Gavin easy access to the precinct while he's on shift, making it truly perfect for the family.

Approaching the front door of the home Connor was greeted by a muffled 'mew' through the closed front window as Gavin's fluffy main-coone cat acknowledged his arrival. The cat was no longer a tiny kitten, but she was still super fluffy and friendly all the same.

"Lucky." The deviant recognized the cat and smirked a little as the cat rubbed her whiskers against the glass of the window. "I remember you."

Connor didn't even have to knock on the door or ring the doorbell as Abby happily pulled it open and let Connor inside the house.

"Hello, Abby."

"Hi, Connor." Adjusting the small baby as she rested Aria against her chest and shoulder Abby, closed the door behind him as he entered the house and she gave him a tired smile. "I appreciate you doing this for me."

"I'm happy to help."

Smiling at the baby girl wrapped up in a lavender purple 'onesie' with a blue kitty on the front and a purple pacifier in her mouth, Connor watched as Abby proceeded to carry Aria into the livingroom. Keeping her arm around Aria's small back Abby picked up her purse from the couch and let out a weary sigh as Connor observed her every move and asked a simple question.

"May I ask what your plans are for the day?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just want to get out of the house and not think about anything for a while. Don't get me wrong, I love this little girl with all my heart, but I need a break for just a few hours." Abby sounded as tired as she looked. "Working small shifts at the facility aren't exactly vacations, you know? I need to be able to get away and not take care of someone else just for a few minutes so I can take care of myself."

"I understand." Giving Lucky's ears some rubs as he spoke Connor empathized with Abby's personal plight. "I have also felt the need to isolate myself and get away from other people for a moment. It's nothing personal."

"Thank you."

The comment was unexpected, and Connor couldn't place her sudden gratitude toward his observation. "...For what?"

"For not giving me the judgemental stares other people give me when I admit that I'm tired and just want a few minutes to myself away from Aria and Gavin."

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. Fatigue is common and has nothing overall to do with your ability to care for your own child. It doesn't make any sense to expect people to set aside their own personal needs and ability to rest simply because they now have a child to care for." The deviant's wisdom surpassed that of humanity by far too many generations. "Exhaustion is to be expected, and someone doesn't stop being who they previously were before parenthood because they've become a parent."

"God, I hope you can have your own kids one day." With heavy relief in her voice Abby gently passed Aria over to Connor who easily took her in his arms and held the little baby in the same manner as Abby had done seconds before. The baby made small noises as Connor adjusted her so she could rest much more comfortably in his arms and rest her head against his shoulder. "You'd be a great father."

Connor looked down at Aria as her hand gripped the soft fabric of his black t-shirt and squirmed slightly in his arms. Aria was nine weeks old and getting strong enough lift her head and look around a little as her small arms and legs flexed against Connor's body without any resistance. As her knee pressed into one of his still healing injuries Connor winced slightly but didn't let his grip on the baby falter.

"Are you still in pain?" The keen-eyed technician and new mother noticed almost immediately that Connor flinched. "Gavin told me what happened yesterday."

"I'm sore, but I can function well." Without missing a beat Connor carefully moved Aria's knee to relieve the pain in his chest. "Hank only benched me essentially because he had the power to do so."

"Sounds like his way of trying to ground you."

"'Ground me'? I don't understand."

"It's a parenting tool. Anyway," Abby leaned forward and kissed Aria on the top of her head before she slipped on a light, brown jacket over her own arms. "I just fed her so she should be okay for a couple of hours. There's some formula in the kitchen and a clean bottle in the sink if she does get hungry again. Diapers are in her room by the changing bin up on the second floor and if she gets fussy just play her some music and rub her back. I'll be back in a couple of hours, and I know you'll do great. But call me if you have any questions."

"'Fussy'?" Another unfamiliar term to Connor, but he was willing to learn and adapt. That was a part of his programming after all. "I will be fine, as will Aria. Please enjoy your day."

"Okay, right. Bye baby." Kissing Aria one last time Abby stepped through the front door of the house. "Bye Connor." With a tired smile on her face Abby then took her much deserved leave for a couple hours. "Have fun!"

Alone with Aria and Lucky, the deviant proceeded to adjust the small baby in his arms as he carried her over to the couch to sit down. Holding Aria with his arm wrapped around her back Connor held her tightly, but not too firmly, up against his chest and let her tiny hand wrap around his finger. The simple movements of such a small human fascinated Connor as he had little experience in observing young children, especially alone infants. As she squeezed and tried to pull on his hand Connor could hear her making small sounds as if trying to communicate and he found that all the more fascinating.

Aria squirmed more in Connor's arms, and he adjusted her so that she was laying on her back against the crook of his arm as he cradled her, and in turn she was able to look up at his face. It was as if Aria recognized Connor from when he first met her during her exciting birth.

"Your iris pigmentation has begun changing from blue to green. It's very pretty."

Connor observed with a fascinated grin on his face.

"Androids have a single ocular unit color from the moment we are created to the moment in which we shutdown. The only time it changes for us androids is if we suffer damage or want to change the color manually. We don't physically change as we grow in the same way that humans and other organic creatures do."

Speaking in a soft voice he watched as Aria's eyes seemingly homed-in on his face and tried to focus.

"Humans have the incredible gift of being able to change, to grow and to evolve, while androids are seemingly cursed to remain the same. It will be an honor to watch you grow up and become the person that you wish to be. Gavin and Abby are incredibly lucky to be parents."

Admiring the little baby with genuine awe Connor wondered what it'd be like to have a child of his own. He knew that he and Skye both wanted the chance to have a family to protect, but he still didn't know what it truly felt like to be a parent or to have a with children a part of it.

"I wonder if I'll be able to have a child someday just as your mom has hoped for. That'd be a wonderful improvement in my life."

Thinking back to what Chloe mentioned the previous day, Connor wondered if she was being honest. If the 'Genesis Program' that Kamski created could in fact give androids the chance to experience new life in the same way as humans, and Connor was somehow compatible with such a program, then there was still a chance that he could have the family he's longed for. Even with Hank as a wonderful father and supportive mentor, Connor still felt as if he was missing someone important in his life - in his family.

Aria's hand tightened around Connor's finger, and she kicked her legs as if feeling uncomfortable. Unsure of what else to do Connor changed her position once more so she was leaning with her chest against his chest and shoulder as she had been a moment before. As she leaned against him Connor kept his arm tucked under her for support and used free right hand to gently rub her back.

"I suppose this what 'fussy' is like. You seem displeased by something."

As he supported Aria in his arms Lucky jumped up onto the couch and curled up on Connor's lap next to Aria as she decided she wanted to cuddle, too. As the large fluffy main-coone cat began to purr Connor smirked at the cuddly animal's positive reaction to Aria and his own presence. It was as if Lucky was aware of Aria being unhappy and wanted to help in her own way.

"I wonder if Sumo would like Aria as much as Lucky likes her. He hasn't spent much time around infants either."

Aria suddenly let out a little sound that made her pacifier fall from her mouth and the one sound was accompanied by a steadily building cry of discomfort.

"Curious."

Connor lowered Aria down so that she was being cradled in his arms again on her back. As he noted her response his scanners, as well as his more basic senses, detected the source of her crying and why she was so uncomfortable.

"Ah..."

Standing up slowly Lucky jumped down from his lap and Connor tried to comfort Aria as much as possible as he carried her up the stairs and into her bedroom slowly.

"You require a diaper change. That won't be a problem, I'm not squeamish around such biological needs of humans."

Watching a boring interrogation from the observation room as some delusional human spoke to Gavin about an android conspiracy regarding the use of household toasters and shoelaces, Hank found himself absentmindedly pulling his phone from his pocket and scrolling through the small device curiously to keep himself from falling asleep where he sat. Checking on his text messages and finding nothing new, he instead decided to send a text to Connor to check in on the deviant's own personal errand outside of the precinct since Connor was new to babysitting. The interrogation wasn't crucial or even entertaining for that matter, so Hank's presence was merely a professional courtesy.

"How's babysitting?"

A few seconds passed before Connor sent a reply. 'Normal. At least it's normal according to my current standards and experience.'

"Aria isn't being too fussy for you?"

'I am unfamiliar with the truest definition of "fussy". She became content after having her diaper changed and proceeded to nap for one hour. But now she is awake and is seemingly upset.'

"Try feeding her or walking her around. It should help."

'I will try your suggestions. I assume events transpiring at the precinct are proving uneventful, hence your current string of communication.'

"Yup. I'll let you read the transcript of this nut-bag later. Something about toasters and shoelaces."

'I'm looking forward to it. See you later this evening.'

"The kid's lucky."

Hank lamented as he pocketed his phone and resumed watching the interrogation. In spite of the man's entertaining rambles, Hank was still finding it hard to concentrate on his work.

"He gets to spend the day taking care of an actual baby, I get to watch grown-ass adults acting like babies..."

Pacing back and forth through the kitchen slowly, his hand patting Aria's lightly back and his other arm supporting the crying and squirming baby without hurting her in the process, Connor waited for the small water purifier to cycle before he added the powdered formula to the clean bottle to give the baby another feeding. While Aria cried against the deviant's shoulder Connor patiently counted down the timer on the purifier and noticed Lucky sitting outside the kitchen doorway watching him with a firm curiosity in her shiny green eyes. It was as if Lucky was used to hearing Aria cry and watching her parents going through a similar routine in the kitchen on a daily basis.

A subtle chime emanated from the purifier and Connor proceeded to fill the bottle with the appropriate amount of water before adding the necessary amount of powdered formula to be mixed together. Connor managed to twist on the top of the bottle and secure it before shaking the contents into an ideal blend of the formula that he hoped would calm Aria.

Returning to the livingroom and sitting down on the couch Connor attempted to offer the prepared bottle to the crying baby, but she wasn't interested. Refusing to accept the bottle she continued to cry, and Connor was trying to identify the cause of her 'fussiness'. She was clean, she wasn't too hot or too cold, and she wasn't hungry, she was also receiving considerable attention from Connor which eliminated three of the most plausible causes to her crying that could be the source of her discomfort.

"Perhaps the pacifier? You seemingly are pining for something very specific right now."

Locating the dropped item on the couch beside him Connor walked back into the kitchen to rinse off the item under the tap in the sink before trying to place it back in Aria's mouth, but once again she refused.

"Perhaps not. You are not injured or ill, you are warm, you are clean and you are not hungry."

Connor spoke out loud as he ran a biometric scan over the crying baby and found her to still be in perfect health despite her cries.

"Do you require an additional nap?"

Casually Connor proceeded to walk Aria back and forth through the livingroom at a steady gentle pace in his arms. Continuing to rub her back as he walked Connor noted that even after an hour had passed Aria was still discontent and crying tears of frustration.

"I'm trying to comfort you, but I do not have much experience with caring for infants. Please be patient with me, I'll understand you soon. I hope."

Suddenly remembering Abby's advice before she left regarding how to deal with Aria if she did in fact become 'fussy' as she apparently was, Connor resumed lightly rubbing Aria's back and tried to locate some form of radio or stereo system to play music for the little baby as she cried and pulled at Connor's t-shirt sleeve and his collar in frustration. Unable to locate the radio or any other form of media device that would've worked in producing sound Connor decided to improvise.

"I'll find you some music, Aria. I promise."

There were very few songs that Connor knew the lyrics to that were appropriate for an infant thanks to his more 'mature' music library and tastes. The years he had spent with Hank had left the deviant exposed primarily to metal, heavy metal, rock and hard rock, as well as the occasional alternative rock song or jazz whenever Hank was feeling nostalgic. Thinking quickly Connor thought of the only song he knew that was gentle and didn't carry any energetic undertones of aggression or high energy.

"Hold on just a little while longer..."

Starting off in a low, soft tone Connor tried to produce a comforting level of sound as tried to sing to Aria.

"Hold on just a little while longer, hold on just a little while longer... Everything will be all right."

As the song progressed Aria began to quiet a little and she stopped pulling so hard against Connor's shirt collar as he walked her back and forth slowly in the livingroom.

"Everything will be all right."

Noticing that the song was calming to Aria, and she was no longer crying Connor returned to the couch and continued to sing in the same tone and waited to see how she reacted to the rest of the melody.

"Fight on just a little while longer. Fight on just a little while longer... Pray on just a little while longer, everything will be all right."

Aria let out a small yawn and proceeded to snuggle in against Connor's chest and his shoulder for another nap as she calmed considerably.

"Everything will be all right."

Grateful to see that Aria was comfortable with his presence Connor finished the song and continued to rub her back with his right hand.

"We will sing on just a little while longer... Sing on just a little while longer, sing on just a little while longer. Everything will be all right."

Glancing down at Aria's peaceful face sleeping against his chest Connor sang the final lyric.

"Everything will be all right..."

As soon as everything was quiet Connor became suddenly aware of the front door opening slowly and Abby returning home. She had a small shopping bag in her hand and a smile on her refreshed face. Whispering for the sake of not disturbing Aria as she slept, Connor acknowledged his friend's return.

"Hello, Abby."

"Hi, Connor." Entering the house as quietly as possible she joined Connor on the couch and looked down at the baby's peacefully sleeping face. By all account Aria had napped the entire time she was away. "Did she give you any problems?"

"Nothing that I couldn't handle."

"Thank you so much. It was nice to get out of the house and not have to worry about anything or anyone for a couple hours."

"I'm glad that I was able to help."

"Connor, you have a lot of talent." Abby admired his friend's feats while she rubbed her hand along Aria's back. "Why didn't you tell me you could sing?"

"...To be honest I had never made the attempt until this previous moment." As Connor spoke, he felt his face growing warm with blue tinted blush of modesty and embarrassment. "I was unable to locate any form of music as you suggested, and so I adapted with a simple and gentle song."

"Oh, right. We keep the radio in our bedroom to keep it away from baby hands long before she can crawl about and get into mischief, I should've told you that."

"It's okay, I was able to find a solution."

"You never cease to amaze me." Running her hand lightly through Aria's dark and short hair Abby leaned against the couch and watched her daughter sleeping peacefully on Connor's chest. The deviant didn't seem to mind but Abby needed to be sure anyway. "How does your chest feel? Even you can't shrug off bullet wounds."

"I'm fine."

"You know, usually only Gavin can get her cuddle like that while she sleeps. When I try, she gets too fussy and only wants daddy to hold her."

Connor gave the small napping baby a curious glance. "I take it when Gavin isn't on the clock he is spending all of his time with Aria."

"Yeah. He loves this little one more than anything else and I wouldn't want it any other way." Abby's eyes kept drifting from Aria to Connor as she tried to discreetly gauge Connor's own personal levels of discomfort since he was still healing. Yet the deviant seemed entirely comfortable and at peace with his current situation. "Growing up I didn't have a very close relationship with either of my parents and neither did Gavin. We were a little worried that we wouldn't be able to fully bond with Aria, but the moment I held her in my arms I couldn't imagine my life without her. And Gavin felt exactly the same."

"One generation isn't doomed to repeat the mistakes of another."

"That doesn't mean the pattern of behavior isn't still lurking in the shadows."

"Patterns can be changed, even broken. After all, Hank loathed androids and yet he took me in as his own son." Connor recounted with a surprising confidence. "You shouldn't worry about emotional walls or physical abuse because of what you and Gavin experienced as children. You're aware of what it feels like and will know how to prevent it from happening."

"I think you're right." With a motherly pride Abby continued to rub Aria's back without disturbing her. "I know Gavin would never hurt either of us, even if his own father was such a bastard that Gavin still can't forgive him."

"Forgiveness is difficult." Remembering how much of New Jericho was still wary of his presence despite his numerous good deeds toward his own people, Connor was very familiar with the rarity of forgiveness and how much work it takes to earn it. "I know from experience that forgiveness is a rare gift to be given and that some people simply aren't worthy of such a gift."

"I think the same can be said about children."

"Yes. I agree."

"Yeah?" Abby gave Connor a studious glance as she watched his soulful brown eyes glowing as he looked down at Aria sleeping against his shoulder and asked him a very intriguing question. "Do you want kids of your own?"

"I think I do."

"You think?"

"It was something that..." Feeling his heart ache a little Connor took in a deep breath to steady himself before he answered honestly. "I had considered beginning a family with Skye. She even went so far as to have the necessary surrogate biocomponents added to her system so we could start a family after we bonded. I've also begun wondering if such reproductive enhancements are possible for my own model, but I doubt I'd be so fortunate due to my prototyping."

"Oh." Moving her hand up to Connor's shoulder Abby held her palm in place in a sympathetic manner. "I'm sorry if I brought up a sensitive subject. I was just curious since you're such a natural with kids."

"It's okay. I'm not offended or hurt by the question." Adjusting Aria without waking her up Connor continued on the subject of children in a low tone that had some indication that he was beginning to heal from his devastating heartbreak after Skye's death. "I had recently discussed the subject with Hank in a way. I'm not offended or hurt by discussing the topic."

"How?"

"Adoption. I truly love having a family to take of; even if it's only Hank and myself. Hank suggested that I could very well adopt a child of my own in the same way that he had adopted myself and Lucas."

"That'd be amazing." Abby was entirely supportive of Connor having the chance to raise children. "Giving a child in need a loving home would be incredible."

"I agree. I've considered the option and have begun looking into the legalities of such an endeavor."

"And?"

"And despite being fairly certain that I'd succeed in the legal venture, I am not entirely convinced that I'd be a good father. I have no experience from a childhood to help guide me along the proper way to raise and love a child."

"Well, there's only one way to find out."

"That's also a very reckless and irresponsible way to find out."

"Remember what I said about me and Gavin not wanting to make the same mistakes as our own parents?"

"Yes. I remember."

"Well, we can't exactly snap our fingers and become perfect parents overnight." She admitted as she gave Connor a casual smirk. "We have to learn as we go just as every other parent in the world."

"Hank said something similar."

"That's because we're right. In my honest opinion I think you'd make a terrific father if you were given the chance. You're patient, kind, selfless, fearless and you truly care about other people." Such positive traits made it easy for Abby to vouch for Connor's skills as a future father. "That's what a child needs in a loving, reliable parent."

"Maybe."

"There's no maybe about it." Smiling kindly at her deviant friend Abby made sure Connor knew that she had total faith in his ability to be a good parent. "You just need to see all your positive traits for yourself and stop worrying about doing something wrong. You have great instincts, and you have a big heart. Any child would be lucky to have you share your heart with them."

"Thank you." Noting the time with his internal chronometer Connor decided he needed to return home to check on Sumo. While the dog was fully grown and relatively well behaved, he still had a lot of energy that elicited a daily walk. "If you don't need me to stay any longer I should return home."

Gently Abby took Aria out of Connor's arms and let her sleep against her own chest so Connor could get up. "We'll be okay. Thanks for babysitting so I could get a pedicure and buy some comfy new clothes. How much do I owe you?"

"Owe... me?"

"For babysitting."

"You don't owe me any money. It was my pleasure." Kind as ever Connor refused to accept any payment for helping a friend and for watching over his goddaughter for a few precious hours. "I would be happy to do so again if you need me to, after she is my goddaughter."

"Really?"

"Of course." Standing up slowly Connor put his left hand against the middle of Aria's back one last time before he began walking toward the front door. "She is truly remarkable."

"Connor," Abby turned to watch as the deviant departed from the house just as quietly as Abby had previously entered. "I meant what I said earlier. You'd be a great father. Don't doubt yourself for even a moment."

"Being a father would be nice, but in my case, it is also very likely to be impossible. Android males would be targeted by bigots if they chose to act as a surrogate, and I cannot ask for another android to do so in my favor. I also know for a fact that my prototyping would make such an attempt incredibly dangerous, and I don't want to risk something so tragic happening." It was clear he had been weighing his limited options for a long time. "As for adoption, that is still being debated on a legal standpoint regarding deviants legally taking custody over human children. Those who do have children had to forge paperwork to avoid being caught and that's something that I can't bring myself to do."

"I wouldn't give up so quickly. I wasn't expecting to have Aria, and yet here she is. You never know who or what could be waiting for you just around the corner. Keeping looking forward and keep your chin up. You'll find a way to become a father, I know it!"

"I will, I promise." Giving Aria one last thoughtful glance over his shoulder, Connor sighed and made his way out the door. "See you soon, Aria. It was nice to spend the afternoon with you. You're truly someone special."

Returning home just in time to take Sumo for an evening walk Connor couldn't stop thinking about his time with Aria and how Abby complimented his new found talent for singing, as well as her confidence that someday he'd have the chance to raise a child of his own. It seemed so strange that after all his time exploring music through either listening to it or composing it on his guitar that he had never attempted to sing until he found a good reason to try. It was equally strange that he had lost his intrigue in children after Skye's death, only for it to return when Aria was born. The way that little baby brought the best out of Connor's reserved demeanor just motivated him even further to have a child of his own someday.

There was something more in Connor's mind than just what he could already do as a deviant as he contemplated both Hank and Abby's advice regarding a future family. There was something he wanted to become, something more than just a deviant, or a detective, or Hank's son. There was something inside of him just waiting to be established but even if he put all of his heart and being into becoming that very person that he dreamt of it would simply never happen.

Connor knew he wanted to be a father.

While Sumo finished his time in the park Connor proceeded to lead the dog back home with his back to the warm, setting sun. The two returned home just as Hank pulled in the driveway beside the house and Connor met the senior detective at the driveway to speak.

"Hey, Connor." Hank greeted as he stepped out of the car and watched the deviant and the massive dog approach him from the length of the drive. "It looks like you survived babysitting."

"I found the experience quite informative and enjoyable."

"Yeah, that's what a lot of people say." The senior detective remarked sarcastically as he and Connor walked up the steps of the back porch together. It was a nice night and the duo liked hanging out on the deck to talk. "Ready to go back to work tomorrow?"

"Of course. I'm glad you're not keeping me on the bench for a full week as you previously threatened." Opening the backdoor Connor let Sumo enter first to prevent the massive dog from knocking either detective over. "Am I still working solo?"

"Yup. Chris and Jack are a pretty solid team, and I don't want to split up Gavin and Tina."

"May I ask why?" Unclipping the lead from Sumo's leash Connor watched as fluffy dog checked out his filled bowls and lapped up some cool water. "It's strange that Gavin only seems to get along with Tina."

"Gavin and Tina have been partners ever since she made it through the academy. And she entered the academy because of Gavin, you know."

Neatly bundling up the leash in his hand Connor hung it on the hook by the backdoor as he gave Hank a curious glance. "No. I did not."

"A while back when Gavin was a still a rookie, he caught sight of a sixteen-year-old girl trying to prostitute herself on a corner in a bad neighborhood." Hank stated as he practically tore the tie loose from around his neck and pulled a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Before he could say anything to warn the teenager, the 'John' who was interested in this particular teen dragged her down an alley."

The story made Connor's eyes go wide as he locked the backdoor and waited for more information. "What happened to her?"

"Well, Gavin called for back-up, reported the assault in progress, and by the time he caught up to the two in the alleyway he found the man unconscious and the young girl pinning his arms behind his back."

"The teenage girl beat up a grown man in self-defense?"

"Yup. Gavin took her to the precinct, got her story, and decided to not charge her with anything as long as she returned to high school to graduate and then... enter the police academy."

"The girl in the story was Tina." Connor's brow furrowed with surprise. The story was completely shocking, and Connor wanted more details. "I don't understand."

"Look, this doesn't go any further than this room, but Tina's family was really poor, and she was trying to help make some money. Her dad dropped dead from a heart attack just out of the blue when she was only eight years old, and her mom had a hard time raising Tina and her little sister as a single mother. So, Tina dropped out of high school to try to earn some money in the streets, which was already a bad idea, and she tried prostitution, which was even worse. Gavin stopped her from making the biggest mistake of her life and has been looking out for her ever since."

"That's very reassuring to know that Gavin protected someone like that even before they became friends." Connor's brow arched as he performed some deductive reasoning on their close relationship and followed after Hank as the senior detective retired to the livingroom for the evening. "Perhaps Gavin was looking out for Tina because he felt compelled to do so after the tragic death of his own younger sister."

"It wouldn't surprise me if you just hit the nail on the head. And because Tina didn't have a father figure in her life, having Gavin - an older guy - looking out for her gave them both a bond they needed in order to move on with their lives. For the first time in Gavin's life someone was listening to him without judging him for his past and he did the same for Tina. They needed each other." It was that need to kept Hank from splitting up their partnership. "I think it's safe to say that Tina was unofficially adopted by Gavin as a little sister and Tina kinda' needed a big brother looking out for her, even if she didn't know it at the time."

Sitting down on the couch Connor hid an empathetic smile and kept his observations on the parallels between the relationship between Gavin and Tina to his own relationship with Hank to himself. It was also interesting to see how two adults were able to metaphorically adopt one another to give themselves a new sense of family, too.

"Hey?" Hank saw Connor was lost in thought and snapped his fingers twice to get his attention. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes." Connor looked over at Hank who was sitting in the recliner and gave him a nod. "I was just thinking."

"About what? Please tell me your chest is healing and you're not going to overheat in the night or something."

"I am recovering as I should." Connor confirmed as he pressed his palm to his healing chest. "By 04:17am this coming morning, I will be functioning at one-hundred percent capacity."

"Then what're you thinking about so damn hard? A case?"

"No. Something Abby told me before I left."

"What's that?"

"While I was tending to Aria, I found a way to soothe her by singing and Abby informed me that I had a talent for the skill." Covering for his real thoughts as he wasn't ready to discuss adopting a child just yet, Connor managed to smoothly change the subject with Hank even noticing. "Why is it that I never attempted to do so until today?"

"What?" Hank almost laughed as he leaned back in the recliner and gave the deviant an odd glance. "You've sung before."

"I... have?" That reply caught Connor completely off guard. "Why do I have no memory of such an activity?"

"Because you were delirious with fever. I've heard you sing before in your sleep, too. But that only happens when you're really stressed out."

"I sing in my sleep, too?"

"Yeah. You seriously didn't know you did that?"

"No." Shaking his head a little Connor's brow arched even further as a faint blue blush appeared on his face for the second time the day. Some things were just a little too strange for the deviant to comprehend at times. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. Guess it never occurred to me to bring it up." Turning on the television Hank located the news and kicked off his shoes to relax. "She's right by the way, you are talented."

"That's... encouraging."

"Why do I get the feeling that there's something more on your mind than just your newly discovered singing talent?"

Folding his hands together neatly over his lap Connor turned his head toward Hank and gave the father figure a somber glance. "...She also said I'd make a good father."

"And... that bothers you?"

"No. It makes me feel like... I guess the word would be 'safe'. That I really am more than just a tool designed by CyberLife to kill deviants." Shaking his head Connor sank back against the couch cushion and let his normally perfect posture slump with defeat. "But being a father... It's something that I can never become. It's impossible."

The revelation struck a chord with Hank as he had never felt it before. It never once occurred to him that despite all of the progress androids had made and how human they had become in just a short amount of time, that androids would never be able to procreate or have children of their own. It was simply impossible to create new life that would be a part of two parents when those parents could never truly combine the best pieces of themselves into something even better.

"Kid, I didn't know you..." As the deviant sighed, he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms protectively over his chest and abdomen as he tried to not let his emotions well up from inside of himself. Standing up from the recliner Hank joined Connor on the couch and wrapped his arm around Connor's shoulders. "Jeez, I didn't know you thought about things like that. I just assumed you were contemplating adoption, not procreation."

"What's to think about, really? It's an impossible feat. Skye had the correct biocomponents to carry a child to term but unless there are major advances in android biometrics the child wouldn't be ours on a genetic level."

Sumo sensed Connor's upset and promptly joined the two detectives in the livingroom. Pressing his chin down over Connor's knee the large dog licked the side of Connor's hand as if trying to make him feel better.

"Well, you're already a godfather, so why not adopt a kid or two like I did? I know you've been thinking about it since we talked a few nights ago."

"The laws still prohibit androids from taking sole custody of human children. It's seen as a form of neglect to rely on machines to care for life without additional human supervision."

"Oh, so rich assholes can BUY androids to take care of their kids for them, but when androids want to ADOPT a kid and give them a good home it's seen as negligence. Fuck, you've taken better care of me than I have for myself; and I'm a grown-ass adult! You'd be perfect for raising kids, keeping them safe and giving them a family... You're a guardian by nature." Hank continued to support the idea of Connor being a father as if he were taking the stand at a trial. "You have a house, you have a stable job, and you have a consistent income. More importantly, you WANT to have a kid of your own. You'd give a child a great home and family."

"Despite what you and Abby tell me, the law still disagrees."

"The fuckin' laws are still broken."

"And we cannot change the laws. Not now."

"Why not?"

"Congress refuses to hear any more claims to rights by deviants. The few laws that have already been enacted to protect androids are still being challenged as many humans still believe that their own existence, one of nature, is above that of android existence, one of artificial engineering."

"It doesn't matter how life enters this world, what matters is what you with your life do once you're alive. What you choose to do and how you choose to live is all a choice. Why the fuck does it matter if one person is born, and another person is created? It's the same fuckin' principle."

"Many lawmakers disagree."

"They're wrong. Anyway," changing the subject away from some slightly less emotional for Connor's sake Hank resumed talking about work. "tomorrow you return at your normal time, and you'll continue to work homicide. You'll also wear that Kevlar vest like I told you to do, and I don't care if it makes you feel a little slower when you move. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand."

"And if you do need a partner in the field ask for Chris or Jack. Gavin still needs a few more days to rest up before I send him out into the field, and I want Tina to keep an eye on him for me."

"Of course."

"Cool. There's a game coming on in about an hour." Relieved to have such a change of topic, Hank decided to keep things moving away from Connor's sorrow about the laws and his physical limitations preventing him from having a family of his own someday. "I'm going to take a hot shower and then we're going to watch it."

"I assume you're siding with the Gears again."

"Yup. Always have, always will."

"Should we make a wager?"

"All right." Thinking quickly Hank suggested a friendly bet and waited to see how Connor would respond. "Loser has to clean out the garage."

"That is an acceptable wager." Connor saw no harm in such an arrangement. "Shall I make you something to eat while you're in the shower?"

"Uh... As long as it isn't some vegetable crap or something huge, sure go ahead. Thanks."

"I'll make something smaller but appealing to ensure you maintain your current weight." Cybernetically Connor read over the details of one of Hank's favorite recipes and made a few tweaks to keep it within his dietary restrictions. "A lean sirloin steak with a baked potato."

"Sounds perfect! Thanks, son." As he rose from the couch Hank paused for a moment and gave the deviant a kind glance. "For what it's worth, Abby's right. You'd be a great dad. And you will be a great dad someday, I gotta' good feelin' about it. You'll see."

"I appreciate the support." Connor let out a sigh as he slowly opened his soulful brown eyes to look up at Hank appreciatively. "And thanks for saying so, dad."

-next chapter-