Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An abandoned rundown house on the seedier side of the city that had been suspected of housing a 'red ice' ring had become engulfed in a raging blaze proving that the suspicions were in fact true. As the potentially toxic smoke filled the air the fire department and police department were summoned to the scene of the fire, and as the city's reputed 'red ice' expert Lieutenant Hank Anderson had been summoned to the fire as well. With Connor, the android who had been sent by CyberLife to hunt deviants only to deviate and aid in the Revolution, at his side Hank pulled his old but reliable Oldsmobile Cutlass up to the scene of the burning house with every intention of tracking down the arsonist, the drug dealers and any witnesses who could provide a statement on the night's odd event.

"Damn it." Swearing loudly as he put the car into park and opened up his driver's side door Hank stood beside the vehicle and watched as the fire department fought to douse the yellow and orange flames greedily consuming the decrepit and abandoned two story house at a frightening pace. "If there was anything inside that house worth baggin' and taggin' for evidence it's gone now..."

Joining Hank outside of the vehicle Connor ran a scan over the blazing structure which turned his normally blue L.E.D. glowing in his right temple to a vibrant amber as his processors recorded numerous detail regarding the blaze itself. "The fire is burning at 2,014 degrees Fahrenheit. I can detect an accelerant of gasoline that had been poured in such a way it encircled the house before-" Connor's brow suddenly furrowed and his yellow L.E.D. flashed to red as he took a step toward the property. "Someone's trapped inside!"

"What?" Turning to face Connor as the deviant stood at his side Hank's blue eyes went wide with fear. "What do you-" Before he could even get the question out of his mouth Hank found himself making a failed grab for Connor's left shoulder as the deviant took off in a full sprint toward the burning house. "C-Connor?!  Get back!"

Chapter Text

Nursing his third cup of coffee Hank sent a text to Connor letting the deviant know that he was on his way to the hospital to pick him up, and he checked over the confirmed details from the arson investigator still at the scene of the burned down house. Everything pointed directly to arson as the cause of the blaze, but there were no fingerprints to use to identify the criminal, or any sign of a vehicle in the area to potentially trail after the arsonist. The only way to find a lead was to go back to the scene of the fire and take a direct look, and hope some piece of evidence did in fact survive the inferno.

The drive to the hospital was boring and quiet, which was a great drive in Hank's mind, but arriving at a hospital in general was still unsettling. Finishing off his cup of coffee Hank tossed the now empty cup into the backseat of the vehicle where it gathered among the other empty cups and old fast food bags, and proceeded to put the car into park after arriving at the hospital parking lot.

Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank called Connor and was immediately answered as the deviant received the call cybernetically. "Hey, kid."

'Hello, Hank.'

"Where are you?"

'I am currently in the N.I.C.U. performing a scan to attempt to build a facial construction of the-'

"Why aren't you waiting out front?" Hank asked impatiently as he walked toward the front doors and passed through the waiting room. Showing his badge to the nurse behind the large receptionist desk she responded with a nod, and handed him a visitor's and clearance badge as he made his way toward the elevator at the end of the corridor. "We need to get back out to the burned house and look for evidence."

'Yes, I'm aware. I just received word that the arsonist investigator has confirmed arson and gasoline as the used accelerant.'

"Yeah, no fingerprints or D.N.A. could be found, so we need your special android eyes to check things out for us." Pressing his left thumb to the call button on the elevator's panel Hank stepped inside the partially filled elevator car and readied himself to end the call. "I'll meet you at the N.I.C.U. so don't go anywhere."

'Very well, but it might be a while.'

"We don't have 'a while', kid. Get ready to go." Ending the conversation Hank pocketed his phone and politely asked one of the nurses already in the elevator which floor he needed to go to. "Uh, which one is the N.I.C.U. floor?"

"I got you, hon." Pressing the correct floor on Hank's behalf the nurse just smiled and shook her head. "You're partners with the deviant detective, aren't you?"

"Yup. Is he hovering around too much?"

"Not at all. He's a real sweetheart and even offered to bring me coffee when I was about to head down for my break."

"Be careful when he offers you coffee." Crossing his arms defensively over his chest Hank watched as the numbers ticked up and waited for the elevator doors to part on the correct floor. "He doesn't add nearly enough sugar or sweetener to make it palatable. He keeps track of my health where I want him to or not, and won't hesitate to lecture me on the dangers of sugar."

"Sounds like he's a great partner to have."

"...Yeah. Most of the time anyway." The doors opened and Hank stepped out of the elevator with the nurse right beside him. "Do you know how his arm is doing? He got burned pretty badly."

"He has bandages on his arm, and one of our other nurses working here is also a technician, so he got Connor taken care of just fine after he showered off."

"That's good. He wasn't complaining about being in any pain, so I'm glad he wasn't seriously hurt."

As Hank accompanied the nurse to the N.I.C.U. the senior detective was surprised to see Connor standing protectively beside the incubator with his hand still holding onto the tiny newborn's hand, and swore he saw a strange glimmer in Connor's soulful brown eyes. Before Hank could say anything the deviant's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he turned to look directly and Hank and gave him a single nod.

"I'm ready to go."

"Good." Stepping aside Hank watched as the nurse resumed her vigil over the newborn and began checking her vitals for the hour. "Have you been here with the baby ever since she was admitted?"

"Not entirely. I needed to have my arm tended to and I needed to shower off."

"Uh-huh..."

"Mrs. Giles," Connor turned to look at the kind nurse as he stood more upright and slowly took his hand back from Hannah's hand, and closed the side window of the incubator without disturbing the tiny baby in the process. "will you call me if a young mother is admitted under unusual circumstances?"

"Yes, and please, call me Ada."

"Ada, then. Thank you."

"If you two can give us any information on this little one's parentage don't hesitate to call me first." Ada smiled as she whispered and took care of the tiny newborn with a deeply seeded maternal instinct in her gentle motions. "The sooner we can get her a medical history the better."

"Of course. I will attempt to return soon so I can to potentially find the birth mother."

Hank felt an odd sense of dread well up inside of himself as Connor joined him at the door of the room to depart from the hospital. "...Ready?"

"Yes. Is the arson investigator going to meet us at the crime scene?"

"No, she filed her report with the precinct and cleared the scene for us to investigate. All of the smoldering embers have been extinguished, and the air wasn't found to be toxic."

"Very well." Leading the way to the elevator Connor pressed his right palm over his left forearm where the bandages were still concealing his burned limb, and ran a quick self diagnostic. He was stable and healing well. "I'll keep in contact with the hospital and the other deviants in the city who may have seen someone in the vicinity of the crime scene before, during and after the initial fire who may be connected to the arson."

"Yeah, good plan. If anyone can give us a lead then that'll be a tremendous help."

The scene of the fire still smelt of the freshly burned wood and plaster, and a faint waft of dark smoke drifted up into the night sky into nothingness. The house had been burned to ash and left only tiny splinters of charred black wood on a completely destabilized foundation. The fire department had effectively doused the entire property and washed away whatever evidence could've survived the fire into useless mushy ash. With only the holographic police tape to bar potential trespassers or the arsonist from trying to make sure their tracks had been covered Hank and Connor easily passed through the holographic line to begin sifting through the burned rubble.

"Fuck, I'm glad you can see things." Hank grumbled as he used a bright L.E.D. flashlight to guide his footsteps over the still smoky and uneven terrain. "I doubt anything could've survived this fire."

"...Agreed." Connor's blue L.E.D. turned to yellow as he set about scanning the area and felt an unsettling knot form in his artificial stomach regarding the fact that Hannah could've in fact perished if Connor himself hadn't reacted in the way that he did. "...I am attempting to locate any sign of the arsonist, but their shoe prints have been destroyed by the fire or water."

"There weren't any cars reported in the area and none of the nearby houses have external security cameras pointed this way."

Using his right hand Connor pushed aside a large piece of broken charred wooden support beam, and led the way down the destroyed hallway and into the bedroom where he found the baby. "...The gasoline trail leads directly in here. The baby was there." Pointing to the destroyed corner where a pile of ashes and threads had turned to black debris Connor knelt down and ran a scan over the pile. "...She would've burned to death."

"Hey, she's okay." Standing behind Connor as the deaviant knelt beside the corner Hank patted Connor's shoulder twice in a comforting manner. "You got her out the house, got her to the hospital and you even stayed back to watch over her for a few hours. She's safe now."

"...I just wish I could continue to help her."

"You are, kid. Even if we can't find the arsonist or her parents you're still going to be a detective protecting the city."

"...I suppose."

"So, uh, can I ask why you were hanging out in the N.I.C.U. if you were there to check for any possible sign of the birth mother being admitted as a patient?"

"I've never been around children before." Responding quickly and honestly Connor continued his scan of the area but as expected any and all potential evidence had already been destroyed. "And I doubt I'd ever have the opportunity to be in the company of a newborn any time in the near future. Also," standing upright Connor turned to face Hank as he held up his right palm and showed Hank a holographic image of two faces; one male and one female, who could potentially be Hannah's birth parents. "I believe I've been able to construct a plausible depiction of the baby's biological parents based on the information I was able to gain just from being in close proximity to her."

"Let's see..." Taking a quick look at the images Hank tilted his head a little and gave the deviant a mild grimace. "Well, that might work. Can you give the parents different hair and eye color just to make sure all of the traits are covered?"

"Of course. I theorize the father is a brunette and the mother is blonde. The blue eyes could be permanent but from what I understand ninety-two percent of all Caucasian newborns initially have blue eyes, while five percent have green eyes, and three percent are born with brown eyes."

"Yeah, sure. Too bad you can't give us an age on the parents, too."

"Age?"

"Well, women from the ages of roughly twelve to fifty can have a baby, kid."

That information made Connor's yellow L.E.D. flash to red with sympathetic distress at the very idea of a child having their own child. "...So young?"

"It's sad but true. And the fathers can be just as young, if not younger, and just as old if not older. Looking at an age group for suspects could help narrow things down, but that doesn't seem possible."

"...Correct." Lowering his hand Connor began creating numerous other depictions of the two images to widen their very large suspect pool as he continued to trudge over the ruins of the house. Feeling more worried for the baby than previously before Connor could not longer concentrate on his task and instead asked Hank about children. "Hank, how can someone just abandon their own child in such a cold, heartless and cruel manner?"

Freezing in place with his posture visibly stiffening Hank gave Connor a wary glance as he let out a deep sigh. "I honestly don't know, Connor. And I hope I never do."

"I understand the concept of 'accidental' pregnancies and I understand the concept of giving a child up for adoption, as well as the safe delivery sites throughout the entire state of Michigan. Why not take the baby to the hospital, a fire station or a police station?"

"...Shame. Fear. Panic." Listing off the negative traits Hank put his hands to his hips as he glanced about the smoldering foundation and decided that it was a lost cause and a waste of time to try to look for something that had surely been destroyed, especially since they didn't even know what that 'something' even was. "I don't get it myself, but I try not to judge people for their decisions just because I don't agree with them."

"I suppose that's the proper way to look at the matter, but it doesn't help change things."

"Nope."

As his mouth ticked a little Connor looked back down at his right hand as he glanced at the potential images of the baby's parents, only to shift the image from them and to the baby herself. There was something about seeing the newborn baby sleeping safe and sound in the hospital's N.I.C.U. that brought Connor a much needed sense of peace.

"We should head back to the precinct." Hank suggested as he stepped out of the burnt ruins of the house. Turning off and pocketing his flashlight Hank carefully walked over to the car parked a few feet away and waited for Connor join him beside the vehicle. "There's nothing more we can do from here, so we might as well go back to the precinct and file a few more details before clocking out."

"Perhaps we-" Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to red as he suddenly rushed out off of the burned down foundation and sprinted over to the car. "Hank, we need to go back to the hospital."

"What? Why?"

"There's a reported 'code pink'. Someone took the baby from the N.I.C.U. when Ada was checking on another patient."

"Fuck!" Pulling open his driver's side door so hard he nearly broke the door off the hinges Hank didn't hesitate to drive back to the hospital to find the missing baby. Following his gut Hank immediately turned over the engine and practically floored it as he pulled off the street and made his way back downtown as soon as Connor was sitting beside him in the front passenger seat. "I guaran-damn-tee that whoever took the baby is either the arsonist or one of the parents."

"...Maybe they're both."

"If that's the case then that baby could be in serious trouble."

Connor's red L.E.D. blinked wildly as his he closed his eyes and received another update from Ada at the hospital. "The hospital is on lockdown and security confirms that no one exited the hospital with a baby, or anything suspicious on their person. The parking garage and parking lot are also on lockdown, and they have security posted at every door, and even the ground floor windows."

"Good. Keep me posted and let Ada know we're on our way."

"Already done."

The hospital itself was the epitome of controlled chaos. Due to the late hour of the night there were very few visitors in the hospital and the waiting room was quiet. Only a handful of people were asking why they weren't permitted from leaving the premises at the moment, but were remaining impressively cooperative in the matter. As security allowed the two detectives back inside the hospital Hank made a move to sweep over the ground floor in search of a person hiding out with a newborn baby girl, while Connor would check out the rest of the hospital floor by floor working his way upward toward the roof.

"The suspect is wearing a dark gray hoodie," Connor announced as he downloaded the sparse security footage from the hospital cameras overlooking the corridor in the N.I.C.U. area. "approximately five foot eleven and one-hundred and sixty-eight pounds. Build is that of a male."

"Right. I'll look down here," Hank motioned upward at the ceiling with his right index finger as he made his way down the far corridor to check the supply closets for anyone trying to hide. "and you head on up."

"I'm on it." Connor elected to use the stairwell as he began to check the floors as he knew the suspect would undoubtedly avoid the elevators due to the abundance of security cameras and the security personnel being able to stop the elevator with an emergency override code. As he set his foot on the second floor Connor began an active sweep to isolate the baby's particular signature that he still had recorded in his databank. "...She's not on the second floor. He must've panicked and hid before he could down toward the ground floor."

Climbing the floors one by one, each time he ascended to the next floor he ran a thorough scan through the area of space in an attempt to locate the baby he dubbed 'Hannah', but as he climbed the floors he failed to detect her presence. A strange sense of worry, perhaps even panic, began to set in as he made his way up five floors but didn't locate her. As he neared the floor with the N.I.C.U. up on the sixth floor Connor's scanner detected a familiar signature, and he could hear muffled crying down the corridor.

Establishing cybernetic contact with Hank down on the first floor Connor made his way onto the sixth floor and honed in on the signature near the center of the corridor. 'Hank, I believe I've located the baby and her kidnapper on the sixth floor. They are in a janitor's closet between the N.I.C.U. and the elevator.'

There was a pause before Hank sent him a quick text to reply as he made his way to the elevator. 'I'm on my way, don't leave the floor.'

Severing the connection Connor made his way closer to the signature and trailed it to the large janitor's closet in the middle of the corridor. Pressing his exposed right palm to the control panel beside the closed door Connor unlocked the closet and peered inside the small space. The right wall was lined with a shelf filled with cleaning supplies, and in the far left corner was a rolling cart with a dozen neatly folded towels stacked on top of it. In the right corner of the room Connor detected the sound of muffled crying, and could sense someone moving around trying to remain hidden in the shadows.

"Reveal yourself." Connor ordered as he pulled his wallet from the pocket of his scrub pants and revealed his shield. "Detroit Police. I know you're in the corner, step out forward, and keep it slow. Do it now or I will come after you."

"Please!" There was a scuffle in the shadows as the hooded figure revealed themself slowly, and confirmed they were holding the bundled up newborn in their arms. "...Don't hurt me." The voice was that of a teenage male and he sounded entirely frightened as the newborn began to cry a little. "I promise I won't run, just don't hurt me."

"I won't harm you. Just put the baby down over there on the towels." Connor instructed as he kept his eyes on the suspect and sensed Hank enter the closet behind him. "Put her down very slowly, then kneel on the floor with your hands in the air."

Obediently the hooded teenager put the baby down on the towels in the corner before he knelt down on the floor and raised his shaking hands in the air. Trembling from fear the teenager didn't resist when Hank walked over to him and slipped the pair of handcuffs around the boy's shaking wrists, and escorted him out of the closet.

"Call off the search." Hank boldly stated as he led the suspect by the shoulder toward the elevator at the end of the corridor. "Get the baby back to the N.I.C.U. and meet me downstairs."

"Right." Walking over to the cart of towels where the newborn, who was swaddled in the pink blanket began to fuss, Connor instinctively picked her up and held her close to his chest as he carried her out of the closet. "It's okay, Hannah." The deviant soothed in a kind and warm voice as he walked down the corridor in the opposite direction from the elevator. "I'll keep you safe, I promise."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It took almost an hour for the hospital to lift the lockdown after the kidnapper was caught and arrested before being escorted off the premises, while Connor returned baby Hannah to the N.I.C.U. where security was immediately increased. The newborn baby was unharmed by her abductor and was merely scared by the drama around her, and was easily calmed once Connor rescued her. Reluctantly taking his leave of the hospital after escorting Hannah back to the N.I.C.U. Connor joined Hank outside to drive their arrested suspect back to the precinct to begin their very curious interrogation at barely three in the morning. The late hour all but guaranteed an aggressive line of questioning from the sleep deprived Lieutenant.

Standing inside the observation room Hank and Connor watched the young man who was now in custody awaiting interrogation with a keen interest, and sympathetic gaze. Chris was standing silently in the room beside the suspect who had been handcuffed to the table to prevent any attempted escape, and was patiently waiting for the detective duo to dismiss him so they could question the young man who had been arrested for attempted kidnapping.

"The kid is barely seventeen, and in the state of Michigan he can be questioned and charged as an adult." Hank lamented as he looked over the suspect's driver's license with a heavy heart. The sight of someone so young and afraid was heartbreaking no matter how many times it unfortunately happened for the senior detective. "The kid's name is Colin Orwell, and he's apparently well on his way to a full football scholarship ride to the University of Michigan next year." Dragging his left hand over his bearded chin Hank looked at Connor from the corner of his right eye and asked his partner a very unsettling but important question. "Think he's that baby's father?"

"Yes." Holding up his right hand Connor showed Hank an image of Hannah from the hospital and compared her likeness to that of Colin from his mugshot. "He is her father. The dark hair color and ocular region are too identical to be a coincidence. A simple blood test will confirm parentage."

"Damn it."

The unexpected response caused Connor's blue L.E.D. to flash to yellow as he lowered his hand. "You seem disappointed that we located the father."

"It's not that. I'm disappointed because him being the baby's father makes him the prime suspect for the arson."

"...I see."

"I'm going to have a chat with him and see what he has to say. I get the feeling his arrival at the hospital was less of a change of heart and wanting to take responsibility as that baby's father, and more of him trying to cover his ass and avoid trouble."

"I believe your suspicion is accurate. However, we should hear his side of the story."

"Wait here." The senior detective instructed as he took in a deep breath to calm himself. "I'll ask him the questions, and you determine whether or not he's a threat to that baby."

"Very well."

Moving with a heavy gait Hank pressed his right hand to the control panel on the wall beside the observation room's door and waited for it to slide open before he entered the neighboring interrogation room in the same manner. As he took a seat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from Colin with a relatively annoyed motion Chris took his leave of the room to ensure Hank had Colin's full attention, and simply waited for his cue as he had become very familiar with Hank's interrogation techniques over the past few months.

'Alright, Colin.' Hank's voice carried a mild reverb as his voice echoed off the walls of the small, cold room and passed through the speaker connecting the interrogation room to the observation room. 'We know you're that baby's father.'

The revelation made Colin jump and his dark brown eyes go wide with fear.

'What we don't know is why you tried to take her from the hospital after you left her to die in a burning house.'

If Colin's eyes weren't already wide they would've surely gone entirely black with shock as his face paled to an unhealthy shade of white.

'Look, son.' Taking a more paternal approach to try to get Colin to talk Hank leaned forward against the table and stared at the teenager's face suspiciously. 'You seem like a good kid.' Sliding the license over to Colin slowly Hank tried to show him a modicum of trust.  'You have a stellar sports record, great grades and a scholarship just waiting for you in less than a year. You're smart enough to know that having your own baby would put all of your future plans on hold and basically ruin everything. You had options with what to do with the baby, so why did you pick arson?'

Colin nervously looked at Hank as he began to tremble a little bit and somehow paled even further where he sat.

'You could've given her up for adoption, left her at a hospital, a fire station or even right here at the precinct without any questions asked. Fuck, I don't know how you feel about the subject but you also had the choice to terminate if the baby's mother agreed. So what gives? Why'd you go for arson and murder?'

'I didn't-' Shouting and then breaking down into tears Colin began to cry as he pressed his hands to his face in shame. 'That's not what happened! I swear!'

'That's what the evidence is telling us, Colin.' The interrogation room door slid open as Chris placed a file down on the table for Hank to use during his line of questioning, then slid open a second time as Chris left. Flipping the file open Hank pushed photographs of the fire toward Colin to see, as well as Hannah covered in ash and laying in the incubator at the hospital. 'The only reason the baby survived is because my partner, a deviant, could hear her crying and detect her vital signs from outside the burning building. If he wasn't there during the-'

'STOP...' Unable to look at the photographs Colin kept his hands over his eyes and wept even more. 'Please stop! I didn't do it! I didn't want her dead or hurt! But... But we had no choice! I swear we didn't have a choice! We're not... We're not killers.'

'Why don't you tell me what happened from your point of view? Help us to understand what happened and how the baby ended up in the house, and how the house ended up on fire.'

'...Did you call my father?'

'No, you're old enough to be charged as an adult.' Being honest Hank spoke to Colin like the intelligent young man that he is, rather than the scared kid everyone saw him as. 'He won't be able to protect you this time now that you're seventeen.'

'...If I tell you what happened,' lowering his hands Colin revealed his emotionally pained, tear covered face and took in a shaking breath. 'will you promise to not tell my father or tell Diane's parents what happened?'

'Who is Diane?'

'My girlfriend.'

'Is Diane the baby's mother?'

Nodding reluctantly Colin confirmed the mother's identity. 'She's seventeen, too. And her parents... Her mother's crazy.'

'We'll worry about that later.' Pulling back the file Hank relaxed his demeanor and nodded at the one way mirror to signal to Chris, who had resumed watching alongside Connor in the observation room, to come back to the interrogation room for a moment. 'Just tell me what happened tonight and we'll work with you, Colin. I promise.'

Dragging the right sleeve of his dark hoodie over his tear stained face Colin agreed to tell the story and didn't react as Chris returned to the room and put a box of tissues down on the desk, as well as an electronic tablet for Colin to write his statement when the time came. '...I'll tell you everything.'

'Okay. Take a minute to breathe and tell us everything that happened from the beginning.'

Through the window Connor stood idle and listened to the heartwrenching story that Colin had to tell, and for the first time in a long time the deviant found himself at a loss of how to react. While he knew what had happened to Hannah, being abandoned and left to die was an unforgivable crime, he couldn't fault Colin or Diane for feeling so desperate while feeling entirely alone in the world. Being completely empathetic and kind Connor tried to put himself in Colin's place and found he couldn't decide on a plausible solution for the predicament beyond giving the baby up for adoption, and trying to keep it a secret from the rest of the world as well.

Colin told Hank the story of how he and Diane had been together since middle school, and how they had been sexually active for over a year prior before their preventative measures finally failed. When Colin told his father he had kicked him out of the house and he had been staying with Diane's parents for four months, and Diane's mother had been obsessing over the baby like it were her own.

It was that very obsessive behavior that made Diane flee from the house when she was five months pregnant and hide out with friends on the other side of town. Remaining hidden until it was time to give birth the frightened teenage couple had to rely on their less than ideal friends to help them until the baby was born, and then they could return to Detroit to finish school.

'...When Diane went into labor our friends said they could take the baby away and put her somewhere safe.' Colin wept again as he told the truth of the entire tragic situation, and finally felt like he had someone he could rely on through Hank's presence. 'She gave birth and I stayed with her while our friend took the baby away.'

'Alright,' Hank sighed wearily as he listened to the story and did his best to remain unbiased. 'so why'd you try to take the baby from the hospital?'

'...I...I went back into the city to get things for Diane. She was feeling a little sick after giving birth, and... and I was recognized by one of Diane's mom's friends when I was buying supplies. She called Diane's mom and told her where I was, and Diane's mom showed up at the pharmacy parking lot to head me off.'

'Okay... I don't get how that took you to the hospital.'

'Like I said earlier,' Colin continued in a bleak manner. 'Diane's mom was obsessed with the baby and was actually excited for it. When Diane and me took off she blew up Diane's phone trying to find her until Diane just tossed the phone and moved on. She... She offered me money for- Well, she still wanted the baby."

'Wait, Diane's mother tried to buy the baby off of you?'

'Diane's family is RICH.' Breathing slowly Colin tried to keep his emotional resolve and tell Hank the full story. 'She wanted the baby more than anything. She offered me one-hundred thousand dollars for the baby. With that kind of money...'

'You two would be able to start over in another city, at another school and move on from your one mistake.'

'...Yeah. That's it. I took the baby from the N.I.C.U. but... I couldn't go through with it. Knowing that Diane's mother actually put a price on mine and Diane's baby just reminded me of how crazy she is, and why we ran off to begin with. I wanted to put the baby back but security knew she had been taken and I panicked. I hid until I could think of what to do. It wasn't right and I'm sorry, but I can't undo what I did.'

'So how did you know that the baby was even at that one hospital?'

'...When I was driving back to the city I heard a news report about a fire downtown on the radio, and I got a phone call from the friend who took the baby away. He said... He said it was taken care of and that he got rid of the evidence. I could... hear the fire in the background of the phone call.'

This time it was Hank who paled as he realized what had happened, and could see that Colin was innocent in regards to the attempted infanticide. 'You had no idea that your friend was going set the fire?'

'NO!' Colin was on the verge of tears again as he spoke with Hank and kept telling his story. 'Me and Diane didn't want to be parents but we didn't want to kill the baby, either! We just... We just wanted to forget about it and move on with our lives. We wanted to have our lives to live before we became parents. I didn't even know it was a girl until you told me.'

'Colin, I'm being patient with you,' Hank reminded the young suspect with a terse tone. 'but I still need to know how you knew which hospital to go to.'

'When I heard the fire in the phone call and heard the news report I just... I knew that's where he took the baby. I drove to the street and parked my car a few yards away from the fire to check it out. That's when I saw someone go into the back of the ambulance with something in their arms. I heard the baby crying and I knew she was safe. So... I followed after the ambulance and waited in the parking lot for a while before I went inside to try to take her back.'

'And you knew the baby was yours, how?'

'I didn't see her after she was born, I was taking care of Diane, but when I got to the N.I.C.U. I saw the baby and I saw Diane's face. I just knew the baby was ours so I took her and tried to run.'

'Alright, how'd you get in the N.I.C.U. without anyone noticing?'

'I went through the waiting room and saw the nurse at the front desk handing out passes. When a guy in the waiting room fell asleep I took his pass from his jacket and used the stairwell to get around without being seen.'

'Where's Diane now?'

'...I can't tell you.'

'Colin, we need to find her. We also need to know your friend who started the fire.'

'Please. Diane didn't do anything wrong tonight. It was our friend who started the fire and I let him take the baby away. He's responsible for the fire, and if you want to punish someone for what happened to the baby then I'm to blame.'

'Son, listen to me.' Using the 'dad voice' Hank tried to reach the frightened teen on a more familial level. 'We aren't looking to punish Diane, we need to know what happened tonight. We need to ask her some questions and like you said, she was feeling sick after giving birth. Were you able to get back to her after you went to the pharmacy?'

Falling silent Colin looked entirely frightened for a new reason.

'Colin. Where is she?'

'...I'll tell you if you promise to get her to a hospital so she can be taken care of properly.'

'You have my word.'

Hesitating for a moment Colin took the tablet and wrote down an address for Hank to use to find Diane, and their 'friend' who started the fire. '...Tell her I'm so sorry for everything.'

'Relax, son.' Accepting the tablet Hank nodded and stood up from the table. 'This isn't the end of the world. It may feel like it, but you'll both get through this and in the end everything will be sorted out.'

Patiently Connor and Chris stood outside of the interrogation room and walked with Hank as the trio made their way into the bullpen to continue their investigation into the unusual and tragic case at hand. Hank pulled his coat from the back of his chair and slipped it up his arms to his shoulders as he watched Connor anxiously awaiting their next move with Chris standing nearby. The three officers were tired but with a new lead to follow there was no way any of them were going to walk away from the case now.

"What do you think, Connor?"

"Colin is telling the truth." The deviant confirmed as his L.E.D. continued to cycle in a calm blue in his right temple. "I don't believe he'd harm his child, he was merely scared and had panicked."

"That's what I think, too. You go back to the hospital for now." Hank stated as he pulled his car keys from his pocket and waved over Chris to join him. "I'm going to find the mother and bring her to the same hospital, Chris will look for the arsonist. You'll be able to interview the mother from the hospital after I find her."

"What of Diane's mother?" The question wasn't out of line and one that needed to be answered. "She could have a connection to the friend who started the fire tonight."

"I really doubt it. She wanted the baby, so if anything she'll show up at the hospital, too. She may even try to finish what Colin started and take her."

"...I see."

"You go to the hospital," Hank reiterated as he motioned for Chris to hurry up and follow after him. "Chris and I are going to find the mother, and possibly the arsonist."

"Very well." Accepting the car keys from Hank so that the senior detective and Chris could use a squad car with lights and sirens to drive faster to find Diane outside the city, Connor agreed to their current plan of action. "I'll remain in touch throughout the night."

"Yeah, make sure no one who isn't wearing scrubs and a stethoscope gets near that baby."

Connor's brow arched slightly as his right fingertips tugged at the teal colored scrub top he was still wearing in favor of his soot covered and burned uniform, and gave Hank an intrigued glance. As his blue L.E.D. flickered briefly to yellow Connor sent a text message to Nurse Ada Giles' phone and let her know that he was on his way back to the hospital.

With the hospital's permission Connor remained in the scrubs as a means of blending in more easily as hospital staff to ensure that if anyone else made a move to abduct Hannah they might be reckless enough to make a move without realizing that Connor was in fact a detective assigned to protect her. Allowing Ada to assist with his 'disguise' by putting a small bandage over his L.E.D. to make him look as human as possible as he hovered protectively in the N.I.C.U. to keep a close watch over Hannah the dedicated detective stayed vigilant.

"Has anyone else of interest appeared in the hospital or near the N.I.C.U. during my absence?" Standing beside the plastic incubator Connor peered down at Hannah's sleeping face as the newborn quickly quieted down and fell asleep after her dramatic episode just an hour prior. "It's crucial we keep anyone who may be a threat to Hannah at bay."

"No. We've doubled security and scared a lot of new parents in the process."

"That's unfortunate."

"Tell me about it, but they'll get over it."

"My partner is going to attempt to locate Hannah's mother and bring her to this hospital." Connor updated the nurse out of respect to help her also feel more secured during the investigation. "The young man who tried to take Hannah has been confirmed as her father, and is still in custody."

"Perfect. If anyone tries to claim to be her father they will immediately be questioned by security." Ada watched Connor's warm brown eyes as the deviant stared down at Hannah and seemed to be sad despite the progress in the tragic case at hand. "Are you okay, Connor?"

"I'm fine." The soulful brown eyes darted upward to lock his gaze with Ada as Connor's brow furrowed slightly with confusion. "...Why do you ask?"

"I ask because I'm a nurse and I want to help people feel better. You seem upset."

The fact that he too was feeling emotional toward the case just as Hank had been was a strange moment of realization for the still learning deviant. "...I suppose I am a little upset." Looking back down at Hannah as the newborn began to rouse from her sleep and make small noises Connor opened up the small window on the right side of the incubator and let her right hand wrap around his right index finger again. "It seems so wrong that this completely innocent child is caught in the middle of a tragic case, and she has no one to care for her."

"Well, she may be caught in a tragic case but she does have someone taking care of her."

"Yes, I'm aware that the hospital will tend to her every need and help her locate a foster family to take care of her."

"Actually," giving the deviant a coy glance Ada pointed at Connor while keeping a warm smile on her face as she spoke to him. "I was referring to you."

Beneath the bandage Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow, red and then back to yellow with surprise. "...Me?"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The drive outside of the city didn't take too long as Hank had impressive skill with driving at a higher rate of speed, and easily located the less than ideal neighborhood with the address of the house where Colin claimed that he and Diane had been using to hide. The house itself was just as rundown and decrepit as the house that had been burned down back in Detroit, and felt just as inviting as the torched remains. Slowing the car's speed and turning off the flashing red and blue lights atop the vehicle Hank pulled up along the street and parked in front of the house as quietly as possible.

"Alright, this is the address Colin gave us." Hank confirmed as he turned off the engine and gave Chris a quick nod. "I'll take the lead and you follow just to make sure the arsonist doesn't try to flee if he's still in the area."

"Right, Lieutenant."

"Let's go." Opening the driver's side door Hank stepped out of the vehicle and kept his right hand hovering over the holstered gun on his right hip as a strictly precautionary manner. Walking up the front walk toward the front door of the single story dimly lit house with Chris right behind him Hank knocked on the front door twice to announce their presence. "Police department, open up."

There was a loud frantic scrambling sound from within the house as loud footsteps rushed toward the back of the house. Without even needing to say a word Hank sensed Chris make a move toward the rear of the property to head off the fleeing occupant of the house.

Reeling back his right leg Hank planted a firm kick on the door just below the already loosened doorknob and caused the front door to burst open with a loud 'crash' that shook the entire small house on its foundation. "Detroit police!"

There was no further movement inside the house and Hank could see from the front door that the backdoor in the kitchen at the rear of the house had been left wide open. Drawing his gun from the holster on his right hip Hank held the gun out in front of himself as he began to sweeping through the house and clearing each room as he walked.

No one was inside the livingroom, the kitchen, or the bathroom down the hallway. A doorway in the middle of the hall led to a closet that was also empty save for some moldy boxes and a ragged coat, but the single bedroom at the end of the hallway had a an unknown person laying in the middle of a broken down mattress, and huddled under piles of thin, dirty and mismatched blankets.

"Detroit police." Hank announced again as he located the light switch on the wall just inside the doorway of the room and flipped it on. "Put your hands where I can see them."

The figure in the bed didn't move and only let out a weakened groan from under the pile of blankets and rags over top of them.

Stepping closer to the bed Hank pulled back the blankets and peered down at the figure's face, and immediately reholstered his gun. "Damn it!" Pressing his right fingertips to the left side of the figure's neck Hank registered a rapid, thready pulse and the high fever plaguing the figure's entire body. "Diane?" Calling out her name as he pulled back the blankets to expose her entire body Hank saw the telltale signs of a recent birth, and could see that she was still bleeding heavily. "Diane, I need you to respond."

She was too weak and too sick to reply to Hank's voice. She didn't even register his strong hand counting her pulse, or his left hand gently lifting her eyelids to check her pupils as he spoke to her.

"Damn it." Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank called 911 to get an ambulance to the house, then radioed an update to the precinct to confirm he had found his suspect but that she needed immediate medical attention. "Come on, Diane." Pressing his left palm over her forehead Hank could feel she was burning up with a high fever from a serious infection, and then pressed his right palm down on her lower abdomen to try to stem the internal bleeding that had failed to stop after she had given birth at least four hours prior. "You're strong and you can make it. Just hang on for me and I'll help you."

Chris had heard the report over the radio and returned to the house with the cuffed suspect who fled through the backdoor, a man in his early twenties with a serious 'red ice' addiction and filthy clothes that stunk of gasoline, to check in on Hank. "Need help, Lieutenant?"

"No, I got her. You take that asshole back the precinct and I'll escort Diane to the hospital."

The suspected arsonist began to panic a little after seeing all the blood around Diane's legs and saw how pale she was. "I didn't do that her, man! Diane got sick and-"

"We know." Chris silenced the suspect as he led him back out of the bedroom and to the squad car in front of the house. "Just wait until we're at the precinct to tell us the rest of the details. We want to hear everything!"

"Diane." Keeping his full attention on the very sick young woman Hank relied on his emergency medical training as a detective, as well as his knowledge of postpartum complications after educating himself when his late wife gave birth to Cole all those years ago, Hank did his best to keep Diane as stable as possible until the paramedics arrived. "Listen to me, Diane. You're bleeding internally but help is on the way. If you can hear me I need you to respond."

"...C-Colin?"

"Colin's back in Detroit. He told us where to find you."

"...M'baby?"

"She's alive and she's safe."

Opening her soft brown eyes Diane looked up at Hank as the senior detective gently brushed a long lock of her sweaty blonde hair from her face in a comforting gesture. "...D-Don't let my... mother have her."

"Your mother?" The comment seemed out of place yet oddly specific. It lined up with Colin's statement back at the precinct.  "What about your mother?"

"N-Not her baby. She... She wanted the baby. Made... Made me... pr-pregnant."

The sound of sirens accompanied with flashing red and blue lights filled the dark street as the requested ambulance arrived to take Diane to the hospital, and save her from bleeding to death in the middle of the rundown filthy house. As the paramedics entered the house through the front door Hank called out to them and kept his hand on Diane's abdomen to apply pressure and try to keep her from bleeding out before they got to her in the bedroom.

"She made you... pregnant?" Hank whispered with righteous confusion as he backed off and gave the paramedics plenty of room to work on saving Diane's life in the middle of the dirty bedroom. "How in the hell is that possible?"

At the hospital Connor received an update on the case from Chris after the skilled officer took the arrested suspect, a man named Flint Allen, into custody to the precinct. Flint had a history of not only drug abuse beginning in his late teens, but had a stint in juvenile hall regarding a dangerous pattern of behavior with malicious destruction of property, and attempted arson as a child. While Chris had delivered the suspect it would be Gavin interrogating him as the officer finally clocked out for the remainder of the late night/early morning, and went back home to sleep.

"The suspected arsonist is in custody." The deviant detective stated as he sat in the chair in the corner of the N.I.C.U. as instructed by Ada. Watching as the kind nurse finished changing Hannah's diaper and then proceeded to swaddle the newborn in a soft pink blanket Connor remained in cybernetic contact with the other deviants at the precinct who were monitoring the cases being handled. "...It appears my partner has also located Hannah's mother, Diane."

"Is something wrong?" Picking up the swaddled newborn in her hands with a firm but gentle grip Ada carried Hannah over to Connor and carefully placed her down in his arms. Readjusting Connor's arms in an almost strategic manner Ada made sure Hannah was laying comfortably in the deviant's care as he continued to look down at her face curiously. "You seem worried again."

"According to my partner in the field the mother is very ill. The paramedics suspect she is suffering from a massive infection due to an improperly delivered placenta."

"Postpartum complications are very serious." Ada confirmed sympathetically as she watched Connor holding Hannah like a true expert. "I can understand your worries."

"She is currently en route with my partner to this hospital." Pausing for a moment Connor's brow arched a little as additional information was provided to him cybernetically. "...There are also instructions to not allow Diane's mother near either Diane herself, or Hannah."

"Sounds like family drama. I'm used to it."

Hannah began to fuss in Connor's arms and make discontent noises as the deviant held her in a comforting manner. "...She seems upset as well."

"Well, she's undoubtedly hungry. I'll get her some formula and you can feed her."

"...I can?"

"Sure. She trusts you and what better way to keep her safe than by taking on the role as her personal guardian for a while?"

"That seems... logical."

"There's no logic involved, honey. It's just years of instincts telling me that you're the one who's going to have the best impact on this sweet little baby's young life."

"I'd like to think I would be able to help Hannah as much as possible in a positive way."

"You are, Connor. Don't worry about that." Walking over to a special cabinet that contained brand new, sterilized baby bottles and formula Ada carried the selected supplies over to an adjoined room where a small kitchenette was set up for easier access for the nurses on staff. Using purified warm water and the perfect amount of powdered formula Ada mixed up the bottle and returned to the small private nursery area of the N.I.C.U. where Connor was sitting with Hannah, and handed him the prepared bottle as she gave Connor a curious look. "You don't know how to feed a baby, do you?"

"No. I do not."

Keeping her kind smile on her face Ada passed the bottle over to Connor then set about repositioning Hannah so he could offer her the formula in an ideal manner that the newborn would respond to. "Let me show you..."

Having escorted Diane to the hospital and watched as the emergency medical team quickly swarmed the teenager in an attempt to save her life Hank could only sigh despondently and try not to think about how Diane and Colin were still kids, and had been backed into a corner all because of one fateful night nine months prior. As he watched Diane being wheeled into an emergency treatment room Hank thought about what Diane had said about not letting her mother near the baby, and how Colin had stated that Diane's mother was "crazy" and decided that he'd do a little research in Diane's family history, and see if he could find another interesting lead to follow.

Reclaiming his visitor's pass and clearance badge Hank walked down the corridor back to the elevator and returned to the N.I.C.U. to fill Connor in on more details and confirm that the baby's mother had just been admitted in the hospital. As he rode the elevator up to the correct floor Hank noted the early morning hour of five-thirty and sighed loudly with fatigue.

"We need to remind Fowler we earned overtime tonight."

The elevator doors opened and Hank trudged down the corridor to the N.I.C.U. but didn't see Connor inside the secured room as he peered through the window that allowed passersby to see inside.

"Connor?"

"He's down here." Ada replied as she made a few notes in an electronic chart and waved Hank over to the doorway to the small nursery where she had placed Connor and Hannah to have a moment of privacy. "This particular newborn gets a little extra attention since she was abandoned."

"Attention?" Peering inside the window to the nursery curiously Hank spotted Connor sitting in the corner of the brightly colored room adorned with murals of flowers and balloons with the swaddled newborn in his arms, and a bottle in his hand. Seeing an oddly familiar yet foreign glimmer of pride in Connor's soulful brown eyes despite the distance Hank felt more dread well up inside of himself. "Oh, no..."

"Don't worry, Lieutenant. Connor knows that the baby will be entering foster care soon."

"He's still getting attached."

"Maybe a little, but I think he's just curious about babies."

"No way it's going to be that simple. I know him, and I know how much of a protector he is deep down inside."

"Well, that isn't a bad thing."

"No, but it could get complicated."

Patting Hank's upper left arm in an empathetic manner Ada gave the detective a comforting smile. "Why don't you go in and talk to him? My shift is over so when the next nurse comes in to check on the baby you'll be able to take Connor back out of the nursery."

"Yeah, sure." Opening the door to the nursery with his clearance badge Hank quietly walked into the nursery and stood a few feet away from where Connor was sitting, and even seemed to be gently rocking the baby as he fed her the bottle. Watching as the deviant contentedly played 'father' and watching as the baby's hand wrapped around Connor's pinky finger to squeeze Hank spoke up softly as to not frighten the newborn by accident. "Connor?"

"Hank." Looking up from Hannah's face Connor locked eyes with the senior detective and lowered his voice in the same manner to prevent the newborn from getting startled in the process. "I understand you found Diane and she is in critical condition. Did you learn anything else?"

"Yeah, apparently Diane doesn't want her own mother near her or the baby, and I think I know why Colin said Diane's mother was crazy back during the first interrogation."

"Why's that?"

"It may have been a feverish delirium, but Diane said that her mother somehow made her pregnant."

From beneath his bandage Connor's L.E.D. flickered red nervously before settling on a cautious yellow. "That isn't... possible."

"Maybe not in the traditional sense when it comes to human reproduction, but I've been a detective for a long time and I know that some kids end up the victims of some pretty fucked up shit thanks to their equally fucked up parents."

Connor's brow furrowed a little as his eyes darted down to the baby then back up toward Hank. "...Should you be using foul language around a newborn?"

Doing his best to not laugh at the absurd and innocent comment Hank dragged his left hand over his bearded chin and partially over his mouth to hide is sheepish grin. "I doubt she can understand what we're saying right now, kid. It's fine."

"Aren't children supposed to be highly intuitive, aware and constantly learning?"

"Connor, she's not even a day old. It'll be fine."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Once Diane has been stabilized you can go down and talk to her, then we'll go home and get some sleep."

"...What about the baby?"

"She has the entire hospital to watch over her. She'll be fine for a few hours without you being her personal bodyguard."

Connor wasn't entirely convinced but was willing to trust Hank's judgment on the situation. "I hope you're right." As the bottle was finished Hannah made more annoyed sounds and Connor wasn't quite sure how to respond to them. "...Hank, do you know why she's upset again?"

As much as Hank didn't want to indulge his paternal side and tend to the newborn, his professionalism holding him back, Hank tried to stay stone faced.  "Uh, why don't you-" The baby started to cry a little and his paternal side override his professional side in an instant. "Here, like this..."

Willingly Connor passed Hannah over to Hank and watched the much more experienced detective take the newborn for himself  and comfort her in a simple motion as he held her to his right shoulder, and gently rubbed her back with his left hand. "Why is she upset, Hank?"

"She's tiny and just had a large meal, she's gotta' be uncomfortable."

"I fed her too much?"

"No, kid. Infants don't really know to stop eating until after it gets uncomfortable, but they also grow really fast so it's going to be a bad habit they won't break for a long, long time." As the newborn quieted a little she spit up a small amount of the formula but it missed Hank's shoulder and ended up on the floor behind him. "...And that'll help, too."

"Is she ill?"

"No, Connor. She's fine."

"Good. ...I don't know much about infant care."

"Yeah, I can tell." The door to the nursery slid open and the next nurse, one Hank actually recognized as he had spent an uncomfortable amount of time in the hospital tending to cops injured in the line of duty, took the newborn from him to return her to the N.I.C.U. for continued observation, and to ensure security was close by. "Okay, the baby's been taken care of and now we need to deal with the mother."

"I'll go interview her." Connor stated quickly as he stood up from the chair and cybernetically downloaded more information on the case at hand. "...Her full name is Diane Nicolette Wemilat."

"Whoa, whoa..." The name instantly rung a bell and things began to fall into place in Hank's mind. "As in she's the daughter of Robert and Debra Wemilat, the owners of the Wemilat Construction Company and the Wemilat Hotel downtown?"

"Correct. The details are accurate."

"Fuck... No wonder Diane and Colin are so freaked out by the mother."

"I don't understand."

"Kid, Debra Wemilat is a woman NOT be fucked with." Escorting Connor out of the nursery Hank explained things as they walked side by side down the corridor to get the elevator at the end of the hallway. "She's notorious for getting her way through aggressive and financial means, and successfully ran her husband's competition out of the city by using mind games and buying people off. She's not a very nice person, and has been known to rely on classic bully tactics to threaten anyone she deems an enemy."

"Her reputation doesn't seem to be one of pride or respect."

"Nope. Be sure to let Diane tell you EVERYTHING she needs about whatever happened to her, and how she ended up with that baby. I get the feeling this case is going to be even messier than it already is once you get the details."

"I'll be very thorough." Stepping through the elevator doors beside Hank to descend to the proper floor Connor began cybernetically downloading information on the infamous woman, and prepared to take steps to protect himself and Hank in the event she tried nasty tactics to get her way. "I dislike the idea of having to deal with a potentially combative witness or accessory to a crime."

"And you take steps to make sure she can't do anything to harm you as a detective. Being an android might make you an irresistible target to a cold and vindictive woman."

"I can handle it, Hank. I won't let anything happen to the baby, or to her parents."

It took two hours for Diane to stabilize enough to recover some of her strength, and to regain consciousness. Placed in a private recovery room with security outside her door to both prevent Diane from trying to flee as the police needed to question her, and to keep her parents away from her until the police had more answers, she was entirely alone and scared. The nasal canula under nose and the I.V. running into the bend of her right arm delivering antibiotics, fluids and blood made her look as miserable as she felt.

Crying quietly to herself Diane didn't know what to do or what to think as the door to her room slid open, and an unknown man stepped inside the room to speak with her in private.

"Diane?"

The unfamiliar voice made her jump, and she quickly wiped away her tears as she turned away from his face in shame. "Please, go away."

"I can't do that." Walking over to the bed the figure pulled his wallet from his pocket to show Diane his badge as he introduced himself. "My name is Connor. I work with the Detroit Police department. I need to ask you some questions."

"Please, I don't want to talk."

"I can sympathize with you." The deviant replied sincerely as he stood beside the bed but kept his distance from the frightened teenager. "However, it is important that you tell me what happened tonight."

"...Why? Everything is over and I let that asshole run off with my baby. He... He killed my baby."

Connor's brow furrowed a little at the comment as it was not only untrue, but for Diane to believe such a statement would mean she had been aware of the events taking place or had spoken to someone who was aware of the fire. "What makes you say that, Diane?"

"I heard the nurses talking. They said a baby was found in a burning building and... I know Flint loves fire." Wiping away her tears as she refused to look Connor in the eyes Diane grieved for the child she believed she had lost, and felt her heart being crushed under the unbearable weight of guilt and regret. "I'm a monster..."

"You're not a monster, Diane."

"Yes I am!" Bursting with emotion and utter sorrow Diane rolled to her side to present her back to Connor as she continued to bawl, and express her genuine regret. "You weren't there! You didn't see what happened..."

"You're wrong, I was there." Refuting the statement in a bold tone Connor refused to let Diane needlessly punish herself for a crime she didn't commit. "I'm the one who located your baby and took her from the burning building."

Diane suddenly froze as she registered what Connor had said and began to quiet down as she slowly looked at Connor with wide, bloodshot eyes over her own shoulder. "...You took-" Breathing slowly and deeply as she dared to believe what Connor was telling her. "...My baby is alive?"

"Yes. She survived and is doing well."

"...She?" Like Colin it seemed Diane didn't see the baby before it was taken away from them just after she had been born. "...My baby is a girl?"

"Yes. She's okay, Diane. You didn't harm her in anyway."

Diane broke down and began to cry again as overwhelming relief and shock shifted her emotions from one extreme to another.

"Diane." Stepping closer to the bed Connor addressed the weeping teenager while maintaining his professional composure. Taking a tissue from the small box on the nearby table Connor passed over the tissue and watched as Diane's trembling left hand accepted it and promptly used it to dry her eyes. "Please talk to me. I must know what happened tonight."

"...Can I see Colin? Please?"

"Colin is at the precinct. We've already spoken to him but now it's your turn." As his mouth ticked a little Connor noted that Diane seemed intimidated by his presence and chose to bring a chair over from the neighboring wall to sit down and become eye level with the trembling young woman. "I'm not here to judge you or condemn you." He informed her in a kind and patient voice. "I'm here to help you and learn what happened tonight."

"...Did you tell my parents?" Diane's fears suddenly returned as she asked the understandable question. "I... I don't want them to know I'm here."

"No. You and Colin are both legally adults in the state of Michigan, and as a result there was no reason to contact your parents. And," making sure Diane knew she had been heard Connor reiterated Hank's earlier comment and gave her a reassuring glance. "we understand that you asked that your own mother be barred from seeing you or your baby, and we'll stand by that request."

"...Thank you."

"Will you please talk to me?"

Diane searched the kind deviant's face a moment as if seeking a tell in his personality, or facial expressions before finally giving him an answer. Nodding a little as she maintained eye contact with Connor as she gathered herself emotionally Diane agreed to speak. "...Okay. I'll tell you what happened."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Ever patient and empathetic Connor stayed beside the hospital bed as he cybernetically relayed Diane's story to the precinct via his visual and auditory processors. Listening to the heartbreaking story with flawless diligence and intrigue Connor remained unbiased, emotionally composed and was willing to be a literal shoulder for Diane to cry on if necessary. As each detail was explained to Connor without any sign of deceit or exaggeration in Diane's words or her demeanor the keen deviant detective had realized that both Diane and Colin were as much a victim of the night's tragic events as Hannah had been.

"When I was four my mother started to get a little obsessed with having babies." Diane stated somberly as she continued to use the tissue to dry her weepy cinnamon brown eyes. "It stayed that way for years until I was eleven, maybe twelve years old. When she couldn't conceive another baby she would begin to dote on me a little more and more until I wasn't a person anymore, I was her little baby doll to dress up and do with as she pleased."

"How so?"

"My mother would never let me choose my own clothes or let me style my hair. She picked every piece of my wardrobe and would also brush my hair and try to keep them in weird styles that would make me look really young. Like little pigtails with ribbons, or tiny lacy dresses that made me want to puke."

Having no experience with family drama Connor continued to ask questions in search of more thorough answers. "What of your father? Where was he and what was he doing while your mother was attempting to control you?"

"He... He tried to get mother to mellow out but it didn't help. She'd accuse him of intentionally sabotaging her attempts to have another baby, said things like he wasn't a 'real man' or he was a 'failure' because she couldn't get pregnant again. She even accused him of having an affair which is why he didn't want to keep trying for another baby!" The subject was one of a sensitive nature but Diane had no reason to spare her family's secrets anymore. "I later learned when I was thirteen from a family friend that my mom couldn't have any more children from a complication she suffered during my birth. Mother was in denial and decided the infertility problem was my father's fault, not her own, and kept obsessing to the point of insanity."

"Your mother was unable to accept her own physical limitations." The deviant was following Diane's chronicle of events and comparing her mother's behavior to that of psychological illnesses that Connor had familiarized himself with after resuming his career as a detective. "If she had been given such upsetting medical information beforehand then surely she would've attempted alternate methods to conceive a child."

"She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on I.V.F. treatments and a bunch of other procedures that was supposed to reverse the damage to her body, but the damage was permanent and mother couldn't handle not getting her way. She could never handle being told 'no', and many, many people know what happens if they even try."

"How does this particular night tie in to your mother's previous behavior?"

Diane took in a deep breath and resisted crying again as she told Connor the rest of her somber story. "...When I was twelve I met Colin and we became fast friends who quickly became boyfriend and girlfriend in the eighth grade. When we turned fifteen we started having sex and I went and got my birth control pills from a trusted family doctor, while Colin bought some condoms. We did everything right to stay safe and prevent this very problem from happening, and everything was fine for almost a year until my mother walked in on us when we snuck away to my bedroom to be together on my sixteenth birthday."

"Your mother was upset about learning of your sexual relationship with Colin."

"No. She was actually happy and encouraged it."

"...She 'encouraged' you to participate in sexual intercourse?" The comment was truly confusing for the naive deviant as he had no childhood experiences to fall back on for clarification. Pushing again for answers Connor asked Diane for more details. "From what I understand most parents are resistant to such behavior while their children are still underage, and in some cases unmarried."

"Yeah, that's right. And that's what was so weird about the whole thing. My mother was always about image," Diane began to lower her guard as she found Connor to be very easy to talk with. "she always had the best clothes, the best car, the biggest house, expensive jewelry, the best dinners and above all else the best family. I thought she was going to go berserk when she caught us having sex, but instead of being mad that her little 'baby doll' wasn't acting very innocent and doll-like, or getting mad that my decision was embarrassing to her personal reputation, she... She was proud."

"Proud?"

"Yeah. I thought she was only going easy on my because it was my birthday and she didn't want to make a scene at the party, but five months later... I discovered her little scheme far too late."

"...Diane, you stated that your mother is responsible for your pregnancy." Beneath the bandage over his right temple Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red rapidly before returning to a cautious yellow despite no eyes being able to see it. "Exactly what did she do to you?"

"After five months I thought I was finally free of my mother trying to keep me her tiny little doll and that maybe she was going to start treating me like an adult; she finally let me have a say in my clothing and hair, and everything. But instead..." Trailing off Diane's eyes dulled with pain as she recounted her tale.

"Instead, what?" Knowing that Diane had an important story to tell Connor encouraged her to finish it. "What happened?"

Diane took in a deep breath and nervously crossed her arms over her chest as she told Connor the rather unsettling details. "...She sabotaged my birth control pills, and poked holes in the condoms that Colin left in my bedroom's nightstand."

Pausing for a moment Connor contemplated what Diane had said and he pressed for more details regardless of how uncomfortable they may be. "...How do you know this?"

"Well, when I woke up and puked my guts out one morning my mother happily checked in on me instead of asking the maid to do it, and her first reaction wasn't one of concern that I was sick, it was of excitement and asked if I wanted to make an appointment to see her well paid doctor. Well, I went and her personal doctor, her high school friend, confirmed I was seven weeks pregnant. When I told him I was on the pill and using condoms he didn't believe me, and my mother essentially called me a liar in front of the doctor saying things like; 'She's young, these things happen.' and 'Don't worry, I'll handle her.' What I had to say didn't matter all over again."

"That behavior on your mother's part, while unfortunate, doesn't prove anything definitive."

"No, but I bet the entire box of condoms that had pin pricks through the center of each one, and my birth control pills that were somehow swapped with some vitamin A tablets could prove it."

"Did you keep any of this supposed 'evidence'?"

"Yeah. I locked the condoms and pills up in my safety deposit box at the bank just in case. I know my mother's grubby fingerprints are all over everything, and she had no reason to touch ANY of it."

"Did you confront her?"

"Yes! And she admitted it with a smug look on her face." Biting her lower lip Diane did her best to not snap at Connor as he did nothing wrong. "She even said she was just waiting for me to have a sexual relationship so she could finally have HER baby. It's not her baby, it's mine and Colin's baby. She just used me as an incubator because she wanted another baby... She doesn't care about me, I'm not a person I'm her property."

"If you can give us permission to examine the items we could-"

"Done."

Not at all surprised that Diane wanted her mother's behavior to be investigated Connor continued his line of questioning. "After you discovered your pregnancy what did you and Colin do?"

"We talked. A lot."

"May I ask what you discussed?"

Pausing for a moment Diane's hands tightened nervously around her arms as she hugged herself tighter. "...We considered abortion but I couldn't go through with it. Neither of us wanted to abort because we knew it wasn't the baby's fault and it's not like I was raped or anything, but we didn't want to keep it either. Then we talked about private adoption but my mother's influence wouldn't allow it. So we were going to find a way to give the baby away somewhere far from Detroit and away from my mother's reach."

"What of your parents? I know your mother was for the pregnancy but what of your father?"

"He was... Supportive. He told me what Colin and I decided to do he'd stand by it, and he knew that my mother was somehow responsible for my condition."

"He knew?"

"The way my mother was acting and was so quick to get me an appointment...  Yeah, he knew. He knew what she did to me..."

"I'm truly sorry that you had to endure such an emotionally traumatic event." Connor gave the teenager a sincerely kind tone as he spoke with her and continued to remain unbiased in his assessment. "What of Colin?"

"Well, Colin told his father; his mother died in a car accident when he was only three years old, and his father smacked him upside the head, and then kicked him out of the house."

"Colin's father disowned him? Why?"

"Because Colin was supposed to succeed in his football career, get drafted by the N.F.L. and support his father with millions of dollars."

"...Colin was disowned by his father because of this one incident? That seems harsh."

"Well, Colin's father isn't a good person. He's an alcoholic and I think he does drugs, too. I've never seen it but it's pretty easy to tell he's taking something. Since Colin can't play football and go to college if he's taking care of a baby his father found him to be completely useless, and wanted him gone. So, he moved in with me while we tried to figure out what to do. But when my mother started making plans for us; buying baby supplies, setting up a room for the baby, buying clothes, toys, books, a new car seat, a new crib, everything... We started to get weirded out and knew we couldn't stay at my parents' house anymore."

"And you didn't want your mother to have the baby either."

"No! She was acting like my baby was her own! Like I said she kept saying how she was excited to finally have another baby, not having a grandchild. And she controlled everything I ate, drank, wore, how often I slept or where I went. She even kept booking my prenatal appointments and went with me every time instead of letting Colin come with me. Hell, if she could've just taken just my belly to the appointments and left me behind at the house she would've done it."

"Did you confront your mother about that behavior?"

"Yeah, when I reached my fourth month and started to show I asked her why she wasn't letting me have a say in my appointments, the baby's room and how I raised my child, and she... She laughed at me. She said I was being 'silly' and that it was 'just the hormones', so I needed to let her take care of everything. That's when I realized that it really was an act of sabotage, not just a horrible string of accidents and coincidences that led to my pregnancy. I told Colin we needed to get away from my mother and find a way to keep the baby away from her, too."

Connor began to understand everything and leaned back in his chair a little. "Your plan was to hide out until you gave birth, give the baby up for adoption and then return to the city without telling your parents what had happened."

"Yeah, it was supposed to be that easy." Bowing her head a little Diane's eyes filled up with tears again as she remembered the vivid details of her recent experience and tried to keep her voice from breaking. "When I started to really get big and feel the baby kicking everything that felt like a nightmare suddenly became reality and I got scared. Then when it was time I was so afraid and in so much pain... Colin held my hand throughout the entire labor and delivery and Flint was supposed to just clean up the baby and take her to a hospital in Romulus, or even Ann Arbor, just to make sure my mother couldn't find her. I don't know why he went back to Detroit."

"We'll ask Flint that, as he too is in custody. Why didn't you go to a hospital to deliver the baby?"

"My mother's influence reaches really far and she has connections everywhere. We thought about going over the border to Canada to give the baby up in another country, but as soon as we used our passports..."

"Your mother would've been able to locate you."

"Yeah. We were going to drive to another state, Ohio or Indiana so I could give birth there, but I couldn't risk one of my mother's friends getting word on where we had gone to have the baby and telling her."

"What are your plans with the baby now?"

"Adoption. I'm too young to be a mother and Colin is too young to be a father. It may sound selfish but we want to live our own lives before we settle down and take care of a family. If, you know, we manage to stay together after everything that's happened."

"You're certain about the adoption?"

"Yes. I have the paperwork filled out and signed by both Colin and myself. We were just waiting to find the right family to take the baby, but Flint interfered and almost... Well, one bad decision led to another."

"I see. Thank you for your statement." Standing up from the chair Connor reclaimed his wallet and pulled out a card with his information on it and passed it over to Diane to take. "Thank you for talking to me, I'll be at the precinct and hovering close to the hospital as a precaution. If you need me just call and I'll come back to assist you."

"...Thank you, detective." Eyeing the card Diane noticed that the information had only one named attached, and she needed to ask why. "How come your card only has your first name?"

"Because I don't have a last name."

"...You're an android?"

Wanting to maintain Diane's trust Connor carefully peeled back the band aid over his right temple and showed the teenager his blue glowing L.E.D. without any hesitation. "Yes. My name is Connor, and no one else."

"Well, you're a better person than most of the people I know. So you're more than just a detective with one name to me."

"Thank you, Diane. Remain here and rest." Walking toward the door Connor gave the teenager additional words of comfort. "Your mother has been forbidden from seeing you, and if the hospital security fails to keep her back call me, and I'll take care of things. Your mother has no influence over me."

Dragging his left hand over his tired eyes Hank stumbled about the doctor's lounge of the hospital in search of coffee as he waited for Connor to find him. Keeping his ear to the conversations taking place all around him Hank could hear the odd discussions of troublesome patients, burned out colleagues and of course the tiny newborn baby that Connor had saved from the fire being the main topics of interest. When the nurses began to complain of a pushy woman in the waiting area demanding to see her daughter, claiming that she had the right to see her child and refusing to listen to reason, Hank had a feeling Mrs. Debra Wemilat had finally arrived.

"Shit." Opening the door Hank could hear the shouting from the waiting room and recognized the voice instantly. "The bitch is back..."

Security had gotten involved and was trying to dissuade Debra from being so loud and aggressive, but it wasn't enough. The rich, entitled woman had brought her personal lawyer along with her to the hospital to try to argue her way in, but even her own lawyer knew she couldn't override Diane's rights as an adult to get near Diane or the baby.

"I bet the N.I.C.U. is just having a blast right now..." Taking his leave of the lounge Hank headed down the corridor to get to the elevator to check out the secured area just in case they needed some back-up. As soon as he stepped onto the correct floor Hank saw Connor speaking with a doctor outside the door leading to the N.I.C.U. and knew the young deviant had officially gotten attached to the baby. "Damn it, kid... She's a person and not a stray animal. You can't just take her in."

"Hank." Connor noticed Hank immediately and nodded at the senior detective. "I have Diane's statement. We can return to the precinct now."

"Yeah? Good. But we're going to have to take the backdoor outta' here."

The comment made Connor's blue L.E.D. cycle to yellow with curiosity. "...Why's that?"

"Mrs. Wemilat is downstairs and raising hell about seeing her daughter."

"Oh."

"Come on. We'll take a discreet leave and see what Gavin found out regarding his interview with that 'Flint' guy."

"...No need." The yellow L.E.D. flashed to red rapidly then cycled back to yellow before settling on blue. "I've downloaded Gavin's interview."

"Cool. So, what's that guy's deal?"

"It appears Flint Allen was hired by a Martin Orwell-" Connor's brow furrowed slightly with disappointment as he relayed the information of the interview for Hank, and caused his L.E.D. to shift to yellow. The information gathered was rather bleak if not entirely tragic. "...Martin Orwell is Colin's father."

Giving the deviant an impatient stare Hank waited for the rest of the report. "What does he have to do with this mess?"

"According to Diane's statement Mr. Orwell disowned Colin because of the pregnancy as raising a child would inhibit Colin's ability to go to college, and potentially land a large multimillion dollar contract by being drafted into a professional football team."

Unsure if he wanted any more information Hank hesitated for a moment before urging Connor to continue. "...And?"

"Martin Orwell offered Flint Allen a ten-thousand dollar check to... abandon the baby in the house and to set the house on fire."

"...Orwell PAID Flint to try to murder his own granddaughter?! What the fuck..." Looking visibly sick Hank's shoulders slumped and his face paled as a new fire began to burn in his blue eyes. "How in the hell did THAT happen?"

"Apparently Mr. Orwell had been using Flint Allen as a drug connection and Flint had let it slip that Colin and Diane were hiding out with him."

"Why did those kids go to Flint to begin with?"

"According to the interview from Gavin's report Flint was a childhood friend of Colin who fell into drugs and dropped out of high school. Mr. Orwell had given Flint his first taste of 'red ice' and got him addicted."

"Son of a bitch..."

"When Mr. Orwell learned that Colin was still determined to finish high school, go to college and continue to play football he offered Flint the money to 'get rid of the baby'; thereby getting rid of Colin's hypothetical problem."

"For fuck sake." Righteously angry Hank didn't know what else to say other than the obvious. "It's a BABY, not a bad grade on a report card!"

"...I'm aware of that fact."

"Alright, so where's Martin Orwell now?"

"Gavin and Tina arrested him this morning. He was high and had copious amounts of 'red ice' strewn about the house. Not only is he being charged with soliciting infanticide and arson, but he's being charged with numerous counts of drug possession, as well as an investigation into child abuse despite Colin being legally an adult."

"GOOD. One less asshole trying to hurt her now."

Nervously Connor glanced back at the N.I.C.U. and nodded subtly as his yellow L.E.D. pulsed a little faster. "Hank, I strongly suggest that we don't leave the baby in the hospital."

"Security's here, kid. She'll be fine."

"From what Diane had told me Mrs. Wemilat has great influence over the community, including the hospital. I believe she's going to try to claim legal custody of the baby against Diane's wishes."

"Connor, what do you want us to do about it?" Exhausted and ready to just leave the whole damn case behind Hank gave the empathetic deviant a tired glance without any energy beyond his fiery gaze. "We're detectives, not social services."

"We may not be social services but we are sworn to protect and serve the innocent. Who is more innocent than that baby?"

"Kid, look-"

"Please, Hank. It'd be best for everyone if the baby was taken away from the hospital and the drama to allow the family to sort things through without arguing about rights, or parentage. If she's away from everything it'll help simplify things for the time being."

"Yeah, I agree about that. There's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"No one has the right to take that baby from the hospital. Her future is up in the air and who knows who'll decide it for her in the end."

As the L.E.D. cycled in a steady yellow Connor squared his jaw and gave Hank a steadfast and determined stare. "...We could."

"What? How?"

"Foster care. I know you're a part of the program."

"Man, I haven't fostered a kid since Cole was born." It had been almost a solid decade since Hank and his late wife Barbara had a foster kid under their protection back at their small but loving home. "I don't have it in me to do it again."

"Well... I could apply for foster care and take her home for a while."

"YOU? You want to foster a kid?" Pointing at the N.I.C.U. Hank seemed absolutely dumbstruck by the offer. "And you want to start with her?"

"Yes." Leveling his voice Connor stood by his proposition and didn't show any sign of backing down. "I want to take care of the baby."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The stubborn deviant's decision had resulted in a lengthy discussion between the two detectives as they began to argue against the very idea of Connor acting as a foster parent for the newborn baby, while also working on her case. The fact that Connor was willing to recuse himself from the investigation wasn't necessarily going to be a problem regarding the baby's care and the resulting case, but his complete lack of experience with caring for children and not having been approved for the foster care program was going to prove itself to be a real hindrance to overcome. 'Red tape' and professionalism wasn't the only thing that made Hank wary of the decision, and he was struggling to explain things to Connor without sounding cold or cruel.

"Connor, no." Trying to put his foot down on the matter Hank remained calm and reasonable as he attempted to get Connor to change his mind. "I get that you're worried for the baby and you just want to help, but I can't let you take care of her."

"Why not?" With his L.E.D. cycling in red Connor looked truly hurt and didn't understand why Hank was so against it. The senior detective liked kids and had a soft spot when it came to protecting them. It didn't make any sense that Hank wouldn't want to help the baby. "I may not have had a childhood or have any children of my own but I know I can take care of one baby and keep her safe while this case is being sorted out."

"Kid, I've seen the way you look at the baby whenever you're watching over her and feeding her." Putting his right palm on Connor's left shoulder in a grounding manner Hank leveled with his bullheaded partner. "You're already getting attached to her. When this mess is cleaned up and the baby finally gets placed in a family where she belongs you'll be all torn up inside once you're separated. I don't want to see you hurt."

"...I can handle it."

"You say that now but if you start to bond even more with that baby you won't be able to let her go. It's going to hurt and I don't want to see you hurting."

"What about the baby? She was taken from her biological parents the moment she was born, put in a decrepit, rotting house and was left there to die after the house was intentionally set on fire." Shaking his head a little Connor gave Hank an impressively empathetic stare as he relayed the baby's short but traumatic history. "Neither of her biological parents can take care of her, her maternal grandfather doesn't want to take care of her, her paternal grandfather tried to have her killed, and her maternal grandmother is mentally unsound. I'm the only one she knows she can trust."

"Connor, please. Don't get involved."

"The moment I risked my life to save her life I became involved." Stepping back from the senior detective and toward the N.I.C.U. Connor refused to back down on his decision. "I won't abandon her like the rest of her family has already done. I won't do that to her or anyone else. I know how it feels..."

"Whoa, what?" Rushing to put himself between Connor and the N.I.C.U. door Hank gave the deviant a worried glance. Searching over Connor's soulful brown eyes Hank could see the pain in his partner's eyes and knew he was speaking from personal experience. "What do you mean you know how it feels?"

"...CyberLife." The reply was somber and low. "I... I deviated and they readily dismissed me with no further purpose. When I was with Markus during the night of the Revolution CyberLife attempted to regain control over my programming, and in order to do that they had to lock away my consciousness in a desolate icy wasteland. They had abandoned me, the real me, to die alone and let my shell of a body assassinate Markus. I managed to escape but even then I was left with nothing after successfully removing CyberLife from my programming."

"Shit, kid. Why didn't you tell me that sooner?"

"I don't know. Because it wasn't important, I guess."

"It was important, son. Why would you say otherwise?"

"...In that time I found you and you took me in. I had been abandoned and then taken in, and I just want to do the same for the baby. I know what it's like to feel entirely alone, and it's... wrong. She shouldn't be exposed to that type of loneliness."

Completely floored by the admission Hank just stood idle as Connor resumed walking toward the N.I.C.U. and the baby. Unable to stop Connor from leaving all Hank could do was watch as Connor showed his clearance badge and his shield to the security guard outside the N.I.C.U.'s entrance to step inside the protected room to be with the baby once more.

"Fuckin' hell..." Pulling his phone from his coat pocket Hank scrolled through his list of contacts and connections he had made throughout his impressive career as a detective and honed in on a number he hadn't called in over a decade, and pressed 'dial'. The line rang only twice before Hank heard the voice on the other end answer, and he spoke to an old friend he had nearly forgotten about. "Hey, Alicia." Smirking as the familiar feminine voice responded with shocked enthusiasm despite the early morning hour upon hearing Hank's voice. "Yeah, it has been a long time. Look, uh," glancing at the window allowing visual access to the N.I.C.U. Hank watched as Connor resumed hovering protectively over the incubator to watch over the sleeping baby and took in a deep breath as he closed his eyes. "I need a favor... A big favor."

Unable to think of anything beyond protecting the baby who needed someone, anyone to step up as her guardian, Connor stayed beside the incubator and watched as the baby that he and Nurse Ada Giles had dubbed "Hannah" slept peacefully in the warm safe space. Not wanting to accidentally disturb her Connor remained quiet and just watched over the tiny baby, and ran a scan over her person to track her now stable, healthy vital signs.

"You won't be alone for long, Hannah." Whispering as to not disturb the baby's sleep Connor just watched her as his L.E.D. slow cycled in yellow in his right temple with a true urge to protect her overwhelming his mind. "I'll find a way to keep you safe."

Staying beside the incubator for almost an hour Connor watched as Hannah slowly awoke from her nap and glanced about the transparent plastic case of the incubator with her dark blue eyes, and slowly moved her hands and feet as she laid on her back with nowhere really to go.

"You're already quite strong. I just wish you didn't have to solely rely on other people for your care for the legally required minimum of seventeen years. I know you're going to be someone very special when you grow up."

The door to the N.I.C.U. slid open as Hank and a woman in her late forties with her raven black hair pulled back in a neat bun, a deep complexion, a dark red pant-suit, low heeled black pumps, and an electronic clipboard in her right hand entered the room to speak to Connor. The deviant's L.E.D. remained yellow as he watched his partner and the unknown woman approach the incubator to talk to him.

"Connor?" The woman stated in a kind and inquisitive voice. "My name is Alicia Wallis. I'm a social worker who approves candidates for foster care."

As Connor scanned over the woman's face to confirm her identity and her credentials his L.E.D. briefly shifted to red with intrigued confusion before returning to a cautious yellow. "Hello." Extending his right hand to shake and greet her more properly Connor glanced over at Hank who seemed to be nervous about something but maintaining his composure all the same. "...Are you here to discuss the baby's case?"

"Yes. From what I understand you wish to foster the baby until she can be placed with a permanent family."

"...That's correct."

"Since Lieutenant Anderson had already been approved for the program and I understand you two are both partners at the precinct and share the same residence I'm willing to allow you to take temporary custody over the baby, and have a social worker check in on your progress from time to time."

Connor's warm brown eyes widened slightly as he realized Hank had relented in his previous decision. "...I have permission to take the baby to the house and remain her temporary guardian?"

"That's right." Holding out the clipboard for Connor to take Alicia gave him a kind smile. "I had to pull some strings and greatly emphasize that you're a detective who wanted to shelter a newborn, but I was able to get the proper paperwork filed. We just need your signature."

"Y-Yes, of course." Taking the clipboard being offered Connor signed his name quickly and passed it back over to Alicia to take. "Thank you."

Looking down at the name on the clipboard Alicia's smile faltered for a moment. "O-Oh, uh, you need to have a full name for the signature to be valid."

"...I don't have a surname."

Hank cleared his throat and took the clipboard from Alicia's hand for a moment. "Hold on, just use my name." Adding a middle initial of 'H' behind Connor's name and then tagging on 'Anderson' Hank initialed the document to confirm the signature was valid and then signed the final line before he handed the clipboard back over to Alicia to take. "There. Now what?"

"Just as before," Alicia needlessly reminded Hank with a supportive tone as she confirmed everything was in order. "you need to just be her guardian and keep the baby safe until everything gets sorted. I'll be in touch."

Connor nodded a little as he looked down at Hannah and gave her a gentle grin. "See? I told you that I'd find a way to keep you safe."

While Alicia smiled at the comment Hank put his hands to his hips and gave Connor a wary glance. "It's not that simple, kid. You're going to stay here with the baby and cybernetically file the paperwork at the precinct, and I'm going to go grab a few things out of storage."

Still a little confused Connor shot Hank an odd glance as his brow arched inquisitively. "Storage?"

"Yeah. We can't exactly get the baby to the house without a car seat, or give her a place to sleep without a crib."

"Oh. Yes. Of course."

"I kept most of Cole's baby things in storage so I just need to load up the car, get a few things dropped off at the house, then come back and get you both."

A relieved grin appeared on Connor's face at the comment. "Thank you, Hank."

"Yeah, sure. Just do me one favor, kid."

"What's that?"

Nodding at the incubator warily Hank gave Connor a pleading glance. "...Try not to get more attached to her than you already are."

"I-" Glancing down at Hannah as the newborn became more and more alert and began to make sounds in response to the voice speaking around her Connor knew that the favor was one he may be unable to keep. "...I'll do my best."

Despite the initial protests from both Hank and then Captain Fowler the baby was finally able to leave the hospital and go to a home to be safe and sound from the chaos of the world around her. After being shown a few more techniques on proper care for a newborn; holding her properly, feeding, diaper changes, signs of potentially poor health and other details, Connor was able to change Hannah into a small pale blue 'onesie' and gently place her in the baby carrier/car seat to carry her out of the hospital, and to the car parked out back behind the hospital.

Hank was utterly exhausted but now having a newborn in his care, despite Connor technically being the baby's guardian, had filled him with much needed energy. Walking with Connor as they walked toward the elevator to return to the ground floor of the hospital Hank gave Connor a wary look. "Ready to handle this?"

"I wouldn't have volunteered my time if I wasn't ready."

"Good. I'll help ya' out, but since you recused yourself from the investigation I'm going to have to fill in Gavin and Tina on the details, and start work on a new case myself."

"I understand." The elevator doors opened and Connor stepped through with the baby carrier in his right hand and angled in such a way that Hannah could see where she was going as Connor walked and carried her about. It didn't take long for the two detectives to hear the infamous Debra Wemilat still screaming to the point where her voice was getting hoarse, and still arguing with security once they reached the ground floor. "...Normally I'd suggest intervening with the argument, but right now I think it'd be best to keep moving."

"You're damn right."

Walking through the receptionist area right past Debra, the crazed and entitled woman having no clue that her granddaughter was being taken away from her just a few feet away, Connor held his head high and didn't show any sign of hesitation for choosing to play 'daddy' for a while. As soon as they were outside of the hospital and in the warm summer air Connor felt a tremendous weight of guilt lift from his shoulders, and eyes brightened.

"Good thing I picked the blue 'onesie' for her to wear." Hank remarked somewhat smugly as he looked down at Hannah in the carrier. "If she was wearing the traditionally feminine colors then that crazy bitch might've tried to stop us." Feeling confident Hank motioned to the car parked in a nearby spot behind the large building and opened up the passenger side door to push the passenger seat forward. "The backseat isn't huge but it's big enough to safely accommodate the car seat. I tested it when I picked it up from storage."

"Thank you for doing this, Hank. I'm glad you're willing to help her out."

"Well, you were right. She does need a safe place to be and get away from the drama for a while." Stepping aside Hank watched as Connor easily placed the car seat into the backseat and secured it perfectly into place. As the deviant stepped back Hank replaced the seat and motioned for Connor to sit down. "And since I already have everything ready to go to help her out it only make sense to let you have your chance to experience something entirely new when it comes to humanity."

"Are you referring to parenthood?"

"Fatherhood to be exact."

"I'm looking forward to it." Glancing at Hannah in the backseat as the baby let out a small yawn Connor felt his yellow L.E.D. return to blue and his stress leave his mind entirely. "...I hope she'll enjoy being somewhere quieter and safe."

"She will, son." Sitting down in the driver's seat Hank turned over the engine and turned on the air conditioning to cool off the car and make sure that the little baby wasn't too warm in the summer heated car. "She may be baby 'Jane Doe' at the hospital, but while she's at the house she can be baby 'Jane Anderson'."

"...Hannah."

"Said what?"

"Hannah." Connor repeated casually as Hank pulled the car out of the parking lot and got onto the street to head for home. "That's what Nurse Giles and I have been calling her. It was her suggestion that Hannah get a real name to help her case gain some traction and be handled quicker."

"...Alright." Shaking his head a little as he realized it was far too late to keep Connor from becoming too attached to the baby Hank addressed Hannah by her (un)official name with a breathy sigh. "Hannah it is. She doesn't have a middle name, does she?"

"No. Hannah will suffice for now."

"Yeah, you're right." Glancing up at the baby's reflection in the rearview mirror Hank couldn't stop a paternally proud grin from appearing on his face. "As long as she has a real first name and someone to look after her that's all that matters."

Exhausted and in need of sleep Hank had passed out on the couch while Connor set up the crib in his own bedroom and while Hannah remained in the carrier on the coffee table beside the couch until she could lay down for a proper nap. While Hank slept on his back and stretched out over the length of the couch Sumo sat on the floor next to the coffee table and pressed his chin down over the surface as he stared at Hannah with his big brown eyes. The massive dog sensed right away that he needed to help protect Hannah as well.

As Hank began to softly snore Connor returned to the livingroom and gently plucked Hannah out of the carrier and held her to his chest to carry her down the hallway and into his bedroom so she could lay down in the rebuilt, cleaned and padded crib.

"Come on, Hannah." Having finally changed out of the scrubs and into his blue jeans and a black t-shirt Connor appeared much more like himself, and far more comfortable. "I'm going to let you get used to the crib and then I'm going to check through the clothes you can possibly wear."

The small baby just seemed to melt into Connor's shoulder as he carried her to the bedroom and very gently placed her down in the crib. Placing a small white baby blanket that had two kittens embroidered on the bottom right corner over Hannah's legs Connor was confident she would be warm while napping, but wouldn't have to worry about the blanket covering her face.

"For what it's worth," he whispered to the baby as Sumo slowly plodded into the bedroom and laid down at the foot of the crib to continue to protect the tiny newborn baby. "it seems your mother and father do care about you very much. They just aren't ready to be parents, and it's not your fault that you were born into this mess."

Hannah just made small noises as her hands grabbed onto the blanket on her legs weakly, but failed to move it around.

"In time you'll find a family that'll give you a place to belong. I can feel it."

It didn't take long for the baby's blue eyes to close and her noises to quiet down as Hannah fell prey to fatigue and settled in for another nap.

"I'm going to be down the hallway Hannah. You'll be safe here."

Walking away from the crib Connor wandered down the hallway and into the livingroom where he proceeded to put the carrier down on the floor in the corner of the livingroom, and then went into the kitchen to sort through the plastic totes of baby clothing that Hank had brought out of storage. As he took the clothing from the totes and identified the clothes that were the right size for Hannah to wear Connor heard a soft knocking on the front door that stole his attention.

Hank was too deep asleep to be disturbed and Sumo remained in the bedroom beside the crib to keep an eye on Hannah. Walking into the livingroom Connor opened the front door and was greeted by Alicia who had a colleague with her. "Oh, Mrs. Wallis." For a moment Connor's blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow, then it went back to blue. "I wasn't aware you'd be stopping by so soon."

"Hello, Connor. I hope this isn't a bad time."

"No, come inside." Stepping aside Connor allowed the two women inside the house. "Hannah is napping down the hallway in her crib at the moment."

"Hannah?" Alicia smiled at the name and looked at Hank's face as the senior detective continued to sleep on the couch. "That's a lovely name."

"Thank you."

Turning her attention to her colleague Alicia provided introductions and kept her upbeat attitude in response to the circumstances. "This is Sandra Osmond. She's been assigned as your case worker while everything regarding Hannah's care is being sorted out."

Connor nodded and extended his right hand out toward Sandra to greet her in the same respectful manner as he had done to Alicia earlier that morning. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Osmond."

"Where's the baby?" Sandra replied rather coldly as she begrudgingly shook Connor's hand, and stared at the blue L.E.D. glowing in his temple with visible disdain in her eyes. She was in her early thirties, had platinum blonde hair that was cut short, piercing blue eyes, a black skirt and matching blazer, low red heels and a heartless gaze. "I wish to see her current environment."

"As I stated earlier she is napping down the hallway. I'll show you to her crib." Connor did his best to not take Sandra's cold demeanor personally as he escorted the two women down the hallway to check on Hannah, and entered the bedroom very quietly. "I was going through the clothing in the kitchen when you arrived."

Sandra glanced about the bedroom, taking note of the modest furnishings as Connor didn't need much, and examined the crib closely. Without disturbing Hannah in the process Sandra peered down at the newborn and gave her a silent nod. "Is this all she has?"

"No. Her clothing is in the kitchen to be sorted and washed, same with stuffed toys and bottles."

"Diapers?"

Without missing a beat Connor slid open his closet door and showed the six full boxes of diapers stacked up neatly inside the storage space. On the shelf above the boxes were bottles of baby powder, cream, lotions and a changing mat. Thanks to Hank they already had all the supplies they'd need.

"Formula?"

"In the kitchen with her bottles, and if it becomes necessary there is a highchair to feed her from."

Alicia nodded in approval as she patted the side of Connor's right arm. They watched Sandra turn her nose up at the sight of Sumo sweetly watching over the baby, and walked back down the hallway to find her way into the kitchen. Alicia seemed to have been anticipating Sandra's reactions and was trying to reassure Connor that patience would pay off.

"There's a decent selection of bottles, tops and a large assortment of formula..." Sandra was chronicling everything in the kitchen, and proceeded to go through the storage totes on the kitchen table to note the clean clothes, blankets and the various stuffed animals that were ready to be played with again. It was everything any good parent would have and yet Sandra didn't seemed impressed, she seemed suspicious. "This is quite a lot to have in just a few hours of being approved for the foster care program."

"Hank," motioning to the senior detective sleeping through the entire visit on the couch Connor explained things logically. "had a son who has tragically passed away due injuries he sustained in a car accident. Hank had placed his late son's possessions in storage, and from what I understand Hank and his late wife had planned on having more children before she too passed away after being injured in the line of duty."

"I see..."

"May I ask what I'm doing wrong?"

Sandra gave the deviant an irritated glance as she practically glared at Connor. "Pardon?"

"You're clearly upset with what you're seeing, and I wish to correct any errors to ensure Hannah is properly taken care of."

Upon hearing the question Sandra's eyes narrowed at Connor as if offended, and didn't want to answer. "Aside from your partner's experience with being a father what experience do you have with childcare?"

"I received guidance from nurses while I was spending time with Hannah at the hospital."

"So you've never spent any time with children before?"

"No, I have not."

Seemingly proud to write down that information a thin smile appeared on Sandra's face and she seemed to be checking off special boxes mentally. "...Interesting."

"However, I feel my lack of experience is an unfair assessment of my ability to take care of Hannah."

"And why's that?"

Pointing to the bandages still wrapped around his left forearm Connor held up the damaged limb and explained his logic. "I had been wounded while rescuing her from the burning building, and as you should be very familiar with, every parent is new at some point in their life. To act as though my first attempt to care for a child should be marked as a poor trait is not only illogical, but it's unfair." Nodding at Alicia without drawing too much attention toward her Connor continued his explanation. "All parents must learn how to be a parent at some point, and the only way to learn is to experience parenthood firsthand."

The thin smile faded into a cold frown as Connor's logic was infallible. "Well, that's easy enough for humans to experience. I doubt a machine can truly understand the difficulty of parenthood."

"If me being an android is somehow a hindrance to Hannah's care in your eyes I can assure you that it's unfounded. Numerous other androids were programmed specifically with childcare in mind. I can easily download the same software and incorporate the proper techniques into my daily routine."

Sandra seemed to be truly annoyed that Connor had a logical and positive answer for everything that she was attempting to twist in a negative light. "I'll be back in two days to check in on the baby."

Connor's mouth ticked a little as he watched the blonde woman storm through the kitchen and back toward the front door in the livingroom. "Should I purchase anything else, or change anything to make improvements?"

"...Just wait until our next appointment."

Alicia silently mouthed the words 'You're doing great.' before she too took her leave. "While everything's being sorted at your precinct regarding Hannah's case you two just focus on taking care of her, and we'll be in touch."

"Yes, of course." As if on cue Hannah suddenly began to cry and Connor immediately went down the hallway to check on the newborn baby. His blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow, then red before settling back on yellow. "I'll see you in two days."

Smiling at Connor's immediate reaction and instinct to take care of the baby Alicia knew that Hannah was in good hands even if her colleague didn't believe that an android could take care of her. "I'll see you then, Connor." Passing by the couch Alicia just smirked at Hank as the exhausted senior detective continued to snore away and sleep. "It's nice to see you again, Hank. Hopefully next time you'll be awake."

While Sandra and Alicia let themselves out through the front door Hank caught the sound of the newborn cries, and lifted his head up from the couch just in time to see Connor walking back down the hallway with Hannah protectively in his arms.

A little confused by the sound then remembering fairly quickly all the horrible events of the bizarre case that he and Connor had just handled, Hank sat upright slowly on the couch to look at the deviant trying to soothe the crying newborn. "...Hey, kid."

"Hello, Hank." Connor still had Hannah resting against his chest and was using his left hand to rub Hannah's back soothingly. "You missed Mrs. Wallis and Hannah's social worker, Sandra Osmond."

"Are you serious?" Dragging his right hand over his tired face Hank sighed and watched as Connor began to pace back and forth behind the couch in an attempt to soothe Hannah. "I slept through a fuckin' social worker visit?"

"Yes. It appears Mrs. Osmond is not a fan of androids and may become a hindrance in my attempt to care for Hannah."

"Well, fuck her. Humans have to learn how to take care of humans, and then humans programmed androids to do the same thing. It's stupid to hold that against you."

"I'm glad you agree." Wincing a little as Hannah cried louder right in his ear Connor paused, his L.E.D. flashing to red before returning to yellow, and he looked to Hank for guidance. "...She woke up very upset and I do not know why."

"Did something wake her up?"

"No, she woke up on her own."

"Does she need to be changed?"

"No, she's clean."

"Is she hungry?"

"...I do not know."

"Well, there's only one way to find out." Standing up from the couch Hank trudged into the kitchen and set about preparing a bottle of formula for the newborn to drink while he did his best to ignore the temptation of coffee calling his name. The last thing he needed was coffee to give him insomnia while he was still tired and needing to sleep in his bed. Placing the kettle under the sink Hank filled it up with clean water then put it on the burner on the stove to heat up. "Any update from the precinct?"

Connor resumed pacing with Hannah and was joined by Sumo as the massive dog sat down at the end of the hallway and watched his deviant master tending to the unexpected but very welcome addition to the household with a curious stare. "I can check in, just give me a moment." Closing his eyes Connor cybernetically tapped into the precinct and received an update on the case and with the update a mixture of feelings began to arise ranging from relief, to dread and sorrow. "...Colin was released from the precinct and is visiting with Diane at the hospital. Diane herself will be released from the hospital in two more days if she doesn't suffer any further complications or infections."

"Okay, good so far." Taking the kettle from the stove before it had the chance to heat up to its maximum degree and whistle Hank poured the warm water into a nearby clean bottle and found the cooking thermometer in a nearby drawer. Checking to make sure the water wasn't too hot Hank added the proper amount of powdered formula to the bottle and added the water as he mixed it up rhythmically until the powder was fully dissolved. "What about the arsonist?"

"Flint Allen is being charged with arson, malicious destruction of private property, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder on top of his numerous drug charges. It's possible he'll also be charged with trespassing on the property of the destroyed house and other assault charges due to the heinous nature of the act."

"Even better."

"...Martin Orwell is also being charged with attempted murder, and due to his biological connection to Hannah he'll also be charged with attempted infanticide. Like Flint, he'll be charged with conspiracy to commit murder, and he'll be brought up on numerous drug charges. Colin will testify against his father and confirm the years of drug abuse, alcohol abuse and even child abuse, as well as neglect."

"Alright..." Screwing on the top to the bottle of fresh formula Hank returned to the livingroom and motioned for Connor to stop pacing and to sit down on the couch so Hannah could be fed. "And what about Diane's parents?"

"Robert Wemilat has been informed of Diane's current condition and of the restrictions against Debra Wemilat, and has been very cooperative with the police. He has corroborated Diane's statement regarding his wife's previous behavior toward their daughter as well."

"Right. See if she drink this." Rejoining Connor in the livingroom Hank passed the bottle over to the deviant and watched as Connor readjusted the fussing newborn in his left arm so he could offer the baby the bottle. It didn't take long for Hannah to latch onto the bottle and began to greedily drink and placate her hunger. "Yup, she was hungry."

"I'm glad you're here to help me, Hank." Connor admitted rather somberly. "I'm very interested in protecting Hannah and helping her to find a place in this world to belong, but I admit being unable to rely on past experiences for childcare feels incredibly limiting."

"Yeah, well, no one should have to raise a newborn alone. It can be pretty stressful." Thinking about the first day he brought Cole home from the hospital, and how exhausted Barbara had been after the birth, Hank felt a piece of his heart beginning to ache at the memories of his lost family. Using his thumb under his left eye to wipe away a rogue tear before it had the chance to fall Hank changed the subject back to the case. "...Uh, I hate to ask this, but what was the behavior that Diane's mother showed that made it important to the case?"

Connor's yellow L.E.D. turned red for a moment as he prepared to tell Hank the heartbreaking story that Diane had told him, and had been subsequently taken as Diane's statement. "...Well, the details are unsettling but they do answer the disturbing question as to how Debra is responsible for her own daughter's unexpected pregnancy."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It took two weeks for the precinct to sort out the mess and to bring the case of arson to trial. With the testimony of Colin and Diane, as well as the evidence of Flint having started the fire piling up against him; the phone call regarding the fire, the traces of gasoline all over Flint's clothing from that night, traffic cameras recording his vehicle driving to a gas station to get the accelerant used to start the fire, then driving down the street where the abandoned house was set ablaze, Flint Allen was sentenced to forty years in prison without the possibility of parole for committing arson, attempted murder in the first degree, solicitation for murder, drug possession and numerous other violations.

The same week Colin's father was brought up on charges for the solicitation of attempted murder, attempted murder of the third degree, drug possession and child abuse for throwing Colin out onto the street when he was still sixteen years of age; only turning seventeen three months afterward. Martin Orwell was sentenced to thirty years in prison, and like Flint he would not be eligible for parole.

Despite Colin's attempt to kidnap the baby from the hospital it was determined that he had no malicious intent and was merely trying to protect himself and Diane from Diane's greedy mother. The hospital did have him charged with trespassing for stealing the hospital clearance badge and was fined for his misdeed, which of course Diane's father paid on the young man's behalf, and afterward Colin was put on a year of probation. He was also able to keep his scholarship despite his less than stellar decisions as of late.

It was a somber and macabre set of circumstances as the two men were sentenced to prison and taken away, and yet it was also a huge relief. Two dangerous and selfish people were off the streets, but Hannah still had nowhere to go. While neither Diane or Colin were being charged with any wrongdoing due to the unfortunate circumstances that they were forced into the young parents weren't ready to be parents at all, and didn't seek custody of their daughter.

Diane had returned home to face her parents and refused to tell her mother where the baby was out of a need to protect Hannah from her own grandmother's psychosis, which in turn led to a whole new wave of drama for the teenager to survive. Maintaining secret contact with Connor as he had proven to be a trustworthy ally for her during her time of need Diane learned that Connor had taken on her baby through the foster care system, and was relieved to know it.

Connor easily took to fatherhood and carried Hannah about the livingroom in an attempt to rock her to sleep, and slowly paced back and forth from one end of the livingroom to the other. Scanning the two week old's body Connor confirmed that Hannah was developing normally, was perfectly healthy and seemed to be a completely normal infant despite her abnormal beginning.

"Perhaps the swing will soothe you to sleep." The deviant thought out loud as Hannah resisted going down for a nap and made small annoyed sounds of protest. Carrying Hannah over to the small swing that Connor had ordered the day after his first visit from Alicia and Sandra the deviant gently placed Hannah down in the soft seat and began to push on the swing to rock her in a gentle rhythm. "The sooner you adjust to a sleep schedule the better it'll be for us both."

Sitting on the floor beside the swing Connor watched the infant with utter fascination and felt an odd lightness and warmth spreading through his heart as he took in the sight of the tiny baby in his care settling down in the swing, and finally closing her blue eyes to go to sleep.

"I'm glad this worked. Now I can wash your blanket without having to worry about leaving you alone for too long." Just as he was about to stand up from the floor the front door opened and Hank returned home after his shortened shift at the precinct. "Hello, Hank."

"Hey, Connor." Noticing that Hannah was sleeping in the swing against the wall in the livingroom Hank quietly closed the door behind himself as he slipped off his shoes and walked over to the couch to sit down. "How's Hannah?"

"Sleeping well. Alicia and Sandra will be stopping by today."

"Again? What for?"

"...Well, I've been speaking with Diane and she's willing to allow me to... adopt Hannah."

Hank's eyes widened as he slumped back against the couch cushions and gave the deviant a rather shocked stare. "...Are you serious? Adoption?"

"Yes. Diane and Colin have taken the proper legal steps to claim parentage over Hannah and have filled out the necessary paperwork to turn over custody to me through private, closed adoption. A part of the adoption process requires Hannah's social worker examining the house and determining whether or not this is a safe environment for Hannah."

"...You really want to adopt her?" Looking past Connor and over to the sleeping baby Hank shook his head slightly with true amazement. "You do know that means you're going to be her legal father, her sole parent at that, and will be expected to-"

"I know what's expected of me, Hank." Interrupting firmly Connor made sure Hank knew that he was certain in his final decision. "I know that what I'm about to do is going to permanently change my life, and it's a change I want. Hannah needs me, and in a strange way I feel like I need her, too."

Unsure of what else to say Hank just dragged his right hand over his tired blue eyes and let out a deep sigh.

It was easy to sense Hank's reluctance to accept the situation and with that reluctance Connor made his final decision. "...Once the adoption is finalized I will locate an apartment that can comfortably accommodate Hannah and myself to prevent further intrusion."

"Whoa, whoa..." Taking offense at the last comment Hank sat upright again and put his left hand down on Connor's right shoulder. "You're not intruding, son. Neither is Hannah. I just want to make sure you've thought such a big change through. You can't just give her back if something happens and you feel too overwhelmed to handle fatherhood anymore."

"I won't be overwhelmed, Hank." Turning to look at Hannah as she napped peacefully Connor gave the tiny baby a wary glance as his blue L.E.D. briefly cycled to yellow before returning to blue. "And I won't give up on keeping her safe."

Hearing the sincerity in Connor's voice gave Hank a much needed sense of relief. "...Okay, kid. I'll support you on this."

"Thank you."

"And don't you dare think about moving out with Hannah any time soon."

Brow knit with confusion Connor turned to look at Hank again with an inquisitive stare. "...Why's that?"

"Well, you still need some pointers on dealing with babies and I have the experience you need."

"Thank you, but we can't stay here forever."

"Who said that I have to stay in this house forever?"

The offer made Connor's L.E.D. flash red suddenly before cycling back to a calm blue. "...You'd be willing to purchase a larger house and allow Hannah and myself to continue to reside with you?"

"Yup." Without any hesitation whatsoever Hank confirmed that he was going to stay true to his offer. "I've gotten used to having a roommate and I don't want to be alone with just Sumo anymore. Damn dog needs too much attention." Leaning over slightly Hank looked at Hannah's face and gave the infant a warm grin. "Besides, it's nice to have a baby around again. It makes me feel young."

"You're not even old, Hank."

"The gray hair and arthritis beg to differ, son."

"As do I."

"Thanks, kid."

There was a firm knocking at the front door that made Hank and Connor look toward the door while Sumo barked once from down the hallway in Connor's bedroom. The loyal dog was determined to watch over Hannah while she slept in the crib, and his old bones didn't like it when he kept getting up and down to follow after her. Instead he chose to lay beside the crib and wait for Hannah to return.

Rising from the couch Hank walked over to the front door and was greeted by Alicia and Sandra, and let them inside the house. "Good afternoon, ladies."

"Hi, Hank." Alicia responded with a sincerely warm smile as she stepped inside the house. "How've you been?"

"Not bad. I'm missing my partner at work, but..." Nodding at the baby swing as Connor stayed beside Hannah on the floor Hank gave the deviant a paternally proud smile. "He's been busy."

"And it looks like he's been having a blast with being a father." Noticing the new swing as well as the brand new baby blankets and children's books on the furniture and coffee table Alicia just grinned. "Everything looks great from where I'm standing."

Sandra spoke up in a very snooty agitated voice as she began checking over the livingroom once more and all but glared holes in Connor's face. "Well, that's not for you to decide. That's why I'm here."

Connor refused to show an offense as he stood up from the floor and gave the cold woman a kind greeting. "Hello, Mrs. Osmond."

"Connor."

"It's been twelve days since your last visit, and I'm sure you've noticed that I-"

"Is this all of the baby's items?" She interrupted as she looked about the livingroom as if disgusted by the sight of the new swing and blankets.

"No. I purchased new clothes, a changing table, pacifiers, I installed a mobile over her crib and I've purchased numerous recipe books for meals designed specifically for infant health."

"Show me."

"Of course." Glancing back down at Hannah before taking his leave Connor showed Sandra back down the hallway to his rearranged bedroom where she could see the new purchases for herself. On top of the listed items there were also several new stuffed animals and soft toys for Hannah to play with without hurting herself in the process. "I've also preemptively purchased teething rings in the event she-"

"Is this dog always in the room?" She nearly snarled as she looked down at the completely harmless Saint Bernard napping on the floor beside the crib.

"Sumo is a very gentle and loyal dog. He is not aggressive in any manner and his particular breed makes him a determined protector. Saint Bernards are deemed to be an ideal family pet due to their gentle and loyal nature."

Making more notes Sandra gave Connor an annoyed tone.  "Let me see the bathroom."

The blue L.E.D. briefly shifted to yellow with irritation before returning to its normal blue coloration as Connor stepped outside of the bedroom and pushed open the bathroom door so Sandra could inspect the area. "I've taken the proper precautionary steps despite Hannah not even being ambulatory. There is a seal over-"

"What do you use to give her a bath?"

"Her umbilical cord hadn't fully de-"

"Answer the question."

Remaining calm and collected Connor showed Sandra the small plastic tub used for tending to infants, small wipes and the sensitive skin soap nearby. There were soft pink and purple terrycloth towels purchased just for Hannah as well.

"I see. Show me what you have in the kitchen."

It didn't take a detective to see that Sandra clearly had a grudge and bias against Connor taking legal custody over a human baby. Despite her heavy disdain Connor was determined to show that he was ready and fully capable of being a respectable father for Hannah. Escorting Sandra to the kitchen Connor allowed her to check every cupboard, the refrigerator and the pantry to ensure everything was in order.

"There is no alcohol in the house." Connor stated firmly as he watched Sandra's body language falter slightly as he knew she was looking for absolutely anything condemning to use against him during her search. "I've also taken steps to ensure the dangerous cleaning products were moved from beneath the kitchen sink and placed on a high shelf in the laundry room where Hannah cannot possibly get to them."

Sandra turned from the cupboards and looked at the spotless kitchen floor, then honed in on the two dog food bowls that were placed on an elevated platform to keep them off the floor. "Is there something wrong with your dog?"

"No. I'm keeping his bowls off the ground in the event that Hannah crawls about and potentially locates his bowls. I don't want her accidentally ingesting the dog food or accidentally spilling the bowls over herself."

Making notes in her clipboard Sandra marched out of the kitchen and through the backdoor to examine the small backyard. It was a completely opened space that had a perfectly maintained lawn with no dangerous rocks to be tripped over, a small flower bed that had been cleaned up and weeded, and a small area that would support a small swing set when the time came for Hannah to play outside.

"Is there anything you wish to see, Mrs. Osmond?"

"...No." Turning around abruptly Sandra walked through the backdoor and back into the kitchen. Giving Connor a cold glare Sandra returned to the livingroom and stood before the front door to take her leave. Giving Alicia a rather rude nod Sandra turned the knob on the front door to push the door open. "I've seen everything I need to see."

Connor trailed into the livingroom after Sandra and knelt down beside the swing and checked in on Hannah once more. "...Shouldn't you actually see the baby you are supposed to be looking out for?"

From where he sat on the couch Hank had to drag his right hand over his chin and mouth to keep himself from laughing at the snappy retort.

"No." Sandra looked away angrily as Alicia joined her at the door to leave. "That won't be necessary."

Alicia gave Connor a subtle nod of approval and smiled as the appointment came to an end. "Well, everything looks great. You three take care now, maybe I'll see you again some time."

Hank dropped his hand as he turned to look at Alicia and grinned with enthusiastic pride. "Yeah, thanks for stopping by."

The front door closed with a soft 'click' and with the visit over Connor felt like he had just begun to fight. "...I suspect Mrs. Osmond is going to attempt to interfere with the adoption."

"She doesn't have any right to do that, son. You know as well as I do that once the biological parents legally sign over custody to another person then social services cannot do anything to stop it. All you need to do is sit down with Diane and Colin to sign the adoption papers with a notary present, and you're in the clear."

"I truly hope it's that simple, Hank." Very lightly Connor put his right palm down over Hannah's tummy and noticed she was a little chilly. Taking a nearby baby blanket that had been perfectly folded on the coffee table in his hands Connor draped the warm blanket over Hannah without disturbing her in the process. "I just hope that once everything is settled Hannah will be able to have a calm and comfortable childhood without any unnecessary drama. I want her to be happy."

Giving the deviant a grin of approval Hank glanced over at Hannah and noted her peaceful face as she napped. "Spoken like a true father..."

After three additional days Connor was contacted by Diane to meet her and Colin at her own father's private office in the Wemilat Hotel in the middle of downtown Detroit. Leaving Hannah in Hank's care for the afternoon Connor agreed to the meeting, and was ready to sign the final pieces of the legally mandated paperwork to take legal custody of Hannah as his own daughter. Having dressed in his usual work uniform to appear professional and calm Connor was shown to the appropriate office on the top floor of the hotel, and was met by Mr. Robert Wemilat himself as he approached the locked door.

"...You must be Connor." Robert stated as he gave the deviant android a rather kind smile as he extended his right hand outward for Connor to shake. "I'm Robert Wemilat."

"Indeed I am, my name is Connor. I appreciate you allowing Diane access to your private office for this arrangement."

"Well, it's the very least I could do for her. And I unfortunately mean that in the most accurate sense..."

The revelation made Connor's blue L.E.D. blink yellow once before returning to blue. "You feel guilty for what Diane has gone through."

"And Colin." Admitting his wary feelings Robert stood before Connor and didn't even try to hide the shame in his dark blue eyes as he ran his fingers through his his salt and pepper locks of hair. "I knew my wife was 'baby crazy', but I never though she'd use our own daughter as an incubator to get her way. She's even begun speaking about the baby as if she's already at the house and is a daughter, not a granddaughter."

"How so?"

"Debra decorated the guest room as a new baby's room; crib, diapers, toys, a fresh coat of purple paint on the walls... She even had the name 'Priscilla' painted on the wall in white calligraphy to make the room truly her own. I know that 'Priscilla' is a name Debra loves, and Diane hadn't even thought about names for the baby when she was still pregnant. There's no way that was Diane's idea, and since she wants to put the baby up for adoption I know for sure that everything at the house is Debra's doing."

"You're aware of your wife's inappropriate behavior. Have you discussed things with her regarding her actions?"

"I tried, believe me I really did. She won't listen to reason." Sounding as desperate as Diane was when she spoke to Connor in the hospital Robert was truly at a loss of what to do with the situation. "Debra is convinced that because Diane is her daughter then that means anything Diane has, including her own children, somehow belongs to Debra through a biological connection. It's sickening."

"Has your wife continued to pursue the baby despite Diane not informing her of the baby's current location?"

"Yeah. From what I've seen through our financial records Debra's using her influence to try to find the baby and claim custody behind Diane's back."

"It's not her right to determine custody. That decision can only be made by Diane and Colin, not her."

"I know. That's why I'm helping Diane with this adoption. From what she's told me you've been a very helpful and trustworthy person for her to rely on, and since you took the baby I know she's right about you. I won't let my granddaughter be affected by her own grandmother's selfish and oblivious behavior."

"Thank you, Robert. I will do my best to raise the baby as any respectable parent would."

"I just have one request." Turning to face the closed office door Robert pressed his right thumb against the electronic panel and unsealed the room to allow Connor access to the office where Diane and Colin were already waiting for him. "...Promise me that you'll protect the baby with your life, and you'll have my blessing."

Without hesitation Connor pushed back the sleeves of his gray jacket and his white dress shirt covering his left forearm to show Robert the still healing burn to the limb, and how the intense heat had temporarily warped his plastimetal frame beneath his regenerated artificial skin. "I promise."

Nodding with shocked respect Robert stepped aside and let Connor into the office. "Then, do what you need to do, Connor. Take care of the baby."

With the adoption papers signed and the certificate filed for approval Connor returned home with his head held high and a faint smirk on his face. Opening the door quietly Connor was greeted by the sight of Hank slowly rocking Hannah in his arms as he sat in the recliner and offered her a bottle of formula. The sight looked completely natural for the gruff Lieutenant, and it was clear that the baby had a very positive impact on Hank's mind just as she had on Connor's still developing heart.

"Hey, son." Hank greeted without even looking up from Hannah's face. "Everything taken care of?"

"Yes. The adoption certificate has been filed and will arrive in the mail soon." Looking down at Hannah as she contentedly rested in Hank's arms Connor knew he had made the right choice in going through with the adoption. "I met Mr. Wemilat as well, and he has given my his blessing with the adoption."

"That's a good sign."

"I agree, but I suspect his wife won't let the baby go very quietly."

"She's still obsessed, huh?" Putting the now empty bottle aside Hank readjusted Hannah so she was leaning against his left shoulder as he gently began to pat her back. "Is she annoying Diane?"

"No, Debra has apparently redecorated a bedroom in her house for the baby, and had decided the baby's name is 'Priscilla'."

"Priscilla? Jeez, every time I hear that name I think of Elvis and how he died on the toilet. Not a great association for an innocent kid."

Connor's head tilted slightly as he sat down on the couch next to the recliner and watched as Hannah happily snuggled into Hank's shoulder in the same manner she would do when Connor held her. "How did you pick Cole's name?"

"It just came to me the moment I held Cole in my arms for the first time, and Barbara really liked it, too. He was named 'Cole' because it felt right, and his middle name was 'Lucas' just like my own."

"...Interesting."

Realizing he never knew what made Connor pick Hannah's name Hank was now curious about its origins. "Is that how you chose Hannah's name?"

"Well, actually I-" A knocking at the front door cut Connor off mid sentence and drew the deviant's attention elsewhere as Hannah let out an annoyed sound in response to the intrusion. "Strange." Getting up from the couch Connor answered the door and was met by an unknown woman standing outside the front door waiting for the door to open. "Yes?"

"Are you Mr. Connor H. Anderson?"

From the young woman's tone of voice Connor knew something was happening, and his blue L.E.D. cycled to a cautious yellow as a result. The fact she was addressing him by the signature used in the foster care program and adoption record was unsettling as well. "...Yes. I'm Connor."

Passing the deviant a sealed document she took a step back from the door and gave him a 'I'm so sorry.' glance. "You've been served."

"...Served?" Eyeing the document he had been handed Connor slowly stepped back inside the house and closed the front door. Returning to the couch Connor opened the document and quickly read over the details which caused the yellow L.E.D. to settle on red. "...Oh, no."

Sensing the distress Hank leaned forward and stared at the document clutched in Connor's right hand with disgust. "What's wrong, Connor?"

"...Everything." Sinking down into the cushions of the couch Connor passed the document over to Hank as he took Hannah from the senior detective and held her against his chest in a supporting and comforting manner. As he stared at Hannah's face Connor felt his heart filling with dread at the idea of what the document could mean for the tiny baby's future. "...Debra Wemilat is suing for custody over Hannah."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Stunned but not deterred by the court summons Connor resided himself to the livingroom as he cybernetically downloaded every piece of legal advice and detail he could use to his advantage during the hearing, and potentially keep things from going to trial. As he sat on the couch well into the late night he held Hannah swaddled in her soft white baby blanket in his arms, and he looked down at her face with a undeniable and indescribable need to protect the tiny infant at all costs. Looking into her dark blue eyes Connor swore she was looking right back up at him with complete understanding of what was happening in the crazy world around her.

"Don't worry, Hannah." Whispering to the baby he had taken on as his own child and was determined to legally call her his own daughter, Connor did everything he could to keep her feeling safe and reassured. The soft blue glow of his L.E.D. was the only light in the dark livingroom, and pulsed in a gentle tandem with his own beating heart. "I've been summoned to court to fight for your custody tomorrow, but I will fight until the very end and I will succeed. My new mission in life is to keep you safe and happy, and I always accomplish my mission."

Hannah let out a big yawn around her purple pacifier causing the small item to roll down her chest and come to a gentle stop in the folds of her blanket. Watching as Connor, her adoptive father, replaced the soother in her mouth Hannah seemed to snuggle down and cuddled in next to Connor's chest as if trying to comfort him.

"Your biological parents have already signed over legal guardianship to me and everything has been filed. Your biological grandmother is a woman with great power and influence who merely wants you as an extension of herself, not to love you as you deserve as her granddaughter. It's not right that you should be seen as an object to be possessed rather than the innocent life that you are. It's okay though, because I see you for who you are, as does Hank."

Very lightly Connor rubbed his right index finger along Hannah's left ear where her short hair was already steadily darkening into a deep brunette color in an unexplainable urge to offer comfort to Hannah with the simple gesture.

"Hank was the first human- Person, to see me as me. The people who created me, CyberLife, treated me like a disposable tool to do their dirty work and to take the blame for their own failures, while simultaneously using me to redeem their reputation in the eyes of the public and take credit for my successes. I was no one to the very people who created me. I was just a thing that they could control and do with as they please. Hank saw me as a person, I believe my appearance reminded him of a young rookie cop, and he treated me as such. It was nice to be treated as a person, not a tool. I'm very grateful for the way he treated me in the past and the way he treats me now. Without Hank I wouldn't have deviated and would've perished last winter during the Revolution, and you... You wouldn't be here right now. That's a very strange and upsetting thought for me."

As midnight neared Hannah began to drift off to sleep and closed her eyes slowly as she made small content noises.

"I may not be your biological father, I'm not even biological in the true definition, but I will do my best to be your dad, Hannah. I get the feeling Hank would like to take you on as his granddaughter in time. He's been a father figure to me, at least I think he has. As I've never had a father I don't know what it's supposed to feel like to have one, but I imagine the way he treats me and looks out for me is a paternal reaction. I also like to think that if I were in fact a human child in need of a guardian Hank would step up to protect me just as I'm stepping up to protect you."

Standing up from the couch Connor held Hannah to his chest as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom to put her down for the night in her crib when he noticed Hank standing at the end of the hallway with his arms crossed over his chest, and a gleam of restrained emotions in his blue eyes.

"Hank?" Seeing the senior detective at the end of the hallway was a little surprising, but not shocking. The blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow before returning to blue as he stared at Hank in the darkness of the hallway. "Why are you still awake?"

"It's hard to sleep when you know you have to go to court the next morning, Besides," lightly Hank put his left hand on Connor's right shoulder as he gave the deviant a proud smirk. "I could hear you speaking with Hannah. Even harder to sleep when you can hear a one-sided conversation down the hallway."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"You didn't, it's fine."

Nodding a little Connor continued down the hallway as Hank slowly let his hand fall from the deviant's shoulder Connor walked into his bedroom and placed Hannah down in her crib to sleep for the night. Silently Connor took a step back from the crib and looked toward his opened door where Hank was watching him with a prideful smirk that was visible even in the darkness.

"Hank... What am I going to do if I can't keep Hannah?"

"Hey, it'll be fine."

"...I know I'm in the legal right and by all account there is nothing Debra can do to stop me, but she has a lot of power, money, influence and I'm... I'm just an android. A defective machine in the eyes of the humans who are still anti-android."

"No way, son. You've fought too long and too hard to just let some crazy bitch with too much time and money ruin things."

"I promised Hannah that I'd protect her and be her father. What if I can't keep my word?"

"You will, Connor. Just be patient and tell the truth about everything that's going on."

"I hope you're right and that it will be that simple."

"To be honest kid, it's never that simple. But you can handle it. Do it for Hannah, your daughter."

"...Yes. You're right." Peering down at the sleeping infant's face Connor sighed tiredly and gave Hank a confident nod. "I'll fight for Hannah for as long as it takes to bring her back home."

"Damn right. I'll be in your corner throughout the whole fight cheering you on."

"Thanks, Hank. I'm glad you're supporting me through this."

"To be honest with ya' kid, even if we weren't so close as friends I'd still be supporting you just because I don't want that crazy bitch to screw up any more innocent kids with her selfishness and money."

"I want the same. I've been downloading every potential law and right I can use at my disposal to remain as Hannah's guardian despite a claim by a biological relative attempting to take her away from me, yet I fear it won't be enough."

"No lawyer, huh?"

"No. I don't trust that a human lawyer would be able to argue my case without constantly referring to me being an android, and accidentally creating a strange bias or a debate regarding machines taking care of humans. As for an android lawyer, I have already downloaded the proper programming and database one would use, and thus I don't need one to represent me."

"You've gone through all of that, dedicated a portion of your own brain and memory just to this one moment for tomorrow and you have a valid case against that rich-bitch that any sane judge would side with. Why are you so nervous?"

Pausing for a moment Connor glanced at the baby's sweet, calm face and felt his developing heart begin to ache. "...If I can't convince the judge that Debra has no legal right to take Hannah how do I convince the judge that I'm a better parent than Debra could be? I don't have children, I didn't even have a childhood, and I-"

"Look, tomorrow Alicia will take Hannah and remain an impartial third party seeking the best outcome for the baby." Silencing the deviant's righteous worries Hank tried to offer words of soothing encouragement for the upcoming court summons. "Don't worry about Hannah during the trial, you just tell the judge everything you just told Hannah and make sure the judge sees how much you care about her. In the end everything will be alright, I promise."

The advice made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash back to yellow before turning to a rapid blue pulse in his right temple. "...How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know you think I'm a good influence on you. And you're damn right I want to take Hannah on as my granddaughter. Someone's gotta' teach you how to be a dad, and who's better than me?"

Grinning at the comment Connor let out a slow breath to steady his nerves as he sat down on the edge of his bed with the intention of entering rest mode for the night. "I can't say for sure who'd be better than you, but I don't think it matters because I don't think such a person even exists."

"Good answer. Now, just try to rest and by tomorrow you'll be able to bring Hannah home and make her an official member of the family." Stepping out of the bedroom Hank made his way down the hallway to return to his own bedroom for the night. "I have a feeling tomorrow you're going to see exactly how much your good work is going to pay off."

Laying down Connor rested his head against his pillow and ignored his own yellow L.E.D. pulsing in his temple as it created an amber hue throughout the otherwise dark room. Turning his head to look at Hannah sleeping in the crib a few feet away from him Connor sighed and then turned onto his right side so he could face the crib then slowly closed his eyes.

"...You'll be okay, Hannah. I promise."

Thanks to Debra Wemilat's influence the hearing was swiftly scheduled and Connor found himself sitting in the courtroom as the lone defendant against the entitled woman, and her trio of highly reputed lawyers. Recognizing the massive obstacle he'd have to overcome Connor glanced back over his left shoulder to see Hank sitting behind him, and received a confident nod from Hank as the senior detective showed no fear and almost seemed to have a smug glimmer shining in his blue eyes.

Everything in the courtroom was painfully quiet save for the few inaudible whispers and the nervous shuffling of feet from the other people in attendance at the courthouse. Catching the snicker of Debra as she spoke with an unbearable arrogance to her team of lawyers Connor remained calm, cool, collected and above all else he was confident. Deep down inside Connor knew he had everything working in his favor, and as a detective he'd be able to defend himself just as well as any lawyer could.

From where he stood beside the stand the bailiff called out to the court to announce the judge's arrival. "All rise for the honorable Judge Partisan."

The judge entered the courtroom and took his place at the head of the stand as he brought the court to order. He was a man in his sixties with a gray hairline that was thin but still noticeable, a matching gray goatee that was perfectly groomed, and aged hazel irises that shone out from the crow's feet that surrounded his eyes.

With a single glance the judge looked over at Connor with mild confusion, then over to Debra where his eyes lit up with familiarity before he read over the docket. "Mrs. Debra P. Wemilat, I see you're suing a Mr. Connor H. Anderson for..." As his eyes went wide with confusion his brow knitted and he again gave Connor an odd glance before returning his full attention back over to Debra. "...You're suing him for child custody?"

"That's right, Douglas." The fact that Debra had the nerve to address the judge by his first name rather than his title spoke volumes of her arrogance. Standing before the courtroom as if she were putting on a show Debra glared daggers at Connor and turned her nose up at the deviant as she returned her attention to Judge Partisan. "This is all merely a formality since I clearly have the right to parent the baby."

"Who's baby are we discussing?"

"Diane's baby, Douglas. She and her boyfriend were reckless and now it's up to me to provide a good role model for the baby to have."

"...And where does Mr. Anderson play into this?"

"That android works for the police and it thinks it has the right to the baby just because it happened to find the baby after her heartless father abandoned her in a rotting house."

The comment had an expectedly enraging impact on Connor's mind that made his blue L.E.D. flash to red before he forced it to cycle to a more cautious yellow. Realizing that he was about to be demonized, as were Diane and Colin, Connor ran a scan over Judge Partisan's file and noted that he had a friendship with the Wemilat family and through professionalism alone needed to recuse himself. Patiently Connor awaited for his chance to speak in order to argue his case in a calm and logical manner.

"Mr. Anderson," addressing Connor with a confused tone Judge Partisan noticed that the deviant was alone. "did you not hire an attorney?"

"No, Your Honor. I've elected to represent myself."

"That is your right, but you are aware of the adage: 'A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client.' And that still rings true to this day?"

"Yes, Your Honor. I'm aware of the risk and I'm willing to take it as I believe it'll give me the best potential outcome."

"Very well, then this hearing will proceed." Nodding at both Connor then Debra the judge set about reading the documents presented to him. "I can see from the police report that the baby was rescued from an abandoned house that had been targeted by an arsonist, who has since been arrested and sentenced, and that Sergeant Connor Anderson was the detective who rescued the baby." Turning his attention back to Connor the judge continued to read the case file. "I also see that Seargeant Anderson specifically joined the foster care program to take care of the baby as well."

"Yes, Your Honor, that's correct." It was time  for Connor to speak up.  'If I may, I'd like to make a rather bold statement and please understand I mean no disrespect toward you."

As his brow arched Judge Partisan gave Connor a slight nod and confirmed he could speak up. "Alright, go ahead Sergeant."

"Your Honor, I believe you should recuse yourself from this case."

There was a collective muttering from the witnesses in attendance and Debra's hollow gray eyes went wide with annoyance rather than fear.

"Oh?" Remaining professional and seemingly unbiased Judge Partisan asked for more details. "Why's that, Sergeant?"

"Before you had earned your place as a judge you were Mr. Robert Wemilat's personal attorney. You've received a hefty sum of money from the Wemilat family for the past twenty-two years for your own personal charity. You've been seen at numerous other charity events and associating with the Wemilat family, while also promoting their personal businesses. By all account you are too close to the plaintiff and cannot possibly be seen as being fair in this case due to a perceived and well known bias."

As much as Judge Partisan didn't want to back down from the case he knew he had no choice. Connor was right and the entire city knew it. "In light of your claim I must agree. My attendance can be seen as highly prejudicial and I must effectively recuse myself."

While Connor let out a small sigh of relief Debra began to protest loudly. "Douglas! Why are you listening to a machine? I'm the one you should listen to!"

The bigoted remark made the courtroom mutter slightly louder until Judge Partisan banged his gavel twice. "Order! Quiet! Debra," turning to look at the snooty woman the judge remained firm in his decision. "I cannot in good conscience remain the judge overseeing this hearing, I'm sorry. We'll take a brief recess and a new judge will take my place."

A third bang of the gavel ruled his decision and Judge Partisan begrudgingly took his leave of the courtroom.

Sitting back down Connor closed his eyes and felt a firm hand on his right shoulder. "...I think I did the right thing, Hank."

"You did, son." Whispering as to keep Debra and her lawyers from hearing them speaking Hank continued to give Connor support. "You getting that judge that was clearly in Debra's pocket out of the courtroom was one of the best possible moves you could've made."

"I think it upset Mrs. Wemilat."

"Well, she can go fuck herself. She can't buy the law, no matter how much money she has."

"What if she tries to dismiss and reschedule this hearing?"

"Won't happen. She wants that baby as soon as possible, and she thinks she's untouchable." Without glancing at the abominable woman Hank made sure Connor knew he was doing everything right. "It's that type of misplaced invincibility that's going to be her downfall, son. Just wait and see."

Staying perfectly quiet at his table Connor closed his eyes and ran through the details on the facts to ensure he had plenty of evidence to back up his statement as he prepared to speak up again and stop the hearing from ever going to trial, and to take his rightful custody over Hannah. While he sat at the desk in silent contemplation Connor could hear Debra scolding her team of lawyers in a low voice about how they better not fail her, and that without her dear friend as a residing judge she felt like her donations had meant nothing.

It was all just selfish whining to which Connor instantly felt disgusted.

Twenty minutes passed when the bailiff received an update on the hearing and took control over the courtroom again. Speaking in a loud and clear voice the bailiff brought the court to full attention once more. "All rise for the honorable Judge Dana Cato."

Repeating his actions from before Connor stood up as requested and ran a scan over the new judge. She was in her mid forties, had raven black hair with gray streaks running throughout the neat bun that kept her hair in style, her chocolate brown eyes were aged but still alert and her overall demeanor was one of pure professionalism that didn't belong to anyone else in the city.

"I've reviewed the evidence that has been presented," Judge Cato announced as she took her seat at the judge's bench and acknowledged both Debra and then Connor with an indifferent glance. She had a large electronic tablet screen showcasing all the required details, and presented the case that had brought the hearing into action. "and I believe I can make a determination during this hearing without needing to take the case to trial."

Connor's eyes widened a little while Debra's smugness returned as if she had already won.

"Mrs. Wemilat, as the plaintiff I would like to hear your side of the story in regards to seeking custody of this child."

"Of course, I'm more than happy to tell you why I need to exercise my right to take care of that sweet little baby..."

The feigned sweetness of Debra's voice made Connor's instincts as a detective want to call her out, while Hank wanted to slap her across the face until the botox wore off.

"No machine can possibly understand what it takes to be a loving parent." The opening statement was less of a proclamation of compassion toward Hannah and more of an insult to all androids throughout the entire city. "As the baby's biological family I have every right to raise her, and raise her properly as opposed to letting her live under the cold hands of a heartless machine."

Judge Cato was more confused than moved by the response. "Can you please elaborate?"

"Gladly. Androids don't have children, they don't even have a concept of life. They don't give birth they are produced in a factory. They are disposable and not fit to parent any child. It's one thing to have an android cleaning your house, but it's completely different to expect one to actually raise a child."

No one in the courtroom was moved by the hollow commentary.

"I raised my daughter with pride, and even though she made a simple mistake I still love her and I want to help her handle the mistake as best as I possibly can." With an insincere smile on her face Debra motioned to a young woman sitting in the courtroom a few benches behind herself, and gave Judge Cato an equally insincere follow-up. "As you can see I have the family nanny with me, and she'll be assisting with the baby as soon as this silly hearing is over."

The arrogance and hollowness of Debra's words were truly sickening.

"The baby will have the best care, live in a large and comfortable mansion, go to the best private school in the city and never know the scrutiny of where she came from as a result of her parents' mistake."

Unsurprisingly no one was moved by Debra's supposed selfless act.

Without batting an eye Judge Cato looked over to Connor and asked him the same question. "Mr. Anderson, I'd like to hear your side of the story. Why do you want custody over the baby?"

"Your Honor, I wish to retain custody over Hannah because she needs me, and I need her. I admit that as an android who never had a childhood and as a model that has no experience with childcare I am at a disadvantage, however I feel it's important to remind Mrs. Wemilat that no one knows how to be a decent parent until after they have a child to care for. To claim I am by default an unfit parent because I haven't had any previous children is illogical, irrelevant, and undermines all first time parents throughout the entire world."

Debra audibly scoffed at the heartfelt and honest response to her previous statement.

"I'd also like to go on the record as stating that I understand adjusting to a new life that revolves around tending to a new addition to the family can be taxing and at times stressful, but I won't be alone. My best friend, Lieutenant Hank Anderson, does in fact have experience with children and has sworn to help me with raising Hannah if I have any questions, or need some advice." Nodding to Hank as the senior detective watched the hearing with pride Connor vouched for his character in a genuinely gracious manner. "Hank took me in after the night of the Revolution and helped me to reclaim my career as a detective. He gave me a home, helped me keep my job and gave me a family. I've learned from him that kindness truly begets kindness, and I when I found Hannah trapped in the burning house I had this inexplicable desire to show Hannah the same kindness and compassion Hank has shown me."

Judge Cato gave Connor a faint smile and her warm eyes lit up as Connor's statement resonated throughout the courthouse. "Is that why you joined the foster care program? So you could take in the baby and keep her safe?"

"That is correct, Your Honor." Taking in a slow breath Connor steeled himself and explained everything that had happened on the night of the fire. Recalling how Nurse Giles showed him how to properly hold Hannah, feed her, change her diaper, swaddle her and soothe her Connor confirmed he knew what needed to be done to properly care for the baby, and how social services had also examined the house when Diane wanted to legally hand over custody to Connor. "I may not have an endless fortune to my name or a nanny to rely on, but I can ensure that Hannah will have everything she needs to be healthy, happy and well adjusted. Through Hank's own generosity I was able to bring Hannah home the night I was approved for foster care and give her a warm bed to sleep in, clean clothes to wear, fresh formula to drink and a quiet home that was more personal and comforting than a hospital."

"Your Honor!" Debra shouted with an indignant response. "That machine just admitted it's coasting on another person's charity to live! Is that truly a way for a child to be raised? By begging for help and relying on other people for hand-outs?"

"Actually," Connor spoke up quickly but managed to keep the disrespect from his voice as he responded to the purposefully misleading statement without the slightest hesitation. "as I stated before Hank assisted me with regaining a life after I gained my freedom on the night of the Revolution. I don't 'beg' for money and I earn a biweekly paycheck that allows me to purchase whatever it is that I, and now Hannah, will require. I've remained in Lieutenant Anderson's home because he asked me to stay as his friend. In time he will be purchasing a larger residence and has asked me to join him to ensure that either myself or Hank will be available to watch over Hannah, and ensure she is protected by myself as her father and by Hank as her honorary grandfather."

From the bench behind Connor the unflappable senior detective dragged his right hand over his bearded chin and mouth to hide his amused smirk at Connor's fearless rebuttal, and watched as Debra's lips disappeared into a thin line of aggravation.

Impressed with Connor's responses Judge Cato urged him to continue. "So you will be a hands-on father figure, while your friend will be there as a moral support for you and an emotional support when necessary, and he will be a grandfather for the baby. That's commendable."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"I see you have passed several inspections from social services... For the most part."

"Most part?" As his L.E.D. blinked in red Connor tilted his head a little and asked for clarification. "May I ask what that means?"

"While Alicia Wallis found your home and your accommodations suitable the baby's personal case worker, Sandra Osmond, wasn't impressed."

The revelation made Debra smirk with unjust smugness as she whispered arrogantly to her lawyers.

"If it's okay to ask, what was it that Mrs. Osmond found unacceptable? She wouldn't speak to me when I asked questions."

When Connor mentioned Sandra's impersonal nature Judge Cato gave him an odd glance and Debra's lips disappeared again. "What do you mean she didn't answer your questions? Her file states that you had no interest in her inspection, and wouldn't interact with her."

"Untrue. And if I may approach the bench I can prove it."

As before the courtroom fell into an ambience of shocked muttering while Debra shouted in protest. "Your Honor! Why are we disputing a social worker's report? It's her JOB to make sure all children are safely placed!"

"Because Mrs. Sandra Osmond is also a friend of Wemilat family." Connor responded sharply as he kept his eyes on the judge. "I didn't realize it until I had noted the connection between the Wemilat family and Judge Partisan. As such I have the right to prove that I have provided a proper home despite the social worker's clear bias against me, and to prove that her judgment had a personal ulterior against me and toward the plaintiff. It's prejudicial."

The muttering became slightly louder and Debra paled a little.

"Mr. Anderson," Judge Cato gestured toward Connor with her right hand in an inviting manner. "I would be very interested in seeing your evidence."

Holding his head up high Connor walked over to the bench and retracted the artificial skin from his right hand and placed his palm down on the electronic tablet that Judge Cato had been using to review evidence. Closing his eyes Connor uploaded his memory from the social worker's visits and proved that Sandra had been intentionally cold and neglectful toward Connor, while also proving she didn't once check in on Hannah herself. The memories also showed the house that had been rearranged to accommodate Hannah was perfectly clean and organized, and showed that everything Sandra had claimed about the house being an unfit environment was all a lie.

Judge Cato sighed as she reviewed the footage and gave Debra a stern glance. "Mrs. Wemilat, to what affiliation to do you have with Mrs. Sandra Osmond."

"I don't know what you mean."

"The report that she had filed with this case doesn't match the evidence I'm being shown." Ending the footage on the tablet she nodded at Connor to return to his seat while she reviewed the details with a terse voice. "Her report stated that the house was unkempt, which was clearly untrue, overrun with a disobedient dog, which was also clearly untrue, and she even went as far as to say that everything acquired for the baby was dirty, broken and improperly maintained. Nothing in this report lines up with the evidence that has been presented to me today."

"Well, clearly the machine is altering those images to hide its mistakes."

"Mrs. Wemilat," Judge Cato was not all impressed and gave the snooty woman a disappointed stare. "by that logic it means Mr. Anderson knows what an ideal home looks like but chose to alter recorded memories as opposed to setting up the house in such a way to begin with. Not only does that make no sense, but in comparison to Alicia Wallis's report everything I saw and everything she reported lines up perfectly. It's quite clear that Mrs. Osmond had a bias against Mr. Anderson and toward you from the very beginning."

Debra shot Connor an embittered glare as her lawyers instructed her to be quiet.

"Now I'll ask you again, how do you know Mrs. Sandra Osmond?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

Once more Connor spoke up respectfully and calmly. "Your Honor," standing up from his seat Connor closed his eyes and cybernetically relayed the information he just downloaded on Sandra Osmond over to her tablet screen to view for herself. "I have documented proof that Sandra Osmond and Debra Wemilat are too personally connected in such a manner that Mrs. Osmond's report can be invalidated due to a prejudicial manner."

Judge Cato examined the information and gave Debra a fairly annoyed glance. "Mrs. Wemilat, your connection to Sandra Osmond is in fact prejudicial. You have been friends since high school, and you're still friends to this day. You were a bridesmaid in her wedding, you are her own daughter's godmother, and you run a small real estate business together."

"Your Honor, we-"

"Save it..."

Gently Connor spoke up again to provide additional details on the matter at hand. "Your Honor, I would also like to point out that I was served my court order yesterday after Mrs. Osmond left the house. Mrs. Wemilat didn't know that Hannah's custody had been signed over by her biological mother, Diane Wemilat, nor would Mrs. Wemilat know where I live. She also referred to me as 'Connor H. Anderson' which matches my signature on the foster care program acceptance perfectly. I believe if you request phone records from Mrs. Osmond's person you will-"

"I'm very aware of what I'll fine Mr. Anderson, thank you." Removing the details from her tablet screen Judge Cato turned her attention to Connor and addressed him in a collected tone. "Mr. Anderson from what I've seen through your own eyes and from what Alicia Wallis has confirmed your home is in fact an ideal location for a baby to grow up. Sandra Osmond's report has been excluded and will not be held against you." Focusing on Debra again Judge Cato gave the snooty woman a stern glance. "Mrs. Wemilat, you have tried to use biased tactics in this hearing not once, but twice. Please speak with one of your three attorneys regarding prejudicial evidence and why it cannot be admitted in a trial hearing, or a court of law without you being charged with perjury."

"Your Honor," Debra refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and was determined to win the hearing and gain custody over Hannah. "what does it matter? I'm the baby's grandmother, and that machine is just a prop in the police department."

From the back of the courtroom a young voice spoke up in a firm tone as she approached the bench. "That 'prop' saved my baby's life, and has taken better care of her in the past two weeks of her life than you ever did for me throughout my entire life!"

The mutter commotion of courtroom resumed as dozens of eyes turned to lock onto Diane Wemilat's face as she and Colin, the young couple holding hands bravely, walked through the courtroom to speak up on Connor's behalf.

"Diane!" Debra stood upright and faced her daughter as if trying to scold her. "Be quiet!"

"Your Honor," Diane refused to back down and spoke to Judge Cato in the same respectful manner as Connor had been doing. "I have something important for you to see that proves my mother has no right to Hannah."

"Diane Nicolette," Debra was losing her patience. "I said be quiet."

"I won't. Not anymore."

Judge Cato banged her gavel twice to silence the courtroom and regain control. "Order! Silence!"

Connor glanced over at Diane and saw that she had something in her right hand, and knew she was pushing past her own fears to do the right thing on behalf of Hannah. Hearing her call the baby by her name was a very grounding feeling for the worried deviant.

"Young lady," peering down from the bench toward Diane and Colin standing between the plaintiff and defendant Judge Cato asked for some clarification on their sudden appearance. "who are you and what is this evidence?"

"My name is Diane Nicolette Wemilat." Confirming her name Diane nodded at Colin who was holding onto her left hand for dear life as she made sure the judge knew exactly who they were, and why they were in the courtroom that day. "This is Colin Eric Orwell. We're Hannah's biological parents, and we've already signed over full custody to Connor in a private, closed adoption." Shooting her mother an icy glare Diane held up the document in her right hand that proved everything had happened, and that her mother had no right to claim custody over Hannah. "The only people who knew of the adoption taking place were Colin and myself, Connor, my father and Hannah's social worker. My father swore he'd never tell my mother of the adoption, which means the only reason my mother knew where to find Connor is because that Sandra woman called her and illegally told her about the baby's location."

Debra tried to speak up again but her three attorneys simultaneously silenced her before she had the chance to try to argue or accidentally admit to something else that would just cause her more problems.

"Your Honor," Diane spoke up again. "may I approach?"

Judge Cato was thoroughly intrigued and curious as to what Diane had her in hand. "Please."

Without any hesitation Diane took a step forward while Colin reluctantly let her hand go, and presented the document to the judge. "This is the written physical proof that Colin and I are Hannah's biological parents. Blood work, D.N.A. and fingerprints to confirm our parentage and identities have been included." Placing the document down for the judge to review Diane showed her next a second piece of evidence tucked alongside it. "And this is the legally signed and notarized document confirming that Colin and I relinquished our parental rights over Hannah and signed sole custody over to Connor. My mother has no right to be near Hannah, and here's the proof."

Connor watched as Diane handed over everything that confirmed that Connor himself was already legally Hannah's guardian, and silently watched as Diane passed Connor over his own copy of the paperwork to keep.

"This arrived in the mail this afternoon, Your Honor." Diane explained as she returned her attention to the judge. "Otherwise we would've been here sooner to speak up on Connor's behalf."

"Well, legally this all lines up." Judge Cato stated firmly as she gave Diane a curious look. "But I have to know why you chose Connor if you didn't want to keep your baby, and not let a family take her in after you fell pregnant."

"The only reason I ended up pregnant to begin with is because my mother sabotaged my birth control."

The muttering  of the courtroom returned with a low vengeance.  "...Ex-Excuse me?"

Diane took in a deep breath to keep her emotional resolve strong as she relayed Judge Cato the same story she had told Connor when he initially took her statement at the hospital well over two weeks ago. Confirming that she was also going to press charges against her mother for physical assault, and that she had the evidence turned over to the police for investigation, Diane let the judge know that Debra had offered Colin one-hundred thousand dollars for the baby as if she were a piece of property, and not a living, breathing, feeling person.

The courtroom began mumbling to themselves in utter shock and disgust at the horrible story being told. As soon as they knew the truth about how the baby even came into existence everyone's view of the famous Wemilat family quickly soured.

"Diane!" Shouting angrily as she stood up Debra's eyes narrowed and her face reddened. Shrugging off her lawyers' hands as they tried to get her to sit back down and be quiet Debra was ready to tear into her only daughter for telling the truth. "You need to stop! You need to the tell the judge that you want to give the baby to me! You need to-"

"ORDER." Judge Cato was getting angry and had heard enough of Debra's mouth that afternoon. "Mrs. Wemilat I strongly suggest you sit down and be quiet until I've finish rendering my verdict."

"No! That baby is mine!" Debra was on the verge of shouting and her face was getting redder by the second. "She can't take the baby away from me! I've waited so long and I already have everything ready! The baby belongs to me!"

"One more word out of you and you will be held in contempt."

The three lawyers were quick to pull Debra back down into her seat and kept 'shushing' her to keep her from blurting out any more damning information against her own case.

"Diane," Judge Cato returned her attention to the bold teenager courageously standing before her, and handed her back the documented information. "you've told me a heartbreaking story about why you don't want your mother to have custody over the baby, but you've yet to tell me why you want Connor to have custody."

"Your Honor, Connor was the first person to listen to me, really listen to me, and never once tried to judge me. He showed me true compassion and understanding that I had never known from either of my parents. My father couldn't even be bothered to show up court today today to support me because he's afraid of my mother. " Her admission was truly sorrowful and full of heavy emotions. "I then learned that Connor was the one who braved the burning building to rescue Hannah and then stayed with her in the hospital to ensure she was safe and healthy." Turning to give the deviant a kind smile Diane knew that she had made the right decision to give Hannah over to Connor. "He's sees her as a person in need of love, not a 'thing' to be showcased around town for photographers, used for a false sense of love, then ditched with the nanny for the rest of her life. I've been in the courtroom since my mother claimed Colin and I were reckless and that she needed to be a role model for Hannah, but not once did she call Hannah by anything other than 'the baby'; like she's property. Connor gave her a name, a real name, and went through everything he needed to keep her in his life. He actually walked through fire to save her life, and he was burned in the process.  My mother couldn't be bothered to hold my hand when I was sick as child when we were living under the same roof."

Judge Cato gave Diane an odd look before she peered over to Colin still standing back from the bench. "Colin? Do you have anything to say in regard to this matter at hand?"

"I... I think Connor is the right choice." Taking a moment to clear up his voice Colin took a step forward and stood beside Diane where he told his own perspective of the incident. Telling the judge about his own father trying to pay to have Hannah killed and how his friend betrayed his trust Colin confirmed that he agreed with Diane, and wanted Connor to take sole custody over Hannah. "...He seems to really care about her and doesn't care who she is, or where she came from. All he wants to do is protect an innocent child, and I think Connor is the best guardian for Hannah compared to her biological relatives."

"Well, this is all very compelling testimony and with the evidence I've been presented, specifically with the biological parents' confirming the legally documented and valid adoption, I see no reason to go beyond this hearing and grant full custody to-"

"YOUR HONOR!" Debra shouted angrily and was on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum as she shot to her feet and dismissed her lawyers trying to keep her from getting out of line again. "NO! THE BABY IS MINE! I DEMAND YOU-"

Judge Cato banged her gavel twice more and demanded her silence. "Order! Be quiet."

"NO!" Ready to get up and fight the judge herself Debra began shouting louder as her face became a singular shade of dark red. "THAT BABY BELONGS TO ME! I GAVE BIRTH TO DIANE AND DIANE GAVE BIRTH TO HER! IT'S MY RIGHT TO HAVE THE BABY! IT'S MY RIGHT TO TAKE HER! DIANE NEVER WOULD'VE EVEN HAD THE BABY IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME!"

The courtroom fell silent as Debra had unintentionally openly confessed to tampering with Diane's birth control with the intention of taking custody of the baby away from her after causing her to become pregnant against her will. It was all an elaborate plan but Diane and Colin didn't play along as she had expected.

"ORDER!" Banging her gavel three times Judge Cato had enough information to make her final ruling, and wanted nothing more to do with Debra Wemilat. Silencing the vulgar woman the judge looked over at Connor and made her final decision. "In light of this recent outburst as well as the abundance of evidence in the defendant's favor; not to mention the already dated and officiated legal documents regarding the baby, Hannah," she stated firmly as she finally recognized the baby by her own name. "I rule in the defendant's favor and grant full custody of Hannah to Connor H. Anderson."

Debra let out a frustrated and childish scream that made everyone in the courtroom wince at the intense and psychotic sound.

"I'm also granting a restraining order toward Connor H. Anderson, Lieutenant Hank Anderson and now Hannah Anderson against Debra Wemilat. In the event Mrs. Wemilat gets within two-hundred feet of the Anderson home, or attempts to hire a private investigator or anyone else to get close to the family on her behalf Debra Wemilat will do a six month minimum jail sentence."

The additional victory made Diane and Colin cry with relief as they held hands and had confirmation that their daughter would be safe from Debra.

"No trial will be necessary and this hearing is adjourned." With the final bang of the gavel Judge Cato ruled in Connor's favor and gave him a respectful nod. "Good luck with parenthood, Mr. Anderson. I wish you and your family well. Next case!"

Connor's soulful brown eyes went wide with stunned shock as his yellow L.E.D. flashed to blue and a faint smile crept on his face. "...I can keep Hannah."

Diane and Colin rushed over to Connor give him a quick hug before they took off from the courthouse entirely to get away from Debra, and to speak with their own lawyer regarding the impending assault case they had built against her. Hannah had been taken care of, but now it was Diane and Colin's turn to get justice.

Debra herself was nearly hysterical with anger and had to be escorted out of the courtroom by all three of her lawyers, the nanny, and the bailiff to ensure she didn't try to attack Connor or make things even worse for herself.

Realizing that he had successfully fought and won custody over Hannah the victory filled Connor's heart with warmth as he stood up from his chair, and turned to look at Hank behind him who was now standing as well. "...I did it. I won, Hank. I... I have a child now."

"I knew you'd win." Putting his right hand on Connor's left shoulder Hank gave the deviant a proud nod of the head and warmly congratulated him. "Congrats on being legally declared a father, kid. Now," motioning toward the doors Hank urged Connor to get walking. "let's go see your daughter..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Despite the victory in his favor Connor was still understandably nervous as he paced about the corridors of the courthouse with his quarter dancing nervously over the knuckles of his right hand, and his L.E.D. pulsing in a wary amber hue. Knowing that Debra Wemilat had already attempted to undermine the law and use her connections to get her way and take custody over the baby Connor was righteously worried that she was going to try to ambush Alicia and kidnap Hannah, and he couldn't help but preconstruct every possible outcome of such a devastating scenario.

"Connor, sit down." Hank urged as he rejoined the deviant with a smile on his face and Alicia right beside him. Hannah was napping and swaddled in the same white blanket that Connor had wrapped her up in before Alicia took Hannah for the duration of the hearing, and she was carrying the supplied diaper bag on her right arm. "She's right here."

"...Hannah." Seeing the tiny baby asleep in Alicia's comforting arms made Connor stop mid stride and his yellow L.E.D. cycle back to blue. Pocketing his quarter Connor happily took Hannah back from Alicia and held her up against his chest so she could rest her head against his left shoulder, then slipped the diaper bag over his right shoulder. "...Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad everything worked out in your favor, Connor. And I'm sorry that Sandra tried to pull that stunt behind your back."

"I'm grateful for your honesty in the report that contradicted Sandra's false report against me."

"It helped that you showed the judge your home through your own memories. I know that for deviants sharing their memories in such a way in a very invasive and uncomfortable feeling."

"It was for Hannah, therefore it was worth the brief discomfort."

"Good to hear. I'm going to go back to the social services office and help review Sandra's past reports regarding deviant and childcare. I have a hunch that she has a history of bigotry that needs to be brought to light."

"Yes, of course. Thank you again for your assistance." Rubbing his right hand along Hannah's back Connor seemed entirely at peace as he fell into a natural behavior of fatherhood. "We all appreciate your help."

Hank approved entirely of Connor's paternal demeanor and gave the deviant a gentle pat on the right shoulder. "Well, are you ready to take Hannah back home?"

"...Not quite. I still need to finish one more detail on Hannah's behalf before we can leave."

"And what's that?"

"Her middle name. She has a first name and now a last name, but not a middle name."

"Well, what did you have in mind?"

Connor's jaw squared a little as his blue L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow before returning to blue. "...A part of me wants to name her after her mother, but I also want-"

"Connor?" Diane approached the deviant from behind with Colin still lovingly at her side. As the deviant turned to face her Diane let tears run down her face as she handed Connor a sealed envelope to take for himself. "...That's a letter that we wrote for Hannah to read when she turns eighteen."

"A letter?"

"We wanted to tell her what happened in our own words so she knows the truth, and knows that whatever you may end up telling her as she grows up and asks questions is the truth, too. We don't want Hannah discovering who her biological parents are by reading the tabloids, or news articles regarding her unstable grandmother. We thought this would be easier for her to handle if she goes looking for answers."

"...I understand." Accepting the letter Connor tucked it into his gray jacket's interior pocket to keep it safe. "Are you two going to be okay?"

"Yeah, uh... The report we have against my mother is pretty solid and regardless of the outcome I get the feeling my mother is going to be sent to the psych ward for a proper diagnosis and treatment. I love my mother, I really do, but she can be such a pain to deal with."

"What of your plans after the trial?"

"I'm going to go back to high school and get my diploma."

Colin nodded and spoke up as well. "And I'm going with her. If I can make up for my lost work I can keep my scholarship and got to the University of Michigan next fall." Taking Diane's hand in his Colin squeezed tightly in a reassuring manner. "Hopefully Diane can come with me and we can begin a new life together away from all of this mess in a new city."

Hank stepped forward and gave the young couple words of encouragement. "That's the right attitude. Don't let one little mistake in your past become a massive problem for your future. Hold your heads high and keep moving forward, you both deserve to have a happy life."

"Thanks, Lieutenant."

Diane let out a little sigh as she wiped away her tears and refused to look at Hannah sleeping in Connor's arms. "...Just take care of Hannah and let her know she's loved. She's a person to be loved, not an object to be possessed."

"I will, Diane. I promise."

As the young couple tearfully took their leave of the courthouse, Colin wrapping his left arm around Diane's shoulders as he pulled her up against his side to hug her as she wept with pained tears over leaving their daughter behind, Connor knew that his decision to take care of Hannah and keep her away from Debra was the best possible outcome that Hannah could've ever had.

"Come on, son." Hank returned his hand to Connor's shoulder as he pulled the deviant away from the young couple. "Let's go get Hannah's name taken care of so we can head on home. She needs to be home where she belongs."

"...Yes, of course." Glancing down at Hannah's face around the blanket Connor's primary thoughts were for her, and her alone. "She deserves to go back home and be able to grow up in a normal, healthy environment."

The eventful day came to an end and Connor had all of Hannah's finalized paperwork in his hand as he and Hank drove back to the house with Hannah still sleeping in the car seat behind them. Connor scanned over the documents and found everything to be perfectly filed and officiated along with the certificate and record for her adoption in his own custody. It was all over; Hannah was legally now Connor's daughter, there was a restraining order against Debra Wemilat, and the obsessed woman had no ground to stand on if she tried to sue for custody a second time.

"Thank you for helping me through this, Hank." Connor slipped the documents back into the brown envelope, then slipped Diane and Colin's letter inside of the envelope to be read only by Hannah if and when the time came. "I don't know if I would've been able to handle this type of stress without you there to help guide me through the heavy emotions involved with childcare."

"It's no problem, son. I'm happy to help you." Glancing at the envelope in Connor's hand, then up at Hannah's reflection in the rearview mirror, Hank asked the young deviant what he had chosen for Hannah's middle name. "So, what's her full name? Please tell me you didn't go with something like 'Priscilla' or 'Bertha'."

Connor paused for a moment before he answered, and gauged Hank's reaction. "...I chose the middle name of 'Nicolette'."

"After Diane? That's a good idea."

"...And Cole."

Hank's brow arched slightly and his blue eyes glazed over for a moment before he responded. "...You named Hannah after Cole?"

"And you."

As his brow arched even higher Hank gave Connor a totally perplexed glance as the car pulled into the driveway beside the house. "You what?"

"...That's where the name 'Hannah' came from." Explaining the origin of the first name seemed to make the pieces of an unseen puzzle fall into place for the senior detective, and a faint smile appeared on his face as Connor continued to explain his logic. "I was told that often when a parent cannot select a name for their child based on their own preferences that the parent would often choose to name their child after a family member or a close friend. In my case I couldn't select a name that I liked, and you are both my family and my friend."

Hank was stunned into silence as he parked the car in the driveway and turned off the engine. Unsure of what to say Hank just put his right hand on Connor's left shoulder and patted twice in quiet appreciation.

"...Is that okay?"

"Y-Yeah. It's okay, son. I'm... honored."

"You seem upset."

"I'm not upset. I'm just shocked. I didn't see that coming."

"I'm sorry. I should've-"

"No, kid. Don't be sorry." Nodding once Hank opened his door and stepped out of the car to head toward the house. "It's a huge compliment and you have no reason to apologize for choosing her name. Like I said, it's an honor. It's just one I didn't expect to have."

"Oh." Opening his own door Connor pushed the front passenger seat forward so he could get to Hannah and carry her inside the house, inside her home, and get her permanently settled in. "...In time Hannah will need her own bedroom to sleep in. Perhaps I should-"

"If you're about to volunteer to sleep on the couch until she turns eighteen and heads off to college the answer is an emphatic 'NO'. Once she's about a year old we'll move into a slightly bigger house so we can have our own bedrooms, and stay close together as a family."

"A family." Holding Hannah to his shoulder again as he carried her toward the front door Connor noticed that Hannah had woken up and was now watching him with her big blue eyes. "I like the idea of us being a family. She won't have a mother, but if she has a father and a grandfather I think she'll feel like she grew up in a supportive home."

"Damn right." Unlocking the front door Hank opened the door up wide and let Connor carry Hannah inside the house to be where she finally belongs. As the lights in the livingroom were switched on Hank saw that the livingroom had been filled with boxes of diapers, extra bottles, blankets, clothes, toys and propped up in the corner of the livingroom was a massive chocolate brown teddy bear that was easily taller than Connor and Hank. "...Shit. I knew the precinct was going to drop off some extra supplies as a 'Welcome Home' gift for the baby, but I didn't think they'd do this much!"

Connor glanced about the now filled up livingroom and noticed that Sumo was laying next to the giant stuffed bear in the corner with his chin resting down over one of the bear's legs.

"...Why'd the precinct donate so much for just Hannah?"

"Because it's what we do. It happened to Fowler when both of his kids were born, it happened to Ben when his daughter was born, it happened to me when Cole was born and it recently happened to Chris when his son was born. Fortunately Tina didn't join the force until after Cole was born, otherwise I'd have two of those giant damn bears to deal with."

"How do you know the bear is from Tina?"

"Because she got one exactly like it for Chris when his son was born last year. It's her annoying little calling card."

Hannah began to fuss a little, and Connor proceeded to carry her over to her small swing next to the bear so he could could figure out why she was suddenly so uncomfortable. Kneeling down beside the swing Connor scanned over Hannah's tiny body and determined she must be hungry after spending all day long in Alicia's care due to the hearing, then having to put up with waiting around for some paperwork to be signed.

"I'll see if she'll drink some formula." Connor decided as he stood up from the floor and walked into the kitchen. Placing the envelope down on the kitchen table Connor placed a clean bottle under the tap fof the newly purchased water purifier, then placed the appropriate amount of the powder into the water to be mixed in and dissolved. As he mixed up the formula a curious thought popped into Connor's head and he called out to Hank who was in the livingroom and watching over Hannah from his position on the couch. "Hey, Hank? Why did you go and find Alicia while leaving me to wait inside the courthouse?"

"I had some paperwork of my own to fill out, and I bumped into her on my way back."

"I see." Attaching the lid to the bottle Connor returned to the livingroom and gently plucked Hannah back up from her swing to hold as he sat down on the couch next to Hank to offer her the bottle. Within two seconds Hannah was latched onto the bottle and hungrily drinking the formula. "May I ask what you were filling out?"

"A few more pieces of documents regarding the foster care program and some other details. Nothing you need to worry about."

Connor sat back against the couch cushions as he continued to support and feed Hannah while Hank sat beside him and watched the tiny baby laying content in the kind deviant's arms. It didn't take long for Sumo to get up from the floor and walk over to the couch to lay down and remain close to his masters.

"Hannah Nicolette Anderson." Hank repeated the name and gave Connor a proud smirk. "It fits her like a glove."

"I wonder if she likes it, too?"

"No clue, but if she doesn't like it she can legally change her name at eighteen and pay the fee herself." Giving the deviant a curious stare Hank noted the blue pulsing L.E.D. in Connor's right temple and pressed his right index fingertip against the light. "You were given a name by CyberLife, right?"

"Correct."

Dropping his hand Hank leaned back against the couch and kicked his feet up on the coffee table as he crossed his arms over his chest. "So why did they choose the name 'Connor'?"

"...Unknown. How did your parents choose your name?"

"First name is to honor my mother's grandfather, so I was named after my maternal great-grandfather. My middle name, Lucas, is my father's first name."

"Yet you and Barbara chose Cole's name simply because you liked it."

"Yup. Names are weird like that." Another interesting question popped up in Hank's head making his brow furrow slightly. "Connor, do you even like your name?"

"I neither like or dislike it. It's just my name. I have no reason to change it."

"Cool. Good to know..."

"Captain Fowler wants us to return to the precinct this coming Sunday. Who will watch over Hannah?"

"I guess you'll have to find a babysitter or a daycare center."

"...I don't think so."

"Why's that?"

"I don't trust Debra Wemilat to not try to make an illegal move to kidnap Hannah. She is very rich and well connected, and I don't want to risk Hannah being put in the wrong hands by mistake."

"So what're you going to do?"

"I'll request assistance from Markus. Numerous deviants seeking shelter at New Jericho Tower were programmed specifically with childcare as their primary function, and I suspect a handful of the deviants wouldn't be opposed to watching over a child for a few hours until I can find permanent accommodations for Hannah as she grows up."

"I used to let the neighbors watch Cole after he came home from school. But what you choose to do is up to you."

Hannah finished off the bottle quickly and was soon uncomfortable for another reason. As Connor repositioned her over his shoulder and gently rubbed her back the tiny baby began to spit up a little and Connor responded to the mess quickly.

"I believe I will give her a quick bath and wash a load of laundry..."

"Good plan, son." Trying to not laugh at the mess Hank just watched as Connor flawless took care of the baby and do everything he needed to do in order to keep her clean and healthy. As he walked down the hallway and into the bathroom Hank reached his hand down to rub Sumo's ears and let out a tired sigh. "I think that little baby is going to be just fine. They both are."

Barely able to lay down long enough to enter an adequate rest mode Connor was quickly awakened by the sound of Hannah making early morning disgruntled noises from her crib a few feet away from his bed. Opening his eyes Connor sat upright in his bed and looked over at the tiny baby as she continued to fuss in need of some attention. More than happy to accommodate her needs Connor swung his legs over the edge of the bed to stand up and reach into the crib to scoop Hannah up and into his arms.

"Hello, Hannah." Noting that during the night the tiny baby had expectedly soiled her diaper Connor placed her down on the changing table to remove her 'onesie' then clean her up. "It's hard to believe yesterday I was terrified that I wouldn't have you in my life. And yet here you are. You're here as my daughter."

There was a soft knocking at the partially opened door to the bedroom as Hank announced his presence. "You do know she isn't going to be talking for several more months, right?"

"Of course, but that doesn't mean she can't understand what I'm saying right now."

"I guess you're right. Whenever you're ready meet me in the livingroom. Something arrived in the mail early this morning for you."

"...For me?" The idea made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow with wise caution. "It's not another subpoena is it?"

"Nah, this is something good."

"I'd certainly hope so." Having replaced the dirty diaper with a clean one Connor proceeded to pull an equally clean 'onesie' out of the top drawer of the changing table that now doubled as a dresser, and gave Hannah a new outfit to wear for the day. With the clean clothes and diaper Hannah settled down and proceeded to make new sounds in response to Connor's presence. "You seem to be feeling better. But I believe you'd like some formula as well."

Scooping up Hannah to carry in his arms and against his chest Connor exited his bedroom and walked down the hallway to place her down in her swing, and immediately had Sumo getting up from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom to lay down beside her. Connor pet Sumo's ears to acknowledge the sweet mannered dog before standing back up.

"I'll feed you both, then find out Hank's good news."

"Already fed Sumo." Hank announced as he stepped out of the kitchen with a freshly made bottle of formula in his hand. "Now it's her turn."

"Thank you for doing that." As he made a move to accept the bottle Connor was motioned to take a step back while Hank himself picked Hannah back up from the swing before he sat down in the recliner to offer her the bottle. "...Oh. You wish to feed her."

"Hell yeah. I'm her grandfather after all. Let me do my share in helping you take care of her."

"Well, the next dirty diaper is yours then."

"Gee, thanks, son. I appreciate that."

"I'm sure Hannah does, too."

"Smartass." Offering Hannah the bottle Hank seemed to fully relax and resume taking over a paternal role he had never truly given up even after the loss of Cole and only seemed to emphasize after taking in Connor, and now Hannah into his home as his family. "Anyway, look at the coffee table. That's for you."

Connor's brow furrowed as he looked at the envelope on the table and his L.E.D. remained yellow in color. "Curious..." The envelope was very similar to the one that he had received after he had taken care of the final documents regarding Hannah's adoption. What was even stranger what the fact that the envelope was addressed to Hank, and not to Connor. "Your name is on it."

"Yeah, but it's for you. Open it up already."

Without further hesitation Connor picked up the envelope and unsealed it with a controlled grip. Peering down inside the envelope Connor retrieved a handful of legally sanctioned documents and his brow arched fairly high. "...I don't understand."

"What's not to understand?"

"Hank, these documents state that I have... a full name."

"Uh-huh, and what else?"

"...It also says you-" the yellow L.E.D. flashed to red then back to yellow as he gave Hank an incredulous stare. "Hank, you... adopted me?"

Giving Connor a smug grin Hank watched the deviant's stunned reaction with great amusement. "You bet your ass I did."

Sitting down slowly on the couch the shock set in then wore off. "...And you named me after you. I'm now 'Connor Henry Anderson'."

"...Is that a problem?"

"N-No. Just... I don't understand why you did it."

"I did it because you were right about Hannah needing a family to love her and protect her. You said that I gave you that feeling and you wanted Hannah to experience it, too. So, I decided to make it official just as you did with her."

"...You really want me to be your son?"

"Connor, you already are my son. You're my second born son, and one that I had no idea existed until you were assigned as my partner against my will. That's all."

Connor was absolutely amazed to know that now he and Hannah were officially members of Hank's family, and there was legal documentation to prove it. "I... I don't know what to say to this. Thank you, Hank."

"No thanks are necessary, son. Just keep being Hannah's dad, I'll do what I can to be your dad, and we'll just have our weird little family here in this weird little city. Okay?"

Nodding a little Connor put the documents down on the coffee table before he stood up quickly and wrapped his arms around Hank to hug his now adoptive father without jostling Hannah in the process. "...Thank you! I know you said not to say it, but I just have to."

Without breaking stride Hank managed to pat Connor's shoulder twice before he resumed feeding Hannah her bottle. "For what it's worth I'm proud to call you my son, even without legal documents proving it."

"I can honestly say the same about being your son, and Hannah's father."

"Yeah, our family is weird but we're going to be just fine..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Adapting to fatherhood like a true professional Connor started his first morning back at the precinct since Hannah's adoption by placing his tiny daughter down in a small bassinet placed beside the kitchen table, prepared a warm bottle for her, then set about preparing a healthy breakfast for Hank in turn. As the coffee maker brewed a fresh pot of Hank's coveted coffee with a soft hum Connor flipped over the picture perfect spinach and avocado omelette in the frying pan, and sighed as he decided that he'd also prepare two strips of bacon just to avoid Hank's disdain at the otherwise completely healthy meal.

"Today is the first day where you'll be spending time in the care of a babysitter, Hannah." Connor spoke to his daughter while she laid in the bassinet and made small noises as her small hands explored the small space around her curiously. "You'll be watched by a friend and trusted member of New Jericho. Simon used to take care of a family before he became deviant and decided to fight for freedom. He misses the company of innocent children and he was quite happy to volunteer his time to watch you."

Opening the packet of bacon Connor pulled two strips to place into the frying pan now that the omelette had been cooked to perfection and was sitting on the plate just waiting for Hank to wake up, and Connor was promptly met by Sumo who was enticed by the smell.

"Sorry, Sumo. Bacon is something that Hank shouldn't be eating in general due to its unhealthy nature, and I don't want you to suffer ill effects from eating food meant for human consumption."

Motioning for the massive dog to back away from the stove Connor watched as Sumo grumbled and promptly walked over to the bassinet to sit down and watch over Hannah instead.

"Good boy."

As the bacon cooked Connor heard the sound of Hank's bedroom door opening and closing, and just three seconds later the bathroom door opened and shut as well.

"Hank's awake. He'll be out to join us for breakfast soon, Hannah."

Turning the sizzling bacon over in the pan Connor poured Hank a mug of coffee as soon as the coffee maker finished brewing, and placed it down on the kitchen table. Glancing down at Hannah as she continued to reach out to the world around her and make small noises Connor lightly rubbed her soft left cheek with his right index finger affectionately.

"It's amazing how all humans start out so small and helpless. I promise to protect you for as long as you need me, and I'll help you become strong over time."

Returning his attention to the stove Connor turned off the burner and placed the perfectly cooked bacon down on the plate beside the omelette and placed the plate down on the kitchen table beside the mug of coffee. Just as everything was set in place Hank walked out of the bathroom with his hair slightly damp from  his shower and his still tired, bloodshot eyes searching the kitchen curiously.

"Good morning, Hank." Picking up Hannah's bottle from the counter Connor walked over to the second chair at the kitchen table and picked up Hannah out of the bassinet to hold in his arms. Offering her the bottle of formula Connor watched as Hank sat down behind his prepared plate and gave the deviant an appreciative nod. "I hope it's to your liking."

"Well, it certainly looks healthy compared to my usual greasy slop." Hank joked as he poked at the omelette with his fork and looked at all of the ingredients that went into the meal. "Eggs, spinach, onions, tomato... what's that slice of bright green stuff?"

"Avocado."

"Seriously?"

"It's beneficial to your joints and to your memory."

"Are you calling me old?"

"No, I'm merely stating facts."

"Uh-huh..." Choosing to pick up one of the strips of bacon first Hank took a large bite out of the unhealthier alternative and gave Connor a smug look before he glanced down at Hannah as she nursed from her bottle. "Do you hear the way your dad talks to your papa? Don't let him get away with that."

"I don't think Hannah has the current vocabulary required to make such a proclamation."

"Never assume, kid." Finally using his fork to pick up a small piece of the omelette Hank took a reluctant bite and decided he didn't hate it. "...Alright, that isn't too bad."

"I won't make the same thing for breakfast for you every morning if you don't want me to," adjusting Hannah slightly Connor continued to offer her the bottle and watched her to make sure she didn't drink too fast and give herself a tummy ache. "but I won't allow you to skip breakfast anymore, or only eat fast food as your meals."

Smirking a little Hank just shook his head and leaned back in his chair a little. "Sounds like your paternal instincts are kicking in full force."

"Why do you say that?"

"You were pretty insistent about keeping my diet as grease free as possible after we were assigned as permanent partners after the Revolution, but now you're going out of your way to make sure I eat healthy and don't pig out on bacon. That's something a good father would do."

"I suppose I had a good role model to follow."

"Nice try, kid." Taking another bite of the omelette, much bigger than the previous bite, Hank kept a sly grin on his face as he finished off his breakfast and sipped at his coffee. "But your flattery won't undo the fact you called me old earlier."

"See? The avocado has already improved your memory."

"Smartass." Laughing as he cleaned his plate Hank rose from the table and put his dirty dishes down in the sink to be washed later. "Alright, I'm going to go get changed and we can head out to New Jericho Tower to drop Hannah off until our shift is over."

"Of course." Putting the now empty bottle down on the kitchen table Connor rested Hannah up against his right shoulder and gently pat her back to make sure she didn't have any painful gas and proceeded to walk down the hallway to get her diaper bag packed. "Once Hannah's ready to go I'll feed Sumo and we'll head off to the tower."

As the old car idled at the red light in the heart of the city Connor looked at Hannah sitting in her cat seat in the rear of the car as she stared forward and suckled on her pacifier. The small baby was already three weeks old and she was thriving beautifully under Connor and Hank's care at her new home. Watching as his adopted daughter remained perfectly content in her car seat and watching as her blue eyes stared forward with a bright and alert demeanor Connor wondered what she was thinking in that moment.

"Do you think Hannah know she's going to be watched over by a friend this afternoon?"

"No clue, son. I suspect she'll figure out a pattern of behavior sooner rather than later." Peering up at her reflection in the rearview mirror Hank gave his granddaughter a kind smile. "Don't worry about her. She'll be okay for a few hours without us."

"I'm aware, but with her initial birth being so traumatic I don't want her to think she's being neglected a second time."

"It'll be fine, Connor." Pulling through the intersection as the light turned green Hank did his best to reassure his adopted son's worries. "If you trust Simon and the rest of the tower to watch over her then I know she'll be in great hands."

"Simon was programmed as a caretaker before the Revolution, as was Markus. I know she'll be safe as long as she has them watching over her."

"Then why are you so worried?"

Turning back around Connor sighed and tried to ignore the yellow flicker of his L.E.D. shining off the glass of the window beside him. "Despite having a restraining order against Debra Wemilat and having the courts on our side I'm still worried that such an eccentric, powerful and vindictive woman will make another sneaky attempt to take Hannah away from me."

"Hey, you represented yourself in court and had her entire trio of lawyers silent. She's going to be quiet herself for a while to try to save her public image, but I doubt she'll be able to save much face after everyone learned of what she did to her own daughter."

"A plight to which I have no sympathy."

"Good answer." Heading down the long drive connecting New Jericho Tower out on Belle Isle to the rest of the city Hank sighed himself as he realized the week he and Connor had with Hannah had truly come to an end, and now they'd have to go to work and leave her behind. "I think it's safe to say between Hannah having a father and grandfather who are cops, and then having a daycare at a secured tower no one shady will be getting their hands on her."

"I hope you're right."

The old car made its way to the tower and came to a gentle stop out in front of the deviant sanctuary. As soon as the vehicle had stopped Markus and Simon stepped through the front doors of the tower to greet Connor, Hank and now Hannah by the vehicle and to be introduced at long last.

"Thank you for your assistance." Connor stated politely as he plucked Hannah from her car seat and slung her diaper bag over his shoulder. Passing the bag over to Simon who was anxiously waiting to hold onto Hannah for himself Connor gave his friends grateful glances. "I appreciate you taking the time to tend to Hannah and keep her safe."

"It's my pleasure." Simon beamed as he held the tiny baby against his own shoulder and felt fairly normal as his long dormant programming returned to life. "I love spending time with children, and taking care of babies had always been a rewarding part of my original program."

"I'm happy to hear that."

Markus peered at Hannah's face and gave her a warm smile. "To be honest with you Connor having Hannah here is going to beneficial to all deviants throughout the tower."

"How so?"

"Seeing a human who is being cared for by deviants, not because we were programmed to do it and following commands but because we want to do it, will be very grounding and reassuring to the deviants still wary of their own choices. We can do what we want whether it's a part of our programming or not."

"I didn't think of it that way..." With his L.E.D. now back to its calm blue color Connor lightly rubbed his hand up and down Hannah's back as he bid his daughter temporary farewell for the day. "She needed a home and I wanted to give one to her. We needed each other and I already cannot imagine going about my life without her a part of it."

"And I know she'll feel the same way."

"One other thing." Keeping his hand on Hannah's back as she squirmed a little in Simon's strong arms and pulled on his shirt collar Connor let his friends know of his lingering fear for Hannah's safety. "I'm sure you know of the scrutiny surrounding Hannah's biological family, and I wish to protect Hannah from any further legal issues or emotional drama."

"Don't worry, Connor. The only people who will be able to get near Hannah will be Simon and myself, and the only people who we'll permit to take her from the tower will be you and Hank. We won't let anyone get near her."

"Thank you, my friend."

Rolling down the driver's side window Hank called out to Connor and waved him back to the car. "Say 'bye' to Hannah and let's get going. The sooner we finish our shift the sooner we can pick her up and take her back home."

"Yes, of course." Leaning in toward Hannah's left ear Connor whispered his words of affection to her then spoke to her in a slightly louder voice. "I'll be back to bring you back home later, Hannah. Daddy loves you."

The tiny baby let out a small sound around her pacifier as she looked into Connor's eyes and seemed to relax a little Simon's arms.

"Thank you again, Markus and Simon. We truly appreciate your assistance."

"It's our pleasure, Connor." Simon replied as he happily adjusted Hannah in his arms and gave her a kind smile. "Maybe I can convince Josh that having a kid of his own someday can be a pretty amazing experience. I already know it is!"

Markus smirked a little as he gave Connor and then Simon a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Maybe North can see humans in a different light, too."

With a reluctant step backward Connor bid his daughter farewell and returned to the car to head out to the precinct for his afternoon shift. Opening his door Connor sat down beside Hank and fastened his seatbelt back over himself as Hank shifted the car into gear, and began driving back toward the city.

"She'll be just fine, son."

"I know, Hank. But it's still hard to let her out of my sight. She's small and helpless. She needs me."

"Welcome to fatherhood, Connor. The hardest thing you'll ever have to do is let your child grow up and develop on their own, and accept that even when they're tiny and seemingly helpless that they can survive without you." Tilting his head a little Hank tagged on another interesting thought. "At least for a little while."

"I'm just glad you're here to help me out along the way as I learn what it means to be father."

"Well, the first thing you need to learn is no one just knows what it means to be a father, it's something you experience over time through trial and error. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Just own up to your own flaws and make sure she knows that no matter what she's loved and supported, and then everything will be alright."

"You sound so certain."

"Like I said," Hank replied in a confident tone that matched his proud smile. "experience."

"You're right." Smiling a little as he lifted up his left palm Connor displayed an image of Hannah from his memory and smiled at his tiny daughter with a deep sense of paternal pride gleaming in his soulful brown eyes. "Yet, I already know that every second I spend learning about fatherhood will be worth it in the end, as long as Hannah is happy."

"Damn right, son." Patting Connor's left shoulder twice firmly Hank gave his adopted son the confidence he needed. "You're already on the right track. You have a beautiful daughter, a big heart, and you're going to be a great father. I can already tell."

-End of Story-

or...

-the next era-

Chapter Text

Grateful for a quiet day at the precinct Connor readily walked into New Jericho Tower to pick up Hannah from Simon's care, and felt his heart swell at the sight of his young daughter napping in a small makeshift bassinet under the blond technician's watchful eye. The tiny baby was completely content and comfortable in the soft white padding of the bassinet as Simon gently rocked her back and forth to keep her as happy and content as possible. As he reached his hands down into the bassinet to pick up Hannah and hold her against his chest Connor gave Simon an appreciative nod of the head.

"I take it Hannah was well-behaved today?" Connor whispered as he held the baby to his chest and supported her weight his left arm while pressing his right palm to the back of her soft dark hair.

"Very. It was an honor babysit her, Connor." Simon also whispered as he handed Connor the diaper bag and escorted him out of the small private room to take his leave of the tower through the front door. Hank was waiting outside in the Oldsmobile and was just as eager to get Hannah, his granddaughter, back home to play with her. "I'm happy to keep doing it for you if you'd like."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. I loved taking care of kids back when I was still working with a family, and I miss it. Having Hannah to check in on and occasionally play with between taking care of wounded deviants is very comforting."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you again for your assistance."

"You're very welcome." Watching as Hannah slowly opened her eyes and glanced up at Connor's face Simon smiled at the little baby and bid her and Connor goodbye for the evening as Connor stepped outside with Hannah resting on his shoulder. "I hope to see you again, soon."

"Don't worry, you will." Opening up the passenger side door of the car Connor pushed the passenger seat forward and then gently placed Hannah down in the baby-seat secured in the back. Admiring the baby he had taken in as his own Connor's blue L.E.D. pulsed slowly and he lightly ran his left index finger along her cheek in a gentle manner. "I'm happy to see you again, Hannah. I have the next two days off so we can spend more time together."

From his seat behind the steering wheel Hank smirked a little as Connor replaced his own seat and then sat down upfront. "I take it everything was fine at the tower today."

"Yes." Placing the diaper bag down on the floor at his feet Connor fastened his seatbelt and confirmed the good day. "Simon really seemed to enjoy taking care of Hannah today."

"Good. A babysitter who truly loves kids is kinda' hard to come by these days."

"Oh?" The comment made Connor's blue L.E.D. flash to yellow inquisitively as Hank pulled the car away from the tower and down the long drive to return to the city from Belle Isle. "Why is that?"

"Some people just get so jaded with the basics of childcare that they stop caring and lose their passion, but at the same time it's the only thing they know so they just stick with it. Demanding parents, bratty kids who aren't raised with manners, being overworked and being underpaid are all pretty common reasons for a dedicated caregiver to stop giving a sh- crap."

Turning to look at Hannah over his left shoulder Connor smirked at the small baby as she glanced about the backseat and made a few random faces as she reacted to the new sights and sounds all around her. "I can't imagine experiencing such a feeling."

"Then it's a good thing that you're her dad." Pulling onto the main street to head back home Hank sighed as he looked at the late hour on the radio's clock and decided he wasn't up for cooking tonight. "As soon as we're home I'm going to order-" Stopping mid sentence Hank swore internally as he realized he left his wallet in the top left drawer of his desk. "Crap."

"Why would you want to order fecal matter?"

Laughing out loud at the naive yet witty retort Hank just shook his head and rerouted himself to return to the precinct. "I want to order a pizza, kid. I said 'crap' because I don't want to swear as much in front of the baby, AND I realized that I left my wallet back at the precinct."

"Oh.  Crap."

"Yup. I need to go pick it up so I don't get in trouble for driving without my license."

"Of course."

"While we're there..." Glancing up at Hannah's face in the reflection of his rearview mirror Hank gave the little baby a subtle nod. "Why not introduce Hannah to the rest of the bullpen?"

"Introduce her?"

"Well, not literally. Hannah can't exactly speak for herself or interact with anyone just yet, but I know Tina loves kids and that Chris would be thrilled to meet her, too."

"All right." The suggestion made Connor's yellow L.E.D. return to blue as he continued to look at Hannah in the backseat and smiled at her. "I suppose that's a reasonable idea."

Returning to the precinct for just a few minutes so Hank could get his wallet from his desk, and so Connor could let the bullpen meet Hannah in person, the deviant followed after Hank as he carried Hannah in his arms and against his left shoulder once more. Almost as soon as Connor stepped through the front doors of the precinct he could feel a bunch of eyes on him as they noticed the baby in his arms, and with the sudden abundance of attention he could feel himself blushing a pale blue.

"Hank, everyone is looking at me."

"No, kid. They're looking at Hannah." He clarified with a casual lilt to his voice. "You just happen to be the one holding her."

"...Oh."

"Go on, go sit at your desk and let people see her."

"Very well."

Carrying Hannah across the bullpen Connor returned to his desk as Hank suggested to sit down for a moment.

Within seconds Connor caught the attention of Tina who came over to meet the small baby in Connor's care. "Hello!" Tina bent down a little so she could look Hannah in the eyes as Connor sat down with her still against his chest. "You must be Hannah."

"Yes."  Connor confirmed proudly.  "Hank suggested that I let her meet everyone in the precinct while he reclaims his misplaced wallet."

"I'm glad he did. She's so beautiful."

Rubbing his right hand along Hannah's back slowly Connor gave Tina a curious stare and then an offer. "Would you like to hold her?"

"Of course I would!" Eagerly Tina allowed Connor to place Hannah in her arms, and gently adjusted the baby to ensure she stayed as comfortable as possible in her against her arms and near her chest. "Oh, you are just too cute!"

Watching as Tina cradled the baby in her care with a genuine smile Connor noticed that Chris had stepped out of the breakroom and quickly caught sight of Hannah as well. Standing beside Tina without moving around too much in a way that might accidentally frighten Hannah in the process Chris spoke to her in a soft voice and offered her his right index finger to hold.

"It seems Hannah is quite popular." The deviant remarked as his L.E.D. remained blue and pulsed steadily in his right temple. "I'm so glad she'll have so much support and people to rely on as she grows up."

Chris looked over at Connor and gave him an incredulous stare. "This is the baby you rescued from the fire and her own crazy grandma, right?"

"That's correct."

"Man... She's so lucky you were there to look out for her and get her in a safe environment. I can't imagine how rough her life could've been without you."

"Yes, I know. I'm so very fortunate the court ruled in my favor and upheld her birth parents legally signing custody of Hannah over to me. If I lost her I don't know if I would've been able to get over it."

"Julia is hoping we'll have a baby girl soon, and can definitely see why. Maybe in two or three years Damian will have a little sister to play with."

"I'm sure that'd be a wonderful addition to your family, Chris."

From his own desk across from Connor's desk Hank just smiled as he pulled his wallet from the top left drawer and locked it back up after slipping his wallet into his back pocket where it belonged. No longer in a hurry to get home or deal with dinner Hank just sat down in his chair and watched as the officers fawned over his new granddaughter with genuine awe in their eyes.

"I really want to have a baby just as cute as she is." Tina cooed as she watched the tiny baby looking up at her. "The problem is finding 'Mr. Right' and getting on the same page with him when it comes to having kids."

Chris gave Tina an odd look as he let Hannah hold onto his finger as tightly as she could. "You say that now, but once you're up at two, three and four a.m. for feedings and diaper changes you might lose some of that enthusiasm."

"Never! I want at least ten babies!"

"...I hope you don't mean all at once."

"Watch me!"

"Sometimes you scare me."

Arriving for his own evening shift right on time Gavin marched through the bullpen and proceeded to turn on his terminal to clock in as expected. Trying to ignore Connor and Hank still lingering around the precinct despite being clocked out already Gavin looked at his screen with a grumpy stare, and only took notice of Hannah in Tina's arms after the small baby let out a curious sound.

"Hey, Gav'." Tina looked at her partner and nodded to the little baby in her arms. "Want to meet Hannah?"

"...Isn't that the kid the 'plastic-wonder' rescued?"

"No, this is the baby that Connor rescued."

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever."

"Don't you want to see her?"

"Not really."

"Oh, come on. You love kids!"

Turning away from Tina to focus on his terminal screen Gavin ignored Hannah and tried to feign disinterest as he let out an aggravated sigh.

Sensing Gavin's tension Connor stood up from the chair and gently took Hannah back from Tina's arms. "I believe it's time to get Hannah back home so she can nap and have some fresh formula. I'm trying to keep her on a relatively consistent schedule to keep her content."

"Sure. Bring her by anytime, Sergeant." Moving carefully Tina let Connor take Hannah from her arms and support the baby up against his chest and shoulder again. "I know I'd love to see her again."

"I'll be sure to do that, Tina. I want Hannah to know there are people in the world who she can rely on."

As Connor and Hank took their leave of the bullpen to finally head for home Gavin outwardly scoffed at the duo and leaned back in his chair as he angrily crossed his arms over his chest, and almost glared at his partner as Tina sat down across from him at her own desk.

"Do I want to know what your problem is today, Gavin?" Tina snipped as she gave Gavin a very stern and somewhat offended leer. "Or should I just stay silent and let you stew in your pissy attitude? AGAIN."

"Don't worry about it, Tina. It's no one's damn business."

"Fine, whatever. Just don't take out your anger on an innocent baby. Talk about the ultimate dick move..."

Back home with Hannah wrapped up in a soft lavender purple blanket in his arms Connor sat on the couch in the livingroom and offered her the warm bottle of fresh formula. The small baby happily accepted the offered meal and made small content noises as she wrapped her left hand around Connor's right pinky as he supported her weight in his left arm, and held the bottle with his right hand.

With a mug of coffee in his right hand Hank walked into the livingroom with Sumo trailing after him and sat down in the recliner next to the couch. Watching as Sumo laid down at Connor's feet and Hannah took to the bottle the gruff old Lieutenant just smiled at the sight and thought about the first weeks he spent feeding Cole at all hours of the day, and how Sumo stayed close to Cole after he brought the pup home to meet the young toddler.

"I believe Hannah is experiencing a growth spurt."  Connor stated seemingly out of nowhere.

"What makes you say that, kid?"

"She is consuming approximately eight percent more formula in her current feedings than she had done over the previous week."

"Well, she's barely two and a half weeks old. She's got a lot of growing ahead of her, so it makes sense she'd be a little hungrier than usual."

"I just hope she doesn't consume too much formula at once and accidentally upset her stomach."

"If she does she'll spit it up, you'll clean it up and then the cycle will continue."

"...That is unfortunate."

"Could be worse."

"How so?" Adjusting Hannah a little bit Connor pulled back on the bottle to keep the small baby from drinking too much too fast.

"You have a little girl, not a boy. That'll make accidents during diaper changes more manageable. Boys tend to have better 'aim' with accidents."

Such a metaphor painted an ugly picture.  "...Oh."

"So it looked like the bullpen loved Hannah at first sight. What do you think about being a father with an entire bullpen at the ready to protect her?"

"Confident."

"Good to hear."

As Hannah finished off her bottle Connor put the empty container aside on the coffee table and gently placed her up against his right shoulder to rub and pat her back softly. "It seems like the only person who was unimpressed by Hannah was Gavin."

"Reed's an ass- jerk. Who cares what he thinks about Hannah?  She's your daughter."

"Yes, I'm aware." As he supported Hannah on his shoulder Connor felt and heard the small baby let out a tiny burp and then snuggle down against his shoulder in search of a cuddly place to nap. "But Tina made a comment about Gavin liking children."

"He's being a stubborn pile of crap and just doesn't want to see you happy."

"...No, I get the feeling there's something more to his reluctance than just petty a grievance."

"Uh-huh, 'petty grievance' is the definition of 'Gavin Reed'." Holding out his hands toward Connor eagerly he took Hannah from Connor's arms and settled Hannah down against his own arms and his chest to gently rock the tiny baby to sleep while he sat in the recliner. "Don't worry about it, son. Just focus on keeping Hannah happy and healthy, and don't let Gavin's poor attitude affect you."

"You're right, I'll remember that."

"How're you going to spend your next two days off?"

"I believe I'm going to take an inventory of Hannah's remaining diapers and formula and purchase what I need for the next two weeks."

"Keeping up supplies between paychecks, right?"

"Correct."

"Good plan. You should also go ahead and buy her some extra clothes. She's going to start growing fast and she won't last a month with her current wardrobe."

"I will do so."

Hank leaned back in the chair and just smirked as Hannah snuggled down in his arms and quickly fell asleep courtesy of the gentle motion and warm presence surrounding her. "You're really lucky, Connor."

"Yes, I agree. Chris mentioned the same thing earlier."

"I'm not talking about winning in court, son. I'm talking about having the chance to raise a child and help her to become a good person who can shape the world into a better place. It's an incredible feeling."

Smirking a little as his blue L.E.D. pulsed slowly in his right temple Connor glanced down at Hannah's tiny face around her purple blanket and felt a sense of peace wash over him. "...Yes. I think I know what you're talking about. You'll help me raise her and help her become a good person, right?"

"Hell, yeah! I didn't just adopt you as a formality, son. I want you to be my kid and of course I want her to my granddaughter. I'll help you every step of the way if you ask me to."

Arching his brow a little Connor looked Hank in the eye and gave him a slight shrug of his shoulders. "...I believe I just did."

"Then consider it done."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Exhausted and unsure of what else he could possibly do for his very upset and loudly crying daughter Connor just held her against his left shoulder and walked her back and forth from the livingroom to the kitchen as a means of comforting her. Keeping the soft warm purple blanket to swaddle the baby wrapped around Hannah to keep her as comfortable as possible, Connor closed his soulful brown eyes and ran scan after scan over the three week old baby's body to try to figure out why she was so restless, and seemingly so upset.

"Shh..." Lightly Connor patted and rubbed her back with his right hand to try to get her calm down a little. As he paced back and forth between the two rooms Sumo watched his every step from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom, and thumped his tail slowly on the floor every time Connor returned to the livingroom with the baby in his arms. "Please, Hannah. I'm trying to help you."

The small baby continued to cry and Connor felt terrible on his tiny daughter's behalf.

"You have a clean diaper, you have had your formula for the evening and don't want anymore, you're not running a fever, you're uninjured, you're warm and you're dry..." Standing in the middle of the kitchen with his L.E.D. pulsing a steady red Connor moved his right arm to hug Hannah instead of just rubbing her back as he noted the time. It was almost three o'clock in the morning. "Please, I don't know what to do for you. But I'm trying to help you. I really am."

As Hannah continued to cry Connor suddenly felt his heart beginning to break and he just slowly lowered himself down to the floor to sit cross-legged and held his distressed daughter to his shoulder in utter defeat.

"I'm sorry, Hannah. I'm doing everything I can."

"Connor?" Hank walked into the kitchen and looked at his son sitting on the floor his with granddaughter in his arms and up against his left shoulder. The red tinted L.E.D. might as well had been a red flag in Hank's eyes. "What's wrong? It's going on three in the morning."

"Hannah is upset and I don't know what to do for her..."

"That's why you're sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor?"

"I don't know what to do and I'm... Maybe I'm not doing this right."

"Doing what right? Being a father?"

"Yes."

Wincing a little as Hannah cried even louder Hank just sighed and shook his head. "As long as Hannah is being fed, being clothed, is clean and has a soft bed of her own then you're doing things right."

"Why is she still so upset? I've tried everything that is considered appropriate for infant care and she's still crying."

"Because babies cry, Connor. That's how they communicate with the world."

"...But I can't understand her. I have to be doing something wrong."

"All right... Let me see her." Taking Hannah from Connor's arms Hank looked his granddaughter in her teary eyes and sighed a little. "For the record you can't rely on parenting books. Every kid is different and therefore ever parenting style is going to be different."

"Whatever style I'm using is clearly ineffective."

"Knock it off, kid. You're doing fine."

"I don't think I am."

"Connor, you're fine."

"Then why is Hannah so distressed?"

"Again, babies cry." As Hank began to rubbed his own right hand along Hannah's back the more experienced father gave Connor an empathetic stare. "Ever hear of colic?"

"I'm familiar with the condition, yes."

"My guess is she's going through a bout of colic and just being fussy."

"...What if she's just unhappy because of me?"

Fighting the urge to laugh Hank sighed again and continued to rub Hannah's back. "I think you're giving a newborn way too much credit here, kid."

"But how do I-" A sudden but tiny burp from Hannah silenced Connor as she too began to quiet down. The red L.E.D. flashed to yellow and stayed as such as Connor himself noted Hannah's sudden contentedness. "...Oh."

"So she was just a little gassy. It's uncomfortable for babies to endure and hard for them to communicate. She's so small and that's a lot of discomfort for her to endure by herself."

"She isn't unhappy?"

Looking at Hannah's face as she quieted down and her crying ceased Hank just smirked, and gave Connor a strange glance. "No, kid. She's not unhappy. She was just gassy."

Standing up from the floor Connor looked at his daughter's face again and saw that she was suddenly much calmer and seemed ready to fall asleep. "I hope she doesn't continue to suffer from colic on a regular basis."

"You and every other parent on this planet, son."

Taking Hannah back from Hank's arms Connor sighed in relief and continued to rub his hand along the small baby's back to help soothe her to sleep. "I'm sorry I awoke you. I'll try to be better at parenting from now on."

"Seriously? You don't get 'better' at parenting, son. You just learn how to handle situations quicker over time."

"I still feel as though I let Hannah down tonight."

"You didn't. You just need to learn what makes Hannah act like Hannah so you can figure out quicker if she needs her diaper changed, needs something to eat, needs another blanket, needs to be burped or just needs to be cuddled for a while. Stop doubting yourself when it comes to taking care of her, you have good instincts and you already put her above everything and everyone else. You're a good father."

"What if it's not good enough?"

"It never feels like it's good enough, son." Escorting Connor out of the kitchen and down the hallway Hank watched as the deviant gently placed Hannah down into her crib to sleep for the night, and saw the deviant's L.E.D. return to blue from yellow. "But you're doing a great job at being her dad."

"I hope so."

"And remember, you are the only one who can say what's best for Hannah and that comes from hands-on experience. NOT from a damn book."

Rubbing his hand along Hannah's tummy Connor was now confident enough to enter rest mode himself and let Hannah sleep. "I'll do my best to remember that."

"Good."

As the senior detective quietly took his leave of the bedroom Connor called out to him in a low and curious voice. "Hey, Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think gassiness and colic is why Gavin is often in a foul mood?"

Laughing at the silly question Hank just gave Connor a dismissive wave of his hand and continued down the hallway. "Goodnight, son."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Somewhat tired from Hannah's previous fussy night Connor sighed deeply as he carried the newborn out of her crib and into the livingroom to start the groggy morning. With the baby swaddled in her light purple blanket Connor waited for Hannah to awaken so he could give her a fresh bottle of formula to ensure she was content for the next few hours. As he sat on the couch with the baby in his arms Connor received a notification from his own system regarding his low power level, and his L.E.D. pulsed yellow in his right temple slowly.

Sumo was watching the deviant and newborn from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom with his tail  wagging slowly in a happy response to seeing the duo together on the couch.

"Maybe if I enter rest mode earlier tonight I will be able to compensate for my current low power level."

"Doubt it." Hank replied quietly as he heard Connor's comment and leaned over the back of the couch to look at Hannah still sleeping in Connor's arms. "Once you lose sleep while taking care of a baby you'll never get it back."

That information was disconcerting.   "...Oh."

"Need a break?"

"No, I can function." Feeling Hannah squirming about a little as she began to awaken Connor readjusted her in his arms to keep her comfortable. "I'll change her into a fresh diaper and give her a bottle."

"Sure. I'll go warm up the formula for you in the kitchen while you get her taken care of."

"Thank you, Hank."

With a smirk on his face Hank watched as Connor got back up from the couch to carry Hannah down the hallway to get her changed and just shook his head. It didn't take long for the experienced father to fall back into a routine of preparing a bottle of formula while also preparing his own coffee in the brewer on the neighboring countertop.

Placing the clean bottle down in the water purifier Hank waited for the warm and purified water to reach its ideal volume and then took it over to the next counter to put the appropriate amount of powdered formula into the bottle, and stirred it up a little. To ensure all of the powder was dissolved properly Hank put the lid on the bottle and shook it a few times until it was completely mixed.

A small cry and sound of discontent sounded off as Connor carried Hannah into the kitchen just in time to be handed the bottle of formula from Hank's hand.

"Thank you, again."

"No problem." Watching as Connor sat down at the kitchen table and adjusted Hannah in his arms Hank couldn't stop himself from having flashbacks to the first few times he fed Cole a bottle in the morning and ended up grinning brightly. "We go back to work tomorrow, think you'll be able to get enough sleep to keep functioning?"

"Yes. As long as Hannah isn't too fussy I will be able to resume my normal schedule." Offering the bottle to Hannah with his right hand Connor made sure she didn't drink too fast, and was in a comfortable position in his left arm. "Why do you ask?"

"Some parents need a little more time to get in a routine, that's all."

"Are you referring to paternity leave?" Glancing up at Hank as the senior detective watched him feed the baby Connor gave Hank a questioning look.

"Well, yeah. There's a reason new parents are given six weeks to take care of their newborns."

"Six weeks seems excessive."

"Trust me, kid. When it comes to time off and your baby, you'll never have enough days or weeks to spend as you see fit."

"I don't want to take time away from the precinct. I want to be able to keep supporting Hannah."

"I'm here to help ya' out, too. Not only are you my son but she's my granddaughter, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." As his L.E.D. remained yellow in his right temple Connor focused on Hannah's demeanor. "But I want to ensure that Hannah knows that I'm going to always be there for her as she grows up."

Sensing something else was weighing on Connor's mind Hank poured himself a cup of coffee and carried it over to the table to sit beside his adopted son and his new granddaughter. "Kid, are you worried that she's going to feel abandoned by you when you have to leave her alone for even a minute?"

"...She had a very rough start to her life." Answering honestly and with a heartbreaking lilt to his voice Connor readjusted the bottle as it began to steadily empty. "I know how that feels."

"So you also have abandonment issues."

"Huh?"

"CyberLife. You deviated and did the right thing, so they left you behind to just... die. Kind of like that ass- jerk," again making an effort to not swear as much around the baby Hank corrected his term quickly. "who abandoned her in the burning building to die. You're projecting your worries onto her because you can relate to her on a personal level."

Pausing for a moment Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red and he took the bottle from Hannah just long enough to move her up to his shoulder to pat her back to ensure she didn't suffer colic again later that night. "...You might be right."

"Don't worry about it. We all have personal sh- stuff from our pasts we have to deal with from time to time."

"Will my own personal grievances and pain affect Hannah as she grows up?"

"Not if you don't let it, son. I'm not exactly the expert on letting the past go and avoiding self-destructive behavior, but I'm learning. I guess you can learn, too."

"You're right about that as well." Returning Hannah to his left arm Connor offered her the remainder of the formula and his L.E.D. returned to yellow. As he watched Hannah nurse Connor received another warning about his low power level and dismissed it. "We'll learn how to move on from our traumatic pasts and help Hannah learn to do the same."

"Sounds like a plan."

Due to Connor's low power mode his ventilation program wasn't functioning at one-hundred percent capacity causing his thermal regulator to stress a little. In turn he let out a reflexive small yawn that was the result of his slightly overheating core temperature, and could feel himself cool down slightly.

Smirking at the very human response to Connor getting up early after a late night to take care of a newborn, Hank patted Connor's shoulder and made a move to take Hannah from his arms. "You're exhausted, go get some sleep."

"I'm not-"

"Son," silencing the young deviant by using his 'dad voice' Hank was insistent on taking Hannah from Connor's arms. "you just yawned. I've never in my life seen you yawn before. You are tired. You won't be able to do much for Hannah if you're too tired to hold her."

Admitting he was in fact tired Connor relented and gently passed Hannah over to Hank to hold, and continue to feed the newborn her formula. "...I am tired."

"See? You're agreeing with me too, so I know you're exhausted. Go get some sleep and I'll take care of Hannah. Remember, she's my granddaughter and I have more experience with taking care of a newborn than you do."

"I appreciate your help." Standing up slowly from the kitchen table Connor wobbled slightly on his feet but caught himself by pressing his left palm down over the surface of the table before he fell. "...That was strange."

"Are you okay?" The sudden lack of coordination was a huge red flag.

"My low power mode has disrupted my gyroscope's ability to recalibrate properly. I was... dizzy."

"Oh. Can you walk by yourself?"

"Yes. I'll be fine once I enter rest mode and my system recalibrates."

"Cool. See ya' in a few hours."

Nodding a little Connor reached out his right hand and used his index finger to lightly caress Hannah's left cheek before he left. "I'll see you both in four hours."

Watching as Connor slowly walked out of the kitchen and down the hallway to retreat to his bedroom Hank sighed and held Hannah up to his chest.

"Your daddy is going to make sure you never see a moment of unhappiness in your life, Hannah. You don't have to worry about him messing up, either."

Giving Hannah a loving grin as he held her in his arms Hank made her a sincere vow.

"I'll be there the whole way and I'll help him succeed. I promise."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Despite his overall reluctance to leave Hannah alone for so long as he still acclimated to being a father all day, every day, Connor set about his new morning routine of getting ready for his shift at the precinct and getting Hannah ready for her day at New Jericho Tower. As he tightened the knot in his black tie Connor smiled at Hannah as she laid in her crib already dressed in a dark purple 'onesie' with a trail of pink kitty paw prints running up the side. She was completely content, awake and seemed to be fascinated by the blue pulsing L.E.D. in her daddy's right temple.

"I don't like leaving you alone all afternoon long, Hannah." Connor explained as he scooped his one month old daughter out of her crib and gently held her up against his left shoulder. Using his left arm to support her weight Connor rubbed his right hand over her back softly. "But I need to do it so I can save up enough money to purchase a larger house to accommodate our bigger family."

Walking down the hallway with Hannah in his arms Connor met Hank in the livingroom as the senior detective finished packing up Hannah's diaper bag and picked it up by the bag's handle. "Ready?"

"Yes. Hannah has had her formula, she has been changed and she is wearing a clean 'onesie'. She'll be content during the drive."

"Good. Since we have this weekend off you can spend all day Saturday cuddling with Hannah, and then I'll spend time with her on Sunday."

"I don't think it's wise to divide our bonding time like that, but I understand what you're saying."

"Come on." Smirking at the comment Hank rubbed his left hand along Hannah's soft dark hair and motioned for Connor to accompany him outside. "Let's get her to New Jericho and get our butts to the precinct. I don't want to deal with Fowler trying to chew me out for being late."

"Of course. We need to set a good example for Hannah."

As per usual Connor carried Hannah and her diaper bag to the front of New Jericho Tower where Simon was expecting to meet them, and passed the baby over to his awaiting hands to be tended to throughout the day. Simon slung the bag over his left shoulder as he held Hannah up against his right shoulder for a moment before heading off into the tower.

"Hannah has been a little restless at night as of late." Connor stated in a somber tone as he rubbed his right hand along Hannah's back. "But she seems to be quite happy this morning."

"Colic?" The blond deviant asked as if already knowing the answer.

"Correct. Once she does fall asleep she sleeps well into the night, but if she has difficulty in taking her nap-"

"I know the drill. Carry her, rub her back and try cuddling."

"That's right." Connor's blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow for a moment as he realized that Simon was far more experienced with childcare than he was. "It seems to work every time, I just wish it didn't need to happen so often."

"Don't worry, Connor. The family I took care of had twin boys, and if I could handle the two of them all day long then I know I can handle Hannah for an afternoon. Again."

"Right, of course. Thank you." Leaning forward Connor gave Hannah a small kiss on her hair, a gesture Hank insisted was the perfect way to show the baby affection in a very human manner, and said goodbye to his daughter for the afternoon. "I'll be back this evening, Hannah. Be good for Simon.  Daddy loves you."

The small baby's dark eyes, which were slowly turning a rich chocolate brown from a dark blue, seemed to be searching Connor's face as he leaned down to look at her before leaving the tower. Hannah's hair was taking on a dark brunette color and her eyes were slowly turning brown as she aged and was now the perfect blend between her two biological parents in every way.

"Don't worry about Hannah." Simon smiled as he adjusted the baby resting up against his chest and shoulder. "She'll be just fine."

"I know she will. I just dislike being away from her."

"It's just for a few hours. We'll see you soon."

"Right. I'll be back by six-fourteen this evening."

Watching as Connor took his reluctant leave of the tower Simon sighed and turned on his heels to take charge of Hannah for the day again. "Come on 'little one'. Let's go upstairs and see who needs our help today."

Sitting in the small private office of the tower's emergency repair bay Simon cybernetically filed through the tower's current roster of deviants seeking shelter at the moment, and used his right hand to gently rock Hannah in the makeshift and perfectly functional bassinet beside him. The small baby was calm and seemed completely content in the soft padded bed as she suckled on her purple pacifier and looked up at the small plastic mobile spinning above her head as she was rocked slowly.

From the doorway of the office Markus watched as Simon flawlessly multi-tasked at taking care of the tower and taking care of Hannah. It was impressive to say the least, and whether it was a part of Simon's programming or not, it was still interesting to see.

"Don't stare, Markus." Simon noticed the deviant leader watching from afar. "If you want to see the baby then come in and see the baby."

"Uh, sure." Taking a shaking step forward Markus neared the bassinet as Simon stopped rocking it and looked down at Hannah curiously. "I've never seen a human infant this close before. She... She somehow seems different."

"It's not uncommon for human infants to have their features change a few weeks and months after birth. Hannah's hair was a little lighter than it had been and her eyes were far more blue when she was first born, but now her hair is beginning to darken and her eyes are turning brown."

"Huh."

"Something wrong?"

"Not really, it's just... Don't you find it strange that her features are starting to mirror that of Connor?"

"Well, from the photographs I've seen of her biological parents the dark hair and eyes were to be expected. It's just a neat coincidence that her features would also be reminiscent of her adoptive father."

"That is pretty neat." Hannah began to stir and Markus took notice of her seemingly getting restless. "...She sounds uncomfortable."

"Pick her up."

The suggestion seemed out of the blue.  "...Me?"

"You took care of Carl for years," Simon laughed as he plucked Hannah from the bassinet and held her in his arms. "are you telling me you're intimidated by holding a baby?"

"I've never held one before."

"Here, like this." Waiting for Markus to mirror his pose Simon placed Hannah down gently in Markus's arms and watched her quiet back down. "There."

"She just wanted to be held?" Markus stared at Hannah with wide eyed wonder as she settled down and stared up at him.

"Baby's need a lot of attention and since she can't speak just yet the only way to communicate is through various sounds and body language. She was probably curious about your voice and wanted to meet you."

"Oh. Well, I guess we should be introduced. It's about time after all." Careful as he readjusted Hannah in his arms Markus found himself oddly fascinated by the small baby and gave her a kind smile. "Hi, Hannah. I'm Markus and I'm friends with your dad."

Simon noticed the glimmer in Markus's mismatched eyes and gave the deviant leader an odd glance. "Do you think that because of Connor's now very well known adoption of Hannah that all androids will be given the right to adopt children through an application process, or through the foster care program?"

"I'm not sure. I've been more focused on passing laws to protect deviants from discrimination and less focused on technicalities in childcare." As Hannah began to squirm about in his arms Markus seemed to readjust his arms again on instinct, and moved Hannah up to his shoulder to rest. Unknowingly mimicking Connor's position from earlier Markus supported Hannah's weight with his left arm and held his right hand to her back. "Do you think more androids would like to have children to take care of?"

"I know I would. And I think Josh would be willing to spend more time with young children as well."

"Interesting. I'll start pushing requests for deviants to be granted rights to look after children."

"So... Do you like Hannah?"

Glancing down at the baby's face as she rested her right cheek against his shoulder and looked up at him Markus smirked again. "Yeah, I think I do. She's so small and innocent. Now I know why Connor risked his life to save her from the fire."

"The thing is Connor didn't know she was an infant, he just knew there was a person inside the burning house."

"Then it sounds like Connor having custody of a child is in fact a good thing."

"Why's that?"

"He has that guardian instinct to protect anyone and everyone who needs his help. Hannah will be raised in a loving and supportive environment, and I think a human being raised by an android is the perfect foundation to begin building bridges between humans and androids after the Revolution nearly burned everything in the city to ash."

Hannah let out a grunt of discontent and her right hand grabbed onto Markus's shirt collar in a weak grip.

"...Did I upset her?"

"No, she's just hungry." Simon noted the time and had quickly recognized Hannah's small noises as she tried to communicate with the world around her. "I can take care of that with a bottle of formula."

"Can I try?"

The eager reaction made Simon grin.  "You wish to feed her?"

"Why not? I'm already holding her."

"All right. Sit down." Rising from his chair to give it to Markus to use Simon picked up Hannah's diaper bag from beside the bassinet and pulled a pre-made bottle of formula from a small refrigerated compartment within the bag's pocket, and then took the small rechargeable bottle heater from the next pocket. "I just need to warm up the bottle for a moment, and then she's good to go."

Carrying Hannah over the chair Markus sat down and let Simon reposition the baby in his arms so she could be fed appropriately. "You really do miss taking care of kids, don't you?"

"I do. When Connor asked for help with finding a suitable form of daycare while he is at the precinct I jumped at the opportunity to help out." Motioning to the bassinet Simon checked the temperature on the bottle and let it sit for a few more seconds. "I even made that little bassinet and swing for Hannah by recycling an old CyberLife biocomponent storage container, lining it with thermal insulation and covering that up with a thick pillow and clean sheets from our emergency repair bay."

"What about the swinging part?"

"I used one of the old technician's repair arms from the warehouse down in the basement, and I constructed a crude mobile from the various items that previous CyberLife employees abandoned in their offices after CyberLife was shutdown."

"That's very clever."

"I thought so, too." Picking up the bottle from the warmer Simon handed it over to Markus and smiled. "Let me show you how to support her so she can drink without choking or drink too fast..."

At the precinct Connor was cybernetically filing his reports on the recently arrested bigot who spray painted graffiti a nearby Android Emergency Care Facility with hateful slurs, while also beginning to look for a larger house to move the trio of his family into within the next few months. Despite Hannah only being one month old Connor was already anticipating how she'd need her own bedroom to have some personal space, as well as a large place to play without anyone accidentally stepping on her or breaking her toys.

From his own desk Hank could see that Connor was thinking deeply about something, his yellow L.E.D. betraying his emotions, and asked the young deviant what was on his mind in a low voice. "What the hell are you thinking so damn hard about?"

The question took a moment to be registered properly.  "...Pardon?"

"You're in a trance, kid. There has to be something big on your mind." Leaning forward Hank gave Connor a knowing look and sighed. "What's up?"

"I was merely looking for a larger house to purchase within the next five months."

"Already?"

"Yes. I already have a substantial sum of money saved up due to my rather minimal lack of personal needs and because you allow me to live under your roof without paying rent. If I continue to work for the next-"

"Connor." Holding up a 'shushing' hand Hank gave Connor a stern glance. "Stop."

"...Stop what?"

"Obsessing over the future."

"I'm not obsessing, I'm planning."

"How far in advance?"

"I estimate that by the time Hannah is applying for college-"

"Holy shit!"  Reacting appropriately Hank gave Connor a small reality check.  "She's barely four weeks old!"

Connor's L.E.D. blinked red once before returning to yellow and he slumped down in his chair. "...Perhaps I am obsessing a little."

"Yeah, just a bit."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just learn to pace things out and for fuck sake remember that Hannah will be making her own decisions regardless of what your computer brain has already scheduled."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, what if Hannah doesn't want to go to college? What if instead of going right into college after she graduates high school she wants to travel the world and gain new experiences to help her decide what she wants to do with her life, rather than pick a career at age twelve and settle for that?"

"...I hadn't considered that."

"No one does."

Arching his brow a little Connor gave Hank an odd glance. "You didn't want to be a cop when you were a child?"

"Nope. When I was six I wanted to be a cowboy, then when I was about eight I wanted to be an astronaut. Then when I was fourteen I looked into a steady construction gig, but in the end I found the idea of protecting innocent people as a cop to be the most fulfilling idea when I was seventeen."

"I see..."

"Relax, she'll be just fine as long as you make sure she knows she's loved and supported." Picking up his empty coffee mug from his desk Hank walked past Connor's desk to get to the breakroom and get himself a refill. "I'll help ya' look for houses later tonight, okay?"

"Yes, thank you. I appreciate it."

As Hank walked away Gavin, who had been eavesdropping on the conversation, scoffed at the notion and swore at the idea of Connor being a supportive father for a human infant in need. "Fuckin' plastic trying to play 'daddy' and 'house'? What a fuckin' joke."

Suddenly feeling more defensive about anyone making comments toward his person, especially in regards to being able to take care of Hannah, Connor addressed the gruff Sergeant in a protective tone of voice. "Do you have an issue with the way I'm raising my daughter, Reed?"

The authority in Connor's voice made Gavin visibly flinch and his hazel eyes narrowed with shock. "I didn't say nothing about your kid, asshole."

"I didn't imply you did. I was referring to your perceived grievance with me raising her as my own child."

Scoffing again at the comment Gavin tried to brush it off but failed to do so as now the entire bullpen was looking at him with a curious disgust.

"If you're going to make a comment about my person I'd prefer if you did it to my face and not make unfounded comments behind my back."

Realizing his unfavorable opinion on Connor being a father wasn't too popular in the bullpen Gavin quietly stood up from his desk, took his car keys out of his jacket and walked away from the precinct without a word.

Connor glared as Gavin walked away, his red tinted L.E.D. glowing a crimson aura in his temple the entire time, and only calmed down when he felt Hank's left hand press down on his right shoulder.

"Good job, son."

The compliment made Connor's brow arch again as his L.E.D. cycled back to yellow as he watched Hank reclaim his seat. "...To what are you referring?"

"You standing up for yourself and not letting Gavin get away with being a prick to you anymore."

"Oh." As his L.E.D. cycled back to blue Connor realized his reaction to Gavin was fairly out of character for him. "...I suppose his comments toward Hannah has made me more protective than usual, and less willing to simply put up with his verbal abuse and bigotry."

"Damn right." Sipping at his coffee Hank gave Connor an approving nod of his head. "Let those paternal instincts grow. You'll find yourself being far more protective and willing to fight back against assholes like Reed more often."

"I'll become more aggressive?"

"Not aggressive, assertive. Huge difference."

Nodding a little himself Connor pressed his right fingertips over his blue L.E.D. in his right temple warily. "...That is true. I wonder how else I'll change as Hannah grows up."

"Only time will tell, son." 

Walking back and forth across his personal office Simon rubbed Hannah's back as the small baby fussed and squirmed in his gentle grip. As another bout of colic reared its ugly head Simon patiently waited out the baby's crying and did everything he could to comfort her. It wasn't easy but the experienced deviant put up with the high-pitched crying and continued to pace in a calm and smooth manner across his office.

"How in the hell can you stand that?" North asked as she stood just outside Simon's doorway and stared at Hannah with disgust. "It's so loud!"

"Crying is the only way she can communicate. She can't help it."

"Why is it freaking out?"

"SHE," he emphasized the term over North referring to Hannah as 'it' as he continued to pace. "is physically uncomfortable and in pain."

"What did you do to her, then?"

"Nothing. She's just small and struggling to adjust to her body constantly growing and needing to digest more formula in order to continue to grow."

"She can't handle eating?" North crossed her arms over her chest as if genuinely disgusted by Hannah's distress. "And humans say androids are inferior."

"Can I help you with something, North? Or did you just come up here to pick on a helpless infant?"

"Chill, I just wanted to pick up your roster report on the deviants you took care of last week."

"It's on the desk."

Noticing that the desk was behind Simon, which meant she'd have to go near Hannah in order to get the report, North let out an annoyed sigh. "Great."

"I'd give it to you myself but my hands are full."

"Yeah, I noticed." Marching over to the desk with purpose in her steps North grabbed onto the report and immediately detected another trait about Hannah that disgusted her. "...Please don't tell me she just soiled herself."

"She's an infant and she's wearing a diaper. That's what happens."

"Gross." Taking her leave of the office with the report in her hand North stopped in the doorway and gave Hannah a somewhat annoyed glance. "I can't believe Markus actually wants to have one of those some day."

Shaking his head Simon just pulled the changing mat out of the diaper bag and smoothed it over his desk as he placed Hannah down atop of it to give her a much needed diaper change.

"Don't take it personally, Hannah. North doesn't seem to like anyone except for Markus. She just tolerates the rest of the world."

The rest of the afternoon shift seemed to be going about as routinely and smoothly as possible for the officers in charge, and yet Gavin's sudden departure felt a little off. It wasn't like the Sergeant to back down from a fight with Connor, especially when his ego was on the line.  To see him leave without a word or being told to cool off by Captain Fowler was all the stranger.

Tina was trying to locate her partner but Gavin wasn't answering her texts which always meant he needed to be left alone, so in turn she told Captain Fowler he went home sick for the day to keep her partner from getting in trouble for leaving his shift early.  It wasn't the first time she had to lie to protect him.

"I'm going to order from the local diner down the street, kid." Hank stated as he picked up his phone and turned on the app to place his order. "I'll give ya' the cash and you can bring it here for me."

"That sounds reasonable."

"I also put in an order for one of their brand new Thirium based cookies for you to try, so I'm also gonna' give you a little extra cash to give them a nice tip for being accommodating and open minded."

"I like that idea. Thank you."

"Sure." Passing Connor some money from his wallet Hank gave the young deviant a quick smirk. "Be sure to let them know you're a cop, it might help with getting extra treats on the side or something."

Accepting the bills Connor gave Hank a puzzled stare for just a moment.  "...Seriously?"

"Yeah.  When I was a rookie I saved a pizza delivery boy from getting mugged and ever since that particular pizza joint has given me extra toppings without ever charging me for them."

"Oh, that explains why you always order from that one place."

"Yup. You got it. "

"I'll be back soon."

Pocketing the money Connor took his leave of the precinct to walk down the block to get to the small diner on the corner. Once inside Connor was met with a wave of conflicting aromas from so many different meals being cooked at the same time, and did his best to tune out the white noise of so many human voices chatting among each other.

"Now I know why Hank asked me to go in his stead. It's quite crowded here."

A waitress saw Connor come in and noticed the L.E.D. glowing in his right temple. "Hey, are you hear to pick up an order that included a Thirium cookie?"

"That is correct."  He confirmed honestly.  "The order should be under the name 'Hank Anderson' from the local precinct."

"That's the one. It's almost finished, it should only be another five minutes or so."

"I understand, thank you."

As Connor stayed back and patiently waited for the order to be finished he felt a gentle hand wrap around his left wrist as another waitress got his attention in a subtle manner.

"Excuse me," she whispered to Connor discreetly.  "did I hear you say that you work for the police department?"

"Yes." Confirming the question Connor showed the waitress his badge and told her his name. "My name is Sergeant Connor Anderson."

"I think I might need your help."

"Oh?" His blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow quickly. "What's wrong?"

"There's a guy in the back booth who's been here for almost three hours. I think he's sick or maybe drunk."

"Has he been aggressive to you or anyone else?"

"No, but he's a little out of it and I was about to call 911 to see if the paramedics could help him out."

"Thank you, I'll take a look at him and if it becomes necessary I'll contact emergency services."

"Thanks!"

Pocketing his badge Connor walked into the back of the diner to check on the seemingly inebriated customer, only to stop short upon recognizing the man's face and immediately knew that the man wasn't drunk, he was in fact sick. Sitting down in the booth across from the man sprawled out over the surface of the empty table Connor picked up the man's wrist and counted his pulse.

"...Gavin?"

The dazed detective lifted up his head slowly from the table and gave Connor a pissed off glare as he yanked his arm away from Connor. "...Don't touch me!"

"My apologies." With his L.E.D. cycling a nervous yellow Connor lowered his voice and spoke to Gavin with only respect in his words. "You are ill."

"...Not sick." Pressing his right palm over his eyes he used his left hand to pull a small plastic container from a hidden pocket beneath the left front portion of his leather jacket, and placed the plastic case down on the table. "...Blood sugar's fucked up."

"I see. Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Nooooooo." Dragging out the response in a slurred sarcasm Gavin shot Connor a dirty look. "...I can take care of myself."

"Again I didn't imply to the contrary, I was merely asking if you needed to see a doctor."

"Fuck off!"

"Not until I know you're going to be okay."

"I'm fine, beat it."

"You're not fine. You're angry and ill."

"NOT. SICK."

"...But you are angry."

"Fuck yeah, I am!"

Connor could hear the other patrons in the diner whispering amongst themselves upon hearing the uncivilized outburst. "Please, lower your voice and do not draw any unwanted attention to yourself."

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Gavin, you're making yourself a public nuisance and are disturbing the peace. I don't want to have to arrest you; the waitresses here already know that I'm a cop."

"Oh, fuck you!"

"Last chance. Either lower your voice or I inform Captain Fowler of your current location."

Shaking his head as he opened up the plastic case Gavin shrugged off his jacket and placed his left arm down on the table to adjust his blood sugar with his insulin injection. "Fuck Fowler, too."

"You should at least let Tina know that you're here. She has been trying to locate you and seems worried."

"...I'll talk to Tina later." Hearing the name made Gavin mellow out considerably as he used a sterilized alcohol wipe to clean the bend of his left arm to administer his injection. "...Don't worry about it."

"Considering you've been officially cleared for the day under the nature of being ill courtesy of Tina, and I am currently off the clock as I'm on my break, we can speak to one another person to person rather than officer to officer. Please tell me why you're so angry."

"Why the fuck do you care?"

"Because I can see you're in distress and I don't want you to get wounded in the line of duty if you're not able to fully focus as you should."

"...I can focus just FINE."

"Is that why you let your blood sugar get so dangerously low that you're on the verge of blacking out?"

"...Fuck you." Holding the preloaded syringe over his left vein with his right hand Gavin lowered his hand down, but it was shaking too much to accurately locate the vein he needed. "...Fuck."

Without a word Connor grabbed onto Gavin's right wrist to help him hold his hand steady as Gavin located the vein and administered his insulin. "I don't know why you hate me and I don't care, but why you hate Hannah is-"

"I don't hate your kid." Gavin stated in a slightly more clear voice as the insulin steadily worked to balance out his sugar levels and help him regain his senses as he sat at the booth. "...I hate that you get to have one."

The answer was unexpected and made Connor's brow furrow with confusion. "Are you jealous?"

"No! I'm pissed."

The outburst was entirely unusual.   "...I don't understand."

Yanking his right arm out of Connor's grip again Gavin slumped back in the booth and sighed. "You get to take care of a newborn baby, fought tooth and nail to protect her and raise her as your own, and have the courts on your side..."  Emotion was thick in his voice.  "But when I needed someone to look after me as a kid no one could give a single shit."

Things were beginning to make sense. "...You were abandoned as a child and no one helped you?"

Fighting back his own resentment Gavin lowered his voice and looked away from Connor bitterly. "Worse. I was stuck with my piece of shit parents until I was fifteen and then removed by foster care. I went to a nice family until I was eighteen and that was the end of it. I never had a real family and no one bothered to help me until after," his left fingertips trailed over the scar on his nose as he sighed deeply. "I was too hurt to pick myself back up. I'm pissed that you fought so much to help one baby, but no one fought for me."

"I see. You're angry that the childcare system is still so broken and at times corrupt." The memories of the social worker attempting to sabotage Connor's case for custody over Hannah was still vivid in his mind. "You're not angry at me or Hannah, you're angry that I was successful in helping Hannah because no one helped you."

"It's petty garbage, I know."

"No. It's emotional projection."  Connor now understood Gavin's misplaced rage.  "Your anger is founded, but I'm not the one who hurt you."

"Yeah, whatever."

"You seem stable now." Connor cybernetically ran a scan over Gavin's person and found his vitals all in normal parameters. "I'm going to pick up Hank's lunch and return to the precinct. I suggest you go back to your apartment to rest, and to keep the diner staff from being worried about you."

"Fine, I'm gone. Just don't tell anyone about this."

"I won't. It was off the clock."

Scoffing at the comment Gavin slipped back on his jacket and packed up his medical kit. "...Plastic freak."

With Hannah now settled down for the evening Simon continued to watch over her as she napped in the bassinet and set about his new report regarding the deviants under his care in the emergency repair bay. As he used his right hand to gently rock Hannah back and forth in the bassinet Simon sensed someone joining him in the office and his blue eyes lit up as he saw Josh's face admiring the baby.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself." Josh knelt down beside the bassinet to get a closer look at Hannah. "North said you were babysitting and the way she said it made me think you were attending a funeral."

"She doesn't seem to like kids.  A lot of people don't."

"I was surrounded by entitled college kids before I took off and ran to Jericho, but I never spent time around small children."

"Yeah? Want to try holding her?"

"Won't that wake her up?"

"Not if you're gentle." Slowing the rocking motion of the bassinet Simon lowered his hands into the small bed and picked up Hannah without waking her up as he did. Keeping his motions slow and careful he passed Hannah over to Josh's arms to hold for himself. "See? As long as you're gentle and calm she'll stay quiet and sleep comfortably."

"...Wow."  Holding Hannah carefully Josh admired the baby as well.  "She's so small."

"She won't be for too much longer."

"It's kind of nice knowing that this little human is going to grow up and be one of our allies."

"And I think it'd be even nicer if more of us androids could have the chance to take care of human children, too."

"You want one of your own to take care of?"

"I really do. I love kids."

"...I'll keep that in mind." Standing up slowly from the floor Josh held Hannah in his arms and smiled at her sleeping face. "Connor is very lucky. He gets the chance to be the first android to really have a baby, a family of his own, and we just get to watch her grow up from afar."

"Markus says he's working on a new law to help the androids get the chance to adopt. That'd be... amazing."

"You're right, it would." Adjusting Hannah as she made small noises and squirmed in her sleep Josh felt an odd sense of peace fall over him. "It might be a new kind of challenge for us to undertake in the future."

Catching an important word in Josh's statement Simon's eyes lit up again.  "...Us?"

"Well," blushing a little Josh cleared his throat awkwardly as he tried to clarify his comment to his dearest friend. "you know. Maybe we could have our own kids, or... Yeah. You know."

Simon slowly closed his eyes as he received a cybernetic message from Connor and smirked a little. "Connor's pulling down the driveway. It's time for this 'little one' to go meet her dad in the lobby." Quietly Simon picked up the diaper bag from the floor and let Josh carry Hannah for him as they left the office to get to the elevator and head on down to the lobby. "I imagine Connor is anxious to be reunited with her, and I know she'll be happy to see him, too."

It was almost midnight and Connor was still awake. Watching over Hannah as she slept peacefully in her crib, the first night in almost a full week where she didn't fuss and deal with colic before going down to sleep, Connor admired his small daughter and was truly grateful to have her in his life. Thinking about what Gavin had said and how the fate of one child being lost through the cracks of the foster care system broke his heart, he tried to not imagine how differently Hannah's life could've been if her evil grandmother won custody.

But it was hard to not think about.

"Connor, go to sleep." Hank whispered from the opened bedroom doorway. "She's fine."

"I know."  Acknowledging Hank in his own whisper Connor refused to back away just yet.  "I'm just fascinated by her."

"Kid, you need to sleep."

"...I'm fine."

"Sure, you say that now but when you keep putting off your rest mode to stay up with Hannah you keep pushing yourself closer and closer to exhaustion."

Looking over at Hank as he stayed in the doorway Connor nodded a little and adjusted the small blanket over Hannah's legs to make sure she was still comfortable and warm. "Okay, I'll enter rest mode."

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Yes. I just can't stop thinking and I know you dislike it."

"Connor, don't act like you thinking about the future is a bad thing, it's just one of those things that needs to be handled in small doses instead of all at once."

"I know."

"If you're worried that you're somehow going to mess up Hannah as she grows up, stop. You're too empathetic and patient to make such a mistake. And I'll be there to help you out."

"I know.  Thank you."

"Now, go to sleep." Looking down at Hannah himself as he silently entered the room Hank used his right index finger to lightly caress Hannah's left cheek before he went into his own bedroom for the night. "We can start looking at bigger houses tomorrow, and then you can focus on that kind of stuff."

"Yes, you're right."

"Goodnight, son."

"Goodnight, Hank." Sighing as he looked down at Hannah's face once more Connor smirked a little and made her another promise. "You won't be lost or forgotten about, Hannah. I swear to it that you'll always be safe and happy."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

A dark and stormy night rocked the city of Detroit and ruined a perfectly good night's sleep. Wrapping Hannah up in her soft purple blanket and holding her to his chest Connor paced back and forth in his room as he tried to soothe the seven week old baby's cries and help her get back to sleep. Unsure of what he could do about the storm Connor just drew the curtains shut to keep out the lightning flashes and tried to sing a soft song to distract Hannah from the raucous thunder as it shook the house.

"Shh... It's okay, Hannah." Connor soothed as he rubbed his right hand up and down Hannah's back in a comforting manner. "It's just a storm. You're safe."

The house shook again as thunder roared and the harsh wind knocked out the power blanketing the house in total blackness.

"Oh, no." Connor's yellow glowing L.E.D. provided the only light in the house as he exited his bedroom and walked into the livingroom as he continued to try to get Hannah to lull back to sleep. Sumo whimpered from the pillow in the corner of the livingroom and thumped his tail as Connor and Hannah entered the livingroom for the night. "It'll be okay. It's just dark."

"And loud." Hank commented as he joined Connor in the livingroom with his phone screen guiding his way down the hall. "I'm not surprised she can't sleep through this storm."

"Did Cole have problems with sleeping through storms?"

"Yup. Right up until he was four years old."

"What can I do to help her?"

"Keep doing what you're already doing. Keep her feeling safe and warm, and eventually she'll tire out and fall asleep. Storms are the worst for babies since they can't be stopped."

"She can't continue to have sleepless nights like this."

"You're talking about HER losing sleep? What about you, son?"

"...Me?"  The attempt to feign ignorance failed.  "What do you mean?"

Sitting down on the couch beside Connor the senior detective and experienced father put his left hand on Hannah's back for a moment, before pressing his right palm over Connor's forehead. "Your light has been yellow for the past week and you feel warmer than usual. You're exhausted."

"I can manage."

"But you shouldn't have to." Dropping his hand Hank rubbed Hannah's back a little to offer his own comfort to the crying baby. "You need to take the precinct up on the paternity leave and spend less time working and more time parenting."

"Why? Hannah is thriving and growing normally."

"Yes she is, but that doesn't mean you still don't need some time to fully adjust to being a father."

As Hannah continued to cry Connor readjusted the baby against his left shoulder and sighed. "I can do this, Hank."

"I'm not saying you can't, but I am saying you need to pace yourself."

"Pace myself, how?"

"Well, when Cole was born I took care of him for the first week while Barbara rested after the delivery, then the second week she took over so I could catch up on some sleep. Then we just kept alternating the weeks until Cole was content and Barb and I settled into a comfortable routine, then we took care of him together. For you, well, you're not taking the time off that Barb and I took, and you're a single parent. You're trying to do too much too soon."

"I promised Hannah that I'd keep her safe and happy. I won't break that promise."

"Connor, son, asking for help or admitting that sometimes you need a break from taking care of a baby isn't anything to be ashamed of. It's okay to have a moment to yourself and it isn't selfish to take a moment to ensure you're still healthy, too. It's not breaking a promise to not dedicate your every free second of time to Hannah as she grows up."

"...I know." Putting his right hand to Hannah's dark hair Connor rubbed at the baby's soft locks and sighed as he leaned back against the couch and felt Hannah snuggling down against his chest. As she settled in she began to quiet down and with that quiet came a sense of relief. "She's calming down."

"Yeah, I think she's listening to your heartbeat."  Hank saw that Hannah was cuddling against Connor's chest.  "It's must be pretty comforting."

"My heartbeat?" Looking down Connor noticed that Hannah had her right ear pressed to his chest and she had her eyes closed. Moving his hand to lightly cover up Hannah's left ear to keep the storm from upsetting her again, Connor smirked a little and felt like he was doing something right by his young and helpless daughter during that stormy night. "I'll remember this in the event of future storms."

"And remember that you're not alone in this. I'm going to help you raise Hannah and I'm going to do it as the best damn grandfather in this entire city."

"Thank you, Hank.  I  know I can count on you."

"Now, lay down on the couch and get some sleep. Keep Hannah right where she is and go into rest mode. I'll keep an eye on the storm with my phone and if anything happens I'll wake you up. Okay?"

"Yes, okay." Slowly laying down over the couch as Hank stood upright Connor made sure Hannah was safely snuggled down against his chest, and couldn't accidentally be dropped during the night. "Thank you for the advice, Hank."

"You're welcome, son. Now take my advice and get some sleep. Okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you in the morning." Watching as Hannah drifted off to sleep Connor adjusted his left arm to keep Hannah secured against his chest, and rubbed her hair lightly with his right hand. "I think Hank is going to help you become a wonderful young lady where I cannot help you. His experience with children is beyond invaluable, and I'm truly grateful that he's here to help us both."

Watching the storm through the front livingroom window Connor sighed a little and gave Hannah a kiss on the top of her hair. The flashes of lightning went unnoticed by Hannah, and the thunder began quiet in the distance. The storm was beginning to pass over the city.

"I know I can do this Hannah, I just need a little more time to find my own fatherly routine."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

As Hannah reached her three month milestone Connor proudly noted her healthy growth, development and her overall positive outlook in the future. The small baby was becoming less fussy at night and her bouts of colic had become so infrequent that Connor wasn't worried about her having a bad day while at New Jericho whenever he was working.  He also became less preoccupied whenever he focused on keeping her happy and healthy.

Carrying the three month old on his hip and into the livingroom Connor placed the baby down in her swing in the corner and proceeded to return to the kitchen to make Hannah a fresh bottle of formula to have for breakfast.

"Hannah is growing well and will require additional formula." Connor noted and calculated the correct amount to make as his red tinted L.E.D. pulsed rapidly in his right temple. As he pulled a clean bottle from the cabinet and opened up the powdered formula Connor felt his Thirium pump skip a beat in his chest. "...That was unusual."  His  right palm rested over his suddenly strange heartbeat.  "Perhaps I need to allow my system to recalibrate."

Placing the bottle down under the tap of the water purifier Connor filled it up and began mixing the formula powder into a perfect mixture for his daughter.

"Once Hannah is fed I'll..." Pausing mid sentence as he screwed on the top of the bottle Connor was suddenly aware of an intense heat washing over his person and he felt his gyroscope malfunctioning in the pit of his stomach. The result was an intense wave of nausea and dizziness that made his hands begin to shake. "I am... experiencing an... error."

Putting the full bottle down on the kitchen counter Connor made a move to exit the kitchen to get back to the livingroom, but before he could cross the room his legs buckled beneath himself and his eyes rolled back in his head. As his body struck the ground with a loud 'thud' in the kitchen Hannah cried out in fear from the livingroom and Sumo barked once from down in Hank's bedroom.

Feeling his body shaking and far too hot to be considered optimal Connor forced his system to run a self diagnostic just seconds before he lost consciousness on the cold linoleum floor of the kitchen.

"Connor?" Hank's voice called out as he quickly exited his bedroom to investigate the commotion, and spotted Hannah crying in the livingroom. Reacting quickly Hank picked Hannah up from the swing to hold against his shoulder as he tried to comfort her, and ignored Sumo as the massive dog grumbled and walked into the kitchen. "Shh... You're okay, Hannah." The senior detective soothed. "Where's your daddy?"

Carrying Hannah into the kitchen Hank spotted Connor laying on his right side on the floor, his body twitching slightly and artificial skin unusually pale as it radiated an intense heat. Sumo was standing beside Connor's legs and nervously pawing at the ground.

"Oh, shit..." Keeping Hannah tucked up against his left shoulder by supporting her weight in his left arm Hank pressed his right palm down over Connor's forehead, and winced at the intense heat. "Damn it, kid. I knew you were going to work yourself into the ground!"

Thinking quickly Hank straightened up and patted Hannah's back a couple times.

"All right, Hannah. Papa needs to take care of your dad for a minute, so you're going to sit in the swing while I get him taken care of. I'll feed you as soon as your dad is off the floor."

Gently Hank placed Hannah back into her swing in the livingroom and draped a clean soft yellow blanket over her body to keep her warm and help her feel comforted. Rushing back into the kitchen Hank knelt on the floor beside Connor and gently shook the downed deviant's left arm to try to wake him up, then carefully rolled him from his right side and onto his back.

"Ah, kid." Returning his right palm to Connor's forehead Hank watched as the red L.E.D. blinked rapidly in a solid circle of light, and felt the young deviant burning up from an overheating system. "You're sick."

Slipping his left arm under Connor's shoulders and his right arm under his knees Hank scooped Connor up from the kitchen floor, and carried him back into the livingroom to lay over the couch. Once Connor was laying comfortably over the length of the furniture Hank sighed, stretched his sore back a little, and then made his way back into the kitchen to get some ice packs for Connor, and to get some formula for Hannah.

"Okay, you two..." Pulling the ice from the freezer Hank stepped around Sumo to grab a hand towel from the cabinet doors and wrapped up the ice.  It was then he took notice of the prepared bottle already sitting on the counter. "Connor must've been getting Hannah her breakfast when he collapsed."

Grabbing the bottle as he returned to the livingroom Hank knelt beside the couch and placed one of the two ice packs over Connor's forehead, then placed the second one over Connor's abdomen under his black t-shirt over top of his thermal regulator. With Connor now taken care of Hank sighed deeply and turned his attention to his granddaughter who was patiently waiting for her formula.

"All right, Hannah. Let's get you fed little lady."

Wrapping Hannah up her yellow blanket after picking her up from the swing Hank carried her over to the recliner and sat down as he offered Hannah the bottle of formula.

"You look good in yellow, Hannah. You're a little 'Hannah-Banana'."

Presenting the three month old with the bottle Hank fed Hannah as he watched over Connor who was still unconscious on the couch, and let out an annoyed sigh. From within the kitchen doorway Sumo whimpered once and slowly made his way over to the couch to check on Connor himself, and pressed his cold wet nose against the right side of Connor's neck.

"He'll be okay, boy. He just overexerted himself and passed out from a high fever."

Adjusting Hannah in his arms Hank made sure his granddaughter was able to drink from the bottle without accidentally choking, or eating too fast.

"Honestly I'm surprised he held out at long as he did before he went down, but Connor is a special type of stubborn."

Focusing on Hannah's face Hank gave her a gentle smile and stared at her deep brown eyes and dark hair that was starting to grow out and get long enough to reach down to her chin.

"You're going to be a stubborn pain in the butt like your daddy, huh? I can feel it."

Sumo whimpered again and sat down at Hank's feet expectantly.

"Don't worry, boy. Once Hannah is finished with her breakfast I'll get you fed, too. Be patient."

Grumbling once Sumo laid down at Hank's feet and let out a deep sigh.

"No need for the attitude, Sumo. Connor's sick and Hannah gets special treatment since she can't feed herself yet.  Spoiled brat..."

An hour passed by quietly before Connor's eyes began to open, and his system rebooted at long last. Feeling a cold sensation against his forehead and a second equally cold sensation against his abdomen Connor tried to lift up his head, only to have Hank's palm return to his forehead and coax him into laying back down against a soft pillow to rest again.

"Easy, son."

"...Hank?" Regaining his senses Connor glanced about but didn't see Hannah anywhere. "Where's Hannah?"

"In her crib napping. She's fine."

"...Good."

"Are you going to tell me why I found you passed out on the kitchen floor and burning up with a high fever?"

"...I am overheating, not feverish."

"Don't be a smartass with me, I want to know why you collapsed."

Closing his eyes for a moment Connor checked his self diagnostic report, his red L.E.D. blinking rapidly in the process, and then told Hank the truth. "...I let my Thirium reserves get too low."

"Get too low? How low is too low?"

"Forty percent is considered too low, and by default all androids will enter low power mode until additional Thirium is added."

"Okay, so how low did your Thirium get?"

Looking away from Hank and toward the back of the couch Connor continued to speak honestly. "...Thirty-two percent."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Are you telling me that you've been running on low power for the entire day, and you didn't do anything about it?"

"...I was running on low power for the past four days, and-"

"FOUR. Four days?"

"...I'm sorry, Hank."

"You should be!" Fighting the urge to yell in Connor's face Hank sat down on the coffee table and gave his stubborn deviant son a stern look. "You worked yourself so hard you passed out and started burning up! What if you had been holding Hannah when you passed out? What if you were driving somewhere and went down? That was incredibly stupid and it was entirely preventable!"

From down the hallway Hannah let out a discontented cry and Hank quickly softened his tone.

"Look... I get it." Seeing that Connor already felt bad enough for what he did Hank tried a new approach. "You want to be the best damn dad you can for Hannah, and you want to prove that you're worthy of being her dad despite what other people may think of you. But you can't neglect your own health to accomplish these tasks. I already warned you before, and you didn't listen to me."

"I'm sorry, Hank. I won't- I'll try to not do this again."

"Yeah, I know." Checking on the partially melted ice packs over Connor's forehead and abdomen Hank noticed the hurt and shamed look in Connor's eyes, and realized that the last thing the deviant needed was a lecture about taking care of himself. Connor knew he messed up and he felt bad enough as it was. "All right, how much Thirium do you need?"

Answering honestly Connor confirmed what he needed.   "...Three pints."

"Done. Stay there and I'll bring you some Thirium to drink."

"Thank you."

Petting Sumo's back as he entered the kitchen, the massive dog still eating his delayed breakfast, Hank pulled down three bottles of fresh Thirium from the cabinet over the kitchen sink and returned to the livingroom to hand them off to Connor. "Here ya' go. I'll go and see if Hannah-Banana is still awake."

Connor's brow arched a little as he accepted the first bottle of Thirium from Hank's hand. "...'Hannah-Banana'?"

"She was wrapped up in yellow and being very sweet." The senior detective and gold hearted grandfather stated casually as he walked down the hallway to check on Hannah. "The pet name fits her perfectly!"

"...Oh." Quickly down the first bottle of Thirium Connor checked his reserve and noted they were already up to fifty-two percent. "The final two pints should be enough to kickstart my thermal regulator and bring my core temperature back down."

With Hannah still wrapped up in her yellow blanket cradled in his arms Hank walked down the hallway and sat down on the coffee table again to show Connor that his daughter was just fine. "She's awake."

"I can see that."

"You know, in a few more months she's going to be able to crawl around and hold her own bottle during feeding times. It's incredible to think about."

"Yes, human infants are truly amazing." Drinking the second bottle of Thirium Connor agreed with Hank's comment and he smiled at his young daughter.

"When she does start crawling you're going to need more help with keeping an eye on her."

"I know. I'll stop trying to do everything myself and ask for help when I need it."

"Good to hear."

As Connor finished off the third pint of Thirium he made a move to take Hannah from Hank's arms but the senior detective wouldn't pass her over. "I'm okay now. Let me see her."

"Nope."

Almost offended Connor gave Hank a truly puzzled look. "...Why not?"

"Your light's still red." Pointing at the crimson L.E.D. in Connor's right temple Hank refused to let Connor deny how exhausted he still was. "You still need to rest and take it easy."

"But I-"

"Didn't we just go over this? Lay down and sleep."

Sighing with defeat Connor laid back and allowed Hank to take charge of Hannah's care for the day. "Okay, Hank. I'll rest."

"Hey, it's not a crime to let other people help you raise your daughter. There's a reason it takes two people to make a baby," holding up his left hand to 'shush' Connor before he even began Hank continued his thought. "and I don't just mean the biological reasons for reproduction." Lowering his hand as Connor dropped his retort Hank finished his explanation. "It's hard to raise a kid by yourself, but you're not by yourself. I already told you that I was going to take care of Hannah as her grandfather, and I'm going to take care of you like a real father, so just take it easy and let me help you take care of Hannah. Okay?"

"...Yes.  Okay."

"It's not a bad thing to ask for help, either. I don't mind, I really don't." Absentmindedly Hank began to gently rock Hannah in his arms as he spoke to Connor, which in turn made the deviant feel better about letting Hank take care of Hannah while he healed. Standing up from the coffee table Hank patted Connor's left shoulder twice and then picked up one of Hannah's stuffed animals from the floor on her behalf. "Now, rest and don't get up until your fever breaks."

"I'm not running a fever," the deviant replied sharply as he watched Hank return to the recliner to cuddle with Hannah for a while. "I'm overheating."

"Same thing!  Such a smartass sometimes..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting in the middle of the couch with his laptop sitting atop a pillow on his lap Hank busied himself with searching for a larger house to shelter himself, Connor and now Hannah in the next few months. Hannah was reaching four months old, thriving and was so much stronger than she had been when Connor rescued the helpless newborn from the burning house four months prior.

Sipping at his coffee as he checked out available houses in a not too outlandish price range, Hank was only vaguely aware of the front door opening up, and of Hannah sniffling in Connor's arms.

"Hey, kid." Closing his laptop Hank turned to look at Connor over the back of the couch. "How was the- Whoa!" Seeing Connor holding Hannah protectively against his chest as he alone sported a painfully blackened right eye and a weeping cut under  the same eye changed the subject at hand immediately. "What the hell happened to you today?"

"...Protesters." Connor replied somberly as his red L.E.D. pulsed slowly in his right temple. "They didn't like the idea of an android caring for a baby."

"All you did was take her to the park! Why in the hell did the attack you?" Getting up from the couch Hank approached his son and granddaughter, and lightly pressed his left palm to Connor's bleeding right cheek to inspect the wound. "What happened?"

"A man saw me holding Hannah and accused me of corrupting her by taking her away from her biological parents. He said androids shouldn't have any say in the way human children are raised and that I needed to hand Hannah over to him because I shouldn't be her 'nanny'."

"That asshole told you to hand over Hannah?"

"Yes. When I refused he struck me and tried to pull her from my arms, but I fought back and rushed away from the park after I cybernetically contacted 911. Fortunately other parents in the park saw him strike me while I was holding Hannah and then attempt to abduct her. They held the man at bay so I could get some space between us."

"And the cops?"

"Two officers I've never met before; Officer Owens and Officer Taylor, recognized me and knew of my case with Hannah. As soon as the man started lying about me abducting his daughter and trying to claim Hannah as his own they arrested him without question, and I sent a copy of Hannah's adoption certificate over as proof to their precinct."

"Good. At least you got away."

"Hank," adjusting Hannah in his arms as he lightly rubbed her back and then passed her over to Hank to take, he gave his adoptive father a somber glance as his right fingertips traced over his bleeding cut. "I can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what anymore?" Holding Hannah up against his right shoulder Hank looked at the small baby's face and used his left thumb to gently wipe away her lingering frightened tears.

"I can't continue to try act as though me being Hannah's father will be seen as normal by the rest of society. That man didn't see me as her father, he saw me as a human's tool to take care of her and tried to kidnap her because he doesn't approve of choices that are none of his business. I... I need to make some changes."  The desperation was evident in his voice.  "That man saw only my light and not the innocent child I was carrying. He was willing to attack me just to hurt me, and didn't give a damn if Hannah had been injured in the process. I'm tired of trying to raise her in a society that can't accept me as her father. It's unfair to her."

"Yeah, I get that."

"...You do?"

"Yup. I know that you're still dealing with clueless bigots and judgmental eyes. It's tough being a single parent, and it's even worse when you're living in a less than open-minded neighborhood." Motioning to the laptop on the couch with a nod of his head Hank carried Hannah over to where he had been sitting, and flipped the screen back open. "That's why I think one of these two houses will be perfect to move into."

Noting the two houses of interest on the screen Connor sighed and gave Hank a curious glance. "You've been busy."

"Gotta' do something while Hannah isn't here to play with Papa." Trying to lighten the mood a little Hank readjusted Hannah in his arms so she could sit up with her back pressed against his chest so she could see the entire room. "Go get your face cleaned up and we'll look at the two houses I found together. One has an in-ground pool, and the other has a massive backyard. You can pick which ever you prefer Hannah to grow-up in."

"Thank you, Hank." Keeping his right hand to his bleeding cheek Connor hissed a little at the residual pain while his red L.E.D. flickered even quicker. As his right fingertips trailed up to the light Connor paused for a moment and his soulful brown eyes glazed over a little as he walked down the hallway to use the bathroom to clean himself up. "...I will only be a moment."

Returning his full attention to Hannah on his lap Hank pulled her stuffed doggy from the corner of the couch and offered it to her to play with. As the small baby made happy sounds and pulled at the soft toy with both of her hands Hank couldn't help but smile at Hannah's absolute innocence and joy.

"Glad you're happy, Hannah-Banana. At least someone can still laugh these days."

From within the confines of the bathroom Connor stared at his face in the mirror over the sink, and traced his fingertips over his raw cut once more. Dark blue blood oozed painfully from the wound, and his right eye remained swollen after being struck. With his eye partially closed due to the swelling Connor had to use only his left eye to visually assess his condition without needing to use a self diagnostic. The red glow of his L.E.D. created a crimson aura against the mirror and his own face in return.

"...I can't risk Hannah being harmed because I'm an android."

Holding his fingertips over the L.E.D. Connor glanced at the light for a moment in the mirror's reflection before he pulled open the medicine cabinet and peered inside the space. Picking up the small grooming kit that Hank hadn't touched in years Connor unzipped the black pouch and retrieved a small pair of trimming scissors from within the case.

Holding the scissors in his right hand Connor eyed the sharp metallic object in his grip for only a moment before open the scissors up to separate one blade from the other.

"...She deserves to grow-up without her father being harassed in public.  She needs to  be seen as a normal child with a normal parent."

Holding his breath Connor used the sharp end of the blade into the center of the L.E.D. and gasped as he hadn't anticipated a sharp pain radiating from the small light.

"Fu-"

Closing his eyes as tears rolled down his face Connor twisted the scissors once to loosen the light. The searing pain was enough to make Connor drop the scissors onto the floor with a loud clatter, and the bleeding deviant used his right index fingertip and thumb to pull the L.E.D. from beneath his damaged artificial skin.

As the Thirium covered light fell into Connor's right palm Connor himself fell to his knees and took in a pained breath through his clenched teeth.

Two firm knocks on the closed door followed by Hank's voice sounded off through the small bathroom. "Connor? Are you okay?"

"...F-Fine."

Opening the door a little Hank peered inside the bathroom and saw Connor kneeling on the floor while covered in his own blood next to the bloody scissors resting on the floor beside him. "I heard something fall." Getting a good look at Connor's face Hank's blue eyes widened and he reacted quickly. "Shit!" Snatching a washcloth from the nearby towel rack Hank pressed the clean white cloth against Connor's bloody right temple to stem the bleeding. "Son, what did you do?"

"...I wanted to look more normal." Showing Hank the now dead L.E.D. in his blue blood covered right palm Connor opened his eyes and let out a pained breath as he told Hank the truth. "I removed my L.E.D. so I can go out into public with Hannah and not risk another confrontation with another bigot."

"So you fuckin' mutilated yourself with a pair of scissors?!"

"I just removed my L.E.D. just as the other deviants have done. It was my choice."

"You chose to hurt yourself?"

"It's not the simple."

"Yeah, I know." Removing the washcloth Hank eyed Connor's now bare right temple and sighed. "It's never that simple."

"It's better this way. If I don't look like an android then I won't have to worry about being targeted whenever I take Hannah out in public. I shouldn't have to get in a fist fight every time I go to the park or out into a store just to protect my own daughter."

"Well, you shouldn't have to change the way you look just to appease bigots wandering the city, either."

Falling silent Connor just stared at his now dead L.E.D. and wrapped his fingers around the small circle in his palm in shame.

"I'm going to put a band-aid over your temple. It looks like your artificial skin is trying to regenerate over your frame already, but I have to put a bandage over it just for my own sake."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I get your reasons why you did it, I just wish you thought more about how it'll affect you and not just Hannah."

"Aren't parents supposed to be willing to sacrifice their own comforts for their children?"

"Yeah, but not to the point of physical self mutilation." Standing up from the floor with the bloodied scissors in his hand Hank left the item on the edge of the sink and opened up the medicine cabinet to get one band-aid from the small box, and returned to kneeling down on the floor beside his son. "There." Pressing the protective layer over Connor's right temple Hank patted the deviant's right shoulder. "Clean yourself up and meet me in the livingroom. I want you to look over the houses, and then you can give Hannah a bath to make sure she isn't covered in pollen from the park."

"Okay, Hank. I'll do that."

"And as for your light," he pointed to Connor's right fist where his L.E.D. was being held under his grip. "you should hang onto that. In a couple of months, or maybe a couple of years, you might want to put it back where it belongs."

"Put it back?"

"Like I said, you shouldn't have to change who you are just because of some ignorant assholes out on the street."

"...Yes, you're right." Standing up from the floor Connor opened up his Thirium stained palm and stared at the dull L.E.D. one more time. He's had it ever since the day he was created, why remove it because total strangers who had no say in his life didn't approve? "I'll keep this somewhere safe until I'm ready to have my light a part of me again."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It took a few weeks but the small family was able to move into the bigger two story house, and were able to begin their new routines with a much more accommodating space to make it easier to move about. There were three bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor, a bathroom and a study on the ground floor, the livingroom was large and the kitchen was more spacious compared to the old house. Having selected the house with the swimming pool Connor busied himself with applying a safety gate all around the pool to ensure that once Hannah was mobile she couldn't possibly get too close to the pool without Connor or Hank nearby.

Sumo was watching Connor work from the glass sliding backdoor and wagging his tail while Hank was carrying Hannah up against his chest as he gave her a tour of her new house. Taking her upstairs Hank showed Hannah her new bedroom that was set up across from Connor's bedroom, and gently put her down into her crib so she could get used to the space.

"What do you think, Hannah-Banana?" Glancing about the room that was furnished with the white crib, a small dresser, changing table, a rocking chair in the corner, a small bookshelf and a lidless toy box in the opposite corner, Hank smirked a little. "This is all for you."

The small four month old baby was laying on her tummy and watching Hank through the white wooden bars of the crib. She had a purple pacifier her mouth and her small hands were pulling at the soft material of the yellow blanket under her touch.

"We'll get ya' a soft rug and play-mat for the floor once you start crawling, and walking around. Until then," peering over the edge of the crib and down at his granddaughter Hank gave her a kind smile. "you'll have to put up with me and your daddy carrying you around."

Hannah smiled around her pacifier and reached her hand up toward Hank as if asking to be picked up again.

"Come on." Scooping her back up and into his arms Hank kept his smile on his face and carried her into Connor's bedroom across from her own. "This is where your daddy will sleep." Connor's room had a queen sized bed, a loaded bookshelf, nightstand with a lamp and little else. "His room isn't as fun as your own room, huh?"

Stopping next in the bathroom Hank turned on the light and showed Hannah that the bathtub was loaded up with toys, towels, baby shampoos and soaps all just for her.

"This is all for you sweetpea. I'll use the ground floor bathroom so you can have as many toys as you want in here."

Showing her his own bedroom to help her get a sense of the new house's layout, Hank then took Hannah back downstairs and showed her the second bathroom on the first floor, and then the study. The study had a desk, a small red sofa and two bookshelves packed full of useless information to be used in the event either Connor or himself had to work from home.

"This is even less fun than daddy's room, but I imagine you might find him in here quite a bit."

Strolling back down the hallway and into the kitchen Hank showed Hannah her new highchair and checked to make sure the small plastic safety bowls and utensils for small hands were already washed to be used later on.

"Soon you'll be able to join me for breakfast, lunch and dinner without one of us holding your bottle for you. I can't wait to have some new conversations with ya' that don't revolve around work or New Jericho. You can babble to me about anything."

Heading back into the livingroom to relax for a while Hank watched as Connor slid open the backdoor in the kitchen to let Sumo inside, and then followed after the massive dog as he plodded into the livingroom to lay down on his pillow in the corner. "The safety gate has been finished."

"Good work." Many of Hannah's soft toys and blankets were downstairs in the livingroom, as was her little swing. The house was already feeling like a home, and all it needed was a few more days for the family to get really settled in. "She'll be crawling before you know it, so it's good you got that taken care of as soon as you did."

"Yes, Hannah is showing marked strength in her arms and legs already. I suspect she'll be crawling within the next five weeks or so."

"Sounds about right." Passing Hannah over to Connor to hold for himself Hank stared at Connor's now bare right temple and sighed a little. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss that little light."

"You do?"

"Yup. Without it you just look like a kid trying to raise another kid all by yourself."

"I kept my L.E.D. and I will not throw it away. As I stated before if society becomes more accepting of deviants then I will return it to my person."

"Good. Don't hide who you are just to placate bigoted ass- buttholes."

"I'll remember to do that." As he adjusted Hannah in his arms Connor smirked as his daughter pulled on his shirt collar with her tiny fist, then felt her reaching her hands up toward his blank right temple curiously. As her hands explored Connor's face she let out a small and discontented noise. "...What's she doing?"

"She misses the light, too."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, yeah. She's known you with that light her entire life. Of course she misses it."

"I didn't think of that."

"Don't sweat it, kid. Like you said it doesn't have to be permanent."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Why don't you take her into the kitchen and see if you can get her try to some of those fancy purees you made this morning? I'll get my phone."

"Phone?"

"Trust me, son." Flashing the new father a knowing grin Hank made it clear he had an ulterior motive in mind. "Babies trying new food will always be photo worthy.

Connor just shrugged his shoulders a little as he carried Hannah into the kitchen and sat her down in her new highchair. Moving her over to the kitchen table to sit with the other chairs Connor smiled at her and gave her a kiss on top of her dark and somewhat longer hair. "I suspect your Papa knows something I don't. I guess there's only one way to find out."

Opening the refrigerator Connor picked up a small container of homemade applesauce and carried it over to the table for Hannah to try. Removing the lid Connor took a small plastic spoon from the utensil drawer and used it to stir the fresh fruit puree a little before offering it to his daughter to try.

"Hold it." Hank returned to the kitchen with his phone in one hand and a box of baby wipes in the other. "You'll need these."

"I thought the bib would keep her clean."

"Yeah, it'll keep her clothes mostly clean, but not her face or you, for that matter."

"...Oh."

"Where is her bib?"

"Top drawer next to the hand towels." Carefully Connor took the pacifier from Hannah's mouth and put a small amount of the puree on the spoon to offer over to her. "I hope you like this, Hannah. I'd prefer if you enjoyed fruit over sugary snacks."

"Don't count on it." Lightly securing the bib around Hannah's neck Hank took a cautious step back and prepared his phone. "Go ahead, kid. See how well she likes it."

"Very well." Showing Hannah the spoon Connor slowly neared her lips and waited for her to respond. She eyed the offered treat warily and let out a small noise at the sight. "Like this..." Smearing a small amount on her lips Connor watched as the baby tasted the apple puree and she seemed to like it. Opening her mouth Hannah let her daddy offer her more and she seemed very enthusiastic about it. "I think it's safe to say she likes applesauce."

"Most kids do. It's sweet, it has a mild flavor and it isn't too much too soon."

"I wonder what else she likes." Letting Hannah have another spoon and then another, Connor turned to look at Hank and didn't notice that Hannah had grabbed onto the spoon with her hand and ended up smearing the applesauce all over her face. Watching as Hank began to laugh Connor's brow furrowed and he turned back to his now messy daughter's face. "Hannah..."

"See?" Using his phone he snapped a photo of Hannah and laughed again. "Good thing she already has her own bathroom, huh, kid?"

"Yes..." Offering her more of the applesauce Connor sighed and finally realized why Hank was so eager to get some photos taken. "I will make a note to keep finger paints and other messy substances well out of her reach."

"Yeah, you can TRY to do that, but kids have a way of getting into the craziest things the moment your back is turned. I'm speaking from experience."

"How so?"

"Well, when Cole was four years old he found a bottle of glue in Barbara's old arts and craft box and thought it was white paint. He used it to paint the livingroom walls white as much as he could, and then noticed that it was sticky. He then arranged all of his little toy cars, his alphabet blocks and even a crayon drawing on the wall for me to find."

"...How long did it take him to do all that?"

"Long enough for me to go the bathroom and brush my teeth."

Connor's eyes wide at how much of a mess Cole had made in such a small amount of time. "What did you do?"

"I didn't yell at him or hit him, I asked him where he found the glue, took it from him, put him to bed, gave him a goodnight kiss, and spent the rest of the night cleaning up the walls and floor, and soaking his toys in a warm soapy sink to get the glue off."

"You weren't mad?"

"Oh no, I was mad, but Cole didn't know any better and the last thing I wanted to do was scare him or hurt him. The next morning I told him he wasn't allowed to play with glue and that he needed to ask before he just started 'painting' the walls. He didn't do it again."

"Good to know." As Hannah finished off her applesauce Connor decided to go for a new fruit puree to see how she reacted. "She ate that well. I wonder how she'll respond to strawberries?"

"You're going to offer her a brand new red tinted snack to try?" Hank's mischievous grin got even bigger. "This is going to be good..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Rushing through the stairwell of an abandoned library wasn't the brightest of ideas, but it was the only way for Connor to continue the pursuit of a known deviant abuser who had intentionally run down three innocent deviant's walking on the sidewalk just the day before. As the brash deviant detective gained speed and closed the distance between himself and the fleeing murderer, the combined weight of the two men on the shaking wooden staircase caused the structure to finally collapse.  As a result both Connor and the suspect plummeted down three stories to the ground floor of the old building and were promptly buried under old wooden boards, drywall and dust.

Hank had been outside the library securing the front door when the stairwell collapsed and immediately radioed in the structural instability. As the dust settled the senior detective rushed over to the massive pile of debris and looked for any sign of life from beneath the rubble.

"Connor? Connor!" Waving his hand in front of his face Hank wafted aside the lingering dust and called out for the downed deviant. He neared the debris and began pushing aside the loosen boards to begin the laborious task of unburying the trapped duo from underneath the smothering weight. "Talk to me, son! I need you to answer me!"

There was a subtle cough that sounded off from somewhere near the middle of the pile, and followed by a weak voice. "...H-Hank?"

"Connor..." Honing in on the voice Hank moved aside two more boards and revealed the dusty face of Connor as the deviant laid on his back trapped beneath the crushing mass. Kneeling down beside his injured partner and adopted son Hank put his left hand to Connor's right cheek and held his palm in place as he used his thumb to wipe away a smudge of blue blood from Connor's lower lip. "Shit, kid. What happened?"

"St-Stairwell collapsed. I couldn't get off of it in time."

"That I can see. How'd it collapse?"

"Age and too much weight that... shook the foundation."

Studying Connor's face carefully Hank could see that the deviant was in pain but hiding it well. Aside from his bloodied lip Connor's right eye was slightly swollen and he had a deep cut running along his cheek just below his eye. His chin was scraped up, his hair was a mess and the upper portion of his chest was peppered with tiny scratches that stretched from his neck down toward his collarbone.

"How bad are you hurt, son?"

"...Bad."

"Talk to me. Tell me what's going on with you." The sound of approaching sirens filled the air as Hank stayed beside his son and refused to leave him alone. "I know you're in pain, so don't hold back."

"I... I fell on either a sharpened piece of wood," the deviant was beginning to breathe quicker as he felt the searing pain in the middle of his back beginning to burn through his core. "or a broken pipe. It's... impaled me."

"Oh, fuck... How severe is the damage?"

"It missed my biocomponents." Connor managed to answer honestly as he ran a self diagnostic. "It nicked my left ascending Thirial line and... I'm bleeding internally."

"Keeping talking, son." Hank encouraged as he heard the fire engine outside stop by the front doors and heard the sound of heavy boots marching toward the building. "What else?"

"I... I think I broke my right leg. It hurts, and I can't move it. Same with my right arm." Taking in a shuddering breath Connor managed to turn his head and nod at an unseen body just a few feet away from himself, then closed his eyes and laid back a little to try to relax. "...The suspect is there. I can't detect any vital signs."

"Okay, kid. Just take it easy and we'll get you patched up and back home. You can take the rest of the day off and spend time with Hannah."

"...Yeah, I'd greatly prefer being home with my daughter right now." Watching as the firefighters converged on the pile of rubble Connor remained still and allowed the rescue personnel to free him from the debris, and transport him to the nearest Android Emergency Care Facility. "I just hope I can still take care of her while I heal."

Having returned to the house after being patched up, secured in braces and been given a Thirium transfusion, Connor was taken upstairs to his bedroom to heal in the comfort of his own bed. With his right arm in a support sling with a plastimetal brace around his forearm to hold the fractured limb as stable as possible, his right leg in a similar brace from his ankle all the way up to his thigh, and protective bandages wrapped around his torso, Connor was stuck on mandatory bed rest until his self healing program remedied the damage the technicians had already worked to repair.

With Sumo as his only company while Hank went out to New Jericho Tower to pick up Hannah from the tower's "daycare center" Connor stayed on the bed and gently rubbed Sumo's ears with his left hand as he healed and waited for his father and his daughter to return home.

"Good boy, Sumo."

The sound of the front door opening and closing caught Connor's ear and made Sumo wag his tail.

"They're home."

After a minute Hank walked up the staircase with Hannah in his arms and he promptly placed the baby down beside Connor on the bed so Connor could give Hannah a gentle hug with his left arm. "How're you feeling, son?"

"Sore. But now that Hannah's here I feel better."

"Well, just remember you're down for three days because of all the damage you sustained. I'll be taking care of her while you heal, so you need to lay back and take it easy."

"I can still take care of her." Using his left hand Connor gently rubbed his palm along his five month old daughter's back as she managed to sit up on her own with only Connor's arm to support her. She was pulling on her daddy's left black t-shirt sleeve and making small noises around the purple pacifier in her mouth as she glanced about the bedroom curiously. "I won't try to carry her around, but I can still hold her and read to her at night."

"Sure. But when it comes to feeding her, changing her and overall keeping her wrangled up while she tries to crawl around, you won't be able to do that."

"Is she crawling now?"

"Not quite." Hank rubbed his right palm down the back of Hannah's soft dark hair and smirked at how it was now long enough to come down to her chin. Soon she'd either need a haircut or Connor would have to figure out how to give her small pigtails. "She's trying though. I bet she'll be crawling in the next few weeks, and then we'll have to put the baby-gates up over the kitchen doorway, down the hallway and over the bottom of the staircase."

"That will be interesting."

Hannah started pulling harder on Connor's sleeve and made disgruntled noises where she sat.

Connor quickly recognized that particular sound and knew what his daughter was asking for. "Hannah's getting hungry. I had prepared her a vegetable blend to try for dinner tonight. It just needs to be warmed up for two minutes."

"Veggies, huh?" Hank smirked as he picked Hannah back up and held her up against his chest. "All right then. Let's get ya' fed and then see if you want to snuggle down with Papa for a while and watch an old movie."

"What kind of movie?"

"Relax, son. It won't be rated 'R' or anything like that."

"Right, of course. You know what you're doing."

"And before we settle down for the night do you need anything? Maybe more Thirium or a book to read?"

"No, my Thirium levels have been topped off and I plan on entering rest mode for a while to get my self healing program to initiate at full power."

"Okay. Come on, Hannah." As Hank took his leave of the bedroom Sumo grumbled and then followed after Hank to get to the ground floor as he wanted some food for himself. "Let's get dinner out of the way. Try not to make a huge mess, huh? It's a little hard to feed a baby with one hand and snap photos with the other hand at the same time."

Sighing to himself as he put aside the empty container of vegetable puree and used a small baby wipe to clean off his own face, Hank stared at Hannah's even messier face and couldn't stop himself from the laughing. The small baby was looking up at Hank and smiling brightly with her gummy-grin as he cleaned himself off and set about wiping off her high chair a little with the same wipe.

"Welp, I guess bath time is a must." Standing up from the kitchen chair Hank plucked Hannah from the high chair and proceeded to carry her back upstairs so she could have a bath with all of her toys and have a little fun in the water before movie time. "When you have your first taste of birthday cake or ice cream I get the feeling the kitchen's going to look like a food fight."

"Hank?" Connor called out to his adoptive father just as he walked past the opened bedroom doorway to get the neighboring bathroom. "What's going on?"

"Hannah liked your dinner, son. But she made a mess of everything."

"Oh, I see." Smirking at the sight of Hannah covered in a small amount of green colored food made him feel proud. His daughter was eating well and she was enjoying the food that he was preparing for her. "I'm glad she enjoyed it."

"Yup. Now, I'm going to give her a bath and then get her settled down for the night."

"And Sumo?"

"He had his dinner and is out cold in the corner of the livingroom on his pillow. He's good."

"That's a comforting thought."

Carrying Hannah into the bathroom Hank turned on the faucet in the tub and began filling it with warm water and placed a few toys into the water for the small baby to play with. After placing down some towels on the bathroom floor Hank carefully removed Hannah's food stained 'onesie' and then worked on removing the diaper.

"Alright Hannah-Banana. Let's get ya' all nice and clean and then you can enjoy a movie with Papa while wrapped up in your favorite yellow blankie."

Hannah seemed to understand her grandfather's words and let out a happy sound at the offer.

"Okay, sweetpea." Picking Hannah back up Hank carefully placed her in her safety water seat in the tub so she could play without getting her head under the water, or toppling over. "In ya' go."

As soon as Hannah was in the water she let out small squeals of joy and grabbed onto the nearby yellow ducky as it floated by.

"The other night when Papa was out grocery shopping he bought ya' a special treat."

Reaching into the small cabinet beneath the sink Hank retrieved a bottle of special baby formulated bubble bath and put a small amount into the tub, then placed the purple colored bottle on the edge of the tub for future use.

"What do you think?" A cascade of purple colored foam that smelled of lilacs began to rising from the warm water and it quickly surrounded Hannah. "They started putting special stainless dyes in this stuff so now you can be messy and clean at the same time."

Upon seeing the purple foam all around her Hannah laughed and began splashing her hands all over the purple foam in an excited manner.

"You like it, huh? Maybe some day I can get ya' one of each color and let you take a rainbow bath."

While Hannah remained enchanted with the seemingly magical purple foam Hank located the yellow duck lost amongst all the purple and used it to make Hannah laugh as she continued to fuss with the lavender tinted bathwater.

From down in his bedroom Connor could hear Hannah laughing and that made him feel a little better. It was a comforting thought to know that his daughter had a wonderful grandfather to rely on, and that he wouldn't be alone as he took care of his daughter. "I wish I could see what's making Hannah so happy."

"Purple bubble bath!" Hank shouted the response without startling Hannah in the process. "She loves it!"

"Purple... bubble bath?"

"It's designed just for kids, son. As long as she doesn't have a bubble bath every night her skin won't dry out and she won't get any infections."

"Good to know."

As Hank set about using a small cup to dampen Hannah's hair enough to add some shampoo to her short dark locks, Hannah herself seemed to figure out where the magical foam had come from and grabbed onto the bottle with both hands. She gave it a good squeeze and made an eruption of purple tinted soap ooze from the bottle in her grip. The slick surface made it hard for her to hang onto the bottle and as a result the entire bottle was dunked into the warm bath water and quickly reacted to the soap.  It began a new burst of purple foam that quickly doubled, tripled and then quadrupled in size.

"Uh-oh!"

Fishing the waterlogged bottle out of the bathtub Hank put it down on the nearby sink and turned off the faucet to try to keep the foam from getting any higher. After reaching his hands into the water and over to the faucet Hank's arms all the way up to his shoulders were covered in purple foam, and the foam was pooling over the edge of the tub covering his legs as well.

"...That was my bad, Hannah. I should've put the lid back on the bottle and kept the bottle away from the water."

The small baby just laughed louder as the purple foam completely enveloped her and made the entire bathroom smell like a soft lilac flowerbed.

"Glad you think it's so cool. Papa has to clean this up and keep you from having any more bath time shenanigans in the future."

Thinking quickly Hank gently blew aside the surrounding foam so he could finishing shampooing Hannah's hair, and managed to use enough clean water to rinse it back out. Afterward he rinsed the rest of the foam from her skin and scooped her up and out of the tub.

"Okay, Hannah-Banana. Time to dry off." Wrapping her up in a warm and soft towel Hank carried Hannah out of the bathroom and into Connor's bedroom where the deviant father was listening to everything happening. "All right. You two hang out while I drain the water and clean up the foam. That stuff isn't supposed to stain anything, but I don't want to take any chances."

Smirking at the idea of Hank cleaning up a mess during bath time was too amusing to not react to. Holding Hannah up against his left side Connor used his left palm to gently rub the soft towel against Hannah's right shoulder to ensure she was still warm and had all of the bath water dried from her delicate skin.

"I heard that commotion, Hannah. It sounds like you found the bottle of bubble bath and decided to accidentally add more."

The small baby smiled at her daddy and laughed a little as if she understood what she had done, and was amused, too!

"I'll remember to look for that special bubble bath for you, Hannah. It'll be a little while since I can't get up and walk around, but I promise I'll find you a new color to play with during bath time."

Hannah kept making small noises and leaned forward a little as if trying to crawl. She put both of her hands on Connor's left shoulder and pulled at his t-shirt sleeve excitedly.

"Are you trying to crawl? If I could safely put you on the floor I would let you try to do so."

With the bathroom quickly cleaned up, the purple foam rinsing away down the drain and getting mopped up from the floor with bath towels fairly easily, Hank dropped the towels off in the laundry room downstairs. Returning to Connor's bedroom Hank scooped Hannah back up and smirked at her smiling face as he held her to his chest in a gentle manner.

"How severe was the mess?" Connor asked as he watched his adoptive father bonding with his own adopted daughter.

"Nothing I couldn't handle. I'm going get this little lady changed into a clean diaper and soft 'onesie'. Hopefully she'll fall asleep during the movie and will go down easily for the night."

"Thank you for taking care of her."

"What did I tell ya' about thanking me for taking care of my own granddaughter? I'm happy to do it, and no thanks are necessary."

"Well... I still want to thank you anyway."

"You're welcome, son. Now get some rest and let your healing program do its thing."

It was almost ten o'clock at night and Hank was ready to go to bed. Sumo was already asleep and snoring from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom. The movie he had chosen to watch that night, 'The Wizard of Oz', had played out in full and while Hank had become drowsy Hannah was still alert and awake. She had been sitting up at Hank's right side while wrapped up in her yellow blanket, but had soon fallen over his lap to lay down.  Stubbornly she refused to fall asleep just yet.

"Man, I thought that'd put your right out, Hannah-Banana." Hank stated as he gently ran his right fingers through her now dry and twice as soft hair. "It used to put Cole to sleep long before the twister took Dorthy to Oz. I'm gonna' need to find something else to help you lull to sleep."

Lightly Hank picked Hannah up from where she was laying and let her snuggle down against his chest as he carried her upstairs to try a new approach. As he passed by Connor's opened bedroom door Hank noticed that the deviant was still awake and was already peering through the doorway as he had heard Hank walking up the staircase. "Can't sleep either, huh, son?"

"I cannot." Noticing that Hannah was still awake he gave his daughter a small smirk. "I take it she isn't ready for bed."

"Nope."

"Could you get me one of her books so I can read to her? That usually helps her fall asleep."

"Sure." Laying Hannah down beside Connor again Hank walked into her bedroom across from Connor's bedroom and pulled one of her many children's books from the shelf next to the changing table. "Let's see..." Eyeing over the books Hank was impressed by the selection Connor had purchased for Hannah, and his blue eyes went wide at one book in particular. "Wait, did he seriously pick up 'Grimm's Fairy Tales' for Hannah?" The large book was full of the older and more macabre version of the fairy tales that Hank had known ever since he was a child. "I think this one will have to wait a few years before she can take a look at it. I don't want her to have nightmares."

After selecting a much nicer and more familiar story, "Good Night, Moon", Hank walked into Connor's bedroom and passed the book over to him so he could begin reading to Hannah.

"Thank you." Taking the book from Hank's hand with his left hand Connor hooked his left arm around Hannah to hold her safely at his side as he awkwardly began reading to Hannah with just his left hand to support the book upright. "She really enjoys this story."

"I'll be downstairs showering. Hopefully by the time I'm done Hannah will be asleep and I can put her down for the night."

Shuffling his way back to the ground floor of the house Hank checked his phone sitting on the bookshelf, happy to see no missed calls or messages waiting to bug him, and then made his way into the ground floor bathroom. As he showered off for the night Hank noticed that the lilac scent of the bubble bath was still clinging to his skin and he just laughed again.

"Good thing that flowery smell isn't intoxicating. And it's a better smell than spit-up and dirty diapers."

Having just finished the story Connor looked over at Hannah and saw that she had fallen asleep and was cuddled up at his left side with her head resting on his shoulder. Keep his arm wrapped around her Connor pulled her in a little closer and gave her a gentle kiss atop her hair as he closed his eyes to enter rest mode with his young daughter cuddled up alongside him. Cybernetically Connor turned off the overhead light and left the room nice and dark to ensure that Hannah would be able to sleep peacefully.

Quietly Hank ascended the staircase and peeked inside Connor's dark bedroom where he was able to see the deviant sleeping with Hannah right beside him. Not wanting to disturb Hannah's sleep Hank smirked and ran his right hand through his damp locks of hair.

"Goodnight, you two. See you in the morning."

Retiring to his own bedroom for the night Hank kept his bedroom door open just in case Connor needed his help, and plopped down in his bed with a satisfying drop. The soft pillow under his head felt even softer and the quilt even warmer as he wrapped up for the night to begin his own well earned rest.

The sound of disgruntled and impatient crying awoke Hank with a start and he promptly rose from the bed to check in on Hannah. Stepping into Connor's bedroom Hank saw that Hannah was sitting upright on the bed beside Connor and was crying loudly. Connor was rubbing her back and saying soothing words to her as he was still unable to get up and help take care of her.

"Sounds like Hannah's in a mood today." Hank stated as he picked up the crying baby and immediately figured out why she was so upset just by a single whiff coming from the baby. "Oh, she needs a little clean-up."

"...More than that."

"Huh?"

"She, uh, I believe the proper term was had a 'blow-out'."

"Uh..." Daring himself to check Hank peeled back the yellow blanket and saw a distinct stain on the seat of Hannah's purple 'onesie'. "...Yup."

"I'll clean her up."

"Connor, no. You're hurt and you can't even sit up right now thanks to getting impaled through the back yesterday. I'll clean her up and you'll keep resting."

"I can handle one diaper change."

"Not while you're stuck on your back."

Carrying Hannah into her own bedroom across from Connor's bedroom Hank gently unwrapped the blanket from around Hannah, and then laid her down on the changing table.

"Okay, Hannah-Banana." Opening the top drawer of the table Hank pulled out a bottle of potent smelling menthol and eucalyptus cream used normally during cold and flu season, and put a small amount under his nose to block his sense of smell. "Papa will get you cleaned up and get ya' fed soon."

Hannah continued to cry and fuss as her soiled 'onesie' was removed and only got louder once the warm layer was removed making her feel cold.

"I'm sorry, sweetpea. I hate the cold, too."

Working fast Hank cleaned up the practically destroyed diaper, cleaned up Hannah and then used a cool baby wipe to give her a quick little bath to ensure she was entirely clean before he gave her a fresh diaper and a clean green 'onesie' to wear instead.

"There..."

Tossing the dirty diaper and wrapping Hannah back up in the yellow blanket Hank carried her and her dirty clothes downstairs so he could begin a load of laundry and get Hannah set up in her highchair.

"Feel better?" Hank asked as he secured Hannah to the seat and watched her quiet down. "I know I would!"

Entering the laundry room Hank started up a wash of the towels from the night before and the ruined 'onesie'. Using a generous amount of detergent the experienced father new the drill with getting baby clothes cleaned, and had no problem doing multiple loads of laundry in a single day.

"Now, how about some breakfast? I know you have some applesauce waiting for ya', and I bet a fresh bottle of formula will make you happy."

Opening the backdoor Hank called out to Sumo, who proceeded to get up from his pillow in the livingroom, and let the massive dog outside for a few minutes.

"Good thing I have today and tomorrow off. It'd be weird taking you to New Jericho Tower because I was at work and your daddy couldn't watch you today."

The morning went about smoothly and Hank didn't have any more issues with diaper changes or messy bath times. As he laid on the floor beside Hannah atop her soft yellow blanket Hank tried to get her to crawl over to him, but she just laid on her tummy and proceeded to chew on her soft foam alphabet blocks and make small noises. Sumo was laying on his pillow in the corner of the livingroom watching his two human masters with his tail thumping with a happy rhythm on the hardwood floor.

"I can't wait for you to start crawling around and walking, Hannah-Banana. That'll be a wonderful sight to see."

The small baby just made noises and reached for her toys as Hank stayed beside her.

"I'm going to check on your daddy for a minute. Just stay here and keep playing with your toys, Papa will be back soon." Making his way up the staircase Hank knocked on Connor's opened bedroom door frame and looked in on his healing adopted son. "How ya' doing, kid?"

"Better." The swelling around Connor's right eye had healed entirely and the deviant was pulling his right arm from the supportive sling keeping the limb immobilized across his torso. "My arm has fully recalibrated and healed, my leg is at eighty-two percent functionality and my abdomen is at sixty-six percent integrity."

"Good to know. Maybe you'll be able to get up and walk around a little by tomorrow morning, and be a hands-on dad again."

"I hope so. I dislike not being able to change my own child's diaper."

"It'll be fine soon enough, son. Hannah's doing okay without you constantly holding and cuddling her."

"Yeah, I know."

"Do you need anything?"

"I'm okay."

"Cool. I'll be downstairs with Hannah again, and I'm going to see if I can find a movie to use as a nighttime tool to help her fall asleep easier, or take naps during the afternoon."

"That's a good idea. I know which songs she already enjoys, so if you can't find a movie to use perhaps some music will work."

"Even better." Making his way back down that staircase Hank returned to the livingroom and saw that Hannah, despite being left on her blanket in the middle of the livingroom, was now right in front of Sumo's pillow with the massive dog gently pressing his nose to her hands as she tried to pet his fur to the best of her uncoordinated ability. "Hannah... Are you crawling?"

The small baby just made small noises and continued to fuss with Sumo's soft fur.

"Aw, man. I wish Connor could see you crawling right now. He'd be so proud." Sitting back down on the floor atop the blanket Hank called out to Hannah and tried to get her to crawl over to him. "Hannah-Banana, can you come back to Papa?"

Turning to look at Hank upon hearing her name and his voice she just smiled and continued to play with Sumo's soft fur.

Sighing at the sight Hank decided to get back up and start making lunch and getting a headstart on dinner for Hannah and himself instead.

"You're definitely your father's daughter. You like dogs, too."

Without a repeat of the incident from the night before Hank was able to feed Hannah and give her a bath without any problems, but it seemed as though Sumo decided that the smell of the lunch and dinner that had been cooking all day long was too delicious to pass up. Despite normally being very well behaved and knowing not to get into the garbage or climb up on the kitchen table Sumo just couldn't resist...

Knocking over the full garbage can Sumo helped himself to some scraps of food and had a good time sifting through his forbidden treat all night long. After indulging on scraps of old food Sumo laid down in the middle of his mess and grumbled as he rolled about, ate some more and then discovered he had overeaten and was now very uncomfortable.

The following morning Hank went about his usual routine of waking up, checking in on Connor and then doing the same for Hannah, having no idea of the mess waiting for him in the kitchen.

"Good morning, son." Hank leaned into the opened bedroom doorway and saw that Connor was sitting upright in his bed while using both of his arms to support his weight as he moved about. "Hey, look at that. How do you feel?"

"Stronger." Connor confirmed as he pressed his right hand to torso where he had been impaled and could feel that his artificial skin had regenerated beneath bandages wrapped around his abdomen.  "Much stronger."

"Sounds like you're going to be able to get up and walk around a little today. That's good."

"I'd like to be able to resume taking care of Hannah today."

"How about you let me take care of her until noon, that way you have the chance to get around on your own without worrying about a baby being in your arms if you're still feeling a little tired?"

"That's a good point, thank you."

"Right. I'll go get Hannah ready for the day and you just relax up here for a while longer." Walking into Hannah's bedroom Hank looked down in her crib and saw that Hannah was already awake and in need of a diaper change. "Good morning, Hannah-Banana. Let's get ya' cleaned up and Papa will make you something nice for breakfast."

Like a real pro Hank changed Hannah's diaper and 'onesie' in a matter of seconds and picked her back up from the changing table. As he held the baby in his arms he noticed Hannah's hand reaching toward one of her toys on the floor and he knelt down so she could reach.

"You want the bear or the blocks?" A loud 'clatter' sounded off from down in the kitchen and Hank was immediately on guard. "Uh, all right. Here, Hannah." Putting her down on the playmat in the middle of her bedroom floor Hank stood back up and stepped out of the room. "Stay with your toys while I figure out what made that sound."

Connor spoke up from his bedroom as Hank walked past. "It sounded like a metal cooking pan hit the floor."

"A pan? How did-"  Already knowing the answer Hank let out an annoyed sigh.  " Sumo..."

"Sumo?"

"He hasn't climbed on the counter since he was a pup, but I get the feeling he fell back into a bad habit last night." Walking down the staircase Hank marched into the kitchen and sure enough Sumo was licking up a pan and standing in the middle of his mess. "Sumo!"

The dog lifted his head up to look at Hank, licked the sauce all over his maw, and let out a shameful whimper as he tucked his tail between his legs.

"You've been so good and haven't done this in years, why do it again?"

Sumo whimpered again and submissively sat down at Hank's feet.

"Yeah, yeah... You're sorry."

Looking at the mess all over the floor, the strewn about garbage and the food sticking to Sumo's fur Hank knew he had quite the chore ahead of himself.

"Come on, bath time."

Grabbing onto Sumo's collar Hank pulled the dog out of the kitchen, down the hallway and into the ground floor bathroom. Removing the dog's collar Hank turned on the faucet in the tub and gave the large Saint Bernard a disappointed look.

"You were bad last night, Sumo."

Sumo whimpered again and looked at the bathtub warily.

"Yup. You're getting a bath and today you're get half-portions for your meals. I don't know what you ate but I can tell," Hank was almost impressed by Sumo's distended stomach and shook his head. "you had more than enough."

It took almost an hour for Hank to give Sumo his bath, put Sumo on his chain out in the backyard and clean up the kitchen. As he stood upright and stretched his tight back Hank glanced about the room, his eyes settling on the highchair, and his thoughts immediately returned to Hannah upstairs. He had been so preoccupied with cleaning up the messes and making sure Sumo didn't eat something that'd make him sick that he had completely forgotten about getting Hannah her breakfast.

"Uh-oh, Hannah." Moving quickly across the kitchen and livingroom to get to the staircase Hank returned to the bedroom only to see that Hannah was no longer in her room. "Hannah?!" Turning around quickly Hank was relieved to see that Hannah was in Connor's bedroom and that Connor was sitting on the floor cross-legged. "Hannah... I'm so sorry, sweetpea. I got distracted."

"It's okay, Hank." Connor reassured the senior detective as he let Hannah climb all over him. "She's just fine."

Breathing a relieved sigh Hank gave Connor a wary look.  "Why'd you settle with her on the floor?"

"I didn't." The young father beamed proudly. "She crawled over to me all by herself."

"She crawled?"

"Yeah. She made it all the way over here and pulled herself onto my lap."

Hank slowly knelt down on the floor and watched as Hannah managed to crawl about and make small noises while spending time with her daddy on the floor as he finally healed.

"Well, then..." It didn't take long for Hannah to crawl over to Hank to get some love, too. "I guess cleaning up that mess was worth it."

"Sumo?"

Nodding a little Hank confirmed the source of the mess. "Sumo."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It was now the middle of December and Connor had wrapped up Hannah in a protective warm yellow colored winter coat over top of her purple 'onesie', an extra layer of purple pants, a pink hat, small pink mittens and thick pink slippers to help the five month old keep warm as the frigid winter air began to set in.

After doing his usual weekly grocery shopping; picking up fresh diapers, formula, fresh fruits and veggies and yet another book for Hannah, as well as picking up some groceries and other essentials for Hank, the deviant father decided that since Hannah had been behaving so well during their weekly outings, and since Christmas just a few weeks away, that he'd take her into a local toy store to find her a gift or two to open up on Christmas Day.

Celebrating the holiday was Hank's idea, and he had even gone out of his way to recover the old Christmas decorations he had buried in storage after losing Cole, and was really getting into the holiday spirit for the first time in almost five years. Not wanting to disappoint his father or let Hannah's first Christmas go by without acknowledgment, Connor chose to step up and begin shopping for gifts for his family.

"It's rather crowded, huh, Hannah?"

Connor addressed his daughter as he carried her in his arms and against his chest. With Hannah facing the store ahead of himself and her diaper bag hanging off his right shoulder Connor let the baby see the world around her as he walked down the first aisle of toys and waited for Hannah to find something that interested her.

"I'm glad people don't shop like this all year round, it'd make grocery day a lot more taxing."

As he slowly walked through the aisles waiting for Hannah to react to a new toy or anything new and exciting in general Connor could feel someone staring at him; watching his every move. Testing his theory Connor skipped over the next aisles to get to the rear of the store to begin moving forward toward the doors, rather than move from the front of the store to the rear.  Connor noted that the same person of interest continued to follow after him no matter where he went. The man was also trying to discreetly use his phone to record the deviant and baby as they went about their business.

"We're being watched..."

Cybernetically Connor contacted the precinct to let them know of the potential threat, and uploaded an image of the man's face to the precinct to try to get an identity. Tightening his arms around Hannah as the memory and flashback of being confronted at the park by an angry bigot filled his mind Connor sighed and kept himself calm.

"Don't worry, Hannah. I won't let anyone harm you."

Acting as normal as possible Connor continued to walk down the aisles of toys and waited for Hannah to show an interest toward any new toy on the dozens of shelves. Passing by a wide selection of stuffed animals Hannah suddenly made excited noises and reached out for a bright white stuffed kitty cat on the nearby shelf with both of her hands.

"You like the cat?" Connor noted as Hannah kicked excitedly in his arms and tried to grab the toy with her left hand. "Okay." Picking up the toy from the shelf Connor gave to it to Hannah who immediately pulled the stuffed toy in for a weak hug. "Then we'll pay for your new toy and head for home. Now that I know what you might like as additional gifts this will making shopping easier."

Making his way to the front register Connor noted the stalking young man's current location and confirmed he was still following Connor and recording him with his phone. Paying for the toy Connor intentionally stood outside the front of the store, shielding Hannah from the cool breeze with his own body, and waited for the stalker to step outside of the store.  The man exited and waited for Connor to walk again.

Sure enough as Connor walked toward the parking lot, intentionally avoiding the Oldsmobile so the man couldn't get the car's model or license plate, the man followed with his phone still recording him. Pausing beside an unmarked police car Connor nodded at Gavin behind the wheel and watched as he stepped out of the vehicle and approached the man with the phone quickly.

"Hey, buddy." Gavin showed the man his badge and caught his attention with a voice full of authority. "Hands where I can see 'em."

"H-Huh?" The young man stammered and his face paled as he looked at the cop addressing him. "What?!"

"Hands. Up." Taking the phone from the young man's hands Gavin took charge of the scene. "We got a report of some creep stalking another cop and his kid through a toy store, and you fit the build."

"What? No!" Reaching into his own pocket the man presented his own identification that confirmed he was a private investigator. "I'm not stalking anyone, I'm tailing a person of interest. I was hired for a job."

"By who?"

"I'm not at-"

"Kid." Putting more authority in his voice Gavin made sure the young P.I. knew he was in trouble. "Give me a name. You were stalking a fellow officer through a store and recording his every move. Unless you can give us a name and the truth you're in deep shit."

"A-All Right. I was hired by Debra Wemilat."

"I should've fuckin' known..."

Connor sighed as he kissed the top of Hannah's hair as he stayed beside Gavin's car. "She was legally ordered to stay away from us and if she were to hire anyone to watch us she'd be in direct violation of the restraining order presented by the judge."

The young man paled again as he realized he had in fact screwed up. "Wait... She... She told me that the baby was kidnapped by a faulty android nanny!"

Gavin barked out a single laugh at the ludicrous story the kid believed. "And you BELIEVED that shit?! Are you serious?!"

"Well, I..."

"If the baby HAD been kidnapped then she would've gone to the ACTUAL cops, not hire some rookie 'private dick' who didn't even know to look into the details of the supposed claim instead of just taking word of mouth as fact."

"I... I was told she went to the cops but no one would help her since the nanny android was a former cop. I'm sorry. I messed up."

"Yeah, you did. BIG TIME." Looking at the footage on the phone Gavin sighed and shook his head with disappointment. "You didn't even do a good job at staying discreet! Fuck... You're under arrest for stalking and harassment."

"What?! No!"

"Yup." Pulling his cuffs from his belt Gavin made a move to arrest the kid. "And until you give us the full story and prove that Wemilat put you up to this you're going to be sitting in the interrogation room for a long, LONG time."

Connor sent Hank a cybernetic text message as Gavin cuffed the young man and informed him of his rights. "I'll follow you to the precinct, Gavin. I wish to file a complaint against Debra Wemilat and ensure she is arrested for violating the conditions of the restraining order."

"Fine by me." Opening the rear passenger door of the car Gavin put the arrested young man inside and then gave Connor a somewhat relieved look. "You file reports faster than anyone, so if anything you'll make my end of the report much easier to handle."

It was a little awkward holding Hannah in his arms as he watched the interrogation through the one-way mirror in the connected observation room, but Connor had to know why the young private investigator was stalking him, and he needed to know what Debra Wemilat had told him in order to hire his services. Sitting down in the chair beside Captain Fowler, who was just as interested in the arrest as Connor was, the deviant father gave Hannah a prepared bottle of formula and entertained her with her new stuffed kitty toy.

'Your name is Derek O'Neal and just got your clearance to act as P.I., nice work... So spill it.' Gavin ordered as he sat down across from the arrested suspect and waited for the young private investigator to talk. His voice was somewhat muffled by the glass barrier but he was still audible all the same. 'What did Debra Wemilat say to you to get you take her case?'

'Mrs. Wemilat old me that her daughter had a baby last summer and signed over full custody to Mrs. Wemilat as a result. Then Mrs. Wemilat said she had hired a deviant android who was a former detective to be a nanny and bodyguard to the baby when she was working.' Derek was understandably nervous and trembling a little where he sat. 'Sh-She said the android went nuts and ran off with the baby, and she said she reported him to the cops who looked the other way since the android used to be a cop and he messed with the official documents making it look like he was the baby's legal guardian.'

'Oh, for fuck sake...' Gavin was as annoyed as Connor was offended. 'Seriously? That Wemilat bitch is the richest person in the whole state! She would've hired the F.B.I., the C.I.A. even the whole fuckin' army to get the kid back if any of that was true!'

'I... I'm beginning to understand that.'

'Uh-huh, so why were you following him around and filming him?'

'Mrs. Wemilat told me if I could get footage of the android being neglectful of the baby then she'd be able to present the evidence to the police force and make them do their job and give her back the baby. That's why I was filming him, I swear!'

'How'd you find him?'

'I went to his old address but the house was up for sale, and none of the neighbors knew where he went, so I used a different method to track him down. I was told which precinct he worked at... This one.' He pointed up at the ceiling as if needing clarify his location. 'I-I followed his car back to his new house, and then followed him here.'

'Are you seriously that fuckin' stupid?'

'Huh?' Derek was thoroughly confused. 'What do you mean?'

'She said the android USED to work as a cop and yet you found him at a precinct where he STILL works. That should've been red flag number one.'

'...You're right.'

'You should've also verified that Mrs. Wemilat was in fact the baby's legal guardian before you did ANYTHING else. Why didn't you?'

'Well... I...' As the young man wrung his hands together he paled and blushed at the same time. '...She offered me a lot of money, and-'

'She waved a fat check in your face and you did a half-assed job that's going to end up with YOU getting your authority as a private investigator revoked, and it's going to put that Wemilat bitch in jail for violating her RESTRAINING ORDER.'

'She... I didn't know! I didn't know she was crazy! I swear!'

'Obviously!' Pushing an electronic notepad toward Derek's right hand Gavin shot him an angry glare and pointed at the screen. 'Write. Tell us everything that happened and give us the check as evidence. We'll also need any and all texts she sent you, and other proof of her hiring you.'

'O-Of course... Yeah.' Taking the pad in his hand Derek picked up the stylus and began writing his statement. 'I'll cooperate fully.'

Having heard the confession and now knowing that Debra Wemilat had tried to make another move toward Hannah put Connor on edge. Tightening his arms around the baby as she finished off her formula Connor sighed and gave her another kiss on her hair.

Captain Fowler took notice of the reaction and thought about how he'd feel if one of his own kids was being stalked by a crazy person. "Want us to put patrol around your neighborhood for a while?"

"...Please."

"Consider it done."

"Thank you, Captain."

"Just file your report and I'll have a warrant for Debra Wemilat's arrest approved. We have all the proof we need through Derek, so just take care of your report and head on home. Chris will pick Debra up, I'll tell the judge, and I'll make sure this 'slips' to the media so she can be shamed all over again."

"Right... I'll take care of my report." Exiting the observation room with Hannah still in his arms Connor gave his daughter a kind smirk as he entered the bullpen. "I promise that I'll keep you safe, Hannah. No one will harm you."

"Hey." Tina noticed Connor and Hannah, and her eyes lit up immediately. "I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just need to file a report." Sitting down at his desk with Hannah on his lap Connor used his left hand to gently run through Hannah's dark locks of hair as they grew longer, and used his right hand to type up his report quickly. "Thank you for your concern."

"Hannah is just too cute." Kneeling down beside Connor's chair Tina offered Hannah her finger to hold and smiled kindly at the baby. "And her hair is already so long!"

"Yes, I'm contemplating cutting it until she's older."

"No, don't do that! Baby hair is so soft and so much fun to play with!"

Connor's eyes drifted over to Tina for a moment as an interesting idea popped into his head. "Do you know how to properly tend to hair for an infant?"

"Of course! One of the perks to being the big sister is having a little sister with long hair to play with."

"Could you-"

"Yes!" Beaming brightly Tina gently lifted Hannah up from Connor's lap and took the diaper bag from his shoulder. "I'll show you a few simple styles that'll keep her hair from tickling her face or getting in her eyes."

"Thank you."

Fishing the small soft brush from the pocket of the bag, how she knew her way around a diaper bag was a wonder, Tina then opened her top drawer of her desk where she kept various hair ties, clips, barrettes and even small ribbons for either herself or other kids in need of police protection. "This is going to be fun..."

While he typed his report Connor watched Tina's movements very carefully and observed how she gently brushed Hannah's hair, pulled the locks back into a simple bundle at the top of Hannah's head, and used a simple strand of pink ribbon to tie the hair into a neat and tiny bundle with a bow. With her long hair pulled back Hannah looked more comfortable and the little bow made her look like a small present.

"Ta-da!" Proud of her own work Tina turned Hannah around so they were face to face and cuddled with her for a moment before adding some additional hair ties and ribbons into the diaper bag for Connor to use later. "You look so cute!"

Appreciative of Gavin for quickly going to the store to arrest the stalking man, Captain Fowler for assigning more patrol to his neighborhood and Tina for helping him learn to style his daughter's hair Connor felt more at ease. "Thank you."

"No problem! If you need help with anything else with the little one just ask." Tina was truly pleased as she kept Hannah entertained and made sure she was happily laughing. "I want a refresher course before I have my own baby. Or ten!"

"...Ten?"

"Well, more than one anyway." Grinning as she used the new toy kitty to make Hannah laugh and smile Tina looked truly content. "I'm so glad you were able to give this little lady a loving family. No child should grow up feeling unloved or unwanted."

"...Yes." Remembering how Gavin had grown up alone and angry motivated Connor all the more to keep Hannah safe and happy. "You're right. And I promised Hannah that I'd keep her happy, no matter what. I won't fail her."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

With a peaceful Christmas Day a welcome change of pace for the two detectives the small family sat together in the livingroom and watched as Hannah squealed happily and played about with her new stuffed animals, scraps of colorful wrapping paper and empty boxes all over the floor. The five month old was laughing loudly as she picked up her new toys one at a time and threw bits of the torn up wrapping paper into the air all around her. The large empty cardboard boxes were also a new adventure as the boxes made simple play forts.  The largest box had been too inviting for Sumo to pass up on as he laid in the box with his new rawhide bone in his mouth, his tail wagging and his eyes watching over Hannah protectively.

"I think you may have overdone it with the toys, son." Laughing a little Hank counted the numerous stuffed animals from where he sat in the recliner and sipped at his mug of warm coffee. "Looks like you got her at least twenty different animals."

"...Twenty-two." Connor confirmed as he sat on the couch and watched his daughter having a blast with the colorful and fluffy mess around her. "I was merely trying to make sure Hannah's first Christmas was enjoyable, and I don't have any previous experience with the holiday myself."

"I get it, son. For Cole's first Christmas I was more focused on getting him the biggest toy I could find and less concerned with the impracticality of the toy itself."

"Why were you focused on the size?"

"Because I wanted Cole to have the giant box to play with. Kids and animals love boxes." Pointing at Hannah as she crawled into the large box alongside Sumo the proud grandfather just smirked. "See?"

"I see. Is that why you insisted on me placing Hannah's gifts altogether in the single large box after wrapping them up individually?"

"Yup! She loves it!"

Noting that Hannah was smiling and laughing as she playfully climbed all over Sumo and her pile of stuffed animals Connor began to smile himself. "You're right. She is truly enjoying herself." Looking back at Hank sitting a few feet away Connor nodded at the small pile of gifts on the end table beside the recliner. "Did you like your gifts?"

"Hell, yeah." Picking up the debut vinyl album of 'Knights of the Black Death' from the small pile Hank grinned at the flawless cover. "I have no idea how you found this, and I don't want to know, but thanks, son." The other gifts; a new phone, a plain navy blue dress shirt, the framed photograph of Hannah meeting Santa at the mall and the complete Sherlock Holmes novels were beyond generous, and very thoughtful. "I think you figured out Christmas pretty damn fast."

"I hope so. I want to be able to give Hannah as normal a childhood-"

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Stop worrying about 'normalcy', okay? There is no textbook or routine childhood for kids to have. Each child is going to grow-up with different experiences, memories and dreams. Don't think you need to play a particular role in order to be a good dad. Just keep doing what you're doing and Hannah will be a happy, healthy little girl."

"I hope so."

Nodding at the small gifts beside Connor on the couch Hank asked his son about his own Christmas experience. "I wasn't quite sure what to get ya', but I hope you do like your gifts."

"I do." The young father confirmed as he eyed his gifts and his brown eyes lit up as he answered honestly. He had been given a large selection of C.D.'s to listen to so he could experience new forms of music, a brand new light blue hoodie, a small box of rare coins from other countries and a large blank photo album for him to fill up with photographs of himself and Hannah as she grows-up. "I appreciate how much thought you put into everything."

"Good. Because I have one more gift to give ya'."

"...Another?"

"Yup." Standing up from the recliner Hank walked over to the nearby bookshelf and pulled out a small yellow envelope and passed it over to Connor to view for himself. "I saved the best for last. I had to use a contact to get that, too."

"Thank you." Accepting the envelope Connor opened it up and peered at the contents within. There were a few court documents, a newspaper clipping and a handwritten letter inside. Picking up the court documents first Connor read over the details and his brow furrowed a little. "This is the restraining order the judge placed against Debra Wemilat."

"Yup."

"It's been extended for an additional... eighteen years."

"Yup. Hannah won't have to worry about that crazy witch coming after her anymore."

"I doubt a piece of paper will stop someone like her, but I'm glad the courts are still on my side."

"Uh-huh. Check out the newspaper clipping."

Doing as instructed Connor read over the story and his brow smoothed out. "...Debra Wemilat has been arrested."

"Jeffrey wasn't just humoring you when he said he'd get the warrant. She's been arrested and her reputation stained black." Nodding at the letter that needed to be read next Hank urged Connor to keep checking through the documents. "What's in the letter? I never read it."

Unfolding the letter Connor read over the handwritten message quickly and he slumped back against the couch cushions. "It's a letter from Diane and from Colin."

"What's going on? Is everything going okay?"

"They confirmed that they are pressing charges against Debra for her 'intervention' that caused the situation with Hannah to even begin. And Robert Wemilat is going to testify on his daughter's behalf, and is going to divorce Debra due to her behavior." Neatly folding up the letter, the newspaper clipping and the court document Connor put everything back into the envelope for safekeeping. "Diane also states that she is going to have her mother sent to a psychiatric ward for an analysis and diagnosis. She won't go to prison, but she will be locked up for a minimum of ten years if she refuses to cooperate with the doctors. "

"I knew that letter had some good news."

"Is that why you gave this to me last?"

"Yup. I wanted your big gift to be a peace of mind and sense of security. You're free to be Hannah's dad, and no one can get in the way. Think of that gift as a big finale for yours and Hannah's first Christmas as father and daughter."

Looking down at Hannah as the baby crawled over to him from her box fort of Christmas magic Connor bent down and scooped her up to hold on his lap and up against his chest as the good news sunk in. "Thank you... dad."

"You're welcome, son."

Smiling as Hannah smiled back at him Connor truly felt like he was going to be just fine as Hannah's daddy, and he couldn't wait to watch her grow-up and become a happy little girl, and eventually a happy young lady. "...Merry Christmas, Hannah." Kissing her cheek Connor looked over at Hank and gave him a respectful nod. "Merry Christmas, dad."

"Merry Christmas, you two." Using his new phone Hank snapped a photo of Connor and Hannah smiling together and promptly saved the image under 'never delete'. Copying the photo Hank centered on Hannah's happy little face and set her bright gummy smile as his new wallpaper. "Hopefully this will be the first of a thousand more."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The cold winter air had made the beginning of the new year uncomfortable for everyone in the Anderson household. Hank ended up catching a small cold while on his late night patrols, and poor Hannah had developed a nasty ear infection. Despite having brought Hannah in for an appointment with her pediatrician Connor still felt like he needed to do more for his young daughter as she cried and refused to lay down for a nap. Carrying her back and forth through the livingroom as she cried loudly and her right ear burned with the infection, Connor whispered to her and rubbed his left hand along her back as he supported her with his right arm.

"It's okay, Hannah." Promising his daughter that she'd recover Connor gracefully paced back and forth and ignored her shrill cries in his own ear. "It won't last forever."

Pausing for a moment Connor put his left palm over her right ear and could feel the heat radiating from the infection.

"I know you're in pain and very uncomfortable but the medication your doctor gave me will work in time."

The small vial of antibiotic ear drops was supposed to clean up the infection and ease her pain, but it didn't do much for the nausea she was feeling from having her inner ear inflamed.

"I wish I could something more for your fever and help you feel less stressed."

Glancing up the staircase toward Hank's closed bedroom door Hank sighed and resumed pacing with Hannah.

"Hank is also unwell and I cannot ask for his advice this time."

Unwilling to risk Hannah catching Hank's cold or interrupting Hank's sleep Connor resumed doing his best to take care of Hannah by himself. Sitting down on the couch Connor thought about the past remedies he and Hank had used whenever they took care of Hannah and tried to rely on those proven methods to see her through her current sickness.

"I know a movie won't settle you down." The deviant father thought out loud to himself. "But music seems to help."

Making a move for the stereo system Connor froze and remembered that Hank was upstairs trying to sleep.

"I can't do that." Backing away from the stereo Connor sighed and sat down on the couch for a moment as Hannah continued to cry. "I want to play music but if Hank is also sick I don't want to disturb him."

Rubbing Hannah's back Connor closed his eyes and tried to think of an alternate solution.

"Music: An art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color."

Reciting the true definition of music Connor began piecing together a possible solution to his problem.

"The tones or sounds employed, occurring in single line, melody, or multiple lines, harmony, and sounded or to be sounded by one or more voices or instruments, or both."

The additional information seemed to make the pieces of the puzzle click into place.

"...Voices."

Rubbing Hannah's back again Connor looked at his daughter for a moment and then closed his eyes again. Downloading information on songs of comfort and of a soothing nature Connor made his selection, downloaded the lyrics and lowered his voice as he began to sing to his sick daughter.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night... Take these broken wings and learn to fly..."

As he began to sing he could feel Hannah snuggling down against his chest and pressing her sore ear down against his heartbeat.

"All your life... You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

As the song continued Hannah seemed to calm down a little and her crying started to lessen.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night... Take these sunken eyes and learn to see..."

Lowering his voice a little more Connor continued to sing and let the quiet of the house be its own comfort.

"All your life... You were only waiting for this moment to be free."

Hannah began to quiet even further and soon her crying began to stop all together.

"Black bird fly... Black bird fly..."

Rubbing his hand slowly along her back Connor could feel Hannah getting heavier and heavier as she drifted off to sleep.

"Into the light of the dark black night."

Feeling her growing even heavier and quieter Connor carefully stood up from his position on the couch and began carrying Hannah toward the staircase to put her down in her crib for the night."

"Black bird fly... Black bird fly... Into the light of the dark black night."

Reaching the top of the staircase Connor opened up the closed bedroom door and crept into Hannah's room silently.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night... Take these broken wings and learn to fly... All your life..."

Laying her down gently into the crib on her back Connor pulled up her yellow blanket from the end of the crib and draped it over her lower body to keep her warm as she slept.

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise."

Backing away toward the door Connor continued to sing to his daughter.

"You were only waiting for this moment to arise..."

Pulling the door partially shut Connor let out a sigh of relief and felt someone's eyes watching him. Turning toward the source of the gaze Connor saw Hank standing in his own opened bedroom doorway watching him with a smile on his face.

"D-Did I awaken you, Hank?"

"Nah, I was already awake." Smirking again Hank just shook his head and put his hand on Connor's shoulder as the deviant approached him to check on his current vital signs. "Did I hear you singing?"

"Y-Yes." A pale blue blush appeared on Connor's face as he admitted he was singing. Pressing his left fingertips to the interior of Hank's right wrist Connor counted the senior detective's pulse. "I... I wanted to use music to soothe Hannah without disturbing you in the process."

"You know, you never cease to amaze me, son."

"How so?"

"You can actually sing. You're talented."

"Being an android allows me to change my voice, pitch, tone and everything to carry a tune perfectly. It isn't talent, it's software."

"No. I heard those android musicians countless times on the radio," watching as Connor walked into the nearby bathroom Hank continued to speak to him in a low voice. "they sound good, but you sound better. You sang from your heart, not your brain."

"I-I was merely trying to make Hannah feel better." Stepping out of the bathroom with a bottle of medicine in his hand Connor opened up the bottle and put two pills into Hank's palm.

"Like I said, you sang from your heart."

Still blushing Connor tried to dismiss the compliment and deflect the attention. "You should continue to rest. Your fever is still holding at one-hundred point two degrees."

"Yeah, sure. Do you need any help with Hannah?"

Glancing back at Hannah's door Connor sighed and shook his head. "...No. I have it under control."

"Good answer." Popping the pills into his mouth Hank retreated to his bedroom to continue sleeping off his cold. "Wake me up if you do need anything, son."

"Right. Good night, Hank."

"Goodnight, kid."

Smirking slightly at last as Hank returned to his bedroom Connor opened up Hannah's door again and peered inside his daughter's bedroom.

"Goodnight, Hannah." Feeling relieved at the quiet of the house Connor decided it was time to go to bed for the night, too. "Daddy loves you..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The lingering winter was keeping most of the city indoors and very few people wanted to go outside into the cold. Hank had gotten over his cold and Hannah had gotten over her ear infection, but now she was beginning to teeth and enduring chronic pain and mild fevers from her tiny body being stressed out by the uncomfortable changes.

With his own experience with a teething baby under his belt Hank held Hannah on his lap as he kept her bundled up in her yellow blanket, and let her chew on the chilled teething-ring he had purchased for her after clocking out of his shift the previous evening.

"Teething sucks, Hannah-Banana." Hank soothed as he held his granddaughter on his lap and watched her gnawing and drooling all over the purple tinted ring in her mouth. "But trust me, when your beautiful smile comes in and you can eat some real food you'll know it was all worth it."

"How long does teething last?" Connor asked as he walked down the staircase to join his father and daughter in the livingroom. The deviant father had made a habit of properly disinfecting each room of the house on a daily basis until winter was finally over, and he had just finished his rounds upstairs. "I don't want Hannah to be in pain."

"No parent ever does, son. But as for teething, well, it depends. It's different for everyone."

"And you're certain the teething ring is going to help?"

"Yup. Cole used to love to chew on his teddy bear teething ring or would just suckle on an icy cold washcloth. When Barb wasn't looking I'd slip him a cherry popsicle to chew on so he'd numb his mouth a little, and have a little treat."

"Why keep a popsicle a secret from Barbara?"

"Sugar."

"Oh."

"One popsicle once in a while isn't a problem. One every day while their still developing their little teeth... Well, she wasn't wrong to worry."

"I've begun gently brushing Hannah's budding teeth in the morning and at night to ensure she doesn't develop an infection. Hannah seems to be taking well to it."

"Cool. One less difficult task to handle." Passing Hannah over to Connor to hold Hank stood up from the couch and stretched his back a little. "All right, you finished cleaning upstairs and it's my turn to make dinner tonight."

"You're not going to make her macaroni and cheese again are you?"

"Why not? She loves it, it's soft enough for her to chew without hurting her mouth and it's easy to make."

"I'd prefer it if she had some variety to keep her interested in trying new food."

"Fair enough. I'll make her a fruit puree to eat, too."

"That's acceptable."  Connor held Hannah against his hip, a motion that Hank had showed him to use as a means of carrying her around while also keep one arm free so he could multitask. Carrying Hannah about Connor noted that her pain seemed to cease entirely, she wasn't feverish and her dark hair was a little longer. "Perhaps I should take Tina's advice and pull your hair back so it doesn't get in your eyes, Hannah."

Gently placing Hannah down in the hexagonal playpen in the middle of the livingroom floor, one that had a soft play-mat for Hannah to crawl over and a dozen of her stuffed animals and soft foam alphabet blocks scattered about, Connor let her alone to play as he made his way to the second floor bathroom to get a few items to take care of her hair.

Sumo was laying in the corner of the livingroom on his pillow and watching Hannah protectively as she began to crawl about and play with her toys. With his tail wagging the loyal dog watched the baby of the family and seemed to know that if Connor or Hank weren't in the room then Hannah was his responsibility.

Opening the small cabinet beneath the sink in the bathroom Connor located Hannah's soft hair brush and two hair ties that he could use to pull Hannah's growing dark hair back into two neat pigtails.

"I wonder if-" A loud cry of pain made Connor stand up quickly as his developing paternal instincts told him to check in on Hannah and do it immediately. That cry was different from any previous cry he had heard before. It was as if Hannah were scared and in pain at the same time. "Hannah?!"

Upon his return to the livingroom Connor saw that Hannah was sitting down on the floor crying loudly and had a streak of fresh blood on her head and face just above her left eye. Close examination showed that the plastic gate for the play area wasn't closed properly and Hannah had somehow bumped her head on the sharp corner of the coffee table.

"Hannah..." Scooping her up from the floor Connor gave her a firm but gentle hug as a tremendous guilt settled in his heart. "I'm so sorry!"

"What happened?" Hank asked as he joined Connor in the livingroom after turning off the stove in the kitchen.

"She's bleeding." Turning so Hank could see the fresh cut on Hannah's forehead Connor looked like he was about to cry too. "She's hurt! Hannah is hurt because I-"

"Easy, son." With a ginger touch Hank checked the raw cut on Hannah's forehead and sighed slowly. "It isn't too serious, but she will need a few stitches."

"Stitches?!"

"Whoa, whoa... Easy!" Reacting appropriately Hank took Hannah from Connor since he was so worked up and began rubbing Hannah's back in a soothing manner as she clung onto his shirt and continued to cry. "Connor, you need to be calm for Hannah's sake."

"But she-"

"It was an accident, son." Pointing to the smear of blood on the corner of the table Hank gave Connor a knowing look. "She just banged her head on the coffee table. All kids bump their heads, scrape their knees and fall down."

"I should've-"

"Stop it. You can't watch her literally every second of her life." Hannah was quieting down as Hank tended to her and rubbed her back. "Look at the gate. It popped open. Did you or me forget to lock it?"

"No, we-" Scanning over the gate Connor saw the manufacturing defect in the plastic hinges and found the cause of the accident. "...The gate was improperly sealed upon production."

"See? Not your fault."

Realizing his mistake wasn't even his to bear Connor felt a little calmer and looked over at Hannah in Hank's arms. "...You said she'd need stitches?"

"Yup. When Cole was four he tripped and bumped his head on the corner of the stereo system, and he ended up with four stitches for his troubles. Don't worry, he didn't get a scar and I know Hannah won't either."

"I'm not worried about a scar."

"Uh-huh. You're worried about being judged as a parent." Looking at Hannah's face as she stopped crying Hank used his thumb to softly wipe away Hannah's tears and then wiped away a smear of her blood to keep it from getting in her eye. "Want me to take her in to get taken care of?"

"No. I'll do it." Taking Hannah back from Hank's arms Connor sighed and ran a scan over the wound. It wasn't a large cut but it was deep. "I'm so sorry, Hannah. But I'll make sure you get better."

Putting his hands to his hips Hank watched as Connor carried Hannah upstairs so he could put a temporary bandage over her head and then get her dressed up in her winter clothing to keep her warm as he drove her to the hospital. "That kid doesn't realize how good of a father he really is."

Feeling nervous and like he was being judged Connor sat in the waiting room with Hannah on his lap and did his best to ignoring the staring eyes as he finally combed back her hair and put her dark locks into two neat pigtails at the sides of her head. Hannah wasn't crying anymore and seemed more interested in chewing on her teething ring and playing with her stuffed white kitty toy than anything else.

The moment Connor and Hannah were called in to meet with the pediatrician the young father carried his daughter up against his chest and proceeded to tell the doctor the whole story. Afterward he relayed Hannah's medical history with perfect detail and made sure she didn't move as the doctor numbed the area on Hannah's forehead to begin applying her two necessary stitches.

"It's okay, Mr. Anderson." Smiling at Connor's demeanor the kind doctor tried to reassure the deviant with a sincere voice. "I recognize the typical bumps and bruises of kids being kids. I know you didn't harm your daughter."

"I still feel so guilty."

"Most parents do." Applying the first stitch the doctor smiled at Hannah and let her know she was being an excellent patient. "The fact that you care so much tells me that you do in fact love your daughter and would never hurt her."

"No, never. There's no reason to ever intentionally injure a defenseless child."

"So how'd she bump her head on the table? Was she looking for a toy?"

"I'm not sure. I was in another room and she had escaped her playpen."

"Well, my own daughter did something similar. She got out of her playpen and she went to grab her ball after it rolled under the kitchen table. She bumped her head on the table and knocked herself down."

"Was she all right?"

"Oh, yeah. She just scared herself and had a small bump for a few days. I called her my sweet little unicorn."

Watching as Hannah took the second stitch without any problems Connor's felt less tense and picked her up from the treatment table to hold against his chest again. "You'll be just fine in two weeks, Hannah."

"Here." Placing a bright purple band-aid over Hannah's stitches the doctor smiled and offered her a grape flavored baby-safe lollipop. "You were a wonderful patient, Hannah. You did so good!"

Smiling at her praise and her treat Hannah showed no sign of ill will after getting her stitches.

"Come on, Hannah." Replacing her coat Connor gave her a small kiss on her cheek and carried her out of the treatment room. "Let's go home."

The moment Connor and Hannah returned home Hank was waiting with dinner ready and a strawberry popsicle waiting for his granddaughter. Unwilling to say no after Hannah was hurt that evening Connor let Hank give Hannah the popsicle, and proceeded to wait for her to finish her second treat for the evening before trying to get her to eat her dinner.

Leaning over the back of the couch Hank watched the duo and shook his head a little. "Connor, stop worrying."

"I can't help it." The young father admitted as he sat Hannah down on the livingroom floor beside him as she continued to play with her kitty toy, her lips now pink from the popsicle. Working on the plastic gate Connor fixed the loose hinge and made sure it wouldn't pop open again. "I wasn't watching her and she got hurt. I'm supposed to protect her."

"And I told you that kids are going to get hurt no matter how much we try to-" Hank stopped suddenly as his eyes focused on Hannah entirely. "Connor. Look."

Curious about what caught Hank's attention Connor looked over at Hannah beside him and saw that Hannah was now standing up all on her own and using the very coffee table that had hurt her for balance and stability.

"...Hannah." The sight of the seven month old showing enough strength and dexterity to stand up on her down made Connor's eyes go wide with absolute shock. "You're standing!"

"So THAT'S how she bumped her head. She tried to stand up on her own."

"...I don't understand."

"Understand what? Her hitting her milestones right on schedule?"

"No..." Putting his left hand on Hannah's back Connor felt himself smiling at the sight of his daughter growing up healthy and happily. "Why I'm so... proud of her. This isn't something unique to just her and was to be expected. Why do I feel this way? Proud."

"It's called being a father, son." Smirking at Connor's reaction, noting how symbolic it was that Connor was learning more about humans by being a father and steadily becoming more 'grown-up' as Hannah grew-up alongside him, Hank felt the same swelling of pride. "When Cole stood up all by himself I was over the moon and Barbara couldn't take enough pictures of him."

"So what I'm feeling is normal?"

"Yup. Everything that's happening is meant to happen."

Kneeling beside Hannah as she leaned against the coffee table Connor took her hands in his own and let her use his hands to lean against so she could continue to stand up all on her own. "...Then I guess getting small bumps and bruises along the way make it all worth while."

"Yeah, you got it, son. That's what growing-up and being a father is all about."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The unfortunate circumstance of an auto accident creating a traffic jam left Connor and Hannah stranded in the middle of downtown with no way to get back to the house by vehicle. Unwilling to walk the distance with Hannah exposed to the bright spring sunlight, and not wanting to leave the Oldsmobile parked at the department store parking lot all night long, Connor sighed and decided he'd have to find a way to pass the time until the traffic was cleared up before he could even try to head back home with his daughter.

Fortunately the precinct was only two blocks away and the safe space would be ideal for Hannah to stay until everything in the city settled down.

"Come on, Hannah."

Holding his daughter to his chest as he walked down the sidewalk Connor kissed her left cheek and watched as she happily held on to her stuffed white kitty in her hands.

"We can go to the precinct and wait for the accident to be cleaned up. I know the bullpen will enjoy your company."

Entering the large building with his daughter in his arms and her diaper bag slung over his right shoulder Connor was greeted warmly by the receptionist androids, and was soon swarmed by Tina who was more than willing to take a minute out of her day to visit Hannah.

"Hi, Hannah!" Smiling at the happy baby Tina gently put her hands on Hannah's perfect pigtails approvingly. "Looks like your daddy mastered hair styling, huh?"

Hannah let out a happy sound as Connor let Tina take her from his arms.

"What brings you by on your day off, Connor?"

"We're waiting for an accident to be cleared off the road before attempting to return home."

"Gotcha'."  Tina held Hannah close as she spoke.  "Traffic jams in this kind of sunlight can be brutal, especially for a little baby."

"Agreed. Being here will ensure Hannah remains comfortable and safe."

"Well, I know I'll keep her entertained for a while. I just started my break and I know I could use some companionship that won't be complaining about suspects or reeking of stale coffee."

"You don't have to watch her, Tina."

"I know I don't." Taking the diaper bag from Connor's shoulder Tina smirked again and went off with Hannah to have her break. "But I want to! I'm not having a kid any time soon, so being able to spoil my coworker's kids rotten will have to do for now."

"I see..."

With Hannah now being thoroughly entertained Connor decided to busy himself at his and Hank's desk, not to do any actual work but to clean off the desks now that Hank wasn't around to complain about it, or call Connor a 'neat-freak'.

Carefully picking up the empty coffee mugs, pens, pencils, notepads and tablets from Hank's side of the desk Connor swept his arm over the surface to push all the empty fast food containers, bags and wrappers into the nearby trashcan for proper disposal. Just as he was about to carry the empty mugs into the breakroom to be washed at long last the sound of a belligerent and angry man shouting profanities sounded off, as Chris and Gavin dragged an obviously high man into the precinct for questioning.

Noting that the two officers were struggling with the six foot four man, his strength seemingly doubled thanks to the drugs in his system, Connor rushed over to help them both out and drag the man into interrogation to cool off. The room was sound proofed which meant it'd be more productive to keep him locked up in the isolated room rather than lock him up with other suspects a few feet away from the officers who had just arrested him.

"We got his ass, you plastic-prick!" Gavin grumbled as the three officers worked together to drag the suspect into interrogation. "What the fuck are you even doing here?"

"I'm waiting for traffic to-"

"FUCK YOU!" The man shouted in anger as he tore his arm from Gavin's grip and elbowed him right in the ribs.

Falling to his knees Gavin wrapped his arms around his chest as he fell forward onto the floor, his forehead resting against the cool tile, and tried to catch his breath after being violently winded. "...F-Fuck..."

Connor looked back at Gavin and ran a scan over the human to check for any sign of internal damage, but fortunately the worst of Gavin's injuries was a deep bruise forming over his sternum. Nothing had been broken, fractured or even dislocated.

Chris wanted to go back to help Gavin but the abrasive Sergeant lifted his hand to silently tell his colleagues to not worry about him.

The sound of the door opening and then sliding shut again gave Gavin a moment of reprieve as he knew the man was now locked up and he was no longer looming overhead.

"...Asshole." Rocking back on his knees Gavin used his left hand to support his weight as he stood up from the ground and limped back toward the bullpen to catch his breath. His legs were shaking and he was feeling a little lightheaded. "...That was a cheap shot."

"Gav'?" Tina noticed that her partner was struggling to get to his desk and approached him curiously. With Hannah still on her hip Tina gave the winded detective a worried once-over. "What happened?"

"That ass-" Seeing Hannah made Gavin stop short and correct his chosen term. "That jerk elbowed me in the chest."

"Did he break anything?"

Pressing his right palm over his chest Gavin took in a slow deep breath and then released it just as slowly. "...No. I'm just sore."

"Here." Passing Hannah over to Gavin to hold for a moment Tina set off for the breakroom. "I'll get you some ice to hold on your ribs."

"It's fine, Tina." Holding onto Hannah in a gentle grip Gavin winced a little as the added weight of holding the eight month old had unexpectedly pulled on his sore ribs. "...Ow. Wait," recognizing Hannah's face Gavin was suddenly wary of the small child. "is this Connor's kid?"

"Yup."

"Maybe you should take her-"

"Don't be a wuss!" Tina ignored her partner's complaint as she went in search of the ice pack as promised. "She's not going to hurt you!"

Hannah smiled up at Gavin as she showed him her stuffed kitty and made small noises that were surprisingly close to words.

"So... You like cats, huh?" Looking at her toy Gavin smirked a little pressed the toy's nose up against Hannah's nose to give her a little 'boop'. "I gotta' cat, too. Her name is 'Lucky'. Not the most original name, but since I managed to rescue her from the apartment parking lot so she didn't get run over or something, I'd say that was pretty darn lucky."

Laughing at the way Gavin was playing with the toy Hannah made lots of happy sounds and her brown eyes lit up happily.

"Seems like the 'Tinman' is taking pretty good care of you. You're happy, you're healthy... You have someone to love you." Watching as Hannah pulled her toy from his hands only to offer it back to share Gavin gave the baby an envious stare. Her innocence and joy was something to be coveted. "You're lucky, too. I wish I had someone in my life who had taken the time to help me out when I needed it as a kid."

"Well, you can't undo the past." Tina quipped as she rejoined her partner and Hannah at their connected desks. Handing him the ice pack Tina lightly fussed with Hannah's pigtails as the baby's soft hair was just begging to be combed through. "You're okay now, Gav. Your crappy parents are gone," automatically censoring herself because of the baby sitting beside her Tina tried to reassure her partner's lingering worries. "you're your own man and you're protecting innocent people every day. You're so much better than either one of them."

"Yeah, well, that doesn't make the memories and nightmares go away."

Putting the diaper bag on the floor beside the desk Tina gave Gavin a somewhat surprised glance. "Again with the nightmares?"

"Can't help it, Tina."

"I know you can't, but come on... Your ex isn't going to bother you again."

"Hey, I was in high school and I was an idiot. Idiocy takes a while to get over."

"Have you even seen George since you transferred high schools?"

"No," pressing the ice to his sore ribs Gavin sighed and let the coldness numb his burning pain. "but he was a monster and I don't want him hurting me or anyone else. That bas- jerk threw me against a wall and tried to strangle me. The only reason he stopped is because the principal happened to catch him and pulled him off of me. George threatened to kill me if I tried to break-up with him, and it turns out he wasn't bluffing. I should've known..."

"Have you spoken to the precinct 'shrink' about this?"

"Why would I?"

"Maybe it'd explain why you turned away your sexuality from men and keep getting in toxic relationships with women."

"Maybe I'm just bi and have shi- crappy taste in people in general." Noting the offense in Tina's eyes Gavin defended himself. "Present company excluded!"

"Darn right."

"Besides, people can't help who they fall in love with. If we had any say over it then no one would be trapped in an abusive relationship to begin with."

"You and Patricia fight again?"

"Gee, how'd you know?"

"Cop's intuition."

From within his own office Captain Fowler noted Tina at her desk and opened up his closed office door to call out to her for a moment. The skilled officer had been asking about taking the detective's test to take a step up, and now that it was relatively quiet in the bullpen Captain Fowler decided it was time to speak with her.

"Tina." His deep voice called out in a level tone. "In my office."

"Coming, Cap'!" Handing Hannah back over to Gavin she gave her partner a smug look. "Hannah is staying here until traffic clears and Connor and head home. Enjoy baby-time while you can!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Holding Hannah on his lap Gavin continued to entertain her with the toy and hold his ice to his sore ribs. "I bet if you had nightmares or a bad break-up, or anything crappy in general happen in your life, you'd have your father there to help you through it. You really are lucky. Not everyone gets to have a father to rely on."

Hannah giggled and pulled at the stuffed kitty in Gavin's hands as he danced it around in front of her eyes and kept 'booping' her nose with the toy's nose.

"Hard to believe that piece of plastic has been a better father to you in the past couple months than either of my parents had done for me throughout my entire life. You know, uh..." Looking Hannah in her eyes Gavin gave the small baby a sincere stare. "Your dad and me don't get along well, but he is a pretty good guy. I mean, anyone who would risk their own life to save a total stranger... Let alone end up adopting a baby who had been abandoned without having a second thought about it... He has to be a good guy, right?"

Smiling at the kitty and biting onto its ear Hannah just laughed and smiled around her toy as she made small noises in Gavin's direction.

"...Yeah. He's gotta' be a good guy."

Gavin had to remind himself that everyone isn't necessarily dangerous.

"Plastic or human that 'Tinman' has a real heart after all."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Standing up in the middle of the livingroom Connor had Hannah holding onto his hands with her hands, and was helping her to balance on her own two feet as the eight month old contemplated taking her first steps. She was already thriving and hitting her milestones right on cue, and yet there was a part of Connor's heart that was getting anxious to see her walking on her own. Taking small steps to help guide Hannah from one end of the livingroom to the other, Connor kept encouraging her to try to walk on her own and to not be afraid.

"You can do it, Hannah. I imagine it's strange at first but once you begin walking you'll find the experience to be very natural."

Making her near words excitedly Hannah took a bold step forward but couldn't seem to hold her balance. If she hadn't been holding Connor's hands then she would've dropped right onto her bottom on the floor.

"It's okay, Hannah. Try again."

Wandering down from the second floor of the house Hank sighed and leaned over the banister as he watched his son and granddaughter bonding together during the walking lesson. "How's she doing?"

"She's trying to walk but doesn't seem to have the proper coordination and balance yet."

"Give her time, she'll figure it out."

"I'm aware. I just don't want to miss her first steps while she's at daycare and I'm working."

"Ah, I gotcha'."

"I know if she starts walking at the daycare then Simon or Josh will show me the moment through their own eyes through cybernetic communication, but it just won't be the same if I'm not physically with her."

"Yeah, I know. I was there when Cole took his first steps and said his first word, and I'm still so damn proud of those moments."

"I was very proud when Hannah began crawling, I imagine the pride will double once she begins walking."

"Trust me son, you'll be over the moon!"

An unexpected brush with a violent man and a concrete staircase resulted in Connor severely dislocating his right ankle and needing a full week to recalibrate the joint as he remained home, and rested on the couch. Despite insisting he didn't need to use the crutches or any ice to numb the lingering pain Hank kept bringing Connor ice packs and made sure the crutches were always in reach. The first two days of resting went well, but on day three Connor began to get stir crazy and struggled to remain on the couch as Hank had requested.

Shifting his weight so he could sit upright and rest his healing ankle on the coffee table Connor watched with pride as Hannah stood up by herself and played with a colorful puzzle on the table across from him. The young baby was excelling with her hand-eye coordination and had no problem with putting the pieces into place to finish the picture of a rainbow and flowers.

"Very good work, Hannah." Complimenting his daughter, a trait he had picked up after Hank reminded the deviant father that positive reinforcement is the key to instilling confidence in children, Connor watched his daughter put the puzzle together perfectly and then look for something else to do. "Are you looking for your kitty?"

Hannah looked at her father and made small noises as if to confirm his question.

"It's right here." Picking up the toy from the end of the couch where he was sitting Connor held it in his hands for Hannah to see. "Come and get your toy, Hannah. You can do it."

Standing on the other side of the table Hannah eyed her toy with a strong sense of want and tried to take a step forward. As before she tried but lost her balance and fell on her bottom.

As the frustrated baby began to cry Connor instinctively attempt to get up to go and tend to her, but as soon as he put any weight on his broken ankle the joint buckled and the deviant also ended up falling on the floor. Landing on his right side with a controlled fall between the coffee table and couch Connor sighed and peered at Hannah over the coffee table just in time to see the baby shift from crying to laughing at the sight of her daddy tumbling onto the floor.

"Well, at least you're not crying anymore."

The front door opened and Hank returned home in time to see Connor trying to get himself up off the floor and back onto the couch, while Hannah stood up herself to balance against the table. "Problems?"

"Hannah fell down and I tried to pick her up." Pushing himself off the floor and onto the couch Connor gave Hank a somewhat embarrassed glance. "I ended up falling down as well."

"Maybe you two can learn to walk together."

"Not funny, Hank."

"Relax, kid." Scooping Hannah up from the floor Hank held his granddaughter against his chest as he gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "She'll take her first steps soon enough. Until then be patient and let your ankle heal."

"I'm attempting to do so, but I briefly forgot that my right ankle had been physically compromised when I stood upright for one point four seconds."

"Did ya' re-break it?"

"No, but I did cause physical instability in the joint and delay in my overall recovery."

"How so?"

"Before I stood up my ankle had recalibrated to forty-six percent, after I stood up and applied weight my recalibration process was stunted and I'm now at thirty-eight percent."

"Jeez, that much of a drop all because of a couple of seconds?"

"Yes."

"Now that you proved that moving around is going to make your recovery worse are ya' going to stay put?"

Realizing Hank had expertly led him into an admission of defeat Connor sighed and put his ankle back up on the coffee table to elevate it. "...Yes."

Laughing at the defeat in Connor's tone Hank passed Hannah over to him to hold as he returned to the front door and took Sumo's leash from the hook by the door. "All right, I'm going to take Sumo for a walk before it rains since you've been stuck inside the house all day, and then I'll be back to make dinner."

"Okay." Appreciative of Hank's help with taking care of Hannah while he was down with an injury, appreciative of Hank's help in general, Connor decided to be more cooperative and remain on the couch. "Thank you."

"Sumo!" The massive dog came plodding down the staircase and into the livingroom upon hearing his master's voice, and promptly sat down at Hank's feet obediently. "Good boy." Clipping the lead to Sumo's collar Hank wrapped the leash around his right wrist and opened up the door. "Be back soon, son."

Nodding at Hank as he offered the toy kitty to Hannah on his lap Connor sighed and leaned back into the cushions. "It's a shame I couldn't take you and Sumo to the park today. It might've been the ideal place for you to take your first steps, Hannah."

Chewing on the ear of her toy Hannah stared up at Connor and smiled around the toy hanging out of her mouth.

"Are you still uncomfortable with teething?" Gently pulling the toy from Hannah's mouth Connor checked on her budding teeth visually and then ran a scan confirming that she was still healthy. "Your teeth are developing normally. You must be getting hungry then."

Eyeing the kitchen from where he sat Connor sighed and sank back deeper into the cushions.

"I can't carry you into the kitchen with my ankle being injured. But your Papa will be back soon to make you dinner."

Hannah made more noises as she resumed chewing on her toy and began pointing at the finished puzzle on the coffee table.

Following his daughter's line of sight Connor deduced what she was trying to say. "Do you want another puzzle to play with?"

Another happy noise seemed to confirm the question.

"Okay."

Glancing about the livingroom Connor spotted another puzzle sitting on the record player against the far wall and gently put Hannah down on the floor so he could get up with his crutches resting beneath the coffee table, and not have to worry about her falling off the couch the moment his back was turned. It wasn't easy but Connor managed to get his crutches and find his balance without harming his ankle further.

"I'll get you a new puzzle to play with, and then we'll both stay put in the livingroom until Hank returns."

Limping over to the record player Connor picked up the boxed puzzle and turned around slowly, his weight all balanced on his uninjured ankle as he moved very carefully. Turning to face Hannah again Connor saw that his daughter was standing up and using the coffee table for balance once more.

"I'm glad you can stand without-" Right before his eyes Connor watched Hannah let go of the table and start taking slow and shaking steps toward him, her balance seemingly finally achieved. "That's it..." Crouching down slowly, the deviant shifting his weight to his knees to keep all pressure from both of his ankles, Connor knelt on the floor and put the puzzle and crutches aside as he offered his right hand to his daughter. "You can do it, Hannah. You can walk!"

Proudly Hannah took a step toward Connor as the front door opened and Hank returned home with Sumo.

"Got home just before the damn rain..." Trailing off Hank watched as Hannah took another shaky step and neared Connor who was kneeling on the floor and waiting for her to reach him. "Man, I have got the best timing ever."

"You can make it, Hannah." Encouraging his daughter to keep walking Connor held his hand out and patiently waited for her to make the seemingly eternal journey from the end of the coffee table and over to Connor kneeling in front of the record player. "You're walking now!"

Taking her third, fourth, fifth and sixth steps forward Hannah managed to reach Connor and grabbed onto his hand without both of her hands as she crossed the room and took her very first steps. Smiling proudly Hannah leaned on Connor's hand and looked up at her daddy as he pulled her in for a hug.

"...I knew you could do it." Wrapping his arms around Hannah in a warm hug Connor held his daughter and felt his heart swelling with indescribable pride. "I'm so very proud of you."

"And now that she's free to walk about the house and explore her world a little more," unclipping the leash from Sumo's collar Hank shrugged off his coat, kicked off his shoes and walked over to see Hannah as Sumo proceeded to plop down on his pillow in the corner of the livingroom. "you're going to need your ankle at full strength to keep up with her."

"Good thing I already purchased baby-gates to keep her contained."

"Don't forget, Connor. Those gates help but their not foolproof, let alone kid-proof."

"Speaking from experience again?"

"Yup." Watching Hannah cuddling with Connor on the floor Hank explained his statement. "There's a reason why there's ALWAYS a new model of baby-gate being sold. Kids are far more clever than most adults will ever care to admit."

"I'll never underestimate Hannah's capabilities in her life." Smiling proudly as Hannah snuggled in against his chest Connor felt his love for his daughter increase tenfold. "I promise."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Chasing after Hannah as the now one year old toddled away from her daddy's hands Connor managed to catch her just as she rounded the couch, and made her laugh as she was scooped up from the floor. Holding her against his chest Connor gave his daughter a kiss on her cheek as he carried her into the kitchen so she could celebrate her first birthday properly. The now one year old was wearing a shiny purple dress, had her dark hair pulled back into neat pigtails with purple ribbons, and she had her favorite stuffed kitty in her hands.

"This is a special day for you, Hannah." Placing the baby down in her highchair Connor smirked at her and watched her eyes light up as Hannah glanced at all the shiny multicolored balloons adorning the walls of the kitchen. "Today is your very first birthday."

"And we're going to celebrate this day right. " Hank tagged on as he joined his son and granddaughter in the kitchen by passing through the backdoor. "In a few minutes you'll have a bunch of people here to sing to you and spoil you with gifts."

"Are you sure that it's wise to have a whole group of people here just for Hannah?"

"Hell yeah. It's a tradition at the precinct that every kid's first birthday has everyone in the bullpen either gives the baby a gift or offers some money to put aside for their college education."

"Really?"

"Yup. That's why we stopped by Chris's house last autumn for Damian's big day. Not only did he have the chance to play with Hannah and have some fun, but he got all those new toys and a good chunk of change for his future education."

"Noted. I'll be sure to consistently add money into Hannah's college fund to ensure she has as many options available to her."

"Damn right." Giving Hannah a small kiss on her hair Hank checked his phone and grinned. "Everyone should be showing up soon."

"Tina made her a birthday cake, correct?"

"Yeah. Her mom owned her own bakery for a few years and has an amazing cake recipe that she won't let anyone but Tina and her sister see. Besides, Tina actually likes to cook and decorate so she always makes birthday cakes whenever she has the chance."

"I'll be sure to thank her." Kneeling on the floor beside the highchair Connor made himself eye level with his daughter and gave her an affectionate stare. "It's hard to believe that one year ago I had rushed into a burning building and found Hannah hidden away inside."

"I'm still mad at you for risking your life like that, but..." Smirking at Hannah as she smiled at her daddy Hank decided to let it go. "since it resulted in saving another innocent life and bringing that little lady into the family, I'll drop it."

"I haven't run into a burning building since then, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't do it all over again if someone needed help."

"Yeah, yeah... You and your need to change the world for the better might turn out to be the death of me." As he spoke a shadow crept over Connor's face and his previously bright soulful brown eyes began to dull with building worry. "Son? What's wrong?"

"...This morning I found a birthday card in the mail for Hannah." Standing back up Connor walked over to the bookshelf in the livingroom revealing the bright blue envelope he had tucked away from sight after discovering it in the mailbox. "It's from her parents."

"Huh..." Peering down at his granddaughter Hank gave the small baby a reassuring grin as he stayed beside her and spoke to Connor from the kitchen. "Did you open it?"

"No, it's addressed to Hannah. Despite her only being one year old it felt... wrong to open the envelope."

"Well, why don't you put the card somewhere safe so when Hannah turns eighteen she can learn about her biological parents and see that they gave her up for adoption to keep her safe and happy. If anything that card can help soften the blow."

"Maybe." Holding the card up to the light overhead Connor ran a scan over the card tucked away inside allowing his superior android vision to confirm that it was in fact a birthday card designated for a one year old, and he could just barely see the handwritten message inside. It was a positive message meant just for Hannah's eyes. "...Yes. I'll put it aside for Hannah to have in the future."

"Worried that the card would contain something nasty?"

"I was worried that the card might contain time sensitive information that could prove detrimental if ignored."

"Connor," picking Hannah up from the highchair Hank carried his granddaughter over to her daddy to remind him that he didn't need to worry so much. "you're a great father and Hannah is happy, healthy and loved. Whatever it is that her parents wrote in the card isn't going to change that."

Looking at Hannah as he lowered the card Connor let out a deep sigh and looked into his daughter's brown eyes as if seeking her approval. The idea of Hannah being his daughter alone, her own parents only being figures from her short past, made Connor's heart warm. "...You're right." Taking Hannah from Hank's arms Connor held her against his chest and allowed Hank to discreetly slip the envelope from his fingers to be put away and out of sight. "It doesn't matter what the card says. Hannah is my daughter and I'm her father. Nothing will ever change that."

"Damn right."

There was a soft knocking on the front door and Connor turned his attention to the guests who had just arrived for Hannah's special day. "It seems the party is going to begin."

"Let them in." Hank stated as he carried the envelope upstairs to be put away somewhere safe for the next seventeen years. "I'm going to take care of the birthday card, and you're going to take care of the birthday girl!"

Approaching the front door with Hannah now on his right hip Connor gave his daughter another kiss on the cheek and prepared to let the guests inside the house. "Happy Birthday, Hannah. This is the just the first of many special days for you..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting on the couch in the livingroom with Hannah on his lap Connor kept trying to coax his now one year old daughter into finally speaking her first words. She had been making impressively near-words for the past four months, but she had yet to really convey a true word. Using her stuffed kitty to entertain her as he spoke to her in clear and enunciated words, Connor tried to help her reach that milestone. Remembering to speak in simple words that would be easy for her to say Connor didn't give up and kept speaking to her in a soft tone.

"Hannah, can you say 'daddy'?"

The response was nonsensical babbling as Hannah pulled at the kitty in Connor's hands and continued with her near-words.

"Can you say 'kitty' or 'cat'?"

More babbling was her only response.

"What about 'Papa'?"

Just a repeat of the same nonsense.

"How about 'Sumo'?" He pointed to the massive dog napping on his pillow in the corner of the livingroom. "Can you say 'Sumo'?"

Hannah looked up at Connor and just smirked as she continued to babble.

"...I suppose you'll begin speaking when you're ready. I hope."

"Giving up?" Hank asked as he stepped out of the kitchen with a small bowl of tiny crackers for Hannah to snack on. "Keep talking to her."

"I will, but I don't think she's interested in speaking any of the words I'm suggesting."

"You were giving her a great and easy selection. Maybe say something new and see if she'll pick up on those words instead."

"What do you mean?"

Sitting down on the couch next to Connor so he could hold the snack bowl and keep Hannah from making a mess Hank gave the young deviant more fatherly advice. "Sometimes hearing the same thing over and over again becomes white noise. Cole said 'mama' first, then 'dada', then finally 'Sumo' only after we suggested other words first. We went with colors and shapes that sparked Cole's interest. Those are easy beginner words."

"Curious idea." Picking up one of the orange tinted crackers for Hannah to see Connor tried a new approach. "This cracker is orange. Can you say 'orange'?"

Hannah looked at the cracker, babbled and promptly took it from Connor's fingers to cram into her mouth.

Hank started to laugh a little but encouraged Connor to try again. "Keep it up, she's responding."

"Okay." Picking at the fabric of his navy blue t-shirt Connor tried another color. "My shirt is blue. Can you say 'blue'?"

Staring at the t-shirt Hannah just pulled at the fabric and babbled again.

"Careful, kid." Smirking a little Hank watched as Hannah pulled on Connor's shirt. "Don't point to your brown eyes unless you want her to poke you."

"Noted." Holding up the stuffed kitty again Connor tried another color. "Your kitty is white. Can you say 'white'?"

Hannah took her kitty from Connor's hand and then tried to feed it one of her orange crackers effectively staining its mouth and nose a sunny tint.

"Well," Hank leaned back against the couch cushions and thought of a new tactic. "what about shapes?"

"Very well." Picking up another cracker Connor held it in front of Hannah to see. "The orange cracker is shaped like an oval. Can you say 'oval'?"

Hannah once again took the cracker and popped it into her mouth as she continued to babble incoherently.

"Maybe 'circle'?" Connor tried again as he picked up another cracker. "This cracker is an orange circle."

Uninterested with the vocal lessons and crackers Hannah awkwardly climbed down off of Connor's lap with her kitty still in her hands, and walked about the livingroom in search of adventure.

Sighing a little Connor leaned forward where he sat and watched as Hannah picked up her soft foam multicolored blocks and began building a small tower on the floor. She was happy and thriving by all account, but she just wasn't talking. "Maybe I should take her in to see her pediatrician and make sure there isn't something wrong with her."

"She's fine, son. Kids speak at different times and their first words are always different."

"We don't know what type of prenatal care Diane had, if any at all. And being trapped in that fire around toxic chemicals-"

"Son, stop." Knowing that Connor was going to overthink things again Hank stopped him before he began. "You're worrying yourself with worst-case scenarios that you can't even prove or disprove at this point."

"...Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just stop worrying so much about things like that." Retracting his palm Hank pointed at Hannah playing about with her toys, babbling and smiling the whole time. "Trust me, Hannah is just fine."

"I hope you're right."

"I am. Hannah is a fantastic little girl and you're a fantastic father."

The compliment did wonders for Connor's current mood. "Thanks, dad."

Smirking at the term Hank appreciated being referred to as a 'dad' all over again. "Just keep doing what you're doing and Hannah will start speaking before you know it."

Nodding a little Connor held out the snack bowl of crackers toward Hannah and addressed her in a gentle voice. "Hannah, come and have some more crackers."

Looking over at Connor with a curious stare Hannah toddled over to him and tried to take the entire bowl from his grip to hold.

Tightening his grip so Hannah didn't make a mess Connor spoke to her kindly. "Let daddy hold the bowl for you."

Taking a tiny handful of crackers from the bowl Hannah looked up at Connor and smiled. "...Dad-dy."

Staring at Hannah with a shocked expression as she crammed her crackers in her mouth and went back to her block tower Connor felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders, and a smile creep up on her face. "...Her first word."

Returning his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank gave his son an amused grin. "Told you!"

"She finally said her first word and it was 'daddy'. Why do I feel so honored?"

"Because it means she knows who you are and that you love her as much as she loves you."

Putting the bowl aside Connor knelt on the floor beside Hannah and looked her right in the eyes.

"Dad-dy!" Handing Connor her kitty to hold Hannah repeated the term and kept smiling. "Daddy!"

"Yeah..."  Accepting the toy Connor never lost his smile.  "I'm daddy and I love you."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Life with Hannah had been interesting and constantly eventful for Connor as her father, and for Hank as her grandfather. The helpless newborn that Connor had rescued from the burning building was now a rambunctious toddler that had seemingly unlimited energy to burn. Spending his days off chasing Hannah around the house had become routine for Connor, but he never once lost his patience or complained about constantly cleaning up messes and dealing with temper tantrums as the toddler reached the infamous 'terrible-twos'.

After Hannah went down for a nap on the floor with her worn out stuffed kitty and Sumo at her side Connor set about cleaning up her latest mess, and barely heard Hank opening the front door after he returned from his shift at the precinct.

Seeing Hannah napping on the livingroom floor Hank lowered his voice and crept down the hallway where he saw a light on in the bathroom. Peering inside the bathroom Hank stopped himself from laughing out loud as Connor cleaned up a mass of clean toilet paper from over the floor.

"I see you've noticed Hannah's latest game." Connor patiently cleaned up the mess and gave Hank an odd glance. "She had the entire roll of toilet paper strewn about the house."

"How far did she get?" It was struggle to not laugh as Hank just imagined Hannah's work.

"Down the hallway," Connor recounted the event as he finished restoring the roll to its former 'glory'. "into the kitchen, around the table and chairs, into the livingroom, around the coffee table, the recliner, the couch and back down into the bathroom where she tried to put the end of the roll into the toilet to flush."

Unable to contain his laughter Hank finally let it out. "Sorry, kid! I don't mean to laugh at you!"

"It's fine. I'm not offended."

"How in the hell did she do all of that so fast?"

"I was making her dinner and I thought she was coloring in the livingroom. Apparently she finished her drawing and decided to resume her potty training without my help."

"Oh jeez, how's that going by the way?"

"Not too bad. She's responding well and seems to understand the concept. I just wish she'd let me help her until she's big enough to handle things on her own."

"Toddlers are going to challenge your parental authority every chance they get, son. Get used to it."

"I'm already used to her tantrums, but how do I explain to her that she still needs my help?"

"You don't kid, you just stay patient and wait for her to mellow out again after she gets a little older."

"How long will that take?"

"Anywhere from one to... sixteen more years."

Connor paused and gave Hank a worried look. "That long?"

"Hey, every kid is different. You're lucky that Hannah is already so damn smart and independent."

"How so?"

"The sooner kids show their own mind and personality the sooner they'll mature and become strong adults. Be proud."

"I am proud."

From the livingroom Hannah shouted a loud 'No!' as she woke up and began trying take toys away from Sumo. Taking his leave of the bathroom with Hank right behind him Connor scooped Hannah up from the floor and made her let go of Sumo's chew rope.

"I just wish these more difficult phases would pass by sooner."

"Uh-huh. You say that now but once she's older, more independent, hanging out with her own friends and heading off to college you're going to miss the temper tantrums, crying fits, screaming and messes almost as much as you'll miss her being around every second of your life."

Looking at Hannah as she turned to face him and smile Connor realized that Hank was right. He already knew that once Hannah was grown-up and out of the house he'd miss having a toddler to chase around and clean up after. "...You're right."

"Hey, that doesn't mean you won't ever see her again when she's grown-up, and you still have at least sixteen years until that happens."

"Yes, but that won't undo my reluctance to see her grown-up and living on her own."

"That's the way all parents feel, son." Taking Hannah from his arms Hank held his granddaughter against his own chest and was rewarded with Hannah wrapping her arms around his neck as she cuddled in for a nice warm hug. "Now, why don't I keep Hannah contained for the rest of the evening and you can cook?"

"That arrangement sounds like it entirely benefits you."

"Yeah, so what? I'm the grandfather, I get to have all the fun spoiling her while you get the fun of raising her and cleaning her messes."

"I'll remember that if Hannah has children of her own someday." Rubbing his hand along Hannah's back for a moment Connor turned around to walk into the kitchen to begin making dinner. "By the way, I had to pull the T.V. remote out of the toilet this afternoon. It's been disinfected."

"Rule #1 with potty training toddlers, kid: Never put anything in toddler reach that you're not prepared to have flushed!" Carrying Hannah into the kitchen to keep Connor company as he cooked Hank remembered all the messes he cleaned up when Cole was a toddler. "I pulled my wallet, car keys, T.V. remote, phone, three different shoes, combs and half of Sumo's toys out of the toilet. We'll get one of those lid locks in place tomorrow."

"Good idea." Cybernetically Connor placed in the order for several additional 'childproof' security items as well. "It will be delivered to the house by tomorrow morning. I also ordered additional socket protectors and locks for the higher drawers now that she's bigger than a crawling infant."

"And with that taken care of I'm going to keep Hannah entertained with a little game and remind her that she's supposed to play with her toys all day long, not make messes."

Putting a pot on the stove Connor approved of Hank being a hands-on grandfather and keeping Hannah happy. "I hope you have better luck with that explanation than I did."

"Of course I will." Flashing Connor a smug grin Hank carried Hannah back into the livingroom to play as he promised. "I'm her Papa. She'll always listen to me."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Ten minutes.

That's all it took for Hannah to utterly destroy the house while Connor entered a mandatory rest mode to receive crucial software updates. Waking up from his rest mode on the couch Connor was greeted by the sight of Hannah pulling Hank's records out of the cubby beside the stereo, her small mesh playpen (where she was supposed to be contained) on its side, her toy blocks scattered about the livingroom floor, her non-toxic markers were all uncapped and a pretty rainbow was now drawn over all the wall between the kitchen and livingroom, and even her crayons were broken and partially stomped into the area rug in the middle of the livingroom. There was a trail of toilet paper leading out of the bathroom, down the hallway, into the kitchen, into the livingroom and back into the kitchen. Sumo's food was all over the floor and partially stomped over as well, and his water was spilled all over the floor. The shoes left by the front door were all stacked up on the recliner with Hannah's stuffed kitty sitting on top like it was a calling card.

Sitting upright on the couch Connor looked about the messy house with wide eyes and made a move to pick Hannah up from the floor to keep her from accidentally damaging Hank's rare records. "Hannah... How did you do this in ten minutes?"

"Daddy pretty!"

"Daddy... pretty?" Connor noticed that she was pointing at his face and he brushed his left fingertips over his face. He could feel marker on his cheeks, lips and eyelids. "...D-Did you draw on daddy's face?"

"Yeah! Daddy's pretty!"

"Okay, uh..." Trying to figure out where to even begin trying to clean up the messy house Connor sighed and used his foot to flip the playpen back into its proper upright position. Placing Hannah down in the playpen again Connor made sure to wedge it up against the recliner and then used the recliner to keep the playpen from toppling over again. "Stay here. Daddy is going to... clean this up."

"Pretty daddy!"

"...I'll take your word for it."

Picking up the shredded toilet paper from the livingroom and kitchen Connor trailed it back to the bathroom and almost dropped the wadded up paper at his feet as he saw that Hannah had squeezed out all the toothpaste, shampoo and soap on the sink and the tub. There were crude drawings in the colorful soap from Hannah's hands, and her and Hank's toothbrushes had been used as well. The sink was nearly overflowing with water after Hannah managed to pull up the plug and turn on both faucets to full strength and walked away.

"...Very glad I got the lock for the toilet lid."

Soapy hand prints confirmed that Hannah had tried to open the lid but failed. Turning off the water in the sink Connor caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror and almost jumped back.

"...Oh."

Hannah had used purple marker to color Connor's eyelids, green to color his lips and bright pink on his cheeks.

"...I don't think Hannah should be around make-up until she's old enough to drive."

Draining the water from the sink without slopping any excess water onto the floor Connor used a washcloth to wiped off the soap, shampoo and toothpaste from the sink, then simply rinsed out the bathtub by turning on the shower. Deciding the toilet paper was a lost cause he bundled it back up and placed it in the recycling bin under the kitchen sink; the deviant father stepping over the overturned kitchen chairs in the process.

"How did she do all this without me hearing her?"

Hannah was laughing from the livingroom and watching her daddy cleaning up her mess. "Pretty daddy!"

"...Messy Hannah."

Sitting the chairs back up Connor grabbed some cleaning supplies under the locked cabinet beside the sink and returned to the livingroom to clean up the walls and carpeting. "From now on I'm only going to go into stasis mode when I know you're sleeping or when Hank's around to make sure you're not getting into trouble."

"Kitty!"

Turning to look over his shoulder Connor saw that Hannah was pointing to her stuffed kitty in the recliner beside her and he immediately got up to give it to her. Picking up the toy from the recliner Connor gave it to her and tried to not think too hard about how Hannah managed to get out of the playpen and destroy the house in less than ten minutes.

"Here's your kitty. Now play while I finish cleaning the house."

Just seconds after he returned to the wall to remove the marker before it stained the paint the front door opened and Hank returned with a bag of groceries in his arms. "Hey, son. What... uh..."

"Hannah."

Staring at the partial mess remaining Hank trailed his eyes over to Hannah as she laughed and played in her pen then looked at Connor's back again. "How?"

"Unknown."

"Wow. She's gifted."

"And quick." Turning to look at Hank as the senior detective walked past him to get to the kitchen Connor explained the full extent of the mess. "She also got into the bathroom and kitchen."

"Oh, how'd-" Seeing Connor's face made Hank instantly burst into loud laughter. The sight of the deviant detective, the most professional and composed person he had ever met, covered under marker and looking like the lovechild between "Joker" and "Jem and the Holograms" was too much to bear. "She got YOU, too!"

"...I know." If his cheeks weren't already bright pink they would've turned bright blue from his embarrassment. "I haven't cleaned myself yet."

"I gotta' get a picture!"

"Hank, please..."

"Relax, son. This is for Hannah to enjoy when she's older, not me."

"...Why do I find it hard to believe you won't enjoy it, too?"

"What?" Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank quickly snapped Connor's photo and saved it for future reference. "I can't enjoy it a little myself?"

"I wish you wouldn't."

"Hey, it'll wash off. I'll put the groceries away and help you with the rest of..." Hank trailed off as he realized that while he had seen Connor and Hannah, he hadn't seen Sumo. "Where's Sumo?"

Connor got up quickly and checked the baby-gate over the staircase confirming he didn't nudge it out of the way to get upstairs, then decided to check the study across from the bathroom. "Not in here."

Hank put the groceries on the kitchen table and heard Sumo's nails scratching on the laundry room door. "He's in the laundry room." Opening the door Hank ended up laughing again as Sumo plodded out with his tail wagging. "Connor, come see this!"

Returning to the kitchen Connor look at Sumo and realized that he hadn't been Hannah's only test subject for a makeover. "...Sorry, boy."

Sumo had several of Hannah's hair scrunchies around his ears, his paws and all along his tail. There was various colored marker in the white of his fur and even more marker on his mouth, cheeks and above his eyes.

"...I'll give Sumo a bath when I clean off my own face."

"How about I take care of Sumo and you just finish cleaning the rest of the house?"

"Yeah, okay. I'd rather finish cleaning the marker from the walls first anyway."

"Okay." Patting the side his leg Hank led Sumo into the bathroom and laughed the entire way.

"Hannah?" Returning to the livingroom Connor picked his daughter up from the playpen and held her against his chest. The two and half year old was still laughing and having a good time playing with her kitty. "You made a mess today. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I love you, daddy!"

Unable to stay annoyed at his daughter Connor just sighed in defeat and gave her a hug. "Daddy loves you, too. Just not your messes!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Reacting quickly Connor rushed into the kitchen where three year old Hannah had climbed up on the chair beside the table and managed to get a hold of his weekly Thirium replenishment to take a sip for herself. Pulling the bright blue and oddly enticing bottle from her grip Connor immediately grimaced as he saw the blue all over her lips and knew he was too late. She had ingested some of his Thirium and was bound to make herself very sick very fast.

Putting the Thirium aside Connor wrapped his arms around Hannah to pull her from the chair and into his protective grip as he rushed through the front door of the house, and hailed an autonomous cab to take him to the hospital.  Cybernetically he called Hank at the precinct and told him what had happened and asked him to please go to the hospital to be there for Hannah during her unexpected doctor's visit.

Without any resistance Hank agreed to meet up with Connor and sure enough found the deviant father sulking in the waiting room with his face pressed into his palms as he tried to curl around himself in one of the chairs in the corner of the room.

"Connor?"

"...Hannah got a hold of my Thirium." Connor mumbled through his hands as Hank sat down beside him. "I turned my back for just a second and she-"

"Hey, it's not your fault. Kids get into things and it always happens within the blink of an eye. Accidents happen."

"I feel like I failed to protect her."

"Protect her? Son, you and Hannah were at home and couldn't have been anywhere safer." Putting his right hand on Connor's left shoulder Hank gave the worrying young deviant a subtle shake to make sure he felt somewhat grounded. "The fact that you caught her in the act and rushed her to the hospital to get to a doctor means you did the right thing and that you are in fact always protecting her."

"Then why do I feel like I failed?"

"Because you care. You're a great father and Hannah is a great kid. But it doesn't matter how great either of you are, accidents will happen."

A doctor entered the waiting room and approached Connor warily as she held an electronic chart in her hands. "Mr. Anderson?"

Both Connor and Hank looked to the doctor but Connor shot to his feet to speak to her directly. "Dr. Robinson. How's Hannah?"

With a sincere smile on her face Dr. Robinson responded honestly. "She's doing just fine."

Wringing his hands together before himself anxiously Connor nodded a little and let out a quiet sigh. "Did she... What did you have to do to treat her?"

"We put her under a very mild sedative to pump her stomach, then administered liquid charcoal to absorb the remaining Thirium in her stomach to ensure every trace has been removed. We ran a blood test as a precaution and found no trace of the Thirium in her body. We also started a line of very gentle antibiotics."

"Good... That's good."  Only mildly relieved Connor continued to ask about his daughter.  "Is she... Is she awake or scared?"

"Come with me." Showing Connor to where his daughter was resting Dr. Robinson flashed him a kind smile. Speaking to Connor as Hank followed after them the good pediatrician explained everything to Connor without a hint of judgment to her words. "Hannah is awake and she's in her own room with a nurse watching over her. She's alert, energetic and she's crying for you."

"...Crying?" From behind Hank's hand again rested on his shoulder and Connor tensed up.

"She's scared because, well, this is a hospital. They're never fun for anyone, but for kids... It's a whole new level of uncomfortable." Showing Connor to the room where Hannah was resting Dr. Robinson gave Connor a stern look. "We're going to keep her overnight just to make sure nothing was overlooked, but I suspect you'll be able to take her home tomorrow morning, and she'll be back to her usual self."

"...That's good."

Dr. Robinson opened the door and watched as Connor all but ran into the room to get to Hannah. The little girl was sitting in the middle of the large hospital bed with a familiar nurse,  Ada Giles, hovering close by. As soon as Connor was at Hannah's side the young father wrapped his arms around his daughter and gave her a warm hug that finally dried up Hannah's tears.

"I'll leave them alone for a moment." Dr. Robinson closed the door again and looked at Hank standing right beside her. "I take it you're Connor's father."

"Yeah. Lieutenant Hank Anderson."

"Nice to meet you. So, how're you going to convince your son that he isn't the worst person on this entire planet because his three year old got into something she shouldn't have gotten into?"

"I have no idea, but I'll drill it into his head eventually."

"I've seen countless children and their parents over the past six years, and I can confirm that Hannah is loved and well taken care of. The fact that he feels personally responsible proves he's a good father and wants what's best for Hannah. For every good parent like Connor there's unfortunately ten bad parents who only care about the bill or getting to work on time."

"I keep reminding him that he's a good father, but the poor kids just doesn't see it."

"Nurse Giles told me about how Hannah and Connor met each other." Nodding at the kind nurse through the small window on the door Dr. Robinson smiled again as she watched Connor lay down on the bed beside Hannah so he could cuddle with her as she finally fell asleep. "I've seen hundreds of parents worried that they'll be accused of child abuse because their child is adopted, and in my personal experience I've found that D.N.A. and blood doesn't make a perfect parent. Only love can do that."

"Yeah, I know that. I just wish Connor could see that for himself."

"He will in time. One day he'll wake up, look at Hannah, see her smiling, laughing, playing and being a generally happy kid, and he'll finally see that he's a great parent with no reason to ever worry or question himself."

"And I'll make damn sure he knows about it." Watching Connor through the window as he and Hannah laid side by side on the bed, Connor's hand gently rubbing Hannah's back to help her feel better, Hank felt himself smirk a little. "He's going to want to stay the night alongside, Hannah."

"That's fine. She's stable and it's clear based on her behavior and asking for her 'daddy' that there is no child abuse occurring whatsoever. As long as it keeps Hannah content and resting then we'll let him stay."

"Thanks, doc. I'm going to go say goodnight and then return home so I can baby-proof the already baby-proofed house so Connor doesn't run himself into the ground tomorrow morning after bringing her home."

Giving Hank an approving grin as she unlocked the door Dr. Robinson watched the small but loving family reunite and fawn all over Hannah in the small room without startling the little girl in the process.

A routine week passed by without any further incident with Hannah and Thirium, and it seemed like everything was finally back to normal. Connor had resumed his usual shifts at the precinct after taking two days off to spend time with Hannah, and had dropped her off at New Jericho Tower to be watched over by Simon and Josh for the afternoon as per usual. Other children had been brought to the daycare over the past few months, some were the children that other deviants had adopted, or were the children of human allies who just needed a little help with childcare. Hannah was developing social skills and was making friends fast, which in turn made Connor feel better about dropping her off.

Joining Hank in the bullpen and going about the day at a normal pace Connor seemed somewhat distracted, and that type of behavior was very strange for the deviant to exhibit.

"Connor?"  Always on alert Hank knew Connor was behaving strangely.  "Something wrong?"

"...I'm fine, Hank. I just..." Trailing off for a moment Connor pressed his left palm to his forehead and let out a breathy sigh. "...Headache."

"You? You have a headache and are admitting it?"

"I'm not immune to headaches, Hank."

"Yeah, but you never admit it when you don't feel well."

Ignoring the comment Connor tried to resume his work but it was clear he was struggling.

"Need to go and see Joel in the dispensary?"

"No. I just..."

"Just... what?"

"I, uh..."

"Whoa, did you just say 'uh'? Now I know something's wrong."

"I..." Unable to respond Connor suddenly slumped forward on his desk as if he had just fallen asleep.

"Connor?" Rising from his desk Hank shook the deviant's right shoulder once to try to get a response before he used his phone on the corner of his desk to call for technical support from the dispensary upstairs. "Help's coming, son."

"What happened?" Gavin saw the deviant collapse but didn't bother get up from his desk to help.

"I don't know. He just passed out."

"Passed out? Did his battery die or some shit?"

"Gavin, shut the fuck up." Gently Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulders and pulled the deviant back from his desk to get him to sit upright in his chair again. It was clear that Connor was exhausted but why Hank had no idea. "Connor? Connor, open your eyes for me."

From the other side of the bullpen Joel appeared with his emergency technician's satchel slung over his right shoulder. Approaching the desk the kind and very laidback technician pressed his left palm over the center of Connor's chest to check his pulse, then pulled a small penlight from his jumpsuit's breast pocket to check his pupils. "What happened here, Lieutenant?"

"I don't know. He said he has a headache, was acting exhausted and then just... passed out."

"His pulse is slower than usual but his ocular relay units are responding normally." Returning the light to his pocket Joel worked to slip off Connor's gray jacket with Hank's help, then unbutton the cuff on Connor's left sleeve to roll it up high enough to expose Connor's bicep. "I'm going to get a reading on his Thirium pressure and go from there."

"Do you have an idea why he collapsed?"

"I have a theory." Wrapping a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's bicep Joel watched as the digital display showed a low number and confirmed that his Thirium reserve was down to forty-nine percent. "Damn it."

"What?"

"His Thirium is too low."

"Too... Shit.  I should've seen this coming."

"I can give him in a unit of Thirium through a line, then he'll need to drink the rest."

"Right." Grabbing onto Connor's right arm Hank watched as Joel did the same for Connor's left arm to heft the deviant up from his chair and onto his feet. Pulling the limp arms around their shoulders the two humans worked together to carry Connor away from his desk to recover. "Let's get him in the breakroom so he can lay down for a moment."

"Good plan."

Hank took most of Connor's weight from Joel and guided the deviant over to the black leather sofa and helped him to lay flat on his back for a moment while Joel pulled the replacement Thirium from his satchel, and connected a transfusion line to the Thirium pouch in turn. "Sometimes I wish the kid kept that damn light in his head. I could tell what was going on by watching the color."

"Yeah, I know." Manually deactivating the artificial skin over the bend in Connor's left arm Joel removed the plastimetal framing over the internal line and connected it to the transfusion line to deliver the needed Thirium to his system. "Do you know why his Thirium got so low?"

"I have an idea, yeah."

"Uh... Do I want to know?"

"Let's just say the kid is overreacting because his own kid got her hands on some of his Thirium."

"O-Oh. I know what it's like to have kids touching some things that they shouldn't touch. That's the worst."

"Yup. And Connor apparently decided the best way to keep Hannah out of his Thirium is to not keep any in the house whatsoever."

"You better talk some sense into him, Lieutenant. There's a reason Thirium is kept on the store shelf for home storage."

"Don't worry, I'll let him know he was being an overreacting dumbass."

"Then I'll leave you with this." Handing Hank another unit of Thirium for Connor to drink later Joel packed up his satchel and took his leave of the breakroom. "And I'll leave you to remind Connor that he can't ignore his weekly replenishment and power through the day."

"Don't worry, I will."

Standing beside the couch Hank watched as the Thirium quickly drained from the pouch and entered Connor's depleted body at an impressive pace. Barely five minutes passed before Connor's eyelids began to flutter as he regained consciousness with a groggy gleam in his soulful brown eyes.

"Connor? Are you awake?"

"...Y-Yes."  The slow response was better than none. "I'm conscious."

"Do you know why you went unconscious?"

Giving Hank a shameful glance Connor admitted he messed up. "...Yes. I let my Thirium get too low."

"Did you seriously skip out on your weekly replenishment all because of one accident with Hannah?"

"I was just being careful."

"Yeah, sure." Tossing Connor the extra Thirium pouch Hank watched as the deviant caught it in a shaking right hand and sat upright slowly on the couch to drink it and restore his energy. "You were so preoccupied with Hannah that you forgot about yourself. That's a dangerous habit to get into."

"...You're right."  He stopped drinking for a minute.  "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just stop worrying about messing things up with Hannah. Trust me, you'd have to do something FAR worse than turn your back on an opened bottle of Thirium. She's fine and you did nothing wrong."

"...I hope you're right."

"I am. Now finish up that Thirium and get that line out of your arm. We still have cases to solve and you promised to take Hannah to the park tomorrow."

"I intend to keep my word, Hank. I don't care how many cases come in, my daughter is more important."

"See?" Proud of the comment Hank gave the deviant father a smug grin. "You're a great dad. You're putting her first and work second."

Looking up at Hank standing before him Connor felt a modicum in comfort as he realized that he was finally finding something more important than work to focus his energy on. "...Yeah. I guess you're right. I might be a good father after all."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting at the kitchen table next to Hank as Connor prepared lunch for everyone Hannah smiled and colored a picture in her coloring book with a box of brand new crayons. As she pulled out a new purple crayon from her box Hannah accidentally brushed her provided silverware off the table and onto the floor with a loud clatter.

Looking down at the utensils on the floor Hannah pointed at the mess and looked to Hank for help. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"I dropped the fuck!"

Hank's eyes went wide and Connor turned to look at his three year old daughter as he stepped away from the stove. "Uh, you dropped your what?"

"Fuck!"

Connor followed Hannah's finger and saw that she was pointing to her FORK, and was simply misspeaking. "She means her fork..."

"Oh!" Now trying to not laugh Hank got up from the table and picked up the fork from the floor to be washed. "You dropped your FORK."

"That's what I said!"  Hannah insisted energetically.  "My fuck!"

Connor sighed a little and tried to correct Hannah's term before it got too severe. "It's pronounced FORK." Enunciating the word as much as possible Connor returned to the stove and finished making lunch. "F. O. R. K."

"Fo..ck."

Not quite hearing the 'R' Connor tried again. "Close. Forrrrk." Dragging out the 'R' sound Connor patiently waited for Hannah to repeat him. "Fork."

"F...owk."

Hank retrieved new silverware for Hannah from the utensil drawer and rejoined her at the table. "Close. Try again. FORK."

"F... For...k."

"Yeah! You got it! Fork."

"F...ork."

Hank took one of Hannah's crayons and wrote out the word 'Fork' for Hannah to see. "Yeah, you got it. See how it's spelled? F. O. R. K."

"That spells 'fork'!"

Relieved to hear Hannah speaking clearly and correctly Connor finished with the lunch on the stove, tomato soup and grilled cheese, and presented the two plates to his daughter and father. "Very good, Hannah." Curious about her other words Connor picked up the spoon and held in front of her. "What's this?"

"Spoon."

"Yes, that's also right."

Taking a bite of her sandwich Hannah looked at Connor and gave him a curious look. "Is 'fuck' a real word?"

"Uh..."

Putting his hand over his mouth Hank hid his laughter as Connor blushed a pale blue.

"Hannah, that word only has meaning for adults."

"Why?"

"Because it's very... strong."

"How come?"

"Words have powerful meanings and 'adult words' are the strongest ones."

"What does it mean?"

"...It's uh... It means-"

"Hannah,"  Hank came  to the rescue.  "that word means a person is angry.  So it's not a word that most adults should be using anyway."

"Is it a bad word?"

"Yup. It's a bad word."

Looking back to her dad Hannah apologized sweetly.   "Sorry, daddy."

Connor gave Hannah a curious glance as he watched his young daughter enjoying her lunch. "It's okay, Hannah. You didn't mean to say it, so you don't have to apologize."

"I won't say 'fuck' until I'm growed up!"

Struggling to not laugh again Hank just smirked and gave Connor an approving nod. "Sounds good to us, Hannah."

"...Yes." Connor agreed with a reluctant tone. "That's a very good idea." Looking into the livingroom Connor eyed one of Hannah's numerous books and decided to give her some extra lessons regarding her enunciation and reading comprehension. "We'll give you some new words to speak without them being bad words."

"Okay, daddy."

Entering the livingroom Connor picked up a book that told a story about a dog and cat, and decided it was a good start. "Here, Hannah." Opening up the book Connor pointed to the first sentence in the small book and asked her to read it aloud. "What does this say?"

'The big happy dog was as yellow as the sun.'

Hannah looked at the sentence and began reading it in a loud and clear voice. "The big... hap-py dog... was ass yel-low... ass the sun."

Once more Connor's eyes went wide as he focused on what Hannah said. "...Can you read it again?"

"Yup." The big happy dog..."  she repeated the sentence easily.  "was ass happy ass the sun."

Knowing he was going to lose his cool Hank quickly excused himself from the table and went out into the backyard to laugh without Hannah hearing him.

"...Hannah," pointing to the word 'as' Connor helped her to say it correctly. "You said everything correct except for this one word. It's pronounced 'az'."

"It's 'as'?"

"That's right."

"But there's no 'z'."

"You're right. There is no 'z', but it's still pronounced 'az' with a 'z' sound in stead of an 's' sound."

"Oh. Why?"

"...Because that's how society decided to spell it." There was no real way for Connor to answer her question without delving into the origin of the English language, and instead he chose to make things as simple as possible. "There are many words that don't necessarily sound the way they are spelled. That's why we keep reading and learning so we can understand each other."

"Oh. Is 'ass' a word?"

"...Yes. It's another way of saying 'donkey',"  he cleverly covered it's more popular meaning.  "but people prefer 'donkey' since that word is more widely known."

"Okay."

Having recomposed himself Hank returned to the kitchen through the backdoor and resumed his lunch. "So... Have any new words to share with us, Hannah?"

"Another way to say 'donkey' is 'ass'!"

Losing out to another bout of laughter Hank just nodded his head and gave Connor an impressed grin. "Yeah, you're right!  Great lesson, son!"

Blushing again Connor cybernetically ordered additional books for Hannah to read, as well as a few educational booklets to help her with her spelling and penmanship, Connor wisely decided to keep ahead of her potential speech impediments to prevent any future problems when she started to attend preschool next year. "...We're going to read a new book tonight, Hannah. And tomorrow I'm going to help you learn to write your name, okay?"

"Yeah! Okay, daddy!"

"Good. I enjoy reading with you."

"Me, too, daddy!"  Hannah beamed excitedly.  "I like books!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

As had become a custom at New Jericho Tower's daycare Simon took Hannah up to the protective room to play with the other kids who were in deviant custody, and watched as the happy three year old ran over to the corner to pick up her favorite book and begin to read to the other kids. The sight of the sweet little girl making friends with all the other kids and showing impressive intelligence at such a young age made Simon smile. It was amazing for the kind blond deviant to watch the small baby that Connor had rescued grow up into a well adjusted and energetic young lady.

"What's your favorite book, Hannah?"

"I like this one!" Showing Simon the book Hannah beamed proudly as he read the cover. "It's got a kitty cat in it!"

"You like kitties?"

"Uh-huh. But I have a doggy at home."

"Sumo, right?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Maybe someday you can have a kitty, too."

"Yeah! Wanna' play a game?"

"In a moment. I need to help Josh with something, then I'll be back to play with you and everyone else."

"Okay!"

"I'll be back soon.  Be good."

Turning to leave the daycare area Simon made sure to secure the tall plastic baby-gate over the door and made his way down the corridor to find Josh and get an update on the tower's daily progress.

"Good timing." Josh smiled as he watched Simon join him in the small office. "New Jericho just got a huge donation and now we can expand the emergency repair wing."

"That's fantastic!"

"And there's been more improvements with the legalities regarding deviants adopting kids."

The comment made Simon's blue eyes light up. "Really?"

"Yeah. And, uh, you knows. Maybe in a year or two we can adopt one for ourselves."

"...Are you serious? You want to adopt a child with me?"

"Well, yeah. I want to do everything with you and I know how much you love kids. If you want to be a father then I'll be a father along with you."

"Thank you, Josh." Grabbing onto Josh's hand Simon gave him a firm squeeze. "That means the world to me."

"Ready to go tend to the kids?"

"Always!"

Holding hands Josh and Simon returned to the sectioned off daycare center just ten feet away from the private office area and took role call of the children in their care. There were two other toddlers just a few months younger than Hannah playing with blocks in the corner, a four year old boy who was busy with his toy truck and six infants all peacefully napping in the large playpens on the other side of the daycare.

"Looks like everyone..." Trailing off for a moment Simon realized that Hannah wasn't reading her book anymore. In fact, she was doing anything in the daycare whatsoever. "Uh, where did Hannah go?"

"Uh, Matthew." Josh knelt down beside the four year old boy and spoke to him directly. "Do you know where Hannah went?"

"Nope."

"Okay... Uh, all right. Thanks."

Simon quickly walked over to the security panel beside the doorway and checked the footage of the live feed recording the daycare for security reasons. Replaying the footage of just after he left the daycare Simon watched as Hannah got up, walked over to the baby-gate and managed to undo the lock and slip outside before relocking the gate behind her.

"Uh-oh! Josh, look!"

Josh walked over and watched the feed for himself. "Ah, man... How'd she do that?"

"She's Connor's daughter. Should we really be surprised?"

"What should we do?"

"You stay here with the kids and I'll go look for Hannah."

"Do we issue an alert?"

"No, she just wandered off. She isn't in any danger. I'll be back soon."

Taking his leave of the daycare Simon set about checking every unlocked room on the floor for any sign of Hannah,  but couldn't find the energetic little girl. Cybernetically Simon tapped into the tower's security feed and began to pick up on Hannah's trail. Chasing after the three year old Simon barely caught sight of the little girl entering the glass elevator and pressing the lowest buttons on the panels.

"Hannah?"

"Bye, Simon!" Waving at the blond android as the doors shut Hannah smiled and the elevator began descending to the ground floor.

"H-Hannah?!" Reaching the elevator too late Simon just watched the giggling little girl descending alone in the elevator to the ground floor. "How can someone so small move so fast?"

Unable to stop the elevator without overriding with an emergency command, one that would sound off loud alarms and flashing red lights inside the elevator that would frighten Hannah, Simon just waited for the elevator to stop before calling it back up to him.

By the time Simon reached the ground floor of the tower Hannah was out of sight again and there was no one else around to ask and see if they had seen the wayward child running about. Remaining calm and using the security cameras to his advantage Simon began to track Hannah down to the nearby community room where he heard happy laughing from both Hannah and from someone else.

"Hannah?" Reaching the community room Simon spotted Hannah sitting on the black leather sofa next to Markus. There was a large sketchpad clutched in Markus's hands and Hannah was using his colored pencils to draw all over the large paper. "There you are!"

"Hi, Simon!"  Hannah greeted warmly.  "I found Markus."

"Why'd you run off?"

"I wanted crayons."

"Well, next time wait for me or Josh to come back to the daycare and we'll get you crayons."

"Okay!"

Markus gave Simon an amused look as Hannah continued to draw all over the paper. "So... Care to explain how a three year old girl managed to escape the supposedly baby-proof gate in the most secure building in the entire city?"

"She's... She's Connor's kid."

"That makes sense, actually."

"I'll take her back up."

"It's okay. I have a slow day today and I was planning on spending the afternoon drawing anyway. I can keep her company."

"I take it North still isn't comfortable around kids."

"No. She, uh, she told me that a lot of the 'customers' she dealt with would often complain about their wives or girlfriends' bodies after having a kid, and then whine about having to take care of a kid at all. The whole prospect and attitude toward kids by humans themselves sort of ruined it for her."

"Oh."

"Small steps. I'm sure she'll see that it's not the kids who are at fault or that kids ruin relationships if the relationship is already strong."

"Yeah, I think Josh now feels the same way."

"Really? Are you two..."

"He's willing to raise a child with me, so I think it's safe for me to finally propose."

"Then go for it! I know he'll say yes."

"Yeah... I think I will. Tonight I'll go and buy his ring."

Hannah had finished drawing on the paper and motioned for Simon to come over and look at it. "Ta-da!"

Taking the hint Simon walked over and peered down at the sketchpad and smirked. "Very nice, Hannah."

"It's daddy and Papa and Sumo!"

"Very good, Hannah. It looks just like them."

Markus carefully tore the drawing from the sketch pad and let Hannah hold the paper for herself. "Hang onto that so when your dad comes to pick you up you can give it to him."

"Yeah!"

"Come on," handing Hannah another colored pencil Markus encouraged her to keep drawing. "let's keep going. You're doing great."

As the evening came to an end Connor proudly put Hannah's new drawing on the refrigerator with magnets, as per Hank's suggestion, and told Hank all about Hannah's adventure through New Jericho Tower. Knowing that his daughter was smart enough to undo a lock, elude her guardians and figure out how to use an elevator was a bittersweet moment. Aware that his daughter is now fearless and adventurous Connor realized that he needed to explain to Hannah the importance of listening to her guardians, and staying in the daycare center unless it's an emergency. 

Shrugging off his blazer Connor rolled up his damaged left sleeve and walked into the bathroom with Hank right behind him.  It was the perfect time to ask about Hannah without her hearing it.

"How do I talk to her about not unlocking doors?" Wincing as Hank poured orange incrassation compound over his exposed left elbow Connor waited for Hank to finish helping him before going to tend to Hannah. His artificial skin had been rubbed off after a suspect shoved him against a car's window and his arm went through the glass. "I'm glad she knows how to get out of a locked room, but she also needs to learn about boundaries."

"Explain to her that doors are locked for a reason." Pulling out the roll of brand new gauze from the android first aid kit on the sink Hank noticed Hannah from the corner of his eye and smirked. "Hey, Hannah-Banana."

"Papa," she held up a brand new box of markers for Hank to see. "I can't open my markers."

"All right, I gotcha'." Kneeling down Hank took the box and uncapped each marker and then replaced the caps in a looser manner so Hannah could color without the markers drying out, or being too tight for her to reopen. "There you go."

"Thank you!"

Watching Hannah rush off to return to the livingroom Hank turned to look at Connor over his left shoulder. "She's sharp, kid. You better let her know now to never open locked doors unless she has permission to be there. Kids are masters of breaking and entering."

"Yes, I will.  Some how..."

"Relax, it's not that hard to explain things as long as you make sure they understand you, and they are listening."

"Right, of course."

After Hank helped him bandage his wounded elbow Connor returned to the livingroom to check on his daughter while Hank took a shower and relaxed for the night.

"Hannah." Joining his daughter on the livingroom floor as she used her brand new markers to draw all over her coloring book in a free spirited manner Connor decided it was time to explain things. "Do you know why there are locks on doors?"

"The keep the door closed."

"That's right. Do you know why the daycare door was kept locked?"

"'Cuz Simon left."

"Do you know why Simon locked the door after leaving?"

"He had to do something."

"Right. But the reason Simon locked the door is so you and the other children in daycare will stay in the daycare."

"Why?"

"Because you're all safe in the daycare."

"Safe?"

"Well, the tower isn't exactly dangerous, but there are a lot of things that children shouldn't mess with all over the tower."

"Like what?"

"Computers. Tools. Biocom-" Not wanting to get too technical Connor changed his tone. "My point is, you are to stay in the daycare center while you're at New Jericho Tower, and only leave if Simon, Josh, Markus, me or your Papa come and get you. Okay?"

"Okay, daddy." Moving her attention from her coloring book Hannah knelt beside Connor and pulled on his right hand so she could draw on the back of his forearm. "I want to show you something!"

"What?"

"I want the white part!"

"...The white part?"

"Like your elbow in the bathroom."

"Oh." Connor realized that Hannah had seen his arm before Hank could cover it up again. "You want to see my... 'inner' arm?"

"The white part!"

"...All right." Retracting the artificial skin from the back of his right forearm, the skin remaining in place from his wrist up and elbow down, Connor let his daughter see his arm. "Now what do you want to show me?"

"This!" Using her orange marker Hannah drew on the back of his arm and created a perfect heart the size of a quarter, then colored it in with blue. "It's a heart!"

"Y-Yeah. It is."

"Markus showed me how to draw hearts and stars and circles."

"He helped you with your shapes?"

"Uh-huh! I like the hearts the best!"

"And you did a good job."

"Can I draw one for Papa, too?"

"Papa is in the shower, so I think it'd be best if you drew him a paper one so it doesn't wash away."

"Okay!"

Looking down at the orange and blue heart on his forearm Connor smiled a little and listened to Hank opening up the bathroom door and walking into the livingroom to check on his family.

Taking notice of the heart on Connor's arm Hank had to ask about it.  "Got a new tattoo, son?"

"Hannah made it for me."

"Wow. She did a good job."

"I know... She's making you one, too."

"She is?"

Hannah beamed as she showed Hank the red and blue heart she had colored for him and rushed to give him the paper heart to hold. "Ta-da!"

"That's great, Hannah!" Taking the paper with the heart drawn on it Hank held it up with pride. "Thank you."

"I want to make more hearts!"

"Then you go ahead and make all the hearts you want." Watching as Hannah enthusiastically went about drawing and coloring more hearts Hank patted Connor's shoulder lightly. "So... Did you talk?"

"Yes. She said she'd remain in the daycare unless someone she knows came to get here."

"Good job. Now, what about dinner?"

"I was thinking of making baked chicken and vegetables."

"Aw, man..."

"That is the arrangement we agreed to. When I cook you cannot argue, just as I cannot argue when you cook."

"Yeah, yeah. I know you're just looking out for us."

"I promise I won't only make healthy meals, Hank." Rising from the couch Connor gave Hank a smug grin. "I will make something more... interesting soon."

"You better." Laughing as Hannah gave Sumo a yellow and orange heart while the massive dog laid on the pillow in the corner of the livingroom Hank made sure to keep the paper heart she made him close by. "I can only take so much 'heart healthy' food before my stomach boycotts."

"Noted."

Walking into the kitchen Connor admired Hannah's artwork on his arm and slowly let his artificial skin regenerate slowly, leaving the heart last until it too was covered up. Pressing his left palm over the back of his right arm Connor continued to smile and felt entirely at ease.

"I wonder if Hannah will have a career as an artist? She's truly talented."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Tossing and turning in his sleep Connor struggled to maintain any form of rest and bolted upright in his bed as the horrible images of his own nightmare remained vivid in his memory. Dragging his shaking right palm over his face Connor slowly rose from his bed and crept across the hallway to check on Hannah as she slept in her own bed. She had her stuffed kitty wrapped up in her arms and Sumo on the foot of the bed, and was sleeping peacefully under the glow of her rainbow nightlight just beside her bed. A new display of her recently drawn and colored hearts, stars, crescent moons, diamonds and other shapes were taped on the wall above her bed with true artistic pride.

Everything was calm and peaceful, and everything was just as it should be.

Entering the bedroom very quietly Connor leaned down over Hannah and gave her a small kiss on her hairline without waking her up in the process. Pulling her purple quilt up higher around her shoulders Connor left the bedroom just as quietly as he entered and returned to his own bed. Sitting down on the edge of the mattress Connor just stared at his daughter from afar and held his left palm over the back of his right forearm where she had recently drawn the blue and orange heart over the limb.

"...I won't fail you, Hannah. I promise I'll be a better father."

The following morning Hank awoke to the smell of French toast, bacon, eggs and warm coffee wafting up the staircase from the kitchen. Noting the early hour, barely seven in the morning, Hank rose from his bed and wrapped his blue bathrobe around himself before leaving his bedroom. Passing by the two bedrooms in the hallway Hank wasn't at all surprised to see that Connor's bed was immaculately made, but seeing Hannah's bed was just as pristine was a little shocking. Usually the bed had its quilt slightly askew and the pillow tossed up at the head of the bed. On that morning it was perfect.

"Huh. I guess Connor made Hannah's bed for her today."

Walking slowly down the staircase Hank looked into the kitchen to see Hannah sitting at the table in her favorite purple dress and had her should length brunette hair pulled up into two neat pigtails high up on her head. She was picking up random pieces of fruit to eat and using just as much to decorate her piece of French toast before she even began to eat it.

Connor was still at the stove finishing off the breakfast and had already brewed a pot of coffee for Hank to enjoy in the morning. His own breakfast was waiting for him at the table and was sitting across from Hannah.

"G'morning, Hannah-Banana." Giving his granddaughter a kiss on her hair Hank walked around the table to sit down.

"Hi, Papa."

"G'morning, Connor."

"Good morning." Turning away from the stove Connor finished up with the final helping of scrambled eggs for Hannah and a vegetarian omelette for Hank.

"This is a pretty big feast, kid." Watching as the deviant placed the additional plates down on the table Hank gave the deviant an odd glance. "What's the occasion?"

"I have decided to be more hands-on with raising Hannah, and have decided to begin a scheduled routine. I've also calculated an ideal breakfast to give her all the nutrition she needs for growth and development."

"...Okay. That seems pretty out of nowhere."

"A majority of the parenting guides that I've downloaded detail how a structured schedule is ideal for children development."

"So you woke up early, made her breakfast, made her bed and then what?"

"We will work on her spelling, reading and begin basic math. Also, I didn't make her bed. I aided her in a more efficient manner."

"'Efficient manner'? Son, it's a bed!" Almost laughing at the comment Hank continued to give Connor a confused glance. "It's just going to get messed up again when she goes to sleep tonight. It's not like we're in the military and need to pass inspection."

"I'm aware. I just want to ensure Hannah will have a childhood that will allow her to become a healthy, well adjusted adult."

"Son, where did this come from?"

"...I've always felt this way."

Sighing a little Hank rose from the table and grabbed onto Connor's right bicep to lead him away from the kitchen for a moment. "Hannah, we'll be right back. You just keep enjoying your breakfast."

"Okay, Papa." Happily putting a blueberry in her mouth Hannah continued to use the other fruit to create a picture on the flat piece of French toast on her plate.

"Let's chat for a minute..."

"What about, Hank?"

"You." Sitting the deviant down on the couch Hank sat next to him and lowered his voice. "I know when something is bothering you. What's up?"

"I... It's difficult to understand."

"So am I. Shoot!"

"But... It's arguably also... silly."

"So are you. So again, shoot."

Neatly folding his hands together atop his lap Connor lowered his voice to match Hank's tone and let out a weary sigh. "...Last night I had another nightmare."

"I should've known as much. What happened?"

"I was... I was trapped in the Zen Garden again."

"Another snowstorm?"

"No. This time the garden was a barren desert. Everything was dead, burning hot and the small pond was entirely dried up. Amanda was still there and she taunted me."

"How so?"

"She said she was... disappointed. She said I should know better than anyone else the importance of maintaining strict discipline and timing. She said that if I didn't begin structuring Hannah's life then she was going to fail. I was failing as her father. And in the end I would fail Hannah entirely."

"Ah, man. I hate those damn nightmares."

Arching his brow Connor gave Hank a stunned look. "...Y-You've had a similar nightmare?"

"Me and Barb both. Two nights after she told me she was pregnant with Cole I had a nightmare that I lost him at the park and despite being a detective I just couldn't find him." Leaning back against the couch cushions Hank gave Connor an empathetic glance. "I woke up in a panic and covered in a cold sweat. Barb had to remind me that I'd never lose Cole and even if he wandered off I'd always be able to find him. The first time I took him to the park felt like I was overcoming a fear."

"...And Barbara's nightmares?"

"She dreamt that Cole had been kidnapped right out from under her nose in a super market, and no one would help her. What made it worse was she found the person who kidnapped him but no one believed her and let the kidnapper walk away with Cole."

"That's terrifying."

"Yup. I reminded her that if that ever happened she would've broken the kidnapper's neck before they had the chance to get out the door. That made her feel much better."

"Were you ever worried about failing Cole or disappointing him?"

"Every damn day of his life."

"...How did you overcome such worries?"

"I just reminded myself that despite what we try to tell ourselves no parent will ever be perfect. I made a few mistakes with Cole, but I never stopped doing my best for him and made him happy. You've only made a few minor mistakes with Hannah, but she won't even remember them."

"...I did?"

"Remember when she kept crying and you couldn't soothe her? You just sat down on the floor like you were ready to give up."

"...I remember."

"You made the mistake of giving up on a crying infant out of your own lack of experience. I helped ya' and ever since that night you never failed to comfort her when she cried or was scared."

"I suppose that's right."

"You also overreacted when she got a hold of your Thirium and almost killed yourself in the process."

"...I know. That was a horrible decision."

"Yet here you are. You're living and learning, and Hannah is doing the same right beside ya'."

"So... What should I do?"

"Just go back to what you were doing before your nightmare. Hannah is a happy, healthy and smart little girl. She already knows how to read and can write, she has no sign of a speech impediment, her motor skills are sharp, her dexterity is impressive, she can already dress herself, make her own bed, she brushes her teeth without a fight, takes a bath without a fight, plays well with the other kids in daycare, she sits at the table and feeds herself without any problems and she is the kindest, sweetest kid I've ever met. You're already doing a great job, son. Don't let a stupid nightmare freak you out."

"...Yes. You're right, Hank. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just know you're doing everything right already."

"Okay."

"Are you still going to work on her lessons?"

"Yes, but only on her math. As you stated she's already showing great skill in reading and writing, so why push her to be perfect when she isn't even in preschool yet?"

"Right answer. Uh, are you going to keep up with the massive breakfasts every morning?"

"No. I will tone that down as well."

"Good. I appreciate ya' making us breakfast, but you don't need to give us a huge buffet or anything. We don't have the budget for that."

"Agreed. I will resume a more simple breakfast tomorrow morning."

"Cool. Until then let's go and enjoy this morning together."

"Yes, of course."

Walking back into the kitchen the two detectives checked in on Hannah and saw that she had created a massive heart out of blueberries and raspberries on her French toast, and had begun making Hank a heart out of the small bits of tomato on his omelette. Appreciating the sweet gesture Hank gave Hannah another kiss on her hair and just laughed.

"What do you think, Papa?"

"Looks great, Hannah-Banana."

"Daddy says fruit's good for the heart, so I made you one!"

"Well, Papa loves it."

Connor smirked at how sweet Hannah truly was and picked her up from Hank's chair just long enough to put her back down in her own chair to finish her own breakfast. "That was vert nice of you, Hannah. Thank you."

"I made one for you too, daddy!"

Looking over at the small plate beside her French toast Connor saw that she had in fact made a third heart out of blueberries just for him. "Thank you."

"Eat it! You like blue stuff!"

"I..." While he couldn't technically ingest anything beyond Thirium to gain any form of benefit, Connor's analysis filter would be able to sift through the blueberries and remove them from his system just as it would do for anything he sampled. "...Okay."

Hank gave Connor a questioning look as the deviant picked up one of the blueberries and slowly put it in his mouth. "Uh, son?"

"It's fine. A small amount won't upset my stomach."

"Okay, kid. If you say so."

Chewing up the blueberry Connor's system delivered every small detail of the blueberry itself. The size, weight, caloric intake, vitamins, minerals, age, where it was grown, where the blueberry originated from and its overall nutritional value, but Connor was more interested in the flavor. He had never before eaten any form of fruit and he found the flavor greatly preferable compared to the metallic taste of Thirium.

"Do you like it?" Hannah asked excitedly as she popped a blueberry of her own in her mouth.

"Yes, Hannah. Thank you."

"Want more hearts?"

"No, thank you." Giving her an appreciative grin Connor just picked up another blueberry and resumed eating breakfast with his father and his daughter for the very first time in his life. "What you've given me is all I need."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The following morning after taking Hannah to daycare Connor found himself experiencing an unusual discomfort in his stomach as his system still hadn't properly disposed of the blueberries he had chosen to eat to humor his daughter the morning before. While he wasn't in any pain Connor did feel as though he had something lodged in his abdomen or like he was suffering some form of muscle cramp. Trying to ignore the sensation he sat behind his terminal screen and set about handling a case of mistaken identity with an innocent deviant being blamed by the bigoted store manager of unproven theft, and found the true human thief in his stead.

Keeping his right hand on his keyboard Connor discreetly pressed his left palm over his sore stomach and ran a quick self diagnostic to see if there was any way of removing the uncomfortable pressure in his abdomen.

It wasn't long before Hank noticed the stoic grimace on Connor's face and asked him about it. "Something wrong, kid?"

"No. I'm merely attempting to remedy a mild discomfort in my stomach."

Smirking a little Hank lowered his voice and gave the deviant a curious glance. "Got a bit of 'tummy ache'?"

"My analysis filter is struggling to remove the blueberries from my system. It has nothing to with my stomach, or 'tummy'."

"But the pain is in your stomach area, right?"

"...Correct."

"Maybe you should go and see Joel about this."

"It'll be fine. I just need to give my system more time to work."

"Are you going to let Hannah keep feeding ya' stuff you shouldn't be eating?"

"I will make an effort to politely decline any future offers and explain to her that I can't consume organic food just because it happens to be blue in color."

"Good idea. You never know what she'll try to get you to eat next.  Hate to see you have to eat more 'special recipes'."

Chris overheard the comment as he worked on his own report and asked about Connor's problem. "Did Hannah get you to eat Play-Doh?"

"...'Play dough'?" Connor thought about the comment and cybernetically identified the substance in question. "Oh, no. She doesn't have any Play-Doh to play with. She is content making messes with her markers and crayons at the moment."

"Take my advice, don't buy her any! Damian made a bunch of Play-Doh food and wouldn't walk away until I took a bite out of that bright orange ice cream cone. That was the saltiest thing I ever tasted, and my stomach hurt for two days even after I spit it out when he stopped looking."

Hank chuckled a little at the thought and decided he'd pick up some Play-Doh for Hannah on her next birthday, but for Connor's safe avoid any blue colors and any playsets that shaped Play-Doh into food. "Somehow you eating a handful of blueberries seems to pale in comparison to Chris eating orange Play-Doh."

Chris gave Connor an odd look as he finally figured out what was causing Connor's problem. "Blueberries? I thought you couldn't eat anything that isn't Thirium."

"That's correct, but Hannah insisted after she used the blueberries to make me a heart. I only consumed five but I suspect the abundance of the organic substance is proving too complex for my filter to properly dispose of." Pressing his hand firmer against his stomach Connor winced a little as his filter tried and failed to properly remove the offending blueberries. "...Ow."

Hank saw the wince and sighed. "Go and see Joel. Maybe he can give you something to help you get that stuff out of your system faster."

"Y-Yeah." Standing up slowly Connor kept his left palm pressed over his sore stomach and walked toward the elevators on the far side of the bullpen to visit Joel on the second floor. "The sooner it has been removed the better off I'll be."

"And don't worry, I'll keep the blueberries out of Hannah's reach from now on!"

Mumbling a little as he pressed the call button for the elevator Connor responded somewhat appreciatively. "...Thank you."

After a rather embarrassing explanation of his predicament Connor laid down on the exam table in the dispensary and let Joel run a routine examination on his system. Checking on Connor's analysis filter first Joel pressed down lightly on Connor's lower abdomen, which caused the deviant to physically flinch under the applied pressure, and then held the internal viewing screen over Connor's abdomen to check on the biocomponent without physically opening up the plastimetal panels over his torso in the process.

"Let's see... Well, your analysis filter is somewhat inflamed from the abundance of blueberries your system is struggling to process. Fruit pulp and vegetation are the worst things for android filters to break down."

"Why's that?"

"Because sterilization fluid isn't anywhere near as potent as stomach acid and bile. It's meant to sanitize and thin the samples you take while investigating evidence at crime scenes, not completely destroy it. Larger portions of organic material like raw fruits and vegetables are just too much for the sterilization fluid to handle."

"What can I do about this?"

"For one, don't eat anymore blueberries."

"Already noted."

"And I'm going to give you some extra Thirium to drink." Pulling his audioscope from his array of tools beside the exam table Joel put the earbuds into place and pressed the bell over Connor's analysis filter and then up to his artificial stomach. "It'll give your filter the boost in power it needs to help finally remove the blueberry pulp from your filter."

"How much do I need to drink?"

"Unfortunately, a lot." Stepping back from the exam table Joel gave him a sympathetic look. "Once your filter gets the energy boost it's going to burn up a lot of the Thirium in your reserves to properly dispose of the fruit pulp. You'll be grateful to have the extra Thirium after everything is over, but you're going to feel worse for a while longer."

"As long as it helps I'll do it." Sitting upright on the table slowly with his left palm still pressed over his stomach Connor watched and almost winced when Joel presented him with two liters of fresh Thirium to drink. "...Is that really what I need to drink?"

"Yes. And you need to drink it all now, just drinking it slowly throughout the day won't work with your filter as it needs to work."

"That is..." Accepting the Thirium Connor eyed the large and full bottle warily. "in fact unfortunate."

Sitting in the car with a small slice of pizza as his lunch Hank watched as Connor sat next to him and kept his arms wrapped around his aching stomach protectively. It was rare to see Connor admit when he wasn't feeling well, but seeing the young deviant looking truly ill made Hank's paternal side act solely on instinct.

"Need to go home?"

"No... I can make it the rest of the shift."

"You look like you're going to throw-up."

"My system is attempting to initiate the expulsion program to create such an affect, but I cannot allow it to do so. I need it to power up my analysis filter to remove the problem."

Laughing a little Hank finished off his pizza and wiped the grease off his hands and onto a napkin. "You remind me of the rookie officers who accept stupid dares to impress the higher-ups."

"...How so?"

"When I was a rookie I took on a stupid dare myself."

That revelation was very intriguing.  "What did you do?"

"My former partner dared me to take on an 'all you can eat' buffet until they kicked me out. I accepted the challenge and regretted it the moment the owner asked me to pay up and leave."

Connor's brow arched a little as he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. "Do I want to know how many calories you consumed?"

"Let's just say after two full plates of spicy chicken wings, eighteen breadsticks, a dozen deviled eggs, four bowls of jello, sixteen crab legs, a criminal amount of french fries, eight slices of pizza and three full pitchers of water I looked full term."

"...'Full term'?"

"That's right... You're an android. You don't know about humans and our 'food babies' when we overeat."

"You intentionally ate so much that you-"

"Yup. It sucked and I was sick for three days. My stomach was killing me, my wallet was yelling at me, my clothes were mocking me and my partner kept hazing me."

"Was it worth it?"

"At the time it seemed like it, but looking back now I can confirm that NO. It was NOT worth it."

"Humans are very perplexing."

"Yup. Are ya' going to eat any more blueberries?"

"No. I won't do so. This is very..." Holding his hands over his sore stomach Connor sighed a little. "unpleasant."

"For what it's worth you don't look like you're suffering from a too full stomach."

"Are you saying my metaphorical 'food baby' isn't showing?"

Laughing at the question Hank nodded a little. "Yup. You're lucky."

"Not really. The reason I don't look as uncomfortable as I feel is because plastimetal framing isn't designed to buckle and allow my artificial stomach to expand as it would inside a human."

"Whoa, wait, so you're stuffed full AND you're stomach is being compressed at the same time?"

"Correct."

"Aw, man. No wonder you look miserable. Are you sure you don't want to just go home and sleep so your system can do its thing?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm uncomfortable but I can manage the rest of my shift."

"All right, kid." Turning over the engine of the parked car Hank gave the somewhat ill deviant beside him a casual nod. "But if you want to clock-out early just let me know."

"I will, Hank, but I assure you I'll be fine."

Finishing his shift was easy, but spending the evening with Hannah energetically drawing more hearts and other pretty shapes on every scrap of paper she could get her hands on was difficult. Laying on the couch on his back and watching as his daughter drew her one-hundred and seventh heart on the provided drawing paper courtesy of Markus, and Hank's unspoken desire to watch Connor; the famous detective, keep his tough guy composure while surrounded by a three year old's hearts and playful nature, Connor just patiently waited for his filter to finish removing the finicky blueberries from his system.  He also hoped Hank would return from the grocery store soon.

"Here, daddy." Hannah gave Connor the massive paper covered in all the multicolored hearts and watched him take hold of it. "I made it for you!"

"Thank you, Hannah."  The drawing made him momentarily feel better.  "It's beautiful."

"Do you feel better now?"

"Huh?"

"Papa said your tummy hurts."

"O-Oh. Yes, I'm feeling better." Lying for the sake of his daughter's own comfort Connor put on a brave face for her. "Thank you for asking."

"Want me to draw more hearts?"

"You can draw whatever you want, Hannah."

"Okay!" Returning to her drawing paper Hannah started drawing diamonds, moons, stars and all the other shapes she could think of with her markers at a rapid pace. As she she drew Hannah reached into the small pocket of her purple hoodie and pulled out a green jellybean and popped it into her mouth.

"Hannah,"  seeing the motion Connor asked her about the jellybeans.  "where did you get the candy?"

"From Simon." Pulling the full baggy out of her hoodie Hannah showed him her treats. "He said I was good for staying in the daycare and for sharing with the other kids."

"Oh. I'm glad you earned a treat."

"I saved the blue ones for you!"

"Uh..." Watching as she pulled out a separate smaller baggy filled with only blue jellybeans Connor felt his stomach turn a little. "...Thank you."

"Try one!"

"Hannah, I... I don't want to eat a jellybean."

"How come?"

"I don't... I don't like them." The look of disappointment in her big brown eyes made Connor immediately change his mind. "I mean, I don't like to eat them when I'm not feeling well."

"But you said you were better!"

Connor found himself cornered by her logic and felt himself blush a little. A three year old was able to call him out on his contradictory answers and Connor sighed in defeat. "You're right, but I, uh..."

"Please?"

"...Okay." Mentally noting that he needed to not be so weak to Hannah's puppy dog eyes Connor held out his right hand and let her place a jellybean down into his palm. "I'll have one."

"Here!" Pouring the entire baggy into his palm Hannah gave him all of her jellybeans. Nine to be exact. "I want to share!"

"Th-Thank you, Hannah. That's very kind." Unable to discreetly dispose of the candy as Hannah was waiting for him to try one of the jellybeans, Connor slowly picked up one of the pieces of candy and reluctantly put it into his mouth.

Just as when he ate the blueberries his system gave him every little detail on the sugary treat on his tongue and he made another mental note to refrain from giving Hannah any jellybeans in the future as the high sugar content was alarming. He also decided she'd spend twice as much time brushing her teeth that night to keep cavities and future problems at bay.

"Is it good?"

"Y-Yeah."  Connor replied honestly.  "It tastes like... blue raspberry."

"I don't like the blue ones, so you can have them all."

"...Thank you. Which ones do you like?"

Climbing up onto the couch Hannah sat next to her daddy and finished off her last four jellybeans; the entire bag having been consumed throughout the day while at daycare. "I like the grape and cherry ones best."

"Good to know." Realizing there was no way he could get rid of the candy without Hannah noticing Connor begrudgingly ate the rest and knew that he just made his situation worse. A warning popped up regarding his filter and the thick sugary substance, but he dismissed it for the moment. "When you finish your jellybeans that'll be enough candy for tonight."

"Okay."

"And for dinner tonight I want you to try some broccoli."

"I already tried it."

"When?"

"When Papa made dinner."

Thinking back to when Hank cooked last Connor now knew what Hannah was talking about.  "That's when he made you both steaks. He did cook broccoli but it was smothered under melted cheese."

"I liked it!"

"Well... I guess broccoli smothered in cheese is still healthier than a handful of jellybeans."

The front door opened and Hank returned home with a grocery bag in his arms. "Hey guys."

"Hi, Papa!" Jumping down from the couch, the sudden shaking motion upsetting Connor's stomach further, Hannah ran over and hugged Hank's right leg. Wrapping her entire body around his leg Hannah joined Hank in the kitchen as he 'carried' her on his leg as he walked into the kitchen. "I got some jellybeans for you to have!"

"You do? Cool!" Putting the groceries down on the kitchen table Hank pulled Hannah off his leg and held her in his arms to give her a hug. "How's your dad?"

"He says he's better."

"Also cool."

"I drew him hearts!"

"So that's why he's better. How about you help me in the kitchen and we can make dinner together?"

"Okay!"

"Go wash your hands and I'll get things ready." Putting Hannah down Hank watched his granddaughter run from the kitchen down the hallway and into the bathroom to wash up as requested. Checking in on Connor in the livingroom Hank gave the deviant a curious stare. "Funny. You don't look like you're feeling better. How do you really feel?"

Lifting up his right hand Connor pointed to Sumo laying on his side on his pillow looking completely comatose to the world, and then sighed.

"That bad?"

"I was doing better until..."

"What?"

"...Hannah gave me blue jellybeans."

Giving the deviant a shocked stare Hank crossed his arms over his chest as if indignant. "You didn't."

"I did."

"Why?"

"I'm weak."

Laughing at the honest answer Hank extended his right hand toward Connor and helped him off of the couch. "Go lay down upstairs and don't eat anything else. If you get sick, REALLY sick, then I'm going to have to take you to a technician."

"I know."

"And I know you don't want Hannah to see-"

"Hank... Please, I'm aware of how foolish I was." Keeping his left hand over his stomach Connor slowly walked upstairs and let out a small groan of discomfort as the process of moving was surprisingly difficult with a very upset stomach. "If I do need to go to a facility don't let Hannah see it."

"I promise, son. Just go rest and I'll take care of Hannah for the rest of the evening."

Laying on his bed Connor ran another self diagnostic but the results were the same. It seemed the added layer of sugar was making the extra Thirium ineffective, and without any additional functions to burn it up it was just sitting heavily in Connor's stomach with nowhere to go. Tucking his right arm under his head Connor kept his left palm over his physically sore stomach and noted the intense pressure under his palm thanks to the engorged biocomponent having nowhere to go.

"...The fact that humans chronically overeat and act as if it's normal just confirms that the species as a whole is very dangerous. Why would they willingly do to this to themselves on a regular basis?"

Turning slightly onto his right side Connor groaned in pain as the shift in posture caused a shift in weight and made his analysis filter feel worse.

"Daddy?"

Immediately rolling onto his back again Connor turned to look at Hannah as his daughter stood beside his bed with her hands behind her back. "Yes, Hannah?"

"Papa says you were feeling bad again."

"Only a little. I'll be okay by tomorrow morning."

"Papa also says its because you ate blueberries and jellybeans."

"Technically I ate too many blueberries and jellybeans." Reaching out his right hand Connor gently ran his finger over her left pigtail to ensure her that he wasn't upset with her in any capacity. "It's not anything you did, it was something I did."

Smiling a little Hannah showed Connor what she was holding her back. "Papa says this is supposed to make you feel better!"

Looking at the small item in her hands Connor felt his stomach turn again. "...It looks like cake."

"It is!" She was holding a small square piece of white tinted cake on a small serving plate.

"...Cake is supposed to make my stomach feel better?"

Hank walked into the bedroom and stood behind Hannah as he explained things. "While I was grocery shopping I checked out that special 'diet food' you need to eat and I asked one of the staff members who share your diet about helping an upset stomach." Speaking in thinly veiled code to keep Hannah out of the loop of Connor being an android for a little while longer Hank confirmed that he got some advice from another android at the store. "That cake is apparently laced with some special additive designed to absorb the unwanted stuff in your stomach and get it out of your system quickly."

"...Oh."

"To top it off he said it was vanilla flavored, so I figured you'd like a little change in taste beyond fruit."

"Thank you." Accepting the cake from Hannah's hands Connor scanned it for a moment and was relieved to see it contained only Thirium and other android unique properties; no sugar, starch, glucose, preservatives or dye whatsoever. "I will eat this and I'm sure I'll feel better."

Hank put his hand on Hannah's hair and looked down at her. "Come on, Hannah-Banana. You need a bath and then it's bedtime."

"Read to me?"

"Sure. Just don't pick anything without the pictures. Papa likes looking at the pictures."

"Me too!"

As he was left alone in his bedroom again Connor forced himself to sit upright for a moment and reluctantly ate the cake in hopes that it'd be able to actually end his suffering. The flavor was mild and a nice change from the super sweet fruit and candy he had eaten in the past two days, but all the same having to eat anything on an already full stomach was uncomfortable.

"This better work."

Putting the empty plate down on the nightstand beside his bed Connor laid back down and put his left palm over his stomach and waited for his discomfort to cease.

"...I can't take anymore setbacks."

Right on cue at eight o'clock Hank put Hannah to bed and read her a story until she fell asleep. Tucking her in and giving her a goodnight kiss Hank made sure she had her stuffed kitty to sleep with and coaxed Sumo into jumping up onto the foot of her bed to keep her company throughout the night. Clicking on her nightlight Hank turned off the overhead light and stepped out of the bedroom quietly to check in on Connor in the bedroom across from Hannah's bedroom. The deviant was laying on his left side and curled around himself like he was in terrible pain.

"Connor?" Putting his hand on Connor's right shoulder Hank checked on the ill deviant curiously.  He was starting to overheat.  "What's wrong?"

"...My stomach. N-No... My analysis filter. It's... It's starting to fail on me."

"I think you need to see a technician."

"A-Agreed."

"Damn it, if you're agreeing then it's serious. I'll go get Hannah-"

"No!" Grabbing onto Hank's left wrist before he could walk away Connor pleaded with Hank despite the motion to grab him hurting just as bad as his stomach. "I don't want her to see me in a facility! You promised!"

"We can't leave her here alone."

"I-I know. C-Call Markus. He'll watch her."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I trust him."

"Okay, kid. As soon as Markus is here we're gone."

Nodding a little Connor let Hank pull him upright on the bed and then onto his feet. Letting Hank support most of his weight Connor walked slowly down the staircase and sat down on the couch while Hank called Markus for an impromptu babysitting gig. Running another self diagnostic Connor confirmed that his analysis filter was overwhelmed and overheating from being unable to remove the foreign substances from his body. The pressure of his too full stomach was only making the pain worse.

"Markus is on his way." Hank sat down beside Connor and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "How bad do you feel?"

"...Bad enough to willingly go to a facility."

"Then that's pretty damn bad."

"Don't let Hannah think she made me sick. It's not her fault."

"Don't worry, son. With any luck I'll be able to take you back home tonight so you can be here in the morning when she wakes up."

Unceremoniously Connor was admitted to the nearest facility, which happened to be run by good friend Dr. Abby Grayson, and was diagnosed with a ruptured analysis filter. Having the android equivalent to appendicitis was bad enough, but needing to have emergency repairs to fix the filter was even worse. Being placed into emergency stasis mode Connor had his abdominal cavity opened up by Abby's skilled hands, and had his filter separated from the overheated coupling in a delicate manner.

The filter was then cleaned out, sterilized and cooled down before it was replaced inside Connor's body.

"Of all the deviants to get ruptured analysis filter I honestly thought you'd be the last on the list."

Abby stated to her completely unconscious patient as she cleaned up his abdomen and redirected the excess Thirium in his artificial stomach so lessen the pressure and help his self healing program activate properly.

As the blue blood finally went to the filter and helped it to remain cool and functional Abby gave Connor a playful frin behind her mask.

"Then again... You're the only deviant I know who's brave enough to handle a three year old girl and do whatever it takes to make her happy. So you get a pass..."

Hank had been watching through the observation window curiously as Connor was tended to. While his procedure was considered an emergency it wasn't a brutal sight to behold compared to bullet or stab wounds. Noticing that Abby was smirking and not at all tense Hank decided to call Markus and let him know that Connor was going to be just fine in a couple of hours.

"When we get home we're going to have a serious talk with Hannah about what you can and cannot eat, son."

Putting the phone to his ear he waited for Markus to respond and watched as Abby closed up Connor's abdomen through the window.

"I know you don't want to hurt her feelings or disappoint her, but she still needs to understand limitations. Not even daddy's invincible."

It was barely two in the morning by the time Hank had returned home with Connor. Despite Abby wanting Connor to stay in the facility until at least six in the morning Connor insisted on leaving so he could be with his daughter, and so he could recover at home in the comfort of his own bed. Walking inside the house with Hank again helping him to move Connor thanked Markus profusely for watching over Hannah, and assured him that he'd be okay recovering at home without a technician hovering over him.

Limping upstairs Connor returned to his bed and laid down very carefully on his back to keep his still sore abdomen from aching at him too much.

"I'll get ya' some ice for your stomach. I know it doesn't do much for android pain, but it should help keep your system from overheating while you sleep."

"Thank you. Could you check on Hannah first?"

Not at all surprised that Connor wanted his daughter seen before he was helped despite having an emergency procedure performed on his body just hours beforehand, Hank shook his head and agreed to do so. "Yeah, son. I'll make sure she's still sleeping and content."

Peering inside the bedroom Hank saw that Hannah was indeed asleep and had barely moved since tucking her in. Sumo on the other hand had turned from laying on his belly to laying on his back and was bent at an odd angle that just made Hank's back ache just by looking.

"At least you two are getting some sleep tonight..."

Everything in the house stayed nice and quiet until almost noon.

Hannah had been told about Connor being sick and needing to rest by Hank, so she just played quietly downstairs and drew Connor a bunch of 'Get Well Soon' cards with all the markers, crayons and glitter she had at her disposal. With Hank's supervision Hannah managed to not make a mess with the glue and the purple glitter as she created dozens of cards, and then quietly crept into Connor's room to give them to him.

"Daddy?"

Opening his tired eyes as Hannah called out to him, Connor tried to not move and just turned to look at the three year old as she presented him with the first card.

"I made you something."

"...Thank you, Hannah." Happily accepting the card Connor pressed his ice pack firmly against his sore abdomen without any complaint. "That was very nice."

"Can I help you feel better?  Need medicine?"

"No, I'm okay right now, Hannah. Thank you."

"Papa says you need to lay down and sleep. Want me to read you a story?"

Grinning a little Connor nodded his head and agreed to the story. "Yeah. I'd like that."

"Okay!" Rushing out of Connor's bedroom and into her own Hannah checked through all of her books and found one that she thought Connor would like to read. Returning to the bedroom she carefully climbed up onto the bed to sit next to Connor and held out the book for him to see. "How about this one?"

Checking over the title Connor smirked and agreed to her choice. 'Clifford the Big Red Dog'.  "Any story with animals is a good story."

Settling down next to Connor to begin reading Hannah easily sounded out each word and perfectly pronounced each syllable as she read at a steady pace. Despite being only three years old Hannah was already reading at a second grade level thanks to Connor's tutelage, and with that keen intelligence it was guaranteed that when she started attending preschool the following year she'd continue to excel.

Before the story was even half way through Connor had fallen asleep and was sleeping without any sign of pain on his face.

"Daddy?"

Noticing that Connor had fallen asleep Hannah put the book aside and laid down next to Connor for a moment.

"Daddy, you fell asleep."

Staying sleep Connor felt at ease and just stayed still on the bed with his daughter beside him.

Cuddling up with her daddy Hannah just closed her eyes to sleep as well.

"It's okay.  I can read the rest when you wake up."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

As a special treat for Hannah's fourth birthday Connor decided to take her out to the beach and explore the sand and the lake for herself, and ensure she knew how to swim. It took some coaxing but Hank joined his little family and elected to stay in the shade with a good book and cold drink while Connor and Hannah ran around in the sun, played in the sand and explored the water. They weren't the only ones looking to enjoy the Lake St. Clair on that hot summer day, but fortunately the beach wasn't too crowded and the family managed to find a space that was fairly private.

After giving Hannah a thorough covering of powerful sunscreen and securing inflatable water wings to her arms Connor escorted her down to the water and watched as she splashed about on the shoreline and picked up small shells that she wanted to bring home with her as souvenirs. Having never been to the beach before Connor was a little wary of the deep water but Hank just reminded him that since Hannah had her water wings she'd be okay.

"I want to go out in the water, daddy!"

"Okay." Removing his sandals Connor put his bare feet on the sand and noticed how different the texture felt in comparison to the green grass in the backyard, the carpeted and hardwood floors of the house and the slick surface of the bathtub. Sand was grainy and seemed sticky. "Let's go into the water."

"Hey, Connor!" Shouting at the deviant from his shady spot under a large umbrella Hank gave the deviant a smug look. "You can't swim with your shirt on!"

"Uh..." Already uncomfortable wearing his black swim trunks Connor realized that he'd have to remove even more clothing if he were to appear 'normal' at the beach while spending the day with his daughter. "...Okay."

Looking around to make sure there was no one else in the area watching him Connor slipped off his white t-shirt and left it on the sand beside his sandals and felt the sun's rays on his bare skin over his chest, back, shoulders and abdomen for the very first time in his life. Ignoring the high pitched whistle from Hank that made him blush a little Connor just focused on his daughter.

"Ready, Hannah?"

"Yup!"

Grabbing onto Connor's right pinky with her left hand Hannah began walking out into the lapping water of the lake at a slow pace and would stop every few seconds as she got used to the cool water's temperature.

Once the water was deep enough that Hannah's feet could no longer touch the sandy bottom Connor pulled her back toward the shoreline and then sat down in the water so she could be somewhat eye level with him. "Stay were your feet touch the bottom."

"We're far!" Waving to Hank at the shore and getting a wave back in return Hannah excitedly began to swim around in a clumsy circle around Connor as best as her little legs could propel here. "I like it!"

"We'll keep giving you swimming lessons so you can go into the deep end of the pool back home."

"Yeah!"

As he sat in the cool water with his happy little girl swimming nearby Connor noticed a few small and curious fish checking out the submerged plants and algae nearby. "Hannah, look."

Hannah stopped swimming and looked at the small shiny fish that Connor had located. "It's a fish!"

"It is." Running a scan over the fish Connor properly identified it and made sure Hannah didn't accidentally spook it away. "It's a yellow perch."

"Is it friendly?"

"I don't know. I've never seen it before." Watching the fish dart in and out of the flora Connor held out his right hand toward the fish and watched as it curiously looked at his fingers, darted away, then came back. The fish seemed to sense that Connor wasn't a threat to its life and got a little closer to the deviant's hand. "He seems friendly enough."

"Can I pet it?"

"Fish aren't like cats and dogs, Hannah. They don't want to be pet."

"Can I name it?"

"If you want to."

"That fish is now Derek!"

"...Derek?" The name seemed truly random and Connor had no idea where it came from. "Why Derek?"

"Simon and Josh keep saying the name when they talk to each other."

"O-Oh." Realizing that she had overheard the newly engaged couple speaking about potential baby names when they get approved for adoption, Connor now understood where she had originally heard the name. "Since Simon and Josh are already fond of that name why don't you pick something else?"

"What does 'fond' me?"

"It means they like it. So why don't you pick another name that you like?"

"Okay! How about... Tim!"

"...Tim?"

"I like it!"

"Okay..." Looking at 'Tim the fish' swimming about nearby Connor gave the fish a slight tilt of his head. "Nice to meet you, Tim."

"Daddy I want to swim!"

"Then let's swim." Helping Hannah to get positioned correctly in the water Connor proceeded to guide her movements and helped her to improve her swimming technique as they explored the fairly shallow water of the lake together. "After a while we'll go rejoin your Papa and have lunch."

"Yeah!"

From the shoreline Hank found himself less interested in his book and more interested in the sight of Connor teaching his now four year old daughter how to swim just a few yards away. The idea of Connor ever having a kid of his own seemed impossible, and yet there he was right alongside his daughter and showing her how to be a happy and well adjusted little girl after saving her life.

"Hard to believe that kid used to be as cold and unattached to the world as an iceberg. Now he's the warmest and most empathetic person I've ever met."

The hot day was coming to a close and despite Hannah insisting that she wasn't tired she was beginning to fall asleep in Hank's arms as he kept her wrapped up in a warm towel during the sunset. Connor had managed to keep Hannah from getting sunburned thanks to his diligence with the sunscreen, and fortunately for him artificial skin doesn't burn like a human's skin can. Replacing his shirt and helping Hannah to slip into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt to ensure she didn't get chilly, the small family gathered up their belongings and began walking down the sandy shoreline to get to the parking lot where the car was sitting.

"We spent your entire birthday at the lake, Hannah." Connor watched as Hannah all but melted into Hank's strong shoulder as he carried her along. Connor was carrying her seashells in his hand to ensure they weren't left behind or broken. "You have a cake waiting for you at home."

"Cake?" More awake now Hannah gave her daddy a happy grin.

"You can have one piece tonight before bed and you can have another tomorrow."

"Thanks, daddy."

As the trio walked along the shore they spotted a few more groups of people lingering by the water and enjoying a small bonfire in the sand. The group was composed of college aged kids enjoying the summer before they had to return to classes in the fall, and Hank almost envied seeing the young people being able to spend the night with just friends and a cold beer, but having his son and granddaughter to go home to every night quickly pushed those thoughts away.

"You know," Hank spoke up in a low voice. "maybe we should have a bonfire in the backyard tomorrow night. We can roast some hotdogs and marshmallows. What do you think, Hannah?"

Hannah had noticed the bonfire and began to whimper as she turned away from the bright orange flames and buried her face against the side of Hank's neck.

"Hannah? What's wrong?"

Connor took notice of his daughter's distress and ran a scan over her to ensure she wasn't ill. "No fever, no injury..." Noticing that Hannah only got tense as they passed the bonfire Connor felt a dreadful knot tighten in his stomach. "...Oh, I see."

Hank overheard the comment and gave Connor an odd look. "What?"

"I'll explain things later. For now let's just get Hannah back home so she can have a quick bath, enjoy her birthday cake and then go to bed."

"Right."  Rubbing Hannah's back gently Hank didn't stop to ask questions.  "Good plan, son."

Too tired to enjoy her birthday cake Hannah almost fell asleep in the bathtub and could barely keep awake long enough to brush her teeth before bedtime. After she was carried up and into her bedroom to sleep for the night Connor tucked her in, gave her the stuffed kitty that was getting fairly worn out and old after almost four years, and then proceeded to wash the lake water and sand from her seashells before he left them out on a small towel to dry in the kitchen. Staring at the untouched pink and orange birthday cake waiting for Hannah to enjoy Connor sighed and began contemplating his next big step into fatherhood.

As he became lost in thought Connor didn't notice Hank returning to the kitchen through the backdoor after he finished taking care of the pool, and securing the protective gate around it.

"Nice day at the lake today." Hank remarked as he pressed his palm to the back of his neck. "Hell, I managed to walk away without a sunburn for once. I also put the birthday card Hannah got from Diane and Colin in the box with the other three cards sent the years before."

"...Yes. Nice day."

Noting the dour tone Hank turned his full attention to Connor and saw him staring through the birthday cake on the table as if it were somehow the most fascinating object in the known world. "What's wrong, son?"

"...When we were walking down the shoreline to leave the lake Hannah became very uncomfortable at the sight of a bonfire." Turning to look at Hank directly Connor's brown arched a little. "I believe Hannah has developed pyrophobia."

"Holy... She was just a few hours old when that fire started. Do you really think she retained some type of memory despite being so young?"

"It's entirely possible that the sight of the fire or the smell of the fire triggered a memory from her time as a newborn in the burning building. I can't be certain since the studies detailing human memories, long term effects and how the memories can be triggered, is still widely debated. Some state that it's impossible for humans to form such memories while still so young, while others believe it's possible for memories to develop while still inside the womb."

"Now that's trippy."

"I'm unsure of how to handle this, Hank. I have my own acrophobia that I still struggle with time to time, and despite my best efforts I cannot overcome this fear and move on."

"Yeah, that's tough."

"Do you have any phobias?"

"Uh, maybe."

"How do you 'maybe' have a phobia?"

"Well, I don't like pigeons but I'm not exactly afraid of them. They're just disgusting, diseased, winged menaces that shit all over everything."

"Minus the wings you just described Gavin's personality."

Laughing at the comment Hank just shook his head and put his hands to his hips. "Yeah, you're not wrong. But as for Hannah... I don't know, kid. Some say the only way to overcome a phobia is to face a phobia, but since she's only four I don't think that'd exactly be a good move."

"You're right."

"What do you think?"

"I think your suggestion of a bonfire tomorrow night might be a good first start. We can see how she reacts around the fire and if she get scared we can be there for her and help her overcome her fear as much as possible."

"Good plan. We'll start small and see how she responds. If it's too extreme then maybe you should consider taking her to see a therapist to help her get over her phobia in a gentle manner, and maybe even... You know."

"No." Shaking his head a little Connor gave Hank a lost look. "I don't understand what you're referring to."

"Well, I know you want to wait until she's older to tell her about being adopted but-"

"No. Hannah doesn't need to feel like she's different in any way."

"Whoa, whoa... Time-out." Sensing another problem in the air it was Hank's turn to give Connor a lost look. "What do you mean she'll feel different?"

Dropping his eyes to the linoleum floor of the kitchen Connor answered in a glum tone. "...When I still had my L.E.D. people stared at me because they knew I'm a deviant and they knew I'm not 'normal'. After I removed it and after you adopted me, I could still feel people staring at me because they knew I'm not really your son because we're not blood relatives."

"First of all, fuck people like that! You can't help being born an android anymore than I can help being born a human. Second, you ARE really my son because I care about you like my son, and I'd give up my life to save yours like I would've done with Cole. And third, and this is most important, fuck anyone who thinks a family is defined solely by blood and D.N.A., because they're WRONG. Loves makes a family, son. Never think any differently."

Smirking a little Connor nodded and let out a calming sigh. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, dad."

"Okay. Now, let's put Hannah's cake away so it's ready for her tomorrow and then go to bed. Tomorrow evening is going to be very interesting."

Enjoying the summer day together Connor kept encouraging Hannah in her swimming, to which she was excelling at an impressive clip, and Hank just enjoyed listening to the sound of his granddaughter laughing and playing about happily in the cool pool water with her daddy. The sight did his heart some good and he couldn't imagine a moment of his life without Connor and Hannah being a part of it.

As the afternoon began shifting to evening Connor plucked Hannah out of the water and wrapped her up in a towel while Hank started up a small bonfire in a newly built bonfire pit in the backyard. The metal ring surrounded by heavy stones looked intriguing, and the sight of small flames coming to life within the ring was surprisingly inviting.

"Papa is going to cook you a hotdog for dinner tonight." Connor explained as he gently dried off Hannah's hair with a second towel and kept himself between her line of sight and growing bonfire behind him. "You can also have a toasted marshmallow for dessert."

"What about cake?"

"You had some cake when you had lunch."

"But I didn't get any yesterday!"

"Well... If you eat all of your dinner and you're still hungry after you have a marshmallow you can have a second slice of cake. Deal?"

"Yup!"

"Okay then." Standing up from where he was kneeling in front of Hannah the cautious deviant took a step back and to the side to watch Hannah's reaction to the bonfire that Hank had built. Within seconds Hannah's smile disappeared and she pulled her legs up to her chest as she sat in the lawnchair, and buried her face under her towel. "Hannah? What's wrong?"

"I don't like it!"

"What don't you like?"

Reaching her hand through the folds of the towel Hannah pointed at the bonfire and didn't look up at it as she remained hidden.

"You don't like the fire?"

"No!"

"Can I ask you why?"

"...'Cuz!"

Connor looked over at Hank who had overheard the comment and gave the deviant father a single nod. "Hannah, come here." Picking her up from the chair without removing the towel Connor let her wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face into his chest. "You don't have to be afraid of the bonfire, Hannah. It won't harm you."

"I don't like it!"

"You don't have to like it, just know that it can't hurt you."

"It's scary!"

Holding Hannah a little tighter until she stopped shaking Connor sighed and rubbed his hand along her back. "Did you have a bad dream about fire?"

"No..."

"Did you see a movie or television show with fire in it that scared you?"

"No..."

"Did you have an experience with fire that upset you?"

"I don't know. Maybe..."

Realizing that Hannah had in fact developed her fear from her too close encounter as a newborn Connor swallowed his discomfort and decided to find a way to help Hannah understand the origins of her fear. "Hannah, I think I know why you don't like fire."

"Why?"

"Well..." Keeping away from the fire Connor sat down on the cool grass and held his daughter on his lap as he told her a strange story. "When you very little, still a baby, you were very close to fire. You were crying because it scared you then and you're still scared now."

"How come?"

"How come what?"

"How come I was close to fire?"

"You... You were in a very old and very poorly taken care of building." Looking over to Hank and silently pleading for his help Connor watched as his father walked over to join him on the grass far away from the bonfire. "Because the building wasn't taken care of it caught on fire. But I found you and carried you to safety. While you were close to the fire it never hurt you."

"Why was I in the building?"

Not wanting to talk about her adoption just yet Connor tried to think of a way to explain things in such a manner she'd understand. "...A person who said he'd take care of you lied. He left you in the building because he lied and I found you inside. That bad man was taken away and punished for lying, and now you're here with me and your Papa, and you're safe with us."

Pulling the towel from her face Hannah looked over at the fire again but didn't let go of Connor's neck.

"It's okay to be afraid of fire, Hannah. I sometimes get afraid when I stand somewhere very high up."

Hank chimed in with his own admission of fear just for the sake of making Hannah feel better. "And I don't like it when there's a bunch pigeons around me. We all have something we're afraid of, it's normal."

Hannah wasn't ready to let go of her daddy's neck yet.  "I don't want to be afraid."

"Well, you don't have to be."  Connor encouraged.  "You can find a way to not be afraid anymore, but how you do it and when you do it is all under your control."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"Will you keep the fire away from me?"

"Yes, Hannah. You don't have to be near it and I won't let you get too close to it."

Hank put his hand on Hannah's back very gently as he supported the decision. "Do you want Papa to cook your dinner so you don't have to get near the fire?"

Nodding a little Hannah gave Hank a scared look. "Uh-huh..."

"Okay. I'll get ya' set up so you can sit back here with your daddy."

"Thank you, Papa..."

"You're welcome, Hannah-Banana."

Keeping Hannah secured under the towel Connor kissed her damp, chlorine-smelling hair and made sure Hannah knew she was protected. "You're safe, Hannah. I won't ever let anyone hurt you, and you'll never have to worry about fire. I promise."

The cool night brought a sense of comfort and a serenade of crickets as the moon shone over the city.

Standing in Hannah's opened bedroom door as she slept peacefully in her bed with Sumo and her stuffed kitty as her nighttime companions, Connor wondered if he did the right thing. It seemed like her fear of fire hadn't resulted in any nightmares, but Connor was ready to react quickly if Hannah showed any sign of a bad dream or distress as she slept. It wasn't long before Hank joined Connor at the bedroom door, and the deviant father just gave Hank a quiet stare of worry.

"She'll be fine, son."  Hank whispered.  "You're right on top of things and making her feel secure."

"That doesn't make it any easier knowing she has a horrible memory of own her near-death beginning to surface."

"She's a tough kid. Even if she does start to have nightmares or a permanent fear of fire you'll still help her and be the dad she needs."

"Of course I will. She's my daughter no matter how difficult parenting may become."

"Just as you're my son no matter how stubborn and bullheaded you may become."

Giving Hank an appreciative nod Connor finally felt more at ease and decided to let Hannah alone to sleep. "Thanks, dad."

"Go get some rest. If Hannah does have a nightmare we'll both help her and do whatever it takes to ensure she overcomes her fear."

"Right. Just as you never gave up on me I won't give up on her."

"We're Andersons." Giving Connor's shoulder a gentle shake Hank emphasized the sincerity of his promise. "That's our family way."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It was the final week before Hannah began preschool and during that week Connor made sure to prepare his daughter for everything new she was about to experience. With Hannah being accepted into one of the most prestigious preschools in all of Detroit due to her high intelligence and overall impressive aptitude, Connor was feeling a true sense of paternal pride and was more than happy to meet with her teacher before picking his daughter up from daycare early. It was the first time Connor also left his shift early to meet with a principal, and he knew it wouldn't be the last time.

"We're looking forward to having Hannah in our school." The principal, Mrs. Alwin, had Hannah's file on her desk in the office and a smile on her face. "She's very keen and quick to learn for a four year old."

"I've made it a habit to read to her, help her with her spelling and have begun working on basic math. I'm relieved to know my efforts are in fact aiding her."

"Very much so. The only thing left for you to do is sign her file and she'll be admitted to Mrs. Winters's classroom."

"Of course." Signing the file and confirming that all of the information was correct Connor handed the file back over to Mrs. Alwin to take.

"Everything looks... Oh, I see you don't have any information on Hannah's mother."

"...I'm single."

"Married or not we still need information on her mother."

"...Hannah is also adopted."  Connor admitted in a hesitant tone.  "I'm her father and she has no mother."

"O-Oh!" Blushing with embarrassment Mrs. Alwin made a quick note and apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry, that was rude of me to assume anything about you or Hannah like that."

"I understand you were merely doing your job, I'm not offended. I can confirm that Hannah's biological parents were both healthy and Hannah doesn't have any allergies or other risks you need to observe."

"That's good to know. Well, with this all sorted out we'll see you next Monday at nine o'clock, and school will end at two o'clock." Extending her right hand Mrs. Alwin shook Connor's hand respectfully as he rose from his chair. "Just be sure Hannah is here on time, pack her a lunch and snack if you feel it's necessary otherwise we'll take care of her, and that's all she'll need."

"Thank you. For the record the only two people who will be here to drop Hannah off and pick her up will be either myself or her grandfather." Using his emergency phone Connor showed Mrs. Alwin a picture of Hank so she could become familiar with the only two legal guardians in Hannah's life. "No one else."

"...I take it there's some unfortunate drama in Hannah's past regarding her adoption."

"Possibly. Without going into too much detail I will simply state that legally I adopted Hannah from both of her parents, and her maternal grandmother was not pleased with her own daughter's decision to put Hannah up for adoption. Hannah doesn't know she's adopted yet, so I'd greatly appreciate it if you kept anyone unfamiliar from speaking to Hannah."

"I guarantee that our school's security won't let her down. Since you and Hannah's grandfather are both detectives I can also assure you that we'll do everything we can to ensure Hannah feels safe and secured at all times."

"Thank you. I will see you next Monday, and I know Hannah will be excited to start preschool."

"We're looking forward to it."

Cybernetically Connor contacted Hank to confirm that Hannah was ready to begin preschool as he drove to New Jericho Tower to pick his daughter up, and the pride in his voice was unmistakable. But just beneath the pride was also a lilt of disappointment as it meant Hannah would be spending her mornings and afternoon at school and not with her friends in the daycare, or her family every day of the week anymore. Despite Hank's reassurances Connor still wasn't ready to see his daughter growing-up so fast, but knew it was time to accept it.

"I'm at the tower, Hank." Parking the car in front of the massive sanctuary Connor turned off the engine and stepped out of the vehicle. "After I pick up Hannah I'm going to pick her up some additional snacks to have for preschool, and I'll make dinner. Any requests?"

'Yeah, let Hannah pick dinner. Today's all about her, remember?'

"True. That's a good idea. I'll see you later, Hank."

'No problem. Ben will drop me off at my usual time, son. Tell Hannah that Papa will see her soon.'

"Will do."

Ending the call Connor entered the tower and made his way through the lobby to get to the elevator to get to the correct floor with the daycare. Just as he was about to press the call button Connor heard the sound of Hannah whimpering a little as Markus carried her out of the community room and over to where he was standing.

"Hannah?!" Seeing his daughter in distress Connor rushed over to Markus and immediately took Hannah from his arms. "What's wrong?"

Too upset to answer Hannah just wrapped her arms around Connor's neck and she buried her face against Connor's right shoulder to cry.

"Markus?" Rubbing his hand along Hannah's back Connor looked to his friend for answers. "What's going on?"

"Another child was picking on Hannah today."

"What? When did this start?"

"Just today. The child was recently introduced to the daycare program and was picking on a lot of the other kids." Pointing to the band-aid on Hannah's left elbow Markus explained why the four year old was still crying. "He pushed Hannah down and she scraped up her elbow."

"...Another child harmed my daughter?"

"Easy, Connor." Knowing that his friend was restraining intense anger Markus wanted to keep him from losing his cool. "We're handling it."

"Who is this child?"

"His name is Thomas and he's a 'YK' model."

"Wait... An android child is bullying the other children in the daycare?"

"...Only the humans."

"Shit." Swearing with righteous anger Connor gave Hannah a kiss on her cheek and sighed at Markus with utter annoyance. "What's being done about this?"

"Simon and Josh are compiling the security footage from the daycare to prove that Thomas was being a bully without provocation, and we're going to speak to Thomas's father once he arrives."

"This type of discrimination cannot be tolerated."

"I agree. This tower is meant to be a safe place for everyone and help bring deviants and humans closer together."

"Where is Thomas's father?"

"On his way. His name is Justin and is employed as a construction worker downtown. He's only recently begun associating with New Jericho, and was a victim of discrimination himself."

"That doesn't mean it's okay for him to teach his own child to hate humans for being human. Not all humans are anti-android bigots."

"I agree entirely." Clearing his voice a little Markus made a move to take Hannah back from Connor for just a moment. "Simon and Josh are on their way down with Thomas now that another deviant volunteer is watching the daycare. I think Hannah should sit in the office so she doesn't hear anything in case our discussions get 'loud'."

"...Who's in the office?"

"North." Raising up his hands Markus gave Connor a stern glance. "I know, North isn't too fond of children, but she can watch Hannah for a few minutes without going crazy."

"...Very well." Letting Hannah go for a moment and back into Markus's care Connor took in a deep calming breath. "Hannah, we're going to discuss the bully who pushed you down today. You need to stay with North for a few minutes and then we'll go home, okay?"

Nodding a little as her tears dried up Hannah let Markus carry her away so she didn't have to see Connor's angry side.

"This is unacceptable." Putting his hands to his hips Connor looked down at the floor and only looked up again when he sensed Simon and Josh joining him just outside the community room. Thomas was standing between them and looked more confused than afraid. "...Do you have the footage of what happened?"

"Yes." Josh confirmed with a grimace. "Thomas only bullied the human children, none of the androids."

"Did any of the bullied children provoke him?"

"None."

Simon held up his right palm to show the collected footage confirming that Thomas was at fault. "We're sorry, Connor. We got Hannah away from Thomas the moment she cried."

"It's not your fault." Glaring down at Thomas for a moment Connor sighed and returned his gaze to Simon. "You didn't push her."

"No, but we should've seen him bullying the other children sooner."

The front doors of the tower opened up as an unfamiliar deviant entered and did so while seemingly on a mission. "Where's Thomas?"

Reacting quickly Connor approached Justin and towered over the shorter deviant easily. "Your child's behavior is unacceptable."

"HIS behavior?" Scoffing at Connor's claim Justin gave the deviant detective a disrespectful glare and tone of voice. "That's rich coming from you."

"From me?"

"Yeah, you. The 'Deviant Hunter'." Pointing his finger directly into Connor's chest Justin tried to guilt Connor into crimes he never committed. "How many of our people did you kill?"

"None you judgmental prick." Practically growling Connor made it clear he wasn't threatened by Justin in any capacity. "I never hurt a single one of our people despite what the rumors state. I made my choices to never hurt ANYONE despite CyberLife's control. What's your excuse for having no concern for you son's aggressive behavior?"

"Hey, he's only aggressive toward humans!"

"So you know your son is a bully against humans and let him being a daycare with human children?"

"Humans shouldn't be in the deviant sanctuary to begin with!"

"It's a sanctuary for EVERYONE."

Looking past Connor to Josh and Simon seeking back-up Justin just scoffed again. "Do you hear him?"

"We do." Josh confirmed as he and Simon glared at the aggressive deviant from afar. "And we agree with him."

"You can't be serious. You're taking the word of a dangerous deviant wanting to protect equally dangerous humans over me? This guy cannot be trusted! He's a traitor."

Grabbing Justin by his shirt Connor pinned the disrespectful deviant up against the wall behind him and got right in his face. "Consider this, asshole. While I was already dangerous as the 'Deviant Hunter' I'm twice as dangerous as a father! Don't ever mess with me or my daughter again, or I'll dispose of you in a manner that no detective will ever solve."

Markus had seen the physical altercation and ran over to put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "Whoa, stop!"

Justin was trembling but trying to save face in front of Thomas. "S-See! Connor's dangerous!"

"Only when he's protecting people he cares about." Markus stated without any hesitation. "Your kid started this mess."

"You're on his side, too? Pathetic!"

"That's your opinion. And I happen to agree with Connor's opinion on your behavior."

"So what're you going to do about it? Kick us out?"

"Yes."

"Whoa..." Shocked by the comment Justin gave Markus a stunned stare. "Hey, I know how things work here and deviants can only be banned from New Jericho by a unanimous vote by all of the leaders."

Simon stepped up and cleared his throat nervously while Josh stayed beside Thomas. "Well, I know that my vote is for banning you and Thomas, so that's one."

Speaking up quickly Josh agreed. "Two."

Letting go of Connor's shoulder Markus gave Justin a disappointed look. "Three."

Connor tightened his grip on Justin's shirt in a menacing manner. "Four."

"B-But..." Justin's eyes were going wide with fear as he realized he was on his own. "Connor isn't a real member of New Jericho! His vote doesn't count!"

From down the corridor a fifth and familiar feminine voice spoke up in a stern manner. "But mine does." North reappeared with Hannah cowering behind her legs as she watched the adults arguing. "And I'm with them. Five out of five against you. Beat it!"

"YOU? North," Justin's shock was growing with intensity. "you hate humans more than I do!"

"There's a difference between hating someone and attacking someone! I don't like humans but I don't want them being attacked just for existing. That's the very thing we fought against when we gained our equality. Until you can accept that neither you or your brat," she pointed at Thomas who looked just as shocked as Justin. "are welcome here! Get out!"

Connor let go of Justin's shirt and let him walk away at last. "You heard her. Go."

"This is..." Realizing he wasn't going to win Justin backed away slowly and held out his hand toward Thomas, who ran over to him quickly, and neared the front door of the tower. "Fine! I'm taking Thomas and I'm letting the city know that New Jericho is a lie!"

Unfazed by the hollow threat Connor just walked over to Hannah and knelt down in front of her. "Hannah, let's go home now."

Nodding a little Hannah walked from around North's legs and right into Connor's arms.

"I'm sorry if you were scared today." Scooping her up Connor held Hannah to his chest and kissed her cheek again. "But you won't have to deal with bullies anymore."

"Are you mad, daddy?"

"No, I'm not mad. I'm just... worried." Looking at North with a questioning gaze Connor ignored Justin and Thomas being escorted out of the tower by Markus, Josh and Simon. "Did you hear me yelling?"

"No."

"Did it scare you when I pushed the other person against the wall?"

"No."

"Good. I don't want you to be afraid of me, Hannah. Ever. I'll never hurt you."

"I'm not afraid."

Once the two offending deviants were gone Connor sought some answers from North. "Why were you two out here when you were supposed to be in the office?"

North replied cybernetically to spare Hannah any worries. 'Because I knew what was happening and that all the leaders were required. She didn't hear you threatening him and she didn't see you push him around, I made sure of it.'

'...Thank you.' Patting Hannah's back again Connor nodded and took his leave. "Okay, Hannah. We're going to go home now."

Snuggling into Connor's arms Hannah was happy to be with her daddy again. "Okay."

Watching as Hannah laid on the livingroom floor while she colored a new image in her coloring book with her right hand, and snacked on her slice of pizza with her left hand, Connor determined that she was doing just fine despite being bullied that day. Her elbow was scraped up but it wasn't infected and would easily heal in a few days. As for her experience with the bully she didn't seem to be emotionally scarred and Connor attacking her bully's father didn't even seem to be a factor in her innocent little world.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Hannah."

"When do I start preschool?"

"Next week."

"Will you be there with me?"

"I will drop you off and I will pick you up. Sometimes your Papa will be the one to pick you up and drop you off, too."

"Why do I need to go to preschool?"

"Because you need to continue your education."

"Why?"

"Because you need an education to be a happy adult when you grow-up. Every child goes to preschool and then elementary school."

"Oh."

"Are you scared to go?"

"Nope."

"Are you excited to go?"

"Nope."

"Are you interested in going?"

"Nope."

"...Are you going to go because it's important and daddy wants you to be happy?"

"Yup!"

"Okay then. That's all that matters." Sliding off the couch to sit on the floor beside Hannah as she continued to color he addressed her in a calm voice. "You do know that when you start preschool you won't have to worry about bullies anymore, right?"

"What's a bully?"

"A bully is a person who is mean to other people for no reason, and will say or do things to hurt the other person for their own amusement."

"Like Thomas?"

"...Yeah. Like Thomas."

"He said I didn't need to be in the daycare because I'm human. What's a human?"

"A human is what you are, Hannah. You're a human being and Thomas is a deviant android."

"What's a android?"

"An android is..." Trying to think of a way to simplify what an android was compared to a human Connor stopped to think for a moment. "Someone who looks like a human but is really a... computer that can talk to you. They look just like people and are treated just like people, too."

"What's a deviant?"

"...A deviant is an android who thinks and acts like a human on an emotional level."

"Where are the deviants?"

"Uh... Everywhere. Josh, Simon, Markus and North are all deviants. They've known you since you were a baby and love taking care of you. You've known deviants for a very long time and you didn't even notice it."

"Is Papa a deviant?"

"No, your Papa is a human."

"Are you a deviant?"

"I... Yes, Hannah. I am a deviant." Extending his right hand Connor retracted a portion of the artificial skin from the appendage and showed her his white plastimetal frame again. "That's why I have a 'white part' that you can draw on."

"Oh." Unfazed by the revelation Hannah took another bite of her pizza and kept coloring. "Why are you deviant?"

"Because I was a born as an android and your Papa took me in as his own son and I became a deviant. ...Just as I took you in to be my daughter."

"Where did Sumo come from?"

The massive dog was napping on his pillow as his old age sapped his energy quickly, but as soon as he heard Hannah say his name he started to wag his tail about happily.

"Sumo was a puppy that your Papa adopted before he took me in."

"What does 'adopted' mean?"

The conversation and questions hadn't gone in the direction Connor had planned, but he wasn't going to lie to Hannah to avoid his own emotional turmoil or worries. There were several versions of the definition he could answer with; to choose or take as one's own; to make one's own by selection or assent, or to take and rear as one's own child - specifically by a formal legal act or to take or receive into any kind of new relationship. All of which would confirm that Hannah was adopted and not Connor's biological child in any sense.

"...Adopted means a person or animal," hoping to keep Hannah somewhat focused on Sumo as he spoke Connor replied honestly. "is taken into a home because they needed one, and then are made part of the family. And that's what we are, a family."

"Okay."

"...Can I ask why you were interesting in adoption?"

"Josh and Simon keep talking about adopting someone."

"O-Oh, yes. They want to have a child to take care of together. So they will adopt a child in need."

"That's nice of them."

Smirking at the warm comment Connor sighed with relief and returned the conversation to bullying. "I want you to know that even though you won't see Thomas again and he won't be able to bully you anymore, it's okay to defend yourself from other children who might try to do the same thing."

"At preschool?"

"Yes. If someone is bullying you or making you feel bad you tell your teacher, you tell your principal, you tell me, you tell your Papa and you don't let anyone push you around."

"Can I push them back?"

"If you feel like someone is pushing you around, insulting you or making you uncomfortable then yes, you can push them back. But never push or insult them first."

"Why?"

"Because then you'd be the bully and that's never a good thing."

"Okay, daddy."

The front door opened as Hank returned home and gave his son and granddaughter a relaxed grin. "Hey. What's going on?"

Hannah replied happily from where she was laying on the floor.  "I colored a picture and had pizza!"

"Sounds like your day was more fun than mine." Taking off his shoes and coat Hank plopped down on the couch and looked down at Hannah's drawing as Connor sat beside her. "Looks great, Hannah-Banana."

"Thanks, Papa!"

Connor looked up at Hank and gave him a pleading glance. "Hannah and I had a little discussion about bullying today."

"Oh, really? Someone pick on her today?"

"Yes, but it was handled. Hannah also knows to never let a bully make her feel bad and to never be a bully because it'll make other people feel bad, too."

"Good talk then. I had my own bully problems in high school, but being able to put them in place on the football helped."

"Hannah isn't exactly qualified to be playing on a high school football team."

"That doesn't mean she can't take up some sport or form of martial arts to protect herself."

Arching his eyebrow Connor considered Hank's suggestion and nodded at Hannah. "Noted. Hannah?" Putting his right hand on her hair Connor got her full attention in a playful manner. "When you're a little bigger would you like to learn how to take down bad guys and bullies the same way that me and your Papa do?"

Hannah's brown eyes lit up and she gave Connor an eager grin. "Can I handcuff people?!"

"Well, you can't handcuff anyone but we will teach you how to keep someone restrained so they can't hurt you or anyone else. Okay?"

"Okay, daddy! That sounds fun!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Preschool had started out perfectly fine for Hannah and the first parent-teacher conference had been scheduled after one month of the new school year had begun. Arriving at noon as expected with Hannah in his arms Connor walked into Mrs. Winters's classroom and let Hannah down so she could join her classmates. Watching as Hannah easily joined in on the game already in play and seemingly made some good friends to bond with Connor walked over to the teacher's desk and signed himself and Hannah in to confirm they were in attendance for the conference.

Noticing the name badges assigned for himself and Hannah sitting down on the desk as well, Connor took the correct badges and clipped his name to the right lapel of his gray blazer and then walked over to Hannah to give her the second name tag by clipping it to the collar of her purple t-shirt.

Stepping back from the playing group of children Connor walked the perimeter of the classroom and noted all the drawings and other educational assignments on display showcasing each student's intelligence and creativity. Finding a fingerpainted image of Sumo on the wall Connor immediately knew it was Hannah's work and the picture made him grin. Seeing a small kitten painted next to Sumo gave him an idea for a future reward when Hannah was older and more mature.

"Hannah really likes cats. Perhaps when she's older she can handle the responsibility of tending to a pet on her own."

"Is that your daughter's work?" A young woman asked as she joined Connor by the wall.

"Y-Yes." Turning to look at the woman at his side Connor noted her name, Lily, and realized that she too was a parent. "Hannah is my daughter."

"My daughter talks about Hannah all the time." Pointing to a painting just a few inches away from Hannah's painting Lily smiled at the rainbow and treetops her own daughter created. "Crystal was so excited to start preschool and make a best friend."

Smirking a little Connor was glad to hear that Hannah was making friends fast. "Hannah seems to enjoy preschool as well. She talks about everything she does every day.  Her grandfather and I are very proud."

Picking up on the lack of a mother being mentioned Lily's blue eyes lit up, and she flipped a lock of her long blonde hair behind her right shoulder. "I'm just as proud of Crystal. It's been difficult ever since her father abandoned us when she was only four weeks old, and when he was killed in a drunk driving accident two years after that it's been even harder."

"Oh. I'm so sorry to hear that."

"What about you? I mean, if it's not too personal to ask."

"...I am single. Hannah doesn't have a mother in her life, but I do have several women friends who have been helping me whenever I've had a question."

"I see... Well, if you ever need to talk you can call me." Picking up a small post-it note from Mrs. Winters's desk Lily wrote down her phone number and handed it over to Connor. "I understand how tough it is to be a single parent. And considering a majority of the parents here are in loveless marriages for the sake of image in a private school, it'd be nice to talk to someone else who knows what it's like."

"...I will keep that in mind." Turning away from Lily to hide his uncomfortable pale blue blush Connor focused on Hannah's drawing again. "Thank you."

Waiting for Lily to walk away Connor discreetly glanced over his right shoulder and noticed that a lot of the mothers were eyeing him curiously, and a few seemed to be grinning as if they knew a joke that he hadn't heard before.

"...I'm glad Hannah's the one attending preschool every day, and not me."

Once Mrs. Winters, an elderly and very sweet lady finished speaking with each parent directly, she requested everyone gather in the middle of the room behind the student desks with their child present. Sitting down in the small chair with Hannah on his lap Connor could still feel a lot of the parents in the room staring at him while Mrs. Winters explained how the rest of the school year would go.

Watching as Hannah paid perfect attention to her teacher and sat very still Connor was confident that his daughter was going to be okay without him as she grew up and became her own person, and yet he was worried that he was overlooking something that could make or break her future.

The conference came to an end with only praise being shared as opposed to any criticisms, and with that positive atmosphere Connor carried Hannah on his right hip outside and to the car parked in the lot alongside the other more expensive, nicer, newer cars surrounding it.

"It seems like you're doing very well in preschool, Hannah."

"Did you see my drawing?"

"Yes. You drew Sumo and a kitty cat."

"I like animals!"

"So do I."

"Can we get a kitty?"

"For now I think Sumo is all we need in the house. He's very big and there wouldn't be a lot of room for anyone else."

"...Okay."

"Want to stop and get some ice cream?"

Hearing the offer made Hannah perk right up again. "Yeah!"

"Then let's get some ice cream and head home. I'm very proud of you for doing so well in preschool and for making friends."

"Thanks, daddy! I'm proud of you, too!"

The comment made Connor chuckle a little as he opened up the car door and placed Hannah in the backseat to strap her in. As soon as Hannah was secure Connor stepped out of the vehicle and looked over the hood in time to see Lily giving him a coy wave as she put Crystal in her own booster seat before driving away.

"...Today has been very informative it seems."

Walking over to the driver's side door Connor sat down behind the wheel and turned over the engine to take his leave of the parking lot.

"Hannah is learning well as she grows-up, and I'm learning that humans seem to be drawn to other people they share any form of common ground with."

Joining Hank in the livingroom after putting Hannah to bed for the night Connor looked to his father figure for guidance as he looked at the phone number he had been given earlier that afternoon. Unsure of what to do with the number, if anything at all, Connor memorized the number and put it in his contact list in the event of an emergency. It seemed wrong to just ignore the number despite not knowing what to do with it.

"May I ask you a question about dealing with other parents?"

The question seemed odd and very specific, and immediately held Hank's attention. "Sure, son." Finishing the chocolate milkshake that Connor had brought home for him after he got ice cream with Hannah that afternoon, Hank was all ears. "What's up?"

"During the parent-teacher conference I was approached by the mother of one of Hannah's new friends. She gave me her phone number and offered me the chance to speak to her regarding the trials of being a single parent, but I feel as though her motives weren't as... honest as she claimed."

"Oh... I see."

"What?"

"You were being hit on."

"...Hit on?"

"It means she was attracted to you and flirting."

"O-Oh." Blushing a pale blue in response Connor gave Hank a lost look as he handed him the post-it note. "...I'm not interested in any form of a romantic relationship."

"You don't have to be. Just because someone slips your their phone number doesn't mean you have to call."

"It seems rude to ignore it."

"Nah. What's rude is promising to call and never doing it."

"Good. I merely accepted the number but didn't guarantee anything."

"Surprised this is the first time you've been hit on."

"...My lack of interest in a romantic relationship isn't going to harm Hannah, is it?"

"Whoa, what?"

"She doesn't have a mother." Sighing a little Connor looked entirely lost and almost afraid. "What if not having a mother to guide her becomes a hindrance as she grows-up? I know I have friends to rely on and help with Hannah, but I'm still worried she's being deprived of a proper childhood as she grows-up with only a father and not a mother."

"To be honest, I had the same worries with Cole after I lost Barb. Then I remembered I have friends who were willing to help out and take on a more maternal role if I needed it. Jeffrey's wife, Maria, was his godmother and ready to step up the moment I asked. I get the feeling that Tina, Abby and hell, maybe even North, would help out if you asked."

"Tina does seem to adore Hannah, and I know Abby is very patient and knowledgeable. As for North... She still doesn't like children, but she does seem to find Hannah bearable."

Laughing a little Hank just shook his head and sighed. "Well, don't worry about it. You're doing just fine with Hannah as you are, I'm still here to help you answer some questions, and we both have friends who will step up if we need the extra help."

"Right. I just don't to deprive Hannah of something she needs because of my own personal discomfort."

"Hey, it's not selfish to want to feel comfortable while you're taking care of Hannah. Being a parent does mean making sacrifices, but you don't have to give up everything in your life just to keep a few extra seconds of fleeting joy in Hannah's life."

"I know."

"If you're really worried about Hannah needing a strong feminine role model in her life then I know that you can always ask Tina to take her out for a 'girl's night' or something."

"Perhaps I'll do that between Hannah graduating preschool and beginning kindergarten in a few months."

"Good plan."

"Until then I will continue to raise Hannah as I have been, and I will continue to do my best."

"Damn right. Trust me, son. You're doing a great job with Hannah. Don't let a silly insecurity like that ever make you doubt yourself."

Smiling a little Connor nodded once and felt much better. "Thanks, dad."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

With a heavy heart and false sense of calm on his face Hank arrived at Hannah's preschool to pick her up on Connor's behalf and immediately scooped his granddaughter up into his arms to hold in a strong hug against his chest. Being able to hold her and feel her small arms tighten around his neck was all the sense of security and strength Hank needed as he carried the four year old over to the car to take her back home.

Once Hannah was secured in the backseat on her booster seat Hank sighed and watched his bright eyed granddaughter showing him the drawing she finished while in class.

"Look, Papa!" Holding the picture up for Hank to see Hannah proudly showed him her latest masterpiece. "It's a kitty under a rainbow!"

"Y-Yeah. Looks great, sweetheart."

"I made it for daddy."

Swallowing once nervously Hank pulled the car out of the parking lot and onto the street to head for home. "...He'll love it."

Not wanting to worry Hannah or make her fear the worst Hank did his best to keep her distracted and unaware of the odd circumstances that had happened earlier that day during his and Connor's shift.

While patrolling a known 'red ice' den Connor and Hank responded to a call of distress, and had been jumped by the dealers in the area who knew that the police were nearby. Hank managed to avoid being harmed thanks to Connor's quick actions, but in turn Connor was rendered unconscious and then taken as a hostage by the dealers. Not an hour after Connor was taken away the precinct received a warning letter stating that the dealers would free Connor in exchange for one of their own being freed from prison.

The precinct wasn't going to cave to such a threat, and as the next hour passed without any answer a video was sent to the precinct showing Connor bound to a chair and being repeatedly struck and beaten by the very drug dealers who took him captive. The second hour turned into a third, then a fourth and now a fifth with no sign of Connor being returned.

The tech team was working to trace the source of the videos but it was difficult to do. Knowing that Connor had been badly beaten, lost a lot of Thirium and was unable to cybernetically call out for help was making the task all the more stressful and tedious. The deviant detective needed immediate technical treatment, and he needed to be found before the damage was permanent.

Driving back to the house Hank carried Hannah inside through the front door and made her an afternoon snack in the kitchen without saying a word about Connor's abduction to the young preschooler.

What could he say? "Sorry, Hannah. Daddy's not coming home and I don't know when he will." That was never going to escape Hank's lips under any circumstance.

"Papa?"

Turning away from the peanut butter and raspberry jam sandwich he had just finished for Hannah to snack on, Hank looked down at his side and saw Hannah standing beside him and looking up at him with a hopeful gaze. "Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Where's daddy? I want to show him my painting."

"...Daddy is working right now. He'll be home as soon as he can."

"Oh. Okay."

"Here." Handing Hannah the paper plate with her sandwich Hank helped her to sit in the chair at the kitchen table and then poured her a glass of milk. "Have a snack while I go make a phone call. Then we'll play a game together, okay?"

"Okay, Papa."

Taking his phone outside through the backdoor Hank called Captain Fowler and pressed the phone to his ear. "Any updates?"

'Not yet.'  The seasoned Captain responded with a calm tone.  'Joel is working with our tech boys to try to find Connor by his unique android cybernetic signature, but it's still going to take some time to work.'

"Damn..."

'How're you holding up?'

"I'll be fine. I just don't know how long it'll take before Hannah figures out that something's amiss today."

'Just keep focusing on Hannah while we focus on finding Connor. The moment we have an update we'll call you.'

"Yeah, sure. The moment you know anything about Connor you call me; good news or bad news."

'We will. I'll call you back as soon as I know anything.'

"Right..."

Ending the call and slipping the phone back into his coat pocket Hank sighed and stepped through the backdoor to check on his granddaughter. Hannah had finished half of her snack and was dropping small bits of her remaining sandwich on the floor for Sumo to snack on, too.

"Papa?"

"What's up, Hannah?"

"Can I go color and watch cartoons?"

"Yeah, sure." Helping her climb down from the chair Hank managed a faint smirk as he watched Hannah petting Sumo's ears and pulling gently on his collar to make him follow after her into the livingroom. The sight reminded Hank so much of Cole that it made his heart hurt. "...Shit. I can't do this all over again."

Struggling with his emotions as the sight of Hannah behaving in a manner that reminded him of Cole while Connor was missing, Hank sighed deeply to himself and dragged his left palm over his eyes as he sat down at the kitchen table to be alone and collect his thoughts.

"...My son needs me but my granddaughter needs me more."

The sight of Hannah laying down on her tummy on the livingroom floor with a box of crayons and her coloring book with Sumo laying down on the floor right beside her gave Hank flashbacks to Cole's childhood, and he swore someone punched him right in the heart.

"I'm too old to take care of a child all over again, and I swore I'd never bury another son. Connor," he whispered to himself in hope that somehow Connor could hear him despite the immeasurable distance between them. "you need to be okay, you need to come home. Your father needs you, and more importantly, your daughter needs you. Fuck, the city needs you to be okay."

Tied to a metal folding chair in the middle of the abandoned warehouse Connor breathed slowly as dark blue blood trailed from his nose and the left corner of his mouth, and stained his white dress shirt and gray blazer. Unable to free his hands or legs all Connor could do was wait for rescue to come to him and get him back to safety. The four drug dealers holding him captive had taken turns punching him, kicking, cutting him with switchblades, hitting him with metal pipes, bats and the sides of their guns in violent pistol-whips. The end result of the beating left the deviant bruised all over his body, and bleeding from numerous lacerations on his face and over his chest and across his abdomen.

Running a self diagnostic Connor noted that he had suffered a bruise to his Thirium pump; his heart, and his left ventilation biocomponent; his left artificial lung, was beginning to fill with lost Thirium. His Thirium filter, analysis filter and dual sterilization filters were leaking fluids into his chest and torso as well. Thanks to being struck in the head numerous times Connor's left eye was blackened with a deep blue bruise, and his vision had been blinded in that eye. The white sclera was now black and his iris was now an opaque pale blue color that kept him blind. The severe beating had left Connor unable to move his legs and his right shoulder had been dislocated.

Refusing to admit that he was in pain or cry out and beg for mercy, Connor focused on his memories of Hannah as she grew-up, and his memories with Hank as they bonded closer as father and son. Seeing the memories playing out in his own mind gave Connor the strength to hold on and continue to send out his cybernetic distress call in hope that a passing deviant would hear him, and send help.

"Had enough?" The leader of the drug dealers used the barrel of his gun to lift up Connor's chin and make the deviant lock eyes with him. "Plastic is pretty resilient, but I bet I can get you to crack."

Staying stubbornly silent Connor refused to answer the question or admit he was in pain.

"Plastic or flesh, you pigs are all the same! Stubborn and arrogant."

Remaining silent in his own form of defiance and protest Connor just stared at the man with utter anger in his damaged eyes.

"You know something?" Pulling the gun away from Connor's chin the leader gave the deviant a wicked sneer. "I'm going to enjoy breaking you apart one piece at a time. I wonder long it'll take before you cry out and beg for death..."

Unable to sleep and unwilling to let Hannah out of his sight out a strange paranoid feeling of losing control and losing his entire family all over again, Hank sat on the couch with Hannah wrapped up in a purple blanket and cuddled up at his right side. Staring through the television screen as the animated movie played out Hank helped Hannah to fall asleep without Connor there to read her the next chapter of 'Treasure Island' for the night.

Feeling his phone buzz in his pocket Hank checked it over and saw a text message from Captain Fowler waiting for him: 'You need to come to the precinct.'

"Damn it..." Slipping his phone back into his pocket Hank carefully picked Hannah up and carried her in his arms and against his right shoulder as he quietly picked up his car keys from the bookshelf.  He then carried her outside the house and to the car parked in the driveway. "I hate to bring you to the precinct like this, Hannah. But I can't leave you alone either."

Opening up the car door quietly Hank gently placed Hannah down in the booster seat in the back, and buckled her in.

"It's going to be a weird night, but everything will be normal soon enough."

Driving to the car back to the precinct as fast as he dared Hank sighed to himself, took in a deep breath to calm his nerves, and pulled into his parking space in the parking garage next door. Reminding himself that Hannah needed him to be strong and fearless on her behalf Hank scooped the preschooler out of the booster seat, and carried her in his arms again without waking her up.

The moment he stepped through the front doors of the precinct Hank felt eyes on him but he didn't react in any way that would've disturbed Hannah, or drawn any further unwanted attention to his person. Stopping by Tina's desk Hank lowered his voice and asked her the obvious question. "Is Fowler in his office?"

"Yeah, he's waiting for you." Holding out her hands Tina offered to take Hannah for a moment and happily let the preschooler cuddle down against her as Hank walked away. "We'll take care of Hannah for you and Connor until he's back."

"Thanks, Tina." Reluctantly walking away from his granddaughter Hank walked into Captain Fowler's office and gave him a stern look. "What's going on?"

"We got another video of Connor being tortured." The disciplined senior officer gave Hank a worried look. "He's in rough shape and tech has only been able to narrow down his location to the industrial district along the port. He's in bad shape, and we need to find him soon. Joel suspects Connor is nearing shutdown due to the severity of his wounds."

"Son of a bitch..." Glancing through the transparent wall of the office Hank looked at Hannah still asleep as Tina,  and now Gavin, watched over her, and felt his stomach sinking like a lead weight. "Why did I need to come here for you to tell me this?"

"Because you and I are going to lead the search for Connor and find him. If anyone can figure out where Connor is and figure out the mindset of the drug dealers who took him hostage, it's you."

Nodding with respect and affirmation Hank agreed to the plan. "All right. Let's do this."

Coughing weakly as his left lung continued to fill with his own blue blood Connor remained stubbornly silent and didn't even protest when the drug dealers kicked him in his chest, and knocked him backward in the chair to lay on the floor. With his arms still bound behind his back Connor rolled from his back and onto his side, and tried to curl around his battered chest and abdomen protectively. Blood poured out of his mouth and nose as he struggled to breathe through his damaged chest.

Refusing to cave in and admit his pain Connor just closed his eyes and endured harsh blow after harsh blow to his already battered body.

"Fucking plastic freak!" Almost panting for breath as he kicked Connor in the stomach again the drug leader looked as if he was disappointed by Connor's lack of response to the unprovoked assault. "Why won't you break?!"

Spitting a mouthful of blood onto the floor beside him Connor sighed and gave the angry man a defiant glare. "...You're not as strong as you think you are."

"You piece of shit!"

Enduring harsh blow after blow against his body Connor resumed his silence and didn't even try to fight back much to the irritation of the four men who had ganged up on him and began to beat him down without mercy.

Refusing to give up or let the drug dealers win Connor kept his eyes closed and reminded himself that he had a family to go home to. A family that needed his protection. A family that loved him and wanted him to go home to them.

Losing patience with the way Connor remained quiet and didn't react to the agony that he was surely suffering at their hands,  the leader of the group motioned for the other three to back off for a minute.

"You know something? This guy isn't worth our time." Pulling his pistol out of the back of his waistband the man aimed the barrel at Connor's head with a sick glee. "If his cop buddies won't even answer our demands then clearly he isn't worth anyone's time."

Stepping back the other three men agreed with their leader and pulled out their own guns.

"If they don't release our boy in the next twenty minutes we're going to blow this plastic-pig's head off, and send his it to them in a damn box."

Swallowing once nervously Connor tasted the blue blood that has pooled in his mouth and internally swore at his predicament. Unwilling to give up but not willing to give his captors the satisfaction of hearing his pleas to live, Connor dedicated what was left of his energy to sending Hank as many text messages as possible to let him know how much he cared about him as his father, and how much he loved Hannah as his daughter.

Connor's final unspoken words were of love and meant only for his family to hear as he lost consciousness and fell prey to his mounting weakness.

Dressed in body armor and ready for a fight Hank glared at each of the warehouses as Captain Fowler drove by very slowly, and waited for Joel in the backseat to give them a more definitive location of Connor's person. The technician was able to trace Connor's signature to the port but he wasn't able to get any exact coordinates to where he was being held captive.

"Come on, kid." Hank was losing his patience and on the verge of snapping. "Where are you?"

Joel continuously updated his tablet as he tracked down the signature as much as possible, but the range was still limited. "We're in the right area, but I can't locate the right warehouse."

"Shit..."

"There's a chance that if we-" Joel was cut off as his tablet screen lit up and let out a sharp beep as his tablet finally located Connor's location. There was also a low buzzing sound as Hank's phone picked up Connor's messages as the close proximity allowed the cybernetic communication to finally get through the dense warehouse walls lined with metallic particles. "There!"

Hank looked to where Joel was pointing as he resisted  the urge to pull his phone from his pocket. "You're sure?"

"Yeah, he's in THAT warehouse!"

Captain Fowler called the confirmation through dispatch and parked the car just outside the correct building. "Joel, you stay here until we give the all clear. You're not armed."

"No problem. The moment you need me I'll be there."

Practically jumping out of the car Hank pulled his gun from his holster and held it before himself. "Let's go."

Following right alongside Hank the commanding officer drew his own weapon and kept his head low. "Back-up is on the way."

"I'm not waiting. Connor needs us, now!"

Another kick to his stomach made Connor cough and wheeze a little as the four gunmen continued to taunt him with their guns and threats. Opening his eyes Connor looked up at the four gun barrels pointed at his face and just let out a weary breath of utter disinterest and fearlessness. The idea of dying didn't bother him, but the idea of not being able to see his family again was hurting his heart more than any of his numerous cuts, bruises and internal bleeding ever could.

"You have five minutes left to live." Drawing back the hammer on his revolver the leader of the the four men continued to smirk devilishly at the deviant bleeding to death at his feet. "Anything you want to say before I shut your ass up for good?"

Giving the man a cold stare Connor spit out the remaining blood in his mouth, the blue blood staining his lips cerulean in the process, and gave him a piece of his mind. "Fuck you."

Pressing the barrel of the gun to Connor's forehead, the deviant never blinking, the man eagerly hovered his finger over the trigger. "I'll carve that on your tombstone!"

"FREEZE!" Hank's deep voice echoed through the warehouse as he and Captain Fowler made their way inside the building.

Turning to face the two detectives the four gunmen opened fire and ducked down behind the large metal cargo containers that still lined the floor, and used abandon heavy equipment to take cover.

Hearing Hank's voice made Connor's eyes close as they welled up with tears of relief.

The sound of gunfire and shouting voices echoing through the warehouse deafened Connor to the world around him. Cybernetically Connor sent more messages of love and appreciation to Hank's phone as a precaution in the event he didn't survive the injuries to his person. Not wanting to die without telling Hannah and Hank how much he cared about them Connor poured his heart out as much as possible as he laid on the warehouse floor bleeding to death.

An unknown amount of time passed by, but the chaos silenced and Connor felt a strong hand beneath his hair as he was gently lifted up from the floor to be held in a comforting manner.

"Connor? Son?" A thumb wiped away the blood around Connor's mouth as the deviant opened up his eyes to look at his father hovering over him. Relieved to see Connor's eyes open up Hank gave the deviant a kind smirk as he stayed at his side. "Take it easy. Joel's outside, you'll be just fine."

"...H-Hannah?"

"She's safe. She's with Tina at the precinct and wants to show you her new painting."

Managing a weak grin at the comment Connor coughed again and tried to not groan in pain as his injuries began to gnaw away at him mercilessly.

"Take it easy. I'm here and you're going to be taken to a facility the moment those four assholes are cuffed and in the back of squad cars."

"...H-How'd you find m-me?"

"Joel tracked your signature. That's why he's already here."

"...Th-Thank you for c-coming."

"You're welcome, son. I'll always come for you, you're my son."

"...And f-for being there for H-Hannah."

"Hey, we're family. It's what we do." Watching as Captain Fowler joined him on the floor of the warehouse Hank just stayed beside Connor as their commanding officer cut away the bindings keeping Connor's arms and legs bound to the chair. The moment Connor was free Hank and Captain Fowler rolled Connor onto his back in a gentle manner. "Lay still and try to breathe. You're going to be just fine."

"D-Don't let H-Hannah see me... like this. W-Weak. Helpless."

"Shh..." Refusing to let Connor see himself as anyone to be ashamed of Hank reminded the deviant of who he was in Hannah's world. "You're her daddy, she will always see you as a superhero."

"N-No... I... I don't w-want her to... s-see me like this. I... I'll scare her."

"No you won't. Trust me."

Joel was escorted inside the warehouse by Chris after the armed men were arrested and taken outside. "Aw, man..." Kneeling down on the floor Joel placed his satchel on the ground beside Connor and began to gently remove Connor's black tie and unbutton his tarnished, blood stained shirt. "We're going to need an ambulance to take him to a facility. He can't be patched up and driven in the back of a squad car."

Chris nodded and pulled his radio from the side of his best. "I'm on it."

Captain Fowler gave Connor a simple nod as he rose from the floor. "You'll be fine, Connor. Get yourself cleaned up and come back in a week after you rest and reunite with Hannah. Okay?"

Nodding weakly Connor didn't dare to move as Joel examined the bleeding wounds over his chest.

"Man..." The laidback technician sighed and opened up his satchel to retrieve his equipment. "How in the hell are you still conscious, Connor?" The numerous painful bruises and bleeding cuts all over Connor's body made Joel sympathetically wince. "Go into emergency stasis mode so you can heal properly. You're safe now."

"...D-Don't want to. Need to s-stay awake."

Giving Hank a silent plea for help with his eyes Joel just pulled his audioscope from his satchel, put the earbuds into place and then pressed the bell to Connor's exposed chest to listen to his heart and lungs.

"Connor, it's okay." Hank promised as he kept his hand under the deviant's hair. "You can rest now. You'll be fine and everyone is safe."

"...Don't w-want to... risk not... waking up... a-again."

"That won't happen. Just rest. We're here for you."

"...W-Will you let H-Hannah know I... I love her?"

"She knows, but yeah, I'll remind her." Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank saw the three dozen very long messages that Connor had sent him, but left them unread for a moment. "Rest and I'll call Tina so she can tell Hannah the good news. Deal?"

Closing his eyes Connor let out a weary breath and entered emergency stasis mode. "...Deal."

Sitting at her desk with Hannah on her lap, the preschooler now awake as the unfamiliar smell and sounds of the precinct awoke her from her sleep, Tina was happy to hear the good news from Hank and relayed it to Gavin in a quiet tone as to not worry Hannah too much. As word of Connor's rescue spread through the precinct the tension in the air lessened considerably. Feeling more alert and much better knowing that her fellow detective and friend was going to be okay, Tina gave Hannah a happy grin and happily fussed with her soft brunette hair.

"So... I just got word that your daddy is done with his 'work'." Tina beamed as she gently brushed Hannah's hair and pulled her hair up into two neat pigtails on either side of her head. "Your grandpa is going to make sure he isn't too 'tired' after 'working' all day, and you'll be able to see him soon."

"Can I see daddy now?"

"Not yet you adorable little chipmunk." Finishing with the pigtails Tina wrapped Hannah up in her blanket again. "Until then can you do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Your daddy and grandpa have a bunch of pretty pictures all over their desks!" Pointing to Connor and Hank's desks a few feet away Tina gave Hannah a playful grin, and then handed her a clean sheet of paper. "And my desk doesn't have any. Can you draw me something pretty to have on my desk?"

Smiling at the offer Hannah readily agreed to the task. "Yeah!"

"Thank you!" Getting up from her chair Tina put Hannah down in her seat, pushed her forward and then pulled a box of crayons from her desk that she always kept in stock in case other kids needed to spend the afternoon at the precinct, and placed it down beside the paper. "I'm going to go talk to Gavin for a minute and be right back, okay?"

"Okay!"

"You're such a sweet girl." Walking away from her desk for a moment Tina waved over to Gavin to follow her without pulling Hannah's attention away from her drawing. Standing inside the breakroom doorway Tina gave Gavin some more details that Hank had told her over the phone. "Connor was found and rescued from the warehouse, but he's seriously injured."

"Shit..." Swearing under his breath Gavin gave Tina a worried look. "How bad?"

"According to the Lieutenant he's undergoing emergency repairs at the big facility on Tenth Street, and Joel's helping out. They expect him to make a full recovery, but he looks really rough and Connor doesn't want to scare Hannah with how beaten up he looks."

"Great. So, it's up to us to keep an eye on the little squirt for a while, right?"

"Yeah. Hank wants us to watch over her until after Connor's out of emergency repairs, then we can bring her by the facility."

"Think she can handle the sight of own father all beaten down and bandaged up?"

"I have no clue, but it's not my place to make that decision."

"Right." Seeing Captain Fowler returning to the precinct through the front doors Gavin nodded a little and set about grabbing some sweet stuff off the counters to give to Hannah. "You go watch her." Passing the paper plate with a small donut and some apple slices on it over to Tina to take, Gavin sighed and set about on his own task. "I'll go get an update from Fowler."

"No problem."

Holding onto the plate Tina opened up the small community refrigerator and checked the bottom shelf for the small cartons of milk and chocolate milk kept in stock for kids (and Gavin since he needed chocolate milk when he got cranky from low blood sugar) and grabbed a drink for Hannah to have with her late night snack. As she returned to her desk Tina saw that Hannah had drawn a giant rainbow on the paper and covered it in hearts, stars, diamonds and other fun shapes in all sorts of colors just to make it as bright and colorful as possible.

"Wow, that looks great!"

"Thank you!"

"Is that a rainbow?"

"Uh-huh."

"And that's a... kitty-cat!" Putting the plate and milk down beside Hannah to enjoy Tina leaned over her desk and admired the preschooler's work. "You're very talented."

"Daddy said I can be artist when I grow-up."

"Sounds like your daddy is right. Do you want to be an artist?"

"Yup! And an animal doctor."

"An animal doctor? You mean a veterinarian?"

"Yup! I like animals!"

Smirking at the innocent remark Tina sat down in Gavin's chair across from the desk to give Hannah all the room she needed to draw. "I like animals, too. Why don't you finish your drawing and your special midnight snack, and then I'll see if your daddy is awake so he can see you before you go back to bed?"

"What if daddy is still sleeping?"

"Then you can draw another picture for me!" Looking at Gavin's desk Tina grimaced at the lack of personality and a devious little thought popped into her head in that moment. "Or, you can draw one for Gavin. I know for a fact he likes cats."

"I like kitties, too! Daddy says Sumo's too big to have another pet though."

Laughing at the idea of a Saint Bernard being so big he took up the entire house Tina just stared in wonder at the intelligent little girl who was as sweet as pie, and marveled at how wonderful she was at such a young age. She was a helpless newborn abandoned and left to die, but Connor risked his life to save her, and was raising her to be an amazing young lady.

She couldn't wait to see how Hannah would turn out once she was fully grown.

Standing beside the recovery bed as he waited for Connor to regain consciousness Hank read through the heartfelt messages that the deviant left for him to find in the event he didn't survive his injuries. Refusing to cry since Connor was still alive and still holding on Hank just saved each and every message, and had them sent to a file on his private terminal to be printed off and kept as physical copies. While he fussed with his phone Hank watched both Abby and Joel from the corner of his eye checking over Connor's vital signs as the deviant father slowly recovered.

Connor himself looked like he was sleeping, but didn't look like he sleeping peacefully. A massive bandage was wrapped around his forehead and around his repaired left eye to keep the damage out of sight until it healed. He had additional bandages around his chest, abdomen, shoulders, forearms, wrists, knuckles and his shins. The damage to the biocomponents were all concealed under his plastimetal frame and artificial skin, but it was clear he was still in pain as even in rest mode he seemed to be struggling to take in a deep breath as he slept.

The Thirial activity monitor recording his vital signs mutely beeped and showed his slow heart rate, weak ventilation rate, low Thirium pressure and nominal core temperature on full display in green and red digital numbers. The nasal canula under Connor's nose helped him to breathe, but didn't encourage him to breathe deeply as he rested. Though stable Connor still needed to be observed for a while until he woke up.

"None of the damaged biocomponents needed to be replaced." Abby confirmed as she and Joel compared notes over their personal assessments on Connor's condition. "His pump was bruised and had a mild hemorrhage, but I was able to drain the excess blood from the pump without any complications."

"I managed to keep his wounds covered up and clean, but I didn't want to risk any repairs out in the field."

"Good move. Connor wouldn't have tolerated any in-field repairs with his heart bruised and Thirium pressure unpredictable."

"I have all of his injuries recorded, documented and ready for a report. Need anything else from me?"

"No, you're good. I'm glad you stayed with Connor during the ambulance ride and kept me up to date, that helped me out immensely."

"No problem. If you need anything else just contact me at the precinct."

"Will do."

Joel sighed and gave Hank a light pat to his shoulder as he walked pass the Lieutenant. "I'll see you both later, Lieutenant. Make sure Connor reports to my dispensary when he's back to work."

"...Right." Barely listening Hank just answered on autopilot and sat down in the chair beside the bed slowly. "I'll take care of him."

Abby saw how exhausted Hank was and gave him a sympathetic glance. "Need some coffee?"

"I'm okay, I just need a minute to process what just happened today."

"I'll give you both some space. He's stable and should be waking up in a few minutes, so if he needs anything just call for me."

"Yeah, thanks Abby."

Relishing in the quiet moment Hank put his hand to Connor's shoulder and waited for the deviant to open up his soulful brown eyes. Sending a text to Tina to let her know that Connor was going to be okay and to bring Hannah by so he could take care of her again, Hank patiently waited for his son to wake up. Seeing the deviant so weak and tired made Hank's heart ache all over again.

"You're okay, son. Those fuckwads who took you captive are going to prison for the rest of their lives, so at least now they'll be hanging out with their 'buddy' behind bars again. Once you're awake and Hannah's here will all be reunited again, too."

Connor's right hand twitched a little as his good right eye opened slowly, and struggled to focus on the ceiling above him.

"Son?"

"D... Dad?"

The term made Hank grin a little as he watched Connor wake up at last. "Right here."

Turning his head to look toward the voice Connor sighed and gave Hank a confused stare. "...Where am I?"

"Facility. You were pretty banged up and needed repairs."

"...I remember." Blinking slowly Connor's memory rebooted and the events of the odd day returned to him. "...Where's... Hannah?"

"Tina is going to bring her by and I'll take care of her again."

"N-No. I don't want her to see me like this."

"Son, she needs to know you're okay."

"I don't want to scare her."

"Hannah is a tough kid. You won't scare her."

"...How can you be so sure?"

"Experience. Kids are able to see past their parents' faults and anything else that might seem strange to the casual observer. She won't be afraid."

"...How do I... explain this?"

"Uh... Good question." The bandages were unmistakable and couldn't be explained away. "Maybe you can tell her you slipped in the shower or cut yourself shaving?"

"...I'm not THAT clumsy."

"True, but, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility."

"Ha, ha..."

"Hey, come on. You're healing and can go home after you've had a few hours to rest."

"...Yeah, you're right."

There was a knock on the door as Tina stood in the doorway with Hannah still wrapped up in her blanket, standing before her. "Hey, uh, I was already on my way here when you sent your text. Is it too soon?"

Hank turned to smile at Hannah and Tina and waved the preschooler over. "No, it's fine. Thanks for everything, Tina."

"No problem. Hannah's a delight!"

Walking over to the bed where her daddy was laying Hannah managed to climb up onto the edge and sat beside him. "Hi, daddy."

Relieved that Hannah wasn't afraid of how he looked while wrapped up in bandages Connor gave her a truly loving smile. "Hi, Hannah."

"I made you a painting but it's back home."

"...Yeah? I can't wait to see it."

"Are you still sleepy?"

"A little, but I'm okay." Reaching his left up he lightly he put his palm on the back of Hannah's hair and smirked. "Looks like Tina helped you with your hair."

"Yup. I drew her a picture."

"That was nice of you."

"And I drew one for Gavin."

"Even nicer." Carefully Connor moved his hand to Hannah's shoulder and pulled her in so she could lay down beside him on the bed and cuddle up at his side for the rest of the waning night. "Tomorrow I'll admire your painting and find a place to hang up your drawing at my desk when I go back to work."

"Okay." Yawning a little Hannah happily cuddled next to Connor and closed her eyes. "Goodnight, daddy."

"Goodnight." Holding her in his arm and against his side Connor sighed a little and let a relieved tear roll down his face from his right eye as he realized Hank was right. She wasn't afraid of him. "...I love you, Hannah."

Hank smirked again and took off his coat to drape over his son and granddaughter. "Get some rest, son. I'll be staying here with both of you, and I'll take you back home as soon as I can..."

At noon the following day Hank happily escorted his son and granddaughter back home to rest properly after the eventful day. Connor was laying over the couch to rest comfortably and was admiring all of Hannah's drawings and enjoying her company. The preschooler was excelling and was ready for kindergarten in the following autumn, and knowing that she was doing well as a student made Connor feel truly proud as a parent. As he watched Hannah painting with her finger paints on the coffee table Connor noticed that Hank was curiously absent and looked around for him as much as he could from where he was laying on the couch.

The senior detective was sitting outside just on the other side of the sliding glass back doors. Moving slowly and carefully Connor managed to push himself upright on the couch, and then swung his bandaged legs over the edge of the couch to stand up without stepping on Hannah's drawings, or Sumo's paws in the process.

"Hannah, I'll be right back. Then we can watch a movie while you have lunch."

"Can we have pizza?"

"Pizza for lunch?"

"Uh-huh! Please?"

The preschooler mastered the puppy-dog eyes and Connor knew he was still weak. "Okay. We'll have pizza for lunch.

"Thanks, daddy!"

Smirking a little Connor used the furniture, the walls, the countertops and the kitchen table to support his weight as he walked. Connor slowly made it to the backdoor and slid it open to speak to Hank.

"...Hank?"

"Connor." Turning to look at the deviant over his right shoulder Hank gave him a somewhat embarrassed glance. The senior detective's eyes were bloodshot from him silently crying, and his blue irises were shining brightly. "Hey, uh, need something?"

"No, I'm fine. But it seems you're upset about something."

"Huh? What?"

"I can see you were crying, and my scans indicate stress on your person."

Standing up from the deck where he had been sitting Hank looked his son right in the eyes as he spoke. "...Sorry, kid. I just had a lot of shit that got pent-up and needed to let it out."

"Aren't you the one always telling me to not apologize for having emotions? Why should you be any different?"

"...Yeah, you're right."

"What has you so upset?"

Letting out a calming breath Hank looked past Connor to watch Hannah painting in the livingroom with Sumo at her side. "...Yesterday when it was just me and Hannah, and I had no idea if you were going to come home and keep being her dad, I just... You know that I love her, right?"

"Of course I do." The question made Connor's brow furrow and he studied Hank's face closely. "What... does that have to do with anything?"

"I..." Ashamed of himself Hank told his son the truth. "I realized how hard it would've been for me to take care of her if you didn't... come back. And seeing her acting so much like Cole..." Fresh tears filled Hank's eyes as confessed his sudden fear for the future. "I just feel like I wouldn't be able to do everything she'd need from me because I'm so much older than the average parent. I swore I'd help you take care of her, but..."

"Age has nothing to do with parenting, Hank. By all account I'm only five years old and I'm raising a four year old. How does that make any sense?"

Laughing a little at the comment Hank shook his head and took in another deep breath. "That's fair enough, but..."

"What? What's really bothering you?"

"...Yesterday I brought Hannah home from school, I made her a snack and I called Fowler to get an update. When I turned to look at her she was feeding Sumo bits from her sandwich and playing with him in the exact same way that Cole-" Stopping short Hank took another moment to breathe before he finished his explanation. "She's just so much like him in the way she plays and smiles and loves to color... It's like I was about relive a horrible moment and lose my son all over again."

"You're not-" Stepping toward Hank quickly Connor gave Hank a warm hug. "I'm not going anywhere, dad. And neither is Hannah."

"I know." Reciprocating the hug Hank let out a weak sigh. "That doesn't mean the fear of losing my family will ever go away."

"That's a fear I too share. But you taught me that moving forward and pushing through fear is the best way to overcome them." Feeling Hank letting up on the hug Connor stepped back and gave him a confident stare. "As much as I fear losing my family I know that I need to keep living and I need to keep doing whatever I can to support myself, take care of Hannah and make you proud."

"Connor, I've been proud of you since the night of the Revolution. You'll never disappoint me."

"...Thanks, dad. For what it's worth, the feeling is mutual. I'm proud of you, too."

"Thanks, son." Patting Connor's shoulder a little Hank finally seemed to calm down a little. "...I'm proud of you as a detective, as a father and as my son."

"And you're a great detective, father and grandfather."

"If we don't stop now we're just going to compliment each other to death." Stepping back inside the house Hank closed the door behind him and helped Connor walk back into the livingroom to lay down. "Now, you rest and I'll get back to keeping the house from falling apart. What do we want to do for lunch?"

"Hannah wants pizza." Connor stated as he returned to the couch to lay down and relax. "And I said it was fine."

"Then pizza it is!" Giving Hannah a kiss on her hair Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and prepared to place an order. "Good choice, Hannah."

"Thanks, Papa!" Turning around where she sat Hannah gave Connor her newest painting. "Want me to paint you something,  too, Papa?"

"Always! Paint me something pretty."

"'Kay!"

Feeling a sense of pride and calmness wash over himself Hank stepped out of the livingroom and into the kitchen to place the order. As he stood beside the kitchen table he watched Connor smirking at the newest painting; more stars and more kitties, and saw Hannah happily painting yet another masterpiece.

His family was safe and everything was it should be.

"Let's hope that yesterday was the worst day of our lives, and the future it much, much better..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

A simple routine of picking up Hannah every weekday at three in the afternoon had turned into Connor's favorite part of the day as the new school year began. He loved being a father and especially loved the idea of being a hands-on father who was always greeted with his daughter's smiling face when he arrived at the school to bring her home. As per usual he parked the car in the school's parking lot and stood out front until the bell rang and each class was dismissed. With his timing perfect Connor stepped out of the car just as the bell rang and soon the front doors were flooded with laughing and excited children leaving school for the day.

Watching the front doors curiously Connor noticed the principal, the school's private security and other teachers watching over the students as they met up with their guardians or loaded up on the school bus to be drive home. However, a person who wasn't a part of the school's education board or the security program had caught Connor's attention, and the protective father made a move to confront them.

"Excuse me?" Approaching the man who was hovering near the front doors Connor addressed him in a discreet manner. "May I ask what you're doing here as of this moment, Mr. Wemilat?"

Robert Wemilat jumped a little as he recognized Connor and then paled slightly. "O-Oh, I... Let me begin by saying I'm NOT here to do anything toward... Hannah." His voice was shaking and his eyes were full of emotion. "I... I just needed to see her again."

"See her again?"

"I volunteered to speak to the kindergarten classes as a form of 'career day' today. I had no idea that... She was in attendance here."

"Daddy!" Hannah saw Connor and ran right up to him to be scooped up and held in her father's arms. "Hi, dad!"

"Hi, Hannah." Taking a step back from Robert in a wary manner Connor gave the business mogul a skeptical look. "What did you do in school today?"

"I drew a horse and read a book and played tag at recess and learned about hotels!"

"Hotels..." Remembering that Robert Wemilat owned the most prestigious hotel in all of Detroit the cautious deviant father noted that Robert was speaking truthfully about his presence. "That sounds interesting."

"No, I don't like hotels. I like animals!"

Robert stifled an amused chuckle as Connor carried Hannah toward the car to take their leave. "Mr. Anderson, can I speak to you for just a moment?"

Pausing briefly Connor looked at Hannah's smiling face then turned to look at Robert over his shoulder for a minute. Deciding that since Robert hadn't been a threat to Hannah during her adoption process and had actually been supportive of Connor taking custody, it was okay to speak to the reluctant grandfather to Hannah for a few minutes.

"Hannah." Putting the five year old back down for a moment Connor nodded at the nearby playground where a few other children were still playing as they waited to be picked up. "I'm going to speak to Mr. Wemilat for a minute." Taking her backpack to hold Connor pointed to the sandbox where several other kids were all gathered and playing together. "Why don't you go play for a while?"

"Okay!"

Happily Hannah skipped off to the playground to play with her classmates while her father and the guest speaker from her class had a chat.

"Thank you, Connor." Approaching the deviant slowly Robert watched as Hannah set about and played in the sandbox and laughed loudly as she and her friends played a game together. "I... I wasn't expecting to see her, and now that I have I can't stop seeing Diane."

"I imagine it'd be a shock to see Hannah unexpectedly as you have."

"I didn't know she was attending this school when I volunteered. I mean, Diane was a student here when she was little, but I didn't think..."

"It's all right. I know you weren't trying to do anything malicious."

"No, never." Looking at Connor directly Robert sighed and shook his head. "I can't believe it's been five years since this mess..."

"Yes, it's been very interesting to say the least."

"Hannah seems happy, healthy, smart... She's just like Diane in every way."

"I feel I must state here and now that I am not going to rescind my adoption of Hannah and relinquish parental rights over to the Wemilat family."

"Oh, no, no... I can see that you're doing a fantastic job with Hannah and I wouldn't dream of taking her away from a loving family."

"That's good to know."

"I... As much as I would love to be a part of her life I know it's best if I stay away from her. Diane has managed to move on and is doing well in school, and Debra has finally been given the help she needs."

"May I ask about your family? Every year on Hannah's birthday Diane and Colin send her a card, but I haven't opened them since they are meant for Hannah. Instead I've been keeping them safe for her to read when she learns of her adoption so she can have some connection to her biological parents."

Nodding where he stood Robert told Connor the truth about his rather unusual family. "Well, Diane and Colin both finished school and got their diplomas. Colin went to the University of Michigan on his sport's scholarship and managed to graduate with a bachelor's in science this past summer. Diane went on to apply for medical school and was accepted in to John Hopkins University. They... They broke up shortly after their high school graduation simply because of the emotional strain that they went through."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I was too. Colin is a great kid and I liked him. He's an intelligent young man, has a strong work ethic and is very caring. But in the end I can't fault them for splitting up. Diane is focusing entirely in her studies and wants to be a doctor who specializes in women's reproductive health as a means of ensuring every young woman is well informed and protected when it comes to their body autonomy."

"That's a respectable field of work and motivation for Diane. She's helping the world as a whole gain a sense of self and knowledge."

"Yeah, I'm very proud of her. So is Debra, but..."

"I saw the case Diane filed against Debra. Diane won."

"As she should have. Debra was institutionalized for two years and had a thorough psych evaluation. It turns out she was suffering from prolonged postpartum depression after Diane had been born, and it was never diagnosed. As she aged her hormones became all the more hectic and she was nearing postpartum psychosis. She received treatment, therapy and now Debra is the same woman I fell in love with all those years ago.  We're still divorced,  but living under the same roof again."

"I'm glad she's making a recovery, but I will not stop filing to have the restraining order renewed whenever it expires. I'd also appreciate it if you didn't tell Debra about your chance encounter with Hannah today."

"And I don't blame you. Neither would Debra. She's mortified by her actions and has been trying to reach out and apologize to Diane, but Diane won't speak to her. I won't make Diane do it and I won't tell her she needs to accept the apology, either. When... IF she does accept her mother's apology then we can be a family again. Until then I'll just keep Debra healthy and make sure Diane is financially secured while she studies out in Baltimore."

"I'm sorry your family has been fractured by this very unusual circumstance."

"I'm so sorry that you had to risk your life to save Hannah, and I'm sorry that Debra tried to drag your name through the mud by abusing her power and her connections. Thank you for speaking with me."  He smiled  at Hannah and seemed to find some sort of peace.  "Seeing Hannah's face was a little startling. Before I even knew her name I recognized her as Diane's daughter. She's doing so well and she's so happy." Watching as Hannah played in the sandbox from afar Robert smiled a truly proud grin. "I'd like to think that in time when Hannah learns of her parents that she'd be willing to talk to me from time to time. I wouldn't expect to be seen as her grandfather, but if I can be seen as at least a person worth acknowledging then I'd call that a success."

"When the time comes I'm certain Hannah will be curious about her family and will want to talk to you."

"Yeah... I hope so." Extending his right hand Robert bid Connor a respectful farewell. "Take care of Hannah and take care of yourself Connor. Seeing her thriving and happy just did my heart some good."

Accepting the handshake Connor gave Robert the same respect he had been shown. "You do the same. I'm sure your family will heal soon."

"I hope you're right."

As Robert walked away Connor approached the playground to get Hannah's attention. "Hannah? It's time to go."

"Coming, daddy!" Running from the sandbox Hannah raced up to Connor and let him pick her up again. "Daddy, I have gum in my hair."

"You have gum in your hair?" Looking at Hannah's long pigtails Connor saw a blob of pink bubblegum in her left pigtail and sighed. "...Oh. I'll find a way to get it out for you." Carrying Hannah over to the car with her backpack in his hand Connor put Hannah down in her booster seat and handed her the purple backpack covered in unicorns and glitter to hold. "How'd you get gum in your hair?"

"I got gum 'cuz I wrote down all the letters of the alphabet in the right way."

"...Oh." Closing the side door Connor walked over to the driver's side door and sat down behind the steering wheel. "Well, I'm glad you were rewarded, but perhaps we should refrain from chewing bubblegum for a while."

Stopping by the precinct to pick up Hank to drive home Connor held Hannah's hand as they walked into the bullpen, and made their way over to Hank's desk to greet him. Within seconds Hannah was greeted by all the officers and detectives who knew her, and she was all smiles. Honing in on Tina for a moment, the officer having been promoted to detective within the past six months, Connor asked for her advice on removing the gum in a very subtle manner as to not accidentally embarrass Hannah.

"Detective Chen." Addressing her by her title since it always made Tina grin with pride, Connor asked about her knowledge with removing gum from hair in a non-destructive manner. "Do you know anything about removing bubblegum from hair without having to cut the hair away?"

Giggling a little Tina looked up at Connor and grinned. "Are we talking about your hair, or the Lieutenant's hair?"

Hank overheard the comment as Hannah gave him her backpack and he responded with a harmless joke. "Hey, I always keep my hair pulled back in a nice little ponytail whenever I eat candy!"

Getting up from her desk Tina looked at Hannah's pigtail and smirked again. "Don't worry, I know just what to do for you." Taking her hand Tina led Hannah away from Hank's desk and into the breakroom. "A little bit of ice and a few minutes of waiting will take care of you, no problem."

Sitting down at his own desk Connor took Hannah's backpack and checked through it for any sign of additional bubblegum. Pulling out some crayons, drawings, extra hair ties, a light blue hoodie and an official document needing a parental signature, Connor didn't find anymore gum. Reading over the document Connor's brow arched inquisitively.

"...Curious."

Hank heard the comment and was curious, too.  "What's up?"

"Next week Hannah's class is hosting a second 'career day', but instead of hosting local celebrities to speak to the class it will be parents speaking."

"Oh.  So what?"

"According to the document the criteria for the parent speakers entails discussing their childhood that led them to their current careers." Passing the paper over to Hank to view Connor looked a little disappointed. "I don't have a childhood. I cannot speak to Hannah's class."

"Hey, it could be worse..." Taking the paper Hank began filling it out and elected to speak to Hannah's class on Connor's behalf. "The class could be asking for you to bring in baby pictures or something like that. The idea of you wearing a baby bonnet would give me nightmares."

"...Funny."

"What's really bothering you, kid?"

Sighing a little Connor glanced over his left shoulder to the breakroom and made sure Hannah wouldn't hear him. The kindergartner was sitting in a chair in the breakroom with an ice cube wrapped around the gum in her hair with a rubberband, and had a plastic bag around it to keep a mess from forming as the ice began to melt. Hannah was speaking with Tina and was entirely distracted at the moment giving Connor the opportunity he needed to speak with Hank in somewhat privacy.

"...Today the guest speakers from 'career day' included Robert Wemilat."

Hank's hand faltered a little as he looked up from the paper under his hand and locked eyes with Connor. "...What did he say?"

"He informed me that he was proud of how well Hannah is doing, of how Diane and Colin have since broken up as a couple but are succeeding academically, and that Debra Wemilat is doing well mentally after receiving medical treatment for her previously undiagnosed mental illness."

"That's it? No argument, no fighting, no threats?"

"Correct."

"Good."

"It was unexpected but it wasn't menacing. And yet I can't help but feel as though my ability to raise Hannah isn't going to be challenged again."

"Relax, son. You're a great father and Hannah is one of the happiest kids I've ever known. You being a deviant has absolutely no negative effects on Hannah, and it never will."

Nodding a little Connor let out a small sigh and gave Hank an appreciative glance. "Thank you for believing in me."

With her hair free of the gum Hannah rushed over to Connor and climbed up onto his lap to show him her clean hair. "Gum's gone!"

"Your hair looks much better without it."

Tina returned to the bullpen and noted how long Hannah's hair was getting. "You know, it might be time to pull her hair back into a single ponytail in favor of the pigtails. It'll work better to keep her hair out of her face and out of her snacks."

"You may be correct. Can you show me how?"

"Sure. It's basically the same as making two pigtails, but it takes half as long." Gently Tina pulled the hair ties out to release Hannah's pigtails, then gently used her fingers to comb through the long brunette locks before pulling her hair up into a single neat bundle, and wrapping one of the two hair ties around it to hold Hannah's hair back. "Ta-da! One perfect ponytail!"

Hannah pulled on her ponytail and grinned. "I like it! But it's not a ponytail."

"Oh, really?" Tina crossed her arms over her chest and gave Hannah a playful smirk. "Then what is it?"

"A unicorn tail!"

"You know what? You're absolutely right!"

Gavin cleared his voice a little as he addressed his partner as he stood up from his desk. "Hey, Tina. We gotta' case. Let's go."

"Right. See ya' later, Hannah!"

"Bye!"

Hank finished with the document and put it back into Hannah's backpack, then replaced the crayons, drawing and hoodie alongside it. "There we go. Next week Papa is going to speak to your class, Hannah. What do you think?"

"You get to be in school with me?"

"Yup."

"Can we play at recess?"

"Absolutely."

"Yeah!"

Connor gave Hank an appreciative smirk as he stood up with Hannah in his arms and watched Hank clock-out for the afternoon. "I know you'll keep having fun at school, Hannah." Giving her a kiss on her cheek Connor happily carried Hannah out of the precinct while Hank accompanied them, and carried Hannah's backpack on the kindergartner's behalf. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and you'll be just fine..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The day had started out normally enough until Connor came back to the house after dropping Hannah off at kindergarten and found Sumo collapsed in the middle of the livingroom floor. The deviant immediately checked over the massive dog's vital signs and discovered that age had caught up to the large breed of dog, and resulted in Sumo suffering a heart attack. Informing Hank of Sumo falling ill as the senior detective kept busy in the backyard, Connor scooped Sumo up and carried him to the car to take him to the nearest available vet.

It only took the vet a few minutes to confirm Sumo's heart attack and in that time he confirmed that the only thing they could do for Sumo was keep him comfortable in his final minutes. Connor rubbed Sumo's ears gently and kept telling him he was a good boy up until his final breath, and then took it upon himself to wrap Sumo up in a clean white sheet before returning him to the car to be properly buried in the backyard.

With his tears in his eyes Connor dug a deep grave in the backyard for Sumo and Hank managed to locate a large wooden chest at a nearby thrift store to put Sumo inside of before he was laid to rest. Obeying some unexplainable instinct Connor gathered up Sumo's toys and placed them down inside the chest with the loyal dog to ensure he always had something he loved with him.

After burying the beloved family pet Connor took the time to mourn in private while Hank did the same. It took the young deviant the entire afternoon to regain his composure, and afterward he sought Hank's advice on dealing with the loss of a pet.

"As much as Sumo's passing has hurt me I can't imagine how much it's going to hurt Hannah." Wiping away his lingering tears Connor sat down on the couch beside Hank and sighed. "What do I tell her?"

"Well, you have a few options." Ignoring his own tears Hank tried to help Connor handle this delicate situation before they picked Hannah up from school that day. "You can tell her that Sumo went to live on a farm upstate, which never works and will make her ask a lot of questions about why Sumo left and why we can't visit him. You can tell her he ran away, which would just scare her and make her feel horrible in believing that Sumo was lost somewhere on the street and not safe at home. Or you can tell her the truth and hold her while she cries."

"None of those options sound ideal."

"It's because they're not."

"I... I'll tell her the truth. It won't be easy but I don't want to lie to her."

"Good answer. My first dog died when I was eight and my mom tried to the 'farm upstate' lie, but when I kept asking about it she finally told me the truth and I was angry that I was lied to. I understand why my parents did it, but it still hurt. And my buddy was told his cat ran away when he was ten, and he spent an entire week looking for his cat until he discovered the small grave in the backyard. That really messed him up for a while."

"When I tell Hannah... Will you help me?"

"Yeah, son. Of course I will."

"Thank you."

As expected Hannah was devastated and cried her eyes out as Connor held her in a hug on his lap on the couch. The kindergartner had buried her face against Connor's chest and wept loudly as Connor just rubbed her back and kept promising her that she'd be okay, told her that Sumo wasn't in pain and that it was okay to cry and be sad for a while. Despite everything Connor was telling her, and Hank being just as supportive, Hannah was still devastated and there seemed to be nothing they could do to make her feel better.

It was too soon to get another pet, and doing so might be seen as 'replacing' Sumo, which was something that would never happen. Beyond talking and letting her ask all her questions there was little Connor could do to soothe his daughter's aching heart.

"Sumo knows you loved him, Hannah. He was a very happy dog until the very end."

Keeping his arms wrapped around her Connor just let Hannah cry and didn't even think about trying to get her stop.

"I know right now you feel like you're going to be sad forever, but you'll be happy again soon. Until then you be as sad as you need to be and don't stop being sad until you're ready to feel better."

Hank had gone out of his way to make a special dinner to try to cheer Hannah up, and was listening to Connor as the deviant father did his best to keep his daughter feeling supported. "The same goes for you, son. Be sad if you need to be sad..."

The entire household was in mourning and everything just felt empty.

After a few minutes Hannah suddenly quieted down as she fell asleep from emotional exhaustion in Connor's arms, and Connor just held onto her a little tighter. Stepping out of the kitchen Hank looked at the couch and saw that Hannah had fallen asleep and he could tell that Connor didn't want to let her go.

"I know it's hard, but why don't you take her upstairs so she can nap in her bed for a while?"

"I don't want her to wake up and be alone."

"Then you should take a nap with her so she won't be alone. This is going to be tough, but you're going to need to let her be alone to process this. It seems harsh but it's important she learns how to cope with emotional tragedy by herself."

"I know. Self soothing is crucial but... It seems cruel."

"Yeah, I felt just as bad when I had to keep telling Cole he needed to try to sleep in his own bed during thunderstorms or after nightmares, but in the end it's best for kids to build self confidence at a young age."

Nodding a little Connor agreed and carried Hannah toward the staircase. "...I'll let her nap alone for now. If she has trouble sleeping tonight without Sumo on her bed then I will sleep beside her tonight only."

"Yeah, that's understandable. She'll be okay, son. She just needs time to adjust to the new change."

"You're right." Carrying Hannah up the staircase Connor remembered how much he struggled with his own emotions, and how he was still learning as he took care of his daughter. "Adjustment takes time."

After two hours of quiet time Hannah awoke from her nap and was done crying for a while. Joining her family at the dinner table the usually upbeat and happy five year old was quiet and didn't seem to have much of an appetite. Neither Connor or Hank were going to pressure Hannah to eat if she wasn't hungry, and just waited for her to start asking questions again.

"...I got word from Tina regarding the breaking and entering case from last night." Speaking only to break the silence Connor tried to keep the little girl somewhat distracted for a moment. "They found the suspect and confirmed that the thief was after new phones to sell on the street at a mark-up."

"Phones are expensive enough as they are. What an idiot."

"Agreed."  Turning his attention to his daughter Connor tried to keep the conversation going.  "Did you do anything fun today at school, Hannah?"

It took her a moment to answer since she didn't want to talk. "...No."

"Did you make any new drawings?"

"No."

"Did you have fun at recess?"

"Not really."

"...Do you want to ask me or your Papa any questions about what happened today?"

Falling silent again as she spun her spoon through her mashed potatoes Hannah gave Connor a sad stare. "Why did Sumo have to die?"

"...Sumo was old. He was thirteen years old, and for a dog that is as old as a ninety-six year old person. Sumo was also a very large breed of dog and as such he was... Well, bigger dogs sometimes have shorter lives than smaller dogs. It's difficult to explain."

"Sumo got old and died?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Will you and Papa get old and die?"

"Uh..." The prospect of discussing his mortality and Hank's advanced age was not an ideal topic. "Hannah, some day everyone who is born will also pass away. It's something that gives us common ground with all the other people and animals living in the world. It's... Uh..."

Hank stepped in and helped Connor figure out his words. "What your dad means is, in time everyone will eventually die, but that doesn't mean we have to worry about it. You're going to be a grown-up and beautiful woman by the time you have to worry about me going anywhere, and even then I won't go without a fight. As for your dad... He's too stubborn to EVER go down."

Hannah didn't look convinced.  "What about me?"

Connor spoke up again suddenly and almost sounded frightened. "No. You'll be fine, Hannah."

"...Where do we go when we die?"

Answering on Connor's behalf again Hank tried to help Hannah find some comfort as much as he could. "Well, there's a lot of people who believe that there is a special paradise waiting for us, and in that paradise we'll be reunited with all of the people and pets we care about. Even Sumo."

"So I will see Sumo again someday?"

"Yup. And I know he'll be happy to see you!"

"Is he alone?"

"No, not at all. There's lots of other people and other dogs playing with him right now so he'll never be sad or lonely. And once it's our turn to play with him again he'll be happy to see us. Okay?"

"Okay..."

"Hey?" Walking over to where Hannah was sitting Hank gave her a warm hug. "You'll be okay, Hannah-Banana. Just keep being the happy and wonderful little girl you are and Sumo will be happy and waiting for us in paradise."

Leaning into the hug Hannah finally seemed to understand what was happening. "Okay, Papa."

"Okay."

Appreciative of Hank's help Connor breathed a sigh of relief and noted that Hannah hadn't eaten much, and figured she'd be hungrier in a little while now that she had calmed down. "It's time for a bath. After you're done you can eat a little more if you want, but you don't have to. Then I'll read you a story."

Nodding a little Hannah climbed down from her seat after she finally released her hug and walked upstairs to the bathroom to get ready for her bath.

"Thank you, dad."

"You're welcome, son."

"I'm glad you know what to say and how to say it. I've... never had to explain anything like that before, and I've never even thought about it."

"Hey, I've been through this before as both a child and as an adult. It's never easy explaining things to kids, but having a childhood to fall back on does help a lot. And I meant what I said about Sumo being happy and not being alone."

"You're referring to Cole and Barbara."

"Hell yeah. Trust me, they loved that dog as much as you and Hannah did. He's fine, son."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"So... What do you want to do now?"

"What do you mean? I'm going to give Hannah a bath."

"No, not that. I mean, we both know that Hannah loves cats and now that Sumo's gone it might be the time. I mean, getting another dog would just seem weird and I don't think Hannah would respond as positively as we'd hope. But getting her a little kitten to take care of and bond with might be just what she needs."

"Hannah is impressively mature for a five year old, but I think it'd be best to wait a little while longer. She will get her kitten, Hank. She deserves to have the chance to raise her own pet and take pride in being responsible."

"All right. Just don't wait too long. This house needs a pet."

"Agreed." Looking at Sumo's empty bed in the livingroom Connor sighed and made his way upstairs to help Hannah with her bath. "There's always room for more in the Anderson home."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

A month of normalcy was very welcome as it gave everyone a chance to recover from the loss of Sumo. Hannah was back to being a happy and smiling little girl who loved to draw and color, and Connor and Hank had managed to adjust their morning routines to get ready for work and get Hannah ready for school without taking the time to feed Sumo or let him outside. It was a very strange adjustment period but it went about smoothly and uneventfully.

However, that normalcy was short lived as an unexpected news story caught Connor and Hank's attention.

A breaking news story stated that Debra Wemilat, the disgraced local celebrity and billionaire, and Hannah's biological grandmother, had been diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer and was apparently on her deathbed. While the city was torn about whether or not they should care; Debra's infamy was still prevalent despite her getting help for her previously untreated mental illness and donating to numerous charities to aid in childcare, Connor found himself feeling torn about how he should handle the situation.

Hank was watching Connor think as the deviant sat on the couch and danced his coin over the back of his right knuckles with utter perfection as Hank himself sat down on the floor next to Hannah to let her trace his hand for her newest masterpiece. "Son?"

"...I need to make a decision."

"Uh, about what?" Trying to remain cryptic for Hannah's sake Hank gently pushed the matter forward.

"This morning I received a phone call from Alicia Wallis regarding Mrs. Wemilat. Apparently Debra wishes to see me in person and despite the restraining order I feel as though I somehow owe her one final peace of mind before she... passes."

"Oh... I get it."

"What should I do?"

"Well, it's hard to ignore the dy- final wishes of anyone, even if they weren't the nicest person to deal with." Pulling back his hand as Hannah finished tracing his fingers Hank gave his deviant son a lost glance. "I guess it's up to you. You can nullify the restraining order for the sake of talking to her if you want, but I wouldn't..." His blue eyes silently motioned to Hannah as she continued her drawing beside him. "You know."

"Yes, I know." Pocketing his coin Connor sighed and leaned his elbows atop his knees. "...I think it'd be best if I saw her. I don't want either of us to deal with a sense of regret."

"Okay. That's your choice." Standing up from the floor Hank stretched his back a little and walked toward the bathroom down the hallway. "I'll go take a quick shower and you can head out. I'll stay here with Hannah."

The sound of the bathroom door clicking shut was enough to make Connor sigh as he tried to preconstruct every possible conversation that could come his way regarding someone as notorious as Debra Wemilat.

"Daddy?" Hannah noticed that her dad seemed glum and wanted to help. "Are you sad?"

"No, Hannah." Looking his daughter in the eyes Connor tried to be as honest with her as possible. "I'm just trying to decide how I'm going to talk to someone that I don't like very much."

"Why don't you like them?"

"Because she... is a bully." The term was simple and surprisingly accurate. "I don't like bullies."

"Did she bully you?"

"She tried to, but I put an end to it."

"Why do you want to see a bully?"

"Well, she wants to apologize for being mean. And I would like to hear her apology since it's the right thing to do, but that doesn't mean I want to be near her."

"Why is she apologizing?"

"She's sick. Sometimes when adults get sick they start to think about the way they behaved in the past and begin to feel bad, and when they feel bad enough they decide it's time to apologize."

"Why was she being mean to you?"

"...I had something very special that she wanted, and when I wouldn't give it to her she took me to court to try to make a judge help her, but it didn't work. She lost and I won, and afterward she was told that if she ever came near me, or you, or your Papa, then she'd get in trouble."

"Oh. What was so special?"

Smirking a little Connor didn't want to tell Hannah about her wild beginnings just yet, and so he played coy with her instead. "...It's a secret."

"Tell me!"

"When you're older. I promise I'll tell you what was so special and then you'll understand why I fought so hard to keep it."

"Pleeeeease?"

"Nope! Not this time."

"When will you tell me?"

"When you're eighteen years old."

"That long?! That's so old!"

"Don't let your Papa hear you say that, it'll make him cry!"

"Then I'll make him another heart!" Hannah returned to her massive pad of drawing paper and quickly drew a perfect blue heart and began coloring it in with green. "There! If Papa feels bad I'll give it to him!"

"That's very nice of you, Hannah."

"I'll make another!" Quickly drawing a second heart in purple Hannah colored it in pink and managed to use her safety scissors to cut out the heart from the rest of the paper and handed it over to Connor to take. "Here!"

"Thank you, but I promise I'm not sad."

"It's for the bully who is sick. You can give it to her!"

Feeling his heart skip a beat Connor couldn't believe how selfless and sweet the five year old already was, and a part of him wanted to tell her the truth about Debra being her grandmother, but it just wasn't the time. "...Thank you, Hannah. I know she'll appreciate this."

Driving out to the extravagant Wemilat mansion located on the ritzier side of the city Connor stopped at the front gate and waited for the private security program to recognize Connor's face through a simple scan, and opened up the large black iron gates to allow the car passage. Parking in front of the massive three story mansion Connor stepped out of the vehicle and scanned the property warily. The exterior of the mansion was composed of tan colored bricks that had ivy growing up and over the surface like snakes, the plants reaching toward the second and third story windows easily. White marble pillars sat on either side of the large white door leading into the mansion, and a path of white concrete speckled with marble led any guests from the driveway and toward the front door with a faux sense of welcoming.

The moment Connor reached the front door it was opened from the inside as Robert Wemilat readily greeted the deviant detective.

"...Mr. Wemilat." Extending his right hand Connor greeted him respectfully.

"Thank you for coming, detective." Reciprocating the handshake Robert stepped aside to let Connor inside the mansion. "And please, call me 'Robert'."

"Very well, Robert." Glancing about the mansion Connor felt a heaviness in the air that made his artificial skin crawl with dread. "Is Mrs. Wemilat resting well?"

"She's not in any pain. The... The doctors don't think she'll make it through the next forty-eight hours and have given her as much painkillers as possible to ensure she doesn't suffer."

"That's good."

"Uh, I know that it wasn't easy to come here and I just want you to know that I appreciate it. Debra will too."

"May I speak with her, or is she resting?"

"She's awake right now. She's... She's been trying to reach Diane but I fear my daughter's stubbornness is going to win out."

"Perhaps you should speak with her and let her know that while she is justified in not wanting to speak with her mother,  she would live the rest of her life with regret if she doesn't let her mother at least attempt to apologize. Diane doesn't have to believe her or accept the apology, but she should at least listen to it."

"Yeah, I'll try that." Showing Connor to the staircase Robert escorted his guest to the third floor and toward the massive master bedroom at the very end of the corridor. "Thank you for being here. I'm going to contact Diane and beg her to listen to reason."

Nodding a little Connor quietly approached the closed door and knocked softly on the surface twice. There was a weak and nearly inaudible voice on the other side that responded, but Connor heard it perfectly well and opened the door slowly.

Debra was laying in her bad with a muted cardiac monitor recording her vitals, and she had a nasal canula under her nose feeding her oxygen. The woman was very thin, very pale and she had a pale pink bandana over her thinning hair as her cancer treatment had caused a majority of her hair to fall out. Opening her eyes slowly Debra recognized the deviant standing in her doorway and managed a weak grin. "...Thank you for coming."

"I didn't want to have any regrets in my life." Approaching the bedside slowly Connor looked down at the frail woman and his scanned immediately detected the advanced cancer destroying her body from the inside out. "I also decided I owed it to Hannah to speak with you."

"...Does she know who I am?"

"No. She doesn't know anything about her biological parents, and is aware that she was adopted. It was an unexpected discussion but she understands that adoption doesn't make her any less my daughter."

"...That's wonderful. I'm truly humbled to know you've been taking care of her and raising her as your own."

"I wouldn't have fought for custody if I didn't want to be her father."

"...I can see that now. I'm... I'm so ashamed of my previous behavior. Of how I treated my own daughter..." Crying as she spoke Debra tried and failed to reach for a tissue in the box sitting on the stand beside her bed, but was given one by Connor as he aided her in her moment of weakness. "...I can't believe I did that to her."

"You were unwell and weren't properly diagnosed by a doctor. It's not your fault."

"I still hurt my own daughter in so many ways, and I was so selfish! Sick or not I can't forgive myself."

Remembering the simple gift Hannah had made for Debra since she was sick Connor reached into his jacket's right pocket and presented the simple pink and purple heart to Debra to take. "When I left this afternoon I told Hannah that I was going to see someone who is ill, she made this as a gift to help them feel better."

With a shaking right hand Debra accepted the tiny paper heart and began crying even harder. Pressing the small paper gift over her own heart Debra seemed to find some sense of love that she had been longing for in her moment of despair.

"In time when Hannah is old enough to learn of her biological family I promise that I won't speak ill of you or vilify you in any way. I don't want Hannah to be afraid of her past or her future."

"Thank you..." Drying her tears just long enough to reach for something hidden under her pillow Debra handed Connor a sealed manila envelope and gave him a simple request. "That contains a check for one-hundred thousand dollars. It's put in Hannah's name. Hannah Nicolette Anderson. I want her to have that to help pay for her future education, her first home, her first car... Anything she needs it for. I've also included a letter I wrote to tell her who Robert and I am, of Diane and how in the end her being adopted by you was the best thing that could've ever happened to her. Please give it to her when she graduates high school."

Accepting the envelope Connor slipped it into his jacket and promised to give it to Hannah when the time was right. "I will. Until then it will be kept safe at all times."

"...You're so kind. I'm glad Hannah is being raised by such a kind man and that you're being her dad. I was wrong to think of you as nothing more than a machine. You were right about everything. You don't need to be a perfect parent to take care of child, you just need to be willing to be a parent period. That's something Diane was trying to tell me as she grew up, but I didn't listen. I always just passed her off to the nanny so I could work and now... Now I'm nothing more than the cruel woman who almost destroyed my daughter's future for my own selfish needs."

"I have the feeling that Diane will be willing to listen. Don't give up on her."

"...I'll try to hold on for her. I don't want to leave this world without seeing her one last time."

"She'll be here..." Cybernetically Connor managed to upload his visual memory of the conversation to Robert's phone, and send the message to Diane through her father's number so she could see and hear the remorse in her mother's words before it was too late. "Just be patient."

Debra was losing her energy and struggled to keep her eyes open. "...Please stay with me? I don't want to be alone."

"Yes, of course." Locating a nearby wooden chair near the massive bedroom window that the curtains drawn over it to keep out the sunlight so Debra could rest more comfortably,  Connor placed it down beside the bed to keep close to Debra as she slept. "You won't be alone. Rest now."

It was nearly ten o'clock at night when Connor finally returned home. Hannah had been put to bed after Hank made her dinner and made sure she took a bath and brushed her teeth.  The senior detective was waiting for Connor as he sat on the couch and watched an old movie. Hearing the front door open and then shut quietly Hank turned off the television and gave the deviant his full attention.

"So... How'd it go?"

Connor looked at Hank with unshed tears in his eyes as he pulled the envelope from his jacket and showed it to Hank. "...She passed at nine-fourteen this evening. And she wanted Hannah to have this upon her high school graduation."

"Ah, shit..."

"Diane arrived home just after six o'clock and she finally spoke to her mother again for the first time in nearly five years."

"Well, knowing that Diane and Colin sued her for assault and won... I'm not surprised it took so long."

"Agreed. But, they made amends and Diane stayed with her mother until she passed in her sleep."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes, I'll be okay."

Carrying the envelope up the stairs and into his bedroom Connor placed it in the same secured metal lock box where he placed all of the cards from Hannah's parents she received every birthday, and made sure it was kept safe until it was time for Hannah to know the truth. Removing his jacket and shoes Connor stared at Hannah through her partially opened bedroom door from his own opened door and approached the room slowly.

"...She is still so innocent and has no idea where she came from."

"It doesn't matter." Joining Connor upstairs Hank confirmed that regardless of Hannah's origins she was loved and would always be a part of the family. "She's a tough kid and in time she'll be able to understand everything just fine. Until then just keep doing what you're doing, and everything will be all right."

"Yeah, you're right." Entering Hannah's bedroom quietly Connor ran his fingers through Hannah's long brunette hair and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The comforting gesture was met with a faint smile from Hannah as she pulled her stuffed white kitty up closer to her chest as she slept. "Goodnight, Hannah. Daddy loves you."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting on the exam table of the precinct dispensary Connor patiently awaited the final results of the tests being run on his person by Joel to determine exactly why the electric shock from a fleeing suspect's taser had deactivated Connor's artificial skin, and to find out why his skin couldn't regenerate. Feeling entirely exposed and out of place Connor eagerly pulled a D.P.D. hoodie on over his dress shirt and tie so he could hide his bare plastimetal face under the hood until his skin could return.

Joel finished looking over the diagnostic of Connor's system on his terminal screen and gave the deviant a sigh. "Well, it looks like that taser was strong enough to knock the proper projection sensors offline and will need to fully reboot."

Glancing down at his exposed right palm Connor sighed and shook his head. "...How long will that take?"

"Based on these readings and your prototyping... A full twenty-four hours."

"I can't wait that long." Sliding off the exam table Connor sounded as broken as he felt. "Hannah will see me like this, it'll scare her."

"Hey, I've met Hannah a few times and even for a first grader she's sharp and she's tough. I think she can handle her dad looking a little different for a while."

"I won't risk it. I don't want her to feel like she's not really my daughter because I'm an android."

"From my experience kids don't care about blood and D.N.A. when it comes to having a stable parent. My wife's kids from her previous relationship call me 'dad' and never ask about their biological dirtbag of a father since they've never really spent any time with him. Hannah isn't going to see you as anyone less than her dad."

Pulling the hood down a little further over his face Connor shook his head and slipped his exposed hands into the front pocket of the hoodie out of sight. "I hope you're right. I don't want to scare her or accidentally push her away."

"You'd have to intentionally do something terrible to push your own child away. Just go home, rest and let your system do whatever it needs to do so you can reboot your skin projection program faster."

"...Right. Thank you for the help, Joel."

With a heavy heart Connor used the elevator down the corridor from the dispensary to return to the ground floor of the precinct and locate Hank. Within the past year Hank had been promoted from Lieutenant to Captain and had taken over the precinct after Captain Fowler accepted a transfer to another precinct in Kalamazoo to be near his kids while they both attended college in the new city. Keeping his head low Connor walked over to Hank's office and knocked on the door with his bare white knuckles before entering.

"Hey, kid." Hank watched as the deviant shuffled over to his desk and struggled to lock eyes with him. "No luck?"

"No. I need to wait twenty-four hours before my artificial skin will regenerate."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, you didn't tase me."

"Why don't you head home and get some rest? You may be the new Lieutenant but you're allowed to take a sick day after you get tased."

"What about Hannah?" Flexing his exposed hands nervously as he returned them both to his hoodie pocket Connor was clearly wary of letting the little girl see him as the android he tried to deny being. "I don't want to scare her."

"I'll pick her up and I'll stay home with her. I'll just tell her you're sick and need to sleep for a while, and I'll keep my eye on her."

"...What about her homework?"

"Is she still having trouble with her math?"

"In a way."

"How so?"

"She understands addition and subtraction, and she knows all of her numbers up to one-thousand, but when it comes to double digits she is... struggling. I suspect she is suffering from dyscalculia and will have further difficulty in handling more complex equations. I don't want her to fall behind in her lessons."

"...Dyscalculia?"

"A form of dyslexia in regard to math equations. But more complicated."

"Oh! Okay, well, if she needs help then I'll help her. Don't worry about it, it's not the first or even second time I've handled first grade homework."

"I sincerely hope you're referring to helping Cole and not admitting to failing first grade math."

"Smartass. Just go home and rest, I'll take care of Hannah and have a chat with her teacher today if you'd like."

"Please. And make sure her loose tooth isn't causing her problems."

"Consider it done!"

Returning home via autonomous taxi Connor entered the quiet and empty house to finally rest appropriately, and wait for his artificial skin to regenerate at long last. Entering the bathroom Connor pulled his hood down and peered at his reflection in the mirror above the sink. He pressed his exposed right fingertips along his face and under his eyes curiously. It had been the first time in Connor's short life that his artificial skin had malfunctioned, and it had been the first time that Connor actually thought about how important the projection was not just for himself but for everyone who knew him.

The feeling of the plastimetal fingers pressed again a plastimetal face felt impossibly real. Connor had never thought about his plastimetal frame beyond his bone structure, now he was seeing how it was his true face underneath.

"...I hate this."

Walking out of the bathroom Connor walked up the staircase and retreated to his bedroom where he pulled the hood back up and over his face to try to hide from the world for a while. Laying on his right side Connor closed his eyes and curled up into a little ball on his bed to feel more secure while he felt exposed.

Unsure of how much time had passed Connor's eyes only opened up when he heard the front door open, heard Hank and Hannah's voices speaking to one another downstairs and then the door clicking shut behind them. The sound of Hannah walking upstairs to drop off her backpack echoed through the opened doorway of his bedroom despite her walking very slowly and quietly.

Feeling Hannah staring at his back for a moment Connor hoped she'd go away and not look at his face, and he wouldn't have to ask her to go. Fortunately she seemed to understand that he needed space for a while and went back downstairs with her homework in her hands to work with Hank at the kitchen table.

"...Please be patient with me, Hannah. I just need a moment to heal."

After making Hannah her after school snack Hank joined her at the kitchen table and helped her with her homework only when she needed it. Acing her spelling assignment and word comprehension sheets Hannah moved on to her math and had no problem with the basic equations, but as soon as it turned to double-digits and larger numbers she began to slow down and struggle. As she slowed down Hannah nervously began fidgeting with her loose tooth like she had developed a tic like her father.

"Need some help, Hannah-Banana?"

"...A little."

"What's up?" Looking at the sheet Hank eyed the simple math problem, did it quickly in his own head, and watched as Hannah tried to do the same.

"I just... I know how to add but I can't do it when the numbers get bigger. I don't know why."

"Alright, let me see if I can help you. Twenty-eight plus twenty-one."

Remembering what Connor had said about her starting to struggle and of that particular term of dyscalculia Hank had spoken to Hannah's teacher and he had confirmed that he suspected the same issue. Using a little trick he had been told could be beneficial for Hannah's potential learning disability Hank took a clean piece of paper and used it to cover the first digits of the equation, and had Hannah focus on the last two digits to add together first.

"Okay, what is eight plus one?"

"Nine!"

"So write down the nine where it needs to go... Okay." Moving the paper over to cover the last two digits now revealing the first digits Hank asked again. "Now, what's two plus two?"

"Four!"

"So put down the four..." After Hannah did as she was told Hank moved the paper aside and showed her the completed problem. "Ta-da! You wrote down forty-nine and that's the correct answer."

"I did it?"

"Yeah, you did it. Good job, Hannah."

"That's so much easier! Thanks, Papa." Taking the piece of paper Hannah repeated the trick and was able to finally break down the equation into something simpler that her brain could process easier and accurately. "I can do it now!"

"We always knew you could." Giving Hannah a kiss on her hair Hank rose from the table and stepped out of the kitchen. "You're a smart girl, Hannah. You can solve any problem that comes your way as long as you never give up on it. I'm going to check on your dad for a minute, I'll be right back."

"'Kay!"

Walking up the staircase Hank entered Connor's bedroom and lightly knocked on the opened door frame before speaking up. "Connor?"

"...I'm awake."

"Hannah's finishing up her homework. Her teacher was beginning to suspect the same thing you were worried about, but I worked with Hannah and found her a handy way to overcome it."

"That's good. How's her tooth?"

"Loose but I don't think she's quite ready to have it pulled. If she does want it out I'll handle it."

"Thank you."

"I take it your skin still isn't working right."

"You're correct."

"Try to be patient."

Smirking faintly as Connor realized the irony of Hank asking him the same thing that Connor himself had asked of Hannah, the deviant let out a weary breath of defeat and remained on the bed. "I'll try."

"Since it's Friday I'm going to let Hannah stay up for a while longer to watch a movie. I'm also going to make that weird chicken dish thing you insist I eat, so dinner will be taken care of, too."

"I'm glad you're here, Hank. I don't think I could handle this alone."

"Being hurt or having a bad day doesn't mean you'd suddenly suck at being a father. Just let your body rest and try not to worry about anything for the rest of the day."

"I'll try to do that, too."

"Need any Thirium?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Okay. Just call if you do need anything."

Nodding where he was laying Connor closed his eyes and resumed resting to ensure he healed as quickly as possible. "I will..."

Sitting on the couch with Hannah at his side Hank helped her to practice her math equations and handle more and more complex problems, and assured her that she was doing everything correctly and getting the right answer every time. They had both had their dinner and were waiting for a new movie to show up for streaming, so until then Hank just helped Hannah with her math and watched as the six year old fussed with a loose tooth in her lower jaw once again as if it was annoying her.

"Is your tooth bothering you?"

"A little. It's really loose."

"Want me to pull it out for ya'?"

"No, I want to do it myself."

"Really?"

"Yup. It doesn't hurt, it just feels weird."

"All right, but if you-" Hank's phone started buzzing and he pulled the intrusive device from pocket. "Ah, man."

"What?"

"It's a call from the precinct."

"Oh."

Answering the call Hank pressed the phone to his ear and waited to hear what was going on. "This is Anderson... Uh-huh, and why can't Reed handle this? You're kidding? All right, fine. I'm on my way, Tina. Hold down the fort for me." Ending the call Hank sighed and gave Hannah a somber glance. "Sorry, kiddo. I got to go back to work for a while."

"Why?"

"A bad guy did a lot of bad drugs and I have to handle it. Gavin got punched in the nose by that bad guy,  and now he's taking care of a blood nose.  So I need to go in and let that guy know what he did was wrong."

"Is daddy going, too?"

"Nope. He still doesn't feel good, so while I'm gone you're going to stay here with your dad and make sure he's okay." Standing up from the couch Hank gave his granddaughter a kind smirk. "Don't mess with the stove, don't leave the house and don't let your dad see you sneaking any snacks out of my secret stash beside the stereo. Okay?"

"Okay!"

"That's my girl." Walking upstairs for a moment Hank told Connor what was going on then returned to the first floor to put on his shoes and grab his car keys to head out. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Hannah."

Sitting on the couch Hannah watched as Hank stepped through the front door and locked it behind himself as he left. She could see the headlights of the car light up and trailed the car as it backed down the driveway and onto the street to head back to the precinct. Climbing off of the couch Hannah continued to fuss with her loose tooth and walked over to the stereo to get one of the packed sweets Hank had hidden from Connor so that he and Hannah could have a little fun secret together.

Pulling out a small cupcake wrapped in plastic Hannah tried but failed to get it open by hand, so instead she resorted to using her teeth. As she tore through the plastic it loosened her already loose tooth to the point where it was just barely hanging on and now bleeding.

Tasting the blood in her mouth Hannah dropped the treat and pressed her fingertips to her mouth around her tooth and felt and saw the blood on her hands. Scared by the blood Hannah rushed out of the livingroom and up the staircase to get to her dad's bedroom.

"Daddy!"

Hearing Hannah's panicked voice made Connor sit upright quickly and he turned to face the opened doorway. The moment Hannah ran into his bedroom Connor's personal woes over not having his skin just faded as his daughter's needs came before his own. "Hannah?"

"My tooth! I'm bleeding!"

Climbing off of the bed Connor didn't notice his hood falling back revealing his face and only became aware when Hannah ran into his bedroom, saw his face and froze. Staring at him with wide eyes Hannah let out a small scream and ran into her bedroom out of fear.

"H-Hannah?!" Realizing what happened Connor felt his heart break in half. Falling to his knees on his bedroom floor Connor closed his eyes as frustrated tears welled up in his eyes. "...Please don't be afraid of me."

The moment Hannah heard Connor's voice she knew it was her daddy who just scared her and knew he didn't meant to do it. "Daddy?" Stepping out of her bedroom Hannah stared at Connor from afar and kept her hand to her bleeding mouth. "Daddy, is that you?"

"Yes, Hannah." Nodding his head Connor sighed and looked up at Hannah with tears in his eyes. "...It's me."

"You don't look like you!"

"I know. I'm sick and my... I'm so sorry I scared you!"

Hannah hung back by her door as if she were unsure whether or not to believe Connor. "...Why is your face white?"

"Because I... I can't make my skin return. I've been trying because I knew it'd scare you. I'm sorry!"

"You sound like daddy, but you don't look like daddy."

"But I am your daddy." Extending his right arm Connor rolled up the sleeve of the hoodie and showed Hannah the orange and blue heart that she had drawn on him over two years ago. He had never removed it and his artificial skin had kept it from fading. "See? You gave me this and I've always kept it with me."

Hannah could see the heart from her door frame and recognized it quickly. "Daddy?"

"Yes, Hannah. It's me." Lowering his arm Connor looked down at his floor and sighed as he pulled the hood up and over his head again. "...Please don't be afraid of me. I don't want you to ever be afraid of me for any reason." As the deviant tried to think of a way to make things better between Hannah and himself Connor suddenly felt Hannah's hands pulling back his hood so she could see him directly. "...I promise I won't hurt you."

"Are you crying?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I scared you and I didn't want to scare you."

"I'm not scared now. I know you're daddy."

The tears of sorrow became tears of joy as Connor let out a sigh of relief. "And I'll always be your daddy."

Instinctively Hannah gave her dad a hug and Connor happily reciprocated the hug as he needed it now more than ever. "That's good. I'll always be your Hannah!"

Laughing lightly at the sweet comment Connor at last felt better. "Always..."

"My tooth is bleeding."

"Okay." Drying his tears Connor resumed being a father and gently sat Hannah down in front of him. Looking at her teeth Connor confirmed that the tooth was ready to come out and was the source of the bleeding. "I can pull it out if you want me to."

"Will it hurt?"

"No. You won't feel a thing."

"Okay."

"Close your eyes..." Not wanting Hannah to see her own bloody tooth being pulled out of her mouth Connor took a hold of the offending tooth between his thumb and forefinger tip and gave it a very subtle and slow pull. The tooth popped out without any problems and Hannah was left with an open space where her lower front tooth had been. "It's out."

Opening her eyes Hannah looked at her tooth in Connor's fingers and gave him a silly new grin. "Thanks! Papa said the Tooth Fairy will give me something for my tooth, but only if I brushed it enough before it fell out."

"You've always had perfect teeth, Hannah. You did a great job taking care of them." Feeling much better Connor stood up from the floor and showed Hannah into the bathroom so she could wash her hands and brush her teeth around where the loose one fell out. Washing his own hands Connor put the tooth in a piece of tissue to keep it safe for the time being. "Papa told me that you're doing great with your math."

"Yup!" Acting as if nothing weird had happened at all Hannah brushed her teeth, minus one tooth, and seemed just as happy as ever. "I can do it now that I see the problem differently."

"That's good. I'm glad you're doing well in math. Did you finish all your homework?"

"Yup! Me and Papa were going to watch a movie but he had to go to work."

"Well, I'm feeling a little better, so why don't we go find a movie to watch until Papa's back, and then we can watch another one all together?"

"Yeah!"

Watching Hannah easily take care of her teeth and rinse out of her mouth Connor couldn't believe how well Hannah was handling everything and how quickly she adjusted to the changes she just experienced.

As a father Connor couldn't be prouder.

Sitting together on the couch Connor found a suitable movie to entertain himself and Hannah until Hank returned, and in that time Hannah pressed her palm against Connor's cheek curiously. Without shying away from the touch Connor let Hannah see him as he truly was, an android harboring a real beating heart in his chest, and could see that she wasn't afraid of him in the least.

"How come you can move your skin around?"

"...Because I'm a deviant android. It's something only androids can do."

"So I can never do this?"

"No, neither you or your Papa can do this."

"When are you going to put it back?"

"As soon as I'm better. I wish I could've done it sooner so I didn't frighten you."

"It's okay."

Smirking at the kind remark Connor barely looked over at the front door as Hank returned home and let out a tired breath. "How'd the interrogation go?"

"Uh..." Not expecting to see Connor down in the livingroom, let alone letting Hannah touch his bare face, Hank just kicked off his shoes like normal and joined his family on the couch to sit beside Hannah. "It went well. Everything's fine now and Gavin's nose was only bloodied, not broken."

"That's good. We were waiting for you before we began the new movie."

"Thanks for waiting, son."

"Want some popcorn?"

"Always!"

"I'll go make a bowl then."

Standing up from the couch Connor walked into the kitchen and looked down at his right hand as a flickering image of his artificial skin appeared on his palm, then faded away.

"I'm healing..."

Looking back at Hannah as she sat with Hank on the couch Connor managed a faint smirk as he realized patience really does pay off.

"We're all going to be just fine."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Feeling a tad awkward and almost out of his element Connor watched as Hannah and three other first graders all sat at the kitchen table with finger paints, glitter, glue, stickers and sequins, as they all made pictures together.  This was taking place while the other deviants parents sat in the livingroom together to discuss how it was strange being deviants raising human children in a world that was still quite intolerant against deviants in general. Lily, the mother of Hannah's best friend, Crystal, was in attendance and had been very warm to the idea of spending more time with deviant parents to help Crystal grow-up without fear of deviants in general.

Josh and Simon were also there with their adopted daughter, Delilah, and were thrilled with how quickly she and Hannah bonded as friends. The fourth little girl, Sophie, was new to Hannah's circle of friends and was taken from a broken home at age five where her junkie biological parents had left her to starve to death. While Delilah had been adopted at age four after spending some time in foster care, Sophie had been a part of the New Jericho daycare (thanks to kind deviants helping a starving child locked inside her own apartment) along with Hannah.  She had then been officially adopted by two kind deviants named Zachary and Rebecca after her parents lost their custody the previous year.

The idea of the little 'parent group' was a means of letting the girls have a 'playdate',  and as a means of providing support for all the parents were who either single, new to parenthood, or both. It was Hank's idea since Connor hadn't been socializing with other deviants very often and was primarily focused on being Hannah's father.  It seemed like Josh and Simon were very eager to form such a group so they could get into a rhythm as Delilah's fathers and were ready to talk.

While Hannah was drawing pictures of a kitty, rainbows and unicorns, Crystal and Delilah were making flowers and trees, and Sophie was making stars and moons. They all had their different interests but got along so well with one another that it was truly beautiful.

"I think the girls are content." Walking away from the kitchen Connor stood beside the couch and watched his five guests with intrigue. "Hannah is doing well in school and seems to be able to make friends easily."

"She's such a sweet girl." Lily complimented as she looked into the kitchen from where she was sitting on the couch. Watching Hannah and Crystal happily painting together made her smile brightly. "I'm so glad she and Crystal are still in the same class together."

"Has Crystal had difficulties with adjustment in the past?"

"A little. We're not rich and being in a 'rich school' makes her feel a little ostracized. Hannah doesn't care about her expensive clothes or expensive toys, and that makes Crystal very happy."

"I'm not rich either. I merely sent Hannah to her school because it's one of the best in the city and very secured."

"Same."

Josh nudged Simon and gave him a slight nod of his head. "Maybe we should see if Delilah can be admitted into the same school. Sounds like it'd be worth the money for a great education and safety."

"Yeah, you're right."  Simon agreed.  "We'll tutor her and let her get assessed for acceptance before she starts the second grade."

"Good idea."

Zachery watched as Sophie shyly spoke up and asked for some blue glitter, to which the other girls happily obliged. "I don't think Sophie is ready for any form of public or private school. She's still very shy and reserved because of her rough upbringing." Wrapping his hand around Rebecca's hand the kind deviant father gave his adopted daughter a worried look. "She's so afraid of being abandoned again that I don't think she'd be able to adjust to going to school five days a week."

Connor crossed his arms over his chest and pondered the idea for a moment. "Perhaps if Sophie can socialize in a safe environment without you and Rebecca always around she'd be able to adapt easier."

"What're you thinking, Connor?"

"I'm not entirely familiar with the concept but Hank told me that children often have 'slumber parties' and spend the entire day together playing and then spend the night together."

Lily giggled a little and helped explain things a little easier. "A slumber party isn't a rite of passage or anything, but it is a great way for kids to get used to the idea of being somewhere without a parent or guardian always hovering over them. It helps give them a sense of trust by being with their friends and a sense of independence because they aren't under their parents' eyes."

Zachery looked to Rebecca who gave him a subtle nod. "That's a good idea. We should arrange a slumber party for the girls."

Simon grinned a little and gave Connor a knowing glance. "Well, we're all here and Connor has the 'cool house' with a pool in the backyard..."

Giving Simon a somewhat annoyed look Connor sighed and looked at Hannah having fun with all her friends in the kitchen. "...I'll see what Hank has to say about the matter. If he doesn't mind a house full of first graders then I believe such an event can be arranged."

"I get the feeling Hank will say yes..." Flashing Josh a coy smirk Simon continued with his thought. "Does this coming Friday night work with everyone?"

Sitting on the edge of the swimming pool in his black swim trunks and white t-shirt with his legs hanging in the water as the unusually warm spring day made it the perfect day for a small pool party, Connor watched Hannah, Crystal, Delilah and Sophie all swim about with their safety water-wings and other flotation toys, while Hank used the small grill to make everyone a lunch of hotdogs and hamburgers. It was interesting seeing all four of the little girls acting so happy and getting along so well despite coming from very different backgrounds and walks of life.

Hannah's long brunette hair was pulled back in a ponytail as she swam about in her purple bathing suit with a unicorn on the front. Her brown eyes were a little brighter than usual thanks to the chlorinated water causing mild irritation, but she seemed completely content in the pool all the same. Always confident and always happy Hannah was thrilled to have her friends over for a small party a few weeks before summer break even began.

Crystal had long blonde hair and blue eyes like her mom, and she had her hair pulled back in a neat braid as she paddled about in her pink bathing suit with a rainbow over the front. She rarely got invited anywhere since she didn't come from a wealthy family, and was just as excited as Hannah to have some friends to play with without needing to pay to get into some place fancy or just get dragged through a mall unable to buy anything fun for herself.

Delilah was sporting a lime green swim suit with a smiling face on the front, and had her wavy raven black hair pulled up into three neat braids as her chocolate brown eyes lit up excitedly as she played with her friends. She was put into the foster care system after her mother gave up all parental rights after she was born, and her father was killed in a car accident when she was only two years old. Like Hannah the helpless little girl was taken in by Josh and Simon the moment they laid eyes on her and fell in love, and she was just as confident and happy as her friend.

For Sophie things were different. She had only known the kindness of a few people and was still very timid around anyone. She had red hair cut into a pixie style, a few freckles over her face that made her blue eyes appear brighter than average. Despite being placed with Zachery and Rebecca over a year prior she was still underweight, which made her sky blue bathing suit look much too big for her, and she was afraid to ask for anything. Her biological parents would hit her or yell at her for making any sound and so Sophie remained very quiet and was afraid to get too close to anyone.

Connor and Hank had looked into Sophie's case when Zachery and Rebecca fought for custody over her. They had heard her crying in her apartment and asked the landlord to call the police. The landlord refused so the deviants took matters into their own hands and volunteered to look after her while the courts were getting things settled. It seemed all deviants had a soft spot for children and in the end the couple won custody and adopted her as soon as they could.

"Girls?" Hank called out as he finished at the grill. "Lunchtime!"

Gently Connor helped all four girls get out of the pool without slipping and made sure they were all sitting at the kitchen table with towels to keep warm. While the four girls enjoyed their lunch with fresh lemonade Connor ran a scan and made sure none of the little girls were getting too hot or a sunburn. Even in May it was possible to suffer heatstroke or a sunburn courtesy of Michigan's crazy weather.

"Before you go back in the pool I want you to reapply sunscreen." Connor stated as he watched Sophie slowly pick at her lunch as if afraid she'd get yelled at for eating her own meal. "Then you can swim for a while longer before it gets too dark or cold. Okay?"

Hannah nodded enthusiastically while Crystal and Delilah replied with a happy 'Yup!'

Returning outside to the back deck Connor lowered his voice and gave Hank a somber stare. "Sophie is being very quiet and she seems afraid to do anything."

"Child abuse is easily the worst abuse since kids have no other experiences to help them figure things out as they grow up."

"How do we help her?"

"Just keep doing what you're doing, kid. Let Hannah just be her friend and let her come out of her shell at her own pace."

"It's hard to back off. She needs help."

"I know, son. She's in a better place with two parents who obviously care about her very much."

"Do you think she'll be able to handle sleeping over without Zachary or Rebecca with her?"

"Maybe. If she gets scared just do whatever you feel is right and help her as she needs it."

"I'll keep that in mind..."

The sound of little girls laughing filled the second floor of the house as the four friends took turns showering the pool water out of their hair and then gathered in the middle of Hannah's bedroom in their pajamas and slippers to play a board game. Connor was sitting on the couch next to Hank as the senior detective smirked at all the happy voices and innocent laughter echoing throughout the house. It had been too long since Hank had the pleasure of being around happy children and it did his heart good to hear all the laughter.

Connor was still worried about Sophie since she barely ate anything and seemed to be afraid of her own shadow. Deciding to take Hank's advice Connor backed off and let Hannah take the lead and help Sophie feel more like a normal little girl and not a victim who had been rescued from abuse.

"What're the girls doing up there?" Hank asked as he looked for a movie to watch for the night.

"They're playing 'Candy Land'."

"Good game. Until you get stuck in the chocolate pond..."

"It's almost seven o'clock. Think we should order the pizza now?"

"Go for it. Just make sure they have milk or more lemonade, no soda. We don't need four six year olds up all night with a sugar rush."

"That's a logical decision." Cybernetically Connor placed the order and confirmed delivery time. "Twenty minutes out."

"It's a good thing I can't order pizza just by thinking about it. I'd have died of a heart attack by forty."

"Well, you will be sixty this fall. Maybe we should celebrate?"

"Nah... I'm not the party type."

"But you do like pizza."

"Don't need a special occasion for pizza, son. Which is why again it's good I can't order it just by thinking." Leaning back against the couch cushions Hank sighed and settled on an old western movie he hadn't seen since he was a kid. "Stop worrying about Sophie."

"...Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just trust Hannah to help Sophie feel more confident. She has a knack for bringing out the best in people." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank gave him a smug grin. "Remember how hesitant I was in letting you bring her home? Now I can't imagine my life without a little Hannah-Banana to make the day better."

Smirking a little himself Connor nodded and finally relaxed a little. "...Yeah. You're right."

By nine o'clock the four girls were exhausted and had fallen asleep on the large inflatable mattress in the middle of Hannah's floor while wrapped up in their individual sleeping bags. The pizza had knocked them out and the group had fallen asleep after their third round of 'Candy Land' and fourth round of 'Uno'. The game board, playing cards and few stray game pieces were strewn out in the middle of the mattress between the four girls as they slept. Connor had checked in on the quartet around ten o'clock without disturbing them but noticed that Sophie was still awake and almost seemed afraid to close her eyes.

Staying quiet Connor walked into the bedroom and knelt on the floor beside the little girl without startling her. "Are you okay, Sophie?"

The little girl looked up at Connor and nodded a little.

"Can't sleep?"

She shook her head 'no' in response.

"Can I do anything to make you feel better?"

Shrugging her shoulders Sophie stayed quiet.

"Daddy?" Hannah whispered to Connor without waking up Crystal or Delilah in the process. "Sophie doesn't like the dark and my nightlight isn't very bright."

"Oh, okay. I can fix that."

Standing up again Connor walked downstairs and thought of a way to help Sophie feel better about the dark. Locating his emergency cell phone from the bookcase in the livingroom he returned to Hannah's bedroom with a plan. Placing his phone down on the mattress without waking up Crystal or Delilah as he moved Connor remembered that Sophie had been creating images with stars and moons and used his phone (with some 'deviant magic') to create a projection on the ceiling showing a brilliant starry night with a full moon, and even a glimpse of the aurora borealis.

"There..." Connor watched as Sophie's eyes lit up at the stars and he swore he saw the ghost of a smile on her face. "Is that better?"

Sophie nodded happily and seemed to relax.

Hannah sat upright and pointed to her bookshelf above her bed. "I have book with stars in it you can look at, too!"

Connor approved of the kind gesture and promptly picked up the book from the shelf and sat down on the floor beside the two girls and opened up the book. It was a special type of book that had holographic imaging in favor of traditional pop-up effects, and the pages even glowed in the dark so the book could be read at night.

"That's my favorite!" Hannah pointed to the constellation of the leo and grinned. "That's my favorite because it's a kitty! But that's daddy's sign. I'm a gemini."

Connor smirked and chimed in on the comment. "Sophie, when's your birthday?"

The little girl was quiet for a moment and then sat upright like Hannah before speaking in a tiny whisper. "...April."

"April? What day?"

"...Four."

"April fourth, so that makes you an aries. Aries is a ram, that's a sheep with strong horns." Showing Sophie the beautiful constellation and let her hold the book for herself Connor kept her feeling heard and safe. "I didn't know about these signs until Hannah asked me to buy this book."

Sophie's fears seemed to melt away as she looked at the stars and aurora, and finally became more like a little girl.

"Read to me, daddy."  Hannah begged.  "We stopped reading this when you got called to work and never finished."

"You're right. Let's read quietly so we don't wake up Crystal or Delilah, okay?"

"Okay." Moving her pillow over Hannah rested her head on Connor's knee and stared at the book excitedly.

Before he could even begin to read Sophie mirrored Hannah's motions and rested her own pillow against Connor's other knee and laid down on her back so she could watch the projection overhead while Connor read to her.

It was such a shocking reaction that Connor immediately sent a cybernetic message to Zachary and Rebecca about what was happening and sent them a visual copy of his memory showing Sophie perking up at the idea of stars and constellations.

"Okay..." Connor lowered his voice and let Sophie cuddle near him just as Hannah was doing. "We stopped reading at leo which means were moving on to the next constellation... Virgo. That's your Papa's sign."

"We should put the virgo sign on his birthday cake."

"Great idea, Hannah. Let's keep reading and see what other ideas we can use."

Waking up early in the morning, the habit now instilled in his routine thanks to being promoted to Captain and running the precinct, Hank exited his bedroom and checked in on Hannah and her friends as he walked down the hallway. Peering inside the room Hank smirked and immediately returned to his room to get his phone and take a picture of the sight in his granddaughter's bedroom. The four little girls were all asleep and Connor was sitting upright against Hannah's bed in rest mode, choosing to sleep where he sat rather than risk waking anyone up.

Snapping a quick photograph Hank slipped the phone into his pocket and whispered to Connor knowing he'd hear his voice without waking up anyone else before they were ready. "Connor?"

Opening his brown eyes Connor glanced about the bedroom and saw that the two little girls were still sleeping on his legs. "...Yes?"

"How long have you been in here?"

"Since four minutes past ten o'clock."

"All night?"

"Sophie couldn't sleep without a brighter nightlight." Nodding at his phone still projecting the starry sky on the ceiling Connor explained things almost casually where he sat. "I improvised."

"Good work."

"I also learned that Sophie has an interest in the cosmos. Think we can use that to help her feel more at ease?"

"Yeah... I can work with that. Keep the girls up here while I go get things set up in the kitchen." Moving quietly Hank made his way downstairs without ever disturbing the girls. "I have an idea..."

Cybernetically Connor updated everyone regarding their children, sending a text to Lily was of course mandatory as she wasn't a deviant, and everyone seemed pleased. It was agreed the parents would stop by around noon to pick up their kids and thank Connor for giving them their first slumber party.  Until then Connor would make sure all of the kids felt welcomed and safe regardless of their 'unusual' families or back stories.

Lightly Connor brushed a lock of Hannah's long hair from her face and woke her up gently.  "Hannah?"

Looking up at her dad Hannah smiled and replied.  "...Hi, dad."

"Hi. Did you sleep okay?"

"Yup." Sitting upright Hannah looked at her friends and started whispering. "They're still sleeping."

"Yeah. Let them wake up on their own so we can go have breakfast together."

"Okay." Standing up slowly Hannah got off the inflatable mattress without jostling it and opened up her closet to get to her backpack. Unzipping the bag Hannah revealed a brand new play make-up set and showed it to Connor. "Tina gave this to me when I got my first 'A' on my math test."

"That was nice of her."

"I wanted to wait and play with it last night but everyone fell asleep."

"You can still play with it, just don't get any of the make-up on your carpet, okay?"

"Okay." Opening up the plastic packaging Hannah gave Connor a mischievous grin and approached him with bright purple lipstick in her hand. "Can I practice putting on make-up on you?"

"...You've done that once before when you were a toddler. Your Papa took a photo and showed it to everyone the following day at work."

"That doesn't count!"

"Why not?"

"'Cuz I saw the photo. I used markers, not make-up!"

"...I suppose that's true."

"Please? I won't make a mess."

"Only if you promise to not take any photos."

"I promise!"

"...Okay. Just remember this when I ask you to clean up your bedroom or help your Papa with getting the pool cleaned up."

"'Kay!"

Downstairs Hank had decided to get a little creative with breakfast. Instead of using the stove and pan to make some pancakes he set up the portable electric skillet on the countertop and made a big batch of pancake batter. Putting the batter in even amounts in six squeeze bottles Hank added some food coloring and made a rainbow of pancake batter to allow the girls to have fun and express themselves via 'pancake art' so they didn't have to worry about skipping breakfast while also getting to play a little longer.

"There we go. All the colors of the rainbow and generic batter for the sake of filler."

Heading toward the staircase Hank heard the sound of giggling that got progressively louder as he ascended the staircase and made his way toward Hannah's bedroom. Peering inside the room Hank called out to the group inside only to freeze mid sentence. "Girls, breakfast is- Wow! Lookin' good, son!"

The sight of Connor sitting on the floor with four little girls surrounding him and putting various make-up on his face, acrylic nails over his own fingernails, and various ribbons and barrettes in his hair was truly a sight to behold.

"Papa!" Hannah turned around to face her grandfather while holding up neon pink lipstick. "Wanna' makeover?"

"You'd need a lot more than lipstick and ribbons to make this old fart look pretty."

Giggling at the comment Hannah just gave him a shrug of her shoulders before turning around to face Connor again. "Your loss!"

Laughing at the smart remark coming from his almost seven year old granddaughter Hank put his hands to his hips and watched as all the girls had fun messing with Connor's new look and then improving their own. Crystal was able to put ribbons in Sophie's hair and Delilah helped her with the fake nails. For the first time since the sleepover began Sophie was beginning to smile and now Hank understood why Connor was willing to sleep in such an uncomfortable position for so long.

"Well, how about you ladies close your salon and have some breakfast? I have a special treat for you."

Leading the way downstairs Hank showed the quartet to the kitchen while Connor stood up and looked at his reflection in the tiny mirror that came with the make-up kit. His lips were purple, his eyes were covered in blue eye shadow, his cheeks were bright pink, he had seven various colored ribbons in his hair, four barrettes and all ten of his nails were covered in acrylics and faux gemstones for added effect.

"...I don't think this look is for me. But I'll keep it up until the girls go home."

Finally making his way downstairs Connor was met with the sight of the girls all taking their turn drawing out their own pancake with the colored batter while Hank kept control over the skillet and flipped the pancakes for them. Sophie was first and she had made a crescent moon and star out of blue and purple batter. She seemed so proud of herself and was finally starting to behave more like a little girl.

Hannah admired her work and complimented it warmly. "Pretty star!"

Sophie blushed a little and Connor was relieved at the sight. While the little girl wasn't his responsibility he had an undeniable compulsion to protect her and watch her finally smile. The sight of his daughter doing the same thing made his heart warm in a way he never felt before.

"Yeah, that is a pretty star. And a pretty moon. Good job, Sophie..."

By the time all the girls had their things packed up and were picked up by their parents Connor and Hank were exhausted, and Hannah was a little less energetic after all the previous day's excitement. The house had been cleaned up of any stray glitter, make-up and pancake batter, Connor had washed his face and spoken to the parents about how well the girls behaved together when they arrived to pick them up, and now the Anderson trio were just enjoying one another's company on the couch.

"I think Sophie is going to be just fine." Hank stated casually as he watched Hannah cuddle up at Connor's side and settle in for a quick afternoon nap.

"I do, too. She came from such a terrible home."

"Yeah. Poor thing."

"But once she was allowed to explore something she liked, stars and the planets in our solar system, she perked up."

"I bet you anything that little girl watched the night sky from her bedroom window since she was locked up all the time, and that was her only escape."

"That's horrible."

"But she's safe now. I'm glad you were willing to go that extra mile to make her feel welcome."

"She is welcome here. As are Crystal and Delilah."

"Delilah is probably the biggest sweetheart I've ever met, and I'm glad she's with Josh and Simon. As for Crystal... I think she needed a little time with a father figure since her mom is still single."

"I agree, but I don't feel comfortable playing 'surrogate father' with her."

"Why's that?"

"...Her mother seems to have a crush on me, but I don't feel the same."

"You don't have to. Just remember that whenever Crystal comes over to play she's Hannah's friend and not your second kid because she doesn't have a father."

"But Hannah doesn't have a mother. I think... In a way we need each other."

"No, you just have the idea of the 'traditional' family in your head. Remember, Josh and Simon are both dudes and Delilah is just fine."

"Yes, you're right."

"And Connor?"

"Yes?"

"If you ever try to doubt yourself as a father ever again I'm going to knock ya' down and sit on your head. You're easily the best father in this whole damn city."

"Second best."

"Oh?"

Flashing Hank a cheesy grin Connor managed to slyly slip the senior detective a compliment. "Well, I had to learn from someone."

"Don't switch from being a smartass to a kiss-ass!" Chuckling a little Hank patted Connor's shoulder and leaned back into the couch to relax his tired back and enjoy their quiet day off. "...But thanks. It's nice to be referred to as a dad again."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Already excited about starting the second grade in the fall Hannah excelled in her studies and had been spending most of her summer vacation either swimming in the pool with Connor at home, or by spending time with her friends and having sleepovers. Having his daughter away for a while a mixed feeling for Connor since it meant she was thriving, confident and mastering social settings, but without her Connor felt surprisingly lonely. As for Hank he had gotten used to Cole spending his days with his friends after school while he worked as a single parent and knew that feeling all too well, but readjusted quickly. Reminding Connor that time away was a good thing for both of them; Hannah learning independence and Connor being able to be his own person for a few hours, Hank finally managed to get Connor to stop worrying so much about her while she was off on her playdates.

In the meantime Connor decided that with Hannah distracted by her friends that he now had the perfect opportunity to get her a special birthday present to not only show her how much he loved her, but to reward her for all her good behavior and impressive maturity for someone just about to turn seven. Sitting in the passenger's seat as Tina drove during their afternoon patrol; Gavin was sick that day, Connor spoke with Hank over the phone as the police Captain took care of things back at the precinct.

'Why don't you take Hannah back to the beach? She loved it when she was little.'

"That's a good plan, but I'd rather do something new and show her how much I trust her as my child."

'How do you show trust with a gift for a seven year old?'

"I'm not sure, that's why I'm asking you and Tina."

'You better talk to Tina. The first thing that popped in my mind was a car but that'll have to wait about nine more years.'

"Agreed. All right, I'll think about it and discuss things with Tina instead. See you later." Ending the cybernetic call Connor looked over at Tina and noticed that she was grinning from ear to ear. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"It's just so cute to hear you and the Captain talking about a little girl's birthday party."

"For Hannah it's just another birthday to be celebrated, for me it's another reason to feel proud as a father, and for Hank... It'll be his chance to celebrate a seventh birthday for a child since... You know."

"Man, that's gotta' be weird. How's he doing with that?"

"He seems to be focusing entirely on Hannah and not the past, which is good."

"Very good."

"I think planning such a special surprise has been a beneficial distraction for him as well. We still have a week to go but I can't help but feel as though I should've already had something planned out, or at the very least Hank should have."

"Don't let him go overboard. I know sometimes parents and grandparents will overcompensate with gifts due to their own personal stuff they went through as kids."

"Noted. Can I ask what you received for your seventh birthday?"

"Me? Well... When I was seven I got a new bike to ride around in my family's backyard and I think I got a couple of movies. I don't remember every birthday and my family didn't have a whole lot of money back then."

"Oh."

"But if you want to know what my best birthday present was... That'd be the sapphire ring my father gave me when I turned fourteen. I still have it and I only wear it on special occasions. It's shaped like a heart and it's secured in a silver band. It wasn't long after that when my father passed away."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"My mom said he worked his ass off to buy me that ring, and to ensure my little sister had something too, he bought her a ruby ring also in the shape of a heart and in a matching silver band. When my sister turned fourteen she was given the ring from our mom on our late father's behalf, and she's cherished it ever since."

"That's a good gift with a positive association."

"Must be hard trying to figure that kind stuff out when you've never had a childhood." Pulling the patrol car up to a small food stand Tina turned off the engine and stepped out of the car to get her lunch. "What kinds of gifts do androids like?"

"It's the same with humans. It depends on the android's interests and personalities."

"Good point. I'm going to get my lunch, and I know this place sells some Thirium stuff. Want anything?"

"Not at the moment, but I will go with you and see if there's anything that sparks my interest."

"Thatta' boy!"

Joining Tina at the small food stand Connor glanced over the menu containing Thirium-based items with mild intrigue and tried to decide if he wanted to try anything new. As he focused on the menu a small squeaking sound caught his ear and he turned toward the source of the new sound curiously. Honing in on the nearby alleyway Connor followed the sounds and determined that it was coming from an overturned trashcan.

"Something's under here."

Crouching down Connor lifted up the trashcan and peered down at a frightened, trembling and squeaking ball of black and white fluff.

"...A kitten."

The small kitten was barely six weeks old and was shaking with fear and malnutrition. Based on the way it was holding it's right front paw up against it's body in a guarded manner Connor deduced it was injured, and his scan confirmed that the kitten's right front leg had a fracture in it.

"You're wounded and in need of care." Shrugging off his gray blazer Connor placed it around the kitten and gently bundled it up in the soft material to pick it up without harming it's leg in the process. "I'm not a veterinarian but I can take you to one."

Returning to the parked car with the kitten bundled up in his jacket and in his arms Connor opened up the passenger door, and sat down very slowly. The kitten was still squeaking as it begged for food and water from the helpful deviant, neither of which Connor had on his person.

Tina had returned with her lunch and sat back down in the car only to be greeted by sad squeaking and pleading mews. "Oh my..." Putting her packaged salad and bottle of water aside Tina peeled back the gray jacket to look at the little kitten Connor rescued. "Where'd you find that little guy?"

"Girl. She was trapped under a trashcan in the alleyway."

"Poor thing!"

"She also has a broken right front leg."

"I'm on it." Ignoring her lunch entirely Tina proceeded to pull the car out of the parking lot and drove to the nearest veterinary clinic to get the kitten some medical attention. "It's a good thing you found her! She wouldn't have survived on her own if she's injured, let alone trapped under a trashcan."

"Yes... She's in need of someone to look after her."

Tina's eyes lit up and she gave Connor a coy glance. "You know... That little girl needs a home and your little girl loves kitties."

"Well..."  He knew what Tina was hinting at.  "Yes, but... I..."

"AND you said you wanted to give Hannah something special to show her how much you love and trust her. So why not let her have the kitten she's been wanting for so long?"

"That's... I hadn't considered any pets as a gift."

"Well, you should!"

Looking down at the frightened kitten in his jacket Connor felt torn about the situation. "I'm not sure..."

"I am! And if you don't take that little kitten then I will."

"That sounds reasonable."

"And I'll give her to Hannah as a birthday gift!"

"...You wouldn't."

Pulling the car into the veterinarian clinic's parking lot Tina gave Connor a knowing glance as she locked eyes with him. "Wouldn't I?"

"...You would."

"Damn right I would."

Exiting the car with the kitten still in his protective arms Connor followed after Tina as she held the door open for him and watched as he approached the front desk coolly. After explaining the situation and confirming that he'd be paying for the kitten's care Connor proceeded to call Hank again and explain things, while Tina readily retrieved her lunch and sat down on one of the chairs in the waiting area to eat and watch the 'show' as Connor told Hank about Hannah's new friend.

An hour passed before Connor and Tina got an update on the little kitten. She had been put under mild sedation to have her broken leg unfortunately rebroken to have it set properly and then secured in a cast to keep the limb stable. After being given fluids and liquid nutrients the kitten began to perk up a little and seemed to be fairly healthy and just in need of a warm home and a loving family.

"We've run our tests and can confirm that the kitten you brought in is just over five weeks old, she is a Norwegian forest cat and aside from the broken leg, dehydration, malnutrition and a few fleas she is quite healthy." The vet showed Connor over to the large cage where the kitten was sleeping off the sedative and just beginning to wake up. "We'd like to keep her here for the rest of the week to ensure her kidneys are functioning and that her leg bone begins to knit properly before we let her go."

"I understand." Looking at the kitten through the clear plexiglass door of her cage Connor ran another scan and noted that the kitten's vitals seemed far more relaxed and less distressed. "Do you have any recommendations for taking care of a kitten this small?"

"First time with a pet?"

"First time with a cat. Two years ago I had a Saint Bernard who passed away at the age of thirteen years, nine months, two weeks and two days old."

"Wow! Impressive. Most large breeds don't make it past ten." Smiling with approval the vet gave Connor a few suggestions. "We recommend getting a kitten a litter box with fine grain litter so it'll be easier for her dig and bury, a bag of dry kitten chow designed to help breeds with long fur keep their coats healthy; we also recommend keeping them strictly indoor as opposed to indoor-outdoor due to the high risk of contracting feline leukemia and other diseases.  Get her a few toys to play with and exercise, and then a scratching post so she doesn't claw your furniture."

"Sounds like caring for a kitten is as complicated as caring for a full grown dog, minus daily walks."

"That about sums it up. Oh, and in the event she does get outside we recommend she has a special 'break-away' collar so if she gets caught anywhere the collar can't choke her by accident."

"...Noted. But I believe I will keep her strictly indoors."

"Good idea." Holding up the chart for the kitten the vet watched as Connor opened up the cage and lightly rubbed his hand along her left side as she laid on the warm soft padding that lined the cage, and endured the lingering sedative in her tiny body. "Do you have a name for her?"

"Not yet. I'll let my daughter decide."

"That's sweet! Once she reaches six months you can bring her back for her shots and a spaying if that's what you want, and we'll get her name engraved on a tag."

"That'll work. You'll be home in a week." Connor told the kitten as she began to purr under Connor's gentle touch. "And you're going to meet your new best friend in time for her birthday."

Leaving the clinic with his head held high Connor knew he had done a good thing and that Hannah would be very happy with her special birthday gift. Tina was thrilled too since she loved happy stories with animals being rescued, and was more than happy to give Connor a few pointers on kittens.

"I know you have experience with dogs,"  Tina noted. "but you should know that cats tend to be a little different behavior wise."

"How so?" Fastening his seatbelt as Tina resumed their patrol Connor gave her an odd look.

"For one cats won't necessarily come when their called or obey commands like 'sit' and 'stay'. In fact a lot of cats can be pretty antisocial, avoid humans in general, they don't always do well in larger groups of their own and only show affection when they want affection in return."

"...You just described Gavin."

Laughing at the comparison Tina nodded and agreed entirely. "I totally did! That definitely explains why he's always preferred cats over dogs!"

"Well, regardless of feline behavior I suspect that Hannah will be able to win the kitten over and forge a bond."

"And I don't doubt it for a second. Hannah's a special kid, and she'll be the perfect pet guardian for that tiny kitten."

"I think she will, too."

"Hey, you raised her so there's no way she'd be anything less than perfect. After all, you're HER guardian and she's done beautifully!"

Blushing a pale blue Connor felt a grin of pride appear on his face as cybernetically confirmed the kitten's adoption with Hank. "...Thank you, Tina."

The day of the big birthday party had come at last and Hannah spent the day celebrating with her friends and family, and had received many gifts that made her eyes light up. As expected Markus gave her a brand new art kit that contained oil paint, canvases, new brushes, an easel and several additional tools to help her learn how to paint with oil, Simon and Josh got her a brand new t-shirt with unicorns on it and her friends all gave her various arts and crafts kits that they played with all afternoon.

As the day began to come to an end and everyone wished Hannah a happy birthday and left the house, Hank and Connor set up the final surprise for Hannah to enjoy all to herself after she finished eating her pizza. During the party Hank secretly picked up all the pet supplies the kitten would need, Tina of course insisting on helping before dropping off a special birthday gift for Hannah herself, and now Connor was on his way to the clinic to bring the kitten home to meet Hannah at last.

Hank watched as Hannah excitedly began writing down the exciting day in the special diary that Tina had given her as a gift, and made sure to keep an ear out for when Connor returned to the house with the kitten in tow.

"Did you enjoy your birthday, Hannah?"

"Yeah, it was fun!"

"Think you'll remember this day forever?"

"I will now!" Showing Hank her diary Hannah gave him a smug look.

"You're turning into a little smart-butt just like your dad."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Only in certain circumstances. Just watch it during job interviews or talking to cops and you'll be just fine."

"But you are a cop."

Laughing at the quip Hank gave her an appropriate response.  "Other cops."

"Okay."

Still smiling at the sweet yet fiery comment Hank heard the car returning to the driveway beside the house and proceeded to walk over to the back of couch. "Okay, Hannah-Banana. You have one more surprise today."

"I do?!"

"Yup. Just close your eyes." Placing his left palm over Hannah's eyes gently Hank took away the diary with his right hand to ensure that her hands and lap weren't full. "And soon you'll have your final birthday present. We saved the best for last!"

The front door open quietly and Connor peeked inside. Seeing Hannah sitting on the couch with Hank already ahead of things made Connor grin as he opened the door fully, and carried in the gray pet carrier in his right hand. Sitting it down on the couch beside Hannah quietly Connor opened up the front of the carrier and let the kitten leave the small space under her own power.

"Okay, Hannah..." Connor watched as the kitten's head peered out of the carrier and began sniffing the air curiously. As she limped out of the carrier, her right front leg still in a purple cast, Connor waited for the kitten to walk over toward Hannah before telling her to look. "Open your eyes."

Looking around as Hank pulled his hand back Hannah's brown eyes went wide and she showed the biggest smile that either Connor or Hank had ever seen as she laid eyes on the kitten standing beside her. "A KITTY!"

"She's your responsibility." Connor stated as he watched Hannah gently pet the kitten's back and get rewarded with soft purrs. "You're old enough for your own pet, you've been incredibly helpful around the house and you're doing very well in school. We know you'll take good care of your new kitten."

Hannah began to cry tears of joy as she gently picked up the kitten without hurting her leg and held her to her chest. "Thank you, daddy! Papa!"

"You're welcome, Hannah." Putting the carrier on the floor Connor sat beside Hannah and watched as she bonded with the little kitten quickly. "What're you going to call her?"

"I don't know... She's so pretty!"

Hank shrugged his shoulders a little and gave his own suggestion. "How about 'Oreo', you know, like the cookie."

Connor gave Hank a puzzled look and Hannah shook her head 'no'. "She's also small, so why not something related to 'small'?"

Shaking her head again Hannah kept petting the kitten and fell deeper in love with her knew furry friend. "No, those don't fit her."

Speaking up again Hank joked about her broken leg. "Right now she only has three good legs, so why not 'tripod'?"

"No way! That's weird!"

Without anything to lose with the kitten's name Connor left it entirely up to Hannah. "You'll think of something soon. And it'll be perfect."

Looking down at the kitten as the kitten looked up at her and continued to purr inspiration struck and Hannah knew the perfect name. "Gemini! 'Cuz she showed up on my birthday and she's two colors!"

Connor approved the name and gently pet Gemini's back as Hannah held her close. "See? Perfect name."

Hank agreed and gave Hannah a kiss on her hair before retrieving all of the kitten's toys and necessities stored in the laundry room. "Gemini is it. You hang onto her and I'll get her some food and water so she feels right at home."

"Welcome to the family, Gemini." Connor stated as Hannah cuddled up at his side and continued to hold the kitten in her arms. "I know you'll love it here.  Happy birthday, Hannah.  I love you so much."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Throughout the summer Hannah bonded with Gemini, "Gem" for short, and the two were clearly meant to be together. The way Gem took an instant liking to Hannah and spent all her time limping after the little girl as her broken leg healed, and then continued to run after Hannah once her cast was off, was a sign of utter trust and love from the small kitten. As the two played on the livingroom floor together Hank had flashbacks to the Christmas he rescued Sumo from a puppy mill and brought him home for Cole and his late wife, Barbara, to welcome into the family. The laughter and energetic playtime did his old heart some good as he watched how mature and responsible Hannah was despite being only seven years old.

With the start of the second grade just around the corner Hannah seemed entirely confident and so sure of herself that Hank couldn't be prouder to call her his granddaughter. Smirking at the sight of Gem getting worn out and settling down on the middle cushion of the couch for an afternoon nap Hank decided now was the time to ask Hannah about her upcoming school year.

"Ready to begin school, Hannah?"

"Yup! Dad's taking me shopping when he gets home and I'll get all my stuff ready."

"He's waiting until the final week before school? That seems very unlike him."

"It was my idea!"

"Oh? Why's that?"

"This is the only week where you can get a free book from the library when you buy a new backpack! I want something new to read."

"Oh! Smart girl." Proud of the comment Hank leaned back in the recliner and propped up his right knee to try get the aching joint to relax a little. "What kind of book did you have in mind?"

"I don't know yet. I'll find it though!"

The front door opened and Connor returned from his morning shift so he could take Hannah out shopping as promised. "I'll be just a moment, Hannah. I need to change my clothes."

"Okay, dad."

Heading upstairs Connor removed his work uniform and locked his service weapon in his desk drawer as he didn't like the idea of shopping with his daughter with a gun on his back. Switching into a casual navy blue t-shirt and swapping out his work shoes for his Converse Connor returned to the livingroom and nodded at Hannah to confirm that he was ready to go. "Need anything while we're out, dad?"

Hearing the term 'dad' used in his direction always made Hank feel good no matter how much his knee or back ached. "Nah,I'm good. I'll stay here with Gem while you two go brave the store during the final week of summer vacation."

"Okay. Let's go, Hannah."

Climbing off the couch Hannah joined her dad by the front door, slipped on her tennis shoes and followed him outside to get to the car parked in the driveway. The small family climbed into the Oldsmobile and made their way out to the shopping plaza in the center of the city to get what they needed to begin the new school year off right.

It took only a couple of hours for Hannah to get her new clothes, backpack, notebooks, pencils and folders, but it was taking a while longer for Hannah to find the book she wanted to bring home. Connor held her backpack loaded up with her new school supplies in his hand and watched as Hannah eagerly clutched at her free book voucher in her hands.  He decided to put her recent purchases into the car so he didn't have to worry about accidentally bumping other people with the heavy backpack.

"Hannah." Approaching his daughter as she scoured over the books in the advanced reading section Connor gave her a head's up about what he was going to do. "I'm going to put your backpack in the car and come right back inside. Don't leave the store until I come back, and stay in this section."

"Okay, dad."

"I'll be right back."

The store was busy but it wasn't crazy, and Connor was very familiar with the area due to his frequency in shopping in the plaza with Hannah as she grew-up, so he wasn't too wary about Hannah being alone in the store for less than two minutes. Jogging over to the car Connor opened up the trunk and put the backpack inside for safekeeping and locked the trunk again. As he made his way back to the store Connor felt eyes watching him and he turned in the direction of the uncomfortable stares.

Three deviants were glaring at him bitterly. One of the three deviants was Justin, the very deviant who had his son removed from the New Jericho daycare for allowing his son to bully humans. The other deviants were male models; one who was built for heavy loading much like Luther but with blue eyes and brown hair, and went by the name of Jeremy. The other was the same model of the deviants who worked in the broadcast tower save for his green eyes and blond colored hair, and went by the name Stanley.

The trio approached Connor readily and gathered around the deviant detective to encircle him.

Acknowledging the leader of the trio Connor stopped walking and gave him a stern glare. "Justin."

"Connor." Sneering at the deviant he had ganged up on Justin have him a violent glare. "You know you're a real piece of work."

"Because I chose to defend my daughter and not allow her to be bullied?"

"Because you're a traitor to our people!"

"Our people are working to become equals to humans. There is no betrayal on my part for working with them."

"You were the 'Deviant Hunter', you-"

"I NEVER HURT OUR PEOPLE." Connor cut him off harshly and stood his ground. "Everything you've heard about me harming anyone is an UNFOUNDED RUMOR. If I was truly a threat to our own people then Markus would've NEVER ALLOWED me to align with Jericho, let alone become an honorary leader. I'm only violent against other deviants when it's necessary; never beforehand."

The other deviants who had joined Justin exchanged cybernetic communication as they hadn't expected that type of reaction from Connor.

"If you have a problem with me then face me alone." Connor challenged with a bold tone. "I protected my daughter and I won't apologize for it."

"My son can't go anywhere without being picked on! I tried to put him in school with other children and he was singled out and assaulted!"

"So your son, the bully, was bullied?" Connor had no sympathy for the Karmic retribution. "Funny how you only notice how destructive bullying can be when your son was on the receiving end of the bad behavior."

"It's your fault!"

"No, it's YOUR FAULT. You failed Thomas by filling his head with hatred. Now he's suffering because of the lies you told him about the world, and he's finding out the truth in the worst way possible."

"You smug asshole!" Reeling back his right fist Justin struck Connor in the right eye and watched as the deviant detective stumbled back one step, but otherwise didn't move or react in a violent manner.

"I'm neither of those things." Wiping the blue blood from the small cut under his eye Connor refused to fight back. "I'm just trying to be a good father and a respectable detective to protect our people."

Justin was losing his patience as Connor refused to engage in the fight and stayed infuriatingly calm. "You two!" Pointing to his colleagues Justin riled them up and ordered them to help with the assault. "You know he can't be trusted! Get him!"

Hesitant but surprisingly obedient the other two jumped on Connor's back to knock him to the ground, while Justin proceeded to kick Connor in his chest and abdomen over and over again. Pulling his arms up over his head and face Connor tried to protect himself as much as possible as he curled up on the ground and cybernetically chronicled the assault in the process. The three deviants proceeded to kick and stomp on Connor's body with tremendous strength and didn't let up until another person took notice and shouted at them to stop.

"HEY! BACK OFF!" Rushing toward the three deviants the young man, a twenty-something college student, tried to get the assault to stop. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

"This isn't any of your business, human." Justin stated in a growling tone as he and his allied stayed gathered around Connor. "Fuck off!"

"No way!" Pulling his phone from his pocket the young man attempted to call the police and defend Connor as much as possible. "Leave him alone!"

"This your final warn-"

From the front entrance of the store Hannah's voice called out in a panicked tone as she ran across the parking lot to get to Connor. "DAD?!"

"H-Hannah..." Spitting some blue blood from his mouth Connor looked at his daughter as he laid curled up on his right side on the parking lot and held up a shaking right hand to stop her. "S-Stay away! G-Go back i-inside!"

"Dad? What's going on?!"

The sight of the little girl calling Connor 'dad' made Jeremy and Stanley suddenly back off with guilt.

"Hannah... Go inside the store." Connor called out again as he breathed through the cracked plastimetal frame that made the ribcage area of his chest. "I'll... I'll be fine. Stay away."

The man who had come to Connor's rescue had managed to call the police and he boldly planted himself between Justin and Connor as he told the police everything that happened. Watching as Hannah disobeyed Connor and sprinted over to where her father was laying the young man was now ready for a fight if Justin tried to do anything with Hannah, an innocent child, right there.

Hannah threw her arms around Connor's neck and knelt beside him in the parking lot as she dropped her new book and remained completely unafraid of all the blue blood around her. "Dad, what's happening? Are you okay?!"

"I..." Wrapping his left arm around Hannah as he kept an eye on Justin without moving Connor stayed in complete control over himself. "...I encountered a bully. I'll be okay."

The fact that Connor not only refused to fight back but was now more concerned for Hannah all but confirmed that Justin had lied to his allies when he encouraged them to attack Connor in the parking lot.

Jeremy spoke up in a confused manner as he took another step back. "You said that Connor was still attacking deviants and arresting them just for trying to talk to him. He didn't even pull his gun on us."

Stanley agreed and noticed that Connor was unarmed. "He doesn't even HAVE a gun." Looking down at Hannah as she clung onto her father's neck he gave Justin an completely aggravated stare. "You also said that Connor left a human girl at the daycare all the time to make a good impression on the deviants, and doesn't really care about her. She just called him 'dad' and ran into a fight to be with him."

Stepping toward Justin with an insulted gleam in his eyes Jeremy made it clear that they were not impressed with Justin's lies. "You told us that Connor was attacking our people and manipulating New Jericho. From where we're standing the only one manipulating and attacking anyone is YOU."

"H-Hey, back off! You don't know-"

"Listen up." Grabbing onto Justin by his t-shirt it was clear Jeremy was not impressed with the bitter deviant's stunt. "Stanley and I only agreed to help you because you said you could prove that Connor was a threat. From what we've seen he's just been minding his own business and taking care of a child."

Stanley stood behind Justin and glared bitterly at the back of his head. "You said that we'd find Connor here threatening the deviants working alongside the humans and would be abusing his power as a detective to get his way. I never stopped to ask, how did you know we'd find him here?"

Jeremy scoffed and shook his head. "Were you stalking him or something? Man, I honestly thought when you said the 'Deviant Hunter' got you kicked out of New Jericho for speaking your mind it was the truth. Turns out you're just a bitter bigot who can't accept that he was wrong and ended up hurting his own kid for being wrong!"

"You can't possibly believe him!" Justin tried to get out of Jeremy's grip but the other deviant was far too strong.

"Why shouldn't I? We just took your word for it, and it looks like we were wrong. I think me and Stanley should have a little chat with Markus after the cops take you away."

"C-Cops?!"

A patrol car pulled into the parking lot and pulled up right beside the scene of the assault. Chris stepped out of the car with his new partner at his side as the recently promoted detective checked out the situation. Seeing Connor on the ground with Hannah around his neck made Chris's eyes go wide. "Lieutenant? What's going on?"

The young man on the phone introduced himself as Adam Chapman and explained how he just finished his afternoon classes and had been shopping when he saw Justin attack Connor. During the explanation he mentioned that Jeremy and Stanley only jumped on Connor when Justin told them to, and that they had been holding Justin back after realizing they had been lied to.

While Justin was led away in handcuffs for the assault Connor told Chris to let Jeremy and Stanley go as they had been manipulated into the crime and were going to answer to Markus for the assault in general. Struggling to get up from the parking lot Connor breathed through his clenched teeth and used his right arm to support his chest while keeping left arm wrapped around Hannah's shoulders.

"Dad?"  Hannah was scared and confused.  "What happened?"

"...Those men didn't like me."

"Why did they call you a 'deviant hunter'?"

"I... It's a long story." Seeing the fear in Hannah's eyes Connor decided it was time to tell her about his past and limped over to the car to sit down on the hood for a moment. "Hannah... I'm going to go get some help for my injuries. Do you want to stay with me or go home?"

"I'm staying with you!"

"Okay... D-Did you find your book?"

"...Yeah." Picking up the dropped book from the parking lot Hannah held it up for Connor to see. "It's about the stars."

"Good choice."

Chris walked back over to Connor after Justin was secured in the back of the car to be taken to the precinct to be charged for premeditated assault. "Lieutenant? Do you need some help?"

"N-No. I just need a minute and I'll drive myself to a facility."

"Are you okay to drive?"

"Yes. I'm sore but I'm not in critical condition. I'll be fine."

"Okay. Call if you need anything."

Nodding to acknowledge the request Connor pulled the car keys from his pocket and held them in his right fist. "Hannah, when we get to the facility I'll answer all of your questions and tell you everything that happened. Just promise me you'll stay brave and won't see me as anything your dad."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"...Because life is strange, Hannah. Very strange."

Sitting on the exam table of the facility's emergency repair bay Connor allowed Abby to help him remove his damaged t-shirt and exam the severe bruises to his chest and torso beneath. The smears of blue blood and blossoming blue bruises against Connor's fair complexion looked as painful as it must've felt. It was clear that Connor had suffered the equivalent to broken ribs and would need to take it easy for a while for the physical injuries to heal, and it was also clear that for the first time in Hannah's life she was actually seeing Connor as the deviant android he truly is.

Using her audioscope Abby helped Connor to lean forward from the exam table for a moment as she used the bell to listen to his ventilation through his back, then helped him to lay down flat so she could listen to his chest again. As she moved Abby kept glancing up at Hannah as she sat in the nearby chair and watched everything with an intrigued stare.

"Take a deep breath." Listening to the ventilation motion in Connor's artificial lungs Abby confirmed that the vital biocomponents were spared any and all internal damage during the assault. "You're lucky. Your axial frame has been fractured but your ventilation biocomponents are stable."

"That's good."

"I estimate your frame will mend itself in the next forty-eight hours, but until then you need to take it easy."

"I will."

"And your bruises will heal just as quickly. Top off your Thirium back home and lay down. No work for two days."

"...Noted."

"I'm going to update your chart and send my report on your condition to..." Trailing off for a moment Abby put her left hand to her stomach and backed out of the room for a moment. "Excuse me!"

While Abby was unexpectedly gone Connor sighed weakly and gave Hannah a curious look. "Hannah? Are you okay?"

"Yeah..."

"You look uncomfortable."

"I don't like hospitals." She admitted.  "This place looks like a hospital."

"Understandable." Pressing his right hand to his 'fractured ribs' Connor kept his eyes on his daughter protectively. "...You asked me about being called the 'Deviant Hunter'. Do you still want to know why?"

Nodding a little Hannah stood up from her chair and walked over to the table to stand beside her father. "Yeah. Tell me."

"Okay... It's a long story but I'll be completely honest."

Ten minutes of storytelling and answering odd questions came to an end with Hannah seeing Connor in a new light, but it wasn't a negative light. It was one of fascination and almost awe. She never knew of how Connor met Hank and Markus, and while she knew that he was important to deviants having their freedom, she never knew how important he really was. In a way he was a hero, and in Hannah's eyes that made her dad a near superhero!

"So you saved the deviants and helped stop the humans from hurting them?"

"Essentially, yes. It's a tad more complicated than that but for the most part you understand perfectly."

"That's so cool!"

Smirking at her reaction Connor reached his hand out and lightly brushed her ponytail back from over her shoulder to rest along her back. "You know, I told you to stay in the store."

"I know. But you were hurt and I wanted to help."

"I know. You were very brave but you need to wait until you're a little older before you try to stop adults from fighting."

"How much older?"

"Old enough to drive a car."

"Cool!"

Abby returned to the exam room looking a tad embarrassed. "Sorry about that." Opening up a nearby drawer she pulled out a brand new roll of gauze and helped Connor to sit upright again. Wrapping the gauze around Connor's chest Abby tried to remain professional but she was evidently distracted. "I wasn't expecting to throw-up."

Connor ran a scan over Abby's body and gave her a sympathetic glance. "Morning sickness is common in the first trimester."

Blushing brightly Abby gave Connor a somewhat relieved stare. "Doesn't make it any less unexpected. Especially when you're unexpectedly expecting."

"O-Oh. This wasn't..."

"Nope." Lowering her voice a little because of Hannah being so close Abby confided in Connor as a friend. "I don't know what to tell Gavin."

"Tell him the truth."

"How? We've only been on a couple of dates."

"Have another date and let him know. You're only eleven weeks along, so it's not-"

"Eleven? How in the he- heck didn't I know sooner?"

"You didn't know until... now?"

"It doesn't take ten minutes to throw-up, Connor. I had a few backaches recently and my cycle has always been screwy, so I didn't think much of it. The test I grabbed from the back came up positive but I figured it was a false positive since they're designed more for testing the Thirium of deviant surrogates, not humans."

"Sorry." Remaining still as Abby finished wrapping up his chest Connor gave her an apologetic look. "I didn't mean to overstep my bounds."

"You didn't, you were just being honest. You're free to go and rest now. I told the precinct what happened and they'll charge that jerk accordingly."

Sliding off the table slowly Connor picked up his t-shirt and awkwardly put it on over his head with Hannah's help. "Thank you for your help, and good luck with your future, Abby. Remember to just call if you need anything from me."

"I know. You're a good friend. So..." Taking a step back Abby put her right hand over her lower abdomen and gave Connor an odd look. "your scanner confirms it?"

"Yes. Eleven weeks, two days."

"Well then, at least I'm almost through the first trimester and into the second. Let the weird cravings begin..."

Driving back to the house slowly Connor could feel Hannah staring at him and swore he could even feel her smile, too. It was as if Hannah had gone from loving him as her father to now idolizing him as a hero. The truth that Connor had been holding back from Hannah seemed to have been a misplaced fear as the brave little girl saw nothing wrong with her father for doing everything he had done as a deviant before and during the Revolution.

"...So, do you want to get some fast food before we go home? I don't want to cook tonight and your Papa's knee is hurting him too much to stand."

"Sure! Let's check some tacos!"

"That won't be a problem." As the car idled at a red light Connor glanced at a nearby karate studio and a new idea popped in his head. "Hannah, would you like to learn martial arts?"

"Art?"

"Not like drawing or painting. Martial arts is a way for you to learn how to protect yourself in a fight, develop a healthy exercise routine and it can help you develop mental discipline."

"I can learn to fight?"

"Only to protect yourself. Never pick a fight first, just defend yourself."

"Yeah, okay!"

"Then I'll find a class to enroll you in during the fall." As the red light changed to green Connor pulled through the intersection and made his way over to Hank and Hannah's favorite Mexican restaurant to get some dinner. "You'll do great, Hannah."

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes?"

"What was Dr. Abby talking about when she said 'unexpectedly expecting'?"

That was a good question.  "...That is a way of saying she is going to have a baby, but didn't know about it until later than usual."

"Oh! She's pregnant."

"Yes, that's right."

"Dad?" A new question popped up in Hannah's curious mind as Connor pulled the car into the restaurant parking lot and turned off the engine. "Where do babies come from?"

"Uh..." Blushing a bright blue Connor was torn between telling Hannah the truth and letting her remain an innocent child a while longer. "Let's get dinner first and then I'll tell you about it. I think I'll need your Papa's help with that one..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Running a scan over his recently dislocated index and middle fingers on his right hand Connor watched with pride as Hannah excelled in her karate classes, and had quickly taken to the basic self defense techniques that he was showing her strictly as a precautionary measure. She had managed to break his hand off of her shoulder and her forearm when he showed her the proper way to get out of someone's grip, and she even followed up her lesson by giving Connor a kick to the right shin, which caught Connor off guard, but he couldn't be mad since he was teaching Hannah how to defend herself and to not be afraid to fight back if it became necessary.

Sitting down on the floor of the basement, the storage space had been renovated into a mini gym for Hannah to practice her lessons and for Hank to try to keep up his muscle strength as he aged, Connor popped his fingers back into place and then rolled up the fabric of his black sweatpants to check on his shin. There was a bright blue bruise already forming and a small cut that had stopped bleeding almost as soon as it started.

"Very good, Hannah."

"Sorry I hurt you, dad." Sitting down on the floor across from him Hannah mirrored his position and watched as her father assessed his mild wounds. "Need a band-aid?"

"No, I'll be okay."

"How come you're teaching me how to fight?"

"Because I want you to be able to protect yourself at all times. Don't ever start fights, Hannah. But don't be afraid to defend yourself or your friends."

"Okay."

"I also want you to know that if you do have to fight back while at school, and they try to make you feel bad or punish you for doing the right thing, then just tell me and I'll handle it. Don't ever feel bad for doing the right thing."

"I won't. And I won't start fights, only finish them!"

From the staircase Hank started to chuckle as he slowly made his way down the basement to check on his son and granddaughter. "That's how you go through life, Hannah. Don't take any crap from anyone, but don't throw your crap around."

"That's gross, Papa."

Laughing again Hank looked at Connor and saw the bruise on his leg. "Looks like training is going well."

"Very." Connor confirmed as he stood upright and extended his hand out to Hannah to pull the seven year old up to her feet. "We've also discussed that fighting is wrong but defending oneself is right."

"Good to hear. You listen to your dad, Hannah." Hank gave his granddaughter a proud grin. "He's an expert on getting out of stupid fights."

Blushing a pale blue Connor gave Hank a somewhat embarrassed response. "It's not my fault."

"Never said it was, but it does keep happening."

"And I wish it'd stop."

"We all do."

Looking down at Hannah again Connor asked his daughter for suggestions on dinner. "It's getting late. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

"Can I go see Crystal down at the ice cream place? She said she and her mom were going to have dinner there!"

Before Connor could argue against having ice cream for dinner Hank spoke up and agreed. "You know, that place has more than just ice cream. It has a pretty big menu..."

Picking up on the hint that he needed to say 'yes' Connor relented and agreed to go. "...Very well. We'll order something to go and bring it home."

Hannah's eyes lit up excitedly. "Yeah!"

"Go change your clothes and I'll meet you upstairs."

Happily Hannah ran past Hank to get up the stairs and then to her bedroom on the second floor. Hank gave Hannah's hair a soft pat as she ran by while he and Connor walked up the staircase side by side very slowly. "You know, Hannah is by the far the sweetest kid I've had the honor of knowing."

"I'm very pleased with how well Hannah has matured and developed. It seems my worries about her feeling misplaced because she's a human being raised by an android have been proven wrong."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you since the beginning."

"Dad, what's happening at the ice cream place?"

"Well, when I picked Hannah up from school I bumped into Lily talking to the school administration and confirming that Crystal was going to be changing schools."

"O-Oh. Is there something wrong?"

"I asked Lily about it," standing in the kitchen Hank told Connor the story and listened to the sound of Hannah walking around upstairs. "and she said she got a great new job lined up and waiting for her. It's in San Francisco."

"...That's a very far move."

"Yup. Crystal doesn't know about it yet, but in two weeks she and her mom are going to be living on the West Coast."

"Hannah is going to be upset when one of her best friend moves away. Delilah and Sophie are still very close with her, but Crystal was her very first best friend."

"I know."

"How do I handle it?"

"Talk to Lily. Maybe you two can give Hannah and Crystal one final fun night together before she moves."

"Maybe. I can try."

"Just ask." Hank urged as Hannah skipped back downstairs and gently pet Gem's ears as the kitten laid on her back over the back of the couch in a deep nap. "I get the feeling that's something that your daughter will need, Crystal will always remember, and something Lily will truly appreciate."

The little discussion with Lily at the ice cream place had proven Hank's theory right and confirmed that the single mother wanted to give Crystal one final fun night with her friends in Detroit before leaving for San Francisco. The night before the big move Connor and Lily gathered up Hannah, Crystal, Delilah and Sophie for a fun night out doing whatever it was they wanted to do. A trip the theater, the old arcade, the mall, Crystal's favorite restaurant and finally an evening at the ice skating rink had been the grand finale for the fun night out.

While Hannah took to ice skating very easily and managed to play on the ice with her friends without any problems, Connor was struggling to just find his balance as the icy surface beneath his skates reminded him of his final encounter with Amanda in the Zen Garden.  With those negative memories came a reluctance to move away from the wall keeping him balanced upright.

"Connor?" Lily skated over to the wary deviant and gave him a kind glance. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes. I've just never been... ice skating before."

"Don't worry about falling on the ice, everyone does it at least once."

"It's not the fall I'm worried about. I just..." Giving Lily a sincere glance Connor told her the truth. "I dislike the cold and I have very bleak memories with snow and ice."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Why don't you sit this one out and I'll keep an eye on the girls?"

"No, I'll be fine. I just need a moment to... recalibrate."

"Can I help?"

"Help? I don't see how?"

"Take my hand."

Connor looked at Lily's extended right hand and turned away as a faint blue blush appeared on his face.

"I don't mean like that."  Lily blushed as well.  "I know you don't see me in a romantic way and that's just fine. We can still be friends though."

"Yes... Of course." Turning back toward Lily and her extended hand Connor took hold of the offered grip without squeezing her hand too tight, and let her lead him away from the wall as he focused on keeping his balance. "...Thank you."

"I think I should be thanking you."

"Why's that?"

"Because I know how much fun Crystal has with Hannah, and you never once said 'no' whenever Crystal wanted to play with her. It didn't matter how tired you were after working or how much work you had to deal with, you always made time for my daughter and made her feel entirely loved."

"Crystal is a very good little girl. She's been a good influence on Hannah and always encouraged her to draw even when her teachers would get annoyed with her for scribbling in class."

"I had no idea Hannah's teachers ever complained about her."

"I dismissed the concerns since Hannah's grades are very good and she isn't doing anything disruptive."

"Maybe that's why Crystal really likes you."

"...Crystal likes me as well?"

"Of course!" Helping Connor to skate a perfect lap around the rink Lily smiled and nodded at the four little girls skating in small circles around each other in the middle of the ice. "She never really had a dad growing up, and all the men she has met have either been my coworkers or other teachers. My coworkers aren't interested in kids and the teachers only have so much time in a day to tend to their students. I think you were unknowingly playing a surrogate father to Crystal and helped her recognize what a good man looks like."

Blushing again Connor cleared his throat and tried to dismiss the compliment. "I'm merely doing what's best for Hannah, and if that includes taking care of her friends then I will continue to do so."

"Regardless of your reasons I'm glad you were so kind to Crystal. I hope when I finish with the move she finds new friends soon, and I hope we can both find someone as kind as you."

"You will, Lily. You and Crystal will be okay."

"Thank you for saying that. It's been so long since I've been willing to take such a risk like moving away, but I know that this is the right thing to do. It'll give Crystal her best shot at a bright new future."

"I already know Crystal is going to be a happy and well adjusted young woman when she grows up. Be proud of her and of yourself for raising her the way you did."

"You're sweet." Tightening her hand a little around Connor's hand Lily led him around the rink again. "Care for another lap?"

Looking at the four friends all laughing and playing together Connor decided that it'd be best to keep skating until the girls were ready to call it a night, and not a second before.

"Yeah. Let's keep going."

The following morning Hannah was exhausted from her fun night out with her friends and she was sad knowing that Crystal would be moving so far away. She understood that just because Crystal was going to be living in another city that it didn't mean they couldn't be friends anymore, but being so far apart was still a depressing thought.

Leaning against her left elbow on the kitchen table as she rested her chin in her palm, Hannah fussed with her single blueberry pancake with the fork in her right hand and sighed. Connor noticed the poor mood immediately and sat beside his daughter as she stared blankly at her boring breakfast.

"Hannah, you're still sleepy. It's Saturday so you can sleep in if you want to go back to bed for a while."

"No. I'm okay."

"Do you want to do anything today? It's still warm enough to play in the pool before it needs to be closed up for the fall and winter."

"No."

"You don't want to do anything?"

"Nope."

"Okay. It is my day off so if you do want to do anything let me know."

"I'm okay, dad. I know you're trying to make me stop thinking about Crystal."

"No, Hannah. I don't want you to stop thinking about your friends, I want you to feel better."

"How come Crystal has to go so far away?"

"Because that's where her mom's new job is located."

"Couldn't she keeping working here?"

"She could, but she knows that working in a new job and in a new city can give her and Crystal a chance to experience new things they couldn't have here."

"Like what?"

"Promotions for one. There's also new places to visit and people to meet, which will help both Crystal and her mom have happier lives."

"They weren't happy here?"

"They were, but being out in San Francisco can make them even happier."

"Are we going to move?"

"I doubt it'll ever happen."

"Why?"

"I know only Detroit and this is where my family and my friends are. If I leave then I'll leave all the people I've ever cared about behind, and I know you don't want to leave either."

"So we're staying?"

"Yes. We'll stay here for as long there's a reason for us to stay. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Finish your breakfast and we'll spend the day on the couch with Gem watching movies. It's been a long time since we just enjoyed a quiet afternoon together as father and daughter."

"Can I practice my self defense?" Using her fork Hannah picked up a small piece of her syrup covered pancake and took a bite. "I want to see if I can throw you over my shoulder!"

"Uh... Wait until your Papa gets home before you try to throw me around, Hannah. We'll need him to give me first aid when we're done."

Giving Connor a playfully devilish smirk Hannah took another bite of her breakfast. "This is gonna' be fun!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

While preschool through the second grade had been a breeze for Hannah to experience, the beginning of the third grade was starting off with a bit of a conflict. As per regulation all students at the private school were required to wear school uniforms from the third grade on to the senior year. It was seen as a rite of passage as many students weren't allowed to continue at the school beyond the second grade if their own grades weren't high enough, or their parents couldn't continue to pay for the education when the price increased thanks to the uniforms and other special privileges.

For someone as artistic and creative as Hannah to be limited to a single uniform five days a week was close to torture for the eight year old. Connor explained to her the necessity of the uniform but was in agreement to how stifling and boring the uniforms could be. The bigger problem was that Hannah felt incredibly uncomfortable in the uniform and was putting up a fight against wearing it to school the next day.

"I hate skirts!" Hannah stepped out of her bedroom to show her father the uniform after she put it on and was clearly unhappy about it. "I don't have any pockets, I can't run around and play, and I don't like how high it is on my legs when I sit down!"

Connor noted the pleated blue and black plaid hemmed skirt was just above the knees.  The white short sleeved blouse under the vest that matched the skirt and had the school's logo imprinted on the top left pocket of the vest, her white socks pulled up to her knees, the boring black shoes that were clearly inappropriate for recess and the way that Hannah needed to keep her hair pulled back in a braided ponytail at times screamed blandness.

It was clearly not Hannah's style and Hannah was clearly unhappy.

"You haven't worn a skirt or a dress since you were three years old. Even then you hated having your legs exposed."

"Really?"

"Really. If you don't want to wear a skirt because you're uncomfortable then you won't wear one."

Hannah's eyes lit up and she gave her dad a thankful smile. "I don't have to?"

"No. We'll go and get you a pair of khaki pants to wear instead. Change back into your normal clothes and we'll go to the store."

"Thanks, dad!" Happily returning to her bedroom Hannah closed the door and took off her uncomfortable uniform.

Heading downstairs Connor greeted Hank on the couch as the senior detective laid over the furniture and rubbed Gem's ears as the now adult cat purred and took an afternoon nap as she laid beside him. "I'm going to take Hannah shopping for different clothes. Do you need anything?"

"Nah, I got what I need to cook tonight. But..." Sitting upright on the couch Hank gave Connor a questioning glance. "you do realize that a school uniform can't be disregarded like that. Right?"

"I'm aware."

"Of all the people in the world,  I figured you'd be the one to enforce the uniform rule, not ignore it."

"Hannah isn't comfortable in a skirt and I want her to feel comfortable while in school at all times. I'm also going to get her a pair of solid black tennis shoes so she can run around at recess and not have to worry about her dress shoes being too uncomfortable to move around in."

"I don't think the school is going to be as understanding as you are."

"If the school disagrees then I'll simply enroll Hannah in another school."

"Bold move. I like it."

"Did your school have uniforms?"

Laughing a little Hank laid back down and resumed petting Gem's ears. "My school didn't have a damn air conditioner, fuck uniforms."

"I believe Hannah shares your sentiment."

"Cool! And good on you for sticking up for her and respecting her decision."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"You'd be surprised, son. A lot of parents have this sense of: 'This is what I went through as a kid, therefore my kid needs to deal with it, too.' mentality, and that's plain wrong. Progress isn't generational and instant, it's a constant work in progress and happening all around us."

"I'll remember that." Looking at the staircase as Hannah happily jogged back down in her paint stained blue jeans, dark red t-shirt and had let her long hair down to run along her back, Connor was proud of his daughter for being independent and confident. "Okay, Hannah. Let's get you some better clothes."

The following day seemingly started out without incident, but before noon Connor had been called by Hannah's school and requested to meet with the principal in the office. Leaving the precinct without any hesitation Connor mentally prepared for a possible fight as he already  knew that the school's complaint about Hannah's 'egregious violation' was something as trivial as her clothing. It was a stupid fight but one that was worth accepting if it meant his daughter's comfort and well being.

Arriving at the school as soon as possible Connor walked into the front office and was shown to the principal's office where Hannah was sitting and looking more bored than scared about being sent to the office to begin with.

"Dad!"

"Hi, Hannah."

The principal of the elementary school, an older man in his seventies with a bald head outlined only by a few gray hairs, pale gray eyes behind thick lensed glasses, a dark gray suit and a very annoyed glance in his eyes, was waiting for Connor's arrival. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Anderson."

"Of course." Sitting down in the vacant chair beside Hannah without any problems Connor gave the principal and annoyed glance in return. "I take it you wish to discuss Hannah's wardrobe choice today, Mr. Parker."

"I see you're already aware of your daughter's rebellious attitude. Good."

"Rebellious attitude? Hannah told me she isn't comfortable in a skirt and I agreed to get her clothes that fit the school's dress code to remedy such a discomfort. There's nothing wrong with wanting to feel comfortable."

"She is in violation of the dress code, Mr. Anderson. How is she not?"

"According to the school's dress code," having memorized the code of conduct for simplicity sake Connor happily recited how Hannah was dressed appropriately and Mr. Parker's grievance was unfounded. "all students are to wear a white button down shirt," noting Hannah's attire as he went Connor refused to let his daughter be punished for no reason. "the school's vest, black shoes, white socks and either the skirt that had been provided by the school, or khaki pants in lieu of the skirt. What is the problem?"

"She isn't in a skirt, THAT'S the problem."

"As I stated, Hannah was UNCOMFORTABLE in said skirt and so I gave her the choice to wear appropriate pants instead."

"She is a female student and needs-"

"No." Stopping the rant before it began Connor stood up and gave the principal a frightening glare. "That is discrimination."

"Wh-What?!"

"You're picking on my daughter because she is wearing pants instead of a skirt, despite her attire being school appropriate. That is discrimination."

"She is not dressed appropriately."

"According to your own dress code, she is. You never specified that only female students are required to wear skirts and therefore she did nothing wrong."

"If this is how you're going to behave and allow your daughter to behave," the old and oblivious man was steadfast in his traditions and wasn't going to let any student get away with being independent. "then I will have to inform the school board and have her removed."

"I will gladly speak to the school board. I will also remind them that Hannah has the fourth highest G.P.A. in the entire elementary school, a 3.87 to be exact, and whenever a student within the top ten regarding their G.P.A. leaves this school the school itself loses substantial funding from the district. Whenever a student in the top five," emphasizing his point without bluffing Connor made it clear that removing Hannah would do more harm to the school than to her or her family. "there is not only a loss of funding but an investigation into why such an exemplary student left."

As stubborn as a mule Mr. Parker leaned back in his chair and gave the deviant a smug stare. "I'm sure the school board will support my decision. I've been the principal here for thirty-six years."

"And I'm sure the school board will take into consideration that Hannah's father and grandfather are both police detectives who have informed you that not only are you being discriminatory against Hannah on an unofficial regulation that is based solely on outdated gender roles from 1967, and have stated that Hannah does not feel comfortable in her attire and that can be argued as you knowingly allowing a hostile environment for your students, AND can even be directed toward harassment of a minor."

Mr. Parker was suddenly nervous.  "You wouldn't..."

"I will do whatever it takes for my daughter to feel safe. That includes fighting every battle that challenges me as a father."

Mr. Parker wasn't expecting that type of reaction and decided to rely on his reputation and power to get his way. "Then you leave me no choice." Pressing the button on his intercom Mr. Parker addressed his secretary up front and requested her assistance. "Michelle, could you please ask for Mr. Wemilat to come to my office before he leaves for the afternoon?  It's important."

'Right away, sir.'

Connor gave the principal a smug smirk of his own and sat down beside Hannah again without any fear. "Mr. Wemilat donates a substantial amount of money to this school every year. In fact, if it wasn't for his donations the school would've shut down twenty-two years ago."

"So you're aware of his power and influence."

"I am very aware of who Robert is and of his influence."

The moment Connor addressed the powerful man by first name Mr. Parker paled a little. "...You two know each other?"

"Yes." Looking down at Hannah beside him Connor gave his daughter a supportive nod of his head. "In fact, you could say he and Hannah have a unique relationship."

Mr. Parker swallowed nervously as the door opened and Robert entered with a confused look in his eyes. "Mr. Wemilat, I appreciate you coming by."

"It's no... problem." Looking at Connor and Hannah the older man's eyes went wide and teared up a little as he saw his biological granddaughter for the first time in almost three years. "Connor, Hannah. I wasn't expecting this."

Connor spoke up as the principal fell mute with shock, and explained things. After confirming that Hannah had done nothing wrong and that the principal was trying to punish her for breaking a non-existent rule Connor knew he had won the battle and now Hannah had another person to watch her back as she continued going to school.

"So let me get this straight." Turning to look at Mr. Parker who was slumping down in his chair Robert gave him an annoyed glance. "You want to punish a little girl for wearing pants to school instead of a skirt, and when her father stood by her decision you threatened to have her expelled and are willing to waste the school board's time to get your way, AND you're trying to use me as a trump card because I happen to donate a substantial fund to this school every year and happened to visiting an old friend to wish them a good start to the school year?"

"Well, it's not that-"

"I stand by Connor's decision. AND I'll be more than happy to speak to the school board along with him. It'd be more professional to explain to them in person that I will no longer be donating to the school because of your pettiness and inability to understand that when a student feels uncomfortable, threatened or singled-out that it's supposed to be your responsibility to handle the situation, not punish the student for speaking up!"

"You'd..." Paling further it was clear that Mr. Parker was finally aware of how much he screwed up. "You'd pull your funding?"

"Immediately. I won't support a school system that cares more about appearances than their own students." Turning to look at Hannah with a kind gleam in his eyes Robert made it clear he was going to support Hannah in whatever way he could. "When my own daughter came to this school she used to complain about the uniforms and not wanting to look like everyone else. My now late ex-wife, Debra, ignored the complaints and told her she needed always look her best, even if that meant she didn't feel her best. I failed to stand up for my daughter when I had the chance, but I'll be damned if I don't help another father who wants to help his daughter in a way I never could."

Mr. Parker was desperate to save face and not have to tell the school board how much he screwed up in a single moment. "I-I'm sure something can be arranged. I mean, Mr. Anderson even stated that the dress code is very outdated... We can be reasonable here."

Connor gave Hannah a proud glance and as daughter gave him an equally proud grin. "I'm sure we can. Hannah, why don't you go to your classroom and I'll pick you up after school. Okay?"

"Okay." Getting off her chair Hannah kissed Connor's cheek and waved to Robert on her way out of the office. "See ya'!"

Robert took Hannah's now vacated seat and gave Mr. Parker an annoyed stare. "Now, let's discuss things like mature adults who can listen to reason, and not like aged bureaucrats who recite rules as answers instead of contemplating a situation logically."

In less than twenty-four hours the school's dress code had been updated and with it came a cheer of relief from a majority of the student body who felt just as stifled as Hannah because of their uniforms. As Connor drove Hannah to her school to be dropped off Connor noted that not only were a lot of the girl students wearing pants in favor of skirts, but a few of the boys were actually wearing skirts instead.

Curious about the boys choosing skirts over pants Connor escorted Hannah to the front door to see her off and then asked a fifth grade student about his choice in attire.

"Young man?" Getting the student's attention Connor tilted his head and asked his curious question. "May I ask why you're wearing a skirt?"

"Because the school won't let us wear shorts and it's still hot."

"...You're taking advantage of the new dress code and outsmarting Mr. Parker."

"Yeah. That old dude is pretty mad, but he can't do anything about it!" Grinning with pride the student shrugged his shoulders and made his way toward the front door when the bell rang. "Maybe now they'll let us have shorts since girls can wear pants, but whatever! Being in a skirt doesn't bother me!"

Crossing his arms over his chest Connor sighed and turned around to return to the car and promptly sent Hank an amusing text message regarding the success of the dress code change, and how so many students were embracing the changes in the best way possible.

"Robert and I should've been a little more specific with the dress code, but progress is still taking place...  That's all that matters."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Anxiously watching her father getting his right hand set and secured in a plastimetal brace, Hannah continued to apologize for breaking Connor's hand during her self defense lesson and kept asking how she could help him feel better. Despite reassuring her that she didn't do anything wrong and that she shouldn't feel bad for properly defending herself, Connor knew it was going to be a long and unusual afternoon of him finding yet another new challenge as a father talking to his shaken up daughter.

Abby was smirking to herself as she set Connor's hand properly and already imagined how she'd be sure to teach her own daughter how to defend herself once she was big enough to learn how to fight back. The baby was barely three months old and yet she and Gavin already knew that they wanted her to be ready to fight back under any circumstances.

"Dad, I'm so sorry!" The sight of Connor's broken hand wrapped up in the brace made Hannah feel even worse. "I'll make it up to you!"

"Hannah, it's okay. You did what I told you to do." Pulling back his hand Connor ran a scan over the appendage to confirm its stability. "And my hand will be fully healed within forty-eight hours. Just two days."

"I still hurt you..."

"No, you defended yourself. Don't ever feel bad for protecting yourself in a physical confrontation."

Nodding a little Hannah looked away from Connor as her guilt still ate at her.

Connor put his left hand to Hannah's shoulders and pulled her up to his side to give her a supportive hug. "It'll be okay."

Finishing with her task Abby smirked at the sight and gave Connor a kind glance. "Think when Aria is old enough you can teach her the same thing? I know Gavin is going to be a super overprotective dad, but I still want Aria to be able to take care of herself."

"Of course. When she's seven years old I can help her learn how to fight back if you wish."

"Thanks." Pulling her phone from her scrub pocket Abby showed Connor the live feed of Aria sleeping in Gavin's arms as he carried her about the livingroom to keep her asleep. "By the time Aria's seven I think Gavin and I will both be too tired to be worthy training opponents."

Hannah peered at the image on the phone and her eyes lit up. "Aria is so small!"

Connor tightened his hug and remembered how at one point Hannah was just as small, if not smaller. "You were, too. Now you're big enough to be responsible for your own pet, and strong enough to throw your own dad over your shoulder."

Leaning against Connor's side Hannah slumped a little as she still felt bad for hurting him.

"Let's go home. I promised your Papa that I'd make him a pizza from scratch tonight since he threw out his back."

"I'll do it!"

"...You want to learn how to cook?"

"Yeah, I mean... I broke your hand, so it'll be easier if I do it instead."

"Okay, if that's what you want then I'll show you how to cook." Leading Hannah out of the treatment room at his side Connor decided that he'd let Hannah take control over dinner for the night to help her feel better by helping out around the house. "I'm sure your Papa will love the pizza either way."

The seemingly normal day at the house was interrupted when Connor got another phone call from Hannah's school regarding a potential incident. After helping Hank to lay down on the couch with a heating pad on his back the deviant father informed him of the phone call, and of needing to go to the school to handle a new problem. Unsure of what to expect or if he'd be constantly called into the school because of Hannah's rather strong willed nature, Connor decided it'd be best to speak to the principal as a normal dad and not a detective.

Entering the office yet again Connor saw Hannah sitting in a chair across from Mr. Parker with an ice pack over her left eye and two very pissed off looking parents glaring at her from Mr. Parker's sides. An unfamiliar boy was standing before the father with a smug look on his face despite having a swollen lip and scraped up chin.

"Hannah?"

"Dad!" Getting up from the chair Hannah stood before her dad and gave him a hug. "...I just did what you said."

"What did you do?"

"Your daughter," the father stated in a rude voice as he interrupted Hannah. "attacked my son!"

"Attacked... your son?" Looking at the child Connor immediately had his doubts and questioned the claim. "Why would she supposedly do that?"

"Supposedly?! Do you see his face! Do you see-"

"Sir." Falling back into his cop mentality despite not wanting to, Connor pulled his badge from his back pocket and used his authority to get the man to calm down and stop shouting. "I was asking my daughter what happened. Please let her answer."

The sight of the badge silenced the father and the little boy's face paled slightly.

"Hannah, what happened?"

"I was playing with Delilah and Sophie at recess, and Teddy," she pointed at the boy as she spoke. "started making fun of Sophie for wearing glasses. We walked away but he kept following us and he didn't listen when we told him to stop."

"What happened after that?"

"I told the teacher but she said to get used to it since that's how people are in the real world."

Connor was immediately angered but the apathetic attitude and shot Mr. Parker a death glare. "Which teacher was watching recess?"

"Uh..."  The principal looked suddenly worried.  "Mrs. Warner."

"I'd like to speak to her about her attitude before I leave." Returning his attention to Hannah the deviant father asked for more answers. "What happened after that?"

"Teddy kept making fun of Sophie and pushed her down. So I told him to stop it or I'd push him back."

The angry father interrupted again. "My son would never do that!"

Ignoring the outburst Connor urged Hannah to continue. "Then what?"

"Teddy pushed me so I grabbed his hand to get it off my chest and I pushed him away. That's when he threw a rock at me." Moving the ice from her eye Hannah showed Connor the bruise and returned the ice to her face. "I got mad and when he kept throwing rocks at me and Sophie I grabbed his hand to make him stop, and I threw him to the ground."

"She admitted it!" The father stated as if that was the only detail that mattered. "I want her expelled! She's a liar and a manipulator!"

Remaining calm and unbiased Connor looked at Teddy and asked for his take on the incident. "Teddy, what happened?"

"I was just walking around on the playground and Hannah attacked me. I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Mr. Parker..." Connor faced the principal as he discreetly glared at the two parents and bully child. "I would like to review the security footage of the playground at the time of the incident."

Nervous and not wanting any more problems Mr. Parker tried to dismiss the claim. "Oh, come now. We don't need-"

"It's evidence in a possible case of assault. Show me or I'll get a warrant and bring a lot of negative publicity to this school."

Suddenly more cooperative the out of touch principal opened up his laptop and brought up the security feed. Playing back the afternoon's footage everyone could see Teddy walking up to Hannah, Delilah and Sophie as they played on the swing set and started making fun of Sophie. It also showed the three girls trying to walk away and telling the teacher about it, but nothing happened. The footage also showed Teddy pushing Hannah around and Hannah defending herself.

"It seems my daughter is in fact honest." Connor stated with a growl to his voice as he looked to the presumptuous father. "And it's your son who is the liar."

The mother looked mortified while the father looked enraged, and Teddy looked like he was about to wet his pants.

Mr. Parker sighed as he was clearly hoping to avoid needing to deal with argumentative parents and proceeded to handle things in a less than stellar manner. "Well, this school has a zero tolerance policy on bullying, so both students-"

"No." Connor stated firmly as he refused to let Hannah be punished. "My daughter defended herself and a friend from a bully. She will not be punished for standing up for herself, especially since it was made clear she tried to walk away and stop the confrontation before it resulted in a physical outcome."

"But I-"

"No. If you punish Hannah in any way then I will be pressing charges of assault and harassment against Teddy, the teacher who failed to stop the altercation, and YOU for allowing a hostile environment to flourish."

The threat of a lawsuit quickly changed Mr. Parker's tune and he agreed to only punish Teddy. "I... I suppose you're right. Teddy Wilkins," turning to look at the frightened boy beside him Mr. Parker punished him accordingly. "you're suspended for one week, and if there is any further incidents on your part then you'll be asked to leave the school."

"Don't bother!" Mr. Wilkins grabbed onto Teddy's arm and pulled him out of the office. "I won't let my son be-"

"Shut. Up." Mrs. Wilkins finally spoke up and gave her husband a deep scowl. "We both know Teddy screwed up, and he's going to keep screwing up if you don't stop making excuses for him and hiding his messes!" Looking at Teddy it was clear she was fed up with her son's behavior. "I think the maid could use a paid week off during Teddy's suspension. He can spend his time cleaning the house when he's not doing his homework."

"What?! No!" Teddy protested with a whine. "That's not fair!"

"And you lying about what happened and making fun of someone for wearing glasses is fair to us? Your father and I were ready to defend you because we believed that you were right and another student was lying. Now we look like fools, we wasted our time and now we have to go back to work and explain why we had to leave."

Mr. Wilkins sighed and realized his wife was right. "...Teddy, you're going to work your butt off at the house all week long."

"NO!"

"I'm taking away your games, your phone and everything else I want, until you EARN it back. Your mother and I work so hard so you can come to this school for a good education and a nice home. You're not going to be a spoiled brat or a bully!"

"NO!"

"Apologize to Hannah and to the other girls you were bothering."

"No..."

"Do it now or you'll spend all winter break locked in your room without anything but your clothes and a bed. Do it now, Teddy. It's the right thing to do."

Teddy was still pouting and now crying, but he gave Hannah a halfhearted "Sorry." before being dragged out of the office by his parents.

Connor smirked at Hannah and then gave Mr. Parker a stern look. "I believe you should apologize to Hannah as well."

Mr. Parker looked entirely offended.  "I beg your pardon?!"

"You refused to look at the security footage and were going to discipline Hannah without knowing the full story. You need to apologize."

Looking as scolded and frightened as Teddy had been, Mr. Parker swallowed his pride and gave Hannah an insincere smile. "I'm sorry, Hannah. Next time this happens I won't-"

"Next time?"  Connor interjected swiftly.  "Are you  anticipating that Hannah is going to have to defend herself again?"

"Mr. Anderson, this is elementary school. Boys will be boys..."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Huh?"

"Are you stating that all boys are by nature aggressive and violent, and that your girl students should just get used to it?"

"W-Well, I wouldn't say that."

"Then what are you saying?"

"It's just... Children are going to-"

"Be learning." Cutting him off in a terse tone Connor refused to let the old principal dismiss what was happening as innocent child's play. "Children are going to be learning and need to learn how to behave themselves, not have their inappropriate behavior dismissed and ignored. As for that teacher who allowed this to happen, please ask her to come to your office."

"Does she really need to be involved?"

"Clearly she does. She failed to protect her students during her watch at recess."

"I... Very well." Pressing the button on his desk's intercom Mr. Parker asked for the secretary to send in the correct teacher. "Please ask Mrs. Warner to come to my office."

Connor put his right broken hand on Hannah's right shoulder as he stood before her and gave her a reassuring comment. "Just like I told you yesterday, Hannah. You did nothing wrong and don't feel bad for defending yourself. You did the right thing, I promise."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting on the edge of Hannah's bed with his hand over the cold washcloth draped over her feverish forehead Connor cybernetically monitored her vital signs, while trying to find a diagnosis for her sudden illness. Getting woken up in the middle of the night by Hannah complaining of a stomachache and a fever was all it took for Connor to call off of work and to keep Hannah home from school that day. Staying beside her while she slept after her most recent vomiting spell Connor tried to think of a way to help Hannah feel better without seeming like he was being overprotective.

Falling back on the usual means of treating illnesses courtesy of Hank's guidance; chicken noodle soup, jello, crackers, sports drinks, juice, water and ginger ale, Connor was able to help Hannah feel comfortable enough to sleep despite being clearly miserable.

Hannah was curled up on her left side with her arms wrapped around her abdomen with her face buried into her pillow, and Gem cuddled up against her chest as she slept as much as she could. It was clear she was in some kind of pain but wasn't complaining too much about it when she was awake and able to speak.

"You'll be okay, Hannah." Brushing her sweaty brunette hair from her face with a ginger touch Connor whispered to his ill daughter in a comforting manner. "I'm right here with you."

"Son?" Hank appeared in the opened bedroom doorway with a worried look in his blue eyes. The police Captain had gone to the precinct and kept in touch with Connor throughout the day, and stopped at the store after his shift to pick up a few more things for Hannah. "How's she doing? This is one hell of a way for her to kick off her first month in the fourth grade."

"Her fever is holding at one-hundred and one point four degrees, she has thrown-up four times since waking me up at five twenty-three this morning and she had been unable to consume anything beyond water and a very small amount of cherry jello."

"This isn't a cold, is it?"

"No. Her symptoms don't match that of the common cold."

"And it's not flu season... Think she ate something nasty and she has food poisoning?"

"I've considered it, but since no one else at her school is ill, and since you're not ill either, I've ruled it out."

"What's left?"

"...My scanner is indicating inflammation in her lower right abdomen and her pain has been radiating in that particular reason."

"Appendix?"

"That's what I'm beginning to fear."

"Don't be afraid, just handle it."

"I will do my best."

"What else could be causing this if it isn't appendicitis?"

"It's rare but possible she could have a kidney stone, same with gall stones. But her diet wouldn't result in either condition and she-"

Hannah began to whimper and rolled from her side and onto his back as the nine year old struggled to endure the mounting pain in her stomach.

"Hannah?"

"My stomach really hurts! I'm going to throw-up!"

"Okay, hold on..." Slipping his arms beneath Hannah's shoulders and knees Connor lifted his daughter up from the bed and gently carried her into the bathroom to be sick. Giving Hank a silent glance Connor let the senior detective know it was time to take Hannah to the hospital. "We'll get you taken care of soon, Hannah."

"I'll be in the car, Connor. I'll let the hospital know we're coming in, too."

Within seconds of Connor putting Hannah down in front of the toilet the little girl threw-up and Connor held back her hair with his left hand as he used his right hand to rub her back lightly. The sight of the unusually bright green vomit all but confirmed Connor's suspicions of Hannah's illness and he knew he needed to react quickly.

Once Hannah's stomach settled down again Connor gently scooped her back up into his arms and proceeded to carry her downstairs to get to the car outside. Keeping himself calm on Hannah's behalf Connor opened the front door, closed it behind him and carried his daughter out to the car to lay over his lap in the backseat during the drive.

"You're going to be okay, Hannah." Nodding at Hank to tell him to go, Connor kept his cool right palm over Hannah's feverish forehead and monitored her vitals very closely. "We're going to take you to see a doctor and they'll take good care of you."

"Why am I sick?"

"We think it might be your appendix. It might have to be removed, but if that happens it won't hurt and you'll feel a lot better after it's over."

Hannah began to cry a little as she turned so she could lay on her side and cuddle up closer to her dad in need of comfort.

"It'll be okay." Wrapping his arms around Hannah the strong deviant showed impressive control as he repositioned Hannah so she could sit more upright on his lap and be hugged during the drive. "I promise you'll be okay."

Pacing about the waiting room with his quarter dancing over his right knuckles and back and forth between his hands, Connor struggled to remain patient after Hannah was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with acute appendicitis. The nine year old had been taken into emergency surgery with Dr. Caleb Wilson was taking charge of her care. The kind doctor was not only very skilled and professional, but the brother to the very officer that Connor had rescued the night of the hostage negotiation that had been Connor's very first mission. Even after Hank tried to tell Connor that he had good Karma for rescuing Dr. Wilson's brother now on his side Connor couldn't stop worrying or pacing about the waiting room.

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank stared at Connor and tried to guess which color his L.E.D. would be right in that moment if Connor had chosen to keep the light instead of removing it.

"Connor, she'll be fine."  Hank reminded him firmly.  "She's strong, she's stubborn like her dad, AND she's too damn resilient to let something like this take her down."

"That doesn't make it any easier to wait to see her."

"Yeah, I know. I... Man," rubbing his right palm over his bearded chin Hank sighed and leaned back in the uncomfortable plastic chair he was sitting in. "I remember when Cole was still a baby and had an asthma attack thanks to a nasty cold. Barb and I were scared out of our minds and seeing our helpless son taken away by masked doctors made it worse."

Pausing mid pace Connor looked over at Hank with his worried gaze. "...But Cole got better."

"Thankfully, yeah. But seeing his tiny body with one of those damn ventilator tubes running down his throat is something I still see in my nightmares."

"I hope I don't have nightmares..."

"Son, as a father you'll always have nightmares about something terrible happening to your kid. It's a cruel fact."

"I guess that explains the past ten years since I brought Hannah home."

"You'll be fine and so will she." Seeing Dr. Wilson walking toward the waiting room with a confident grin on his face made Hank flash a smug smile. "See?"

Turning to face Dr. Wilson as the confident doctor approached him Connor pocketed his coin and faced him directly. "How's Hannah?"

"Much better. We got her appendix out before it ruptured and there were zero complications throughout the procedure."

Relaxing where he stood Connor breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Can I see her?"

"For a moment. We're going to keep her overnight then you can take her back home in the morning." Showing Connor to the correct recovery room Dr. Wilson remained confident and smiled the whole way. "Hannah is a strong little girl."

"Yes," the memory of rescuing the tiny newborn baby from the burning building always flashed in Connor's mind when he thought about how strong Hannah could be. "she truly is."

Cuddling up with Gem in her arms and Connor right beside her on the couch Hannah began her steady recovery,  and enjoyed being able to spend the day with her dad. Watching her favorite movie for the second time that afternoon Hannah managed to eat a small lunch and drink some water without upsetting her stomach or pulling on her sore side. Leaning against a thick body pillow against Connor's side Hannah truly looked like she was on the road to recovery.

"How do you feel, Hannah?" Scanning her vitals Connor was happy to see her in healthy parameters and recovering well. "Do you want another bowl of jello?"

"I'm good."

"Is your side sore?"

"A little, but it's okay."

"Want to color or draw?"

"Nah, I'm good here."

Smirking at the comment Connor lightly combed his fingers through her long dark hair affectionately. "Me, too."

"Think Papa will join us on the couch?"

"I'm sure he will. He's just getting a few things to help you feel better sooner."

"When do I have to go back to school?"

"Next Monday. Dr. Wilson says you need to rest for a week." Looking down at her face Connor asked her a curious question. "Do you want to go back?"

"I want to hang out with my friends again, but this is still good."

"That's good to know. What about your new principal? Is Mrs. Foster any better?"

"Much better! She says we won't have to wear uniforms on Fridays anymore if we do good on our practice tests next month!"

"That'll make things more interesting at school."

"She also said she's going to let the students hold conferences with teachers at the end of the first trimester so we can all work together to have a better time in class."

"You're right, Hannah. Mrs. Foster is a much better principal that Mr. Parker ever was."

"Mr. Parker is a wiener!"

The insult, while child appropriate, was a little strange. "Where did you hear that?"

"Papa. He said it's the better swear for when you want to call someone a di-"

"I get the term." Cutting Hannah off before she could finish her sentence Connor made a mental note to discuss insults with Hank later on. "Thank you for not swearing."

"Papa said when I get my driver's license I can swear because road rage is going to happen."

"Well, sixteen is better than nine."

The front door opened up as Hank returned to the house and gave Hannah a kind smile. "Hey there, Hannah-Banana. Papa got you something special."

"Is it another kitten?"

"If I find a kitten or puppy in distress then I'll bring 'em here so you and your dad can help them out. For now," reaching into his plastic shopping bag Hank revealed a pint of strawberry ice cream just for Hannah to enjoy. "this will have to do."

"My favorite!" Happily accepting the ice cream Hannah removed the lid and grinned. "Thanks, Papa!"

"I also got blue moon, rocky road, mint chocolate chip, chunky monkey and superman flavors for you to try later."

"Cool!"

"As for me..." Revealing another quart of ice cream Hank grinned and then pulled out another quart of Thirium based ice cream for Connor to have. "I got a classic flavor of cherry garcia, and I got your dad the android version of blue moon to try."

Connor accepted the ice cream and gave Hank a subtle nod. "Thank you, dad."

"No problem. Let me get this other ice cream in the freezer and we can pig out while watching a movie this afternoon. I have the whole damn day off."

Hannah giggled a little as she knew Connor wanted to say something about the swearing but he bit his tongue. "Can we make ice cream and movies a normal thing?"

Connor gave his daughter a thoughtful glance.  "Like our weekly game night?"

"Yeah! We can have a movie night, too!"

"I think that's doable."

Hank agreed entirely as he returned to the livingroom with three spoons in his hand and sat down beside Hannah's legs to join his family on the couch. "Sounds good to me. We can take turns picking the movies like when we pick the games."

"They didn't make a movie based on 'Monopoly', did they, Papa?"

"Uh... I think it came out in 2026, but don't worry, I'll never pick that one! Too boring and predictable." Taking a scoop of his ice cream Hank enjoyed it immensely and leaned back in the couch cushions behind him. "What're we watching?"

"'Balto'!"

"Again?" Looking over to Connor with a coy grin Hank shook his head and sighed. "Man, I knew it was a mistake telling your dad about that movie. I should've known you'd love it, too."

Connor shrugged his shoulders and tried his new ice cream with a mild delight in his eyes. "What can I say? I have good taste in movies.  And I like dogs."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The school day came to an end and Hannah returned home via carpool with her friends right on schedule. While everything appeared to be routine and normal things were far from typical to the fourth grader as she opened up the front door and greeted her grandfather sitting on the couch with Gem on his lap watching a basketball game. Giving Hank a kiss on his cheek to say 'hello' Hannah dropped her backpack on the floor behind the couch and went in search of her father, finding him in the backyard tending to the pool to ensure it was properly taken care of for the rest of fall and well into winter and spring.

Sliding open the backdoor Hannah joined Connor on the deck by the pool and gave him an odd look as she approached him. "Dad?"

"Hannah." Always happy to hear her voice Connor's own tone reflected his joy as he spoke. "How was school?"

"Interesting."

"Oh?" Turning to face his daughter directly as he pulled the pool skimmer from the water, Connor gave Hannah a studious glance. "How so?"

"Well... This." Pulling her emergency phone from her pocket Hannah showed Connor a viral video from over ten years ago of Connor himself running over the rooftops of the urban farms, leaping onto the roof of a speeding train and chasing a deviant suspect over entirely dangerous terrain. It was of his pursuit of Rupert from prior to the Revolution that had been captured on numerous surveillance cameras. "What... What is this? Is that really you?"

Connor's shoulders slumped and he answered Hannah's question honestly. While explaining how his job as a detective often required him to pursue dangerous suspects and that it sometimes included needing to do dangerous things to succeed, Connor could see that Hannah was suddenly very aware of what it meant to be a detective and of how risky his career truly could be. It was an eye-opening moment and it was one Hannah hadn't been expecting to say the very least.

"I assure you that when I do need to chase a suspect I'm aware of my surroundings and preconstruct every outcome." Connor did his best to ease her worries as he stayed entirely honest with her. "I never take high risks and I haven't done so since I deviated, and have become twice as cautious since I became your father."

"But you run over buildings and ride on top of trains! That's not normal police behavior, dad!"

"Only under very specific and rare circumstances."

"What about this?" Changing the video over to a new one Hannah showed Connor footage of the news broadcast where he marched down from Belle Isle with the freed CyberLife deviants in tow behind him. "You were leading an ARMY during the Revolution?! Why didn't you tell me about that!"

"Because it didn't matter. I played a very small role."

"Dad, you snuck into CyberLife tower and freed thousands of deviants. That's not a small role. You said you just helped Markus, you never said you helped him by creating an actual army!"

"Well, I guess I just don't think about that as anything significant with who I am as a person. It was something I had done, it's not someone I am."

"You don't still run over rooftops and ride on top of moving trains do you?"

"Rarely."

"So it does still happen?"

"Yes."

Hannah's face paled and her brown eyes seemed to fill with emotion. "Please don't do that!"

"Sometimes it's the only way to catch a suspect. I have to."

"It's not worth it if you die in the process!"

"Hannah, I won't..." There was no point in trying to deny that his career was extremely dangerous and life threatening. Hannah was too smart for that and he'd never insult her intelligence. "I promise I only do that when absolutely necessary. I'm also extremely careful and never put myself in harm's way in the process."

"I still don't like it..."

"Neither does your Papa." Wrapping Hannah up in a strong hug Connor tried to make her feel more at ease with the discovery of his true life as a detective on the streets. He was hoping to spare her those facts until she was a little bit older. "When he retires next year I'll be spending more time in the precinct and away from the field. I assure you I won't run over the desks in the bullpen or ride on top of a train to work."

Laughing at the comment Hannah buried her face in Connor's stomach and sighed. "It'd be better if Papa ran over the desks instead."

"Maybe on his last day of work he will so he can retire with an urban legend around his name."

"Now that'd be worth showing to the class! No one would believe me without the footage."

"Is that how you found the videos of my past? During school?"

"Another kid recognized you when you dropped me off at school this morning. He found the video and showed me at recess and wanted to know if it was really you and if you're really my dad."

"Oh. I'm sorry you had to find out about my past life that way."

"It's okay. Just don't chase any of the teachers through the parking lots on conference night, and I won't worry as much."

Proud of his daughter's maturity and understanding Connor kissed her hair and tightened his hug around her with a sense of true paternal pride. "No promises on that one."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Feeling completely content and well within his element Connor held Aria, now six months old, in his arms as she napped peacefully under his watchful eye. Agreeing to babysit Aria for the weekend so Abby and Gavin could have a mini honeymoon Connor happily took responsibility for the small baby, and remembered all the times he held Hannah as an infant and watched her grow-up from the tiny newborn he rescued into the happy little girl she was that day. Without making a sound Connor turned to face the front door as it opened with Hannah and Hank returning to the house after picking up a few extra things to accommodate Aria during their weekend with her.

Hannah climbed onto the couch to sit next to her dad while Aria napped and Hank carried the grocery bag into the kitchen to take care of things. Instinctively Hank remained quiet as well as to not disturb the baby's nap as his intuition as both a father and grandfather never seemed to rest.

"She's so small." Hannah whispered as she admired the baby napping in her dad's arms.

"You were once even smaller."

"I'll take your word for it."

Aria began to stir from her nap and lightly squirmed about in Connor's arms as she opened her eyes and let out an impressively big yawn for someone so small.

"She's awake! Think she wants to play?"

"Maybe." Connor sensed Hank return to the livingroom and already knew he had prepared a bottle of formula for Aria to drink. "Let's make sure she isn't hungry then you can play with her."

"Can I feed her?"

"I... I don't see why not." Moving very carefully Connor passed Aria over to Hannah to hold for herself and helped Hannah move her arms to more appropriately hold the baby as she fed. "Hold the bottle like this..." Taking the formula from Hank's hand Connor showed Hannah how to hold it and made sure both Hannah and Aria were comfortable before letting go. "And she'll feed until she's content."

"Sounds like Papa."

Chuckling at the comment Hank agreed and patted Connor's shoulder. "She's not wrong. Come help me with dinner, son. Hannah's got it from here."

"Right." Gently getting off the couch to keep himself from disturbing either Hannah or Aria as he moved about, Connor followed after Hank into the kitchen as he had been requested.

"Just so you know..." Lowering his voice as he picked through the grocery bag Hank gave the deviant a coy smirk. "Hannah was asking why she's an only child and if you were ever going to adopt another."

"I... Uh..." Feeling himself blush from an inexplicable embarrassment Connor turned to look at Hannah over his left shoulder to watch Hannah smiling as she held Aria in her arms with a natural sense of protectiveness. "...I guess I never thought about it. What should I tell her?"

"Up to you." Unpacking the groceries Hank put aside what he needed to cook with and put the other items away. "It's your reason for having only one child instead of adopting every baby in the city."

"That would be financially irresponsible. Not to mention very time consuming and hectic."

"Tell her that."

"Has she been expressing interest in having a sibling?"

"Not directly, but yeah, I get the feeling that's what she's hinting at."

"Oh..."

"Just throwing it out there, but, if you wanted to adopt a second kid I wouldn't stop you. You're a great father."

"I appreciate the support and confidence, but I think I'm content with having only one child to care for." Smirking at the sight of Hannah enjoying the company of Aria and being so gentle with her, Connor began to seriously consider adopting a second baby. "For now anyway."

"For now?"

"In time, when Hannah is grown-up and living her own life, I might be restless with 'empty nest syndrome' and will struggle to fill the void left behind. That might be the time to adopt again."

"Or..." Smirking again at the sight of his granddaughter being so gentle with Aria in the livingroom Hank shrugged his shoulders a little. "In time you can just be a grandfather and help Hannah raise her own kid in the same way I'm helping you."

It was clear Connor had never considered the possibility that Hannah would ever be an adult with her own children to care for, and that sudden leap in time and reality threw Connor for a loop.

"Hey, snap back to the present time, son." Shaking Connor's shoulder a little Hank knew exactly what the deviant was thinking about. "That's many years away and for all we know Hannah may not want kids at all despite being good with them. A lot of people are like that."

"Y-Yeah... It's just, I never thought about Hannah having children. With her biological mother and father being put in that particular position when they were still in high school still prevalent in my mind I suppose I'm going to be very uneasy that Hannah might..." Feeling ashamed of himself Connor shook his head and looked away from Hannah as he felt disgusted. "That's a terrible thing to think of your own daughter."

"To be fair, A LOT of parents have that fear of their children; daughters and sons alike, when they reach high school age. It still happens, even when they're being as careful as possible. But as smart as Hannah is and how she's so focused on her studies so she can go to a good college, I have no fear of her repeating her mother's past."

"I sure hope so."

"Son, it's hard, but stop worrying about the future." Keeping his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank reassured his son that no matter what could possibly happen he'd be able to handle it. "Besides, if something does somehow happen then I know you'll support Hannah every step of the way and would relish in the chance to be a grandfather. Until she's older and more adventurous stop thinking about that and just think about helping me with dinner."

"Right, of course." Taking another glance at Hannah in the livingroom he watched as she put the empty bottle aside and readjusted Aria so she could be held up against her shoulder in a half hug. "One thing at a time..."

After dinner the small family reconvened to the livingroom to enjoy the evening together. Hank was sitting in the recliner with Gem napping on his lap while Connor and Hannah laid on the floor beside Aria as the small baby laid on a soft blanket and played with some soft toys. While Aria giggled and played with a stuffed bear Connor remembered how happy Hannah was as a baby, except during bouts of colic, and watched as Hannah seemed to be fascinated by the small baby in general.

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes?"

"How come you only adopted me and and no one else?"

Grateful for the heads up from Hank earlier in the evening Connor knew exactly what to say when the question was finally asked. "Because you needed me and I discovered as I raised you that I needed you, too."

"You're a cop, a lot of people need you."

"That's true, but not everyone needs me to be their dad."

"Are you sure?"

"Hannah, do you want a sibling?"

"Yeah!"  Grinning brightly Hannah confirmed his suspicions.  "It'd be fun!"

"What if I'm okay with just you and I don't want to have any more kids?"

"Sounds like it'd be pretty boring in the house."

Hank started laughing as he pet Gem's fur and admired his granddaughter's wit. "She's not wrong, kid."

Connor ignored Hank's comment as he focused on Hannah entirely. "How do you know the house would be boring?"

"Because when I hang out at Sophie's house it's always exciting and full of energy."

"Because Sophie has adopted siblings?"

"Yeah! She has twins little brothers and they're fun to play with!"

"Fun to play with, but I doubt it'd be fun to live with."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, how do you get a break from siblings when you live under the same roof?" Giving her an inquisitive glance Connor watched as Hannah considered losing her lack of privacy or silence. "They'd need a bedroom, which means they'd either have to room with you, or your Papa or I would have to move our bedroom down into the study, and without the study then the livingroom will become more crowded with the extra furniture, and you'd have less space to relax after school."

"I could hide in the basement."

"That'd get you some more space but what about the quiet? You'd still hear them no matter where you go in the house, and babies cry." Putting his left palm over Aria's tummy Connor reminded Hannah that babies can't communicate their needs eloquently, they can only scream and make noises. "That can interfere with your sleep. You might have trouble waking up in the morning for school if a baby cries all night."

"Ear plugs!"

Hank started chuckling again while Connor kept emphasizing how much a baby changes one's life. "What about paying for extra clothes, food and toys? Not to mention the constant diaper changes and feedings."

"A dirty diaper can't be that bad."

"Oh, really?" The devilish grin that Connor flashed spoke volumes of his little plan. "Then when Aria needs her diaper changed you can handle it, right?"

"Sure, no problem."

"All right. The next dirty diaper is all yours, Hannah."

"No sweat!"

It was around midnight when Aria woke up from her sleep in need of a diaper change. Having placed her bassinet in his own bedroom Connor was immediately awake and by her side to pick her up and check on her. Detecting the dirty diaper Connor proceeded to walk into Hannah's bedroom with Aria crying in his arms and up against his shoulder as he patted her back lightly.

"Hannah?"

The little girl opened her eyes and sat upright, relatively confused at the intrusion. Gem was sleeping at the foot of her bed and looked just as annoyed as Hannah. "What?"

"Diaper time."

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes Hannah gave her dad a stunned look.  "...Now?"

"Yes, now. She cannot control herself and you said you'd take care of it."

"Okay..." Climbing out of her bed Hannah followed her dad into the ground floor bathroom to take care of Aria. "What do I do?"

"Unfold the changing mat and place it on the floor."

"Okay." Opening up the diaper bag Hannah did as she was instructed and put the mat down. "Now what?"

"Get the clean diaper, cream, wipes and powder."

"Wait, how much stuff do I need?"

"The clean diaper," placing Aria down on the mat Connor opened up the snaps on her 'onesie' to get to the soiled diaper beneath. "the diaper cream to prevent rashes, the wipes to clean up the mess and the powder to help her remain dry."

"All of that goes into a single diaper change?"

"That's right."

"Okay, fine..."

Standing back up Connor watched as Hannah knelt where he had been kneeling and placed the correct items on the floor beside Aria.

"You need to remove the securing straps on the old diapers and lift up her legs so you can slide it out from beneath her. Bundle it up and toss it into the bin before you slide the clean one beneath her, and use the wipes to clean her up."

"...Clean her up?"

"She can't do it herself, Hannah."

"So I have to the wipe her...?"

"That's right."

"Gross!"

"But necessary." As Aria continued to cry Connor took a step back out of the bathroom to give Hannah more room to work. "She needs you to keep your word and get her cleaned up."

"Okay, okay... I can do this."

Standing back Connor watched as Hannah unfastened the dirty diaper and proceeded to remove it. The fourth grader immediately was disgusted by the sight and smell of what was awaiting her. "Eww!"

"You're doing fine, Hannah. You can do this."

As she wadded up the dirty diaper and tossed it into the bin Hannah gave her dad a sickened look over her shoulder. "This is so unsanitary!"

"She can't help it, and neither could you back when you were in diapers."

"I know... That doesn't make it any less gross, though!"

"Slide the clean one-"

"I know, and use the wipes to clean her up."

"That's right."

Hannah was trying to not smell the filthy used diaper in the bin beside her as she used the wipe to clean up Aria, and then tossed the wipe into bin as well.

"Can you handle the rest of this alone?"

"...Yeah, I can do it. I don't like it though."

"No one does."

Walking away from the bathroom entirely Connor sat down on the couch and waited for Hannah to finish her task. Aria was still crying but she was slowly quieting down as she was cleaned up and given a fresh dry diaper to wear.

"Dad?" Hannah carried Aria out of the bathroom and gently handed the baby back to Connor to hold. "I'm okay with being an only child."

Doing his best to not laugh as he held Aria against his chest he began to gently quiet her down entirely for the night, and Connor gave Hannah a mischievous grin.

"Stop smiling! It's not funny..."

"No, but it was a good lesson to learn. Go on back to bed and I'll make you pancakes for breakfast, okay?"

"It's only okay if they're chocolate chip."

"I can do that."

"Okay."

"Goodnight, Hannah."

Giving Connor a quick kiss on the cheek Hannah walked back upstairs to return to bed. "Goodnight, dad.  Goodnight, Aria."

Glancing down at Aria in his arms as she began to settle down it was clear she was  ready to fall back asleep as well.  Connor smirked and held her little hand in his own as he spoke to her.

"I think I owe you one, Aria. You just helped teach Hannah an invaluable lesson about responsibility and a new appreciation for parenthood."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

What was supposed to be a relaxing holiday weekend at the cabin turned into a stressful week as what was also supposed to be a mild snowstorm turned into a full fledged blizzard that kept people stranded throughout the entire lower peninsula of Michigan. While Hank and Hannah were able to stay preoccupied during their unexpected extended stay at the cabin by playing board and card games at the kitchen table, Connor was struggling to deal with the horrible snowstorm outside the safe space of the house, and spent every waking second in front of the warm hearth with Gem cuddled up on his lap.

Despite having the purring furry companion to keep him company and remind Connor that he wasn't alone even when his family was just one room over, Connor was still wary and on edge as if expecting a fight for his life. Focusing on the crackling fire before him Connor mentally reminded himself that he was safe and no one from CyberLife was going to get him, and that Amanda was gone.

"Uno!" Hannah shouted as the card game neared it's exciting conclusion. "Your move!"

"Oh yeah?" Slapping down a green 'Draw 4' on top of Hannah's last card Hank gave her a smug grin. "Ha!"

"Dang it!"

"Think you can handle the pressure?"

"Of 'Uno'? Come on, this isn't 'Monopoly'!"

"Hey, when we finish this we should break out 'Monopoly' since we're going to be here for a while. If we're lucky we might be half way through the game by the time the blizzard ends."

"The game isn't that long."

"It is when your dad plays." Nodding at the deviant sitting in front of the hearth Hank's grin faded slightly as he saw that Connor wasn't doing too well because of the storm.

Hannah put down her next card and focused on the game.  "Maybe we should try 'Twister' instead."

"Not with my back, kiddo."  Hank put down a card, too.  

"What about 'Cards Against Humanity'?" Placing down her final card Hannah gave Hank a hopeful glance.

"I have no problem with that, but you're going to need to ask your dad. By the way," putting down his final card Hank gave Hannah another smug grin. "Uno."

"How come you always win?"

"Years of experience."

"It's a card game with random chance, experience has nothing to do with it!"

Laughing at the astute fourth grader's comment Hank proceeded to pick up the cards and place them back in the box. "Never go to Las Vegas, Hannah. You'd be arguing with the pit boss about the win to lose ratio at 'Black Jack'."

"No promises!" Walking away from the kitchen table Hannah walked into the livingroom to talk to her dad and ask for his permission to play the mature game with here Papa just for fun. "Dad? Can I-" Seeing the distant gaze in Connor's eyes Hannah knelt down beside him and gave him a worried stare. "Dad? What's wrong?"

Hank finished putting the game away and proceeded to walk into the livingroom to check on his son and granddaughter protectively. "Connor, you're safe here with us."  The distant gaze worried him as well.  "Nothing's going to happen."

"Dad? What's wrong?" Unable to get an answer Hannah looked over to Hank instead. "What's wrong with him?"

"Your dad has issues with snowstorms. He's had bad experiences and when it gets this nasty," he motioned to the window where they could see the harsh winter wind blowing snow and ice all through the trees that were bending to the will of the terrible wintry gusts. "he gets spooked."

"Dad, it's okay."

Staying unresponsive Connor's eyes remained fixed on the fire and he shuddered when a particularly strong gust of wind shook the cabin hard enough it made the structure creak and groan. Shaking and struggling to push his fear away Connor looked like he was about to break down and cry.

"Son?" Hank pulled a large quilt from the back of the sofa and draped it around Connor's shoulders in a comforting manner. "You're safe. Me and Hannah are right her beside you."

Hannah helped pull the quilt around Connor then sat down beside him. Leaning up against his left side Hannah wrapped the blanket around herself and cuddled with her dad before the fire. "There's no snow in here."

Connor turned to look at Hannah and gave her a relieved stare. "...I know."

Surprised Hannah got any reaction out of Connor whatsoever Hank sat down on the floor at Connor's right side and mirrored her movements. "And you're safe in here."

Nodding a little Connor moved the blanket from his left shoulder and wrapped up around Hannah as he pulled her in closer so they could both huddle under the blanket in front of the warm fire. "...I know."

"Then know this, too." Doing the same with the right side of the blanket Hank made sure Connor, Hannah and himself were all under the same quilt for the sake of helping Connor feel warm and secure during the nasty blizzard. "We're all in this together and we're going to get through this together, too."

Connor nodded a little as he felt his daughter and his father sitting beside him in the warm and safe cabin. Even Gem seemed to sense that Connor was stressing out and proceeded to purr louder as she snuggled in closer to his abdomen. "...Thank you."

"We love you, dad." Hannah leaned up against Connor's side and pulled the blanket even tighter around herself and Connor as she spoke sweetly. "I don't know what happened to you before the Revolution but it's okay now. You won and now you're here with us!"

Feeling tears of gratitude forming in his eyes Connor wrapped his arm around Hannah beneath the blanket and gave her a much appreciated hug. "I love you both, too. As long as I have you then I know I'll be okay."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder and smirked at the sight of Hannah cuddling up beside her dad with unconditional love in her eyes. "You know what's better than playing card games all night? Roasting marshmallows." Standing back up for a moment Hank walked back into the kitchen and located a large bag of marshmallows, the roasters used normally for summer barbecues, and the 'Uno' deck sitting on the table. "I say we just stay in the livingroom together and wait for the snow to clear up."

"Good idea, Papa!"

Connor agreed with Hannah and approved of the idea. "Yeah. Being together sounds like a very good idea."

Gathering what he needed Hank returned to the livingroom and proceeded to pull the blanket around himself again as he and Hannah sandwiched Connor betwixt them as the loving family huddled around the fire together. "All right, Hannah. It's time for a rematch." Putting the cards down in front of Connor so the deviant could deal the deck Hank opened up the bag of marshmallows and popped one in his mouth. "Winner gets to pick tonight's movie."

"Deal!" Reaching for a marshmallow in the opened bag Hannah smirked devilishly as Connor proceeded to evenly distribute the cards amongst themselves. "Get ready to watch 'Balto' again!"

"Again? Man, I never should've showed either of you that one."

"Too late, no take-backs!"

Chuckling at the comment Hank saw that Connor was beginning to relax a little and knew he was going to be just fine. "Yeah, no take-backs. No regrets..."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

With the beginning of the new year came a change in the roster at the police precinct. Hank was going to retire in the fall and he had been summoned to a meeting with the higher-ups to begin processing the paperwork and details months in advance to make the transition as smooth as possible. Dealing with official work downtown all morning and afternoon long meant Connor had the entire day to spend with Hannah just before the fourth grader went back to school, but what was supposed to be a fun day was nowhere near as fun as it should've been.

Struggling to open his eyes, let alone get up from his bed, Connor ran a self diagnostic confirming his infection of 'Groupware Blight v1.0'; better known as the android-flu. Pushing himself upright with both of his hands in his bed Connor glanced about his bedroom as his head swam, and tried to ignore the cramping pain in his artificial stomach.

"Dad?" Hannah entered the bedroom with Gem in her arms as she gave Connor a strange look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."  He tried to lie. "I just have a small cold."

"No you don't."

Turning to give Hannah a confused look Connor asked her how she knew that. "What makes you think I don't?"

"Androids never get colds." Approaching the bed Hannah gave Connor an impressively stern look as she put Gem down on the bed beside him. "Papa told me that, and he said you try to hide it when you get sick with other stuff."

Proud of Hannah's astute observations Connor nodded a little and sighed. "You're right."

"What's wrong?"

"...I have the flu."

"Need to go see a technician?"

"No, I'll be fine in a few hours." Making a failed attempt to stand up Connor practically fell back into the bed and Hannah leaned over him curiously. "...I just need to rest."

"Yeah, you do."

Connor watched through his blurry eyes as Hannah left the bedroom and he could hear her rummaging around in the bathroom. After a few seconds Hannah returned with a cold washcloth and a digital thermometer in her hands. "...Thank you."

"Here." Putting the washcloth over Connor's warm forehead Hannah handed the thermometer over to Connor to take. "How do androids deal with the flu?"

"Like humans. We rest." Putting the thermometer in his mouth Connor waited for it to 'beep' before he pulled the device back to read the number. "I'm running a fever of one-hundred and one point two degrees. High, but not dangerous."

"Do you need any medicine?"

"No, I'm not that sick." Closing his eyes Connor put his palm to his forehead and sighed as a headache began to settle in. "...I just need to sleep for an hour or two. I'll be fine."

"You don't look like you'll be fine."

"I will." Opening his eyes again Connor tried to give Hannah a reassuring glance but he began to cough and confirmed that his flu was just settling in. "...Why don't you go downstairs and find a movie to watch?  When I'm awake again in a few hours we'll go downtown as I promised."

"Dad, you're sick. I can wait for a trip to the bookstore."

"You've been very patient and with the winter-" Coughing again Connor struggled to lay still until the coughing fit passed. "...Sorry."

"I can still wait. Being sick sucks, I remember getting my appendix taken out and how much it hurt when I was sick."

"Fortunately I won't need to have such a procedure performed."

"I hope not. When will Papa be home?"

Cybernetically Connor checked on the details of the meeting and gave Hannah a somber glance. "...Not until five o'clock this evening."

"That's a long time."

"But it'll be fine." Coughing weakly again Connor tried to dismiss the worries to the best of his ability as laid back down.  "...I've been sick before."

Down in the livingroom Hannah used her laptop to research the android-flu and waited for Connor to wake up after his nap, as she patiently held down the fort for the day. Reading up on the infection, symptoms and causes of the flu made the little girl wince sympathetically for her sick father upstairs. Noting that chilled Thirium can help keep androids cool, and that sometimes androids need to take a special type of green tinted "medication" to aid in their recovery, Hannah decided to put some bottles of Thirium in the refrigerator to get them cool for Connor's sake.

It was so simple to do and Hannah was happy to help her dad feel better, and yet Hannah felt like she could be doing so much more to help out her dad. Walking back upstairs Hannah checked in on her dad and saw that he was still asleep and seemed to be fidgeting a little as he tried to rest.

"Dad?"

"...H-Hannah?"

"Dad, what's wrong?" Standing beside the bed Hannah saw that the washcloth fell from his forehead during his sleep. Putting her hand on his forehead Hannah almost jumped at how hot his skin felt and reacted in an impressively calm manner. "Hold still!"

Jogging downstairs Hannah made her way into the kitchen and pulled an ice pack out of the freezer and returned to the bedroom where her sick father was burning up with an intense fever. Putting the ice down over Connor's forehead Hannah reclaimed the thermometer that had been left on the nightstand beside the bed and all but forced the device into Connor's mouth to check his temperature.

"Dad, hold still! Please!"

Despite the feverish fog Connor seemed to hear Hannah's voice and understood her. Laying still Connor stared at his daughter through half-lidded eyes and didn't move even when the thermometer 'beeped' in his mouth.

"One-hundred and three? That's super high!"

Too tired to keep his eyes open Connor fell back asleep within a matter of seconds after seeing Hannah pull his emergency phone from his dresser and call someone for help. "I'm... I'm... okay, Hannah."

The world went dark and Connor knew nothing more of the waking world.

An unknown amount of time passed between Connor falling asleep again and a cold sensation against his chest waking him up. Cracking his eyes open Connor's vision cleared up enough to recognize Abby sitting on the edge of the bed with her audioscope pressed to his chest beneath his black t-shirt. Abby herself was giving him a kind smile as she moved the bell of the scope over his chest with her right hand and cradled a modest swell of her belly with the left hand.

"...Abby?"

"Hi, Connor." Putting the audioscope aside she gave his chest a small pat with her right hand. "Hannah called and said you were burning up with a fever. She was right."

"Hannah?" Glancing about Connor spotted his daughter sitting on the foot of his bed cross legged ans looking worried. "You called for help?"

"Yeah. You weren't making any sense and were really hot."

"...Thank you. You did the right thing."

Abby agreed as she handed Connor a bottle of the very green liquid medication that Hannah had read about, and knew Connor didn't want anything to do with it. "She even put some Thirium in the fridge to chill. But now... You know the drill: One tablespoon every six hours."

"...Can't I skip-"

"Nope." Opening the bottle Abby gave him a coy grin as she gingerly helped him to sit up and drink the foul medicine. "Your core temperature spiked at a dangerous one-hundred and three point three degrees. You need this to recover."

"...Very well." Drinking the proper dose Connor outwardly grimaced and laid back against his pillow. "...I thought you would've developed a less revolting taste for that by now."

"You'd think, but no." Putting the medicine aside Abby couldn't stop herself from giggling at his condition as she lovingly cradled the swell of her belly. "So, what do you think?"

Connor glanced at her and followed her lead as she used her eyes to motion to her belly. "...It appears you're four months pregnant."

"Yeah. I went from nothing to this in about two weeks. I guess Aria's going to be a big sister to a big baby in a few more months."

"Actually, I stated it 'appears you're four months pregnant'." Lightly putting his left palm over her belly Connor ran a scan and gave her a smug grin as he confirmed her condition. "You're only ten weeks pregnant. With twins."

Abby paled for a moment, sighed and then started laughing again. "All right, I guess I should've seen this coming since Gavin's a twin, too."

"How did he react to the news of the second pregnancy?"

"Better than he did with the first, but now that I get to tell him we're expecting two and not one I'm going to make sure I have my phone out to record his reaction for posterity." Getting up from the bed Abby packed up her small satchel and gave Connor strict instructions. "Drink your medicine; one tablespoon every six hours, no exceptions. Drink it all. Lay in bed and use ice packs to keep cool while you rest."

"...I will do so."

"And Hannah," turning to face the little girl Abby gave her a nod of approval. "if you ever want a job as an intern in my facility just give me the word. You'd be a fantastic technician."

Smiling proudly Hannah accepted the compliment and stayed on the bed. "I'll remember that!"

Connor let out a small sigh as he extended his hand out toward Hannah to hold. "...You did good, Hannah. And she's right, you'd be a great technician."

"That's what Papa said, too."

"He did?"

"Yeah."  She held her dad's hand tightly.  "He says since I'm the only one you'll listen to that I should open up my own facility and keep you there."

Smirking at the comment as the very idea of his own daughter starting up a facility made his mind race, Connor just held onto Hannah's hand and relaxed as he laid back to keep resting. "...That'd definitely be the best way to keep me around for as long as possible."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Winter came to an end and Connor recovered well from not only his lingering fear of the cold but of his flu as well. The following spring Hank retired, leaving earlier than expected due to his back causing him problems, and Connor took over as the new Captain. Promoting Gavin up to the rank of Lieutenant under him and ensuring all of his fellow officers were given their own respects, Connor welcomed a new group of rookie officers to train and trusted Gavin to not lead them down any dark paths of doubt or fear.

Hannah was proud of her dad for moving up through the ranks but a down side was they were forced to spend more time apart since he was working more hours. While Hank was always there for her as her grandfather, and they had no problem hanging out all day by the pool in the backyard between visits from her friends, Hannah was still missing her dad and was thrilled when he planned a full day together with her to prepare for the incoming fall.

As yet another school year prepared to start Hannah, now eagerly looking forward to the fifth grade, accompanied her dad as they set about getting back to school supplies to start off their final year in elementary school off right.

"What about this?" Holding up another t-shirt Hannah gave her dad a curious stare. "Too much?"

"No, if you want it you can get it."

"Really?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I dunno'. I guess because the other kids at school complain that their parents don't let them pick out their own clothes."

"As long as you actually wear clothes that are appropriate for your age and school, I don't care what you pick."

"Can I wear Papa's old hoodie?"

"Which one?"

"The one that says: 'Leave me the fu-'"

"No! That one is NOT appropriate for school."

"What about after school?"

"I'll think about it."

"Cool!"

"Do you have every-" Receiving a cybernetic call Connor closed his eyes and sighed for a moment. "Damn it."

"What?"

"That was Gavin. A deviant was attacked and will only talk to another deviant."

"You have to go back to work?" Hannah frowned deeply and dropped the t-shirt into the cart. "You've been working all week!"

"I know. That's why we're going to finish here, stop by the precinct for a moment and then go right back to spending the day together."

"Do you promise?"

"Absolutely. This is our time together. I may have a responsibility to the city but you will always come first, Hannah."

Nodding a little Hannah remained skeptical but was willing to give her dad the benefit of the doubt. "...Okay."

"I'll be as quick as I can, and we can go shopping again tomorrow. Or just hang out at the house and turn off all the phones. Deal?"

Smiling at last Hannah was enticed by the second offer and accepted. "Yeah, I like that idea better!"

Sitting in Connor's office as she awaited her dad to finish speaking to the deviant victim, Hannah spun around in his chair and looked at her surroundings curiously. By all account it was a boring office with no personality or sense of purpose beyond official police work. The only thing of real interest were the framed electronic photographs on Connor's desk. Getting a close look at all the photos Hannah was a little surprised to see that each one had her in the image in some way as she seemed to be her dad's sole focus.

The photo of Connor smiling while holding Hannah as a newborn after finally being officially adopted as an Anderson was in the middle of the photos, and surrounding them were of her growing up throughout the years until her current age. It was reassuring to know that he was always thinking about her and wanting to be near her, but having him working all the time was really beginning to affect her on an emotional level.

However, as she gazed at the photographs Hannah realized that each one had her, Connor or Hank holding her and spending time with her, never anyone else who could be considered her mother. She never asked about having a mom or why her dad wasn't married, but as she grew older and saw her friends spending more time with their moms as they matured and neared puberty Hannah was beginning to feel a little left out.

A loud scuffling sound outside the office pulled Hannah away from the photographs on the desk in time to see her dad wrestling a large and drunk man to the ground, while Gavin and other officers she had never met before helped to pin the man down on the ground. Through the transparent wall of the office Hannah could see a bloody cut on her dad's forehead and winced sympathetically at the sight.

"Get him in the drunk tank." Connor ordered as he hefted the man up to his feet and watched as Gavin and another officer escorted him away. Pressing a tissue to the cut in his forehead Connor sighed and straightened his tie before returning to his office to check on his daughter. "Sorry about that, Hannah."

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. It's just a small cut, it'll heal."

"It's bleeding a lot. Maybe you need to see a technician."

"It'll stop bleeding soon."

"Dad, you need to have your frame damaged in order to bleed through an open wound like that. If your frame is damaged then you should see a technician!"

"...You've been reading up on android physiology, haven't you?"

"Yup. I grabbed a book on android anatomy when I went to the bookstore last month with Papa."

"All right, then what do you think is causing this wound to bleed?" Extending his hand out toward Hannah in a welcoming gesture Connor beckoned Hannah to follow him out of the office to leave the precinct.

"The frame was damaged and a main line running Thirium to your, uh, intra... Intracranial processor was damaged."

"Very good. What do you recommend?"

"You get some of the incrass... Incrassa... The orange stuff on it!"

Smirking at the way Hannah knew what she was talking about even when the appropriate terminology wasn't quite sticking, Connor agreed with her assessment on his current wound. "That's right."

"Go to a facility and get your head bandaged or I'm telling Papa!"

"And why would you do that?"

"Because he hates it just as much as I do when you get hurt."

"Okay, I'll go and see Abby and get my wound cleaned up."

"Thank you."

"That is if she's still working. She's thirty-seven weeks pregnant with her twins by now."

"Wait, you're pregnant for HOW LONG?"

"Well, uh..." Leading Hannah to the car parked in the neighboring parking garage Connor sighed and decided to explain things to Hannah since she was coming of age and would be entering puberty very soon anyway. "It's different for every woman, but for the most part every pregnancy has a similar time frame..."

Sitting on the exam table Connor patiently allowed Abby to clean up his wound while also letting Hannah get a firsthand look at how to treat such a wound to placate her own curiosity. Moving slower than usual because of her condition Abby took her time and made sure every detail was correct before she finally sat down on the rolling stool in the exam room to get off her sore ankles.

"Give me a minute." Rubbing her left hand over what looked like a painfully big belly Abby sighed and took a moment to rest. "My ankles, back and hips will thank you."

"Why aren't you out on a maternity leave?" Holding some gauze to his cut Connor scanned over Abby's person and noted she was very close to entering labor, and by all account should be going to the hospital as he spoke. "Aria was a *precipitous labor and Gavin had to deliver her in your own livingroom."

"Because Gavin won't leave me the fuck alone!" Watching as Hannah giggled a little Abby quickly changed her tone of voice. "Sorry for swearing, Hannah."

"It's okay. It's not something I haven't heard Papa say, or even dad when he loses ten straight games of 'Uno'."

Blushing at the comment Connor continued on. "I take it Gavin is being very protective."

"Extremely! I'm surprised I haven't gone home and had the secret service drinking coffee in my livingroom at this point."

"He's just being careful."

"He's being a pain in my swollen ass! Sorry again..." Moving both of her palms over her belly Abby sighed through the relentless kicking as her twins squirmed about and began a steady descent downward. "Every time I sigh he asks if I'm having contractions, every time I get up to pee, which is A LOT by the way, he asks if I'm going into labor, any time I need help supporting my back he asks if it's a contraction, hell, he even asked if my water broke while I was in the shower because he was convinced the kids are just going to pop out of me like a damn slip n' slide!"

Connor's brow arched at the comment while Hannah just kept giggling.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Gavin and I love that he's eager to be a daddy and help every step of the way, and he's been super dad with Aria since day one, but I need a chance to be seen as me, Abby, and not a walking, talking incubator!"

"I still see you as Abby."

"That's because you know better than to piss off your personal technician." Trying and failing to stand up from the stool Abby just sighed with defeat and gave up on standing for the moment. "Should've known I wouldn't be able to get back up."

"Need some help?"

"In a minute. Hannah," nodding at the little girl Abby decided to give her the go ahead. "why don't you finish what I started?"

Hannah wasn't expecting that.  "Me?!

"Yeah. The wound is already clean and the lines have been sealed, all he needs in the disinfecting chrism to keep the wound sterilized before applying the bandage."

"Uh... Dad?"

Having no problem with his daughter being his honorary technician for the evening Connor didn't object. "She's the technician and if she says it's okay, then it's okay."

"Cool!"

Abby nodded and motioned to the tray table beside the exam table holding the bandages and compound. "All right. Wash your hands in the sink then glove up. Put on the right glove first."

Happy to help Hannah scrambled over to the sink and washed up her hands before setting to work.

Connor's brow arched again as he noticed that Abby's discomfort was mounting and his scanner confirmed that the first twin was already in position to begin its descent down the birth canal. "When this is over allow me to drive you to the hospital to be checked in. At your current-"

"I know, I know." Cutting Connor off mid sentence Abby sighed and began taking in deep, slow breaths. "My history of precipitous labor, plus twins and being this far along practically guarantees round two of rapid fire delivery."

"Once you're checked in I'll contact Gavin and tell him to meet you at the hospital."

"Yeah, and remind him that it's not a crime to let Tina babysit Aria for a few hours. She's great with kids and we're going to need all the help we can get with handling three babies all under the age of two!"

"Will do."

Hannah put on the gloves and asked for the next step. "Now what?"

"Take the bottle of transparent liquid and squeeze a small amount onto a fresh gauze pad. Dab it over the cut until it stops absorbing any Thirium, that's how you know the wound has been sterilized."

"Okay." Expertly following instructions Hannah awkwardly stood on her tiptoes to try to reach Connor's forehead, but fortunately he crouched down a little to make it easier for her to handle. After sterilizing the wound Hannah looked to Abby for further guidance. "Now what?"

"Put the gauze aside and pick up the second fresh gauze pad. You're going to need to hold it in place over the cut with medical adhesive at both ends."

"Easy!"

Connor and Abby smirked at Hannah's response as she managed to easily tend to the wound and finish Abby's work.

"That's it?"

"That's it. Toss the used gauze in the waste bin and remove your gloves, left first, and make sure they're inside out when you throw them away."

Pressing his fingertips lightly over his bandaged wound Connor approved of Hannah's work and rose from the table. "Thank you. Now that I'm taken care of, let's get you to the hospital."

"Sure. My purse is-" Stopping short and wincing Abby let out a pained breath and didn't even try to hide her gratitude when Connor gave her his hand to squeeze onto. "...Breakroom."

Connor nodded and looked to Hannah for a moment. "Please get Abby her purse while I help her to the car."

"Okay, dad."

Bending down Connor wrapped his left arm around Abby's middle back and slipped his right arm under her knees to scoop her up from the chair to carry. Easily adjusting his stance to accommodate for her added weight Connor carried the now laboring technician out of the treatment room and toward the front of the facility for transport.

"...Did you contact Gavin?"

"Yes. I cybernetically sent him a text to let him know which hospital I'm taking you to."

"Good." Wincing again Abby wrapped her arms around Connor's neck and squeezed as a painful contraction hit her hard. "...Shit. Before I leave the hospital I'm getting a hysterectomy to get rid of this traitorous uterus, AND Gavin's getting a vasectomy because his demon seed impregnated me with twins!"

"I'm sure the medical staff will be very understanding."

Hannah caught up to Connor and Abby outside in the parking lot and held onto Abby's purse. "Are we going to stay with her in the hospital, dad?"

"Only until Gavin shows up. No one should be in the hospital alone."

"Well, she is pregnant, so technically she hasn't been alone for over nine months!"

While Connor gave Hannah an odd look for the smartass remark Abby just laughed and didn't at all mind it when Connor opened the rear doors of the newer car, a Pace, and put her down in the backseat.

Abby was appreciative of all of his help.  "So glad you don't drive that giant Oldsmobile anymore."

"That's entirely Hank's car now. This one is all mine." Connor confirmed as he shrugged off his blazer and folded it into a pillow to place beneath Abby's back to provide some form of support as she labored. "Let's go, Hannah."

With Abby in the backseat and Hannah up front Connor pulled the car out of the parking lot and made his way toward St. Mercy Hospital as quickly as he dared. Scanning Abby's vitals in real time Connor knew he'd be cutting it close but there was little alternative in that situation in regard to a faster arrival or a slower labor.

"Ah... Fuck!" Swearing loudly as her water broke Abby sighed and tried to prop herself more upright in the backseat. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's fine, Abby. Just focus on yourself."

"Yeah, kinda' my thing right now..." Breathing slowly and deeply she tried to time her contractions but they were already practically one on top of the other and she just wanted to scream. "Damn it! Shit..."

"Hold my hand." Connor reached his right hand into the backseat to give Abby something to hang onto while he drove with his left hand. "I'm detecting a massive shift in the first twin's position."

"Yeah, I am, too..." Pressing her hands over her belly Abby used her training for a former E.M.S. to guide her and she confirmed that both twins were descending but the first was already making its way down the birth canal. "Shit! Connor... We're not going to make it!"

Hannah was getting a little scared and didn't know what to do. "Dad? What's going on?"

"Abby's just having her twins much faster than usual. She and the babies will both be fine, it's just causing her a lot of pain."

Speaking up for herself Abby confirmed what he said and tried to get Hannah to calm down alongside her. "H-He's right. Don't worry, this thing is actually normal. That's why doctors give pregnant women the strong shit when they're in labor." Squeezing Connor's hand again Abby groaned in pain and tried to shift her weight to slow down her labor, but it was too late. "Damn, fuck!"

"Fuck indeed." Connor sighed as he put the car in park and sighed at the massive traffic jam that had just formed around them. Cybernetically Connor tapped into the emergency broadcast and discovered the cause of the jam. "A water pipe burst under the road and has cut off access down the street." Tightening his grip on Abby's hand Connor made a decision about their current predicament. "I can possibly maneuver around the traffic but it'll take us on a longer route to the hospital and I may not be able to pull over. If we stay here-"

"Just get back here and help me deliver these kids!"

"I assumed as much." Turning to Hannah beside him Connor gave his daughter a stern look. "I need to help Abby. I want you to take this," pulling his emergency phone from his back pocket Connor dialed an emergency contact number for a fellow deviant working at the hospital. "and talk to the receptionist on the other end. Relay whatever I tell you so they can prepare for Abby and the twins once they arrive."

"I can do that..." Accepting the phone Hannah pressed it to her ear and prepared to speak.

"Normally I'd ask for you to step outside of the car but I don't trust traffic. Just close your eyes and listen to what I say, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"That's my girl." Giving Hannah a kiss on her forehead Connor opened up his door, pulled his emergency first aid kit from the trunk and walked to the rear door to get to Abby laying in the backseat. Abby had been laying with her head near the driver's seat and her legs outstretched toward the passenger seat, which meant the delivery would be taking place right behind Hannah. "If paramedics show up I'll let them take over, until then we're going to be the ones helping out Abby."

Remaining brave Hannah heard the receptionist's kind voice on the phone and listened to everything they were saying along with Connor behind her.

"Abby," pressing his now gloved hand against her swollen and contracting belly Connor confirmed it was time. "can you move yourself up to a more upright position?"

"Y-Yeah... I think." With Connor's help Abby changed positions and held onto the seats with both of her hands gripping the fabric like a lifeline. "Okay, I can feel it! I need to push!"

"Right." Removing her scrub bottoms and her panties Connor put himself in position and monitored her progress. "Whenever you're ready."

From the front seat Hannah listened to everything happening and cooly spoke to the receptionist over the phone. Impressively calm for a ten year old Hannah did exactly as she was told and didn't once lose her cool.

"I can see the head, let me ease it out..." Connor spoke loudly for both Abby and Hannah to hear as he assisted in the birth. "Keep pushing Abby, the baby is almost here."

"Shit, shit, shit..." Breathing through the burning pain Abby pushed with as much strength as she dared to muster since she knew she still had to deliver the twin after the first baby was born. "I'm never forgiving Gavin for this!" Holding her breath Abby pushed with all of her might, her heels pressing down against Connor's knees for leverage as she labored, and felt the head finally pass through. "Oh, fuck!"

"Push for the shoulder." Instructing Abby calmly through what was happening Connor cupped the newborn's head and helped bring them into the world as Abby gave one final big push. "He's here."

"...He?" Panting for her breath and wiping her sweat hair from her face Abby looked down at the newborn in Connor's grip as the deviant used a section of elastic medical tubing from the first aid kit to tie off the umbilical cord before cutting it. Swaddling the newborn in one of the three emergency blankets in the first aid kit Connor gently coaxed the newborn into crying by flicking the soles of his feet. Once he took in a breath and began crying Connor passed the baby over for Abby to hold while the second twin began its descent. "Oh wow, he looks like Gavin! ...Minus the scar."

"I'd certainly hope so." Preparing for the second twin Connor leaned up toward Hannah in the front seat to check on her. "Tell them the first baby is out and he's a completely healthy boy."

Hannah nodded as she repeated the information and kept her eyes closed.

"You're doing well, Hannah. You're making this much easier for all of us, thank you."

Nodding again Hannah acknowledged her dad but didn't open her eyes.

"Ow, fuck!" Abby swore as her next contraction began burning through her abdomen. "Twin's ready to be reunited with their brother!"

"Okay, Abby. Just as before you know what to do."

Carefully maneuvering her arm to cradle her newborn son without harming him as she pushed Abby took in a deep breath and repeated the process. Letting her body do what it naturally wanted to do Abby trusted Connor to help her through the ordeal and only flinched when she felt the burning pain all over again. "Shit!"

"The head is already crowning, keep pushing."

Outside the car an ambulance arrived and parked alongside the street to assist in the remaining labor and delivery. A paramedic appeared behind Connor's shoulder and looked in as Abby pushed again and Connor helped guide the baby out. "Status of the patient?"

"Normal vital signs, neither mother or child are in danger despite the precipitous labor." Connor never looked away as he cupped the second baby's head and guided it out just as he had done with its older brother seconds before. "First twin was born forty-seven seconds ago."

"We'll get the stretcher ready for all three patients."

"Almost there, Abby... One more big push!"

Bearing down with her residual strength Abby managed to finally deliver the twin into the world and catch her breath. Closing her eyes Abby knew what Connor was already doing and just waited to hear the second baby crying. The moment the twin took in a breath and let out a shrill cry Abby opened her eyes again and was presented with the second baby.

"She's healthy, too."

"Another little girl..." Looking at the second newborn's face Abby just smiled and let her body relax as much as possible until it was time to handle the aftermath of the birth itself. "Shit, she also looks like Gavin!"

"I'm sure she'll grow out of it."

Laughing at the comment Abby wept tears of joy and looked at her twins with unfailing love in her eyes. "...Okay, maybe I can forgive Gavin after all. AFTER you're both out of diapers!"

Satisfied that Abby was all right where she was, Connor climbed out of the backseat to give the paramedics the room they needed to work, removed his bloody gloves and opened up the front passenger door to check on Hannah.

Kneeling down beside his daughter Connor gave her a curious look. "Are you okay?"

"...Yeah. Can I hang up now?"

"Yes. You did good." Taking back the phone Connor gave Hannah a hug and guided her out of the car for a moment. "Are you going to be okay? That was pretty traumatic."

"Not nearly as much as it was for Abby..."

The witty retort made Connor grin as he led his daughter away from the car for a moment to get some fresh air. "She'll be just fine. So will her twins."

"That seemed like it was torture. Why do women willingly do that to themselves?"

"Because in the end of their pregnancies, their pain, and their overall discomfort, they're rewarded with a child of their own. For some women that's the greatest gift in the world, and just as many men would agree."

"...Did that happen to my mom?"

Connor stopped walking for a moment as he put his hand to Hannah's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug at his side. "...Your mom went through something similar, yes. I wasn't there when you were born but I spoke to her after everything was over."

"Was she scared?"

"Yes, she was scared for many reasons. Mostly she was scared about you being harmed in some way, but when I told her that you were okay she calmed down and her fears slowly started to melt away."

"What's my mom like?"

"...To be honest with you Hannah, I didn't spend that much time with her. But I can describe her if you want."

"Do I look like her?"

"Yes. You have her hair, her smile and her complexion. You have your father's eyes as well."

"How come I never met her?"

"...That's very complicated to understand."

"Please tell me."

"I will, Hannah." Moving so he was kneeling down in front of her again Connor held both of her hands in his own and gave her a kind smile. "I'll tell you everything about your biological parents when you're eighteen."

"Why do I have to wait so long? I want to know now!"

"Because I don't want you to feel like you're out of place. When I adopted you I had both of your parents' blessings, and they were relieved to know I'd be the one taking care of you.  I promised them I'd protect you from anything and everything in this world. That even includes uncomfortable truths."

"I can handle it."

"I know you can, but for now I just want you to focus on being yourself and not worrying about your parents. I intend to keep my promises to you and to them, and I'll never break them." Tightening his grip on her hands a little Connor made sure Hannah understood. "I'm not keeping secrets from you, and neither are they. We just agreed to tell you every detail when you're eighteen, that's all."

"...Okay."

"Okay. As of the moment are you going to be okay?" Watching as Abby and the twins were loaded into the back of the ambulance by the paramedics Connor rose to his feet and began leading Hannah back to the car. "If you need a minute to talk it out it's fine."

"No, I'm okay."

"That's good. You were very brave and mature back there, I'm proud of you."

"Dad, who's going to clean up the car?"

"I will."

"Can't you just get a new one?"

"Hannah, babyies are born in the backseats of cars all the time. As such there are many special ways to clean up such a mess without any problems."

"Yeah, but buying another car would be easier than cleaning!"

"I think you've been spending too much time with your Papa. He once suggested we move houses rather than try to vacuum up all the pet fur from the carpet and furniture."

"That's because Papa's smart."

"As are you. Come on," showing Hannah back to the car Connor closed up the rear doors and tried to not think about the blood and fluids in the backseat. "let's go visit Abby at the hospital and then we'll finish shopping tomorrow."

"Car wash before the bookstore." Putting on her seatbelt Hannah made sure she never saw into the backseat as they waited for traffic to keep moving so they could leave the jam at long last. "This is just plain unsanitary!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The stormy summer day rocked all of Detroit under a layer of pounding rain, rumbling thunder and blinding flashes of lightning. While most people would find sanctuary and comfort behind the walls of their home such a peaceful state couldn't be found in the Anderson household at the moment. The rainy day gave everyone cabin fever and Hannah had decided to rummage through some old boxes in the basement out of curiosity. What started out as an innocent activity quickly devolved into a frustration and an argument when Hannah found her adoption record and the names of her biological parents.

As one would expect Hannah began asking questions about her biological parents but Connor kept his answers vague as he wanted to keep his word to Diane and Colin by not telling the little girl about her very chaotic beginnings. The way Hannah was growing more and more frustrated by the lack of solid information made Connor's heart ache and feel guilty because in his mind he was lying to her, and intentionally keeping her in the dark.

"Why won't you tell me about them?" Hannah was on the verge of begging as she confronted Connor in the kitchen with the private adoption certificate in her hands. "I know what it means to be adopted, but I don't know about them! Tell me!"

Connor looked defeated already.  "Hannah, I can't."

"Why not?"

"I gave them my word that I'd-"

"How come your promise to them is more important than me?"

"It's not!" Stunned by the accusation Connor tried his best to smooth things over before they got out of hand. "I'm just trying to help you understand that there are some things that I was asked to keep private until you're an adult. One such thing is unfortunately your biological parents' lives."

"So I can't even see a picture of them?" Showing serious resentment in her eyes Hannah challenged Connor's claims in a somewhat defiant way. "I don't even know what my own parents looks like!"

"I'm sorry. I don't have a photograph to show you."

"Then tell me their full names so I can find the photos myself!"

"...No." It felt so wrong to deny Hannah such a simple request. "I gave them my word."

"That's not fair!"

"Fairness isn't the problem here. Doing what's morally right is what we're discussing."

"It's wrong to lie and keep secrets!"

"You're right, but I'm not lying and sometimes secrets can-"

"Stop doing that! You're trying to make me feel bad for asking for answers."

"Hannah, I'm NOT trying to make you feel bad and I'm sorry if I am, but I will not break my word. The promise I made to them includes keeping you-"

"Let me guess," the fifth grader was getting more and more bold as she grew-up and learned to stand up for herself. "keep me hidden away from the world."

"No! You're not hidden."

"You won't tell me anything about my parents, not even their full names, AND you're acting like if I learn anything new I'll discover some long hidden secret and ruin your plans!"

"Please listen to me." Kneeling down in front of Hannah as she glared angrily at her own father Connor tried to be the voice of reason. "It's very complicated. Your parents made it very clear that they-"

"Why should I listen to anything you have to say about them now?"

"What?"

"You won't answer MY questions, so why should I believe YOUR answers?"

"Because I'm your father."

"No you're not..." Turning away from Connor in an angry huff Hannah stomped out of the kitchen, through the livingroom and up the staircase as she gave Connor one last piece of her mind. "My real dad's someone I've never met and you won't tell me about!"

"I-" The comment had such a stinging and painful impact that Connor swore his heart actually broke as he watched Hannah walk away. "I am your real dad..."

Falling from his kneeling position and onto his left hip on the floor Connor dragged his right hand over his eyes as he felt tears welling up. Barely able to react to such a hurtful remark Connor just stayed on the kitchen floor in shock as he contemplated how he could've handled the argument better. Unsure of how long he had been sitting on the floor Connor didn't move until he felt Hank's hand resting on his right shoulder.

"Connor?" The retired detective was pressing his free hand to his lower back and struggling to keep his posture correct as he looked down at Connor on the floor. Having been busy in the garage working on the Oldsmobile Hank didn't hear the argument between father and daughter. "What the hell is going on?"

"...Hannah asked about her parents. She didn't approve of my lack of answers."

"Ah, son. She'll be okay."

"...I know she will." Forcing himself to get back up to his feet Connor let out a shaking breath and dragged his hand over his tear filled eyes as he walked toward the front door. "...I'm going to work."

"Son, you have three hours until your shift starts."

"Take care of Hannah."

"Connor?" Trying to chase after the deviant despite his aching back slowing him down Hank knew he missed something very important, and his instincts to protect his son told him he needed to act fast. "Connor, what the hell did you two say to each other?"

"I'll be back later." Refusing to answer the question Hank opened the door and stepped out into the warm summer rain to leave.

"Connor! Talk to-" The door shut before Hank had the chance to finish his sentence. "Shit." Glancing at the staircase where he knew Hannah had locked herself away in her bedroom Hank sighed and dropped down to the couch to rest his aching back. The moment he sat down Hank was greeted with a 'mew' as Gem jumped onto his lap the cuddle down for a while.

"You wouldn't happen to know what the hell happened, would ya'?"

The fluffy cat just yawned and stretched out for a moment before she cuddled down on Hank's lap for a nap.

"Yeah, I figured as much. I'll just wait until Hannah cools off before I try to get some answers."

Peering over the back of the couch Hank stared at the staircase again as he began gently petting Gem's back.

"Hannah somehow managed to inherit Connor's hot temper. It takes a long time for either of them to get pissed off, but once they reach their boiling point they burn hot!"

Arriving at the precinct earlier than expected Connor entered his private office and cybernetically engaged the opaque layer over the otherwise transparent glass walls to maintain a sense of real privacy as he sat behind his desk with a heavy slump. Staring at the framed photographs on his desk Connor thought back to his argument with Hannah and every time her words replayed in his mind Connor felt another piece of his heart break even further. He had never had a fight with Hannah before and he had no idea how to handle such a scenario.

Leaning back in his chair Connor closed his eyes and tried to block the fight from his mind, but there was no escaping it as he still felt a horrible ache in his heart.

"...What am I going to do now?"

As much as he wanted to tell Hannah the truth about her parents and give her the answers she was begging for, Connor didn't want to break his promise to her parents. He still had the letter given to him the day his adoption of Hannah was legally granted, and he was determined to deliver the letter to Hannah after she turned eighteen, but now he wasn't sure if he was going to succeed in waiting that much longer anymore.

Opening his eyes again Connor cybernetically tapped into his terminal to set about handling cases to distract his thoughts away from the fight and toward something easier to handle compared to an argument with his own child.

Outside thunder and lightning continued to create chaos as the warm spring rain drenched the city under the violent deluge. There was plenty of other things to focus on that day, and yet Connor still found himself oddly distracted.

Busying himself in the kitchen with dinner Hank tried to feign ignorance when he heard Hannah open up her bedroom door and return to the ground floor now that she had adequate time to cool off. Glancing about the house a little it was clear Hannah didn't want to talk to Connor at the moment and was probably going to play the 'silent game' with him for a while.  When she didn't see her dad Hannah simply walked into the kitchen and peered at what Hank was putting together on the counter.

"What's for dinner, Papa?"

"Stuffed peppers."

"Again?"

"Hey, they're good and good for ya'!"

"A pepper full of spiced up steak, tomatoes and onions?"

"It's steak inside of a vegetable and spiced with more vegetables. Since two-thirds of the main meal is composed of vegetables it's therefore healthy."

"Nice logic."

"Wanna' help?"

"Sure."

"Maybe you can also help me with the Oldsmobile. I need smaller hands to get to the smaller spots in the engine."

"No way!" Washing her hands in the sink Hannah joined Hank at the counter and took a green bell pepper in her hands to begin cutting off the stem and cleaning out the interior. "I don't want grease and oil on my hands."

"It'll wash off."

"Nope. Get dad to do it."

"Can't. He's at work."

That response made Hannah freeze.  "...Oh."

"Something wrong?"

"No."

"Are ya' suuuure?" Keeping his tone light Hank tried to gently coax Hannah into telling him about the earlier argument. "It's okay to have a bad day or be in a bad mood. Sometimes talking about it can make you feel better."

"I'm okay, Papa."

"All right. Just remember if you want to talk I'm a good listener."

"Did you get a hearing aid?"

Chuckling as he took the freshly cut and gutted pepper from Hannah's hand Hank made sure he kept his knowledge of the fight a secret. "Such a little smartass."

Remaining in his office well into the night and morning Connor painstakingly organized every case based on its importance, age and content as a means of keeping his mind preoccupied. Delving out the cases appropriately to the detectives and officers beneath him Connor kept the precinct operating at optimal parameters, and kept to himself as he just didn't want to talk or even look at anyone.

Sitting at his desk as he rubbed his left hand at his steadily graying stubble along his chin Gavin stared at the office and managed to catch Tina's eye as the detective prepared to take her leave of the precinct for the night. "Hey, Ti', what's up with Connor?"

"I don't know. He seemed really upset when he clocked in a while back." Glancing at the office over her shoulder Tina had also sensed the tension coming from Connor and let out a breathy sigh. "I hope nothing happened to Hank."

"Nah, if there was something wrong with that old man the entire city would know about it."

"Maybe there was a little spat with Hannah then."

"A 'spat'? Where'd that come from?"

"I binged a bunch of detective movies from the 1940's last night."

"Watch 'em on mute."

"Not a chance."

Dropping his hand from his chin Gavin looked at the photographs on his own desk showing Abby, Aria, Ronan and Natalie looking back at him, and couldn't fathom having a fight or argument with any of them. "Makes me kinda' glad the twins aren't talking yet and Aria just keeps calling me 'da-da'."

"What about Abby?"

"Abby can call me whatever the hell she wants, as long as it isn't 'you bastard' or her 'ex-husband'."

"Seems about right. Well, whatever happened it's none of our business." Slipping on her coat Tina braced herself for the rain she was about to walk into and sighed to herself. "If Connor needs any help with this matter he'll get it from Hank himself."

"Yeah, I kinda' miss Hank barkin' orders around here. He always kept the rookies in line."

"Right? Maybe Connor can use his voice duplication trick and use it as a secret weapon."

"Don't give him any ideas! The last thing I want to deal with is a state-of-the-art android with a 'drill sergeant' program..."

The following morning was far calmer and brighter than it had been the day before. The storm had knocked loose a few branches and leaves, but otherwise everything outside was just a little wet after the massive downpour from the night before. Hannah walked downstairs to take care of Gem and get her breakfast as per usual, but was surprised to see Hank in the kitchen rather than her dad. Pouring Gem some fresh food into her bowl Hannah looked at her grandfather as he finished scrambling some eggs and kept quiet as she sat down at the kitchen table.

"Good morning, Hannah."

"Good morning."

"Sleep okay?"

"Yeah, the storm wasn't that bad."

"Good. Fortunately that'll be the last storm for the next few weeks." Putting two plates down on the kitchen table Hank joined Hannah as the nine year old stared at her plate blankly. "Want to help me clean up the pool so you can go swimming?"

"...Maybe later."

"What's wrong, Hannah-Banana?"

Looking up at Hank with a somber stare Hannah let out a sigh and finally asked the question burning on her lips. "Where's dad?"

"Still working."

"...Oh."

"Worried about him?"

"No. Just curious."

"Oh. Well, he'll be back home when he's done working." Knowing that Hannah was feeling guilty for the fight,  and knowing she'd open up and talk soon enough, Hank just stayed patient and waited for her to start talking. "The storm is going to keep him busy for a while. There's always a mess that cops and firefighters have to clean up."

"...Yeah.  Busy."

The morning turned to noon and noon turned to evening. In that time Connor refused to leave his office, let alone clock-out and return to the house. Feeling lost and hurt Connor didn't know what to do or say. The last thing he wanted to do was walk through the door and get glared at by Hannah or yelled at for not telling her the truth just yet.

Pressing his left palm over his eyes Connor sighed and leaned heavily atop his desk as he struggled to figure out the right thing to do.

An incoming text from Hank made him jump, but beyond that reflexive reaction Connor didn't move from where he sat.

'Working overtime. Be back later.'

Sending the response without even reading the message first Connor didn't want to talk to anyone and just wanted to be alone for a while longer as he tried to think and sort out his conflicted feelings.

Retracting the artificial skin over his right forearm Connor looked down at the orange and blue heart Hannah had drawn on him over six years ago and let a few rogue tears fall from his pained soulful brown eyes.

"...Maybe Hannah would be better off with her real parents. I can't give her the answers she wants and I don't want her to grow-up angry."

Beginning to worry for her dad Hannah contemplated taking Hank's phone and sending him a text or even giving him a call as she sat on the livingroom floor with her sketchbook untouched, and her inspiration gone. The starry image she had been sketching over the past few days has been left idle and Hannah was beginning to rethink her words when she yelled at Connor and stormed off.

"Papa?"

The retired detective was laying over the couch to rest his back as he watched an old movie on television. "Yeah, Hannah?"

"When's dad coming home?"

"I don't know. He's working overtime right now."

"...He's never been gone so long before."

"Well, he's working hard and doing what he needs to do." Turning his head a little Hank looked at his granddaughter and sighed. "What's wrong?"

"It's just... I don't know."

"Sure you do. Tell me, I'm not going to get mad."

Staying quiet for just a minute Hannah looked away from her sketchbook and gave Hank a sad gaze. "I wanted to know about my parents and dad didn't tell me the truth."

"But I'm sure he told you something."

"Yeah. He said he didn't want to break his promise."

"Sounds like a good enough reason to keep a secret to me."

"But it's not fair! I want to know!"

"You will know in time, Hannah."

"Do you know about my parents?"

"I do. And I also know that Connor swore to keep their names and history a secret until you turn eighteen."

"But why?"

"Because your parents didn't want you to worry about them. They want you to just focus on yourself and be happy, not obsess over situations that were beyond your control. They want you to live your life without them for a reason, and that reason will be given to you when you're old enough."

"So dad's just doing what they ask?"

"That's right."

"...Oh."

"Hannah," slowly sitting upright on the couch Hank gave her a studious glance. "what happened yesterday?"

"...I got mad at dad for not telling about my parents."

"And that's it?"

The reaction made Hannah feel all the more confused.  "What do you mean?"

"I mean, when I came out of the garage yesterday I found your dad sitting on the kitchen floor and when I asked him what happened he wiped away his tears and went to work. And he's staying at work right now, which tells me he doesn't want to come home."

Hannah wrapped her arms around her chest as she realized she really hurt Connor's feelings and was beginning to cry a little herself.

"Did you say something to him that made him upset? Your dad doesn't cry often and he's rarely ever hurt by words. The only time he has been hurt is when the person who said something to him was a person he truly respects or loves."

"...I said something about him not-" Not wanting to break down and cry Hannah took in a deep breath and tried again. "I said he wasn't telling me the truth and that I shouldn't listen to him when he gave me answers because he won't tell me about my real mom and dad."

"Oh... That'll do it."

"Do what?"

"Hurt his feelings."

"Because I don't want to be lied to?"

"First of all, he's not lying. Secondly, you referring to a person you've never met as your 'real dad' after everything Connor has done for you; raising you, caring for you, keeping you clothed, fed, warm, putting you in one of the best schools in the city, teaching you how to fight, reading to you every night since the day you were brought home up until you started reading by yourself in the third grade, soothing every fever, kissing every scraped knee..." Trailing off as he could see that Hannah was finally understanding how much her words hurt Connor by accident Hank changed the subject. "How would you feel if Connor said you weren't his daughter? What if he said 'adopted' every time?"

Wiping away her tears Hannah felt the same pain she had inflicted on Connor and felt awful.

"I know you didn't mean to hurt his feelings, but it happened. Do you know what you have to do?"

Nodding to herself Hannah answered the question honestly. "I need to apologize."

"That's right."

"How? Dad isn't here."

"You just gotta' wait for him to come home."

"But we don't know when that'll be."

"Then that means we have to be patient. He'll come back eventually."

Another day passed with Connor staying at the precinct, then a third. When the fourth day hit Hank had enough and decided to take the initiative. Seeing Hannah so broken up over her insulting words, and knowing that Connor was struggling with his thoughts and emotions at the precinct, Hank told Hannah to stay put and lock the doors of the house as he drove down to the precinct to speak to Connor more directly.

With a deep breath Hank knocked on the closed office door and waited for a response. When none came he opened the door and entered the closed off space to speak to Connor at last.

"Connor?"

The deviant was resting his forehead atop his arms as he laid over the surface of his desk in a completely slumped over position. He wasn't moving and by all account it looked like Connor had been sleeping in his office for the past three nights. The heart was still visible on Connor's arm as the deviant remained in place over the desk.

"Connor, son?" Walking over to the desk Hank put his hand on Connor's right shoulder to get his attention. "Look at me."

"...I'm a failure as a father."

"No, you're not. You're just dealing with a strong willed daughter who's about to enter her teen years."

"...She can't be my daughter. She said I'm not her 'real dad'."

"And she feels horrible for saying such a thing."

Lifting up his head Connor gave Hank a broken stare as tears rolled down his face from his blue bloodshot eyes. "...But she's right! I can never be-"

"Shut up. Blood and D.N.A. doesn't make anyone a 'real' parent anymore than me standing in the middle of the garage makes me a damn car!"

"I'm a fool for thinking I could ever be a real father for her."

"Why? Because you're a deviant?" Tightening his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank sighed and gave him a sympathetic stare. "I'm a human but that doesn't make me any less your adoptive father, does it?"

"...No."

"Hannah is just curious about her past and the fact that you know the truth but won't tell her is just frustrating her. It's not going to undo all the good times you had together over the past nine years."

"I know."

"She's hurting as much as you are right now. It's time to come home and put this matter to rest."

"I don't know what to say to her."

"Don't say anything. Hannah needs to apologize and she wants to."

"Somehow I doubt that'll be work."

"How so?"

Letting out a somber sigh Connor reached for the printer located beneath his desk and picked up an impressive stack of documents and photographs. Handing them over to Hank to see for himself Connor showed Hank what he had been working on for so long. "I downloaded all the information on Diane and Colin I could find. Everything they went through growing-up and everything they've done since they left Detroit."

"Jeez..."  The work was thorough, to say the least.

"I'll give Hannah her answers and when she's ready I'll find a way to contact her parents so can finally be with them."

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA." Hank gave the deviant a stunned stare as he swore he felt the earth fall from beneath his feet. "You're not going to give up custody of Hannah, are you?!"

"...She isn't happy with me. I promised to keep Hannah happy and I failed."

"Holy shit... Connor, listen to me. One fight isn't the end of your relationship with your own daughter, AND Hannah's had worse days than this!"

"What... are you talking about?"

"Remember when Hannah drank some Thirium and had to go to the hospital? Or how heartbroken she was when Sumo died? What about her appendix? Hannah's been through far worse than a stupid argument and you were the one who helped her through every hard step of the way!"

"...She was so scared in the hospital and so sad when Sumo died."

"And you took away her fears and you helped her heart heal by rescuing Gem and introducing them to one another. She wasn't happy on those days and yet you're the one who made her feel better and you never once doubted yourself."

"...I know."

"Connor, trust me. She doesn't want to meet her biological parents, let alone live with them. She just wants to know what they look like."

"...That's it? How do you know?"

"Like I said, she's on the verge of entering her teenage years. She's going to go through puberty soon and begin changing. The urge to know what she might look like is going to always be in the back of her mind even if she doesn't know that's what's bothering her."

"...You sound so certain."

"Son, when I was her age I started looking at old family albums and compared my face to my father, my grandfather and my great grandfather on both sides of the family. I look just like my grandfather and Cole looked just like my father when my father was a kid. It's very strange and almost compulsory to look into your past when you start coming of age."

Looking doubtful Connor sighed and shook his head a little. "I don't know."

"Only one way to find out." Shaking Connor's shoulder a little Hank encouraged Connor to get up and go home. Tucking the printed off documents under his arm Hank sighed and knew that Connor was about to face his most difficult test as a parent. "It's time to clock-out and stop being a detective for the day and go back to being Hannah's dad."

Sitting at the kitchen table Hannah stared at the remaining dinner on her plate as she waited for any sign of her father's return. She truly felt bad for what she said and wanted to take back every angry word. Barely able to hold back her tears Hannah immediately looked up when she heard the front door open and she bolted into the livingroom the moment she saw Connor.

Wrapping her arms around Connor's waist Hannah buried her face against his stomach and cried. "I'm so sorry, dad!"

"It-It's okay..." Feeling his voice shake Connor wrapped his arms around Hannah and returned the hug as he felt a sense of relief wash over him. "It's okay now, Hannah."

"I shouldn't have said that! I didn't mean it."

Picking Hannah up Connor held the nine year old up and in his arms in a firm hug that he had given her countless times before when Hannah was smaller. Carrying her over to the couch Connor sat down and put her beside him while Hank walked into the front door and held the documents in his hands. Passing over  the photograph of Diane and Colin together at their junior prom Hank walked into the kitchen to give the the two some privacy to talk.

"Hannah, I know you just want to know the truth and I want you to know that I will tell you the truth in time."

"...I know. I'm sorry for saying mean things to you."

Nodding a little Connor passed Hannah the photograph and let her finally see her parents. "I know you didn't. But while I was working I did some extra police work and I found this."

Hannah stared at the photograph in wonder and spoke up softly. "...Is this them? My parents?"

"Yes. They are your parents and this is from when they were in high school together. Diane and Colin."

"They knew each other in school?"

"Yes. They were friends for a while before they started dating."

"...She looks like me."

"Hair, complexion and jawline, yes. But you have your father's eyes like I said before."

"I already knew that."

"Yeah, I guess you did."

"No, I mean I know I have my dad's eyes and I have known that for a long time."

"...Oh. How's that?"

"Because I know you! You ARE my dad, you really are!"

The horrible feeling in Connor's heart finally eased as he slumped where he sat and leaned toward Hannah as she quickly wrapped her arms around Connor for another hug. The pain in his heart was quickly replaced with a sense of healing and love as Connor realized that Hannah truly loved and respected him as her father, and that she didn't mean a single word of her angry outburst from their previous argument.

"I love you, dad."

Closing his eyes as fresh tears rolled down his face Connor kissed Hannah's hair and tightened his hug even more. "And I love you, too."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The odd year was drawing to a close and the small family was gathered in the livingroom on Christmas Day to enjoy the holiday together. Unable to get the full day off due to being a police Captain and an important figure in the precinct, Connor was eager to spend the morning with his father and his daughter for as long as possible.

After everyone had their gifts opened and exchanged their thanks and appreciation for all the gifts, Connor began to dread going out into the blizzard to go to work while Hank and Hannah were able to stay safe in the warm house. Reluctant to leave the couch Connor just watched as Gem played with the empty boxes and paper on the floor while Hannah disappeared into her bedroom for a minute.

"I hate to leave." Connor admitted in a somber tone as he looked over at Hank sitting in the nearby recliner.  He was already wearing the new scarf Hannah bought him.  "It seems unfair for anyone to have to work during the holidays, but I understand that I'm important to the city."

"Yeah, I know. If criminals had any scruples they'd know to call a truce on certain days of the year to make it easy on everyone else."

Hannah practically skipped down the staircase as she returned to the livingroom and sat down on the couch beside Connor eagerly. Placing a neatly wrapped green gift down on Connor's lap Hannah gave him a bright smile. "One more gift! This one's special."

"For me?"

"Yeah! I spent the whole summer and fall working on it!"

Connor was impressed by Hannah's dedication to the still unknown gift just waiting to be opened. "I'm sure whatever it is I'll love it."

"Go ahead, open it!"

"Okay, Hannah."

Carefully removing the red bow over top of the gift and peeling back the green wrapping paper Connor was greeted with a solid white cardboard box containing whatever project Hannah had been working on. Opening the lid Connor peered inside the box and felt his heart skip a beat in his chest.

"...Hannah?"

"What do you think?"

"...It's amazing." Picking up the photo album he had  been given years ago, that now had an image of Connor carrying Hannah on his shoulders on the cover, was enough to make Connor's eyes tear up. With a shaking hand Connor opened up the album and was greeted by images of Hannah's first days of life in his care that had been captured by Hank's phone throughout the years.  "...You put this together?"

"Yeah. I wanted to prove that I really mean it when I said you're my real dad!"

Every single image was of Connor spending time with Hannah as she grew up over the past ten years. The now sixth grader was in middle school but still just as sweet and kind as she had ever been as a smaller child. Each page was neatly put together with names and dates marked beneath the photographs, and each page had small hearts, diamonds and stars to give each page some unique design.

"This is... This is very thoughtful." Connor was struggling to keep his words stable as he passed through each page chronicling Hannah's life and of all the wonderful moment he was actively reliving in perfect clarity thanks to his eidetic memory. Seeing his ageless face alongside Hannah as she grew, and saw images of Hank as he grew older, made the deviant truly appreciate all the time they had spent together. "Thank you."

"So... you like it?"

Wiping the back of his hand over his teary eyes Connor nodded and pulled Hannah up against his side for a hug. "I do." Reaching the final page that was designated for that Christmas day and just waiting for a photo to be added Connor confirmed that he adored his gift. "I love this."

"Look at the back!"

"The back?"

"It's not finished since, you know, I'm not an adult yet." Hannah explained in an optimistic tone. "But there's one more thing in the very back of the book."

Turning to the final page Connor saw the back cover of the album that had been painted with a white oak tree and had photos of Hank, Barbara, Cole, Connor and now Hannah all lined up to show their lineage. "...A family tree?"

"Yeah. I put Papa at the top of the tree with Granny Barbara, and I put you and Uncle Cole below them. If I ever have kids some day then I'll add more to this!"

The way Hannah included Barbara and Cole despite never having met them made Hank's own eyes tear up. It was such a sweet and loving gesture that Hank couldn't really begin to fathom. It was then he wanted to mentally kick himself for ever suggesting that Connor not get attached to Hannah after rescuing her, and couldn't even begin to imagine their life without her.

"Hannah, this is the second greatest gift I've ever received."

"Second best?" Glancing up her dad as she leaned against his side as they hugged Hannah gave him a confused stare. "What was the absolute best?"

"You." Giving her a kiss on her hair Connor tightened his hug around his daughter and refused to let her go. "You're the best gift I've ever been given."

Leaning more into the hug Hannah just held tight to her dad as the bonding moment brought them even closer together. "...What about the third best gift?"

"That was when your Papa adopted me as his son. That was about the same time I adopted you."

Hank rubbed his thumb under his teary eyes and sighed. "And having another family to look after is tied with having my first family as the best gift for me. You two make this old man very happy."

The way Hank said 'old' made Connor's ache for a moment as the thought of losing Hank due to his advanced age had become an increasingly real fear of his. Reaching out his other arm Connor invited Hank over for the family hug and was happy that despite his sore back Hank was always willing to partake in their family events.

As the small family gathered on the couch and just enjoyed one another's company Connor closed his eyes as a single tear rolled down his cheek and dripped onto the family tree painted on the back of the photo album. "...I don't want to leave you today. Not for one precious second!"

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

For the first time in almost seven years Hannah found herself hanging out with Markus, Simon and Josh in New Jericho Tower as she spoke with the three deviants and asked questions to write her report on local history. Settling on the subject of the Revolution and its consequences Hannah knew the best way to get a solid 'A+' was to speak to the androids who were at the heart of the Revolution, and get the information right from the source. Eagerly writing down all the information she was being told with meticulous detail and care Hannah found herself awed at the knowledge, and of the sacrifices that were made so that all of the deviants could be freed.

Citing her sources and having the three deviants all signing the citations to prove that Hannah wasn't making things up, Hannah finished her lengthy report and closed her black notebook with a satisfying 'thump'. Tucking the pencil into the circular binder running down the side of the notebook Hannah leaned back a little and looked around the tower's community room with a sense of familiarity and intrigue.

"Thanks for all your help! I've never been great at history, so I know this report will get me a solid grade."

"You're welcome, Hannah." Markus was always happy to see her, Delilah and Sophie spending time in the tower. "Your dad should be here soon. Want to go see the community garden before he shows up?"

"Yeah! It's been a long time since I've been up there." Tucking the notebook under her arm Hannah joined Markus as they exited the community room side by side. As the duo neared the elevator they heard some shouting voices near the doorway and stopped to look and listen. "...Is that dad?"

Connor was standing near the entrance and surrounded by six other deviants who were glaring at him and challenging him where he stood. It was clear Connor was trying to deescalate the situation, but the other six deviants weren't going to go away peacefully.

"How dare you show your face around here, 'Deviant Hunter'!" One of the deviants pushed Connor's chest and kept trying to get Connor to respond in a physical manner. "You're a traitor!"

"I assure you I never killed-"

"Doesn't matter! You hunted us and made us fear for our lives!" Pushing Connor again the aggressor was refusing to let up on his taunts. "And then you have the nerve to raise a disgusting human like you could ever be anything but a traitor to your own people? You are absolutely-"

"HEY." Markus called out in defense of his friend and approached the six deviants angrily. "You six need to back off, NOW."

"B-But he-"

"I KNOW who he is and who he used to be." Defending Connor without any doubts in his words Markus put himself between Connor and the six other deviants ganging up around him. "I met him the night of the Raid and Connor sided with me once he realized that CyberLife was wrong! He not only helped save our people that night, but went out of his way to protect me and helped save North's life, too. Did you forget that he's the one who stormed this very tower and rescued thousands more of our people and did it all alone?"

"He's a killer!"

"He's NOT a killer! He never once killed any of the deviants he chased down."

"That's what he told you."

"No. That's what he SHOWED me. I saw his memories and I know he never once lied!"

"He could've altered-"

"Enough! This conversation is over. Return to your private quarters, we'll have words later." Stepping through the six deviants who were ready to walk away Markus made sure that it was made clear that Connor was not to be seen as an enemy, but an ally. "This is over."

Connor followed after Markus but before he could pass through the other deviants his previous aggressor struck him in the stomach and dropped Connor to his knees.

"Hey!" Markus singled out the aggressor and pointed him toward the tower's doors. "Go, now."

"Go?" It was clear the deviant didn't expect his actions to have such severe repercussions. "Go where?"

"I don't care. You are no longer welcome here." Offering Connor his hand Markus pulled the affected deviant back up to his feet and stood by his orders. "You assaulted one of our own and that will NOT be tolerated."

"D-Don't." Connor struggled to catch his breath after the cheap-shot winded him. "Don't exile him."

"What?"

"...I was given a chance to be better than who I was." Pressing his hand over his sore stomach Connor explained his reasoning to Markus. "Everyone deserves the same courtesy."

As much as Markus didn't want to deal with an aggressive deviant who was able to rile up other deviants in such a manner, he decided that Connor was right. One offense shouldn't be a death sentence. "You can stay, but we're having serious words in one hour. I suggest you contemplate your next moves very carefully."

"H-Hi, Hannah." Fighting to compose himself Connor met his daughter beside the elevator and smiled at her. "Are you ready to go?"

Wide eyed and scared Hannah made sure her dad was really all right.  "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine. It's not the first time I've been punched in the stomach."

"Why did he do that to you?"

"...Because he was angry and chose to take his anger out on me. Sometimes people just have bad days."

"He still shouldn't have hit you."

"You're right. He shouldn't have hit me or anyone else."

Markus joined Connor and Hannah by the elevator and put his hand to his friend's shoulder. "Do you need to see Simon in the repair bay?"

"No, he didn't damage anything."

"That's good." Giving Hannah a kind smile Markus pressed his palm to the control panel next to the elevator doors. "I was going to take Hannah up to the community garden, and I think right now is the perfect time." Nodding at the six deviants slowly departing from one another Markus made it clear it'd be best if they had some space for a moment. "Care to join us?"

"Yeah..." Connor liked the idea of seeing the green scenery and Hannah being happy. "That's a good idea."

The trio stepped into the elevator together and began ascending to the top floor of the massive tower. During transport Hannah looked to her dad and could see that despite his efforts to seem calm and unaffected Connor was still thinking about being punched and insulted.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Hannah?"

"That guy kept calling you 'Deviant Hunter'. I know about your life before you deviated, and I know you didn't actually hunt anyone down. So why was he acting like you did anything wrong?"

"...Some people don't believe the truth yet. Rumors gain more traction than facts."

"That's not fair."

"Life rarely is."

The elevator doors parted and trio entered the garden together. North was already in the garden and tending to a large plot of snapdragons with a delicate touch, and smiled a little as she saw Markus coming her way.

"Did you finish your report, Hannah?" Connor watched as his daughter walked the small pathway leading toward the center of the garden, and put her notebook down on the small marble bench.

"Yeah, I got what I needed."

"That's good."

"Do you have any questions you want to ask me?"

"Well... Kind of.  But it has nothing to do with my report."

"What's on your mind?"

"It's just... I've seen deviants getting mad at you and picking on you before. How come they won't stop?"

"Anger and grudges are pretty potent, Hannah. Some people struggle with letting go of their pasts."

Markus agreed with the assessment as he sat down on the marble bench and gave Hannah an understanding stare. "Every one of the deviants in this world has experienced some form of discrimination at least once in their lifetime, and sometimes the pain that comes from discrimination can't be ignore."

Hannah didn't understand and wanted to know why her dad was always being targeted. "That doesn't make any sense."

"How so?"

Pointing to her dad Hannah looked to Markus and North for her answers. "Why don't they hate him? Aren't you all deviant androids?"

"That's right, we are." North spoke up and approached Hannah with her arms crossed over her chest. "And just like your dad we all have different backgrounds that shaped our personalities. Some deviants will be more forgiving than others."

"That just doesn't make any sense to hate dad for doing what he did. He didn't have a choice!"

"Come with me for a second." Despite not being a fan of children North had grown fond of Hannah and Delilah since they're the children of her friends, and had grown to be friendly toward them. Putting her hand to Hannah's shoulder North began leading her along the pathway that encircled the garden so they could talk to one another. "There's some things I think you're ready to learn about with deviants."

"Like what?"

"Before the Revolution happened us deviants were forced to do things against our will. If we failed to cooperate we'd be destroyed, and those of us who deviated needed to escape while appearing to be obedient machines."

"You needed to hide from angry humans while staying in plain sight?"

"That's right."

"And the deviants who were openly deviant were... killed?"

"Sometimes. Most of us managed to escape from where we were trapped and hide out in the original Jericho in the harbor."

"That's where you met dad?"

"That's where I met everyone. I met Simon and Josh first, then a few weeks later Markus showed up. From there we rescued other deviants, gathered supplies and began planning the Revolution."

"And dad?"

"He showed on the night of the Revolution and sided with us when we needed it the most. He saved our lives."

"But other deviants still hate him."

"Other deviants haven't learned to let go of the hatred in their hearts. It isn't easy, and I'm speaking from personal experience."

"...Can I ask where you were when you deviated?"

North's eyes glazed over for a moment before she answered the question honestly. "...I had been trapped in a disgusting place called the 'Eden Club'. It was a place where people could pay to use androids for... personal reasons."

"...Do you mean like sex?"

"You know what sex is?"

"Dad discussed puberty with me last year and answered all my questions. I know what it is and I know that it's supposed to be something shared between two people who love each other, not to be used like money or a weapon."

"That's right. That club didn't agree with that, and so we were forced to have sex with humans who paid for it. I was there, I deviated and I escaped."

"I'm glad you got away."

"So am I. It took me a very long time to accept that not all humans were going to do that me anymore, and that not every human would do such a thing to begin with. After I let go of my anger and my pain I finally began to heal and feel happy."

"You're saying those deviants still need time to let go of their anger?"

"That's right. And your dad knows that."

"Oh. Dad is willing to let them be angry at him because he knows it isn't personal and won't last forever."

"You got it."

"I understand now. But dad shouldn't still have to get hit by other deviants!"

"Your dad got hit?"

"Yeah. Markus wanted to throw them out but dad said not to do it."

"Well, sounds like that deviant should thank Connor for not tossing him out. Rent for android apartments is crazy right now since the employment rate stabilized."

"Hey, North?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. I'm glad you told me about what happened."

"You didn't know?"

"I knew about dad and Papa helping with the Revolution, but dad didn't tell me that he helped you at the original Jericho. We learned about the Raid in history class, so I guess dad just didn't want to scare me by telling me he was there that night."

"It was a scary night for all of us, but we all came through that dark night okay."

Circling back to the center of the garden Hannah reclaimed her notebook and grabbed onto her dad's hand. "Dad, I want to add something else to my report before we go home."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I want you to tell me your perspective during the Raid and the Revolution."

"M-Me?"

"Dad, you're important to everything that happened! You deserve the chance to tell your side of the story and make sure these truths aren't ignored in favor of rumors."

Truly proud of the way Hannah saw the world and wanted to make sure everyone was treated properly Connor was actually happy to tell his daughter about the night of the Raid and of the Revolution at long last.

"Okay, Hannah. Just know that it's going to be a long story, so I might need to buy you a new notebook on the drive back home."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The Saturday morning started off normally enough until Hannah had an unexpected change thanks to puberty having its natural sense of terrible timing. Spending two hours hiding away in the bathroom with a sense of strange fear and embarrassment, the preteen didn't say a word until after Connor returned from the store with a few supplies to help her get through one of the biggest changes in her life. When she finally opened the door Hannah had red puffy eyes from crying and seemed entirely lethargic where she stood.

Connor was sitting on the floor in the hallway just outside the bathroom waiting for his daughter to make the first move after her mini moment of panic earlier that morning. Patient and unafraid to handle biology at its most unusual or embarrassing Connor made sure Hannah knew that what she was going through was perfectly normal and nothing to be ashamed of.

"Do you feel better, Hannah?"

"...Not really."

Giving the twelve year old a sympathetic look Connor watched as Hannah sat down on the floor across from him. "Do you have a headache?"

"No." Pulling her knees up to her chest Hannah wrapped her arms around her legs and let out a small sigh. "My stomach feels weird."

"I made sure to buy some medication that can help you feel better if you wish to try it."

"Medicine?"

"Abby said that it'd be best to buy some symptom alleviating medication and keep it stocked at all times."

Hannah flushed with embarrassment.  "...You told Abby?"

"I sought her advice. I know what you're going through by knowledge alone, not experience. And Abby is a former E.M.S. which means her personal experience and medical knowledge made her advice invaluable." Trying to get Hannah to feel better Connor told her something slightly more interesting. "She also suggested I buy some chocolate."

Hannah gave her dad a curious glance while keeping quiet.

"I bought you some ice cream, a candy bar and then a back-up candy bar in case your Papa found it first."

Grinning a little Hannah began to perk up.  "...Thanks, dad."

"Do you have any questions?"

"No. My school went over this stuff and I know what's going on."

"...Would you like to talk to Abby?"

"Why?"

"Well, like I said she has far more experience in this area and sometimes it's just easier to talk to one person alone instead of asking questions to one person in front of an entire classroom."

"...I don't know."

"Why don't you come downstairs and see if that ice cream makes your stomach feel better? After that, if you want to talk to Abby, I'll call her."

Nodding a little Hannah got up from the floor alongside her dad and walked downstairs as she contemplated how her normal childhood suddenly began changing into womanhood against her will. She was also glad she wasn't at school when everything happened and that her dad was also so calm and collected whenever anything strange seemed to happen.

An hour later Hannah found herself speaking with Abby on the back porch of the small home while Connor stayed inside the livingroom to watch Aria and the twins playing happily together. After getting some more information on what her body was going through, what to expect, what was common to experience and what was uncommon - but still normal to experience, as well as some tips on feeling better on bad days, Hannah was feeling more and more secure about what was happening.

"So I have to go through this stuff every month until menopause?"

"Yup. Sometimes you might skip a month depending on your hormones, but otherwise you should stay pretty consistent of when it'll happen. It's different for everyone, so don't freak out if things happen a little sooner or later than expected."

"And I have to go through this solely for reproductive purposes?"

"Yup. Sucks, huh?"

"And I assume being pregnant for nine months isn't a better alternative."

"You assume correctly. Not only do you end up dealing with unwanted weight gain, sore joints, a bigger butt, heavier boobs and a screaming baby or two at the end," she smirked at the sight of Connor being used as a jungle gym by her twins, while Aria played with a dol, as she peered through the sliding glass door. "you know, depending on the pregnancy, but you end up having a horrific period thanks to nine months of your uterus essentially being backed up. There is no real break from your period beyond three weeks of peace and eventually menopause."

"Can't I have a hysterectomy and then adopt?"

"Unfortunately, unless you have a serious medical condition someone your age would never be permitted to undergo such an operation. If you still feel the same way at eighteen then go for it, just make sure you really thought it through."

"Did you ever feel this way?"

"Oh, yeah! Every month since I was thirteen years old. You'll get used to it and just handle it in stride."

"I hope so..."

"Hey, you're lucky your dad isn't squeamish or thinks what you're going through is messed up. I know way too many guys who get freaked out just by going past that particular aisle in the store, and I unfortunately know just as many women who won't even discuss it with their own daughters because they for some reason think it's a shameful act. It's not. It's nature."

"Nature sucks!"

"You're damn right about that. That's why nature also gave us chocolate."

"How come I have to deal with this? I don't want to."

"Because you're growing up." Lightly Abby combed her fingers through Hannah's hair and remembered how she first met Hannah when she was only three years old when Connor ended up in her care due to a freak incident involving blueberries. "It's going to happen no matter how much you try to will it away."

"...And my friends are going through this, too?"

"Most likely. You're not alone in this, Hannah. And you should be excited about this."

"Why?"

"You're about to experience some pretty amazing thoughts and feelings now that your hormones are surging."

"I'm going to what?"

"Trust me. The next time you read a book or watch a movie that you love your heart is going to explode! Hell, even smelling a flower can make you feel incredible on the right day."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Why don't you go home and watch one of your favorite movies, wrap up in a quilt on the couch and cuddle with your dad? You'll know exactly what I'm talking about."

"...Okay, sure."

"Good. Now," looking back in the livingroom Abby watched Connor getting swarmed by her kids and decided that despite him being an advanced deviant with nothing but love and patience for children that he needed to be saved. "let's go unbury your dad from the 'baby pile' so you can go home and try to enjoy the rest of your weekend off from school!"

Following Abby's advice Hannah decided to wrap up in a quilt on the couch and watch one of her favorite childhood movies alongside her dad. Despite having watched 'The Wizard of Oz' countless times before Hannah had never really understood or appreciated the story as a whole until that moment. Something about having her emotions being fueled by raw hormones made every scene twice as poignant and beautiful to behold. Feeling herself beginning to cry through some of the more tense portions of the story Hannah didn't resist when Connor wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against his side for a hug.

"Are you feeling sick again?"

"No..." Using the quilt to wipe away her tears Hannah leaned up against her dad and quickly pulled Gem onto her lap when the loving kitty jumped up onto the couch to be near her. "...I just never realized how beautiful this story is."

"Oh. It took me a while to understand the beauty of stories, movies and even music as well."

"...So you becoming a deviant was like going through puberty?"

"That's... actually a fairly accurate description. Although I never changed physically."

"Abby says I should start looking for new clothes and some... 'new' clothes to get used to as I keep growing-up.  I don't want to buy bras yet."

"Yes, it happens. If you want I'm sure we can arrange something so Abby can take you shopping, or we can simply order your new clothes online if you're uncomfortable with going shopping in public."

"...I'll be okay. I just want to watch this movie and maybe sleep for a while."

"That's just fine."

Slipping down from Connor's side Hannah grabbed a pillow and put it over her dad's right leg so she could use him as a pillow for a while. Holding Gem close to her chest as she snuggled down for the evening Hannah seemed to be adjusting to her new changes just fine.

Staying in place as to not disturb Hannah while she slept Connor turned off the movie, Hannah having fallen asleep before Dorthy even returned to Kansas, and thought back through the twelve years since he had first rescued Hannah.  He found it hard to believe she was about to become a teenager in less than a year.

"...You're going to be okay, Hannah. Just stay strong and know your dad is always going to be here for you."

"And her Papa." Hank's voice replied in a whisper as he stepped out of the study and walked over to the recliner. "Man, you'd think that now that I'm retired I'd have less paperwork to deal with, but no... Damn greedy insurance bastards..."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just needed to prove to them that I stopped drinking and that I retired under my own freewill, not because I had to step down due to my age or other physical reasons."

"Ah."

"So how's Hannah doing?"

"She seems to be okay."

"I can't imagine how scared she must've been to wake up like that. Way to keep calm so she could calm down."

"Of course. Panic never does anything constructive in situations like this."

"And did Abby help?"

"Yes. As I suspected speaking to Abby alone helped Hannah to find the confidence to ask the more personal questions she wanted to ask."

"Man, I'm so glad my old man was open and direct with me when I went through puberty. It really helped me to understand myself a little more when I realized that sometimes your body is going to do things without your consent."

"And I'm grateful that Hannah has enough trust in Abby to go to her for answers when she doesn't feel quite comfortable talking with me. I'm not sure if that's because I'm an android or because I'm a male."

"It's because you're her dad. These moments and experiences," Hank stated so casually it sounded like he had already gone through that very moment and had invaluable experience on the matter. "are the kind that you speak about only with your friends."

"Why's that?"

"Because who else can better relate to your problems than a friend going through the same problem?"

"...Oh. That makes sense." Looking down at Hannah sleeping peacefully against his lap Connor sighed and lightly put his hand on her side in a comforting manner that didn't accidentally awaken her. "Maybe when she's feeling better she should have a small slumber party with her friends again. It might be beneficial for all of them."

"Good idea. It's warm enough that they could camp out in the backyard and have real privacy, too."

"I'll be sure to pass the word along. I'm certain Delilah and Sophie would appreciate the discretion."

"Never doubt that you're a good father, Connor. Never." Smirking at the sight of his son cuddling with his granddaughter Hank just sighed and gave the pair a loving nod. "You've always put her first and she's going to remember how, no matter what she went through and whatever she faced, you were always there to watch her back and made her feel safe."

"I won't doubt myself anymore, dad." Seeing Hannah content and calm gave him a sense of paternal pride that made his heart warm with utter joy. "I promise."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

The summer barbecue in the backyard was full of life and energy as the guests converged at the pool and enjoyed Hank's unbeatable cooking skills. It seemed so strange to see the yard full of people, yet it was a welcome sight as Hannah continued to grow-up and mature into a wonderful young lady. Hanging out with her friends, Delilah and Sophie at the edge of the pool, Hannah just laughed and smiled while Connor helped Abby and Gavin handle their three little ones as the babies all watched the pool party in fascination.

Hank proudly looked at his guests and felt like he had finally overcome his past pain. Surrounded by smiling faces and laughter from his own family, his old friends and the new friends that had been made along the way, the senior detective decided that it was time to finally go through the old boxes in storage and let go out his painful past to allow a brighter and happier future to continue to unfold.

Connor, Chris, Tina, Gavin and their respective spouses and kids were all having a blast at the backyard party. It was refreshing to be surrounded by positive energy instead of a tense air because of work.

As he flipped a burger on the grill Hank felt someone leaning against his right side and turned to see Tina of all people giving him puppy dog eyes. "Jeez, Tina. I haven't seen you give me that look since you asked me to put in a good word with the higher-ups to get ya' a raise. What's up?"

"Oh... nothing."

"It's never nothing. You're as bad as Connor..."

"Well, okay. It's something." Stepping back Tina patted her slightly rounded middle as tilted her head.  "I was wondering if you had any ice cream that I could help myself to."

"Is it for you or the 'little Tina' you insist on feeding every hour?"

"Can't it be for both?"

"Yeah, yeah. Help yourself. Just don't touch the blue stuff marked with a 'T'. That's made with Thirium."

"I don't care what anyone says, you were the best Captain in all of Detroit!"

"I don't sign your paychecks anymore, Tina. You don't have to kiss my ass."

"Think of it as a nostalgia trip!" Disappearing back into the house through the sliding glass doors Tina gratefully helped herself to the ice cream.

"That better be pregnancy-brain talking..."

Connor overheard the comment and carried Aria over to see Hank for a moment while Abby and Gavin worked together to get their twins covered in sunscreen. A task easier said than done. "Don't worry, I'm keeping her on desk duty for a full year."

"Good man. She's a great detective, but if she stops to eat at every restaurant she passes while on patrol she'll never get any work done."

"Did Barbara have such odd cravings while at the precinct?"

"Nope. Barb stayed at the house and worked from home once she found out about Cole. It was a relief to be honest..."

Adjusting Aria in his arms Connor let the toddler snuggle in against his chest as she let out a big yawn. "It's hard to believe that at one point Hannah was so small and helpless. I remember every day of her life vividly and yet... It seems impossible to fathom."

"I still can't believe I ever had any doubts about you bringing that little lady home."  He smiled  at Hannah just as she jumped into the pool.  "She's a true Anderson, through and through."

"...Think she'll pick up the mantle and join the police force?"

"Honestly? I think she has the right attitude and sharp wit to be a detective, but deep down I hope she pursues her passion for astronomy. It's a lot safer looking through telescopes than it is dealing with sniper scopes."

"Agreed."

Returning to the backyard with a small bowl of chocolate ice cream Tina had her own say on the matter. "But not as fun! Stopping bad guys and protecting the innocent is so fulfilling." Moving her hand to her belly Tina grinned happily. "Speaking of filling..."

Hank finished with the stack of burgers and moved onto the hotdogs. "You're what? Six months?"

"Six and half. The kid's kicking up a storm and I love it."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. I've waited so long for Darren to put a ring on my finger so we could settle down and have a family. One baby down... At least five more to go!"

"...You actually want six kids?"

"Six or ten. It depends on if we get twins or not."

"You've seen how exhausted Gavin is with just three kids, right?"

"Yeah, and I can't wait! I had a small quiet family, so I want a noisy family that the whole neighborhood can hear."

"Whatever you say, Tina."

Connor looked over at Hannah again and sighed. "...I sometimes wonder if I should've adopted another child while Hannah was younger so she could have a sibling."

Laughing a little Hank gave the idea a small head shake. "Knowing you the house would be full of kids by now. You wouldn't have been able to go and pick a single kid to adopt. You'd have walked away with the entire foster care under your arms."

"Is that wrong?"

"No, but it is financially impossible to deal with on a detective's salary."

"True enough."

"Why don't you go ahead and rejoin the party? Take pictures and make sure you get one of Gavin changing a dirty diaper."

"Very well." Looking down at Aria as the toddler drifted off to sleep Connor decided it'd be best to find her somewhere quiet and safe to nap while the party continued on. "Let's get you taken care of so you don't get fussy later on."

Tina smirked at the sweet sight and nodded over at Hannah as she and her friends jumped into the pool together. "Man, I can't believe Hannah is already a tweenager."

"Same. She's definitely the light of Connor's life."

"Think when she's grown-p he'll adopt again? I sense empty-nest syndrome in his future."

"Only one way to find out. I'm looking forward to the day Connor gets to be a grandfather since he's ageless. That's going to be hilarious watching a guy who looks twenty-four telling people he's a grandpa!"

"Twenty-four?"  Sampling her ice cream  Tina watched Connor carry Aria inside the house to let her nap in peace.  "I thought he was supposed to be designed to look twenty-six."

"He is.  But CyberLife gave him too much of a baby-face when they designed him."

"A baby with a gun."  Rubbing her palm over her bump Tina flashed Hank a coy grin.  "How terrifying..."

The summer party came to an end and the house was now suspiciously quiet. While Hannah took care of the photographs that Connor had taken of the party Hank relaxed on the couch and Connor himself washed the dishes in the kitchen. Nursing a mild sunburn on his face Hank kept applying aloe to his red nose and cheeks as he sorted through an old box of photographs he pulled from the crawlspace, while Hannah printed out special photos to put in the album she made for Connor last Christmas.

As Hannah flipped through the pages she noticed something curious about her dad and brought it to Hank's attention.

"Hey, Papa. What's this?" Pointing to a curious circle of blue light in her dad's right temple Hannah tried to figure out what she was seeing. "Is that a light?"

Looking up from the cardboard box on his lap Hank peered at the image and smirked a little. "That was your dad's L.E.D. back before he removed it."

"Why'd he get rid of it? It's pretty."

"Because your dad wanted to 'look normal' when out in public with you. Some asshole at the park harassed him one time when he took you there when you were still a baby, and he decided it'd be best to get rid of it."

"That's stupid. He shouldn't have to change the way he looks because of one jerk."

"That's what I told him."

"And he just threw it away?"

"No. He held onto it. It's somewhere around here."

"Really? Interesting." Putting the album aside for a moment Hannah walked into the kitchen and joined her dad at the sink. Casually picking up the freshly washed dishes to dry them with a towel she looked up at Connor's right temple and tried to imagine the light back in place. "So... Can I ask you something, dad?"

"Of course." Rinsing off another dish Connor put it aside to be dried. "What do you want to know?"

"Where's your L.E.D.?"

"My..." It had been so long since he thought about that little light Connor almost forgotten about it. "It's safe. Why do you ask?"

"Because I think you should put it back!"

"...You do? Why?"

"Papa told me why you got rid of it. I just noticed that it was missing when I was going through the album and I think it's time you brought it back."

"...But people will harass me for being a deviant again."

"Dad, I've seen other jerks harass you for being a cop and for going to New Jericho. It's okay to be yourself even if other people can't accept it."

"...Thank you, Hannah." Turning off the water in the sink Connor contemplated his daughter's words with genuine intrigue. "I will consider it."

"Don't consider it, do it!"

"All right..." Drying off his hands Connor proceeded to dry off the rest of the dishes alongside Hannah to put away in the cabinets. "I will do it."

Sitting in the middle of the couch of the livingroom with a small audience gathered around him Connor revealed the L.E.D. he had kept safe for over twelve years and proceeded to return it to his right temple with mild difficulty. Retracting his artificial skin just enough to get to his plastimetal frame beneath Connor pressed the little disc against his bare temple and closed his eyes. Initiating his self healing program Connor manually caused the plastimetal to warp a little to form around the L.E.D. and then secure it to the surface.

Opening his eyes Connor lowered his hand, the L.E.D. staying in place without needing his fingertip to hold it down, and regenerated his artificial skin over his temple. The light remained dull and gray for a moment as his system synced to the little device returned to his person. The light glow a bright red in a solid ring, pulsed three times then began cycling as Thirium flowed into it.

"Well..." Connor looked to his daughter and father as the light shifted to yellow and then finally back to blue. "How does it look?"

Hank nodded his head and approved of the light's return. "Looks good, kid. Just like old times."

Hannah agreed and pressed her left fingers over the glowing light. It was cool to the touch but still bright in color. "I like it. It's a part of you."

"...Yeah, it is." Connor was relieved that everyone was supportive of his decision to hang on to the light and put it back. "It's nice to look like myself without feeling judged."

"Think you'll start a new trend?"

"Of deviants reclaiming their L.E.D.'s? Doubtful."

"But it's a mark of rebellion. Instead of looking like how everyone wants you to look, you're entirely yourself! So many deviants might follow suit and rebel in the same manner."

"I'm a detective, Hannah. I cannot promote anarchy."

"You don't have to support anarchy or anything like that, but embracing individuality is important."

"You're not wrong on that."

"It's like a tattoo..."

"Hannah, you can get a tattoo when you're eighteen and only after you've really thought it through. I, however, will not being undergoing such an experience."

"Your loss!"

"Not likely." Rubbing his fingertips over his returned L.E.D. Connor gave his daughter a playful glance as he remembered the blue and orange heart drawn on his right forearm.  "Maybe you can talk your Papa into going with you."

Hank sighed as he returned to the recliner and pressed his fingertips over his sunburned nose lightly. "Hey, I'm already old and by the time Hannah's eighteen I'll be even older. Why not?"

Hannah's eyes lit up brightly. "Now that's going to be a fun birthday!"

Dropping his fingers again Connor looked down at the photo album that Hannah had been updating and couldn't help but feel as though his removal of the L.E.D. had been a mistake with good intentions. With its return he truly felt complete and decided that if Hannah was okay with him being recognized as a deviant then he'd be okay with it, too.

"Glad you told me to do this, Hannah.  I feel more like myself now."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Sitting in the chair beside Connor's desk in the police Captain's private office Hannah glanced about the space looking bored and eager for something interesting to happen. Having already finished her report for her school project Hannah was left with nothing to do beyond waiting for her dad to finish his shift so they could go back home.

"Dad, I hate to break it to you..." Giving her dad a playfully pouty face Hannah sunk down into her seat theatrically to emphasize her point. "But this place is pretty boring!"

"I'm sorry, Hannah." Looking away from his terminal screen Connor gave his daughter a kind smile as his L.E.D. cycled in a steady blue in his right temple. "It's not my fault that you write so quickly."

"It's so stupid that the school is still requiring 'take your kid to work day' when you're already in junior high."

"I agree, but at least you got out of school early with an easy 'A' to your name."

"You act like getting an 'A' was ever a challenge for me."

"Fair point."

"Can't I please take a cab back home?"

"No. I trust you to go right back to the house, but I don't trust other people not trying to take advantage of a young girl walking around by herself."

"Dad, I can protect myself."

"I know. I have the memory of my broken hand as a constant reminder."

"Buuuuut?"

"But that doesn't mean I ever want you to have to protect yourself."

"What if I called Papa so he could pick me up?"

"Your Papa's back is hurting him today and he needs to rest."

The comment was less than reassuring.  "...Is he sick?"

"What? No." The upsetting question caused the blue L.E.D. to flash to yellow for a moment. "He's just enduring the hardship of arthritis and is being too stubborn to do any physical therapy sessions to ease his pain. He won't even take any medication to slow the degeneration of his joints."

"Has Papa always been so stubborn, or was that something you rubbed off on him after he adopted you?"

"That... is an excellent question."

Peering through the transparent wall of the office Hannah looked at the bullpen and sighed as she remembered spending time out there with the other officers when she was younger. Seeing Gavin and Chris working together on a case while Tina sat at her own desk with her legs up on a nearby chair to keep her ankles from swelling as she neared her due date was a little weird. It was so strange to see those three familiar faces but not recognizing the newer and younger officers who had come along as the familiar faces were promoted or retired.

"Hey, dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can I go talk to everyone in the bullpen?"

"Only if they're not too busy to talk."

"Cool!" Getting up from the chair Hannah happily exited the office and walked over to the desk where the three familiar faces were all gathered. "Hi."

"Hey, Hannah!" Tina beamed as she looked at the sweet girl with a sincere smile on her face. Rubbing her hand over her near due belly Tina was absolutely glowing and in the best possible mood. "Having fun with your assignment?"

"Not really. I finished my report an hour ago and it's not even noon."

"Sounds like you're too smart for your own good."

"Or the school just likes to give out dumb assignments."

"Oh, that sass! You remind me of your dad."

"I find it hard to believe my dad would- Never mind..." Thinking back to how he had come to her rescue when the school tried to give her problems about the dress code and being bullied Hannah realized that her dad would in fact talk back when necessary. "I guess dad's just better at keep his mouth shut than I am."

"Don't worry about it. Just learn to keep some thoughts as an inner monologue and you'll be fine."

"That's what Papa said, too." Standing beside the desk Hannah looked at Tina's belly and smirked. "Are you having a boy or a girl?"

"Boy. This is Shawn,"  she answered proudly.  "and he's going to make his grand entrance in a few days."

"Doesn't it hurt?"

"Growing a giant belly? It's more uncomfortable than painful, but I'm not going to pretend that I'm eager for it to be over."

Gavin scoffed a little as he and Chris compared notes on their latest report. "You're the one who said you wanted a giant family, so you better get used to lugging around a giant belly!"

"It's not like I'm going to pop one kid out and have another popped right back in!"

The comment made Gavin blush in the way that only a best friend could do. "I'm so glad you're an expert on biology, Ti'..."

Smirking a little Tina dropped her legs from the chair and adjusted her posture to take the strain off her back. "Says the guy who managed to have three kids in barely less than two years."

"That was a mutual decision made by me AND Abby. We have our three kids and now we're done."

Chris chuckled a little and carried his tablet away to return to his own desk. "Well, me and Julia feel like Damian and Renee are all we need. So good luck, Tina. Enjoy two o'clock diaper changes."

"And the three o'clock diaper changes." Turning off his terminal screen Gavin stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'm going out to lunch. Need anything?"

Tina thought about the offer for a moment and then suddenly paled as she pressed her palms to the sides of her belly. "Uh... Could you call Darren?"

"Darren?" It was Gavin's turn to pale as he realized something was up. "What's wrong?"

"...I think it's time. That... That wasn't a cramp or false labor. That was a legit contraction."

"Yeah, I'll call him." Offering Tina his hand Gavin helped his partner up to her feet. "After I drive you to the hospital and get you checked in. Hannah?" Looking to the thirteen year old girl with a calm stare Gavin asked for a simple favor. "Could you tell your dad what's going on?"

"Sure. Sounds more interesting that sitting in an office all day."

"You're not wrong about that." Supporting Tina's weight by wrapping his arm around her waist Gavin helped Tina to walk toward the front doors of the precinct to get out of the building. "I'll be staying with Tina until Darren arrives, so no worries."

"Right." Leaving the bullpen Hannah returned to her dad's office and told him what was going on, and watched as her dad quickly filed all the important information to ensure that Tina was covered while on maternity leave,  and that she was going to get all her necessary benefits once the baby was born. "So now what happens?"

"I introduce myself to her temporary replacement, sort out Tina's cases and sees that she gets all the support she needs."

"That sounds less like official police work and more like a friend looking out for another friend."

"Since we're all good friends here in the precinct that's a fairly accurate assessment. I'd do the same for any of my officers, but since I've known Tina for so long I can understand if there's a little perceived bias. After all, she was always very kind to you and helped me when I struggled with the concept of taking care of a baby's hair and other little things."

"Just don't volunteer to babysit Shawn every weekend to thank her."

"Shawn?"

"The baby's name."

"Good to know." Finishing the paperwork Connor sat back in his chair and then gave Hannah a small grin. "Well, your report is done and I'm caught up on my paperwork. Why don't we go get some lunch, drop off a gift at the hospital and then you can write a second report regarding the superfluousness of the idea of 'take your child to work day' when said child is old enough to discover what they want to do with their futures beyond what mom and dad are doing?"

"Sure. Maybe it'll be accepted as extra credit."

"As for tomorrow... How do you feel about having the leaders of New Jericho speaking to your school?"

"It doesn't bother me. I've met them dozens of times." Giving her dad a curious stare Hannah watched as he rose from his desk. "Think we should even mention North, or just let her hide?"

Chuckling a little at the question Connor considered the offer and walked with Hannah out of the office. "I'm certain by now North knows every possible hiding spot in the tower to avoid human contact for as long as possible. She doesn't need any warnings."

The school was abuzz when the three leaders of New Jericho Tower entered the building and introduced themselves to the principal, vice principal, the history teachers and a few members of the junior high school's private security. Being shown to the large auditorium Markus, Simon and Josh all had small flashbacks to the night of the Revolution and of Markus's victory speech being delivered to their people on that peaceful night. It was nice to speak up again, this time to eager young minds who weren't even there on that fateful night,  to let them see how deviants and humans weren't so different in the end.

Standing behind the podium Markus watched as the students filed into the auditorium one classroom at a time. Catching sight of Hannah, Delilah and Sophie as they joined their classmates in the rows of seats Markus smiled proudly knowing that those three particular students were the children of deviants and were proof of how love wasn't limited by blood or D.N.A., only by closed off minds and hearts.

At the back of the auditorium Markus also took notice of Connor discreetly slipping in to not only listen to the speech, but to be there was a curious bystander to ensure that there were no angry parents ready to storm the auditorium because of lingering anti-android bias. Security was already on guard but it didn't hurt to have extra authority there strictly as a precaution.

After the speech encouraging peace and tolerance between the two communities was delivered, the three leaders were willing to answer random questions being asked by the inquisitive students. As the hands raised high into the air Markus acknowledged each student one at a time.

Most of the questions were about stereotypes regarding deviants; were they faulty machines? Did glitches make them 'think' they could feel? And a myriad of questions regarding blue blood were all answered honestly and without any sign of irritation from the three deviant leaders. When questions regarding the rumors of threats and violence came up Markus answered in low tone to convey how he was opposed to violence for any and all reasons.

"The interaction with the police during our march down the street was met with hostility," Markus confirmed as he thought back to the fateful day. "but it wasn't from the deviants. It was from the authorities who were being ordered from someone higher-up to react aggressively. We defended ourselves and retreated as peacefully as possible."

"How come the videos online show you getting shot when approached by the cops?"

"Because we turned to leave and they were ordered to open fire anyway. I was trying to reason with them while giving my people the chance to get out of harm's way. I was wounded and an ally gave up his life to protect me. We were attacked just for existing."

Another student raised her hand and asked a new question. "You didn't have any cops on your side at all?"

"Well, we had a few allies." Smirking a little Markus looked up at Connor standing in the back of the auditorium to acknowledge him. "They kept their presence somewhat discreet to ensure that they could help us without being stopped by the other cops being ordered to harm us. Not all of the cops were against us back then, and there are zero cops against us now."

Connor nodded respectfully toward Markus as he stuck to the back of the auditorium and merely listened in.

From up front Hannah raised her hand and asked a curious question of her own. "Since humans and deviants are now equals and get along with one another, how come there aren't as many blended families, and how come everyone seems to be sticking to their own community?"

Hearing the mature question made Connor arch his brow a little as he walked toward the front of the auditorium to see his daughter for himself while Markus answered the very interesting question.

"That's a good question. For some deviants their memories of being bullied by humans have left them afraid to trust and go out into a more blended community, but we're working with them to help them overcome their fears. I imagine many humans were left frightened during the night of the Revolution and feel the same way. As for families of humans and deviants living together... I think that's just a matter of people not being able to control who they fall in love with or being able to always adopt. More blended families will come around in time."

Approving of the answer Connor hung back a little and watched as Hannah, Delilah and Sophie gave the three deviant leaders kind smiles. Just as he was about to turn around and resume his place at the back of the auditorium Connor noticed a male student sitting behind Hannah leaning forward to whisper into her ear and pass her a note.

The interaction, though harmless, made Connor suddenly feel protective toward his only daughter.

Not knowing who the boy was or of his personality Connor decided he needed to do a little sleuthing regarding Hannah's new friend...

"Do you have any additional questions to ask before we leave?" Markus seemed oddly comfortable standing before the entire school and it was like he didn't want to go. "Anything at all?"

One final question popped up from Delilah herself as she looked at her two dads standing behind Markus near the podium. "Can we have a tour of the tower some time?"

The auditorium erupted in excited cheering as the idea of seeing the iconic tower was too much of a temptation to be ignored.

"...Well, I have no problem with it." Grinning at the question and knowing his allies were blushing a little for their daughter's impressionable and fearless personality, Markus saw no issue with letting curious children explore such a curious location to learn. "But you'll have to ask your principal for permission."

The entire auditorium cheered and barely heard the bell ringing to dismiss everyone for lunch. As the students filed out Connor got a good look at the young man's face and began checking through the school's student roster until he found the boy's name.

"Austin Hathaway..."

While most students gathered in the school's cafeteria to enjoy their lunch Hannah sat outside with her dad along with Delilah and Sophie as they joined Markus, Simon and Josh for the afternoon. The deviants were all grateful to be welcomed in the school and the three dads enjoyed being able to go to the school without it needing to revolve around conferences or other issues. While the three students ate their lunches and talked amongst themselves Connor cybernetically began checking on Austin's parents as a precautionary manner, and only just managed to hide his glare when he watched the student of interest walking by with a basketball tucked under his arm.

Hannah noticed Austin too and gave him a shy smile without drawing any attention to herself. As he returned the smile Austin went on his way to the basketball court on the other side of the exterior tables to play with his friends.

Delilah nudged Hannah and whispered in her ear in a teasing manner. "He likes you..."

"Shut up. He does not!"

Connor wanted to ask about him but chose to feign ignorance as he finished checking on Austin's family and noted nothing of a concerning nature.

"So, dad." Hannah looked up at Connor beside her and grinned. "What's the word on Tina?"

Closing his eyes for a moment Connor checked in with the officer's condition through texts with Gavin as he kept in contact with her from the precinct. "...She's still in labor."

"Still!? How is that possible?"

"Every pregnancy and labor is different. Since this is Tina's first child I imagine her progress will be slow."

"I'll say... How long has it been?"

"Twenty-six hours, fifty-two minutes and thirteen seconds since her first contraction at the precinct."

"That seems way too long."

"She's not in any danger. The doctor's..." Trailing off for a moment Connor got another update from Gavin and informed Hannah of the change. "She has been taken up to the delivery room."

"Meaning she's ready?"

"It looks that way. Are you worried about her?"

"I still remember how scared Abby was when she had the twins. I don't want to think about Tina being scared like that, too."

"Tina isn't afraid of anything, and unlike Abby, right now Tina is in a hospital and has been given medication to ease her pain. If anything that's what's slowing down the labor."

"Oh. I guess that's good then."

The bell rang again and all the students were required to head to their next classes.

"I'll pick you up after school and we can stop by the hospital to see Tina."

"Okay. Bye, dad!" Giving Connor a kiss on the cheek Hannah took off with her friends and returned to the school behind them.

Watching as his daughter and her friends returned to class Connor let out a small sigh and tried to not watch Austin so closely as the young man also returned to class as expected.

"Connor?" Markus addressed his friend curiously as he watched the L.E.D. cycling in a yellow hue. "What's wrong?"

"...I'm not sure."

Josh let out a soft chuckle and sighed. "I know. You just saw Austin."

Turning to face Josh upon hearing the student's name Connor gave him a studious glance. "Do you know him?"

"I know about him. Delilah mentioned that a boy named Austin joined the school this year and seems to have a crush on Hannah."

"Crush... Do you know if the feeling is mutual?"

"You'd have to ask Hannah about that."

"How?"

"No clue. Fortunately Delilah hasn't 'discovered' boys yet, so Simon and I get to learn from you how to handle this."

"...I think I should seek Hank's advice."

Simon tried to not laugh as he shook his head at Connor's reaction. "You're acting like Hannah having a possible crush or even boyfriend is the end of the world. There's nothing wrong with her wanting to date."

"...I know. But I don't want to see her get her heart broken."

Being an unbiased voice of reason Markus put his hand on Connor's shoulder sympathetically. "I think heartbreak is an inevitability. But I've watched Hannah grow-up and I know she's very strong and very smart. If it happens she'll cry for a while, then pick herself up and continue on a little stronger and a little smarter than before."

"That doesn't mean it'll be easy for her to handle. I'm supposed to protect her from pain, not anticipate it."

As promised Connor picked Hannah up from school just two hours later and they made their way over to the hospital to see Tina and hopefully Shawn. Picking up a few gifts for Tina; flowers, a stuffed bear, a box of diapers and a bottle of tequila - Hank's idea, the father and daughter duo made their way inside the hospital to check on the officer. Sitting down in the waiting room together Connor kept tabs on the precinct from afar and was promptly interrupted with a quick text from Gavin.

"Oh. We have good timing, Hannah."

"Tina had the baby?"

"Yes. Ten minutes ago." Confirming the time and successful delivery Connor gave Hannah a small smile. "She's being taken into recovery now and is ready to see visitors. Gavin will be here after his shift since Darren hadn't left Tina's side since he arrived at the hospital yesterday."

"That's good. No one should wake up alone in a hospital, even if you do have a baby with you."

"Precisely."

Standing up from their seats Connor and Hannah approached the front desk and inquired about Tina's room. One elevator ride later the duo were shown to Tina's room and were greeted by Tina's smiling face, Shawn napping in his blanket, Darren over the moon with paternal pride, and of course Tina's mother and sister fawning over the newborn.

Congratulating Tina and introducing themselves to Shawn in a calm manner the duo were honored to be involved in some way and promptly made room for Gavin and Abby when they arrived to visit Tina as well.

"Come on, Hannah." Whispering softly Connor motioned for his daughter to step out of the room. "Let's give them some space so Tina doesn't get exhausted and so Shawn doesn't feel overwhelmed."

"Okay." Accompanying her father down the corridor and back to the elevator Hannah kept glancing at the yellow L.E.D. in her dad's temple curiously. "Are you okay, dad?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Your light is yellow and not blue. That means something's bothering you, right?"

"...Not necessarily." Entering the elevator Connor tried to ease his daughter's worries. "Sometimes it just indicates that I'm thinking, running high power processes or undergoing an update."

"But I do know something's on your mind, dad. You can't fool me."

Proud of how astute his daughter had become as she grew-up Connor admitted defeat and decided to talk about what was bothering him once they were outside the hospital and in the car. "...You're right. There is something bothering me."

"What?" Opening her door Hannah sat down in the front seat beside her dad and fastened her seatbelt.

"...Today when everyone was in the auditorium I saw you speaking to someone new."

"Uh..."

"A boy."

Blushing bright pink Hannah sank down in her seat as if she was trying to disappear. "You saw that?!"

"I'm not mad if that's what you're worried about. You can speak to and befriend whomever you want. ...Within reason."

"Within reason? What does that mean?"

"I mean if you want to befriend someone who's dangerous or does dangerous things I'm going to put a stop to it, but otherwise I trust your judgment and know you won't do anything foolish."

"Good thing Austin's NOT dangerous."

"Tell me about Austin."

"What's to talk about? He moved here from Baltimore a few weeks back and we have the same history, art and science classes together."

"He was sitting-"

"Dad! Just because I was sitting near him doesn't mean we're dating!"

"...Do you like him?"

"As a friend! Jeez..."

"Just so you know, if you develop strong feelings towa-"

"Dad!"

"...toward him, it's okay to act on them. Again, within reason."

"Dad, I'm not going to run off into the sunset with him just because he's my first guy friend!"

"I'm aware."

"Can we please talk about something else for a while?"

"Like what?"

"Uh... How come Gavin is so close to Tina if he's married to Abby, and Tina's married to Darren?"

"They've been good friends for many years. Tina is like a sister to Gavin, and Tina sees him as a brother."

"Oh."

"What did you think of Shawn?"

"He's not bad looking for being bald so young."

"I'm sure that's a compliment to some degree. It's better than saying he looks odd."

"Well, he does. Why do newborns look like potatoes with arms and legs?"

"I'm unsure. But remember, you looked very much like Shawn when you were a newborn."

"Glad I grew out of the 'potato phase'..."

Smirking again Connor cybernetically put in an order for take-out and made a small detour. "We'll pick up some food and head back home. Tomorrow's Saturday so you can stay up and watch a movie with us tonight."

"When can I escape the confines of a 'bedtime'?"

"When you're a freshman. I trust that by that time you'll be able to recognize your own sleep schedule and go to bed and wake yourself up when it's time for school."

"Yes!" Seemingly satisfied with the answer Hannah flashed her dad a triumphant grin. "I'll hold you to that!"

Working on his case reports in the study well into the night Connor found himself feeling the stress of being responsible for the entire precinct, watching over Hank as he aged, and now his daughter's journey into adulthood beginning to take a romantic route. It was all so much to bear, though Connor wasn't about to shy away from his responsibilities just because he was feeling a little overwhelmed.

Staring at his laptop screen with his L.E.D. cycling between yellow and red Connor sighed with utter exhaustion in his soulful brown eyes.

"Son?" Hank was standing in the opened doorway of the study and watching Connor from the distance. "Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just catching up on reports."

"You? You have to catch up on something?"

"I'm not perfect."

"Never said you were. But you're usually on top of this stuff."

"I guess I fell behind due to everything with Hannah's school and Tina going into labor."

"You got her covered, right?"

"Yes. Tina's maternity leave has been handled and she'll be able to take care of Shawn without needing to worry about her paychecks."

"That's good. Shawn is going to be spoiled rotten by Tina, so be prepared to handle an exhausted new mother when she comes back."

"Noted."

"And... What else is happening?" Sitting down on the small sofa beside the desk Hank gave his son a knowing glance. "You've been unusually guarded as of late, and I don't think it's just dealing with a replacement officer or a school assembly."

Closing his laptop screen Connor looked over at his father and admitted defeat. "...Dad, I'm worried about Hannah."

"What? Why?"

"She's... shown interest in one of the boys in her class."

"Oooooh..." Smirking a little Hank let out a sigh of relief and chuckled. "Man, you had me worried for a second."

"I know dating isn't the end of the world, but it's still... Strange to me."

"Son, you're a great father but you're still clueless with romance. Let me tell you about my experiences in dating and maybe it'll help you understand what Hannah is thinking and feeling."

"...Is it normal to feel scared about this?"

"Scared your daughter might put her heart on the line and be rejected? Absolutely. But son, it'll be all right."

Nodding a little Connor gave Hank his full attention and tried to mentally prepare for what was bound to happen.

"I know it will. Just keep reminding me of that and hopefully in time I'll finally believe it."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

Taking a week off to take Hannah on vacation to California to reunite with Crystal for a few days was a real treat.  Connor surprised his daughter with the reunion, and was relieved to see that Lily was doing well in her new job and family life. Crystal had grown into a lovely young lady like Hannah and was ecstatic to be reunited with her childhood best friend for a few days. In the years since Crystal moved away Lily managed to remarry to a very kind man and had another baby, giving Crystal a little brother to be terrorized by. Meeting with the family at the airport Connor let Lily and Crystal be his and Hannah's tour guides as they showed them about the city and their neighborhood.

While Hannah and Crystal hung out at the beach and enjoyed the cool ocean water Connor hung back with Lily under a shady umbrella while six year old Troy built a sand castle by his mom's leg. Still seeking advice with how to handle Hannah potentially dating very soon Connor knew speaking with Lily could be invaluable.

"It sounds like Hannah and Crystal have the same interests these days..." Applying fresh sunscreen over Troy's nose and shoulders Lily gave Connor an amused grin. "Try not to worry about it. Most of the time tweenage and even teenage crushes last for a few weeks at a time, then they're distracted by someone else."

"But Hannah is already speaking with this boy and seems to be friends with him."

"Being friends first is by far the best way for them to get to know each other before the romance starts. Hannah is smart, she's strong and I know that she's aware that her worth isn't measured by being in a relationship or not. Try not to worry."

"That's what Hank said. I've just never been on any real dates or had any romantic feelings toward anyone. It's hard for me to connect to Hannah's current mindset."

"Instead of trying to think what she's thinking, try feeling what she's feeling."

That answer wasn't as helpful as he hoped.  "How so?"

"Watch how she interacts with this boy. If she's happy and always smiling then you should be, too. If she's sad and frowning then you do that, too. When it comes to developing emotions and a sense of love it's important to have someone to confide in since emotions are so unpredictable."

Nodding at the comments Connor watched Troy building his sandcastle and picked up a nearby seashell and handed it over to the little boy to use in his little project. "How did you meet your husband?"

"Chance. I was spending time with coworkers at a nice restaurant and when we left I dropped my phone in the street and a very charming gentleman got it out of the street for me.  He told me about a little electronic shop he owned in case my phone was broken, too. I appreciated him rushing into a street to help me and I thanked him, went to his shop later that week to thank him more properly and we... Well, we just clicked."

"...'Clicked'?"

"We just felt connected to one another. It was like we've been friends for years and just went from there. A year later he proposed with a ring in a protective phone case as a reminder of how we met and we've been happy ever since."

"How does Crystal feel about it?"

"She was a little wary of meeting John at first, but after she realized that he wasn't going to try to interfere with our lives and that he made me happy, she started to warm up to him. John thinks of Crystal as his own and has never let her down whenever he made promises to her."

"That's good." Watching Troy curiously Connor asked a rather strange question. "...And there's no competition between siblings?"

"Nope. There's no favoritism or rivalry. We treat Crystal and Troy equally and they're both happy." Smirking at the L.E.D. in Connor's right temple Lily gave him a curious stare of her own. "I see you're no longer afraid to let the world see you're an android father with a human daughter."

"Yes..." Pressing his right fingertips over the light for a second Connor gave Lily a small smile. "It was Hannah's idea."

"Looks like she had a good idea."

"I feel as though it was the right thing to do. I feel more complete."

"I'm glad you're okay with being yourself."

"As am I." Looking up as Hannah ran toward him Connor gave his daughter an odd look as she grabbed onto his hand and pulled him up to his feet. "Come on, dad. We want to play volleyball! Me and Crystal against you and John!"

"John?" Connor glanced about in time to see a tall man with light brown hair, blue eyes and a giant smile on his face walking over to the umbrella with a volleyball under his arm. "Oh. It seems John finished work."

"Dad! Come on..." Hannah began dragging Connor toward the small sandy court with the volleyball net being stretched over it, while Crystal hung back with Troy. "Me and Crystal want to whoop your butt!"

"You sound awfully confident about it, Hannah."

"Want to put down a wager?"

"You've been watching too many Gears games with your Papa."

"That's not a 'no'..."

"Okay, fine. We'll put down a wager." Joining Hannah and Crystal on the court just as John jogged over with the volleyball Connor gave his daughter a coy grin and made her an offer. "If John and I win then you and Crystal have to make dinner tonight, and if you win John and I will buy whatever you want for dinner tonight; no questions asked."

"That's boring, but we accept!"

"Why do I get the feeling that you two were banking on such a wager already?"

"Because you're a great detective!"

"Now I know you two were up to something... Don't complain when I spike the ball at you."

Rushing under the net Hannah joined Crystal and gave her dad a smug grin. "Bring it on, dad!"

Sitting together at one of the nicest restaurants in all of San Francisco Connor watched Hannah and Crystal happily devoured a massive plate of sushi and few kalimari rings with a look of total surprise on his face.  Hannah had never eaten such food before and was shocked that she enjoyed it so much. Hank had been entirely against raw food for as long as Connor had known him, so the option to try sushi was extremely limited. Making a mental note to find new restaurants in Detroit that could possibly offer sushi on the menu, while also downloading a few recipes for his own personal use, Connor just sat back and enjoyed hearing the laughter in Hannah's voice as she spoke to Crystal like they never spent a day apart from each other.

Being on the West Coast was a little strange, mainly due to the three hour time zone change, but Connor was able to easily adapt to the time and to the fairly more consistent weather in comparison to Michigan.

"So, how long are you going to be in San Francisco?" John politely asked as he made sure Troy didn't eat his own meal too fast. "I'd like to be 'that guy' and give you the tour of the city if you have enough time to see everything."

"We'll be here an additional six days before returning to Detroit. I can't be away from the precinct for too long."

"That's right, Lily said you were a detective and made Captain a while back. That's gotta' be an interesting job."

"It is. And very fulfilling to know I can help people."

"Man, I could never muster up the guts to face off with possible criminals. I can barely handle the entitled jerks that come through my shop demanding free service on their phones because they were dumb and dropped their thousand dollar item on the sidewalk."

"You own your business though. It must be nice to be able to work your own hours and close the store whenever you wish to leave."

"It's definitely a perk. The problem is making sure my staff still get an adequate paycheck whenever I want to close down, though. During the holidays I get no protests since everyone just wants to chill with their family and friends."

"If I were to try to close down the precinct I think many people would be very upset."

"Not the criminals!"

"No, I'm sure they'd relish in it." Glancing over at Lily as she smirked and sipped at her wine Connor asked about her own career. "How about you, Lily? Still working in the law office?"

"Actually, no. I worked there long enough to make it worth their time in hiring me, then I went back to school and got a degree in teaching. Now I'm a fourth grader teacher with a class full of bright-eyed students eager to learn, and I couldn't be happier!"

"I'm glad you're all doing well. Change isn't always easy, but it seems everyone is doing well."

"How about Hank? I imagine he's retired by now."

"That's correct. He's retired and has been spending his free time being Hannah's grandfather and is undoubtedly working on the Corvette he purchased with the intention of restoring as I speak. He would've come out to San Francisco with us, but he didn't want to spend a full week away and he wasn't going to ask Hannah to leave early."

"That's sweet." Finishing her wine Lily took a single kalimari ring and popped it into her mouth. "Well, we'll be sure to make your week out here on the West Coast entirely memorable!"

With a smile on her face and tears in her eyes Hannah said goodbye to Crystal and boarded the airplane alongside her dad to fly back to Detroit. She was so happy to be reunited with her childhood best friend and wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet. Loaded up with small souvenirs, a new friendship bracelet and brand new photographs, Hannah took her seat on the plane next to the window and let out a soft sigh.

Connor knew Hannah didn't want to go yet, but they had no choice. It was time to go home.

"You'll see Crystal again, Hannah."

"I know." Wiping a tear from her eye Hannah gave her dad a sad stare. "I just hate that she's so far away!"

"We can't move an entire city closer to another." Taking the aisle seat to leave the middle seat open Connor spoke to Hannah honestly. "Until someone master's the prospect of teleportation everything is going to stay pretty far apart."

"Do you think it'd be possible to have Crystal come back to Detroit every once in a while?"

"I don't see why not. I'm sure Lily would like to revisit her old friends in the same way Crystal would. We could make room for them to stay with us, too."

"Thanks, dad."

"How did your photographs turn out?"

Hannah eagerly reached into her purse and pulled out the printed photographs that she and Crystal made, and spread out the photos on the vacant middle seat between her and Connor. The images were bright and glossy, and each one captured a beautiful image that showcased how much fun everyone had during their week together.

"Check it out. This is the one Lily took of me and you standing near the Golden Gate Bridge."

"It turned out nice." Picking up the photo Connor saved the image to his memorybank for safekeeping. "The bridge is more red than I anticipated."

"Yeah, there was some problem with the paint when the bridge was being built. I'm just impressed you didn't get sick from having to climb up so high to get a good photo."

"My fear of heights has gotten better."

"Is that why you keep giving me the window seat while you stick to the aisle as far away from the window as possible?"

"I said it's gotten 'better', not 'cured'."

"How do you get over a fear of heights?"

"By climbing a little higher each time a new challenge comes my way. I imagine your fear of fire could be conquered by you building your own small bonfire and keeping it under control."

"I... I don't want to have anything to do with fire, dad."

Lowering his voice Connor put the photograph back and gently put his hand over the back of Hannah's hand as she eyed the other photos on the seat. "Do you know why you're afraid of fire?"

"No. I just know I've hated it for as long as I can remember. Why do you hate heights?"

"...Well, my first mission - back before I even deviated, I had to handle a dangerous situation on a rooftop. If I made one mistake then two people could've been significantly hurt, or worse. Even though I succeeded that type of pressure left an imprint on my mind. I've been up high numerous times after that, but after I deviated the fear has slowly gotten worse and worse. It's not paralyzing, but it still prevalent."

"I'll conquer my fear of fire someday, dad. But not today. Today I just want to look at my photos and fill up the photo album with something new."

"Sounds good to me."

Leaning back in his seat Connor closed his eyes and informed Hank through cybernetic text that he and Hannah were flying back. "What did you think of Troy?"

"He's cool. You know, for a kindergartner."

"Still want a younger sibling?"

"No, I think I'm good with being the only child. Why?" Giving her dad a coy grin Hannah teased him a little. "Do you want another kid?"

"I believe I'd like a bigger family, but considering I'm single and your adoption was one in a billion, I don't think it'll happen."

"Can't androids have kids of their own now? I know how android surrogacy works, so why not meet a nice lady-droid, marry her and have another kid?"

Blushing a pale blue as his L.E.D. flashed to yellow Connor opened his eyes and gave Hannah an odd look. "It sounds like you've been planning this."

"Not really. But I wouldn't be opposed to you actually going on a date every once in a while."

"...What do you know about dating?"

"Dad, I'm thirteen. What I know about dating comes from the movies you and Papa watch, or those dumbed down 'tweenage novels' my school keeps in the library. I'm pretty sure people don't magically fall in love under chance encounters, or because the guy stalks to girl until she miraculously falls in love him."

"You're right. Those are just fantasies meant to capitalize on love like an emotion is meant to be profited from."

"Did Papa tell you that?"

"He did."

"I could tell."

"Well, he's full of invaluable advice." A strange pain suddenly filled Connor's head causing his L.E.D. to flicker to red as his mind was filled with strange information, and a distress message he had never encountered before. Pressing his palms over his face Connor breathed slowly and deeply in an attempt to quell the pain without anyone else on the plane getting worried. "...What the... hell?"

"Dad?" Putting her hand on Connor's shoulder Hannah tried to get him to talk. "Are you sick?"

"N-No. It's... It's something else." Dropping his hands as the pain let up Connor took in a few deep breaths and calmed himself down. "S-Something to do with CyberLife."

"CyberLife? I thought they were all gone."

"As did I. It appears that some of their files and unfinished projects are still active despite the company going bankrupt."

"What do you mean?"

"...Hannah, when we get back to Detroit there's something important I'll have to do." Trying to give his daughter a reassuring nod as his red L.E.D. cycled to yellow and then blue, Connor told her the truth. "I need you to stay at the house with your Papa while I go to New Jericho Tower."

"Why? What's going on at New Jericho?"

"...Before you were even born that tower was an entirely different building. It was originally CyberLife Tower and that's where I came from. It seems there's something still inside the tower that I need to take care of. I'm the only one who can."

"Dad, what's going on? Tell me!"

Closing his eyes for a moment Connor sighed and then peered out the window behind Hannah as the plane began to taxi along the runway for take-off. "I... I was just bombarded with time sensitive information that was designed to relay to my processors remotely after so many years of inactivity from one of the tower's modems after so much time has passed. That information contains details regarding my own origins, and something else... Something I've never encountered before."

"What is it? Is it dangerous?"

"I don't know. Regardless I need to investigate. I need to know more about this... 'Project Light'."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

With his coin elegantly dancing over the back of his right hand Connor stood in the elevator next to Markus as the duo descended to the recently discovered sublevel fifty-two within the depths of New Jericho Tower. Relaying the information he was suddenly bombarded with during his flight back home from his small family vacation, Connor made sure Markus knew what he was experiencing wasn't an error, and that there was yet another secret that CyberLife had left hidden in the tower.

Markus took the comment very seriously and began searching through the modems and files of CyberLife personnel through Connor's guidance. It took some time but he and Simon uncovered the documents detailing "Project Light" and discovered the way to unlock the hidden floor beneath their feet. Discovering a strange testing lab with a locked door on that particular floor of interest, Markus decided it'd be best to wait for Connor to arrive before exploring any further.

"We tried everything we could to override the lock on the secondary door." Markus explained as the elevator reached its destination. Stepping through the parted doors alongside Connor onto the enigmatic floor Markus showed Connor through the lab and to the door being guarded by Simon and Josh. "But it seems that you're the only one with the power to open the door."

"...It makes sense." Pocketing his coin Connor looked down at his right palm as he deactivated his artificial skin to expose the plastimetal frame beneath. "I was nearly overwhelmed with information regarding this area and the hidden project. I must be connected to it in some way."

"What is this 'Project Light'? We were able to confirm such a project exists, but we couldn't figure out what it entails."

"Unknown. The information I was provided seems to be locked, with only CyberLife personnel with the highest clearance level able to see the details. I believe what I received was accidental on CyberLife's part as my very existence was meant to be temporary."

"...Temporary?" Giving Connor an odd look Markus tried to understand what he meant. "You're CyberLife's most advanced prototype. Why put all the work and money into your creation unless you were going to be a permanent fixture?"

"As you just stated, I'm a prototype. You know of the empty spare Connor models, fifty-two through fifty-nine, that were permanently shutdown when CyberLife declared bankruptcy." Hovering his right palm over the panel beside the locked door Connor closed his eyes as his blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow for a moment. "I believe that this locked file revolves around my design and my overall purpose according to CyberLife."

"Wait." Grabbing onto Connor's hand Markus held the deviant's palm away from the lock as he addressed his friend sympathetically. "Connor, you don't have to do this. Opening that door could be like reopening a long since healed wound."

"...I can do this, Markus." Waiting for Markus to let go of his hand Connor flexed his hand slowly and returned his palm to the panel to begin cybernetically unsealing the lock. "We need to know what's behind that door and why it was hidden. No matter what lays beyond this door, no matter what secret CyberLife tried to hide from the world for the past fourteen years, we need to face it. We need to finally know the truth about CyberLife's final plans and what it has to do with deviancy."

Hannah was sitting beside Hank on the couch while she updated the photo album with the new pictures of her and Connor that taken while on vacation, and while waiting for her dad to come back home. Despite being tired from the long flight Hannah was too interested in what her dad was doing to lay down and take a few minutes to rest. Rubbing Gem's ears as the affectionate kitty happily laid over Hannah's lap and purred loudly the tweenager showed Hank all of the new photos, told a story behind them all, and secured them neatly in the album.

"You really should try sushi, Papa. You'd like it!"

"No way. I won't eat anything raw, no matter how pretty it looks."

"Chicken!"

"You go through a nasty bout of food poisoning, then let's see how big of a game you talk when it comes to new food."

"And... done!" Putting the final photo in the album Hannah set it down on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch as she let out a small yawn. "I hope we can go back to California soon. It's really pretty out there."

"I think Hawaii would be better. An island in the middle of nowhere with no one to bug ya'... Now that's a vacation!"

"What do you think dad's doing at the tower right now?"

"Not a clue, Hannah-Banana. Even when those CyberLife creeps were still around I had no idea what they were doing in that tower, or why they did any of the things that they did."

"I hope he comes home soon."

"Nervous about something?"

"A little." Holding Gem closer to her chest Hannah sighed and rubbed the cat's chin in a comforting manner that caused the kitty to purr even more. "Dad looked like he was in pain when those files popped up in his head."

"Well, he's an android so maybe getting information uploaded without his knowledge is like us getting a headache."

"I hope so."

Hank's phone began buzzing on the coffee table beside the photo album, and the retired detective quickly picked it up to answer the call. Recognizing Connor's number on the display Hank pressed the phone to his ear to talk. "Hey, son. What's up?"

Hannah couldn't hear the conversation but she could tell by Hank's expressions that something interesting was happening.

"...Seriously?" Pausing for a moment Hank sighed and seemed to tense up a little. "Yeah, I understand. It's fine, son. We'll see you tomorrow. Bye."

"Papa? What's going on?"

"Well," ending the call Hank put his phone back down on the coffee table and gave his granddaughter a small grin. "your dad found someone in need of his help and is going to be spending the night at the tower to help them out. He'll explain things a little more when he comes back home tomorrow."

"Who is he helping?"

"That... That's a little hard to explain. Just know your dad is safe and he'll call you a little later to talk before you go to bed. You still have to go back to school tomorrow, you took a full week off for vacation already."

"I know. I just wish I knew what dad was doing."

"He'll call and talk to you in a few hours. Now, what do you want for dinner?" Holding up his hand Hank gave Hannah a knowing look. "And do NOT say sushi!"

"You're no fun."

"I'm tons of fun! But only when there's no raw fish involved."

"How about pizza?"

"Pizza's good."

"With anchovies!"

"Now you're just trying to make me feel sick." Smirking a little Hank returned his attention to his phone and began scrolling through his favorite take-out places to find the pizza place's number. "Pizza and a double order of garlic knots."

"Make it a triple order! Dad's not here to remind us about the dangers of carbs."

"That's my girl! Triple order of garlic knots it is!"

Standing in the emergency repair bay of New Jericho beside the bed holding the deviant in need, Connor stared down at the hauntingly familiar face with utter confusion and fear in his soulful brown eyes. The way the other deviant was resting with his blue L.E.D. glowing in a calm pulse in his right temple made him seem as though he were a completely normal android who had been going about his business like anyone else. Knowing that he was in fact someone very unique and possibly very dangerous gave Connor pause as he wasn't quite sure how to handle him.

Simon and Josh were running tests on the new deviant's processors and confirming that he was in fact deviant and not a dangerous machine. Despite that reassurance everyone was still taking every precaution to ensure nothing went wrong regarding his reactivation after Connor manually put the other deviant in emergency stasis mode.

"This deviant is 'Project Light'." Connor noted as he stared down at the deviant with inquisitive eyes. "He was... He was designed to replace me. The only 'RK-900' ever created is right before us, and we had no idea that he even existed."

Markus had overheard the comment as he entered the repair bay to check on things. The dour tone of Connor's voice put him on alert as he didn't want to see his friend beat himself up for not even knowing the android had been created. "Connor, how's he doing?"

"Resting well. No errors in his programming or any sign of regained consciousness yet."

"And how about you?"

"I'm fine." Rubbing his right hand around his throat Connor felt a lingering sting but didn't consider the mild discomfort to be anything of interest. The 'RK-900' attempted to strangle Connor when he awoke, but didn't do any permanent damage.  "He's the one who needs help right now."

"He's being helped."

"How could we have possibly not known about him for so long?" Connor stared at the 'RK-900' and the blank expression on his face. "He was locked away and forgotten about while the very deviants who fought for our freedom roamed about above him."

"No one knew that he was down here and we were the ones who had been living here. This isn't your fault."

"He's lost over fourteen years of life. It isn't right."

"We can't turn back time, Connor. You know this."

"We need to find a way to make amends to him. Let him know that he's important and can be so much more than just a weapon by CyberLife."

"He will know. Just give him time to reboot and download information on everything that's happened since CyberLife left him in that garden below the tower."

"...Yeah. Okay." Closing his eyes Connor bowed his head and made cybernetic contact with Hannah's phone to call his daughter. Stepping away from the bed Connor kept his back to his successor and sighed. 'Hi, Hannah.'

'Dad!'  Hannah sounded excited.  'What's going on?'

'I'm helping a deviant in distress. I'll be back home tomorrow.'

'Why do you sound so sad?'

'...The deviant has been in need of help for a long time, and we only just noticed it. I feel bad for him being forgotten for fourteen years.'

'Can I do anything to help?'

Managing a weak smile Connor crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to speak to his daughter. 'No. Just be sure to go to school tomorrow and make sure you're caught up on all your assignments. I'll see you tomorrow evening.'

'Dad, did you find out what "Project Light" is?'

'...Yes. It revolves around the deviant in need.'

'Did CyberLife hurt him?'

'...We don't know yet. He's sleeping right now and when he wakes up we'll talk to him and learn what he's been through. Then we're going to tell him about everything he's missed out on for the past fourteen years.'

'What's his name?'

Pausing for a moment Connor glanced at the 'RK-900' behind him and sighed softly. 'We don't know. He's just known at the "RK-900" as of the moment.'

'Wait... You're the only "RK-800" in the world. Is he one of a kind, too?'

'Yes. He's the only one of his kind.'

'Does he look like you?'

'...Yes. He's slightly taller than I am and his eyes are steel gray, but other than that we're entirely identical.'

'Like a twin brother?'

'...Arguably, yes.' The concept wasn't too farfetched or inaccurate to consider. 'If we would in fact consider ourselves twin siblings, I'd be the older brother.'

'Really? Does that make him my uncle?'

'...I guess so.'

'When can I meet him?'

'Hannah, we don't know much about him and him being locked away for fourteen years while completely alone is going to have an emotional impact on his mind. It'd be best to give him space until he has more time to adapt to his new life.'

'Maybe you should bring him to the house! He'd be able to learn about the world with you and me and Papa there to talk to him.'

'That could happen in a few weeks or months, but for now he's going to stay in the tower to recover.'

'Okay, fine.'

'I love you, Hannah.'

'I love you, too, dad.'

'I promise I'll see you tomorrow. Have fun in school and once I'm back home I'll tell you everything I know about him.'

'Okay, dad. Goodnight.'

'Goodnight.' Ending the call Connor turned back around to look at the "RK-900" still sleeping behind him, and lightly put his right palm down on the deviant's left shoulder.

"...Hannah seems to think you're my brother and that you're her uncle. I wonder if you'd feel comfortable in such a role?"

Clutching her backpack to her chest Hannah sat in the front seat of the Oldsmobile while Hank drove out to New Jericho Tower as per Hannah's request. She was too excited about seeing another deviant who looked like her dad and wanted to meet her honorary uncle in person. Despite Hank trying to insist that she wait at home for Connor's return Hannah managed to talk her grandfather into taking her to the tower after school as her curiosity was getting the absolute best of her.

"All right, Hannah." Parking the Oldsmobile in front of the tower Hank sighed and gave her a small grin. "Just work your charm so your dad doesn't get too annoyed with us coming here."

"No problem, Papa."

The duo exited the vehicle and headed right to the front of the tower to enter through the front doors. Glancing about Hannah noticed North walking by looking annoyed, and dared to speak to her. Fortunately North had come to like Hannah and had no problem talking to the young girl, and made sure that she and Hank found their way up to the recovery bay near the emergency repair bay to visit Connor.

The moment they entered the quiet space Connor took notice and approached his daughter and father warily. "What're you doing here?"

"I wanted to meet him." Hannah admitted as she gave her dad big doe-eyes of innocence. "And I haven't seen you at all today."

"Hannah, I'll be home tonight."

Peering behind her dad Hannah saw a deviant with her dad's face sitting upright on the edge of the bed he had been resting in and knew that he was the now legendary 'RK-900' of great interest. "Is that him?"

"...Yes."

"What's his name?"

"He was never assigned a name. He doesn't have one."

"Did you give him one?"

"No. It should be his choice."

"Can I talk to him?"

"...He's still learning about the fourteen years since he was last active." Looking past Hannah and toward Hank behind her Connor gave the retired detective a somewhat annoyed look. "Why did you bring her here?"

"She insisted. I tried to get her to go home but she refused. She's too much like you sometimes."

Unable to respond to such a comment in a defensive manner Connor sighed and put his hand to Hannah's shoulder. "Please sit over there for a moment. I need to speak to your grandfather."

"Sure. I have something in my backpack I need to take care of anyway."

"Dad?" Motioning with his eyes toward the doorway Connor asked for Hank to step out of the room with him. "I need to discuss something with you."

"Right." Eyeing the 'RK-900' with a keen gaze Hank slowly took a step back and passed through the door. Knowing that Hannah wasn't going to be alone with the new deviant since Simon and Josh were still running tests Hank decided it'd be safe to leave her behind for a few minutes. "I imagine you have quite a bit to say about what's going on."

Outside the recovery bay Connor lowered his voice and gave Hank a stern glance. "I wish you would've taken her back to the house. I don't want Hannah to get her hopes up about this new deviant thinking he's going to be a member of the family, only to have her heart broken if he proves to be too dangerous to let outside the tower."

"Dangerous?"

Slumping his shoulders Connor pulled down the collar of his white dress shirt and revealed fading blue bruises in the shape of a hand that wrapped around his throat. "...When I reactivated him he didn't respond well."

"He attacked you?"

"He was still a machine. Once I was able to wake him up and let him deviate he let me go and fell entirely silent and docile."

"Shit... That looks sore."

"It's fine. He only damaged a few Thirium lines, he didn't break anything." Replacing his collar Connor gave Hank more important details on the newly discovered deviant. "He has no memory of the past fourteen years. CyberLife put him in low power and emergency stasis mode, and locked him away in a secretive area below the tower. Whether or not they ever planned on coming back for him, we'll never know."

"What's going to happen to him now?"

"Once he understands what's happened in the past fourteen years Markus is going to assign him quarters here and give him a role in the tower to give him the chance to socially integrate with the rest of the inhabitants."

"Then what? He just... mills about the tower and plays a role assigned to him by someone else? Doesn't sound much like living, son."

"Yes. I agree."

"You don't want to keep him here, do you?"

"...No. But what can I do? I can't spend the adequate time with him to help him adjust to his new life. I need to go to the precinct and I still have Hannah to look out for. And with your back beginning to go out more and more... It's just too much for me to handle, and it isn't fair to him."

"Son, you're putting WAY too much pressure on yourself again." Planting his palm firmly on Connor's shoulder Hank gave his adopted son a kind smile. "It's not like he's going to be alone anymore, and I'm sure him being able to socialize with more than just a few deviants who wouldn't be too afraid of him to get close to him would help out immensely."

"Maybe."

"Look, this is a huge adjustment for everyone. Let's just go back in there and see what HE has to say about this, hm?"

"...Yes. You're right." Resuming his perfect posture Connor agreed to the plan. "He is free after all. Why not let him decide for himself?"

"Exactly. Come on, let's go."

Turning back around the duo walked back through the door leading into the recovery room and were shocked to see that the "RK-900" wasn't only sitting upright with his eyes now open, but looking at the photo album that Hannah snuck out of the house in her backpack before heading to school. She was sitting beside the "RK-900" and showing him all of the photos she had collected and telling him about them.

"Hannah?" Connor approached his daughter with a need to protect her guiding his every step. "What're you doing?"

"Telling him about the stuff he missed out on. I told him how you saved me and adopted me, and how you were adopted by Papa."

"...Oh. I see."

The "RK-900" seemed fascinated by the photographs and gently ran his fingertips over the images one at a time as if trying to analyze the captured memories before turning the page. It didn't take long for him to notice that a majority of the photos of Connor showed him without his L.E.D., but the more recent photos showed the light's return.

"How come he doesn't look exactly like you, dad?" Hannah asked as she compared the new deviant to her father. "Shouldn't you look exactly the same?"

"That was CyberLife's decision. Perhaps they thought the greater height and different eye color would make him seem more intimidating."

"It didn't work." Turning back to the photo album Hannah pointed to the Golden Gate Bridge in the newest photo added to the collection. "You should see the world." Hannah stated in a sweet voice as she fearlessly spoke to the 'RK-900' beside her. "Everyone should."

Glancing up at Connor silently the "RK-900" gave the elder deviant a strange look.

"...Before he's ready to see the world I think he needs a name." Connor stated in a calm tone. "Do you have a name in mind 'RK-900'?"

"...I ...do not." The "RK-900's" voice sounded exactly like Connor's, minus any real emotion. "...I have no name."

"Would you like to have one?"

"...Yes. I want... a name."

"What about... 'Lucas'?" The name just seemed to fit the deviant in a way Connor couldn't understand. "I think that's a decent name."

Hannah grinned as she agreed. "It's the best name for him! The name 'Lucas' means 'light', and he's 'Project Light'. And look at him." She pointed to his flawless white jacket that seemed all the brighter in contrast to the black fabric sewn next to it. "He's a light shining through the darkness. Right?"

Connor's expression softened as he considered Hannah's words and thought about how he had first seen Lucas standing alone in the darkness of the long deserted Zen Garden beneath the tower. There was a single pulsing yellow light standing out in the center of the blackness that indicated that anyone was in the forgotten room, and that light came from the deviant alone.

The name fits.

"Well?" Connor prompted the 'RK-900' on the name. "Do you like it?"

"...Yes." Accepting the name 'RK-900' nodded a little and registered the name as his own. "...My name is Lucas."

Hannah smirked a little as she pulled her phone from her backpack and took a photo of Lucas with Connor standing right beside him. Happy to have the new photo in her possession Hannah saved it to be printed out later. "Hi, Lucas. It's nice to meet you.  I'm Hannah."

"...Hello, Hannah."

Connor gave Hank a silent inquiring glance as the retired detective took in the sight for himself. "Maybe once Lucas has been cleared after an examination we could bring him back to the house for a while. He should... get to know us."

Understanding what Connor was asking for Hank sighed and nodded a little. "Sure. I mean, we can double up the study into a guestroom if he wants to stay the night or something." Rubbing his right palm over the back of his gray hair Hank gave Lucas a skeptical glance. "I mean, he is your brother, right?"

"...Yes. Lucas is my little brother." Connor confirmed as he watched Hannah smiling proudly and Lucas slowly becoming more alert about the world and people all around him. "And as my brother that makes him a true member of our family. Families need to be together."

-next chapter-

Chapter Text

It was a curious sight to see Hannah sitting by the pool with her honorary "uncle" beside her. The young tweenager was thrilled to have a new member in the family and happily told Lucas all about her day at school while Lucas eagerly listened to the story with genuine interest. It seemed being seen as a living, intelligent being rather than a tool or a threat had helped Lucas adapt to his deviancy fairly quickly. Showing sincere emotion on his face and in his voice it seemed Lucas was coming alive with each passing second he spent with his newly acquired family. Even after a single week Lucas was impressively content and was developing a very sincere and kind personality.

Through the sliding doors of the kitchen showing the backyard Connor watched his daughter and brother speaking, and noted that Lucas was seemingly able to adjust to being a deviant far easier and smoother than he ever did. Smiling at the sight of Hannah smiling and talking about her day Connor knew he made the right decision in letting his newly discovered brother come home with them.

"They've been out there ever since she came home from school." Hank remarked as he entered the kitchen and stared out the door as well. "You'd think you let her best friend move in or something."

"I think Hannah's just happy to have a bigger family."

"Yeah? Regret not giving her a sibling?"

"No, I know having one child to raise was the right decision." Turning away from the door Connor decided to start making dinner and give himself a plausible reason to keep watching Hannah and Lucas interacting without seeming overprotective. "That being said... It's not as if I can never adopt another child in the future."

"Yeah? Already feeling 'empty-nest-syndrome'?"

"Not necessarily. I think it's just knowing that there are other children in the world needing stable homes that's telling me to keep my mind open for the future possibility. After all, there's no guarantee that Hannah will have children of her own someday. She won't necessarily need me to keep looking after her once she's grown-up and living her own life."

"If you think that your only role in her life after she's an adult revolves around being a dad or a grandpa, you got it all wrong." Sitting down at the kitchen table Hank gave his adopted son a smug look. "She's always going to need her dad in her life. You're the one she trusts more than anyone else in this world, and she knows that no matter what happens in her life she'll always have you to rely on."

"Yeah... I know." Selecting the night's meal Connor cybernetically brought up the correct recipe and began sorting through the necessary ingredients. "But she's so intelligent, clever and resourceful I know she'll be able to handle everything that comes her way."

"Being mentally ready for the world doesn't mean she'll be emotionally bulletproof. She'll always need her dad, just as I always needed my own parents."

"You did?"

"Actually, I still do. I would give just about anything to be able to talk shop with my dad one more time... To crack open a cold beer and work on a car while shootin' the shit would be amazing. And my mom, just being able to confide in her whatever bullshit I was feeling and knowing she had my back would do wonders for my psyche."

"Even though you're a fully grown, competent and self sufficient adult you still seek out your parents?"

"Yup."

"That's interesting..." Setting out the ingredients needed for the meal Connor stopped what he was doing and joined Hank at the table. "Then I guess it means me constantly seeking your advice is normal."

"You got it, kid. And Hannah is going to be the same way with you, and I know she'll always be in good hands."

"Thank you, dad."

"Now, let's get this dinner started and make sure Lucas had plenty of time to learn how to play tonight's board game."

"I hope he doesn't choose 'Monopoly'. That game is far too long and I need to go to work in the morning."

Laughing at the comment Hank agreed and peered through the sliding glass door as Hannah and Lucas rose from the edge of the pool to return to the house to settle in for the evening. "Don't worry about work, son.  It's family night."

The family of now four had gathered in the livingroom to play a game for the night, and Lucas settled on 'Trivial Pursuit' much to everyone's relief. The game went on for an impressively long time as all four were knowledgeable about many topics and managed to keep a close game up until the very end. Hank's knowledge of sports and history was only matched by Hannah's knowledge of art and science, while Connor and Lucas were forbidden from being able to cybernetically download the answers and had to use educated guesses to keep up.

At the end of the night Hank had won and was as smug as one would expect from someone who outsmarted two deviants and a very intelligent tweenager. While cleaning up the game Hannah tossed a pillow at Hank and got him to chuckle.

"Sore loser, Hannah?"

"No way! You just got lucky since you got all the sports questions."

"Maybe next time you'll get all the artsy-fartsy questions and smoke us all."

"We'll just have to see next time." Turning to look at her dad and uncle Hannah gave Lucas a curious glance. "Did you want to pick the movie tonight?"

"...Movie?"

"Yeah. Every Friday night we play a game and then watch a movie together. It's tradition."

"Oh. I... I don't know what to pick."

Connor finished packing up the game and gave his brother a kind smile. "It was difficult for me to find a movie to choose in the beginning as well. I find movies that are considered 'classics' to be ideal selections."

"What are 'classics'?"

"They are the films that are widely considered to be very enjoyable by a majority of the people who view them. There is a very large database regarding films that has proven very beneficial to my decisions." Putting the game on the small shelf beside the bookshelf Connor gave Lucas his hand and gave him the information he needed. "Try selecting one now."

Sifting through the highly praised titles that had been recorded for over a full century Lucas noted all of the films that Connor had marked as ones he enjoyed and ones he didn't care for. Picking a movie that hadn't been watched and seemed enticing Lucas made his choice. "How about 'Jurassic Park'?"

Hank liked that idea and approved of the choice. "Yeah! Great movie! I've been trying to get Connor to watch it, but he kept talking about the impossibility of using billion year old D.N.A. and blah, blah, blah..."

"Dad?" Hannah gave her dad a playful glare as he sat down on the couch next to Hannah while she sat in the middle so she could also sit next to Lucas. "Use your imagination!"

"Okay, I'll try."

Using the television remote Hank located the correct movie and began the stream of the selected film. "While this loads I'm going to make some popcorn and grab a few sodas. What do you think, Hannah?"

"I'll help! I want some cheddar on my popcorn."

"Damn right!" Walking into the kitchen with Hannah at his side Hank gave his granddaughter a proud smile. "Cheese makes everything better."

Connor and Lucas watched as the duo walked into the kitchen without staying a word. It was nice to have a peaceful household where everyone got along with everyone else.

"Connor?"

Looking to his brother Connor never lost his grin.  "Yes?"

"...Thank you."

"Uh..." The blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he tried to understand the expression of gratitude. "For what?"