Archive of Our Own ^omega

Chapter Text

The day of the open house came at last and the two properties were filled with guests gathered around the neighboring backyards. Connor was standing in front of the giant display of photographs of Henry showcasing the young man as he grew up and of course the photo of his son taken on the day of his graduation. Photos of Henry growing up, overcoming his bad leg, his experiences with holidays, playing basketball, fishing with Hank, bonding with Charlotte and Melody, hanging out with Evelyn and Elizabeth, spending time out at the cabin, the school plays, working on the cars, spending time with his friends, his girlfriend, his prom and dozens of discreetly snapped photos of Henry with everyone in the family as they played games or just spoke to each other, lined the entire display in a colorful array of love and compassion.

Time really was a cruel illusion.

Below the photos was a long table holding Henry's many awards from his time as a student and athlete, as well as a basketball and the old stuffed fox, Buttons, that had been given to him as a baby. Above the basketball was a photo of Henry in his jersey with his name and nickname; "Henry 'Hank-the-Tank' Anderson" was printed over the photo. Next to it was Henry's acceptance letter to U of M as well as his scholarship details and newly acquired diploma.

"The photos turned out great." Markus had spotted Connor by the display in the backyard and readily joined him. "Good thing you started having physical copies of these memories printed out years ago. North and I did the same thing a few months ago for the twins."

"...Yeah. Time is precious."

"You okay?" Markus stood beside his ally and could see that he was emotional about the entire the situation. "You seem upset."

"I'm fine. It's just a strange feeling to know Henry will be living on his own in three months."

"I know the feeling. Wyatt and Hope will be going with Henry to U of M and be just as far away." Shaking his head a little Markus sighed and glanced as his daughter holding hands with Hope as he chatted with Wyatt near the backdoor. "I can't believe it's really been eighteen years since they were born."

"Neither can I."

"Then again, it's already been twenty years since North and I were bonded, so, I guess I shouldn't be THAT surprised about how time really does move so quickly against our will."

"It's also been five years since Hank retired."

"How's Hank doing? I didn't get a chance to talk to him after the graduation ceremony and I haven't see him here at the party yet."

Connor gave Markus a somber glance that spoke volumes on its own. "...He could be better."

"Oh, no." One of the few people who knew of Hank's waning health was Markus himself due to his primary programming as a caretaker, and he knew by Connor's tone that the retired detective's health wasn't great. "Connor, is there anything I can do?"

"Just keep acting normal. Hank doesn't want Henry, Charlotte or Melody to know, and frankly, I'm glad."

"They're all that close, huh?"

"Yeah. It's going to break their hearts, but Hank doesn't want them to know. He wants to stay as active and part of ther lives as much as possible, not be seen as a frail sickly man. Just like mom."

"I get that. Trust me." Markus lowered his voice and kept his body language casual as he stayed at Connor's side. "Can I ask what's wrong?"

"Liver cancer. He had been diagnosed four years ago, he had successfully undergone treatment and had been in remission for eight months, but it's already back and is now stage two. Once Henry is moved into his dorm in three months Hank's going to undergo a more aggressive treatment. But it doesn't look good."

"And a man of his age and medical history can't qualify for a transplant, right?"

"That's right. CyberLife didn't patent an artificial liver since the organ is regenerative in humans which means chemotherapy is his only option."

"Shit, I'm so sorry."

"As am I." Connor decided a change of subject was sorely needed and tried to focus on his friends for the moment. "...Where's North and the others?"

"North still isn't a fan of big gatherings and is spending time at the mansion planning the twins' open house for tomorrow, but she did give me a card to give to Henry. She also included a letter to make it more personal. Josh and Simon will be here later after they pick up Natalie."

"Natalie." As his brow knit together with confusion Connor looked to his friend for clarification. "Who is Natalie?"

Markus started grinning sheepishly as he was more than happy to answer the question. "Natalie is their daughter."

"What?" Connor's eyes lit up with excitement on his allies' behalf as his mood lifted considerably. "They adopted?"

"Yeah, they filed for adoption and FINALLY got approved. Natalie was born last week and they just needed to finish a few more pieces of paperwork and now they're free and clear to have their daughter with them."

"That's incredible." The young father was truly happy to hear the good news for his colleagues. "Why didn't they say anything sooner?"

"Because they weren't sure if they'd get approved or when it'd happen. It just so happens everything fell into place on this day."

"That's fantastic! I'm looking forward to meeting her."

Henry walked up to Connor with Hope at his side and asked about Hank. "Hey, I haven't seen Papa anywhere and neither has mom. Do you know where he is?"

"Lucas said he wasn't feeling well last night." Connor replied quickly. "He'll be out soon, though."

"Should I do anything to help out?"

"No, it's fine, Henry. Enjoy your party and I'll go check on him for you."

"Cool. Hey, Mr. Manfred." Henry acknowledged the deviant leader before he and Hope took off to rejoin the crowd of his friends and did an impressive dunk when he grabbed the basketball from Wyatt's hands and leapt toward the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway. "Two points!"

"Uh, hey." As Henry got out of hearing range Markus addressed Connor again. "Want me to go with you and find Hank?"

"No, I can do this. Just keep this between us and remain as natural as possible for Henry, Charlotte and Melody's sakes."

"Yeah, you got it."

With his held head high Connor made his way inside the house through the backdoor and saw Hank standing in the kitchen leaning heavily against his cane as he looked absolutely exhausted. Lucas was standing beside him helping him sort through his medication on the kitchen counter - Chloe was able to discreetly get Hank his medication so no one noticed his sickness, while also keeping tabs on his father's condition. Offering Hank a glass of water from the sink Lucas watched as the sick, retired detective took his required medication and did so with an annoyed grimace on his face the entire time.

"How're you holding up, dad?" Connor asked as he put his right hand to Hank's right shoulder. "You seem a little weak."

"I've been better, but I'm still here."

"Need anything?"

"I'll be okay. I just need a little more time to get around these mornings, but I'm still me."

"Are you in pain?"

"No." Fussing with the top buttons of his zebra striped shirt, the very one he swore he'd wear that day, he smoothed out the front and gave his son a simple nod of the head. "Stop worrying about me and go celebrate with your son."

"I will once he gets to see you. He was asking where you were."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you weren't feeling well last night and that Lucas was taking care of you."

"Well, you're not wrong." Downing the final few various pills with a gulp of water Hank shook his head and sighed. "It's ironic. Pills are supposed to rot your liver, but these pills are going to help sustain it."

"Irony is rather prevalent in this family. You used to hate androids with a passion, now you're one of the biggest android advocates in the country."

"Yeah, and you used to be a cold, heartless machine, now you're one of the warmest most empathetic people I've ever met. And Lucas," Hank turned and put his left hand on other son's right shoulder. "you were once a threat to us, and now you're a part of the family and it feels like you always have been."

"I don't think that's irony," Lucas smirked as he put his left hand on Hank's supporting arm. "but I understand what you're saying."

Connor patted his hand on Hank's upper back and held open the backdoor for him. "C'mon, Henry's waiting for us."

The two backyards were filled with positive energy and almost fifty people as Henry's friends and relatives filled the the area. Gavin, Abby, Aria, Chris, Tina and Joel all showed up to wish Henry the best of luck as well, give him cards and money, and to visit with the entire family. Josh and Simon arrived soon after with Natalie to introduce her to the group, give Henry a strong handshake as well as a card, then politely excused themselves to take Natalie to her new home to get settled in after a few hours passed. Markus stayed the entire day and helped keep charge of things while Henry's friends stayed in the backyard all day and crashed outside around a small bonfire as the day gave way to night.

Evelyn had been able to keep her emotions in check as she didn't want to bring down the positive vibe of the moment with her reluctance to see Henry off, and was now busy helping Chloe and Maddy clean and gather all the extra food from the party to be stored later.

"Hey? You do know that Henry is a great kid." Lucas stated firmly as he tried to make his big brother feel better about Henry leaving home in a few months. "Don't worry about him, he'll be just fine on his own."

"I can't do that, Lucas. He's still my son. My little boy."

"I know how you feel. Maddy is no longer a baby, but she'll always be my little girl."

Turning to face his little brother Connor smiled warmly at the thought of his niece being as grown-up and mature as Henry. "Did you bring in all the cards from the display?"

"Yeah." Motioning to the stack of cards piled up in the middle of the kitchen table Lucas confirmed that everything had been taken care of. "And Evelyn and Chloe packed up the extra food."

"Thank you. Where is dad right now?"

"Right here." Using his cane Hank made his way into the kitchen and joined his two sons by the kitchen window where Connor had been watching Henry, Hope and all his other friends hanging out near the bonfire. Despite his failing health Hank never once complained about it or showed any sign of slowing down once he was on his feet. "Sorry, I had to take a shower. I held Natalie for a few minutes and she spit up on my shirt about nine hours ago."

"Maybe Henry's right, that shirt must be ugly."

"Ha, ha." Hank never got tired of Connor's sarcasm and appreciated his wit. "Since Natalie's a cute kid she gets a pass. But you are all out of free passes."

Connor appreciatively grinned at the comment and kept the mood upbeat. "I'll warn Charlotte and Melody so they can sass you when I can't."

"Smartass." Nodding at the kitchen table where all of the cards had been collected Hank gave the pile an approving glance. "Looks like Henry got a good haul."

"Yes, but there is one envelope that I'm curious about."

"Which one is that?"

Connor sifted through the pile of cards and picked up a far more elegantly designed envelope and held up for Hank to see. "It's from Kamski."

"Kamski? I haven't seen that smug bastard in almost twelve years. What does he want?"

"I don't know." Connor held the card up in front of the light shining down the ceiling but he couldn't see though the paper to the contents within. "That's why I'm curious."

"Think it's a bill?" Hank asked with a coy smirk on his face. "I wouldn't put him trying to charge ya' for all those fancy programs you use."

"If it is a bill, I'm NOT paying it." Putting the envelope back in the pile Connor sighed and resumed looking out the kitchen window at the group of young graduates sleeping around the warm bonfire in sleeping bags outside. "Whatever it is it's Henry's business. He can handle it."

Hank knew that Connor was feeling riled up and protective, and decided to put an end to it. "So, tomorrow's Hope and Wyatt's open house, right?"

"That's right. Eleven in the morning until seven."

"Should we bring anything?"

"Just Hope and Wyatt." Connor pointed to the twin siblings as they slept amongst their friends around the steadily dying bonfire. "I think Henry's going to be driving his friends over tomorrow, so it won't be a problem for us."

"Good. Come on, boys. There's a game on television and it's been too damn long since we had the chance to watch one all together."

"Sounds good to me." Lucas followed after Hank while Connor slowly took his eyes from the window to join his father and little brother in the livingroom. "Coming, Connor?"

"...Yeah." Walking away from the window Connor turned off the light in the kitchen and made his way into the livingroom for the night to enjoy his family's company after such a hectic but wonderful day. "I'm right behind you."

-Autumn 2059: Moving On, Moving Out-

It was move-in day for all of the new students at the University of Michigan as the first freshmen semester was scheduled to begin. Connor and Henry had finished putting the final bolts in the wooden loft and had placed the mattress up onto the loft to finally finish getting Henry's dorm room all set up. The loft gave him and his roommate, conveniently Wyatt, more space to share and allowed Henry to tuck his desk under the loft with his laptop so he could work in semi privacy. A small dark blue couch was against the wall under the room's only window that was overlooking the campus grounds and a small table with a television was set up before the couch. Wyatt had already dropped off his stuff and finished taking care of his side of the room giving Connor and Henry more room to work before the day was over, and was helping Hope with her room on the other side of the building.

To ensure the room didn't get too crowded Evelyn, Charlotte and Melody stayed home and said goodbye to Henry that morning before he took off for college with Connor and Hank. The move-in day would double as a 'guys day out' for the close knit family.

"Did you bring your guitar?" Connor asked as he placed the sheets on the mattress for Henry and watched as his son finished putting his clothes in his small closet next to the loft. To ensure no one asked a bunch of nosy questions Connor was donning his more aged aesthetic and appeared as any other parent helping their kid move into their dorm on that. "A guitar could help you de-stress after classes."

"No, I won't have time to play. Maybe I'll pack it up after I visit home in a couple weeks."

"It's a shame you didn't bring it this time. Music is very relaxing and it aids concentration."

"Good thing I can play music on my laptop then."

"Need anything else, son?" Connor helped Henry unpack the last of the boxes and place the rest his clothes in the closet. "You have all your textbooks, right?"

"Yeah, dad. I have everything I need."

"What about groceries?"

"I have some money saved up so I can keep food in the dorm. Mini-fridges aren't the best, but it's better than a cooler in the corner."

"Is that from the saved money from your open house?"

"That, and that one card from that Kamski guy gave me had a check for fifteen-thousand dollars. He said he 'owed' you for something and knew you wouldn't take his money yourself, so he made the check out to me on the condition that I use to pay off my education."

"Oh."

"It's okay. I know that guy was kind of a creep and all that stuff despite what Aunt Chloe says, and I know you don't owe him anything. Any weird debt he thinks he has toward you is just him trying to cover up something he screwed up in the past. It's guilt money."

"I'm proud to here you say that, Henry. You're too smart to be fooled by someone like him."

"Yeah. Not going to lie though, the money was nice. Now I don't have to worry about paying for my tuition for a while."

"...Want some extra money just in case?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Take it anyway." Connor reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet and handed three one-hundred bills over to Henry. "Keep it as emergency money at least. Same with the debit card."

Henry just laughed as he accepted the money graciously and placed it in the top right drawer of his desk and locked it up. "I also have the extra phone charger you gave me AND the medical insurance card."

Smiling at Henry's maturity Connor realized how far away his son was going to be from home and how confident he already was. "It's a shame you can't keep the Camaro while you're studying."

"It'd just draw unwanted attention. There's a frat house two blocks away and I don't feel like washing off dried up puke from the hood of my car after every weekend."

"Good point."

"AND I don't want to pay for parking when I won't be driving that much anyway."

"Smart budgeting."

Glancing about his furnished dorm room curiously Henry sighed and asked one very important question of his own. "...Is Papa still in the car?"

"Yeah. He won't leave without saying goodbye, don't worry."

Henry looked worried anyway and his brown eyes were getting glassy.

"Henry," sensing his son's distress Connor wanted to know why Henry was getting upset. "what's wrong?"

"Dad, I know Papa's sick."

"...O-Oh."

"I'm not a child anymore, I can handle the truth. It hurt when we lost Nana but I can deal with it."

"We know you can. It's just that your Papa didn't want you to know so you wouldn't worry about him and focus on your education. And he didn't want you to see him as a sick man instead of your Papa."

"That's crazy! I'll never see him as anyone else, no matter how sick he gets."

Now it was Connor's eyes that were welling up with tears. "...I think he'd like to know that."

"Then that's what I'll tell him."

"Okay." Wrapping his left arm around Henry's shouldera Connor escorted his son out of the dorm room and back outside to the campus grounds. "Let's go talk to him and tell him how much we care about him and respect him. He could use a simple reminder like that."

Resting his back as much as he could while enjoying the nice day Hank was standing outside the campus with his back leaning up against the side of the Corvette, and his cane clutched in his right hand. Observing all the families that were helping their kids move into the campus and all the bright-eyed students who were roaming the grounds and becoming acclimated to their new environment made him smirk. As the students scattered about aimlessly Hank caught sight of Connor and Henry coming back his way and smiled at the duo.

"Hey, you two. Finished already?"

"Yeah, his dorm is set." Connor confirmed as Henry slowly approached Hank and gave him a sad look. "Everything is ready."

The somber look immediately caught Hank's attention and he was on guard. "What's wrong, Henry? Homesick already?"

"...Papa." Standing before him Henry gave Hank a tight hug and held him in a warm embrace that seemed unbreakable. "Don't worry about me. Please, worry about yourself. Get better!"

Hank quickly reciprocated the hug, his left hand patting Henry's back as he could feel Henry trying to not cry as he hugged him. Looking over Henry's shoulder to Connor the young father silently mouthed: 'He knew you were sick. I didn't say anything.' And in an instant Hank tightened his hug and tried to reassure his upset grandson.

"Ah, Henry. Don't do that, I'll be fine. I've been taking care of this problem for months and I'll begin a more aggressive treatment starting tomorrow. I'm not going down without a fight. I promise!"

"I wish you would've told me what was going on instead of me figuring it out... I don't want a shock like Nana ever again."

"Hey, come on. You knowing only would've made you worry, and worrying wouldn't have done anything to make me any better."

"No, but I want to know if there's anything wrong with you or dad or mom! We're family."

Family.

The one word that always had a tendency to force the guard around Hank's heart down into nothingness.

"And we always will be." As Henry slowly released his hug Hank once again found himself wiping away his grandson's tears with his left thumb before he reached into his right pocket and pulled out a small gift to Henry. "Hey, come on. Don't worry about me, all right? And to make sure you aren't worrying and you're studying like you should be, I'm going to call you every Friday night at seven o'clock, got it?"

"...Yeah, Papa." Taking in a calming breath Henry recomposed himself for his grandfather's sake. "I got it."

"To ensure that you don't forget that promise you'll keep this somewhere safe at all times, too." Placing the item down in Henry's right palm Hank gave him a playfully stern glance. "This is something I wanted to give you on your first Christmas, but you were too young to have it. So I kept it safe with me so I could give it to you on a very special day. Today is that day."

Henry looked down at the gift and saw that it was the gilded pocketwatch with his name engraved on it. Opening the watch Henry smiled as he saw a picture of himself and Hank sitting together at the lake at the cabin back when Henry was seven-years-old. Connor had taken the picture when Henry sat beside Hank to ask about his Uncle Cole and the two finished watching the sunset together over the lake during one of their many summers at the cabin. "I remember that day..."

"And you keep remembering that day. It was a VERY good day."

"Just one of many."

"Henry," Hank slipped aside the photo and showed the inscription on the inside of the pocketwatch. "read the inscription."

Obediently Henry read the words and his voice became choked up in the process. "'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa'."

"And I mean it."

"I know you do."

"Come on, Henry." Hank was trying to keep Henry calm as he reassured him that everything would be okay even after he was long gone. "Why don't we go find something for lunch, huh? My treat. I'll tell you everything you want to know about what's going on."

"Yeah." Replacing the photo Henry closed the watch and hung it around his neck by the long chain and tucked it down the front of his dark blue t-shirt to keep it out of sight. "I'd like that."

Connor was relieved to see that Hank managed to ease Henry's worry to some degree and rejoined his family at the car. "Pick the place, Henry. Anywhere in the city you want to go."

"No," wanting the day to end on a more positive note Henry relented on the offer and handed over to his grandfather instead. "Papa should pick. I'll be living here for at least four years, so I'll have plenty of time to check out every restaurant while you guys will only be here to visit every few months."

"All right, but since I'm picking the place AND since I'm paying, no complaining!"

"When have I ever complained?" Henry joked as he sat in the backseat of the Corvette so Hank could have the front seat. "Name one time I've complained."

"Yeah, good point. Learn to complain more, damn it!"

Henry couldn't help but laugh at the strange joke as Connor sat down behind the steering wheel, turned over the engine and pulled the car away from the street in front of the campus. "All right, I'll give Wyatt a fair warning about your advice, Papa."

"Why? That's not any fun."

Going about the rest of the day in the painfully quiet house Charlotte and Melody stopped by their big brother's empty bedroom and stared at it with a surprisingly heavy heart. While they and Henry weren't exactly best friends or spent every day hanging out together, they were fairly close and had no problem with socializing and hanging out together at night when everyone else was asleep. Realizing they wouldn't have their big brother around to keep them company or make them laugh after having a rough day at school made the two sisters feel a little sad as they walked over to his bed and sat down on the foot of the bed heavily.

Glancing about the relatively empty room Melody sighed and stared at the posters still plastered over the four bedroom walls. Everything else was bare.

"It's only been a day," Melody lamented as she looked over at Charlotte beside her. "and I already miss having that butt-face around."

"Aww..." Evelyn playfully teased her daughters as she noticed them sitting in Henry's room looking sad. "I'm sure Henry would flattered to know you miss seeing his butt-face, and I'm sure he misses seeing yours."

"Good thing we can 'face time' then."

"Wouldn't that be 'butt-face time'?"

Charlotte rolled her eyes and gave her mom an annoyed grin. "Your jokes are getting as bad as Papa's, mom."

"Still better than your dad's jokes."

"Well dad has an excuse." Staying on the bed as her mom joined them Charlorre gave her a cheeky smirk. "He's an emotionally stunted android who still struggles with sarcasm."

"That's just what he does to toy with you." Lightly brushing back her daughter's hair from her face Evelyn smiled at Charlotte as the high school senior came to terms with the family going through changes. "How was your first day at school without Henry there to back you up?"

"A little weird. I'm so used to having him always watching over me and now that he's not there it feels like I forgot to bring my backpack to school or something like that."

"You'll be fine. You know how to defend yourself and you're too clever to let anyone mess with you."

"You mean people like Jeff?"

"Is he trying to start something with you after you dumped his sorry ass?"

"No, but he keeps trying to talk to me when I've already told him to fu- frick off."

"Honey, it's okay to swear. We do it all the time and I'm aware that teenagers swear around each other."

"Good to know."

"So, what do you do when Jeff tries to talk to you?"

"I ignore his pathetic ass like he's not even there. I don't talk to him, I don't look at him or even acknowledge his friends."

"And that's why he's trying to talk to you. Being ignored is a crushing blow to arrogant people who try to manipulate others."

"What do I do if he doesn't stop bugging me or if he starts to get worse?"

"Defend yourself. Your dad and I already told the school about what he did and showed him the texts confirming it's not just 'teen angst' as so many school officials love to label serious issues so they can brush them off. So if he tries anything then you do what you have to do to make him stop, and if the school tries to give you grief about it when they failed to do anything to stop it, then your dad will remind them of the laws they would've broken by ignoring the bullying and harassment taking place."

"And if that doesn't work?"

"Private school. Wearing a school uniform sucks, but you wouldn't have to worry about seeing that prick AND being in a private school looks great on a college transcript."

"True. And I bet I could accessorize the uniform with one of my karate belts as an intimidation factor."

"Now you're on to something. You can do that when you go to college, too."

"Police academy. I haven't changed my mind, mom."

"All right, you don't have to step away from the academy." Evelyn and Connor weren't thrilled their daughter wanted to follow their footsteps and become a detective, but they weren't going to try to stop her. Their previously dramatic toddler had become a fiery, steadfast young woman who wasn't afraid to throw a punch if it became necessary. "But just consider getting some kind of degree to fall back on just in case you decide you don't want to deal with drunk idiots running around the city."

"I have considered it and I've decided it's not for me."

"Okay. That's your decision and your father and I will respect it."

Looking away from her mother Melody let her voice drop a little as if ashamed. "...What if I don't want to go to college, either?"

"Then don't go."

"What?" Locking eyes with her mom again Melody looked totally shocked by the answer. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. Melody, you're just barely fourteen-years-old and you have so much of your life ahead of you." Continuing to comb through Charlotte's hair in an affectionate manner Evelyn reassured her youngest daughter's worries. "If you don't want to go then you don't have to. Go explore the world and gain new experiences in life so you know exactly what it is you want to do with your future. You don't have to make up your mind about your future just because you're in high school."

"But Henry's in college and all my friends are applying for scholarships already."

"So what? That's their decision and you're free to make your own. College doesn't have an age or time limit, so you can go to college if and when the time comes if you choose to do so."

"What if I can't figure out what I want to do with my life? Nothing seems to spark my interest."

"Then you keep living and growing from your own personal experiences until you do figure things out." Giving her daughter a kind and compassionate tone to listen to Evelyn let Melody know she'd be loved and supported no matter what. "Life is too damn complicated for anyone to figure out, especially when they're still in high school."

"Okay. Thanks, mom."

"Come on. Let's go downtown and check out the new cinema and see if it was worth the hype."

"Sure." Climbing off the bed alongside her mother Melody happily joined her mom for an afternoon together and having fun. "I could go for a good movie right about now."

Charlotte slid off the bed and rushed into her bedroom across the hallway. "Same. It'll also be nice to watch a movie without dad, Papa or Henry making fun of it the whole time!"

As hard as it was Henry had no choice but to say goodbye to both his dad and grandfather after returning to the campus well into the evening and going back to his dorm room. A part of Henry was so worried that it'd be the last time he'd ever see Hank and he wasn't ready to say his goodbyes to him. As the dread of time and immortality hung heavily over his head Henry turned to give his family a wary glance as he stood in the middle of his dorm room that suddenly felt way too big for him, even with a roommate.

"Maybe I can stop by the house next weekend, you know?" Henry suggested warmly to his departing family. "We can play some basketball or something."

"Of course." Connor sensed Henry's wariness and wanted to comfort him. "You're always welcome home whenever you want to come back. No matter why, when, or for how long."

Hank took a step forward without using his cane and gave Henry another strong hug. "Hey, you study and you win your games. Or I'll come back here and kick your butt!"

"I'd like to see you try with that ugly cane in your hand!"

Laughing lightly Hank patted Henry's back again and rubbed his hand over the back of Henry's hair. "I'll call you this Friday at seven, you better answer your phone. Got it, ya' little smartass?"

"...Got it. I promise."

Connor stepped in to hug Henry and held tightly onto his son and had to fight the urge to never let go. "Everything will be okay, Henry. When you stop by to visit us in a few weeks we'll head out to the cabin and have another family weekend, all right?"

"Yeah. Sounds great!"

Slowly, reluctantly and with a heavy heart Connor broke the hug and gave Henry a hesitant glance. "Remember, if you need anything for any reason just call."

"I will."

"When will Wyatt be back?"

"Soon. The campus will go on lockdown in an hour, so he kinda' has to be back soon or else he'll be stuck sleeping outside."

"Of course. Will you be okay alone until then?"

"Yeah. It'll be weird but I can handle it."

"We know that. You can handle anything."

A campus security officer who was patrolling the dorms and informing visiting family and friends of the curfew begrudgingly informed Connor and Hank that they'd have to leave soon, too. It was the worst part of his job as a guard, but it was painfully necessary. "Lockdown in forty-five minutes. Sorry, only students are permitted to stay overnight."

"We'll see you soon, Henry." Connor stated confidently as he accepted the fact that he'd have to leave his son behind. "I love you."

"I love you too, dad." Henry looked over to Hank and smiled. "I love you, Papa."

"I love ya', Henry." Hank reached out his hand and shook Henry's right hand firmly. "Remember what I said."

"About kicking my butt?"

"Smartass. Friday at seven."

"I'll be waiting with my phone in my hand, Papa. I promise!"

It was a long slow walk away from the dorm and out to the campus parking lot.

Feeling like he was forgetting something very important, his son, Connor walked out of the dorm with Hank right at his side. Walking slowly to accommodate Hank's health as they made their way back to the Corvette in the parking lot Connor glanced back at the building as if he could somehow see Henry still, but of course Henry's window overlooked the campus and not the parking lot. There were no other cars around which made the entire campus feel eerily empty and the moment all the more sad.

"Hey, are you going to be okay, Connor?"

"...Yeah." Opening up the passenger side door of the car for Hank first to ensure the sick man could move about easier Connor walked around to the other side and opened his own driver's side door. "The house is just going to feel so empty without having Henry around. I know I have Evelyn, Charlotte, Melody, Lucas, Chloe and you still in my life, but still... I can already feel the hollowness from here."

"And that is called the much dreaded empty-nest syndrome. It's the bane of all parents when it comes to their kids but it gets easier over time." Hank sat down slowly in the passenger seat and put his cane in the backseat behind him. Moving slowly for the sake of his back Hank did his best to appear as strong and confident as ever. "Just for the hell of it want me to stay up with ya' and watch a bunch of old movies tonight?"

"...Yeah. I think I do. I could really use the company and excess sound." As Connor sat down in his own seat and wiped away more tears from his soulful brown eyes he let his 'aged' aesthetic fade away slowly. As he looked like his usual self Connor suddenly looked more like a sad kid than a proud father. "It's strange because I just said goodbye, and yet I already miss him so much."

"Son, come here." Hank wrapped his left arm around Connor and pulled his son up against his side for a much needed hug. Connor didn't resist and let Hank hug him as tight as possible as they sat in the car and looked up at Henry's campus. "You did great with Henry. He's one hell of a great kid, he's intelligent, kind, funny, empathetic and he's going to help shape this mess of a world into something recognizable. Be proud, not sad."

"...I've always have been proud of him, dad. And I always will be. My son is an incredible person and I couldn't possibly be prouder of him."

"The feeling's mutual." Smiling with utter pride of his own Hank hugged his son even tighter as he thought about all their good years together. "It really is."

"Thanks, dad."

"Let's go on home, son." Wiping away his own tears Hank cleared his throat and sighed deeply at the thought of going back to Detroit without Henry with them. Like Connor he already deeply missed his grandson and he couldn't wait to see him again. "It's going to be a very long and very quiet night without Henry, but Evelyn, Lotty and 'Mel-Bell' are still there waiting for us to come back."

-Spring 2060: A New Challenge-

With Henry still away at college and her time in high school creeping to a close against her will Charlotte picked Melody up from school drove back home in her car, a restored 1992 Mazda Miata that Hank had begrudgingly painted green as Connor and Charlotte had both talked him into finally applying the color to a vehicle, and pulled the shiny vehicle into the garage to keep it safe from the elements. Opening up the side door connecting the garage to the rest of the house Charlotte and Melody dropped thier backpacks on the floor by the kitchen table and called out for anyone in the house.

"Hello? Mom, dad, Papa?" The house was quiet and Charlotte sighed as she remembered that her parents were at work that day. "Great, it's just us and Papa for the evening. It's too quiet with just three people in the house."

"It's weird, isn't it?" Walking into the livingroom Melody glanced about but didn't see Hank anywhere and something told her to find her grandfather fast. "Hey, where is Papa?"

"I don't know." Shrugging her shoulders a little Charlotte didn't give Hank's absence any serious thought as she went upstairs. "Maybe he went out for a while."

"Maybe. Papa?"

Checking Hank's bedroom down the corridor - the study had been remodeled into a bedroom after Connor finally talked Hank into moving into the house, and the bathroom Melody found no sign of her grandfather. She had just been inside the garage, laundry room and the kitchen so she knew he wasn't there, either. Knowing he wouldn't go upstairs now that his back was really hurting him as of late Melody decided to check the backdoor and all but screamed when she saw someone's legs splayed out over the grass through the glass sliding door.

"Papa?!"

"What's wrong?!" Charlotte raced back downstairs ready for a fight. "Mel? What's-"

Pulling open the backdoor so hard she practically broke it from its frame Melody fell to her knees beside Hank and shook his shoulders heavily as she called his name. Hank had collapsed face first onto the deck and had a small smear of blood around his right temple where he struck the hard surface after falling.

"Oh... Oh shit!"

"Papa! Wake up!" With her shaking hand Melody pulled her phone from her jacket pocket and called Connor at the brownstone. As soon as the line was picked up Melody shouted into the phone for her dad's help. "Dad! Something's wrong with Papa!"

'What?' Alert and yet calm Connor responded to his youngest daughter over the phone and fell back onto his emergency training to keep himself composed on his worried daughter's behalf. 'What's wrong with him, Melody?'

"He's unconscious and won't get up!"

'Does he have a pulse?'

"I don't know!"

'Press your fingertips to the side of his neck and count to three.'

"Okay, okay..." Doing as she was instructed Melody took in a deep calming breath and pressed her left fingertips to the left side of Hank's neck and waited until three seconds passed. "No! He doesn't have a pulse!"

'Listen to me very carefully, Melody.' As he gave his daughter directions over the phone Connor cybernetically called 911 and told them where to go and what the emergency was at the home so Melody could focus solely on Hank. 'You need to perform C.P.R. on Hank until the paramedics arrive.'

"I've never done that before, dad."

'I know. That's why I'm going to guide you. Remember when your mom and I taught you C.P.R. when you were twelve?' Coaching his daughter to keep in control over the situation Connor urged Melody to act quickly. 'Make sure he's laying flat on his back, tilt his head back slightly to ensure his airway isn't obstructed.'

"...Okay, yeah." Putting her phone down on the deck Melody put it on speaker mode and used both hands to grab onto Hank's shoulders so she could roll him from his chest onto his side, and finally onto his back with Charlotte's help. Putting her left hand beneath Hank's neck Melody lifted his up just enough to tilt his head back and used her right hand to lower his jaw a little. "Done!"

'Now, place your right hand over your left hand and interlace your fingers together into a single fist.'

"Right, right... I remember this part."

Falling into a natural and instinctive rhythm Melody squared her shoulders as she placed the heel of her palm over the center of Hank's chest, his faded gray t-shirt providing no resistance whatsoever, and began to compress Hank's chest as much as she possibly could. Melody wasn't the strongest person in the family but she wasn't by any means weak.

'That's it, Melody.' Connor could hear what was going on and knew that Melody was performing proper compressions on Hank's chest. 'Count to ten compressions and then check for breathing.'

Charlotte held onto Hank's hand and looked at her grandfather's eerily gray face. "Come on, Papa..."

Responding quickly Melody reached ten and then bent her ear down close to Hank's nose and mouth.

"Not breathing." Without waiting to be promptly Melody took in a deep breath and gave Hank two rescue breaths before resuming compressions. "Where are the paramedics?!"

'Close, they're less than two minutes away.'

"He has a head injury." Melody confirmed as she repeated the process of checking for breaths before breathing on Hank's behalf. "I don't know why he's like this, dad."

'It's fine, we'll figure it out later.'

The sound of sirens racing toward the house stole Melody's attention for just a moment. "The front door is still locked."

"I got it!" Charlotte volunteered as she reluctantly let Hank's hand go. Unlocking the front door Charlotte stood outside and waited for the ambulance to arrive so she could flag them down. "I'll lead them inside!"

Melody continued chest compressions and checked for breathing. Barely thirty seconds passed before the paramedics walked through the front door and honed in on Melody delivering chest compressions to Hank, who was still in cardiac arrest.

'Step back, Melody. Let the paramedics take over.'

Snatching her phone from the floor Melody stepped into the kitchen and watched the paramedics cutting open Hank's t-shirt to expose his chest and hook him up to a cardiac monitor as they resumed chest compressions and put an ambubag over his nose and mouth to force him to breathe. "Dad, what do I do now?"

'Go with Charlotte to the hospital. I'm heading out there now and I'm going to get your mom on the way. Do NOT try to speed and keep up with the ambulance.'

"What about Henry?"

'Don't tell him what's going on. I'll call him after we know what happened so he doesn't worry, okay?'

"...Okay."

'Melody.'

"...Yeah?"

'You did really good today, sweetheart. Are you going to be okay?'

Turning to look over her shoulder as the paramedics wheeled a gurney over to the deck and placed Hank down atop of it Melody closed her eyes and wrapped her left arm around herself in a light hug as she held her phone to her right ear. "...No."

'Go with your sister to the hospital, and once you're there I'll find you and give you a hug. Okay?'

"Yeah, okay. We'll do that, dad."

'Good. It'll just be a few minutes, Melody. You'll be okay.'

Watching as Hank was wheeled through the backdoor and back toward the front door through the kitchen and livingroom Melody let a frightened tear roll down her face as she followed her grandfather to the ambulance parked out in front of the house. "Yeah. And Papa will be okay, too."

Charlotte locked up the house and patted Melody's shoulder. "Come on, Papa needs us."

The quiet of the hospital waiting room was disrupted only by the sound of soft footsteps as a young doctor, Dr. Renee Kovan, approached the four occupants of the waiting area at a steady gait. Connor sat upright in the chair with perfect posture, his coin dancing gracefully over the knuckles on his left hand silently, and his usual work attire was immaculately pressed to perfection. He had his right arm wrapped around Melody's shoulders as he she leaned against his side, and Evelyn was sitting on the other side of her holding her left hand while holding Charlott's right hand. It had been an uneventful evening in the hospital save for the emergency call that had arrived just after four that evening.

It was a close call but fortunately the patient had pulled through.

"Mr. Anderson?" The doctor called out softly as she stood beside the chair with Hank's electronic clipboard pressed to her chest. "I'm Dr. Kovan."

"Connor. Please, call me Connor." Standing up quickly the coin disappeared into his left front pocket as Connor extended his shaking right hand for the doctor to shake. "How he is? Please, tell me everything. I can take it."

"Very well." Shaking Connor's hand Dr. Kovan spoke to him respectfully and truthfully. "Your father has suffered a massive heart attack."

Connor's posture visibly slumped at the somber news. Though it was expected it still had a heavy weight over his mind and inside of his heart. Melody paled at the confirmation and Evelyn tightened her hold over her daughter's hand in response as Charlotte bowed her forehead against her mom's shoulder.

"He survived the ordeal, but he's still a very sick man." Dr. Kovan explained calmly as she remained honest with the worried detective, his wife and his two daughters as they took the news with a heavy heart. "The drugs being used to treat his liver cancer may have been the cause of the heart attack, but we'll run some tests to make sure before providing any additional treatment."

Melody's eyes went wide as she turned to give her mom a confused look. "...Cancer?"

Responding quickly Evelyn wrapped her arms around Melody and gave her a hug. "Your Papa has been pretty sick, Melody. He didn't want you, Charlotte or Henry to know about it."

Staying in control Connor spoke to Dr. Kovan in a level voice. "I... understand." The deviant swallowed nervously as he studied the doctor's demeanor carefully. He was worried; almost on the verge of tears. "Can... Can I see him? Please?"

"Yes. He's asked to see you already." She smiled at Connor warily as she motioned with her left arm for him to follow after her down the corridor to where Hank was resting. "He's very weak, but he should still be lucid."

"...Thank you. Evelyn, Charlotte, Melody," turning to face his family before following the doctor to see Hank the emotionally exhausted deviant fought to remain composure as he spoke to them. "I'll see him alone and when he's strong enough you can come in, too."

Nodding Evelyn continued to hug Melody and gave her daughter a kiss on her hair. "We'll be waiting. I'll also call Lucas and see where he is."

"Currently forty-six miles West of the city handling a client." Connor replied mechanically. "He knows what happened and is on his way back."

"Okay, we'll stay in contact and keep him up to date."

Connor followed Dr. Kovan to the intensive care unit where Hank had been admitted after his arrival and was unsure of what to expect. The room was dimly lit and the single patient inside the room was dozing lightly and propped upward in the bed as a cardiac monitor silently recorded his weak slow heartbeat while monitoring his blood pressure, oxygen saturation and body temperature. An I.V. administrating pain relieving and cardiac stabilizing medication ran into the back of his pale left hand as well. A nasal canula was under the Hank's nose to give him additional oxygen to ease his breathing while he rested as much as possible from his heart attack.

A few stray shortly gray locks hair clung to Hank's sweaty forehead as he dozed somewhat peacefully in the bed. The aging skin around Hank's blue eyes and mouth was much more prominent as his illness took his toll over his body. The paleness of his face and the dark bags under his eyes made him look sicker than Connor thought was possible considering Hank was always so very strong.

"You can stay as long as you like." Dr. Kovan offered kindly in a whisper as she showed Connor into the room. "Talk to him."

Approaching the bed quietly, keeping every step deliberate and light, Connor stood at the bedside and gently lifted the sick man's cool, limp right hand up from atop the white bed and held it tightly in his own.

"...Connor." Hank's blue eyes opened partially and even in the dim lighting he recognized Connor immediately. Giving his son a reassuring smile Hank tried to return the tight grip around his hand but he didn't have the strength. "You look good, son."

"Hi, Hank."

"You haven't called me 'Hank' for quite some time. It must be bad."

"Sorry... I guess I still see you as that hard-boiled detective with a gruff exterior hiding a massive heart of gold."

"You always were a sweet-talker, kid."

"I learned it from you." Connor sat down on the edge of the bed and held onto Hank's hand as he spoke. It took everything in him to not cry as he ran a biometric scan over Hank's body and noted the human's incredibly weak vital signs and the severity of the cancerous tumor spreading over his liver, lungs and pancreas with every passing second. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

Hank reached up his left hand just enough to point to the blank spot in Connor's right temple. "You know, even after all this time I still look for that damn light. It used to give away what you were really thinking without me having to guess or pressure you to talk to me."

Reflexively Connor brushed his left hand over his temple briefly before placing his hand atop Hank's hand still in his grasp. "I don't need it anymore, even if Joel did make me a special L.E.D. exclusively for my use. I know who and what I am. And it's all because of you."

"You know, if you were to tell me all those years ago that I would've outlived Jeffrey I would've called you crazy." Taking a slow deep breath Hank cleared his mind and his throat as he spoke. "...And if you were to tell me that I'd have two androids for a sons I would've told you that you were out of your damn mind! But... here we are. As father and son."

"A family." Connor managed to weakly smile for only a second as he spoke with Hank, the two detectives speaking from the heart during those bleak morning hours. "Together."

"Together." An appreciative grin appeared on Hank's aged face as he looked at his son with utter admiration. "I take it you're the one who found me and called for help."

"Actually, it was Melody." Remaining calm Connor replied as casually as possible while he forced a grin of his own to his nervous face. "She and Charlotte came home from school and found you cardiac arrest in the backyard. She performed C.P.R. on you until the paramedics arrived and saved your life."

"Melody saved me?" Despite his weakness his blue eyes lit up with genuine surprise and love for his youngest granddaughter. "...She really is something special, isn't she?"

"I can honestly say that was the most frightened I've been in all my life, and I know Charlotte, Melody and Evelyn were just as scared."

"It's okay, son. I'm old and it happens."

"We shouldn't have left you alone, dad. This wouldn't have-"

"Shut up, Connor. Whether you were there or not I still would've had that damn heart attack." Hank managed to give Connor a sincere broader smile as his aged blue eyes continued to shine with alertness. "I'm old, I'm sick... shit happens."

"The doctor thinks... your heart attack was the result of the medication currently being used to treat your cancer. She will run tests and find an alternative for you to take instead."

"Connor, I don't want to go through all that bullshit again."

"I'm sorry, dad, but it's necessary. There are no other options."

"Actually, I do have one other option, son. And the doctor already knows what I want."

"...What is it?"

Hank paused for moment just long enough to squeeze Connor's hand as much as he could possibly squeeze. "To stop the treatment altogether."

"But... you have stage four liver cancer." Connor shook his head a little with naive confusion at the answer. "Without the treatment you'll just get sicker."

"I know, son. I know. I've thought all about it and my mind is made up."

"Dad, I don't understand." The deviant's soulful brown eyes went wide and glazed over with absolute sorrow. "Why are you giving up?"

"Connor." Hank wrapped his other hand around Connor's hand and held on as tightly as he could. "I'm ready, son. I'm ready to die."

Completely stunned by the admission Connor stared at Hank with a mixture of deep emotions swirling in his soulful brown eyes. "Dad..."

"I'm old, son." The certainty in Hank's voice was a deep contrast to his otherwise weak, fragile appearance. "I'm old, I'm sick, I'm tired and I'm ready."

"But with the treatment-"

"Two years, kid. And that's the best case scenario." Letting out a shuddering breath of pain Hank steadied himself as he spoke and reaffirmed that he was okay with his decision. "Connor, I'm already dead. My heart just doesn't know that it's time to stop beating. I guess it's as stubborn as your own heart."

Connor was silent as he stayed beside Hank while holding his hand tightly, and never tearing his eyes away.

"I'm seventy-four years old and that's twenty-one years more than I ever would've imagined for myself; that is until you showed up." Patting Connor's knuckles affectionately Hank held onto his son's hand with as much strength as he could muster. "You already saved my life, Connor. You gave me a second chance at life, a family, an amazing daughter-in-law, one hell of a grandson and two equally amazing granddaughters that I couldn't possibly be prouder of. It's okay to let me go now."

"I don't want to let you go, dad!" Unable to contain himself any longer Connor practically burst as massive tears welled up in his eyes. "I need you!"

"No you don't, not anymore. You're your own person; a good man with a big heart who chose to dedicate himself to protecting the people around him. You're a great big brother to Lucas, a great father with a great son of your own in Henry, a gorgeous wife, two perfect daughters and in time it'll be your turn to be a 'Papa'." The pride in Hank's words was as sincere as it was palpable. "Promise me you'll live your life and not merely go about existing in sorrow. You don't need me to guide you anymore. You even said so yourself that you know who, and what you are. There's no doubt that you know where you're going, too."

"I don't want to go alone."

"You won't be alone, son. I promise."

"Dad," Connor's pleading for Hank to somehow find the strength to keep living only proved that the android turned deviant in fact had a real heart; that he really was alive. "you, Evelyn, Charlotte, Melody, Henry and Lucas are all I have. You're my father. You're Lucas's father, your Henry, Charlotte, Melody and Maddy's grandfather. We all still need you."

"No, you don't. You're okay and you're going to stay okay."

"What about Charlotte? She wants to be a detective and will need your guidance."

"...She's strong like you and her mom. She'll be okay, too."

And what about Melody? She saved you life. I know it sounds selfish, and I hate myself for putting this on you; like it's a guilt trip and I don't want to do that to you, but Melody was scared out of her mind but she pulled herself together to give you C.P.R. and helped revive you. When she learns that you want to just... give up after what she did," dragging his left hand over his chin Connor tried to keep himself completely composed for as long as possible. "I don't know what that'll do to her confidence."

"Please don't do that."

"I'm sorry, but... Please consider it. Please," tightening his hand over Hank's hand Connor let out a weary sigh and fought to speak through his emotions. "I know it's a lot to ask for. I want you to give Charlotte and Melody those two years you can get back by continuing your treatment."

Managing a weak smirk despite everything he was going through Hank let a single tear roll down his face as he saw how much Connor wanted him to hold on, how much it meant to his family that he held on for just a little while longer. "...How about this?"

Staring at Hank's face with a hopeful gaze Connor waited for Hank to compromise.

"I'll keep up with the treatment and do what it takes to see Charlotte graduate high school next year and to see Melody find herself. But if I get sick again, if I go down and need to be hospitalized, then that'll be it. No more fighting, I throw in the towel and I go out with my dignity."

"Y-Yeah, okay." Grateful to hear the positive answer Connor let tears roll down his face as he held onto Hank's hand. "...Thank you, dad. I know it's a lot to ask for, but-"

"Son, it's all right. You don't have to justify your reasons. I... I hoped my own mom could've been able to fight her own cancer for a while longer, too."

"We love you, dad."

"I know." Rubbing a tear away from his own eye Hank sighed and leaned back in his bed. "And I love all of you."

Moving gently Connor wrapped his arms around Hank without hurting him and just held him in the warm embrace. "I promise you that you won't be in pain and every day you're still with us you'll know how much we truly love and respect you, dad."

"I don't need extra years to know that, Connor." Weakly he wrapped his arms around Connor's shoulders to reciprocate the hug as resigned himself into fighting back against his cancer for just a little while longer. "I feel the love every damn day."

As midnight rolled around the darkness of the night gave the hospital an unsettling and isolated feeling that left the entire family feeling exhausted and like they were frozen in time. Watching as Melody held Hank's hand through the window of the private recovery room - the teenager was softly singing to her ill grandfather as he slept through the worst of his pain as the new medication affected the way his body responded to the cancer while he recovered from the heart attack, Connor rolled his coin over the back of his left knuckles in deep contemplation. All the while Evelyn held tightly onto his right hand as she too watched their youngest daughter through the glass.

Charlotte had curled up in a chair in the hallway to get some sleep and was being kept warm under Connor's coat. The emotional ordeal had exhausted her and with Henry away at college it was up to her as the oldest sibling in the house to take charge over everything for a while.

Unable to hear Melody's song through the window all Connor could do was read her lips and scan Hank's vital signs from the distance. The new medication was beginning to affect the growth of Hank's cancer, but it was a very slow process. With Hank's cancer already so advanced the medication was only able to do so much to aid the retired detective's old and exhausted body as he healed.

"She's been singing to him for almost an hour." Connor whispered to his wife as they watched Melody holding onto Hank's hand as he slept. "Do you think she's going to be okay?"

"I think she will." Evelyn replied in a low voice as tears formed in her eyes. "Melody is so strong and she doesn't know it."

"...Hank said he-" Pausing for a moment Connor had to force himself to keep speaking and tell Evelyn the truth. "He was ready to give up and submit to his cancer. He's going to hang on and fight back long enough to see Charlotte graduate high school and Melody find her path in life, and he's going to do whatever it takes to remain as strong as possible."

Turning her eyes away from the window with deep sorrow Evelyn sighed and tightened her hand around Connor's hand. "...I know. I can see that he's so tired and wants to just let it be over with. But he loves the kids so much."

"He loves us all."

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"Yes. I know he'll make it." Pocketing his coin Connor turned and wrapped his left arm around Evelyn so he could hold her in a tight embrace and just be the emotional support his wife needed in that grim moment. "Hank gave me his word and he's always been a man of his word. He'll make it..."

-Spring 2061: A Promising Future-

Standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom Charlotte finished preparing for her big day and was ready to start the first day of the rest of her life after going through with her high school graduation ceremony. Wearing a dark purple dress that reached her knees and covered her arms while leaving her shoulders exposed Melody looked entirely grown-up. Letting her long brown hair roll down her back Charlotte slipped on her black graduation gown over her dress and slipped on a pair of low black heels before she descended down the staircase to meet with her family waiting for his grand entrance.

Evelyn was waiting for her oldest daughter in the livingroom and had her phone and a camera ready to take Charlotte's pictures in the same way she had done for Henry the year before. Meanwhile, Connor and Melody were in the kitchen helping Hank take his medication and made sure the ill man was comfortable in the chosen outfit that had been picked out on Hank's behalf.

Kneeling down beside Hank as he sat in the wheelchair, his body just too weak to walk anywhere under his own power anymore, Connor held out his right palm and watched as Hank took the medication from his grip to pop into his mouth. "How do you feel, dad?"

Downing the pills with a gulp of water Hank sighed and gave Connor an exhausted glance. "...Old as Hell."

"You're not that old."

Appreciative of the good humored remark Hank sighed and fussed with the nasal canula under his nose a little. "...Still a smartass."

"Here, Papa." Draping one of the blankets Elizabeth had crocheted years ago over Hank's lap Melody made sure her grandfather was as comfortable as possible. "This'll keep you warm."

"Thanks, 'Mel-Bell', you're a peach."

"Ready to see Charlotte graduate?" Gently Connor pulled Hank's fingers away from the canula and ran a biometric scan over his body. "She's excited to have everyone home for the weekend."

"Yes and no, son."

"You mean you're proud of her success and are honored to have watched her grow up, but you still want to see her toddling her way around the house?"

"Bingo."

"Yeah. I felt the same way on Henry's graduation and as of this moment it seems to have doubled."

"Is she ready to head out to the school?"

"Evelyn's taking her photo right now. Once Henry arrives we'll head out together as a family."

"Kind of hard for us all to fit in a single car these days." Patting his hands on the arm rests of his wheelchair Hank sighed and peered into the livingroom to watch Charlotte smiling proudly before her mother. Hank swore he could see Connor's eyes and Evelyn's smile every time he looked at his oldest granddaughter's happy face. "...She's so beautiful."

"And skilled. She was already accepted into the police academy."

"She was?" Returning his attention to Connor beside him Hank's blue eyes lit up with a whole new sense of pride. "Damn, that's impressive."

Melody kissed Hank's cheek before going into the livingroom. "I'll let mom and Charlotte know you're almost ready to go, Papa."

Connor waited for Melody step out of the kitchen before giving Hank some more good news. "And Melody received an early from her university of choice. It's looking very promising."

"She's going to go through with medical school?"

"Yes. By all account she'll begin her first year in medical school the fall she graduates high school in three years."

"I shouldn't be surprised, and yet... That's incredible. She was lost not that long ago and now she has a path and a dream to follow."

"You do know that you and mom the one who inspired her to be a doctor, right?"

"Please tell me it's not because of the cancer and that stupid heart attack."

"It wasn't that, dad. It was the way you chose to fight back." Standing upright Connor stood behind the electric wheelchair and patted Hank's right shoulder twice under his right palm. "Seeing you fight back against your cancer inspired her to help other people fight back, too."

"...I'm honored." Using the wheelchair to his advantage Hank made his way into the livingroom and immediately caught Charlotte's eyes. "You look good, Lotty. Beautiful as always."

Smiling at her grandfather Charlotte blushed and acknowledged the compliment. "Thanks, Papa."

The front door opened up and Henry returned home at last. Wanting to be there to support his younger sister on her big day Henry took an autonomous cab back to Detroit from Ann Arbor and was already dressed up and ready to go. "Hey!"

"Henry!" Charlotte and Melody quickly gave their brother a hug and stepped back as Evelyn and Connor did the same. Watching as Henry walked over to Hank to give him a hug as well Charlotte teased Henry as she could see he was a little tired from the long cab ride home. "Miss your car?"

"You have NO idea..."

"Speaking of cars," Hank interjected in a casual tone of voice as he grabbed onto Charlotte's right hand. "I'm going to ride in with Charlotte so you guys can follow in the Corvette or the Camaro. There's no way six grown-ass adults are fitting in one car."

Laughing at the suggestion Charlotte agreed and held onto her grandfather's hand as made his way toward the front door. "Sounds good to me."

Opening the front door Hank awkwardly positioned the wheelchair toward the small support ramp Connor had placed before the door and made his way outside toward Charlotte's car parked in the side driveway. "Ready to go, Lotty?"

"I'm ready, Papa." Standing in the doorway of the house Charlotte waved to her family to let them know she was leaving and joined Hank by her car as he opened up the passenger side door. "See you guys at the school!"

Managing to stand up long enough to sit down in the passenger seat Hank hid his sense of self disdain as he watched Melody pass him his oxygen tank before she folded up his wheelchair to put in the trunk for transportation. "It used to be me who put your booster seat in the trunk of the car... Now here you two are taking care of me."

"Well, to be fair you're too big for a booster seat." Charlotte quipped as she sat down in the driver's seat of her car and turned over the engine the moment Melody slammed the trunk shut. "Maybe you can sit on dad's shoulders during the ceremony."

Laughing at her wit Hank reached into his navy blue dress shirt's pocket and retrieved a small gift box he had kept hidden for all of Charlotte's life. "Before we go anywhere I want you to have this."

Looking at the small white box in her grandfather's left hand Charlotte gave him a shocked look. "You didn't have to get me anything, Papa."

"I know, but I wanted to. I've had this thing hidden in my nightstand since the day after your parents told me they were expecting you too long ago. I was tempted to give it to you for your sweet sixteen, but I think this car was good enough of a birthday gift."

"I love this car, thank you for restoring it."

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Accepting the box Charlotte opened it up and peered inside at the small gift awaiting her. It was a golden ovular shaped locket that had a long gold chain secured to the top. Opening up the small golden locket Charlotte's eyes lit up and then teared up as she saw a small photograph of herself as a newborn being held in Hank's arms.

"Papa... This is beautiful."

"Read the inscription."

Glancing to the left side of the locket she saw the words engraved in the side and the tears rolled down her face. "'Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. - Love Papa'."

"I had a pocket watch gifted to Henry with the same inscription, and I gave Maddy a locket last night before she left the house. I love you kids and I'm so damn proud to call you my own."

"We love you, too." Reaching out her arms Charlotte hugged her grandfather and let him take back the locket just long enough to open the clasp on the chain, and fasten it around her neck. The locket came to rest over the center of Charlotte's chest above her heart right where it belonged. "We'll always love you."

"Don't ever forget this." As Charlotte let up on the hug Hank leaned back and gently brushed her dark hair behind her left ear and used his thumb to wipe away one of her tears. "Even when a person is gone they're never far away as long as you remember them."

"I'll remember, Papa." Putting her right hand over the locket above her heart Charlotte gave her grandfather a promise that she too was determined to keep in the same stubborn and relentless manner as her own father and grandfather. "This is something I'll never forget for as long as I live."