Chapter Text
Life in Canada was difficult.
It wasn't as if life would magically get easier once they crossed a man-made border, in fact Luther had raised concerns that they might have been better off in the United States. After all the President of the U.S. had declared androids sentient and protected under the Constitution, the rest of the world was slower to follow suit.
Canada wasn't even bothering since no androids were there legally. This caused new problems for the Foster family. Namely how to hide their lack of family and unaging appearances.
It would have been easier to hide if Alice wasn't so young, the appearance of an eight year old wouldn't be overlooked for more than three years.
Kara had managed to get a job working as a waitress at a bar in the small town they'd settled in, just a few hours from Rose and her brother. Luther still hadn't found a job yet, taking orders from humans still rubbed him the wrong way. Alice was waiting to find out if she'd gotten into the local school, so for now she was getting home schooled by a less than strict Luther.
They'd found a new normal, one that hopefully they could maintain for at least another three years. Maybe then they could admit that they were androids safely.
After all Canada was a socialist country, they wouldn't harm a small family just for not being born the same as the mostly human population.
"Kara? Phone call!" Her boss, a kindly old woman called out to her.
"I'll be quick." The android apologized, washing her hands before moving to answer the phone.
"It's fine, dear." She offered a small smile.
Josephine was too good to her.
"Kara?"
"Luther, you know you shouldn't call me at work." She scolded, although it was hard to stay mad when she heard Alice singing along to her new favorite song in the background.
"I know, it's important, Rose has asked us to spend Christmas with them. What should I say?"
"Oh.. W-Well.. I promised I'd work next week.." She sighed heavily, feeling terrible now. The AX had wanted to make their first Christmas together as a family special, she'd need money to do so. "Ah, tell her we can make it up after Christmas?"
"I'll let her know you're busy.. I'm sorry I haven't been much help yet." Luther sounded disappointed in himself, he'd promised to protect them and provide So far he'd only got i Kara's way.
The female droid laughed, "Don't be so hard on yourself. You're looking after Alice, that's more important right now."
"Of course but.. I doubt you escaped washing dishes and cleaning up after others only to end up right back there.."
"It's fine." She sighed, playing with her apron absentmindedly. "At least now I get paid for it, and the people are much nicer.." Although lately she'd been recovering memories, memories lost from going through multiple homes, getting reset and resold every time. All the way back to a white room, where she first discovered she wasn't.. alive. "I... I've got to go, I'll be home in a while okay?"
"Yes Kara. We'll be waiting for you." There was a smile in his voice now, they had to be strong for each other now. That's what a family should do.
Once she hung up she'd gotten back to work, occasionally chatting amicably with some of the regulars. Josephine spoke to her about Alice and her plans for the holidays.
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Luther had purchased a decently sized Fir tree for them off a local road side market with Alice's help. The tree filled their small room with the sweet scent of pine. Kara had returned as they had just finished setting the tree up, getting ready to decorate. A small box of miscellaneous toys, ornaments and a few arts and crafts materials.
"Mom!" Alice rushed to welcome her back.
"Hey sweetheart." She swooped down to pull Alice into a tight hug. "Did you behave for Luther?"
"I have! I promise!" The little girl had really started coming out of her shell now that they'd escaped their horrific home lives.
"Alice has been teaching me how to make paper-chains for the tree." Luther lifted himself up as he moved over to greet the smaller android back to their modest abode.
"Aren't you supposed to be teaching her?" Kara teased, allowing him to join their hug. He could easily lift both of them and he did, earning a laugh from the AX400 and a delighted squeal from Alice.
"There isn't any harm in letting her teach me as well."
"I suppose not, I can make paper cranes." She offered. "We can pretend they're nesting in the tree?" Taking up some colored paper and folding it up to make a family of red, blue and pink cranes.
"Show me, show me!" Alice begged, examining the blue crane. "It's so pretty."
"Thank you, here." She offered her some colored papers and showed her where to fold before using some of the string or lace to wrap around it's head and neck to secure it and dangling it to see how it would hang.
"We don't have a star." Luther mused, looking the tree over thoughtfully.
"What about making an angel?" Kara suggested, kneeling down to try find some available pieces. Too bad Alice didn't like dolls, they could have used a barbie, just make some paper wings.
"Timothy can be an angel?" Alice offered, holding out her stuffed fox.
"Are you sure? If he's on the tree he can't sleep with you." Kara reminded, petting the plush toy.
Alice pouted slightly, Not having considered being without her fox again. "Oh.." She blinked, jumping up and running out of sight for a moment before returning with her gloves. The very same she'd worn when they escaped America. "Here! A star."
Luther smiled, standing up from his paper chain to pick her up and let her put it on the top of the tree.
"Wait! We should decorate the rest of the tree, I'll get the camera." Kara eagerly chirped, rushing to find anything that they could use as a camera in the human way so they could all be in it.
After she'd found it the little family settled down to take a few pictures and finally exchange the gifts she'd managed to buy. It wasn't anything impressive. They only had a week of Kara's salary and tips to live on for the moment, and most of that had to be saved for the rent.
A panda hat for Alice and an old jacket belonging to Josephine's late husband for Luther.
All Kara received was a drawing of the three of them, labeled 'Mommy', 'Daddy' and 'Me'.
It wasn't much but these small gifts meant the world to all of them. They had fought hard against astronomical odds to be free to live like this..
A few trinkets would remind them of that.
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Rose's face lit up when she opened the door to them. Kara was pulled into a tight hug, shaking slightly from both the cold and possibly emotions.
"It's good to see you again, Sorry we missed Christmas. I hope you and Adam had a good celebration anyway." Kara greeted politely, returning the hug gratefully. It was nice to see the farm they'd spent the first few days on again, covered in a thick blanket of snow. They'd missed the majority of androids and humans from Rose's family members, they'd left after Christmas was finished.
"Don't worry about it, I hope you had a chance to celebrate anyway." The Coyote smiled, her hands lingering on Kara's shoulders. Smiling proudly.
"We did, We've got pictures too." She rooted around in her bag to find the images.
"Show us inside, Alice must be freezing." Rose coaxed them in, Alice made her way over to watch Adam playing his new PlayStation game. It was a bit violent, Kara wanted to say something but decided against it, Luther would probably put a stop to it for her.
The two mother's chatted about current affairs regarding android rights, how their children where doing and how Kara's job was going.
"I'm glad you're doing well.." Her expression clouded slightly, "I'm taking Adam back home soon."
Kara glanced over at Adam and Alice arguing with Luther over choosing a different game. "Oh.. I understand. Maybe we should too.. If it doesn't work out here."
Rose held her hand tightly, "You'll be safe here.. Even without us. Maybe we can come over to visit next year for Christmas?" She offered a little smile.
"We'd like that Rose. We owe you and Adam so much.. If you ever need anything-"
"No you don't owe us a thing! We were just doing what was right.." The two sat in comfortable silence for a while before Alice and Adam ran by inviting their mothers out to a snowball fight.
"Alice wait, wrap up!" Kara warned, fussing over the YK500 and activating her temperature sensors so she wouldn't damage her biocomponents from the cold. Rose was busy fussing over Adam too, although he put up more of a fight, assuring he was fine and could manage on his own and 'No, I don't need a scarf!'
It seems a mothers worry transcends species.
Both of the children were asking for Luther to be on their side.
In the end the teams were split up like so- Adam and Kara vs Alice and Luther. Rose refused to take part, saying she was too tired.
Dodging between snow mounds, tractors and corners of the house was invigorating. The air was light and jovial, like the night on the Ferris wheel with the Jerry's. Only much louder with the sound of delighted shouts, laughter and the thud of compacted snow hitting android and Human alike.
They stayed out until the sky went orange and the shadows stretched across the ground, the android's and human teenager alike were a shivering dripping wet mess of rosy cheeks and tired smiles.
"Yo-you should get something warm to drink." Kara advised, Adam nodded teeth chattering.
Rose laughed heartily, tossing warm towels to the androids. "Here, I've only got two hot water bottles, You'll have to share."
Kara and Luther decided to share so Alice could get her systems back in peek conditions first. The little family huddled together on the couch, trying to warm up.
After a half an hour all of the androids were back to normal but Adam was still shivering in warm pajamas and a towel. He still refused to admit a scarf would have been useful.
Alice yawned aloud, stretching against Kara's side. "Sleepy?" The ex-nanny smiled fondly.
"A little.. Kara?"
"Yes dear?"
"This was the best Christmas ever.." She nuzzled into her, getting heavier as she faded into sleep.
Kara and Luther shared a smile.
That it was..