Chapter Twelve: Connor's Come Home

He was still a few miles off, he knew. But he was halfway there. He almost thought there would never be a point where he got this close to Detroit. He thought he wouldn't see those familiar city lights again.

He carefully pulled himself up on his feet. He had to wait a moment for his systems to settle. He couldn't get overwhelmed now or he would collapse again. He stood for only ten seconds before he began his walk. Rather, it was more like he was dragging himself. Only one foot worked properly. The other dragged behind him, leaving a strange snow trail of just one footprint and line.

He did his best to ignore his shutdown timer. He would have enough time to drag himself to Detroit and to the DPD. As long as there were no distractions.

While he dragged, he thought of what Hank might think of him. He was nowhere near the same person as when he left. Both physically and mentally. There was a chance Hank would not want the 'new Connor'.

Connor decided he would cross that bridge when it came. All that mattered was that he was almost there.

Originally, he thought he would be full of joy and excitement when arriving in Detroit. He thought he would actually act like a silly little child- bounce up and down and say, "suck it, world!" Because he had made it back home. The world did not want him to make it, but he did.

MISSION: GO BACK HOME

After he would be done acting like a silly child, he would've collected himself. He would've straightened his jacket and adjusted his tie. He would hold his head high, have eyes full of confidence, and he would walk with long and strong strides full of pride.

It took him fifteen minutes for him to enter Detroit's entrance and get passed the welcome sign.

MISSION SUCCESSFUL

He almost wanted to collapse then and there.

He walked one thousand miles. He had been through hell. He barely managed to get out of cities alive. Now, here he was. He finally had his pay off. He was finally back in the city where he was born and raised in.

However, he wasn't completely paid off, not yet. There was one last thing he had to do. Then, then it would be all over. He could finally rest in peace.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:17:02

That would hopefully be enough time for him to get to the police station. He did his best not to get his hopes up. He tried to take it one slow drag at a time. He tried to imagine Hank again, how the man would react to seeing him after weeks of silence.

He wanted Hank to be shocked and then relieved. He wanted Hank to tell him that, even though he was not the same, he was still welcome.

MISSION: GO TO POLICE STATION

Hank Anderson would still be there at this time.

"Stop! Stop the car!" a young woman yelled at her friend, eyes wide as she looked out the window.

Her friendly quickly slammed the breaks at her friend's urgency. "What? What's...Jesus…"

Both women exited the car and walked forward a couple steps.

Others also pulled over and looked to watch. Some people exited stores to see what was happening. People already outside looked on with wide eyes.

A lone android dragged himself down the side of the street.

His eyes were dull, yet they held some determination in them.

He appeared as though he had walked straight out of the junkyard. One leg dragged behind him and sparked. His right hand was missing; wires stuck and sparked out of certain areas of his arm.

His shirt was torn beyond belief and dirty as were his pants. Bruises and scrapes littered his body. Certain areas of his body, like his arm and leg, had his skin go in and out. His hair was utterly disheveled, as if he had just gotten out of bed. His LED was yellow.

"No way…"

"Oh my god-"

"Connor?!"

Snow fell gently from the sky. It invaded Connor's vision. He refused to blink, knowing there was a chance he may not be able to open his eyes again- that he may collapse and be unable to get up.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:11:00

More time passed than he had thought. He thought he had been dragging himself at a decent pace, a fast enough pace to get him to the station in time. He did his best to somewhat find the strength to go faster, even if it was only a little bit. A little bit was better than nothing.

He ignored the onlookers.

He dragged.

"Look at that."

"I can't believe it…"

"This whole time I thought we were looking for a dead body."

"He looks so broken…"

The time was 6:15PM.

"You know right where he's going."

"You can do it, Connor!"

He said nothing.

There was a clap. And then another clap. And another. Then there was a whole round of them, slow and encouraging. The onlookers followed him a few feet behind. Some continued to say words of excitement- cheered him on. Some recorded with whatever devices they had. Some took photos.

"Shouldn't someone take him to a repair center first?"

"Oh, but he's walked so far to see his Lieutenant…"

"You're almost there!"

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:07:10

If only the encouraging words and noises would make him move faster.

His vision went in and out, despite keeping his eyes open. The snow wasn't helping. However, Connor had walked down this street one too many times to know it was the right way to go.

MISSION: GO TO POLICE STATION

Wait for me, Hank...

Even if he only got one minute, even if he only had a few seconds, that would be enough.

Connor collapsed on his front with a grunt, his foot having landed on a sheet of ice. He groaned. His LED turned red. He gritted his teeth. His body shook aggressively.

"Get up! You have to get up!"

"Come on! Hurry!"

He pulled himself back up slowly, stood still for a couple seconds, then dragged on. His LED went back to yellow.

Wait for me…I'm halfway there...

Hank waited this long. He could have the patience to wait a couple minutes longer. Connor would also have to find it in him to try and be patient.

He decided the people and noises around him were distracting, even if they were trying to encourage him. He did his best to tune them out. He kept his eyes solely focused ahead of him. He didn't need to read street signs. He just needed to see that building. Once he saw that building, he would be at ease.

As he dragged himself, he didn't fail to notice that his movements were getting slower. He didn't fail to notice his shutdown timer was going down faster. It was getting harder to push away, harder to ignore.

He came this far. All he had to do was hold on a little while longer. He had to pray on that he would make it, like he had been trying to do from the start.

He knew a couple more minutes passed and when he did, he noticed that the footsteps stopped. The clapping didn't. It was still going. Connor didn't need to look up to see that he found the building he was walking towards.

MISSION: GO TO POLICE STATION

Connor entered through the sliding doors. He was immediately smacked with a heatwave.

MISSION SUCCESSFUL

He remained silent as he made his way through the reception area.

Before looking up, one of the receptionists started to say, "can I hel…" she trailed off and her eyes, Connor assumed, were wide just like everyone else's. "Connor…"

He ignored her and ignored everyone else who stared at him as he continued his way into the bullpen.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:01:00

He blinked the notification away.

The bullpen had been busy. Connor could hear that with the officers typing away and some people chatting on the phones.

He could no longer see properly. His vision was too blurry, too static-filled. He stopped moving and stared ahead.

The bullpen had been stunned into silence.

No one dared moved or said anything. They only stared. It was as if time had stopped for them.

Connor's eyes slowly roamed around. His vision was blurry but he could still make out who he wanted the most.

Hank Anderson sat at his desk, facing his computer. He didn't seem to notice the abrupt change in atmosphere. Connor wondered if it was on purpose. He doubted it. Surprisingly enough, he may have just been too caught up in whatever it was he was doing.

Perhaps he was looking at a missing persons' website. That was, if Connor had even been on one in the first place.

"H...Han...k…"

His voice was rather static-y and much too quiet. Even he barely heard.

"H-Hank…" He tried again, tried raising his voice. He cleared his throat, a human trait he knew, and did his best. "Hank...Hank…!"

Finally, his voice was loud enough. Hank seemed to freeze, just like everyone else. Then he turned towards him. Connor tried to clear his vision to see Hank's expression better. It hardly worked. From how everyone else reacted, he could only assume he also stared on with disbelief at the sight.

Hank stood slowly and took slow steps to stand in front of Connor.

No one else moved.

"Oh my god…" Hank whispered. Connor could tell he was looking at him up and down. "Connor…"

Connor's LED cycled blue at long last. It took a lot of effort, but he managed a soft smile.

"H-Hank...I did...it," Connor said. "I...kept my...promise…"

Hank said nothing. He reached forward and pulled Connor into a tight embrace. Connor wrapped his good arm around him. He clutched onto the fabric of Hank's warm, soft coat.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:06

Tears gently slid down his cheeks. He buried his face in Hank's shoulder. He tried to concentrate on his heartbeat.

It was such a beautiful sound.

"I...I'm h-home…"

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:05

Hank didn't release his hold. He rocked him back and forth, like he was trying to soothe a child.

Connor's grip loosened.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:04

Connor's body started to slacken.

Being in Hank's arms, he realized he was still wanted.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:03

"Welcome home, son…"

Connor's eyes slid shut. He could no longer hold onto Hank.

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:02

Connor's LED started to fade.

Being in Hank's arms, he realized-

SHUTDOWN IN: 00:00:01

-He was still loved.

00:00:00

Warmth, a comforting warmth, spread all over his body. He was laying on something soft, something that tickled his bare skin, like his hands and the back of his neck. His arms were spread out, welcoming whatever void he was soon going to fall into. He was just waiting for this soft ground to crumble.

He wasn't sure how much time passed, but the ground beneath him did not crumble. It remained the same, soft and comfortable. The only reason it was dark was because his eyes were shut.

Hesitantly, he opened his eyes. He immediately had to shut them again, a bright light bombarding his vision. Before opening his eyes again, he was smart enough to hover his hand over his eyes.

When he felt it was safe, he lowered his hand. He blinked. This was the first time in a long time he had seen the sun. For most of the time he was gone, the sun had been hidden behind clouds. It peaked through once in a while and there had been a day or two, but for the most part, the sun was gone.

He sat up, leaning back on the palms of his hands.

He was not surprised that he had his limbs intact. He was not surprised that he was back to normal. It was something he expected after death. That was the one and only thing he was sure of when death came.

What he was surprised with was his surroundings. This was not nothing. Nothing would not be so…

"Beautiful…"

Lush, fresh green grass was everywhere. Different kinds of flowers, many except roses, were among the soft grass. The field was never ending. It stretched on and on. There were beautiful trees also in the mix.

The sky was blue and clear. There were no clouds in sight. The only thing in the sky was the sun he never thought he would see again. There was a slight warm breeze.

He stood and started walking, his eyes roaming all over the area. He saw a pond nearby with the occasional fish jumping in and out. The water was fresh and clear, unlike the recent water he had come across.

He stopped and closed his eyes.

All this time during his walk home and even before his walk home, he always thought he would end up in nothing. He always thought he would end up in a dark, never ending void. He wouldn't be able to see anything but darkness. It would be cold, even if his clothes were back and intact.

To be in Heaven…

He smiled.

He didn't think there was a Heaven waiting for him. He thought other androids had the right to one. He never felt deserving. But perhaps, just maybe he did some things right in his short life. Maybe he did do some redeeming things to get him this beautiful afterlife.

There was only one problem with it.

Hank was not there.

However, he saw Hank one last time just like he wanted. It was enough for him. And if he was really lucky, the two of them would reunite in Heaven when the time came.

Connor continued his walk, his eyes still looking all over the place. He wondered if his Heaven would change the more he spent time there. It wasn't as if he could leave. He would be there forever but during that forever there was a chance things would change. In a good way, naturally.

Much to his surprise, the sky started to change into a more orange-y colour with some pink mixed in. He watched in amazement as the sun started to set, something he most certainly did not expect. He believed it would always be daytime. For it to change was quite interesting.

Would the wonders never cease?

He decided to sit at the pond. He rolled up his pant legs, took off his shoes and socks, and dipped his feet in. He tilted his head. The water felt interesting. He couldn't quite describe it. But what he could describe was the almost tickle-ish feeling he got when the fish swam over his feet.

The sky became a navy blue and many stars started popping up all over the sky. The moon also made its way out. It reflected off the water.

Peace overcame Connor's body. He kept his feet in the water and laid back. He closed his eyes and slept.

A weight landed on his waist.

He immediately opened his eyes and then his eyes widened to the point he was surprised they didn't pop out. His LED flickered yellow only for a second before going back to blue. He tried to settle himself but he still couldn't believe it.

"Hi, Connor!"

A little boy he only saw in a photo was now sitting on his waist. His small hands were pressed on his chest. He had a charming smile and soft eyes. They were soft yet so full of excitement.

"Cole…"

The wonders would never cease. They would never cease.

"I've been wanting to meet you for a while!" Cole chimed. He remained on his waist. "You slept a long time! Almost a day. I guess you were tired."

Connor blinked. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He closed his mouth again.

"It's kind of early for us to meet though..." Cole went on, tilting his head. "It should've been a few years. I thought Sumo would be my first reunion."

"Uh…"

Cole hopped off his waist. Connor got up shortly after and got his feet out of the pond. He turned and faced the little boy. He still had a bright smile. The boy was looking around his Heaven.

"What are you doing here, Cole?" Connor asked.

"I wanted to see what your Heaven was like!" he answered. "It's different than mine. I also wanted to meet you."

Connor tilted his head. "What is your Heaven like?"

"Nope!"

"Uh…'Nope'?"

"Nope!" Cole repeated. He looked back to Connor. "You and me and Dad and Sumo will share a Heaven one day! I know we will!"

"Will we? I mean...I'm an android…"

"You are but it doesn't matter!" Cole said. He started walking away. Connor followed. "You're an Anderson now! You're part of the family. You'll be in our Heaven."

Connor paused. Cole turned to face him. The little boy looked so determined and sure. Connor, on the other hand, had a frown.

"Really…?"

He assumed that he barely made it in this Heaven. How could he end up in someone else's Heaven? Cole seemed so positive and sure about it, though…

"For sure," he said. "You're welcome in our family. Unless you don't want that…"

Now the boy seemed dejected.

Connor quickly shook his head. "No," he said. "No, I…"

Being with everyone in the Anderson family, to be officially apart of them warmed his heart. He smiled softly.

"I would like that a lot."

Cole took his hand. "Great!"

For a boy who was dead, he seemed rather comfortable with it. He could understand adults or maybe even teenagers being okay with death, but a young boy? He thought he would be lonely with no one around. But if he could hop from Heaven to Heaven then maybe it wasn't so bad.

Cole was interesting.

"Okay, so give me a tour!"

Connor laughed. "Fine."

Connor took Cole all around his Heaven. He talked about some of the flowers he didn't know about, he talked about some of the fish in his pond, he did what he could to make the walk around interesting.

Cole climbed up one of the trees and bragged about how high he could climb. He also bragged that he couldn't get hurt, even if he did fall. Connor listened and laughed now and then. Cole was indeed an interesting child. He was sure Hank would love to see this.

When nighttime came around, Cole got tired. Connor sat against the tree they were hanging around most of the day. He patted his lap, something he assumed Hank would do. Cole smiled and curled up in Connor's lap. Connor ruffled his hair.

Doing all these things made him miss Hank.

I was proud to be your partner, Hank. And for the little time that I was, I was proud to be part of your family.

Because it was Heaven there was no reason to keep track of how many days passed. There was no stress in it. It was just a calm place to be. Time didn't matter. That's what Connor originally thought.

He was in the pond with Cole, trying to catch some of the fish in a self-made net. For the most part, the little boy mostly bounced around and then bragged whenever he caught some fish. Connor got the sneaky suspicion that Hank would probably he the same way if he ever took Connor fishing, bragging about catching more fish. But Hank would not be able to take him fishing.

These were all random thoughts that popped up in his mind now and then whenever he spent more time with Cole.

It was when they were playing in the pond that they both heard it.

"Connor, you have to listen to me. You can't do this to me."

Both of them paused and looked around. Connor's LED flickered yellow. Cole smiled.

It was Hank's voice.

"I can tell you've been through a lot in your time away," Hank said, his voice echoing. "But you and I can fix it. We can heal together."

Connor walked out of the pond. He stared up at the sky.

"Please, Connor. I can't do this again."

A strange pressure came to Connor's chest. He swallowed hard. His eyes began to water, making his vision blurry.

"I won't leave you ever again. I won't hurt you again or throw you away…" Hank's voice shook as it continued to echo. "I can't lose another kid, Connor…"

Connor dropped to his knees. The tears he tried to hold back finally left his eyes.

"Hank…"

"Well, it looks like the time's come."

Connor turned. Cole was still standing in the middle of the pond. His smile and eyes were so gentle.

"Huh…?"

"If you can hear Dad, it means that you're going to be okay," Cole said. He swayed back and forth, his smile growing. "I was wondering if you would be saved or not."

Connor turned to completely face Cole. "I'm still alive?"

"Well, you did die...but they managed to get you back!" Cole said. "It sure took them so long! But you can wake up now, Connor!"

"You're okay with me being gone? You'll be alone again…"

Cole finally left the pond. He walked right up to Connor. "I know but it's okay. I know we'll all reunite and share the same Heaven someday. That's what I told you!"

Connor leaned down to get to the child's level. He smiled. "Thank you, Cole...For keeping me company."

Cole laughed. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Connor. Connor stilled for a moment at the abrupt gesture. Then he carefully returned the embrace. After a long moment of comfortable silence, the two of them pulled back.

"You take care of Dad!"

"I will. I promise."

Connor ruffled Cole's hair one last time.

He closed his eyes.

Connor's eyes fluttered open. Unlike when he woke up in Heaven, he didn't need to cover his eyes. The light in the room was dim. It also wasn't as warm as it was but he still felt comfortable. A soft blanket was draped over his body.

He couldn't quite recognize this room. It was a decent size but it only had the bed he was lying on. It reminded him of a secluded hospital room but it wasn't like the repair centers. He didn't know what that meant and he almost didn't care.

He didn't care because when he looked to his left, Hank Anderson was there. He sat in a surprisingly comfortable looking chair. His eyes were shut and he snored lightly. He also had a blanket on his lap.

He was holding Connor's hand.

Connor couldn't move his body to reciprocate the action. He could, however, say something he did to Hank every morning.

"Good morning, Hank."

"JESUS!"

Connor's lips twitched up into a smirk.

Hank had jerked awake and sat up straighter, his eyes wide and mouth slightly gaping open as he stared at Connor. He leaned closer and Connor could tell it was taking a lot of effort for Hank not to burst.

"Connor…" Hank's voice was a mix of shocked and gentle and Connor wondered how he could manage that.

When Hank seemed to settle a bit better, Connor finally took in Hank's appearance. It wasn't that he didn't look the same. However, the man looked tired with heavy bags under his eyes. His skin seemed paler and his hair was messier than it normally was.

...His eyes were also watering.

Connor didn't know what to say. So, he remained silent. He decided to let Hank have his moment.

Hank's grip on Connor's hand tightened. He hunched in on himself and stared at the floor, making it hard for Connor to continue to make out his expression thanks to all that hair covering him up. His body shook and Connor heard him take a shaky breath.

Connor wanted to reach over and hold onto him. Hank always held him whenever he was in some kind of pain, yet Connor couldn't return the action. He felt a pang of guilt hit him when Hank choked out a sob- a sob Connor knew he was trying to hold back.

"I'm sorry, Hank…" Connor whispered, gently. "I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry."

Hank shook his head. He kept silent with the exception of his quiet sobs.

They remained silent after that. Connor let Hank let out the emotions he may have been holding in for as long as Connor had. Connor decided he didn't like crying, but he realized that maybe it was healthy. Maybe it was okay if it meant recovering, even if only a little. Happy tears, he quickly decided, didn't count.

It took fifteen minutes for Hank to calm down and for Connor's LED to go back to blue. Hank sat straighter and moved his chair closer to the bed, if that was possible. Connor wanted to brush the stray strands of hair out of Hank's tired face and wipe away any remaining tears.

"Connor, I need to ask you some questions," Hank said, carefully. "Are you up for it?"

Connor worried his lip. He expected this. "I can try."

He already knew what the first one would be.

"What happened on the train? With that son of a bitch Michael?"

Connor closed his eyes. "...I was the one who killed him. But that wasn't my intention," he started. "I just...I wanted him to realize that how he treated me was wrong. It wasn't fair and I wanted him to know that. So, I just…"

He shook his head.

"But I didn't mean to kill him," Connor continued. "I really didn't mean to. I never wanted to kill anyone."

"I know, Connor," Hank said. He reached over and stroked the top of his head. "Anyone would snap after what you went through. I'm not angry. I just needed to know."

Connor nodded. He opened his eyes again and stared at the ceiling. "What's next?"

Hank seemed more hesitant this time. Connor didn't look at him. He didn't want to see what kind of eyes he had.

"What happened to you? Where did all those injuries come from?" Hank finally asked, after a long moment of silence. "Was it Cyberlife?"

Connor shook his head again. "No. No, Cyberlife didn't do any of that. I jumped the train before reaching their facility. They were things that happened on my way home…"

The last thing he wanted to do was look back on what happened. Especially the Room of Horrors. That was the thing he despised the most. He didn't want Hank to know about that, not right away. He would definitely not look at him the same way. How could he? For the moment, Connor would keep silent about it.

"Is there anything you're willing to tell me?"

Connor thought about it. The main problem truly was the Room of Horrors. He was still on the fence about telling Hank about his experiences.

"No."

Hank nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "Tell me whenever you're ready. I won't push you."

"Thank you, Hank."

Although Hank could indeed be very impatient, he could also manage to have the patience of a saint.

"Anything else?"

He would prefer to stop answering questions that would trigger the terrible memories. Perhaps someday but not now. He wanted to relax now that he was awake. He could put up with some things, he supposed, but there was only so much he could handle.

When Hank said nothing more, Connor decided he would ask something. He asked the million dollar question.

"...Why did you throw me away that day?"

He could feel Hank tense and stop halfway through stroking the top of his head. The grip on his hand also tensed. Connor looked to him. He regretted it. Hank's eyes held so much remorse and sorrow that it made Connor want to hug him again.

God damn it, why couldn't his body move?

"I didn't want to, Connor. I never wanted to throw you away- never wanted to hurt you like that."

Connor knew that. He just wanted the reason.

Hank sighed. He didn't look at Connor anymore. He stared at his hand instead, thumbing the back of it.

"Michael told me that if you ran away to me one more time, Cyberlife was going to take you apart and melt the pieces," Hank continued. He furrowed his brows and glared, still keeping his eyes off Connor. "Even when you got to Houston and attempted to run back. They said they would destroy you."

Connor's frown deepened. He swallowed hard, a gesture he had not done in quite a while.

"I didn't know what to do. So before you were taken away, I told you what I thought Cyberlife would want me to say, told you something that would keep you away."

"That I was dangerous. That you didn't…" Connor trailed off. He sighed. "That you didn't want me anymore."

"I wanted you to live. I didn't want you to die because of me, so I tried to say something to make you stay away. It was much harder than you think."

"I know it was hard, Hank," Connor said. "I saw your eyes. You looked so upset- I knew it wasn't your fault."

Connor was hurt that day. He was stressed and scared. It was hard to ignore when he first heard Hank's words. It didn't help that a bastard like Michael was there, taunting him about it. He never expected Hank to say cruel words like that to him. Even if he knew he was forced to, at the time, it hurt him more than anything.

Now that he knew the reason, he didn't feel as pained about it anymore. It actually felt nice to hear it from the source.

"You were saving me…"

Hank saved him a lot. He may not have realized it himself, but he did. Hank always saved him.

After another long moment of silence (Connor was fine with them), he asked another million dollar question.

"What...What exactly did Cyberlife want from me?" Connor asked. "Is it only the registry? Was there something more to it?"

Hank took another deep breath. There was some frustration in it but Connor knew it wasn't directed at him.

"They said a lot techno-babble that was hard to understand," Hank started, staring intently as if it would help him find the proper words. "They said something about...wanting to do something about your deviancy. They wanted to check it or...something, something about your software?"

Connor tilted his head. He felt worse for Hank than himself. It was just like Cyberlife to use technological talk on Hank. Hank knew very little about androids, even with Connor trying to help him.

"They mentioned something about updates, too. Something like wanting to secure your programs?"

Poor Hank sounded so lost trying to explain what Cyberlife told him. Connor could somewhat put pieces together, even if Hank had a hard time with it.

"From what I gather...Cyberlife used the registry as an excuse to mess with me," Connor began, his LED blinking yellow as he thought about it. "Maybe because I was the only android left in there, they thought it was okay to test something on deviancy."

Or something like that. He wished he was there.

"And...Update my programs to make me less dangerous. That's all I can get from what you told me."

"That sounds like what they were trying to say," Hank agreed, though he did still sound a little confused. "They weren't really super clear on it. I told them to use normal language but god fucking forbid."

Connor shook his head. "They were probably using 'techno-babble' to try and make you give up on me. Make it too complicated for you and make you give up because of it."

"Sons of bitches," Hank grumbled.

"Am I still in ther-"

"Fuck no!"

Connor blinked.

Hank smirked now, looking much more confident. "I won. I finally managed to get you out. You're free."

Connor sighed in relief. His body loosened and he closed his eyes in content. "Finally…"

Now he didn't have to worry about that additional stress. Finally being completely free gave him so much joy, he was surprised he didn't do more crying. He had become a bit of an emotional wreck. Maybe it wasn't bad, though.

His LED was blue.

Connor was checked on by an android nurse the next day and was told it would be a good idea if he stayed in Jericho for another day or two. He needed some time to test out his new hand and leg. According to Hank and the nurse, he had been dead for almost two weeks. He was more worried about Hank's well-being than his own, knowing that the man stayed by his side the whole time.

He nagged Hank about it. Hank brushed him off and said he would go out and get food for dinner. He would also give Sumo some walks and made sure to feed him every day. For the most part though, every day, he was sitting by Connor's side. He talked to him, told him stories, tried to yell at him to come back to life.

Apparently it was Markus' idea to talk to him. Hank almost gave up but Markus told him that it would be a good idea to talk to him. If Hank was lucky, he would respond to his voice and he did.

He loved Hank too much not to listen to him. He loved him too much not to be with him again. He wanted to be with his father again, unofficial or not.

Now, Connor sat on the bed, straighter this time. His body was still slouched but it was getting better. He didn't bend his legs, still too nervous about it. It didn't matter that it was new. He felt much more comfortable starting with his hand.

And with Hank's encouragement, he felt like there was some hope that he would be able to recover decently. The faster he recovered, the faster he would be out of Jericho. It was nice of them to fix him there (no repair center would accept him, from what he was told), but he wanted to be at home.

At the house.

Hank came in with a certain object Connor left behind. His eyes immediately lit up and he swore they had sparkles in them. He held out his hand, right hand, excitedly.

"My coin!"

Hank scoffed and handed it to him. "You sure seem happier to see that than me."

"Aw, don't be jealous, Hank." Connor smirked.

The amusement dissolved when the cool object was now sitting in the palm of his hand. It had been so long since he flipped a coin. His fingers also felt stiff, even if he had been doing some exercises. It felt strange, for he was an android and this should not have been happening.

"No laughing when I fail," Connor mumbled, nervously. "Because I know I will."

Hank sat in the chair and nodded.

Connor took a deep breath. He got his fingers in position and…

Flipped the coin across the room instead of straight up like normal. He stared dumbfounded, watching the coin roll on the floor and stop with a light ting. He didn't expect to flip it across the room. He didn't even know how that happened.

"Uh…"

Hank stood and went to pick it up. He brought it back and gently put it in Connor's palm again. Connor only huffed. Hank ruffled his hair.

Connor tried again. He failed again but not as bad, the coin didn't flip as far. It was also a little straighter. Hank would keep going back and forth and gave Connor a pat on the back. Connor pouted. He kept trying.

He failed quite a few times until he eventually groaned loudly. "I can't do it right!"

"It's okay, Connor-"

"No, it isn't okay! This should not be happening. I'm an android, and this was second nature before!"

"Yeah, before. It's been so long and you lost your hand," Hank said. He gave Connor his coin again. "It'll take a little bit of time still. You just got up."

Connor grumbled nonsense.

Hank brought in some clothes for Connor the next day. Needless to say, he was basically drowning in a hippy shirt, sweatpants, and had slippers a bit too big for his feet. He managed to tighten the pants around his waist a bit so they wouldn't fall off. They still pooled on top of his feet, though. When he attempted to roll up his sleeves, they just rolled right back down and covered up his hands. The slippers weren't so bad, at least.

"It'll only be for a little while," Hank said. Connor knew he was having a hard time not smirking at him. "We'll buy you new clothes later."

Connor nodded.

At first he didn't want to change with Hank there. He didn't want him to see the damages that that man gave him. That was until he remembered that he was good as new and clean. Hank probably already saw it all anyway, if he stayed in to watch him get repaired. He didn't ask him about it. He would rather not know.

He sat with his legs over the side of the bed after having gotten dressed, and he had been lightly swinging his right leg. It felt stiffer than he thought it would, despite being brand new. Hank tried to tell him it was normal, especially because Connor had been lying down for almost two weeks with no movement whatsoever.

It didn't make him feel any better. He didn't like feeling weak and stiff.

Hank stood a few feet away from him. He held his hands out. "Okay, try this length. It shouldn't be too hard."

Connor gripped at the mattress and stared at the floor. It was ridiculous to feel nervous, he knew.

"I'll be here to catch you if you stumble."

Connor nodded. He closed his eyes and counted to five. He stood slowly and kept still when he was up. He had a slight slouch and he tried to ignore it, more so focusing on how strange it felt being able to stand with both legs normally.

It didn't make sense, he thought, because he stood normally in Heaven. Life didn't make sense and he hated it.

He tried to take a step forward and he got ready to fall. He was surprised when he didn't. He did shake a bit when his foot landed back on the floor. There was no shock, something he had gotten used to but was still bothersome. He moved his left foot much easier. It was only his right that gave him trouble.

"You're doing good," Hank said, smiling.

Connor wanted to believe that, but he felt the opposite. He barely made progress in moving. He could not make normal and confident strides, unlike before. He felt more like he was shuffling than walking. He glared at his feet.

Hank sighed. "It's going to take a little bit, Connor. Don't be frustrated."

"I just want to be normal again," Connor admitted. He stopped when he reached Hank.

"Connor…"

"I know it's not going to be possible, though." His LED blinked yellow. "Hank...I'm not…"

He didn't want to say it.

"I'm not the same person I was when I left," Connor said, quietly. He shifted his eyes to the side. "I'm not the same at all…"

"I know you're not, Connor," Hank said, gently. He squeezed his shoulder lightly. "I don't expect you to be the same. I know you've been through hell since you were taken away."

Connor looked up, nervously. Hank's eyes were as understanding as ever. "You're okay with that? You still want me?"

"Of course I still want you," Hank said, firmly. "You're my son, Connor. I'm not going to throw you away again."

Connor stilled. His eyes had widened a little and his LED went red. "...What?"

"If you think I was going to take any chances with anyone trying to take you from me again, you're wrong. I went ahead and got it done when I got the chance."

Connor remained silent. He worried his lip. His systems stuttered but for some reason, he didn't think it was a bad thing. His vision blurred. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He thought back to what Cole said. He mentioned that he was an Anderson and that was why he would be in their Heaven. He didn't think it was actually official.

"Okay, don't cry. It'll make me start," Hank said in a teasing manner. He ruffled his hair. "Let's take it one step at a time, though. Do you know what I mean?"

Connor nodded. "Yes, I know. I'll be careful with my words."

Hank chuckled. Then he got serious again. "I just want to confirm that you know that you aren't a replacement, like some have said. You're your own person. I've never looked at you as a replacement. Do you understand that, too?"

"I understand."

He would defend himself and Hank if anyone had the nerve to say accusations like that. It did feel good that Hank saw him as his own person. It felt good to actually hear it. He knew he wasn't a replacement, but he was glad to hear it from Hank.

"Now then, let's get to work."

"My steps are going to be so slow…" Connor complained, huffing.

Connor decided to stay in Jericho for a bit longer to improve his steps and hand movements. His hand movements were the first to get better, something he expected. Now that he could do his coin tricks again, he could calm himself down easier and didn't always need someone by his side.

His steps were still slow but he could make longer strides. He preferred when Hank was by his side. When the time came to leave, the two of them took the back door to avoid anyone's attention.

There wasn't as much snow as Connor remembered when they got outside. Then he remembered it was February. It would snow less and snow would start going away now and he was grateful for it. The less reminders of the past, the better. He was also grateful when Hank told him he managed to get rid of any reporters.

And of course, Connor asked, "what do you mean there were reporters?"

"Well, you walked one thousand miles just to come home to me," Hank said, as if this was more amazing than it was. "No android has walked that far before- no less one that was as battered as you."

Connor sighed. "No less one that knew nothing about the world," he mumbled.

"Yeah...It was pretty fuckin' impressive if you ask me."

Connor only shrugged.

Halfway to Hank's car, they saw two unexpected visitors waiting for them. Connor frowned and stepped closer to Hank. Hank glared ahead.

It was Stone and Carry. Carry wasn't so bad, from what Hank told him. He also knew that from the day she helped him escape. Stone, on the other hand, did nothing.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Hank snapped.

"We're not here to hurt you or bother you-"

"You're always a bother, motherfucker," Hank said, his glare deepening. "What do you want?"

"I wanted to come here and see for myself. See if Connor really did make it back and lived," Stone said. His voice was even and he didn't sound condescending. "I'm glad to see you're alive."

Connor doubted it. He didn't say anything. He rubbed his hands together and it felt great to be able to do that again. It also helped loosen his hand.

"What else?" Hank asked, suspiciously. "In case you forgot, Connor isn't in the registry anymore. You can't take him."

Stone shook his head. "I'm not here to take him away, Lieutenant."

Carry nodded in agreement. "He isn't, I promise."

There was a hidden message in her words that Connor couldn't make out.

"Connor, Carry told me about the things that happened to you in the facility. She told me the things Michael did to you," Stone started. He actually sounded remorseful but he kept his eye contact. "If I knew what was happening, I would have taken you out of there right away."

Connor's frown deepened. Hank didn't stop glaring.

"Every time Michael did something to you, I made sure to keep track of it," Carry piped in. She looked down. "I was scared to share it right away...I guess I was hoping he would stop on his own."

Connor didn't blame her. If he was in her position, he might've been scared, too.

"I told Mr. Stone about it all when you were taken on your trip. I thought maybe you would be taken right back here if he knew. But you escaped before getting to the facility."

Connor glanced at Hank. He looked uncertain.

"I'm not lying to you, Connor, Hank," Stone continued. He sighed. "I wouldn't have let you stay in there if I knew it was that bad. I didn't know."

Obviously.

"You know what, it's too late for apologies," Hank interrupted. "Go away."

"I'm sorry for all the pain you had to endure, Connor."

Connor said nothing.

Stone nodded to both him and Hank. Then he turned and walked back to his car, with Carry following behind him. She smiled at them. She did the best she could and Connor was grateful for that.

After they drove away, Connor looked to Hank again. "Is it over now, Hank?"

Hank patted his shoulder. He smiled. "Yeah. It's over now."

Connor smiled softly. "Then...take me home, Dad."

"Oh boy...This is probably gonna be a mess," Hank said stopping at the doorway.

Connor tilted his head. "Uh...what?"

"Sumo is gonna go crazy," Hank said, rubbing his forehead. "Just...prepare yourself."

With that, Hank unlocked the door and he and Connor walked inside. Much to Hank and Connor's surprise, Sumo wasn't there. The two of them glanced at each other, confused.

"Sumo!" Hank called, stepping further in the house. Connor followed him. "Sumo! Connor's come home!"

That did it.

Sumo came dashing out from the hallway and Connor barely had time to react before Sumo jumped on him. He collapsed onto his back with a grunt. He didn't get the chance to cover his head before Sumo licked his face all over. The dog's tail was wagging and he was pressing his snout all in Connor's face.

Hank laughed.

"S-Sum-" Connor was cut off as Sumo's tongue continued licking him. "I missed you-" More licking. "-Too!"

He couldn't say anymore, not unless he wanted the dog's tongue in his mouth and he definitely didn't want that.

"Okay, okay, get off him already!" Hank scolded, though he still had a smile.

Sumo gave Connor's face two long licks before getting off him. He trotted away to his food bowl.

Connor huffed and wiped away all the drool, grateful that he had long sleeves to do so. "That was...something…"

"What did I tell you?" Hank teased. He reached down and helped Connor up.

Connor said nothing. Instead he looked around the house. He smiled. It was the same as when he left. He was filled with warmth at the sight. Hank seemed to notice this, because he ruffled his hair and smiled. He then left to the kitchen.

Although he was comfortable in Heaven, he felt much more comfortable here. This was his place. This was where he belonged. This was where he was loved unconditionally.

"So, listen…" Hank started, snapping Connor out of his thoughts. "I recorded a lot of documentaries while you were away."

Connor tilted his head. "Did you?"

"I figured you would want something to watch when you got back." Hank took his coffee out of the maker. He looked back to Connor. "Are you up for a document binge?"

Connor blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. If you're up for it."

"I would like that a lot," Connor said, his smile widening.

It was 10:00PM.

Connor and Hank only got through five documentaries so far. Most of them were new, too. The two of them sat on the couch, instead of just Connor and Sumo on the couch and Hank sitting in his armchair. Sumo sat near Connor's feet, his head resting on them. They had a large blanket draped over their laps.

This was how things were supposed to be.

Connor leaned against Hank. Hank wrapped an arm around his shoulders and held him closer. He closed his eyes.

He knew there would be a lot of healing yet. There were many problems he developed and it would take awhile to recover. But he was not alone. He had Hank Anderson to help him. He had all he needed.

It was good to be home. Home sweet home.

THE END

Author's Note:

And that's it! That's the end. I'm very happy with how this all turned out. There were so many things that were taken out but so many things that were also added. The things that were added definitely made up for things that were taken out. I wonder if you'll believe me when I say Home Sweet Home wasn't originally this intense? It honestly wasn't. Then I realized that going home isn't easy, especially for someone like Connor. It wouldn't be a cake-walk. So writing Connor getting home was very satisfying.

I want to thank everyone who read and stuck around and commented, faved, followed, etc. I honestly didn't expect this story to get a lot of reception, if any at all, so I'm grateful for ya'll. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

That's all for now. I'll see ya'll later.

Thanks for reading!

~Kurosaki