"Push me higher, Daddy!" little Julie exclaimed, pumping her legs on the swing.

"You wanna fly real high?" Abraham asked with a wide smile. He grabbed the swing's chain.

"Yeah! Really high!" Julie laughed, kicking her skirt around her feet.

"Alright, here we go!" He lifted the swing higher, then gently pushed her by the shoulders.

"Yay!" The little redhead laughed as she soared in an arch, her hair flying behind her. Then, she jumped, stretched out her arms…

Julie opened her eyes. The teenager sighed, reliving what she could remember of the dream. The sun shone through her glass window-wall, warming her arms. She sat up, pushing hair out of her mouth and eyes, and looked at the calendar above her bed. The previous day was circled in red, then crossed out. She stood up and stared around her barren pod room, then walked over to her closet full of KaneCo mandatory uniforms.

Julie stepped out of her room. Abraham Kane stood before her, grinning with his arms behind his back. "Happy late birthday, my darling daughter."

Julie jumped, startled. "Oh, hey Dad." She looked down, brushing hair behind her ear.

"I'm so sorry we weren't able to do anything special yesterday, Julie. Things just got crazy with… Burner trouble." His smile disappeared, replaced by a scowl.

"Oh, I know, it's fine," Julie said, looking up at him and placing her hands up defensively. "I was just, y'know, busy hanging out with Clair all day, anyways." She smiled nervously, images of the previous day's Burner raid playing through her mind. She technically had been in Clair's pod the entire time as she gave Mike and the others information to take down KaneCo's most recent anti-Burner tech, so thankfully her alibi was more solid than usual.

Abraham's smile returned. "Well, in any case, I still have a present for you." He revealed his hands, holding out a light blue headband towards her. "The Brush Band is programmed to unknot any knots that may end up in your hair from sleeping or other activities. I'm not revealing it until next week, but I wanted you to have the first fully working version."

Julie beamed. Ratted hair was actually a problem she needed help with, and this headband couldn't control her whole body like the Safe-T Suit had. "Oh, Dad! Thank you!" She hugged him, then looped the headband around her head behind her bangs. A small spark zapped through her hair, straightening it out to perfection. "This is perfect!"

"I thought you'd like it, my dear." Abraham hugged her in return. "Now, let's go enjoy a birthday breakfast together before my work day really takes off." He led her down the hallway. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Julie nodded. "I also had a dream that I was a little kid, swinging on a playset."

Abraham chuckled. "Ah, yes, I remember taking you to playgrounds so long ago. It's a shame they had to be taken down for the good of Deluxe."

"Yeah," Julie murmured, her thoughts drifting off to her dream. She smiled. It had been a pleasant dream, from a time when grass was still green, sunlight was still inviting, and Deluxe was yet to be. She felt a sting of nostalgia, a longing for that simple, Deluxe-free, Burner-free childhood.

"You know, Julie, I've been thinking," Abraham said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yeah?" Julie looked up at him. The two of them entered an elevator, and Abraham pushed a button to send them to the highest floor.

Abraham rubbed his chin in contemplation. "I decided to have you take over KaneCo when I am gone, but what will happen after that? You won't live forever, either."

"Yeah, I know." Julie rubbed her elbow and sighed. "Well, I could always appoint someone working here." She shrugged. "Someone dedicated, hardworking, smart, y'know."

"That's true," Abraham replied, "but it would be easier and more reassuring if KaneCo could be passed on down my line through the generations, to make sure it stays in good hands."

Julie stared at him wide eyed. The elevator doors opened, revealing a table filled with KaneCo food cubes. "Wait, are you talking about, like, me having kids?" Julie asked as she followed Abraham to the table.

"Of course." Abraham sat across from Julie and picked up his fork. "And unless I can perfect my cloning machine, you'll need to find a good man for that to happen."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Dad. Calm down." Julie waved her hands about, her heart pounding. "W-why bring this up now? I just turned nineteen yesterday. Can't we wait until I'm, like, actually in my twenties before going into this?"

Abraham laughed. "Oh, don't be silly. I'm not going to 'marry you off' or anything like that." He stabbed a stack of cubes with his fork. "I just want you to keep in mind the kind of man you'll want to marry to keep the Kane family line going honorably in the future, and to determine that, you need to start thinking about it early." Eating the cubes, he continued, "Even if you don't marry for another ten years."

Julie sighed in relief. "Oh… right. That makes sense." She picked up her fork, twisting it in her fingers. "Just think about it, then?" she asked, eyebrow raised.

"Yes, just ponder about what men would be suitable candidates in the future." Abraham paused. "I have a few in mind, myself. I'll send you the list to go over, to get your opinions on."

"Is Tooley on that list?" Julie took a bite of food cubes.

Abraham roared with laughter. "Tooley? Oh goodness, no! You are so funny, Julie."

Seeing her father laugh so naturally made Julie smile. For a moment, he was a regular father with regular concerns about his daughter's future instead of a capitalistic megalomaniac worried about a city he whitewashed. She wished she could preserve him like this, turn him back into the good man he was in her childhood.

"I mean, I know Tooley has taken a liking to you," Abraham continued, "but he's… special, if you will. He's a wonderful lackey, very loyal, but his brains are not what I want polluting the Kane genepool."

"Oh thank goodness," Julie said, her shoulders relaxing. "I was really worried there for a minute."

Abraham grew solemn. "It's still a shame that Chilton betrayed me like he did. I would have liked to have made him my son by law, not just in a figure of speech way."

Julie coughed on her food. "What? Mike Chilton? The Burner leader?" She nearly dropped her fork as she stared at her father.

With a sigh, Abraham met his daughter's shocked expression with furrowed eyebrows of simmering anger. "It's true. I've been making this list for years now, and Chilton was at the top of the list for a time. I admired his dedication, loyalty, and strength. He would have been perfect for you, and for KaneCo, after taking on the Kane name."

Julie twirled her fork in her fingers. "You've thought a lot about that, haven't you?" The sorrow in her father's voice overtook any anger he had, which surprised her. Before, he had only spoken about Mike and the other Burners with hatred. Perhaps she had underestimated how much Mike leaving KaneCo had hurt her father, even though Mike had still been in the right to leave.

Abraham sighed. "Yes, his traitorous actions haunt me night and day. But, enough of dwelling on the past." He pulled up his personal virtual terminal, typing on the hologram keys. "The list of candidates is in your email. I want you to look at it and add to or detract from it as necessary. Adding or taking off names, listing pros and cons for each choice… Not right away, of course," he said as he turned back to his food.

Julie stabbed a few food cubes of her own. "So this'll be one of those long-term projects, then?"

Abraham nodded. "Start soon, preferably, but start whenever you'd like. I can't help you pick anyone without your input."

Julie nodded. "Of course, Dad." She half-smiled and bit into her breakfast, for once not caring about how bland it tasted.

Later that afternoon in Motorcity, Julie leaned against Nine Lives while deep in thought. Thankfully, no KaneBots had attacked yet that day, because she probably wouldn't have been able to concentrate on taking them out with all that was on her mind.

Her father hadn't been exaggerating when he said he had a few candidates in mind for her potential husband. She pulled up her personal virtual screen, scanning her father's list. He had only put a dozen names on the list, but they were all young men in their early twenties, and, more importantly, they were all KaneCo employees her father trusted. Of course he wouldn't have picked anyone outside of a select circle. She closed the screen and crossed her arms, staring across the empty field in front of Jacob's home.

"Hey, Jules," Mike greeted, leaning on Nine Lives' hood. "Is the headband new KaneCo tech?"

"Oh, hey Mike." Julie half-smiled at him. She fingered the light blue band. "Yeah, it's supposed to keep the tangles out of my hair. Interns get to try it out first." She chuckled nervously.

"What's wrong? You look upset or something." Mike's smile vanished with concern.

"Oh, it's not a big deal… well, it shouldn't be." Julie shrugged. "Kane talked with me today, wished me a late happy birthday."

"It still surprises me that you're that important to him," Mike admitted. "Even after that hostage situation a while back… I didn't think he had it in him."

Julie nodded. "Yeah… Oh, and get this: He actually asked if I was dating anyone and sent me a list of guys he'd recommend!" She laughed, then sighed. "Ridiculous, isn't it?"

Mike's eyebrows raised and his eyes widened. "That… is very strange. He's definitely into controlling people, but…"

"And that whole exchange just got me thinking… about the future. The past, too, but mostly the future." Julie sank to the ground, her eyes falling to her feet. Mike sat beside her as she continued, "I remember back when I was a kid… Things may have been unsafe somehow in old Detroit, but I was happy, going to the park with my parents and chasing butterflies and birds. But now…" Julie sighed; Mike placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I don't think I could even think about getting married and having kids in this Kane-controlled world, let alone actually do it. You know?" She looked up at Mike.

"Yeah. That's a rough dilemma. I'm sorry." Mike squeezed her shoulder, a comforting gesture that made Julie smile.

A small child laughed a few feet from them. Mike and Julie looked over to see a woman with dark curly hair holding a three-year old boy by the hand as she talked with Jacob. Jacob handed the woman a paper bag, and as the mother gave Jacob some paper cash the boy ran off towards Nine Lives. The boy began pounding on the front bumper of the car with the palms of his hands.

"Whoa, be careful there, little guy," Mike said, leaning forward to better see the little tyke.

The boy stopped and stared at Mike. Mike smiled at the boy. The boy hid his arms behind his back with an innocent look as his mother came and picked him up.

"I'm sorry, I hope he wasn't bothering you," the woman apologized.

"Oh, don't worry, and the car's okay too," Julie replied.

As the woman let the boy run off in a different direction, Julie watched as the boy ran to a pale, redhead man she could only assume was the boy's father. The man kissed the woman's forehead and listened as the little boy rambled about something in toddler English. Julie smiled; seeing the happy family livened her spirits.

Mike rested his arms on his knees. "I know your fear, Jules." He met Julie's curious expression with a frown of worry. "I've thought about the likelihood of starting a family. Families like that one are thriving down here, with the freedom to live life how they want to… but it doesn't mean it's the right choice for me."

"Mike…" Julie clenched her hands into fists. Mike's slumped shoulders and sorrowful expression made her heart sink. Talking about that family leaving had added a hint of longing to Mike's voice. She hated seeing Mike so sad.

"I mean, I want the Burners to keep fighting for freedom as long as KaneCo is keeping people locked up in Deluxe," Mike continued, clenching his hands into fists. "But that doesn't mean trying to pass on some sort of legacy to kids is the only way to go about it… or even the best way to do it. Heck, that's a selfish reason for me to want kids."

Julie shrugged. "Well… is it more selfish than simply wanting to have a family? To be a parent?"

Mike relaxed his hands, and he gave Julie a half-smile. "You got a point. You also did about… how maybe it's not so great to try for a family before Kane is dealt with."

Julie looked off into the distance, where the little family had been before. Then, she looked over at Mike. Mike, with his contemplative stare into space and his normal impulsiveness being toned down during that conversation. Something about Mike turning twenty-one a few months ago started making him think through plans more. He still sought adrenaline rushes, and he still acted without thought in the heat of battle, but yet… maybe he was actually maturing. She smiled. Maybe she liked that.

Julie blushed. Maybe she just liked Mike in general. She remembered her father's words about wishing for her to marry Mike the KaneCo Commander. It was a strange thought, seeing that it was Mike the Burner she preferred.

Mike met Julie's gaze, smiled, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for talking with me about this. You're really great."

"Thank you for listening," Julie replied, gripping his wrist. "I… really needed to get all that off my chest." She smiled, meeting his eyes. Mike smiled back, not breaking eye contact.

Red alarms and sirens went off. Mike and Julie jumped up as Chuck ran towards them. "KaneBots at the West and North gates, Mikey!"

"Alright, get a hold of Dutch and Texas," Mike responded. "Jules, you go with Dutch to the West gate. I'll take Texas north."

"I'm on it." Julie jumped into Nine Lives as Mike and Chuck leaped into Pitbull, Mutt's neon blue replacement. The two cars careened in opposite directions at breakneck speeds.

Their discussion of the future could wait, but at least it had started before the future became the present.

(Author's notes-feel free to skip)

MU: As much as I love Motorcity, it's still hard for me to believe they're supposed to be teenagers in canon, especially Mike. The Motorcity wikis list Mike as 17, and Julie mentions she's in her "formative years" in an episode, but both of them act more like college-age adults than teenagers. So, I'm writing them when they're older and asking the hard questions in life. :) I hope you enjoyed the story.