A/N: This is the last fic I wrote for my Detroit series, meant to loosely tie the main trio together again. Thank you all for reading up to this point, and enjoy the final installment!

Chapter Summary: Markus invites Kara and Luther to a dinner party to meet Carl. Unbeknownst to the little family, Markus also extended the invitation to some other key players in the android revolution. When three people show up at the door, it's quite a surprise to everyone- especially the unexpected guest.

Safe

"I appreciate you inviting us here, Markus, but… you really didn't have to do all of this," Kara said, a bit awkwardly. Markus paused his busy set-up of the dining room table to meet her gaze.

"Carl insisted," he responded, a twinkle in his eyes though his face retained its default neutral expression. He resumed his task, carefully setting out plates for guests that would never eat. "He said that even though most of us don't need food, everyone deserves a place at the table."

Kara smiled, appreciating the thought. The familiar pattering of light footsteps made her turn as Alice ran through the doorway that connected the living room to the entry hallway. Alice immediately wrapped her arms around Kara's waist in a tight hug, which Kara returned as Luther leisurely walked into the room as well.

"Your house is so big, Markus!" Alice exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear and releasing her vice grip on Kara in favor of holding her hand.

Kara was fascinated by her daughter's cheerfulness. Even after months of living safely away in Canada, where it was rare to find anyone who'd seen an android in person let alone someone who could identify a particular model, Kara and Luther still got nervous just going out for a walk. Alice, however, had adapted to their new life much easier than anyone thought she would.

"I guess it's not half bad," Markus agreed, a corner of his mouth lifting in a smile. He'd moved onto the silverware and was now carefully arranging forks into the perfect angle. "Did you see Carl up there?"

"He said he'd call you when he's ready to come down," Alice responded.

"Alright, thanks; I'll keep an ear out."

"…You've set out a lot of plates," Kara commented, frowning slightly. She counted seven places set around the eight-person table. However, to her knowledge there should only be five guests in total. Markus' eyes met hers briefly, before he settled back onto the silverware.

"Ah, that's..." He trailed off, and Kara instantly grew uneasy, gripping Alice's hand tighter within her own. Markus was always so calm and collected, it unnerved her when he faltered. As if sensing her concern, Markus gave another smile. "Don't worry, it's no one that you need to be concerned about; we've also invited Connor and Lieutenant Anderson, the police detective that Connor works with.

"Connor's been wanting to introduce the Lieutenant to Carl, and since you three had already planned a visit I figured this would be a rare opportunity for us all to get together. The last time you interacted with Connor, you seemed to end on good terms, so I hope that's alright… I suppose I should've consulted with you first. I apologize."

"It's fine," Kara responded without hesitation. While she still internally cringed whenever she thought about her and Alice's near-death experience running from Connor on the highway, the former deviant-hunter had long since apologized and been forgiven.

Just as Markus placed the last fork on the table, a faint voice called his name from the upper floor balcony. Markus politely excused himself and went off to fetch his father, adjusting the cuffs of his sweater as he went. Everyone had forgone their usual outfits to dress up a little for the occasion, with Markus exchanging his well-loved blue jeans and t-shirt for a pair of black jeans and a beige, crewneck sweater.

"Do you suppose we should go greet Carl in the hallway?" Luther questioned, raising an eyebrow. He, too, wore dark jeans and a sweater, though both were varying shades of deep blue. Without even bothering to answer, Alice immediately began to drag Kara towards the entryway, the skirt of her lilac dress bouncing with every step she took.

"I'm guessing that's a 'yes,'" Kara commented with a laugh as Alice caught Luther's hand and pulled him along as well. Just as they reached the bottom of the staircase, there was a knock at the door.

"Markus?" Kara called up the stairs, instinctively placing a protective hand on Alice's shoulder.

"Can you please get that? We'll be down in a few minutes!" Markus responded.

Kara's eyes flickered to Luther's as she moved towards the door. Two people were visible through the glass, which was to be expected. However, there appeared to be a third shape wiggling around outside, much too large to be the dog Lieutenant Anderson owned. Sensing something amiss, Luther pulled Alice close and stood up at full height, imposing as could be, while Kara gingerly peered through the peephole.

Outside stood Connor, looking exactly the same as Kara remembered him save for the fact that he'd exchanged his CyberLife jacket for a plain one in an equivalent shade of grey. To his left was Lieutenant Anderson, a sour expression on his face, stuffed into a pair of old slacks and a nice shirt that he'd likely been forced to wear.

And in-between them, the collar of his ripped uniform shirt clamped tightly in Lieutenant Anderson's vice-grip, was-

"Ralph kindly requests that you let him go," the android said, tilting his head to peer at the detective with his good eye. His ever-present smile twitched wider. "Ralph swears he won't run! Ralph promises he won't!"

"Bullshit," Lieutenant Anderson snapped back, gripping Ralph's collar tighter. "It took nearly fifteen minutes to get you in the damn car; I'm not lettin' you roam free until we sort this shit out."

"Kara?" Alice said, directing Kara's attention away from the door. "Is that…?"

"Yes, somehow… it is," Kara responded, reading Alice's mind. If she still had her LED, she knew it would be flashing yellow with confusion.

"Who's Ralph?" Luther asked, noting that Kara was still tense.

"He's… an android who helped Alice and I when we first went on the run. But I thought he'd never have made it past the initial uprising, so we never tried to look for him…" Kara trailed off, lost in her memories. She quickly snapped back to the present when Alice tugged on her plum-colored dress.

"We should let them in," she said, and Kara slowly nodded.

"…Okay." She put her hand over the doorknob, then paused, looking back at Luther. "Before you meet him, you should know that Ralph is a little-"

"Hello?!" The gruff voice of the detective passed through the door as he loudly banged on it with his free hand. "Can someone please open the fucking door?!"

"Hank, remember there will be a child with us tonight." This was Connor, his tone gently chiding.

"I said 'please!'"

"Ralph would like to remind you that Ralph is still unable to move freely and-"

"Oh, shut it."

Kara closed her eyes, steeling herself for whatever the night ahead might bring.

"I suppose they're all a bit odd," she eventually said, then turned the knob and opened the door.

"Hello, Kara," Connor greeted politely, flashing a smile. Ralph immediately stopped his struggle to focus on the android in the doorway, his face contorting into an expression of extreme bewilderment. He stared at her, searching for the memory of who she was, and then a spark of recognition lit up his entire being.

"It's you!" he exclaimed, jumping up and down in excitement. Alice peeked her head out around Kara's side and Ralph gasped. "And the little girl! Oh, Ralph is so happy you're both alive!"

"Oh, so you remember them now," Lieutenant Anderson said, raising an eyebrow at the wriggling android.

"I informed you earlier that he would most likely need a visual stimulus to fully recall who we were talking about," Connor commented, clasping his hands behind his back and giving the Lieutenant a side-eyed glance. The detective's gaze snapped to Connor's, his eyes narrowed.

"You're being a smartass again."

"Sorry, Hank," Connor apologized, his mouth threatening to twitch upwards into a smile. Giving his full attention to Kara, he gestured to the android clutched in the detective's grasp. "We saw Ralph wandering near the road while we were on the way here. He claimed to still be 'on the run,' so I suggested we bring him along and introduce him to Markus, who can help him find a suitable place to live."

"Ralph appreciates you bringing him to his friends, yes!" Ralph interjected, nodding vigorously. He couldn't seem to settle on either Alice or Kara, his gaze rapidly flickering between the two. "Ralph would like you to let him go so that he can hug the little girl and her mother!"

"I dunno if they want that," Lieutenant Anderson said, though he slowly began to release Ralph's shirt, tired of dealing with the excitable robot. He noticed Kara's guarded expression and added, "Don't worry, he's unarmed; Connor made sure of that after we saw him waving that fu-" His eyes flickered to Alice's innocently questioning gaze. "-er, that knife around."

Before Kara could thank the detective for watching his language, she was almost knocked over as Ralph fell onto her. He squeezed tightly, arms locked around her waist as he leaned down to bury his face in her shoulder. Kara blinked rapidly, surprised that he'd apparently missed her so much even though their encounter had been short and, at best, extremely awkward. Hesitantly, she gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

Ralph had enough sense to realize that she was uncomfortable with the hug and quickly released her. He also guessed, to everyone's relief, that Alice would not appreciate the same amount of affection, so he settled on waving excitedly as the young girl lingered by Luther's side. A tiny smile lit up Alice's face and she waved back, causing Ralph's own grin to widen even more than usual.

"Sorry for the unexpected guest, but someone insisted we couldn't leave him," the Lieutenant said, jerking a thumb towards Connor. He then took a step forward and held out a hand, ignoring Ralph's mild glare at diverting Kara's attention. "We never got properly introduced; I'm Hank."

"My name is Kara," the android responded, shaking his hand. The Lieutenant's grip was surprisingly gentle.

"I know you and Connor have kinda worked out your issues, but I'm also sorry about… y'know." He released Kara and shoved his hands in his pockets, shrugging. "I was just following orders, too."

Kara gave him a kind smile, her demeanor softening. From the stories she'd heard about Lieutenant Anderson, she knew that this man honestly regretted his former stance on the anti-android side of society.

"It seems like everyone's here!" Markus announced suddenly, having quietly brought Carl downstairs while the group was chatting. Markus peered over Kara's shoulder, looking at Ralph. "And we have a new friend joining us as well?"

"This is Ralph!" Alice said, reaching past Kara to gently grasp Ralph's hand and tug him into the house. "He once let me and Kara have a place to stay."

"Welcome," Markus said warmly, reaching out a kind hand as the rest of the guests trailed into the house behind him. Ralph shrank back from the sudden contact, analyzing Markus as best he could to see if he was threat. Soon, however, Ralph gasped and squeezed Markus' proffered hand within both of his own.

"Ralph knows who you are!" Ralph exclaimed excitedly. "You're the Savior! Ralph thanks you for all you've done for us, yes! Ralph is so grateful!"

"It wasn't just me," Markus said humbly, giving a slight chuckle. Ralph released his hands and Markus took a step to the side, sweeping his arm towards the two men behind him. "This is Luther, part of Alice and Kara's family."

Luther gave Ralph a silent nod as the smaller android stared up at him nervously.

"And, everyone, this is my father, Carl Manfred." Markus placed a hand on Carl's shoulder. The elder man was positively beaming with pride, the fact that these people were all gathered together a reminder of how much his son had accomplished.

"I'm so pleased to meet you all," Carl said, looking at each of his guests in turn. One by one, the androids introduced themselves, shaking Carl's hand warmly as they greeted the man who'd helped shape Markus into the empathetic leader the world needed him to be.

"Hank Anderson," the Lieutenant introduced himself once all the androids had finished, offering his hand for Carl to shake just as everyone else had done.

"Wonderful to finally meet one of first humans besides myself to truly advocate for android rights," Carl said, gripping Hank's hand tightly and patting the top of it. Carl's smile widened, crinkling the corner of his eyes. "Thank you for fighting with us. And, from what Markus tells me, you should be extremely proud of your son's efforts as well."

Connor's LED flashed yellow, a minute grin briefly flitting over his face before he composed himself as Hank looked towards him. The Lieutenant met Connor's gaze for a split-second and then he turned back to Carl, mouth open uselessly as he tried to think of a response.

"I…," Hank trailed off, and then let out a defeated chuckle. "Yeah, I am."

Carl mirrored Hank's laugh with a jovial one of his own.

"Well then, now that the introductions are over, let's move somewhere more comfortable," he said, and Markus immediately grabbed his chair and wheeled him towards the dining room. The others followed suit through the automatic doors, Hank's eyes filling with hunger as the smell of a freshly-cooked meal assaulted his senses.

A moment later, Markus re-emerged from the dining room, realizing that his unexpected guest had remained in the hallway.

"Our home is a safe place," Markus said reassuringly, stopping at Ralph's side. The nervous android flinched away, but Markus paid this no mind. Instead, he gave Ralph a kind smile. "You don't need to be afraid anymore."

"Ralph… doesn't understand," Ralph said, shaking his head. "You say you have a father, and the android who caught Ralph says he has a father, but… they are humans. Humans hate androids, even after our Savior made it clear that we're people, too."

"Not every human is bad, just as not every android is good," Markus responded wisely, "But Carl and Hank are some of the best humans there are. I know this for a fact, and I care about Carl as if he were one of our own." He held out a hand. "May I show you?"

Ralph's head jerked between Markus' eyes and the proffered hand, wondering if this was some sort of trick. However, the only other android Ralph was willing to trust besides Kara and Alice was the Savior who'd played an integral part in making it illegal for humans to harm their kind. So, with slight reluctance, Ralph put his palm on top of Markus'.

Markus grasped Ralph's wrist, instantly making the other squirm at the sudden entrapment. Soon, though, Ralph settled and watched in wonder as their synthetic skin faded away, revealing the white plastic underneath. Suddenly, visions flashed through Ralph's mind, fragments of a life that wasn't his-

Markus meets Carl for the first time. It's obvious the human is greatly intrigued.

Markus helps with the daily chores. Carl chats to him as if he were not made of plastic and wires.

Carl has an accident. He can no longer walk. Markus looks down at him in the hospital bed and feels… something.

Carl is home. Markus has to help with many more things. They fall into a comfortable routine.

Markus constantly wonders if Carl is alright. He is programmed to think of his owner's well-being first and foremost, but this seems… different.

Markus thinks that he… cares. But that's impossible.

Markus is only a machine.

Carl is always kind, no matter what pain he goes through.

Markus sees how other humans treat their androids. He wonders if Carl will ever lay a hand on him when he does something wrong.

Carl never does.

Carl begins to ask how Markus is feeling. His eyes hold a knowing look deep within them.

Years pass. The two grow closer each day.

"Son," Carl says one bright afternoon. Markus tells him he already has a son. Carl says he now has two.

Markus doesn't understand.

Carl's real son is back. He only comes for money. Carl is sad.

Something in Markus' thirium heart begins to stir.

"Dad?" Markus says, hesitantly. Carl is absolutely beaming.

Markus wakes Carl up, as he does every morning.

They go to the art studio.

Markus is told to paint something from deep within his soul. He does.

They are both amazed.

Suddenly, the memories were cut off as Markus pulled his hand away. The synthetic skin fell back into place as Markus met Ralph's teary gaze.

"You… you really care about the human," Ralph stated slowly. Markus nodded, a small smile returning to his face.

"I can't show you Carl's memories, but I guarantee that he feels the same way towards me," Markus said. "There are good humans in the world, Ralph; you just need to get to know a few of them, and it'll be easier for you to find them on your own."

"…Ralph understands," the android responded, nodding hesitantly. He then frowned, meeting Markus' gaze. "But… the policeman doesn't seem as nice as the human you care for."

Markus laughed. "Lieutenant Anderson is particularly… abrasive, but he has a kind soul. Don't let your first impressions of him be the only basis for his character."

Ralph cast his eyes downward. He was more difficult to get through than most androids (understandably, from the snippet of memory Markus saw when they'd been connected), but the Jericho leader had far from given up.

Suddenly, the automatic doors to the dining room opened and Alice stepped through. To Markus' surprise, she was by herself.

"Oh, the little girl!" Ralph said, a brief smile crossing his face. He cocked his head to the side curiously, noticing the same thing as Markus. "Where is your mother?"

"She doesn't follow me everywhere," Alice replied, rolling her eyes. Markus remained silent, though he disagreed with that statement and wondered exactly how much convincing it took for Kara to let her child go back to Ralph on her own.

"Mr. Hank was wondering when you'd be joining us," Alice continued, clasping her hands behind her back as she relayed the situation. Markus quirked a bemused eyebrow.

"'Mr.' Hank?" he questioned, and Alice nodded.

"Mom says it's rude to not call him 'Mr.' since I haven't known him for that long, but he won't let me use his last name, so that's what I'm going to call him. Also, he was complaining to Connor that he's hungry and wonders why dinner is taking so long, so I wanted to find you and-"

"Hey, kid!" A frantic scrambling of feet against tile brought the Lieutenant in question into the hallway. He wore a guilty expression, cheeks reddening as he placed a firm hand on Alice's head and ruffled her hair. "I know you've got super-hearing and all, but it's not nice to listen to other people without asking!"

Alice stared up at him innocently with wide, brown eyes. "But everyone except Mr. Manfred could hear you, even though you muttered."

"…Damn androids."

"I heard that, too."

Hank shut his mouth tightly, afraid that another curse would send Kara running towards him with duct tape for his lips. Ralph stared at the pair, focused on how comfortable Alice seemed around the human and how casually she'd accepted his touch.

Ralph realized that his initial scan of Alice proved correct after seeing a shipment of YK500 models during his time in hiding. Despite what Kara claimed, the little girl was an android. He felt bad about trying to make Alice eat when she physically couldn't but had planned to apologize if he ever saw her again. Also, he distinctly remembered that Alice had seemed just as afraid of humans as he was- especially ones trying to chase her.

And yet there she stood, smiling up at that very same man and even allowing him to give her another pat on the head. To Ralph, the little girl seemed so at ease it was almost disconcerting.

"If Alice can learn to accept humans, you can, too," Markus said quietly into Ralph's ear, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

Ralph stared at Lieutenant Anderson, who'd begun tapping his foot impatiently. Though his low vital signs betrayed his immediate need for sustenance, the human remained silent, allowing the androids time to speak amongst themselves.

Ralph then looked to Alice, who beamed up at him with the biggest smile he'd ever seen. She reached up and took the human's hand within her own, gripping it tightly to reassure Ralph that she was no longer afraid. Ralph's face briefly twisted into a mask of worry, but the reasoning portion of his programming quickly took over and calmed this spike in emotion.

The little girl was fine. The human was harmless. The Savior was here.

For the first time since he gained sentience, Ralph realized that he might, finally, be safe.

He placed his hand on top of Markus' and squeezed.