I decided to begin my contribution to the Detroit fandom. This is based off an AU I found where our main three androids were foster kids adopted by Hank. I liked it and decided to work my own spin on it, involving Todd, Alice, Luther, North, and the other major characters. This is based while they're all in college. Or, rather, while Markus and Connor are in college.
As of the start of this story, Kara has been missing for six months following a string of odd behavior. Neither her foster father nor her brothers have had any contact with her…
"Suspect's name is Todd Williams, 25," Chris read out to Hank. "He's accused of domestic violence and drug abuse."
"Dumb bastard," Hank sighed, taking a sip of his coffee. "Profession?"
"Taxi driver. He has an ex-wife and a daughter."
"Good to know. I hate people who abuse their families. We never know how long we're going to have them."
"Have you… heard from Kara?"
"Not a word, to me or her brothers. It's weird, especially considering she's always been the one to be in contact with me."
"Yeah, well, she's a tough one."
"I know." Hank shook his head at the thought of his adoptive daughter. It had been six months since she'd left, taking what little savings she had with her. "That doesn't stop me from worrying."
"You're a good father, Hank."
"Doesn't feel like it most of the time."
"I'll go process Todd Williams into the holding cells," Chris offered. He went off and Hank sat back down at his desk. His eyes landed on a family picture from ten years earlier, back when he'd adopted his second son.
In the picture, he was standing behind all three of them—Markus, Kara, and Connor. Markus had his typical serious expression, Kara was smiling, and Connor looked fearful. Hank knew why. Connor had been terrified of going back to the foster home he'd come from, and Kara had helped to assuage his fears. She'd always been the comforting type. Markus was more sarcastic. Connor had a mixture of the two, with a quiet, more literal personality mixed in somewhere.
God, he missed having all three of them around.
BRRRRRING! BRRRRRRING!
Connor jumped at the sound of the phone. He'd been dozing on the couch after a long day at school when it went off, so he hadn't been expecting it. He didn't really have any friends, so he had no clue who would be calling him. Connor didn't know the number, but he answered anyway.
"Hello, Anderson residence," he greeted the person on the other end. There was a sniff, before a familiar laugh of relief came through.
"Connor, you answered." He sat straight up, wide awake now.
"Kara! Is it really you?"
"Yes. I-is Hank home?"
"No, he's at work."
"Good…" The tone of her voice was cracking, meaning she was doing something very rare for herself: crying.
"Kara, what's wrong?"
"Do you have access to a car?"
"Yes, I do. Why?"
"I need you to pick me up at the bus station. It's about four miles away, on Henderson."
"I know where it is. I'm coming to get you." Connor smiled. "I'll see you soon, Kara."
"Bye."
Connor got up and grabbed his keys, petting Sumo and locking the door on his way out. He drove to the Henderson Street Bus Station, where he could see Kara standing outside. She wordlessly got into the car and buckled herself in, which is when he noticed something about her. Her belly was noticeably rounder than he remembered, and she was cradling it protectively.
"Are you all right, Kara?" he asked.
"I'm fine," she replied.
"You seem… rounder."
"I don't want to talk about it." He took the hint and drove back to the house, where Kara immediately sat down on the couch upon entering the living room.
"Can I get you anything?" Connor asked.
"S-some water, please."
Something was definitely wrong. Kara was never closed off like this, especially not to him. Still, she wasn't in any state to talk to anybody, so he simply got her a glass of water and let her rest on the couch. Within ten minutes of their arrival indoors, the door opened as Markus arrived home from his student leadership meeting.
"Connor, I'm home!" he announced, entering the living room. He saw Kara on the couch and dropped his keys.
"Hi, Markus," she greeted him, refusing to look at her brothers.
"What's his name?"
"Who?"
"The man who got you pregnant."
That's when it clicked in Connor's head—Kara was pregnant. She was having a baby. That's why her belly was round. And by the sounds of it—and Kara's behavior—the baby's father had hurt her and was no longer in the picture as a result.
"His name isn't important," Kara told Markus. "He's not in the picture."
"Of course it is," Connor interjected. "He didn't take responsibility for you or your child. We must know who he is so he can do so."
"Again, it's not important." She got up from the couch and headed towards the stairs. "I'm going to bed. I need sleep." Connor tilted his head but didn't press the issue.
Hank sighed as he unlocked the front door.
"Another night of takeout," he grumbled. Neither he nor Connor knew how to cook, and Markus had been out of the house ninety-nine percent of the time. Kara had been the one who loved to make food for the family. It hurt his heart that she had never called or anything since she'd left.
He stepped into the house and was greeted by the smell of spaghetti sauce and garlic bread—the meal they had whenever they desperately needed to go shopping. Markus must've been home.
"Smells great, Markus," he called.
"I didn't make it," Markus replied, coming out of the kitchen.
"What, Connor learned how to cook?"
"No." Hank turned towards the kitchen in time to see Kara emerge. He dropped his bag and stared.
"I-I'm home…" she murmured, holding her stomach. He looked her over and noted her pregnant belly.
Suddenly, her absence and lack of contact made sense.
"You dumbass," he sighed, walking over and hugging her. "Where have you been?"
"Nowhere…"
He'd press that issue later. Right now, he wanted to enjoy sitting down to dinner with his entire family and forget about work. Kara was home safe and that was all that mattered.
The light was on downstairs. Markus and Connor were asleep in the rooms next to hers, so she knew it had to be Hank working late. Kara headed down and saw him at the dining room table, looking over a case file. He looked up at her and gestured to the chair in front of him.
"Hey," he greeted her.
"Are you mad at me?" she asked, sitting down. Her hands went protectively over her belly on instinct.
"I'm not so much mad as I am frustrated and confused." He set down the file. "I think I understand now, though. You left because you found out about the baby, didn't you?"
"Yes, but it's a little more complicated than that." She bit her lip. "The baby's father… he…" Her eyes landed on the case file, on the picture of the criminal. Her eyes widened.
"What? What's wrong?"
"He… he's that man." She tapped the picture. "I took a cab home from the library, and he…"
Her voice trailed off and Hank appeared to catch her meaning. He picked it up and glared at the picture.
"He's already in jail for domestic abuse and drugs. I'll need you to testify to put him away for what he did to you."
"I don't want anybody to get hurt…"
"You've already gotten hurt, Kara. I want to make sure he doesn't hurt anybody else like that."
"All right, then…"
"How about we talk about the baby? Have you been to the doctor to get everything checked out?"
"No. Not at all. I-I was too afraid."
"Make an appointment. I want to ensure you and my first grandchild are healthy."
"I will." She stood up and headed for the stairs.
"Hey, Kara?" he called after her. She turned. "I'm glad you're back. Welcome home."
"Thank you." She went back to bed.
Yes, Todd raped Kara. However, he was under the influence of his antidepressants and red ice. While that doesn't excuse his behavior, it's an explanation. Kara is pregnant with a baby girl—Alice. Hank may have seemed calm in this chapter, but pretty soon he'll be going off. There's more than just the pregnancy that kept Kara from contacting her family. A certain gentle giant was involved…
So long and thanks for all the fish!