Long time no write. I feel kind of bad that I haven't updated any of my stories or added any that are new. But it's November, so that means The Scorpio Races is on my mind. Here's a cute one-shot piece of fluff for all you Puck/Sean fans out there. Characters belong to Maggie Stiefvater.

Cause it's Cold

Seven Years after the Race

Sean's POV

I woke with a jolt. Lightning flashed outside the window of our tiny bedroom and I sighed. Yet another summer storm on Thisby. Thunder crackled in the distance and I heard the cry of Corr. He was always restless during these storms; they must have reminded him of the November squalls that brought the Capaill Uisce to our land.

I leaned back on my elbow and brushed the sweaty hair from my forehead. I couldn't tell if it was the storm or my dream that had jarred me awake. It usually was hard to tell. My dream was hard to remember, though I know it involved that damned race from years ago, and Puck being pulled to the sea by Skata.

But when I turned in bed, there she was. Red hair strewn across her pillow, arms wrapped gingerly around her middle. It was a fact that Puck Connolly – Kendrick now, I guess – no longer was the girl I had met those five years back. She had become a beautiful woman, and I was proud to call her my wife.

She rolled a bit in her sleep, loosening her hold on her slightly distended abdomen. I could see my ring wrapped perfectly around her thin finger. Her mouth was stretched in a sleepy smile and I found myself smiling back at her. Even in sleep, she was the most beautiful woman to me.

Thunder cracked again and our home shook a bit. Again, Corr cried out in the night. With one last heavy sigh, I pushed myself out of our warm bed, trying to not disturb Puck. I thought I had succeeded. I was pulling on my pants when Puck's voice muttered, "Sean? Where are you going?"

I moved to sit on her side of the bed and pushed back her hair. "I'm going to check on the horses. Go back to sleep, Kate." I leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead.

Puck mumbled something and then nuzzled back into the blankets. Even in summer the house was cold enough to sleep with a quilt. She looked so comfortable and I looked forward to my return.

With a last look her way, I closed the bedroom door and made my way to the front of the house. Thunder erupted as I stepped through the threshold and I heard an exasperated scream come from the stables.

"Corr!" I shouted, trying to be heard over the wind and rain. I moved through the mud and grass toward our stable. Corr had access to the paddock whenever he wanted, and I hoped that I wouldn't have to chase him down. Not in this wheather.

Two dark eyes appeared from the window at Corr's stall. He whinnied when he saw my approach. It was a pathetic sound from such a powerful creature. I opened the heavy stable door and received several greetings of the equine variety. Over the past few years, while Puck worked in the Malvern yard, I began breeding and training horses and Uisce hybrids. With Puck's pregnancy, we both agreed she would halt her job at the yard and help me here with our own herd. At the time, we had at least two dozen of these beasts. I mere dream for the two of us.

Next to Corr's stall, Dove snorted in acknowledgment. I smiled and told her, "She's asleep." Dove bobbed her head at me and then faced the back of her stall. "Be that way. Puck will still be sleeping." I chuckled then as Dove's ears perked at her owner's name.

It was then that Corr demanded my attention. He prepared to nip at the hood of my jacket and I made a grab for her muzzle. "What's the problem, old friend?" I reached my hand to his face and traced circles near his eye. Corr pushed his long head to mine and we stood just breathing each other. Even though his skin hummed like the sea, I could feel his tension dissolve now that I was present.

I attached a halter and lead, and then pulled open his stall door. Corr stumbled out, anything but reluctant. I laughed at his excitement. Even though I could no longer ride him, it did not break the connection we shared. I tugged him along, making sure the doors were wide enough for him to get through. Together we walked the perimeter of our yard.

Occasionally, Corr would bump his shoulder or head into mine. I'd shove him back with a snort. This continued the entirety of our walk which seemed only minutes – though it was close to an hour. After making it around the fences too many times to count, I finally, and reluctantly, returned Corr to his stall. Dove thrust her head over the side to greet us and Corr did a small dance for her, finally relaxed.

As I left the stable, the sky seemed to finish its continuous downpour. I made it back inside the warm house without hearing a single rumble of thunder, or seeing a flash of lightning.

I peeled off my wet clothes and pushed the bedroom door open. Puck still lay curled in the nest of blankets. I attempted to shake out my damp hair before joining her. The clock read 4:26. I would need to be up shortly anyway to begin the care of the horses.

I lifted the quilts and slid under next to my warm wife. Puck made to snuggle against me and put her feet on my legs, but gasped a bit. "Sean, you're so cold."

"Aye," I muttered as I tried to pull her to me. Reluctantly she nuzzled into my chest and I rested my chin in her hair. Puck curled up and her fists up in front of her and smiled.

"What were you doing out there? Other than catching your death."

"Corr was being restless with the storm." I pushed some of the hair from her face and grinned as bright green eyes looked up at me.

Puck didn't say anything, just continued looking at me with that smile. Finally she whispered with a slight blush, "Still no reason for you to come to bed all cold and wet." And then she was on me. Puck straddled my waist and leaned forward to kiss my jaw.

I groaned at the touch of her lips. "Kate," I murmured with a laugh. "What are you doing?"

She pulled back and smirked. "Trying to warm you up." Her kissed trailed from my jaw to my cheeks and finally landed on the corner of my mouth.

I grabbed at her hips, my thumbs rubbing the smooth skin of her belly. "I think it's you who needs to cool off."

Her head tilted back with a laugh and I got a view of her long neck. I smiled brighter. I took the moment of her distraction to flip us over. She shrieked when I did so. I hovered over her body, careful not rest on her abdomen. My thumbs continued tracing her middle.

We just stared at each other, smiling. It wasn't a place to talk. Just soak in each other and the life we had. Never in my life had I imagined I would be married to a woman who loved the Uisce as much as I. Nor did I ever see myself with a child on the way or a stable all my own. So much had happened since I was nineteen.

"You're thinking too hard," Puck whispered. She leaned up to kiss me.

"It happens sometimes, Puck. There's a lot for me to think about." I looked down at her belly. Her eyes followed mine.

"It's kind of funny," she said, placing a hand on her stomach, "that our first baby would be due in November."

"Mmm," I confirmed. I inclined my head so it was level with her belly. Gingerly, I placed a kiss on the peak. Puck wrapped her arms around my neck and head and pulled my face down to her chest.

"I love you, Sean Kendrick."

"And I you, Puck." I rolled off of her, finding my place on the bed. She nudged into me and curled in around herself again. I enveloped her in my arms and we both found some sleep in this stormy night.

So I was thinking as I wrote that I could do a bunch of random One-Shots. I'll need some reviews though and suggestions would be welcome. I'll write what you all want me to. Thanks for reading!

-Missy (apollogirl7)