Silent night

Drake didn't have a whole lot of secrets that he kept from his wife, or any of his other friends and associates, but it would be a cold day in hell before he would ever let Kole, or anyone else in existence know that he actually enjoyed decorating for Christmas. He did have an image to maintain after all. He finished wrapping the rope of lights around the railings that surrounded their treehouse before plugging them in. The rainbow colored lights that had been stapled, and wrapped around their entire house lit up the night, giving their home a festive glow that could be seen easily through the treetops. He stepped back admiring his work, unaware of the small smile on his face. Quickly coming to his senses he shook it away, and glancing around to make sure no one saw that, before heading back inside.

So this is what "normal" is.

He sauntered the wooden hallways until he came to the doorway that led into the large living room where his wife was sitting in front of the lit fireplace length wise on a couch, but hadn't entered. He lingered in the doorway, once again unaware of the smile on his face, and just watched and listened. The reason he hung back however was because he could hear her humming, or at least what sort of sounded like humming. It was a series of soft grunting, coughing and other odd noises that were rhythmic and gentle, just odd. He stepped up to the fireplace seeing that his wife was stroking her large belly while continuing the grunting noises, that he could tell now was singing.

A lullaby.

She opened her tired eyes a crack, "Did you finish with the decorations?"

He laughed. "Don't worry I finished. I'm just glad I'm finally done." She raised a bemused brow, not really believing his annoyance, but shrugged it off finding his tough guy routine adorable. "What were you singing there? It sounded like Gnark was singing?"

She giggled, "Good it was the song he used to sing to me."

He took a seat on the other side of the couch and pulled her feet onto her lap and began to rub them. "Gnark used to sing to you? Why?"

Her smile faded somewhat, but never once did she stop rubbing her belly, keeping the little inhabitant inside warm. "I would have nightmares."

His rubbing slowed, "I'm sorry."

"I would wake up panting, and terrified and he would just . . hold me, rock me, and sing to me. It was the only time someone ever sang to me at night." Drake suddenly felt a swell of pity for Kole. He knew she didn't have the greatest home life, but he thought she at lest had a decent relationship with her mother. Looks like he was wrong. "What about you? Did anyone ever sing to you?"

He shook his head. "Not intentionally, but the dragons that lived in the mountains used to sing to their young that would echo throughout the castle. And every night it would lull me to sleep. Nowadays it's weird when it's quiet." They were silent a moment, Kole letting out a few groans of pleasure as he rubbed her swollen and aching feet. "This may be kinda hard to believe, but this time of year has a special place in my heart." Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and her head jerked up in his direction, "Yes, Yes, I said it. I'm actually sentimental about something."

She laughed, "Well it's a Christmas miracle. May I ask why you enjoy this time so much? And why you like decorating?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but her smug grin told him he was caught and wasn't getting away from it. He rolled his eyes before scooting closer to her so that they were laying beside each other. He began to rub her belly, allowing the warmth of his powers to envelop their child who began to kick and fidget, but it was a happy kicking. "Where I was from, there was this sort of unwritten truce between humans, demons, monsters, etc., and it was around this time where I didn't have to worry about fighting, killing, or being killed, or whatever, and instead just had time with my family and friends."

Kole looked him over curiously. "Is that why you locked your phone away? So no one can call you?"

"And by 'no one' you mean Landon, or Constantine who somehow got my number? Yes. So they won't call me."

"John Constantine? Why has he been calling you?"

He shrugged. "I think he wants me to join the JLD or something."

Her eyes lit up. "Oh my goodness you should do it!"

He chuckled, "Wow you seem excited?"

"Well you said your not a fan of the Justice League, but you like John right?"

He shrugged, "He's fine I guess. I dunno I'll think about it, but like I said, I'm on vacation."

She shrugged and snuggled closer to him. They sat in silence, listening the to the crackling of the fire. A few times Kole would "eep" with delight and slight discomfort whenever their baby girl would kick her ribs, but every time she did, the gravity of the situation would begin to weigh on her.

"Drake." She whispered quietly. He "hmm'd" But Kole didn't respond at first. "If . . . anything happens-"

"Don't." He stated firmly. "Don't think like that."

She moved her head so that she was looking him in the eye, "You yourself said it's difficult for a human to have a dragon child and I just-"

"Don't." He said again. "I won't let anything happen to you, or to our daughter."

She sighed, thankful for his resolve, but still they had to face facts. "Drake you can't promise something like that."

He moved himself so that his nose was touching hers. "I just did. And I don't care what it takes, nothing, NOTHING, will happen to either of you. I won't let it."

She sighed again, her mouth moving to speak, but slowly, let her mouth shut, and placed her face into his chest. He held her close, running his fingers through her silken pink hair, but no matter what he forced himself to say, he had to face the facts. Dragon Knight children are rarely born to human mothers without killing the mother or the child or both because humans just can't handle the child. But he had to force himself to not think about it. At this moment in time he was married, a wonderful woman in his arms, and a baby on the way. Right now, he was happy. Right now, he was whole.

He began to rub her back and cleared his throat, about to do something else he never wanted anyone to know about.

"Silent night . . . Holy night . . . All is calm . . . All is bright," he snickered at this next part, "ROUND yon virgin, mother and child . . . Holy infant so tender and mild . . Sleep in heavenly peace . . . . Sleep in heavenly peace."

She may have been scared about the future, but she couldn't stop the smile as he sang to her. Now she was at peace.