Title: "Sakura's Perfect Christmas"

Author: Trinity-chan

Pairing: Sakura Nishihori & Eiji Takaoka

Fandom: GouGou Sentai Boukenger

Theme: #22 "cradle"

Disclaimer: Boukenger and the Cinderella (The Disney Version) song "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes" don't belong to me. I'm just borrowing.

Summary: Sakura's perfect Christmas involves her daughter, her husband and a good dose of Christmas Spirit

Spoilers; No spoilers here unless you haven't read "Expecting Expectations"

The Takaoka home was decorated with Christmas lights and a big tree was sitting in a corner of the living room. Meanwhile, Sakura, now pregnant with her second child was baking Christmas cookies with her 4 year old, Kei.

"Mommy, did Uncle Satoru really meet Santa Claus when you were Boukenger?" Kei asked as she carefully cut out Christmas shapes in the dough with a cookie cutter.

"Well, yes, that's what he says. She called herself Eve." Sakura giggled at the memory. "Apparently Gaja took her Precious Golem and she enlisted Chiefu to get it back. We teased him about it endlessly for weeks. But for some reason, every Christmas after that, he's always gotten the best presents. Maybe it's Eve's way of thanking him."

"Do you think Santa will bring me good presents this year?" Kei asked. "I've been a good Precious hunter all year long. I did help you and Daddy recover the Head of Medusa."

Sakura gave her daughter a look as she put cookies in the oven. "Which I still say was a silly thing to do."

Kei giggled. "Yes, Mommy but I did help. You always said it's good to help."

Sakura sighed. For a four year old, Kei was incredibly smart. "That's true and you helping me and Daddy with Precious hunting is a big help….dangerous as all get out, but a help."

Kei giggled and carefully placed some more cookies on the second cookie sheet. She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Mommy?"

"What is it Kei?" Sakura asked as she took out a batch of freshly baked sugar cookies for cooling.

"When is Daddy coming home?" Kei sounded sad. "I thought he would be home for Christmas."

Sakura sighed and stole a glance at the picture of her, Eiji and Kei at Christmas with Masumi, Natsuki and their daughter Rin the previous year that hung over next to the kitchen door. Eiji was not with them at the moment. Apparently, there were still some Ashu active, but they weren't in Japan. They were in China and so, Eiji had taken it upon himself to go there and do what he was born to do.

He'd been gone for nearly two months, but he'd promised that he'd be home for Christmas.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I don't know when Daddy will be home. He did promise that he'd be home for Christmas and your father has never broken a promise to me." Sakura sounded less sad than she actually was.

"Oh." Kei replied. "Well, I hope Daddy will come back from China real soon so he can celebrate Christmas with us! I can't wait for him to see the pictures I made for the new baby!"

Sakura wiped her eyes, determined not to let her daughter see her cry. "I'm sure that Daddy will be home soon. So don't worry, okay, sweetie?"

Kei nodded. "Okay!"

The former BoukenPink smiled sadly at her daughter's hopefulness, absently rubbing her hand over the gentle swell of her stomach. You hear that, Eiji. She thought. Come home soon.

Two Days Later…Christmas Eve

Sakura was cradling her daughter as much as she could at the moment, reading to her "The Night Before Christmas".

"But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, 'Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.'" She finished, closing the book. "All right, now Kei. Time for bed. Remember, Eve is going to come tonight and she won't come if you're not sleeping."

"Will Eve bring Daddy?" Kei asked as she got into her bed.

"I hope so." Sakura murmured as she tucked her daughter into bed and kissed her good night. "Good night, sweetie."

"Good night, Mommy!" Kei as she fell asleep.

Sakura sighed and turned out the light, leaving the room, wandering down to the living room to put out the presents for Kei, softly singing to herself.

"A dream is a wish your heart makes…when you're fast asleep…in dreams you will loose your heartaches…whatever you wish for you keep…"

Surprisingly, when she got downstairs, Kei's gifts were already laid out and the cookies and milk were gone. "Eve showed up already?" she asked herself, rubbing her stomach.

Suddenly, a noise from the kitchen, caused Sakura to go into the nearby closet and pull out one of her machine guns. She cocked it and slowly went into the kitchen.

Much to her shock, Eve was there…with Eiji.

"Hello, Sakura!" Eve said, waving to Sakura. "I brought your Christmas present!"

Sakura's jaw dropped. "Eiji! You're back!"

Eiji chuckled. "I did promise."

Sakura dropped her gun and ran to embrace her husband. "Oh my gosh!"

"Oh, Sakura I missed you!" Eiji cried. "And I missed Kei."

She was ready to cry. "This is the best Christmas present ever…I have my daughter, our soon to be son and my husband….oops."

Eiji's eyes widened. "Our what?"

Sakura giggled. "I wanted to it to be your Christmas present but, yes…we're having a son."

Eiji hugged Sakura tightly to him, trying very hard not to sob.

Eve giggled. "I guess my work here is done." She said as she left out of sight. "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"