I hope this really makes sense; I've been working on it since Thursday. Expect humor and a lot of Sci-fi stuff/fluff. Enjoy and cya next week. FYI I've been thinking about doing a 'Day in the Life' style story where a one week post would be a day with Eragon and Saphira in the new world, since I can't find an ending and future plots keep popping up in my head. Let me know if you want it long…or ended sooner. I honestly don't want it to be like Angela's Gift, where the reviewers die out over time, you know?

Chapter 25: Making Changes

The sun continued to set as the two dragons flew once again over to Jacob's hospital. Sirens were still heard in the distance, but the smoke had cleared and the sounds of the helicopters' rotor blades vanished completely.

I hope he is alright, Saphira said mournfully to Eragon. He bobbed his head and dipped his wings slightly as they approached their stop. He stuck out his front legs and landed on them first to turn his landing into more of a run rather than a complete stop. Saphira touched down perfectly on her hind legs and stood still with her wings lifted up as Eragon turned to face her. Well that was a new trick.

I wanted to get down faster, Eragon told her. He looked around to notice that there was no cover for him to change. Sensing his thoughts, Saphira snickered and fanned her wings out.

I can solve that problem. Eragon watched while Saphira positioned herself in front of the hospital wall with just enough room for Eragon to fit behind her. Change into your original form and run behind me. You can untie the backpack and get changed that way.

What about you? She snickered and showed her teeth.

Always so considerate, she muttered jokingly. Eragon, don't worry about me. I can find somewhere else to change forms. Eragon sighed and padded in a tight circle, making sure no one was around before he changed. In seconds, Eragon shifted to his true form and dashed behind Saphira's mighty wings, covering him completely from sight.

"Thank you," he told her out loud. She let out a soft hum and sunk to her paws so she could cover him more completely. She felt him crawl up her spine to get the knapsack; his flesh rubbed up against her scales and caused her to shutter briefly in sexual tension. She could have sworn that she felt his sacred part brush against her haunch, but she thought against it by replacing her lust for mating with Jacob's pain. Eragon opened the backpack and quickly tossed on his boxer shorts and pair of jeans, along with a pair of socks and his new Vans shoes. "It's safe to drop your wings now." Saphira placed them to her sides and turned to see Eragon dressed from the waist down, leaving his muscular chest exposed completely to her wide sapphire eyes. She took one step forward with her right fore leg and crouched slightly, as if offering herself up to him. "What are you doing?" She brought her foot back, clicking her claws loudly on the concrete sidewalk.

Sorry.

"No," he said with a chuckle. "You can't get out of it that easily. What did you do?"

I…um…err, she stammered nervously and took a large step back as Eragon moved forward, forcing every muscle on his chest and arms to ripple enticingly towards her. She was mesmerized, completely lost in her spouse's strength. Don't come closer, Eragon! He stopped.

"Why?" She turned away and lifted her tail up so Eragon could make the astonishing discovery that she was completely ready to be mated.

You're features forced this upon me, she muttered, trembling as Eragon stepped back. If you come any closer, I do not know what I'd do.

"What if I put on the sweatshirt then?"

It may help some, she murmured, bringing her neck around to look at him innocently. I am sorry…? He hearty chuckle silenced her.

"No," he said again. "What did we talk about awhile back?"

I don't recall.

"We are mates now, right?"

Uh huh.

"Well, what do mates do?" She lowered her head to suppress a snicker.

Mate, she replied.

"Exactly. To mate, both must be ready, yes?" She turned to face him and wrapped her tail around her hindquarters to cover her exposed dragonhood. "Saphira?"

Hmm?

"You must not hide things from me. If you are…um…excited over my actions, you must tell me."

Very well. She lowered her head. The action with my fore leg must be explained, huh? Eragon nodded. Well, in short, I bowed submission to you, which gives you the full right to overtake me at your wishes. Eragon snickered and moved closer, placing both of his hands on her scaled neck.

"Too bad you didn't do it at the hotel room," he chuckled, sending a shiver down Saphira's spine. "I would have pounced on you in a moment's notice." Her eyes widened as Eragon bobbed his head. "After all, I do still have a promise that I intend to keep." Saphira's tail unraveled from her hind legs and swished lustfully from side-to-side. He grinned evilly and walked back, purposefully flexing his biceps as he moved. Saphira's eyes were fixated while her mind chose to wonder effortlessly around her sensual desires.

"Well, my love," Eragon said in a joyful tone as he tossed his sweatshirt over his head. "What exactly do you have in mind to change?" She fought hard to turn her eyes away from him, but managed to succeed after several tries. A Shell Gas Station was right across the street…and it was unoccupied.

Perfect, she purred through her throat in her usual raspy hum. Eragon fluffed up the back of his hood and placed his hands inside of the large pocket in the front. His Elvin features still shown. As a matter of fact, the clothing he wore made them stand out even more.

You do look ravishing, Eragon, Saphira complimenting. Hmm, my mate is an elf.

"Half-Elf, Saphira," he corrected her with a smile. "Your ears are kind of pointy in human form, too, you know?"

Really? She lifted her eyes in thought. It makes sense, though, considering the fact that we are technically immortal. They both chuckled as they walked towards the building, looking both ways before crossing the street, even though they were very sure that cars would stop quickly upon seeing a man and dragon in front of them.

"Now what?" Eragon asked. Saphira snorted and looked at a door that had a blue triangle posted on there with a silhouette of a female human on it.

I've learned that this signal means that this is the place for females to relieve themselves. She cocked her head towards the direction of another door with a male silhouette on it. That one is for you.

"How'd you learn that?" Saphira growled pleasingly and showed her teeth.

It didn't take long for me to figure it out. Eragon shook his head and watched as Saphira stepped closer to the female's restroom. Can you knock for me?

"What?"

Well, I must make sure no one is in here. He sighed and rapped his knuckles against the door. No answer. Must be unoccupied then.

"I wish we would have found this earlier," Eragon muttered. "We could have both changed…?"

Together, she finished lustfully, in the same room. She showed her teeth again. Care to join me inside? Before he had the chance to answer, Saphira shifted into her human form and placed her right hand on the doorknob. To her surprise, it was locked. She gasped and tried to turn it again, but it was no use. "Oh no." To add to the embarrassment, a police car had pulled up to the pump to fill up its tank. Instinct took over as Eragon stepped in front of her to cover her up from view while she continued to pull at the lock. "Eragon," she whispered. "Do something!" He looked at the door while keeping his body straight to block the officer's view. From there, he chanted a word that was barely understandable. To Saphira's relief, the doorknob clicked and opened for her.

"Get in." Eragon stood still as Saphira entered the facility. It was messy inside and smelled worse than rotted meat, but she shrugged it off and reached inside the backpack to retrieve her clothing. After several minutes, Saphira was fully clothed and ready to come out. She reached for the door and pushed it open, slamming the knob against Eragon's back as it flung out. He sprawled forward and tripped off of the red curb in front of him only to land stomach first on the concrete.

"Oh," Saphira gasped apologetically. "I'm sorry, my dear!" She rushed over to him and picked him up to his feet. To their inconvenience, the police officer that stopped at the gas station was standing right in front of them.

"You okay?" the officer asked. Eragon rubbed his back and winced as his fingers brushed across the nasty bruise Saphira left him.

"Yes," he replied calmly as Saphira hoisted up the back of his sweatshirt to inspect the damage she had created on him. She left a large black and blue welt right on the center of his spine.

"You shouldn't have been so close to the door," she scorned. "Now look at you!" Eragon chuckled and placed his hand on the wound.

"Waise Heill!" His marked palm began to glow as the bruise's color subsided; the officer took a startled step back.

"Who the Hell are you?" he asked, placing his hand on his sidearm.

"I'm Eragon." He removed his hand from the wound and outstretched it for the man to shake it. "Nice to meet you…?"

"That's not normal!" The officer shouted. "You just…healed yourself."

"Yes," he replied. "I've been doing it since I became her rider." Eragon pointed at Saphira, who nodded her head.

"Look, if you two are just screwing each other, I doubt you got those powers that way!"

He doesn't understand, thought Saphira. And what does he mean about screwing? Are we going to be put to work?

Put it together, Saphira, Eragon thought back. What do you put the screw into before you turn it in?

A…oh. He chuckled and shook his head.

"What are you?" the officer asked again.

"Well, we are dragons." The officer's face paled as he began to shake.

"The same ones that saved the president?"

"None other," Saphira replied smugly. "Why?"

"Well, you look nothing like them." He fell back and placed a hand on his brow. "I need to go on leave after this."

"I'm sorry?" Eragon asked. The officer looked up at them and took his hand off.

"You two are dragons…but you two are also…humans…that can…ouch." He rubbed his temples with both of his hands. "This is confusing."

"Can this wait for a later time?" Saphira asked as politely as she could to the officer. "We have a youngling that we need to visit." The officer peeped his head up and his look of confusion vanished.

"Was it the kid who was with Valdez?"

"Yes," Eragon replied. "We took him here and then left to get some clothes." The officer shook his head once more and stood to his feet.

"What a weird day," he muttered as he turned to walk back to his squad car. "Just…just go." Eragon and Saphira both shrugged and went their own way as well.

"Will people always treat us differently?" Saphira asked Eragon. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.

"Possibly," he replied. "We are different, Saphira. Not everyone can change between human and dragon form, you know?" She placed her hand across his back and stuffed her other hand inside her pant pocket.

"I hope Jacob is doing well," she said worriedly to him. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, sending a slight shiver down her backside.

"He seems like a strong guy," Eragon comforted. "I'm sure he'll pull through."

"God, I hope so." Eragon looked at her and blinked. "What?"

"God?" he asked. "That is new."

"Jackie's little speech when we first met seemed to impact me a little, I suppose. Besides, it does make more sense to worship one God rather than hundreds of them, don't you think?"

"Well, yeah." Saphira faced him and smiled.

"If you ask me, I think that you're starting to grow accustomed to this environment, too."

"What do you mean?" They approached the main doors of the hospital and watched as the automatic doors flung open to receive them.

"Listen to yourself," she advised cunningly. "You've…well…changed you speaking habits." She smiled again and took her hand away from his body to grab Eragon's arm that was entwined around her waist, pulling it aside and linking his fingers with her own. "I like it, though."

"Thanks." As they stepped in, the receptionist at the front desk greeted them. She was a young skinny brunette of average height, but her eyes were the brightest green color that anyone in Alageasia had ever seen before in their entire lives.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely. Eragon gently tightened his grip on Saphira's hand as they approached the lady.

"Yes," he replied. "The President delivered a child here a few hours ago. Is he well?"

"Do you know the name of the child?" she asked. Eragon looked over to Saphira, who had her eyes downcast from the receptionist.

Her eyes, Saphira thought to Eragon. I can't compete with those.

Yes you can, Eragon shot back. I am still taking you home, Saphira, not some random woman that I come across. Stop worrying about everything and trust me.

Very well. Eragon gave a sigh of relief as Saphira lifted her head up.

"I need a name, please?"

"He was shot," Saphira explained proudly as she stared directly into the girl's green eyes. "He told us that his name was Dominic, but he preferred to be called Jacob after we learned more about him."

"Well, I do know what child you are talking about," the receptionist said kindly. "Poor boy. We checked his medical records to see that his name was Dominic Joshua Richardson."

"Was?" Eragon and Saphira both asked.

"Oops," she muttered. "Look, Dominic is still in surgery right now, but he'll be moved to room 105 on the seventh floor." Suddenly, a smile crept across her face. "You're the dragons, huh?" Eragon looked at Saphira in confusion.

"Yes," he replied. "How did you know?"

"Not everyone looks like you do," she said shyly, causing Saphira's blood to boil. "I mean you are no ordinary person, with those pointed ears and stuff."

"Well," Eragon said, occasionally glancing over at Saphira to make sure she was controlling herself. "We weren't able to come in when the child was dropped off; we were too large in dragon form."

"Well, I think it's pretty cute."

Cute? Saphira growled in Eragon's mind. I have half a mind to roast her right here…right now. Eragon silenced her by giving her a soft slap across her buttocks. It wasn't hard or painful, but the squeeze he gave her at the end let her know right there that she was his only prized possession.

"Are we able to visit?" Eragon asked.

"Usually visiting hours are closed until the patient wakes up, but, after hearing what the president said about you, I think you can be trusted." She reached under the cabinet and pulled out two badges that said VISITORS on them. From there she wrote "105" on them and slid the first badge over to Saphira. To her surprise, the woman actually leaned over her desk to pin the other badge on Eragon's right side of his chest.

"Excuse me," Saphira told her through gritted teeth. "I can do that for him."

"Oh," she said, blushing slightly. She sunk back into her chair and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. Saphira watched as she wrote an odd sequence of numbers on the paper before sliding it over to Eragon. "If things don't work out…?" He looked at it, realizing that it was a phone number.

"I am happily mated, friend," he replied instantly, causing the lady to cock her head at his choice of words. Saphira lit up like a Christmas tree at his instant remark. "I truly doubt that this relationship will fall through." She took Saphira's hand and lifted it up to place it on the desk. "This is my mate, Saphira and we have been together for almost two years now." The receptionist's blush intensified.

"I am so sorry." She muttered a swear. "Two years? Why haven't you gotten married yet?" Saphira growled through her grit teeth.

Now can I roast her?

Saphira!

Please? He looked at her and shook his head.

Give her a piece of your mind, if you wish, but too many have been wounded today anyways. She sighed and bobbed her head.

"You are forgiven," she suddenly spoke to the lady. "Thankfully, my mate is more dedicated to his spouse than you would be." Ouch. She reached over and took the number, crumpling it between the fingers of her free hand before tossing it back on the desk. "If I catch you trying that trick again on my mate, you will have a stick through you so I can cook you evenly over my flame."

"Saphira," Eragon muttered, playing along with her. "You know we don't eat humans."

"I can always make an exception." The girl's face paled even more as Eragon took Saphira by her hand to lead her away. As they walked, Eragon turned back to face the lady at the desk.

"Room 105?" he asked.

"Y..ye…yes," she replied nervously. "Seventh floor." Eragon walked to the elevator and pressed the button for it to meet him and Saphira.

"I knew that slattern was going to try something," Saphira muttered. "If I were a dragon, my claws would be stained right now."

"Didn't I just prove something to you?" Eragon asked with a chuckle. "You said she was too much to compete with, right?"

"Yes…?"

"What did I do the instant she tried something?" Saphira lowered her head.

"Barely even that," she responded. "You turned her down on the dot, nonetheless."

"You are my mate, Saphira, and if you wish to take ownership in me, then do so. I do not care if you call me yours completely, but you must have faith in me."

"Eragon, I can't help it."

"Why?"

"It is another part of us female dragons." The elevator door opened and people filed out of it. Eragon grabbed Saphira's hand and fought through the small crowd to enter it. "You see, females get possessive of their mates, fearing that they could fall in love with someone else instead of staying with them. Glaedr told me this on my first lesson and said that it is instinctual and cannot be fought against. We may be a mated couple for a century, but every time when I see you with another female, my temper may flare up."

"I suppose that I must do even more to gain your trust around females, huh?"

"The best way to do that is to avoid them altogether." Eragon chuckled and wrapped his arm around hers once more.

"Saphira?"

"Hmm?"

"I will never EVER do that to you." She placed her head against his shoulder and let Eragon stroke her blonde locks with his marked hand. "I made the promise that we will start a family of our own and live our lives together with nothing but love and lust to guide us."

"How sweet," she cooed. Eragon continued as he pressed the button to the seventh floor.
"That girl was right."

"What?"

"We have been together for over two years." She smiled and shoved her hand into his back pocket as they waited for the elevator to stop.

"What's your point, love?"

"Maybe we should think about marriage." Saphira looked at him with her usually wide sapphire eyes.

"Really?" she asked. "I thought the courting dive was enough."

"Well, if we were only dragons, Saphira." She sighed and took her head off of his shoulder. "If we are human, commitment is proven by marriage…and I would like to marry you."

"When?" Eragon lifted his head in thought.

"When I find out, I'll properly ask you."

"Properly?"

"You'll see." The door swung open and they stepped out into the hospital room area. The rooms extended as far from the east as they did to the west, and the first room that they faced was room number 1.

"105," Saphira murmured in thought. "We have a long way to go." They walked for ten minutes, scanning the doors until they reached triple digit numbers.

"Excuse me," someone said behind them. "I'm sorry, but there are no visitors allowed at this time." They turned around to see a male nurse clad in green scrubs standing behind them with his arms crossed. "You must leave."

"We are here for Jacob," Saphira said. "We were allowed to come here by the woman down in the main floor." The nurse examined Eragon and gulped at his facial features.

"Well you have to come back later," he managed to say, still trying to sound intimidating. "We are expecting a patient here any moment from surgery."

"Would that patient be a child?" Eragon asked. The nurse nodded.

"Yeah," he replied. "Poor kid took one in the lung after that attack on the president. You won't believe this, but two dragons also stepped inside when he was dropped off. Dragons!"

"Trust me, dude," Eragon said, nervously rubbing Saphira's waist as he attempted the new lingo. "We were…um…them." Curiosity hit the nurse's face like a brick to a glass vase.

"What?"

"We are those dragons," Saphira explained. "Jacob is a child that was under our care."

"You mean Dominic?"

"He prefers Jacob," Eragon pointed out. "His mother was killed in that attack and we will be his new parents."

"Uh, it doesn't really work that way." The nurse shook his head and uncrossed his arms. "How do you know she was killed?"

"We found her body, sir."

"Does the boy have a father, or any other relatives?"

"None at all," Saphira lied. She remembered the story about Jacob's uncle and the multiple boyfriends his mom had brought home. "We are all he has."

"How long have you known him?"

"Um…a few hours." Suddenly, a set of double doors swung open with four other people in green scrubs pushing a gurney with Jacob unconscious on it.

"Get them out of here!" one of the nurses ordered.

"I think they won't leave," the male nurse called back. "These claim to be the dragons that were here earlier." The other nurses held their mouths agape as they struggled to comprehend the other employee's words.

"The same ones that came with the president?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "Them." They all looked at each other and then pointed at the couple before them.

"Follow us, I guess." Jacob was in bad shape with tubes sticking out from every area of his body. Saphira couldn't understand what she was seeing; Jacob looked more like a monster than a child. Machines buzzed beside him and needles stuck deep into his veins. It was a long walk to the room as they had to watch Jacob's short breaths from behind the other nurses.

Can you heal him now? She asked him mentally, holding tightly to his arm as they walked. He nodded.

I'll tell them first. They stepped inside and watched as more machines were brought out and plugged in beside Jacob. "Wait." The nurses stopped. "I can heal him with the bullet out. Take this stuff away…?"

"What?"

"Trust my mate," Saphira said confidently. "I've seen him heal those at Death's door."

"We can't…?"

"We are all that he has now," Eragon said sternly. "I will not let him be consumed by this stuff if I can take it away with one…well two words." Saphira stifled a snicker.

"We leave the stuff in," the head nurse argued. "If…and I mean IF you pull this off, we will unplug everything and he can go home, but we have to see this." Saphira nudged Eragon towards Jacob as the nurses stepped back. He placed his left hand on the child's brow and gently stroked his head.

"Don't worry son," Eragon whispered. "Dad will take care of you." Saphira couldn't help but smile at his love for a child that was not his, thinking how loyal he would be to one of his own…if not more. Eragon moved his marked palm over Jacob's body and closed his eyes, digging deep for the magic within him. "There are things inside of him. If I heal him, they'll be stuck inside." The nurses gasped in shock at the fact that a dragon knew of the stitches inside of the boy. "I can unravel them, but it will take a lot more energy."

"I'm with you," Saphira replied, taking to her knees and placing her hand on his shoulder. "Just like old times?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He concentrated on the multiple wounds inside of Jacob and began drawing energy from him and Saphira. He whispered the spells and connected his palm with the boy's skin. Blue light began to glow from his hand and dissipated into the boy's flesh, diving deep into his body in search of the wound within. Eragon's strength was draining, but he quickly took another large dose from his true dragon to keep going. The stitches began to come undone as the wound began healing on its own. The nurses watched as the numerous amounts of stitches began to push out from the incision that was cut by the doctor, plopping helplessly on the hospital bed that Jacob lay on. Two fainted when the incision sealed up, without one single scar left behind.

"Impossible!" the remaining nurses shouted. Eragon's eyes narrowed, his vision completely gone. In moments, the rider was passed out on the floor with the other nurses.

"He'll be fine," Saphira told them. "It's just been awhile since he's used that much energy."

"Well, what about the kid?"

"He'll wake up in the morning. If you could, would you be kind enough to get us a few pillows and a blanket? We will sleep here."

"There is a cot beside you." The male nurse pointed to a foldout mattress that was beside the hospital bed.

"No thanks," Saphira replied in kind. "I always sleep with my rider, no matter where it is." They shook their heads and turned off the equipment before they left the room while Saphira yawned and stretched out beside Eragon. He shot his eyes open after she touched his waist.

"What happened?"

"Shh," she cooed. "You were great, Eragon. Just rest…?"

"How is he?" Saphira looked up from the floor and smiled.

"They turned off those odd gadgets," she explained. "I suppose you did it." He sat up and groaned at the numbness in his body.

"It's been too long," he muttered, placing his arm around her shoulders. "Thanks for being there with me."

"I may be your mate, but I'm your dragon too."

"I know." He stood to his feet and walked over to Jacob; he was snoring and breathing gently instead of the labored breaths he was forced to take earlier. "How are we going to raise him?"

"What do you mean?"

"We can't live in one room the rest of our lives, Saphira. We need somewhere to reside comfortably, especially if you have plans of raising dragonets."

"True," Saphira replied, standing up beside him. "There is a 'cot' over there. We can fold that out somehow and sleep there for the night."

"Sounds great." He walked over to the cot and looked at it, inspecting every inch of the thing before pulling a lever to fold it into a bed. "I failed on my promise."
"No," she said slyly. "There is still tonight." Eragon sighed and motioned for her to lie down on the cot with him.

"Afraid not," he muttered. "Jacob could wake up any minute, and I am sure that these strange people will be stepping in to check on him during the night as well." She whimpered, but Eragon brought it into a moan of pleasure after pressing his lips against hers. "I do love you, Saphira."

"I love you too," she replied. "I just hate having to wait so long." Eragon smirked.

"You know, I can probably ask if they could keep Jacob for a few extra hours tomorrow to give us a little privacy." She snuggled against him and lowered her left hand to rest it on his thigh.

"I'd like that." With that said, they fell asleep.

PEACE!