Abby being too young to really enjoy the holidays did not stop me from making a big deal about it being her first one. I made it a point to decorate the manor as well as our house. Achilles didn't see why he needed a tree up since it was just him, but after seeing the way Abby stared at the brightly colored bows hanging everywhere, he ceased his grumbling. It was a task to keep her away from the presents before it was time to open them. Her ability to crawl gave her the desire to explore everything. And she was never still. Trying to keep up with her was exhausting for me and her father both.

"Connor!" I yelled from the kitchen. "Will you please come and get Abby before she turns the water pale over on herself again."

I heard Connor come into the room. He moved our little girl away from the bucket and picked it up. "Then maybe you should not leave it sitting on the floor," he said as he put it on the table.

"I need that space," I told him, motioning for him to move the bucket somewhere else.

I was in the middle of my preparations for Christmas dinner. I had recipes and ingredients scattered on every surface. I hoped if I get some of it done today, I would have more time to enjoy the festivities tomorrow. I had invited Myriam, Norris and Lance to eat. They were the only ones who didn't have families of there own. I thought it would be a nice gesture. Achilles said it would be fine to hold the meal at the main house since ours was too small to entertain many guests. I think he just didn't want to be alone.

Connor sighed and lifted the pale off the table so that I could put a bowl of potatoes there.

"I will take it to the dinning room," he said.

"No. I need it in here."

Connor stopped midstep and made an irritated noise. He turned to me and held up the bucket. "What do you suggest I do with it, then?"

I shrugged, glancing around and seeing no good place to put it where it wouldn't be in my way or within reach of the child who liked splashing water everywhere. "Just stand there and hold it," I told him.

Connor narrowed his eyes at me. He was on the verge of becoming really agitated, but he still maintained enough humor to make the expression look false. "I do have other things to do, Faith."

"Oh, really?" I coaxed. "Like what?"

Connor looked away. "Like wrapping your Christmas present," he murmured.

I frowned at him. We had agreed not to get anything for each other this year. Or I thought we had. Since we had Abby, I felt it would be best if all the attention was placed on her. The only other person I had shopped for was Achilles, and that was from all of us.

Connor noticed my look. "It is not much," he said. "Only something I thought you might like."

That made me feel horrible for not getting him something in return. I stopped peeling the potatoes and looked at him. "You mean like the bow you gave me last year that I still haven't gotten to use?"

His brow wrinkled. I knew I had hurt his feelings. I hadn't meant to, but I was still sore about the bow. Connor had made it for me himself, designing it to look like a smaller version of the one he used. But, when he had given it to me, I had been too far along in my pregnancy to use it. He was afraid it would be to strenuous for me and made me promise to wait until after the baby was born. After I had Abby, I stayed too busy to practice my archery. So the lovely gift sat in the corner of my bedroom, untouched and neglected.

"Nevermind," he said.

Connor put the bucket back on the floor and picked up Abby. He started to leave the room.

"Connor," I called. He paused and looked at me. "I didn't get you anything."

He shrugged. "You have given me enough, Faith."

I grinned at him as he came over and kissed me on the cheek. Abby babbled happily from his hip and pointed to the food sitting everywhere. Connor gave her a slice of raw potato and she chewed on it with her few teeth.

"She's gonna get choked on that," I said.

Connor shook his head. "No, she will not. That is how I cut my teeth when I was little."

I smiled at the thought. "I bet you were an adorable baby."

Connor grinned. "Not nearly as adorable as Awe:ri is."

I looked at our daughter and had to agree. She was beautiful. I know every mother thinks their baby is the prettiest, but I knew mine was. Her skin tone, hair and features were perfectly matched. She favored her father so much it was difficult to pinpoint any of my features on her. I knew she had my nose and the way her hair curled was reminiscent of what mine had done at her age. Other than that, she looked just like Connor. She had his eyes, his mouth, his complexion, his face shape.

I looked at my husband as he held our little girl.

"I think I'm pregnant," I blurted out.

Connor looked at me, his face an indiscernible mask of emotion. He glanced at the little girl in his arms and back at me. I wasn't sure how he was going to respond to the possibility of a second child. It certainly hadn't been planned. I don't think either of us expected another baby so soon. But we hadn't done anything to prevent conception. This was just a consequence of our actions. One we should have known was inevitable given how close we had been since our reconciliation.

After a long time of silence, Connor nodded at me. "Okay."

That simple, single word was enough to shock me. "You're not upset?" I asked.

Connor shook his head. "I always wanted a large family. I only thought it would happen at a later time. But fate has decided otherwise. I will be content with that."

I watched him. We had never talked about what we wanted in life. It was just one of the few discussions we hadn't considered having. I was glad he was happy, but I didn't really share in his opinion of wanting a large family. I had never wanted kids at all. I loved my daughter more than anything, but I was in no hurry to have another baby.

I nodded, deciding that we should take more preventative measures in the future.

Abby mumbled something that only she could understand and held the potato out to her father. He shook his head at her.

"Yah."

The little girl shook her head in return and repeated the Mohawk word that her father had said.

"Great," I muttered. "Now she can say no in two languages."

Abby looked at me. "No," she repeated, shaking her head.

I tried not to smile at how plainly she had spoken. That she didn't really understand what she was saying yet made it sort of cute.

"You little munchkin," I cooed

Connor made a face at my nickname for our daughter. "Please do not call her that," he said. "It sounds like a foreign insult."

I grinned at him. "Would you rather me call her ieksa:'a?" I teased.

Connor smiled at me. "Finish your cooking, aonha. I will keep Awe:ri out of your way."

He kissed my cheek and left the room, speaking to Abby in Kanien'keha and making her laugh.