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Love and Connico!

Nico didn't think he could get happier. He and Connor had been dating for a few month now, they'd even had a fantastic pre-Christmas Christmas party with their friends from Camp. Now he just had to get through his work Christmas party and rush home to see if Connor was back from the family emergency that had taken him away.

"Nico! I'm so glad you made it!" Abby grinned at him. "Christmas is the best time of year, isn't it?"

Nico grinned back. "Yeah, it's the best."

"How was your trip to New York?" She led him into the party.

"Really good. Connor and I…" Nico glanced at Abby, then stopped her. "Connor and I are planning getting married. We want to adopt kids and it's easiest if we're together."

Her face lit up like the Christmas tree. "Are you serious? That's amazing! When did this happen?"

"Just before we left for New York." Nico felt himself grinning. "It wasn't super romantic or anything, it was just us realizing that we were better together and we could build a great life together."

"Why isn't he here?" She asked.

"A really old friend of his got into some sort of trouble. Him and Travis went to check on her. She died. They stayed for the funeral. I guess they were really close with her a long time ago. Family. They call her family. He's supposed to be back tonight and we're going to celebrate." He rubbed his neck a little, smiling. "I'm really happy Abby. I'm gonna miss working with you."

"No you're not." Abby grinned a little more. "Director Vance approved the documentation for you to continue on here as my assistant."

Nico grinned. "Really?"

She nodded. "Come on, everyone is in here." She pulled him into the crowd.

After a while of socializing he found himself listening to Ducky tell stories about previous Christmases and how normally they're working a case on Christmas.

Nico just smiled and took in his surroundings. He knew he was lucky to have something like this. "I hope someday I have some stories as amazing as yours, Dr. Mallard."

"Something tells me you have your own amazing stories, ones with large Greek influence." Ducky gave him a knowing look.

Nico regarded ducky for a second, then started laughing. "Legacy of Apollo, aren't you?"

Ducky tapped his nose, then was pulled away by Abby to get his picture taken with her.

Nico smiled, then wished the agents a merry Christmas, and having spent a respectable amount of time at the party, he made his way back out of the building and home. He drove home and turned on the Christmas tree, just admiring it while he sipped some hot chocolate.

Eventually he made his way to bed. He expected to have good dreams. A good day, a good life…he thought that would lead to good dreams. They weren't terrible, more bittersweet.

Dreams of Will. Some of the good times they had.

Nico jerked awake, then hugged the pillow beside him. What had woken him?

He heard someone moving out in the living room and he jerked to his feet. "Will?" He didn't know why he said that name. It had to be because of his dreams. He just hoped Connor thought he said 'Hello?' instead.

Connor poked his head in, not appearing to have heard exactly what was said, just that someone said something. "Did I wake you?"

Nico felt a wave of relief, and was surprised at how happy he was that it was Connor. "No…no…how was the funeral?"

"Exhausting. I do need to talk to you about something, though."

Nico wrapped his arms around his fiance, glad again that Connor was still there for him. Had been the one to help him get over Will's death. "What's up?"

"You know how close my brother and I were with Allison."

"Despite the fact that I never met her…yes. You call her family. You're very particular about that word."

He nodded. "Well…she didn't have any family of her own. Her boyfriend walked out on her about a year ago."

Nico looked up at Connor. "Okay?"

"So…she specified that her daughter go into the custody of one of us."

Daughter? Nico pulled away slightly. "Are you serious?"

Connor looked at the ground. "I know I should have talked to you about it. But…Travis knows how much I want…and I couldn't…"

"Where is she?" Nico asked, feeling a little nervous.

Connor led the way out to the living room.

The girl wasn't even a year old. Maybe five months. Golden hair, fair skinned, and fast asleep in the car-seat.

She was beautiful.

"What's her name?" Nico asked, sitting on the couch as he looked at her.

"Echo Lark Eastburn." Connor sat down beside him.

"And she's ours? Legally?"

"Mine…but she can be ours if you really want."

Nico smiled. "She looks a little like Will."

"Her mom was a daughter of Apollo."

Nico looked at Connor. "Think I could hold her without waking her up?"

Connor nodded. "All you have to do is hum while you move her. Sing if she wakes. Very musical baby. You want me to get her out of her carseat?"

Nico nodded.

Connor pulled her out, humming softly as he transferred her to Nico's arms.

Nico smiled down at her. "It's weird, but it's like deja vu. I feel like I've held her before. Seen her before."

Connor shrugged, resting his chin on Nico's shoulder. "Well, she's going to have a bright future. I just know it."

Nico kissed the baby's forehead. "I don't think we even know the half of it."

Connor kissed Nico's lips, then smiled softly. "We are half of it."