I considered calling first, then decided not to. I really had no idea how to break the news. But maybe I should…
I debated whether or not to call all the way down to my sporty little red car. Gramps' shop is only about five minutes away if I hit all greens, but is this really the sort of news I should just show up on their doorstep with? On the other hand, isn't this too serious a matter to introduce over the phone?
I finished nestling the egg into the large, steady box, stuffed with towels, that I'd prepared earlier. I slipped into the driver's seat, buckled the seatbelt, turned the key, and set my hand on the gear shift before making my decision.
I took a deep breath, slipped my new phone from my pocket, and clicked "Mom & Dad" from the contacts list.
The phone didn't even get a chance to ring a second time when I heard my sister's still excitable voice pipe up over the line.
"Jake!" she shouted into the phone.
"Agh! Volume, Haley!"
"You deserve it! Do you know how worried Mom and Dad have been since your last call?! Then everyone's telling me you did it, the Dark Dragon's gone forever, but I can't find you anywhere and Grampa's upset and the Council's holding emergency sessions – ! What did you do? How badly were you hurt?"
"Haley, I'm fine. Calm down. The field medics cleaned me up, good as new, so don't worry about whatever rumors you heard. I just talked to Gramps and now I'm coming over to explain things to Mom and Dad and you."
"What did you do?!" she repeated, sounding parts angry, scared, and exasperated.
"I'll explain when I get there, Haley. Mom and Dad both home?"
"Jake, seriously. Are you okay? And yeah, they're here…"
The exasperation was yielding to the fear.
Gah, great start to being a dad. Terrifying my baby sister. I couldn't just leave her with that. From the sounds of it, she thought I was crippled or cursed or something.
I couldn't help but give a sort of half-laugh, half-sigh.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll spoil him rotten," I chuckled, picturing the bewildered look on her face as she tried to make sense of that.
"Jake?" she asked, now only confusion and a trace of excitement in her tone. After all, I'd used my own 'playful' tone. Probably wondering if I'd picked up a pet or something and trying to figure how that worked into all the drama of the past eighteen or so hours, according to Gramps.
"What did you do?" she repeated. Again.
"Leaving Gramps' store, Haley. I'll explain when I get there."
Heh, I really have grown up. Not even a year ago I would've taunted her with something like "Get ready to be an aunty!"
I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when, seven minutes later, I saw her waiting on the doorstep as I pulled into the driveway. She rushed over to my door, twin tails bouncing, before I even got a chance to cut the engine.
I opened the door and let her fling herself at me in a big hug. Still chattering a mile a minute.
"You're okay! I was so worried! And Mom's been all tense, and Dad's all quiet, and Gramps wouldn't talk, and you didn't call, but then you did, and you say weird stuff about spoiling someone, so what did you do?!"
I chuckled and ruffled her hair, much to her annoyance. She looked up to meet my eyes, and I saw hers stare in shock as she noticed the scar over my left eye that the doctor had warned me about.
Well, it is quite a sin to damage a face as pretty as mine, but it can't be helped. An awesome scar from the battle of the century ain't a bad trophy anyway.
"It doesn't hurt," I whispered gently, kissing her forehead in a completely unheard of show of brotherly affection. Heh, what can I say? A part of me was still stuck in 'can't believe I'm alive' mode.
I gave her another hug, then leaned back into my car and gently pulled my egg out of its safe nest of towels.
Haley's eyes lit up. "What is it? A griffon? It's huge! You're gonna keep it? What did that upset the Council? Why – ?"
I held it against my chest as I climbed out the car, shutting the door and locking it behind me.
"It's a dragon," I said, trying to sound confident, but coming out awkward.
She frowned, and I swear I could see that genius brain of hers ticking along.
It wasn't much of a stretch. She'd been warned herself by Gramps after 'she' had been sacrificed. All female dragons had.
"Oh. My. God. It's his?!" She screeched the last part.
"And hers," I reminded.
"Are you insane?!"
"I'm adopting him."
"WHAT?!"
"Oh, just come on," I grumbled, getting irritated and defensive. "I'll explain inside with Mom and Dad."
All in all, the conversation went well once Dad ordered Haley silent. I explained everything: the war, the battle, killing the Dark Dragon, finding her and her egg, my vow to protect it, what the doctor said about my injuries, what the Council said about the egg, the rejection of her parents, what Gramps said about my bond, and my determination to raise the child as my own. They listened to the end.
"You seem very sure of this," began Dad. "Are you?"
I was seated on the couch between Mom and Dad, my sister on the end of the armchair to the left.
"I know what I have to do," I began, hugging the egg close, letting the warmth and heartbeat assure me.
"Have to?" questioned Mom, sounding worried.
"Well, it started as a have to. Now I want to."
"Because of the vow? The bond?" asked Mom calmly, not accusing, but curious and loving, hand on my shoulder.
"Mom, I…" I paused, no idea how to express myself.
After a moment, I simply took her hand in mine, then lay it flat on the egg.
"Dad, you too," I asked softly. He set his own hand palm down against the egg.
"It's warm," said Dad softly.
Mom almost jumped when she felt the throb and a shudder. "My goodness!"
"Gramps says he's only about three months from hatching. He's a baby already, Mom, Dad. And no one wanted him."
I stared at the egg, feeling tears sting my eyes again, remembering the events of the hours since the end of the last battle against the Dark Dragon and his forces. Remembering the shouting, the cursing, the accusations all hurled my way. All about the same thing.
"Everyone, everyone, the Council, her parents, even Gramps before he talked to me. Everyone wanted to kill it, or let it die from neglect. But it's… he's…"
Mom smiled and kissed me on the cheek. I looked up in surprise.
"Honey, I'm so proud of you," she said, eyes tearing in delight.
Dad was smiling too. "Good show, Jake-a-roo. We did a good job, eh honey?"
It felt great to hear their praise, almost too good to be true.
"He'll be born a dragon, you know, being in an egg and all. A dark dragon," I began, hesitating slightly. Half-expecting their happiness to about-face.
"We'll help you any way we can," said Mom seriously.
Dad blinked, then suddenly his face lit up in a huge smile.
"Susan – we're going to be grandparents!"
Mom's face lit up too, and to my shock she leaned over and kissed the egg.
"And I'm gonna be an aunty!" cheered Haley. "Hey, can I touch it too?"
I nodded. "Be careful."
"Well, duh!" she laughed, setting a hand on each side of the egg excitedly, eyes glowing as she felt the warmth and movement.
"What're you gonna name him?" she chirped up.
I blinked. "I haven't thought about that."
"What about Trixie and Spud? Have you told them yet?"
I groaned. "Of course not! I went straight from Council to Gramps then here. I haven't even tried to contact…"
My face paled as 'real life' suddenly hit me. The reality of having not been killed in the war, and what it meant...
Rose. My girlfriend. Ex-Huntsgirl, before I changed time so she was never taken from her parents. But she regained her memories of me, of us, of what we went through.
I ditched her. Two weeks ago, before the war, when I realized I would have to fight to the death. I didn't tell her anything, because I knew she'd want to come, and I couldn't bear the thought.
I had been willing, had more than half-expected to actually have to die to get rid of the monster once and for all. I couldn't bear any distractions or anything holding me back.
I left my cell at home (having been given one from the Council, powered by magic and specifically for the dragon generals during the war), took leave from work, paid off all my bills, locked my apartment, and haven't been home since.
She'd had no way to contact me. I hadn't left any way to contact me. Gramps' store had been closed, like most magical places the last two weeks. And I'd specifically told my parents, Spud, and Trixie not to tell her anything. That I would explain when I returned, or they could… if I did not return.
"Ah, crud."
My family seemed to know exactly what I was thinking about. After all, I'd been lectured enough about my decision those two weeks ago, when I told them what was going on and what I was doing.
"She… was very upset. Scared," said Mom gently.
Crud. Crap. Damn! As if I didn't have enough things to worry and stress about!
"I can't deal with this right now!" I growled, a hint of dragon roar in my tone from my frustration. "I've got a dragon baby on the way! I've got mountains of research to do! I've got to see doctors, and try to reason with the Council, and figure out what the hell I'm going to do about food and clothing and where we're gonna live! ESPECIALLY if he's a dragon! On top of Gramps warning me to watch out for assassins and my baby turning evil!"
I really shouldn't have said that last sentence. It'd been spinning in my head for a while – but I'd really not wanted my parents realizing quite how, well, bad an idea adopting this particular egg was. Not that I had the slightest inclination to back down.
Surprisingly my parents didn't freak out, though they both paled a bit. They actually didn't even let my rant change the subject!
"You might lose her this time," said Dad slowly, carefully looking at the egg instead of me.
"Ugh," I grumbled, rubbing my forehead with one hand, still holding my egg carefully with my other arm. "I'll call her," I gave in, the reluctance heavy even to my own ears. "After Trixie and Spud."
"Now?" prompted Mom.
"I don't have their numbers on this cell," I replied. "And I should get home anyway. Make sure no one burned down my apartment while I was gone."
It was only half a joke. With the events of the past two weeks, anything was possible. I'm fairly sure we managed to contain the damage to non-populated areas, but there was always a chance of rogue dark minions… Of course, you'd think my parents would've mentioned it by now if anything like that had happened in my absence.
"No," said Mom, standing up. "You're going to stay for dinner and a good night's sleep in your old room. When's the last time you had a decent meal or night's rest?"
I had no idea, and it showed. Wars and impending battles to the death don't bode well for proper eating and sleep habits. Most of the time myself and the other dragon generals were up from sunrise to far past sunset with plans and preparations. Which had paid off remarkably, with a minimum of losses and sacrifices along the way. I forcibly yanked my mind away from that line of thought before my mind could stray too far.
"Exactly," finished Mom. "Besides, too much excitement is bad for baby."
I chuckled, running a hand through my hair. "You make it sound like I'm pregnant, Mom. All I'm doing is carrying an egg around."
Dad raised an eyebrow. "You didn't feel him kick when you started getting upset about Rose?"
He what?
"If there's a bond between you, it makes sense baby would be sensitive to your emotions," said Haley, nodding her head.
What a strange concept. Ah well. Long as I don't act or look pregnant I guess.
"I'm not…" Whatever I was going to say was interrupted with a large yawn.
"Take a nap, young man," ordered Mom, in a tone I hadn't heard since before I moved out. "Dinner will be ready in an hour. We'll call you then."
Nap. Sleep. Suddenly sounded incredible…
Dad and Haley reluctantly removed their hands from the egg. Mom was already moving to the kitchen.
Sleep sounded good. Climbing up the stairs towards my old room, not so much.
I pulled off my shoes and laid down on the couch, making sure my arm was wrapped around my egg, tucking it safely against my chest. I was asleep before my mind got a chance to drift off.
I didn't dream, which is a relief. I didn't have to relive killing the Dark Dragon. Finding the kidnapped dragoness' body. The rejection everyone had towards the innocent, unborn child. Didn't have to worry about bonds or research or baby appointments. Almost dying. Giving up on Rose.
Author's Notes: Special thanks to DragonDude23 for all his help with ideas, plot, and the future baby's character! Though certainly I'm open to everyone else chiming in!
Review, please!