All too soon, Haley was shaking my shoulder to wake me up.
"Dinnertime?" I asked groggily.
She laughed. "Breakfast, actually. You were sleeping like a rock, so mom said not to wake you yesterday."
I became aware of my egg, still nestled against me, and without thinking I gave it a kiss before I lifted it and sat up, cradling it as usual against my chest.
I realized what I had done when I saw Haley's wide, surprised eyes. I felt a blush creeping into my cheeks from her staring.
"You really are going to be a dad," she said, almost in wonder.
"What's that great smell?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Mom made, like, everything for you. Eggs, sausage, bacon, pancakes, waffles, you name it!"
As if in reply, my stomach rumbled.
"Oh, and we saved you some time," said Haley cheerfully, hopping towards the kitchen. Before I could respond, she continued. "He's up!" she called out into the kitchen.
"Jakie!" "Jake!" shouted the combined calls of my two eternal best friends as the two rushed in.
I carefully cradled the egg to my chest as they jumped forward to hug me, squishing me in the middle. Spud was crying (though he would undoubtedly blame some nonexistent onions in mom's breakfast) and Trixie was chattering a mile a minute about being so relieved that I was alive and the war was over and Haley explained everything and she couldn't believe I was going to be a dad and…
"Easy, guys," I laughed. They disentangled themselves from me.
"Ah, man, it's awesome to see you guys! I really thought…" I quickly shook the thought from my mind.
From the flash in their eyes, they'd both thought the same. That this final battle against the Dark Dragon would be my last. That the last time we'd seen each other was our last, my last.
"So, what' s been going on while I was gone, guys?" I asked, changing the subject as I headed for the kitchen. I took a seat and mom started dishing up food in front of me. Dad and Haley were already eating, and the two other plates showed where Trixie and Spud had been sitting. They retook their seats.
The conversation flowed easily, all of us deliberately avoiding the subject of the war, my injuries, the egg in my lap. There would be time for that later. For now, I desperately needed the normalcy, and as my family, they could all tell.
Trixie squealed about her husband Kyle (who she'd finally bagged last year) and her college classes as she continued her pursuit of her medical degree. Spud complained about MIT and the FBI hassling him since he showed up their genius IT technicians with his hacking skills and aced an advanced mathematics course's final his mom tricked him into taking, claiming it was a puzzle. Both refused to believe he was happy as a fry cook in a local burger joint.
My friends are awesome. I could feel any leftover tension flowing away as I listened and contributed to the cheerful conversation.
Though I never forgot the warm, comforting touch of my egg.
Only when we were alone after breakfast and lingering around the table with coffee did they ask. Not just about the immediate last couple days, but the two weeks since I'd disappeared. They'd only had secondhand information from my parents when they dropped by.
Everything had happened so fast, so suddenly. The whole magical world turned upside down after her kidnapping. With the tremendous and terrifying advances the Black Dragon and his forces made. How all dragons worldwide had been forced to come together and prepare for the war, in which no one's life was guaranteed. How I'd been selected as one of the top generals of this army, and been told I was the one who would have to face him, having the most experience with the monster.
There was nothing glorious about it. There wasn't anything to be proud of. My brain still couldn't comprehend the cheers and dancing. It was an obligation, to kill the monster before he killed thousands if not millions of others. To stop him before he subjugated the magical world, and eventually the human world.
What was there to cheer for? I had blood on my claws. Hundreds if not thousands had been slaughtered – and we magical creatures were few in number at the best of times. I'd been having nightmares in the little sleep I'd managed since the Dark Dragon first started making advances. The Dark Dragon was not the first dark force I'd been forced to kill in the war, though certainly the most powerful, and even with everything over… I knew nothing was ever truly 'over'. The world was never without monsters.
But my friends are real friends, and they listened to the whole story, to my fears, my concerns, even how I dishonestly had tried to get Haley and Grandfather into non-fighting roles and failed. I told them of finally finding him, the terrifying and bloody battle in which my eye and leg were damaged, his death at my claws and fangs. Then of finding the kidnapped dragoness' body, realizing I was too late to save her, then the strange connection since I lifted the egg, vowing to save at least one life in this chaos.
I let Trixie examine my eye and leg, while telling her what the magical doctors had said. Laughed as she wacked my head in irritation when I confessed I was supposed to see a regular doctor but didn't see the point. She didn't say anything after looking at them, which I gathered to mean I was right in thinking going to a hospital was pointless, that the damage was done and I was basically stuck with the scars the rest of my life. I could live with that. I was still alive, which was something many of my comrades would never be able to claim again.
I let them both touch my egg, marveling about the warmth and the slight movements now and then. I told them my worries, the warnings I'd received. Trixie kissed my forehead and reminded me that no child is born evil, and Spud patted the egg like he would a dog, reveling the egg with stories of everything Uncle Spud would have to teach him, with Pappy Jake being useless at such things and all.
All too soon, five hours had passed and Trixie and Spud had to leave to respectively classes and work.
"So, what now, Jake?" asked Trix as we stood at the front door. "You gonna check on Rose or what?"
"Yeah, like, before she comes at you like some praying mantis to bite your head off or something," contributed Spud, not all that usefully.
I sighed. "Probably, but I've got a lot of other stuff to get done. My apartment, my job, research on baby stuff, research on dragon stuff. I hardly even know where to begin!"
I admit it. I was totally making excuses, and they knew it. It was a sign of how well they knew me that neither called me out on it.
They both hugged me and we said our goodbyes.
…
Home. Finally, home.
It was a different feeling from coming back to my parents' place yesterday. This was my apartment of the last four years, which I had killed myself over saving up enough for the security deposit and the monthly rent. The place I finally felt I had come to on my own.
Every piece of furniture, each rug, chair, the TV – I'd bought everything myself.
It was here that for the last four years, I'd crawled back to after particularly heavy fights to patch myself up.
Here that I could have my own space, never having to complain or argue.
Not many people came over, actually. Just my family, Spud, Trixie… Rose.
Strange how your mind changed as you get older. When I was fourteen, the first thing I'd do was throw a party with my security deposit on the line. In an apartment filled with my own stuff that I'd scrimped and saved for, the idea was much less appealing.
I'd been standing on the doorstep of the second floor apartment for a good fifteen seconds pondering all this when I finally came to and shifted my egg to my left arm to fish out my keys.
Everything looked exactly as I left it, two weeks ago. It felt like years ago. A world ago.
A world where I was still the innocent and pure, cheerful, easygoing hero. Where I didn't worry about blood or war, injuries or eggs, girlfriends or best friends, family or subordinates, killing or being killed.
I shut the door behind me and flicked the lock. Sat down to take off my shoes. Turns out that wasn't such a great idea, no matter how much I tried to care for the carpet.
"Damn," I growled to myself as I tried and failed to stand back up after finally managing to take off my shoes. My right knee refused to bend properly, making the whole what should be normal habit quite a painful trial. I already knew it was my own fault from making a point of walking 'normally' on it all day. Maybe there was a reason the doctor wanted me to get checked out at a hospital, but honestly it still didn't seem worth the effort.
Unfortunately, my options were limited. I could continue sitting down, or I could try getting up again.
This time more carefully, I shifted my weight to my good, left leg and supported myself on the wall with one arm while I cradled my egg in the other. I took my time getting up. Since I was alone, I let some grumbles and curses out.
Turns out I wasn't alone.
"I'd offer to help," came a cold, stiff voice behind me. "But it felt so good watching you in pain after you ditched me like that."
"Ah, hell," I let slip. Which is a really stupid thing to say with a girlfriend slash ex-Huntsgirl glaring at you from behind.
I didn't have time for this. Or patience. To be blunt, I wasn't remotely ready to face Rose again after everything I'd gone through. Especially if she was itching for a fight.
I forced strength I didn't have into my legs and core, carefully not letting any weaknesses show as I turned around.
Her eyes flicked up and down my body appraisingly, a cold critical look I hadn't seen since she'd, quite literally, been after my dragon hide.
And something instinctual flared with rage within me, enraged at the threat she posed. Huntsgirl. In my territory. Near my egg. Threatening. Fierce.
"Where the hell were you?" she demanded icily. Her long, blond hair braided down her back, her chilling blue eyes glaring, promising death.
Threat. Near my egg. Fight!
This was fast spiraling out of control. I could feel my magical hackles rearing up, my body unconsciously getting into a defensive stance and preparing to transform. I'd become quite in tune with my fight instinct over the last two weeks of war, but this was crazy.
I ground my fist between my eyes, deliberately not returning her gaze, trying to force my instincts back before I did something regrettable.
"That hard to come up with an excuse, huh?" she cattily remarked, taking a step forward that further reminded me of a cat. Sinuous, stalkerish, a hunter on the prowl. Before all this I would've thought it incredibly sexy – now my instincts were screaming danger.
"Not now, Rose," I growled, using all my strength just to hold back my transformation.
"Or what?!" she demanded.
"I can't – don't make me fight you!" The growl was becoming more fierce, which, with this particular girl, only served to make her angrier. After all, she knew that she could take down a dragon with her bare hands.
Plus she had probably expected groveling and excuses, not an actual fight. Her hands fisted and she took another step forward, eyes flashing.
My own eyes flared in response, fire actually trying to force its way out of my magic to envelop me for my transformation. To remove the threat. Huntsgirl. Enemy. Threat to my egg.
Oh, god. Rage. Stop this! She had to stop! If she didn't stop I would…!
"I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" I actually roared, the vibration shaking the walls and floor.
This time she froze, her eyes flicking in shock between my blazing eyes and the heat haze around my body as I forcefully held the flames back.
"Jake?" she asked, sounding a little scared. Of me. The fight melted out of her stance. Leaving Rose, my girlfriend. Not Huntsgirl.
Threat gone. The instinctual rage melted out of me. My head when light and my legs wobbled. I slowly lowered myself back to the floor and leaned against the wall.
She didn't move. Her eyes had finally fallen on the egg.
"You're bonded," she whispered, stunned.
My head still felt funny from the fight with my instincts, so I just nodded. She probably knew more than me about that.
"This is why you left…?" A sob was working its way into her voice.
Huh?
"So – so I wasn't enough?" The hurt shined through, her eyes suddenly wet with tears. "Couldn't you just tell me that you had another girl, and a dragon at that?!"
"What are you talking about?" I interrupted her, bewildered. "I never -!"
"You cheated on me!" she screamed, pointing at the egg. "There's the proof! You would've killed me just now because if I started a fight, your egg could've been damaged!"
"What?! No!" I shouted.
She continued ranting. "I was taught to never approach a dragon couple with eggs – that their instincts go absolutely insane and they become unstoppable, murdering machines at the slightest threat!" She turned and glared at me. "And I know you, Jake Long!"
She was… she thought I… but I'd never! But she…!
Tears flowed down her face, but her voice was spiteful.
"Tell me I'm wrong, Jake! Go on, I dare you."
"Rose, you don't…"
"Where's the mom? She ditch you, like you ditched me? Forgive me if I don't feel sorry."
"She was murdered." The words rang cold in my ears.
And, I hate to admit to signs of PTSD, but I was thrown into a flashback.
Hearing her scream. Diving into battle with him. Fighting. Blood. Rage. Pain. Becoming nothing but a monster fighting with another monster, battling on instinct and, I'll never admit aloud, bloodlust. That surge of pleasure at my victory, followed by swift self-disgust at what I'd become. Coming back to my senses. Being too late. Finding her body, bloody and broken, curled around her unborn child's egg.
"Jake! Jake!" I could hear Rose shouting, and suddenly I was back in my hall, on the floor, back against the wall, hugging my egg to my chest, breathing like I was hyperventilating. I could feel my face twisted with emotion, probably terror and pain, tears pouring from my eyes.
I was staring into Rose's worried eyes, but it took a minute for me to actually see her. Kneeling in front of me, her deceptively delicate hands on either side of my face. She wiped my tears aside with her thumbs, staring into my own eyes for something perhaps only she knew to look for.
"You loved her that much?" she whispered, heartbroken.
The truth spilled out at the sight of her pained face. At her worry for me, even with what she thought I'd done. At the desperation she had to know what had really happened, what was going on all around her that I'd pointedly and selfishly excluded her from.
"I only love you, Rose," I blurted out.
"Don't, Jake. I…" she began, tears pricking her eyes.
"I was trying to rescue her. Never met her before in my life. I was too late. The egg was already orphaned. I bonded when I picked it up. Even if I hadn't, I'd vowed to raise it in her stead."
She blinked , thrown for a whirl. Realizing something much bigger than just our relationship had been going on.
And my stupid mouth was running away, my mind still whirling with images of the last two weeks, burned into my mind, as vivid as when they were actually happening.
"She was raped. By the Dark Dragon. Kidnapped and raped, started the war. I killed him. But I was too late. He'd killed her. I killed him."
It felt like everything suddenly drained out of me and I vaguely felt myself leaning. I was only half aware of Rose grabbing my shoulders to pin me to the wall, preventing me from crashing to the floor. At least my arms remained tight and protective around my egg.
"I killed him, Rose," I repeated, slowly. Begging for something, and I had no idea what. Forgiveness? Understanding? Comfort? "And I don't regret it. He deserved it, but I… I killed and…"
And suddenly she was kissing me, and everything was alright.
I'm not sure how long we stayed like that. My next memory is of her statement after we both calmed down enough to look each other in the eye.
"Don't you dare leave me behind ever again, Jake Long," she whispered.
Author's Notes: And that's probably about as much JakexRose as I'm gonna write, hopefully not too much for you guys! Remember this is meant to be under Family and Drama, not Romance!
I'm still debating where to go next with this. If I want to time jump to the baby or perhaps even to him as a child, or if I want to follow Jake up to the egg's hatching as he learns to care for himself and his egg in preparation of being a father. Let me know what you think!
Please, please review! And thank you!