As the winter progressed, it got colder outside, and Jayden had to resort to staying inside more often along with Sienna and Kenji still being kept inside. Jayden herself might have considered herself a gargess now, but she still had human DNA in her and still felt the cold more easily.
Goliath still ordered the clan to do their regular patrols because they didn't feel the cold quite so much, though Brooklyn was an exception. The males of the clan had been out in all sorts of weather all their lives. Angela hadn't been so much, but she was building a tolerance for it.
Brooklyn knew he would have to wait until his kids were older and then find out what they were able to tolerate when they were able to talk. Until then, it was just better to keep the twins inside and warm. They would take them out when it warmed up in the spring. But it would be better to not take them far from the castle for their own safety while they were small. But some glides around the castle wouldn't hurt. It would be a way for the kids to get used to the feeling of air on them and seeing the sights from the air from a young age.
Brooklyn and Jayden were still working on their relationship too. They were really falling in love with one another. Jayden hated it when it was time for her love to go sleep as stone every day. But it did their hearts good to miss one another.
Now that Jayden was considered a permanent part of their clan, and didn't turn to stone, David and Fox asked her if she would be a babysitter to Alex in the afternoon hours while Owen got his own workload for the company done. She could have the mornings for herself to sleep after sunrise. That way, she could have a balance of sleep, a job, and time for her and Brooklyn, and Sienna and Kenji. The twins were stone in daytime too, so there was no division there.
Jayden still had that in her because of being human that she wanted to have money for things she wanted or needed, and she might even need to give her parents money every here and there. What David was offering was wonderful since she would never be able to perform with music again to the public in person. But she could still sing for the kids.
"Yes, I'll be glad to have the job, Mr. Xanatos." Jayden replied graciously.
"Good. You're already so good with Brooklyn's kids and you can get some older kid experience too." David declared.
"Yep, thank you, Sir." Jayden replied.
Alex would one day start school in a few years too. Jayden wouldn't have to watch him during school hours unless he was being homeschooled. But David and Fox wanted their son to try to meet other kids his own age to socialize with when he got older, so public school it would be first.
When Jayden told Brooklyn that night of what her new schedule and responsibility would be, he agreed that it was a great opportunity for something new unless she had another interest to share.
"I did my best in school when I was younger, Brooklyn and graduated. That was one thing my parents wanted for me before I could pursue my music career before. I wasn't crazy for much stuff other than music and animals. I love animals but just couldn't see myself causing them pain at a vet's office or anything." Jayden explained. "So, music it was."
"That's nice. Now you get paid for looking after Alex." Brook said.
"Yep. I start tomorrow." She stated.
"Good for you but get plenty of rest too." Brook urged.
"I plan to."
...
In the morning after the gargoyles went into stone sleep, Jayden started her new schedule. She started off getting her sleep. She would start watching Alex around two in the afternoon. It was a little hard to sleep in anticipation of it but she managed to get some sleep.
When afternoon came, Owen went to do his job in his office among other business affairs. Jayden was now in charge of entertaining Alex and feeding him. She wished she would be able to take him to public places, but she couldn't looking like a gargoyle. This was her new life.
Alex really liked his new caregiver. He could talk a lot better now with him being almost three. He would begin preschool next fall. Jayden would also sing for him, and he liked that too. But together, they would play ball games, horsy, some words, playdough, shapes and colors, and learn to draw pictures of various things they did together. And sometimes there would even be a movie allowed. Jayden would read and sing to him before naps. But she also didn't want Lex to be deprived of Alex either.
Jayden took the daytime care shift, Lex or Owen took the nighttime shift. Owen would still be a teacher during the day, during morning hours. Lex would only take the shift when he wasn't having to patrol, so it all depended on how things went.
Jayden had completed her gargoyle fight training, but she still felt that she wouldn't be much help in a fight. She wasn't much of a confrontational type. If it was her right to be here in the castle and babysit, so be it. Hudson might have been older, but he could still fight. She had never been a fighter.
Someday though, even Kenji and Sienna were going to be taught what all gargoyles would need to know too; how to protect others.
...
When Valentine's Day came around, it was still cold outside, but Brooklyn really wanted to take Jayden out a night on the town. Lex would stay in and watch the kids. All the couples wanted to go on dates. Hudson and Bronx would stay in too.
Broadway and Angela had a dinner date in Midtown. Goliath and Elisa were at her apartment spending time together again.
With some additional clothing on to keep warmer for Jayden, Brooklyn was able to lead Jayden to a rock concert at Madison Square Garden. It was inside at least. Then they went to a movie and later had dinner.
"This is so romantic, Brooklyn. I wish this could last forever." Jayden smiled at him.
He smiled back. "Yeah. I wish it could too. I had to spend the last few Valentine's Days alone and feeling lonely."
"Sorry. I used to think it was a dumb holiday. But when you have someone to love, and when you're deeply in love with them, it definitely takes on a whole new meaning." Jayden explained.
"Yep."
They finished their meal and decided it was time to go home. Brooklyn was also nervous because he still had something to tell his girl. He also had a special gift hidden in his belt.
When they touched down on the parapets, Brook spoke up. "Jayden, I have something to tell you. Can we go to your room where we can still have some more alone time?" he asked her.
"Sure." She replied and they went to her room.
Brooklyn made sure the door was shut after going in there. They both went to sit on the bed. The red male had butterflies in his stomach and his heart was pounding hard. He wanted to do this right.
"So, what do you want to tell me?" she asked.
He swallowed hard. Being nervous, he didn't want to bring up his food either. "Jayden, would it be alright if I shortened your name to Jade too?" he asked.
"That's it?"
"No but wanted to ask too."
"Okay. So, what's the rest?" she asked.
"Good. What I want to tell is that we've been going out for a couple of months now. We know each other better and I know that you're still human under being in a gargoyle body now, but as we have gotten to know each other better, and with you helping me raise my kids since we met, and you are so beautiful to me, inside and out. You are a wonderful person. You also saved me from Thailog. I couldn't see my life without you. I have wanted to tell you that for a long time. I love you, Jayden Wilkinson. Will you be my mate?" Brooklyn declared his love for her. He was looking at her face to see her reaction. He hoped she wouldn't shun his speech and feelings for her.
Tears welled in her eyes. That was the most heartfelt speech she had ever heard from a guy to her. Ones she had dated in the past had always been tramps. None of them could ever compare to Brooklyn. The tears started to fall down her face.
When Brooklyn saw the tears falling, he thought he had said something wrong. "Are you okay? Did I do or say something wrong?" he asked in concern.
"No, Brooklyn. That was the most loving and heartfelt speech any guy has ever said to me. I love you too." Jayden smiled at him. "Yes, yes. I will be your mate." Then she leaned over and grasped his beak in her hands. It surprised him but she began to kiss him.
He responded by kissing her back. His hands went to touch her neck. Then it deepened. Jayden began to move her hands down his neck and felt his hair. It was soft but with a touch of rough too because of his tangles. Then she moved her hands down his chest and to his stomach.
Brooklyn loved her kissing him, but when he felt her hands starting to move to his lower parts, as one hand was nearing his belt line, that got him to break their kiss. Jayden was a bit startled at that.
"What's wrong, Brooklyn?" Jayden asked.
Brook sighed for a moment, then replied, "Jayden, I think that's moving a little fast there. I don't want to take advantage of you."
Jayden had a feeling she knew why he was saying that. "Brooklyn, am I to understand that you're still a... ya know?" She asked, with a certain head movement.
"Yes, I am. And you're saying that you're not?" He asked.
"I'm sorry, no. Just one other time. The guy was a scumbag who dumped me later for some other chick." Jayden explained. "But Brooklyn, I wouldn't take advantage of you either. I would do it with you because I want to and love you. You are the most brave, passionate, caring, and sweet guy I have ever met, other than my dad, of course." She giggled. "The more time I spend with you and your clan, I feel happier than I have ever felt. I love your kids too. They are no different than human babies from what I've seen. Their needs are the same. I would love to be called their mother and your love."
Brooklyn was grinning widely. He was so glad to hear her say that. "I have something for you." He said, then she saw him reach into his belt and he pulled out a soft box.
"Brooklyn, is that...?" she gasped.
"Jayden, this is for you for our engagement." Brook said as he opened up the box for her. She was in astonishment as she saw two gold earrings in the box. "Usually, all female gargoyles wear earrings." He stated.
"Brooklyn, they're beautiful!" She declared. She hugged him.
"You want to try them on?" he asked.
"Of course." She replied and released him to take the box. She took the earrings out and one at a time, she hooked them into the little holes in her ear lobes. Then she went to look in her mirror. Brook waited for her.
When she came out again, he was beaming at her. "They look good on you."
"Thank you so much, Brooklyn." Jayden was crying again in pure joy of her love for him.
"You're welcome."
"Can I ask where you got them?" she asked.
"Fox helped me get them. It was a surprise." Brook stated.
"That they are. I love them, and even more because they're a gift from you, the male I love." Jayden decreed. "I have something for you too."
His smile faded for a moment. "What?"
Jayden went over to her closet and got a box out for him too. "Well, mine is a gift for Valentine's Day rather than an engagement." She explained. She laid it on the bed, and he opened it up.
His eyes widened when he lifted out a bronze statue of a motorcycle. "I know you like them." Jayden said.
"Thank you, Jayden. It's gorgeous!" Brook replied. "But I will call this my engagement gift too."
"Only you can't wear it." She said.
"It's alright." He replied.
"Though I do have to know why you proposed to me on this night. Usually, couples wait at least a couple years or at least more months before proposing." Jayden explained.
"I know in my heart that you're the girl for me. When gargoyles are serious about committing to a relationship, we keep our promises. This is me keeping mine. I'm ready for commitment to you just as I am with my kids and clan. I take my duties seriously." Brooklyn explained. "I wouldn't be the type of guy who just bails at the first opportunity for another female, and not that there are that many female gargoyles around who would fall for me so easily, considering my last attempts to win over Maggie, Angela, and Delilah were all failures."
"And then it wouldn't have left room for me to be your girl. It was meant to be this way." Jayden smiled down at him and kissed the top of his beak. It brought a smile to his face.
"Yeah. Well, I love your gift to me, Jayden. But let's save the other thing for another night. I'm not quite ready for that in our relationship, and it's getting close to sunrise." Brooklyn explained.
"Sure. I'm sorry I startled you on that part." She replied. "I know I would like to have a real wedding. Do gargoyles have weddings?"
"Not really weddings but Mating Ceremonies. The couple stands before the leader and he or she blesses their union and the couple go on a mating flight. It's done before the clan, so they know that they are a couple. It was done pretty simply, at least that's what Goliath and Hudson have told us." Brooklyn explained.
"Did you ever witness one?"
"If I did, I was too young to remember." Brook replied. "My rookery siblings and I were all just kids ourselves when Goliath and his age group were declared mates among themselves."
"Oh well. You can ask for your own set of wedding traditions. I know I would appreciate it if some human tradition could be in it." Jayden declared.
"Sure. I'll be happy to go along with it." The red male told his bride-to-be. "The clan should all be back by now."
"Yeah. Should we tell them now or wait until tomorrow?" she asked.
"Let's wait until tomorrow." Brook replied. "I need to get up to the parapets."
"Yeah. Let me walk with you, my Love." Jayden called him that for the first time. "I wanted to say it."
"Glad to hear you say it. Sure." He smiled in reply. Then they got up and left the room for the high tower.
When they got up there, all the clan was there already. "We wondered if you were joining us, Brooklyn." Broadway exclaimed when they got up there.
"Yeah, just taking care of some last moment duties." Brook replied.
The others looked over at Jayden and understood. Then Brooklyn put his hand on her face one last time and she nuzzled at his touch. "Until tonight." He said. Then he let go and jumped up on the parapet as the sun rose, taking his pose quickly and he changed to stone.
Jayden wished he didn't have to turn but it was what it was. She put her hand to her face, still feeling his touch there. She knew she wanted to spend more days and years feeling him touch her like that. Then she turned to go down to his bedroom to check on the twins.
Sienna and Kenji were stone now too. They were little angels in her eyes. "Someday soon, little ones, I'll be called your mother. You deserve a mother who loves you. And your father needs someone to support his decisions. I know raising children is hard on your own and it helps to have a very supportive partner. And who knows, maybe we both can give you more siblings in the future." Jayden proclaimed lovingly to the sleeping stone babies. "Well, for now, back to daily living."
Then she went to her bedroom and put Brooklyn's bronze motorcycle gift on her dresser for now. She then climbed into her bed to get some sleep before her job this afternoon.