Jarek snapped his eyes open and was greeted with nothing but darkness. Strangely though, his black fur was able to stand out against the inky black of the strange realm he was in. How did he get here? That question weighed on his mind as he slowly walked. His eyes scanned for any sign of life, yet found nothing. Whatever the case, he was alone, and that disturbed him. He looked for any sign of blue, the color of his beloved Sisu. Oh, how he wished she was by his side, She had such a way of comforting him, in many ways than one. Whatever the case, she wasn't here, and he didn't like that one bit.

"Baba."

Jarek paused as the word entered his ears and absorbed into his brain. That word was both welcoming and frightening at the same time. Jarek took a cautious step forward until he felt a chill across the back of his neck. Swiftly, he turned around and another color marred the darkness. It was small, it was long, and it was purple. Jarek recognized it as a baby dragon. He had seen plenty on Dragontown. No newborns though, the only children around were ones who had lived to see the Druun turn them to stone.

Cautiously, Jarek walked toward the child, curious as to what a young one was doing there. Jarek moved closer until he was looming over the child.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here?" Jarek asked.

Jarek held no discomfort towards children. After all, he was a loving uncle, and he was friendly enough with the kids of Dragontown that he exemplified the 'cool uncle' archetype. Whatever the case, here was a young child in need of possible aid, but then the child turned around, smile beaming up at the adult. It caused Jarek to step backward and all the while he kept his gaze upon the child's smile, and what parted from their lips.

"Baba!"

Jarek shook his head, "Excuse me?"

"Baba, do you want to play?" The child asked.

Before Jarek could answer, another spoke came from his right, "No Ba, you promised you'd play with me!"

Stepping from the right was another child, this one blue just like Sisu.

"Ba? What are you-"

"Ba can we have ice cream for dinner?" Another child came from the left, green in color, like their uncle Pengu.

"No Ba, I want noodles!" Another child came from behind, as golden as the sun.

"Ba."

"Ba."

"Ba!"

"Hey, Ba!"

"Ba!"

"Baba!"

"Baba!"

"Daddio!"

The chorus followed as dragon children of all colors came from all sides, surrounding their father. Jarek felt his chest constricting, so tight he couldn't scream, and his screams remained inside as the child swarm surrounded him on all sides.

Then, Jarek opened his eyes.

Another darkness greeted Jarek as he rose up breathing heavily. It only took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the new darkness, but it was a darkness he had known. He was in his room, his and Sisu's bedroom. A sigh of relief escaped him. At last, someplace familiar, someplace comforting, someplace where he could be with his beloved. His beloved who was not in bed with him.

"Sisu?" He called but knew he would not receive an answer, but that didn't stop him from getting up and searching for his wife.

So, he left his bedroom and kept his eyes and ears open for his mate, that is until he heard a soft melody. It wasn't from a musical instrument, but instead a voice. Slowly he traversed the hallway until he came to a room, a room that hadn't found much use but would be used in the coming days. The melody grew louder, with no lyrics but a tune that almost sounded like a wordless lullaby. Stepping into the entryway, his heart skipped a beat as he saw whom he was searching for.

"Sisu," He sighed with relief.

There Sisu was, curled around her egg, their egg, and continued to sing.

"Honey?" Jarek called again.

That seemed to snap Sisu out of it, for her tune stopped and she gazed up at her husband, "Oh, Skippy, didn't hear you coming."

"When you weren't in bed, I went looking for you," Jarek explained.

Sisu chuckled, "Well, I didn't mean to worry you, dear, but I just couldn't leave my little Egguardo alone, he needed some T-L-C from his M-A-M-A."

Jarek had never seen Sisu so happy, even while pigging out on noodles at Dragonfest. There was a tranquility in her happiness, a content emotion that she exemplified in her song.

"So, what were you singing?" Jarek asked.

"Just something my mother used to sing to me and my siblings when we were young," Sisu explained, "It doesn't have any words, and frankly I didn't expect myself to be singing it."

Sisu stared lovingly at her unhatched child, the content emotion spreading once more, so much Jarek could feel it radiating from where he was standing. Sisu was truly and honestly happy. Seeing his wife happy made Jarek's heart feel less heavy. He loved her, so her joy was his joy, yet, there was still a pit in his heart that continued until it evolved into a sinkhole. He couldn't keep it inside anymore.

"Honey, there's something I need to tell you," Jarek admitted.

Sisu looked up from the egg and returned her gaze towards her mate, "What is it love?"

Jarek released a breath and briefly averted his eyes from Sisu, "Sisu...I haven't been honest...about the egg and everything."

Sisu's smile faded and her brow lowered, "What do you mean?"

His chest swelled, and Jarek found a burning bile working its way upward. Or, it could have simply been indigestion. Whatever it was, Jarek couldn't deny he felt apprehensive about the whole process, the process of telling his wife the truth.

"It's about the egg...I just...well…" Jarek trailed off.

Sisu wasn't stupid. Though she gave off an air of being a naive child, she was far from stupid. She picked up things pretty quickly.

"Jarek...are you not happy about the egg?" Sisu asked her voice almost to a whisper.

Shooting his head up, Jarek exclaimed, "What!? No!"

"Don't lie to me Jarek," Sisu said forcefully.

Jarek had never heard his wife sound like this. Disappointed but not this angry, or at least he thought it was anger.

"Sisu, I swear to you, I am not unhappy we're having a baby," Jarek insisted.

"Then what's wrong!?" Sisu's emotions were running high.

Jarek knew he had to smooth things over, otherwise, neither of them would get a good night's sleep, "Sisu...Noodle, please believe me, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and having a child with you is everything I could ever want," Jarek hung his head down before he continued, the bile slowly subsiding, "I'm just-just nervous."

Sisu's fur smoothed out, and whatever aura of emotion she was giving off had dulled, "Nervous, Skippy, why on Kumandra would you be nervous."

Jarek felt a sarcastic retort bubble up inside him, but he stifled it down, "Look, this isn't something that comes easy, I've never had a kid before!"

"But you're great with your niece!" Sisu reminded.

"Exactly! But she's not my child! This egg is my child, and well...I don't want to screw this up!" Jarek cried.

"Screw up?" Sisu repeated, her brow furrowing at her husband's words.

Holding out his claws, Jarek outstretched them as he spoke, "There are two ways this can go, I either do a good job and the kid turns out alright," He emphasized by raising his right claw, "And in another, I screw things up and this kid turns out wrong," He raised his left claw to further his point, "I don't know how it's going to go, I don't know what to do and-"

Jarek's words came to a halt as he felt a slightly sharp talon upon his shoulder. Slowly turning, he met with the eyes of his beloved Sisu. Gazing into her purple orbs, he couldn't help but find himself drowning in them. They said purple often associated itself with sadness, but Sisu's eye color was just the right shade that brought love and warmth. Adding to it, she smiled.

"You think 'you' would screw up our kid? That's nonsense," Sisu stated.

"Sisu?"

"Jar-Bear, do you think you're the only one who's nervous here?"

Jarek didn't answer, and allowed his mate to speak, having a good idea of what would follow.

"I know I might seem calm, but inside I'm a mess," Sisu still smiled as she said that.

"You don't look it," Jarek observed.

A soft giggle escaped the blue dragoness, "Trust me, I'm an excellent actor," Sisu boasted, "Having a baby of my own was something I thought would never happen in a million years, but it happened and you know what? I'm not worried."

Jarek found himself lost in Sisu's warm and purple eyes, "Why?"

A brisk breath escaped Jarek as he felt Sisu rub her head against his mane, "Because I have a sweet, caring, handsome, and wonderful husband to help me raise this baby."

Remaining silent, Jarek drank in her scent, that intoxicating aroma that filled every fiber of his being. Intoxication wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. Many times he had drunk himself into a stupor, letting alcohol claim his mind and body, and drifting off into a euphoric lethargy. Back then he had been a waste, filling himself with every sort of pleasure he could manage. Pleasure was still something he sought, but having a mate straightened him out. Sisu was enough to make him happy. A good smoke or drink would please him for certain, but Sisu's love was worth far more than any of those substances could provide.

It was moments like this that told him he was honestly in love.

"Sisu," Jarek found himself repeating his words.

"You may think you won't be a good father, but I trust you will, and knowing you're at my side makes me think I'm going to be a good mother," Sisu declared.

Jarek broke away from the embrace for a brief moment if only to snuggle against Sisu herself, "I never had doubt you would be a good mother."

Sisu continued to snuggle within her mate's neck, "Because you trust me?"

"You know I do," Jarek responded, breaking away from the embrace once more to plant his wife a kiss.

Greeting her husband with the same affection, Sisu granted Jarek a loving smile, one that Jarek returned wholeheartedly.

"So, are you ready to give fatherhood a chance?" Sisu asked.

The question was presented before him. Fatherhood was a concept that had gripped him with fear. Fear still clung to him like a burr in his mane, but there was one thing he had not considered before: he wouldn't be alone. Knowing that made everything worth it. Parenthood wasn't always a single-parent job. He was lucky to have known the love of both a mother and a father, and now he had the option to do so with his own adoring wife.

Jarek had been uncertain before, but now he knew exactly what to say, "Guess I better get used to being called "Ba" huh?"

Releasing a chuckle, Sisu nudged her mate, "Knew you had it in you, Skippy! Though I could see you getting a "Ba Bod" in time."

Nudging his mate, Jarek added, "Trust me, sweetums, At the rate I guzzle down sweets, I'm going beyond a Ba bod."

"Well, I guess I should start calling you "Squishmellow" huh?" Sisu spoke with a flutter in her voice.

Jarek certainly felt his heart fluttering, and it was that fluttering that made the idea of him being a father all the more palatable, "I guess I could call you the same, with how much you love noodles," Jarek teasingly retorted.

Laughing at her husband's words, Sisu replied with, "Guess we can be married squishmallows huh?"

Lowering his eyes in a seductive tone, Jarek gave a soft purr, "You bet beautiful."

With that knowledge within his skull, Jarek Datu, mate to Sisu, was no longer worried about fatherhood. Kumandra would know a new soul eventually, and that would be his and Sisu's child.