Jarek loaded the dishes into the water, rinsing them off. He and Sisu tended to alternate between chores. Even a dragon home needed a good upkeep. Doing the dishes was one such chore, and Jarek didn't want to give off the image of being a stereotypical husband who lets his wife do all the housework.

They were partners in more ways than one, so therefore they shared the chores. Jarek washed them carefully putting the clean ones aside to dry Inwardly, Jarek chuckled to himself, for he had never quite pictured himself doing the dishes.

When he stayed with his sister, he often excused himself from doing any household chores, leaving that to his sister, while he played with his niece. He recalled how his sister had scolded him for it because this wasn't the first time his twin had nagged him.

Ever since they were children, Jarek had always weaseled his way out of doing chores; or attempted to at least. His mother would always catch him and force him to work. As he stood there and scrubbed the grime and remnants from the bowls and plates, he glared at Rapi, cursing her under his breath. Sibling rivalry aside, Jarek missed those days when his parents were still alive.

His father was a thief like him, and it was that lifestyle that killed him. As for his mother, once word of his father's death reached them, his mother's heart had taken all it could. He and Rapi were alone then, striking out in their father's life, at least until Rapi lost a finger after a particularly, bad job. At that point, she had settled down, eventually meeting a good man who gave her a daughter.

Jarek on the other hand had continued the thief lifestyle. In part he did this for his sister and niece, wanting to provide for them and give them the life they deserved. Both he and Rapi held Talon and Tail within their blood. A mixture of two opposing tribes left some degree of mistrust. Jarek had always hated that.

Even if he convinced himself he was doing this for his family, he admitted that part of him enjoyed the thrill of stealing. There had been so many close calls, several encounters with the Druun.

Each encounter made his heart race, pumping more adrenaline into his bloodstream. He loved this lifestyle, but in the end, it cost him his life. Yet with death came a new start. Everyone knew Jarek's story, of how he became a dragon. It was a story that led him to the current point in his life.

Now he was the husband of the legendary Sisu and the father of her unhatched child. That alone made Jarek smile. Truly he was blessed. He finished the last dish and wiped his brow. He had no sweat to give, but it felt appropriate. Sighing with accomplishment, he turned towards Sisu who was busy attending to their egg.

The dragoness inspected it and placed her claws gently upon it. Jarek strode over to her and did the same. The two parents-to-be stroked and caressed their egg, a symbol of their love, all condensed into a shell with a treasure waiting inside.

"So how about Kuzon?"

Sisu's sudden question prompted Jarek, "Hmm?"

"Or maybe Mai?"

"What are you talking about babe?"

Sisu's eyes were firmly planted on the egg, "Oh just thinking aloud, throwing some names out there."

"Names?" Jarek questioned.

"For the baby silly," Sisu chuckled as she took her eyes off the egg and toward her husband, "We haven't thought of a name have we?"

Realization lit up Jarek's face, "You're right…I can't believe we didn't come up with anything."

Naming their child was important. Although they wouldn't bestow a proper name until the egg hatched, and their child's gender could be confirmed. Although just because someone was born one gender, didn't mean they had to live it. Jarek and Sisu would accept their child no matter what, but whatever choices the child made, it did need a name, regardless of gender.

"We probably should soon, better than calling them 'Egguardo' huh?" Sisu said.

Egguardo may have been a cute pun, but it was hardly a real name. Their child deserved better and better they would have. Jarek quickly pondered possibilities.

There were so many options. They couldn't pick just one. Jarek wrestled with his mind. There were so many choices, but one stood out. Hesitance crept into his voice before he spoke, but he forced it out.

"Well, how about Reiko?" Jarek suggested.

Sisu cast her mate a quizzical look, "Reiko? Well, that's kind of random.

Jarek paused, flinching slightly at Sisu's comment, "It was my father's name."

A tiny gasp peppered out of Sisu and she put a claw to her mouth, "Oh my! Oh honey, I'm sorry I didn't mean anything-"

"I know, I know, you didn't mean for it to come out like that," Jarek assured his wife.

Sisu let out a tiny sigh of relief before she spoke again, "Your ba huh? You haven't talked about him much, or your mother for that matter."

"It's hard," Jarek's eyes became glassy, "Rapi and I were so young when they died," The memory of their deaths played within Jarek's mind, "My ba, he didn't make an honest living, but he was a good man, and I want to honor him you know?"

Sisu understood the feeling well and for the faintest moments, she thought of her parents, wherever they were, "Well, I think he would approve of us naming his grandson after him," Sisu smiled warmly.

Jarek smiled warmly in response, "Thanks hon."

"Anytime Skippy," Sisu leaned up and planted her husband a kiss on the nose, "I bet Rapi is going to be happy, when can we expect her and Padi?"

Briefly lovestruck by the kiss, Jarek snapped out of it with a shake of his head, "What?"

Sisu cast Jarek another quizzical look, "You told your sister about the baby right?"

Jarek's eyes widened and he rubbed the back of his head, "Actually….I sort of….forgot."

Sisu's face dropped, "You forgot?"

An uncomfortable breeze passed through the house, causing Jarek to gulp, "Y-Y-Y-Yeah?"

"How could you forget to tell your sister!?"

Sisu threw up her legs and raised her voice loud enough for it to echo across the walls.

Quickly backing away, Jarek held up his claws, "Now, hold on Sisu, it just slipped my mind with everything going on," Jarek's excuse was weak, but it was as good an excuse as any.

Twin tiny breaths snorted out of Sisu's nostrils. Civilized as dragons were, they were still animals. Taking another softer breath through her mouth, Sisu relaxed.

"Fine, I get it...but you really need to tell your sister about her new nephew or niece," Sisu suggested.

Not just a niece or nephew, but a cousin in Padi's case. Regardless of species, this baby was still Padi's cousin. That would also mean it was the grandchild of Jarek's parents. Jarek wondered what his parents would have thought of being grandparents to a dragon. It was certainly something to talk about.

"I guess...I guess I better get to writing that letter," Jarek excused himself as he slithered off to fetch some parchment and a writing tool.

Smiling to herself, Sisu looked at her egg and gently pat it, "Your Ba sure has an irresponsible streak, but he comes through in the end."

There was nothing but love in Sisu's voice. Jarek may have had his flaws, but he was someone she could always count on. She couldn't have asked for a better mate. The feeling was mutual on Jarek's part, but his mind wasn't focused on his lovely mate at that moment but what he was supposed to write to his sister and niece.

Jarek sat there, brush in hand and parchment on a small table, "Okay, letter time," the dragon stated.

Writing a letter was so simple, it needed little to start and the rest would flow easily. At least, that's what he thought. He had written letters to his sister and niece in the past, usually whenever a job took him far from home for extended periods.

Starting it should have been so simple, but it wasn't. This wasn't a normal situation, he wasn't on a trip, and his family knew where he lived. The dilemma was the fact he had procrastinated or rather forgot to send them a letter in the first place. Perhaps that was the reason starting this was so hard.

"Great," Jarek sighed.

"Having a bit of trouble?"

Jarek craned his head around and noticed Sisu approaching him with their egg.

"Yeah babe, trying to start this is easier said than done," Jarek half-amusingly smiled.

Leaning towards her husband, Sisu pecked him on the cheek, "Well...maybe you could open with a joke?"

Jarek cocked an eyebrow at his wife, "A joke? Really?"

Sisu shrugged, hugging the egg close to her body, and rubbed it lovingly, "Something better than nothing, besides, your sister is probably going to be steaming mad you waited so long."

There was no doubt Sisu was wiser than she let on, and Jarek knew he had to lighten the mood. His sister could have quite a temper, at least around him.

Pondering, Jarek smirked, "Got, the perfect opener! Thanks, hon."

Jarek carefully painted the words down, writing them with perfection. Although he had started as a thief, one thing he could pride himself on was that his handwriting was excellent.

The rest of the letter flowed seamlessly, and in a short time it was done, "Perfect!" Jarek prided himself, "Now to send this out, come first light!"

Smiling down at her mate, Sisu kissed him again, "What would you do without me Skippy?"

Jarek glanced at his mate, replying, "You and I both know my life truly began when I met you."

Pondering the admission for the moment, Sisu replied, "I could say the same about me."

At that moment, the two knew they were made for one another. They had several moments like this before, and this one was added to the long list. It was a list that would continue to grow.

A/N Sorry this took so long. But thanks to my friend I was able to get this out.