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After dinner, Reese talks with Z about dragons.

The secret santa's present is a seashell necklace. Most of the shells are spiral and are a lighter shade of green than Reese's hair. Some are like the small ridged shells and are pale yellow. Between each shell is a glass marble of varying colors. The whole thing is strung on a piece of twine. The necklace should be long enough to wrap around Reese's neck twice.

Every window had a candle in it (electric, mind you, there were drapes to worry about), making the outside of the house glow with a gentle, festive light. Edge smiled to himself as he stepped off his motorcycle, wheeling the black bike into the garage before the automatic door shut down behind him. Dusting snow off of himself and his cargo, he quietly opened the garage door and stepped into his home.

Christmas carols originated from the stereo in the living room, echoing into the hall. The kitchen was warm with activity and the smell of cookies wafted out of the oven as they baked. The decorations where simple, red bows and sparkling white snowflakes hung appropriately on banisters and from the corners of doorways.

Wilbur shut the door as he removed the latest batch of sugar cookies from the oven, spatula quick to shift the yummies off onto a cooling rack. Behind him, Reese had wheeled himself up to the table and was...well, busy of course! When was he not? Brows furrowed, nose scrunched in concentration, the little seahorse boy was intent on the decorating process. There were already several dozens of cookies colored with icing, sprinkles, colored sugar and candy, and Reese was putting the finishing touches on a mitten-shaped cookie he was covering in yellow jimmies.

"Do you think we've made enough cookies, Young Sir?"

"Never." Reese's answer was spoken quietly, but there was a definitive nature to it that made Wilbur chuckle. The sound drew Reese's attention, and he glanced up with a bright eyed smile.

"You saved some for me to decorate though, right?" Edge asked as he stepped into the room, setting the packages down carefully.

"Poppa!" was the squeal from Reese as the little boy rolled himself away from the table and turned into his father, arms reaching up to allow the man to heft him from the wheelchair.

"Hey there, Kiddo," Edge hugged the boy close. "I've got something for you." Reese blinked, looking around curiously. Where? Where? Reese loved presents...and Christmas was the best time for them!

"Thow?" he questioned, peering over his father's shoulder and beaming when he saw the packages on the ground. Edge's grin didn't fade as he set the boy back into his chair, turning to

Reese sat in his wheelchair, nose all a wrinkle as he looked down at the paper in front of him. Poppa had said it was homework from D-corp again, which didn't bother Reese all that much. Learning, Edge had showed him, could be rather fun...and the more he learned from D-corp, the closer he would be to getting his dragon.

The thought made Reese smile...which quickly turned into a disgruntled snort as his hair fell all over his eyes, obscuring the view. Edge kept saying he was going to take the seahorse boy out for a hair cut...so far, no good. Work had been hectic lately, and things kept "coming up".

"How comes the homework, kiddo?" was the warm voice behind him, and Reese bounced happily in his chair as his father entered the room.

"I can't thee," Reese whined gently, trying to blow the hair out of his face, only to have it fall down again. Edge chuckled, moving some hair behind Reese's ear.

"I've really gotta get you to a barber," he mused, looking around for a moment. "Oh, there we go." Reese craned his neck to watch his father pick something small off the desk across the room, fidgeting while Edge pulled the mess of hair into a loose ponytail at the base of his neck, securing it with a rubber band.

"How's that?"

"Better," Reese said with a bright smile, looking down at the paper again. "I can thee!" Yes, much better. Ok, so what was the first question now?



Well, that had been easy enough...except, well. Reese bit his lip thoughtfully...and blinked, almost giggling as he erased one of the answers.

"Why are you changing that one, Reese? You love the color blue."

"Cuth," Reese said simply, writing in a new color.



"I like Thee better!"

"He's growing up too fast," Edge commented quietly from where he stood in the hall, observing Reese as the young boy watched television. He could brush his own teeth without having to be watched or checked. He could brush his own hair too, though the ponytail still gave him trouble. And Reese could push himself around easily in his wheelchair, but Edge noticed now that the chair was starting to look a little too small for the boy.

"Remind me to order him a new chair?" he asked as he turned away, heading back into the kitchen with Wilbur. The older man glanced up from clearing away dishes from dinner, nodding some.

"Of course, Sir," was the polite reply...but something in the air told Edge there was more on the butler's mind.

"Out with it, Wilbur. What're you worried about?" Edge said with a half smile, settling into one of the chairs around the kitchen table. Wilbur paused, a little unsure as to where to start...but with a sigh, he set the dirty dishes into the sink.

"You won't be able to hide from him forever. He's a smart boy, one of these days he's going to figure out where you go at night and what 'the office' really is." Wilbur glanced over at his employer, a troubled look in his eyes. Edge wrinkled his nose, similar to what Reese often did and definitely something he'd picked up from the little tyke, glancing over his shoulder.

"Just a little longer. I don't think he's at the point where he can understand what it is that I...do." Wilbur couldn't help but noticing how lost Edge looked when they talked about things like this. After all, it was this occupation that put such a strain on Edge's marriage. Could he be blamed for worrying about losing Reese too?

"Watch that girl he's always with," the butler warned, his voice a little dark and a slight scowl across his brow.

"Oh come on, Wilbur, she's just a child like he is," Edge tried to cut in.

"No, I mean it Edge," Wilbur went on, determined. "She's not a child, she's a young lady and...and as much as I hate to admit it, she's sharp. And nosy. I wouldn't put it past her to go riffling through your paperwork and find out about these things."

"What thingth?" Both men jumped as Reese rolled himself into the kitchen, bright eyes wide and innocent as he looked between his father and his caretaker. Edge was the first to breathe again, opening up his arms towards his son for a hug.

"Nothing, Kiddo. Come here, lemme look at you." Reese smiled, moving across the floor to his father...shifting, a little stiff and cramped in his chair. Edge's face was a little stern, his eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the seahorse child. The man would turn the child's head back and forth, lifting up his arms - first the left, then the right - and inspecting inside his ears. Reese giggled quietly, looking over at Wilbur who just smiled.

"What do you think, Wilbur? Think the boy can handle some responsibility around here?" Reese's eyes widened. Responsibility? Wow, that was a big word. His eyes darted hopefully to his father's friend, and then back again.

"Well, I'm not sure," Wilbur mused, which got a quick frown out of Reese before the butler grinned and winked. "But I think he can handle it."

"What thort of rethonthibility?" he asked suddenly, trying to hide his excitement. Edge motioned for the boy to roll back, which he did, allowing his father to stand up and walk around Reese in an important fashion.

"As you know, you'll be getting a dragon one of these days." His tone was strong and firm, his hands behind his back. Reese's head whipped about as he was circled, his tail flicking anxiously. "And I think going from having nothing to having, well, a dragon is a big leap. So..." Edge glanced at Wilbur for dramatic effect.

"I think we should get you a pet." Reese squealed, then clamped both hands across his mouth. He wiggled in his seat, grinning behind his hands as Edge continued. "Something small, something easy for you to take care of..."

"Like a fith?" He blurted it out. He hadn't meant too! But this was so cool! His own pet! And he'd seen this thing on TV the other day about fish! Goldfish! "Can I have a fith, Poppa?"

Edge's stoic demeanor broke with a smile, standing in front of Reese and kneeling down by his wheelchair. "Sure, Kiddo. If it's a goldfish you want, that's what you'll get."

Reese peered intently into the fishbowl, watching the little fish that swam in the clear water. He'd just cleaned Goldie's tank a little bit ago (with Wilbur's help, of course), and the air bubbles still clung all around the sides, making it look like lace. She looked so happy right after the tank was clean, inspecting her plants and marbles like they were all totally new to her.

"Hiya Goldie," he spoke tenderly, drawing his finger along the outside and giggling as the little fish followed his finger. "Are you hungry?" His bright eyes glancing up to look for the food. Ah, there it was, on the other side of the room. Now how did it get over there? Reese sighed some, knowing he'd have to move himself there...Wilbur had stepped out to get a phone call, who knew when he'd be back.

Reese wrinkled his nose, pushing hard onto the left wheel as he tried to turn himself. He had to admit, it was getting easier to do...but moving with both arms was tougher than just trying to move the one wheel. After getting himself pointed in the right direction, Reese set his jaw and pushed. And pushed. And pushed. He could feel his muscles straining, and the wheelchair started to shift forward.

The trek was slow, but he made it to the other side where the container of food waited. His shoulders and arms burned painfully, and he almost didn't want to reach for the food but Goldie needed to be fed. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Reese reached out...stretching himself forward to the yellow tube. His fingers wiggled, and he whined as all the muscles from his bicep into his back ached.

With a sigh, Reese sat back in his chair. He wasn't close enough to get the food. His brow furrowed determinedly, and he shifted onto the edge of his chair. Gripping the arm with one hand, holding the footrest with his tail, he reached out again. His fingertips brushed the plastic of the container and he puffed his cheeks, leaning forward more. Just a little closer...

His whole back hurt. His fingers were sore from gripping the wheels and pushing himself forward. By the time Reese realized he was losing his grip, he was falling forward...and down, fast. The ground came up as he screamed, his arm scraping against the side of the shelf he'd been reaching across as he landed hard on his side. His tail was bent awkwardly against the footrest and his whole right side felt hot as he laid there, in shock.


Wilbur heard the scream, then the thud. Without a second thought he left the customer dangling on the line, taking the stairs two and three at a time as he rushed up to Reese's room. By the time he got there the boy was sitting on the floor, holding his right side and crying big, ugly tears.

"Oh, Reese," Wilbur sighed guiltily, going over to kneel beside the boy. Reese's arms reached out as his caretaker came close and the butler pulled the seahorse child into his lap, hugging him and gently petting his hair. "Reese, shhh...shhh. It's ok. You're alright..."

"I-I..." Reese sniffled, hiccuping as he clung to the man. "I f-f-fell...ou-ut." Poor little thing was trembling, whimpering between sobs. Wilbur nodded, glancing up to see what the culprit had been. Goldie's food, of course. Wilbur had absently put in on the shelf while they were cleaning her bowl.

"I know, Young Sir. I heard," Wilbur sighed again, leaning back to move Reese's hair out of his face. "Where does it hurt?"

Reese sniffled a few more times, wiping his face with the back of his good arm before pointing along his right side. "Here. And here," was the reply as he also lifted his right arm. Wilbur lightly touched where Reese pointed, but he could already see the swelling along Reese's inner bicep. It would be sore, maybe even bruise, though his torso looked okay. Wilbur supposed the skin was thicker there, able to take a little more abuse.

"All right, Reese," Wilbur started, feeling his heart rate settling. "You're a little beat up, but nothing horrible." He tried to smile, wiping the last few tears away from Reese's face as the boy sniffled.

"It hurtth," Reese protested, coughing lightly.

"I think you were more frightened than wounded, Young Sir," the butler added with a smirk. Reese's lips frowned, his brow furrowed, and he shook his head. Wilbur chuckled, nodding reassuringly. "Yes, I think so. We'll get some ice on your arm..."

"I want my old chair back," Reese added definitely. Stupid chair...it was too big for him! How many times would he have to tell Wilbur and Poppa that before they listened to him?

"Mmm, I just think this new one is a bit stiff. If you moved around in it more, I'm sure you'll find it goes much easier." Wilbur was collecting the child as he spoke, carefully settling him back into the seat of the chair. "Though we'll wait until your arm is better before getting more practice in, yes?"

"I don't like it," Reese protested again, cradling his wounded arm with the other. If he didn't have such a hard time moving it around, he would have been able to get Goldie's food without hurting himself!

"Well, let's now worry about it now, hmm? Let's go get you some ice for your arm...and maybe some ice cream for your stomach?" Reese's pouty face only somewhat shifted at the mention of ice cream.

He liked ice cream.

"Okay," he finally muttered, still looking sour. Wilbur grinned knowingly, rolling the little boy towards the door. "Don't let me forget to feed Goldie," Reese added, finally starting to sound like himself again.

Wilbur and Reese go to the zoo and meet up with Max! (( Limbo ))