I've got some time before we have to leave...

[bloodsong1]

"Mommy, I miss my Naga," Becca announced as Sarah tucked her in. Sarah nodded.

"I miss her too. Did Chibi-Usa give you a friend while you were there?"

"Yes, but I had to leave her behind."

"I see. Well, how about we find you a friend for Naga? Would that help?"

"Oh yes! Can we find a giraffe friend?"

"I don't see why not. We'll look around tomorrow."

"Yay!" Becca clapped her hands and wriggled. Sarah smiled.

"Now! Are you comfy and cosy?"

"Yes."

"Good. Good night. Sleep tight." Sarah kissed Becca's forehead twice. Becca rolled onto her side and shut her eyes. Sarah fetched the Bracelet Bag, shut off the light and headed downstairs. Marc gave her a hug and a buss on the cheek on his way to bed. Sarah watched him go and quietly sighed. Since Wolf's passing, Marc had tried to step up and be a man. However, in a lot of ways, he was still a little boy who needed reassurance.

"Maybe I need to find a friend for Jaggy too," She said, sitting down at the table. Shippo, sitting at the alcove desk, turned his chair to face her.

"Who's Jaggy?"

"Marc's stuffed jaguar. He still sleeps with it, or at least he did. Cuteness is missing her stuffed bear, so I said we'd get her a friend. She likes giraffes."

"Hmm. The Kyoto Zoo doesn't have giraffes, but we might be able to find something."

"The kids would love the zoo. When should we go?" Sarah asked, taking out white, gold, and silver threads. Usagi and Mamoru were the only ones left. She pinned the Princess' threads to the cardboard base and started weaving.

"Tomorrow? I don't have any other plans."

"When do you need to go back to work?"

"That's the best thing of being head of Intel. I can delegate." Shippo winked. Sarah smiled and got trapped in his gaze again. As a kit on the anime, Shippo had been cute and mischievous and determined to prove his strength. Now, as an adult, he was gorgeous and fun and didn't need to prove a damned thing. And he had promised to help her and stand by her until the quest was done. Kitsune promises had a power all their own. She could see it and feel it when he looked at her or the children. The promise extended to them by default.

"Ar...are you sure?" She stammered, trying to break the glowing gaze and only partially succeeding.

"Of course." Shippo stood up and handed her a cell phone. "Here. I programmed it with all of our phone numbers, including Chiba's, and I sent a text to him so he'd have yours too."

"You think of everything," Sarah said, opening the phone. The functions, thankfully, were in English.