Bree nodded with a little smile, already thinking of the possibilities.

By the time the egg hatched, they had picked out a location but were still finalizing the plans. They had purchased several acres to themselves for the dragons, and the designs for the house were almost done. The backyard was going to host quite possibly the largest pool ever, big enough for a dragon and a young dragon. And Bree was going a little crazy but she loved it anyway.

Sherlock had forked over some of his hoard easily enough, especially once he knew they'd all be living together. And he spent most of his time in the cave or near the nest, keeping an eye on Charlotte and the egg and making sure all was well with his little family.

Charlotte had also handed over some of her hoard easily enough. She was interested in the planning of the home, right up until the egg showed signs of being nearly ready to hatch. Then she turned her attention back to it, fussing and coddling as she had when it was first laid.

It was early in the morning when the first cracks appeared in the shell. When Charlotte noticed the cracks, she began crooning softly over the egg, trying to encourage the little one inside.

Sherlock lifted his head to watch, adding his own encouragement from time to time, a gentle rumble. But he didn't try to get closer, instead watching with bright eyes.

It took another hour before the shell broke enough for the two adults to catch a glimpse of the dragonet inside. Charlotte could see a tiny slice of dark scales through the pale shell, though the true color of the little one wouldn't be apparent until it had fully hatched and spent a day or so drying and resting. With a sudden crack, the shell broke apart into several large pieces and the little dragonet tumbled into the nest.

Sherlock made a surprised noise and craned to see better, although he let Charlotte have first dibs on coddling and cooing over the little one.

Charlotte did indeed coo over the little one softly. The dragonet was sprawled out on the soft floor of the nest, scales still gleaming wetly from inside the egg, and Charlotte nosed the little one gently. She breathed the slightest bit of steam onto it and nudged it closer to the fire near the back of the nest. The dragonet lifted its head slowly and blinked in the sudden light outside the shell, looking around.

Sherlock lowered his head a bit, getting a little closer to the little one, but not much. Charlotte had accepted him, but he wasn't sure how far that would go. Besides, little ones always needed some to adjust to the sudden lights and sounds and sensations.

The little one managed to stumble a bit closer to the source of warmth in the nest, helped along by gentle nudges from Charlotte. Its little wings were still folded against its body, only opening to help balance the little dragonet as it attempted to walk. Once it was curled up nearer the fire, it dropped off to sleep.

Charlotte went and curled up around it protectively. Leaning over slightly, she scented the little one for the first time.

"She is perfect," she murmured to Sherlock.

"She is," Sherlock agreed, settling down as well to watch over both of them. "She is healthy and perfect." He rumbled, pleased.

"She will be hungry when she wakes," Charlotte commented as she curled her tail around the little one. "She will need something fresh."

Sherlock nodded. "I will hunt soon," he agreed. "But she will not wake for a few hours. I have a little time."

Charlotte nodded and stayed where she was, keeping an eye on the little one.

"She needs a name," she said softly to Sherlock after a little while.

Sherlock blinked at that. Name. Right. Yes. Name.

"I'm uncertain," he said. "I have never named anything before. Particularly not something important."

"Nor have I," Charlotte admitted. She looked down at their sleeping hatchling. "Perhaps we should ask Bree and John?"

Sherlock grumped. "They would be good to ask," he agreed. "But we have the final say." Because John's history of naming things wasn't exactly great either.

"Agreed," Charlotte replied. Because naming her little one was a special thing, and she wanted control over it. Or, at least, joint control with Sherlock.

"I will go find them," Sherlock volunteered, since he knew Charlotte wasn't about to leave. He got up, shook himself, and went to go find Bree and John.

Charlotte nodded and let him go, staying where she was so as not to wake the hatchling.

Outside the cave, John and Bree were back at the little shack John had claimed. Over the last few months, he had actually turned it into a rather respectable house, as much as he could.

Bree had helped, some, mainly by getting things to make it more comfortable for them. She spent as much time in the house as up with Charlotte, so she figured she might as well help make things comfortable.

Sherlock landed outside and blinked in a window. "John," he called.

John jumped a bit at the sudden eye at the window.

"Christ, Sherlock," he said, hurrying outside, "you've knocked before. What if we'd been in the middle of something?" Not that he and Bree had really gotten quite that far, but the possibility was there, however distant.

"You weren't," Sherlock said helpfully. "Is there any danger of me interrupting?" Because if there was, he would be more careful.

John sighed.

"Not yet," he said. "Is there something going on, Sherlock? I thought you and Charlotte were staying close to the egg?"

"The egg has hatched. A healthy female." Sherlock paused there. "However, we are having trouble coming up with a name for her."

"The egg hatched?" John asked. "That's wonderful. I'm sure Bree would like to hear the news, and I know she'll want to see the little one." He paused when Sherlock's words sank in. "You... want help in choosing a name? I thought you and Charlotte would want to do that yourselves."

"We do not know what a suitable name is," Sherlock admitted. "We are... not practiced in naming anything."