Charlotte slept until about dawn, when she finally stirred to check the fire near the nest. It was burning low, and she quickly brought it back up to an energetic crackle. Then she turned and began to examine her eggs.

They were pale with a slight coppery sheen, and the shells were clearly still very soft and delicate. It would take at least a few days for them to harden, if not a week. Until then, Charlotte wouldn't leave the nest, staying near them to protect them from any harm.

Sherlock left her meals every morning, ensuring that she didn't go hungry, and a basket from John for Bree. He still left the baskets reluctantly, but he did agree that John needed to get his courtship on too.

Bree didn't try to get into the nest or inspect the eggs beyond what she could see of them from outside. She did praise Charlotte, though, and made sure the new mother wasn't wanting for anything.

Finally, after about a week, Charlotte reluctantly stepped back from the eggs a bit. The shells had finally hardened enough that they could safely be handled, and she knew it was time for the clutch to be taken away. That didn't mean she had to like it, however.

Bree didn't leave her side as the owners of the breeding grounds came and inspected the eggs, and finally took the three larger ones away with them. Sherlock was watching from outside, though he did blink when he saw only three eggs leave.

"You've still got one," Bree said, trying to sound cheerful. It didn't work.

"I know," Charlotte said as she curled around the remaining egg. It was noticeably smaller than the other three, but the shell seemed just as healthy and strong, so she had hope for it. "I do not think a long trip is a good idea, yet. It may not be strong enough quite yet."

John watched with Sherlock as the eggs were taken away.

"I thought you said there were four?" he asked, looking at his partner.

"We can stay here for as long as you want," Bree said with a little smile. "I promise. Everything's in order, so it's up to you now."

"There are," Sherlock agreed, eyes following the other three out of sight. "But I do not see the fourth. Even had it gone cold, it would have been brought out." But he didn't quite enter the cave.

Charlotte nodded and nosed the egg gently. It was comforting to know that this one was hers. Nobody would take it away from her.

"Perhaps Bree can tell us," John suggested. "Unless you think Charlotte will let you back in now."

"Unlikely," Sherlock said. "Especially not if something has gone awry. You can go in the first twenty feet or so and call for Bree, however, without retribution." He paused. "Probably."

John nodded and walked to the entrance of the cave.

"Bree?" he called.

Inside, Charlotte hissed and pulled the egg closer to her at the sudden voice in the cave.

"I'm coming," Bree called back. "Not to worry, it's just John, he's not coming in any farther," she told Charlotte. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She headed out to meet John, absently shooing him the rest of the way out of the cave as she did.

John let himself be shooed out of the cave.

"Sherlock tells me there were four eggs in the clutch," he said. "But we only saw three brought out. Is there something wrong with the last one?"

"No, not at all. Charlotte gets to keep it."

Smoke curled from Sherlock's nostrils in his surprise, and he blinked.

"Took a lot of work, but I have a written agreement that Charlotte gets to keep the smallest egg for herself." Bree grinned. "So she's in there curled around it."

"That would explain why it wasn't brought out with the others," John said, nodding. "So all is well?"

"Yeah, everything's good. She's resting, still. The egg shouldn't be moved for a few more days, so I guess she and I are staying." Bree looked at John for a moment. "Planning to head back now that all the excitement is over?"

"If that's what Sherlock wants," John said, glancing at his dragon. "You don't suppose Charlotte will let him back in? I'm sure he wants to see the egg himself."

Bree shrugged. "Hard to say," she said. "She did just lose the other three, she might be feeling rather protective. But she might let him in. I could go ask, at least."

"It's worth a try," John said. "Although regardless, I think Sherlock will want to stay until she is ready to leave herself."

Sherlock nodded his agreement of that, and Bree smiled.

"Alright," she agreed. "Let me go talk to her and see how she's feeling."

John nodded and let her go.

Inside, Charlotte was still curled up around her last egg, occasionally breathing smoke onto the shell and generally coddling it.

"Hey," Bree said, walking up to the nest and peering in. "How are you two doing?"

"Fine," Charlotte replied softly. She glanced over at Bree, contemplating whether or not to let her partner closer. After a moment, she shifted a bit so Bree could get into the nest, although she would be able to move and protect her egg at a moment's notice if she needed to.

Bree took the invitation for what it was, getting into the nest carefully and settling down still giving Charlotte and the egg a bit of room. She was kind of surprised, actually; this was Charlotte's first clutch, after all. She'd expected that it would take the new mother a lot longer to let her close.

Charlotte pulled the egg closer to her once Bree was in the nest, but she didn't chase her partner out again.

"I will need to make a suitable nest when we return home," she murmured, settling in again. "And I want to be able to wrap the egg to keep it safe for the trip back. It must be kept warm."

"I know. We'll make arrangements for the trip home. Although I believe you mentioned going out to the country for a while to let the egg hatch, rather than the apartment." Bree raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. The apartment is poorly suited for nesting," Charlotte replied. "My cave is much better. Tending an egg involves fire, and a safe place to hatch."