At only four months old, Noble Heart and True Heart’s twin cubs, Kind Heart Bear and Valiant Heart Horse, were already toddler aged by human standards. Noble Heart and True Heart watched their children at play, Valiant Heart playing with letter blocks while Kind Heart was playing with her stuffed animals.
True Heart checked the wall clock then looked down at her children, “Alright, you two, I think it’s nap time.”
“But mommy, I’m not…” Valiant Heart’s protest was cut off by his yawn. Kind Heart was about to say something else when she caught Valiant Heart’s yawn.
Noble Heart chuckled and carefully picked up his daughter, “You’re just as sleepy as your brother. Let’s go to bed.”
“Ok daddy,” Kind Heart mumbled. The warmth of her father’s fur helped lull her to sleep as True Heart picked up her twin brother.
It was the work of a moment to put the two down for their nap, both still shared the same bed and cuddled each other on instinct. Noble Heart and True Heart watched them sleep, Noble Heart putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders.
“They’re so precious,” True Heart whispered.
“They’re growing up so fast, maybe not as fast as our first children.” Noble Heart smiled as they turned to leave them to their nap.
They sat on the couch together, True Heart leaning up against Noble Heart. “Is this too easy? I mean I remember struggling a lot more with the Care Bears and Cousins.”
“Well there were over thirty of them and only five of us, and now there’s one of us for each of them,” Noble Heart chuckled, “Not to mention we’re younger than we were back then.”
True Heart giggled and turned sideways until she lay with her head in Noble Heart’s lap, her long wavy hair spread out beneath her and over the edge of the couch. “I still feel so energized lately!”
“Me too, even the kids can’t wear me out.” Noble Heart gently lifted True Heart’s head up so they could kiss.
True Heart giggled again as she lay back down, playing with the Radiant Heart Crystal that always hung from a gold chain around her neck, “So should we do when this is all over?”
“Other than raise the kid you mean?” Noble Heart chuckled, “Well we’re not going back to leadership, we’re too young now.” This caused both of them to burst out laughing.
“Heeheehee, oh my stars! It’s going to be so strange becoming just ordinary Care Bears when we start taking missions again,” True Heart had a hard time getting her giggles under control.
“We don’t have to do that,” Noble Heart ran a hand through her hair, “We could enjoy our retirement with the cubs.”
“Maybe we could go on a trip and see the world. We have enough savings and the cloud cars,” True Heart got a far away look in her eyes.
“With or without the kids?”
“With if they want to come, or we can wait a few years until they grow up and go alone.” True Heart said.
“Or we could just keep the family growing,” Noble Heart carefully shifted and rolled over until he was lying on top of True Heart.
“N-Noble Heart!” True Heart blushed fiercely, “You mean now?”
“Maybe,” Noble Heart gave a seductive grin, “We could still go, and take the twins and whichever other kids join us along the way. I love being a dad and I know you love being a mom, without the weight of the world on our shoulders anymore.”
“Oh Noble Heart,” True Heart’s face was still red as she pulled Noble Heart’s face down and into a deep kiss.
A glow from between them cause them to pull apart to see that the Radiant Heart Crystal had lit up. “Oh my stars!” True Heart touched the crystal, feeling a painless jolt of brilliant energy.
Noble Heart touched it, feeling the same jolt pass through him, “I thought the crystal’s power was spent.”
“It’s reacting to our love, Noble Heart,” True Heart gave a serene smile, “but why only now?”
“Maybe our love is just that pure and strong,” Noble Heart gave True Heart a kiss on the neck, “I know I feel for you more than I have in years. Valiant and Kind have brought us closer than we’ve been since we first brought the cubs to the Kingdom of Caring.” Noble Heart rested his head on True Heart’s chest, nuzzling up against her.
“Oh- Oh my!” True Heart shuddered all over and kissed Noble Heart’s head, “I feel it, so warm and pure.”
“Me or the crystal?” Noble Heart teased as he stroked her cheek, “You feel warm and pure to me too.”
“Noble Heart! My stars!” It was as if the crystal was taking their love and pouring it back into them stronger than before as Noble Heart was pulled back up, “Yes! Please! Now!”
“Of course,” Noble Heart hovered above her, “You are my true love!” He dove into a powerful kiss.
They lay together, snuggled up on the couch with the glowing crystal between them. Both giggled happily as they kissed each other.
“We might have an extra passenger on our world trip,” True Heart whispered.
“That means we’ll have as many as Regal Heart, if we count Hugs and Tugs,” Noble Heart nuzzled under her chin.
“I do. I wish we could have been here but they grew up so well. I’m proud of them.” As True Heart spoke the glow from the crystal subsided from bright light to a more moderate tone. Both looked at the heart shaped crystal to find its once dull surface now glowing and shifting through every color of the rainbow.
True Heart toyed with the heart carefully, “It’s beautiful.”
“So are you,” Noble Heart gave her a kiss.
True Heart giggled again and nuzzled their noses together, “And you’re so handsome. I didn’t think being young like this would give us so much energy.”
Noble Heart’s ear twitched and he carefully got off the couch, “Sounds like the twins are waking up.”
“They’re restless,” True Heart sighed happily as she stood up, using her stare to clean the couch. “Let’s go see what they want to do.”
