~2 months later~
I was walking around our new home; it was a beautiful place I must say, and things were going great except me, and Diego really wanted another cub. Just one more but we haven't been given a chance at all due to the fact we've been helping animals settle down and making sure everyone was living life normally again. Me and Diego haven't spoken much or seen one another because of it all, it was starting to feel rather lonely without him.
"Y/n!" I snap my head towards the cry to see many children gathered around me.
"Uh...yes?"
"We were wondering if you could help us with the park?" I smile at them gently.
"Of course, I can." I follow the kids to the park to notice it was only really a piece of land, I sigh before getting to work in setting up the park.
~Diego's POV~
I had just finished some animals with finishing off their homes and I had finally gotten some spare time, so I head over to the communal area we had done first to find Manny and Sid sat talking with one another, so I join them.
"Hey guys."
"Hi Diego!"
"Hey, you alright?" I look at Manny before sighing, I knew they'd have been helping too but a lot of people wanted me and Y/n to help around.
"Not entirely."
"What's up buddy." I let out a sigh.
"It's just been a bit crazy here, especially with a new home and all." I look over to Manny.
"Well, you're not wrong there but you and Y/n have been doing a lot more than others anyway. I mean I haven't even seen her this morning."
"Thing is, neither have I."
"But don't you two share a cave?" I face Sid.
"Yeah, but usually one of us has already gone home and fallen asleep before the other has gotten there, then one of us is always gone first."
"You guys need to stop helping. Take a break." I shake my head at Manny.
"How can we? There so much that animals need done, some still don't have a place to live." I could tell Manny had agreed with me on that but before he could say anything I hear my name being called by a beaver, I sigh and stand up.
"Duty calls. See you guys." I head off to go help.
~Third Person POV~
Manny, Ellie, Sid, Peaches, Crash, Eddie, Sage, Ryker, Tyler, Shira, Louis and Granny were all stood with one another; they had all picked up on Diego and Y/n by now and knew that they needed a long break.
"We need to take over for Diego and Y/n." Manny calls to the group and they all nod their heads in agreement.
"How exactly are we going to get them to agree to that, you can't really tell them they can't do something." Sage replies to Manny.
"Then we force them." Ellie replies.
"How?"
"Well, we call a meeting with everyone there, we announce that we'll be the lead helpers and any issues and problems must come to us. We then make it clear Diego and Y/n are not accessible from that point on." all other of the mammals look around and nod with one another.
"Great, so it's settled. Now come on we have to go share the news." Once they had finished, they began to gather everyone for a meeting.
~Y/n's POV~
Apparently, there was an urgent meeting being held, I had no idea why, but I headed on over to the communal area and I had spotted Diego, so I decided to go over and use this time to be with him.
"Hey." he looks down at me and smiles sweetly.
"Hey, you, ok?"
"I'm fine, just missed your company." he chuckles before properly nuzzling me, the first proper hug we've had in a while.
"Me too." we both stay this way before we hear Ellie's voice.
"Thanks everyone, this is an urgent matter." everyone looks around at one another before she continues.
"From this point on the people stood up here will be the people you go to if and when you need any help." Manny's voice can then be heard.
"You must not go to Diego or Y/n, they deserve a break and a long one at that." I look to Diego with shock, and he looks at me the exact same way.
"Is that understood?" we hear a chorus of agreements from all the animals before they then disperse back to their previous activities. Me and Diego then walk up to our entire family.
"Why have you done that?" I ask Ellie.
"You two have been helping and working like mad, we can all see how little time you get to spend with one another and it's not entirely fair on you that everyone constantly wants your guys' help." Ellie was borderline using her stern voice on me, so I knew she was serious.
"You guys didn't have to do that." Diego calls from beside me.
"Well, we have, so go. Enjoy one another's company." Me and Diego look at each other with a smile.
"Thank you, guys." man I love my family, they always know exactly what has to be done. I turn to Diego, and we could both tell we needed sleep. Proper sleep. Me and Diego started to walk back home not saying much to each other, but we didn't really need to right now we just enjoyed the company we both missed highly. Pretty soon we had reached our cave and we both headed to our corner, Sage and Ryker were still here with us, but we've agreed as soon as they're 18 they can leave. I lie down on the floor and feel Diego lie on my right side like he always does, he was still pretty far for my liking, so I shuffled my weight back until I was right next to him and leaned against him, I then laid my head on his paws instead of mine this earned a chuckle from him which made me smile.
"What's funny?"
"Nothing, nothing." I lift my head up to look at him with a not so believing look.
"You just made yourself comfortable, didn't you?"
"Was that a problem?" he shook his head with a smile.
"No, absolutely not."
"Good, now let me get comfortable."
"Be my guest." I lay my head back where it was again, but this time I had a wonderful idea. I wait a few seconds before moving around again purposefully 'accidentally' nudging Diego a few times in the process then I stop and wait again for a few more seconds. Once it had been long enough, I then proceed to attempt at being closer to Diego even though we were already close. I use my head to try and move beneath his paw but pretend to struggle slightly.
"Come on." I try to contain my laughter.
"What's wrong?"
"You're doing it on purpose now." I continue to try and act all innocent.
"Doing what? I thought I was allowed to get comfortable, am I not?" I hear him huff before I feel myself get turned and pinned, I look up and see Diego.
"Yes?" he shakes his head and smiles down at me.
"You know exactly what, kitty." he smirks at the name, and I give him a look.
"I don't think I do." he playfully growls slightly, annoying him was too easy.
"Well, to refresh your memory. I'm pretty sure you were just trying to purposefully agitate me." I pretend to think about it for a moment before looking dead at him.
"I don't recall that at all." I smile sweetly at him.
"Really?"
"Really." I watch him for a moment before he begins to tickle me, and I burst into laughter.
"Diego st-... please sto-" I don't seem to be able to get a word out as Diego continues to tickle me.
"This is payback, kitty." I try to look at Diego as he's still above me tickling me, I then get an idea. I use a short opening to lean up and kiss Diego, this causes him to stop in shock before I pull away and he frowns - I chuckle at this.
"You wouldn't stop."
"Well next time you can definitely stop me whenever." I shake my head and shove him playfully before he gets off, allowing me to sit normally again. I look over to Diego to see him smiling.
"What's wrong, smiley."
"We've not been around each other much lately, this is nice." I smile at him before shuffling back over to him, this time he allows my head to rest on one of his paws while the other rests over me, his body encasing mine as much as it physically can.
"It really is nice." pretty soon we each fall asleep.
~2 months later~
Me and Diego still haven't been allowed to help at all, but we weren't complaining. We were using this time well. Currently me and Diego were off on a run through the woods and mountains, I was a little behind Diego as I didn't want to run too fast. Soon we had gotten to the top of the mountain we were running up and I was a little out of breath, so I make my way to sit at the edge.
"Hey, you okay?" I look and see Diego sit beside me and I smile.
"Yah, I'm fine."
"You sure, you're usually a lot faster than that." I love how concerned he gets and how much he knows me.
"Well, you tend to slow when this happens." I see his confused expression and prepare myself to tell him.
"When what happens?" this was it, I was going to tell him.
"Diego... I'm pregnant." I wait for any sign of happiness or negativity
"Really?"
"Um.. yes." as soon as I confirm it, he breaks out into a smile and begins to cheer; this takes me back to when we had first met him, and we all went down those ice slides to chase the human kid. Once he had done his celebration, he comes up to me and leans his head against mine.
"This is amazing." I chuckle and pull back.
"It is, but no more after this I swear." he laughs at my comment but agrees with me.
"So, are we going to tell the others now?"
"Well, we can't really keep it from them until it happens, they're going to know something is off."
"You're not wrong, so want to go find them?" I nod at him as we get up to go find our family.
"Do you think Ryker and Sage will be happy?" he looks at me and thinks.
"I think they'd be delighted to have a younger sibling."
"I hope so."
"Don't worry even if not, they'll learn to love the idea." I smile at him as we head back towards our home. Pretty soon we get ack and notice that our family are already gathered together, they all really loved one another.
"Hey you two!" me and Diego make our way over to the others.
"Hey everyone." I greet them all.
"So, you two been up to anything interesting?" I look to Diego, and he gives me a nod of the head.
"Well, I was just giving Diego some news.
"What news?" I take a breath before deciding to just do it.
"Well, I'm pregnant." nothing happens for a minute as everyone just stares at us, I look to Diego both with the same concerned expression. Pretty soon the first person pipes up and it's Sage.
"You're what?!" me and Diego look to our two children.
"We're going to have a little sibling?" me and Diego nod to them and they immediately start cheering.
"Finally!"
"Finally, what do you mean finally?" I give them a look.
"Well, me and Ryker have always wanted a younger sibling and now you've finally decided to have another." I shake my head at the two of them while Diego chuckles.
"Congratulations!" pretty soon we receive a congratulations from everyone in our family even the new additions, and we thank everyone.
"Can't believe you still had it in you." I shoot my head towards Manny in horror and shock.
"What?"
"I'm just saying we're not who we were 20 years ago."
"He has a point." I give Diego a look, he agreed to this.
"Right, right, sorry." Diego immediately leaves our conversation.
"We may not be, but we're not exactly old and crippled."
"Not exactly young either." I give him a death glare.
"You calling me old?" Manny's expression immediately becomes regretful.
"No! No, not at all. You look younger even." I raise my brows at his comment before smirking.
"I was just messing with you; I know we're a bit older than most animals do this for, but we agreed this is it after that."
"Wait, you planned this. When?" I look at Crash.
"When Manny and Sid were in soldier mode, making a plan with those guinea pigs." I nod at Diego's comment.
"Then? Why then?" I look at Eddie.
"Well, we both missed having a cub around and brought it up when watching our grown-up kids interact with two grown up sabers." we smile at them and they reciprocate it, then we all decide to do something as a family; Diego of course already entered protective mode, but I love him for it.