Apple Blossoms

Grass crunched underfoot as Kara walked through the orchard; her hiking boots heavy on her tired feet. Exhausted, she sat down against the solid trunk of one of the apple trees, budding flowers scattered around her feet. Sighing in contentment, she closed her eyes, inhaling the saccharine smell of the crisp, cool air. The smell brought memories of twilight walks in an orchard, of climbing trees to get a view over the lake, her best friend Herry by her side. It had been years since she'd seen him, and she'd heard that he had fought off the Greek god of time. She smiled sadly: too bad Aphrodite hadn't shot him with a love arrow; he didn't know how much she missed him!

Kara clasped her hands, and bowed her head, not quite sure if this was how you prayed, but too desperate to care.

"Aphrodite," she began. "I haven't seen my friend Herry in over ten years, and I miss him a lot. Would you be so kind as to let him know that I need him again? Love, Kara."

Then she sat back against the broad firm trunk, hoping that the goddess would hear her prayers…

"Yeehoo!" Herry crowed as his race car sped around the corner of the track, nearly flipping over on its side. Beside him, Theresa screamed in horror, gripping the edge of her seat in terror.

As soon as the car came to a halt, she tumbled out into her boyfriend's waiting arms, and Jay laughed as he realized she was shaking.

"What, Thessa, you can fight the god of time, but you cringe in horror in a race car?" he teased.

Theresa shot him a murderous look. "Okay, wise guy, your turn," she said, pushing him towards the car. He gulped.

"You're not serious, are you?"

Theresa smirked. "You're not afraid, are you, honey?"

Atlanta laughed from where she sat on one of the nearby branches, leaning into the crook of Archie's arm. They weren't boyfriend or girlfriend yet, but serious flirting had been going on lately, and everyone knew something had to give soon.

Herry grinned, but stood up out of the car. "Sorry, Theresa, not right now," he said. "I'm hungry."

She rolled her eyes, but as Jay began to cheer, she gave him a determined glare.

"Later, Jay. You will go in later."

"Of course I will," Jay sighed, catching his girlfriend around the waist and leaning his head on her shoulder. She laughed and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Herry smiled at all his friends, but couldn't help feeling a bit left out as he watched all his friends laughing and cheerful and so in love. Neil, with himself, Theresa and Jay, so obvious, Atlanta and Archie, coy and silly, and even Odie had a pretty girlfriend named Julie.

Odie had gone back to Calypso, only to discover that a new guy had come around, another shipwrecked sailor who had never wanted to leave. A bit unruffled, but not angry, Odie had went to university to become a technician, where he had met Julie, who was studying to become a Greek language teacher. They had clicked immediately, and Theresa said she had the feeling that there was going to be some rings pretty soon.

Sighing, Herry started towards the concession stand. As he ordered four hotdogs and a jumbo hamburger, he tried to remember his first crush. He squeezed his eyes tightly, an image coming to his mind. Big blue eyes, curly honey-red bangs, and a light dusting of freckles across the nose. Kara, he thought dreamily.

"Umm, sir?" asked a voice, and he opened his eyes to see a pimple-faced teen staring at him, holding four soggy, saucy hotdogs in both hands. "Here's your order."

Herry took them, paying in cash, too preoccupied to see that they had cheated him out of the hamburger. Kara, pretty, tiny Kara. That was all he could think about. He blushed as he remembered how tiny and delicate she had been in his arms.

"Hey, Herry, going to give Jay that race car ride yet?" called Archie, startling Herry out of his daydreams.

Atlanta frowned as she studied Herry's face. "Someone's in love," she ragged.

Herry dropped his hotdogs as Jay elbowed him playfully. "So, whose got a girlfriend that we don't know about?" he joshed.

Herry groaned. "Guys," he began, staring down at his dirty food in longing. "I was just thinking of Kara," he mumbled.

Neil cocked a brow. "Who's Kara?" he asked, interested. Theresa grinned.

"Just my… first crush," he admitted.

"Awe," the girls sighed. "How sweet."

Herry shrugged awkwardly. "I haven't seen her ever since I left to come here to New Olympia."

Theresa crossed her arms. "Well, maybe it's time you visited her."

"I don't know where she lives," Herry pointed out.

Theresa grinned. "This is me you're talking to." She closed her eyes, concentrating hard. "Show me where Kara lives," she murmured. "I see a tiny cottage with a red roof and white siding. Sound familiar, Herry?" she asked.

"Sure does. She must be living in the same place she's always lived. We used to be neighbours."

"Then let's go, big guy," Atlanta urged, prodding him towards the exit of the race track.

Meanwhile, Aphrodite watched, smiling. Her plan had been succeeded. And Kara's prayer was answered. She couldn't have done better.

Herry stepped off the plane into the same old countryside he had missed so much: tall grasses wavered in the wind, and sparse trees dotted the flat landscape. Larks sang, their melodious voices floating over the fields and meadows.

He turned to see the others stepping out of the plane. They had ordered a rental car ahead of time, and as they all climbed in, he took the wheel. Soon they were speeding off down the road, towards Kara's house.

They traveled the highway for a few hours before reaching a tiny dirt road, lined with trees and brush. Herry turned down it, driving for a few moments before a driveway came into view. He manoeuvred the rental vehicle down the narrow road, his face breaking into smiles as Kara's home suddenly appeared. Theresa sighed. It was so romantic: it was even cuter than it had been in her vision. A bright red roof gave it a bright and cheery look, and the white shingles helped it to stand out amidst all the green. Bright yellow and purple flowers were sprinkled everywhere on the sprawling front lawn, and a clear, rippling lake could be seen through the trees at the edge of the property.

Herry and the others clambered out of the car, Herry running to the front door and pushing the doorbell so hard it bust. Frowning, he knocked, gentler, trying not to break the door too.

A young woman with long red her like Theresa opened the door, her big blue eyes inquisitive. She smiled at the visitors, but everyone could see she only had eyes for Herry, and vice versa. "Herry!" she cried, jumping into his open arms like a fish into water. He grinned and buried his face in her hair, breathing deeply. He smelled apples, and blossoms, and all those wonderful things that reminded him of young love.

"Come on," he said, "Let's take a walk." He grabbed her hands, and they went for a twilight stroll along the lake, walking in the shadow of the apple trees, as the sweet smell of apple blossoms filled the air.

A/n: Just a sweet one-shot for all you Herry fans. Please review! Luv, Becky