While you were gone:
Summary: "I really hope it was worth it Kai. Whatever it was out there you wanted to see. Wherever it was you wanted to go." Said Claire, a faraway hurt in her eyes. "Because you lost your chance. You lost your chance when you just left me in your bed without saying good-bye, without giving me any way to contact you- to tell you what had happened." [Kai x Claire] [Rick x Claire] [MFOMT/ MOFO]
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A/N: I'd just like to apologize to all Kai fans. I know he's not cast in a positive light in this fic... But you've gotta admit, he can be kind of a playboy. I don't hate Kai, and this isn't a Kai-bashing fic. Just some situational drama... if that's even a term.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town, or any other affiliated products.
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A shy, reluctant girl with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Naive and unsure. Kai still remembered her from the last summer. He strolled onto the ranch, noticing changes from the year before. She certainly had more chickens than before- they grazed in her fields along with her cattle and sheep. He noted with some disappointment that she didn't seem to have any pinapples growing. He shrugged. She would probably plant them soon.
He knocked on the door three times, a confident grin on his face. "I'll get it!" Volunteered a female voice from inside. Kai wondered if she had guests. Maybe he should come some other time. The door came open, to reveal a girl with bouncy pink hair and dark eyes- not the person he'd expected. She was smiling at someone inside the house, but when she turned to look at Kai, her expression fell. Her brows furrowed, her mouth set in a thin line as she narrowed her eyes. "Kai." She said quietly.
Kai raised his eyebrows, surprised at the girl's angry expression. "Uh... Popuri. Is Claire in-"
"Claire doesn't want to speak to you." She said, her voice nearly a growl. "She doesn't want to see you. So I suggest you turn around and-"
"Popuri." Kai glanced over Popuri's shoulder, hearing the voice of the person he had come to see. Claire stood behind the pink haired girl, her expression blank. "It's alright. I'll talk to him."
"But-" Popuri began, looking at Claire with concern. Kai just stood there, confused. Why wouldn't Claire want to see him?
"Are you really with that guy?" Kai wondered, watching Rick walk away. Claire blushed. "W-with? Um- w-well, not- not exactly." She twiddled her fingers, embarrassed. Kai smirked. She was cute.
"Hey, sorry to bring this up out of nowhere, but you're a farmer, right? Are you growing pineapples?"
Claire tilted her head to one side, confused. "Um... Yes. I'm growing a few."
Kai grinned. "Cool. I love pineapples." The blonde girl smiled shyly. "I do too."
Popuri reluctantly walked past Claire and back into the house, glaring at Kai until he couldn't see her anymore. Kai raised an eyebrow, wondering why Popuri was so angry at him. "What are you doing here?" Asked Claire, breaking Kai from his thoughts.
"What am I- I came to see you!" Kai said, wounded by Claire's cold tone. "I thought you'd be happy to see me."
Claire smiled bitterly. "Happy? Happy. Really?" She laughed humorlessly. "After you didn't contact me at all for months?" Kai winced- he'd been hoping she wouldn't be mad about that. "I lost your address." He lied.
"You're lying." Said Claire sharply, frowning. "You just never thought to send a single letter, did you? You just expected me to wait for you to come back without any proof that you were even thinking about me while you were gone. "
"No... I can't do this. Kai, I'm sorry-"
"It's Rick, right?" Asked Kai, rolling his eyes. "C'mon Claire- Is that what you really want? To raise chickens with him for the rest of your life? Have some fun while you still can!"
Claire shook her head. "No. Rick-"
Kai clasped her hands in his. "Claire, there are times when you just have to stop listening to your brain. What does your heart want to do?" He questioned "What does your body want to do?" He asked in a softer voice. Claire blushed, her eyes widening. She was shaking. She bit her lip, not looking him in the eyes. "I-"
"Look, Claire, I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you- I swear. Just give me a chance."
Blue eyes locked with his. "I really hope it was worth it Kai. Whatever it was out there you wanted to see. Wherever it was you wanted to go." Said Claire, a faraway hurt in her eyes. "Because you lost your chance. You lost your chance when you just left me in your bed without saying good-bye, without giving me any way to contact you- to tell you what had happened."
"My boat was about to leave- I didn't want to wake you up-" Kai began. His brows furrowed in confusion. "'What had happened'...? What do you mean?"
"I need to talk to Kai!" Cried Claire. "Please, don't you know some way?"
Harris frowned. "Do you know the name of the boat he took, or where he went?" Claire shook her head. "Well, he'll probably send you a letter soon. You two seemed close, so he'll probably contact you. Then you can just send a letter to the return adress."
Claire nodded slowly. "Okay..." She said quietly. "Thank you." She left the building, closing the door behind her.
"If you'd sent just one letter, I could've contacted you. But no. Not even that one simple sign that you cared." Tears were filling her eyes, but not a single one fell. "You know, Rick is a one-in-a-million guy. Most guys wouldn't take me back after what had happened. He loves me that much, and you tried to convince me to leave him. For you." She shook her head. "How could I have even considered that?"
"I don't understand- What happened?" Kai asked, getting frustrated. "Just tell me already!"
She frowned at him.
"Claire...? What's wrong?" Asked Rick, looking down at her. The blonde girl looked up at him from her spot on the floor, her terrified eyes staring into his kind ones. "Oh... Rick. I"m so sorry!" She sobbed, shaking. She clutched her stomach, feeling another wave of nausea coming on. "Urk..." Tears flowed down her face, mixing with sweat. "I did something terrible. Something I shouldn't have. I know you'll never forgive me, but- I'm so sorry!" Arms wrapped around her trembling frame. "...Kai, right? Claire... I knew. I knew you two were... I just kept hoping you'd see- see that I was the one who really-"
"Rick..." She sobbed. "I'm-"
Kai stared at the blonde, his mouth hanging open. "You- You're pre-"
"Was." Claire corrected. There was a terrible pain in her eyes. "She was premature... and still-born. The doctor said it was the stress." She shook her head. "I named her. Doctor Trent said that would help with the pain. Her name was Mercy." The tears spilled over. "You should have seen them. The looks the villagers gave me. I was obviously too far along for it to be Rick's- I was two months pregnant when we got married. They knew it was someone else's- Knew the baby was yours. I was so lucky to have Rick, and Popuri, and Lillia. Doctor Trent and Ellen were so understanding, but there were so many people judging me." She glared at him. "It's always all the woman's fault, isn't it? After all, she's the one who got pregnant."
"Claire- Claire I'm sorry-"
"You're too late!" Claire shouted. "I don't want to hear any more. You can apologize all you want, but that won't take my baby's name off her headstone." She shook her head again. "Why did I have to listen to you...? I was so stupid- so naive... And you took advantage of that. Rick and I could've had our own child by now, but no. Instead of rocking a baby to sleep, I wake up in the middle of the night crying and screaming my dead daughter's name." She smiled bitterly. "I hope you had your fun. I really hope you did. Now please, go. I don't want to see you again."
"Claire." Said a man's voice. Rick walked up behind his wife, sending a glare at Kai over the blonde's shoulder. "Come inside. You don't need this right now." After guiding his trembling wife inside, Rick returned to the door.
"It would be best," He said quietly, with no sign of his usual outbursts upon his coldly calm face, "if you didn't come here again."
"But-"
"You've done enough." Interrupted Rick. "I'd appreciate it if you'd leave both Claire and Popuri alone."
The door closed.
There was a knock at the door, Popuri rose. "I'll get it!"
Claire smiled. "Thanks." She said quietly. "Hey, Rick, I was just thinking-" She began, turning back to her husband.
"Kai."
Claire's eyes widened. Rick frowned. "Stay here Claire, I'll-"
Claire shook her head. "No. I'll handle this." She hugged him tightly. "Just wait here. I can do this." She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm a tough girl, remember?"
Rick smiled, running a hand over his wife's blonde hair. "Yeah." He said, before kissing her on the cheek. "I'll be right here. I love you."
"I love you too." Said Claire, her voice full of emotion. She turned toward the door
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A/N: I wanted to end on a happy-ish note. Also, most doctors do suggest mothers name still-born and miscarried babies. It's supposed to help with the pain.