Hello! I loved reading all the great stories here, and as many of you know, I published my first not long ago. As I've been reading through all of the stories here, I was trying to think of a story, no one had done yet, and I realized that no one had really chronicled the years in Gnomeo and Juliet's lives, leading up to the day they met. So, I was like, why not? Suggestions are welcome, and PLEASE review! Here goes…

"Mama! Can we play fight again? Please? Please?" A little girl, no older than six or so, jumped out from behind a flower pot, her little black cape trailing behind her and clutching a small wooden sword in both hands.

"I been practicing! Just like you showed me! Can we play? Pretty please?" A woman turned around unable to hide her smile, as she looked at her little daughter jumping up and down pretending to fight off invisible Redbrick stooped down to see her little daughter, Juliet, better.

"Okay, show me, little one." The little girl grinned and began to swing her sword and move, obviously concentrating very hard on getting every move to perfection. Her mother watched with pride. Already, she could see the resemblances she and her daughter shared. Same green eyes, same nose, and especially the same spirit. She's going to do great things for our garden one day.

"Did I do alright Mummy?" Ophelia nodded. "You were wonderful,little one." The little girl grinned. "Can you show me more today?" Her mother sighed, "Not today,darling, you know your father doesn't like it. Don't worry, on a day that he's very busy, I'll teach you some more." The little girl sat down next to her mother on the ground, leaning against the wall.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, love?"

"Sometimes, I like you better than Daddy." Ophelia felt her heart break a little. "Darling, you mustn't ever say that again!"

"Why not? It's true, Daddy never lets me play fight, or even come near the mower, or climb anything. He's so boring." Juliet crossed her arms stubbornly and looked at her mother.

"Juliet, sweet, your father loves you very very much and he cares very much about you and just wants you to be safe. Don't love me more. Please. Daddy is the best man I know, and I promise, he loves you."

"But-"

Ophelia wrapped her arms around her daughter, and let her head rest on Juliet's soft head, that still had it's baby smell. "But nothing. Your father loves you very much, and don't you forget it."

"Ok. Can we play hide-and-seek? I think Daddy doesn't mind that game."

Ophelia released her daughter. "Do you want to hide or do you want me to?"

"You do it." Juliet turned so she faced the wall and put her small hands over her eyes.

She counted to 100 evenly, saying elephant between every number. Then she turned around opened her eyes, and cried, "Ready or Not, here I come!" She looked around. No mother. She saw the big flower pot and grinned stealthily as she crept towards it.

"Aha! I found you!" she screamed as she leaped around to to other side. "Huh?" she said out loud because there was no one there. No mommy. Just an inchworm. Resiliently, she continued on looking under every rock, pot, behind every plant, every push, and every tree. It had been too long and she was getting frustrated. "Mama! Mama? Where are you?" Dejected, the little girl trudged to the pedestal, she sat down and rested her head on her knees. She heard a rustle and turned around.

"Mommy?"

"Juliet?"

The little girl ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.

"Mommy! Where were you?"

"Darling, I was right here the whole time!"

"I was afraid, you left me, and you forgot all about me!"

Ophelia hugged her daughter, "I would never forget about you, my sweet. I would never leave you!"

"Promise?"

"I promise."

On the other side of the fence…

Gnomeo and his birthday had kind of a love-hate relationship. Of course he was always excited to be older and get presents, especially this year because he had heard his mother talking about a mower. A mower. He was hoping and hoping his biggest wish would come true. The problem,lay within the day before his birthday. It was the day his father had died just three years ago. Every night, he tried to remember one thing about his father. His smile, his laugh, how he and his father had the same face and the same floppy blonde hair and the same dark eyebrows, and the same sturdy build, or how much he hated the Reds(although he didn't understand much of that) , or how good he was at riding mowers. Maybe, that was why Gnomeo wanted a mower so very much.

But playing that game got trickier every year. It made him feel bad that he couldn't always remember everything about his father, especially on the day before his birthday, because his mother always made him go with her to the grave. His mother would cry and lay down wisteria, and Gnomeo would follow suit, except he didn't cry, because he was a boy and boys don't cry. But it did make him feel really strange to see his mother crying.

His birthday week started like any other. Wake up on Monday and do his chores. Once he was all done, he and Shroom would follow the other warriors around and try to copy them. He didn't understand a lot of what they were doing and why, but he wanted to be ready, so that when he got old enough to, he would be nice and ready to become a good strong warrior. Because, he remembered his father telling him, that it was the greatest thing he could do. Then he might play with his little cousin, Benny, or maybe sneak into the shed and sit on the mower, that the gnomes weren't ever using at the moment, because his father, the best and only really good racer, was gone. He would climb up and pretend he was in a heated race and was winning. When it got dark, he would have to go to sleep.

Tuesday, was the anniversary of his father's death. Everything was as he remembered. Except, this year he was allowed to bring Shroom along. Shroom was his childhood friend, ever since he was one when his parents gave him a little mushroom to be his best friend. Since then, the two were inseparable. So, the whole grave scene wasn't as bad, but it still made him cry, just a little, when he was alone in the shed. Then came Wednesday, which was the best day ever.

"Shroom! Wake up! It's! My! Birthday! I! Am! Seven! Seven! Seven!"

He was sooo excited! Gnomeo got ready in a flash and was all ready. Before he could run, his mother, Lady Bluebury, approached him and blocked his path.

"Happy Birthday to my sweetest boy!" She enveloped him in a gigantic hug. His mother grabbed his chin and sighed, "So old, already"

Gnomeo tried to smile, but he was getting impatient. "Mom-"

Lady Bluebury ignored him, "Which is why I wanted to say-" Gnomeo couldn't take it anymore.

"I know, I know, my chores! Weeding and watering, done! Consider it all done! Done, done, done, done, done-"

"GNOMEO!"

"Done"

Lady Bluebury smiled, "All I wanted was to say was, SURPRISE!" She moved out of the way and there was a mower. More specifically, his father's dad's mower. But it was different. It was painted a new shade of Blue and looked as if someone had touched it up. I couldn't believe it was officially mine! Gnomeo was ecstatic.

"Thank you Mom!" He gave her a quick peck on her cheek, before running to check out the new (at least to him)mower and in my seven short years of life, the best present he had ever received. Are you proud of me Dad?

I hoped you liked it! Don't forget to review or read my other story The Truth About Tybalt! Please enjoy! Suggestions and feedback are always welcome!