When You're Gone, a harvest moon fanfic

Goodness, I'm churning out songfics like crazy! Maybe it's because I simply love having songs play while I'm reading or typing. But not the point. The point is, this is another angsty oneshot because...well, I want to. It's not that I'm depressed anymore (I got enough wonderful reviews to pull me out), it's just that I love this song and I thought about it when I watched a couple of Harvest Moon videos on Youtube. But I swear, when I get some decent fluff in me, I'll type it down like I'm crazy.

And about Not Good Enough...I don't think it's gonna be updated anytime soon. I've just lost my inspiration for it. So people out there, can ya gimme a couple ideas on what to do next? I swear I won't write back screeching what a terrible idea you have!

This is kind of a companion piece to I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me, but different because Skye actually came back early enough to nab Claire. But...you'll see why it's angst in a couple minutes.

WARNING!!! Story contains character death!!! It's just one line at the very bottom, but it's DEATH!!! SO BE CAREFUL!!! You have been warned!!!

When You're Gone

~~~~~~Claire~~~~~~

Gone.

He was gone.

Gone.

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe him. But most of all, I couldn't believe me.

I sank to the ground, sobbing. How could I have done this? I--I loved him. I adored him. I practically worshipped him! How could your love deteriorate to such a point that we got into an argument and he demanded a divorce?!

It's your fault, you know, a voice whispers. Your fault. You should've paid attention to the signs...watched more carefully...guarded the relationship. You promised...you promised yourself that when he came back, you would marry and nothing wrong would happen. But no...look what you did. You've destroyed the relationship...and this time it's all your fault. And he doesn't love you anymore!

NO! Pull yourself together, Claire! He'll come back...he's got nowhere to go...he's...he promised never to leave you...

Ah, but have you forgotten he owns many estates in the city? He could run off there, perhaps even quickly and quietly annul the marriage as quietly as he married you, and burst back into stardom just in time to marry a hot new actress! the cruel voice taunted.

Skye would never do that...would he?

He might...

The logical thing to do would be to wait for him to return, Claire, a reasonable-sounding voice said. Come on, pull yourself together. He'll come back.

Yes, that'd be reasonable. Good thinking, Claire.

~~~~~~Normal~~~~~~

And so Claire waited. And waited. But when the man you love--adore---worship, even--demands a divorce then storms out the door...well, no matter how hard you try to push the images away, you'll inevitably think of it. And replay in your mind. Over and over.

Oh joy.

~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~

She had just gotten in the house after finishing off the chores. All she wanted was a little chug of that Wild Grape Wine. It relieved the stress wonderfully, plus it didn't have the horridly hot taste of that Relaxtea. Sure she'd liked it before, but who did now?

Instead, a very, very controlled voice called out, "I want to talk to you, Mi Amor."

Skye? Now what was her Prince of the Stars doing calling out? He hardly ever talked to her anymore.

She obediently walked over to her husband, who had a very suppressed look of anger on his face.

"It feels as if you've been evading me lately, Mi Amor."

She stood there, words of denial...words such as, "No, my darling Prince of the Stars! Never!" struggling to get through her lips. Yet the wondrous goddess seemed to have sealed her voice away.

"Oh no! No response? No denial? Surely it must be true, then!" Skye suddenly roared. Claire cowered in fear. No...no! She longed to scream out, yet no matter how much she tried to unseal her voice and scream out her words of denial, the darling goddess had stopped her from speaking.

Evidently Skye hadn't seen her fear, her obvious silent denial, or the goddess had stopped him from seeing her expression too, for he cried out, "Your steely silence weighs down my heart like the heaviest of prison chains! Has time really stolen our love away?"

Oh, how Claire longed to cry out, perhaps catch her husband in a searing kiss like they used to, but her feet were rooted. Her voice failed her. She could hardly move, let alone cry out.

"I-I suppose...we are partners in this grand caper of life no more."

NO!

"Farewell."

Claire sank to her knees, finally able to speak. "NO! SKYE, NO! I LOVE YOU!!!"

But he was gone...

~~~~~~End Flashback, Return to Normal~~~~~~

Words to a melody she didn't even know began to flow out of Claire's mouth as silent tears coursed swiftly down her rosy cheeks. As she listened to her own voice singing without command, she began to cry harder.

I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cry
And the days feel like years when I'm alone and the bed where you lie is made up on your side

When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now

When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok
I miss you

No! He'll come back! He has to! her brain screamed frantically, while she searched for a way to make the song stop. But she couldn't...it was like the goddess' magic...curse her...

I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do reminds me of you
And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do

Claire chanced a glance, a painful glance, on the scattered clothing on the floor--clothes she had not yet put away. His clothes.

She cried even harder.

When you walk away I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now

We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were, yeah
All I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me, yeah

The ranch. The house. The animals. How gladly he tended to them! How happily he sang as he worked with her! He was even more wonderful during those times than when their courtship. She even dared to believe...dared to believe it would last forever. Sure, they may look older, work a little slower...but there he'd still be, working with her, no matter how slowly. And that sustained her.

The tears began to rush down quicker as she glanced at the clock.

It's been an hour...he still hasn't come back...

~~~~~~Two Hours Later~~~~~~

Claire was worried out of her mind for her husband. It was all she could do not to jump up and look for him right then and there, but she had no energy left. And no matter how much she tried to suppress it, the thoughts came and betrayed her.

It can't be...he's really not...coming back?

~~~~~~Three Hours Later~~~~~~

Claire had run dry of tears. She just sat there now, blankly, with puffy red eyes devoid of any of their usual sparkle and shine.

Finally, she reached a decision. If he wasn't coming back on his own, then she wouldn't look for him any more. He had really, really and truly, abandoned her this time. And she wasn't about to be abandoned a third time. She had hurt too much now.

From then on, Claire Silvrix died, and Claire Dawson stepped forth anew.

She stepped forward...and locked the door. Skye "Prince of the Stars" Silvrix was welcome no more.

~~~~~~Two Seasons Later~~~~~~

People thought they had seen a miracle of love when Claire Dawson, the rich and gorgeous farmer was wedded to Skye Silvrix, the notorious ex-thief and now famed actor. It had been amazing gossip! Women would coo their praises of the romance, while men would gruffly say, "That there boy's lucky to have her."

Now, nearly 2 seasons after a dramatic divorce, people in Forget-me-Not Valley would often watch the rich young farmer and smile.

"She's doing well," they'd always say to ambitious reporters. "Claire's wonderful right now. She found the right guy for her. It's as if that winter night never happened."

Reporters would grin and query, "And who's the lucky guy?"

And the townsfolk would just smile mysteriously and shake their heads. "You'll see."

A few seasons later, Claire Dawson remarried to world-famous chef, Kai Powers.

Another season later, Skye Silvrix committed suicide.