Summary: When Gusto creates a new painting, he starts thinking about his time before Gummi Glen. This leads to Gusto and Gruffi having a rare heart-to-heart conversation.

Still

As he sat there on his bed, looking at his newly created painting, he began exploring his own mind. His thoughts wandered all the way back to his family, his warren. Deep inside his mind he could still visualize what his surroundings used to look like.

And then there was her. He had spent so much time finishing this painting and he had seen her in his most recent dreams, yet it wasn't until now, that he had realized that it was in fact her. The light brown fur should have tipped him off, but it didn't until now. When he thought about it and really tried to concentrate, he could up to this day remember how his lips had felt like fire, even though it was such a long time ago.

"Gusto?"

The rediscovering of old memories had to wait. He removed his vision from the painting and instead looked at the brown gummi bear standing in the doorway to his room.

"Yes?"

Gruffi crossed his arms, as he stared at him. For once he didn't look all too grumpy.

"Were you daydreaming again?"

"What do you mean, 'again'?"

Gruffi sighed, shaking his head. He just stood like that, leaning his shoulder against the door opening for a moment. And then, much to Gusto's surprise, he walked into the room and closed the door behind him, before he sat down in a chair in front of Gusto's bed.

"Well, lately you seem to be daydreaming… more than usual anyway. I've been calling you three times already, we are about to eat. But you just sat there, looking at that painting."

"Look at her."

"What?"

"Look at her."

Gruffi sent Gusto an irritated look, and despite the fact that he wanted to get up and go eat with the rest of the gummis, he couldn't help but feel, that there was something, Gusto wasn't telling him. So he did as the artist asked, and looked at the painting.

It was of a light brown gummi bear. She was laying in a field of flowers, holding one white flower in her hand as the sunlight lighted up her face. Her dress was blue, just like her eyes and over her brown hair she was wearing a red hat. Gruffi looked back at Gusto.

"It's good. Who is she?"

Gusto exhaled. He kept his eyes locked to the painting.

"That's the thing. I've been dreaming about her for a couple of weeks now. It wasn't until I painted this, that I realized who she is."

The brown bear didn't say anything. He just waited for Gusto to answer the question.

"Her name is Lily."

Gruffi lifted his eyebrows in surprise.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, well… she's my best friend."

Gusto looked at Gruffi. It was just there for a few seconds, but Gruffi noticed, that the smile Gusto was sending him wasn't his usually happy-go-lucky smile. There was something different about it. And somewhere, behind those dark eyes, the artist was thinking about something, that Gruffi did not yet know of.

"Your best friend? She was from your warren?"

"From back home, yes."

For some reason Gruffi became concerned for his friend. Gusto usually didn't share a lot of information about his past. Gruffi leaned back in his chair, as he glanced at the painting.

"She's beautiful…" Gruffi stated. He looked back at Gusto. "Were you more than friends?"

"What gives you that idea?" Gusto asked.

"Well, first of all, you're blushing. Second of all, she is beautiful, so I think I would understand, why you would be attracted to her," Gruffi answered, as he smiled warmly at the artist, whose cheeks had changed color during Gruffi's reply. Gusto looked down for a second, feeling his face flush.

"We did kiss. But the same night that happened that was…" He paused in his explanation.

"What?" Gruffi asked softly.

"Maybe I shouldn't talk about this." Gusto removed himself from the edge of the bed and instead placed his back up against the wall, still sitting on the lilac duvet.

"You like talking, Gusto. You're not getting away that easy," Gruffi replied, clearly teasing the artist. He kept the smile on his lips.

"Thanks," Gusto replied a bit sarcastically. Gruffi leaned forward in the chair and looked at his friend.

"Tell me."

Gusto sighed, as he pulled his knees closer and leaned his arms on them. He looked back at the painting for a moment.

"The last time I saw her… where we kissed... that was the night, I stranded on that island." In one way the artist seemed relieved that he could finally open up about his past. Yet in another way he seemed a little sad at the same time.

"Sometimes I wonder, what would have happened between me and Lily, if I hadn't ended up there," Gusto continued. "Then again, I wouldn't have met all of you and become friends with you, and I really… like you guys. And I'm glad you and Tummi arrived to that island and that we all worked together to get away from it. But on the other hand I hated that… stupid island. And everything that it destroyed for me." His eyes met the ceiling for a moment. "It's still twelve years of my life I will never get back. And I would really like to see Lily again, but I'm not sure I ever will." He closed his eyes, his dark eyebrows made a frown in his forehead. Gruffi kept looking at him. Silence occurred between them for a moment.

"I understand."

Gusto opened his eyes again.

"What?"

"I said, I understand, Gusto. I don't know what it must have been like being on that island for so long, but from what you're saying, I guess I never knew how hard it actually was for you."

Gusto made a quick smile at him.

"Do you miss her?" Gruffi asked in a serious tone. Gusto nodded. He glanced at the painting again, before meeting Gruffi's eyes.

"Every day."

"Did you love her?"

Gusto sent Gruffi a confused look.

"Pardon me?"

"Did you love her?"

"'Did'? Gruff… I still do."