Taken

A Trolls Fanfic

By Warui Okami

...

Epilogue

By Dreamsinger

Branch pulled up the concealed trap door in front of the boulder that served as his front door and they jumped down onto the lift. Poppy looked around dubiously at the small dark space, the stacks of mousetraps, and the multiple locks meant to keep the trapdoor closed. "This is…nice."

Branch felt a cheeky grin tugging at the corners of his mouth, suddenly looking forward to what was coming. "Oh, this?" he said casually. "This is just my front hall."

As she blinked curiously at him – troll pods being only a few rooms at the largest – he sauntered over to what looked like a tree root coming up through the floor and nonchalantly rested his elbow on it to press the lever down, leaning to the side and with one foot crossed behind the other. Poppy squeaked in startlement as the floor began to move downward.

"Sorry, it's a little bumpy when it first starts out."

Her sleepiness gone for the moment, she looked at the wall moving in front of her, then turned back to see him giving her a suspiciously mellow look, one eyebrow raised. "What is this?"

Suddenly he grinned. "You'll see."

As they descended, he watched her looking around, taking in the various supply and exercise rooms, her eyes going bigger and bigger. Finally she turned to him, excitedly throwing her arms out to the sides. "Branch, this is amazing! I had no idea this was all here! I know you said you'd collected supplies, but I always pictured some kind of dark, spooky cave or something, full of scary-"

Just then the lift set down on the ground floor with a deep thrum and Poppy caught a glimpse of the Fear Wall. "Oh." She shifted uncomfortably, staring up at it. "Um… That is kind of what I pictured, actually."

The wall was covered in the worst products of his most paranoid, nightmare-induced times - drawings of vicious bergens, some sideways or upside down, painted and carved warnings about bergens on the wall, support strut, floor and nearby boulders.

Suddenly he was embarrassed. "Yeah… Not very accurate, it turns out. At least, not anymore."

There was an awkward silence, as Poppy tried to reconcile the mind that had produced such horrible things with the stable, seemingly sane troll standing in front of her. "Different." This is what he meant. She twiddled her fingers and said abruptly, "Maybe you should think about redecorating. I could help!"

Branch smiled, reassuring her that her Branch was the one who was here now, no matter what he had been like before. "I'll think about it." He sighed. "I had this really cool thing planned for when we finally got attacked. 'You all said I was crazy. Well, who's crazy now? Me. Crazy prepared.'"

Poppy laughed and felt better, shoving his arm. "You goofball! But I can just see you pulling it off. I would've been impressed. Kind of creeped out, but impressed." Her face softened and she smiled at him proudly. "I still am."

He blushed, covering his embarrassment with a joke. "Which? Impressed or creeped out?"

She grinned. "I'll let you know when I've seen the rest of this place." She turned in a slow circle, taking in the large room with his desk, storage shelves and other furniture, as well as the bits of food, paper, glitter and assorted supply containers strewn about in the aftermath of his unexpected "guests". She whistled. "I mean it, Branch. This place is a marvel. You built all of this yourself?"

"Every bit," he said proudly. "I have enough supplies to last me ten years." He thought about trying to impress her by describing how he could stretch it to eleven years, but then he remembered something. "Or I did. I don't know how much will be left, since I played host to the entire village while we were away." He gestured to the mess they'd left behind.

"Oh. Sorry, Branch." She looked at him with regret. "If I hadn't thrown that party-"

"I'm so glad you did." He took her hands in his, his clear blue gaze leaving no doubt of his sincerity. "If you hadn't, I'd have spent the rest of my life down here, alone."

She stared at him, then blinked back sudden tears at the thought that she might never have known how wonderful he could be; that he might have gone on getting more and more unhappy until he either died or went crazy for real. "I'd do it all again," she said through the lump in her throat, and sniffled. "I'd fight Chef, Creek, and anyone else who might try to take you away from me."

"Hey," he said, his tone shifting to sound warm and soothing as he pulled her in for a hug. "It's all right, Poppy. Everything's going to be all right."

She relaxed into his warmth, then yawned. "I'm glad I'm not the only optimist here anymore," she murmured.

She felt him chuckle under his breath and gave him an affectionate squeeze, then released him and looked upwards. "Just how big is this place? We have 262 trolls in Troll Village; did they really all fit down here?"

He crossed his arms, standing up straighter at the clear admiration in her tone. "Oh, it's fairly extensive," he said in a falsely casual tone, then moved his hands to the sides, his palms facing upwards. "Hey, I know, how about tomorrow I give you a tour?"

"I'd love that." She beamed at him and he smiled back. There was a long pause, his eyes flicking around the room and back to her face several times, then they widened. "Oh! Um, how about some hot chocolate? There should still be some left; I have some locked away in a separate area with a small cache of supplies in case the main bunker ever got compromised."

"I thought your bunker was supposed to be bergen-proof?" she teased with a raised eyebrow, remembering their last conversation before that fateful party.

"Bergen-proof, yes; troll-proof, no." He gave her a wry look that made her laugh.

"Then yes, please. I love hot chocolate."

"I know." He smiled softly at her, making her feel a little shivery.

They had sweet hot chocolate; hers with marshmallows, his with peppermint bits in. Neither of them said much. Poppy was too busy looking at many of his more unusual inventions, and he was feeling too content to really need to say anything. Her very presence relaxed him.

Afterwards, he led her to his bathroom. "I want to put some ointment on your burns."

"Okay. I did put some aloe on them after I bathed for the party – Satin and Chenille didn't want to let me wear any of my fancier outfits, in case the aloe stained them."

"That's good, but I want to use something to prevent infection, too."

When they got there, Branch grimaced at the mess. It looked as if there had been an epic water fight in here. The little room was covered in long streams of damp paper, glitter, confetti, and other random things like some kind of sports racquet and a small fuzzy ball. If not for the drain in the center of the slightly sloped floor, there would probably have been inches of water, too.

The light blue troll saw Poppy looking more closely at the floor, which was made of tiny square pieces of stone in sky blue, sea green and lavender. He had carefully cut and mortared the tiny tiles into a series of pleasing semicircles, similar to the vest he wore, in colors that gradually went from green through blue to lavender.

"Ah, a floor that appeals to a scrapbooker's heart. Branch, that is beautiful!" Poppy clapped her hands. "Inventor, builder, and artist, too!"

Don't forget poet. Maybe someday I'll let you read some of mine. Branch smiled widely. Her praise was music to his ears – it had been so long since anyone had appreciated anything he did. "Thanks. Now, why don't you sit here and I'll get the ointment, if nobody moved it… Ah, here it is." The contents of his mirrored medicine cabinet were intact. "I guess nobody realized you could open the cabinet." Branch pulled out a small jar and unscrewed the lid.

"What a clever idea. So convenient." Poppy looked so pleased that he offered, "I could make you one, if you like."

"Why, thank you, Branch. You're so sweet."

He blushed. "It's no trouble. Okay, could you hold still for a minute?"

Poppy closed her eyes as his warm hand lifted her chin, then held her bangs back from her forehead. His other hand gently spread cool, aloe-scented ointment on her cheeks, forehead, nose and chin. It was so relaxing, almost like being taken care of by her father, as if she were a little troll again.

As he finished, Branch smiled, a soft look in his eyes as he took a moment to study her lovely face. With her eyes closed, he didn't feel so self-conscious about doing something he'd only ever managed to do from afar, or in rare moments recently when she had been unaware that he was looking at her.

She had a broad, cheerful face with delicate glitter-freckles, long eyelashes and fine, slightly curved eyebrows that always made her look as if she were about to smile. On their journey, he'd seen her take on expressions he'd never thought she could have – desperation, terror, brave resolve, despair, heartbreak, hope, and shining love that radiated from her like the sun. And he'd loved her through all of it, and always would.

"Okay, Poppy, are there any other spots that feel sore?"

She opened her eyes to see him leaning over her, his gaze kind and gentle. "A few places on my arms and legs. My clothing helped protect the rest of me."

Branch knelt on the floor in front of her. "Just show me where." As she held out her limbs, he could see darker pink areas of varying sizes, some with red centers. He sucked in air through his teeth. "Some of those look really painful. Are you sure you're all right?"

He had to look up to meet her eyes, and for a moment, she forgot what they were doing as the brighter lighting in the little room reflected in his eyes, shining like stars. His pupils had gotten a little smaller, making his eyes seem so, so blue. Best of all was his caring concern, emphasized by the deeper creases in the corners of his eyes.

His expression turned puzzled, making her realize that she had spent way too long losing herself in his gaze. "I'm fine. They don't hurt that much," she finally answered. "They felt much better once I put the aloe on them earlier."

"That's good," he commented. He tried to be gentle, using a light grip on her arms and legs on non-burned areas to steady them, delicately smearing her burns with the cool, slightly greenish-tinted ointment. "Mine should help you heal more quickly than plain aloe, though."

"Thanks, Branch." Her tone was so affectionate that he looked up from his task in surprise. She was looking down at him with a smile of pure love. He blushed, and smiled back. "Anytime, Poppy."

By the time he finished, Poppy was so relaxed she was half-asleep already, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to stay aware. She yawned, making him yawn even louder, and they both chuckled. As he stood up and put away the ointment, Branch was considering carrying her to bed when he realized something. He froze, giving her such a look of awkward discomfort that she was awake again. "What is it?"

"Ah, it's just – I've only got the one bed. It's a pretty big bed, plenty of room, but I don't know how you feel about sharing. I can sleep on the floor if you don't want to."

She relaxed and smiled at him as she stood up. "We've already shared a bed, remember?"

Seeing her smile, he looked more at ease. "Well yes, but things are different now." He gestured with his hand to indicate the space around them. "This isn't the dark, scary forest, with you all upset from having a nightmare. You're safe here, safer than anywhere else."

She smiled and reached out to hug him. "That means I can enjoy snuggling with you all the more."

He blushed purple, a silly smile on his face as he hugged her back.

…

"Wow. That is a really big bed. The biggest I've ever seen. You could have three or four trolls in there, easily."

His eyes popped as he realized what conclusion she could easily jump to. "That's-"

He flinched as she turned abruptly to him. "Do you have sleepovers here often?" She gave him a perky, clueless look, the kind that had once made him think her silly. "Why haven't I been invited? Or are they secret sleepovers?"

Awkwardly he said, "That's not the reason why, Poppy."

"Oh?" She looked from him to the bed and back, and then the shoe suddenly seemed to drop. "Oh," she said in quite a different tone, realization widening her eyes. Her eyes flicked up and down his body assessingly, then she seemed to realize what she was doing and blushed so hard he could see it through the burn ointment.

"Th-that's not the reason either!" he yelped, holding up his hands with his palms toward her and blushing just as hotly. "It's because I have nightmares, okay?"

"What?" Now she looked perplexed.

He sighed. "I got tired of falling out of bed whenever I have a nightmare." He crossed his arms, looking pleased with himself. "I thought about adding rails on the sides, but I figured I'd just bang into them, so instead I made a bigger bed so I'd have plenty of space to thrash around without falling off. It's saved me a ton of bruises and rough awakenings over the years."

He expected a bit of praise at his practical solution. Then he realized she had been quiet for far too long. "Poppy?" He heard her sniffle, and turned to see her standing there looking at the bed with tears in her eyes. "Poppy, what's the matter?" He reached out to place a hand over hers, giving her a look of concern.

She swallowed and turned to face him. "Do you – do you have nightmares that bad often?"

He made a small noise of chagrin. All he wanted was to see her happy, and yet because of him here she was, on the verge of tears yet again. "Not as often as I used to. Maybe once a month," he replied soothingly, stretching the truth only slightly.

"You have dreams bad enough to make you fall out of bed every month, and you never told me?"

"I don't fall out of-"

"Branch." She sounded half exasperated, half distressed.

"Well, it's not like you can make them go away, Poppy. They're in my head, not yours," he said reasonably. "Besides, I told you. I didn't want to let people get close. I figured if I did, I'd only have even more nightmares, about losing other people besides Grandma."

She looked up at him, fighting to keep from bursting into tears. Suddenly sensing that she had no more energy left, Branch folded her into his arms, feeling her tremble as he said soothingly, "Oh, Poppy. It's all right. It's all right, my love."

Surprised at the endearment, she pulled back a little to look up at him, her hands on his chest, her nose red and tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes. Branch unselfconsciously wiped the moisture away with a thumb, still holding her close. He wondered what he could do to comfort her, to keep her colors strong, and then he knew.

"You with the sad eyes," he sang softly. "Don't be discouraged."

His tone was as delicate as the wind, so light and clear she was lost in awe, staring at him with big wondering eyes.

Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
The darkness inside you
Can make you feel so small

He paused, searching her eyes, then smiled encouragingly as he continued to sing, his tone so sensitive and sweet she felt as if she were melting into his arms.

Show me a smile then
Don't be unhappy
Can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
This world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
'Cause I will always be there

The look of adoration on her face was almost too much for him. Oh, how he loved her. This beautiful, caring troll who had taken an interest in him from when they were small, who had never given up on him.

And I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you

Now she reached up to place her hands on his cheeks, her expression earnest as she joined his song, adding her own message just for him.

So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful

He took her hands in his and led her in a slow, graceful dance. His voice was stronger now, more sure than ever. Their future would be a bright one. He would stay at Poppy's side and support her, no matter what.

And Poppy sang the rest with him, her voice sustaining and complementing his in perfect harmony.

I see your true colors
Shining through (true colors)
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you

So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful (they're beautiful)
Like a rainbow

Ohh oh oh…

Like a rainbow

Branch drew her close, gazing deeply into her eyes, and kissed her tenderly. His heart beat intensely as she melted against him, moving her soft lips ardently against his own. Nothing had ever felt so right, so natural. Her warm chocolate-scented breath against his mouth made him shiver, and he moved one hand up to the back of her head, threading his fingers into her soft hair.

Ting. Clank.

They froze, blinking at each other. "What was that?" Branch frowned slightly as he looked at the source of the sound, Poppy's cowbell, lying on the floor behind her. As he met her eyes again, he couldn't help but laugh. "Just how much stuff do you keep in there, anyway?"

"Sorry, Branch." She looked so abashed at having broken the mood that he laughed again, scooping her up off the floor into his arms. She squeaked in surprise, throwing her arms around his neck as he carried her the rest of the way to his bed.

He laid her down gently, taking a moment to appreciate what a lovely picture she made. She looked up at him with eyes that were soft and trusting, and he felt a moment of such fierce passion that it made him stop and take a deep breath for control. He didn't want anything too serious to happen between them tonight. They were both exhausted, and she was injured. He suspected she might be in more pain than she was admitting.

"Branch?" She looked puzzled at his hesitation. "What's wrong?"

Out of habit, he answered, "Nothing."

Now she looked hurt, and he remembered; it was okay to tell her what he was feeling. But he didn't want to make it sound like he was blaming her for being injured; it wasn't like that at all. "Poppy, I – I think tonight we should…" He hesitated, struggling to find the words, then looked down at her worried face and suddenly wanted nothing more than to comfort her. His face relaxed into a reassuring smile as he lay down on the bed near her. Rolling onto his side, he reached out an arm invitingly, and she immediately moved to snuggle up against him, sliding her own arm around his ribs.

"We'll sleep tonight," he said softly. "Just sleep. We're both been through a lot in the last few days; we need time to recover. Is that all right with you?"

He felt the rapid pace of her heart against his chest slow down as she accepted his words. "Okay." She tilted her head back so he could see her tired smile – she looked as if she would be asleep in moments. "I love you, Branch. And I'll wait as long as you need."

It was on the tip of his tongue to say she had it wrong, that he was ready to show her how much he loved her, but at the same time he was touched at her consideration for his admittedly sometimes oversensitive nature.

"Thanks," he said instead. "Which reminds me – if I should start flailing around, wake me, will you? If you can't, shove me onto the floor."

Her eyes snapped open. "Branch, no…"

"Yes," he insisted. "I don't want to hit you by accident. It's okay."

Poppy looked unhappy for a moment, then leaned up to kiss his forehead. "If I have anything to say about it, you'll never have a bad dream again." She snuggled closer to him, sharing her warmth, and curled her hair around his, intertwining her fine magenta strands with his dark purple-blue mane. Then she began to gently tug his hair upwards from his head as if she were brushing it, repeating her soothing actions while Branch closed his eyes blissfully. As he lay there, a delicious lassitude began to spread through his body and his breathing deepened. "Mmm. I love you, Poppy," he murmured.

Her tone had the husky sound he loved so much. "Love you, too, Branch."

He held her close, breathing in the sweet smell of her, somehow knowing that he would sleep peacefully as long she was by his side.

…

Author's Note: I'm not the original author of Taken, only a devoted fan who loved this Trolls alternate universe too much to want to leave it. The author warui-okami is from the UK, I believe, and so uses the delightful UK version of English. As I'm from the US (New Hampshire) I have nevertheless attempted to match the author's speech patterns (I had fun, lol). It helps that I'm a longtime Doctor Who fan!

I base the total number of Trolls on movie-Branch saying how his supplies will only last the villagers two weeks. Ten years x 365 days = 3650 total days that the supplies would last Branch alone. Divide that by 14 days, 3650/14 = 260, roughly. So I chose 262 for the number of Trolls in Troll Village.

I hope you enjoyed this epilogue as much as I enjoyed writing it, and please check out my other stories, including a short Trolls fic inspired by the movie, which helps to tie up some loose ends such as exactly what kind of love Poppy feels for Branch…

Dreamsinger