Wow, this took me like two years to finish this -_- It was easy writing the actual story, but the ending...I'm still not extremely happy with it. Oh well.

EDIT: Went through and changed Machi and Kari's names to the actual defaults - Claire and Jill, respectively.

Disclaimer: I doth dis/the claiming of this

Claire stared out the window by the calendar, glancing between the red circle around Spring First and her big sister, who was outside pruning their trees. Normally, at about this time, Claire was out in the coop, rounding up the eggs. She and Jill had a system, after all - one that had worked harmoniously for almost a year now: Claire did the heavy labor - tilling up the soil - as well as taking care of most all the animals. Jill, on the other hand, planted, fertilized, watered, and harvested all the crops - which consisted of one giant field of fruits and veggies along with the two smaller plots of trees. Claire's work was less time consuming, so she was also in charge of the shopping. Life, all in all, was great in Forget-Me-Not-Valley for the girls.

But they were moving back home. They had agreed, after dad had died, that they would try to farm for a year. While they had rose above and beyond their own expectations, their mother was growing lonely. She wanted all she had left in the world to come back home. So, the girls were leaving in three days.

Claire sighed and, with a defiant pout, stomped outside, striding right past Jill without a single look, and into the coop. Just because they were leaving didn't mean she would just let the animals die. Takakura said he'd take care of things - in case they ever came back.

Claire was furious - furious so that she wouldn't cry. She didn't want to leave, and neither did Jill. She knew that. But it had been Jill who had told their mother they'd come home. It was Jill who had made all the arrangements with Takakura. It was Jill who had smiled as she told the villagers that they weren't coming back. And it was Jill who refused to allow Claire to stay behind, no matter how she begged or what kind of fit she threw. Jill, the responsible big sister.

Claire finished her chores in record speed and ignored Jill when she called to her afterward, instead racing off the farm - and heading over to Dr. Hardy's clinic with a jar of milk stowed away in her rucksack.

When she pushed open the door, she found Hardy, Elli, and Trent gathered around the table, talking. Elli looked concerned, and Claire immediately stepped up. "Hey, what's up? Is everything all right?"

Trent's face went beat red in a second. "C-Claire! Ho-how are you today?"

Elli glanced between the two, and held down a sly smile as she got an idea. "Doctor, are you alright?"

Claire's eyes widened and Elli knew she'd taken the bait. "Yeah, Trent, are you ok? You're face is all red!"

To Claire's confusion, Hardy and Elli both start to laugh, but Trent replies stiffly: "I assure you I am in perfect health."

"I brought you some milk!" Like an overactive child, Claire shoved it to him across the table, still looking worried.

Smiling lightly, Trent took the jar. "Thank you very much, Claire."

Brightening up instantly, she nodded with vigor. "Uh-hm!"

Back at the farm, Jill was just finishing up with the morning work - even though it was one o'clock - and had just a small window of free time. She took it.

"Marlin? Hey, Maaaaarlin, where aaaaaaaare you?"

"Jill, is that you?" Vesta came out from behind the shed, having come from the crop fields. "I'm afraid Marlin ain't here, baby girl. He went out for a drink."

Jill's eyebrows raised. "Really? He doesn't normally leave this early. Is he ok?"

"Oh, I highly doubt it." Vesta replied, shaking her head. "I expect he's right miserable, and is trying to drink it all away - not that it'll help him none, poor fool."

"Ah..." Jill bit her lip, thanked Vesta quickly, and ran as fast as her legs could carry her over to the Blue Bar. But, when she got there, she suddenly wasn't sure this was a good idea.

It's my fault he's hurting. This is all my fault. Claire was right - I'm ruining all of our lives. But what about Mom?! Her husband died, her daughters up and leave - what about her happiness? I don't know what to do! I don't want to hurt Claire and Trent - and especially not-

"Jill? Sweetheart, you planning on going in, or blocking all my customers all day?"

Jill's downcast head jerked up to see Muffy standing before her, holding open the bar door. She stood silent, still jumbled in her thoughts and unsure of what to do.

Muffy gave her an odd look. "Are you looking for Marlin? I'll get him for you."

Before Jill could protest, Muffy leaned back and gave a whistle. "Hey, Romeo, Juliet's here. Probably wants to share your poison, huh?"

With a sad smile, Muffy pulled Jill inside and then took her place back behind the bar, immediately mixing up Jill's usual.

Marlin was staring at her from his typical seat. When their eyes locked, he was the one to break off and look away.

Jill bit her lip again - a habit that she did when she was hurting emotionally.

But it passed, as Marlin tapped the empty stool beside him, and she cautiously filled it.

After a few silent moments, Marlin strung together a conversation. "How's Claire?"

He hadn't picked a very good topic. "She hates me."

"She doesn't hate you."

"She does. Because she loves Trent, and I'm taking that away from her."

"You're hurting, too."

Jill choked on her words, but managed to speak again. "She doesn't care."

"Have you even told her?"

Jill's face started to grow red. Neither of them were looking at each other and Marlin was only speaking between drinks. His tone was casual, and she felt like she wanted to die just being next to him. Muffy set down a Stone Oil before her, and she took a minute to gulp it down. It didn't help. "What's there to tell?"

Marlin turned to her, staring her in the face hard. "You tell me."

Her eyes widened, but Jill didn't speak. Marlin's eyes narrowed and he stormed off, leaving his bill to his tab.

Jill didn't even realize she was crying until Muffy handed her a napkin.

Claire and Trent were just leaving the Clinic when Marlin stomped over to them from the direction of the bar. "Hey, Claire, I got a bone to pick with you."

Claire, who was normally on fairly good - though not really close - terms with her sister's constant companion, was momentarily shocked at his tone. Trent, however, was immediately defensive, standing in front of her - between the still blond and the half drunk farmer. "Watch yourself, Marlin. You've had one too many, I think."

Marlin stopped, cocking his chin up. "Maybe. But apparently not enough, as it's still freaking painful inside me. So I'm here to pick a fight with the cause, deal with at least one of my pains at its selfish source."

"What are you talking about, Marlin?" Claire shot over Trent's shoulder, finally finding her voice enough to be indignant.

"I'm talking about you blaming your pain on Jill, like she ain't a hundred times worse off then you because she's the one being blamed!" Marlin's head dipped down as he spoke, and he slammed his foot to the cobblestone walk. "Not only am I losing my girl, but I have to freaking watch her deteriorate the whole time because you keep widdling her down with your words! If only Jill was being hurt, she'd smile and take it 'for everyone else's happiness,' but no. You have to go and make sure she feels every bit of your pain on top of hers because you're too blind to see that your own sister's trying to martyr herself and you're the one chunking all the stones! She can't even force a smile anymore because she knows that she's not the lone victim here, sucking it up - her baby sister is throwing a hissy fit because she's having to take it, too. Well, whoop-di-freaking-do!"

Claire was again at a loss for words, so Trent came to her defense. "Don't blame this all on Claire, Marlin. I understand Jill's hurting - we both do - but that doesn't change that it is both girls suffering, not just Jill. And it's neither of their faults. Sometimes, you don't get what you want. Instead, you have to do what's best. And their mother needs them home. They can't stay here."

"Okay, then." Marlin shrugged. "I guess that lands the blame on their mom, don't it?"

"She's lost her husband and her only children moved to where he lived after they broke up! I think she's entitled to be lonely!" Trent snapped back, looking baffled at Marlin's change in tactic.

"And I think she's being selfish, screwing with her daughters' happiness because she messed up her own long ago."

"That's ENOUGH!" The three turned and found a red faced Jill glaring at Marlin.

Marlin, upon seeing Jill, turned on his heal and stomped off to his farm.

Trent looked to Jill's face as she watched her love go, and tried to reason with her. "Jill, don't mind him, he's just-"

"He's just Marlin, Trent." Closing her eyes, Jill, too, made her way to the farm she called home.

Trent sighed, unsure of what to do, or even if he could do anything to fix the situation, when he felt Claire's arms wrap around him from behind. "Clai-"

He started to turn to her, but stopped as he felt her head lean against his back. Silently, he knew, Claire was crying without shedding a tear - the only way she would let him be there for her. He put his hands on hers and stood with her, ignoring the stares of passer-byes.

That night, Jill and Claire finished packing without saying a word to each other, even avoiding looking at the other's faces. They ate in silence, and went to bed without speaking. The next morning, however, they awoke to frenzied banging on their door and frantic yelling.

"Claire, Jill, hurry quick!"

"Come on, ladies, you've got to hear this!"

Claire, as usual, rolled out of bed aggravated. Jill was right behind her as she threw open the door with a tyrannical "WHAT?!"

Muffy, her always composed self, didn't even flinch, but Rock beside her visibly recoiled. The girls had not made it a secret that they didn't enjoy his slacker, lazy, flirtatious company.

"You won't be-lieeeeve it!" Muffy squealed energetically - too energetic for so early in the morning, even to the two hard working farmer girls.

Jill tried to rescue the visitors. "Muffy, we have to leave today, so this really isn't-"

"Marlin and Trent are gay!"

Claire's oncoming verbal assault was silenced immediately, her mouth hanging open from her preparation. Jill shook her head in annoyed disbelief. "Rock, shut up. Muffy-"

"No, he's telling the truth!" Muffy shook Rock's shoulder while giggling wildly. "We both saw it!"

Rolling her eyes, Jill tried to talk around Claire, who was still blocking the door - now with a glare of death on her face. "Saw what, Muffy?"

"Marling proposed to Trent this morning!"

"It's true, I saw, too! Blue feather and everything!" Rock chimed in, looking like he's just provided the gossip of the century with a good looking grin.

"Marlin...gave Trent...a blue feather?" Now it was Jill's turn to be speechless, and Claire broke into a fit.

"Trent didn't accept it, though, right?"

"Oh yes he did!" Rock nudged Muffy, who took up the line. "With a smile - the sheepish but very grateful one he does soooo well. And Marlin was smiling, too - his cool, satisfied one."

"Trent was red as a beat." Rock laughed his hardy, annoying laugh.

"Oh no no no no NO!" Claire, hands gripped into fists, glared a gap between Muffy and Rock and marched right through it. "Not my Trent. NOT MY TRENT HE DOESN'T! Just because he can't have Jill, he sure as HECK ain't making the moves on MY Trent!"

Jill, still dumbstruck, stood leaning against the doorframe for support. It took a few moments, but then she burst forward after Claire, racing as fast as she could. Both girls reached town at the same time, and then went opposite directions: Claire to Dr. Hardy's, and Jill to Vesta's Farm.

Claire almost broke down the door. Elli almost dropped the pot of soup she was fixing, and Dr. Hardy did drop his medicine bag. Trent, who had been seated at the table, shot strait up, knocking his chair over. "Claire?! What-"

But before he could finish his sentence, Claire had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to her. It was the first kiss they'd ever shared, and Claire made it a powerful one. When she let him drop - which he did, strait to the floor - she was glaring angrily, but her eyes were glossed over with pain. "I love you, and I sure as heck ain't gonna loose you like this!"

Jill was gracious enough to knock, but she did it with no restraint. With every fist that landed against the wood, she called Marlin's name. Vesta opened the door, Marlin and Celia standing right behind her, and Jill pushed strait past, throwing herself around Marlin.

She was sobbing into his shirt before he even knew what had happened.

"Jill? What's wrong?" Marlin looked to the other two women in the room for help, but Celia just shook her head in confusion and Vesta shrugged in agreement.

"I love you." Like a punch to the gut, Jill's words soaked through her sobs and shocked Marlin. She released him, backing up slightly and wiping her eyes, but she never stopped looking at him. "I love you. How do you feel about me?"

All three people in Dr. Hardy's house were staring at Claire, silent in awed shock. Claire was beat red, but no one knew if it was because she was so worked up or if she was embarrassed about her own confession. She hadn't let up on her anger one bit, though, and was still glaring at Trent like he'd betrayed her somehow.

Trent looked like he'd been carved in stone and would never move again. He was, of course, even redder than Claire in the face, though. "Claire, I..."

"'I' what?" Claire snapped back, still staring him down and adding an accusing finger pointed at him. "Well, Trent? It's time to fess up! Who do you love - Me, or Marlin?"

Now everyone's jaws dropped incredulously. "Marlin?!"

"Tch." Marlin's head tilted down like he wanted to look away, but he couldn't really pull his gaze from the woman before him. He was red, but Jill was too upset to show any embarrassment. "What a stupid question."

Vesta glared across the room at her brother. "Marlin."

"What?" He piped back, his eyes flitting to Vesta and then strait back to Jill like a magnet. "The answer to that should be obvious - at least, it has been to everyone else, I'm so constantly reminded."

"Muffy and R-rock...t-told me you...had s-someone else you l-loved." Hiccups broke some of her words, but Jill's eyes pleaded for an answer with a strength that was both stone solid and glass-fragile.

Marlin cocked his head and rolled his eyes. "Muffy and Rock? Don't know why Muffy of all people would tell you that - she knows better. But Rock? Why on earth would you believe a word that comes out of Rock's mouth? Jill, I only love one woman. One."

Marlin sighed, growing redder than ever, and raised a hand to Jill's cheek, wiping away some tears. "And I'd like that woman to stop crying now."

"One woman?!" To everyone's shock, Jill's eyes started to tear up again. "That's not what I'm worried about! They told me you were gay!"

"Why on EARTH would you think I l-loved Marlin?!" Facing Claire made Trent stutter on the 'L' word, but he managed to get the rest of the sentence out fine.

"Rock and Muffy said you were seeing Marlin secretly behind my back!" Claire accused, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And you believed Rock?" Both Elli and Dr. Harvey said at once, looking incredulous.

Claire didn't flinch. "I believe Muffy. She's Jill's close friend."

"And what about me?" Trent pointed out, still looking like he'd been slapped. "Don't you trust me?"

"You guys aren't technically dating, you know." Both Claire and Trent looked over at Elli, who just shrugged. "I mean, it's not really a trust issue if there was no commitment, right?"

Trent really didn't know what to say to that, and Claire went red - with indignation. "Well then, I guess I'm the one who misunderstood. If you want to date Marlin, I guess it's none of my business."

"They said I was WHAT?" Marlin practically shouted, appearing to all the world as though he'd just been bit in the butt by something poisonous.

"Well, t-technically, I think bisexual is the p-proper term, as Muffy has told me more than once t-that you l-loved me, too." Jill hiccuped again and tried to wipe her tears with her palm.

Marlin was struck out of his stuper due to Vesta failing to suppress her fit of snorting. When he glared her direction, he found that even Celia was biting her lip in laughter. "This isn't funny - it's outrageous!" Marlin growled as he looked back down to Jill. "So what, you thought that since I couldn't have you, I was sidling up to some guy?"

Jill shrugged. "Well, he is kinda cute in a girly way..."

Marlin's eyes narrowed. "They named a specific guy?"

Jill nodded, not meeting Marlin''s eyes. "It also had occurred to me that, maybe, after yesterday, you were just trying to get back at Claire..."

It took a solid five seconds for it to register to everyone in the room who Jill was talking about. Then the two women busted up in laughter. Marlin, however, looked disgusted. "Trent? You think I like Trent?"

"Gotta admit, he is the girlier one between him and Claire." Vesta laughed heartily, giving Celia a wink.

"But-but!" Jill was looking into Marlin's angry eyes with panic. "They said they saw you p-propose! You gave Trent a blue feather!"

"They saw that!?"

"Claire, you can't be serious." Dr. Hardy said emphatically.

"What does it matter? I'm leaving today, anyway." Claire had tried to make that sound matter of fact and nonchalant, and had failed miserably. She sounded dejected, and she turned her face away from them when she realized that.

"Claire..." Trent shook his head for a moment, then his eyes hardened. He clenched his fists and, still red in the face, took Claire's hand. She looked to him - as did everyone else in the room - and her eyes grew wide as he bent down onto one knee. "Claire...I...I would never want anyone but you, man, women, animal - no one. Ever. If that's what it took, I'd wait for you to come back. I always thought you would someday, with how much you and Jill both love that farm. But if that's not going to happen, then...Then I want to go with you. I want to be with you always!"

Blushing but determined, Trent reached into his pocket and pulled out a fluffy, bright blue feather and presented it to Claire's stunned face. "Will you marry me?"

Claire looked torn for a moment, tears stinging her eyes with the obvious signs of wanting to say yes, and her indignation from earlier trying to save her pride. In the end, the winner was-

Claire turned her chin up at the gesture. "Is that the feather Marlin gave you?"

The whole room was dead silent. Jill's features fell. "...so it is true, then..."

"Now wait just a second, Jill, I can explain!" But Jill had already started to back up, and she shook her head as she swung around and bolted out the door. "Jill!"

Marlin was right after her, and he was also faster, catching up to her before she'd made it up the hill. Obviously she hadn't been paying attention to where she had been running or she would have realized that the waterfall was a dead end, but that didn't matter as Marlin grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her around, frantic. "Will you please listen to me?"

But Jill was just shaking her head, trying to pull away. Fed up, Marlin jerked her arm forward and pulled her to him. He kissed her with such force she thought she might never breath again. But she soon discovered how to use her nose and melted into Marlin's shaking arms.

"Jeez, Jill." Marlin wheezed, finally forcing himself to release his hold on her lips - but not her arm. "Listen to me, will you? For one freaking minute let me tell you how stupidly mad in love with you I am and how stupid you are to doubt that for a freaking second. Trent? For Heaven's sake, Jill, I got that feather while I was in town. I bought it as a favor for Trent - he's gonna propose to Claire."

Trent didn't miss a beat. "Yes, it is. And I owe him big time for buying it for me. But he wasn't proposing when he gave it to me, Claire. Marlin went to town and got the feathers while he could - they sell fast so he went ahead and got me one while he was there."

Claire's hardened expression started to slip slightly. "While he was there?"

Trent smiled. "I'm not letting you go without a fight, so what do you think Marlin would do when he's twice the man I am?"

Claire felt giddiness for her sister growing, and then for herself as it finally dawned on her. "Then...this is for real? You're really...you really just asked me to...?"

Trent nodded. "Are you gonna answer me now?"

Claire's answer was to literally throw herself at Trent, knocking him off his knee and flat onto his back. "Are you stupid? Of course I'm saying yes!"

Jill felt a smile slowly spread across her face - but even Marlin could tell it was a sad one. "Of course. You bought a blue feather for Trent so he could propose to Claire. That's great."

"Jill." Marlin put his hand under her chin and raised her watery eyes to his. "I got one for you, too."

He said it in a way that made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. And Jill started to ball. "Jeez, woman. What did I do now?"

"That! *hick* That means w-what I *hick* I think i-it means, r-right?"

Marlin rolled his eyes, but he knew a smile was creeping up. He conked Jill on the forehead lightly with his fist. "Obviously, I'm asking you to marry me, dofus."

Still balling her eyes out, Jill wrapped herself around Marlin. He held her to him with one arm, and produced the blue feather out of his back pocket with the other. Jill sobbed the same word over and over again into Marlin's shirt collar. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes-"

"So...what are we gonna do about mom?"

Claire sighed and leaned back on her bed. "I don't know...if we got working fast we could ship her a grandkid in nine months or so. Then she wouldn't be lonely."

Trent went bright red and Marlin flushed as well. Jill snickered, though, causing Marlin to shoot a glance at her. "Sure, Claire - Marlin and I will get right on that. You wanna make a race of it, see who can pop one out first?"

Claire grinned while the guys just looked anywhere but at their girls. "Alright, I get your point. We could send her Rock - two birds with one stone: we get rid of Rock, mom gets company."

"As good as that sounds, I don't think Ruby and Tim would appreciate that - they actually like their kid."

"How weird."

Marlin snickered. Jill had to crack a grin, too.

"Hey, why don't we just move her out here with us?" Claire asked, still throwing out ideas.

Jill shook her head. "I don't think she wants to live on the farm were her husband moved after their divorce."

"Ah. Good point. Is she old enough for a nursing home?"

Jill glared at her sister, and the question went unanswered.

"Are there any available bachlors in the late forties around here that we could set her up with?"

"How about Gustafa?" Marlin sugested.

"Gustafa's younger than you, Marlin." Jill pointed out. "Besides, I think he's taken."

"Really?" Trent seemed surprised. "By who?"

Claire grinned. "Our resident wanderer, Nami of course. You hadn't noticed?"

Both guys shook their heads, and the sisters laughed.

"And Rock's got Lumina all strung out, though I don't know what she sees in him."

Jill nodded in agreement. "And if Muffy would open her eyes, Griffin has always been there for her."

"Hm, how about Hardy or Van?"

"Both too old and neither is mom's type. That strikes the twins, too."

"Cody?"

"I don't think so."

"Arg! Why don't we just call her and tell her we both just got engaged, and she can either move her butt our here with us or be a hermit!?"

"That will go over so well, I'm sure." Jill rolled her eyes and bit her lip. "Speaking of which...what are we going to do about living arrangements? I mean, all four of us can't live here."

"Er, I'd rather not move you in with Vesta and Celia." Marlin cringed at the thought.

Trent frowned. "There's really not that much room with Hardy and Elli, either."

"We need a bigger house."

"We need two houses and a happy mother."

"Think we could kick Takakura out?"

"Oh, that's real nice, Claire."

"We could give him that old tool shed we can't get open. I'm sure he could tare it down and build himself a place. He offered to put a chicken pen there, remember?"

"Then why don't we hire someone to build us a second house there, instead of booting out our father's best friend?"

"Er, that works too."

"This is getting us nowhere."

Their conversation (if you could call it that) was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Hm?" Jill stood and went to answer it. "Someone here to say bye, maybe?"

"Jill! OH, I MISSED YOU!" Jill was shoved back as soon as the door opened as a blond women threw herself at the pigtailed brunette.

"Mom?" Claire looked dumbfounded as the woman from whom she definately got her looks smothered her elder sister and then looked up at her.

"Claire, baby!" Dropping Jill, she flew forward and wrapped herself around Claire, lifting her an inch or two off he ground with her bear hug. "Oh, sweetheart, how are you?"

Choking, Claire forced out "Engaged."

That was enough for her mother to drop her. "Engaged?" Amalie finally tore her eyes from her daughters and found Trent and Marlin by the wall, making themselves small.

Trent tried to smile, and it looked painful. "Er, hello there. I'm Trent, a physician here in town-"

"Engaged?" She repeated, staring at Trent and then shooting her look back to Claire. "ENGAGED?"

"Ah, yeah mom." Claire fiddled with her overalls, uncomfortable as she always was around her mother. "Trent asked me to marry him this morning. We've...sorta been dating a while now, and ..."

"...and?" Amalie prodded, turning to Trent again and sizing him up with a curious expression.

"And I...love him."

Claire and Trent both went red simotaneously, and Jill had to smile. "Mom? That's Marlin beside Trent. He's a farmer, and he also proposed this morning – to me. We're getting married."

"Both of you? Engaged? Proposed to on the same day?"

"Well, they didn't want us to leave...when they loved us."

"Darn strait." Marlin grumbled, crossing his arms. "Not that I wouldn't have proposed anyway."

"Me, too." Trent agreed, rather forcefully.

Jill glanced between her mother and the guys, and then but herself between them with feigned casualty. "Um, mom? What are you even doing here?"

"I came to pick you up." Amalie replied after a moment. "Good looking boys, that's for sure. You never told me you were dating, though. And you two are sure about this? Not rushing into things just because you were leaving, right?"

"Of course we're sure!" Claire snapped, stepping closer to Trent. "Yeah, the engagement was a little huried because we were leaving, but they already had the feathers. One way or another, we were gonna marry these boys – are gonna marry these boys."

Amalie shrugged, and then her haughty facade slipped and she smiled. "Well then, congradulations."

Claire, Jill, Trent, and Marlin all looked dumbfounded. "'Congradulations?' That's it?"

She laughed. "Well, yeah. Of course I want my daughters to get married and have adorable babies-"

"Told you." Claire whispered.

"-And it will be wonderful to have some men around the house."

"Um, mom...actually, we were planning to stay here, in Forget-Me-Not Valley."

Amalie nodded. "Alright then. That's fine. I think I could like it here. Nice people around. And Takakura and I have so much catching up to do."

Claire and Jill stared at eachother. Takakura?

Whimsically, Amalie smiled. "Taka always did keep in touch even after your dad left. And he's been so good to you girls – like a serogate father."

Now the sisters were gawking. Takakura, run while you can! Mother's got her sights on you!

Giggling, Amalie turned and headed out the front door.

Jill and Claire almost ran eachother over trying to follow after her. "Mom, wait just a second!"