Winter: Three seasons later.

Claire's POV

I gritted my teeth glaring at the young blacksmith's apprentice, If did not desperately need the extra income that came from mining with him every morning I would just walk away. I would have loved to hurl the hammer in my hand in his direction. He was so utterly irritating and frustrating. It seemed ever since our first encounter, we had been at odds. For some infuriating reason he refused to let me come in the mines alone.

"So what exactly am I doing wrong?" I asked through my teeth. Two hours with him every morning was almost excruciating, but I could not afford to quit, at least not in winter.

"It's just that you are using just your arm strength when you swing, expending a lot more energy than necessary," the young man answered back irritated.

"Well fine then why don't you show me how to do it?" I said sarcastically, standing back from where I had been hammering. He stepped forward and demonstrated what to do.

"I'll hurt myself if I try it that way," I insisted.

"You'll hurt yourself if you don't," he growled. "But suit yourself" He turned away, I stuck my tongue out at him, knowing it was not the most mature thing in the world. But he was so aggravating!

"Why do you always wear that stupid hat?" I asked pettily.

"Because I do,"he answered back.

"Well you should seriously consider not wearing it, that does not look good on you." He turned back to look at me. What was it about him that brought out my argumentative side.

"Yeah, and you're miss fashion herself aren't you?" Gray sneered. I stopped and placed my left hand on my hip.

"What does that mean?" I asked my eyes narrowing.

'Well, all you wear is over sized overalls and checkered shirts."

"These are my work clothes."

"So is my hat."

"Fine whatever, besides I'm not the one trying to impress a certain librarian..." Gray glared at me. I had recently figured out his crush on my close friend. Of course he didn't know about the thing she had going with Dr Jacobson. Then again very few people knew about that.

"Whatever, you don't know what you are talking about," Gray said his face turning to a bright pink color.

"Gray why do you deny it? Everyone knows. Well except Mary herself, of course."

"What do you care if I do? Which I don't."

"I don't care, I just don't understand why you always deny it. I mean trust me I get it. Mary's a catch. I mean she-"

"Drop it!" Gray interrupted. I let the subject drop. Okay so maybe that fight I had instigated, but damn it, sometimes I can't help myself. He just rubs me the wrong way. My friend Mary insists that it was because the bad first impression, but I have feeling that I would have felt the same way about him no matter how our first impression would have been.

Gray's POV

Nine o'clock couldn't come fast enough in the mornings. Spending two hours with her was frustrating. If she wasn't a girl I would have probably decked her by now. My anger was not entirely directed at her, just what she represented. Of course, I had been insulted when Gramps hired her, this tiny girl to help me. Then he did nothing but compliment her and decide to keep her on. I know Gramps had a soft spot for her, but I was perfectly capable of doing the job on my own.

"Gray you okay?" a soft voice asked me. I looked up at my friend Mary. She was always so kind. It was why I had started to develop feelings for her. That and the fact that she was beautiful. I would come and visit her in the library after work. At first it had started off because I felt sorry for her, no one ever came to library. Now it was the best part of my day.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I answered back.

"You seem extra aggravated today," Mary said sweetly, her brown eyes gazed at me from over the rims of her glasses. She looked so adorable when she did that.

"Sorry Mary, it's just that working in the mines with Claire was absolutely aggravating, and then Gramps was particularly grumpy today too. The cold weather tends to aggravate his bum knee" Mary shook her head.

"Oh Gray," She said chuckling. "I don't know why Claire aggravates you so much, she really is a sweet girl." I scoffed at Mary's response. Sweet? I had yet to see the sweet side of Claire that Mary was talking about. The sea shells Mary had placed on her door clanged, signifying a new patron to the library. I turned to see the blonde in question walk through. When she saw me, she stopped mid-stride for a moment, then completely ignoring me she turned to Mary.

"Hello Mary," Claire greeted. Her voice sounded cheery. "I was just wondering if you had any books on flowers, I would like to grow a few on my farm come spring, but really have no idea where to start."

"Well you're in luck." I heard Mary reply sweetly back to Claire. "My father's a botanist, and happens to write a lot about that subject. Come on upstairs with me." I watched as both girls walked away, contemplating their differences. Even in appearance they were as different as night and day. Mary had dark almost midnight black hair that was always neatly pulled back into a braid. She had beautiful warm dark brown eyes that contrasted her creamy ivory skin. Claire's wild blonde locks were barely contained in the ponytail that she often would wear, several strands would always be loose. Claire's eyes were an icy grayish blue color, and her skin was usually tanned from the sun, or had a reddish tint from the winter winds. Mary was genteel sophistication, while Claire was unruly chaos. How the two were even friends was completely beyond my grasp of understanding.

Mary's POV

I led Claire up the stairs to where many of my fathers books were. I really did not understand why Gray didn't get along with her. Claire seemed to always be so sweet to me. She was always smiling and always cheery, although there always seemed to be an underlying sadness in her voice and her demeanor.

"Thank you so much Mary, I just needed to add some beauty to my farm you know?" Claire asked.

"Yes I do know. So what are you looking for?"

"Whatever is the easiest to keep alive," Claire answered back seriously. I couldn't help but chuckle at her poor hopeless look on her face. Claire had encountered some mishaps in her first year as a farmer. I admired Claire though, she had a determination in her. Most girls I knew (especially here in Mineral Town) would have given up by now, I know I would have.

"You're still planning on coming to the Inn tonight with Karen, Ann and me right?" I asked.

"Of course, as long as Gray's not going to be hanging out with us."

"You know you two should really just call a truce or something," I said through another chuckle. "Seriously though Claire, Gray really is a nice guy."

"Nice?" She scoffed. "I don't know what planet you're on at the moment, but clearly it's not earth." I couldn't help but laugh at her comment. My beautiful friend would probably strangle me on the spot if she knew what I really thought. Actually it was Trent who had suggested it first. I smiled when I thought of Trent; my handsome doctor.

Trent had been the one who had noticed that there might be more to their bickering than meets the eye. I remembered when he had first mentioned it, I had thought he was crazy. Gray and Claire having feelings for each other? That was impossible. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. I had been tempted to find a way to get them to see, but I knew better than to interfere with the affairs of others.

Ann's POV

I smirked at my half brother as I caught him staring once again at my pretty friend sitting across from me. He had been eying her since she'd entered the Inn. Gray's eyes met mine and scowled at the knowing smirk on my face.

"You know that my big brother has like the hugest crush on you right?" I asked Mary.

"Gray? Nah we're just friends, besides which, you know I am already taken," Mary whispered.

"Well I know that, but he doesn't. Why the secrecy anyway?" I asked.

Mary lifted her glass of my father's famous wild grape juice to her lips. "You know why."

"Come on, Elli's gotta be over him by now, and really the age difference isn't that bad, I'm sure your parents will get over it," I stated. Mary was about to reply but stopped and stared past me. I turned my head to see what could possibly be drawing Mary's attention like that. When I saw it, my jaw nearly dropped. Claire had walked in wearing a dress! No one had actually ever seen Claire in anything but her overalls and the checkered shirts she would wear. When I had sent Karen to make sure Claire had dressed up I had not imagined she would actually do it. The dress was a satiny blue that accentuated the color of her eyes, and her hair was down around her shoulders, and... was she wearing makeup? Karen stood by her side beaming proudly.

I scanned the room looking for the guys' reactions. My friend Cliff turned bright red and then looked at the floor. Poor shy Cliff. Kai, who was now a staple in Mineral Town ever since proposing to Karen, stared with a goofy grin on his face. Gray's eyes widened stunned, and then turned to talk to Kai, and Rick the chicken farmer almost dropped the drink he had in his hand.

"Hey," Claire greeted, walking up to where Mary and I were sitting.

"Holy crap girl! You clean up nice!" I said. "Karen good work!" I lifted my hand up, and Karen returned the high five. Claire turned bright red.

"Really it's not THAT different," Claire muttered.

"Uh dear, have you looked at yourself in the mirror?" Mary asked.

"Not to mention that every guys' head turned as you walked in," I added.

"Whatever," Claire replied back. "I'm going to go get some of that juice, Karen would you like me to get you anything?"

"The usual," Karen said in a sing song voice. She turned to us. "Did I do good work or did I do good work?"

"You did good work," I mused. "I'm pretty sure Claire's going to be in the fantasies of practically every man in here."

"Right?" Karen said "I mean I don't think I would even be mad if Kai had a dream about her tonight. I knew there was more under all of those frumpy overalls." Karen's eyes sparkled in mischief.

"Wow Karen, you did a really good job, I'm glad Trent's not here, I might lose him to her," Mary said jokingly. All three of us giggled.

"She's going to be the talk of the town for the next few days," I said. Karen's smile grew even wider.

My eyes drifted to the counter, where Claire was standing and widened as I saw Gray pulling Rick roughly away from Claire. Rick took a swing at Gray. For a moment everything seemed to blur, then Rick and Gray were engaged in a full out fight.

"Holy crap you guys!" I shouted. "Rick and Gray are fighting!" I saw my dad run out from behind the counter. Claire screamed, and went tumbling backward, my dad tried to catch her but she hit her head on the counter, and passed out. I screamed and ran towards my friend.