Chapter 1: Cracks

Autumn.. my favourite season of the year, well it was in the city. But I don't really have one here on the island - every season is as beautiful as the last, for all different reasons.. so really Autumn isn't my favourite season. It's my 'preferred' season. I always wanted to get married in the Autumn time..

I pushed myself up from my bed to look around the deserted room... strange, Denny isn't usually this early.. unless! I looked to my left, panicked that my alarm clock hadn't went off and Denny hadn't woke me up - that little-! But the clock read 7am, I was right on time. So where was Denny? I walked over to the kitchen to find the sink clear - had he even ate?

This was really odd.

But for the past week or so everything has been quite weird with Denny. I frowned to myself, I was over reacting Denny's a big boy he can do what he wants, and if that means getting up a bit earlier and not having breakfast then so be it. I had my own work to do anyway. I got dressed as normal in my half-cut jeans, yellow T-shirt and orange shirt over the top, my red, rubber boots and finally my red bandanna.

I was ready for a day of hard labor on the farm. It was, after all, Autumn so I was preparing for the winter and that meant working extra hard to get the money I needed to live through the season. Though, I probably would get by especially with Denny also bringing in an income. This morning I wasn't feeling too hungry so I left the house without breakfast and went to work on the fields.

This season I was growing Eggplants, Carrots and Spinach, my Spinach was almost ready for harvest but the other two would probably take another week or so to mature and be ready to be picked. I spent some time watering and tending to the crops before I went up to the top of the field to see to my animals.

At around one I finished up with the animals and went down to the ranch to clean up a little before I went to the diner for something to eat, it was something I hadn't done in awhile. I walked into the house to find Denny sitting at the table eating alone. "Oh, I didn't expect to see you here. Did you get hungry after not having anything this morning?" I asked as I walked over to the bathroom.

When he didn't respond immediately I looked over at him to see him nod while continuing to eat, frowning I went into the bathroom to wash my face and hands. Once I was done I went over to the fridge to get something to eat, now deciding to have lunch with Denny. I made myself a sandwich and took an apple and a glass of milk to have with it and sat at the table with him.

We didn't say anything and after awhile I became a bit uncomfortable and spoke up "So where were you this morning?"

Denny finished the last bit of what he was eating and stood up going over to the sink where he mumbled "Nowhere."

I raised an eyebrow "Did you not just go to the beach?" I asked, continuing to eat my meal even though Denny had now got up. I heard Denny grunt in frustration but he didn't say anything. "Denny?" I asked again, why isn't he speaking to me?

"What!? Can't you see I'm trying to do something here?" He snapped back. I turned in my chair to see what he was doing and raised my eyebrow when I saw he was only washing the dish he had used, usually he likes me to talk to him while he washes dishes.

"Well, with my back turned to you, no I couldn't. I only asked you where you were this morning" I replied.

"Well I told you, I was nowhere this morning," He said, not turning back around to face me but instead continuing to clean the dish in the sink. I paused, why is he so weird today?

"You couldn't have been nowhere, you had to have been somewhere" I insisted. Why didn't he just say he was at the beach or in the forest by the pond? Or maybe by one of the rivers on the island? That's where he usually went.. unless he didn't go there this morning, but where would he go? Unless..? No. Denny wouldn't do that to me or anyone else on the island. Everyone's my friend here and I trust Denny completely.

I shook my head, he's probably just having an off day or something "Goddess why won't you just leave me alone - for once!" He finally said storming out of the house and slamming the door behind himself. I sighed to myself and went back to eating but after a couple of bites I found myself to not be hungry again and I dumped it in the bin, put the plate in the sink and left the house.

I walked aimlessly for awhile not really making for anywhere and when I got close to the beach or any spot where Denny could be to fish I would turn around and go the opposite way. I didn't actually know where he was, as I never went close enough to anywhere he could possibly be but after walking towards the meadow for the third time I decided that it would be a nice place to sit for awhile before going home.

There was no one at the meadow, at this time and on a day where there was no festival being held there wouldn't be so I made my way over to a nice spot where the sun shone but I was sheltered by a tree against the wind. I closed my eyes and let the sun warm my face, it was a nice feeling just sitting in the sun under the tree by myself, no one bothering me and with nothing to do.

I don't know how long I sat there for but I think I was dosing off when I heard the grass move because of feet trudging in it. I opened my eyes and looked over my shoulder and around the tree trunk I was sitting at to see someone approaching me. When he saw that I was sitting there they stopped and said a small "Oh" to himself.

"Am I sitting in your spot?" I asked.

They didn't say anything at first but then he said: "No, it's fine I'll just go somewhere else..."

"No! It's fine. You can come join me if you want or I'll... uh.." I was going to say that I would leave but I wasn't ready to leave yet and go home so I just left it at that. "Come sit." I insisted, patting on a dry bit of mud beside me.

They swayed on their feet for a second, probably thinking about whether to run or not, and then slowly walked over to the tree I was sat at and sat themselves down next to me. "So how are you?" I asked, starting up conversation.

He sat back, leaned against the tree and shrugged "Fine"

"That's it? Just 'fine'" I said, disappointed with his simple response to my question.

"What did you want me to say?" He said back, this time a little sharply.

I frowned at this, I didn't know - I guess there wasn't a lot to say about what I had asked. I mean he could of went into detail about how he felt and what his day had been like but that isn't really the thing you share with someone who isn't really a friend, more of an acquaintance, and besides, I was asking Vaughn.

Vaughn. The only guy on the island who I wasn't friends with. Well, we were friends and then.. I started to hang out with Denny and then I got married and then I guess we never really talked so we just, drifted apart. I mean we weren't great friends, he was not someone I would tell my whole life story to but at least someone who I could ask how they were and they would give me a better answer than 'fine'.

But that was then. Maybe I should make more of an effort with Vaughn.. I mean after all he is a nice guy, I think. Once you get past the hard exterior he should be nice this whole facade of him being mean and cold can only be a front can't it not? No one is really that mean. Mean.. I think that's the wrong word for him, because he isn't mean he's never mean he's just well.. detached.

"Do you come here often?" I asked.

"Sometimes" He replied. I nodded. "Are you going to ask me questions all evening?" He asked, still not turning to look at me when he spoke.

I was surprised, a question! Though, he was trying to get me to stop asking him questions. "Uh, not if you don't want me to" I replied, a little embarrassed that I had annoyed him into telling me basically to 'shut the hell up'.

"I don't" He muttered.

For a while I sat there and stared blankly in front of me trying to think of an excuse as of why I had to suddenly leave but I couldn't think of one and it was beginning to dawn on me that I might have to sit here nearly the whole evening with Vaughn, saying nothing just being an awkward presence. When I realized, I didn't need an excuse, I could get up and go if I wanted to, plus I think Vaughn would be happier if I did. It would give him some peace.

But just as I was about to stand and leave I remembered what I had thought to myself before about wanting to be closer to Vaughn and make more of an effort towards our friendship (if we have one). But how could I do that now without asking him questions and annoying him?

When I couldn't think of another way to talk to him I decided that the best option would be to drop in and see him tomorrow, preferably when he isn't looming over paperwork and talk to him then - he is after all on the island. Then next week when he comes back talk to him then, oh! I could make him some porridge or maybe give him some milk.. Julia once said that he liked that didn't she?

I nodded to myself, that's what I'll do. I went to go and turn to Vaughn to say goodbye but when I looked he was already staring at me. "What are you doing?" He asked, one of his silver eyebrows raised above the brim of his cowboy hat so I couldn't see it.

I blushed and looked down at my fingers - I must have been making facial expressions while I was thinking about what I was going to do tomorrow and next week. "I was just thinking to myself..." I mumbled.

I saw his shoulders move up and then back down, in a small shrug and look away and back to whatever he was looking at beforehand. A minute or so passed and finally I built up the courage to move and to stand up to leave. When I did Vaughn looked up at me, I smiled and said a quiet 'bye' before hurrying off the island. I'm not sure if he said bye back to me as I was probably half way up the meadow before he even got the chance.

I made my way through the east town, through the west town and then up to my farm and back home, once I got there I saw that the lights were on inside so that meant the Denny must of been home. I walked inside and closed the door behind myself quietly so I wouldn't disturb Denny, if he was asleep. It was only eight but as he got up so early this mourning I figured he must of been tired.

But I was surprised to see him sitting at the table with two meals fully prepared and waiting. I gasped and turned to look at Denny "How long have you been waiting?" I asked, hoping I hadn't kept him waiting too long.

"Just a couple of minutes, it should all still be hot" He said, smiling from where he sat at the table. He seemed completely different from his moodiness this mourning I was glad that he was more like himself. I sat myself down at the table and looked at the food in front of me, it looked so good especially since I hadn't really eaten anything all day.

"So how was your day?" I asked, taking my first bite out of the meal Denny had prepared.

He shrugged a little and finished off his mouthful before saying, "Fine, I didn't really do much, just went fishing.. the usual. I'm sorry for snapping at you this mourning - I was just having a bad day." He said with a sheepish smile.

I shook my head and smiled back "It's fine, we all have our off days" I said. "At least you're feeling better now"

Denny nodded in agreement but didn't reply. After a couple of minutes of silent eating Denny spoke up, "So how was your day?"

I shrugged "Fine, again the normal. But I saw Vaughn today and I'm thinking about starting up a friendship with him again as we haven't really spoke in a year or so." I said in between bites of food. I took a sip from the wine Denny had poured out while waiting for his response.

"Good luck with that"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, Vaughn isn't the easiest of people to get along with... I don't think he's a very nice person in general." Denny explained.

I shook my head "I disagree, I think Vaughn will be a nice person once you get to know him - he's just a little detached is all."

Denny smirked "I don't think we're talking about the same Vaughn"

I waved my hand "Whatever, I'm still doing it anyway - whatever you say. But enough about Vaughn, have you any plans for tomorrow?" I asked Denny, taking another sip of wine before going back to eating my meal.

Denny told me about his plans for tomorrow to go fishing in the forest instead of the beach, where he was today, he even invited me to come with him to go fishing, but I reminded him of my plans to start speaking with Vaughn. He seemed a little disappointed but he didn't press my decision and continued talking about his plans.

We talked for quite awhile, even well after we had finished our meals, before washing everything up and then going to bed together, I'd had a nice night with Denny and I was glad that I knew that he was just a little grumpy this mourning and that's why he wouldn't speak to me. We both climbed into bed and I turned out the light.

I smiled, snuggled up against Denny's chest and closed my eyes. I lay there for while trying to get to sleep but I guessed that I just wasn't tired enough to fall asleep yet. I peaked up at Denny to see that he was staring out the window behind me "Can't sleep either?" I whispered. Denny jumped a little and looked down at me, smiling.

"No, I'm guessing you can't either?" He whispered back, some of his dark curly hair falling over his eyes. I shook my head and looked back down to his chest, closing my eyes again and trying, a second time to fall asleep. "Chels?" Denny murmured.

"Hm?"

"Do you think we'll ever have children?" He asked. I snapped my eyes open but forced myself to not look up at Denny but to close them again and keep my breathing leveled. Children? Did I want children? I wasn't sure it seemed like such a huge thing, because it was a huge thing.

"I..." I mumbled trying to first, get my head around the question. "uh, yeah, of course.. I mean eventually right? Not right now..?" I said, adding on the last bit hoping he didn't mean soon - I don't want kids yet! I'm too young, right?

"No.. not right now but I was hoping eventually.. that we would, y'know, start a family together," He said, his hand going through my hair and down my back, tracing the groove where my spine was.

"Yeah, sure, of course. But uh, I'm starting to get really tired so could we talk about this tomorrow - or something? I kind of need sleep.." I trailed off trying to divert the conversation from having children, I didn't want to say no as I would eventually want kids but for now, I wasn't sure.

Denny sighed "Yeah, okay. Goodnight." I looked up at him and kissed him quickly on the cheek before snuggling back down and closing my eyes for a final time. I didn't fall asleep immediately but it didn't take me long before I was lost in a world of dreams.

Woo! Done! That only took me what? 4 months? Something like that.. but it's funny it only took me a day to write 2500 words but 4 months to write 300 of them, how bizarre?

That's my laziness for you!

So yeah hope you enjoyed it and I will look forward to any reviews:D

Thanks!