Many apologies for the wait everyone. RL had a hold on me and the dreaded writer's block struck me hard but in the past few days I was re-inspired and a few more favs and follows also pushed me forward. Thank you for that :) And so onwards my dear readers. Things are about to get heavy. Soooo...

Just a quick warning here. Prepare yourself for some deeply emotional stuff in the next couple of chapters, hold on to your hearts….

XXXXX

Chapter 4 Mind Your Step

It took a while for Branch to calm down from his highly emotional state but Poppy was so patient with him. He'd never been in such a position as this before. Controlling such emotions that he hadn't touched upon for so long was proving to be quite a challenge. When they started the journey again they walked hand in hand in contented silence. At this point in time, words were unnecessary. The time seemed to fly by and all too soon the outskirts of the village became apparent. They weren't far off from his bunker and at the thought Branch's chest tensed.

After peace and quiet for so long Poppy broke the silence and cast a glance across at him. "Well Branch, did you want to head to your bunker now?"

The question was so innocent but the very words sent a spiralling chill down the once grey troll's spine. He never registered the physical shiver but Poppy did. Her fingers tightened about his and the sudden sensation had him snapping his bright eyes toward hers.

"Branch, is there something wrong? Is there something nearby?" she asked tentatively, casting her eyes about the immediate area.

"Huh? Oh! No, no, nothing like that," Branch was quick to reassure, the last thing he wanted was to project unnecessary fears upon his companion. "It's nothing," he lied, sounding as casual as he could. The sooner he got this over with the better. "Yeah, let's head to my bunker."

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Looking down at his own doormat, Branch felt an awkward pang fill his breast. It great white letters were the words GO AWAY. Good grief, he really had some serious issues, didn't he? Poppy hovered close behind him as he hesitated.

"Everything okay Branch?"

"Sure," he uttered still staring at the ground. He shook his head to gather his senses and reached into the nearby undergrowth and flipped the hidden switch which slid the doormat open.

"Huh," Poppy commented, with a curious tilt to her head. "Didn't realise there was another way to open that hatch."

A slight smile ghosted Branch's lips. "Well, yeah. How was I supposed to get back in after I went foraging for the day?"

The blush that tinted Poppy's cheeks was nothing short of adorable. "Oh," she uttered with a sheepish grin.

Despite his initial worries Branch took Poppy's nearest hand. "C'mon," he smiled more noticeably.

However stepping down into that opening, standing on the lift sent Branch's heart hammering painfully in his chest. He felt a nervous flutter as he reached for the lever and once more he paused. Poppy was staring at him quite openly now.

"Branch, what's wrong? You're shaking."

He hadn't even noticed but when Poppy reached out and rested her hand atop of his on the lever did he feel the tremor. Still he denied it. "No, no I'm not."

Poppy frowned and gripped his hand ever tighter. "Branch, what's wrong? And don't go shrugging it off and telling me it's nothing because I know it isn't," she said sternly and every inch the queen that she had become.

Branch averted his eyes from her suddenly penetrating gaze and stared guiltily at Poppy's delicate toes. "I'm, ahem," the poor troll stalled. It sounded so ridiculous. Would she truly understand? He squeezed his eyes shut. C'mon, this is Poppy you're talking about. She would never judge you like that. The dark haired troll's shoulders slumped and he finally raised his sights to the pink queen.

"Alright, I'll admit it," he uttered quietly. "I didn't want to come back here."

Poppy's frown was now a curious one. "Why?"

Branch's features creased and the lines that had once marred his face from years of solitude and dourness returned briefly. "I-I didn't want to remind myself of who I once was. I want to bury him and leave his memory lost in this stupid bunker. He was a jerk and I never want to remember him. Ever," eyes closed throughout his mini speech, Branch felt gentle fingers drift across his nearest cheek. Then petal soft lips caressed his skin and gifted a tender and meaningful kiss across his mouth.

"Branch, don't be scared," his old self would have bristled at such a comment but he had laid himself bare to her. He didn't need to tell her, she read it on him like the pages of a book. Nowhere to hide. It was there on his face. It was how he held himself. He had completely dropped his guard around her and she was probably the only one that he would do that for. "I'm here," she smiled warmly and activated the lever whilst still holding onto his hand.

Branch blinked back the dewy wetness that threatened his eyes and turned away from her kindly expression as the lift descended. It would do no good to lose himself twice in one day. His hands slipped from the lever and he released a nervous, shuddering breath as the platform lowered deeper and deeper into the ground. Almost as if in response to this, Poppy's arms slid around his shoulders from behind and Branch couldn't help but sink into that caring embrace and let his head fall against his beloved's.

It felt like an age but finally the lift stopped. Branch dared to raise his head, reluctant to leave Poppy's warmth and comfort but there was bound to be time for that later. He had a couple of things to do and then they could leave and Branch would gladly forget about this place and never look back.

It was then that he took in the state of the place. Empty jars and baskets scattered, mean looking mini bear traps sprung and various plundered supplies randomly laying amongst the chaos. Remnants of the troll villagers that Poppy had lead down there all that time ago, a sneaky ploy and a touch of revenge to get him to help her travel to Bergen Town to rescue her friends. The thought of that even now made him shiver. A habitual loner having their secret home suddenly invaded by beings who had no concept of personal space, especially when it came to 'hug time'.

Poppy came up alongside him and looked across the trashed bunker and cast large apologetic eyes at him. "Branch, I am so sorry," she uttered, misreading his current expression.

In all honesty, Branch didn't give two hoots to the state of his former home. It was no skin off his nose. He waved a hand out and shook it off. "Don't worry about it Poppy, it doesn't worry me."

Taking a deep breath he strode into the living quarters area of the bunker. Within several paces of his desk Branch paused. His heart resumed its painful pounding. The hours he had spent sat at that desk with only his own thoughts for company. His brow creased and for a moment he pressed the back of one of his large hands to his mouth. He'd always known this was going to be hard but being face to face with his past was affecting him in a way he had never expected. He had guessed he'd be angry. Mad at himself for being such a foul tempered individual but no, that's not what he was feeling at all.

An unexpected swelling started fill the back of his throat. He bit his bottom lip and felt an unwanted dampness slip around his eyes. For the love of the Troll Tree! He felt sorry for his former self. Pitied him! Had Poppy pitied him? He had no idea but he was more than certain that she had felt sorry for him. The lump grew bigger and then without warning there it was. The anger. It surged forth and hammered at him mercilessly.

Branch's actions were not his own as he suddenly lurched forward and tore the desk light from its rooted mooring with an upset cry. He knew it had been a mistake to come here. Anything on a shelf was thrown wildly to the floor and Poppy was shouting at him, her voice filled with panic as he tore through the possessions of his past life. He couldn't stop himself as everything he had once valued ended up beneath his feet as he blindly tried to rip his old life asunder.

Then suddenly something seized hold of him, snatched his upper arms and gripped them strongly, preventing him from snatching at anything else. He struggled at first, fought the one who held him back but then a familiar voice broke through the haze, a voice that penetrated to the very core of his soul. It reassured. It calmed. It soothed. Branch stopped fighting and finally reality faded back into view.

"That's it. Calm down. Everything's okay, I'm here Branch."

Then there she was, standing right infront of him, the tight grip on his pinned arms loosening as his vision cleared. Concerned magenta eyes met his after he briefly looked about him to see the disarray he had wrought. He suddenly felt ashamed. What was wrong with him?

Poppy quirked a slight smile and smoothed her hands down his arms before releasing him. "Thought I'd lost you there for a minute," she said softly, the relief clear to see as it passed over her face.

Her smile grew a little more and that's when Branch noticed it, the vicious red mark that marred her left cheek. It took a minute to process but when the realisation struck, it hit poor Branch like a ton of bricks hanging from a frayed rope. He must have hit her when she tried to stop him. His eyes glazed over as he raised trembling fingers and gently stroked the angry abrasion. He'd barely touched it when Poppy winced slightly. Instantly Branch snapped his digits back as if he'd burnt them and the former guilt of what he'd done to his things was suddenly overwhelmed by what his violent actions had inadvertently done to the love of his life.

"Poppy I'm-," he felt his voice crack even as he whimpered out the words to her. "I-I am so sorry-," he couldn't maintain his voice. The swelling in his throat ballooned and his vision blurred as the glistening surface of his bright blue eyes filled with wretched guilty tears. The sobs plucked his breast before he could stop them. His knees turned to water and he fell heavily to the floor as he covered his face with shame. He knew from the deepest part of his being that he would never forgive himself for what he had just done.

XXX

Poppy had no idea what to think when Branch had ventured to his former living quarters. She had at first taken a respectful distance, now understanding the apprehension that Branch had been reluctant to talk about earlier. She'd never realised that he despised his former self so much, it shocked her really, saddened her. Who he once was was what made who he was now, it was on the tip of her tongue to tell him just that but his emotional state had seemed so fragile that she didn't want to push it.

Poppy had watched, sympathetically at first as Branch had approached his old desk. He froze and Poppy had to stop herself from rushing forward. She could almost feel it. The sadness that almost radiated off of him. There was an internal tug at her heart as she saw him raise a hand to his mouth. She should have ran to him then but she stayed put. Then all hell broke loose.

Poppy gasped in shock as Branch suddenly ripped the light off the side of his desk and then proceeded to tear down every possession he had.

"Branch! Branch stop! What are you doing?!"

The panic gripped Poppy's chest like an iron vice as she stared on not knowing what to do. He was like a mad man possessed as he proceeded to pull everything he owned onto the ground.

"Branch please! Stop!"

It was if he couldn't hear her. Branch seemed to have slipped into some awful desperate void and no matter what she said would prevent him from tearing his old life apart. She could feel frightened tears swelling in her eyes as she took several panicked breaths. Poppy closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, drew in her scattered emotions and suddenly she was centred. Branch needed her and it would do no good to go pieces whilst he raged on helpless against his actions.

Poppy surged forward and snatched at Branch's arms, she ducked a swing as he spun around and lost her grip. Cursing her lost hold she tried again and succeeded, she summoned all her strength because Branch was by no means a weak troll, to be honest he was one of the strongest she had come across. It was so hard to keep hold of him! He writhed and struggled and at one point an arm broke free and backhanded her across the left side of her face. She released a gasp and re-pinned the flailing arm before it could strike her again. It was her own fault. She could have used her hair but the thought of restraining him that way put a chill down her spine.

"Branch! C'mon now, listen to me."

Still he fought her, twisting and tugging. Poppy dug in her heels and gave him a firm shake.

"Branch calm down. Hear my voice," she called gently. "Everything's okay. Everything's alright."

It seemed to be working as Branch had stopped struggling. Poppy kept speaking softly and finally her love seemed to return from the brink he had thrown himself at only moments before.

"That's it. Calm down. Everything's okay, I'm here Branch."

His bright eyes seemed to focus and for a moment he searched about him at the sheer mess he had created. Guilt tainted his features and he looked back at her. The poor troll looked so ashamed. She perked a smile to try and reassure him and ran her hands down his arms before letting him go.

"Thought I'd lost you there for a minute," her smile lengthened and then Branch seemed to fixate on something on her face. It was only when his fingers lightly grazed her left cheek that she realised how much it stung. She gave the slightest wince and Branch's hand immediately darted back.

Poppy watched her expression falling as she saw the tell tale signs of tears shimmering on the surface of his eyes. Then he spoke and his voice betrayed the upset that was clearly frothing relentlessly inside of him.

"Poppy I'm-," the young queen felt a tension in her chest as his voice broke mid apology. "I-I am so sorry-" whatever else he had wanted to say he obviously couldn't bring himself too. The tears escaped and the sobs plucked mercilessly at his breast.

Poppy felt the sorrow fill her own throat as Branch practically collapsed in front of her, large hands covering his face. It broke her heart. Before she knew what she was doing she fell to her knees too, reaching desperately out to him.

"Branch, no, no, it's okay. I'm okay, everything's alright," she attempted to soothe.

Branch pushed her hands back, shielding his face as he turned it away from her.

"Branch please!" Poppy tried again. "Don't do this!" she reached out again but he pushed himself back, his tears seemingly never ending. "Branch, stop this right now!" her brow creased as she admonished him. "It was my fault for getting so close!"

"NO!"

Poppy jumped, alarmed at the angry shout directed at her.

"I shouldn't have let you come with me, none of this would've happened!"

Branch was still turned away from her and his breast still fluttered with breathy sobs. He continually kept rubbing the wetness from his eyes but it seemed a futile task.

Poppy took a breath and leant forward and traced soft fingers along the back of one Branch's naturally downcast ears. "Branch," she whispered. "Look at me honey, look at me," she coaxed, using the pet name her father used to use for her.

Upon her light touch Branch released a shuddering breath. Poppy stroked his ear again and slowly he lifted his head to look at her. Her heart fluttered as she saw his tear stained face, showing blue eyes that still glimmered. She summoned her voice and smiled gently at him.

"Oh no, did I get too close oh?

Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?

All your insecurities

All the dirty laundry

Never made me blink one time

Unconditional, unconditionally

I will love you unconditionally

There is no fear now

Let go and just be free

I will love you unconditionally

Come just as you are to me

Don't need apologies

Know that you are all worthy

I'll take your bad days with your good

Walk through this storm I would

I'd do it all because I love you, I love you

Unconditional, unconditionally

I will love you unconditionally

There is no fear now

Let go and just be free

I will love you unconditionally."

The song was unfinished but Poppy didn't think it mattered at this point in time. She had been saving it but really Branch needed to hear it now. As she finished she looked deeply into Branch's glassy blue mirrors and traced the backs of her fingers across a damp cheek.

Branch's features immediately creased as an obvious wave of emotion crashed over him. Fresh sobbing shook his chest and as he slumped forward Poppy caught him and hugged him tight.

"It's alright Branch, it's alright honey. You can get through this, I know you can. I'll help you. We'll do it together," she hushed, and gently stroked the back of his head as she did so.

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Branch had no idea how long he stayed desperately clinging to Poppy. To be overwhelmed not twice but thrice in one day was just too much. He felt exhausted on every level. He was just so incredibly moved by Poppy's selfless compassion. By her complete devotion. Sleepiness beckoned him and before he realised he slumped into the troll queen's embrace.

Seeming to sense his exhaustion he felt Poppy adjust her patient hold and lower him to the floor. He heard her as she shifted around the immediate area and she swiftly return throwing an old blanket over him. Moments later she joined him under the quilt, slipping her arm around him very much the same way he had done to her the previous night. Her hand rested against his chest, right over his heart and instinctively he hugged her arm to him, interlacing his fingers with hers. He felt her nestle her face into the back of his dark purple hair and he instinctively pushed back into her warm embrace.

Again he began to wonder what he had done to deserve someone as pure as Poppy. After his display, after his unintentional strike to her face, after all that it didn't matter to her. Not one bit. How could someone like her possibly love someone as messed up as him? He felt a solitary tear escape and he lightly scrubbed it away. It was true, just like the words of her song. It was unconditional. She loved him unconditionally.

Branch felt a painful pang in his breast as the most wretched of his past memories flowed through his mind. Back then, in his old life he had truly felt that he didn't deserve Poppy's love and now, deep in the depths of that awful bunker that thought wormed its way into his head. It took seed and started to grow and cast a dark shadow over his mind. 'You don't deserve her Branch,' it hissed. A sad sigh shuddered his chest and Poppy hugged him tighter. Another tear escaped and this time Branch didn't bother to rub it away.

XXXX

Branch awoke to shuffling and rustling behind him. He reached out to find Poppy was no longer beside him. He raised his head and stared blearily ahead and what he saw tensed his chest. Poppy was tidying the chaos he had created the day before. He wished she hadn't taken it upon herself to clear up his mess. It was of his doing and he was the only one who should be expected to held accountable.

"Poppy, you-you don't have to do that," he said quietly.

Poppy jumped and turned about. "Branch, you're awake!" she smiled. "I wanted to surprise you."

Branch tried to return the smile but he couldn't bring himself too. "You really don't have to," he uttered.

"Nonsense!" Poppy declared and she swept up another handful of objects on the floor.

Branch watched as she sorted through them and careful set them on different shelves. The turquoise green troll sighed, knowing it was pointless trying to argue with her. Once an idea was planted in her mind there was no way to deviate her from her course. He knew that from personal experience. He laid his head back down upon a folded arm, not finding the encouragement to pull himself off the floor.

"Hey! I remember this!" Poppy suddenly exclaimed.

Branch bobbed his head up again, frowning curiously but since Poppy's back was to him he couldn't see what she had picked off the floor.

"Wait a minute," the brightness in her voice fell as a sudden thought obviously struck her. "You stomped on this in front of me," finally Poppy turned about and revealed the last invitation she had given Branch in Troll Village. She glanced over at him and Branch instantly felt his heart clench. "You fixed it? You fixed it and kept it?" she questioned.

"Ye-yeah," he stammered hoping Poppy wouldn't realise the significance. However the expression upon her face spoke otherwise.

She then started fishing through the debris and found the rest of Branch's collection. A frown slowly slipped across her features. She picked up more and shuffled through them and stopped. She now held the first invite she had ever given Branch. It had once been torn in half several times but he had painstakingly stuck it back together, he remembered because it had taken him half to night to do it.

Branch watched with mounting anxiety as Poppy traced fingers of the minute mended tears. "I was eight when I gave you this Branch," she said quietly. "Why, why did you keep it?"

Branch opened his mouth to answer but nothing came. He swallowed nervously and pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I-I felt bad about it."

"Well obviously," Poppy returned, a faint frown still marring her brow. "But you wouldn't have kept it unless it meant something more to you."

Branch fidgeted twisting his hands together nervously. When he wasn't forth coming with a response Poppy spoke again and it was a tone that Branch had never heard her use before. It sent chills down his spine. She was so serious.

"Branch, can you answer me something?"

Fearing the question but not wanting to defy her Branch nodded stiffly.

"How long have you had feelings for me?"

Branch rubbed a hand down his face, looking awkwardly to the side. In a way he knew this question was bound to come up sooner or later but never under these circumstances. He finally shut his eyes and sighed deeply. It was no use hiding from it any more.

"In, in a small way I-I've always had feelings for you," he confessed, not able to look Poppy in the eye. "I just, I didn't understand it at the time. I was so young but when the revelation came to me I was so cocooned up in my own isolated world that I couldn't process the information. I lashed out because I was confused and so very jealous."

"Jealous?"

Branch finally raised his gaze to meet hers. "Of you, your friends," he paused and looked away as he said the last name. "Of Creek."

Poppy canted her head but said nothing. Branch couldn't read her. His heart sank.

"I was jealous of everything that you had. Nothing got you down. You could take any bad situation and turn it on its head and make it into something positive. It was something I could only dream of doing. I guess a lot of those invitations you gave me I tried to destroy out of spite but I just couldn't let go. That's why I mended them. That's why I kept them."

"And here's me thinking that you fell in love with me on that journey to Bergen Town," Poppy said flatly.

Branch felt a prickle of apprehension cross his skin. She sounded just like him. His past self. It was an awful thing to hear. "Poppy, I-," he faltered for a moment and then shook his head and looked her straight in her captivating magenta eyes. "I have always loved you-"

Poppy looked away and raised a hand to stop him. The invitations she held fell to the floor and she suddenly was striding past him.

"Poppy? Poppy wait, please!"

Without turning around Poppy stuck out her hand again, silencing him. "Stop," she uttered. "Just stop," Branch felt a painful constriction in his chest. "I need to think about this, I need some air," with that she continued across the bunker and reached the elevator.

Branch watched with mournful eyes as the love of his life activated the lever. She caught his stare for a fraction of a second before looking straight up at her ascent. Within seconds she was gone and Branch felt himself sag against the weight of his suddenly heavy heart.

"So much for unconditional," he whispered, glancing across to his desk.

Branch finally found the willpower to move and picked the invitations off of the floor. He tucked them solemnly into his backpack and returned to the desk. Reaching down he pulled upon a hidden drawer and pulled out a small book. He absently flicked through the pages pausing for a moment when a couple of his verses jumped out of him.

'You're eyes,

They're like two pools,

So deep I feared that if I dived in,

I might never come up for air.'

Tears began to prick his eyes and his sights drifted to the second verse.

'And your smile,

The sun itself turns jealous,

Refusing to come out from behind the clouds,

Knowing it cannot shine half as bright.'

Branch took a breath and gathered himself. He tucked the book into his bag and slowly wandered across the remnants of his bunker. He flipped the recall lever for the platform and he watched its descent. Moments later he was outside again and the coolness in the air bit his skin. Usually the cold didn't really bother him too much he'd grown very much accustomed to it but on this occasion he shivered, running hands up his arms in effort to warm himself.

That's when he saw her, just a short distance up ahead. Poppy was standing just on the edge of the clearing. Branch took a breath and began to approach her.

"Poppy? Will you please talk to me?"

Poppy slowly turned about and sighted him with forlorn eyes. The vision tore Branch up inside. "Branch, why? Why didn't you tell me?"

Branch paused, now standing in the centre of the clearing. "Because," he clenched his eyes shut for a moment. "Because I was afraid to."

Poppy's stance seemed to sag and she ran a hand up her bare arm to the shoulder strap of her bag. "I-I just," she stopped and looked back at him. "I just, need time to think about this," she returned quietly. She turned about to leave.

Branch lurched forward. "Poppy, no! I-I'm sor-"

Branch never got a chance to finish because at that moment there was an ominous crackling sound beneath Poppy's feet. The pink queen looked at the ground beneath her and when she looked back up her face was filled with panic. "Branch?"

Then it happened, quicker than Branch could process. The ground suddenly crumbled away beneath Poppy's feet and with a frightened cry she fell.

Fear speared through him. "Poppy!"

"BRANCH!"

Branch dashed across the way as fast as he could and flung himself to the edge of the chasm that had yawned open beneath Poppy's feet. All he could see was black. A great yawning black. "POPPY!" he bellowed into the dark but no answer came. The edge started to crumble underneath his hands and Branch threw himself back before the hole could claim him too.

The lip of the hole finally stopped crumbling. He gingerly crept back and peered into the surprising abyss that had opened up. "Poppy," he murmured. Although quiet, his voice echoed around the cavern below. A horrible feeling twisted in Branch's breast and he pressed a hand to mouth. "No," he whimpered. Poppy was gone.

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*Holds out a small box* Tissues anyone? :(

Song Credit:

Unconditionally - Katy Perry