I hope you enjoy this chapter! Sorry if you don't like Vaughn, but he is winning on my poll... so I'm kind of obligated to write this to appease the Vaughn-lovers XD ... But it doesn't mean that Vaughn is going to win quite yet.

I do not own Harvest Moon

Chelsea sat on her king sized bed, completely bored out of her mind as Trent examined her.

"You'll be fine in a couple of weeks, Chelsea. You have a semi-serious concussion because you hit your head on a rock when you fell, and you will have to refrain from moving too much" Trent diagnosed.

"Can I do my farm work?" Chelsea asked hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, you can't over exhort yourself. You must stay in your bed for about two weeks. If you feel better any sooner, give me a call and I'll check up on you, okay? I left you some medication on your counter," Trent said, "I must leave now, but you have some visitors."

Trent barely made it out of the doorway and Natalie had bolted inside, with Elliot in tow.

"Oh my goddess, Chelsea are you okay! I was so worried," Natalie said, almost breaking down into tears.

"Don't worry Natalie, I'll be fine!" Chelsea said, wincing as she tried to shrug her shoulders.

"Chelsea, you are far from fine. Let us know if you need anything," Elliot said earnestly and Natalie shook her head. As Natalie and Elliot hugged Chelsea and left, Julia and Vaughn entered the hut.

"Chelsea, you look terrible!" Julia wailed.

"Thanks, Julia," she said sarcastically, "That's what every person with a concussion wants to hear!"

"You know what I mean Chels!" Julia said exasperated.

"I know I'm just messing with you Jules!" Chelsea giggled.

"How are you feeling?" Vaughn mumbled.

"Wow, the cowboy speaks" Chelsea rolled her eyes, "I'm fine!"

"Someone took their sassy pills today," Vaughn smirked

"I have an excuse! I'm really worried about my farm; I'm not allowed to take care of it! I won't even get to see Kaiya, my chick!" Chelsea pouted.

"I bet Vaughn would be more than willing to help," Julia volunteered, nudging her cousin.

"Huh? Yah, sure…" Vaughn said.

"Thank you Vaughn, you're such a good friend!" Chelsea exclaimed.

"I've got to go Cheli, mom needs my help at the shop," Julia explained.

Julia dashed out the door, but stopped to wink at Vaughn.

When Julia left, Chelsea motioned for Vaughn to take a seat.

"Do you want something to drink? I'd love to get if for you, but I'm bedridden," she said sulking.

"I'm fine, thanks," Vaughn said.

"Can I ask you a question?" Chelsea asked warily.

"Is it a stupid one?" Vaughn smirked.

Chelsea rolled her eyes, "I see how you act towards other people, Vaughn. I know that it's just a façade and that you truly aren't a cold person, so why do you act like it?"

Vaughn gazed into Chelsea's earnest blue orbs and saw that they reflected his own… hurt.

Vaughn sighed, wondering why he was giving in so quickly, "My father had died when I was young and I only had my mother left. One day, her psycho ex-boyfriend came home and roughed her up a bit. She wound up hitting her head on the tiled floor and received brain trauma. The man called an ambulance but blamed me for her injury. I wound up going to a juvenile delinquent center; my mother could never explain what happened because she lost her ability to speak. Eventually I got out of that hell hole, only to find that my mother had died. I had loved her so much that it felt like a part of me had died with her" Vaughn finished, his eyes soft and vulnerable.

"She must have been a great woman, Vaughn" Chelsea said sorrowfully.

Vaughn looked at her mournful eyes, "She was Chelsea. She was always so happy and was a kind hearted woman, kind of like you."

Chelsea beamed, "Thanks! It means a lot to me that you shared your story."

"... What's your story?" Vaughn inquired.

Chelsea's smile faded and she sighed, "My fiancé fell in love with my sister and dumped me" she said bluntly.

Vaughn sat there stunned. He had no idea how to reply; now he knew what caused the hurt behind her glimmering sapphire eyes. The thought of the bastard made his blood boil. Who would ever do that to Chelsea? She deserves so much better! I could treat her so much better than he did! Whoa, wait… did I really just think that…?

Chelsea noticed his uncertainty, "Don't worry Vaughn," she smiled, "You don't have to comfort me. I really don't want pity."

Vaughn walked over to Chelsea, sat on her bed, and placed a hand on her shoulder as she looked wide-eyed at him.

"Chelsea, I really am sorry that happened, but you shouldn't let that burden you. If he chose someone else, that's his loss," his words filled with compassion, "He lost out on an intelligent, strong, cheerful, and beautiful woman and he will regret it one day."

Chelsea looked up into his amethyst colored eyes and realized that everything he just said to her, he meant. Tears slowly slid down her face and she smiled a genuine grin.

"Thank you Vaughn," she whispered, "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me and it means a lot."

Chelsea leaned into him and hugged him and to her surprise, he hugged her back. She rested her head on his shoulder, enjoying their embrace.

"Anytime Chelsea," he mumbled.