First off, to my readers who are being affected by Tropical Storm Harvey, my thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Second I have a special surprise for everyone at the end of this chapter, please do not skip by the chapter just to get to the surprise. I know it's tempting but you are going to want to read what is happening in this chapter first

The next two months Branch found himself happier than what he had been in a long time. Thanks to no longer having to suffer through a miserable job, Branch found himself able to spend more quality time with Poppy and the kids. He would still go out in a suit and leave after breakfast like he did everyday like he was going to work, but instead he would go to various places to work out. Despite beating that robot back on that island he was slower than usual and more vulnerable. He needed to get back into shape if he was going to do more hero work. So after kissing Poppy goodbye each morning Branch would go to the train station or other places around the city and lift and pull boxcars, mobile homes, even a fighter jet, in order to get back in shape. Working out wasn't the only thing he would do though during his mornings, one day he got rid of his old car and came home with a slick new convertible, and even got Poppy a new car as well.

Today however, Branch decided against going and exercising. He was nearly completely in shape and had something else he needed to take care of. He was inspecting his super suit the previous night and noticed a hole in the sleeve from during his battle with the robot. Desperate to make sure to leave no traces of his secret he stuffed his super suit into his briefcase the following morning while getting dressed, making sure to lock the briefcase tight before dashing out the door.

"Have a great day Honey," Poppy said as Branch walked out the door "Help customers, climb ladders."

"Bring home bacon," Branch added

"All that jazz." Poppy finished before giving Branch a goodbye kiss. Poppy smiled and waved bye as Branch put on some sun shades, pulled out of the driveway and left. Poppy hadn't seen Branch this happy since Sesame was born almost a year ago. She wasn't quite sure what happened during that meeting that made Branch so happy, but it was nice to see Branch enjoying life again.

The building Branch drove up to was heavily guarded, when Branch pulled up to the security gate a dark blue troll popped up on the screen outside the gate asking if he had a appointment.

"I'm a old friend." Branch said to the person on the other side of the screen.

"All visitors are required to have a apoint..."

It was right then that two female troll twins conjoined by the hair walked up and started showing the blue troll away.

"Go on, get back to work," The twins said at the same time "Go play with the electric fence or something." The twins then turned to the camera still speaking simultaneously "Yes, who are you, what are you doing here, what do you want?"

Branch lowered his shades showing the twins his eyes.

"My gah you've gotten old." The twins said together before pressing a button to open the fence "Come in, come in."

"So Satin, Chenille, everything going well for you these past years?" Branch asked once inside.

"Yes, everything is going quite well." Satin said "Quite well darling, but you know it's not the same,"

"Not the same at all darling." Chenille finished.

"Weren't you just on the news, running some type of beauty pageant for some super models or something?"

"Bah, there's nothing super about them." Chenille gagged "Just spoiled, stupid, brainless, stick figures with poofy lips, with big bottoms walking half naked in front of audiences thinking their so smart and special while caring only about themselves."

"What a disgrace and waste of our talent " Satin griped. "We used to design for gods." Satin then eyed Branch with a wicked look "But perhaps you come with a challenge huh? Something that will bring us both back to the top? We were surprised to get your call."

"Twins, I just need a patch job." Branch tossed them his suit for them to inspect for themselves.

"Oh this is a mess," The two of them said together. " Soft, Outdated, moldy, not to mention ugly and you've ripped right throw it." Chenille put her entire arm through the rip in his suit. "What have you been doing Branch. Secret hero work?"

"I um, must have gotten hung on something during one of our moves?" Branch fibbed trying to hide what he was really doing. The twins just shrugged, not buying his story one bit before promptly tossing the suit in the dumpster.

"This is a horrible suit darling, you can't be seen in this darling I won't allow it." Chenille scoffed. Branch ran to the dumpster and pulled the suit out before turning to the twins in surprise.

"What are you talking about? You made me this suit. Twice actually." Branch said referring to the house fire fifteen years ago.

"I never liked that look darling." Satin said "Maybe years ago yes, but now? It's a total distraction, out of style, dead with the hippie age. You need a new suit that's for sure."

"A new suit?" Branch gasped "Where am I going to get a new suit?"

"You can't" the twins said together. "It's impossible, we're far to busy, so ask we're now before we get upset.

"Wait, you want to make me a new suit?"

"Oh you push to hard darling." The twins said together "But we accept."

Satin took out a note pad and a pen and starting drawing ideas down "It will be bold, dramatic, heroic."

"Yeah something classy." Branch said getting into the idea of a new suit "Something like Dino Troll. "Oh he had a nice look, with the mask and the cape.

"No capes!" Satin said ripping the sheet of paper she was drawing on, wadding it up and chunking it at Branch.

"Isn't that my decision?" Branch protested.

"Do you remember Thunder bolt?" Satin replied. "Tall, storm powers, nice man good with kids."

"Listen..." Branch started before Satin interrupted.

"September twenty first of eighty eight. All was well another day saved when he got his cape hung on a missal fin"

"Thunder Bolt was not the brightest bulb in the pack." Branch protested. But Chenille added to what Satin was saying.

"Astro girl, September twenty eighth, ninety two. Got her cape stuck in a jet turbine."

"Twins you can't judge all capes because of a..." Branch argued, but the twins wasn't done.

Metal man, express elevator shaft. Dino troll, snagged on tree, Tsunami, sucked in vortex NO CAPES!"

Branch sighed and gave in, if there was one person more pointless of arguing with than Poppy, it was the twins.

"Now run along darling your new cape will be ready before your next assignment."

Branch was surprised to hear the twins say that, did they figure out what he was doing? Still Branch tried to deny that he was back in the game.

"You know I'm retired from hero work."

"So are we darling," Satin said "But here the three of us are."

"Twins, I just need a patch job." Branch begged handing his old suit back to them. "For sentimental reasons."

The twins growled and gave in as Chenille snatched the suit from Branch's hands. "Fine we will also repair the old horrible suit."

"You two are the best of the best."

"Yes, yes, darling, we know." The twins said together as they walked up the stairs. Chenille holding her nose up to the old suit in disgust.

Poppy had just finished drying a load of laundry and was in the process of hanging them up while singing a little song too her self.

When I'm gone, when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me when I'm gone. You're gonna miss me by my hair you're gonna miss me everywhere, oh You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

As she hung up one of Branch's suits she stopped singing when she noticed a little something on the shoulder of one of Branch's other suits. Curious she reached and picked the small thin item up, then gasped when she finally noticed what it was. A small thin strand of blue hair, but not the same shade of blue of Branch or Scarlett's hair, no this was a lighter shade of blue. Overwhelmed with emotion, Poppy fell to her knees as tears started falling from her eyes. How did this hair get on Branch's suit? Was... was Branch cheating on her? Would that explain why Branch seemed so happy lately because he was secretly snooping around with another woman? No, there had to be another explanation for this, there just had to be.

Needless to say the next week there was a little bit on tension going on in the house. When Branch got home each evening he noticed Poppy wasn't the same happy, cheerful troll she usually was. Branch more than once asked what was wrong but each time Poppy brushed off his concern saying that she was just lost in thought. She was scared of coming to Branch about the strand of hair. After all, what if she was wrong? What if that hair was nothing but brushing against someone's shoulder accidentally in the office? Branch seemed so happy lately and she didn't want to jeopardize that by making accusations without knowing all the facts. Plus if word got out that she was indeed suspecting a affair, then the kids would start to worry, which is something she didn't need. No, she was going to get all the facts before she started making accusations toward Branch.

Her train of thought was distracted when she heard the phone in Branch's office start ringing.

"I got it!" Branch quickly said running to toward his office.

Part of Poppy felt guilty for snooping into a phone conversation, but with her suspicions the way they were she just had to know what he was talking about on that phone. Poppy reached for another line and listened carefully what was being said.

"How soon can you get here?" A growling voice said on the other end.

"I'll leave first thing tomorrow." Branch replied.

Well if Poppy wasn't suspicious before about Branch she was now. Who was that other voice that Branch was talking too? Could it be Branch's mistress? She sounded hideous whoever it was. Branch was definitely hiding something. She still didn't know for sure if it was a affair but something was in fact off. Still though, until she knew the facts she was going to pretend like nothing was wrong.

"Who was that honey?" Poppy asked once Branch walked back into the living room, "another business trip?"

"Um yeah," Branch replied "They want me to leave tomorrow morning, I know it's short notice but you know duty calls."

"Oh okay." Poppy replied trying hard to hide the sadness and fear in her voice.

The next morning Poppy walked Branch to the car like she did every morning to tell Branch goodbye. She really wanted to just ask Branch for the truth but she just couldn't. She didn't want to believe that Branch really was cheating on her.

"Branch..." Poppy started to say. The words were at the tip of her tongue and she was just about to spill it out and ask him for the truth but when Branch turned to face her she froze up and found herself not able to do it. "Have a nice trip."

"Thank you honey," Branch smiled

"I love you." Poppy added "So very much."

"I love you to hon." Branch reached over and gave Poppy a kiss before pulling out of the driveway. Once Branch was gone Poppy got on the phone and called Suki.

"Suki, I need to talk to you about something. Your the only one I can trust with this information, please come over as quickly as you can."

In a little under forty minutes Suki arrived, needless to say from the tone of Poppy's voice when she called Suki had a worried look on her face.

"Poppy, what's wrong?" Suki asked when she walked in the door.

"Promise me this won't go any further than just the two of us until we know all the facts."

"Of course." Suki agreed, "But what's going on? Your scaring me."

Poppy reached into her pocket and pulled out the hair she found, which she had sealed tight in a small zip lock bag.

"I found this on one of Branch's suits." Poppy said placing the bag on the coffee table for Suki to see. "I don't have all the facts and I feel so guilty for even thinking it but..."

"You think Branch is having a affair." Suki finished as she picked up the zip lock bag to look at the hair.

"What else am I supposed to think Suki? Nobody in our family has this shade of blue hair."

"Have you came to Branch about this?"

"No," Poppy denied "I want too but just in case I am wrong I don't want to anger him." "Oh Suki I want to be wrong." Poppy said to cry. "I want you to tell me I'm over reacting about this."

"I want to also but this does look suspicious."

"I don't want to lose him Suki," Poppy was full blown sobbing now "But how am I going to find out the truth without confronting him and risk angering him."

"Um, have you forgotten your best friend is a judge?" Suki replied "I spent four years in law school, I know a thing or two about getting to the truth. Leave it to me I can get to the facts for you. And if we're wrong we'll just pretend like nothing happened. But if we're right."

"If we're right then Branch is going to hurt like he's never hurt before." Poppy finished with a growl. They were going to get to the truth somehow. And for Branch's safety, he better darn not be acting unfaithful, otherwise she will hurt him worse than any villain ever could.

Okay everyone surprise time. As you probably know by now i have been working on a special Trolls Christmas story that I am going to upload in December. Well I can now tell you it is finished and I'm going to drop a sneak peak for you all right here right now, enjoy.

Snow had began to fall as Branch made his way back to his bunker. For the troll kids as well as most of the adults, the sight of snow meant serious fun. But for Branch all it did was bring back memories he would like to forget. Despite what many of the other trolls in the village believed, he used not to be the grumpy grey troll that he was today. He used to enjoy singing and dancing, and he used to love Christmas just as much as the others. But one day something changed that sent his whole world upside down.

As Branch walked to his bunker, the snow getting thicker, he saw a troll child pulling out a sled and riding it down a snow covered hill, laughing and enjoying himself. As Branch watched it reminded him of his own self back when he was that age.

"Okay Branch you ready." A adult male troll with the same colors of Branch said, as a child Branch readied himself on his sled.

"Push me daddy." Branch giggled. Branch's father gave the sled a little push, and Branch instantly started sledding down the hill laughing and enjoying himself.

"Again, again." Branch laughed "This time with you on there with me."

"You want me to go down with you too?" Branch's father asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay." Once the two got the sled back up Branch's father hopped on the sled behind Branch. The two of them gave the sled a push with their feet as it slid down the hill. The sled just reached the bottom of the hill when it hit a patch of know and slung both Branch and his father off and knocking them into the snow. The two of them just laughed it off however, deciding since they were already laying in the snow that they would make snow angels, laughing and enjoying themselves in the snow.

Branch let out a depressed sigh as he thought back to that day. He was a lot more happy back then, so innocent.

Not wanting to think about that event anymore he continued walking. It wasn't to much farther however when he stumbled across two more troll children building a snow troll. Stopping and watching the kids build the snow troll, his face fell even more as he again flash backed to his childhood days.

Branch was outside putting the finishing touches on his snow troll when his mother, a purple troll with green hair much like that of his grandma walked out of the pod. She was in her pajamas and sipping on a glass of tea just smiling as she watched her son building the snow troll.

"Okay kiddo come inside." She giggled "You don't want to stay out to long and catch a cold."

"But mom, I'm putting the finishing touches on Snowflake."

"Snowflake?"

"The Snow Troll mom." Branch said.

"Oh." Branch's mom realized, Walking outside to get a look at the snow troll. The snow troll had little stick arms with small pebbles for its eyes and nose. All it was missing was it's long troll hair. Getting a idea she picked up some stick and leaves and stuck them on top of the snow troll's head.

"It's perfect." Branch said expecting the snow troll afterwords.

"Yes, yes it is." Branch's mom said with a smile. "Just like you Branch." She knelt down and gave her son a hug and a kiss on the head. "Now come inside I got some hot coco waiting for you." Branch squealed at the mention of hot coco and ran inside the pod his mother laughing to herself as she followed close behind.

By now tears were streaming down Branch's face as he remembered those days. Not wanting to think about those days anymore he decided to keep walking.

He just reached his bunker when he felt something cold and wet hit him in the back. He turned around and saw a yellow troll child with red hair holding a snowball in his hand.

"Oops sorry Mr. Branch." The troll child said "Please don't get mad."

Branch didn't know why but he suddenly found himself picking up a snowball of his own and throwing it at the kid, a small smile curling on his face in the process. The kid smiled back after getting pelted with the snowball, and there for just a couple minutes Branch found himself enjoying himself in the snow as he chunked snowballs at the kid and the kid throwing snowballs back. After a couple minutes though he suddenly found himself flashing back to his childhood again. This time seeing himself in the front of his pod engaged in a fierce snowball fight with his parents.

Thanks to his small size at the time he had the advantage and was able to avoid most of the snowballs chunked at him. He would get a snowball in each hand and throw one at each of his parents rarely ever missing thanks to his good aim. They would often spend thirty minutes out there in the snow throwing snowballs at each other until they were to worn out from all the running and dodging. They would then collapse in the snow laughing off all their adrenaline then come together for a nice warm family hug.

Flashing back to that time caused him to pause and stand still out in the open allowing the kid to pelt him in the face with the snowball. Losing what fun mood he had he wiped the snow off his face and turned to the kid

"Okay that's enough, go home."

"Aww," The kid whined dropping the other snowball he had in his hand and turning around to go home.

Shaking his head in regret Branch unlocked the door to his bunker and went inside. Once inside his bunker Branch pulled the lever that led to the basement where he stored all his supplies. Normally he would only come down this part of his bunker only when he felt threatened by a possible bergen attack or when bringing in more supplies. But after his altercation with Poppy and witnessing the kids enjoying the snow he came down here for another reason. On a top shelf, tucked away with some jars of water was a box. He hadn't opened the box in years. To over ran with guilt and sadness. But after the argument with Poppy, the flashbacks he experienced and the strange snowball fight he for some reason took part in, he wanted to see their picture again. Getting a ladder and using it to reach the top shelf he pulled the box down from the shelf. Opening it he pulled out several pictures of him with his parents when he was a kid. Most of them was taken on days like today. Snow on the ground and him and his parents having fun together. He missed them so much. He tried hard to forget about that day. The day he lost them forever. But on days like today all the memories just came running back. And it depressed him so much to think about them and how he lost them.

Branch's gift, coming December 2017 only on