Pips awoke the next morning dreading seeing her. It didn't help that Daisy was already there when he got downstairs. She smiled brightly and hopped onto his knee when he sat. Alice pressed her lips together but didn't say a word. Normally she loved seeing Daisy being so affectionate with her son. Now, she wanted the girl to go away. She was interrupting true love, Alice knew it for sure after seeing Crysta around Pips.

"Sleep well?" Daisy asked, brushing hair out of his eyes.

"Of course," he lied. He hadn't. All night he kept thinking of how he should have been more brave and done what he actually wanted to do. He couldn't ever admit that he had dreamed about making love to Crysta. They always seemed to resurface whenever she was around, and he wished it would stop. He had moved on. It was over. Daisy was a lovely girl.

"Good morning, dear!" Alice called to Crysta, who had cautiously come downstairs. Pips felt his heart tumble. She avoided looking at him once she saw Daisy planted on him.

"Hello," she said quietly, sitting as far away as possible. It was killing her to see this girl sitting on his lap like that like she owned him or something. It aggravated her. It bothered her more that she felt somewhere within him, he still cared for her. She had seen his face and felt his reaction to her the day before after free falling. Why had he done that when he knew he was with someone else? It didn't make any sense.

"Pips," Rose said, coming inside. "Damian wants to speak with you."

"All right," he said, slipping Daisy off him. She gave him a kiss before he left, but he turned his face quickly so it only hit the corner of his mouth. Daisy looked confused. Crysta felt a small moment of triumph. Perhaps he wasn't as moved on as he claimed he was. That or he was just sparing her feelings by not making out in front of her. She refused to think of the latter.

"What's wrong with you?" Damian asked once Pips arrived outside.

"What?" Pips asked.

"What are you doing?" Damian rephrased.

"About what?" Pips asked, a little more aggressively.

"You know what!" Damian said, cuffing him. "Daisy! Crysta!"

"What about them?" he asked, rubbing his head where Damian had cuffed him.

"You have to be honest with them," Damian said.

"I did that already," Pips clarified. He started walking. Damian caught up easily.

"With which one?" he asked.

"Crysta."

"You told her you still love her then?"

"No! Why does everyone still think that? I'm with Daisy!" Pips said roughly.

"Yes, but do you love Daisy?" Damian wondered. "I don't think you do."

"You can't tell me who to love and who not to love," Pips argued. "So stop trying."

"Ah but I know you still love Crysta," Damian said. "I saw it yesterday when you were all up in each other's arms."

"That was nothing," Pips said.

"No, it wasn't. Stop lying to yourself man," Damian said. "It'll only get you hurt worse." He stopped talking then. He wanted Pips to think about it all the way to where they were going.

Pips' home

"So," Daisy said. "You're from Ferngully?"

"Yes," Crysta said stiffly. She didn't want to talk to this girl. She hated her.

"What's it like?" Daisy asked. "Pips won't tell me. He never mentions anything about that place when I ask. Were you friends? How did you meet?"

"We're more than just friends," Crysta said, breaking her vow to keep silent. "Didn't he tell you that?" Daisy looked at her sharply for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"You're so funny!" she giggled. Crysta gaped at her. Was she stupid? "You don't think I already knew that?" Daisy asked. "I'm sorry, honey, but he's through with your little games. I hope that's not why you came here."

"No, it's not," Crysta said, fingering her scars on her neck. Daisy noticed.

"Your boyfriend do that?" she asked.

"Why do you care?"

"Cos I'm still a person after all. I do care about things and others. I'm not a bitch," Daisy smiled. "Contrary for what you must think for me being with Pips."

"I never thought that," Crysta lied. She had thought it all morning.

"Well anyway," Daisy said, getting up. "I have work to do today. I'm sorry you didn't get what you came for."

"I didn't..." Crysta trailed off. Daisy was already gone. Alice gave her an apologetic look.

"She really is a nice girl," Alice said. "I'm sorry, dear."

"It's okay," Crysta said, feeling her throat tighten. "I never expected him to wait." She got up and left herself before she really started crying.

Later

"They're so stupid!" Rose spluttered. She was with Damian and getting some much needed alone time. He had told her what Pips had said earlier.

"Of course he still loves her! He's just being an idiot," she scoffed. "Honestly, you don't have to be smart to see the connection they have."

"He'll figure it out," Damian said, kissing her fingers. "I have complete faith in him."

"I don't," Rose muttered. "He is such a blockhead sometimes."

"He's your brother," Damian chuckled. "Are we going to waste this time discussing what idiots they are or are we going to get down to business?"

"Only you would call sex 'business,'" Rose said.

"Precious time ticking away here. I'm just saying," Damian said. "Grace could be onto us by now."

"Then shut the hell up," Rose commanded. She pressed against him, kissing him. It was faster than she would have liked, but it was difficult to get time away from Grace, so she accepted it. Maybe one day they'd have slow sensual sex again. She missed those days.

"Til next time, miss," Damian teased, pinching her butt before taking off. She shook her head, laughing. He was such a dope sometimes, but he was her dope. If only her brother could get his head out of his ass long enough to see that he was Crysta's dope too. She had some work to do.

Elsewhere

Cliff was working away beside Pips when he noticed his son was very much absent.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Pips said quickly. Cliff snorted.

"Yea, and I'm blind," he replied. "What's wrong?"

"I just made a mess of things and don't know how to fix it," Pips responded.

"Ah," Cliff said. "The girls."

"Yea. Them," Pips agreed. "What should I do?"

"Son, I don't make it my business to tell others what to do very often unless it's life or death. I think you need to figure out what you really want. Once you know that, your decision will be easier to make."

"You make that sound so easy," Pips complained. "It's really not."

"All right then. Do you constantly compare Daisy to Crysta? Do you look at Daisy and think about or see Crysta in your mind? Do you envision yourself with Daisy forever or do you see it with Crysta?" Cliff asked. Pips opened his mouth and then closed it. "I think you already know the answer to that," Cliff noted. Pips looked away, thinking. His head was starting to hurt from all the thinking he was doing. Damian showed up just then.

"Where were you?" Cliff asked, annoyed.

"Busy," Damian answered dismissively. "What did I miss?"

"Pips' head exploding," Cliff joked. Damian guffawed. Pips glared at both of them. "Just kidding, son. Go on now. Find her." He didn't say which one. He knew his son would make the right choice.

Daisy

She was fuming. Who was this girl and why did she just suddenly show up here? Did she really think Pips would just go back with her? He had moved on! Why couldn't that little bitch see that? Daisy paced nervously. She couldn't lose Pips. She needed him. He kept her sane. He was everything she ever wanted in a man. Crysta missed out; it was her loss. She shouldn't have come here to wreck everything! Daisy stopped suddenly, smiling. She had the best idea. Why hadn't she thought of it before? It would solve the problem, and everything would go back to normal. She set off to get the job done.

Later

Crysta was by herself thinking about everything. How could she have let this happen? She wished Batty was there to give her advice. He always seemed to know what to say. She didn't notice the shadow go across the ground the first time. She was too deep in her thoughts. She heard the cry of a bird, however, and she looked up fast to see it was coming straight for her. She screamed. She was rooted to the spot for some reason. Suddenly, the bird was crashed into by something at full force. It faltered, scrabbling in the air at the object that was interrupting it's kill.

"Crys! Go!" Pips shouted at her. He could only hold it off for so long. She fled. The bird flipped Pips off once it noticed he was distracted. He streaked off after her, the bird hot on his heels. Crysta didn't even know where to go. She looked around frantically while trying to stay ahead. Pips caught up with her and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the nearest tree hole he could find. They hastily went inside, Crysta first with Pips right behind her.

"Go, go, go," he urged, pushing her deeper into the crevice. It was getting very narrow. Then there was no more space left. Crysta spun to face Pips, finding him right there against her.

"What now?" she asked, afraid.

"Stay very quiet," he told her.

"But..."

"Shh," he said, putting his hand over her mouth. They were squeezed tightly together, making Crysta dizzy with his closeness. She could feel his heart pounding. Once he knew she wouldn't speak again, he released her, placing his hands on the wall on either side of her head and resting forehead against his left hand. He was doing his best not to think about her being pressed up against him like so, her hands on his chest and her face so close to his. He could hear the bird outside the tree, searching for them. He could also hear her trying not to cry. She pressed the side of her head into his forehead.

"It's all right," he said into her ear. "It'll be all right just stay still and quiet." She nodded. His heart sank when the scraping began outside. The hawk was clawing at the bark, trying to reach them. Crysta started shaking harder with fear.

"We're gonna die," she whimpered. "We're gonna die."

"No, stop it," he hissed. "Stop talking." She couldn't. It was like she was in a trance. He clamped his hand back on her mouth firmly and pushed her into the wall harder so she would focus on him.

"We're fine," he breathed. He held her there until she calmed down. The scratching ensued, but it was farther away. When it stopped altogether, he released her again and let out the breath he had been holding.

"Is it gone?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he said back. "Let's just sit tight for a bit more okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. Her heart was still racing, but it had nothing to do with the hawk. She watched as he rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. She noticed he had put as much space between them as possible. It disappointed her.

"Do you love her?" she asked, wanting to know. She felt him grow tense.

"Why are you asking me that now of all times?" he questioned.

"I just wondered," she whispered, dropping her head. He let it be at that. He didn't have an answer for her anyway. He was still pondering the fact that fate had them so close like this. Why was it that whenever they were alone they ended up this close? Was that a sign?

"Pips!"

That was also a sign.

"Pips? Are you okay?" Daisy's voice was echoing. "I saw the hawk. It's gone now. Please just tell me you're okay!" He kept a hold of Crysta before she could get past him.

"What?" she asked.

"Just stay in here," he said. She looked at him puzzled until she understood.

"You don't want her to know we've been in here like this?" she asked, sarcastically. He grabbed her chin then, forcing her back. She grabbed his hand with both of hers, feeling a small piece of fear suddenly.

"I think it's best for you if she doesn't know you're here," he said a little harshly.

"Best for me? Or best for you?" Crysta asked angrily.

"You pick," he said, releasing her and sliding away. Crysta didn't move. She wondered why he had even been there at the time of the attack anyway. Had he been looking for her? She watched him leave, but Pips didn't look back.

"You're okay!" Daisy cried when she saw him, relieved. "I saw it chasing you. Where's Crysta?"

"She went to a different place," Pips lied. He missed the dark look sweep across Daisy's face.

"I hope she's okay," Daisy said almost stiffly. She took his hand, leading him away. He turned briefly to see Crysta slip away. He listened to Daisy's chatter all the way back home. He had tuned her out very quickly. All he could think about was how it felt to have Crysta against his body like that. He wondered if she felt the same way.

Rose

Rose flew around until she found Crsyta. The girl looked a little paler than usual. Rose was curious as to why.

"What's up?" Rose asked, landing beside her. Crysta was sitting on a rock staring into space.

"I just about got eaten by a bird," Crysta said. "Otherwise, nothing much."

"Ohhh a sarcastic one," Rose laughed. "My kind of gal."

"What is wrong with your brother?" Crysta asked. "He gives me these...these...signals, and then he takes it all back. I said I was sorry about before. He said he was fine, but he clearly isn't fine!"

"He's a knobhead," Rose grinned. "He'll come around. He thinks Daisy is perfect for him, and he's so wrong. If I know my brother, and I kind of do, he'll come around. He'll realize he's got to be with you."

"He might be too late," Crysta muttered.

"Will you stop that? I know you want to be with him just as much! It's like the two of you can't make up your mind at the same time, and the other person keeps getting screwed over and hurt because one of you isn't in the same place. Smarten up!" Rose warned.

"Aren't you just the wisest person ever," Crysta said wryly.

"Damn right," Rose nodded.

"I'll consider your advice," Crysta told her. "I can't promise much else."

"I'll take it," Rose said. She left the girl alone then. She didn't want to be too pushy. Things never worked well when you pushed someone.

I keep asking for reviews, but since I'm not really getting any, I'll stop asking. I'll just assume you guys are enjoying it.