In all the recent weeks that Mary had been angry she had never been more so than she was when she arrived that morning in the workshop. Not a single one of her charges was there. Every cart sat empty in the loading dock. There wasn't even a whisper of anyone nearby. Every single one of her Tinkers had abandoned her.

"Fine. I'll do it all myself." She grumbled. "It's not like I haven't had to before." She got to work and kept herself busy making supplies for the change to Autumn. She had quickly figured out how to get along without flying, but she ignored how much quicker she tired without it.

She had been working alone for well over an hour when the flutter of wings caught her ears. She did not give it much thought, figuring it was probably some creature flying overhead, and didn't bother looking up until she saw two pairs of hands on the table in front of her.

Looking up she was met with the smiling faces of her two youngest charges. "Clank. Bobble. Good of you to finally show up. Late might I add. At least someone else is here."

"The others are on their way." Clank said.

""Oh really? They're on their way?" She asked with clear irritation in her voice. "Where exactly is everyone else then?" She noticed their feet weren't touching the ground. "And how are you two flying?"

"We received Dust from Terence." Bobble answered.

Mary didn't remember any Dust Keepers named Terence, but the name was somehow familiar. "Is that the new Keeper? I take it he's properly trained now?"

"Not yet." Clank answered. "But he's improving."

Mary glared in a way that would make the Winter Woods feel warm. "I specifically told you two not to –"

"Aye, you told us to receive from an experienced Keeper, we know. And we're making sure Terence becomes one."

She was taken aback. She couldn't recall a single time that Bobble had ever cut her off so abruptly. It only fueled her irritation. "You know very well that is not at all what I meant."

"We know" Clank concurred, "but we thought that was unfair and we're pretty sure you'd agree too if you took a moment to think about it."

"And we also know now what you've been trying to do all this time." Bobble added.

"And what have I been doing?" Mary snapped.

"Protecting us." Bobble replied. "Any chance you get in any way you can think of you've been doing more than necessary to keep us out of any minuscule amount of trouble."

"And as much as we appreciate your concern Fairy Mary, we don't need it." Clank continued. "Not anymore. Not like this."

"Not like what?" Mary demanded.

Bobble sighed. "Fairy Mary, after… After Dozer s-strangled me, I was pretty bad off. You figured out rather quickly that having Clank close by would help. And it did! I'm so much better now and I thank you for that. But you can't possibly protect us from everything. Accidents are bound to happen sooner or later. And of course we may even get hurt. But it's all a part of our job… it's a part of living isn't it?"

"Bobble and I can look out for each other." Clank told her. "And we know you'll always be there for us if we need you, but we don't want you going out of your way for us all the time."

While they spoke to her, other Tinkers. Began arriving and settling into work as if nothing had happened. Each and every one of them was flying and Mary frowned in confusion. "What exactly happened last night?" she asked.

Bobble shrugged. "That doesn't really matter right now."

"What does matter," Clank said before Mary could press her question further, "is that you worry less about us and more about yourself."

She crossed her arms and scowled at them. "And what might I ask do you mean by that?"

"Go home Fairy Mary." Bobble said simply.

She barked out a laugh. "Go home? Honestly! There's so much to be done I'd be lucky to make it home by the end of the week!"

"We can manage it!" Clank insisted. "All of us talked it over and we agree we can handle things for a day without you."

"We're all concerned Fairy Mary." Bobble said. "You've been running yourself ragged for so long and you always tell us how important proper rest and taking care of yourself is."

"All we ask is you follow your own advice today." Clank begged. "The workshop needs toy to get better."

"Get better?" Mary asked incredulously, "I don't need to get better!"

"When was the last time you had a good night's rest?" Bobble asked, "Tell me honestly."

Mary was about to answer but the words caught in her throat. She didn't want to admit, but she hadn't slept well in so long that she couldn't give Bobble an honest answer. She couldn't actually remember. She could see in the way they were looking at her that they knew she couldn't either. She shook her head and turned back to her work table.

As she reached for her tools, Clank pulled her project away from her. Her gaze shot up again, fury flaring through her.

"It's just for one day. Please Fairy Mary." Bobble pleaded

"We promise everything will be fine while you rest."

She narrowed her eyes at them. She couldn't believe they were speaking to her like this. She didn't understand how they could go behind her back. How apparently her entire guild went behind her back too. But she could see that they weren't going to stop insisting until she gave in. "Fine. One day. But if you try this again –"

"We won't," they promised.

She gave them one more frustrated glare, one she didn't realize looked more tired than angry, and headed home.

As Mary passed by her workers on foot she couldn't help feeling a stab of envy as they all flew about. She couldn't ignore the twinge of anger toward them all for disobeying her either. However she couldn't deny that they all looked immensely happier than they had in weeks. But that only made her more envious.

She reached home and nudged the door open. She was already pondering what she could occupy herself with while she walked as she certainly wasn't going to waste the day sleeping. Even if her charges didn't want her around she was still going to do whatever work she could behind closed doors. She stepped inside and stopped dead in her tracks.

"Good morning Mary." Gary greeted as he poured two cups of tea and set them on her table which held a very welcoming spread of food.

"What are you doing here?" She asked flatly.

"I've come to set things right with you." Gary answered. That surprised Mary. She didn't expect an apology this soon, nor did she expect him to be so direct about his intentions. She expected him to dance around the topic until she got too annoyed with his tactic and yelled at him more.

Gary took a box from the floor. It was the one she'd thrown at him when they started fighting; The one Gary had taken with him. He set it on the table and slid it toward Mary. "I made a promise to you a long time ago, and I've not been keeping it very well lately." Gary said softly.

Mary sat and opened the box and lifted out the knot inside. She held it in her hands and turned it over. A weight dropped in her chest as she tried to hold back an unexpected cry. Part of her expected the knot to be untied and the ropes separated.

"I love you Mary." Gary said. "I'm so sorry for everything. I shouldn't have been so harsh with you. I knew you were struggling and still lost my temper with you. And you know I'd fly backwards if I could." He sighed heavily. "Please… forgive me."

Mary set the union knot back in the box and pushed it to the center of the table. "I wasn't struggling," she said defensively, "I'd only just found out about Clank and Bobble's secret relationship."

Gary gave her a patient smile. "You did. But that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then what are you talking about?" she asked.

He folded his hands in front of him. "I understand if you don't wish to talk about it, but I feel as though we should at least acknowledge that you're still shaken by Dozer's banishment."

Mary tried to hide her gasp, covering her mouth in a fake cough. Her other hand clenched into a fist beneath the table. She kept her gaze fixed on the knot between them. I don't need to acknowledge anything. I've put it behind me. She reached for one of the scones he'd laid out. "It'd be a shame to let this get cold," she said before taking a bite.

"Good idea. Let's eat." Gary said softly.

They didn't speak while they ate. The only sounds that filled the room were their chewing and the scraping on their dishes and their tea cups clinking on the table when set down. Mary refused to meet Gary's eye, but the longer they sat in silence the more his comment about Dozer sank in.

"I suppose you're wondering," Gary broke into her thoughts, "what in the world happened to all your charges and why they all have Pixie Dust again."

"I am curious." Mary said, grateful for a different topic, "I don't suppose you had anything do do with that?"

Gary raised his hands, head shaking. "I confess that I'm completely innocent of the matter." He grinned at her as she finally met his eyes. "It seems our guilds are both conspiring against us. All my Keepers, even Terence, have said I wasn't needed today."

"Strange. Clank and Bobble said all my Tinkers feel the same about me." Mary couldn't help the small smirk that pulled at her lips.

"Well, let me tell you about it then," Gary recounted his morning to her and what their respective workers had been up to the night before. Although Mary listened with great interest, the thought of Dozer grew heavier and heavier the longer Gary went on.

"So they all decided they're just done fighting now. That made me realize I didn't want to fight anymore either, so here I am."

"Hmm…" was all Mary replied.

"I… expected a bigger response than that." Gary said carefully. "Are you alright?"

She nodded slowly. "You were right."

"I was?" he asked, surprised. "In what way?"

"Dozer."

Gary immediately sobered from his tale. "I see. Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "Not particularly, but I think I should anyway."

"Okay." Gary laid his hand on hers, "Take your time. We have all day."

She trembled, trying to form words. She did't really know where to start. Gary suddenly got to his feet.

"I think I know what might help." He reached for a pouch he'd brought with him and took it to her. He took a palmful of Dust and sprinkled it over Mary. She felt his calm, his concern, but above it all she felt his love. It washed over her as her wings fluttered and her glow brightened. She still felt the weight of her lost charge, but Gary's emotions helped ease her grief.

"He always had such a temper." Mary said finally. "Even when he was new, he used to throw tantrums nearly every day."

"He was rather short fused." Gary agreed.

"But he was more than that. He used to take such pride in his work. He had such care for everything he made. He used to be so reliable."

"He did replace the roof on my house several seasons ago. It's remained sturdy since." Gary said. "There's no questioning that he was a skilled Tinker."

Mary nodded. "His temperament improved over the years too. He even had some rather loyal friends." She sniffled. "He was even a favorite among the Scouts for a long time! He used to make all their gear and I never heard any complaints. Every order I got for years requested that whatever they wanted be made by him.

"But then he refused to help the Scouts anymore. And he developed a mean streak. He started bossing everyone around. I didn't think much of it at first because he seemed like he was trying to have others focus more on their work… like he was trying to help me run Tinker's Nook. But then when Bobble arrived… all his anger… that poor boy. I still don't understand why Dozer had so much rage toward him."

"It's impossible to know, Mary." Gary soothed.

"I'm almost tempted to go looking for him and ask him myself. But what good would that do? Even if I found him. Even if I knew why, there would be no way he could be allowed back here." She shuttered and Gary squeezed her hand tightly. She knew what he was thinking. Even if she was foolhardy enough to go searching for her banished charge, it was much too late at this point to find him. Far too much time had passed for him to still be out there. Something at this point would have killed him. She bowed her head, and felt a tear roll down her cheek.

"Come here," Gary coaxed her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. She buried her face in his shoulder and shook as she tried to fight away her sobs. "I don't know what I can say to make this better, or if I should say anything at all."

"Just don't let go." Mary whispered. Gary nodded and held her. Finally she was able to let go and cry her long overdue tears in the safety of his embrace.

In the early morning twilight Mary sat with Gary on her doorstep with her head leaned on his shoulder just as she used to when they were young. They had spent the rest of the previous day together catching up on anything they'd missed during their fight, repeatedly apologizing for it, and when Mary was up for it they would talk about Dozer. She wasn't sure if she'd ever truly be free of her guilt but she did feel immensely better now.

Tinkers began fluttering by on their way to work and the ones who saw the guild leaders wished them good morning. Mary would wave back and return the greeting but found herself in no hurry to join them.

"Fairy Mary!" Clank's voice rang out. She spotted him flying closer with Bobble unsurprisingly by his side.

She smiled faintly as they approached. "Good morning boys. Off to work?"

"Aye, but we saw you and wanted to know how you were." Bobble said. "Are you feeling better now?"

She nodded. "Improved."

Gary laced his fingers with hers and squeezed. "I'm sure the old Fairy Mary is back." He kissed the top of her head. The boys grinned at the gesture.

"Well, it may be a while yet before I'm completely right again, but I'm working on it." Mary said.

"It's good to have you back Fairy Mary." Clank said.

"We'd better get going Clanky. We've got a long list of things to…" Bobble stopped, his ears turned pink. "To work on separately!"

Mary smirked. Bobble could pretend all he wanted, she knew they intended to work together. Perhaps I was a bit too hard on them. "Boys, before you go, I wanted to tell you how happy I am for you both. I'm glad you two have each other."

"Really?" They said, genuinely surprised.

"Yes, of course really." Mary replied.

Clank shook his head, confused. "You were so mad before."

"Indeed I was." Mary concurred, "I was angry you hid it from me. But inside I was happy. You're a good fit for each other. It only makes sense to keep you together."

Bobble furrowed his brow "Fairy Mary… do you mean…?"

"Yes, Bobble. It's alright for you two to work together." Mary smiled. Delight filled their faces and they hugged each other tightly, then both turned and hugged her, thanking her profusely. Gary laughed beside her and she pat their shoulders, trying to pull back. "Okay, okay boys. You're welcome. But keep in mind that the flirting needs to stay out of the workshop. I don't need any more distractions from the two of you."

"Yes ma'am!" They both answered.

"Alright then. Now off with you both! Shoo! Let me enjoy time with my mate." She waved them off and the boys flew away laughing cheerfully.

As he watched them depart Fairy Gary asked "Their relationship wasn't that big of a distraction was it?"

"No, not really." Mary admitted, "In fact it was actually worse when they were kept apart. They were constantly using other Tinkers to pass messages to each other. It is really much less of a bother to keep them close to each other."

"Perhaps you should give them a taste of their own medicine." Gary suggested. "IF they continue to flirt and goof off, turn them into your messengers. I could come up wit a few romantic notes to give you during the day.

Mary bat his arm. "You know, I mat just do that." They both laughed and leaned into each other.

The quiet settled around Mary and Gary again. He curled his arm around her shoulder and stared out to the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise over the trees.

"Gary, I can't thank you enough for staying with me yesterday. I didn't realize how much I needed it."

"You're welcome." Gary squeezed her, "I wish I'd realized sooner how much you were hurting. But I'm here for you now, no matter what."

Instead of answering Mary turned and kissed him. The sun peeked over the treetops and showered them in its warmth. Mary broke away, smiling. "I appreciate it." They watched the sun climb slowly higher in the sky, holding each other lovingly.

"We should do this more often." Gary sighed.

"Perhaps next time we should do this when we aren't in emotional turmoil." Mary joked.

Gary chuckled and kissed her hair. "I'd really like that."

They continued watching the sun rise higher. Around them Pixie Hollow woke up, but they remained together on the doorstep. It had been hard admitting her pain, but finally Fairy Mary could honestly say that she was alright.

Thank you for reading. The story continues in Ties That Bind.