"I saw him come back in about an hour ago," Ann called out to Claire.

"Thanks." She was unable to bite back the grin on her face.

Claire slowly walked up the stairs of the inn, holding the warm dish of curry rice in her hands. It was one of the first meals she had created in her brand new kitchen and she was eager to share it with her dear friend. The steps creaked as her heart hammered in her eardrums.

So, Cliff… There's going to be a Moon Viewing Festival…

Her feet felt heavy.

The sky will be full of stars the stars… the full moon illuminating the town from over the top of Mother's Hill…

Claire gulped and nearly missed a step.

The only thing that would make the evening more amazing would be to spend it with you.

Her mouth was dry.

Say you'll go with me, Cliff.

Claire raised a shaking hand and rapped on the bedroom door, the blood rushing in her ears making it difficult to gauge the volume of her knock. The flight of stairs wasn't that steep; why was she so out of breath?

I'm essentially asking him out on a date…

She had to ask him now! There was a chance she wouldn't get to see him again before the festival due to both of their busy schedules.

The door opened with a soft creak and a bolt of electricity ran down her spine. "Cl-Claire?" A pair of exhausted eyes looked out at her.

She opened her mouth wordlessly a couple of times in her overexcitement and her nerves went into overdrive as she saw the fatigue on his face. "Ann told me you were in. I'm s-sorry, did I wake you?" Claire had never seen him look so run down and her happiness was overtaken by concern. She had an instinct to ask if she should come back later, but the thoughts of the upcoming festival kept her rooted in her spot.

"Oh… I was just resting my eyes," he replied with a few heavy blinks. His voice was gravelly from lack of use; it was a far cry from the lovely tenor she had listened to at the Fireworks Festival. She couldn't help but notice something about his entire demeanor had changed. It was almost as if he were a shell of his former self since they had made the trip home together from Forget-Me-Not Valley.

The young woman noticed he wasn't opening the door very far; her stomach churned with anxiety. Her heart continued to pound. "May I c-come in? I'll just be a minute," she asked softly. Perhaps the invitation to a fun event would lift his spirits, after all.

He hesitated before letting her in. "O-okay…"

Cliff's pajama pants loosely sat low on his hip bones and as she watched him toss a baggy cotton shirt over his head – his weight loss was more obvious than ever. He didn't smile as he sleepily offered her a seat at the table, and Claire felt a little guilty for insisting on seeing him. Her eyes moved to the floor bashfully; she couldn't help but feel that she was intruding.

He didn't say anything as he sat silently, staring at the surface of the table with glazed-over eyes, and Claire realized a conversation wasn't going to happen unless she started one.

"I-I feel like I haven't seen you in a while," Claire started with a weak chuckle. "I-I know it hasn't been all that long since… the restaurant…" The image of the broken plate was still clear in her mind as her voice died down.

He hadn't been putting any items in her shipping bin for sharing during mealtimes – everything was going straight to his list for selling, and there had been a silent agreement that this was to be the new normal. The Tomato Tube had helped Claire save a lot of her crop, and she had been able to purchase more groceries, and even take a little time for fishing for herself.

Her friend didn't look up at her. "Been busy."

She set the dish of curry on the table and clasped her hands in her lap anxiously. "I, uh, made you some lunch," she stammered, standing up a bit to push the container across the table to him with trembling fingers. The plastic sliding across the wood felt unbelievably loud.

He had been hungry for days, but he frowned at the offer. He had to stop taking from everyone; he had grown too soft… "Oh… I-I… I c-can't…" He pushed it back to her as politely as he could. "You're far too kind to me…"

His words stung. Claire visibly flinched at them as she struggled to mask her hurt feelings. "I thought that was your favorite." She hated the artificial cheery tone in her voice. "You can always eat it later." She pushed it back to him, trying to catch a glimpse of his expression.

He said nothing; the young man's eyes returned to the floor and his long hair hid his features.

Perhaps the invitation would cheer him up and he'd be able to get some sleep, Claire reasoned. He seemed pretty tired, and she didn't want to keep him waiting. She nervously cleared her throat, returning her hands to her lap. "S-so… there will be a full moon next week…" She played with her fingers anxiously.

He made a grunt of affirmation.

"It will be the Moon Viewing Festival. D-do… do you want to go with me? We can watch the moon from the peak of Mother's Hill together…" The words tumbled out of her mouth like a rushing stream, all of her smooth phrasing and romantic words forgotten as she struggled to convey her thoughts. This awful heaviness in the room was suffocating her and she was dying to lighten the mood.

Claire's heart leapt when she caught the hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Cliff's eyes immediately lit up.

An evening alone with Claire under the stars… A… d-date…?!

His face flushed and he could feel the blood pumping into his fatigued body, giving him a rush of energy. He wanted to go more than anything in the entire world. He looked up at the beautiful young woman and she was rather pink as she twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger, her eyes shyly meeting his. He could only wish and pray that her blush was for him; surely he didn't deserve a gaze that was so precious… His breath hitched and he became nearly overwhelmed with the urge to throw his arms around her and cover her lips in kisses. He knew she would make him deliriously happy, if only she would give him the chance to try to do the same for her… Was this her invitation? Was the idea of the Moon Viewing Festival as intimate and romantic as he was imagining? Cliff snapped back to reality and stared back down at the ground, his heart breaking. What was he thinking? He needed to focus. They were both just going to get hurt…

It was a long time before he spoke, and as the light faded from Cliff's eyes, Claire felt her blood run cold. When he finally opened his mouth, his voice was so low that she strained her ears to hear.

"I-I'm sorry, Claire… but I don't think we should…" It felt excruciating, but he forced himself to swallow down his emotions and didn't look up at her, his hair hiding his face.

"Oh." Claire's jaw dropped and she quickly closed it, fighting the lump forming in her throat. He looked as if he really wanted to go just a moment ago… She licked her lips, attempting to swallow; her throat felt so dry. "W-well… surely y-you can take one night off from hunting," Claire teased, trying to play off her disappointment. Her tone was more nervous than playful, however, and she didn't earn a smile from him.

I hurt her… Maybe I should accept. No, no… If… If we really could spend a romantic evening together, it will just hurt more when I have to leave. Stop being an idiot, Cliff. This is why you never talk to people in the first place. What were you thinking? Did you really think you had a chance with her? Stupid, stupid, stupid! You weren't meant to be here – you aren't meant to be anywhere, remember? Even Carter can make mistakes; after all, he's only human. It's easy to want something enough to convince yourself it's what the gods want you to do… "It's… n-not that… I… I don't think…" His words trailed off.

They sat in silence for several moments before Claire finally took a deep breath. She couldn't stand it anymore.

"We used to be so open with each other." Her voice quavered. "W-why is it like this now? … I-it hurts, y'know?" She blinked the mistiness out of her eyes as she stared at the floor, silently cursing herself for not meeting him in the eye. "Wh-what changed?"

Her words were heavy and Cliff went numb, unable to say a reply.

"Wh-what's going on?" she asked, her voice soft yet fearful. "I-is Cain alright?"

Her friend silently stood up and walked over to the window.

"He'll make a full recovery. I picked him up from Doctor Hardy's the other day." He gripped the windowsill, resting his forehead against the glass of the window, staring at the falling autumn leaves outside.

Her heart eased up a bit, but he still never addressed her concerns. "Cliff…" The young woman got up and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his back. "Come with me to the Moon Viewing Festival. I… want to s-spend some time with you…" Her voice was muffled.

Her body was flush with his; this was more than a simple friendly hug. Cliff's knees went weak. It used to be so simple for him to shut off his emotions. He reluctantly pulled away, choking on the lump in his throat. "I-I said I'm s-sorry, Claire…" His voice cracked.

She was still warm from being so close to his body, but she felt so chilly inside. "But-" This distance was terrifying and trying to figure out why it was there in the first place was like working at a puzzle. She bit her lip as she realized how close she had held him; perhaps she was scaring him off… But something about the way his body felt against hers was so comforting and made her heart feel warm – they fit together perfectly. Claire's face caught on fire. It felt natural because I love you… But his rejection felt anything but natural, and the conflicting feelings he had were apparent… She was more confused than ever.

"We… we probably sh-shouldn't be spending so much time together." He looked back outside, as it was far easier than looking at the pain in her eyes. A fresh wave of guilt overcame him, and he hung his head in shame.

Claire felt like she was no longer speaking to someone she knew. "What are you talking about? I haven't spent any real time with you in weeks other quick hellos and the whole accident with Cain." Her heart panged with a deep pain. Her best friend wanted to see less of her?

His shoulders slouched and he pressed his forehead against the window again, causing his bangs to become disheveled. "W-well, I figured if I avoided you… it w-would make the whole thing… easier in the long run." His voice was strained.

"What whole thing?" Claire's heart pounded even harder, and she felt faint. That lingering fear she had about Cliff since the moment they met bubbled back to the surface and she bit back a whimper, her entire body trembling.

He let out a sigh. He had already said too much… For a brief moment before the conversation began, he considered not telling her at all, but he knew they were well beyond that point. Besides, he loved her, and she deserved to know the truth… "The ferry's coming into port at the beginning of winter to head back out east. I… w-will.. most likely be riding it and not coming back." His voice faded into a whisper.

Claire's heart broke into jagged shards; the words did not compute. She held the windowsill for support, as she felt like her legs couldn't hold her any longer.

Cliff? Leaving? No…

There was a reason he was drawn to this town – he had come so far emotionally from that day she met him in the springtime. He was meant to be here so that he could heal, so that he could make friends… She opened her mouth to express her rejection of his statement, but her mouth just opened and closed, her vocal chords refusing to cooperate with her as the room spun violently.

She managed to choke out a single word. "Wh-why?" Her throat burned as her voice cracked.

Her tone implied she thought that he no longer cared about Mineral Town; that couldn't be further from the truth. "I'm running out of money… The medical bills were expensive, and there's nothing out there to hunt… I… I-I need to focus on the n-next move…"

If he couldn't make it here, then he needed to stay far away, otherwise it would hurt too much. He would always be wondering what could have been otherwise. Mineral Town was too much like Akiyama. If he couldn't become a part of this village, then he didn't belong in any.

"But you've got a little bit of time left before then. Things can change…" She looked at him hopefully, but her teary eyes and worry lines on her forehead stood out more than the fake smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

It had been fun to pretend he could be part of a community again, but it only made the fact that he had failed hurt worse. Cliff laughed bitterly. "Things won't change; they never will. I've been to areas where there's a bad hunting season… It's not going to pick up around here, at least not this year, and I don't have the luxury of time. It will be time to move before both of us know it. I knew this time would come – it always does… "

She remembered the man with the glittering eyes that spoke of his dreams on the beach. "Y-You said you would do anything to be here." She choked on her words.

That sentence struck his heart like a dagger; this was exactly why he had to leave. "I tried… really, really hard… to stay." His voice cracked with sincerity. "I usually leave towns with a little bit of money left in my pockets to tide me over… Or at the very least, I try to bulk up a little before I leave so I can manage better when I'm out on my own again. I've sold everything I can find… a-and everything's dying off for the season…"

Cliff honestly didn't know how he was going to survive the early spring months before vegetation grew back, but he didn't express this aloud. He had eaten most of his supplies already, and he only really had money for the ferry. He had never been this unprepared before, and he had no furs or meat to offer anyone for trade like he normally did. While these facts initially scared him a few weeks ago, he found they didn't bother him after his unsuccessful hunting trip without Cain; it had been the nail in the coffin, so to speak…

"I could lend you money!" Claire's voice broke. She knew she didn't have much after all of her investments and home repairs. Anything would help, surely.

He shook his head. Cliff would not leave town indebted to anyone. "If I can't support myself, then I am not meant to be here."

Those words made her heart ache. Why was he so willing to give in? "Surely Doug would give you a grace period…? You could live with Gotz, or here with Carter!"

Cliff considered this for a moment and shook his head. "I could never ask that from any of them…. I have to learn how to make it on my own. It's the whole reason I left home in the first place." He became more adamant.

"You can stay with me!" She was desperate. She impatiently wiped away tears. "Or if you need space, I-I can even move Tucker to the cow barn and fix up the stable for you until you get back on your feet!"

There are so many options! Why can't he see that?

She was making it harder and harder for him to refuse. Cliff shut off his emotions and tried to speak reasonably with her. "I have nothing to offer you in exchange." He paused, his eyebrows furrowing with worry. "Besides… people would talk either way – you know that. I would rather leave than shame you like that."

"Friends don't expect payment for things they do out of love!" Tears sprang from her eyes. She looked over at Cliff and saw a break in his mask; for a brief moment he was struggling to fight back tears. She felt a surge of confidence as she moved a little closer to him. "And as for the reputation thing, I don't care! I-I… I want my best friend to remain in my life! They can say whatever they want!" she yelled, her entire body trembling. She hated that he sounded more and more positive about leaving. "What is this about anyway? Silly pride?" Her voice hardened as she gripped the windowsill. "You're willing to give up what you have here because your pride is wounded?"

"I can't take care of myself like a grown adult, Claire!" Cliff's voice rose in volume and he quickly stopped himself, biting his lip and clenching his hand into a fist. "I-I failed again! I-I don't deserve…" She watched his face turn red as he stared at the ground, refusing to meet her gaze. "I don't deserve a home…" His voice broke and he buried his face in his hands, his shoulders heaving in silent sobs.

She reached a hand out to him, her entire body going numb when he pulled away.

He really, truly believes deep down, and he always has.

"Yes, you do!" she cried out, clutching her hands over her heart.

"I'm so tired of hearing everyone's silly lies!" Cliff's voice cracked and he turned his back toward her, frantically wiping his tears away. "It's not like this is the first time I've had to move! I-I really didn't want you to see me like this – my true, miserable self…"

Cliff didn't know what was to become of him, and he realized at that moment that he didn't care anymore. His failure at Mineral Town was the last straw. He would leave on the ferry, release Cain, and find a spot in the mountains to be alone, just like he was always meant to be. If he didn't survive to see the next season, so be it. The young man was so tired; he had come so close to finding true happiness here. Now he wanted nothing. He preferred nothing. He knew if he mentioned any of this to Carter, he would argue against it. Cliff had stopped visiting the church – he stopped visiting anywhere. It was better this way. He knew his end was coming, and he would rather face it like a man than prolong the inevitable.

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Cliff…"

He bristled at her touch and she felt him stiffen. "Please, just go!"

She choked back a sob, gasping in shock. "D-don't shut me out!"

He shook his head. He was already gone. He shrugged her hand off of him. "Leave." His voice was soft but very firm.

Claire blinked as the tears rolled down her face. Her jaw hung open as she took her hand back, letting it limply fall by her side. "I-is this what you really want?"

He audibly gulped. "I-it… was never about what I truly wanted, Claire…" He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered, his calloused hands brushing against the bandages. "Pl-please… please leave me alone."

Stumbling backward, Claire was unable to tear her eyes from him as she fumbled with the doorknob, flying down the stairs. Her journey home was blurry with tears as she jogged, avoiding the gaze of passersby. Nothing made sense anymore as she dragged her feet into her house, closing the door behind her with a slam and collapsing against the oak, leaving a smeared trail of tears in her wake.

Claire woke up because the sunlight was in her face. It took a lot of effort to open her eyes. They ached, and her eyelashes were glued together from crusted tears. She had passed out at her table again, and her back was sore. It wasn't a nightmare, it was real. Cliff was planning on leaving Mineral Town. She couldn't remember anything significant about the past three days; she had spent them wallowing. Vague memories of throwing chicken feed in the coop and kibble into Koro's dish gave her a minor feeling of relief, along with her additional automated habit to let Tucker outside to graze. She attempted to water her plants, but it quickly turned into her throwing water at her crops in an uneven pattern out of frustration – she gave that up after the first day.

She didn't eat, she hardly slept, she didn't bathe. It was hard enough for her to manage to choke down water every so often when her parched throat ached. She tried to distract herself into writing to her parents to let them know how fall was going so far, but she couldn't think of anything to report other than the fact that her friend was leaving. Putting the words down on paper would make them true, after all. Crumpled letters littered the floor. Joints popping and creaking, she managed to stand up and drag herself onto her bed. Her body felt several times worse for trying to move. She quietly sobbed for a few minutes, almost forgetting why she was crying in the first place, when she heard a rough knocking at the door.

"Go away!" Claire pulled her pillow over her head and rolled over onto her stomach with a groan.

"You are not allowed to talk that way to me!" Karen's voice was livid. "Open this door! Carter sent me here!" She continued to pound.

Guilt did very little to motivate Claire. It took all of her effort to tumble out of bed and unlatch the door. She was about to lash out at Karen when her voice died in her throat. Neither spoke as their eyes locked and they shared their pain in silence. She noticed that her green eyes were rimmed in red.

"Hey." Her voice was suddenly gentle. Karen reached out her hand to put on her friend's arm when Claire turned away, tearing her eyes from hers.

"Come on in." The young woman's posture was hunched forward as she gestured toward the table weakly, brushing aside a couple of crumpled papers on the floor with her dirty boots.

As Claire sat down with a wince, her sore back aching in protest, Karen grabbed her by the shoulders and inspected her. Lifeless eyes. Pale skin. Raw eyes. The pungent scent of sweat and unwashed skin. Karen looked at the questionable stains on Claire's shirt and smoothed down the young woman's greasy blonde hair. "You look rough." Her words were sharper than she meant for them to be as she quickly realized that it was Claire that smelled like old socks and dried vomit. It was likely she had cried herself sick at one point.

Claire's temper flared at her words. She said nothing but rolled her eyes, staring at the table. "I-if you just came to m-mock me, you can leave."

Karen grabbed her by the shoulder, turning Claire to face her. Her green eyes were hard. "I never mock my friends when they're in pain." The brunette sat across from her friend and set down her bag, startled at her friend's behavior. "I came to check on you… to make sure you're okay."

Claire's shoulders slouched and she hung her head as if she had been deeply chastised. "So I take it you know, then." She stared at the tabletop, blinking her tired eyes. "I'm not okay…"

"I know that Cliff's making plans to leave town, but..."

Hearing Karen's voice say those dreadful words made Claire silently weep afresh; she was surprised she had tears left to cry. A small wail drowned out whatever her friend was about to say.

"He c-can't!"

"I just found out this morning. I asked Dad if we could hire him." She shook her head, wiping a tear from the corner of her eyes. "I guess it was more like I begged him and threatened him a bit." Karen let out a small chuckle that had no humor or joy to it. "He says the shop's not bringing in enough money, with so many people buying on credit… I… I tried with him for hours, I promise!" Tears flowed from Karen's eyes, and Claire looked up at her. "But he just ended up getting mad at me. I told him he could go to hell." She knitted her brow and gave a bitter frown. "I needed some time to get away from the shop, and I bumped into Carter. He said he was very worried about you and sent me to check on you."

If Karen wasn't able to come up with a solution for the situation, no one could. Claire rested her chin on the tabletop and a puddle of tears quickly dampened her face. "What are we going to do?" she asked weakly. "Cliff refuses to take any money or food from me."

"I-I dunno." Karen's heart broke at the expression on her friend's face.

I guess all we really can do is send him off with happy memories... right?

"He's been avoiding me." Claire buried her face in her hands. "H-he said he didn't want to be close anymore." Saying those words aloud caused another sob to rise out of her throat and she buried her face in her folded arms against the table, her body wracking as her cries were muffled by the wood.

Karen's throat began to close up; she couldn't stand any more of this. "We are going to the hot spring," she stated with authority.

All of the bones left Claire's body as she melted into the table. "I don't w-want to." Her voice came out as a pathetic whine and her dry tongue felt like cloth. Her head spun as she pouted and cried, her eyes refusing to produce any more tears.

Karen was already rifling through Claire's boxes of clothes, adding garments and fresh towels to her bag. She gave her friend's dirty hair another look before adding a bottle of soap to her things. "I don't care, we're going." She grabbed her sack in one hand and took Claire's wrist by the other and began pulling her out of the house as she saw it was likely Claire had kept her shoes on for days. "You need a bath anyway. You look and smell terrible. I had a feeling you would be holed up in here neglecting yourself."

Claire was annoyed that she was that predictable… and that weak. "I don't care."

Karen's voice became stern. "Well, I do. We are going."

Why did Karen have to be so rough with her? Couldn't she see how much pain she was in already? Claire was too tired to put up much of a struggle. Her friend dragged her to the hot spring in strained silence.

The sun was far too bright and the chirping birds were noisy and annoying. Claire shielded one of her ears a bit with her free hand, a combination of anger and helplessness overtaking her as she followed along, Karen's sweaty hand holding hers.

They entered the gate to the hot springs and Karen immediately started rifling through the bag for supplies.

"Come on." Karen's voice turned gentle again as she tossed her clothes into a pile on the ground and got a bucket of water, dumping it over her own head. As much as she loved Claire, being that close to her had made her a little nauseous and she scrubbed herself down with the soap, eager for a new scent to hit her nostrils. She turned and frowned at the blonde who was staring blankly at the grain of the wood on the fence, still fully clothed. Karen finished lathering herself up and tossed the plastic bottle at the ground by Claire, the sound snapping her out of her trance. "Please don't make me undress you myself." She was not joking as she dumped the bucket of water over her head.

Claire sighed as took off her clothing, realizing for the first time how dirty it was and how strongly she stank of body odor. She took the bucket beside the spring and filled it with water. She realized her hands were shaking.

"Good girl. I promise this will make you feel better." Karen put her towel on her head and relaxed in the spring.

Claire grumbled to herself as she washed the grime and sweat off of her body. The fragrance of lavender in the soap hit her and she felt her muscles relax as she let out a tired sigh. It smelled nice, and it was the first time she had liked anything in days. The very acknowledgment of that caused her to sniff and tear up a bit as she rinsed off and washed a second time. She slid into the water, sulking, her emotions rawer than they had ever been before.

"There, doesn't that feel better?" Karen smiled, but her eyes were full of concern.

Claire didn't reply, and a couple of teardrops left ripples in the water. The only thing that would make her feel better would be if she didn't have to say goodbye to her best friend, the man she loved. Those hurt, expressive eyes haunted her…

"I know he means the world to you, Claire." Karen looked at her friend tenderly. "You're allowed to be sad about it."

Claire didn't say anything in reply as her eyes remained glued to the water. She stifled a sob as her hands gravitated over her aching heart.

Regardless of how Claire felt about Cliff, she couldn't continue this behavior. "He means a lot to me, too. But that doesn't mean that we have to stop living."

Claire remained silent and her head felt foggy. Continuing life right now felt like a monumental task; she wasn't really sure where to go from here.

"It's not like he's dying or anything. He… might come back to visit when he makes enough money." Karen grasped at straws, trying to hide the tremulous quality of her words.

"He said it wouldn't be likely he would come back." Claire's voice was barely audible over the bubbling water.

They sat in the water in sad silence, neither sure what to say.

Claire stumbled as she pulled on her clean clothes. Her entire body felt wobbly and she wasn't aware how sore she had been until her aches were soothed in the warm water.

"We're going to Doug's for lunch." Karen's tone was final as she slung her back over her shoulder. "A hot meal will do you some good. A fresh glass of milk, too."

The very thought of food made Claire nauseous – it was the very reason why she hadn't been eating. At the mention of the inn, her blood ran cold and she felt herself shake. "N-no, I… I just want to go home!" She didn't care that she sounded like a child throwing a tantrum at this point; she knew she was in no condition to socialize with others right now, along with the obvious chance that she might run into Cliff while they visited.

Karen saw the look of misery on her friend's face. "We'll order takeout and go back to your place."

"I'll wait at home. Please don't make me go into town!" She felt herself starting to go into hysterics.

Claire gasped as her wrist was snatched. "You're coming with me. People are asking about you, Claire. Ann's worried sick. You need to think about how your behavior is affecting other people… We love you."

Claire's face scrunched up, but she had no tears left at the moment. She leaned into her friend.

"We won't be there long."

"Hi, guys!" Ann's smile faded when she saw Claire's sorry state.

They both took a seat at the bar, and Ann reached over the counter, giving Claire's hands a hearty squeeze.

"Hey… we're all going to get through this, okay?" Ann's large, blue eyes were shiny.

Cliff is Ann's friend, too…

Claire blinked rapidly and gave her a slow nod. Ann gave her hands a pat and slid them a menu. "I made a fresh batch of my famous chocolate cookies if anyone's interested in sweets…"

Karen's eyes moved to the blonde. "I'll just have a boxed lunch. What do you want, Claire?"

The young woman sat silently. Ann looked at Karen with a worried expression.

"Just get her something that is easy on the stomach." She wasn't even sure if Claire would be able to keep anything down. "We're going to take it home to eat."

"S-sure." Ann nodded. "I understand…" Her eyes flicked to them. "C-can I come back with you?"

Both girls looked back at Claire for permission. The pain reflected in Ann's eyes was so unexpected from her that Claire found herself nodding.

"Thanks." She gave them a sad smile as she headed to the kitchen.

The oaken stairs creaked loudly and a spooked Cliff was watching them with wide eyes and a pale face. Gulping, he looked over his shoulder and remained frozen like that for a moment, deciding if he should return to the safety of his room. Karen's eyes locked onto his, daring him to flee. Cliff swallowed and walked down the remainder of the steps, his posture hunched over and defensive.

"Huh… thought you were going to run away," Karen's voice was bitter. "You're pretty good at that, huh?"

He visibly flinched at the words, and Claire's eyes moved uncomfortably toward her friend.

Her laugh had a sharp tone to it. "What, no one's had the guts to tell you what an awful friend you're being right now? Why don't you think about how much we are hurting? Do you really think we would be happier without you in our lives?"

Cliff's eyes moved to the floor and he nervously fussed with the bracers on his forearms. "I-it's not... it's j-just… It's not simple, okay?" His voice gained strength.

"Of course it is. Home is where the people you love are. Or is that not how you feel about us?"

Claire's jaw dropped in shock. She couldn't tell if she wholeheartedly agreed with Karen, or if she was horrified by the things she was saying.

If the young man was pale before, he was ghostly now. "I… uh, it's n-not like that at all! I-If an opportunity presented itself, I would have taken it!" Despite the ferocity of his voice, it was soft in volume.

Claire broke her silence. "I offered you to move in with me, Cliff…" Their eyes locked and the tears threatened to come again. "That offer still stands."

Ann came out of the kitchen with a paper sack of food, a chocolate cookie hanging out of her mouth. She watched in silence as the tension in the room rose.

Cliff's lips moved as he struggled to find the words. He was pulled from his thoughts by Karen's firm words.

"That sounds like an opportunity to me." The shock at Claire offering a man to live with her was less startling than the thought of one of her best friends leaving her life. The older adults in town might raise their eyebrows, but who really cared?

"I… I already told you why I can't…" Cliff's eyes didn't move from the floor until Karen was standing right in front of him. A small gasp escaped his lips as he lifted his head, and her open palm immediately slapped loudly across his cheek. The sound echoed through the bar as he held his cheek in shock and he hung his head, his eyes shrouded by his bangs.

"Let's get out of here."

A shocked Ann removed the cookie from her mouth before it fell and followed Karen as she took the hand of a silently weeping Claire. The blonde's bleary eyes looked back through the bar door as they left and she saw that Cliff had not moved from his spot, stone-faced in silence.

Author's Note: Ah, please don't hate me! T-T

I let the characters do what they wanted for maximum flow of conversation and action, and they ended up breaking my heart. This was excruciating to write, and very emotionally draining. I hope I was able to make y'all feel something, though.

Cliff's whole, "This place feels too much like home, so I can't be happy here" thing is a reference to the event where he moves away in (M)FoMT on the ferry. It always made me sad that Doug questioned him why he was leaving and Cliff said something like, "I'm happy here and it reminds me of home, and that's precisely why I can't stay." Ugh.

I also wanted Karen to be the one who gave tough love and spoke honestly, even though it could sound harsh at times. I'd love to hear your thoughts while reading. Thanks so much for all your support! :)