"So if you don't add enough sugar, you starve the yeast and it stops fermenting," Cliff explained, scratching down some numbers in his notebook.

"… Which is bad," Claire finished for him. She looked at the rows of barrels lining the walls. They gave off a sweet, fruity smell that mixed with the cozy scent of wood. The controlled temperature was a bit brisk, but it felt comfortable at the same time. She could quickly see why despite still being a new employee, he looked very at home in the wine cellar of Aja Winery.

Cliff's laugh was a bit delayed as his pencil moved across the paper. "Yes."

She wondered for a brief moment if she was disturbing him from his work, but she saw the corner of his mouth curl up at her words. The fact that he was enjoying her company was encouraging enough. She felt the warmth come into her cheeks. "Well, can you ferment honey instead of sugar?"

"Sure, but then it will be mead instead of wine." He gestured toward a shelf of bottles filled with golden liquid.

Someday we'll have some together…

He swiftly returned to his note taking, moving from cask to cask.

"So, what does this thing do?" Claire pointed to a twisted contraption on top of one of the fermenting barrels.

His eyes moved up from the pages. "Oh, that's an airlock. It keeps pressure stable and… well, it keeps the air out," he explained lamely with a chuckle.

He was given a grin in return as she studied the shelves of instruments and empty bottles. While she could relate to grape harvesting, the production of the wine itself was a very different line of work than her own. "It's kind of like a science experiment, huh?"

Cliff nodded, thoughtfully looking around his workstation. "I guess so. It's all about keeping everything in balance. I still have so much to learn…" He walked past her to check the gauges and brushed against her arm as he did so, causing her cheeks to go pinker. He froze for a moment, forgetting about his note taking as their eyes locked. "Hey… would you…?" Cliff's heart was hammering in his ears. "Well, Karen mentioned your birthday is next week, and I was wondering if you had any plans."

She shook her head. "It would be nice to see my friends that day, but I don't have anything set."

He took a deep breath. "Well, there will be a crescent moon… Would you want to go out and watch it on the top of Mother's Hill with me? We can have our own little Moon Festival."

Her eyebrows furrowed; she could still remember her heart shattering when she had asked him to watch the moon with her and he refused.

He wasn't blind to the look in her eyes. "I'm really sorry about before. Let me make it up to you."

She gave him a nod, her eyes becoming shiny as she swallowed the lump in her throat. He had asked her before, and her feelings were the same. "All I've wanted was to spend it with you. I wanna go. I wanna go with you."

He took her hand in his and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Then let's."

Determined to see a smile on her face once more, he shyly leaned in toward her but he froze as he heard the wooden stairs above them creak when Duke walked down them. "Cliff, I meant to ask if you could check on the…" His voice trailed off as he saw they had company. "Good morning, Claire. I'm surprised to see you indoors on a nice day like today."

"Oh, I just was taking a break from my chores and thought I'd just stop in to say hello." She gave him a polite nod of the head in greeting. "Duke, I want to thank you again for hiring Cliff."

She was given a shake of the head. "No thanks needed; he's a great worker and learns quickly. Thank you for bringing him to us."

Hearing his boss speak so candidly and positively about his performance caught Cliff by surprise and made his heart swell. He said nothing but shyly ducked his head as he stuck his face back into his notes.

Duke laughed in response; he had heard Claire chattering before he came down and he noticed his employee talked a lot more when she was around. He didn't mind having her company for a while.

Claire had other ideas. If Cliff's boss was downstairs with him, he probably needed his help. She didn't want to keep them from their work any longer. Just because she was on break didn't mean that the rest of the world was, too.

"Well, I actually stopped by because I brought you something for lunch, Cliff." Duke caught the color in her cheeks as she reached in her pack. She produced a plastic container and a set of chopsticks. "It's… mostly pan-fried sweet potatoes with rosemary," she confessed sheepishly, "but I made a rolled omelette, too."

"Y-you didn't have to-!" Cliff stammered as he accepted the container.

Her hand brushed against his in the exchange. "Trust me, I have more than enough sweet potatoes to go around." Explaining her current crop problem didn't feel right at the time. She turned toward Duke, retrieving a large eggplant from her bag. "And this is a thank you gift. I know it's not much…"

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. When she looked up, Duke was beaming at her. "Really, Claire, no thanks are needed. That being said," he replied with a chuckle as he accepted the eggplant, "I'm not about to pass up the opportunity for some homemade eggplant parmesan!"

Claire gave them both one last look. "Well, I had better head back to the farm; I don't want to keep either of you. See you later." She waved goodbye to them and walked up the creaky stairs.

"What a woman, huh? And they say there's no such thing as a free lunch! It must be nice having a friend who is so sweet." Duke grinned, giving the container of Cliff's food a quick glance before marveling at the quality of the eggplant in his hands.

Cliff gave a quick nod and got back to work, his cheeks blazing. He buried his face in his notebook to hide the goofy grin that was spreading across his face. He wasn't keen on being questioned for his facial expressions which were becoming increasingly harder to hold back. The very thought that she cared for him the same way he did for her and that she still wanted to sit with him on the top of Mother's Hill to watch the moon and stars…

He'd quickly be in dreamland if he didn't force himself to focus on his work.

Duke looked at him curiously. "Well, what are you in such a hurry for? Why don't you at least enjoy your lunch while it's still hot?"

Cliff's eyes moved toward the clock. "I guess I can eat and work," he replied, tucking his pencil behind his ear.

"Take a break; let's have lunch together."

He shook his head in reply. The last thing he wanted was to look like a slacker in front of his boss. "But I just took a break."

"I only saw you working the whole time Claire was here."

Cliff knew Duke was stretching the truth, and the wink he was given cemented his suspicions. Still, when he actually looked at his notes, he was surprised. Duke had been right to some degree, at least; Cliff had actually finished checking the pressure gauges in record time.

Duke grinned. "Come on, let's eat outside. I'll meet you in the vineyard." He clapped his hand on the young man's shoulder and hurried up the stairs, eggplant tucked under his arm.

The unexpected gift leaving him in a jovial mood, Duke hummed as he entered the door to his house, twirling his wife, who was standing at the sink. Manna let out a shriek of surprise and poked him in the arm hard.

"What was that for?! I could have been using a knife over here and you didn't even check first! One of us could have gotten hurt!"

"Look what I got!" Duke shoved the vegetable under her nose.

"You stopped at the store? You didn't run up another huge bill, did you?" Manna scolded, snatching the eggplant. She turned it over in her hands, taking note of its shine and deep purple color. "This is a very nice one… I usually don't trust you to pick good produce… So, what do you plan on me making?" she giggled, forgetting her accusing words.

"It was a gift!" Duke replied defensively, briefly forgetting of his beloved eggplant parmesan. "A thank you gift from our dear employee's little girlfriend."

Manna's eyes softened as she smiled at the thoughtful gift. "Aw, how sweet of her to think of us…" She cradled the vegetable in her arm as if it was a child before pausing, a look of horror spreading across her features. "You better not have called her that to her face, though! People can get sensitive about those kinds of things. Tell me you didn't say that!"

"I didn't!" her husband insisted.

"Let them figure it out themselves; they're adults, after all…"

Duke was surprised to hear that response from his wife, but he kept his mouth shut. "Whatever. I'm gonna have some lunch outside." He rummaged through the refrigerator and grabbed a block of cheese and some grapes.

"Not a word on it!" Manna reminded him with a stern look, her eyebrows furrowed. "I won't have you upsetting that boy!"

He couldn't help but roll his eyes as he gave her a nod, heading out to the vineyard. There was no way that he would do anything to intentionally upset Cliff, because, as he was swiftly learning, he had grown fond of him just as his wife had.

It's still a shame he doesn't talk all that much…

His employee was already sitting outside with his lunch in his lap. He was seated beneath one of the trellises and was staring up at the clear blue sky dreamily.

"Got something on your mind, Son?"

Cliff was thoughtfully looking down at his sweet potatoes when he gave a slight nod. "Just sorting something out," he confessed. A twitching smile crept on the corner of his mouth. "I think… everything's going to turn out for the best, though."

Duke popped a grape into his mouth as he took a seat beside him, letting out a grunt as he did so. "That's one thing I've learned throughout the years. Things work out one way or another."

He saw Cliff's shoulders visibly sink down as he looked at him cautiously. "Y-you really think so, too?" He almost sounded afraid to believe him despite his own words on the matter.

"I know so. It's the only sure thing we've got in this crazy world."

After all, I still have my phone calls with Aja…

"I guess you're right." Cliff's words were soft but laced with determination.

Claire listened to the cereal jingle playing in the background on her television as Karen popped a small handful of shredded cheese into her mouth.

"The toppings are officially ready. Can I do the sauce?"

Claire looked at the arrangement of chopped toppings her friend had prepared. With careful guidance, the bits of vegetables, cheese, and cooked sausage looked fairly uniform. She gave a nod as she passed along the jar of sauce with a spoon.

"I want to stretch out the dough just a little more…" She could feel Karen's eager eyes on her as she pulled the pizza dough to the corners of the pan. Smiling at her handiwork, Claire nudged the pan toward her friend, scratching an itch on her face with her floury hand.

Karen saw the flour on the bridge of Claire's nose and grinned, deciding not to call attention to her little mishap. Claire was often very serious when she tried to show her how to cook, and Karen was in the mood for a lighter atmosphere. The television playing in the background, the heat from the oven near them… It was cozy. It was comfortable.

"I feel… strangely happy." Karen slapped a spoonful of messy red sauce in the middle of the uncooked pizza crust. At the messy splatter, she was grateful for the aprons her mother had insisted she bring Claire's house.

Lighthearted company and good food… This is what I need right now.

"It's honestly like a large weight has been lifted," she continued, amateurishly spreading the sauce with the back of the spoon. Her motions were clumsy, but the joy in her body language was easy to pick up on.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling well." Claire gave her a smile. She dusted the flour off of her hands and watched Karen work.

"I took Rick out for his birthday last night. I showed up at his door with a bouquet of roses. We had a candlelit steak dinner at Doug's. We sat on the pier and watched the sunset with a bottle of wine…" There was a faraway look in her eyes as her eyebrows slightly furrowed. She pensively stuck the spoon back into the jar of sauce, moving her eyes up to the ceiling.

"So things went well. That's always a good thing."

Karen's smile faltered. "W-well… things… ended up for the best." She let out a deep sigh as she blinked her shiny eyes. A couple of fat tears tumbled down her cheeks and she let out a breathy chuckle, brushing them away with the backs of her hands. "He… didn't seem to enjoy anything I did for him. He just kind of sat there nervously and kept bringing up work. I… dumped him," she finally admitted with a sniff, unceremoniously placing another dollop of sauce down on the crust with a splat.

"Oh…" Claire was caught by surprise. "Karen… I'm so sorry."

The brunette shook her head, setting down the spoon and wiping the last of her tears. "It's fine. It… needed to happen, really." She thought of the night before, standing by his front door. She could still see the shock in his eyes as she calmly told him how she was feeling and the way his posture stiffened when she gave him a platonic wave goodbye.

She looked over and could see Claire clenching her fists. "Didn't he see that you were trying your hardest? You went out of your way to do all of those things for him and he didn't even seem to care…"

Karen's friend didn't look very intimidating with flour on her nose. The brunette let out another sigh. "It's… okay… I think."

"No! No, it's not!" Claire was surprised when a wave of frustration flooded her heart. She gritted her teeth, whirling around angrily. Her elbow knocked into the bowl of shredded cheese sitting beside them. It flew into the air in slow motion and the pair watched in horror as it rained down on the kitchen floor. Koro let out a happy bark and pushed his way into the kitchen, his tail excitedly wagging as he attempted to get as much cheese as possible.

Karen said nothing as they crouched down on the floor to clean the mess in silence, but there was an understanding look in her green eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Claire sputtered, going red-faced as she crouched down to pick up the cheese. She wasn't sure if she was apologizing for her clumsiness or her outburst that had caused it in the first place. Either way, Karen didn't call out Claire on her immature behavior, which she appreciated. Claire attempted to shoo her dog away, but he quickly squirmed his way back between the women, licking up the shreds of cheese he could reach with his long pink tongue. Claire pushed him out of the way and he gave her an indignant look.

"You don't need to apologize," Karen replied, tossing the cheese into the bowl between them. "Things happen for a reason."

"But…" Claire could still see a blushing Karen at the cooking festival, eager to catch Rick's attention. Was this really the way things were going to end between the two childhood friends?

Claire tossed another handful of cheese into the bowl and sighed when she saw Koro's snout resting on the edge of the bowl, gobbling up the cheese they were putting back in.

"That's enough, Koro! You're going to get a stomachache!" She scooped up the small dog and deposited him outside, closing the door behind him. His ears perked up as he spun around, pawing on the door to be let back in.

Tossing the remnants of the cheese from the bowl into the garbage bin, Claire let out a sigh. "Well, looks like we're either having a pizza without cheese or we need to go buy some more."

Karen had already removed her apron and was pulling on her boots. "I think… some fresh air might feel nice."

Claire's facial expressions softened as she joined her, lacing up her work boots. "Groceries it is, then." Her hand touched the doorknob when Karen leaned in, brushing the bridge of Claire's nose with a napkin. The blonde jumped in surprise and was met with a laugh.

"You had flour on your nose." She felt a little regretful about the change in atmosphere.

"Ah, thanks."

They stepped outside together and Koro stood up, twirling in circles around their feet as he brushed his muzzle against their legs, tail wagging.

"I think your little goof is trying to apologize," Karen laughed.

Claire gave Koro a pat on the head, grinning. "Yeah, but I don't think he's exactly sure what he's apologizing for."

They shared a smile as they left the gates of Mystic Acres.

"Thank you for listening to all my whining and complaining…" Karen brushed her hair out of her face as they headed out toward the supermarket.

The cobblestone streets were dusted with fallen leaves and they crunched through them as they continued along. Claire noticed that her friend was purposefully walking through them and noisily kicking them up in the air a bit. A smile played at the corner of the brunette's mouth at seeing the browned leaves fall around her. She took a deep breath before she began speaking again.

"Me and Rick… We have so much history together… I'm not really sure if he's going to want to remain friends or what." She gave Claire a sad smile. "I guess all I can do is give us some time and see what happens…" She let out a sigh. "In some ways, I felt like this was destined to happen, but in others, I…" She stopped walking and Claire could see her shoulders shaking as she attempted to contain herself. "I'm afraid I ruined something that had the potential to be amazing."

Claire wrapped her arm around Karen's and nuzzled her head against her shoulder. "But… you were unhappy and you deserve better."

She was met with a quiet but bitter laugh in response. "I'm not sure about all of that. When it all boils down to it, isn't it really about what our roles are in this monotonous town? My parents had implied a couple of times that I needed to start thinking about getting used to the idea of living on the poultry farm – almost as if they were expecting me and Rick to get married."

It felt like a lifetime ago when Karen had admitted with frustration she didn't have what it took to be a "good wife" shortly after they had met in the spring. So much had changed since then… "How… did that make you feel?" she asked curiously.

Karen shook her head. "If things had actually been going well, it might have made me happy, but instead, it just made me feel trapped. Rick and I… we were never really on the same page, and that's why I let him go. He was too wrapped up in work and the stresses of his family. I… I just wanted... t-to be a relief from all that, y'know?" Her voice cracked as she wiped a lone tear from her eye. "Someone to hug and kiss… Someone whose presence would make all your worries just fade away… He just kept fighting it, so obviously I failed at being that for him."

"I'm sorry," Claire murmured as they approached Karen's house.

"Don't be. I wanted to make a change, and I did."

Claire's frown disappeared. "Yeah... You're right."

They both fell silent as the supermarket door creaked open and Cliff stepped outside, fastening his bag, his face glowing and his eyes starry. His gaze fell on his friends standing outside and his cheeks immediately turned burgundy.

"Cl-Claire! Ah, and Karen! Hello! What are you two up to?" He was unaware of the fact that he was nearly shouting.

Karen curiously looked between her two friends, quickly forgetting about her own troubles. "Just hanging out. Claire's going to do some grocery shopping so we don't have a cheese-less pizza."

"Ah, our timing wasn't quite right to go in there together," Claire gave him a wistful smile.

Cliff looked down at his bag and tucked it under his arm protectively. "Yeah… maybe some other time. It's alright, though."

Karen's eyes flicked back toward the door he just walked out of and a hint of a smile curled at the corners of her mouth as she carefully studied his expression.

As they waved goodbye to him, the two watched him head off in the direction of the church. It was in that moment that Claire could feel Karen's eyes on her.

"He finally asked you, didn't he? To be his?"

Claire's heart gave a loud thump and she could feel the color rushing to her face. "I-I wasn't trying to keep it from you-!" With Karen's unhappiness with Rick, bringing up the subject just hadn't felt appropriate.

Her friend shook her head with a smile. "Really, it's fine. I knew there was something different about you the moment we started talking today." Karen cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "You seem… happier. More free." She thought of Cliff's mannerisms moments ago. It was endearing, really, and the two were constantly bringing smiles to one another's faces. "I… I truly hope you two bring each other joy."

Her eyes drifted toward the pendant around Claire's neck. Claire had said nothing about the piece, but it had been obvious to her the moment they met up that day. She had no doubt that the piece of jewelry was Cliff's handiwork and that it was a token of his affection. Seeing such a rustic necklace on a woman that was raised in the city warmed her heart. Cliff and Claire seemed to have come from different worlds, but when it came right down to it, she couldn't think of two people who had more in common. Karen might find that herself one day, or maybe she never would… However, in that moment, she wanted to focus on the joy her friend was feeling.

Claire's hands gravitated over her heart and she felt a warm glow. "Thank you."

Karen pushed the door to the grocery store. "Let's pick up some wine while we're in here, too. We can make a toast – to new beginnings… for both of us."

A bittersweet smile found its way on Claire's lips. "Yeah."

Cliff walked toward the church, his light feet growing heavier with each step as reality set in for him. Lightheadedness overcame him as he stepped inside of the church, his hands gripping the back of the pew as he slowly regained himself. The pure ecstasy and high he had been feeling was crashing down as the situation hit him. Dragging his feet to the confessional, Cliff struggled to gulp, his mouth and throat suddenly dry.

"Hi, welcome," the priest said warmly as he heard the confessional door open.

"C-Carter…" Cliff's voice was quavering. He lingered in the shadows, making no motion to approach Carter. "Th-there's not much sense me sitting behind this screen, huh?"

"You know that I am never here to judge. Sit where you like."

Cliff's knees practically gave out beneath him as he knelt behind the privacy screen, his mind a buzz of activity as he attempted to sort through his thoughts.

Carter was surprised when he heard no movement, as he was expecting to see him walking through any moment to sit with him. He could hear his friend attempting to control his breathing from behind the screen, and he bit back the urge to ask him to take a seat across from him. The priest waited silently. He knew better than to ask him what was wrong until he had calmed down first. Carter slowly inhaled and exhaled out of his mouth rather loudly; he hadn't resorted to this tactic for quite a while.

Cliff matched the rhythm and was silent for a few minutes. His mind was racing with emotions and half-formed thoughts. However, he knew that Carter was waiting for some kind of response from him.

Where do I even begin?

"D… Do you think… someone like me…?"

Carter sat quietly, folding his hands in his lap as he continued his slow breathing.

Cliff tried again. "Do you think that there is… redemption… for someone like me?"

He was surprised when he heard an answer right away. "Always." Carter smiled through the screen, but his heart hurt.

For Cliff to be talking like this again…

He was reminded of snowy winter afternoons consoling him, struggling to give him a shred of hope. While he prayed that it was a fluke, it seemed his companion had taken several steps backward today in his recovery. Seeing all of that progress suddenly undone and to hear his voice so fearful once more made it impossible for Carter to keep his own emotions from bubbling to the surface. "Never give up hope."

… Something big must have happened.

"I-I'm not really sure if I d-deserve…" Cliff's voice faded. "I've caused so many people unhappiness… And for me to think I should be allowed to be happy, too… Maybe it's all just a bad idea." He hung his head, a wave of shame overcoming him.

Carter could tell his friend was struggling not to cry. A sad smile spread across the pastor's lips. They had rehashed this conversation so many times over the past year or so when he first arrived in town. "Everyone deserves another chance. You can't keep yourself shackled to your past, or you will never move forward. You will never truly be happy until you allow yourself to be."

He could see the young man shifting uncomfortably behind the privacy screen. "B-but the gods… Surely they don't…"

There was a long pause.

"What makes you think they've forsaken you?" Carter asked gently.

He didn't get a reply right away. "Because they allowed things to happen the way they did," his voice cracked. "How could they not give up on someone so selfish?"

He had heard that voice say those words several times, but he remained patient with him. "Because everyone is deserving of love."

Carter could tell by the uneven breathing that the young man was silently crying. This particular soul had always been the hardest for him to counsel because he loved him so much; it was difficult to remain impartial.

"Come over here, Cliff," Carter requested gently. He knew he was breaking protocol, but he didn't care.

He heard the obedient shuffling of feet as he stepped around the screen, staring at the ground. His hair hung in his eyes, and his shoulders slouched with such defeat that Carter was almost afraid to ask what was weighing on his heart. The priest stood up and gave him a caring hug. He wasn't surprised when he didn't receive one back. Cliff set his satchel on the floor and plopped down in the chair across from him.

"I… I messed up badly." His mind was racing. His eyes widened and the pitch of his voice increased as he looked back at the confessional door. "M-maybe I should head back now and I can-"

"Why don't you tell me what's going on and we can work through it together?" It was obvious that he had wanted to do this in the first place, at least on a subconscious level.

"It's only a matter of time before everyone finds out…" Cliff audibly gulped, clutching the strap to the bag he set on the floor beside him in his sweaty hands. "Maybe everything would be better if I…. just threw it away…" Frowning, his words died down.

Carter took his seat; something was obviously on his friend's mind. He waited for Cliff to make a move. There was a long silence as Cliff wrung his hands and stared down at the carpet. There were a couple of times when Carter thought he was about to speak, but he closed his mouth again, biting his lip. When words finally came out of his mouth, his volume was very low.

"I-I… it's because I made a purchase today…"

Getting any sort of response from him was relief at this point. "Oh? Where at?" he asked in a friendly, conversational manner. He gave him an encouraging smile and leaned forward in his seat a bit.

"I wasn't planning on doing it today… or maybe I was without realizing it… I-I mean… I've been thinking about it…" Carter was surprised how well his body language had worked; he hadn't expected a response so quickly. Cliff was twisting the strap of his bag around his knuckles. "I bought something at Jeff and Sasha's…" His eyes moved back to the satchel and his face was covered in a thick veil of worry. "I… I was really happy at first…" He stared at the floor. "B-but now…"

Carter had a feeling he knew exactly what was in the satchel. His heart pounded in excitement, and he swallowed the lump in his throat, choking his own feelings down once again. "Let's see it then." He gave his friend a look of understanding. "I know you brought it with you."

Face turning a deep shade of scarlet, Cliff struggled with his shaking hands as he reached into his bag. He pulled out a slim box and took a deep breath, opening the lid and carefully pulling back the tissue paper protecting its contents. He unwrapped it slowly, almost as if the item were too precious to handle. Worry lines dotting his forehead while beaming, he revealed a single feather the length of his forearm. It had a long, straight shaft with tidy brilliant blue plumage. It was the color of a clear summer sky – the same hue as the intended recipient's eyes.

Carter found himself blinking back tears of joy. He hadn't expected himself to get so emotional and his heart was doing happy somersaults. "I-It's very beautiful, Cliff…" He struggled to keep his voice level.

The young man nodded, not removing his eyes from the feather, still in disbelief that he was actually holding it. "I… I don't know what I'm doing with it, though…"

It's too much…

"I think that you do, or you wouldn't have bought it," Carter replied with a grin.

Cliff wouldn't allow the smile to remain on his face despite how badly he wanted to simply relish in the moment. "She… she deserves better…" He stared at the object in his hands, but they both knew he wasn't referring to the lavish plume's quality.

Carter caught the look in his eyes – he looked ecstatic, pained, and afraid all at the same time. As he watched his friend's body quiver, he realized he was probably not far off the mark. He calmly folded his hands in his lap despite his own giddiness; Cliff's emotions had always been contagious to him. "Claire deserves someone who loves her deeply as both a human being and a woman. Don't you do that for her?"

Cliff felt his face grow red as his heart pounded in his ears. Carter was someone that he had confided in time and time again, but he had always been very careful about the words he used to describe his feelings for Claire. Admitting aloud that it was love would simply open himself up to criticism, and part of him didn't want Carter, someone he trusted so well, to try to talk him out his feelings. Holding the feather in his hands, he realized at once that he had more than exposed his feelings and he couldn't tell if he felt more terrified or free. Carter hadn't laughed at him or persuaded him away from feeling the way he did.

Cliff mulled the priest's words over in his mind. He pictured the warmth and genuine kindness of her smile. Claire had been a friend to him from the day they introduced themselves. She didn't have to speak to him beyond that initial introduction in the church. She had chosen to speak to him on days he was overrun with grief, quietly reciting prayers with him. She had never pried about his previous life while he stewed on the past. Claire had fought for him to stay in Mineral Town despite his negativity earlier that season.

He reflected for a moment on the way her eyes burned with passion and enthusiasm when she talked about her farm. Seeing her made him want to try harder in his own life and he felt like his life had been improved just by knowing her.

At what point did I start seeing her company as a goal to strive toward?

Those smiling blue eyes, that musical laugh, that warm touch…

That heart…

He found that he was shaking.

"She's… so much more than I could ever possibly hope to deserve…"

Carter had a thoughtful look on his face. "You don't realize it, but you are more than she deserves as well." He gave Cliff a smile. "That's the way things tend to go for a pure and honest love."

Cliff basked in his friend's words for a moment, but the grin on his face faded. Carter had made it sound almost as if he was certain Claire's feelings were the same. The young man shook his head. Perhaps some affection was there, but he'd have to be crazy to think it was to the same degree. "B-but she could never… no…" Cliff looked back at the feather doubtfully.

"Why not?" Carter asked.

He was given a sigh in response. "I haven't even told her… that I love her yet." Cliff felt embarrassed saying the words aloud; they made him realize how pathetic the whole situation was.

"Love can be shown in many forms." The priest shrugged this off. His eyes traveled to the feather in Cliff's hands. "Just because you haven't explicitly stated it doesn't mean the feelings aren't there."

"But…"

"If you truly believed you didn't have a chance, you wouldn't be holding that feather right now," Carter replied. "Give it to her when you are ready. There's no rush; she's not looking elsewhere." He gave him a wink.

Cliff's heart rose at his words and he bit his lip in response.

Am I really that desperate for someone's blessing with Claire?

The giddiness filling him pushed away his minor annoyance and his face lit up despite his misgivings. He gave the feather a gentle stroke, careful not to ruffle it. "Y-you really think…?" He twirled it between his forefinger and thumb, carefully observing its intricate details. "I mean… I didn't buy this thinking I'd offer it to her tomorrow… Maybe someday…" The initial joy he felt when he made the purchase returned to him in a rush. "… It's starting to feel a little less like a hopeless fantasy," he admitted.

"It isn't fantasy, Cliff; it's real life." Carter's smile faded a bit, and he took notice. "And that's why I need to be honest with you…"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

Sensing his uneasiness, Carter let out a sigh and proceeded carefully. "Claire can make you happy, but… unless you come to terms with your past and heal, you will never know the true joy the gods have in store for you."

Cliff gritted his teeth. He wanted to focus on his bliss in being with Claire; he had been aching to share that with someone for so long. Why was Carter bringing this up now and ruining the mood? "I've been happiest when I just forget anything ever happened," he admitted, eager to get back to the subject of his love. "Everything's going to be fine. I started feeling much better once I started distracting myself," he pointed out.

Carter shook his head. As much as he liked Cliff, this needed to be said – perhaps for that very same reason. "That will work for a while, but it won't heal you. Think of how you felt when you first came in here to talk with me today. Even if you're okay with numbing yourself, you're not being fair. Can you hold in all of that pain and still be a worthy husband to Claire?"

"H-husband…" Cliff stared down at the floor silently for several moments. He had purchased the feather as soon as he could afford it because it represented something that he had wanted so badly for so long. He thought he knew all of the implications of giving someone a blue feather, but now that he was actually holding it in his hands, he slowly realized just how much offering one entailed. He looked back up at Carter with a flushed face, but his eyes were determined. "I'm going to have to tell Claire someday… She's going to need to know everything that happened… everything I did…"

Carter said nothing, but gave a slight nod.

The color faded from his cheeks. "… And only then…" Cliff gulped, pausing and recomposing himself. "I-I can only pray that she would have me…" He solemnly wrapped the feather back up and carefully packed it in his bag, his heart sinking a bit.

"It's a very big decision," Carter said slowly, "But you are allowed to feel happy about it, too. I didn't mean to take that joy from you; I apologize. I just wanted to make sure you understood how important it is that you are happy with yourself before you decide to join your life with someone else."

A sigh escaped Cliff's mouth. His entire adult life hadn't been easy, and he was foolish for thinking that everything would suddenly become simple with one purchase. He looked down at the satchel. "I… I want to do it right. Again… I'm not planning on giving it to her tomorrow…"

Carter smiled at him. "Exactly. There is no need to hurry; healing always takes time."

He was given a slight nod in response. With all of the emotions that had been running through Cliff's heart, he was left a little unsure of how to feel. He decided that perhaps simple relief would be enough for now; the fact that he had been brave enough to buy the feather in the first place had said a lot. Seeing and holding it helped make his decision feel more solid.

Someday I will ask her.

As he bade Carter goodbye, he was unable to shake his uneasiness at everything that was discussed.

Could she ever really love someone like me after knowing everything?

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he continued along, shifting his bag on his shoulder.

I have to give myself a chance and have hope.

After all, things end up working out one way or another in the end, right?

Author's Note: I hope y'all haven't been waiting too impatiently for this long-awaited chapter. It was delayed for a combination of reasons. Being in a more stable mindset has been stifling my creativity lately, and a lot of evenings when I come home, I just stare and stare at the screen, trying to figure out how to write something that doesn't sound like garbage. I sometimes have a really hard writing something I'm satisfied with and a lot of times nothing sounds right.

Honestly, a big part of this was being intimidated by the content of this chapter. I wanted to have Cliff buy the feather, but I worried that readers would think he was being too hasty. Well, the truth is, he is being too hasty. There's no reason for me to worry about that as a flaw in my writing – it's just a flaw in the character – his impatience, which is something I am happy to embrace. I wanted to make him so eager to get to his happy ending that he was willing to overlook the challenges he has yet to overcome. So, yeah, I kinda made Carter a bit of a buzz kill, but he had Cliff's best interests at heart.

Between Cliff's worries about the blue feather and the end of Karen's relationship with Rick, I was trying to create a theme of things working out for the best. I was really unsure of how I wanted the situation with Karen to work out, but the more I thought of their dynamic, the more I felt both Karen and Rick would need to change if they were going to truly be happy with one another. Right now, they're just two people who aren't on the same page as each other at all, which makes me a little sad. Eh, I'm always putting these characters through tough situations, though, haha.

It makes me a little sad that this community isn't as active as it used to be. It's kind of hard to keep track of who is still reading along. If you're still reading this, I greatly appreciate your support! I'm always happy to talk about my story or yours! ;) As I get used to working again and get into a steady routine, I hope to make more frequent updates. I hope you enjoyed. As always, I'd love to hear what you think!