Bright Heart didn't remember when he arrived home. The last few minutes were all a blur. He couldn't remember how he got there or even why. It was just as he was opening his front door that everything came back to him in a rush…including what he said to Soulful.

I didn't say that…I couldn't have. He thought, horrified. Then came the even more horrific realization. …But I did. Bright Heart leaned his head against his wall. I stopped inventing so no one else would get hurt…and now I've hurt my best friend in a way far worse than anything my machines could've done.

And Gentle Heart…Bright Heart sucked in a breath. He'd been shutting her out all week. She'd been crying that morning at breakfast...and he'd just ignored her.

I've let my relationships with the two most important people in my life deteriorate. An icy knot formed in his stomach. They'll never forgive me for this. What've I been thinking?

He knew that was the wrong question almost as soon as he thought it. I haven't been thinking. That's been the problem. Bright Heart shook his head. He could sort this out later. Right now he had to do what he could to save his relationships to those who mattered most to him.

Picking up the phone, Bright Heart dialed Gentle Heart's home, hoping she was there. After what seemed like an eternity he heard the phone being picked up.

"Hello?" It was Gentle Heart.

"Gentle? It's me…I—I want to say…I didn't…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Bright Heart said at last. Gentle Heart didn't answer right away. Bright Heart feared the worse.

"What you did hurt." She said finally. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears. She also sounded hurt and—rare for her—almost angry. Bright Heart hung his head, though she couldn't see.

"I never wanted to hurt you." Bright Heart said, ashamed.

"I know. But you hurt a lot of people, not just me. I know you didn't mean to." Gentle Heart didn't say "But you did," but Bright Heart heard it all the same.

"How's…" Bright Heart felt his throat constrict and didn't finish. Gentle Heart knew what he meant.

"Soulful's hurt. I think more than I am." She said sadly. "I know you, I love you," Bright Heart felt his heart skip a beat at the realization that he hadn't lost her, "But Soulful…you know what Soulful's like." Bright Heart knew what she meant. He spent so much time looking and waiting for things to go wrong that when they did it seemed to convince him of every little suspicion he had ever harbored.

Winning Soulful's trust was no easy feat. When Soulful trusted, he trusted completely. Of course this meant that he trusted a very small circle of friends. He could stand being insulted or getting in an argument with most anyone else, but a fight with a friend was devastating for him.

He trusted me…and I stomped on that trust. "I'll go talk to him." Bright Heart promised. "I'm so sorry Gentle. I will find a way to make it up to you both. I promise."

"I know you will." Bright Heart could practically hear her smile over the phone. "Please go talk to Soulful. He really needs it."

"I'll take care of it right away. I'll talk to you later. Good-bye."

"Bye!" Bright Heart hung the phone up and sighed. That had been relatively easy. Now for the hard part…talking to Soulful Heart Fox.