(A.N. I skipped to fall because I wanted to. Really, summer would come next but let me just summarize it for you. Kai came to the beach and Popuri hid their relationship from him. Kai suspected something. Winter, nothing exciting happened.)

"Ann come here for a minute." Jack called from the doorway. Ann was looking in the fridge. She looked up and closed the fridge.

"Why?" She responded as she walked over to the door.

"Some people have some explaining to do." Jack was glaring at someone outside the open door. He opened it wider as Ann approached to reveal none other than a pink haired girl and a brown haired boy.

"You." Ann muttered under her breath as she glared at the two. "What do you want." She snarled, stepped towards them aggressively and raised a fist. Jack held her back.

"Ann, it's okay." Jack said, his eyes not leaving the couple.

"Uh…" Popuri started. She popped her bubble gum and sighed. "Sorry about your farm and taking up your time yesterday and the day before." She rolled her eyes.

"We didn't know someone had taken over the abandoned farm and we had made a clubhouse here before." Cliff motioned to the pile of rubble that used to be a structure. "Thank you for helping us though." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yah."

"Okay thanks." Jack said and he started closing the door. Ann immediately reacted and put her foot in between the door and the wall so Jack couldn't close it the rest of the way. "Ann?" He questioned.

"Uhm… Can I talk to Cliff?" Ann blushed sheepishly. Jack nodded and let Ann slip out. He shut the door and prayed for Ann's safety.

"Be safe." He whispered.

Ann caught up with the two and tapped Cliff on the shoulder lightly.

"Cliff?" She looked at him, trying to keep up but she still had a limp. She noticed that Popuri was limping too.

"Yes?" Cliff's face turned to meet Ann's. Ann grabbed Cliff's shoulders and stopped walking. Popuri didn't notice at first then she stopped and limp jogged back.

"Can we talk?" Ann asked sweetly.

"Can we talk." Popuri mocked. "Why do you need to talk to him? He doesn't love you. No one does. Come on Cliff" Popuri grabbed Cliff's arm and tried to pull him onward but Cliff resisted.

"Okay we can talk. Popuri. You go home. I'll meet you there later." Cliff started walking alongside Ann, letting her lead the way.

"What!" Popuri fumed. "Ugh!" She shrieked. She sighed in defeat and sprinted home to await the coming of her boyfriend.

"So?" Cliff asked as Ann and him reached the forest.

"Well…" Ann began. "I wanted to tell you about what has happened in my life since you…left." Cliff stalled in his brisk walk.

"Left? I didn't leave. I was here the whole time." Cliff's voice noted that he was confused.

"You left my life." Ann confirmed. She motioned for him to continue walking so he did.

"Oh." Was all Cliff could bring himself to say.

So Ann explained about her father beating her and threatening her and dropping her from a window. Cliff had almost fallen over at that part but he wouldn't tell Ann why when she asked. She told him about Jack and how he had saved her. She left out the part of him seeing her naked to spare herself the embarrassment. She told him that she didn't want to ever leave the farm again. She told him that she didn't have any goals or dreams. Cliff was very silent during the whole story.

"So… that's my story I guess." Ann concluded at the end of her long speech. Ann and Cliff were sitting on tree trunks in front of the Goddess Pond. Cliff nodded his head, staring into the water.

"Well, okay. Thanks." Cliff cleared his throat then looked to Ann. "Why'd you want me to know?" Ann shrugged.

"Because I want you to be my friend still, even if you've broken my heart. I just hope that I can find it in my heart to forgive you and Popuri." Ann swallowed. "I want you in my life still."

"Oh." Cliff looked back to the dirt. "Well, I've got to go." Cliff stood and brushed off his pants.

"Okay." Ann agreed. "Me too." She paused. "Just not yet." Cliff waved and walked off, back to the Inn.

"I broke her heart? I thought she didn't love me. No, she doesn't. Popuri's right. She's just confused. I really don't think I ever loved her either." Cliff's thoughts were warped by Popuri's lies but he didn't know it. "My life is fine and her issues are not my problem." He muttered as he walked into the Inn. No one ran it anymore. No food was served, no parties were held. You could even stay in a room free of charge. Cliff shook his head in dismay. Thomas was such a clueless mayor. He never knew what was happening in his town.

Cliff walked up the dusty stairs and across the second floor's hallway. He came to the third room and reached for the doorknob.

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"Wow, we're here!" Ciar gazed in amazement as she tried to bring some of her family's luggage onto the sandy beach. She stumbled and landed on her back. "Oof." She grunted as she leaped back up, determined to bring the bags onto the beach. Ghai joined her in the task until Elli stepped out of the boat with her purse and a medicine book.

"Guys.." She giggled. "Let me help." Elli reached for the biggest suitcase but the two five year olds shushed her away.

"No, no Miss Elli. Let us do this on our own." Ghai asked politely as he stood up and bowed. Elli giggled and sighed.

"Alright." She gave in. Ghai smiled, seeming satisfied with himself .He turned to r to just catch a glimpse of Ciar's light body struggling with a bag then she slipped and lost her footing. The wind was very strong and it played it's part in pushing the girl into the water. She yelped as she splooshed into the chilly ocean water.

"Help!" She gurgled, trying to stay above the surface.

"Ciar!" Ghai jumped over to the end of the dock and reached for his companion's hand. "Grab it!" He yelled. Ciar tried to get closer to Ghai's reaching, extended hand but just ended up swallowing what seemed like gallons of water. She tried again and got hold of his fingers.

"Mommy!" She shrieked. "Save me! Help me!" Elli remembered the night when the man had attempted to hurt her daughter and she had taken the blow for her. She had said the exact same words but now Elli was frozen in fear. Ciar's grasp could not withstand the slippery water on her and Ghai's hands so they easily slipped apart. "Ghai!" She cried.

"Ciar!" Ghai stood up and prepared to dive into the raging waters. Elli leaped at him and kept him from sacrificing himself for her daughter.

"Ghai don't!" She squealed. "We'll just end up losing both of you." She hugged him close as her own tears mixed with the water in his thick hair.

"But Ciar…" Ghai gazed off at the figure that was still shrieking in the water, miles away already. He shut his eyes in defeat. Tears flew from his eyes as he sobbed. He turned and wrapped his tiny arms around Elli's waist and she hugged him tightly back. It started to rain and the wind was very fierce. Elli ran her fingers through Ghai's hair. She had made a decision. It was for the best. She didn't want to lose both children but she would have wanted to save her daughter.

"There was nothing we could've done." She whispered to Ghai, more to comfort herself. Elli stood and set Ghai onto the ground. He rubbed his red, puffy eyes and grabbed a few bags. Elli did the same and they walked in silence, Elli leading the way, to their new home in Mineral Town.

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"Cliffie" Popuri's figure sat on the bed.

"Poppie." Cliff grinned. Then he squinted and reached for the light switch.

"Don't." Popuri scolded. "Leave the lights off." A menacing smile formed on her lips. Cliff shrugged then looked Popuri over.

"What are you wearing?" He asked. Popuri stood up and walked over to him. She did a fashion model turn and flipped her hair.

"Tell me Cliff." Popuri lifted her arms over her head in another slutty pose and raised one eyebrow. "Do you like what you see?" She was wearing a black undershirt that extended into a tight dress. It was short and had pink trim. It accentuated her curves and made her look very attractive.

"You tell me." Cliff said as he advanced on his girlfriend. He grabbed her waist and she giggled as she lowered her arms.

"Aren't you glad I moved in with you?" Popuri asked in an innocent tone that didn't suit her at all. She leaned into his face and licked his nose.

"No…" Cliff stared at Popuri with a stern face. Popuri leaned into his ear.

"Lying is a sin Cliff." She harshly whispered.

"Oh really?" Cliff mused. "Well, so is this." Cliff kissed Popuri with great lust. His hormones were going crazy. Popuri's insane outfit was not helping. He promised himself right then that he wouldn't go farther than kissing her. He hoped he could help himself.

"Cliff." Popuri fell into his arms and kissed his neck passionately. Cliff grinned again and pushed her against the wall with a slam.

"Your turn." He growled and kissed her neck. Popuri closed her eyes and let Cliff do his own thing. He kissed her neck and made his way to her mouth. Popuri wrapped her arms around his neck happily as she kissed him tightly back. Cliff responded quickly by aggressively throwing his tongue into her mouth. Popuri broke the kiss and leaned onto him suddenly.

"Hah." She giggled as Cliff lost his balance and fell onto his back. He landed with a thud.

"Oof." He grunted. "Woah!" He exclaimed as Popuri crawled down to his level and kissed him again. Lucky for her, Cliff was wearing a button up shirt. Popuri continued to kiss her boyfriend as her fingers found their way to the brown tiny buttons. Her nimble fingers started to easily unbutton his shirt. Eventually she easily pealed away the shirt and kissed Cliff's chest. He laughed because it tickled.

"Poppie!" He laughed. Cliff brought her face back up to his and kissed her passionately, reaching his arm to the zipper of her dress. She kissed him, her hands holding his head up. Cliff grabbed the zipper lightly and pulled. It unzipped halfway before Cliff stopped himself. He stopped throwing enthusiasm into his kisses. Popuri knew something was wrong.

"Cliffie?" Popuri pulled away from him and lay on his body. "What's wrong?" Cliff shrugged.

"I don't know. Sorry Pop." He knew Popuri wanted to and was willing to go all the way but Cliff didn't want to take that risk before they got married. "What am I thinking? Marriage? You still love Ann! Don't you?" Cliff shook his head and Popuri leaned onto her side, still on top of Cliff.

"Okay." She sighed, obviously disappointed. Cliff put his one arm behind his head and ran his fingers through Popuri's hair with the other. Cliff sighed and put his arms down on the ground. He pushed himself up and Popuri sat up with him. Cliff picked Popuri up easily and laid her on the bed. Popuri giggled and Cliff shook his head. "Oh." She looked down at the floor.

"I'm going for a walk." Cliff said easily as he bent down for his shirt. Popuri sniffed and brought herself under the covers. Cliff buttoned up his shirt and left the Inn.

"Who am I? What am I doing?"