Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon or any of the characters. Natsume does.

Chapter 8

"Hey Jack. What can I do for you?" Rick smiled as his friend walked into the small shop. Jack didn't get to visit Rick much, mostly because of the strange hours that he kept the shop open, but when he did, he always was willing to chat for a while. Rick had also noticed that he was getting close to proposing to Elle, so Rick had taken to stocking a few blue feathers, which now rested on the counter. Jack had mostly bought everything else Rick had to offer, so he knew that Jack was here to finally buy a blue feather and give it to Elle.

"Hey Rick. I'm looking for a blue feather. I want to give Elle one on her birthday. You know, kind of a good moment to ask her to marry me." Jack walked over to the counter and looked at the two blue feathers lying there. He picked up the higher quality one and looked at Rick.

"Hmm, if you want that, it means you have plans, huh? It's supposed to go for 1200 gold, but for you, I'll knock it down to 980 gold." Rick smiled as a happy grin lit up Jacks face as he dug the money needed out of his pocket and handed it to him.

"Thanks Rick. Try and make it to our wedding will you?" Rick smiled and nodded, and Jack walked outside, carefully placing the blue feather into his backpack. He didn't want it to get damaged in any way before he gave it to Elle. Cliff walked over, carrying a stack of wood.

"Hey Jack! What's up?" He noted the excited look on Jacks face, the one he got whenever he was planning to do something big. Cliff hadn't seen that look since Jack had attended his wedding when he married Ann.

"I got Elle a blue feather." Jack said, taking a few logs off of the pile and following Cliff back to the farm where Ann must have been waiting.

"Great! When are you asking her?"

"On the first of fall. I'm going to take her fish, a necklace, and this feather. She'll be really happy. She's been hinting for a while what she would like for her birthday." Jack followed Cliff into the small house and set the logs down near the wall, and Cliff turned and smiled at him.

"About time. By the way, I have news of my own. Ann's pregnant." Cliff exclaimed, and Jack patted him on the shoulder.

"Congratulations. Really, that is really great Cliff." Jack said. They talked for a while longer, but soon it was getting dark and Jack wanted to get home. He called goodbye to Cliff and walked back to his farm.

Jack smiled as the sun woke him up. It was the first of fall, and the day that he was going to ask Elle to marry him. He jumped out of bed and rushed through his morning chores, feeding and milking his three cows and feeding his six chickens. Jack took a moment to wrap the necklace he got Elle and got the large blue fish out of the fridge.

"Time to go, I think." Jack muttered to himself, and walked over to the bakery. He smiled at Elle's grandmother, who was sitting in her rocking chair and enjoying the warm weather. He entered the bakery and smiled at Elle, who was placing a fresh pie into the display case and hadn't heard him enter. He walked behind her and tapped her shoulder.

"Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find the birthday girl?" Elle whipped around and hugged him. He handed her the fish and the necklace that was wrapped and she opened it happily.

"Thank you Jack! I love it!" Elle threw her arms around her boyfriend and he took a deep breath before pulling the blue feather out from behind his back.

"Elle, would you, please, marry me?" Jack asked, placing the blue feather in her hand, and looking into her eyes. She just stood there for a moment, seeming like she was thinking really hard about something. She took his hand and smiled at him, but Jack knew something was wrong, because her eyes were filled with tears.

"Elle? What's wrong?" Jack asked, and she looked away as a tear slid down her cheek. She led him into the back room while Jeff watched, a slightly guilty look on his face.

"Jack, I really want to marry you. But I can't." Elle placed the feather back in his limp hand, and more tears slid down her face as she looked at his shocked expression. He tried to form a sentence, but he only managed to ask,

"Why?" Elle turned away from him and her shoulders shook as she explained in a shaky voice.

"Jack, before I met you, I spent a few nights with Jeff. And I didn't want to tell you yet, but I'm pregnant. I can't marry you Jack, because I really do love you, but I love Jeff too, and I want to raise our child together. I should have told you. Jack please.." Elle turned as she heard him take a step back, but he was just shaking his head as he tried to sort out what she had just told him. Pain and anger twisted his face and his heart and he turned away and ran out of the bakery, shoving the blue feather into his pocket.

"Jack!" Elle ran after him, but stopped as she watched him run to Cliff's farm, and she just stood at the doorway of the bakery, crying.

"Jack, I'm so sorry." Elle said softly, and walked inside the bakery, and into Jeff's arms.

Cliff walked out of the barn, humming softly and helping Gray lead the horses outside. He looked over and saw Jack sitting next to the fence, his arms crossed around his knees and his head tilted down. Cliff walked over after shooing a horse out to run, and kneeled next to his best friend.

"Hey Jack, that's not a way for a soon to be married man to sit. Jack?" Cliff looked at his friends face and was shocked to see the tears running down his face. Jack looked at Cliff and just broke down. Cliff put an arm around Jacks shoulders as he told him what had happened.

"Damn. Jack, I'm so sorry." Cliff handed his friend a piece of cloth, and Jack wiped his tears away with it. Ann walked over and gave Jack a glass of water, and Jack had just noticed that Popuri was standing nearby, looking sad.

"Jack, Elle just told us. We are so sorry that you had to go through that." Ann said sadly as she watched the heartbroken guy slowly drink the water. Cliff just sat there silently, trying to figure out what Jack had just told them. Popuri walked over and knelt next to Jack.

"I know how you feel Jack. Gray and Karen got married and I thought my heart would never heal. I know it hurts, and it feels like everything you thought you had has been taken from you." Popuri took his hand in hers and smiled at him sadly.

"We're all here for you. I promise." She said, and Jack hugged her, his tears starting all over again. She just held him as his anguished sobs rocked his body, and Cliff and Ann watched sadly, wondering how their friend would get through this.

Me: Shocking, isn't it? Is this the start of a relationship between Jack and Popuri, or will Jack never be able to get over Elle? See you in Chapter 9! Please Review!