DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harvest Moon or any of it's characters.

Third-Times the Charm
Chapter 7

The next days surprisingly went back to normal, customers we back Mary was talking to me and well the boys… well they were boys. Though Kai shot me glances that just said you can't hide forever and Gray was hinting himself.

"Ann you have two great guys and you don't want either?" Karen who had oddly become my consultant through this all asked. I really wasn't sure why I didn't go to Mary for this, but honestly I suppose no matter how much she said she was over Gray now it still felt weird. Karen and I sat at the Goddess Pond; Popuri was near by too but didn't seem to be listening.

"I don't know…" I admitted rustling the grass between my fingers. "I know I'm going to have to pick but…"

"But you still have feelings for Cliff?" she guessed and I gave a limp nod.

"Is that so bad?" I asked.

Karen frowned, "he left you Ann…"

That stung, "I know. But I can't help feeling that the way I yelled at him-"

"Ann you had every right," Karen said firmly and I nodded but I couldn't help but think that maybe I didn't…

That night I'd made up my mind I had to call him, which now sitting in my room seemed a lot more complicated that originally thought. First of all I knew little phone numbers and looking at the phone book it seemed even more impossible. But something wouldn't let me give up.

"Hello Palms Hotel would you like a reservation?" a woman's voice came.

"Actually I was wondering if there was a man named Cliff staying at your hotel," I said ignoring how lamely it sounded.

"Last name please?" She asked annoyance in her voice.

"Thompson."

"No there is no Mr. Thompson here."

"Thanks," I murmured clicking the phone down. Lying on my bed I sighed this was going to be impossible; I knew that. I should return the phone to my father, (who admittedly hadn't been happy when I took it locked myself inside my room and gave him no explanation as to why… opps.) and move on…

But if all that made sense, which it did, why? Why did I get this feeling in the pit of my stomach I couldn't give up? That I had to try…

It took over twenty five phone calls later until I finally clicked the phone off and admitted defeat, still unsatisfied. "I've lost him…" I murmured. "I lost him…" Not bothering to even take back the phone to the front desk I left for the shower.

As I stood there with the water pouring over me my mind floated, why had he left me? Why was he not here now anymore? And most importantly why did I feel like he's the one I should go to for advice? I'd ask him what to do, who to choose… where he was… how he was.

"Ann, Jack came over to use the phone this morning. Would you care to explain why I had to tell him he couldn't?" my father asked curtly once I rose the next day.

"He can't read?" I suggested still feeling sour from defeat last night.

"No, I believe it's because the phone is still missing from the counter. Care to go and find it?"

I gave a weak smile; at least it was Jack who I denied the right to the phone. "Sorry Dad," I said making my way back to the phone which was still attached to the wall in my room. Reaching to unplug I stopped mid motion, something caught my sight.

Turning my head I saw underneath my bed leg wedged inside a crack was a small index card. Interested I kneeled down and pulled it out. Reading: FORGET-ME-NOT VALLEY INN (328)-543-9283. CALL NOW! I cocked my head to the side; Forget-Me-Not Valley was the only other town on the island I had ever been to. Only once, it was more open then Mineral Town sweet and calm, but it was hard to imagine they'd advertise…

Maybe Cliff is there… A little voice spoke in my head and although I knew I was stupid it made me want to call. Cliff would never leave for the next town over that was stupid… why… I looked at the number again. Then again what was one more number to the many I'd already called…?

Picking up the phone I dialed. At first I thought no one was going to answer, ring after ring then finally.

"Hi how may I help you?"

"Hi umm well I was wondering if a boy by the name of Cliff was staying at your Inn." I said,

"Yes there's a Cliff here," the woman on the phone replied and my heart flopped. "But he's probably asleep right now." I glanced at the clock, seven in the morning opps.

"Could you wake him up for me?" I asked. "I'm sure he'll understand it's important."

She sighed but told me to hold on and I could hear her echoing footsteps and they left the phone, it must have been five minutes, and I was starting to think she left me on the phone and went back to sleep herself before I heard footsteps again.

"Hello?" came the reply fast and quick yet heavily laden with sleep, she'd woken him up.

"Guess who?" I said.

"A-Ann? What happened? Are you okay? How'd you know where I was?"

"That's not important right now I need your help," I replied already knowing what to say to him.

"Sure anything," Cliff replied instantly.

"Why'd you leave me?" I asked. And there was a pause.

"I thought this was help…"

"This is help Cliff, I need to know-"There was a bang on the door.

"Ann where is the phone, Jack has come back and he needs it!"Came my fathers yell from the door.

"Yikes," Cliff murmured obviously hearing him. "Ann what have you done?" he asked.

"Stole the phone," I replied.

"You couldn't just use it where it was?"

"Nope," I replied already feeling calmer at his voice twisting the phone cord I blocked out my fathers yells that were steadily growing more as the farmer waited. "Listen I need to talk to you, a lot of things happened since you left."

"Did Gray ask you out?" Cliff asked and I smiled at how he knew this.

"Sort of, how'd you-"

"Ann I'm not stupid the guy was my roommate. All I can guess is that Mary's mad at you, you like him and your confused."

"Kai's in it too, and it was the whole town that hated me…"

"Was? What does Kai have to do with this? Ann…"

"He likes me as well… and well I made up with Mary and the town for the most part has forgiven me…" and as I said it the realization hit even more.

"So you're having a two way-"

"Three."

"Goddess I thought you moved away from Jack."

"You silly," I smiled.

"Oh I'm still in this?" he asked in his quiet voice and I smiled even though I knew he couldn't see it. He'd already counted himself out.

"Of coarse you are," I replied.

"Ann…"

"What?" I asked my heart jumping.

"Ann I left you, you deserve better honestly don't-"

"I can choice who ever I want to like Cliff," I said firmly.

"Ann…"

"…Cliff you have another girl don't you?"

"I-"

"Who is she?" I demanded appalled was this why he left?

"Her name Sara," he confessed and I mental added another person to my hit list. "And stop marking her on your hit list," darn this boy knew me to well. "Listen Ann I really hurt you and I don't deserve you, S-Sara is a traveler just like me… I don't have to stay in the same spot for her, and I like that. We both need to move on, not because I don't love you because I do, but because it's best for the both of us..."

I was silent I was the only one that could get that many words out of this man, trust me on that. "Cliff I-"

"Ann I don't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry. But its not-"

"If you're reason is you don't want to stay stationary what if I-"

"You're not leaving your father Ann I'm not allowing it."

"Then who should I pick?" I whined.

"Y-you mean Gray or Kai? I-I don't think that I should make that decision, but from what I know is you'll be losing Mary if you pick Gray… And Kai doesn't stay year round…"

"Cliff I-"tears were rolling down my eyes now and I knew he could tell even though I kept my voice strong.

"I'm sorry Ann, but I have to go we're going to leave first thing after breakfast… so don't call back o-okay?"

"Where are you going?" I asked.

I could see the smile on his face as clear as if he was there, "we both know I can't tell you."

"I love you," I said the first time I'd ever said it to him even when we dated.

"I love you too Ann, take care of yourself okay?"

I nodded then realizing he's on the phone I replied, "Okay."

"By-"

"Don't say it," I stopped him. "I'll see you later okay Cliff?"

"Ann you know-"

"Cliff please."

"I'll see you later Ann," he repeated and the phone clicked on the receiver. I held it to my ear for a while pretending he was still there we were some how connected through the little wire on the phone before I knew I couldn't hold on any longer setting it down I unplugged the phone and opened the door. Doug stood there looking as if he'd heard the whole thing. His mouth was pulled down in a tight almost in a frown, which it looked like he was struggling to hold, his cheeks flushed a cherry pink…. Curse of the red-heads…

"Here's you stupid phone," I grumbled pushing it into his hands.

"Ann?"

"Yeah?" I asked looking away tears filling in my eyes.

"It'll be okay."

I looked up at him eyes full of tears. "Dad he's not coming I-"

He put his hand on my shoulder and I looked him in the eyes, "it's okay darling. It's okay…"

.~*~*~*~*~*~*~.

That day went by so quickly I hardly remembered it and when I woke the next morning I saw my alarm was turned off sometime in the middle of the night. Apparently all those 'where did I go wrong speaks' just a few days ago were wasted with some sympathy. Sitting up it was I was about to get up I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Scared I froze shooting my head it it's direction.

Mary sat at the end of the bed. She rubbed her eyes looking at me slowly it looked like she had just woken; I wondered when she got here.

"Morning Ann," she smiled weakly. "I must have dozed off… I came here to talk to you about a half an hour ago… your father said you talked to Cliff last night?" My eyes widened, "don't worry he just told me, no one else."

I nodded, "yes I talked to him. Mary he-"

She shook her head, "I'm sorry Ann I made this so hard on you."

"It's not your fault…" I murmured.

"Maybe not," she admitted. "But if it helps in any way, if you like Gray don't let me hold you back. He really cares for you, you know that and-"

"Thanks Mary," I cut her off. "You're a good friend, but I don't like Gray."

"Y-you don't?"

I shook my head, "No I realized something last night…"

"And what would that be?"

"I was using him, using both of them… Gray… he reminds me of Cliff…"

"Ann that's horrible! You can't just date someone who reminds you of someone else!"

"I know…" I sighed. I liked Gray but it was true in fact I didn't love him, I thought I could… I thought I did… But the truth was the spark I felt when he kissed me when he wrapped his arms around me... well it was all memories of Cliff. As much as I hated to admit it… but Kai the sparks I felt when I kissed him well they were entirely different…

I liked Kai that was a fact but did I love him? No Ann the truth is you don't love him, I could with time… maybe. But it wouldn't be the same? No, and I knew that.

"Does that mean you're giving up on Gray?" she asked.

I nodded and the air fell silent for a while. "Mary?" I asked. "I don't mean this to sound bad but… Gray doesn't return your feelings." I looked at her she seemed unfazed, that was a good thing. "What are you planning on doing?"

"What do you mean?" she asked puzzled looking at me.

"I mean who will you go out with; who will you marry? Aren't you worried at all that you'll end up alone?" I asked.

She just smiled back. "Ann is that what you're worried about? Being alone?"

Was I? I didn't know, it didn't sound appealing that was for sure but…

"Listen to me Ann," she smiled putting her hand on my shoulder. "I've never kissed a guy, nor have I ever had a boyfriend or even had a guy return my feelings..." And when she put it like that I felt even worse about myself, here I was feeling sorry about my relationship status. "I didn't say that to make you feel bad Ann, the point is I'm not worried."

"How-"

"Ann," she looked at me. "Something I realized this week in my room was that friendship is stronger than all of that stuff. You're never going to be alone if you have friends by your side, one day I'll realize who I'm meant to be with whether they live here, the valley or even the city. And one day you will see Cliff, and if you don't it will all be for the better."

"I swear you're my mother Mary." I laughed tears in my eyes.

She laughed a little, "Come on get out of bed sleepy head! Friends forever?"

I smiled, "friends forever."

The End

There you go the end! I'd love to hear what you thought, please drop me a review! (: